my mom left today. she hopped on her grammy plane and into her little grammy car back to her grammy house.
i am looking around this place that i really do love, how despite the stained mauve 80's carpet, the wood paneled hallway (and not wood paneled in a kitschy, cool 70's way--wood paneled in the same old awful, cheap, dark way), the spots of peeling paint on the ceiling-- despite these flaws, she shines, this old place. it makes me feel like the grinch from the grinch who stole christmas, as i squint my eyes, give them a rub, and peer in to take a closer look:
she came and she scrubbed-- the toilet, the tiles!
she cleaned out the cabinets, the sinks, the files!
she swept and she mopped, washed dishes, made beds!
she held crying babies, walked dogs, kept us fed!
she took us to dinner! she scooped up the litter!
she stocked up our fridge! she dusted! she swiffered!
but seriously, y'all, my mom ironed my comfy pants.
who does this?
love is an action.
Showing posts with label mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mom. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sunday, October 12, 2008
yearbook yourself!
once again, i am being a big old copycat of my friend kage....kage, i swear, imitation is the highest form of flattery and i adore you and your bloggy goodness. hope you don't mind, but i must share my yearbook photos with the dear readers!!
that said, your should all yearbook yourselves and send me a copy, or post the results on your own blogs!!! SO FUN!!
it is alarming how much this one looks like my mom:
but i think this one is my favorite....note the single long-stemmed rose and the solid gold dancer hair. that's hot!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
showered with love
i am truly a blessed woman.
it all started with my mom (or i think it did...apparently many peeps have been working undercover in the wolfeinelli showering department). this spring, she delightfully announced to me that she wanted to throw us a shower, and throw one she did.
brian and i arrived in morgantown one sunny weekend in august and spent a gorgeous sunday surrounded by friends (ours and parental) and family. the day was a smashing success, which is a good thing, considering irene may have been a bit frantic about hosting the event. in the preceding days and weeks, i was emailed about many a detail, from themes (nixed) to games (definitely nixed) to irene's confusion over our desire to have the affair be co-ed ("but what will the MEN do?"). i agreed wholeheartedly to a "diaper cake" centerpiece which the crafty irene erected three layers tall...it consisted of about sixty rolled up diapers and was festooned with pacifiers, rattles, and other cute little toys. truly a sight to behold.
(the above photo is an approximation...dare i say irene's diy version was even better)
when consulted numerous times of what to serve, i suggested some grilled pizzas, in the interest of keeping things economical, fun, and easy. this proved to be stress-inducing for our hosts, i could tell, and my dear friend katie --personal chef and kitchen goddess-- stepped in to relieve the worries. she was quite a hit with the recently or soon-to-be retired menfolk, who apparently decided that what they would do, as irene had so fretted over, would be to quiz katherine on how they could improve upon their skills as home cooks and gourmands. thanks again, katie. you are seriously a trooper.
the following month, a very sneaky kara dean and dylan threw another affair. smart lady and busy mom that she is, kara arranged several committees, including those involving food (dylan), set up (heather dawn) and decorations (joyous aka "the white tornado" and deej, purveyor of all things good).
"what tha...?!"
it was a spectacular affair and, once again, the weather gods smiled upon us. kara dean had many fun activities planned, such as a compilation of fabric squares covered in handwritten labor wishes and a betting pool predicting when max will arrive! deej created favors of handmade, signature scented baby shoe soaps from vintage molds. amazing.
finally, just a couple of weeks ago, i was informed of an evening job for parents mag. apparently, a reshoot was needed due to a horrible kids groomer who was hired in a pinch when i was not available. smugly, i said, "sure, i'll do the reshoot", only to arrive at another surprise shower! the parents peeps raided their goodie closet (which is NOT a myth-- these things really do exist) and gifted max with all manner of adorable baby things, plus a lovely spa gift certificate for mama.
aside from compiling a registry and the consulting sessions with irene, i had nothing to do with any of this...and i couldn't imagine planning three more lovely, fun, and stress-free (for me, anyway) events. to quote my new favorite book momma zen, "the unplanning was perfect". a good lesson for nowlze in letting go of control, which i am certain will come in handy in the days to come.
speaking of which, i am 37 weeks today. max is full term. *gulp*.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
precious little thing
don't know if i announced this to the world of my blog, but my little bro and his lady, the little firecracker, are getting married this summer!
and it's about *bleepin* time.
my nephew jasper is to be the ringbearer for this affair and since i have the line on the latest in children's attire, my mom has put me in charge of outfitting him. no small task, lemme tell you, especially as this is a child who (bless him) has taken to wearing his batman pajamas 99% of the time, or whenever he can get away with it.
exhibit a:
exhibit b:
exhibit c:
actually, i think that he currently has several superhero t-shirts in rotation.
exhibit d:
this is as it should be for an imaginative four and a half year old, and my point being that this is not some precious, impish, little lord fontleroy of a boy we are talking about. this is jasper, and jasper rules.
so with that in mind, i was on the hunt for appropriate, cool, comfortable children's wear. i was thinking semi-casual, because i think the jazzman has a bit of a surfer boy edge to him. high and low i have looked for drawstring linen pants (heck, i would even settle for seersucker at this point), perhaps a raw, loose white tunic and some leather sandals to go with.
what i found astounded me. this, for example, is terrifying:
of course, the wedding will be in wv. maybe jasper would be open to channeling his inner garth brooks?
(that look is described as the "junior cattleman" on the website. puke.)
as a last resort, there is also the option of my mom busting out the old sewing machine and making jasper's attire herself. plus, if a tuxedo weren't going to cut it, he could always go as a revolutionary war boy and walk down the aisle ringing a little bell ("the british are coming!"). i also LOVE the uncle sam option! cute!
of course, i'm just kidding around. i think it'd be fine if we went with a nice --OH DEAR GOD!! WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO THAT POOR KIDDIE MODEL?!
and it's about *bleepin* time.
my nephew jasper is to be the ringbearer for this affair and since i have the line on the latest in children's attire, my mom has put me in charge of outfitting him. no small task, lemme tell you, especially as this is a child who (bless him) has taken to wearing his batman pajamas 99% of the time, or whenever he can get away with it.
exhibit a:
exhibit b:
exhibit c:
actually, i think that he currently has several superhero t-shirts in rotation.
exhibit d:
this is as it should be for an imaginative four and a half year old, and my point being that this is not some precious, impish, little lord fontleroy of a boy we are talking about. this is jasper, and jasper rules.
so with that in mind, i was on the hunt for appropriate, cool, comfortable children's wear. i was thinking semi-casual, because i think the jazzman has a bit of a surfer boy edge to him. high and low i have looked for drawstring linen pants (heck, i would even settle for seersucker at this point), perhaps a raw, loose white tunic and some leather sandals to go with.
what i found astounded me. this, for example, is terrifying:
of course, the wedding will be in wv. maybe jasper would be open to channeling his inner garth brooks?
(that look is described as the "junior cattleman" on the website. puke.)
as a last resort, there is also the option of my mom busting out the old sewing machine and making jasper's attire herself. plus, if a tuxedo weren't going to cut it, he could always go as a revolutionary war boy and walk down the aisle ringing a little bell ("the british are coming!"). i also LOVE the uncle sam option! cute!
of course, i'm just kidding around. i think it'd be fine if we went with a nice --OH DEAR GOD!! WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO THAT POOR KIDDIE MODEL?!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
my favorite things
to counteract the piss and vinegar of my last entry, i thought that i would post some of my favorite things. for those of you with blogs of your own, i'd love to hear about your favorite things, too! this time around, mine will be purely material, because my favorite sentimental things would be the cozy nook of bdub's neck, the biscuit's frito-licious scent, my hands side by side with my mom's (they're the same, and i can see the future. which makes me smile and feel connected to this lineage of short, ballsy, fiercely-loving women)...
but that's for another post. for now, allow me to pretend i am oprah and share my faves.
le sportsac bags:
i have been loyal to these for years. they have amazing patterns and they last forever. when they start to get dirty, you can throw them in the washing machine and they look good as new.
dc apres-ski boots in chocolate:
lemme tell you what, these boots were one of my all-time best shoe purchases. i think they are filled with that memory foam stuff in the bottom, because every step i take feels like i am walking on tiny little sole-shaped pillows. cute with jeans, skirt, dresses, cords. totally waterproof and very warm. i made a promise to myself a couple of years ago that i MUST HAVE warm, waterproof boots for the slushy new york februarys, when the snow melt is dirty and extra cold. these have fit the bill nicely!
graftobian high-definition cream foundation:
this is what i use on photoshoots and on myself. i use it with an alcone non-latex sponge (my favorite makeup wedge--the best) that i wet and then wring out. this "sheers" the foundation to perfection. amazing finish, nice range of shades, good pigmentation, great coverage, and long-wearing. probably my most recommended product (and the most asked about, as people always want to buy it).
the bubble roome 3-butter creams:
i have never met a bubble roome product i didn't love --and it was hard to choose just one-- but these body butters are simply perfection; the best incarnation of their body butters yet. i got to try them out when deej (their creator) was testing them, and i was blown away.
they're made of good stuff, too, which is getting to be more of a concern of mine, especially the use of parabens. paraben is a controversial preservative that's in everything and may be linked to breast cancer; all bubble roome products are paraben-free. they smell amazing and the price point is right: no $32.00 nonsense for a sugar scrub, like some high-ends brands, but every bit as good. better, in fact.
smith's rosebud minted rose lip balm:
a classic. but dude, now it comes in a minted version. i just worked on a job with my friend, jules, and she turned me on to this. i am now obsessed. it's not a strong, overly-tingly mint, either; it leaves just a hint of subtle, minty-rosy freshness on your kisser.
the garmin nuvi gps:
truth be told, this was a gift for bdub's birthday, but the gps has become one of my favorite things. there's an amazing sense of security that comes with knowing you're not going to get lost (or if you do, you will easily get back on track). plus, it points you to the nearest starbuck's or lunch spot, and estimates your arrival time. i love it.
sherpa original bag deluxe
at first i thought that the price for the sherpa bag was a little high for me, but the quality is outstanding. it's comfortable, you can wash the inner liner, and the biscuit loves it. he crawls right in as soon as he sees me grab my keys! plus, the sherpa is designed to fit under and airline seat and is the only carrier approved for in-flight use by all of the major airlines.
dwell bedding:
i heart dwell bedding. karadean and i like to hit up their annual sample sale and clean house. i love the color pallette, the patterns, the quality, the feel of the cotton. "playful yet minimalist" is a fitting description. plus, it cleans up well when the biscuit pukes on the bed.
trader joe's
i seriously had to wrack my brain to think of a product at trader joe's that i don't like. i honestly can't think of one dud. i can think of many, many favorites, though: the dried white peaches, the flattened bananas, the cheese and green chile tamales, the spinach artichoke ravioli, the gorgonzola and walnut tortellini, the chili-lime cashews. all amazing and less expensive than the nastiness that passes as consumables at our local key food.
sudoku:
i had to fit my puzzle nerd in somewhere on this list. i really, really enjoy sudoku (in case you are unfamiliar, an explanation is here). i wouldn't call myself "obsessed", but i quite enjoy the satisfaction of completing a puzzle before i get to my subway stop. aahhh...
but that's for another post. for now, allow me to pretend i am oprah and share my faves.
le sportsac bags:
i have been loyal to these for years. they have amazing patterns and they last forever. when they start to get dirty, you can throw them in the washing machine and they look good as new.
dc apres-ski boots in chocolate:
lemme tell you what, these boots were one of my all-time best shoe purchases. i think they are filled with that memory foam stuff in the bottom, because every step i take feels like i am walking on tiny little sole-shaped pillows. cute with jeans, skirt, dresses, cords. totally waterproof and very warm. i made a promise to myself a couple of years ago that i MUST HAVE warm, waterproof boots for the slushy new york februarys, when the snow melt is dirty and extra cold. these have fit the bill nicely!
graftobian high-definition cream foundation:
this is what i use on photoshoots and on myself. i use it with an alcone non-latex sponge (my favorite makeup wedge--the best) that i wet and then wring out. this "sheers" the foundation to perfection. amazing finish, nice range of shades, good pigmentation, great coverage, and long-wearing. probably my most recommended product (and the most asked about, as people always want to buy it).
the bubble roome 3-butter creams:
i have never met a bubble roome product i didn't love --and it was hard to choose just one-- but these body butters are simply perfection; the best incarnation of their body butters yet. i got to try them out when deej (their creator) was testing them, and i was blown away.
they're made of good stuff, too, which is getting to be more of a concern of mine, especially the use of parabens. paraben is a controversial preservative that's in everything and may be linked to breast cancer; all bubble roome products are paraben-free. they smell amazing and the price point is right: no $32.00 nonsense for a sugar scrub, like some high-ends brands, but every bit as good. better, in fact.
smith's rosebud minted rose lip balm:
a classic. but dude, now it comes in a minted version. i just worked on a job with my friend, jules, and she turned me on to this. i am now obsessed. it's not a strong, overly-tingly mint, either; it leaves just a hint of subtle, minty-rosy freshness on your kisser.
the garmin nuvi gps:
truth be told, this was a gift for bdub's birthday, but the gps has become one of my favorite things. there's an amazing sense of security that comes with knowing you're not going to get lost (or if you do, you will easily get back on track). plus, it points you to the nearest starbuck's or lunch spot, and estimates your arrival time. i love it.
sherpa original bag deluxe
at first i thought that the price for the sherpa bag was a little high for me, but the quality is outstanding. it's comfortable, you can wash the inner liner, and the biscuit loves it. he crawls right in as soon as he sees me grab my keys! plus, the sherpa is designed to fit under and airline seat and is the only carrier approved for in-flight use by all of the major airlines.
dwell bedding:
i heart dwell bedding. karadean and i like to hit up their annual sample sale and clean house. i love the color pallette, the patterns, the quality, the feel of the cotton. "playful yet minimalist" is a fitting description. plus, it cleans up well when the biscuit pukes on the bed.
trader joe's
i seriously had to wrack my brain to think of a product at trader joe's that i don't like. i honestly can't think of one dud. i can think of many, many favorites, though: the dried white peaches, the flattened bananas, the cheese and green chile tamales, the spinach artichoke ravioli, the gorgonzola and walnut tortellini, the chili-lime cashews. all amazing and less expensive than the nastiness that passes as consumables at our local key food.
sudoku:
i had to fit my puzzle nerd in somewhere on this list. i really, really enjoy sudoku (in case you are unfamiliar, an explanation is here). i wouldn't call myself "obsessed", but i quite enjoy the satisfaction of completing a puzzle before i get to my subway stop. aahhh...
Friday, October 12, 2007
bookmarks--a memoir
i was organizing my bookmarks, and some of them are pretty funny. for example: "Ridding Your Home of Fleas" (self-explanatory) and "Ecure me: T Flava", from when bdub had mysterious red and white spots up and down his back. others conjur up memories i'd rather not revisit for too long, like "Pilling Cats" or "The Animal Legal Defense Fund: Winning the Case Against Cruelty" or "LA Daily News- Tahoe Blaze, Homes Evacuated" (...the fire is unrelenting...you are forced to evacuate your home...it's the stereo or your son's darth vader mask that he just got for his fourth birthday. you go for the mask. you're his father...you lose everything else but none of it matters, really...).
still others, such as "Small Space Entertaining" bring me back specifically to a time and place: our tiny apartment, last thanksgiving, eight people for dinner. it's chilly and raining, so we can't eat out on the patio. i want us to sit down and have a nice dinner together. after much deliberation, we flip up our mattress against the wall and cover the whole shebang with a white sheet. we put out card tables and borrowed chairs, make gingerbread martinis and drink champagne and eat roast turkey and seitan with a red wine and mushroom sauce (for the veggies) and stuff ourselves with pie and bread pudding.
"njtransit.com/pdf/bus" is the schedule of buses from new york to atlantic city. while bdub was on tour last winter-into-spring, the biscuit and i boarded a bus to atlantic city where we met my friend katie. we spent the weekend at katie's family's beach house with her and her st. bernard, gus.
the biscuit got sprayed by a skunk that was making his home underneath the back porch...as long as i live, i will never forget his soaking wet, tomato juice-pink mug as we bathed him to rid him of the stink. he was such a trooper, and katie didn't even mention how much the smell permeated the house, the towels, everything. she made tuna noodle casserole and we chilled with our dogs and got caught up on each others' lives. it was a great weekend.
there are even bookmarks that give me hope for the future, such as "Good Questions: How Small An Apartment Can You Have a Baby In?". an awkward sentence, to be sure, but a good question indeed. i've read it again and again, and it gives me hope to hear of people's babies all over the world sleeping in dresser drawers and salad bowls. i like that. it makes the future (*ahem*, the very distant future--not the near future, thankyouverymuch, mom) seem not so impossible.
still others, such as "Small Space Entertaining" bring me back specifically to a time and place: our tiny apartment, last thanksgiving, eight people for dinner. it's chilly and raining, so we can't eat out on the patio. i want us to sit down and have a nice dinner together. after much deliberation, we flip up our mattress against the wall and cover the whole shebang with a white sheet. we put out card tables and borrowed chairs, make gingerbread martinis and drink champagne and eat roast turkey and seitan with a red wine and mushroom sauce (for the veggies) and stuff ourselves with pie and bread pudding.
"njtransit.com/pdf/bus" is the schedule of buses from new york to atlantic city. while bdub was on tour last winter-into-spring, the biscuit and i boarded a bus to atlantic city where we met my friend katie. we spent the weekend at katie's family's beach house with her and her st. bernard, gus.
the biscuit got sprayed by a skunk that was making his home underneath the back porch...as long as i live, i will never forget his soaking wet, tomato juice-pink mug as we bathed him to rid him of the stink. he was such a trooper, and katie didn't even mention how much the smell permeated the house, the towels, everything. she made tuna noodle casserole and we chilled with our dogs and got caught up on each others' lives. it was a great weekend.
there are even bookmarks that give me hope for the future, such as "Good Questions: How Small An Apartment Can You Have a Baby In?". an awkward sentence, to be sure, but a good question indeed. i've read it again and again, and it gives me hope to hear of people's babies all over the world sleeping in dresser drawers and salad bowls. i like that. it makes the future (*ahem*, the very distant future--not the near future, thankyouverymuch, mom) seem not so impossible.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
i'm so flippin' STUPID!
i just realized that i have invited my mom to peruse my blog. and let's face it, if anyone actually cares about the comings and goings of the wolfeinelli's and will ACTUALLY read anything i have to say, it would be my mom.
now i can't swear on here. f*ck.
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