I've been trying to slowly teach Chelsea German... or at least expose her to some German, since I don't speak it fluently myself.
A little background: my mom is German and both my parents speak German fluently. I took enough German in school to get by but I wish I were more proficient. All of my mom's family still lives in Germany and I'm concerned that Chelsea will lose half her family tree if she doesn't learn to communicate with them.
A few months ago, my cousin sent Chelsea a little German songbook Sing Mit Heidi. It's a board book with German children's songs and each has a little button to push and the tune will play. Ironically, the one song that didn't work was the title song (and my namesake) Heidi.
Chelsea loved it and asked to hear it again and again. Eventually, she started singing them. I don't know why I was so surprised but it seems so amazing to me.
I asked my mom to order us a few more for Christmas and now we've got Sing Mit Biene Maja and Sing Mit Wickie. They are all huge hits with Chelsea.
The other night, we were sitting around trying to entertain the girls and distract them from their sore throats and runny noses. Jeremy had the idea to search for the German songs on youtube. I don't know how this had never occurred to either of us before.
Sure enough, there's Heidi. There's Biene Maja. And there's Wickie. (The singer of Biene Maja sounds like he's auditioning for Cabaret.)
After many months of skipping over the Heidi song, it's nice to finally hear the tune for it. It's very chipper and yodel-y, just as you would expect:
Jeremy gets a Pearl Jam song and I get this. I can't decide who wins.
---
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
25 Things
Here's my first FB tagging, thanks to my friends Cons. I'm posting it here, too, see #24.
1. I run my fingers up and down and back and forth over the buttons on the TV remote if I'm holding it. I think it's a mild version of OCD and it drives my husband crazy.
2. In 2011, Jeremy and I will have been a couple for half of our lives.
3. Both my kids were born by C-section. First one was an unplanned section.
4. I took my class on a field trip to see the movie "The Chronicles of Narnia" while I was in labor with Chelsea. (I thought it was just cramps.)
5. I graduated from college a year early, with honors. (Super nerd!)
6. I am trying to teach my children German, although I am not fluent myself.
7. My favorite Red Sox player is Jacoby Ellsbury.
8. Between 1998 and 2004, we lived in 5 different cities, in four different states. (San Diego, Washington DC, Atlanta, Savannah, and Boston)
9. I love manatees and I think they are like puppies, I want to squish their cheeks.
10. I set off the smoke alarm whenever I try to roast meat.
11. When I lived in LA, I only saw B-list celebrities: Victor from the Young and the Restless, the Olsen twins, and John Ritter.
12. I also went to school with some B-list celebrities and I always call them by their character's names: Blossom, Winnie Cooper, Urkel, and Rudy (aka Samwise Gamgee).
13. I have to put an odd number of ice cubes in my drink.
14. I love black cashmere turtleneck sweaters.
15. I have never used illegal drugs.
16. I am not religious but I have a degree in the Study of Religion.
17. I would like to have a house with a yard, a washer and dryer, and at least three bedrooms.
18. I would like to get a PhD so when people call the house and ask for Dr. Long, I can say, "Which one?"
19. I like to eat breakfast and go back to bed (but I have two little kids, so I never get to do this).
20. Both our children are named after cities: Chelsea, Michigan (where Jeremy's parents lived when he was born) and Savannah, Georgia (where Jeremy and I lived when we were first married).
21. And each of their middle names are both a color and a thing: Amber and Rose.
22. I'm the first person in my family born in the US.
23. I can make Channa Masala without a recipe.
24. I will post this on my blog (because I am lazy).
25. It took me over two hours to write this list because I was interrupted to do a craft project, play Candy Land, wipe a snotty nose, make lunch, hold a sick baby, wipe another snotty nose, give medicine, call the doctor, and help someone pee.
---
1. I run my fingers up and down and back and forth over the buttons on the TV remote if I'm holding it. I think it's a mild version of OCD and it drives my husband crazy.
2. In 2011, Jeremy and I will have been a couple for half of our lives.
3. Both my kids were born by C-section. First one was an unplanned section.
4. I took my class on a field trip to see the movie "The Chronicles of Narnia" while I was in labor with Chelsea. (I thought it was just cramps.)
5. I graduated from college a year early, with honors. (Super nerd!)
6. I am trying to teach my children German, although I am not fluent myself.
7. My favorite Red Sox player is Jacoby Ellsbury.
8. Between 1998 and 2004, we lived in 5 different cities, in four different states. (San Diego, Washington DC, Atlanta, Savannah, and Boston)
9. I love manatees and I think they are like puppies, I want to squish their cheeks.
10. I set off the smoke alarm whenever I try to roast meat.
11. When I lived in LA, I only saw B-list celebrities: Victor from the Young and the Restless, the Olsen twins, and John Ritter.
12. I also went to school with some B-list celebrities and I always call them by their character's names: Blossom, Winnie Cooper, Urkel, and Rudy (aka Samwise Gamgee).
13. I have to put an odd number of ice cubes in my drink.
14. I love black cashmere turtleneck sweaters.
15. I have never used illegal drugs.
16. I am not religious but I have a degree in the Study of Religion.
17. I would like to have a house with a yard, a washer and dryer, and at least three bedrooms.
18. I would like to get a PhD so when people call the house and ask for Dr. Long, I can say, "Which one?"
19. I like to eat breakfast and go back to bed (but I have two little kids, so I never get to do this).
20. Both our children are named after cities: Chelsea, Michigan (where Jeremy's parents lived when he was born) and Savannah, Georgia (where Jeremy and I lived when we were first married).
21. And each of their middle names are both a color and a thing: Amber and Rose.
22. I'm the first person in my family born in the US.
23. I can make Channa Masala without a recipe.
24. I will post this on my blog (because I am lazy).
25. It took me over two hours to write this list because I was interrupted to do a craft project, play Candy Land, wipe a snotty nose, make lunch, hold a sick baby, wipe another snotty nose, give medicine, call the doctor, and help someone pee.
---
Monday, January 19, 2009
"What Country You From?"
This weekend, we took the girls to a local pond for some ice skating. Actually, I did all of the ice skating and the girls sat in their little wooden sled and went for rides around the ice.
It was all very Norman Rockwell of us.
While there, a man walked past us and and told me I looked like I was from the Netherlands. Was it because I was pulling my child on an adorable, old-fashioned wooden sled (thanks, Aunt Brenda!) instead of some hideous, fluorescent pink, plastic monstrosity?
I might think so, except this wasn't the first time I've been accused of not being a native in my own country.
First time was in college. I was with a big group of students, on our way to a camping trip in Joshua Tree. On the way, we stopped at a market in the absolute middle of nowhere to load up on supplies. The market was a big grocery store, and almost entirely Mexican. Mexican products on the shelves, Mexican employees speaking only in Spanish, even the music pumping out over the store's speakers was in Spanish.
When we got to the check-out, the bagger took one look at me and said, "What country you from?"
I was like: "What country is THIS?"
Second time was in Atlanta. Jeremy had just started grad school at Georgia Tech and I sat on the floor in the school bookstore, killing time, flipping through a book. A cleaning guy pushed his vacuum over toward me and said, "What country are you from?"
Me: "This one!"
So what is it about me that inspires people to assume I'm a foreigner? My too-pale, Nordic skin? My proclivity for unusual hats? My bizarre, un-American behavior?
I'd like to think it's the fact that I'm so cosmopolitan and cool that other Americans assume I must be From Somewhere Else.
But I think it's most likely the hats.
---
It was all very Norman Rockwell of us.
While there, a man walked past us and and told me I looked like I was from the Netherlands. Was it because I was pulling my child on an adorable, old-fashioned wooden sled (thanks, Aunt Brenda!) instead of some hideous, fluorescent pink, plastic monstrosity?
I might think so, except this wasn't the first time I've been accused of not being a native in my own country.
First time was in college. I was with a big group of students, on our way to a camping trip in Joshua Tree. On the way, we stopped at a market in the absolute middle of nowhere to load up on supplies. The market was a big grocery store, and almost entirely Mexican. Mexican products on the shelves, Mexican employees speaking only in Spanish, even the music pumping out over the store's speakers was in Spanish.
When we got to the check-out, the bagger took one look at me and said, "What country you from?"
I was like: "What country is THIS?"
Second time was in Atlanta. Jeremy had just started grad school at Georgia Tech and I sat on the floor in the school bookstore, killing time, flipping through a book. A cleaning guy pushed his vacuum over toward me and said, "What country are you from?"
Me: "This one!"
So what is it about me that inspires people to assume I'm a foreigner? My too-pale, Nordic skin? My proclivity for unusual hats? My bizarre, un-American behavior?
I'd like to think it's the fact that I'm so cosmopolitan and cool that other Americans assume I must be From Somewhere Else.
But I think it's most likely the hats.
---
Friday, January 16, 2009
Baby's 1st Cupcake!
Her 1st birthday is next month, but we couldn't wait.
Cranky 3 year old
+
that-time-of-the-month mother
+
freezing cold apartment
+
free cake mix and frosting
=
time to bake some chocolate cupcakes!
Chelsea decided we should give one to Savannah and, oh my goodness. From her reaction, you would think she was on a starvation diet. I've never seen her shovel food into her mouth so quickly. (This is a child who is clearly not starving. Docs won't even tell me anymore where she falls on the weight percentiles at her check-ups. Hundred and third? Hundred and tenth? She's heavier than all babies ever?)
I'm just sorry I wasn't quick enough to get any video of it. We sure could use that ten thousand dollars.
---
Cranky 3 year old
+
that-time-of-the-month mother
+
freezing cold apartment
+
free cake mix and frosting
=
time to bake some chocolate cupcakes!
Chelsea decided we should give one to Savannah and, oh my goodness. From her reaction, you would think she was on a starvation diet. I've never seen her shovel food into her mouth so quickly. (This is a child who is clearly not starving. Docs won't even tell me anymore where she falls on the weight percentiles at her check-ups. Hundred and third? Hundred and tenth? She's heavier than all babies ever?)
I'm just sorry I wasn't quick enough to get any video of it. We sure could use that ten thousand dollars.
---
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Creating a Monster
A couple of months ago, I somehow stumbled upon Deal Finding Mom. At the time, there was a promotion at a local grocery store where you could get $15 off your next purchase if you bought $30 worth of certain items.
The thing was, you didn't really have to spend $30.
Let me try to explain. One of the items was cake mix. The regular price of the cake mix was $2 a box, but it was on sale for $1. So I could buy 15 boxes of cake mix for $15, and because it was worth $30 before the sale, I got a coupon for $15. Which I then used to go buy another 15 boxes of cake mix, for free. And got the coupons again. And used them to buy free stuff again. You see how it works?
There were only a few items that worked. But I still have soup, frozen vegetables, cake mix, and boxed Au Gratin potatoes from that promo. And it happened three months ago.
After that, I was hooked.
The store recently ran the promo again and this time, I knew how to work it a bit better than before. The trick is to combine the items on sale with coupons to make the price even lower than $15 out of pocket, while still getting $30 worth of stuff.
The most recent promo ran for a week and I was at that store every day, sometimes twice a day, sometimes hitting multiple stores. Then I would come home and spend hours scheming and planning what I was going to get on the next trip. I started dreaming of groceries and coupons. Jeremy teased me about my addiction to Slickdeals saying, "It's like coupon porn. It's cou-porn."
Lest you think I'm filling my house with cake mix and boxed potatoes, let me give you the full breakdown of what I "bought:"
34 boxes of cereal
60 diapers
180 baby wipes
66 nursing pads
4 boxes Bisquick
1 box quick potatoes
2 boxes granola bars
20 yogurts
1 Pantene shampoo
1 Pantene conditioner
8 Bounty giant rolls paper towels
18 rolls Charmin TP
1 Gillette shave gel
1 100oz Tide
1 container French Vanilla coffee
2 tubs of cake frosting (to go with all the free cake mix from last time!)
2 big containers CoffeeMate creamer
60 juice boxes
9 boxes of Gogurt
5 cans of soup
2 mini chocolate cakes
1 banana colada juice drink (mixed with rum to celebrate the bonanza!)
The retail value of the above? $390.67
Guess how much I spent. I dare you.
$41.54
And? AND!!? I still have $15 to spend on my next trip.
I'm pretty sure I won't have to buy cereal, coffee, or paper towels for the remainder of the time we live in Massachusetts. And I won't need to buy creamer, juice, toilet paper, or laundry soap for a couple of months at least.
Oh, and we'll be eating pancakes every weekend. For a while.
There were lots of people working this sale the way I was and many doing a much, much better job. I bought all of the above in 12 transactions. There were people who did 12 transactions per day. I can only imagine what their garages must look like.
During the week of the sale, I abandoned not only my own blog but all of my usual blog reading. Now that it's over, I'm happy to have my evenings back but feeling a little bit of coupon withdrawal.
Coupons are the new crack.
---
The thing was, you didn't really have to spend $30.
Let me try to explain. One of the items was cake mix. The regular price of the cake mix was $2 a box, but it was on sale for $1. So I could buy 15 boxes of cake mix for $15, and because it was worth $30 before the sale, I got a coupon for $15. Which I then used to go buy another 15 boxes of cake mix, for free. And got the coupons again. And used them to buy free stuff again. You see how it works?
There were only a few items that worked. But I still have soup, frozen vegetables, cake mix, and boxed Au Gratin potatoes from that promo. And it happened three months ago.
After that, I was hooked.
The store recently ran the promo again and this time, I knew how to work it a bit better than before. The trick is to combine the items on sale with coupons to make the price even lower than $15 out of pocket, while still getting $30 worth of stuff.
The most recent promo ran for a week and I was at that store every day, sometimes twice a day, sometimes hitting multiple stores. Then I would come home and spend hours scheming and planning what I was going to get on the next trip. I started dreaming of groceries and coupons. Jeremy teased me about my addiction to Slickdeals saying, "It's like coupon porn. It's cou-porn."
Lest you think I'm filling my house with cake mix and boxed potatoes, let me give you the full breakdown of what I "bought:"
34 boxes of cereal
60 diapers
180 baby wipes
66 nursing pads
4 boxes Bisquick
1 box quick potatoes
2 boxes granola bars
20 yogurts
1 Pantene shampoo
1 Pantene conditioner
8 Bounty giant rolls paper towels
18 rolls Charmin TP
1 Gillette shave gel
1 100oz Tide
1 container French Vanilla coffee
2 tubs of cake frosting (to go with all the free cake mix from last time!)
2 big containers CoffeeMate creamer
60 juice boxes
9 boxes of Gogurt
5 cans of soup
2 mini chocolate cakes
1 banana colada juice drink (mixed with rum to celebrate the bonanza!)
The retail value of the above? $390.67
Guess how much I spent. I dare you.
$41.54
And? AND!!? I still have $15 to spend on my next trip.
I'm pretty sure I won't have to buy cereal, coffee, or paper towels for the remainder of the time we live in Massachusetts. And I won't need to buy creamer, juice, toilet paper, or laundry soap for a couple of months at least.
Oh, and we'll be eating pancakes every weekend. For a while.
There were lots of people working this sale the way I was and many doing a much, much better job. I bought all of the above in 12 transactions. There were people who did 12 transactions per day. I can only imagine what their garages must look like.
During the week of the sale, I abandoned not only my own blog but all of my usual blog reading. Now that it's over, I'm happy to have my evenings back but feeling a little bit of coupon withdrawal.
Coupons are the new crack.
---
Monday, January 12, 2009
Year in Review
Questions courtesy of Robyn who apparently took them from All and Sundry. Thanks to both!
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Saw Chris Rock perform live.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No and (therefore) no. My resolution is always the same: lose weight. I am alternately trying really hard or giving up.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Four of my friends from playgroup and me.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Does the Labor and Delivery floor count as a foreign country?
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Splenda in my coffee. (i.e. a weaned babe)
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2-28-08, Savannah's birth date.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
See number 7. (Jeez, my year was a touch baby-dominated, no?)
9. What was your biggest failure?
Screwing up my knees by running.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
See number 9. Plus, pregnancy tumor requiring minor plastic surgery to the lip. Ouch.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Nothing, I am cheap. All the best stuff was either free (train table, big girl bed) or a gift (Ugg boots, iPod, concert tickets).
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My girls'. My husband's.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
People who voted for Prop 8. People who thought Sarah Palin would have made a good president. *shudder*
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent. Groceries. Diapers.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Jeremy accepting a job in San Diego.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I don't listen to music enough to even know what songs came out this year. Probably the theme song to Thomas and Friends.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier. WAY thinner. (I was big, big pregnant.) And poorer. Two out of three, not bad.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spending time with friends.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Not traveling and not hosting. Just us.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
It was Survivor. I'm a loser, but I still love that show.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. Actually, I am friends again with at least one person I had abandoned. (Thanks, Facebook.)
24. What was the best book you read?
Most addictive: Twilight.
Best non-fiction: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell.
Best fiction: Atonement? (I have a hard time remembering what I've read.)
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Flight of the Conchords. (Not really music and not really my discovery. As established, I'm lame.)
26. What did you want and get?
An iPod.
27. What did you want and not get?
A new computer.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Dark Knight. It was the one I was most excited about and we got to see it under the best possible circumstances: in an IMAX theater while grandparents were babysitting.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Weekend with friends on the Cape. Had a giant chocolate cake. Ran for 33 minutes (which is a lot, for me) because I turned 33.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If the economy hadn't tanked.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
It's ok to wear maternity shirts after you are no longer pregnant.
32. What kept you sane?
Rare but much-appreciated babysitting from YMCA ladies, grandparents, and friends.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I still like that kid from Prison Break.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election and gay marriage.
35. Who did you miss?
All of our family and friends in California. Our friends from Jeremy's time in grad school who are now spread out all over the country.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Mr. Blogger.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
The Golden Rule applies to children as well. I have to treat them the way I want them to treat me. (Easy to apply for things like spanking, harder for things like using an angry voice.)
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Yeah... no.
---
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Saw Chris Rock perform live.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No and (therefore) no. My resolution is always the same: lose weight. I am alternately trying really hard or giving up.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Four of my friends from playgroup and me.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Does the Labor and Delivery floor count as a foreign country?
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Splenda in my coffee. (i.e. a weaned babe)
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2-28-08, Savannah's birth date.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
See number 7. (Jeez, my year was a touch baby-dominated, no?)
9. What was your biggest failure?
Screwing up my knees by running.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
See number 9. Plus, pregnancy tumor requiring minor plastic surgery to the lip. Ouch.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Nothing, I am cheap. All the best stuff was either free (train table, big girl bed) or a gift (Ugg boots, iPod, concert tickets).
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My girls'. My husband's.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
People who voted for Prop 8. People who thought Sarah Palin would have made a good president. *shudder*
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent. Groceries. Diapers.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Jeremy accepting a job in San Diego.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I don't listen to music enough to even know what songs came out this year. Probably the theme song to Thomas and Friends.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier. WAY thinner. (I was big, big pregnant.) And poorer. Two out of three, not bad.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spending time with friends.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Not traveling and not hosting. Just us.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
It was Survivor. I'm a loser, but I still love that show.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. Actually, I am friends again with at least one person I had abandoned. (Thanks, Facebook.)
24. What was the best book you read?
Most addictive: Twilight.
Best non-fiction: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell.
Best fiction: Atonement? (I have a hard time remembering what I've read.)
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Flight of the Conchords. (Not really music and not really my discovery. As established, I'm lame.)
26. What did you want and get?
An iPod.
27. What did you want and not get?
A new computer.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Dark Knight. It was the one I was most excited about and we got to see it under the best possible circumstances: in an IMAX theater while grandparents were babysitting.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Weekend with friends on the Cape. Had a giant chocolate cake. Ran for 33 minutes (which is a lot, for me) because I turned 33.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If the economy hadn't tanked.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
It's ok to wear maternity shirts after you are no longer pregnant.
32. What kept you sane?
Rare but much-appreciated babysitting from YMCA ladies, grandparents, and friends.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I still like that kid from Prison Break.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election and gay marriage.
35. Who did you miss?
All of our family and friends in California. Our friends from Jeremy's time in grad school who are now spread out all over the country.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Mr. Blogger.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
The Golden Rule applies to children as well. I have to treat them the way I want them to treat me. (Easy to apply for things like spanking, harder for things like using an angry voice.)
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Yeah... no.
---
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Perfect Morning
Kids slept in.
Snow on the ground.
Gingerbread pancakes.
Does it get any better than this?
---
Snow on the ground.
Gingerbread pancakes.
Does it get any better than this?
---
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