I'm still alive!

Hi out there!  Just wanted to let you know I'm still alive...  I decided that I needed to focus on a few projects this past month and as you might be able to imagine, twins + a few projects = no time!  BUT... I'll be back in full force come 2012.  Can't believe it's already just right around the corner!  In the meantime, here's a video to brighten your day!

What happens in Vegas (thankfully) stays in Vegas

So I'm happy to report that we made it back in one piece from Vegas this past weekend.  A couple things I've learned from this trip:

• Babies are very adaptable.  The nuggets gave us no problems and adjusted surprisingly well to being and sleeping in a new environment for the first time.  We, on the other hand, were straight up miserable the whole time from basically pulling an all-nighter before the drive and then walking around like pack mule sherpa zombies trying to show the nuggets a good time.  The 8.5 hour drive back did not, I repeat, not, make for a very fun trip (never ever again).
• Vegas will never be the same Vegas I knew prior to having babies.  I guess until they're old enough to stay with the grandparents for a few days, but by then, who wants to see this mama all decked out Vegas style waiting in lines to get into clubs and partying like it's going out of style?  It's like Knocked Up played out in real life (bouncer:  I can't let you in cause you're old as f----).  Sob.  
• With as long as it took to get there and back and with as much work as it was toting around two 8 month olds and all the stuff that goes along with that, a one day trip will never happen again.  We basically set ourselves up for exhaustion, bickering and a necessary week of recovery.

But to end the whining on a positive note, I will say, it's pretty awesome to see the looks on babies' faces the first time they experience something and to literally witness their minds opening up right before your eyes.  For them, every day is chock full of firsts and just to be able to provide them with colorful, albeit sometimes stressful and tiring, experiences really does make it all worth while in the end. 

And of course a few pictures to wrap this up.  

Sheer madness

A bit tired after a long night of gambling

Our attempt at a family picture

This is how we eat.  With one baby strapped to each of us.

 

Mama's signing off.  Need to rest my tired eyes!

Lucy Chadwick

Simple and inspiring.

Odds and ends and an addiction

This weekend was just one of those weekends where it seemed like each day was 48 hours without a moment's rest.  In other words, really really long and painful.  A bit of an exaggeration, but with both nuggets teething and refusing to eat their dinners and having to wrestle with them with each bottle, there were at least a few Calgon moments.


A few random tidbits:


Isn't it super adorable how babies discover a new trick and then proceed to turn it into an obsession?  Like looking at the world upside down.  I totally get it though.  It's like discovering you're a superhero or something.  All of sudden, being able to do a really cool and seemingly magical thing upon waking up one day.  Ah, to start with a completely blank canvas once again...

Drinking from sippy cups is fun.

Messing around with my camera.

And after one lesson, I think I'm somewhat addicted.  I hope the addiction lasts long enough for me to learn how to actually make something cool.

Lastly, not a really accurate shot of the new do since it's still sopping wet here, but I like it.  It's not dramatic nor all too different from what my hair looked like before I got it cut, but it's lighter and even more of a "step out of the shower and go" type of style.  I'm all about simplicity nowadays.  :)

Ode to Emjoi

So I came back from Pilates early this morning (I'm so very proud of myself for going, as sleep deprived and lazy as I am) and noticed that I haven't shaved in forever.  Ok, before you get any images of hairy man legs in your head, I will say I'm asian.  But still... let's just say it wasn't that cute.

I bought an Emjoi Epilator a while back when all the makeup gurus on YouTube were raving about it since I'll admit, I can be a sucker for good marketing, but haven't really pulled it out all that much since.  However, after using it this morning, I remembered just how effective and easy it is to use.

Without getting into the hairy details (like that?), think of it as a bunch of tiny tweezers that grab onto even the finest of hairs and pluck them out as the head of the epilator rotates.  You just sort of sweep your legs, pits, whatever, in short strokes and voila!  Hair gone!  The best part is that, just like waxing, the removed hair doesn't grow back nearly as quickly as it does when you shave, and when it does, it's pretty wispy unlike the blunt ends of shaved hair.

In terms of pain, it literally feels like tiny little static shocks or something.  It's really not that painful at all, although my husband would probably beg to differ (I tried it on his arm and he starting screaming in pain even before it made contact with his skin).  I can't say how painful it would be for people with really dense or thick hair but I will say it's quick so at least the pain won't last that long.

So that's it!  Sold?  :)

And a YouTube video for good measure.

 

What's in store this week

I've been in full time mommy mode and also on an internet diet.  It's hard I tell you!  But when you literally have 3 hours to yourself a day while the babies are napping, I don't think surfing the web is the best use of my time.  Need to turn away- at least for a bit to reset...

Things I'm looking forward to this week:

1. Getting this shedding mane cut down!  Finally.  Will post pictures (if it turns out ok.  If not, more pictures of buns and pony tails to come).
2. Learning how to knit.  Finally signed up for a class this Friday.  Can't wait
3. Planning our first trip with the nuggets.  Looks like we'll be going to Vegas in a few weeks.  Should I be panic stricken?  Excited?  Both?

Have a productive week everyone!

Tsumori Chisato

Want.

Via here.

Time to take out those shears

I'm in dire need of a hair cut.  Like I haven't touched it since before, way before, the nuggets came into this world.  Not to mention that I'm still going through the mad post-pregnancy hair shedding phase.  Every morning, I leave a wig in our shower.  Lovely, yes?

The thing is, it's always tied up these days.  Come to think of it, it's always been tied up, even pre-babies, whenever it reaches the stage where it can be tied up (with the help of a million bobby pins and gel).  It's a result of laziness, efficiency and not being good with long hair.

And I've always been sort of a short hair girl.  For the most part, it's always been above my shoulders and a few years back, I decided to go super duper short:

I love short hair because it just feels more stylish and fresh.  But let's face the facts.  I literally spend zero minutes on my hair post shower so I won't be getting any sort of hairstyle that requires any maintenance or styling.

So that's sort of why I haven't done anything with my hair until now.  I have no idea what I'd like the end result to be.

Side swept bangs with layered bottom?

(via here)

Little shorter sans bangs?

(via here)

Long and au natural?

(via here)

Subtle ombre shoulder length?

(via here)

Decisions decisions...

Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone's a little sweeter tomorrow!  :)

Cozy day

Yesterday was one of those days where I decided to keep the nuggets in their pjs... They just looked so cozy and comfortable while it's chilly out (for LA).

I remember actually buying something akin to a sleep n' play from J. Crew back in law school.  Somehow, it just didn't have the same effect...

And, what a cool fish bowl.  It looks somewhat precarious but neat idea nonetheless!

(via here)

Busy busy

So mama's flying solo this week and perhaps from now on (which may explain the sporadic posts).  At least for most of the day, until someone comes and rescues me from the bottles, dishes, trays, toys up to my neck by day's end.  And guess what?  I've been loving it (at least for the past few days).

I'm by nature a huge multi-tasker and also need structure to my day and that's exactly what is happening by necessity.  Juggling two mobile 7-month olds is a formidable task, but I'm up for it!  I enjoy feeling 100% productive, as frazzling as it may be at times, and also having the privacy I've craved ever since having full time help here (never been much of a team player).  People may say I'm crazy for choosing to go at this alone, but now I can be as goofy, as mushy and as entertaining as I want.  

But of course I need to carve out some me time to keep my mind stimulated and my creative juices flowing so finding that perfect balance may take some rearranging and figuring out.  

That's my life in a nutshell this week so please bear with me as I get into this groove. 

On a different note, is fall finally here or what??  I've been waiting in eager anticipation, with sweaters in hand, pumpkin spice lattes in tow, scarves at the ready, but we still have the random hot day here and there.  Granted, I live in LA but still... I'm so ready for it to be cold and stay cold.  Today is perfectly overcast though, and guess what arrived?  My Rachel Comey Barbaro boots.  

Perfect timing and perfect shoe for this season.

Happy weekend!

TGIF and see you next week everyone!

Another one of mama's adventures...

Men's shirt in various forms

Pretty nifty video, although I'm not sure how many of these I'd actually wear myself.

via here.

Tattoos

To tattoo or not to tattoo?  Back up for a second...

When you think of tattoos, at least when I do, images of the Hells Angels, society's misfits or girls baring their cheesily inked lower backs with very low riding jeans often come to mind- not attorneys/working professionals (or now retired professionals/stay at home moms) or other "respectable" members of society.

But I have one already.  I love it and think it's beautiful.  It's beautiful to me because it's meaningful and something I know I won't tire of.  It was never meant to be a fashion statement nor a statement of any kind.  It wasn't a spur of the moment decision.  So this isn't an issue of whether I want one.  I have one.

I actually walked into the tattoo studio yesterday but left without one because they didn't have any appointments available but I'm not really contemplating another.  I know I'm going to get one.  Location and content to be revealed at a later time.

Now that I'm a mother, of course the thought of whether I want my nuggets to see mommy's tattoos or whether I'd approve if they got one has crossed my mind.  Without getting into too intense or serious of a discussion, so long as they stay on the straight and narrow like I have and use their utmost discretion (and run it by me a million times before actually doing it), I won't have a heart attack.

One thing I did leave the studio with:

Love it.


And further to my last post (and somewhat of a non sequitur but what else is new?), baby body parts are the best, aren't they?

Everything's just so plump and precious...

Baby feet

Adorable.

(via here)