Useless fun fact of the day...

Yesterday as I was feeding Carsten his lunch, I was hoping that it was enough to fill him up... enough calories to do the job. You see, Carsten never wants to eat whether he is hungry or not, so I can't trust him to make sure he gets enough. If I left it up to him, he would only eat enough to sustain a newborn. But, I digress...

So, as I was wondering this, I started to try and estimate how many calories he was taking in from the food I was giving him, which led to another interesting thought... How do they figure out how many calories are in a food? So, what did I do? Well, I asked the walking encyclopedia of useless information... my husband. And yes, believe it or not, he knew. Here is the answer, which, for some reason, I thought was really interesting:

Heat is applied to whatever food they are trying to determine the caloric count of (an apple, a candy bar, a piece of bacon, etc.) and the caloric count is the amount of heat energy that it takes to disenergrate (sp?) the food item... until it is gone... burned to nothing. This makes perfect sense. The more calories a food has, the longer we are full... the more energy it gives us. When the calories are gone (or disenergrated), then we are hungry again. We burn the calories of an apple much sooner than we burn the calories of a hot dog. In Europe, calories are not calories, they are called "Energy", which I think is a better description of what a calorie really is.

Sorry for the bore of an entry today, but at least you learned something. And without knowledge, we are but a bunch of mindless Paris Hilton or "W" clones.

I feel like I am living on a freakin' farm!

Cock-a-doodle-do... Cock-a-doodle-do... Cock-a-doodle-do!!

Our neighbors in the neighborhood adjacent to ours have a freakin' rooster in their backyard! When you are in the office in our house all you hear all day long is that damn rooster sounding off. I thought that roosters only called out in the morning??... not this rooster - he never shuts up! Stupid ass rooster only has one job in life and he can't even get it right. Will somebody please put that rooster out of it's misery?! Has someone not informed these people that we live in the hood, not on a farm?!

As I sit here and write this, this is all I hear...

Cock-a-doodle-do... Cock-a-doodle-do... Cock-a-doodle-do!!
Cock-a-doodle-do... Cock-a-doodle-do... Cock-a-doodle-do!!
Cock-a-doodle-do... Cock-a-doodle-do... Cock-a-doodle-do!!
Over... and over... and over...

I think I am going to lose my mind listening to that damn bird! I wonder what that rooster eats? Maybe I could lace some food with some cyanide and throw it over the fence... they would never know it was me... Hummmm...

A day in the sun...

We decided to get out of the house today and take advantage of the beautiful weather. The weather has been so awful lately... damp, cloudy, and depressing that we were in desperate need of a dose of sunshine! We spent the afternoon at Mercer Aboretum and Botantical Gardens in Humble. We had our engagement pictures taken here and we have been meaning to return for a while now. I was surprised at how "colorful" the gardens were considering Spring hasn't really sprung yet. This place is really an oasis in this hell hole we call Houston. It is such a serene and peaceful place that you almost forget that you are in one of the biggest cities in the nation. It is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Best of all - it is free!! :-) For all of you that have small children, there is an awesome playground on the east side of the park! I have never seen such an elaborate set up. Carsten had a great time exploring it all!

Sunday escape...

Thanks Pookie!

Yesterday evening Danyel and I decided to meet up at one of our old favorite restaurants on the north side of town. I was running errands in the area and he had just left work. When I got there, he was already there inside waiting for us. He could see me walking up to the restaurant through the window. After I met him inside and situated Carsten in the highchair he looked at me and said:

"I was watching you get out of the car and walk up to the restaurant. I was thinking to myself how hot you looked. I am really lucky to have such a beautiful wife."

I kind of chuckled and said, "Oh, yea, really?"

He said, "Yea, of course."

I said, "Are you serious???"

He said, "Yeah, of course I am!"

Don't get me wrong - he says nice things all the time, but in a different context. Like, we will be hugging and he will say how lucky he is to have me as his wife or whatever. Or he'll say it in hopes of scoring brownie points with me or doing some other type of scoring, if you get my drift. :-) Not that that doesn't count because it does, but I guess when you are being affectionate to each other, you expect things like that to be said. But when the compliment just comes out of nowhere, it seems to be more meaningful and sincere. I am sure you ladies out there know exactly what I mean. Anyways, I especially like it when he compliments my "hotness" because God knows that I rarely feel "hot" anymore. I just feel like a frumpy mommy most of the time! It's nice that he is there to remind me that I am a woman, not just a mother. Thanks for making my day, Pookie.

Remember to stop and smell the roses, my friends...

This rose comes from one of my rose bushes. It was the lone rose. I thought that it was the perfect rose. It is a beautiful shade of pink and the smell is unbelievable. The picture does not do it justice.

It reminded me of a conversation over email that I had with a friend yesterday. This rose is for you, Bird... :-)

Lost and Found

Last night I had a dream and an old college roommate and friend of mine was in it. I don't even remember what the dream was about. But, I woke up thinking, "I wonder what happened to her?" It's probably been about four years or so since I last heard from her. So, I googled her name and ended up finding her email address. So, I emailed her. I wasn't really expecting to get a reply... just thought I would give it a shot. Within a couple of hours she emailed me back! How crazy is that! Come to find out she lives really close to me in the Heights. We decided to meet up sometime soon.

Life is crazy. We lose touch with people so easily and really for no reason at all - it just happens... and these are people that at one time were a big part of our lives. Life just gets in the way, you go down different paths, you grow apart... various reasons, I guess. It's like you talk to them one day and then a week goes by, and then a month, and then a year. Before you know it they feel worlds away, but come to find out, they have been right around the corner the whole time. :-)

Mysterious Nervous Stomach

For a couple of weeks now I have had this nervous stomach thing going on. I just have this uneasy feeling... not like my usual self. It's like the feeling you get when you are stressed, worried about something, or unhappy. As far as I know, I am not stressed out or worried about anything or unhappy. Maybe something bad is about to happen... maybe my body is just a little ahead of the game. It is very strange...

The last time I had this problem was right after Carsten was born... when I wasn't getting enough sleep and was a little bit of a nervous wreck trying to adjust to life with a newborn. After an extensive (not to mention expensive and unpleasant) colonoscopy, it ended up that I was just having a bout of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). TMI... I know. Anyways, after Carsten started sleeping through the night and became less colicky it just went away. Now, it seems as if it is coming back. But, I can't figure out why??? It is a stress induced problem and like I said, I don't feel as if I am under any stress right now. I got to figure this one out and nip it in the bud.

The Constant Gardeners

More Enchanted Rock...

TOP: Danyel at the peak of the rock
BOTTOM: Us on the way back down still near the peak

Enchanted Rock State Park

The second pic from the top is the view of Enchanted Rock right as you come in the park. If you look close, you can see people hiking to the top. The next picture is one that I took of the view from the top of the rock (@400 ft up).

Pictures from Saturday...

TOP: Us at Torre di Pietra Winery
MIDDLE: Bell Mountain Winery (me with the winemaker's wife)
BOTTOM: Us at Cottage Cafe

Best Valentine Weekend Ever!!

This past weekend Danyel and I went to Fredericksburg to celebrate Valentines Day. Last Valentines Day was nothing but a blur of dirty diapers and sleepless nights, so we decided to go all out this year. It was one of my most favorite vacations ever... no lie! Leaving Carsten behind was really hard on me at first... more than a few tears were shed (by me, not by him). But, my sadness was cured as soon as we arrived Friday night to our beautiful B&B and jumped into the hot tub with a good bottle of wine. Saturday we had a wonderful breakfast at the B&B, where we met several other couples, one of which was on their first vacation away from their 10 month old daughter. Then, we started touring the local wineries at 10 a.m. We had lunch at this wonderful little restaurant called the Herb Garden and then continued with our wine touring. The last winery we went to had a great little band playing in their tasting room that we sat and listened to for awhile. That evening, we ate dinner at this great restaurant called The Cottage Cafe, where we finished off yet another bottle of wine. The day was just perfect and we capped it off in the hot tub at the B&B (minus the wine - our insides were already starting to pickle). On Sunday, after another excellent breakfast at the B&B, we headed out to Enchanted Rock. We climbed to the top of the 465 foot summit (well, I pussed out about 50 feet from the top, while Danyel finished the climb). It was quite a work out and much higher than it looked. It was very windy at the top and the climb got pretty steep. My fear of heights kicked in and thoughts of tumbling to my death and my son becoming momless haunted me. However, the view was amazing. After the climb, we drove back into town (the winding drive was enough to make me lose my breakfast) and we did a little shopping before heading home around 12:30 p.m. I was done. We had such a wonderful time, but were ready to be reunited with Carsten. The anticipation just about killed me on the way home!

Vacations before Carsten were always great, but this one was very special. I didn't realize how much we needed this time alone together. It is so easy to lose sight of each other in day to day life tending to Carsten. We were able to focus completely on each other. I know that Danyel really relished all the attention!! I loved getting out of mommy mode and just really enjoyed loving all over Pookie! We made every second count and cherished every moment. We just appreciated the whole experience so much more than any other vacation we have taken in the past pre-Carsten.

Nonsense ramblings of a housewife...

Today as I was cleaning the bathroom with my favorite cleaning product in the whole wide world - Scrubbing Bubbles - I started to wonder if everyone knows how awesome this stuff is? I think that most people clean their countertops and tubs with Soft Scrub, which is so old school. Am I the only one that knows the secret (besides my mother who brought Scrubbing Bubbles into my life at an early and impressionable age)? All you have to do is spray down your countertops, bathtub, shower, etc., let it sit for a couple of minutes, and whala! With just a quick wipe of a wet washcloth you are done! This stuff is like magic - it cuts through soap scum, dried toothpaste, the unidentifiable stuff all over my husbands vile sink, mold, and even the rust ring that the shaving cream can leaves behind! Why would anyone use bleach scrub and a brush??? It takes so much more effort to do the same job and it leaves all that nasty sandy crap all over the place... no matter how many times you rinse it off.

Yes, this is my life. Make fun if you wish, but I bet my bathroom is cleaner than yours anyday, punk.

This would have been a great picture... minus the snotty nose!

"The Five People That You Meet in Heaven" : A Movie Review

I have been meaning to write about this movie now for over a week... Last weekend Danyel and I rented this made for TV movie called "The Five People You Meet in Heaven". I know, I know... made for TV movies are so sappy and cheesy, but this one was not... I swear. My mom actually gave me this book to read shortly after I had Carsten, but needless to say, I never found the time to read it. For me, this was one of those movies that I continued to think about well after it was over. This movie was very powerful in the sense that it really drove home the point that everything does happen for a reason... the good... and the bad. ALL things that happen in our lives are POSITIVE... you just don't always realize it and sometimes have to look really hard for it. It is about this guy who does maintenance on carnival rides... something he has done his whole life. He dies trying to save a little girl from a falling carriage ride. He goes to heaven and proceeds to meet 5 people that shaped his life... some are obvious, like his wife who passed away at a young age... some are not so obvious - people he didn't even know. It seems on the surface that this guy has had a life full of despair and broken dreams. After closer examination, his life has actually been quite righteous and all the glory of heaven awaits him. As he continues his journey throughout the movie meeting these 5 people, he desperately wants to know if he was able to save the little girl, but he doesn't find out until he meets his fifth person. The fifth person is the most dramatic and really drives home the whole lesson of the movie. I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone, so I won't go into anymore detail. I am so glad that I watched this movie, for it really did re-strengthen my faith in just trusting in God's plan and in the fairness of fate. I highly recommend it!!!

"Mr. C"

Carsten and his shampoo Mohawk

Seeking just a few moments of peace...

Danyel: "Are you taking a dump in there?" (to me as I sit on the toilet in our bathroom reading with the door closed. I had been in there for awhile, so he came looking for me.)

Me: "No."

Danyel: "Are you hiding?"

Me: "Yes."