I am so addicted to Ju Ju Be! So far I just have the PackaBe in Groovy Garden. I’ve written before that I’ve always liked bags ,(and most organizational tools) but now that I’ve discovered these, I want to build a better quality, and smartly built bag collection. Top left: the MightyBe, in Earth Leather Black, a large fairly basic tote. Top middle: the BeHave, in brown, a hobo style with shoulder straps, and a messenger strap with lots of pockets inside. Top Right: the BeLight in cinnamon/champagne, a medium reversible tote with straps that can be tied in many positions. Bottom left: the BePrepared in Marvelous Mums or Shadow Waltz, a large tote/messenger bag, perfect to stuff belonging to me and two girls, especially on trips. Bottom middle: the BeMine (I want brown/bubblegum), a wristlet for wallet/keys/phone that I can put in or take out of bigger bags. Bottom right: you can see how the sizes and shapes of the BFF, PackaBe, and BePrepared compare.

Now, as you know, I’m a bit of a Twilight fanatic. It was shared with me almost two years ago and the newest movie, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, is just coming out! For the last two movies I used rewards points or gift cards to get the goodies, not so this year. The Score,Eclipse: The Complete Movie Companion, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, are some of those must have items on my Amazon wishlist.

Birthdays are so awesome. Holidays are fun and all, celebrating something with others, but on your own birthday, you can do something special, something different, share it with whoever you like, and enjoy present receiving for a day (though it’s always fun when you get late presents or cards too, extend it). We recently discovered a drive-in theater in San Jose, I think we might take advantage of that on my day, though it at night of course so I’ll have to think of something for the day.

I have, in small & medium:
• 1 short sleeve shirt – white embroidered w/ empire opening
• 4 3/4-sleeve shirts – red, blue, white, gray w/ front-only openings
• 1 long-sleeve t-shirt – reddish brown w/ all around opening
• 1 long-sleeve shirt – maroon with pull-aside opening (also maternity)
• 3 tanks – purple, black, teal w/ pull aside opening (also maternity)

I also have a stack of maternity clothes if anyone needs anything; smaller sizes from 2005 as well as a new dress.

When daughter #2 arrives (maybe on contest-end-day [May 28]!), daughter #1 will be 4 1/2 and I want to look just as adorable as they do! I’m thinking the brown BeHave, so lovely! It’s a hobo bag size/style with hand/short shoulder straps, and a messenger length strap that you can attach underneath! All the Ju Ju Be bags have insulated pockets somewhere. The PackaBe has a typical outside, side pocket that I use for my water bottle. The BeHave has a zippered, lined pocket that fits seamlessly into the shape of the bag. The signature JJB prints line the inside. Their bright prints are usually on the outside, with bright solids inside, allowing you see your belongings, not a black hole. It has plenty of pockets, also famous in JJB bags. Most bags are for the kiddie stuff, with a “Mommy-pocket” somewhere inside. This bag is a “Mommy’s going out to have fun” bag with room inside for kiddie stuff.

I would love to have this bag. I fancy myself a purse/bag-collector, but most of them are fairly plain, at least most were purchased at an “average-buyer” store. Ju Ju Be bags are so worth their cost. I was ecstatic to get my PackaBe for $$ off at BabySteals.com. I actually jumped out of bed, something I never do nowadays! Wouldn’t it BeFabulous (haha, that’s the other lovely Legacy/Earth Leather bag), if I could win this one through the From One Mommy To Another giveaway?!?!

Hook 1991 – One of the greatest Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Julia Roberts.

Maggie: [after Peter rescues her and Jack from Captain Hook] Daddy, let’s go home, please? He’s just a mean old man without a mommy.
Jack: Yeah, dad, let’s go. He can’t hurt us anymore.

Father of the Bride 1991 – Such a sweet Father/Daughter movie with Steve Martin

Newsies 1992 – One of the best musicals. Christian Bale singing and dancing. Oh, and Bill Pullman does a great job too.

Jurassic Park 1993 – As usual, the sequels aren’t very good, but I’d like to have them all together anyway.

The Fugitive 1993 – Harrison Ford, what else shall I say, and Tommy Lee Jones who looks like my father.

The Pelican Brief 1993 – Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington

Schindler’s List 1993 – Liam Neeson. Watched it in 10th grade, heart-breaking, when he realizes how many more he could have saved.

Sleepless in Seattle 1993 – Yeah, it’s a bunch of sap.

Jonah Baldwin: Talk to her, dad. She’s a doctor.
Sam Baldwin: Of what? Her first name could be Doctor.
Doctor Marcia Fieldstone: What are you going to do?
Sam Baldwin: Well, I’m gonna get out of bed every morning… breath in and out all day long. Then, after a while I won’t have to remind myself to get out of bed every morning and breath in and out… and, then after a while, I won’t have to think about how I had it great and perfect for a while.
Doctor Marcia Fieldstone: Tell me what was so special about your wife?
Sam Baldwin: Well, how long is your program? Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were suppose to be together… and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home… only to no home I’d ever known… I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like… magic.

Annie Reed: Now that was when people KNEW how to be in love. They knew it! Time, distance… nothing could separate them because they knew. It was right. It was real. It was…
Becky: A movie! That’s your problem! You don’t want to be in love. You want to be in love in a movie.

Dennis Reed: Annie, when you’re attracted to someone, it just means that your subconscious is attracted to their subconscious, subconsciously. So what we think of as fate is just two neuroses knowing that they are a perfect match.

The Shawshank Redemption 1994

Outbreak 1995 – Dustin Hoffman is awesome in this. Cuba Gooding, Jr. is a great sidekick. This includes Patrick Dempsey, Kevin Spacey, Rene Russo, Donald Sutherland, and Morgan Freeman.

Sam Daniels: If you think I’m lying, drop the bomb. If you think I’m crazy, drop the bomb. But don’t drop the bomb just because you’re following orders!

Col. Sam Daniels: Just don’t get negative on me.
Major Salt: Affirmative

Sense and Sensibility 1995 – From one of my favorite Austen novels. Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, and Alan Rickman are great. Hugh Laurie also has a small but enjoyable role.

Congo 1995 – I think the movie is actually better than the book. I might say the same for Jurassic Park, and both are Crichton adaptations. It might be that the books have more descriptions of science than of the story.

Twister 1996 – The following is my favorite quote, it really requires the hand gestures:
Dusty (philip seymour hoffman): Red meat. We crave sustenance.
Jo: No, guys. We are not invading my aunt.
Dusty: Food.
Dusty, Rabbit: [others join in] Food.
Dusty, Rabbit, Beltzer: [the rest join in] FOOOOOOOOD!
Jo: Hey! We are absolutely not going.

Independence Day 1996 – Classic Will Smith with Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman.
David Levinson: We’re hit! We took a hit!
Captain Steven Hiller: [yelling] We’re not hit! We’re not hit! Stop side-seat driving!
David Levinson: [trying to make a break for the exit] Left! Left! Tunnel! Tunnel! Exit! Exit! Left!
Captain Steven Hiller: Where the hell do you think I’m going?
David Levinson: Ok, ok We’re we’re we’re uh…
David Levinson: Uh oh they’re closing up on us… they’re closing…
Captain Steven Hiller: Shut up, shut up, shut up!
David Levinson: Must go faster. Must go faster! Must go faster! Go, go, go, go!
Captain Steven Hiller: [escapes from the alien ship]
[screaming]
Captain Steven Hiller: Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!
Captain Steven Hiller: Oh! Elvis has left the building!
David Levinson: Oh, thank you very much. Oh, I love you man

Dante’s Peak 1997 – Pierce Brosnan’s volcano disaster movie

Air Force One 1997 – Harrison Ford!! And Gary Oldman is the best villian here, as in The Fifth Element.

Men in Black 1997 – Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, you see my trend here.

Beatrice: You here to make fun of me too?
Kay: No, ma’am. We at the FBI do not have a sense of humor we’re aware of. May we come in?
Beatrice: Sure.

Conspiracy Theory 1997 Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts

Jerry Fletcher: A good conspiracy is unprovable. I mean, if you can prove it, it means they screwed up somewhere along the line.

Jerry Fletcher: Love gives you wings. It makes you fly. I don’t even call it love. I call it Geronimo. When you’re in love, you’ll jump right from the top of the Empire State and you won’t care, screaming “Geronimo” the whole way down. I love her so bad, I just… whoa, she wrecks me. I’d die for her.

The Fifth Element 1998 – The greatest cast and incredible editing, switching between characters explanations of events and facts. So funny.

Korben Dallas: [Leans down and kisses Leeloo. Leeloo swipes his gun and holds it to his head]
Korben Dallas: You’re right, you’re right, I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.
Leeloo: Senno ecto gammat!
Korben Dallas: I’m sorry, I’m sorry!
Leeloo: ecto gammat!
Korben Dallas: [In a later scene] When she woke up, she said a bunch a stuff. I didn’t understand any of it but… what does ‘ecto gammat’ mean?
Priest Vito Cornelius: Uh… never again, without my permission.
Korben Dallas: That’s what I thought.

DJ Ruby Rhod: What was that honey? It was BAD! It had no fire, no energy, no nothing! So tomorrow from 5 to 7 will you PLEASE act like you have more than a two word vocabulary. It must be green

Priest Vito Cornelius: It’s a – it’s a – it’s a – it’s a – it’s a – it’s a…
DJ Ruby Rhod: No no no no no no. ‘Cuz if it was a bomb, the alarms would go off ‘cuz all these hotels have bomb detectors, right?
[the alarms sound]

You’ve Got Mail 1998 It’s just one of the cutest movies and has such a funny cast.

Joe Fox: What happened with that guy at the cafe?
Kathleen Kelly: Nothing.
Joe Fox: But you’re crazy about him.
Kathleen Kelly: Yes, I am.
Joe Fox: Well, why don’t you run off with him? What are you waiting for?
Kathleen Kelly: I don’t actually know him.
[cringes]
Joe Fox: Really?
Kathleen Kelly: I only know him through the, uh… you’re not going to believe this…
Joe Fox: Oh, let me guess. Through the Internet?
Kathleen Kelly: Yes.
Joe Fox: Hmm. You’ve… got mail.
Kathleen Kelly: Yes!
Joe Fox: Some very powerful words.
Kathleen Kelly: Yes…

Enemy of the State 1998 – Will Smith!

Robert Clayton Dean: What is happening?
Brill: I blew up the building.
Robert Clayton Dean: Why?
Brill: Because you made a phone call

Brill: What? That’s my best aloha shirt.
Robert Clayton Dean: Yeah, well say “aloha” to it.

Brill: I need sugar. I’m getting cranky.
Robert Clayton Dean: Getting?

Brill: You wanna take a poke at me?
Robert Clayton Dean: I don’t hit senior citizens.

The Mask of Zorro 1998 – Has the greatest dance between Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones. Anthony Hopkins is great too.

Mercury Rising 1998 – Bruce Willis helps an autistic boy who sees National Secrets in puzzles.

Practical Magic 1998 – Sanda Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Goran Visnjic and Aidan Quinn also good.

Gary Hallet: Did you or your sister kill James Angelov?
Sally Owens: Yeah, a couple of times.

Sally Owens: All I want is a normal life.
Aunt Frances Owens: My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage!

Sally Owens: Well, it’s what I want.
Sally Owens: We were going to open a botanical shop. Where Mike would get all the ingredients and I’d make the stuff. He really loved my mint-oatmeal shaving cream. He couldn’t stop eating it.

Shakespeare in love 1999

Runaway Bride 1999 – I remember seeing this with my mother and sister. At this time, Julia Roberts was my favorite actress. She’s still great but there others on my list now, it’s mostly her older movies that I like.

Monday Sara Ellen and I took a walk up to the library. We also stopped into Blockbuster to rent Ratatouille and got lunch at Subway. The whole trip took about an hour. At ballet Emily and I learned that Carol’s ballet will be Balero, an abstract ballet with a Spanish flair. Instead of this dance Katie M and I will be dancing a modern dance choreographed by Kristi to gives the other ballerinas time to change. We were originally given the choice to do this dance with Kristi and her friend who is the current jazz teacher. Now… the dance will be a duet for Katie and I!! Monday afternoon we learned that Tuxedo, who has been suffering for a while from renal/liver failure was bleeding from his mouth. I found him in the basement with red on his front paw and matted fur. He didn’t have much energy and sat in front of the water dishes while I did the litter.

Tuesday was a great day because it was very productive. Early in the morning, so it was ten but that’s a quick start for us, Sara Ellen and I headed out to do some errands and Christmas shopping. I sent a pair of boots to Lands’ End. They have a great return policy and we have been giving them a bit of business lately finding the right boots, jackets, and accessories. I got a Weatherfield Jacket in white and I love it so far. I am waiting for a larger size in Chalet Boots. I got Sara Ellen adorable faux-shearling tassle boots but exchanged them for furry snow boots.

Then I had to return a new cell phone to the at&t store. Long story. The nokia I had been using was not ringing consistently. Tim said it was within in the contract time-frame that I could upgrade. I decided to try outside nokia (my trusted fave) and got a free pantech c150. It worked ok but a lot of things were different and I didn’t like it so we returned it just on time to an at&t store on Saturday. I got a Nokia 6126, I love nokia. I like using sound profiles and the text messaging is smoother than the pantech. On Sunday, it was beeping for a battery charge so I just turned it off, pretty unusual for me. I plugged it in overnight but it wouldn’t turn on. The mini-screen said local mode. I was told that’s a problem with the charger. So I returned this phone to a local store and got a refund, also hoping I could reorder it online and get it free. That didn’t work. I called for help and customer rep said I had to go to the store and he could give me a $100 credit. Later (in between to follow), I returned to the store. It was loud with some company rep talking and I spoke with the girl I was helped by earlier. The account info wasn’t letting her upgrade so she called customer service, information was not getting through. The store employee, Kristine (very helpful), got her manager. I think she was confusing people talking about upgrade and exchange but when it got down to it, I just bought a new Nokia 6126 and sent in the rebate form. The $100 is apparently being credited to the account, not the phone purchase!

Back to the day. So we headed to Harbour Center to buy a christmas present but power was out so we went to Bowie Town Center. We had lunch at Panera. I was looking for a pay phone to call home collect. I had a chiropractic appointment scheduled and my father was to watch Sara Ellen. But I was in the area and would just take her with me. I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond for bathroom stuff and once back in the car saw I had lots of time so I just headed home. Sara Ellen fell asleep and I had some time before heading back to Crofton. After getting well-adjusted, I parked outside Michael’s Crafts in Riva Festival which is near the at&t store. I completed the phone mess, got a gift at Michael’s, then dinner at Giant. I wasn’t parked near Giant and had to carry the 4 bags (including 6 soup cans) and a box of diapers. When I put them down I saw a hole in a soup bag. I consider it big blessing that didn’t happen as I walked. I had lots of time to make dinner, eat, and read to Sara Ellen before heading out. I picked up Emily at work, went to the then lit Harbour Center where I got a birthday present for my baby. Modern class was fun and we helped to decide on a costume. The music is Phillip Glass (very cool) and the costumes are black and white with a floaty wrap top and black shorts or gauchos.

Wednesday at lunchtime I picked up Emily and we briefly went to Harbour Center. We all went into Old Navy to return jeans I’d bought Sara Ellen. They didn’t have an elastic band and the button didn’t want to close under her baby belly. The adjustable waist band doesn’t help. Then when Emily decided to get a smoothie at Robeks, I decided to wear Sara Ellen on my back and trek over there instead of wasting gas. Emily treated me to a smoothie so I chose the pineapple eggnog… uh, it was a little weird. Emily got a chai smoothie which was a little better. Sara Ellen fell asleep while I drove home from returning Emily to work. At home I started working on a new advent calendar and then watched The Time Machine which had come in the mail. It was actually pretty good. I like that though he started his work because he lost someone, and wanted to know why, he also saw how humans evolve, destroy, and survive. Sara Ellen and I talked to Tim a bit as he walked home. We could hear busses and trams go by and I wished we could be there sharing it with him. At ballet we learned Ms. Easter will be remaking Pastorale by Beethoven using “gorgeous” blue costumes. Most exciting was that I put on my pointe shoes for the pointe work and I didn’t take them off until the end of class! I even did a tricky Paquita combination. Over the last couple days Tuxedo, our cat, has been quietly lying in a basket, climbing out for a little water. Last night I was told he tried to climb out and fell. It’s hard to imagine this spry cat who has scared off dogs from our yard, fading like this. Disappearing/Lying quietly in a basket is natural, and far less traumatic for all involved than the efforts it takes to get him in a carrier to the vet.

This morning, I learned that Tuxedo died during the night. Dad covered him with the sheet he’d been on and took him in the basket to the shed to be buried. I had made an appointment to see a nurse during Emily’s lunchtime and hoped there would be time to come home so we could see Tuxedo before this evening when he would be buried by Mom and Dad. Lately I have not had much use for animals except for their entertainment value to my daughter. But looking at Tux lying with his mouth open, made me sad, realizing how long he has been with us, half my life. After returning Emily to work Sara Ellen and I returned to the yard. She has discovered she loves jumping in piles of leaves!

- There is an Amazon.com wishlist of mostly books and some toys. She is listening to regular storybooks (not just board) and turning pages.

- Melissa and Doug stackable train and vehicle maze (available from Barnes and Noble)

- Thomas the Tank Engine books, dvd’s, and toys

- Tee’s and turtleneck’s

- Winter-warm dresses

- Tights

- Footed one- or two-piece pajamas

- Denim or cord pants

- Swing set

- scooting vehicle

- Fun toys. Use your own judgement, but she enjoys some “3yr” activites.

- Music cd’s

It was an early Christmas gift from Tim and I’ve had lots of opportunities to use it. I’ve done household chores and gone on excursions. It even makes quick trips easier.

December 16, we went on a day trip for Dad’s birthday. We drove to Cumberland, MD and took the Santa Express to Frostburg, MD. It was kind of a long day but when I utilized the carrier, and didn’t “lug around” 30 lbs. of baby, I was hands-free. While waiting for the train I wore her in front. We rubbed noses, looked at the other passengers, and she had no fear when the train came in. In Frostburg, I wore her in back while we watched the locomotive turn around and then walked up a hill to a restaurant for a quick lunch. Dad went for a walk with her while I finished lunch and was still out before we needed to return. I walked back to the station to check for them there and then others stayed up the hill to wait. Granddad and baby were up the hill and Tim wore her in front to return to the train.

December 22, I made two coffee cakes for Christmas breakfast. She was happier being worn, so I wore her on my back while I worked. She was very happy and took her nap that way. It has a hood that secures her while she sleeps, but can be used in other circumstances (sun, nursing, rain, wind). I also wore her while doing laundry. I tried to vacuum as well, but as I picked it up she freaked out as it passed close to her, so I left it and we went to read.

December 23, we visited the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond with Tim’s mom. I didn’t want her running around so I wore her on my hip while we walked around and took pictures of the display.

December 29, we stopped in Border’s before going to the Altman’s to pick out DVD’s (on special + using gift cards) and I decided to wear her in back while we ran in. It made a quick trip really quick because I didn’t have to hold or corral her while finding our choices.

December 30, some of us took the subway to Union Station in DC to see the display about Norway. I wore Sara Ellen in front and she played peek-a-boo with Dad behind me. On the way back she took a nap, in front again. Before we arrived in New Carrolton, she woke up and needed a drink, so I unhooked the back clip and slid off a shoulder so she could nurse. You are supposed to be able to nurse while strapped in but so far I’ve done the above.

Like today, January 5, we went to Joss Cafe and Sushi Bar for Michael’s Birthday Lunch. I wore her in front as we walked there and for most of the time while I sat at the table. Sara Ellen has been in serious teething modefor the last week and not wanting solids so she’s been nursing 100% and needed her lunch too.

The Ergo is wonderful. I highly recommend it over the Baby Bjorn and the PreMaxx Baby Bag (sling).

Tim took his Mac to the Apple Store at the mall and I got shopping. That was around 2:45. Tim picked up Michael (his last school day) and they went to see X-Men 3 at 4ish. I hit some department stores and clothing stores and finally found some goodies. Shirts and pants at Ny & Co. and a quilt and blanket at Sears. Sara Ellen did pretty well. I held her when she seemed tired of the stroller for a bit and fed her in a couple different places and she took a nap for a while. NY & Co. was our last clothing store and she was getting pretty bored I think but once I got my stuff I got food and ate in the less crowded part of the food court, we got some peace and quiet. We hit Sears afterwards then waited for just a bit before Tim and Michael were ready. Very successful. Until now I haven’t done much shopping, at least not by myself for this long and wasn’t sure how it would go, but it was fine. I love my little girl.

Pretty soon we’re off again to visit Tim’s mom in Richmond. Drive down tonight and back tomorrow night in order to go to church Sunday.

Lately I have been entertaining my window-shopping peckishness at Delia*s and IKEA.