Tales from the Man Cave

Ever have a completely circular argument with your spouse, and in the middle of it realize how ridiculous and circular it really is, causing you both to break down into laughter rather than complete (win) the argument?

Before I describe this ridiculousness, I should tell you that John's office has a couch and TV in it. I should also tell you he falls asleep watching TV in this office more often than I would like.

It never fails that when he is downstairs in his office, Brendan and Megan both tag team their wake ups, keeping me up all night while he is blissfully unaware in the confines of his "man cave."

I should also tell you that John and I both used to share the philosophy of no TV in the bedroom. We used to think it interfered with the marital relationship and prevented that evening "pillow talk" so we never put one in our room. I changed my mind when Megan started waking up at the crack of dawn and I realized I would be able to stay in bed for another hour if I only had a TV in my bedroom. Who has energy for "pillow talk" anyway? I mean, seriously. We've agreed to disagree (not really.)

So last night as I was going up to bed, here is the argument conversation:

L: I'm going to bed. You better be coming with me and not falling asleep in this office.

J: Why does it bug you so much that I fall asleep down here?

L: Because it interferes with the marital relationship. You're supposed to sleep up in bed with me (so I can kick you when one of the kids is crying and ask you to go get them.)

J: I'm sorry. Sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep and I watch TV until I drift off.

L: Another reason why we should just put a TV in our bedroom.

J: No, it interferes with the marital relationship!

*Ridiculous laughter, argument over*

Ummm, hello? A TV in the bedroom can't interfere with the marital relationship if you're not even in the bedroom.

I think I won. Don't you?

Snow Days

A couple weeks ago it started snowing . . . and it didn't really stop for what felt like a really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really long time. Really.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Allow me to start at the beginning . . .

In preparation for the big Valentine party at school, Megan signed her little name on each Dora valentine for her classmates. She was so excited for the party . . . she almost couldn't sleep just thinking about the cookies and the treats . . . and then the snow came . . . and came . . . and came . . . and preschool was cancelled. Cancelled? You can't cancel school on the day of the preschool Valentine party. You just can't!

I had to think fast . . .

How about we have our own Valentine party???

Cookies? You want to make cookies?
Sure!

Oops, no eggs.

Good thing my neighbor who is a teacher had off from school too and brought us some.

Thanks Dena!

Ta-dah, Valentine cookies!

Then it kept snowing . . . and snowing . . . and snowing . . . and guess what? The preschool Valentine party was cancelled again.

Seriously.

Again.

Oh the humanity!

I knew I had to come up with something good to keep Megan busy.

Something better than the six katrillion zillion games of Candyland we usually play.

How about we make Moose and Zee pillows?

That sounds totally fun, right?

(Moose and Zee are the little characters from Nick Jr. but if you have young kids, you already know this.)

It ended up taking a little longer than I planned.

Step One - Give Megan something to cut while working feverishly to get something done before Brendan needs food/attention/bottom wiping/face wiping/etc.

Step Two - Short break to marvel at Brendan's new tricks. Wow!

Step Three - Admire Moose and keep working feverishly to finish Zee.

Step Four- Stop and tell a few jokes to Brendan so he doesn't get bored and scratch his face again.

Step Five - Feed Brendan with my feet while making a Zee pillow with my right hand as my left hand holds the phone to hear somebody yelling at me because their street isn't plowed yet. (I guess there are no snow days when you're on city council.)

Ta-dah! By the next morning, we had Moose and Zee pillows.

Then, guess what?

Preschool was cancelled again.

Not even kidding.

I was out of ideas so we just looked out the window and watched people get stuck in the snow all day.

One best parts of snow days . . .

putting kids to bed, taking the baby monitor outside, and finally getting some romantic alone time while shoveling the snow and wiping the snot dribble off each other's faces.

I looked at him and thought . . .

if I had to be buried in the snow with anyone, I'd want it to be Brad Pitt.

(But if he wasn't available, I'd definitely want you!)

Just Another Day in Paradise

Dear John,

I was so excited for our big plans this weekend. Valentine's Day! Big date! Just you and me!
Yeah, then Brendan got sick and threw up in my ear. The pink tulips you bought made me forget all about that. You are so sweet. Now I'm sick too, sipping Nyquil instead of red wine. I think Megan has a case of the nose dribbles as well. I guess the money we set aside to finally have a date will be spent on doctor co-pays and Childen's Tylenol.

This all reminds me of that song by Phil Vasser. You know the song, right? Here it is. Totally reminds me of "us" lately.





The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills - overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back
There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it. I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things
Well, it's ok. It's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place thatI'd rather be
Well, it's two heartsAnd one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise
Friday, you're late
Guess we'll never make our dinner date
At the restaurant you start to cry
Baby, we'll just improvise
Well, plan B looks likeDominoes' pizza in the candle light
Then we'll tippy toe to our room
Make a little love that's overdue
But somebody had a bad dream
Mama and daddy
Can me and my teddy
Come in to sleep in between?
Yeah it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise
Well, it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise
For just another day in paradise
Well, it's the kids screaming.
The phone ringing
Just another day
Well, it's Friday.
You're late
Oh yeah, it's just another day in paradise

Happy Valentine's Day! I love you! Gotta go . . . I think I hear a kid screaming, the phone ringing, the dog barking at the mailman bringing that stack of bills . . .

Love,
Lisa

Weight Watcher Wednesday - Killer Cardio and Chicken Marsala

Update - I'm down 10 total pounds.

Disappointed with that meager number, I've just started a new workout challenge.

(Other than dancing in my family room, recording it, and putting it on the internet.)

I am so excited about this exercise video I'm telling everyone I know about it.

I don't even watch the Biggest Loser.

I tuned it for a show or two and got so turned off with how mean Jillian was to those poor people that I stopped watching. Her brand of motivation just seemed like humiliation and exploitation to me. But anyway, I bought this tape because there were not a whole lot of other options at the store. Boy was I surprised!

Seriously, I'm no wimp. I made it through the police academy and used to be able to do 105 push ups. And I stress "used to be able."

This workout was HARD CORE.

The tape is six week progression, with weeks 1-2 consisting of 5 minutes of warm up, 20 minutes of cardio, and 5 minutes of cool down. In later weeks, more cardio is added in 10 minute increments.

I did the first workout and was completely amazed. In 20 minutes, this tape accomplished more than 60+ minutes of step aerobics. I could feel it the next day in places I didn't even know I had. This tape even works you harder than Turbo Jam and step aerobics combined. Whoa.

Hard, but in a good way. Hard in a I-feel-amazing-when-I'm-done kind of way. Hard, like in-a-few-weeks-you're-gonna-be-able-to-bounce-a-quarter-off-my-butt kind of way.

You know, like Kim Kardashian's butt.

She's my butt idol. Do you have a butt idol? If not, you should get one. Butt idols are fun.

But anyway, back to the workout tape.
It is only 30 minutes. C'mon, if you've been through childbirth, you can certainly make it through 30 minutes of this. Give it a try. You won't be sorry, I promise you that.

Now, how about for a delicious recipe???

Chicken Marsala

Calories 224, Fat 4.2 g, Fiber 0.9 g

4 5-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp oregano

black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms

2 tbsp chopped parsley

3/4 cup marsala wine

Pound chicken breasts to a 1/4 inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap. Combine flour, oregano, and black pepper on a plate or in a bowl. Dredge chicken breasts and set aside. Heat oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Saute mushrooms until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, cook chicken breasts for 6 minutes, turning once half way through. Remove and keep warm. Return mushrooms to skillet, add parsley and marsala wine. Reduce liquid by about half. Return chicken to skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Serve with seasonal vegetables and a whole lotta rump shakin'.

For your dancing pleasure today, it is an oldie but a goodie.

C'mon now, let me see your tootsie roll.

Holy Shiz

Being a mom is funny.

Sometimes you need to look up the answer to a pressing baby care issue

. . . and sometimes the question has a way of answering itself.

Yesterday's question:

Is the whole container of prunes too much for occasional infant constipation?

The answer my friends is . . .

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

The whole container is WAY TOO MUCH.

Have you ever . . .

found pictures on your camera you know you didn't take?

Ouch, that one looks like it might have hurt a bit.

Brendan, I think you can probably blame

your burned out retinas on your big sister.

OK, so if he was in his crib and she is only a few feet tall, how in the world did she get this angle?
Climbing, I presume.

This is his please-don't-fall-on-me-I-just-

got-this-body-a-few-months-ago look.

And just where was the supervision while all this was going on?

I think we need a nanny.