A look back

Browsing through pictures today (when I should have been working) I couldn't believe the difference a year makes in the looks of a kid.

Example:

June 07

June 08

then and now....

Dang you Jane Eyre!

My night is ruined. I have an overwhelming amount of reading and work that needs to be done but all I can do is day dream about a Mr. Rochester and a governess, Jane Eyre. Dang it! I knew I wouldn't be able to resist when I saw the netflix envelope on my counter top. I had watched the Masterpiece Theater version (Disc 1) a week or so ago and wanted to cry when I realized that it was a two disc deal. Disc 2 came amid a crazy work schedule and a looming deadline. I put it off as long as I could. I got off today early, Silvi was taking a nap and I had dutifully completed an hours work. After that there was no stopping me. I had to watch Disc 2 and now I'm ruined!
I am an impatient person by nature and my impatience increases when I have the opportunity to step into english romance novels. I can't get enough of them! It gets really pathetic. I'm in a stooper for a day or so after finishing a book or watching a movie. My stooper is complete now. I'm listening to love songs and snuggling with my puppy (since my baby is asleep and my hubby is far away.) I'm sure I'll wake up tomorrow rational, cynical and level headed but for now I'll just wallow in dreams of meeting Mr. Rochester and/or Mr. Darcy (I'm not too picky as long as he has an english accent) in a green field where he wisks (yes, I said "wisks") me away to his mansion on the hill.....

I don't even know what is going on...

Has it really been a month since my last post. Boy, how quickly life can change. You'd think I would have learned that lesson by now, but every time life takes a left turn I'm always a little thrown off course. What am I talking about, nothing serious. Just I started nannying full time for a family of 4 in May as their existing nanny went on bedrest for her pregnancy leaving them nanny-less. I stepped in thinking it would be a great way to supplement my measly budget and the biggest bonus is that I can bring Silvia along. Swell! Not too many jobs out there that allow you to bring your kid along.
The family is nice and really I've only been watching the two youngest as the older boys were off at school. So I have Silv, a 2 year old and a 4 year old. They play pretty well together and it has given me a pretty good glimpse at what motherhood will be further on down the line.
Also, they offered me the nanny position for the fall too so my month job has now turned into full time work. I figure I can do this for a year then let life take me other places. But who would have every thought that I would turn out to be a nanny. I never, NEVER, babysat when I was a kid. Even until I had my own kid I didn't really care for kids much. I know, that is terrible to say but my patience was seriously lacking!
Anyway, I now need to leave my blogging diversion and get back to work. I am also working on facilitating a meeting for my old organization and only have a week to prepare! I'm a bit stressed to say the least.
I miss the blogging world. Hopefully I'll get to re-acquaint my self soon.

Devil inside

My daughter is a performer. I don't know where she got it (honestly). Maybe from her dad who has been known to sing Karaoke on occasion or enter a yoddling contest here or there. It doesn't matter I suppose. I am just reconciling myself to the fact that I will be paying dearly to enroll her in all sorts of dance, theater, etc lessons as she won't be able to suppress her will to show off.

Case in point: We went to a dance competition of my niece's and only after a few dances Silvia decided to take the floor. This is just one of the many video's that we took of her that day.

Make Every day Earth day

Tomorrow is Earth Day, however I don't think it gets much attention outside of the grade school classes that go out for a nature center field trip.
Here is to working toward being a better steward of the earth...today and tomorrow...even if it means I can no longer idle my car in the parking lot while eating my hormon-injected fast food out of the styrafoam container!

Yoga....not for big boned girls!

The other day I had the bright idea of going and checking out the free class at the local rec center. I was super excited and was even willing to pay $5/hour for daycare just to go the the free class (go figure) I guess I was expecting aerobics or something but was pleasantly surprised when the instructor showed up and said we were going to be doing yoga. Sweet, I can tell myself I worked out without having had to break too much of a sweat. Wrong. I'm significantly bigger since the last time I did yoga. In college I had this fantastic yoga tape that I would do and really loved it. I think that was the last time I did yoga in fact!
Needless to say it wasn't long before I was loosing my balance and feeling over-exerted from just coming up from downward dog. The funniest part was when I actually attempted balancing my body on my hands by squatting down, twisting my arms around to the outside of my legs in order to balance my weight on my hands. (can't recall the name of the position) Let's call that position "Bottom Blossum" as my a@#! was presented in all it's glory as my face was ever so gracefully smashed on the stinky mat!
I'm reverting to the yoga tape so I can maintain some shred of positive self image. There is a reason they don't make yoga pants in size 16!

Playhouse

So, one night after seeing Silvia enjoy a little girls play kitchen I decided she should have one too. Only problem is that I didn't want to drop $100 plus bucks on something I wasn't sure she would play with, not to mention I don't have $100...anyway. As I was browsing through a toddler activity book I came across the idea to make a house out of cardboard boxes. Sweet. I have plenty of those! So my journey began. First was the stove. I found some cute retro wrapping paper at the craft store that I used to cover it. I just had to wait until Silvi went to bed so I could Mod Podge it on.

next was the kitchen sink which is a work in progress...

Then, the other day as I was about to throw out a big box, I found Silvi playing in it. So rather than throw it out I decided to turn it into a playhouse. Disclaimer: I am juvenile and got hours of enjoyment out of putting this together (well not a lot of hours, maybe just 2 or 3) but I also knew that it was very likely anything I created could just as easily be destroyed by little hands! So I didn't work too hard on it.

So far Silvia seems to be enjoying it. Now my only problem is not having room for all these boxes lying around the house!