My Sleeping Angel

Ahh, my sleeping Angel. He is so funny and ends up in the most interesting positions, this being one of them! I am entering into a contest on 5 minutes for mom for a new bedroom set for him. He won't be in his crib too much longer and I would love to win this beautiful new set (Summer Breeze) for when we switch him to his new room and "big boy" bed!

Let there be (fluorescent) Light!

Ok, I am sorry for my third post of the day, but I have to update on this before I forget! We have accomplished #72 on my 101 and I didn't have to pay for the bulbs or wait until the other ones burned out!! Ollie's girlfriend Pam found out about Project 20/20 (named after the average number of light bulbs in each house), which is co-sponsored by Wal-mart and Brown university. They will come and replace all of your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs for FREE. They came yesterday evening and replaced 23 bulbs in our house (including our downstairs in-law). The only bulbs they could not replace were 6 we had in the family room and 1 in Nathan's bedroom (these lights are on dimmers) and the bulbs in the bathroom fixture. I am so excited that Pam found this opportunity because we saved lots of money and are taking small steps to help the environment. The catch is, they take your old light bulbs when they replace them. We were curious about why they would want our old light bulbs and they told us that an art student at Brown is creating an art piece that is basically a huge Lite-Brite!

So, from what I hear you can still get them to come do this for you. To sign up for new light bulbs, call (401) 863-7976 or send an e-mail to proj2020@gmail.com.

Surveys...Not just for Myspace!

I was tagged by my blogger friend Katie. This one is actually kind of fun.

Here are the rules...Rules:
Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve answered the questions on your blog.

10 Years Ago I...(1998):
1. was working at Jerry's Famous Deli and getting huge tips from club promoters who would come in right before we closed!
2. transferred to Cal State Northridge and took a major hit in credits from switching schools...geeze that sucked, it set me back a whole year!
3. was dating a total looser. I am so glad I got rid of that one!
4. I got my first kitty. Her name was Cleo and she was weaned too early and used to try to suck on your ear! I started wishing she had opposable thumbs!
5. Still had my mom, which looking back was one of the only good things about 1998!

5 Things on Today's "To Do List":
1. Call my sister and wish her a happy birthday. Oh, and tell her I posted a picture of her on my blog....I'm sure she'll be thrilled! :o)
2. Figure out dates I can go to Colorado for work. Hopefully Aaron and the boy can come with me this time.
3. Watch "Pushing Daisies" tonight at 8pm!
4. Figure out what I'm going (or in reality Aaron) to make for dinner tomorrow when his mom comes over.
5. Figure out how to do the strikethrough thingy to words in my posts. (help, anyone??)

5 Places I have lived:
1. I was born in Springfield, OR and lived there for 2 years
2. LaVerne, CA where I spent most of my childhood
3. Studio City, CA went to college and worked my tail off!
4. Las Vegas, NV Moved there for Grad school, met my future hubby and then moved to...
5. Providece, RI where I live now! (There were lots of places inbetween but it only asked for 5!)

5 Jobs I have had:
1. My first real job was at Tony Roma's whre I started out hostessing and then was a server. I also waited tables at Jerry's Deli, Cheesecake Factory, Macaroni Grill and Spanish Trails county club to put myself through school.
2. I worked at Mountain High Ski resort for a season. I started off as a lift operator and then got promoted to the promotions and marketing office as an assistant. Most of that job was a blur....
3. I was a graduate teaching assistant and taught Microbiology labs to undergrads...I'd rather teach preschoolers, I think they are probably more behaved!
4. I was a research assistant at the Biotechnology Center at UNLV.
5. I am a Senior Associate at Amgen where I blah.. blah... blah...(well, that's what it would sound like to you anyway if I explained what I do here!!) :o)

I am tagging:
1. Heather
2. Liz
3. Katrina
4. Alicia
5. Laura

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Kiersten!!

Don't worry sis, I won't tell people how old you are today! :o)

Go ahead and laugh at my expense, I did!

So, I was thinking this was something that I could add to my Not Me! Monday next week, but it is so ridiculous I couldn't wait. Today I was getting ready for work and decided that I would go to the gym in the morning instead of the afternoon. We have a gym at my work, so when I decide this, I usually wear my gym clothes to work and then change afterwards in our locker room. I left my gym bag at work on accident, but didn't feel like wearing the pants that I had in it, so I wore other yoga pants today. I grabbed a shirt and a bra, but somehow forgot that I should probably have some work appropriate pants to wear for afterwards!!! I realized this as when I was getting out of my car and reached for the clothes I had brought. I almost decided to go home and call out sick today, but I have way too much to do. So here I sit, in my blue yoga pants and t-shirt (that luckily sorta matches), at my desk. I feel like such a moron right now and have to go through my entire work day at the office wearing yoga pants. Granted, I did this a few times when I was pregnant with Nathan, but you get a free pass on your wardrobe choices when you are 9 months along and uncomfortably huge. This is funny, and I won't be offended if you laugh at me. I guess I will be spending the day in the lab, covered up by my lab coat! Pictures will definitely not be accompanying this post...

****UPDATED (to include MORE embarrassment)****

I should have stayed in bed today. Not only am I wearing attire that is pretty much my normal pajamas at work today, but my plan to stay incognito backfired. We had a fire drill today. What's that you say, grown-ups have fire drills??? Why yes they do, and during our fire drills everyone files outside and has to badge in at the gathering areas. We then stand around and wait to be told to go back inside. Oh, and while we are waiting, we ave nothing to do but look around at everyone. People definitely noticed by night time/exercise attire. Kill me please....

Not Me! Monday

I just love this post. I look forward to it every week. Ok, so for the 3 weeks I have been doing it, but who's counting. You know you want to participate too. It is very freeing to be brutally honest, so write your own list and then pop over to MckMama's blog and read what other people "didn't" do this week!

I was not so incredibly bored in a training last week that I stared at the Post-it notes on the wall chanting, "Blue sticky, green sticky, yellow sticky, purple sticky," in my head for 10 minutes, only to be brought back to reality by the fact that I had been asked a question, which I then had to have the trainer repeat. That is not like me at all! I am so motivated at work to learn, I would never space out in a training!

I did not just write the longest run-on sentence known to man!! I am anal about grammar and would never in a million years let that fly.

I did not pour the last of my iced coffee and then accidentally pour a ridiculously large amount of splenda in it and ruin it. Then, I didn't decide to run to Dunkin Donuts and get one since I didn't feel like having hot coffee. We are trying to save money so I wouldn't waste it on iced coffee. I wasn't trying to get Nathan out of the car, balance my purse and pick up the coffee that I had set on the roof when I dropped it in a crash onto my driveway. That would be so clumsy and you all know I am the picture of grace! I absolutely did not add insult to injury and have my hubby pick me up ANOTHER iced coffee on his way home from Home Depot. When it arrived home, safe and sound, I did not enjoy it like it was the best thing ever made!!!

I did not blame the rain for my laziness on Saturday and not change myself or Nathan out of our jammies all day. I then did not wear those same jams to bed on Sat and change mid morning on Sunday...That would just be gross!

I didn't go to Kohl's under the guise of buying storage containers and then proceed to buy clothes for myself and the boy. I really needed those storage containers and I wouldn't just forget about them completely! Nope, not me!

I did not force myself to stay awake last night to watch the Red Sox game, only to fall asleep in the 8th inning. I am not so old that I can't stay up and watch something as exciting as the playoffs!! I also did not just put a cute picture of Natey in my post that has nothing to do with Not Me! Monday...nope not me!

A letter to my Mom

Happy Birthday Mama. Today you would be 60 years old. This is the 6th birthday I have had to celebrate without you, and though it should be getting easier, I'm not sure it ever will.

I showed your picture to Nathan today. I made sure to tell him it was grandma. He said, "Pretty", and touched your face. It was all I could do to keep from breaking into tears right then and there. I want him to know you, and it kills me that he can only do that through the stories that I will tell him. Stories of a woman so amazing, that I can't put into words everything I want him to know. I only hope that I can show him the wonderful soul you were by being the mother to him that you were to me. Always there to kiss the boo boos, read with him, laugh with him, smooch him and show him that his mama loves him more than he will ever know. I sing him the same songs that I remember falling asleep to when I was small and I can sometimes feel you there with me. Rocking my sweet child to sleep, I am reminded of the precious gift I have been given, but also the one that was taken from me too soon.

I did this evening what I always do on your birthday. I looked through old pictures to find my favorite ones of you. Most of my favorites are from when I was a child and before you got sick. You looked so young and full of life, so beautiful and hopeful. Even now when I remember you, it seems that my memories drift back to the time when you were the happiest. It saddens me that I don't have more pictures of you in the last couple of years before you died. The ones that I have I will cherish, but I will never loose the picture of you in my mind.

Please continue to watch over me and be close when I need you the most.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.

You make me happy when skies are grey.

You'll never know, dear, how much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away.

Dreams with Deadlines

#28: 3 for 50 and counting

I finished my 3rd book yesterday. Mr. Bones, the canine hero of the book, is the sidekick and confidant of Willy G. Christmas, a brilliant and troubled homeless man from Brooklyn. As Willy's body slowly expires, he sets off with Mr. Bones for Baltimore in search of his high school English teacher and a new home for his companion. The story is told by Mr. Bones and it is a moving story told from an unlikely perspective.

#25: Learn a new Word Every Day

I am debating whether or not I should keep putting all of the words I learn on here. I'm pretty sure no one cares besides me, but it is a way to review them, and thus attempt to commit them to memory. Ok, I guess I will keep doing it...for now.

24.numismatics: the collection and study of coins.

25. edify: to instruct and improve.

26. melee: a confused conflict.

27. capitulate: to surrender under agreed conditions.
28. panache: dash or flamboyance in manner or style.
29. verbiage: an overabundance of words.
30. fettle: a state or condition of fitness, order, or mind.
31. slugabed: one who stays in bed until a late hour.
32. donnybrook: a brawl or dispute.

Wordless Wednesday