Oh yeah, teach ME tonight! *grin*

Here's another one that I ADORE! Elliot Yamin's voice gives me chills all up & down my spine, the boy can SING DAMNIT!

*grin*

As someone also living with diabetes I am proud to see him not let it get in the way of realizing his dreams!

GO ELLIOT GO!!!!

Thanksgiving in March?

THAT'S RIGHT!
THANKSGIVING IN MARCH!!
ABSOFRIGGENLUTELY!
(oooh, another word for Dictionary Schmictionary)


Anyhoo... so most of you probably already know this but,
the time I was in China with my precious little doodlebug
was right about the time that THANKSGIVING happened...

... AND I MISSED IT!

Now, obviously I'd not change going to China to be with miss Ruby for the WORLD but

MISSING THE TURKEY? THE CRANBERRY? THE STUFFING? MY DAD'S ITALIAN PEAS?

...sigh.

SO TODAY, MY FAMILY HAS STEPPED UP & IS PREPARING TO HAVE
AN ALL OUT, FULL BLOWN, THANKSGIVING DINNER
COMPLETE WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS!

Now, obviously this makes me very happy since I still was bummed that I missed it-


(noodles for thanksgiving doesn't cut it people...)

but truth be told, part of 'what' I missed wasn't just the delicious food, but really more the house being packed full of my family & all of us being loud & talking too much & being silly & just having a wonderful day.

The biggest part of what I missed would have to be the 'ceremonial picking of the bird' with my cousin Steve.

Steve & I are only a few years apart, and although we're now in our 30's... when Thanksgiving rolls around, we're INSTANTLY KIDS AGAIN, and getting into trouble!

Every year starting when we were too young to know we shouldn't be doing this but old enough to know that something smelled good, we both knew we HEARD THE BIRD CALLING US!

So, we would creep quietly into the kitchen to do the honorary 'picking of the bird' and each year we THOUGHT we had devised a foolproof plan of getting in & out without being caught!
After all, this IS a two person job... one to be the 'lookout' while the other is doing the 'picking'...

Every year, without fail, for as BRILLIANT as we thought we were & as AMAZING a plan as we were CERTAIN we had devised...

...WE WERE CAUGHT!

Man, you only have to HEAR your mother yelling...

"AMY ELIZABETH!!!"

and you KNEW you were in trouble!

It's that middle name that sends fear deep into the heart of a child.

You hear that middle name & you KNEW your ass was in SERIOUS TROUBLE!

Still, every year, TO THIS DAY, Steve and I PICK at that poor bird and I have to say that this past thanksgiving was the FIRST TIME EVER that I wasn't here to 'pick'.

So today, although amazing as I know it will be, still will NOT be the same without my cousin here to join me in us STILL getting yelled at for our bird picking antics, all these many years later.
Grown adults (and I use the term adult very loosely) STILL getting into trouble & not caring EVERY YEAR because, let's face it, if we managed to get a GOOD PIECE OF CRUNCHY SKIN prior to the 'middle name yelling', it was all good and WELL WORTH BEING SPOKEN TO BY MY MOTHER! hahaha

Sorry Mom but you KNOW STEVE AND I LOVE TO PICK AT THAT BIRD!
(and although he's not here today, I'd still watch your back & the back of that bird because Ruby is down for her nap right now & I can smell something wonderfull wafting up the back stairs & into my kitchen... so if you hear your oven door open & you know that it's neither you or Dad... you can be sure that it IS ME getting my ceremonial piece-o-da-bird, and this time, TWO of them in the honor & absence of my cousin Steve!)

hehehe Just don't yell my middle name out too loud k?
Let's not wake Ruby...

hehehe

Actually...

... why bother worrying about dating musicians when clearly, right in front of me is the WORLD'S MOST ADORABLY SHORT & CUTE ASIAN MUSICIAN I'VE EVER LAID EYES ON!


*grin*


And the BEST PART is?


She's MY DAUGHTER!


*HUGE GRIN*

(It's amazing how wonderful being THIS HAPPY can feel...)

Ok... I've given this some thought...

I could have Chris Daughtry for dinner since he's solid & meaty & raw like a FANTASTIC STEAK just about to be tossed on the grill! (MEDIUM RARE PLEASE) ...

AND FOR DESSERT- Michael Buble' is smooth and cool like ice cream and just PERFECT for slowly ENJOYING after that fantastic STEAK DINNER!

*feeling lightheaded*

OMG DAMNIT NOW I'M HUNGRY FOR STEAK & ICE CREAM!

GRRRRRRR DAMN YOU GOOGLE & YOUTUBE FOR YOUR SIMPLE & EFFORTLESS SEARCH RESULTS OF BEAUTIFUL SEXY MEN WHO CAN SING! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Maybe that's what I need to do... date a musician next?

*evilgrin*

Decisions, decisions...

OH! MY! GOD! I! CAN'T! CHOOSE!
Is it completely wrong that I want to have him with my toast & tea in the morning?
GOOD GOD MICHAEL BUBLE' IS A FRIGGEN BABE!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND THAT VOICE!!!!!!!!

*THUD*

(forgive me, I've just fainted & fallen off my computer chair... could someone please call 911?)

*DROOL*

Good LORD, Send this boy to me tonight in my dreams...
PLEASE!
EVERY TIME he opens his mouth to sing,
I literally get CHILLS ALL UP & DOWN MY ARMS, NECK & BACK!!!
(is his wife one lucky woman or WHAT?!?!?!!?!)
Sing it Chris! WOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO

C.I.F.A.?

'Christ, it's Friday AGAIN?'

*sigh*

Not to take anything away from those of you who LIVE for Fridays, but for those of us desperately searching for a job, the arrival of Friday is just a painful reminder that yet another week is gone without any luck whatsoever.

The worst part of this is that I found what could quite possibly be THE MOST PERFECT FAMILY EVER to Nanny for...

-BUT-

(you KNEW there was a BUT in there, don't act all surprised!)


They live quite a distance away & are looking for someone to drive to them.
Honestly those are the only two crappy points I see about them, PERIOD!

The wife (who I spoke to on the phone for well over an hour & a half practically) was SO friendly & her daughter, who is now 2, was adopted from China as well & is just as sweet as a peach she's so adorable!
Her & I are both huge believers as far as 'same page' parenting is concerned and we just got along like we had been old friends.

BUMMER!
I so sometimes hate this stupid MS... if I didn't have to give myself shots & I didn't have to live knowing that any given morning WITHOUT WARNING I could be draggin' ass & never get my shit together in time to leave this house on time to make it to someone's house.

Now, watching a child here, piece of cake cuz kids don't care if you're in your jammies still or not when they arrive, they just want to know that they'll get love & hugs & care & giggles through out the day, and that I can provide 110%!

We did decide though that we MUST get our kids together for a play date, so at the very least Ruby and I both found ourselves two wonderful new friends.

Now, what to make for dinner? hmmmmmmmm

Einstein would agree...

Ok, so let's set the scene... this morning as every morning, my Mother comes upstairs to have breakfast with Ruby. (& me too I guess since I happen to be here so I'm included by default...) LOL

So, we have our breakfast which is almost always the same thing:
tea & toast
(mine with jam & Ruby's with creamcheese & olive/yes she EATS THAT & LOVES IT!)
(Ruby also has yogurt & milk & cut up fruit sometimes too... depends on her mood.)

So after breakfast, my Mother usually plays with her a little bit while I clean up the breakfast table & then check my email etc...

Ruby disappears into her bedroom & is awfully quiet, usually quiet = suspicious activity of some sort!

My Mother had to boogie to the store to get some turkey gravy and I wanted to go see what was up with miss 'Cheeks'...

On my way into her room, she emerges holding a new diaper & looks up at me smiling & says "GO!"
(her newest word)

I laughed and picked her up & kissed her & said " Where do you want me to go you silly girl?"
and it was just then that I smelled something...
(remember that 'suspicious activity?)
Well, it happened right in her diaper!
Silly girl was in there all quiet to have her morning poop & then came right out to TELL ME that she absolutely needed a diaper change!
My daughter is a GENIUS!
*grin*

(now if we could just conquer E=mc2...)


LOL
And sorry no pics of the actual event as I'm pretty sure most of you don't allow the paparatzi in your bathroom while you're doing your 'business'... Ruby isn't all that much a fan of it either, so you'll just have to use your imagination on this one, but TRUST ME- IT WAS FUNNY!

Bear's Hero...

In what can only be described as a brave yet ballsy move, Bear's friend Pupper jumped in with only moments to spare, to save his friend from suffocating by using the 'paws of life'...

Bear is now breathing easy & Pupper has earned himself the
medal of honor
from all of us here at: R.I.H.O.T.
Congratulations Pupper! NICE WORK!!

(now, can we all just get some sleep?)

THIS JUST IN:

BEAR MOMENTS AWAY FROM BEING RUSHED TO LOCAL E.R.
FROM WHAT APPEARS TO BE POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS OF
BREATHING CAUSED BY TOO MUCH LOVE
& NOT ENOUGH AIR THROUGH THE NOSE.

(More information to follow as it becomes available)

Shots X's 2

Ruby knowing that we're at the doctor's office & doing her best to pretend that I'm not even there & calling her so we can go into exam room #1...

A last ditch, but brilliant, effort to "hide" underneath a chair with book & her accomplice 'BEAR'...

Two shots & much crying later...
Ruby is now safe & sound and half asleep (note the slightly open eyes...)
in the comfort of her own home, in her own living room, in her own pack-N-play.

It was a long morning but my Girl & her Bear were TROOPERS!

I love them both SO MUCH... <3

Seriously??

Ok, so AGAIN last night another odd dream... I don't know if it's the Tea I'm drinking or what... but every night now for three nights in a row, really wonderful but strange dreams! 1st there was my dream about This Guy... who knew a 'kiss' dream could be SO REAL! *grin* (Thanks Taylor!) hehehe, next came my dream about a certain Doctor House, (yes I have a BIG ASS CRUSH ON HUGH LAURIE** AND YES I KNOW HOW OLD HE IS, HE'S STILL SEXY DAMNIT!)

**“Hugh Laurie…
the British actor is the thinking woman’s sex symbol.”
- Entertainment Weekly

Then finally, last night I had one about an ex boyfriend who I haven't seen or spoken to in long time! It's odd... maybe water before bed is best... ?

I have a DREAM BOOK that I could & probably should be looking this stuff up in, but right now my mind is still reeling...

I don't mind having vivid dreams to the point where I feel like the person was/is still actually in my bedroom... *rustling in my closet...* (Taylor, is that you??) it's just that for guys who I don't know & clearly will never meet, it's ok, they're safe dreams... but to have one about a man I once loved very much and still miss to this day, that's just a hard pill to swallow.

Ok, time to go shower & get ready to take miss 'Cheeks' to the Dr.'s for a shot. Poor thing hasn't a clue what's on tap for this morning's festivities...

Ever get a song stuck in your head?

Menamenah

*evilgrin*
LIKE THIS ONE??
SORRY BUT I COULD NOT RESIST!
(thanks to Uncle Steve for sending this to us...)
HAHAHAHAHA

Man, does this mean that I'm gonna have weird trippy 'muppet' dreams tonight?
Somewhere out there is a support group missing their leader... ME!

*sigh*

Ruby & Bear...

... say goodnight.

( & yes that's a new 'spring sweater' for our friend Bear.
Ruby picked it out herself, but I'm pretty sure that had we let HIM DECIDE, he'd have picked something 'sans girlie flowers'... but hey, that's LOVE people!
It's like the ugly christmas sweater you KNOW you've all gotten, that you felt COMPELLED to wear because you love the person who gave it to you,
not necessarily because you're diggin the sweater!)
HAHAHAHA
I'm reminded of 'A Christmas Story'...
(hands down one of THE FUNNIEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME!)
and the infamous PINK BUNNY PJ'S... LOL
Poor kid should've aimed that red rider bb gun at his aunt & shot HER EYE OUT for even SENDING THAT PINK MESS HIS WAY!!!

Giggles & wooden fruit...

BIG LOYALTY, small package.

How can I NOT feel complete inner peace when I look at my beautiful daughter all snug in her bed with Bear, sleeping soundly.
She is the poster child for a 'peaceful night's sleep'...

Bear, on the other hand, sleeps with his eyes open 24/7, because he's keeping a constant watch over his best friend Ruby, making sure that her rest is uninterrupted.
(trust me, I'm pretty sure he was staring me down as I volleyed for position prior to snapping these photos!)

Bear is, well, he's a lot of things:

Cute? Yes.
Fuzzy? Yes.
Soft? Yes.
Fierce when it comes to protecting his Ruby? ABSOLUTELY!

It's nice to know that she's in such good paws.
G'night Bear, keep my Ruby safe.

NOW I can sleep.
Sweet dreams everyone.

Zzzzzzz...

Sleep VS. the power of the mind...

There's nothing like knowing you should be in bed when the reality is
the power of your thoughts has truly taken over & you're no longer in control of your actions.

I know I want to go to bed... I've already told my legs to get up & walk my ass over to the bed & crawl in, but they're not really hearing me I'm guessing...
...tonight, they have a mind of their own, as do my fingers flying over the keys while I type this with the speed of light.
It's insane how MS can take some things away from you yet others aren't effected in the least, ie: my typing.

After my initial diagnosis, my handwriting went completely in the shitter. It used to be pretty & swirly & fun... now it's just no more than 'chicken scratch' that I truly dislike.
I thank God every day that I am so efficient at typing & that my fingers NEVER let me down.
Sure, I may spell a word wrong here or there but hell, at least I can still get my thoughts down somewhere without having it be this big outrageous effort on my part to make it legible to others, much less myself.
It's really the real reason I started this blog in the first place... you see, I initially started keeping a journal for Ruby... but once I saw that what started out as really pretty entries in an even prettier book slowly turned into the type of ancient hieroglyphics that need professional deciphering, I gave up & turned to my friend, the computer. The keyboard is my partner in crime, the words are my thoughts turned solid for all to read.
(I don't mind sharing... I have nothing to hide.)
Here, in blogland... I just pick my font, hopefully remember to do a spellcheck & voila, a new entry into the story of my life... my life with Ruby... my life with MS...
My. Life. Period.

I am still holding out hope that I'll find the perfect job soon...
...I know that it's easy to say that everything happens for a 'reason' and that 'God doesn't give you more than you can handle' yadda yadda yadda...
but let's get real folks, of all the cheezy catch phrases in the world, one of my favorites is the one that speaks the most truth...

SHIT HAPPENS!
It knows no color, no race, no age, no social status...
... it just KNOWS it's bound to happen eventually, to me and you.

And the real question isn't "what am I going to do", but more " what am I NOT going to do?"

I'll tell you what I'm NOT going to do, I'm not going to give up hope that I'll eventually find something.
Sure it may take a crap ass long time to find just the right family & make just the right match for all involved... but if there's one thing I've learned in all the years I've been working professionally as a Nanny, it's this... that connection is so magical that it's worth waiting for cuz when you finally find it, it's a job that you wake up EVERY DAY & are glad that you have... feel blessed to call it yours.

That's the job I want, that's the family I long to work for...
...and I know I'll find it.

Just like the time between DTC/LID to Referral... the key here, is PATIENCE.

I think I can do this... I really do.

Idol DREAMS...

Ok, I have problems... I could LITERALLY listen to THIS boy SING all day & all night!
Sing it GREY CHARLES!! *grin* hehehe
The hell with 'Georgia' on my mind, I got TAYLOR ON THE BRAIN!
Is it wrong that I had a dream about this man last night that was so real when I woke up I was CONVINCED he was hiding under my bed???
THANK YOU GOD! AMEN!
*hehehe*

SING IT TAYLOR!!!!!!!!
YOU'VE GOT A FAN HERE IN BOSTON!!!!!!

Reality Check...

... ok here's proof positive that my daughter, however ADORABLE she is, is not ALWAYS the sweet cute girl you see in pictures.

Here is what happened just moments ago when I politely asked my daughter to give her cousin Isabella a little smoochie:

Me: Hey Ruby, can you give your cousin Isabella a smoochie wooch?
Ruby: (see above)


As you can see, my poor little Niecie Doo was like " Wow, what's HER problem??"


Lucky for Ruby, Isabella's a good sport & was still smiling despite the whole ugly scene. LOL

Ah, the joys of parenting. LOL

Ruby's Word Cloud...

So, taking a page from our dear friend's Karen & Gwen,
Ruby is pleased to share with everyone, her her very own Word Cloud...