it's been one of those days. again.

but i'm not going to bore you to tears with details. let's just suffice it to say, it has blown. but i'm trying to focus on the positive stuff in my life and squish down the negative. at least, as much as you can squish 3 sick kids and their lame parents down.....i'm just sayin.

on a good note, let's talke weight watchers. did i tell you all that i joined? well, i did. my first week's weigh in was on this past monday and................(drumroll).....................I LOST 5 POUNDS!

i'm slowly getting back into the groove of ww, as i have done it before. i'm getting better at getting the necessary amount of water into me during the day, although with the time i spend in the bathroom it seems i've been drinking TOO much! :) i'm learning about foods with more fiber that are more filling so that i stay full feeling longer. but once again, hello bathroom!

i really wish latifah was more willing to do it along with me. but he's a stubborn man and wants what food he wants. and bless his little island soul. i won't tell him how much i weigh, but he wants to know. he says "i love you hon, so why don't you tell me?" to which i shun his questioning. so then he started to try and guess how much i weighed and he quoted a number way below my weight. i love that he thinks i'm smaller than i actually am! :)

when i get down to near what i want to be, i'll share the before and after weight with everyone. right now though? it's my little secret!

i so want to see this

the babies in the beginning so remind me of the twins. biting and all.

what's happenin, hot stuff?

so, guess what i've had to do the last 2 mornings? scrape ice off my car! we've gotten down to below freezing in the bay area over the last few nights, making me very glad that i spent the dollar on the ice scraper from the bargain bin at target a month ago!

a good thing about the cold is that our dogface has become very efficient when it comes time to "go". she gets out there, does her stuff and then books it right back home. she gets to warm up fast and so do we! i must admit, we have been using her as natural heat for our bed at night. she emits the best body heat when she's wedged in the middle of both of us. and waking up with a dog's face on your pillow and her paw wrapped around your waist is pretty sweet. :)

i actually had to go and dig out my winter gear from storage this past weekend. sweatshirts weren't cutting it any longer and i was yearning for scarves and hats. i know that anyone from the east coast is calling me a wuss right about now, but this is butt freezin' cold for california, so there! i've been in boston in january, so i know the cold. but this isn't normal for us cali folk!!!

latifah and i and dogface will be heading down to so cal for the xmas holiday. my sister will be in town with the bookends (my niece and nephew) and latifah has yet to meet the little man. we also have a load of people we want to see and catch up with, so we are making the most of our adventure. plus, i hear there will be homemade tamales on xmas day......

and, the most recent news is that i've started weight watchers again. it's been ages since i did it last, but felt that i really should do something about my expanding backside. monday was the first official day. i'm getting back into the swing of it, but am so craving the crap i used to eat. what i wouldn't give for a bacon/egg/cheese biscuit from jack in the box. i may treat myself after my weigh in on monday. i have been doing well with the points and making sure i get plenty of fiber into my meals. i've also been drinking way more water than usual. the combo of lots of water and lots of fiber has been fun (i won't go into details. you're welcome). now if i could just squeeze some time in to get to the new gym at our complex, it would be all good!

i must now go and crank the heat in this house. it's either too hot or not working right, so i'm always screwed at work. brrrr! have a good day!

frumptastic

nothing like going and looking at THIS set of photos and then suddenly feeling very unfashionable. i think i want to be her when i grow up. sigh.

to do list

• work on more flickr pictures
• look into grants and loans for school
• look into school
• update resume
• clean out storage
• clean out spare room
• grocery shop, like, yesterday
• clean out car
• clean out brain
• dl renewal
  
• vehicle registration renewal
• take picture for xmas cards
• give dogface a bath
• paint my toenails
• email about balcony missing pieces
• ask for days off at xmas
• look into starting weight watchers again
• start writing out ideas for possible nanny stories/book
• wax spastic eyebrows
• order prescription online/via mail
• refill flea prescrip for dogface
• get old pictures off of both cameras
• load baptism pics for mom and sis
• learn to 'let it go'
  

the swell season

o. m. g.

i am absolutely, madly, completely in love with the swell season. they are a duo that sings some of the most beautifully arranged songs i've ever heard. ages ago i heard them open up for damien rice when latifah and i saw him at the paramount in oakland. we really enjoyed them and then sort of forgot about them.

a movie came out called "once" based on their story (and which i still have yet to watch!) and renewed my interest a bit. but once again, they sort of fell by the wayside.

recently, a friend of my sister's was singing their praises on facebook and it peaked my interest. she had gone to see them in boston and we started to talk about them. next thing i know, i am purchasing their latest cd "strict joy" at target and falling in love.

their music is just gorgeous. the sound is pure. the emotion is strong. the words are brilliant. yeah, i kind of like them. :)

but judge for yourself. this video is a song from the movie "once" that actually won an oscar.



this song is off their latest cd "strict joy".

gps won't help me now

yesterday i was completely overwhelmed by the show of support and motivation from my dear friends. seriously, i was blown away and just about in tears from all their kind words.

i was feeling a bit scared in the fact that all i've done in the past 10+ years was cared for other people's children. part of me wonders if i can really do anything else. i never finished school and i've never really done anything else other than a load of retail and some teacher aiding in middle school.

but then i read what my circle of friends had to say:

• Have you thought about maybe using this opportunity to go back to school and figure out what you'd LOVE to do with your life? Seriously...there are loans and grants and all that to take care of the $$ issue!

• go outside your comfort zone. Trust me. 2 years ago when my industry imploded I was scared to death. Got my feelers out and ended up doing something I never thought I'd be doing and it was the best decision I ever made in my life. Whatever is supposed to happen will happen.

• Why should deadbeats who milk the system be the only ones to get help from Uncle Sam? If it's easy for them to do, it should be a breeze for you as well. You are in a very unique and exciting position, Shelly. You have an opportunity to do something AMAZING with your life. Look around an office. Any office. How many of those people do you think said "That's what I want to be when I grow up"? You can do this.

a few also said i should write a book with all the stories and incidents i have dealt with in my nanny career. honestly, that has been an idea tucked back in my brain for a few years now. bringing it back to the surface really struck a chord in me. mix that with the words of encouragement to break out and make something happen, and i was just completely at a loss for words (which doesn't happen very often!).

this left me thinking of what my options were. and for the first time, i feel like i actually have some!

• quit nannying completely and fall into some other career.
• keep nannying but for another family without sickly twins.
• go back to school and find my passion.
• work part time and go to school.
• win the lotto and travel the world. :)

in any case, all those options will also include giving writing my "nanny memoirs" if you will, a try. why not, right?

i think i'll spend the weekend with my family talking about my options and getting feedback from them. i'll also spend the time taking deep breaths and preparing to leap.

i'm excited.