House of Estrogen

No Comments from the Peanut Gallery, Please

2009-11-06T21:27:41-05:00

I arrived home from work tonight to find five kids running wild around the house. I was pretty sure only three were mine, and sure enough, we were host to a neighborhood playdate. Addie was hungry, so I busily got to work making dinner while princess dress-clad girls twirled around the kitchen. In usual playdate fashion, we started getting the questions, "Can J and K stay for dinner?", "Yes, can I stay for dinner? I'll go ask my mom!" Instead of sticking with the standard, "Not tonight, we don't have enough for everybody" or "We'll have to do that another time when we can plan ahead", J.C. went with, "Not tonight... it really isn't a very exciting dinner anyway."

Thanks for the vote of confidence, hun. Next Friday night after a long week at work, I'm thinking I'll just kick back with a Mike-a-rita, catch up on a little TV, and let him whip up the exciting meal.

And the Winner is...

2009-11-04T23:23:42-05:00

Before getting to the good stuff, I want to take just a second to thank you blog readers for all the lovely kind comments! I got a big smile on my face and felt all warm and pumpkin spice latte-ish inside with each one I read. Seriously... thank you. You know how to make this bloggin' mama feel loved!

Now on to the winner. The first random number generated was one of my own comments, so I am now the very happy recipient of a Starbuck's gift card! Whee! More PSL for me!

That didn't seem quite fair to the rest of you though and not exactly in the spirit of the giveaway, so here's the second winner!

And comment number 19 was:

Kristen, your Starbuck's card will be heading your way tomorrow! CONGRATS! And while I'm at it, I'll give Kristen a little free advertising. Check out her AMAZING newborn photography here... *almost* makes me want to have another!

Just a little reminder!

2009-11-04T19:04:41-05:00

If you want to be entered to win the Starbuck's gift card, go to the blogiversary post and leave a comment! I'll close comments and announce the winner about 10:00 EST tonight! Good luck!

Simple Woman's Daybook, November 2, 2009

2009-11-02T14:35:03-05:00

For Today...

Outside my window... it is a nice, crisp fall day. The forecast called for rain and gloom, but it is actually quite nice out.

I am thinking... that I can't believe it is already November! Where has 2009 gone?

I am thankful for... the girls tracking out of school this Friday! Three full weeks of no homework, no projects, no backpacks, no forms to sign, no show and share, no sneakers for PE, no bus to catch... I think I may be more excited than the girls!

From the kitchen... Halloween candy. Can I just serve that for dinner?

I am wearing... jeans, a soft, cozy green shirt, and a long sweater with clogs.

I am creating... Christmas cards.

I am going... to be selecting a winner for my blogiversary giveaway on Wednesday evening. Be sure to leave a comment if you haven't already!

I am reading... Bedknob and Broomsticks, by Mary Norton to Elise and Nina. I know I read this or had it read to me as a child, but I really don't remember much of it, so I am enjoying reading it again. I finished Anderson Cooper's book. That was an excellent book. With all the tragedy he has witnessed and experienced first hand in his life, I don't know how he isn't curled up in the fetal position rocking back and forth muttering gibberish. I know I would be.

I am hoping... that I can find an H1N1 vaccine for Elise. With her asthma and ITP, I really feel like she is at a high risk for complications.

I am hearing... the refrigerator humming.

Around the house... not a speck of dirt on the kitchen floor because JC got down on hands and knees and scrubbed it yesterday "Cinderella style" (as he put it).

One of my favorite things... Five Guys burgers and fries.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... a new gymnastics class for Elise (she has decided to swtich from tumbling to gymnastics), Daisy and Brownie meetings for both girls, doctor appointments for all three girls at two different doctor offices today, and volunteering in Nina's kindergarten class.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Gabriella, Sharpay, and a very hesitant little piggy!

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Halloween Weekend - Everything Else

2009-11-01T22:21:02-05:00

This post is just a hodge-podge of the rest of our busy weekend.

First, the requisite Halloween attire for the end of the week. Nina, of course, chose to accessorize hers a bit!

Friday Night was the Fall Festival at the elementary school. It had all the usual suspects - big inflatables, games, crafts, polish sausage, pony rides, popcorn, and a cake walk. There was one new addition this year though, karaoke... really, really LOUD karaoke, like wishing you had hearing aids you could turn off loud. It was cute to see the kids Elise's age up there singing their hearts out to Hanna Montana songs, but seeing the fourth and fifth graders belting out lyrics like, "I kissed a girl just to try it. I hope my boyfriend don't mind it" or "Them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye" was just a bit unsettling.

We have attended the fall festival every year since Elise started kindergarten, but somehow we have always missed the "kiss the pig" event. The kids vote on which teachers should kiss the pig. Since Nina's kindergarten teacher was one selected for the honor, we made sure not to miss it this time. When I had heard about this in years past, I pictured a cute little pink pot bellied pig, perhaps Wilbur from Charlotte's Web. I had no idea the teachers had to kiss this humongous grey boar! If there was ever any doubt as to why it is hard to attact people to teaching, it isn't just the money, it is the fact that they are made to KISS PIGS! Mrs. S - you go girl! I think I would have called in sick (with swine flu, of course!)

Saturday morning, Elise made bagged lunches for the homeless with her Brownie troop. With all the excess of the weekend, I think this brought some needed perspective in her life. She came home wanting to round up our old coats and shoes to donate. One of her troop leaders was homeless for a time in her life, so she spoke very passionately and emotionally to the girls about what they were doing and why. I think it really resonated with Elise.

Next on the agenda was Nina's end of season soccer party. Nina really had a great time with soccer this season. I hope she'll decide to play again in the spring. Her coach was wonderful!

Finally, just a couple pictures from Nina's last soccer game.

Whew! What a weekend... lots of fun, but I'm glad its over!

Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet!

2009-11-01T15:43:30-05:00

By all accounts, this was a near perfect Halloween. It seems like something usually goes wrong on Halloween to put a damper on the festivities. The year I was pregnant with Addie and had pelvic separation, I walked about 6 houses with the girls and then could barely move the next two days I was in so much pain. The year Elise was a mermaid, she tripped on her costume and ended up with horrible skinned knees. Invariably, something always seems to get in the way of our fun - not this year though! We started out with dinner at Five Guys - nothing like great greasy burgers and fries to walk off while Trick or Treating. The weather was perfect - around 75 degrees and pleasant. We went out with Sharpay and Gabriella from High School Musical (Elise and Nina, respectively), and a very reluctant Piggie who refused to wear her cute shoe covers, and would only tolerate her piggie head for mere seconds before it was thrown on the ground.

How cute is that tail?

Once Addie settled in for the ride in her stroller with a miniature pack of M&M's, she was a slightly more willing participant with the pig head.

I even got in on the action this year. Can you believe someone seriously asked me if this was my real hair that I just dyed with green and purple streaks?

We met up with Dorothy and Anakin Skywalker and off we went!

We have two neighbors who do fairly elaborate haunted houses. Elise walked about 6 feet into one and ran back out. At the other one, the girls went into the "fun house" section but didn't brave the scary part. You can always hear their music, the chain saw, and screams of the participants from all over the neighborhood! Here is their display for giving out candy!

Addie lasted longer than we expected given that we had set out to trick or treat very close to her bedtime, but as her eyelids grew heavy, I brought her home and rolled the little piggie into bed. All of our neighbors in the cul-de-sac had pulled out chairs and were having a trick-or-treat party there in the street with beer and wine a-plenty, chips and dip, pita and hummus, and their bowls of candy. I grabbed our candy stash and a Mike's, and joined them. That was a great way to spend the evening. The kids trick-or-treating could hit four houses in about four steps, and we all sat around visiting all night. I think that may become a new Halloween tradition!

The girls made it home later, sorted through their loot, and then Nina lost her second tooth! Halloween and the tooth fairy all in one night - does life get any better than that?

Spirit Week

2009-10-31T10:05:34-04:00

We just wrapped up Spirit Week at both the elementary school and daycare. Does anyone know the motivation behind Spirit Week? Is some educational goal accomplished through Spirit Week? After enduring eight years of Spirit Week, I've come to the conclusion that it is an evil ploy by the schools to throw parents completely off their game just prior to the holiday season. I have yet to figure out why they do this, but I'm pretty sure there is a vast right-wing conspiracy behind it.

On an average morning, it is truly a miracle if all my children leave the house dressed, with hair brushed, glasses on, and make it to the bus stop on time with lunches packed, folders signed, homework finished, and checks made out the the PTA for the latest pizza/wrapping paper/cookie dough/mixed nuts/magazine fund raiser. The more typical scenario is a missed bus, forgotten glasses, missing homework, no lunchbox, bed head hair, or all of the above. Add anything else to our mornings, and what had been a barely manageable level of chaos suddenly turns into a total anarchy. Remembering show and share once a week and sneakers on PE day is my limit. Beyond that, and you have maxed out my morning mothering skills. Spirit Week adds in "Wear Red Day", "Crazy Hair Day", "Bring Your Stuffed Animal to School Day", "Dress as Your Favorite Storybook Character Day", "Wear Your Favorite Color Day", "Wear Stars Day" - the list goes on and on. STOP THE MADNESS! What happened to "Send Mom to the Spa Day" or "Leave Homework at Home Day"? Really, schools... WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO US????

Don't you know that when the one and only sports team shirt is in the dirty laundry pile on "Sports Team Shirt Day" that you are slowly and deliberately sucking the life out of both the mother and shirt-deprived child?

You see my children arriving at school daily with hair barely brushed, if brushed at all, and you really think I have time for the hairspray, glitter, and rubber bands required for "Crazy Hair Day"?

WHY SCHOOLS? WHY??

We somehow muddled through it and survived yet another Spirit Week, but what kills me is that I missed the one and only really excellent Spirit Week day. Addie had been out sick Monday and Tuesday, so I had no memory of what oddball thing she was supposed to wear on Wednesday. Wouldn't you know that Wednesday was "Pajama Day"? The ONE day of the year when I don't even have to get my child dressed, and I MISSED IT! The Gods of Spirit Week must have been punishing me for planning to dress Addie in black on "Favorite Color Day" because I wanted her to wear her Halloween T-shirt. Her favorite color could be black, right?

I am ready to return to the stress of sneakers and lunchboxes. No more crazy hair until next year, please.

If You've Ever Wondered...

2009-10-30T22:03:45-04:00

...what it might look like to get stung by a bee on your eyelid, now you know.

Post #500! It's a Blogiversary Giveaway!

2009-10-28T22:26:52-04:00

This is House of Estrogen post #500! Time to Celebrate!

I tell my girls not to use the word "hate", so I'm going to follow my own advice and simply say that I really, really, really, really dislike blogs that play music. I don't read them... can't click away fast enough. That said, this post needs some music, so please start singing "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas, or for a more old school option, "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. Sing it outloud. Sing it in your head. I don't care... just sing a happy song.

When I started this blog two years ago, I had no idea what it would become. It was a way to share a little about our lives with friends and family. It has grown and blossomed, and in the past 499 posts, the writing and photography have given me a creative outlet that I didn't know I needed.

So, to celebrate my 500th post, I'm having a BLOGIVERSARY GIVEAWAY! To be entered to win a $20 Starbuck's gift card, leave me a comment... any comment - tell me what you like about the blog, what you don't like, what you had for breakfast, what size Pumpkin Spice Latte you'll buy, or (GASP!) what other beverage you would choose should you win.

Never left a blog comment before? It's easy. Click here, scroll to the bottom and add a comment. Use your first name, your dog's name, any name will do. Just be sure to either enter your email address or check back next week to see if you're the winner.

I'll leave comments open for a week and then choose a winner by random number.

Thank you, blog readers! I always appreciate your comments, emails, words in my office, and compliments yelled down the school hallway! It has been a fun ride...all 500 posts of it! Here's to lots of pumpkin spice lattes and many more House of Estrogen posts! Now keep on singing that happy song and go leave a comment!

Update (11/4/09) - comments have now been CLOSED.

No, It's Not THAT.

2009-10-28T09:13:49-04:00

Oh how I wish I had had a camera in my hand this morning, so I could share with all of you the panic-stricken look on J.C.'s face when he asked me this morning about the "Stay Tuned..." post. (He even left his first ever comment on that post!) With fear in his eyes and apprehension in his voice, he nervously said, "So what is this all about? It sounds like something you would post before announcing that you're pregnant." As fun as it might have been to just string him along and tell him he would find out what that post was about when everyone else does, I was a little worried he might move out today while I was at work if I didn't reassure him that I was definitely NOT pregnant. So, dear husband, this post is for you. I am not, nor do I have any plans to become, pregnant.

As a side note though, I'm not sure whether to be concerned or amused that he thought I would announce something like that on the blog before telling him personally! I'll have to ponder that one some more later.

So, you now have one hint. I am not pregnant. That's your only hint. Check back soon!