Fun at the Park!!

Imagine our delight when the weather was in the mid to high 50s this past weekend and we actually got to walk to the park! You know, we hadn't been since January!!






I love watching this girl walk.




Evan was really excited to get to play again. He's been begging to go to the park for weeks now!!





Julia followed Elisabeth everywhere! Thankfully, Elisabeth is a fabulous big sister and actually plays with Julia.






I love these two.

This would be a very angry Julia protesting having to go home.

She stares longingly back at the other children still getting to play.

Those other parents are not near as mean and nasty as her own parents.

Poor Julia.

I like Evan.

Sometimes I hate reading magazines geared towards women. It's not because of the constant beauty tips and how-to's (although, that is a giant reason). It's not because they're constantly making me feel bad for not feeling bad that I don't want to pay a bajillion dollars on clothes and decorations for my house (cause I don't). What really gets me upset, is how the editors and writers in these magazines assume that my husband and every other husband is an idiot and that I need to read their articles to learn how to make my "hubby" do what I want him to do without seeming like a bitch or a nag or a psycho.

And it's not just magazines. How many commercials are out there that depict the husband/father figure as a full blown idiot who either can't eat or drink without spilling bright red things all over the floor (paper towel commercials) or choose the correct food for the kids (all JIF commercials) or manage the children (most commercials with a family unit involved).

What really got me riled up about this was the Olympics. Every other commercial were these very heart warming scenes of moms taking their young kids to hockey practices or ice skating or talking about how saving money right now is their way of helping their kids achieve their dreams down the road. And while a few of them were cute and right on target, all of them--ALL OF THEM--ended with, "Thanks, Mom." Not, "Thanks Mom and Dad" or even a separate one that said, "Thanks, Dad". They were all geared towards moms.

So, who do you think that made Apollo Ono's dad feel? Cause he raised Apollo solo after he and his wife divorced. It was Apollo's dad who took him to practices, paid for those dangerously sharp speed skates, and has been in the stands cheering him on for 3 Olympics now.

I guess what gets me so riled up about this, is that I really like Evan.



A lot.

We've been together since high school (11 years in April), and while I could make a list of things that he does that make me roll my eyes and sigh impatiently, I won't. Why? Because #1.that's not very respectful of him and our relationship and #2.dude, I don't want him making a comment on this post about all of my flaws. That'd be embarrassing.

Evan and I are complete partners in parenting. Just because I'm the mom doesn't mean that I am the parenting leader. Evan is so natural at being a dad. We both knew that being male and female doesn't mean that there are different levels of parenting responsibilities. It's both of us, day in and day out, that are raising our girls. Now, that doesn't mean that we don't disagree on things or fight over who's the most tired and grumpy. Cause we do. But, I know that I can depend on him to being the strong one when the girls have beaten me down to a mommy-blob. And I have learned when Evan could use a break for a while, too.

I'm not out to start a women vs. men war. Every one of us make rude, sexist assumptions that are unfair and uncalled for. I realize that there are a lot of couples out there who do have problems maintaining balance in their relationships. I don't want to minimize their hardships.

I'm not wanting to say that there haven't been commercials where women are depicted as idiots. I've seen some of the old commercials (or, heck, even the new ones where the woman of the house is so in love with the new Swiffer Sweeper, because she's the woman and must clean all the floors. Um, in my house, that would be Evan who appreciates anything that cleans the floors better, not me).

I would just like to see a few more things in the media showing the husband/father figure in a caring, competent manner without the wife/mother figure behind him fixing all the things he did wrong.

Because, my husband? Well, I think he's fantastic and I definitely do not tell him that enough. I mean, if you had to deal with me and still managed to be sane, you'd be fantastic too.

Cause I totally make him play Yahtzee with me, even though he hates it.


And even though we disagree, we don't really fight.


He makes me laugh till I snort. And does little things to make me happy, like saving the last Diet Coke in the house for me or letting me read and ignore the world even though he'd rather be talking my ear off.


But, most importantly, he's a fabulous parent. Fabulous.


You know how I know he's such a great dad? Well, the girls absolutely adore him.












Of course, he had an excellent role model on how to be a good father.


I am quite lucky.

Random thoughts and pictures.

-I am very ready for spring to officially be here. I am tired of not being able to go outside at will. I am also excited about my potted plant garden that I will be planting this year. So far, I am definitely planting basil, tomatoes, oregano, cilantro, dill and strawberries.



-I am reading a book that I'd rather be watching a documentary on tv about. I'm almost done though. And I like it. But, I'd rather be watching it and crocheting while listening to people talk about it.



-I do not know what to do about Elisabeth. She had a horrific day of poor listening. She forgets what we tell her to do the second after we've told her. I think she needs a brain transplant. Although, the check list is working out well. Maybe I should limit TV. As in, almost cut it out entirely. I will ponder this more...



-St. Patrick's Day is fastly approaching. I'm going to have to think of how the leprechaun has alluded her trap once again...



-Evan and I are almost done with season 1 of The Sopranos. Excellent show. Ten years later, of course.



-I wish I had been alive in the 60s to see Sinatra play The Sands. I would have been in pure heaven. Sigh.



-I kind of worked out at the gym today. I super didn't want to go, but made myself anyway. I walked started walking my regular two miles but stopped after one because the old man next to me was screaming at the old man next to him. I left before recommending hearing aids, which would have been rude. Then I went to ride a bike and managed to sit on the only two bikes that were out of service with giant signs saying "OUT OF SERVICE". Once I got over being an idiot, I rode one for a while. Then, I couldn't find the cleaning spray, so I used the guy's next to me and managed to squirt his leg with the cleaner. He was nice about it, but when I tripped over my bike trying to put the cleaner back and managed to squirt the lady next to him in the leg as well, I went to get Julia and call it a day.



-I am of the opinion that the Food Network shows influences you to talk to yourself while you are cooking as if you have an audience. Not that I am speaking from experience or anything...And why is it that the Barefoot Contessa always has friends over who are so "shocked" that she's made these fabulous meals? And why does she seem to think we all have endless butchers at our disposal? And how much liquor does Sandra Lee have in her house? Because her "cocktail times" always need random liquors that I do not own or have even heard of. I kind of think she's a lush. And I really, really wish that Giada (aka: The Boob Lady) would quit saying pasta with an Italian accent. Dude, you have a Californian accent. Deal.



-Julia does not like it when I dance. She's kind of rude about it. I don't think I dance that poorly. It's not like I'm Elaine Benes. She also doesn't like it when I sing either. Actually...no one really does. Sigh.



-After reading Sarah's blog on toxins in beauty products, I decided that my eczema flare ups may have more to do with the gross chemicals in my lotions and body washes instead of just the weather. So, I've decided that as the old products are used up, I shall replace them with products that score a 4 or less on the toxic scale. I bought a lotion from the Sunflower Farmers Market, and can I please tell you the gigantic difference I've been able to tell in my skin? Yeah. Probably should have thought of that a loooooong time ago.