Oscars in Flannels!

My favorite spectator event of the year is on the tellie at this very moment!!

And I am happily swaddled in my favorite flannel pj's & warm woolly socks, sipping post-pizza Sofia.

I was privileged to attend the awards in 1987. What a thrill it was to watch Sean Connery, Michael Douglas & Cher win heavy-weight golden dudes (winning for "The Untouchables", "Wall Street" & "Moostruck")!

But sitting in that unforgiving theater seat for HOURS (instead of sprawled out on my sofa in sweats), the boning of my lace & lamé strapless gown merilessly cutting into my ribs (I finally begged my date to discretely unzip the back of my gown) was not the treat I expected.

It was murder waiting for a commercial break, rezipping, then dashing out the theatre and across the lobby in 3" stilettos for a chance to wait in the line for the lady's loo. 

And then there was my crowning moment of glory at the end of the evening -- A-listers, B-listers, and no-listers like myself, shuffling our way out of the auditorium when I realized my oh-so-chic garter belts had popped and I was forced to clutch at my stockings through the layers of lace, lamé and tulle of my skirt, only to look up and see Mr. Connery himself standing there beside me.

Tonight that Oscar gown -- a wonderful, haute-80's strapless confection of black and gold lace with an asymmetrical hem -- hangs in its protective garment bag in my suburban-Boston attic. And my Cinderella slippers -- black suede with gold filigree on the heels and toes -- are safely stashed away in a box under my bed. (Hey, maybe I'll dig them out from the dark & share a snap or two some day soon!) 

And tonight I am happily curled up on my couch doin' what I love best - critiquing the gowns, jewels, hairdos, and "work" (and I'm not talkin' 'bout what you see on the movie screen) that's working its way up the Red Carpet and across the Kodak Theater stage.

Kind words & catty comments to follow!

And the Oscar goes to...

Screw PC, I'm old fashioned, there are winners & losers!

Lovin' the Break

I know far too many stay-at-home Moms that start stressing weeks before a school break. Conversations in school parking lots, at gyms and book clubs, even in grocery store aisles start with "Are you going away?", and if both Moms are sentenced to spend the "break" at home the conversation is thereafter dominated by comparisons of what each Mother is lining up to fill the chasm of time that lay ahead, and notes are made of any newly-discovered resource for time filling, or killing (you pick the noun).

Problem is, I just don't think these breaks are such a problem, certainly not one that demands so much time, attention, advance planning, monetary commitment, and stressing; and it gets me wondering what all the hoopla is actually about.

I mean, let's be realistic here, it's only five days (heck, only four, if there's a holiday Monday kicking things off) of togetherness -- what is everyone so afraid of? Will there be a mutiny at your house if you don't have at least two (if not more!) activities to fill your young ones' day? Do they really have SO much energy that you must run yourself ragged in order to protect your home from some kind of amped up miniature wrecking crew?

I'm not saying we should ignore the potential this free time holds, but why can't we kick back a bit and help our children learn to appreciate the joys of unstructured time. If we're always "entertaining" them, how will they ever learn to entertain themselves? How will they ever learn to find or create their own fun. Last I checked, you have not committed a crime if your child says "I'm bored."

 

In fact, isn't this the perfect opportunity to teach them to fill their time right there in that toy-filled family room, play room, basement or bedroom? Heck, "I'm bored" even presents you with a chance for self-inflicted horror when you involuntarily pull out one of your parent's old favorites, such as "If you're so bored you can help me with _________" (fill in the blank with whatever chore your children most detest).

Me? I actually enjoy these multi-day stretches with nothing much planned. My plan is no plan. I'm all about the last-minute, fly-by-the-seat of my Mommy pants approach. It's such a treat when you can seize an unexpected opportunity for a nearby field trip with a Mom pal that gives the kids a chance for camaraderie and we cloistered grownups a chance to confabulate. My boys relish the opportunity to spend time with a pal they don't get to see as often as they would like. And I love that there's time to do a project together or check out a place our normally jammed schedule hasn't allowed.

But most of all, I love it when my boys settle into really playing with each other! Sure, it may require some U.N. quality negotiations on my part, or even threats that neglected toys are headed to the trash can,

but when I watch them happily, even joyously, playing together, making their fun together, it makes me the happiest Mom in the world. I love to watch them enjoying each others' company, heck, that's why I had two of 'em! 

Don't even get me started on the rare occasions I find them reading together!

I love that these "breaks" mean no rush to get out the door first thing in the morning. We can snuggle in my bed and watch "Curious George" without worrying about the clock.

I love that there's time in the morning for the boys and me to make mid-week raspberry pancakes for Daddy.

I love that there's time to curl up together on the couch and read Winnie-The-Pooh or Harry Potter or Magic Tree House or Captain Underpants. Or watch Night at the Museum or Harry Potter or Enchanted (a recent discovery, thanks to the Disney Channel, for my light saber wielding wizards) and gorge ourselves on a huge, dinner appetite destroying, bowl of popcorn. (And yes, Star Wars is not on the list because Mom gets pretty fed up with that whole galaxy!)

I love that I get a chance to giggle with my boys over our lack of Wii Fit prowess.

I love that the daily schedule is erased, and a trip to Trader Joe's can become an adventure (tasting the day's sample or thinking up new menus), instead of the usual stressful dash.

I love that laundry can actually become quality time! Sorting, loading, folding, putting away can all become opportunities to learn a new skill and impress Mom.

I love that during a school break, even late afternoon dishwasher unloading can happily degenerate into a serious Kidz Bop / Black Eyed Peas dance party.

And I love that an afternoon story can turn into a nap, for everyone!

A few tricks I keep up my sleeve....

- Check out what's playing at the movie theater.

- Restock your craft bin with cheap, age-appropriate, prepackaged craft projects from Michaels or A.C. Moore.

  (As a self-proclaimed craft-challenged Mom, I LOVE those kits!)

- Save the best for last! Whatever it is, if your kids will love it, save it for Friday!

- Restock the wine, beer, tequilla...whatever your poison of choice, make sure there's plenty of it! 'Cause there's nothin' worse then having to rally your troops for a trek to the liquor store at the end of a rough day in the Momming trenches.

What are your "break" tricks? What was the simplest thing that turned out to be the biggest hit?

So I say, RELAX, ENJOY, boredom never killed anyone!

Found this & just had to include it, it's just SO true.

Photo courtesy of AliceNWondrlnd

P.S. Don't EVEN get me started on the whole summer vacation discussion! I'm almost as lackadaisical about that!

Silence = Heaven

As I get older, can I take comfort in getting wiser, too?

Lately I have come to realize that it really is the simple things in life that I now treasure the most, and, as a mother of two young rascals, having the house all to myself from time-to-time has become one of my very favorite things.

Sure, getting away from the daily grind is GREAT, as my previous blog post attests, but it is PURE and SIMPLE LUXURY to have one's home all to one's self! No interruptions, no distracting cries or whines, just me and whatever I need or want to do.

How was this bliss achieved? Simple actually, we shipped the boys are off to a sleepover with their Aunti! (Thank!! XOXO) And believe me, I know just how lucky we are to live relatively near family!

And what has Mommy been up to? So far... Kitchen cleaned up & dishes done. Laundry in process, one load folded & put away, and three drawers sorted through (and some old togs tossed). Floors swept -- I can't wait for winter & all the boot muck to be done & over with! Email in-box sifted through, responded to, deleted or filed. All in half the time it would take under normal household circumstances!

What's left? Blog post in progress, and a little newsletter editing to finish, then it's time to unplug and reconnect with that handsome husband of mine.

So what's your ultimate personal luxury? How would you spend "home alone" time?

Hope everyone has a great weekend, and finds a little peace & tranquility along their way.

The Very Best Valentine

Blossoms,

bonbons,

or bling...

are all wonderful ways of expressing your devotion to your heart's one-and-only, but this year was unique for my Valentine and me.

Not only did our romance commence on February 14th, but when it came time to tie the knot, we decided to keep that anniversary date. We were married ten years ago, on a wintery Wednesday in snowy Vermont, in an intimate fireside ceremony and celebration with immediate family and a few dear friends, and it was perfect. And now it's been a whole, entire decade of mostly wedded bliss!

 

So how do couples mark this milestone?

According to the experts the traditional theme for the 10th anniversary is "tin".

Glad my hubby didn't hear about this one!

For more modern couples the theme is "diamond".

Too bad my beloved didn't hear about this one in time!

Diamonds do conveniently reappear on the list for the 30th, 60th, 75th and 80th, though I doubt we'll be available for those last three occasions, so I better make sure he's well informed sometime after our 29th.

This year my sweetheart gave me a truly unique and treasured gift, the opportunity to miss him, the chance to remember how good it is to be with him, and the chance to realize just how much I still love the bloke I've promised to spend the rest of my life with.

Brace yourselves ladies for the oncoming wave of jealousy - my wonderful husband stayed home to tended home & hearth (though our humble abode lacks the latter), and sent me off for a two-day escape from the suburban housewife & mothering routine. 

That's right, ladies (and gentleman, hint, hint) -- two whole days to sleep in, tend to no one else's needs but my own, sip my morning coffee in peace, let my mind wander, have uninterrupted conversations, and do as I pleased on my own schedule. Oh and let's not forget the skiing! Two days of mid-week turns in the place we met and married with a super gal pal by my side.

In other words, near bliss. All the while he was home, getting children off to school, preparing meals (that were admittedly just waiting in the freezer for a quick reheat, but I still give him full credit), staying ahead of the laundry avalanche, shuttling children to after school activities, and getting everyone tucked into bed.

What a special gift, surely one to treasure, to be married to man who understands and respects a gal's need for peace and space from time to time!

So I write this post to proclaim my gratitude, my abundant thanks to my wonderful, handsome, wise, charming and witty husband for his love and generosity. I'm so looking forward to the next 10 years!

And what did I get for my marvelous mate to mark this special moment in our personal history? No tin, no diamonds, unless you count virtual trail rankings.

Hope he doesn't mind sharing his present with our off spring!

So how do you mark those special occasions with your mate? What would be your ultimate gift? To give or to get?

Solo Sojourn Survived

Two flights, 3,000 miles, a three-hour time change, one mom, two little boys, four checked bags, three backpacks, three days of missed naps and late bedtimes, two more flights, 3,000 more miles, and another three-hour time change -- all the makings for an epic drama!

The boys have visited CA several times before, but this trip was my first without any husbandly support, and I must admit I was a tad nervous about the undertaking. Not so much over the logistics, as many will attest, organization is one of my fortes, but more about how my nerves would handle it all with some modicum of grace.

I did all the recommended, modern-day pre-trip parental preparations -- all electronics were synced, updated and charged (an almost day-long endeavor), new movies were secretly loaded on iPods, new Leapster games stashed away, extra batteries, chargers, fresh sketch pads and twister crayons, a select group of small toys, snacks, blankies, etc. all loaded into wheeled backpacks. I carefully planned wardrobes to minimize potential over packing (something I've been accused of in the past), limiting us to one modest-sized rolling suitcase each, and a duffel bag for the boys' booster seats.

I must take a moment to share a quick kudos to Pottery Barn Kids on their Fairfax luggage collection. 

The rolling backpack and small rolling suitcase are virtually indestructible, have loads of nooks and crannies for organizing stuff, and are perfectly sized for a kindergartner and preschooler to maneuver through a baggage check-in line and airport terminal with minimal injury to unsuspecting bystanders.

I am happy to report our trio survived our first transcontinental adventure! And Mom's sanity survived too, though a few days at a spa would do me a world of good. All three of us adjusted easily to pacific standard time, but it has taken a good four days of short, power naps and early bedtimes to restock our sleep inventory and get back into our Boston routine.

I did come away from this experience with a few new-to-me insights...

1) Plan, plan, and then plan some more. I made myself several lists; things I, personally, needed to get done, things I needed to procure, and things and clothes I needed to pack.

 

2) Leaving myself LOTS of prep time (four full days) meant I wasn't up at 2 a.m. the night before our departure running around the house collecting necessities and cursing the multitude of things I'd run out of time or overlooked getting.

3) Making sure the boys were super rested gave me a little wiggle room when it came to time changes, naps & bedtimes, though I probably should have sent the boys to school with a note of apology to their teachers that first day back.

4) An indoor pool at your hotel is, as Ms. Stewart says, a GOOD thing, especially when visiting grandparents.

An apartment-like set up is pretty FAB, too. On this trip I discovered Marriott's Residence Inn. Though usually marketed to the extended-stay business traveler, this was a wonderful option for our families. The living/kitchen/dining room and separate bedrooms helped us all feel like it was home-sweet-home.

 

5) And finally, when you strip away the busyness of everyday life (laundry, vacuuming, grocery shopping, bill paying, blogs to write, newsletters to edit, etc.), it is so much easier to truly enjoy your childrens' company. You can really lose yourself in the pleasures of a swim when you're not thinking about the next thing on the day's agenda or the multitude of things you will not accomplished that day. And there's time to have some real conversations with your chatty three and five year olds, without your mind drifting off to "more important" topics. Once again, travel proves that stepping out of one's comfort zone can be good for the soul.

Now back to our regular wintery program! Boy do I miss those 70+ degree, sunshiny CA days!

Doyenne of Curls Coming to Boston!

As some of you may know, it was this past July that I was introduced to DevaCurl hair products, and finally abandoned my struggle, a decades-long battle to be exact, against my hair's natural state of s'waves, waves, curls and ringlets (yep, that's right, I'm "blessed" with a maddening combo of twirls, whirls, kinkiness & frizz).

As I learned to embrace a curly state of being, further research led me to the guru of curlicousness, Lorraine Massey, and her definitive textbook for all of us somewhere south of stick straight, "Curly Girl: The Handbook".

Now Ms. Massey is twisting her way about this curly country promoting the recent release of her updated handbook, and just this morning I learned from Lorraine's Facebook status that she'll be visiting Boston this coming Monday! She'll be at the Brookline Booksmith @ 7pm sharing her twisted wisdom and antidotes!

And where will this curly girl be Monday evening? Preparing for landing at Logan! Curses!

While I should be relishing my precious time in my beloved, sunny & warm CA homeland, I am at this moment lamenting that fact that I will return to snowy & gray Boston mere hours too late to thank my curly gal guru for setting my locks free!

So all my fellow Boston-based curly-headed friends, don't miss this opportunity to meet the curl master herself, have your most twisted queries answered, and maybe even get a chance set your locks free of flatness.