Dating my husband- a little late to the game.

I know, I know. I'm late to the game. Sue us if TBone and I like to hang with Maksi BB. Also, our child care (maternal mother is our day care) limits our options for weekend/night time sitters.

You know what was nice? Going to lunch and dinner with my husband- sans BB. Sure, we talked about Maks but it was things like, "man, that baby is cute," or "that baby was a real pistol the other night," instead of, "Maksi, sit down," "BB, what's a tiger say?" or "Sweetie, he doesn't need another doughnut."

You know what we mostly talked about? Not Maks.

We talked about work, about funny things we saw on twitter/the internets, family, friends, how we never went out to Indian that wasn't a buffet. I often  reflect about things like, "hey did you think when you were making fun of me when we went skiing that first time in 2006 that we'd be sitting here in 2011 celebrating your birthday while my sister watches our kid?"

I get really nostalgic when I think about where we've been.

What's weird about all of this is that I don't feel only defined by my role as a mother like I read about in some other blogs and magazine articles that warn young mothers/families about. I think all of my friends are doing a nice job balancing this, if I do say so myself! But I know me and TBone are missing out a little. It's more like, something isn't feng shui-ing in my life that's keeping us from having more date time (and keeping us from being able to fold laundry when it comes out of the dryer- seriously, Sarah and Todd, what's gives?)

So anyways, I had a nice night with my Suh-weetie.

And I'd like to go see a movie.

ThanksKBye.

Go shorti. It's your birthday.

Guess who has two thumbs and the most awesomest husband ever who's celebrating his birthday today?!

THIS LADY!

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

Sweetie, thanks for being a grade-A, five Netflix stars husband and a serious wack. You have an amazing sense of humor, you're smart, fun to be with and surprises are boundless. You are a fantastic husband, a tremendous father and the best friend I could ever have. You also make a delicious grilled cheese and I think it's cute/hilarious that you have to Google "how to make a grilled cheese" every time I ask you to make one. 

I love spending time with you. I love watching you shower our son with love and care. I also love that you only still gag a little when you change a poo dipe. Furthermore, you put up with my nonsense and only roll your eyes in private when I do things like this in public:

You are a scholar and a gentleman and I'm excited for our life together. I've been saying for years that I'm a party looking for a place to have it and sir, you are one fine party guest. 

I'm glad that you're into being married to an older woman (15 whole days...) 

Now let's eat. I'm freggin hungry. 

Thank You Notes.

I stink at writing thank you notes. Seriously stink. My handwriting changes with the tides, I feel like I put my foot in my mouth and go through three versions of the note (and depending the stationary, this gets expensive) and again, the handwriting.


This past year for BBs birthday I had my thank you note list tucked safely away in my wallet and I was getting ready to write them when. I was looking forward to another good round since after his Baptism I decided to be creative and write the notes on a page from a coloring book. The note written from Maksi's perspective but obviously colored and written by me.

So I was getting ready to repeat the process when my wallet, with the list was donated (by accident) to the Goodwill. I'm sure I could wing it and send a generic thank you when my memory didn't serve me. Instead, I let feeling sorry for myself take over and never sent them. Eeek.

I had a meeting yesterday. Not and interview. Just a meeting. I've been subbing for a local yoga company and I've been really enjoying it. We talked about some of my difficulties, shared stories and she told me about how the company is growing and most likely not focusing on the classes that I've been subbing for so I'm most likely out of that job. And so it goes.

I sensed the need for a thank you note.

Aside from my resistance for sharing my handwriting with the world, I also have an aversion for running errands and more specifically, buying stamps. I quit using the post office to send bills around 2000 when paying online became available. I love to buy/pay for/do anything online.

So, why not marry the two. I know, I know. Sometimes we need the hand written note. But the stationary I have ($1 at Michaels! Boo-ya!) calls for additional postage. Gaaaawwww.

Please recall previous statement about the post office and errands. This card means I couldn't bum a stamp from TBone and even though some do, I don't feel comfortable sending cards on the company dime...so I'd have to figure something else out. 

And enter PremiumPostcard.com. "Exactly!!" I thought! I used these pups for my save the dates, Christmas Cards, 30th birthday Jort Party, baby shower, etc. Any time I needed to send a group card, Preeems got used. You personalize the pictures- front, back and return address and write a little love note on as many placea. I even found a similar company but that has an app for my blackberry- ShootIt! does the same thing- takes a picture from your phone, uses your address book to send the postcard. Awesome, easy and pretty cheap.

Although they didn't ask me to or pay me any money, if asked I'd endorse and write about these companies all the time. 

So that's it- a task that I don't usually like, turned into one that's actually fun- all from the convenience of my very own computer/phone! 

What does technology help you with, dudes? What app, program, website do you use to make the mundane a little more fun?

nothing to say.

Major writer's block. I'd really like to post something but I can't seem to get anything out my my head.

Work is hard. Everything is completely out of my control and I'm just ready for this process to all be over. Sick of it. Sick, sick, sick.

I decided yesterday during yoga class that instead of replying that I'm, "hanging in there,"  a statement that is my usual reply recently, I might start saying that I'm hanging loose. Or that I'm excellent. Hanging in there implies that I'm tense. I'm hanging on by a thread.

I think I've talked about this before- our self talk invades our brains and we actually start to believe the garbage we tell ourselves.

Right now, I'm experiencing real confusion. A lack of communication. I've been meditating on clarity and being concise in class.

Because you know what? Feeling like this SUCKS.

I was browsing around on facebooks yesterday and I saw a someone who I went to school with years ago post a shirtless picture of him. I wanted to write on there, "Put a shirt on, you slob." But I censored myself because I didn't want him to be mad at me.

Why am I SO CAREFUL with other people's feeling but I rarely consider my own?

Seriously though, put a shirt on, you slob.

Birthday, Part II.

Man- I got away from sending Facebooks birthday wishes last year, but after receiving 110 of my own yesterday, I might just start keeping up with the randos again.


Here is a statistical analysis of the birthday well wishes I revived:

Thank you for all of the birthday wishes. Here is the breakdown of the statistics (nerd alert.)

110 birthday wishes
107 used the word birthday
5 did not use the word birthday Jacqueline Madrak Shannon Kirkpatrick WellingtonMegan Dougherty Delasandro Kate Schramm Mark Madrak
4 commented in other people's comments
18 Men
87 Women

birthday well wishes stats, continued:

4 I knew in grade school
3 from my yoga journeys
39 from high school
18 from college
2 former players
21 colleagues/former or current
1 person I've never met in person
15 other
8 emoticons, most common: ♥ and :)
56 people I've had a drink with
6 roommates
8 teammates
22 Well wishes

BDAYStats (part 3):

Most categories: Teresa Webber Rennix(grade school, high school, college, roommate, teammate, had a beer with) Brooke Sheffield(roommate, teammate, coworker, college, have had a beer with)

Most gratuitous CAPITALIZATION/PUNCTUATION:
Sarah BrazillCAPS! Dennis DoughertyCAPS! 3! Jennifer Brosnan 5! Nicole DiTullio 5!

most common category: high school women.

Most common phrase: Happy Birthday Sarah!

Most Unique Phrase: Happy Sarah Day @Meg Doc "Happy 1 Year anninversary of your jort party" @Jacqueline Madrak "Birthday Time" Jim "You make Todd less odd" Eaamon

Most famous person: Kurt Johnson

Local references: "I'd get you a donut" Koos, "South Philly Tuxedo" Kelly 

Here are some pictures of the rest of my day yesterday:

Everything I could ever want! As seen on TV products and soaps and yoga books!

Maskim delivering the presents. Please disregard the mess.

Us out to dinner- Maks was a MANIAC. We basically too it to go. 

playing with dough.

hiding in the corner.

playing with straws.

MANIAC.

My posts haven't been very substantive recently. Please know it's because of something BIG.

Say prayers for me today from 330-430. :-D

One for One.

Hey dudes. 

It's my birthday!

This year I decided that my present to myself would be a pair of Toms for the family. 

From their website: 

From our feet:

Daddy's falling backwards and BB was getting restless. So this is the best picture we're going to get!

Today started off great- Maksim, the good baby he is, took me out for breakfast. We got coconut pancakes, bacon and eggs.

He loved his sippy big-boy milk cup with a straw.

Tonight- either Bertucci's or Pizza Uno. Help me decide. 

Seeds, scattered and sewn!

I was going to head out on the road for work this morning but after scanning my emails, I found it would be better to stay home and just head out to another event tomorrow- yous know what that means?! Great day to spend with the fam!

So yesterday in the mail I got a little package from DinnerGarden.org- this fun little organization that is trying to end hunger through gardening- and they sent me a TON of seeds to try! I don't remember if I signed up for them through a freebie site or it was from another mailing list I'm on but whatevs! Free. is ALWAYS better.

Every year I've tried to plant something in the garden but have usually been put off by the price of things at the Depot. And honestly, I'm kind of a mess with those details- I plant like a cook- dig around, throw some stuff together on a whim and a prayer. I have a serious miss-mash of junk that doesn't mesh well.
But...with a pack of FREE seeds what do I have to lose?

To go along with my gardening deficit, my outdoor skills are sub-par at best. I don't like to touch yard creatures such as worms and bugs. Also, we have toads living in our backyard. DOUBLE GROSS.

I got out my tools so I would touch less dirt and fewer worms and came up with this:

The cleared dirt spots are where I put the various seeds. I probably crowded the garden but...we'll play the wait and see game. I'll even try to take weekly pictures to keep up with the progress. If all goes well- I'm going to make a little donation to these dudes. Last year, I spent over $50 on an herb pot (long pot from above) and got NOTHING. This year, I spend $3 on a discount tomato plant at the grocery store. 

Free is ALWAYS better. 

On an 80s related note, please see the TV. Yup. That's Jem and the Holigrams you see in the background. On TV. There's an old cartoon channel. Score.

Happy weekend, dudes!

Yoga Ohmwork- month 4.

Excerpt from YogaLife Institute Month Four paper- Asanas.

Asana practice is the gateway to a yoga lifestyle. Like most people, I was lured to yoga for the potential positive results my body would reap. I wanted to look like those long, ballerina-esque models on the cover of Yoga Journal. Also like most people, since I had really good teachers along my path, I quickly found out there was something more than just stretching and strengthening my body.

Because yoga is the connection between the body and the mind, starting with the poses was a great way to introduce me to the lifestyle. Asana defined is a comfortable seat and using the poses should be finding comfort in being.
...

I really like thinking of the asanas as a metaphor for life: we try and stay calm, balanced and centered on the mat when we’re twisted and turned around so it’s important to take that lesson away. We need to take our egos and competition off of the mat- what’s best for my body is not best for the lady next to me. Because she lifts her leg over her head doesn’t mean that I need to- instead, I try to be loving and gracious to my body on the mat taking special love and concern for areas that are pulled or knotted up. After time and practice I’ll find more space either in that tightness or somewhere else. If I try and force myself into someone else’s mold, I won’t be able to find my own growth.

...

Right now I’m really challenging myself by trying to take my ego off of the mat. I know there are some poses where I can get to the most physically difficult variations but I’m trying to find a more simple modification so that I can find length, space and flexibility in my joints. Most times I have to close my eyes when I do this because the competitive little voice inside of me might get the best of my intentions and I might try to copy someone on either side of me who is reaching gracefully to the fullest expression of the pose for him or her. I’ve been thinking about acceptance and being gracious for the limits that I have. I also try to think about how I’m not attached to the outcome of the pose or better said, the expression of the pose doesn’t define me. When I’m able to achieve this, I feel really full, graceful and beautiful- a much different feeling than when I went to my first Bikram class and I was reprimanded because my head wasn’t close enough to my knees. When I go into a more “simple” modification, I find that I have to surrender more to the pose and give myself permission to feel good without pushing to my physical limits. The book that helped me find a diet that was right for me also taught me about minimal effective doses for weight training- and I’ve applied it to my asana practice. Sure, I could push and push and push each pose, seven days a week but that might make me start to dread going to the mat or possible cause an injury. If I take things a little slower and listen to my body, by the commitment and regularity of the practice will get me stronger. 

...

Having a baby really changed my asana practice. Up until the day before I had Maksim I practiced at least four times a week at about 45 minutes a session. I was in decent physical shape. When Maks was very little I was able to sneak in three to four days a week but now that he’s mobile and Todd and I are both students and we work full time (plus) my asana practice has suffered. To get back to it, I need to find the time without cutting into my time with my fellas. Similar to the idea of the minimal effective dose, if I make an unrealistic commitment to my asana practice I’m only setting myself up for failure. I want to make the commitment for the next month to find one other day each week along with my yoga class at YogaLIfe for my asana practice. If I can get more than that, great but I want to commit at least two sessions a week. 

I actually remembered Wordless Wednesday (plus captions.)

Happiest boy I know.

MomMom home from the San Francisco treat!

I've been all about eating sweet and savory- sweet fruit + hummus and pitas!

New hat.

We fancy, huh?

Teenaged Mutant Ninja Maksim.

Picture Pages.

Mom was away for the week visiting big bro and baby Lukie in SanFran.

Here's the week in pictures:

I'm going home to play in this.