Fall is ON!!

Last year I did not partake in the pumpkin patch-hay ridin'-farm lovin' festivals that infiltrate this here country side east of the Mississippi.  This year -OH HELL YEAH!  Bring it on FARMER JOE!

We went to Montpelier Farms.  A very hip place for the young and the young at heart. Milo and the husb were not the biggest fans of the corn maze, but it was cool, so I made them walk through it. Like a good mother/wife.

The hay maze was much more their comfort level. Lame Simple, but more comfortable...;)

The biggest hit was the big 'ol bouncy house.  He went in twice.  If we had the yard, THIS would SO be in the budget!!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! It's like Disneyland!  But more "rustic." And less Mickey.

Hey, hay ride! Milo grabbed daddy's hand saying, "tractor, tractor, tractor!" He actually kept himself seated throughout the whole ride, which toured the entire farm.

This years maze theme is "Salute the American Soldier." This piece of awesomess was composed of hay. And maybe some metal and a flag.  Hard to tell.

It's like I'm in a parade. But without the hundreds of fans cheering me on...

I still can't believe that he stayed put in this thing. It may have been my heimlich grip around his waist and the threat of walking home if he even thought about escaping...

It's the great big pumpkin, Charlie Brown!!

This, of course, is the, "Milo!  Hop up on the horsey so mama can take your picture!"
"AAhhhhh, NOOOOOOOOOOOO"
...click...

                                                       The fun really doesn't stop here...

                                                                             or here...

or here....I really loved this place...made me want to go buy a farm and put a bunch a fun stuff on it...

and the BEST PART??

BAM. 



Stop yelling at me. He'll get a sibling sooner or later...

                                                        Sit in chair, buckle in

 insert tray, lock in place

                                                have a snack, converse

insist on safety while in moving vehicle

I'm assuming this is all very typical "only child" behavior.

Also?  This kid stuff cracks me up...

bored? lonely? Get yourself a 2 year old...

We know how to have a good time around here.  Or at least Milo does...

stop the imadness WAIT! there's an APP for that!!

I've been noticing the "i" craze:

ipod
iphone
ipad
itouch
itunes
ichat
igoogle
ihome
imax
ivillage

 ithis, ithat, ieverything. What about...

mepod
mephone
mepad

Because it's ALL ABOUT ME.  I want it bigger, faster, shinier, smaller, smarter, prettier, sleeker...AND IT BETTER SMELL GOOD, TOO.

And, then, there are all the APPS.  For everything.  I mean, the ieverything.

IDEA! iIdea! I'll invent the ieverything!! Then I'll be the champion of the universe!! I'll be the richest ibitch EVER because ihave the ieverything!

Mother Nature?  Father Sky?

Yeah...there's an app for that too.

Feeling claustrophobic? Download inature and in a nanosecond you'll be at the iocean sitting on your iyacht.  Or the imountains, skiing down the islopes.

The possibilities are iendless.

since you've been gone

My husband-guy periodically leaves for very important top secret missions.  I probe him as to the particulars, but he's a sucker for his security clearance.  Which I'm okay with, because it pays my bills.

haha.

Yes, he knew he was marrying someone with $25,000 worth of student loans.  And maybe a credit card with a balance that included 4 zeros.

Anygolddigger, when he does these "business trips" I am forced to find my inner single parent energy.  Fortunately, I was able to score some shifts at work and I could really play the whole single working parent gig. Unfortch, that leaves a pile of trash, laundry, and dishes.  AND,  I miss my naps.

So when I get a parking ticket AND get backed into by an SU-fucking-V within 45 minutes of each other, I am also forced to find my inner WHATTHE FUCKITY FUCK I DON'T DEAL WITH THIS SHIT WHERE IS MY HUSBAND calm-casual superwoman-ness.

The lady that backed up into me (haha) was supercool as we exchanged car insurance info. I almost wanted to see if she wanted to go get a Margarita and an appetizer afterwards.  But I had the kid and well, y'know... Meanwhile, Milosis was in his car seat, having a less-than pleasant sniffle. I guess a big jolt to the car while mama is not in it, can terrify a 2 year old.

(quick story: We were parked at a gas station.  I got out of the car to pump gas.  As I inserted my credit card, I heard a big BANG.  That would be my bumper getting french-kissed)

So when we got home I did what any normal person who just got backed up into would do.

"Call the insurance company to file a claim?"

Oh, no, not this girl.  I rearranged the living room.

I could insert all the excuses (dinner, gym-tan-laundry, spider webs), but honestly, I just didn't feel like dealing with it.

(you hear that?  that's the sound of my husb shaking his head, rolling his eyes and sighing)

The next morning, I got a call from the car insurance company -it rhymes with Fate Charm. Fortunately, the whole thing will be covered by the lady's liability, along with a rental car and blah blah blah.

When I hung up with them I thought, "maybe I should ask them if/when this whole deal will expire. Because I'd like to rearrange my bedroom next and I just don't feel like dealing with the whole -get my car fixed- thing."

Moral of this story: Don't park behind a vehicle that is bigger than yours at a gas station right after you get a parking ticket for parking in the wrong spot AND an expired employee parking permit.  ALL while your spouse is out of town and you really need to take out the trash/laundry/think of what frozen dinner you'll throw in the oven tonight.

And entertain a 2 year old.

Also?  My hat is OFF to those who truely juggle the single/working/parent thing.

conceptual semantics

"So, how's the daycare situation going?"

GREAT! 

So, regarding the whole daycare part deux. It's going well.  I guess.  Milo hasn't come home complaining of being bitch slapped, starved, bored or marinating in his own shit for 3 hours.

And those are very good signs.

However, he has caught on to the new route we take in the mornings.  He now understands that if we turn "left" we're going to daycare, and subsequently being dropped off for the day.  If we stay straight then we are going to the gym and the whole day is reminiscent of my SAHM days.

So, now we have a whiny "OH NOOOOOOOO" boy in the backseat when I make the left turn, as he frantically points in the other direction.

"Milo, you're going to school today!!!"

                                   "Noooooooooo!!! Schooooooooool!!"

"Suck it up, kid.  You'll be in school for the next 20 years. Besides, school for you means art, storytime, learning about colors/shapes/days of the week, free play, friends, and playground time. I think you'll be FINE.  OKAaaaaaaaY! STOP WHINING!!!"

This doesn't work well on a few different levels, so I try a different tactic:

"Milo, you're going to daycare today!!!"

                                        "Daycare? Daycare? Daycare!!!

And he's fine. No whining, no kicking. Just Chill.

So, I don't get the whole "school" vs. "daycare" phenomenon.  But we go with what works.

5 Years: Wedded

This "married" stuff cracks me up.

Thanks for hanging out with me for the last 5 years. 

Happy Anniverary! 

Click here to see a most excellent video montage of our wedding!

Viva NYC

You didn't think for my husb's 30th bday that I would just post a sappy little thing on the blog and then we'd hunker down with a 2 year old playing with trains and boogers then make some spaghetti and garlic bread and afterwards do the bath, story, and so to bed young one, now we can watch a nice romantic comedy then *yawn* *stretch*  "I hope you enjoyed your birthday sweetie *kiss* nighty night..."

I don't freakin' think so...we went to NEW YORK CITY!!!

We took a bus out of D.C. straight away into Manhattan. 

Where they dropped us off in front of:

Turns out this is a very popular area.

And so is:

Times Square! Which is basically one big advertisment. Well, lots of advertisments in bigness and lights.  Lots of flashing neon advertisments going on...in bigness.

We also visited the MoMa. Paintings, photography, sculpture, architecture -a modern art lover's wet dream museum!

 

  The windows!! Yay! Framing my BFF and Husb! Yay!

Henri "bad-ass" Matisse!  I'm a huge fan of modern art...and it was very cool to see some original Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh and-and-and...!

I'm with this guy. Again! In front of a window with a loverly view of the city! Yay! (can you tell I really loved this window?)

and there was also some Empire State Building visiting action...I've never been up there at night, and boy, what a view...

...including the 2 beams of light indicating where the Twin Towers once stood. Breathtaking!

  The cast of Brooklyn Bound Debauchery. AKA: Roomies on a train.

Thanks for letting us take over and trash your pad stay with you guys!

Ah, New York...what a great city to celebrate your 30th birthday!

Grand Central Station.  Also turns out to be a busy place. Huh.

Sushi...


French food...

chocolate brunch!

A country girl in the City. I so excite!

Keepin' up the the Dorkashians...(I might be a tourist)

I'm not topless.  Seriously.

And where was the little guy?

in very good hands...

And that's how you do a birthday!!

someone around here just turned OLD!

The big 3-0!!  happy birthday baby daddy! 

How do I love thee? Let me count the 30 ways...

1.  You let me sleep in every weekend every so often.  Taking the boy out of the house so it's all quiet.
2.  You don't smack Milo back in the balls.
3.  You let me go drink wine at the local wine shop while you play with the boy -chasing him up and down the street.
4. You change just as many diapers as I do.  Maybe more.
5.  When you come home from work or a long trip you jump right into "dad" -barely taking your shoes off and dropping your bags
6. you clean my bathroom.  !!!!*****!!!!
7. you kiss me everyday!
8. you have a hard time having fun without me
9.  you laugh at my very poor un-PC jokes.
10. you man-scape keep up with your appearance
11. you neglect to shave on the weekends. Zexy!!
12.  you have a steady job (11 years!!)
13.  you drive my old, crappy car while I drive the new, cool one.
14.  though it's not my bag, you enjoy the history and military channel. I find this SEXY AS HELL.
15.  you watch HGTV with me. Especially House Hunters marathons.
16.  You are blind to my acne outbursts.
17.  you cook a mean dinner. A LOT.
18. you vacuum when I ask you to
19. you get by on little sleep and usually keep your remarks silent on how I need lots of sleep.
20. you let me rant when the universe is being an asshole.
21.  you say I look great! when I haven't brushed my hair in 2 days and am still wearing the same tank top and sweat pants.
22.  you have always said you were sorry first.  Always!
23. though I have made some less than savory meals, you have never said to me, "Please pack your knives and go."
24.  you give some really fantastic hugs.
25.  you ask, "what is your mom up to this weekend? she should come over and have dinner with us."
26.  you make a very handsome baby
27.  you talk to your family just about every week.
28. you are very successful at starting household projects...;)
29. you are a man in uniform. OUCH!
30.you understand and are okay with the fact that this here blog post is considered your birthday card! 

te he...

Happy Birthday! 

Welcome to the 30+ club!!

(finally!!!)