Kate's Random Musings

Feeling like I have something to prove

2012-01-28T01:12:00.001-08:00

Some days I feel like I need to wear badges that tell people that I'm smart, what I've accomplished, what I read/what I study/what I can do.

You know, like I need to wear my resume pinned to my chest like a kindergartener taking a message from school home to her mom.

I think people look at me and say, "She's loud and funny and doesn't take life seriously." Maybe folks think I'm not focused or driven.

And that pisses me off.

Me? Not driven or competent or smart or dedicated?

Here. Let me pin this to my chest.

I graduated cum laude from a small liberal arts college. I earned degrees in English and theatre. In fact, I was the first theatre arts graduate from my alma mater.

I directed two plays -- a one-act and a full-length. I wrote a senior thesis on playwright-author David Mamet.

I've studied Irish literature and playwrights, poets from the 1700s to the present day, classic American lit, contemporary novelists, the psychology of human sexuality, Math in Modern Culture, journalism, libel & slander, acting, music theory, how to coach novice writers. I did not just dabble in these subjects; I studied them, immersed myself in them.

I helped resurrect my college newspaper and served as editor. At a small liberal arts college, that means I wrote articles, edited other writers' work and laid out the paper. And then I drove it 20 miles to the printer.

I've been a theater and writing teacher for a kids' summer program. I've answered phones, made coffee, babysat, helped real estate agents, sold produce, written press releases, acted in commercials. I've been a development director at a low-income Catholic school -- a job that meant asking for money, motivating volunteers, answering phones, bandaging knees, helping in the lunchroom. I've been an obituary writer, a news reporter, a copy editor, a TV editor, a religion columnist and a jack-of-all-trades in a features department. Now I use all of those skills as a home page editor at a daily newspaper.

I've tried out for "Jeopardy!" I've sung the national anthem at sporting events. I take freelance editing jobs on occasion to make extra money.

I know the "trends" in my field. I know the studies on how people read newspapers (both in print and online), and I read a lot (probably too much) on how people use Twitter and Facebook to get their news.

I don't like being wrong. I hate misspellings. I make a mean batch of from-scratch brownies. I'll kick your ass at trivia. And I'll pray for you each Sunday at Mass.

And you know what's funny? I somehow think it matters what people think of me. Seriously, I care. I care a lot.

I am overly sensitive. I am constantly worrying whether people think I'm doing an outstanding job -- as a mom, as a wife, as a worker, as a friend. I feel like I operate on the defensive almost all of the time. I get irrational. I cry after work.

And I take things personally. I do. My boss' missive about Subject X not being done properly? I'm pretty sure he means that about me. Even when I rationally know it's not.

And as I sit here typing this at 2 in the morning, I also accept that it should not matter to me.

Do I want you to know I'm smart and accomplished -- that I wasn't born yesterday, that I have a strong resume and a bunch of random talents? Yes. Does it hurt when I think that people make assumptions about me, my brain, my background? Yes.

But I realize -- at 2 a.m. -- that what really matters is a little red-haired boy sleeping down the hallway. He's my greatest accomplishment. He's the spark, the joy. He's what makes the rough days OK. His needs are way more important than anything else. Is he fed and healthy and thriving? Most definitely.

Plus, he's adorable and funny and kind.

If I can get his snuggles and his words of love, then maybe I need to let go of the other angst, the need for approval from the rest of the world. My resume doesn't matter to a (almost) 3-year-old. I matter: my presence, my love, my devotion, my care.

Ouch, that pin is starting to hurt. I should take this badge off.

Thanks, readers, for letting me work this one out.

Of music, dreams and obituaries

2011-12-07T10:41:00.000-08:00

What's on my mind this morning ...

Gone too soon: Listening to Amy Winehouse today and just reveling in the richness of her voice. She died so young. What a loss.

Oooh, Barracuda: Heart didn't make it into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame this year ... but Guns N Roses did. In fact, several uber-talented acts didn't make it -- Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Rufus and Chaka Khan, The Cure. Well, they're all still eligible next year. Very bummed, though, that Heart was passed over. The sisters from Seattle are some of the original "grrrrl rockers." (Then again, Nancy Wilson told the San Diego Union-Tribune: "If we actually get inducted, I'll eat my hat.")

Dream a little dream: Last night, I dreamt that I was sent to South Carolina to attend a training conference for work. I got on the plane with just my purse and what I was wearing. There was no suitcase, no change of clothes, nothing. Our first training seminar was getting under way when I realized this. It was also during this seminar that I realized many of the people there were former Olympian colleagues and people I'd had other training conferences with before. But all I could think about was finding a mall where I could buy pajamas and a change of clothes.

And lastly: I hate obituaries for really young people that don't include how they died. Don't start an obit for a 28-year-old woman, "She was taken from us suddenly and tragically" and then not explain. I Googled the woman from today's obituary page and found nothing about her sudden, tragic death. I did learn, though, that she got married in July and that her now-husband was in a terrible skiing accident in 2004, was paralyzed and then sued Snoqualmie and was awarded $14 million.

But the young woman's sudden, tragic death? Can't find it anywhere. Not on my work website, not on the Times' website, not on any of the TV stations' sites.

Maybe I am too snoopy, but I think it's weird to write an obit like that and not explain.

OK, back to my vacation, listening to Amy Winehouse and buying Christmas presents.

Don't stand so close to me

2011-10-16T19:49:00.001-07:00

I have space/claustrophobia issues. And tonight at Mass, the young woman sitting next to me pushed my boundaries.

She followed right on my heels into the pew, and then stood right next to me. I turned to her and said quietly and with a smile, "Hey, hold on. Trying to make sure we all have room." She laughed and nodded. And stood there.

Then she kept inching closer and closer throughout Mass, even though there was at least 3 feet of space on the other side of her. At one point, she was sitting closer to me than John was.

I sensed that maybe she had a developmental disability. But that didn't stop the raging panic that washed over me. Sheer anxiety. I don't know what I thought would happen, but I felt like she was sitting on top of me and that there was no air in the church.

I felt trapped in the pew -- there was a couple with their small son on the left of John, the encroacher on my right and another family to her right -- and I couldn't speak because I was afraid I'd yell at her, something like, "Can you move? Can you move like one foot over?!?!"

John couldn't move farther over; he was practically sitting with the family next to him.

I knelt down at one point and buried my head in my hands. I was so panicked and upset.

I keep asking myself what I could've done differently. I tried to stay focused on Mass, but I could sense her sitting so close to me. As I said, I made an attempt to leave at one point, but I didn't want to climb over John or the families on the ends of the pew. It would've made a scene.

And I thought, "Oh, I'll ask her to inch over." But I knew it would come out angry and, perhaps, also cause a scene. I also worried she wouldn't understand.

So I prayed and tried to offer it up. But it was really unsettling.

Anyone else battle these sorts of issues? Any advice?

Really random musings

2011-09-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

This "reboot" of "Days of Our Lives" is really, really, really cornball. I laughed so hard last night watching what I'd DVR'd. My husband probably thought I was watching a sitcom. (Of course, I set the DVR to record my beloved "Days" for the rest of the week.)

Good things to start my day: Springsteen’s "Badlands" on the iPod, running into my niece and brother-in-law at Starbucks this morning — and getting a *huge* hug from my niece.

This one is for Noreen. Listening to my iPod this morning I had this moment of, "Holy crap. I met Marin Mazzie. I met Marin-freaking-Mazzie. How did that happen?"

Happy Wednesday!

Keep the customer satisfied: Simon & Garfunkel musings

2011-09-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

The Washington Times posted its list of the top 10 Simon & Garfunkel songs (in honor of the 30th anniversary of the duo's concert in Central Park).

Paul and Artie are among my very favorite musicians of all time, and I am so glad I saw them in concert a few years back. There are several singer-songwriters from that era I never got to see or never will see, like Cat Stevens, John Denver and Jim Croce.

I have to give thanks to my sister Ann and my brother Rich who introduced me to Simon & Garfunkel as a wee one. There are certain S&G songs that transport me to childhood moments. Listening to anything from "Bookends" reminds me of sunny afternoons with Ann in her VW Rabbit. When "Cecilia" comes on, I am transported to my family's living room on a Saturday afternoon, singing and dancing with my sisters.

Anyway, my list differs a bit from the Washington Times'. Here's my top 10:

1. Bridge Over Troubled Water

2. America

3. For Emily, Wherever I May Find Her

4. The Boxer

5. Kathy’s Song

6. April Come She Will

7. The Leaves that are Green

8. My Little Town (recorded 1975, post breakup)

9. I Am A Rock

10. Punky’s Dilemma

What's on your list?

This morning's Going to Work music mix

2011-09-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

I believe music provides an insight into people. If that's true, then I must be eclectic. Or scatter-brained. Or have multiple personalities. Or maybe I'm just well-rounded.

What played on my iPod as I drove to work this morning (and, no, I'm not making this up).

"The Impossible Dream" from "Man of La Mancha"
"It's Garry Shandling's Show" (the theme to "The Garry Shandling Show")
"Hot in Herre" by Nelly
"When Will I Be Loved?" by Linda Ronstadt
"We Beseech Thee" from "Godspell"

"Hot in Herre" puts me in such a good mood.

20 questions for busy moms (and dads)

2011-08-19T15:11:00.001-07:00

It's Friday. I'm feeling punchy. Had an interesting talk about work, chores and kids with two moms at the park this afternoon (after I spilled my iced coffee all over the ground).

Came home, got The Boy down for his nap and then started doing laundry. And my mind turned to creating this "Tell me about yourself" quiz.

1. What's your favorite chore?

2. What's your go-to meal when you're tired but still want to feed your family something good?

3. What's your bedtime?

4. What's your secret for removing stains on clothes?

5. How many times a week do you go to the grocery store?

6. What's your least favorite chore?

7. Do you make the bed every day?

8. If you could change one thing about your house/apartment/condo, what would it be?

9. What time is considered sleeping in for you?

10. What's your favorite store for groceries and household supplies?

11. Once the kids are asleep, what do you do to veg out or unwind?

12. What healthy snacks do you keep in the pantry or fridge ... that your kids actually eat?

13. What's your favorite part of your day?

14. Is caffeine a must in your everyday routine?

15. When/how do you find "me" time -- or do you ever find it?

16. What's the last book you read for your own enjoyment?

17. You feel like cooking or baking. What's your favorite thing to make?

18. The five (5) things I never leave home without are ...

19. What's your least favorite kids' show?

20. The best part of being a parent is ...

Ah, young love ...

2011-07-25T20:25:00.001-07:00

... And young heart break.

A teenage girl broke up with my teenage nephew. (The awesome kid I wrote about here.) And his heart's a little broken, but it's clearly mending. He has a good head on his shoulders, and he's wise far beyond his years.

You don't expect to be so profoundly affected by a text message conversation with a 14-year-old. Even when that kid is Jack and you have a special bond with him.

Anyway, I texted him as I left work today: "Hey, Jack Mac. Heard about u and (girl's name here). I am really sorry. You need me to buy u ice cream?"

Jack: No I don't need any as nice as that would be. I'm okay! Now you don't have to share me I'm all yours again! : )

I let out a huge belt of laughter when I read that.

Me: You crack me up. You are always special to me. I am glad u are my nephew and that Daniel has you to look up to. Hope you soaked up some sun this weekend.

Jack: Nope not really! Haha I'm glad I'm your nephew too! :)

Me: And I can beat up (girl's name here) if you want me to heh heh heh

Jack: No that would be mean, even though she broke up with me and that her reasons were really retarded that doesn't make her a bad person

Me: I know she's not a bad person. But you are a really great kid. Your aunt is protective and doesnt like when someone hurts her Jack Mac. Wow, that sounds like Rie

<< OK, here comes the ridiculously moving part. >>

Jack: Yes that does! The other day after this happened I said to myself what would Rie say to me and I came up with this: Jack she might have broken up with you, but she will soon realize what she is missing and even if you don't have her you will always have all of these other people around you that love you so much! :)

Me: That is exactly what she would've said. She said it to me when my heart got hurt. You are a wise boy.

------

We chatted about more things, but it's the exchange above that really moved me.

The depth of love and caring in that boy blows my mind.

And, dang, my mom sure left her mark on that kid. What 14-year-old considers what his dead grandmother would tell him? Yep, my mom was pretty incredible.

As for what Jack thought Rie Rie would say: It IS excellent advice -- and I wish I'd absorbed it better when my mom said it to me as a teen.

Margaret Mae is 13 today!

2011-05-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe my spectacularly wonderful niece Maggie is 13 today.

It feels like just a couple of years ago Rie Rie, Jack and I raced down to St. Joe’s to meet her. Rie Rie was so excited to have a granddaughter, and Jack was thrilled to be meeting his baby sister. I can still picture Rie Rie holding Jack’s little hand as we raced across J Street to the hospital entrance.

Margaret Mae — with her soft blond hair and rosy cheeks. Wrapped in pink. So precious and tiny.

How is she 13 already?

Now, she’s feisty and hilarious. Sarcastic. Super-smart. A tap dancer. A music lover. A baker. Blond, lean, surrounded by a throng of friends. She wears makeup now — and she wears it better than her aunt. Her cellphone is attached to her hip, ready to text at any second.

Maggie’s wittier than her age allows. Her humor is like her father’s — wry, sarcastic, a little mean, a little crass, often said in whispers. And she gets humor that one would think is over her head.

Despite Maggie’s wicked sense of humor and brain-busting intelligence, there is always an innocence. Her stuffed Winnie the Pooh (with “lovey spots”) remains a constant. Her love of dance. Her sensitivity about the loss of her beloved Snappy and Rie Rie. Her sweetness with her young cousins — and their adoration of fun-loving Maggie. Her joy about cupcakes and Johnson’s Candy. And bacon and doughnuts. (And somehow she still weighs about 10 pounds.)

I can’t believe the little girl with the mop of blond curls and the ability to spell rhododendron at 4 years old is now 13.

She is still precious and tiny — with a giant future ahead of her. I can’t wait to see what’s in store.

Happy birthday, Maggie Mae!

Advice taken

2011-05-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

I have a daily calendar on my desk that has a quote-a-day, famous birthdays, a word definition, a little bit of history and a section called "Take a break" that offers advice for stress relief or a cleaning tip or a little game.

I am going through some of the days that I didn't peel off last week. I think there's a reason for that: I need the quote and the "Take a break" advice TODAY (and not on May 12).

Quote:

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -- Plato

Take A Break:

Learn to distinguish between what is truly important and what is not. Ask yourself if the outcome of a particular situation will affect you in a year's time. If not, then let go of all the stress and worry that accompany the situation. It's not worth it in the long run.

Are you there, God? It's me, Kate

2011-05-10T15:34:00.001-07:00

I've been battling this migraine off and on since Saturday.

The pounding and the pain are plenty. But when the drugs and ice packs don't work, I start panicking that I'm having a stroke or something. Then I fall asleep for several hours and the pain is (mostly) gone.

Mostly.

I was OK Monday (muddled through), but I awoke today with this nagging ache. It is trying to hang on -- and I am doing everything I can to defeat it.

The nice thing about spending Tuesday morning in bed was the alone time I had to pray. I've needed that. It feels like my prayer list just gets longer and longer, and it was nice to focus on my friends and loved ones in need.

I also begged the Lord to make the freaking birds chirping outside my window to stop. It appears He's answering that one with a no. Emphatically.

But back to that prayer list. It's amazing how small and helpless you feel when things are so far out of your control, and you want to help the people you love.

The friends longing to adopt; I can't imagine two people who'd be better parents. The awesome co-worker with cancer. The colleagues being laid off. The uneasiness of working in a place where people are losing their jobs. The Husband waiting, waiting, waiting to hear about a job he wants. The goddaughter with diabetes. The aunt who is ill. The faraway friends caring for their sick baby.

Well, that's part of the list.

Meditating on the needs of others puts my migraine in perspective, perhaps it eases it a bit. I offer it up, so maybe another's pain will be eased.

Sure, I still feel small; I trust that the Lord hears my tiny voice and my heartfelt pleas.

And then I take some more Tylenol for that headache.

What I did last night, part 3

2011-05-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

It was Wednesday. And it was not a happy, feel-good day.

Horrible news had been delivered at work. Although many of us knew all day that it was coming, I didn't expect it to feel as devastating as it did, to hear that more of my colleagues were losing their jobs. It literally took my breath away.

So I took solace in my some of my favorite foods -- tacos and lemon cupcakes from hello, cupcake. Oh, and beer.

My wonderful husband took The Boy and I out to El Toro, the Mexican place right up the road. Ah, sweet comfort in yummy chicken tacos and a cold Pacifico. (Plus kids eat free on Wednesdays, a nice bonus for the wallet.) My friend (and colleague) Dusti joined us briefly for some coffee and conversation. She is a great friend.

We came home. I cleaned and cored strawberries and cut oranges into slices to send for The Boy's fiesta at day care. Then I sat down with my delicious lemon cupcake to watch "Modern Family."

It was an exhausting day, emotionally. I could barely keep my eyes open by the end of it. When I curled up in bed, I gave thanks for my husband and my son, who keep me strong and give my days -- even the bad ones -- lots of joy.

What I did last night, part 2

2011-05-04T12:50:00.001-07:00

It was Tuesday.

I cooked frozen pizzas for dinner (one pepperoni, one margherita). We ate dinner. John went to his Knights of Columbus meeting.

I played with Daniel and got him ready for bed.

Then I watched "Glee," which was a merger of some of my favorite things -- Fleetwood Mac, Kristin Chenoweth, student journalism and "Glee" itself.

I was in heaven. I sang along, I cried a little, I laughed.

I ate Johnson's Candy. I organized my coupons.

A good night.

What I did last night

2011-05-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

I went to the Tacoma Rainiers game with one of my closest friends, Dusti, and my son and husband.

We ate mediocre cheeseburgers and delicious french fries.

It was so cold.

The Husband and Boy left early, and Dusti and I toughed it out till the 7th-inning stretch. COLD. The Rainiers were winning 12-5, so we felt it was safe to leave.

Came home. Went to bed.

How the heck have you been?

2011-03-07T12:58:00.000-08:00

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. I’ve been a busy bee, but I don’t have anything big to report.

CLEANING

Getting closer and closer to being done with cleaning my stuff out of my parents’ house. It’s mostly just stacks of papers to sort through and decide what’s garbage, what’s recycling and what I need to keep. I’ve donated so much clothing, costume jewelry and knickknacks to St. Vincent de Paul and Goodwill.

I’ve come across many photos and mementos. A couple of old friends should expect packages this week with trinkets inside. I’m resisting starting up the scanner now that I have friends’ school pictures and high school dance photos at hand. Something about the phrase “Paybacks are hell” seems to apply here.

LENT

We are getting ready for Lent in our family. I am trying to figure out how to make the most of the penitential season. I will probably give up soda (and vanilla in my lattes), and I hope to attend Mass on Friday or Saturday mornings in addition to my Sunday obligation. The Husband is giving up fast food.

Also, with The Husband coming home earlier now (thank you, vanpool!), I will hopefully start attending Wednesday night rosary group again.

THE BOY

The Boy has been quite the chatterbox and often impresses us with his language skills and sense of humor. Our favorite phrase right now is “’Cuse me. Go ‘way.” (That’d be “Excuse me. Go away.”) Other words we hear often from him (many of them preceded by “I want): train, blue train (aka Thomas), chicken, cheese, “Happy to you” (aka Happy Birthday to you), “Where are you?,” cool, wow, juice, “Again!,” Caillou, Wiggles, chi-chi (something is yucky or belongs in the garbage), milk, water, cat, cow, monkey, ‘wimming (swimming), and of course, up, please, thank you, bye, mama, dada, no, yes, mine, etc.

He knows the alphabet song, and he can count to about 10 with some prompting. He knows his basic body parts: head, hair, hands, fingers, toes, legs, feet, tummy, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, teeth, bottom. When walking to or from the car, he sticks his little paw up at me and says, “Hand” -- which means, “Hold my hand.” It’s the sweetest thing ever.

His words show his food loves: Chicken is clearly his favorite food, with cheese a close second. (One day at Fred Meyer, he declared, “I want cheese” as we passed by the deli counter. Both the clerk and I were taken aback by his clarity and firmness.) And I have never seen a kid inhale rice and refried beans at a Mexican restaurant like The Boy does.

Another favorite food declaration came when I picked him up from day care. “So, what should we go do now?” I asked as I started up the car. “I want cupcake,” the toddler voice proclaimed. “Uh, yeah, we’re not going to get cupcakes right now, buddy.” “Oh. (Pause.) I want cupcake.”

More than food, he LOVES music. We hear him sing in the mornings in his crib. He and I sing on the way home after day care. He likes “If You’re Happy and You Know It” and “Got Myself a Baby Bumblebee,” along with a host of others. I caught him singing along and doing the hand actions for “Rock-A-Bye Your Bear” when The Wiggles were on TV the other day. I’ve caught him dancing in the car to “Proud Mary” by Ike and Tina and “Burning Love” by Elvis Presley. I think those are some of my favorite moments.

He has been taking swimming classes at the Y, and he loves it. We were pulling in the parking lot on Saturday, and he started yelling, “ 'Wimming! 'Wimming!” He was so excited.

HEALTH

We found out last week that The Boy will probably have to get tubes in his ears because of too-frequent ear infections. (He’s had about four since August.) While we’re scared about our little man having to go under anesthesia, we know that having the surgery will be the best thing for him in the long run.

LIFE, FOOD, WHATNOT

So, Boy is growing like a weed. Daddy is losing weight, and Mama is trying. We eat, sleep, play, pray and laugh.

I’ve been trying to get better at meal planning. Life is so much easier if I draft a list on Sunday of the week’s menus. It’s saving us time, money and calories, and we’re eating some great foods.

I’m reading Kristin Chenoweth’s autobiography. I’m watching “Tosh.0,” “Modern Family,” “Glee,” “The Soup” and “Community.” I’m listening to whatever my iPod throws at me, which can be anything from ‘70s Christian singer Keith Green to rapper Eminem, from ‘50s show tunes to indie singer-songwriters.

Man, I’d forgotten how much I love “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC.

We never seem to have enough time to spend with friends, so we cherish our dinners and lunches and get-togethers. We’ve joined with some friends to do a seven-game package for the Tacoma Rainiers this season. Can’t wait to see the new Cheney Stadium. That should be a wonderful spring/summer treat.

OK, that’s enough from our little corner of the world.

I hope to share some recipes soon!!!

What does 2011 have in store?

2011-01-03T14:16:00.000-08:00

Perhaps posting some of my new year’s resolutions will force me to be accountable.

Here are some of the highlights from this year’s list.

Exercise more. We have a Y membership; I need to use it more.
Leave work on time. I should be off around 2:30. Not 4 or 4:30.
Prepare more meals at home. I'm a good cook. I like caring for my family in this way. And it saves a buttload of money and usually means fewer calories. I've already printed off several recipes to try.
Bake more. I love baking. It's an amazing outlet for my stress and for my creativity.
Get my house organized. Easier said than done, but I've got to be more on top of the toys and paperwork and junk mail and clothes.
Use my days off more efficiently. Cleaning, organizing, playdates, coffee/lunch with friends.
Money. Maximize my coupons. Don't buy stuff I don't need. Understand the stocks and investments John and I have.
Grow spiritually. Spend more time in prayer. Make time for confession. Try to get back into the weekly rosary group – or at least pray the rosary more often.

Here's hoping in a year I can look back and see that I've accomplished some of these things.

Happy New Year, y'all!

Slap my butt and call me Betty: Dr. Bailey memories

2010-12-28T11:05:00.000-08:00

I promised some Dr. Bailey memories. I will share the ones that have been on my mind over the past few days ...

***

I worked summers at Saint Martin's, and one sunny summer day, a tall, handsome young man walking around the campus caught my eye. And then I saw him meeting with Dr. Bailey.

"Interesting," I thought. I went back to my office with Deanna and Holly and told them about the mysterious stranger. Holly said she'd get to the bottom of it (seeing as she and Dr. B were close).

Dr. Bailey came up to the office a short time later. Holly asked about the stranger and said something like, "Kate's kinda got her eye on him." And Dr. Bailey said, "Bah. Him? He wears shiny shoes."

I should've listened to Dr. Bailey on that one.

***

I had a nickname for Dr. Bailey -- B+ Bailey. He tended to give most of my papers a B+. The perfectionist in me got pretty annoyed.

One day I asked him, "Why do you keep giving me B-pluses?" He smiled and said, "When you write me an A paper, I'll give you an A." And he smirked as if to say, "Got you on that one, Kate."

I remember the last day of the last class I took from him. He handed back two papers to me. There was a smile on his face. "Look at them."

The first one, of course, was a B+.

The second? An A. I squealed and jumped up and down.

"You earned that. That was an excellent paper," he said in his direct, mentor-ish tone.

The note on the last page of that paper said, "A. Well done, an interesting perspective I'd never considered before."

I kept that paper.

***

I used to joke (perhaps theorize) that Dr. Bailey could find sexual overtones in any piece of literature. Perhaps it's because we were often talking about Victorian-era lit when so much was repressed.

Nonetheless, I was in a class once with many older women and, I believe, my dear friend Angie Rhodes.

We were discussing a novel or short story, and Dr. B reads a passage. "What do you think the author means by this?"

One of the women raises her hand and says something. "Possibly," Dr. B says, "But I don't think that's what he's getting at. Anyone else?"

I'm in the front row. I smirk. I know what he's getting at.

"Miss McEntee, would you care to enlighten the class?" Dr. B says.

"Well, he's talking about sex."

And there was a gasp. The other women in the class, including the one breastfeeding her child right next to me, were enraged. "I don't think that's what this story is about!" someone said.

I'm pretty sure I heard Angie laugh.

"Kate," Dr. Bailey said in that deep, gravelly tone of his, "please explain further."

And I did. And Dr. B seemed awfully proud.

Why? Because I was right AND it was about sex.

***

And lastly ...

I, perhaps, took my own sweet time writing my senior thesis. Deadline, schmedline.

Every time I saw Dr. Bailey he'd let me know he was waiting.

One day I dropped it off on his desk when he wasn't there.

I got an e-mail later that day.

"Well, slap my butt and call me Betty! I have a senior thesis here from Kate McEntee."

Only from Dr. Bailey ...

And I eventually got my diploma and put that English and theatre arts major to good use.

***

Thank you, Dr. Bailey, for pushing me to do my best, for pushing me out of my comfort zone and for making me laugh so many, many times. Your wisdom and guidance were a blessing to me in college and beyond.

You can find The Olympian's news obituary for Dr. Bailey here.

Probably having tea with Tennyson already ...

2010-12-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

I just learned of the death of one of my favorite college professors -- one who challenged me, who wasn't afraid to call me out when he knew I could do better, who lauded me when I did well.

I know he wasn't loved by all, but some of my best classroom memories involve him -- in spite of all the B-pluses he gave me.

Rest in peace, Dr. Bailey.

I'll post some of my favorite Dr. B stories later. I'm too sad and shocked to write them now.

I wanna be a part of it ...

2010-11-19T13:14:00.001-08:00

Have I mentioned that I'm going to New York next month? I'm going to spend four full days with my "baby" -- that'd be my younger sister, Noreen.

There are only three things on the agenda right now: seeing her hubby's Broadway show, eating at the bakeries she tells me about and talking (lots and lots of talking).

I hope to squeeze in a drink or two with Kelli Lynn (one of my amazing lifelong friends) and Elysia (awesome former co-worker who just started working at Newsday).

And Noreen, her Broadway-star husband and I are also hoping to see Pee-wee Herman's Broadway show. I'm giddy at just the thought of it.

I am not sure Astoria is ready for Noreen and I together ...

Inspiration from the inbox ...

2010-11-15T10:57:00.000-08:00

Another fantastic e-mail from Holley Gerth at DaySpring. It is exactly what I've needed to hear in the last week. Maybe some of you need these comforting words, too.

When You Feel Overwhelmed

Demands knock on my door.
Burdens beckon me to answer.
The to-do list stretches for miles.

I whisper, "I feel overwhelmed."
And in the stillness it seems I hear...

"Child, open your heart to Me
instead of the demands of the day.
Lay those burdens at My feet, not on your shoulders.
Let go of your list and dare to embrace My grace.
I do not require you to be overwhelmed.
I enable you to overcome.
And with Me, you always will."

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

--by Holley Gerth

Let's get physical ...

2010-10-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

Minor rant.

I'm a mom. I work full-time. I try to make sure my pantry's stocked, bills are paid, dinner's cooked.

My son goes to day care four days a week.

My husband commutes from Tacoma to Redmond. It's a great day if he's home before 7 p.m.

How do I get a workout in?

We're members of the Y, and on-site child care is available at our local branch. However, I feel *awful* picking up my son from day care only to take him to the nursery at the Y.

How do you working moms and dads do it? How do you get in meaningful workouts while juggling work and day care and family dinner and whatever else life throws at you?

Oh, to be snuggled up with my KitchenAid

2010-09-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

If I weren't at work right now, I'd be baking.

I'd be baking something yummy ... with chocolate. Something warm and gooey.

Cookies.

Or Evil Brownies.

Oooh, or crumb cake. I know it doesn't have chocolate, but it is a delicious thing on a rainy Sunday.

... sigh ...

My venti latte is all gone.

The roller coaster of life ...

2010-09-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Just need to vent …

Woke up with a migraine. Never a good sign.

And then the toilet in our main bathroom was leaking from behind. There was water all over the floor. Sopped it up, put a bucket underneath the leak and threw fresh towels on the floor. Had to go to work.

I want a new car. The two-door Honda, although I love and adore her, just isn’t cutting it anymore. Not really made for car seats, a stroller in the trunk and hoisting a 19-month-old into the back seat.

Forgot my cell phone at home today. Arg.

I got to work and one of the editors said, “Someone called for you earlier today. Asked for you by three names” -- That’d be my first, maiden and married names, which I don’t use at work. “He kind of stumbled over the last name. I said you’d be in later, asked if he wanted your voicemail and he said sure. So I transferred him.” And guess what? Mystery Person didn’t leave a message. And that has me all discombobulated.

Money is tight. We’re still recovering from John’s unemployment stint. I have to take five furlough days (read: unpaid days off) by the end of the year. It makes us both on edge. And it makes little things like leaking toilets and too-small cars seem gargantuan.

I miss my dad. So funny. So smart. So compassionate. So understanding. A great cook. An amazing pianist and singer. Gone too soon.

On the bright side …

“Glee” is on tonight! Season premiere! Sweet!

Going to see Hall & Oates tomorrow with one of my favorite people on the planet.

Daniel is using more and more words to tell us stuff. He’s becoming such a little man.

Our house is getting cleaner and more uncluttered day by day. That feels great.

Going to see Kenny Loggins on Sunday night with another one of my favorite people on the planet.

John and I are not broke. We’re not destitute. We’re not living on credit.

My son is healthy and happy and hilarious. Such a great kid.

It's Fair season. That means reporters, editors and photographers go to the fair and return with bags of scones. Yum.

Me? Talk to people? Are you sure about this?

2010-08-30T14:46:00.001-07:00

If you can believe it, I've been asked to speak at an event. A public event. For PR and marketing people.

I will be talking about how social media is changing the way journalists work and how it helps (or hurts) at a program next week.

I had to write up a bio:

KATE MCENTEE

Kate McEntee is the home page editor at The News Tribune. She’s worked in newspapers since 1997, except for a two-year stint as a development/marketing director at a Catholic school. In her journalism career, Kate has been a copy editor, reporter, calendar compiler, obituary writer, typist, receptionist and TV guru. The home page editor job is her favorite so far, probably because it involves a little bit of everything.

Kate is a Pierce County native with fierce addictions to television, Starbucks, Facebook and show tunes. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and theatre arts from Saint Martin’s University in Lacey. She lives in Tacoma with her husband and 19-month-old son.

I'm nervous. Here's hoping this is where that theatre arts degree pays off ...

Of Johnny Damon, havarti, coffee, Hawaii and whatnot

2010-08-23T13:25:00.001-07:00

Quick hits of what I'm thinking about today:

* If Johnny Damon goes back to the Red Sox, he'd better grow back the long hair and beard.

* The turkey + havarti sandwich I made for lunch was crazy-delicious.

* I wish I was with my sister in Hawaii right now. The photo she texted me made me daydream -- and made me super jealous.

* I should have just taken the entire pot of coffee I made this morning with me.

* I want to move to Sumner. Cutest downtown in the region. Great Catholic church. Lots of good restaurants. Very homey.

* I love my job. Really. Truly.

* I am so far behind on EVERYTHING in my life. Holy cow. Grocery shopping. Laundry. Cleaning at my parents' house. Mailing birthday presents/cards and new baby gifts. Cleaning at my house. Getting together with friends. I am surrounded by to-do lists with little to nothing checked off. Ugh.

* Tomorrow is my brother Paul's birthday. I wish I was in California to celebrate with him. He's awesome.

* And lastly: Baking. I need to do some serious baking. Perhaps for my own sanity. Perhaps for that dude pictured above. Or maybe I just need to go to Rainier about stock up on cookies at Main Street Cookie Co. and visit with Shelley and the Wee Ski.

That is all. Have a great week, y'all ...

Grace ...

2010-08-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

This showed up in my e-mail earlier this week, part of a promotional e-mail from DaySpring. It struck a chord with me, and I'm guessing it will, too, for my friends who are busy with all the demands and worries of life ...

YOU'RE CARRIED BY LOVE

I rest my head on the pillow without much rest in my heart.
To-do's swirl around in my mind.
Tasks fall heavy on my shoulders.
I silently pray, "Lord, give the grace for me to carry all of this."

It seems I hear a whisper in response, "Ask instead for the grace to let Me carry you."

I once saw a child carrying a rock too big, determined to take it home. Sweat beading, little feet laboring. Then Daddy came and swooped up His girl. Joy. Giggles. Grace.
She still held the rock but it no longer weighed her down because someone held her.

I fall asleep with a smile ... thoughts as light as love.

Holley Gerth

Thirty-One purses: What do you know?

2010-08-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Has anyone out there heard of Thirty-One? It's a direct-marketing purse/totes/gifts company.

I was invited to a party, and I'm wondering what to expect and if the products are any good.

Some of the stuff looks cute, but I don't know much beyond what's in the catalog.

Just curious on this cloudy Monday morning ...

Sands, hourglass, 'These are the days of our lives' ... and my DVR

2010-08-08T13:22:00.000-07:00

What my Facebook status should say right now:

Kate McEntee DeWeese is embarrassed by how much she's loving "Days of our Lives" lately.

How much am I loving it?

I stayed awake till almost 2 a.m. catching up on episodes on the DVR.
I've already Googled "Sami rejects EJ's proposal" today.
I spent some quality time this morning on the Rogue Ejami blog. (Good Lord, I've used the term Ejami! That should say enough ...)
I think James Scott, who plays E.J., is the hottest thing since sliced bread. Seriously.

My love of "Days" isn't new. I grew up a soap lover. "Days" was Mom's favorite, probably my second favorite. ("Santa Barbara" forever!) Noreen and I knew the ins and outs of Salem better than most folks.

I stopped watching soaps somewhere along the way, probably in high school. There was no time for it in college. Work, sleep, running errands, dating were all more important in my 20s. I got married, bought a house.

I had a baby. I went on maternity leave.

And "Days of our Lives" was on. It was like finding an old friend. We caught up with each other. "Days" took me around Salem, introduced me to new friends (Hello, E.J. and Brady and Rafe!) and showed me what was up with my old friends. (Bo and Hope! Stefano! Wait, Patch and Kayla have a daughter old enough to be engaged to a Kiriakis?)

I was back. I was hooked.

And, yes, I think it's completely ridiculous. The storylines are over the top and preposterous -- and occasionally full of inconsistencies. There are blatant product placements added into the dialogue. Some of the acting is terrible.

I am embarrassed that I'm "into" a soap like this again.

But I can't turn away. I can fast-forward, I can skip a day or two, but I can't turn my back again on my crazy, sentimental, campy, memory-filled old friend.

Or her friend James Scott.

This girl can cook!

2010-08-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite food blogger:

Isn't she adorable?

Her name is Maggie, and perhaps we are related.

Maggie has started a blog, Shake and Bake, and she is writing about food topics that interest her. She is a bright, funny, well spoken 12-year-old and is already a serious foodie.

She's working hard on her entry for the Red Robin Burger Kids Cook-Off. I think she has was it takes to be a winner.

She made homemade chicken strips and homemade jo-jos for her family last week.

And one of my dad's favorite things in the last months of his life was Maggie's chocolate chip cookies.

The girl is that good.

Big things are ahead for young Maggie. Check out her first stab at blogging at Shake and Bake, and see how our little foodie cooks, bakes and explores the world.

(Ree: I still love you, too. Have no fear.)

10 giant boxes

2010-08-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

10 large bags/boxes of (mostly) clothes were taken to St. Vincent de Paul in Tacoma yesterday.

All of these items were mine.

Blazers. Pants. T-shirts. Jumpers. Sweaters. Skirts.

Sizes M to XXL.

Some of it very ugly. Some of it still with tags on it.

Decades of clothes and miscellany.

Did you know me in college? Most of my wardrobe from that era ended up in a bag or box headed to St. Vinnie's. Hell, there were clothes from high school that were donated.

I'm realizing now I wish I would've taken a picture. Or planned a yard sale.

10 bags/boxes.

Now it's on to the books and videos for donation and massive amounts of paper and magazines to recycle.

Ah, the great purge.

P.S. I found items belonging to other people. A letterman jacket. A stuffed animal. A movie poster. A cassette tape. The owners of these should expect e-mails from me. If you think I might have something of yours from many moons ago, give me a shout.

Has the Fourth lost its luster?

2010-07-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July, friends!

This is a weird Fourth for me.

I’m at work till about 2 p.m. today.

And then John, Daniel and I don’t have plans. I’m not sure I’ve ever gone into the holiday without plans.

This might be a good thing, for two reasons.

1. We don’t know how Daniel will “handle” fireworks and the noise. Crying? Freaking out? Running toward them?

2. I am feeling pretty somber. My strongest Fourth of July memories involve my parents, who I am missing fiercely. My dad was like a kid on the Fourth. He handed out the sparklers with enthusiasm. He loved buying fireworks, especially fountains that would light up the night with sparks and color.

“That’s the best one yet!” we’d laugh.

He took fireworks on our cross-country trip to New Jersey in 1983 so we could light them at my grandparents' house.

But when at home, there was always a ritual to the Fourth — the safe-and-sane ritual that allowed the Fourth to be a delight. The large, flat square of wood would come out of the garage and be placed strategically on the lawn. A bucket of water was always right next to it for used fireworks (and in case of emergency). We all stood a safe distance back. And Dad was the lighter of all fireworks (until the brothers got older or brothers-in-law came into the mix).

I am grateful for this ritual, as I sort of fear bad things happening from fireworks. Too many years working in the newspaper business, I suppose.

I will miss this ritual. It is one of my defining visions of my dad. Perhaps it is why the Fourth of July will never, ever be the same for me.

Maybe tonight, we stay at home and raise a glass to my dad. Or maybe I make John sneak into Dad's garage, get that large piece of plywood and start a new ritual for our little family. Maybe I can buy a fountain that Dad can see from Heaven.

That, Dad, would be the best one yet.

Confidential to Hopey in Anchorage: Do you see the fireworks, Hope? Can you see them?

The spice of life

2010-06-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Penzey's Spices,

Please open a store in the Tacoma area. Heck, I'd be happy with a Seattle store.

But I need you. My kitchen needs you.

I need you to be closer than Portland, closer than your website.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

I love you.

Your friend,
Kate

My dad, my hero

2010-06-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Dad,

Thanks for everything you gave us and taught us. You sacrificed so much to give us good educations, a comfortable life, wanting for nothing.

While I am heartbroken that you are not here with us physically, I am grateful that your suffering has ended and that you are living it up in Heaven with Mom. I can only imagine how elated she was when you walked through those Pearly Gates. That brings me an enormous amount of comfort.

But I will miss our talks about bargain shopping and the news and the crossword puzzle. I will miss calling you to ask whether or not the food in my fridge/pantry is still OK to eat. I will miss watching "Jeopardy!" with you and predicting the Final Jeopardy! answer. (If I make it on the show, Dad, it will be because I practiced with you and learned from you.)

Thank you for instilling in me a love of music, for playing piano so I could sing, for filling our home with nonstop music -- whether it was you and your piano or records spinning on the turntable. I will miss standing at your side, belting out a show tune while you accompany me.

Thank you for teaching me my prayers before bedtime. I still say my prayers every night in the same order you taught them to me -- and I'm teaching Daniel the same pattern too.

Speaking of Daniel, thanks for coming to the hospital to wait with John and me the night he was born. You sat and prayed. You worried. And it was the most wonderful feeling knowing you were there, and that you were one of the first people to meet my sweet boy. You and I saw his red hair and knew that Mom had sent him.

Thank you for spaghetti dinners and hours of swimming at Salishan Lodge and amazing vacations and morning drives to school and fun times at Mariners games and years of bedtime stories and cool cars to drive and heaps of laughter.

And patience. You must have had the biggest reserve of patience.

I miss you, Daddy. I love you. Keep watching out for us, and give Mom a big hug from her Katie.

Rest in peace, Snappy.

Love,
Kate

Happy. Sad. Up. Down. All around.

2010-06-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

An emotional roller-coaster of a weekend.

Before 1 p.m. on Friday, The Husband had three phone calls about jobs. One is a second interview with a company in Lacey (would be a short-term contract). One is a temp-to-hire position in downtown Seattle. And one is 95 percent guaranteed -- a one-year contract with his old friends at the Redmond-based Software Giant.

Wow. The guy has worked his butt off to find a job. He's worried day in and day out since October about providing for his family.

And it looks like the months of fretting are coming to an end.

Praise Jesus!

Amid our happiness about this (and a lot of reflection about what we've learned about ourselves, our needs, our spending habits, the importance of family time), we were grappling with news that my dad is not well. The newest cancer medication is kicking his ass, causing sleeplessness, lack of appetite, general yuckiness.

We're worried.

John, Daniel and I (along with several of my siblings and nieces and nephews) head to the Tacoma Relay for Life, an event that raises money for cancer research and support services. It is emotional. John and I have Relayed in years past, but never with cancer touching our hearts so closely. We pray. We rally with friends, family and loved ones. It is both a hopeful event and a tough event. I need my father to win this battle with cancer.

I hate cancer.

The Husband looks at me during the evening and says, "I forgot to tell you: I have more good news." He'd talked to his cousin in Louisville, who'd spent some time earlier with John's dad. My father-in-law wants to come visit. For real. It appears that it's FINALLY going to be a reality. Daniel will get to meet Granddad in person. And he'll get to meet his Uncle Victor (John's cousin, who is more like a brother). This summer. God willing.

Miracles do happen.

Saturday morning starts with doughnuts and coffee at home. Daniel is happy. We are all exhausted from the walking, but it's a good hurt, you know? We head back to Relay in the hot-hot weather. I get in a good chat with my aunt -- my dad's sister Pat -- who is visiting from New Jersey. Dad is still not well. The oncologist wants him off the latest medication -- the medication we considered a Hail Mary pass to begin with.

My heart is breaking.

Surprise: I do not get a sunburn after several hours in the sun on the Relay for Life track. Hat. Sunglasses. Lubriderm lotion with sunscreen on arms and legs. Clinique Super City block for the face. It worked. This might be a first.

Relief.

Sure, relief. Tempered with complete sadness and fear for my dad. I cried Saturday night. I cried at Mass at Holy Cross. I cried on the way to dinner at Red Robin.

I am inconsolable.

And then I remember: Noreen comes home Monday. My baby with her hubby and beautiful babies. All I want to do is hang out with her. She and her family will be here for two weeks. Two glorious weeks.

Elation.

I'm at work today, watching the glorious sunshine from my newsroom perch. My mind whirls; there are mundane things that aren't even mentioned here ... Good: A rebate check from our mortgage company for $227. Our Relay team raising more than $3,600. My little boy showing us that he can properly use a spoon. And he sang "E-I-E-I-O"! The bummer: No book club. My kitchen isn't clean. It's my Monday at work.

... Sigh ...

My dad is seeing his doctor today. I am scared. I am praying fervently.

But I am also giving thanks to God that The Husband is so near to gainful employment again.

Oh, the pendulum keeps swinging.

An open letter to my son

2010-06-08T09:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Daniel,

You are sweet; you are snuggly. You are my pride and joy, and you make me laugh every day.

But, sweet boy, 1 a.m. is not play time.

When you wake up screaming and Daddy brings you to our bed to give you some warm milk, that does not mean it's time to jump up and down or sing your ABCs or give Mama and Daddy kicks to the face.

But we love you. And it's nothing a gallon of coffee can't fix.

Love,
Mama

Always a special day in my life ...

2010-05-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

33 years ago today, my mom and dad gave me an incredible present: my baby sister! She is my BFF, my partner in crime, my personal shopper, my cheerleader, a prayer warrior, an amazing mom, a queen of comedy and an all-around fantastic person.

She is Daniel's godmother. She was the first one to meet John, and she signed off on him almost immediately. (I wasn't supposed to know that she reported to my mother after meeting him that this was the man I'd marry.)

I should mention, too, that she has a scary/super-accurate sixth sense.

Up until Daniel was born, she was "my baby." In many ways, she always will be my baby.

Happy Birthday, Noreen! I love you!

Cancer's crappy, so we fight with Snappy!

2010-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Daniel with Snappy (aka my dad) on Saint Patrick's Day

As some of you know, my father was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in February. Life has been a roller coaster since then – a flurry of emotions, lots of doctors' appointments, many tears shed, lots of prayers said.

My dad is fighting hard. He has had four rounds of chemotherapy. As of the last scan, the cancer is shrinking. He goes back this week for more scans to see if the cancer is still shrinking.

I have a new hatred of cancer and new desire to find a cure for it.

My siblings and I have formed a team for the Tacoma Relay for Life -- the Mighty McEntees. We want to show our awesome dad how much we support him in this fight, and we want to raise money to find a cure for this awful disease.

The six McEntee kids, our spouses and our children love my father so very much. Relay for Life gives us a tangible way to show him -- and the world -- that we are fighters, that we won't let cancer beat us, that we love Dad more than anyone can imagine.

I pray that in my sweet little Daniel's lifetime, there will be a cure for cancer. I pray in my lifetime there will be a cure for cancer.

I am asking for your support as we Relay and as we help Dad through this difficult time.

The first thing my dad would tell you is that prayer is the key. He wants all the prayers you can muster. (As you probably know, we McEntees are big believers in the power of prayer.)

So pray for life, for a cure, for my dad's strength, for his caregivers, for his kids, for his doctors!

That's most important.

But if you have a few spare dollars -- or a lot of spare dollars -- we could use your support as we Relay. The American Cancer Society is doing a lot of good work in education, prevention, family/patient support and cancer research.

I can't count how many times since February I've used American Cancer Society's website to learn more, to find resources and to find inspiration.

I would appreciate any financial support you can offer to my Relay efforts. The Mighty McEntees' motto for Relay is "Cancer is crappy, so let's fight it with Snappy!" (Snappy is my dad's grandpa name.) And we will fight, I promise.

The Tacoma Relay for Life is June 11-12 at Mount Tahoma High School. We will walk the track to show our support for Dad and to honor all our loved ones who have died from cancer, including my grandmother Marie McEntee and John's beloved Aunt Cordelia.

Thanks for taking the time to read this note. Your support -- both financial and prayerful -- is greatly appreciated.

My personal page: main.acsevents.org/goto/kmdeweese

Our team page: main.acsevents.org/goto/mightymcentees

The mother of all posts ...

2010-05-09T23:57:00.000-07:00

Hope all the moms out there had a very special day ...

Happy Mother's Day to three women I adore with all my heart: my sisters, Ann, Aileen and Noreen.

They give me strength, they make me laugh, they have been examples of motherhood and grace.

How blessed I am to have them as my sisters and my friends.

I am also blessed to have a husband who took me out to a ridiculously incredible brunch and was so good to me today. A dozen white roses. Beautiful cards. And heap of patience. John DeWeese has a big heart. I don't know what I'd do without him.

And I can't forget my sweet Daniel, the reason I am a mom. All smiles and snuggles this weekend. I'm pretty sure he says "Hi, Kate" when I walk in the room. I laugh every time.

And to my mama, who watches over us from above: I love you. I miss you. Thanks for being an incomparable role model of motherhood, faith, beauty and unconditional love. You set the bar awfully high, Rie. I wish you were here to show me how it's done. Keep praying for us, OK?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

My sister, my hero

2010-04-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why my baby sister is my hero and why I love her very, very much.

Today, though, this is why: The Cake Challenge.

She is a braver soul than I. And I am utterly relieved that I have a son who will (probably) never ask for a Barbie cake.

Hey, Noreen, if you come home in July, you're making me a Barbie cake. Just like those of our childhood.

For reals.

Let your fingers do the walking

2010-04-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Another 5.

This one is somewhat inspired by my job as Web editor at The News Tribune, somewhat inspired by curiosity about what sites I might be missing in this big, bad world.

What five (5) Web sites do you visit every day for fun/learning/bargains/meditation/etc.? Feel free to add why you go to each site, if you're so inclined.

Here are mine:

www.thenewstribune.com: Yes, I go there even on my days off. It's the best source for local news. As I said Thursday before I left for my weekend, "I'm addicted to thenewstribune.com."

Spoofee.com: One of my many bargain-hunting, free stuff Web sites. My brother Rich introduced me to this site many years ago. It's one of the first five I visit every day.

blog.thesprouffskes.com: Life on the Farm is my dear friend Shelley's blog. I began reading it back in its Viper's World days. It's part of how I reconnected with Shelley, who went to grade school and high school with my little sis.

Groupon.com: My newest addiction. I go here to scope out the coupon of the day for a Puget Sound-area restaurant or salon or winery or whatever. So far, I've purchased deals at Hello, Cupcake (six cupcakes for $6), Savi Day Spa (one hour couple's massage for $79) and FoxFire Salon ($100 worth of services for $50). There are Tacoma and Seattle deals -- and deals around the world, in fact. It's so addictive, so fun. I get stuff I really would buy anyway. And you can give them as gifts. Sweeeeeet.

sports.yahoo.com/fantasy: It's baseball season. And it's fantasy baseball season. I have been part of an all-girls league for four or five years now. It's a lot of fun, and I connect with my favorite sport in a way I never did before.

I left off Facebook and Hotmail because those aren't really that interesting, are they? Can't live without e-mail or updates on my friend's lives! Or my Family Feud. Or Scramble. Or Scrabble.

The five things at hand ...

2010-03-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

5 THINGS EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KEEP HANDY IN HER DESK AT WORK (other than pens, notepad, etc.)

1. Maxi pad/tampon

2. Tylenol/aspirin/pain reliever

3. $1 (for a snack attack or soda crisis)

4. Lotion

5. Lip balm

OK, your turn: What five things should you keep on hand in your desk?

(I'm in a five things mood. You might see many of these over the next couple days. I've got some good ones cookin'.)

The Simple Woman's Daybook ...

2010-03-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

Stolen from Shelley's blog earlier this week. Finally have time to sit and do this while The Boy naps.

Outside my window ... The rain is falling, although the sun is trying to peek through.

I am thinking ... of lots of things. My brain is on overload lately. I am thinking mostly of my family -- my son, my husband, my dad. Oh, my dad! How much I want him to get well. I am thinking that I should be at Benediction at St. Charles with my dad and siblings, but Daniel is napping and John had an appointment. I am praying on my own, for sure.

I am thankful for ... freedom. I can do so much in my life that other people don't have the liberty or means to do. I am also thankful for St. Anthony, who I talk to all the time. I know he says a lot of prayers for me.

From the kitchen ... a loaf of Irish soda bread. Practically perfect. And there are dishes to do from this morning's awesome breakfast: scrambled eggs + mozzarella cheese served with wheat toast with Wall's Berry Farm Raspberry Preserves.

I am wearing ... some of my favorite articles of clothing: Caslon jeans and a brown Caslon hoodie from Nordstrom. Keen sneakers. Super comfy today.

I am going ... nowhere, for now. Daniel is taking a much-needed nap. Tomorrow, I will go to work and then to tea to celebrate the impending arrival of a friend's baby. I love my friend and am so excited for her new bundle of BOY to arrive.

I am creating ... a happy, healthy child who loves music and laughter.

I am hoping ... John will get a job soon. He's been receiving a lot of calls from prospective employers. What a blessing his employment would be to our little family!

I am hearing ... nothing but the hum of the computer and the clicking of the keyboard. So unusual in my life.

Around the house ... are things that say, "A baby lives here." Toys and bibs and trains and graham crackers and empty Pampers boxes that need to go to the recycling bin.

One of my favorite things ... is listening to the bedtime routine John has with Daniel. They read a couple of books, then John feeds Daniel a bottle and they say their prayers -- for Mommy and Daddy, for baby Daniel, for Grandpa DeWeese and grandpa Snappy, for each aunt and uncle and cousin (by name), for our country, for our friends who are waiting to adopt and for our friends who just had a miscarriage, for Daddy to find a job, for a cure for cancer and for our litany of special intentions ... It's so beautiful. Daniel usually falls right to sleep when the bottle's empty, and John kisses his forehead and puts him in his crib.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... St. Patrick's Day, which usually features a big McEntee family celebration. Snappy has his second round of chemo on Thursday, so we'll be praying fervently for the drugs to do their job and for Dad to stay healthy and strong. At home, we'll have laundry to do, "Lost" to watch, a couple of new dinners to test out. (Thanks, Hopey, for the Meatloaf Muffins recipe!)

Happy Saturday, y'all!

'We have a winner!'

2010-02-28T08:55:00.000-08:00

Seven years ago today we went on our first date.

Pizza and beer at Katie Downs.

Perfection.

You brought me a bouquet of tulips.

You swept me off my feet.

Seven years.

Could you have imagined that chilly February night that in 2010 we'd have a mortgage and a 1-year-old?

You've celebrated life's greatest highs with me, and you've carried me through the lowest of lows.

You've made me laugh harder than I knew possible. You've written me love poems, taken me on terrific adventures and kept me sane.

You treated my mom like she was your own. She loved you like you were her own. Her son-by-law. Those lunches at Nordstrom and the Pine Cone were as much a treat for her as they were for you.

You care about my siblings and my dad with a sincerity that is almost unreal. You've sacrificed free time to be a McEntee. You've been my proxy at Dad's cancer appointments. You've hauled furniture. You've washed dishes, barbecued food for an army, taught games to little children, put on a suit for auctions and galas and brunches. You've offered insight and advice, been a rock in times of woe. You have happily inherited five siblings and a slew of wonderful nieces and nephews.

Seven years.

You won over Jack. You got out of Peter's light. You have held your own against Paul's masterful teasing. You learned that making rice the right way involves precision. You have tolerated the many inside jokes that Noreen and I share. You realized that she and I speak our own language sometimes -- and you are OK with that.

You took me to Alcatraz on our honeymoon. And I was thrilled. (Seriously: Weren't you creeped out that your new wife wanted to go to a former prison on your honeymoon?) You indulged my dorky childhood dream to go to Stonepine. And it was incredible.

You wiped my tears in the ER when my wedding ring had to be cut off my finger. Sometimes a girl just has to watch her beloved Mariners take on the Red Sox, whether she broke her finger in the Safeco Field parking lot or not. (Oh, yes, you've become a baseball fan.)

And there are the show tunes. The singing in the car. My Starbucks addiction. The episodes of "Days of Our Lives" clogging up the DVR.

Seven years.

Seven years of being my hero, my strength, my voice of reason, my partner in crime.

I love you, John DeWeese. I can't wait to see what our next adventure is and what our life looks like in 2017.

FYI: The title of this blog post comes from a phone call I made to my friend Sandra after I met John.

Today's silver lining

2010-02-25T12:20:00.000-08:00

The crappy news: My dad has lung cancer, and today is his first chemotherapy session.

The warm-your-heart news: My husband swung by my office this morning -- with coffee and a breakfast sandwich for me -- on his way down to the clinic to keep my dad company.

I married an awesome guy. I love you, John DeWeese.

Confidential to Noreen: So glad you are home so we can watch women's figure skating together tonight. It wouldn't be right to watch without you.

Spread a little sunshine ...

2010-02-20T16:54:00.000-08:00

So much I could complain or whine about right now. So much I could be sad about.

Instead I will focus on some great things about my day ...

Woke up this morning, ate breakfast, read the newspaper, worked on the crossword puzzle.

Went on a Starbucks and Costco adventure with my boys. Found a fantastic "Captain Adorable" outfit for Daniel for this spring.

Had a fun talk with Noreen about all sorts of things (as usual). We agree: Johnny Weir was robbed on his scores for his free skate. I am so looking forward to Noreen's arrival in T-Town on Monday night.

Headed out on my own to donate old books, clothes and whatnot to St. Vincent de Paul. Opened the sunroof on my car and cranked up the tunes. I sang loudly. The sun, the donating, the singing -- it all felt so good.

From St. Vinnie's, I drove to my dad's house, where I got to spend time with Dad, plus my big brother Paul, his wife and their three kids. They arrived this morning from California, and it was so nice to hug my beautiful niece on her 10th birthday.

Tonight we'll head to the Booster Carnival at St. Charles with most of my family. Raffles, cake walk, spaghetti, melting ice cream sandwiches, my fabulous family ... Does life get any better?

Happy Saturday ... Hope you Northwesterners are enjoying the sunshine!

A rant: Is it that hard to promote your business?

2010-02-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

I went to Mass this weekend at Holy Rosary Church in Tacoma. While it’s not my registered parish, it is a place that holds very special meaning for me. I worked at Holy Rosary School for two years as the development director. I loved working with the staff there, the families, the kids — the whole shebang. It’s a special place.

The parish and school serve a low-income part of Tacoma. They are in constant need of financial support from the community.

Hence, I was disappointed while at Mass to see an announcement that Catholic Printery, which prints almost all of the bulletins for the churches in Western Washington, would no longer print the Holy Rosary bulletin. The reason is probably the lack of ads on the back of the bulletin, the ads that fund the printing of the bulletin.

And I am sad.

First of all, the bulletin keeps the church community in tune with what’s happening in the parish and in the archdiocese. Parishioners (and visitors) find out when events are, who Masses are being said for, etc.

Secondly, I know there are parishioners at Holy Rosary who own businesses. I am surprised that so few of them buy ads to support their parish and school. Then again, they don’t always step up to support the school auction either. (Of course, these folks are probably up in arms that they might not get a weekly bulletin. Or that their parish had to merge with five other parishes to stay financially afloat.)

So do something about it. Support your local school. Support your parish.

The announcement in the Holy Rosary bulletin frustrated me to no end. And I get more frustrated when I think about the bulletin at my own parish — the bulletin that has two pages of advertisements from the community and from parishioners. Two pages of color advertisements. TWO PAGES.

These aren’t big businesses either. They take out 1-inch square ads to advertise their catering business, their candy shop, their real estate services, their lawn maintenance talents, the adult-family home.

I looked at those ads first when trying to find a day care for Daniel. I look at which doctors advertise, which hair salons, which dry cleaners, which car dealers. I look at who is supporting my faith community.

And I’d bet Holy Rosary parishioners would do the same.

So why aren’t parishioners who own businesses advertising? Is it too expensive? Are they lazy? Do they think it doesn’t matter? Do they not realize that the community will patronize their businesses, tell their friends and/or thank them for giving back? If I owned a business, the first ad I’d place is in my parish bulletin -- and in the Holy Rosary bulletin.

Grrrrr.

OK, rant over.

Random gratefulness

2010-01-31T13:03:00.000-08:00

What I am grateful for today.

As I sit at my desk.

And drink coffee and eat cookies brought to me by my amazing friend Meredith.

I am grateful for ...

* My husband who is strong and funny. Who pays $5 for me to see my nephew in the musical at his school and stays home to watch the Wee One. Who hugs me and comforts me and is incredibly patient as I lose my mind sometimes. Love you, John D.

* My son. Who is loving (even when he hits my face). Who is adorable and healthy and happy. Who makes people at church smile when he coos and screeches and claps. Who makes me appreciate every day the circle of life. I cannot believe he will be 1 this week. Where did the last year go?

* Cell phones/Internet that allow me to keep in constant contact with my little sister, Noreen, who lives 3,000 miles away. Noreen, I don’t know how Mom and Dad did it being so far away from their families when long-distance phone calls cost an arm and leg and when it took five days for letters to reach loved ones.

* My friends who make me laugh. Who bring me coffee. Who build me up. Who send me e-mails just to say they are thinking of or praying for me. Who have been with me through thick and thin. Seeing my nephew in the musical at his junior high last night reminded me of my junior high musicals, the lifelong friendships forged during those, of years of laughter with Meredith and David.

* Music. Music that helps me express myself. That makes me happy. That comforts me when I am sad. That causes me to dance in my car. That lets me dream that I’m singing on the Broadway stage.

* A good brain that helps me do my job. That helps me live in a crazy world. That helps me make good decisions.

* A job that I enjoy. A job that keeps me informed and entertained. A job that allows me to work with smart, funny, dedicated people. A job that pays me and helps me put food on the table, clothes and diapers on my son, gas in my car, coffee in my cup and affords me the occasional chocolate chunk Blizzard.

* My five siblings and my dad. They provide strength, camaraderie, laughter, unconditional love, good food, perfect companions for life’s journey. Mom was right: “Be nice to each other,” she said. “Your brothers and sisters are the best friends you’ll ever have.”

* Doughnuts.

Long time, no blog

2010-01-29T08:52:00.000-08:00

Ah, yes. Blogging has been light as of late as I adjust to my new schedule.

I am working 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. News never sleeps, people.

My Sunday shift starts this weekend. Because of some schedule confusion I actually showed up at work at 6 a.m. today, had a lovely chat and a good laugh with my co-worker Stephanie and decided I didn't need a six-day workweek. (Yeah, the OT woulda been nice, though.) So, I left around 6:50, went to Le Donut on the Hilltop, then to Starbucks and home to my boys.

Surprisingly, both were still in bed when I walked through the door. John heard me come in and thought it might be a prowler, but calmed down when I handed him a hazelnut latte and doughnuts.

I am not really a morning person, but once I get up and get going I do OK. So even though all I wanted to do was sleep when I woke up and headed out to work, by the time I walked in the door with coffee and doughnuts, sleep didn't appeal to me.

So I made Daniel's bottle, picked out his clothes for day care, packed up his lunch/snacks, had a 20-minute phone chat with my baby sis, played some Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook and am making my to-do list for the day.

Oh, and I'm posting to my blog.

Not a whole lot happening with the DeWeeses as of late, but baby sister and her celebrity husband welcomed their second child into the world last week. Welcome, baby Thomas!

Hope to see nephew Jack in a production of "Beauty & The Beast" at his school this weekend.

And we wish lots of birthday love to our nephew Pete Carrell, who turns 11 on Sunday. (Not to be confused with the new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.)

Happy Friday, y'all!

And a BLT for the lady ...

2010-01-13T00:25:00.000-08:00

Up too late ...

Tuesday was the second anniversary of my mom's death. Last year, my family gathered for dinner, but this year we did not.

We exchanged phone calls and e-mails. Told each other how much we loved each other and how grateful Mom would be that we all get along and love each other so much. Told Noreen to take care of herself and have that baby soon!

John wanted Subway sandwiches for dinner tonight, which was fine with me since we had gift certificates. I chose a sandwich I never, ever order: the BLT. Why? Because that's what my mom always ordered. A BLT.

And it was frickin' delicious. A fine tribute to my mother. A tribute ... with bacon.

I'd stopped at Starbucks on my way home from work and discovered that my fave coffee purveyor is offering cupcakes. I craved a sweet pick-me-up for the evening, so I got a red velvet for John and a chocolate with chocolate frosting for me.

So after our sandwiches, we raised our cupcakes in a toast to my sainted mother.

A good day overall, and I shed few tears. (Probably because John, Daniel and I made the emotional cemetery trip on Sunday, taking red tulips to Mom's grave.) My dad took roses to Mom's grave today and said when he turned around to leave, a giant rainbow washed over the sky. Dad said he's trying to figure out what that message means.

I feel ridiculously close to my mom right now. Perhaps it's because I've been dreaming about her so much and talking to her so much when I pray. I've put her on several special intentions -- for Shelley's mom, for the Qs who are waiting to adopt, for a friend with some worries about a pregnancy, for John to find a job, for a friend having marriage troubles and for some other things that need care. I know she listens. And I know she's talking to her friends upstairs.

Even though Mom feels close right now -- and even though I did not cry today -- I still miss her something fierce.

I would give anything for her to hold Daniel and to watch them laugh with each other. They would be so. in. love.

I wish John could pick her up, take her to lunch at Nordstrom (a frequent lunch spot for Mom and John) and talk to her, heart-to-heart. She had a special way of "happying him up" (such a McEntee-ism!) and helping him understand how special he is, how smart he is, how the right job will come.

I would love to hear her call me Katie or Mrs. DeWeese, to tell me her "hot gossip," to feed me "What Was That" questions for the Crime & Breaking News blog at work, to tell me she made two pans of shortbread -- and one of them was already gone. And then she'd laugh at herself.

To ask me to pick Subway up on my way to her house ... a BLT on wheat.

Her absence is ever-present. She left me, however, with five incredible siblings; a brood of grandchildren that continues to grow and remind me of her in so many ways; 30-plus years of happy memories and constant, unconditional love; and a strong faith that reminds me that we will be together again.

So hug your moms and dads -- and/or your husbands or wives, your kids, your sisters and brothers, your best friends -- and give thanks for their love and legacy.

And then go eat a BLT for Rie Rie.

To read perchance to dream ...

2010-01-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

I think I've been reading The Pioneer Woman's and The Cotton Wife's blogs too much.

Really, there's no such thing as reading their blogs too much. Perhaps I should say I'm feeling inspired by their blogs.

I am longing to live on a farm and raise babies and bake and write ...

The Pioneer Woman has my favorite recipes, and we share a similar sense of humor and like the same movies. I discovered her while on maternity leave when she was on "The Bonnie Hunt Show." She baked chocolate cake and was hilarious. And she references Ethel Merman on her front page! Uh-may-zing.

The Cotton Wife takes gorgeous photographs, has beautiful red-haired children and has a sensitivity and insight that draws me in. I discovered her through one of the most hilarious Web sites in the world, List of the Day. And she has a John Denver quote on her homepage. Sweet.

Ree (The Pioneer Woman) and Jennifer (The Cotton Wife) offer me places to escape, dream, learn and laugh.

Oh, I know I'll never be a real farm girl, but ... sigh ... I want to cook like that. And have a house like that. And write a successful blog. And take pictures like that. And live on a big stretch of land. ... sigh ...

Got a few moments? Take a gander at their sites. You'll laugh. You might cry. And you'll probably end up hungry. Or wanting a beautiful red-haired baby.

I dreamed a dream ...

2010-01-03T15:53:00.001-08:00

My dreams have been crazy lately -- lots of them, very vivid.

I can tell who has been on my mind lately because of who shows up in these dreams.

In one yesterday, I chatted with my mom. She was very distraught when I told her about her friend Karol Mauss, the mother of my dear friend Shelley (and the grandmother of Daniel's BFF Thomas). Mrs. Mauss has been in the hospital for more than a week with breathing problems and what appears to be an antibiotic-resistant staph infection.

So we prayed. Yes, I sat and prayed with my mom in this dream. We also prayed for my good friend Amy who just moved to Montana. Mom sent special blessings to you, Aim. For real.

Last night I dreamed of Amy again, but this time my friends Hope and Eric were also there, too. In my dream, we kept bouncing between Amy's new house in Montana and somewhere in Anchorage (where both Hopey and Eric live).

The funniest thing I remember about the dream was that it took me less that 2 hours to drive to Amy's house in Montana. I was like, "Two hours? Aim, I should come over all the time!" Then somehow we were shopping with Hopey in Anchorage.

And then we were at Eric's house.

I've always said that when I dream of people it means I'm supposed to pray for them. So Mom, Karol, Shelley, Amy, Hope and Eric -- you are in my prayers. And my mom's praying for you, too.

Happy New Year ...

The more things change ...

2009-12-31T12:58:00.001-08:00

My, how life changes.

And, no, I'm not talking about how I had a baby in 2009.

I'm remembering how I spent New Year's Eve 1999 -- the night of Y2K fears.

I was a copy editor at The Olympian. I was single. There were only three grandchildren in my family; No. 4 would arrive on 2/20/2000. There was no guy named John DeWeese in my world. Instead, I was crushing on ... other people. I lived with my parents. I weighed a lot less. Ha.

Anyway, I spent New Year's Eve at work. When the clock struck 12 and there wasn't a Y2K disaster, the executive editor pulled out a couple of bottles of champagne and those in the newsroom celebrated. We all sat and talked for what seemed like hours.

I was 24 years old. That sounds so ridiculously young now.

In 2000, I would leave The Olympian and become a copy editor at The News Tribune. I would stay friends with many of those people who hoisted a glass of champagne in the wee hours of Jan. 1, 2000.

That's pretty awesome.

As my friend (and Olympian assistant managing editor) Dusti likes to point out, I am still a copy editor for The Olympian. The Olympian copy editors now work in The News Tribune's newsroom, and we edit both papers.

Hmph. I guess some things do stay the same.

My husband cracks me up

2009-12-27T19:31:00.001-08:00

So The Husband catches me watching "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" today. He says, "This show should be canceled as a matter of national security. It makes America look bad."

He then headed back outside to rake leaves. God bless him.

Side note: Honestly, it was the first time I'd watched the show (other than snippets on "The Soup"). Really. I promise.

A Christmas favorite ...

2009-12-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

Peace on Earth, can it be
Years from now, perhaps we'll see
See the day of glory
See the day, when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be

Every child must be made aware
Every child must be made to care
Care enough for his fellow man
To give all the love that he can

I pray my wish will come true
For my child and your child too
He'll see the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be
Can it be ...

A quirky story about the duet and how it almost didn't happen can be found HERE.

OK, now Christmas is really here

2009-12-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

My aunt Catherine has knit a stocking for every member of the family -- for her seven siblings and their spouses, for her nieces and nephews and their spouses and for the children of her nieces and nephews and I'm sure for the spouses and children of those folks, too.

She has to have made hundreds of stockings!

It's so exciting when the newest member of the family gets his or her stocking. It's a rite of passage. I remember when John received his, I said that he was officially a member of the family. (Sure, we'd been married 2 1/2 months, but the stocking sealed the deal.)

The stocking design has stayed the same for decades. The embellishments, type of yarn used and the shades of red and green vary, but they're all crafted with talent and care by my aunt.

I'd been waiting anxiously for the past several weeks for that package to arrive for Daniel. I'd come home from work and ask John if any packages had been delivered.

And then last night, I came home, and there it was. Catherine's return address label. Catherine's handwriting. I knew what was inside that puffy envelope.

We fed Daniel his dinner, cleaned him up and then I opened the envelope and the soft, wrapped package.

Daniel's Christmas stocking.

I smiled. I got misty. I held it up for Daniel to see. He smiled. He laughed. He clapped.

I hung it on the hook next to our stockings. Perfection.

When I awoke this morning and was getting ready for work, I loved seeing those KATE, JOHN and DANIEL stockings hanging in a row!

Christmas can begin.

Side note: A little Internet research shows me that the pattern Catherine uses is from Bernat. You can see what the stockings look like HERE. Ours, however, do not have bows on them. We do have beads on the wreath, sequins on the tree, and the newer stockings have a jingle bell sew on the toe.

My bookmarked shopping sites of the year ...

2009-12-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

So here’s the deal, friends: I am an online shopping freak. And I love bargains.

My three favorite sites right now are Diapers.com, Ebates.com and Gymboree.com.

Why I love each:

Diapers.com: There are almost always automatic coupons for diapers. There is a kick-ass deal for first-time shoppers. You can mail in your manufacturer coupons for diapers, wipes, formula, etc., and Diapers.com will apply them to your account. You can buy Doug & Melissa wooden toys for cheap. (Merry Christmas to my niece in New York!) Shipping’s free if you order more than $49 worth of merchandise.

If you go to Diapers.com and enter the code KATE2926, you’ll get a good discount ($10 off) and I’ll get credit to my account, too.

Ebates.com: I can’t say enough wonderful things about Ebates. You go to ebates.com, and then find the store you want to shop at. Click on the “Shop Now” link to open that store’s page. Shop and then place your order. You will get money back on your Ebates account! And then every three months, Ebates tallies up those rebates and you get a Big Fat Check. Last month, I got a check for $14.17. Because of holiday shopping, a check I’ll get in February will be waaay more than that.

Big thanks to Amy and Sienna who turned me on to Ebates. It’s knocking my socks off!

So, GO SIGN UP! If you use this link it will give both of us money back! (Or use my e-mail address for the referral credit if you just go to the homepage; I think that works, too. If you need my e-mail address, post a comment and I'll get it to you.) Some of the stores that participate in Ebates: Crate & Barrel, Gap, Nordstrom, Lands End, Toys R Us/Babies R Us, Macy’s, Target, Wal-Mart, Land of Nod, Deep Discount, iTunes, Borders, Diapers.com and so many more. If you shop online, you’d be silly not to check this out and get some money back on those purchases you already make!

Gymboree.com: My love for Gymboree is really because of the quality of clothes and the great sales that pop up on the site. The clothes are extremely durable and absolutely adorable. Yeah, you might pay a little more for a bodysuit or dress or pull-on pants than you would at Target or Old Navy, but these clothes will last longer and win your little ones many compliments. Sadly, Gymboree doesn’t participate in Ebates. But I won’t hold that against either of ’em.

So, if you still have some holiday shopping to do, check out my three faves. You won’t regret it. (And your wallet will hurt less, too.)

And please say that I referred you if you use Diapers.com or Ebates. My bank account could use a little holiday love …

How is it December already?

2009-12-01T12:27:00.001-08:00

There is so much I could write about today. Instead, I'll make a list of topics that I could be writing about. Feel free to ask me questions about any of them, or request that I actually write on one of them.

My love of being a journalist, even when the news we report on is sad and awful and depressing.

The yummy rolls I made for Thanksgiving.

My Christmas wish list.

Trying to get all my holiday shopping done online.

The bad songs that have been stuck in my head for the last week.

My desire to be at home right now baking and watching "Days of Our Lives."

I am sad that my "Guardian Angel for Katherine" token is missing.

I need more coffee.

Can someone please hire my husband?

Music quote that sums up how I'm feeling lately: "I'm empty and aching and I don't know why."

We need to buy a stroller. I'm striking out on getting a good deal on the one I really want.

So excited for the shindig this weekend at the Sprouffske Tree Farm in Rainier. Daniel's first Christmas tree!

Today's randomness

2009-11-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

Golden Grahams. Dry. Excellent snack. (It's what I'm eating as I write this.)

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale has begun. I am happy. (Noreen, guess where we're going when you're home?)

Trying to figure out what soup to take to a Soup Swap later this month. (I might use Noreen's white chicken chili recipe.) So looking forward to an evening with the gals, drinking wine and sharing recipes.

Daniel is 9 months old today. How is that possible?

Work is far too quiet without my co-worker and friend Liz. Her last day at the paper was yesterday; she is moving to Washington, D.C., for an excellent new job. Congrats to her! She is already terribly missed.

Needed a pick-me-up after work yesterday, so I headed to Target to buy the "Glee" soundtrack. Definitely boosted my mood, especially since two songs featuring Kristin Chenoweth are on it.

Just a few more days till Noreen, Louis and Little G come home for a visit. YAY!!!!

I keep thinking today is Thursday.

Daniel needs a new car seat, a new stroller, more diapers and footed jammies in a bigger size. Perhaps I won't be hitting the Nordstrom sale as I'd planned. Ha ha ha …

Enough randomness. Back to your regular lives.

All Souls' Day

2009-11-02T11:07:00.001-08:00

Today is All Souls' Day. It is a day to remember the dead and to pray for them, particularly to pray for them to get to Heaven sooner.

I am glad I have Mondays off so I could attend Mass this morning. I headed to Bellarmine for the annual All Souls' Day Mass in the chapel.

It was extremely peaceful, and I felt so close to the loved ones I was holding in my heart.

My mother Kathy
My mother-in-law Rita DeWeese
My niece Lucy
My grandparents Ann & Paul Jones and Bill & Marie McEntee
John's grandparents Martha & George Brown and Claudia & Dewey DeWeese
John's Aunt Cordelia and Uncle Tom
My friends Karen, Roy and Kelly
John's friend Nick
My friend's son Phoenix

If you get a chance today, say a prayer or two for your loved ones who have died.

Quick-and-easy recipe of the week

2009-10-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not a gourmet chef, but I do enjoy my time in the kitchen. I like good food that is easy to make. I don't need anything fancy: I like homey foods that remind me of my childhood. (My mother made amazing pot roast.)

I don't do Hamburger Helper, but I do enjoy convenient, easy-to-prepare meals. I want what I make to be straightforward, not too fussy and yummy.

Two weeks ago, I made a kick-ass mac-and-cheese -- and I even strayed from the recipe and added some extra "stuff."

I was quite pleased with myself.

I know many friends with busy lives read this blog, so I thought I'd share with you my quick and easy mac-and-cheese recipe. It's a combination of several different recipes. It's easy to doctor, and it's simple to make a lower-fat version. (See notes at the end.)

KATE'S SUPER-SIMPLE MAC AND CHEESE

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream soup (cream of celery or chicken or mushroom)

2 cups shredded cheese (It's best if you use two kinds of cheese or an 8-ounce package of a shredded cheese blend)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon black pepper

Dash of garlic powder

Sprinkle of Penzey’s Italian Herb Mix (or a sprinkle of oregano or basil)

3 cups corkscrew-shaped pasta, cooked and drained

Toasted bread crumbs to sprinkle over top

Stir the soup, cheeses, milk, pepper and any seasonings in a 2-quart casserole. Stir in the cooked pasta. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the dish.

Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Cook's notes:

This is easy to play with. You can add dashes of any spices you like to give it some zing, or mix in chopped spinach or onion.

To cut fat and calories, use the 98% fat-free version of the cream soups and/or a low-fat shredded cheese blend.

I've tried both cream of mushroom and cream of celery in this recipe. I liked the cream of celery better. (Then again, I'm not a mushroom fan.)

I love cheese, so I've actually used more like 2 1/2 cups of cheese before.

The bread crumbs are fine on their own, but I prefer to make a little mix of grated Parmesan, melted butter and bread crumbs to sprinkle over top.

I welcome any comments or suggestions or questions. I'll try to post my favorite quick-and-dirty recipes regularly. And please feel free to share your simple favorites with me.

Gold stars for the mama!

2009-10-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

Feeling good because I crossed a lot off of my to-do list today. Probably got a lot done because John needed the computer all day, so I couldn't play around online.

How I earned my gold stars:

Flu shots for Daniel and the mama

Four bags of Halloween candy purchased (and none eaten yet!) -- plus I found a cheap price and had a "buy three bags, get one free" coupon

Two loads of Daniel's laundry washed

Four loads of Daniel's laundry folded

One load of John's laundry folded

Clothes Daniel has outgrown put in the "small clothes" box

Halloween decorations hung

Four pairs of cheap (but nice) pants and two cheap (but nice) T-shirts purchased for Daniel as "day care clothes" (Read: Clothes that I don't care if they get filthy or bleach-stained)

Carton of milk purchased at a great price

Macy's bill paid

Dishwasher loaded and run (still need to unload)

Toilet in the master bathroom scrubbed

Caught up on "Days of our Lives" in the DVR

It's funny what a girl can do when she focuses. Thank God I have Mondays off; otherwise, I don't know how I'd get anything done.

My house, sadly, still looks like a tornado hit it, so I surely don't feel like a superhero. So in case any mom out there feels like this post is bragging -- it's not. The toilet was long overdue for a scrubbing. I washed only two loads of The Boy's laundry, but I folded four. (Yeah, a little behind.) That dishwasher needs to be unloaded. There are baby bottles in the sink.

But I've got to revel -- even just for a bit -- in the stuff I did get done. Whew!

Darnit.

2009-10-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

What I didn't want to see on Daniel's pediatrician's Web site:

Flu Vaccine Availability
October 20, 2009
There has been a very high demand for the H1N1 vaccine, and we have now run out of our initial allocation. We are also out of the seasonal flu vaccine at this time. While we don’t have dates yet for our next shipments, we will update our website as soon as either vaccine is available.

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting ...

News (and bargains) parents can use ...

2009-10-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

Parent stuff of the day:

* There's been a baby food recall. Plum Organics has recalled its apple-carrot puree in portable pouches because of possible botulism contamination. It's a pretty specific recall: The apple-carrot puree. With the May 21, 2010, expiration date. All the details are here.

I have purchased one thing by this company. Just one item on a whim at Babies R Us. It was the APPLE-CARROT PUREE with the MAY 21, 2010, expiration date. Seriously.

Thank God I had not fed it to Daniel. It will be returned to the store tomorrow.

* Speaking of Daniel, his new favorite toys -- and I mean FAVORITE -- are EduShape's animal shakers. We received two as a gift from my childhood piano teacher, and Daniel thinks they are the greatest things ever. His face lights up when he sees them, and he shakes-shakes-shakes his snail and fish until he wears himself out. They make great sounds and are extremely durable. I will be in search of the ladybug soon to add to Daniel's collection. (I wish EduShape made more than three different animal shaker shapes!)

* Daniel's runner-up favorite toy is a soft toy that looks like a laptop. (Go figure.) The GiggleBytes Lil Laptop plays a little song that makes him smile, and it has a mouse that retracts and shakes. There is a "CD" attached, too -- which is really a mirror. Yeah, we know: We're starting his computer addiction early. We actually can't believe how fascinated he is already by this thing. Cracks us up.

* Lastly, if you're in search of good toys at good prices, check TJ Maxx. I bought several Infantino toys for excellent prices at the Tacoma store (including the laptop, which I found at a fraction of the prices I've seen online). There were also Fisher-Price, Playskool and Sassy items. And with a little digging, I've found some solid deals on baby essentials like onesies and Carter's pull-on knit pants.

The most grown-up thing I've ever done ...

2009-10-15T11:14:00.001-07:00

I got married. In fact, I've been married for five years.

I've bought a house.

I had a baby.

I have held professional jobs.

But nothing has made me feel quite like a *real* adult as hiring a baby sitter.

I think I'm officially a grown-up.

John and I are attending the NISA/SIDS Foundation auction in Redmond on Saturday night. It's a cause near and dear to our hearts. We will be attending with my dad and with all of my siblings who live in the area -- aka my entire baby-sitting crew.

So I actually have to hire a baby sitter. God, it feels like just yesterday I was the teenager people were hiring to watch their babies. Yikes.

This truly feels like the most adult thing I've ever done.

It's freaking me out.

Five years of wedded bliss!

2009-10-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, JOHN!

Five years ago today, John Dallas DeWeese and Katherine Theresa McEntee put on their fanciest clothes ever and got married in front of God, their families and their friends! It's been an amazing five years, a roller-coaster five years.

During the happy times, I've had an incredible person to laugh with and celebrate with.

During the sad times, I've had the most caring man by my side to hold me, comfort me and encourage me.

I can only hope that I've been the same support, friend and cheerleader for John as he has been for me.

And we've seen our share of happy and sad -- the birth of our beautiful son, my mother's death, the death of John's beloved uncle, buying a house, John getting laid-off, celebrating my cousin's wedding in New Jersey with my extended family, celebrating John's cousin's wedding in California, the sudden death of John's dear friend Nick, nieces and nephews being born, getaways to Port Angeles and Victoria, a fabulous honeymoon to Carmel and San Francisco … and on and on.

What makes me happiest, though, is the daily laughter and morning kisses and saying grace before dinner and playing on the weekends and watching John with Daniel together.

I am so blessed.

Thank you, John, for five wonderful years! Here's to more laughter and joy and blessings in the next five (and 25 and 45) …

Signs of autumn ...

2009-10-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

I know it's officially fall when ...

I've just sipped my first Starbucks apple chai of the season. Oh so delicious.

I'm home sick from work with a sore throat, stuffy nose and overwhelming fatigue. I called work around 7:45 to say I wasn't coming in -- I could barely keep my eyes open to make the call -- and then I went back to sleep. I slept until 1:30.

I am feeling a little better, thanks to that apple chai that The Husband picked up for me.

I cannot believe it's October ... Enjoy the falling leaves and the rainy days, my friends. I know I will.

A red-letter day awaits

2009-09-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

I was once given advice to use in combatting my depression: Plan things so you have something to look forward to.

It's an excellent piece of advice. It's worked for me -- whether it's been a hair cut or a vacation or a girls' night out that I've had to look toward.

So what's on the agenda this week?

MY BABY SISTER IS COMING HOME TO VISIT.

Noreen arrives Friday night. I am freakin' giddy. Friday can't get here soon enough. She's here for only a short period of time, enough to chill out/catch up with our family, do some official work stuff, see some friends and cut down some of her homesickness.

She has not been home since May. Giving her big hugs will do me some serious good. And Noreen says she can't wait to get her arms around Daniel. I think she'll be very surprised by how giant he is. (My only disappointment about Noreen's visit? She says she has plans Sunday night. I thought she'd be camped out in front of a TV with me to watch the Emmys!)

Noreen is not only my baby sister, but she's also my very best friend. I don't function well without her. Thank goodness we both have Sprint as our cell service provider because we can talk for unlimited amounts of time. I need that.

Thus, the countdown is on. I have something I am eagerly awaiting. I am filled with happy thoughts and anticipation.

So, Noreen Mary, I will be at the airport promptly to get you. I'll be the one jumping up and down at baggage claim.

'That's an expensive nap'

2009-09-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

I don't often blog about one of my greatest loves -- theater.

My senior thesis in college was on David Mamet. (My senior thesis for my English degree, that is. My senior project for my theatre arts degree was directing "American Buffalo" ... by David Mamet.)

Yes, my senior thesis at my Catholic college was about David Mamet, the playwright who creates some of the most foul-mouthed theater dialogue ever. And, yes, the word “misogynist” gets bandied about along with Mamet’s name.

But for some reason, I dig the guy's work.

Anyway, my lil sister just reminded me that Mamet’s “Oleanna” is returning to Broadway.

And then she told me it’s starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles.

I yawned.

That’s the best they could come up with?

How bland.

How vanilla.

I don’t think of those two actors as very dynamic. And you need DYNAMIC in a two-person play like “Oleanna.”

The little sister had my favorite quote about a Stiles/Pullman "Oleanna" on Broadway: That's an expensive nap.

And so my quest begins ...

2009-09-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

As my workday dwindled down, I got a hankering for an espresso milkshake -- not an iced coffee, not a Frappuccino. An espresso milkshake. It combines two of my most favorite things in the world: coffee and ice cream.

I posed the question on Twitter: "Where in Tacoma/UP/Fircrest can I get a delicious espresso milkshake?"

I received one response from my co-worker Laura: "Oh yum. Now I want that."

But nothing else. As I left work to pick up Daniel at day care, I was still craving that espresso milkshake and still curious about who in town makes a good one.

So my quest began ...

I made a mental list of places that I pass regularly that sell espresso milkshakes -- particularly places with drive-throughs since I'd have Daniel with me and it's a challenge to haul him in and out of the back seat of my two-door car.

As many of you know, I am a Starbucks loyalist, so going someplace else for a coffee beverage is a real stretch for me. However, my beloved Starbucks does not sell an espresso milkshake. I must make due elsewhere.

My stop this afternoon was at Cafe Elite, just off South 19th Street in Fircrest. It's across from Tacoma Community College and near Foxfire Salon.

Hmmm. Cafe Elite left a bad taste in my mouth -- not only because the beverage was subpar but also because when I gave the barista $5.10 for my $4.10 drink, she took my money and said, "Have a nice day!" I had to ask for my change back! She gave me my $1, and I threw a quarter into the tip jar (labeled "college fund") because, well, I am nice like that.

OK, back to the drink: I ordered the 20-ounce espresso milkshake. The sign said it comes with 2 shots. (Or was it three? I wasn't taking notes at this point.) The barista asked if I just wanted espresso or if I wanted mocha in it. "Just espresso, please."

It was hard to see how my drink was prepared because of the set up of the kiosk and where my car sat, but what I received I cannot call a milkshake.

It tasted like a blended iced mocha. It was a little runnier than a Frappuccino, and at the end of the drink, there were just chunks of ice (kind of like when you finish a fountain drink). And there was definitely a chocolate-y flavor.

A frappe? Maybe. A blended coffee beverage? Yeah. But a milkshake? No way.

Very disappointed in both the product and the barista's tip assumption. But totally jittery from the espresso. Shouldn't have ordered caffeine so late in the day. (FYI: I don't think I like Cafe Elite's roast either. Probably wouldn't go back for a hot beverage, either.)

Day One of the Espresso Milkshake Quest:

Cafe Elite
1902 65th Ave. W.
Fircrest, WA 98466

Ordered: 20-ounce espresso milkshake: $3.75 + tax
Thoughts: Not a milkshake. If I want an iced coffee or a blended coffee, I'll stick with Starbucks. Won't go back.

And so the quest for a delicious espresso milkshake continues.

I have one other place on my must-visit list so far -- Espress-O-Yourself in Fircrest -- and I think some of the Forza franchises serve milkshakes. (Can anyone help me on that?) My former co-worker Jason just sent me a message recommending Dairy Queen's MooLatte, and I've made a note of that.

I would LOVE any reader suggestions. Bonus points for drive-throughs in case I have my beautiful baby boy with me. I'm trying to keep my traveling radius in the Tacoma/University Place/Fircrest/Lakewood realm, but if you find a damn fine espresso milkshake elsewhere, I just might travel for it.

Happy sipping!

Yes, this is a quest I probably should've undertaken as summer began, not as it draws to a close. But we have a few more weeks of summer -- and there's always room for a good milkshake in life. But my goal is to review several espresso/coffee milkshakes before summer's official end: Sept. 22/23.

Confidential to Noreen: Still waiting for someone to match Kokopelli's espresso milkshake -- and the song we wrote about that place.

Birthday wishes (times 3!)

2009-08-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY today to three of my favorite people!!!!

First up is Hope. Hopey, how I wish I was in Alaska to celebrate your special day! I can't believe it's been three years since our last birthday adventures. Your friendship means the world to me, and I love that even when we haven't been together in some time, we always catch up and laugh and have good talks. Here's to a fantastic year!

Second and third are my nieces Sally and Sarah. How did you two get to be 8 already?!?! You both make me laugh, and I see shining hearts of gold in both of you. Both of you give sooo much love to you families.

Sally, you give amazing hugs and always say the right things when people are sad. Your sweetness and sensitivity run deep and strong. I love when you sit with us at church and when you sing every song.

Sarah, you have wisdom and insight beyond your years, and I wish I had a quarter of the energy you have! I miss your love and humor. I can't wait for you to visit again.

Yes, Sally and Sarah are both my nieces, they have the same last name, they are the exact same age, they were born at the same hospital on the same day -- and they are NOT twins. Crazy, isn't it?

My love to all three birthday girls! Must be a good day to be born!

xoxoxoxo

Of breakfast and babies on vacation

2009-08-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday!

Two things:

* After hearing co-workers rave earlier this week about breakfast at Old Milwaukee Cafe in Tacoma, we decided to give it another chance. It'd been more than a year since we'd been there -- more than a year since we had to wait a full hour after we placed our order for our food to arrive. And when our food arrived, it was so-so.

But someone at work mentioned huckleberry pancakes and other just went on and on about how much she loved Old Milwaukee. They were shocked when I said I wouldn't go back after waiting an hour for mediocre food to be served.

My report after today's breakfast: Those huckleberry pancakes are delicious! WOW. The grated potatoes John got with his scramlette were very tasty. Yes, we still waited a bit (but not an hour) for our food to arrive, but it was worth it today. We will go back, and we won't be waiting a year or two to return.

* Blogs, Facebook and Twitter allow me to follow the travel adventures of two of my new-mom friends. Shelley has traveled to Phoenix for Relay for Life stuff with her little one, Thomas (aka Daniel's BFF). Thomas is a month older than Daniel. Kathleen and her husband have taken their 7-month-old, Ryan, to Florida for a vacation with extended family.

I have a glimpse of what traveling with Daniel will be like eventually. Is it bad that I feel anxious even though we don't have trips planned?

I realize that traveling with a baby requires packing diapers and food and infant feeding spoons and wipes and toys and plenty of clothes. How do you know if you have enough of any of the aforementioned things?

Shelley and Kathleen are both powerhouses, so I hope to learn a thing or two from them to help keep me sane when John and I take Daniel to Louisville to see his family or to NYC to see Noreen, Louis & Little G.

Ladies, I can't wait to hear about your travels.

And to all of you: How did it get to be the end of August already?

The baby essentials pricing game

2009-08-22T22:55:00.000-07:00

I am not much of a Wal-Mart shopper, but everyone keeps telling me that prices on diapers and baby food and *much* better there.

Better than what?

I can buy a big box of Pampers for Daniel for $28.99 at Target. (The size 3 Cruisers come in a box of 116.) I always use a coupon, which gets me $1-$3 off. I also shop during sales, which means more of a bargain.

So, does Wal-Mart beat $28.99?

Also: How much is baby food at Wal-Mart? At Target, I can get a 2-pack of Gerber first fruits and veggies for 87 cents. The Earth's Best are in the 60-70 cents range for a 2.5-ounce glass jar.

How does Wal-Mart measure up?

I've done my price comparisons on diapers at Babies R Us (way more expensive), Amazon and Diapers.com. Target still appears to be the winner on price per diaper.

I found some great deals on Earth's Best baby food on Amazon, so I might buy from there.

But so many people tell me to go to Wal-Mart to buy diapers and food. Is it really a better buy? I'd love feedback from my parent friends and the bargain-shopper moms.

FYI: Best deals on formula without a coupon? Costco and costco.com.

Do you ever wonder ...

2009-08-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

I think I've read too much chick-lit and seen too many romantic comedies because this is the question that popped into my head late last night as I played Bejeweled Twist ...

Do you ever wonder if you're "the one that got away" for someone? Is there an old flame or a friend who thinks "what if" about you?

And what do you think that person would say to you if given the opportunity? Would he or she admit to wondering about what might've been? Would it be an epic speech worthy of a chick flick?

Have you ever had someone actually admit that he or she thinks of you as the one who got away?

Discuss.

A rant.

2009-08-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

I apologize in advance for the cranky rant that is about to follow.

My kid has hives. (Not an allergic reaction; just his immune system's response to being overwhelmed/overactive/bombarded by germs. Welcome to the world of day care.)

I have to give him Benadryl. The doctor said the dye-free children's kind is best for babies.

Dear makers of Benadryl: Please make your dye-free formula in a flavor/smell other than bubble gum. Some of us find bubble gum repulsive. Some of us don't care that it might taste good to our kids; it is a completely foul thing, and we should have a second option.

I hate the smell/taste of bubble gum. I do not chew it. It is one of the foulest things on the planet to me. I was at a lecture once, and the two girls next to me were chewing bubble gum -- sweet, sticky, yucky -- and I had to ask them to spit out their gum or face the fact that I might vomit. (Yes, I meant it. I find it that repulsive.)

So I'm mad about the Benadryl. I'm mad that my kid is having fevers and getting hives. I'm afraid he'll get sicker or that I'm missing something. I'm exhausted from worry. It's too damn hot in my house.

I'm mad that a car was parked in the 15-minute zone at day care when I dropped Daniel off at 8 a.m., when I picked him up for his doctor appointment at 11 and when I brought him back at 12:30. The parking availability at day care is at a premium, and I think it's awfully rude for someone to be hogging prime space all morning.

Yes, I know I have a million things to be grateful for, and trust me, I am thinking of many of them as I type this: a wonderful husband; an extremely happy baby; a boss who is flexible when I need to run off to take my son to the pediatrician; a co-worker who looks out for Daniel because our sons attend day care together; a good-paying job; sisters and sisters-in-law who proffer excellent advice to a fretful new mom; supportive and loving friends (even the ones moving to Montana).

I just needed to rant because today has been one of those days. I'm tired. I'm worried. I want my baby to be well. I'm sweaty. I'm peeved at the makers of Benadryl. Daniel has new teeth coming in, which means he's becoming less and less of my tiny little baby. I broke my Fiesta butter dish -- the first piece of my Fiesta dishes I've broken. I'm cranky, and I probably need to get over myself.

I shall drown my sorrows in the Breyer's ice cream in my freezer.

That is all.

A good case of the Mondays

2009-08-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

I love having Mondays off: I get to spend some quality time with my baby boy, and I usually get a lot accomplished (laundry, errands, dishes, etc.).

Had I not had today off, I wouldn't have noticed this morning that Daniel's top two front teeth are sprouting. No wonder he hasn't been sleeping well and chewing on everything!

He's getting to be a big boy -- growing so fast. At his 6-month checkup, he weighed 17 pounds, was 28 inches long and his head circumference was 18 inches.

Here are pictures taken Friday as we headed to the Rainiers game with our friends Sandra & Brent Quebedeaux. (Brent, FYI, is the baby whisperer. For sure.)

Daniel had his first taste of fruits today. (I'd been wary to give them because I didn't want him to resist the veggies.) He had a big lunch of rice cereal, green beans and some applesauce. Yum! He loves food. Even after bites of applesauce, he still opened wide for his green beans.

We then ventured to Costco to pick up supplies for Daddy's and my lunches this week and to check out the baby clothes for my ever-growing boy. (He's already in 9-month clothes!) I wish Costco carried Pampers diapers. That would make my life so much easier!

At the Costco checkout, we ran into a woman with 14-month-old twin daughters with red hair. Adorable! One girl's hair was identical in color to Daniel's. The girls' mom and I recognized each other, but we couldn't place where we knew each other from. It's bugging me. (Mom had dark, dark red hair, by the way. We decided that our checkout line was for redheads only.)

We're going to try a new restaurant tonight with my co-worker, her husband and their son. I'm looking forward to that. Full report later. You'll probably read about it in a couple weeks as a First Bite in The News Tribune or on the TNT Diner blog.

We have a busy week ahead of us, so I was especially glad to have today off. I will be making my award-winning evil brownies for a picnic this weekend at John's co-worker's home. Had to get supplies to bake them. (My recipe is similar to this one, but I tweak it and add a secret ingredient or two. Muahahaha!)

Today also allowed me to catch up on laundry. With more hot weather expected this week, I had to make sure the family's summer clothes were clean again. Seersucker shirts, lightweight cotton blouses, shorts, Lands' End polos, capris and Daniel's shortalls are ready to go.

Ah ... Hope everyone has a great week.

This is how I use my DVR?

2009-08-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

I'm just laughing at myself at 5:30 on a Friday evening.

I realized I'm setting the DVR to record three things tonight:

The Neil Diamond concert special on CBS
"The Soup" on E!
"Days of our Lives" on SoapNet

Who have I become? "The Soup" makes me hip, right? 'Cause the other two as a combo make me sound like someone's grandma.

OK, back to search for my missing sunglasses.

Addendum, 5:43 p.m.: Sunglasses found. Just picked and ate the first cherry tomato of the season off the plant in my front yard. Oh. My. Goodness. Delicious.

23 years ago today ...

2009-08-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

Today is a day that always makes me sad.

August 4th, 1986, is forever emblazoned on my brain.

It was a sunny day, a beautiful day. I’d turned 11 just a few weeks earlier. Two of my dearest friends were over. We had been swimming at the pool near my parents’ house.

We came back to my house and were hanging out on the deck. My mom had moved an old black-and-white TV onto the deck for us to watch.

The evening news came on, and it was sad news. A 13-year-old girl — Jennifer Bastian -- had gone missing while biking in Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park.

The story would have a horrible outcome: Jennifer’s body was found 24 days later in the park. She’d been sexually assaulted and murdered.

This was one of the first times in my life I remember a tragedy striking someone my age. Jennifer Bastian was friends with people I knew. She went to my church. Her cousin had been a year ahead of me in grade school.

Her murder has never been solved. Her death sticks with me to this day.

Almost every time I venture to Point Defiance Park, I think of her. I pray for her. I pray for her family. And I pray that her murder is solved.

A piece of my innocence was lost on August 4th, 1986. This little 11-year-old with wet hair on a warm summer day is still hoping for justice for Jennifer Bastian.

Sick baby, scared mommy

2009-07-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

This is Post 200. I thought Post 200 would be about something profound.

I'm not sure what I'm about to write is profound, but I'll try to find something meaningful in it.

Beware: Gross baby stuff ahead.

The past couple days have been hard for baby Daniel. First it was the heat. And now it's a stomach bug. The doctor on call last night at our pediatrician's office said his office is seeing the flu/stomach bug going around. It's viral, blah, blah, blah. Daniel has been in day care less than two weeks; we knew illness was coming.

It started out as a cough. And then spitting up more often than usual. Then a tiny fever. We'd been trying to keep cool anyway because the temperatures here have been in the upper 90s to 103 degrees. (It's miserable.) We have had fans running, windows open. We've gone out to eat this week or gone to visit my dad. We assumed that Daniel was just out of sorts because of the heat.

But no.

We knew he'd had a low fever on Wednesday evening and his diapers were, um, less than pleasant. So we kept him home on Thursday. John stayed with him, and I went to work. When I got home, Daniel appeared to be feeling better. He'd eaten well during the day; he took an almost three-hour nap. The house was hot, so the family decided to hit the mall to cool off.

Daniel was cranky. Then Daniel loaded his diaper -- and his car seat. I changed his diaper and his clothes and cleaned the car seat as best I could. Then the kid was super-mellow. Good sign?

At this point, John and I were starving. John and I headed to a nearby restaurant and were seated within 4 minutes. Daniel started to fuss; we knew he was hungry. John started to give him his bottle, and he was chugging it.

And then ... John's shirt and lap were covered with spit-up. Daniel was covered in spit-up. We strapped the boy back into his car seat, tried to get John cleaned up and left. (We were glad that no one had come to take our drink order. We'd ordered nothing. We did apologize to the waitress before we left.)

We grabbed some burgers on our way home. The house was still a sauna. Daniel seemed OK -- in fact, he seemed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. We gave him a soothing bath, put him in a onesie to sleep in and gave him a small amount of formula to fill his tummy.

I was cleaning up in the kitchen and John was headed for bed when we heard the coughing. Oh, the horrid sound.

And then I learned the difference between spit-up and baby vomit.

Daniel was crying and flailing. Mommy was crying and flailing. If Daniel couldn't keep fluids down, did this mean we were headed to the ER?

A call to the physician on call at our pediatrician's office relieved that concern. Give him small amounts (less than an ounce) of PediaLyte every 15-30 minutes till he can keep it down. Progressively add more if he's keeping it down. Let him sleep when he wants; don't wake him up to feed him. Call back if the baby vomits bile or blood, seems to be in pain or is screaming/crying inconsolably.

Daniel, who was sweaty but not feverish (and still a pretty happy boy), did not do so well with his first few tastes of PediaLyte. Baby gagging faces are not cute -- especially when it's your own baby. But eventually Daniel kept down about 1/2 an ounce and fell asleep.

I checked in on him frequently throughout the wee small hours.

He awoke around 6 a.m. screaming. We gave him 1/2 an ounce of PediaLyte; he GULPED it. And then screamed. We waited a few minutes and gave him another 1/2 ounce. Gulp. Scream. A few more minutes. An ounce. Gulp. Gulp. Scream. An ounce. Gulp. Gulp. Scream -- and then tapering off as we walked around the house.

Sleep again. He slept for an hour. Woke up hungry again. There was more gulping and screaming. Daniel definitely has his appetite back, and he is keeping down PediaLyte.

Daniel's been sleeping for almost an hour and a half as I type this. I've checked in on him about 5 or 6 or 12 times.

I always knew Daniel would get sick. I never imagined that experience being filled with so much panic. I was really scared last night: I was afraid my son was dying. I had visions of the ER. I prayed so hard; I asked my mom to intercede.

And with the dawn came a happier, healthier, hungrier boy and a cooler house.

I don't know how my parents did it -- tending the fevers and the barfing, the bike accidents, the broken bones -- especially when we so little and couldn't talk. Every day, I gain a new appreciation for their hard work and sacrifices and patience.

And I am ever-so-grateful.

The good thing about ...

2009-07-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

The good thing about not having moved a lot of your stuff out of your parents' house is that when you are over there visiting and your baby spits up all over you -- soaking your lap -- you can run upstairs and find clothes!

I found an great old skirt tonight. Perfect for these hot summer days.

And it is tooooo hot. Part of why we were at my parents' house tonight is because Dad has air conditioning. The hot weather is making me queasy, and Daniel surely isn't liking it either.

I want a good soaking rain and/or a really cool breeze. Is there a patron saint of weather that I can ask to intercede for me?

Look for the silver lining ...

2009-07-24T13:38:00.001-07:00

I've discovered an excellent thing about returning to work: I eat better.

OK, anyone who's worked in a newsroom won't believe that because of all the snacks lying around. But it's true, at least for me.

I pack a lunch for work -- and it's usually 3-4 BabyBel cheeses, a piece of fruit or two or three, maybe a sandwich, some Goldfish crackers, perhaps some Chips Ahoy (just a few!). I drink lots and lots of water from the newsroom's water cooler.

There isn't a tub of Kirkland Signature chocolate-covered almonds staring at me every time I open the refrigerator. I can't just swing by Pao's Donuts for a treat midday. I can't plop down on my sofa with a bag of pretzels and a tub of cream cheese and watch "Lingo" and "Days of Our Lives."

Work might be damn good for my waistline and my health.

Sure, I miss my little man terribly. I would love to be curled up watching TV with him and walking around the mall or along the Chambers Bay trail. But right now, I have to work, and I've got to find the silver lining.

So, eating better and perhaps losing some pounds looks awfully sparkly and silvery to me!

Happiness is ...

2009-07-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

... Being greeted by laughter and smiles and kicking feet and a wave (!) from your son when coming to pick him up from his third day of day care.

It's especially happy when -- this one's for you, Kathleen -- he's this happy and has only napped for a total of 35 minutes in eight hours!

An 11-year-old who is ready to rock ...

2009-07-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

On May 22, my oldest niece, Maggie, turned 11. There are many reasons I love Miss Margaret, but one of the biggest is that she LOVES music -- and she loves music that most of her peers probably don't know. (Gosh, that reminds me so much of Noreen and I. We liked all sorts of tunes that came out when we were toddlers or before we were born.) In the past year, Maggie has mentioned liking Heart, Def Leppard, Journey, Styx and Stevie Nicks. I know her iPod has everything from country to show tunes to hard rock to rap on it. Maggie is so a kid after my own heart.

Anyway, I *finally* got to give Maggie her birthday present on Saturday. In addition to a Nordstrom gift card (the girl is a fashionista as well as a music lover), I made her a CD of some of my favorite songs and songs that I thought she'd like. Here's what's on it (and why I included each song):

"Straight On" by Heart: Maggie declared a love for "Barracuda" awhile back. Her dad told her that I'm a big Heart fan, so she came to me and asked what other songs by them I might like. Figured the rocker chick blossoming might dig this one.

"Jive Talkin' " by the Bee Gees: A good dance song by the kings of disco.

"You Make Me Feel like Dancing" by Leo Sayer: I love this song. Seriously. I *love* it. Thought I'd share it with Maggie.

"The Day Brings" by Brad: In my top 10 all-time favorites. Slow song with enough of a rock edge that I thought Maggie might enjoy.

"See the World" by Gomez: One of the newest songs on this disc. Also in my top 10 all-time favorites.

"If I Had $1,000,000" by Barenaked Ladies: Sweet song with a good dose of humor. Maggie has a great sense of humor, particularly for an 11-year-old. Figured she might like this one.

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" by Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Just a happy song -- and it's old enough to fall into Maggie's seemingly preferred era of music.

"Second Hand News" by Fleetwood Mac: The song that made me fall in love with FM.

"Black Betty" by Ram Jam: Maggie likes to rock, and rock this song does. I'd mentioned this song to Maggie months and months ago, and she did not know it. (I'm not sure that many people do, one-hit wonder band and all.) It was this song and Maggie's question about Heart songs that made me want to make her a CD.

"Float On" by Modest Mouse: Gotta have some newer stuff on the disc. This is one of my favorites from the past few years.

"It's in the Way that You Use it" by Eric Clapton: It's loud. It rocks. It reminds me of Noreen (who loved this song when it came out), and Maggie often reminds me of a young Noreen.

"Stand Bank" by Stevie Nicks: As I wrote above, Maggie said she liked Stevie. I knew she had "Edge of Seventeen" on her iPod. Thought she might enjoy this Stevie tune too.

"Anyway You Want It" by Journey: Probably my favorite Journey song. I turn this one up loud when it comes on.

"Minimum Wage" by They Might Be Giants: It's 46 seconds long. And it's funny. The lyrics? "Minimum wage! Yah!"

"Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai: Maggie was a huge "Napoleon Dynamite" fan. This song gives us Napoleon's stand-out moment. Had to include it here.

"Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie: Another of my all-time favorite songs, and the beat seems right up Maggie's alley.

"Time for Me to Fly" by REO Speedwagon: I know that Maggie and her brother enjoy the fine butt rock of the 1970s and '80s. Thus, I had to put some Speedwagon on the CD.

"Who Loves You" by Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons: Maybe I've written it here before, but this song reminds me of my mom. Mom saw the musical "Jersey Boys" just days before she died. Our Jersey girl loved "Jersey Boys" because it was "her music" and because she and those boys grew up in the same part of Jersey. Whenever I hear this song, I feel like my mom is with me. Listen to the lyrics some time; it feels like Mom telling me she's always with me, always taking care of me. I think Mom would say the same things to Maggie.

"The Wind" by Cat Stevens: Short and sweet by Cat, one of my very favorite artists.

"Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel: My all-time favorite song. It's from the right era for Maggie to enjoy. I figured since she and I already like so much of the same music, that she just might like this one, too.

"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" by Michael Jackson: Chosen before MJ's death. Maggie likes groovy disco-y songs and she likes to dance, so this one seemed like a good final choice for the disc.

Maggie, Jack and I played the CD in my car when we were out adventuring yesterday. They both knew "Under Pressure" and "Anyway You Want It" immediately; Jack already has both songs on his iPod.

(Best moment: "Under Pressure" starts. Jack says, "Oh, oh, I know this!" I cringe. I am waiting to hear this 12-year-old boy say "Ice Ice Baby." But he surprises me. "It's 'Under Pressure' by Queen and David Bowie!" YAY!!! Auntie does a happy dance.)

Maggie and Jack got a kick out of "Minimum Wage" and "If I Had a $1,000,000." Maggie liked that I included "Canned Heat"; she chuckled when the song began. Maggie knew the Michael Jackson song after the first "Woo!" just a few seconds in. I was so proud of her.

Jack wanted to know why I didn't put any Foreigner on the CD, particularly "Jukebox Hero." Jack's really into Foreigner. I do not own any Foreigner. Think I'll have to get some Foreigner before I make Jack a CD.

Making a CD for Maggie was fun, especially as she explores the wide world of music. I know that Maggie's dad, my big brother Rich, was a huge influence on my musical tastes. It's amazing to continue that circle.

Side note: I got my first "boom box" on my 10th birthday. I also got my first real cassette tape then: "Make It Big" by Wham! I'd purchased my first album the year before: "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen. Maggie's next CD should have some Bruce and Wham! on it. Well, at least Bruce ...

Family, fun and foreign shopping

2009-07-12T01:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday flew right by.

We ran errands and then took care of a nephew and two nieces -- which entailed a lot of laughing, playing on a playground with lots of newfangled equipment (whatever happened to swings and monkey bars?) and going to Mass. I am pretty sure people in church thought John and I had four children, ages 12, 11, 7 and baby Daniel. Eeek.

We love being with the nieces and nephews. Such angels. They grow up too fast.

After church and dropping the kids off, we went to IKEA and then to dinner at the new Old Spaghetti Factory at Southcenter.

Oh, IKEA ... We spend so much money on lots of weird little things -- a laundry hamper for Daniel's room, plastic bowls for feeding baby, a cool shelf to put by the front door for mail and keys, an over-the-sink strainer to use when I'm cutting fruit, veggies and flowers. So many things to want, so few things we really need.

Did you know that they play "Good Night, Sweetheart" over the intercom system to hurry shoppers along at closing time? (John and I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'll add it to Daniel's lullaby repertoire: He screamed while it played.)

It is 1:50 a.m. Sunday as I type this. Birthday Week has started for me. I'm not ready for it to be my birthday yet. Yeah, I still have a couple more days, but I'd prefer a few more months. Please?

How I know I'm getting older ...

2009-07-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

As I just opined: I always thought that people in their mid-30s were super-grownups. And seeing as John and I are not super-grownups, that assumption was wrong.

But I do, however, realize that I am getting older: I have a son, a mortgage and a job. My child starts day care in less than two weeks.

I will be 34 in less than a week. I was pondering what I wanted for my birthday, and it was the list that popped into my head that make me feel like I was making an adult's wish list:

Gift cards for groceries, Starbucks and Target
A new watch (My 12-year-old watch is fading fast.)
A good, lightweight stroller for when Daniel outgrows the SnugRider frame
A high chair for Daniel -- one that's easy to clean, stows well and is a good value
A Wii

OK, so the Wii might be a bit immature. But I think they're cool, and I've heard great things about the workouts you can get from some of the games.

The reason for the gift cards is ridiculously practical: We are down to one income until I receive my first paycheck two weeks after I go back to work. Starbucks, the grocery store and Target are regular stops for our family, so those would be helpful to get us through these next few penny-pinching weeks.

I used to ask for CDs and DVDs and gift certificates for restaurants and pedicures and massages. I wanted jewelry and clothes and handbags.

While those are very nice, they are completely unnecessary for me right now. I never thought I'd want a stroller or a Fred Meyer gift card for my birthday.

But I do. And I like discovering that side of myself ...

Another special occasion!

2009-07-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN!!!

Today is The Husband's 35th birthday. HA! I remember when I thought 35 meant being super-grownup. Nope, he's just like me: a little crazy, still wondering why the nurses let us leave the hospital with our baby, still thinking that homeownership is "too adult" for us. Perhaps 35 is the new 15? I think we would like it to be.

I am thankful for my husband and the laughter and love he brings to my life. He's such a gentle, good-hearted soul, and he treats me like a princess. Oh, I am so blessed!

Happy Birthday, John D! You're the best! May the next year be as adventure-filled as the last ...

Funny side note: Last night, John was changing Daniel, and I was working in the kitchen. I said to John, "Daniel and I bought presents for you today." And John lovingly said to Daniel, "You did? What did you and Mommy get me?"

And then Daniel farted -- loudly. I thought it was John ... until John started laughing hysterically.

Gosh, I thought we picked out good gifts. I guess Dan the Man thought otherwise.

Happy anniversary, Rich & Jill!

2009-07-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

To my big brother Rich and his wonderful wife, Jill:

HAPPY 20TH ANNIVERSARY!!!

You've been married more than half my life ... Wow.

It doesn't seem possible that it was 20 years ago that you walked down the aisle -- but we're all so thankful you did!

Thank you for being amazing role models of love, faith and perseverance. Thank you for showing us how to rely on one another and rely on God. Thank you for showing us how to balance work, family, faith and love and how to weather the highs and lows -- and how to do it all while maintaining a sense of humor!

Thank you for giving us Jack, Maggie and Sally. They are blessings to our family, and they wouldn't be as amazing children as they are without you as their parents, their teachers and their examples.

Congratulations on this incredible milestone! Here's to 20 more years of married bliss!

Blessings to you both. We pray God continues to shower you with love, joy and success.

Starbucks' Pick of the Week songs

2009-07-02T23:43:00.000-07:00

Does anyone have any Starbucks/iTunes Pick of the Week codes they're not gonna use?

I am looking particularly for a code for the Airborne Toxic Event song "Sometime Around Midnight."

I'm also interested in Gomez's "Sunset Gates" and "Coffee Girl" by the Tragically Hip.

Thanks!

Man, time flies

2009-07-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

How did it get to be July already?

I used to get so excited for July; it's my birth month!

But this year I'm dreading it -- not my birthday, but July.

Time is flying by. Daniel continues to grow and change; he is not my teeny-tiny baby anymore. I want to make time slow down so I can cuddle him a bit more.

July means I'm going back to work. Daniel will start day care on July 21.

July means I'll be 34. It means John will be 35.

I'm not a big fan of small children letting off fireworks. I hope to watch the July 4 festivities from afar. I always enjoy a good professional fireworks display.

One of the great things about this July, though, is that my brother and his wife will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary on July 8. It doesn't seem possible that their wedding was 20 years ago. It feels like we were just getting gussied up and celebrating at the country club. I can still remember the hot pink silk Adrianna Papel dress my mom wore.

It's hard to believe that it was 20 years ago when my grandparents were here, that they took us to the Space Needle. That Noreen was still an awkward preteen. That I didn't wear makeup, and was getting ready to start high school. That there were no grandkids yet. Rich was the first of the six McEntee children to get married.

Wow. Time really does fly by. It's unreal. Got to slow down and savor each moment.

Addendum: I have two HUGE things I'm looking forward to in July: Hopey's coming to visit, and Matt & Sienna are coming to visit. These are some of my dearest friends in the world, and I cannot wait to share time with them. What blessings!

Fanning that old flame ...

2009-06-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

Yep.

I'm pretty in love with Drew Carey again.

His blog kills me.

Quick hits from Casa DeWeese

2009-06-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

I stole this "quiz" from Shelley. It's a quick and dirty way to catch up with Mama DeWeese ...

Outside my window ... the sun is trying to peek through the clouds. Wind is rustling through the trees and plants in my backyard.

I am thinking ... about my mom. That I need to clean my house. And that putting a new roof on our house is gonna be expensive. Mexican food sounds good for dinner.

I am thankful for ... my husband. He is patient and kind and gentle. He makes me laugh, and he takes many burdens off my shoulders. I realized on Monday night just how amazing John is when I was out with Dusti and Lisa. Our conversation turned to ex-boyfriends, and, man, I dated some losers/freaks/asses in my lifetime. John really is a blessing; he loves unconditionally, and he is a phenomenal dad.

From the kitchen ... The fridge is restocked with milk and cheese, and there are some Freschetta pizzas in the freezer. I just got home from the grocery store. I learned that my local Albertson's no longer accepts competitors' coupons.

I am wearing ... a Nordstrom Caslon shirt that I bought two years ago but only took the tags off of this week. My favorite Caslon jeans. My favorite Franco Sarto shoes.

I am creating ... a happy, loving son. Daniel is a smiley boy, and I can already tell he is filled with love. My favorite moments of the day are when I am watching him, and he turns and looks at me and gives me the biggest smile.

I am going ... back to work in less than a month. I am sad about this. While I am looking forward to seeing my co-workers and friends again, I am heartbroken about not being with Daniel all day. I am thankful, though, that my bosses agreed to let me cut my schedule to 32 hours a week. (It helps that I made the pitch when the executive editor was trying to make cuts.)

I am reading ... the newspaper every morning. I'm reading my friends' blogs and Facebook posts. I am trying to get back to reading "Bitter is the New Black" by Jen Lancaster. (I *love* her.)

I am hoping ... that my friends can adopt a baby soon. I am hoping that putting a new roof on the house won't cost huge sums of money. I am hoping for small miracles in my siblings' lives.

I am hearing ... wind. Planes in the sky. John is finishing feeding Daniel a bottle in the family room. Daniel is whimpering; he needs to burp.

Around the house ... there's lots to do: papers to recycle; piles to be eradicated; laundry to be washed; tables to be dusted; general crap to throw away.

One of my favorite things ... Other than Daniel's smile? I'll go with something frivolous: my DVR. I can pause the TV if Daniel is crying or needs a diaper change. I can record things that are on late at night so I can go to sleep early. It sounds so petty, but to a TV lover like me who is also juggling parenthood, it's a godsend.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... Trying to meet up with Meredith for lunch. Trying to attend Pat Kruse's funeral. Picking up some necessities at Target. Taking shoes to the repair shop. Making appointments with more roofers.

A picture to share ... Here is what I found in my ice cream bar last week. (Hmmm? What's this hard bit I'm chewing on?) It has been reported to the manufacturer; in fact, this photo was sent to the company. I am getting coupons for free products, and the manufacturer seemed quite distraught when I spoke with its customer service folks.

FYI: The wood chip was not part of the stick. The stick showed no signs of missing a half-inch chunk. The wood chip was actually in the ice cream. Yum.

Yeah, money's tight, but look on the bright side ...

2009-06-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

So much on my mind. I have several ideas for posts, but I'm not sure I have the energy right now to tackle any of them.

There are a couple of things milling about in my mind, like "things that used to be in Tacoma that I miss." (I think I've been promising that post for a year now.) Or perhaps "After seven years of no problems, Henrietta the Honda has decided to make trouble."

And Henrietta is making pricey trouble. And the roof of my house needs to be replaced. And our house needs to be painted. And what makes all of this troubling? We're down to one income for the next month.

I was not worried about one income until I got the estimate for the roof, followed by the service dude's report on my car. Ugh. (Thank you, Mom, for advising me to keep a strong savings account. I've done so. It is helping ... a lot.)

But as my dear friend Shelley points out, there is still so much for which to be grateful. (And Shelley looks on the bright side after her beloved dog disappeared. So sad.)

I have so much to give thanks for: a loving, devoted husband; a healthy, beautiful baby; brothers and sisters who are hilarious and loving and supportive; wonderful friends; a good brain; the ability to take almost six months off for maternity leave.

Daniel went to the doctor yesterday for his 4-month checkup. He weighs 14 pounds, 5 ounces (35th percentile) and is 26.5 inches long (90th percentile). His head circumference is 17.25 inches. He's strong and healthy and alert. As my mom would say, "Much to be grateful for."

I also have big things to look forward to: Hopey's coming to visit in mid-July; Matt & Sienna and their kids are coming to visit in late July; I'm going back to work on July 20 (that's sad and happy). But my employer was willing to let me go to four days a week. And that's good for Daniel and for me.

I like the day care we've chosen for Daniel. The staff is funny and kind and highly organized. The facility is clean and modern and secure. The teachers in the infant room actually get down on the floor and play with the babies. While I am almost devastated that those people will get to be with Daniel for much of his waking time, I feel like he'll be in good hands. And I am looking forward to being with adults (and many friends) and doing work that I am passionate about.

So I need to realize that we can (and will) get through the one-income woes and things will be OK. I've got soooo much good around me.

... sigh ...

Run, walk, ride to fight what ails us

2009-06-15T02:08:00.000-07:00

The DeWeeses are big believers in good causes. We have several friends who are participating (or recently did participate) in charity runs/walks/rides/races.

I want to give them some ink here, and perhaps you'll feel called to donate to their inspiring efforts.

The Ravenscrofts: My friend Angie and her amazing children Sáin and Aidan (who are also my godchildren!) have participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Beat the Bridge race for five years now. They walk/run to find a cure for juvenile diabetes, which Sáin is valiantly battling. I want her to win the fight. She is GOING to win the fight. All you have to do is read Angie's blog to grasp the toll diabetes takes physically, emotionally and mentally. Click on Angie's or the kids' names to donate.

Sandra & Brent Quebedeaux: Mr. and Mrs. Q are like family to us. But Mr. Q is ready, willing and able to jump on a bike to combat cancer; we are not. My coordination skills (or lack thereof) keep me from doing most bike-related things. However, we happily cheer Brent on and give him a financial boost as he rides 70 miles(!!!) in the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG Challenge. As our friend (and fellow Table 10 partier) Shelley says, "Cancer sucks." (And she's damn right.) So donate to Brent here. (Sandra is doing the LIVESTRONG walk. While she would love your support, she told me that it's best to pool donations under Brent's name.)

The Hasselbach Family: My friendship with Brian and Amy goes back about 15 years. (Wow, is that even possible?) We met when we were all young and in college and perhaps a little crazy. (OK, Amy, Hope and I were loud and ... energetic. Brian was always an adult. Not crazy.) Amy and Brian now have three adorable kids -- Bella, Maggie and Hudson. Their family took on the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Seattle last weekend. They participated in honor of Brian's mom, who is a breast cancer survivor. I support their efforts in this cause not only because they are my friends, but also because both of my grandmothers battled breast cancer. It's a disease I want to see stamped out. Click on Amy's, Brian's, Bella's or Maggie's name above to donate to Race for the Cure.

The Coveys: Our check is in the mail to longtime friends Amy and Larry Covey who will pedal to combat hunger in the Wheels to Meals bike ride. The ride benefits Tacoma's St. Leo's Food Connection, one of Washington's largest food banks. I am sure most of you have read that food banks are suffering during our nation's economic troubles, and the Food Connection is no exception. Click on the Food Connection link to learn about the many services the organization provides. To donate to Amy & Larry, contact Amy through her blog.

Two more worthy causes to go. But first, I want to point out that all of the friends listed above are Saint Martin's University graduates. I met Angie, Brian, Sandra, "the Amys" and Larry when we all attended Saint Martin's. (Sandra later met and married Brent, who would then go on to graduate from the university.) This speaks volumes to me about a couple of things: 1. Saint Martin's taught us well to give back to our communities and to support causes that we care about; 2. At a small Catholic college, you meet people who will be your friends for life.

I almost feel like I should make a donation to Saint Martin's as a thank you for giving me some of my best friends! (What's funnier is that there is still one more SMU alum to come ...)

The Sprouffskes: Jonathan and Shelley Sprouffske are serious about kicking cancer's butt, and they deftly use Relay for Life as their weapon. Shelley actually travels and teaches people about Relay and how to help the American Cancer Society spread its message. Cancer has touched both their lives; most notably, Jonathan lost his mother to the disease in 2004. These two are amazing people and incredible friends. I actually knew them both before they ever knew each other. Shelley went through St. Charles and Bellarmine with my lil sister. And Jonathan? He went to some college down in Lacey, and we met as members of the Alumni Association board. The Sprouffskes are also the parents of Daniel's BFF, Thomas, who pities the fool who won't fight cancer. Don't make Thomas get all Mr. T on you; donate to the Sprouffskes here.

Pat McCoid: I'm trying to figure out the best way to introduce y'all to Pat. He is my co-worker and a friend. He shares my affinity for good coffee, excellent music, Irish-Catholic families and worthy causes. He's run marathons to raise money, and he used to chair Team TNT for Relay for Life. He overheard me talking about the SIDS Foundation's auction a few years ago and immediately asked how he could help. This year, he's cycling in the Courage Classic to raise money for Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma. Pat's son, Matt, is a leukemia survivor. He says that the doctors and nurses at Mary Bridge "guided us through five years of chemotherapy." Matt has been cancer-free for five years and turned 21 in May. Now that I'm a parent, the need for a quality children's hospital in Tacoma means even more to me. This is a cause I can't say no to. Learn more about Pat and his Courage Classic ride here.

My friends have said that's it's OK if we can't give financially. They know times are tight; we are all feeling it. But they've asked, too, for prayers as they walk and run and ride and for prayers for those battling disease and hunger and sadness and financial strain. They've asked us to pray for cures for diabetes and cancer. I think that's something we can all do.

Happy Monday, everyone! Have a great week!

It's Friday, I'm in love ...

2009-06-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

Lots of things going through my mind. Gotta keep it quick today.

* Praying for the safe return of Viper to Shelley & Jonathan.

* Considering buying an old-fashioned Sunbeam Mixmaster. (OK, it's new, but Sunbeam has resurrected its classic Mixmaster style.) While the KitchenAid is amazing, I learned to bake using the Mixmaster. I love it. I miss it. I am a pro with it. It makes me think of my mom's mad baking skillz.

* I need high chair recommendations. I've looked at several. Would love to hear what my readers have used (and loved or hated) in their homes.

* Will attend the 50th anniversary party/reunion for my grade school on Sunday. I attended St. Charles from first grade through eighth grade; I graduated 20 years ago. I have one niece and three nephews who attend St. Charles now. I hope some of my classmates come to the party. It would be awesome to see familiar faces.

* Found out that Hopey will be visiting next month. I cannot wait for her to meet Daniel and for us to meet her little Adrianna.

* Off to get coffee and mail some letters. Might even treat myself to a Pao's doughnut. It's a sunny Friday. John gets of off work early today. I pray this is the start of a good weekend!

Big joy in small successes

2009-06-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

I kind of need to give myself a pat on the back today.

My accomplishments of the day might seem small to many, but new moms know how even the little things feel HUGE sometimes.

In my house each morning, Daniel and I wake up, and I change his diaper, dress him for the day and feed him. Then I try to have a bowl of cereal or some toast and then get myself ready.

By the time I'm showered and clothed -- and perhaps had a moment to check my e-mail and spoofee.com -- Daniel needs to be changed and fed again. And I still need time to draft my game plan for the day (depending on how much time was at my disposal).

It's always a juggling act. And it's hard to make it all happen before 3 p.m. on some days.

But today, we were rarin' to go. Sunday night, my to-do list was written and the things I'd need to get the list checked off were prepared: The big envelope of photos for Grandpa in Kentucky was sealed and addressed; the information I'd need to open Daniel's savings account was organized; the Box Tops and soup labels to take to my old friends at Holy Rosary School were in a sandwich baggie.

We woke up this morning, ate our breakfasts and watched "The Price is Right." I got showered while Daniel relaxed in his bouncy seat. Daniel, of course, "relaxed" well this morning, so he needed a diaper change again before I could get dressed.

So, Dan's changed. I'm dressed. I throw on a load of baby laundry, water the plants in the front yard and check my e-mail. Dan starts fussing for food, so I feed him while watching the start of "Days of Our Lives." By the time he's done, I'm absorbed in the drama of Salem's denizens.

But wait!

I say, "Screw it! We have things to do!" and hit record on the DVR. We are ready to go!

Then I can't find my car keys. Seriously. Daniel's buckled into his car seat, and I can't find the keys. (Chicken + head cut off = me.) I look for the "valet key" (aka my spare), and it's not where it's supposed to be. I find it a few minutes later on the kitchen table. (Hmmm. Interesting place for it ...) And out the door we go.

I start the car up and, while the cool air kicks in, I put on my makeup. I reach into the diaper bag and find my car keys tucked in with the diapers. (Hmmm. An interesting hiding spot ...) I laugh.

We head to our friends at the drive-thru Starbucks. The line is long, but that's OK. I get to the window and pay for my iced coffee with milk. The barista says, "Don't imagine you'd like a second one for free?" The look on my face must've said, "What?!" "A guy ordered it but drove off. So I've got an extra one here. If you don't take it, I'll have to dump it." I take the free drink. Duh.

I have an AWESOME talk with Noreen via cell phone about the Tonys and life in NYC. The show Noreen's hubby is in won three Tony Awards on Sunday night. Much to celebrate.

Then it's off to see my former colleagues at Holy Rosary. I walk into the main office and am greeted with hugs and shrieks. Daniel is the center of attention. Beth, Debbie and Katie fall in love with him. I miss Beth, Debbie and Katie. We spend an hour chatting, laughing and catching up. Daniel is a perfect gentleman and enjoys the ladies fussing over him.

Have I mentioned that the sun is shining today?

Off to the post office. I weigh my big envelope of pictures to send to Louisville, and I put the proper amount of stamps on it. Mailed. Another item checked off the list.

I swing by the day care Daniel will probably attend to pick up some paperwork that needs to be filled out. The staff members are in good moods, and we are cracking each other up. (One gal comes to meet Daniel, and says, "Daniel, huh? Just a good, normal name. We like that." Daniel smiles at her. I tell her that it's spelled the traditional way, too. Another woman says, "You mean it's not D-A-H-N-Y-E-L? You didn't throw a Y in there for fun?" (Oh, I like these people.) I cross "Drop by day care" off my to-do list when I get to the car.

One last stop: the bank. Can Daniel handle it? Will he melt down? Should I even risk it?

I throw caution to the wind. I put Daniel in his stroller and roll inside. There's a line -- of course. I think everyone decided to come to BECU at the same time. Daniel, however, is sound asleep in his stroller. YAY! The next teller opens up; the guy in front of me says, "Go ahead. I'm waiting for Darlene." So we head to Stacy's desk, and Daniel's first savings account is opened, quickly, painlessly. Daniel sleeps through the whole affair.

We go home.

Mama feels like God has smiled upon her.

The only thing that would've made it better, though, is if I was motivated to clean the house!

I've been tagged: 8 Things

2009-06-05T15:50:00.001-07:00

I've been tagged by Shelley to proffer lists of eight things I've done, things I'm looking forward to, etc. Shelley must've known I needed to focus on some positives. I've been feeling down lately, and I need some inspiration and some self-appreciation.

Here goes ...

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To

1. Watching the Tonys on Sunday night.
2. Getting the house painted.
3. Working in the newsroom with Dusti again.
4. Daniel's first words.
5. My birthday.
6. Giving John a great Father's Day.
7. Strawberries from my garden.
8. Taking Daniel to the pool this summer.

8 Things I Did Yesterday

1. Bought Daniel some cute Carter's clothes on super-clearance at Macy's.
2. Changed and fed Daniel at Macy's.
3. Laundry.
4. Talked to Noreen on the phone.
5. E-mailed a co-worker to make a correction on the Web site.
6. Went to Starbucks. (Big surprise, right?)
7. Wished Daniel a happy 4-month birthday!
8. Ordered the "Next to Normal" original cast recording.

8 Things I Wish I Could Do

1. Be an editor but not have to put Daniel in day care.
2. Make delicious, healthy meals at home every night.
3. Lose 50 pounds.
4. Go to the weekly rosary group at church more often.
5. Sing confidently in public.
6. Spend a month in Ireland.
7. Get my house more organized.
8. Throw a great party for friends.

8 Shows I Watch

1. "Lost."
2. "Ace of Cakes."
3. "The Soup."
4. "My Boys."
5. "The Office."
6. "How I Met Your Mother."
7. "Jeopardy!"
8. "The Closer."

Now I'm supposed to tag some people to do this! Noreen, Hopey, Meredith, Amy and Angie, have at it.

A rite of passage

2009-06-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

Growing up in my family, the menfolk always had plaid shorts for summmer. ALWAYS.

My mom made sure of it. (They also often had plaid pants, but that's a post for another day.)

Anyway, I am carrying on the tradition. Today I put Daniel in his first pair of plaid shorts. (Thank you, clearance rack at Babies 'R' Us. Clearance finds, another thing my mother would be proud of.)

In our daily phone chat, I told Noreen that Daniel was officially a McEntee Man, wearing his proper summer uniform -- plaid shorts and a polo shirt. She agreed and laughed -- and asked me to send her a picture.

Which I did.

Here is Daniel in his McEntee Man summer uniform. My mother was definitely smiling down on us when I dressed The Boy this morning.

Yep, I'm turning into my mom. And I am so proud of it.

In bloom ...

2009-05-31T19:06:00.000-07:00

For a weekend where we didn't have anything planned, we sure stayed busy!

We spent most of Saturday working in the yard. Once again, I focused on the flowers in the front yard while John worked on the veggie garden and the lawn.

We hit Lowe's in the afternoon, coming home with lots of plants and dirt and a new hoe.

Once home, I got to work emptying the dead stuff out of my old containers and filling them with gorgeous new flowers. The nice thing was discovering that my fuchsia, which I assumed was dead, had new little sprouts coming off of it. Yay!

Daniel sat in his bouncy seat on the front porch while I played in the dirt. He was an angel almost the entire time ... and then nature called. But fortunately I got most of my work done.

Some shots from our day ...

My strawberry plant:

These pansies and petunias will soon end up in the giant window box in front of our house:

My gorgeous boy ...

A self-portrait (I am terrible at these):

Our front porch and an array of containers (and Daniel in his bouncy seat!):

The three overflowing baskets in the picture above -- the one hanging, the purple one on the porch and the begonia in the wrought-iron stand -- were all created by professionals. I wish I could take credit!

One of my Mother's Day gifts. This is me trying to get artsy with the camera ...

I can't believe it's nearly 7:30 on Sunday night already! The weekend has flown by -- and there's still yardwork to do this week.

Now that our yard is getting in shape, I am looking forward to some nice summer BBQs and a porch full of colorful blooms.

Cool stuff on a hot day

2009-05-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

Some quick Saturday musings ...

* Had to laugh reading Tacoma's City Arts magazine today. There is a very brief interview with my brother-in-law in it.

Well, the picture is my brother-in-law. The headline, however, refers to him as Louis Dobson.

Whoops.

* Secondly, did you know that Applebee's serves breakfast? (Well, at least the Lakewood location does.) Has anyone ever tried it? I'm darned curious ...

* John and I just got home from brunch and errands, and our house is too hot. We have windows open and fans running, but it's not helping.

The good thing is a stop at Lowe's was among our errands, and we bought lots of plants and dirt to beautify our yard. I got a strawberry plant that is good for container gardening, and I am giddy about planting it and enjoying its tasty, albeit small, bounty.

I think it's cooler outside than it is in here, so off I go!

I've found the silver lining ...

2009-05-29T23:55:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I enjoyed happy hour this afternoon/evening with my dear friend Dusti. Dusti and I drank beers and ate bad-for-us food while Daniel napped and flirted with the waitress and nearby guests. It was a great day!

Dusti and I became friends almost 12 years ago when I started working at The Olympian. She was married, had two very young children and was a part-time editor on the city desk. I was single, freshly out of college and writing obituaries and culling calendar listings. We bonded over our love of music and movies and TV and journalism and anything that would make us laugh.

We ended up writing a weekly humor column at The Olympian. We traveled to New Orleans and Las Vegas together. We've seen each other through ups and downs. She was a bridesmaid at my wedding.

Our lives have changed so much since 1997. I left The O in 2000 and went on to The News Tribune. Dusti became the assistant managing editor at The Olympian. Her daughter is finishing up her junior year of high school. Her son is in middle school. I changed jobs in 2002, got married, went back to The News Tribune in 2004 and had a baby. We both lost our moms.

And we've remained friends.

Now The Olympian and The News Tribune are owned by the same company, and the two papers are combining their efforts on many fronts. Dusti's job has her working most days at the Tacoma newsroom.

And, while it sucks for her to have to commute to Tacoma from Oly, I am positively giddy. The idea of going back to work and putting Daniel in day care in late July is daunting. I'm scared and nervous and sad.

But getting to work in the same newsroom as Dusti again? I am so looking forward to that. It will definitely ease the transition back to work and the sadness of not being with my sweet, sweet boy every day.

I'll get to work with one of my closest friends (who is a top-notch journalist on top of it all), and I anticipate a lot of laughs and good conversations to come. (And unlike Daniel, she won't spit-up on me or cry if I don't feed her. At least I don't think she will ...)

Anyway, it was a joy to nosh with her today, and I can't wait to share newsroom air with Dusti again. I am wholeheartedly looking forward to it.

*tee hee hee*

All the spaghetti, none of the guilt?

2009-05-22T23:14:00.001-07:00

Seen recently on a menu at a Tacoma restaurant:

"Glutton-free pasta available upon request."

I know, I know: The restaurant means gluten-free pasta.

But that's not what it says.

Does glutton-free mean I can eat all I want and not feel bad about it?