Some days...update

After my much needed rant session yesterday, the day improved moment by moment, and many of you helped remind me that perspective is important, and, as my sister reminded me, "life ebbs and flows."
The progression from bad day, to ok day, to great evening:
- 11:15am baby up, at doctor's moved appointment, and no ear infection (yeah!)
- 12:30pm still upset in general, argued with husband, realized mid-argument not to argue with person trying to help you
- 12:50pm at Apple store genius appointment wonderful husband made and found running chip fix (buy new one...love/hate Apple!)
- 2pm great stroll home on bright sunny fall day through park with happy baby
- 3pm naptime for everyone
- 4pm finally get out for that 5-mile run, best time in three years!
- 6pm daughter returns home from weekend away, dinner, family time
- 9pm Yankees game on, quality time with husband
- midnight Yankees win game and in world series!
- 12:05am off to bed with smile, great end to the day

'til next time,
It's a BusyLife.
- Danielle

Some days just don't go your way

Ah, the beauty of a blog - someplace to vent! It's been one of those days, and it's only 10:26am, sigh. I'd like to think of myself as a positive individual, but I'm going to lay it all out there, if for no other reason, to feel like it took alot to get to me today!

- it's dreary

- woke up with a headache

- baby refused to nurse, started pulling at ear (maybe ear infection?)

- went back to sleep after some tylenol (thank you wonderful husband!), still woke with headache

- missed 8:30am race, but planned on 'virtual race' with nike+ ipod chip

- chip not working, blogs contradict each other and still not working!

- spent 1/2 hour searching for ipod armband to no avail (still no breakfast)

- baby would not go down for nap for 1/2 hour (I hope he's sleeping in there)

- now headache, hungry, grumpy, and no run to count toward marathon entry requirements

- baby sleeping through doctor's appt to see if he has ear infection (10:30)

- found out friends who came to visit got parking tix (sorry guys!)

Ugh, just one of those days and it's not even noon. Did get an email from a friend that is helping snap me out of it (thx Lynn!). It had this picture:

Uh...sorry, I know this was supposed to be cute, but just disturbing, no?

Anywhooo time to scrap it and find time for that book about how to find time :)....serenity now - ommmmmmmmm.

'til next time,

It's a BusyLife.

Danielle

H1N1 Update teleconferences Oct 8 and 9

In an effort to give you the most up to date information about the H1N1virus, the White House Office of Public Engagement, in coordination withthe Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Controland Prevention, will hold informational conference calls on this subject.Below is a list of conference call information pertaining to differentcommunities. Please feel free to join any number of these calls. Topicswill include prevention, the importance of vaccination, vaccine safety andavailability.


THURSDAY, October 8
11:00a EDT H1N1, Pregnant Women and Maternal Health
Participant: (800) 553-0327
Title: Maternal Health H1N1 Call *Provide in lieu of passcode*


1:00p EDT General H1N1 Outreach Call with Organizations of AnyBackground
Participant: (800) 230-1085
Title: H1N1 Briefing *Provide in lieu of passcode*


1:45p EDT H1N1 and Children Under 5 and Children with High-RiskConditions
Participant: (800) 288-8961
Title: Children H1N1 *Provide in lieu of passcode*


2:00p EDT H1N1 and Persons with Cancer and non-HIVImmunosuppressive Conditions
Participant: (800) 230-1096
Title: Cancer H1N1 Call *Provide in lieu of passcode*


2:00p EDT H1N1 and African Americans
Participant: (800) 288-8960
Title: African American H1N1 Call *Provide in lieu of passcode*


7:00p EDT H1N1 and Pacific Islanders
Participant: (800) 230-1059
Title: Pacific Islanders H1N1 Call *Provide in lieu of passcode*


FRIDAY, October 9
11:00a EDT H1N1 and Persons with HIV/AIDS
Participant: (800) 288-8961
Title: HIV\AIDS H1N1 Call *Provide in lieu of passcode*


12:00p EDT H1N1 and Persons with Cardiovascular Disease
Participant: (800) 230-1951
Title: Cardiovascular H1N1 Call*Provide in lieu of passcode*


1:00p EDT H1N1 and Persons with Diabetes
Participant: (800) 230-1085
Title: Diabetes H1N1 *Provide in lieu of passcode*


1:00p EDT H1N1 and Persons with Asthma
Participant: (800) 230-1074
Title: Asthma H1N1 Call *Provide in lieu of passcode*


2:00p EDT H1N1 and Persons with Disabilities
Participant: (800) 230-1951
Title: Disabilities H1N1 Call *Provide in lieu of passcode*


2:00p EDT H1N1, Immigrants and non-English speakers (andincluding Latino and Asian organizations)
Participant: (800) 230-1096
Title: Immigrants\Non English Speaking H1N1 *Provide in lieu of passcode*

Fast and easy dinner - Crabmeat Rolls

For a fancy looking sandwich night, we created a budget-friendly version of our favorite lobster roll from The Mermaid Inn which has quickly become a family favorite. Admittedly, I'm a terrible cooking instructor, as I am constantly experimenting and changing recipes with my "add a little curry to the marinara" here (which is FABU) and "I'm out of this ingredient, how would this be" there attitude. My flexible attitude in the kitchen makes for some great meals, but becomes very hard to nail down on paper or pass along a recipe...but here goes!

We've become fans of one of my childhood favorites for budget cooking - imitation crabmeat. While it's definitely not up to par with Alaskan King crabmeat, it's an affordable, family-friendly alternative that still gets seafood on the table and breaks up the "what chicken dish is for dinner" monotony. Besides, it's ready-to-eat, so you don't have to cook it or deal with raw meat juice to clean up after. We've sauteed in olive oil with pasta, made a budget version of paella, and our new favorite - sandwiches!

This recipe is super fast (talking 5 mins!) unless you have to thaw the crabmeat, but even then, I only spent 15 mins in the kitchen last night, and just finished the leftovers for lunch...mmmm! I thought thawing the imitation crabmeat would be alot of brain damage, but it's either an overnight in the refrigerator (had NO time for that), or under warm/cool running water. Solution: I put the package in the sink under running water, and finished the dishes from lunch (yes, they'd been sitting in the sink most of the day. I'm happy for you if this never happens if your house) and by the time I was done the meat was thawed!


Imitation Crabmeat Salad Sandwiches
Serves: 4
ingredients:

4 brioche rolls
1 lb package imitation crabmeat, thawed
1/2 cup mayonaise (we use light mayo)
salt, pepper, basil flakes, paprika, or whatever else you like to taste!


Toast brioche rolls, I put them in my oven straight on the rack for 5 mins on 350 degrees, but only because I don't have a toaster oven handy. While toasting rolls, throw some frozen corn in the microwave or whatever side you are having with dinner. In a large bowl, break up the crabmeat by hand to smaller pieces, but not too small, large chunks are good. Add mayo and seasonings and mix. Add heaping scoops to rolls and serve.


'til next time,
It's a BusyLife
-Danielle

I did a half marathon!!

Entry fee...$17.50
Number of foot massage breaks...3
Miles walked...2.5
Miles completed this morning...13.2
Finishing a half marathon before my son's first birthday...priceless!!


I'm going to go collapse now
'til next time,
It's a BusyLife
- Danielle

Heard on the street

One of the interesting things about living in NYC (sometimes a guilty pleasure) is people watching/eavesdropping on the streets of the city. Sometimes it's the new parents strolling with their newborn that brings a smile to your face. Or the foreign tourists enjoying a sight you take for granted every day, reminding you why you love your neighborhood. Or the crazy person shouting to no one in particular about nothing specific or discernable.

Tonight I took a quick stroll to the market for some milk (oh, and bananas, and maybe yogurt...and why can I never walk out of the market with only what I came for??) when I was reminded how alive with activity the streets can be, even in our quiet family neighborhood on the Upper West Side. My neighborhood is a friendly one, where people will just strike up a conversation out of the blue as you share the sidewalk. Like the guy bemusing about a strikingly bright yellow sports car as we crossed the street together. Or the conversation I stumbled past, as a woman explained to her companion:

"...so we were friendly, and he said to me 'let's catch some breakfast or lunch sometime' {hands flourishing in the air}"

"then I responded nicely enough, but it was not nice, there were words or phrases hanging in the nastiness of the air, just lingering above telling me this was not"

Well, it sounded more interesting walking by :)

Apparently, I'm not the only one who enjoys listening in on street talk because there's a blog dedicated to what can be

Overheard In New York.

Til next time,

It's a BusyLife

- Danielle

Concept of space

A few weekends ago we re-organized our home (with help, thanks to a deal on personal assistance at Lambent Services), and the concept of space is quite interesting. Living in Manhattan I think my concept of space is skewed to appreciate smaller quarters to begin with. My father once marvelled how I could tolerate shared walls with neighbors and how he much preferred a private home with yard. But as our little guy comes closer to mastering walking, we realized the layout of our tiny apartment just felt tinier and with cold weather approaching, we needed some space for him to spread out on the floor with toys, toddle across the room, and otherwise not worry about bumping his head on every obstacle.

Our living room was arrange so that upon entry, the dining area was directly on on the right, TV and bookcases on the far left wall, sofa facing the entry, and behind it the far wall covered with alternative bookcases and his and hers desks. This layout worked great for 4 years with two adults and a budding teen, but was very cramped once we added a new baby and all his stuff (and they do have lots of stuff!).





















So...we ditched a few shelves, shifted the sofa back to the wall, moved the dining room to the left and voila!! The room opened right up!

I would highly recommend to anyone to occasionally take a hard look at your space with fresh perspective.


'til next time,
It's a BusyLife
- Danielle