frozen

Ironically, we took Lovie to see the movie Frozen Saturday night.

Why is that ironic? Well because we've been pretty much trapped inside since the movie as a result of snow, dangerous wind chills, dangerous below zero temps before the wind chill, and finally, because my car wouldn't start this morning.


Now generally, I love being at home. Love it. If I have the choice between going somewhere and staying home, I typically pick staying home... but enough is enough already.

I mean... the poor cat.

And there's only so many friggin boxes I can break down.


But!

If I had to choose between seeing the movie Frozen again (which I have yet to read one negative review) and staying in the house another day... I'd pick staying in the house another day.

I didn't care for Frozen, Taye didn't like it, and Lovie wanted to leave midway through. It was too intense for her I guess. It's a gorgeous movie with amazing singing, but that's it.

things could be so much worse, that's for damn sure.

We left early yesterday.

I knew it was going to be bad getting to the expressway so we left early. I knew it had rained the entire night. I wasn't too surprised to see the flashing lights blocking off the main road near the park, the road that paths a way just north of the river that travels just north of our house. I turned the car around and headed toward the other main street in the neighborhood. After 30 minutes or so of very slow moving traffic amidst the pouring rain, I turned the car around yet again, stopped at Dunkin Donuts for a dozen donuts, and went back home.

Despite it being after 7 AM now, the sky was near-black still. And the rain kept on coming.

Lovie ran to the bathroom to pee, I told Taye he might not want to go in to work as the expressway he generally takes was completely shut down due to flooding. He continued to snore away.

Lovie parked herself in front of the television with Spring Fling donut. I parked myself in front of the computer for a bit before deciding to try to take advantage of an unexpected day home. I cleaned and organized a bit and after Taye decided he was still going to try to get to work, I even vacuumed.

Lovie prepared us a picnic, of course.

I mean, what else do you do when the streets outside are submerged in rain?

After more cleaning and laundering and picnicking and TVing and Candy Crushing, the sky got brighter and the rain seemed to let up a bit.

Then my cell phone rang and it was Taye telling me he was finally near work (after over an hour on the roads) but that he had to call just then because he just got done listening to our neighbors on the news radio.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Yeah, apparently there's major flooding down the street and they're trying to tow cars out. They're on our street."

I ran to the front window and wouldn't you know it? There were firetrucks and police cars and tow trucks down the north side of the street and another cop car at the south end of the street. Nobody but emergency crew was let in or out of the street. How crazy was this day?

After lunch, Lovie and I took a walk since the rain stopped coming down.

the view from the corner of the block we live on- about 6 houses north of us

zoomed in from same spot- about 6 houses north of us

Our block is not under any water, but just six house north and we'd be singing a different tune. I feel bad for the people right next to the river... not only are their cars COMPLETELY under water, but half of their homes are, too.

Emergency crew was out there all night.

When I left this morning, they were still out there and every single street in the neighborhood has police blocking the roads. I haven't a clue who I'll have to beg to get back home. Apparently it took Taye about 20 minutes last night just for one of the cops to let him into the street after convincing him that he would not leave our house once he got there.

Meanwhile in Boston and Texas...

: (

TILTW: 7/7-7/13

* I freaking love playing Hide n Seek with Lovie. She's hysterical. I love the way she always hides in the same exact spot- huddled up into a ball in the middle of her oversized bean bag chair in her playroom just off the living. Every single time she tells us, "You count to 20 and I hide!", she then runs right to bean bag chair. Sometimes after we say, "Ready or not, here I come," we take our time looking around saying, "Where is she? Where's [Lovie]?" Sometimes she'll start giggling, other times she'll bounce up and and tell us, "I right here!"  And then when the tables turn and she looks for us, she runs from room to room, always checking the last place she found me, after counting to 20 (sometimes she will do the whole counting thing, other times she will say "1 and 20!" {smart ass already!}) and saying, "Ready or not here my come!"

* We went to the zoo last Sunday.

The 100 degree temps finally broke (praise!) so we went for it. The high was 82 but it was super sunny and the zoo has little shade. We roasted. But it was fun. And it was spur of the moment and it all made it seem like we were on vacation. Fun times. But I think we won't be back till it's below 80 out there.

* Very random, but apparently, as long as you were married for 10 years, you can collect on your ex-spouse's social security. Even if you haven't been married to them for 30 years, you can collect on their social security once they die.

ummm...

The past several weeks

I'm still tired but overall am feeling better. What a draining couple of weeks. I mean, it really feels like months that I wasn't well, not weeks. Months. Especially when it comes to Lovie.

from sept 4

My lord do I miss that girl. Sure I saw her every day. Sure I spent time with her every day regardless how shittastic I was feeling, but having absolutely no energy really takes a toll on your mind when it comes to participating in the life of your babe. Especially when you're used to really enjoying an active role in her life. Know what I mean? 

the brooder ;)

all from Labor Day, sept 5

Sure we do a lot of lounging around during the week after we get home from work and school on most days, but we still have fun and laughs and tickle fests and chases. Not the past nearly three weeks, though. And man do I miss that. 

Instead, the past several weeks have been spent doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. And that really saddens me. Immensely.

proof of doing nothing- her playroom at its finest, eh. can you spot the LIVE animal in there? ;D

The weather, from what I can remember, was pretty perfect the past several weeks. Not a lot of humidity or hot, nasty, sweat your ass off weather (though I certainly was sweating plenty do to all the chills and fevers I was going through). Yet we were inside every single day. I hate that! I wanted to take Lovie to the park so many days but I couldn't even make it down the stairs, let alone down the 1/2 mile to the park. It was impossible for me. And when I begged (literally) my husband to do so, he just commented that she was happy at home.

from sept 10

Yeah, maybe she was happy at home. But I know she would've been happier swinging on the swings and going up and down the slides 723 times. I know because she's always happier there. And the weather was perfect and ... she didn't get to enjoy any of it.

But today I'm feeling better. I'm still tired as all get out but... as long as I can stay fever-free, we're going to the park every day this week. Well, except for today because, of course, today it's to be in the mid 80s and we don't do park visits when it's above 80.

I saw someone's "Annual Apple Picking" pictures on Facebook yesterday and thought Why are they posting these now? Then I looked at the little calendar in the corner of my screen and nearly shit a brick. How on earth is it mid-September (yes, I realize yesterday was 9/11; yes, I remembered- then and now)?!? It's my favorite time of year and I've missed so much of it already!

Well no more, damnit! NO MORE! It's time to start living again. And I can't wait!

screw the chalk

We skipped going to the park yesterday because it was in the 80s and sunny and we've already learned our lesson about when we can and can't go to the park. I did think about going though because the breeze was nice but then when Lovie started saying, "Hot" over and over again as soon as we walked out of daycare, I figured she was letting me know she didn't want to bake in the sun today.

Instead we came straight home and since the front of our house faces the east and the sun was in the back of the house at the time, I thought we could play with some sidewalk chalk.

I picked up a honkin' piece of chalk and scribbled on the ground. Lovie followed suit. Then she put the chalk down, climbed the rocky concrete steps (the curb appeal of the building we live in is embarrassing to say the least- but the inside... makes it doable... so much so that we don't plan on moving out any time soon), and made it pretty clear that she was done playing with chalk.

I call this one: "No, ma. I don't wanna play with chalk, I wanna go inside and watch the Wiggles. Pop Pop!"

lesson learned

May 11, 2011: Yesterday after I picked up Lovie from school, we made the mistake in stopping at the park.


No, we didn't run into any Billy's or anything like that. In fact, we had little problem with any of the kids or parents yesterday.

No, yesterday's problem was with the weather.

Specifically... the heat!

My word it was hot out there and when the sun beamed down after taking a break from hiding behind the clouds, we could've baked out there.

Not even Lovie's cute little sun hat could keep either of us out there for too long.

When we arrived, we were completely alone. Shortly after a nice mom and her two kids, a boy around 4 and a girl 19 months (and smaller than Lovie) joined us.

They didn't last long and left before we did.

Then a grandma looking type came with her two, a girl around 3 and a boy around 20 months. The white haired children and their caregiver didn't seem too phased by the sun and happily played on the playground.

Lovie, on the other hand, was going from park bench to park bench and slide to swing saying "Ha!" (hot) as she touched everything. Hehe, I guess she doesn't care for the heat much like her momma.

In fact I was ready to go as soon as the first drop of sweat fell from my forehead about 5 minutes after arriving. Seriously. It was that friggin hot out.

Needless to say, we learned our lesson yesterday. Although it's only the start of Spring, we most definitely will not be stopping at the park anytime it's about 85 (hell, 80s pushing it for me but we'll try it out). No thank you.

Snowcation

The Blizzaster of 2011 left me with a bit of a Snowcation. And it was glorious. Two full days with my Lovie. I was in absolute heaven. The playing, the laughing, the eating, the baking, the cooking, the bathing, the dressing, the living. Heaven.

Outside it snowed from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday afternoon. I believe the official snowfall was like 20 inches. Hot diggity that's a lot of snow. I was hoping for double that, but 20 inches is pretty much a shitton to deal with... especially when you live in a city with 3 million other folk. I mean, where do you put all the snow??

Mine is the covered car in the center- 1230pm, 2/2/11. Looks like fun, no??


Inside, we played. And laughed. And played some more. Lovie took two naps both days during our snowcation. And she slept past 7am both mornings, too. It really was a fabulous time.


Yes that's plastic on our windows. This is inside Lovie's playroom which is really a Sunroom- a room with windows facing east, north, and south and the entrance to the room is on the west side. It gets COLD in there- particularly when the wind chills are -20, eh. It also gets HOT in there in the summer but it's a great space (with a now leaking ceiling- ugh).



I'm entering this one above into and then, she snapped's Show your Photo Friday challenge.
I just really like the way this came out- the reflection of the window and
the outside in the french door behind her, the wonderment in her eyes, the
sun falling onto her face and shoulder... ack, I just love this child, let's be real, here! :)

Here's my little lady uncovered at 330pm. All I can say is that looking down onto snow doesn't really give you the right idea of really how MUCH snow there is. It was after an hour of digging her out that I decided, my Snowcation would be extended into two days. IF I was able to make my way out to the main streets, I was uncertain of how I would get back into my parking spot- if it was even available.





I don't think I took any (or many) pictures from day 2 of our Snowcation. That's when we discovered the playroom has a leak from the ceiling. While it's a tiny leak, there's no way I was gonna let Lovie play in there so we closed it off and spent the day in the living room. We still had tons of fun. Ack, this girl. She makes me smile SO much.

And today? Today I miss her more than words can even say. Today I feel like it's my first day back from maternity leave and that, my friends, sucks big hair balls.

Wordless (or not) Wednesday: Blizzaster 2011

5pm, 2/1/11- mine is the cute white Honda Fit

830am, 2/2/11

1030am, 2/2/11

we live on the TOP floor

having fun inside wearing Winter holiday dress in honor of... Blizzaster 2011

(today would've been my Ota's 96th Birthday. not a day goes by that I don't think of him- the most amazing man with the warmest smile and best hugs ever. i love you so so much Ota.)

in case you haven't heard

the Chicagoland area is under a Blizzard Warning.

::cue the doom and gloom music::

Snowmaggedon

Snowcopalypse

snOwMG!

so until we get the smack down and see the light of day again, things around here will probably a little quiet. I'm at work right now but will leave once an inch of snow hits cuz I gotta go get the kid and get on home and barricade ourselves inside with the $90 worth of food I got the other day when there was word that the Snowvolution would be coming. 

I'm down to my last clean pair of socks so really, this couldn't have come at a better time.

Be safe my friends.

I HATE SUMMER!

The hot sun beating down.

The 100% humidity day in and day out.

And it's not even mid-July yet FFS!

It's seriously no wonder I don't really know anyone who was born in April!

BRING ON THE SNOW, PLEASE!