Yesterday was our 15th anniversary. Hard to believe. Hard to remember a time when DH wasn't around. We've really grown up together, from 20-year-old broke college students to 35-year-old professionals and parents of 3.
This year was a tough one with the loss of MIL and the emotional roller-coaster that FIL has been through in the aftermath. Really, the last two years have been hell in this regard.
Professionally, the year has been good for both DH and me. I just got a glowing performance review a raise that would be significant under any circumstances, but is even more meaningful in the current economy.
And I think it has been a good one for the kids. I was so worried about how PS would fare in middle school with her nerdy shyness, but middle school has been great. I'm so impressed with all of the opportunities at her new school, and so far there have been no "mean girl" issues.
Here's hoping for a great 2011.
*Oops, this was yesterday's post. I was distracted and never published.
12/25/10
Almost Perfect Christmas
We spent most of Christmas Eve hanging out a home and baking befor heading out to my Uncle's around dinnertime. My mother was there and I had to deal with her snark and complaining, but it was mostly kept in check. (She did make the exact snarky comment I predicted she would make when she opened the gift certificate we gave to her and her husband. It was kind of funny that I had nailed it so accurately.)
We spent all day today at home, just the five of us, as per our usual routine. Santa spoiled the girls, and we spent the day lounging in our jammies and playing with our new toys. The twins got a flip video camera to share and they have been making mini-movies all afternoon. They also got Scribblish and we laughed a lot while playing. It is so nice to be able to play games with the kids that we enjoy.
I got a nook from DH, but I knew it was coming. We both spent a lot of time deciding between the nook and the Kindle. Ultimately, the nook won out because I didn't care for the proprietary nature of the Kindle. (Yes, I know there is a script I can install to convert other formats for viewing on the Kindle, but I'm not sure about the ethics/legality of it. And it just irritates me that Amazon wants to be all Applesque controlly about buying material to run on its device.)
And DH gave me a Neiman Marcus gift certificate that he won at his employer's Christmas party, so I got to spend my morning shopping for this gorgeous bag. I'm hoping I can fit a couple of file folders in it, because the bag I carry to work every day is beat to hell and I really needed a replacement.
Overall, it was a very good Christmas.
We spent all day today at home, just the five of us, as per our usual routine. Santa spoiled the girls, and we spent the day lounging in our jammies and playing with our new toys. The twins got a flip video camera to share and they have been making mini-movies all afternoon. They also got Scribblish and we laughed a lot while playing. It is so nice to be able to play games with the kids that we enjoy.
I got a nook from DH, but I knew it was coming. We both spent a lot of time deciding between the nook and the Kindle. Ultimately, the nook won out because I didn't care for the proprietary nature of the Kindle. (Yes, I know there is a script I can install to convert other formats for viewing on the Kindle, but I'm not sure about the ethics/legality of it. And it just irritates me that Amazon wants to be all Applesque controlly about buying material to run on its device.)
And DH gave me a Neiman Marcus gift certificate that he won at his employer's Christmas party, so I got to spend my morning shopping for this gorgeous bag. I'm hoping I can fit a couple of file folders in it, because the bag I carry to work every day is beat to hell and I really needed a replacement.
Overall, it was a very good Christmas.
12/21/10
So the crappy product of the day goes to...
the Farberware Candy/Deep Fry thermometer.
DH was bummed about missing his Grandma's peanut brittle since we aren't going to Hometown for Christmas, so I promised him that I would make peanut brittle for him. But my candy thermometer was either lost or broken, so I had to find a replacement before the brittle-making could begin.
I did my huge Christmas grocery shopping trip on Sunday, and I figured I would just pick up a new candy thermometer at the grocery store. The only one they had was the stupid Farberware one. Which looks exactly like a meat thermometer. Every candy thermometer I have ever used before looked like a giant regular thermometer with a clip to hold it in place on the side of your pan. I wasn't thrilled, but it was my only option, so I figured I'd make do.
So last night, I commenced with the brittle making, only to discover that my clipless thermometer was a big fat PITA. As soon as I started stirring my brittle, I knocked the thermometer out of the pan and under the electric burner. And it was freaking hot after sitting in a vat of boiling sugar. And my poofy oven mitt left me especially graceless in trying to retrieve the rogue thermometer from under the burner.
Finally, I got a grip on the thermometer only to drop it head-first into my roiling sugar mix. After a few more graceless moments, I pulled it out, only to find the reading window covered in brittle-goo.
DH, hearing the expletives emanating from the kitchen, came to my rescue and fashioned a cardboard holder to balance the thermometer on the side of my pot. It actually worked fairly well. But, unsurprisingly, my peanut brittle came out slightly burned. (DH says its perfectly edible, but I think maybe he's just being nice.)
I'm thinking I have a products liability claim against Farberware. Well, except that my only damages are $1.37 in burned peanut brittle ingredients. And maybe some emotional distress.
DH was bummed about missing his Grandma's peanut brittle since we aren't going to Hometown for Christmas, so I promised him that I would make peanut brittle for him. But my candy thermometer was either lost or broken, so I had to find a replacement before the brittle-making could begin.
I did my huge Christmas grocery shopping trip on Sunday, and I figured I would just pick up a new candy thermometer at the grocery store. The only one they had was the stupid Farberware one. Which looks exactly like a meat thermometer. Every candy thermometer I have ever used before looked like a giant regular thermometer with a clip to hold it in place on the side of your pan. I wasn't thrilled, but it was my only option, so I figured I'd make do.
So last night, I commenced with the brittle making, only to discover that my clipless thermometer was a big fat PITA. As soon as I started stirring my brittle, I knocked the thermometer out of the pan and under the electric burner. And it was freaking hot after sitting in a vat of boiling sugar. And my poofy oven mitt left me especially graceless in trying to retrieve the rogue thermometer from under the burner.
Finally, I got a grip on the thermometer only to drop it head-first into my roiling sugar mix. After a few more graceless moments, I pulled it out, only to find the reading window covered in brittle-goo.
DH, hearing the expletives emanating from the kitchen, came to my rescue and fashioned a cardboard holder to balance the thermometer on the side of my pot. It actually worked fairly well. But, unsurprisingly, my peanut brittle came out slightly burned. (DH says its perfectly edible, but I think maybe he's just being nice.)
I'm thinking I have a products liability claim against Farberware. Well, except that my only damages are $1.37 in burned peanut brittle ingredients. And maybe some emotional distress.
12/18/10
Saturday
So it seems like my blog is becoming a weekly. That's not really my intent--I just don't seem to have any time anymore. Ever. More often than not, I am getting home after 8:00 p.m. during the week. This is not necessarily because of work. Sometimes it is. Sometimes its because I have to go straight from work to watch PS cheer or to take the twins to girl scouts. It just feels like we are suddenly busier than ever. I don't blog, I don't watch T.V., I've been sitting on my latest Netflix for 6 weeks, and I've been promising a friend to meet up for drinks for at least two months.
So today I slept in until 7:30. (Yes, that's sleeping in. On our cruise I never slept past 7 and usually work up before 6, which did not make DH very happy.) And then I sat on the couch in my PJs and finished up my online Christmas shopping until 12:30. DH was sweet enough to go on a Starbucks run. (I heart Peppermint Mochas!) I finally showered, dressed and brushed my teeth at 1:00 pm. It was so nice not to have anywhere to go or anything I had to do.
DH is having a terrible time shopping for me, and I for him, so I ordered myself this lovely pair of leopard-print shoes. (40% off!) He can wrap them when they come in. Then I ventured out with PS to look for boots for her. I am so thankful that I did 90% of my shopping online. We didn't have much luck with the boots, and I tired of the crowds after about 10 minutes.
I am ready to be done with Christmas and the extra business that it adds. I'm hoping that life will settle down after the holidays, but that may be a pipe dream. (BTW, I just figured out today that "pipe dream" is a drug reference--duh!)
Meanwhile, tonight I'm going to a hockey game with the friend-I-am-supposed- to-meet-for-drinks. (I heart hockey!) And so our drinks will be beer at the hockey game, and it will be fun.
So today I slept in until 7:30. (Yes, that's sleeping in. On our cruise I never slept past 7 and usually work up before 6, which did not make DH very happy.) And then I sat on the couch in my PJs and finished up my online Christmas shopping until 12:30. DH was sweet enough to go on a Starbucks run. (I heart Peppermint Mochas!) I finally showered, dressed and brushed my teeth at 1:00 pm. It was so nice not to have anywhere to go or anything I had to do.
DH is having a terrible time shopping for me, and I for him, so I ordered myself this lovely pair of leopard-print shoes. (40% off!) He can wrap them when they come in. Then I ventured out with PS to look for boots for her. I am so thankful that I did 90% of my shopping online. We didn't have much luck with the boots, and I tired of the crowds after about 10 minutes.
I am ready to be done with Christmas and the extra business that it adds. I'm hoping that life will settle down after the holidays, but that may be a pipe dream. (BTW, I just figured out today that "pipe dream" is a drug reference--duh!)
Meanwhile, tonight I'm going to a hockey game with the friend-I-am-supposed- to-meet-for-drinks. (I heart hockey!) And so our drinks will be beer at the hockey game, and it will be fun.
12/11/10
Math
PS is taking the SAT in January. Yes, she's 12. She's doing it as part of the Duke TIP program, which offers the opportunity to 7th grade students who have received qualifying scores on standardized tests. (PS qualified with every test she has taken over the past two years!) I also took the SAT in the 7th grade through Duke TIP. Waaaay back then you had to score in the 97th percentile on a standardized test to qualify, but I think they have loosened up the requirements a bit, as there were three kids in my school who qualified and many kids from PS's school were chosen to participate. Or maybe it's because I grew up in a much poorer school on the bad side of town, and PS is in a very nice school in a much higher income bracket with excellent resources.
Anyway, I have been getting the SAT question of the day emailed to me so that I can help PS prepare. I have correctly answered every single English question without even thinking about it. And I have no freakin' clue how to begin any of the math questions. Today's question had something to do with lines and angles and tangents and circles. Yeah, not a clue. I'm pretty sure yesterday's question required that I employ the quadratic formula. At least I know there is a quadratic formula, but I couldn't begin to tell you what it is.
I guess it's a good thing that I became a lawyer instead of a rocket scientist, because I have never in my adult life needed to know the quadratic formula. Or how to calculate an angle from a hypotenuse connected by two tangent circles. For that, I am very thankful. And dangit, I can calculate how much 30% plus an extra 15% off a pair of shoes is in about 30 seconds flat. That's way more valuable than knowing how to calculate some stinkin' angle.
Anyway, I have been getting the SAT question of the day emailed to me so that I can help PS prepare. I have correctly answered every single English question without even thinking about it. And I have no freakin' clue how to begin any of the math questions. Today's question had something to do with lines and angles and tangents and circles. Yeah, not a clue. I'm pretty sure yesterday's question required that I employ the quadratic formula. At least I know there is a quadratic formula, but I couldn't begin to tell you what it is.
I guess it's a good thing that I became a lawyer instead of a rocket scientist, because I have never in my adult life needed to know the quadratic formula. Or how to calculate an angle from a hypotenuse connected by two tangent circles. For that, I am very thankful. And dangit, I can calculate how much 30% plus an extra 15% off a pair of shoes is in about 30 seconds flat. That's way more valuable than knowing how to calculate some stinkin' angle.
12/8/10
I'm baaaackkkkk
We reluctantly returned on Sunday from our week-long Caribbean cruise. I'll admit to seriously wondering how hard it would be to become licensed to practice law in Roatan.
Cruising was awesome. I wasn't sure if I would really like it, but I loved it. We had 3.5 sea days and 3 port days. I wouldn't want any more sea days, but there was plenty to do on the ship. We went ice skating, rockwall climbing, saw concerts and did a scavenger hunt all on the ship. Any we earned medals for winning classic rock trivia (all that credit goes to DH--and for the guy who decided Nirvana was classic rock (WTF?)).
And I am so glad we went for the balcony. It was awesome to sit outside sipping a cocktail and reading. And it worked out especially well because it was very windy on the pool deck for most of the trip, and the balcony offered more protection from the wind.
I will say that anyone who says cruise ship food is gourmet is just flat out lying or has no taste buds. The food was plentiful but mediocre. Any average chain restaurant has better food. But mediocre food certainly wasn't going to ruin the experience, and our waiters were more than happy to bring us something new if we didn't care for what was served (or three desserts if that is what our hearts desired.)
My only other complaint is that we were about 30 years younger than the vast majority of our shipmates. Maybe because the kids are in school? But we were seated at dinner with two younger couples who were a lot of fun, and we laughed a lot about being the youngest group on the ship.
The port days were the best part of the trip, though. We stopped in Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. My favorite port was Roatan. It was just gorgeous there. We went zipling and snorkeling. Our ziplines had breathtaking views of the rain forest and ocean. (Some friends recently went zipling in Hawaii and their course looked downright ugly compared to ours.) Snorkeling was off a reef in the Blue Channel, and it was stunning. Roatan is supposed to have some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world, and I can certainly believe it.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking a long dirt road known as West End, that is dotted with bars, restaurants and dive shops. I had a cheeseburger in paradise and danced with native schoolchildren.
I was lest impressed with Belize City. The city was very trashy and not pretty, and we had to pass through a security checkpoint manned by soldiers with very big guns. We took an hour-long bus ride, followed by an hour-long boat ride to see the Mayan Ruins at Lamanai. The ruins were amazing. We climbed a huge temple that dates to 100 B.C. I'm so glad that we got to visit this site, although I'm left with little desire to return to Belize (but maybe we just didn't see the best parts).
Our final port was Cozumel. We had pre-reserved at an all inclusive beach resort called Nachi Cocom. The beach was beautiful and the drinks were plentiful. Maybe a little too plentiful. DH got smashed and doesn't even remember how we got back to the ship. It was his first time ever to get drunk--and I learned that my husband is not a mean drunk or a funny drunk, but a horny drunk. I had to keep shushing him as he loudly slurred inappropriate comments.
Overall, I'd rate it the best vacation we've ever taken, and the most relaxed I've been since I had the twins 9 years ago.
Cruising was awesome. I wasn't sure if I would really like it, but I loved it. We had 3.5 sea days and 3 port days. I wouldn't want any more sea days, but there was plenty to do on the ship. We went ice skating, rockwall climbing, saw concerts and did a scavenger hunt all on the ship. Any we earned medals for winning classic rock trivia (all that credit goes to DH--and for the guy who decided Nirvana was classic rock (WTF?)).
And I am so glad we went for the balcony. It was awesome to sit outside sipping a cocktail and reading. And it worked out especially well because it was very windy on the pool deck for most of the trip, and the balcony offered more protection from the wind.
I will say that anyone who says cruise ship food is gourmet is just flat out lying or has no taste buds. The food was plentiful but mediocre. Any average chain restaurant has better food. But mediocre food certainly wasn't going to ruin the experience, and our waiters were more than happy to bring us something new if we didn't care for what was served (or three desserts if that is what our hearts desired.)
My only other complaint is that we were about 30 years younger than the vast majority of our shipmates. Maybe because the kids are in school? But we were seated at dinner with two younger couples who were a lot of fun, and we laughed a lot about being the youngest group on the ship.
The port days were the best part of the trip, though. We stopped in Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. My favorite port was Roatan. It was just gorgeous there. We went zipling and snorkeling. Our ziplines had breathtaking views of the rain forest and ocean. (Some friends recently went zipling in Hawaii and their course looked downright ugly compared to ours.) Snorkeling was off a reef in the Blue Channel, and it was stunning. Roatan is supposed to have some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world, and I can certainly believe it.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking a long dirt road known as West End, that is dotted with bars, restaurants and dive shops. I had a cheeseburger in paradise and danced with native schoolchildren.
I was lest impressed with Belize City. The city was very trashy and not pretty, and we had to pass through a security checkpoint manned by soldiers with very big guns. We took an hour-long bus ride, followed by an hour-long boat ride to see the Mayan Ruins at Lamanai. The ruins were amazing. We climbed a huge temple that dates to 100 B.C. I'm so glad that we got to visit this site, although I'm left with little desire to return to Belize (but maybe we just didn't see the best parts).
Our final port was Cozumel. We had pre-reserved at an all inclusive beach resort called Nachi Cocom. The beach was beautiful and the drinks were plentiful. Maybe a little too plentiful. DH got smashed and doesn't even remember how we got back to the ship. It was his first time ever to get drunk--and I learned that my husband is not a mean drunk or a funny drunk, but a horny drunk. I had to keep shushing him as he loudly slurred inappropriate comments.
Overall, I'd rate it the best vacation we've ever taken, and the most relaxed I've been since I had the twins 9 years ago.
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