I Love...Kaiser?

No, I haven't hit my head. And I still yearn for the day I can throw my Kaiser card in the trash and go back to being a Sharp baby. However, I must say, the commercial I saw for Kaiser last night is brilliant, inspiring, and just plaing awesome. I thought "I want to be THAT kind of old lady! How fun!" Then I said to Shane, "See!! People with TiVO miss these awesome commercials!!" So, for my DVR-loving friends (of which I'm sure I will be one soon), I post my new favorite commercial:

This Was Much More Fun

This was my 4th Presidential election, and oh boy was it the most fun. My first one in 1996 was super anti-climactic. I was voting absentee while at UCLA, and I truly couldn't decide who to vote for: Clinton or Dole. I decided to skip it and work through the rest of my ballot, thinking I would go back at the end. Well, I forgot, so I never did vote for President that year. I still feel like a total dope.

2000 was very different. I had been working for Congressman Gephardt in DC for less than 2 months, but had decided long before then that there was no way I was voting for Dubya. I was excited when my co-workers invited me to tag along to The Mayflower Hotel for the big DNC viewing party in one of the ballrooms. When they called Florida for Gore--HOORAY! But then they took it away--BOOOOO! Well, it was a long night, as we all now know. The ultimate outcome then, and in 2004, was...well...beyond frustrating. But let's move forward, hmmmm?

I had grand plans last night of an Election Party, complete with patriotic foods and Uncle Sam hats for everyone! But then I realized I was far too busy and tired to get my act together. So I headed up to the bastion of progressive politics known as Menifee. To my utter delight, my fiance (who I was previously grumpy at for NOT being into my brilliant Uncle Sam hat idea...costume scrooge that he is) had put together a collection of patriotic meats and cheeses: red salami, white goat cheese, and stinky blue cheese.

We baked up an apple pie, fried up some chicken tenders and watched history being made. All this after going to the polls in the morning and having a jolt run through me when I opened up my ballot. I've never had a voting experience like it, what a thrill. In the words of The Tipsy Historian: BEST VOTING EXPERIENCE EVER!

YES WE CAN!!!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vote for These Babies!

The stomach flu claimed another victim today: Benjamin. Everyone else has recovered or avoided the scourge. Poor Benjamin, he's such a good boy, and has hardly been complaining. I'm including a picture from Halloween, a happier time, a few days ago. Samuel is on the left (he was much more tolerant of the glasses than Benjamin), Ben on the right.

Those little guys are so funny.

I couldn't be more nervous about tomorrow. I'm about to go over the rest of my ballot to figure out all the Propositions. I just want it to be over, but at the same time, am dreading the possibility of an outcome that would just boggle my brain.

ohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohplease

Backlog

Hello doves.  Sorry to be so absent.  I had a horrendous pledge drive from the 17-24th, then a busy weekend recovering and doing various wedding-related preparations (hello, Ascension Catholic Parish Engagement Coordinator people!), then I was off to Denver on the 29th, where I am right now.  Grandma came with me as a surprise to my sister, which was fun and delightful.  Benjamin and Samuel were also pleased, particularly Samuel, who loves Ross' mom (Nana), and my mom (Grandma) more than anything.  We pulled into the garage from the airport and Sammy was writhing out of his car seat trying to get to Grandma.  We have taken to calling them Gramuel, a la Brangelina, or Speidi.

Sadly, the Casa de los Twins has been taken down by the stomach flu. Samuel projectile vomited all over Mama, Grandma, and me yesterday, which was quite a sight to behold.  Also, horrendously disgusting, and so very sad.  He managed to sleep through the night, and fingers crossed, is on the road to recovery.  But they've been tricked before by babies not puking and then BAM, they getcha again.  Poor Ross was taken down around midnight last night, and has just emerged to try and get some water into his belly.  Grandma and I are just praying we don't get sick before our flight--this vomit-phobic author is horrified by the thought of being stuck in a flying tube while doing the technicolor yawn.  But such is life sometimes.  Mama and Benjamin seem to be fine as well, but none of us want to jinx it, so we're just holding our breath.

I'm looking forward to updating everyone on some fun new recipes I recently tried, all very delicious and autumnal.  And I have a book review, so I better update that column...  I also have some delightful pre-puke pics from Halloween of S & B.  I think I may even share some fun memories from my friend Claudia's recent wedding in Idyllwild.  Good mountain fun.

To the Pepto!