Sometimes It's Good to be Single

Foster Child Visit - Five Year Olds Are The Best!

I had a new foster child this weekend. Another five year old girl - which is turning out to be one of my favorite types of house guest.

Five year olds are old enough to be able to follow most directions, while able to figure out some things on their own. They aren't a helpless age like the pathetic 3&4-year olds, but they aren't super-independent "I can do this on my own stop trying to help me attitude" that you get with 8&9-year olds.
Five is still easy enough to impress with super easy crafts or just a box of craft supplies in general.
Five is silly enough to laugh at easy things.
Five is not yet old enough to be completely stubborn about things and you can sometimes sway them to just do what you say.
Five is still young enough that you can sometimes convince them to take a wonderful-for-you afternoon nap.
Five year olds are still young enough to want to take bubble baths, but can do it alone without the constant fear of them drowning.
And five year olds say some really funny things.

My new five year old girl and I were talking about going to some event at a horse farm where kids can paint a horse - which is the most absurd thing I've ever heard, in addition, they provide lunch and horse rides for the $5 entry fee. I was explaining to her what to expect, as kids in therapeutic foster care really need to have a sense of what to expect as much as possible,and I told her they are even giving us free lunch! And this is how the conversation went:

Me: They will be serving hot dogs tomorrow.
Girl: Hot dogs?

Me: Yes, hot dogs.

Girl: Oh, I'm not hungry there.

 

It just made me laugh...she doesn't like hot dogs. Instead of just saying she doesn't like the food, she was going to just declare that she's not hungry in the future. And she could predict that if someone tried to feed her a hot dog, her appetite would be gone. Smart girl!!!

 

Hold On To Your Hats,Folks - I'm Headed to Asia!!!

I've been in my new role for close to three months now and I am loving it!

I love working from home.
I love the work I'm doing.
I love the organization I work with.
I love the software I work with (Workday).
I love not having to get up, rush to get ready only to then sit in my car for 20 minutes to commute to work.
I love wearing anything I want every day of the week.
I love all the money I'm saving on gas and parking and eating out.
I love having my cats as officemates.
I love the low stress lifestyle I now live.

Lovin it all.

And I love the day I had yesterday - planning a trip to Asia! I'm spending 12-13 days in Bangkok, Thailand, and then 8 days in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

In a short time, I will be visiting new worlds, seeing new sites, tasting new foods, drinking new drinks, learning new cultures, and loving being out in the world.

I'll have a watermelon half, a papaya and 3 fresh pears please.
via.

I think a river tour is a great idea!
via.

I'm certain they will arrange fireworks just for me!
via.

Baby monkeys with orange fur? Yes, please!
via.

On the way back from my travels, I'll be flying through Amsterdam. No matter how I plan it, it looks like I will have a ridiculous layover-over 4 hours-and so I figure if I'm going to be stuck there...I should be stuck there! So I'm considering spending the weekend in that city.

My only concern is how exhausted I will be...3 cities in 3.5 weeks is a long time to be away from home!

I will miss my home. My cats will miss me like crazy...Andrew might miss me a tiny bit.

Love of a Furball

I am not a dog person. Nobody would ever mistake me for one.

But there's this one little doggy who I LOVE above all others.

 

My friend Reggie is the only dog I will pet and hold and walk and feed and even *gasp* willingly let run free in my home.

And that means it's true love right?

 

 

 

 

Arrested Development Returns!!!

I don't have Netflix....so I will have to figure out a way to watch it. Oh, if only there were a way for people to share shows via the internet. Oh...if ONLY there were a way...

Chill OUT, Comcast/Xfinity/US Govt - I don't download movies.

But I will find a way to watch it, don't you worry. Cause Arrested Development is ridiculously funny.

At first I was like, meh, it's just goofy funny.

But then I was like, omg, this is pretty intense funny.

And then I was convinced about it-how does the entire world not watch this ALL THE TIME? Like how do birds sing and bees buzz and people just go about their bizness day in and day out without knowing about this comedy genius??

If you're not watching it but ever have the chance, DO IT or forever be a lost soul.

The Return of Andrew!

I no longer live alone!

Young Andrew is home for the summer from college.

I'm happy to have him here, he's been my little buddy for almost my entire life so it's strange not to have him around all the time. But when he's home, he's still not around all the time because apparently my little buddy has other friends and is super busy with THEM.

He makes pit stops to be around the house with me though, pieces of each day and night are for us, and sometimes it feels like he never left.

His presence is very much felt in the house though.
There is definitely a manly smell in certain rooms.
The sink always has more dishes.
Noise levels have doubled.
My laundry has tripled in the last week.
My food bill has quadrupled.

And my heart is full.