When I saw this in my kitchen, I was uncertain whether I should be proud or nervous that this apple certainly did not fall far from my tree! Our dry erase board has been taken over by my daughter and no activity or event occurring is unmentioned.
However, I am going to give this one to “proud mama moment” and rationalize that an active school week lends to a better organized kid. In fact, this list is far better than anything I have put together.
Maybe I need to hire her as my assistant…….
dai un bacione alla piccola….digli che arriva da Roma….
Say what you will about Facebook. I can tolerate the “look at me posts”, the “so not-tongue-in-cheek” comments and the political mumbo-jumbo of the entire platform. What it comes down to – the true beauty of this beast – is its absolute connectivity.
The phrase above translates to: “Give the little one a kiss and let her know it arrived from Rome”.
Can you think of a better message to receive?
Thank you Facebook.
What I hate the most about myself…..my love / hate relationship with exercise. I will find any excuse in the book to avoid it and then spend the better part of the day feeling guilty for missing it.
Most recently, I ventured to a new level of hate. To compensate for a very busy and hectic couple of weeks, I decided to try a new workout that I could do in the comfort of my own home. I am a sworn kettlebell fan, but with crazy schedules, I am unable to make the classes. Sure I could make up a routine that I can follow at home, but quite honestly, I lack the discipline.
Photo credit: Insanity Program
So I did something insane. I began Insanity. It’s brutal. It’s too hard. It makes me hate exercise more than ever. I am pretty much out of breath midway through the warm-ups and ready to puke. But remarkably, I love it – even the moment I want to puke.
One would think that with amount of posts I have devoted to this subject matter of exercise, I would be thin and in perfect shape. However, I am far from that. I am plump. I love to eat.
So for the next few weeks many of you will read posts about how awesome this program is (most likely the endorphins talking) only to find the next post ripping apart the very same program (I talked myself out of exercising). Please know I do not suffer for short-term memory or Tourette syndrome.
I simply have a love / hate relationship with exercise.
…happy, crazy, exciting, funny, scary,
overwhelming, insane, rewarding,
waist-changing, draining, full-filling.
It’s the best job I have ever been given.
Happy Mother’s Day!
I love HGTV. House Hunters International, Property Brothers, Love it or List……regardless of which show, it is my favorite station. So imagine my utter shock and delight when HGTV surprised me in my very own living room one year ago this week.
My Happy Place 
Mom Caves, where Beth Stern and Jared Walker Dostie give a very deserving mom a room makeover, had picked me through a combination of chance and connection. Let’s just say I may not have been the most deserving, but I have the very best husband. For one season, 13 mothers were given new living spaces that were nothing short of spectacular. In my completely biased opinion, it was HGTV’s best show on the air. However, the show was never renewed and very short-lived.
Book Club
And as was intended when the room was created, I have hosted many events in the space. Family parties, late night drinks by the fire with the Hubby, Book Club, Girl Scout meetings, PTO planning sessions and of course Ladies Night. Needless to say, the room has embodied the very spirit it was created for.
These days, I often am asked if I still like the room. And I have to say – I still hate wallpaper, but not my wallpaper. In fact, aside from adding more family photos and moving a chair to the other side of the space, the room has relatively stayed exactly the same. It has become my room and is affectionately called the “mom cave” by the kids, my hubby and everyone who visits. So one year later, my room remains the same and quite honestly, I believe it will remain this way for some years to come. I look back fondly on that week and despite suffering a wicked tax slap this past tax season, it was worth every minute.
Holiday Parties
This Mother’s Day, I believe there will be breakfast in bed, a convertible ride down to my beloved Jersey Shore for lunch, planting in the garden and a relaxing evening nestled on my couch with a good book and a fine glass of wine in my Mom Cave exactly one year since it’s completion – and I can’t think of a better way to spend the day.
Special Side Note: During the filming of Mom Caves, my very best friend who was part of the “cast” had literally found out she was pregnant with her first child during filming. I am happy to share that today, for her very first Mother’s Day, she will be celebrating with her very handsome little man and hubby.
