A milkshake a day...

...keeps the doctor away?!?! This would be my mom's justification when she wants to have a milkshake and not feel guilty about it. She claims it's her calcium. Not unnecessary calories but necessary calcium to keep her bones strong and osteoporosis away. Interesting. This might explain where I get my justification skills from. It's genetic. But that's not what this post is about. What is it about you wonder? Why I am rambling on about milkshakes? Well because. Months of a low carb diet will do that to a person! Make you go crazy. Where thoughts of sweets and chocolate consume your every thought and almost make you believe your mom's justification for having a milkshake isn't so crazy after all. The 111 grams of carbs in a delicious cookies n' cream milkshake from Chick-fil-a are in fact 111 grams of calcium that are absolutely necessary for strong bones. But I just couldn't bring myself to give in. So instead, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of some pizza tonight! Turns out I'm a nicer person when I've had my daily dose of carbs!

Cameron uncensored

Even though this is my blog and my signature phrase is "it's all about me"....sometimes it's a little bit about Cameron. Sometimes. A little bit. I saw this questionnaire on another blog and thought it might be interesting to see what Cameron's answers would be. So we had a little Q&A session last night after I got home from bible study while he read his Bronco manual and watched some horribly intense and unenjoyable movie (my opinion).

Julie: "How long have you been married?" 3 years (thinking to himself, why is she asking me this? Is this a trick question?)

"What's your dream job?" No job.

"What's your dream car?" Jeep.
Julie: Are you talking about a jeep jeep? (thinking to myself you drive a Jeep now)
Cameron: Yes. To drive to the lake.

"What's your claim to fame?" Streaking. (No, he's NOT kidding. This was a regular occurrence at his college fraternity parties. I'm so proud.)

"What do you like to do?" What? You know what I like to do.
Julie: just answer the question.
Cameron: Sail. Tinker. Fix up old things. Yard work.

"What's your biggest fear?" Losing a close family member prematurely.

"What animal best describes you?" (looking around the living room at our two dogs laying on the couch and floor) A lab.
Julie: Why?
Cameron: Because they're all laying around, doing nothing with occasional bursts of energy.

"If you could live in any era which one would it be? 1800s. 1700s. No, 1800s. Actually I think it was the 1700s. Whichever era there were pirates.
Julie: Why?
Cameron: Because there was lots of sailing back then.

"What's a goal for 2008?" Better health.
Julie: How's that going so far? (knowing that I pay attention and he's been doing really well)
Cameron: I haven't smoked a cigarette since my birthday.
Julie: And I'm very proud of you!

"What's your guiltiest pleasure?" Drinking too much.
Julie: A guilty pleasure is something you don't want people to know you enjoy.
Cameron: Right. Drinking too much. Final answer.
Julie: Alright. But everybody knows you enjoy drinking too much.
Cameron: Yes, but I never get to anymore.
Julie: And it's a tragedy. Really.

"What do you love about me?" (Long pause.) What was the question?
Julie: What do you love about me?
Cameron: What is this for?
Julie: Material for my blog.
Cameron: Seriously?
Julie: Yes.
Cameron: (Huffing and puffing and sighing.) I thought it was for your bible study or something like that.
Julie: No. This has nothing to do with bible. So answer the question. What do you love about me and remember tens of people are going to read your answer.
Cameron: There's lots of things.
Julie: Aww, that's sweet. But really. What do you love about me?
Cameron: You're a really good mom.
Julie: Aww. What would your answer have been before we had Sheridan? (obviously still fishing for more compliments)
Cameron: Everything.
Julie: Good answer honey. Thanks for playing. Now I'll let you get back to your horrible movie. By the way, do you mind if I post this on my blog?
Cameron: Whatever you want.

And that's why I love that man....because he knows what's good for him!

You'll never guess who's throwing a temper tantrum????

No, not me. I prefer the silent treatment if I don't get my way. And it wasn't Cameron. I've actually never known him NOT to get his way so I can't really say what his reaction would be to something so foreign. So that leaves Sheridan as the guilty party. She certainly seems to enjoy throwing herself on the floor just about all the time. It's fabulous. Really.

I can't remember what inspired this particular tantrum...does she really need a reason? No, of course not. Don't be silly. Hmmm. No one seems to be paying attention.
Guess I'll get up and move on to something else.
Don't take any pictures of me at my finest!
I'm an angel...really!
I can "help" start the dishwasher but I don't like the settings you use so let me turn the knob 47 times and surprise youI can get something out of the fridge for you...like a BEER. But wait, here's my milk. I'm good.Or I can turn on the charm and remind you how cute I am

HH January Monthly Dinner

Our HH February monthly dinner is tonight so I figured I better post the pictures from January's dinner. I have a been waiting for Heidi to send me the pictures she took (because I only have two) and that is my perfectly good explanation as to why I've been waiting so long to publish this post. For our January dinner we took advantage of Ladies Night at the Melting Pot and enjoyed catching up with each other while we cooked our food for three hours. Here's a little recap of our table talk that evening:

Heidi: Heidi is allergic to nature. Seriously. Good thing her daughter's birthday party was that weekend in their backyard. With a petting zoo.

Debbie: Debbie has decided to try Eharmony. Pretty much everyone at the table knew someone who met their spouse online so we were all very excited for Debbie! We tasked her with bringing the application to our next monthly dinner so we can help her fill it out. Based upon her experience, Kate might be next. We also decided the Melting Pot would not make for a good first date place because if you didn't like the person, tough. You're stuck with them for at least 3 hours.

Kate: Kate has one rule. If a restaurant offers something flambéed or tableside, she must order it. We hit the jackpot that evening with the Flaming Turtle chocolate. It was flambéed tableside. It doesn't get much better than that people.

Mimi: Mimi is going green and dry. No, she's not pregnant. She's just decided to stop drinking for awhile. Good thing to implement when you're living with your in-laws and probably need it most. Good luck with that Meems!

Me: I was happy I was out of the house, across town and missed Pukefest 2008. Sheridan is a smart girl to know that I just can't handle that.

Shelly: Shelly does not drive a car with a Barack Obama bumper sticker. She also mastered the art of 'search and rescue' with the special utensil they provided us during the main entree portion of our meal. Apparently, we are easily amused because we thought this was the greatest thing since sliced bread and probably yelled 'search and rescue' fifty times when we lost our food in the fondue pots.

Kate, Shelly, Mimi, Heidi, me and Debbie

Kate's in heaven with our flambéed tableside dessert choice

Happy Valentine's Day

Because one picture is never enough when they are this cute and cooperative....

Wonder where she learned to stand like this?? Usually it's accompanied with her hands on her hips.

"I cannot be bothered with photos when Dora is on TV" "Fine, I'll look at the camera. But just this ONE time."
"And here's your smile Mom"
"That's all I've got. I'm done with you."

"Seriously. Done. With. You."

Where's my boarding pass?

You Belong in Paris

Stylish and expressive, you were meant for Paris. The art, the fashion, the wine! Whether you're enjoying the cafe life or a beautiful park... You'll love living in the most chic place on earth.

What City Do You Belong In?

**I'm sensing a pattern with the wine but I'm alright with that.**

One of these days I'll get it right....

Ahhh the pressure of Valentine's day. And no, this pressure doesn't stem from stressing out over what to do/get for Cameron but things associated with my TWO YEAR OLD. Last year I didn't bring Valentine's to her daycare because it just didn't dawn on me that I needed to. Fortunately, Liz and Gene saved my butt and had extra Valentine's that they filled out for Sheridan and gave to all of the kids. Thank you, thank you, thank you Liz and Gene! Lesson learned. Even if some of them can't even crawl, bring Valentines. Got it. So this year we have daycare and preschool to think about but no worries, I know what I'm doing. I bought Dora valentine cards and little individually wrapped bags of fruit snacks....because the last thing toddlers need is more sugar and energy! I wrapped them in heart goodie bags. Done. Good to go.

Sheridan's preschool daycare party is today and they had a sign up sheet for parents to bring different items for the kids to decorate cupcakes. I signed up for sprinkles because I saw the cutest ones (hearts, lips, etc. all in one big container) at Walmart a few weeks ago and I wanted to get THOSE. Well, naturally last night when I went back to Walmart to get them, they were out. I knew I should have gotten them the day I saw them but I was thinking to myself, it seems like I just made twenty batches of cupcakes for all of Sheridan's birthday celebrations, we are not making ANYMORE CUPCAKES. I DO NOT NEED THESE SPRINKLES. But now that I DID in fact, need the sprinkles it was in my mind that that was what I wanted. I wouldn't settle for anything less. This is where I went a little OCD about sprinkles and drove around to a couple of different stores looking for these "perfect" sprinkles. Perhaps it was the guilty working mom in me that thought if I brought really cute sprinkles to my kid's party it would make up for the fact that my child spends all day with other people and not me. Maybe it's the hormonal imbalance I'm experiencing due to the time of the month (Cameron's money is on this one). Or perhaps I've just lost my mind. Most likely it's the dangerous combination of all of the above. Yes, I realize Sheridan has NO CLUE that I brought anything much less that it's Valentine's Day and there's a party. I know these are self-inflicted issues and it's all in my mind, hence why I think I've lost it. So I settled for plain jane pink and red sprinkles and got over my issues with a glass of wine while baking more cupcakes.

Fast forward to this morning when I dropped Sheridan off at preschool in her cute Valentine's outfit with her goodie bags for the class. It didn't even bother me that some of the kids had brought homemade, big, beautifully decorated sugar cookies as their treat. I simply don't have time for that. What stopped me dead in my tracks were the gifts for the teachers. CRAP! I FORGOT GIFTS FOR THE TEACHERS!!! Why is there not a book for this stuff?!?! Cliff notes anyone??? I'd even settle for a checklist at this point. Maybe next year I'll remember everything...but probably not. So where's my glass of wine?

If the crown fits....

Sunday we went to Jizelle's princess birthday party. Prince and princess attire was requested so I had an excellent excuse for buying Sheridan her first tiara. My sister gave her the pink tutu for her birthday and I found the sequin shoes at Target. Her princess outfit was complete! I didn't think the tiara would last very long on top of her head because nothing ever does! But much to my surprise she left it alone. I guess all girls (no matter what age) know to channel their inner princess!

Cinderella came to the party and this impressed all of the little girls. Except Sheridan. She could have cared less. Apparently we haven't watched enough Disney princess movies yet for her to be totally infatuated with princesses. Although I'm sure the time is coming in the not so distant future. Which will honestly be a nice change from Dora. But I digress. Here are some pictures from the party. You will not see Sheridan in any of them though. Remember SHE WAS NOT CARING. Sounds more like a DIVA to me than a princess. I might be in trouble. :\ Wonder if there is a princess school I could enroll her in immediately?????

Father/Daughter Dance

The preschool Sheridan goes to had a Father/Daughter dance on Friday night. I must say this dance is a very big deal for these girls. Most of them make a date night out of it and go out to dinner with their dad before the dance and some even get to go out for ice cream afterwards. My friend Sara's little girl, Natalie is very much into princesses these days and her dad, Kenny, took her to the dance. Only Natalie thought she was Cinderella and was going to the ball. Cameron wishes Sheridan had shared the same perspective on the dance as Natalie. Unfortunately, Sheridan thought she was going to the playground and could have cared less about the dancing and well, the fact that other people were even there. She spent her evening climbing on the stage and Cameron spent about 30 minutes chasing her around before he brought her home. Needless to say, Sheridan did NOT get ice cream on the way home. They also didn't get any professional photos taken at the dance so fortunately I took a few before they left the house. At least they looked good!



Here's to hoping that next year will be better.......

Girls Christmas Party

Tara and I started our annual girls Christmas party when we lived together and it was so great to be able to host it together again this past year! We had a short hiatus from hosting our party (although the tradition carried on thanks to Jennifer, Jill, Courtney and Shaunna) because I was having a baby in December of 2005 and Tara lived in DC for two years.

The hostesses with the mostess

Tara, Annemarie, and me

me and Courtney Mimi and Taylor (Tara's sister)And thanks to Allison who came over the night before the party and helped me decorate the tables with her "box of crap" (her words, not mine). Tara and I have decided that this coming year for Christmas we are going to put together a starter box of crap for each other. CAN. NOT. WAIT!

The dessert table

The appetizer table

Me and Sara Danton

Sara, me, and Jamie

Wonder when Mimi will have us over for dinner to tryout a new recipe?

Jennifer hit the jackpot with make-up brushes

Sara had her presents stolen many times...she was always opening up new ones

Tara just had a baby Nov 21st...not that you can tell!!!

The girls!

After the party was over it was time for presents!!! I gave pretty much everyone I buy presents for a towel wrap this year. Peggy, Tara's super talented mother-in-law, made them and they were a HUGE hit! They were all white towels with zebra trim and I did different colored monograms. Except for Shaunna and Courtney. Their towels were pink...because it's their favorite color and anything else for them simply would not do (my thought not theirs)!

Sara models her towel wrap

Mimi and I hinted....who am I kidding?? We pretty much TOLD Tara we wanted towel wraps for Christmas this year and she delivered! :) This is the first and only thing I have that's monogrammed with my new (even though it's not so new anymore) last name! I'm so excited!

Mimi: "Ladies, we're gonna be green this year!"

Tara and I have this thing....or rather I have this thing of wanting pretty much all of the cute shirts Tara buys. So Tara has gotten into the habit of buying the same thing she buys for herself for me (usually in a different color though so we're not total twins) for my birthday or Christmas so she can avoid hearing me say things like "I want one of those" or "ugh, why didn't you get me one of those" or "next time buy me one too and I'll pay you back." This Christmas I decided to get Tara and Mimi a sweater from Old Navy that I recently bought and loved. And Tara bought me a really cute shirt (although I don't have a picture of it for some reason) from Antropologie that she had bought for herself and knew I would want. I love our little system! :)

Sheridan's first day of preschool

Last week Sheridan started preschool at Council Oak on Wednesdays and Fridays thus officially beginning my career as taxi driver. She goes to preschool from 9-2 and then I pick her up and take her to daycare and head back to work. The good news is that on those days I actually make it into the office before ten o'clock. I'm very excited that she'll be in a learning environment with some structure but I was concerned/skeptical about a few things:

1. Is she going to scream bloody murder on the first day when I drop her off at her new surroundings? She didn't even notice I was there once she walked into the room full of toys.

2. Will she really sit down at the little table and eat her lunch? They are very smart at this preschool and have seat belts on the chairs to keep them in their place.

3. Is my child, who is NEVER still for more than one second, really going to lay down on a mat, in the middle of the floor, unconfined and take a nap (also something that Sheridan rarely does)?She was asleep on the mat when I picked her up! Can I bring these teachers home with me???

Here are a few pictures from the morning as I was trying to get everything all packed up with Sheridan's help :\

I promise her lunchbox doesn't weigh 100 pounds...although she makes it look like it does

Demonstrating that it's much easier to pretend it's a drumAnd she carried her backpack just long enough for me to get this shot
Guess I'll be carrying the lunchbox, backpack, sleep mat and teddy into school. Anything else?

When I picked her up in the afternoon the teachers said she had a great day! I was very impressed to find a daily report in her diaper bag that told me everything she did that day. Very official. Her teacher (Miss April) said she was very busy! No kidding. I'm glad to know she doesn't reserve that just for us! On the "diaper section" next to the times and what lovely surprises they get to change it said 'sat on potty'. What? They're going to potty train my kid too! I heart this school!

My friend Sara's little girl, Natalie also goes to Council Oak on the same days Sheridan does but she's in the 2 year old class. Sara called me while we were making the trek to daycare and shared with me her conversation with Natalie:

Sara: "Did you see Sheridan today at preschool?"

Natalie: "Yes. She was running all around."

Sara: "Where was she running around?"

Natalie: "On the playground. Miss Tonia was trying to take her picture but she wouldn't be still long enough."

Now THAT sounds like my child.