A Blur

That's right. These past few weeks at home - with family - holiday festivities - crazy hours, etc. - has felt like a literal blur. Truly. I mean, we are "in it" on a daily basis, so... it gets past us, ya know? Museum one day - home baking cookies the next - trying to get out to see a movie without kids the next - family dinner after that.... and on and on. Well, today it all ended, and we went back to the bulk of the school year (that's right - NOT half over yet) with a new year on the calendar, feeling (hopefully) refreshed and ready to begin new projects (and, if you're me, finish way old ones ;-).

So ... as is the case with most new years, new starts or - who am I kidding?? - new weeks, in general, my brain is filled with a bunch of random stuff. Foremost in my mind? The happy fact that Hidden Valley ski resort now has care for the younger kids. When we went in previous years, any little ones under 4 (and I've had a few) had nowhere to go aside from a random craft or snack gathering in one of the rooms in the very small lodge there. Now.... kids 2 - 6 years old can stay all day in the "Powder Pups" room where they will do, presumably, fun indoor activities while the "big people" ski :-). I have Lil signed up for MLK weekend.

Next? The fact that REM has a new album coming out 8 March 2011. Not sure how I feel about it. LOVE REM,but... have not been overly impressed with recent releases. I hear Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam, of course) is on this one. At one time, I thought he was a bit of a cry baby, but... after seeing his great tribute to REM when they were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (Hi, Cleveland :-) a few years ago, his speech was just so great, and.... I decided to give him another chance ;-). Anyway.... we'll see.....

And.... this just in..... Applauding a mother I just saw on the Today Show who wrote the book My Princess Boy in response to her 4 (now 5) year old boy's love of dresses and anything pink or sparkly and... his conviction to actually wear such outfits, often to the dismay of his classmates, family and other peers. His mom, in a brave show of support, has written a book to help other kids struggling with acceptance and / or bullying for their individuality. A lesson for us all, I think. I just remember feeling total acceptance for all my quirks when I went to my Montessori school, but... as soon as I moved and went to public school.... not so much. I know kids, now, who have left the comfort of their smaller private grade and middle schools to go to larger high schools where bullying or teasing for all sorts of things exists - from the way people dress to the activities they do - if they are, at all, different than their peers. So.... like I said.... applauding her today.

And, lastly, I am a little freaked that I just heard a comedian, Greg Giraldo, who I really like died like two months ago. I had no idea - have been laughing at him for years now. Anyway ... it was another prescription drug overdose, which just scares me. I mean, what are people thinking when they abuse themselves in such a way - taking drugs that are legal but can causes serious damage??? Sad.

So .... yeah - the New Year. Oh - and all those resolutions..... Hubby hitting the gym this am (all energetic,basking in the Steelers recent big win :-) - the teen asked me to pack her a healthy lunch today, and... me.... well..... I finally made a couple of silly, check up appointments that I have not had time for all year (the three little ones could care less - aside from resuming their regular routine). Time to check off that "to do" list and time to get healthy and stay active. We'll see how long that lasts for all of us, huh? ;-)

Speaking of such resolutions, I will be cleaning up Christmas for the rest of the day.... trying to get and stay organized along the way. Happy day to all of you, btw! 2011. Bring it!

Photo: Hubby and his band - circa 1995 (in the spirit of reminiscing over the holidays, this photo & an accompanying newspaper article emerged from somewhere).

Bieber Fever and other holiday musings...

Yes - Olivia and ALL her friends have it, AND... will be going to see HIM - Justin Bieber - tonight at the new Consol Energy Center downtown. They are excited, and I have been tasked with getting a few of them shirts today (Justin shirts, of course) among my other errands (get camera lens fixed, get b-day gift, buy dark pants for Christmas pageant, pick up old UGGS at shoe repair, buy new leggings for teen since others have a hole, etc.). A school delay (the first of many) has ME delayed today, so... I need to get moving. Funny morning. Olivia happily slept way in - Enzo and Milo had time to dress like Luigi and Mario (remember the Halloween costumes?) and run about, counting days on the Advent calendar (still have a picture in my head of Lil in her pink "prince-ness" dress, trying to pick up bits of snow as all those leaving the house this am exited - so she could put this little, tiny, fingerful in the freezer :-).

Need to remind us ALL again to be charitable this season. A bit of a sad story here (though I'm sure people will open their hearts and wallets for this one - and... I find the fact that this family has already enjoyed some support very encouraging. Just despise thieves and people who take from kids... give it a read).

Photos: Random images of the season.

Check out some stuff...

Did I forget to tell you that Crate and Barrel is open near the Ross Park Mall (hello, locals)? We went; it is nice. Big store - everything C & B - not like the smaller "we'll have to order it for you" types (like the Nordstrom in that area :-(. We got lamps, wrapping paper, a super cool covered cake plate.... for the holidays :-).

Also, check out Burgh Baby (my blog list) for a fantastic rant on how women (especially) are judged for their weight - too fat, too thin - despite how off-base (well and always inappropriate) these comments may be. Weigh in if you can; I sure did.

And... sad story in LA - don't know quite what to make of it (sad, sad, sad - really terrible - poor baby). Thoughts and prayers that direction..... And - reminders to cherish what you have - so many of us have a lot to be thankful for this season - would be nice to reach out to others.

And.. are you a royal watcher? Probably not. I am, however. So.... Kate and William have picked the day and place (29 April and Westminster Abbey).

Now - back to editing and iPhoto. I suppose I am truly back, but... I am not yet redesigned (all in the works) and only partially reconcepted. Input from all you guys has been so appreciated (keep it coming - email, text, Facebook - whatever).

Zombie Gingerbread Update

Decorated. Voila! That's a lot of cookie "bling" :-).

Missed Conan O'Brien's debut on TBS last night, and he had Jack White on - bummer. Just heard a song by that band that even my teen loves right now - The Neon Trees (Animal - yes, I know - the song is now permanently in your head - at least for a few hours) - and the song is entitled "1983" - AND they reference crawling and eating lollies at the age they were.... well way back then. OK - I think I was definitely walking - probably doing algebra..... sigh.

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...

Casting Call!

Taylor Lautner of Twilight fame is here in Pitt to film his movie Abduction (I am, after all, the mother of a teen - of course I know where he is). Open casting call tomorrow.


On ... and in other teen news ... Justin Bieber is coming to Pittsburgh in December (we covered him in a previous post).

And... in a predictable food show recommendation from boring stay at home TMS (that would be "trendy mom sherri" :-), hubby and I also watch Hell's Kitchen - tonight at 8 pm on Fox - watch at your own risk... it is Chef Gordan Ramsay, so the swearing can get annoying - even for those fairly immune to it, like me.

And... now that I have your attention with my cheesey headline, please take a minute to keep the family of the jogger who was hit and killed in Mt. Lebanon in your thoughts. Lisa Styles died today of a head injury (accident yesterday), and her 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter will now never know their mommy - not to mention the fact that her life was cut short and her friends and family are surely devastated (AND the kids were hit too - the double stroller ended up in the middle of the road! They could have been killed or injured too). I'm sure the 3 year old will be horribly traumatized for a while. It's just such a crushing story. One minute out and about doing your daily routine with your kids by your side, and... the next.... everything is changed - gone - because of one careless person. So... please stay safe - watch yourselves and your kids and anyone else around these busy summer roads - near the water, etc. Spread the word. Disaster just takes and instant.

Blah lifting....

So ... went to a party last night. It's always just nice to be out, talking with friends, meeting new people. Last night, we were at PMI, a television and other digital media production house downtown. We had drinks and did some chat on a big 6th floor balcony (and met a teen dream, Justin Bieber, connection - so.. got to text Olivia with that info - OMG!!!), lighted and with a great view of tall, glittery buildings (PPG - we all know it, but it was nice to see a different perspective - I used to eat lunch and do coffee by the fountains there when I worked downtown - much preferred being up high and looking down at Market Square). Anyway, I am a little out of touch with industry people, having formally left marketing years ago, but... I have to say, their new space is very nice - congrats to them.

Getting out was no easy feat. We were inundated with requests for bizarre dinner food - had to orchestrate pick-up from a year-end lacrosse pizza party - discovered we had lost a shoe - had to assemble some Lego Playmobile characters (have you seen how small those things are?), tried to pick up the many, many toys littering our first floor (I have not seen my house this messy in a loooong time), attempted to clean the dirty kitchen floor, changed some poopy nappies.... ugh, ugh ugh. I feel like I've lost control in this house..... BUT I did get out, and I looked OK, felt semi-relaxed (took me a good half an hour to shake the brain fry).

US plays Ghana today in World Cup.

Photo: Swim meet at the Edgewood Club a few days ago (we won!). Silly girls... You all know who they are ;-) - I talk about them all enough....

Stuff

Random today. Try to follow.... I'm all over the place (keeping up with chaotic schedule today... but playdate got canceled :-(. Looks like rain, rain, rain....

Anyway... was passively listening to this interview with Au Revoir Simone on my Sirius radio, and one of the girls in the band mentioned her pregnancy / mommy blog at "trying to be barefoot and pregnant" a Wordpress blog, but I couldn't find it - at all. It sounded a bit interesting - working mommy trying to deal with people who want her to quit her music BUT staying on tour and dealing with it all, and... sometimes... wanting less. Ya know? What we all bitch and / or get happy about... in a nutshell. Anyway - will keep looking.

Also, have not kept up with Gwyneth Paltrow at Goop lately (and you know I love to).

Anyone see Top Chef last night? I have no comments yet - still getting to know this group.

I just heard that Italy is OUT of the World Cup. Yikes. I was wrong yesterday, btw - US plays Ghana on Sat. (not Fri).

Anyway ... Enzo had last tennis lesson today and did GREAT (Pioneer Camp starts Monday) - Milo swims for last time tomorrow and also has been doing GREAT (and gymnastics camp starts Mon) - Lil has her check-up today (to this day, even though I am no longer a "new mommy", I love the reassurance of the well check-up) - Olivia swims tonight (after "boot camp" with pals, Caroline and Olivia B) so go Edgewood Eels!

Big time project today? Trying to figure out how to unlock the downstairs bathroom door behind which all the new diapers, pull-ups and bathroom cleaning agents reside. Lilliana has learned to lock things. Thankfully, she is on this side of the door. Paper clip has not worked yet - plus the hardware has already been removed from the doorknob on this side...... so.... what the hell is holding it onto the other side? A mystery.... Any suggestions?

Photos: More summer kids :-) 2010.

Happy, happy!!!

I know; I said I'd stay off today.

But zulily has some deals on Blue Canoe yoga wear, so check that out. Also, my daughter tells me that Sephora will be doing free makeovers this week (I guess check location before you go). And - when Dennis Hopper died, I forgot to say a little word about him. It's short... Basically, I liked him. I admired his talents and interests - writer, art collector, artist, actor, etc. I know he didn't always make the best personal choices, but every time I heard him interviewed, he was honest - unbelievably honest. Anyway, the world misses people like that. RIP.

Milo is back to his old self today - thankfully :-).

Photo: Milo helped me make Easter baskets for the cousins this year.... then wanted to photograph them :-). A Milo moment / memory for sure (in honor of his restored energetic self).

AND... constant reminders from Enzo thus far this summer (well - almost summer) NOT to waste water. A good thing. I'm glad he's retaining some of the environmental tips he learns at school, and I guess we should heed his warnings :-).

Oh - and I desperately need a new video camera. Any suggestions? Seriously - I've had a couple bad ones - the thought of losing more footage and / or having it break on a vacation keeps me up at night. So... I will welcome any input on that topic :-).

Moments ...

... on which to meditate. Gotta get off my treadmill of laundry, kitchen clean-up, play squeezed in between making school lunches, doing carpools and making beds - Need to enjoy my kids more - need to get back in touch with me. Will have a wee bit of time this morning - to breathe - do some yoga (I need to fix my sore right hamstring, causing me all kinds of pain - need to stop my TMJ jaw from hurting), just trying to, make a list of "me projects" (not being selfish with "me time" - just trying to get back on track)- maybe visit hubby - will continue to plan a week with each individual child in mind....

Photos: Like I said.... moments on which to meditate.... my kids at their happiest (I am encouraged this morning by ALL the family photos I have - so much fun - so many experiences - despite some, obviously, trying days - I think we've all been there....;-).

Oh - and one last bit of "zen" (discovered this at "ex hot girl" - see my blog list) - Christina Hendricks has been voted - well... whatever Esquire does each year - hottest woman alive - something like that - and she is a big, curvy girl. I've always had some wild curves... had women tell me that my big boobs made me look fat my whole life. Take that, people!

And... how 'bout that Icelandic volcanic dust cloud stopping travel all over the world? Hey - at least we're not traveling Europe right now, right? So on the bright side with that because I ALWAYS want to be traveling Europe :-).

Top 5 "so glad I have these" items, people and things for today.

1. Friends who will help me wrangle my wild Lil and Milo without judging - making sure we get off the school grounds safely and with some sanity left when they act up and run from me after P3 pick-up (thank you, ALL - you know who you are :-).

2. My lovely, friendly neighbors without whom we would not have half the fun we have on summer evenings, during snow-ins, at block parties...

3. All of our interesting friends who assist us in enjoying bands, food, conversation, etc.

4. Our crazy families (kids, weird uncles, sisters in a snit and all)... our late fathers (both mine and Marcello's) would love to hear us say that, so... to honor them :-).

5. My Trader Joe's Chocolate organic yogurt... I'm not kidding..... I have work to do, kids to chase and errands to run - good on the go... like a treat :-).

And... I think.... once I actually get to watch it all the way through.... I'll be thankful for Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution :-) too.

What is going on?

Another earthquake - this time in a remote area of China, affecting rural farmers - near Tibet. Just awful. Scary.

And... this is a bit old.... a blog entry from a couple of months ago... in it, this writer muses about how it might be better to be a teen mom or younger mom at that - citing such reasons as (and I'm paraphrasing) - "you could have the kids - get it out of the way then focus on your wants, needs, career, etc." - She also claims that older women always have compromised fertility - more problems, etc. I do differ with this on many levels. First, I've been pregnant in my 20s, 30s - know MANY people having kids in their 40s. In my 2os, I have to say, I did know a number of people who had complications with pregnancies - and, it was my hardest c-section (the easiest were my last two). None of my older friends had trouble getting pregnant; if they did, it was a condition that existed in their teens and twenties as well - they just didn't realize until they went to have kids. One of doctors told me that many young mothers have problems in their pregnancies; they think it might be because they are still "adolescent" themselves, gaining weight, growing an inch or so, body shapes changing - well into their early 20s, leaving unborn babies vulnerable to other issues (and, most of the babies, when we were in the NICU with Milo's kidney issue, were children of very young mothers - though not all, obviously). And.... is this author really suggesting that we have to either have kids or a career? Since my slew of kids was born, I find myself getting more creative with career options as does my hubby - seems more opportunities present if you're active in your creative pursuits. Our kids are still our biggest priority. Anyway... read and weigh in if you'd like :-). But ... I urge you to view this before you do :-).

Have to confess something.... while waiting for Glee (yes, I love it), I watched Dancing with the Stars with my middle schooler (actually, was sucked in my a fantastic performance by The New York City Ballet - and, I feel bad, I forget the choreographer - and Nuttin but Stringz), and, man, is that funny or what? I have to say, the professional dancers are great to watch - very talented - some of the "stars" who join them are good too, but... when they are bad, they are BAD (Kate Gosselin ;-(. But I way digress......

Going to see The Hold Steady tonight.... should be fun. No photo today; just some ranting... ;-)

I really do love the rain.

I always have - LOVE rainy days.

Busy lately... editing project ... fund-raising responsibilities .... school stuff ..... lacrosse season.

A lot of strange stuff in the news - murder - missing children - teenagers committing horrible acts of rage against each other - more..... I mean, we see it all the time, but... lately.... strange, shocking things - like serious crimes being committed over a misunderstanding in a text message - three year olds made to walk tightropes over tigers (and I am NOT kidding with that last one - look at this - child abuse, pure and simple) - that kind of thing (in our good deed for today, let's get familiar with the recently proposed Chelsea's Law, in honor of Chelsea King, the murdered teenager from San Diego, and meant to control child predators / rapists in our community - and.... while reading, for those who do get the power of prayer, say one for her little 13 year old brother suffering over the loss of what his parents say was "his best friend").

This morning, Milo was happy to go to preschool - got dressed - put on his back pack - ate a Rice Krispie Treat for breakfast (Milo is picky, so.. if that's how he wants his cereal, that's how he gets his cereal) - Enzo cried, thinking he was not going on a field trip with his friends (misunderstanding - they are all going next week - with either me or hubby as one of the chaperones) - though I am still basking in the glow of some one on one time with my Enzo last night, which is rare but so deserved (grabbed a burger & chocolate milk, shopped crafts at Michaels for big sis, Olivia - though got himself a "water squirter" - had fun in after school with his little buddies) - Olivia off to a great lacrosse season though rain may dampen practice today - had Terra Nova testing in school today so rushed out the door, extra snacks in hand (Balance Bars, peanut butter-filled pretzels, bottled water...). Sweet Lil is JUST up - teetering sleepily around the house, stuffed cats (her latest favorite companions) in her arms.

I'd like to share an easy, lowfat dinner recipe from last night - chicken quesadillas: Marinate chicken in lemon, salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic and cilantro (I do salt, pepper, citrus first then chop the garlic and cilantro into the olive oil before pouring over the chicken). Pan sear chicken (cook through). Put flour tortillas on baking sheet (oven preheated to 400 degrees) - sprinkle with lower fat cheddar or soy cheese - add sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and Italian spices mix - add chicken (still warm)- more cheese - top with another tortilla- and... bake - flip a couple min. into baking time - DONE!

OK - so Lil on my lap now - cats and all (singing "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" at the top of her lungs, which I love :-).

In closing, I just want to say that I think Ben Roethlisberger and Tiger Woods should go out - would make a great couple. Gross - I think I just made myself sick.....

Photo: As I go to embark on a necessary shopping outing today with little ones, I am reminded of the day of the Christmas shows a couple of months ago (seems so long ago and yet not - know what I mean?) when me and little ones had some fun shopping at the Waterfront.

Gross

Two noteworthy yukky things today - on my radar, anyway.

First, I am sort of disgusted and angry about this... Lately, I have gotten some really crappy, bad quality, gone bad, rotten stuff from my local Trader Joe's. As you know, I love them, but... twice recently, we got really stale bread and rolls. Most recently, stale cookies and meat that had gone bad - chemical smell on the burger meat - really gross (and I have kids - two who love cheeseburgers, so...). This would be the second time for the latter. First time a number of months ago, I thought was a fluke. Also - had gotten some bad produce around that time - lettuce, beans, asparagus, pineapple. Usually, I buy totally fresh, but sometimes, it is easy to grab pre-cut stuff to feed to kids in the car or whatever, and ... because I look closely at it - assess it - was a little freaked that it looked fine (so must have been deliberately packaged to look OK, obviously - granted, yesterday I was distracted, but that brings up another important point - should I REALLY have to look that closely to make sure my food is not rotten or dangerous in a nationally respected chain???). Not sure what to think. I know it happens. Got some nasty stuff from Giant Eagle before too - both produce and meat products (chicken, ground meat). Very scary on some levels, though. A friend did tell me that she noticed Trader Joe's packs and sells meat weeks apart - she, apparently, feels it should be taken off the shelf given the package date on it. Anyway... what do I know? Since we're in sharing mode, however, was wondering if anyone had similar issues. It does make me angry. It is a bad feeling to see, right in front of you, that our food supply for our families is not safe. Appalling in this country where we can do better. There are people in other countries who have no choice, which is sad and unfair, and... are we really the people going to help these other places if we can be this irresponsible on occasion? Again, I'm reminded of my Oscar post and the documentary on US food safety - Food, Inc.... many people do get sick or die each year because of this type of negligence.

And second in my short list of "gross" for the day... Rielle Hunter, John Edward's nasty mistress. What a crazy slut (I'm keeping it PG here despite what I want to say). Hubby was laughing the other day over her "sexy" photo shoot; he said she was trying to be all "come-hither" in a man's shirt and pearls (we watch The Today Show :-), but there were like Dora dolls and Kermit the Frog stuffed animals all around her. I saw them today (again, on the Today Show - not going to buy or pick up the rag she's in), and - yeah, they're funny (I'm a bit shocked that this was done by GQ Magazine). She's not very pretty anyway (and I don't care about looks, truly - I mean, have you seen the size of my nose? I have perspective), so... her face looks ridiculous - those thin, wrinkly lips pursed together like she's some sort of centerfold - that ugly yellow straw hair. THEN... she poses pants-less with her two year old daughter. Priceless - and... disgusting. And... I'm sure the "sexy" shots in the kid's room were supposed to imply the scandalous affair and, thereby, entice readers, but.. come on (and, apparently, Ms. Hunter is horrified by the photos herself - well.. then... why the @#%&#@ did you pose?!?!). We all knew when the story first broke that she was known for this type of behavior and was enamored of money and fame. This ridiculous woman had the nerve to question Elizabeth Edward's story about how she found out (John didn't tell her - it was another dramatic cell phone dispute a la Tiger Woods - puhleeeze....) - PLUS she disses her in her "interview", saying she has a mighty wrath Really? Some women would have come at you with a machete, so...um.... think about it, Ms. Cheesey Face / Ugly Hair (yeah - I just resorted to nonsensical playground name-calling - seems appropriate here). And ... truly ... I'm at a loss - I mean, Elizabeth was lied to, she has terminal cancer, she was publicly humiliated, her kids had to see it all - I think she handled it all really well. That poor little girl (Francis - Quinn ???)- crazy, crazy mother and disloyal, corrupt father. Normally, I don't pay attention to such crap, but... this is just TOO MUCH!

Day beckons (it is one on one with Lil today :-). No photo. Didn't want to post anything "gross", so... see you next time (and, as always, thanks for all the banter, all).

An Oscar recap (of sorts) and... some new fish...

What a likable group of Oscar nominees last night! Seriously - love Jeff Bridges - love Sandra Bullock (Colin Firth, Morgan Freeman, George Clooney, Woody Harrelson - the whole lot of them, really) - completely happy that a woman won for Best Director and for such a good, purposeful movie. Precious grabbed my heart - what an adorable girl they found for their lead,Gabourey Sidibe and... Mo'Nique - just great - out on a limb with that role. I never really care if the person was deserving of the Oscar. A couple of times have felt that the nomination was a bit odd - even the win, but... for the most part... I like to see people have their moment - my analysis is usually pretty personal - I think they seem nice - they did a good job in this movie - whatever - I forgive past bad movies - all that. So... by "love", I usually mean I like the person, and... though some of these movies seem powerful and beyond Oscar -worthy (others not so much - District 9 ??? I mean I saw it - I love scary - I like aliens - I like the sense of justice in this movie - but Oscar-nominated - ????), of course, hubby and I rarely have time to breathe let alone see movies, so... have some catching up to do.

Speaking of catching up.... I almost attended an Oscar party last night :-). Sent hubby down the street with hot Oscar-themed hors d'oeuvres (mini ham and cheese quiches - get it? ;-), and... District 9 prawn and crab puffs...). He chatted with friends and neighbors for an hour or so, then.... per the plan laid out... headed home to relieve me of duty. Everyone bathed, fed and in pjs, I started to get ready, but... Milo would not stay in bed - was disrupting Enzo, who had school today AND Lilliana, who just needed to sleep given the fact that she was up for hours in the middle of the nght on Sat - and Olivia had a test to study for, so... she wasn't interested in a party at all. Anyway, we had to divide and conquer, and... I ended up with chicken salad, tomato soup and non-alcoholic Italian blood orange soda (i.e. no champagne cocktail for me :-) on the couch watching most of the show by myself (running upstairs now and then to confer with hubby, who was on "watch Milo" duty, on details :-). It was fine. I was able to privately get weepy over some emotional moments. For me - the documentary on unsafe food (Food, Inc.) with a quick reference to the sweet two year old boy who ate a hamburger and died 12 days later of e.coli - was a big cry moment for me - mentioned in passing, the image of the little angel eating his lunch on the home movie next to his tearful mom's interview saying he went from that to dead 12 days later was almost too much.... Oh - the things I notice. For the record, the dolphin documentary, The Cove, won that category, though I am certainly looking up Food, Inc. as well - gotta keep our kids' food supply safe. On the lighter side, I am shamelessly checking out all the fashion reviews from Oscar night today :-) - off the top of my head - loved Cameron Diaz's dress and Demi Moore's - among others like Jennifer Lopez, etc. (though, for example, love Charlize Theron, but... the dress? Not so much...). Also, enjoyed the fact that this year's hosts, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, kept it kinda light.

My day? Enzo starts piano today to strengthen his little hands and improve his handwriting a bit (and his experience in class, in the longrun) - plus, he shows interest and my Olivia played for years (will have to dig out my sappy post when I lament the loss of our broken down piano to a couple of "guys who haul stuff"). Olivia has a couple big tests today. Milo is with me and so is Lil (and, lately, they are so BUSY, that I don't have five seconds to myself - food and drink demands, problems with games, fighting, wanting to take several baths during the day for water fun - more - makes the time I try to carve out for them more difficult to obtain - between readying the school uniforms and making dinner everyone will like and keeping "it" all organized - REALLY - a rant for another day..... trying to focus on my close time with them lately... LOVE IT :-), for the most part, despite the fact that I run the stairs 50X a day to the point that my muscles feel like I'm training for a marathon just to unlock the childproof gate that they "accidentally" shut again, to wipe up lemonade, to respond to shrieks that could be glee or pain, to find a lost toy - and another toy - and another.... AND I'm losing my voice because of a cough that, due to lack of downtime and CONSTANT talking - please eat your lunch, don't hit your sister, share with your brother, quiet for a sec so I can make your dr. aptmt., etc. - will NOT go away). We will, most likely, gaze at our new fish tank. Yes, we bought fish - Mr. T, Tom Tom, Sally and Jack. We also washed our van and discovered a whole buncha yukky scratches and pretty dramatic paint and other winter-ish issues, so... a trip to the body shop is in order this week. My two oldests need to have their passports renewed this week (the little ones need passports, I guess). All of Olivia's paperwork needs to be in for high school this week. I have a lot to remember. Better get crackin'....

Photo: Two divas - me and Olivia - take a couple weeks ago. I'm dressed for confirmation night; Diva Olivia prefers to dress down until the outfit is unveiled just before we leave (SUCH a diva - though look at my pose - WHAT am I trying to prove? ;-). Are we red carpet-worthy? Hmmmm......

Hope this makes sense.... I am A LOT fried lately... not a little... A LOT ;-).

The Oscars & More

I am a celebrity watcher - I love movies - I have a background in dance and theater - OF COURSE I'm watching the Oscars. See you on the red carpet :-). Actually, for me - it'll probably be red wine and / or hot mulled cider and some "very bad for me" cheesey, fried-ish hors d'oeuvres with hubby (actually, he will probably flip around all night - preferring to watch The Office reruns or Comedy Central instead :-).

Anyway, get all your nominees here.

Photo: Self-portrait taken to get haircut approval from a long-distance friend a couple of days ago...

Quick confession: OK - I despise when some of my fellow "literary types" make another person feel bad or stupid by mentioning obscure or little known writers and try to prompt a response from their poor unsuspecting victim (I've even heard people pontificate on literary theory at a kid's b-day party) a la - "Oh, you like French poetry, you must know....blah blah blah..." (cuz that's what pontificating sounds like to me). And they don't mention Rimbaud or Baudelaire -they mention people that I only know, for example, because my graduate degree is in Comparative Lit. NO ONE else would have an in-depth knowledge of these writers. Anyway..... went to buy To Kill a Mockingbird for Olivia yesterday (Mommy - I like need How to Kill a Mockingbird by tomorrow!!!). I was harried AND had done my "I look bad so I'll put on big sunglasses, lipstick and a scarf" so I looked a little "fluffy" plus I was sipping an iced Starbucks bevie, carrying my "big, I want to look designer, definitely befits a shopper" bag, so... maybe there was some preconceived stereotyping going on here, but... I did not see the book on the shelves - asked a Barnes and Noble employee - only to be told - "well, Harper Lee wrote it" - "Yes, I know." Then ... lightbulb!!! "Omigosh," I say, "I think I was looking under Harper like a crazy person." I ignore her condescending smile. She finds it for me. "It helps to know who he is.... the writer," she says, "before you start looking." OK - OK.... I'm getting annoyed. Then it hits me... "He?" I ask. "Yes," she says, "Harper Lee." HE? Then, it just popped out. "You know Harper Lee is a woman, right?" I ask, knowing that she CLEARLY does not know this bit of info. Blush blush - and that is exactly the response I wanted. I feel dirty.

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland comes out today :-).

And BIG, COOL retail tip of the day - one of my favorite kids' catalogs (out of the UK), Mini Boden, is at Nordstrom now.

Gotta go - my toddler, Lil, just spit some banana into my hand, and... well.... I gotta go... Milo wants cinnamon rolls (I have banned the Wii today - need to appease him somehow :-) - I'm expecting a call from hubby who has Enzo's teacher conference today.... The day beckons ;-)...(looking forward to Big Daddy M's beer batter fish n chips tonight... my new name for Marcello and the delight he now gets making "from scratch" fish n chips... good stuff :-).

a haiku

So... while this morning went smoothly, last night definitely did not. Here's a little something I composed - remember doing these little poems in school? :-) (And, btw, I've opted to keep the two little ones with me all day to share in the daily cooking, laughing, snuggling - sometimes just works out better that way - we'll see what words and feelings I come up with today - Yin and Yang - ebb and flow - everyday different :-):

wrist-deep in meatloaf
the kids run and scream, so wild
baby runs naked

I should ask for haikus that describe all of our days - serene, balanced words, belying so much chaos....... Anyone up to the challenge ;-) ???

And - I should start a new section of ..."I'm interested but don't know why" - seems to describe a lot of what catches my eye these days.... Anyway - this is Gwyneth Paltrow's site (retail tips - travel info. - more... a lot, really).... apparently - GOOP... (and I do like Gwyneth - I do - find her smart, fit, funny, laid back - have defended her to my misguided "wear all black - never put on a heel - prefer Converse to ALL shoes - don't exercise but like to spout crap on organic and natural mothering - I'm a foodie but I don't cook - I'm a part of the Indie craft scene but don't like fashion" friends and acquaintances - blah blah blah (and I'm not saying that I'm NEVER like that myself - I mean, we all slip ;-) - she DOES all that you TALK - know what I mean? ;-) ?? - heavy wink, wink here.... You all know who you are.