The Chronicles of a SAHM

Lion Tamer

2012-02-09T21:53:00.000-06:00

This made me laugh so hard I cried.

You're welcome:)

On to something?

2012-02-07T21:56:00.003-06:00

I found myself at a dinner with an old friend last weekend. He asked me if I had seen the French response to the Tiger Mom parenting nonsense. (I thought it was nonsense...)

Anyway, apparently, I think it was the Sunday NY Times ran this article about child raising differences between French parents and American parents. I am solidly in the American parents category.

In a nutshell, they talk about the idea of "no" meaning "no" and following through. Not fighting...just parenting with logical consequences.

Lately, it has seemed like the inmates are running the asylum around here, and I. Don't. Like. It.

The kids have been fighting with each other a lot. They want what they want, exactly when they want it, and I feel like I'm just not doing a good enough job at setting boundaries. I want them to be happy children, but that doesn't mean they are in charge, or that I cater to their every need.

It just seems somewhere along the line...the line was blurred between who was the parent, and who was the child. I'm trying very hard to get it back...calmly...by setting small consequences that I can follow through on immediately.

I can just hear my mom's "I told you so"...seems she's been lecturing me on this from the beginning. If she had just published an article in the Sunday NY Times, maybe I would have heard her;P

Kick off

2012-02-05T17:54:00.001-06:00

Lived in this town home 4 years, and I had no idea the fireplace actually worked:/

Got some home made chili cooking, and I'm ready for kick off!

Go Giants! (Just 'cause I don't like Tom Brady:P)

This time last year...

2012-02-02T22:00:00.005-06:00

I have decided that Chicago has the weirdest weather in the world...This was a year ago this week...

Today I ran on the lakefront without a jacket...I'm not complaining;)

Running on...

2012-01-31T20:48:00.003-06:00

I can't believe THIS is January in Chicago.

It's like...perfect running weather. Yesterday, I ran in running pants and a shirt...no jacket...no scarf...it was crazy nice!

I don't know if I'm training for anything. (I keep telling myself this is the year I do another Chicago Marathon...but who knows)

Right now...I'm just gonna keep running;)

There's a mouse on your head...

2012-01-29T20:41:00.002-06:00

I've been working a TON lately...

...and then I put my mouse on Smokey's head...

He was thrilled;)

Long week

2012-01-26T22:21:00.003-06:00

This week I:

Got the flu:(
Designed 4 blogs.
Colored all these pictures with The Little Man.

I. Am. Tired.

Party for The Big Game

2012-01-22T22:28:00.001-06:00

Do I always watch the playoff games? Yeah, even though the Bears are sad. Sad. SAD...I still watch the game when I don't have a dog in the fight.

When I was asked by Collective Bias "Would I like to go to the Walgreen's Flagship store on State and Randolph to purchase alcohol for a football playoff viewing party?" Ummm...Yes!!!

Truth be told, I was waiting for an excuse to actually go downtown and shop the store after the fabulous grand opening party. So, I called my pal Sissy, 'cause I knew she'd want to check it out as well...and The Little Man will take any excuse to ride on a city bus...so off we went.

You just can't beat the location of this store...so wonderfully urban. (Can you tell I love Chicago?)

Now, between you and I, I am CLUELESS when it comes to mixed drinks...

...and while they have TONS of wine at Walgreen's (with some affordable, and some CRAZY prices) I wanted to make some fun mixed drinks. SO...I checked out my new best friend, The Virtual Bartender. He shot out some yummy mixes, that seemed easy, even for a rookie like me.

All I needed was:

1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1 small lime wedge
1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
1 1/2 ounces of gin
ice
2 ounces club soda

It is truly sad how lost I was in the alcohol section. Luckily for me, there was a really nice lady who knew where everything was, and we were in and out of there like that.

Here was my loot...(Yes, I had to buy the mixer, and thank goodness they had one, 'cause I had no idea where I'd go if they didn't)

Here's the lowdown. All I had to do was mash up in a bowl, (15 blueberries, the sugar, and the lime wedge) the actual word was "muddle" but since I wasn't sure what that was...I just mashed it up;)

Then, I added that to the gin, ice, and club soda in my nifty new mixer and did my best Tom Cruise on it...then poured it into a highball glass half filled with ice. (Yes, I had a highball glass...I just didn't know it was a highball glass) Then I added a few fresh blueberries and topped it off with more club soda...and...

walla! SO yummy!

I made one for all the grown ups...and then I made non alcoholic versions for the kiddos, yum yum.

Truth be told, I could have just thrown blueberries in a glass and The Little Man would have been thrilled, but a bit of sugar and club soda made it even more fun;)

It actually was a good game...NY won, and I'm rooting for them in the Super Bowl:)

Feel free to check out my Google+ post if you want to check out more pics...

*This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias all opinions are mine.

Learning

2012-01-19T21:04:00.004-06:00

I think I'm coming out of it...at least I hope I am.

It seems whenever life gets tough, I have to take a step back and remind myself, with every hurdle, with every bump in life's long road...if you're lucky...you learn something along the way.

The last week and a half has been REALLY bumpy. I swear to you, last night...I sat down...took a breath...and felt like I had fought a war. I. Am. So. Tired. Then I thought to myself...This has been hard, what have I learned?

You never can be too paranoid.
No matter how sure you are that you can't shove a square peg in a round hole...sometimes it's a really good idea to take a step back. You'd be surprised how things look from a different perspective.
Every once in a while...you gotta pick up your fork and knife and eat crow:/
Communication is the best way to stay on track...Communication.
When you feel you have totally lost control of a situation...you just gotta let go and hope for the best.
No matter what is happening...when your baby is sick...that trumps all the noise that's going on in your life.

Everyone got sick this week...and thankfully...everyone got better. It's been a long week...I hope I've learned my lessons...and I'm looking forward to a delicious nap.

I had a great day...

2012-01-16T22:22:00.001-06:00

The kiddos had the day off from school today.

Since the health club actually became a nice place...they have LOVED going to the play room. There is a tree house, inside the play room. There's a whole corner of the room with gymnastics foam that is a foot deep on the floor. That is to catch them in case they fall while scaling up the new climbing wall.

I could go on and on...but I've gone off on a tangent...again.

The kiddos spent over two hours climbing around...went home, watched a movie, and generally had a good day. It's cold and yucky in Chicago so I've just been shooting for good days.

Later this evening, I noticed The Little Man wasn't touching his dinner. Which is odd because he LOVES ham.

He excused himself and went upstairs. A few moments later I hear...

"Mommy, I'm a mess."

"What do you mean, you're a mess?"

"I exploded."

He was not kidding when he said he exploded...it was all over the bathroom. My poor Little Man had thrown up all over the bathroom:(

It was a two man job cleaning him and the bathroom up...

The entire time he kept repeating..."Mommy, I had a great day...and then I exploded:("

Poor little fellow...

Guess who opened in the loop....

2012-01-12T22:49:00.000-06:00

I was asked to represent Collective Bias at a great store opening downtown at Randolph and State..."Would I like to go?"...Heck yes!

There was sushi...which I LOVE...and it was fresh made on site by..

wonderful sushi chefs!

There were famous people...(That's me with Gabriell Union...oh and that's Chicago's fantastic new Mayor)

There was a beauty boutique with brow, eyelash and a nail bar..

Any guesses on what this fabulous store opening was???

Any???

It.

Was.

WALGREENS...and it was AWESOME!!!

I couldn't love Urban Walgreens more...it literally is a 22,000 square foot, one stop shop.

I could go on...and on...and on. Yummy treats, made fresh on site...coffee, soft serve yogurt, sandwiches, salads. It was literally insane...

I haven't even scratched the surface of all this store had to offer in two levels...so I will leave you with the wine carousel.

I know...a wine carousel! I can't wait til they open one in Lincoln Park;)

*While this was a sponsored post by Collective Bias, all the opinions in this post are 100% mine.

Brilliant!

2012-01-10T22:53:00.001-06:00

...that is all.

And so it ends...

2012-01-08T21:43:00.004-06:00

OK, it's hardly fair to hit you with this crabby guy...Christmas break wasn't that bad...

Actually, it was quite good.

I've always known you could check out museum passes at the public library...I've just never gotten around to doing it.

Until. Now.

We went to The Brookfield Zoo...Shedd Aquarium...Nature Museum...

I tried like heck to get passes to the Museum of Science and Industry...dang it all if they were always checked out...Don't worry though, we'll keep trying;)

Kiddos start school tomorrow...Hallelujah...school tomorrow!

Working for a living

2012-01-03T23:03:00.002-06:00

I have been working my butt off over the holidays...working. butt. off.

This is my latest. I'm kinda having fun. Recently, I added Genesis Theme to my repertoire. It's a REALLY solid platform. Don't get me wrong...I still LOVE me some Headway Theme...but Genesis has really been flirting with me...

I just reread that last paragraph...I sound like a big geek:/

Showing up

2012-01-01T21:16:00.003-06:00

I was nervous. Miss Peach had threatened not to go for weeks...no, months.

"You have to go to the Christmas concert." I told her.

"I won't sing." she stubbornly retorted.

"Everyone will be depending on you to be there." I said.

"I don't care...I won't sing."

OK...D Day, I got her to the show. She hemmed and hawed, and I encouraged her to put one foot in front of the other and just get there. We didn't think about the concert, we didn't talk about the concert...we just got to school by 6:10.

I dropped her off at her classroom, and sat down in the auditorium with everyone else.

It. Took. FOREVER to finally get to her class...but she did it.

I have no idea what she is thinking here, but she's not singing, and she's not happy:/ (and my picture sucks...no idea what happened there:P)

I was just proud she made it onto the stage;)

Afterwards, I said "I'm so proud of you!"

"I didn't sing." she said.

"It doesn't matter...you did it. You got on that stage, even though you were scared. Well done:) Somebody once said (Woody Allen) that 95% of life is showing up. You, Miss Peach, showed up!"

"Yeah...well I didn't sing."

Maybe she didn't get it now...but she will one day;)

Holi-dazed

2011-12-28T17:34:00.005-06:00

Don't worry about us...Smokey and I are just taking a little Holiday break;)

Competition

2011-12-21T11:52:00.000-06:00

My Mom is taunting me with this pretty kitty...Smokey has competition...

Brrrrr...

2011-12-18T21:07:00.000-06:00

Even the squirrels in Chicago look cold:/

Fun with iPhone

2011-12-15T22:15:00.004-06:00

Miss Peach and I have discovered face time...and we never put the phone down again;)

Car designer

2011-12-13T21:06:00.001-06:00

I tucked The Little Man into bed, gave him a kiss on the forehead, and started out of the room.

"Mommy" he said.

"Yes Sweetie" I replied.

"What should I be when I grow up?"

I stood there looking into his sweet little brown eyes, and I knew exactly what he should be. Now, I don't believe in pushing your kiddo in one direction or another. If I did, they would be on the tennis court 24/7, and I would be well on my way to Wimbledon. (Truth be told, we tried tennis, and it was an epic bomb:/)

Anyway...I looked at my Little Man, who spends every waking moment, every breath, every thought in his head about cars...and I said, "You should be a car designer."

His eyes lit up. "People do that?!?"

"Of course people do that. Who do you think designs all the cars you see on the road?"

I turned off the light, and left his room.

Not ten minutes later, he came bounding down the stairs with his newest Lego creation.

"Mommy, I'm practicing designing cars...I did pretty good, huh!?!"

Pretty good indeed;)

Art historian

2011-12-11T20:20:00.001-06:00

The fam. went to The Art Institute for a bit today. Nothing special, just to the museum shop to get some cute Holiday cards.

Since we're members, we decided to check out some paintings as well.

Our little ones are definitely short time wherever we go, and I could feel the melt down coming. That said, I still wanted to check out a few of my favorite pieces. (I am partial to A Sunday on La Grande Jatte)

Just above the stairs on the way out is Miss Peach's painting dujour. I kind of scooted around a group touring the museum with a guide, to take this picture. The guide said, "Are you on the art scavenger hunt?"

To which Miss Peach and I said, "?"

I had to take this opportunity to show the folks how brilliant my daughter was, and I said, "Miss Peach, who painted that picture?"

Without missing a beat, she said, "Georgia O'Keeffe, she is my favorite artist:)"

To which the tour guide and all the folks oohed and aahed at what a little smarty pants she was:O

...and scene.

Pilgrams and booboos

2011-12-08T20:43:00.001-06:00

My little Pixie Peach has had a tough week:(

First, look at that wicked boo boo on her chin:...( Little accident on the slide left her with that. She's been such a brave little soldier. She says, "It's OK Mommy, it only hurts when anything touches it." *insert big sad face*

Second, she has her Christmas pageant coming up. Remember that dancing little crazy thang singing "Flubaduba"? Yeah, she's petrified of getting up with her class and singing Christmas carols. Every time I ask her about it...she literally bursts into tears:( Not sure what to do about that:/

Third, they have been learning about the Pilgrims. I am FLOORED with how much she knows, and how much she retains. "Mommy, did you know Marylin Monroe had ancestors on the Mayflower?"

Ummm...no I did not know that, and how do you know who Marylin Monroe is, and what ancestors are...you are six. Such a little smarty pants. (She's totally right about that btw, I Googled it.)

New life

2011-12-06T22:11:00.001-06:00

Oh my Instagram...are you guys using it? I am torturing the heck out of Smokey Joe. If I had a dollar for every time I pointed my phone in his furry little face...I wouldn't need to design blogs anymore!

I promise you, he's LOVING it (not really)...just look at him he's thinking:

"Yay...more photos of me!"

He is such a Diva!

*Yes I am holding him like he's a baby...what???

Memory Lane

2011-12-04T21:13:00.001-06:00

Took the kiddos to see The Muppet Movie Sunday. I love The Muppets. If you're anything like me, and you grew up watching The Muppets every Sunday night...You. Will. LOVE. This. Movie!

I'm not even going to bother with a movie review...it's The Muppets for Pete's sake!

I am such a sap, I actually started crying when Kermit and the gang sang The Rainbow Connection...I cried Y'all! Then my son looked at me and said "Mommy, this is a Yo Gabba Gabba song!"

No my dear...it's a Muppet song;)

My kiddos were beside themselves after the show. We actually skipped down the street singing "Manamana"...."Do do do do do...."

'Cause we're just that dorky;P

Appalicious!

2011-12-02T09:22:00.001-06:00

How cool is this?!?

Totally made on my iPhone with the Halftone app. I know...it's .99, but they were running a Thanksgiving day deal, and I got it for free...you know what though...I'd pay .99 for it;)