how to remove a mullet

Holly decided that although Hazel totally rocks the toddler mullet it was time to remove the party in the back from Hazel’s head. So how does one remove a mullet?

If it is off the head of a very active toddler, with great skill and care.

You got to be fast.

Good hand-eye coordination is a must.

Distraction from what you are doing back there helps.

And someone holding the kid helps a lot too.  That’s what sisters are for.

Next week mommy will be putting lowlights in…kidding!

where I’ll be

Right here!

I’ll be right there with my hubs watching Jason Mraz and The Dave Matthews Band. And because Kristen asked me to, I’ll be sure to grab DM’s ass for her. I’m sure my hubs won’t mind at all because as Dave sings, it is “the two of us together”.

where?

I know what some of you are thinking. Hazel, as you can see, often wonders the same thing too. What the heck happened to the Daily Hazel?!

Hazel is still very much around, very much making her presense felt, heard and known here under the Big Top. She is a freakin’ toddler now and that is what toddlers do best…hear her roar even louder than when she was just a sweet, itty-bitty newborn! The girl is still such a sweet baby but she can be a busy little terror now that she is walking…running…sneaking outside when some doofus doesn’t completely latch the screen door. Suffice it to say that the girl keeps us all on our toes. But what is this girl doing besides raising the Big Top terror alert level from green to yellow to orange in mere seconds?

• walking and running
• climbing the stairs in record time
• playing “chase me” with her grandparents- they are always foolish enough to play that game again and again just like typical grandparents.
• sparring with the bitch~kitty, Ginger. Ginger actively seeks out Hazel and, yes, the two of them pick friendly knock down drag out fights. I’m trying to decide if it is really a fair fight for poor, old Ginger since she is de-clawed. But both of them seem to enjoy these sparring matches and even will cuddle before and after.
• worshiping at the feet of her Uncle Dan. OMG! He is one of those “big kids” and Hazel wants to so much be just-like-him! Of course, Uncle Dan really wants nothing to do with this toddler version of Hazel. This Hazel is always chasing after him and touching him. She is LOUD. She invades his space and grabs at his toys and his person all the time. Why can’t she just lie there and cry like Baby Hazels are supposed to?
• daily adding words to her vocabulary…everyday there are new words to say, to remember to file away into the language center of her amazing, always active little mind.
• Offering her input on what she will wear. Her mama is loving this…now. Still it is so cute to discover that the girl has a definite opinion of what she will wear…just like her mama.
• dancing, always, always dancing…if there is music, any music, Hazel is dancing. She starts formal dance class with her mama in two weeks.
• bringing the mullet back in all of her strawberry-blonde goodness. the 80’s are back in a big way and so is the mullet baby!
• wearing hats because, she is, like her mama, a hat-wearing kind of girl.

The Daily Hazel? It’s still here reminding us all how quickly just one year flies by but life is just too busy, too chaotic, too exciting to keep up with that part of my little blog here. We are all too busy just keeping up with Hazel and not blinking lest we miss this baby girl grow up.

FORE!…play

Oh that sweet hubs of mine!

Bill met up with Holly’s Ben, our (young) friend, Brandon and Ben’s dad completed the foursome for a day of fun, golf, beer and some golf. How’d they do? Um, well, let’s just say the guys were about evenly matched which probably made for a great day out on the links. I mean it wouldn’t be much fun if they were playing with someone like Tiger Woods or some schmo who really sucks and can’t get the ball past the first tee.

After a day of male bonding, they said bye to Ben’s dad and  Bill brought the young ones home with more beer and proceeded to instruct them on the fine art of foreplay…the kind of foreplay any busy, exhausted wife and mother would really appreciate. He made a delicious dinner and then, with the boys help, cleaned up the kitchen.

To the ladies in these young men’s lives we say, you’re welcome!

inspiration found,

A little self-reflection and a little focusing on those around me and just coming out and asking, I find myself a little bit inspired which means finally there is something to write about. How great, er, good, er, acceptable enough to pass a few moments out of your own life to take the time to read remains to be seen. But if you hang in there long enough you’ll get the answers to the questions you might have had. If anything you get to enjoy a picture of my incredibly cute little man. He declared that I should keep this picture forever so I will.

Sarah asked: Hi Laura! Your blog is my fave I’m also a NICU nurse and I love reading about that aspect of your life. So my question is, how’s work? Anything new or interesting going on in your unit? In mine the new thing is really working on developmental care and relationship-based care with families. It’s all very touchy-feely

Hi Sarah! I am the biggest fan of the touchy-feely aspect of nursing care in the NICU. They don’t call me the Love Nurse for nothing. But in all seriousness consistent developmental care is so very important to our tiny patients. I came to understand this so much more clearly after we took Daniel home from the NICU. From that experience I have to offer that positioning is so very, very important for our preemies especially as they grow and meet expected developmental milestones. Also be very, very mindful of all stimuli and how it affects/assaults these babies’ senses. Although Daniel is regarded by many in NICU settings to be a success, he carries still so much sensory issues related to the normal, routine care given to him. My hats off to your NICU for working to address and improve this aspect of the care we give.
In our NICU the big focus/project over this last year has been addressing and seeking ways to decrease the number of catheter associated infections. It has been a multi-disciplinary and family focused project where everyone who has any contact with our babies (nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, radiology techs, lab techs, ward clerks, social workers, parents, siblings, other visitors) has been educated and re-educated and supported in an effort to decrease our infection rate. The results have been amazing as we have gone well over 120 days with no catheter-related infections in the unit. Of course that means we got to celebrate and you know how we nurses are, any excuse for a party especially if it is catered. Whoo-hoo!
Thanks Sarah! Great question.

Amy Saunders Hager asks:  Laura, I love photography!!! I was wondering what kind of editing software you use and how easy is it to learn? Thank you so much for your honesty on your blog! Love reading it even if a comment isn’t left. Love, Amy from Michigan

Hi Amy from Michigan! I love photography too. I wish I could take great pictures all the time. Honestly, most of my shots are just sheer luck on my part but I do accept what my dad once said and that is I have an eye for capturing the moment. The biggest compliment I received recently was when the professional wedding photgrapher at my sister in law’s wedding was following me to capture shots like this
Of course I had an advantage even to his amazing camera, lenses and other equipment that I was coveting. I knew a lot of the people there and knew them intimately. Still when I saw him hustling up behind me to catch a shot of Daniel and Holly’s boy friend, Ben, while they were dancing and playing together, I couldn’t help but be a little bit proud of my eye.
I am pretty basic with any photo editing that I do. The biggest reason is because I know so little about it. I took a PhotoShop classat a Creative Photography/Scrapbook Convention with the hopes to better understand this program but ended up being insulted because my learning curve was a little below the instructor’s expectations so I packed up my laptop and left. I’m sure that it was a clash of personalities so someday I will take some sort of PhotoShop for dummies class and hopefully be a PhotoShop freak.
Most of the photo editing I do involves a little cropping, maybe erasing a blemish or two and adjusting the lighting a little. I sometimes will adjust the color but most of the time I leave that alone because I think my subjects (my family) are pretty colorful all on their own. All of this editing that I do is very easily achieved using PhotoShop or Microsoft Digital Image Suite Editor. I use both but have to say I use the Microsoft program more only because I have had it for a few years now and feel very comfortable with it. I have to add though that the digital image suite program has been discontinued by Microsoft and no longer offer customer support for the product.
Thanks Amy, for your question. I would love to hear from you or anyone else about their favorite photo editing software or recommendations.

Baily writes: I wanna play! So, how DO you deal with it when an awkward situation comes up in real life over something you have blogged? Or does your family ever think you have blogged to much about something? (Both have happened to me, lol, just curious) Bailey TheMartinZoo.blogspot.com

Hi Baily! Great question! Well, awkward is part of the daily circus act here it seems. I guess with so many people in one family, so many different, strong personalities there is bound to be times like that. There have been occasions where one of my kids have expressed that I have gone too far writing something about them or have even gone so far as to ask me NOT to put THAT in my blog. Given that I am dealing with a young adult and teenagers and having learned my lesson a few times over I have to say that I do try to be sensitive to their wishes…and yet I post a picture of Holly’s boyfriend today on my blog! I can’t help it. He is quickly working his way into the hearts of us all.
But I have to say the worst or most awkward was when I blogged about how so very pissed I was over my husband’s mid-life crisis purchase last year. The response I got to that entry was surprising from several close friends of ours who felt I was out of line sharing something like that. The way I saw it then and still see it today is that they are entitled to their opinion but my expressing how I felt about it was justified and is all that matters. It’s my blog and I’ll write what I want to.
And the bike? A year later I still hate it but I have learned to tolerate it…but only a little bit.
Thanks for the question, Baily. I think all of us who put our thoughts out there publicly have to at one point deaal with a little awkward with family and friends. It’s always interesting to see how others deal with it.

Speaking of awkward and friends…just kidding! Kelly, my friend and my neighbor writes: I wanna know why is it that we have such rude neighbors? And I truly love all your pictures and thoughts…..

LOL, Kelly! Some of our neighbors can be such ass-hats! Thank goodness I have such an awesome neighbor and friend in you and your family! The way I see it, Kelly is #1 we were on this street first and #2 the ass-hattery that some of our neighbors seem to have perfected only serves to make you and me look that much more wonderful and awesome and ultimately, classier than any of them. Lastly, dear friend, we have to remember as rude and obnoxious as some of them can be, what comes around goes around. We have already seen karma come back to bite them in the butts a few times.

Want to read more? Check out my post today over at ModMoms Club where I reflect on the sun shining in my heart. Also be sure to stop over at Kim’s Emrgiblog where I am participating in the Patients for a Moment Carnival.

seeking inspiration

Is it the summer doldrums? Is it the fact that I have so many juggling balls in the air that I can’t seem to focus? Is it the knowledge that so many people I see face to face are reading this blog of mine now? No matter the reason I am kind of stuck. I have a lot of ideas circulating above my head but I can’t seem to pull them down to my keyboard at the moment. Bear with me. They will come out…one way or another.

Until then, ask me a question. Ask me anything. Leave me a comment with your question and I promise that I will answer it.

Waiting…kind of awkwardly cringing…hoping that someone asks me a question…soon!

today at school…

…anyone care to guess what book Daniel read at school today?

Meanwhile, at the high school, Zoë is making her fortune in the stock market in Econ while Abby is making hers panhandling in the student quad during lunch.

I couldn’t be prouder.

the next time you ever take the stage to sing a song…

Remember to go potty first! I’m just saying that if you don’t, as soon as you take the stage and grab a hold of that microphone, that will be all that you can think about. Of course that will mean that you will flub the words of the chorus and fail to soar over those high notes like you did in rehearsal.

Can I say that I was nervous?

I was nervous.

Most of the competitors were just kids and kids that can just belt out a number without even flinching then skip off the stage and out to the playground. In all seriousness, I was awed by the raw talent and try to imagine these kids in a few years. I can say I knew them when.

Last night was my semi-final round for the local Boys and Girls Club’s fundraiser, Manteca Idol. Yes, I was nervous but I have to say it was a lot of fun. My family showed up and cheered me on. My girl, Jenn came with her adorable kids and my new friend, Coley. And my running shoe hook-up, twitter babe MsV came as well to cheer me on. She’s right, it was awkward introducing her but not because of Twitter but because I only know her as MsV. What the heck is your name lady, really? I feel like a school girl calling you MsV. Nevertheless, it was so cool to have so many folks who actually seemed happy to hear me sing.

It’s not like I have a terrible voice. I like to imagine in my little world, known as the Big Top, that I have a great voice. I do. I have been singing ever since I could walk and talk and stand next to my Grandpa strumming his guitar and singing old Hank Williams songs or next to my Grandma in the kitchen singing good ol’ Gospel hymns. I can belt out “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and “How Great Thou Art” with the best of them thanks to my mom’s parents. I sang in choirs all through elementary school and on into high school where I received, in my opinion some of the best musical education ever (THANKS Mrs. Remaly and Mr. Morgan). With Bill’s encouragement, I got the courage to audition for and get solos in little church musicals and then on to small group ensembles. I loved it. LOVED it. Then I came to realize as the back-up singer in these small group ensembles that it was all about the lead singer…even in church where the worship minister (in my case, twice, the lead singer) preached on that when we perform it’s not all about you, it’s all about God. I agree completely with that thought in a church setting. That’s how it should be. But when you find out that the lead singer/worship minister instructs the sound guy to turn your mic off in the house it kind of gets to you. It hurts your feelings…even if it is supposed to be all about God. It tears down any confidence you may have in the voice that the good Lord has given you. I know it did for me, which is why I stopped singing in church 7 years ago.

:::waving to my audience:::

That is me. That is who I am.

I love to sing. I sing all the time. Just ask my kids. I was so excited to be a part of Idol and looked forward to taking the stage. But I was scared to death too. I mean, am I really good enough…good enough to not stand in the background, doing back-up with the mic turned off in the house? We shall see. I didn’t make it in the top three who go straight on to the finals starting September 9 but I do get another chance in the wild card round this September 2 and THIS time I will rememeber to go potty before I take the stage!

Meanwhile, before anyone asks, Manteca Idol rules are very clear that one may not post any videos of their performances on places like MySpace, Facebook or YouTube because of copywrite laws and the fact that they represent a non-profit organization. Because of that, well, no videos…except I do have access to a grainy, shaky video taken by Jodie of her mama doing the pee-pee dance, flubbing some lyrics and top notes and singing her heart out. If you do want to see such a display you have to leave a comment with an email so I can hook you up.

do (the) run, run, run do do (the) run, run, run

As I have progressed beyond the 30-day shred I am returning to running again. I declared recently my intention to celebrate my birthday next year wearing a tiara and running a half marathon…how else should one celebrate their 48th birthday? It’s been about ten years since I ran other than chasing after some random child or grandchild and although I have been shredding and working out regularly since March, I knew I needed to ease into any kind of running program so I began the Couch to 5K program this past June with pretty decent success…at least I have not died. Rather I have been thrilled with what a jogging/walking program has done for me overall. But I soon realized, like two weeks into this walking-to-jogging-to-running program that what I did need was a decent pair of running shoes..

So off toyour run of the mill sports shoes and apparel store in the mall did I go. I bought some really good shoes. However I have to say that my salesperson, wearing his skater shoes, was far more interested in hanging out and talking to his buddies hanging back at the mall entrance while he dealt with me, the customer. The kid really knew nothing about running shoes and clearly did not seem to think my explaining how much I run every week, what I was training for and offering how I wear down the heels of most of my shoes. He shrugged and brought out several pricey, but different pairs of running shoes. I settled on the brand I prefer and the model that seemed to feel the most comfortable as I walked around the two benches in the tiny little shoe store. Sorry Lady Foot Locker, but as I increased my running times and distances over this last month it was clear that Skatr Boi did not do right by me. It’s not his fault, really. He’s a skater. I doubt he runs much in those slouch pants and skater shoes. Why should he if he has a skateboard, right?

But regardless of Lady Foot Locker’s Skatr Boi’s inability to find and fit me with the right running shoe, I have been hurting and hurting bad. This is not good since I am only running 3-4 miles 3 days out of the week. As hobbled as I have felt immediately after my runs I was likely to die trying to continue to train. So I did what I do best. I loaded up on some naprosyn and whined, bitched and moaned to my Shredhead friends. Of course Bill, Shredhead-Wan-Kenobi sagely reminded me of how he and Kristen both got fitted properly with the right running shoe for them individually. Perhaps, he offered, I should do the same.

Of course I should. Yes, Bill, you are right…this time! Gloat all you want…this time!

A local tweep and new friend of mine, who just so happens to be in training with Team in Training for the Rock and Roll Marathon, followed my plight on twitter and offered her recommendations for where to find the right running shoe here in Central Valley Cali. Get thee to Fleet Feet Stockton, she recommended and so I did because I do sometimes do what I am told to do.

Sometimes…

The folks at Fleet Feet were indeed amazing measuring my feet carefully, observing me standing and walking barefoot as well as watching me run and evaluating how my feet land and my stride. Based on their assessments, I tried on 5 or 6 pairs of shoes running in each pair. I finally narrowed it down to the right shoe for my feet. Not for your feet, for my feet. The right shoes for my feet when my feet are running.

I have to say that it was worth the time (about an hour and a half), the effort, the money spent (which was no more than what I spent 2 months ago on those shoes I bought from Skatr Boi in the mall. The proof was in my recent runs how I felt while running and where I did not come home limping like a hobbled horse after the run or worse the morning after. I’m looking forward to continuing running and training for the Tiarathon as well as this 5K, that 5K and any other 5K or (gulp!) 10K that might pop up along the way locally from here until March and my birthday Tiarathon. I’ve got the motivation, I’ve got the time, I’ve got the peeps to encourage me, educate me and prod me along and I now, at last have the shoes and the place to get them replaced as needed. Time to run!

picture thoughts

• I can just imagine what y’all are thinking: Good God, is she going to put up yet another blog post about that wedding?
• As a matter of fact, yes I am.
• But you are rewarded with this picture of my five beautiful children with the Pacific Ocean in the background.
• Lucky you!
• I look at this picture and I can’t help but reflect on how lucky I am to have five beautiful, healthy, happy children.
• How the heck did that happen?
• Then I take a moment to feel gratitude for being so blessed.
• I look at Daniel and I feel just as proud as he looks. He was the cutest and best little ring bearer ever!
• My sister in law told me that at the rehearsal he took it upon himself to go up to the wedding coordinator and introduce himself. As he shook her hand he looked up and said, “Hi. My name is Daniel and I am in the wedding.”
• The bride was gorgeous but next to her, my girls were the prettiest ladies there.
• Jodie looks so much like my mother as a young woman it gives me chills.
• I have to say while looking at Jodie in this picture, that I don’t ever recall giving her permission to grow up.
• Holly just glows. Young love does that to a girl. So does a pretty dress.
• I look at Zoë and find myself hissing, “Stop slouching!”
• I did the same thing when I was her age.
• As always, Abby strikes a figure flattering, pretty pose. She really needs to teach me that.
• I like this shot so much of my kids I am thinking that this will likely be the Big Top Christmas card. I know last year it was just the kids and folks complained that next year Bill and I should be in the picture but this shot is perfect. Get over it people. Trust me, we haven’t changed too much except to get older.
• Which brings me to one more thought…
• Why must time fly by so damn quickly and our children grow up so fast. Really, why?