tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372536032012-02-15T03:59:31.181-05:00This is SO not a food blog.Tanianoreply@blogger.comBlogger3641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-12522587398446229152012-01-03T22:43:00.003-05:002012-01-03T22:43:37.123-05:00

I've moved!  You can find me at http://andcallmeinthemorning.blogspot.com

Tanianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-91771700327983975882011-11-06T19:12:00.003-04:002011-11-06T19:24:28.089-04:00

Today I was standing outside Pumpkin's Hebrew school with another mom, waiting for our children's release from their grade one class. My companion's son came running out first, waving a piece of paper in his hand. "We wrote a letter to God!", he beamed, obviously proud of his accomplishment. The other mom and I read the letter together:Dear God,Thank you for my wonderful life! I love my life!

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-81053127441439238282011-11-01T20:03:00.004-04:002011-11-01T20:12:52.630-04:00

Check out the spelling list for Pumpkin's grade 1 class this week:

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-6506698736949379002011-07-12T21:56:00.003-04:002011-07-12T22:31:40.436-04:00

I hate that I have become a cliche. Mommy-brain, or call it whatever you want, has sunken in and taken hold. I've been arguing that I just have too much on my mind, which is why I can't keep track of everything, but I'm starting to believe that I'm just becoming stupid. I write stuff on a paper calendar when I have a scheduled event. Ridiculously though, I sometimes forget to look at it. Not

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-45169653959110269722011-05-13T21:15:00.004-04:002011-05-13T22:05:17.516-04:00

Not that any of you are particularly interested in my menstrual habits, but today's funny stems from a recent trip to drug store to purchase some monthly supplies.The feminine hygiene aisle is clearly marked at this particular store, providing opportunity for any meandering, male customers to avoid it if they so desire. I know that this is kind of a sexist comment, but after long ago listening

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-77541487884251214832011-04-10T22:12:00.006-04:002011-04-10T22:24:37.577-04:00

It was a fun end to the season!

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-6031748306497282012011-03-22T10:12:00.002-04:002011-03-22T10:15:21.049-04:00

From an article in today's Star:“The tryptophan content in turkey is no more than in any other kind of meat, and yet people have latched onto the idea that it makes you sleepy,” says MacFarlane, sounding exasperated. “The only reason you’re sleepy is because you’ve had way too much alcohol, way too much food and you’re with relatives you don’t like.”

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-29085362966146785712011-01-14T14:24:00.004-05:002011-01-14T15:03:17.831-05:00

We have an eliptical trainer. It's a pretty nice one, similar to the ones at the gym, or at least similar to the ones that were at the gym the last time I actually set foot in one. That would be about eight years ago. We purchased the machine to replace my gym membership, figuring that the law of convenience would prompt me to exercise a little more. And I did. For a while. Then the kids

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-72955654326685948192011-01-07T14:20:00.003-05:002011-01-07T14:40:38.391-05:00

At the beginning of this week, we initiated our plan to rip out the circa 1982 bar from our basement, with the intention of making a better play space for the kids. It was an unsightly bar, and we weren't planning on hiring a bartender, so why keep it?Well, there was a fair bit of mould within the particle board constructed bar, so our handyman thought it a good idea to pull off the baseboard

Tanianoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-84464937413203339312011-01-01T20:45:00.003-05:002011-01-01T20:55:49.140-05:00

Happy New Year, everybody!I obviously took a break after the namopoblowme thingy, but supposedly I'm rested and refreshed, and ready to play again. I always need to start slowly after a break, so let me start with a piece of advice:If you happen to have strep throat, even if you are on the mend, wasabi is not the recommended food of choice during this time.

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-89222318474034415552010-11-30T21:29:00.008-05:002010-11-30T22:27:12.837-05:00

Well, the end of November is here. You know what that means??? I can finally shave off my moustache! What a bedroom buzz kill that was!In unrelated news:That's all for now folks. Cheerio! Now run along!

Tanianoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-8567878721002494972010-11-29T21:11:00.004-05:002010-11-29T22:07:24.236-05:00

So here's a fun idea for some of you: If you happen to have both a wedding video and a five year old, put the two of them together and make notes of the conversation that ensues.Pumpkin has been asking me if she could see the video of me walking down the aisle, which I agreed to, but then forgot about. The video turned up today in a search for something less important, so I went ahead and

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-73447661780120707972010-11-28T21:41:00.007-05:002010-11-28T21:55:12.872-05:00

Pretty cool Wordless Weekend shot, huh?

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-17917804757624329182010-11-27T22:40:00.006-05:002010-11-29T17:03:56.004-05:00

Pumpkin has made the move from baby-ish television shows to 'big kid' cartoons. This change has somewhat been an annoyance for me since the old channel didn't have many commercials on it, and the new one is chalk full of ads designed to sell every toy that they make in China.In the wake of Pumpkin's appreciation of more 'sophisticated' cartoons, the other night I decided to record Charlie

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-30685540267909754682010-11-26T21:56:00.006-05:002010-11-26T23:00:06.357-05:00

I worked in sales for a good chunk of my pre-mommy life. I wouldn't call myself a go-getter, but I think I was fairly successful because I am approachable, friendly, and pretty good at chit chat. If it weren't for the fact that I grew to hate all the customers, I'm sure I'd still be at it in some capacity. Despite the disdain that grew out of spending too long in the same roll, there were

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-53909668428758153872010-11-25T21:31:00.009-05:002010-11-25T22:21:52.543-05:00

Pumpkin spends a fair bit of time at my mom's house. Recently, she was over there, fretting about the fact that my mom has the most basic cable package, and doesn't get the cartoon channel. My mom explained that it was a way of saving money, and that not everyone has enough money to buy everything that they want. She subsequently found something for Pumpkin to watch on PBS, which made Pumpkin

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-45997534592795391342010-11-24T21:02:00.005-05:002010-11-24T21:16:58.848-05:00

"Mommy, why do you have so many cookbooks?"No clue, honey! Now shut up and eat your Alphaghetti

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-4064673919118733952010-11-23T21:52:00.011-05:002010-11-23T22:36:27.778-05:00

I know that I get some traffic on this itty bitty blog o' mine. I average about 30 hits a day, and a good two thirds of those hits are deliberate. The rest are people hitting the 'Next Blog' button, or people just googling, "Mac and Cheese". I'm not sure why anyone does such a vague search, not adding the word 'recipe', or something more specific, but whateves. I'm not here to talk about

Tanianoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-83918085587313159942010-11-22T18:24:00.005-05:002010-11-22T18:52:17.021-05:00

Whenever shopping for over the counter meds at the drug store, I always grab the extra strength version. I've never actually understood how someone could grab regular strength when the 'mighty extra strength' is sitting right there on the same shelf.Would you like us to do a half-assed job at curing whatever ails you, or would you like to go with something that'll kill it totally, and offer you

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-14607188395929424942010-11-21T21:42:00.004-05:002010-11-21T21:56:51.976-05:00

Last month when we took Pumpkin on a trip to Winnipeg, we left our car at the Park n' Fly. It's pretty convenient, and often cheaper than an airport limo.On our way home, we got into town later than Pumpkin's bed time. Her eyes were red, and we could tell that she was desperate to sleep. Then she had to experience the wait at baggage claim. Then she had to wait for the shuttle to return us to our

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-23152206198708963222010-11-20T21:44:00.009-05:002010-11-20T21:54:57.759-05:00

Wordless Week-Ends! Gotta love 'em!

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-82068045359188956562010-11-19T22:50:00.004-05:002010-11-19T23:03:28.525-05:00

Chichi had her first solo day at preschool today. It went extremely well!Pumpkin and I had the opportunity to catch a mid-day movie together today. As it turns out, mid-day is my sleepy time, but I enjoyed taking her nonetheless.Chichi said quite a few words today!Tonight, being Friday, I routinely opened a bottle of wine, a bag of ketchup flavoured chips, and watched my favourite show. The

Tanianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-10093114627078103362010-11-18T22:01:00.007-05:002010-11-18T22:39:34.828-05:00

It feels like just yesterday when I couldn't think of anything romantic to post to The Huz on our anniversary, yet here we are again! This is hard for emotional recluses! So how are we celebrating? Well, we started out by singing the Flintstones' version of 'Happy Anniversary', you know, just for Pumpkin's benefit. She then ran off to school and told everyone about it, as evidenced by her bus

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-66944674377937347482010-11-17T18:22:00.007-05:002010-11-17T21:02:42.158-05:00

Today was Chichi's first day of pre-school. This is no biggie for me as I am not one of those moms who cry whenever they feel that their kids are growing up too fast, but I did decide to stay for the full three hours given that it was her first day and I wasn't sure how she'd handle it. Really, I don't have attachment issues. Really.Overall, she did quite well! The only time there was any

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-73438345068065318502010-11-16T21:52:00.006-05:002010-11-16T22:12:39.057-05:00

Remember yesterday when I mentioned that Chichi was upset with our dog, Taz, for stealing her croissant? Well something good came out of that! As also mentioned previously, Chichi's speech is delayed. With therapy, words are starting to come, although a little slow for my liking. However, today, while Chichi was walking around with the last frickin' croissant that I will never buy again, new

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-19932310587554512692010-11-15T22:22:00.004-05:002010-11-15T22:34:15.855-05:00

Do you want to know why Chichi freaked out this morning? Because I offered her oatmeal instead of one of those crappy, pre-packaged, grocery store mini croissants.Do you want to know why she freaked out a short while later? Because even though I gave her a crappy croissant as a reward for eating her oatmeal, she wanted another one.Do you want to know why she freaked out ten minutes after that?

Tanianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-48223337703279162922010-11-14T21:32:00.008-05:002010-11-14T22:13:29.532-05:00

Pumpkin has a blanket that is the most important thing in her world. The unfortunate thing about a security blanket is that it tends to get really grimy as it gets dragged around everywhere and anywhere. The other issue is that it is difficult to wash without causing a major tantrum.The problem isn't with my taking possession of it for an hour while it goes through the laundry cycle. The

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-52483414604966895192010-11-13T22:15:00.004-05:002010-11-13T22:38:31.127-05:00

I had a really bright idea this morning as I headed out to the toy store to buy a gift for my friend's baby shower. "Pumpkin, why don't you come with me and show me the things that you want for Chanukah! I'll take a picture of each thing, then you can look at the pics and narrow the list down to eight things!"It seemed like a good idea at the time. I told Pumpkin that we would pick out the

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-27893026916074657272010-11-12T17:48:00.010-05:002010-11-19T08:44:22.830-05:00

I heard an ad on a local radio station today that really had me wondering, WTF??? It was for a contest at some night club, where you can win, (cue my best monster truck announcer voice), either a Harley Davidson motorcycle, or a set of breast implants!Really? Those are my options? First of all, if those two prizes are equal in value, HOLY SHIT are breast implants ever expensive!!! I've never

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-36647201132354425772010-11-11T21:31:00.002-05:002010-11-11T21:34:13.968-05:00

Taking a break from the jokes to thank all of those who fought, and continue to fight for our freedom.

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-32085509194989479582010-11-10T21:23:00.010-05:002010-11-10T22:10:33.481-05:00

In light of Chichi's illness that started yesterday, my mom took Pumpkin out for the day such that they both had a chance at staying healthy, and that I could be at Chichi's beck and call. This made for a pretty boring day considering that Chichi neither 'becked', nor called!As it turns out, Chichi is exactly like her father when she isn't feeling well. Whenever J gets a cold or flu, he comes

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-91971303918962197902010-11-09T19:07:00.004-05:002010-11-09T19:29:29.571-05:00

Chichi threw up in my car. A first for me. I even managed to catch her in the act as I glanced in the rear view mirror at just the right time. And then the smell... I have now learned not to continually try different foods on a child who doesn't seem keen on eating in the first place. If the Cheerios are a no-go, don't push milk and raisins.So I was forced into doing laundry during peak

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-92170478937196007452010-11-08T22:06:00.005-05:002010-11-08T22:56:39.898-05:00

When children come into this world, we tend to bombard them with cute, fuzzy stuffed animals that make sounds; battery powered, toy barns; and various musical renditions of Old McDonald's Farm. Consequently, my children are excellent at making animal sounds. Yup, there I go, bragging again!Chichi is following in her big sister's footsteps at being able to make the real sound, and not just a

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-81212233841983240932010-11-07T11:16:00.009-05:002010-11-07T16:22:39.326-05:00

Yesterday, my mom and I headed out to Kitchener for a 75% off warehouse sale for what has been one of my favourite clothing lines, Spanner. The actual Spanner store has been good to me, but DAMN is it expensive! They do carry a lot of petite sizes there, which works out well for my mutant, truncated torso. Don't ya just love that word? Petite. Even if I'm ever a size 18, I still get to use

Tanianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-49828958752294159922010-11-06T21:17:00.002-05:002010-11-06T21:50:52.349-05:00

Taking advantage of NaBloPoMo's Wordless Week-ends. Really! It's a thing!

Tanianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-1583292871086278392010-11-05T21:34:00.005-05:002010-11-05T22:09:42.188-05:00

It's down to the wire, and although I still have one more recorded episode of What Not To Wear that I intend to watch tonight, I figure I'd better bang out a post before I miss the deadline.The reason I'm so behind on my TV watching is because I attended a Friday night service at a synagogue tonight. That's right! Me! At a Friday service! Voluntarily! With nary an in-law present for me to be

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-25116064610908321762010-11-04T19:37:00.005-05:002010-11-04T20:28:25.291-05:00

Last winter when I spent my Saturdays bribing Pumpkin into enduring her ski lessons, I was not one of the more popular parents. The post-lesson vending machine jelly beans were only the tip of the iceberg after promises of McNuggets and shiny crap from Claire's. I received many a raised eyebrow in the ski lodge change room as other kids started clamoring for their share of the goods. My

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-16948249939989461152010-11-03T19:17:00.007-05:002010-11-04T10:54:54.398-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we took Pumpkin to Winnipeg with us for a family event. It is not news to us that anticipation of big plans like this make her hyper beyond belief, but we were banking on the various parties we were attending to diffuse her excitement. WRONG!It's not like she was totally unfit to be out in public, but there was a lot of desperate bargaining, and threatening going on behind

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-12654400584129760522010-11-02T12:56:00.004-05:002010-11-02T13:54:13.169-05:00

I had a great, rant of a post brewing. It was going to be full of f-bombs, all typed in CAPS, and would have ended with my head exploding. Then the moment passed and I didn't feel like writing it anymore. You'll have to settle for the calmer version now that my rage has dissipated.Back in September, my family was gearing up for a late, Rosh Hashanah lunch. 18 people were expected at my father

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-16320405058791856722010-11-01T15:02:00.004-05:002010-11-01T15:19:55.560-05:00

Over the week-end, we ordered in some food and ended up with leftover salad. My mom was poking around the fridge today and asked if she could have it. I told her to go ahead, adding that there was some really good leftover dressing as well.She held up a small container and asked, "Is this the dressing?""Yes", I replied, not studying the container too hard, as it's size and shape were pretty

Tanianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-43913852788955906142010-10-31T20:37:00.004-05:002010-10-31T20:51:20.092-05:00

I've just signed up for the torture that is Nablopomo. I don't wanna. I really don't, but I'm hoping that it's kinda like broccoli. Not in the slightest bit palatable, but good for me nonetheless. Stay tuned for a full month of brain farts!While I'm here though, I hafta ask, who the hell gives a five year old kid one of those liqueur chocolates for Halloween???

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-1667546365668439562010-10-04T17:29:00.007-04:002010-10-04T18:55:38.039-04:00

If you are a female, standing in line at the drug store, waiting to pay for your box of Monistat, I doubt I will even notice. If I do notice, I'm sure I'll give you a secret, half smile of sympathy, and then be done with you.If you are a male, standing in line at the drug store, waiting to pay for your box of Monistat, I'm definitely going to give you some thought, assume that you are a very

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-72538578652392235442010-09-08T13:20:00.002-04:002010-09-08T13:26:02.180-04:00

From an article I read in the Toronto Star:Deep fried butter balls at the CNENumbers of butter balls sold: 36,000Orders taken: 9,000Balls per order: 4Cost per order: $5Pounds of fried butter eaten: 800Calories per serving size (4): 315

Tanianoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-30929513594799708812010-09-06T14:14:00.009-04:002010-09-06T21:43:12.641-04:00

I have been finding it difficult getting Pumpkin to appreciate and understand the whole concept of my being a stay-at-home mom vs. a world where I could have been a working mom.It started with her telling me that when she grows up, she wants to be a mommy. I explained that this was a great thing, but that she could be both a mommy AND have some sort of career if she wanted. The result of this

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-65242063470810875272010-09-02T21:06:00.007-04:002010-09-03T23:23:30.147-04:00

It's amazing what'll prompt me to post. I just had a fantastic, week-long, family vacation and haven't been able to compose anything on that, but my trip to the mall tonight had me running to the computer to record an odd event. First off, I bought some hawt shoes that I'll probably only wear once or twice a year, to go with my new skirt-suit, which I also will likely only wear once or twice a

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-73601993117422985562010-08-16T13:19:00.003-04:002010-08-16T13:49:13.579-04:00

My husband, let's call him J, is a work-out fanatic. He sees a personal trainer twice a week for weight training, and does an hour of cardio in our basement four or five times a week. Periodically while I'm on my way up the stairs to get ready for bed after 10 pm, I pass him on his way down to the 'room of pain' in the basement. I respect this, but I sure as hell can't understand it.When I ask

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-34725930403809259392010-08-09T13:45:00.003-04:002010-08-09T14:22:27.269-04:00

Man, is it ever difficult to get motivated in the summer! I keep saying that I'll get some posts going as soon as something interesting happens. *Crickets chirping*Looks like I'm gonna have to put in some effort.This past Saturday night, our usual date night, we opted for grown-up night at Canada's Wonderland, our local amusement park. We joined another couple and set out to ride the Behemoth,

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-80387683692274676612010-07-27T14:01:00.009-04:002010-07-27T15:01:16.323-04:00

I took Pumpkin camping this past week-end. My friend, Jill, and her 5yo daughter, Abbey, joined us for our second annual trip to a spot all of 45 minutes out of the city. We figured that it was close enough that if things really started to suck, we could just head back home and call a babysitter to save us. This option did not have to be exercised as the week-end was a success!Some of the

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-14062597924193467942010-07-13T21:41:00.004-04:002010-07-13T22:24:56.776-04:00

A few months ago, Pumpkin was given a large, chocolate Easter dog, which she tasted, but then deemed too cute to eat. She wanted to keep it instead. Grrrreeaaat. More crap in my house. Given that I fully intended to throw out the chocolate dog at the first opportunity, I implemented my usual system: Hide it for a fixed amount of time, then toss it when I am certain that it has been forgotten

Tanianoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-37178653847614757212010-07-05T18:15:00.011-04:002010-07-05T21:57:40.087-04:00

When I was 17, my mom went away for a week-end, leaving me in charge of the house while she was gone. She knew that I was going to have my friends over for a drink or twenty, but she trusted me well enough to keep it under control. Overall I was a trustworthy teenager, but on that Sunday morning after a night of 'debauchery' with my friends, I opened the front door to find our family dog on the

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-23229059523504002412010-06-30T17:38:00.006-04:002010-06-30T18:15:14.163-04:00

Whenever my dad visits from Montreal, he brings along a stash of smoked meat from Schwartz's. This is an essential part of his visit, without which I probably wouldn't bother to invite him over. No, not really, but my point being is that I really REALLY like Schwartz's smoked meat.My dad and I have been discussing his trip to Toronto for this week, basically working out the likely timing of his

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-3926221956372904772010-06-26T11:12:00.005-04:002010-06-27T21:31:38.163-04:00

I'm notorious for forgetting to carry along necessary papers that I have set aside for various purposes. I often make grocery lists, then find myself calling home from the grocery store, asking whomever is home to read me the list that I inevitably left on the kitchen counter top. I often print out maps to destinations, only to find myself trolling along through foreign neighbourhoods, trying

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-72736623435319420192010-06-22T12:27:00.008-04:002010-06-22T20:07:23.870-04:00

We were at a Bat Mitzvah this past Sunday. Typically we don't bring our kids with us when we attend formal events (not that we get invited to too many), but a Bat Mitzvah party is actually kid oriented, regardless of the black tie optional designation, so we decided to bring Pumpkin along, who is now old enough to appreciate a good time.The last time we attended one of these, we were still a

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-64127032270358280712010-06-16T20:37:00.006-04:002010-06-16T20:58:14.817-04:00

Since you've all been waiting for it, this is what Ma's hair looked like styled after enduring three days of Bieber Hair:As the week wore on, her hair got flatter, which is not what straight-haired people generally like, but is actually quite desirable when you've got straightened, curly hair. As you Torontonians are aware, this was a particularly humid and rainy week, which usually causes

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-77359839089536631212010-06-07T18:36:00.017-04:002010-06-07T21:04:59.532-04:00

I have curly hair. Up until about 7 years ago, I was quite resentful of it. Throughout high school and years after, I did my best to straighten it, or tie it back, or braid it, or imprison it in a banana clip, but I can't say that I ever liked it. In my late 20s, the curls and I made peace. I figured out how to work them to my advantage, and now I have strangers approaching me on the street,

Tanianoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-21458717364336600032010-05-27T14:37:00.006-04:002010-05-27T18:48:40.401-04:00

Yesterday as I was heading out the door with Chichi to her usual Wednesday program, I ran into the hot guy who installed our irrigation system last year. When I say hot, I mean hot, and not just someone who is 'not bad' under the conditions of spending all of my time with children, longing for the company of grown ups. Since I was heading out, I was going to miss out on my opportunity to

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-12044304671758098802010-05-15T12:35:00.008-04:002010-05-17T08:35:43.216-04:00

Friday, Pumpkin surprised me by being fully dressed when she woke me up for the day. Usually I need to make a few wardrobe modifications for her when she does this, but yesterday she looked pretty cute. She had on a peach skirt with white capris tights, and a colourful, sparkly t-shirt with a peace sign on it. The ensemble had a 'material girl' quality to it, and was weather-appropriate, so I

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-56528811851218833522010-05-14T07:36:00.003-04:002010-05-14T07:43:38.254-04:00

Chichi isn't speaking yet, at least not in English. The doctor doesn't think that this is anything to worry about, so I'm not worrying, but I do take great rejoice whenever I hear her speech attempts resemble an appropriate word. Mostly she babbles though.Yesterday, as my mom was doling out some crackers to the kids, Chichi said a word! My mom exclaimed, "Chichi just said, "more"!"Pumpkin

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-4206250129985965362010-05-10T11:38:00.010-04:002010-05-10T12:52:59.879-04:00

Wow, it's hard to get started again after a couple of weeks of laziness. I'll give it a try anyways.Not this past week-end, but the one before, I had the whole week-end off! By that I mean I did not have any mommy duties, nor wifely duties (whatever those are) for 48 whole hours while I did a repeat performance of a girls-only, shopping week-end. 48 women, 48 hours, an outlet mall, Target, and

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-39416028827454322362010-04-29T13:55:00.006-04:002010-04-29T14:23:47.133-04:00

I thought I was taking the week off, but I just got shit from an anonymous commenter who really wants to hear from me. Ok creepy stalker, I'll try to come up with something just for you. This week in Pumpkin, she was working out the idea that my mom and dad used to actually be married to each other. She found this somewhat odd. It's not that she has a clear idea of what marriage is, but is

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-28992621070513943522010-04-22T13:06:00.004-04:002010-04-22T13:19:57.611-04:00

This morning Chichi and I went to her usual Thursday morning gym class. One of the activities in this class involves lining all the children up at the 'air log', where they proceed to bang on it with maracas in tune to music. This air log is a giant, colourful, inflated tube, about 10 children long, and about 2-1/2' in diameter.The children who have been in this class before are quite familiar

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-24350314030393385562010-04-19T16:04:00.005-04:002010-04-19T16:43:48.063-04:00

The other day, my friend's mom and I were discussing the all important topic of pistachio nuts. I was focusing on the insanely high calorie count per nut (don't ask), but she had information about the supposed therapeutic aspect of pistachio nut consumption. Apparently the whole fiddly process of cracking open each nut, shell disposal, and actual eating offers focus, stress relief, and of

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-59710409733246780042010-04-15T09:57:00.006-04:002010-04-15T10:29:29.050-04:00

It has occurred to me that a huge chunk of the behaviour of 4yo Pumpkin is designed to test my ability to not cause her any physical harm. It's hard, but I figured out long ago that I could cause her a fair bit of grief by taking away her favourite toy of the moment. Combined with a time-out, toy removal seems to cause her enough pain to gain her begrudging compliance. This morning was no

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-56388020458241320632010-04-14T19:13:00.004-04:002010-04-14T19:16:40.201-04:00

my mom, hearing The Wiggles playing a disco song from the '70s: You know, Pumpkin, I used to dance to that song!Pumpkin: And now you don't anymore because you're old?

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-31402757887545321432010-04-08T21:36:00.007-04:002010-04-08T22:39:07.546-04:00

The TV in our bedroom is on the fritz. This has created somewhat of a problem for my marriage. The thing that draws the huz and I together in bedroom every evening is late night television. Without the common goal of not really enjoying Jay Leno, we're having to make a bit of a conscious effort to plan a little 'alone time'. To make matters weirder, when we do happen to find ourselves in that

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-57184204811375722472010-04-07T21:13:00.008-04:002010-04-07T22:07:21.381-04:00

Every Wednesday I take Chichi to a play group where a portion of the class takes place in a gym where the kids play with various toys, balls, and ride-on cars. Chichi always climbs into one of the plastic cars and spend her time opening and closing the doors. This seems odd, but it amuses her, and allows me to spend time in the kitchen with the other mothers who are doing their best to avoid

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-52504980111923888832010-04-05T11:11:00.005-04:002010-04-05T11:34:06.854-04:00

According to a statistic that I came across recently, the average North American spends approximately 12 weeks per year looking for things that they own but cannot find. Pumpkin is terrible at trying to find things. She loses everything she owns at least once a day, and can't find whatever she is looking for despite it's obvious location within the house. Stereotypical is my exasperation with

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-51919026845263574052010-03-26T15:57:00.006-04:002010-03-26T16:14:13.836-04:00

I always knew that getting older meant the demise of many physical attributes. I knew that I would get wrinkles, I knew that I would have less energy, and I knew that gravity would take hold. What I didn't know was that getting older meant that I would be more likely to throw up on carnival rides.That into was a little misleading because I didn't actually throw up on a ride, but I came a lot

Tanianoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-9494280449161381102010-03-25T07:32:00.003-04:002010-03-25T07:38:03.105-04:00

Pumpkin, wiping a slobbery dog kiss off of her face: Why is Lucky kissing me?Me: 'Cause she loves you.Pumpkin: So if I die, she'll be sad?Me: ??? Uhhhhh, I....Pumpkin: Where's my dress from yesterday? Can I wear lipstick? Where am I going today? What did you dream about last night? Is it sunny today? ...

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-21301189750388224462010-03-23T20:27:00.003-04:002010-03-23T20:35:33.600-04:00

Drive thru server handing over three individual bags: Here you go! Burger, burger, nuggets!Pumpkin: Booger booger nuggets???

Tanianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-46076794553347840592010-03-21T22:52:00.004-04:002010-03-21T23:09:46.210-04:00

Chichi is one of those toddlers who has to grab everything. She relentlessly rummages through every drawer, closet, and pile of things that she can get her hands on, in a manner that can only be described as perpetual, chaotic, circuit training. Nothing within her reach is safe.We have a console table that has been declared a no go zone for keys, mail, etc. since the table is no longer high

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-11622388485083941662010-03-18T21:05:00.004-04:002010-03-18T21:47:16.836-04:00

After five years of looking at a blank, two story wall in our foyer, we finally have art! And it's pretty too! It's of a giant rock face with some autumn coloured trees at the top of the cliff, and it's actually hanging on the wall! I shouldn't be so amazed that it's hanging given that we ordered up an installer to be the one to deliver the picture, but I am comparing it to the mirror that the

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-17034514255533334252010-03-17T21:03:00.005-04:002010-03-17T21:25:11.781-04:00

I took Pumpkin to a restaurant today, which is rare given that I don't enjoy eating with her at home, let alone paying a premium to do it out in public. It was my SIL's idea, and I agreed so as not to be difficult.Pumpkin was actually pretty well behaved throughout the meal. This may have had to do with the fact that her lunch was a teddy bear shaped pancake with chocolate chips, syrup, and

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-86435632143362023952010-03-16T22:24:00.007-04:002010-03-16T22:59:42.218-04:00

Seeing as there is no school this week, I had to tote Pumpkin along to Chichi's music class today. I wasn't overly thrilled about this arrangement because Pumpkin can be rambunctious when trying to show off, which is how I imagined she would be in competition with all the babies and toddlers in this class. I have now learned that Pumpkin shows off differently for the general public than she

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-78643950845736661382010-03-12T21:58:00.005-05:002010-03-15T17:56:57.156-04:00

When it comes to fashion, I'm often a little late to the game. It takes many episodes of repeatedly seeing a certain look before it strikes me as something that I would wear. I usually do come around though. I was even liking the look of the Hawaiian shirt by day eight of my honeymoon. In light of this truth, it is no surprise to me that the skinny jean/high boot look has finally called to

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-17255665349961791342010-03-11T21:03:00.003-05:002010-03-11T21:18:07.922-05:00

Just to update you on the lemon loaf fiasco, I did in fact market it as low fat, which seemed to render it acceptable. I did get a few compliments on it, and did not catch one person brushing the sawdust off her tongue with a napkin. This must have happened more discretely. The part that I left out was that as soon as I found that the butter was in the microwave instead of in the actual cake,

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-59654451434052274322010-03-09T13:28:00.005-05:002010-03-09T21:32:18.867-05:00

I belong to a mommy/play group that meets every Wednesday. Each week, it is someones duty to bring the snack. One parent brings snack for the kids, and one brings something for the adults. Tomorrow is my day to bring a snack for the adults. In the past, store-bought cake was the norm, but this is a different group. There is a high percentage of grandmothers in the group, and they seem to

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-12687159166251215512010-03-04T22:18:00.008-05:002010-03-05T07:29:07.969-05:00

One time I gave Pumpkin a tap on the back-side, and subsequently shouted out my dog's name, as if to blame the dog for being the one to give Pumpkin the tap. Pumpkin thought that this was hysterical, and periodically requests for me to do a repeat performance. "I want you to give me a smack, and then say, "LUCKY!" The element of surprise is obviously gone, but the game still seems to hold

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-81185444099591075192010-03-01T20:12:00.011-05:002010-03-01T22:44:59.729-05:00

Sewing is not a strong suit in my family. My mom has shared with me her story about how she failed sewing class in grade school when the skirt that she was working on ended up being a bag. Her sewing career has only gone downhill from there. For as far back as I can remember, my mom's 'sewing kit' consisted of a 3"x6" box containing about ten spools of thread, some of which have been around

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-50890206335074278132010-02-25T12:57:00.007-05:002010-02-25T13:48:42.326-05:00

I've mentioned before that I wear hearing aids, which do a good job at boosting the volume of most sounds, but not such a good job at delivering sounds that can be perceived as completely natural. I find that a lot of things sound 'too hard' compared to how I believe the rest of the world hears them. In addition to that problem, when the hearing aids are not fitting quite well, there is an

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-69950833764952316742010-02-22T20:18:00.003-05:002010-02-22T20:21:56.337-05:00

If you stalk someone on Facebook regularly, it is wise to ensure that you enter his or her name in the search field, and not in your status update field. Having a status update with just the name of your 'stalkee' could be a tad embarrassing.

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-9128244081493383292010-02-19T21:43:00.007-05:002010-02-20T22:25:32.607-05:00

When his son was four or five, my former colleague used to wake himself up at 4:45 every morning such that he could be alert and ready for his son's energy by the time the boy got up every morning. "You're fucking crazy!" was all I could say at the time from my childless, single, sleep-until-11-on-the-week-ends frame of mind. Now that I have kids of my own, I still think he was off his rocker,

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-90884014168966280322010-02-18T08:14:00.004-05:002010-02-18T08:59:55.665-05:00

I have a basket on my kitchen counter that I use to throw recyclables into, which I then dump into the main recycling bin whenever the basket gets too full. In theory. Sometimes I keep piling stuff into it, or onto it rather, when the basket is clearly overflowing with papers and containers. Just to the left of the basket on my counter, I store important items that I need to file, shred, sign

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-24005655839182407672010-02-14T16:19:00.008-05:002010-02-18T12:50:08.115-05:00

The last time I posted about Pumpkin's ski lessons, I discussed how Pumpkin suddenly 'got it', and was skiing like a pro. Well, not quite like a pro, but doing it willingly, and somewhat properly. Well, things haven't exactly progressed the way that I would have liked.Pumpkin does not look forward to ski day. I never let her back out of it, but she does often complain about various physical

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-417127566280513922010-02-10T22:11:00.002-05:002010-02-10T22:23:39.109-05:00

I bought a cookbook with the most appealing title: 30 Minute Suppers. Today I made my third meal from that particular book. It took me an hour to put together. The last one also took an hour, while the one before that took an hour and a half! Apparently I need a sous chef.

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-44012341645426966782010-02-10T21:38:00.007-05:002010-02-11T07:42:43.970-05:00

I have recently been marveling over how my pig-dog, Taz, hasn't stolen any food off of the counter tops lately. The stealing had been an ongoing problem with him that forced us to elevate all food products, including the compost bin, to heights over five feet. We occasionally, absentmindedly have put down our food at a lower height in order to assist a child with something, only to come back to

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-88684585563585532052010-02-06T21:09:00.008-05:002010-02-06T22:03:20.875-05:00

Tonight was date night, although it's sad that I say this in the past tense seeing as it is only ten past nine. My mom came over to babysit for a couple of hours, and we opted to go out for dinner instead of having our usual movie night. We made our reservation fairly late in the day, and ended up with a six o'clock seating, which was ok as we are getting used to the early bird special.Dinner was

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-26912488683344084282010-02-03T13:43:00.007-05:002010-02-04T09:01:00.489-05:00

I got a call from the school this week on a day that Pumpkin was not in attendance. A slight panic took over my thoughts as I saw the school name on call display, for it struck me as a prelude to a meeting with the teacher, which isn't usually a good thing.Au contraire, the call was not about anything negative. In fact, it was exactly the opposite. Every month, the school focuses on a particular,

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-38939213707190269652010-02-02T20:52:00.002-05:002010-02-02T20:57:10.154-05:00

Sorry for being such a slacker this week. I do have a real post brewing in my head right now but I failed to turn it into anything publishable last night, and I'm about to embark on a two hour season premier of LOST, which may render me exhausted after eight months of anticipation. Don't wait up.

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-22365517593817014692010-02-01T23:10:00.002-05:002010-02-01T23:11:08.388-05:00

My mom: Pumpkin, if you don't do as I tell you, I'm going to lose my temper!!!Pumpkin: Don't worry Grandma! You can have mine!

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-76526628436700483522010-01-27T23:41:00.006-05:002010-01-27T23:53:17.159-05:00

It has taken me over two years of watching the show with my kids to finally notice that Muno from Yo Gabba Gabba is basically a giant French Tickler. With one eye no less!

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-39327728469495583792010-01-27T08:35:00.003-05:002010-01-27T09:00:47.957-05:00

Pumpkin has been trained to stay in her room until 7 am every morning. This morning, she showed up by my bedside at 5 something. She wasn't particularly upset, but she said something about being scared, or not, as I wasn't really paying attention in my sleepy stupor. She said that she wanted to stay in our room.In the past, whenever we have allowed Pumpkin to join us in our bed, she has only

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-58973451894333607262010-01-25T21:19:00.003-05:002010-01-25T21:26:35.739-05:00

Today Pumpkin asked my mom if my mom knew her when she was just a baby. My mom replied, "I met you on the day that you were born!"Offended, Pumpkin stated, "I wasn't born! I'm Jewish!"Imagining that Pumpkin had ideas of our people having been hatched or beamed down, I figured I'd try to clear things up for her. "You know, Sweetie, everyone is born. Jewish people too."Angrily she retorted, "

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-44721002995480141672010-01-22T08:05:00.003-05:002010-01-22T08:14:26.208-05:00

...I would choose Homer over Peter, provided that I wasn't going to cop out and opt for divorce or switch teams. Although both men are quite useless, Homer sometimes feels bad about the effects of his actions. Also, he and I would always have donuts in common. That's more than some couples have! In addition, I think that he would get along well with Pumpkin.Yesterday, Pumpkin advised me that

Tanianoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-48303154875190543012010-01-21T10:04:00.002-05:002010-01-21T10:07:25.968-05:00

I'm not doing another post until I get a better response on my survey from yesterday!

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-1334709044739921382010-01-19T21:35:00.006-05:002010-01-19T21:47:10.046-05:00

Outta curiosity, who do you think would make a better husband, and why:Peter Griffin of The Family GuyorHomer SimpsonIf you don't know who either of these guys are, you are probably my dad. Dad, you don't have to respond. As for the rest of you, this post is in lieu of last week's delurking day, when I was supposed to call upon my loyal fans to leave a comment, just to let me know that I'm not

Tanianoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-13575375796156829622010-01-19T09:49:00.005-05:002010-01-19T10:10:37.186-05:00

You know how some people pre-clean for the cleaning lady? I've been known to do that, although more recently I've said, 'screw it', and let my cleaning lady see us for the pigs that we actually are. I can't seem to maintain this same level of apathy for the dog groomer though. Taz needs a grooming like nobody's business. There is a problem though. I haven't actually brushed him in about four

Tanianoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-31461810442614466962010-01-17T14:32:00.006-05:002010-01-17T22:10:37.360-05:00

Do you remember last week when I posted about Pumpkin's ski lesson that was a tad disappointing in terms of either of us enjoying it? Well, I was determined to keep at it, as a life without family ski trips is a life not worth living, and I hafta say, I'm pretty glad that I'm such a cruel mother. The whole week, I could tell that Pumpkin was dreading her lesson, and she was clearly feigning

Tanianoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-24908581405045972822010-01-13T21:28:00.004-05:002010-01-13T21:36:31.481-05:00

While my mom and Pumpkin were at the mall today, Pumpkin tossed a penny in a fountain and made a wish. "What did you wish for?", my mom asked."I wished that mommy and daddy would be good!", was the reply.Good at what??? Whatever she meant, disappointment seems inevitable.

Tanianoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37253603.post-7851628264046881462010-01-12T22:00:00.004-05:002010-01-12T22:26:21.676-05:00

Yesterday was the first day that I was able to eat normally since I came down with a stomach virus one week ago. Consequently, I have lost a bit of weight. It's really just a few pounds, bound to return any minute now, but for the time being, I'm a little lighter than usual. Naturally I love this fact, despite my not being overweight to start with.Yesterday, a friend of mine came by for a

Tanianoreply@blogger.com1