My Favorite Niece

It's Been 10 Days

I've been back at work for ten days and I don't know if I have ever been as tired as I am right now. In addition to my return to work David has been putting in 12 hour days for weeks. Suffice to say the entire house is tired and crabby. This was Sydney at moms tonight after her four hour nap and no she wasn't playing.

I Was Certainly Motivated

Goofy, Toast and Fish

Becca, Jason, Joshua and Elizabeth gave Sydney three fish for her birthday. The next day Sydney and I had the following conversation:

Mom: What do you want to name your fish?
Sydney: Ummm, Ummm
Mom: What do you want to name this one (pointing to a goldfish looking fish)
Sydney: (In a high pitched voice) Ummmm, Goofy!
Mom: Goofy, thats a good name. What about this one (pointing at a small white fish)
Sydney: (In a high pitched voice, looks around, spots her breakfast and says) Ummmm, Toast!
Mom: OK, what about this one (another goldfish looking fish
Sydney: (In her high pitched voice again) Ummmm, Fish!
Mom:(Laughs) OK, so this is Goofy, this is Toast and this is Fish. Is that right
Sydney: YES!!!!!

**Disclaimer: Fish bit the dust the next day, Toast was Toast two days later and Goofy is still going strong**

Share The Joy Week (Day Seven)

The greatest joy of all is being a parent. Since it's been on Facebook it's now going on the blog: Rachel and Kevin are soon to become parents of a baby boy! He is due June 23rd. (I'm hoping for the 22nd) Can't wait to be an Aunt again!!!!!!

Share The Joy Week (Day Six)

This is a combined Flashback Friday and present day. It brings me so much joy to have a BFF that is as captivated when I speak now as she was when I spoke four years ago.

Share The Joy Week (Day Five)

David and I actually did a date night thing. Frankly, I have always hated the "date night" phrase but I have determined thats probably because we never do it. Saturday night we took the metro, found a "Brooke" on the Hollywood walk of fame, had a great dinner (thats another blog) and saw Mark Knopfler from the 4th row (it was actually the 2nd row but there were two rows of chairs) and completely center stage. It was awesome and my hair looked good.

Share The Joy Week (Day Four)

For Sydney there is no greater joy than the carousel.

Share The Joy Week (Day Three)

Brooke's Smiling (She started smiling on Sydney's birthday)

Share The Joy Week (Day Two)

Congratulations to Becca and Jason on their awesome new car! Best color on the road! P.S. Congratulations Joshua and Elizabeth on your built in DVD player!

Share The Joy Week (Day One)

David has spent the greater part of the last two weeks building Sydney's birthday present aka "Sydney's Park". It is now in a 99% done state and she loves it! Great job, Dad!!!!!!

It's Share The Joy Week At Kim1Champ

Let's be honest, I'm really not excited to be returning to work tomorrow so because of this I am going to focus on the positive and spend the week sharing the joyful aspects of life. Let's celebrate!

My Custom Starbucks Card

I customized a Starbucks card for myself so that I could begin earning Starbucks rewards again. (My Starbucks Gold card had issues when I lost my wallet). You can customize your own Starbucks card at https://www.starbucks.com/shop/card/customize Here is how mine turned out:

The Upright Bass

About mid point during the Mark Knopfler concert this instrument made an appearance. Unfortunately, it stayed for several songs and I found it very distracting and offensive. I began pondering several things including:

*What mother would condone, encourage or support this instrument choice? For numerous reasons I can guarantee you that Sydney and Brooke will not play the upright bass. The only positive thing I can think of is that it is unlikely to get lost. (as opposed to stirups or shin guards)

*How does one transport this instrument? It wouldn't even fit in a mini van

*Why would anyone want to play it? Can it really sound that good? And why is it necessary, I cant believe it adds that much value.

*It looks like a violin for Paul Bunyon

*I wonder if I'll see it in next years Rose Parade

*Again, why would any mother allow their child to play this?

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Sydney's First Sushi Order

California rolls (just the crab), Crab and Shrimp Sushi and she even had a little Ahi. (Loved it all)

Happy Birthday, Jeff!

Among other duties Jeff is the official San Francisco News Corespondent for Kim1Champ.

Speaking of news, well old news, what is happening with my hair in this picture?

Important Disneyland News

Disneyland is in the process of adding doors to all the trams. I took a tiny umbrella stroller and it was a pain to hold the door and get on, I am dreading my next trip with the double stroller.

Sydney's 2nd Birthday Pics

An Introduction To Grae Dawn

My good friend Courtney recently expanded her successful women's accessories business, Girls Night Out and launched a new company, Grae Dawn. The products are beautiful, the prices are reasonable and there are currently over 70 handmade accessories available for purchase.

When asked how Courtney got started in the accessories business she tells this story: I always liked being crafty and creating things but never really had the time or energy to do anything more than scrapbook for my kids. On Mother's Day 7 years ago my mom and I were shopping at Fred Segal in LA and saw some amazing hair accessories, but unfortunately I could only afford to buy one due to their HIGH prices. My mom then looked at me and said, "you could make those", and that's when it all began. I started making hair accessories and selling them at local street fairs for moms like me who can't afford a $100 hair clip. One thing lead to another and I met the hair people for Days of Our Lives and they asked me down to do the accessories for the actresses on the show. My accessories have also been seen in several TEEN PEOPLE magazines and SHAPE magazine. I recently changed the name since my accessories have really evolved. It used to be Girls' Night Out and now I have moved to a more generic name that really can encompass just about anything I create....GRAE DAWN!

Please check out Grae Dawn for Mothers Day, Birthdays and all of your accessorising needs.

Economic Recovery And Your Health

If my Periodontist's office is any indication, things are improving economically. They have recently splurged on these large drinking cups in the office instead of the tiny little cups that are in the average doctors office.

Not only do we get great dental care we get an unlimited supply of drinking water. They are doing their part in helping you drink your 8 glasses a day. One down for me.

Brooke's Newborn Pics (+Sydney)

Pictures were taken on 3/11/10:

"Mom, Watch Movie!" (And The Cake)

A few weeks ago when Becca and I went to Burke Williams I told Sydney that she and dad were going to have a special "Movie" night. They made some popcorn and I told David to try watching Madagascar with her. Mom had been telling me that she would like it but that ended up being an understatement-she wants to watch it all the time and simply refers to as the "Movie". "Mom, watch movie!" is the first thing I hear when she wakes up in the morning, wakes up from her nap or arrives home.
Friday after some prodding from Becca that she probably should have a cake with characters for her birthday party I call Vons and the following conversation ensues:

Kim: Hi I need to order a cake for a kid’s birthday party; can I do that over the phone?
Baker: You really should come in and look
Kim: Can't you just put something Disney on it?
Baker: Well, we have allot of choices
Kim: Mickey, Minnie or the princess will be fine
Baker: You really need to come in and look.
Kim: OK, fine

A few minutes later I walk into Vons and start perusing the cake book. I turn one of the pages and there was a Madagascar cake with a post in note that says "out of stock". In that moment, I realized I was a lame mom (this prompted a Kim is lame Facebook status), I walked out of Vons and drove to another (bigger) Vons and they informed me that the Madagascar cake had been replaced with the Madagascar Escape from Africa cake. This cake wasn’t as cool and I didn’t think she would really be excited to see it so I pre-ordered a Nemo cake with the intention of cancelling if I could find the Madagascar cake somewhere else. After checking several places it wasn't going to happen so I was about settled with Nemo until....I got to thinking I wonder if Becca had any of the Madagascar Happy Meal toys and if she did would they look good on the cake??? Turns out she had the Lion (Alex) and the Giraffe (Melman) and I had the Zebra (Marty) so I called Vons back and told them to make the Madagascar Escape From Africa Cake.

I then went to see if I could get any Madagascar party themed stuff and the bottom line with that story is that it was good effort but too late to make it happen. DARN IT. We ended up with some jungle I vow to never be a lame mom (on birthday parties at least) again, next birthday the party planning will begin 30 days out.

The McDonalds Happy Meal toys came through and the cake was perfect! ( P.S. Can you believe her first real cake wasn't Disney themed?)

New Diet Plan?

Today, at Sydney's birthday party I provided forks and spoons. I made a conscious decision that I didn't need to bring the knives out. Fast forward, I sit down with my hot dog and hamburger sans buns (didn't want the pesky carbs). On the hamburger patty I have: chili, cheese, onions, tomatoes and pickles. On the hot dog I have: chili, sauerkraut diced tomatoes, diced pickles, diced onions and cheese. Anyhow, I use my plastic fork to try and cut the hamburger and the entire plate flies up in the air and it all lands on me.

I guess I should have brought the knives out. Oh well, I ate less.

Sydney Has A Listening Problem

I am suddenly worried that Brooke's may be worse.