Blast the Moon

Are you superstitious?

2010-09-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

I saw a penny, face up, on the ground in the parking lot. So I walked the 10 yards to my car to set my bags down, then walked back to pick it up. The sitting in the parked car between my car and then penny were pretty amused when they figured out what I was doing. But as the saying goes: "If you should find a penny face up, pick it up for a day of luck." I can use all the luck I can get these days.

But it got me wondering about other silly superstitions people believe in to bring them good luck. Here's a few that I found on the internet.

Washing a car will bring rain (this one I KNOW to be true)
To break a mirror will bring you seven years bad luck
To find a four-leaf clover is to find good luck
If you walk under a ladder, you will have bad luck
If a black cat crosses your path you will have bad luck
To break a mirror will bring you seven years bad luck
To open an umbrella in the house is to bring bad luck
To find a horseshoe brings good luck
Step on a crack, break your mother's back
You can break a bad luck spell by turning seven times in a clockwise circle
At the end of a rainbow is a pot of gold
Clothes worn inside out will bring good luck
Wearing your birthstone will bring you good luck
If you blow out all of the candles on your birthday cake with the first breath you will get whatever you wish for
A cricket in the house brings good luck
Crossing your fingers helps to avoid bad luck and helps a wish come true
It is bad luck to sing at the table
It is bad luck to sleep on a table (if you were drunk enough to sleep on the table, maybe you deserve the bad luck?)
It is bad luck to chase someone with a broom (hear that all you domestic violence offenders)
You must get out of bed on the same side you got in on or you will have bad luck
Evil spirits cannot harm you when you are standing in a circle
It is unlucky to rock an empty rocking chair

Interesting stuff... it almost seems safer just to wrap yourself in bubble wrap and sit on the couch watching E! for the rest of your life. But where's the fun in that? In the famous words of Aerosmith: "Life's a journey, not a destination."

Have you jumped on the social media bandwagon yet?

2010-09-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

More proof of the power of social media – and that power isn’t just in the hands of social media users.

A new survey shows more than two-thirds of B2B marketers plan to decrease how much they spend on print advertising and increase their spending on social media. The shift in strategy expected to happen over the next two to three years.

That study published jointly this week by American Business Media, the Association of National Advertisers and consulting firm Booz & Co.

The main reasons listed for the switch? The ability to customize content for users and also build relationships on the social media sites to engage customers.

Anyone else having flashbacks to the rise (and subsequent fall) of email marketing? As more and more marketers flood the social media sites, it’s going to become increasingly hard to cut through the clutter and truly create a meaningful message that captures your target audience.

But one thing is for sure, the ever evolving realm of technology is sure to bring us yet another new cutting edge way to shine, if we know how to use it correctly. The goal: stay one step ahead of the game.

Way too long

2010-09-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

2010 has been a crazy year. I've been trying to adjust to insane overnight hours, while still doing my best to be a mom and wife and friend and daughter and .... yeah, the list goes on.

So I regret that I've regressed on posting here. Getting a kick start again. We'll see what we can get going on -- new posts coming soon.

For now, enjoy this lovely serenade from my older son!

Monday Meal Makeover - Homemade Potato Chips

2010-01-18T07:35:00.000-08:00

I'm not a huge potato chip fan, but I became less of a fan recently when I learned that most potato chips are actually made with corn byproducts and other synthetic (read: not found in nature materials) -- rather than potatoes. Kind of misleading if you ask me. So my husband (I give him full credit here) was craving something salty and when I imparted my newfound knowledge on him - he set off to recreate the "potato chip". And what he came up with is really easy and yummy.

INGREDIENTS:
whole potato, washed with skin on (as many as you want to make)
olive oil spray
sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray cookie sheet lightly with olive oil spray.
Thinly slice the potato either long way or short way (your preference) and place on baking sheet.
When all slices are on baking sheet, lightly spray top of potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to your taste.
Bake 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and "pop" off the cookie sheet with a spatula.

These taste really yummy with ketchup or salsa.

One word to the wise - they don't keep for very long and need to be stored in a breathable container. So plan to eat/use them within 24 hours or so of making them.

Here's the comparison:

Lays Potato Chips:
1 serving size= 1 oz (little more than half of a single serving bag)
150 calories
10 g fat
1 g fiber
WW=4 points

Homemade Potato Chips:
1 serving size= 1/2 large potato (about 2/3 cup)
130 calories
1 g fat
3.5 g fiber
WW= 2 points

My New Year's Resolution

2009-12-29T06:38:00.000-08:00

Holy smokes! Just three more days until 2010 officially begins! How are you doing on those New Years resolutions? Did you know that only one in four people actually make resolutions? Worse -- only six percent actually manage to keep them. I'm happy to report that for the last three years I've been part of that six percent and I'm hoping not to break my streak in 2010.

I have three resolutions this year. Two of them are rather personal, so I'm just going to keep them between my husband and myself. If I accomplish them, I'll let you know! The third is where I need your help.

Last year my resolution was to reach my goal weight. I did this in March! 51 pounds gone forever. Now I'm struggling to maintain the weight loss. I haven't regained anything back, but I have my weeks. So I decided my New Year's resolution is to steal a page from the movie Julia & Julie (if you haven't seen it, I highly suggest it!). I'm going to keep a blog hoping to inspire all of you to make easy healthy lifestyle changes. I'll be posting the information here (my blogspot blog) and on my Facebook page as well as my PNN blog . (Don't worry, it will all be the same information so if you find it in one place no need to go check out the others... unless you're a comment junkie like me!) I hope you enjoy and I invite you to please please please give me feedback and ideas. I need your help to keep this going!

A [very] belated Merry Christmas

2009-12-28T12:52:00.000-08:00

Hope you had a great holiday! Our boys had a great time opening gifts and spending time with their grandparents. One more family visit coming up this week (my parents)! I'm so ready to ring out 2009 and start fresh with a new year. How about you?

Happy Birthday to my grandparents!

2009-12-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

My family is celebrating my grandparent's 75th birthdays this year at Christmastime... and of course, because of the new job, we weren't able to make the trip back east to join the party. So we made a little video for them. Grandma & Larry -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :) Hope you enjoy the day and the party!

Make Your Own Holiday Gift Boxes

2009-12-10T16:03:00.000-08:00

Every year I make a homemade gift for my family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. Last year, I hit it big with some fudge that apparently was so good I've already had friends asking when it was coming this year. So, alas, I've started (and finished!) the project. This year, dealing with cutbacks like most of us, I've had to make twice as much fudge with the same budget. My compromise was to make my own boxes instead of paying a dollar a piece at the dollar store. Here's how I did it.

What You'll Need:
2 - 8"x8" piece of card stock
1- 7.5"x7.5" piece of holiday paper
Ruler
Pencil (optional)
X-Acto knife
Scotch tape

How To Make It:

1. Glue the holiday paper into the middle of one of the pieces of cardstock.
2. Trim 1/4 inch off the width and length of the other piece of cardstock.

3. Use the ruler and pencil to draw a 1 inch line (or width of your choice) across all four sides of both pieces cardstock. Then score it very lightly with the X-Acto knife. Then in each corner you will have a box. In each of these boxes, draw a diagonal line from the outer corner of the card stock to the inside corner of the drawn box (see picture). Score those lines as well

4. Fold along each of the scored lines, folding in the corners to make a triangle "tab" inside the box. Tape the corner in place on the outside of the box. Repeat for all four corners.

5. Tape the four inside corner "tabs" to the inside walls of box. At this point you will have a lid and a bottom!

Because I was dealing with fudge, I also made little "boxes" to line the bottom of the box with wax paper. I cut the wax paper into 7.75" squares and then drew the same 1" line around all four sides and folded it up into a liner.

Then I placed the liner inside the bottom of the box.

Filled it with fudge.

Put the lid on the box and tied a ribbon around it for a finishing touch. A quick and easy gift (unless you're making 30 of them, like I did, and it turns into a two day project!)

And since I know I'll get emails on it. Here are the recipes for the fudge.

Mint Layer Fudge

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces white confectioners coating* or premium white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
Green or red food coloring (optional)

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with 1 cup sweetened condensed milk; add vanilla. Spread half the mixture into wax-paper-lined 8- or 9-inch square pan; chill 10 minutes or until firm. Hold remaining chocolate mixture at room temperature.
In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt white confectioners coating with remaining sweetened condensed milk (mixture will be thick). Add peppermint extract and food coloring (optional).
Spread on chilled chocolate layer; chill 10 minutes longer or until firm.
Spread reserved chocolate mixture on mint layer. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn onto cutting board; peel off paper and cut into squares. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fudge

2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1 teaspoon vanilla

Boil sugar and milk to soft ball stage*. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into a buttered 8-inch square pan. Cut into squares when firm.

*To Test for Soft Ball Stage
A small amount of syrup dropped into chilled water forms a ball, but flattens when picked up with fingers.

it's that time of year again...

2009-12-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

I am reminded daily that Christmas is almost here. I took the boys to go see Santa last weekend. But, I've barely begun my shopping and annual gift-making efforts. I turned my kitchen into a fudge-making factory this morning. Only the peanut butter fudge is done (chocolate mint fudge is on tap for tomorrow!) but it tastes delicious. I'm envious of the coworkers, friends and neighbors that we're giving it to!

I took a time out from the kitchen this afternoon to watch the movie Julie & Julia (which came highly recommended by my parents). Now I'm completely reinspired and hoping to use the newfound inspiration to shape my 2010 News Years Resolutions. I've had a lot of luck the last few years in actually achieving my goals so the pressure is on. What will I come up with next? I'll let you know when it's finalized!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T15:47:00.000-08:00

The boys and I had ourselves a merry little Thanksgiving this year... by effectively skipping the holiday and moving on to the next one! We decked the halls and put up our Christmas tree -- ornaments and all. The only thing missing was Santa!

It's the first year that Hunter has been able to participate in the decorating and he had an absolute ball with it! Check out the video!

We are all so thankful for our family this holiday season and can't wait for all of our visitors next month.

Lose-A-Palooza - Helping to fight hunger in America

2009-09-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

For all my social networking guru friends, please please please check out the Lose-A-Palooza website to find out how you can use your social media savviness to raise money for food banks via Weight Watcher's Lose for Good program.

No money required, just a computer and the willingness to click your mouse a few times.

For every accepted mention or acknowledgment of “Lose For Good” made on September 15 via blogs, Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, Weight Watchers will make an additional donation - up to $25,000* - for just one day of social media activity. This donation is on top of the $1 million** Weight Watchers is hoping to donate to Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger as part of the 2009 Lose For Good campaign!

Here's how it works (I copied and pasted the info from their website):

ON FACEBOOK

• Become a fan of the NEW and official Weight Watchers page! And don’t forget our Weight Watchers Supermarket Foods page.
• If you’re already a fan, just post a “Lose For Good” related comment OR “Like” the updates that we'll post throughout the day.
• Become a fan of our awesome charitable partners – Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger!
• It’s that easy. Join fan pages, comment on our statuses and walls, or simply ‘Like’ updates to our fan pages and you’ll be participating in Lose-a-Palooza and helping fight hunger!

ON MYSPACE:

• Participate on the selected pages by posting a comment including “Lose For Good” or become our ‘friend.’ Simple ways to help Weight Watchers contribute $1!*

ON TWITTER:

• Tweet #LoseForGood: Share how you are supporting the good with all your Twitter followers. Tweet about the way you’re helping the fight against hunger and be sure to include #LoseForGood.
• Multiply the good: Follow @sharestrength or @acfusa to fill your Twitter stream with good, and then retweet.
• That’s right, each #LoseForGood Tweet and follow to @sharestrength and @acfusa on September 15 provides $1!*

VIA BLOGS:

• Write a blog post about Lose For Good, including the phrase “Lose For Good” and encourage your readers to get involved by visiting www.LoseForGood.com.
• Comment on a blog post about Lose For Good! Be sure to have your friends show their support by commenting on your post – every comment relating to “Lose For Good” helps Weight Watchers donate $1*!
• In our new Weight Watchers Community, write a blog post about Lose for Good and we’ll make a contribution to the fight against hunger. Remember to use the words “Lose for Good!”

Soooo.... start by commenting on my blog :) and then hit up the social media sites. It's all for a great cause and I appreciate your support!

An Ode to the Internet... Happy 40th Birthday!

2009-09-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

In honor of the Internet's 40th Birthday today, I put together a little poem in its honor:
An Ode to the Internet

Oh wonderful Internet, how do I love thee?
Just let me count the ways...
I fear I could not live without you
For, with you, I start my days

Bright and early every morning
I log on to read the news
I check the weather forecast
And bluefly.com for sales on shoes

I mapquest all the places I'll go
I google my old boyfriend from high school
Then I update my status on Facebook
"Nicole is going to hang out by the pool"

I pay my bills through online bill pay
Plan a phantom vacation on Travelocity
I imagine myself an Amazon(.com) goddess
How I'd rule with such ferocity

I tweet out to my peeps on Twitter
And upload a cool video to YouTube
Update my bids on eBay
I so hope I win that antique Rubik's Cube.

I click through my friend's photos on Shutterfly
Hulu's my hero for reruns of The View
I download the latest version of iTunes
My "running" playlist could use something new

By now my coffee cup is empty
And my kids are demanding some food
So I shut down my laptop, just temporary
I know I'll be back before noon

Back by popular demand....

2009-08-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

Andrew's Awesome Pet Show has returned from its summer hiatus (thanks to some good grades earned by our new first grader!). Check out the newest episode at the Andrew's Awesome Pet Show blog.... and rest easy tonight knowing another full-redhead episode is coming your way again next week (provided the grades stay decent). Enjoy!

A Green Clean

2009-08-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

I'll start by saying that I wish I had known a lot sooner how much easier it is to clean "green". I've posted before that I attempted to clean my kitchen and floors with green products, but that was just the beginning. After some research, my husband and I decided we were going to eliminate all of our household cleaning products and exchange them for homemade green products. We found an awesome recipe book thanks to the Clean Calgary Association in Canada and put the recipes to the test this past week. Granted, the key ingredient in green cleaning is elbow grease, but today our house is sparkling clean and chemical free! (To be fair, the credit goes mostly to my husband who spent two of his days off last week scrubbing and cleaning.)

Our favorite "recipe" so far has been the laundry detergent. We were pretty skeptical about if it would work as well as the store-bought products, but actually, it works better! Our clothes are cleaner and softer than they were before. We also eliminated the use of our dryer and put up a clothes line in the backyard. The first time I put on a line-dried shirt I had a flashback to childhood when my parents had a clothes line. My only complaint is that my ironing pile has grown a little with the line drying. (and my neighbor probably thinks I'm nuts after coming over to pick up his daughters and finding me ironing my sheets... but now they are oh-so-soft-and-silky, I don't want to get out of bed in the morning!).

Our other favorite thing about the products we made is the cost. The 2 gallon tub of laundry detergent cost about a dollar (maybe 2) to make and the rest of the cleaning products were less than a dollar each. I'm sure we'll save a few bucks from not using the dryer as well. Not bad. Eco-conscious and economical. Just the way we like it!

Happy 30th Birthday!

2009-08-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

I made it through my 30 Days to 30 adventure! Here are the highlights...

Day 30: Making the final leg

2009-08-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

Fitting for the last day of my 30 days to 30 adventure... we rode the last leg on bikes! Jason and I took an 11 mile bike ride along the Eastern Canal from US 60 to Crossroads Park. Jason is the bike rider, I'm the runner. So this was an interesting trip. I definitely slowed down his pace and at times I was dead certain I was not going to make it. But in the end, it was me who knew the back way into Crossroads Park, not him and it turned out to be a really great ride! Way to end this on a high note. Of course, my legs felt like Jello for the rest of the day and I don't even want to go near explaining what it feels like to sit down right now.

Day 29: The Lazy River

2009-08-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

Jason and I went tubing with our friend Chris on the Salt River today. The three of us were a little more accustomed to white water so the more relaxing pace of the water was actually kind of disappointing. The last few minutes of rapids were the best! All in all, it probably would have been better if we'd known the No Glass Bottle rule and brought a 6 pack of Bud Light instead of Corona (which stayed in the car getting nice and warm, yick, while we floated for two hours on the river). It was our first time experiencing the river so we learned a lot about what we're going to do next time -- like bring bigger towels, hats, more sunblock and most importantly rope. We were also pretty enthralled by the inflatable cooler that another group was toting around. Might make a great investment for our backyard pool! (Hint hint... birthday present, anyone?).

Day 28: Hiking!

2009-08-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

When I originally planned this 30 day adventure, I had actually scheduled 4 separate hikes at different hikes around the Phoenix valley that I haven't actually done yet. When it came down to it, last night's was the first hike I made and it was a trail that I've done several times before. But, it's all in good measure. My friend Tobey and I climbed the hills on the Wind Caves trail at Usery Mountain. As always, our goal was to make it to the top in 45 minutes or less, but the 109 degree weather got in our way. We only made it about a mile up the trail before realizing we weren't going to make it by sundown and turned around. Oh well, there's always next week to try again, right?

Day 27: Daughtry concert, errrrr, The Ugly Truth

2009-08-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

Today's adventure was supposed to be the highlight of my 30 days to 30 years: Daughtry concert! Even better, two of my friends (who are also celebrating their birthdays this month) were coming with me. Imagine my disappointment when my favorite singer came down with viral laryngitis and canceled the concert at last minute. So instead, we headed to the movies to check out The Ugly Truth.... which incidentally comes nowhere close to the truth about working in television news. As predictable as most romantic comedies, it had its moments. Would have much preferred Daughtry though.

Day 26: Tattoos!

2009-08-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

For our birthday presents this year, Jason and I decided to get his and her tattoos. Neither one of us has ever gotten a tattoo before so it was a big step for both of us. I'm a strong believer in NOT getting names tattooed (bad karma, jinxing, etc..) so we decided to get a moon. Of course, we couldn't decide on a tattoo that we both wanted to get so we each started with the same moon design and went from there. Mine is on my lower back and Jason's is on his arm. We went to Black Lotus Tattooers in Gilbert. The artist is a guy named Billy. He did a great job, in my opinion, but then again, I 'm a tattoo virgin so maybe this is actually horrible (though I doubt it).
PS. Jason's birthday is Thursday! So wish him a happy birthday as well :)

Day 25: Riding the Light Rail

2009-08-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

The boys and I went to another Diamondback's game (against the LA Dodgers) yesterday and to shake things up a little, we rode the new Metro Light Rail in from Mesa to downtown Phoenix. Hunter really liked the ride in (he kept calling it a "choo-choo"). It was clean and there were a bunch of other D-backs fans riding with us so Andrew and I sat together counting the red shirts (18) and the blue shirts (3). The ride back was a little more eventful with a tired two-year old and standing room only. But we made it and we will definitely be riding the light rail again to future games. It basically cut our parking costs in half for the same amount of commute time (and a ride that the boys thought was "super cool!").

Day 24: Star Wars marathon

2009-08-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

I must be the only person in my generation who has not seen the original (or even the most recent) Star Wars movies. Honestly, I can say I've never really had much of a desire to do that, but in the interest of making sure I'm not missing out on something major, Andrew and I hogged the couch last night to watch the original three movies. We made it through the first movie with no problem, but fell asleep half-way through the second one (because it was late, not because it wasn't entertaining). I can see now why people raved about these movies for generations. The cinematography was amazing for a 70s movie! The story line was good as well. I'm not big on scifi so I'm probably never going to be a gung-ho fan of this series, but I'll definitely finish watching it and will watch it again.

Day 23: Parent and Tot Yoga

2009-08-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

Hunter and I joined some friends to attend a Parent and Tot Yoga class today at the Gilbert Yoga studio. It was a fun 45 minute class focused mostly on the children (all of our kids were 3 and younger). I was really impressed with the class overall. The instructor somehow managed to slip in a lot of physical activity for the kids, while still keeping the basic yoga poses, like up dog, down dog and sun salutations. Hunter especially liked getting to pretend to be a dog and fish. He really liked acting like a surfer (using the warrior pose) -- cue the Beach Boys music! I would definitely do this class again! Too cute!

Day 22: The Bead Museum

2009-08-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

I probably have to preface this in saying that my newest hobby is beading (you can check out some of my pieces for sale here). So today we used our Culture Pass to explore the Bead Museum in Glendale. While small, the museum gave a great overview of the history of beads and how they are used in cultures all around the world. I absolutely fell in love with the gift shop! Great prices on some wonderful beads (yes, I filled a bag to take home). Afterwards, we explored the historic Catlin Court District and grabbed a 25 cent ice cream cone (I'm not kidding!) at Papa Ed's Ice Cream.

Day 21: Casual Book Club for Women

2009-08-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

This week's 30 Day to 30 activities seem to be centered on relaxing and returning to routine. Last night I went to my monthly book club and joined the fabulous ladies of the Casual Book Club for Women to discuss the book The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. As a club, we graded the book between an A and a C - some enjoying it immensely and others finding it rather blah. I really like this very diverse group of women because of our extremely different opinions and tastes in books.

Day 20: Face to Face with Facebook

2009-08-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

How's this for an icebreaker question: Sooo.... what social network convinced you to come out here tonight? That was the question of the night at the AZIMA (Arizona Interactive Marketing Association) event in Tempe. For me, it was Facebook. For the man sitting next to me, LinkedIn. The topic of the evening was how to effectively engage others in social networking and true to the point the speaker (Kristen from Facebook) was, well, engaging. Some interesting tidbits... 73% of all internet users are on social networks. And watch out kids, 47% of all moms are on Facebook (and they spend an average of 8 hours a week on the site!). The presentation delved into many of the tools and programs Facebook offers to businesses and brands to raise awareness including ads and fan pages. It also allowed for Q&A., but there were many who were already experts in the house because while the event was going on, some of the lucky ones who actually had cell phone service went mobile, chatting away on Twitter.

Day 19: Staying Cool

2009-08-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

After a busy weekend, we took it easy today with plans to eat up some yummy frozen yogurt with our friends in the Arizona Mountain Mamas group. I had originally thought we'd go to our favorite local yogurt haunt Ocean Blue Frozen Yogurt. But at some point between the time I planned the meeting and this morning, the store changed its hours and wasn't open early enough. So, we went and enjoyed a yummy ice cream treat at Dairy Queen at Superstition Springs Mall instead. Sometimes you just need to relax!

Day 17 & 18: Family Camping Trip

2009-08-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

Like most families this year, our vacation budget was pretty much killed by the recession, so we decided instead to take our first family camping trip. Oddly enough, we've had most of the gear sitting in our garage for years and once we got all the dust and grime off, it was decent enough condition. We left yesterday at lunch time (I had to work in the morning), then headed north of Payson, AZ to the Ponderosa Campground which was supposedly very kid-friendly (and we agree!). It was only one night of camping, but we jammed in as much fun as we could, including a walk, a hike, fishing and even a trip to town. I built my very own solo campfire (many thanks to Dad and Mark for years of expert coaching!), then we roasted marshmellows and told "scary stories". I've learned my 6 year old has a penchance for scary stories that involve someone's "brains getting eaten". Yum-o! Anyway, we packed up and headed for home after lunch today and we are pretty exhausted, but we all keep asking ourselves why we hadn't done this earlier. There are a bunch of pictures of this trip posted to my Facebook page (anyone can see them, even if you don't have a Facebook account).

Day 16: Castles 'N Coasters

2009-08-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't been on a roller coaster since the New York New York coaster in Vegas about seven or eight years ago. So I think I'm long overdue. Tonight's 30 in 30 adventure took Jason and I to Castles 'N Coasters in Peoria. It was a fun date night for the two of us (something we haven't had much opportunity to do in a while). We only went on the roller coaster once (darn that motion sickness crap) and then played a fierce game of mini-golf where I blew Jason out of the water. But he still loves me! I think :)

Day 15: Phoenix Art Museum

2009-08-06T16:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Phoenix Culture Pass the family and I explored the Phoenix Art Museum today. I can't BELIEVE what people are passing as art these days! Really, a piece of gold painted wood? Wow! Anyway, the boys were a little rowdy so we didn't get to see everything as in-depth as I would have liked, but I was suprisingly drawn to the Native American art section. There were some very beautiful pieces highlighted. Andrew was also enthralled with a couple of the more "robotic" pieces and came home vowing to make something similar. He and Dad have since then constructed an "Iron Man" costume out of moving boxes. Not bad!

Day 14: Water Park Fun (sort of)

2009-08-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

No, you're not missing anything. Day 13 of my 30 Days to 30 was a bomb. I woke up with some sort of tummy bug and then we spent the evening in the ER with Hunter getting stitches on his foot (he had a run-in with the garage door, ugh!).

Since Hunter couldn't get his stitches wet, it was just Andrew and I headed out to the Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center this morning. We got there a little after opening so the lines weren't too long. Andrew actually convinced me to go down the water slides! I don't think I've been down a water slide since high school. It was a little scary. Then we went in the "whirlpool" until we got dizzy and took a break. We were about to head back to the slides when Andy had an accident and instead we headed to the doctors office where he had a small (but deep) cut glued together. We're planning to take it easy for the rest of the day!

Day 12: Crochet 101

2009-08-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

Monday night's 30 Days to 30 adventure took me across town to a Crochet 101 class at JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts.

I've never crocheted before, however, I have knitted (not very well, I must add). I'd love to be able to crochet a baby blanket for my new nephew this fall. But something tells me I'll have to fall back on some of my other creative talents to come up with a unique gift for him.

I did pick up the skill of crocheting very quickly. I can now chain stitch, single crochet and double crochet. If I feel like paying another $40 for the next class I can learn how to ripple and a few other stitches. I think I might just call on a few of my more yarn-talented friends instead!

If nothing else, the class got me off the hook for the kids bedtime (no pun intended, ha ha).

Day 11: Guided Bird Walk through the Riperian Preserve

2009-08-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

Sticking to our unintentional outdoorsy/nature theme this weekend, Andrew and I got up super early this morning to head out for a guided bird walk through the Riperian Preserve in Gilbert. There were a couple of other kids from a Boy Scout group on the tour so it was fun, even though Andrew didn't make it for the entire walk. We saw a whole bunch of cool, colorful birds. Our guide, Kathe, was extremely knowledgeable and spent much of the tour talking about about how the preserves work, where the animals come from and how its ecosystem survives in its urban setting. All in all, we saw about 30 different species of birds on the walk. However, note to self: next time bring binoculars!

Day 10: An Impromptu Nature Walk

2009-08-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

Since me and Hunter weren't feeling all that great today, our plans to take a family hike at Usery Mountain this evening were changed to enjoying a fun impromptu nature walk at Red Mountain Park in Mesa instead. Hey, most of parenting is flexibility, right? The park has a .8 mile loop (we did it twice) that goes through a park area and then around a little lake and nature area. Typical of boys, Hunter and Andrew decided to seek out every creature living and at last tally we had found: rabbits, ducks, spiders, dragonflies, lizards (even a really big one that Daddy identified as Bearded Dragon lizard), ants of all sizes and a handful of other animals and bugs that are beyond my species identification skills. All in all, it was a fun night out with the family :)

As for our original plans, I'm sure we'll head out to Usery Mountain at some point in the next 30 days. There is a method to the 30 in 30 madness, even if it doesn't always seem that way!

Day 9: A Starry Safari

2009-07-31T21:52:00.000-07:00

At last-minute, we decided to head out to the Starry Safari at the Phoenix Zoo tonight for my 30 Days to 30 Years adventure. We were going to go tomorrow, but my plans for tonight fell through and it seemed like a good idea. It was really cute. The zoo had put up some bounce houses and a climbing wall for the kids and still had a few sections open to explore and see the animals. Unfortunately, we got there a little late so we only got to see a handful of animals... including the outcast elephant (the zoo staff said she is a "bully" and isn't able to sleep inside with the others, that's why she was outside for the kids to see), some sleeping orangutans, some goofy tree swinging monkeys, dizzy camels and a couple of hungry zebras. We brought our neighbor Alyssa with us so after the small journey to see the animals, the kids spent some time in the bounce houses and we headed home. It definitely was a fun way to spend a Friday night with the family. (Side note: I admit the picture I posted is from a different trip to the zoo earlier this year. All of the ones I took tonight were too dark or blurry for posting.)

Day 8: Read to Me

2009-07-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

Thus far my 30 Days to 30 Years adventure has centered around new activities and relaxation. But my reasons for doing this aren't entirely selfish. Tonight I switched gears to give back to my community. Through an organization called Hands On Phoenix I had an opportunity to participate in a program called Read to Me at a Phoenix area Salvation Army Homeless Shelter. The crux of the program is for volunteers to come and read to the children who live at the shelter. I was one of five or six volunteers tonight for about eight children. I was paired with a little three year old girl named Lilly. She was the most adorable little thing I've ever met. She wasn't really all that interested in reading, so we colored some pictures, then we practiced skipping down the hallway and then some of the other kids joined us for a game of roll the ball. It was fun to meet the kids. Such bright little stars! It's heartbreaking to think of their family situations and I hope they will be able to overcome these obstacles before them.

Day 7: A Chick Flick with, well, the chicks!

2009-07-29T22:45:00.000-07:00

I can't remember the last time I got to go to the movies with "just the girls"... or even to see a chick flick at the theater (and I probably wouldn't even get to see them at home if it wasn't for $1 rentals at RedBox). So tonight, I defied the norms and met up with a group of friends to go see The Proposal with Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock. I had a great time even if the movie was a little predictable. Think of it as Just Friends meets Two Weeks Notice (to keep the movie choices limited to other work done by Reynolds and Bullock). It definitely had a lot of good laughs and there were times when we were all rolling out of our seats. I also appreciate that Sandra Bullock went *almost* naked in the film and that her body was more "normal woman" than movie-star-esque.

Day 6: Arizona Diamondbacks Game

2009-07-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

Hunter and I headed to downtown Phoenix this evening for a fun night at Chase Field to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Philadelphia Phillies. We had a good time exploring the stadium. Hunter especially liked the kids arcade area. Our seats were in the "Redhead" section for die hard fans which was really cool. Hunter thought the guy sitting in front of us with completely painted red skin was pretty funny and kept giving him high-fives all night. We also made a cameo on Fox Sports Arizona's coverage of the game (thanks to Daddy!) where Hunter put his souvenir hat (that had previously been filled with popcorn) on his head and hid. Wonder where I can get a tape of that. It might be a fun blackmail piece when he gets a little older.

Day 5: Healthy Shopping Tour

2009-07-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's 30 Days to 30 activity ran a little late so, thanks to a strong cup of coffee, I'm just posting this morning. It was a Healthy Shopping Tour put on at the Tempe Whole Foods Store. The host was a local chef/nutritionist, Chef Rachel. You can read more about her at her website: http://thegardenofeatingdiet.com

The purpose of the tour, apparently, was to help people with allergies (most specifically, gluten and diary) shop for healthy foods without those specific ingredients. So while I didn't get a whole lot out of that information since no one in our family has wheat or dairy allergies, I did learn a few things pertaining to Andrew's nut allergies.

As for the "healthy shopping" part of the tour, she basically made a shopping trip through each aisle of the store, telling us what could be bought, why it was good for us and some examples of how to cook it. My family better watch out since I am now half tempted to try out some bok choy and parsnips.

However, most of the information I received (outside of the allergy info) I already knew and if you don't feel like following someone around a grocery store for two and half hours, you can glean the majority of the information from reading Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels, The Skinny Bitch by Rory Friedman or In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (or any combination of the three). You can probably pick up any of those books on Amazon for half the cost that it took to attend last night's class.

Day 4: Taste of Summer Cooking Technique Class

2009-07-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

Today's "30 Days to 30" adventure was a cooking technique class offered at Williams-Sonoma. The store offers technique classes every Sunday morning for free. To my delight, this week's class theme was the Taste of Summer - focused on new ways to make summer vegetables. I ended up having to bring Hunter along with me to the class and with him tucked away in his stroller with a portable DVD player (yes, watching Curious George, AGAIN!) I was able to catch most of the class.

I can't decide if I should be disappointed or feel complimented because I really didn't learn anything new from the class. We learned how to make guacamole and how to sautee veggies in a skillet. Both of these are regular menu items at our house but seeing the interest of the others attending the class, I'm guessing they were "fresh ideas" to many others. I did learn about a bunch of overpriced cooking gadgets that if I had the biggest kitchen on earth, I'd probably want to buy :)

Day 3: Farmer's Market

2009-07-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hunter, Jason and I explored the Road Runners Farmer's Market in north east Phoenix this morning. I have been rather disappointed with the farmer's markets that I've been able to find here in Arizona so far, but this one gave me a little faith. I think the Sparks' Hometown Farmer's Market has spoiled me for life. This morning's market included several different farms selling produce as well as other booths with bakery items, spices, salsas, crafts, etc. Anyway, Hunter and I were on a mission today... to find a watermelon! We ended up with a whopping 13lb organic one. Can't wait to dig into it for dessert tonight.

Day 2: Peddle Boats

2009-07-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

My husband took Hunter and I out for a peddle boat ride on Tempe Town Lake this morning! We only lasted about 30 minutes (of our hour rental time) before Hunter got antsy and wanted to get out of the boat... and boy, that peddling was quite a workout! While we floated, we played a toddler version of I-spy and found ducks, swallows, fish, fishers, fish bubbles, trains, trucks, bikers, walkers and lots of airplanes. All-in-all it was a great way to spend the morning together.

Day 1: Get Your Zumba on!

2009-07-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

First up in my 30 days to 30 journey: ZUMBA! I've been saying I'm going to try this out for a few months now and since they don't offer a class at my gym location, I actually had to step out of my comfort zone and travel to Tempe for the class. The room was packed and the teacher was sometimes hard to see and follow, but I definitely enjoyed the beat and the dancing. I don't think I've danced like that since high school or college. Some steps were even reminiscent of my days in the Sunshine Generation. While typically, Zumba mixes the styles of Salsa, Meranga and Cha Cha Cha... I think tonight's instructor included a little hip hop, belly dancing and even country line dancing (ha ha!) in her interpretation. Needless to say, I'm going to hurt in the morning!

30 Days to 30... let the fun begin!

2009-07-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

It's official! In 30 days, I will be 30 years old. As previously blogged, I'm not entirely thrilled about this idea. But thanks to a surprise birthday party last weekend during my trip to Michigan (my family is the best!), I'm coming around to it. Hey, 30 is the new 20, right?

In honor of the big 3-0, I'm spending the next 30 days doing something fun and unique every day. As I get through the month, I'll be posting updates and pictures *hopefully* (had some camera problems on vacation, should be fixed soon though). Some of these are things I've never done before (like getting a tattoo!), others are just things in the Phoenix area that I've been dying to do.

I hope you enjoy my posts.

swap til you drop

2009-06-13T16:19:00.000-07:00

The woman to my right had her strategy mapped out. She and both of her children had trash bags and were positioned next to the tables heaping with the clothing sizes most likely to have what they needed.

When the magic words: “Let’s swap,” rang out, they were ready to dig.

Out of the corner of my eye, I was marking a sparkly green halter top across the table and a pair of boys sweatpants that nearly exactly matched the pair my son managed to rip at school last month.

The woman to my left started searching through the pile in front of us, stuffed with the remainder of my younger son’s too-small rompers that I had brought to swap.

The Swap Phoenix Clothing Swap group is run through the meetup.com website and meets once a month at different locations around the valley to swap clothing of all sizes. The idea is simple: bring what you don’t want or use and trade it for clothing you want or need.

It was started by a woman in Phoenix with a family of 7 kids (yeah, I know). Her name is Katherine and every swap she brings her kids along as involuntary helpers to sort the clothes and help out those that come.

In the end, I wasn’t able to score the green halter top, but I did go home with a great pair of embroidered jeans.

clean and green

2009-06-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

I'm probably the last person on earth to do this but I decided to go green with my cleaning products. Okay, I'm probably not the last person or S.C. Johnson and P&G would be making hundreds of thousands of dollars off sales of cleaning supplies every year. (Really, who DOESN'T want the Scrubbing Bubbles to do all the work for you?)

By green, I mean I went back to basics and cheap: baking soda, vinegar and water. The inspiration came from reading Jillian Michael's book "Master Your Metabolism" that explains how chemicals used for cleaning affect our endocrine system and in the end, are making us fat. Not that I consider myself fat anymore (I finally did the follow-up measurements at the gym last week, and I'm at last back in the NORMAL range for BMI and body fat!). But I don't want the chemicals in my life to bring that fat back. If you're interested in this subject, I highly suggest the book. If you can get past some of the extremism (she pretty much calls for you to empty out your pantry and start over) the underlying information and tips are great!

It's baby steps... and the first one was scrubbing and cleaning. I used vinegar water on the kitchen and bathroom surfaces and floors; baking soda on the toilets, sinks and showers; water and a cotton rag for dusting. It took a little extra elbow grease (I guess I probably burned a few extra calories doing it this way too!) and I wasn't able to get all the streaks off the mirrors (but I couldn't even do that with Windex), BUT my house is on its way to becoming clean and green. Next step, replacing my soaps (dish soap, dishwasher soap, laundry soap, etc) with the green alternatives. But I think I'll wait for my current supply of stuff to run out first.

don't sweat the little things? are computers considered little things?

2009-06-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

I am back behind my own keyboard tonight. It's like getting to drive your own car again after going on vacation. Nice feeling of familiarity.

I was able to pick up my MacBook from the Apple Store this afternoon after a 17 day "repair" visit. What happened? My two year old decided I was paying too much attention to the computer screen and not him, so he poured a soda on the keys. Not so coincidentally, I gave up drinking soda two days later (but that's another story, for another time).

My first reaction to what he did was to freak out (someone call CPS, I yelled at my two year old using my outdoor voice!). Then I mimicked him and threw a Terrible Twos tantrum (behind the closed doors of my bedroom). Not very "adult" of me, I know. But I don't think he realized the implications of what he did. My LIFE is on this computer. Next time (if there ever is one) I'll try my best to retain my composure.

Then, I rushed both boys into the car and paraded them to two different Apple Stores on different ends of town until I found one that could get me in see a "genius" that afternoon. I admit, I was in a bad mood and told the boys pretty much to keep their mouths shut until I had taken care of the computer.

The diagnosis: DOA. I kind of figured that when the soda hit the keyboard and I heard a fizz and the whole thing shut off. The remedy: Send it into the Apple Repair Depot for repairs (read: $$$$$$). While sitting down at the genius bar discussing options, I broke down in tears. I needed to find a way to get the computer fixed and it just wasn't an optimistic situation all around.

Andrew sat next to me watching me cry. He took my hand and said, "Mom, I have an idea. I've been trying to tell you all afternoon but you keep telling me to be quiet." So I asked him what was his idea. He said, "You can call up Santa Claus and see if he'll give you a new computer for Christmas."

We did figure out a way to get the computer fixed, but I was truly touched by Andrew's suggestion. Too bad we really can't put Santa on speed dial.

to be a kid again

2009-06-08T07:19:00.000-07:00

When you were a kid, what did you like to do the most? Do you still do it anymore? I know I loved to read and write when I was younger. I don't do either as much as I would like these days.

My six year old, Andrew, LOVES to draw, especially drawing robots and (you guessed it!) Transformers. He has been obsessed with Transformers since he was three (and that's an understatement). We have every Transformer made in the last three years... and then some. So as I was surfing the web the other day, I found that USA Today is having a contest to design your own Transformer contest. I showed it to Andrew and explained the rules. You have to create a brand new Tranformer and draw it both in robot form and it's untransformed state.

Andrew has spent the last few days roaming around the house looking for the PERFECT thing to turn into his new Transformer. He settled on a few of his brother's Matchbox cars that work like the Constructicons to form both their own individual Transformers and also one big Transformer. He only drew the one big united Transformer for the contest.

His Transformer's name is Crush Monster and it's made out of five cars named Beater Thunder, Crush, Signal and one that he couldn't come up with a name for so he called it No-Namer. He made a video explaining it as well... which I will post as soon as I can get it uploaded!

meeting the Biggest Loser blue team

2009-06-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to go see the Biggest Loser Blue Team, Sione and Filipe, last night. The two of them put on a nutrition seminar with their personal trainer (not Bob, Ryan, their trainer here in Phoenix).

I brought a pen and paper and took some notes! So if you're interested in weight loss, here are some tips from two (really funny) guys who have been through it recently.

Five Essentials to Weight Loss from Ryan, the trainer

1. FOOD! Don't forget to eat. 60-70% of your success will come from the food you eat. You must eat at least 1000 calories a day and don't forget carbs. 50% of the carbs you eat go to your brain. Eat carbs in the morning not the evening and eat carbs 2-3 hours before working out.

2. Supplementation: some suggestions were a multivitamin, a workout recovery pill (with amino acids), glucosamine (for joint health) and an antioxidant pill.

3. Resistance Training: builds muscle, increases metabolism For women it helps maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis.

4. Cardio: Not THE answer to weight loss, but still necessary. Do this 3-6 times a week, after your resistance training. Good for the heart, lungs and circulatory systems.

5. Professional Help (of course he's going to say this, he's a trainer!). Trainers have to undergo rigorous training to understand how the body works. They can help you get further, faster.

"Do the Opposite of Easy"

When working out -- push yourself

Sione's nutrition tips

Watch nutrition labels
-- serving sizes can be misleading
-- make sure you aren't getting more than 25% of calories from fat
-- keep sugar to less than 5% per serving

Give yourself a "cheat" meal. They were given one meal a week on the Biggest Loser ranch where they could eat an extra 1000 calories.

Oh, and Sione's "crave" foods are pizza, Doritos and ice cream.

Motivational words from Filipe

Trivia: Filipe wanted to be a motivational speaker since he was 16, when he attended a motivation speaking seminar with a friend.

Write it down -- your goals (for start) and why you want to lose weight. For him, it was his wife and kids. Then keep writing, your food intake, that is. Keeping a food journal is a proven technique for weight loss.

They will have more information on their website (which doesn't go live until Monday, so don't try it yet!) www.tongancousins.com. They are also kicking off a multi-city tour and the schedule will be on the website too.

That's all I had from my notes. They shared many experiences from the Biggest Loser ranch which were fun to hear about. I didn't realize how little we actually see when we watch the show. They ended the seminar with their Tongan dance and then a meet and greet so we could take pictures with them and ask questions. Yes, that's me in the pic with them. Sorry it's kinda blurry.

Thanks to Sione and Filipe for doing this. It was really fun to see them in person and take away some of the lessons they had learned.

Noteworthy?

2009-06-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

Out of the mouth of my Starbuck's barista (as I purchased a tea and Biggest Loser workout book):

"You are exactly who you want to be at this exact moment in your life. When you are ready to make a change you will become someone new."

Kinda deep for a teenage girl (plus I think she stole the underlying principle from the movie The Wedding Date). But it was noteworthy enough for me to type it up on my tiny Blackberry keyboard and pass it on to you.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

you never know who you are going to meet

2009-06-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, I was hiking with a group of moms. It was a stroller-friendly hike but the wheel of my stroller got stuck in a crevice and I was having some trouble and had fallen behind the other moms. I was approached by a nice man and his adorable dog who asked if I needed some help. He helped me free the stroller and then we started talking. It seems he was a retired local school teacher, kindergarten teacher to be exact. I told him I had a kindergartener but that he was really struggling with the work. Turns out, the man had an idea that might help (even if it was a little shameless self-promotion... it never hurt anyone, did it?). He had decided to take his kindergarten teaching experiences and put them into a series of children's books. The star of the books was his dog, Latte, who helped the children learn their alphabet and counting. A little bit skeptical, I thanked him for his advice.

Last week, walking through Target, low and behold, I found the "Latte's Counting Book" in the children's book aisle. Amused, Andrew and I sat in the aisle and read the book together. I told him that Hunter and I had actually met Latte when we were hiking, but Andrew didn't believe me. I've been doing some Internet searches to find the man, who I now know is Ron Scott. I'd love for Andrew to get to meet Latte as well. But for now, we've been hitting the trails again a little more. You never know, who you are going to meet!

digging deep, climbing high

2009-06-03T06:32:00.000-07:00

Driving home from a hike last night (see the picture! I made it!), my radio hit the slow rock station and given my exhausted mood, I decided to take in a little bit of the Delilah show (I gave up on regularly listening to this show a few years back when I was pregnant with Hunter because it made me cry too much! ha ha). I think some one up above made me turn the radio station at that exact moment because no sooner had I turned on the show, Delilah began talking about the trials and triumphs in her own life from being fired to living in poverty to divorce and being a single mom. After talking about all these hard periods of her life she finished with some uplifting words. She said (I'm paraphrasing here) that when you are facing tough times, treat them as an adventure, find the joy in them because it is easier to move forward when you are looking forward than looking back with regrets. HOW TRUE!

Listening to her talk, I had one of those AHA! moments (with respects to Mutual of Omaha). As tired as I was from a grueling active day, I vowed to myself to post to my blog more often to write about the things I am seeing and hearing, and to find the positive in each situation. I have always struggled with this blog because I had never given it much of a focus. Now I am finally giving it one.

in need of ideas

2009-05-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

I am stealing this idea from my friend who turned 30 earlier this year. She did a "30 days to 30" celebration to get excited about turning 30 (I am sooo no looking forward to this). On each of the 30 days prior to her 30th birthday she did something fun, ie go hiking, get a pedicure, etc.

I have some thoughts of what I could do but I need a lot more to fill out the month. I figured you might have some ideas that I'd have never thought about. I'd like to make most of them things I can do with my family and friends and keep it as inexpensive as possible. Keep in mind that for one week of this I will be on vacation with my family (camping in the mountains) so camping ideas are much appreciated and also, I'll be doing this the end of July through August so cooler activities preferred LOL.

Of course, I'll post updates on the blog as we do things!

Andrew's Baseball Season

2009-05-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Andrew's first baseball season came to an end with tonight's "awards" ceremony. Andy is coveting his new trophy while Mom and Dad breathe a sigh of relief for the break from the tough schedule of games and practices. And... as proud parents with television backgrounds must do... we put together a little video montage of the season for all our friends and family that don't live anywhere near us anymore.

delinquent in my duties

2009-05-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

With all that has been going on recently, I realize I've been somewhat delinquent in my responsibilities to update this blog. I apologize for that. We recently hosted Hunter's birthday party and following that, I reached a huge milestone for myself. I became a Lifetime member of Weight Watchers. In all, I have lost 50 lbs since January 2008. That is about 30% of my body weight, gone! I can't put into words how this experience has changed me. I am a different person, outside and in.

Before and After

Andrew's Awesome Pet Show has its own page now

2009-04-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

Andy was watching iCarly on Nickelodeon tonight and asked me if I could make him a website at "andrewsawesomepetshow.com". Well, buying a web domain is a little expensive so I went for the next closest thing... check out his new page at andrewsawesomepetshow.blogspot.com

I've only posted past episodes, but he wants to tape a new one tomorrow so I'm sure we'll get it posted by the end of the week :)
~Nicole

Happy Birthday Hunter!

2009-04-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

Where does the time go? Our little guy turned two years old this week!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUNTER!

For his birthday we ditched the old baby-safari garbs and redecorated Hunter's room in a new "big boy" sports theme. He absolutely LOVES it. His favorite part of the whole thing is the string of Christmas lights that we hung up on his "big boy bed" that have light covers on them in the shapes of baseballs, basketballs, soccer balls and footballs. I also replaced his safari mobile with footballs and basketballs... which he loves to point at and giggle while they as swirl over his head.

As with every birthday, he chose our dinner (pizza - anyone surprised?) and then absolutely died when I showed him his baseball birthday cake. Andrew had to help him blow out the candle since he wasn't really sure what to do with it. But he was sure what to do with the cake once it made it onto his plate. For his birthday I made him a special scrapbook (which you can see here) and he calls it his "baby book", so cute!

wish upon a star

2009-04-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I raced the sun as it was setting last night. We were driving home from swimming lessons and he wanted to make it home by the time the first star came out so he could make a wish.

"Mom," he said. "I want to make a special wish."

"Oh?" I asked him. "What are you going to wish for?"

He paused for a second.

"Will it come true if I tell you?" he asked.

"It might not, but you can tell me if you want." I told him.

"Well, I'll tell you, but you can't tell Dad," he said. "I'm going to wish to be a superhero. I want to be Superman."

This wish isn't unusual for Andrew. He's wanted to be Superman for as long as I can remember. You can see in this old picture of him dressed up for Halloween as Superman at age 3.

So he told me all the things that he wants to do when he's Superman. He's going to save the world. Make sure all the kids have food to eat and that their parents aren't "too mean" to them. Then he asked, "Can I set a time limit on my wish? Because I don't think I could be Superman for too long. I'd get tired."

Oh, the innocence. Just when you think the weight on your shoulders is getting too much to carry, they come around with something so intuitive and heart-warming you just melt.

Hunter's Playlist

2009-04-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hunter managed to get his hands (and ears) on my iPod today. It's amazing how much toddlers are like sponges. He knew exactly what to do with it. He put the ear buds in his ears, hit the "center" button and started rocking out on the table at the park (dancing on table tops already? I better watch this one closely). Anyway, I got to thinking that maybe Daughtry wasn't the best choice of songs for him to be listening to. So if Hunter had to choose his playlist, what would it be?

I bet it would look something like this:

1. Dora the Explorer's "Backpack Song"
2. The ABC Song (he can only sing up to D)
3. Rock-a-bye baby
4. Hey Now You're A Rockstar (it's on his kid guitar)
5. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
6. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
7. Pat-a-cake
8. The Backyardigan's Theme Song
9. Blue's Clues' Mail Song
10. Happy Birthday Song

10 Random Things About Me (that you won't find in my resume)

2009-03-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

1. I recently discovered that my alter-ego is a health nut.
I used to think eating healthy meant paying into whatever the latest craze in health food research is (think acai berry or omega-3s right now). Not so. In fact, after getting educated on what exactly is healthy food (whole grains, fresh fruits & veggies) versus what is “fake” health food (just about anything that comes in a box with the words “healthy” or “nutritious” on it), I’ve learned that healthy food tastes good. Imagine that.

2. No mountain is too high.
“It is easier to go down a mountain than up, but the view is always best from the top.” ~Unknown Author Since moving to Arizona I’ve rekindled my love for being outdoors and hiking. With the weather as great as it is, we’ve been hitting the trails at least once a week.

3. I am a bookworm.
I’ve been hopelessly lost in a book since I learned to read as a preschooler. These days I’m a member of two local book clubs and even find ways to squeeze in a couple of extra reads each month too. I don’t really have a specific genre that I like to read, but I’ve been alternating between fiction and nonfiction so I don’t get burnt out on one or the other.

4. Scrapbooking is an addiction.
There is something about arranging pictures, words and various other “embellishments” on a page that just gets me every time. I’m always up for a scrapbooking project.

5. The handwriting is on the wall.
In high school I was nominated for the “Most Likely to Write a Novel” award. I didn’t ultimately win the award but for the amount of writing I have done over the course of my professional career (not to mention personal musings) I could have probably written a half dozen novels several times over. I wonder if the girl who did win that award actually went on to write anything?

6. I can’t hide my green thumb.
I have always liked having plants and flowers in and around my house. This year I ventured out into vegetable gardening by planting a “container” garden in the backyard. I’ll let you know how it turns out, but so far, so good!

7. Finding the beat within is a passion.
As a child and teenager I learned to dance as well as play the piano, trumpet and clarinet. Yes, I was a band geek in high school (no, I never went to band camp, sadly). Today, I love listening to new music, dancing with my boys and can’t wait to try the new Zumba class at one of the local rec centers.

8. Channeling Superwoman?
As a senior in college one of the organizations I was in actually gave me the “Superwoman” award at it end-of-the-year banquet. As if I didn’t know it by then, I’d been pegged the overachiever. At graduation, I was a member of seven different clubs, a student government representative, working three part-time jobs and still managing to write a column for the student newspaper and –gasp- go to class! Sleep was a luxury. Since then I’ve learned to establish priorities and boundaries. I still find it hard to say “no” sometimes, but most times I do okay.

9. Diet Coke & chocolate can cure any bad mood.
Well, that and pint of Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked ice cream. I may be a newfound health nut, but my comfort foods have remained the same over the years.

10. My ultimate vacation is spending time with my boys.
Hopefully there’s a beach involved in that scene too. And maybe a few pina coladas?

baseball season

2009-03-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

Andrew's first baseball game was today! He did awesome. He made the last hit for his team and it was the first time he had actually hit a ball that was pitched to him.

The rules for the 5-6 year old league were a little strange. It went two innings and all of the kids on each team got to bat when their team was at bat. It was coaches pitch, but if the child hadn't hit the ball after 3 or 4 pitches they could use the t-ball stand to hit it. All kids ran the bases regardless if the other team got them out before they hit the base or not. I get that this age is about teaching them how to play the game. I sure hope the next level actually teaches the rules though, because the "fairness" factor is going to get old soon.

Spring Break

2009-03-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

My mom came out for a visit during Andrew's school spring break. We really enjoyed having her visit and we kept her pretty busy too! She probably went home glad for the break from us. :)

it's all downhill from the top!

2009-03-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

I've been hitting the trails around my new house in Mesa with a few other moms that I met in the Arizona Mountain Mamas group on Meetup.com. It's been so much fun :) and rewarding not only for the bragging rights of saying I conquered a mountain this weekend, but also because it has helped to jump restart my weight loss for weight watchers. I am now less than a pound from my final goal! YAY!!! Slow and steady wins the race right? I've been working on this since January 2008 - it is so great to finally see the peak. I'm working on a scrapbook to highlight the weight loss journey. I'll post the pages when I'm done so you can all see just how far I've come.

Moonlight Inspired... in the kitchen!

2009-03-01T20:35:00.000-08:00

To all my moonlightinspired.com supporters... I need your help! I am vying to become the official (dare I say paid) food blogger for PNN (Personal News Network). In that position I will offer fun, witty ideas for budget-friendly (we ARE in a recession) gourmet meals and other food-related information.

I've set up my page and already started blogging, but part of the deal is building and interacting with the community. I invite you to check out my "broadcast", poke around (maybe cast a vote or two, or give me a star?).

Thank you so much for your support!
~Nicole

let's go fly a kite

2009-02-21T19:02:00.000-08:00

No one can accuse me of not being spontaneous! Today, on a whim, the boys and I headed over to Red Mountain Park for the Basant Mela, which for us non-Pakistani's means Kite Festival! We got there a little late in the afternoon and they were all out of kites for sale. We managed to find a ripped one on the ground and one of the men at the information booth helped us tape it back together. Then came the task of getting this tissue paper and stick contraption into the air. That proved easier said than done.

Hunter loved watching all of the kites in the air. I attempted to give Andrew a little history of kite festival (since, of course, after reading The Kite Runner, I am such an expert, LOL) but Andrew decided it was more like the ending of Mary Poppins than some book I had read about a country he had never heard of.

We also got in line to try some Pakistani food, but decided against it when we couldn't determine exactly what was in it (last thing I needed was an allergic reaction). Then we checked out some booths and I got a cute Indian beaded shirt.

park hopping... kinda like bar hopping, but not really

2009-02-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

Hunter and I checked out some new parks today! We visited Greenfield Park and Monterey Park and finally settled on Freestone Park after Hunter squealed upon seeing the big orange slide (see movie below).

boy we've come a long way

2009-02-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I've just finished reading the book (left) These is my Words by Nancy Turner for one of my book clubs. It's a historical fiction written by a local author (if Tucson is really considered local) about the struggles of a family settling the Arizona Territory way back in the days of the Wild Wild West. Of course, to keep readers like me interested, there is a love story. The overwhelming remarks of the book club were about the ruggedness of the west and insane amount of death highlighted in the story (to give you an idea, about 10 people die in the first 20 pages) and it struck me as crazy until.... this last weekend we were driving back to Phoenix from Las Vegas, through some of the very land written about in the book. Now I understand.

The 388-mile trek took us 7 hours (with 2 young kids, you take lots of breaks) and while the boys were comfy cozy and occupied with snacks and DVD players in the backseat, I had nothing but the barren landscape to keep me company (radio station? ha!). So I found my mind wandering back to the book. Just how it was back then and how it this desert probably hasn't changed all that much since the late 1800s when Sarah Agnes Prine and her family tredged across it. Okay, well the land may be the only thing that hasn't changed. For one, we certainly weren't traveling on horseback or in a stagecoach. I wasn't forced to wear heavy long dresses with petticoats (thank God, I'll keep my jeans). And the biggest threat to our livelihood was Hunter yelling in the back that his sippy cup had run out of apple juice rather than Indians with bows and arrows... in fact, the closest thing to Indians I could find was the Jeep Grand Cherokee we were driving in.

If nothing else, the drive made me very happy to have all the freedoms and abilities that I have now as an American woman. It also made me very thankful for my iPhone (but that's a different story).

my funny valentines

2009-02-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

Hunter and I attended Andrew's class Valentine's Day Party yesterday where our job was to help the kids decorate sugar cookies. It was messy but yummy and the whole room was just full of (sugar-inspired) love.

how does she walk in these things?

2009-02-13T10:21:00.000-08:00

Hunter tried out mom's heels yesterday :) silly silly boy

take a hike

2009-01-31T12:45:00.000-08:00

We hiked up Telegraph Pass with some friends this week. Hunter actually made most of the hike up by himself! WOO HOO! :)

hey now, you're a rockstar

2009-01-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

Andrew was pretending to be a rockstar the other night, but it was his little brother who really stole the show. Move over Jonas Brothers... you've got nothing on the Moon Brothers!

Free cup of Starbucks

2009-01-21T19:06:00.000-08:00

Click on the logo to find out how you can help your community and get a cup of Starbucks java as a reward.

how inspiring

2009-01-12T11:27:00.000-08:00

Andy and I watched the Golden Globes last night (he was very excited to see that Wall-E won for Best Animated Character!). And while I found many of the awards recipients to be rather vain... I was especially moved by Tina Fey's acceptance of her award for Best Female Lead in a Comedy and the speech linked above by Steven Spielberg. We can all use some inspiring words during these tough times and he really filled that niche. Thank you Steven.

finally, a trend I'm happy to support

2009-01-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

The Las Vegas Sun posted an article this week about the new meaning of "Leaving Las Vegas". And it seems as though our family is not alone in its blatant desertion of the Sin City. The article highlights the problems our former city faces in keeping its residents and its jobs. And while I am sorry for the city's troubles, I am not sorry to be out of its ill graces. I'm pretty sure Mayor Goodman doesn't read this blog, but if he did I would urge him kindly to put down his martini glass and hit the streets. Meet the people one on one and find ways that you can help them. Nevada used to be the fastest growing state and the heart of that growth was in the Las Vegas area. Now, even here in Phoenix, I hear neighbors talking of Las Vegas as a ghost town. But even us ghosts have moved on, to spook new neighborhoods across the west.

having ourselves a merry little Christmas

2008-12-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

Moving the weekend before Christmas can kind of put a damper on the holiday spirit, but we're trying not to let it get to us. It may not be decking the halls, but we got our tree and stockings up today. Santa Claus, we're ready!

First tooth to fall out!

2008-12-21T19:33:00.000-08:00

Andy lost his first tooth! He was eating dinner and accidentally swallowed it (oops!)... but lucky for him, the Tooth Fairy still came and left him a present under his pillow that night anyway.

early presents with friends

2008-12-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

The Magical Forest at Opportunity Village

2008-12-21T19:21:00.000-08:00

We spent an evening touring Opportunity Village's Magical Forest in Las Vegas. Our favorite ride was the Forest Express train!

the Christmas before the Christmas

2008-12-21T19:14:00.000-08:00

We had several "Christmas" celebrations with friends before we headed out of town. Here are the highlights from a fun party held with members of our play group.

Andrew & Hunter wait patiently to open their gifts.

Hunter collapsed with his new toy :)

Catching up...

2008-12-21T19:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lapse in posting - The picture above tells it all, the story of my life. Ha ha, a highway sign. I'm driving around in Las Vegas, in limbo. Go right and it's back to where I came from (Reno). Go left and go forward to our new adventures in Phoenix.

It's been a crazy couple of weeks as we prepared to move and finally did move to Phoenix. But, I'm back for now and ready to catch up! It might take a couple posts, but hopefully I'll get it all in.

holiday cheer from our family

2008-12-08T11:40:00.000-08:00

a few more pictures from Thanksgiving

2008-12-05T23:04:00.000-08:00

Hunter playing in the leaves in Santa Rosa

Mom caught Andrew & Dawn

Riding tractors at Grandma & Grandpa Moon's house

Andrew's Awesome Pet Show - Episode 3

2008-11-29T10:48:00.000-08:00

Turkey Day Trip

2008-11-29T10:37:00.000-08:00

Some snapshots from our trip to Reno for Thanksgiving. Andrew was so excited to see his Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Mark and Aunt Jolene. We went to cheer on the Nevada Wolfpack on Wednesday night and spent Turkey Day at Uncle Mark's house with family.

Now we are in Santa Rosa, CA visiting friends .... more coming on that soon!

new pictures!

2008-11-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

Our 2008 Christmas Photos are here!

Second Episode of Andrew's Pet Show

2008-11-18T19:34:00.000-08:00

This one had a rockier taping session and ended up looking strikingly similar to the first episode.

Andrew's Awesome Pet Show

2008-11-17T20:54:00.000-08:00

If this doesn't get you rolling with laughter... ha ha ha
Andy is already planning his second episode.

dinnertime monologue

2008-11-13T19:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Andrew!

2008-11-13T19:33:00.000-08:00

My big boy turned 6 today! He was so excited to get his "big" present, a turtle that he named Emmy. Here are some of the sights and sounds.

The "alligator" cupcakes that we brought to school this morning

Andrew and Emmy

Andrew blowing out the candles (this is a movie file)

Hunter after the cupcakes and spaghetti (probably not Mom's greatest dinner combination)

Dear Santa

2008-11-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

Where would we be without Toys R Us' "Biggest Toy Book Ever" this year? (On a side note, what a great marketing tactic! LOL) The other night Andrew thumbed through with a pen and circled all the toys he wanted Santa to bring him this year. We only made it through a couple of pages on camera, but I think you'll get the picture.

I just hope Andrew stays on the nice list until Christmastime. He gave Santa a TALL order.

the beat underneath

2008-11-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

I went out for a run the other day and realized after I'd gotten down the street a little ways that I'd synced my iPod to the wrong playlist. Oops... so instead of my usual fast-paced, upbeat running music I was transported back to the late 1990s with vintage Alanis Morrisette and even some newer tunes from Nickelback and Daughtry. After a few songs, I found a beat. The beat underneath and that beat worked for me. I ran the longest I had ever run (10.7 miles!) and I realize that my mind and my breathing were following the tune of the song, rather slow and melodic (or maybe melodramatic too?), but my heart and my feet were following the beat underneath the tune, a much faster, steady and pulsing beat.

The more I got into it, the more I equated the beat underneath to what is going on in our country right now and it's part of the reason that I voted for Obama this past week. I love the big picture tune that he sings. The tune of "change" and "yes, we can". But underneath he is running fast and steady. He has a goal in mind and he's going to see us through to the end. And though sometimes it may feel like we're running in quicksand if we listen to the beat, we can keep going.

And speaking of goals, my sights are set on the Las Vegas Marathon on December 7th. My last day in Las Vegas will be spend running the streets like a madwoman! LOL, talk about leaving Las Vegas with a bang.

Andrew's first soccer game

2008-11-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little late in the season, but after being sidelined by a broken wrist for the last month, Andrew hit the field for the first time this afternoon. His team, The Transformers (if you're wondering, YES, my son had a hand in naming his team) beat the Tigers.

Halloween Pictures!

2008-11-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

Our Halloween fun started with pumpkin carving on Thursday with our friends Veronica, Willie and Ricky. Andrew carved up a mean jack-o-lantern and mom carved a spider web on her pumpkin and a skeleton on Hunter's pumpkin.

Friday was trick or treating. Andrew was a soldier and Hunter was a lion (costume hand-made with love by mom). We went to Safe Street by our house and also hit the streets with some friends from our playdate group. All in all we walked away with more candy than we could possibly eat in a year. Woo hoo! I think I know what Andrew will be getting for treats in his lunchbox for the next couple of weeks.

web brained

2008-10-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

As I was clicking through my blogs and RSS feeds this morning... I found a pair of rather amusing headlines. Well, independent of each other they are rather plain, but together I couldn't help myself from ROTFL. :P

The first one a wire copy story from Reuters headlined: Is surfing on the Internet altering your brain? An interesting read about how use of the Internet and cell phones is making us more skilled at decision making, especially under pressure. Hmmm... food for thought.

The second one was a small mention in the AdWeek blog entitled "Doing drugs can impair you web browsing". Sounds like no-duh, right? I highly encourage you to click on the link and see if you don't end up ROTFL too.

on second thought

2008-10-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Hunter "graduated" this week from high chair to kitchen table. Oh, my baby is getting so big!

But, on second thought, maybe it was too soon?

After this pic was taken, Hunter decided to be really wild and dumped his plate on his head.

On the one hand, I didn't have to clean spaghetti sauce out of the crevices of a high chair. The kitchen table was flat for easy cleaning. On the other hand, my kitchen table chairs aren't exactly machine washable.

Ahhhh, the joys of being mom.

purple polka dots

2008-10-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

Blogging from Borders Bookstore at Town Square today... where I have just purchased a new purple polka dot pen. I know, I know, it's a silly thing to blog about. But after a few days of dragging, fighting off a new cold and headaches from digging into some rather complex research for my new client (it's intense stuff, but I'm seeing a lot of potential!), I needed a break with some lighter stuff. Think vanilla latte and InStyle - with a window shopping trip through Ann Taylor LOFT.

Back to the pen, I normally don't buy funky pens (give me a Bic and I'll be fine), but this one grabbed my attention. Not just because it was purple - my new inspirational color - but because it was polka dotted. How fun! Random dots, doing as they please. Like me? I hope.

It has been 5 weeks since I left the structured office atmosphere and kind of like a lost kids blankie, I'm missing its warmth. But part of me is glad for the freedom. When I hit a mental block I can go for a run. When I need a coffee break, my kitchen is downstairs... and when both collide at the same time, I can jog my way to Starbucks! (ha ha, try that in a suit and heels!)

I am not bound by any strategic plan to spend my days thinking about some of the worlds gloomiest subjects (methamphetamine, domestic violence, identity theft... to name a few). Instead, I am working on plans to help families and communities. What an inspiration.

And I'm also working on plans for me. To do the things I love to do. To be creative, to inspire and help others. And, best of all, to be me. After years of being silenced as a journalist (always tell both sides) and a political flack (only your boss' opinion counts), I am ready for my voice to be heard.

I can write subjects of my choice. I can be random, like the polka dots on my new pen!

Do you freecycle?

2008-10-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

In preparation for our move, I decided to clean out the boys drawers and closets for clothes that don't fit. But when I was done, I was a little shocked to realize just how few clothes my boys have that actually fit. Since Andrew is going to private school, he really hasn't worn much other than his uniform and Hunter, well, he gets his clothes dirty five seconds after I get them on him, so I wasn't really paying all that much attention.

Oh, what to do what to do? The weather is changing and my kids need clothes.

But, thanks to a friend whose son is growing faster than mine and a woman on Freecycle -- I am now SWIMMING in boys clothes ranging from 12M to boys 8 - and today is the day I chose to sort through the mess. I have several piles. The wash for use now pile (winter clothes in 6 for Andrew and 24 Mo for Hunter), the summer clothes wash for saving pile (clothes that are a little big now, but its too cold to wear them), the too big clothes wash for saving pile (clothes that won't fit next season but I want to save for later), the too-small Freecycle bag (clothes that don't fit Hunter or won't fit next season that I will "pay it forward" and post on Freecycle), a donation pile (clothes that are in good condition but that I wouldn't like for my kids to wear - I'll drop them off for the local kids shelter) and a trash pile (clothes that I wouldn't wish on any other mother for the life of me!)

If you've never done Freecycle, you should! It's easy. You can read through posts of things people are giving away and respond if you'd like to pick up the item, you can post things you want to give away or you can post items you are looking for. Earlier this year I posted that I needed some planting pots for a little garden I wanted to plant in the backyard. A lady on the other side of town answered my post saying she had several and I was able to pick them up. Some people give away things like washing machines or televisions, others are as small as unused makeup or clothes. Save money, save room in the landfills. Good for you, good for the environment and excellent for the other person not wanting to spend money to dump things

When you have boys, the clothes are going to get ruined anyway, so why spend a lot of money on them! Of course, I do buy a couple sets of nice things for special occasions.

For a garage sale junkie like me, Freecycle is a dream come true and I am completely indebted now that my boy's drawers are brimming with fall clothes.

Thank you!!!

Back on the weight loss bandwagon

2008-10-14T21:16:00.000-07:00

Since leaving the AG's office, I've somewhat fallen off the weight loss bandwagon. While I haven't gained any weight back (woo hoo!), my weight has been stagnant for the last few weeks. Since the beginning of the year I have lost more than 30 lbs! So this weekend I attempted to jump-start my weight loss journey again while walking in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk for the Cure at UNLV. Andrew walked about half the walk with me and rode with Hunter in the stroller the other half of the time. Afterwards we hung out in the grass for a little bit and jumped in the bounce houses (okay, that was more Andrew than Hunter or I). During that time, Hunter got the camera away from me and took a couple rather funny pictures. I can't believe how thin I look in this picture. WOW!!! So inspirational!

new adventures

2008-10-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

I have a new job, of sorts! YAY! And its one that will give us that extra push to move to Phoenix, as we've been planning to do for about six months now. I'll be doing freelance work for a small PR firm KWPR. It's a mother's dream job and I am so excited to start. I'll be working 10-12 hours a week from home to help the group with a new account. Eventually, I may be able to take on more accounts once I get my feet wet and show off my skills.

What this means for me professionally is that I'll get to slow down for a little bit. My career took off like a rocket ship and yes, while I am aiming for the stars, I'm okay with this side trip to the international space station. We'll dock there for a little bit and then readjust our aim when we're ready to move on.

Personally, I'm hoping for a lot less stress. I'll be able to focus more on the boys and keeping our house in order and also focus on me. Reevaluating what I want out of my life, where I want to go, how I want to get there. I'll be able to continue my weight loss journey and continue working to trading my old somewhat unhealthy habits for new healthier ones. I'll be able to do some more writing at home and work on hobbies like reading, scrapbooking and sewing.

Whew! I can't wait!

my heart is breaking for him

2008-09-29T23:04:00.000-07:00

I think becoming a mother has made me so much more sensitive to the pain of others around me, especially when it is my child who is hurting. Andrew broke his wrist tonight. He was horsing around and it was an accident, but even knowing that doesn't make it any better. He has two "bubble' fractures on either side of his right wrist and we have to make an appointment for him to get a cast for it. Poor guy is in so much pain and I am sitting here crying right alongside with him. My, what a pair we make. You know the saying about mothers? That they let their heart walk around outside their bodies. It is so true. I wish I could just hug him and hold him and make all the pain go away for him, but I can't. He can no longer participate in swimming lessons or play soccer or even write out his own homework. My heart is breaking for him. These next few weeks are going to be a tough struggle for him. Please say a prayer for my little boy tonight. He's going to need all the help he can get.