Take the Girl

Make it stop!

2011-08-29T13:48:00.000-04:00

Tropical storm Irene has brought an early start for fall clean up.....which means it's the start of hours and hours of my most hated noise in suburbia the #@#$ leaf blower!

You know the folks out here love their lawns to look as though they lived in TV land so it's a sin to have one leaf lying on your lawn or around your flowers.

You know it's all about convenience out here so it's a minority of us who actually rake and put the leaves in a bag....and then while we work we have to listen to the incessant buzz of leaf blowers. Of course because the majority of people use them it means that when one stops another one begins and before you know it you've spent your entire weekend "in the country" listening to leaf blowers!

My neighbor's leaf blower started at 8:30 this morning and it's hasn't stopped since! (not an exactly efficient tool) I wish I could make it stop. But I can't so I'll just close the windows :(

Best Day in Suburbia

2011-08-26T07:06:00.000-04:00

Thanks to hubby, yesterday was my best day in Suburbia EVER!
I've always dreamed of driving a race car and yesterday that's just what I did! For my birthday hubby enrolled me an introduction to racing class and I got to drive a real race car, all by myself.
It was exhilarating, exciting, scary, challeng and the most fun I've had in CT. I can't thank hubby enough (and the kids who were awesome on the 4 hour drive).

"Mom, did you like your surprise?"

In heaven

"I can't believe this is actually happening!"

"Remember knees together if you spin out in a turn."

"I can reach the pedals. All good."

Yeap! I was the only city girl there :)

Sugar Coating

2011-08-22T12:54:00.000-04:00

Before I even had a chance to catch up and tell you how amazing and awesome our summer in Europe was and how depressed I am to be back, I've been pushed back into the suburban life.

It all started this morning when the kids next door ran down the street screaming we know who are teachers are for the year! It's posted! Have you checked?

Two seconds later I'm sitting in front of the screen trying to login into my parent account (needless to say my username and password have been erased from my memory!). And the results are in....

Son #2 gets assigned an awesome teacher who is a perfect fit for him, she loves science, he loves science.
Son #1 gets assigned a teacher with a reputation for screaming and putting down his students in front of the whole class...a horrible fit for my son who is super affected by screamers and needs a whole lot of positive encouragement in order to do his best.

My first reaction was to call hubby and share my concern and sadness. My second reaction was to call the principle and share my concerns. He had such a great year last year I just desperately want to ensure that Gabriel has another great year.
Third reaction...take a deep breath.
Final reaction...I refuse to be a crazy helicopter mom who sugar coats their child's life. The truth is that I can't always protect my kids from life's ups and downs. They have to learn how to deal with it on their own. I only know this teacher through second hand accounts, I can't project, I have to see for myself what our experience will be. I have to trust our school's decision because thus far we've had such a great experience. And worse case scenario I know my kid enough to know if he's really in trouble and then as always I'll be his strongest advocate.

Welcome back everybody!

Girlfriend Network

2011-06-16T16:18:00.000-04:00

If you move to the burbs, you're number one priority to should be to meet similar minded women. It's taken me a while but over the last two years I've become friends with some wonderful women who have similar family commitments, similar outlooks and values and who have become my indispensable girlfriend network.

When life throws you a curve ball it's so much easier to handle when you have a network.
A couple of weeks ago both my kids got sick with a contagious virus which of course declared itself at 8:00PM at night. The next morning at 8:30 both hubbie and I were expected at a school meeting we couldn't cancel. I texted a girlfriend, explained my situation. First she offered to take my two sick kids for the morning even though she has two of her own. I refused. Then she kindly called her babysitter and arranged for her to be at our house by 8:00AM the next morning! Life saver.

Last night, son #1 announced that he had his end of year presentation today at 2:30. Of course super girl has to be somewhere completely different from 2-3PM. Again I was able to make last minute arrangements with a girlfriend so that I can literally be in two places at once this afternoon.

I'm so grateful for my network!

Never say never!

2011-06-14T15:51:00.000-04:00

The feedback from my last post was unanimous! Do it yourself city girl.
My next door friend and neighbor (who is an uber do-it-yourselfer, no project frightens her!) gave me lots of encouragement and even offered to help! My dad, who is also Mr. fix it, said the same thing. The competitive New Yorker in me said "watch me I can do this!."

So instead of paying a stranger a $1000 bucks I've decided to do it myself. I started this afternoon with the bathroom tile floor. I cleaned the whole floor with, vinegar, baking soda and a toothbrush! No denying that I felt like Cinderella and my hand is a big fat cramp, but it looks good and it was "free." I hope I have it in me to do the other two bathroom floors. I'm thinking of enlisting the help of the kids for their bathroom floor, it seems only fair (or would it be considered child labor?)

I have to learn this lesson over and over, never say never!

Money in suburbia!

2011-06-13T15:12:00.001-04:00

Owning a house in suburbia is pushing me to two things I really hate to do: manage a budget and compromise. I've always hated both but I resent it even more now that it's for really mundane things like re-caulking the bathroom shower!

It seems to me that there is a limited amount of money ( the budget) and an endless list of house related expenses! I'm not complaining, we could be millionaires and this would still be true.

Do I really have to sit here and assess whether we should repaint the kitchen or have the garden mulched. Or whether we should splurge on an exterminator but then again the showers need to be caulked!

And let me tell you before you even suggest it, this city isn't going to learn how to caulk a shower. (what's the point, one day I'll have a building super who will do it for me again!) And truthfully, I'd rather be playing with my kids, cooking them a super meal or working with my coaching clients.

It is what it is but I don't like it!

Make it for me!

2011-06-03T08:00:00.002-04:00

Kale, Collard Green, Cucumber, Avocado, Garlic, Apple & Herbs

When you live in the city you have access to countless take-out options.
Out here it's a little more difficult to get someone else to make your meals.
Today I discovered a take out option if you're into healthy, clean foods.
The Stand in Norwalk, CT offers amazing veggie & fruit juices! Delicious sandwiches which are all filled with veggies and nuts.

The only inconvenience is that I can't walk there....which might be a good thing because it would fuel my addiction!

The Stand
31 Wall Street
Norwalk, CT
203. 956. 5670

Nice Wheels

2011-06-02T09:58:00.000-04:00

When I drop off the kids t school in the morning, there usually a long line of Toyota Siennas minivans, Honda Pilots, and Audi Q7s....but today the car just ahead of me really caught my eye. It was a beautiful, sleek, powerful looking silver, convertible sports car. My first thought was "just another middle aged man showing off".... but I was totally wrong.

At the wheel of that gorgeous car was a working, single mom who blew a daughter a kiss and drove off to work. The cherry on the cake is that this is an eco-friendly hybrid car!

How refreshing!

Bug off!

2011-06-01T08:06:00.004-04:00

After finding a tick on super girl's head I guess I'm a little more sensitive to creatures that inhabit the burbs. It has to be said I've never been an animal lover, my brother got all of the animal lover genes!

I'm sick and tired of the minute ants that are invading my kitchen (and completely ignoring the ant traps).
Annoying by the giant ants that have invaded the family room and are now making their way to our bedrooms (and who are completely immune to Raid).
Not amused that I found out the hard way that when a giant ant goes up your pants, it bites you!
I'm not finding the hedge hog that's hanging out in our back yard cute.
Finished with the hundreds of chipmunks that keep digging up my vegetable garden.
Not moved at all by the rabbits I see every time I leave the house all along the street.

Surrounded by all of these creature, I feel like I'm in the minority and I don't like it one bit!

Unfit suburban mom

2011-05-30T16:01:00.000-04:00

As I combed super girl's hair this morning, I felt a bump on her scalp.....one quick look and I knew it was a tick! I took a deep breath, called the local walk in clinic and off we went to get the parasite removed.

The doctor, who is a Lyme disease specialist takes a look and dryly says "this is probably been there for 48 hours....."

He removes the disgusting blood sucking invader and I meekly ask "so I'm more of a city kinda girl, and I don't know much about ticks in CT...what's the best thing to do to prevent the kids getting them?"

1. Do a tick check every single night, head to toe/
2. Don't let them play in grassy areas
3. Don't let them play in wooded areas
4. If they have to play outdoors they should be wearing long sleeves and long pants. Ideally white clothing
5. Their pant legs should be tucked into their socks
6. They should wear bug spray

Great I'm so glad we left the city for the great freedom of a backyard! Super Girl is now on a 2 week antibiotic treatment to make sure she doesn't get Lyme disease, I'm going to worry every time my kids are outdoors and I now have ONE more mothering task to add to my ever growing list. FABULOUS!

So much for the wide held belief that kids are much better off outside in the suburbs!

Perfect City Day

2011-05-22T17:17:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, I think that we enjoy what the city has to offer more now that we live on the outside than when we lived on the inside... Yesterday we treated ourselves to a perfect city day with the kids.

On foot we go! :)

Helped with an art installation

Enjoyed a Merce Cunningham performance

Pondered the big questions!

Took in some street art

Got a cool view from the dance studio

Strolled on the High Line

Sweet break at the Chelsea Market

Stopped in at a Keith Haring show. Theo studied him last year.

Took in the Picasso exhibit at the Gagosian Gallery.

Back home to Westport

ER Novice

2011-05-17T06:41:00.001-04:00

Going to the emergency is stressful. If it's for your kid it's even more so and if it's in the burbs and for your kid, it's really really stressful!

Sunday was son #1's tenth birthday (I'm still in shock!). Anyway, after a nice family birthday lunch hubby and I were leisurely walking back to our car while the three kids were running back to the car, playing tag. It was giggles and smiles the whole way....until we reached my car and my youngest, super-girl, age 3 ran, head first into the parking meter. And I mean pounded into to it! Within seconds a huge, purple egg formed on her forehead and it just kept on growing.

Stop everything, we need to take her to a doctor ....yes but who? The pediatrician is off-duty and 20 minutes away, the walk-in clinic is now closed, am I really going to call 911....that leaves us with the closest ER which we've never had to visit thus far. Ok but where is this hospital exactly?

All I can say is thank goodness for my GPS! I plugged in the address and 6 minutes later we were there. But once there I didn't know where to park the damn car. Thankfully I spotted a valet parking option and pulled right in!

I remember the good old days when we lived in the city and our pediatrician was always on call and more importantly where an emergency room was just a cab ride away and I didn't have to do any driving under the influence of emotional motherly stress! It's so stressful to worry about your crying, injured kid and pay attention to the road and the bad drivers as well.

Lesson here folks. Figure out early on, where your nearest, nicest, most kid-friendly emergency room is. And most importantly remember to take a deep breath before you get behind that wheel!

P.S. Super Girl has a nice big bruise on her forehead but no head injury.

P.S.S. The ER called this morning to follow-up and check in. Very impressive. I highly recommend the Norwalk ER.

New Wheels!

2011-05-14T17:00:00.000-04:00

Spring weather is here (well sort of) and that means that I'm more desperate than ever to leave the car behind! When the kids are in school I try and bike solo around as much as I can (and not get killed).

But I also wanted to bike with the kids as much as possible this summer. The dream is to bike to the beach, to the tennis courts and to the pool. The only problem is that I have 2 out of 3 kids who can ride their own bike, the third is still too little.

I took my dilemma to my friendly neighborhood bike store and the owner introduced me to the trailer bike.

I thank my lucky stars that I have "super-girl" for a daughter and she's taken to this contraption from the first ride!

Yippee! We're all on wheels for the summer.

Old Dog, New Tricks

2011-04-26T08:45:00.000-04:00

"City Girl doing Dead Hang to Inverted Rings, this morning at Crossfit"

Even in suburbia you can learn new tricks and push past your own limits!

Smile you're in the city!

2011-03-28T08:34:00.000-04:00

Saturday night Hubby and I headed to NYC for dinner with some good friends so I knew it was going to be a fun night. I started the evening by seeing this sign just as we got to the city and I just had to smile...
I love that NYC attitude!

Bullies in the Burbs

2011-03-26T07:37:00.000-04:00

Many of us make the decision to leave the city to offer our kids a "better" public school experience.
Our experience so far has been very positive so far. The class sizes are smaller, the range of special classes like Spanish and Technology are impressive, the individual support is amazing, but as this You Tube video shows there are some serious downsides to living in a wealthy, safe and entitled suburb. http://06880danwoog.com/2011/03/25/sticks-and-stones/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog

As an adult, when you move to the burbs you have to fight the system to remain an individual. The majority of people have a very clear idea of what life out here should look like and if you don't conform you pay a price. You don't have as many friends, you don't get invited as much etc. There are definitely mommy clicks out here. Sadly this is also true for your kids. Of course bullying happens in the city. I'm not sure it's as severe though because in the city there are at least a few different molds you can fit into, out here it's pretty much one: good looking, sporty, wears designer clothes, big house and ready to conquer the world.

When you make the decision to leave the city for the burbs it's really important to consider the social aspect for the entire family not just the school system and the square footage. Ironically it's that aspect that will have the greatest impact on your life.

Global CT

2011-03-25T06:42:00.000-04:00

I often feel isolated from the rest of the world out here in suburbia.
I miss being part of the global soup that is New York City.
I long to travel to countries that provide a nice dose of culture shock.

Well yesterday, I was reminded that even though I live in CT, I am still part of the global picture.
That realization hit me at the gas station, when it cost me $70 to fill me tank instead of the $50 it used to two years ago!!!! Libya may be thousands of miles of away, but it's actually connected to my little town of Westport!

Don't Go Changing!

2011-03-08T14:33:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have wondered how living in the burbs has changed me over the last two years....
today I received confirmation that two of my key traits are intact.
1. I have no sense of direction what so ever. Hubby who's been at my side for 20 years can give you plenty of stories to back that up. Let me share my morning drive. I was rushing from Stamford to Westport which is a distance of about twenty miles. About 8 minutes into the drive it was clear that the road I was on, I95, was badly congested and not showing any signs of improvement. So I said to myself I think I know another way home....let me give it a try. Guess what happened? After following my "internal compass "AND the car GPS I not only made no progress, I actually went the wrong way and ended up BACK in Stamford!!!! Yeap! thought I was going North but I was totally heading South.

2. I can't stick to a budget! Now don't get me wrong it's not that I don't want to stick to a budget, it's just that as hard as I try something comes up! For example, I've been pretty good about sticking to a food budget...but today when I got to the check out at the grocery store I noticed (this is an important first step hubby) that my grocery bill was significantly higher than normal....so I paid and headed to the exit thinking I wonder what I bought that put me over?

I actually bothered to answer the question by looking at the receipt and discovered that I had paid $50 for fish for tonight's dinner!!!! Like I said no matter what I can't stick to a budget. I saw swordfish that looked good and bought it.... But I can swallow my pride...I went to customer service and returned the fish (hubby is thinking yeah!).

Still I walked out thinking, some things will never change!

No Matter Where

2011-02-23T15:07:00.001-05:00

No matter where I reside, whether in the city or the burbs, I am appalled by McDonald's. I am appalled by the way corporations in this country poison consumers, young and old, and have the nerve to label their junk with health claims!

Read New York Time columnist Mark Bittman's account of McDonald's latest "wholesome" offering and see what set me off!

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/how-to-make-oatmeal-wrong/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Infinite Connection

2011-02-18T07:21:00.000-05:00

Jackson Pollock "Galaxy"

I am so grateful that I moved to the suburbs in the 21st century! I can't imagine what my life here would have been like if I didn't have a high speed internet connection. Thanks to this precious connection I've taken online classes and finished a degree. I keep in touch with my family in Europe via Skype. I've been able to share my journey to the burbs with friends!

Last night I discovered yet another use for the internet. After dinner, my son and I visited the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid, MOMA in New York, the Tate in London and the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam in about half an hour. All thanks to the Art Project by Google that he had been shown at school that day. Thanks to this amazing program you can walk around museums around the world, zoom in on specific art work and even take a peek at the street outside! http://www.googleartproject.com

City Girl Recommendation

2011-02-16T13:03:00.000-05:00

I consider myself a pretty brave City Girl. However, when it comes to the dentist.....I am a BABY!
It's embarrassing how scared I am of going to the dentist. Anyway as you know last week I broke my tooth on a pistachio nut. Well it turns out I not only broke the tooth, but I also damaged the nerve. Net, net today I had to have my first root canal!!!!!

Let me just say the only image a root canal conjures up for me, is my mother coming home after having one done and lying on her bed in the dark for the rest of the day!

Anyway, I went back to Dr. Susan Levine today and she rocks! She actually made my root canal pain free!
I spent most of the hour waiting for agonizing pain....but nothing. So if you're in Fairfield county and you need a great dentist, this city girl recommends Dr. Levine. http://www.drsusanlevine.com

Drama at lunchtime

2011-02-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

One of the things I miss about the city is the option of going to see plays. Mind you with three kids I didn't exactly go every week but it was a nice option. One of the reasons we chose Westport, CT beside the schools and the beach, was its reputation as an art town.

This winter I discovered a fabulous and easy way of seeing a couple of plays in town, it's called Play with Your Food.
Here's the deal. Once a month, you show up for a buffet lunch, catered by one of the local restaurants and you are then treated to three short plays. The actors are professional actors from CT and NYC so the quality of the acting is fantastic and the range of plays offered is really interesting and broad.

I roped in a couple of friends to sign up for the season so I get a lunch date and creative relief at the same time! Of course I had to get over the fact that I was now a "lady who lunches"and that half of the people there are senior citizens (not good for someone who just turned 40) but it's worth it to see the plays!

Check it out early, the tickets always sell out early (http://www.playwithyourfood.org/).

Philosophy in the burbs

2011-02-12T07:20:00.000-05:00

I came across this quote this morning and it jumped out because it really encapsulates why some enjoy suburban life and others may not!

"To different minds, the same world is a hell and a heaven." Ralph Waldo Emerson. "Our subjective interpretation of the world matters; what we focus on makes a difference." Tal Ben-Shahard, Phd

Coincidence?

2011-02-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

This afternoon, at about 2:00PM, my friend and I were debating the pros and cons of keeping our doctors in New York versus finding new ones in the burbs. Pros: you trust them, they know you, you feel comfortable and they're competing in one of the toughest cities in the world so they're probably at the top of their game. Cons: they're in the city and you're not.

Fast forward three hours. It's after-school time. The kids are home playing and I'm munching on some pistachios. On my third pistachio I hear "CRACK." I'm like, no "f***ing way, did I just break my tooth!" I feel around with my tongue to find a distinctive crack in my molar and the pain is raging from my gum.

So I speed dial my dentist. This being the ONLY doctor I have switched to locally..... She answers the phone. Panicked I say: "I think I just broke my tooth and I have to lead a workshop tomorrow at 10AM!" She replies: "how fast can you get here?"

I throw the three kids into the car, speed over to Fairfield.

Twenty minutes later, I'm sitting in Dr. Susan Levine's office (http://www.drsusanlevine.com) and she's taking care of me. She gives me the 411 and my options. An hour and a half later I walk out with a numb jaw (it took about 6 shots to get it numb) and a temporary crown ready to do my workshop tomorrow morning!

I want to hug Dr. Levine for taking such good care of me. I felt so lucky to have her close by.
I felt as equally lucky that my three kids sat patiently for an hour and half in her waiting room!

Still not ready to give up on my NYC based doctors but more open to having local resources!

Reality Check

2011-02-04T17:07:00.001-05:00

It's really hard for a city person to imagine suburban life. We have our stereotypes of course but we really don't know the half of it.

I've shared with you the fun of being in the burbs in the summer, by the beach.
Let me even it out and share what it's like in the winter.

1. Snow days are a constant not a novelty. The first year we were here, I wondered why school got cancelled with only a couple of inches on the ground. I can get my kids to school I thought! Yes, but the problem is that the school buses have to be cleaned and the teachers who sometimes live quite far away have to make it to school too! No teachers + no buses = no school.

2. You shovel your own driveway, no doorman is out there in the early morn throwing salt for you. And of course it's way harder than it looks and it has to be done a couple of times at least. You could hire someone to do it for you but you'd better get on the waiting list pretty fast. Let me just say that I never ever appreciated the benefit of a two door garage before! Now I get it, if you can at least park your car inside you have that much less to shovel!

3. Got mail? If you don't shovel a path to your mailbox for the postman, you don't get your mail. Totally serious!

4. You need to shovel a path from the street to your fuel tank, if you want have fuel delivered.

5. You have to shovel a path to the garbage dumpster if you don't want to live with garbage pilling up in your garage.

6. You remember how bad the drivers are out here right? Well now it's a russian roulette as to whether I'll make it home alive because many streets are now just one lane and we have snow banks at every corner.

7. Just when you've finished shoveling the ground you look up and see massive icicles hanging from your roof. That means one thing, you need to beg and put your name on a waiting list for a crew to come and clear the snow and ice off your roof unless you want massive ceiling leaks.

Did the groundhog see his shadow? Don't tell me if it's bad news!