A few months ago I purchased a microplane zester. I very rarely need to zest a piece of citrus fruit, but on the two occasions in my life where I have, a microplane would have come in very handy. Otherwise, you have to deal with a box grater. If you're anything like me, you're more likely to grate your knuckles than the fragrant zest of a lemon. And let's not even discuss the task of retrieving the zest and cleaning the box grater afterwards. Kinda makes you not want to make lemon bars.
Actually, it was baking a batch of lemon bars that prompted me to buy the microplane. So, with great anticipation and a laundry list of citrusy creations on the to-bake list, I bought the zester. Which, despite my great intentions, has been collecting dust in my kitchen gadget drawer ever since.
However, I whipped it out today and very quickly and effortlessly zested two lemons for the lemon chess bars I'm making for Craig's workmates tomorrow. Let me tell you, the microplane is a miracle worker. My knuckles are band-aid free, which, is a true testament to the microplane's greatness.
One of Craig's civilian work mates is moving on up to a different job. In true government fashion, a pot luck will be held in Bobby's honor. A pot luck, provided by yours truly. I've never met the guy, but I'm pretty sure he's the one who kindly offered me one of his kidneys should I ever find myself in need of one. I think he also said that one of my baked goodies nearly made him fall out of his chair. I like him. Too bad he's leaving Craig's office.
He chose pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, baked beans and some sort of dessert. Since I have a stack of dessert recipes as tall as me, I chose one that I've made before (cream cheese swirled brownies with heath bar) and one that would enable me to christen my microplane (lemon chess bars).
There's nothing like baking to put me in a good mood. Which, I'm quite thankful for, because I've sort of been in a foul mood the past couple of days. I think it has something to do with my desire for the school year to begin. Not that I don't love my kid, or anything, but she's been sort of cranky herself the past few days. Yesterday, tired of Caroline's friends (who are sisters) bicker with each other and really annoyed that Caroline has been crying over trivial matters like she is three again, I found myself, frustrated, hopeless and defeated, in front of the calendar. The countdown has begun. 27 days!!!
However, I did get a greatly appreciated break today. For the past three days, we've entertained Caroline and her friends in our house almost exclusively. It's been hot, really hot, so the kids have stayed inside. We also made a trip to the pool each day where I proceeded to sweat to death while the kids swam and then devoured the snacks I brought during break time. Today, it was another mom's turn to tame the wild rugrats. It's nearly 5pm and the kids are just coming to our house to play. Yep, from 9am until 4:45pm, Caroline has been otherwise occupied at someone else's house.
That's what I call a good summer day.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
I Went To DC This Morning And All I Got Was A SpongeBob Sticker
The rooster crowed awfully early this morning.
After two bouts of pneumonia in a nine month period, Caroline saw the Pediatric Pulmonologist a few weeks ago, for purely precautionary reasons. Since she is an otherwise very healthy child, the doctor didn't really have an explanation, but she did recommend that we have one simple, non invasive test done. A test that she was quite sure would be negative, but in the spirit of being thorough (and avoiding malpractice concerns), she suggested the Sweat Test anyway. The Sweat Test checks the level of sodium in a persons sweat; people with high levels of sodium have Cystic Fibrosis. As the doctor was explaining this to me, and reassuring me that she's 99.999999% sure Caroline would test negative, I kept telling myself to not go home and Google Cystic Fibrosis. After I was done telling myself that, the doctor said the same thing. She must have seen the wheels turning inside my brain.
And while I know that Caroline is more than likely fine, the .000001% possibility that the test could come back positive scares the bejeeezus out of me. However, she's almost NEVER sick. She's never had respiratory issues and even when she had pneumonia, she was roller skating in the basement. Hardly the portrait of a sickly child.
Today was Sweat Test day. On the bright side, the test is quick and non invasive. They only do them at 8am, which is fine, we don't mind an early start to the day. However, the test is only done at Walter Reed, deep in the heart of Washington DC. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but Walter Reed gives me the creeps. Big time. It's old and just not a happy place.
The Dunkin Donuts inside makes up for a little of the creepiness, but I'd really rather not have to go there. I think it's the apartments across the street with bars on all the windows and doors that exacerbates the creepy vibe.
I'm a plain jane, white bread, happy to be in the 'burbs kind of girl.
Weekday morning traffic in the DC area is nightmarish at best. We allowed ourselves an hour and fifteen minutes to drive the 22 miles and needed every single one of them. After getting a little disoriented, we found our way there, with a minute to spare. Thankfully Craig came along to navigate us through the crazy congested one way streets, copious amounts of traffic lights and pedestrians too busy texting to pay attention to the road. Had I been the driver, we might still be looking for the hospital, three hours later. While I'm a competent co-pilot, I lose my directional sense when in the driver's seat.
Perhaps I should ask Santa for a GPS next Christmas.
The test is complete; Caroline, as always, was a trooper.
Craig, the marathoner in training, is out running now. He left as soon as we got home from the hospital. It's hotter than Hades outside, but he's ever committed to the training schedule. And Me? Nah, I'll go to the gym tomorrow. Besides, my thighs are still smoldering from yesterday's Body Pump class. I should NEVER go a week without any physical activity; the first day back is just too painful.
Not sure what's on tap for the rest of the day. I'd like to have a nap, but I'm sure my house will be brimming with chatty kids, eager to hide from the scorching sun this afternoon. Yesterday the kids created a humongous tent in the basement, scattered Legos all over the living room and made Webkinz beds in the kitchen/dining room. I literally had no where to sit, so I was forced upstairs to hide out in my bedroom.
School starts in less than a month.
Hooray, hallelujah and amen to that!
EDITED TO ADD: The pulmonologist just called to say that her test was, as expected, negative.
Yay!
After two bouts of pneumonia in a nine month period, Caroline saw the Pediatric Pulmonologist a few weeks ago, for purely precautionary reasons. Since she is an otherwise very healthy child, the doctor didn't really have an explanation, but she did recommend that we have one simple, non invasive test done. A test that she was quite sure would be negative, but in the spirit of being thorough (and avoiding malpractice concerns), she suggested the Sweat Test anyway. The Sweat Test checks the level of sodium in a persons sweat; people with high levels of sodium have Cystic Fibrosis. As the doctor was explaining this to me, and reassuring me that she's 99.999999% sure Caroline would test negative, I kept telling myself to not go home and Google Cystic Fibrosis. After I was done telling myself that, the doctor said the same thing. She must have seen the wheels turning inside my brain.
And while I know that Caroline is more than likely fine, the .000001% possibility that the test could come back positive scares the bejeeezus out of me. However, she's almost NEVER sick. She's never had respiratory issues and even when she had pneumonia, she was roller skating in the basement. Hardly the portrait of a sickly child.
Today was Sweat Test day. On the bright side, the test is quick and non invasive. They only do them at 8am, which is fine, we don't mind an early start to the day. However, the test is only done at Walter Reed, deep in the heart of Washington DC. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but Walter Reed gives me the creeps. Big time. It's old and just not a happy place.
The Dunkin Donuts inside makes up for a little of the creepiness, but I'd really rather not have to go there. I think it's the apartments across the street with bars on all the windows and doors that exacerbates the creepy vibe.
I'm a plain jane, white bread, happy to be in the 'burbs kind of girl.
Weekday morning traffic in the DC area is nightmarish at best. We allowed ourselves an hour and fifteen minutes to drive the 22 miles and needed every single one of them. After getting a little disoriented, we found our way there, with a minute to spare. Thankfully Craig came along to navigate us through the crazy congested one way streets, copious amounts of traffic lights and pedestrians too busy texting to pay attention to the road. Had I been the driver, we might still be looking for the hospital, three hours later. While I'm a competent co-pilot, I lose my directional sense when in the driver's seat.
Perhaps I should ask Santa for a GPS next Christmas.
The test is complete; Caroline, as always, was a trooper.
Craig, the marathoner in training, is out running now. He left as soon as we got home from the hospital. It's hotter than Hades outside, but he's ever committed to the training schedule. And Me? Nah, I'll go to the gym tomorrow. Besides, my thighs are still smoldering from yesterday's Body Pump class. I should NEVER go a week without any physical activity; the first day back is just too painful.
Not sure what's on tap for the rest of the day. I'd like to have a nap, but I'm sure my house will be brimming with chatty kids, eager to hide from the scorching sun this afternoon. Yesterday the kids created a humongous tent in the basement, scattered Legos all over the living room and made Webkinz beds in the kitchen/dining room. I literally had no where to sit, so I was forced upstairs to hide out in my bedroom.
School starts in less than a month.
Hooray, hallelujah and amen to that!
EDITED TO ADD: The pulmonologist just called to say that her test was, as expected, negative.
Yay!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
When She Cries Over A Popsicle, You Know She's Tired
It's going to be an early to bed night, I do declare.
Caroline, my even keeled, non dramatic, go with the flow child, cried over a popsicle this evening. She wanted a swirly popsicle, like Rachel, but she opened a plain purple one instead.
She HATES purple popsicles.
Or so she claims.
If it's true, this is news to me.
I looked at my pitiful child with her puffy eyes, snotty nose and red, tear stained face and said very matter of factly,
"You're crying over a popsicle!?!"
That was all I could say.
We haven't dealt with this type of meltdown in a very long time.
I'm glad it's been a long time because I find these whiny outbursts to be utterly ridiculous.
And totally unnecessary.
So, she's going to bed early tonight. Without exception.
Hopefully.
Maybe.
I talk big on this blog, but in reality, I have trouble following through. I get side tracked very easily and lose track of time. Caroline, the ever vigilant time keeper, quite conveniently misplaces her keen ability to tell time in the evenings, as well. Sneaky.
But not tonight.
That is, of course, if I can find her.
She's probably out wandering the neighborhood, befriending every dog in sight, with swirly popsicle stains on her face.
And shirt.
And shorts.
And there is probably some in her hair, too.
Caroline, my even keeled, non dramatic, go with the flow child, cried over a popsicle this evening. She wanted a swirly popsicle, like Rachel, but she opened a plain purple one instead.
She HATES purple popsicles.
Or so she claims.
If it's true, this is news to me.
I looked at my pitiful child with her puffy eyes, snotty nose and red, tear stained face and said very matter of factly,
"You're crying over a popsicle!?!"
That was all I could say.
We haven't dealt with this type of meltdown in a very long time.
I'm glad it's been a long time because I find these whiny outbursts to be utterly ridiculous.
And totally unnecessary.
So, she's going to bed early tonight. Without exception.
Hopefully.
Maybe.
I talk big on this blog, but in reality, I have trouble following through. I get side tracked very easily and lose track of time. Caroline, the ever vigilant time keeper, quite conveniently misplaces her keen ability to tell time in the evenings, as well. Sneaky.
But not tonight.
That is, of course, if I can find her.
She's probably out wandering the neighborhood, befriending every dog in sight, with swirly popsicle stains on her face.
And shirt.
And shorts.
And there is probably some in her hair, too.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
So, I Went All the Way to Hershey
and didn't bring home any chocolate to eat.
I find this news quite baffling, as I'm, you know, quite fond of chocolate. Based on previous blog postings, this is clearly a well known and often documented fact. Eh, oh well. I don't need more junk anyway. And besides, I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow to restock my barren refrigerator and cupboards and I'm sure a bag of Hershey miniatures will find their way into my cart; they're sneaky like that.
As I sit here eating an after dinner popsicle, which is most definitely NOT chocolate, I'll share some pictures with you. In general, I don't take many pictures. I prefer to hold my precious family memories in the vast and dark abyss, otherwise known as my memory. Or in other words, by the time I get my camera out, if I remembered to bring it in the first place, the moment has more than likely passed. Therefore, the pictures I do take are generally not very good. I'll weed through those not destined for the garbage can and try to find any that look atleast mildly acceptable.
DISCLAIMER: I realize that my child has a dirty face in nearly every picture. I am not proud of this fact, but some battles are pointless. Before motherhood, I was determined to have an impeccably clean child at all times to show my high parental aptitude. Naive much?
You see, I try. I try so very hard to keep her face clean. Despite my dedication to the task, I've proven to be rather unsuccessful at achieving this goal. I fervently pray that when she goes away to college she'll have the forethought to check her mouth in the mirror to see if there is any spaghetti sauce on her chin. Surely a teenage girl won't walk around with a milk mustache. Right?
Anyway, ignore the perpetual schmutz on Caroline's face, and everything will be quite alright.
First up, Caroline checking out the king size bed in the room with the jacuzzi tub we hijacked from my mom.
Thanks mom, you're the best!
Caroline pointing to her favorite color (the one she could reach, anyway) at the Crayola Factory.
Me and my 60 lb, 51 inch tall baby.
Next up: Chocolate World. Cue the Hallelujah chorus.
Caroline looking stylish in her 3-D glasses, waiting for a movie to begin.
Next up: Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Craig took Caroline to play miniature golf while my dad brought, my mom, aunt and me on a long and scenic drive through Amish country. We stopped in a quaint little town called none other than.....
Oh, those crazy Amish folks. While shopping, I came across a tshirt that said "Virginia may be for lovers, but Pennsylvania has Intercourse." Ha.
Tall Caroline and my itty bitty mom.
We ended up at a little place called Kitchen Kettle Village. We sampled homemade jams, jellies, salsas and fudge made by the locals. And then we ate lunch at a smorgasbord (!). My mom picked the place and although my aunt and I made fun of her mercilessly for choosing a smorgasbord, it was altogether a tasty lunch. But still, the word smorgasbord lends itself to a little teasing.
The Pennsylvania countryside is very pretty. Lush and green. And FULL OF CORN. I've never been to Iowa or Nebraska, which are well known, heavy corn producers, but I'm fairly certain that Pennsylvania is a competitive corn producer as well. Seriously, I've never seen so many stalks of corn in my life. Maybe it's used to feed the cows that produce the milk that is in Hershey's milk chocolate?
We also toured the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery in a lovely town called Lititz.
Tall Caroline and my itty bitty mom.
Craig and I took Caroline to Hershey Park on Thursday.
They offered a great military discount on tickets, which was a huge blessing. The lines were LONG and Caroline is impatient, so we only went on a few rides. However, Hershey Park also has a water park, which proved to be quite the highlight.
Craig and Caroline on the gondola ride. Not wanting to squish, I got a car to myself.
Here I am. Sweaty face and all.
The gondolas go through a few of the loopy steel roller coaster rides. That is the closest I'll ever get to one of those crazy upside down, shake up your insides, lose your $15 lunch, rides.
There are people in those pink harnesses hanging from that hunk of metal!
The Boardwalk at Hershey Park
Bug girl Caroline
after getting pummeled by
The final stop on our trip was to Philadelphia, PA.
A slightly askew picture of Independence Hall.
A fuzzy and hastily snapped picture of Craig and Caroline standing by the banister inside Independence Hall. The park ranger giving the tour asked everyone to touch it because it's the same banister that Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson once touched. Of course, the germ freak in me said, "yeah, they may have touched it, but so have millions of other people, too." Not one to turn my nose up at historical banisters, I touched it. And used some hand sanitizer shortly after. Ahem.
The Liberty Bell
And, of course, no trip to visit our nation's historic symbols is complete without a trip to the gift shop.
Do you think Ben Franklin walked around with ketchup on his cheeks?
We couldn't resist having our pictures taken with Craig's boss.
Yeah, even me. The big guy and I don't see eye to eye on
And this concludes the pictorial review of our vacation.
Oh, except, no vacation recap would be complete without showing the newest additions to Caroline's Webkinz collection. We added Tommy, the Boston Terrior, in Williamsburg, but our time in Pennsylvania proved to be doubly fruitful.
Meet Cocoa, named in honor of Milton Hershey's pet elephant, Cocoa.
And Chip, as in Chocolate Chip. He's a guinea pig with the cutest, puffiest cheeks EVER.
And their little friend, Brownie.
Whew, this is one hugely gigantic post.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Nearing the End
Long time no blog.....
Our vacation is nearing it's end, which is sad, but also sort of a relief. For a person so wildly attracted to schedule and routine, being out of sync for a week can grow old quickly. The other morning I walked around the hotel room, completely unable to concentrate. I wanted to relax but felt like I needed to do something. Something constructive. Something to keep my hands busy. I probably should have gone for a run to clear my head, but I was already showered and dressed for the day. I'm not sure if I ever found something to do, but the day went on and as far as I remember, I didn't feel as restless. Evidently I have a short attention span, as well.
We had a really enjoyable stay in Hershey; Craig and I didn't fight ONCE, which is a vacation FIRST. I think it is safe to say that the whole group had a good time. We laughed, talked, shopped, watched television and enjoyed some chocolate. Good stuff, eh? On top of that, the weather was awesome....and the air did smell faintly of chocolate. Kind of like cocoa, but maybe that was just our imaginations at work. Wishful thinking.
Despite the fun, I'm eager to get home. I'm in serious need of a run, vegetables and a good night sleep.
I loaded up on salad this evening at dinner and surprisingly didn't go ape crazy with chocolate this week, so I'm not feeling like a total roly poly. However, a green smoothie is calling my name. And so are my vitamins. Which, I packed, but forgot to take all week. Oopsie.
Right now I'm sitting in a hotel room in Philadelphia, thankful for the wi fi the Hampton Inn so kindly provides. We braved the crazy one way streets and kept up with the aggressive Philly drivers and found our way to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell this afternoon. That was a real treat. Beautiful weather, awesome historic buildings and a great lunch at a trendy little cafe.
We're all running a little low on energy this evening. A short trip home awaits us tomorrow, but we're excited to drive through a portion of Delaware, which will provide an addition to our list of states visited.
Simple pleasures......
I hope to post some pictures of our trip within the next few days, assuming that my camera will cooperate. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures with my mom, dad or aunt. I don't know why the idea completely escaped me until just now.
Oh well....we'll just have to get together again soon.
That is, if we didn't scare my aunt off for good.
A week with the Kennedy's may be more than one person should have to handle in a lifetime.
Our vacation is nearing it's end, which is sad, but also sort of a relief. For a person so wildly attracted to schedule and routine, being out of sync for a week can grow old quickly. The other morning I walked around the hotel room, completely unable to concentrate. I wanted to relax but felt like I needed to do something. Something constructive. Something to keep my hands busy. I probably should have gone for a run to clear my head, but I was already showered and dressed for the day. I'm not sure if I ever found something to do, but the day went on and as far as I remember, I didn't feel as restless. Evidently I have a short attention span, as well.
We had a really enjoyable stay in Hershey; Craig and I didn't fight ONCE, which is a vacation FIRST. I think it is safe to say that the whole group had a good time. We laughed, talked, shopped, watched television and enjoyed some chocolate. Good stuff, eh? On top of that, the weather was awesome....and the air did smell faintly of chocolate. Kind of like cocoa, but maybe that was just our imaginations at work. Wishful thinking.
Despite the fun, I'm eager to get home. I'm in serious need of a run, vegetables and a good night sleep.
I loaded up on salad this evening at dinner and surprisingly didn't go ape crazy with chocolate this week, so I'm not feeling like a total roly poly. However, a green smoothie is calling my name. And so are my vitamins. Which, I packed, but forgot to take all week. Oopsie.
Right now I'm sitting in a hotel room in Philadelphia, thankful for the wi fi the Hampton Inn so kindly provides. We braved the crazy one way streets and kept up with the aggressive Philly drivers and found our way to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell this afternoon. That was a real treat. Beautiful weather, awesome historic buildings and a great lunch at a trendy little cafe.
We're all running a little low on energy this evening. A short trip home awaits us tomorrow, but we're excited to drive through a portion of Delaware, which will provide an addition to our list of states visited.
Simple pleasures......
I hope to post some pictures of our trip within the next few days, assuming that my camera will cooperate. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures with my mom, dad or aunt. I don't know why the idea completely escaped me until just now.
Oh well....we'll just have to get together again soon.
That is, if we didn't scare my aunt off for good.
A week with the Kennedy's may be more than one person should have to handle in a lifetime.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Saturday Survey
Our vacation plans got slightly derailed due my parent's airplane delays, so we're not leaving for Hershey quite yet. To pass the time, and while I wait for Craig to return with lunch, I thought I'd participate in Amy Beth's meme.
1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:48 am
2. How do you like your steak? I'm not much of a steak eater, but on the very, very rare occasion that I do, I like it medium rare.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Beverly Hills Chihuahua
4. What is your favorite TV show? The Biggest Loser
5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? San Diego
6. What did you have for breakfast? Before the gym: banana and Kashi bar that's like a Nutrigrain bar After the gym: two Kashi Heart to Heart waffles made into a pb and honey sandwich.
7. What’s your favorite cuisine? Mexican/southwest
8. What foods do you dislike? radishes, avocados, seafood
9. Where is your favorite place to eat? anywhere I can get a good sandwich, they're my favorite.
10. What is your favorite salad dressing? the tangy tomato dressing from The Outback.
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? a silver Ford Focus
12. What are your favorite clothes? I bought some "slimming" brown bermuda shorts that I'm in love with. Any article of clothing that makes saddlebags disappear is worthy of a commendation medal.
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? NYC
14. Is the cup half empty or half full? half empty
15. Where would you want to retire? I don't like to think about getting old.
16. What is your favorite time of the day? evening time after dinner and dishes are done
17. Where were you born? Caribou, Maine
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Hockey
19. Are you a bird watcher? Oh, no. Unless it's a penguin, I have no use for birds.
20. Are you a morning person or a night person? Both, actually. I can be productive either time of day.
21. What did you want to be where you were little? I changed my mind all the time, so I can't remember. I've always been a little indecisive.
22. What’s your best childhood memory? Sadly some of my favorite memories are of shopping with my mom and sister.
23. Do you always wear your seat belt? yes
24. Do you have any pet peeves? food garbage in the bathroom trash can
.
25. Favorite type of pizza? veggie
26. Favorite flower? gerbera daisies
27. Favorite ice cream? Edy's S'mores ice cream, but I banned myself from buying it any more. I think I loved it a little too much.
28. Have you done anything spontaneous lately? The word spontaneous isn't in my vocabulary.
29. Do you like your job? it has it's perks
30. Do you like broccoli? yes
That was fun.
We were supposed to meet my parents at the Harrisburg, PA airport at 1:30, but there were some storms in our area last night that interrupted the flight plan at Dulles, where they were scheduled to have a layover.
So instead of arriving in PA at 1:30, we're picking my parents up at Dulles at 1:30 and driving them up to PA. Thankfully their luggage is on a different plane (?) because there isn't any room in our car for 5 people and their accompaning baggage.
So from there, they'll pick up the van they rented, hopefully reclaim their luggage and drive on to Hershey.
Just a small snafu.
1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:48 am
2. How do you like your steak? I'm not much of a steak eater, but on the very, very rare occasion that I do, I like it medium rare.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Beverly Hills Chihuahua
4. What is your favorite TV show? The Biggest Loser
5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? San Diego
6. What did you have for breakfast? Before the gym: banana and Kashi bar that's like a Nutrigrain bar After the gym: two Kashi Heart to Heart waffles made into a pb and honey sandwich.
7. What’s your favorite cuisine? Mexican/southwest
8. What foods do you dislike? radishes, avocados, seafood
9. Where is your favorite place to eat? anywhere I can get a good sandwich, they're my favorite.
10. What is your favorite salad dressing? the tangy tomato dressing from The Outback.
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? a silver Ford Focus
12. What are your favorite clothes? I bought some "slimming" brown bermuda shorts that I'm in love with. Any article of clothing that makes saddlebags disappear is worthy of a commendation medal.
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? NYC
14. Is the cup half empty or half full? half empty
15. Where would you want to retire? I don't like to think about getting old.
16. What is your favorite time of the day? evening time after dinner and dishes are done
17. Where were you born? Caribou, Maine
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Hockey
19. Are you a bird watcher? Oh, no. Unless it's a penguin, I have no use for birds.
20. Are you a morning person or a night person? Both, actually. I can be productive either time of day.
21. What did you want to be where you were little? I changed my mind all the time, so I can't remember. I've always been a little indecisive.
22. What’s your best childhood memory? Sadly some of my favorite memories are of shopping with my mom and sister.
23. Do you always wear your seat belt? yes
24. Do you have any pet peeves? food garbage in the bathroom trash can
.
25. Favorite type of pizza? veggie
26. Favorite flower? gerbera daisies
27. Favorite ice cream? Edy's S'mores ice cream, but I banned myself from buying it any more. I think I loved it a little too much.
28. Have you done anything spontaneous lately? The word spontaneous isn't in my vocabulary.
29. Do you like your job? it has it's perks
30. Do you like broccoli? yes
That was fun.
We were supposed to meet my parents at the Harrisburg, PA airport at 1:30, but there were some storms in our area last night that interrupted the flight plan at Dulles, where they were scheduled to have a layover.
So instead of arriving in PA at 1:30, we're picking my parents up at Dulles at 1:30 and driving them up to PA. Thankfully their luggage is on a different plane (?) because there isn't any room in our car for 5 people and their accompaning baggage.
So from there, they'll pick up the van they rented, hopefully reclaim their luggage and drive on to Hershey.
Just a small snafu.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Leaving On A Jet AeroPlane
Or, more accurately, a silver Ford Focus. It's not classy or stylish or the least bit cool, BUT it's paid for.
Yes, my friends
Tomorrow we're heading out to Hershey, Pennsylvania. Or, as I like to call it, my homeland.
My utopia. My happy place.
Yes, my friends
I hope the air smells like chocolate.
Yes, I pulled out the crayons and made myself some cheesy art, but it's actually quite appropriate because a visit to the Crayola Factory is also on the vacation agenda.
I'm stoked about that, too. I've had a love for crayons, sharp, CRAYOLA (no cheapy RoseArt for me) crayons my whole life. My dad bought Caroline a super set (128 ct?) and I think I was as excited as she was. Coloring is the one kid activity that I never turn down. I don't like playing Chutes and Ladders, I suck at video games and I'm not crazy about tea parties and creative play, but I love to color. Sesame Street coloring books are my favorite because the pictures are bold and large. As a kid I hated Barbie coloring books because the pictures were small and intricate. I like a big space to color in.
I remember watching an episode of Mr. Rogers many years ago that included a clip about how crayons were made. I was as fascinated then as I am now. I also remember them showing how graham crackers were made. Maybe I was meant to work in a factory?
Aw, I miss Mr. Rogers. I have to admit that I went through a phase where I thought he was totally lame. My mom once sent him fan mail and he sent an autographed picture back. I think she put it on the refrigerator and let me tell you, to a twelve year old girl, nothing could have been more embarrassing.
As I grew and learned to appreciate the love Mr. Rogers showed his audience, I retracted any rude statements or eye rolls I ever gave in his direction. What an awesome man.
The other day I was hanging up clothes in the closet and felt inclined to sing "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood..."
We're leaving tomorrow after I make a quick trip to the gym for my Saturday morning beating. I had a disappointing run this morning and would like to make up for it by sweating buckets and begging for mercy at 8 am on a Saturday morning.
We're meeting up with my parents, who will be flying in from Florida, as well as the best aunt EVER, who will be coming from California.
The six of us will be sharing a two bedroom condo/time share type place.
I anticipate that we'll have loads of fun. We'll be in HERSHEY, for crying out loud.
Bad times aren't aloud when chocolate is the main event.
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