saturday randoms.

it's been nearly a year since we {more like i} was robbed. the police never really did much. they hit a dead end. the fingerprints came up inconclusive. i'm still finding black fingerprint dust on things. my jewelry never did turned up. of course, i never went looking for the missing pieces...until a couple weeks ago. the friend i accused? haven't heard from him since adam confronted him on the phone the week i noticed things were missing. says a lot, doesn't it? i'm glad my {priceless to me} jewelry could get him {and whoever else} high for that day, weekend, whatever. hopefully, somewhere out there, someone is enjoying my {sized specifically for my small fingers} rings & wearing my earrings with pride. as for that friend? my heart has grown bitter & unforgiving in the last couple of years. it's not a healthy way to live, but it's how i choose to live my life at this very moment because when you choose to betray someone who once trusted you, well, you don't deserve my friendship...or my forgiveness.

how's that for starting the blog post off on a depressing, somber note??

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let's continue, shall we?

the caterpillars i posted pictures of on wednesday have disappeared. here are the last pictures i have of them {taken wednesday morning}:

i'm going to assume that the reason for their disappearance is because it's time for them to transform into butterflies. from what i read on the internet, they will leave the host plant {my dill} and travel a great distance to form a chrysalis. also, finding a chrysalis is like playing "where's waldo." so, i guess i'll be that crazy woman searching high & low in the garden to find these guys. of course, i should just go with adam's theory that a bird ate them and leave things alone. nah.

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the kids are leaving again. i repeat, the kids are leaving again. yes, my kidlets are headed home with my parents today. how long will they be gone? until they miss me...which could be two days, two weeks or never. i'm just joking about the never...that would never happen.

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we're currently in the process of drying out the first of our three sunflowers. adam's hoping roast the seeds. i should have taken a picture of it as it's drying out. it's really neat. but, i didn't. so, instead, feast your eyes on one of the two remaining sunflowers:

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i tend not to post much about work stuff any longer, but i do have a job interview on the 25th. positive vibes, well wishes, crossed fingers, prayers & bribes would be appreciated.

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and, of course, i can't wait to see this:

{source}

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there's more, but this is long. tomorrow, i'm posting a tasty recipe courtesy of southern living magazine. if you have peaches & crescent rolls on hand, you're going to want to make it. promise.

GIVEAWAY - tabletopics: girls night out

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED...THANK YOU FOR ENTERING!

• are you a "steel magnolia?"
• if you could do a risky activity once with no risk what would you choose?
• which part of having a baby has been or will be most difficult for you?
• what do you enjoy eating when you're alone?
• what song evokes the strongest memories?

those questions above are just a small sample of what you'll find if you're browsing through the girls night out edition of tabletopics.

{source}

tabletopics - have you heard of them?

tabletopics was founded by cristy clarke who did not want to go to another cocktail party where small talk went absolutely nowhere. tabletopics is a fun way to get people talking. just like their motto says, "great questions to start great conversations." currently, there are many different topics to choose from - family, teen, couples, girls night out, college, decades {60s, 70s, 80s}, etc. and, don't think that you're limited to the tabletopics cube. you can get "to go" versions of tabletopics as well as partytopics {napkins, place cards or coasters} and journaltopics {life, wedding or pregnancy}.

we have the family version in our home & we keep it on our kitchen table. it's definitely a great item to have out when friends come over because someone is going to open up the cube {out of curiosity} and start asking questions.

i was thrilled to stumble across the girls night out version at my local hallmark store and i picked up one for me...and one for you to win!

to enter this giveaway, all you have to do is answer one of the five questions listed at the beginning of this post.

for extra entries, you can blog about this giveaway {sidebar links are fine}, tweet about this giveaway {please include me @maliasma}, follow tabletopics on twitter {@TableTopicsInc} and/or visit tabletopics' website & tell me which product you'd most like to have.

this giveaway will be open until 11:59pm e.s.t. on friday, march 19th & i'll announce the winner that weekend.

good luck & tell your friends...this is definitely something you'll want to have the next time you & your girlfriends get together for some wine & chit-chat!


the fine print:

• i was not endorsed by tabletopics in any way, shape or form - they did not contact me and say, "hey, will you feature our product & giveaway one?"
  
• i purchased the girls night out version tabletopics cube with my own moola.
• this is simply something fun...from me to you...because i love y'all!
  
• international bloggers are welcome.
• winner will be chosen at random using random.org.
• did i miss anything else??
  

any more what?!

on tuesday as i drove the kids to school, aidan asked why frisco needed to have surgery.

aidan: mom, why does frisco have to go to the doctor? why do they need to cut him open.

me: because he needs to be neutered. boy dogs get neutered.

silence...

aidan: but, why? what is 'noodering?'

malia: so he doesn't have any more feces.

yeah, right.

So there's this girl I know...

...and she's the sweetest thing ever!

I met my first blogging buddy today - Lis.

She's a doll! She was the winner of my Vera Bradley giveaway and, since we live in the same city, we decided to meet rather than send the precious cargo through the mail. How could I not love a girl who has the same thing for Starbucks as I do?! Yeah, that's where we met. It was the best caffeine-fueled lunch ever.

We chitted. We chatted. We had on the same j.crew bermudas ('cept hers were green - which I own - and mine were khaki). We both graduated from high school's not far from one another. We both have a fondness for all things Vera. We both love the beach, but agree that OUR oceanfront is not the place to hang out in the summer (*ahem* tourists!).

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We hit it off. It was the best first "date" ever. And, I'm glad to say that we've told one another that we WILL get together for drinks (because you know me and adult beverages...I gotta have my mommy juice!) and Lis is even thinking about a SE Virginia blogger get-together. I ♥ parties!

You Crazy Hobo!

On Sunday afternoon, I was witness to the following conversation between my two children:

M: Mommy's painting my toenails for my awards ceremony. Mommy can't paint yours because you're a boy.

A: Mommy, why can't you paint my toenails?

M: Because you're a boy. Besides, people might think you're a HOBO.

*insert the sound of crickets chirping*

Mommy: What's a hobo?

M: Oh, you know...a crazy person.

Good answer, I thought, as I felt 3 more strands of hair turn gray. Yes, you can feel it...I swear.

Gonna Make You Sweat

Aidan: Mom, why do people sweat?

Me: It's our body's way of cooling us down. If we didn't sweat, we would overheat and get sick.

Aidan: And die?

Me: Yes, you could.

Aidan: Mom, do Chinese people sweat?

Me: Yes, Aidan, everyone sweats whether you're Chinese or not. It doesn't matter who you are...you are going to sweat.

Aidan: Gung Gung sweats real bad. (Gung Gung is my father - who is Caucasian, by the way - but we call him Gung Gung which is Cantonese for 'grandfather'...seeing as how my mother IS Chinese, this sort of fits, but anyways...)

Me: Really?

Aidan: Yeah, he sweats all down his face. It gets all watery & shiny. He sweats a lot.

Me: Wow. OK.

Why Do You Talk So Funny?

The kids asked me that the other day. They flat out asked the question to my face while we were in the car running errands. My husband kind of snickered and - in his best "twang" - said, "Because she does."

I guess I do have a southern accent. I moved to Virginia nearly 23 years ago and I haven't left the state since (except for vacays, but you know what I mean). I was a teeny wahine uprooted from the warmth of Hawaii and transplanted, south of the Mason-Dixon I might add, into the wacky weather madness that is Virginia when I was 8 years old...and it was all made possible by the Navy. But, I can't fault my Daddy for it. He's from the South, too...born & raised in Mississippi.

Maybe it was genetics that had a role in my "twang" formation. Maybe it's because I watch too much Paula Deen on television. Maybe it's because I say "y'all" and "fixin' to" and "nu-uh" like it's speaking proper English. Maybe it's because I know when I'm at my Mamaw's house that dinner is lunch and supper is dinner. Maybe it's because I love grits. Maybe it's because "Shag" is one of my favorite movies. Maybe it's because I know that true cornbread should not be sweet nor should it have the consistency of yellow cake. Maybe it's because I don't turn my nose to anything fried or pickled (well, there is an exception to this rule...). Maybe it's because I can stand the humidity and I've learned to deal with the 'skeeters. Maybe it's because I know it ain't really sweet tea unless it's SOUTHERN sweet tea. Maybe it's because big, jacked up trucks don't really scare me. Maybe it's because I've stood barefooted in my own front yard with a baby on my hip. Maybe it's because I watch NASCAR. Maybe it's because that's just me.

Whatever the reason...it's me. That's all. Plain & simple. I don't notice it as much as others do...mostly my family who haven't seen me in a while. I wouldn't say my accent is thick, but maybe it's just a bit surprising to see me, this half-Chinese girl, speak with a lil' southern drawl.

What do y'all think?

MANIC MONDAY

I've been kind of "blah" lately with the blog...I don't know if it's writer's block or if it's just because my material has been a bit on the dull side. I mean, the cats haven't brought in anymore dead animals, the kids haven't clogged up another toilet and the hubs hasn't done anything stupid. So, in light of the fact that I just can't seem to muster up a poignant blog entry, I give you a bulleted list of some random things:

• Happy anniversary to my parents -- they celebrated 37 years of wedded bliss today, May 4th!
• My genetic counseling appointment is creeping up on me fast (it's this Friday) and I have YET to even look at the information packet my oncologist sent me.
• Is it time for some wine yet?? I'm attending a wine tasting in a week & a half and I cannot wait. I'm looking forward to an afternoon out with the hubs & the kids (selfish, I know).
• Mother's Day -- I'm not expecting any fancy, schmancy gifts...flowers would be fine, breakfast in bed would be great and no arguing from the kids would be fabulous. We'll see if I get my wish.
• Is it even possible to already be ready for the September RIR race?? I mean, we were just there this past weekend (don't worry, I'll post about our shenanigans at the racetrack...damn, I really DO have something meaningful to blog about!).
• The big day is coming...out goes the nearly 5 year old Mirena and in comes a new one (I mean, really, why couldn't my husband follow through with his urology appointment?!).
• Summer might not be here yet, but we'll definitely be beach bound by the end of the month. We may live 10 minutes from the Virginia Beach oceanfront, but our family does NOT hesitate to travel southbound on Route 12 into Hatteras Village, NC many times throughout the warmer months.
• Yikes, the kids have just about six weeks of school left and, yes, I'm doing the summer childcare scramble right now.
• This is a really s-l-o-w laptop that I'm using.
• I can't believe my baby will be six years old next month.

Maybe my lack of inspiration and ideas for blog posts is a sign of fatigue or something. I mean, I have been buring the midnight oil and that kinda, sorta catches up with you eventually...especially if you are a full-time working mother of two. *yawn*

HOW DID I GET OUT?

While driving to pick up Malia this afternoon, Aidan struck up a conversation in the car:

A: "Mommy, uh, when I was a baby in your belly and it was time for me to get out of your belly did they cut your tummy open to let me out?"

Me: "No...wait...why are you asking me this? Did someone talk about babies today?"

A: "I'm just asking. I want to know."

Me: "Oh...."

A: "Well, did they cut your belly to take me out?"

Me: "No, buddy, they didn't."

A: "Well, then how did I get out?!"

.......there was a long (and I mean long) and awkward pause.......and it wasn't just because I was sitting at a red light trying to make a right turn..........

Seriously, I am NOT ready to have this conversation. Not on a Monday. Not while I'm driving. And, not with my six year old son. I admire his curiosity and how clever he can be. But, I just can't have this conversation right now. I bought myself some time because I told him that we would have this discussion at home once Adam (a.k.a. Daddy) got home. Aidan seemed a bit disappointed because he wanted "to talk NOW."

Thank goodness he hasn't remembered the convo...and that reminds me, I need to tell Adam what was even discussed!