i am nothing if not totally random and easily distracted

Do you want to know what I think is really hilarious?

One night last week, when I was away during my business trip, I opened up my blog and I started this post with this exact title. I had every intention of writing it then, too. But instead, I turned on the television in my hotel room and noticed that they were playing Sixteen Candles. And well, that promptly concluded my blogging for the evening.

Since then, I've noticed this very post just sitting under my "Compose" file, but I haven't come back to it. Up until tonight, there have been other important things to write about, so this one post about how I'm so easily distracted just keeps getting shoved to the back burner. That's how it goes with me. I wish I could figure out how to do a screen shot of my "Compose" file, because you'd see that I have 20 blog posts that I've started, but have yet to finish.

Some of these posts are over three years old - and totally outdated - but I can't stand to delete them - because one day I might feel compelled to call upon the memories surrounding the dead bird that Charlie and I found in a swimming pool when the triplets were infants.

We later discovered that the dead bird was actually a Cockatoo that someone was offering a $500.00 reward to have returned. Charlie had scooped the dead bird out of the pool and thrown it in to the bushes before either of us knew that this bird was a valued pet. But once we saw the sign, my husband contemplated going back and digging the bird out of the bushes and putting it in a ziploc bag before calling the owner and telling them that he found their bird. And yes, we'd like that reward because we have three babies in diapers. Then when he returned their deceased and highly valuable cacatua alba, he'd ask, "Can you really put a price tag on closure?"

We didn't do that, of course.

And since I just relayed the contents of that post, I suppose I can delete it now.

Great! Now I'm down to 19...

Anyway. The point is. This post is intended to answer the questions that were posed to me last week during the Q&A session. And, I threw in a few other random questions that weren't posed during that post - but which I've received over the past few months.

This question came from Wendi:

Are you able to FLY with your BOB? Can you fit it through the security check in the airport? If you could let me know, I would soooo appreciate it! We have a trip to Colorado in a few weeks and I'm debating whether we can take it?

YES we are able to fly with our BOB strollers and we have, many times over!

Although the single BOB stroller can be collapsed and placed on the security belt and scanned through the x-ray machine, often times, the double BOB needs to be inspected by hand and with a wand. Either way, just roll your stroller up to the security line, unload your child (or children) and the agents will help you do the rest. Depending upon the size of the x-ray machine, you may need to take the wheels off your single stroller before putting it on the conveyor belt, but it's easy enough to do with the quick release system.

Once you roll up to the plane, just unload your child, collapse your stroller, put the claim ticket on it, and the luggage handlers will put it under the plane for you. When you land, they will take it out and have it sitting there waiting for you. Now, unless you have the Revolution, you may find that you have a difficult time getting your double stroller through the doors on the jetway. With the exception of over-sized handicap doors, we've had to remove at least one back wheel to fit through. Of course this is an inconvenience, but in my opinion, having your stroller available as soon as you step off the plane is worth ANY hassle.

Good luck and have a fun time in Colorado!

This question came from Katie:

We sold our house in NJ and we're moving out on Aug 31. You'll never guess--the two places that we can live for my husband's job are CA and MA, specifically around the San Fransico CA area or around the Concord, Sudbury MA area. Now, for the million dollar question--which one would you choose?? I have never lived in either place and they will both be new for me. We have three children 4 and under.

Wow. This is such a difficult question for me to consider, and I've lived in both places. Charlie's family predominantly lives in northern California. My family predominantly lives in New England. I love both areas. But, I haven't lived in an area where there is snow for any extended period of time since I was ten. Which HELLO, that was almost 30 years ago.

Where does the time go?!

The advantages to Northern California: It is absolutely beautiful. Darn expensive, though. You are close to wine country (this comes in useful with three children under the age of four) and you are close to the Sierra Mountains - which are spectacular if you are in to hiking, skiing or the great outdoors. If you were me, you'd also be close to my sister-in-law Kathy, who is an amazing baker and a plethora of nieces and nephews who would be recruited to babysit.

The advantages to New England: It is absolutely beautiful. Darn expensive, though. You are close to the Cape, which I love, and you are close to the quaint mountain towns throughout Vermont and New Hampshire and the beautiful Maine coastline (and the awesome LL Bean outlet). Another advantage, for me, is that I love US History and I am always enthralled how this part of the country just abounds with it. If you were me, you'd be close to my cousin Anne Marie, who is an amazing baker, and a plethora of nieces and nephews who would be recruited to babysit.

Both places offer the great outdoors.

Both places offer seasons, although they are more extreme in New England.

Both places offer an abundance of culture, good hospitals, and beautiful sights.

New England has awesome ice cream.

California has awesome wine.

According to my Uncle Bill, he would be happy anywhere that he went, so long as he had my Aunt Grace by his side. Being with the people that you love is the most important thing of all, where you are really doesn't matter. I know he's right. However, selecting the place where your family will grow up is a very tough call so I'd probably eat some ice cream, drink some wine and flip a coin.

Good luck and please let me know what you decide!

So many questions that I receive come in the form of e-mails. Please tell me again where you bought your children's hats? Would you please share more recipes with us? Are you going to keep up with your cancer fundraising, and if so - how? I've been knitting a blanket since January and still don't know how to end it. NO PRESSURE, but are there any plans to finish those knitting posts?

In short order:

We bought our children's hats at the San Diego Zoo, but you can buy them here.

Yes, I will share more recipes with you. Infact, now that Charlie will be home more, he is looking in to various creative outlets. At some point, hopefully soon, he will become a contributing author to this blog and it is his goal to post various recipes that he, himself, has concocted - or, adopted and adjusted along the way. We might start a new blog, just for him entitled, "Chez Charlie." Just ask anyone that has spent any time at our house ... my man can cook.

I'm happy to say that we will be continuing our cancer research fundraising efforts. I think I may have discovered a rather large loophole in the whole "illegality of the online raffle" thing. Stay tuned. More details are sure to follow.

One of the 19 posts that I have remaining has to do with how to cast-off. I actually filmed the video clip of me casting off and wrote out some detailed instructions, but I have yet to upload all of the photos to the post. I'll get around to it, soon. I promise.

In the meantime, I've been holding on to the baby blanket that I completed for Kim and her baby who was born earlier this year. Kim, if you are reading this, please send me an e-mail with your address so I can get this blanket off to you before your sweet baby girl is walking and conjugating verbs.

OK. With three blog posts within 24 hours, I think I've written enough today.

Oh ... But wait!! ... Would you look at this ...!!!

Charlie just revealed that a new movie from Netflix arrived. Don't worry. I'll be telling you about that later. Since I wrote this post, we've watched another 12.

Oops, I lied. One last thing. Aren't these posts without pictures BORING?

I think so, too.

So here's a picture of my husband introducing our two-year-old son to coffee.

Notice the tongue...

(There's nothing quite like sharing a beverage with a toddler.)

I can't stand the stuff, myself.

But Henry on the other hand ...

He loves it.