A messy life, but... a good life.

Yesterday was a rough day. I mean a real doozy. My kids were fighting and crying and hitting off and on throughout the afternoon. No one wanted to play a game, do an art project or bake with me; they were content (or not - who knows?) to sit and watch PBS shows and wrestle and complain and tattle..... Late day, one slid into the Christmas tree (hmmmmm.... wonder who that was ;-) - two tried to break into the bathroom while big sis was showering - just to torment her (I remember those days from my own teen years) - no one wanted to sit and eat dinner - everyone was accusing me of favoring the other (oh - and I just love that - heavy on the sarcasm). I quickly reached the end of my rope - hands shaking, tears in my eyes, feeling sorry for myself, and yelling and acting short and nasty with everyone. Of course, late night, I felt guilty for not giving more attention to the individual "situations" and for not trying harder to engage them all in something more productive. After all, that is my job, so to speak (CEO of the home - with no executive staff).

This morning, bleary-eyed and queasy from lack of sleep (when they are that keyed up, they do not sleep well so I am up and down aaaalllll night quieting everyone - moving one from one bed to another if necessary - accompanying them to the bathroom - fetching water - I'm sure you all know the drill...), I was still feeling low. Olivia missed the bus, Milo had a pre-7am tantrum, Lil wet the bed, and Enzo was starting to get anxious about it all though reluctant to put on his own sweatshirt or shoes, so.... I had to for him (amidst all the lunch-making, school form gathering and more). Once I shook off the doom and gloom, however, I made a valiant attempt to refocus, and I think I've succeeded in doing so.

Now, I am reminded of how lucky I am. And I know I harp on this a lot, but... today, I FEEL it. I watched the sad story of brave Elizabeth Edwards and how she lost her battle with cancer yesterday. I listened to the story of her life - saw photos of the beautiful boy she lost in a car accident when he was only 16, hugging his mom - happy, freckled - sweet grade schooler - attentive teen. I remembered all the pain she has had to endure recently, and I started to think of others - friends, family - anyone remembering beloved members of the family this season, losing fathers or grandmothers or children. I thought about how we're all so desensitized these days that we get embroiled in these odd awkward "battles" with difficult family members or we pass the Salvation Army bell ringers and ignore the Community Food Bank's requests for food. We can't find it in our hearts to donate even $1 to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital or the Make a Wish Foundation when we're buying $100 worth of merchandise at the grocery store or Williams Sonoma.

OK - off the soapbox... I think I just want to enjoy my season - my family - my life. I desperately want to give back to others (I mean that coat drive in the mall isn't just the box of coats you see every year, it is coats for kids who do NOT HAVE ANY - remember that), and I want to honor the memory of those no longer with us or help those who do not have as much by appreciating what I have and sharing what I can. I think we all want that - really. Sometimes, it is hard to refocus for that intent, but I think we're all capable.

Ill-advised, but... we had a good time...

Light-up night in Pittsburgh. Equal parts disaster and fun. A baaaad band played inappropriate music up until Santa, obscured by the crowd, declared that it was time to light downtown. Market Square was ugly - odd lights that blinked in such intervals that it appeared it was not lit at all. Delectable food smells enticed us, but... alas - long lines kept us from partaking. The kids did see Santa, though - through his little hut - and he waved and gave them a "ho ho ho" - which was good enough for them (another line averted :-).

We headed to PPG Plaza where the BIG tree sits, and.... it WAS beautiful, AND there was Christmas music playing, which was exactly what we wanted to hear (not some horrible band butchering a Katy Perry song). We even ran into some people we knew (though missed a friend's daughter skating in the Grinch performance). Now.... there were too many skaters on the ice (not safe), AND another long line, but we did sit and watch and soak in Christmas a bit. We wandered back to our train station, finding decorations, sparkly dinosaurs, ice sculptures and people dressed as elves running about along the way (also a police altercation, sirens, people in the crowd complaining about our stroller or that their kids got to an exhibit first - God forbid we snap a picture first...).

The kids were laughing, enjoying their cousins, making a game of the walk back to the car - found the T ride exciting like an amusement park roller coaster. We had a late night dinner, a bit hurried and chaotic, but yummy and full of conversation, with family.... found a Santa (and Mrs. Claus) who did want to talk to our kids and give them a hug. AND.... glow sticks (one already broken), one pair of pee pee leggings, leftover Chinese food, and some jelly beans in hand, we headed home. Sigh.

It occurred to me last night, as I wrangled my excited kindergartner, my cranky preschooler and my high maintenance "just turned three year old" (all the while texting the teen at a Central play-off game), that these are the crazy (but wonderful) years. Earlier in the day, I was part of a conversation in which someone mentioned that my kids were so big, so my life must be getting easier. Truthfully? And you all know this. Give me an infant any day. They are easy. Because, what you don't hear is that some preschoolers get up all night long BUT don't nap, AND... when you do school pick up for that, still very needy preschooler or kindergartner, the toddlers will run into the street OR take an hour to get into the building OR have one of their tantrums, and.... with kids so close in age..... it becomes a snowball effect.... This, however, is when you hit your stride - when you figure out that you MUST get to the gym - you HAVE to take them all to the grocery store - you NEED to occupy them with age-appropriate activities, and... within all this, you find a zen - an "it is what it is" - a deep breath in the chaos. And remember when you thought that having to nurse an infant every three hours was a big deal? Come on.... your ride is JUST starting. It will not be easier... it will be different.... and trying ..... and fun..... You will lower your expectations, appreciate the little things and take a good, long, hard look at yourself. All good.

Happy, happy all - Thanksgiving is a'comin'. And.... it appears that I am "back", huh? I am still in crazed organizational mode, so.... sporadic postings will continue :-).

Kid Kitchen Project of the Day

Lemonade. And I think it was messier than the cookies yesterday. Helped at school today (made truly super cool fossils with K - snapped a photo of P4 hard at work on painting )- on last legs of editing my first 48 pg doc in this current project series - so ... needless to say, the kids' pjs hang on the bannister where I left them this am, I have forgotten my iTunes log-in / password and... while I did manage to get everyone to sit down to baked chicken, mac and cheese, salad and veggies (Milo had whole grain chips and an apple... we're working on it ;-), the dinner dishes did sit for a while tonight.

Happy Veteran's Day, all. I have a lot of family members who will be honored in memory tomorrow. Kids have no school - Milo has blood test - OC is not off so teen will attend school AND babysit pm - Always something....

Aaaahhhh!!!!

We're painting.... we're rearranging furniture..... we're stripping doors.....I'll say no more. It is partly why I am "not back".

Scenes from a block party :-)...

OK - so... just as I said - scenes from a recent block party. Since we first moved here - when Olivia was a grade schooler, and I was pregnant with my Enzo - we have gone to this party (one year, we were just rolling in from vacation - many years I was pregnant and miserable if it was hot, but... we have always gone). I feel lucky to have been here to observe the 20 - 30 year + residents of this street playing Trivial Pursuit into the wee hours - grown kids participating when at one time they would have been in bed - adults laughing and nibbling at the leftover food or cookie trays while all the houses went dark and only citronella candles and street lights lit their game board (I still laugh, remembering one beloved neighbor, half of a younger childless couple we befriended for years, returning with his win - a giant cookie tray - having tried to drink beer with the street late night veterans :-) - I chatted with him wee hours - one of the years I was pregnant and unable to sleep). I happily remember the years my Olivia and her friend, Cecily, would organize the bike decorating - lay out sidewalk chalk for the younger kids - make an afternoon of it (one year, Cecily broke her arm, playing as kids do - only to return the next year, like a trooper, to participate). I remember one year playing Guitar Hero using a sheet that we hung as a projection screen on the neighbor's porch. Those were the old days, and they seemed to just end a year or so ago. Kinda sad.

So ... this year was different than all the others. Actually, like I said, the past few years have been different. One visible neighbor has died - another is away for the summer - many kids have left for college or moved out of their parents' homes - a number of people have moved out of the area and those who are new don't attend or only stop by for an hour or so - my daughter's pal and her family don't attend anymore, feeling like they don't know anyone, and.... in truth, in a couple of recent years, someone newer to the street would invite people that the rest of us didn't know that well - other people took over the bike parade, leaving the kids out, and... well - now it has all ended. Next year, I vow to take that upon myself. Don't want my boys disappointed again this year - no parade - no prizes. I have to admit - I do miss those who have moved away or are no longer here with us.

So ... despite all this ... I did have fun. I met new people - I watched Lil thoroughly enjoy herself (allowed to be in the street! the lights! the food! the doggies - or goggies, as she says ;-) - me and a few other parents threw together an impromptu bike parade. It was fine. I found myself, once again, by myself - hubby and Olivia had other unavoidable engagements and our friends turned in early (perhaps also not feelin' the new vibe this year ;-), so... it was just me and the little ones again. As I look back on my muddy boys - running from the "clubhouse" to their little trikes, which they would gleefully ride through all the eating and chatting adults - down our hilly street - laughing with the kids down the street or next door AND, as I reflect on me and Lil sitting on the curb, eating brownies and watermelon and dancing for our new friends (well... she did - not me ;-), I think it was, all in all, a good night. Maybe this is the new wave - a transition of sorts.

Often, when hubby and Olivia set off on one of their many successful social adventures, leaving Mommy, queen of the casseroles - conquerer of laundry and messy pull-up accidents - CEO of the Home ;-) - to fend for herself, I feel left out - like I am missing out - like I am left with nothing to do. This night, however, I loved walking the dim streets, misty rain on my face - I loved letting the kids eat whatever they wanted off the folding buffet table - I loved watching them enjoy themselves both with some new and old friends. And now.... a week or two later.... as I look back, I can see that I am the lucky one - I'm the one who had something important to do - I did not miss out. These moments - however imperfect - are life-affirming and very special. Odd, hands-free, messy, dinner al fresco time with my wild ones. Love it. And even this transition from the old traditions seems OK - and I feel lucky to have participated when we were the new people being welcomed into the fold. Maybe it is time for me to do the same with others. Hope I accomplished some of that this year :-).

In closing, I want you to look here. It is a sad story (stolen from Nienie's blog - my blog list), but... it provides an opportunity to check in on people who have experienced loss and who may need support now and then. Remember that life-affirming feeling I just described - remember those moments to cherish that, hopefully, popped into your head as I recounted a couple of mine? Well.... time to cash in....

And, speaking of neighborhoods... we watched Gran Torino last night (have I mentioned before that we are waaaay behind in movies? ;-). Pretty good. Sad. Happy. Life-affirming message - definitely.

Day 1 trying to grab this elusive confidence thing...

... and I'm really not going to pontificate for long today. Really. I have far too much to say - far too much going on in my head - and, of course, far too much going on already in the house this morning.

Suffice to say that I am struggling with the insomnia again. I have been working on it. One long ago friend did give me a great "cure" recently in that it also provided me my much-needed pre-sleep downtime and forced me to implement some me time and some nightly disciplines (well - if tea and wine are disciplines ;-). He had suggested working out in the evening to clear my head - and... while I kept to an earlier day workout (just kids' schedules right now), I did do the no food after a certain hour, chamomile tea (though substituted hot chocolate one night when my daughter wanted some -and - fyi - despite the extra fat to digest and the bits of sugar and caffeine - it worked too - must be the warm milk thing), red wine (had a few bottles started at recent dinners or whatever and were sitting around and made it through them - little sips at a time - in fact, need more (and can say that this component also seemed to alleviate my back pain a bit as did the workout). Anyway.... it was working - IS working, really.... I watched my Top Chef last night (and, btw, Angelo is lucky that Alex is so incompentent or he may have been gone for his store-bought puff pastry choice) - did part of the "routine" and feel asleep, but... when something wakes me at 4 am or so, I'm up.

Anyway - on LinkedIn, my hubby enjoys great success, but I have actually had people view my profile and turn me away. Less than half of the "people I might know" have responded to me. Failure. I suspected as much. Also, revamping my resume for feedback has brought feedback that is just beyond me right now - more bullet points under positions that I would rather forget - drop things that I feel might lead me into my dream jobs of fashion or the arts (don't pay, right? :-( and, therefore, I want to keep! Ugh.... worries for another day. Can say this, though - looks like my position as CEO of the Home is impressing NO ONE right now.

Yesterday, I took Olivia's uniform skirts to be hemmed - after pinning and measuring part of the morning away. I shopped b-day presents for some of her friends - one on her way to Shadyside Academy while Olivia goes to Oakland Catholic (they are writing one another long sentimental letters and, I'm sure, will still stay close) - we also shopped bras and underwear at Target (where I found Enzo and Milo trying on bras and saying they had "lady boobs" - I have no words....), food for dinner (does hummus count?).... did lunch in the mall food court while picking up photos - just a day of errands, which I suspect I will continue today. On the weight loss front... I did NOT make it to the gym :-(, but... I did miss dinner (just got too late... field hockey carpool complete with uniform deposits and other forms to turn in - rearranging Lil's room to create new play areas while I go through my own paperwork, photos, etc. .... think I forgot until I woke with grumbly stomach - ever do that?).

So ... long story short, I wish I could find a way to boost my confidence - with job search, etc. Just not in the cards right now. I'm kinda in a holding pattern, and... that's fine. Anyone else feeling this way?

Photo: The stairs to the "clubhouse". Think we'll go there today too :-).

Oh - and I think my Krups coffeemaker / cappuccino maker died today - after MANY years together. Anyone have a suggestion for a replacement or should I just go with the tried and true?

One last thing.... Do you watch Project Runway? OK - I do sometimes. Anyway, here's a story on judge, Nina Garcia, who is beautiful, stylish, successful (editor in chief of Marie Claire, right?), and... 45 years old..... and pregnant with her second child. So there, those who think 40 is the end of beauty and life choices and style.... blah blah blah...

Throwing in the towel - another SAHM gives up...

And, yes - I am thinking of heading back into the workforce fulltime (after some years in freelance work here at home). I have thought about it for a long time - even interviewed for jobs when I was 4, 5 and 8 months pregnant with Lilliana - then again when she wasn't even two weeks old - just days after my c-section and on driving restrictions, I ignored all post-surgical warnings and ventured out, bent on getting that job (and I almost did). At the time, I was scared I could not handle a new baby with such small boys and a grade schooler - no family to help - hubby working long hours and traveling. But... I did make it work. I tried so hard to be a good stay at home mother - attentive, loving, productive - whatever.

Truthfully, my kids deserve more than what I can give. They are spirited, eager, sweet and loving. By contrast, I am cranky, angry, weepy and frazzled lately. I am not worthy of being home. They will be better off in school, responsible and nurturing daycare situations and / or after school programs with their little friends. Others can do it, but I am totally unable to manage the demands of a high schooler, a kindergartner, preschooler and toddler - too diverse - I'm spread too thin, and.... while I want to make it work, I'm thinking I just can't. I am a bad "CEO of the Home" - ineffective (though - kudos to you who are successful).

Over the past few weeks, I've ruined more dinners than I've cooked (poured a whole container of peppercorns into some corn I had just cut, buttered and salted on the stove and got my poor Enzo and Lil excited about - burned roasted veggies - over-reduced sauce - dried out some chicken - under salted my kids' beloved mashed potatoes) - I've yelled more than I've cuddled (and today was awful - no one would listen - while shopping for field hockey supplies for Olivia, it was tantrum after tantrum - and I intensely dislike being the mean Mommy - can't even enjoy lunch out with the kids because I've lost control and no one wants to be around me anyway) - and it appears they are more excited to see Daddy or big sis, Olivia, at the end of the day anyway (who wouldn't be - I am no fun - all work and no play these days). I am kidding myself with this SAHM thing. I am not good at it. A couple of "signs" (conversations, chance meetings, serendipitous memories or connections...) over the past few days have convinced me that it is the right thing to do, so .... will probably need to decide what to do with my silly old "mom blog" too ;-).

I'm sad because I will so desperately miss them during the day, and I'm disappointed in myself for failing so miserably, but... I'm trying to stay positive and... do what's best for my kids, of course. They don't need to be around cranky, tired, overworked, mean Mommy - I need to direct some of that to some co-workers who might deserve it ;-) - and, yes, I do realize that I am using the winking emoticon like punctuation again - hard post for me - have to keep it light ;-).

Anyway - off to Kennywood tomorrow where Enzo will ride roller coasters - Milo will play games - and Lilliana will be amazed, all of it new to her. Olivia is bringing a friend and is excited - hubby took the day off. We are meeting my cousin and her family (and possibly another cousin :-), so.... I'm excited too. I am not from the area, but my Dad and his family were - so... back when I was a kid, I do have memories of Kennywood - riding coasters with my Dad and uncle (the cousin I'm meeting is younger than I am so was a baby back then) - I remember the picnic lunch my Grandma would pack..... Should be fun.

Photo: Me and all my kiddies plus a couple of silly summer scenes.... Images seem kinda more important now that I know this may be the last summer home. Hmmm...... a new emotion.... sniff?

One last thing (a little lift): Women 40 somethings and 30 somethings outselling 20 somethings on magazine covers (and becoming top earners in Hollywood) - even though demographics should say otherwise - here. Hurray! Maybe I will actually get a job with this kind of trend :-). Hopefully .....

Gonna need support on this. Hard decision for me.

Uneventful ... but for some reason I'm still tired.

So ... yesterday, I took the three little ones to the museum. First, we went and got Enzo and Olivia all signed up for the bus (as "ceo of the home", I had to get that done ;-). Last year, I had not done so for Enzo since he only rode home, and... I'm not sure he made the cut-off for birthday (too young), so... avoided that hassle entirely. This year, however, Olivia is switching schools and Enzo is, officially, old enough for kindergarten. It was pain-free at the Woodland Hills Admin office for the schools (in Edgewood, we are Woodland Hills - not City of Pitt) - but if you do need to go,be sure to bring 3 forms of ID - driver's license, mortgage statement, utility bill. Then - off we went to the museum where we checked out the dinosaurs, as usual - then... hit all the animals (no interest in mummies.. hmmm...), saw a lighted exhibit they really liked, looked at the entire Frans Lanting photography exhibit (my kids are wildlife lovers) and did a craft in the Frank Lloyd Wright Falling Water exhibit. Big day. We had packed a little picnic snack and stayed all afternoon.

Of course, as is always the case with me, I started to reminisce about the past - how when it was just me, hubby and Olivia, we would go to the museum often. She went to daycare / preschool at Carriage House in Squirrel Hill, and we knew a lot of people there with kids her age, so ... occasionally, we would meet them, but... mostly, we went alone - did lunch - made a day of it. Back then, the dinosaur exhibit was super cool - throughout the day, they would do these rainstorms and it would get dark and sound like it was raining near the brontos and T-rexes - plus there was a big dinosaur footprint to sit in - fossils to touch - AND, if you went to the snack bar in the middle - right out in the open (and it wasn't the sad, depressing cafeteria it is now - it was a bright little cafe with all sorts of kid junk like burgers and grilled cheese), the kids could play with these interactive space and planet games / screens. I appreciate all the renovations to the Carnegie Museum in the past few years, but I do miss the old, more kid-friendly natural history section. I do love museums. You know, I even remember taking baby Olivia to a children's literature illustration exhibit at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VA when we lived there - alone, we kinda wandered and looked at old Dr.Seuss and other sketches... fun. Is anyone else like me in that you miss the old Carnegie Museum? Maybe it IS just me .... getting "sappy"...

Anyway - our day rounded out with a quick trip to the store for dinner items (just grilled some hot dogs), a stop to pick up our CSA basket and a late evening outing to the pool - where one mother at the baby pool declared "what a perfect day", and... it was, I think (Lil and I ended ours on the deck, picking lettuce and playing Barbies - hubby, a true gaming kind of guy, got in some Wii time with his boys as they enjoyed their frozen treats from the pool - all before bedtime story and pjs). This morning, we are sipping hot chocolate (yep - summer hot chocolate - with cinnamon and real cocoa :-) and looking for Olivia in the camp photos again (quick digression here, Top Chef fans - Kelly Liken on this season is a Calvary Camp alum :-) - will probably register the whole family for the Run Around the Square (lower priced registration ends on 13 August so get those registrations in!). Uneventful (maybe a trip to my gym???).

Photo: Reminiscing.... this is me the day after I had Lilliana (who was almost 9 lbs!) at good old Magee Hospital here in Pitt - with all my little ones around me (though Milo looks a little like "mad milo") - can't believe how young Olivia looks - Enzo's "babyface" ;-).

Quick note: Blogher 2010 conference is today and tomorrow. Enjoy, all who are going!

Proud ...

... of my brood. Reaffirming the good.... not mentioning the "trying" tonight. Did I mention that hubby is out of town? While he has dinner and wine, I am wrangling three little ones and their dinner, bath, bedtime routine, and... proofing music reports and getting the middle schooler off to a soccer game and lacrosse practice (thank you, thank you to my carpool posse - C & J - wouldn't survive without either of ya!) - big class photo tomorrow - and I coordinated the photo shoot :-) - though thank God for my partner in class event planning, Lynda - what would I do without her? Seriously. She is handling SO much too (and designed a beautiful invitation). Ugh. All good. Time for my new favorite Numi White Orange Spice Tea (organic midnight spice ... oooooh.... said to give me an "exquisite moment"... much needed AND it is tasty ;-). Also, check out the Libby Jones blog (my list :-) - photos of friends (hello Waits family) who look FABULOUS! Good night, all.

Photos (but not in this order - see if you can match the descriptor to the photo :-): Coach Daddy, Lil: Peace Out, my sweet Enzo, Olivia and friends do coffee, Lil all dressed up & nowhere to go, Milo likes to move it / move it (all this just a tribute to all that I love that is random in our lives ... the way Enzo comes home from the bus stop on Mondays with his gym shoes on the wrong feet, back pack all neatly packed, jacket in tow, but... the shoes... too funny - the way Lil has to rummage around in the art bin to find something to color when the older ones are doing homework or showing off school art projects, then she proudly holds it up, "Ta - dah!" - the way Milo acts everything out so dramatically with his waving arms and swaying side to side and facial expressions and funny voices, all to illustrate something that happened to him that day or to even sing a song about his day while he acts it out.... just great - and how pretty Olivia is and poised and gracious and forgiving and loyal and confident.... a far better person than I have ever been or will ever be :-).

Do THIS more... do THAT less ...

I need to GET OUT MORE. With friends, that is. When I'm invited to a book club, to breakfast, to a fundraiser, etc., I need TO GO. I always PLAN to go - and REALLY plan. If it's an evening outing, I do all the requisite "feed the kids" - "pull the beds down" - " get everyone in jammies" - Hopefully, have halfway done my hair (and by that, I mean washed and prepped for curling and / or straigtening iron or just applied some funky edgy product ;-) - put on some make-up - know what I'm going to wear. Morning outings are actually trickier because breakfast is always dicey - ongoing in that my kids are fickle and don't know what they want or if they're even hungry - getting dressed is like a wrestling match - and... well.... the kiddies expect to be entertained, so... I need to get them directed, and I need to touch base with Olivia on what she needs while I'm gone in the way of rides, money, support in any other way :-).

Usually, I don't make it out. Either I get all my prep work done and look and feel like crap, so I pass. OR.... someone is not going to bed or has a tantrum or a potty accident, and... I'm stuck - have to spend another large amount of time on clean-up or consolation duty. Then.... of course..... I'm late.

It occurs to me.... that.... um... I need to delegate more. While I do get support from hubby and others on occasion, I realize that not everyone knows where I keep all the clean jammies - how the boys like their beds pulled down - how far we got in the library book read of the night the day before - what is allowed at snack time - who wears underwear and who wears a pull-up outside to play - where they are allowed to play on their own outside - what games do and do not work when the two year old is around - what leg we are on the lacrosse carpool - how much spending money is appropriate for a middle school shopping outing - does she need money for lunch when she plays tennis at the club or is the snack bar even open - ?????????? More. Obviously. AND - obviously, I need to let go a bit. AND - I need to begin sharing more detail-oriented directives, I guess. I'll get there. I just get so caught up in it all - CEO of the home and all :-).

I also NEED TO STOP asking people if they are upset and / or angry with me. My intentions are always good, and... it always seems to be the people close to me in the family who INTENSELY dislike this. Eyes narrowed, body language stiff and turned away, they tersely tell me "no" - they are not, in fact, angry, then.... proceed to become angry. I have a short list of two people, currently, who do this. Many times, they are frazzled by morning routine, screaming kids, too much homework, too much workday - whatever. I, too, am stressed. When my carefully prepared dinner, clean laundry, packed lunches or all forms and bills ready and waiting to go where they need to - not to mention my cheerful greetings or good-byes are ignored or totally fall flat, I don't sulk - I start investigating, and... as a result.... seem to upset those closest to me. I'm going to stop. I mean it. I'm done.

Off now to work on juice pops with my little ones (M & L). We are using the Zoku Quick Pop Maker - instantly (well - in five minutes or so) freezes what you pour into it. Today was an orange, banana, strawberry juice smoothie mix. Turned out great .... easy -though you can't use too much juice, and... we haven't gotten creative with fruit slices or anything yet .... but the warm weather juice pop season is just starting. We are on a roll!

While we're all still sharing - any idea how to get a kid to transition coats for the season when he doesn't want to? My kindergarten guy has been told all winter that if he doesn't have boots, hat, gloves and heavy coat, he can't go outside, so.... he STILL wants to wear that everyday now. He sweats. He is the only one in a ski jacket. Help. While we're on the kindergarten subject - today is "S" for show n tell, so... we sent in a shield (better than a sword), so... maybe I should start a segment called "concern of the day" :-). Yikes.

Two trivial bits of news as I close... my alma mater, Ohio University, beat Georgetown in basketball last night. Way to go, OU! And, apparently, Sandra Bullock's husband cheated on her and now says "he deserves every bad thing that is coming his way". How noble (and, of course, I NEVER use sarcasm).

Photo: A collection of photos taped to my bedroom mirror (the antique dresser that I've been working on for years - new knobs, etc.) - the top one is Marcello and I on our wedding day, and the other photos are, basically, what happened that following year - Enzo's birth (a polaroid I took from my Mom's house because I remember my Dad taking the picture - I mean, looking at my smile now, my newborn - I can still see my Dad standing there, smiling, with his camera :-) - our trip to Paris, the beach, NYC (all self-portraits, of course - it was funny, we were so used to squeezing three of us into the frame - me, Marcello, Olivia - that getting baby Enzo in was quite a feat - a new perspective ;-). Did I mention it is OUR ANNIVERSARY on Sunday :-)? 21 March - we got married on a Sunday - 6 years now. Going out tonight, and... we'll see what the rest of the weekend brings.