Happy Holidays!

Keep them coming people...I like how our holiday card wall is shaping up. And keep making those cute babies to fill those holiday cards. What's kinda funny and cute is that both my dentist and our leasing company send cards as well :)

Breakfast date for one...

Starts with a great bowl of coffee :)
Thank you Rose's Cafe for getting my first day of holiday started off right

It's almost a Seinfeld moment

Made some brownies the other day and when Sam went to serve himself, he shows eats them with a pair of chopsticks...for real? All I could think of was the snickers with a fork and knife a-la-George Costanza.

Reverse Ugly Duckling of the Insect Kingdom

Donut, Molly, Mike and I were out for a walk the other day and noticed that there were caterpillars EVERYWHERE. We were trying to figure out what was going on for all these moths to be a birthing babies and also trying to figure out what these were. Donut was so engrossed in them saying "Mommy caterpillar!" and wondering if they were hungry a la The Very Hungry Caterpillar book. We also get a lot of caterpillars in our veggie garden...Donut and I pick them out and them move them onto the lawn. Those caterpillars are green so sometimes hard to find amongst the green lettuce leaves.

These little guys in the picture turned out to be Woolly Bear caterpillars.. totally cool looking, all hairy with the orange and black stripes but eventually turn out to be a pedestrian moth. I wonder what rule of the insect kingdom dictates the babies to be colorful and distinctive with the adult form looking rather plain.

So, um, where's the garden?

Recently I was in New Jersey and its tagline is "The Garden State" so I ask you... where is the garden?

PS - Yes I know I am not supposed to be using my phone while driving

Happy Halloween!

The Halloween cuteness ensues. This year I planned our neighborhood's Halloween party and even got into the spirit myself by dressing up in coordinating outfits with Donut. Scrooge (Forrest) did not join us and was a grumpy grump at even the planning phases of the costumes. But at least he helped setup for the party, put up decorations and carried over all the heavy stuff.

We had some friends join us...the Maturos dressed as Sesame Street, the Fontaines with one lobster (Edward) and the Soldos with their little pumpkin (Sophia). I think Donut is finally getting the swing of this Halloween thing and it was really cute to see her trick or treating with her friends. Cannot wait for more kids so we can dress as a team.

European Holiday 2011!

Hooray for Europe!

Work travel is not so great sometimes as it takes you away from your family and friends for sometimes extended periods of time. And it is not as glamorous as it may seem...most of the time you spend less than 24 hours in a city and every city looks the same because you only see the inside of a hotel and meeting room. But sometimes the opportunity arises to mix work travel and fun travel. I was able to participate again in our European conference as a speaker and this time the whole family went along for the ride. We extended the trip to a full 2 weeks and tacked on 2 additional countries for our perusing.

We started off in Stockholm Sweden and ended up staying in a posh neighborhood and spent a long weekend (~4 days ) walking around town and checking the sights.

Monday morning we hopped on a 6am train to spend the week in Copenhagen Denmark for my work conference. The timing was so that we were there for Tivoli Garden's halloween week! We were also lucky enough to tag along on a reservation to have lunch at Noma (YUM!!!) what is currently billed as the world's best restaurant.

Friday we hopped on an early plan to Berlin and spent the next 5 days trekking around Berlin Germany soaking in the culture, history and food. From currywurst to durum doners to yes even Korean food...we ate our way through the town. And pretzels...LOTS of pretzels...

So much to see and do and lots of time spent with my two favorite people. The full slideshow is below.

My new favorite thing - the Kindle

I have always loved to read and have a book rotation with Molly but my latest toy is the Amazon Kindle. I got Forrest one for Christmas last year and thought I would never switch...because I love the experience of turning pages in a book (I know...lame and I am a dinosaur) but I finally gave in as we were gearing up for our European vacation. There was no way I was going to lug around a ton of books for the two week trip... AND then I learned you get free international 3G and I was sold. Since the 6 weeks I have had this thing I have read 10 books...craziness. So with that, I bid you happy reading and everyone I know will be getting one of these for their birthday over the next year.

Stupid Computer Virus

I really should know better... but those worms finally got me. After all these years, over a decade of awesomeness of not getting caught by one of those worms... After all years of laughing at the misfortune of others...

I was stupid enough to click on the attachment in an unknown email.

It wiped out all my apps and some of my local data. I quickly unplugged the backup hard drive once I realized what was happening so it didn't get my most precious data... years of electronic tax returns and 7 years worth of photos. Panicking I tried shutting down my computer and rebooting...no dice...I started sweating at the thought of having to wake up Forrest at 6 in the morning to fix the computer...less dice...desperately I tried to navigate the computer as a series of pop up windows kept appearing in quick succession after another... Until I came upon the "backup utility"

I never thought I'd say this but "Thank You Microsoft Backup Restore Utility for saving my bacon. I restored to sometime a week before and was back online with all my apps and about 90% of my data."

Lesson learned...no more clicking on email attachments (even from the USPS - I know!) and keeping some Windows around just because :)

Susi + Brian Wedding Reception

And onto the group and couple pics - woo hoo! I wish I got better pics of the location because it was BEAUTIFUL! Overlooking the lake and the food was stellar - when you have foodies like the wedding couple it's a sure bet that the meal will be delicious. And I officially hate taking pictures with both Hollis and Forrest because my head is 3 times the size of theirs...JEEBUS. I need to start standing about 4 feet behind them to get a better size ratio :)

Susi + Brian Wedding

Partypic Pose!

Us sorority girls know how to pose...it's like we have been doing it for years or something...hahaha. Last weekend was Susi and Brian's wedding in Tahoe and minus the altitude sickness it was a kickass time in a beautiful setting. It's wonderful to look at a picture like the one above and realize that you've known these women for so long. We were all in the same sorority in college so many of us met during our freshman year. Some of the ladies I know better than others and those whom I didn't know very well back then, I've had the joy of getting to know them better in recent years. It's a wonderful thing to form new friendships from such a long lasting group. More fun pics to come to toast the happy couple!

Finally a King for all the Queens

More roadtrip fun. This was one of TWO Dairy Kings we drove by...

Any flavor as long as it's 3.14

Things you can find on a lonely country road. I know it's just missing the "E" but it made the math nerd in me so excited to see this that I made Forrest turn the car around so I could get a picture - ha!

Just ask for help dude.

For men, asking for help is like asking for directions...impossible. Instead Forrest would prefer to suffer one of the more hilarious sunburns. Notice the finger marks at the top of the burn - haha.

Midwest thunderstorm

I've heard of midwest thunderstorms but have never witnessed one before until our recent trip out to Kansas for the family reunion. We flew into Denver and then drove 4 hours to Oberlin Kansas. During that time we saw the most amazing lightening show and even drove through a massive storm...complete black out and raining so hard there was literally no visibility - I've never been so terrified and amazed at the same time!

What would I do?

Sheryl Sandberg spoke at the Barnard graduation and I know she meant to be inspirational but as a college educated female and also a working mom, I am personally offended by the undertones in her speech.

It is my belief that this style speech is not inspiration but more damaging to a young woman because it's double sided nature. Look I'm not a hippy or bra burner but I take a lot of pride in the woman that I have grown to become. I am college educated (albeit barely), working at a kick ass company trying everyday to do a kick ass job, a happy wife, enthusiastic mother and homemaker. I only wish I had more time in the day to do more of it. I do struggle every day with how to balance work and family. As I advance in my career I am constantly unsettled by the pull away from my family but I love them both...however only one of them cares for me as much as I do them. I don't think it is any failure of women because they are not running the world within 30 years of reaching a majority of college attendees... I think it's simply physics. There simply isn't enough time to be Suzy homemaker 100% and a CEO 100%..something has to give and I think the greatest gift of women's lib is that we have that choice to do whatever we want. So if Sheryl Sandberg wants to be #2 in running the Facebook empire so be it...but if I or anyone I know wants to run their house empire, that's just as important because it's fulfilling WHAT YOU WANT. I don't think she should shame a younger generation of women into trying to fix a failure that never existed. If we want to be moms, CEO's, middle managers or beach bums - that's all ok. That's the beauty of choice and free will. Why do somen who are "socially or economically successful" spend so much time critizing those who do no choose the same path? who cares?

What I find damaging about her comments is that under the guise of inspirational it has an undertone of "if you don't change the world as I have defined it, you have failed too." All these pressures for girls to grow up to be CEOs and Mary Poppins have created a situation for complete disaster. You can't win either way and these external pressures create a sense of constant failure here or there. I can't tell you how many times I broke down because we had to order takeout for dinner instead of cooking it because I had too much work to do.

What's interesting is that for all the centuries that men were the primary workers, they never really got to spend a lot of time with their families because they were busy working. For some reason when women entered the workforce, no one thought about how we might have that same experience. And is climbing the corporate ladder supposed to make you happy...did anyone ever ask men if they were happy for all those centuries having the financial burden placed solely on them? I'm sure many are relieved to share the burden but also feel their role squeezed as women do more and males roles are not socially redefined to be equally broader.

The problem is...when we told girls they could be whatever they wanted to be...we forgot to say they didn''t have to be everything at the same time.

Some comments to specific snippets in her speech.

Women became 50% of the college graduates in this country in 1981, 30 years ago. Thirty years is plenty of time for those graduates to have gotten to the top of their industries, but we are nowhere close to 50% of the jobs at the top.
That's fine but many of those women who are in their 50's now having graduated 30 years ago were typically routed to different areas of study than they were today. Additionally social norms back then were for women to not be the career chasers they are today. I would say that the kids coming out of college today have a completely different idea of what is possible even compared to my generation...although even in my generation I know tons of directors, VPs whatever. Also the only way women can be in those positions is for us to redefine the male role so that it is socially acceptable to be the primary caregiver, nurturer of the family while the woman is out there. It's not physically possible for both people to be chasing at the same time - the time constraints alone would make your existence not a relationship but two single people that happen to share some space and time.

Studies show very clearly that in our country, in the college-educated part of the population, men are more ambitious than women.
Does having a family not count as ambition? Is ambition only measured by the job title you have and the size of your paycheck? My ambitions may not be tied to running the country but that's only because I only have patience for the toddlers I share gene pool with versus all of America which can seem like a bunch of whiney toddlers. And so what if men are more competitive than women...most women think that is stupid anyways.

I hope that you — yes, you — each and every one of you have the ambition to run the world, because this world needs you to run it. Women all around the world are counting on you...So go home tonight and ask yourselves, 'What would I do if I weren’t afraid?' And then go do it."
What if I am changing it one person at a time in my family, is that not good enough? And truthfully when I first came across this question...my answer was. "If I was not afraid, I would leave corporate America and spend more time with my family and not worry so much about money or keeping up. To be free of the external pressures and scrutiny of society" When I was growing up all I wanted was more time with my parents to come to school activities with me. I am proud of my working mother and she didn't graduate from college or run the world - she shaped the paths for myself and my brother and is a huge influence on my daughter and that's more than enough. I don't believe you need to run the world to change it. Change, even in it's smallest form can have huge impact and is often more pure.

My garden is awesome

A whole huge bowl of golden swiss chard for dinner to accompany some fried chicken thighs - mm mm good and good for you too!

Small planter box with assorted heads of lettuce and arugula (which grows like a weed!) and a variety of herbs to season the good stuff.

The big planter box has so far gone untouched by local varmits = THANK YOU! and I'm not really sure why. The only thing I can think of is that there are maybe more dogs in our neighborhood now so maybe it's too much of a bother for them OR they don't like what I planted...but it's a good thing we like it.

Above from left to right.. Carrots and radishes are the small sprouts. Swiss chard, russian kale and red cabbage...I started some chiogga beets in the front so we'll see if they take. In a separate pot I just put in some green beans so I just can't wait. In another pot I started some radiccio because apparently bitter lettuce type things now sound good to me because my taste buds and I are getting old.

Below: up close and personal with some beautiful russian kale. I've been chopping into slivers, sauteing in olive oil and garlic then mixing into spaghetti lately = DELICIOUS!

Spring 2011's first bounty!

Planted the garden earlier this year....and so far it has been wildlife free so we've been able to actually eat the product. And this first batch of french breakfast radishes were BEAUTIFUL!

Scenes from the road

Like really? A Microsoft store? And isn't it interesting how it looks EXACTLY like the Apple store but just a little messier... The things you find in the heartland of America. Photo taken at Mall of America.

It is so depressing to me that there is no Dunkin Donuts available in Northern California. So anytime I am in the midwest or anyplace east of that I seek and effectively destroy the inventory at DD via my belly.

sailing....take me away....woh woh woh woh

For real this was an afternoon in the city down at the Chrissy field beach. I know it looks amazing but it was probably about 65 degrees so totally shorts compatible for us. Still, it was so picturesque with all the sailboats, fluffy clouds, blue sky and sunshine. And it made me realize how awesome the iPhone camera is...

Donut is 2...

Look at how grown up she looks...ugh. I know it's only been 2 years but I can't believe it's been 2 years already all at the same time. She's still a baby in many ways but so grown up compared to the snuggle bug we brought home from the hospital. Everyday I am proud and sad to look at Donut. Proud of her development, milestones and achievements....sad because with everyday that passes, that's just one day further away from us and onto her own life.

It was only once I had Donut that I totally understood the craziness of mothers and their insistence at a certain point in your life for you to marry and have children. While all of us daughters just see that as "pressure" and "lame" as a mother, I now understand what is happening. While feeding Donut for the first time in the hospital, all I could think about was how I couldn't wait for her to experience the same thing one day. How primal and essential that experience is and how it wasn't clear to me until I was there. I think about that a lot as I wonder what kind of person Donut will grow up to be, what her definition of family will be and will we one day be able to bond over a shared experience? Also in our quest to add to our family, I constantly wonder if I'll be blessed to have that moment again.

STOP Hammock Time

More fun in the sun relaxing on vacation. I cannot believe how much I miss it. Has it really only been 2 weeks since we've come back? It feels like it has already been a lifetime - ugh.

Partytime for Team Sallis

So "Sallis" is the celebrity name combo that we use for Hollis and Sal. Forrest came up with it and that was just what we used to call them when talking to each other, but now I have taken to just using their combo name generally :) I had the BEST time at their reception! My feet and legs were so sore the following day from all the dancing... Forrest and I hadn't been out that late in YEARS... It was so late even Hollis made a comment about us still being out - heh.

Look at how adorable they are!
Can anyone say expert party pic below?

Fun with flowers...

Shenanigans from our reception table... we were "El Boracho" meaning...well...the drunk and well uh um we were! HA! We were the table of the "older" college crew for Hollis.

Yay Team Sallis!