Gemini Girl

I spent a nice long weekend with my family.

I made (or attempted to make) Pink pancakes for my girls on Saturday:

Unsure of this mom

(when they are old enough to appreciate pink pancakes- i will be the “cool mom”)

We went to the Park:

And spent some quality time together as a family.

***

The other day Affinia hotels was running a contest promoting the season premier of 24. If you tweeted about it, then you were entered into a giveaway where you could stay at their hotel for $24.00 a night. Sounded good to me, so I tweeted about it a few times.

A day later, I received a direct message from them with the special promo code! I booked the room for Sunday night, which was perfect since I wasnt working the following Monday (MLK holiday).

My mom slept over my house to watch the girls, and off we went into the city for our night away. Mind you, we have never taken a night away (to the city no less). I don’t think I ever slept in a hotel in Manhattan before (since I live within the 5 boroughs).

Let me tell you, for $24.00 – we got an AMAZING little room!

We didn’t let the foul weather stop us from going out to dinner:

We went to an adorable Moroccan restaurant a few blocks from the hotel… I LOVE middle eastern food. Love.

Hummus, Eggplant Salad - Yumms

Veggie Cous Cous

Although when we realized how high our bill was going to be, we decided to start shoveling the food down.. you know, to get the most for our money.

We then went straight back to the hotel, bought some snacks (yes, more food- don’t judge) and watched the Golden Globes. I was so HAPPY Micheal C. Hall won for Dexter…you could tell he’s been sick, poor guy..

A very well deserved win

 MONIQUE!!! I have yet to see Precious (I will as soon as it’s out on DVD) but I hear her performance was amazing. Did you all know that Monique does not believe in shaving her legs? G-D bless her. I mean, I usually walk around like that myself, but not out in public… or when I win a Golden Globe.

 ***

So after the golden globes (which I truly enjoyed thanks to Ricky Gervais) we started watching HGTV. We came across a program about people who were house hunting. The episode we stumbled onto was about a couple in Atlanta looking for a home. The homes they were shown were HUGE! The prices were so low, you could never ever get a house like that in New York for that price.

That got me thinking…

Maybe we should move to Atlanta.

I spoke to a few friends and co workers (my company’s headquarters are in ATL) and apparently we could live off of one salary. Since my husband is in school (which is a 3 hour commute each day)… it’s hard for him to find a job that would allow him to drop the girls off at day care, go to school, come back and pick them up. He just has no time.

If we moved to ATL he could go to a great school (ranked #5 in engineering schools) and said school happens to be across the street from our work offices!

 To top it off, the school has family housing and a daycare. I commute about 2 hours a day.. to not have  to do that would be beautiful. It would mean I would get to spend more time with my children.

So.. my husband applied to the school today, and I spoke to my company’s HR department.. told them I was thinking of moving in June. They will be keeping their eyes open for a position for me.

It’s scary and exciting all at the same time.

I mean, I was born and raised in NY.

I don’t know anything else.

But, I mean – why not?

The financial burden on my back is driving me a bit batty. There is no way we can continue to survive off of my paycheck in NY.

Just not possible.

I want my husband to be able to go to school and focus solely on that…

So, if all goes well.. if he gets accepted into the school for the fall/ if they manage to find me a position there… we will be moving.

I just hope it’s the right move.

Have you ever moved anywhere far from home? How was that experience?

Conan/ Leno

I am SO pissed off about this. You have no idea.

I don’t think Leno is funny at all. I also don’t think that Conan is everyone’s cup of tea- but to move the Tonight Show to 12:05am? To follow Leno again? I mean why hire Conan as the host of the Tonight Show in the first place if you’re just going to want him to stay in the same time slot and follow Leno?

The press release that Conan sent out yesterday was truly a class act.

I had the privilege of seeing his show live many times when he was in New York. All I remember is Conan  coming out  into the audience prior to the start of the show  and dancing with the one audience member who looked the most uncomfortable to be there. He was and is so genuine.

I truly believe Leno should just retire. He has been around for a long time, and he could go back to stand up- his original roots. He would sell out. He could also, you know – go out and buy more cars.  He should have fallen on the sword, not Conan. Just give Conan a chance. Jay would look classier if he decided to leave. He would have much respect.

Until all this is resolved- this will be my avatar and  facebook picture:

Plus, I owe him a debt of gratitude, you know for helping me name my daughter-( I first heard the name Neve from him when he announced that he named his daughter Neve O’Brien)

***

Dexter

So after I finished watching 3 seasons of Mad Men a few weeks ago, I decided to find another show to watch. I got some great suggestions from all of you- but the one who influenced me was Chastity and her facebook updates.

 Dexter was going to be the new show.

Now, I have known that Dexter is always nominated for something or other, but the whole morbid thing turned me off. Dexter is a show about a murdered (Michael C. Hall who is AMAZING)- but a murdered who only kills really bad people, so you kind of have sympathy for him.

After one episode, I was hooked. The writing and acting are SUPERB (yes I used the word Superb).

I have a Netflix account, and they had a watch instantly option for the first 2 seasons… and watch I did. I was even watching it as the ball dropped. I didn’t know it was 2010 until I heard firecrackers going off outside.  I was in a Dexter zombie-like trance.

Of course, now that I am on the 3rd season- they have cut me off. I need to WAIT for the DVD’s to arrive in my house. It was like a drug dealer who gives you a taste of crack for free, but if you want more you have to pay.

DAMN YOU NETFLIX and your ways!

***

Homeless Man

I have a bone to pick with Johnny Depp.

Yes, we get that you are a good actor who wants to be taken seriously for your acting chops and not your looks.

But really?

That is all.

In 2009, I…

• Opened up the new year with  friends

• Became the mother of TODDLERS.
• Went to LA for the first time since I was 2.

Totally freaked out by Mickey

• Met my dear friends Heather, Mike & Maddie for the first time( face to face).
• Went on EVERY.SINGLE.RIDE at Disneyland and was not ashamed (even if I may have pushed some 7 year olds out of the way)
• Went to a Motocross Race and was the only olive- skinned person there. I was affraid.
• Had my heart-broken when Maddie passed. Life will just not be the same again.
• Did my first COMPLETE March for Babies walk
• Realized that I am NOT ready for a third child and am OK with it.
• Have lost most of my gut wrenching  jealousy when I see big beautiful pregnant bellies.
• Lost another 15 lbs. (only 12 lbs to go!)
• Turned 28 and actually had a REALLY GOOD day.

• Had my first root canal
• Realized that just because you have known someone for 22 years doesn’t mean you need to continue a toxic friendship. 
• Went to my first Blogher Event and had a blast.

• Went to Chicago for the very first time and had deep dish pizza (NY is way better)
• Attended a SUPER SECRET PIZZA PARTY

• Sat in First class for the very first time… and am now ruined forever.
• Had my grandmother come to me in a dream, and brought with her my other grandmother who I had never met before (she passed before I was born). That was NO dream.
• Went to a farm and actually picked corn. and then ate it. Very agricultural of me.

• Danced with a Belly Dancer
• Realized that going out with co workers or friends sometimes- does not make me a bad mother. It makes for a SANE mother.
• Celebrated my daughters Second Birthday.

• Decided that I hate Elmo, but can’t live without him.
• Realized that although not perfect, I am a FAR better mother than my mother was.

As for Resolutions? I am OK with just trying to be the best me that I can be.

What are your resolutions?

Have I told you about my new obsession?

It’s a little show known as “MAD MEN”

OH MY GOD.

Why did I wait so long to watch it?

Everyone has been talking about it for AGES.

I decided that when the 3rd season started back in August that I would DVR it and rent the 1st & 2nd seasons to catch up.

Little did I know that I would watch HOURS UPON HOURS of episodes.

Every weekend (which has now turned into almost nightly), I sit and watch a few episodes back to back.

Have I mentioned I WANT TO RUN AWAY WITH DON DRAPPER?

And when I say Don Drapper, I mean DON DRAPPER (not the actor who plays him- Jon Hamm).

I guess I have always been attracted to tall, brooding characters.

Men who are assholes, but also misunderstood.

You know- the ones you think YOU can change?

SIGH.

If you have yet to watch this show- go NOW. Netflix it. Rent it. Itunes it. Just go.

You will not regret it.

What show are you OBSESSED with??

Death of Hollywood actors happen often.

For some reason, Brittany Murphy’s passing really hit me to the core.

When I was 16 years old, my parents moved our family to Israel. I was in the 10th grade and started attending my cousin’s high school. She was (and still is) one of my best friends- so I was excited about my new life. Up until that point, I had attended all-girl schools and this was my first co-ed experience.

The school administration refused to place me in the same class as my cousin, even though we were in the same grade.

My plans to win over my classmates with my wit and American Mystique shriveled and died pretty quickly. I made NO friends with each painstaking attempt I made. I was seated next to Meely, the class SUPER NERD- And she didn’t even want to be my friend!!!!

My shining light was always my cousin. She was SUPER DUPER popular and had her own clique. I was attached to her hip, and she was amazing about it- never making me feel less than. I would often hang out with her and her popular clique and feel the odd man out. I was in no way pretty (ugly duckling during those years!) and I still think that girls that age should NOT look that perfect- it’s against nature I tell ya.

Me circa 10th grade

The girls one day decided to nickname me “Tai” referring to Brittany Murphy’s character in Clueless. I asked them why, and they said that I reminded them of her(i.e I had curly hair, I was chubby, I could draw cartoons, I had a good singing voice.)..but what they failed to actually mention was the main reason they called me Tai- it was because I was the uncool kid that they were doing a favor for by hanging out with. I was their charity case.

They made me cool by association.

It was BY FAR the most difficult teen year of my life. I never felt that I fit in there. And I didn’t. My family ended up moving back to my hometown a year later.

During my first semester of college, I decided to RUSH Greek Life on my school’s campus. I was one of the only girls from my school who attended that college and so I thought a sorority was the best way to meet friends. I pledged Kappa and half way through the pledge period, I was given my pledge name:

Tai.

My mouth dropped when I heard it.

How the heck was I given the SAME.EXACT.NAME???

This time around, I was told that the name was given to me because I had curly hair, was from Brooklyn, and seemed somewhat boy crazy (you know, due to my all-girl schooling). I knew that the name was given to me that time around NOT because I was unpopular.

I guess I was just “Tai” and that was all.

I was actually one of the popular girls in my sorority, and that was the time in my life when I started coming into my own.

Every time I saw a movie with Brittany Murphy over the years, or flipped through a magazine and saw her there.. it was like looking at my alter ego.

Of course, we all know how she drastically changed over the years- to unfortunately conform to Hollywood’s impossible standards….

She suffered  a heart attack at the age of 32, most likely due to mixing prescription drugs (and possibly anorexia). 

I pray she finds peace, if not in this life than in death.

I hope she knows that she was perfect just the way she was.

I will always hold a special place in my heart for Tai. 

To the person who chose to come to my PERSONAL blog and leave a judgmental comment yesterday-

This blog is my personal diary.

I can say what I want, and vent AS MUCH as I want.

This blog will never ever be a sugar-coated, happy funland filled with pictures of my kids and rainbows.

You got the wrong blog sister.

If you don’t like it, click the X on the top right hand of your screen.

Oh…

Don’t you dare quote the bible to me. I attended a private, RELIGIOUS school all of my life and could pretty much have a bible quote smack down with you.

I will leave you with this quote from your “New” testament (which I know as well apparently):

Matthew 7:1-3

“Don’t judge unless ye be judged”

“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged,
and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye
and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Oh-

Don’t you ever, ever call me “HONEY” again.

XOXO,

GG

May 2008:

Childsplayx2 was running a contest on his blog to take a picture of your kids and make it into a motivational poster.

This is what I came up with:

*Editors Note: They have since gotten revenge on me*

1976:

My husband’s parents wedding day. My mother is standing to the right of my Mother-In-Law wearing a black dress. Little did they know that 28 years later, their children would marry.

Madeline Alice Spohr passed away on a Tuesday. She would have been 21 months old today.

 She SHOULD have been 21 months old today.

A week after she passed, I took my girls  to do a balloon release in her honor.

A lot of people who watched the video asked me which song I used.

The song I used was Robbie Williams “Nan’s Song”.

He wrote it for his beloved grandmother who passed, but there was no more of a fitting song to use for Madeline:

Nan’s Song/ Madeline’s Song:

You said when you’d die that you’d walk
with me everyday
And I’d start to cry and say please don’t talk that way
With the blink of an eye the lord came
and asked you to leave
You went to a better place but He stole you
away from me

And now she lives in heaven
But i know they let her out
To take care of me

There’s a strange kind of light
Caressing me tonight
Pray silence my fears she is near
Bringing heaven down here

I miss your love i miss your touch
But I’m feeling you everyday
And i can almost hear you say
“You’ve come along way baby”

And now you live in heaven
But i know they let you out
To take care of me

There’s a strange kind of light
In my bedroom tonight
Prayer silence my fears she is near
Bringing heaven down here

You taught me kings and queens
While stroking my hair
In my darkest hour I know you are there
Kneeling down beside me
Whispering my prayer

Yes there’s a strange kind of light
Caressing me tonight
Pray silence my fear
She is near
Bringing heaven down here

The next time that we meet
I will bow at her feet
And say wasn’t life sweet
Then we’ll prepare
To take heaven down there

We all Miss you little girl. Every one of us.

Please click the Friends of Maddie link to  to the right.

I needed to document this because it made us laugh to NO END last night.

We took the girls to the park after I came home from work (when I am half zombie-like anyway).

Neve was walking around the slides and swings, and I was trailing behind her. As we were set to leave, she refused to budge. I picked her up and she struggled.

Then the words came out.

The words I didn’t think I was going to hear until they were at LEAST  pre-teens:

“Go Away”

My mouth dropped to the floor.

“Did she just say ‘go away’?” I asked my husband.

“Yes, yes she did.” he responded.

I wish the story ended there, but it didnt.

She then proceeded to bite me on the shoulder.

And that is how a 20 month old turns into a angst filled teenager.

 Good night folks!

You just don't understand Mom!