In the early afternoon, I made a SBUX run for a cinnamon dolce latte. I was feeling the afternoon blahs, and I knew this bit of java juice would bolt me right up. I was a smart gal today and remembered to bring my sneakers! I slipped them on and grabbed the java and lookie here, see my new name.

After work, I ran over to Whole Foods to pick up some items for when Mari comes to visit. This is the beginning of Columbus Circle. Whole Foods is in the basement.The following two statues are inside the shopping center at Columbus Circle. They are very large statues and very prominent. The female is to the left, the male is to the right. This one is male.

This one is female. You can see how large they are in comparison to the woman walking next to it.

Here's a shot of Central Park as I was walking back. Isn't that beautiful?

As I was wandering around to look for dinner, I walked past a fancy party that I nearly crashed. Everyone was in jeans and a coat, so I knew I could blend in, but I wasn't feeling that brave. Anyway, I passed Valentino and Cavalli and came up Church's. This is NY's version of Church's. I haven't found many fast food fried chicken places. ha ha! (that's for you Carol)


I gave up and ended up heading back to the hotel to relax and order room service. I was horribly disappointed! Turkey burger was overcooked, but the roll was delicious. I was starving, so I couldn't afford to be too picky. I quietly ate my food while I watched Nothing Like the Holidays. It was ok, but it could've been so much better! The walking around was the highlight of my night, but afterwards, I was left with my sad thoughts.

After getting off the phone with Don, I sat in the shower and sulked until I was tired enough to pass right on out. But I get to see them over the weekend and I can't wait. I'm busting out the big camera for that one! Sorry for the lack of creativity. Have a good one!

NYC: St. Patrick's Cathedral, Serfina, and Doug & Andy

It was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Don sent me a photo of Mari with her first ashes (last year, labor began on Ash Wednesday). All day Lent was on my mind and I couldn't help but feel a twang of melancholy since Don and I share our Catholic faith. It felt like a big part of me was missing and I was sad that I wasn't going to hold his hand when I went to get my ashes. My very highest priority of the guy was to going to church to get my ashes.

Once again, I braved the cold weather and racked up some miles in my heels. I walked 9 blocks to St. Patrick's Cathedral. (My poor feet will have earned that Baby's Butt pedicure at Nails Nails! when I return home.) I was incredibly excited to see inside the Cathedral. In my past trips, I'd only seen the outside, never having actually gone in. I arrived and there was a winding line of people outside to receive their ashes. I really wanted to go to Mass and you can imagine my surprise to know that there was a sign for "Mass" so I jumped out of line and followed the other sign. Once inside, I was immediately taken aback by the breathtaking beauty. All around me were lines filled with hundreds of people. My heart leapt and I felt so proud to be a Catholic. We were all joined here: the many colors of people, young and old, rich and poor, we were all the same in God's eyes. Here we were gathered in this ornate cavernous home, but it felt warm and comfortable. I thought, "What luck! I arrived at the part of the Mass where they are giving ashes. I can still sing and partake all through Eucharist, too!" I jumped in a line on the center aisle only to get to the front and receive Eucharist. I wasn't disappointed, but slightly panicked at the thought of the long, long line and receiving my ashes. I quietly nestled into one of the side pews to give thanks and praise. We sang the closing song and I made my way back to the center aisle after everyone had cleared out. They were handing out ashes!

"From dust you were made and to dust you shall return" I bowed my head as he placed the sign of the cross on my forehead. I went beyond the altar and behind it were small alcoves with candle displays. I lit two candles, knelt in prayer, and quiety walked around the other way to explore more of the sanctuary. At the furthest point was a beautiful, small chapel. There were about 8 to 10 pairs of pews all facing a statue of the Virgin Mary. It was so crowded that someone knelt on the pristine marble in quiet reverence. I kept walking and happened upon a statue similar to Michelango's Pieta. I extended my hand and touched the cool marble and was overcome with emotion.

Afterwards, I left the Cathedral and quietly walked several blocks until I was nearly back to the hotel. I spoke with my bienamada (beloved in Spanish) and did my Supergirl quick change to set out for Serafina.

Ror dinner: Ratatouille & Pizza Bianca (arugula, fresh parmesan, with added artichokes)...absolutely delicious! This was the comfort food I was seeking!
I sipped on a house red wine while I waited on the ratatouille. When it arrived, the aromas tickled my senses and my mouth watered. I wasn't even sure I was hungry, but as soon as I smelled it, my tummy grumbled. Even though there were red and green peppers, in the dish, I didn't care that I'd suffer from a migraine. It would be worth it. Yes, it was THAT good.

When they brought out the pizza, I reached out to snap a photo of it when the guys at the table immediately to my right said, "Yes, take a picture! It'll last longer."

They both had friendly eyes. I choked down the hurt and smiled at them. I was going to dismiss the comment, but never one to pass up the opportunity to make a new friend, I threw back, "Yes, I'm getting a photo for my husband, who isn't here with me, obviously." They smiled again and introduced themselves: Doug & Andy. I began to talk about my family and my reason for traveling to NY. They had an understanding look and without making me feel any worse, they both remarked how they live in Miami, but work in NY. Fly in on Monday, fly out Thursday, spend the weekends with their family. TOUGH! Wow, I had immediate admiration for them. They they raised their glass and we toasted. With that, I was finished with the first glass and ordered the Serafina Chianti to wrap up dinner. I talked about the ashes on my forehead (they were both Jewish). I talked about Texas. We talked weather. We talked food. We talked Facebook (and had a good laugh!) We even talked about the hotel where I'm staying and Andy told me the names of the workers, the General Manager and that he used to keep an apartment there. Interesting stuff. They were a wonderful distraction and took me away from my pity party. (Doug even gave me a high five! And you all know how fond I am of high fives!) They both gave me their business cards when it came time for me to depart. And it was like saying goodbye after dinner with friends. *sigh* It was just what I needed!

Only one more night alone and I'll see my family! yaaay!! And I really need to walk around with the Silver Rebel instead of my flashy red. These pictures aren't what they could be. Oh well, you get the point!

NYC: Magnolia Bakery & Manana...walking tour

Before I can begin to talk about dinner, I must first start with my walking adventure.

Earlier in the day, I had it in my head to explore the island, to go away from my immediate 5 block radius. Today, we were talking sweets, all sorts of delicious treats: cupcakes, cakes, frosting, etc. I guess what sparked it was talk of Mardi Gras. And yes, it was time to indulge (not like I hadn't been doing much of that to begin with already!). I'd had Crumbs before and while it was ok, it certainly wasn't Sprinkles. I did remember that there was a specific bakery to NYC that I'd been wanting to try out and hadn't had a chance: MAGNOLIA BAKERY!

After work, I ran to the hotel to layer up nice and good. I switched out my purse to carry my homemade bag (thanks Carol!). I asked the concierge where Magnolia was and he asked me which one. He printed off instructions to the original location off of 11th and Bleecker. The doorman helped me hail a cab and off I went. Traffic was typical and the ride was easy. I took the sights in and told myself that if I really wanted to, I could probably walk back.

He dropped me off across the street from the bakery and smiling at me was an eccentric little bookstore. This was the kind of place I'd been looking for! My imagination ran wild and I had to go inside to smell the books. Just as I was browsing the books on the sidewalk, I saw a man walk inside with his dog. Any place that allows dogs is ok by me. I treated myself to 3 special books: Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Neruda's Love Poems, and the Scanimation book, Swing. One for me, one for Don, and one for Mari. I checked out after I finished eavesdropping on a colorful conversation about our current President, Alabamans and the "N" word. Interesting because I know of no place in Texas that would allow for such free flowing conversation without scornful looks, outright tsks, or even worse. I bid the workers adieu and happily trotted across the small street for my sweet treats.

The thing that first struck me about the bakery was not the picture window filled with beautifully decorated cakes, nor was it the other window filled with oodles and oodles of cupcakes. It wasn't the bustling workers or the people inside. It was struck by the fact that it didn't smell like a bakery. It didn't smell bad, it just didn't have a smell. Initially, it made me skeptical, but I was quickly won over by the friendliness of the plentiful workers. Each doing their own task, concentrating, and periodically looking up. I was completely blown away by their busy-ness. This was one of those places where everyone automatically knew the flow. I must admit, I felt a little strange and unfamiliar, but I jumped right on it and went with it. I ordered a variety of yummies: pumpkin cheesecake, red velvet cake, small banana pudding, and cherries jubilee. I wanted to bring some happies to my buddy Gen. The packaged all of it right up and I set off for my walking adventure.

My tummy grumbled, but I soon forgot it. I disregarded the cold and was mesmerized by the neighborhood. This little gem of Greenwich Village was so welcoming, so inviting. There were people tucked away having private conversations, there were folks strolling hand in hand, people closing their shops. It was so great to stretch my legs and walk. I walked past the legendary Lips cabaret and for a split second I wanted to stop. But I REALLY, REALLY wanted to go on Bingo night, but it was Tuesday and Bingo is on Wednesdays. Before I knew it, I was outside of the Village and into Chelsea.

Then I passed Madison Square Garden. I walked for several blocks behind a group of friends chit-chatting about their bosses and what not. I couldn't help but eavesdrop and I missed my friends.
Next up was Times Square. I can see why the locals tend to stay away. All of these commercialized eateries line the bright neon, none of them truly the taste of NY. I felt bad for the people eating around there because it's a shame that they didn't venture off the path to discover more of the real NY.
Then, I came upon the Fashion District. There's a small part of me that will always wonder "what if." As I stared up, I could see the different fabric shops and I was upset that they weren't open. Oh well, maybe this weekend!

The further away I got, the neon volume turned down like the noise all around me. I was surrounded by working people. People dressed in suits, trenches, clutching onto their briefcases, speaking quickly into their earpieces. I just toned them out. I passed by the MOMA and the Sony building and came upon the Radio City Music Hall sign.

Somehow, I found my way back to familiar stomping ground and I gleefully started singing some random made-up song. Instead of going back to my hotel immediately, it was time to glutton it up. I remembered there was a Mexican restaurant around the corner, so I gave it a try. BIG LETDOWN.

It was incredibly overpriced food, even by the upscale restaurants in Dallas. The service was ok, withdrawn, actually. They seemed more interested in talking with each other than following-up with patrons. I wish everyone would've been as friendly as the hostess, who didn't mind that I didn't tip her when I checked my coat (Flame away, my fault completely! I didn't have any bills on me.)

This was the best part of my meal: the Lujuria Margarita. Don Julio Silver tequila, lime and orange juice, with Cointreau. At first sip, it was perfection, but because I didn't drink fast enough, the acidity from the juice married the bite from the tequila causing a bitter explosion. But I do love Don Julio!

These are the overpriced enchiladas. Three rojo chicken enchiladas. No beans and rice, no other kind of side came with it. Just the plain enchiladas, which were quite tasty, but in my opinion, were NOT worth the $23. YIKES! I'm so glad I ordered a side of corn, otherwise, I'd still be hungry!

Here's the previous mentioned side of corn. It said traditional Mexican roasted corn, but where's the paprika? Where's the queso fresco? Where's the mayo? They said it was already all in there. I didn't believe them and the flavor from the dish didn't lie to me either. But I was starving and didn't feel like complaining. I wanted to get out of there ASAP so I could make it back to my room to sing to my daughter goodnight.

Unfortunately, she didn't wake up from her nap at all, so no singing. I actually woke Don up as well. Ooopsie! I quickly said my love-yous and miss-yous, and bid him goodnight. I sprang up from the bed and danced over to the red velvet cake. It was, after all, screaming my name all night long. I dove right on it and only ate 1/3 of that delicious goodness. (Sorry, no picture folks!) It was light and the frosting divine! The cake wasn't as moist as Sprinkles, but flavorful it its own right. Highly recommend that one.

When I was sufficiently full, I opted to zone out to HDNet TV. Angie Everhart had documented her trek up Kilimanjaro I was intrigued and for some odd reason, I wanted to climb Kilimanjaro too. No, that isn't in the near future (money, for one thing, is a killjoy!), but it could be on the list of things to do. It looked beautiful and I hate that the glaciers are fading. Anyway, hope you all are doing well!

*oh, and yes, it was incredibly cold, but as long as I kept moving, things weren't so bad!

holy chilly dogs, Batman!

My commute is less than 10 minutes (5 minutes if I was a true yankee). We're talking like 5 blocks, people. I was a frozen icicle half an hour AFTER I'd been settled in the warm office. I swear the A/C was running. (if my poor grammar and spelling from the earlier post today was any indicator of how cold I was...yes, my cold-ness directly coorelates to poor grammar and spelling)

Today, I mistakenly chose to wear a skirt and a nice top. Since I'd be in front of a few more users today, I wanted to look sharp. I S-H-I-V-E-R-E-D for the last 3 blocks. Seriously, teeth were chattering. My legs burned from that vicious wind. For those of you from West Texas, you are familiar with that type of wind knocking your breath out. Lucky for me, I was smart enough to armor myself with layers up high, but neglected the lower part of my body. BIG MISTAKE.

I'm even afraid of walking back to the hotel tonight. Silly, I know. At least that's supreme motivation to get me to workout. Why? Because I packed my incredibly warm running tights and my long sleeve running shirt, oh and my sneakers too! So there you go. It is supposed to warm up by the end of the week. Lucky for me, Mari won't be a tiny popsicle. Bless her bones.

NYC: Brio Restaurant

My first night alone, I opted to take myself out for an Italian meal. I knew it would be rich and hearty enough that I wouldn't want to stay up all night out of lonliness.

This was a boutique shop on the corner that boasted a quaint sidewalk cafe. When Don and I were here in November, we'd passed this place several times, curious, but electing instead to go to Serafina.

So, there I sat on a cold winter night desperately trying to remember what it was like to be single, long enough so that I wouldn't spontaneously combust into a fitful of tears. Right, what mom wouldn't like a vacation for a few days? I guess I wasn't entirely ready for it, but I'm slowly embracing it.

I was tucked away in the corner. My co-worker informed that his friend's family owned the place. Based on his reaction when I told him where I was going, I knew instantly that I had to go!
For an appetizer, I ordered artichoke hearts and a glass of the house red. At first bite, they were unlike anything I'd ever eaten. The outsides were thin, crisp, salty wafers, but the centers were oh-so-delicious meaty goodness. For a half second, I'd forgotten where I was. However, the salty, oily bite brought me back to reality. I realized I was absolutely famished! I very, nearly cleaned the plate.

Moments later, I was greeted by an expansive circular white dish. It was a gnocchiette with lamb. The waiter highly recommended this dish, describing the taste as a lamb stew. I'd never had lamb stew, but I've had lamb before and I do like it. Sure enough, at first bite, the tender lamb melted in my mouth. The tomato bouquet from the sauce tasted fresh and the side of broccoli rabe was perfectly made. I devoured every last bit of the entree, but left half of my vegetables. I thought the broccoli might make for a good snack tomorrow.



They neatly packaged it in a sturdy to-go container while I pondered the dessert menu. And this, my friends, is how I pack on 20lbs while I'm in NY instead of losing the 10 like I'd hoped. ha ha!

I settled for the almond cookies with Vin Santo. These tiny morsels were posing as perfectly made biscotti with a wicked sweet wine which tantalized my outer limbs. I needed to warm up before I faced the NYC cold again.

Next stop, the Duane Reade across the way. I know if I had an actual picture of my little family, some candles, and flowers, I would feel a little less homesick. Unfortunately, that DR didn't have one of those photo processing centers. I literally ran back to my hotel to settle in for the night. I stayed up for about an hour chatting with my husband and I could hear my little one in the background exploring and wreaking havoc. :D That's my girl. I could no longer leave my eyes open, so I gave them mental hugs and kisses and slumbered for the next 10 hours. I guess I must've been really tired.

How do I love thee??

Every year, Valentine's day is becoming more and more anti-climactic. Especially with the way our economy is going right now, it is really tough to justify spending an inordinate amount of money on food and flowers for one day. So what did we do? Here's the short and sweet version

On Friday, Primo came over to make a French dinner for our friends. We've decided that we'll have a monthly dinner party with friends where we drink wine, eat a ridiculous meal, and all we have to pay for is the cost of food. For $15 we were served an 8 course French meal that was divine! I'll have to remember to post some pics! YUM! I sprang the $5 for rose petals to add to the ambience.

(PHOTOS PLACED HERE LATER)

Saturday was my niece's 8th birthday, so Mari and I got to hang around a bunch of screaming girls. It was a far cry from Julie's home which felt so relaxed and inviting. I really wanted to hang out (hopefully we can some time!) after dropping off her custom Mei Tai from my MIL. We had fun there and the birthday girl really got a kick out of Mari's costume changes. I'd taken two thinking that the gals might change their dress up clothes a couple of times, and sure enough, they did!

That night, my folks offered to watch Mari so Don and I could have a date. Well, instead, we opted to order Mooyah online (OMG, Mooyah gets better and better every time!). I've been feeling sickly the past several days (sore throat), so we stopped by CVS after picking up dinner. I presented Don with Men's Health and a 1 year subscription for it. We later made the decision to go shopping and spend the amount of money that we would've spent on a night out for new clothes and shoes. Here's where it gets good:

Instead of a dozen delivered roses, I got 3 new pairs of shoes!! (thankyouverymuchDSWclearancesaleandrewardsprogram) Included with that bunch was my very first ever pair of Michael Kors shoes. I heart them so much! Don also, bought materials to make a locket necklace for me. I can't wait to see how it turns out. (oh, and I must brag that I had a very, very creative trail of cut out hearts when I arrived home on Friday, all which pointed to the homemade card with a special poem he'd written just for me...*swoon*) Afterwards, we hit up Kohls for their 80% off insanity sale and I got some things. On top of the already sale price, we picked a scratch off worth an additional 20% off of everything!!!! Don got some new shoes at DSW, as well as some fun shirts and a pair of jeans at Kohls. We totally scored big and spent less than the cost of flowers and a fancy-schmancy dinner (which we were able to indulge in on Friday night anyway, with friends to boot!), if you can believe that. Granted, we still spent the money, and that's not being very thrifty, but we needed clothes in the worst way and I especially needed some new shoes since I can't wear my Vibram 5-fingers to work.

How was your love day spent? Hope all is well!

dragging boost

This morning was a long one. I've not had the right amount of sleep for a couple of weeks now. I'm hoping that I can catch up this weekend. Last night looked like I might have done some catching up since Marisabelle was already sleeping when I got home. She normally takes a nap, but she was out cold, until...the tornado sirens went off.

Earlier in the day I'd heard of the tornadoes that had hit Oklahoma, so I freaked out. I jumped into action, grabbing my book, cell phone, bottled water, and Guapo. Don went to get Mari and we tucked ourselves away into the hall bath. We quietly waited until the sirens finished ringing. I held Mari in my arms, lamenting that I didn't get to play with her. Well, she must've sensed something because she sprang to life and was a ball of energy. We fed her, gave her some ear drops (Sidenote: She's having this clear discharge out of her ear that crusts over. I don't know if is a mixture of the ear drops and wax that is pouring out or what. No fever and no other signs of irritability. I hate to go to the doctor when I know that all they'll prescribe her are more antiobiotics. What do you think?) and she was running around the house. Literally. At her birthday we had a bounce house. She loved playing on the air mattress so much, tha I knew it was a must. Well, we still had the air mattress blown up from when my MIL came for a visit, that she ran into the the office/spare bedroom to play on it. We quickly had to cover the edges with pillows because she'd fallen in between that small space and was laughing hysterically at it and we feared she'd do it again...over and over. Here's a video I took of her with my phone trying to "jump" on the air mattress. Sorry for the poor quality, but it's video with a phone, what can I say? I need to upload the one from the bounce house. That one was hilarious!

Needless to day, she was up for a few hours and Don and I were both exhausted. I did my best to stay up, and just as I'd dozed off (desperately fighting sleep) I heard Don calling me name telling me it was time. Bless her sweet little heart. Just before midnight, we sang Twinkle, Twinkle, as she smiled up at us, rubbed her eyes, and attempted to sing along. We tenderly kissed her goodnight and she was passed out. Less than 15 minutes later, I was there with her.

At 4AM, she was in between sleep and awake coughing and fussing. Poor baby has that nasty cough still and in my tired haze, I'd forgotten to turn on her humidifier! Bad mommy! Don got up and made her a bottle with a teeny bit of cough syrup in it. I fed it to her and glanced at the clock. 5:12 Do I stay awake or sleep for 45 minutes? Yeah, I need sleep. I passed out and when the alarm went off, it was no surprise that I didn't perk right up. I said a quick prayer and hopped in the shower to wake up. Don went and prepped Mari. She was cranky and I wish I would've grabbed a photo of her this morning. Her hair was out of control; wild curls in every direction, showcasing every bit of her mood. No one in the house, including Guapo, is a morning person. We were ready before 7 and headed off to school. I lingered a bit there with Mari, holding her in my arms, admiring the heart she'd finger painted. After 5 minutes, the toys were out and she was more awake and ready for play. I kissed her goodbye and headed on in to the office.

While stuck in traffic, I caught a glimpse of myself and thought, "OMG, you need some serious help today, honey!" I fished around in my purse and only found my lipstick. I could make it work. I started to apply it when I saw that at the bottom of the tube it not only said ROUGE ALLURE 14 PASSION, but in slightly smaller letters it said MADE IN THE U.S.A. My mood lifted and I instantly felt brighter and happier. Yes, I'd over indulged on this lipstick months ago, but happy to know that that it was made here. :) Now I'm wondering if they make their eyeliner here too!

I have a long, long day ahead of me. In the long run, though, I'm so happy I had those few hours of awake time with Mari, and for that hour I got to hold her this morning, well, that was priceless. I'll gladly trade a few hours of sleep for those moments!

Happy Birthday Dear Marisabelle

Dear Mari,

This past weekend you turned 1. The night before, I was scurrying around with your older cousins preparing for your party. We were up late into the night dancing and singing while we iced your cake. Some of the others were playing Xbox and all of us had a shot to take the edge off and get the weekend properly started.

I finally snuggled into bed around 1:30. At 8AM, I woke up, excited, nervous, and a big ball of emotion. I thought of everything that happened this past year and remembered that first moment I met you, and let my finger become enveloped in your tiny, strong hands. I started crying and rolled over to your daddy. He awoke and held me tight and told me that everything was gonna be ok. We both reminisced about all of the amazing things you've accomplished and then said a prayer to the Lord for blessing us with you.

I was up and dressed, ready to run some last minute errands. You were up around 8:30. At 8:41, we all paused to sing Happy Birthday to you! Your big brother Guapo was eagerly singing along and happy because he knew it was a special day as well. Mommy, Grandma Carol, and Nina Danika did quite a bit of running around. When we got home, I tagged your Daddy, so he and Nina Danika did some running around of their own. The family began to arrive and we all pitched in to prep the day. Mommy and Daddy dressed as flying monkeys.

We rolled out the yellow brick road, the sign was hung, the pinata ready, the cake was smiling away. Favors patiently waiting to be taken to their new homes. It all came together so nicely. We were so surprised with everyone who showed up and were happily taking it all in. You took a 3 hour nap before the party and when I went to wake you to dress you for the party, you weren't in too much of a shock. You took a few minutes to wake up, and during that time, you watched your favorite part of The Wizard of Oz. You pretty much ran around the entire time of the party, smiling, eating, playing and playing. You had lots of fun!

You pulled the first string off of your pinata and thought that was the greatest thing. On the second pull, your friend Joselyn pulled the string that opened the pinata up. Stickers, candy, pencils, and other goodies poured out of it, while I launched the confetti sticks. Confetti happily rained down.

You had cake for the first time and chocolate too! You really enjoyed the bounce house. Even after all of the guest had left, you and your father ran back into the bounce house (the brinca brinca) to have some more fun. I joined in the fun, thinking how great it was to hold you in your frog jammies while we flew in the air laughing hysterically. The entire day was perfect weather! We had a full moon, so the light from it shone through the bounce house, as the twilight twinkled off of your angelic face.

You were blessed with lots of gifts, hugs, and kisses, too! You made some new friends and played along with the ones you were well acquainted with. There were so very many details of not just the day, but the entire weekend.

On Sunday, you were spent. Mommy and Daddy knew you'd be down for a nap, so we all went to see Taken and you slept the entire time. Heck, you were up and down for naps until 6PM. Only waking long enough for a diaper change and feeding. That evening, you were back to normal, playing with all of your new toys (the fairy wand, pelican, puzzle, purse, and riding cart). I especially loved how you took your new toys over to your old toys and played with all of them. You even took out your books and started to read them and that especially warmed my heart!

Again, by the end of the night, you were ready for bed. You'd been sitting in Daddy's lap playing Xbox with him when you gave us the I'm-ready-for-bed look. We sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to you like we do every night and within seconds you were sleeping again.

You are absolutely perfect and precious and such a wonderful addition to our family. I know most parents say that to their kids, but you are so easy going and vibrant. You are a completely even mix of both of our personalities and I think it is safe to say you are more adventurous than either of us were at your age. You aren't afraid to try new things and you aren't intimidated by new people. You do like to observe before diving in, though. You do a wonderful job of sharing. There's always a smile on your face...your 4-toothed smile (2 others are trying to break through!).

I love you, sugarbean and I'm looking forward to another year of wonderful memories before celebrating the next one!

Love always,
Mommy.

Marisabelle's 1st Birthday Complete Set

highlights

Busy week. No time for typical Bianca-style prose. Highlights of the week include:

• Reconnecting with my sister. Thanks for an awesome day and the Super Bowl as a backdrop!
• Marisabelle sick with an ear infection on Monday.


• Daycare call, "Mari has 103.4 fever."


• I arrive, "Mari has 105.2 fever!"


• I get home, in panic, the nurse tells me, check it w/ out the forehead wand under her arm, 102.1 Whew


• We get an Rx for the same antiobiotic that we had 3 weeks ago.


• My instinct says no. I call a friend (thanks Julie!).


• We go homeopathic route and 3 days later, no fever, no earache. Just runny nose and productive cough. Yaaay for nature (gently hugging tree). Suck on that bacteria that kills the good bacteria in my baby's belly that causes nasty-nasty diaper rash!


• Frantic cleaning for Marisabelle's party.


• Homemade tutu for the twins for Mari's party.


• Cake/food coordination with primo for party.


• Dinner party prep for next Saturday.


• Working 10+ hours days. Woohoo!


• Laughing hysterically with Brother on IM.
• Looking forward to Taco Villa bean burritos!
• Planning NYC travel for the end of the month.


• More frantic cleaning for the party.


• pause to breathe

Not much sleeping, lots of caffeine, and super duper overdrive. Still, I'm shining on believing that I'm defying gravity.

Shine on friends, shine on!

p.s. I heart my five fingers Vibram shoes that fit like a glove! They rock. I kinda want to go and get the red and black pair too!

Just keep snappin'

This past weekend I did a photoshoot with a friend. Prior to the subjects arrival, my lovely assistant helped me test my lighting by sitting for me. We had a little bit more time to kill, so I figured I'd sit in front of the camera for a couple of shots. This one is my favorite of the bunch. Yes, I'm laughing hysterically, nearly as crazy as my hair is in this picture!

Have a fabulous Monday!

Here's the link to the photo session:

Twins 1 Year Photos