I know because I was at a wonderful party celebrating a friends 30th when all I could think about was my nice comfy bed. So here it is barely 10pm and I'm in my PJ's finishing up a movie and about to fall asleep at 10:11pm. Oh and the topper...Dave's already asleep! Yup...sad. What'd you do Saturday night?

What was the best gift you've ever been given?

Wait scratch that! Nothings good at 5am (it's an ungodly hour if you weren't aware). I know this b/c only a few kinds of people are up at 5am; insomniacs, those questioning their occupations, grandparents who go to bed at 7pm, and runners. 

There was this funny little thing that happen after I had my second child. I found it wise not to make meals that required too much preparation (i.e. more than hot water or butter). As such, I laid off some appliances in my kitchen without noticing. One item however, was "relocated" to a new department and given a different job title, that item was my kitchen aid mixer.

I was found out the other day by Her when I decided to make carrot cake cupcakes for Titus' 2nd birthday. After some nervous laughter I admitted that it had become the pacifier/thermometer/mylicon holder. Oh how our lives and kitchen have changed.

my shopping at our local warehouse store. Since I have a household of 4 I now find it necessary to shop in bulk for some reason. Despite the fact that I have NO real pantry, limited storage, and really will never need THAT much relish...Costco still beckons me. I digress...

I was finishing loading my cart of over-sized, really great deals when I begin to approach the war zone. I refer to the checkout lines as the war zone. If I consciously try to select a line that will go quickly it is inevitable that I will stand in the slowest moving line or someone in front of me will forget something, lack a price tag, or not have the "correct" membership. 

He's turning 2. I don't remember turning 2 I don't remember 2 at all, but I know I will ALWAYS remember his year 2. The way he gives this sneaky little smile when he's about to be a stinker, eventually he'll figure out a way to hide what he's thinking. Eventually he'll stop seeking my approval to explore and discover the world. Eventually he wont call out my name when he can't see me. And eventually he won't be 2. So this year is special, as is every year of my children's lives. 

Last Monday Dave and I went on a "date night". Funny how one gets married and suddenly has to schedule romance and one on one time, seems ironic. So we're out at sushi and in a very tactful way my husband has a one person intervention with me. I come to find out that I need some "Krystin" time. I think the wording was more along the lines of "Babe, I think you need to let other people watch the kids a few times a week so you can go have some time to yourself. Maybe grab some coffee, read a book, get a pedicure."

I was in shock! The shock was more over the encouragement to spend money but really, I had no idea I was becoming crazy, grumpy, grunge mom. This whole time I thought I was taking some "me" time. I found out breast feeding while reading or folding laundry and watching the dvr at night doesn't count as "me" time.

So today this crazy, grumpy, grunge mom grabbed some coffee and cashed in her pedicure gift certificate without kiddos or multitasking. Well I guess drinking coffee, reading trash magazines, and having your feet rubbed is multitasking but I hear it's acceptable.

October is national breast cancer awareness month. Go ahead and consider me your breast friend because ladies I'm here to remind you to check your girls.
I may be lighthearted in terms but I am definitely not kidding when it comes to self examinations. Time to take a minute or two and practice prevention in a very simple way. Here is my post from last year included are links concerning self exams and breast cancer, as well as, statistics. So please find time to save some boobs and in return lives.

Today marks the 7th year since our nation experienced a travesty not uncommon in many other countries, but certainly unknown to us.

I'll never forget being woken up by a phone call, watching my parents frozen in front of the television, the eerie silence on my (then) college campus before class was canceled. More than anything I will never forget the feelings I experienced for the first time that day or the interest sparked in me toward national and world politics by those feelings.

How about you? Where were you when you heard about the planes, the Towers, the Pentagon, United 93? How has September 11, 2001 impacted you?

Next Tuesday I have to (or get to) share my life story with others. I received my degrees in communication but that does not equate to good communication skills. To be honest I am the fulfillment of "those who can't; teach". So I'm a bit nervous to put myself out there as I plan to do.

I'm sitting here reflecting on my life experiences and the people who shaped those and I'm wondering how in the world do I select just a few? How do I even know to the fullest what has shaped me? I'm not done living.

Nonetheless this made me remember some experiences I'd forgotten and some people l haven't spoken to in years. I was reminded of how much fun I had running around town with my h.s. friends in the middle of the night looking for toilet paper for "decorating" and how nervous I was to start my first class at college. So nervous that I was late and I tripped walking in. Okay maybe I could go on without remembering that one.

If there was one memory you'd want to remember forever what would it be and why?

Joe Biden

This kind of lemonade night!

How was your week?

8:45pm: *ring ring*

8:45:10
Me: "Hello" (slightly annoyed by the once again untimeliness of the telemarketer)

8:46
Telemarketer: "Hi this is Charles Manson from Datascension"

8:46 (and some change)
Me: "Are you kidding? Please don't call again my kids are asleep and...."(hung up on)

8:48pm
Me: "Did he just say Charles Manson?"

Today I am having one of those "foggy" days. I woke up kind of feeling out of it and never shook the feeling. So around 10am I decided the best way to deal was COFFEE. A personal favorite of mine.

I brewed a nice cup of caffeine and sat down with an assurance inside that soon I would be up and going. I knew within moments I would be able to tackle the laundry, dishes, and floors, oh and the 19 month old and new born rolling around on the rug.

20 minutes go by and nothing....still foggy. hmm...I get up and walk over to the coffee machine for further investigation. and what do I find? DECAF!!!

Oh, it's gonna be one of those days.

At least that's what I thought I was doing. I found myself visiting downtown the other day. There's only a few reasons you go downtown.
Reason 1: You work there.
Reason 2: you have jury duty, are on trial, in jail, need a certificate of some kind. In other words you have business to take care of.
Reason 3: You are either artsy or feux artsy and/or wanting to hang at full circle brewery (if you haven't been you should).
Reason 4: you go to a religious gathering down there (Cornerstone, 1st Presbyterian, AA).
Reason 5: Your working your corner or have the "other kind" of business to attend to. I digress...

So those are a broad 5 reasons but they cover most needs for hanging downtown. My reason was along the lines of #2 (I needed a certificate). So as I'm walking towards M street I have some change in my pocket and decide to help meters who have run out of minutes.

I always think to myself..."self, what happen to the days when people did good deeds just for the sake of helping out?" So here I am with extra change and empty meters. It makes sense, so I start pop'n coins in....Then came meterman.

Meterman was not happy that I was helping out. I didn't realize that he was just a few cars down from me until I hear "You know it helps the city". As in: you know it helps the city if people get tickets! OMG, you kid right? I'm being reprimanded because the city only makes 10 cents off my dime I deposited in a meter opposed to the $20 or so dollars that are made if these people conducting business are ticketed.

Where have all the good people gone?
Perhaps, they're the ones parking in handycap even though they don't have the proper license or in the fire lane to "just run in" for a second. Maybe they're just helping out?