Mommathon

It was going to happen sooner or later. Liam had his first semi-major bike crash today. No broken bones or anything like that, but he landed on his face. He looks like someone punched him right in the cheekbone. He also got caught in the inner elbow by the handlebars, I think; he has a weird-shaped bruise there, too. I took pictures of the poor guy, but they don’t do his injury justice. I will have to try again tomorrow.

Our school had their annual fall festival this weekend. It is one of the major fundraisers of the year, so it is a pretty big deal. The weather was perfect and the boys had a blast.

Liam went straight for this jumping contraption.

From October 2008

Fishing for prizes

From October 2008

Trying to win a real fish…so glad they lost.

From October 2008

From October 2008

From October 2008

Colm loves any book that has the Berenstein Bears in it; we just happen to be reading this one at the moment.

One year ago today we moved into our new house. I do not plan to put myself through that kind of hell again any time soon. I hate moving. Really, I do. If I learned anything from that move it is that hiring movers was THE BEST decision we made throughout the whole ordeal. They were worth EVERY EVERY penny. Our house really looks like people live here now, too. When we first moved in it was perfect-no dents, no scratches, no fingerprints on the walls. I can’t say that now. Happy anniversary, house. This is the only picture I have of us in the process of moving. It is a picture of the kitchen in our previous house which is clearly in limbo.

From Meadowridge House

I went, I saw, I ate. Really, it was a very good time and the hostess did an awesome job decorating for the occasion. Each table had a different theme with the placecards, napkins, table decor, etc. but in a very adult way as opposed to a preschool Halloween party way. There was a fall-themed table, a bat table, a pumpkin table, a ghost table, etc. There was SO MUCH food-it was like Thanksgiving! There were two different types of lasagna, three different salads, two different types of risotto, a tortellini dish, roasted potatoes with olive oil and italian seasonings, carrots with mint, flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and lemon meringue pie. There were also various wines, Halloween brew/punch and some yummy tea. Oh, and there were three different appetizers. One was my bruschetta which was quite yummy if I do say so myself. (The secret is the fire-roasted tomatoes.) Am I glad I went? You bet. I had a nice time talking with my neighbors and I got to eat some great food.

I have some mixed feelings about going to gourmet today. Gourmet is a group of ladies in my neighborhood that meets once a month for a very nice lunch. When I say nice, I mean nice…linens, china, the works. There is a theme each month and then you are assigned an appetizer, beverage, main dish, dessert or salad, etc. and then you pick what you are going to make that goes with the theme. I have never been to gourmet before and am not a “regular” but signed up to be a sub so as to not seem totally non-social. Also, if you are a regular you have to host all of these ladies at your house at some point and, quite frankly, I don’t know where I would put 24 people for a sit-down luncheon. I just feel weird about all of us whiling away the afternoon sipping beverages and eating off of china while our husbands are working their tails off at work. It just seems so stereotypical JOCO housewife. Ugh! It is very organized, too. There is one mom who always has all the preschool and under kids at her house. Everyone chips in to pay for the babysitter and, voila, you have a kid-free afternoon. Which, I assume, is part the appeal. I am sure it will be lovely and the food will be great, but I am still going to feel a pang of guilt knowing my husband is at work enduring meetings and eating his brownbag lunch while I am eating a super yummy Italian feast. I have got my bruscetta fixings all ready, now I just need to make it. I’ll let you know how the party goes.

What lingo are you tired of hearing this election season? I’ll start:

Maverick

Liam went through a few stages as a preschooler that were annoying, but bearable. There was the nose picking stage and the hands-down-the-pants stage. Again, annoying at times, kinda funny at times, but bearable. Colm is going through a potty talk stage that is driving me NUTS! Seriously nuts. I know it is being fueled by all the little boys at school, too. (I am not blaming the other boys, I am just saying it is a whole lot more fun for preschoolers to talk about poop when there are others laughing along with them. ) We went to a birthday party last weekend and at one point all of these little boys were in stitches because they were coming up with all these poop things to say while they were eating their cake. Oh, so funny. I think this poop stage is particularly annoying, too, because it is driving Liam crazy so they fight about it. Mom, Colm said there is poop on my head. Mom, Colm said I smell like poop….and on and on. You get the idea and the more Liam complains the more Colm keeps it up. This, too, shall pass.

Be a part of the research that learns how to stop breast cancer.  This is a new way of looking at eradicating breast cancer.  The focus is on studying healthy women so doctors can learn how to prevent breast cancer from ever forming.  Dr. Susan Love, along with Avon, is looking for an army of healthy women to help researchers reach their goal.  You sign up and if you meet certain criteria you may be contacted for a blood sample, a urine sample, a tissue sample, etc.  It sounds like a pretty easy way to make a HUGE difference.

Monday- Minestrone (finally!), salad and French Bread