The Perfect Gift

I've been meaning, every day, to write a quick post to let you'uns know that my blogging may be a bit sporadic over the next little bit.

I have taken a new contract gig that has me pretty busy from now until nearly the end of the year. It's a brand new project for me, so I've spent the last week desperately trying to get up to speed and nailing down my roles/responsibilities.

The good news is I have work until the end of the year. The bad news is I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment and am likely to remain this way until the project comes to an end!

I miss writing AND reading everyone's blogs. My Google Reader said I have nearly 1,000 posts to catch up on. That knowledge simply added to my feelings of being behind the eight ball, so I simply shut Google Reader down. If I can't see it, it's not real, right?

This new gig is not only a great business opportunity for me, but after it comes to an end, April and I are going to focus on starting our family. We've talked about it non stop for three years and if we don't do something soon, we'll look like the kid's grandparents before it graduates kindergarten.

We are researching adoption avenues right now and are keeping our fingers crossed we might have a new addition to the family next year! We are considering open adoption which moves at a quicker clip than closed adoptions. I also haven't given up on wanting to have a child myself.

Knowing that this new job might be stressful, April did a very April thing...

I traveled to Atlanta last week and as I was unpacking my suitcase, I found a wrapped gift and a small card.

The card read:

"I love you so much and miss you. When things get rough or you feel overwhelmed, just remember what's next for us..."

I opened the gift.

A book of children's bedtime stories.

With an inscription from Apes:

"To the best mommy-to-be."

How can you not love her?

Pear-casso?

Somewhere around dark-thirty this morning, Apes mumbled in her sleep, leading to another fabulous conversation she'll never remember we had (until she reads my blog, of course).

"What?" I managed, a groggy reply.

"Did I get world famous?"

"Did you get world famous?"

"Yeah. Did I?"

"Yes, April. Yes you did. You became world famous."

"Good."

"Can I ask you what you did to become world famous?"

I did my best to translate the reply she delivered directly into her pillow.

"You ROLLED fruit?"

She tilted her head enough for me to hear her better.

"Nooooo. I PAINTED fruit."

"Oh, you PAINTED fruit. What kind of fruit?"

"Eh, just fruit."

"Oh. Ok. Who bought it?"

"I don't know."

"Ok. Is this conversation over?"

"Probably."

"Ok."

Shady....

I've been taking baby steps toward darkening my hair.

Last summer, I was about as opposite of brunette as I could be...

Member?



It was October of last year when I decided to go darker, but my hairdresser talked me into a mid-way point, just to make sure I wasn't going to freak out...



I liked it - but it wasn't exactly what I wanted.

I wanted darker.

Today, I got my wish.

And I LOVE it.

It's such a change from the straw-colored hair I've had all my life.







I hope Apes likes it!

Hi Hi Hi Hi

First, thank you for all the emails checking to see if I still have a pulse.

I do...and, as April says, a pulse means my mouth still runs...which, depending on who you talk to is either a blessing or a curse...

Aunt Jody, I owe you a return phone call and Mom told me you called her re: my unintentional blogging hiatus. Gonna try and hit you up today. (By the by...I hope you noticed my own mother didn't even know I haven't been blogging...Whenever I ask if she's been keeping up with the site, she'll tell me "Oh, honey, I've been really busy working and playing golf, but now that I have my sparkly Iphone, I try to catch up whenever your father drives us somewhere. Well, I catch up in between telling him how to drive...").

Mhm.

Apes and I took a quick, four-day trip last week and totally unplugged from the world. We watched ten movies, read, played our new favorite game (Bananagrams) and actually RELAXED.

I feel I should tell you, before I go any further, I am the Bananagrams champ. Mostly because April can't spell and tries to get away with bullshit slang words. I'm too smart for that. Just ask me, I'll tell you.

We are in week five of our P90X workout and we have a love/hate relationship with Tony Horton. That being said, we are slowly seeing some changes and I no longer have the desire to eat pieces of cake as big as my head. That's saying something...

And last, but not least, Apes has graced us with another Aponex (for those of you who don't know, Aponex is April's own language, made up of all the common phrases she simply can NOT get right...)

Me: "WHAT are you talking about, Apes? That makes no sense!"

Apes: "It's not supposed to make sense, Heather! GAWD. I'm just tugging with you!"

Me: "Tugging with me? I can't even begin to figure out which phrase you've massacred."

Apes: "Maybe I haven't."

Me: "No, you have. I'm certain."

And she had.

She wasn't tugging with me.

She meant pulling my leg.

Help me.

Art of Sarcasm

If you've met April, you know sarcasm doesn't come easily for her (giving it or understanding it).

I am nothing, if not a ball of sarcasm, so it's made for some memorable moments in our four+ year relationship.

That's why when April does manage to successfully use sarcasm, even if it's a dig at me, I can't be upset.

Quite the contrary.

I must commend her.

The other night, we'd just finished the dinner I'd made (salmon over sweet potatoes with a zingy/spicy sauce).

Apes got up to clear her plate and had made it all the way to the sink before I yelled, "Hey, selfish mc-selfish! How 'bout getting my plate too!"

"I AM, Heather! Geez. I was just going to rinse mine first and then come back for yours! Calm down."

"That makes no sense, April. Why wouldn't you grab BOTH plates so you don't have to make two trips?"

She rolled her eyes, walked back to the table, her plate still in hand, and retrieved mine.

Then she did it. She used sarcasm. AND a dead pan tone.

It was perfect.

Wait for it, Wait for it....

She said:

"Fine, Burger King. I'll do it your way."

Brilliant. Absolutely Brilliant.

PS - Go Saints!
PSS - Ang, thank you so much for your email. I'm responding and will send tomorrow. Love you big!

Wintor Storm: Saturday, 10:30am

After shoveling and clearing out around our cars for about an hour, Apes and I are beat.

If I hear, one more time, "and you LIKE THIS?" I may tackle her.

To be fair, we WERE frozen solid before our shoveling duties were over.

While we are getting plenty of snow, it doesn't look like my town, south of DC, will be breaking any records. Temps got a little warmer than expected last night, resulting in mostly a sleet mixture instead of the heavy snow first predicted.

I'm not gonna lie. I pouted a little bit. I really wanted to beat the record. I wanted it so badly you'd think I had control over it.

I still refuse to believe I don't.

Here's what our front yard looked like before we shoveled (10:30am):

Yes, that is our pine tree lying on top of April's car. We had to move it (thank you for the help, Teo).





...and thanks to the sleet last night....



It's now noon and the snow is still coming down. Smaller flakes, but very steady.

Apes and I are getting ready to pop in the movie, Disturbia.

Then maybe some sledding....

Winter Storm: 5pm

So, for awhile the snow came down as if it didn't mean business.

Now, we have snow on steroids.

It's 5pm and here are my photo updates:







Apes tried to stay ahead of the shoveling game...she's nothing if not fashionable in her snow gear...



I searched all over town for a pair of galoshes and obviously was a bit late in the game. I swear I found the VERY last pair of size 8 boots. It's fair to say they aren't exactly April's style...



It's gonna get crazy up in here.

Calm Before the Storm

Word on the street (and on every weather channel and website) is that we are getting ready to be clobbered by what could be a historic snowstorm.

I've heard everything from 24 to 30 inches.

Just so we're clear, I took out a measuring tape and 30 inches comes up to my lady parts.

That's a lot of snow.

It's been drizzling a light, steady snow for about an hour now, but it's not sticking yet. Hits the car and melts.

I took a few "before" photos and will update my blog as the storm continues.

Before:







Needless to say, I'm all for a big snow. Not sure my lady parts agree, though...

Downward Dog?

Apes and I were getting ready to do Yoga tonight.

I went to get a glass of water and came back to find this...

Perhaps it's how "downward facing dog" got its name?

The Profile of a Blogger

If you are a blogger, you HAVE to go check out my friend Brian's recent post titled:

The Profile of a Blogger.

He nails it!

And the winner is.....

The winner of a Petrol Fuel For Dogs gift pack is.....

Courtney and Lisa!

I put the name of everyone who left a comment on a piece of folded up paper and made a blind-folded April (with the assistance of our toy poodle, Jean Paul) select the recipient.

Courtney and Lisa, email me your mailing address (wishfulwriterblog@yahoo.com) and Jenn will put a Petrol sample pack in the mail as soon as possible.

Thanks all for playing and make sure to let me know how the dogs like it!

For those interested, check out the website (www.petrolfordogs.com) and see what they are all about! You can order Petrol directly from the website.

Pour out the love!

Peace, love and puppies.

Heather

Dog Lovers Love This!

Here's the REALLY COOL thing.

Jenn is willing to send a sample pack, just like the one in the video, to one of my blog readers for FREE!

The fairest way I know how to do this is...

If you want the sample pack, leave me a comment about your critter. I'll count up the comments, throw everyone's name into a hat and have April draw the winner.

I'll post the winner tomorrow evening sometime.

Petrol Fuel For Dogs is such a smart idea and the company is already getting a ton of buzz!