We're OK

The news is a-buzz with reports of storms and tornadoes in Virginia, but our part of the state has escaped relatively unscathed. In fact, we had no idea until we watched the news last night before bed and early this morning. We had some rain yesterday, which messed up our plans for some hiking on Mike's day off, but nothing as hardcore as what the southern part of VA experienced. Just wanted to assure anyone turning on the news and seeing footage of flooded streets and roofs ripped off of houses as reporters declare that we're all underwater and homeless: We're OK but keep those who have been displaced in your thoughts and prayers, if you would.

Pictures & Updates

Check out the posts "Finally," "Wedding Crashers," and "Biff's Baby" for some updated photos of events from my trip to So Cal. Woohoo! Pictures and stories from Mike's 40th birthday bonanza to come...

Wedding Crashers

Following the lead of Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, my small group of wedding crashers distinguished ourselves by standing out: we danced, drank champagne and sampled cake. Lest you think us boorish and rude, I have to point out that we started out standing by the open doorway to admire the scene and were invited in by some legitimate guests. They took our picture and thanked us for being so enthusiastic and friendly. Um, OK... you're welcome... I guess? Thanks for not calling security on us!

Courtney, Lilli, Jon and Girl Chris enjoying some cake and champagne. Stay Classy!

I swear there were more flowers in one centerpiece than in the entire Rose Bowl parade. Crazy!

We Are So Fancy!

So, I'm watching The Real Housewives of New York right now. My little incubus of viral plague (aka Mike) is asleep so I'm indulging my guilty pleasures, OK? Anyhoo, one of the little rich kids is having a birthday party and he opened a pirate ship exactly like the one I got Bubba for his birthday! See, Bubba? Sissy may be a dork but she gets you good stuff and loves you like none other.

Speaking of the little monkey, here is a photo Judy sent; I am not including the "naked baby in the backyard" shot since I don't want the FBI arresting me.

Biff is Having a Baby!

Parents-to-be excited to nest for the little one!

Reading the card from Auntie C. Lils said, "I recognize that handwriting!"
upon opening it. I should think so - we passed enough notes in junior high and high school to fill a book!

A Boppy Lounger from Auntie C! Just what they wanted!

My dearest friend Elisabeth (aka Lili, Biff, and various other nicknames) is expecting her first baby in May. She and her lovely husband Nick are thrilled and will make fabulous parents. The gender is a surprise, but I am thinking girl. OK, hoping for a girl. I know it's not cool to have a preference, but I can't help it: I am dying to buy pink stuff and dress her up in sweet outfits and take her to get pedicures and high tea. The heart wants what it wants.

To fully understand my excitement, you need to know how important Biff is to me. We're talking about my partner in crime for the last 24 years, the person who could blackmail me if she wanted, the one I've called at all hours of the day and night in tears, laughing hysterically, and absolutely wasted (sometimes all of the above in one conversation)... we've seen each other through it all. Watching her enter into this crazy adventure of parenthood is exciting and I cannot wait to meet this little one.

Sunday I was fortunate to be able to attend her baby shower in San Diego. Her fantastic sister-in-law Jenn threw a great party and the parents-to-be scored some much-needed gear for the wee one. Lils was glowing and gorgeous... you'd think growing a person inside you would take a toll, but nope. The chick looks great and can still run circles around me.

Hard to believe that the next time I see my girl she'll be a Mom. Wow.

No Fly Zone

Why are cross-country flights so traumtic for me? I've been struggling with some health issues since the fall , which usually make themselves known somewhere over Kansas. Not pretty, kids. Friday's flight to LAX was no different: I threw up in the airplane bathroom after eating a Subway sandwich. Apparently I didn't specify that I wanted them to hold the salmonella. Jeez. By Saturday late afternoon I was able to keep food down and enjoy my weekend, but it was a little scary being so far from home, alone, and trying to navigate various social events in an unfamiliar city.

Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be home and healthy again. Now if we can get Mike over his cold we'll be back to normal.

Finally!

After 8 years of blissful togetherness, my dear friends Chris and Katie made it official and got themselves good and married on Saturday in Pasadena, CA. The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding and the happy couple looked like they belonged on a cake. Beautiful ceremony and an insanely fun party. Chris' family cracks me up; I haven't seen them in ages and was greeted with hugs and exclamations of "Girl Chris!" (Chris being "Boy Chris") all over the place. Good times.

Boy Chris and Girl Chris: still going strong at the after-party. Woo!

Boy Chris was one of my first friends at the University of Puget Sound. We met on the second day of orientation and were pretty much inseparable for the next three years. Our shared love of Adam Sandler, Star Wars and mocking others bonded us for life, and I wouldn't dream of missing such an important day in his life.

Chris is incredibly lucky to have the lovely Katie (she's a brilliant vet and anyone who helps animals is OK by me), and she is also lucky to have a great man who adores her like he does. Congratulations, you crazy kids!

And yes, the "Elaine" dance made an appearance but I don't think the moment was captured on film. Thank God. No one needs to see that in freeze frame!

Just Married!

Kim and Justin taking notes on the wedding. You're up next, Kids!

Cake! Mmm...

Guns N' Cupcakes

Tuesday Julia and I had a lovely, lazy morning baking cupcakes while watching Gilmore Girls. The poor kid had never tried cream cheese frosting (it's one of my favorite food groups!) and now I think I've ruined her for life. We hit a sugar crash by the time Mike got home, but rallied and checked out the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico. Mike was excited to show Julia around and I think she was pleasantly surprised by how interactive and fun it is.

Example of the good times that await if you choose to visit:

Proud Dad coaches his daughter during target practice in one of the "interactive" exhibits. I chose to play photographer rather than embarrass myself.



Her "what I did on my spring break" essay will cover a wide range of activities. Guns, baking... pretty standard stuff, really.

Watching Mike watch young Marines scope out his underage daughter may have been the highlight of the day for me. He didn't bust out his signature line, "Have you ever tried to pick up your teeth with broken fingers?" but I could tell he was ready to throw down if one of them even tried to speak to her. Julia was completely oblivious to the attention she garnered. I had fun teasing her about it...not to mention torturing Mike. Ah, good times.

Sunday Family Fun

Mike and Julia standing in front of some building in DC.

Since Julia is here on vacation, we've tried to provide her with fun options but let her decide where to go and what to do. Mike and I anticipated she'd sleep in and want to watch movies and generally ignore us... basically, she'd be like us when we were her age. Not only was she up and ready to face the day long before I was, but she was incredibly easy-going about activities.

We hit old town Fredericksburg first, but found most of the fun stores were closed on Sunday. After lunch at a pub and some back-and-forth over what to do next, Julia suggested a visit to the Holocaust Museum. We headed home for a quick wardrobe change (Spring has gone into hiding temporarily) and sped on up to DC for some Smithsonian action. Since we got off to a bit of a late start, we weren't able to see half of the museum, but what we did see was pretty powerful. A bit depressing but educational and worthwhile, for sure.

We wandered around the National Mall for awhile longer before heading home for cookies, pizza, Battlestar Galactica, and some nice family bonding time.

Ninjas!

This picture kills me. I'm not sure who's having more fun here. Such cute boys!

Munchkins!

Proud Dad with his beautiful kids

Samurai Kaiden shows off his skills

Hannah and her doll on the deck. Apparently she likes her gifts!

Dad enjoying dinner with Hannah and Kaiden

Saturday was a busy day for us: took a bunch of boxes to recycling, ordered our dining room table (which should arrive any minute now - yay!), did some last-minute cleaning and organizing...and finally welcomed Mike's kids! Julia, his oldest, is spending her spring break with us while the little ones, Hannah and Kaiden, enjoy some time in colonial Williamsburg with their mom and her boyfriend. We had all the kids here for dinner and presents from Japan (Dad outdid himself in the gift department), while his ex-wife and her boyfriend took a break and got some dinner alone.

The kids really like the house and seem eager to spend time here. I'm hoping we'll have a full house at some point this summer! I baked a ton of cookies for dessert and for the little ones to take on the road and enjoy. Scored some points with the baked goods. Bribery may not be ideal but it works.

Awesome

This afternoon Mike and I went for a walk in our neighborhood and ended up at Applebee's for a drink. I'm not usually a big fan of chain-restaurant dining, but when in the 'burbs, you take what you can get. My opinion may have changed: I was carded! As in, Destiny, our waitress, felt the need to verify my age before serving me. I laughed when she asked for my ID and thought she was joking. Once I fished out my brand-spanking new VA driver's license and handed it over, she asked why I was laughing. "Well, because I'm 30 and it's been awhile since anyone has asked to see my ID." She looked at it, looked at me and replied, "Wow, you look really good for..." and kind of trailed off. She obviously didn't want to say, "Wow, you don't look like the crypt keeper!" or "It's so nice to see you getting around at this age!" I advised her about the importance of a good eye cream and didn't stop smiling the whole time we were there. The company and a cold beer on a warm day didn't hurt my mood, but getting carded...priceless!

I Guess It's Official

Yesterday Mike and I braved the unwashed masses and hit the DMV. He needed to renew his plates and I needed to get myself a VA driver's license and register to vote. I love voting. Being registered here makes it official in my book.

Being in the "driver's license" zone of the DMV among several 16 year-old boys was surreal. I am now probably closer in age to their mothers than I am to them, but I vividly remember being so excited to get my license. Now it's just an annoying errand. The only thing that remains the same is my fear of a wretched photo. I am not the most photogenic gal around, but I have always had decent license photos. My new one is no different, despite fighting a bizarre case of the giggles when I stepped in front of the blue screen.

We left the camera at home, of course, and tried to improvise with our phones. Our two self-portraits and Mike's action shot of me having my license photo taken didn't work out as well as we hoped. A valiant effort, though! Enjoy yet another photo-free post!

Domestic Dude and Diva

It's been brought to my attention that I haven't posted anything new in a week. My apologies, loyal readers. We've been busy, but not with anything blog-worthy. A lot of unpacking, organizing, rearranging... necessary but not especially exciting. Actually, I take that back. It's been fun merging our belongings and making the house a comfortable place for both of us.

My inner domestic goddess has made herself known and it's kinda cool and a little weird. As most of you know, I am a train wreck in the kitchen. Stuff burns and I usually end up cutting myself on something... it's not pretty. In addition to setting up the kitchen by myself (Mike was away at drill last weekend), I've been baking and collecting recipes so I can branch out a bit more. Let me repeat that: I have been baking things from scratch. No pre-fab cookie dough for this girl! Mike and his co-workers are reaping the benefits of this sudden urge to use all of the kitchen utensils I've accumulated over time. Apparently watching my grandma, Dave, and Judy cook all these years has paid off; I actually feel comfortable in what I'm doing and the house hasn't burned down. Mike has also been grilling almost every night and has become quite the menu planner.

We have been in a mad rush to get the house pulled together since our first visitor arrives on Saturday. Mike's daughter Julia is spending her spring break with us and we are so excited to have her here! I hope she has fun while she's with us. We'll need to tone down the Battlestar Galactica viewing while she's here; she probably thinks we're huge dorks as it is. No need to give her more evidence of that.

The POD has arrived!

My belongings are in my possession once again! My POD (Portable On Demand Storage) arrived this morning at 7:30am. The PODS are pretty awesome if you are planning a long-distance and move. My Uncle Tom recommended it after his move from Oklahoma City to Kansas City and overall I've been pleased. It isn't cheap, but when you weigh it against driving a U-Haul across the country, staying in hotels and paying for gas, it comes out even. The picture is of the delivery man putting the truck back together after dropping the POD in our parking space. It's like a huge remote control toy and Transformer. So cool! I wish I had taken more photos or a video of the unloading process. I was amazed at how easily these guys maneuver this large equipment.

The delivery man was very nice and had me open the POD to make sure everything looked OK and nothing had shifted toward the door. I opened it up and it was perfect. Nothing had shifted at all in the cross-country adventure. The delivery guy looked at me and said with a bit of awe and admiration, "That is the most professional-looking job I've ever seen. I wish everyone would tie down their belongings." I couldn't take any credit at all; my dear stepdad Dave spent his spring break tying everything down and expertly packing the POD so everything would arrive in one piece. I can't even express how grateful I am for his help.

Once I got the boxes unloaded (and Mike came home to help me with the large items at the back), I was again incredibly grateful for the help of my parents. My mom spent much time in my tiny studio helping me wrap everything and pack it into boxes in her efficient, anal (I mean that with much affection) way. I've unpacked most of the boxes marked fragile and again, everything is perfect. Not a single scratched or chipped item in the lot. Amazing. This stuff has gone from San Francisco to Chico via U-Haul, and then on to Virginia on a truck. I fully expected a couple of martini glasses or picture frames to be sacrificed but nope. I'm pretty sure my mom has missed her calling as a professional organizer. Seriously.

And thank goodness for my Dad and Judy; the U-Haul would never have been packed in time for me to vacate my apartment if they hadn't shown up and provided me with the first batch of packing supplies. Experienced movers, they also brought much calm and zen as I freaked out repeatedly. Where would I be without my family?

By the time Mike comes back from drill on Tuesday (happy driving, Honey!) everything will have a place and hopefully feel more like our home.

Water Baby

Email from Judy:

Hi Sissy,

Little man had his first swim lesson tonight! We went to the pool at Oceana High School for the " Little Bobbers" class. It was really fun! Evan wasn't quite the wildman he usually is in the water. It was a little cold and pretty noisy and I think he was a little freaked out. He did great- kicked, swam with his arms, put his face in the water,..... had a little trouble with blowing bubbles but we'll work on it.

Miss you lots!

Not sure about travel plans but we will keep you posted. Dada will give you a call tomorrow.

Love Judy and Dad


Oh my little Stinky Face is such a big kid! I was 10 before I would put my head underwater. Fearless little monkeysaurus! Pictures should be coming soon-ish of Bubba in action.

It's Back

My insomnia has returned. I've struggled with this off-and-on since I was 14. After waking from a bad dream, I couldn't get back to sleep. Plus, our room was crazy-hot and I couldn't get comfortable. Ugh.

I managed to make good use of my time since I was up: cleaned the kitchen, made coffee for Mike to take to work, returned some emails, read the news, and cruised around Craigslist looking for a dining room table.

This isn't tragic since I'm not working at the moment, but could be problematic when I need to be alert and socially acceptable in a professional environment.