My, those stirrups look good on you!

April 13, 2009 By 6 Comments

Nothing makes a Mommy feel classy and collected like visiting your OBGYN (who I ADORE, by the way) for your annual appointment with your kids in tow.

All you can do is smile, keep your arm stretched firmly in place to keep them from wandering south and mutter, ‘just making sure Mommy is ok’, when your four year old looks warily towards the end of the table and mumbles, “Mommy, what is she doing to you?”

Let’s be clear – it all started because, well, I am a moron.  And I mean a big one.

Last week was Spring Break.  So, naturally, I assumed today would be the day to return to school.  I even believed this as friends told me their kids were off.  I assumed and believed WRONG.  However, the enlightening ‘there is no school today moment’ did not happen as I packed a lunch box, weaseled Coop’s feet into his shoes, or grabbed the backpack to head out the door. 

My you-have-got-to-be-flippin’-kidding-me-moment came as I approached the school and there were NO cars in the parking lot – save for the one lone Yukon pulling out.  (I’m not alone!) And yet, I circled the school, just to be sure. 

I then sat in the parking lot to Twitter about it – certain there would be another mother who understood – or at least someone who could make me laugh about it. I also posted my faux pas on Facebook – I figured my friends could use the Monday Morning laugh.

And, yes, they laughed.

And, I proceeded to my appointment.  God love my doctor for letting the kids come back with me – and for being so darn quick at the whole miserable thing. 

The good news is – the kids do not seem to be scarred by today’s episode.  At least they haven’t mentioned anything since we left the office.  Of course, that really means nothing.  My daughter could decide to reminisce about “Mommy laying on that table with no pants on” at our next neighborhood BBQ.

Wouldn’t that be fun?

Stop laughing.

Clearly, I am scarred.

Filed Under: Are you kidding me?, Don't you wish you were me?, I'm just sayin' Tagged With: , , ,

Following the Purple Trail to Party Planning – Giveaway

April 1, 2009 By 13 Comments

How many parties do you think you plan and host each year? 

babyinvite
For me there are birthday parties (kids and adults!), holiday get-togethers, a beginning of Summer bash, a wow-I-can’t-believe-Summer-is-over-sendoff, an Oscar Event, odd baby and wedding showers and well, any number of ‘just because I want to’ BBQs, wine tastings, meal makings and other shindigs.

 

So, because I know you love a good party as much as I do – I have something to share with you – the newest, coolest, classiest way to plan your party and send out invites online.

purpletrailboxWith hundreds of designs to choose from and customize, PurpleTrail is leading the way to elite party planning.  

Here are the highlights:

*You can personalize invites with your own photos
* There are NEVER ads ANYWHERE on your invites (so no wrinkle cream display on your pool party invite!)
*Guests aren’t required to create an account to RSVP
*You can send invites via email, text or Facebook
*You can import your address book info
*Track all emails sent, opened, and forwarded
*Schedule messages or reminder emails to certain guests
*Plan recurring events and meetings

You can even make your event a paid one – sell tickets! Purple Trail allows you to collect money through PayPal – fantastic for fundraisers!!

invitevarietyIn addition to these services, Purple Trail is packed full of articles that can help you to with all kinds of party planning – baby showers, birthdays, BBQs, etc.  They even offer suggestions for invitation wording.

OK – so, I haven’t even gotten to the best part.  Are you ready?  3 things:

First of all - initial service is available for FREE.  That’s right, F-R-E-E.  When you sign up for this level, you can send up to 75 emails per event and up to 500 emails per month.  You are also guaranteed – NO ADS!

Second – the Basic Plan is only $9.95 for an entire YEAR.  This includes up to 250 emails per event and 1000 a month. Of course no ads – and up to 25 credits for sending SMS text messages. You can also take advantage of animated themes, exporting your address book, and collecting payments

Third – and best of all – Purple Trail is giving away a Basic Membership to someone just like you!  All you have to do is visit their site, and post a suggestion here:  what would you like to see most from on online invitation service?  Can’t wait to see what you have to say!

So, if you only ever host small events, the free service is probably ideal – but imagine the possibilities if you plan conferences, regular business meetings, or huge family gatherings!

Additional membership levels include all of the listed perks plus extras like increased guest and email capacity as well as printable game options.

And finally, because I can’t resist a company that is working to make our world a better place, I must share something with you.  In addition to working towards their business goals, the folks at Purple Trail never lose sight of their social goals.  All employees dedicate 10 percent of their working time to helping non-profit organizations with event management.(parties, fundraisers, etc.)

How fantastic is that?

Giveaway runs until Saturday, April 25th at 11:59pmCST

Filed Under: Checking this out, I'm just sayin' Tagged With: , , ,

Itty bitty – that’s me

March 31, 2009 By 10 Comments

Like many of you, I constantly struggle with balancing everything.  I’ve talked about it before and asked your advice – many of you have given brilliant answers and suggestions.  For that, I thank you.

Having been gone for 5 days, and preparing to leave again for 7, I feel alternately behind and pressed to be moving ahead at warp speed. 

There is laundry to be done, clothes to prepare, a schedule to nail down for the trip and then all of the work related stuff that is clearly not going to take care of itself.  And I am tired.  I desperately wanted to take a little nap when the kids went down, but it just isn’t an option.

When Delaney got up, she padded into the office, blanket on her shoulder, thumb in her mouth and wanted to snuggle.  I took a quick break, but could feel the magnetic pull of my computer and work load as if there were physical tentacles attaching themselves to my hands and shoulders.

So, I cuddled and went back to work.  Delaney could be heard reading to herself in the next room.

A few minutes later, she reappeared in the doorway asking for a snack.  And then juice.  And then she settled in next to me to chat.  One question after another. One 4 year old sized thought tumbling out of her mouth every few seconds.

I can’t write, or think when people are talking to me.  The pressure I have put on myself makes me snap at her, “Delaney – PLEASE!”

You know what she did? Dropped her shoulders, bowed her head, let small tears fall from her eyes and said, “It’s ok Mommy, I know how you feel about me.”

Pardon me while I adjust the giant lump in my throat and try to lift the weight that has cemented itself to my heart.  I feel this big – and by ‘this’, I mean itty-bitty, teeny-tiny, the smallest of the small. How I feel about her? She couldn’t possibly know how truly, madly I love her.  How I can’t get through an hour without thinking about her sweet smile or how I wouldn’t be able to get through my days if she wasn’t a part of them.  She couldn’t possibly know that I love hearing her sing, I tickle her just because her laugh is the soundtrack to my soul, that I could cry as I listen to her learn or that I could dive right into those big brown eyes and get lost forever.

mysweetgirlBut what she is feeling right now?  That is how I have made her feel – like she was second place.  And this just might be the worst feeling in the world. She could pick me up and hold me in the palm of her hand.  That is how big she is in my world, and how truly minute I feel as I rush her in to my arms to reassure her.

I take a deep breath, wrap my arms around her – trying to make her feel secure physically to make up for the way my words and actions have failed her today.

She says, “I’m so sorry, Mommy.  I just wanted to tell you everything.” She is sorry?  Nope – this is now me – feeling as sorry as I have ever felt.

I cut loose the tentacles tying me to work, pull her into my lap and play.  We read.  We laugh. I try to teach.

I do what a mother is supposed to do: put her child in First Place.

Filed Under: Can we talk?, I'm just sayin' Tagged With: ,

Feeling Blissful

February 5, 2009 By 5 Comments

OK…my countdown has officially begun.  T minus 13 and a half hours until I am on the road to Blissdom in Nashville. 

im_goingtext-only Badges

This is the first time I’ve been to an event like this, and I’m oh-so-very just a little nervous.  Sounds silly right?  I’ll be surrounded by 250 other fabulous women who do what I do: blog, write, interact through social media.  And yet…there goes that nervous thing again.

I’m fidgety.  I’m antsy.  I really just want to get on the road and get there. I think it is because I am so excited to learn.  Sure I learn everyday from my kids, but I’m looking forward to an intellectual-adult-drinks involved-laugh-a-ton-wear-my-PJ’s-hit-a-cocktail-party-get-better-at-blogging kind of time.  Oh..and did I mention: a hotel room to myself?  And I can sleep in a little on Sunday morning, until maybe 8:30 or something?  I’m planning to have such an outstanding time, I’ll be up late and needing the Sunday morning sleep fest.

There is an amazing lineup of women speaking at Blissdom and even more who will just
be there and be fantastic.  How exciting to be surrounded by people who ‘get’ what you do?  And for a whole weekend?  And with cocktails?  And without my children?  Heaven.

I have been looking forward to this for a long time.  I hope I’m not too much of a spaz.  I can be a spaz.  Really.  I’m getting there around noon tomorrow.  You’ll recognize me as the girl with the 4 bags.  Just kidding.  Sort of.  I really can’t decide what to wear.  Yes, I’m that girl…the one you went to High School with who calls just to see what you are wearing.  I’ve heard everything: jeans, fancy jeans, rock star shirts (thanks Cool Mom’s Guide) sweaters, khakis, slacks, skirts, cocktail dresses and PJ’s…so, you know what?  I’m bringing it all.  I like to have options.  And I’m driving.  So I can do that.

See you manana, Blissdom.

Filed Under: I'm just sayin' Tagged With:

Strange Indulgence

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

So….I get a littl ‘me time’ this morning….and I use it for a mani/pedi.  Nice to relax without kiddos for a bit, especially considering the days I had with them this week.

However, I ask you…what is most strange about my visit to the nail salon:

The woman who kept her sunglasses on the entire time she was inside (not prescription BTW, the lady next to her asked)

The woman getting a pedicure who kept her cell phone in her bra…and every time it rang, she reached right on in and grabbed it…

OR

The fact that the big screen TV they had on (which usually is showing some adultish movie) was on Saturday Morning Cartoons, including the Veggie Tales….the ENTIRE time.

There were NO children in the entire place.

I’m thinking: very interesting people watching, yet I’m slightly confused..

Filed Under: I'm just sayin' Tagged With: , , , ,

Whip out the Voo-Doo Doll

January 19, 2009 By 2 Comments

When I am feeling particularly disenfranchised with my husband as I am right now, I whip out the Voodoo Doll. 

aspen-mainAt this very moment, he is in Aspen, Colorado vacationing working.  In fact, I believe he is currently ‘in town’ for a very important, very serious drinking game business dinner. I imagine there is a whole lot of absolutely no drinking involved. And, well, Aspen is clearly a homely town anyway, so I know he isn’t having any fun without me.

aspenroomsAnd I imagine when he gets back to the St. Regis his cheap hotel, he will find his room at the perfect temperature freezing cold, the bed covered in a luxurious down comforter some cheap quilt and I’m absolutely positive the bathroom doesn’t have much but  its very own tv a passable hair dryer.

You do know what my day has included.

 

snowmobilingAnd, I’m certain he has had to deal with something similar (like choosing which wine to try).

Soooo….back to the VooDoo Doll: It has brown hair and fabulous milk chocolate colored eyes – with little flecks of green.  It has a wide smile since Jeff is always laughing.  It isn’t life sized, so no need to talk height or weight.  And, friends, I know from experience….from the last time he took a work play trip like this without me:  it is effective.  In fact, it is VERY EFFECTIVE.

So….I’m whipping out the pins….and getting to work.  I imagine he’ll sleep a little less tonight.  And even less on Wednesday when he is snowmobiling and drinking working on my birthday while I’m hanging with the kiddos.

Wish me luck!

Filed Under: Are you kidding me?, I'm just sayin' Tagged With: , , , ,

Blogging is a bit like breathing

January 13, 2009 By 7 Comments

For the past week, it has felt a little like someone has been sitting on my chest.  And when someone is sitting on your chest, it is a little hard to breathe.  I kind of like breathing.  It is essential to who I am.  Funny, blogging seems to have carved out a similar ‘essential’ slot in my life.

So, naturally, when my blog went down last week when my server was being updated, I panicked. Hence the ‘someone sitting on my chest’ feeling.  In fact, (hold on – deep breath ——- ok better) I’m feeling some of that panic start to settle in again as I remember the moment I realized there was trouble with a capital T in my little world.

I didn’t know I relied on blogging so much.  I didn’t realize I enjoyed it and well, clearly, NEEDED it.  I found out the blog was down when someone sent me a note through TwitterMoms to say they liked my site but couldn’t see the blog.  My hands actually trembled as I typed in my URL.  Nothing.  Blog gone. 

I emailed the people who are MUCH SMARTER THAN ME: Ty at Synergy Design - my website/server extraordinaire and Heather – at Desperately Seeking Sanity (and Desperately Seeking WordPress) – my favorite Blog and WordPress Know-it-all, who originally incorporated my blog into my website.  I had no idea getting me back online would be such a complicated endeavor, but it was.

I continued to type my URL in religiously (about every 1/2 hour on Wednesday) But decided I needed to practice patience – so I moved to every hour on Thursday, every other hour on Friday and every few hours on Saturday.  By Sunday, I was actually sweating, but took to blogging in my head to get through it. Though it took 6 whole days ( 144 hours for those of you who wanted to quantify my suffering in smaller increments) Ty and Heather worked their magic and made everything in my world right again.

OK, slightly dramatic, I know.  But, SERIOUSLY!  I. Didn’t. Know. I. Would. Miss. Blogging. So. Much.  I wanted to write about my kids making my crazy and proud, happy and sad.  I wanted to tell the bloggy world about the kind stranger at the grocery store and the bizarre, naked woman at the gym.  I wanted as ask what you all thought of Ann Coulter blaming single moms for many of the ills in our world.  And what you thought of the Golden Globes. But I couldn’t.  I was stuck harassing my family and friends with topics only suited for my blog.

So, here I am now.  Back to pour out my soul to you with renewed energy, drive and verve.

And it feels good.  Like breathing.

Filed Under: I'm just sayin', In the News Tagged With: , ,
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