Snow Day Update

It's days like today when you most appreciate having plenty of room
in your garage to keep your car snuggly warm and dry.

Happy Snowy Day friends!

Officially 11" here in Ballwin!

"Sno...sno"

I wanna watch that show Starsky... WARNING: Political views and opinions expressed as well as BAD language!

I'm not one to get super political here, but A-Le inspired me to dab my toes in the political blog-water. I wanted to post what I considered to be a super-HI-larious and intelligent skit on SNL two weeks ago by my favorite, funniest female super-woman, Tina Fey. I would have posted it earlier but NBC copyright sucks so bad (am I right Mark and tpd?), they keep pulling the clips from anywhere that posts them, so if this stops working, I apologize but as of today, I was able to find an embeddable (is that a word?) one.

I was so inspired by this little skit, I even made a t-shirt (imagine that) from it. While, I will be most happy to support either of these two democratic candidates, there is something about Mrs. Clinton that I like and admire. After all, bitches get stuff done.

Feel good story for the day since I'm still not quite feeling good.

I'll fill you all in later on how much gallbladders SUCK, but for now, here is a feel good doggie story. Great ending, but I'm warning you, heart tugging.

Vignetting, duh

A cute pic before photoshop:

An even better pic, cropped, photoshopped and using a technique called vignetting.
Cool, huh? I'm working on it...learning the ins and outs of PS.

Like the ghetto gloves? It's only too bad you can't see the one on her other hand.

Blame it all on my roots... I showed up in Boots

Okay, so I have a dirty little secret, well it's not really dirty, per say, but it is a secret. I really like Garth Brooks. In fact, so much, I've been OBSESSED with this song since it debuted in November. I even asked for the new CD release with this song on it from about 10 different family members for Christmas, yet not one family member got it for me. I realize that should tell me something internet friends, but I can't help it. I really really like this song. I've even pulled a TPD lately where I just keep watching it on YouTube over and over again since I DON'T HAVE THE CD! I like to sing along loudly and dramatically to the words as if I feel his pain. In fact, I'm pretty sure sometimes Bridget and my clients here at Sydney's Closet feel pain as they listen to me singing along to this song again and again and again..but I digress...

Please don't hate me, friends, now you know - it's worse than you thought, it's not only Jimmy Buffett, it's also Garth Brooks. There I've said it, and now I'm going to return to watching this video on repeat.. uh I mean I' m totally going to play Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Beatles' White Album while contemplating the meaning of life and the greater sociopolitical impact of this classic and meaningful music on our society.

Sidebar: I smell another weather-off coming. Will post after I see an updated forecast this evening.

Sidebar II: I am also willing to sell TPD and his cough to the highest bidder. In case you were wondering, no, he is still not over this paralyzing flu that hit us both last week. I am still coughing and drippy but fairly functional while he is still mopey and deep coughing, errr, I mean a barrel of laughs and would make a great addition to any family. All reasonable offers will be considered!

Throwback Thursday: Tomboy Edition #2

I thought this was a cute follow-up to our last tomboy-themed throwback. Can't you just see this pic on one of those adorable kid baseball cards? Scary what pictures I have access to, isn't it? You never know when you're going to be next!

Land of the Living... Barely

The common symptoms of the flu include:

• Fever (usually high) Check, if you call 100.7 high, but check on the fever..
  
• Headache CHECK!!!!
  
• Muscle aches The worst part of it all - check!!!
  
• Chills Check - only had them twice, but that's twice too many.
  
• Extreme tiredness Check, but unable to sleep (see other symptoms).
  
• Dry cough Check - but not dry.
  
• Runny nose may also occur but is more common in children than adults - Definite check for me, guess I'm still a child at heart!
  

These past few days have completely sucked, internet friends, I won't lie, but little by little I'm returning to the land of the living - not feeling like you're going to die is a start, right? Hopefully Tim is not coming down with this, too, but this morning it was not looking good for him. Luckily, Bridget seems to be holding her own. I'm thankful for the flu shot she got and keeping every single thing in my body crossed that she doesn't get what I've had for the past three days.

I will return to regularly scheduled whenever I feel like it blogging as soon as I feel like a human again: AKA - when my taste for non-fat mocha's and egg McMuffin's return.

Wash your hands people, know the flu facts! :) I'm bathing myself in Purell and Oust pure air sanitizer these days.

PS - Yes, that is a New Kids on the Block Donnie Wahlberg button hiding under the salt and pepper (don't ask) on my night stand, wanna make something of it?

Heartbroken

It's so hard to believe anytime something like this happens, but when it happens in your own backyard, it is even more surreal. I drive past that city hall numerous times a week and that drive will never ever be the same.

My thoughts and prayers are with all the family members and the entire community today and in the coming weeks.

It's one of those times you stop and think how unimportant life's small frustrations are when put into perspective with tragedies like yesterday.

How was your morning?

Our morning begins...

The time: somewhere in the 7 o'clock hour.
The perpetrator: Brogan.
The setting: Our backyard: the ghetto-ultra Hoosier - Tim rigged-up dog fence and one highly motivated Brown dog.
The crime: Said motivated brown dog busts out of said rigged-fence to freedom.
The resolution: Yours truly (just out of the shower, wet hair, still in a robe and barefeet) running around like a crazy person in 20 degree weather yelling in a panicky high-pitched tone, "Brogan, BROGAN! want a treat? treat... treat ... TREAT!" to try and bring him back. Luckily, that was successful and he was returned home without further incident, I however, after 10 minutes outside, still have icicles in my hair and a tiny case of hypothermia potentially.

The following 45 minutes were filled with more extreme stress as we tried to get two adults ready, one of them showered, one tiny half-pint dressed, fed, bundled & packed up and out the door by 8:15am so that Tim and I could make it to my doctor appointment on time (which, as you can probably guess we did not - BUT we were only 4 minutes late - a minor victory). Not to mention, all the while I'm trying to balance out when I am supposed to drink that yucky orange drink for the blood glucose test at the doctor and when to start drinking my 30 ounces of water for the ultrasound following.

To summarize, the doctors appointment was great - 4 chambers in the baby's heart - YES! (Not that I was really worried, but always reassuring to hear that everything's good speech) I'm 27 weeks (aahh only 11 weeks to go!!), baby's over 2lbs, 140 heartbeat, less than Bridget's so maybe a boy?! More likely, tho, that has nothing to do with anything. Got my blood drawn for that glucose test to which I'm now praying I don't have to return for that miserable 3 hour follow-up like last time. - GO BLOOD - come on metabolize that sugar properly, will ya? So, all in all, once we actually made it there, the appointment went pretty smoothly with little to no waiting, which is NOT the norm at my office.

So, back home and since I was STARVING (again, no food this morning for me due to the test and ultra-sugary orange drink) and, surely about to DIE of water ickiness (you know that yicky feeling that comes from drinking too much water on an empty stomach) and starvation, I immediately went for food. Upon deciding on a lovely breakfast lean pocket, I hit the one minute auto button (or so I thought) and left to go check email and talk to tpd. I've decided to let the final part of our morning's story be told in a picture montage as I feel it does the best justice anyway...

Just so you don't worry, everything is fine, I only wish I had pictures of the plumes of smoke billowing out of one tiny microwave but at the time I didn't think running for my camera was acceptable. We actually had everything taken care of but our alarm company had already initiated the fire department. They were very nice and even gave our neighbor's little boy (fascinated by the big fire truck on his street) one of those fireman plastic hats.

So, this morning we learned:

1.) Whether you are chasing a dog fugitive around or sucking smoke out your house, 25 degree weather really SUCKS.

2.) Smoke inhalation is serious business.

3.) Breakfast lean pockets are not to be taken lightly.

4.) Even the awful smell of charred lean pocket in your hair, (and as tpd said, "it's burned in my nosehairs"), can be laughed off when your puppy is not lost after all, you have a good doctor appointment and your house is filled with the sounds of a little 17 month old voice saying "tur-tle"all morning.

Who's a Big Dork?

Oh yeah - me.
But, I voted (unlike 2004's voting debacle)!

Someone showed me this sucking in your cheeks thing to make your face look skinny
- while I think it does work, it also makes me look like a fish, doesn't it?!

A webmaster QB rises to the occasion

Who would have thought back in good old football fantasy land that when it came down Muldrow's qb vs. mine in the real Superbowl that the webmasters qb would be victorious?

Sure, everytime webmasters played that pesky Business Time team, Brady would score like 87 points while Eli struggled to stay in the positive and pull out a 6.23 pts, BUT in the end, in the big time game to end all games, it was Eli.

Geez, Eli would it have killed you to have played like a Superbowl qb the other 18 games this season? Anyway, no hard feelings, Eli, I still love you and I'm glad I defended you all season against all the critics.

Congrats Eli, Strahan and all the Giants!

PS - What was your favorite superbowl commercial? I think I gotta stick with this one - I just love it too much - it might be my favorite commercial of all time! (the etrade baby spit up and all was definitely a close 2nd!)

PPS - A-Le can you send me those pics of them playing under/on/in the box if any of them turned out cute?

Throwback Thursday: Friday Edition

Sorry, with all the weather hoopla, I missed the Thursday throwback. Enjoy today's cute-as-a-button, tom-boy throwback.


PS- Yes, I am conceding this one to the weather people, although I still believe it was over sensationalized. We got about 6" out here in glorious Ballwin and it was nice and pretty, but it wasn't exactly a blizzard and I didn't see the need for them to break into my favorite shows every 15 minutes either. But, yes, chalk one up for them.

Weather people - 1, Erin - 1

Snow Check

The boys are ready for a big snowfall! Could the weather people actually be right? All they need is 4 inches to win this weather off and judging by the early start to this snowfall - they may just get their first win of the season.

Edited to add: 12:31pm - now I'm not buying it as much anymore. I just saw a news update where there is going to be some "major" break between this little burst of snow and another. Plus, it kind of depends on which way the "weather system rotates". So, I smell backpeddling, and I'm holding firm that I'm not buying we'll even get 6 inches.

Anyone know if there is psychotherapy available for weather obsession?

PS - I'm blog happy today - don't miss the post under this one!

A real client letter word for word (I only wish it could be read in the dramatic breakup letter fashion)

I love this client... a lot, but I just had to share part of the email I received from her this morning:

Hi Erin, was wondering if you have time to come by when you’re in the neighborhood? We have been testing the internet and want to work on it. If I just Google – designer – we don’t come up.

Whew, thankfully someone is testing and working on the internet these days - especially since Al Gore is spending all his time spinning his wheels about the environment.

I do appreciate the vote of confidence that I could just buzz in while in the neighborhood, waive my magic fingers over the keys and "work on the internet', thus making everything in Google land exactly the way they would like it to be.

*Stress* - I really like them, I'm not totally being a hater, just thought the way that was worded was humorous.

Really, Cindy, REALLY? Cause I'm not buying it.

I'm not getting my hopes up about this bad boy as just yesterday I heard Scott Connell say "I don't think this will be a major weather player for the immediate St. Louis area"... well, then Scotty boy what do you have to say about this??

You all better not be sensationalizing this one cause I just canceled my dinner plans for tomorrow night.

Throwback Thursday: Going to the Dogs

They passed the 5 year mark, can you believe it? Oh man, we'd be sending them to kindergarten this year, but since they're dogs, they're now actually older than us.

Happy 1st Birthday Ava James!

Hope you have a fun-time celebrating your
big #1!
Seems like this was just yesterday, I bet even more so to your mommy and daddy (tell them I can relate!).

PS - Also tell them to upload some new
pictures for crying out loud or I'm going to have to send Bridget down there and she'll teach you how to do it yourself!

This ones for you, Steve Jobs.

Hmmm... this looks like very interesting reading material.

Nope, I was wrong, it's about Vista and it just flat out sucks.

Throwback Thursday... GRRRRR

Barrette's in the hair and warrior paint on the face? Can you say conflicted?
And what's going on with the clothing?

Day #2 - Treat-a-Rama

Cheers Muldrow for the BEST friend gift exchange present EVER
(at least for me).

Day 1 (yesterday) = McDonalds - small coffee with two splendas & one cream and a Bacon, Egg and Cheese biscuit. I know, I know bad for the sludge that has taken up residence in my Gull Bladder (another post for another time) and my ever-expanding waistline, but sometimes a pregnant girl just has to have some bacon. Which, if you don't read Dooce and haven't seen this funny skit on bacon - check it out here, in fact, I blame this skit for the whole Bacon, Egg and Cheese debacle in the first place.

Day 2 (today) = Grande Mocha, non fat, no whip. How sad is it that I have more money left on the McDonald's gift card then the Starbucks one?

Lastly, for those going, what the hell is she talking about now? We had our friend Christmas gift exchange over the weekend and I ended up with 6- yes 6 beautiful gift cards all with $5 each on them. This was perfect timing for me since I am a big fan of "treats". An Erin treat can come in many different forms; morning coffee not made in my kitchen, an ice cream cone on the way home, a 7-11 slurpee, and my favorite, when not growing a human being in my stomach, is the oh-so-special "treat beer" - you know, the special Winter Brews or Summer Ale's that pop up seasonally... mmm beer. So, when Tim and I decided to work on a Debt Diet after the first of this year, the treats were one of the first things to go.

Well, thanks to A-Le - I Rock - Muldrow, the treats (minus the beer for a couple more months) are back - at least for 4 or 5 more days.

I'd give anything to know how that little mind works...

Lately, we hadn't been able to find the "i" to her Bridget puzzle (don't worry Mom and Dad D, it was recently located under the couch). Then, the other day, I was watching her playing with her alphabet refrigerator magnets when she came across the "i" magnet. Now, you're probably not going to believe me, but I did not tell her to do this, (in fact, by the time I took these pictures she had already done it once) - but she took the little plastic "i" from the refrigerator, carried it into the living room and put it into where we are missing the wood "i". Impressive? I thought so. Picture taking worthy? She did not think so...

Throwback Thursday: ca. 1985-1988

For some reason, this picture always pops up on my other monitor's slideshow rotation and every time I see it I laugh out loud. So, in the interest of true evilness, I thought I would share it with all of you. Names are withheld to protect the innocent... especially innocent puppies with Soda names.

PS - He didn't shoot his eye out with a
Red Ryder BB Gun if that's what you were thinking.

Bridget's High-Profile BFF Saves the Day

We drop Bridget off at "school" - a nice part-time day care close to home - but we like to think of her doing her post-graduate studies there, baby glasses and all. It helps me get more work done at home without feeling guilty that we're not working on animal sounds or building her vocabulary all day long. I'm lucky in that I already had my parents watching her one day a week practically since she was born, but I found out that just wasn't enough time to get everything done. It used to be really easy to manage her at home, but little by little she started to grow up, and then she started walking and talking and actually needed to be watched a little bit *the nerve* and the decision was actually pretty easy, we both needed a new arrangement.

Now the days she's home are filled with more play time and fun time, than those stressful days of panicking trying to meet a deadline while shoving a non-stop supply of cheerios in her mouth to keep her happy and busy. It certainly wasn't easy sending her to "school" after having her home with me for so long or just at my parents house, but she has fun and socializes with other kids and I don't feel guilty about trying to concentrate on my client mock-up while listening to her whine to be picked up at the side of my chair.

She is mostly excited to go there and when we even mention the word "school" she will actually look for her backpack, "ba puk", go to the door, sit on the first step of the stairs, sippy cup in mouth and just wait for dad. She knows she's in for a wait while dad finds keys, wallets and everything else he's usually missing in the morning.

Last week, she moved up to the toddler room (sigh - already I felt like I was sending her off to college or something - the toddler room... seriously? how did that happen.) The transition to this room has been a little rough since she was never a very good napper in the infant room, she certainly isn't better in the toddler room where they sleep on cots - COTS people! A 16 month old on a cot - crazy, isn't it? But they all do it - well, all of them except you know who.

So, today as I dropped her off - which I should preface by saying - I don't do drop offs - they suck saying goodbye and even though she is usually happy and runs off to play, occasionally when I do the drop off she gets clingy to me a little and may even start crying - so was the case today. She was sad and didn't even want me to put her down. She was doing that little kid - I'm just going to hold my legs straight out as you try and set me down so you can't possibly put me on the ground - move. It was so sad and then the tears.

Just as I'm trying to plan my exit strategy before I start getting clingy and crying, this adorable little girl (seriously - I've mentally named her Suri and believe one day I'll bump into Tom or Katie as they run in to pick her up -she looks that much like her) walks over to me, tugs on my pant leg a little and in toddler jibberish says something like, "Brid-shet, Brid-shet, no cry, no cry." Bridget looks down at her, rubs her eyes a little then reaches down for her with a smile. Aahh, huge exhale, my anxiety level drops 18 decibels and I remember why this is really a great thing for both of us.

Thank you, Suri...do you even know how much better you made my morning?

There's a Place For Me... Somewhere (Not so subtle West Side Story reference)

I used to coop myself up in my room for hours performing various artist solos. I loved to perform so much that sometimes when I was much younger (okay, okay maybe I still do it now...) I would line up my stuffed animals as if they were an audience. I was on a serious Amy Grant kick for a while, then graduated to show tunes after I fell in love with West Side Story. From the time I was probably this little girl's age (in the video below), I was not afraid of performing... alas, I just didn't have the voice -or the talent. I have the dramatic flare *I think* but NO MATTER WHAT I TRY, I cannot sing....or dance really. It didn't stop me from auditioning for school plays, and it still does not stop me from singing and dancing in front of friends and family, I just really suck at it. So, I will never realize the dream of being on stage in the title role as Maria with Tony by my side singing One Hand One Heart, I've given up on that, but, as scary as this seems, I see a lot of this in someone else...

Babygirl loves anything and everything musical - from those little moving shaking stuffed things where you a push a button and they dance and sing (I wish I could stop buying them!) to commercials to the radio to her new MP3 player, she loves them all. AND she loves to dance. I haven't been able to capture the true glory on video just yet, but she doesn't just dance, she constantly looks at you to make sure YOU KNOW she's dancing. She's putting on a show for you. And her newest addition to this routine, is the movement of her mouth along with the words. She doesn't match them up at all, but she knows that mouth movement makes the words come out so she "mock sings". It's hilarious and probably inherited - I'm worried I've taught her this on some level, from dancing and singing Nelly and T-Pain in the car to just rocking out to the Wiggles in my office or when a good commercial comes on TV (NOT the Beyonce one), she sees it all the time.

Sometimes I get so stuck in baby land that I feel overwhelmed by the work and the day in day out of get up, change diapers, get dressed, feed 'em, get 'em out the door, etc that I forget there are so many funny hilarious things that go on right now and even more to come. What kicked off this post this morning is that I found this video and it totally made me flash forward. I'm pretty sure some day in the not-so-distant future, I'll be recording videos just like the one below. It starts kind of slow, but just get to the chorus, the way she closes her eyes in true dramatic fashion like the world is watching her perform. It completely takes me back to my fake microphone and full length mirror in my bedroom and brings me forward to baby girl's performances with real words and dramatic flare. In fact, don't tempt me or I'll go get my video camera out right now and show you the best fake performance of "I Feel Pretty" as portrayed by yours truly....
really I will.

Peachies for me and peachies for you...

No long post for right now, too tired and not enough time to recap 2007 in the true fashion it deserves, but just a quick note to say Happy New Year to all! It was a fun celebration last night, even if some of us went and got ourselves knocked up and couldn't imbibe in the beverages as much as we would have liked - hey, at least the boys will owe us next year!

I wish you all many more fun times with good friends and family in 2008 -
is there really anything else? Love to all!

And to Mr. Homeboy (currently sacked out on the couch as I write this) I hope your favorite day of the year, was everything you look forward to all year long and more...

PS - Kids, don't try this at home, he's a trained professional...

Sort of...

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to All

Christmas Morning Bedhead and all

Kicking off the Christmas festivities in my church best.

The Wiggles drive me to drink, too.

On another note, notice the Christmas decorations in the background? I may have stayed up until Midnight (or later) every night this week, but damnit, there will be Christmas spirit in the Delanty house - kitchen or not!

PS - I totally photoshopped that fire in the background since I took this picture this morning. I just couldn't take the empty fireplace, but it makes you all warm and fuzzy doesn't it?

PPS - Check back later as I may have to kick off the weather off for this year tonight. Remember this and this and this? Yes, I need help (not to mention the time I used to have last year...geez).

Apparently Norman Rockwell moments can't be captured with a 15 month old

The setting was perfect - mom and dad have decked out the lakehouse into a truly homey - we could be on a sitcom if only there was softly falling snow outside - kind of way. I, in my little Christmas tree shirt and goofy little country lake house hat, Tim...well, at least he had green on even if it was his "always" shirt with a mug of beer on it... we were holiday color coordinated. Bridget in her adorable little reindeer pajamas - what else did we need to create the perfect holiday card...well, other than the boys, but they didn't come this weekend (big doggy holiday party they didn't want to miss) so they will be subject to photoshop perfection. Anyway, what else did we need or should I say what did we NOT need? Oh yeah - a 15 month old with a mind of her own...

Mom - your hat is really much more interesting than sitting still.

Aunt Kim tries to help bring her slowly into the picture with the good old
"hang the ornament over the baby's head trick".

Nope - I'm not going to sit on this sled ANYMORE....

Unless, I can get on it myself...Backwards.

I doubt you'll hear much more from me before Christmas (2 weeks from tonight - aah!) due to trying desperately to pull together a kitchen redo before the family holiday party HERE on the 22nd, the fact that I only have bought two, yes two Christmas presents - one which is for my future niece or nephew who won't even be in the world yet this Christmas, two websites due to go live before Christmas and much more... SO, since I'm sure you're all in the same holiday crunch - I'll just say, Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

No BCS Bowl for Mizzou

By the way, Kansas, have I told you lately that I HATE you?

Oh, yeah and BCS whoever you are in that magical BCS sky of yours, you suck too.

I'm not bitter or anything, though.

In Mourning...

I feel like the weather outside today. Gray, windy, cloudy and getting colder and colder... it was a rough night last night. While it was great to get together with friends and kick back and have a few tasty better than nothing O'Doul's it was painful to watch my Tigers lose and lose big. Even a close, down the wire game, as stressful and intense as they are, would have been better than to just flat out lose. I was sad for the players, for the students, for the Alumni and for any St. Louis sports fan. I was sad for Tim, Dad, Mark and myself as we have all walked that campus as students and can identify with what current students must be feeling today and next week as they go back to class and await the news of what bowl game Mizzou will get and keep thinking of what might have been...

I know, it's just sports, it's just a football game, but it is still painful. No, it is not even on the richter scale of truly important things in life, but it is one of those things that make life... well, life, and for today, just today, I will hang my head a little lower and feel sad for all those young players and their crushed spirits as they are for today... very real and very important.

To a great season and for making our lives a little more exciting the past couple of weeks - Congratulations Tigers!

Fight, Tiger, fight for old Mizzou,
Right behind you, everyone is with you.
Break the line and follow down the field,
And, you'll be, on the top, upon the top.
Fight, Tiger, you will always win,
Proudly keep the colors flying skyward.
In the end, we'll win the victory,
So Tiger, fight for Old Mizzou!


PS - On a much happier, lighter note and for Liggy - I have posted the pics from Thanksgiving.

MU vs. OU: A future cap as portrayed by Brogan and Riley

Chase Daniels stares down his somewhat formidable opponent, the Sooners

The faceoff: Tigers vs. Sooners, MU wins the toss

A battle ensues

At times, Oklahoma shows signs of not going down without a fierce fight
(Daniels and the tigers, however, are not intimidated)

Ultimately, the Tigers are just too much
and the Sooners roll over and beg for mercy.

The End

Tigers and Chase Daniels as portrayed by Brogan Delanty
Stinky Sooners portrayed (albeit unwillingly) by Riley Delanty