8 is GREAT! 9 is FINE! 10 is...

...the only thing I can come up with is "b!@#$-en" if you exaggerate the ending. Not my finest work, but I guess we'll go with that. Rhyming must be in the part of my brain that is comatose from lack of sleep, along with most words of 3 syllables or greater, the location of my tax paperwork, and the majority of my short term memory.

We took a mini vacation this weekend to see TC's grandpa "Up North" and though it was a LOT of work (we definitely need a mini van. Or a tank.), we had a really nice time. And a lot of FUN, so I'm getting back on track there! :) I'm giving myself credit for fun on all 3 days, accomplished in the form of:

I read a book!



I appreciate most of Tina Fey's humor (though I do gag at the lengths of some of the self deprication, come on lady, you can geek it up all you want but you are also BEAUTIFUL and we've all seen it), and the book was a quick read. My favorite part is the prayer for her daughter towards the end, you've probably seen it floating around on facebook - it's funny and smart and true, and I particularly cry every time I read this part, which hits home so strongly right now:

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

”My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

...I also cried tears of joy and appreciation as hubby entertained TC (and they both fell asleep in a pile on the recliner) so I could take some time to read said book, which was one of the most indulgent treats I've had in a while.



The weather was BEAUTIFUL and we walked all over town and went through every tacky little gift shop in the street (I love sparkly crap, I can't help it). TC is sitting up in the "real" stroller now (as opposed to the infant carrier snapped on top) and loved her new vantage point, she was quiet as a mouse taking in all the new sights. She was mesmerized by the water lapping against the rocks at the public dock:



We also had lots of fun introducing The Cupcake around town to hubby's childhood friends and former co-workers, grandpa's co-workers, and various wandering dogs and seagulls. Since it was vacation, we also let her try her first bite of ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, (we withheld the deep fried ice cream topping - but just thinking about it makes me salivate. DEFINITELY brought me joy! Also getting credit: Peach daquari! Pollo wrap! Chips & salsa!), and she also licked on a lemon and a lime. In general, she disliked everything. If this keeps up, I may demand DNA testing at some point to verify she is my child.

She definitely enjoyed the beach though -



It was cold at first, but so warm in the sun that we quickly acclimated. She splashed with abandon, jumped in the waves, and marveled at her first touch of sand between her toes. Family, food, firsts - it was a lovely little weekend for all.

Cupcakes & Corpses - the 7th day of fun

Remember my "book club?" At one point we actually read books and discussed them, and it was sorta like work even though it was fun to socialize and eat treats at everyone's houses, but then we got an even better idea and just started watching TV. Attendance is at an all time high, and I'd say our discussions are actually much deeper and more analytical now. Particularly since we're watching our "main" interest, TRUE BLOOD.

*swoon*

Season 4 is definitely not disappointing thus far, other than those damn Mickens (yay for dead Mickens!). So I always know that Tuesday nights will bring me joy.

And yesterday was double fun, as I brought some treats to celebrate Al's Bday:



Mmmm...Happiness accomplished!

Because I'm the mom, that's why...

Like everything else in my life right now, it is clearly going to take me longer to accomplish 30 days of fun. While it would be nice to say I have some element of fun every day, I seem to have hit a patch to the contrary...so I'm declaring a do over.

30 Days of Fun: XI (take II)



Went to see the final Harry Potter tonight! I didn't get it (he had to die, but then he's alive?), but it was still fun to go out. And to have a dear friend volunteer to babysit, so I didn't worry about The Cupcake at all. And I drank a big old Coke, and didn't worry about the caffeine, seeing as I'm done pumping.

Lack of worry = fun...hmmm, sensing a pattern here...

6lbs of coleslaw...forgot to pack the fun...

30 days of fun: #6

I am having a difficult time finding fun today. It's hot as Hades outside and the AC in my car isn't working right. My job is rarely amusing, and since I worked today, so that usurped a large chunk of my time with unfun activities. I'm trying to quit pumping, which is painful and makes me anxious, and has resulted this desperate evening in me lining my bra with lettuce. Well, cabbage really, but it looks the same. It's crunchy and smells. And I'm just not in to vegetables. And I really can't tell if it's doing anything. Oh, and then I stuck my hand in poop. Because, you know, that's my life these days. And The Cupcake always poops right AFTER I put her to bed.

So yeah, 30 days of fun is hard sometimes. Were I slightly less practical or slightly less poor, I'd solve this problem by buying myself something. Or going out on some crazy late night adventure. But I'm old, and kinda boring, and very much exhausted, so right now I'm just praying TC crashes before 9 so I can follow soon after...

Screw you day #6. Everyone likes 7 better anyways...

Five Golden Rings

30 Days of Fun, #5:

Watching Big Love on HBOGO.com



I'm loving HBOGO.com right now - if you have an HBO subscription you log in with info from your provider (Comcast, Dish, Direct TV, etc.) and you can watch a whole host of amazing shows. Of course, there's my favorite - True Blood - episodes from season 4 are posted the day after they air, and episode 2 was posted even BEFORE it aired! There are a lot of movies and HBO original programming (I strongly recommend Hot Coffee, a documentary about the so-called "frivolous lawsuit" movement), and today in particular I'm enjoying:



The ENTIRE SERIES of Big Love is available! Now I'm finally piecing together the seasons I missed and making sense of it all. Well, in between cleaning up carrot puke and rice cereal :)

4 Me? Why yes...

Day 4 of "THERE WILL BE FUN, DAMMIT!"

Today's happy moment: DQ Peanut Buster Parfait



It's freakishly hot and humid across the midwest today, so I was doubtful in my abilities to haul my saggy self over to DQ, but then I would have had nothing to post. So I did it for you, Internets. And you're welcome.

Burp.

30 Days of Fun - 3...It's the magic number...

I am 6 months behind on photo albums (guess why?)but I do try to upload and crop my pics pretty regularly, if only so I back them up and protect them. After a HUGE weekend road trip for a beautiful family wedding we just arrived home and somehow The Cupcake was convinced to take just the perfect little cat nap to allow me to get through the pictures from our adventure. Along with a lot of fuzzy dance shots, dark church photos, and unattractive snapshots of people eating, I found a gem:



The expressions on each of their faces are priceless to me. TC was a trooper, through the heat, the travel, and all the noise she really kept it all together (perhaps more than us adults did) and we could not have asked for much more. Clearly, she had a little fun too.

Finding this photo brought me joy today :)

Fun Frock

30 Days of Fun - take II

Today I'm going to my sweet cousin's wedding (she of the State Fair Bridal Shower fame) and while there are sure to be all kinds of fun abounding, I'm really looking forward to wearing my new dress:

(Edit: Photo added - this is after I melted in 100 degree heat index all afternoon, but the dress still looks fun)

It is all kinds of win - a size smaller than I wore pre-pregnancy and a slimming sillhouette, clearance bargain of $25 (@ Dress Barn, who knew?), vintagey feel with the full twirly skirt, and it even has POCKETS!!! WHOO HOOO!

I'm pretty sure it will be puked on immediately, but it still makes me happy. And I can wear it with some simple brown sandals and still navigate the outdoor reception and juggling The Cupcake.

30 Days of Joy

For a while I made some posts with the "brought me joy" tag, intending to do it regularly. Then I got uber busy and all mom-ed out, and sort of sucktastic about blogging in general. I'm working on it. And thus, I'm picking up Maggie's gauntlet and going to try and do something FUN every day for 30 days. Actually, I'm sure I do something fun every day, so the key will just be recognizing and remembering it in the haze of poop/puke/flying prunes that is my daily life. And then making it online to post about it.

So here we go Internets, FUN day 1:
Guilt free "gear up for a crazy day" power breakfast:



http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

and as I imbibed the aforementioned high calorie goodness, I giggled over some websites I'd gotten behind on:
Damn You Auto Correct
Failbook
Passive Aggressive Notes

I also used sucktastic above, which my spell check violently opposes, but I'm letting it ride. How fun is that?

I made The Cupcake, and The Cupcake makes messes...

Six months, holy crap. Life is on fast forward lately and every time I blink The Cupcake grows another inch. We don't have her 6 month appointment till next week, but I'm dying to hear her stats - she was smack in the middle at her 3 month appointment, and now at 6 months she's wearing 12 month clothes...She doesn't seem "husky" but who am I to judge :) So we've wasted a few more outfits (did she EVER fit in 9 month clothes? or just go straight from 6 to 12?)



One thing we're spending a lot of time on at the moment is FOOD - she just started purees, which is a bit of a craft project. At least, she seems to think it is. And there are colorful smears of various vegetables all over my house, so it's fair to call it decorative. Feeding The Cupcake went from a few seconds to pop a bottle in her mouth (which she is just starting to hold by herself too!) to a HUGE time sucking ordeal involving set up, wrestling, her ninja moves swiping the food off the spoon while I blink, and the necessary bath time clean up immediately following.

Will I ever not be tired again?!?!?

But speaking of tired, she is clearly NOT:



Something came together in her little mind recently and she is suddenly a wiggly wormy dancing fool. She just cannot stay still. She has completely bonded with her Jumperoo, and will thrash around like a wild animal for at least half an hour now. When I hold her, she tries to jump the same way. I sing the Jumperoo songs in my sleep. She rolls over in her sleep now, and then gets upset to realize she is on her stomach and immediately starts to scream until I come and right her. Apparently this is so that she can do it again. Silly babies.

She's getting a bit more generous with the laughs, though she still makes us work pretty hard. Smiles are doled out freely though. Naps are a roll of the dice - a real fight over the weekend, but as I type she's been snoozing for over 2 hours in her swing.

This means I've been able to do a few crafts in preparation for the wedding shower I'm giving mid August. I can't share photos or give anything away yet, but the invitations are in the mail, and I have pink paint in my hair (which clashes with my red shirt, but didn't seem pressing enough to actually address). I spent a lot of time last night working with my Cricut, and hauled TC to Joann's this morning only to find they didn't carry the "watermelon" Krylon spraypaint I needed (gotta head back to Michael's I guess). Photos to come, eventually :)