PhillyZoo

I love to experience new things with Alayna. She is the coolest, and always delivers the wow factor in word and deed when seeing something for the first time. PoppaWheel and I took off work because we wanted to be chaperons for Alayna's first daycare field trip. We thought it was important to show that we cared enough to experience such an important "first" with our daughter.

There were so many fun moments:


Alayna and her daycare boyfriend. Heretofore known as DCBF, Miles....accepting all dowry.


Alayna and her DCBF looking at the monkey cage


Alayna brushing the sheep in the children's petting zoo

Alayna and the ducks. Dare I say that was probably one of her first words. It was nice to see her face to face with her first love lol. They ran away when I snapped the pic, but you get the point...she was chasing them :)




Alayna and the hat she refused to wear in the 90+ degree heat.




I am not a super organized person, but this was a very special trip for us. I planned to avoid the $20 cheeseburgers and bring our lunches, so I made a nice spinach and chicken salad with some mushroom orzo and fresh fruit. I was really proud of me because it tasted REALLY good. Here's the recipe for the orzo:

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch frying pan over high heat. Add 12 ounces sliced mushrooms and 3/4 cup chopped shallots or onion; cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are lightly browned, 9 to 12 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add 2 more tablespoons butter and 2 cups dried orzo pasta; stir often until pasta is light golden, about 2 minutes.

3. Add 3 cups chicken broth and 1/2 cup dry sherry. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until pasta is tender to bite and most of the liquid is absorbed, 9 to 11 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick before pasta is done, add a little more broth. You can add a bit of heavy cream at the end just before serving for more creaminess.

4. Stir in 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon risotto into wide bowls and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and more parmesan cheese to taste.

Yield

Makes 3 or 4 main-dish servings

--MommaWheel

The FurryWheel That Almost Was

We were planning to get a new kitty to take of some "urban domicile issues", but yet we wanted to have a pet to grow old with BabyWheel....

For about 10 minutes, we were kitty owners, but we had to send her back. Her name was Sofia.

--MommaWheel

Life Lessons from Baby Wheel and Al Bundy

This child is obsessed with body parts. She loves pulling at ears and noses. I've almost been blinded several times as she yells out "Eye!" and then proceeds to stick her finger dead in my eye. At least she's learning so I suppose I can endure a bloody eye gouging or six. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING fascinates this child like the belly button. I don't know why that is, but she's been known to spend hours playing with it. She perpetually lifts her shirt or skirt in public to grab it. It is especially evident first thing in the morning when she gets a bottle. There's an automatic reflex to go to the belly. She doesn't think, she just acts. Once she gets the bottle, it's almost like she's in a trance -- nothing else matters. She becomes one with it.



It kind of reminds me of another influential American:



I see where she's coming from though. There are certain moments that are so comforting and relaxing that I too do the "Al Bundy". Mine is very specific. For me it's watching television with a big bag of spicy nacho cheese doritos, a cold 24oz pepsi and some twizzlers. During these moments, my brain is on energy saving mode - powered down - and I kind of forget where I am. It's extreme vegegitation. I tell you, it's almost like heaven on earth!

As I think about this now, I realize that we grown-ups need more of these moments. I cannot remember the last time I've done this. The craziness of life does not afford many opportunities. Cherish every moment you have to do this. Ah, to be a kid and to play with your belly for hours! Thank you Al and Alayna for this important life lesson! LOL.

What's your Al Bundy moment?

UPDATE: So, the wife reads my post and buys me some Doritos, a Pepsi and some Twizzlers. Ain't she sweet?! That's why I love her. She's the best mail order bride money could buy. Now, time for some delights!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!



(...runs off to go play with my belly...)

--Poppa Wheel

Mom, the Photog

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am OBSESSED with good picture taking! I mean, I love cameras, talk about cameras, everything, couple that with makeup and I am in heaven!

I got a chance to slip away and take another photography class. I am really starting to get good :) Most of my pics are of Alayna, but I think when I do landscape-type stuff, it is pretty good.

It feels great to be a wife and mom and have interests that my husband supports me in.

Here are some of my faves:














In Murrells Inlet, SC (we'll be going back again this year. If you ever get to go here, WOW, beautiful) Look how the Spanish Moss just hangs off the trees. It's so sexy to me. Reminds me of the movie, Eve's Bayou.














Murrell's Inlet again, at a botanical garden

This is not one of my faves, but I had to tell you about Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah! WE waited 4 hours in the 84 degree sun! WOOO DOOOGGGGY! Was it gooooood!!!!!!













Savannah, City Center...bustling with people, but yet stepping back in time














Sapelo Island, GA through the window of a rickety old school bus. We went to a cultural festival there in '06



--MommaWheel

My Girl Wants to Potty All the Time

Alayna is 17 months and she is changing almost everyday. She is saying new words, picking up new habits and just amazing me everyday with how God made us to be so intricate--such a miracle. I get sad when I think that she was just this small..













Then I get excited when we go swimming and she loves the water like this...
















Then, just when I think, my little girl is still little, she climbs on playground equipment like this...














When I think it's too much, and I think she's growing too fast, she shocks me when I say...Alayna, do you have to go potty? She says, "Yes." I take off her diaper and lead her to the bathroom and sit her on the big pot. She went! LOL! Now we're going to have to go buy a Dora or Elmo pot and a DVD so I can explain to her the milestone that will save us hundreds of bucks in diapers being potty trained at 17 months. Way to go, Alayna, it's all about the bottom line. Get it, bottom line, potty? HAHAHAH!

She always poses for her trigger happy, momma.













But she still curls up like my little munchkin, and is still my baby.

Back Down Memory Lane

I got this idea from Natalie's blog.

Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses.

If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

--MommaWheel

Am I a bad person?

I have this weird sense of humor. There are certain instances where if a specific event happens, I cannot contain my laughter no matter how serious the moment, irreverent and ill-timed my humor may be. There is just something incredibly hilarious about watching someone fall down the steps. I don't care if it's the President, the Pope, my pastor, my mother, or wife. Even baby girl is not exempt. Speaking of her...

We have a gate at the bottom of the steps to keep her downstairs. Sometime ago, she figured out how to move the thing out of her way. The only thing that prevents her from climbing the stairs is a firm admonition to "leave the gate alone". Well, on this particular instance, she decides to ignore my warning. So she climbs up the stairs, smiling with that impish grin. Halfway up the stairs, she thinks she's grown and decides to stand completely up on her two feet without holding onto anything. Not only does she stand up, but she had the nerve to do a little dance. Laughing, she's obviously enjoying her moment of independence because she has a look of giddiness on her face.

Now it's amazing how quickly one's demeanor can change. Suddenly she lost her balance. The look on her face turned from sheer enjoyment to sheer panic in a heartbeat. She had this look like Wile E. Coyote right before he fell off a cliff, the words plainly spoken on her face, "Oh, sweet Jesus, help me!!!!" She falls backwards down the steps, her head hitting each and every (carpeted) step. She doesn't stick the landing and lands in a heap. At least 15 seconds must have passed before even a sound came out her mouth, although her mouth was open. She was terrorized, in a state of shock.

When I saw this unfolding, two instincts automatically took over. The first instinct, was to run over to pick her body off the floor. The second instinct -- a nano-second later -- was to bust out in uncontrollable laughter. I tried to rationalize that if I laugh, she might not cry as hard. Ultimately, I realize that's incorrect. I laughed because she reminded me of a slinky falling down the stairs. The wife (if she was there at the time) would've freaked out. Me? I thought it was too funny. I'm laughing right now just thinking about it. My brain says "stop laughing you insensitive clod! You're daughter could have snapped her neck!" But I just can't help it. There's certain things in life that are priceless. That moment was one of them. But I wonder, am I a bad person?

--PoppaWheel

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

I have always been a starter and stopper when it comes to crafts. I see something I like that is just way too expensive, and I determine in my mind to make it myself. (Let's call it the pitiful version of DIY) I get all gung ho and I buy all the materials. The latest project is making hair bows for Alayna.

Alayna and I frequent baby boutiques, just ogling over the cute little bows on the racks. They can cost upwards of $8 each FOR ONE BOW! For Alayna to just rip it out of her hair or chew it or lose it at the park? No thank you. Now, there are some bows that are so big that my baby will look a like J o n B e n e t Ra m s e y (God rest her soul, but that aint the look I'm going for) :)

So, I embark on this adventure to buy all this stuff. I got ebooks to teach me how to make bows; I buy hot glue guns, ribbon, some funky chicken wire stuff, and believe it or not, I even tried to put some bows in the oven to "curl" them...no such luck. I even tried to enlist my friends to join in on the fun, but I quit before I even got started. I get so worked up and then I give up lol. HELP!

The whole point of the post was to marvel at people like my Aunt Mary who are crafty and ACTUALLY finish their projects. She knitted this hat and scarf for Alayna and this girl will wear it this winter as well!













She even sent bows that she handmade for Alayna. You'd think I would just give up on my crafts. Even when I was a stay at home mom and thought that's what we were supposed to do, lol, I never finished! My cousin, Sherrelle is the quintessential scrapbooker. I used to drool over the beautiful chronicles of life that she made for her family. I made 6, count 'em, 6 pages and that was 5 years ago. Go figure!

Whenever I finish a project, I'll keep you posted. :)

--MommaWheel

Lake George, NY

For my boss' wedding, we went to see the festivities in Lake George, NY, about a 5 hour trek from our doorstep. At first glance. the town looked like Anyresorttown, USA replete with funhouses, Ripley's Believe It or Not museums, and all the fare that comes with a town that you think is only for tourists. Boy, was I wrong.


Take one turn and you'll find yourself back at this hotel, from Dirty Dancing, well, not the real hotel, but one that reminds you of Baby and Patrick's swaying hips. Ok, so the resort from the movie was in Virginia, but you get the point. :) The view alone was enough to make us want to buy property there!

The Sagamore Hotel. Apparently Rachel Ray spends a lot of time here. Wish she would have cooked the food, but alas, the view was enough. Nestled at the base of the Adirondack Mountains and surrounded by beautiful Lake George, this place was a sight to see.














But I digress...

My boss and her husband are deaf, and what would have been a 130 guest ceremony, turned into an all eyes on us 350 person plus spectacle, and for good reason. The ceremony was done by a hearing pastor and 2 sign language interpreters. I am an interpreter by profession, so to see 2 people interpret a wedding ceremony was beautiful. They were so unobtrusive, so "not there, but there" that it was breathtaking. Here's that view I was talking about.














Whenever my husband and I go to weddings. I remember what it was like 7 years ago to say "i sure will" to my best friend. Marriage is under attack these days and people aren't doing it as often as they should, so it was good to see love can still happen.


-MommaWheel