Playground for Parents

Thankful

Property taxes due near the holidays, the damn swine flu lurking around every corner, the Oprah show ending in 2011...It's easy to complain.  Most of us do it everyday.  And our complaints are VERY legitimate. No one can deny that. Well, except maybe our husbands, who don't really get why Oprah is so important.

 

So, if there's one thing that this holiday is good for, it's reminding us of all we have to be thankful for, at least for one day. You know, the good stuff - the stuff that gets lost or forgotten when we're schlepping our kids to soccer practice in traffic, thinking of something to prepare for dinner other than a bowl of cereal (although there's nothing wrong with that), and complaining to our girlfriend about debt and nasty neighbors and 5th grade homework that we can't remember how to do.

 

Neither of my parents will be here for Thanksgiving Day.  My dad will be skiing, because he's a jet-setter at 60+ years old.  And my mom will be visiting her sister out of state - just where she should be, since her sister recently had a masectomy.  She has A LOT to be thankful for.  And there are no two people that I am more thankful for than my folks.  The help and support they've given me is so immense, that I won't embarrass myself by trying to list even a portion of it here (I'm always afraid someone is going to say, "you're over 40, Nina, get a grip!").  But, I'll just give you two examples from this week alone:  1) my mom surprised us and brought over a homemade chicken potpie (with our initials made in the crust!), so my hard-working husband wouldn't have to cook dinner.  She also brought the girls cute new clothes that they didn't need.  Again.  And picked up some red velvet cupcakes from my favorite bakery.  Just because.  Then she bathed the girls and got them in bed so I could continue working, and took their laundry home with her to wash it.  I didn't ask her to do any of it; and  2)  Our butts are sitting in a warm house right now because pops had two new furnaces/air conditioning units installed in my home a few days ago.  Nothing says love like removing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from our old units.  I get asked at least once a week by one of my friends if my parents will adopt them. My response is always the same: Heck no! Because that would mean less for me. Ha!

 

Because they aren't going to be around for Thanksgiving Day, we'll be spending the holiday with my best friend and her family.  But, I had a special Thanksgiving dinner for my parents last weekend. It's the least I could do. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to show my thanks to them. I said a speech and everything, though next time I should probably write it down because I think I was rambling (yea, that's so unlike me, right?). Then after they were nice and full, I sent them out for massages at a place nearby.  I'm such a grateful daughter, that I even advised my father not to fall asleep during the massage, in order to avoid farting.

 

The other stuff I'm thankful for:

 

* my new j-o-b.  After 7 years of being a sahm, I am back in the workforce full-time. And  I couldn't be more blessed, as I set my own hours (which usually means rolling in at 11am and leaving by 3pm) and work from home 2 days per week. Mama is bringing home the bacon! I just leave all the frying to my husband. Oh yea, I'm thankful for that too.

 

* that my 8-year old still wraps her skinny arm around my waist as we walk together in the mall or at the grocery store.  As long as we're not on school grounds, she's not embarrassed to show her mom a little public affection, yet.

 

* that the baby no longer cries when I drop her off at daycare. And she now gets sick from daycare cooties about very 2-3 weeks instead of weekly.  It does wonders to relieving some of that damn mother's guilt.

 

* that my husband will drag down about 20 storage boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic, and he's ok with me decorating for Christmas next weekend, and leaving the crap up until WAY after New Year's.

 

* you, my loyal blog readers, especially when you leave comments (hint, hint).

 

We Scored. Now What?

I had frozen yogurt with hot fudge for lunch.  This was followed in the evening by TWO glazed donuts that my mom brought when she came over to watch the baby.  One glazed was a twist and the other was just round - had to make sure they actually taste the same.  There's no denying that my sweet tooth is freakishly huge.  But, that wasn't always the case.  When I was little, I would still have my Halloween candy months later, even when Easter rolled around.  Well, apparently, my daughter has inherited my now adult sweet tooth, and she'd eat candy everyday if she could. Like every good parent, I don't want my kid to follow in my corrupt footsteps.  Kinda like that "do as I say not as I do" thing. 

 

So, after she's done her trick-or-treating on Halloween, I choose some random number as the amount of candy she's allowed to keep. Sometimes, I've allowed a negotiation with the amount. As brilliant as she is, she doesn't quite get the concept of negotiation - I say 10 pieces, and she responds with, " how about 7?"  Uh, OK. Normally you want to go in the other direction, but whatever, I can work with 7 pieces of candy.  She picks her favorite pieces, and I eat the rest we give the rest to Daddy to take to work (after I've selected a few of MY favorites. I sure wish folks would give out a lot more M&M's and KitKats, and a lot fewer Tootsie Rolls and SweetTarts).  After a few days, she forgets about the remaining candy that she's chosen, and I secretly toss it. There's no sugar-overdose, and everybody is happy.  

 

This year, the baby will get her own bag to collect candy in.  She looks hilariously adorable in her turkey costume - the fact that she already waddles when she walks just perfects the whole turkey look. No one will be able to resist her.  And I'll give you one guess as to who will benefit from her candy loot.

 

Wishing you all a safe and fun-filled Halloween.  And more M&M's.  The plain ones, of course.

 

National Grandparents Day! September 13th

On the first day of school, I was rushed and frenzied and totally unaccustomed to getting myself and two kids prepared to leave the house at the same time. I had to drop one at school, drop the other at daycare, and get myself to work. Despite my preparation the night before, I was still racing the clock. And then our doorbell rang at 7:30am.

 

Great. I assumed it was our pool man, so I made no effort to answer it. I was still in my underwear. It rang again. WHAT on earth does he want?! I peeked through the peephole, ready to tell Mr. Pool Man that I'd call him later, and please don't ring the doorbell that early again unless you know how to braid my kid's hair, and plan to help me with the morning routine. But, it was my mother.

 

Ordinarily, she would've still been in bed at that hour. However, Granny had the foresight to drive to our house on the first day of school, just to lessen the stress and help us get ready. For my mother, I will answer the door in my underwear.

 

A few mornings prior, when I had asked her to watch the girls while I worked, she came bearing the greatest gift of all - food. Breakfast from Whole Foods that left me stuffed, satisfied...and ready to go back to bed. I never get to eat like that during the week. I want to do it again. Soon.

 

The kids' Granny is one of those you'd see highlighted on a morning tv show, nominated for Grandparent of the year by someone with a sappy letter that makes the tv host weep. I really do need to contact Regis and Kelly, and see if I can get her a free trip or something. Granny does it all for my kids: the babysitting, the sleepovers, the phone calls, the school performances, the sports games, the birthdays, the special events, the holidays...and the THINGS. Oh, Lord, the THINGS - from sponsoring our only summer vacation because she wanted my eight year old to have a story to share when she returned to school, to the stuff I won't buy because I know my kid will play with it for less time than it took to remove it from the box (like that cheap, overpriced plastic laser my daughter said she wanted at the circus last weekend. She knew to ask Granny for that one).

 

She spoils them endlessly. I had to finally give-up on asking her to abide by our rules of no soda or too much junk. When you hear, "that's what grandmothers do" enough times, you ultimately surrender. She can have her rules (or lack thereof) in her house, as long as my kid remembers what the rules are in ours. Life is GOOD at Granny's. She's the grandmother I hope to be some day. She's the mom I still aspire to be.

 

I thank God that she's my kids' grandmother. And I thank God we now live close enough for those surprise breakfasts.

 

Happy Grandparents' Day to all my granny readers!

 

 

Father-In-Law Day! July 30th

 

He wears black dress socks with his white sneakers.  He tells the same stories over and over as if it's the first time. And he laughs at his own jokes. Loudly. Um, not your husband, honey. Your father-in-law.

 

But, he always greets you with a warm smile. He loves you like his own, despite your faults (and according to his wife, you have many faults). And he taught your husband that a little chivalry goes a long way.

 

Be sure to wish him a Happy Father-In-Law Day on Thursday, July 30th. Wow, you're even more thoughtful and considerate than his OWN kids. You really are the best daughter-in-law ever to walk the planet. Yep, Father-In-Law Day. Seriously, people. I couldn't make this stuff up.

 

 

Father's Day, the Budget Way

Surely I can't be the only overwhelmed, sleep-deprived, working, blogging, juggling mom who just realized that Father's Day is THIS Sunday?! Good thing I got that gift stuff out of the way when I bought him six new pair of dress socks last week. Ha! As if those count. My husband made it very clear, very early on, that socks were not an acceptable gift for ANY occasion. Somethingabout being traumatized when he was a kid, when he wanted a stupid toy and instead got stupid socks. Only three days away, and yet I'm not stressin'. Why? Because I won't be giving him a purchased gift. No $60 per person brunch. No day of golf. Instead, he gets to make a list.

I confess that I'm the first person to say, "Oh, don't buy me anything. It wouldn't make financial sense." I pay all the household bills. I know this. But I'd also be the first person to sulk if my husband actually listened to me and didn't get me anything. I mean like really pout. And I don't do a very good job of playing it off (to be honest, I don't try). My snide remarks and quivering bottom lip are probably a dead giveaway.

This past Mother's Day, in my attempt to have a truly special day but not spend any money, I created a list of things that had better I wanted to happen that day:

1. Sleep-in. He's pretty good about letting me sleep in normally, so I went easy on him with this one. Basically, take the baby after I nurse her, and wake me when breakfast is ready;

2. Breakfast in bed. Banana pancakes, hash browns, orange juice. He can prepare that in his sleep. Except he won't be sleeping, because he'll be watching the kids;

3. Watch the kids. This includes all diaper changes for the baby, meals, etcetera. Sure, I'll be sitting right there with you and spending quality family time. But, when the baby cries, you don't get to look at me with that "are you going to get her" stare;

4. Keep the kitchen clean all day. I was really proud of myself for coming up with this one. This is the request that probably proved most challenging. But, I definitely deserved it, at least for one day. I have that family that will get a cup from the cabinet and leave the cabinet door wide open; make a sandwich and leave bread crumbs on the counter top immediately after I've washed it down. A clean kitchen is the way to my heart;

5. Neck and back rub for at least 15 minutes. I had to designate a specific amount of time, or the rub wouldn't last through a single tv commercial.

There was a little more, but you get the idea. And you know what? It turned out great. No sulking or pouting. And I'm not just referring to my husband. I felt loved, cherished, nurtured. Best of all, it was free. Although, he may have preferred at some point when he was working from that list, to have just taken me to dinner and given me some SEES candy.

Now it's his turn. Can't wait to see what he comes up with for his free Father's Day wish list. After all, what could he possibly want that he's not already getting?

Uh-oh.

 

Happy Easter! Tips for a Great Egg Hunt

 

Hippity-hoppity, Easter's on its way.  Personally, I think adults should get their own Easter egg hunt.  Except instead of candy, I want to search in the grass and in the trees, for eggs filled with diamonds, truffles, and cash. Ahh, a woman can dream, can't she?  Guess I'll settle for a delicious Easter brunch.

If you're looking to add some creativity to this year's festivities (as an alternative to asking the kids to close their eyes while you throw eggs by the handful into the backyard), check out the article below from Parents.com. In addition to a little candy, I've always filled our plastic eggs with items like quarters, dollar coins, stickers, and stamps. And maybe, IF I'm feeling particularly generous, I'll put a $5 bill in one special egg to find. Hiding 50 eggs only filled with candy will probably get me frowned upon by our pediatric dentist. I wouldn't let my kid eat all that candy anyway, and I don't particularly like jelly beans.

Have a magnificent Easter!

 

An Old-Fashioned Easter Egg Hunt

Recipes and crafts by Laurie Goldrich-Wolf (www.Parents.com)

Turning your backyard into a treasure garden -- with straw baskets, painted eggs, and springtime treats in pretty pastel colors -- is a wonderful way to create lasting memories.

 

A Great Way to Celebrate

What makes an Easter egg hunt so irresistible? For adults, there's the fun of hiding dozens of colorful eggs and anticipating the thrill once little ones begin to scurry around searching for treasures and filling their baskets. Our outdoor Easter celebration features simple, delicious egg-themed refreshments and activities for kids of all ages.

The Hunt Is On

Your kids' excitement about the party will be sparked the minute they begin using pastel markers to decorate egg-shaped paper invitations to send to their friends. On the day of the party, hide at least 10 nonperishable eggs for each guest: Plastic ones filled with trinkets work well; we used solid-wood eggs from craftparts.com, painted in springtime colors and then shellacked so they can be stored and reused from year to year. You might want to include one or two metallic or sparkly golden eggs and tell the kids they'll get a special prize for finding them.

Upon arrival, offer each young guest a straw basket. Give the littlest participants a 60-second head start to find eggs "hidden" in plain sight. At the end of the hunt -- which may take only a few minutes once kids get moving! -- award as many prizes as you can think of: for the golden egg, the greatest number of eggs, the most eggs of the same color, and other fanciful categories, making sure every child gets a treat. Prizes can include tiny plush bunnies and chicks, stickers, notepads, and decorative eggs. FOR MORE GREAT EASTER IDEAS, INCLUDING GAMES AND MENUS, GO TO Parents.com

 

Don't Pinch Me!

 

My daughter and I have assembled the leprechaun trap in her playroom.  The green clothing is picked out for tomorrow.  And the green food coloring is sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting to be added to the morning's glass of milk.  Yet, I still don't know what St. Patrick's Day is, why we celebrate, and why on earth we get pinched if we don't wear green.

 

It's hard these days to know more than my kid, even if she is only in second grade.  I seem to lose brain cells everytime I nurse the baby. So, I did a bit of research on the subject, and I'll be able to impress my kid on the 17th, with all of my fascinating facts.

 

Here's the Cliff Note's version (are those things still around?), in case you are asked some burning St. Patrick's Day questions on the drive to school:

 

 

 

Who:  St. Patrick was a patron saint, who traveled through Ireland setting up monasteries, schools, and churches, for over 30 years. 

What: St. Patrick's Day was originally a Catholic holy day, but has since evolved into a secular holiday with parades, chocolate coins, and beer drinking (uh, feel free to leave out that little tidbit).

Where:  The holiday began in America in 1737, when it was first celebrated in Boston.

When:  We celebrate the holiday on March 17th, the day St. Patrick died.

Why:  People wear green as a tribute to Ireland, the Emerald Isle. Another symbol of the holiday is the shamrock, which St. Patrick supposedly used to explain the Trinity:  the three leaves of the shamrock represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity.  It has been suggested that St. Patrick's Day has become so popular in the U.S. because it occurs a few days before the first day of spring.

 

Interesting. But, I still don't know why we gleefully pinch those who forget to wear green. Nothing to do with the saint, I'm sure.  

 

After conducting my research, I realize that my daughter probably won't give a toot.  She's just fascinated by the leprechaun's apparent escape from the trap each year, and wants to know if she can eat her chocolate coin before lunch.

 

And now I must go and make a tiny mess in the playroom, as if mischievous leprechauns were playing wildly and engaged in pranks.  My kid informed me that this is something she expects to find when she awakens in the morning, because the leprechauns also make a mess at her school. 

 

Oh, what we moms won't do to perpetuate the fantasies of young innocent minds.

 

 

Valentine Traditions

My mother has always been the best gift-giver.  I'm not embarrassed to say that at forty years old, with a loving hubby and many friends, I still look most forward to presents from mommy (OK, maybe I am little embarrassed).  Valentine's is no exception.  I remember when I was away at an internship, and mom mailed a special Valentine's gift package.  It was filled with enough treats to share with my colleagues, which gave me the opportunity to brag about her thoughtfulness and generosity -- kinda like I'm doing now.  It's easy to think of Valentine's as just a "Hallmark holiday."  Set side the corny cupids and instead let Saturday serve as a reminder for a special expression of love to your family.  Doesn't need to be expensive. Doesn't need to rate on the Martha Stewart scale of creativity.  It just needs to be. And in the hustle-bustle of our busy lives, sometimes we need a little reminder, or even a big fat nudge. Thanks, Hallmark.

 

Lovely Family Traditions  by Jen Klein

Making a nice meal for the whole family can be a great way to celebrate the day as a family, and it doesn't have to be dinner. One friend likes to make a fresh fruit salad and cranberry muffins every Valentine's day for breakfast, while another makes special lunches. The kids can help make a nice dessert for the occasion, too. If your special meal is dinner, don't forget that mom and dad can still have some quiet romantic time after the kids go to bed...READ MORE

 

How are you planning to celebrate with your family?   Any new traditions?  Share your comments.

Alice and the Wonderful Tea Party

Live theater + delightful teas + sweet treats = one memorable Valentine's Day.  

Check out the show on February 14th, and Santa Monica Playhouse will give you a two-for-one voucher for any of their Family Theatre performances throughout 2009! 

Inexpensive holiday fun for the entire family - now that's better than having to share your box of Valentine's chocolates.

 

 

 

Valentine’s Tea Festival
featuring teas & flavours of England

Saturday, FEBRUARY 14, 2009, 2 - 8pm
at Electric Lodge Performing & Visual Arts Centre
1416 Electric Avenue, Venice, CA 90291

Celebrate English tea culture with a jolly good marketplace, tea tastings, delectable sweets and savouries, workshops, music, interactive installations, raffle prizes, other surprises and plenty to do for kids and adults alike
+

Santa Monica Playhouse Actors' Repertory Theatre

will perform their internationally acclaimed

ALICE AND THE WONDERFUL TEA PARTY

for ONE performance only at 6:30pm.

A pun-derful musical for the entire family!

Festival tickets: $10 (FREE for children under 12)
Performance tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for children 2-12

All-inclusive day pass:  $15 for adults (includes both festival & performance)

Plus $1 - $3 for goodies & workshops (proceeds to benefit Electric Lodge) 

info: 310.699.7271  tix: 800.838.3006 or www.kulovteafest.com

We strongly recommend that you get your tickets in advance, especially since the performance by the Santa Monica Playhouse is bound to sell out! This year, all of the advance ticket sales are handled by Brown Paper Tickets.

Parent's Night Out

Trying to go out with your honey for some adult fun on Valentine's, but nowhere to leave the kiddies?  Even Grandma has romantic plans for the evening?  Drop the kids off at Fairies & Dragons, and get your groove back, mama...at least for a few hours.  Hopefully you'll have something exciting to share with the other moms at carpool next week.

Saturday, February 14 - Parent's Night out on Valentine's Day

Fairies and Dragons is happy to offer a special Valentine's Day Workshop!  It's time for parents to reconnect, so why not leave your little valentines with them for the evening?  There will be games, songs, and a special Valentine's Day craft, all lead by their talented and competent Fairy Team.  Pizza is for dinner and yummy sweets for your sweets!

Where: Fairies and Dragons, 16733 Ventura Blvd, Encino

When: 2/14/09, 5:30pm-9:30pm

Who: Boys & Girls ages 3-8

How: Reservations required - call 818.783.8488

Cost of event: $15/hour for the first child with a two hour minimum, and $7/hour for each sibling.  Dinner is an additional $2/child.

For more info: 818.783.8488 or www.fairiesanddragonsparties.com