83rd Academy Awards

Guliana: "Welcome back to the 83rd Academy Awards where we are live from the Red Carpet. I'm Guliana Ranic here with Kelly Osbourne and we are bringing you all the fashion and all the glam on this extraordinary night. I think I see Maison Maslow making her way down the carpet. She is escorted by her mother and father."

Kelly: "Tonight all the major stars seem to be wearing red so it's nice to see an off-white patterned dress. Most stars shy away from patterns at this event, but she's young and the pattern looks really hip and fresh on her."

Guliana: "Maison is rather excited as she spots Brad Pitt across the carpet. I love seeing the young stars reactions when they spot a childhood favorite celeb or someone they are in awe of. It's obvious her mother is having to hold her back."

Last night was my parents annual Oscar party. I've completely lost my touch. I have NEVER finished behind second place and last night I finished last. Yes, last as in behind my grandmother. Last as in not only did I not see one single Oscar nominated movie this year I also didn't read any of the Oscar hype on who would win. Adam decided to go with the Vegas poll. If I'm not mistaken he finished third. Urrgghhh, not a good year. Congrats to my mom who won the pot!

Is it Mardi Gras already?

Apparently Mardi Gras starts a little early at our house. And why not when it actually falls on Daddy's birthday on March 8???

Don't worry, I'll share...I'll just take the pretty one for myself and let you have the plain blue one.

Happy Mardi Gras 2 weeks early!

Sweet 16

Since today is President's Day, Adam had the day off (lucky bank employee!) and I decided to take a day of vacay so that we could spend some time with Maison and run some errands we had been putting off. We started the day with a trip to the Thumb to get Starbuck's and while we were there Maison insisted on getting a Dora Happy Birthday balloon.

We then headed to the park to enjoy the beautiful weather we were having...

Even though we are at the park I'm ready for breakfast....do I want Chex or Puffins?

Most 16 year olds get a car for their birthday but since Maison had already gotten a "car" for her 12 month birthday and she had been too sick or it had been too cold for her to drive it we let her go to Camp Gooey to take it out for a spin on her 16 month b-day.

Daddy teaching me how to press the go button

Checking out my ride

Happy 16 months, Mais!

8 miles of death

"8 miles of death" does not just describe how I felt after running 8 miles this morning after a night out drinking for the first time in weeks, but yet describes what I encountered on this morning's run. At 1 1/2 miles a dead bird, at 3 1/2 miles a dead rat (eeewww!), and at 8 miles a dead baby bird. If these animals were in the road I might have not been so disgusted but these were right in the middle of the sidewalk where I was running.

Does the C.O.P. not have to clean these up? Does the "road kill" staff only have to take care of animals in the road? Are these animals just supposed to sit here and rot because no one feels it's their responsibility to dispose of them humanely?

Lessons learned after today's run:

1. Don't drink profusely and expect to feel good running 8 miles

2. Don't drink profusely and expect to not want to hurl up your breakfast when you see multiple dead animals

3. Don't run 8 miles...no qualifier necessary just don't

On the Block

Yesterday afternoon we went to our neighborhood block party. To most this would not be out of the ordinary, but I have lived in this house since 1982 and this was the FIRST block party that has ever been held. We live on the busiest street in our neighborhood. So busy that we have 4 sets of speed bumps to slow people down. So busy that a block party takes place inside some one's house because our street is too busy to close it for an outside block party.

The couple that lives 3 houses down decided to have this party because "so many new families have moved in." On our block we only knew this couple and the people that live in two other houses so we decided we should go to the party. Apparently, a lot of people have moved in since the neighborhood was built in 1978. Every one at the party had lived here since the 80s with the exception of 2 families who both had children about Maison's age.

Maison was enthralled with these children seeing as how she rarely sees other kids. She literally chased one of the little Asian girls and pointed at her going "ugh, ugh". The child was terrified and ran to her mother for safety. Maison wouldn't leave this 6 month old boy alone to the point that his mother finally gave Maison his rattle to play with. She wants nothing to do with her rattles at home but she had to have this rattle and walk around the room acting like she was on the phone saying "heeeeyyy".

After an hour of fighting Maison from breaking something or terrifying a child we decided to leave. It was Maison's bedtime and we thought we had done our part by meeting the people who admitted to peeping in our windows through the year of our home remodeling. So that's what's happening on our block since 1978. I look forward to the next party in the next 30+ years.

I'm going to Canyonlands ~ 1 month to go!

I know the saying is "I'm going to Disneyland" but I've never been to Disneyland, nor do I plan to go to Disneyland because I'm going to Canyonlands...and I'm going one month from today. What is Canyonlands? Only one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Gorgeous red rocks, topped with brilliant white snow. No other way to describe it than A-MAZ-ING.

Adam and I went to Moab in 2007 for his birthday in March. While we were there we saw the Canyonlands half marathon. I don't know why, but when I saw the runners leave our resort the morning of the race, I knew that I would some day do it. Me, run a half marathon? Now that's funny. I'm NOT a runner, never have been a runner, nor have I ever really planned to be a runner. When I was younger (much younger...hhheeem) I thought of myself as a sprinter. Trying to turn a sprinter into a runner is quite the ordeal. But if I am ever to become a runner...now is the time. This race will be worth every painful training mile run...

I was going to post some breathtaking pictures from our last Moab trip but we have seemed to misplaced all our pictures from 2007-Aug 2008. So weird. Anyway, instead I will show you my "golden ticket" my entry confirmation for Canyonlands. Now if I could just muster up the energy to wave it over my head and sing "I've got a golden ticket. I've got a ray of light." ala Charlie from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory you would get the idea how excited I am to be doing this race.

Time to Play

Maison's playroom is finally finished! We started converting our solarium into a playroom when we were snowed in for four days and now it's complete with the exception of a little baby proofing...

We play most days from 6:45 am until 7pm. Come on over!