Taking "higher ground" today ...

I was just going to rant today (we all have those moments, days, weeks, months - right?) - well - instead - I'm going to provide a really useful tool to help with what I semi-"ranted" about a couple of days ago. Go to www.gowearfit.com and check out their new device that is - and here I have the eloquent words of someone close to the project in terms of marketing:

"a wearable health monitor that helps you measure the calories you burn WHILE living EVERYDAY life - from taking a walk to doing the dishes"

Awesome. But... Mac users (that's me - so I share your frustration) have to wait about a month in order for the site to be Mac compatible. It's in the works, so ... be patient.

And... because I'm in helpful mode today and happen to be looking for some kid-friendly gingerbread recipes..... I will be back with some recommendations on that - simply because I saw some really good sites, leads, recipes, etc. - and.... I think that is truly the beauty of the Internet - the ability to virtually do some social networking - or rant / blog to strangers and friends alike, etc. - and.... obtain TRULY helpful info. despite all the "clutter".

I am, admittedly, fried today. It's cold here, so... my boys are in sit and watch movie / or wrestle on couch mode - which means I am a short order cook for them (literally - before noon - I have done cereal, eggs, hot cocoa, milk, juice, cookies and peanut butter crackers - yesterday, I did a cheeseburger at 10 am - anyway...) - and - I have a baby who would rather climb the stairs and play with the blinds than play with her shape sorter or drink her bottle. At least my babies want to spend time with me ... right - which is more than I can say for the 12 year old :) - smiling now, but don't get me started......

Grateful

It occurs to me, with all that is going on in the world now and all of the sad stories I hear daily, that I am one of the luckiest people alive. I have great kids and the best husband - I live in a nice neighborhood, send my kids to a good school - we take vacations, have a lot of weekend fun at museums or movies or even roasting marshmallows outside in the backyard - just a fantastic life, in general. I need to focus on that more.

Self-esteem "Workshop"

I haven't had any time to blog lately - haven't written necessary thank yous for recent birthdays - haven't showered most days - definitely have not organized vital "stuff" like photos that need to be downloaded, clothes that need to be taken to Good Will or Salvation Army, etc. - I eat lunch standing up lately, have my coffee go cold daily, wade through piles of toys and work around dirty breakfast dishes until well past lunchtime - Let's just say.... I'm busy.... and a bit frazzled. Baby is walking - preschool for four year old is in full swing - middle schooler's sports are picking up pace - two year old has decided he likes gymnastics class and wants to go again and again. On top of that, holiday shopping has to start, trick or treat just passed, school has only been in session a few months so the homework routine is still shaky - I have to face it; this season is busy.

This brings up an interesting point. And... I must say, on the front-end of this rant, that I am a lifetime food-watcher, nutritionally conscious, a seasoned exerciser and former dancer / athlete, and..... all that said.... who has time to eat right? diet off the baby weight? exercise AT ALL? even take a vigorous walk ( don't know about you, but we go at a toddler's pace around the neighborhood)? I'm a little tired of hearing personal trainers, parents of older children, doctors, etc. say...... you have to make time to exercise - you have to watch what you eat even if it means going out of your way to make that low fat salad (excuse me? Often, it is 4 pm and I realize I have gone foodless all day so I eat a cookie to avoid passing out). I mean I do ab work at midnight between teething baby wake-ups, I do arm work in the shower, I stretch each am while kids climb all over me - I do what I can.

I think we all need to be a little easier on ourselves. Focus on getting back to what makes us comfortable and healthy as opposed to the "perfect" image of your self - either through your eyes or another's. Having babies does change your body for a while, but you can get back to an active, happy you. Give yourself more credit for lifting the little ones all day (it really does work your arms) - eat a sweet now and then (eat the veggies, lean proteins, etc. to stay healthy and happy - the treats because you deserve it) - do your crunches, stretches and your weights for 10 min. or so - at least it's something and keeps you strong and flexible for running around with the kids. I mean -today, I may even pick up the pace a little when I walk the hood - then, allow myself a coffee drink - new yoga pants (can't wear my old jeans but I can look hot in my yoga pants :) - I may even ask my husband to rub my back (sometimes massages seem like a luxury, but.... a backrub is necessary for nursing and / or busy mothers - that post-pregnancy backache sucks, doesn't it? And... it lingers....).

Don't feel guilty. Use the slow cooker recipes (found some good ones in Real Simple recently), shop for new clothes if your old ones are tight, have fun with the kids and count what you do as exercise. Life is too short to worry about such silliness.

Some ideas... finally

So here's something cool from someone else (really like word of mouth recommendations) - sort of a DIY craft and networking site (for lack of some much better descriptors). Holiday season coming up, so.... go check it out yourself -
www.ponoko.com

And - aside from all the wasteful paper issues (don't get me started - I do resent having to recycle PILES of paper each week), I do like discovering new catalogs (new to me anyway). I'm currently perusing Serena and Lily for bed linens beyond my baby girl nursery. They have some sweet, beautiful (unusual color combos, which I like), simple linens - perfect for little girls and boys. They also help coordinate paint colors and design elements with the linens, which is nice......

Happy with all of my recent purchases from.... well..... this week, I would have to say it's Chasing Fireflies (catalog and web site - Google it for correct url - it is very close to a "strange" one). I just got some fab fairy wings for my one year old's first birthday (it was a costume party :) - plus I've been happy with all of my recent clothing purchases - PLUS, they did a personalized birthday crown in way under the allotted time with no extra charge! Cute stuff there - some expensive, some kitschy, some really fun - definitely stuff you don't see - A. In usually one place, and B. In most retail stores.....

My old stand-by this week would have to be Olive Juice - clothing site / catalog for kids. Great customer service - great retro clothing for kids - quality, cute - can't say enough good stuff about them. Recently, a sale item I ordered was temporarily out of stock. Once back in stock, they emailed me to ask if I wanted the other color -then sent it, charged the card I had given them (with permission but without bugging me) and gave me the sale price. Quite different from the absolutely horrible experience I had with the very high end baby / kids boutique, Petit Tresor, in LA. I even dealt with one of the owners (if you do visit their site, she's the bigger one sporting the "up-do" hairstyle that my grandmother would have worn - though it does work with the tent-like dress she's wearing in the photo - just lovely :). Anyway, I'll save the story for next time, but I will say this now - if you're that high end - your customer service should be impeccable at all levels. Maybe she was distracted by the cease and desist order that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes slapped her with around the same time..... Anyway...... more on that later ;).

I think I'll close with, first, my less than stellar parenting tip of the day: Crying baby who won't nap? And... energetic preschool boys who won't calm down to let her nap? Don't be afraid to use Noggin (they really do learn from the shows - my two year old now counts and knows colors after watching - and I got nothing from him in that respect when I tried to teach him myself by reading and coloring, etc. Not saying to stop such interaction with your kids - just saying don't feel bad about Noggin - or PBS Sprout - or a nice movie now and then). And.... a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies is a good bribe... and... despite being less than nutritiously sound..... does create a nice ambiance, happy preschoolers and a nice childhood memory.

See ya -

Absent

So I started this thing with the best intentions and... have not had the time to add anything. Really - I have great ideas and great recommendations but have lately been, for lack of a much better word, preoccupied.

Normally, I would be fretting that I did manage to dress today, but.... ended up in a pair of yoga pants, my 12 year old's "so last year" school shoes from... well... literally, last year (hey - they're still in style enough for the front yard, right?), a Death Cab for Cutie t-shirt and my in bad need of a haircut (or something) hair pulled up with a nifty beaded ponytail holder. See - I would normally start with the "necessities inventory" (I'm going to need milk - organic whole for the baby - LOTS of 2% for the growing boys and my 12 year old hot chocolate-lover and... we're down to egg salad for lunch again, so... will need kid-friendly chicken nuggets - maybe some mac and cheese - me and baby still only veggie-eaters in house, so... noted that produce supply way down, etc. etc.) - then I would freak out (OMG - can't leave the house looking like this - where's my lipstick - Chanel - and it still does nothing to improve the look) - but today...... I'm, like I said, preoccupied.

My baby is going to be a year old in a few weeks. We're doing the party early - this weekend - lots of sparkly, girlie, fab cupcakes - easy "autumn lunch" menu - kids invited to wear costumes (birthday girl will be a fairy) - should be fun. Normally, I would be all over that with worry, though (what plates should I serve with - the invitation was really cool but did I get it out on time - ????). I would also be fretting and mourning certain "1st year allowances" on my end - like it's no longer OK to wear nursing pads everyday under my jogging bra (I get a little weepy when there's no more nursing babies)- it's no longer OK to still be a little chubby (um....)- the bedtime routine used to include a bath, infant lavender lotion, a heated bottle or plans to nurse - dinner used to be the pureed squash I made earlier with some steamed chicken - ALL of this noted in her baby book - the routine so comfortable.... But... I'm OK letting a lot of this go today. Odd for me.

I have been absent lately - from this blog - from my own social world - from my kids' day to day. My mind has been elsewhere. I've lost a lot of wonderful people lately. In fact, the past two years have been rough in that respect - and the past few months have been just awful for this little group of my cherished college friends with whom I often talk, visit - whatever. We're all hurting - some of us more than others - trying make sense of cancer, trying to say good-bye to people who leave this world suddenly and too young - and trying to understand why so many people, some close to us, are so mean, bully-ish or so willing to exclude others. The latter is no way to live. So - yes, the past few weeks have been hard, but I am making a conscious effort to live a little better - a little more graciously - all out of respect for those who are now gone - but.... I am also going to be harder on those people, still here, who choose to make my life or my kids' lives more difficult. For those people, I have NO time.

OK - so back on track. I have all sorts to share when it comes to house painters, preschool, looking for dinosaur masks online (you would think there would be a lot, wouldn't you?), party planning, forwarding my 12 year old daughter the Juicy Couture, Athleta, Nordstrom, etc. sale emails while I only have time to peruse recipe sites - oh - the list goes on.