Crashed and Burned

He was old and probably past his prime. But I loved him. Really I did. Even with all of his flaws-I couldn't live without him. He was like my right arm. I saw him everyday, at least 5 times a day. But it was his time to go and I have to accept that fact.

"He" is my computer. The computer guy said he was built before 2000. He was right. I got a lot of use out of him. All that being said, I won't be around until after the New Year. I will be back as soon as I get his replacement.

Please toast with me to the New Year and to my old, faithful buddy. My computer.
CHEERS!

Bromance with Brody Jenner

Photo courtesy of New York Daily News
I admit it. I watched it. and I will watch it again and again and again until the very end. and then I will write MTV and beg them to give him his own show like The Hills and The City.

and how about these dudes!?! I am predicting that Chris F. will win. The Kentucky guy is too good looking and too normal. He might overshadow Brody. Chris F. is not quite a total dweeb and not too cool or funny to overshadow the main man but funny enough to fit in with the Bros. The rest are kind of dumbasses although they do know of which they speak....sometimes. I can't remember which one said:
All girls want Brody and all guys want to be Brody. But it was good.

or how about my favorite quote from the scenes of the season:
Jered said something like, "Brody makes you feel like you have know him your whole life."
Ain't that the truth Bro. I could have said it myself. Seriously.

I am, for the 7th night in a row,stuffed and full and completely disgusted with myself. I am on my way to looking like the quintessential mom-with the flabby stomach, a little bit bloated and uncomfortable in her skin. I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL THE HOLIDAYS ARE DONE! if only for the reason that I can stop eating. I can't stop. I don't know why. It's a mental thing. It's like when we just had W and we knew we wanted another baby. I couldn't really get it into gear to get in shape because I was hoping sooner or later I would be pregnant and what would be the point? That's how this limbo week between Christmas and New Year's goes. What's the point really? and then out of nowhere comes Mardi Gras. I am stuck in fat, disgusting limbo!!!! AAAHHHHH!

We couldn't do our usual Sunday night run at Superior Grill because the Little Buddy had a high fever. So we picked up. Just not the same. But I was really craving that Margarita.

So like my healthy eating habits and my exercise program, blogging has gone by the wayside too. I just can't seem to get in the groove of anything. Because I know the new year is coming and I have it in my head that that's my starting point for everything. Healthy eating, daily exercising, no drinking (yeah right) and blogging everyday. So please don't abandon me. I will be around until then but after the New Year I will be here everyday. Happy, happy new year!

Oh! The one thing productive I will be doing from now until the start of school is Potty Training. If you are headed that way, please join me in my journey. I think all of us can use the extra support.

I'm full. I'm disgusted. I'm done with food. But OMG! Just wait until you see the photo of my timbale I cooked for Christmas Eve. It was my first Italian Christmas Eve and it was brilliant. There were some kinks in my plan but not in the order of execution. Timing was perfect and dessert-was inexplicably mouth watering. Stay tuned because when I can roll myself downstairs to get my camera you will understand the reason for my suffering.

The Perfect Child

With the risk of sounding like a braggadocios mother I say that W is the perfect child. He was born an angel. Calm and mild mannered he was a first time mother's dream. When all the other moms were chasing after their kids, W just sat by my side and smiled. He is sweet to the core although a new, more ballsy side has come out in his later years, he's still calm, focused, collected and like I said, a dream, relatively speaking.

6 out of the 11 kids in W's class have had the dreaded stomach virus. I posted the other day that I had been waiting for it. Well, it came a knockin' tonight. He woke from his nap in a good mood and it hit him like a ton of bricks. One minute he was playing games with Mimi, the next he was laid out on my lap (something that all mother's of a 3 year old boy knows is rare). He was peaked and quiet and just wanted me. and then it happened, the sickness invaded and I have to say even through all the vomiting he has been my perfect child. He aimed for the slop bucket, didn't really cry and then after the episodes were over he was totally lethargic but still in good spirits.

I'm a walking paranoid freak right now. All the kids in W's class have the stomach bug. and I am just waiting for it to hit us. Every little burp or passing of gas makes me stop in my tracks while I wait for something worse. Pman cried out a few times last night and it made me jump.

This morning I woke up at the crack of dawn to go walking with Aunt Liz. I got back in time to squeeze in breakfast, a shower and getting the boys dressed before having to run out the door for Master P's first dentist appointment. Yes, it is a bit early in life to be taking him to the dentist but he had a spot on his tooth and terrible plaque that I couldn't pick out myself. He fought the dentist tooth and nail while we held him down. It was awful. Even more awful is the fact that his frenem (the muscle at the top of your teeth and lip) runs between his teeth instead of to the top which means that eventually it will have to be clipped. Yuk. Made me weak in the knees just hearing about it. Anyway, we were all done and he started coughing a bit. It wasn't until I strapped into his car seat that he threw up. Blah. All over. So I cleaned him up best I could and waited, like I've been doing the past few days, and waited for more. So now I don't know if he has the bug or if he was just mucousy from the fluoride and the screaming and crying or if like Camille said the mention of clipping his frenem made him naseous.

So I keep on waiting.

Rambla in the International House

Our experience at dinner last night was a co mplete 180 degrees from our dinner the week before. We tried to go to RAmbla last week, the new Spanish restaurant in the International House, but it was closed the first half ofhte night for private parties so we walked over to John Besh's LUke. I know many people love Luke and Ican't say that I actually hate it. The food is always good, give or take a few dishes but Golly, I relly hate beign there. I feel like I am living in the 70's and sitting in a Holiday Inn Motel Diner. It's bright and dull and what's even more odd is the lack of attention to detail. I always have to remind myself that it's John Besh's restaurant. I then wonder how it can be when considering that the focus on the details at August are so extreme that it's almos snobbish and at Luke the focus is nonexistent. Anyway, enough about Luke. Let's ramble on about Rambla!

From the start they were nice and accommodating and excited that we were theree. I will say it now so I won't have to say it again. Everything was delicious. Most dishes achieved a perfect balance of flavoris with a few exceptions so I will just share with you what we ate.

Once everyone was there (Uncle Rara, Aunt Jojo and Cousin Will) and settled and our wine was ordered we went to town on the menu. The idea is to share the plates and order the dishes as you like. It all comes out pretty quicly so you can order a few things. If and when you want more you can order it without having to wait. There is a constant flow of food.

Here's what we ordered:
Pork Rillettes
Charcuterie plate
Avocado, tomatoe, red onion salad (no avocadoes here)
Croquettas - 3 separate one filled with mushrooms, shrimp and fennel and andouille. All purees.
Grilled octopus salad (not bad for someone who doesn't like octopus)
Grilled flat bread with figs, Serrano ham and Cabrales
Frog Legs - Rara ordered this and it had been awhile since I had eaten them. Cousin Will wouldn't try them. The taste was good but it's the consistency...blah. The conversation over the frog legs went like this:

Rara: Tastes like chicken
Will: But...well, it's not chicken

The tuna special salad -perfectly seared chilled slices of tuna over a fresh fennel salad
Chicken paella-crusty, al dente and deliciously smoky but next time I would opt for the seafood one. The chicken grossed me out.
Lentils, lardon and yard egg ( I don't want to try and elaborate because I cannot do it justice)

I would go back tonight and tomorrow night and then again the next night. I can't wait to got with a big group of people to sit at the high communal tables. It was fun and cozy and relaxing. I didn't pay too muc attention to the total bill but from what J told me it seemed awfully reasonable for the maount we ate and considering we left pretty full and satisfied.

I swear I saw it first-the snow-that is. J and W had just left for school. I was making my iced coffee and I happened to look out the window and saw that it was raining but that the rain never made it to the ground. Wait. That's not rain!!!!!! THAT'S SNOW!!! I called my mom-that's rain, she said. I called my friend-she said the same. and J had already said the same when I called him to make sure W saw. and then.... they all called me back. Except for J who wasn't enthused at all. He said we were "rookies". OK big guy, who grew up in the mid west. The least he could have done was be excited for those of us who a. haven't seen snow yet (like W and Porter) and b. all New Orleanians who get to see it in their tropical city once every five years if we're lucky. Anyway, it started pouring snow and I finally decided to rush to school so I wouldn't miss out on my baby's face seeing snow for the first time.



And here is our mess of a overgrown backyard that actually looks pretty and peaceful thanks to the fallen snow.



And one of our roses.

We got our Christmas tree yesterday and I put up the lights today. I have to say that you can't even tell that it is my 2nd year to put up lights alone. I did consult several sources (Camille, Lauren, my mom-all with differing opinions) because however I put them up last year, well let's just say I had to take them down and do it again because I had nothing to plug into the wall. Anyway, it's up and halfway decorated. I thought we had more ornaments than we do so it's kind of sparse but still beautiful.

I just got up from watching the tree, reflecting on my life, my husband, my boys, my family and friends and praying too. After I talked to God about how blessed I was to have my family in my life (sorry if this is too religious for you) I started thinking about friends and within a second (without thinking about) I picked up the phone and called my oldest friend. I haven't talked to her probably since the week after Halloween and it was like we have talked everyday since. That's when you realize how much old friends mean to you. when you haven't talked in forever and when you finally do catch up with each other it is so easy to talk not only about serious things but also about homemade granola, dry hands, dirty houses. and I was even able to pee while you talked! So here's to making new friends but especially keeping the old.

New Year's Resolution Jump Start

We were coming home from lunch this afternoon and J honked at the car in front of us to get a move on. The light turned green and he was on his cell phone or something and wasn't budging. I heard W laugh in the backseat. I turned around and laughed with him, "That's funny that Daddy's honking, hunh?"

W's response was, "WHATCHA DOIN' JACKAAAASSSSS!?!"

J was laughing so hard he was crying but trying to do it without W seeing and I, well, I just couldn't pretend to be mad. I have to admit it's all my fault. I have road rage. I know it. I admit. I am working through it, but even better it will be my New Year's resolution to not curse around the boys.

Coffee and Food

I was checking out Appetites this morning. He wrote a little blurb about Pupuseria? Has anyone heard about this place? It made my mouth water but then again I have a love for all Mexican food. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think I will have to try this soon.

This morning, like I said earlier, we went for coffee. I have been making my own with the Toddy and have been enjoying it immensely. It also takes the pressure off of getting 2 kids dressed early in the morning. I can just focus on W since I know Master P and I will most likely stay in until after his nap. But anyway, we went to Still Perkin'. It never would have been my first choice but I didn't buck my friend's decision since I hadn't seen her in years and new it would be relatively easy to park. OMG. It was the most delicious iced coffee I have had in at least 6 months (besides my own and almost as good). I hate to rave too much because I don't want it to get too cray but I think the secret is out anyway because it was crowded. The chairs were comfy, the crowd lively and I left feeling rejuvenated and wired.

I had coffee this morning with a good friend that I hadn't seen in ages. Pman had a ball and well, so did I. It's good to get out and see people, especially old friends. Pman smiled the whole time. and looked upside down at Baby Marcelle (a new friend for P) and ate a whole bag of graham crackers. I always knew he giggled a lot but he really is a happy baby. I am not sure where he gets it. Of course, we all know I am the eternal cynic and tend to put a cynical spin on everything. J is an optimist but not the giggly kind. W is a happy boy too but Pman is a boisterous happy. I can't explain it. I just pray that he stays this way because it will serve him well in this big bad world.

Another Alleluia Moment

Alleluia! J is coming home! He's only traveled once or twice since we've been in this house and last night came the revelation that I DO NOT sleep when he isn't home. I was tired. So tired from the weekend and the lack of sleep on Monday night (which is inexplicable). I even went out with friends and had 2 glasses of wine. I thought for sure that I would be asleep before my head hit the pillow. I didn't and I am not even sure if I ever went to sleep. I kept hearing the boys mumble or yell out in their sleep, turning over, you name it I heard it. I think it was the thought of them waking up in the middle of the night sick without J around to help that had me more nervous than the thought of someone breaking in. I think I've gotten used to that thought, growing up in Nola and all. Sad isn't it? But it's the truth.

But tonight I should sleep like a champ because Daddy's coming home!! Yay! Yay!

On another note I have been frantically trying to get a cute Christmas photo of the boys since November 1. and it is driving me nuts. Any holiday photo tips would be helpful. My friend told me to lay them both down on the bed and stand over them. But each time I've tried Pman gets pissed. So please share the wealth and tell me how you get 2 toddler boys to sit still simultaneously and smile at the camera too.

Pascal Manales

We are trying not to eat at the same places every weekend so when my dad said they had delicious oysters at Pascal Manales we decided to give it a try. I haven't been to Manales really since I was a teenager. It's not how I remembered but it is how it should be. Bright and loud and a bit plain.

We made reservations but got there early so we could eat raw oysters. We ate them at the marble oyster bar where "Uptown T" the city's most famous oyster shucked, served them to us. The were salty and super cold and served from a man with a true New Orleans attitude. I didn't even need Saltines they were so salty and good.

I won't go on about the meal. I was kind of dissapointed, except for the disgustingly decadent fried slabs of cheese we ordered to start. LC (not the one of LA) told me about them and she was right. They are not to be missed. But the rest was mediocre and I don't need to go back except for raw oysters and a cold beer one afternoon. The one thing I know for sure is that it is a FABULOUS place for people watching. They got some characters in 'ere.

I want to go from the Hotel

We went to Vicksburg for Thanksgiving. Vicksburg, Mississippi that is. Not Michigan. I had our bags packed and ready to go because I checked the weather online and I was prepared. Then I heard from my mom and J that I had packed the wrong things. That 29 degrees would be the high in Vicksburg over Tgiving. So I repacked both the boys and me and stressed about it and worried that we would all be freezing and that our winter wardrobe would not looked pulled together. We got on the road the temp gage in the car never dropped below 63, I don't think. Turns out that both my mom and J didn't realize there was also a Vicksburg, MICHIGAN!!!! Hello!!!!!!!!!!!! I was bugged but got over it.

So we drove and traveled with 2 little boys because my cousins gave me a guilt trip about coming. I am glad we went but it was hell on wheels. For a person with a low grade anxiety that has manifested in her body since the day her first child was born, traveling with 2 babies is a nightmare. Pman cried the whole last hour into Vburg and I told J that I would be drinking when I set foot on Mississippi soil.

"Well, the party doesn't start until 6", he said.
"My party starts as soon as I arrive", I retorted.

W ate yogurt and Hershey kisses, Fritos and tortilla chips and 2 bananas. The whole trip. He freaked out about the dog at lunch yesterday and Pman was overwhelmed by the company so didn't eat at all. He busted his chin once among other things. Last night was probably the worst, with W falling out of his bed (I know he is old enough to be sleeping in a big boy bed at home but he loves his crib) at the hotel at 2am when I heard BADUM BUM BUM and so we were up the rest of the night. This morning he said, "I ready to go from the Ho-tel." He took the words right out of my mouth.

LC, Justin Bobbie and Speidi

Kudos to LC for flat out telling Audrina that Justin Bobbie disgusts her. Audrina drove LC to the breaking point. How many times did she have to say, "No, I did not hook up with Justin Bobbie!" before she believed her?

and Spencer and Heidi. I am done. They're married and I am done. I thought Heidi was slowly coming around to the fact that he is a total jackass loser but I was wrong. This is what I think. Heidi Montag knows that Spencer Pratt is an utter loser but she is a. so scared of being alone and b. feels sorry for him. If she ditches him they both know that he's out of The Hills and she doesn't want to be the one to kick him off the show.

That's all, folks.

Fast eating

I can scarf down a sandwich in 2.5 minutes and I can clean a whole plate faster than you can say jack rabbit. I am a fast eater. It all started when I was a kid. If you didn't eat fast enough in this family you would see a fork coming in from the side and spear the most coveted thing on your plate. So it was survival of the fittest or fattest. Whoever ate fastest wouldn't have to worry about their food being eaten by someone else. My mom learned to eat with one hand around her plate to keep thieving eaters away. She refused to eat fast. She was on the defensive.

It's been a long hard road to learning how to eat slow and savor your food. Even now I finish supper way before J. I have to sit and salivate and try as hard as I can to not go back for seconds.

Last night as I ate dinner with the LB (J was out for work) and realize that the pattern will not be broken and that I would have to go on the defensive like my mom. W wanted to eat dinner at his little table. So I sat him down and then made my omelet and went in to join him at the little table. Pman had already eaten and was crawling around seeing what caught his interest. and then up popped his head at the little table. Then the hand came up and over my plate and the pattern began again. He went to town on my omelet. He stopped eating eggs a few weeks ago but for some reason he seemed interested again. I started eating faster and faster. Trying to get all the bites with the cheese and potatoes (my favorite bites) before he ate it all.

So I tried. I tried to break the pattern. I tried to savor my food. I try to chew my food well and I tried taking deep breaths and relaxing my shoulders. I tried eating like J eats. Slowly. But it's all for naught because the cycle is starting again. Maybe I will try and shift positions. I'll keep trying to eat slowly but keep one hand around my plate like my mom. I'm not sure how it will all turn out. Maybe this was a one time thing but I have a feeling it's not.

More scoop found on LC and Justin Bobby

In my spare time I am researching the LC shagging with Justin Bobby rumor. So far I have found this article on The Hollywood Gossip. Lauren is denying the rumors and I believe her. Audrina doesn't know what to believe but seems hurt by all of the drama. and I can't help but posting this foul photo of JB (found on The Hollywood Gossip) and Audrina. and why are they fighting over him? (that is if the rumors are true.) A picture is worth a thousand words.

Broken bones

The Little Buddy still won't let us pick him up for any reason. It's probably a good transition into true independence since we still put him in his car seat and booster seat among other things but it's sad that it had to happen this way.

I finally called the doctor after a day and she said that the pain he is having could be due to a broken clavicle. Even though W says his back hurts, she said that toddlers have a hard time localizing pain. In the bath last night I saw how right on she was. His left collar bone was super swollen and when I prodded at it, W winced. So we're off for an x-ray today. I am not sure there is much they can do. They said they may put on some kind of splint to make it more bearable but otherwise it should heal on it's own. Is this crazy that this is the 2nd time in his life that he has broken his collar bone?

Banana Chocolate Breakfast Bars

I'm totally in the Christmas mood. I know, it's not even THanksgiving but I am motivated to get a jump on Christmas and buy all my presents, or most of them before turkey day. I am doing well so far but I am scouring my food blogs for great holiday ideas and find that they are not in the same mode as me. Anyway, I did find this recipe for Banana Chocolate breakfast bars (not that I'm vegan)from Chocolate and Zucchini and think it may be just the thing to sway W from eating the crappy mini blueberry muffins he insists on eating every morning, sans the coconut, of course. I am not a fan of coconut.

The 5 Bite Diet

I never watch The Morning Show. I never really watch tv in the morning but this morning I did. It was too cold to take baby walking or to the park and I didn't need to go to the grocery so I made my coffee and turned on the tv to the 5 Bite Diet. It is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. The rules are basically that you eat 5 bites of anything at lunch and 5 bites of anything at dinner and drink all the water, diet drinks etc. that you want. and you will lose weight. DUH! Because you are starving yourself. I've always wanted to be a nutritionist and after hearing about this asshole's diet I wish I were so I could be the one to go on tv and criticize him. He even has a book out. If you ask me it's a total scam to make some money. If you are selling anything that makes a person lose weight quickly you are going to make money-even if it were dog doodoo.

If you want to hear more go here and here and here.

I'm worried about the LB. We can barely pick him up without him screaming in pain. It's awful and it was like pulling teeth to get him tell me what hurt. He says it's his back and that's where he keeps pointing but I have no idea what happened. I called the school and they said he had a great day, no falls, no crying, just a whole lot of fun. I noticed it when I went to put him in the swing at the park. He started crying and wouldn't stop..until he saw his cute little friend running to see him. It happened again when I went to lift him into his car seat. Painful crying, not put on crying. There is definitely a difference.

So I thought we would get through the night and see how he is in the morning. I'll keep you posted.

Lauren Conrad and Justin Bobby

LC DID NOT hook up with Justin Bobby. I know it. I know her too well. She has never liked him and I don't think she would ruin her friendship with Audrina over that dirty boy. Yuk.

I wish I knew more. I guess I will just have to wait until next week and it is killing me.

On the Heidi Montag front, I predict that she and Spencer are on their way down a rocky road.

Awards

A few days ago I was given an "award" by another blogger, News from Nola. It's always flattering to know that another blogger is a regular reader of my daily ramblings.

HAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaah!

Oh, Hi! I was just taking a deep breath. We've had a busy week, what with meeting LC (ha! ha!) and all so I am in full TGIF mode. We had many tantrums and challenges, up and downs, laughter and tears so the weekend when J can join us in this journey is much welcomed.

Master P is sleeping and W is at school. I mopped the floors-Pman's sleeves were disgusting yesterday after taking several tours of the house-and I couldn't stand it anymore. His lunch is made, ready and waiting for him to arise from his morning slumber and I am getting some much needed time on the computer. How people who work, have children, keep the house clean and organized and still have fun...do it, I don't know. I admire high energy people like that. I'm not one of them.

One thing I do know about this weekend is that I won't be sleeping in both days. I got so much guff about that post that I am not bitching online about it again. Ok-I take that back. After that last post W got sick and was waking up in the middle of the night. Who woke up with him? Me. and I still didn't get to sleep in. I dare you to say that I shouldn't have slept in that morning after.

If you know of anyone looking to hire a short order cook send them my way. I have a wealth of experience. I know I acquired this skill on my own and W has just adapted pretty well to the situation but I am sick of it. and I know that you are not supposed to fight about food. If you do you are setting them up for major food issues. I agree somewhat but at what point does a mom say enough is enough. I don't expect W to eat every single bite of what I put in front of him but there has got to be a way to get him to try new foods. Because my point is that I know he would like most things if he would just at least try them. Everything he eats takes a major effort to cook. He won't eat sandwiches and he won't eat what we eat so I am now making 3 different suppers. I guess I could make Pman eat what W eats but I don't really want P just eating grilled cheese, crackers or yogurt. So 3 dinners it is.

And I am really am a "short" order cook. First of all, I'm really short - 5'2". Second of all when I ask W what he wants for supper or lunch he says nothing and then 5 minutes before bedtime he starts asking for chicken nuggets or a grilled cheese. Drives me bananas.

The past 2 nights he has gone to bed hungry because of this issue and I have stopped letting him go to town on a bag of goldfish. It makes my night pretty miserable. I feel terrible about it and maybe after a few nights I will give in but for now it's my only option.

I have yet to find a viable solution. I welcome all of yours.

Clutter Control

Did anyone else see Oprah yesterday? It was all about clutter. I watched it last night while waiting for Top Chef and I was so inspired. They made it look easier than it is-clearing out clutter-but I made the effort-I got up and dejunked the toy basket in the den. We did it in half an hour. This morning I started the overwhelming task of organizing our office. My goal was to have it finished first in July and then October and now here we are in the middle of November. Getting started is the hardest part.

While in my cleaning frenzy I have to stop every few minutes to procrastinate (checking email, facebook, daily blogs) and I added Absolutely Beautiful Things to my blog roll. She's a designer in Australia- a world away from New Orleans and I always enjoy reading her blog. I just always forget the name so I finally added it to my list.

Back to organizing!

Lauren Conrad:Star of The Hills

J and I got a wild hair last night and got a babysitter at the last minute. We got snazzied up and took off downtown for a few drinks at the bar at Emeril's. The Best Margarita in Town! Anyway, after a few ritas we decided to eat and luckily scored a table at the last minute. It was only Tuesday. We were laughing and flirting and then....guess who walked in....dressed to the nines, looking fabulous with a super hot date? LC. For those of you out of the loop-it was Lauren Conrad from The Hills. OMG! I was so excited I could barely contain myself. AND they sat them right next to us. I was feeling pretty bold after 2 margaritas and a few glasses of wine so I went over and said hello, introduced myself. She was so so so nice. We finished dinner at the same time and they invited us to go back and party with them at their hotel (can't tell you where because I don't want any trouble). OMG! We called the sitter, asked her if it was ok if we were late and whooped it up big with LC and her date (can't tell you who it was). We danced, we drank Champagne, we chatted and exchanged emails! Needless to say I am very hungover. It was a hard morning to say the least but well worth it. She was in N.O. doing a promotion for her clothes line. and to top it off she is going to send me one of her dresses! I still feel like I am dreaming. That's because I am dreaming. I wish our life was even that mildly exciting.

We actually went to W's soccer practice, cooked stirfry, dealt with a tantrum over what he wanted to eat, gave both boys baths and then put them to bed. Then we watched Big Fat Loser and 90210 and then went to bed. Snooze.

I chopped through my fingernail and nail bed last night when I was chopping an onion. I pride myself on my knife skills but I guess that's being a little cocky considering I butchered my finger. Still makes my knees week when I think about it. I haven't looked at it since last night. My thumb throbbed all night. I am really worried I am going to lose my fingernail.

Speaking of cooking....
The premiere of Season 5 Top Chef starts on Wednesday. So set your DVR's for the season.

NOLA Restaurant News

It's kind of been the talk of our food conversations lately-the menu at Lilette. For a creature of habit like me, I don't mind that the menu never changes because I always get the same thing. I know a good thing when I see it but Uncle RaRa and a few others have mentioned that they really wish the menu at Lilette would change-just to mix things up a bit.

Well, good news food lovers, it has, according to Appetites!

I. for one. am very excited about the changes to the Hangar steak sides. I love love love gnocchi if they are made well. and Lilette;s are almost as good as John Besh's. Well, actually, better than, since the last time I went to August. His gnocchi has gone down in my book. It really pains me to say it, but it's the truth. and Lilette is my front runner.

I've been so busy that I haven't uploaded photos in forever but I have good ones to share.

Roses from our overgrown garden



W reading the paper. He's taken to 'reading' the newspaper every morning at breakfast. At first he just opened and closed it, now he's really looking at the pictures, trying to find W's and P's.


and Pman loves opening and closing doors. Here he closed us out of the house

All this posting about Obama and I haven't participated. I don't know enough about politics to write intelligently about it. I know who I voted for and why I voted for him. I was terribly hopeless after the election but I received an email from a friend, William Vanderbloemen. It's called a Devo (short for devotional) and he is an inspirational writer. It's very relevant and made me feel better. Here it is. Oh, and you can sign up for his Devo's below. Hopefully the link works.

November 7, 2008

About Tuesday Night....

Dear dEvo Family,

The initial sounds of Tuesday night are over, but the echoes will be heard for ages.

I know that politics and religion don't mix. That is why I never write about the two together. I know that some of you will be angry that I would write about our election. But this week supersedes politics and is worth reflection.

For a moment, put aside your political preferences and think about what America witnessed Tuesday night.

Not too long ago, Rosa Parks was sent to jail for her election not to sit in the back of the bus. Tuesday, we elected a black man to the driver's seat of our country and the free world. I hope that you can feel at least one goose bump. I sure did.

Why? Because for a moment, we were able to believe that all things are possible in our country.

Debates and challenges will come soon enough. But today, we can enjoy a moment of hope. Let me encourage you to do two things.

First, pray for President-elect Obama. He is our new leader and God would have us do no less. Pray for his family. For his leadership. For his ability to govern us through a difficult time.

Even more importantly, pray that God use this week's hope to remind you of your eternal Hope in Christ. Presidents come and go. Nations rise and fall. But there is a hope that comes from a well deeper than one election and one moment in time. There is a hope that whose source is One who was here before all else, and will be with you until the end.

Maybe the doctor has said there is no cure for you. Christ the healer will be your hope. Maybe the world says you cannot climb out of the pit you are in. He will be the hope that lifts you out. He is hope for relationships that seem doomed. Hope for those beaten down. Hope for those who think they are at the end of the line.

And when you and I have breathed our last, even when time finally falls exhausted at the gates of Glory, His hope will only be beginning.

Remember this week and the possibilities it has shown us. And let this week point you toward a hope that springs eternal.

Hopeful,

William

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“dEvo’s” are an electronic devotional written by Rev. William Vanderbloemen. These messages are received in over 40 states and multiple countries. Feel free to forward to your friends. Join our growing list by signing up to receive devos at www.williamv.tv. It’s free. It’s private. And it’s a great way to spread positive spiritual advice to your friends and family.

Rainy Day in New Orleans

No school again for the LB so when I woke up this morning and it was raining I wanted to pull my hair out. At 8am I quickly got him dressed (Pman went in his pj's-hey redneck) and took off for the park because I knew we would be stuck inside the rest of the day.

We ran into a friend with a dog. W of course freaked and Pman nearly jumped out of my arms to get to him. It's crazy how different their personalities are. Anyway, it started to drizzle so we came home. P took his nap. I was going over several different possibilities for the day and they all seemed like such a hassle in the rain

1. Lakeside (so I could run some errands)
2. Children's Museum (blah, paying to park, getting them in strollers, walking in the rain)
3. Monkey Room (never been so still kind of reticent and not too sure what to be excited about). 4. Parenting Center

I settled on the Parenting Center in my mind. Then W said, "I want to go to Whole Food." Is this pitiful or what? I almost succumbed because I thought how easy it is to go there when it is raining with 2 kids. But I didn't.

The Parenting Center was great. I know I have had my moments of PC bashing in the past but W hadn't been in so long so it was all new to him. Pman cannot get enough and I get to sit and sit and sit and talk to other parents if I want to. Oddly enough there were twin 3 year olds so I didn't feel like we were invading baby turf. So that's my tip for a rainy day. If your kids are under 4 don't forget about it. and rumor has it it will be moving soon to a better and bigger place WITH a lot of parking.

Welcome

I have to give a welcome home to L after having her babies. Yes, babIES. They are finally here, the C twins and I cannot wait to meet them in all their identical glory. Welcome to the world, girls!

Boy, today has been a day. Everything was a struggle. Don't get me wrong it could have been worse but it just felt like I was going uphill the whole day.

I won't get into why or how I got so tired. But the fighting to get Pman dressed, to change his diaper, to keep him occupied at the grocery, to get him to stop crying after a 20 minute nap was just part of it. By the time we all got home from W's soccer practice I thought I was going to cry. J mentionned that I seemed frazzled and that I was. Like I said, it's nothing I can explain just a day in the life. I love what I do, being a mom, but somedays after a sleepless night I am just done. Today was one of those days. At 5:30 I couldn't see straight and I could't imagine fighting one last time with Master P to get him ready for bed. and then just when you think you'll never reach the other side of that really big hill.....

I went to get Pman ready for bed and miraculously he was relatively cooperative. We sat down in the glider in the darkened room to sing our songs and say our prayers and I hear W from the bathroom saying to his dad, "I have to go sing with Mama and Pman" So he came in and crawled up on the chair with us and we sang. I kissed them both during You Are My Sunshine and W leaned over to kiss Pman. Then Pman leaned in for a kiss from me and then for another one from W and he said, "Ki". He nuzzled into my shoulder and then into W's and we all were huddled together in one glorious hug. The song was done and W said goodnight and ran off to J for his "nigh nigh routine". I will go up a steep hill any time if I get that on the other side.

J's been getting on me about sleeping in both days of the weekends. A long time ago we used to alternate days so that each of us had a day but that all changed when Master P came along and the sweet hubby that he is decided to get up both days to help me through my little post partum spell. He did decide this. We never really went back to how it was before. I mean, can you really go back? I don't think so but he has decided it is a must. There are several reasons that I think we shouldn't go back. I've listed them below not only so I can garner support from other moms but so J doesn't think I am just a selfish boob.

1. I don't sleep well at night. I can't remember the last time I slept straight through the night. I can go to sleep on a dime but I usually start waking up every hour starting at midnight or 2am. By the time 4 o'clock rolls around I am so utterly exhausted that my best sleep comes after that but then it is interrupted by awakening babies.

2. I have to take care of two little fellas and myself 24 hours, 7 days a week and if I am not well-rested our days do not run smoothly and I am not the Super Mom that I want to be.

3. J doesn't physically need as much sleep as I do. He can pull all nighters working and still have the energy to be productive the next day. I on the other hand cannot function without sleep. I think in my whole educational career I pulled 2 all nighters. One was in highschool and one in college and I prayed to die the next day.

3. I find this to be the most important reason for me sleeping in on the weekends. J can spend quality time alone with the boys. While they love, love, love J and get giddy when he comes home at night if I am around they cannot focus their full attention on their father who loves them so much. They really do love their special time with him. Example: I got up with them this morning and W asked, "Where daddy?".
"Daddy's sleeping because he is tired from working hard all week." I did say that. I promise.
W's conclusion, "We have to go wake up Daddy."

So read the facts. Decide who's side you are on and pass a comment on over here. I would love to hear it and I am sure J would too.

Happy Halloween! W was super excited for Trick or treating tonight and even took his nap earlier than usual to get rested up for our big night ahead. He was a great dinosaur, roaring around. The practice run at Boo at the Zoo helped a lot. We went to several houses and at each house it went something like this,

Trick or treat!
Thank you!
Mommy, I got candy!
Next house!

For dinner he had some Pirate's Booty cheese puffs. Goldfish. Skittles. More goldfish. I feel so bad about it but he seemed content. We'll just load up him with some veggies tomorrow. They will be fried in the form of nuggets but you gotta take what you can get.

Pman was a good sport. He didn't get to participate much but he did get to partake in the Popeye's friend chicken.

I have a feeling that next Halloween will be even better.

We had the Annual Halloween decorating party at school today. As a room mom, I did nothing. It seems the title of Room Mom doesn't have as much power as it did in the day. The school planned the party and I just had to bring fruit. Someone told me Rouse's had fruit bowls already made. Sounded like a good idea to me. Well, $24.99 later, I had myself a fruit bowl. No matter, at least I wasn't peeling pineapple, de-veining citrus and picking apart grapes. Other moms outdid me what with the pumpkin and ghost shaped sammies and orange cupcakes-you know who you are-but you just wait until Thanksgiving.

W had a fun time. I melt every time I go to school and he doesn't know I'm coming. He was in fun-damentals class and he came around the bend and saw me-his eyebrows popped up and his sweet smile spread on his face. But my good boy didn't let go of the rope until they were led over to where they were going. He kept looking back to make sure I was there but he did what he was told.

So he had his 2nd round of trick or treating. He is enjoying this newly learned skill although this time around he just got crappy trinkets, no candy. Oh-he did get a candy bracelet but that didn't thrill him. Wait until Friday, my friend. You are in for the mother lode. We then decorated pumpkins and ate a cupcake and some goldfish of course. He played a bit and then we left and THAT is the Halloween story.

Why can't Halloween be more like Mardi Gras?

Y'all are going to think I'm crazy but I have to ask. When you go trick or treating, why couldn't people pass out mini pizzas or hamburger sliders, or a piece of cheese? They would be way more satisfying than a piece of chocolate. Less healthy, I admit, and a tad bit messy but I can do without the chocolate.

All the moms I talk to these days are berating themselves for eating all the candy they bought for Halloween. We have had a 12 pack of Reeses Peanut butter eggs in the house for ages and I think 2 are gone. But give me a pizza-chomp chomp-it has no chance of surviving. I think that's why I so look forward to Mardi Gras-the Popeye's, the mini muffalettas, the Le Popeye dip from Langenstein's. Now that's a holiday.

Mama makes a mean Turkey Chili

I am freezing. I am always glad for the first spurt of cold weather but after that I am ready to get back to the good Ole New Orleans heat. Unfortunately, that won't happen for a few months. I needed something hot to warm me up. I already had the ground turkey and was way over my weekly budget for groceries so I needed to work with what I had. Oh, and I wanted it to be relatively low in fat and healthy. That's how I got to the Turkey Chili. Just by coincidence it was a recipe by Nancy Lopez adapted by the chef of Canyon Ranch Spa. I've only been there once. My mom took me when I was in a college. They were running a mother/daughter special. It was some of the best food I'd ever eaten and so was this chili.

So if you're looking for a really easy, no muss, no fuss and healthy recipe look no further.
It was absolutely delicious. and Pman liked it too. I guess, technically, I can call it NolaMom's No Fuss Chili because I had to change the recipe due to ingredient shortage. It calls for chili powder, Hello!, because it's chili but I didn't have any. I substituted cumin for the powder and it gave it a kind of Mexican twist.

Here's the recipe and if you want to make it NolaMom style:
1. Substitute cumin for the chili powder
2. Add a half of an jalapeno pepper
3. Top each serving with a tblsp. of part skim mozzarella cheese

My dad called us the other night all in a tizzy about this new gadget he had seen on Oprah. My dad watches Oprah, you ask? Well, my dad watches whatever my mom makes him watch and this night it happened to be a tivoed episode of Oprah where she was pushing the Amazon Kindle.



He wants to buy us all one for Christmas and who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth. I had never heard of it but it sounded to good to me. And the more I have researched it I am super excited.

For those of you who don't watch Oprah or aren't technically savvy enough to know what it is..It's basically an e-notebook that downloads books. Don't worry it's the size of a small notebook. That was a worry of mine. I don't want to read books off of a blackberry sized thing. AND the big catch is that it is wireless so you don't have to sync up to a computer. You just pick a book and download it. There are no monthly fees. You just have to buy it AND the books are cheaper than they are in a bookstore AND for the environmentally conscious--you're saving paper.

Now I am a paper person. I like to thumb through pages as I am reading but I am so dang tired of
a. going to find a book at the bookstore that they don't have
b. having to wait for it to get here in the mail
c. not to mention that I am tired of my book bill. The last time I went to the bookstore I think I bought a book for Pman, a book for W and a book as a gift and it was 80 some odd dollars. Well, no more!

As of Christmas I will be an Amazon Kindle addict.
or maybe Christmas will come early. :) hint hint

Heart Disease in women

A few weeks ago I was talking about the chest pains I was having. I was freaked out because my grandfather died of heart disease at a young age so I went to a cardiologist. I had an EKG, echocardiogram, and a stress test and then had blood drawn. Turns out the pains were just heartburn or that's my diagnosis due to the fact that I started taking Zantac and it immediately helped. But I did all the tests anyway. Heart disease is the number one killer of American women, according to the American Heart Association and I want to be around for my boys.

Yay!Yay!
I passed the stress test with flying colors. I'm waiting on the results of the echocardiogram which is basically an ultrasound of your heart. It was wierd seeing my heart beating rather than W and Pman's. It was cool. and the thing I was worried about was my cholesterol. I don't know why because I'm a relatively good eater and eat a ton of nuts and fish and other things with omega3 fats. But my levels were all where they were supposed to be.

If you want to know more about heart disease check out the AHA website. It has good information.

I credit my good cholesterol levels to Dr. Ann and her suggested guidelines for heart health. I wish I could get paid for talking her up because I would be a rich woman by now.

It was too good to be true.

Pman eating anything and everything. EGGS! He hates eggs now. A week ago he couldn't shovel them in fast enough. On his first birthday I gave him cake and eggs and I wasn't sure what he liked best. He loved them and anything else you put on his plate. If your finger had gotten in the way he would have eaten that too. Until now.

My friend, S said, that God wouldn't do that to someone twice. Give them 2 picky eaters. No way! Try the eggs again. Blap. On the floor.

and now that he talks, his favorite word is cracker. Cracka!

I thought W would pick up good habits from Pman. But just the opposite is happening. Anytime Pman sees W eating one of his 4 staple foods he throws a fit.

Last night at dinner he must have swatted, and I mean swatted, 4 different foods off the fork that J was using to feed him. All the while yelling, "CRACKA!". It's killing me. Me, lover of food, foodie, bottomless pit, piggie has given birth to two boys who only eat CRACKAS!.

They have bonded over this. They fight over toys and sit on each other but they share Crackas like two little angels. What is a mom to do? Anyone?

For New Orleans foodies-Times Picayune restaurant guide

Ok. The Times Picayune's Lagniappe 2008 Fall Dining Guide came out this Sunday and I have to say that I am excited. I read it cover to cover and while there are things that I may not agree with both J and I can't wait to try some new places. Boy are we stuck in a rut. We went to Crepe Nanou Saturday night after a long hiatus and it's no surprise to me that it didn't make the 100 greatest restaurant list.

Moms, remember how chicken smelled to you when you were pregnant? Blah, makes you just wanna puke? That's how my roast chicken smelled and tasted. and oh, I'm not pregnant. The pommes frites were waaay over fried, almost burnt. J liked him because he likes a crispy fry but he has to admit, come on, you know you do, that they were beyond crispy. Anyway, I'm not here to talk about Crepe Nanou.

So as I was saying we are stuck in a rut. We always go to the same places and we have made a pact to try all, or almost all, (there are a few that I have no desire to go to), the restaurants listed. I'll keep you posted. It should be a fun and fattening year.

We've been super busy the past week and you all know that I am not a multi tasker so blogging has gone by the wayside.

W started soccer last week. He seemed to enjoy it even if he doesn't totally get it. It was pure chaos in my opinion and I think the whole thing is a racket. We are basically paying to use the ball while WE run around and try to get him to do what the coach says. As long as he has fun is all that matters. Right?


On Friday we went to Boo at the Zoo. We have bought tickets every year since W was 1 and have never gone. I told J to buy the tickets. He said yes on one condition...that we actually went. Of course Friday rolled around and Uncle RaRa and Aunt JoJo wanted to go to our usual Friday night dinner. It was so pretty, I could think of nothing better than sitting outside with them drinking wine while W ran around but I couldn't bail on the Zoo. J wouldn't let me. Turns out we had a good time. W got the trick or treat thing down pat,


we went through the haunted house and on the Carousel and J and I drank a warm beer while the boys laughed through the whole night. AND THEN once the boys were sleeping we got to order take out Superior Grill including a big fat margarita and reminisce about all the things the boys enjoyed about the night.

That brings us to Monday morning. Pman had to have a test at Children's. It doesn't seem so bad now that it's over and hopefully his results turn out ok. So that's what we've been preoccupied with this past week and is my excuse for abandoning my fans.

Blogging Block

I am having a blogging block. I don't know why. Is it because I am tired. I will get back on the bandwagon tomorrow. It's a new day.

When it rains it pours. and that is the doggone truth in New Orleans. Whether we are talking about the rain or the crime. This past week we've had 2 incidents close to home and it's starting to affect my daily routine.
1. The attempting kidnapping of a girl at gunpoint while she was cooling down after running. Luckily she had the wherewithal to scream bloody murder. I don't know if I would have been that courageously smart.
2. The attempted robbery at Laurel Street Bakery at 11am this morning. HELLO!?! Policeman hang out at coffee shops. Lucky for us that they do and unlucky for your stupid wounded and caught ass that you didn't.

Anyway, I sometime have dreams of moving to a quiet and sleepy town that is clean and safe and beautiful. Not that NOLA isn't beautiful because it is but it seems like more and more it doesn't seem as beautiful because it's dirty and crime ridden.

We spent the weekend at a family wedding with Uncle RaRa and Aunt JoJo and they made me a bit envious by talking about living in a place like the above mentioned because I think they may really bite the bullet and move one day. So they can google all of their favorite places and America's best towns and dream dreams that are a little bit closer to reality.

Don't get me wrong. I love NOLA in all it's dirty crime ridden beautiful glory but I just wonder sometimes what it would be like to live somewhere else. A girl can dream, can't she?

This post is more for myself than anybody but I wanted to make sure I wrote down somewhere all the things that Pman is doing at a year. He's not walking. or cruising but he's crawling like a banshee and pulling up and standing a few seconds by himself when he finds something so fascinating that he needs both hands. He's more into his vocals these days and says:
dada
mama
good
hi
bye bye
ba ba (bottle)
pop pop (take your pacifier out and throw it in the crib)
cracker

and he's close to saying Cheerios.
It's really a fun time for us all-watching him grow and learn.

When I was pregnant with Pman one of my biggest concerns was how the LB was going to feel once he was born. Was he going to feel like we abandoned him? Would he feel left out? Would he be really jealous of the baby and hate him and wish he would go away? I think it's a normal feeling to have with the 2nd child. You have gotten so used to your life with just the one, your daily routines, that you can't imagine incorporating anyone else into it.

Well, I had the baby and I think it was probably me that needed to adjust the most. The LB hung on to J for the most part. He figured it out when I was in the hospital I guess, that Dad was doing everything for him now. and it didn't seem to bother him. It just bothered me that he didn't want to hang out. He liked the baby and all and was awfully sweet to him-more so than he is now. and that's just it. I keep telling my friend who is about to have twins that the feeling goes away and you find a new normal. and part of that is true. You find a new normal but that worrisome feeling never went away. It's still here. Every time I have to stop playing with W to tend to Pman. He gives me a look, like hey, mom, we were rockin' and rollin' over here and now you're leaving. I get the same look when I scold him for taking something away from the baby and every day after bath time when I have to leave W still wet and wrapped in a towel to get Pman crying from the hallway because he can't keep up with us. and it makes me sad for him. It makes me sad that he won't ever remember when he was the Main Man around here.

LC and Justin Bobby?!

I just have to say 'Yuck!" and I thought that was what LC has been saying all along about Justin Bobby, Audrina's long time crush on The Hills. She said she liked boys who bathe and he definitely doesn't fit into that category. So why, oh why, LC have you strayed to the dark side or should I say dirty side?

Read here for more.

I'm having an affair...with a younger man

I never thought it would happen but it did. It took me totally by surprise especially because he's kind of bald but I find it kind of cute, I have to admit. He laughs a whole lot although when he cries, he crieds hard so we have a lot in common. The crying thing and that we both love food-salty food. He likes sweets, like I do, but nothing is better than a salty scrambled egg or a pizza. I haven't k nown him long. Only a year.

I feel like I have known him forever. It seems like just yesterday that he was stuck in my belly all breached and everything. My Pman.

I cannot believe he is 1 year old!

This affair really took me by surprise because the other 2 men I am having a love affair with are older. I swore there would only be two men in my life. Up and down, I swore it. But overnight Pman and I bonded. And I cannot tell you how it happened or why I just know that it will be forever. My other 2 men can talk and walk and have our own special bonds but Pman and I share a bond over food that cannot be compared.

My baby is growing so fast. Just yesterday he was nursing and today he's eating meat and eggs and cheese and potatoes and cous cous...well, don't leave anything in his path because he will eat it. But enough about food. He is sweet and silly and handsome and passionate. He is everything I could ask for in a baby and I can't believe he is growing up. His hair is growing over his ears, he has the cutest darn snaggle toothe you have ever seen and has an uncanny knack of making W giggle like he's never giggled before.

Happy Birthday Sweet Pman! I love you with all of my heart. Thank you for being one of the men of my dreams.

Love Mom

J and W have downstairs playing and I just have to say that W can kick a ball. Man! I am impressed. He always seems like such a baby to me. Especially when he's around other kids, whether they are younger are older. He looks young and innocent, like my baby and he acts young and innocent. But tonight for some reason when they were kicking the ball around he grew up for a few minutes. It was weird. He was standing taller and he was kicking that ball with all of his might. He was yelling "Pow!" and saying how he was "going to kick it tru the air!". and he did. No grounders here. All of the balls he kicked were hard and fast and caught air. He's going to be the man. J doesn't like soccer. For some reason he's more of a football player. He always ribs his brother about his nephew playing soccer-who btw is a REALLY good soccer player. But I think he may have a change of heart once his baby grows up and kicks everyone's ass on the soccer field.

SHUTUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All I'm asking for is a little freakin' quiet around here. It's 2:25pm and the boys have both just stopped crying and dare I say it, gone to sleep but the noise is still here. Out on the street the city is doing something with a big frackin' hose that sounds like the world is coming to an end. No wonder Pman couldn't go to sleep. I want to believe that they are doing something necessary but for some ODD reason I believe that it's something completely idiot. Does it surprise you? Living in New Orleans. There is always something stupid going on and it's usually during naptime.

A day late...

Happy Birthday, JoJo!
I meant to write a tribute to JoJo on her birthday yesterday. and it was a big one I can't believe it. JoJo is my sister-in-law. She is the big 3-0 now and I still can't believe that she is so young.

Aaahhhh, to be young again.

If you knew her you would think that she was older than her 30 years, not because she looks old, because she doesn't, but because she is mature and level headed and has a work ethic that rivals J's (that's huge). She's got a good head on her shoulder, is calm and collected and doesn't get all wound up about stupid things (like I do) She runs a successful business-Drama Kids International-if you are at all interested in signing your kids up for the program. That's the other thing, she's great with kids, yeah and they are not even hers. That's a huge asset. She takes these kids and develops them into great, confident actors.

I think the best part about her is that she is handy. Oh, that goes a long way in our family because we don't have many "handymen". and every family needs one of those. JoJo is ours.

Anyway, she's great. and we love her because she's a jolly good fellow.

Hope you had a great day and have a great whoopin' it up night tonight!
LoveMe

I just yelled at the Little Buddy. He wouldn't get dressed and J was in a hurry to leave early. So I yelled at him. It was the only thing that would get him to take me seriously. I feel awful and guilty . Just another reason to feel like a bad mom. But a few minutes later he was over it. He looked me in the eye again and smile and then he gave me a big hug. Oh, my sweet baby W. If only I could get over the guilt as quickly or at all.

Not enough time to do anything else AND blog

Nola Notes went on an internet hiatus for a week. I can't imagine but I can imagine how much I could get done. If I weren't online now I would be making my bed, picking up toys, organizing the office, finishing the decorations for Pman's birthday, folding clothes, cleaning the kitchen or brushing my hair. The last one goes by the wayside a lot-usually the first to be dropped off the to do list when I need to drop something.

I feel like I have 100 things going on when really it's only 2. My sweet baby's 1st year birthday and shopping for a wedding in a few weekends. I'm not a multi-tasker-I know we've talked about it before-so having 2 things on my plate makes my stress level go up. Not to mention the state of the stock market and all that is going on there although I do my best to not think about it while shopping for a fall wardrobe since I haven't really bought anything of substance since Pman was born.

I got sucked into the same shopping trap the other day that I always do. I am so frantic to find something to wear for all of these wedding festivities that I rush, rush, rush and buy the first thing that looks good on me. It was this dress. and I have to say I looked smokin' hot! I thought so and so did the saleswoman (so she said). I brought it home, gave J one of my weekend fashion shows that he so loves me for and he just smirked. He said he didn't like the fabric. That's all? You don't like the fabric, I thought? Men don't know anything about fabric so I wasn't worried until I talked to L.

"Oh. Ohhhhh. I know exactly the dress. Is that really you?" She told me she bought an earlier a version of the dress a few years back (well, she said she had 3 of them) and that she never wore it because although she looked damn good in it-it's really flattering, I have to say-it was just too cheesy to wear. Damn! She was right. I was telling my mom the story. She was laughing and J was listening. I said I didn't want to look cheesy. He said, or like a yat. Great. The truth comes out AFTER I already decided to return it.

So I've returned the dress, bought another one and am returning the 2nd one today. J told me it wasn't flattering. What is wrong with me? Has my sense of style gone out the window-just from being a mom?

Nola Jewelry

I don't usually tout a lot of products on here. but I was scrolling through Decor8's blog and I noticed that one of her sponsors had NOLA in the name so I checked it out. I was impressed. It's called dejarnette new orleans It's a jewelry design website with really unique designs. Many people make cool jewelry but being that this seems to be a NOLA site AND she had cool things I thought I would share it with you. There's a few necklaces that I absolutely LOVE including the ones made from vintage chiffon ruffles. It's sooo not me but for some reason I am totally intrigued.

Couscous lover

Pman takes after me in the food department. He loves it. He relishes it. He gets giddy at just the sight of his highchair. He doesn't want to be spoon fed. He wants to savor the experience all on his own-to feel the textures of the food. Squoosh it in his hand, up against his face. He wants to know it, learn everything about it. So everyday I try to give him a new food, a new sensation. Today it was peas for lunch and couscous for dinner. I have to say that he's a couscous lover. Here he is saving a few grains for later.



And while Pman is eating, W is wearing his sunglasses at night.

Sorry for the poor quality photo. My camera is on the fritz and isn't going to make it through the week.

No rest for the weary

It was a long, fun weekend and by 9:00 last night I was ready for bed. As I checked my email one last time I glanced behind the computer and saw it. The frickin' notice to make play dough-a room mom duty. I said I would do it (be a room mom) and would be superb at the role so I lumbered wearily back downstairs to make the home made stuff. By the end of it all I was skipping back and forth from the kitchen to the den to let J know just how proud I was of myself. It worked! My green play dough is now waiting at school to be mushed and prodded and probably eaten by all of W's class.

I just got back from the cardiologist. I feel kind of stupid but I am glad I went. I am getting more tests done because of the history of heart disease in the family but in so many words he said it was from carrying Pman around. He said a lot of women who have babies that are old enough to be heavy but not yet walking get chest pains. Interesting, eh? So looks like at the least I can garner some sympathy from J and the rest of the fam for carrying around 21 pounds of heft day in and day out.

But he's almost there. He's a bit late for this family but I can tell he's about to start walking or atleast pulling up to his feet instead of just his knees. Now he pulls up to one knee and one foot. Come on, boy! You can do it, if just for mama's heart.

and if you are in the market for making play dough, here's the recipe:
3 cups flour
1 1/4 salt
3 cups water
6 tblsp. cooking oil
6 tblsp. cream of tartar
vanilla extract or mint (optional)
food coloring (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Then mix until creamy with a hand held mixer. Dump in a pan on the stove and let it cook on low until if forms a lump. Dump it on the counter, let cool and then knead away. Store in an airproof container.

You don't need to stir it at all. Just let it cook.

Clancys, How to cheer up a boy, Heart attack symptoms

I've been really tired this week. It's been a hard one kid wise. W is in a non sharing obstinate mode and Porter must be teething so is super whiny. Always up my butt crying after me. It's very draining. I was really looking forward to last night. J was coming home early to take W for a hair cut and Pman and I were meeting them for dinner out. Yay! Yay!

or not.

J called around 3pm to say that he had to change the haircut. I thought I was going to cry. I am surprised I didn't. Maybe because before the tears started falling he said, "Be ready at 5." Turns out he planned a night out for me. Wahoooooo! and wait, this is the best. He called the babysitter!!!! What a guy. and he's mine!

We had a fabulous time. We went for a drink at Houston's because there is nothing else open that's not full of smoke at 5. But my wine was delicious. We had a great time and then we went to Clancy's!

..........

When I picked up W from school the teacher told me that he was sad for a bit on the playground. He was crying under the play structure. Both teachers tried to hug him and he didn't want any part of that. and then his friend A came to the rescue! She went under and started hugging all over him. The teacher was worried that W didn't want that either but she said he cheered up right away and A got him to come out and play. Doesn't that just warm your heart? I cried when I got in the car. I'm not sure if I cried because he was sad and wouldn't tell anyone why, or because of the sweetness of A or because of something unrelated to that, which brings me to my heart attack.

..........

Since Gustav I've been having chest pains. I thought it was heartburn at first but now I get them at any time of day or night. and it's always different. Sometimes it's a sharp pain, others it's a tightening of the chest (like today which lasted at least an hour) and sometimes it feels like heartburn. I'm a pretty healthy person. I eat super healthy (except on Sat. and Sun.) so I just can't figure it. It's got me freaked out because my grandfather died really young of heart disease. My dad asked me if I was having shortness of breath. I wasn't until he asked me. Now I am wondering if this is all in my head. Oh, and my hands are numb sometimes too. Anyway, not to worry. I am going to the Dr. next week. It's really nothing to take lightly, either. So see below if you are having signs of a heart attack. I got this off of americanheart.org

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
  

The new 90210

I missed the first show and I obviously missed a lot but am still addicted only after watching the other episodes. A few quick notes:

1. The brother-he says something on the first episode (I saw it on "previously on 90210") about how everyone in Kansas knew about his "adopted" story. Hello!!!!! You're black. You're parents are white. You don't think they are going to figure out your story in L.A.?

2. Brenda. She's looking pretty damn old. I am not an advocate of stuff like this usually but she's on 90210-get some botox. I do have to say that she is probably the best actress on the show.

3. Love Annie. Cute, likable, real.

4. Annie's mom. Wish I knew her name-you know the lady from Full House-like her but feel sorry for her that she's playing the mom.

5. Naomi. Kick her off the show. She sucks.

6. Ty. blah. He ekes me out. Looks too smallvillish and plastic.

7. Kelly. Glad she's back but what teacher wears a shirt cut down to her coochie?

8. Nat. Why oh why did they have to bring him back!?!

9. Brandon. I wish he were the father of Kelly's baby. Maybe Nat could sell Peach Pit to Brandon. That would kill 2 birds with one stone. Nat out, Brando in.

One of those days

Mama is tired. I feel like I sound like a broken record and I am trying to be conscious of how many times I say it to W. but I am, tired. I don't know why. It's been a rough week. I know I have a great life but this week has just been very trying in the kid department. I need to take out my book and see if W is supposed to be acting like this. He doesn't really want much to do with Pman and gets really pissy if Pman gets near any toy that is remotely in his line of sight. He's taken to throwing things at him. Is this normal? Yesterday I put W in time out a few times for not sharing with him but then I was worried that he would start to resent P. Today I was being silly with W after their bath but stopped for a second to bring Pman into the room and when I got back W was all frowns and wouldn't even make eye contact with me. I don't know what to do and it is draining me. My friend S said that maybe because W has to share at school all day long that he doesn't want to have to share when he gets home. I get it. I do. and I even took Pman upstairs a few times so that W could play without anyone in his face or knocking down what he's building. and he seems to appreciate it. So I she's hit the nail on the head. It's just that I can't take Master P away every time W wants to play. What to do!!!!????

My friend LC is pregnant with twins. and you know after all of these years of being obsessed with The Hills I am just realizing that she and Lauren Conrad have the same initials. Of course they are different with some similarities. They both always look hip but The Hills LC doesn't haven't cravings for Little Debbie Fudge Rounds. Anyway, that's besides the point. She's having twins and kind of freaking out. She hasn't gotten used to the idea yet. She's having them in a few weeks. But the point of this post is to let her know how great it will be and to apologize for being the one to remind her of the true misery of having a newborn baby. She went through it with me. I cried and screamed and was totally and completely depressed. Not to mention I was fat and nursing and dying for my wine and some fun in my life. On Halloween of last year Pman was only a few weeks old and I got to escape with just J and the Little Buddy to her house for some Halloween fun. I think she and her family might have been horrified at the amount of wine I drank. I was on a downward spiral. I may have hit rock bottom although J thinks otherwise which is a whole 'nother story.

So, dear LC, I am sorry that I put you through the misery while I was living in my own private hell and I am even sorrier that you will have to go through it all over again. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. For me it's this:

and you too will see the light once again even if it's double vision.

New Template

I am so burnout on all of these blogger templates. I am not satisfied and wish I was technically savvy enough to create my own. But for now, this is what we've got. This is the new look of the moment.

It was a very exciting weekend over here. Pman said his first real word. Well, technically Mama is his first word.He's been saying that for awhile now, mainly when he wants something oh and he says Hi. It sounds more like "Aaaaah" but it's really hi. but Saturday he said "Pop Pop" in plain English. I am still giddy over it. Pop Pop in the our language means pacifier. It's also a verb as in "Pop pop your pacifier" meaning spit it out. We got this family word when W was a baby and he had to take his pacifier out of his mouth before he left his crib. So it went from being a verb to being a noun. Anyway, I was getting Pman up from his nap and I said, "Pop pop" and threw the pop pop back in the crib and he repeated me as clear as day. A happy day.

Have you been to Houston's in a while? A casual fine dining chain for those who have never heard of it. Anyway, they are trying to make it a bit higher end but it's still a chain nonetheless. They were a bit miffed from the start at having to put us at a table rather than a booth because Pman is too wiggly at this point in his life to sit in a booster seat. We need a highchair where we can strap him down. Then this guy takes our drink order and I ask for a water for W. I asked for something like a plastic to go cup, something that he can't spill or drop and break and you would have thought I asked for a freakin' cow. This is how it went.
"Do you have a kids water or just a to go cup for him?"
"Actually, no we don't."

We are in freaking New Orleans where people have to go cups stocked in their house in every closet and every drawer imaginable. and Houston's doesn't have a plastic cup. Well let me lend you a few. I have them coming out of my ears. and there is nothing kid friendly on their menu at all. Now this doesn't bother me as much. It's our own fault that our kid is a picky eater. But to not have a frickin' cup that a toddler can drink out of? Am I being unreasonable? The whole thing pissed me off. So he brought our drinks. and there was a straw in every drink except for W's. I mean really. I'll stop now because maybe you're not interested but I can no longer tout this place as a good restaurant. Our salads sucked anyway and I am still amazed at the prices. I think the bill was $50 and that only included an appetizer, 2 entree salads and an order of french fries. and at a chain restaurant.

We went to MiLa on Saturday. They have been getting a lot of good press lately and I was intrigued. So we went and I have to say it was unbeleivable. Now, if you know me by now, I am a stickler for service. and there was one thing that pissed me off when we first arrived. It was early. Not one other person was in the restaurant. The host was this big obese football player looking guy. but he spoke so softly that you couldn't hear him. "Speak up!", I wanted to say. He sat us at this back table behind this random curtain. I sat, thought about it, got up and asked if we could sit somewhere else.
"No."
"No?" I swear this always happens to me. I show up at a place with no one esle in the whole restaurant and they tell me that all the tables are full. I get it. they have it mapped out but I know from my limited restaurant experience that you can work around this when it is only 6pm and you haven't even sat one table of the first seating.
"No." he whispered. "All of the tables are reserved."
"And everyone who is coming reserved an exact table?"
"Yes."
I stared at him ready to perform the broken record technique.
and he caved. Thank goodness the waiter was very likeable and really went out of his way to make me forget the ass.

So my supper was the most steaming hot, juicy sweetbreads over truffled grits. and then I had the double cut pork chop with Israeli couscous and greens. The dessert menu was awful. Just kind of wierd so we didn't partake but the whole experience was incredible save for the minor incident at the beginning. I highly recommend it. There's a reason why they are getting so much national press.

It's getting LOUDER IN THE HOUSE!

Naptime was almost over. I could hear Pman stirring, cooing a bit. As I neared his door I heard W. I had this strange anxiety wrenching reaction run through my body.

How did the LB get out of his crib and into Pman’s room?

He was chattering away although his words were indecipherable. Then I peeked my head in to see just Pman sitting up talking up a storm. It’s usually the loudest right after his nap or after he’s eaten. And it’s usually just babble or AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

(W thinks this is hilarious so he always responds with an outside voice AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” and this can go on for 30 minutes.)

But the past few days Pman is really coming out with some well articulated sounds, which is why I mistook it for W talking to him behind closed doors.

Oh, the joys of boyhood. W is a calm, quiet boy but with the addition of Pman and school he has really come out of his shell. I always prided myself on that fact. The fact that I didn’t have to deal with the rambunctious ness of boys but it seems to be changing. I fear now that my house is going to be one where mothers of dainty little girls will not want to hang out.

Baby Steps

I'm back. I feel like since Gustav I've been in a flurry of homemaking. Does that make sense? Well, you get it, don't you? We got back to a messy house, full of dust and dirt and debris and brown leaks from the windows and once I got all that together with some help of course-I just couldn't stop! and now I am on a mission. To organize myself, my kids, my house, my life. and by golly I am going to do it. But baby steps mind you. If you would like to join me, I need all the support I can get.

First step: Take baby steps

My first baby step project is the office.
You know those shows where they go to someone's house and you are always appalled at the amount of crap they have. How could ANYONE live like that!? Really. I always think that buy judge lest ye be judged (is that right?) whatever that person living in that crap is me! I should take some pictures. I will. I will post those later. Now keep in mind that with my baby step goals it's a tad bit better so you can only imagine what it looked like before. When we first moved in over a year ago we used the dining room as a catchall room. When I got so embarrassed that people were seeing all of the sh-- downstairs I just transferred it all to the office and the back house. That's how I got to where I am now.

Holly Homemaker

Holly Homemaker, here! or you can just call me Nola Mom.

I am so proud of myself. Everything around here is slowly falling apart. I don't know if that comes with the territory of owning a house or it's just my house. I tend to think it's just this money pit but who knows. The latest catastrophe is that our Roman Shades in our bedroom are falling apart. The string popped and they've just kind of been hanging around. No pun intended. I thought about just getting new ones made but they really are too beautiful to throw away (they came with the house) So TODAY I decided to get my handy ladder out and tie the strings back together. I retied the string at the bottom, strung it up through the loops to meet the top end and tied them together. I had to get to the tippy top of the ladder to do it and I was scared. Really. I am not handy and I don't know how to do alot of things but I was bound and determined to figure this out. Turns out I can buy a whole new string for Roman Shades. Who knew!? You're probably not sharing in my enthusiasm right now but for someone like me who just doesn't do anything around here for lack of knowing how, this was a big step. I'll keep you posted. I know you'll be hanging by a thread!!!! waiting to find out what happens.

Facebook: Are you a Fanatic?

I’m a Facebook fanatic (FF). I can’t help it. After several months of being a member I am a total junkie but like on day one I have no idea why. I mean, I have reconnected with some total blast-from-the-past friends which has been fun but otherwise I just don’t know. I have written about it before but it’s still on my mind. I think because I have been abandoning my Nola Mom duties and feel very guilty about it. They say that something isn’t a problem for you if it doesn’t interfere with other parts of your life-well, Facebook falls into that category. I even dream in Facebook-it is crazy-like I dream about typing in my status or dream about that someone else has added a “friend” But I guess I did the same with blogging when I first got on the bandwagon. If anyone can explain the addiction, why I just can’t stop, it would be greatly appreciated.

I went to a fundraiser, golly, I’m old, a few weeks before Gustav. J was talking to this guy he knew. A mutual friend of ours walked up and this guy says to her, “Oh my God, I’m addicted to Facebook!” and the sad thing was that I knew he looked familiar….from Facebook!!!! I swear to you that I ran into at least 3 acquaintances whom I would have otherwise ignored had they not been my “friends” on Facebook. Maybe it’s bringing me out of my shell a bit. I know I can come across as a total bitch when in reality it’s just a bit of lingering shyness and insecurity leftover from my teen years but Facebook has made me BOLD!!! Okay, I’m being a little silly but there is some truth to it.

Please, please, please, if you are a FF like me, chime in and let me know why you too are one.

We're back from our evacuation from Gustav and we arrived to a relatively undamaged house with electricity and a delightfully fresh refrigerator. We learned from a neighbor who stayed that we were only out of power for about 9 hours so the icebox didn't reek of pooky week old hot food.

There was a lot of cleaning up to do, still is, but we were able to fill 9 bags of hefty bags between the two of us. W did his best to help out. Of course he had to stop for a cookie break.




I am glad to be back to being a NOLA Mom and hope it lasts at least through the week.