Briasmama
So we got the halloween costume all figured out finally!! We didn't leave much time to spare, the pig part of the costume came in yesterday (she's being Olivia), and we tried on the striped tights and red jumper, I was amazed at how much the costume came together, and she stared running around the house oinking at the dog, hilarious, she was so cute!  I will post pictures after Halloween. She cannot wait to go trick or treating, it should be fun this year, last year she wasn't too sure about it and the year before she was only 8 months old so we just carried her around.  Going through a phase of projects....wanting to make a new headboard for my bed, have some crafting projects for Bria's X-mas presents and would like to finish the back yard if the dog will stop destroying everything I attempt to create. I really cannot wait until he grows out of this phase, the other night he ate the inside of Brianna's lunch pail, you know the embroidered pottery barn kids one that cost almost as much as the dog did! I forgot with my other dog how annoying and frustrating this phase was and how much stuff you lose! He's only 10 months old so I fear we have about another year left of this from what I can remember from my other dog. Not much going on this week just preparing for halloween and the breast cancer 3 day in two weeks!


Briasmama
I'll be honest, I'm the typical American, I go about my usual day, wake up, make coffee (or have it waiting for me thanks to my Cuisinart Grind and Brew) get ready for work, get the tot ready for school, feed the dog, head out... on a daily basis I really don't give too much thought to global warming/climate change.  I mean I try to do my part, buy energy saving light bulbs, turn off the lights when I leave the room, recycle, and recently I decided to start a compost pile.  I saw this article about the Brazilian rain forest and how they plan to save it, really? It took us this long to realize we need to save it? Then I read another article about how the global warming is effecting wine production...what am I going to do without my monthly wine nights with the girls? It keeps me sane! No more ski vacations? Really? No more Island Getaways? Really? Are you getting the pattern here?
I don't think about global warming all the time because it hasn't effected me on a daily basis, but reading all the things that could change my life was horrifying! These foundations/ charities/ organizations need to dumb it down for people, make the average person realize how it's going to effect their daily life. I know that sounds selfish, but that's how people are, especially in the the western world....we're selfish, we want to know how is this going to effect me? Yes it's tragic to hear about how an animal is becoming extinct due to deforestation, believe me I wrote a whole paper on it in high school, but I dont' think about that everyday and I bet you don't either, unless it's your job to....the world, our political leaders really need to take action and realize how awful all the changes are and how fast it's effecting everything and they need to be "real" with people, dumb it down, let us know how it's going to effect our daily lives, I bet you would have a lot more people writing about this if they realized what's really going on with the environment. You would have a lot more people that care....

Briasmama
Rarely do I spend this much time on my blog, but i came across a great blog this morning (One Hungry Chef), in his post he mentioned that his Grandmother was very secretive about her recipes, always leaving out an ingredient when she shared them with friends so that hers would taste better....this kind of goes with my earlier post today about sharing....proof! As adults we don't share! I also am commenting about this because I feel the same way his grandmother did....at parties or get togethers people always ask me for my recipes for the food I make, whether it's a simple onion dip or my slow cooked pulled pork bbq, my chili (a passed down recipe from my dad) and I'm always reluctant to share.  I think to myself, well if they have my recipes then what will be so special about my food? The next party we go to they might make it and then people will rant an rave over their stuff. Food, decorating, stuff like that is what makes me, well me. I have a knack for it, I have a great eye for design and I'm a good cook (yes I know a bit cocky, but hey it's true!), if I share all my secrets, they will be taking little pieces of me....we can't have little pieces of Christie running around, that just won't work.  Some sing, write, make crafts, draw...I design, I cook that's just me and I'm not sharing!

I know it looks good, but you can't have the recipe....ok fine I didn't come up with it so I will share this one time.....Barefoot Contessa's Pan Fried Onion Dip and yes it's too die for, you will love it so much you will want to smear it all over your body...yes mom I quoted you!
Briasmama
How do you share a person? Especially if you grew her inside of you and now you're supposed to share her? How is that possible? I have joint custody of my 2 year old daughter, although I have her 90% of the time, I'm constantly afraid that one day her father will exercise his right to have her 50% of the time.  I don't know how I will handle that....recently he said he is going to finally buy her a bed at his house (he hasn't ever had one since she's been out of a crib ( a year ago) the rare times she has spent the night she sleeps with him, ugh!!!) so I assume that means he wants to start keeping her overnight now....I really don't know how to share...did my mom skip that Kindergarden lesson? Did I share my toys as a child? I don't think so, because now as an adult, I hate sharing! I'm trying to teach my two year old how to be nice and that we share, when i am 28 years old I hate sharing.  Can't I just tell her, "keep your stuff, don't share it, people always will want what you have, work for it, keep it" as an adult that's how we all live.  We may occasionally share a pizza, let someone borrow a pen, but do we like sharing? Do we have a sharing society? Ummm no! As adults we like to keep the things that we've worked hard for....so how am I supposed to share my daughter? How do I teach her that sharing is important as a child with your friends, but when you're an adult you will just resent it....
Briasmama

Love Love Love it, I can't express how great Dr. Weil's face wash is. (and no I am not getting paid to say this I promise!) I love his products, I buy them from Origins (a great store). Like most people I've used hundreds of different face products before I found the one that seemed to calm my skin, not dry it out and not make it oily. I have combination skin so it is nearly impossible to find something that doesn't dry it out too much or put too much moisturizer on it. This somehow compliments both skin types.
try it, love it!

Briasmama

Briasmama
When you have a child it is the greatest excuse to relive your own childhood. You not only get to act goofy, sing songs, and play games that you haven't played in years, you get to see it through a different set of eyes and relive some of those magical moments....
My daughter and I watched E.T. last night and I cannot begin to express enough how I thoroughly enjoyed watching her be totally captivated by this movie from beginning to end, never once leaving my bed for the whole 2 hours (pretty amazing for a 2 year old). No one has ever told me how fun it is to see your children love the things you loved as a child. I know people say it's fun to "act like a kid again" but, there is just something about seeing your little "mini-me" fall in love with things that you loved. Then she got up this morning and asked if we could watch it again....now that I have to say I was not prepared for, I have see Yo Gabba Gabba, Olivia, Elmo, Tinkerbell, Bolt, Thomas the train, just to name a few, about 100 times, I guess we will be adding E.T. to the list...
Yanna (bria's g-ma) also gave her Wizard of Oz over our summer vacation and that too has become a favorite of hers to watch over and over again. I can remember vividly sitting on my mom's bed while she was doing things around the house watching that movie. It's almost like having children is like coming full circle. Becoming a child again is such a great experience, especially seeing it through the eyes of my little Bria....