I'm BaaaaAaaack!

Hello Ladies!

Sorry I have been gone for so long, but I have a good excuse. Umm, ok I don't, but I have felt really busy. However, I do have several reasons why I dropped off the grid:

1. DDW baby is now 14 months old and that is keeping me really busy. He has a hard time when I use any piece of tech (cell phone, computer, etc.) that he isn't allowed to use. Also, the only time I can do ANYTHING (it seems) is during his nap time. ANYTHING includes but is not limited to: cooking, cleaning, talking with friends and family, paying bills, organizing my crap, blah blah blah. That is a lot to squeeze into nap time.

2. DDW husband is totally against me posting any pictures of DDW baby. This really takes away the fun of the whole blog thing - especially for the mommy world. The whole point of blogging is so that I can prove - with photographic evidence - just how cute my baby is. I mean really, how else will I know that I am better than all of the other mom's out their blogging. ;) Ok, I know all of you have cute kids too, but it really is a bummer to not be able to post pics. I absolutely get DDWH's thinking on this one, but it is a bummer.

3. I have started teaching a class at a junior college where I live. Any time that I had during nap time, is now totally gone.

4. I may have watched too much Fox News, MTV, TLC, and other random cable channels. oops.

So there you have it; that's where I have been.

Live Mega Doppler 7000 HD

So it’s raining in SoCal, and by raining I mean snowing, raining, raining cats and dogs and cpk pizzas. People it is raining here. And that means only one thing:

LIVE MEGA DOPPLER 7000 HD

You heard me right, LIVE MEGA DOPPLER 7000 HD. This is the “thing” the local ABC station (channel 7) uses to tell the weather. The weather man, Danny Romero, must have said LIVE MEGA DOPPLER 7000 HD about a zillion times in 2 minutes. It seemed as though he was getting paid per mention of the LIVE MEGA DOPPLER 7000 HD. This instantly reminded of the classic George Clooney vehicle, Return of the Killer Tomatoes. Wherein, halfway through the movie the producers ran out of money and had to take on sponsors, one of which happened to be HONDA MOTORSCOOTERS. Clooney and crew mentioned HONDA MOTORSCOOTERS about a zillion times as well, and I still don’t think they mentioned Honda as much as Danny Romero said LIVE MEGA DOPPLER 7000 HD.

Apparently this “thing” (I just can’t bring myself to say it again) is so powerful that it can actually predict the weather! It works just like a satellite and a Doppler radar system, but it is SO MUCH BETTER. Does NASA know about this, Stephen Hawking, AL Gore? I am pretty sure that if anything could *spot* global warming it would the LIVE MEGA DOPPLER 7000 HD.

Now, DDW’s mom doesn’t think posts like this are related to diet drinks, but they are and I can prove it. I know many of you don’t live in LA and don’t have the privilege to hear Danny Romero say, “LIVE MEGA DOPPLER 7000 HD.” So this one’s for you mom:

Step One: drink your favorite diet.
Step Two: empty the cup.
Step Three: place the cup around your mouth, but leave a small opening on one side of your mouth.
Step Four: using your lowest and loudest voice possible say. “LIVE MEGA DOPPLER 7000 HD!”

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

DDW had a busy holiday. We spent Christmas with DDW's Nana ( my mom) and New Year's back at our home. If you had any doubts as to DDW's true dedication to diet drinks, let me put your mind at rest.

On Christmas day we took DDW's Grandma to Mass, and then......

WE WENT TO 7-11!!!!!!!!!!!! That's right nothing says Merry Christmas like 7-11. I got drinks for everyone and the 7-11 even had flavor shots. Diet Coke with a shot of vanilla - MERRRRRY CHRISTMAS HO HO HO! My mom was a bit horrified by the drink trip after Mass, but once she tasted her diet she agreed that it was totally worth it. The Double Big Gulps really helped the present-opening process go smoothly.

For New Year's Eve, I enjoyed about 5 Vanilla Coke Zeroes. Coke Zero really does taste more like regular Coke; I love the diet flavor, but it is not as close to regular Coke as Coke Zero.

I hope everyone in the DDW family has a great New Year!

Even a Diet Drink Can't Make this Better

This has been a pretty hard week for DDW. DDW's (and DDW's Husband's) good friend passed away this week in a skiing accident. Jason Coles was a total original, and no one will ever replace him in our life. I am working on a post about my experiences with Coles, and my feelings about his/our loss. He left behind a great wife and a 2 month-old baby girl.... it is hard to type this. I even feel odd expressing my loss when his wife must be so devastated, but I want to memorialize my feelings for Coles.

DDW's best friend has also had a horrible week. The matter is private, so I will leave it at that.

Christmas is a time for families, and two people with two great families I love are hurting so badly this Christmas. I have had a new perspective on what it means to have a "broken heart" this year. There is only one Person who can really fix a "broken heart" and we celebrate Him this season. I pray that He can fix my friends hearts who are so much more broken than mine.

I have cried so many tears this week for so many people. Even a diet drink, the biggest diet ever imagined, with tons of fresh ice, and a juicy lime can't make this better. Even a drink can't make this better.

Limes For Everyone

I bought a bunch of limes the last time I went to the grocery store. I meant to use them for a little get together DDW was having, but no one wanted them added to their drinks (I know it seems crazy). So I was left with about 7 limes with no home. What's a girl to do?

CUT THEM UP AND PUT THEM IN YOUR DRINK!!!!!

Every single Diet Coke I have had in the past week, has been enhanced with a fresh lime wedge. Oh my gosh, Christmas came early! A fresh lime squeezed, then dumped in your drink, is amazing! I know I have posted about the Lime before, but this week has really reminded me of the Lime's importance. If you do nothing else from reading this website, at least keep some limes on hand for your drinks. So my Christmas present to my readers is this: go get you some limes!

Letter to DDW Baby: 10 Months Old

This month you turned 10 months old; you are growing up my little peanut! This month you discovered the Kleenex box; it is soooo much fun to pull the Kleenex’s out! Every time you pull a Kleenex out, another one magically appears! Your love of Kleenex might be genetic because I always have to have some within reach; we will have to wait to see if you love diet coke as much as your mommy.

You are also really getting into your stuffed animals this month. I have caught you giggling and laughing at your stuffed mule, “Black Jack” (don’t tell your Grandma) and snuggling with your stuffed elephant. You thought I wasn’t there to see you since you were sitting in your playpen, but I was. You may love your stuffed animals, but I love your pack-n-play more (a mom has to go to the potty sometimes too)!

You have discovered FRANKIE (our not-so-friendly cat*). You think she is another stuffed animal for you to play with and chase around the house. You love to grab her fur and pull as much hair out as you can. FRANKIE does not take to this very kindly and she hisses and takes a swipe at you.

However, DDW baby is very brave; he laughs in the face of a hissing, angry cat, and he just gets ready for another grab. FRANKIE tries to run away and DDW baby just follows her through the house. This chasing of the cat through the house has led to another important development:

CRAWLING!!!!

You have been crawling for more than a month, but now you are really hitting your stride – literally. You take off with so much speed that it is hard for your mommy to keep up with you. When I have to grab you before you reach your destination (that inevitably includes something you shouldn’t grab – like cords or the cable to the TV) and bring you back to your starting point, you take off again and add a little giggle in just for good measure. You know I will just take off for you again, and this is the little game we play all day long, all day long, all day long. Well, you see to really enjoy it.

You have grown very attached to your mommy. Everyone has told me that separation anxiety starts around 9 to 10 months, and I think we are beginning to see it in our little home. I try to put you in your pack-n-play for a short period of time every day, so you can learn to play by yourself for a bit. You are able to entertain yourself, but you prefer if I am within crawling distance. If I have anything in my hands (computer, diet drink, mail, magazine, cloths, dishes, FRANKIE), you want to grab it, touch it, stuff it in your mouth, and just generally have it. I have had to start eating lunch standing up at the buffet table just to eat my food in peace. Whatever I am doing, you want to be doing. But that is ok, because I love you sooooooo much.

You are the cutest, sweetest, funniest baby I have ever had, and I smove you so much! Happy 10-months old!


*This is DDW Husband’s cat that DDW inherited when we got married. Shortly after getting married, I jokingly accused DDW Husband of loving his snowshoe kitty more than me. What was DDW Husband’s response to this loaded question, you ask? He stated flatly, “Well, I have known her longer.” Hmmmm.

Jones Soda - Jones'in for a New CEO

Jones Soda CEO is out. See this article for more info.