Fall thank you

Just a quick thank you note to Fall for finally arriving. I love the fact that I can finally put on a light coat to cover up all the stuff going on in my mid-section. Thanks!

Look Out Betty Crocker (It's a Giveaway!)

The really nice people (no seriously, they're so nice) at Growing Cooks send my brood a Growing Cooks Basic Chef set so that they could get their B. Smith on.

We decided to choose the very sophisticated task of baking Fairy Cookies. A while back, Justice Jonesie sent my girls a Fairy Cookbook - a must have for every fairy princess. (Thanks Jonesie!)

The girls loved their chef set. The pieces were just the right size and were easy for them to handle. Mom especially liked the apron, adorable chef hat and washable storage pouch that the set came in.

As I stood in the corner twitching at the sight of cookie dough and sprinkles being ground into my carpet and and my two daughters gleefully covered in a layer of flour, my friend walked in and said: "Awwww! This is so sweet! You're creating such great memories for them." And she was right.


To win a Growing Cooks Basic Chef Set to create memories for your very own growing chefs, all you have to do is leave a comment! Tweet it for an extra entry. Giveaway ends Sunday, October 4.

The Basic Chef set comes with the following matching items:

6 cookie cutters
5 plastic measuring spoons
2 wooden spoons
plastic spatula
wooden spatula
metal wisk
mini wooden rolling pin

Thanks Growing Cooks! Up next? Barbie Brownies. Don't ask.

Eggs & Fish

You never know what watching an episode of Oprah will get you. I live by my DVR and record my favorite day time shoes like Oprah, The View, etc. (Oprah, call me!) I use the weekends or the middle of the night when everyone is asleep to catch up on my shows. I was watching Oprah's episode on the little girl named Shilo with the Mermaid condition. If you don't know the story of the bravest little girl, read more here, The Little Mermaid.

Okay, back to Eggs and Fish. Because of her condition, Shilo has one ovary and therefore will be able to produce eggs.

Oldest was in the room and heard this. I had to brace myself with the possibilities of all that coming next.

Oldest: Girls make eggs!!!??
Me: (Pause) Yes, they do.

Oldest: What are you talking about? How do they make eggs? Are they in their bellies?
Me: (Pause) Yes, girls make eggs in their bellies. Want me to show you on Google? (Knee jerk reaction; bad, bad idea).

Ever do a search for female egg cell on Google? The first several images that pop up are the eggs and the sperm. This could only get worse. Oldest is asking me to click here, and click there and what better way to bring attention to something than to try to avoid it. My mind is racing on how to explain sperm, and how the sperm gets near the egg. I'm not ready for this conversation.
After about the third image Oldest is finally satisfied. "So girls make eggs with a bunch of little fish swimming around them." Without any hesitation I say, "Yep, that's right."

And he walked away. Phew! That was easy, for now. I need to get all my ducks in a row. How did you have "The Talk" with your child? What is the appropriate age for this?

We're going to be live on WHUR 96.3 FM at 7:00 pm TONIGHT!!!

Exposed

Inevitably the day arrived; the day that hubby and I would have to scramble around, look for cover and make up a crazy, stupid story. Yes...that day came and it was quite hilarious! I knew it was coming but I didn't know when and I didn't expect it to be so soon.

You know how crazy busy it's been around here recently - working full time while trying to be a mom and wife, while planning a conference on my "spare time". So, something had to give, and s-e-x was that thing. I know, right....what a bummer!

So the other day I got home relatively early and princess was watching "On Demand" (her favorite) so hubby nudges me and invites me upstairs. I say why not because there was no time like that time and princess is usually good for a twenty minute block when she's watching a show On Demand. Hubby goes upstairs without notification to princess and I follow a few minutes later ostensibly to use the potty.

We get it going really quickly because time was of the essence. We're pretty much into it as we hear the pitter patter of little feet as she makes her way upstairs. Hubby grabs one cover leaving me very exposed so I rush for another one that's close by and we lay down under the covers.

"What are you guys doing?" she said very inquisitively.
"Oh, just relaxing and watching tv." we responded.
"Why are you watching tv up here?" suggesting that it didn't make any sense.
"You should come watch On Demand with me!" she said.
"Sure thing!" I said hoping that she would leave the room because I couldn't move from the position I assumed because I was undressed under the towel that I grabbed for cover.
"Let's go mommy" she said as she walked out the door.
"Phew!" I remarked to hubby "That was a close one."

I thought we would get a "pass" until she was about five but I didn't think that we would have to reserve activities at age three. How have you handled this situation - because I'm not the only one?

Take Note. Give Thanks.

Dear Justice Fergie,

Since today is World Gratitude Day, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to participate in The Gratitude Challenge.

Not only did you complete every step of The Challenge with style and grace, but your stories of heroism, hope and harmony have inspired countless readers to do the same.

We started this project as a internal movement focused on helping our colleagues to achieve one simple goal—to counter everyday stress and negativity with daily affirmations of gratitude. As The Gratitude Challenge grew to include bloggers outside of our company, however, we learned just how much gratitude can change a person's life.

From tornadoes to car accidents, fires and family drama, The Gratitude Challenge saw our bloggers through meaningful, life-changing events. We learned so much from this experience that we made a short video about how gratitude can revitalize your perspective. You can watch it below:

We hope this experience has meant as much to you as it has to us, and we hope that you and your readers will to continue to follow our progress as we invite the world to join the movement at gratitudechallenge.com.

Best wishes,

Ed Han
Tiny Prints Founder & CEO
Life is Like a Bowl of Stone Soup


The Gratitude Challenge is now open to everyone! And since today is World Gratitude Day, the timing couldn't be better. The folks at Tiny Prints have made it super easy for you to participate. Just visit The Gratitude Challenge website and from there you can 1) download a pledge 2) download the Gratitude calendar 3) find them on Twitter, 4) send a “thank you” on Facebook and 5) add a widget to your blog. I know that several of you have said that you wish that you could take the challenge with me and now you can.

There's so much to be grateful for...

Ouch

Chatterbox was "devastated" today because I sent her to school with an order form for the Scholastic Book Fair and the form did not contain an order for The Barbie Book! Not that I purposely chose not to select The Barbie Book!, it just so happened that it wasn't a choice on the form that was sent home. Apparently some of the other kids were just given money (and no form) and were able to choose whatever books they wanted (seems strange to me given that they are only 5 years old) but in any event, of course "everybody" got The Barbie Book!

Chatterbox was pouting that she didn't get to choose that book and I said in my wise and knowing mommy voice: "Why are you upset about the one book that you don't have? Why can't you be happy with the 5 books that you do have?" To which Hubby replied:

"Maybe she's taking after her mother."

Touche.

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

I've been invited to attend the Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park. This will be my second time going and I'm super excited because there will be great food and wine. What else could I want? The 14th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival runs from September 25 through November 8th.

If you have an opportunity to go, please do. It's really a fabulous event. Live music, performances, great food prepared by celebrity chefs, wine from around the world.

Need I say more??

For more information, check out this link!

Missing My BFFs

It's Saturday night, Hubby's out watching The Fight, and I'm home watching the Sex In the City Movie. It's at the part where Carrie jumps out of bed to trek all the way to Miranda's place just before midnight in the snow on New Year's Eve.

It literally makes me tear up each time I watch it.

I know that, well it's just a movie, and that Carrie and her crew are in a completely different situation seeing as how they don't have any kids, but a part of me thinks it would be so amazing to have my close girlfriends all in one city. Yes, I have phone and email and the occasional trip, but it's not the same...I miss my friends. How nice would it be to be able to grab a coffee or go shopping or to a yoga class with one of my best girlfriends? Maybe I'll make more of an effort to spend QT with my BFFs - kids, job, marriage, distance and all.

Fifty Nifty United States

Oldest is learning the 50 states and capitals and has to also learn where they belong on the map. The big test of the first 15 states is this Wednesday so this morning we took a practice test using Sheppard Software, a neat learning website I found on the web. (Now that's Mom 2.0 for ya!). Big old bad me, the resident attorney in the house, decided to take the test of all states. I was just sure that even though I didn't study the states, I could earn an "A" of some sort. Well yours truly did terrible, an 82 %, barely a "B."

Oldest had a great time laughing at my score and clearly we'll both be learning states and capitals this year.

School Daze

Um, how come no one warned me what sending Chatterbox to Kindergarten actually meant for me? It's been almost 3 weeks and I honestly feel like one could do nothing else but manage their kids' school "careers." Between Orientation, Back to School Night, the Book Fair, keeping up with school forms, homework, making lunches, not to mention optional (but encouraged) activities like the Parent Involvement Committee, the School Improvement Committee, Girl Scouts and the PTA, my head is spinning! And she's only 5?

Can I ask my boss for a leave of absence for the next 13 years?

Me Time

On two separate occasions recently, my Dad and a good friend both asked if I was taking time for myself. Are they serious? Me time? What a joke.

It seems that for the past 6 months I have been living in a whirlwind. Between work, home, kids, blogging, and Blogalicious, I have barely had a chance to breathe, let alone find time for myself. I have literally been running every waking moment. It used to be that I would have an hour or so to unwind and relax after the kids went to sleep, but now that time is usurped by conference planning. I haven't even watched a full episode of Top Chef this season and you know how much I love Top Chef!

The pace of things is taking its toll on me though. I've been having skin breakouts and my upper back and neck is so tight and stiff that it hurts. I even decided to take off this past Monday as a "mental health day" and get my hair done (which is a frizzy mess right now) and a massage. Do you think that happened? No. I ended up spending the day running household errands and picking up kids from school. So much for me time!

But, there are two things keeping me afloat. The first is looking forward to a girls getaway in two weeks that I go on each year. The weekend is always very relaxing and a chance to come up for air. Of course, it's not the best idea for me to go away for a weekend right before Blogalicious and come back the very same day that Hubby leaves to go on a conference for work, but I'm taking it anyway. I know I'll regret not going and, more importantly, that I need to go. The other thing that I'm so anticipating is a Thanksgiving trip, just for me and Hubby, to somewhere warm and sunny. We haven't been on a trip alone together in years and we're trying to make it happen in November. Of course there's all sorts of logistical issues (i.e. What To Do With The Kids), but we know that we need to go, so we're going to do our darndest to make it work.

While fitting it in Me Time feels impossible, it really is crucial. In fact, tonight, I just might ignore my flooded inbox and catch up on Padma and my fave shows on Prime Time In No Time. Because after all, I have no time.

Caught In The Act

Remember this post about my mom being my relentless coffee pusher? If you didn't read it, it's about my mom's addiction love for coffee and love in getting those around her to love it just as much, including myself. A few weeks ago, my mom went to visit my brother and his wife and my S-I-L snapped this photo of my mom getting ready to enjoy her cafecito. The picture captures the moment perfectly.

Of course, my mom swears that the only reason her eyes were closed was because she was "blinking." Sure, Mom. Remember, the first step is admitting you have a problem.

Do-over

I must post before I start my work day because I'm hoping that if I write about my frustration, things'll get better.

I woke up thinking that it was Thursday because my week has been so long that there is no other logical explanation other than it's Thursday - much to my surprise, it's only Wednesday morning!

I have been getting very little sleep lately and last night was no different. I went to bed shortly after 1 a.m. after working on a document to send to the next person in the production chain, so naturally, I got up late this morning. Then princess, who under-slept, was not cooperative - she didn't want to brush her teeth, use the potty, comb her hair and the list goes on. So, after fighting with her we make it out the house about 10 minutes late which makes the world of difference in terms of traffic. I battle the traffic to get her to school on time. Rush even more to get to my bus, only to check my blackberry to learn that I didn't attach the document to the email that I sent at 12:50 a.m. The kicker is that the document is on my home laptop and I can't go back home for it. So, we will end up losing a day of production time at a stage where time is precious. I'm just hot!!!!

Can I get a do-over please?

So What's the Verdict

I'm sure that by now many of you have scene or heard about Kanye West's rude behavior during the MTV VMA's on Sunday. On Monday he appeared on Jay Leno and um, apoligized, um, you know. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Get in On the Gossip!

The ladies of MamaLaw Media Group (that's us!) will be appearing on The Chatter Box Show at 10 am this morning to discuss everything you wanted to know about Blogalicious Weekend 2009. We will chat about fashion, dispel any rumors about the conference, and discuss our speakers, sponsors, and weekend events. Don't miss the show!!


Day & Time: Monday Sept 14 10:00am EST

Click here to listen:

Sunday Crunch

Whew. So the past 2 weeks have been beyond insane. As Murphy would have it, all angles of my life snowballed and became hectic all at the same time. So while I have tons to update you all about, I'm going to start with today. This morning at 8:30am to be exact...

Here's the background: It has become readily apparent that Hubby is fed up with my lack of fitness regiment and therefore lack of progress in the weight/appearance category. Sure, it's easy for him to judge seeing as how he hasn't popped out THREE HUMAN BEINGS WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, but whatev. Fine.

So, it appears that he took it upon his well-intentioned self to take matters into his own hands and create a bootcamp for his struggling wife. Sounds sweet doesn't it? That he was concerned and took action to support me in getting fit? I suppose it is on one level, but the real problem is that Hubby is an athlete. Used to strength coaches and 2-A-Days and training camps. Me? Not so much. Anyway, on Friday he came home grinning from ear to ear clutching a bag from Modell's and looking all proud of himself. Turns out he bought me a ProGym in a Bag, courtesy of GoFit. And then, this morning bright and early, he kicked my behind.

I did crunches (on the driveway pavement - and, no I wasn't "permitted" to get my yoga mat). I did leg lifts. I did sprints. Yes, he did set up cones up and down our sidewalk. Yes, I was mortified. I did squats with the resistance bands. I even did DB exercises, including one where the flipppin' resistance band was wrapped around my waist and I had to squat and shuffle from cone to cone. And I finished the workout up with suicides.

And I did it all. With my three darlings cheering for me along the sidelines and Hubby timing me with his Commissioner stopwatch. It was brutal. I thought I was going to die. But I had to do it. Yes, for me, but more so...for him.

Hiatus

We've been on a bit of a hiatus this week as we approach the homestretch in prepping for Blogalicious (just in case you didn't know ... we are hosting a conference for women of color bloggers next month in Atlanta; more info here); so none of us have been able to update you on the regular and not so regular happenings around our homes.

But, it is Thursday and you know what that means? RHOA. Our weekly source of entertainment is on at 10pm tonight - can't wait! In the meantime, if you're a RHOA addict, check out the happenings from earlier today at the taping of the Ellen DeGeneres show - the cat fighting has not stopped!!!

Beauty Bootcamp: Body

"I don't have time for this! I just don't have time to relax right now!" I said as I walked into the spa this afternoon. All the way there I thought, maybe I should cancel and do it another time, I can't afford this, and I just don't have 1.5 hours to waste (on me ... that is).

Well, I am happy I changed my mind. I visited one of my favorite spas - a black owned spa here in DC called Soul Day Spa. I've been patronizing there for a few years now; but I can't say that I'm a good customer because I only go once in a while. Anyway, I always have good experiences when I do visit. So, today's treatment was a Tahitian Body Scrub with Vichy Shower - fan.tas.tic! The treatment included a full (head to toe) salt scrub, wrap, vichy shower (which is, according to the spa, "a pressure point warm water massage over the entire body. While lying on a massage table, rotating shower jets rain down a constant stream of pulsating warm water"). The shower was followed by a mini-massage of a shea butter body cream. It was wonderful!

I can't believe that it's been over a year since I last had one of these treatments and now my skin is radiant and super supple. Too bad those shower heads didn't melt away fat, but that's another post! When I walked out I thought that once in a while I've got to focus on the full body (which I often neglect), by either having a body treatment or a massage. The skin in those forgotten areas needs to be exfoliated and moisturized too. I will do my best to schedule these twice a year - I'm taking baby steps.

Here are a few other tips that I've picked up from here or there:

- apply lotion/cream while your skin is still damp

- substitute shaving creme with conditioner because your hair conditioner will do the same job as the shaving creme and save you a few bucks

- Try a body polish if you don't like the body scrubs. I have both and I've found the polish to be less abrasive and less oily than the salts - but I interchange them. I found a lovely body polish at Target by Soft & Beautiful (yes, the hair products line - they now have a skin care line too)

- a little glycerin and body lotion (I like Keri) is very moisturizing

- avoid scrubbing your skin with harsh material because it may strip your skin

- pat dry your skin (facial and body)

- if you don't like shaving (legs and private areas), there are a few hair removal creams on the market that work great. Make sure to use the product made for your body part though. And, be prepared to walk around for a few minutes with cream because you can't get it wet while it's at work

- waxing MAY lessen the thickness of newly grown hair (may be a wives' tale)

If you've got other tips, please share them with us.

Raise Your Hand If...

(Excuse me for just one second while I rant and rave and try to get some comic relief out of it.)

Raise your hand if:

1) You wake up almost every morning dead tired mad at yourself and wondering why the h*ll you stayed up so.late.again. only to go to bed even later that same night.

2) You really want a dog, your kids all want a dog, you had a dog before and the family did perfectly fine with him but one day, shortly after you had a baby and your mind wasn't really in the right place, you let your husband talk you into letting the dog go live with your parents "just until the baby got a little older" but when she did get older, your husband refused to allow the dog to come back and the dog has since gotten so use to living in his "temporary" housing, five years later, that he doesn't mesh well with the family anymore. And you and the kids have already found the replacement dog about five or six times yet your husband refuses to let the family have a dog. Even though he's the only one that doesn't want one. And he's outvoted 4 to 1.

3) You work about six or eight jobs with only one that pays the bills.

4) You sometimes wonder if you are the only person in the house that knows where the extra toilet paper is kept.

5) You can't help but wonder if it would be easier to just cut all but an inch or two of your hair and call it a day.

6) You go to the gym but don't lose weight.

7) You eat french fries even though you spent 1.5 hours sweating the hair out that you just spent 3 hours at the salon doing.

8) You want to trade your mommy car in for a two door BMW with no back seat.

9) You will never drive a minivan but you will drive a car big enough to fit a minivan in because those are the only cars that offer all the same bells and whistles that a minivan does.

10) You really should be working instead of blogging right now or reading other blogs.

11) You wonder why you seem to be the only one who understands the homework situation in your house.

12) You don't have a nice watch but your husband does and you're at least 32 years old and should have at least one nice one by now. (Fergie, we know you're hand is up for this one).

13) You always have several loads of clean laundry around the house that seem to never get folded and put away but instead, serve as the source of clothes that end up being used throughout the week. (Hey, it's much easier to keep everyone's clothes in one crumpled pile in a basket than to fold and put away all those clothes away, right?)

14) You drink wine with dinner because you need it to make it through homework and bathtime.
HAPPY HUMP DAY EVERYONE!