happiness is a warm sun...

good luck charm

2012-01-22T16:38:00.000-08:00

Reach for your dreams!

2011-12-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

or in this case, the top of our 14 foot Christmas tree.

Elise's favorite Christmas song is the Little Drummer Boy. I'm sure I have shared this information before. She aspires to play this role in a play, pageant, Hollywood reproduction- someday. She's pretty good too. She knows she has some big shoes to fill and considers it a great challenge-her very own mother executed a tear worthy performance of the Little Drummer Boy in the second grade. The awkward boyish haircut and her great enthusiasm for diversity led her to the role.

So, eat your heart out Viola. Gwyneth P has got nothing on me. St. Anna's came WAY before that film.

Sisters

2011-11-25T18:11:00.000-08:00

1978

1983

quite a difference 5-6 years make!

and yes, please poke fun as you see fit. and yes, I look challenged in the latter.

I think this would at least qualify for semi-awkard family photos?!

Go Team Go!

2011-11-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

It was cold, it was early, it was a great game. Tailgating at 8am is still just as fun as in the old days...dance music, beer pong tournaments and grilled meat. And no kids for the day!! Hoorah!

GO HAWKEYES!

out of touch

2011-10-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

While I have put forth my best effort (no fingers crossed) to keep the blog alive, it continues to die a slow death. I myself prefer the slow, drawn out process rather than the abrupt head on the guillotine so it has served me well so far. Truth is, since Elise started Kindergarten I have taken on the role as "kid activity transporter". Between school, Daisy scouts, gymnastics, Tae Kwon Do, an impending foreign language class (she has not decided on French or Spanish-go french!) and various play dates, I barely have time to play with Max. He is currently in a low brow but stimulating music class and that's as sophisticated as it's going to get. Besides, we have wonderful and fantastically awesome neighbor friends with kids our age so he gets plenty of socialization.

I'm not sure if it's the Midwest, drop in temperature, move to a small town or the looming "35" in December, but I continue to spazz out on a daily basis. My mind has become more and more forgetful as time passes. Faucets are left running, wallets/keys are forgotten and children are mixed up on what seems to be a daily basis. My wonderful husband is giving me a luxurious trip to the Caribbean for my birthday so I can look forward to some relaxation. December 16th can't come soon enough! We did pop into Chicago recently and I had my shopping fix so I'm not completely out of the loop. C'mon,,,it's Holly we're talking about. Even if the crazy does settle in I can still look good.

Halloween is fast approaching and it's my biased opinion that Elise and Max will be the cutest Little Red Riding Hood and Little Bad Wolf in Iowa! We are also looking forward to Auntie Michele and cousin Monique's visit for that weekend. Our kitchen is 50% completed. We have beautiful new granite counters, an awesome Viking range top and new chandelier. We still have to replace the double wall ovens, put in the wine refrigerator and paint the walls but we are on our way! Lots of cooking going on here.

I guess that's all folks..til we meet again, or not

A Halloween preview

2011-10-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

Little Red and Little Wolf

goldie locks

2011-09-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

It really kills my mom when I get a haircut. She hates to part with my beautiful blonde locks. I think she secretly likes being mistaken for the nanny, since it seems impossible she could be half responsible for me and my sister. I keep telling her I need to maintain my masculinity. So we compromise..there will be no buzz cuts. Ever.

My Sister

2011-08-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

Educator, historian, health nut, founder of "crazy brown block eyes" and local hero.

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_18745925

2011-08-24T08:29:00.001-07:00

Who's that guy?

2011-08-22T20:07:00.000-07:00

Not Max-but sure looks like him (without the platinum hair) and something he'd do because he's gross.

swine flu: be careful

Bittersweet

2011-08-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Off she goes. Elise started Kindergarten today. She was excited. I was distressed. She will go everyday from 8:30 until 3:00. What will we do without her?

Her school is darling (and right around the corner from us).

This is her saying: "Mom, I know what I'm doing. Hello Kitty is cool."

I didn't picture her first day of real school having a Hello Kitty theme but I suppose I am ok with it. It was too warm to wear the "perfect" attire mom picked out...

Curbed

2011-08-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

Sadly, Max and I did not make a visual appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm, episode "Vow of Silence". However, we were lurking in the background while they filmed the Pinkberry scene. So I guess that counts for something? No?

beautiful

2011-08-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

OK, I get it

2011-07-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

We moved from LA and now we have wildlife. Honestly, I just wasn't expecting this much. We live on a little over an acre with a pond behind us. It is a subdivision but we are at the very end on a cul de sac with just a few other homes. You can see from pictures I have posted how verdant it is and it does provide a perfect habitat for these animals. We have an iron fence around the perimeter so most four legged creatures can't get in but anything with wings can set up shop here. I've already mentioned the bat and we have a bird's nest under our deck which already contained eggs when we moved in so we are waiting it out. The chicks have hatched and they peer down at me as I spray away their poop everyday. I see the smug look on their little faces. They lost one of their siblings in a "God is angry" thunderstorm the other night. It was a most unfortunate discovery by Elise the following morning.
Anyway, here is what we see on a daily basis: about 100 different kinds of birds which I do not know the names of any except hawks (there is reason this is the hawk-eye state. jeez Louise there are tons), eagles, owls (there is an awesome owl that flies up to our roof every night around the same time-9pm. I'm silly over owls..I love them so), wild turkeys (ugly, annoying and stupid), ducks, geese, storks, great blue herons, cranes.
Deer, raccoons, beavers, possums, Elise, Max, turtles, otters and foxes

2011-07-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

Old MacDonald had a tractor

2011-07-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

Because, I mean, we couldn't move to Iowa and not get them this:

vertically challenged

2011-07-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

Elise has recently developed a strong interest in midgets. I'm not sure how happy I am about the fascination as she makes no attempt to hide the question in public. At Target: "Is that one? What about that one? Oh Look! Over there-I bet that's one!"
No, there is not a disproportionate number of dwarfs in Iowa City; children get her label as well. I explained as best I could that a little person is someone who is born with a condition where they never grow to be as large as other people and stay small even when they are adults. She responded by saying "Oh mommy, are you one?"
This may be a reasonable claim since, in general, the average BMI of the population has gone up substantially since leaving California. (greater Iowa City area excluded)

Happy Independence Day

2011-07-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

or "the day that no one tells us what to do" as Elise pointed out. Our backyard is a firework lighting paradise and Mike brought out some ridiculous ones this year. You know you live in a great neighborhood when your (Holly's) fear of lighting off illegal pyrotechnics is squelched by the professional level show the neighbors put on.
It's hard to not be in love with our backyard..thousands of fireflies, croaking frogs and cute bats that come out at dusk. I love bats..I feel they are severely misunderstood. They are good for the earth! They eat all the yucky bugs. Though I would not be so welcoming to one indoors. It appears we have just one roosting under our deck. I'm considering building a bat box near the pond outside our fence. It's so pleasant watching them fly around at night.
After tonight's light show I'm not sure any will stick around. I think we scared them all away.

Summer is hotter here

2011-07-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

in the Midwest. There's all kinds of different here. Mike maintains that because he grew up in western New York he has a tie to Midwestern roots. I will vouch that the accent in Iowa is more Rochester than say, northern Minnesota (darn it!). I do not have any prior association with the Midwest so I am a stranger in a strange land. Humoring the dramatic Holly...I do love our neighborhood and home. I was in the local co-op buying cheese. I think there were more selections than when I was in France. No shortage of farms here. Although I applaud it, the recycling here in Iowa City/Coralville is more confusing and elaborate than in California.
Elise's new "climbing tree"

Our house is the one to the left. Lots of space.

words

2011-06-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Erik and Mel I am now addicted to Words With Friends. It's like online Scrabble, I mean, it IS online Scrabble. I like the leisurely aspect of it..you can go a few days, make a play, then go back when you have the time. And you can have simultaneous games going at once.
I guess I'm a dork. You can play me; my handle is beetlover.

Big house on the Prairie

2011-06-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

Last night we had an almighty thunder and lightening storm which looked spectacular through our picture window in the great room. This part of Iowa is actually less prairie and more rolling hills. And very green. I am in full organization mode and I was standing in my huge walk in closet with the hope that I would finally be able to store all of my clothing sensibly. Sadly, I still just have way too many clothes.

I am still in awe of the new house. It's the nicest and largest home I have ever stepped foot in, much less owned and lived in. The size of the kitchen alone makes me appear to be a miniature figure in an over sized dollhouse. Butler's pantry but no butler. Two sinks. Regular sink, vegetable sink. It's like a cooking show. I keep pinching myself but then I remember I do live in Iowa now...sort of evens things out a bit.

Fun and stuff

2011-06-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

Before we all reunited in Iowa I took the kids to Auntie Jess' house in Georgia to visit with their cousins for a week. They spent the week in the pool and had tons of fun...

Grandma recently moved down the street from them so we got to see her too! Jess and Marc were gracious enough to look after Max and Elise for a few days while I headed up to Asheville to visit Erik, Mel and their kids. It was a beautiful drive, followed by a fun weekend. As Erik pointed out, "I haven't laughed that hard in awhile." I couldn't agree more...

Sara and Julian fell hard for my iPad and my camera. I can understand the iPad fascination but my craptastic camera? Nonetheless Sara demanded I pose.

note the beautiful stone masonry behind the counter!

Julian likes to cuddle almost as much as me:

It was great to see everyone; the detour was worth the agonizing flights with sir Maxwell.

Iowa

2011-06-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

We finally made it to Iowa today. Our house is just beautiful...and ginormous. Our backyard is verdant and teeming with birds. And a deer just trotted by as if it were on cue. I am very, very tired. Traveling alone with those two blonde children proved to be a nearly impossible task but we did have a great time visiting cousins in Georgia and I even got to make a solo trip to Asheville to visit dear friends. All in all, it was worth it. Now it will take me about two years to furnish this home but I get to bust out my decorating skillz;-) Cheers!

So long, LA

2011-06-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

on to (literally) greener pastures...

like mother, like daughter

2011-06-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

Holly after ballet class with favorite raspberry tart doll circa 1982:

Elise before bedtime with same doll in 2011:

You don't see a resemblance? Well, that's because there isn't one.

coyote

2011-06-08T21:42:00.000-07:00

We drove up in the canyons of Malibu yesterday evening and met this coyote in the road. I have decided the only reason for me to switch to an iPhone or a droid is to get better pictures when i don't take my camera with me. I love my blackberry and have it within reach 24/7 (I know, that's a sad truth) but it takes horrible pictures. Anyway, Coyote Blurry

It was a beautiful evening!

All Good Things

2011-06-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

must come to an end. It only took 15 years but Mike has finally crossed the finish line. Which really just means he'll actually get compensated for all the hours of work he puts in.

CONGRATULATIONS! Neuroendovascular surgeon and part time FDA bad-ass

I fell and I really couldn't get up

2011-06-02T16:55:00.000-07:00

Remember those commercials "I've fallen and I can't get up!"? Of course you do, we all do. I never suspected I would be the target audience at the ripe old age of 34 but today was the other time my life flashed before my eyes. The first was the accident I got into in college where I wrapped my car around a tree. I'm fairly certain a lifeline device has been ordered and has shipped for me.

Thankfully a bottle of shampoo and Mike's surprisingly early arrival from work saved me from what I can only imagine would have been at the very least a serious concussion and/or spine injury. This is a good thing because my flashing life had way too many holes in it.

And now I soldier on and out to dinner under the influence of pain relievers for my back.

New House

2011-05-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of our new home...

We'll be moved in June 21..We're doing a few things to upgrade it once we're there including replacing the kitchen appliances with Stainless Viking and Subzero and also the counter tops with "St. Cecilia Brown" granite-it's really pretty! And we'll have to do something to spiff up that sad little tree in the front yard.

It's a big place (almost 6000 sq feet) so we would love to have many visitors. The last picture is our downstairs bar area which Fran has so graciously named for us: The Gritty Clam.

I'll send out our new contact info via email in the next week or so, cheers!

Future All Star

2011-05-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

It has become abundantly clear that Maxwell has no chance of escaping the New England sports strong arm from the maternal side. At present, I believe it is my sister Donna's sole mission for her nephew. As reported to me this evening "please tell Max the Bruins are going for the Stanley Cup. I know in his heart he is a true Boston fan." She leaves these messages for him on my facebook wall regularly, showers him with Red Sox paraphernalia, Patriots jerseys with Number 12 on them, regular Celtics updates, etc. etc. etc. Since there is no hope for him I wonder what sport will he play? So far, he has an obsession with baseballs and an arm to go with it. He also enjoys cars, eating dirt (and anything disgusting he can find on the ground) and screaming at near window shattering decibels when he doesn't get his way. He may be moving to Iowa, but he has Boston in his heart (and a team of relatives who will make sure it stays there).

Happy 13 Months my darling boy

The countdown begins

2011-05-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

Holly's bucket list. Less than 3 weeks until we depart Los Angeles (mom and kids, anyway) so naturally I feel compelled to fulfill my list. Cooking class last night was fruitful indeed-the theme was Springtime in Paris. It was springtime in LA tres magnifique!
haricot vert. haricot vert. haricot vert. Just keep saying it. It's fun.
I *somehow* landed the role of the brown noser, annoying star student and class clown. Who knew you could take on so many roles in a cooking class? I used my rad knife skills to woo the crowd: C'mon, show me the safe release-I dare you.

This evening we met our friends Matt and May in Thai Town Hollywood for some of the best Thai food we've had-my apologies to Erik, the Num Tuk and Panang were, in fact, better than Esan.

But before, we ducked into the infamous Chateau Marmont to have a drink in the garden...this was the best hipster-I'm-too-cool-for-you look I could muster

Mostly it just looks like I'm a bitch, though I'm not sure the two are mutually exclusive...

To bangs? Or not to bangs?

2011-05-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

that is the question. This is my hair now. (In a semi glamour shots pose)

It is getting long..so what to do? I get antsy. Do I cut bangs? I can't cut it too short-we know after the 1999-2000 hair debacle what Mike thinks of short hair. (His Medusa stare after the cut nearly reduced me to stone)
So, short layers? (yikes-my hair IS usually curly, after all.) Or if it ain't broke, don't fix it?

aside:

Elise: "Dad, what are you doing?"
Mike: "nunya."
Elise: "what?"
Mike: "nunya. none of ya business."
Elise: "Dad, that's not funny at all. You know, mom is WAY funnier."

Yes. That's right Elise. That is the truth.

Wilde

2011-05-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

I have been posting a lot of rubbish lately as I know when we depart for the Midwest next month I will be out of commission for awhile. That is, if "The Rapture" doesn't take us all in few days. I'm taking the kids to Atlanta to see their cousins for a week or so in June while Mike finishes up business in LA and drives to Iowa. I'm also going to use it as a (great!) opportunity to drive up to Asheville and see some of my most nearest and dearest friends Erik and Mel and of course my godchildren Sara and Julian. How many godchildren can one see on a trip? For Holly the answer is five. Anyway, so much fun!

*I have been reading a lot of Oscar Wilde and decided that if you are bored, lonely, sad, overjoyed or just downright psychotically happy, at the very least read all of his quotes. It's an unnecessary yet fine medicine.

*Also, I realize I'm a little late to the party with this one but Florence + The Machine. It's a really, really good idea. I can't pull myself away.

Joy Ride

2011-05-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

Accelerating in this car is really fun...

Only in LA

2011-05-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

I just spent $134.86 at CVS. How does that even happen?

Oh wait, it's because they sell everything here. I am surprised they have not started a line of designer jeans and cashmere sweaters because as far as I can see they have every hair product I could ever want. I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else. It makes sense in LA- buy buy buy!! And on our side of town, people have the money to do it.

We have been thinking a lot about our transition to Iowa City. I suppose I have spent more hours thinking about it. Like most males, Mike's opinion is relatively indifferent. He is pleased with his new job and very excited about our new house. I believe it will be a fairly smooth transition for him. I spend more time comparing the two cities and their merits as well as shortcomings. The contrasts are stark moving from an enormous metropolis (is that redundant?) with the shiny backdrop of Hollywood and all the glitz that goes along with it to a small college town with it roots planted firmly in academia and dare I say, intellectual snobbery. The wine cellars at some these homes rival the vineyards we saw in Burgundy, France. Well, maybe not but it certainly took me by surprise.

Elise is most excited about the "change of seasons" which translates to "snow".

oh dear...

2011-05-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

Thank you Maria for sharing this worthwhile craft and helping me to fulfill a dream I've had since early adulthood.

http://thehairpin.com/2011/05/how-to-make-a-doll-into-a-wine-glass-in-23-quick-steps

Stella Blue

2011-05-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

It is the name of my favorite Dead song (and, in my opinion, one of the greatest songs..those haunting lyrics), it is also the name of our first pet who died one week after we got her (we don't have so much luck in the pet department so I don't believe the name is a jinx) and it is my proposed name for our new bar.
Yes, we have a bar at our new house. Not just any bar, it is THE bar..a ridiculously big lower level kitchen and bar with a pool table next to it. The only missing component is the Dogs Playing Poker picture on the wall. But have no fear..we shall acquire that.

I think Stella Blue is pretty good, if overused. We need other suggestions...what should we name our bar?

A car dream, realized

2011-05-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

Mike is finally reaping the fruits of his labor. He came home with this on Saturday night.

That my friends is a brand new BMW M3 convertible...with a hard top. He has wanted one for a very long time and I call it his "I've arrived" car. He seems to love it which is good because I almost dropped dead when I saw the price tag.

Where's mine?

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T16:29:00.000-07:00

It was a pretty eventful Mother's Day weekend. Always a good thing for me to keep busy on this holiday, as memories of my mom are quite bittersweet around this time. I try my best to stay positive and

and of course, be thankful for the two blond children who reside with me.

We had a small BBQ on Saturday to officially celebrate Max's first birthday (which was April 28th). Some of our friends came over with their babies and ate yummy food. I didn't get too many pictures as I was busy keeping track of Max and entertaining guests. On his real birthday he had a cupcake with a candle and all of the singing that goes along with that.

On Sunday I got to sleep late and woke up to three bouquets of flowers..can you guess who they were from? We then headed off to brunch which was lovely, followed by a "Sunday drive" to Malibu. All in all, a nice way to spend the day.

This is what Max does about 30% of the time and it's usually the moment I put him down to go do something. He does not enjoy being left alone, especially by mom..sigh

But he sure is cute even with no teeth

Here he is trying to impress a his girlfriend Shiri "these are my sweet trucks"

Elise is protective and also probably wants his cookie

Yay! I have my own wheels!

how could you be mad if he pulled you over?

on a side note, the police car prompted a particularly funny conversation with Elise about going to jail. I humored her and we then pretended to play cops. She was arrested for speeding and got thrown in the slammer for not having her license. She was allowed one phone call and a bail set at 10k. She chose to call mom and said "mom! I'm in jail, can you come bail me out?"

It was then I realized, I better never get that phone call...

Chuck

2011-05-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

And it started with Elise saying "Mom! I can't go to the bathroom!"

"Why not?"

"Because there's a lizard in there..it's on the toilet."

At this point during my afternoon coffee/tea withdrawal and general malaise, I would have been only slightly more surprised if the lizard had announced it's presence itself.

"OK Elise, let's take a look."

Indeed, there was a lizard sitting on the toilet seat staring back at me.

"See? I told you so mom."

Dad is usually the designated insect (now we can add reptile) extricater but he of course was working so mom had to step in and do the dirty work.

I'm not a very squeamish person. I can handle all sorts of disgusting matter and bugs don't tend to freak me out-except for bees. When confronted with a bee I run in circles and scream with my hands in the air-Yes, I really do this. And while this is off topic, they bother me almost as much as people who whistle. Cringe.

Anyway, I decided to make the capture and release mission as swift as possible. Rather than find a container to lure the beast into, I gently lifted it by it's tail.
OK. Time for things I didn't realize:

1)Lizard tails are more fragile than I once believed (though I'm certain I have never given the matter much thought or consideration). If they wriggle hard enough they SNAP! And there it was... 4/5 of a lizard running for shelter and the other 1/5 on the floor next to us.

2)Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was that lizard tails continue to move once they are separated from the rest of the body. I knew this to be true with other creatures but was not, and neither was Elise-if I can speak on her behalf-prepared for this nugget of wisdom.

I watched in horror as it's tail undulated on the playroom floor, it's owner now cowering behind the computer desk. Elise's eyes were wide with astonishment but more in the "oh man I can't wait to tell my friends at school about this" way. The tail finally settled down after about 3 or 4 minutes, which seems like an eternity when you're watching a lizard tail. I retrieved it's better half (or 4/5 as the case may be) and released it into the wild of our backyard.

As Chuck scurried away I realized the tail was still in our possession so I quickly grabbed it and called out "you forgot something!"

Until something earth shatteringly (is that a word?) spectacular graces this family I will stick to the usual pablum...

Snips and snails

2011-04-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

and puppy dog tails. The adventures of this poor snail provided at least one hour of entertainment for both kids this morning. I say poor because I just noticed it's dried up body in the hot, glaring sun.

mmmmm. Escargot. Holly's favorite French delicacy

one year old cuteness

2011-04-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

Book of the year

2011-04-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

Could this be funnier?

Can't wait until this is released...

http://moms.today.com/_news/2011/04/26/6534646-want-another-bedtime-story-sweetie-heres-one-go-the-fk-to-sleep?GT1=43001

All sorts of things

2011-04-26T19:59:00.000-07:00

-Read Bossypants by Tina Fey-it's as funny as you would expect it to be. I read it on the beach in Hawaii while Mike was at a conference one afternoon...it seemed to be the ideal placement. But it's still enjoyable even if you have to read it at home in an uncomfortable chair with Phil Collins playing in the background. *shudder*

-Elise said to me today: "In my opinion, gum is magical food. It just keeps going. It never evaporates."
...a few minutes later... "but it's kind of boring to just sit here and chew. Ok-take it away, I'm through with it."

-We bought a house in Coralville, Iowa. It's beautiful (and huge); we are excited for visitors. Well, we almost bought it..we close June 20th but so far things are rolling along as planned.Yes, there is running water and there are real neighborhoods in Iowa. It's not just cornfields.

-Max will be one on Thursday! I can't believe it..and to think its been one year since I went under the knife. (the trick to viewing this picture is to not look directly at my double chin. What can I say, it was a rough night.)

-Mike has decided that the expression "why don't you put THAT on facebook." (which he says to me all the time) is the new "why don't you put that in your pipe and smoke it?!"
It's probably only funny to me but...

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

From Elise and Mike's mini-me

amazing

2011-04-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Maria tuned me into this..a live webcam in Decorah, Iowa of an eagles nest. The eaglets have hatched and the mom and dad are taking turns watching over them and bringing them food. It might seem kind of boring and slightly intrusive? but I think it's beautiful..and really cool.

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Aloha:-)

2011-04-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

wishful thinking

somehow, this glass of wine tasted way better when I was sipping it on that lanai...

We just returned from Hawaii..wish we were still there. Grandma came into town to watch the kids while we jetted off to Oahu for some much needed R & R. Mike actually had a good excuse to be there-the annual Neurology conference. I had no good reason other than to tag along and enjoy a third trip to Hawaii. I will start by saying that Oahu is very underrated. Most people complain that Honolulu is too crowded and Americanized (?) Last time I checked it was part of America..but anyway. Not being ones to sit at a hotel we ventured around the island and off the beaten path. It's an amazing island...from the North shore to the windy eastern side. I am much more of a "let's stop right here at this secluded beach so i can jump in the water" than Mike so many of our pictures were of me swimming. At the risk of sounding like a jerk, I don't mix well with tourists. My annoyance level skyrockets so Mike knows it's best to keep me away and enjoy the beautiful parts of the island without tons of people marring the visuals.

our hotel grounds

waiting to enjoy our first drink of vacation

this picture highlights our difference in size/height beautifully

I hadn't had Uni in years and I'm happy to say it still has that "ocean fresh" flavor to put it delicately

Holly swimming at the North shore...interestingly enough there were few surfers..but lots of spear fishing?

Mike on the phone at the North shore...

I had forgotten just how much Hawaii loves Spam..the answer is to an absurd degree

driving past the many acres of the Dole pineapple plantation

Our lanai at the hotel..we have no idea what I'm looking at. It might be the nightly turn down service person. The mountains behind rose far above the sea and had a striking "Gorillas in the Mist" quality about them. OK, it was cloudy for half of the time...

I'm not sure what we were talking about here but I know we had several drinks before it was taken

I look kind of sad here but was trying to get a glimpse of our hotel room which was beautiful and super luxurious

On Waikiki at the Royal Hawaiian, a very pink hotel. Also had the best Mai Tais

Waikiki with Diamond Head in the background

Blurry, but it was really pretty at twilight

Our hotel was a few miles from Waikiki which was really nice. No crowds....

The Getty again

2011-04-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

Friday we went to one of our favorite spots in LA, the Getty Museum. It’s very cool and if you are ever in the area you should take a trip there. It’s located on a mountain top in Brentwood (very close to where we live). The best part for Elise is the tram ride up to the top. It’s a great location to get panoramic views of the LA basin to the ocean and out to Catalina. Being at that elevation inspires more positive feelings about the city. When you remove yourself from the traffic, overcrowded neighborhoods and general rudeness you can see how pretty the landscape is...Mountains meeting the sea with the afternoon sunlight casting a sepia hue on the town.

Elise is infatuated with the hall of French decorative arts. In particular, an elaborate bed which she aptly calls “my princess bed” Here is a picture of her from last November with said bed:

I am surprised after our numerous visits that she has practiced enough self-control to not have jumped into this fountain

it was very warm..I think you can tell by their faces

She has also discovered the photo booth application on my computer

It's the Little Things

2011-03-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

In case you were ever wondering what Holly looks like after an overnight flight, Mike has afforded you this viewing opportunity.

5:00 Am at the airport in Chicago is not as exciting as it might seem. But nothing Visine and Starbucks can't fix temporarily.

The Benihana Belated Birthday

2011-03-27T20:37:00.000-07:00

We had a belated birthday celebration for Elise at the Japanese steakhouse Benihana. The epitome of cheesy entertainment-the perfect order for a five year old with her grandparents in town. Pop-pop and Noni are here for a week to visit with the kids and suffer their shenanigans in LA while we travel to Iowa to find a new house. Hopefully they won't torment them too much...

Monsoon

2011-03-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

Love the weather in Southern California. The amount of rain we had over the weekend was preposterous. How adventurous of Mike to take the children on a walk in the pouring rain while I stayed indoors by the fire relaxing and reading Architectural Digest. I haven't decided if AD is snobbier than Harper's but I definitely felt like a jerk after reading them.

jolies fleurs

2011-03-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

It may sound ridonkulous, but I heart ranunculus

Our Humanitarian

2011-03-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

We were discussing the earthquake and tsunami in Japan over dinner last night and Elise was becoming increasingly concerned for our well being.

"Is that going to happen to us?"

"maybe. but hopefully not." (I'm a little too honest sometimes)

She then said "we don't need to worry-we'll be safe in Iowa." A reminder that there is very little going on other than the occasional tornado and river flooding-we will still be west of the Mississippi.

Yesterday Elise's class had a bake sale to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund to help save endangered animals. This sparked a total humanitarian effort on her part and she became thirsty for more causes. She displayed very strong emotion for the events in Japan and began collecting everything she owns to send overseas. Much like the scene in Clueless when Cher donates her skis and caviar to the Pismo Beach Disaster fund, Elise scoured our home looking for any item she deemed worthy of donation. Much to my surprise this included a half full bag of pine nuts and some wilted spinach.

It became evident after some time that these things just wouldn't cut it-wilted spinach didn't seem as appetizing after an hour or so. She came up with a new plan:

"Let's just send them all our money and wine."

To which Mike replied: "that's a great idea-two of mommy's favorite things." :-/

and the next stop is...

2011-03-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

Iowa! Yes, it's official. In June we will be trading in the city life for the country life. We have not committed to buying a farm although it is not out of the realm of possibilities as we have not embarked on our home buying trip just yet. Mike will be working at University of Iowa (Iowa City) and we will be living close by. Goodbye traffic, goodbye congestion (in all forms), goodbye nice weather, goodbye ocean. Hello big yard, big house, garden, stars at night, sound of birds chirping..you get the picture. We are very excited:-)

A+ Personality

2011-03-05T19:27:00.000-08:00

What I lack in height/weight (20%), I make up for in personality and cuteness. I am one social, lovable guy. My gregarious personality wins me the affections of ladies near and far. And, of course, mom just loves my twinkly blue eyes..who can resist blue eyes?

Tangled up in blue balloons

2011-03-04T16:28:00.000-08:00

and cake and paint...anything blue, really. Elise celebrated her fifth birthday this past Sunday. She had a special visit from her Auntie Jessica, a trip to Legoland and a robin's egg blue cake.

The birthday girl in her silly hat from Grandma

Auntie Jess sporting the hat (sorry Jess)

"If you think I'm waiting until I'm one to get cake you are sadly mistaken." He got some but didn't eat it...

Balloons galore! They are seriously her favorite thing ever
Poor kids..mom is much more artistic with pies

A gift from her grandparents. WOW. Her very own bouncy house
Elise is always in "a blue/green period"
**to give credit where credit is due (or not due in this case) Mike "decorated" the cake. I only baked the layers and made and applied the frosting.

Almost 5!

2011-02-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

We celebrated with Elise's class today. As usual, mom brought in robin's egg blue cupcakes-her favorite color. She is very excited to have her Auntie Jessica in town this weekend! Legoland here we come (again)!

Crush

2011-02-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

Just what this week did. Crush. I searched in my head for a title. Perhaps Holly and the Awful, No Good, Terrible Valentine's Day, Mal-entine's Day, Hey this week was Sh*tastic! I waited to write anything because I knew I was being self-indulgent and maudlin. It got better...

I love Valentine's Day. I know it's a silly holiday and most people I know don't make a big deal out of it. Especially when you are married and have kids. It's such a sweet and happy holiday if you look past all of the usual commercial proclamations of love including gifts, flowers, dinner, etc. Mostly I just love hearts. And pink.

Mike left last Sunday for a work trip so I have been a single parent. On this particular holiday I managed to set off my house alarm, deal with a bloody nose (Elise's), soothe a sick (again) baby, almost get hit by a car and almost hit a pedestrian all while having an epic migraine headache. And get flipped off twice. I curled up into a pile of mush, stared at the roses Mike sent before he left and cried my day away. I actually didn't cry...I drank some wine and read a book. (And note all of the almosts!)

The week ended on a nicer note. I managed to get in some yoga and running every day, download new Radiohead and read two books. Mike will return Saturday and I will greet him with a smile on my face and two living, happy children.

yum

2011-02-11T18:34:00.001-08:00

hi.

one unenthusiastic thumb up

2011-02-09T23:05:00.000-08:00

Box O'fun

2011-02-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that these children have more toys than they could possibly know what to do with, this is how they decided to spend their afternoon...perhaps it is BECAUSE they have too many toys. I'm positive I will get slammed for comparing them to animals but they really do remind me of dogs who get "into things" like the garbage, groceries, your garden...etc.

Ophiuchus

2011-01-30T19:47:00.000-08:00

What? Yeah, that's what I said when I saw my "new" astrological sign. Are you kidding me? I may or may not have the flexibility to choose between my beloved Sagittarius and this new one depending on what chart you look at. I feel so broken. I know star signs are hokey but I have always felt warm and fuzzy knowing I was Sagittarius. Half man/half horse. Not a caduceus. This changes everything...my work/friendship/love compatibility. I feel like a polka-dotted zebra.

nine month Max

2011-01-29T14:46:00.000-08:00

I love music, mommy and birds

I don't like baby food, strollers or being alone

I have beautiful strawberry blonde hair, twinkly blue eyes and I'm a fast crawler starting to pull up. My mommy tried to upload a video of me playing this piano but she lacks the adequate skills needed to perform this task and is still working on it. So for now...

Summer in the winter

2011-01-28T07:51:00.000-08:00

We have been enjoying the gorgeous 75 degree weather for the last few weeks. Posts have been few and far between but we've been busy with life. We know we are moving in June (somewhere with lots and lots of snow) and when we figure out the details we will update.

Bam Bam!

2011-01-01T18:54:00.001-08:00

Max has started going by his new name, Bamm Bamm. Much like the lovable Bamm Bamm Rubble from the Flintstones, Max "bams" with incredible strength anything in his path and this includes his own body. And we think he looks like him too. He recently celebrated his eighth month mark and is now crawling and causing mayhem for mom and dad.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T19:51:00.001-08:00

Lecturing her about alcohol at the ripe old age of four. Don't worry-it's just apple juice. But she did try caviar for the first time tonight. Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-21T20:55:00.001-08:00

The Dr and the Mrs finally returned from their third and (hopefully final) tour of the USA. All part of their quest to find a job and place to live next year. The children stayed with Grandma and had a great, if not rainy, visit. Mommy missed her babies terribly but met some delightful people on the trip. It's been a hectic few weeks and it feels very nice to sit and relax and drink some wine and listen to Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey...

Nutcracker

2010-12-05T21:39:00.000-08:00

Elise's dance of the sugar plum fairy

I took her to see the Nutcracker. Her maiden voyage. It was some quality mother/daughter time. This ballet has been my favorite since a very young age. It was always so special to see it near my birthday and of course, Christmas. One of my favorite memories is going to see the Boston Ballet's performance with my sisters and my mom. I was hoping to start a tradition with Elise. Judging from her reaction today, that won't be very difficult. She adored every minute of it from the March to the Grand pas de deux.

Thinking back...

2010-11-27T17:03:00.001-08:00

Elise's first Christmas and her famous face:

Ice!

2010-11-14T21:42:00.000-08:00

There is nothing quite like ice skating in 73 degree weather in Santa Monica...

Random pictures

2010-11-10T10:38:00.000-08:00

Pop-pop and Noni came to visit and we had a great time! They took lots of pictures of the kids and it still confounds me as to how I ended up with these blonde kids(?)

We are squinting from the sun in this picture taken at the Getty Museum. If you are ever in LA please visit this beautiful museum-it's a gem on top of the mountain. Proof that there are actually four Froehlers in our family:

Max stills bears a resemblance to George W. but we are hoping this fades with time...

Halloween

2010-11-10T10:33:00.001-08:00

2 pirates, an angel and a monarch butterfly...fun was had by all

Good mood gig!

2010-10-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

We need your help to elect our beloved nanny Anna as the Good Mood Blogger...I know many of you do not know who she is but she is perfect for the job. Those of you who do know her would agree-I'm sure:-) She is the ultimate "glass is half full" person...

She needs your vote-you can add to her votes by going to this website:

http://www.sam-e.com/job/entries/96

Brace yourself!

2010-09-25T18:31:00.001-07:00

good knee/bad knee

I have been wondering how long it would take to get some sort of knee injury and the answer is 33 years. "Somehow" I managed to hurt my knee (read: a precarious maneuver called "the mommy train" which involves Max in the front carrier, Elise on my back and some weird tribal dance) I have spent the better part of the weekend with my knee elevated and iced. It really sucks because I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with it but it HURTS and there is swelling that has gradually worsened especially since going to dinner with Mike in 4 inch heels. I am waiting it out to see if ibuprofen and ice do the trick, otherwise I need to see an orthopedist next week:-(

Culinary success

2010-09-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

Well, the success wasn't wholly in the beautifully executed rice cereal + milk dish but the fact that Max ate it faster than we could shovel it into his mouth. Guess he was ready for solids. It's not too surprising as he has been growing like a weed. He was only 6.3 lbs when he was born and quite a bit on the small side until the last month or so when he had a huge growth spurt. He will be 5 months old in a few days and he is in the middle of the curve for everything except smarts (of course he's in the top % for that-at least according to his mom and dad;-)

Action!

The Hangover Baby

2010-09-18T19:22:00.001-07:00

all he's missing is the hat...

happy face

2010-09-02T16:41:00.001-07:00

This is the face I have when I wake mommy 10 times during the night. It's a good thing because she does not enjoy it! I'm devilish...

If I had a nickel for every hair..

2010-08-29T17:15:00.001-07:00

that has fallen out of my head...I am one of those unfortunate souls who suffers postpartum hair loss in a "big" way. Always occurs around 3-4 months after the baby arrives and continues through about month 6. I have a pretty thick mane so it doesn't leave me with bald spots but it does create a funny texture only an 80's hairdresser could love. I naturally have very curly hair but it has recently become very fine and wispy creating more frizz. This leaves me looking less Christine from Phantom and more Grizabella from Cats...

Not much new here-we had a visit from Grandma, Elise has a few weeks off until school starts, Max is still cute as a button (and that's a good thing because he has a temper) and we have a family trip to Dallas and the SF Bay area planned to explore job possibilities for Mike next year.

Hope everyone is well!

Don't disturb my work

2010-08-17T17:40:00.001-07:00

Elise's latest work

2010-08-17T17:29:00.001-07:00

Accomplished without help and completely spontaneous...

In honor of daddy

2010-08-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Dad!

New England comes to town

2010-08-04T17:36:00.000-07:00

Can you guess my family was here? Thanks, Auntie Donna:-)

off to camp!

2010-08-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

Don't worry-it's just day camp for the month of August! No overnights til' she's older:-)

It's 5 o'clock somewhere!

2010-07-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

This might bee my favorite thing ever...

my beehive 2003:

my madmen persona:

http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself/

I may have to bring back the beehive again.

Looking forward to family visiting next week!!

A picture worth 1,000 words

2010-07-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

There is a lot going on in this picture but the funniest and perhaps saddest element is the dejected look on Elise's face...the dethroned princess.

Happy Fourth!

2010-07-04T21:38:00.001-07:00

from our backyard to yours...

Happy 2 months!

2010-06-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

Max is two months old today..he is a happy and sweet boy:-)

Giving mom the stink eye:
sleeping peacefully in mom's arms:

Mike took this picture as he was exiting the grocery store..hilarious:

we can't forget about Elise..lounging at Bed Bath & Beyond. She dressed herself. Clearly she doesn't take after me:

Happy Summer:-)

2010-06-20T16:57:00.001-07:00

What is it...

2010-06-18T21:43:00.001-07:00

about San Francisco that makes me equally intrigued and repelled? It's the only city I have ever spent a significant amount of time in where I can say I still feel divided. We will see where we end up next year;-)

Beach boy

2010-06-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

Max's third trip to the beach...he absolutely loves it. Of course I have him sheltered in a portable bassinet but he loves the sound of the waves and feel of the breeze on his face.

How tired can someone be?

2010-06-12T13:00:00.001-07:00

blackmail photo for when he's older:

baby acne + pink blanket

The are many levels of tired. I'm not sure which level hallucinating and speaking in tongues are on but I'm at that one. Mike is more seasoned in sleep deprivation and perhaps has better coping skills. I'm spoiled and need my rest. I'm not getting it.

Thankfully we have hired our regular babysitter as our part time nanny. Yes, I caved when I found out Mike would be traveling to Dallas to ~~find out who shot JR~~ talk about brain aneurysms for a few days. It has been wonderful having her help during the week with the kids so I can have one-on-one time with each of them and most importantly, nap.

Max had one blissful night where he slept 5 hours, woke to eat and then slept another 4. That got us through a few days but he has since returned to the usual waking every 1-2 hours and keeping us awake with his "baby noises" while he sleeps. He is gaining weight like a champ-birth weight was 6 lb, 3 oz and he is now about 10 and 1/2 lbs!

The music never stopped...

2010-06-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite memories of our wedding was drinking champagne straight from the bottle and dancing to that Dead song. Maybe I'll do that tonight;-)

Happy Anniversary to my best guy over the age of 6 weeks!

Max

2010-05-24T19:12:00.001-07:00

This is me the last 4 weeks. I like to eat, poop, sleep and cry. Most of all I like to sleep up against my mommy in the Baby Bjorn all day:-)

In case,,

2010-05-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

anyone was ever wondering "is it harder with two kids?"

The answer is: exponentially. It really is twice as much work. This last week has completely kicked my @ss. There is a reason I forgot what a newborn baby crying sounds like. It's because it's a noise that should have stayed buried away deep in my distant memory. sigh.

When things settle down or become somewhat more tolerable in this household I will post updated pictures of Max. Until then, everyone who reads this should have a nice long sleep dedicated to Holly.

Baby Max

2010-05-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

Our Maxwell was born April 28th 2010. He was 6.3 lbs. He is doing great! We just love him so much and can already see he is such a sweet little boy.

Elise is so excited to be a big sister and calls him "my baby Max"

Lots of Love from Mike, Holly, Elise & Max

and now we wait

2010-04-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

Days preceding delivery can be very frustrating. For me, it's mostly because of how crumby I feel. I am excited to meet our new little person but I realize there will be twice as much work when he's here. I would love to enjoy these lasts days/weeks by relaxing and resting but it's difficult to do when you can't sleep and every contraction has me biting my lip. We thought we might be welcoming our new one a few days ago (a bit early for my typical timeline) but it was just a tease. I powered through the false labor contractions at home and did not have to experience "the walk of shame" as my sister calls it-getting to the hospital ready for show time only to be sent home, tail between your legs.

As I am just over 37 weeks, I am ok with getting it over with or waiting for a little bit-hopefully not too long. Like I have heard and said before: unlike a good steak, better the kid be well-done than medium-rare. I guess I'll go wash newborn clothes for the third time...

Almost there

2010-04-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

I can't really breathe, eat or sleep anymore but I still manage to feel pretty good. I have definitely entered the nesting phase and have been scurrying around trying to get things in order. It has been particularly cleansing to purge items we can no longer use-such as girl clothing and bedding. It was a sentimental journey but I have found happy homes for all these things! I wish I could say "only a week or two left" as I think wistfully of my friends who have delivered their babies around the 37-38 week mark. If he's anything like Elise I'm looking at another month...

Cosmic Girl

2010-04-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

Elise has been very interested in all things space for the last few months. We are dangerously close to using the word obsessed. She, along with mom and dad's help, finished this model solar system we gave her for her birthday. We were so proud of her as she really did do most of the work and was so patient and determined to make it look "fantastic" (the word she used). She frequently corrects mom when it comes to phases of the moon: "No mom. That's not a crescent, it's a waxing gibbous." Yes, we can thank her dad for that one...

She frequently talks about what she would like to be when she grows up. Currently she maintains she would like to be an astronaut or a superhero. When Mike was in the third grade he wrote a very thoughtful essay (which we are in possession of) on that same topic. He then aspired to be a doctor or a scientist. How about both? Amazing. That surely is following your dreams. Around the same age I said I wanted to be an actress or a model and move to France. (?) I'm still slightly embarrassed about that and hope our daughter follows in her dad's footsteps as far as that is concerned.

Who wouldn't want Elise the superhero saving our planet?

Elise's Dictionary

2010-04-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

"It snapped me up!"

translation: it scared me; took me by surprise

New Rant

2010-04-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

sorry, these rants are the result of a cranky pregnant lady. I can't promise I'll stop when the baby gets here, but I will try.

Ok, my problem today: If you are vegetarian and feel SO strongly about not eating meat (especially for moral reasons) then why are you eating a veggie hot dog? That seems silly to me that someone would deliberately try to eat something that so closely resembles meat. Doesn't that still gross you out? How about veggie chicken nuggets? Come on, just eat something else-you are not fooling anyone...