The Friday Five Fave Edition - vol. 5

This week I've seen some very scary things. I'm not talking scary, like Freddy Krueger because that would send me into the fetal position. I hate horror movies. The logical part of my mind knows that they aren't real. My subconcious thinks that at any moment I'm going to be killed. Quite honestly, I value sleep entirely too much to voluntarily give up three weeks of it to nightmares that are completely avoidable.

I've departed in talking about my scaredy cat movie tendencies.

I'm talking about fashion horrors. It would appear designers choose to "modernize" the hideous fashion foibles of the past. I'm not talking Elizabethian attire (although that would totally ROCK), I'm talking things from the last century. Specifically from my lifetime. If you know me, you know that spans 3 decades.

In an effort to keep all two of you readers in the loop, I thought I would post this Friday Five Fave as a warning for the fashion trends that are returning.

Cue horror movie music.

1) The ankle boot. I remember these from the late 80's and early 90's. I desperately wanted a pair. I wanted to be like Madonna. Or like Molly Ringwald in Pretty In Pink. Apparently my mother didn't think that was an appropriate look for the elementary school scene. To this day I thank her profusely for that.

Steve Madden made these beauties in silver to wear during a night on the town. Now they come with a peek-a-boo toe as a modern touch. Please tell me you've seen these on the sales racks!

2) The bell bottoms. I had a slight fear they were coming back at the turn of this century with the "flare" or "boot cut" jeans. I was glad to see that didn't materialize.

Now they have the trouser jean. While it's a bit more wide-leg, goucho pant, it's not a bell-bottom. I, not-so-secretly, want a good pair of trouser jeans. I think that could be my BFF for fall fashion.

While I was at my salon a couple weeks ago, I was watching television. They stream in runway shows as entertainment while you wait. I saw these.

They have returned. With the help of a bedazzler. What fun.

3) The hypercolor shirt. I owned one of these beauties in junior high. In my pre-teen mind I totally thought it would make me part of the in-crowd. I would have the cool shirt like all those girls who looked flawless in their Guess jeans with the ankle zippers, Espirit bags and perfect wall-o-bangs.

What I failed to really think-through was this shirt's ability to showcase overactive sweat glands.

Apparently they've returned as part of global campaign showcasing global warming and "going green." I will applaud them for their creativity using this amazing technology to showcase global warming. However, it's going to open up Pandora's Box of Humiliation to a whole generation of sweaters.

4) The peg-leg/tight-toll. In February I was driving home from work and saw a teenager at the bus stop. With his pants peg-legged. I laughed out loud. I was sure he was thee only kid in the entire city to do that.

Then I did some on-line shopping at Banana Republic and saw a model in their catalog with jeans peg-legged.

Yesterday, I saw this picture of Katie Holmes. Who I would've thought knew better from personal experience.

You know what this means? Less leg circulation, more people bent over trying to get the perfect roll on that one leg and indent marks from the denim.

What's even more sad. There are websites dedicating to helping you create the perfect peg-leg.

At least the jeans are no longer acid washed.

5) Neon. Bright pink, blue, yellow, orange and green. So bright that under a black light you could be a beacon to the Mir Space Station. Since Project Runway is on, you know I have to use Blayne's dress from this last challenge to showcase this point.

Granted Blayne is a neon orange color himself from all that tanning. If you read his bio he loves all things neon. He's not the only one.

All things neon are coming back. In a very 80's way. Which almost makes me want to peg-leg and wear a hypercolor shirt.

Consider yourself warned. Why they couldn't bring back the striped Unionbay shirts, hunter green and navy v-neck sweaters and Member's Only jackets is beyond me!

Happy Friday all!

The perfect ten Edition

Parenting has so many rewards. I get to watch this little person that God used N and I to create grow, have ideas, voice her opinions and to see the world through her little eyes. It's a gift that I cannot describe, but want so much to soak up every moment I can. Each day Zoe learns something new and she's an older, wiser girl than the day before. I never want to take those moments, however small, for granted.

Zoe is really trying to use words. She jabbers all the time, but there are moments where you hear a phrase or word perfectly. We have this game where we count to ten and show her how you'd hold up fingers for that number. She loves it. In the past we've thought she has tried to say "four" or "five," but last night she clearly said "ten."

It was the most perfect "ten" I've ever heard.

We clapped and, like any parent, tried to get her to say it over and over and over for the following 15 minutes. She loves an audience, so she graciously agreed to play along.

As I watch her grow, I'm so excited that my friends and family get to experience parenthood. They'll get to experience their "perfect ten" moments. My brother-in-law Chris has been very graciously sending updated pictures of Micah in the NICU. I have to say, even though he's got awhile before he says words, he's a perfect ten.

As I watch my sister and brother with Micah and N with Zoe, it is a reminder of Christ's love for us. I never fully understood what that meant until I saw Zoe, laying in that isolette, struggling to live outside my womb. In that moment, the emotion and feelings were so overwhelming that I think I cried non-stop the first four weeks of her life. They were the most joyous tears I've ever cried.

My prayer, as a parent, is to demonstrate Christ's love to all three of my girls. Because I'm completely human, that's not always an easy task. I get tired, stressed and impatient. Despite the fact that I will always love them unconditionally, I want to show it. That type of unconditional love is what every child needs. Every child on earth and every child of God.

When I see my precious Zoe's smile or hear her giggle, I reminded of Christ's love for me. Imperfect, less-than-ten me. Yet He sees me as a perfect ten.

Ephesians 5:1,2 - Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The mini torture device Edition

Last night Zoe and I went to visit her aunt, uncle and grandma. Cousin Micah is still in the NICU growing stronger and putting on some fat. Which really sounds like a marvelous vacation to me. Bright sun, excess food and rest. Although I'm not too keen on "vacations" with ICU in their destination. Been there, done that. It ain't fun.

We went to visit and make sure Aunt Bevie was doing okay. It's hard to leave the hospital without your bundle-o-joy in tow. I think I cried for the first week straight and then the tears usually stopped about a block away from the hospital after that. The guilt, it never quit.

Zoe went because she's pure entertainment that you can't pay for and she also needed a good look at Micah's room. She said she needed to make sure it was perfect for her cousin. She loved it so much we had a hard time getting her out of the room. That could be because she was pooping. It's definitely been kid-tested and approved.

The best part of the evening was Fezz and Mia. Two little pups with such loud barks and so much energy. Once Zoe got used to them, she was like a CIA operative trained to get information out of people in ways unfathomable to the human mind. Maybe that could be because I read 1984 while pregnant.

The dogs would be outside, with only a screen door separating them from us. Zoe would creep around the couch until she saw them, she'd sneak up on them and as soon as they barked she would run as fast as she could. Apparently to provide a good 30 minutes of entertainment, N & I just have to get two, energetic pups.

Or just visit Aunt Bevie and Uncle Chris more often!

The praise the Lord for Spanx and big skirts Edition

I've been dreading today for quite some time. This morning definitely didn't disappoint the mood.

I woke up 10 minutes early in preparation for my day. I still left the house at the same time. Apparently that 10 minute deprivation of precious sleep means an extra 10 minutes in the shower trying to recover. Who knew!

I was in a hurry. The lights on my way to work were funky. They would turn green only long enough for two cars to go through.

Sometimes I think God has a sense of humor that I don't get. After taking the needed detour, I realized that God was just trying to get my attention. He was trying to calm my nerves. Nerves that have been building for exactly 29 days.

Today I have to get measured for Amber's bridesmaid dress.

Let's not talk about that right now. I'm getting hives.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this dress. It's got a skirt that looks bunchy, a small ribbon around the waist and a strapless bodice that looks like dresses they have on the red carpet. When I get invited to the Oscars, I'll have my dress!

It's in a divine color called eggplant. I'm truly excited to wear this dress. I typically don't get overly enthused about bridesmaid dresses. Perhaps it's the stigma. This one won my little, award show loving heart.

In order to get the dress, some woman has to wrap a measuring tape around parts of my body I would rather not discuss to get me the right size. I fear this almost as much as I fear heights, big toe hair and the word panties.

I fear they'll have to special order the dress to fit me or they'll have to order a size that would make me cry out loud.

I had these same fears when I got fitted for my own wedding dress. It turned out they had to order one that was three sizes bigger than I thought I was. God is good. The seamstress doing the alterations told me that I was not that size, but needed one that was two sizes smaller. I still have a special place in my heart for that lady.

I'm only hoping she's switched bridal boutiques and will be the one measuring me today. I'm trying real hard to avoid any chocolate chip cookies before 11 o'clock. They're my go-to in times of fear.

Worst case scenario, I eat a whole batch of those chocolatey morsels, head over to Nordstrom, drop enough dough for a Bentley and buy some Spanx and other marvels in women's shaping garmets. I'll let you know how it goes.

Or not. A women's heart is full of many secrets.

The snake and snails and puppy dog tails Edition

So much has happened in the last 72 hours that I've been a little remiss in posting about it because I've been trying to organize my thoughts. If you could be in my mind, you'd know that isn't an easy task.

Friday evening we got to spent time with two boys in our life. A dear friend of mine and her family came over on Friday afternoon. Her son, Aiden, is three weeks older than Zoe. It is so much fun to see her around other kids her age. Aiden is so busy. He can scale furniture, examine every toy in record time, run around the house before you know he's gone, jumps and jabbers. In other words, totally normal.

Zoe had fun running around the house with him. I realized she's not fully made of sugar and spice. She kept lifting her shirt and pinching her tummy for Aiden. After the 1,000th time of me telling her to "put her shirt down" she stuck her finger up her nose instead.

After they left, we rushed up to the hospital. At 6:44pm, Micah Christopher made an entrance into the world 5 weeks ahead of schedule. He's a perfect 5 lbs 2oz and 18.25 inches. Zoe was one proud cousin, although I have to admit, she really hasn't met him yet. He's in the NICU, tanning and learning to regulate his own tempurature. I know she'll be ready to teach him all about life outside the NICU.

Isn't he perfect?

Micah and his crazy, tired parents.

Last, but not least, Zoe turned 18 months this weekend. When she woke up on Saturday, she had definitely done some growing. Mainly her ideas and attitude. Things I learned this weekend from my 18 month old:

1) Naps are only for babies like Micah. Once you're 18 months, nap time is just a moment to sit on a chair with mommy and tell her every single idea you have. Or to try and wiggle out of her arms. Or to blow her kisses. Or to "shhhsh" her.

2) The world is cruel. You cannot play with nobs on the dishwasher, with daddy's laptop, open the knife drawer, your food has to cook for you to eat it and when mommy and daddy say wait, they mean it!

3) We have entered the copy cat phase. As we were playing in her Learning Home, I would open the door and say, "well hi Zoe." Zoe opened the door for me and said, "well hi mommy." Daddy took one of his crackers, bit off all except a little piece for Zoe and fed it to her. She did the same for daddy with her chips.

While this may be a time of attitude and boundary testing, there are moments I still see that sugar and spice and everything nice.

The Designer Baby Edition

Several of my friends are expecting. I am beyond overjoyed that they are now entering the world of parenthood with me. It's a journey that is the most work, but the most rewarding. Without any question!

With all my friends expecting, that means many baby showers. In an effort to keep these little ones in the highest fashion, I've been doing some browsing.

Let me tell you, there are some insane baby items available out there. Let me give you an insight into baby excess:

1) Burberry swimming suits. Yes, your child can be in designer clothes at the pool. All the other toddlers will be so jealous.

2) Juicy Couture fleece hoodie - for the future Jenny from the Blocks out there. One of my friends does live in Atlanta, GA, so maybe with all the hip-hop people coming out of the ATL, this would be necessary.

3) Diesel jeans for her and for him - Maybe it's just me, but if you're buying designer jeans that your child will wear for maybe 3 weeks, you have a money tree that I need to get in on. I do think it's adorable to have designer jeans with a snap seam for diaper changes.

4) Primigi boots - I've never heard of this brand, but if they think I would pay up to $133 for a pair of boots for my 2 year old, they're insane.

Maybe when I can actually fit into a pair of Diesel jeans will I even contemplate buying some for my toddler.

Then again...maybe not.

The how do you pronounce meme - mee-mee, meh-meh, may-may? Edition

Some days a girl needs some creative help. I have nothing exciting to post about, so I thought I'd do a meme that I saw at BooMama's blog. Although I don't know how to pronounce it. Is it just like it looks, so you say mee-mee? Does it follow some mysterious rule in the English language and is pronounce may-may?

It's like Teva's. Which I just bought a pair for Zoe. However is it Tee-vah or Teh-vah? All I know is they are a shade of pink that goes with almost everything and they look comfortable.

Even though I have pronunciation problems, I'll still give it a whirl.

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was living in Salem, Oregon, waiting for my senior year of college to begin. My friend Steph and I both stayed in Salem that summer. It was, by far, one of the best summer's of my life. We would spend most nights just hanging out and laughing. We watched more episodes of Seinfeld that I can count. We made up stupid games to pass the time.

The best memory is our lame dance party. We were so bored that we decided to host a dance party at my apartment. For just the two of us. Steph attempted to do a "wicked dance move" and broke her toe on my coffee table. Good times.

Favorite Snacks
bread and butter - it's a classic
chips and salsa
Kettle corn
yogurt - I had to have something that could be considered healthy

To Do List
These are my favorite thing to create. I draw a little box next to each item so I can cross it off. Usually the thrill of making the list is where it stops. Somehow the list gets put down, I forget to cross things off it and then I find it two days later. Fortunately it's usually completed.

My to-do list for today is:
1 - Stop for gas. I hate filling up the tank and seeing a dollar amount nearing a price I would pay for a nice pair of shoes. It has to be done.

2 - Grocery shopping. I love getting things to stock up the pantry, but I hate the crowds. Because N works on Saturdays, I get this errand all to myself. Not my favorite.

3 - Eat lunch. It's important to having something on the list that you know you can cross off. Plus I like anything that demands I eat.

4 - Figure out what to make for dinner. This is a constant thing on the list and I find it stresses me out.

5 - Take a nap with Zoe. After all that figuring out and grocery shopping, I get a little exhausted.

6 - Visit with my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and mother-in-law. My sister-in-law Bev finally got to go home from the hospital. She's on bed rest until Micah arrives, but at least we can go to her house to visit. My mom-in-law is in town from Southern California for the next 7 weeks. It'll be fun to hang out with all of them. She hasn't seen Zoe in over a year. N & I are thinking of taking dinner out with us, so that adds a whole new level of stress to item #4.

Jobs I Have Had
Babysitter, sno-cone salesman in my grandparent's traveling concession stand, marketing director for two stockbrokers, retirement plan administrator, mutual fund service associate and now a retirement plan coordinator.

I would also put mom and wife on here, but I don't classify those roles as jobs. They're blessings.

Places I Have Lived
Spokane, Washington, Salem, Oregon and Tacoma, Washington. Basically the three corners of the Pacific NW.

Bad Habits
nail biting, not washing my face before bed, staying up too late watching reality television and then complaining about being tired, eating too many sweets and not spending enough time in my Bible.

5 Random Things People May Not Know
N and I met in youth group. We went on a couple dates, but his family freaked me out. They kept telling me we'd get married and have cute babies. To a 17 year old, that freaked me out. I secretly wanted to date him in high school, but the thought of only one, serious boyfriend scared me. Ironically, I only had one, serious boyfriend, I married him and had a cute baby.

I used to smoke clove cigarettes. It was never anything where I had to have a cigarette to calm down or after meals. I never became addicted. I think it was my way of rebelling at a very strict college. I stopped when my mom found out and started crying.

I organize everything. My DVD's are in alphabetical order, with cartoons and television shows having their own category. My CD's are in alphabetical order by artist and then in chronological order by disc. I hate that it's hard to keep them in alphabetical order in the car CD holder. I usually don't listen to CD's much in the car for this very reason. If you put a CD or a DVD in the wrong case, I almost can't handle it.

I used to fall asleep watching MTV music videos. When I was around age 4. When MTV first came out, my grandma would turn it on and I would watch the Go-Go's, Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, The Police and the Eurythmics. I have vivid memories of the Go-Go's playing around in the fountain during the Our Lips Are Sealed video.

I don't like food touching on my plate. Thanksgiving is not a fun meal for me. I don't like my turkey to touch my mashed potatoes. Forget gravy. That stuff just gets everywhere. I don't like my corn or any corn juice to touch anything else. To find a corn kernel in my mashed potatoes will make me stop eating all together. If I have a salad, it has to be in a separate bowl. It's part spectacle, part charm.

CDs I would want if stranded on an island
The Beatles Revolver, Queen's greatest hits, DC Talk Jesus Freak, Oasis Masterplan, Casting Crowns Lifesong, Grease soundtrack, Aerosmith's greatest hits, The Essential Neil Diamond and Guns 'n' Roses greatest hits.

This was hard. I have to go with many greatest hits albums because it combines all the great things about the artist/band in one. I take this question VERY seriously.

What I’d Do if I Were a Billionaire
1) Pay off anything that needed to be paid off for my immediate family.

2) Buy my mom any house and car she wanted. She's done so much for N and I, this would only touch on being able to repay her.

3) Give to charity and our church.

4) Buy some place on a lake. It has to be big enough to house our family comfortably so we can all enjoy it together.

5) Do some major wealth management planning for our future generations.

6) Take my family on a trip to Italy/Greece.

7) Figure out how I'm going to spend my time since I don't have to work.

8) Build a custom house that I could live in until I die.

I think that's it. If you want to play too, go for it.