This is pretty cool - try the Color Test

Oh, that's friggin' nice, my baby sister FINALLY gets on the blog-wagon and blocks everyone... hell-l-l-l-oooo-o-o-o-o! As punishment, I will now post a picture she may find embarrassing, but her kids would probably love!

Alright, it's probably not embarrassing, but it's the only one I could find, apparently Tasha is very good at escaping the flash, but it does remind me of the little one I grew up with.

This is something I forgot about, but wanted to share really quickly.
When we were young, Mom used to 'make' us tickler her hand in church. I hated it, but I guess I was the best one (I think everyone else purposely did a bad job just so Mom would not ask them again). It was such a chore.
I guess I should be grateful because Ethan never sits still, but he loves his hand to be tickled. Even when he was an infant he would stretch his fingers out for me to tickle them, and he would move his hand around.
Ethan has been going through an attachment phase, and has been very clingy and needy of me. I have been laying down with him at night and he thrusts his hand in my face for me to tickle it. It just makes me chuckle.

Thanks, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

I almost forgot - Happy Mother's Day to all the sister mother's, I know, and especially to the best Mom I know: Mom
My relationship with my mother has really come full circle in the last couple of years, and I have been so fortunate to have many memorable and sentimental conversations with her. Often times, late at night, I will see mom on IM and send her a note. We will chat for a bit. On such an occasion, Mom remembered a story. I guess when I was very young and Dad traveled a lot, all the kids would be in bed and off to the land of nod by 9 or 9:30 (starting with Tami at the earliest of course). I would sneak down stairs and Mom would pop popcorn, and we would watch old Carey Grant movies and snuggle up together under a blanket. I don't remember these experiences at all, but I do love Carey Grant movies, and I do stay up late. Some behaviors are learned and not genetic. This I definitely got from Mom - being a night owl. In turn, Ethan has inherited it from me... crap. Turn about is fair play? Or something like that? There are many other stories, and other memories mom has shared with me, but this one is my favorite, because it is just ours.

Morchella esculenta

I love mushrooms: portobello, button, shitake, morel... the great thing about the Morel mushrooms (specifically the yellow morel), is that they grow in abudance here, in southern Illinois. Thankfully, my in-laws have the market cornered. Mom Johnson came up for Mother's Day and brought some of these tasty moresels for me courtesy Dad Johnson!!!! I love them! John goes with some friends and picks them for hours, there's a price to pay because he gets scratched from the bushes and branches, but it is sooo worth it. You do have to be careful though, because there are poisonous species that look very simlar. Larry hates vegetables period, but Ethan loves mushrooms too (so far, anyway), so I am trying various recipes.

Happy Mother's Day -

I know all you mom's will appreciate this, but this being the first where I got a card personalized, is an epoch.

This is ironic.

The funny thing is - I never eat breakfast (routinely) and haven't in years...

You Are Cheerios

Like other Cheerios eaters, you want to be a responsible adult. But you can't help but still be a kid at heart! You try to make good decisions. You're a clean cut, conscientious person. You're the type of person who would never skip breakfast. Part of you thinks that breakfast is too important to miss... But a bigger part of you knows it's too fun to miss!

What Kind of Cereal Are You?

Do you ever think our children get sick of us taking pictures?

Tagged - AGAIN!

Getting to know me
(I don’t really know how far back you’re suppose to start)
Answer 3 things to each section

34 years ago I...
1) Arrived from Korea to be adopted
2) Met my new sister and Mom & Dad
3) Found out Mom was pregnant which was literally a miracle

20 years ago I...
1) was 15… ‘nough said?
2) was a sophomore at OHS
3) Thought I could already drive, thanks Tam

10 years ago I..
1) Was working at Outback Steakhouse… ick
2) Was partying too hard to remember anything else
3) also had a couple of years long distance relationship started with Larry

5 years ago I..
1) just moved OUT of the city and back to the ‘burbs
2) watched Larry go through the police academy
3) worked at Countrywide – I still have nightmares.

1 year ago I... (not exactly one year, but w/in the calendar year)
1) said good-bye to a very close friend when he died of cancer
2) celebrated Ethan’s first birthday
3) forgot to celebrate our 1 year anniversary (we were never big on celebrating stuff, let alone anniversaries)

So far, this year I have...
1) started a blog and joined the technology revolution (Nov 2007)
2) joined Facebook (something I said I would never do)
3) spent a lot of time with my family and friends, as much as I can because life is too short

This Week I…
1) got a new phone: Black Jack II
2) got my first cold in almost 3 yrs
3) have only slept an avg of 3 hrs each night thanks to Ethan

Yesterday I...
1) what?
2) longed for today (Friday)
3) flipped out when a lot of work peers were laid off

Today I....
1) worked, as I do every day – 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year
2) watched Ethan lick his fingers for the first time and realized there was some good stuff that rubbed off and it was delish, I guess, he said ‘mmmm’
3) felt better today than I did yesterday

and now... Lavinia, Tami, and Caleen - Tag, you are it!

I just got this new phone: Black Jack II, it's dark red... I love, love, LOVE it!!!!! Tami (my big little sister) got one a year and a half ago, and he has been bragging nonstop about how awesome her stinkin' Black Jack is. I wanted to wait at least a year to see if she'd like it and if she'd use the features and if it were really all that practical - ta da! It totally is! Maps, navigation system, IM, text, e-mail, Word docs, Excel, camera, camcorder, Internet, all the normal phone features, MP-3 player, calendar, task manager/organizer, alarm clock... I can go on... but it is seriously so freakin' RAD! Yeah, I said it - Rad! Because it is!

Music prodigy? Here, Ethan is 'creating' his own music...

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Larry came home, went upstairs, and as Ethan does, followed him...

Ethan is such a copy cat. He thinks he is much older and bigger than he actually is. Naturally, he idolizes his father and tries to mimic or copy his actions.

Tag

Okay, I made this one up on my own, but the same rules apply as with any tag. I got this idea from a request a friend of mine sent me.

Name three of your favorite things in your closet, who makes it, where you got it, and why you like it so much:

1. Halter Dress by BCBG from Bloomingdales in TX. I got it while going to the Duck's wedding and realized I didn't bring a dress for the rehearsal dinner, duh. It's my favorite because I wore it then and all through out my pregnancy, and wear it now - it is spand-aculous!

2. Strappy sandals by Michael Kors from Michael Kors store. I love the color of the shoes, which is a yellowish champaign color. I love them because I wore them when we got married.

3. Jeans by 7 For All mankind. I pick them up everywhere. My friend, Carla got me hooked on them but Debbie and I are addicted. They fit so awesome, and I can never find jeans that do.

Now, tag Andrea, Lavinia, and Pat

Argh!

Why does it have to be so difficult? I am trying to get Ethan off of the pacifier. He is now 19 months old, he's been off of the bottle since he was right at one (well, he only had a bottle in the morning, because it was more convenient for me). Ethan does not have it during the day, or during his naps, but needs it at night. Sometimes he'll wake up fumble around, find his pacifier and go back to sleep. I am thinking this is more of a convenience for me. When he can't find it, he comes in and wants to go downstairs to play. Not that much fun at 3 am. No matter what - he knows bed time and knows he has to have his pacifier to sleep. Help - anyone?

Okay, so I try to be one who compromises on the house stuff. And really, I feel like I am pretty agreeable. Well, when we first moved in Larry was starting the night shift at NIU. If any of you know and remember - he has to have it dark and silent (impossible for me. I am exactly opposite, you know, since I don't go to bed 'til the sun comes up anyway). I made this very thick and black curtain that Velcro'd to the actual window ensuring no light could seep through. Since it was black (and we also planned on getting a new bedroom set) I wanted bedding to somewhat match and drapery too. Keeping the first part in mind - I wanted to get bedding Larry would not hate. I ended up getting this black, cream, blue and chambray and white striped/plaid Nautica set. I did NOT like it at all. But I thought it was masculine, and surely Larry would approve. It has been 2 years. I announced the other day (not wanting to hurt his feelings or seem fickle) I wanted to get new bedding, I had tired of the current. Larry burst into "Thank goodness! I hated the stuff we have now! It is SO ugly, it's an eye-sore, what were you thinking?" I had no idea... I started laughing. This is what I ended up with... which I like, because I have been obsessed with the chocolate brown - and if you remember, I have always loved the sage green and mushroom colors. I think it's simple, but I feel like it is still decent. We have to consider the cats, Ethan, and that Larry and I have two opposite temperature levels at night (his 100 and mine zero below).