Arizonahhhh...

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Hubby and I had the rare opportunity to go on a trip together, sans kids. The last time we did that was in 2007 for my 30th birthday when we went to New Orleans. For a couple that has 3 kids 5 years old and younger, 2 full-time jobs and 2 side companies, we were long overdue for a break! My mom (who flew in from Miami) and sister offered to babysit for 4 days and off we went!

A fun fact about me: I love planning trips. Just give me your vision and a budget, and I'll make it happen. So the challenge for me this time was to find a destination that wouldn't break the bank, that was a reasonable flying distance and that would allow us to relax. Seeing as how we chose the busiest travel season of the year to plan our little getaway, the options were pretty scarce. But! I settled on Arizona fairly quickly (I had always been wanting to go) and thanks to several amazing recommendations from Travel Jonez, we booked a fantastic hotel and even got a free night!

Let me digress for a moment to tell you about how awesome Travel Jonez was: she's one of my sister's best friends and is a travel agent who....happens to live in Phoenix. Were the stars aligned or what? She put together an oh-so-fabulous itinerary for us; complete with weather forecasts, travel directions, restaurant recommendations - she hooked us up! So if you're in need of some help with your next trip, give her a holler. You'll be thrilled.

Ok, back to AZ. It was wonderful. We stayed at the Intercontinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, right next to Camelback Mountain. OMG. As Hubby said: "this is one of those rare occasions where the hotel looks exactly like the website." And that's saying a whole lot. Take a peek.

Our suite was in the couples only section of the resort and was just perfect. We had a huge balcony that overlooked the pools and the mountains. The staff was great, the amenities were great - I can't say enough. Most of all, the place was just gorgeous. The spa was out of this world - I had a body scrub and mud wrap and Hubby and I met up for a couples' massage. Throw in a sauna, steam room, cold deluge and hot whirpool and this lady was in heaven.

Onto the food. I had heard that AZ's cuisine was on point and boy, was it ever. We started off with Thanksgiving dinner at The Mission. AM.A.ZING. No words. Next.

Each place we went to was a winner: Lon's at the Hermosa; White Chocolate Grill; Prado; La Grande Orange; Kaz Wine Bar; even Lolo's Chicken and Waffles. Seriously - Phoenix does not play.

I have to say the one of the most fun parts of our trip was hiking Camelback Mountain. Of course I didn't think it was so much fun about an hour into it (when we were only halfway to the top!), but making it to the top was totally worth it. The worst part of the 4-hour hike was that I turned both my ankles on the way down. Note to self: don't go hiking in cute sneakers.

We also managed to squeeze in some excellent shopping. The mall there was insane! And we even checked out Old Town Scottsdale which looked like an old western flick. They had the coolest artwork and jewelry made the by local Native Americans.

And that was our trip. Of course we missed The Crew like crazy, but they had a blast wearing out Grandma and Auntie and before we knew it, we were right back in the chaos.

Home sweet home.

Gosh It's Quiet

So this is what it feels like to have only me to worry about!

I arrived in Seattle last night for a work event and am still getting used to flying "solo". The plane ride was so uneventful - no diaper bags to lug; no preschoolers to entertain on the plane; only one bathroom run for ME...I felt like I was on vacation. And I guess I sort of am! I slept the entire night (which I haven't done since June 22, 2008) and then woke up and went to the fitness center. I didn't have to warm anyone's milk; change the tv channel from the Today Show to Handy Manny, or get.anybody.dressed. How indulgent!

And now I'm sitting here, gazing out of my 27th floor hotel room window with a panoramic view of the city, leisurely reading blogs and contemplating where to go for a quiet and relaxing breakfast. It's all forcing me to ask myself: "Will I ever return home?"

But we all know that's a big fat joke because by approximately 3pm today, the novelty of it all will wear off and I'll be wondering how school went, what new thing the baby did today, and missing Giggles' giggles. So here's to me enjoying the next few hours of my Mommy Vacay.

I wonder if they miss me?

To Do

As you know, I now have a lot of well-needed and overdue free time. And this morning I got a chance to do something that I've wanted to do for almost a year - spent some time with daughter at school -- (I know you thought I got to sleep in or go to the spa or something exciting - but this was a great accomplishment for me).

Daughter's school has a web-cam so I can peak in on her at any time of the day. I love this amenity and I quite often log-in during the day...you know...just to check in. Anyway, over the past 2 months or so I found that I wasn't even able to do that so one of the first things that I decided to do was spend a little time in class with her.

Her teachers were very welcoming and comfortable with me being there but I was a distraction to daughter and her classmates - they are not accustomed having a parent in the classroom beyond 9:00 a.m. So, I watched them eat, I danced, and did circle time and learned about fruit and shapes and colors and emotions, and I sat with them as they made fruit salad. It was fun -- but quite exhaisting and I only spent a little over one hour. Yes...I said one hour!!! Their hour was jammed-packed with activities so I can only imagine what else they do during the day.

I was so happy that I was able to see her interact with her teachers and her classmates and I was even more thrilled to see how much she's learning at school. I must say that I have a greater appreciation for her teachers because I know I couldn't do what they did for even 15 minutes.

So, I can check one thing off my list. Eventually I'll get to the bottom of the list ("Find a job") but for now, I'm taking my time getting through all the things that I've wanted to do for the past few years -- okay, maybe months.

Now..on to deep cleaning my house!

Family Planning

Ha! Made you look. Not that type of planning - vacation planning. It's time for us (read: me) to map out our family vacations for the year. I've got to figure out just the right combination of vacation factors: location, mode of transport, lodging, activities, etc. that will work for our budget, vacation time, and kids. As of right now I am toying with a trip to Disney. Now I've always said that I would never go until the kids were at least 5 years old+ but the 40% off promotion I got in the mail is looking mighty tempting. We could also combine a trip to Disney with a visit to the grandparents in Miami and drive up to Orlando, so that makes it even more appealing. But am I crazy to contemplate a major themepark with 3 young ones? I'm sure that if we make a stop in Miami we could convince a Grandma to come with us for backup...Are there even rides for preschoolers at Disney? It's been so long since I've gone.

Our second option is the Outer Banks. I'm excited about that one - the beach!! And a vacation home that will fit us all comfortably. And the beach!! Since North Carolina is withing reasonable driving distance, it's just a matter of finding a decent home for a decent price. We went to the Hamptons when Chatterbox was 1 - the day after her 1st birthday, actually - and we had a blast.

And with temperatures like the ones we're experiencing now, I am totally dreaming about summer.

I Could Kiss Laura From Housekeeping

So we went on an overnight ski trip to a resort a few hours away from where we live on Sunday. Aside from it being one of the most stressful trips we've ever been on, we did end up having a great time. People always tease me for making lists and itineraries and "over-planning" trips, but this past weekend just reinforced why I do all of that. This is the first time since I can remember that I didn't make a packing checklist or map out an activity itinerary and boy did it show. Here's how the stress all started:

1. Hubby did not put my overnight bag in the car.
   (Please know that I cannot possibly convey to you in words the feelings that little situation evoked. Use your imagination.)
   
2. Since we were in middle-of-nowhere-Maryland my only shopping options to replace my stuff were Wal-Mart and Cato Fashions. Any store with the word "fashions" in the name can only be bad news. It was, however, a step up from the atrocities the local Wal-Mart was trying to pass off as "sweaters." I never longed for a Target so badly in my life.
   
3. We also forgot at home L'il Buddy's winter coat and Chatterbox's and Giggles' hats, gloves, and scarves. This was because when we left home it was a record-breaking 70 degrees for some freakish reason and so we didn't bundle the kids up as we normally do when leaving the house. Instead everyone just piled in the car and Hubby threw the girls' coats in the back. So the kids got some winter "fashions" from Wal-Mart too. Thank goodness I had packed the girls' snowpants in their bag which, thank goodness, Hubby did bother to put it in the car.
   
4. Hubby did not bother to bring any winter accessories for himself (because he "took this trip for granted" - his words, not mine) and so he ended up buying an overpriced ski mask from the resort boutique. He did have ski gloves that his wife packed for him though.
   
5. Hubby had also decided that there was "no room" for the girls' sled and left it in the driveway at home. Scout's honor. (How could there not be any room? He didn't put anything else in the car!)
   
6. With no set itinerary we wasted precious time trying to figure out what to do and when and where and how much it cost once we got there. Add three small children to the mix and it was a mess.

In the end we made the best of everything and had fun. J. Ny and her family came too and the first night the kids all went sledding (on J. Ny's sleds, of course) and tubing. My sister and I went night skiing (albeit very late) and it.was.so.great! After a completely sleepless night (the baby did not like his unfamiliar surroundings; Giggles' had a cough; the heater in the hotel room was louder than an army-issue Black Hawk; shall I go on?) we woke up, had breakfast and Hubby and I hit the slopes. We then had a ridiculously complicated time checking out of the room and returning our equipment (check out time came before the ski lift passes expired so we were trying to do as much skiing as possible whilst having checked out of our room), and then we were finally on our way home. Of course, in line with the rest of the events of the weekend, the nipple for L'il Buddy's bottle sprung a leak on the car ride back home just as he was wanting to eat, and we had to find our way to a CVS on dark back roads in the Maryland countryside to buy a new one. We finally made it home, happy and tired from our skiing adventure. End of story.

Or so I thought.

This morning it occurred to me that I hadn't seen Chatterbox's "DS" that she got for Christmas since we had been back home. Of course, being a firm believer in Murphy's Law, deep down I had a feeling that I knew exactly where the game was but I attempted to look for it everyhwere nonetheless. Chatterbox confirmed my suspicions and announced that her "DS is in the drawer in the hotel room." At which point I almost cried. She hadn't even had the thing for a full week!

Anyway, to put you out of your misery I will cut to the chase: I just called the resort and spoke to Laura from Housekeeping who cheerfully told me that they in fact had "the Frog" and would send it to out to us right away.

How's that for a Christmas miracle?

Lessons learned: There still are some good people left in the world; my unconditional love for Target really is justified; always double-check behind your husband when going on a trip; ignore the haters and make checklists and itineraries 'til the cows come home; and add "hotel drawers" to the list of spots to triple-check when checking out of a hotel room.

The End.

A Letter to Hubby

Dear Hubby,
How is everything going so far? How are the kids? You must be exhausted, I'm sure. It's tough being me, isn't it?

I'm having such a great time here at Disney. It's been just great meeting all the moms that I blog with. I've also met many new moms. I still can't believe I'm here! It's truly a magical experience and place.

We'll, I'm in my room and just wanted to remind you of a few things:

1. Don't forget to put matching clothes on Daughter. Remember what I said about just putting a dress on her so that you don't have to worry about matching. Use only the dresses hanging in her closet, please don't dig through the drawers or anything because most of those clothes are too small.

2. Don't forget to put Little B on the potty. Remember we are potty training him.

3. Don't let Oldest watch too much TV.

4. Please cut the grass before our HOA fines us.

5. GIVE KIDS MILK!!!

6. FEED KIDS!!!

7. BATHE KIDS!!!

Okay Hubby, Have a great time! It's time for me to take a little rest before we go to the Party of the Senses. It's Disney's version of a food and wine festival. I think we're going to meet some celebrity chefs!!!

Toodles!

Love,
Mama

Mama's Going to Disney World!

Hello all, This has been a hectic week. The usual running around, kids, work, etc. But there's one thing that has kept me going. The fact that this weekend I'm off to a Disney Mom Blogger's Getaway hosted by the generous folks at Walt Disney World. Disney has activities planned for the entire weekend and therefore has requested that we not bring our husbands or children. Rats! I was so disappointed that the family couldn't join me. A whole room at one of Disney's finest resorts, all to myself? What on earth will I do with myself? It will be tough, but I think I'll manage without them.

Toodles!

So Long, Fairwell

Well folks, summer is officially over here at the Jonesie household. School starts this week for Oldest and the other two will start pre-school next week. It's been a wild and crazy summer here. Wild because my kids act like wild monkeys on most days, and crazy because there were days when I needed a stiff drink to make it to the next. We went swimming, fishing, swimming, the gym, fishing, swimming, and ran errands. The kids fought like wild monkeys on most days and then kissed and made up on the other days. All in all, we had a blast.

Even though my kiddies were gone for two weeks visiting my parents for their annual summer trip, I was not in town for most of that time which means I was not resting or at home pretending Hubby and I were two grown ups with no kids. There were maybe three or four days where I was home and we played grown-ups with no kids. It was fun but the grass is not greener on the other side, as they say. The house was too quite and it felt empty. It was an interesting experience considering we don't know what it's like to be a married couple without kids. We got pregnant six months after we got married and during that time I was in my third year of law school studying and tied down to that. So although this was a small tiny taste of what life without kids would be like, I can't imagine my life without my three babies. They complete me and Hubby.

On one of my trips I went to help my cousin who just had her first baby. She was having problems nursing so off I went to the rescue. For three nights and four days, I played the lactation nurse and by the time I left, that baby was sucking the life out of mama. I left feeling proud of myself, don't ask me why. Maybe what Nanny Joe feels like when she leaves a family. It also reminded me of just how much work a newborn baby is. PHEW!! When you are wrapped up in the moment, it's a lot of work yes, but you don't have a second to really stop and think about how much work it really is. My cousin's husband works in the hotel industry so he was at the hotel the three nights I was there. I ended up "co-sleeping" in the room with my cousin and her baby so I was up for all the feedings, helping to burp, change the diapers, etc. I guess I was the baby daddy for those three days (ha, ha). Anyhow, when I returned home, I passed out and slept for 11 straight hours. I don't think I even moved at all. I can't remember the last time I slept for 11 straight hours, college maybe? After a long night partying, I mean studying for an exam.

Anyhow, I was happy to help my cousin because she is like an older sister to me. During her pregnancy I did my best to offer her advice and of course, now I'm here for her and the baby.

Well, good-bye summer, hello another school year. I'll have to post pictures of us fishing which most people have hard time believing that Justice Jones fishes. Oldest and I actually really enjoy it. I hope everyone's summer ends on a great note!

Summer Love

So we are over a month into our summer vacation. Oldest got out of school in mid-May. Nuts, I know. Daughter has been out since end of May and Youngest, early May.

Being home with all three all day five days a week has been, well, interesting. Fun, for sure, but as you SAHMs know, non-stop work. But it's very rewarding and I'm enjoying it. Many people can't understand how I can have a law degree and want to be at home with my kids instead of out there making money but it's really simple for me. They are my kids and if I have the option of being at home with them, I'll jump at the chance. I worked at the firms, I argued in court, negotiated settlements with opposing attorneys, blah, blah, blah. But I'm having a good time trying to wrestle the hot toy of the minute of out of my screaming two and three year old's hands. Try negotiating a deal between those two, almost impossible. Anyhow, I do have a job that is law related but I can't help enjoy the fact that I have the option of not teaching in the summer and taking THREE MONTHS OFF instead. Priceless.

So back to our fun filled summer--I'm trying to stick to a very loose schedule that ensures a nap at some point in the afternoon and meals when people are hungry. This is very good for me considering I used to stick by an hourly schedule that included time for every thing in the day. That's too much pressure. We go swimming a couple days a week, have a morning walk on most days, go to the library when it's too hot or too rainy, and play on the floor when we just want to stay in our 'jamas until lunch.

One thing I make sure we do is go to the gym. My gym has a great children's center and the kids enjoy going just as much as I enjoy my little break during the day. Some days I pack their lunch (which is very exciting for Daugther and Youngest), and the little crumb snatchers march their way to the play room holding their little lunch bags. It's so cute.

Don't let me fool you, not all days are sunny and rosy. As I mentioned, the younger two can fight like I don't know what and Oldest can complain about everything without any effort. On those days I feel like I need a stiff drink to make it until Hubby gets home.

Which brings me to the next thing I've been making sure I do, and that's spending some girl time with friends. Girl time normally involves a Martini of some sort at a time when our Hubbies are at home trying to put kids in the bath or warm up bottles. We drink our 'Tinis, enjoy a nice dinner, and can talk about anything from baby poop to sexy summer shoes.

So far I'm really enjoying my summer.

In Case You Were Wondering...*** Updated

This is where I will be for the next four days with no kids, or Hubby, for that matter. Going to a girlfriend's wedding in Banff Springs, about an hour and a half West of Calegary, Canada.

Gosh I Have Good Taste

So I'm watching Episode 5 of my beloved Top Chef - Miami last night and imagine my surprise when Padma announces that the guest judge for the contestants' pastry challenge is Maria Frumkin - the very woman who made my wedding cake! So I elbow hubby and exclaim, "hey! remember Maria? She did our cake!" And of course he has absolutely no recollection of the woman. Even though we drove an hour and a half to her cafe in Miami, had lunch with her, and did an entire cake tasting. At which he adamantly chose the banana filling. A choice to which I conceded because, after all, marriage is all about compromise, right? So why not get a head start? But I digress.

But really, he even completely drove by Chatterbox's school this morning when dropping off her school forms and had to call me to remind him where the building was, so why on earth would he recall meeting an Argentinian pastry chef 5 years ago. It wouldn't be natural.

And since we're talking about food and chefs and whatnot, I forgot to tell y'all that I saw Govind Armstrong while we were in New Orleans. And if you have no idea who Govind Armstrong is, you betta' ask somebody.

I dragged hubby into Sucre on Magazine Street because I'm a sucker for anything pastry-sweet-boutique related and even from outside, the place looked fabulous. As soon as I stepped foot in the door, there he was. In all of his beautiful skin and hair glory. I froze. It was pathetic! I totally was starstruck by a chef. A chef for pete's sake. And it's not even like it was Rachael Ray (I know I know, she's not a "chef") or Emeril who are clearly big celebs. Of course, I didn't say hi or anything but instead tried to act very nonchalant and very cosmopolitan and pretended to inspect the confections for the proper consistency of the marzipan and the like, because HELLO! that's what real chefs do.

And then we left. Hubby kept trying to convince me to take a picture of Chef Armstrong with my camera phone but I refused. After all, I am not some crazy-fan-chef-stalker-chick. Right? Right??

Though he kinda makes it hard not to be.

I'm baaaaaaaaaaack.

And 1.0 lb heavier. But trust me, it was totally worth it. Beignets. Cajun redfish. Grilled scallops. Pralines. Praline bread pudding. Taffy. Peanut brittle. And oh the martinis.

In fact, +1.0 lb is pretty impressive.

And for all my fellow dieters, I just have to share my latest find:
Hershey's 100 calorie wafer bars. SO. GOOD. They taste just like a Kit-Kat.

Now if only I could find 100 calorie bread pudding.

Beignets & Po' Boys & Shrimp Creole, Oh My

I am just so excited. In exactly 10 days hubby and I will be going on our trip to the Essence Music Festival. Alone. By ourselves. Sans petite filles. It will be our first trip alone together since May 2004. Seriously. Ah yes, I remember it like it was yesterday. Well, I would remember it if I didn't have Mommy Brain. I can barely remember yesterday. I do know that at the time I was 6 months preggars with Chatterbox. I missed the Ladies' Getaway that year because I figured that it wouldn't be much fun for anyone to have a big, tired, pregnant person (i.e. no mixed drinks) tagging along on a 3-day cruise to the Bahamas. As it turned out, the joke was on me because by the time the weekend of the cruise arrived, 2 of the other ladies also were pregnant. We're just a fertile bunch I tell ya. So hubby and I decided to take a road trip to Philadelphia. It was perfect - even my pregnant bladder was able to survive the 2-hour drive and we were able to relax and enjoy each other's company while taking in the sights of the city and of course, the food. Don't you just love the eating freedom that comes with pregnancy? I mean besides the fact that everything gives you indigestion, heartburn and gas. I remember eating my heart out that trip. Cheesesteaks, Italian Hero subs, Pasta dishes in Little Italy. Pastries from the Reading Terminal Market. Everything on the menu at Warmdaddy's. Really, eating good food is my number one favorite thing to do when I'm on vacation. And New Orleans has some of the best cuisine in the country so you best believe I'm already planning our dining options. And how did this post end up being about food?

Getting back on track. In addition to the food (dammit) I am also very much looking forward to spending quality time with hubby. We deserve it! And yes, there is a little voice deep down inside that is making me feel just a tad bit guilty for leaving my babies behind, but I know that they will be in great hands with their grandmas. And their mommy and daddy will come back after 4 days, refreshed, relaxed and...full.

Oh yes indeedy.

Week Three: Weigh-In

Ok, so here's my deal:

On Saturday evening I weighed myself and I had lost 3.5lbs!!

Then we went to Hershey Park for the holiday weekend.

And the good people of Hershey clearly have not heard of the Tales from the Scales Weight Loss Challenge, because...

They give you chocolate when you check-in to the hotel.
They give you chocolate during the trolley tour of Hershey.
They give you chocolate after the trolley tour of Hershey.
They give you chocolate after the Chocolate Tour.
And of course there is no shortage of chocolate to eat and purchase in the amusement park, various restaurants and, of course, Chocolate World.

And so. Last night when we returned home I weighed myself and, since last week, I have lost 0lbs. I was so sad! But not surprised. And while I made sure I enjoyed myself and had a little kettle corn, funnel cake and fudge, I did make a conscious effort to not overdo it.

So I'm back on it. Today's a new day! And I expect to have a positive report for y'all next week.
I'll post some pics of our trip tomorrow.