Friday, January 30, 2009

welcome weekend


Well, it's finally Friday. This has been a hectic week, full of meetings, deadlines, boy's activities... and I'm done for! It doesn't help that Mr. Rant and Rave has been keeping me up with his snoring, something he does when he's overtired.

So this weekend I plan to relax (around chauffering to basketball games and bar mitzah parties that is) and get in some good workouts, as I feel quite the chubster. My weekend began at around 12 with lunch with a new friend, a neighbor who moved to the burbs from the city several months back. It was fun... though the Indian food we had is not sitting too well with me.

Anyway, as you can see... my ADD is kicking in with scattered thoughts and rambling and all. Promise to be more interesting after the weekend!

Have a good one... and enjoy some down time.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Snow day!


Alright already with the snow! Today was another snow day, the 4th in a matter of just weeks! The boys were, of course, thrilled... until I sent them out to shovel. Being my perfectionist self, it was hard to see the job - or lack thereof - that they were doing. But they seemed to be having fun with each other, to a point. I was not able to restrain myself and did end up going out later to have a go of it... just when the snow was its wettest and heaviest. I counted it as a workout though, not having had the guts to drive to the gym today. It was fun having them around today, and for a change, they just wanted to stay put with old Mom. The snow was pretty in the morning, wet and sloppy in the afternoon, hope it's not icy for the hubby's ride home tonight. Did you have a snow day where you are? What are your snow day traditions with your kids?

Rant of the day - spilling my morning coffee which I drank at 5pm on J's rug when I was readjusting his curtain rod - my punishment for getting nutty about it not being straight!


Rave of the day - staying warm inside while my boys did the shoveling, the first round. Getting sincere thanks from them for doing it myself second go round.

Monday, January 26, 2009

With a little help from my friends...


In my last post, I wrote about boys... but today, and this weekend, I was really grooving on how great the women I know are, family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues - all of them! I had a work assignment to do and I realized at a late Friday hour - my fault, stupid - that it was due sooner than I had expected. In a panic, I made a couple of calls, emailed some colleagues, emailed my faithful networking group (more about that later) and soon I was in touch with everyone I needed to put together great interviews, for a great article, in amazing, record time. So, thanks to my ladies... we seem to have an innate gene for helping each other out which is priceless and so special. Remember to help out when you can, the kindness always works its way back to you.

Rant of the day - ccd classes that start at 7 pm, end at 8:30 - not fun for kids at this hour, or parents who have to get them there and back!

Rave of the day - ahh, my article is finished - wish me luck for my assignments!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Celebration of boys - for my boys





I was thinking of my boys this morning after recent conversations with two friends who had sons after two daughters. They were amazed at the differences between parenting boys and girls. As you know, I am the proud mom of two boys. Now, in my 13th year of being a boy's mom, I think I have enough experience to be able to offer them some advice, with some authority.


When I envisioned myself as a Mom, having boys never seemed to enter the picture. I grew up with a sister and my grandmother, my mom's friends all had girls... there were, in fact, very few boys ever around.


When my sister had her kids, the first was a boy. It was a novelty and we all fell in love, but I remember hoping the second was a girl. It wasn't.


When I was pregnant with my first, I had lots of girl names picked out, too few boy monikers. And, the boy names I did have were nixed by the hubby and I get his point in retrospect (Perry and Brent were two memorable ones.) R came to being with much fanfare and love. Almost three years later, J was born, another boy. I knew he was coming, having had an amnio. I remember calling for the results during a work trip to Albany and feeling a tinge of disappointment. This time, it was my sister's turn to be bummed as well. As I had morning sickness with J and not with R, she was convinced this meant it was a girl.


Now when the family gets together, it's a sea of testosterone... with just my sister and I in the female contingent.


But I love having boys, and could not imagine my life any different, these boys any less loved or wanted. For those who are uninitiated into the mom of boys club, here are some things to look forward to...


Since I have had my boys, I have done things I had never before done in my life, like play soccer and basketball, skateboard, watch horror movies, dig in the mud, climb trees, plan scavenger hunts and pirate parties and on and on.


Boys are fun, hardly ever moody. They let things roll of their back and are on to the next adventure with amazing speed and agility. Emotions seem to be in check, maybe too inwards sometimes for a mom who likes to talk things out. But they reveal themselves in a way that is never loud or distressing, but are whispered upon a nighttime tuck in moment, or when just lying on the couch watching a show you really would not have chosen yourself.


Boys in group are interesting to watch. Their camaraderie and friendship is so different than that of girls. They don't have to talk often, in fact they don't even have to greet each other. Somehow they fall together and end up having the best time with little forethought or planning.

It's puzzling to us moms, but let them take the lead as soon as they're able to talk on the phone themselves.


So, for all of us who had visions of braiding a little girls hair, buying pretty dresses and painting little nails, I say embrace the messy, insightful, comical, whirlwind reality of life with your boys.


I know I learned to, and I can't imagine my life as a mom any different.


Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Happy, historic day



I spent a whole lot of time on the couch today, but I feel no guilt. I spent the day watching the inauguration in its full regalia starting at about 10 until about 5, with a few breaks in between for eating and running to the dry cleaners! J had the homework assignment to watch the inauguration, so he sat with me most of the time, with lots of his signature, astute observations. We had been in DC just at the end of December, with the kids seeing the mall and all the memorials for the first time, so there was a lot of remembering of places and amazement at the amount of people there now.


How cute are Malia and Sasha Obama. J said they were going to get in trouble as they were talking when Yo Yo Ma and the musicians were playing... he also said it must be really cold as people were ice skating in the mall... I missed that!


I think even the most cynical of us can't help but feel bouyed by the spirit and excitement of the day. The word hope has never had more meaning than today, to so many Americans.


Here's to hope and better days ahead for all of us, I think it will be here soon.


- S







Saturday, January 17, 2009

Basketball Diaries


It's freezing here in New York and I was dismayed to see my youngest son had a basketball game at the ungodly hour of 9am!

After dragging myself from my warm bed... getting J ready for his game with breakfast and pleading to put on track pants over shorts... I drove through the frozen tundra to the game.

Despite my misgivings, it turned out to be a great experience. My little guy scored two baskets, I got to chat with some team members moms and snuck a donut hole that was bought by one of the moms for the boys.

The whole sports world for kids is so interesting to me. Some parents are so passionate about it, as if their child was getting ready for the olympics at a tender age. At the other extreme are the parents who just drop off their kid at the gym, then return when its all over and time to go home.
The coach for the opposing team was a well coifed, made-up and dressed mom... she was wearing a print blouse, nice jeans, heels and a glittery necklace. Us other mothers, who barely made it out the door at that hour, marveled about her coaching attire, which must work for her as they won!

Next on the schedule today - another basketball game. This next one is at the more godly hour of 1:00 - maybe because it's for the church team.

Rant of the day - people who don't clear the snow off their cars then cause mini-blizzards in their wake when they drive fast

Rave of the day - J's baskets so far... basketball mom group - dunkin donuts!




Wednesday, January 14, 2009

yogahhh...

I'm in love, I'm in love... with my yoga teacher! Don't go gossiping about me or alert the hubby, this love is more about how I can't get enough of her amazing classes, and my body is slowly beginning to show the benefits.

Cathy teaches at NYSC twice a week at dates and times that are not the most convenient... but this is must-do, schedule around it yoga that's taking priority in my book!

First on the reasons why I love her... her amazing classes, best I've ever taken, and always different. One class is all about ground work, another about balancing, one might be really challenging (today!) another super relaxing.

Then there's her soothing voice and cool yoga music, making for a great, lose yourself in it environment.

Lastly, end of class relaxation... I have been know to drift off into lala land on a dusty floor (we all complain about the studio's resident dust bunnies) surrounded by sweaty people - she's that good.

Anyway, I'm not going to give too much detail, as her classes are crowded enough. But I have found love, and wanted to share my bliss!

Find your own feel good activity. It's important for all of us to have something to look forward to and enjoy.

Rant of the day - none so far - feeling my inner peace after yoga (will probably change though as hubby is going out of town, lots to do later)

Rave of the day - ah, yoga class again, looking forward to visiting a neighbor's new baby later

Peace out everybody!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

busy week... of not doing much!

Rant of the day - packed gym... ok, I get it, your new year's resolution is to get in shape... but please stop ruining my normally sane gym with your maniac workouts and go back to being a couch potato!

Rave of the day - watching my dvr'd Golden Globes show... being moved to tears by Kate Winslet, Danny Boyle (director of Slumdog Millionaire), even Micky Rourke (try explaining to your 13 year old why someone else crying on tv makes me cry too!)

As mentioned, I am a normally very busy writer and pr person, specializing in the beauty, health and home fields, who suddenly finds herself, well, too unbusy for my liking. As my schedule slows and the recession story gets more and more scary, I find I'm spending a lot of my time networking, emailing, calling colleagues and former clients, people I've known and worked with throughout the years. I'm often met with colleagues who say they are "in the same boat" as we all look for work assignments.

However, despite all that, I find that the days just go and go with all the mothering and domestic duties that seem to have ramped into full gear for me! Take this week for example, my calendar is filled not with business meetings and calls, but dentist and doctor appointments, school things to follow-up on (can you say middle school progress reports - yikes!), a neighbor's bris, a meeting with an artist for my column, practices galore and not to mention my new health kick which has me at the gym regularly and whipping up full course, healthy dinners like never before. So I guess what I'm saying is my life, which I often defined by my work, is at its fullest and fun, even without the work accolades and validation I have come to be accustomed to - and I am secretly liking it. I figure when the work comes back, and I know it will, I will have to better balance it all to be totally focused on work or totally focused on home and not let the two intermix and get stressful, as often occurs when you're a work at home mom. So, to channel Oprah, feel the gratitude for your life... there's always, always reasons why.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

rave - what a great movie!

I went to see a great movie on Friday that I highly recommend! Slumdog Millionaire is a movie which combines many great elements people love in a movie - drama, love story, family, horror... all in one film.

Went to see it with a friend who I dragged out on a cold night as I was feeling kind of blah and needed to get out of this house which I spend MUCH TOO MUCH TIME IN!

Luckily, the husband came home early and we ate early and I skipped out on the after dinner clean-up and moving the cars as it's going to snow routine!

We missed the very beginning of the movie, but did not miss a lot.

I don't want to give anything away, but once you get past the beginning - which is a little tough to watch - it gets better and better until you're at a weepy/happy end.

Best movie I've seen in a while, and I see a lot of them.

Still new to this blogging thing, so I'll try to get a trailer on here.

Otherwise weekend was ok... lots of snow and ice here... I hate winter but have a manic fixation with shoveling... I kind of like it! Once I start, I have to get every speck of snow and ice out of there in a crazy, anal sort of way. I even totally shoveled a neighbor's driveway as they were on vacation.

Rant of the weekend - winter cold - blah... after xmas doldrums... no one wanting to go sledding with me!

Rave of the weekend - Slumdog Millionaire... great yoga class... playing 'scene it' with the boys and winning - as usual




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Saturday, January 10, 2009

A year later - a little older... ok maybe not wiser

A year ago I decided to start a blog, inspired by friends and family who have done so and love it.

Being a writer, I thought it would be a natural for me.

However, work and business got in the way - and I frittered away a year doing more blog reading in my spare time than blog writing.

Well, I'm back and determined to make a go of it this time.

What has changed in a year? My boys are bigger, and definitely taller - with my eldest almost my height and I'm pretty tall.

Work as a freelance writer and pr specialist was busy, busy - so much so I stopped doing work for some long time clients - then - ta-dum - the shoe dropped, i.e. the major recession, and everything died down, then almost away.

Right now I'm doing my writing than pr'ing - which I enjoy - but does not pay as much.

Rant of the moment - my eldests' science project - don't ask

Rave of the moment - my youngest wanting to treat me to Starbucks, then buy me a mug with his Starbuck's gift card.