10 Days

Alas, it has been at least that long since my last personal blog post. I have written at least two for work - but I figure most of my readers aren't interested in how to best remove snow from their solar panels. The reason I have not posted is not that the girls have stopped growing or being ridiculously silly. It is more like, well, I have lots of other things to do.

Like...

Work.

One thing I have to go is go to a sales meeting in Vermont this week. A five hour drive from home, I was planning on leaving at the butt crack of dawn on Wednesday. Turns out that we are expecting 6-12 inches of snow Wednesday morning. So, I am now leaving tomorrow afternoon. I was already feeling guilty about leaving the Hoos with day care drop off and pick up duty for two nights, now I am sticking him with it for three. And, because I am going up early I can now make a stop at the Ben & Jerry's factory store in Waterbury, VT. Who is getting the short end of this stick, eh?

The trip should be interesting for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that 25 of us will be staying and meeting in one house for two nights. It has been a long time since I shared a room with someone other than the Hoos and I am focusing now on relaxing. Not relaxing in the sense that this is a vacation, but relaxing in the sense of letting things go and trying not too be too high strung. I am usually very action oriented and direct and I just have a feeling that this sort of environment will not be good for my blood pressure. But hopefully things will go better than expected.

Diet.

I am into week two of my no-sugar, no bread "diet". Once a week I have pizza, but other than that I seem to be doing pretty well. Unfortunately, according to the new scale we bought yesterday it is having no impact. Or it is having an impact and I just weighed way more than I thought when I started this new meal plan? Neither is a great prospect. But I am pushing on! The thing I am missing most? Sweet drinks. Sugar in my coffee, peppermint hot chocolate, and iced latte...

Kiddos.

The girls continue to be deliciously hysterical. Most of the time.

Last night we were driving somewhere and I pointed out a snowman on some one's lawn. LP missed it and I told her it was probably because it was dark. "But I can see in the dark! There's a house....and another house....and another house....and another house...."

AK invited herself along to a birthday party for one of LP's friends. Since it was an in-home party I wasn't too worried about the intrusion and the hosts were very sweet. The adventure included face painting. Somehow AK forced herself in to the beginning of the line and came out looking like an adorable butterfly. Unfortunately, the blue face paint dried out or burned her skin and even though it was washed off before bed Saturday, she spent all of Sunday with red marks on her face in the shape of butterfly wings.

Looking Ahead.

AK and LP are totally psyched for our trip to Disneyworld. AK has grand plans, including giving Mickey Mouse a high-five. Every day she asks me if today is the day we go to "Sisneyworld. " When I tell her no, she responds, "First school, THAN Sisneyworld." Yup, for the next couple of months, kid!

To help the time pass I have signed both girls up for swimming lessons at a new facility in Fairfield, Wings Over Water. There was a Groupon last week offering four lessons plus an annual membership for $59. Since it has a heated indoor pool and we have been feeling shut-in lately from all of the snow, I thought it would be a good way to prepare for our Disney trip and the summer. The even better news, because AK is such a water baby, she is in a group called SuperTots which does not require me to go in the water. Hip hip hooray!!! I just know she will love it. Even if she does have to wear doubled up reusable swim diapers. And with the membership we can swim during "family swim time," which is 1-3:30 on the weekends all winter long. Another way to keep us from climbing the walls or watching Nick Jr. ad naseum all winter.

Onward and Upward. I hope to be back in less than 10 days.