more obsession over the gulf coast

I remember being glued to my computer when Katrina hit New Orleans. I had just started working at Reef, and I remember thinking that these people probably thought I was nuts! I would wait for new pictures to post on all the news sites. I felt so helpless and isolated. My dad was from New Orleans, my Grandparents were from New Orleans, and my sister was living there at the time. I grew up going there and it was always fun - what was to become of it? Would it ever return?
These same feelings returned when I learned about the oil spill. So many angry thoughts come now though, How could they not have a backup plan???, among others. Not to mention the fact that it will more than likely reach the Atlantic Ocean. The local news now has a permanent segment after the weather called "oil watch" or something rather uncreative to track when it gets to us. Disgusting.
I was over at my new favorite blog, Happenstance last week, and happily stumbled across a post she did about the oil spill cleanup efforts and...hair? She had me and I had to read on.
Apparently what happens is that hair is collected from all over the US at various salons and pet groomers (you know, all the hair that falls on the floor?). That hair is then shipped to Matter of Trust in San Fransisco where it is stuffed into recycled nylons and surrounded by mesh to make these "booms". Sounds crazy right? I had to see for myself, so check out their site that I have linked above or this.

And to think one of my little guys grooming sessions could help cleanup our water!

phew what a week

In the middle of all the unpacking, I noticed Oliver was just not quite right. A 104 (104 people!) temp., cough, rash, and cranky baby later, I think we are over the worst of it. I can tell you right now I was brought to tears by it, not just b/c all he wanted was for me to hold him which meant I could get nothing done, but b/c, really, would you expect anything else from me? You all should know by now that I cry over anything implied to be reacted to in that way.
Apparently 104 temps are quite normal for babies, but that does not make it any easier. Believe me when I tell you that it is just about the saddest thing to see a little baby sick - and this was only a little flu! It reminded me to be thankful for all that we have and it wasn't anything worse!
May and June will always be hectic months for me and mine, and throwing in a move and sick baby did not help! In May we have our anniversary (8 years, ring a ding ding!), My husbands birthday, my niece's birthday and Memorial day - then in June we will have Oliver's FIRST birthday.

So here I am and what do I get the husband?

He already got himself some Bose speakers (like meme and barrett's, and b/c "the speakers on our tv blew during the move". OK well the last part issss true - but wow those things are expensive!)
Part of our return to the East Coast was a slower pace of life, sweet tea, and lazin about. One thing Chris and I have laughed about over and over was a Margaritaville drink machine to help kick this lifestyle into gear. Have you seen those things? Ridiculous. Even though we want one, isn't it just a glorified blender that gives jimmy more $$$?
Hmmm, don't know if I will be able to do it, other suggestions are welcome. Oh wait! Excuse me, the name for the glorified blender is "frozen concoction maker" - I just looked it up.
Of course it is.

I am here, and I am officially an east coaster again!

For all of you who were wondering, my lapse has been justified.
We have moved from San Diego back to the East Coast to be closer to our families. With Oliver (who is 10 1/2 months old - I mean, 1 is around the corner! Cue the sniffles), we realized we wanted to be within a few hours drive of our families, not a 5 hour flight.
It is QUITE the adjustment, let me tell you.
But I won't dwell on the negative (haha). The things I am happily finding (or remembering) that I love are:

-cookouts with family that we knew about a week ahead of time and were able to attend.
-the smell of the atlantic ocean is far better than the pacific, in my opinion.
-shrimp
-getting to see friends and have them meet Oliver
-warm water!!!!

that is just my list for now, there are many, many reasons we are back, and we know this even when we miss the west coast.
coming up that I want to write about, so I hope everyone will slowly start to make their way back to checking in around here!

I hope all the mom's out there had a wonderful mother's day yesterday. It was my first and it was awesome. Breakfast brought to me by my husband, and then a little anthropologie snooping, then the beach, yay!
What more could there be?

For now I must go unpack the last of my boxes...