three pugs & a baby: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

{ training tuesday - 5/31 edition }

Hello, there! I hope you're all having a fabulous week, training hard and blogging about it.

Or at least commenting about it, here!

The weather has taken a dramatic turn from pleasant to something I like to call "Hell."

By 8am, the temperature and humidity are both pretty unbearable. Which means all rigorous exercise must be done at 5am or after the sun sets. Neither of which are particularly appealing in that 5am is obscenely early and after the sun sets is when the snakes come out to play.

Oh, the dilemmas I face.

The other problem with the summer heat is that it immediately makes me crave either beer and/or ice cream. Which is not super in terms of hydration and overall nutrition, I'm sure. It will pass, eventually. Like in winter time.

All in all, it's going well. I'm keeping up pace and distance and I'm getting to a point where I want to get up one morning and put in about 10 miles, just to see how I do. That will make for a fun post in a few weeks.

Do you like training in winter or summer? Sun or rain? Wind or snow? Tell us about it!

Monday, May 30, 2011

{ the real real housewives }

MacGyver and I seem to enjoy torturing each other via television.

He likes to subject me to such "reality" travesties as Undercover Celebrity Employer Swap and American Idol.

I prefer a little something I call Anything on Bravo.

It keeps our marriage interesting.

We bait each other with questions:

Me: When is American Idol going to give up?

Him: When are they going to show REAL housewives?

We often end in a draw.

But lately, as the Housewives of Many Cities are starting to deteriorate into a spiral of malicious and awkward drama, I can kind of see where he is coming from.

Culturally, we (the hypothetical "we") seem to thrive on celebrities, faux and real - we act as voyeurs into their lives, their relationships, their fashion, their successes and their failures. Maybe it helps us feel better about ourselves - sure, they have money and personal trainers and stylists, but they stumble and fall JUST LIKE US HAHAHAHAHA!

I don't know. Just a guess.

Point is, "real housewives" can be just as entertaining (and inspiring) as Andy Cohen's bevy of "Real Housewives." In fact, possibly more so, considering that we endure challenges with far more depth than running into our enemy-of-the-week at the pedicure chair and showing up at Random Charity Gala in the {gasp/pearl clutch/swoon} same gown as the Chairperson's daughter. Or something like that.

"real housewives" (all in lowercase, of course), are interesting in our own right. We do the same things as the capital-letter Real Housewives. We're just a little different.

Let's compare (and let's keep in mind, that a lot of the RHORandomCity do have small children, so this is all quite applicable).

For example. Lunch dates. "real housewives" have lunch dates. At Chick-Fil-A. Where we hustle their little ones through a few bites of nuggets, a swish of drink, and then herd them off into the play place so we can try to enjoy a semi-hot meal, ignoring the smears of honey mustard on our legs. The kids, untended by nannies, flit in and out of the enclosure. If we're lucky, we can order limited edition banana pudding milkshakes and hope the kids accept the explanation that it's just mommy's Diet Dr. Pepper. Also, if we're lucky, self-inflicted injuries stay to a minimum. There are no signs of organic baby greens, pinot grigio, or anything resembling an amuse bouche. Lunch dates end, not when the bottle of wine is empty, but when banshee-like shrieking ensues, indicating the need for "naptime."

We go to parties, too! It's great because we lack the witty hair stylist and angsty makeup artist to help out. Nope. We've got to simultaneously blow dry our hair and apply whatever eyeliner we can find that hasn't already been used as a crayon on the dog. Sometimes, we get forgetful and do one eye. Can you imagine? Oh, but the parties in "real housewives" circles very rarely have red carpets and paparazzi. Also lacking? Sit down dinners, bone china, cut crystal stemware and high-heeled shoes. It's just not done. It's far more practical to attend parties in our $2.50 Old Navy flip flops than in anything with more than a 1" heel. Sometimes, we "real housewives" have to intervene to catch a spilling cup of grape juice or break up a tussle over Buzz Lightyear. Like good Boy Scouts, "real housewives" are nothing if not prepared.

There's also infighting. All you have to do is visit some mommy blogs to see that. We "real housewives" have our lines in the sand about how we feed our children, how we raise our children, how we act as mothers and wives. We have opinions on vaccines, antibiotics, high fructose corn syrup, chicken nuggets, sunscreen and tv. Oh, not to mention, politics, relationships, marriages... The list goes on. These conversations are always tough - after all, put together a bunch of women with different viewpoints and let them have it... someone's going to get upset. Ever see The View? Just like that.

It's not all catty and chaotic, though! We may not be able to spend $100,000 on our very own fashion line or wine label or drastically enhanced music single, but we are business savvy in our own rights. Just take a look at etsy to see what some amazing "real housewives" have done. There are butchers and bakers and candlestick makers. Ok. Not really butchers. That would be kind of gross. We capitalize on the skills we have and build thriving businesses as graphic designers, seamstresses, artists, photographers, and babysitters. It's amazing what a little insomnia, creativity and some spare scraps of fabric can lead to. Maybe it's not as dramatic as hawking wares on QVC, but it's ours and we can be proud of that.

Andy Cohen, you're missing out. Granted, we may not be as glamourous or put together as your current lineup. Our vacations may take place in small town Holiday Inns instead of exotic Ritz Carlton's. We may walk around, not realizing that we've had a tyrannosaurus rex sticker plastered on our shirt all day (and dear God, we've gone to Target like that and no one said a word!). Playing Poop or Chocolate might be the most outrageous thing we've done all month!

But we're really real. And we're fabulous that way.

* Don't worry, Andy Cohen. I'll still watch you. BravoTV can do no wrong in my eyes. Just pointing out an opportunity before Oxygen or Lifetime snatches it up.

{ happy memorial day }

From our family to yours.

Who kept the faith and fought the fight;

The glory theirs, the duty ours. -Wallace Bruce

Friday, May 27, 2011

{ a cocktail for your weekend. you'll thank me }

So yesterday, I talked about that awesome mom's sleepover?

Well, let's not kid ourselves.

We were enjoying a few cocktails while we hung out.

One of our friends, L, brought with her some Skinny Girl Margaritas, and bottles of Three Olives Purple and Three Olives Bubble.

And then she said "Guys! You have to try this!"

She poured a lil bit of Bubble into a lil bit of Sprite over ice and then, in a flash of inspiration brought on by the fact that an open box of Mike & Ike RedRageous was sitting on the counter, added exactly three candies.

No more. No less.

The end result is nothing short of yummy. Light and fizzy, and not too sweet.

They go down smooth.

We have a holiday weekend ahead.

I recommend you celebrate with some of these.

You'll thank me.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

{ georgia on my mind }

This past weekend, the three pugs household was home base for a sleepover.

Eight moms got together, arriving by car and by plane, to spend Saturday night through Sunday morning in each other's company.

There was food and drink, laughter and love.

It's really a fabulous way to recharge. The bonding is at a level of intensity I can't even describe. I am so privileged to have these women in my life, proud to call them friends.

Of course, a weekend of wonderfulness doesn't stop me from doing some completely boneheaded things.

Like when I tried to take one of the moms back to the airport.

I made it to my destination to pick up said mom without incident. It's right off the interstate. Clearly marked. You drive over downtown, past the port, past the zoo and past the new-ish shopping center. Go a few more miles and the exit is on the right.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

We don't often travel to the airport. We don't often travel past the zoo, quite frankly. And I'm pretty good with directions, even without the aid of a GPS. Which I did not have with me, either time.

When I made my second trip in 24 hours to the airport, I was expecting it to be a done deal.

I don't know what happened.

We started with a southern detour to the beach. Just so A could walk on the sand and dip her toes in the water. Fair enough - she's from the northeast, and apparently had to don a sweater the day before her trip south.

It was a quick journey back to the highway, and then off we went.

Maybe I got distracted by the police car that was keeping irritatingly on pace with me (I don't like being next to police cars. They make me nervous. Now you know).

Maybe the exit sign was blocked by the trailer of the 18 wheeler in the right lane.

Maybe we were both so caught up in our conversation and mom-bonding that neither of noticed the ginormous "AIRPORT" sign over the road.

I'm not sure, really.

All I know is that we drove over downtown (showing off the football stadium like a good tour guide), past the port and past the zoo.

And it seemed like we were driving a little too long. As if somehow, we had missed the airport.

And there was a sense of panic and dread when I saw a sign, announcing Exit 1. Which is never a good sign.

You know what else isn't a good sign?

Especially when a) you were not intending to go to Georgia and b) the airport in question is not in Georgia.

Fortunately, I am very skilled at laughing at myself and A has a fabulous sense of humor.

Provided she wasn't going to miss her flight.

Which she wasn't.

If I had to drive on to the runway and chase the plane down. Which I did not. You probably would have heard about that on the news.

So, to A. I'm so sorry. Glad you made it home safely. We can make a run for the border any time you come back to visit.

And to Georgia, thank you for welcoming us to the Peach State. Even if it was for the three minutes it took for me to turn around at Exit 1 and zip back to the line.

It was a visit we'll never forget.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

{ how to help }

Once again, a wave of tornadoes has swept through the Midwest, leaving a path of devastation in its wake.

The tragedy is unfathomable. Houses and buildings and entire towns have been destroyed. Precious lives lost. The photos of the affected areas are nothing short of wrenching. I can't being to imagine the overwhelming sense of loss and fear the victims must be feeling today.

It's horrifying. How one awful storm can wreak such havoc, cause so much loss and chaos.

I can't wrap my head around it.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the storms of Joplin, Missouri and surrounding areas. We continue to think of those hurt by the tornadoes earlier this year.

And we would like to share ways to help, if you can.

The Red Cross is responding to the disaster with supplies and manpower.

To donate $10 automatically, text the word REDCROSS to 90999.
Visit www.redcross.org for information on how to donate personally or financially.
Call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
Mail donations to American Red Cross, PO Box 37243, Washington, DC, 20013.
You may also register at the Red Cross Safe And Well site to let family members and friends know you are alright, or search for friends and family, by visiting www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS

The Salvation Army is asking for donations of water and money for immediate use. The Kansas City Chiefs are working with the Salvation Army by donating $35,000 to relief efforts and coordinating a bottled water drive at Arrowhead Stadium, Lot C. On Wednesday, May 25, from 7am to 7pm, bring bottled water, checks (made out to Heart-to-Heart International) and cash to help aid in the disaster relief. You can also make donations via the Salvation Army's secure website.

The Community Foundation of Kansas City offers donation options:

Joplin Missouri Disaster Relief Fund
Reading Kansas Disaster Relief Fund
Call 816.842.7444 for credit card donations

Convoy of Hope is providing food and water to victims in Joplin. You can donate at convoyofhope.org or by texting CONVOY to 50555.

To support World Vision in their efforts in Joplin, MO, simply text TORNADO to 20222.

More information is available on Facebook's Joplin Tornado Information page.

Your thoughts, prayers, donations and help are all so very appreciated.

*sources compiled from USA Today.

{ training tuesday: 5/24 edition }

Hello, and welcome back to another edition of Training Tuesday.

This is a confession post.

The last thing on my mind this past week was hitting the streets.

In a stretch of 8 days, I did 4 mega cleanings, baked 1 cake, 46 cupcakes, and piped about 60 cut out cookies, 30 of which looked like these:

I have hosted about 20 guests, consumed several different kinds of cocktails, and got way too little sleep.

Oh, and I made one accidental trip to Georgia. Oops.

Sometimes, one gets spread a little thin.

It's ok, though. One bad week isn't going to throw me. Right? Right. Starting today, I'm back in gear and ready for action. I have a clear schedule, and my focus is where it should be.

How do you handle it when your schedule gets in the way?

Sunday, May 22, 2011

{ imagination movers live }

I'm just going to go ahead and confess.

I love the Imagination Movers.

I love their show. And Rich. Their music. And Rich. Their sense of humor. And Smitty. And Rich.

I even love Warehouse Mouse and boring Uncle KnitKnots.

I'm hooked. Probably more so than Turtle. Oh, the shame.

The Movers announced they would be on tour near our city a few months ago. We waited too long to buy tickets and sadly, it seemed there would be no Brainstorming for us. In that time, Turtle lost a little interest in my favorite preschooler band, and I soothed my disappointment with the thought that maybe he wouldn't enjoy it quite as much as I had hoped.

However, the day before the show, an opportunity for excellent tickets presented itself and we jumped right on it. I couldn't believe our good luck! MacGyver and I were both so excited - MacGyver because it would be Turtle's very first concert and me because... well... it would be such a great concert!

We headed out to the theater, a little nervous because it was a 7pm show (read: past Turtle's bedtime), and not sure how he would fare.

We had phenomenal seats. Maybe 10 rows back, on the right side aisle. The theater was pretty packed, but we had plenty of space to move around and dance.

Choo Choo Soul opened for the Movers - a very catchy song and dance act, focussed on trains. Turtle loves trains. He was also very concerned as to when the Movers were coming onstage.

We are working on patience.

When Rich, Smitty, Dave and Scott took the stage, the venue erupted with cheers and whistles and applause. Parents and children alike jumped up on their feet to help the Movers solved another Idea Emergency. Warehouse Mouse, Nina and Eddie the Monster made appearances, and they played all my favorite songs.

At first, Turtle was a little cranky, but soon rallied at got into it.

After 45 minutes, with the Idea Emergency solved, the Movers performed their closing song and walked off. They returned for an encore, breaking out popular favorites like I Wanna Rock & Roll All Night and I Gotta Feeling. Rich even did a few verses from The Proclaimers' 500 Miles, one of my guilty pleasure songs. Everyone was standing, dancing, singing along. The energy was amazing.

A huge explosion of confetti signaled the end of the performance...

And MacGyver turned to me, Turtle on his shoulders and a gleam in his eye.

"We're going to rush the stage!" he declared. And took off.

You should know. MacGyver is a professed concerteer. He loves the shows, finding the right tickets at the best price, trading up seats, getting up on stage... all those things I just can't ever bring myself to do. He's a wild man about it.

So he had no qualms working his way up front, where other kids and their parents waited, Turtle at the same height as the children already crouched on the edge of the stage.

You can see MacGyver in white and Turtle in red.

They waited there, as the applause continued to thunder, and I saw Rich reach out from the middle of the stage and hand something to a child in the audience. I couldn't figure out what it was, but I saw him and Smitty reach into their pockets and pull out what I realized were guitar picks.

Smitty moved to Turtle's side of the stage, distributing a handful of picks to the kids. He had what looked like one left, and I saw him make eye contact with Turtle. MacGyver helped him wave his hands just a little, and Smitty handed that last pick to him.

I don't know who was more excited. MacGyver or our sweet little boy.

Of course, the first thing he wanted to do when we got home was play us a song with his new treasure.

Such an amazing night. He did great and had so much fun. And Smitty was always one of my favorites. Huge thanks to him for making our little guy's night extra special.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

{ thoughtful thursday }

Because I didn't have a Wordless Wednesday.

The shuttle Endeavor launched on Monday. MacGyver and Turtle were unable to make a trip to see it this time, so we had to watch it on the NASA channel.

And then we went outside, where we were treated to this view.

Absolutely amazing.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

{ dino dan has gotten to me }

If Turtle meets you, he will ask you two questions.

1. Do you know Buzz? Lightyear?

2. Do you know Dino Dan?

If you happen to be female, he may also ask

3. Do you have sweet dreams?

I don't know where he gets these things.

Anyway, it's clear that Dino Dan rates right up there in Turtle's priorities. And as such, I've seen more than my fair share of episodes.

I've also learned more about dinosaurs in the last few months than I ever thought possible.

Which is why I chafe a little bit at this shirt Nana sent for Turtle's birthday (Mom, you had no way of knowing. Shirt's adorable. He loves it. This is me being anal. No worries.)

It's from Walmart's Faded Glory line (we also have the properly done Stegosaurus version).

And it's WRONG.

Well, not wrong. But also, not the best choice.

The long and short of it is, a paleontologist named Othniel Charles Marsh identified a dinosaur as Apatosaurus Ajax in 1877. Two years later, he identified another, similar specimen as Brontosaurus Excelsus. Almost 25 years later, he compared his findings and decided that both specimens were pretty much identical, and since Apatosaurus was the name first used, Apatosaurus it was.*

Ta-da!

Apparently, Brontosaurus was the "cooler" name and that caught on for a while, but the technical, prehistorically-correct term is Apatosaurus.

I can't help it. It bugs me.

When Turtle learns to read, I am pretty sure it will bug him, too. He already takes us to task for not immediately differentiating between a pterodactylus and a quetzalcoatlus. He will probably suffer a case of the vapors when he sees pictures of himself in a Brontosaurus shirt.

I'll cross that bridge when it comes.

*source: wikipedia, and pretty much any other site that discusses Apatosaurus and Othniel Marsh.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

{ training tuesday: 5/17 edition }

Things are progressing well.

I have put myself in the habit of taking Turtle with me. I don't have a jogging stroller, but it's ok. The sidewalks are all pretty level and I haven't had much problem.

Plus, the fresh air helps wear him out.

I'm a fan of that.

I'm comfortably doing about 5 miles in a little over an hour. I figure that I'll only get faster and once I ditch the stroller, that will improve my speed. Which fits in perfectly with my plan to maintain a consistent 12-13 minute mile for the "race."

Physically, I feel great. The speed walking agrees with my knees far more than running ever has. I'm able to run a little, but certainly not 13+ miles worth. And while I know walking is so much less exciting and kind of anti-climatic, it's working for me. No point in blowing my knees on what's supposed to be a fun night, right?

This week, I've been working on water consumption.

As you know, I hate water and I've been making a concerted effort to drink the recommended daily allotment. It's been going well, although I still have work to do. Baby steps.

How are your training efforts progressing? I'd love to hear!

Monday, May 16, 2011

{ spoilers! }

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (the book) was released in 2005, with a bigger buzz than any HP book before.

A major, beloved character would DIE!

I remember it all very clearly. I was at Disney World with MacGyver and his family. We were staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort. For the first time in our relationship, he probably had a clue that my love of reading was more encompassing than he could fathom, when I asked him, with all seriousness, if we could have the pre-ordered hardcover shipped directly to the hotel so I wouldn't have to wait til I got home.

Rumors were flying. Fortunately, being on Disney property meant that I was quite insulated from any news (Harry Potter is a Universal commodity, you see), and so I anxiously endured the rest of the weekend, rushed home, tore into my Amazon box and buried my nose in the latest literary stylings of J.K. Rowling.

Approximately thirty-seven hours later (that includes sleeping and possibly work), I grieved the death of Dumbledore with real tears (You should have at least seen the movie by this point so if you've been under a rock all this time, surprise! Dumbledore dies.).

But the thing was, I wish I had known. Not so much that I would have read the end of the book first (I have some self-restraint, thank you very much). But enough to let me relax. I read The Half-Blood Prince like a mission, knowing something bad was going to happen, and speeding through to find my target. I had to re-read it again almost immediately, to savor the words and absorb the story.

For the record, I cried that time, too.

And I realize, especially now that we're in the throes of Competitive Reality Show Season Finale time, that spoilers don't really "spoil" things for me.

Confession time.

* I will pause football games on my DVR just long enough that I can find out the final score a few minutes before I see it played out. It eases my tension.

* I will read full synopses on IMDB before and/or as I am watching movies, especially scary movies, so I can be prepared for the final outcome. If I can get my hands on a free, online screenplay, even better.

* I will NOT skip to the end of a book, but I will tell people it's ok to discuss books and their endings in front of me, without fear of ruining things.

Now, I admit, I'm not particularly invested in your American Idols and Survivors. I just don't have the time or emotional fortitude to invest in the Dynamic Duo of Seacrest and Probst.

I am also not particularly entertained by watching people eat things like Madagascar Hissing Spitbugs. Different strokes for different folks, ya'll.

But with Facebook and Twitter and other forms of social media, it's definitely getting harder to avoid spoilers, especially when the peeps on the Atlantic get answers three hours before those on the Pacific.

Personally, I try to be considerate. I do like to Tweet about certain shows (namely Glee and anything on Bravo) while they're actually airing, but I do my best to not give too much away. Sometimes I slip, but I'm human, and these things happen. If there's a danger of finding out too much for your comfort, it's easy enough to avoid Facebook and Twitter for a few hours.

This morning, I have been on Twitter, Facebook, and two online communities, and I still have no idea who won Survivor. Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough or I wasn't sensitive to the information.

I also don't know the scores to last night's Heat and Yankees games, but based on how those were going when I went to bed, I'm pretty sure I don't want to know.

Please feel free to spoil them for me :)

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

{ savannah }

It's a bad time of year for MacGyver.

He has to deal with the one-two punch of Mother's Day AND my birthday. Oh, the horror.

I don't really want (or need) a lot. Just a fun day, doing something different. Maybe with an adult beverage or two.

That's all.

This year, I asked to go to Savannah. It's within driving distance. We have a dear friend who lives there. And it's a beautiful city.

So we got ourselves up before the sun rose (with MacGyver pondering why I can't be normal and ask to sleep in and go to brunch), and hit the road.

We arrived just in time for breakfast at our friend, J's, favorite joint: J. Christopher's. Apparently, they are known for their Eggs Benedict. I'm not a fan, but J, his friend T, and MacGyver chowed down on this version with crabcake.

Even I thought it looked good, but Turtle and I stuck to berry crepes and chocolate chip pancakes.

And then we were off.

We took a stroll to the river, down steep cobbled hills (the closest thing I ever want to come to hiking), and through magnolia lined streets.

Uncle J and Turtle had a pretty deep conversation as they gazed over the water.

And then they made wishes as they threw coins in a fountain. After a trip to one of the candy stores, of course.

There is a great fountain across from City Market that kids (of all ages) can play in. Which was great for the hot day we were having and to kill time before lunch.

While we waited for our table (and dried off), we got to visit some of the beautiful horses.

Turtle was a huge fan.

He could have spent all day petting their velvety noses.

I can't say I blame him.

Lunch was delicious - a huge sampler of different flavored wings, washed down with beer. Nom.

We were even treated to some live music from our seat on the terrace.

Turtle? Loves celery. Go figure.

Old friends, getting ready to part ways. Sad face.

But not before we got to sneak in some cuddles with Uncle J's puppeh!

In which Turtle was way more interested in playing with Uni than with posing for a nice family picture. I understand.

We cannot wait to go back. We will definitely be planning for several days and checking out more of the city's historical district and restaurants.

It was also the most perfect Mother's Day/Birthday Gift - spending hours with people I love, exploring, laughing, and having fun.

{ turtle's toy story party }

I have to apologize. This has taken way longer to organize and post than I had anticipated. I hope it's worth the wait.

Turtle had requested a dinosaur party several months ago. I was less that enthused, just because dinosaurs are not super cute, but I did my research and had a plan in place.

Right before I started buying prehistoric-themed items, he threw me a curveball. He wanted a Buzz Lightyear party.

At that point, recognizing that 2-3 year olds are fickle creatures, I stopped bringing up the concept of a party at all, and went to work.

I also want to apologize for the number of pictures. Can't help it.

We started the party at 10:30am. Turtle is in a great mood in the morning and we figured we could host a light brunch/lunch situation and get his friends home in time for afternoon naps.

We opted to use Facebook for our invitations. While I adore paper invitations, they eat up the budget with cost of printing and postage (even if you DIY), and online is so much more environmentally friendly. Plus, it's so easy to post updates or changes on the Facebook event wall.

I made a balloon wreath for the front door, in lime, purple, white and silver. It came out so cute and was the perfect welcome for our guests. Or backdrop for a family photo (and trial for me new tripod).

And inside we go.

This (non-working) rendition of "The Claw" dangled over favor bags....

... that I made to look like little green aliens (thanks to my friend K, who had some at her daughter's party).

The bags were filled with a container of Play-Doh, bubbles, a #3 crayon and some Toy Story fruit snacks.

Guests could also take home a #3 Buzz-themed cookie.

It's so easy to make these tissue paper poms for some great hanging pieces. I used lime, aqua and purple.

And I found these great alien party hats.

I made a happy birthday banner, and this "fueling station" banner.

And speaking of food...

We served mini bagels with cream cheese, munchkins, Toy Story Cheez-its, pretzels, chicken salad with hawaiian rolls, pasta salad, and a fruit salad in a carved watermelon.

Oh. And cake. Can't forget the cake.