So You Think You Can Dance?

I would say most little girls love to dance for an audience.   It's about attention and having someone tell them they are lovely and beautiful.  Until recently, I might have thought that Erin was exempt from this.  She's a big fan of soccer and t-ball, so I didn't really thing she'd get into dancing and twirling and the like.  And to be fair, she's not into twirling.  She's into being a rock star.  Ever since I gave her that Jonas Brothers CD for her birthday, she's taken to putting on shows for her friends and family.  And what a show it is!

Here's a little sample:  The first 2 minutes and minute 5 are my particular favorites.  Watch this the whole way through and I promise you won't be disappointed (unless you don't really like kids, in which case I'd wonder why you're even reading this blog?).

I had to mess with the video and audio to get this viewable.  I kinda like it though.  It's very 'Like a Prayer' without the blasphemy and gyrating.

Snowbodies Business

Okay, so these pictures are from last year's big snow storm, but I felt that they were an appropriate addition to today's post.  Due to inclement weather, pretty much every school in St. Louis was called off today.  At first I thought that it might be fun to build snowmen and make snowangels with the girls.  But then, after 1/2 hour outside, the fun wears off.  Then it's just cold and cranky time (and I'm talking about me, not them).  So,  I've decided that snow days will be illegal in my home when I have a family of my own.  I'm probably going to have to sleep with my kid's principal or something, but I believe that is an acceptable price to pay.  I have fond memories of sleepovers and sledding from my own snow days, but that is when I was in high school and was old enough to make plans with friends the night before.  But after today, I'm certain that elementary school snow days should be banned. 

Here's why:  Erin and Molly are wonderful, adorable, charmingly clever girls...individually.  But as a pair, they live up to the nicknames their father gave to them: Israel and Hezbolah.  It's not an all the time thing (sometimes they are the best of friends:-), but when they have the occasion to be locked inside together for a whole day, it's suicide bomber time.  And then when you add Hamas (aka 2 year old Claire), things get loud and alarming.  James mostly sleeps and cries, so I guess he could be called France in this scenerio.  

I have no idea how I am going to survive this summer, that's for sure.  Probably lots of Benedryl for them and Prozac for me.  Is that bad?

P.S.  Sorry if I'm bitchy today.  I think I'm coming down with the flu or something.  Probably got it from some damn snow bunny.

Senorita PoopyPants

I love my job!

Top Ten Reasons to Babysit Saturday Night

10. Sometimes, I just want to see their sweet faces....snarling at each other in anger over that Candyland game board.

9. There is no wireless internet at the house where I am dogsitting and I want to update my blog.  There's way more time to get stuff done when they go to sleep at 8pm.

8. I only got to change 20 dirty diapers this week and I'm trying to reach a new record of 35.

7. Camp Rock is being replayed on the Disney Channel and I need an excuse to watch it.  I'm not gonna lie, I love that movie.

6.  I DVR'd Oprah at Kathy's house on Monday, but never got the chance to watch it.  Oprah makes any trip worthwhile :-)

5.  My bank account looks more pathetic than a Madoff investor's.

4. That 94% fat free Kettle Korn is just calling my name!

3. I'm getting a little sick of the dog hair all over my clothes so I thought I'd mix it up and go for a baby vomit motif.

2. Saturday Night Live in HD.   Enough said.

and the number one reason I chose to babysit Saturday night.....

1. Because my busy dating schedule is just wearing me out and I need a break from all those men in my life!  

Baby, it's cold outside!

This might not be  appropriate to say, but you know me.  I got so cold after my shower this morning that my nipples actually hurt.  It is so freaking cold that I guess even nipple pain is part of the deal.  I must tell you that, at least for today, I am quite grateful that I didn't get that job with Oprah because I've heard it's even colder in Chicago and it's not supposed to warm up until June or something.

Speaking of nipples (not my own), James is crying and needs a bottle so I should probably get back to my day job.  Stay warm!

Technically, I'm an idiot

I don't always make good choices when I drink too much.  This photo, for instance, was taken at Missy's 30th Birthday party and believe it or not, it was taken before I started doing shots.  So you can see that I need to work on my health, both mental and physical.  

Anyway,  I'm messing with the layout / template of 'Annie the Nanny' for awhile until I find a better one.  I don't know about you, but that pink was making me slightly ill.  It was a little too close to the actual color of Pepto-Bismol for my tastes.  Especially since the last time I took Pepto, it turned my poop charcoal black.  I'm not kidding!  I was convinced that I had a bleeding ulcer.   Thank God for Web MD and it's clear explanations or I probably would have gotten health insurance months ago just to get that checked out :-) 

Anyway, please don't be surprised if I go through multiple blog templates before I decide on one.   Also, I'm a technical idiot so if you have a good recommendation for easy to transfer background templates, send them my way.   I've seen some other people's blogs and they look way better than this one.   Mine is funnier, but theirs are better looking (art imitating life)!

Anniefesto

Here I am! Sorry to delay things, but I'm still a little slow with iMovie and it took FOREVER to get this imported. The next one will be edited much better, I promise :-) I hope you enjoy the video! Give yourself some time, it's kinda long ('that's what she said'). And turn the volume up b/c my camera's audio pretty much sucks.

Here's a few things you might have noticed / I might have missed:

1. Yes, I did record this in a bathroom. There is excellent lighting above sinks, you know.
2. I need a haircut but unfortunately I am now broke from buying my MacBook, so it will have to wait awhile.
3. The 'loved one' I am breaking up with is...Diet Dr. Pepper. I know, he's a doctor and all, but he's just no good for me. But have you met my new boyfriend, Dasani? I think he's Canadian, but that's okay. I like it international.
4. I promised to have this up by 5:30 but I didn't deliver. Guess what, I'm always late. I'll add that to my 'things to do in 2010' list.
5. I cannot tell you the satisfaction / slight embarrassment I feel every time someone tells me that they read my blog and actually like it! I'm still working on how to respond to positive reinforcement so thanks for giving me the opportunity to practice 'taking a compliment'.
6. Hopefully by the next video I'll have an actual camcorder to record with so the audio quality will be improved.
7. You probably noticed that I take several deep breaths throughout the video. That's a fun side effect of a sinus infection. Hopefully the next time I won't sound like I just ran a thousand miles.
8. I was wearing clothes at the time this video was shot, but I guess I just have a preference for low-cut tops. What can I say, Annie the Nanny is a little slutty :-)
9. And finally, those double chins are no joke! I really need to work on not throwing my head back and tossing my hair. Apparently I think I'm freaking Cher or something.

Technical Difficulties

It's coming, I promise. Give me 10 minutes!

So Long, Farewell

Goodbye, iBook. You were so good to me for so long, but I guess you just didn't think you could handle the journey I'm about to undertake. Thank you for crapping out now, while I still have enough Christmas money left to purchase a new computer. If you'd done this in April, I probably would've just thrown you against the wall instead of selling you for parts on Ebay. I shall miss your eggshell case and the tiny red line I accidentally marked you with that one time at Kaldi's.
When I think of you, I will think of the time I spent futilely pursuing a Master's degree at Covenant, my depressing turn as a youth intern with Riverside Church (formerly Greentree Webster), the apartment I shared with Chloe in Clayton (which actually was wonderful) and of course, my borderline obsession with Hot Stephen.
I am grateful for the times we've shared, but I sure as hell don't want any of it back.
I'm sure that my new MacBook will satisfy me in ways you never could because he's newer, hotter and much more thorough. But you always be a part of me because, after all, you did pop my Macintosh cherry. So farewell, old friend. You served your purpose well.

And A Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I have a feeling this is going to be a good year for me and hopefully for you too. You may have noticed that I've added a graphic and I feel like such a techie!

Also, I just wanted to let you know that the BIG announcement will be taking place on January 9th. That's my half-birthday and I'll do just about anything to celebrate myself, so that is why I've moved the date. But keep checking in this week because I got my laptop back (yeah!!) so I'll finally be able to post more pictures! AND I got a camcorder for Christmas so I can upload videos and such. It's going to be legend (wait for it) dary! Legendary I tell you!