#GIT for mommy and princess

Don't shoot me because I'm pretty sure I've written this post before, but I pause every time it happens, so I must share. I took off from work a little early today (4pm to be exact) and got princess from school. It was a completely different afternoon - one that I haven't had in a long time.

First, I didn't face much traffic trying to get out of downtown DC. Usually if I have to pick her up from school I leave the office at 5pm and rush to get to her school in time. This afternoon, was a more like driving through the city on a Saturday. There were lots of cars on the road but we weren't gridlocked. When I got to school, princess asked if we could stay a little while longer because she was in the midst of playing with play dough. And, because I got there about 4:30, I had the luxury of being able to wait with her and watch her play and watch her interact with the other kids. I had an opportunity to be in her world for a few minutes without having any pressure to be anywhere or do anything.

Then we went out for dinner (I know, I know, I should've cooked but I wanted to unwind tonight). We had dinner at a local Ledo's Pizzeria and talked a little about her day and she actually asked me about mine (although she didn't really wait for an answer I appreciated her question).

By the time we got home it was 6:30 and I couldn't believe it. On a normal day, I would have still been on my way home; not usually making it in for another 15 or 20 minutes. I was amazed that we had done so much together by 6:30.

It's 9:06 and she's in bed. Because we had time to do things together tonight I think she settled in much easier than she normally would have if I was rushing in the door at 7:00.

I appreciate our time together this afternoon and I think this smile indicates that she did too.

Princess, I promise that I'm going to get it together soon to allow us to have more days like today!

It Shouldn't Be This Hard

I give up. Call me weak. Call me a failure. Call me what you want, but don't call me crazy. I know, I know that signing your daughters up for dance classes should not be this hard. I have spent, collectively, at least 5 hours researching, calling and pulling out my hair trying to find a reasonable extracurricular activity for my girls.

Apparent Hurdle No. 1:
The classes need to be on the weekend. I work during the week. Sue me! I swear when I call and talk to these people, they make me feel like I am committing a crime by not being available to drive my 3 year-old to Twirly Twos class at 10am on a Tuesday. Is it so unfathomable that in 2010 a mother actually goes to work?

Apparent Hurdle No. 2:
The classes need to be around the same time. This is one of those rare situations when having twins would be so much easier. I have 2 daughters that are, GASP!, 2 different ages. And so they most likely need to be in 2 separate classes based on their age. Is it so unreasonable not to want to make the trip to the same place twice in one day? Or one 2 different days? I'm willing to hang around and wait an hour, but more than that is tough. I'll have whichever child not dancing at the moment staring through the glass watching her sibling twirl and tap away and getting cranky and miserable. But that's manageable as long as her class is coming up soon. If I have to drive one for a 9am class and the other for a 3pm class, well, in addition to the 'afternooner' being upset, I'll have spent my entire Saturday driving to and fro from the dance studio. No thanks.

Apparent Hurdle No. 3:
I need to be independently wealthy. "Independent" so I can make the mid-week class and just generally "wealthy" so I can afford to PAY for these doggone classes. The average going rate is about $150 - $200 for an 8-week class. Multiply that by 2 and you've got $400 for 2 children. Add in the "1-time registration fee," the cost of the shoes and whathaveyou and you're looking at about $500 or so for a once-a-week class for 2 months. Sheesh. And forget The Little Gym. Honey, that came to over $900 for the 20-week seesion. Yes, it's 20 classes. But still, who has $900+ to drop on a preschool gymnastics class? And YES you CAN pay in installments, but that'll cost ya. One ballet studio was going to charge $730 for Chatterbox to take ballet because she will be 6 this year and would be required to take their formal Ballet Studio Curriculum. Can't she just dance? I've already put down my deposit for what will be a $976 2-week summer camp for them, and that was painful enough.

And so, I give up. It looks like our weekends this Spring will not involve organized activities. It will be up to mama to come up with something fun for them to do.

In the meantime, I'm looking into opening up my own kids' classes studio. I'll make out like bandit!

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!

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?

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!

Wahhh, Wahhh, Wahhh - Mom's Whining Again

Tomorrow Chatterbox goes to her last activity of the summer before school starts - daycamp. She's so excited about it and I am too. After all, this is her first day camp and her first activity without Giggles. The campers have to be 4 and older, so Giggles has to sit this one out (and she will happily, I'm sure), but Chatterbox is bouncing off the walls and is itching to do something fun and stimulating, so this super duper daycamp should be perfect. So why am I whining (again)?

Because I want to take her to camp! And pick her up. And see her run off to join her group. And hear about her day. But, of course I can't because I have to go to WORK as freakin' usual, and it pisses me off. I mean, sure it's not her prom or anything, but it's the little moments like these that make life special. What's more is that I know I'm going to feel exactly the same way when she starts Kindergarten in a couple of weeks. I want to be able to take her every day and chat with her teacher and the other parents and see her classroom and learn who her friends are. Sure I can take off a day of work for the first day of school, and I will, but it's not the same. And even for camp tomorrow I've been wracking my brain to find a way for me to drop her at camp in the opposite direction of where I catch the train to work, use the car that the nanny will have to use to pick her up from camp, drop the Authorized Pickup Person card to the nanny, and make it to work before dusk. Basically, it will be impossible without causing big drama.

And so Mom's whining. Again. Will something ever give?

Random thoughts - Three things

If you came to my house right now there will be three things that I can promise you'll find: (1) trash can with a stinky pull-up; (2) a bag of washed but unfolded clothes; and (3) a bag of toys stashed somewhere.

(1) When princess stopped wearing diapers I had a hallelujah moment and took the diaper champ (which I loved for a hot second) out to the trash. Big mistake! I forgot that we were moving to pull ups at night and didn't think that they would be so stinky. So everyday there is an exposed pull-up in a trash can in the house.

(2) Laundry has taken over my life. By the time I actually finish washing all the clothes and moving them from the basement up to the bedroom, there's not only another bag of laundry ready to go, but there is usually still another gigantic bag of clean laundry to fold. I can't keep up!

(3) Princess is a hoarder so she collects randomly matched toys in anything that she can call a bag and you can be assured that there is a bag of toys stashed somewhere in my house right now.

Keeping it Real

We've got about one month left before our follow-up health assessment at the Cooper Institute in Dallas for the GRFW Better U program. I'm not at all excited! In fact, I'm dreading it! I fell way off the program within the last 3 weeks or so and I keep promising myself to get back on and I just can't seem to motivate myself to do it. I have lost a total of 5 pounds - yep, that's it!!! I think that's pretty disappointing and I can't get out of that low. I have been eating better, and I'm exercising. I'm walking about 1.3 miles 4-5 times a week and sometimes I even come home and hit the treadmill. So, why have I only lost 5 pounds? It isn't making much sense to me at all.

I had small triumph this week when I finally measured my waist and I was pleasantly surprised that I've lost 1.5 inches - this is good news because I am back under the 35 inch threshold for concern about heart disease (ladies, you should be concerned about increasing the risks of heart disease when your waist is greater than 35).

To be honest, I would like to see more weight loss and more size lost and that's probably the anchor on my ankle. It's so easy to say just exercise more, but really, when in the world will I find the time. I leave at 8 in the morning and return at 7 at night. When I get home I'm exhausted and then I have to take care of home (and then I'm planning Blogalicious) so where am I supposed to find any more time in my day. Whatever free time I've been able to carve out I'm exercising so what's left? Once again, I'll hope that things can pick up soon.

Go on over to our Better U partner's site for her tips.

You can't blame it on the alcohol

Please allow me one moment to vent. Hopefully I don’t get too out of line; but there is nothing better than an online debate among friends! As you can tell from my mini-tribute to Michael Jackson, I admire his talent and am saddened by his passing.

I was surprised and quite pleased by the depth of coverage by various media of not only his passing, but more importantly, his life. From Thursday evening until I left this morning, I was enveloped with all things MJ and from quite unlikely sources. The Today Show dedicated their entire morning telecasts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to MJ, his life, his music, his accomplishments. MTV was running a full tribute of concerts, videos, interviews. VH1 took it back to the days when they only played videos and it was Michael-mania. TV One showed past tributes and videos. CNN, Fox News, Headline News, MSNBC all based their shows on the life and legacy of Michael Jackson. Heck, even TV Land was running (on loop) the Jackson 5 story.

Am I missing anyone? Oh, yes….BET (Black Entertainment Television). One would expect the stalwart of Black television to pay homage to Michael Jackson. But no….they didn’t. They played homage to themselves and their 2009 BET Awards.

All weekend the only programming that BET ran was their trifling countdown to the BET Awards show. That was it!

I was so disgusted that I had to by-pass BET and rely on MTV and VH1 and at times, TV One for coverage. BET should have been the first logical place to start. MJ was our hero and our own Black Entertainment Television was not present at all.

Then, to add fuel to the fire, I tuned in for the Awards last night only to see buffoonery! Joe and Janet Jackson had to endure Souljah Boy, Blame it on the Alcohol and a tribute to new jack swing. Are you kidding me?

I understand that these artists have been rehearsing their numbers for a while, but couldn’t they have put together a more fitting tribute where the entertainers (if we can call them that) thought not of themselves and their album sales, but rather honoring MJ.



Ne yo was the only entertainer that I could give any credit because he did his part. New Edition tried too. But, I was really upset by the entire show and I am ashamed of BET for this display.

Maybe I’m giving them too much responsibility in terms of representing for Black people. I have long given up on that station because their programming is so poor and their representations of black people are so dissatisfactory.

The folks at BET need to step back and notice what their programming said about them this weekend. Hopefully, they can come back with a righteous tribute – maybe, I’ll watch. Just my two cents!

You must have read my mind

We are entering week 4 of the 12 week Better U program and it’s been tough … much tougher than I could have imagined. I thought that I would see instantaneous changes in my energy, body and of course, my weight. Who was I kidding though? I know the rational responses – don’t rush, keep at it; it took months to gain and will take months to lose; it’s the small changes that count … yada, yada, yada!

I am so discouraged and just about ready to quit. It’s not the response that I should have especially since I committed to myself, to the AHA and to you that I would work at it and complete the program. But, after making some lifestyle changes – eating healthier, walking way more than I have ever in my life, eating out less – I would have expected to see some success in the weight area. Heck, even if the scale wasn’t my friend, at least I would have liked to see my clothes fitting better. But no…..nothing has changed!!!! Nothing’s getting better and I can’t understand what I need to be doing differently. What the sense, I ask myself? Why bother?

Then I log in to the Better U website to complete my course for the week and what do I see – it’s the encouragement lesson. The course this week is tailored toward finding ways to encourage women to keep at it and not give up on the program or their health (were they reading my mind or something?). It’s as if they knew that folks would be having a hard time at about week 4 and crafted tips to keep you going. It’s definitely making me feel better and I will bear in mind their suggestions:
(1) build on past success – remember a time when you achieved a positive change in your life and think about what kept you motivated and remember how you felt once you achieved your goal;
(2) keep goals SMART (specific; measurable, appropriate, realistic and with a time frame);
(3) rely on your support team; and
(4) commit to making the change.

So, I’m encouraged again and I will remember those few years in my life where all I could think about was looking hot in a two piece costume for Trinidad Carnival - where I did all that I could do to reach that goal. I will think of how amazing I felt being able to wear that bikini costume with pride knowing that I was beautiful and slim and sexy (P.S. that’s not me in the picture, but that’s what the ladies look like, so you can only imagine the pressure).

Although I doubt that I will reach that weight ever again in life, I will keep in mind my goal of losing 20 pounds and take it one pound per week at a time. I will not give up and I will stop beating myself up.

If you’re having a hard time too, visit the Better U site for some tips. Honestly, the tips hit home with other aspects of my life too!

The Thing About Product Reviews

We're all friends here, right? 'Cuz I need to take a minute or twenty to gripe about the double-edged sword that is blog giveaways. All of us get contacted on an almost daily basis, I'm sure, by well-intentioned PR companies that want to put their clients' products in our social-media-influencer hands. And, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy receiving advance notice of the latest gadget or happening event (did I just say "happening"? oh gawd), but what I don't enjoy is the poor, poor etiquette exhibited by some of these PR consultants.

Continue reading "The Thing About Product reviews" on DCMM...

Bus chronicles

I've been taking public transportation since I started work because I no longer have free parking at my workplace (sucks!). And if you've been following me on twitter you would know how much it sucks. I've started the "Bus Chronicles" because there is ALWAYS something to write about when you're on the bus. The bus is always late, the schedule makes no sense and the people are crazy - crazy yet funny in so many ways. I'm quite often horrified at the things I hear and see. One day I'm going to write a book about these stories - I promise.

Anyway, I really dislike the bus so I decided to start walking to my car whenever possible. It goes in line with Dr. Mieres' advice of finding a way to work in physical activity into your routine - but really, for me, it gets me off the bus!

Good news: I walked on Monday and Tuesday from my office to my car which is parked 1.3 miles or 17 blocks away. It took me about 30 minutes and it sure felt much further than 1.3 miles - but I did it.

Bad news (at least for the Metro system): On Monday, I made it about 9 blocks away and the bus still hadn't come.

Worse news: Yesterday, I made it the entire way in the rain - all 17 blocks and got into my car and crossed the intersection - and not a single bus.

Moral of the story: Look around because there may be things that irk you that you might be able to translate into something to become a better u - disliking the bus has got me off my laurels and walking!

Walmart: Why I dislike thee - Let me count the ways

There is not a Walmart in my immediate vicinity here in DC (although there are 2 Targets), so I don't visit Walmart often. However, I went shopping the other day and strolled into Walmart - the ultimate one stop shop and I realized, my golly I can't stand Walmart. So I asked myself why and here are my reasons:

1. It's the ultimate one-stop shop - give me a break, do I really want to buy goldfish and milk and fabric and a flat screen tv ALL in the same place and then have dinner at Subway or Mc Donalds, get my nails done and go to the bank?

2. Awful lighting - I rationalized that it could just be that store, but then I remembered that I had the exact thought at another location I visited.

3. No music - this awful ad track looped the entire time I was in the store (about 45 mins) reminding customers about the great specials offered by Walmart.

4. Roll-back prices - give me a break...because everything ends in 88 or 44 cents does not mean it's cheap. Their prices are just about the same as everywhere else. I didn't really see any deals. Maybe their sales are better, but their regular prices weren't that cheap.

5. Odd scent - maybe because there are so many goods sold in this one location there is a dreaded symphony of scents.

6. Equate brand - I assume that's the Walmart brand because rather than my regular choice of brand products, I was bombarded by Equate everywhere I looked...can we get some selection please?

7. Lack of selection - I love walking down three or four aisles of products, for instance bathroom accessories/furnishings. It was as if Walmart decided for its customers that bathrooms should only be decorated in seven colors because that was all that was offered down the single aisle.

8. Blue smocks - Walmart...you are a billion dollar company, can you please buy some real shirts for your employees? The blue smock reminded me of the debate about how Walmart treats its employees - the smock represents dispensability. They refuse to invest in a t-shirt per employee; let's just give them smocks and then recycle the smocks as employees come and go.

9. That freaking tagline - Are they trying to convince us (and themselves) that we are "saving money" and "living better" by buying at Walmart.

10. Strange organization - I guess their psychologists assessed their shoppers and recommended that the store layout doesn't need to make logical sense because I don't understand how the store is laid out. I guess they make you walk through all the junk to get to the high-selling items.

11. Itsy-bitsy aisles - Do they not want two shoppers standing shoulder-to-shoulder in an aisle at the same time? I felt like I was downtown Manhattan at rush hour trying to wade my way through the store. W-i-d-e-n the aisles!

12. "-Mart" - The "-Mart" describes the entire shopping experience. I should have known!

Folks...maybe it was just my experience at these area Walmarts - maybe not!!! If you've got a different opinion, please share because I am now quite disgusted when I even see a tv ad.

Better Tuesdays: I'm tired of being fat!

I've been making little changes over the past four weeks or so to start becoming a Better Me. I'm watching my diet (little carbs, more veggies, no snacking, little fat), trying to exercise when and where I can (taking the stairs, walking, doing little work-outs etc.). So, I've been feeling really good about my progress and looking forward to the coming weeks when I'll actually start the Better U program. In fact, I think I kinda have a head start because of these changes ... so why do I still feel so fat?

I put on my fat suit this morning, you know, the one that is cut a little bigger and usually hides the extra pounds, and it's STILL too tight!!!! I feel really discouraged and disheartened today. Somehow I thought that I would put it on this morning and feel like a superwoman because I must have lost some weight - right? Judging from the way this suit is fitting today, I feel like I've gained a pound or two. This just isn't fair!!!

I'm venting a little and I know that I have to keep at it and I am reminding myself that it took months to put on and will inevitably take months to come off. I think I'm just having a bad day and I'm struggling a little.

So, as I write this post and eat my oatmeal I am hoping that I will feel a little better as the day progresses and get back on the wagon (or is it off the wagon - who knows!!!).

Hope you're having a Better Tuesday today! Share your stories with us and let us know if you're joining us on this journey.

Bubble lady

As you know I returned to work on Monday after being off for 2 months. So far, it's okay - the biggest issue that I am dealing with is not being at home when hubby and daughter get home in the afternoon. In fact, it appears like I'll be the last to get home all the time because I work until 6pm (but that's another post).

Anyhoo, I'm sick now - I know...what are the chances, right? It appears that I've been the bubble lady for the past two months and was insulated from the rest of the world. I am positive that I picked up some sort of virus on MONDAY while riding the bus - swine flu...hmmmm maybe!!! All the more reason for me to return home and do what I've been doing - right?

Going green shouldn't be this expensive

I've increasingly become jealous of those folks that are green - you know, the ones that drive a hybrid, bike where possible, use green products in their home, eat natural and organic foods, and use less energy. I want to do all those things but just can't seem to get it all together and it's not because I don't know how. To be honest there is one major factor holding me back: cost.

Why are environmentally conscious products so darned expensive? It seems like everything is at least double the price. It makes it every difficult to make the right choice especially in this economy.

For instance, on Monday I decided that I would go to Whole Foods rather than my local supermarket to pick up a couple things (this is all part of my whole better me project). Here's the receipt:

- milk - 3.49
- grapes - 4.99
- cheese - 4.99
- salad - 4.99
- conditioner - 2.39 (this was the cheapest available)
- baking soda - .99
- vinegar - 2.99
- cantaloupe - 2.99
- kids vitamins - 4.99

Some of these items are about 50 cents to one dollar more expensive than my regular grocery store and individually who really cares, right? But, add everything up and we're looking at $10-$15 (after taxes etc) more for one bag of groceries. And, as you can tell, I just picked up some random things - it wasn't my monthly trip to the store. So, I can only imagine what that'll cost.

I'm sure an economist would explain that it's supply and demand and market forces that are making these products a little more expensive than others and I would be encouraged to continue purchasing and demanding these products from all stores and eventually prices would go down. Great...thanks for the explanation and encouragement but what I need in the meanwhile is more money if I want to make the better choice. It's time to make green affordable for us all because I want be green too!

TGIF ... great!

Honestly...TGIF just means that I have to step up my game and find "fun" stuff to occupy daughter for the NEXT 48 HOURS. I will not get to sleep in, or read the paper, or get on the computer, or go shopping, or have a 20 minute shower, or get my nails done, or watch anything except Disney for two entire days. I adore my daughter but why are my weekends ALL about entertaining her? Thank goodness for pre-school, otherwise I would be bald and crazy!!!

Not the Most Appetizing Post, I Admit

Here's an underdiscussed baby bunching issue: WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE KIDS, TRIPS TO THE BATHROOM RUN YOUR LIFE. Seriously.

I've always been aware of it, but I'm definitely noticing it more now that we're on vacation. No matter where we are or where we're going, we have to stop at take kids to the restroom (or change a diaper) a zillion times a day. It's gotten to the point where we automatically ask "Anybody need to use the potty?" anytime we approach an establishment that looks like it will have remotely sanitary facilities. And to be honest, it's driving me crazy!

First somebody has to pee. So we take them. We try to convince the other that they should "try" too so as to avoid a second trip for the second one soon after. Inevitably, the second child insists that they don't have to go and refuses to make the trip. Fast forward 20 minutes and sure enough, that one has to go. OR we drag the second one to the bathroom at the same time as the first and force them to go. It doesn't matter. Thirty minutes (ok maybe an hour) will go by and one or both has to go again. Throw in the baby's diaper changes and it's a wonder I get anything else done. Factor in the public restroom scenario (grimy, toilet paper shortage, each kid insisting on using their own cycle of the hand dryer) and you can see my frustration.

I just can't wait for the day when I'm not intricately involved in the bladder and bowel happenings of anyone but me!

Christian, the Lion

I am quite fed up of hearing about "Christian, the Lion". I never saw the You Tube video on You Tube, but I've seen it about 20 times on the morning round-up in the past week or so. I heard it was a crazy phenomenon on You Tube and it was so touching to soooo many people. I'm sorry folks - I'm not in tears. I don't get it. Please stop making such a big to-do about it. Enough. Already.

BTW...is it time to go back to work yet???

The Chivalry, It Is Dead.

Yesterday morning on the train on the way in to work I saw a woman who was SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT sitting on the FLOOR of the train car because no one offered her their seat. It was despicable! She was very good natured about it.

Couldn't have been me.