Cars is BACK (and we've got a cool give-away)!!!

While they had seen bits and pieces of free Saturday morning movies in the past, in June of 2006 my youngest boys saw their first full length official movie at the theater - Cars (aren't they cute!):

Five years later...Cars 2 is coming out! I am so excited - we LOVED the first Cars movie. We have loads of Cars toys and books, and the boys really took to it. Well, Lucy too is all about cars and trucks (and has been playing with some of the Cars characters even though she hasn't been officially introduced to them yet), and now she has the opportunity to see HER first real in-the-theater movie. Lucy will just be three and the little boys were three and a half, but I'm really hoping that she'll enjoy the second Cars movie (and the popcorn, of course) just as much as her brothers did five years ago!

Between the homage to Back to the Future and the "Materhosen" in the preview below - I'm super excited!

Take a peek at this scene too:

Gotta love a movie that has this great of a bathroom scene - and gotta love Mater! This time around the gang hits the road for an international race - and mystery and intrigue follow them! Cars 2 opens June 24 in theaters across the country (and I can't wait to see it).

If your kids are big Cars fans like mine, keep reading for a cool give-away!

I'm hosting a drawing for this cool Cars 2 t-shirt, along with a few other cool prizes (See them all below). I will select ONE winner for this drawing, and the prize pack will be mailed directly to you.

- CARS 2 t-shirt in youth sizes of S, M, L, XL

- CARS 2 set of 3 bumper tickets

- CARS 2 temporary tattoo sheet (2 per winner)

- CARS 2 puzzle

To enter this giveaway, tell me about YOUR favorite Cars character! One entry will be drawn at random, and the winner will be notified via e-mail. Be sure to either sign in to leave your comment or leave it in the comment itself so I can notify you. Comments will close and drawing will be held at midnight July 5th. Winner must reply to the e-mail notification with their name, mailing address, and t-shirt size (youth only) by noon Eastern on July 7th or a second winner will be drawn.

The small print: I am hosting this giveaway because we are HUGE Cars fans. No compensation of any kind was received. The prizes are compliment of Disney Pixar, but the words and Cars love are all mine. Drawing open to residents of the US only. Thanks Disney Pixar for the giveaway!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful Dad!

Take Me Out

Aside from the catchy tune, this is a really cool video. Instruments stolen, they went to the next best thing and kept plugging away on their music:

Having a summer birthday in DC bites, unless it's at the pool.

For the past few years we have had trouble gauging how many kids will attend Max's birthday party (see below for all of my frustrations about his summer birthday, as well as ). Seems that everyone leaves the country/state/county for Max's birthday. Last year we had a good number of kids actually around, but every year he has had a blast at his party. So now we have TWO kids that have summer birthdays. Lucy's falls a month before Max's, and this year we're hitting the baby pool. We're taking a load of our little friends to our baby pool for a popsicle party. The pool is really only there to help keep the popsicle mess to a minimum. Last year we had a splash party in the back yard and nearly cooked. This year, we are hanging out at the pool so everyone can be cool. But I have no idea how many people will show up. It's a Saturday, which is typically family time for the under four crowd. And then there's the whole thing about two and three year olds can't drive, so the kids will likely have parents tagging along. But hey, the more the merrier right? Hopefully Miss Lucy will be celebrating her birthday with a load of her good buddies, all will be splashing, and all will eat way too many popsicles!

July 29, 2008

Having a summer birthday in DC bites

My oldest was born at the beginning of August. Not a fun time for me - we were in Texas and August is WAY hot if you are 9 months pregnant. But his birthday fell at that just right spot for great back yard splash parties, and as he got older, pool parties. When we were in Texas we would have these huge backyard parties - loads of kids, food, cake, and water. There was one little boy whose family took a yearly trip to their cabin up north, but everyone else that we knew would come and celebrate with Max. We did five birthdays that way, and Max loved it. Then we moved to the DC area, and it all came to a screeching halt. You see, here in our area there's a mass vacation exodus in August.

Last year we planned one of these great back yard splash parties for the first time here in the DC area and invited lots of kids. Max had friends from both soccer and school on the list, and he was so excited about having everyone over to his house. There were about 30 kids on the list and I wasn't sure if we had enough cake, juice boxes and water, or enough candy for the pinata. Then the RSVP's started rolling in and the list dwindled from 30 to 25 to 20,then to 15, and finally 11. Out of 30 kids, only 11 were going to be in town for his birthday. Max was bummed that his closest friends weren't going to be at his party, but I was stunned that we had so few kids attending.

In Texas when we invited 20, 19 would show up. When we invited 25, 24 would show up - you get the idea. We were always in the midst of the party planning wondering if we would have enough. Now it seems that we are victims of the vacation exodus and poor Max has only three kids that have RSVP'd for his birthday this year thus far, and the party is on Saturday. He'll have fun, and he and his friends will enjoy the party I'm sure, but how much does it bite to know that most of your very best friends will be gone? Forget moving the party though - you never know which kids will be gone which weekend in August, just that a majority of them will be gone for a good chunk of the month. Thinking of suggesting that we switch the birthday party to February? Well, that's out of the question as well - his brothers have February birthdays and that just wouldn't be nice to them. So it will be another year of a smaller party than expected. But the kids will have fun, everyone will get wet, and we will all celebrate the birthday of a pretty cool little kid.

Original DC Metro Moms Blog Post. Suzie also blogs about her own summer birthday at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Feeling like an Apple Dropout

I've had an iMac for well over a month now and still can't give up my PC. I think I'm tethered to it in many, many ways, and have no idea how to drop those ties. You see, I've been a PC girl for pretty much my entire life. With the exception of an Apple IIe (can we say Dinosaur?) that I had in college, I've been in PC's for my entire career. (Yes, Apple's first stab at a portable computer came with me to college in Florida and sat many, many times at the beach with me.) And back then the Apple's weren't so different from the other computers out and about.

I'm not really sure what the hold up is, but I can't download pictures from my camera, I'm not 100% sure how to create a new graphic or jpeg, and I'm not sure of how to download stuff and put it in the right spot (folder, dock, huh?). Because of all this I'm starting to feel like, well, an Apple dropout.

It's like learning a new language I guess. Of course it's been 25+ years since I've actually learned a new language. Maybe that's my trouble. I've managed to learn new phones, TIVO's, Nooks, cameras, digital cameras, and all kinds of other electronic thingamajiggies, but not so much this iMac. Huh.

You'd think after all the beatings I've put my PC through I'd let it go slowly off into the night, but this is really, really slow. So now what? I always prided myself on being someone who could read the manual and consult the help desk, but I don't think that will fly now. I'm going to have to buck up and go take some more of those Apple Store classes. Clearly I haven't taken enough. Hopefully I'm not the only one out there that's a little gun shy about my new computer.

Man it's HOT!

Seems like I've complained about the heat in previous years past right about now as well, and this week was just as hot (if not hotter). We hit 99 degrees on Wednesday, and that's just sizzling - fry eggs on the sidewalk, burn the bottom of your feet sizzling - no matter where you live. We do have a little bit of the humidity added in there as well, but I almost had to give up my Texas citizenship. You know, if you complain too much about he hot weather they disavow any knowledge of you ever being born there. Texans have their pride after all.

June 10, 2008

Man it's HOT!

One of the things that we've really enjoyed about Northern Virginia since we moved from Texas two years ago is the beautiful weather. While some of the locals complained that it was too hot, too cold, or that the weather was unseasonable at many different times of the year, we found that it was much more temperate than the weather in Texas. We have marveled in the beautiful springs and pleasant falls, we have loved the light to moderate snow in the winter, and we have honestly enjoyed the mild summers. We are truly fans of the weather here in Virginia - until now. I'm calling shenanigans on Mother Nature here, and I'm putting my foot down demanding my old Virginia weather back.

We've recently had four soccer games rained out, tornados, earthquakes, flash flooding, and now almost record heat. Yes, almost record because we are a few degrees shy of the "records." But who is saying that it isn't dang hot here?

Not me. And the funny part of this? Well, we're from Texas where it gets REALLY hot, but after being here in the glorious Virginia weather for two years, we're ruined. The kids and I can't handle the heat - and Tom just sits there and laughs at us. After two years of mild springs and summers that are cool enough to play outside basically all summer, we're stuck inside. For the past few days the kids grab a popsicle, run outside, then come zooming back in to escape the heat. Then, after a few minutes of beating on each other / playing soccer / watching TV / I send them back out again into the heat. Normally they would gladly stay outside all afternoon and all weekend, but I can't imagine them playing out in the heat that we've had (105-110 heat index) from more than a few minutes at a time. They have huge shade trees, water bottles, water gun fights, popsicles, hats, sunscreen, and still need breaks from the heat every 15 minutes or so. It's just plain hot here, and my kids' behavior reflects that. I guess being trapped inside in the late spring / early summer will do that to you.

So, apologies to anyone who runs into me and the kiddos over the next few days. Until this cold front comes through that they are predicting (which will bring the temps down to normal temps for this time of the year), my children will be behaving like wild trapped wild animals. Let's all hope that this heat wave subsides...quickly.

Original DC Metro Moms post.

When not hiding under an umbrella, Suzie blogs over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

I LOVE a good parade!

Once again I dragged my family to a parade, and once again they complained about it. But then again they still go. The kids have no choice really, but Tom, well, he must love me to indulge my parade fixation. But the Falls Church Memorial Day parade is always a big hit. This year, like last, it was wicked hot out. But we got there about five minutes before the parade started, found a shady spot with no one else around towards the end of the parade route, and plopped down. It was glorious. We saw our absolute favorites - the Bolivian dancers. There were several troupes there this year - one of them new - but all fantastic. From the wee ones to the old ladies in full garb those dancers move and groove and bring a big old smile to my face.

This year there was a stilt - walker, and a bunch of clowns. Lucy wasn't quite sure what to make of all the clowns, then again she wasn't sure why we were there in the first place. Guess to a two year old the whole world looks like one big parade.


Ian was all over that red wagon. We grabbed it to drag our stuff in, and once the chairs were out he hopped in, relaxed, and watched the parade. Can I just say - best. wagon. ever. I don't know how it handles kids, honestly, as we didn't let anyone sit in it, but it can hold all of our chairs PLUS our little cooler, and my purse in the back!
We brought freezy pops with us to keep the kids cool and happy. ;) And they did indeed do the trick. Twelve freezy pops later they were all coming off their sugar high, and Lucy sunk into the chair, and eventually rested her head on her daddy.

As the parade went on...and on...and on...Lucy totally ran out of steam. She liked the music and the colorfulness of the parade, but clearly wasn't plugged in to the absolute coolness of the whole thing. Me, on the other hand, well, I dig parades and this is one of my favorites.

Les Paul Doodle on Google today!

I've mentioned before that I LOVE the doodles that Google puts up on their search page. But this one is more than just a doodle - it's alive. The doodle they have posted today is similar to the Martha Graham doodle they had a bit ago, but this time it's actually interactive.

So go to Google today and see what tunes you can strum. And if you don't know who Les Paul is, well, check him out here: Les Paul Online. All I'll say is that he was a brilliant, brilliant man.

Edited to say: Look how cool I am! I made my very own song for you - strumming along and smiling the whole time: http://goo.gl/doodle/oJKbu Gotta love Google for doing this...and for leaving it up for a bit!

Why can't the summer come sooner?

Tom looked at my today like I was a crazy woman. "I think I want to pull the kids out of school and just be done for the year." We still have two weeks of school left, and I'm good to go for the year. I told him that there are a ton of cool things to do around here, and I was done with the whole schedule thing. Apparently I do this every year (see my post below). Last year, same time, and here I was complaining that that the summer couldn't come fast enough. And it didn't help that today it was a whopping 99 degrees outside. It hovered above 90 degrees for a good chunk of the day, and all I could think about was the pool. Yes, the pool is open, but mostly on the weekends. It opens at 3pm until school lets out, and by then it's almost too hot to get out of the house. But tomorrow, providing everyone is healthy (we had one kiddo home sick today) we are hitting the pool. Hot is just hot, no matter how you cut it, and I believe that anyone will agree, even my loving husband, that 99 degrees counts as hot.

June 10, 2010

Why can't the summer come sooner?

I have four kids, three of whom are in school. What I really mean to say is that three of them are in school still. It seems that our summer doesn't start until halfway INTO the summer - at least it feels that way some days. It now is staying light until well past 8pm, our typical bedtime, so the kids are still wide awake well past then. The sun rises at the crack of dawn as well, so naps (for me and the little one) are definitely on tap as my kids get up way to early for my taste. But crazy hectic school, sports, and extra-curricular schedules generally prevent any late afternoon naps from happening. And all of those cool summer activities that I remember from childhood? Well, they've already started and we still have two full weeks of school left.

This means that we don't get to participate in some of those cool activities, like swim team. Granted, the little boys aren't quite ready, but my oldest might have been had there been a day (or four) for him to practice with the team. But ongoing school and extracurricular activities still occupy those precious after school slots, so there's no room for swim team. There are other things that I'd like to be doing as well with my days, but it seems that we are not quite done with our required 990 hours/180 days of school yet. (Yes, the really do count that way depending on the year and weather, and this year wasparticularly bad).

I guess the worst part about this time of year is that it feels like it should be summer break. This means that my kids are acting like it's summer break - giving up on any semblance of good behavior left in their little bodies. They did well behaving all year - followed directions, did what they were supposed to do, but their little wills to behave have finally broken. They are turning in those ugly, nasty little summer cretins - like caged animals trapped in school kid bodies. This is easily fixed with some running around, boredom, pool time, bicycles, you name it. But we can't do any of those things because we're still in school. And you know that the teachers know this too.

I'm sure it's one thing to wrap school up in May, like loads of other places do, and then deal with those end of school wigglies. But not here in Fairfax County, and we have the good Kings Dominion law to thank for that. We can't start school here until AFTER Labor Day. This means that this year, and next year, (and many other years for that matter) we start the second week of September, and run through the end of June. This law has been around since 1986 and thanks to the lovely folks at King's Dominion, some state legislators, and a bunch of people who don't have MY best interests at heart, we go to school until all 180 of those days pass. And that's late June once again this year.

So here I sit on a beautiful, albeit slightly rainy afternoon, wondering when the summer will come, or when we will all be on a year round school schedule with much more reasonable breaks.

This is an original DC Metro Moms post. When Suzie isn't mourning the loss of her favorite season, she's blogging over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Five years

Five years and almost 1,000 posts. I've been blogging since May 27, 2006, shortly after we moved to DC. Initially I started blogging to keep family up to date on what was happening in our lives, but over time it has become something much more. I can write, share, pop up pictures, or simple blather (not too much blathering so far but there's loads coming at you!). I have gotten to the point where it's a pleasure to write - no longer a chore. For years my writing suffered under my own false impression that I wasn't such a good writer. Now, I realize that I have strengths and weaknesses in my writing, and that's O.K. I write because I like to write. I have other creative outlets, but this one really lets my mind wander and explore - even for simple things like throwing up a favorite picture or sharing an amusing blog post. So, peek at my first post back in 2006, and look though the rest to learn all about our adventures in DC.

Here's to the Crazy Ones

It's been one of those years. Time and time again there have been missteps, problems, and setbacks. But all are very, very minor in the scheme of things. I realize that it's time to let go and just be. Do good, go forward with crazy plans, explore, and be ambitious. And maybe one day, even one days soon, it will make a difference.



Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them; disagree with them; glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. - Apple Inc.

Now it's your turn. Think different, act, and you just might surprise yourself.

Dreaded Budget Cuts

You know that I'm a BIG fan of Lego A Day. He posts some really creative stuff. And today is no different. Budget cuts affect us all - including, apparently, those involved in the Galactic War.

So remember folks, budget cuts often have unforeseen consequences. From the big wigs to the soldiers in the trenches, or in this case on the bike and skateboards, budget cuts are tough all around.

Image from: http://legomyphoto.wordpress.com/

Memorial Day Thanks

Summer!

Well, not quite yet as we still have three

weeks of school left, but the pool is OPEN!

Super Cool Bicycle Kick

From a local 13 year old...wild, just wild.

Bailey's 5th Grade Chorus singing the National Anthem!

I LUV Martha Graham

When I was little my mom would take me to shows - musicals, dance, orchestras, you name it. But after one or two exposures it was all begging on my part. "Please can we go see ____??? PLEEEEAAASE?" An actual conversation in my house growing up. And she obliged me. I saw a few shows on and off of Broadway in NYC (having local to NY grandparents helped that), but mostly I saw shows in San Antonio - all kinds of shows. I remember the first time I saw Martha Graham's dance troupe - I was mesmerized. It was one of those performances that has you on the edge of your seat - not because of any suspense but because you feel the need to pop up and move. I am positive that I danced my way out that day. I saw Martha Graham's troupe one more time before she passed away, and still to this day I have memories of those performances. I can't tell you what they danced, but I can tell you how I felt. I was inspired, happy, moved to, well, move. I popped in and out of dance over the years - just enough to NOT look like a fool when I'm out and about, but never got very far. But I do remember those performances. They were powerful, serene, outrageous, clever, and they inspired me to dance. To this day Appalachian Spring remains one of my favorites.

Today Google recognizes Martha Graham with a Google Doodle. The static image is above, but the graphic in motion actually evokes some of the same feelings that I had when I was little.

So thanks Google, for once again making me smile. And Miss Martha - Happy Birthday!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

I went searching for a pictures of myself with my mom and it took me a TON of time to find one. Seems we only took about five over the years (out of the 30,000 or so that I have digitally). But then I realized that the pictures that I really wanted to share were all the ones with mom and the kids. And those, well those I have a ton. Some of my favorites I've shared, but this one really expresses the joy that the boys brought my mom:

Sam, Mimi, & Ian, December 2004

So, to all of my mom friends out there and those that may not be moms but are celebrating as well, Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Momma's Day, Mommas (and Dads too)!

If Mothers Day has crept up on you, here are a few last minute, really cute ideas that you can either zip off via e-mail or print and hand deliver. Some are cute crafty things, and some are printables. My momma-in-law has some momma love on the way to her, but how about you?

Amy of A Proffittable Life designed these really cool printables that come in FOUR colors (red, teal, orange, and pink).

Laura over at Come Together Kids shared these delightful fingerprint candles. Grab your kids and a few candles and let them create!

And one more with a very cool twist. This is a printable that really crosses over - speaks to more than the Mom in me:

And is come in SPANISH!!! Thanks Lara for realizing that Spanish speakers love your creations too!

A big thanks to Lara over at less cake (more frosting) for this one!

Be sure to visit all three of these blogs to grab the full sized versions and directions. and most of all, be sure to celebrate the joy that is Mother's Day with your favorite Mom, Dad, Granny, Grandpa, kiddo - you get the drift!

Trumpet Trio

Max and some buddies played at their first solo and ensemble competition today. Squawked once or twice, but did a GREAT job and got a rating of I - (on a scale of I-V). Way to go! Congrats guys on your hard work!

In case you missed it...

I was asleep at 5am yesterday morning, so I did miss it! So, if you're like me - here's a treat! The Royal Wedding in 60 seconds:

How many camps did YOU sign up for?

It's summer camp time again. Feels like we were just dusting the snow off the car, but I'm already behind the curve. I wrote this a few years ago but am running into it again this year. Last summer the boys did one week of camp - all together - all at the same place, and loved it. The rest of the summer they goofed off, ran amuk, swam, and goofed off. A kids' dream summer if you ask me. Yet here we go again looking at brochures, wondering if we shouldn't fill a few weeks for them. But is filling a few weeks right?

May 23, 2008

How many camps did YOU sign up for?

I have been asked that question more times than I care to remember - and it's just that - it's ME signing up for camps, not how many camps are the kids attending this summer. Why on earth is there this big push to fill their days anyway? I have no idea what is at the root of this drive to fill the kids' summer with activities around here, but it is a constant pressure to do so, at least in my circles.

We never had that big push in Texas to fill our summers, and there surely wasn't as much cool stuff to do there as there is here in the nation's capitol. We're all of 20 minutes from DC proper, and the museums, the Mall, the galleries, zoos, and the historical places (that aren't so fun for kids but involve a Metro ride so they really are fun in the end) are all free or very low cost.

The gymnastics place offers a camp, but so does the soccer, the school district, the gym, the county rec centers, the preschool, other local private schools, and then the list branches out. I can't imagine how much money we'd spend if we filled our summer with camps, especially for three kids, but that's just what some folks are doing. When did it become OK to take all those precious summer days away from kids? How else are they going to learn how to deal with the "boredom" and head off on grand adventures in the basement, the back yard, or at a friend's house? Where are they going to get that much needed kiddo downtime that lets them unspool from the school year? If all of their days are filled with camps and classes and they have back to back weeks of those camps and classes, when do they have time to goof off? What are we teaching our kids by filling their every summer day with camps and classes?

I understand the need to provide care for your child over the summer, but at what point does one decide that filling an entire summer with different camps is good for little folks? And what's with asking me what camps I signed up for? I'm not going anywhere...at least not to camp this summer. Although, that could be fun - mommy camp...hmmm....

An original post to DC Metro Moms Blog.

The Power of Words

Thanks for plugging in the Easter Egg Roll!

It's Easter Egg Roll time again in the DC area, and this year, while we aren't going, 250 students and teachers from our school will be there. Fairfax County Public Schools chose Bailey's Elementary School to give the tickets to, and the second grade was chosen to attend. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a good chunk of these kids, and they are beyond excited.

We went to the roll last year and had a fantastic time. We rode the Metro. We hung out in the grass and had a snack. We waited in line to get in and went through security. ;). Then, we saw Justin Bieber, DJ Lance, Clifford, the White House up close (!), and the Easter bunny, of course! We rolled eggs, hunted for eggs, and dyed eggs. We tossed footballs, ran an agility course, and did some people watching (who was that Justin kid anyway?) We planted some seeds, did more people watching, got a cool looking wooden egg, a banana (yes, they were handing those out), and a neat poster, then rode the Metro back home.

I am sure that the second graders that go this year will have as wonderful of a time as we did. And maybe, just maybe, the President himself will be there when they go. How cool would that be?

March 27, 2009

Thanks for plugging in the Easter Egg Roll!

Dear Mr. President and the rest of you White House Folks,

Thank you for the opportunity to get tickets to your annual Easter Egg Roll. I know this is the first year that you will be in attendance of this tradition, but we have not yet had the opportunity to even participate in the whole process of getting tickets up until you decided to put it all online. In past years folks had to come down to the Mall to get tickets about a week before the event. And wait in line...and wait...and wait. And if you lived out of town? Well, you were stuck either coming into town a week early and waiting in line, or you were just out of luck. Locals? Well, we had the option of hanging out with our closest "friends" for hours and hours and hoping that we were far up enough to get one of the 18,000 or so tickets that were handed out. But you changed that all this year.

I want to personally thank you for giving my family a chance at coming to the White House Easter Egg Roll. Up until now we weren't really even given the opportunity to get tickets - I have four kids and there's no way I could have spent a full day out on the Mall for those tickets. For tickets to see Garth Brooks when he finally came to our city in Texas when I was in high school? No problem there - we were camping in front of the local grocery store and we knew most everyone going in and out of there. For football tickets when I was in college? No problem - there was beer involved there and it was just me and my roommates - no kids. But waiting for hours in line on the Mall? Not so much for me these days with four kids in tow or missing several soccer games to make them all stand in line. So you see, I was glad to hear that you changed it to an online system. If it had not been online then my family would have had NO chance of attending the White House Easter Egg Roll. We have lived in the DC area for three years now and the kids are all finally old enough to make it a memorable experience (well the older kids are old enough - the baby's a bit young but I'm sure she wouldn't mind being toted along) so I figured that this was our year.

I understand that there were lot of folks out there who were unhappy about the outcomes. One man posted online earlier today that he has attended for the past three years and he was getting screwed out of his tickets - as if he has some sort of right to attend. Listen bub, there are only 18,000 or so given out each year - don't you think it's someone else's turn to attend? Another person complained that the system kept timing out. Haven't you ever tried to get those hot, HOT concert tickets online, and read later that they sold out in 2 minutes, 14 minutes, 30 minutes. Well, this isn't my first time hitting the refresh button either. And really - computer crashes happen - even the best laid plans. We all know the drill with modern technology.

In the end we did not get our six tickets. But for the first time since we've lived in this area there was the chance for us to be included in the magic of the White House Easter Egg Roll. The kids won't be disappointed because they'll never know I tried. The hubby is sympathetic because he knows how much I enjoy these types of things. And me, well, I'm appreciative that I had the opportunity to try to get those tickets, and hope that next year I have the same chance. And to all of you out there complaining that you had to hang near the computer all day, or that the site kept crashing - remember that you could have spent today in the rain, in the cold, on the Mall, by yourself waiting for hours to get those tickets...or to be told that they were all gone.

So thanks, Mr. President, for "plugging in" the Easter Egg Roll! This familyappreciates it and hopes that you keep that tradition alive in the future. And who knows - maybe we'll see you next year!

Sincerely,

Suzie

This is an original DC Metro Moms Post.

Suzie can be found lamenting her missed egg rolling opportunities as well as other things over at Confessions of A Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Parking Win

Spotted recently:

Really? Two spots for a minivan?

Well that didn't work...

Back to my old blog template for a short while. Need to figure out this whole weird error thing that I'm getting on some of these really cool templates. Unfortunately I don't actually know HTML, but I'm learning very quickly what the bits and pieces are that I need. Nothing like a little creative motivation to learn a new language! So, more templates to come over the next few weeks until I get this all figured out! ;)

Mommy Makeover + 1 Year

Four years after my surgery I'm down a size, and still rocking the smaller bras and smaller pants! Here I am, happy as a clam that I did this, and willing to share my story so others like me will be inspired to make the same great decision that I made! Here's what I wrote about it one year after my surgery:

April 14, 2008

Mommy Makeover + 1 Year

A year ago today I was recovering from what some call a "mommy makeover." I had a breast reduction and a tummy tuck. I am 35 years old and have had three children, two of whom are twins, and another who was 9.5 lbs at birth (and man, did he have a big head).

Contrary to what some out there might believe, I was not duped into believing that I was misshapen, unattractive, pressured into surgery, or taken in by clever marketing. And I was certainly not self-loathing. My husband and I came to this decision on our own, after many discussions. I mention my husband because he too is part of my decision making process whenever a big decision comes up. You see, I married him and he's still in the picture. He did not, however, ever tell me that I was unattractive, insufficient in any way, nor did he pressure me at all into having this surgery. He was supportive of me every step of the way, and only wanted the best for me - whatever I decided was the best for me.

You see, this mommy makeover WAS all about me. I often joke that everything is about me, but in this case it was. I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I had headaches, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain from straps digging in, couldn't run or jog, and had trouble exercising at all other than weights and some minor cardio. I had been exercising for years three times a week but was unable, due to the sheer size of my breasts (40 FF if you are curious) to do a whole lot that would make the exercise effective. I also had trouble finding clothes that fit my body. I have skinny legs and large hips, which normally wouldn't be an issue in hunting up clothes that fit. But I also had a lump of skin near my belly that hung down about 3-4 inches from where it belonged, and had to literally be tucked into my pants. Any weight I lost made the skin fold hang down further, and the layer of fat accompanying my skin made it impossible for me to fit into pants that were shaped appropriately for my size. Basically I should have been in a size 16 based on waist, leg, and hip size and shape, but had to wear a size 22 to accommodate that lump of skin. No pants were made that fit my shape. Also, those lovely muscles that separate to make room for those kids during pregnancy never came back together - not even close. It didn't matter how much I exercised my muscles wouldn't come back together. So here I was with separated muscles, saggy skin, and big giant boobs. No amount of work would bring that skin back towards home, and those boobs, which were there from the start, were never were going to get smaller.

It all started with an episode of Dr. 90210 (a guilty pleasure that I'm admitting for the first time publicly). After seeing boobs on the show that looked exactly like mine and realizing that I could find some relief from the pain that I'd felt all these years, we started looking into the surgery. We decided that now was the time to remove the belly skin, and that the muscles that weren't friends could be sewn back together. This was not medically required, nor was the reduction covered by the insurance because apparently going from a FF to a C cup was not removing enough tissue. So, it IS all about me - not some doctor - and I could get both things done at the same time. And so I did. Now, one year later, I couldn't be happier.

You see, I don't see my body as a "badge of mommyhood." Being a mommy is all about who you are on the inside and what you teach your kids. I have three little badges of mommyhood running around. First off, my kids represent all that I am in respect to being a mom - you can judge me that way, not by the way I look. Isn't that what we teach our kids? And while I gave birth to these three, that doesn't mean that if I adopted they wouldn't also represent all that I am as a mother. Who says that you have to give birth to a little person to wear your badge proudly - any adoptive mom can tell you that.

I did this for me. I did this because I wanted to. I can now exercise and have lost some weight, which in turn makes me more healthy and more available for my kids now and in the future. I am now pain free - no back, neck, shoulder, or strap pain. I move around much easier - I no longer have FF's working against me every step (but my husband mourns the loss of his friends). And yes, I am more confident. But honestly, that comes from feeling better and being more healthy. And poo on you who think otherwise.

Original DC Metro Moms post.

Suzie also blogs over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Can you enhance it?

"Tighten up on that."

"Freeze that."

"Run that back."

"Zoom in."

And my absolute favorite:

"Got an image enhancer that can bitmap?"

Want a giggle? You gotta see this for yourself:

So, who will take care of us?

Last week both Tom and I got very sick and went down for the count. But this time, two years after I wrote this first post, a lot has changed. Not only do we have family in town, but we also have a much more solid support system in place. I know who I can call to get groceries, who can bring the kids home from the bus, who can watch Lucy on short notice, and what our kids will do if end up in bed for two days. Seems that things do change, and life moves on, and I reach out. That's the biggest lesson I learned from a few years of being sick here and there and needing help but not asking for it. I really do need to ask for help. I'm sick so infrequently that sometimes it just doesn't occur to me to lean on others for help. But this time I did. I not only cut out any extra activity for the few days we were really sick, but I also called a friend or tow, had them grab my kids, asked them to bring me stuff, etc. It works, and it's a much different place to be than where I was a year and a half ago.

December 06, 2009
So, who will take care of us?
I'm the mommy. When any of my four my kids get sick, I take care of them. When I get sick, my husband takes care of me (He's the daddy.). When my husband gets sick, I take care of him. You see how this goes. It's all pretty straightforward and generally works out really well. But what on earth are you supposed to do when BOTH the mommy and the daddy are sick? Who is supposed to take care of us?
Are the kids supposed to step in and run the house? Well, for several days over the past week the kids did just that. They basically took care of themselves, and also entertained their one year old sister as much as three 6 and 9 year oldscan, But, we discovered that we do not have a support system in place at all. I thought that my list of folks to call in case of an emergency would suffice, but now I see that that's not the case. Those folks are really for emergencies - not much else. They can step in short term but not for any length of time. Who am I supposed to call if we really do go down for the count again? We have no family in town, no friends close enough to pop in each day to see if we are still alive and kicking, and no classmates near enough to drive the kids to school. This time it was hacking and coughing and low grade fevers for a week, so we could actually drive them around. But what happens to the kids if we both get really sick again and can't get in a car (or shouldn't)? How are they supposed to get to and from school, gymnastics, soccer, etc. Clearly those things would fall aside, as some did this week, but school? What if we run out of groceries? Everywhere I went this week I was aware of the fact that I was spreading the nasty bug that was residing in my chest. And this one was a minor bug I'm sure - no pandemic in me. But what if I do get the swine flu, and my hubby gets it, and what if we have to get a kid to the doctor, or school, or anywhere? Who can step in and take care of us? At this point I'm at an absolute loss.
What I did find out is that there are some folks close enough to run the kids to and from the bus. Whether they can fit them all in the car together is a different story (three school aged kids throws a kink into many good plans). But they offered, and I'll take them up on it if we both head south again. And I also found out that people don't appreciate you hacking and coughing at them, even if it isn't the plague, in the midst of a highly contagious flu season. Guess I need to buy some masks to take care of that. But this leaves us with my original question - who will take care of us? Clearly we barely took care of ourselves this time, but next time, what if it's worse?
This is an original DC Metro Moms post. In between coughing and running kids to the bus, Suzie also blogs over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

DC Metro Moms

A few years ago I started writing for a collaborative blog called the DC Metro Moms. We were an arm of the Silicon Valley Moms, and had a bunch of local to DC writers. Over the four years that I wrote for this blog I found my voice, I found a great group of writers that inspired me, and I met a bunch of wonderful women. Almost a year ago the blog shut down, and so over the next few months I'll be sharing the posts with you here. All will have my byline, some will be out of date, and some will be completely relevant.

And soon, I'll be writing for another local collaborative blog called The DC Moms. We are still in the process of getting it all set up, but drop it in your blog reader as posts will start going up soon!

Like my new style?

It's still me here - no worries. I'm just playing around with my template a bit. Not sure I'm 100% sold on this one yet, but it's closer to who I am and what I'm feeling these days than my sweet simple flower template. So, this may stick around and it may not, but keep your eyes peeled!

barefoot for the day

today I am going barefoot

while I know i can't go into the grocery store

and it's rainy and cold out

these seem like such small sacrifices

i hope that you can join me

Ahhh...potty training #4

So kid #4 gets all the benefits of our years of potty training experience, right? Well, not exactly. That only works if #1, 2, and 3 were similar, in either age or gender. But no. #4 wants to potty train before she turns three, and she's, well, a she. Lucy decided to jump on the potty a few months ago, which all the boys did, but then didn't really ever progress, just like them. So we thought we were in good shape and just went about our business.

Then yesterday she decided to up her game, and by up her game I mean pick the absolutely WORST day to take that next step (well, no the worst day - that would have been the day before as we've been REALLY sick this week). But yesterday, Tom was walking past the bathroom and saw a pile of poo on the floor and started cursing the cat's name. Then he turned and saw a nekkid Lucy. Yes, she went the bathroom IN the bathroom successfully, she just missed the potty. If it weren't for the fact that I wasn't 100% I might have freaked out more. She's almost a half a year younger than ANY of the boys when they did this, so we're dealing with a two year old potty training instead of a three year old. And she pooped in the bathroom, NOT in the potty. Lucy managed to strip off all of her clothes, pulled off her diaper, poop on the floor, and stay clear of it while wandering and looking for one of us (or maybe not - she was free and clean so she might have been running nekkid through the house).

So what the heck am I supposed to do here? I have a kiddo that doesn't want mom or dad in the bathroom while she's in there (her brothers tell her to scoot out when they go in so why shouldn't she tell us to scoot out). I have a kiddo that at any point and time can not only get undressed and plop herself down on the potty properly, but also get off, close the potty, get her diaper back on and put on her clothes (she did that today), then wash her hands and sneak back OUT of the bathroom, all very quietly. And she's TWO folks. So you can't reason with her, the consequences are not quite comprehensible for her, and she's fiercely independent (YEA!!!). But man, this whole two year old girl potty training is going to be a rough ride. What have we gotten ourselves into here with this whole girl thing? And yes, I know this isn't the last time I'll be asking that question.

Homework - Do it or what?

I recently got a note from the little boys' teachers - Ian and Sam haven't turned in their homework in several weeks. After my initial, "Really, that long?" and a quick giggle to myself about the fact that they actually chose NOT to turn in their homework, I went to find out why.

My role in this house is and has always been more of a homework reminder, not a homework do-er or a homework checker. Yet here I find myself thrust into the role of follow up and follow through person because my kids, who were doing the work and not turning it in, or not doing it and telling me it was done (two very different kids) didn't get the job done.

In this house we give you time to do your work, a place to plop down and read/color/calculate/create/write/whatever, and help if you get stuck and ask, but I'm not checking each night to see if the work is complete and correct. My job is to provide a place for the boys to work and an environment in which they can successfully complete their work, but not to do the work for them or to turn it in for them. Well, they hit their first bump in the road on that one. Not turning in your homework at our school has weird consequences because we don't have grades. They get grades for efforts and achievement, but only O, G, S, and N. This might be the time for an Nor two to show up on a report card. I'd give it to them if they were my students. This time though, I got a quick note from the teacher that they were missing the work, and a polite request to get them to turn it in.

I believe that elementary school is the time and place to learn how to manage your time, complete assignments, and learn to be organized in general. This is the time to try things and fail, when those consequences aren't as great. I don't tie my kids' shoes, pack their lunches or make sure they've completed their homework - this is when they need to learn to stand on their own and do all of those things. It is a safe environment to do so - where else besides elementary school can you walk in with mismatched clothing, incomplete homework, and no protein in your lunch and still have a very successful day? My kids are learning the ropes and are much more independent than others, but if this means that they will sometimes not turn in their homework on time, well, so be it. This is their chance to learn what those consequences are without having it impact the rest of their lives (or their future educational career - remember that big fat zero in high school for not turning in one assignment?). I'd much rather have them learn that lesson now than in middle school, or heaven forbid, in high school.

So apologies to their 2nd grade teachers. My kids will not always turn in their work complete and on time, but know that when you send those notes home that they are learning that lesson and you are setting them up for a much brighter educational career, and a much easier life path.

Date Night!

Around here date night is a big deal. It's a big deal because it costs an arm and a leg to get out the door for us (four kids will do that!) and we want to make the most of it. Recently we've rediscovered the theater. It started with a performance of South Pacific, and it's only going up from there. We were able to dress up, hit the town, and of course, it started snowing while we were at the performance, so my poor hubby had to get out in dress shoes and a suit and shovel the driveway when we got home! It's not often that we get out, but we're getting better at it (snowstorm aside - it happens occasionally around here). While we used to go on dates pre-kids to places like restaurants, movies, and the like, since then it's been a pretty sad run of dates. First it was movies and dinners, then it morphed into a trip to Target or Walmart (with out the kids it's a different experience), and now it's back to actual grown up dates for us. Very, very cool (as evidenced by the big giant smiles and Kennedy peering over our shoulders).

If you are desperate for a date, head on over to my review bog and enter to win tickets to see Blue Man group this week! Contest is open until Sunday, so pop on over there!

A tumultuous two weeks

I'm a firm believer of what you throw out in to the universe you get back ten fold. But what on earth have I thrown out lately to get back this crap? Really - lice, bad, bad viruses, weird muscle pulls? These things, in combination with weird weather patterns has me watching out for the 10 plagues. You know - of Biblical proportion. Yikes. Over the past few weeks we have endured all kinds of nasties, trials, and tests. We're fine, and it's nothing we could't handle, but the rapid succession of stuff that we're been through has been painful to manage to say the least. We are through the lice, the viruses are lifting, and the muscle pulls, well, my obliques for the first time in 38 years introduced themselves to the rest of my body. Geeez. Thanks. But don't mind me. I'll be sitting here curled up with my pillow and tea...and Advil.

Love this ASL!

So this is one video that I won't link as it's got a bad word or two. I will say though that aside from absolutely loving this song, the ASL interpretation of this is oh so cool. To Anna, the girl that did this for her college level final - GOOD FOR YOU!

Here's the link: F**k You Sign Language Interpretation - be sure to clear the room of kiddies before you play it or they'll learn all kinds of fun words! But definitely check it out - it's fantastic!