When the Cat's Away. . .

My mom, my sister Kathryn, and I have been planning a girl's day where we all get our hair cut together by the fabulous Krista (a favorite Young Women's leader when I was a Laurel). Krista never gets it wrong. She cuts my hair better than anyone.

Krista

We've got some sweet before and after pics for your pleasure and enjoyment.

Kathryn before

Kathryn after

Mom before
Mom after (with Hazel, whose new trick is to stick her tongue out for hours at a time)

Me before (man, my hair was getting so long and scraggly!)

Me after - is Todd going to freak out about how short it is? Cast your vote on the sidebar.

I always want to do something dramatic to my hair when I cut it. And for years (possibly since childhood) I've jealously eyed the chin-length look, always admiring it but too chicken to try it out. Part of what's held me back the last few cuts is that I've consulted Todd beforehand, and he always balks at how short I want to try it. Anyway, I decided now is the ideal time to give it a shot. If it turns out badly, my man's not even here to have to live with it. And there's 4 1/2 months for it to grow back before he comes home if he hates it. So, what's a girl got to lose? (besides 8 inches of mane!)

Dream Job

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a mailman? There are a lot of careers out there that sound like fun, but I must admit, I've never really thought delivering mail could be a dream job.

Until last week.

I spotted the mailman through the front window the other day, and watched to see if he put anything in my box. Much to my amusement, he spent five minutes flipping through a magazine, cover to cover a couple of times. As he slipped it into the neighbor's mailbox, I caught a glimpse of the cover: a woman in a red dress. Perhaps it was People, Redbook, O Magazine. . . Definitely a woman's magazine. Too funny.

And then, only a few days later, I was at a neighbor's yardsale, and they said, "I wonder when the mailman's coming back." They pointed to three big bags in the back of their garage. Apparently, when the mailman passed their house delivering mail, he stopped for a little shopping spree. He bought a bunch of stuff and then asked my neighbors to hold the items for him until he was off work and could come pick it up in his own car.

What a life! Imagine it - such a life of leisure. Perusing other people's mail, catching all the best deals at yardsales, parking under the shade of a big tree to take a catnap, listening to your iPod all day long, not to mention being the only driver on the road seated on the right side of the vehicle... Those delivery trucks are practically jeeps, with the doors off. Aah, feel that breeze on your face as you demurely drive from house to house!

Have you caught your mailman in a humorous act? I'm sure there must be tons of great stories out there! Please share.

Hallalujah!

Have you guys been praying for me or something?

Hazel's started taking great naps. She's been solid on sleeping at least an hour and a half in the morning and at least 45 minutes in the afternoon for a week straight now. Sometimes more.
Aah, freedom.

As we speak, she's been napping for two hours and five minutes. While she's slept, I worked out, showered, dressed, read emails and blogs, and made business phone calls. Now I'm blogging. What the heck?! I'm used to that being just about all I can accomplish in an entire DAY. It's not even 11:00 yet.

What a wonderful life.

A Changing Chica

My baby is 5 1/2 months old. I am torn. I can't get over how fun five months is. She can do so many cool things! However, in my mind she has officially become a big baby, never to be a newborn again.

My soft, cooing, tiny little thing full of brand-new-ness is gone, and in that place is a funny, studious, gorgeous little girl who likes to take a big breath and shout out a note at the top of her lungs until she runs out of air. Over and over again. Today she did it for five minutes straight, through a song and a half on my iPod. Cracked me up.

Hazel gets up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth now. She isn't crawling yet, but she still manages to make her way all around the room. She pulls herself with her arms and slides on her belly, too. She looks like a little 'gator baby when she moves.
Hazel has officially started solid food as well. She has taken well to sitting in the high chair and being spoon-fed runny rice cereal. Mostly she likes to grab the spoon and chomp on her bib, but I've been pleased with how open she is to new experiences. So far, so good.
She's getting to be so much fun to hang out with. I'll lay on my back and put her on me, tummy to tummy, and nuzzle my face in her neck, and the two of us giggle like schoolgirls. She is adorable. Truly my little buddy.

Facebook Pro/Con List

I'm going through inner turmoil trying to decide if I should join Facebook or not.

I keep having visions of attending my high school reunion and being totally left out. Everyone else knowing all the details of one another's lives - the names of their kids and pets, where they've recently been on vacation, basically what they've been doing the past decade - and being all buddy-buddy because of that knowledge. And then I've become the stranger who knows nothing.

KHS rules! Go Cougars!

I also think it would be an interesting experiment to make an account, and then just wait and see who seeks me out. Except I'm worried nobody would, and then I'd feel like a lonely loser. And I truly don't need to add that to my self-image, people!

Plus is it even really safe? Would I just get creepos looking at my info, instead of friends?

But wouldn't it be nice to find out what all my old friends are up to? Even if they're friends I didn't stay in contact with, so you have to wonder if they were really that great of friends to begin with?

Mostly I want it because I'm just a smidge lonely with Todd gone and also because I always wonder what ever happened to so-and-so. It could be fun.

Not sure what to do. So, readers, do you have a Facebook account? And do you love it or hate it? What are the ins and outs of the process? How do I make it work for me?

On the Move

These days, Hazel is on the move. She pushes up with her arms, and just yesterday started getting up on her knees. She walks from side to side with her hands, and when she really wants to get somewhere, she shoves herself - but then she goes backwards, which actually gets her further from where she wanted to be. It's amazing to me how quickly she can be somewhere different than where I put her down. Guess it's time to childproof the house!

Beefin' Up

Just wanted to announce that Todd has gained 10 pounds in Afghanistan. . .

of pure muscle!

Can't wait to see that hottie.

He tries to burn off his boredom at the gym. Sometimes when he calls me he's breathing hard cause he just finished a hardcore workout.

I just know he's ripped.

Hey, send me a pic, huh babe? ;)

Just to Prove a Point

Yesterday, my mother-in-law was grilling me for my interests. She asked if I like cooking any more than I used to. (As if it's MY fault Todd's so dang skinny!) I wasn't afraid to tell her nope, I don't like to cook. But, to redeem myself, I emphasized that I DO like to bake.

As if to prove to myself that I wasn't lying to get the MIL off my back, I tried a new roll recipe tonight. It went a little something like this:

In order to make the dough, I needed not only the Kitchenaid, but a saucepan. I warmed up the milk, butter, sugar and salt on the stove before adding it to the flour and yeast. Slight inconvenience, but hey, not too bad. I'm sure a lot of you do this when you make bread, right?

After letting the dough rise for an hour, divide into 32 pieces.
Roll each one into a 12 inch snake.
That part turned out to be the bane of my existence. I kept thinking this would be a fantastic recipe if I could use it during school with my 20 5-year-old fans. They could each have a ball rolling a snake or two and be done. I shake my head as I reveal that it took me over thirty minutes to roll out all those snakes. Not worth it. I will not be making these rolls again without a little assistant or two.

Then, tie each snake into a loose knot.
And tuck the top end under the loop and the bottom end into the hole in the middle, making a cute little shape that I'm truly hoping will be a crowd-pleaser at the lunch I'm taking these to tomorrow. That is, after all, what attracted me to this particular recipe in the first place.
Cover on a greased cookie sheet and let rise again before baking.
Imagine my dismay when the first tray got a little bit burned. The recipe said to bake them for 15-18 minutes. I set the timer for 15, smelled them and pulled them out at 14, and they were still a little too dark. Darn it! I baked the other pan a minute less and 25 degrees cooler. Which would you rather eat?
As any true baker knows, I had to taste-test one or two to make sure they're good before sharing them!
WAY too much work, but success, nonetheless!