Back to Life, Back to Reality

Wow. I don't even know where to begin. I would be remiss if I didn't include the ONE photo from the weekend, taken with my phone. It was the ONLY opportunity for pics during our star-studded adventure! When Oprah's people say, NO PHONES and NO CAMERAS, they aren't kidding. In fact, they take them from you. Not that we tried to sneak anything in, we were major rule followers, lest we get the boot!

I think it's ok to tell you a little about the weekend, the show will air Friday, February 4. Since the Oprah site already has the skinny on the show, I will tell you that we attended the screening of Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler's new movie on Thursday and they were on the show. As were Piers Morgan and the Judges from American Idol (via satellite).

We also had some fabulous meals, we ate dinner at Topolobampo ("Topolo" if you're cool. Which I pretended to be when Rick Bayless approached our table!) I have a major interest in chefs and may have acted a little ridiculous. But scored a kitchen behind the scenes, so I suppose my enthusiam was worth it!

We also ate at Hub 51 and Rockit Bar (brunch). It's also highly possible that FitGirl and I had several meals in our beds (read: absolutely did, including chocolate pudding pie with toasted smores on top). Judge away. The hotel was amazing (Palmer House) and I literally cried when we got on the plane to come home.

For once I will admit, this post is hard to write. It was such an adventure and an experience of a lifetime. No post would do it justice. I will say this, I am incredibly lucky to have such an amazing friend in FitGirl.

Just like Oprah said in the after show, "You don't go to Oprah with just anyone. You go with a person you love."

Love you FitGirl. Stop rolling your eyes. You totally love me too. Oprah said so.

xo

The Big O

In December FitGirl called me with my Christmas gift. If you can even call this a Christmas gift. More like a trip of a lifetime.

Today, I am sitting in my family room waiting for her to pick me up. We are flying to Chicago at noon. Tonight we are going to an "event" which I will share with you later. Tomorrow, we are going to Oprah.

Yes. Oprah. And no, we aren't her other long-lost half sisters.

So, after much debate and minimal shopping (read: 30 minutes, since as soon as I recovered, Jack got sick), we are packed for a girls' weekend in the Great White North. We have dinner reservations and big plans for room service breakfast and lattes.

Got to run, she just pulled into the driveway.

Promise to share the fun details and pics as soon as we get back!

xo

Fairies

Five years ago, I filled out kindergarten enrollment forms for Ryan. Of course, the obligatory "Emergency Contact" was required.

One problem. We had lived in Atlanta all of 2.2 minutes and I didn't know a soul. I left it blank.

A week later, the forms came back to me marked "incomplete". I wrote a note, "We just moved here, I don't have a local Emergency Contact." Sheesh, I hardly knew where the grocery store was.

Fast forward to this past weekend.

I am delighted to report that I, as per usual, went above and beyond. I didn't just "get sick", I got Flu Type A, Strep and a raging 104 temp. I was home alone with the minis and borderline dying. Vomiting doesn't really begin to describe the "situation up in here."

Insert the arrival of The Flu Fairies.

My 2 sweet friends, both coincidentally named Laurie, stepped in, stepped up and rescued me. They delivered Kleenex, Coke, ginger ale, chicken soup, saltines, Lysol and tea. They took the minis and kept them days. They brought me to the ER and the pharmacy. The drove back and forth all over Atlanta picking up and dropping off children, car seats, meds and insurance cards.

The Flu Fairies didn't laugh at my pajamas, or mess of hair or my tears. They didn't blink at the idea of exposing themselves to getting sick. They just came.

(Tangentially, one of the nights in my fever induced state, I put velcro rollers in my soaking wet hair and removed the leaf from the dining room table. I put said leaf on the sofa. Don't ask. I have no idea. The minis said I was talking jibberish and crying for my mom too. )

Thanks to both of my Flu Fairies. Having Emergency Contacts is a wonderful thing.

xo

Ummmm...really?

You know what happens after being snowed in since Sunday? One begins to develop cabin fever. Eventually, one decides to risk it and venture out into "the real world". Then, one begins to go bananas.

Except.

Except it's not really "the real world". You know how I know this? Because I made it to Starbucks and they didn't have anything to eat. No deliveries since Saturday. If one is looking for cheese in a can (and really I assure you I wasn't), but if one was, there would be none to be had. Or crackers. Or milk. Or eggs. Or 80s Glam Sharpie Markers. Oh, wait, I did see those. Want them badly, but couldn't justify spending the $14. But the colors were so cute, like leg warmer yellow and argyle green. I mean really? How can a girl not get them?! Later.

But tonight Coach is packing for a trip North. Which will look probably sunny and delightful compared to the frozen arse tundra which is Atlanta. In any case, the minis are out of school UNTIL TUESDAY and tonight was my last chance to do anything alone until then.

2 hours later, I found myself wandering the aisles of the supercenter. The cat food aisle. I have no cat. The baby aisle. I have no more babies. The camping aisle. Yes, the camping aisle. I am sure that you know that my family motto is "Just Say No to Camping. And Bowling." And yet, there I stood. Gazing fondly upon items I don't even understand. Waterproof deer repellent bags of something. Replacement tent pegs. How does one lose tent pegs? What the hell are tent pegs anyway?

And lanterns. Oh, the lanterns. They are colorful and lightweight and such good prices! Obviously I have no idea how much lanterns are supposed to cost, but they were so interesting. Those just seem like a good buy.

*INSERT TOTAL CABIN FEVER ALERT*

ClemsonGirl has lost her ever-loving (anti-camping) mind. Walk away from the lanterns.

Ah, the kitchen department. You know, my life would be clearly more perfect and totally more manageable if I just bought some...oh, new cutting boards. Like in a bunch of sizes and especially this one with the handle. Oh, yes. How did I ever live without at cutting board with a handle. No wonder my life is a mess. Plus a box of brightly colored clothes pins. Yes, clothes pins. Those would be super handy to have more of. I think my life would be just lovely if I had those.

OMG. New Rubbermaid food storage containers. That's what I need. It's all shiny and new and the tops are red and they click together and won't that just be fabulous. Then I will cook and store and my refrigerator will be organized and wow. Yes, surely we need those.

Lawdy Pete.

I promise you I walked out empty handed. Almost.

I totally needed that Rubbermaid. And that lantern.

Kidding.

1.11.11

Yep. I love those numbers of today's date. #1s. Firsts. Beginnings. Clean slates.

Definitely not the ranking Clemson football finished with. (War Eagle though, for all my Auburn friends!) But you know, that slightly less than fabulous season of my Tigers says a lot about 2010. Started off with high hopes, had an amazing 1st quarter Real Estate-wise. In fact, I said to BFF in mid February, "If the year continues like this? I will be golden!" Famous last words. The economy and the market continued to spiral into a deep dark abyss.

But 2011? Bound to be a winner. All signs point to a strong maybe.

Don't you think? Especially since the minis have been SNOWED IN for 2 days so far, with nothing above freezing temps as far as the weather folks can see. We got something like 6 inches of snow in Atlanta in a period of roughly 2.2 minutes. Look, I'm a Midwestern girl by birth. I've seen it all. But this? This. Is. Insane.

Which is completely fine, since there are 5 million people in Metro Atlanta and a whopping 8 sand trucks. Not salt. Sand. That's just good math. Not. Coach is currently SHOVELING THE DRIVEWAY and digging the monogrammed minivan out of the snow. (2 side notes: First, no, the minivan doesn't live in the garage. Secondly, during a brief 9 month stint of us living "back up North", Coach was out of town 100% of the times the driveway required shoveling. It's his turn, I assure you.) And so I sit at the kitchen table in my flannel pjs watching the minis in the backyard trying to "play" in snow that is essentially crusty arse ice. Gag me. With a sterling silver monogrammed spoon.

So, I leave you with this.

Atlanta? I hate you right now. You have totally breached any contract that we had regarding weather, good manners and Southern hospitality. Work it out.

1-1-11

Happy New Year from the Casa de Chaos! Jack was delighted to work out in his little head that today's date is 1-1-11. He loves numbers, so that was a fun little discovery for him. Go ahead, discuss the cuteness of the picture. Not the children, silly! The cute table I set from them. Sheesh. Give a girl some credit for the effort. hee hee

Now you all know that Blogger basically unloads the pictures in whatever order it feels like, so the DC trip pictures are basically backwards. *please note, that means in the first picture, my hair is on like hour 18. As is my makeup and lip gloss*

National Christmas tree in front of the White House. One of the treats of being in Washington at Christmas! Every state had a smaller tree as well. Santa was there and a huge bonfire!

Lunch at Tortilla Coast. Nothing like spending the day teaching your children about American History, then eating Mexican food for lunch. Queso. It's just like apple pie, right?

The Whispering Spot in The Capitol. The minis are each standing in one of the spots. I'm going to make you Google it, because the story is super cool!

Senators Only. Plus the minis.

We were lucky enough to be given a private Dome tour. (Thanks, K!) This is the midway point. It was absolutely one of the top 3 things I have ever done in my entire life!

Family picture after we came off the top of the Dome.

It was 22 degrees and WINDY as all get out.

The initial center of Washington DC. Supposed to be good luck to step on it!

The minis were so annoyed with me, asking to take so many pics. Work it out little men.

Work. It. Out.


Happy New Year!!