No one should require a native Arizonan to travel to Minnesota in February.

And yet, that's exactly what I'm going to have to do for work in about 2 weeks. Oh, I can't even imagine what it's going to feel like when I step out of the airport to grab a cab to the hotel. My body will probably go into shock. Why on earth does United's corporate headquarters have to be located in Minnetonka, Minnesota? The 10-day forecast lists the high as 31 degrees!

I just might have to sneak away one evening and take the hotel shuttle to the Mall of America, to make this trip a little less painful!

So Sick of Being Sick!

I have lots of updates but little energy to write. It takes too much energy to try and be witty or funny right now. I've been sick since Tuesday with an awful virus of some sort and it has knocked me on my #$%! I'm talking chills, fever, backaches, headaches, sore throat, throwing up...I had the works. I finally picked my sorry butt off the couch and took myself to Urgent Care Wednesday evening and got some meds. I love meds. And I begged Ian to run to the store to get me a heating pad for my back. Thank goodness for that heating pad. And I've guzzled about 12 cans of Sprite. Sprite and crackers are my friends.

I'm among the living again, but I'm now on a disinfecting frenzy throughout my house. Germs be gone! All bedding, towels and blankets have been washed and I've sprayed very door handle, phone, TV remote, and faucets with LYSOL. I am sick of being sick! And just for the record--I did receive a flu shot this year...the whole family got one. And yet, there I was this week curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor, praying someone would put me out of my misery. I was pretty pathetic.

So, once I have my house clean and I'm caught up with work, I'll be sure to get back to my blogging!

Go Cardinals!

This morning Ian, along with my brother-inlaw Bob, our nephew Ethan, and a few of our neighbors, were up early to make their way to the stadium for the Cardinals play-off game vs. the Eagles. Ian was supposed to participate in the PF Changs Rock-n-Roll 1/2 Marathon this morning, but decided that drinking beer, eating hamburgers and chips while tailgating and then attending a huge football game sounded much more fun than running 13 miles. Can't say I disagree with that decision-- but I wouldn't have signed up to voluntarily run 13 miles in the first place.
Ava was not happy when "her Ethan" showed up to our house this morning and stayed only long enough to give her a quick hug before all the guys left for the game. She cried walking back into the house and yelled "I want to be a boy! Boys get to go to games and I have to stay home!" So now I get to look forward to spending all day alone with an angry 3 year-old. Lucky me. =)
But of course I'll make sure Ava and I have some fun today as well so she'll forget all about not being able to go to the game.

It's the Simple Things in Life...

I purchased a new coffee maker...but not just any coffee maker. No, this one brews coffee in an instant, one cup at a time using coffee in little K-cups. It was my after Christmas gift to myself and it makes me so happy every morning and every afternoon. And I can use this to make hot tea and hot chocolate too! It just doesn't take much to make me happy these days.

What Recession?

All day long I hear people talking about how bad the economy is and people losing their jobs, and how it's going to get worse before it gets better. And I don't doubt for a second that there are a lot of people out there really struggling to make ends meet. However, I also find it a bit strange that restaurants are still full, airports are still crowded, and when I go to book a hotel for our summer adventure to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone, there are hardly any vacancies left. People must still have money...or maybe they're just racking up credit card debt? I can't figure it out. Is everyone on the west coast planning on going to Wyoming in July? It's 6 months away, and I can't get a hotel room at the hotel of my choice? Who knew!

I hear Harrison Ford has a ranch in Jackson Hole--maybe I'll just give my friend "Harry" a call and see if we can crash at his place for a few nights. I'm sure he'd be delighted!

I refuse to camp...or stay in a cabin that was built in 1920 with no electricity or running water! I'm willing to go along with the outdoor adventure vacations because I think Ava needs to see the beauty of our country... but come on, I still need a comfy clean bed, Spa facilities close by and some good cuisine! I think my next plan of action will be to call the hotel/resorts directly and get on some waiting lists. Someone has to cancel a reservation between now and July, right?

"You've Got the Same Like Me!"

I'm gearing up for Springtime and plotting my next set of family photos. I've always wanted to have mommy/daughter pictures taken of me and Ava wearing coordinated outfits. A little cheesy, I know---but isn't this part of the fun of having a little girl? Plus, Ava would love this idea, as she loves to point out when we have similar items of clothing on or same colors of clothing. She yells, "Mommy, you have the same like me!" And I think I've found some outfits that just might work...

Above dress: Ann Taylor

Above dress: Chasing Fireflies

Above dress: Shoshanna


Above dress: Old Navy

Above dress: Shoshanna

Above dress: Gap Kids

Above Bathing-suit Cover-ups: Shoshanna

For our family photos that we had taken this past summer--we wore all white to fit in with the beach theme. So this time around--I want color. Bright, fun, wonderful color! Now, I just need to start obsessing over the location...

On a separate note, I LOVE Valentines Day! And if you haven't noticed, the stores are stocking their shelves and racks full of heart happy red and pink stuff that I won't be able to resist buying. For sure Ava's going to need a new outfit and/or new jammies to celebrate this holiday of LOVE.

Above PJ's: Chasing Fireflies

Above Shirt: Chasing Fireflies

Like a Kid Again

I had forgotten how much I used to love to skate--the freedom, the wind in my hair, the music blasting in my ears. I was a little shaky standing up on the skates for the first time today, but after that--it all came back to me (backwards skating and all) and it was a blast. Ava on the other hand, wasn't so sure. She tried for a little while, then decided to take a break... and then a little while later, changed her mind and gave it another try. She did pretty good for her first time on skates and we'll definitely go back again soon. Ian did pretty well too and I loved holding his hand around the rink! Old time couples skate! Ahh, the memories.

How to Battle a Cold

Me and Ava are both battling colds, but how can we possibly stay inside all weekend when the sun is shining and there's so much to do? So, I guess we're just trying to ignore the fact that our noses are running and our heads feel like they're ready to explode.
Yesterday we all went for a 2 mile walk down the canal to a park, while Ava rode her bike. And then rather than going to the grocery store, I took a long nap. And today, we have plans to meet aunt Jen and Ava's cousins Ethan and Emma at Skateland for some roller-skating fun. I don't have much energy for roller-skating, but I'll give it a try anyway because I know Ava is really looking forward to it. I'll post some pics later on today!

Patience is a Virtue

And right after I typed the word "virtue", I had to go look it up to see what it really means. And it turns out it means- Moral Excellence. Well, I'm not excellent in the patience department. I'm aware of this problem, and it's already on my list of hopes for this year. I intentionally titled my list for '09 as 'hopes' because some of the items on my list probably won't happen (especially learning to be patient with everyone and everything), so why make resolutions or commitments that I really won't keep. I'm a realist. Is that a virtue?

In any case, I've accepted that I have many faults. Interestingly though, I've been accused at times (mostly during arguments with my husband), that I think I'm perfect and can never admit when I'm wrong...however, nothing could be further from the truth. I KNOW I am a flawed individual and hardly ever right--I just happen to be really stubborn about admitting it when others expect or demand me to. And I was even fine with this until the other day, when I finally realized that I had better get my act together--times up on my journey to become a more virtuous person, because now I'm a mom.

Ava has officially reached an age in which she fully understands what I say and what I do--so my character flaws concern me even more. How can I effectively LEAD by EXAMPLE when I'm still a work in progress?

Case in point: The other morning I was in a rush to get Ava dressed so we could make it to her doctor appointment in time, and I was being really impatient with Ava taking her sweet time picking out her panties and outfit for the day. (Honestly, the girl is very particular about which Disney Princess or Hello Kitty panty she wears. I have to lay out all of her clean panties and let her choose. It's enough to drive me insane each day). To make a long story short, I was sighing and yelling at her to hurry up and she was yelling at me to be quiet, etc...etc... I finally got her jacket on and walked away. I could see Ava was struggling to zip it up, but I walked away anyway because I didn't have the patience to try and help her. She probably would have pushed me away anyway. In any case, once she realized she needed my help, rather than politely asking me for help, she screamed "You didn't zip it up" and basically threw a fit. I was obviously shocked that she felt like she could speak to me in such a rude tone, but now that I've had some time to reflect on the incident (and many more that have occurred over the last year), it's PAINfully clear she is just treating me (and her daddy) the way she feels she's treated when we're in a hurry or tired, etc.

How sad. Ava has learned her impatience from me and now reacts to situations the way I do. I feel awful. Paybacks really are a %$^&*!

So what now? I ask of the world, the universe, anyone who will listen and respond with some good advise! How can I re-teach patience to a 3 year old? And better yet--where do I go to find this so-called virtue? It has to be the hardest one out there to find and hold on to.

New Years Eve Dinner

Dinner at Roy's was amazing! Worth every penny. And so child-friendly for such a classy, upscale restaurant. As soon as we were seated, they brought us a complimentary child appetizer which consisted of a cheese quesadilla and vegi's with ranch dressing. Plus, they provided a nice coloring book with crayons. This makes it so much easier for me and Ian to enjoy a glass of wine and relax. We had four courses to get through, so Ava needed to be patient, entertained and full.

The edamame may not have been a huge hit with Ava...
But, the dessert sure was!