PIcs from the wedding.

I had to bribe, yes. The boy has a new Webkinz. But it was so so worth it. How Stinking Cute is this Boy?

The little man is expanding his vocabulary

So, the Prince is "getting married" at the end of April. He tells me he's marrying his cousin Kate. Actually, he and Kate are going to be the ring bearer and flower girl at our cousin's wedding.

I told him this morning that he was going to look so sharp in his tuxedo.

He immediately raised an alarm and said NOOO mommy! I can't be sharp. I will hurt Kate and scratch her. That would be bad.

I tried to explain that sharp also means handsome, but he wasn't hearing it. We agreed to disagree and now say he's going to just look handsome at the wedding.

Stubborn little Taurus.

Pizza and Protesting for President's Day

I had the BEST time on Monday with the Princess. We went downtown to the statehouse for the Indiana Equality Rally. SJR-7 (the proposed amendment to add a no-same sex marriage ban) was just shot down in the house, but the group is still vigilant to keep it down.

It was a wonderful time. Some moms from my Blue Group, and the pastor/asst pastors of my church were there.

It was great. We heard a senator and a reverend speak in favor of abolishing this silly amendment. I was so excited to have my daughter with me, seeing the power and excitement of people striving for change.

I was proud. She immediately grabbed a "NO SJR-7" sticker and put it on her chest and was hollering right along with me.

It was an awesome president's day. Politics, protest...the stuff our country was founded on. :)

Remember Jill?

The DUMBEST woman I've ever met in a school environment? Oldtime readers will remember the stories.

Guess who turned in a resume at my salon today? We've been out of school two years and she still hasn't worked in esthetics. No shocker there. She actually lied about where she got her training, as well. Dum dum dummy head.

I told my boss that if she ever thought of hiring her, she may as well close the doors and lock the shop, because it was going to be struck by lightening. :)

The 7 year old amazes me yet again.

I was so proud of my little girl today.

First, we sang a song in church this morning that last week the children did a little "dance" to, with motions that matched the words. This week, the opening chords of the same song played and she just began singing, even before the rest of the congregation. Once everyone sang in earnest, she just burst out with those motions, right in the front row. Everyone was so moved by un-embarassed spirit that they followed suit and did the motions, too. Even our pastors were up there, using their fingers to "rain down" the Holy Spirit. It was amazing to watch a little girl lead the whole room. THAT is what going to church and feeling God's presence is all about.

Secondly, this afternoon, she asked me: "Why is it, that my friend Jane is really bad at school and then her parents give her EVERYTHING? I mean, she has SO much stuff and her parents give her everything she wants. And she's so bad!! I don't think that's right".

Thank God something is sinking in.

It's Groundhog Day

And much like the movie of the same name, I feel my life coming around in cycles. I alternately love my life, and feel as if something is missing. I relive the same delimmas every six months or so: do I stay with my job even though it still doesn't pay me enough? Is being happy and having a great boss enough reason to stay and spin my wheels? Maybe I should go back to school and further my education so I'll be more marketable. Maybe I should just have another baby and stay home. Maybe I need to just move to Toronto.

And you know what? The answers never really come. Just more questions. More lists of pros and cons. More wondering if I'm just a really instable, antsy pantsy creative type who can't stay with something more than a year, or if I'm just like every other woman in her thirties. Is anyone out there as unsettled as I am? Why do I want more? Why can't I be okay with status quo? Especially when status quo is pretty damn good. Is it selfish of me to want more than what I have? I don't want to replace, just augment. That's not as bad sounding, right?

Just damn.

Trying to re-energize

Facing 2008 has been weird. I mean, I had a pretty crap ending to 2007, followed by some amazing things immediately following in January. I filmed my first movie, I went back to the gym and fit once again into the evil "Day after Thankgiving they fit just fine" pants, and mastered a sunwheel swing. Yeah, it's a pole swing. If you're really nice, someday I'll demo it for you. I just can't seem to shake the funk of December. I think I'll try to do it now, just by listing all the cool things that are going to happen this year. So indulge me whilst I try to break the funk.

~ We are facing the very real possibility of the first female or African American President. I was hoping it'd happen in my lifetime. Now it looks like it really could, sooner than I could have dreamed. Obama '08, baby!!

~ My Blue Moms' Group will hopefully expand way beyond it's current 53 members to a really active group that creates change.

~ This is the year I get fit. Really fit. Not just the pole dancing. The eating. The cardio. Whittling the fat and reducing the cottage cheese that has decided my thighs are it's Mecca. I intend to get stronger and leaner and not ashamed of my body this year. I also intend to start looking for a really good surgeon to take care of that post baby flappage going on over my beltline.

~ We're getting active in our amazing, progressive church. I have joined the Membership Board, we're marching in Gay Pride again this year, and I'm parcipating in church dramas that aren't embarassing and weak.

~ My mom and dad will finally be able to visit Indianapolis again. They haven't been down in more than 18 months, and I miss my mommy.

~ A ski trip, a family wedding (The Prince is going to be ring bearer!), two campouts with our closest friends, a weekend at the beach and a family road trip to Denver are just a few of the fun things already planned this year.

~ I'll shoot my second film this summer, as well as (hopefully) participate in another play before the year ends. Mama's getting her groove back.

Did I mention the pole?

I'm really quite obsessed with this thing. It's so much fun. Everyone should have one. Get your own at Lil Mynx Poles.

So yeah, I guess there is a lot to look forward to in this year. Sure, my job barely pays for daycare. And I hardly see my husband except as ships passing in the night. And my kids make me mental on a weekly basis. And the Boy STILL DOESN'T SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT.

But my life is good. And getting better all the time.

Happy New Year, everyone.