Murder she wrote...

As if you needed another reason not to cheat, think of murder.

As you may have heard, Steve McNair of the Tennessee Titans was found dead on July 4th in a condo that he rented with a friend (I am assuming that he rented this condo for his stay in TN because he lived in another state). He was found shot twice in the head and twice in the chest. At his feet was girlfriend Saleh Kazemi who was also dead from one bullet wound. At this time the police aren't calling it a murder-suicide, but it sure looks that way to me.

Reports say that he had been seeing Kazemi for a few months after meeting her at a Dave & Busters where she was a server. What disgusts me about this story is the fact that he has been married for 12 years and has three or four kids. May he rest in peace, but McNair, what were you thinking? Not only were you 16 years her senior, but you were willing to throw your life, your marriage, your family all away for someone you picked up at D&B????

His poor wife ... my heart really goes out to her. Not only having to deal with the fact that her husband was cheating, but now his death as well. Hopefully, for her sake, she knew about the cheating before, because otherwise this is a double whammy for her. I think it's enough to drive a woman crazy. I hope she's doing fine.

But, let this be a warning to all those men out there, just in case all the other reasons weren't enough, there are some crazy, psycho "ladies" that may end up murdering you if they can't get their way...

The Odyssey

On Saturday The Fergies, Grandma D and Auntie Lisa set out for our summer trip to the Outer Banks. I have been counting down the says since spring until this week, which for me means sun, fun and relaxation...but first, we had to get here.

Friday was a holiday for me, so it was designated packing day and I knew I had a task ahead of me. Five suitcases, 2 backpacks, 2 laptop bags, one supersized, overstuffed beach tote, 2 princess bicycles, 1 toddler car buggy, 1 box of toys, 2 swim vests, 1 huge box of food and sundries, 1 box of linens and towels, 4 beach chairs, 1 baby feeding chair, myriad assorted other stuff, and 1 U-Haul trailer later - we were ready to hit the road.

We left only an hour behind schedule on Saturday and the weather was picture perfect for our drive down. Garmin made life sweet and we arrived at our beach house rental by late afternoon. The kids were remarkably great in the car and slept/harrassed Grandma most of the way down. We only stopped twice: once for lunch (at the skeeviest Wendy's I've ever seen, blech) and once to buy "fireworks" (aka sparklers) for the kids.

The next adventure would be to see whether the Craig's List ad was honest and accurate and...it was! The beach house is perfect. Spacious and bright and still flaunting that new house smell. We are a 5 minute walk to the beach and we even have a jacuzzi and outdoor shower (which I used yesterday and felt like I was on a Caribbean island). So it's all good. So far we've visited the beach, the Aquarium, and the Manteo Waterfront. Night before last there was a major thunderstom though, and so it was overcast yesterday, This morning though, the sun is out it full force and so that means Beach Day. Chatterbox can't hardly wait.

Of course a vacation with 3 kids under 5 years old, one of them being a baby who wakes up during the night and then is up for the day at 6am, means only minimal "relaxation." But I'll take what I can get!

Michael Joseph Jackson (1958-2009)

God bless you our beloved Michael. Please rest in peace and know that we all loved you and will miss you dearly.

My new lover...

I've taken a new lover ... of shoes, that is. After being a tad bit upset with my real life lover, I trekked on up to my local mall in search of a new outfit. I had no luck on the outfit side; but lots of luck in the shoe department. I stumbled on a new addition to Union Station - Shoe Woo. By the time I left, I wasn't so mad at RL lover any more.

It was fabulous and trendy and hip and young. And most importantly, there were shoes and bags everywhere. The design is not like your typical shoe store where the walls are lined with shelves of shoes. Rather, the walls were lined, and the center consoles and the tables of varying heights and there were shoes on rotating platforms...maybe even some dangling from the ceiling.

And, more impressive was the fact that they don't just sell one brand, they sell multiple brands - it was like being in shoe heaven. It's funny because it was like being in a department store, but not really. Maybe we can call it a shoe boutique! They carried Nine West, Joan & David, Anne Klein, Bandolino (and maybe a few other brands). Anyway, at this time there are only 2 locations - DC and NJ.

Shoe retailers out there listen up ... this is what we (read I) want. A variety of brands of sexy shoes, all in one place. Shoe heaven, I say, shoe heaven.

Another Working Mom Bites the Dust....?

Hopefully by now everyone has heard that Gov. Sarah Palin has decided to resign as Governor of Alaska. Taking over at the end of this month will be Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell. News reports state that her decision was made after she decided not to run for re-election and motivated in part by a "higher calling." What that higher calling is, who knows, maybe hopes for a higher office in 2012?

Whatever her decision, she made a reference to some mean spirited comments made about her youngest son, Trig. Why any person would make mean comments about any child, especially one with down syndrome, is beyond me and appalling. But here is my question. Would a father resign from the highest political office in his state and site mean spirited comments towards his child as part of his reason? Even if it's a tiny part? I think not. Is this a decision that only a working mom would use? I think yes.

Palin's story makes me question whether a woman can be accomplished in her career and a happy parent all at the same time? Regardless of your career, whether it's an attorney making partner at the firm, teacher turned principal, real estate agent turning broker, it seems like once you move up your career ladder, the consequences it has on your family are great. As a result, many women seem to retire or step back from her high demanding job.

Is this always the case for working moms, or is it just sometimes the case? What do you think?

Backsliding

We're half way through the Better U program and I'm in the same position that I was in a couple weeks ago - stuck!!! I've lost about 5 pounds since I started paying attention to my health, which was the beginning of May (in all honesty, I've lost about 3 pounds since starting Better U).

But, I've reached a plateau. I intend on checking my measurements soon (I can't find a tape measure so add that to my to do/buy list) but the scale has not been good to me.

I will also confess that I haven't been as good as I should be - I've had my birthday, hubby's birthday, hosted a bbq, gone to a few bbqs, had a couple dinners with my out-of-country guest, and had wine (lots of it). So, I'm very much responsible for the plateau.

I have to kick start my regime again - walk every day, take the stairs all the time, get a real workout in at least twice a week. Also, I'm going to repeat week 5 of the program. I could simply go through the program at my current pace, but I think I'll be doing myself a great injustice. So, I am repeating week 5 - luckily, the program is flexible enough to allow you to repeat.

I'm hoping that the next six weeks are better than the first!

Coaching Tool

BetterU Coaching Tool

I Want A Sister Wife

I'm a huge fan of Big Love, I love the characters, the story line, etc. I don't believe in plural marriages but I can tell you there have been several times when the idea didn't seem so bad. Imagine having another wife to help with all the daily routines of the house. Someone who shares in what being in your family is really like and being married to your husband is really like. On the bad days, you can comfort your sister wife and really give her good advice since you know her husband, her house, and the kids. Not so bad, right?

And when things are really hectic in your house, you have someone you can delegate duties to. She can pack for the family vacation why you do all the laundry. She can occupy the kids while you clean the house.

Even better, she can stay home while you go to work. Or go on a date with the hubs.

But of course, all this will work for me only if I'm the first wife. If I was the first wife I can set the rules, set the schedule, and delegate the duties.

As I think about all the things I have to do before we leave on our two week vacation I really wish I had another me around to help out. Sure I've been washing clothes for days, but by the time I finish one load, another one is ready to be washed. Start early, start late. What's the difference? I need another wife to help out!

Does size matter?

As ignorant as this sounds, I MUST ask. I've thought about it in the past and have never been able to figure it out. I don't really know why I've had this thought, but I have. Does size matter? Do skinny women have more sex than heavy women?

I told you it was ignorant, but my inquiring mind wants to know. Now, I'm not talking about drive - that's not my question. I'm just curious whether a woman's weight makes a difference.

I was walking home yesterday and this older couple was a bit ahead of me and the crazy thought popped in my head. They must have been in their 50s and they were both in pretty good shape and I just wondered. Call me crazy, call me bored, but can someone shed some light on this pressing issue?

Love It! Thursdays: Poo~Pourri

If you've got a little stinker like I do, then you should try Poo~Pourri Little Stinker deodorizer spray. I received a free sample to try out and happily took advantage of the opportunity to use it in L'il Buddy's nursery. The first thing I noticed was the packaging. It's not loud or cheesy like most air freshners and the design gives it an air of luxury, which I like. If I had my druthers, I would outfit my house with only pretty things - including the cleaning products. It's the reason why I'm such a big fan of luxury household products like Williams-Sonoma and Caldrea.

But back to the poop.

Poo~Pourri Little Stinker works differently from your normal deodorizer in that you're supposed to use it before the smell happens instead of spraying it afterwards to get rid of the smell. Here is the description:

A diaper deodorizer with a natural anti-bacterial. Quickly eliminate the source of odor causing bacteria in cloth and plastic diapers. Simply spray on soiled diaper before disposal and there will be no reminder that your little angel was once a little stinker!

I have to admit that I've been using it backwards and spraying it after I change the dirty diaper (force of habit) but the Bergamot, Leomongrass and Grapefruit smell is delightful and really does make a difference. In fact, I've even taken to using it in the kitchen trashcan.

What's even more genius is that Poo~Pourri makes a spritzer for grown ups that you can use to spray the toilet before you go and it eliminates any odor. Probably very ideal at the office or even at parties for keeping your dirty little secret.

8oz bottle retails for $19.95.

Comfort Food

Lately it seems as though devastation is all around me and the most I've been able to do is provide minimal comfort in the form of food.

It all started about 3 weeks ago when one of my close friends was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia. As if that isn't bad enough, she was 8 months pregnant at the time and so the doctors admitted her to the ICU so that they could monitor the baby's health as well as my friend's. She was in the hospital for 9 days, while her husband and 2 young boys were at home. To make matters worse, she wasn't even able to see her kids during her time in the hospital since ICU rules prohibit children on the floor. Her husband was understandably stressed out - and had just started a new job - and I offered to bring him a few dinners to help get him and the boys through the week. It was the least I could do to help out in a teeny tiny way. Thank goodness she's home now and both she and the baby are well.

Then the next week I learned that another one of my friends had to undergo surgery for oral cancer. She is my age and just had her third child about 3 months ago, and so this all came as a terrible surprise to me. I offered to bring her dinner and was so sad to find out that they had to remove a part of her tongue and 37 lymph nodes from her neck to ensure that the cancer was gone. Fortunately, her prognosis is great and her kids are all fine. But wait - there's more. Her husband was deployed to Iraq yesterday, leaving her to recover while caring for a preschooler, toddler and a newborn. So she packed up the family and is moving to Florida to stay with her in-laws for the next 6 months until her hubby returns home.

Just when I thought I had had enough heartbreak to last me awhile, 2 weeks ago - just a week after I had brought them a lasagna dinner to celebrate their new baby's arrival, we found out that our neighbor's baby had liver failure and had to have surgery. Did I mention that the baby is only 8 weeks old? It turns out that she doesn't have a gall bladder and had to undergo a complicated surgery to connect certain organs. Then she contracted an infection as a result of the surgery. She's still in the NICU and can hopefully return home soon.

Add in the news of the DC Metro tragedy (on my train line), Michael Jackson's sudden death and Farrah Fawcett's heartbreaking demise and it's been like there is a gray cloud hanging overheard these days.

So imagine my dismay when another friend of mine just called to say that it looks like she is going to become embroiled in a custody battle over her 4 year-old-daughter. While I am definitely counting my blessings, this is all getting to be more than my bleeding heart, and my love-filled kitchen, can handle.

BBQing with Mr. President

Crazy busy today ... but I wanted to share some pictures with you. How cool is our President? Got to love him!