Graphics graphics everywhere...

I have been way too attached to my PC. Yeah, I said it. PC. I am a Mac girl through and through but for some stuff, it's PC all the way. I mean I have Publisher on my work computer! It's awesome! I can create PDF's, and make invitations, and super duper cute Valentines! I am having way too much fun. This morning, I made a poster!

Yesterday, I made a Valentine for J's little Wobbler friends.

Seriously. It's like a disease. I can't stop. I made birth announcements for EVERYONE I know...

Fish sticks for dinner!

OK, so we had Nemo. And I'm blogging which means my neighborhood HAS POWER! More amazingly than that, we NEVER LOST IT. If anyone knows me, you know that we bought a house in the single most powerless neighborhood in town. Houses are really spaced out, which means the power company gets way more bang for it's buck to bring other areas back on the grid first. Touche! Anyhoo, we got 28.3 inches of snow according to my handy dandy yardstick. That's an assload of snow. When I was in grade 12 back in good ole' New Jersey, a major storm was predicted, but I was with my family is sunny Ft. Lauderdale. Me, being a complete IDIOT, insisted on flying back BEFORE the storm. I got to stay in National Park with my dear friend Krista and her family, and I was thrilled. Then it snowed. I think maybe 18 inches or so? I don't really remember. I do remember missing school for A WEEK. Snowmobiles to get to the Heritage Farms for milk. Me borrowing her dad's full body Carhartt snowsuit so we could go out and play for like twelve seconds. It was AWESOME. If I was a drinker at 17 it probably would have been a lot different, but it was great. When I look back on high school, those memories are probably my favorite. I love my Oldts- we had some awesome times... Fast forward to right now. Those 28.3 inches. State of Emergency. Driving ban in effect (complete with one year prison time AND $500 fines. And yet, you call my local pizza place? "Thanks for calling (insert town name) house of pizza will that be pickup or delivery?" Yep, that's how we roll. My neighbors are like 85 and their deck, front steps, AND driveway are pristine. Like, they used a blowdryer. Granted, my driveway is looking pretty amazing after three and a half hours of shoveling wearing the baby on my back. Toddlers are handy with a shovel, just sayin'. (note: baby was actually napping but y'know being all ATTACHMENT PARENT and all it just sounds better!) There might still be a driving ban in effect, but I could get anywhere I needed to go (and no, Mom, I'm not stupid enough to go anywhere- UNLESS the wine box becomes empty) and the pizza place can still deliver.

So take that, Nemo- with tartar sauce.

My ass!

OK so if you live under a rock, let me catch you up- the northeast is getting swallowed up by a cute little clownfish of a storm named Nemo. Well, it's officially started. This morning was rather lovely- no work, kids at daycare/preschool, a yummy breakfast with hash browns! Around ten flakes started to fall but it was that dandruffy snow that just sort of falls every which way and blows around in the air. Fast forward one hour and I'm thinking, hmmm, better go get the kids NOW. It was yucky driving, but tolerable. Fast forward to right now. Well, Nemo, you can go f*&% yourself. It's cold, the snow is coming down in buckets, and it's NOT light and fluffy. It's more of a Scar storm, a Jafar storm, a sea witch Ursula (my friend Ursula is none too fond of her Disney Villain counterpart, so we'll leave her out). Pick pretty much any other Disney character. Nemo? REALLY? I could even see it being Sebastian- he has claws at least. Nemo the adorable gimpy finned clownfish has some serious teeth. I was outside shoveling AGAIN (because my husband seems to think he is headed to work for 8 am in the morning. Um. No!) and humming the "I'm dancing with myself" song- if you replace it with "I'm shoveling by myself" it really is quite catchy. Only one shoveler at a time- can't leave these kids unattended! Anyway, it sucks. I am not a fan. I am going to drink my wine and go the f&*# to sleep (say it like Samuel L. Jackson and I swear it sounds classy). I will probably dream about proper snow removal technique, as I just read "How to Shovel Snow Like a Man". Yeah, I know, I'm not a man, but it was rather entertaining anyway.

So everyone pour a glass of something (I know every single Massachusetts has AT LEAST a case- you were all in the packie with me this morning) and just go to sleep. This little clownfish is going to kick our asses, and we need all the wine sleep we can get!

Holy crunch, Batman!

I am the uncrunchiest person I know. I hate recycling and get a sick thrill over throwing away a can (calm down, I do recycle-MOSTLY), worship at the temple of disposable diapers, and genuinely enjoy Red Dye 40 and fake sugar. I use enough chemicals on my hair to take down a small town's water supply. Today I am home with a sickie totally bored out of my mind, so I decided to take a shower while said sickie gorked out to quality PBS programming Spongebob. I used my homemade coconut oil soap shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. I exfoliated with brown sugar-coconut oil-lime scrub I made, and shaved with whipped coconut oil (hey, it was a double episode of Spongebob)! I got out, put on my leave in conditioner made of what else, coconut oil and other stuff, and put on my deodorant. That's when it hit me. My deodorant was also homemade, from coconut oil, essential oil, baking soda, and cornstarch. My laundry detergent, fabric softener, cleaning rags, boogie wipes, counter spray, deep cleaning solution, stain solution, tub scrub, floor cleaner- all homemade. All non toxic. NOT that I would drink any of them, but the lavender lime tub scrub smells awesome. My bread? I made it. From ORGANIC ingredients. The black bean soup simmering in the crockpot? Also organic and GULP, VEGAN. Don't worry I will add lots of sour cream and cheddar. I said crunchy, not kookoo crazy.

What the hell has happened to me? Must. Change. More. Disposable. Diapers.

It's the little things...

These days are insanely hectic. Yes, the boys are BOTH sleeping well (finally) but work gets busier and busier and I have less and less time to accomplish much at home. Last night I was thrilled to be able to mop the kitchen floor. Yeah, it's sad. I have to say though that my life has changed for the better since I discovered this little beauty. Seriously, my life has been changed. It's genius. It's cordless. Efficient. Quiet enough to use while everyone in the house is asleep. Picks up crumbs like you wouldn't believe (except for big stuff like graham crackers- I crush those first) and even will pick up pasta and crap as long as you've let it sit for a day or so- it likes crunchy things! My floors might be the only cleanISH things in the house.

The best part? It's ORANGE!

Moving Mountains

So I know that many of you read my blog, and have been also reading my friend Kerri's blog and are aware of the passing of her son, Kai. Obviously losing a child is the hardest thing ANYONE, parent or not, can think of. Sadly, this does happen. Forty-six children are diagnosed EVERY DAY with cancer. I don't know the statistics on survival, but not every child diagnosed survives. Grief can take many forms- tears, denial, complete depression. It can also spur action, and in the case of some dedicated mamas who I am lucky to count myself among, it did here in central Massachusetts. We created Kai's Village to provide support, both emotional and financial, for families dealing with childhood cancer. Last weekend we held a Holiday Market to do just that- raise funds through raffles, bake sales, and vendor fees. Literally, it was three weeks in the making. THREE WEEKS. Think about what you can accomplish in three weeks. I can start a book unit at work, perhaps clean a closet or two, depending on the plans of the children, and not much else. I could surely sail to England, but I've never tried. In three weeks this group of dedicated mamas (and quite a few dads too!) pulled off a market that was extraordinary. It was packed all day long- volunteers and donors came out of the woodwork, and it was nothing less than wildly successful. In the organizing and planning for this event, it brought a team of women even closer together than we already were. These are moms that are not "like" me in many ways- but it honestly didn't matter one bit- we had a common goal. It also reminded me how much I love those women- and how much I enjoy being with them, even if one of us got a little fiesty- and really, with almost 200 raffle prizes, it was bound to happen- it didn't change the way we care for one another. I needed that reminder- it's not necessarily about who is similar to you, but who knows and loves you for who you are.

Margaret Mead nailed it  "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." And will keep doing so.

'Tis the Giving Season

It's December! YES! I love December for lots and lots and lots of reasons. I love wrapping paper, bows, tacky tinsel, and white lights. I also love experiencing all of those things with M, and now J. It's amazing to see the world in a new way. It's extra exciting this year for several reasons.

1. I love my job. I continue to enjoy teaching and this year I am teaching a lot of art classes, which has allowed me time to get back into painting- something I have always loved, but allowed to flop onto the back burner.
2. My laundry is mostly done. That's amazing.
3. I will get to spend time with lots of friends and family this month, and that's the BEST.

Really though, some awesome stuff has come together in the last 24 hours which is great because it will benefit many during this season of giving! Drumroll please, and be prepared for some unabashed fundraising. Through Kai's story I found out about two organizations that rock- Peach's Neet Feet and Maxlove. The women that run those organizations reached out to me via Kai's Village to donate to the raffle we are having next weekend at the Holiday Market- with proceeds going to Kai's Village, Sherry's House, and Why Me? If you are local and would like to "stop for a reason, shop for the season" check out all the details. What Madison and Audra do through their organizations is just awesome- and I am totally excited to help spearhead the Love + Light initiative for Maxlove here in Boston!!! I'm working on sharpening up my painting skills so I can paint for Peach too, but my outlining skills really need to improve first!

That said, consider donating- $30 to Peach's Neet Feet provides a pair of sneakies for a child battling terminal illness, and just $15 to Maxlove provides a snuggly hat and Twilight Turtle (Thank you Cloud B!) to these brave kids too! Or shop at the holiday market- 100% of my proceeds at the Mama Bee Goods table will be donated to Kai's Village, Peach's Neet Feet, and Maxlove.

Really, doesn't that all sound MUCH better than fighting the crowds at the mall?