Life lessons

Owen: "Daddy would die if his heart stopped, but his heart would still love us."

Now that's some deep shit.

80. Learn CPR.

81. Make freezer meals.

82. Try a new food.

83. Get a new bike.

84. Ride it.

85. See a movie in 3D.

86. Go to Yellowstone.

87. Play with an iPad.

88. Stay employed.

89. Sew something.

90. Purge my closet of all maternity and anything that makes me look pregnant.

91.

Whew. Ten left. Getting there.

78. Finished watching LOST on Netflix.

79.

Ladies' night meals and toilet paper tube trick

Last night a handful of my girlfriends came over for a unique ladies' night. I decided to give that idea of once-a-month cooking a shot -- but I needed some moral support. So the six of us women transformed about 50 lbs. of chicken into 42 meals for ourselves and families. I never would have done it without the guidance of those friends of mine who actually know their way around a kitchen. It was very fun -- and it would have been a great baby shower for someone pregnant with a second or third baby -- bring the ingredients and fill their freezer with pre-made food!

Other tips of the day:

So Owen is in a booster seat now and the latch into which his carseat buckle should go is always falling beneath the seat. My awesome parent hack: put half an empty toiletpaper roll tube around the buckle and it makes it stick straight up so he (or I) doesn't have to fish around for it.

..continued

55. Volunteer for something.

56. Learn a new card game.

57. Try a new food.

58. Cook something I've never made before.

59. Brush the cat thoroughly.

60. Keep my kitchen counters clean for more than 6 hours straight (while awake).

61. Swim laps.

62. Listen more.

63. Talk less.

64. Grow vegetables.

65. Plant flowers.

66. Let the kids help in the garden.

67. Stain the fence.

68. Stain the porch.

69. Say thank you.

70. Say I'm sorry.

71. Teach Owen to write his name.

72. Teach Isaac to say "mama!"

73. Roadtrip.

74. Finish making this list.

75. Fly a kite.

76. Host ladies night.

77. Host game night.

78.

(tbc)

101...or maybe a little less

An old friend has kept a tradition for a few years where she made a list of 101 things to do in the forthcoming year. Seems like a good idea. I thought I'd give it a shot.

1. Take a class on something I know little/nothing about.

2. Design a stocking for Isaac.

3. Paint it.

4. Stitch it.

5. Take a vacation.

6. Learn another song on the piano.

7. Be proud of my body.

8. More art.

9. Finish decorating one room in the house.

10. Beach.

11. Fly a kite with the kids.

12. Paint a canvas.

13. Design a line of needlepoint series.

14. Enroll Rhianna in kindergarden.

15. Spend a day with Owen.

16. Get a tan.

17. Read a book.

18. Read another book.

19. And at least one more book.

20. Go skiing.

21. Play tennis.

22. Play with a dog.

23. Draw Lucy.

24. Draw Isaac.

25. Let Rhianna have a sleepover.

26. Print the pictures for Mom's bracelet.

27. Figure out how to use the office.

28. Climb a tree.

29. Slip'n'slide.

30. Take the whole family on a hike.

31. Go swimming.

32. Go on a waterslide.

33. Go on a bike ride.

(dude, can you tell I'm a bit stir crazy tonight)

34. Get a good hair cut.

35. See Bill Cosby.

36. Host ladies night.

37. Do a puzzle.

38. Game night.

39. Read the first Harry Potter to Rhianna.

40. Ten cartwheels.

41. Spin.

42. Dance.

43. Design something really cool.

44. Get a manicure.

Wow. I don't know how she got to 101.

46. Turn 30.

47. Not get pregnant.

48. Ever. Again.

49. Laugh. Alot.

50. Smile even more.

51. Give someone flowers.

52. Finish this list....but maybe not tonight.

53. Rekindle a friendship.

54. Get a full night's sleep.

55.

...to be continued....

r's story

(This is the story Rhianna told today. Dave transcribed word for word.)

Despereaux has a puppy dog in his hand and Despereaux is taking his dog to the store to buy puppy food. That puppy was so hungry, he couldn't wait. Despereaux named his dog Clairabelle. The puppy was so happy she had a name. The puppy went to the puppy store with Despereaux to get a dress for the party. The puppy wanted a friend, so Despereaux bought another puppy. Despereaux named the new puppy Doggy Pal. Despereaux wanted a shirt because one of his friends ripped his. The puppy played catch and frisbee. They got hot and needed a drink. They went to the puppy food store and talked to the manager and he said it was in the back section. The puppies then went to Nana and Granddad's to play with other puppies. They dug in someone's yard. They went to the theater. They digged in the snow. They saw some treasure. They were going to hunt up a mountain. The puppy dogs digged three holes. They were gonna wear home treasure with their pretty dress.

The End.