Ear is the problem

It’s been a long time since Dom has had an ear infection. He used to get them all the time, so much that the doctor had talked to us about the possibility of tubes in his ears. Poor cub I had heard that once a child hits two years old, they kind of grow out of them and that seemed to be the case for Dom.

Rob was in Phoenix this weekend, so of course that was a perfect time for Dom to get an ear infection. Saturday morning started out fine. He and I went to the gym as we usually do and then ran a couple of errands. He was in good spirits the whole time. I do remember him saying that his ear hurt as we were cruising the isles of Target, but he dropped it right after that so I thought he was ok.

Once we got home and it was nap time, I laid him down in his bed and he fell asleep pretty fast. 15 mins later he woke up crying. I checked him on the video monitor and he was lying in his bed, holding his left ear. Uh oh. I went in to console him and see if I couldn’t get him back to sleep, but it just wasn’t going to happen. I wanted to wait a little bit to make sure it wasn’t a once of thing before I took him to the afterhours doctor. As the hours went by, he was more upset. We were at Shirleys baby shower when he started getting a fever and was so irritable that he wouldn’t let me put him down, even for a second.

We hightailed it out of there so I could get him to the doctor and get him the meds I knew he needed. The whole way there he was crying, one hand holding his ear with his other arm outstretched to me. Kill me now. That is the worst feeling. The second worse feeling is realizing you’re gas light just went on. Damit! So I had to pull in to get gas, while Dom is crying harder and harder. I managed to quickly pump $12.00 worth and get back on the road. Thankfully there was no wait at the doctor and within an hour, he had his first dose of meds.

It sucks so hard to see your kid hurting and not be able to do anything about it. One of the many times I wished that I could have the stupid ear infection instead of him. But it’s all part of life I suppose. Thankfully he is feeling much better.

Goal!

Dom is so excited to be playing soccer at school. They have a company that comes to the school on Fridays at about 9:30am and teaches the kids that are enrolled the basic principles of the game. Oh ok, they just kick the ball around for 45 mins. But Dom LOVES it. Every Friday when I pick him up from school he tells me “Mama! I kicked the ball in the goal!” I don’t know if he is really doing that week after week, but I love his enthusiasm.

Getting Kids Organzied

From Left to Right: Parents.com, Martha Stewart, iheartorganizing.blogspot.com, modpodgerocksblog.com, coryconnordesigns.com, Martha Stewart, Ohdeedoh.com, Martha Stewart, icouldmakethat.org, Real Simple, iheartorganizing.blogspot.com, Martha Stewart, The Container Store (white elfa kids' workstation), iheartorganizing.blogspot.com, Real Simple, & Centsationalgirl.com
■Mon.-Fri. Closet Organizer – Have a week’s worth of school clothes picked out and ready to go. As a kid who always had her clothes laid out the night before, I LOVE this idea!

■Mailing Tubes for Art Storage – Label, roll, and store the endless art projects that are no longer on display in mailing tubes.

■Closet Bins Labeled with Pictures – Great idea for younger children who can’t read; separate various items with images instead of words.

■Closet Hooks Labeled with Sizes – Perfect for the closets of nurseries, growing kids, or shared siblings

■Wagon as Bookshelf –An adorably clever way to display and organize your kids’ books!

■The Fridge Chore Chart – an oldie but a goodie

■Nursery Organization Bins ‘Burp, Bathe, Bundle’ – Great way to keep your rags, towels, and blankets separated.

■Photo Paperweight – Add a little joy to your work with photo paperweights of your kids!

■Playful Jars for arts & crafts storage

■3-Ring Binders for school papers, report cards by grade, etc. – With so many brilliant ideas out there, it’s still hard to beat a 3-ring binder for school organization.

■Create a Household Binder to keep track of finances, babysitters, schedules, EVERYTHING. Don’t miss the step-by-step instructions and other genius suggestions at iheartorganizing.blogspot.com!

■Wall Book Shelf to keep books on display and out of the way

■Kids Workspace – If you have the space, provide your kids with their own organized workspace for crafts, schoolwork, and activities. Modify for their ages and likes, but remember to leave room for growth.

■Lego Organization – Legos are incredible toys for learning, but I have discovered that they are organization’s worst nightmare! Keep them under control with labeled bins by color. Include designated bins for the boards and the character pieces.

■Mudroom Central – Love the shoe organization, clear calendar, and wall storage!

■Planters as Wall Storage for Toys

Mustaching Around

I almost can't stand how cute this photo is. the wink, the mustache, the little hands. My baby boy...always making people laugh:)

Snuggle Bug

Sometimes you just want to climb onto the couch, snuggle up with your Daddy and a good blanket and watch "Toy Story 3" for the hundredth time:)

Packed Lunch

Dom absolutely loves preschool. He’s adjusted beautifully and is even doing great with this potty training. It’s such a relief to know he’s happy there. When we pull up he says “Yay preschool!” He has a “best favorite” named Justin and one kid who is not his best favorite called Ryan.

He takes his lunch to school every day and eats at the table outside with all his friends. I’ve tried getting some things other than chicken nuggets or turkey dogs in there, but it usually doesn’t go so well. He has eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at both Nonnie and Ms. Carol’s house, no problems, no questions asked. But when I made it for him, he made sure to let me know he wasn’t a fan. “Mommy, I no like sandwiches. “ Really? How could he not fall in love with the cuteness of the little PB&J dino’s I made with such love? He had taken a couple of bites, so I have to give him credit for that. Maybe I’ll wait a while and try it again, see how that goes. In the meantime, we are on a rotation of mac n cheese, chicken nuggets and turkey dogs with sides of grapes, cucumber, tomato, string cheese, raisens, pickles (Dom’s request,) carrots etc. And every day he opens up his Spiderman lunchbox and shows me how he ate it all.

He’s a lot more hyper when he comes home now. All fired up, chatting away about his day. I still can’t believe he’s in school now, but as usual, time is flying by. We still have him in his crib, and I’m scared to DEATH at moving him over to a big boy bed. He can pretty cheeky come bed time and most nights I am holding him down while I try to strap a diaper to his butt. I can only imagine what would happen, given the freedom of being able to step out of bed. I know it’s the next logical step, but maybe just a few more months of the crib?

Toy Story on Ice

Look how happy Dominic is in this photo. Look at him beaming. I love that little smile. I love that he loves his family that much. Oh wait, it may have something to do with the fact that we were at "Disney on Ice, Toy Story 3" and he was so excited, he could hardly contain himself.


Rob got us tickets to go and in true Rob style, we were sitting practically on the ice. He's so good to us! All the characters were there and Dom was in total awe. I've noticed that he likes to sit quietly for the most part, but don't take that as he's not enjoying himself. No, he's loving every second. But he's taking it all in. Very quietly looking at all the different characters, the lights, the stage, the crowd, the guys walking around selling popcorn and glow sticks. As soon as a song finishes, he clapped his little hands and then settled down, eyes peeled for the next number.

On the way home, all Dom could talk about was how he wants to see it again and how he wants to go to Dinseyland to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto and Daisy. Huh? I had no idea he knew all their names! He then informed us that Buzz, Woody and the rest of the Toy Story gang lived there also, so he had to go see them.

Is it wrong that we have never taken him to Disneyland? Here's why. #1, it costs a fortune. Unless you have a house to take a second loan out, it can wipe you out financially. #2, How long would he last? So we pay an arm and leg to get inside, only to have Dom last 2 hours before he's over it or needing a nap. #3, would he get it? Would he understand the magnatude and magic of the experiance? I think he might be ready for it. Not an all day experiance, but at least half day. He should be tall enough to get on the rides and I know he'll love that. Plus, he's free until he's three, so we might as well get in there now before we need to sell a kidney to buy him his ticket.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Handbook for 2012

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 e's -- energy, enthusiasm and empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2011 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, - smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past.
That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job or businrss won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. Love has healing power.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come...
38. When you awake alive in the morning, be thankful for it.
39. Your inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Big Boy School

Yesterday was a big day in our lives...Dom's first day of pre-school! Woo hooo!! I was a nervous wreck of course, worried that he’d feel abandoned all over again and have a hard time adjusting. When we walked up, he was a little unsure of the unfamiliar surroundings. He clutched his hand a little tighter when we walked into the classroom and met Ms. Caroleena, one of his teachers. It was such an inviting environment with music playing and a few kids scattered around the room. I explained to Ms. Caroleena that Dom does much better with some affection so she opened up her arms and gave him a big hug. I loved that. There are some schools where you can’t do that anymore for fear of “crossing a boundary” but my son needs that kind of emotional openness. It calms his fears and makes him feel no so scared.

Once he was securely in Ms. Caroleena’s arms, Rob and I said our goodbyes and headed out the door. One thing I have learned is not to linger too long. If you hang out too long, and then try to leave, it’s extremely difficult on the kid. We made a quick get-a-way into the hallway and waited to see if he started crying. Luckily, the only tears were my own. Rob asked if I was ok, put his arm around me and then I just couldn’t help it. Once me head touched his shoulder, I did break down a little bit. I was just so worried that he would be scared and think we just left him there. We hung around for about 10 mins and then his teacher popped her head out into the hallway to let us know he was just fine and was doing a puzzle. Phew! What a relief!

At about 1pm, I called the school just to check on him. I was worried about him eating his lunch that I packed for him (he’s never had a packed lunch before) and taking his nap in a strange place. Thankfully I was told he was doing great. He ate all his lunch (victory!) and was taking his nap right at that moment. I had packed his new toy story blanket from home, so hopefully that was comforting to him.

I arrived back at the school at 4:45pm to pick him up. I crept into his classroom and there he was, sitting in circle time with the other kids. They were singing a song and having fun. When he saw me, he broke out into a big smile and said “hi Mommy!” His teacher showed me the pages he had colored and said that he was a very good boy, very well behaved and rather quiet. I had to laugh because my kid, quiet? Ha! But I know once he warms up and gets to know everyone he’ll be more himself.

On the way home Dom couldn’t take fast enough about his day. “Mommy, I ate all my lunch! And I took my nap! And I did a puzzle! And I met new friends!” I can’t describe the relief that washed over me at that moment. He likes pre-school! YES!!! He had an awesome time and was extra hyper the rest of the day. I’m so proud of him for making such a big adjustment with such ease. Hopefully his enthusiasm continues today and from here on out.

Goodbye 2011

What a year it has been. There has been so much that has happened. Some good. Some bad. Mostly good. It was a good year for us. It was definitely the most I've seen Dom grow up, almost overnight.


There is no limit on the amount of joy that he brings to my life. Every single day I'm amazed at his ability to grow and learn. It does feel like he's growing up too fast, but I'm such a proud Mom to see how smart and witty he is. What other kid do you know can sing the chorus and verse of "Moves like Jagger?" Dom closes this year saying goodbye to daycare and hello to preschool. Hopefully along with that will come using the potty and getting out of diapers. Please. At this point, I feel like I'm going to have an 8 year old wearing the things.

He has such a good grasp on things. He just gets it. He says the funniest things all the time. The other day I stubbed my toe and made a wincing face, like I was crying. Dom came over to me, gave me his bunny and said "Mommy, I'll protect you, I got you" and then rubbed my arm and gave me a hug. I mean, come on. Sometimes we'll be watching tv and a character he doesn't recognize will come on the screen. He'll turn to me and say "hey Mom, that's kinda weird!" Ha ha, where does he learn this stuff? When it's dark outside, he'll say "Mommy, the sun has gone nuh night, it's dark outside now." One of the funniest things he does now is call Rob and I by are names when we don't answer him right away. "Gina! Robert!"

His favorite tv shows right now are Team Umi Zoomi, Bubble Guppies, Yo Gabba (a classic!) Super Why, Fireman Sam, The Mighty Jungle and Peppa Pig. His favorite movies are The Incredibles, Toy Story 3, Up, Madagascar, Bolt and he's starting to show an interest in Cars. He's still really into his beavers documentary also. His favorite song, hands down, is "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5. He knows all the words to that, verse and chorus, and also does the cutest dance. He simply amazes me. He really is just such a happy kid.

I learned a lot about myself over the last twelve months. I gained a lot of weight and fell into a comfortable zone of not being aware of what I was eating, and that left me feeling the most uncomfortable i have ever felt. But I turned it all around by going back to Weight Watchers and not only dieting, but changing my lifestyle completely. I work out with a trainer twice a week, I walk/run on the treadmill at least 4 times a week. Most of the time, breakfast is a tasty spinach shake. WHO IS THIS PERSON? I don't know, but I kinda love her.
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I haven't eaten any fast food in over a 5 weeks and as of last nights weigh in, I'm down 12lbs. It feels so good to lose every week, I can't even tell you. I don't want to lose this feeling. I don't want to get bored in 8 months of tracking my food and working out, only to slide back into fattyville. If that happens, I will make myself read this entry.
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HEY! Lazy and burnt out Gina! Listen to me right now! I know it feels like you can do this on your own, not go to the WW meetings, not track your food, not work out at least twice a week....but you CAN'T. You've tried before and failed. I know it feels like if you have to track one more piece of food, you'll stick the pen in your eye...but don't give up. You got this. Put an end to the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting and lose this weight once and for all. Look how good you look in the above photo. You worked hard! Don't throw it all away!
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This time next year, don't let yourself be back in the position of having to get back on the weight loss train. Again. Instead, be close to your ultimate goal, whatever that may be. Hopefully I will be able to run one mile straight without stopping. Hopefully I will weight somewhere around 145lbs. Hopefully I would have loved myself enough to keep going. Failure is not an option.




Rob has been so supportive in this journey with me. He has been there for me, cheering me on, getting me a trainer, buying a treadmill for the house, getting me gym clothes. I really am so lucky to have a man like him. He works so hard and always treats Dom and I to something special.
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I think our relationship has really grown over the past year. We have found our rhythm and things are really good with us. We celebrated our three year anniversary in style (thank you Jason Mraz) and I'm really excited about our future together. I love him with all my heart, and even though we are not always on the same page, I still give my heart to him completely.



All in all, 2011 was a fantastic year. It went by waaaaay too fast, but it was fantastic none the less. I hope that 2012 surpasses it even more, and that life keeps on blessing all of us the way it has. As always, I feel very lucky to live the life that I do. I have the best family and friends in the whole world. And my little, beautiful, amazing family...Rob, Cubbers and I....are the best thing that ever happened to me.

Adios Daycare

Today is Dom’s last day of daycare! I can hardly believe it. On his first day, he was only 8 months old. Now he’s 2 ½ and all grown up. I wasn’t prepared for this moment until he was at least three years old, but everyone says that he is ready. He knows the stuff you need to know, like how to count to ten, his ABC’s etc. And so it’s time to leave his first place of learning, and move on to the next.

As you can tell by the above photo, Dom is less than impressed. I was of course being sentimental and trying to capture his last day..but he was more like “sheesh Mom, you’re totally embarrassing me!”

I am so thankful that we had a wonderful and positive experience with Nonnie’s Daycare. Dom truly loves her and has really thrived there. We’ll miss her, but I know we’ll be back to visit.

Next stop? Pre-school!

Dom Update

There isn’t a day that goes by when I’m not blown away by how amazing Dominic is. I can’t help but marvel at how much his grown up in one short year. How much he’s changed, both physically and mentally. He no longer looks like a chubby faced baby, there’s no more trying to figure out what he wants or needs. Now he’s 2 ½ and a real toddler. He speaks in full sentences, he’s able to express how he’s feeling, if he’s hurt, hungry or cold. He can tell me what he wants to watch on tv or wants to have for dinner. He can take his hoodie off, pull his pants on and kick off his shoes. It seems that every day it’s something new.

He’s still very much into movies. Toy Story and Shrek are still popular in our house, but have been overtaken by The Incredible’s and Madagascar. The Incredible’s is one of his favorites because it has superheroes. He loves when they fight off the bad guys and reenacts everything he sees, with bunny by his side.

His favorite thing in life is still his bunny. He loves that thing so much, it’s scary to think of it ever getting lost. He sleeps with it of course, but now bunny goes on all of Dom’s adventures. They fight bad guys, go for a cruise on his helicopter, slide down the slide on his jungle gym, eat dinner together. I think it’s pretty adorable, especially when he tells me “Mommy, bunny is my best friend!” Even better? When he then says "I love you too Mommy." Please, I can't take it, I can't take his cuteness!

I got Dom a Toy Story tent from Ross several months back, and he loves it. He plays in that thing every day and always finds new and creative ways to use it. Sometimes he opens it up and hides inside. Sometimes he folds it in half and uses it as a shield from the pirates. Other times you can see it moving across the living room floor with Dom inside yelling “Get away bad guys, I fight you! Don’t worry bunny, I save you!”

This age is pretty amazing. To see him get so creative, and start to really use his imagination makes it hard to not want to kiss him and squeeze him whenever I get the chance. Lucky for me, he’s still a mama’s boy and loves to snuggle.

The potty training thing is taking longer than I had thought. He just gets lazy about telling us he needs to go, even when we ask him every 5 minutes. I’m hoping that starting preschool will help him get motivated, seeing the other kids using the potty instead of wearing diapers.
His sleep schedule is pretty solid these days. Bed at 7pm and no fuss from him. We take a bath, read a story and then lights out. He sleeps through the night and usually wakes up around 5:45am. We have tried putting him to bed later, in hopes of getting him to sleep later but it never works.

His eating habits haven’t changed much. He will eat pretty much anything at daycare, but at home it has to be either mac n cheese, turkey dogs or chicken nuggets. But along with that he still eats a ton of fruits and veggies. He’s always been really good about that, thank goodness.

It's probably about time to take him out of his crib and into a big boy bed, but I'm just nervous about it. He's in such a good bedtime routine now, no fuss no muss, and I'm terrified of going back to the drawing board with crying and staying up half the night. I know I just need to bite the bullet and do it already, but I'm having a hard time with this one. Maybe in the new year?

Beating My Record

I am kind of impressed with myself right about now. On Saturday at the gym, I beat my own mile time again. This time I came in at 14 mins, 45 seconds. Whaaa? Who is this girl? I bumped up my running speed from 4.7 to 5.0 and then ran the last 4 minutes and I did it! Rob was on the treadmill next to me and congratulated me. I couldn't help but throw my hands up in the air and cheer! I can hardly believe that I am doing any kind of running and actually really enjoying it. I hope and pray that this motivation stays with me!

Go Me

I did it! Last night I was doing my walk/runs on the treadmill, I looked down and I did my mile in 15.28! I got under 16 mins! Hot damn! I was in total shock and am SO STOKED!!! For most people, that’s probably still a snails pace, but for me it’s a huge accomplishment!

Letter of Gratitude

Dom only has 2 more weeks at daycare, and then he’s moving on to preschool. I can hardly believe it. It seems like we were just dropping him off there for his first day. We will miss Nonnie and I will forever be thankful for what she’s done for us. She asked me for a referral letter and I was happy to oblige.

To: Connie Vales, Nonnie’s Daycare
From: Gina Cretikos

Dear Connie,
When it came time to put Dominic, 10 months old, into daycare, I was terrified. As a first time mother, I had no idea what it entailed, what to expect, what questions to ask. How would I know if I found the right place? How could I be sure to trust the most important person in my life with strangers? When I first spoke to you, you were very helpful and knowledgeable, putting me at ease immediately. When we met, I knew right away we had found our place. You were patient with my 101 questions and answered them all. Your home was clean, safe and filled with lots of toys for the kids. You were experienced, loving and your passion for what you do shone through.

On Dom’s first day, I was a nervous wreck. He cried and cried and cried when I dropped him off, I cried and cried and cried. I couldn’t help but call you several times throughout the day to check on him. You assured me that he was ok and to call back whenever I needed to calm my nerves.
Dom is now 2 ½ and is enjoying his last couple of weeks with you, Denise and of course Nicky. He absolutely loves each and every one of you guys and when I tell him in the morning that we’re going to Nonnie’s house, he cheers. He has definitely thrived while there, already reciting his ABC’s and counting to 10. I know that you have prepared him well for the next chapter of his life, and I am forever grateful for that.

There is no bigger comfort than knowing that your child is safe and looked after when you can’t be with them. I trust you completely Connie and know that you care for Dominic as one of your own. It will be so difficult to say goodbye, but I know that we will be back often to visit. You have played such a vital role on my son’s life, I feel truly lucky that we got to have you as his daycare provider and “Nonnie,”

With much love and gratitude,
Robert McCool & Gina Cretikos

Success on the Scale!

It’s been four weeks since I’ve been back at weight watchers and I can hardly believe how well my weight loss journey is going. After last night’s weigh in, my total is 9lbs down. 9LBS! What?! How did that happen? Oh yea, I’ve been tracking every day, eating a TON of salad (usually with lunch and dinner) and working my ass off at the gym. I’m so proud of myself!

The gym has taken on a whole new experience for me. Now that I’m seeing results in my weight, it is an even bigger motivator to get my ass in gear. Something new that I have become very fond of is running. I’m sorry, what? No, that wasn’t a typo. It’s true. I started to do interval training on the treadmill at the suggestion of my trainer, Kelly. He said it helps keep the metabolism going which in turn burns more calories. That’s all I needed to hear. I’d walk for 2 minutes and then run (jog) for 2 mins.

Unfortunately for me, I’m not a runner. Not even close. I can barely walk. But, I wanted to give it a shot. The first few times that I did the intervals, I thought I was going to die. About 45 seconds into running I wanted to jump ship. But as time went on, it got a little bit easier. I was making an 18 min mile, which for me isn’t too shabby. But of course my motivation was to beat that time. I wanted under 16 mins.

We go to the gym on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings, and each time I’d jump on the treadmill and give it my all. I got my mile down to 16.42, not bad but not under 16. And that’s ok. I need to give myself time. I find myself really looking forward to doing my walk/run, and that is something I never thought would happen. I can see changes in my body, no so bloated looking. My clothes are starting to fit better and that just keeps me motivated. They are so right when they say “nothing tastes as good as thin feels!”

A Night with Jason Mraz

Monday was an awesome day. Rob and I rode the motorcycle down to San Diego because we had tickets to go see Jason Mraz. He played in this tiny little theater called “Spreckles” and was seriously smaller than my high school auditorium. It was just him and Toca Rivera, and it was absolutely amazing and incredible.

I love when we take the bike. It is just so sexy to see Rob maneuvering that thing on the road. I feel safe on the back and love the thrill of speeding down the freeway. It had been a long time since I was last on it, I think when I was pregnant. It’s something special between us, it represents a time in our life where all we could see, think about, hear was each other. When I’m on the back of that bike, and Rob reaches behind him to give my leg a loving rub, it instantly takes me back to that place.

We got into town about 3:00pm, checked into to our hotel and then walked down to Gaslamp to grab a bite to eat. We had about three hours before the show started so we took our time, people watched, ate some good food, drank some cold beers and just really enjoyed ourselves.
At about 7:00pm we walked over to the theater and sat through an amazing 3 hour set full of our favorite songs, funny commentary by Jason and a ton of video cameras. I think the taped it for his DVD special, Beautiful Mess. How cool would that be if we were on it?

A Perfect Bird

My turkey rocked! It was a thing of perfection. Golden brown on the outside, moist and delicious on the inside. I can’t believe I did it! Our Friendsgiving dinner was awesome and I ate way too much because everything tasted amazing. Tina brought the salad and mash potatoes and Lanie made sweet potato casserole and apple crisp. Good thing I saved my WW bonus points for this meal!

Tackling the Turkey

Rob has been dreaming about a home cooked turkey for a couple of years now. I have never even thought of attempting it because I have never cooked a one in my whole life. The idea of it seems rather daunting. One always hears all these horror stories about how the outside is crispy, but the inside is raw. Or it comes out so dry it’s like sandpaper. Even the best cooks can have a terrible tasting turkey.

A couple of weeks ago, Rob mentioned again his dreams of a juicy turkey with all the fixins. I thought, you know what? If it’s a turkey he wants, then it’s a turkey he’ll get. We had planned to get together with Lanie, Tina, Jorge and Ethan the day after Thanksgiving for a “Friendsgiving” lunch, so I decided jump in head first and take charge of cooking the bird. And I have been a nervous wreck ever since.
What have I got myself into? What if it comes out awful? People will be depending on me to eat! I can’t let them starve! So my research began and I spent days looking up a ton of different turkey recipes and cooking methods, to brine or not to brine? Frozen or fresh? It has to be perfect.

We decided to go with a beautiful 18 lb fresh turkey from Trader Joes. It’s a beauty and I’m getting pretty excited about putting my cooking skills to the test. I’ll also be making the gravy, stuffing, glazed carrots. If I can pull this off, I will be pretty impressed with myself!

P.S. second weigh in today and I’m down .8lbs. Wish it would have been more, but I’ll take it!

Best Gift Ever

My parents are almost impossible to shop for. When it comes to birthday and Christmas gifts, it’s always an agonizing feat to try and figure out, what do you the people who have everything? Well, this year, we might just have found the perfect gift. I thought it would be awesome to get a professional photo taken of all the kids and grandkids. Sure, they have photos of us throughout the house, but not all in one photo and by a professional.

All the kids liked the idea, so Lexi contacted Joel, her wedding photographer. We all agreed on a price and picked a day to take the photo. Sunday seemed like the perfect day since my parents were leaving in the morning to go to Big Bear for a week. We thought using Stellagio would be a perfect backdrop for the photo. Everything was all set to meet there at 3pm, until they decided to leave on Monday instead. Lexi and I were texting back and forth in a panic, trying to find another location. Maybe outside near the beach? Well, of course today was the one day it poured down with rain. Why?!!!

We finally decided to just go to Luciano and Lexi’s house and take the photo there. It was pure chaos, to say the least. But, everyone did show up on time, and I think we managed to get a good photo to give to Mum and Dad. Joel is having it printed onto a canvas and I can’t wait to see the finished product!