Christmas,and Cookies, and Lights....Oh My.

Merry, Merry Single Christmas

It’s Stephanie’s last Christmas as a single laadeee.   However, a persuasive Power Point presentation from Mike, enticed us to join his family in festive Idaho.  So we tried.  Due to the expense of getting there both in monetary and time, it could not be done.  It was hard to have the engaged couple be apart for actual Christmas, but it turned out to be only a few days.

Thinking this may be our last Christmas in our Laguna Niguel home, we decided that the four of us would spend it there.  How perfect for Garrett to see Jenny.  After a couple of months,he is having a long distance romance.  And Roooooomance it is... because he now has money so the visits consist of nice wine, food, flowers and yes, teddy bears.  He even got to meet her large family.  Good for him.  Christmas Eve was enjoyable   at my girlfriends beautiful home with delicious food, great wine, interesting people, fun people…..  Thanks Donna!  Note:  "nice wine is always included". 

Christmas day was relaxing and cozy.  Mark and I have been walking BBMMD Mountain (Butt-Buster-Make-Me-Die).  And while it was a mild gift giving season, I am so happy that we do not get charged for baggage.  Mark was very imaginative in getting me a gift. It was one of those nights, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except Mark watching Home Shopping Network.  I received a pressurized  wine opener; one of which we used a lot because it so much fun.  By the end of the holiday, we received no less than 4 phone calls, 2 letters and an email with an emergency RECALL .  Apparently, the pressure was causing wine bottles to explode, injuring, blinding, killing people......  It’s the thought that counts…..and it was not a carpet cleaner or Rocky DVD.

Gobble, Gobble, MOBble

Thanksgiving in CT.  Because Stehanie is living in NYC….boooo hoooo,hoooo hoooo, we decided to go to East for the holiday.  Mark and Garrett flew in Thanksgiving day…..because, ya know, they work.  Garrett, the working man, man of honor.  
Truly, our holidays at Susanne’s table just blend from one holiday or party to the next.  It’s always great food, not that I partake in the cooking.....otherwise it wouldn't be, ya know good food.    It’s always sports on the TV.  We play games at the table for hours ........ along with and in addition to:  Drinking, joking, story-telling, catching up, movies, a little karaoke,  some chair dancing, facebook stalking, recycling,  playing the lottery.......just the things that every normal American family does, right?        I hope not, because we OWN the good times we have.    Not surprisingly, Mike blends well with the family.  Whether he is booking a trip online along side Tammy, playing the piano while singing with the kids all around him, or thinking he can compete with a family of Yankee fans, playing board games.  Not that I'm one of them.....but it's fun.

October, Month of DA Bears.

The month began with Mark and Garrett and Burton, of course, driving halfway across the country to move Garrett to our Los Colinas home.  A new chapter in my life is having another adult child, work and be on his own.  October is always the busiest.

Not only is my husband never home with his travels, but he doesn’t have time to extend a trip and take me along.  Feel sorry for me!  I have not been on a planned vacation in years.  Years…….  But hey, we are going to the football game in Chicago.  We got Great tickets to include my brother and his wife and son.  Included were Mike and Stephanie coming in from NYC, and Garrett on his first weekend away since he started a job.  It was great.  Pizza is Great.  Italian food is Great....  Love Chicago for many reasons to include family and friends. 
My brother did not come to the Bears game.  Maria  and  Marissa did.  Great friends.  But in true form, we had to leave early to catch a flight.  This included walking 3 miles, rushing around Chicago by the best of the best of city drivers…..not a cab, but Maria.  We got to the flight with time to spare for a beer.  Interesting.  Stephanie and Michael took the El for their flight, getting there just in time.  You see planning a wedding is just  NOT enough to do, we have to make our lives a little more rushed, complicated, exciting and stressful.  It is all in fun. 

To add to this, we enjoyed our annual American Airlines Charity Golf & Tennis event benefiting Susan G. Komen at the beautiful Park Hyatt, Aviara Resort.  Always a beautiful event, always fun to play 12 hours of tennis in 2 days.  Always fun to meet those of whom have become my favorite friends.

However........we all went to Laguna Niguel to actually do wedding stuff.  The florist did beautiful samples.  The fun part, kind of, was CAKE TASTING!!!  Our first place, which we were led to believe was in Newport Beach, CA.... but it's really Costa Mesa, should have been our first clue.  But then we heard they were on "Amazing Wedding Cakes" and we were prepared to be impressed.  Before I say "why", let me just say I would NEVER refer ANYONE to Let Them Eat Cake, particularly a snooty baker named Christen.  This rude girl, told us, Stephanie's idea of a white cake was "nothing" and would not photograph well, despite the beautiful pictures we brought in for samples.
She proceeded to tell us that NO ONE was allowed to touch our cake or put fresh flowers on it.  IS she frickin kidding me??  After what they wanted to charge????  I can put Yankee M & M's on it if I want.......next.........

Garrett mentions that his friend's mother owns a bakery in Laguna Niguel.  He tells me it's Donna B.  OMG, the cookie lady that came to the PTA functions and Little League games???  Let's try it. 

What a sweet staff....pun intended.  But the cake was the most delicious...Let's see which Bakery should we go with.....DUH.

Do you Remember??? September???

Not really.  A LOT of nesting going on before leaving CA and then a lot of nesting going on in Texas before Bear comes back.  He did come back.  AND….Garrett is moving back to Texas.  YAY. 

Kids...now a days.....need to apply for jobs, send resumes and in Garrett's case develop a proposal as to what he can do for the perspective company.  Or is you rather it be easier (not necessarily) go to grad school.  Also, a good thing. 

Oh yeah, wedding planning.  Mike knows this band, and hired them for the wedding.  It a METAL cover band.....Oh my.  I'm really not sure what that is.  As long as I can dance, that's all I care about.  So, Garrett, my designated driver, went with me to the Gaslamp Restaurant in Long Beach, CA.  A very cool place in an area of Long Beach, becoming more trendy.  The band......Knyght Ryder....was awesome.  Reception music.....DONE.

Ceremony??? Still looking for Steel Drum, or Ukulele ..... yes, Stephanie wants a Ukulele to play Canon in D.  Being the MOB is challenging. 

August ...Smougust

With a lot of planning done, because I am such a diligent MOB that all that is necessary is done to this point, I’m in CA enjoying the summer.  My new thing is climbing mountains!  Well not really a mountain, the mountain behind my house on “the Ridge”.  I call it , butt-buster-kill-me-mountain.  Because, it makes me feel a little competitive with the mountain, biking, hiking, canoeing, rock climbing girls in which I spent 4 days with in Idaho.  So if I could only stop 3 times while climbing BBKMM I am on my way to being one of those girls that can bike to the mountain, hike up the mountain, and river raft it down, then canoe back to a lovely lake house for a couple of hours of tennis.

All of this did prepare me for 4 days in Vail (see ANOTHER mountain for this soon to be mountain woman).  A place for a retirement/charity golf tournament, Vail was beautiful.  Yes, I hiked the mountain, I wanted to bike it, but I was too scared to go downhill and too reasonable to go uphill.  Besides those spa treatments had my muscles too relaxed to work too hard.

We suck at planning things for ME.

July’s plans changed so much; I don’t even understand the scribbling in my date-book.  Let’s go to NYC or Connecticut.  Let’s go to California.  Let’s bring Bear to California.  So because I am of little priority to anyone including myself, Bear became the priority this month.  Get the baby boy outta this heat.  But that is OK.  Having Bear’s travel time dictate where and when we go to California allowed us to do what we have done the last 3 years.  And that is go to Dana Point Harbor where two sets of friends have boats and eat, drink, watch the guys have major water gun fights from dingy to dingy.  Very fun and not something I ever knew about until joining them that first year.

Because I have a son who is also my landscaper and property manager (at this time in July), we often add the title of dog caretaker.  So we left Bear and Burton (who is basically on his own) and came back to Dallas …….. in the middle of the summer……. In the middle of July……. For a grandiose wedding.  It really was beautiful at the grand Central train station in Dallas, catered by wolfgang puck.

Not to sweat too much in Texas, I immediately took off for CA to then fly via private jet, from Orange County to McCall, Idaho.  What a beautiful way to go.  I DO, however, always fly MY private JetS, via American Airlines.  What a great group of girls.  I got to know some ladies I had only heard about from our gracious host, Kris.  I got to know better a couple of people I met before thru GK (Gracious Kris), and I got to spend time with a few of the Veronicas. 

Normally, I can deal with altitude and not consider it a sickness but a quicker means of catching a buzz when drinking wine or martinis, it’s fun.  I also look forward to sleeping better in the clean air.  However, this trip, the altitude sickness hit me.  Never should I be excessive, and by excessive I mean excessive exercise.  Too much of IT made me breathe in too much clean, good air and it almost made me literally sick.  It made me want to do yoga and relearn how to breathe.  Again,  if I pursued this blog like I planned, maybe I would have been reminded to DO Yoga like I said I NEEDED to, then I would have been a better hiker, biker and wake surfer!!  Or perhaps I would have the lung capacity to do a doobie to calm my nerves.  That’s right, I would if I could, but I can’t because I have wimpy lungs. (Note: do yoga)

What a nice month (and busy)despite the fact that Mark came into Orange County to go to an Angels/RedSox  game and not even come home to see me…..

Happy Birthday to Meeeee is all I remember for June.

Oh wait, there is more.  Truth be told, Garrett requested this time be about HIM; All about his graduation trips and parties.  So, spending 25,000 frequent flyer miles, hundreds of dollars and an airline voucher, we planned a great trip to Chicago, Wisconsin and Connecticut.  

We went to Chicago for a much overdue visit with our favorite family of friends.  I must say that it means so much to me that these kids are immediately close and open with each other despite the few times in which we all got together.  Steve and Maria graciously hosted a good old fashion barbeque and visit to include my brother and family as we sat around her large kitchen table.  From that night, we enjoyed the best seats in the house at Wrigley field, Cubs vs White Sox.  And from there it was off to Wisconsin to spend a couple of days at their beautiful lake house.  Boats, wave runners and a beer pong contest that Maria and I won over Marissa and Garrett.  And since it was “All about Garrett week”, this quality time with friends had bouts of an all girl focus group critiquing some of Garrett’s choices in life, his knick names, his blunders, a psycho girlfriend or two and a myriad of untold stories.  I kind of liked having my son in the hot seat.

Good Godmother planned her Godson-Goodson’s graduation party at her house to include a pizza truck, keg, wet T-shirt contest, kissing booth, petting zoo, clown and a bounce house.  Well, Susanne got the bounce house and pizza truck.  We got the keg and jug wine.  It was perfect! 

All throughout MY busy life as this blog is about ME, I often find myself melancholy when my husband travels extensively and I can neither afford to go or have time to go or have him have time for me to join.  It is no fun at all.  So I may as well sink myself into my ……  I mean Stephanie’s wedding plans.  That being said, it was nice to end the month with a little overnight visit from Michael and Stephanie on their way to a wedding in Austin. 

It’s May and by the way, I have a son.

Not that anyone is reading this, but I do have an adorable son.  He’s been through a lot of trouble, soul searching, girls and more girls, parties and more parties, schools and more schools, cars and more cars, jobs and more jobs in the past 6 years.  This month is graduation!!!

My son has gracefully and without choice taken a back seat to his sister and her exciting life and plans.  However, after 6 years, 5 moves, 4 campuses, 3 majors, 2 countries, 1 happy guy is completing this phase of his life. 

But wait, I hardly have time to fit this in my schedule.   Aunt Dorothy is turning 85 and I need to visit Chicago to go to her surprise party.  Then from Texas to CA for the graduation and let’s squeeze in a wedding, albeit conveniently planned…..for me.  Another child of a Veronica is getting married.  To put things in perspective of my behind-ness in this blogging thing, the happy couple NOW has a baby. 

Garrett’s graduation ceremony was on a hot, sunny day at an outdoor stadium at CSF.  Of course Stephanie came in but although he did not plan to come, Michael did….smart guy.   Joy and more joy can describe this time.  Oh yes, and a keg and Italian food and an impromptu party can describe it as well.  Perfect!

This month came to a close with the celebration of one friend’s 50^th birthday IN Dallas.  (It’s about time, Kim.) It was also nice to meet new friends at our Four Seasons in Dallas from Chicago.  The hardcore tattoo of Chicago Bears “C” on Mark’s arm, many tropical drinks led to quick get-to-know-you with fellow transplants from Chicago. (what is this?! a vacation? No, just our country club life.)

April - Starting to feel the whole year is a blur

Hence, the blog. 

Well, the decision has been made to have the wedding in California, particularly Laguna Beach.  These areas represent our family getting together, as well as down time for those that work….aka …..everyone except me.  But HEY, Surf and Sand, I know you think you are all that, but if you can’t book us for the date we want, when we want (1 year out), then Seeeeee ya……wouldn’t want to be ya…..  We will be spending a lot of money and not with you. 

What do you know; they made an “exception” for us.  So another plan is DONE.  April 30^th 2011 is booked, YAY!  I think I’ll go to the Bahamas.

And so I did.  I joined Mark, Susanne, Sylvia, friends and children at the beautiful Atlantis for a 4 day weekend and it was a great family, fix. 

But of course, April still had some days left in which to do something big like fly to New York, have seven female family members join us and go try on wedding dresses at  Kleinfeld’s.   Stephanie said “yes” to the dress.   WE should have been on that show, there were so many of us.  Sylvia, as always, was dressed to impress and looked absolutely adorable as she zipped through the racks and darted across the showroom floor, b-lining towards a dress I noticed minutes prior.  My thought was, this dress is lovely, however, nothing like the dresses pictured Stephanie’s notebook of preferences. 

However, when Sylvia suggests something, you comply, because she us usually spot on!  She suggested Stephanie try on this dress and this was it!  I hesitated to be overly excited because I am so demure, I did not want to interfere with my daughter’s decisions.  Well, that is not very true, but as much as I loved the dress, it was the 4^th frickin dress that she tried on.  AND we still had an appointment at Saks.  Plus it was over budget but no worries because we had Susanne reassuring Stephanie that she should spend whatever she needs, it IS her day. 

Did Stephanie make the right decision to commit to that dress?  Absolutely!  All I had to do was see the pictures of her beaming and showing happiness inside out.  Thank you Kleinfeld!

Still emotions hit me a different way.  How could Stephanie not ask Garrett to be in her wedding.  He is her partner in crime, her closest friend and confidant in the entire world.  Although I was right about what Stephanie should do, (and I’m always right), it was when her Grandmother, cousin, aunt and Father felt the same way that she figured it out sooner than later.  She would have eventually come to her senses, but I don’t have time to wait.  I don’t have time at all.  

March of 2010 was a blur.....

…..but a productive Blur.  As I begin to recall March 2010, I barely remember Stephanie’s birthday but we had fun and we had margaritas and Mexican food.

Apparently, a lot was accomplished wedding wise.  Thanks to pictures on my computer, and my pocket calendar we did the following, I can revisit our progress:

Looked at 7 Degrees – not available for preferred wedding dates

Looked at  Surf and Sand – does not reserve weddings more than 9 months out

Booked the Salt Creek Grill for an engagement party.

Had the engagement party and it was great!  We were all so happy to have visiting family to include Bob and Melinda from Idaho, Jen and Bill from San Francisco and one hot Sylvia from Connecticut.   We had quite the turn out to include a couple of people stopping in from the beach.  Hmmmmm.  I Hope that doesn’t happen at the wedding.  Mark’s first of many speeches was touching and funny.  I’m always happy for funny, so as not to cry and/or deal with crying.

We went to a couple of different places as possible venues, met with a photographer - Tom Baker Photography, and florist, La Tulipe Floral…..done and done.

Michael added to our collection of “things to keep” in our garage.

And the month ended with Michael, Stephanie and Winston leaving the state of California for life in the Big Apple.

Emotions were very much in tact until literally the last 10 minutes of Stephanie’s California residence.  Personally, I think she should have been nicer to me by keeping her stress in check because after all, her moving so far away was emotional for me.  AND this was the very first Easter EVER in which our baby girl was not with us.  Yes……I should pay some mind that she was emotional about leaving her life in CA for this adventure of a move.  That and the fact that she was responsible for transporting the dog, crate, luggage and life while Mike left sooner to work or something small like that.

The Engagement PARTY!!

Yesss.  The engagement party at the Salt Creek Grill was so nice.  Just about everyone invited acctually came.  Christy Carson was so helpful in helping us decide on shrimp, cheese platter, wine and beer.  Everything kind of had a NY theme with the yankee Blue and White in flowers, napkins, and M & M's.  Instead of a cake we had Chocolate covered strawberries and red velvet cupcakes in which the proceeds went to Haiti Relief for a project headed by my girlfriend Donna's daughter and St Margaret's.

I'm organized.....Really!

After several months, I revisited a document saved on my computer.  This document was started several months ago in my attempt to keep an almost daily account of being the MOB.  My daughter was engaged on February 13th and my last entry was February 19.  HAHA
Now that I have read this document, I realize that my initial instincts, thoughts and ideas are much better than taking the time to think.  Yes, thinking too much does not work me.  Venting, I mean writing does.  So this is my account of February:

February 14, 2010 - Happy Birthday, Mark (oh yes, Happy Valentines day, Jo)

Happy Valentine’s Day.  My daughter is engaged one day!  Love is in the house.  Olives are in my martini.  Wine is flowing with dinner.  Stephanie’s cell phone is ringing. Michael’s cell phone is ringing.  Mark’s cell phone is ringing.  Happy Birthday to Mark!  Garrett’s cell phone is ALWAYS ringing.  What about me?  Yes I got a couple calls.  Thank you.   I did get kind responses on Facebook about my news, I mean my daughter's news! 

February 15, 2010 - Aaaaaaad back to Dallas. 
Things will sink in to include but certainly not limited to the fact that Stephanie will be moving to NYC with her fiance.  I KNOW she will find a great job, She already loves NYC.  But this is alot.  I'm so exhausted just thinking about everything they have to do.  But the planning must go on.  Does it count as planning if we make a wedding list on the back of our boarding passes?  I think it does.  Whew, no wonder I was exhausted, alot of planning already.

February 16, 2010 - Already doing things
Fortunately, I had a camera the day of the Proposal.  My to do list: Upload the pictures.  Make an album to share on  Kodak and Facebook.  Correspond with Michael’s parents.  Bob and Melinda are my new favorite people.  It is now clear to me why Michael is so great.  It is also so clear why Stephanie loves him.  Such joy comes over me at the fact that they found each other.

February 17, 2010 - And doing more.
Ok……got the planner/organizer/guides.  Now what?  If I have to read thru these books first, I may be off schedule.  Idiot's guide books are great.  They make one for everyone involved in the wedding.  There is one for the bride and groom as well as MOB and FOB, Maid of Honor, Mother/Father of the Groom.   I wanted to buy everyone one.  However, it would be rude to call that many people "idiots".  So I did not.

February 18, 2010 - Not exactly a nooner.
Noon, I’m in my jammies.  These last few days I slept approximately  5 hours a night.  So I think I just made up for it in sleeping in this morning.  But as I’m getting ready to run errands and do my walk, Mark comes home stressing.  Why? You ask?  He was running late for lunch at the Four Seasons Golf Club to which he would have to eat fast to make his tee time.  I just love this amazing man.  Or should I say, it’s amazing that I love this man.  (Just kidding)

After bouncing a few things off of Mark, in regard to my wedding plans, I mean Stephanie & Mike’s wedding……Let’s just refer to it as “The Wedding”….. Mark was of little help.  I can expect my brain will hurt if I start thinking too hard or too much without Mark bouncing back his comedic logic.  Regular exercise and massages will be necessary.  And Yoga.  I should do yoga.  Also, considered...is the fact that the newly engaged have little time in their current work schedules to prepare for a cross country move.  Trying to coordinate with them  will be so much fun.    

February 19, 2009 - Sunday Dinners are my favorite
A lot of families that I know have certain times in which they set aside for traditional, special or bonding reasons.   Couples have date night.  Sunday is for Church.  Morning coffee or a breakfast/brunch is nice.  Growing up, I had Sunday dinners.  No matter where you are, or what you are doing, you had be seated for Sunday dinner.  My mother had it, with my grandma.  My uncle Charlie then had it (with my grandma).  I had it with my little family in Buffalo Grove, and also in Laguna Niguel home where my tomato plants were perennials!  Just the 4 of us, Sunday dinners turned into Sunday football.  And then these kids grew up, damn them!  Our schedules were daunting; Sundays were the only free day in which my family (not necessarily me) got to do what they needed, whether it is to shop, do homework, and see friends outside of school or just veg.  So…..now I have to plan something traditional, special or bonding as empty nesters.   I did not plan on living in different states from my family and I miss those Sunday dinners.    

Mark and I go to Via Real almost every Friday night in Irving.  Call it a date night, but really we enjoy a close convenient place.  Edgar recognizes us and brings us our frozen margaritas.  The food is excellent and appetizers usually suffice.  Then we come home, light some candles and watch television.  Tonight was just that and it was fun talking about wedding plans.  And we decided on nothing. 

A MOB cannot help but reminisce about her wedding, especially when it was great like ours.   It became clear to us that of my bridesmaids, Susanne, at age 14, was the most helpful of them all.  My bridesmaids also included my sister, a work friend (don’t talk to her ever anymore) and my closest Chicago friend till this day.  AND they were great!  But, need hairpins?  Susanne.  More ice?  Susanne.  Where are the flowers?  Susanne would call.  What the heck are the boys doing?  Susanne found out.  The limo is late?  Susanne called the front desk.  She was the backbone of my wedding party throughout the morning and afternoon.  I’m sure she would have continued to be supportive at the reception, had she not enjoyed her cousins and “soda”. 

The irony…, Stephanie was a teeny bopper when she was in Susanne’s wedding and now Susanne’s daughter, Isabella, will be a tween in Stephanie’s wedding.   Therefore, to me, it makes sense for my daughter to have the support and logic of teeny boppers.  

February 22, 2009 - I don't have time to do taxes this early.
This weekend was productive, productive and productive, but not in a wedding way.  I’m nesting, I never have, but this has been my quest of late.  I go to California, and need to conform and refresh my surroundings.  I come back to Dallas and I love doing the same.  It requires a lot of shopping too.   My nesting ritual is affecting Mark.  In a much needed organization of his clothing our weekend was consumed.  This was a no brainer task compared to completing our taxes and the kid’s taxes.  Done and Done. 

It was also a welcomed diversion from the first of many spats with Stephanie.  In our latest phone call, Stephanie was a bit testy.  She is stressing out just to stress.  To date (it’s only been a week) she has been calm, cool, excited and …ahem….mature about the process of changing everything she knows as her life.  Being the effervescent mother that I am, my support was unparallel.  Words of wisdom conformed Stephanie to calm and understanding.  The logical enlightenment cleared all doubt, erased all speculation of what might be.  Sometimes I wouldd like to be the aforementioned mother, but I am not.      

Naturally frazzled, I expressed my frustration by harshly and loudly explaining to Stephanie the reality of planning a wedding.  Brashly, explaining what is more important than getting her engagement portrait done.  Little decisions like where, as in what frickin city, and when.  Are we capable of pulling this off?  Stephanie is the organizational diva. And Michael is the plan-man.  So absolutely, we can do this and bond!  But to make it easier on me which translates to easier on all of us, just one or two decisions need to be made soon.  Therefore, the where and when needs to be decided.  This makes sense to me and so it should make sense to the world. 

February 23, 2010 - The first Party to plan!
And so today I can finalize…. invites to the engagement party, contract  at Salt Creek Grill, for engagement party.  In addition, check out favors maybe or cake, or flower vases or Yankee M & M’s.  You read right.  It’s the least I can do, while Stephanie pursues job opportunities, Michael, searches for the perfect apartment in which dogs are allowed.  In their case, a building with an elevator and possibly a sunny terrace would be the perfect home for Winston.  Hopefully, it’s close to a subway or bus in which to commute to work.   That is not to say walking distance to doggy day care?  They have their hands full. 

Since the beginning.......of 2010.

In February, I entered into a new chapter in my life.  Well, it technically is a chapter in my daughter's life, but this blog revolves around me, ok?.  My daughter got engaged.  Her wonderful fiance' (yes, I love him)  flew from LA to Dallas to ask my husband and me for our daughter's hand in marriage.  We knew all about his intentions, and we knew the time would come.   Therefore, I was in MOB mode WAY before this formality.  Like I said, a new chapter in my life.

It's October, there have been quite a few chapters.  My son graduated college, another new chapter in my life.   But yes, 2010, has been crazy joy.  A new city!  Well a new city for Stephanie, but I will visit alot.  A new job, for Stephanie, but I get to share alot of the stress with her.  A new career, for Garrett, but I did predict his path.  A place of our own, well, once Garrett gets his new place.  All this AND a wedding to plan, WooHoo. 

There is so much to do, I need a lot of new clothes, so I have a lot of shopping to do.  Do I have time to lose all the weight?  Do I have time for cosmetic surgery?  I definitely have to schedule the botox and facial peels aptly; grow my bangs out; tone my arms.  So much to do, so much money to spend.

This is the joy of being the MOB and I have to say, I am honestly having fun.