If you're a long-time Caps fan like myself, the playoffs bring excitement, energy and the hope that maybe, just MAYBE we may see a Stanley Cup in Washington. But the reality is, the chances are slim. Not because we don't have a good team. Not because we don't have veterans. Not because I'm a nay-sayer. It's just hard to believe that this year feels different than any other.
Little background: I've been going to Caps games since I could walk - back when they played at the Caps Center in Landover, MD. Back when there were crazy fights both on the ice and sometimes in the stands. I grew up being a fan of Kevin Hatcher, Scott Stevenson, Dino Ciccarelli, Dale Hunter, Al Ifrate, Peter Bondra, Michael Pivonka, and of the course, the great Rod Langway (to name a few). My dad used to take me to the local malls for autograph signings. In fact, I think we went to three different malls between Maryland and Virginia one night so I could meet as many players as possible.
In 1998, my dad and I sat three rows from the ice to see the Caps beat Buffalo to win the Easter Conference championship and advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs. We had the same seats for Game 6, which never happened because the Caps were swept by Detroit (the team that was stacked with guys like Izerman and Federov).
Fast forward to the Rock the Red era (which has been one of THE best marketing campaigns by the way) which has been filled with amazing talent and renewed hope that the Stanley Cup will soon be in Washington. But such has not been the case. There has definitely been progress, but with it, comes just as much frustration. We can finally make it past the first round - but not without going seven games. We win the close games - but every game seems to be a close game. Why can't we win in 4? Why can't we win 3-0 instead of 3-2? Why can't we do something different? (yes, I know I'm saying "we" like I'm on the team).
I was listening to TJ Oshie this morning on DC101 (EITM) and Elliot asked him if he does anything different when it's playoff time. He said other than get more rest, all the routines are the same. I thought - maybe you SHOULD do something different? Maybe you should have a different routine.
Maybe you need a change in order to play stronger, better, faster?
Here's a great advantage - Pittsburgh and Philly will beat each other up in the first round. But in order to make that worthwhile, we need to NOT play seven games in round one. We need those extra days off. I also think we need something different to happen. When Pittsburgh goes into playoff hockey, they play with a different style and a different swagger. Maybe that just comes with knowing they can win a Cup, because they have so many times before. I don't know what it is, but the Caps don't have it.
We also have this unsettling goalie issue to deal with. Grubauer or Holtby? Not to say that one is better than the other, but I imagine it's difficult to prepare for games when you aren't even sure who the coach will pick. How do you build confidence?
I think Columbus is a good first-round test. But I would really like to see a five-game series. I would LOVE to see a four-game sweep, but we aren't that kind of team. I would love to see the team play with the same finesse during the regular season. I want to see something different.
I think the most frustrating thing about being a Caps fan is that we have an amazing team, not to mention the greatest player in the NHL. Whether we win or lose those 82 games in the regular season, they are always incredible to watch. You just never know what you are going to see. And then we get to the playoffs and all that hard work just goes right down the toilet. It suddenly means nothing.
I honestly don't know what the answer is, but I'm pretty sure I know what the end looks like. I will still faithfully watch every playoff game. I will still jump up and down and high-five my husband every time we score. I will still sit on pins and needles until the buzzer sounds at 0:00. I will still Rock the Red on game day. But unless something is truly different, the outcome will be the same.
But for now, I'm all in. Rock the Red. Let's go CAPS.
I'm annoyed with the Girl Scouts
Let's be honest, after Christmas and New Years, the days seem to drag and there isn't a whole lot happening until Memorial Day. Yes we have silly things like Valentine's Day, St. Pattys - "holidays" that I could care less about. It's cold, dark and we all just long for warm days and look forward to summer. But, there's one bright shining moment in the winter that makes life a little bit better: Girl Scout cookies. They finally get delivered - usually right when Lent starts, which seems to be some sort of cruel joke, but I love it because I get to enjoy one of the few sweet treats I actually like. We all have our favorites. Mine are Tagalogs.
Here's my beef. First, the boxes got smaller (and more expensive). Then, the number of cookies started dwindling. There seems to be more plastic than there are cookies. But this year is the worst. The cookies themselves have gotten thinner. The reason the Tagalogs are so good (in my opinion) is the peanut butter. Somehow, they now look like a thin mint! I actually wish I had a thin mint to compare the size. It's ridiculous. And I'm pissed.
Don't get me wrong, I am still going to eat them and I'll probably buy more because I get addicted to them and will plow through a box in single sitting. BUT I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.
I get it. You just want the money. But pretty soon you'll be selling a box of paper thin cookies, with only maybe 5 of them in a box, and they will cost $20/box. Am I right or am I right?
So can we please just go back to a normal count. A normal size. And focus more on quality versus ripping off the average, run-of-the-mill girl scout cookie lover?!
Theme song of the day: We're not gonna take it
Today's Pandora station: 80s Reloaded
Real Talk: Guns, the Parkland Kids and The Uprising
That Cruz kid messed with the wrong group of students. He has ignited an uprising. And let me tell you - I am all for it. To watch these kids - or should I say, young adults, rise up and make their voices heard is truly inspiring and gives me real hope for the future.
As the parent of children who aren't yet old enough to be in grade school, it gives me anxiety to think about the fact that my husband and I are going to have to talk to them about guns and what to do if there is a shooting. When I was going into grade school, my parents would talk about not taking candy from strangers or never go home with someone you don't know that says "your mom told me to pick you up." Things like that. Not once did we talk about how to protect yourself from a spray of bullets.
I was a junior in high school when Columbine happened. We had police officers at the school, news crews interviewing us for reactions and lots of announcements and conversations from teachers. But it was seen as such an anomaly that it didn't really phase anyone or really change any behavior.
The national gun debate is tricky. Mainly because the NRA has one of the biggest lobbying arms on Capitol Hill. Because of that, I have never invested too much in all the post-shooting calls for change, because nothing happens. It's all rhetoric that fades until the next shooting happens when it becomes top of mind again. Wash, rinse, repeat.
But this time, it's different. I've been watching the various social media platforms and it is truly an uprising. These students have nothing to lose and everything to gain. They not only are a voice for themselves and other survivors, but for parents, teachers, and anyone else that has been affected by what's happened in the past but has yet to see change that will protect our children. They are smart. They are articulate. They have the power to actually make that change happen.
These kids are coming full force, ready for a fight and they are not going to back down. Don't believe me? Take a look at the Twitter accounts of Emma Gonzalez, @Emma4Change, David Hogg, @DavidHogg and Cameron Kasky, @cameron_kasky. It's amazing what they are doing and how quickly they started taking action. They are calling out politicians. They are getting students around the country pre-registered to vote. They are laughing at anyone and everyone that doesn't believe in them. There is an entire army behind them. And I do mean an ARMY. And yet, at the same time all of this happening, they are grieving the loss of friends and heroes.
I'm beyond impressed with the passion and relentlessness of these kids. If I were an elected official and not pushing for change, I would be real nervous about the future. Could it be the proverbial swamp is about to get drained?! I'll go ahead and put money down for that front row seat.
I'm excited to see what comes next. I'm excited to see such passion and engagement. I'm excited to see change that will go down in history. These are the future leaders of America.
Today's theme song: I won't back down (Tom Petty)
Today's Pandora station: Tom Petty Radio
Today's Pandora station: Tom Petty Radio
How to shop at Aldi
I am BEYOND thrilled that Aldi opened up down the street. I'm even more excited that Lidl will be opening up in a couple weeks! But a lot of people seemed to be deterred, intimidated or just plain unsure how to shop at places like Aldi. Yes, you have to bring a quarter for a cart. Yes, you have to bring your own bags. BUT I promise you, it's worth the effort.
The single greatest thing about Aldi is the amount of money you save. Their prices will beat any of the big chain grocery stores. Here's how to shop at Aldi.
1. Do not go to Aldi with the expectation of finding everything on your list. It's just not that kind of store - it's small and therefore doesn't stock anything and everything.
2. Get over your brand loyalty. Happy Farms is Aldi's generic brand and it's just as good as the traditional brands. In fact, sometimes I think it's even better than big brand names. They will carry some brand name stuff, but it changes all the time. The last time I shopped, they had all of the General Mills Cheerio varieties.
3. Shop every aisle. Even if I know exactly what I need, I still go up and down every aisle because you just never know what you will find.
4. Produce can be hit or miss. Sometimes their produce is great. Other times, it doesn't look as good. It just depends on what you are buying. I've bought apples, spinach, strawberries, avocados and tomatoes - all of which have been great. I've heard the citrus fruits often aren't that great, but I'm not an orange person so I've never paid attention.
5. You can't beat their dairy prices. Whether it's milk, cheese, eggs, butter, sour cream, ice cream, coffee creamer, etc - it's all super cheap.
6. The meat selection is awesome. Not only can you find any cut or type of meat, again, the price will blow you away. A full rack of ribs is $2.99/lb! At Thanksgiving I kicked myself over and over because they had turkeys for 1.49/pound!
7. The Bakery is full of items made fresh that day. We are lucky that ours has a bakery - other stores do not. They have fresh breads, donuts, croissants, etc. and they all taste delicious.
8. The random isles are full of great buys. There are two random isles in the middle of the store that have a bunch of miscellaneous items. Dish towels, copper-plated pans, children's toys - I even saw an air hockey table one time. Again, super random things, but all at a super-low price.
9. Buy reusable bags and keep them in your trunk. I bought a pack of three off Amazon and keep them in my trunk at all times.
10. Shop during an off-peak time. If you are going to Aldi for the first tie, go early in the morning before anyone is there. Take your time to look at everything. I went on a Sunday morning right when they opened at 8am and there were maybe two other people shopping.
11. The have a great wine and beer section. They have a random selection, but I've bought several bottles of wine for $9.99 or less.
The last time I shopped at Aldi, I had a full cart of items and walked away having only spent $60. I can tell you if I had shopped at Harris Teeter or Giant, it would have cost me well over $100. Here are some of the items I bought:
I also snapped some pictures while I was there - spices are $0.99!
So check it out and let me know how it goes. Again, you just never know what you will find!
The single greatest thing about Aldi is the amount of money you save. Their prices will beat any of the big chain grocery stores. Here's how to shop at Aldi.
1. Do not go to Aldi with the expectation of finding everything on your list. It's just not that kind of store - it's small and therefore doesn't stock anything and everything.
2. Get over your brand loyalty. Happy Farms is Aldi's generic brand and it's just as good as the traditional brands. In fact, sometimes I think it's even better than big brand names. They will carry some brand name stuff, but it changes all the time. The last time I shopped, they had all of the General Mills Cheerio varieties.
3. Shop every aisle. Even if I know exactly what I need, I still go up and down every aisle because you just never know what you will find.
4. Produce can be hit or miss. Sometimes their produce is great. Other times, it doesn't look as good. It just depends on what you are buying. I've bought apples, spinach, strawberries, avocados and tomatoes - all of which have been great. I've heard the citrus fruits often aren't that great, but I'm not an orange person so I've never paid attention.
5. You can't beat their dairy prices. Whether it's milk, cheese, eggs, butter, sour cream, ice cream, coffee creamer, etc - it's all super cheap.
6. The meat selection is awesome. Not only can you find any cut or type of meat, again, the price will blow you away. A full rack of ribs is $2.99/lb! At Thanksgiving I kicked myself over and over because they had turkeys for 1.49/pound!
7. The Bakery is full of items made fresh that day. We are lucky that ours has a bakery - other stores do not. They have fresh breads, donuts, croissants, etc. and they all taste delicious.
8. The random isles are full of great buys. There are two random isles in the middle of the store that have a bunch of miscellaneous items. Dish towels, copper-plated pans, children's toys - I even saw an air hockey table one time. Again, super random things, but all at a super-low price.
9. Buy reusable bags and keep them in your trunk. I bought a pack of three off Amazon and keep them in my trunk at all times.
10. Shop during an off-peak time. If you are going to Aldi for the first tie, go early in the morning before anyone is there. Take your time to look at everything. I went on a Sunday morning right when they opened at 8am and there were maybe two other people shopping.
11. The have a great wine and beer section. They have a random selection, but I've bought several bottles of wine for $9.99 or less.
The last time I shopped at Aldi, I had a full cart of items and walked away having only spent $60. I can tell you if I had shopped at Harris Teeter or Giant, it would have cost me well over $100. Here are some of the items I bought:
- Milk $2.29
- Thomas' English Muffins $2.39
- Honey Wheat bread $1.49
- Flour tortillas (medium size) $0.99
- Soft spread cream cheese $1.49
- Apple Juice $1.49
- Bag of Gala Apples $2.99
- Dozen large eggs $1.69
I also snapped some pictures while I was there - spices are $0.99!
So check it out and let me know how it goes. Again, you just never know what you will find!
Real Talk: My mom secrets revealed
It's no secret that Chris' travels a lot. The short trips are easy. The longer ones - the two and three week trips are tough. Not because I can't handle it, but because Jake really starts to miss his daddy. It's hard to explain to a four-year old the concept of time.
The question I get asked the most is "so, what do you do when he's gone?" It's kind of a funny question right? I do the same thing I do when he's home, just with one less set of hands to help out. I think sometimes people think I have it easy because I have both my parents live near by, as well as my in-laws. It's true they do help me out. They may bring dinner some nights, play with the boys on the weekends and will even babysit so that I can have dinner with girlfriends. But the reality is, I'm still the one getting them up and ready in the mornings. I'm the one that picks them up from school, feeds them and gets them ready for bed. I'm the one that's raising them. Not my parents. Not my in-laws. Me.
But I've managed to find little tricks here and there along the way. They aren't even tricks, so much as ways to make my life easier - whether Chris is here or not. Since he's getting ready to head out on another trip, it made me think about some of these things, so figured I would share. Maybe it will spark some good ideas for you as well.
The question I get asked the most is "so, what do you do when he's gone?" It's kind of a funny question right? I do the same thing I do when he's home, just with one less set of hands to help out. I think sometimes people think I have it easy because I have both my parents live near by, as well as my in-laws. It's true they do help me out. They may bring dinner some nights, play with the boys on the weekends and will even babysit so that I can have dinner with girlfriends. But the reality is, I'm still the one getting them up and ready in the mornings. I'm the one that picks them up from school, feeds them and gets them ready for bed. I'm the one that's raising them. Not my parents. Not my in-laws. Me.
But I've managed to find little tricks here and there along the way. They aren't even tricks, so much as ways to make my life easier - whether Chris is here or not. Since he's getting ready to head out on another trip, it made me think about some of these things, so figured I would share. Maybe it will spark some good ideas for you as well.
- Establish a routine and stick to it. Seems intuitive right? But it's essential. Whether it's the morning routine and getting ready to head to school, or at night, getting ready for bed, establishing time with one kid and the other makes things roll smoothly every time. For example, at night, when I'm putting Shane to bed, Jake watches a cartoon and has quiet time. Then, he gets ready for bed, we read stories, say prayers and snuggle. He's then left to go to sleep on his own.
- Grocery delivery is a beautiful thing. Peapod is one of my best friends. The fact that I can shop, aisle by aisle online and have it delivered to me directly, means that's one less trip I have to make with the kids.
- Join a meal service and set the menu for the week. I subscribe to Home Chef (it's just like a Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, etc) and it has made the dinner process so much better. Not only am I making a complete meal, but it's usually a fairly simple prep process. I receive my order on a Friday, which allows to me plan out dinners for the week. It doesn't seem like that would make that bit of difference, but it does. I know exactly what I'm making, I already have the ingredients ready to go, and everyone is getting a balanced meal.
- When the kids are in bed, so am I. I need sleep. I'm not a night owl. I also cannot function before 6am. I know some people that wake up at 4am or 5am just to have time to themselves, but not me. The only way for me to function and be on my game is to have a good amount of sleep. All said it done, it's usually around 8:30pm by the time I get everyone down. I then clean up, take Charlie out one last time and get ready to call it a night.
- Keep breakfast easy. I do not have time to cook fancy meals in the morning. Having frozen items that can be heated up save so much time - waffles, pancakes, french toast. You name it. It's in our freezer. We also have cereal boxes out the wazoo, but Jake generally likes cereal as a snack.
- Have something to look forward to on Fridays. When Jake was having a hard time adjusting to school, we tried to find ways to reward him if he stuck it out. We started "Pizza/Blue Slurpee" night on Fridays. The local pizza joint has an Icee Machine and he knows that come Friday, he loves to get his slice of cheese and blue slurpee (as he calls it). It's a great thing to hold over his head (i.e. be nice to your brother or no pizza/blue slurpee). It gives him something to look forward to and keeps him in check during the week. Win-win for everyone.
- Offer weekend treats. And by treats I mean games, movies, or in Jake's case, the Wii. He LOVES to play Mario Kart and win trophies. But he's only allowed to play on the weekends. It can tough in the winter when you have to stay inside all the time. He can also watch movies on the weekends if he wants to chill out.
- Have countdowns. This is probably the best thing we ever started with Jake. We have countdowns for everything. If Chris is gone, we have a countdown for when he comes home. We have countdowns for birthdays, vacations, etc. We have a calendar on the fridge and Jake gets to mark a day in the mornings and count how many days until...whatever it is. He also has little Lightning McQueen magnets that he puts on special days.
Obviously these things may not work for everyone, but these are things I've found to help me get through the weeks, especially when I'm by myself. Do you have other tips or tricks? Send them my way - I'm always looking for ways to make my life easier!
If you are interested in Home Chef, click here. I have free $50 trials to share with friends and family, so if you would like me to send you a direct link to use it, let me know!
Today's theme song: Workin' for a Livin' (Huey Lewis and The News)
Today's Pandora station: Best of the 80s Reloaded
If you are interested in Home Chef, click here. I have free $50 trials to share with friends and family, so if you would like me to send you a direct link to use it, let me know!
Today's theme song: Workin' for a Livin' (Huey Lewis and The News)
Today's Pandora station: Best of the 80s Reloaded