This Week On The Sister Grows Up

Fairytale endings exist for people like my sister, Sleeping Beauty and her princess friends. For The Spare's of the world, like me, I have found that when something is to good to be true, it generally is. And that is what's called the Reality ending.

Nearing The Finish Line

In the relationship race I've been running there have been many obstacles. The latest to be overcome happened today when The Knight told his parents about us. When he called and broke the news to me I was totally shocked. Not so much that he told his parents way earlier then he had planned but at their reaction. When God signs you up to be a parent one of the rules you agree to is an unending desire to see that your children are happy. I mean honestly, I would say it's right up there with loving them no matter what stupid things they do. I would be lying if I said The Knight's parents were happy that he had found someone to turn his miserable existence (his words, I promise) into a life filled with love and happiness. This man has had a rough couple of years. He would be the first to say it doesn't compare to what I've gone through but I would disagree. As a parent it would break my heart to see The Heir or Spare go through the same thing. If one of them came to me with the news that they had found somebody that made them happy I would be so thrilled I would probably pee my pants. As parents that's all we can ask for, that our children find someone who makes them happy. The Knight told me from the beginning that his parents would be less than thrilled but I just couldn't believe it. After all he had been through how could they possibly think that staying in his dead marriage or being alone was better than moving on to something better? I was totally floored to hear that he had been right. It makes me sad to think that may presence in his life could be bringing him more heartache. I'm amazed at the strength he has. It makes me love him more every day.

It's A Beautiful Day

Wow! Was today ever gorgeous! We've been suffering Mother Nature's inability to make up her mind what season it is. Should it be Spring today or how about another blast of Winter? I like both seasons but it's time to make a decision. Today she decided on Spring. Even though the sky was cloudy, the day itself was perfect. These are the days that I wish would stay around till Fall. Blue sky, lots of sun, no humidity, temperature in the 70's. That is my idea of a perfect day. Sadly, I know it's not going to last. Spring in the Mid-Atlantic is a short-lived season. After a week it will turn to Summer. Sticky, hot unbearable summer, not my favorite time of year. The girls and The King took the dogs to the dog park. It was the first time for my parents dog but The Prince has been there before. He especially loves the dog beach. Watching that dog play in the water while the waves all but drown him is quite entertaining. He stands there on three legs while he holds one up out of the water. Why he does this is a mystery but it sure is funny. I tried to get the Royal carriage washed but for some odd reason the car wash was closed. On such a beautiful day, I was a little surprised. I returned to the castle quickly to try and enjoy what little time I could before the girls and dogs returned. It was short-lived but that hour on the back deck in the beautiful Spring weather was so relaxing. I didn't even read a magazine. I just sat there and breathed the fresh air and listened to the world. What a beautiful day!

Lacrosse Sticks and Bathroom Rugs

After two weeks of practicing, The Heir and Spare finally got out on the lacrosse field today. It was only a pre-season tournament but it was exciting just the same. As is always the case, the weather was not the best. There was so much rain this morning I thought for sure the whole thing would be called off. But, no. They got out there in the cold and drizzle and played their hearts out. I have to admit, I don't remember The Spare playing so well last season. She was really working hard. She scored three goals on a row during her second game. I was very impressed. I've been told in the past that the younger sibling always grows to become an even better player then the older. It's almost always a result of the younger trying to keep with the older. The Spare is still new to the sport so I don't know if that will be true in her case. The Heir has always been an amazing lacrosse player. This season will be no different. Watching those girls on the field never ceases to amaze me. For the first time in I can't even remember I find myself sleeping alone tonight. It's a very lonely prospect. The Knight was called out of town unexpectedly, something that happens often in his line of work. The dragons never stop needing to be slain. Faced with the prospect of using my own bathroom for the first time in weeks, I found myself thinking about the various things I've left at his castle. I mentioned it to him and he chuckled at how I had been slowly moving in. I know he meant nothing by it but I got to thinking about the small things I've left behind there. I have to admit to being a bit embarrassed. I didn't mean to assume I was welcome to insert myself into his home but it was such an easy transition I didn't even notice. From a tube of toothpaste to the rug on the cold bathroom floor, little pieces of me have made the trip from one castle to another as if they had wings of their own. I think I have a box somewhere that will fit it all in. Luckily, I leave early enough in the morning that I won't be seen embarrassingly carting it all out. You know what they say about assuming. It makes an "A-S-S out of U and ME." It's always best to wait to actually be asked before doing something.

Celebrating The Oddest Things

There are so many wonderful things you can celebrate. Of course, there's the obvious stuff like birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. But, we seem to forget the other stuff that's just as good. Pay raises, a good report card, passing an important exam, booting that deadbeat to the door. They deserve a hearty congratulations and a special treat. The girls that work in the title department of my office are always celebrating something. And, they always have the best stuff to celebrate with. Just yesterday we were making mimosas with the left over orange juice from the morning sales meeting. The title girls just happened to have champagne lying around so at 2 pm we lifted our plastic cups to toast nothing in particular. Good times. My favorite is the chocolate drawer. Yes, they have a drawer filled with chocolate. I wander in a couple times a day to pick up a mini-Snickers bar here or a Reese's Cup there. Sometimes, we lift our candy bars to toast something random like a particularly painful settlement finally coming to end. Sometimes, we just need a little shot in the arm to get through the end of the day. Today, I had something to celebrate. I walked in to avail myself of the much-loved chocolate drawer and handed around the kit-kats to toast another month of not getting pregnant. Personally, I'm thrilled that I even have that to worry about. We all clinked kit-kats with a resounding hallelujah and collapsed in fits of laughter. The title girls can always count on me for something crazy like that. I can always count on them to commiserate or celebrate as the situation warrants. And, it doesn't hurt that they've got the champagne and chocolate to make it all better. 

Who Has She Been Kissing?

Poor Heir. She's been battling a virus for the last couple of days. High fever in the morning, stomachache, sore throat. I rolled her up to the doctor this morning to rule out strep throat. Thankfully, she doesn't have it. I mentioned to The Knight where we were going and he immediately asked who she'd been kissing. I had to stop for a second and process that one. No one, I hope. There's nothing worse to deal with then a sick teenager. Man, I thought regular hormones were rough. Sick hormones are even worse. What makes it even harder is the fact that she feels better at the end of the day. She gets all excited about getting back to normal then wakes up the next day with a 102* fever and it starts all over again. Poor Heir. It's hard to see your kid suffer. While we're doling out sympathy I've got to through some out to The Knight as well. He's been suffering lately with some big asses at work. He has a pretty stressful job. To be honest, I was quite impressed that the boy I dated in high school evolved into this highly skilled person. I never expected him to land in the field that he did. When I know that he's having a particularly stressful day I try my best to lighten his mood a little with random texts that I hope bring a smile to his face. Whether they do or not, I don't know. My sole purpose is to let him know that there is someone out there who loves and respects him. He doesn't seem to get a lot of respect from his employers, which is a shame. He's such a dedicated worker and takes great pride in what he builds. All I can do is make the home he comes back to a happy one. That's something I know I can do.

Another Hurdle Down

Wow! Did I get a surprise from The Knight today! From the start of our relationship he has been very adamant about taking his "baby steps." A concept that is totally lost on me, much to his dismay. The Heir and The Spare were fully briefed on our relationship from the very beginning. The Princess-in-Waiting is still in the dark. I can't help that I'm open about everything. I don't keep much from my girls. The Knight was also reluctant to let his family in on the secret. My Royal family has known for awhile. Since I live with the Queen and Step-King it was kind of hard to keep my new relationship a secret for long. I don't have a lot of friends and I couldn't keep using them as my reason for going out. Well, in the last 5 days The Knight has totally gone back on his decision and told his sister-in-law and (just today) his twin brother. The Twin was the one he was most anxious to tell. It would be an understatement to say The Twin and I got along during high school. The Twin didn't like me because I took The Knight away from him. I have no doubt in my mind that he hasn't changed one bit. When The Knight told me The Twin knew about our budding relationship I was speechless. Now, it's only a matter of time before The Knight's parents find out. It saddens me a little that his family can't be happy for him. After all The Knight has been through over the last year you would think his family would want nothing more than to see him happy again. From what I understand that will not be the case. I'm hoping it's not because I'm the one he's picked to be happy with. I wasn't his mother's favorite person in high school. Well, the only thing that matters is The Knight and The Princess-in-Waiting. If they love me I'm satisfied.

Beer Club

We celebrated my little sister's birthday with a fun night beer tasting. Her birthday is actually tomorrow night but my wise younger sister decided that it would be better to celebrate for a week. She had many activities planned. This particular event was at a bar named Lure's. I had never been there before but apparently my sister and her husband are regulars. They even donated a bell to the bar. Something that got quite annoying to listen to as the night wore on.  The Knight came along with me. His first adventure with some of my Royal family. Lucky for him it was just my sister and her husband. They're pretty easy and fun. He seemed to have a good time. It was nice to be out at a bar with someone instead of tagging along with my younger sister and her posse. We met some of my sister's friends and he did a good job making small talk. Surprisingly, another friend of my sister's shares The Knight's unnatural fondness for large, expensive watches. They talked at great length about their favorites. It was so cute. The beer itself was way to strong for my taste but I muscled through and finished every single glass. I was pretty proud of myself. It was a fun time and I think The Knight enjoyed himself. The Brother-in-Law urged The Knight to ease into the insanity that is our family. I think The Knight would be very happy with that. I endured 20 minutes of ridicule from The Knight, The Brother-in-Law and my sister about my constant facebook posting. I tried to explain myself but it was no use. They'll never understand.

Raging Hormones

I don't understand kids. The Heir is especially puzzling. One minute she's meaner than a hornet, the next she's all sweet and nice. I hear all the time from the King that she's just like me at that age. Honestly, I don't remember. I'm not going to deny that it could be the truth. The only thing I will vehemently deny (until there is physical evidence) is the accusation that I snore in my sleep. I'm sorry but princesses do not snore. Ok, well, that may not be entirely true. My sister, Sleeping Beauty, used to have Rapunzel over all the time when we were kids. Now, that girl could saw some logs. She sounded like a chainsaw. I was not at all surprised to hear later that her parents locked her in that tower with nothing but her hair as an escape. They probably went insane from lack of sleep.  While we were catching up on The Amazing Race, The Heir was all up on me like the Little Master with his favorite toy. Normally, this kid gets pissed if you look at her from across the room with the slightest hint of affection. But, tonight, it was all Mommy I love you and hanging off me like I was a jungle gym. So, very strange. The Heir is moving rapidly into adolescence and I know it's just the raging hormones. I say, hurry up and get there so you can stop going from one extreme to the next. It's tiring for me to just watch. I can't imagine how tiring it must be for her to live with it. Well, I guess I can imagine since I've been there before. But, thankfully, those memories were lost during my last memory dump. Unfortunately, I've got two more girls to get through before the joy of puberty has ended. Lord help me, please!!

What A Guy!

Wow!! The end of the weekend and I get a great surprise. The Knight gave me a key to his house. He even had a pink one made that says "Princess" on it. Boy, does he know me well or what? It's a nice feeling to know that someone loves you and trusts you so much that he's throwing his door open to you. I wonder if he will be surprised when he sees all the stuff I'm hauling over there tomorrow to leave in the bathroom? And, I don't think he'll mind me moving half his clothes out of the closet to make some room for mine. Hey, he gave me a key, right? Doesn't that give me carte blanche to do whatever I want? Oh the power!! I think my brain just went on overload at the possibilities. Time to go to bed and recharge.

The End Is In Sight

This weekend marks our second to last modeling school weekend. The Heir and I are excited for the end for very different reasons. The Heir thinks she's missed many social events because of her once a month classes. In reality, she's missed one Valentine's party and the first half of a birthday party. Two events over the course of six months is not a lot. To hear The Heir tell it, you'd think she's missed an entire social season of major Middle school soirees. I'm looking forward to the end because I've spent more time inside the Towson Starbucks then I ever care to again. Four hours a day for two days is a long time to sit in a hard chair drinking hot chocolate. Usually, I've got my trusty laptop to keep me busy. Today, however, the trusty laptop refused to connect to the Internet. I was stuck with no access. How frustrating!! Thankfully, I had a couple movies in my iTunes library. Between Kate Hudson and The Knight I managed to keep from killing myself. This evening The Heir is at her birthday party sleepover. The Spare and I watched a movie. The whole time I couldn't help but think of The Knight spending his weekly visit at his brother's house. It turned into a gathering of his whole family and I longed to be there with him. I had to use the same words The Knight always uses with me, "Baby steps, sweetie. Baby steps." It's very hard for me to be patient when I want something very badly. I know I have to let things play out in their own time. Just as The Heir waits excitedly for the end of her journey and the beginning of the next chapter, I wait for the next chapter of mine. It may come sooner than I think.

If It's Friday It Must Be Family Night

The Knight and I have been steadily working towards blending our separate families into one. Every time we're all together we get a little bit closer to our goal. Tonight we went to the movies then hit up the Twilight dvd release party. In this process, The Heir and The Spare are at a definite advantage over The Princess-in-Waiting (I've been told she hates this name but for now it will have to do.) My two know exactly what is going on between The Knight and I. The Princess-in-Waiting is still in the dark as to the extent of our relationship. It makes me happy to know that she seems to like me and my boisterous daughters. She actually gave me a hug this evening when we all sat down to eat. A definite sign of progress. It warms my heart that she enjoys being with us. Our first event of the night was 'Race to Witch Mountain.' It was a pretty good movie overall. I think it would have been greatly improved by at least one scene of The Rock without his shirt on. Doesn't Disney know that Moms will be the ones bringing the kids to see it? A little shirtless Rock would have made it worth the money. While we were waiting the girls piled in to one of those photo booths and took a couple of really cute pictures. I'm hoping I can doctor the best one up enough to carry it around with me. As I'm sure is the case with most Dads, The Knight passed out about halfway through. It was cute to hear him softly sawing logs for about 20 minutes. Our second event was the Twilight dvd release party at Borders. I was expecting a big to-do like the Harry Potter parties but it was pretty tame and even a bit boring. The Knight was such a trooper. It was so obvious he was exhausted but he hung in there because all three girls were having such a good time. The Spare and The Princess-in-Waiting were back and forth all night long, finding all kinds of books and bringing them over to show us. The Heir sulked around with some of her brooding Middle School friends. Ugh! I don't know if I'm going to survive adolescence. It was a fun family night. The only downer was when we all parted ways at the end of the night. I really hate sleeping alone now.

The Start of Something Interesting

Over the last couple of weeks I've been hearing the same constant message from The Knight. "You've gotta write a book. You've gotta write a book." Now, I've always enjoyed putting my thoughts on paper (or the screen.) Even as a little girl I was constantly making up stories. The great novel of my childhood centered around the game Candyland. I was always trying to craft an amazing story about living there. It had a Wizard of Oz tone. I was hooked on the Oz books and read every single one. In case you didn't know, there are 10 Oz books. Each one is an amazing work of fiction. Nothing really became of that childhood story. When I got a little older the story centered around a couple of rich kids spending the winter in Colorado. I can vaguely remember that one. As I grew, writing stories became less and less compelling. I wanted to be a news reporter and get out there in the real world where stuff was happening. I dreamed of being a White House Press Correspondent. I studied journalism and International Relations in college. I intended to take the Foreign Service Officer exam and get out into the world. But, things like babies and husbands and my good friend Karma got in the way. Those dreams were put aside to raise my kids and try to get through each day as best I could. The blogging phenomenon came along at just the right time for me. I poured my creative energy into it. I lagged for a bit but this year I promised myself I would get something up every day. I have, mostly because The Knight came along and fell in love with my words. Knowing that someone is reading what you put out there and loving it is quite satisfying. Through his encouragement I've actually started to believe that I can write a book that might possibly find an audience bigger than The Knight and my immediate family. A couple days ago I started reading one of those "Dummies" guides to writing a novel. Silly, I know, but a very interesting read. Lately, I've allowed myself to dream of the possibilities of getting published. A dream that has been festering inside me since I was old enough to put a coherent sentence down on paper.

The Little Things Are The Best

It stands to reason that most would think I'm high maintenance, you know being a princess and all. I'll admit that in some cases I am. I love pretty, shiny things. I have to have the latest makeup goodie. I'm not a big fan of getting dirty. Typical princess stuff. Of course, my sister Sleeping Beauty, is the most high maintenance girl the universe has ever seen. Since she's The Heir and I'm only The Spare that is  understandable. However, in most things, I'm pretty low key. I don't mind shuffling around the castle in torn up jeans, a scruffy plaid jacket and go-aheads. I could sit for hours with The Little Prince and get his short, white hair all over me. Listening to The Princess-in-waiting talk excitedly about her pink Mongoose for 20 minutes is so much nicer than the endless parties my sister drags me too on occasion.  My idea of great entertainment is sitting with The Knight and watching movies on the couch. But, it's the simplest things that make me happy. Just today The Knight took the big leap and tagged me as his girl on his facebook page. For him it was a big step in our relationship. For me, the simple wording of the confirmation that was sent to me made me so happy I thought I could fly. "The Knight has requested your confirmation that he is your boyfriend." Eleven little words that meant so much. And if that's not enough his loving words about the nonsense I write on this blog are so heartfelt and endearing I almost cry listening to him. Sentiments like that cannot be bought for any amount of money. Those are the gifts that mean more to me than anything the Royal coffers could buy.

Happy St Patrick's Day!!

What a fun holiday!! I love St. Patrick's Day! I don't know what it is about wearing as many shades of green as one can put on a body and drinking and eating green stuff but it sure is a lot of fun. I heard on the Today show that there are more Irish in America then there are in Ireland. How crazy is that? Here in our kingdom the local bars have "Green Beer" races and lots of other fun stuff. Naturally, the events are held on the weekend before for maximum attendance. It's quite fun to watch the crazy drunks who participate in some of these things. The girls and I celebrated at home this year. I was tempted to drag them out to the big tent party at my favorite downtown pub. The lure of 50 cent Guinness was almost to much to bear. But, I knew it would be a zoo so we stayed home. We decided to visit the grandparents instead. They made an attempt at an Irish meal and we had green ice cream and cookies for dessert. The royal niece was in attendance as well and her presence always guarantees some laughs. I forget just how cute they can be at the age of 2. The baby jones stirs up inside me and I start to think about having another one. Then, The Heir and The Spare do something to remind me what becomes of that precious little 2 year-old and I'm brought back to reality. I'm way to old to start that all over again. We had a good time with the family. If I'm lucky I'll get to end the day in my favorite place; curled up in The Knight's arms. Yes, that would be an excellent way to end a fun holiday.

Mondays

Why are Monday's so hard to get through? After a fun weekend of celebration, I dragged my butt very grudgingly out of bed this morning. Part of me was down because my great weekend was done. Part of me was exhausted and not in the least bit interested in going to work. I would enjoy three day weekends so much more but then Tuesday would turn into Monday. It's a no win situation I guess. On top of everything else the weather was very gloomy, which just added to my sour mood. It's surprising how one little piece of news can turn a day around. The Knight and I were talking about random stuff when he mentioned something that I had been waiting to hear for a long time. (The actual news is irrelevant and won't be revealed here.) In an instant my day was transformed. Yes, it was still a stinky Monday but that little light at the end of a long road made it that much easier to get through the day. Plus, it didn't hurt that The Knight was being especially sweet and endearing to me all day long. What a great guy! Monday also means another evening of lacrosse action. Somehow, there's always chaos before getting out the door and into the car. Lots of  "I hate practice" and stomping of cleats goes on until the engine is started and we're on our way. I spend the hour and a half sitting in the car, trying to keep warm and catching up on some overdue magazine reading. More often than not I fall asleep listening to my iPod and have to pretend I saw every last pass when The Spare asks me if I was watching. I try my hardest to keep my eyes open, honest but it doesn't always work. What can I say, Monday's are my worst day.

The Power of the Unexpected

Every day I'm surprised at the great fortune that has fallen into my lap this year. I've moved through life these last 10 years resigned to the cards I thought were dealt to me. I never allowed myself to believe that the life I was living was actually something I had forced upon myself. I never imagined that I had set myself up for the misery that dogged every minute of my existence. It took way too long for me to remove the blinders from my eyes and look for something better. When I decided that this year would be different, the most I ever thought possible was being debt-free or having a little castle to finally call my own. Now, with the close of the first quarter of the year speeding on like a freight train, the magnitude of what has happened to me in such a short period of time, takes my breath away. I had allowed myself to dream of changing my life but I had never allowed myself to dream of just how it would happen or how much it would change. The power of love is truly amazing. I didn't realize how much I needed and missed it until it came back into my life. Nothing that I had thought about on that quiet New Year's Eve could have prepared me for just how much finding love again would mean to me. The very idea of finding someone to love was not even a tiny blip on my radar. Love and the relationship that goes along with it was a foreign concept to me. When the second of my two great loves was gone, the ability to love left with him leaving behind a dark, empty space in my heart that not even the love of my children could warm up for me. I remember exactly the moment I watched it float away. I sat on the cold, hard tile of a hospital ER and felt it rise up out of my heart, never to return again. I didn't have one more ounce of feeling left to share with anybody. I knew I never would again. And now, I remember exactly the moment that I watched love come flying back to me. On a cold Saturday night in January, standing outside a movie theater, I watched love make its way back into my heart and it has been there ever since. I know I've pondered the idea of soul mates in the past. Do they exist? Is it possible that there is one perfect person for everybody? In my personal experience the answer is yes. And when you are lucky enough to have that perfect person return to you after losing them in the past, it is truly a blessing. 

Party in the Preschool Hood

We celebrated the 2nd birthday of my younger brother's daughter today. What a lot of fuss for a 2 year-old who will never remember a minute of it. I slaved for an hour making a cake in the shape of a sheep. If I could toot my own horn a minute, it looked pretty good. I had to stay in the next room while my niece and her little friends destroyed it. The little sheep autopsy that was left over was heartbreaking to look at. Of course, I know the party was actually for the adults but it still was a lot of fuss. The Heir, luckily, missed it all because of a weekend trip. The Spare, on the other hand, was in her element. She spent the afternoon shepherding little kids all over the place. Running, jumping, bossing them around. The perfect job for her to be honest. I ignored the chaos as best I could. I'm old now and the sound of 2 year-olds is like nails on a chalkboard. Luckily, I was able to escape back to The Knight's house. Through the wonder that is Facebook, we reconnected with an old high school buddy that we haven't seen in 20 years. He came by for a visit last night. Man, did we have a great time. Naturally, when old high school friends get back together lots of beer is consumed and lots of memories are shared. The three of us had lots of fun playing Wii and watching stupid movies. We enjoyed a particularly funny trip to a midnight diner for pancakes. I have no recollection of that part of the night but I managed to pay the bill and leave a pretty big tip. Oh well, it was great fun. We plan on doing it again real soon.

The Day Is Just Packed!

What a whirlwind of a day! I don't think I could have packed in one more thing. Tomorrow we're celebrating the 2nd birthday of my younger brother's daughter so today I had to spend the morning cleaning and baking a sheep cake. Oh boy, what fun that was. I got an urgent call from Boss 2 that required me to cut my morning short and get to the office. From there it was run, run, run till I thought I would drop. The only thing that kept me going was knowing this was making the day go by faster. Tonight, The Knight and I are celebrating our anniversary a day early. I'm very excited. We don't have much planned, just eating take-out and enjoying each other's company. Really, I couldn't ask for a better way to spend our anniversary. If anything else goes on, I'll leave it up to your imagination. I can safely say that it will be a wonderful night!

A Diva With The Shears and The Best Set of Ears

There's nothing more satisfying then a good dish session with your hairdresser. I've been seeing my girl since I was in high school. She knows everything about me, my kids, and my life. She knows my highs and lows. She's been with me through the great loves and the awful break-ups. As a princess you would assume that I'm Janie on the Spot with my hair maintenance. When it comes to makeup trends I'm right at the cutting edge. When it comes to getting my hair taken care of I'm woefully lax. Naturally, my genius stylist always scolds me when I come in to get the crap whacked off my head. I hang my head in shame and promise to stick to the quarterly coiffure. She's smart enough to know that I won't drag myself back in for six months. Then, all is well and I settle into the chair to tell her all that's happened in our Royal household. She laughs with me when I tell her hilarious stories about The Heir and The Spare. She holds my hand and commiserates when I'm having a tough time. She always has some genius pearls of wisdom to dispense. When it's all over I leave looking absolutely fabulous and refreshed. My hair always looks great but I go for the friendship and her amazing way to make me feel great.

Let The Season Begin

There are many things that hint that Spring is on the way. For some it's the blooming of flowers and trees, for others the warm temperatures. In our royal kingdom the big event that heralds the coming of Spring is the start of the lacrosse season. For those people not from the Mid-Atlantic region you may be wondering what the heck I'm talking about. Lacrosse is a religion in this area. Everyone plays it, from the kindergartner just starting out to the Midshipmen at the Naval Academy. And, for those of us not coordinated enough to play we love to watch it in action. The Heir and The Spare have been playing since they were old enough to hold a stick in their hand without beating each other with it. Every Spring, twice a week, I shuttle them back and forth between practice fields. I sit on a freezing cold field watching them practice their skills and have a great time. Of the two of them, The Heir loves the sport more than anything. And, if I do say so myself, she is an amazing player. Watching her in action is breathtaking. Every season I'm shocked at just how good she really is. As a little princess, The Heir was not a big fan of getting dirty. She avoided it like the plague. But, on the field this girl is all business. One year she accidentally hit a team mate in the face while passing the ball back and forth. The girl burst into tears and ran crying to her mother. The Heir walked over to me, grabbed her water bottle and said, 'Getting hit in the face is part of the game, if she can't handle it she should get off the field.' The Heir was 8. I harbor a little hope in the back of my mind that she'll earn a scholarship to college and be able to play some elite lacrosse. She's poetry in motion.

Master of My Addiction

Last night The Heir, the Knight, and I enjoyed one last birthday celebration for The Spare. We had to hit Chevy's so The Spare could get her birthday sombrero. Well, somewhere between the drinks and the entrees, The Heir and The Knight were commiserating over my texting addiction. As I sat between them and listened to their unfounded accusations I got a little ticked. They were going on about killing phone batteries by 11 in the morning and the twitch I get when I hear the Royal Blackberry begin to buzz and I can't check it right away. Hey! According to the Today Show, I'm a "Digital Mom" and as a card-carrying member of Motherhood 2.0 I should not be ridiculed for staying connected to my online family. Today I decided to prove that I could, in fact, go a whole day without texting anybody. So, from 6 am to about 4:15 pm I didn't send one text message. I was pretty darn proud of myself. The Knight can attest to the fact that I did it because around 4:17 a text came through wondering if I was upset with him since I didn't send him one message all day. Naturally, I explained what I was doing and he didn't believe me. I was a little crushed to be honest. It was very hard for me to control my texting jones for a whole day but I did it. Of course, I still kept in touch with my online family through the magic of my handy, dandy laptop. Nobody said anything about going completely off the grid, they just heckled me about the texting aspect. Will I spend tomorrow avoiding the keyboard of my Blackberry? Absolutely not! I proved that I could do it if I wanted too and I can say without a doubt that I don't choose to do it again. Watch out world! The fingers are rested and ready for a full day of texting joy!! 

The Other Torture

I have commented extensively on the bane of my existence, that once-a-month curse suffered by all females on the planet. But, there's another torture that haunts my days. I had an idea that it was coming for a few weeks now. It always starts with an annoying cough. Usually that's my first sign this torture is coming on and I wisely begin to take precautions to avoid the unpleasantness that is just a few weeks away. This year, however, I did not heed my body's early warning. I guess my mind has been pre-occupied with other matters. Well yesterday, I paid the price for my lack of preparation. The curse of seasonal allergies is upon me and I'm a bit nasty because of it. This particular torture dogs me through the end of September. At this stage of the game, under normal circumstances, I would be a few weeks into heavy allergy medicine intake. With a full course of antihistamines running through my veins I hardly notice when the torture finally hits. This year was not the case. I was horrible yesterday and I'm only slightly better today. Curse those little ragweeds and pollen laden trees. For the sake of those who love me I'm going to have to insert an allergy IV into my veins to pump the crap in as quickly as possible. Hopefully, they (he) still loves me when it's finally under control. Check back in when it's all over to see if The Other Beauty's Knight has survived. Keep your fingers crossed.

Happy Birthday!!

Hold the phone, The Spare is 9 today. Wait a minute! Doesn't that mean that I'm older too? I don't think I like that news.

This Week On The Sister Grows Up

I can count on one hand the few things that I do well. As previously posted, I can bake like nobody's business. I'm pretty handy with a makeup brush. I can text a 12 year-old under the table any day of the week. Some even say I'm pretty creative with the wordplay, personally I think they're biased because they love me. On the other hand, the things that I'm not good at are too numerous to count. One thing that I'm very bad at is the ability to turn myself "off" in another person's presence and just relax and expect nothing. When I'm by myself in the solitude of my royal bedchamber this is not a problem, probably because I'm by myself and have no one to be "on" for. But, introduce another person into the room, even the Little Master, and I'm "on" in a heartbeat. I need to pay them attention and I need to get it right back. When you stop and think about it, it is very exhausting. I'm not suggesting at all that I don't enjoy paying loads of attention to the people I love. And, naturally, I thoroughly enjoy getting loads of attention in return. However, it was pointed out to me recently that it's just as nice to share space with another person and do nothing but enjoy being in the same room together. Is it really possible to do something like that and enjoy it? I've heard of this before but never experienced it myself. Maybe, it's due to the fact that I've been "on" for the past 12 years raising The Heir and The Spare alone. The idea that I can lay on a couch and watch a movie in the same room with someone I care about and know that the only thing they want from me is to look over and see me there is a very enjoyable thought. I don't have to be adorable and I don't have to look especially pretty. I can just veg right there on that leather loveseat and know that just my presence is enough. I rather like the peace and calm of the whole thing.

Edgy and Cross

For some reason today has been a very blah day. If I didn't know any better I would say I've got a case of the "once a month" blues. But, thankfully, I'm still a few weeks away from that one.  I chalk it up to my old restless spirit. I can't help feeling very dissatisfied with everything and everyone today. At times like these I feel most at ease baking something delicious. Lucky for me I had a legitimate reason to do that today. The Spare's official birthday is tomorrow and she wanted to bring some cupcakes to school. Now, I don't mean to toot my own horn but I can bake like nobody's business. I make an especially awesome birthday cupcake. Light, fluffy, perfectly shaped little cakes of yumminess with the best homemade frosting you've ever licked out of a bowl. I love to bake. I've always said that if The Heir and The Spare could survive on baked goods alone I'd be doing good. Unfortunately for them, I can't cook worth a damn. Oh well, we can't be good at everything. Today, however, I was disappointed that my guaranteed stress-reliever didn't work for me. I can't explain why but baking something always works for me. I still feel edgy and cross. The one thing that would calm me I can't have. It's a very unsettling feeling. Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow.

My Perfect Day

I don't often get to enjoy my idea of the perfect day. As the only single parent in our royal family I very rarely get any down time. The Heir and The Spare are quite demanding. I had hoped that growing older would mean that I would have to entertain less often but sadly, that is not the case. However, on those rare days when I am alone I try my hardest to take advantage of every second. Naturally, I spend a little time catching up on laundry. You would be surprised how much The Heir and Spare can generate. Once that's started I stretch out on a couch in one of the palace drawing rooms and relax. I've mentioned before how much I love reading my many fashion magazines. There's always 5 or 6 waiting for my attention. I could read for hours and I usually do. Eventually, the heady smell of fragrance strips and squinting at every last detail of numerous photo spreads takes its toll and I have to take a break. I plug in the trusty iPod and close my eyes ready to be whisked away to my other favorite place, Disney World. Along with the numerous fashion magazines that I read religiously I also subscribe to numerous podcasts about Disney. Mainly they have to do with the Disney Parks. I especially love the shows featuring in-park audio. Any chance I have to be there I take it, even if it's through my ear buds. I've been accused by some of being high maintenance. I guess in some things that could be true. But, when it comes to spending my perfect day I'm pretty low-key. I send away the palace servants and enjoy my time alone. The peace and tranquility is soothing to my harried soul. I don't need much. As with most good things, all too soon, it comes to an end. The palace begins to bustle with the return of its occupants. I do my best to remain quiet in the hopes that no one will come looking for me. I can hear them calling me but I pretend not to notice. I'm just holding on to the last shreds of my perfect day. I never know when another one will come along.

First Class Ticket to Heaven

The start of The Spare's birthday celebration kicked off this evening. Her birthday is actually on Monday. I took her and two of her friends to the movies to see The Jonas Brothers 3D concert. I'm hear to tell you that I earned my spot in heaven for sure. Thankfully, the theater was not even close to being full. The Spare and her friends sat in the row in front of me. I had a row all to myself, a good thing too since I fell asleep at least twice. As I expected, the movie was corny. If it hadn't been so loud I probably could have plugged in my iPod and caught up on some podcasts. But, I did spend $15 a person so I made an effort to watch. The only thing that made the night worthwhile was watching The Spare and her friends dancing and singing to the music. It was cute watching them have so much fun. It's still hard to believe that she's going to be 9. Now, I'm waiting ever so patiently for the three of them to fall asleep. Yes, the night isn't over without a slumber party. If there's one thing I cannot stand, it's having sleepovers. I'm thrilled when The Heir and Spare go to their friends houses but I try to avoid doing the same thing here in the palace. The giggling and talking till the wee hours of the morning are what get me. Why can't they just roll over and go to sleep already?  I'm sure the Queen Mother had her issues too when SB and I had friends spend the night. I wonder what kinds of things she tried to think up to get us to be quiet? Hog-tying and gagging have come to my mind. Just when you think silence has finally descended, there's a crash and laughter and you realize they're still awake. Where is SB's friend Jasmine with that Genie of her husband's? I could use a wish right now, 'Genie I wish for 24 hours of uninterrupted silence.' Ahh, a princess can dream.

Family Redux

It's a very gratifying experience to see your children begin to bond with new people that are important in your life. Unless your stupid or can't understand the subtle nuances of the English language, it should be quite obvious by now that a man has made an appearance in The Other Beauty's life. To say I'm quite happy is a huge understatement. To say my sister, Sleeping Beauty, is happy would be a huge lie. She has always prided herself on the fact that she has a successful and happy relationship with her guy, Phil. Quick, while her back is turned, they totally sleep in different wings of their castle and hardly ever share a meal together. See, life is not always what it appears. Anyway, the Heir and the Spare are quite taken with this new guy, who has yet to blessed with an appropriate alias. Both girls like him for very different reasons. We are, in turn, blessed with knowing his adorably sweet little girl, whom shall hence forth be known as V12 (her idea totally.) I don't know what you would call the third in line to the throne, Spare Squared? Ok, moving on. Naturally, in the beginning all 3 girls were very awkward and quiet around each other. Tonight was our third outing together as a family and the ice has most definitely been shattered. As expected, The Heir is her usual aloof teenage self. She finds both The Spare and V12 a bit annoying in that little sister sort of way. However, The Spare and V12 (totally gotta come up with a better alias for this chick) seem to be hitting it off quite well. They're 10 months apart and the difference in maturity is quite obvious. But, they seem to have found some common ground and are beginning to become friends. It's a very satisfying thing to witness and a bit of a relief. After all, this little girl is integral to the success of my relationship. I don't expect her to fall head over heels for me any time soon and I expect, when she understands the extent of my relationship with her father, that she will dislike me for a time but for now we seem to be moving in the right direction and I'm happy. Secretly, I'm enjoying the thought of grossing out three girls with smoochy kisses and hand holding. It's these little blessings that make it so much fun to be a parent.

Big Trouble In My Little Palace

Lately, I've noticed how grown-up the Heir is starting to look. Forgetting the fact that at the age of 12 she's now about an inch shorter than her 30-something mother, it's becoming very apparent that I'm in for some serious trouble very soon. The Heir and The Spare both bear a striking resemblance to me. It's not hard at all to figure out who they belong too. It seems that The Heir, at least, has also been blessed with her father's long, lanky body. That is a definite blessing. When I was pregnant with both girls I prayed really hard for only two things; first that they would be girls and second that they would receive their father's long, skinny genes and not my short, fat ones. So far those two prayers have been answered for The Heir. I'm waiting to see if The Spare gets prayer #2.  I've been doing my best to raise them both with as much confidence and self-esteem as possible. The Heir's early success in modeling suggests I'm doing an ok job so far. I worry, though, about how The Heir and Spare will do without the all important father figure in their lives. Yes, I know that they have some close male relatives to give them support but that's not the same as having a Dad. There's nothing like knowing your Daddy is there to comfort and protect you when you need it. Now that The Heir is a few month's away from becoming a teenager, I feel that uneasiness start to pop up in my mind. Who's going to interrogate the boys that come to take her out? Who's going to take her for that first driving lesson? Who's she going to beg and plead with when it's time to buy that first car? I know I'm perfectly capable of doing all of these things just as well as a man. But, there's something inherently "Dad" about them that it makes me a little sad that she might not get to experience it. The changes that have been happening in my own life could, in turn, give her the opportunity to have a meaningful "Dad" experience and I really hope that comes true.

Time

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time passes by. It seems like only yesterday I was sitting by myself in the palace ringing in the new year with a bowl of fettuccini alfredo and Dick Clark. Now, we're into March already. Where has the time gone? The passage of time can be good and bad. The last couple of nights I've been watching DVD's of my favorite '80's band, Duran Duran. I loved them as a girl and time has treated them well. But, I think back to those fun, carefree times and get a little sad for the youth that sped by all to quickly. This year has seen many changes with many more on the horizon. The time that has passed since the various things have started has gone by quickly. But, in the same breath, the time passing till other even bigger and better changes seems to creep slowly by. My Twitter friends talk about the infamous "Pause" button when the work day seems to be at a stand-still. There are days when I wish that button really did exist and there are days that I wish I could hit the Fast-Forward and move on to the next day. Just sitting here at my laptop I can watch the time tick by on the little clock on my desktop. That little blue second hand reminds me that I'm getting older and time is moving swiftly on its way to bigger and better things. I'll hang on with both hands and enjoy the ride but I wish time would cut me a break and slow down just for a minute or two so I can catch my breath and get a better grip.

A Subtle Shift

Over the course of the last couple of weeks, things in the Royal palace have slowly and imperceptibly started to shift. I find myself less connected to the life I've been living there. I've had the rare opportunity to see what my future holds and to live in that future for short periods of time. It's a very surreal experience to live in two very different realities at the same time. I've mentioned in the past the restlessness I've been feeling lately. For awhile it was a constant, nagging feeling that wouldn't let up. Like an invisible force pushing me towards something huge. Lately, that feeling seems to come and go. I didn't notice the change until recently. I happened to be in a place that has come to feel safe and reassuring to me. While I was there that constant feeling of restlessness disappeared, like I walked through some kind of invisible force field at the door. As I sat and really thought about it I came to realize that this sense of calm had been developing for quite some time. I've come to understand that this is what the invisible hand has been moving me towards. My sister has noticed the change in me. The Heir and The Spare have seen it as well. When you spend the better portion of 10 years living in someone else's idea of your life it gets very draining. Then, out of nowhere, the answer to that restless need for change drops into your lap. I can feel my life starting to make that shift. I can see the door to my new life standing open waiting for me to walk through. For now, I'm content with the frequent visits I get to make there because I know that it won't be long before I'm welcomed with open arms to stay in that safe place forever. I hang on to it in my mind when I can't be there physically. When the Palace gets overwhelming I close my eyes and see that place, the door wide open and strong, loving arms waiting to gather me up. It keeps me sane when the insanity of being Royal is too much to bear.

Clean and Pure

The hour is late. The palace is silent. I sit in the dark and watch the snow falling gently outside my window. The moonlight softly lighting the winter night. There's nothing more beautiful to me then the sight of newly fallen snow. I close my eyes and the mists of time swirl around in my brain, carrying me back in time to other nights such as this one. I can feel the bite of the cold on my cheeks and that distinct smell of snow fills my nose. I'm standing, once again, in the middle of a quiet campus while the snow piles up all around me. As I slowly make my way back to my dorm room the beauty is overwhelming. The city noises seem to disappear, muffled by the whisper of the flakes as they fall from the sky.  The silence is so thick you can part it with your hands as you walk. I stop halfway through the long trek to my dorm to rest but mainly to look back at the majestic Flatirons that are a constant backdrop to every scene in this city. Whether covered in snow or fresh with the newness of Spring, they are always a magnificent sight to behold. Personally, I love them dressed in their Winter best. I continue on my way looking at my hiking boots carve a path through the new snow on the sidewalk in front of me. And just like that, I'm back in the palace, a smile on my face as I remember that 19 year-old girl and all she thought about on those late night walks through the snow. The grounds of the palace are buried now, and just like the rest of the kingdom, they look nothing like they usually do. It never ceases to amaze me how a blanket of snow can scrub everything clean and pure.