I never promised thrilling stories

I forgot to mention the very good news that I once again have a cell phone. My eBay ordered phone arrived last week, with not too many scuffs, and on Monday I called Verizon and in about 5 minutes had it activated over the phone. Yay Verizon for not making me wait around their store with a 1-year-old. Also, they’ve informed me that once I have all my contacts entered again they can back them up for me so if, er when, I lose my cell phone again, I can just download all my contacts instead of reentering them all. I think that’s the biggest hassle out of the whole ordeal so that makes me very happy. Oh yeah, and no calls have been placed since it wound up missing. Makes me think I LOST it and it was not stolen. So, I guess I shouldn’t point my fingers should I? That doesn’t explain the missing $90, but that could have fallen out of my purse. As my husband has pointed out I leave the front part of my purse wide open sometimes. I’ve since started carrying a very LARGE purse with all sorts of room for a billfold and animal crackers and diapers. Who was I trying to kid with that medium-sized purse anyway?

In other technology news, I bought a little handheld Shark vacuum the other day. I’m a little embarrassed to say, but I get really excited about having new cleaning products. I was so happy to get the Dyson vacuum a few years ago. For my wedding one couple got me a wonderful chemical free floor steamer I now use on all my tile. And the Swifter Sweeper is so much more fun than a broom. And now with Ella I’ve realized that smashed goldfish treats and crumbled breakfast bars, among other foods, are a part of daily life. And such places like her highchair, my car, my bed are not ideal for a large vacuum. Hence the handheld. I love it. I foresee buying another in the future so I can have one on both floors. Exciting, huh?

In TV news I just watched the latest Tori and Dean where they have their baby girl, Stella. It was so good. I cried. I have to say I love the show. I think she’s funny and they genuinely are in love, and I like that they’re such entrepreneurs and it’s a lot about babies and house decorating – how can I resist? Anyway, I was nervous just watching her go into the OR to have her C-section. I think that would be so nervewracking to know the day and time that your baby would arrive and also surgery is so scary! I like the surprise of labor – not that everyone has a choice! – but I’m glad we were able to have Ella naturally. I mean, I had an epidural, but it was a vaginal birth. Sorry, I hate that word. But how else do you say it? Anyway, I also love the name Stella, and still would be trying to talk my husband into that except now I have an Ella, and I can’t do that to my children.

Just look how cute the Shark is:

Bright spot

Man, it seems like everyday I’m finding out that our economy is getting worse. I just read that the Big Three automakers, GM, Chrysler and Ford, could file bankruptcy if things don’t improve in the next year.

Yesterday I heard a paper in Northwest Indiana layed off more than 20 people and are dropping several sections of their paper. The newspaper industry has been slowly evolving with the popularity of Internet news, and now with the economy as it is, it’s really going to start changing.

Foreclosures are up, job losses are up, advertising is down … It’s starting to get a little depressing and a little scary isn’t it?

Well here’s a dose of cuteness for you today, now that you’re depressed too! This is what Ella’s been up to the last week or so …

Genericization and The Yaz

My sister Emily came up this weekend for a sisterly girls night out and a birthday party for BIL Marc and our grandma. And because she thought she could kick my butt at Wii tennis. She would be proved wrong.
So Saturday night we had reservations at Club Soda. Originally there was to be five of us. My two sisters, me, my SIL and my best friend who just moved within two hours of me. My SIL remembered old plans to celebrate a friend’s birthday, so she had to cancel. Then my friend got too busy with her huge garden and plans to become the organic Martha Stewart of Michigan. So she bailed too. Guess even with only a two-hour drive it’s not going to be easy to get together.
Oh well. It would just be my sisters and I. That would actually be really fun.
Ella cried and cried when we left around 6:30 though and I hated it. Although we did have a great day together and she would be in bed in a few hours so I convinced myself I was not a terrible mother and should have fun.
Our table was on the upper deck, which was fabulous. It was still hot and sunny out but there was a roof that provided shade and ceiling fans. They have a huge downstairs patio too. With all the outdoor seating, it felt like I was in California again. I loved it. The restaurant is really neat too. A really old building with lots of exposed brick.
Emily and I both ordered the duck. It was encrusted in maplesugar and then had some sweet and spicy chili mint sauce and peach salsa on top. We each ordered the aged white cheddar mashed potatoes with it. It was delicious.
So we sat and talked. Sara told us stories about how all her friends are on “the yaz.” It’s a new birth control that contains a “light mood enhancer.” Apparently it’s pretty good.
Emily talked about her work. She’s already back to school – she’s a social worker at a school. I can’t believe kids go back to school in early August now.
Also at one point we were talking about brand names that turn into general terms – like Kleenex, and the word Davenport was brought up. Well, I had only heard this term in context of my grandma, who passed away when I was 10, so I said “Doesn’t davenport mean porch?” Well, Sara, being one to pounce on someone’s mistakes, thought this was HILARIOUS, because it really means couch. Just recently she stopped making fun of me for losing my winter coat in Ireland. Which happend ELEVEN YEARS AGO. Also, everyone said “What is that word when a brand name becomes a generic term?”
Anyway, we returned to my house, where we all drank a few beers and talked and played Wii tennis. Very fun night.
The next day Emily and I had our coffee and watch Ella play and before we know it it was time to head to my mom’s for the joint birthday party.
My mom had awesome food. She served some crazy good bean/salsa/cilantro dip with chips and BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, and some brownies that had a chocolate caramal/peanut butter frosting.
Ella was so tired she ended up napping during most of the party. I ended up nearly being in a brownie-induced coma from the amount of brownies I consumed. Emily could barely lift her arm from the Wii tennis championship the night before. So we were all kinda lazy.
At one point Sara came up to me laughing and said “Ask mom what Davenport means.” I did and sure enough, my mom said couch. Ugh. If only The Yaz had some sort of etiquette enhancer. Ha ha.
And then there was another round of people going “Isn’t there a word for when a brand name becomes a generic term?”
By four we all left to return back to normal life.

And of course it was Steve who said the word is Genericization!

Aunt Emily snuggles with London and Ella.

Ornery key thief

This morning I was doing well. Running on time. Baby was eating and I was getting ready. I had even awoken a little earlier today, due to going to bed at 6 p.m. last night – that’s a whole other story. A special thanks to my husband for letting me do that.

Anyway, just as we’re at the load-up-the-car stage – you know, the baby, lunch, laptop, purse … I realize my keys are not on the hook. The only other place I keep them is in my purse, which I know is in my car. (Which is inside the garage, I’m not that stupid people).

As I frantically search yesterday’s pants in the laundry, then search the upstairs closet, I realize it’s time to leave. Now, if I was 5 -10 minutes late on a normal day – which RARELY ever happens, it would be fine. But it would not be fine on a Friday. Friday is a day I help the news desk, and there is a very tight turnaround and deadline to meet at 8 a.m. It’s important I’m there by 7 a.m.

I first think I will have to take my husband’s car, which I don’t like to do. I have to be sure to get everything out of my car, and I will undoubtedly forget something at 6:20 a.m. But then I realize it’s not even an option. My car is locked. Guess I’m a little paranoid now and am locking my car, even when it’s INSIDE the garage.

Time is ticking so I decide to get my husband involved. I wake him up and tell him the situation. His head springs from the bed as he remembers … “Ella was playing with them yesterday. Look in her kitchen!”

I go downstairs, open up the plastic door to her play microwave in her little kitchen, and sure enough, there are my sunglasses and my keys.

So, I guess the morale of this story is: PUT YOUR KEYS ON THE KEY HOOK!