a shocking announcement

Today I went to the Y to exercise me knee.  I was able to get on the bike and ride it for the first time since my surgery, which was great.  Over the holiday, the Y got new cardio equipment.  They have touch screens, where you can program your workout.  You can also plug in your ipod or kindle and tablet to them.  You can surf the internet from the machine, and of course watch tv.  I was marveling at all of this and figuring it out, when one of the staff came to aid a little old lady next to me.  They were showing this little old lady how to do all of this stuff, and she was listening and asking pertinent questions.

And that is when I came to this startling conclusion: technology is here to stay.

And I am going to embrace technology.

That is all.  You may proceed about your business.

there had never been such a christmas

Today is the much celebrated Black Friday.  The one that began on Thursday.  Thursday was the day formally known as Thanksgiving.

In our house, today was the day we unpacked and went to the grocery store, did laundry, and visited our friends for leftovers.  Today was the day I spoke to my mom on the phone about how I could better arrange Annabelle's room to accommodate all the toys she never plays with.

Today is also the day we reached "Mr. Edwards Meets Santa Claus" in Little House on the Prairie, and in case you don't remember, or perhaps didn't read it, I want to share this passage with you:

"They had never even thought of such a thing, as having a penny.  Think of having a whole penny for your very own.  Think of having a cup, and a cake, and a stick of candy and a penny.  There had never been such a Christmas"

There had never been such a Christmas.

kick-off to the holiday season

In castroville while bathing tallulah,

Mom:  I am having to keep an eye on your dad--he is starting to forget stuff.

Me: really?  Like what?

Mom: I don't know, whatever I told him earlier.

two is...

No more baby.  A real, live, two year old girl.  It was a nice party.  Both sets of grandparents came and I feel today like my children are the most loved, luckiest girls on earth.  In my entire life I never had both sets of grandparents in the same place, and in H's entire childhood, he never had grandparents.  So we are blessed.

But onto less sappy stuff....

We had a puppy-themed party for Tallulah.  So I searched pinterest for some puppy ideas and found some, along with a seriously deranged woman.  I would post the pics of her puppy party, but she's crazy, see?  And I am scared she will hunt me down and  hot glue my hands together.  She had this crazy party complete with real pound puppies, fake pound puppies, making dog house crafts, sewn banners everywhere, crazy food in the shape of bones and then to top it off, the kids ate off the floor in dog bowls "doggie style."  So what does one do when one sees something that is out of the social norm?  One calls one's sister of course, what else would one do?  She was checking out the woman's blog, and her comments were as follows:  "I hate this bitch.  She clearly does not know what doggie style is."  And that is why I love my sister, although she is crazy too.

In getting ready for this doggie style party, I went to central market to get a cake.  I was wearing my new t-shirt from the gap.  I got out of the van and stood in the parking spot for a minute, letting my knee settle, when a lady walked by and said "you have a big heart on."  

Except, that's not what I heard.  I heard something else.  And I was puzzled.  I was trying to figure out why a stranger would say that to me, and so I did what one does when one hears that one has a big heart on (except that is not what I heard).  I glanced down at my crotch.  Yeah, I said crotch.  And then she said, "you thought I said something else."  And then we both burst into a fit of hysterical laughter and I am still cracking up about it.  I am going to file that under awesomeness.

don't touch "my cupcake, my"

In case you are wondering, two is two sisters making a wish....

Little things

1.Mid fall's night dream

Late yesterday afternoon the girls were playing outside right before supper and I was resting my leg.  Annabelle was taking the creeping fig off the fence and then she fashioned them into the crown.  The crown has been all over the house today--ending up as a necklace on my grandmother's goose, which I think makes her smile from heaven.

blurry because I hate flash photos

2. almost two year old OCD

When Tallulah goes to sleep, things need to be a certain way, and that way evolved when my mom was here.  I couldn't go up the stairs until recently, but as soon as I was able, I did and here is how things stand-- she tells you how things need to be in her crib, and if they aren't that way, she fusses the way her dad does when he comes home and there are crumbs under the table, like last night, for instance:

TRN: barbie go heeerrree, baby go heeere, baby go heeere.  No mama, baby go heeeerrre.  Teddy go here.

Me: I love you, good night

TRN: No!  blanket fall down (this is what she says when things aren't where she wants them--that they fell down)

I get everything where it needs to be and then I hear here saying softly to herself the things my mom would say to her when she put her to sleep-- "quack quack go sleep, papa, go sleep, ann-bell go sleep, bell go sleep."

Someone misses her grandma.