Are you sick of my kids yet?

I'm not. Well at least not now while they are both in their rooms asleep. But there is an odd love fest going on over here. Don't worry, it is sure to end soon!

A Little Help for a Friend AND Free Money!

Just a little public service announcement here...

My dear friend from college had and "AH-HA" moment after having her adorable little boy. Her idea amazingly combines all of her prior work experience with all the consumerism that we call parenthood. This brilliant idea is the Parents Insight Network.

TO JOIN

Just click here

What happens is she contracts with companies that want to target products to parents of young children. She conducts surveys, trials, and whatnot.

True story...she sent 40 of us to Target, had us fill out a survey based on some questions they were looking to answer, and we all got $50. Not divided equally, but a piece. It's like free money is falling from the skies. Imagine...getting paid to go to Target...or to use a baby carrier for a few months...or to just spout off your opinions on the millions of products we are convinced we need.

Pay it forward to a mom who is trying to make her good idea work. Join her network, it won't cost you a thing, and you just may make a few bucks for having an opinion.

Oh...and tell her I sent you!

Snow Day!

We haven't had any snow up here this year and I have been VERY excited about the prospect of snow this week. I haven't felt this way since I was in grad school and hated my internship SO much that every night I would pray (not that it would do me much good) that it would snow. When I would wake up in the morning, I would rush check to see if the parking lot in our back yard (yes, it was a classy condo) was covered with snow. Unfortunately, the bright flourescent lights that lit up the parking lot (and our bedroom for that matter) always faked me out and for a brief moment I would think that it had snowed...when it hadn't. In fact, I did this check the back yard routine every morning I had work from November to March...did I mention that I was in North Carolina and it NEVER snowed that year. Damn South and making me go to that blasted internship. I'm still bitter.



So last night I went to bed dreaming of white flakes, rosey cheeks, and chocolate chip cookies (I have to make cookies when it snows!). I woke in the middle of the night, looked out the window and there it was, the magical white glowing ground, lit up from the sky and my neighbor's christmas decorations (which they have yet to take down...might I mention that they have been up since November 5?). I rolled over, went back to sleep, and smiled that I didn't have to go back to that darn internship.



Needless to say, we've enjoyed today...and by the way it is looking we'll enjoy tomorrow too.



Happy, happy snow day!

When Little Boys Play with Dollhouses

First of all...how awesome is this dollhouse? My cousin gave it to me because her boys didn't have interest in it...but mine on the other hand...

Imagine how creative our dioramas in elementary school are going to be!

Hit the Road Jack

This is from Madame Tussuad's in Amsterdam. After unveiling the new Obama wax statue, they packed up Bush's bags and put him on the sidewalk.

I understand your smile Mr. President-Elect...I too feel the same.

OK, so not only do I have to admit to you all that I was sore from playing Wii, but now I have to tell you that I can't type because my left hand is sore.

Sore from what you ask? get your mind out of the gutter people this is a PG kind of place!

From the piano.

Yes, you read correctly. In the same Christmas in which our house was invaded with video games, we also obtained a piano. Seems that my husband has visions of us sitting by the fire, playing songs for one another, perhaps even singing along, in some fantasy land of musical talent.

So far I am the most talented (not saying a lot for the rest of them) because I can play TWO songs with TWO hands. I don't even know what the first song is called, my fingers just magically play it. This particular song is the only remaining piece of evidence that I took piano lessons for three years in the early 80's. Stuck way back in the depths of my brain alongside the phone numbers of my friends from elementary school is this song. It has been there for nearly 30 years and it has held up well. Quite pretty, if I do say myself, even if it only last 15 seconds.

The second song I learned this week. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Have you heard of it? I'm reading the notes, playing with both hands and my son claims that he can recognize the tune. It sounds quite funereal because I am not playing up to tempo quite yet. I figure at this rate I should start working on We Wish You a Merry Christmas for next year.

As bad as I may be, I am really enjoying the piano, wishing that I kept up with my lessons, and hoping that my family stops puking sometime soon so I can resume my trips to the gym and can report that I am sore from activities like kickboxing and pilates. Not necessarily newsworthy, but a lot less embarrassing.

A Wii bit hypocritical

If I have said it once, I have said it a million times. We are not going to get video games. My kids can go to their neighbors like I did to play Space Invaders, Frogger, and all those other cutting age games they have these days. I talk about it incessantly, shout it out loud from the rooftops, and roll my eyes at everyone who has given in to the temptation of nintendos, playstations, or anything of that sort. I hate the idea of video games so much that I have a violent physical reaction to the vision of my kids vegging out in front of the TV playing Grand Theft Auto or anything that involves guns, crashing, or violence of any sort. So what, you ask, am I doing with a Wii in my basement?

Well, you see, I asked for it. I asked for it when I made all of these declarations professing myself holier than thou for never allowing a video game in my house, and I also asked for it when I mentioned that I would want a Wii Fit for Christmas. And my parents, you know, the ones who didn't let us have video games, didn't have cable, and only TIVO public television, bought me a Wii and Wii Fit for Christmas.

And you know what? It is SO cool and I can't stop. I'm the one who is in the basement by herself playing golf, doing her exercises, and figuring out how the hell to hit a backhand in tennis.

And you know what? I'm sore. I'm sore from the lunges, the yoga, and the laughing because I can't ski jump AT ALL. My son keeps saying, "I hope you don't make a big snowball again Mommy."

I'm also sore from the boxing match that I had with my 4 year old. I'm not sure it is a healthy way for us to be interacting right before dinner, but it sure was fun. He was was jumping up and down each time he knocked me to the ground, and I was secretly smiling each time I gave him a good blow to the head.

I'm a hypocrite, I know. I just have to hope that pretend boxing your mom is less scarring than blowing up cars. It certainly was more fun than what I should have been doing, making dinner.