Catch-All Post

Wow, it's been a heck of a long time since I blogged. A lot has been going on lately.

I'll give you the general idea:
Last weekend, several of my friends from college and I got together for a girls' weekend. It was heavenly. The company was fantastic, the food was delicious, the conversation was wonderful, and the relaxation was just what the doctor ordered. We went to a spa on Saturday, and I treated myself to a facial and a massage. (Actually, Michael treated me, as a Valentine's Day gift.) As one of my girlfriends noted, the weekend was effortless. Hanging out with them is easy, easy, easy, and even though I hadn't seen some of them in years, it was like no time had passed at all. Those are the best kinds of friends.

The babies' naps are getting slightly longer, thanks to an earlier bedtime and strict adherence to the clock. We were at a half-hour max, and now I might get an hour in there a couple times a week. Naptimes are at 9am and 1pm sharp. If they skimp on the later nap, which they usually do, it's an earlier bedtime to make up for it...usually around 6:15pm. Believe it or not, the naps are beginning to lengthen, knock on wood, so we'll see where this goes. If it works, I owe it all to Dr. Weissbluth.

We toured The Malvern School the other day, and liked it. My nephew goes there and seems to really enjoy it, or at least he isn't totally unhappy. I just about cry at the thought of handing my babies over to someone else for most of the day, but I don't really have another option. They will be with my mom for two days a week, and the environment at The Malvern School seems very nurturing and positive. I know they'll do well there, and I'm thankful I've been able to spend so much time home with them. The next six months are going to fly by...

I'm co-teaching a few workshops for the Pennsylvania Writing and Literacy Project (PAWLP) in April and June. I'm excited about it, and ready to start thinking like a teacher again instead of just a mommy. I became a Fellow of the Literacy Institute in 2004, and I'm seriously considering becoming a writing Fellow this summer. More on that later.

In other baby news, the babies have a new favorite game that I like to call "You're Playing With That Toy? I Want That Toy." As you can imagine, it consists of taking toys out of each other's hands and making each other cry. Oddly enough, their favorite toys are the tubes of Boudreaux's Butt Paste and the wipes containers.

I am really into American Idol this season. My early favorite is Michael....older guy, sang Bohemian Rhapsody. (I find him impossibly sexy...but then again, I find Prince sexy, so you may think my radar is a bit off...)

Because we are such romantics (cough, cough), the husband and I made spinach-and-feta stuffed salmon and mashed potatoes for Valentine's Day. For dessert we had pound cake, strawberries, and marshmallows dipped in chocolate fondue. And when I say the husband and I made it, I really mean I made it while he watched Entertainment Tonight.

I think that's about it. Now you're all caught up!