Froggie Hide and Seek.

A few years ago, after an overnight visit from my sister’s children, we found a little plastic green frog left behind.  Usually we would just create a little pile of things that were left behind to give to her next time we got together.  For whatever odd reason, however, this time we kept the frog and a game began.  I wish I could remember the way it all started but I can pretty much guess it was Chardonnay induced. 

Anyhow we began taking turns hiding the little frog in either the kitchen or attached family room.  The rules were that it had to be in one of those two rooms only, and always in plain sight.  You just wouldn’t believe how entertaining this turned out to be.  Sometimes it would take you days to find it, only to be sitting on the couch one night, your eyes drift somewhere and BAM, there it is, gracefully perched on the leaf of a plant.

When our 18 year old niece moved in with us, during her first year of college, she even joined in.  This upped the fun crazily, as it added a third person’s ideas on where to hide it.  Every time her boyfriend came to visit he would walk straight to the kitchen and try to find it immediately.  These are all grown people enjoying finding a little plastic frog.  

The next time my little 3 year old niece came to stay she spotted the frog and asked to play with it.  Um, eh, that frog?  That frog that Uncle Kyle and I are having endless hours of entertainment hiding from each other?  Can you believe how hard it was for me to let her play with this little frog?  I watched her like a hawk, fearing she’d put it somewhere and we’d never find it again.  You’d think I was letting her hold my wedding ring or something.  God no, don’t let her lose our little frog!!   I finally distracted her with a Barbie and took the frog and put it in my pocket.  Immature yes, but hey, I realize my insanity.

The kicker occurred when we went on a cruise last year.  At the last minute I decided to grab the frog and threw him in my purse.  At one point, in our cabin, I set it out on one of the ledges and waited.  Later that night I was in the bathroom, getting ready, and I heard Kyle laugh out loud and yell to me that he found it.  It makes me smile to even think about it.  It’s lucky when you find something so simple in life that can entertain you so much. 

I’ve included a picture of the frog, so you can see how cute and small it is, along with one of my more clever hiding places.

And I do know what a lot of you are thinking.  Damn these people need an Xbox.

  

Here's to good friends..

Kyle and I had a four day weekend this past week and had a wonderful time together.  We stayed in our pajamas all day on Thursday and just lounged around and watched random stuff on TV.  Friday we went out to lunch and to the new Denzel Washington movie, it was amazing, by the way and then came home and made a nice dinner together.  It was a much needed break from the crazy hustle of our work lately.

We are also extremely blessed to live in a neighborhood where we have amazing neighbors.  As you are aware, we are not afraid to party, and we are so happy to be surrounded by fun people with the same interests.  Booze, laughs and stories.  Sunday afternoon one of our favorite couples hosted everyone to a football party, complete with tons of good food and many, many bottles of wine.  Our group  is made up of 7 or so couples, ranging in all ages and professions.  We have everything from a Detective to a Rocket Scientist, no I'm not kidding, to a Store Clerk, etc.   It makes for some really different points of view and stories.

We stayed until we had as much food as we could eat, and a nice little buzz, and came home to lounge on the couch for the remainder of the evening and go to bed early.  Whenever we start to feel down about our inability to have children we think back to nights and days like this and realize we have it pretty good.
I mean, yes, it would be nice to be awakened in the middle of the night to crying babies, or to never make it through an entire TV show uninterrupted but for now, we'll settle for the fun of wine, good friends, and relaxing time together. 

If at first I don't succeed.... Botox

Ok, so I’ve said before that I don’t mind getting wrinkles because they are all from the smiles I’ve had over the years.  I have to admit that my stance has changed on that.  My new stance is, TO HELL WITH THAT!  I have started noticing more and more lines under my eyes and I’ve become obsessed.  I’ve been trying all kinds of different products but haven’t found the miracle cure just yet.  I obsess over it.  Every night when I get home from work I begin my ritual.  I wash off my eye make-up and begin applying eye wrinkle cream every time I get off the couch, ALL NIGHT LONG. 

I was complaining to my friend Jodi about it and she turned me on to a product she’s used in the past called StriVectin, which runs at about $60 for a little 1 oz. tube.  Of course I ran right out and bought it, and have been using it for 2 weeks now.  This product, originally, was formulated to remove stretch marks and such.  Naturally I thought to myself, Hey, if this product is good enough to remove stretch marks from women’s asses and stomachs it’s good enough for my sensitive under eye area.

After recovering from the shock of how much I was willing to spend on a little tube of eye cream, my poor husband just rolls his eyes.  I have read that a healthy diet and less alcohol consumption are a very good idea as well.  I’ve considered this, but let’s not get crazy here.  I mean, there are professionals out there with needles full of Botox and peels and such who need to make a living. 

As I’m sure you are all just dying to find out if it works and if I am transformed back to younger looking Kim, don’t worry your pretty little heads.  Updates will be forthcoming.

Movie Sequels That Never Were.

Have you ever thought about the really classic movies that would have rocked in a sequel?  I have.  For an example, Sixteen Candles.  How great would it be to find out whatever happened the next day after Jake Ryan picked Samantha up outside her sister's wedding, leaning all sexy against his Porche, and then kissing her over a birthday cake, candles ablaze?  Did they go upstairs and romp it out?  Did her puffy taffeta bridesmaid dress instantly ignite while she leaned over the cake for her first kiss, causing her to jump off the table, trashing the cake and managing to catch the curtains on fire while running for water to put herself out?

And what about the little geek she gave her panties to that ended up driving the prom queen home in Jake's dad's Rolls Royce?  We know they already did the deed.  Did they end up dating in a 'Can't Buy Me Love' type fashion, so he could end up the newest most popular guy in school?  Come on, admit it.  These stories are screaming to be told.

As long as we're talking Molly Ringwald, let's have another one.  The Breakfast Club.  It is by far one of the most famous and timelessly relatable movies I've ever seen.  Wouldn't you like to know what happens on Monday?  Do the jock and basket case really hook up?  Do the princess and the criminal start an illicit affair or does she slip him a secret note asking for her diamond earring back?  This sequel screams box office hit.

You might be thinking "Who's mind works this way?  Who has the bandwidth in their brain to take time for these sort of thoughts?"  Maybe I'm the world's biggest dork thinking these things.  But hey, someone has to be.  And yes, my husband is a saint.

Just because I can.

My sister, who will remain nameless, and I are best girl friends.  We are very close in age but just complete opposites.  I am loud and outgoing, never a doubt if I'm in a room, while she is quiet and reserved.  She is a very private person and the thought of the grocery store knowing what she buys via the swipe of her value card is enough to make her uncomfortable, let alone the thought that I might actually mention her name on my blog.  Yes, that is right.  I'm all out there with my picture and my life, well the parts I want to share with you, to read (Quick shout out to all my Russian readers) and she just shudders at the thought.

When I first started writing it, and told her about it, she rolled her eyes and thought it was just silly.  I couldn't get her to read it to save my life even though all my readers that do know her, told her how amusing it was.

Having established this, we were at the salon together on Saturday chatting and getting our hair done.  Our quick talk about my blog went like this:

My Sissy:  Yeah, I read your blog on Smart Cars and now I just can't read anymore. 

Me:  What?  Why?

Sissy:  You typed "If your stupid Smart Car is broken down on the side of the road don't even ask me to help you."

Me:  Yes, I did, and?

Sissy:  Head shaking, eye rolling sigh.  You are a freak.

Me:  Look, everyone else finds me funny so if you don't read my blog, I'll write about you including your name and a giant picture.

Sissy:  You do and I'll shut your shit down...I know how and don't think I won't do it.

Chills people, that little sweet sister of mine can be a little scary.

And, it's always scarier when the 'quiet ones' deliver a Soprano style threat.  Needless to say I'll be calling her Wilma or Sissy from here on out.  And if there ever is a picture of her on here, or her name mentioned, I hope you read it fast because something tells me, she would find a way to 'shut my shit down' quickly.