I suck at resolutions.

Here are my goals from last year:

• Lose 23 pounds (this is not an arbitrary number, and not a lofty goal either. 12 pounds will get me to my pre-pregnancy weight, 23 will get me healthy.)

• Completely potty train Elliot and Astoria. Elliot is halfway there...
• Run a 5k.

I did not run a 5k. But I did get Zumba certified and am teaching 5 classes (sometimes 6) a week. So there's that.

Elliot is Potty trained, Astoria on the other hand has to get extra "help" on a bi-monthly basis as well as cut out pretty much all dairy for a bit in exchange for "chocolate swilk". Right now we're just happy when she goes at all, forget doing it in a potty. we'll work on that after basketball season.

I am 16 pounds lighter than at this time last year. Baby weight? No big deal. Healthy weight... you mean I have to cut back on copious amounts of sugar? Forget that.

So I pretty much did everything a solid HALF-WAY.

Guh.

This years goals? Of course i'm still going to make some.

• Read 45 books
• Brush my teeth
• Ensure that my kids get no cavities this year
• Turn off lights when I leave a room
• Kiss Blair more
• Take Anne Morrow Lindbergh's advice and spend some time alone

There is is. In writing. I have bazillion other goals in mind, but this'll suffice for now.


One last thing, Elliot has surgery tomorrow. It's not "real" surgery, but she is going to be put under so that her ten million cavities can be fixed. More on that later.

Let the Year of Mary Einfeldt commence

Happy Little Clouds

Watching Bob Ross painting clouds is quite possibly one of the most relaxing activities I can imagine.




 After the insanity of Christmas, nothing is better.

 

(Stori refused to wake up)

Our holiday was rather delightful, Elliot got a Lego Buzz Lightyear (translation - Elliot got to watch all giddy and excited while Mom put the Lego Buzz together), Astoria got the Cinderella kid doll she has been asking for, and you know what her response was the minute she opened it? "I thought I wanted the Tiana doll?"  Seriously child?

And I got tickets to see this:

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !


But my hands down favorite part of the gift extravaganza? The card Elliot made to accompany the Waffle maker we gave Blair.

She may be the next Bob Ross.

i like candy

Candy is my favorite. Seriously.

Some facts about candy, and it's relationship with me and my family.

• No matter how many days a week I teach Zumba, I will never get rid of these flesh pockets sitting on my hips, because of candy.

• My three root canals, and myriad other teeth problems are not completely because of candy, but I have no doubt it played a pretty significant role.
  
• Elliot is having oral surgery next month... due in large part to my bad genetics, and of course, candy.
• When I was pregnant with Rousseau, I craved sugar like you would not believe. In fact during my pregnancy I had a very special dream once where I was able to take a private tour of a pastry shop, and I could eat anything I wanted. Best. Dream. Ever.
• I don't remember the last time I went through an entire day without eating sugar in some form or another; usually chocolate, but also cookies, Cherry Pepsi, ice cream, chai latte, various baked goods, you name it really...

(fun fact: Elliot is wearing a Slytherin shirt that used to be mine. Also, the shirt i'm wearing, Blair bought on the day we met. Brand New concert t-shirt. And Rou enjoyed some chocolate... obviously.)
 

 Elliot and I made a "Hogwarts Gingerbread House Castle". The marshmallow on the top, Elliot told me it was smoke from the chimney, but I still think it's Neville Longbottom after the incident with the broomstick and the remembral. We added a little more after this, but you get the general idea. Where was Astoria during all this you ask?

Passed out, probably not due to candy consumption, but then, you never know...

And we are still a good 4 days away from the sugar-fest that is Christmas.

I'm not promising anything, but in order to avoid the evil diabetes fairy that is probably waiting around the corner, something must be done.

Like I said, I can't straight out promise that candy and I are totally splitsville, but I need help. really. So, if you have any advice to offer? that would be pretty amazing.

I hope your Christmas is the best thing ever. Better than a backstage pastry shop tour (ooooohhhhhh.....).

Slow Down, Baby

This post is a double whammy.

First, my totally unrealistic, but still fun to dream about Christmas dreams:

• Someone to come decorate (and clean, while they're at it) my house.
• Someone to pick out my clothes every day, because I have no sense of style.
• Enough financial stability to ensure that Blair would never have to work another stupid graveyard shift again.
• To magically have perfect teeth.
• For massive amounts of delicious treats to have a less devastating effect on my body.
  
• To somehow have enough time to just slow down and enjoy things, like holiday traditions.

Second:

Mary+camera+Picnik.com = A life which looks much more interesting



Kids on a trampoline + Zach Cowan + Leaf blower = Hundreds of delightful giggles

Astoria, Rousseau, and I spent Saturday with my dear Katie Cowan. It was so very wonderful. Even though i'm sure I WAY overstayed my welcome, (oh, eat all three meals at your house? don't mind if I do!) I had a fantastic time with many inappropriate comments regarding breakfast meats and possibly some hilarious quotes from the Little Mermaid.

ALSO, I finally got to meet the very delightful Ruth! We had a lovely breakfast (thanks Zach and Katie!) but alas, I didn't even think to get my camera out. Boo. Nevertheless, Ruth is just as wonderful as I'd imagined.

Ma petite chou

Voila! Puis-je present ma petite fille qui est une an aujourd'hui! Fantastique!

Je voudrais ecrire cette histoire tout en français, mais ma orthographie et grammaire est tres terrible.

See? All those years I took French in school has now been validated... or something.

Today is my little French woman's birthday. And to celebrate, she got an eye infection! Woo-hoo! The other girls wanted to join in the fun, so they got eye infections as well. How thoughtful.


Because we are SO high-class, we took the family to the ihop last night to celebrate. Hey, it's the only restaurant (that is not pizza) where the girls will actually eat the food.

Who is Rou?

• Rousseau Evangeline is lovely
• She has a delightful little smile, and will show it to you with very little coaxing
• She is the first of my kids to refuse the aboo (pacifier, binky... whatever you want to call it.)
• She will climb into everything the second you turn your back.
  

Evidence:

Cupboard, Dishwasher

Fridge, toy box...

• Songs she loves to fall asleep to: If my heart was a house - Owl City, The Moon-Atomic - Angels and Airwaves, and Don't Stop Believing - Journey.
• We had decided on the name Rousseau before she was born, which is fortuitous in the sense that Rousseau means "Little red head", which she is.

Bon Aniversaire littlest one!

Flying Milk

Ten Things!!

1. For the second time this month, a gallon of milk decided, of its own accord, to fly out of the back of the car the second I opened it, bursting open and spilling all over the driveway. FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS MONTH! Boo milk.

2. See this? it's a picture of myself, taken with my camera. Notice I did not say camera phone? YAY! Thanks to wonderful friends and family, and the amazing generosity of Katie Cowan. This girl has a camera.

3. Now that I have a camera, I can document all the glamorous things that happen to me, like Rousseau dumping out a box of cereal on the carpet. It's a rite of passage at our house.


And Astoria thought it was hilarious, obviously.



4. Today is one of those days where every time I think about teaching Zumba tonight, I feel like i'm going to barf all over my new dancy shoes...

5. Look! new dancy shoes!



6. I have a strange desire to make a Hogwarts gingerbread house this year. Awesome? Or just nerdy?

7. I have seen Blair for a total of 4 hours since Thursday. Welcome to basketball season.

8. I love the way Elliot says "Chilly"

9. It seems as though I will not be completing my book list by the end of the year like i'd planned. I'm still going to make a push for it, but the small amounts of free time I have can either be devoted to reading, or finishing my sister's Christmas present, and well, my sister wins hands down.

10. Note to self and others as well: Watching The Walking Dead right before bed? not the best of ideas.

December Winner

We have a weeener!

Gregory!!
(I hope your Amazon Wishlist is up-to-date kid. I'm kind of a stalker, sorry!)

Yay!

Here's the problem though. I kind of want ALL of you to win. I'm not joking. I get SO excited when I start looking for books for people, you have no idea. And it is my intention that sooner or later, if you keep playing, everyone will win! So do not despair dear friends. (or dear family members, who will PROBABLY get books for Christmas anyway. I'm nothing if not predictable.)

I have a host of other things to tell you about, but it will have to wait till I can get my monkeys... I mean children busy doing something other than climbing all over me (Rou), whining for jam sandwiches (Astoria) or begging me to play Lego Harry Potter with her (Elliot). Till then, farewell!