Mud and shiners

So, I finally found my photo cord. (In my catch all basket on top of the cabinet.)

Icky, dried on mud. It was pretty much like this on the back of both legs. Luckily, I stayed upright so this wasn't all over me. Also note two blisters a formin' that luckily really didn't form. Also, a bad choice in toenail color that looks like my regular toenail color. Yuck, my feet are pretty gross. I may become one of those anti-foot people and I definitely think I have earned a nice pedicure.

Shoes, post-race. I took them off at the car and I will admit that they are still sitting in that same bag in our mud room. A little irony for you. I definitely need to hose them off, wash them, and donate them to our local running store. They in turn, donate them to Soles 4 Soles.

While we were running, Maddy and Libby were with one of our sitters. They had a great morning, but we did have a little slip & fall. Apparently, Libby cried for about 2 minutes and then shook it off. My sweet little girl did end up with about 3 bruises ... one above her eye, one on her cheek, and one on her chin. She has my pale, Irish skin and it will show every bump and bruise.

Luckily, they are clearing up and my brave girl also started walking down steps today. It was the cutest thing to watch because she would throw her arms in the air, for balance I guess, as she walked down them. Of course, then Maddy had to get in on the act. I'll try not to be "that Mom" who is worried about even more shiners now that they'll be going up and down steps.

KFC Pink Bucket campaign

When I first saw a commercial promoting this, I thought it was a little crazy. But, you have to give credit for a company willing to donate 8.5 million dollars to Susan G. Komen. Plus, you can get a bucket of their grilled chicken and not get the fried stuff, even though those little crispy bits of skin sure are good.

I know they've caught some slack from the press about promoting fried chicken to support breast cancer, but their donation is quite generous. So, I say, get a bucket of grilled and support the cause.

Bad blogger, bad!

I have been a slack as of lately ... did you miss me!?

So, I survived my first trail half-marathon. I had to hide the camera cord from Maddy and Libby, so as soon as I remember where I hid it, I'll try to get a few photos up.

I did manage to remain vertical, and have fun, but it was hard. Oh, and that rain forecast? We had rain overnight and rain that morning so the trails were super muddy. We lucked out that it wasn't raining during the run, but the very first part and last part were pure sludge. At one point, I really thought I would lose a shoe in the mud.

I definitely didn't win any records, but I wasn't DFL (dead freakin' last.) I may have been 20 people away from being last, but I wasn't last.

Other than that, I've just getting into the groove of work, having fun shopping at our local farmer's market (eggs, granola, goat cheese, peonies, and gobs of strawberries), and lots of outside time with Maddy and Libby.

Ungood.

See that forecast on Sunday? See that big cloud with rain coming from it? See that 70% chance? Yuck.

Guess what I'm doing on Sunday? Running my first trail half marathon. When you go to the hourly forecast, thunderstorms are predicted at 7am and 10am. I start at 8:15 so it's likely I'm going to be trapped on a muddy trail when a deluge sets in.

It's bad enough that I'm a little nervous about spraining an ankle, but now the thought of running, coupled with thunderstorms is a little more than unnerving.

I'm hoping that rain comes through on Saturday and leaves us alone. Please, please, please.

Thoughts

Busy week, so a bulleted list about the latest happenings.

• Mom is doing great. She had her second round of chemo this morning. I am amazed at her strength.
• Naked baby count this morning: one. I turned the corner to see Maddy, naked, holding her diaper.
• Clothing changes for M&L before going to school: one each. Guess who has figured out how to work the water in door function on the refrigerator?
• First day at work on Monday = first day of vacation. Everyone else was away at conferences, or working from home, so I basically was in the office for 1/2 hour. I did go home and do a little work, so today feels like the first day all over again.
• Laughing that our sitter put the girls in the wrong cribs last night. When I checked on them, I thought they had been switched and it was confirmed this morning. I'm surprised they didn't throw a fit, but I guess it was like staying in a hotel for them.
• Loving the Lands End Canvas cardigans. Soft with a little bit of stretch.
• Loving my rock out session to R.E.M. with M&L this morning on the drive to school. I looked in the rear view mirror and they were waving their hands and clapping to "Gardening at Night." Good times and it made me smile all day.

Role reversal

My Mom is starting chemo today, and I am flying in the opposite direction of the country to attend a conference. I know she doesn't technically need me to be there, but I can't help feeling like I should be there. Have I reached the point in my adult life that I'm the caregiver and not the care-receiver? Probably not, but it just feels like it today.

She was happy to receive a little care package that I put together for her. Nothing too exciting because my Mom is extremely practical, but I sent her some good hand lotions, chapstick, a book about cancer that a friend of mine gave me, some anti-cancer recipes, and of course, two pictures of the lambs, AKA Maddy and Libby, and a homemade card from them.

So, now we wait. She's ready to get started and ready to get it over with. Twelve weeks of chemo to hopefully fight this thing and win. I usually hate to wish a summer away, but this will be three months that I think we will all be glad when it's over.

Before she's done with chemo, I'll start training for the Komen 3-Day. I really feel like it's the least I can do along with support and prayers. What would be better than to see that a cure is found?

So, happy thoughts all around tomorrow and I'll update you next week.

Rewritten

I wrote a long rant about my shopping adventure at WalMart last night, but after reading it, I just felt really judgemental. I know I'm not really being judgemental since I was shopping there too, but let's just say that there were just some very interesting characters shopping and working there last night.

I'm still in a little bit of disbelief about the entire shopping trip.

I'll just sum it up with the fact that the clerk asked me if my coupons were coupons. Huh? What else are small, rectangular shaped pieces of paper that say "Save $1.00 on Pampers?" Isn't there a training that covers that?

Cheese

It has been a cheese Sunday at the D. household.

We were at the "Tahjma" Teeter on Friday night, or maybe it's now called "Teeterdome" to pick up a few ingredients for a yummy black bean dip that I was going to make for Saturday. This still isn't the exact recipe that I had tried years ago, but I deleted and edited enough to make it taste like the one I remember.

Anyway.

We had Maddy and Libby who were enjoying their 5th bread sample of the evening and we were barely even past the deli area when I saw my beloved Augusta's Creations pimento cheese. Harris Teeter started carrying it some time ago and it is so good. It doesn't say it on the packaging, but it's made with Cabot cheddar, another one of my favorites. So, I had to pick up a tub of their jalapeno. Oh, it's so good. Different than the one my Mom makes, but equally yummy.

On Saturday morning, I decided to go check out our local Farmer's market. I didn't get there super early so I thought I'd be OK with the stroller. I was wrong. I went to our smaller, curb market that is indoors and let's just say that the aisles were a bit tight. Maddy and Libby had a blast, waving hi to folks, and checking out all of the goods. There I picked up another favorite, Goat Lady Dairy goat cheese. I tried the basil and garlic spreadable cheese and let's just say that Hubby and I don't have to worry about any vampires visiting us today.

Sadly, I don't think GLD cheese is available much outside of our area, but I know that Augusta's is available online, and Cabot is easy to find. Thank goodness for an 8.5 mile run today after my weekend of cheese!

Work it.

Well, I was beginning to think that it really couldn't happen, but I have somehow found a part-time job that:


a) is legit

b) doesn't involve selling Avon

c) offers the flexibility that I wanted


I will say that I had become a little more than frustrated about the variety of marketing positions that I was finding or hearing about. I kept turning up entry level positions, or those "work from home" jobs that involve you paying someone to work. Hmmm, that just doesn't add up.

Through a little networking, I was able to land with a great company that really seems to believe that family comes first. I'll handle the marketing for the company, and also do some project management work, too. It's the perfect combination and better yet, it's part-time. Some hours in the office (which is really cool) and some at home.

So, I have a little over a week until my days of being a 9 to fiver, or a 9 to three-thirtier and I'm looking forward to it.

Keeping it real, a little too real.

I really, really wish that I didn't have this story to tell.

Yesterday, I put Maddy and Libby down for their nap around 1PM. I came back downstairs and vacuumed our family room, and mopped the kitchen floor. After I finished, I checked email while waiting for the floor to dry.

Over the monitor, I could hear someone crying. It had gone from a little bit of talking to full blown crying. I broke my own cardinal rule and stepped on the wet kitchen floor so I could go upstairs and see what was wrong.

I opened their bedroom door to see Libby fast asleep and Maddy standing naked in her crib. Yes, you can probably guess what else was in the crib.

One dirty diaper, luckily with most of the contents in the diaper, but yes, there was poop elsewhere. On Maddy, on the sheets, on the blanket, on her little pillow, etc.

I got it cleaned up, sheets changed, and started a bath for Maddy. Oh yeah, and Libby is still totally sacked out through all of this. Amazing.

So, aside from the ick factor, I was thankful that she didn't "finger paint" or anything similar. I know you've heard the stories. I have to wonder ... could it be time for a potty, since she seems to want to strip down when she has a dirty diaper. I don't think I'm mentally ready to start, but maybe she's telling me that she is.

* Note: we typically use sleep sacks at night, but I usually don't put them on for naps. Maybe I should start.
* Another note: Maddy did have on a dress and bloomers that were pretty easy to remove and she has been known to take off her PJ's and run around after breakfast in just a diaper. She's free spirited that way.
* Yet another note: Thank God for cute bunny pillows that have removable bunny covers that can be rescued and washed during occasions such as this.

Three-peat

I always send photos to family and friends showing the latest antics of Maddy and Libby. Yesterday, that was a link to Easter weekend photos.

Then, I uploaded some of those to Facebook.

So, I better put some on the bloggity blog or you wouldn't see what we did this weekend.

Wait, are you yawning?

Libby, crusing around at the egg hunt.

Hunting eggs, or possibly borrowing them from one of their friends.

The Easter Bunny came!

Maddy loved this little bunny.

Hunting eggs at their Grandparents. They had very different hunting styles ... very interesting. Oh, and Abby the dog tried to hunt, too.

Maddy brought a few of the indoor eggs out to the hunt.


Libby was pretty serious about the whole thing.

Do you know what the problem is with all of these pictures? Not one good family photo of all of us. We did take a few, but none were share or print worthy. Boo. Try, try, again.

Can you believe this was last year's post? What a difference a year makes ... no family photos last year, either!

Happy Easter

I don't know how they do it, but it does seem that dogwood trees always bloom at Easter ... whether Easter falls early or late in the year. I've always loved these trees since I was a little girl. My parents had trees with pink and white blooms at both houses where we lived.

We were thrilled to see that our home also has several white trees throughout our front and back yard.

I remember looking at these after a visit to Sunday School where they taught us that the blooms also represent the crucifixion of Christ and I would always look for those little marks on each end of the bloom. Sure enough, they are always there.

I sometimes have to wonder if they bloom at the "right" time because that big guy upstairs is in charge.

Yes & Yes

I'm back on a Lands End kick again. Maybe I was never really off it, but I just hadn't checked out anything in a while.

I looked at the Sears store this weekend and tried on a few things, then went back today for some more browsing.

Aren't these cute for Spring? Plus, it's 20% off everything in the stores.

Also, I keep reading good things about the Lands End Canvas cardigan sweaters. Any opinions out there? They look adorable online and it's hard to beat the versatility of a good cardigan sweater.

Should have known

We dyed Easter eggs yesterday "with" Maddy and Libby. When I say "with", they were coloring in their high chairs and Hubby and I were dying the eggs on the counter in front of them.

So, I placed them around our living room ... some in a basket, some on a silver tray, one in a little egg holder thingy that we have.

Then, in about the span of 2 minutes, I walked in the living room to find 4 cracked eggs on the floor and the dogs doing their best to try to get to the hard-boiled goodness.

I should have taken a picture, but it all happened so fast that there wasn't time. I really didn't want the dogs to eat 4 eggs, so I was trying to just get it all cleaned up.

Making note that this is definitely one of those things that I should have known. Maybe next year, we can all actually participate in egg dying, and also understand the definition of fragile.

Oops, I did it again

Remind me not to leave Hubby home alone with an Internet connection and a credit card.

I left on Sunday to visit a good friend of mine for a little overnight girls trip, and before I had arrived, I received an email that I was signed up for another half marathon.

Ok, so yes, we had talked about it, but I still had to laugh when I received the email that said "Thanks for registering." Whaat?

So, wish me luck that in less than a month, I'll be able to run a TRAIL half marathon. I used to trail run all the time, but that was many years ago when I was a little more brave and not worried about broken bones. Fast-forward some 15 years and I'm a lot older, hopefully a little wiser, and definitely more skittish about self induced bodily harm.

So, that is that. So, I guess I am really on my way to completing my goal of running 5 halfs this year. It would be nice to knock out 2 of them by the end of April. We shall see.

Spring!

Spring has sprung around these parts. My yard is full of daffodils, even though I've decided that I could plant an entire yard full and still want more. I can see the tulips getting ready to bloom, and of course, a little pollen in the air, and noticing that our lawn needs to be mowed.

I also unpacked a few Easter goodies for around the house.

Mom gave me this little guy and he found a home on our rather unadorned mantle, along with some forsythia branches.

On the agenda this week, Easter egg dyeing (pastel glitter!), and putting together Easter baskets. Pretty simple around here ... one new book each, sidewalk chalk to share, and Little People that come in eggs. I think we'll round it out with either some goldfish crack-uhs or an-mul (animal) crack-uhs.

Skirts

Has anyone ever been to a Sevier Skirt skirt party before? I noticed that one of my FaceBook friends became a fan, so I went to their page and website. Nosy? Probably. Curious, for sure.

I have to say, that I am in love with almost each and every one.

I would love to have a wardrobe of these fun skirts and then just wear a plain tshirt, turtleneck, or sweater and be done with it. Tights in the winter, bare legs in the summer. You'd always look pulled together and cute.

Surely, someone out there has to know about these adorable skirts. If not, let's throw a party and find out!

Shoes!

Lately, Libby is obsessed with shoes, especially ones that don't belong to her and her beloved, one-size-too-big snow boots.

As witnessed this afternoon, wearing my pointy toe sling backs.

One possibly, final attempt at the monthly chair photo. It just doesn't work anymore. If I hear of any twin moms that tell me that they kept this ritual up until their twins were 3, I may cry. I bet your kids also don't toss their sippy cups on the floor, or tell you "no" when you try to brush their teeth. Or, please tell me that you have somehow tied them to the chair, but you just can't tell it in the photos.

My little bitty babies are almost 2! OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but June will be here in just a few short months and I really don't know where the time has gone.

The Firm

Hubby has a 3rd interview with a company this afternoon, and they have also asked to meet me. So, I'm going to lunch on Friday afternoon. Gulp. I totally feel like we may be in the movie, The Firm. I didn't realize that companies still did this ... it feels very old school.

So, of course some of my questions are where are we going for lunch, and what should I wear?

Lunch will be downtown, and still no idea what I'm wearing. Since I've been a quasi stay at home mom/part time marketer/unemployed marketer for nearly 2 years, my business attire is a little lacking.

Luckily, I have the trusty Ann Taylor black pants and a selection of spring-ish sweaters, so I think I'll be OK.

Now to brush up on current events so I don't blurt out something like "Have you seen the new BPA free children's plates from Tupperware?" or "You should have seen me trying to catch the roll away poop from Libby's diaper on Monday." or even better, "Guess what Maddy said today? Boogie! As in booger." Ugh.

It's hard enough to go on a job interview for yourself, but to go on one for your husband is a new one for me. I certainly don't want to be the one to mess it up!

Race Update

Right after I finished. Can I hold or wear one more gadget or piece of gear?

Whoo to the hoo, as one of my running buddies would say ... a new PR for me at 2:13:56. I did this same race last year and shaved 9 minutes off my time. There were plenty of hills to keep me honest, but I just felt good and went for it.

With my running buddy MM, after the race.

Our dynamic trio + one, well + two. We all ran the Virginia Beach half last summer. ET has temporarily gone on to better things right now ... making a cute baby, and I'm living vicariously through her instead of having more of my own.

Once I got to mile 10, I realized that I was way ahead of my 2:25 pace band, so I pulled out the 2:20 pace band, and realized that I was still ahead. That's when I got a little scared. Then I came up on and later passed the "fast" woman in our running club. Then I was a lot scared, but I did it!

Now, if my children will ever fall asleep, a shower and nap are in my future. I am really wishing that I had a hammock, but possibly a nap with the windows open will have to work.

It was great to have a wonderful running buddy and see our other running buddy who volunteered on the course today. Plus, the support of about 20 other ladies in our group who would always give you a smile and a "good job" when we saw each other on the course. I couldn't do this if it weren't for the support of all of them, and also Hubby, Maddy & Libby.

My support crew. Does it look like Libby is flashing gang symbols?

Hubby's "PR, PR, PR" chant this morning must have worked and knowing that I have people excited to see me finish is a great feeling while pounding away 13.1 miles!

My bags are packed ...

and I'm ready to go! I'm up early to eat some oatmeal with a banana and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

I'll be running my 5th half marathon later this morning. We have ended up with a gorgeous day (sun and high of 78 degrees). It should be in the 50's when we are running which will feel just about perfect, I hope.

A few things that I don't run without ...

• My Fuel Belt water bottle. Packed inside are my GU Chomps.
• For long runs, Glide. No real explanation needed, but it definitely helps prevent chafing.
• Inhaler. Ugh, but necessary.
• For races, my race number that is now pinned onto my shirt, oh, and my beer ticket for after the race.
• Our handy dandy race pace bands. I made two different times for my running buddy & I. One a little slower and one a little faster. We'll see how we feel and decide.
• I'm rolling that Biofreeze all over my neck. I won't smell pretty, but I still have a slight twinge to my neck and that should solve the problem.

Wish me luck everyone and I'll hopefully report back this afternoon!

Oh, and wish some luck to Hubby and my running buddy's Hubby who will be keeping up with two sets of twins, and a 4-year-old while they wait for us to finish! That may be harder than running this race.

Channeling Sex and the City

I would much rather be channeling Carrie's shoe or Charlotte's dress collections, but today, I feel just like the episode where Miranda threw out her neck.

I woke up and I could tell I had somehow tweaked it. Luckily, I didn't end up naked on the bathroom floor, wrapped in a bath mat to be saved by Aiden.

Of course, my half marathon is on Saturday and I've spent a good majority of the day with one of those heatable bean bag neck wraps around my neck.

I'm going for a little 2-mile run later and I'm hoping that will stretch out the kink and I'll be good to go. It's worked for me before and I'm just hoping that I'm not all messed up for Saturday.

Words

Words heard lately in the D. family.

"Quack." - When Maddy and Libby see a duck or when asked what the duck says.
"Up" or "Up-see." When they want out of the high chair, crib, or up in your lap.
"Coat, Go." Pretty self-explanatory. "Get your coat on, and let's go!"
"Noooo." Again, pretty self-explanatory. "Do you want more milk?" "Nooooo." "Let's change your diaper." "Noooooo."
"Baby" For anyone (real or in pictures) under the age of 4.
"Baaaaa." As in what the sheep says.
"Naa-no." or "Naa-nu." Still trying to figure out what this one means. We think it may be a loose interpretation of "I want a..." "Naa-nu" = "wanna."
"Pasie" = Pacifier. We are now only using it at nap & bedtime. I'm hoping to give them away to some lucky baby by the time Maddy and Libby turn 2, so cross your fingers.
"Elmo" Yep, that red monster. This one may have surprised us the most, because they only have the Elmo telephone and two Elmo plates and don't watch Sesame Street. I do think there are some Elmo toys at their preschool, so I think that's how it's infiltrated.

We've also had an abundance of dancing, exploring, snuggles, hugging, book reading, swinging, oh, and banging on the cabinet when they want more crackers!

Thoughts about the census

I'm sure this post will have me on some Government watch list now, but here are my thoughts about the 2010 Census.

Did anyone else think that the mailing prior to the mailing of the actual Census was a big ol' waste of our government dollars? I understand the idea behind "save the dates", but I think the yard signs, television ads, and the big Census envelope arriving in my mail are sufficient.

What if you have more than 12 people in your house? What will Octomom and The Duggar family do?

I loved the way that the envelope was marked "Your response is required by law." Really? Am I going to jail if I don't return this form? Of course, I'm a good law-abiding citizen, so my form is neatly filled out and ready to be returned, but can they really enforce this? Are they going to arrest me if I don't return it?

Thinking about ...

• I'm so excited that the daffodils have popped up in our yard, along with a few crocus, and camellia blooms. As much as I love seeing them outdoors, I may have to cut some daffodils to bring indoors since they are my favorite.
• Not excited that I found an ink stain on the sofa today. We went out last night and I guess our sitter accidentally let a pen fall on the cushion and it left a spot not quite the size of a dime. We have tried OxiClean, alcohol, hairspray, and nothing is budging it. Luckily, it's one of the middle cushions, so I can flip it and I don't think it will show. It's still a pain. I knew it would happen one day, but I really figured it would be a child related stain like finger paint and not one from an adult.
• Running 7 miles at 6:15am today (which is technically still 5:15am since it was Daylight Savings) meant a nice little nap this afternoon for me.
• Wondering if our 45 minute unplugged church service still "counts." I am so used to that full hour of service and it's almost like I feel like I need to pay attention to the sermon longer, sing another song, or greet a neighbor, for it to feel like I've been to church. I will say enjoying a cup of coffee while at church isn't a bad thing.
• Yummy "taco salad" that I'm getting ready to make for dinner. Romaine lettuce, cooked ground turkey breast with taco seasonings, black beans, pepper jack cheese, salsa, sour cream, and baked tostitos. Still healthy, but it hits the spot.

Update

I really appreciate all of the sweet comments about my Mom. All I can say is that I have truly seen how resilient and tough she is. She was painting shutters the weekend after her lumpectomy, all without taking a pain pill.

She met with her Surgeon on Monday and found out that the cancer is in Stage I-B and it is invasive, but her lymph nodes were not affected. We had never heard of the "B" part before, but after talking with Mom and doing a little googling, I guess it's pretty common. Not perfect, but pretty good in terms of a diagnosis.

It's amazing how much information is out there and I've learned a lot in the past couple of days. Invasive basically means that it's left it's initial site and spread into the breast tissues.

Now more waiting ... she goes back in 2 weeks to meet with her Oncologist that will outline her treatment plan. I know this part will be the hardest on her, both mentally and physically, and probably on my Dad, brothers, and the rest of our family. Luckily, she has lots of good people at home to look after her and I'm trying to figure out a good time to go visit when I will be most helpful. If I go now, I'll be stuck painting shutters and ceilings at their rental house, but if I go later, I can help drive her to chemo, cook dinner, pick out wigs, and hopefully help her to feel as normal as possible. After all, what is more fun ... Mother/Daughter girly shopping or Mother/Daughter spackle and painting?

I was contacted by a good friend of mine who lost her Mom in 2008 to breast cancer and she is heading up a group of ladies who will be walking one of the Komen 3 Day walks for breast cancer. So, do you know what I did?

I signed up to walk 60 (!!) miles over a 3 day period in October, sleep in tents, and fund raise all in the name of finding a cure for breast cancer. I know I'll be talking a lot more about this decision and how I'm so scared about so many parts of it.

But, I was scared enough after seeing this happen to my Mom, my own scare last year, knowing a Mom of 2 who is only 40 having a double mastectomy and chemo, losing my Aunt, and watching other friends lose their Mom's to try to do something about it.

I know that the amount I will raise is just a small drop in the bucket when it comes to research dollars, but what if my little donation was the dollar that made a difference?

All I can think about is what if Maddy and Libby would only know breast cancer as one of those diseases that has a cure. How great would that be? That is my hope.

Spring

I know it's not technically here, but with a 70 degree day, it did feel like it.

I ran 4 miles around the neighborhood in shorts and a tee. I haven't done that in many months with the exception of on the treadmill and that doesn't count. It was actually hot and I came home pretty sweaty and flushed. Lovely, eh? But it felt so nice not to be bundled up in gloves, hats, earmuffs, fleecy vests, under armour shirts, etc.

So, the NC Marathon (and half marathon that I'm running) is in less than 2 weeks! Hopefully this will be my 1st of 5 half marathons that I would like to do this year. We'll see what happens. I'm not setting that goal in stone, but it's a nice thought and actually pretty do-able since we have several that I would be able to complete here without traveling.

It feels good to be in the "love" side of my sometimes love/hate relationship with running. (knocking on wood). I used to sometimes struggle to even be motivated to go for a run, but now I typically look forward to them. I know I'm not going out to win the race, but I am confident that I can finish, feel good, and have fun.

Squeal!

It's children's consignment sale season here in my city and I had to share a few finds from last night's shopping adventure. Hubby just laughed at my preppy picks for Maddy and Libby.



I typically match or coordinate Maddy and Libby and will probably do this until they tell me to stop or that I'm ruining their lives by dressing them alike. I just can't help it. I decided that I could match their shirts for these pants, since I couldn't find a mate. Sadly, I don't own any pink toile pants or I might even try to make it the whole Mother/Daughter matching show. It's probably a good thing I don't.

What's not to love about itty bitty seersucker capri pants?

Or itty bitty pink toile pants?

Don't worry, my Moms of Multiples sale is coming up next week, so there's still hope for Spring and Summer coordinating duds.

sweet

I had a meeting tonight and we celebrated with cupcakes in honor of my upcoming birthday.

Then another committee member showed up with a beautiful cake that she had decorated in her cake decorating class that we all got to sample.

Not a bad Wednesday night from a baked goods standpoint!

Really random Tuesday

• I sampled some really good Derby sage cheese last night. Great flavor and texture. It's British and if you find any, I highly recommend it.
• Homemade sourdough bread makes my girls very happy. Same as their Mama.
• It's frustrating when your oil heat goes out while it's still winter. We thought there was a problem with the switch, but it turns out that we burned through 200 gallons of oil since November. That same amount lasted us almost 18 months before. What is even more frustrating is when the guy comes to fill it and doesn't check the pilot light. Now, they are having to come back out to relight it to the tune of $50.

Dog

Harry, the Dirty Dog and Roses for Harry were some of my favorite books while growing up. Somehow, reading the Harry books with Libby just doesn't give me that warm fuzzy feeling like I expected.


Probably because she points out every dog on every page. Let's just say that there is at least one dog on each page. Sometimes more, like 20.


Dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog. We do find trees and birds in this one, but it's mainly dog, dog, dog, dog, dog.


Just asking for a little diversity is all.

Habits

I have a bad habit of removing my shoes when I'm at home. I guess this isn't really the bad habit part. It's the part where I end up with 5 pair of shoes in our family room, or on our bedroom floor, and not neatly placed in the closet like they should be.



Maddy and Libby do love this, because they try to wear some of my shoes so I just look at it as added entertainment.



I picked up 4 (!) pair of shoes yesterday and laughed at the range of difference in all of them. I'm wondering what they say about me.



Exhibit A.

1.) One pair of ballet flats. They are Dr. Scholl's so could this mean cute, but sensible?

2.) One pair of my sh*t-kicker Nine West boots as Hubby calls them. Mainly worn with skirts or jeans and not worn that often. Is this my wild side?

3.) My Brooks running shoes that I love. These are almost at the point of retirement, but I'm trying to get a few more miles out of them. I use my running shoes for running, so they are a necessity.

4.) My Dansko clogs. Another favorite of mine. I really wish I had the clog with the enclosed back. These have to be the most comfortable shoes I own. One word: practical.

Ever thought about what your shoes say about you? I think the above is a pretty fair look at all my winter shoes with possibly a pair of pointy toed flats that aren't pictured.

Ummmm.

So much to say, so little to say. I'll choose to say nothing and post photos of my 20 month old babies instead.

When they wear their little Widgeon coats with the hoods up, people either tell us that they look like they are from another country or like little elf children. Not sure if either is really a compliment, but that's what we hear.

So, to my little Elfen International babies, I love you.

.

A little lighter

Both in topic and hair.

Maddy and Libby had their first haircuts yesterday. Truly more of a trim, but it was definitely time to clean up the curly mullets that had formed. Almost 20 months of hair growing. Sigh. I'll miss that long hair after bath night when it formed into perfect little damp curls.

Libby modeling the "before" photo.

No one told me that lollipops were the secret for getting toddlers to sit still.

The "after" photo. The nail polish stand was a complete bonus ... they loved it and luckily even put them all back in their spots. Not sure if it was still color coded when we left, but at least they weren't on the floor.

Whine.

Thanks to everyone for the prayers for my Mom. I really do appreciate it and she seems to be doing well. When I talked to her yesterday, she sounded great and her only real complaint was that her throat hurt from having a tube in during surgery.

She will go back in March to find out the stage of the cancer, and also learn more about her treatment plan. So far, so good and she is extremely positive. I also loved hearing about the treats that my Sister-in-Law and one of her friends had brought. Everything from steps so she can get into their (very high) bed easier, hand sanitizer, mints, bubble bath, Cheez-Its, button front shirts, etc.

Yesterday, after Maddy and Libby woke up from their nap, I was taking a few photos so I could send some to my Mom. New photos always make her happy and she had reminded me that she was looking at photos from Thanksgiving and didn't have that many from 2010. Subtle hint, huh?

I noticed that Maddy looked flushed, so I took her temperature ... 103! Yikes! It's never been that high, so I called the Pediatrician and spoke to one of the nurses. Just a virus and not much else to do other than Tylenol/Motrin, lukewarm baths, humidifier, etc. Poor girl. She did OK last night, but was pretty needy this morning. We read lots of books and pointed out all of the dogs. Sweet girl. She and Libby are now at the coffee table eating Ritz crackers and seem to be having a good time. The Motrin is helping, but they said the fever could potentially hang around for 3 days. She's not pulling at her ear or having any breathing issues, so that is good news, but I still hate that she's not feeling 100%. At least she's eating something, because she didn't have much to eat at breakfast.

Of course by the evening, I also noticed that I didn't feel great. Sore throat, etc. Lovely. So, I've been taking my Emergen-C, drinking hot tea, and digging into my bag of throat lozenges. Great. Like everyone, I just don't have time to be sick and of course, it's coming up for when we have plans. 1st haircuts for Maddy & Libby today, Bounce House with the Moms of Multiples group tomorrow, 1st birthday party on Saturday, 10 mile run on Sunday.

So who knows what will actually happen this weekend ... Libby may be playing solo daughter while the sick girls stay home.

I feel like

I'm writing about anything, everything, and nothing simply because I don't want to have to write what I need to write about.

My Mom has breast cancer.

It's all happened so fast that all of us are still spinning.

Back in early January, my Mom had a rash on her hand so she called her Doctor to get a prescription filled. He wouldn't fill it without seeing her, so off she went. Thank you, Dr. Sussman.

While she was being examined, he noticed a lump in her underarm and sent her in for a mammogram.

My Mom has always been healthy, but has also been one to not go to her appointments like she should.

So she went and while they determined that the lump was just fatty tissue, they did find find some abnormalities during the mammogram. So, she had a biopsy, and they found cancer in her left breast.

This was at the point when she finally told me and she was very nonchalant about the whole thing. She was just glad to know what it was and that it was treatable, that there was a solution.

So, the solution is a lumpectomy to remove the cancer and lymph nodes, followed with radiation and chemotherapy.

It sucks and it's scary, and we all still can't believe that it's happened. To my Mom. I know that is how every other person who finds out that their parent has a serious illness feels.

She honestly sounds OK. She's more concerned with finding a good front closure sports bra to wear after surgery, wondering whether or not my Dad is going to overcook her chicken for dinner, or if she can find a wig that won't make her look like Dolly Parton.

I'm not going for the actual surgery, which is tomorrow and I am feeling guilty about that. Luckily my Dad and the rest of my family are there. I'm planning to go in a couple of weeks so I can help out and do whatever they need.

It's scary and while we've always said that she's tough, it's just not what you want to see your Mom go through.
To my friends in real life, I'm sorry I couldn't say anything ... I just didn't know where to start or what to say. It honestly hasn't felt real and still doesn't. The surgery is tomorrow and she should be home by 5pm. She'll find out more about radiation and chemotherapy tomorrow and we're all just hoping and praying for her Dr.'s and that the cancer is truly in an early stage.

I have always believed that prayers are private and something that you can do by yourself any time of day or night, but it's been rare that I've had to ask for people to pray for me or my family. Now I'm asking if you do pray, please consider sending up good thoughts for my Mom.

Lunch

Maddy and Libby's lunch today is brought to you by ...

the letter P.

Pizza (leftover from our dinner last night. Made from local tomatoes, basil, buffalo mozzarella cheese, and truffle oil. Yum)
Peas
Pears
Pound cake (from a friend of ours ... double yum.)

Somewhat healthy, except for the pound cake and decently balanced. It also helped get rid of some leftovers and kept me from eating another piece of pound cake.

I have my eye on ...

Not that I need a party dress by any means, but when I go to the Harris-Teeter near our house, I drive by Brooks Brothers on the way out. This dress is on a mannequin in the window and I love the way it looks and I can't help but slow down and look at it every time I'm there.

It's classic, timeless, but still the polka dots make it a little more fun. While I love Brooks Brothers for Hubby's work clothing, I typically find their clothing a little "mature" for me. This model actually looks a little bit stuffy and uptight. I think I may like the headless mannequin version better.

Since I have no party to wear this dress, nor do I have $300 lying around to spend on it, I guess I'll be happy to window shop.

Thankful

Today, I am thankful for running.

Without the ability to run the past couple of weeks, I would have been a total wreck. I can literally feel the stress build before a run and leave following.

I am also thankful that I have those little back-up sensors on my car. Without them, I'm nearly 100% positive that I would have rammed right into several cars, including the plumbing van that likes to park directly behind our driveway while he is working on the house under construction on our street.

Wednesday Haiku

Bed late, wake early
Windy, hot coffee, shower
Up and thinking now.

I can't help but feel all "Deep Thoughts with Jack Handy." I don't think I've written a Haiku since 8th grade!

Why is it on the night that I'm up late, that I also wake up early? I may have also been scared that a big ol' tree was going to come crashing down on our house. It's super windy today.

Coffee made, and I'm showered. At least I can say I accomplished two things today!

Smart.

I love things that are just smart.

Like this little handy guide.

I stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Savannah recently and I noticed that they had these little cards with a 3.5 mile running route mapped out. Everything was easily marked, and it was on a waxy type card stock that you could hold in your sweaty palm, but you'd still be able to read the writing.

Apparently, this is a program of Hyatt's. Everyone else in the world may know about this, but I had never seen this. Maybe it's been a while since I stayed in a Hyatt.

I noticed that they had Garmins you could check out, and even workout clothing available. A great way to get a work out in while you're traveling. I will say that I just did my run on the treadmill while I was there, but I just love this idea.

Diaper Bag contents

Diapers (duh)
Wipes
Ritz crackers
Cheerios
Another container with assorted cook-cook-cookies, like Annie's graham cracker bunnies and Earth's Best alphabet cookies. (Maddy and Libby usually pronounce cookies as "cook cook".)
Sippy cups
Tylenol
Ziploc bags
Changing Pad
Bottle of red wine
Board books
Saline spray for stuffy noses
Antibacterial wipes

Oh, you don't carry a bottle of wine in your diaper bag?

I normally don't, but since we were going to a Super Bowl party tonight, it made more sense to just throw it in there instead of carrying it. But on some days, it's probably a really good idea.

I'm not a huge football fan, so I really didn't watch much of the game. But after a 9-mile run this afternoon, I was happy to enjoy my fair share of stuffed jalapeno peppers. I love these ... a jalapeno pepper stuffed with some sort of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and sausage mixture, then baked in the oven. So, so good.

Maddy and Libby ate the hostess out of crackers and Tostito scoops. They also enjoyed opening every drawer in her kitchen and playing in the dog's water bowl. Their bedtime was about an hour later than usual. We read one book and they were definitely ready to drift off to sleep.

Let's just say that I haven't logged onto Weight Watchers all week and that may come back to haunt me tomorrow on my weigh in day. Hubby and I have had a little pity party this week and haven't been counting points this week. Thank goodness nearly all the chocolate chip cookies are out of the house.

Why does snow

make me want to eat?

All I can say is it's a good thing that I don't live in North Dakota.

I was "that girl" at the grocery yesterday who really did need to buy milk. When I'm lugging my gallon of organic Vitamin D, I feel like I should proclaim "I really do need this ... I have twins at home!"

Hubby is back braving the crowds and snow for the rest of our supplies since I was planning to do the grocery shopping today.

On tap to make this weekend:

Taco Soup for today ... a mix between a tortilla soup and chili. Yum! From my friend, Kelly

3 FROZEN chicken breasts (or ground beef or turkey)
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 medium onion, diced
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can black beans 1 can cannelli (or any white) beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can vegetarian baked beans
1 can kernel corn

Put everything in crockpot in order listed. Do NOT rinse or drain beans. Add a little chicken broth as needed.

DO NOT STIR. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Take chicken out and shred with two forks. Put chicken back in, stir, and eat.

It's A LOT of beans, but you can always use what you have and not follow the directions precisely. I'd love to try to make this with dried beans so you don't have as much sodium. It's really good to top with a bit of shredded pepper jack cheese, sour cream, and a few tortilla chips!

Chicken Cordon Bleu, ala Weight Watchers
Ingredients
4 spray(s) cooking spray, or enough to coat chicken
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces
3 oz Boar's Head Smoked Ham, or other brand, four 3/4 oz slices
3 oz low-fat Swiss cheese, four 3/4-oz slices
1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup(s) honey mustard
1/2 cup(s) seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-style

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness; remove plastic wrap. Arrange 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese on each chicken breast.
Starting from shorter end of chicken, roll up breast into a tight pinwheel. Tuck in ends. Secure with toothpicks.
Place flour, honey mustard and bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Add chicken to flour; turn to coat. Transfer chicken to honey mustard; turn to coat. Place chicken in bread crumbs; turn to coat.
Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove toothpicks and serve.

This has been one of our favorite WW recipes ... great flavor and it's really easy to make.

Apricot Pork Chops, ala Cooking Light
5 1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic (I use a garlic clove and mince it myself)
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless pork chops

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Combine salt, cinnamon and pepper, and sprinkle over both sides of pork. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove skillet from heat; add apricot mixture, turning pork to coat. Place 1 chop on each of 4 dinner plates; spoon remaining apricot mixture evenly over chops.

This may be a new favorite - the flavor of the sauce is good. The recipe doesn't call for it, but I think the apricot sauce would be good to warm it up instead of leaving it cold.

We also decided if a bag of dark chocolate chips just happened to fall into the shopping cart, that a batch of chocolate chip cookies wouldn't be a bad thing at all.

Another Valentine's Day idea

If you have a Kohl's in your city, you know that they are constantly giving great coupons.



If you were in the market for a pair of new PJ's, aren't these for cute and comfy Valentine's pj's? Or for any other day, too.
I know the picture doesn't do it justice, but it's a pink and white heart print that almost looks like an animal print, with a dark grey trim. Plus, you can't beat the price because I'm sure you're going to find a nice 40% off coupon to buy them soon.

Cute, comfy, and perfect for that upcoming Hallmark holiday!

Where is the sun?

I really need the sun to come out and for the rain/sleet/snow to go away so I can get back to running outside and not at the gym.

Tonight at the gym, on the treadmill, this girl was skipping and bounding on the treadmill. I've done this type of workout in the park, but not on a treadmill with someone three feet away from you.

Unfortunately, we are supposed to get hit with another weather system by the weekend. I know everyone in the North just laughs at us, but the South is just not equipped to deal with snow. Schools closed early on Friday and one flake hadn't hit the ground and the schools are closed again tomorrow.
Oh, and M&L's Mother's Morning Out operates on the school system closings, so they haven't been all week. So, I definitely have to figure out a fun outing tomorrow for them ... one where they can run and play and use some of their energy. I think I'll get brave and take them to the Children's Museum on my own and hope that they don't run off in two separate directions.

So, here's wishing that I won't have the need for those little child leashes tomorrow.

Thinking about ...

• Wondering if my Multi Vites gummy vitamins are really vitamins or if they are just gummy bears of sorts. I picked these up when I was tired of choking down a big horse pill'ish vitamin, but I really wonder if they are doing anything vitamin-wise. But they do taste pretty good!
• Does anyone else have a hotel room coffee aversion? I traveled this weekend to a conference and my roommate made coffee one morning. I've always called it bathroom coffee and I think I don't like the fact that you have to make it with water out of the bathroom sink. Also, the powdered creamer just grosses me out a bit. Even though I had to pay a ridiculous amount for a cup of coffee in the hotel cafe, I'm convinced it was worth the money.
• I visited the land of butter, Savannah, GA, but didn't take the pilgrimage to Paula Deen's restaurant, The Lady & Sons. We tried to go twice. Once they were closed, and the second time they had over a two hour wait. From the reviews I've heard, I don't know if I'm really missing out on much, but I did hear that her gooey butter cake is something not to be missed. Any reviews?

Observations at the gym

1. When it's near 6PM and you see that the parking lot is packed with cars, why do you either bother going to the big lot? Just go to the smaller lot that will cause you to walk a few more steps because circling the parking lot like a shark isn't going to make a parking spot appear any quicker. Oh, and after all ... aren't you at the gym to get a little exercise?

2. There were quite a few "extreme" runners there tonight. When I say extreme, I mean they had the treadmill cranked to the point that I thought they might fly off the back. I don't know if it was some kind of interval training, but the guy by me kept doing this off and on, for about 5 minutes at a time.

3. If you plan on walking on the treadmill, it might be wise to bring a pair of pants that are a), not too large and b) not too long. When you have to stop and roll up your sweatpants, then pull on them every few minutes, it usually makes for an awkward stint on the treadmill. Oh, and while you're at it, put your hat on straight. Did I just sound like a Grandpa or what?

I promise that I really try to go to the gym, do my workout, and get out of there. I'm really not checking people out that closely, but why do I always find myself trapped by people like #2 and #3? I forgot to mention my guy from last week who was "boxing" while running on the treadmill. Cue the Rocky music now ...

I just got transported back to Middle School

and I think I like it.

Look what the new Lands End Canvas website has!

Tretorns!I remember having a pair of white on white Tretorns, but also a pair with plaid. Loved them.

They also have anklet socks with the pom-pom on the back. I remember having these too.
Plus, all kinds of casual, classic clothes, bathing suits, canvas tote bags, and accessories at reasonable prices. Definitely worth a look.

Uncharted waters

I did something that I have never done before. In my life, or for atleast as long as I've been doing laundry on my own.

You can ask any roommate or Hubby.

I dried my jeans. (insert gasp here.)

Ok, ok ... so it may not be any big deal, but it was for me. I have had a no jean drying rule for as long as I can remember. I guess I've always had a big paranoia that I was going to shrink my good fitting jeans. At least by not drying them, I always knew what was causing my jeans to fit a little bit tight. Chips and queso, Maxie B's lady raspberry cake, Chubby Hubby ice cream from Ben and Jerry's.

So, just like the Missy Elliot songs says, "Lost a few pounds in my waist for ya." Well, it really isn't anything at all like the Missy Elliot song, but I have lost a few pounds and my jeans kept sagging. So, I'm hoping that this little trip to the dryer will help my SJS, (saggy jean syndrome).

I feel pretty ...

Oh so pretty ...

Especially when I have a new Fuel Belt bottle with a pink holder, plus it has a fancy-dancy pocket!
I loved my old one for long runs, oh who am I kidding, I typically carry mine on any run I do. But, it didn't have a pocket and it always seemed like a waste of space when there is room to add one.

So, I can definitely pack a Gu for a long run, and even two Gu's.
I may have a hard time cramming the Gu Chomps in the pocket, unfortunately. I'm sure it can be MacGuyvered somehow.CrackBerry can't come along for a ride.But, my keys, inhaler,and chapstick all could. Did I mention it's pink ... and it was 20% off because I bought it at a ladies night event?

Thinking about ...

• That plain, old-fashioned Cheerios and milk still taste good.
• Sunday afternoon naps are perfect when it's rainy out, you're under a blanket, and there's some senseless reality TV show playing in the background.
• Even when I really don't want to go, there's nothing like a long run to lift my spirits.
• Hubby received a Tervis Tumbler for Christmas and I may have to steal it for my own. Or hint around that a larger one with lid, straw, and my monogram would make a great gift. Hint, hint.

Nineteen months

Nineteen months with twin girls is sometimes blurry, uncooperative, funny, and sweet.



But, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Alone on my little island

Am I the only one in America (and possibly beyond) that just doesn't like American Idol? I have never watched an entire season and really have no desire. Sure, I can appreciate good singers and I'll give a shout out to the many North Carolinians who have done very well on the show.

But, I just don't get the infatuation.

I will say that I do like Kristin Chenoweth, so when Hubby has it on, I'll at least turn my head to see what she's saying. After all, if you can belt it out on Broadway as Glinda the Good Witch, then you have an idea of what makes a good singer.

So, I'll just stay on my little island watching some other bad TV show.

Words

I was talking to my Mom recently about a Historical society event she attended in our hometown. For the few of you who know her, you will say, "What was Patty doing at the meeting?" Well, I will say that she's lived in this city her entire life, so she probably is interested in the history and knows some of it herself. Then she told me during the meeting, all she was thinking about were the cucumber and pimento cheese sandwiches that they were serving following the meeting. I guess my Dad would have been much better suited for attending.

She talked to two women after the meeting. One that she knows well, and the other that she knew in her childhood, but hasn't really seen in many years.

The woman (that my Mom hasn't seen in many years) said two things early in their conversation that made it awkward, but also somewhat funny after the fact. To my Mom, "Well, you're certainly all grown up." To the other woman, "I didn't recognize you with your hair!"

Both statements were just weird and inappropriate and it made me think about the power of words. We use them so quickly these days (email, Facebook, our blogs, etc) and they can often be misconstrued. We also seem to use them too quickly in person, too.

Like the person who said to me, "I was shocked to see you listed as our President-Elect." Ummm, thank you? How do you answer that, politely?

Yes, I am the official President-Elect-Elect (awful PEE acronym) for the Junior League in my city. It is a huge honor. I was thrilled to be asked, and I look forward to serving and working with our incredible members.

I try to use a rule that I learned from a PR professional when being interviewed by the Media. I think that this can be used in so many areas of our lives and not just on TV interviews. This doesn't mean that you can't still answer honestly, just think about what you say for 3 seconds before you actually say it.

Take a few seconds before you answer the question and once you answer, shut up. Most people don't like the silence and will ramble. That's when you end up sounding like a dumbass in an interview and that's what the reporter will likely use in their article or sound byte.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery ...

Since I write about Target nearly every week, I thought I would share another story with you.

I went through their shoe aisle the other day and noticed what from a distance looked like a pair of gold Bonnano sandals! I knew this was obviously too good to be true, but I still checked them out and took out my phone to take a picture.
They are the Merona brand and retail for $19.99.

At first, I didn't know how I felt ... it was as if they had ripped off the Bonanno sandal completely. But, I'm sure that every top designer's styles end up on all of the mass retailers shelves at some point. To me it would be worse if these were on a street corner in Palm Beach trying to be passed off as the real thing.

So, don't be surprised if you suddenly see an increase in gold "Bonnano" wearing ladies in your city this summer. And, just to set the record straight, you cannot beat the handmade, classic beauties of the real Bonnanos and I'm sure that these are nowhere near the quality of the original. My Bonnanos are by far the most comfortable sandal I own and they can literally be paired with almost anything. I'm always excited for the first warm days when I can unpack them for another season.

A break in our regularly scheduled programming ...

We had a great weekend - two surprise 40th birthday parties for two good friends. We were scheduled to attend our nephew's 16th birthday party today, but those plans came to a screeching halt around 8AM this morning.

Maddy and Libby had woken up around 7:30 and Hubby brought them downstairs for breakfast. Maddy had no interest in her food and he noticed that she was having a hard time breathing. We called our Pediatrician's office and talked to the triage nurse for a while. Instead of telling us to come to the office when it opened, she told us to go to the E.R.

WHAT???

I called a friend in our neighborhood who luckily was home to see if I could drop Libby off with her. She said yes, and we packed everyone up in record time. They went in their snowman pajamas and Widgeon fleece jackets, looking a little like Christmas elves.

Kudos to our local E.R. We had barely taken our seat in the waiting room and they brought us back. After an Oxygen check, rectal temperature check, a serious nose suctioning, a breathing treatment, and Chest Xrays, Maddy was one pooped girl. She took turns sleeping on our chests maybe drinking about 2 sips of water. It was truly pitiful.

After her labs came back, we found out that she has RSV. It is also extremely contagious, so we have been in Clorox / Lysol mode, disinfecting and taking away any toys that they typically put in their mouths, and wiping everything down with these super duper anti bacterial wipes that they gave us from the Hospital. From what they told us, it will last for about 5 days and we are hoping that Libby won't also get sick, but only time will tell. She currently has a bit of a runny nose, didn't eat much for dinner, but was still playful, and as my Mom would say, didn't have that sick look in her eyes.

Maddy took a good 3 hour nap when we got back home and has gone from eating a little and playing a little, to wanting "up" so she can snuggle. Even though the circumstances are bad, we had to enjoy the snuggle time, because Maddy normally won't sit still long enough to give you a hug, let alone snuggle with you.

So, I think it's safe to say that we are officially quarantined for a while and praying that we will have two well girls by the weekend.

I'm always the last to know.

I love music ... it can inspire me, lift me up, make me feel like dancing, remind me of a particular time in my life, or just be a pleasant background to the day. I like a lot of different music, but kind of feel like I'm out of the scene ... I don't really know the new bands out there and haven't seen much live music with the exception of during my trip to Nashville and at Music in the Park during the summer.

Several friends of mine have gone on and on about a certain band, oh probably for the past two years, but I never got around to checking them out.

Until I realized that two of their songs were ones that I knew, but didn't realize that I knew.

So, it's The Avett Brothers, from right here from NC. It's not like they are brand new - they've been out for several years, have several albums, and I should have checked them out a long time ago. Check out "Ten Thousand Words" and "I And Love And You." I'm addicted to both.

They definitely have a good, laid back vibe ... perfect for background music for dinner with friends or a quiet evening at home. I also noticed a few faster songs that were worthy of my running mix. I also think that some of the band members may have a hot/cute factor going on, so that is always a plus. It's a modern twist on bluegrass, with sometimes a touch of punk, but with kind of a coffee house vibe. You can tell the music has heart. Plus, these guys can really play and sing.