Pajama jeans?

If you know me at all, you know I am opposed to wearing any kind of leisure wear out of the house for anything not exercise (and I mean heavy exertion) related. I detest sweats or pajama pants outside the occasional Sunday afternoon. Too "gave up on life" for me. In fact, I own one pair of yoga pants and one pair of sweats that I wear when I paint. Further, sweats are all too short, but that is a separate complaint.

But, perhaps the Pajama Gram company has solved my problem with the Pajama Jean. Witness the glory here. Are we in or out here? Fashion solution or fashion nightmare? Could I shop and sleep in this?

My luck, they'd be too short anyway. Problem solved. But for anyone reading...who knows. It could make your day.

Be careful what you ask.

Because I wasn't. I was very cavalier. I was looking at my children as I was tucking them into bed, thinking how much I loved them, that I wouldn't trade an awful day with them for a million good days without them. And I asked the dumbest question: "Would you trade me in on a new mommy?"

A) Who in their right mind asks that question and B) who in their right mind would respond with a yes even if they are thinking yes?

An overly honest 3-year-old, that's who.

Jack, my very sweet, very earnest, overly loving, family centric almost 5-year-old immediately said "No! You're the best mommy in the whole world!"

See, this kid understands the point of fishing for compliments.

Ellie, with nearly no hesitation said, "Hmmmm. I'd take Parker's mommy. Parker has lots of dress up clothes and jewelery and when I cry, you scream at me!"

Clarification: Ellie is prone to massive screaming tempter tantrums over the most mild offenses and yes, she does get in trouble for them.

I looked at her and said, "Really, you'd trade me in and go live at Parker's house for better dress up clothes?"
"Yep. I can't wait to go live with my new mommy!"

(Picture now Jack freaking out, insisting that the same mommy and daddy are the most important thing in the world, that he would be lonely if she left. He insisted I tell her she couldn't go. Jack takes these kinds of things very seriously.)

I think I was a little stunned, because I asked her again if she really wanted to move.

She then started to plan what she would put in her suitcase.

It was a dumb dumb dumb question that I should not have asked. It was actually born of a moment of happiness as I pondered how much I loved them -- and the little turkey would trade me in. It shouldn't hurt my feelings, but it did a little.

Bob's take on it is thus: I said something making her think that such a thing was an option. From a position of trust and love, she thought I was making a serious offer. Looking at her friends, she chose her favorite and was playing a game with mommy from a position of trust and love.

Jack is two years older and saw right through it. I wonder who he would have traded me in for?

Oh well. Hopefully she will forget her moving plans by the morning.

Turkey or no, she's my daughter and I'm keeping her.

But I'll work on yelling a little less.

Shabby Apple

I have long admired the dresses over at Shabby Apple. They're classy, modest and not horribly priced for a dressy dress. Yesterday, my husband and I decided very last minute to attend a church Valentine's Day couples function. It's one of those $60 a couple dinner/dancing things where I'm sure I'll enjoy myself but which I was not super excited to attend. Primarily for the lame reason that after three kids and not exactly dropping the baby weight, I have nothing to wear anymore that is really nice and that fits. So, I decided to splurge. Be bold. Buy his V-day present to me by me. After much debate over many pretty dresses, I'll be wearing this for Valentines day. Sorry, it won't let me copy the picture to post. Bummer.

By some mircale of modern transport, I ordered the dress at 3 p.m. Thursday hoping like crazy it would get here by noon Saturday. It arrived less than 24 hours after I purchased it. I actually called the company (which is based in Utah) and a girl named Katie answered and was insanely helpful. She called the Post Office to ask if it would arrive in time, held the dress up to check the length, discussed it's true color and wether it would look good with my pale skin.

In other words, I had the BEST shopping experience on a splurge item that is modest and actually fits me (for the most part) and I did not have to drag my kids from the house, from store to store.

I intend to look stunning (or at least beyond passable) tomorrow evening.

A lame quiz with the kids

Stolen from a friend's blog, an interview with Jack and Ellie:

If you HAD to change your name, what would you change it to?

I don't know. Tannet?

Princess.

What would be your dream job?

To work at an ice cream place.

Go to Daddy's work.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

The circus

To Pizza Hut Buffet.

You're given 1 million dollars, what do you spend it on?

A popcicle? A huge, huge, huge car?

A pizza? The prettiest princess in the whole world?

(hold up there big spenders...)

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

A fish.

A tiger.

What is usually your first thought when you wake up?

(They're getting silly with silly answers like: Bran flakes! Pretty princess! A Dragon fighitng a pencil!)

What do you usually think about right before falling asleep?

I usually think of kissing my momma.

I usually think of princess in a castle saying, "help!"

What's your favorite color?

Green and blue.

Pink and purple.

What's your favorite animal?

I like things that go "bak, bak, bak!"

Mouse! Mouse! Mouse! squeak!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

What is that supposed to mean?

Bran flakes!

Do you plan on getting married?

Yes.

Yep.

Ninjas or pirates?

Pirates.

Uh, a pirate, argh.

Thank you PBS!

My verdict on the BBC's new "Emma:" I LOVED it. To be honest, there are very few things the BBC could do to Jane Austen's works that I wouldn't love (excusing the AWFUL late 70s adaption of "Northanger Abbey", but they're giving that one a brush over next week. I smell redemption in the air.) I just loved it, looked forward to it all three weeks they dragged it out, even added Johnny Lee Miller to my list of celebrity crushes (which at the moment includes him and Gerard Butler.) I might see if some certain children of mine could get me the DVD for mother's day.

To be fair, this isn't an unbiased review as I appear to be in an Austen mood. I have a recent re-addiction to chick flicks (including Butler's "P.S. I Love You".) I recently re-read "Sense and Sensibility" and I just discovered there is a book of three incomplete Jane Austen works that I NEED to get. I recently read "The Jane Austen Book Club" and watched the movie of the same name. I have plans to read the completed version of "Sandition." I may as well re-read "Emma." I have only seen the classic "Pride and Prejudice" enough to have it practically memorized.

In short, there is never a bad day for Austen. Especially if it's a Sunday with Masterpiece Theater. Bring on some more. "Northanger Abbey" next week and then I think they're replaying their new "Persuasion" after that. I love PBS. You can watch all their recent updates on-line here.

And while you're at it, Don't miss out on their Bachelors of Highbury quiz. Naturally, I drew Mr. Knightly and I think I deserved him. I refuse to cheat on those quiz things, which is why the "Which Austen Heroine are You" quiz on Facebook labeled me as Fanny from Mansfield Park. Humph. Everyone would rather be Elizabeth Bennett and snag Mr. Darcy, and I could naturally, cheat the answers to make it so. But in all honesty, I probably am more like Fanny. Darn it.
But I drew Mr. Knightly fair and square, so there.

I'll take my imaginary victories where I can get them.

Diary of a tornado (boy)

I cannot keep up with this kid. Since that is a fact, I'm starting to wonder if I should get him a helmet. Seriously, I'm just starting to wonder how many blows the average 18-month-old head can take before damage is done. All injuries to said head occurred between noon Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday. About 10 minutes after this photo was taken, he spun around to run away from me and ran into the door frame again. Light hit, no tears but my heavens. Hmmm...maybe glasses instead of a helmet?