From Connie's Closet

One of my goals for May is going to be to get dressed everyday. In the winter...I have a bad habit of not going anywhere and wearing the same yoga pants every single day....the same yoga pants that should really be retired because they are from my *fat clothes*.

Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy has been photographing her outfits and posting them on her blog for a couple weeks now and she has invited her readers to join her. I thought it was the perfect thing to get me to dress myself every day and actually wear some of the new clothes that I've bought since losing weight.

Every Wednesday...I will be posting my outfits from the week and I invite you to do the same.  It will great fun to see what we're all wearing and maybe it will inspire us to put together some better outfits.

For more inspiration...Kelli Killoren Bensimon (Real Housewives of NY) photographs her outfits here.

Expiration Dates

Time, why do you punish me?

Like a wave bashing into the shore

You wash away my dreams.

Time, why do you walk away?

Like a friend with somewhere to go

You left me crying

I can't get enough done lately.  I live with this sense of urgency that no one else in my life seems to have.  There are so many expiration dates I'm dealing with...my 40th birthday which feels like the end of the world, Calvin's job (they want him to work nights and weekends...for what?) and the project that he's been working on (people like it, no one wants it).  People act like we have all the time in the world...but we don't.  The hourglass has been turned over and the sand is running through fast.....

Time is wasting

Time is walking

You ain't no friend of mine

I don't know where i'm goin'

I think I'm out of my mind

Thinking about time

We've started talking about Kindergarten with Alex.  He wants to go to school so badly and he's growing up so fast that I'm becoming more and more aware of how little time I have left with him...everyday, all day.  I laid next to him in bed the other night and tried to forget that he's already four.  FOUR. 

Time, you left me standing there

Like a tree growing all alone

The wind just stripped me bare, stripped me bare

Time, the past has come and gone

The future's far away

Now only lasts for one second, one second

Can you teach me about tomorrow

And all the pain and sorrow

Running free?

'Cause tomorrow's just another day

And I don't believe in time

This beautiful girl here.  She moved out of her crib yesterday.  Sleeping on a mattress on the floor like a college freshmen. She's got a memory like a steel trap and she's got the attitude of a teenage girl...with her slamming doors and being mad at cha.  Thank goodness her anger is shortlived and she's still small enough to curl up on my lap for a cuddle.  This time will end too.  Soon...I won't be cool anymore and she won't want to be seen with me.

Time, why you punish me?

My horoscope today says: You may not be able to see the path laid out before you in perfect detail, but past experience and instincts serve you well.

Wordless Wednesday: YUM

I'm GLEEFUL in the WEEDS

I've been tied to my iPad for the last few days because I'm hooked on another show.  It all started when I watched a movie on Netflix for iPad called Flannel Pajamas.  It was kind of a weird Indie film about a couple that meet, fall in love and then break up.  The lead male actor was played by Justin Kirk and I was enraptured by him.  I IMDB'd him and found out he had just been in the latest episode of Modern Family, so I rewatched it.  Then I found out he is in a show called The University of Andy and that it is a spin off of Weeds and he was on it for 4 seasons.

So guess what I've been doing for the last 4 days.

Okay...I haven't been in the bathtub for four days but I've been watching the first season of Weeds and I think I'm addicted. Have you seen this show?



I saw this latest flash mob yesterday and it reminded me that I needed to revise and get busy on my bucket list. I want to be a part of one of these really badly...and I am trying to recruit my friends on twitter. I'll let you know how it goes.



Speaking of GLEE...did you see it this week? What's it fabulous? I'm working on a little project and I need your help! Strike a pose...like Madonna, take a picture and email it to me at Connie@youngandrelentless.com. Hurry!

A Very Special Day

Yesterday I tweeted that I was feeling badly that I hadn't done much for Alex's birthday.  He didn't get a party and I didn't decorate the house...his main *gift* was a visit to Denver to see his Nana which is what he said he wanted.  He didn't want a party.

I had a fun day planned and hoped that would be enough for him and luckily some unsuspecting strangers helped make the day really fun!

Our first stop was to a coffee shop in Ogden called Cafe Ville Bella because Mommy needed more coffee.  There was a super sweet gal working there who Alex fell in love with and preceded to put the moves on right in front of her boyfriend who was tapping away on his computer a few tables away.  Amy brought out a scone with a candle in it and everyone sang Happy Birthday to him. 

 The owner came over too and tried to hook Alex up with his 4 year old daughter.  He can't wait to go back to Cafe Ville Bella....

I decided to take Alex to the Dinosaur park because he loves it, it was a beautiful day and I had 8 days left on my family membership pass to get us in for free.  Bobbi had the day off so we invited her to come with us.  I thought there might be an issue about getting her in for free and I wasn't really excited to pay $7 for her admission so I had a couple of ideas about how I was going to handle it.

I presented my card to the cashier and she looked us over.  Two women, two kids.  I thought my plan might be thwarted because Mallory looks like she could be Bobbi's daughter and it might have looked like we were TWO moms trying to get in on one family pass.  I was all ready to go with plan B which was to tell her that we were lesbians and how dare she not accept us as a family when she asked for my drivers license to verify the membership belonged to me.

I didn't have my Lesbian Card with me so I decided if she pushed the issue I was going to go with my original plan which was that Bobbi was my STEPDAUGHTER and that my husband was an old man and I was a Gold Digger.

We had a great time chasing Alex all over the park and feeding the ducks.

And I barely got out of there without them trying to keep Bobbi!

And the icing on the cupcake was when Daddy came home early and took Alex to the train store and bought him an electric Thomas Train Set that I told him we didn't have room for. And now the kid has THREE trains...can you say spoiled?

P.S. I'm really upset about Kate Gosselin leaving Dancing with the Stars. I know she didn't dance great but she was trying. I hate the way the media has treated her during this show. Criticizing her for doing the show in the first place when she's just trying to earn a living for her family. Does this mean that the media is going to do this to Angelina Jolie when she films movies for 18 hours a day and is away from her family for weeks at a time? Yeah...I didn't think so.

The Gift You Are...

reprinting from last year...because I'm snuggling my baby today. 

I will always look back on my pregnancy with Alex as being perfect. From the moment I found out I was expecting, I felt a peace and joy that I wasn't expecting. We had lost a pregnancy 7 months before and I was nervous but somehow I knew everything was going to work out.

When I was six weeks pregnant I lost my job. At the time...I thought it was the worst thing that could happen but soon realized it was a tremendous blessing. Being home...allowed me to enjoy each and every day of my pregnancy, plan and make a quilt for my beloved.

The day that we found out we were having a little boy was another fabulous day. I remember Calvin and his Mom holding my hands during the ultrasound and we all cried. And then we went to breakfast at The Village Inn and to Babies R Us to register. Another perfect day....

My Dad helped me paint Alex's room and soon after my Mom came from Dallas to attend my baby shower. I made candles and gave them to all of my friends and family for them to light when I went into labor. The thought of all of those flames burning for me as I brought my first born son into the world made me so happy.

I was born on my due date and my midwife told me that is a rare occurrence. So on April 16th when I started having contractions I thought Alex would arrive early. These off and on non-painful contractions went on for two days...then on the 19th I had them more frequently and once evening came they where coming much faster. I didn't want to miss my favorite show so I waited until after The Amazing Race was over to call my midwife and she said I could come in. We called my Mother-in-law and she met us at the hospital.

When we checked in around 10:30pm, I was only 2 CM dilated and I decided that I still wanted to try to have Alex without drugs but I was so tired from not sleeping well for the last two days and I was dehydrated so around midnight I got the epidural. I was thrilled because it looked like Alex would be born on his due date!

I should have taken this opportunity to get some sleep but we were all too excited! Finally at 2 AM, I fell asleep. The nurse checked me at 4 AM and I was 7 CM, then at 7 AM I was 9 CM...almost 10. I was told my midwife had just arrived and I could start pushing in 30 minutes! And this is where I freaked out! I started feeling sick to my stomach and had horrible heart burn. They gave me Zantac but I threw it up so they gave me a cracker. An hour later that came up too. Maybe I should have had TWO crackers.... I started pushing (which made me even sicker) at 8:30am and after almost 2 hours of pushing....at 10:04am my precious baby boy was born.

Alexander Calvin Weiss III
7 pounds 1 ounce
20 1/4 inches

He was perfect and so adorable and an hour later I was eating the best chicken fried steak ever (the maternity ward had it's own chef) and watching The Young and The Restless! Alex has been the most amazing joy of my life. He is so funny and devious and witty and frustrating. He adapted well to becoming a brother so quickly in his life and is Mallory's best friend. I look at those piercing blue eyes that mirror my own and I melt.

How can he be 4? He is still my baby boy....

Happy Birthday Alex!

Imagine a month of Sundays
Each one a cloudy day
Imagine the moment the sun came shining through
Imagine that ray of sunshine as you

Remember your darkest hour
With dawn still far away
Remember the way that you longed for morning’s light
And think of yourself as a candle in the night

Make believe this is the first day
Everything all brand new
Make believe that the sun is your own lucky star
And then understand the kind of gift you are

The gift you are
like the very first breath of spring
The gift you are
all the joy that love can bring
The gift you are
all of our dreams come true
The gift you are
the gift of you

Kids Make The Darndest Things: Bobot

Last week, I took the kids to get their yearly check up. I decided to start taking them to see Cindi (my weight loss doctor...but she's also family practice) because I like her, I trust her and she has 4 kids so I think she has great experience as a health care provider. Plus, if the health care bill jacks everything up...I want to have a doctor friend in the family. Also, my sister Bobbi works for her. The kids LOVE their Aunt Bobbi so who better to make them cry when they get shots.

At the appointment....Cindi asked Alex to draw a stick figure. In my head I'm screaming at myself, 'You idiot! You haven't taught Alex how to draw stick figures! We've been working on circles and squares! Which are obviously so last year!' Alex...saves me and draws a circle and a line which Cindi accepts as a stick figure.  Either...she's not had many stick figures drawn for her, or her kids are not artistically inclined.

We move on to jumping on one foot which I've not taught him either but Mallory jumps in and does it so it looks like I've been doing something with my kids. This would also be a good time to note that she also read the eye chart for him.  On the way home, I bought Mallory a pony.

I relayed this information to Calvin at dinner that night and he took it upon himself to teach Alex how to draw stick figures....on the iPad.  We are NOT old school around here...we are high tech.  Alex did great and this is what he drew by himself.

It's a bobot!

Do you have some art work that your kid has done with a great story behind it? Link up at Buried with Children.

Printing and Updates

Raising Z and Lil' C tagged me for this fun handwriting activity.  I love to write and have numerous notebooks all over the house.  I'm not a fan of cursive writing and I can barely sign my name. 

Here's the rules:
Write down the following, snap a pic and post it.


1. Name/ Blog Name
2. Right handed, left handed or both
3. Favorite letters to write
4. Least favorite letters to write
5. Write: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
6. Write in caps:

CRAB
HUMOR
KALEIDOSCOPE
PAJAMAS
GAZILLION

7. Favorite song lyrics
8. Tag 7 people
9. Any special note or drawing

 you may need to click on the photo to make bigger.

A couple updates:

Dentist: Tomorrow...I get to have a root canal that I had done 7 years ago, redone. As I recall....when I had this root canal done...I was a poor single receptionist and I had to make payments on the bill. I'm beyond irritated. THEN...I need to have three impacted (and one regular) Wisdom Teeth pulled. The dentist was concerned about my age....and said that the older you are when you have them pulled the more traumatic it is. Traumatic? Really? That sounds GREAT. He expects I'll be recovering for a week! AND THEN...I get to finally have two crowns replaced. I guess I know where my tax refund...well, actually Calvin's tax refund is going.  Also, he thinks maybe my lip problem could be because of my wisdom teeth. 


Calvin's Job Opportunity: Yesterday, he had a meeting with a guy in Denver and showed him what he's been working on for the last two months. The guy originally gave him 15 minutes to present but ended up spending 1.5 hours with him. He wants Calvin to meet with some high ups...in Salt Lake City.

Home Alone...with Mallory

One day our homes will be quiet. Today is not that day. ~ Steady Mom

Our boys have been off on their vacation for 3 days now and we've kept ourselves busy. But yesterday, we took the day off. We stayed in our pajamas until 11am (someone peed on theirs...I won't say who) and we played house and farted on each other. Mallory started that game....

It's so much easier having just one child in the house. I've prepared less food, picked up less toys and wiped one less bottom. The noise level is half of normal too...with less crying.  Although Mallory did get mad at me over some J-LO (jello) and stomp off to her room for 4 minutes.  

But I miss my boy....

I forgot to tell you the story about the Tea Party. The beautiful little girl named Gabby that was sitting next to Bobbi was confused about how Mallory was Bobbi's niece because she thought that I was Bobbi's Mother.

I'm saving for a facelift....

My Allergist called yesterday with my lab results. Everything was negative! I do not have any systemic diseases and no allergies to venom. But I still have a fat lip. I have a dentist appointment today...perhaps my wisdom teeth are causing this? It's just so strange that it started that day I was stung by that Wisconsin Honey Bee....

I'm freaking out about the dentist....

I had an idea for a blog that I was really excited about.  It's basically a guide to The Top of Utah.  When we moved here I searched high and low for a place to find information about restaurants and things to do and it took so long to figure everything out.  I wanted to make a website where people could find this kind of info and blog about the different places as we visit them.  So, I'm working on that and I'll show it to you when I'm done.  I don't know how long we'll be living here so I wanted to make the most of our time that is left. 

You know I'm an overachiever.....

Weekend Tea Parties and Shopping with Friends

We had a great time at our tea party on Saturday. Alex and Calvin left for Denver early and Alex was so excited for his trip.  Yesterday he had a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese....he's never been there before and he loved it!

I put the invitation inside the hats....so that they would be able to wear their hat to the party.  Gabby's dog ate her hat but luckily we had a spare.

There was some drama (and stomping and door slamming) an hour before the party started when Mallory got upset because her friends hadn't arrived yet.  I couldn't get her to understand that they weren't supposed to be at our house yet.  I swear she is 3 going on 13!

We served blueberry muffins in tulip liners that I found at Joanns, mini cherry danishes, cookies and fruit salad with greek yogurt.  And an assortment of tea and I had back up juice boxes in case the kids didn't like the organic, white citrus tea.  Mallory is now addicted to tea and has requested that she be served Tea and Crumpets in the drawing room.

I made birdhouse decorations for the party.  I knew I wanted to mod podge them but quickly discovered that  I would have to paint some of the house to make it easier on myself.  Because, friend...let me tell you...cutting out those little hearts on the front will drive you to drink!  I got all crazy with the roof on the yellow and green houses.  If you decide to cut up 300 little squares and glue them on a birdhouse...make sure your kids are asleep first!  I bought the buttons for another project and decided to add them at the last minute.  I think it turned out cute.  What do you think?



Yesterday we had an amazing day!  We met my friend Chrisy in Salt Lake City and we had brunch at  Pago. (Click here for more about the food.)  It was amazing...can't wait to go back.  Then we did some shopping at Hip and Humble and The Trolley Square Mall.  This is my second time meeting up with Chrisy...we both love good food and last time we went to The Tin Angel.  Click HERE for that story.

Mallory was so funny!  She kept posing on the lounge chairs in Restoration Hardware and asking me to take her picture. I think I need to get her an agent!   I really liked the deepness of this leather couch until Chrisy demonstrated that I'd feel like a toddler when I sat on it!

And then we went to Target...because I weekend just isn't complete without dropping $100 bucks there.

Wordless Wednesday: Coloring Eggs

The iPad is Here!

Yesterday was so exciting! Waiting for the iPad to arrive and then playing with it and adding apps was really so fun. We even went to Best Buy to buy it a cover so that nothing bad would happen to it.  I think I need to name my iPad so I can stop calling it...it.  What do you think?

I've only played with it for a short time...but so far, I'm loving that I can watch Netflix movies, ABC TV shows and accessing my google reader and leaving comments is a breeze! This is the perfect item for bloggers!

Last night, I watched Julie and Juila in bed.

Calvin has downloaded a bunch of apps (pages, numbers) that he'll use for work and he's quite excited about them. He's also impressed with the speed of loading and we both love how crisp the picture is.

We couldn't be more pleased!

Me and My Peeps...Waiting on the iPad

I've been working on a little project while I wait for my Apple iPad to be delivered. I saw this felt Peep garland a few days ago on my new favorite blog find called Made. I'm obsessed with these little peeps and I think I'm going to stitch up some more before we put the Easter decor away.

Our iPad should be here tomorrow and I can't wait!  Follow me on twitter for updates on 

iPad Watch 2010.

Photos taken with iPhone app Hipstamatic.

Focus on the Family: April 2010

What a great month March was!  The weather was nicer and the kids actually got to play outside a few times, we celebrated Mallory's birthday and St. Patrick's Day and we've been getting out regularly with our friends.

I've failed miserably at reading books.  But since I've worked time into my routine for this...I expect vast improvement this month.  I'm also starting some other new routines to help me around the house...things that don't take more than 15 minutes.  They involve two of my problem areas...laundry and dishes.


Family Time....quality time together.

• Family Outings (bookstore, movie, bowling)
  
• Read more books
• Celebrate Easter (color eggs, egg hunt)
• Celebrate Alex 4th Birthday 
• Celebrate Earth Day (crafts, stories, songs)
• Bake something together 
• Read Your Child's Strengths 

Kid Time....play and preschool.

• Tea Party with Mallory and our friends 
• Play date in SLC with Chrisy
• Visit the library Get a library card
• Start Geo-Caching (one per week) 

Me Time....cuz if Mama ain't happy....

• Get a Pedicure 
• Read Love, Loss and What I Wore by Ilene Beckerman
• Finish reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families

Couple Time....all because two people fell in love.

• Thursday Night Movie/TV night (No World of Warcraft allowed)

Home Time....it's where the heart is.

• Clean and Organize Alex's Room
• Fold and put away laundry same day it's washed
• Do dishes after lunch and dinner, put away before bed

Gratitude:

I really had to think hard to figure out what I'm thankful for this month.   The tone of our house has changed recently because of the uncertainty of our future.  We're reluctant to make plans and Calvin is so busy working that we aren't spending a lot of time together.   There is an underlying tension...and I can't seem to bring more peace to my home.  The planner in me is all discombobulated and uneasy.  So...this month....I'm thankful for music.  Music always manages to make me feel better and can make whatever I'm dealing with not seem so hard.

Just Dance

What plans are you making for the month? Stay on track! Write a post with your goals for the month and link up.