I'm down HERE!

Fun in Maine

I miss my internet...how sad is that?  A beach we STILL havent yet been to...right down the road...and I miss the INTERNET?!?!

Needless to say we have been busy with family.  My inlaws outlandish party was actually very nice.  I was re-introduced to many people that were at our wedding that I didnt even remember meeting (scary, huh?).  Baby had a delightful time being entertained by his cousins and it was generally fun.

Reusker had to fly down to Miami for most of this week...kind of a bummer.  I have to remind myself that the original purpose of this trip was for me and Baby to hang out with family (escape the heat) while Reusker got lots of work done.  When it morphed into him working HERE, then I started to get possessive of our evenings...thinking we'd get to enjoy Portland dining with a -gasp- babysitter (my mom)!  But, it wasnt meant to be...its just me and Squirmy.  But we are having lots of fun all the same.

We spent yesterday afternoon with my best friends and their kids.  Today we went to lunch (seafood!) with Grampie (Reusker's dad) and I'm going to the movies with my brother tonight, after we take a stroll with my friend this afternoon.  I've spent the last few evenings with my brother, while my mom watches the baby.  I am loving the freedom, she is loving the baby, and he's loving the attention of his Oma!  Yeah!

Baby (soon to be Toddler, as he turns 1 in a week - OMG!) has been kinda out of sorts.  Really, he's been angelic (way better than I deserve) for the first year.  But now he's agitated lately.  I'm sure being away from home, his crib, his schedule is hard for him.  He has all these strangers grabbing him, meals and naps are entirely erratic now.  AND he is teething and has allergies.  So, he certainly has his excuses...but I still miss the easy-going Chilled Guy.  The crying is nerve shattering to me.  Clearly I have become spoiled over the last year of relative quiet and calm...

We're here...

The 1300 mile trip was -um- interesting.  Poor Baby is teething, has allergies, has been strapped into a carseat (his equivalent of a miserable straight jacket!)...and had a 3 hour screaming fit on Thursday.  I cant blame him, but it was SO not my wonderful baby!  He slept much of the Friday drive and we had a pretty good go of it...but were glad to hit my mom's house late last night.

The Over-the-top gala for my mother-in-law was fun.  Baby LOVED playing with all of his cousins, and it gave me a breather.  I got to see many of Reusker's family and friends that I really enjoy...some of whom I havent seen since our wedding. 

Both Reusker and I had some apprehensions heading into this, but it was good.  We'll hang with his family tomorrow and then head to our beachfront apartment (no internet access..can you imagine?).

that's it for now...

going home...

to THIS???

gads.

How old were you when...

Stolen from Hadley at: I'm rambling....

Fell in love: fell in fourth grade, Kurt

Lost your virginity: 17.

Lost someone close to you: 17, my maternal grandmother.  Remember being forced to go to school the next morning.

Drank alcohol: beyond baby sips it was 14, but practically had to hold my nose!

Smoked weed: 15 or 16, and it didnt a thing for the first many times

Got kissed: fourth grade...same (then-dear) Kurt

Got your heart broken: might have been Kurt in 6th grade, or the rumor Tom spread in 8th grade...but definitely EricW in 11th grade (and 12th grade, and a few more times...)

Got arrested: never...and I hope I've outgrown the times it would have been most likely (and did come close)

Smoked a cigarette: 17 (and lots in college & grad school)
Broken a bone: 6, broke arm jumping off swing.  Went on to break myself at age 14 and 16, and cracked my skull a few times (22, 32 were noteworthy)

Got cheated on: fiancee, Dave.  after being engaged for 6 endless years he FINALLY had the balls to leave me...and got married 5 months later.  But in karmic terms, I deserved it...I had dated behind a few boyfriends' backs when I was an insecure little girl (late teens, early 20s).  But -if there is a scale- my indiscretions pale in comparison.

Rode the city bus: probably as a child somewhere, but alone in Guatemala, 1998

Went to a concert: probably 1985-ish.  Maybe BillyJoel, BryanAdams or some such

Met someone famous: 1985-ish, state senator ate at my dad's restaurant.  1987, at at HowardJones' restaurant.  Madonna's sister was our waitress. 1992, DonMcLean

Dyed your hair: 1987, and let's not go back to those rediculous red or bad-blond big-hair photos!  Shaved my head in 1985

Got your first cell phone: 1999, still have the exact same number, company, service...and only my second phone (no text msg or camera, but i still love it)

Got a Myspace: about 2 weeks ago...and dont think I like it.  now I feel old.

Snuck out of the house: 14
Got your own digital camera: 2002?

First time you got drunk: 15, in Switzerland...made out with some guy named Bruno and only remember the back of his neck!  very scary...

Read Harry Potter: never

Traveled across the ocean: 15, see Bruno, above
Wore a toga: 15.  no great story, a bunch of us decided to spice up the Latin Club

Traveled out of state: was born out of state!  Moved to Maine when I was 2

Shopped at Abercrombie: probably around 2002?  Not really my thing...went for the first time in a LONG two months ago. I returned the shirt because $70 was too much for even the nicest shirt a stay-at-home mom wears!

Went to Disney World: second grade...it was the BEST

Went on a date: 14.  Paul (18).  He french kissed me and I washed my OWN mouth out with soap I was so grossed out ("someone just SPIT in my mouth!").  In my infinite maturity, I stopped speaking to him until he left me alone...a move I will regret for the rest of my life.  I have an awesome husband now, but Paul would have been good...and I feel bad for being a jerk. I just couldnt admit he was too mature for me.

Saw a Broadway play: around 6.  well, it was a musical.  parents dragged us to see Cats.  We went screaming and kicking and a few hours later it became my all-time favorite

How old are you now: 37  (shuddup! I know.)

A picture is worth...

A thousand words.  Or is it PRICELESS?

He did it to me again.

l...just sitting in his high chair, spreading an apple all over his face (not an easy feat!)...giving me that goofy, toothy grin.

Baby made me cry.  I was trying to sing to him and I got so chocked up I had to stop. 

I looked over at Reusker and just sobbed "I love you guys so much"...

So pathetic, it was kinda cute.

Yes, this IS the same post I put on his blog...I'm that taken...

I'm down HERE!: Are you kidding me?

Remember how/when Reusker's grandmother was obsessed, believing I'd taken her *favorite* pair of shoes?

I just got a letter saying she's sent me ANOTHER subsription to "Southern Living" magazine!  And in TINY letters, way down in the corner of the page it says (in light pencil, so barely-there that Reusker completely missed it):

"I found my shoes"

Fran! Fran! Fran!

Just let me say that I am beyond excited that Fran found me!  YEAH!

That hybrid thang

DogsDontPurr asked me to review our Hybrid Toyota Highlander, so here goes.  Reusker should really weigh in, because he's the car freak.

For starters, I fell in love with the Lexus Hybrid.  Reusker *told* me this was the same automobile, just a Toyota.  This appealed to my frugal side, which was DEAD-against buying a brand, new car.  But, they are holding their value so well that after all the incentives (tax cut, rebates, APR) it was actually cheaper to buy a NEW car than a used one!!  Can you believe that?  crazy.

It turns out its the chassis or some "underneath" feature that is the same as the Lexus...not the cupholders and such details that *I* would appreciate.  Of course.  I also think it has some kind of construction similar to the Toyota Camry, but I know no more than I care on this subject.  Reusker assured me it was very, very safe...that's all I care about (since we DO have a habit of being nearly killed by errant 18-wheelers, right?).

The coolest thing is to turn it ON.  You cant even tell its on...no noise!  It starts in battery mode, no engine noise.  I am halfway down the street before the gas engine kicks in.  There is a gauge on the dashboard that tells me, but you can also hear it...electric is quieter and smoother...kinda like a golf cart.

Now appreciate that I am comparing this to my previous cars:  1995 Infiniti (which did the job, but was very old and tired) and The Mitsubeastie (hated this one after 10 miserable years...JB might remember this POS).  So I LOVE our little SUV!! I swore I'd never get a SUV or minivan.  But lifting baby + carseat, hunched into the back of a small car...no good, sent me straight to my first chiropractor visit (whom I now adore).  This is small enough to feel good, definitely no minivan, but high enough to be REALLY comfortable...good view, easy to lift up to.

We get better mileage in the city (uses battery more, appr.26mpg) than highway (~23mpg).  It steers and breaks well.  Eric said something about torque and seconds to some speed...the bottom line is that it accelerates well...a new thing for me (ha ha ha).

My only complaint is that the seats round my back more than I like.  But I tend to hunch over anyways...it just encourages it.  So for our LONG LONG LONG drive to Maine (just me & baby!), I plan to put a towel behind me.

Some things I love:  hidden third row of seats, lighter plugs everywhere, back seats fold DOWN/not forward, huge cupholders and perfect spaces for everything.  I love that we have both a sun and moon roof.  The AC also kicks ass, and the radio is really good (controls on steering wheel, too).

What am I leaving out, DDP?

For the love of fresh air...

How bad is the emissions test in the State of Tennessee if OUR -well, Reusker's- car (1995 Infiniti, 17mpg) passes the emissions test?  Scary thought.

Really, this car SHOULD fail the test. Our new hybrid gets better mileage by almost 10 mpg!!  OK, its a hybrid and a SMALL SUV with special SULEV ("super ultra low emissions vehicle") designation.  But still...

Reusker's car *should* be outlawed...its no good. 

Luckily he only drives it the mere 0.6 miles to work...I (usually) cant convince him to WALK TO WORK.