Ok- I'm reading it

After so many of my friends have been gushing about this book, I decided to cave into the peer pressure. Luckily, a close friend had it and apparently doesn't want it back? (are you sure?)

I chose the elliptical today instead of the treadmill so that I could use the time most efficiently. It is a good book so far... very easy read. It reminds me a little bit of Nancy Drew? Is this a fair comparison? I think I read every one of those books... including "The Babysitter's Club." There were 100 of them?

In the meantime, poor Steve is working around the clock on either work or the house. We have been trying to find a plummer and get some quotes-- and we are just shocked at how expensive they are!!! If anyone has a cheap/good plummer that they would recommend, please send them our way. (Not just for little things... more like a contractor/plummer).

We have also been trying to narrow down our windows. We really like Pella

They have aluminum on the outside and wood on the inside. And- the grids are on the outside of the glass.

But- Vinyl windows are cheaper, but not much cheaper. The grids are on the inside of the glass.

Is this too much information? I think we would pull the trigger on Pella, but they don't have the exact grids that we are looking for until late April or even May.

If you ever need to know about windows, just call me. Oh- and for those of you who are interested.... my dad told me about the "sweets architectural catalogue." It's apparently the bible for all architects/construction people on all things about building homes.

I think this is their website: http://products.construction.com/portal/server.pt

It lists almost every company under every catagory that you are looking for.

A capella

I love A Capella groups. I was in heaven in college where there were A Capella groups performing what seemed like every week. I just love how their voices blend, and they make it look so easy. I basically obsessed over a group called "Talisman" (I think this is a picture of them last year?).

I tried out, but of course didn't make it. I think it would have been so fun.

Today I took Maddie to her first A Capella show! MIT/Wellesley college A Capella group performed at the Children's Discovery Museum this afternoon, and I made sure we were in the front row. They were so young! I forget what 19 year olds look like :)

Maddie was so shocked when they started to sing and dance, but then she loved it. It was fun to see her jumping and squealing- and especially to see her sign "more" when they stopped.

Do you wanna start a group with me???

Cheese Puffs and the Bachelor

Steve is a chocoholic. I think I'm a saltaholic? Is that even a word?

If there was a plate of chocolate, and a plate of cheese puffs... you would see me with orange dust all over my fingers.

Have you tried the cheese puffs at Trader Joes? They are 1/2 fat of normal "Cheetos," but I'm afraid you make it up by eating twice as many.

Last night I pounded too many to even count. They are just too tasty for words.

After my little binge, I switched on the TV to check out a show that some of my friends (I won't name names... hee hee) swoon over. Before I continue, I have to admit that I did watch every single episode of the first Bachelor ever. But, let me just say, that things have changed!?

I couldn't watch it more than 5 minutes. It was just too much. Too blonde. Too dumb. Too fake. Too boring. My favorite line before I turned it off was from one of the girls who was sooo excited to get 5 minutes with the bachelor:

"I was just so excited to spend some time with him. I think he really got to know who I was. He saw that I was nice, cool, and got to see that I could hold my liquor."

Why do girls think that they have to be so dumb to be attractive? I think it's getting worse and worse. Who is feeding it? Men? Women? The media? They are all probably feeding eachother?

The Easter Weekend

My dad came unexpectedly for the weekend and I had so much fun. Because I'm an only child, my parents mean a lot to me, especially because I don't see them very often. So, it was really nice just to hang out with my dad and Maddie for 4 days! Our agenda for the weekend was to discover every park we could. We spent every day at a different park playing in the water, playing on the grass, playing on the slides... it was very relaxing. We went to Happy Hollow in San Jose, and attended our first Easter Egg Hunt in Central Park. Here are a couple of photos from the weekend:

Petting the donkeys. You think that she would like this- but she still thinks it's very strange. I guess I would too- if an animal's head came at me- the size of my whole body!!

She is a water baby. Loves every type of water-- here is the water pump. Got a kick out of this!!

We rode the carousel 3 times...

For Easter, we bought a basket and walked over to the park. She had no idea what we were doing...

They seperated the kids out in age groups... starting with age 3! So- all the little ones were trampled over :( But, we still had fun anyway! She got 2 eggs.

Devouring chocolate.

Easter baskets can also be hats!

They had a really fun petting zoo-- and of course she loved the rabbits.

Easter!!

I am so excited for Easter. We will hopefully be hosting a small dinner with some college friends, and although my budget is tight (should be $0.00), I want to make it special.

I just love this pic:

Apparently, this company cleans out real quail eggs and fills it with chocolate! So decadent. Of course, won't be doing that, but I love the color combination of this shade of blue with brown.

I am also crossing my fingers that Maddie's Easter dress comes in time!

I am a big fan of Maddie's

I had a hunch when I was pregnant, that I wouldn't love the baby stage. I think this hunch rang true. Don't get me wrong- I love snuggling, staring at them in amazement etc, but I think my favorite stage of children is the toddler stage.

I absolutely love being a mom of a toddler. They are so curious, hilarious, and full of energy.

Maddie is obsessed with dish towels. Everyday after breakfast, she goes to our bin full of dish towels, picks her favorite ones, and plays with them for the next 30 minutes. She pretends to fold them, she puts them over her head, she walks around dragging them behind her, she puts them in her little car, and she screams when I don't let her take them out of the house.

During the day, as we go about whatever we are doing, she usually has a dishtowel. It is hilarious.

Maddie also used to say mom and dad. But- now it's just mom. Mom to everything. No matter how many times we tell her that Steve is Dad, she'll point to his chest and say Mom. And- she'll do it with enthusiasm. When Steve comes home, she gets really excited and starts saying Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom... Poor Steve!

At night, she loves going on walks because has discovered the moon. She points, stares, and of course says "mom" at the moon for 30 minutes (this is a lot for her). It is very cute.

And finally, she is now climbing almost every chair she can get her hands on. She climbs the dining room chairs so that she push anything off, and she climbs the computer chair, because she has a love affair with the keyboard and mouse. I was really concerned that she was going to fall, but I've seen her manuveur her little body so many times off the chair, that I just let her do it now.

I love being busy

If I had to chose between being busy and being bored, I would choose being busy. I am so much happier when my days are packed with activities. A good day has passed when I haven't looked at my watch.

My last job was a dream job in terms of being busy. I never looked at the clock, and had so much to do (and mostly enjoyed it).

Now that I have a "mom" job, I have to be more proactive in terms of packing my days full of stuff.

I usually go to the YMCA in the morning because I get a work out and have some free time. This place is a godsend. I am so glad I signed up. (thanks Ashley) It is worth every penny.

In the afternoons, we love to hang out with friends, go the park, library... but some days I need to be more creative. I've been thinking of a class (swimming or music) to check out... does anyone have any ideas?

So far, I have really liked these sites:

http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/?area=199

http://www.bayareakidfun.com/

I also picked up a "Sunset" magazine recently- and they listed all of the festivals that will start soon-- strawberry, artichoke, garlic, mustard.... so much fun!!

My next "trip" will be to Napa Valley. I have been dying to go there.

A 4 year old birthday party

Last Saturday I was hired to shoot a 4 year old birthday party. To say that I was excited would be an understatement. I had such a great time.

It was a morning sleepover party so everyone came in their pj's. They made pillow cases, did each others hair, ate cake, watched a movie, and of course...

dressed up like princesses.

For a photographer, it was a challenge and I sure learned a lot. The pics are still in the "digital darkroom," but I'm almost done.

Here's one shot I was able to make before they both ran around...

There are a couple more on the photography blog--

www.alieleeflangphotography.blogspot.com

New Intern Wanted

We are hiring for an intern to be in charge of the general responsibilities of our household. Responsibilities include: Cleaning, organizing, shopping, driving around town, interviewing and organizing subcontractors, the ability to frame a house, plumming, electrical, law consultation (bar passage preferred), education and activity coordinator of a 1 1/2 year old, cooking and meal planning.

Please send resumes ASAP.

We are tired.

Details, details, details

Steve gave me the assignment to take care of the chosing and ordering of all the windows and doors to our new house. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time when I shook on it, but I am now deep in over my head.

Who knew about grids, casements vs. single hung windows, dimensions of the perimeter of the window....

I'm exhausted. After talking with a sub contractor today, I realized I better do some more homework.

I took Maddie to the cutest park (you must come with me sometime!), I drove around Los Altos getting ideas. I think I've narrowed it down.... but seriously--

Which is better:

1. Single hung windows- the ones that you pull up to open up
2. Casement windows-- ones the crank out

I just don't really know?! I guess it's just a matter of taste.

Tomorrow I'm going to try and hit the "door" store and see what types of french doors I like. I LOVE FRENCH DOORS. What a great invention. I don't know what it is about them, but they are just lovely.

I'm opinionated

Especially about politics.
Sometimes my opinions get me into trouble, but as the good old phrase says... "if you're not willing to stand up for something, then you'll fall for anything."

So- here goes--

1. I am deeply disturbed by the latest election results because they unfortunately demonstrate that negative campaigning works. Obama was doing quite well thus far until Clinton starting throwing "the kitchen sink" (as the pundits call it) at his campaign. "Obama is x, y, z." I just hated that commercial she ran about "who would you want to answer the phone in the white house at 3 am?" This was just a very low attempt to scare people into voting for her.
2. Then, when she was asked whether Obama was a Muslim... she slowly answered, as if she was puzzled, or wanted people to think he was. (She knows Obama is a Christian as they have talked about it, and he has attended the same church for 20 years or something.) Regardless- Who cares???
3. Did you see the shot when she was making fun of Obama by acting like him and saying "I have a dream etc etc?" Well, it was very offensive.

Up until Hillary started this downward spiral of throwing any and all dirt she could muster at him, the campaigns were interesting. They were actually talking about issues, worrying about how we were going to solve the problems of the world.

But now- she has turned this process into pulling the other candidate down. (should we be surprised?) Politicians are made famous for this behavior-- and this is exactly the reason why I'm not voting for her. In my opinion, she is what Washington has become and needs to change. We need someone who's first reaction is not to succumb to this nonsense.

I believe that Obama has tried to keep out of it, but because of the unfortunate reality of the situation as it now stands, he has to fight fire with fire...

which leaves the rest of us with a bad taste in our mouths.

Are we to look forward to months and months of this fighting? I really hope not.

BTW- -- I'm also disturbed by her ploy to women asking them to vote for her just because she's a woman. I hope that the feminist movement was about allowing women to use their educated minds to make decisions based on their opinions, not just because a candidate is a woman, a black, a smurf....

In the midst of this, McCain was basking in the sunshine with President Bush today. Probably thinking that he is glad that he's not in a fight with anyone....at least not for a while.

The House

This is our project of a house. It doesn't look like much, but it has come a long way. This was how the house looked like last Thursday. They worked on tearing down the outside walls...

This is a shot of most of the walls torn down-- stucco is very very very hard to get off.

Steve took a little break with Maddie. She loves going to the contruction site and playing around (ok- we don't let her "play" around of course). Usually she is just held, but she is dying to get on the ground.)

DRUM ROLL PLEASE! This is the house as it looks now! It's gone!!!! They tore down the walls (except for one and the garage) and the roof. It's just a pile of rubble.

When we look at it, it sinks in that we are in this for real. But- how exciting. I am so proud of Steve and all of his hard work. I have to admit that I am a pretty skeptical wife, but Steve always seems to pull it off- with a smile on his face.

Next up-- plumming. Then floors, and then the framing of the new house!!!