Meet Violet

Violet is 2 1/2 years old and is in the Ocean Room at Fairview School. Her teachers are Mrs Kim and Miss Wood. Her best friends in school are Sophia, Carter and Piper, though really she'd rather play with Wilson.

Violet's nicknames are Tiny Miss (Daddy), Bekah (Wilson), Stinky (Mommy and others) and Vi-Vi (school).

Violet loves to sing along with music and especially likes to dance. Her favorite songs are Moonshadow by Cat Stevens, Down to the River to Pray by Alison Krauss, ABCs by various artists and Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne.

Violet likes the idea of movies more than she likes actually watching them. Given the choice, however, she'll take the first five minutes of Finding Nemo over the first five minutes of other movies.

Violet is a pretty good eater but frequently ends up just eating the five things the Wilson will eat. Her favorite food is definitely cheese and her favorite drink is milk.

Violet generally has her bunny with her. The bunny's name is Hoppy Hoppy. Violet's other bunnies except for one are also all named Hoppy Hoppy. The bunny always accompanies Violet to bed. She also likes to read books in bed. She will often stay up late reading to herself. Her favorite books are The Hungry Caterpillar and hidden-picture books.

Violet loves Wilson and her daddy very much but her favorite thing on all the Earth is Mommy. Even more than Hoppy Hoppy.

Starbucks Corporate Got Bored.

Starbucks went and changed their logo this year. I get why they did it in 1992 (there are some things we don't need to see while sipping our coffee), but the 2011 version just feels...like the corporate folks couldn't muster the energy to make something interesting.

Will it keep me from patronizing? Of course not. As long as they're brewing and don't evolve into some kind of lefty hippie circus, I'll be drinking their tall nonfat caramel macchiatos.

Feh, Better, Great, Less Great

But. Still.

 

BAWK BAWK!!

Confessional.

Modern Family is my new favorite thing. (Sorry Glee.) I'm halfway through the first season, and I can't get enough!!

So. Confession time.

I, too, dress up for firefighters.

Go ahead. Judge me.

Pics from November/December and Christmas.

Tiny Man vs. Bow

Some nakey-butts, some snow, some presents and some pickles.

R to the Ou to the Tine.

The past four mornings I've maintained a set routine: wake up, pop Jillian in the player, succumb to her punishments for 25 excruciating minutes, wallow in my own sweat until feeling returns to my limbs, dress the kids, take them to school then shower. Shower! Every day! I've even been wearing makeup and...earrings. I know. The madness cannot possibly continue...sweatpants and dirty hair are surely on the horizon.

But for now, there is something so calming about this routine, even though it begins early and painfully. Keeps the rhythm of the day set at "cool", and keeps me happy. Keeps the kids happy. Keeps us all happy, which is nice if we're going to stay a family through the duration of [the Shred] grad school.

Now I'm sipping my caramel americano with my organized little binder ready to learn. It's only day 4, so this "routine" will change over the next couple weeks, but for now...couldn't be more perfect.

The Shred.

So I buckled. This out-of-shape thing? Doesn't look good on me. Most importantly I am tired all the time and can't chase Wilson down the street without nearly asphyxiating. Mommy needs to get her act together, and fast!

But when? Where? My life is crazy, I rarely sleep, how can I fit training into this life I lead?

I found my answer in Jillian Michaels. She promises to take me from this:

Before Jillian

to this:

After Jillian

in just 30 days. That's a big promise, folks, but since she's a celebrity, I trust her.

I will probably blog (read: whine) about this now and again. Sorry. But when I'm all lithe and not-sleepy at 3pm and able to chase my Tiny Man halfway across the city, it'll totally be worth it. I'll try to keep it pithy. And clean. Try.