Happy 33rd Birthday Missy!

Cotton sluts (google it)

So ready for a night out!

Kinda of a nice weekend! How was yours? Do you feel refreshed and ready for another week? Why don't you start a blog and discuss your every thought, too?

Weekend Highlights

• awesome massage at Santosha
• My mom had a job interview AND may be getting an offer on her house!
• Aunt Jill brought Nori stickers, which provided a full day of entertainment
• Grey's Anatomy and brownies with Jake
• sunny weather
• yoga at Midway YMCA, my new fitness home
  
• Grandpa Steve visited
• Missy's birthday dinner at Il Vesco Vino...patio, music, good food, and interesting conversation. Wouldn't you like to know.
  
• Meeting friends (who are also neighbors) at Bloom
• homemade chili and bread, Project Runway on DVR, and couch time later tonight
  

A busy week lies ahead as I am coordinating a huge student event on Tuesday, on top of doing of research and working at my new job. We head to Decorah next weekend for Jake's 10 year Luther class reunion. I feel bad for him, he's getting old.

The kids hang with Jake while the moms go out!

I am the man!

3 bathrooms and 1 kitchen scrubbed, floors swept & vacuumed (where applicable), nap, and laundry ready to go, all before Oprah is on. This Friday SAHM gig is so up my alley.

I KNOW what you are thinking...

You are worried about me and my stress level brought on by a little thing called life. But don't. Sure, I started my new job 1.5 days a week which requires driving in traffic and maneuvering between iPod wearing students, making a dozen laps around a parking ramp and then speed walking with hot coffee 2 miles to my new office. But guess what? This new office has big windows so it is totally worth it! Plus, I am in charge of all the fun stuff, like marketing & communications and coordinating an open house (code for party). So, I'm good. Plus, last night Jake was gone at a draft for a college fantasy football league (yes, you read that right) so after Nori went to bed, I took a bath, FLOSSED, cleaned our room and was asleep by 8:30. Gracias Tylenol PM. First sign of abuse?

Laughing

I would just to explain this wonderful room with the red duvet. It is our play/office/guest/junk room and is not in any way indicative of my refined, elegant yet functional meets chic taste when it comes to decorating.

Back to the grind

I set up a "reading station" for Nori which allows me
at least 3 entire minutes to myself

I'll be honest, life has been kicking our butts lately! So many places we have to go, people to see, things to do. It seems like taking time for ourselves is last on the priority list. Some couples fight about money or chores, but about the only thing Jake & I continue to struggle with is time! We don't really fight but we are constantly working on how to balance all the child care and "should do's" with putting our family's needs first. Often times, we really just need to be home with unscheduled time and no demands (other than a kid and dog) on our minds. We had some good talks about this this weekend and have some new ideas to make things run more smoothly around the Seltz house. Jake has declared himself a zombie and will also work on getting more sleep so wish him luck. Poor guy works long, boring hours.

"Breakfast time" is a cry heard throughout the house, even at night. As is, "time flies!"

Our midlife crises did stop us from attending a Sri Lankan tennis party on Friday night while Auntie Elle babysat. Here I thought Jake played tennis with a bunch of harmless, old Indian guys, but I soon find out they are tennis FANATICS who love to push drinks on people. I mean really nice, old, fanatical drink-pushers, but still. Saturday we attended a picnic at my friend Jodi's house where the guests were all families made by adoption! It was fun hear the different stories and cool for Nori to grow up knowing other kids who were not necessarily homegrown in their mom's utes. Today we went back to the new church, Bloom, but Nori is still not so keen on the nursery, insisting "Go home NOW" and "mommy, I want donut" before we actually could leave. In fact, she has been full of funny sayings this weekend, such as when I was testing her knowledge of the alphabet:

Me: "L-M-N-O...? L-M-N-O...?
Nori: "Oh, baby!!

Or this one, when we went to watch Jake play tennis:

Nori: DADDY! Daddy! Look it! I'm Norelle!!!!!

They are studying the rainforest at Tammy's this month, check out the ferosh Leopard she made!

TuTu Tootie