I'm in love.

With my new washing machine.

Oh how times have changed ... in the past to drop a boat load of money on a washer and dryer seemed ludacris (point and case - we spent $500 total on our first set ... thinking what's the big deal ~ as long as they wash clothes we're set). But now, with four laundry producing machines in the house and the laundry being one of my assigned tasks, there was a need for more than something that simply 'washed the clothes'.

I had a few criteria when I set out - couldn't be too expensive (I don't think the kids would appreciate eating rice for the next year), had to be BIG, and had to use less water and energy.

We knew when we saw them ... sitting there, calling my name. Telling me how big they were and how many clothes I could put in them. Telling me they would save me time. And humming a tune when I opened them.

But I didn't fall in love until I did my first wash. Holy cow can I ever fit a ton of clothes in my washing machine! We're talking 2.5 times what I could put in my old washer. And it doesn't sound like its going to jump through the wall when I run it. Its amazing.

Yes, my priorities have shifted. Its pretty crazy how much changes in a few years. But they haven't shifted completely ... I still have my standards ... and my new washer/dryer set meets these standards as it is RED!

Happy Laundering to Me!! :)

Cakes.

My mom always made my birthday cakes when I was a kid. I got to go through the cake book a choose whatever one I wanted. One year I choose a candy shop. A CANDY SHOP people!!

It is this that made me want to make our kids' birthday cakes ... I still remember those cakes ... its a lasting memory. Not the cake, that's not the memory, the memory is that my mom made them for me.

And now I know what was going through my mom's mind every time she made a cake: "What the f*@% was I thinking!?".

For Adam's cake I chose a dinosaur. He's big into dinosaurs right now (why didn't I ask him what he wanted you ask ... well, I didn't want to take the chance that he said something like 'daddy's motorcycle'). Easy enough. WRONG. I sought assistance from many ... tools, recipes, guidance, support (thank goodness for Facebook). But I have to say the end result looked like a dino ... a blue one.

I complained the entire time but in the end it was totally worth it. Adam's face when the cake came out was awesome. Just awesome.

Next was Blair's first birthday cake. I thought about a '1' but in the end a Care Bear made the most sense as her nickname is 'Care Bear'. Lessons learned with this one:

1) Don't leave it until the last minute (ie. don't be icing the cake at 1am).
2) Don't choose something that everyone knows what its supposed to look like ~ because they will know when it doesn't look like it!

I tried Blair. I tried. But I failed you. You had the oddest looking Care Bear for a cake ... but thankfully you didn't seem to mind. You actually seemed to enjoy it quite a bit.

Both cakes were learning experiences. And I will do it again, if only for the look on their faces. Fingers crossed that Adam doesn't choose something crazy like the Eiffle Tower next year!

To be better.

That was my New Years' Resolution.

Easy enough right?
Well, four months have gone by ... and I'm not willing to say I've been better.
I'm not worse, but I'm definitely not better.

66% of the year left ... can I turn it around?
I hope so ... but hope will only get me so far, its the desire, that fierce need that I haven't been able to extract.

Why don't I want to be better enough that I actually DO IT? Plain and simple, because its easier not to. Its easier to be the same, to stay in my box, to eat icing that I made for the sole purpose of eating out of the bowl.

I'm at a conference this week and I am surrounded by people who want to effect change. They want to make the world a better place. My goal isn't quite as lofty but its along the same lines ~ I want to make the world I provide my kids a better place. In order to do this I need to be fit, healthy, of sound mind.

Fit ... I'm supposed to be running right now ...
Healthy ... creme brulee for dessert after a huge steak dinner ...
Sound mind ... not so much sleep these days ...

Hmm, ok, today's not the day. But there will be a day! And I am going to keep updating my blog with posts like this until I actually do it. To remind me that I have a goal.

I Believe.

I'm constantly amazed at other people. Sometimes in a good way ... others in a not so good, what the heck are you thinking kind of way. This post is about a good one.

Some people have hearts the size of the Atlantic. Some people truly believe in the power of love. Some people enact change. Some people can bring us together.

In this case ... this person loved someone enough, to bring many together, to enact change. And her heart and passion are obvious.

I'm in my bubble most of the time. Focused on myself. But everyonce in a while I click on a link in a forward ... and I am moved to tears.

To whomever the woman is who organized this ~ you are wonderful. Your friend was lucky to have you.

Take a look ... its worth while. Make sure you have your kleenex handy.