3 Word Sunday, Next Edition

Tuesday is my DH's 35th birthday. Yeah, I know, I'm jealous too, I wish I were 35 again! In this Hoppe household, birthdays aren't only one day...we celebrate the whole weekend before and sometimes after as well!

Kelsey is a little confused because she doesn't realize that adults have birthdays too. I think she thinks that only kids have birthdays. We went to a Chinese restaurant last night and she was so freaked out when another table was celebrating someone's birthday too! I think we're going to take it easy on the restaurants for a while...she's not on her best behavior at them yet.

Now for a special private message to my better half :) Honey, happy birthday! I love you and wish you could be home more often...your girls miss you! You are a wonderful Father and great Husband...sure you could help out around the house more...but you are always here for us. And unselfish with your time, energy and stuff! We have the best time giggling, just hanging out just the 3 of us!

When I read (and hear) tales of men spending entire weekends golfing or fishing or hanging out with their friends to the detriment of their wives and children, I just am very grateful that we do not have that kind of relationship! It is wonderful to share my life with someone that holds the same values that I do...I love you and our life together with our wonderful girl (you two are playing inside while I type this...)

p.s. not to mention that I still find you as cute and adorable as the first time we met! ;)
Love,
The Missus

"Deep" Thoughts (not really!)

Kelsey's imaginary world is a delight for Kurt and me. We have a lot of fun living in the stories she creates for us to play in. She adores her stuffed animals and calls herself "Mommy" and calls me "Grandma." She'll slip into my shoes or a ring or take my glasses and say "I Mommy" and then I say "what does Mommy do?" and she'll say "wash dishes."

She has a fascination with her feet, which we call "footy and sister" and will talk in high pitched baby voices for them...it's really cute to watch. All her dolls talk, including Daddy's "guys" (his soldier toys)

Also, she loves playing Sleeping "Booty" with her Daddy as the Prince. Every night she pretends to sleep and he kisses her awake. Then they play Cinderella and Prince and dance...it is incredibly sweet to watch. She'll then tell me that I am the witch!

Tonight we were talking on the driveway with our next door neighbor. Jesse is a Grandma and a very sweet lady. She told me tonight that Monday night Kurt and Kelsey were on the driveway and Kurt told Kelsey they had to cook dinner for me and Kelsey said "I love my Mommy and she loves ME!" I was so touched by this! I was also miffed that Kurt heard this and didn't tell me. (I think he was a little envious!)

I decided to bite the bullet and get a Blackberry Curve. I wanted one at Cendant and was entitled to it as a Director, but they froze that perk before I was promoted and so I never got one. It was recently suggested to me that I get one and my new co has a nice technology perk that will cover the cost...so I'm getting it tomorrow evening...in racy red! :)

Kurt's birthday is next Tuesday and he won't be here (BOO!) Kelsey and I are going to shop for his present tomorrow and then we'll make a cake and get some balloons. We're hoping for a really fun weekend (and some gardening and powerwashing too!)

It's almost Mother's Day (my 3rd!) while I never "need" anything besides my darling girl and her Daddy...there are lots of things I'd love to have (hint for DH!)

Amazing Grace perfume
A few Pandora Charms for my bracelet
Plants for the garden (lavender, buddlea)
A cool new handbag

I know...I'm greedy...but sometimes a girl needs a few "pretties, " right? ;)

Look What I Got to Do Today!

Today is Earth Day...A Very Important Day for the LEAGUE

I had the privledge to lead the team and organize the 2nd annual Beautiful Newark event for my non-profit.

80 schools participated and 45,000 kids plus thousands of volunteers left schools and jobs and helped clean up the city of Newark today.

We got kudos and tons of press for this...but this was the best part :)

The KIDS! OMG!!! They are amazing....it makes everyone tear up to see them come into the scene dancing with glee and just delighting in the warm spring day...but they are proud of their city and the role they have to help shape the future.

And I am so proud to be able to be a small part of this very important thing we are doing...changing the world.

3 Word Sunday

Hi All,
No fancy photos or photoshopped words today. I'm not feeling all that well and it's really stressing me out. I have major good work things going on this week and I CANNOT BE SICK!

So, my 3 words are:
Get Better NOW!

Kelsey is great, yesterday we went to the park to play (it was nice and warm out) and we flew her Dora kite for the first time...in fact, she was able to do some of it herself (no photos, sorry!)

Her vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds...most of it great (like awesome!) and some not so good...we've had a few time outs because she's called me stupid. (yes, she learned it from me...but it's better than some of things I could say when I drive!)

Anyway, this is a quick post...keep some good thoughts because I feel awful (stomach thing came on me FAST tonight!)

3 Word Sunday Next Edition

Well, in stark contrast to last weekend, this weekend was amazingly wonderful! Kelsey's orphanage sister, Emily had her 3rd birthday today and we went to Long Island NY on Sat to celebrate "Brick Style!" Birthday Girl Emily, Kelsey and about 20 other kidlets, ate pizza, cupcakes, sang, danced and played with tons of fun toys at a cool kiddie center. I think the highlight for Kelsey was the Princess Theme and the Pinata...Kelsey calmly and cooly collected a ton of candy while the other kids were running around yelling and hunting for goodies.

We had a smashing time and were invited back to Casa Brick to continue the celebration. Everyone in Mama Vicky's circle is so friendly. I was so excited to see her Mom, Marilyn, again. We traveled to China with Vicky and Marilyn so the bonds we have are extremely sentimental and powerful. Everyone got a kick out of our carrot and dip munching cutie, who also helped herself to much watermelon as well.

We had a peaceful ride home and this morning Kelsey woke up and told me she wanted to "go to Em's party again!"

Today, we were naughty and skipped church (again!) Kurt and Kelsey went food shopping while Mommy stayed outside and did some garden bed clean-up. I've been chomping at the bit to get out in our gardens....it's spring and that's what I loooooove to do!

I got pretty far in what I needed to do (however, I've merely scratched the surface of the whole grounds...funny, since our property is so small, our gardens are plentiful!) Kelsey and Kurt came home and Kelsey rode her little cars around our driveway while I took a break...she also played on her slide, in her sandbox and in her Little Tykes house. We had a lot of fun and then we had lunch and took a long, luxurious nap!

Hope your weekend was great!
If you want to check out Emily's party, look here at http://emilybrick.blogspot.com

3 Words....

Well, here's where the snarky rubber meets the road, literally.
At 8:30am, we were disturbed by a loud BANG! right outside. We live on a fairly busy corner with stop signs and there is always a moron running them.

However, this morning, one of those morons ran up our front lawn onto our front walkway...and through my beautiful daylilies. And left another car smashed to smithereens in the street...

First time in almost 8 years living here.

Well, I opened my window and said is anyone hurt? All I got back was Spanish. We called the police and reported the accident and then I yelled to the man tromping around my front lawn...get your car OFF my lawn!

Kelsey was in toddler heaven because we had police cars, an ambulance AND 2 fire trucks all parked in front of our house for well over an hour. It seems the driver parked on our lawn had to be removed with the jaws of life and taken away by ambulance. She kept running to the window saying "I'll help you!" So sweet and lovely and naive.

Okay, here's the snark...these people (NOT the professionals, they were wonderful, quick acting and caused little damage)tromped all over our lawn for over 2 hours. Didn't apologize once for ruining our plants, outdoor lighting, front sidewalk was crakced or our morning. Of course no one said boo to us, the INNOCENT people in this....clearly for someone to have jumped the curb and gotten halfup our lawn they have had to be going FAST! The other car was absolutely totaled.

I went out to speak to the police officer directing traffic and asked when they'd be moving the car off my lawn...he was short with me. Then I asked when the police report would be ready and he said Tuesday. Then I asked if these people had insurance and he said he couldn't tell me...which of course meant no.

Then, I went back into my house, fuming. Guess who has zero recourse for any claims? Us...the INNOCENT victims in this! Plus, I couldn't EVEN make these people tramping around my front lawn (by that time, the man had called in re-inforcements and they were ALL hanging out in my yard!) stand on the sidewalk because no one spoke English!

I spend quite a bit of time in my gardens in the spring, and all my beds need a good spruce-up. Normally, I'm out early in the am in the spring, so I guess I'm lucky that I'm still not feeling well AND it was cold out this morning and I didn't feel like gardening today..that stupid woman would have mowed me down too.

Snarky me is going down to the police station on Wed to read the accident report. When I find out what I think I'm going to find out, I'm going to make a few phone calls to ensure that MY rights don't get trampled again...

Hear me, rotten drivers of the world...if you are going to wreck MY property on any given Sunday morning...make sure you are:
1) legally in this country
2) insured to the max
3) speak enough English to apologize for ruining our front lawn.
4) Get the hell off when asked nicely.

Because when the government lets the illegal unisured off the hook, tax payers like me pay the price in higher taxes, more expensive insurance, higher medical bills....this is a big problem in my part of NJ....and today the problem literally almost came through my front door to say "howdy, thanks for letting us trample all over your lives!"

Nope, not gonna happen....

Edited to add....by the way, I'm not a heartless biatch. The first questions out of my mouth was "anyone hurt?" and we checked it out...the woman was taken away by ambulance because she was hysterically crying...not because she was hurt. And the way her SUV was hit, she wasn't hurt by the car, she was shaken up by the ride she took up my front lawn. Plus, she knows she's in trouble because when you have an accident with no insurance in NJ...well, it's not good. If someone had been hurt, this post wouldn't have not been written....

Bronchitis...BAD!

I've had Bronchitis since Saturday. Luckily I went to the Dr. and he gave me some powerful antibiotics to break this thing...they are working beautifully.

I can't believe I got so sick so fast...I literally had a fever of over 100.5 for days and it only broke for a short time on Saturday. It's been up to 101.7. I never get this sick!

I've taken 2 days off...working from home to do as much as humanly possible...but I just couldn't take the drive to work and sitting up all day. I literally haven't left my bed since Friday evening.

Ugh...freakin' bronchitis! Thank goodness I'm on the mend. Now let's hope my clingy little girl doesn't get it!