Monday, March 30, 2009

March Madness: mathematically eliminated?

Yesssss! Even though the NCAA men's basketball tournament is not over yet, I've already won the 10th Annual March Madness 1:1 pool between me and my husband. Vic and I do this every year, with the winner earning a Hassle-Free Fun Day. Basically, that means the winner gets to plan activities for one full day any way s/he wants and the loser must participate with nary a whine nor whimper (i.e., no hassles).

Since Vic only has only one remaining team in the Final Four, and I have three (including Vic's lone surviving team), he has been mathematically eliminated. Too bad, so sad!

I wonder what to do for my Hassle-Free Fun Day. Vote in my poll and help me decide!

Postscript: These are the results of the poll:
Dinner and movie (chick flick): 0 votes
Spa day (including massage): 5 votes (71%)
Hike and picnic (with things *I* like to eat): 2 votes (28%)
Shoe shopping excursion: 0 votes

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

A typical scene in our house

Nico and Nolan are developing quite the love-hate sibling relationship:



Video Synopsis:
Nico and Nolan are playing in Nolan's Pack 'N' Play - yes, Nico weighs way too much to be sitting in there. Nico starts doing Kuk Sool Won moves on Noli, and Noli protests. The sleepy younger sibling motions to be lifted out of the playpen, but once he realizes that his mother will not put down the camera, resigns himself to enduring his brother's torture. After Nico finishes with the martial arts practice, he continues to antagonize Nolan by mocking him and repeatedly throwing a ball at his head.

Perfecting the work-life unbalance

I've been very busy this year working toward my latest goal, one I am confident I can achieve: perfecting the work-life unbalance!

For too long, I've lamented that I don't have enough hours in the day. I've decided to to embrace the fact that my life is overstuffed, that I'm chronically overcommitted and that none of this is every really going to change. The fact is that I like having a crammed calendar, brimming with things to do. And with an equally busy husband and two active young boys, our life is bound to be chaotic and crazy at times.

There are some things I really do need to change in my life:
- focusing on my physical and emotional well-being
- doing more fun things with my family and friends
- prioritizing projects that are important to me

Besides those changes, though, I've decided to accept the fact that I'll often feel frazzled, sleep-deprived and guilty that I should be doing more, better, different. I'm going to stop talking about pursuing the mythical work-life balance, though.