Peanut Butter & Lullabies

Rejecting Reality

2009-10-23T00:49:00.003-04:00

hate the news. I try to avoid it. When Modern Daddy and I sit down at the table with the paper I dive right into the Life & Style section. I read local interest articles, poke fun at celebrities, and laugh at Baby Blues in the comics. It's not that I am a head-in-the-sand type of person. I know that there are big bad things out there in the world, along with a plethora of little bad things and the occasional truly evil thing.

Children, however, aren't born with this knowledge. They're born open books, waiting to accept whatever love and comfort will be offered. I am blessed in my life. My children are surrounded by a loving family. They have too much food, a big house, and too many toys. Evil, to them, comes in the form of Disney witches or robotic warriors. The good guys always win. I want to wrap them up in my arms and keep them frozen in time. I never want them to realize that's not always the case.

Today Modern Daddy and I were discussing the depressing reality of a little seven-year-old girl who was walking home from school and never made it. We were talking in parent-code, assuming that our children were too absorbed in their play to notice. So when Glitter Fairy Princess turned to me and asked, "What happened to the little girl, Mommy?" I had to look away. I couldn't meet her eyes when I told her the truth. "She got lost honey, but they found her." Because she didn't understand that there's a difference between "found" and "safe."

My heart mourns for that family. It mourns for the countless others who face tragedy every day. And a very, very selfish part of me mourns for the innocence that my children will lose when they learn the difference between those words.

In the meantime, I choose to reject reality. I will play princess dress-up with Glitter Fairy Princess and the biggest danger will be falling in our precarious high-heels. I will play Matchbox cars with Little Man and the only casualty of the crashes will be my dinged-up baseboards. I will read them fairy tales and make up stories and faithfully change the channel when the news comes on. I will pray with them for health and safety but also for joy and thanksgiving.

I know that soon Glitter Fairy Princess will see the world and the evil in it, and that Little Man will be right behind her. I just pray that the reality we create in our home will prevail. I hope that I'll be strong enough to hold their hands and calm their fears honestly. I just haven't figured out how yet.

An Open Letter to My 20's

2009-09-15T10:30:00.004-04:00

Dear 20's,

I have to be honest with you, I'm not exactly sad to be parting ways. It's not that we didn't have good times together. I've been so blessed with so many gifts during this time, and I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful. I met my husband and gave birth to two amazing children. I will miss certain things about you, to be sure.

It's just that I won't miss that feeling of uncertainty in the pit of my stomach as I step onto campus for a new semester. Or the frustration of not being taken seriously in the workplace because I seem "so young." I won't miss the arguments that came with the first year of marriage when two very strong-willed people were learning each others limits and quirks. I won't miss the heartache and hormonal fluctuations that came with trying to conceive. I won't miss the bed-rest and fear for the tiny life that came when we were finally successful. I won't miss the six to eight postpartum weeks that kicked my ass mentally and physically with both children.

So what will I miss? The open-mouthed baby kisses, those first precious smiles, the tiny flutter of feeling a life inside of me making itself known for the first time. I'll miss those nervous butterflies that come with a first kiss and the wonder of realizing that I'm in love and that perfect someone loves me back. I'll miss the brash confidence in my body that came with a high metabolism and a halter top. Sometimes I'll miss the carefree feeling of not being responsible for anyone but myself and the ability to stay in my pj's and play PlayStation all day.

But looking at my life now, at 30, I'll gladly accept the challenges this decade poses. I'll wear my stretch marks with pride and earn my gray hairs chasing the children you've blessed me with. So you see, it's not you, it's me. I'm glad to be 30, but I know there are plenty of girls standing at the edge of 20, waiting for you show them the women they'll become. I hope you're as kind to them as you've been with me. So thank you, and goodbye.

<--Modern Mommy and Modern Daddy in 2002

Do you have ANY IDEA how far away Maui is???

2009-08-19T11:20:00.003-04:00

Mothers tell all sorts of harmless lies to themselves. Prime examples would be "These jeans shrunk," "I'll fold that laundry in the morning," and "I'll work out tomorrow." The lies that aren't harmless are the ones that we tell each other. You know, "Oh, no, he's not sick. He just has allergies." Or "We don't drink soda in our house." But the worst lie of all? "Oh, I love traveling with my kids! We wouldn't vacation any other way!" Beware of anyone who tells you this. He or she is either lying through their teeth or certifiably insane. In fact, I'm pretty sure after taking both kids to Maui (which is 10+ hours of flying away) I am now certifiably insane and I still won't lie to you about it. Flying that far with two kids and then flying back is my new personal definition of hell. Why do you think this post has taken so long? I had to wait until my kids were both sleeping through the night again until I could objectively look at the vacation and say "Oh, how fun!"

Now, before you judge me and my love for my children I'd like to say that we DID have a great time. Maui was unbelievably gorgeous. It was amazing. But Little Man doesn't like the beach. Or being hot. Or sleeping anywhere that's not HIS crib in HIS room here at home. Glitter Fairy Princess was WONDERFUL. She was well-behaved, she loved the beach, and she thought the waterfalls and waves were "pretty cool." But she really just wanted to be at the resort pool making "new friends." The sheer majesty of Hawaii was a little lost on her.

So, how did we survive? With one simple secret: We brought my parents. If we had attempted this vacation without the two extra sets of (very patient) adult hands I'd probably be tweeting this post from a hospital following my mental breakdown. But the plane wasn't NEARLY as bad as it could've been. My dad is the "baby whisperer." Little Man spent most of the plane time (there and back) on his lap or chest. GFP spent most of her plane time playing my DS (thank you "Build A Bear Workshop" and "Wonder Pets" games.) I spent most of the plane time thanking God that I was already on anti-anxiety medication. ("Leg room" is apparently a term of the past.)

As for our time there, well, words don't do it justice.

Maui Sun 2009 from Leigh (Modern Mommy) on Vimeo.

Our trip to Maui, August 2009.

And, just because I know you want to know, these are the things that we did while we were there.

We ate. Well. And a LOT. Our personal favorites? The Hawaiian sweet rolls from the Kamoda Store and Bakery in Paia and the Hawaiian Shave Ice from Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice in Lahaina. I got the "Tiger's Blood" flavor. Coconut and Cherry. OMG.

We went on a "Sunrise Bike Tour" but thanks to Tropical Storm Felicia it was too rainy and cloudy to see the sunrise. We did see an amazing rainbow, though.

We went snorkeling and to the beach, despite Little Man's objections. Of course, Modern Daddy got caught in the current (no one told us the trade winds whip things up at 2 pm every day!) Consequently he got stung buy some of these guys:

My parents and I went ziplining while MD watched the kids. This is a shot down into the valley that we were zipping over.

And, OF COURSE, we went to a luau. GFP even got a lesson in doing the hula.

It really was amazing. I can't imagine a better vacation. GFP keeps asking why we can't live in Hawaii and I just want to sit and stare at the pictures all day. I know we'll be back someday.

But maybe we'll wait until the kids are old enough to entertain themselves on the plane..

Faunasphere Stole My Baby! Oh, Wait... I Meant "Free Time."

2009-07-23T14:32:00.005-04:00

If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook, here, or are my children you've noticed that I've been a little, well, preoccupied lately. No, no, I'm not talking about my undying love for Eric Northman. (I've been very careful to hide that particular love from my husband and children. *wink*) I'm talking about a new casual game from Big Fish Games called Faunasphere.

It's one part The Sims (you play as animals that you care for and breed to get desired traits), one part Duke Nukem (you zap "viles" and pollution to make their home planet liveable), and a very VERY large part of community-driven fun. When I began playing about a week ago I was blown away by how friendly everyone was. Need food for your fauna (animal)? Just ask, you'll have three or four offers of help almost immediately. It's refreshing to be able to play a game with my 4 year old beside me and not worry about things she'll see. (She IS beginning to read, after all. I usually can't have her too close when I'm emailing. *sheepish grin*) GFP loves when I play this game, though. The fauna lay eggs when they're leveling up and you can hatch them. They don't come out carbon copies, though. The animal you end up with is a combination of factors, which is why my horse had a unicorn and my gorilla had a cat. Believe me, GFP has VERY strong ideas about what fauna we should have. I'm currently in a quest for a pink bird. Because "that would be pretty cool!"

See my pretty pretty Unicorn??

Oh, and my cat? She just "hatched" that egg.

The game is currently in beta testing but you can go to the site and sign up to be on the waitlist (I was told this takes around a week.) Or, leave me a comment stating you want an invite and I can get you one immediately courtesy of Big Fish Games. First two comments asking for an invite get one. Have fun, and if you join the "sphere" let me know! (My username on there is EmeraldRay.) I'll be running around as a black unicorn.

Cultural Adventures with "Ni Hao, Kai-lan"

2009-07-13T20:20:00.005-04:00

Glitter Fairy Princess loves the show "Ni Hao, Kai-lan" on Nick Jr. so when I was asked if I wanted to host a giveaway of the new DVD I was all about it. I even have a Kai-lan tshirt. I did not take a picture of myself in it, though, because it (*cough*) shrunk (*cough*). In fact, Kai-lan helped her make one of her best friends in school this past year.

GFP's best friend in preschool this year was a little Asian boy who didn't speak any English when he started. When she first met him she was thrilled because Kai-lan had taught her how to say "hello" in Chinese. She followed him around all day saying "Ni hao!" and waving. Unfortunately he was Korean, and didn't understand her. (She was quite angry. "Why won't that boy talk to me Mommy?") But she kept trying to communicate with him and eventually became friends. They both just lit up when they saw each other. (I realize he might not look very thrilled in the above picture, but her name was one of the first English words he learned at school.)

Kai-lan has adorable adventures with her animal friends and teaches important emotional lessons along the way. Lessons like being patient, being a good friend, and calming down are all modeled by Kai-lan. Normally after watching an episode GFP runs around the house repeating the Chinese words she's learned and being nice to her brother. Of course, I don't know if she's telling me the right words or not, but she seems pretty sure. All in all, it's a pretty good time.

In the title episode on "Kai-lan's Great Trip to China!" Kai-lan goes to China to visit her great-aunt and see the birth of a baby panda. It's fun, bright, and educational without beating us over the heads. GFP loved the episode and has seen it repeatedly already. In fact, she was just singing me the "We're Going to China!" song. Now one of your kids (or you, if you're into that kind of thing) can win a copy of this DVD. Just leave me a comment until 12 a.m. Thursday morning. I'll pick a winner on Thursday, July 16th. Even if you don't win, click on the link above to go to Nick Jr's website for Kai-lan printables and games. Good luck!

*****UPDATE!*****

The winner is... Kimba! Congrats, Kim! I especially love that this DVD is for a little boy, proving that you don't have to be a girl to appreciate the show.

And in case you're the type who needs proof, here's a screenshot of the Random.org number selection:

Hobbies of a Little Man

2009-07-03T21:33:00.004-04:00

My Little Man is a simple boy. He likes cars. He likes blocks. He likes cups. He likes putting things in things and then taking things out. (Like putting a car and a block in a cup.)
Innocent enough, right?

Except when the place things go in and out of is the toilet. And since Mommy has such a strong reaction to the whole toilet-toy-swimming scenario it just makes it THAT much more fun. I've started keeping a list of things that have taken the dunk. They include:

Care Bear
Wireless Mouse
Dollhouse Refrigerator
Socks
Hat
Markers
Crayon
Cups
Legos
Christmas Morning Barbie (who GFP swears is really a Hannah Montana doll. Even though she's never seen Hannah Montana in anything but commercials. Which would explain the confusion since Christmas Morning Barbie doesn't have a horsey face. At all.)

Now, I have a few things I wouldn't mind being destroyed by a trip on the porcelain bus. For example:

My to-do list (which never seems to be written by me. Not that I'm bitter.)
That really irritating talking Princess Ariel necklace that GFP loves.
That really REALLY irritating "press the button" Spongebob book that Little Man loves. (Imagine Spongebob's laugh. Over and over and over and over again. "Hahahahahahahaha...")
Modern Daddy's copy of The Negotiator. (Yes, it was a good movie. The first 3 times. But really, do we need to own it?)
Every issue of Real Simple that I own and hold on to. Because it just makes me feel like I should simplify through organization. Which is not realistic. Or simple.

Thankfully he hasn't figured out how to flush. Yet. Something tells me that his big sister is just waiting on the right moment to teach him. Like when she starts getting homework.

Musical Monday #11

2009-06-29T10:46:00.003-04:00

I have recently fallen head-over-heels in love with Regina Spektor.

First off, the chick can TOTALLY rock out the heavy eyeliner.
Secondly, I'm a sucker for girls who play the piano. (Tori much?)

Third, she recorded with Ben Folds for his song "You Don't Know Me."

And lastly, she writes songs like this:
"The Sword and the Pen" from the album Far.

But also writes songs like this:
"On the Radio" from the album Begin to Hope.

So while I obsessively listen to her last two albums on shuffle on my iTunes, you should go out and buy them so you can join me. Just don't get mad at me if you go from dancing around your kitchen table to wanting to crawl under it and cry. That's how you know it's good.

As always, you can purchase Regina Spektor's CDs from iTunes or Amazon.com. Or visit her website here: http://reginasplash.warnerreprise.com/

(I recommend the iTunes version for the bonus tracks, including the first song I featured today.)
(And no, I don't get anything if you purchase this CD. But I totally should.)

Taking Back the Living Room... One Corner at a Time.

2009-06-24T21:25:00.004-04:00

I have a secret to share with you: I'm a really REALLY bad housekeeper. No, don't worry, you don't have to call Children and Family Services on me. I don't mean DIRTY, I mean CLUTTERY. You know, like the kids may grow up understanding to check the dryer for the shirt they want because Mommy hasn't had time to fold laundry for the past 4 days.

I set my stuff down in a pile and it finds another pile and then the happy pile couple have a gaggle of baby piles and next thing you know I can't see the counter. When you add a husband and two kids to the mix it's disastrous. As much as I may want to rant and rage about the messes that THEY create, it really seems hypocritical. However, last week I just couldn't take it anymore. It hit me: my problem is lack of proper storage! I mean, if I had a place to ~~hide~~ put all the toys I could make the living room seem like a place that adults would want to be in, right?

This was the living room:

So onto Amazon.com I hopped. (What, like I could go out to the store with both kids in tow and find anything? I'm lucky I make it out of Target with detergent and ziplocks without going insane. I'd end up coming home with two more laundry baskets saying "To hell with it!")

I was convinced that if I bought just the right toy chest suddenly my living room would look like this:

(Photo from HGTV.com)

Okay, so we all know THAT isn't happening. But I DID find a toy chest. Fortunately I had proper help. If you ever find yourself putting something together you really must find a helper who can twirl in a princess dress and point at things for you.

And at the end of the day what did I get?

( Yes, GFP did decide she needed a costume change. Yes, she might be the most dramatic 4 year old ever. And yes, there are still toys everywhere.)

It's a start, right?

*sigh*

Musical Monday #10

2009-06-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Today isn't just another Musical Monday. Today is also my 7th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately Modern Daddy isn't around to celebrate today as he is out of the country helping those less fortunate. (Can you believe he was selfish enough to leave me home alone with the kids on our ANNIVERSARY? You and I both know that he's really on a glamorous cruise and those anti-malaria meds were just for show.)

Seriously, though, his big heart is just one of the many things that made me fall in love with him. So I dedicate today's musical pick to him, to our love, and to the family we've built together. I truly am the luckiest.

The Luckiest by Ben Folds

As always, you can purchase this CD from iTunes or Amazon.com.
(Or I guess you could always drive to the store and buy one, but that's just so last year.)

The Best Laid (Hatched, Grown, Slaughtered, and Sold to Publix) Plans

2009-06-17T10:36:00.005-04:00

I am not great at many things. Some of the things I suck at include (but are not limited to): cleaning, holding my tongue, math, whispering, rocket science, gardening, crossword puzzles, being on time... Okay, I'm gonna stop there. In retrospect it might not have been such a good idea to list my faults. I don't think my ego is supposed to take a hit on my own blog.

Moving on...

One thing I CAN do well is cook. I'm not talking about gourmet souffle-flambee-french-sounding-words-that-end-in-the-"A"-sound type things, but stick-to-your-ribs homestyle cooking. (I am also exceptionally good at using run-on sentences. I don't know if that's really a skill, but I need the boost so I'm claiming it.) You know: meatballs, mashed potatoes, steak, kabobs, french toast, etc. Utilizing this skill, last night I decided to make a roast chicken for dinner.

I like cooking roast chicken. It always makes me feel a little bit like a legitimate housewife. You know, instead of the slacker modern mom that I am who spends half of her time chasing her kids in her PJs and the other half of her time complaining about it. In her PJ's. So there I was (not in my PJs, I might add) boiling potatoes and measuring stuffing and basting my chicken which was roasting away in the oven. As if she understood my desire to live up to the Betty Crocker of 1955, Glitter Fairy Princess insisted that we get dressed up and have a "fancy-makeup-party" while we cooked.

After an hour and a half I figured it was probably done, so I tested the temperature. And wanted to cry. After all that time the stupid little 4-pound bird was only 130 degrees! Now, if you don't cook this won't mean much to you, but I was aiming for 180 degrees. It's a reasonable goal that should be easily attained after 90 minutes in a 350 degree oven. It's not rocket science. (Which we've established that I suck at.)

My family was hungry. I was hungry. The sides were getting cold. So we did what anyone else would do. We had a big dinner of carbs. That's right, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and salad. And the chicken? Well, it was FINALLY reading at 180 degrees 3 HOURS after I put it in the oven. I don't know what went wrong. The oven is working fine. The chicken was bought fresh, not frozen. It's like I bought a reject chicken that resisted basic principles of cooking. What I do know is that it'll be a while before I attempt to roast another chicken.

Not one to waste, though, I've decided to look on the bright side. Now I have a fully-cooked chicken to use in some OTHER recipe this week. Considering the amount of grief the damn thing gave me last night I'll enjoy picking it apart.

Tamales, anyone?

Lessons Learned

2009-06-14T15:19:00.008-04:00

You may or may not have noticed that I've been absent from this blog for the last few months. (Don't feel bad if you didn't notice. Especially if you're my child reading this 20 years from now and can claim that you couldn't even read, let alone tell time, so how were you supposed to know?) Well, in case you are those two very important future readers, let me tell you a story.

Once there was a Modern Mommy who became a little obsessed with this series called Twilight and met some other Mommies who felt the same way. These Mommies were SO excited to share in things together that they spent tons of time talking to each other and having lots of fun. But this Modern Mommy realized that as much fun as she was having the people in her life deserved better from her. So, in a characteristically Modern Mommy move, she backed away from these friends in a rather abrupt manner. She expected that as her friends they'd understand her personality. They'd accept her decision and be happy for her children who needed more. But the fellow Mommies were not amused. At all.

So what did I learn? Among other things, that not all friendships work out the way we want them to. Does that mean that I regret the friendships or the time I spent on them? Of course not. I had fun. They enriched my life. I learned about myself. (I also re-learned what Modern Daddy has known for years: if you piss me off I'm going to react.) I learned my limits. This experience taught me just how much of myself I have to give. I've decided to give my heart to my children and husband first. Anyone else in my life needs to be happy with what's left over, and if that's not enough then I refuse to apologize for it.

After all, when I'm 90 my friends won't be deciding what retirement home to put me in.

Yo Gabba Gabba Rocks!

2009-04-03T13:41:00.005-04:00

I've mentioned before how much I adore the Nick Jr. show "Yo Gabba Gabba." What's not to love about a show that teaches life lessons like "Don't Bite Your Friends!" (Especially since that's a lesson that serves you well into adulthood.) Not to mention that they have the coolest guests (musical or otherwise.) So when I was contacted to do a review and giveaway for the new DVD "Yo Gabba Gabba: New Friends!" I was all over it!

In the title episode Jack Black (how can you not ADORE him?) is stranded in Gabbaland because his mini-bike runs out of gas. At first he is afraid to be alone in a new place but he quickly makes friends and even teaches a Dancey Dance called the "Disco Roll." I could go on and on about how friendly the characters are or how great it this show is because it inspires little kids to get up and dance and move around. Instead I figured I'd let Glitter Fairy Princess tell you what SHE thought about the episode:

Me: What as your favorite part of this episode?
GFP: When [Jack] made new friends and when he was scared.
Me: Why did you like it when he was scared?
GFP: 'Cause he found out he had new friends. I liked his words, his song.
Me: Do you like to dance along?
GFP: Yes! Let me show you!

Me: Is the show funny?
GFP: Yes!
Me: What part do you think is funny?
GFP: The talking trees and all those things that's not real.
Me: Who is your favorite character?
GFP: Foofa and Toodee. They're girls. Can we watch it again?

There you go, guys! GFP's seal of approval for the Yo Gabba Gabba "New Friends!" DVD. Do you want your own copy? I know you do. How can you resist DJ Lance?? So leave me a comment and on Monday April 6th I'll pull a random number. The winner will get a copy too! But remember to share. The Yo Gabba Gabba peeps are big on sharing. ;)

Musical Monday #9

2009-03-23T00:00:00.001-04:00

I'm trying something new today: I'm trying to be calm.
If I were to ever get a tattoo, I've said I want it to be the Prayer of St. Francis. Which would be an incredibly long and painful tattoo, which is why I'll never get a tattoo. But that's not the point. The point is that whenever I feel overwhelmed I have HAVE to listen to the Prayer of St Francis as sung by Sarah McLachlan. It is amazingly beautiful, peaceful, and makes me want to be a better person. (Author's note: It hasn't actually made me a better person. I know music is powerful, but I think I have to do that one on my own.)

The song is found on her album "Rarities, B-Sides, and Other Stuff 2" and can be downloaded from Amazon.com.

What I need right now

2009-03-21T11:41:00.004-04:00

At this moment, I need:
a 3rd cup of coffee
a manicure
a nap
a hug
to plan the kids birthday parties
to lose 15 lbs
to stop swearing in front of the kids
to get GFP's last piece of paperwork filled out for Pre-K
to organize my office
to be a better housekeeper
to see more of my husband
to see less of my daughter after 12 a.m.
to stop dwelling
to stop bitching
to stop spending (okay, to REDUCE my spending)
to get the eff out of the house and workout instead of making excuses
to go buy the Twilight DVD (I said REDUCE people, REDUCE)
AND
to blog more. I feel better already. :)

Musical Monday #8

2009-03-16T11:21:00.003-04:00

Hello! First things first, NO ONE in my family is currently sick. I know, dropping an F-bomb on this blog last Monday seems to have done the trick. ;) Anyway, I have a thing for female artists who wear funky glasses. I think it goes back to my adoration of Lisa Loeb in the 90s. So, here's Ingrid Michaelson, who rocks the funky specs like no other ukulele-playing-singer-songwriter out there today:

Ingrid Michaelson, "Be OK"

As always, if you like the song, you can download it at Amazon.com and a portion of the proceeds go to "Stand Up To Cancer."

P.S. To all of you who visit this blog (and, um, I guess if you don't visit then you wouldn't be reading this...): I'm sorry I'm not returning the favor recently. I opened my reader this morning and had almost 500 posts to read. So, it may be a while, but I PROMISE I'll get to you and I won't just click "Mark All As Read." Because that would be cheating. ;)

Musical Monday #7

2009-03-09T08:48:00.000-04:00

So, I've been AWOL in the blogger universe lately, mostly because the entire family has been struck by the plague again. I tried to put a positive spin on things with my "silver lining" post, but apparently the universe decided to strike us down again and laugh. So this time I'm fighting back. I'm giving the universe an angry, cynical Brit and my middle finger. Take this germs. (Also, I adore this song, and this was a good excuse to use it.)

Lily Allen, "The Fear" from "It's Not Me, It's You."

As always, you can purchase the CD "It's Not Me, It's You" (which I recommend, but it's not for little ears) on Amazon.com.

And, as another aside, Amazon sells a "clean" version of this CD. Which I'm confused by since there's a song named "Fuck You." (Also, did typing that bring the rating of my mommy blog up to like an NC-17 or something?)

The Flickr Mosaic Meme (Or: Me In Photos)

2009-03-04T21:48:00.004-05:00

In between all the sniffles and spit-up and whatnot I managed to tackle some of the blogs in my reader. One of them, Polka Dots & Pansies, had this really neat meme posted and I couldn't resist.

Here's the deal:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image.

c. Select the size of boxes as 3 by 4. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

And I got:

Here's my list:
1. What is your first name? Leigh
2. What is your favorite food? Steak
3. What high school did you go to? SHS (I searched for the town, Flickr had never heard of the school)
4. What is your favorite color? Green
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Robert Pattinson
6. Favorite drink? Pina Colada
7. Dream vacation? Maui Spa
8. Favorite dessert? Cheesecake
9. What you want to be when you grow up? Jane Austen (but, you know, married and with kids.)
10. What do you love most in life? My Family
11. One Word to describe you. Sarcastic
12. Where do you live? Gainesville

See, wasn't that fun? LOL, I thought it was anyway. If you decide to do it too leave me a link so I can check it out!

Photo credits are as follows:
1. Vivien Leigh & Thomas Mitchell in Gone with the Wind (1939), 2. New York Steak, 3. Sebring 12 Hours GT1 Aston Martin #008, 4. The tulip orchard, 5. and, we'll put our coverage of kristen stewart at sundance on hold... b/c quite frankly, we care far more about the boys..., 6. Pina Colada, 7. SPA in Kaanapali, 8. Raspberry - Swirl Cheesecake, 9. Books, 10. Softly Whispering I love you...:O)), 11. Tact, 12. Gator Spirit

Tiny Ugly Germs (sing it, Yo Gabba Gabba)

2009-02-26T10:34:00.006-05:00

Our family has been struck by the plague. As soon as one child finishes a course of antibiotics I'm dragging the other one into the pediatrician's office. I had been warned that this was what happens when you have a child in school. The constant sniffles and coughs and fevers never end. Apparently the only way to deal with it is to wait it out until their immune systems "catch up." (Nevermind that I keep getting sick too. Where's my immune system??)

Waiting is all well and good, but I deal with things differently. I ~~complain~~ make witty observations. Shocking, right? But then I realized that even I was getting tired of listening to all my whining. So in the interest of a challenge, I've decided to present the silver lining to the never-ending-parade-of-germs in my household:

1. Thanks to the great-stomach-bug-of-Christmas-2008 I have lost 15 lbs.

2. The other night Glitter Fairy Princess woke up vomiting and couldn't go back to sleep. After sitting up with her for an hour she turned to me, very seriously, and asked "Mommy, is we havin' a conversation?" Yes we were. It was uninterrupted by TV or Daddy or Little Man and it was wonderful.

3. Little Man is almost 11 months old and has the happiest and most easy-going personality I've ever seen in a baby. (Apologies to GFP, but "easy-going" was never an adjective I could use for her. "High-energy" and "high-spirited" were more her style.) While running fevers of almost 103 he still beamed his huge smile every time I'd pick him up. He'd even high-five before slumping his little head on my shoulder. It made the stress of caring for two sick children seem to melt.

4. I've had to cook a lot less since the kids have been too sick to leave the house 3 out of 7 days a week. (It makes grocery shopping kinda difficult. I'm pretty sure CPS would frown upon me leaving them home while they're napping.) Pizza helps build the immune system doesn't it?

5. GFP starts Pre-K (or "real school") next year. I've realized that I enjoy the freedom of keeping her home with me whenever I want. Modern Daddy might be right that I'm gonna miss her next year during the day. But I'd never admit that to him.

6. Being sick has meant that I have a bona-fide excuse for not working out. Which means reading blogs while drinking coffee can be done sans guilt.

7. I really like the kid's pediatrician, so at least there's that.

8. There's a McDonald's right beside said pediatrician's office. No matter how sick I may be feeling somehow I can't resist a Big Mac and fries. Mmmm.

9. Children's TV is MUCH better than it used to be. Putting on cartoons for the sick girl is actually enjoyable. (Yes, I've been known to gladly sit and watch The Backyardigans or Yo Gabba Gabba with her.) (And yes, I totally switch off of the shows that teach "life lessons." Sorry Franklin, but isn't that what I'm here for?)

10. I have a valid excuse for changing out of PJs and right into clean NEW PJs.

11. GFP has decided she's a "big girl" and has started calling me "Mom." But when she's not feeling good it's all "Mommy" and cuddles. I'll take the cuddles any way I can.

In fact, I'm going to snuggle now. In my PJs. Maybe we'll have a conversation, too.

Musical Monday #6

2009-02-23T11:51:00.003-05:00

So, I'll admit it... I totally watched the Oscars last night just to see Rob Pattinson present. I was going to search up a video of him playing the guitar for Musical Monday, but I decided to instead look forward to New Moon. What does this have to do with Musical Monday? Well, I love A Fine Frenzy and her debut CD One Cell in the Sea. (Yup, it's just one chick. What's up with the band names for one person? Five For Fighting? One guy. Anyway...) My second favorite song on the CD is "Almost Lover" and I envision this song every time I reread New Moon. I really hope it makes it onto the soundtrack.

A Fine Frenzy - New Music - More Music Videos

Curious as to what my favorite song on the CD is? It's called "Rangers" and you can watch the video by clicking the song title. She's really amazing, I love her work. :) Enjoy!!

Totally judging a book by its cover...

2009-02-18T21:28:00.007-05:00

I adore books. I have built in bookcases and boxes filled with them. I get tingly at the thought of wandering around a really nice bookstore. (I have been known to visit the library in the past but then you have to return the books.) You just can't beat the escape they provide, the whole "passport to other worlds" thing that everyone thought was tacky when it was on posters in middle school.

(To be fair, I doubt I would have thought this poster with Robert Pattinson on it was tacky.) (Oh, come on, you KNEW I'd have to find a way to mention Twilight in a post about books, right?)

Before I had children reading was only one of my avenues for escape, however. I could go see a movie. I could play a video game. I could watch TV. I could go see a friend and have coffee. I could call a friend (while drinking coffee.) (Coffee is a must.)

After children I was pretty much down to reading. Movies? Require a babysitter. Video games? Yes, fun. But Glitter Fairy Princess has been known to come to me with the Wii controller and say "Mommy, let's kill something." (Aside: While I feel this is a perfectly acceptable coping technique I'm not sure the other kids at preschool will feel the same.) TV? Have you noticed how much sex and violence is in the good stuff? And as for coffee and adult conversation, well you can forget it. I mean, you know you hate the women trying to ignore the fact that their kids are knocking over all the "suggested listening" CDs in Starbucks. You don't want me to be that woman, do you? Phone calls with friends go something like this now:
Me: "Hey, so how... wait a sec... Put that down! Stop teasing your brother! No! *sigh* I'll call you back, okay?"

But with books I'm home free! The kids can be beating themselves over the head with their Thomas the Tank Engine tool set and as long as I'm physically present I'm good. I can sit NEAR the chaos with my book and make sure no blood is drawn. Or that bandaids are quickly offered (along with a lollipop) if it is. Unlike television all of the cursing, violence, sex, drama, agnst, and anything else is being played in my head. Usually the content is hidden from my little princess, even by the cover. I like a nice cryptic cover. Pretty, intriguing, but not actually giving anything away about the book. I was even safe reading "The Lovely Bones," which is about the abduction and grisly death of a young girl. It's cover? A charm bracelet.

But then HBO had to go and screw it all up. I recently finished reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris and thanks to True Blood they redid the cover.
It went from relatively safe (this):

To completely UNSAFE (this):

Thank you ohsomuch HBO. As if I didn't already hate movie/tv tie in book covers enough. Now you have to print something that'll give me my daughter nightmares. After inquiring as to what was wrong with "that lady's lips," GFP and I decided that it's really silly that she has on so much lipstick. And I'm considering making book covers for future reads. Just like middle school.

My Three Valentines

2009-02-13T14:28:00.004-05:00

I was going to make an album for Modern Daddy for Valentine's Day. With Little Man pushing 11 months old, though, fun scrapbook things like "embellishments" and "paper" and "photographs" are in jeopardy of sticky fingers every step of the way. So, I decided to make this completely virtual version instead. Here is the evolution of my family. Here are my three valentines:

The song is "We Will Not Grow Old" by Lenka. You can buy it here on Amazon.com. :)

Musical Monday #5

2009-02-09T08:15:00.003-05:00

I've been going through my iTunes recently and revisiting some of my old favorites. Fiona Apple is truly one of my go-to girl artists and I hope she does something new soon. Here's my favorite from "When The Pawn..."

Paper Bag by Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple - New Music - More Music Videos

Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch French Toast

2009-02-08T10:45:00.005-05:00

Every time I make this breakfast I'm so ~~impressed with myself~~ happy that my family is happy that I normally tweet about it. Often this tweet is met with exclamations of how yummy it sounds, so I thought I'd get off my increasingly round (due to breakfasts like this) bum and post the recipe. It's essentially traditional french toast but with a coating of crushed Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch. (And it is equally yummy when made with traditional Cap'n Crunch.)

Ingredients:
White bread
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp sugar
2 cups Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch, crushed*
butter (for frying)

Directions:

Heat griddle to 300° or frying pan to medium to medium-low heat.
Combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar in a large bowl.
Place crushed Cap'n Crunch in a shallow bowl or pan next to your batter mixture.
Dip bread in milk mixture and then coat each piece with Cap'n Crunch.
Place bread on buttered skillet or griddle, flip after about a minute.
Serve and enjoy!!

*The "crushing" part is Glitter Fairy Princess's favorite part. I put the cereal in a ziplock and attack it with my meat mallet. This is especially good for mornings when the children won't leave you alone to drink your coffee and your husband insists on having SportsCenter on so loud that the kids yell even louder to get your attention over the TV and ohmygod why won't everyone just give you 5 minutes of silence???? You know, those times.

**(I totally stole the idea from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, but I double-checked and the recipe isn't on the website, so hopefully no one at Food Network will take offense.)

***Also, in case you were wondering, I have fallen in love. It's okay, Modern Daddy knows all about it. In fact, he's very supportive of my illicit affair. He's the one who went to the store and bought me this:

I'm going to go have a second cup of coffee with this creamer right now. MMmmmmmm...

I'm Happy With the Illusion

2009-02-07T15:56:00.005-05:00

Dear Person Who Invented Vanity Sizing:

Thank you for the boost my self-esteem has gotten recently from buying the same size jeans that I wore before I was married. It was really gratifying to ask the smiling Ann Taylor LOFT girl to bring me a SMALLER size instead of a LARGER one. I had a teeny tiny request, though. Could you please invent some vanity firming? Because since having two children I find that there seems to be more of me than before, despite with that tag claims.

Also, since you are obviously a force to be reckoned with (having changed the practice of the entire fashion industry) could you get rid of these advertisements on my Facebook sidebar?

They're kinda killing the "Oooh, I can't believe I fit into that" buzz. I spared you the one about stretch marks. The picture was too frightening, but it brings me back to my original request. Thanks!

xoxo,
Modern Mommy

Opinions are like, well, you know...

2009-02-03T20:32:00.004-05:00

I live in a very liberal college town smack dab in the center of northern Florida. (For those of you who don't understand the irony, that's the geographic equivalent of a hash party being held in a preacher's garage.) What this means is that the college kids feel the need to stick it "to the man" by sticking bumper stickers all over their hybrid Hondas. In order to reciprocate the country boys from surrounding towns extol the virtues of 4-wheeling above their custom trailer hitches. Unfortuately GFP's preschool is a good 30 minute communte from my house, meaning that I spend two hours a day in traffic staring at the bumper in front of me and being forced to read their opinion.

I'm sure some of you are thinking "Wait, Leigh! What sort of an evil bitchy hypocrite are you? After all, these good people just bought bumper stickers, but you publish your opinions for everyone and their mothers (as long as they have internet access) to read!" To you I say this: So? What's your point?

Actually, I used to be one of the bumper-stickered. The 1996 Dodge Neon that I drove to college (I know, I was stylin') had several. They showcased what a witty person I was, and how fab my taste was. I know you're curious. I had the following stickers: "God is dead. - Nietzsche; Nietzsche is dead. - God" "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups." and a Tori Amos window decal. (No, I was not a philosphy major, exceptionally angry, or bisexual.) (Okay, so I WAS kinda angry...) As I've gotten older, though, I've realized the folly in announcing my views to the world via my vehicle. No matter if I'm inclined to agree with your statement or not, if you drive like a moron it kinda kills it for me. So, here's a friendly message to the cars I see every day:

Ms. "In Case of Rapture This Car Will Be Unmanned" - Did I miss something? Because your driving leads me to believe your car is unmanned already.

Mr. "WWJD" - I'm pretty sure Jesus would use his turn signal.

Ms. "Yes We Did!" - You "did" what? Fail your sobriety test? Stay in your own freakin' lane!

Mr./Ms. (not really sure... your haircut is kinda androgynous) "Hate is NOT a Family Value" - I agree, it's not, which is why my children shouldn't have to hear what I'm calling you for CUTTING ME OFF.

I could go on, but I think you get the point. So do us all a favor. If your driving sucks, save your fellow Greenpeace/G.R.I.T.S./Share the Road/Southern Baptist/Honor Student/Eat At Sachel's!/Virginia is for Lovers/Coexist/Democrat/Republican/Don't Blame Me I Voted for Nader!'s from being judged along with you. Or you could, you know, LEARN HOW TO DRIVE.