Friday's Stream Of Consciousness

Today is a big day.... we're putting down a non-refundable deposit on our land/house and signing a contract. Let the "building" begin! We break ground (or ground breaks open and swallows us whole) next month! It will be a journey. Prayers please.

I attended my brother-in-law's engagement party recently which was way fun. Mostly because though I had the kids there, we were surrounded by family so I didn't have to watch them like a hawk... or at all, really. In fact, I kinda forgot they existed. Thank God for this childless, young, pretty little thing who was the friend of the bride-to-be. This girl randomly took it upon herself to play Simon Sez and have little 'contests' with the children most of the time. Clearly, a seasoned parent would NOT have been interested in that type of entertainment. We're more interested in running and hiding. The seasoned parents were out socializing and getting tipsy at 2:00 in the afternoon.

It was a wine and dessert party. Um, HELLLO! How ingenious is that? Chocolate, wine, flan, wine, cannolis, and more wine. Oh, but the best part was that people were going on and on about my 'shiny hair.' Apparently, my hair is looking very shiny lately. Must be that flat iron. And kid spit. And infrequent showering. That's the secret.

Apparently my shiny hair makes me look younger, according to my 9 year old niece, ZoDo. I am the oldest of 4; my sister is 2 years my junior. ZoDo is my sister's child. ZoDo is my favorite niece right now (not that I officially have favorites by the way) because she is outspoken about ME looking YOUNGER than my sister. Of course, I am sorry for the dig on my sister, as she certainly looks young, but according to a 9 year old I look YOUNGER. Her rationale is: Aunt Alicia dresses younger, wears cool jeans, and has really shiny hair. Translation: If you have long hair and dress like you're a 20-something skate rat when you could really be the mother of said 20-something skate rat, you are "in" with the elementary school crowd. Oh, and it helps if you flat iron your hair. Apparently that is the key. It makes me ageless... I'm like Delilah. Although, I have no idea what that story is about... isn't there hair involved or something? Perhaps I'm more like Rapunzel, minus the tower.

Out of pure necessity I'm eating peanut butter on a pumpernickel bagel right now. Kinda odd. But, it works.

Oh, and CB busted out with a WORD out of nowhere. We were all out at a pizzaria and she ate a slice of pizza (which is highly unusual in and of itself). Upon finishing she shouts out clear as day "Piiiii-zzzzzaaaaaaa!" I mean, this is a girl who says only a handful of word approximations who just randomly yells out "Pizza!" one day. Will wonders ever cease? That was awesome.

Then, she bit the babysitter 3 hours later.