Last Movie I Saw In A Movie Theater? Alice in Wonderland
What Book Are You Reading? The Wonder Spot
Favorite Board Game? Life
Favorite Magazine? Anything with beautiful pictures
Favorite Smells? Vanilla, Coffee, Burts Bees baby lotion
Favorite Sounds? My son saying "love you, momma"
Worst Feeling In The World? Not feeling in control of a bad situation
First Thing You Think of When You Wake? Is is really that early?
Favorite Fast Food Place? Jamba Juice
Future Child’s Name? Not telling. :)
Finish This Statement—“If I Had a Lot of Money,” I'd buy a house
Do You Drive Fast? A little over the limit, but not too fast
Do You Sleep With a Stuffed Animal? No
Storms—cool or scary? Scary
What Was Your First Car? Honda Del Sol
Favorite Drink? Water
Finish This Statement—“If I Had the Time, I Would…” Finish all the partially started projects around my house. I'm great at starting projects, but BAD at finishing them.
Do You Eat the Stems on Broccoli? Yuck, no
If You could Dye your Hair Any Other Color, What Would It Be? I'd like to red just once
Name All the Different Cities In Which You Have Lived. Harwood, Fargo, Fedreal Way, Seattle, Ann Arbor
Favorite Sport to Watch? Baseball
What’s Under Your Bed? Dust bunnies and some Diet Mt. Dew bottles
Would You Like to Be Born As Yourself Again? Yes!
Morning Person or Night Owl? Morning
Over Easy or Sunny Side Up? Scrambled.
Favorite Place to Relax? Home, in the corner of our sectional couch
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor? Daquari Ice
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Drop Side Crib Recall
Today there was another recall on drop side cribs. There have been numerous recalls over the past few years, yet parents continue to use them. Why? As a parent, I do not understand how parents, even educated parents, completely ignore the guidlines that thousands of trained professionals outline to help insure their child's safety! Call me a helicopter parent, or an overprotective parent, but if there is anything I can help prevent my child from being injured or harmed in any way, I am going to do it, regardless of cost or convenience. These things include: a safe sleeping environment (baby in their own sleeping space, firm mattress, no bumpers, cool air, swaddle when little, wearable blankets when older, sleep on their back, NOTHING in the crib until they are a year, and even then, just a light blanket at naptime, and a sturdy side stationary or convertible crib), babyproofing, vaccinations, etc, etc, etc. Sure, accidents happen, and not everyone has the money to replace old furniture, but the government has got to put a ban on allowing these cribs to be sold and re-sold.
Please go here to check frequently for updates on infant and child product safety recall.
I'm stepping off my soap box, now.
Please go here to check frequently for updates on infant and child product safety recall.
I'm stepping off my soap box, now.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Living the residency life
In the three years since I have been married I have had very few weekends with my husband at home to spend quality spousal time with, and in the past two years, family time. The schedule of a medical student then intern / resident is grueling and those scheduling issues quickly spill over into family life. It's not the "Honey, I'll be working a little late" phone call many married people get from time to time. Instead its learning anywhere from a few weeks before to the first day of the month that we'll have one weekend day together the entire month. That every fourth day he'll leave the house long before I wake up, and not arrive home until after 1pm the next day. Let me be honest, those days are rough on both of us.
Despite it all, Mike is a trooper, he wakes up with we come home around 5:30 so he can spend a few hours with Griffin and I before going back to bed after we tuck Griffin in for the night. On top of this crazy schedule and insane amount of hours, he works two side jobs to allow us extra money to indulge in fun activities, buy the grass fed beef I demand to cook with, and just generally keeps us from having to add the worry of "how do we make ends meet" to our already hectic lifestyle. He is awesome that way.
May is on the horizon and it is the very last work-every-weekend, endless-call-shifts, wake-up-at-4am, carry-the-pager-everywhere month of his career with the exception of a couple of weeks of having to carry a pager in about a years time. Let me say that this is making me more than a little excited! Not only because this means that we will be able to plan more than a month in advance, that he can be a part of our holidays again (he missed Thanksgiving and Christmas last year), but that I can feel a little less guilty about asking for "me" time, even for an hour or two on the weekends. There are projects I've wanted to start or finish, but time just does not allow for that very often. I love being creative and making things, but I have fallen off that wagon for a few years now.
I managed to throw Griffin another pretty awesome, in my opinion, birthday bash, but I have about 20 projects I have sitting, waiting, for some attention! I'm hoping to carve out some time over the next month to finish some things for my friend Elaine's 1st baby girl due in June to start it all off.
6 more weeks to a real family life, thats all. I can't believe it, but I'm nearly giddy with anticipation.
Despite it all, Mike is a trooper, he wakes up with we come home around 5:30 so he can spend a few hours with Griffin and I before going back to bed after we tuck Griffin in for the night. On top of this crazy schedule and insane amount of hours, he works two side jobs to allow us extra money to indulge in fun activities, buy the grass fed beef I demand to cook with, and just generally keeps us from having to add the worry of "how do we make ends meet" to our already hectic lifestyle. He is awesome that way.
May is on the horizon and it is the very last work-every-weekend, endless-call-shifts, wake-up-at-4am, carry-the-pager-everywhere month of his career with the exception of a couple of weeks of having to carry a pager in about a years time. Let me say that this is making me more than a little excited! Not only because this means that we will be able to plan more than a month in advance, that he can be a part of our holidays again (he missed Thanksgiving and Christmas last year), but that I can feel a little less guilty about asking for "me" time, even for an hour or two on the weekends. There are projects I've wanted to start or finish, but time just does not allow for that very often. I love being creative and making things, but I have fallen off that wagon for a few years now.
I managed to throw Griffin another pretty awesome, in my opinion, birthday bash, but I have about 20 projects I have sitting, waiting, for some attention! I'm hoping to carve out some time over the next month to finish some things for my friend Elaine's 1st baby girl due in June to start it all off.
6 more weeks to a real family life, thats all. I can't believe it, but I'm nearly giddy with anticipation.
Monday, April 12, 2010
If I were
If I were a month I’d be September
If I were a day I’d be Saturday
If I were a time of day I’d be dusk
If I were a font I’d be Modern No. 20
If I were a sea animal I’d be a dolphin
If I were a direction I’d be North
If I were a piece of furniture I’d be a glider
If I were a liquid I’d be lemonade
If I were a gemstone I’d be aquamarine
If I were a tree I’d be a magnolia
If I were a tool I’d be a hammer
If I were a flower I’d be the peony
If I were an element of weather I’d be rain
If I were a musical instrument I’d be a piano
If I were a color I’d be pink
If I were an emotion I’d be love
If I were a fruit I’d be a strawberry
If I were a sound I’d be a whisper
If I were an element I’d be platinum
If I were a car I’d be a Land Rover
If I were a food I’d be cheesecake
If I were a place I’d be Montana
If I were a material I’d be silk
If I were a taste I’d be vanilla
If I were a scent I’d be strawberry coconut
If I were a body part I’d be a hand
If I were a song I’d be Push by Matchbox Twenty
If I were a bird I’d be a robin
If I were a gift I’d be thoughtful
If I were a city I’d be Paris
If I were a door I’d be sturdy and made of oak
If I were a pair of shoes I’d be comfy
If I were a poem I’d be Among the Multitude by Walt Whitman
Among the men and women the multitude,
I perceive one picking me out by secret and divine signs,
Acknowledging none else, not parent, wife, husband, brother, child,
any nearer than I am,
Some are baffled, but that one is not--that one knows me.
Ah lover and perfect equal,
I meant that you should discover me so by faint indirections,
And I when I meet you mean to discover you by the like in you.
If I were a day I’d be Saturday
If I were a time of day I’d be dusk
If I were a font I’d be Modern No. 20
If I were a sea animal I’d be a dolphin
If I were a direction I’d be North
If I were a piece of furniture I’d be a glider
If I were a liquid I’d be lemonade
If I were a gemstone I’d be aquamarine
If I were a tree I’d be a magnolia
If I were a tool I’d be a hammer
If I were a flower I’d be the peony
If I were an element of weather I’d be rain
If I were a musical instrument I’d be a piano
If I were a color I’d be pink
If I were an emotion I’d be love
If I were a fruit I’d be a strawberry
If I were a sound I’d be a whisper
If I were an element I’d be platinum
If I were a car I’d be a Land Rover
If I were a food I’d be cheesecake
If I were a place I’d be Montana
If I were a material I’d be silk
If I were a taste I’d be vanilla
If I were a scent I’d be strawberry coconut
If I were a body part I’d be a hand
If I were a song I’d be Push by Matchbox Twenty
If I were a bird I’d be a robin
If I were a gift I’d be thoughtful
If I were a city I’d be Paris
If I were a door I’d be sturdy and made of oak
If I were a pair of shoes I’d be comfy
If I were a poem I’d be Among the Multitude by Walt Whitman
Among the men and women the multitude,
I perceive one picking me out by secret and divine signs,
Acknowledging none else, not parent, wife, husband, brother, child,
any nearer than I am,
Some are baffled, but that one is not--that one knows me.
Ah lover and perfect equal,
I meant that you should discover me so by faint indirections,
And I when I meet you mean to discover you by the like in you.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Acceptance
The past few days I've been sneezing and had a mix of congestion and runny nose, but overall felt fine. I've been telling people I have a cold, but I think I need to accept that I do, in fact, have allergies. I don't feel any sicker as the days pass, nor do I feel any better. I looked online and saw that tree pollen in our area is at a fairly high level right now, so I'm sure I'm "allergic" to something that is trying to bloom in this town, also known as "Tree City USA". I guess that also means that because of the zillion trees that live in the same city that I do, I will be dealing with this nose for weeks to come.
I'm off to the pharmacy to get some medication - yippee!
I'm off to the pharmacy to get some medication - yippee!
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
New Favorite Site
Grooveshark is my new favorite website. For those of you who like internet radio and have used something like Pandora in the past, Grooveshark is so much better and has the capability to really manage the music you like!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Blessed
I have the most amazing in-laws and extended family on Mike's side. This post has nothing to do with my family, they are awesome too, but my in-laws deserve some special recognition for all they do for us.
Last Friday Griffin came down with a little cough, and it continued throughout the weekend. He was totally fine, playing well, eating well and I took him to daycare on Monday morning. At 1pm I received a call that he had a temperature and I headed out to pick him up immediately. Griffin's daycare has a policy that he cannot return until he's been fever free without the aid of Tylenol or Motrin for 24 hours. Being that it was already afternoon I knew I'd be out of the office Monday and Tuesday for sure. I called Mike's mom to tell her that Griffin was sick. She likes to know so she can worry more effectively for her grandson. She told me that Mike's dad had Tuesday off from work and they would happily jump in the car and drive down. Which they did. My father in law drove 6 hours to our house, slept, and drove 6 hours back home. On top of this he is driving back down on Monday to spend a week with us.
When you marry into a family you are never sure what kind of craziness you might be surrounded by. If I have said it once, I've said it a million times. My in-laws, and the entire family of siblings, grandparent, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family beyond them are so generous, kind and amazing. I am so blessed to ahve them in my life, and in Griffin's life. Thank you for all you do!
Last Friday Griffin came down with a little cough, and it continued throughout the weekend. He was totally fine, playing well, eating well and I took him to daycare on Monday morning. At 1pm I received a call that he had a temperature and I headed out to pick him up immediately. Griffin's daycare has a policy that he cannot return until he's been fever free without the aid of Tylenol or Motrin for 24 hours. Being that it was already afternoon I knew I'd be out of the office Monday and Tuesday for sure. I called Mike's mom to tell her that Griffin was sick. She likes to know so she can worry more effectively for her grandson. She told me that Mike's dad had Tuesday off from work and they would happily jump in the car and drive down. Which they did. My father in law drove 6 hours to our house, slept, and drove 6 hours back home. On top of this he is driving back down on Monday to spend a week with us.
When you marry into a family you are never sure what kind of craziness you might be surrounded by. If I have said it once, I've said it a million times. My in-laws, and the entire family of siblings, grandparent, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family beyond them are so generous, kind and amazing. I am so blessed to ahve them in my life, and in Griffin's life. Thank you for all you do!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Swoon
Clive Owen is in town and was having lunch two blocks from my office. I love him and hope I can see him on the street while he is in town filming a movie. I LOVE that Ann Arbor has become so popular to film movies in. I think there are three currently being filmed here. It's fun to see celebrities walking around town!
Monday, November 02, 2009
Planning for Christmas...Early!
Halloween just finished and I know we're still weeks away from Thanksgiving, but I've been giving a lot of thought to Christmas this year already. I absolutely love buying gifts for my friends and family and take pride in find the "perfect" gift. Having an energetic toddler and trying to shop for more than a few minutes does not mix, and with Mike's very unpredictible schedule, I rarely get time to shop for non-essentials or Griffin related items. This is especially true right now with Mike's schedule, so I will be doing what I can this year.
While I will be buying some gifts this year, I am also striving to incorporate as many handcrafted, sentimental and non-commercial items as possible. It might be easier to shop online and pick out gifts quickly, but I want those who receive these items to know that I was thinking just of them while creating it just for them.
I have an especially great gift to some members of my family and I can't wait to share it with them! It's an idea I've been playing around with for three or four years now, but have finally figured out a good way to implement it.
While I will be buying some gifts this year, I am also striving to incorporate as many handcrafted, sentimental and non-commercial items as possible. It might be easier to shop online and pick out gifts quickly, but I want those who receive these items to know that I was thinking just of them while creating it just for them.
I have an especially great gift to some members of my family and I can't wait to share it with them! It's an idea I've been playing around with for three or four years now, but have finally figured out a good way to implement it.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Movies I Have to Watch
There are a few movies that I absolutely have to watch if I see they are on t.v. These include off the top of my head:
Footloose
Sixteen Candles
Sabrina (the Julia Ormond / Harrison Ford version)
Lorenzo's Oil
Pretty in Pink
The Notebook
A Christmas Story
The Fugitive
Footloose
Sixteen Candles
Sabrina (the Julia Ormond / Harrison Ford version)
Lorenzo's Oil
Pretty in Pink
The Notebook
A Christmas Story
The Fugitive
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Randomness
I'm taking a little inspiration from the Simple Woman's Day Book below:
Outside my window... beautiful vibrant fall leaves
I am thinking... I should really start on all of those homemade presents for Christmas
I am thankful for... being able to get Griffin his H1N1 shot
I am wearing... gray cuffed pants, navy short sleeved sweater and ballet flats
I am remembering... some fun childhood memories of me and my brother
I am going... to Old Navy tomorrow to pick up $2 Halloween costumes to put in a play dress up area for Griffin
I am reading... Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult
I am hoping... the snow won't come early this year, I am enjoying Fall wall too much
On my mind... looking forward to visiting family in Fargo over Thanksgiving
Noticing that... our office bought WAY too much Halloween candy, we have about 20 bags left around here
Pondering these words... "A baby is born with a need to be loved - and never outgrows it." Welcome to the world Oakley John. I can't wait to meet you!
From the kitchen... Apple Crisp (this weekend)
Around the house... installing new doorknobs in the basement
Outside my window... beautiful vibrant fall leaves
I am thinking... I should really start on all of those homemade presents for Christmas
I am thankful for... being able to get Griffin his H1N1 shot
I am wearing... gray cuffed pants, navy short sleeved sweater and ballet flats
I am remembering... some fun childhood memories of me and my brother
I am going... to Old Navy tomorrow to pick up $2 Halloween costumes to put in a play dress up area for Griffin
I am reading... Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult
I am hoping... the snow won't come early this year, I am enjoying Fall wall too much
On my mind... looking forward to visiting family in Fargo over Thanksgiving
Noticing that... our office bought WAY too much Halloween candy, we have about 20 bags left around here
Pondering these words... "A baby is born with a need to be loved - and never outgrows it." Welcome to the world Oakley John. I can't wait to meet you!
From the kitchen... Apple Crisp (this weekend)
Around the house... installing new doorknobs in the basement
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
3 Years
Today Mike and I are celebrating our 3rd anniversary. The suggested anniversary present for the 3rd year is leather, is that because the last year was supposed to have been rough? The last year has been filled with lots of changes for us. Griffin celebrated his 1st birthday and has quickly made the transition into toddlerhood. Mike graduated medical school and started working (and working, and working) a total of 3 jobs. We moved into a bigger house. Certainly not all of the changes were easy, but I wouldn't say they were rough either. In fact, I'd definitely say the 3rd year of marriage was much easier than the 2nd. Of course, the 2nd probably had something to do with throwing an infant into the mix!
We are very lucky to have Mike's parents in town this week, which we will take full advantage of by going out for a little date tonight.
Happy Anniversary, Mike. Thank you for working so hard to lay the foundation for our future, enduring sleep deprivation and the loss of any amount of personal time in order to allow us family time together around your crazy schedule. We only have a few more months of this until we can settle into a much easier routine. I looked ahead and next year's present is fruit and flowers - perhaps this next year will be "peachy".
We are very lucky to have Mike's parents in town this week, which we will take full advantage of by going out for a little date tonight.
Happy Anniversary, Mike. Thank you for working so hard to lay the foundation for our future, enduring sleep deprivation and the loss of any amount of personal time in order to allow us family time together around your crazy schedule. We only have a few more months of this until we can settle into a much easier routine. I looked ahead and next year's present is fruit and flowers - perhaps this next year will be "peachy".
Thursday, October 01, 2009
No Spend October
I've been inspired by a few other blogs and have decided to enlist a month of "No Spending" for October. That is, no spending on non-essentials or pre-budgeted items. No ordering out lunch because I forgot to bring one or running to Starbucks for a peppermint mocha in the afternoon. The only items that will go outside that rule are a winter coat, hat, mittens and boots for Griffin because I haven't bought any, and he will need them before the month is up.
In the spirit of not being wasteful I'm going to start working on some projects around the house that I've been planning to do forever, but haven't had the time or energy to do. First on the list is filling in quite a few blanks in Griffin's baby book. Thank goodness I've documented his milestones on his blog (and a huge reason why I use descriptors like last night, or this morning, or last Sunday) so I can look back and get the dates right. I have entire room for my hobbies, and haven't spent more than an hour in there since we moved in, which is absolutely shameful.
So here we go, day 1 of the "No Spend October", we'll see how it goes.
In the spirit of not being wasteful I'm going to start working on some projects around the house that I've been planning to do forever, but haven't had the time or energy to do. First on the list is filling in quite a few blanks in Griffin's baby book. Thank goodness I've documented his milestones on his blog (and a huge reason why I use descriptors like last night, or this morning, or last Sunday) so I can look back and get the dates right. I have entire room for my hobbies, and haven't spent more than an hour in there since we moved in, which is absolutely shameful.
So here we go, day 1 of the "No Spend October", we'll see how it goes.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Dinner Drop Off
I dropped off dinner to the wife of one of the radiology residents over my lunch hour today. They had a baby boy three weeks ago and some of the wives arranged to deliver meals a few days a week. I brought over a very delicious sausage lasagna recipe I made for company last week. Mike was sad yesterday that it wasn't for our dinner. I also brought along salad, bread and homemade chocolate chip cookies to complete their meal. I hope it made their dinnertime tonight a little easier and gave them more time to spend with their beautiful baby boy.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
TV
I don't get a chance to watch a lot of live t.v., so I end up recording most of it and catching pieces of it when I can. Plus, I really, really like fast forwarding through all the commercials.
I am really excited for the Grey's Anatomoy season premiere tonight! It is definitely one of my favorite shows. My all time favorite, ER, was cancelled last season and I'm bummed that Thursday nights will no longer include them.
I watched the first episode of Glee on Hulu and it is absolutely hilarious, its definitly going on my to-watch list. A few other new shows coming out, like Three Rivers, have caught my attention and I'm looking forward to them.
Sunday night the new season of Dexter starts, which both Mike and I are pumped for. We started watching Season 1 when we had a free Showtime promotion, and quickly burned through all three seasons on our DVR. If you haven't see it, you should definitely check it out.
I am really excited for the Grey's Anatomoy season premiere tonight! It is definitely one of my favorite shows. My all time favorite, ER, was cancelled last season and I'm bummed that Thursday nights will no longer include them.
I watched the first episode of Glee on Hulu and it is absolutely hilarious, its definitly going on my to-watch list. A few other new shows coming out, like Three Rivers, have caught my attention and I'm looking forward to them.
Sunday night the new season of Dexter starts, which both Mike and I are pumped for. We started watching Season 1 when we had a free Showtime promotion, and quickly burned through all three seasons on our DVR. If you haven't see it, you should definitely check it out.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Goose Egg
Last night I had a bad mommy moment. Griffin and I were sitting on the orange shag rug in his room giggling and tickling and hanging out before bedtime. Mike can in with the bottle and I got up and asked Griffin to get his sleep sack so he could go to bed. He smiled and started runningfor the door and I leaped ahead and went to push the door closed. Unfortunately Griffin didn't stop in time and he hit his head on the edge of the door and got a big goose egg on his forehead. I felt so bad as we watched it get bigger and bigger and Mike got all doctor-like on it poking and prodding and checking him out. We gave him some Tylenol and he went to bed like normal - even slept through the night which he hasn't done for about 3 weeks now. Mike and I went in to check on him before we went to bed and it didn't get any bigger, but we knew he might wake up with a black eye. Luckily this morning it is just a small bruise on his forehead, and no black eye. This is only my 3rd or 4th baby mommy moment I've had in 18 months, so I guess thats not too bad...and I've had thousands of good mommy moments, so hopefully that outweighs this not-so-fun memory.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Random Thought
I hate on blogs when people nickname significant people in their lives so they don't reveal their identity. For instance, if your husbands name is Thomas Knudsen the 4th, please don't call him TK4, its just silly. If you have a nickname you normally use for your spouse or child routinely, that is fine and understandable and fun, as it lets readers into your life a little. Its okay to leave your last name out of the mix, but I think calling your child on your blog by their "internet nick name" instead of their first name is just strange.
