rockstar vs boyfriend

You know that feeling when you've been wearing boyfriend jeans for the past 6-12 months and you finally order a different style in the same size that is tried and true and they are slightly tighter than you're used to and give that 'way-too-high-to-still-be-considered-love-handles belly roll' but you really love them and you don't want to return them for the next size up and maybe this slight tightness will be the push you need to start really trying to get in shape so you keep them knowing you're going to hold them closed with a ponytail holder to smooth the stomach lines?

Me either, asking for a friend.

Leia

a wrinkle in time

Fourteen was A Wrinkle in Time. Lately most of the books I've picked up have been due to the fact that there is an imminent screen adaptation coming. Oh well! 

With this one there was literally no way I was going to resist. When I saw the cast I might've fan girl screamed. Not just internally.

 Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon and mother fucking OPRAH?! Erm, dream team if you ask me! Collectively they are a writer, have book clubs (one that has an emblem you're probably familiar with) and their OWN television network and can seemingly do no bad to anyone. The choice to read this book was almost a no brainer.

I'm not sure what age group this book is really for and unsure if it's assigned in elementary or middle for reading. It was a good book but it definitely escalated quickly. This is something that could easily be determined from the size of the book. Looking at the stance of a younger person reading it's probably better that things kept rapidly happening. Attention span and memory retention would be factors for a good quick story with lots of high points.

"Mrs. Whatsit?" Aunt Beast was puzzled. "Oh, child, your language is so utterly simple and limited that it has the effect of extreme complication."

Haha, if there was ever a quote about communication that spoke to my soul, it's that one.



Excited for the film!
Leia

piper hazel is three

Okay so we're almost ten days into Piper's third year and I thought I would finally share some pictures from her birthday.

This is the first year that it worked out where her birthday was on a weekend so it was the first year we had her party on her birthday! It was so nice doing it this way. We woke up and had the morning to be special with her and she got to open her gifts, and then she got to celebrate with everyone in the afternoon.

She did not request much of anything besdies pink and blue balloons and Paw Patrol. If you know me, you know how much I hate character themed stuff for kids, but hey; Piper goes crazy for that stuff and it was after all, her day. We set her up with some Paw Patrol balloons (along with her requested pink and blue ones) and a t-shirt with her favorite pup and she was ready to party.

The menu was simple and was almost entirely made up of salads. Pasta salad, taco salad, broccoli salad and there were my usual meatballs and other snacks. The guest list was small but had the most children ever in attendance. As the years go on I'm happy for the laid back calmness of our gatherings. I am dreading the day they want to invite their whole class.

Then it was off to presents and cake! The very first thing Piper opened was a pair of slippers. Her 'slips'. She kept them on for the remainder of the party, throughout the evening, slept in them, and didn't take them off until dinner the next day. She took about forty years to open the rest after showing everything to all her grandmas every single time. I am so grateful for everyone that came and for the gifts she got. She genuinely loved everything she got.

I honestly just can't believe she is three already. And I know damn well I'm going to be saying this each and every year after this, too. When Kennedy turned three I felt like she was so grown up. Granted, I feel like Piper is grown up, too but I still feel like she is very much a baby. Maybe it's because she's my youngest and still technically my baby.

And also I've really come to realize that it's hard to document events like this when all you want to do is be in on the action.

Threenager.

Leia

made with real cheese

It's Thursday and JESUS has this week been dragging.

So far today has consisted of me debating how early is too early to eat flamin' hot cheetos and how much is too many stale flamin' hot cheetos to eat?

My only other dilemma is the fact that it's not Friday.

Leia

adelie, chinstrap, emperor, gentoo

You know that feeling when you work a five hour overtime shift and you don't have to interact with anyone so you finish almost an entire Netflix season? Yeah, me either.

But if I had, it might've been Atypical and I might've fallen in love.

"Humans can't be perfect because we are not machines."

Since I don't have a child with a special need or disability, I can only imagine what families who do go through. Being an outsider though, I imagine that the emotions and struggles the character to endure to be accurate to an extent. Maybe not every member feels the strain at all times, but if they didn't we wouldn't have a good TV show now would we?

If you're looking for a show that has a bit of everything this is one for you. There are only 8 episodes and they are about 30 minutes each. You probably wouldn't even feel like a bum if you watched them all in one sitting. Just sayin'.

Penguin.

Leia

happy birthday average mom

Happy birthday to the blog. Two years. Not much to show besides some great memories in the life of me.

 ^^ first failed naked cake attempt

 Somehow all seven of these parties seem like they flew by faster than all the posts I've written here.

I'm still just a toddler.

Leia

rich people problems

Lucky #13? Rich People Problems did not disappoint. This glorious brain child-saga from Kevin Kwan is one of my favorites. Somewhat comparable to the Babe Walker and White Girl Problems.

Rich People Problems is the third installment. It follows behind Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend. If you are a fan of satire, sarcasm, and luxury this is definitely a book for you.
Footnotes throughout to help you understand various pop culture references, familial ties, and old Asian women swears, curses, and rituals although I have never cross referenced and some seem too far fetched to be real! This just adds to the experience and I love every moment.

For instance at a celeb filled multi-million dollar party to unveil a completely revamped McMansion after divorce hearings and wedding vows:

"It's such a trip, all that's missing are the quaaludes!" Michael Kors* said.
*Michael, Project Runway just hasn't been the same without you. Pleeeeeeeeeeeese come back.

"Sek si gau!"* Ah Ling muttered angrily.
*Cantonese for "shit-eating-bastard."

These characters. You love to hate them and want to hear every last gooey bit of gossip or mishap. You want to rip your hair out at some of their outlandish purchases or wonder where you'd put some of the items or wish they had bought it in a different color. Buy a copy, borrow a copy from a smart friend who bought the book themselves, check a copy out from you library.. whatever you have to do I recommend to have this story in your mitts.

Rachel + Nick FOREVA.
Leia

and week one is done

We successfully completed the first week back to school. Kennedy hates technology class just as much as she hated it last year; I'm hoping it'll change as the year goes on but if it doesn't at least she only has to sit through it once a week!

Unsure if I'm going to attempt First Grade Fun Facts because of how well I failed at updating kindergarten knowledge weekly aaaaand she's already told me that she didn't learn anything this week. One thing I am beaming with pride with though is the fact that Kennedy wanted to match me. After I brought home some of the items I bought for her for school she questioned with wide and excited eyes, "CAN YOU PLEASE WEAR YOUR JEANS AND SHIRT LIKE THIS TOMORROW?!"

Needless to say, I obliged. It was almost more emotional than her first day of first grade. Her jeans have a raw edge hem as well.

Old Navy for the kid twinning WIN.

Leia

conversations with piper

These are posts that I could've started awhile ago, but hey! Better late than never! Piper, she's a smart little whipper snapper and sometimes she makes my jaw drop with some of her actions and words. She also keeps my heart rate steadily raised with her injuries and antics. 

Me: "Alright Piper, time to get your blankie and head upstairs!"

Piper: "No, I don't need to!"

M: "Okay, do I need to spank you?"

P: "Oh, okay! I can get my blankie!!!!!" *zooms to get her blankie*

Kids are the best.

Leia

first grade

How have we gotten here? Summer just started like last week, right? I'll save the more gushy post for her SIXTH birthday next month.

Kennedy's First Day of: First grade!

Date: September 5, 2017. Just now realized I wrote the wrong damn year! Haha, I swear tah gawd.

My teacher is: Mrs. Miller.

I am: 5 years old.

When I grow up I want to be: A veterinarian.

I love: horses.

Well to start I'm probably going to go home, fix the board and retake the pictures for the future. No shame in my "like it never even happened" game! Most likely not for the internet's purposes but for my own record keeping.

First grade started giving me gray hairs beginning last week. Last Tuesday, exactly one week before classes were set to start we get a call from her school saying that Kennedy's teacher/room assignment were getting changed because of the addition of a classroom opening up. Do not get me wrong, I am so happy that the classroom ratio was going down and each student will get more individual attention. Why this upset me. Kennedy was excited about her teacher that assigned almost three weeks before. We had all the required supplies. We had gotten multiple communications from her teacher introducing herself on brightly colored postcards. AND she was going to be in class with her best friend. Then at open house we met the new teacher. I'm sure she's going to be great and that Kennedy is going to have a wonderful school year. But I was handed a four page packet with no pizazz and no supply list. 

The top is obviously the first set of paperwork I got and filled out. The second is what I got and had to fill out again. YES I KNOW, there are worse things. Yes I know that teachers all have different budgets and yes I know that this was just as last minute for her as it was for us. We have a great school system in our city and I can show you our tax bill to support it. Whatever, it's behind us and I'm eager to check in on her after I get out of work to see how her first day went.

Stuntin' in her Sketchers.
Leia

into the water

Half of my books are done for the year but I've been extremely slow to update. Into the Water was 12, but I'm currently reading number 15. If you follow along on Instagram it probably seems like ages ago I posted that I was reading this one.

I was really excited for this book because of how much I loved The Girl on the Train. Not to discourage anyone from reading this one, I would recommend reading it BEFORE you read The Girl on the Train. Granted, this book was good. But compared to her first book it was just sort of lackluster.

I had expected a plot twist, but this one involved two 'twists' near the end. As a reader I was angry at the twist. I couldn't understand Paula's reasoning! Why, Paula, why?! This is not AT ALL what I was hypothesizing! Then the story goes on some more, and she hits you with another twist. I was still too upset about the first one to even enjoy the ending. 

It was like when I read Gone Girl before reading any of Gillian Flynn's other books. The others were still good, but, like.. not as good?

#averagemomreads

Leia