The unwatched pot boilth over

So I woke up this morning having one of those days that you know is just going to be a fight. Not necessarily with anyone in particular--perhaps just yourself and some unknown gorilla in the mist who hates returning email.

Amy did not want to go to the doctor this morning. Struggle from here to South Tampa. Words did not want to come out of my fingers and flow prolifically onto the screen. No one has answered an email in days, and I've now officially tired of Jessie taking off her diaper by herself. Seriously over it.

So at about 2:00, I just stopped fighting the day. I picked up my book (a great read--The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao--and read. Then, when it got too hot, I swam and left my phone and the computer to deal with that damn gorilla themselves.

And you know what? During that 2 hour break I literally got 4 unexpected, yet very wonderful emails and 2 phone calls that replaced a couple of question marks with periods.

And even if all four of those emails don't come to fruition--the fifth one may just be my future career.

It was from the woman who conducted our wine tasting on Saturday. She was so impressed with my mad cooking skillz, she actually asked me to cater an event for her.

I got culinary game. At least I did on Saturday.

We need more Cascade

I'm ignoring the kitchen for a little while longer with coffee and the paper on the lanai.

It's an amazing mess in there--a load of clean dishes awaits to be unloaded, and every other plate, pan, cup, glass and pickle fork is piled--or stuck with a layer of apricot preserves--on the counter.

I suppose after watching one too many episodes of Top Chef, last night I prepared a 5 course tasting menu to go with our wine tasting event. Thinking this was not too ambitious a task for 13 guests, I prepared gnocchi with a lemon cream sauce, lamb chops with a mustard rosemary glaze, orzo with roasted vegetables, salt-encrusted beef tenderloin with a butter lettuce pesto, a delightful cheese course, and a white chocolate cheesecake topped with sliced strawberries.

It was delish if I do say so myself.

And a nice ending to this culinary decadence era as we lighten up a bit for summer. I can feel the gout settling into my toes as we speak. The kids got me a bike for Mother's Day that was thoughtfully delivered on Friday, so if the rain holds out we may take a debut ride.

If it does rain, then I guess the Olympic caliber kitchen cleaning will have to suffice as exercise today.

Ah, summer....

I am writing this tonight from my new laptop whilst watching the kids swim whilst sitting on the lanai whilst drinking a glass of wine whilst reminiscing of yesterday's first Thirsty Thursday whilst baking a white chocolate strawberry cheesecake for tomorrow's wine tasting event.

I love summer's whilst factor.

It seems as though those Nigerian Imperialists have made their way to Iraq...

Dear Sir,

I am Major.scott J.wright, an American soldier in peace keeping force in Iraq, I am serving in the military of the 1st Armoured Division in Iraq, as you know insurgents everyday and car bombs are attacking us.

We managed to move funds belonging to Saddam Hussein's family in the tune of USD$ 45 Million Dollars in cash. We want to move this money to you, so that you may keep our share for us till when we will come over to meet you.

You are to take 40% of the total 45 Million Dollars and keep 60% for me and my partners. Please No strings attached, we plan on using diplomatic courier and shipping the money out of Iraq in three large silver boxes using diplomatic immunity.

The boxes can be shipped out in 48hrs,so If you are interested kindly send me an e-mail signifying your interest including your most confidential telephone numbers for quick communication, then we can send to you the shipment details and the fright number and labels.


goodluck,

major.scott J.wright.


Seriously, who is still falling for this?

Uh, oh, she's getting all mushy again

Ah, summer eve. The school year ends tomorrow morning.

I say that with the joy of a mother who is looking forward to spending some time--prefarably after 8 a.m.--with her kids for a while, but also with gratitude for what we all have in our school.

I truly believe that teachers are our partners in educating our children. It isn't a single-starring role, because teaching is a 24-7 job.

We are all blessed with people that come into our lives and inspire us in unexpected ways throughout our lifetime. It can come from teachers, friends, classmates, neighbors, family...there is simply no limit to the amount and variety of sources, just whether or not we recognize and welcome them in.

This year, I've watched each of my children grow and thrive in very different ways. It hasn't always been a smooth ride, but even those bumps have taught very valuable lessons. And as I look at them today I realize just how beautiful they all look wrapped in quilts with these different patches of inspiration.

I am proud of them.

I am grateful for them.

And I am grateful for all of those other teachers who wrapped them up.

Psst...June. Over here...

Why hello, June, I've been waiting all year for you. Because you seem like a really fun month.

For instance, in two short days school will be out and we can sleep a little longer on your mornings. We started a garden this weekend (more on that awesome project later) and I look forward to spending much of the month playing in the dirt with my kids. June also marks the return of "Thirsty Thursdays," that wonderful day of fun with friends. And let us not forget that we are all off to Palm Island for a break on the beach--a trip we all look forward to as a major highlight of the year.

And even working June seems to be pleasant. I have a few projects on the horizon that I am really looking forward to diving into.

And so welcome, sixth month, birthstone pearl, flower rose. Home of Flag Day, Father's Day, the Stanley Cup Finals, and summer equinox. I'm so glad you are here--make yourself comfortable and I'll go fetch you a cold glass of lemonade.

Since it's Moo, is it the bovine flu?

See? I made one too many swine flu jokes and tonight I sit here with my little piglet behind me with a temp of 102.7 and the lethargy of an 87 year-old.

While of course it is not an official diagnosis of the swine flu, it is a crazy strain causing concern from the health department. It starts with body aches and high fevers and could last for 5 days. It's an odd symptom for a nine year-old if you ask me, and I can't remember ever seeing him this sick.

So we're watching, resting and fluid-ing, and trying to keep that fever under control. A good weekend to spend doing those things since we uncharacteristically have not much going on. Our big plans include making our new vegetable garden (yay!) and me moving out of my PC and into my new MacBook Pro. (Double-yay!) At this rate my next post will be from my Seattle lavender farm making homemade soap.

But tonight Matty fell asleep holding my hand so that's worth staying in town for.

Finding Amy

It wasn't that I thought that this day day would never come, it was that I didn't think it would come so joyously.

When Amy started preschool this year, to say I was leery would be an understatement. People kept saying, "She'll be fine," and I agreed but I didn't know if "fine" was what we necessarily should be going for. After all, countless doctors told me she'd be "fine" and then ignored her. I've also heard that not only wasn't she fine, but that I wasn't either because this speech therapist "knew that I want this to be a hearing issue, but it's not." Yes, every parent wants their child not to hear. That f-word has been tossed out for her whole life as it should be the ultimate goal rather than just a place card to something better.



So she started on a 3-day a week schedule as opposed to her classmates five. We continued with her speech therapy on those off days, continued monitoring her hearing every other month and rather quickly she became accustomed to her days.

She never complained about getting up early (much), and she would proudly display all of the wonderful creations she'd make.

Then she began to talk about her day. Unprompted, she'd tell a little story about a classmate, or what they made in art. Nothing out of the ordinary for most, but so extraordinary for the girl who couldn't talk for so long. But even more than her reports was that it was evidence that she was enjoying it. She liked playing with kids her own age, and they understood her and didn't notice anything different. If there was a word that she'd stumble on or couldn't recall, it was her friends that translated and even that was decreasing everyday. Her progress reports were just that--showing her progress in so many unexpected ways.



By April, we all agreed that she was more than ready to go 5 half days like everyone else. Again, she responded so well. She was singing her ABC's, counting--all of the things you would expect in a preschool class--but happily. Without frustration.

And I guess that was the difference--no frustration. It's so hard to make your way through a day navigating between what you can hear, say and understand when everyone expects you to. And it's hard to be happy when you're just trying to make it to fine.

So yesterday's preschool graduation was so much more for all of us. She got a little diploma that said she was ready for Kindergarten, but that's not what makes her ready.

Her teacher commented afterward that she had never seen such a "joy-filled" child.

Finding Amy has been the most heart-wrenching journey that I have ever experienced--filled with self-doubt, non-stop fight and maternal gut-checks every minute of her five years on this earth. There have been some monsters along our path, but there have also been some heroes--those who recognized that to get beyond fine may not be by a path that any of us could name, but that it was worth exploring.

Because there was a beautiful, healthy and happy little girl waiting at the end.



Thank you, Amy for waiting until we got there.

Unpacking my thoughts

Oh, Las Vegas, you flashing sanitarium in the desert. How I love to spend 72 hours within your loud, glittering confines gambling not only on the craps tables, but if I can safely escape that 73rd witching hour when one can turn into a Nick Cage screenplay. Let me see if I can appropriately capture your unique essence in one travelogue...


Traveling There



Las Vegas, Nevada is not the easiest city to get to directly. Every time I’ve been, it’s taken me several connections and hassle which seems pretty bizarre considering it is host to 40 million visitors a year. (Please do not be impressed that I have that number so quick to share--it didn’t come from Google, but from the 24-hour Vegas channel that played in our hotel room.) So this was no exception.

On the way there, we had to go by way of Cincinnati, and this adds needless hours of travel time. Not to mention having to arrive at the airport so ridiculously early so as to get through security. As an aside, might I say how disconcerting it is to me to disrobe in front of strangers. Call me a prude, but the only time I think I should be half-naked in front of an X-ray machine is at an M.D.’s office, not one belonging to a TSA. But I digress.

After logging as many flight hours as a Delta stewardess who still uses the word “aircraft” instead of “plane,” we arrived at McCarran International airport with 39 of those 40 million other visitors. It would have been faster to go by covered wagon pulled by harnessed manatee. The return trip was even longer by way of a delayed flight through Atlanta and one very drunk female passenger that shared her Vegas tales with us all. For 4 straight hours.

Lodging

We stayed at the Bellagio this time. Of course, it is beautiful. Oceans 11-20 were not filmed there for nothing. They have everything from the world’s largest chocolate fountain, indoor botanical gardens, fine art gallery, premiere shopping and dining, shows, gorgeous spa and pools, and oh yeah, that casino thing.



So we decided to check in and then check out the hotel. We dumped our bags in the very elegant room complete with electric drapes (I must have sent countless Morse code messages to guest at Caesar’s for as many times as I opened and closed the curtains) and went down to explore.

The blackjack and craps tables.

Dining

After that, we went to dinner at a much fancier place than we intended, but I am glad we did. One thing I will give this crazy city is that they know themselves the food. The good stuff. The yummy, unpronounceable, delicious delicacies that make your tongue remember even if your head forgets. We said we would try something different every meal, so I had a salad with smoked duck breast and some lollipop lamb chops and Sean had an eggplant appetizer that was absolutely divine. We would dine like this almost every meal--eating at wonderful restaurants, feasting on wonderful food. Even the “snacks” poolside were absolutely delicious.

Saturday night we ventured out of the strip proper, and rediscovered a small French restaurant that Sean had vaguely remembered from a past trip. It did not disappoint. We had a pheasant pate (despite Kiefer’s--our maitre d’--penchant for all things not foie gras), filet with a morel mushroom sauce and some sort of veal chop that shallots were born to grace. It was that good. Other culinary highlights included a chocolate croissant for breakfast on Sunday and poolside mojitos that were the best I’ve ever had. If not the most expensive.

Amenities

But somehow those poolside cocktails were well worth it. We spent our mornings not in the confines of the smoky casino, but baking on a terrazzo plank like a couple of salmon entrees. Dudes, it was hot. Freakishly hot--like we were in a desert or something. So we handcuffed ourselves to two lounge chairs at about 6 am every morning, and relaxed reading, people-watching and making suntan lotion tattoos. Sean is convinced that the “$” he painted on his belly was the reason for our success at the tables. I say it just confirmed that we spent $25 on useless Bellagio brand suntan lotion.

The Strip

They say that you can see the light beaming up through the Luxor’s pyramid from space. I say the only thing that it illuminates is all of the porn littered on the strip. But my guess is aliens can also see the giant drinks housed in plastic guitars that more than one reveler partook in 420 ounces of Tequila swimming around in a neon blue PVC replica of a Fender in the 125 degree heat whilst collecting Mardi Gras beads one thousand miles from the source.

Whatevs.

It is one of those experiences that adds to the collective American suffering or triumph. Or is a pretty good deterrent to stupidity.

But I do love walking it as a means to tour the different hotels. There are sights there worth seeing, and it is a pretty fun way to spend an afternoon wandering.

Gaming

Gambling is not the only way to get fleeced in Vegas. Consider some of the dumber tourist traps you can fall into if you aren’t careful.

“Minus 5” is an ice bar that sounds pretty hip, until you get there and realize that in this case “hip” means “idiotic.” We paid a ridiculous sum of money--even by Vegas standards--to be clad in down parkas used 5 minutes before by some other unsuspecting thrill-seeker and thrust into a walk-in freezer with a couple of ice cubes for chairs with the choice of 1 of 5 vodka/Chambord cocktails guaranteed to make you vomit before you finish it. I would post pictures, but one of the many, many, many rules in the Ice Age saloon is no paparazzi. But I hijacked this one is courtesy of The LA Times.


Perhaps just as well.

Entertainment

Like everything, there are trends that dominate. Right now in Vegas-style entertainment we are in the Cirque age. Cirque du Beatles, Cirque du Elvis, Cirque du Cirquety Cirque Cirquaroo.

A disclaimer right now--not the biggest Cirque du anything here. I have seen one, and I’m good for life. To me, it’s one of those events that is supposed to be more artsy than it actually is to make you feel better about partaking in the no-so artsy Las Vegas. Like your cultural sensibilities are somehow redeemed by gambling on a French acrobat not falling to his death from a silk ribbon suspended from the MGM Grand than on putting it all on black on the roulette wheel. Let’s just call it what it is, and have at that cup of $175 tea if that’s to your liking.

I’ll stick to my $14 mojitos.

And just so you don’t think my only shade of green this weekend was jade, one of the highlights of this truly wonderful trip was watching the fountains at Bellagio on a terrace watching the sunset with my husband, a Frank Sinatra song and a $22 mojito.




Worth every penny.

What happens in Vegas goes on the blog. More later.

I hate pushing wet shopping carts

The only way to really describe this week is wet. It is uncharacteristically rainy here--we've been in a drought for so long that at first we were all glad for the rain, but after 8 straight days, I'm kind of over it. Everything is wet--the floors, my hair, the cars, clothes, my nasal passages from a hideous cold budding--it's a film of water atop every blessed thing that doesn't have a chance to dry out before the next wave hits. It's rather unpleasant.

And I guess this has made my fingers soggy, too. Because I have all of these great ideas swimming around my head for things to write, but my fingers are not cooperating by typing them all out in those fancy sentences that are generally helpful in written expression.

So I'm sitting here with wet nails and a mud mask drying on my face. Because I figure a desert is a pretty good place to dry out from the rain.

Just sayin'.

I'm packing better shoes this time

Someone out there must have seen that baby needs not a new pair of shoes, but rather we need a few days respite from tripping over said shoes. Vegas is back on.

*deep exhale*

I need this. We need this. It's been even more chaotic than usual these last few months and a few days away in a desert might be pretty therpuetic. Besides, these last few days of school very well may have me jump from the Hoover dam. This International Peace Day project at school has some many components that I’m thinking we should withdraw from NATO and adopt an isolationist foreign policy. Seriously. We’ve got something like 10 school days left and unless we take a field trip to a tapas bar, I really don’t have much creative energy left for a tri-fold board on Spain.

Nevada, yes, Spain, no.

The Weekend o' Stevie

If we could have squeezed one more thing in this weekend, Friday would have exploded into Saturday, and those pieces would have been littered all over Sunday. There simply was not an empty moment.

And most of those moments were filled with Stevie.

I don't often gush on about my oldest son--not because he doesn't give me ample opportunity--but because that's just not the way we usually roll. But he had a pretty awesome week, one of those rare occasions when he will later say, "It was pretty great to be 13."

He was elected Student Council President on the same day as the graduation dance in which all things 13 look 30 and their mothers weep like infants in the corner.



On Saturday, the whole family spent an afternoon on the beach swimming, lounging, eating and looking at boats. It's been a while since all six of us were together for a leisurely afternoon.

Sunday was the sports banquet at school, and while I knew he was going to win one individual award, we were both surprised with the two he won. The basketball award was presented with some very touching words from the coach, and I swear it took all I had not to weep again like an infant in the corner.



I wrote on Facebook that it was a pretty great weekend. Stevie wrote back, "It will be hard to top."

I'll make sure he knows that I am just as proud of him every single ordinary day, and always will be.

Follow before the birds get them

At some point I hope to have all of my various updates housed in a cute little bungalow on one beachfront spot on the Internet. That has yet to happen in this real estate market, so I am forced to leave little diva bread crumbs (I think a nice crusty baguette) to lead you to all things crazy.

So please check out SuburbanDiva.com for some updates.

Thank you.

Well, that was fun. Not.

Some days are just harder than others.

Not in grandiose major woe-is-me ways, but just a day when the smallest things are infinitely more complicated than they should be for no good reason at all.

Like...

When you spend most of the day uncharacteristically cleaning like a crazy person only to have Jessie find a tiny little bottle of gray nail polish (which should never be a hue chosen for nail polish which makes one wonder where this loathsome bottle came from anyway) and paints her belly because she doesn't have the nickname "messy Jessie" for nothing.

Or....

When you and your husband have been planning a little desperately needed, adults-only weekend getaway away coming up alarmingly soon and all of a sudden 8 days before departure with no details in hand you discover the person that was supposed to be arranging said trip has been let go without any warning or make-up plans or even someone else to take over and you can't even blame it on the Swine flu.

And of course....

You could always have the GE Security system return to your house because the boss of their lackey as described below, really wants to make sure you know what a good deal you could get. (But he's not going to tell you all that in one succinct message, he's going to make you guess because for some reason this company is more into the telepathic mode of advertising.)


And then...

Don't forget all of that other unbloggable drama and you've got yourself a day that needs to end with a glass of wine and a good book.

So...

I think that's what I'll do.

The Most Ineffective Sales Pitch of the Week

Today, more of my finite writing genius time was interrupted by a knock at the door.
A young man is standing there with a clipboard.

Him: Are you the homeowner?

Me: Yes...

Him: Ok, well I'd like to advertise in your yard.

Me: Um, for what? (This could be a multitude of services, and I'm not even saying I would have said no at this point.)

Him: (He almost made the "whatever" sign on his forehead, but instead, he points to the logo on his wrinkled, ill-fitting golf-shirt.)

Me: (I'm old and blind and holding back a killer Jingle dog. Seriously, dude, why are you making me work so hard?)

Him: It's GE Home Security systems.

Me: (Apparently, I'm supposed to either a.) be impressed that GE has gone beyond light bulbs, microwaves and television broadcasting into the home security biz or b.)swoon that my yard was chosen to hold an unsolicited sign.) Ah, no?

Him: (Smart boy. He anticipated my hesitation.) For compensation we will give you a home security system.

Me: (WTF? We had to go through all that for this?) I already over-pay for a security system. Thanks, though.

Him: (Quite skeptical-looking.) Really? (He looks around for a sign.)

Me: Yeah, and apparently I need to upgrade.

Get off of my lawn, you tool.

If I see one GE Security sign on my street tonight I'm totally selling that neighbor some magic beans.

Sorting through...

....laundry.

....toys.

....perspectives.

...the real and imagined.

...worthwhile topics.

....what I need to do and what I want to do.

....my closet contents.

...psychic debris.

...my desk.

...options.

It's an odd Monday to be sure.

Mother's Day plans

I'm wasting some time tonight on the Internet with this must-see, Awkwardfamilyphotos.com, just because I can.

Here's my dilemma du jour:

Tomorrow we all have loose plans to go to the zoo--which is forecast to be 175 degrees in the shade a strong northerly downwind from the orangutan cages. Do I a) take Sean's very generous offer to stay home and do whatever it is one does without kids (or interns) in the house for a few blissful hours, or b) go.

You're so choosing (a) aren't you?

I don't normally do this, but...

...but today is different.

I posted my thoughts on Mother's Day here on Whoa Momma. If you know me at all, you know I'm not a fan of this day. (And if you don't know me, read the article for better insight.)

Sometimes I admit to still being somewhat reticent of posting this type of content because the more you put out there, well, the more that's out there, and the more vulnerable you are.

But you know what? Sometimes there's safety in numbers. And when you unwittingly touch people who share a similar experience, it actually ends up to be quite a powerful thing.

So even if you don't get through my long-winded post, read the reader's comments. It's so refreshingly beautiful to read an entire thread dedicated to just strangers being vulnerable with one another for a change, paying spontaneous tribute to their own wonderful mothers. I promise you, it will take your breath away.

I'm blaming it on the vodka sauce

I'm still fighting through a post-Cabernet haze, but there are so many wonderful announcements, that I am going to persevere.

First off, our friends at Hallmark are giving Sarah H. and Jeanellen V. some awesome greeting card gift packs for Mother's Day, Father's Day and everyday. Thanks to them, and to all who entered.

Secondly, the reason I had so much Cabernet was because last night's Suburban Diva Pizza Party at Vincenzo's was so delicious, I just couldn't help but linger over the food and company. The winning selections (which will be featured on next week's menu as the pizza specials) were a chicken Picatta pizza (yum) and a vodka sauce, prosciutto, arugula. But seriously, we tried so many delicious entries--it was a tough call. Here's a picture before the 4th bottle of wine.



We had so. Much. Fun. We had door prizes and Twitter fun, too. It was so enjoyable in fact, that perhaps I should start planning a Suburban Diva cocktail or entree contest next. (Hint: it won't be Cabernet...)

What's on my mind this Wednesday

So I think after tonight’s party at Vincenzo’s (which I will be Twittering live so you can tune in there and win some swag if you aren’t able to make it live and in person--follow me @Subdiva) and tomorrow night’s Mom’s Nite Out event at Tyrone Square Mall, I may just be done with the fun media events for a couple of weeks. Hmmm...maybe I’ll clean a closet or something.

But I probably won’t. Instead, I think I’m going to turn my attention to getting a new computer. Not a new pc, but a new...do I dare say it aloud? Apple.

Yep, I’m going to become one of those annoying tech nerds that spouts off about the technical superiority of the Mac. So please don’t hate me, but I need the foodnetwork.com to load in less than 87 minutes and not shut down every other open window.

I can’t help it. Right now, after an exhaustive update on all virus, anti-spy ware, defragmenting, sweeping, and oriental massages that are illegal in 28 states; I have some sort of bug that only allows me to cut and paste every other Thursday and no backspacing at all. Apparently, Vista demands not only perfect typing skills, but a non-fickle mind as well. It seriously takes all of my finite patience not to rip the stupid thing from the wall and hurl it into the pool after every. Single. Email. I’ve got your clean disk right here.

So when I think about all of the time I’m going to save not fighting with this ridiculous OS, well, I just might be able to clean that closet after all.

A So Unlike Me Weekend

On Laundry Monday, I did...laundry. I was trying to come up with an alternative punchline, but I couldn't.

But before Laundry Monday, there was Go to the Mall Sunday and Make Your Own Crayon Saturday. The latter two activities are so unlike me, that they deserved a whole day name dedicated to the novelty of the occurrence in my house. And pictures because I know you don't believe me.

First, we took all of our broken crayons and mixed the colors in a mini muffin tin after spraying with cooking spray.



Then, we baked them at 275 degrees until they molten mini cupcakes of hot wax.

We placed in the freezer for just a second to harden and to spill on the frozen pancakes, and voila! Weird little discs o' crayon.



They were fun for about 4 seconds before they realized it was awfully difficult to color inside the lines of any other drawing than a large open sky or ocean. An orange-razzmatazz-Burnt Sienna sky.

The mall outing was significantly more fruitful since I spent $700 at Build-A-Bear. And $19 on the greatest T-Shirt ever.



But I did have to brave the haunted house-esque of Hot Topix--the most macabre retail outlet ever created this side of Hell, so the Sonic T-shirt's actual value is similar to the Build-A-Bear bill.

But I got a free birthday gift of lip gloss at Sephora, so it's all good.

P.S. Keep those comments coming on the gifts from Hallmark, and t-2days until Vincenzos. What's on your pizza?

It was my birthday, but I'm giving you a gift

You know all of those wonderful cards you all sent me for my birthday revolving around drinking and sparkles? Well, right back atcha!

Hallmark is providing two of you lucky readers with some beautiful greeting card gift packs. These include those wonderful recordable cards for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and some of their redesigned 99 cent everyday cards.

I have to tell you, I sent my Grandpa a recordable card of the kids for Valentine’s Day, and when we came up to visit he pulled it out from the drawer he keeps by his chair. He loved it and listened to his great-grandchildrens' voices over and over.

So leave a comment here or Divamail me by Wednesday, May 6th, and we’ll have a drawing for the winners just in time to get you hooked up for Mother’s Day.

Ready, set...Comment! (I even included a picture of my birthday cake to inspire you. Jerks.)

The Day After Tracey I guess

Day one of the last year in my thirties and the last year I tell the truth about my age...

So here we find ourselves on May 1st wondering how that happened. I know for me, April was pretty crazy, and while I certainly had some experiences I won't soon forget, May is looking pretty sweet. The countdown until the end of school officially begins even though I've been marking my calendar since Christmas.

My birthday was wonderful, thank you all who made that so with your kind wishes. The girls took me out for sangria and red velvet cake for lunch. I think there was other food involved, but who really cares after those two stars? Certainly not me. Dinner was at Vincenzo's which reminds me to invite you locals there for our Suburban Diva tasting on May 6th. Divamail me for details on that. And Sean and the kids got me some fabulous outdoor furniture to rest my old legs, and the Intern selected some wine for me to sit on said furniture and drink. Very, very nice. Matty had his whole class sign a card for me, and then made a wonderfully flowery art project that is very un-9-year old like. He even suggested crepes for dinner and he hates crepes.

So cheers and thank you dear friends.

An early gift for me

Tracey Eve

It's Tracey Eve.

That's what we call the day before our birthdays. Actually, only Matty does because his joy for all things birthday-related is not limited to his own. He is sweet that way.

I've worked my tail off the last few days, and so this afternoon I'm going out to lunch with the girls. Tonight is dinner out at Vincenzo's because I love it and I'm gearing up for the pizza party in a week. (Have you sent in your toppings entry??) But other than that, my birthday wishes are simple and few.

1.) I really wish Amy would play soccer at her game tomorrow. Sitting on my lap in her cleats from the sidelines is no fun for either of us.

2.) Intern solves foot issue.

3.) Husband solves unrelated foot issue.

4.) The prolific and talented writing fairy completes my next assignment by deadline brilliantly.

5.) Ditto on arrival of grocery store fairy.

6.) A long, solid night's sleep.

7.) A good hair day.

8.) Lots of laughter, but not the awkward kind.

9.) Book report fairy, please join your pixie brethren.

10.) Sangrias have no calories.

Picnic with A Purpose

A home for runaway girls in Virginia Beach. An abused women’s shelter in Atlanta. A soup kitchen in Detroit. A resort for terminally ill children in Orlando.

A boy’s home in Safety Harbor.

These are just some of the small charitable organizations around the country that are benefiting from Hebrew National’s “Picnics with a Purpose” this summer.

Actually, our Picnic with a Purpose actually had a dual one. To kick off the summer with a family BBQ with our friends, but also to benefit Attention Home--a local group home for disabled boys and young men. For almost 30 years, they have taken in some of the victims of Florida’s worst cases of child abuse, giving them not just shelter, but a home.



My family and I have worked with Attention Home for almost ten years now. Once we heard their stories and met the boys, turning away wasn’t an option. We have helped organize toy drives every year since, but their need truly knows no season. On Sunday, we gathered with our friends for family food, fun and games, but instead of asking our guests to bring the potato salad, we asked them to bring a new summer toy instead. Nothing expensive--a pack of sidewalk chalk or a new playground ball. We also got a park bench that we decorated, and invited some of the boys over to enjoy the day with us--playing games and making crafts.



It wasn’t a benefit gala or a silent auction raising millions, but supporting a charity doesn’t have to be on that scale in order to be hugely effective. On the contrary, small local community events like a simple outdoor picnic can be the most meaningful way to support a charity that is important to you and your family. We’ve compiled a kit of all of our party instructions, games and recipes to host your own “Picnic with a Purpose” on TheMotherhood.com, but you could certainly get creative with your own. Couple a Sunday BBQ with a summer toy drive or Memorial Day with a canned food drive. And the next Girl’s Night Out could be an opportunity to collect toiletries for your local homeless shelter.



The gestures don’t have to be large to make a huge impact, especially now.

We had a really wonderful day together enjoying the simplest of summer’s pleasures. 2009 will not be defined as what we give up, but rather what we give back.

No words, but pictures!

I am still searching for the right words to adequately describe this weekend. All of the ones that I thought would apply--wonderful, awesome, fun-filled--seem inadequate now. Our Hebrew National "Picnic with a Purpose" to benefit Attention Home was indeed all of those things, but so much more.

So while I look for more awe-inspiring appropriate superlatives, I'll give you pictures.

Who took the 25th hour I needed today?

Good Saturday morning to you.

The first batch of cupcakes are in the oven (it's only 8:15 for the love of God) and I'm sitting here waiting for the coffee and Internet distraction to kick in.

It's going to be a busy day with picnic preparations, but we also have 2 birthday parties and a dinner engagement as well. And I really, really, really need for the this cold to vanish is a puff of a vitamin C cloud.

And if one of the side effects of Sudafed could be curing a case of general grouchiness that has descended upon this house last night, that would be appreciated, too.

Thanks.

Suze Orman's Financial Advice for Mothers

I really hate to start out anything by saying, “These are really tough economic times we’re in.” That’s like saying Bruce Springsteen plays leads vocals for the E Street band. Duh. Now let’s just hear a rousing rendition of “Born in the USA” and move on please.

But because we are living in the times That Shall Not Be Named, there is a need to be extra vigilant with our personal finances. Enter Suze Orman.



In a recent interview sponsored by Avon, Suze talked specifically about women--mothers--taking control and empowering themselves financially. She says that as mothers, one of our many jobs is to serve as responsible examples financially to our children. “There is nothing wrong with making money,” and we must teach them to take care of themselves by first taking care of ourselves.

Is now the time to start your own business? Maybe, Suze says. “If it’s a service of needs versus wants,” it may be viable now. She advises to do your research, and make sure that you have the funds to not only start the company, but keep it going.

But don’t use up all of your savings as initial capital, she warns. Nor loans on 401(k)’s, home equity, or severance packages if you don’t already have an 8 month cushion of savings in the bank. Instead, she says to try to get a small business loan or a government subsidized funding if available.

The biggest startup mistakes women make are underestimating the ongoing costs of business and paying everyone but themselves. Be sure to determine if you need additional liability insurance as well.

What can you do now? After you get your eight month cushion, pay off the IRS and any outstanding student loans. These are two dangerous debts because the government can legally seize your assets at any time, and most students loans compound and can’t be absolved even through bankruptcy. Suze still thinks 529 are the best way to save for college.

She doesn’t see this unsteady market calming completely until 2015. She estimates that there will be some rebounds and slides in the interim because “the economy is like a football field, and the players are on financial steroids.” Once those steroids wear off or the players (like banks and corporations) become injured again, we’ll be right back where we started.

So she says to play “Risk” by planning for the worst while things are still okay. Don’t underestimate your power to control your spending and savings, and she’s offering some tools to get there.

In addition to a “Save Yourself” no fee, high return account which she offers on her website SuzeOrman.com, she is also offering another powerful tool that all women (and men and families) should have. For the next 24 hours, you can download for free the legal documents you need for a “Will and Trust Kit” that is valid in all fifty states. She estimates it is about a $2500 value, but could be priceless toward protecting your family’s financial future. Just go to suzeorman.com and click the "Will & Trust Kit" link in the blue bar on the left-hand side of the home page. Click the orange "Gift Code" button and enter "Moms Rule" into the gift code field. This gift code will be valid until 12:00PM EST on Saturday, April 25th.

But the most important lesson of the day?

“Remember, you are a powerful woman because of who you are rather than what you have.”

Stick another case in my Bad Mommy file...

...because I actually bribed Amy to play her soccer game with this:

If you play in your game, you can have candy for dinner.

She must really hate soccer or particularly craved broccoli tonight.

Thursday

Midweek Update:

Picnic: I have secured all of the craft materials, and might I say, I am pretty proud of my efforts. I’m not much by the way of non-edible crafts, but I’m going to have a house full of room Moms, and so the bar has been raised. The kids will be making summer scrapbook pages and decorating aprons.

As far as the menu, I’ve perfected my cupcake prototype. Here’s a sneak peak.

I swearz if cupcakes were an Olympic sport, I’d medal in it. Since Hebrew National is providing us with plenty of their 100% beef no artificial anything hot dogs and veggie dogs, I’m keeping my sides simple as well. A red, white and blue potato salad which has received rave reviews in the past, and a pasta salad made with orzo, pine nuts and a simple lemon olive oil vinaigrette. After some fruit skewers and lemonade, I think we should be good.

Sean’s foot: Still broken, but at least he has a walking cast as of this morning and has lost the walking aids. He is traveling today, so at least he won’t have to check his crutches through security.

Date night: has officially changed to Wednesdays for the next 8 weeks as soccer for Matty and Amy now occupy our Tuesdays. So last night we did our errands until a dinner of Nyquil croquettes and Sudafed risotto because I’ve got a killer of a cold starting and I am screaming to the Vitamin C gods, “Please, please, please, not this week!”

I'm chatting with Suze tomorrow

Do you have a money question for the gura of greenbacks, Suze Orman? I'll be asking her your questions tomorrow during an interview, so if you have a question you'd like answered, please leave a comment or divamail me!

A little Earth Day fun with the kiddos

Looking for a great way to help celebrate and educate Earth Day with your little ones? PBS’s Sid the Science Kid will air its Earth Day-themed episode, “The Dirt on Dirt,” on April 22.

We just recently discovered Sid in our house, and I have to tell you, my kids and I really like this program. It’s produced by The Jim Henson Company, so you know you are getting quality content in your kids’ entertainment. This episode in particular was particularly informative and entertaining.

So watch the show and learn what makes dirt so dirty and then go online with your kids for more Earth Day related activities on www.pbskids.org/sid.

You won’t have to look much farther for good clean fun.

Picnic with a Purpose

I refuse to define the summer of 2009 as what I give up, but rather what I give back.

That’s why I am honored to partner with Hebrew National to host a "Picnic with a Purpose," this Sunday.

Actually, it’s a picnic with dual purposes. One is to kick of the summer with good friends as we focus on quality time together--getting the kids together to play some games, make crafts, and of course feast on the quintessential quality summer classic--Hebrew National hot dogs.

But we’re also going to give back some summer love. You’ll remember from my annual pleas for Christmas toy donations, that Attention Home, a group home here in Pinellas County for disabled boys and young men, is a special place very near and dear to our family. We began working with Attention Home almost ten years ago when we first moved here after we heard about the wonderful work they do to care for some of the worst child abuse victims in the state.

Every Christmas since, we’ve helped to organize a toy drive for the boys, but their needs are truly year round. So as our guests gather this Sunday for some summer fun, each will be bringing a new summer toy to donate to the home. I’ve also invited Attention Home residents K. and B. to join us, and we will also be able to present them with a new park bench that they can use at their new lake property. They have been working every weekend for a couple of years to get the place ready for the big move.

I’ll be talking about the picnic plans all week, but the very best part of this whole project will be that all of the activities, recipes, and ideas (including hot dog cupcakes!) will be available to download from TheMotherhood.com so you can host your own Picnic with a Purpose this summer. Choose a charity that means something to you and your family, and then share the joy with your friends.

Together, we can make this summer one about giving back instead of giving up.

I won a Pulitzer!*

*Well, not yet, exactly.

But the fine newspaper, The St. Petersburg Times, in which I regularly contribute non-Pulitzer writing did win 2 this year, so I figure perhaps that means that I can vicariously celebrate in a non-contractual, contributing freelancing sort of way.

Congratulations to the real writers out there.

Monday again

I dropped half of them at school. J is still sleeping off Easter vacation and Stevie is home sick after scoring the tying goal in his last hockey game of the season. I hope anyway--please stomach gods, let it be something he ate...

It feels as though we've been out of our routine for about six years. It's really been 2 weeks, but I'm fumbling around this morning trying to recall which uniform they are supposed to wear on Monday and why I didn't buy more watermelon for Amy's snack. But we did manage to squeeze in a whole lot of fun during this vacay, including 2 birthdays--Matty's 9th rounding out the week last night.



I don't know if there has ever been a child that loved birthdays more than this one. I hope he never grows out of that.

There's no easing into this week--we're hitting Monday running. At least I am because Sean can't run anywhere with his foot in a cast. He's traveling so I don't exactly know how that's going to work, but what can you do? I personally think he's secretly enjoying getting out of all of my ridiculous tasks I have set up for him during Week o' Crazy.

The Intern is going to be busy.

A funny thing happened on the way to the volleyball courts

Well, hello. Looking for a post-holiday wrap-up, are you? Well, okie dokie.
Settle back, this one might take a while.

When last we left my pre-vacation self, I was standing in line at Fresh Market waiting for my butterflied leg of lamb with the rest of central Florida. That Easter Eve, I managed to get the house cleaned, food prepared, (including homemade bread, mind you) get to the wine store and fill some baskets in time for our Easter feast. But these four looked so tasty that I could have gobbled them up.



After church on Sunday, we shared our meal with some great friends and most of the wine I purchased the day before. We played Kingers, and Danny somehow ended up winning even though I do not remember him coloring any of the eggs...I think this one might end up with an asterisk in the record books.

After vacuuming up the eggshells on Monday morning, we high-tailed it over to Orlando to spend some quality time with one of my all-time favorite hotels, the J.W. Marriott. Oh, how I love this hotel.

We spent Monday afternoon becoming reacquainted with its lazy river and poolside lounge chairs. Which ended up to be a good thing, because Tropical Storm Fun-Killer rolled in on Tuesday and we were quarantined to our high thread-count beds watching movies in between wandering the hotel. At one point, I was staring at the typhoon coming down and noticed it had even started to hail.

Not missing a beat, Amy exclaimed, "That means we're in hail??"

Yes, actually. Orlando in the rain can be described as exactly that.

Wednesday was much better. The sun appeared early and so did we. Camped out on the lazy river, we spent the day swimming, laughing, and playing.



We waded. We floated.



We racked up a mean tab from the waiter because who wants to leave this?



Amy declared that we should "stay here forever" as she gobbled up the chocolate on her pillow, and I really, really, really agreed.

And perhaps we would have if Sean hadn't got all jiggy on the volleyball court and broke two toes and three bones in his foot.

But it was an amazing shot, and that girl who he kicked going down was 10, not 8, thank you very much.

It occurs to me that I left the blogosphere with nary a word of explanation.

It is our spring break so for the next few days, if it van be handled from an iPhone on a loungechair near the Tiki bar, I will attend to it. If not, I'll check back with you on Friday.

Thanks.

Happy Birthday Jessie!

Our little messo Jesso turned two today.



Two. I'll admit to having trouble grasping this one. It doesn't seem possible that this baby isn't much of a baby anymore. She's a little girl with likes (Yo Gabba Gabba) and dislikes (mornings). She wants to do everything by herself now--she has to climb up in her car seat by herself which literally adds 25 minutes to every outing. She needs to be with her brothers and sister if they aren't at school, and she's starting to shun her highchair.

Sigh. At least I can still hang on to her betwixt request she still makes several times a day. When she wants to be held because sometimes being big isn't all it's cracked up to be, she'll toddle up to me with arms outstretched and say, "Ma, I carry you."

You absolutely do, little one. You absolutely do.

Day One

Spring Break Day 1 Report:

We woke up after the sun came up.

What happened after that is basically irrelevant.

Let's repeat this schedule tomorrow.

At long last

The last bell has rung for a while at school, and now I have home field advantage.

Bring it on, Spring Break. I am sooooo ready.

I wish I would have gone just to see his face

Although it was only Matty and Sean who attended Wrestlemania this weekend, we all lived vicariously through them by seeing pictures, watching the $55 pay-per-view event here and choke-slamming each other at every opportunity.

They are scheduled to arrive back home any minute, but I think this was pretty much the highlight of his eight year existence.



And that's about as good as it gets.

Suburban Diva pizza?

I've got the coolest contest for April. If you are local, or even if you plan on visiting the Tampa/St. Pete area in your lifetime, then we want to give you dinner at Vincenzo's restaurant--my personal favorite.

Simply come up with the toppings for the "Suburban Diva" pizza, and you'll win 1 of 2 $50 gift certificates to one of the best restaurants in town.

We'll play like this: submit your topping ideas to me at Divamail@SuburbanDiva.com and at the end of the month we'll have a big tasting party at Vincenzo's with the top topping recipes. Winners will receive the gift cards, a book, a great dinner and any other prizes I can come up with. (If you are not local, play along anyway and I'll make sure you win a tasty treat as well.)

Keep in mind that I am a pretty adventurous eater and love all things food related except broccoli. The winning pizza could end up on the menu, so start emailing those ideas! I will pass along more details on the big party as we move closer.

No April Fool's

So I suppose I should post some miscellaneous miscellaney while I am waiting for the perfect ending to my current article to appear magically on the document whilst we chat. It seems as though I've left some few loose ends over the last few weeks that I should tie up or something. So in no particular order except the randomness of my thoughts:

~Sleepover/Campout went well. Half of them made it in the tent until about 2 a.m. when it started raining, then everyone stayed awake until 5 giggling. Except Sean who was pretty tired after sleeping on the lanaii waiting for the rain. I made cupcakes which officially qualifies me for anti-psychotic drugs and 42 cats.

~A couple of weeks ago I signed up for one of those fancy wind inspections that Florida insurance companies are offering. I waited until the last minute because frankly, I thought this was just another scam to bilk me for the $150 inspection, and then sign up for $25,000 worth of wind shutters in order to save .47 cents on our homeowners insurance. Um, hello, was I wrong. Our annual premium dropped by over $2000 dollars. Hello, bonus. That's some serious fat stacks we just saved.

~Matty and Sean are off to Houston this weekend for a little Wrestlemania action. You have never seen such a happy child. It is so sweet to see how excited a ladder match can make an 8 year old.

~We've all got a lot of things in the hopper right now. New projects, new opportunities and general newness. And it's really exciting. I don't know what will be there after the sorting process, but I think it will be an adventure. And that can't be bad.

Bedtime Stories for the whole family

This is a scene from the newly-released movie, Bedtime Stories, starring Adam Sandler. And I just have to say that if you like family movies, or even just like families in general, then this is the perfect film for you.

Seriously.

The summary on the box is pretty accurate. “Skeeter entertains his niece and nephew with elaborate, original bedtime stories that transport them to exotic locales, including ancient Greece, the Wild West and outer space. When he tries to help his family by telling one outlandish tale after another, it’s the kids’ unexpected contributions that turn all of their lives upside down. Full of imaginative special effects and good-natured hilarity, Bedtime Stories is a winning combination of comedy and adventure.”

I loved this. We watched it together last Saturday morning, and each of us laughed aloud in different places. And not out of stifled embarrassment at something inappropriate, but honest laughter because it is just very clever.

The movie even received an even more dubious stamp of honor the very next day when eight third-graders camping out overnight watched together the entire time captivated and completely entertained.

So if you are looking for a great story, at bedtime or otherwise, I highly recommend starting with this one.

Flowing into the weekend

I'm in the ebb cycle of my posting this week. Blech. I hate this bimonthly lack of inspiration that seems to plague me.

However, after a weekend camp-out with six 3rd graders tomorrow, I'm sure I'll have plenty to talk about. That's right, the Intern left last night for a weekend furlough back home, so to fill the dead space with boy squeals and smells, M. has invited his posse over for a sleepless half-night in the backyard.

It will be a mere hour before they can't take it and we'll move the party inside, but the boys are looking forward to this with unbridled enthusiasm, so we will attempt tent set-up 101 for the cause.

I'm off to target for supplies--marshmallows, batteries for the flashlights and a gross of Advil.

Are you sure we don't need milk?

Ah, Tuesday. My little mid-week Spongebob respite. How I've missed you...

This Tuesday's date night which is usally filled with errands, eyebrow waxing, HOA meeting dramas, grocery store runs sans "help," and the ocassional appointment has none of those things on the agenda this evening. Weird. I hardly know what to do.

So I think after hitting the gym someone should meet us out for cocktails.

Who is in?

Please send help

I know I need to seriously step away from the cupcake book now.

How to get into the salon when they are already completely booked:

Just repeat what your 8 year-old said to you that morning when looking at your head.

"Mom, you look like a skunk."

Female humiliation is universal, they will squeeze you in.

I wonder what mammel I'll be compared to today.

If I've ever asked you to pick one up in car line, I didn't mean you...

Sunday's paper. My first feature. Happiness.

I need to clear up something here because it's come up with my friends and I feel bad--this article wasn't directed at you! It's for the strangers that feel the need to comment on my ovary production at every flippin' inappropriate moment, not to people that actually know me. So, really, I wasn't talking about you--just the creepy guy behind you. :)

I'm just now catching up on all of the very nice emails and comments I have received. Yesterday, I was in an ibuprofen-induced stupor because of some crazy shoulder thing that has the right side of my body paralyzed. It was either from swinging a baseball bat the day before with the kids, or all of the worry I've had over this piece concentrated in a large knot in my hypothalamus.

Friday the 13th, squared

Because this is the second month in a row with a Friday the 13th, my luck is pretty good today. Consider:

1.) I completed the 5th major assignment of the week. Boy, are my synapses tired.

2.) Mint chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream from Coldstone doesn't have meat in it so I can eat it all day.

3.) I almost beat Sean in our marathon online Scrabble fest.

4.) The proof-reader liked the story running on Sunday and NOT because it was a professional challenge.

5.) It may be the 13th, but it's FRIDAY.

Any good luck befall you?

What I've been doing in my spare time

I haven't been ignoring you on purpose, I've just been busy in other non-cupcake pursuits. And so help me, I do hope I never have to write that tragic sentence again.

But I have been writing other sentences. Lots and lots of them. And if the publishing gods residing on Mt. St. Pete smile upon me, my first feature will be printed in the Times in this Sunday's Floridian section. A little lighthearted piece on big families.

And now this big family is shuffling off to hockey practice.

Sweet Things

I love cupcakes. No, seriously love them. I love them so much that if Florida recognized confectionary unions, I would marry them. That’s a lot of love.

So imagine my elation when perusing the selections at the Scholastic Book Fair at my childrens’ school, that amongst the Diaries of Wimpy Kids and paperback Spongebob episodes, was a sexy little tome in the adult section: Hello, Cupcake, Irresistibly playful creations anyone can make, by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson.

Hello, yourself, sweet thing.

Inside its colorful pages was the cupcake lover’s manifesto. In the introduction it teases, “All this is easy: honest. Forget the complicated pastry techniques and expensive decorating supplies. You can find almost everything for these projects at your local grocery store, drugstore, or even a gas-station convenience store.”

You had me at gas-station.

There were dozens of cool cakes to choose from. Sleeping children with fruit roll-up blankets for a slumber party, a candy corn turkey for Thanksgiving. There were dogs, horses, and even a T.V. dinner sculpted mostly from cut-up Starburst for April Fool’s Day. Decisions, decisions.

We ended up choosing the highest degree of difficulty to begin--the 3-dimensional penguins because that’s how we roll. After I procured all of the ingredients at the grocery store (except for the black food coloring which I found Michael’s) my kids and I set to work.

We used a regular cake mix, although there are recipes for homemade cupcakes and frosting in the back of the book. We baked them and let them cool and then began assembling them according to the books’ clear directions.


And you know, it worked. It actually worked.

In less than an hour (after baking time) we had these adorable penguin cupcakes complete with coconut-snow covered icebergs for the Swedish Fish. They looked pretty close to the picture, and using the candy pieces instead of something infinitely more complicated liked marzipan, made this a very kid-friendly project. The only trouble I had was dipping the cupcakes, which probably could be solved after a few practice runs.



I’d like to report that they taste as good as they look, but I can’t honestly say because no one is willing to bite the head of those penguins to do a taste test.

So the fires of my love affair with the cupcake have been stoked once again.

Wow.

It seems my light post about Tattoo Barbie has drawn some anger from some folks.

Um...okay?

I’m not sure why a humor piece poking fun at a tattoo “machine” (not gun as I’ve been admonished) marketed to five year olds would draw so much ire, but apparently there is a section of the population that believes that the comedic protest of children’s toys mimicking something that’s illegal for minors to get in 38 states to get is really, really offensive to them.

Um...okay?

As I stated, (twice in fact) have at whatever you want to do to your consenting adult body, that’s not the issue. But why on earth would a toy manufacturer go in this direction? If a kid wants to put a tattoo on her Barbie, there’s a pack of Sharpie’s in the drawer. We need no additional accessories than that.

So, to conclude from the insightful comments I’ve received:

1) Don’t you worry--this Barbie was never on my shopping list anyway.

2) Hepatitis inoculations are available for types A and B and not C.

3) Thanks for the concern on the elasticity of my buttocks, but I think I’m just fine in that department.

4) All those who looked for offense where there was none might want to refer to number three.

Thanks.

Going National

Although it wasn't about my doll protest, CNN ran a story this morning on the new tween Dora doll that another Mom blogger wrote of earlier this month.

It was a great mention with a very generous screen shot of Whoa Momma! and I'm tickled to be a part of that.

Even though I have a feeling the haters will be out in full force this weekend...

Mixing it up in 2009

What’s new for hungry foodies in 2009? While going out to dinner thoughtlessly is out, the re-appreciation of cooking at home is in.

A recent conversation with famous food blogger and author, Pim Techamuanvivit, reveals that it is the adventurous home cook’s time to shine.

In addition to eating out less often, the influence of food-related television, blogging and online resources have changed the way we eat. “These have really expanded our food horizons and brought the world to our living rooms.” She notes, “people are cooking more at home, playing with flavor.”



And she should know a little about exotic flavors. Her blog,Chez Pim has recently been named by The Guardian as one of the top 50 blogs in the world. She has served as a guest judge on Iron Chef America. She has recently published her first book, The Foodie Handbook: The (almost) Definitive Guide to Gastronomy, and continues to write for food magazines like Bon Appétit, Gourmet, and Food and Wine. She recently partnered with Rachel’s Wickedly Delicious Yogurt and Cottage Cheese because she appreciates their ingredients and unique flavor combinations like pomegranate acai and pear mangosteen.








She says fellow foodies can look forward to a number of exciting food trends emerging this year.

-Lavender. You’ll see this in everything from chocolates to cocktails.

-Already popular in Latin America, look for more U.S. chefs to use cactus in their dishes.

-Exotic produce, especially from Southeast Asia, becoming more mainstream and available.

-Mixing unexpected flavor combinations in familiar foods and products.

She advises adding surprises to traditional comfort foods is a great way to encourage adventurous eaters. This may help to introduce new foods into even the pickiest repertoire.

Like her food philosophy, her writing is just as varied. Today’s entry may feature “Thai scallop ceviche,” but one of her most popular posts was her homemade “Pop Tarts” recipe.

So dare to be a little different this year and mix things up in the kitchen.

Any way you slice it, 2009 will be deliciously different.

Scrapped

I just set aside yet another post into the draft pile, deeming it not blog-worthy.

This was on Lent, and after I wrote an entire manifesto, I thought my personal convoluted journey through Lent is probably not something that both readers of this blog would be interested in.

I have several of such partially-written, harshly-judged documents in my repetoire at the moment, and I really am hoping to push past this particular writing phase shortly.

Please stand-by.

And the winners of paint are...

What a colorful world this will be...

There were so many wonderful, touching, humorous and general fabulous comments left for this Olympic paints and Exterior Stain giveaway, that I was very glad to select the winner by random drawing rather than have to choose among the stories.

I could totally relate to the seemingly endless home redecorating projects like Alter Ego Jenny’s 100 year old house or Jenna’s 11 month Master bedroom redo.

I could see the color swatches gone terribly wrong in Shel’s “eggs and ketchup” kitchen or the “you know the color of the nurse's office where you went to elementary school?” mint green of Becki’s basement.

I was also touched by CatalystMom’s efforts to decorate after IVF, “the birth and now life with our three year old toddler and the birth of my new business.” And Sdurviage’s needs after Hurricane Dolly gave them extensive damage to their homes.

So as you can read, it was good thing this contest was random. And the two randomly selected names out of the hat are Mikki W. from Tampa and Karianna. Mikki will receive enough Olympic paint of her choice to “transform our kitchen…I am dreaming in shades of gold and cranberry with little toy chefs accenting around. Kind a like elf on a shelf…” (or whatever project she likes) and Karianna will receive exterior stain and cleaner to get her deck, fence or Tiki hut ready for spring. (Not sure if they make a purple stain or not…)

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you all so much for sharing!

Greening Our Schools

They turn off the water when they brush their teeth. They shuffle the recycling bins to the end of the driveway. Paper or plastic? How about canvas?

With help from the kids, your home is getting greener by the day.

But what about that other place where they spend their days? Is your child's school as green as it could be?

Terra Wellington, author of "The Mom's Guide to Growing Your Family Green: Saving the Earth Begins At Home," says the effort "starts in your home and moves outward from there." Much like the anti-litter campaigns of the seventies, our children need to integrate good recycling habits by learning it culturally.

She outlines a complete "green school action blueprint" in her book, but shares these tips that parents can help implement in their child's school.


~Homework: Ask your child's teacher if some assignments can be printed on both sides of the paper. Paper consumption is automatically cut by 50%.

~Use and donate recycled paper rather than virgin paper. According to the Bureau of International Recycling, recycled paper not only saves trees, but the manufacturing of recycled paper generates 70% less air pollution and 35% less water pollution.

~Assign a "light monitor" to make sure lights are turned off and computers are in standby mode. A standby setting can reduce power over 90 percent, helping to conserve energy.


~Encourage "litter-less lunches" by packing lunches in reusable or recyclable material like aluminum foil which is endlessly recyclable. Ideally, any food waste should be composted and then used in a school vegetable garden maintained by students.

But perhaps the biggest impact for greening our schools is how we get there. By using the school bus we save energy and money. According to Wellington and the American School Bus Council (ASBC), diesel school buses:

~Take 36 cars off of the road per bus.

~Are 8 times safer than passenger cars and use more green diesel technologies.

~Save 3.1 billion gallons of fuel every year.

~If another 10% more children rode school buses, another 300 million gallons of fuel could be saved annually.


~The daily fuel cost to transport a child to school is $3.68 for a private vehicle but only $.73 if that child rides a school bus.

And to help your school get greener, IC Bus is sponsoring an essay contest for students to win a $3000 scholarship and a hybrid bus for their school. Students are asked to submit a 500 word essay on how their school is going green. Go to AmericasGreenestSchool.com for more tips, contest details and to enter.

Entries are accepted until April 30, 2009--just in time to celebrate Earth Day.

Good green habits are great lessons for homework and in the classroom.

I'm surprised there aren't more "Sangrias"

OhmyLord.

Kirsten over at The Norwindians posted this fun little tool called Wordle that picks out the words you frequently use in your blog and posts them in a word bubble.



All of the Dexatrim and meat references are disturbing.

Wrapping up the week

Let's take care of some housekeeping business first, shall we? After all, I don't do that around my own house so I might as well do it here.

We've got contests going! First, don't forget to leave your comment here on TheMotherhood.com to be entered into the Olympic paint giveaway. Second, my friends Thom Flicia and Kimberly-Clark are still hosting the Room-A-Day giveaway, so keep entering for a $25,000 room makeover!

I've been busy this week in between trying to get Jessie strapped in her car seat without rupturing my spleen,and interviewing a bunch of interesting folks which I will post next week. One of whom is the fabulous Pim of Chez Pim, who discusses all things foodie related. I was in heaven.

The agenda for the weekend? Right now we're negotiating who is going to the Harlem Globetrotters tonight and who gets to stay home. It's a silent argument since Sean is in bed from his 411th mouth surgery in the past 2 weeks.

Which probably means I'm going to watching the Washington Generals tonight.

I wonder who wins...