travel bug

Ryan and I have a week off between Christmas and New Years, and are trying to plan a trip. Anyone got any good ideas for something warm (preferably), fun, family friendly and reasonably priced? I have hit a travel wall.

help a mother out

For the past year we have been very blessed to have wonderful people taking care of Ella while I work. My mom watches her on Tuesdays and my good friend and neighbor, Jane Anne, watches her on Fridays. Jane Anne has been perfect. Her children are mostly grown, she lives close by, and Ella LOVES her. But, life goes on, and Jane Anne's own family needs her loving touch, so we are on the hunt for a new nanny.

It's only one day a week (plus or minus) and we pay relatively well. So, if you know anyone who you think is great, let me know. Thanks!!!

A Good Grief

One of my friends, Molly, is starting a new website, and it is really really great.

www.agoodgrief.com

Molly is one of those people who you like as soon as you meet her. I met Molly during the very worst week of her life, and even then, in her devastation and heartbreak, I thought, "I like this girl. I think we could be friends." And now we are. I've blogged a bit about this before, but Molly's little girl Lucy died after choking on a small piece of an apple. I took care of her in the hospital in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. It was an awful week, but one which touched me forever.

After Lucy's death, Molly turned her blog into an online journal chronicling her grief. It is honest, raw, and very touching. Now, over a year later, Molly is reaching out to those around her to share stories of grief and healing. All of the proceeds of the blog go to purchase headstones for children who have passed away (I know--who even thinks of that? Someone who has been through it).

So far, the site is really wonderful. Molly speaks from the heart, and she has other guest writers, like Stephanie Nielson of nie fame, and an incredibly eloquent woman who speaks on miscarriage. Now, I know what you {Thayer} are thinking. "I don't need sadness or heartache in my life. Just tell me the happy stuff." That's the crazy thing. Even though this site is about grief, it is about GOOD grief and it is really uplifting.

Check it out.

I would not do well in the Witness Protection Program

A few days ago I noticed something on my front porch as I pulled into the driveway. Closer inspection revealed a mens wallet. "Ha, ha," I thought. Ryan finally lost his wallet. Made me feel a little better for the dozens of times I've lost mine. But when I went to grab it I quickly noticed that it was not Ryan's. Although it was well worn, there was no identification at all. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

But there was cash. Hundreds of dollars.

Bizzaro, right?

So I did some sleuthing. Also on the porch were some books left by a friend. I called her to ask if she knew anything about the mystery wallet. Nope. It was not there when she had stopped by, only 15 minutes before.

I went next door and asked my neighbor if he knew anything. Nothing.

At this point, weird scenerios are going through my head. I had just heard a piece on This American Life where a couple noticed an unusual car in front of their house in their quiet little neighborhood. They tried to figure out who it belonged to, going as far as opening the door (it was unlocked) and rummaging through the glove compartment. No luck, so they called the police. Turns out, it was a "bait" car for thieves, and through a series of crazy events they ended up arrested, spent a day in jail and had a three year horrible ordeal until they finally went to the media and oops, the police had made a mistake and dropped all the charges.

So, despite my fear that Ira Glass and I may someday have something to talk about, I called the Sandy Police. A nice officer (with a big gun and a big tazer) came to my home, whipped out her spiral bound notebook and started asking me things like, "Exactly what time did you find the wallet," and "Did you see anything else unusual?" 2:33 and no.

She gave me her card with a case number on it and left me alone with my over-active imagination.

Was this a bait wallet? Was Chris Hansen hiding in the bushes, just waiting to see what I would do? Because, seriously, who takes everything from a wallet and leaves the cash. Was it drug money? Was I involved in something shady?

At this point I was a little weirded out, but no big deal. I went upstairs and did some laundry. Ella was wandering around entertaining herself. Suddenly I hear a loud noise, which I think are footsteps, I quickly look for Ella, don't see her, and FREAK out. { If you don't believe me, ask Thayer, who was on the phone with me at the time. She tried to be my calm, but I was beyond her reach.} I'm running around the house, yelling Ella's name, and picturing her abducted by the money-leaving thief.

But, no. She was just playing in the guest bedroom, steps away from the laundry room, a little scared by her crazy mom. Breathe.

I want to go on a walk, but worry that perhaps someone is watching the house (I know, it sounds crazy to me, too, but that's the state I was in), so I went to the Post Office. Because nothing crazy ever goes on there.

Ryan soon came home, and I chilled out. Now I'm just wondering if I get the money if no one claims it. I didn't even think to ask. Too intimidated by the gun.

Moral of the story: if anything freaky ever does happen, heaven help me. I couldn't even handle free money.

Post-edit: Mystery solved. Today my housekeeper Ifeta came by and randomly told me that she'd lost her wallet. A black wallet, no id, with hundreds of dollars in it! She had stopped by my house the day of the fiasco and rummaged through her bag looking for her keys when the wallet must have fallen out.

She explained that she had two wallets: a regular one with all her stuff in it, and this one with only cash. She is saving for a plane ticket to visit her son in Germany this Christmas and this wallet is her piggy bank. She had no hope of finding her stash as it had absolutely no identifying features. So I called the Sandy Police Department and informed them that I had cracked the case.

14 at 14

1. She LOVES to dance, which now includes twirling. She twirls and twirls and twirls...and falls over. Then she does it again.
2. Potty training at 1 didn't go so well. First month was great, second month not so much, by the third month she hated the potty. Hopefully we didn't scar her for life. Next time I think I'll try starting at 11 months, because I really do think it can work. {Or more likely I'll totally bag it and laugh at myself for being so 'first-time mom'}
3. 12 teeth. 4 top, 4 bottom, 4 molars.
4. New favorite food: pomegranates. Thank you Aunt Lauren for sending some our way.
5. She has started waking up in the middle of the night. I don't know what the deal is.
6. New words: monkey, wow, shoe, nose, book, mom, dad {you'd think these would have been earlier words}. Ba has advanced to "ba-uhl."
   
7. She completely lights up when she sees her monkey. She loves "Mo." She kisses him, feeds him, tries to bathe him.
8. We turned her into a little TV addict. 2 weeks ago we realized that we had a problem when she would freak out if we skipped commercials. So we went cold-turkey. No TV or computer. It has been hard, hard, hard. It surprised me because I didn't think we watched that much. We probably watched one Baby Einstein a day, and then had the TV on at night while we were playing or eating. But it adds up and is so nice to use as a babysitter. I'm reading a new book, "The Elephant in the Living Room." We'll see if it strengthens or weakens my resolve.
   
9. Ditching the bottle has been an ordeal. Not there yet.
   
10. She has only been sick twice in her 14 months.
    
11. Her eyes are turning a hazel green color.
12. We are playing the the 2 to 1 nap transition game. Not our favorite.
13. Favorite song: Eensy Weensy Spider. She starts him climbing and then washes him out. Not really into climbing up the spout again.
    
14. She will make her "angry face" on demand. She scrunches up her nose and purses her lips. But she knows it's funny so she has a little twinkle in her eye while she does it. I'll try and get a picture.
    

Under the Influence

This is a little long. And a little boring. And it's taken with Taylor's iPhone, so the quality is not great.

But Jamie + Ambien + Airplane food = Hilarious

Monkey Business

Ella's first real Halloween. 2 Grandpas. 2 Grandmas. 1 Aunt. 1 Mom. 1 Dad. Ella rings the doorbell, plucks a piece of candy from the bowl and replaces it with one from her pumpkin. On to the next house.

Net total:
7 houses.
3 pieces of candy. {She didn't get to eat it, but she did suck on the wrapper and say, "Mmmmm." The sugary goodness can't be kept in.}
7 happy, bordering on giddy, adults.
1 cute little "Mo."

Can't ask for much more.