jessteronimo

Happy Birthday!

On Feb. 28th, my Mom would have turned 60 years old. I can hardly believe it. She's all around me, even after all this time. I still miss her so much! Once again, I wish my kids could have known her most of all. Happy birthday, Mom!

Cell Phone C-C-C-Crazy

Yesterday I took a giant step into the next realm of parenthood. I bought my youngest daughter a cell phone. [Insert shocked, derogatory remarks here.] Yes, yes, I know, I'm crazy and I can't go back. But the girls have been using Ben's phone for months now when on outings, so I think she is ready. We made a deal with her: she has four points of personal hygiene she needs to work on, so that's her proof that she's old enough to handle a phone of her own. If she can't do those things, she loses the phone. Of course, we bought insurance, unlimited text messaging, and the ability to lock down how many minutes she can use. We're crazy, but we're not stupid! Plus, I got unlimited text messages with the deal too. Yeah! I've been showing her how to use all the features on the phone, so she called and texted me on my way to work this morning. So damn cute! She thinks I'm the best mommy in the whole world. :)

But here's the really interesting part about all this madness: my oldest didn't want one! [Insert even MORE shocked remarks.] She'd rather have the money we'd spend, so she just got a raise in her allowance. Impressed? I sure am!

*Off to text my daughter*

Babies, Babies Everywhere

My little brother's second baby girl was born earlier this week, and yesterday my best friend and her husband welcomed their second daughter. I gotta tell ya: I love these babies desperately, but I am SO dang glad that that baby-raising phase of my life is over. I've become way too accustomed to regular sleep hours, clothes without throw-up on them, kids that do all things bathroom-related by themselves, trash cans that don't smell like diapers, and doing anything outside the house without a diaper bag and all the other paraphernalia that comes with babies. I'll help out when I can, though, guys, because I was actually good at that stuff!

Modern Invitation

This morning I received a wedding invitation from one of my oldest and dearest friends in all the world...

via instant messenger.

I sure love that guy.

Shocker

I may just die of shock. My youngest daughter just, unbidden, loaded and started the dishwasher! I can't be sure, but it looks like she cleaned the dining room and kitchen too. I'm not sure what to think. She's not the type. Does she want something? Is she suddenly growing up? Do I care why? Whatever she's after, more of that behavior will get it!

Jazzed

My boss surprised me with tickets to the Jazz v. Lakers NBA basketball game on Wednesday night, and I surprised my family with the news. I even got Ben to go. The seats were pretty bad--the very last row on the top bowl of the stadium but right in the center of the court. After a brief bout with vertigo, my kids didn't care where the seats were. They'd never been to anything like this event, and it was exciting for them to watch the crowd and the things that go on in a stadium during a live event that you don't see while watching the game on television. I hadn't realized how little they knew about the game, so I got to teach them the basic rules and explain things like three pointers and foul shots and switching sides at half time. I pointed out the team members who were Olympians and celebrity superstars, which the girls thought was cool and gave them bragging rights. They like the game, but mostly they loved the cheerleaders (male and female), the mascot, and the giant, remote-controlled blimp that hovered around the bowl. But shortly after half time, my girls shorted out. The experience had lost its novelty, they were tired and hungry, and bedtime was fast approaching. So we left and headed to Baskin Robbins and made it home in time to watch the last few minutes of the game on television. The Utah Jazz won! An absolutely perfect ending!

She Said

We were talking about how much Dad likes to be alone but how he is lucky to have us girls living with him. In the context of that conversation, my daughter observed, "He needs to have some girl sense talked into him." :) Don't they all, sweetheart? Don't they all?

My Books

On my bookshelf sit the following books, some of which are dusty from not having been opened in the last two months because I've been too busy or too tired to read:

The Wrinkle in Time Quintet by Madeleine L'Engle (5 books; I'm on #2: A Wind in the Door)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

Am-Bitch-ous by Debra Condren

Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher

January edition of Real Simple magazine

What are you reading?

Ben's Books

On Ben's bookshelf sit the following books, each of which I have seen him reading within the last month:

A Few Bloody Noses: The Realities and Mythologies of the American Revolution by Robert Harvey

The Illustrated A Brief History of Time and The Universe in a Nutshell by Stephen Hawking (2 books in one)

Dishwasher: One Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States by Pete Jordan

Generation Debt: How Our Future Was Sold Out for Student Loans, Credit Cards, Bad Jobs, No Benefits, and Tax Cuts for Rich Geezers--and How to Fight Back by Anya Kamenetz

Castles: Their Construction and History by Sidney Toy

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith

Great Works of H.G. Wells, Complete and Unbridged (6 books in one)

Power, Faith and Fantasy: America in the Middle East 1776 to the Present by Michael B. Oren

"The Quad": The Book of Mormon, The Bible, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price

A Bright Spot on the Horizon

Today could have gone a lot worse than it did. Despite near-constant technology troubles and job challenges and some people trying very hard to make it harder, the day still went pretty well, and I was able to sweep a lot of things off my plate. I maintain a hope that things will continue to look up, that my load will be lifted, and I'll be able to breathe a little easier--provided the haze over the valley blows away and lets me quit coughing. One bright spot is that it's now light when I leave work as well as when I arrive there. Somehow, that extra sun time makes things easier and brightens my spirits.