B Kind 2 Earth Day--April 22

Coming from a place of green alligators and long-necked geese, we are more than a little curious as to what native critters are in these parts.

In addition to the coyote I know I saw driving home late one night, (either that or dogs are really big here and they have lax leash laws) there are a lot of birds, squirrels, and horses. (Which I’m not sure are technically “native” but act like they own the place, so there you go.) There are also a number of trees, flowers and plant life that look vaguely familiar, but it’s been a decade since I’ve seen a tulip growing in the spring.

That’s why to celebrate B Kind 2 Earth Day on April 22, the kids and I will be visiting our local nature center at Warner Park to learn more about and appreciate our local flora and fauna.

Liking the B Kind to Earth Day page on Facebook is your way of making a commitment to be kind to our planet in your own way. It can be a trip to the nature center, or riding your bike or cloth instead of paper or plastic. Filling a bird feeder or planting a garden or whatever your family chooses to be conscious and kind to our earth on this special day. There are many fantastic partners in this cause, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to make a difference.

So like it, love it and be a part of it.

The juice and nothing but the juice

I’ve always thought the job of ambassador would be a pretty sweet one.

After a long distinguished career in politics, I would someday be rewarded for my stellar civil service with a posh post like Ambassador to Fiji or something. No where that I would have to be responsible for actual diplomacy, but a nice peaceful place with warm weather and ample tropical treasures.

Little did I know that despite not ever having served in public office before, I would someday obtain that coveted post of ambassador in a nice peaceful place with warm weather and ample tropical treasures of sorts. Right here in Florida.

Well, sort of.

I have become an ambassador for Tropicana’s Juicy Rewards program, and in addition to never having to worry about scurvy again, I think this makes me some sort of official diplomat in Florida.



Quite simply, the program awards you points for every carton of orange juice you buy when you enter the codes under the cap online. But this isn’t some crazy green stamp program where you and the Brady kids are collecting stamps for seven years and have to save four gajillion for a sewing machine that you will then have to defend in an intense house of cards battle with your brothers--no, this is a pretty easy, straight forward way to get fun prizes, offers and discounts with something you already buy. My first carton of O.J. was worth 3 points, and I can already redeem points for free admission to baseball games, theater tickets and bowling among other options.

And because I am a natural ambassador and really excited to share this, I’m going to give you some more inside juice if you sign up online for free right now.

Use the code MOTHE-RHOOD within 6 hours of registering for Juicy Rewards and you'll get one extra bonus point worth $5 in savings immediately!
To get your bonus point:
1. Go to www.tropicana.com
2. Set-up your Tropicana Juicy Rewards account (just takes a minute!)
3. Visit the "Enter Codes" page within the site and get started with MOTHE-RHOOD*
*This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY. Must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account.

I just went through the refrigerator here in my embassy and put 20 reward points in the bank. I’ve got my eye on some TaylorMade golf clubs perfect for afternoons on Fiji...


(Disclosure: While I don’t get diplomatic immunity in Florida or anywhere else for being an ambassador [I think we should revisit this technicality later] I did get 12 free points from Tropicana and O.J. money to try out the program.)

An early gift for me

Counting my blessings, 2008

I enjoy Thanksgiving much more than most holidays—a day that revolves around food and football, what’s not to love? But perhaps more than culinary appreciation, Thanksgiving by its very definition is a cynic’s day off. And frankly, full-time cynicism is an exhausting profession.

Last year I compiled my 2007 List of Things that I am Thankful For, and as I reviewed it this year, I realize very little has changed with the two exceptions that I would have made it longer and I would include the premature gratitude for winning that $30k from Huggies...

So I humbly present my list to you, and ask, what's on your list? Post here and we'll count our blessings together.

This year I’ve stopped at 101 for the sake of time. So in no particular order with the exception of number one...


1. My family
2. Presidential term limits
3. Amy’s doctors
4. The First Amendment
5. Faith
6. Windows
7. The unexplained
8. Old friends
9. New friends
10. Future friends
11. October 30, 1990
12. Kathy Butler
13. Saturdays
14. Hope
15. A big boy that stills thinks he’s smaller
16. A little boy who thinks he’s a whole lot bigger
17. Paris Hilton’s dimming spotlight
18. A tall eggnog latte
19. Home
20. Sunsets on the Gulf
21. Baby perfume
22. Buying only one size diaper at the store
23. For what I already have
24. A good book
25. Opportunity
26. My iPhone
27. Tasha
28. Spontaneity
29. Sangria
30. Truffle oil
31. Satellite radio
32. Surprises
33. Sacraments
34. A good pair of jeans
35. Fresh flowers
36. Having my hands full
37. Real butter and whole milk
38. Sand between my toes
39. Spring
40. Mascara
41. Fresh herbs in place of dried
42. That I didn’t get that tattoo
43. Christmas
44. Beating the spread
45. A sense of humor
46. A sense of perspective
47. Belly laughs
48. Liking the same music as my kids
49. A full tank of gas (but not the price tag)
50. Vacuum marks in the carpet
51. Lingering meals
52. With delicious conversation
53. The first day of the season you get to wear a sweater
54. Down comforters
55. Homemade anything
56. Hockey
57. My jobs
58. Road trips
59. Wifedom
60. Good health
61. Family traditions
62. Karma
63. Date night
64. A messy desk
65. Followed by a clean one
66. Lindsay Lohan off of the roadways
67. Footy pajamas
68. Online shopping
69. Sunshine sneezes
70. Did I mention the eggnog lattes?
71. The Sunday paper
72. When spammers and telemarketers get prosecuted
73. Dreary Russian novels
74. Proper grammar
75. TiVo
76. Grandparents
77. Birthday candle wishes
78. Christmas cards
79. Close parking spotsValet parking
80. Something simmering on the stove
81. Motherhood
82. Doing my best
83. New car smell
84. Thoughts.
85. Jokes
86. Everyone reading this
87. Parties for no reason
88. Dressing up
89. Bedtime stories
90. Being in love…still
91. Generosity
92. Thanksgiving
93. Lumps in my throat
94. Sleeping through the night
95. Recycling
96. Digging in
97. Not having to translate Amyspeak because it is obvious!
98. Birthday lunches with the girls
99. Baby slobber
100. Puppy slobber
101. That this list is so easy


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

(This post is on the front page over on TheMotherhood.com!)

I Vote for Election Day!

Today, it’s all about the election for me. Preparing for tomorrow when we can end this campaign season and can shelve phrases like, "I approve of this message," "Change the Maverick," and lipstick on anything.

Because no matter who wins, the campaign has to be over, and we have to move on. We need to stop talking, and start doing. And I need to seriously get a life far away from election coverage.

So tomorrow is a historic day on that front. I am dedicating the day to the act of voting, blogging about voting, and then standing sentry at my television set as I watch the returns come in whilst eating hot dogs and apple pie. I think I will pair a nice merlot with patriotism...Hopefully, by the end of the evening--fingers and chads crossed--we will have a new president, Congress, and new local landscape.

I will be participating in the Motherhood’s Mom’s Call in the Vote. I’ll be reporting from my polling place, and I urge you to do the same! This is a big deal, as the BBC reports here. Sign up today, and call in tomorrow. Let America know what your experience is, your thoughts, what you observe. I think that it is so important that we Moms are active and vocal in elections for the sake of our own little future voters. So, please participate and I’ll post updates tomorrow!

And this post from my dear friend Zen, and his early voting experience over the weekend seriously made my heart swell.

Go Vote!

A Soap Star, A Diva and Diapers

There is no doubt that my children and the Intern would call me a big loser for many reasons, but today I am officially--albeit loosely and tenuously--amongst those ranks....

Check out the "Celebrity Mom Spotlight" on Generation Huggies, and check out that mug on the same page as Alison Sweeney of "Days of Our Lives" and "The Biggest Loser" fame...yep, that's me! Gabbing about my thoughts on motherhood while along side of some other (ahem) famous welebrities. I am honored to be amongst this talented crew!

And so can you!

Submit your 60 second video regarding motherhood by November 20, 2008 and you could win prizes and be a part of a national ad campaign! Vote for others and with or without a video submission, enter to win the sweepstakes for $30,000!

Have fun and go Moms!

Huggies Weekend Wrap-Up

I am now back behind the computer in a dark room with “Yo Gabba Gabba” serenading me in the background rather than the exotic locations of the last 3 days. Bummer, ‘cause I was kind of getting used to being the “celebrity blogger.”

And now I will attempt to blog about blogging, which hurts my head a little, but I will blog on.

Basically, I was a part of this Generation Huggies promotion honoring Huggies 30th Anniversary. This mobile Huggies unit is going around the country registering Moms to win $30,000 (that’s dollars, not diapers) and film these 60 second interviews with real Moms about Mom stuff. I was able to talk to these amazing women and blog, text, video, and email photos to this really cool site TheMotherhood.com. It was so unique. (And as an aside, you can still do all of this online at GenerationHuggies.com)



The first night was in Celebration at an Oktoberfest. The girls and some brave friends accompanied me there. It was really fun night.



On Saturday, the crowd was smaller because we were in a different location, but we still got some good stuff. I got to talk with the crew that was traveling from city to city, and they were amazed at the diverse responses from all of the Moms (and some Dads!) they had interviewed so far.


Sunday we spent at the Winter Park Art Festival, which was bustling with thousands of families! We had no trouble finding lots of Moms who wanted to share their stories and answer my questions and pose for photos.


On the long ride home (which may be the most collective hours I’ve spent alone in 4 years) I listened to a lot of eighties music and thought about what this whirlwind weekend was all about.

*corny maternal reflection alert*

Watching the creation of this mosaic of motherhood was pretty fabulous, and while it is amazing how different motherhood looks on different people, it is more amazing still how universal it is.

And, just so you don’t think I’ve totally become a Hallmark card:


From the Generation Huggies Event in Orlando--The End.

Day 3!

The final day of Generation Huggies Diva Edition will wrap up today at the Winter Park Art Festival just Northeast of Orlando. I'm putting on my lipstick and swallowing gallons of coffee now.

We stayed out late watching the Lightning home opener and I'm crazy tired, but excited for the event today. It'll be pretty nice to spend a day at an art festival blogging away...

Day 2 in Orlando

We had a blast in Celebration last night with Generation Huggies. Please go to TheMotherhood.com and watch the videos, listen to the phone interviews, see the pictures and read the posts--there is so much there, it will feel like you were catching leaves and dancing in the rain with us.

We are now heading over to Pointe Orlando for another round of Diva talks Diapers. You know you want to see this....