I have recently found myself in a position where I may have to find a part time job temporarily. Because I cannot afford childcare for two (and I would like to avoid it) I will need to find something that offers nights and weekend work.
Even more aggravating than having to do this has been the reaction I get from working parents when I express my feelings about having to take this step. When I express how hard it is going to be to stay home with the children all day and then leave to go to another job at night I am blown away by their response. I think sometimes my friends and family forget that I worked full time outside of the home 5 days a week until Enzo was 4. I do know how hard it is. I know the stress of drop off and pick ups, pumping in the bathroom between meetings, making lunches and getting absolutely nothing done during the week at the house.
Then I went to the other side. I am not here to judge or say that one is better than the other. The fact of the matter is they are both incredibly hard. I have lived in both worlds. For me personally the stress of trying to balance both a full time career and mothering was too much stress on my body. I needed a change. I had my second child and along with the cost of childcare for two being insane I also wanted to try staying home full time.
It ain't no pile of pancakes I can tell you that. Anyone who thinks it is is fooling themselves. I thought I would have so much time to get the chores done, appointments made, food shopping done etc. A good week is I get a few loads of wash done and put away. A typical week is the basket of clothes I washed on Monday are still sitting in the basket unfolded come Saturday. I still do the food shopping on the weekends because it is much easier for me to go by self than it is to tote two kids with me. Appointments for the kids are easier but anything for myself goes undone. I have to make JB take time off from work if I need to go to a Dr appointment or something because I have no one to watch the kids.
I absolutely do not miss the stress and rat race of working outside of the home full time. What I do miss the most is going to the bathroom by myself, sitting down to eat lunch, being able to take a break or two and the downtime in the car.
So yes I do understand how hard it is to work full time outside the home and raise children. Just don't judge me and think I have it so easy.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Monday, February 05, 2007
Give me a break
On Thursday Feb 1 Bush said the following about childhood obesity.
"Childhood obesity is a costly problem for the country. It puts stress on American families. And we believe it is necessary to come up with a coherent strategy to help folks all throughout our society cope with the issue". read the story here
What a frickin' joke. It is because of his No Child Left Behind act that our children get about 5 minutes of play time outside at school. Physical education is being cut so students can prepare for his stupid tests. No I don't think it is only up to the schools to get our kids in shape but since they spend the majority of their days at school it sure would help.
How about this for a plan?
1. Gym and outside time is a requirement for school systems to make the grade from now on.
2. Soda and candy machines be banned from schools
3. School lunches get an overhaul
4. How about we start grading our schools on the how healthy are kids are instead of his standardized tests? You can pump these kids full of testing all you want but if they continue to stay as unhealthy as their futures consist of more issues than where to find a job.
5. Parents wake up and realize their kids eat like shit because they allow it. Model good eating habits at home. No we can't control our kids every move when they leave the house but at least if they are eating well at home they have a better shot.
"Childhood obesity is a costly problem for the country. It puts stress on American families. And we believe it is necessary to come up with a coherent strategy to help folks all throughout our society cope with the issue". read the story here
What a frickin' joke. It is because of his No Child Left Behind act that our children get about 5 minutes of play time outside at school. Physical education is being cut so students can prepare for his stupid tests. No I don't think it is only up to the schools to get our kids in shape but since they spend the majority of their days at school it sure would help.
How about this for a plan?
1. Gym and outside time is a requirement for school systems to make the grade from now on.
2. Soda and candy machines be banned from schools
3. School lunches get an overhaul
4. How about we start grading our schools on the how healthy are kids are instead of his standardized tests? You can pump these kids full of testing all you want but if they continue to stay as unhealthy as their futures consist of more issues than where to find a job.
5. Parents wake up and realize their kids eat like shit because they allow it. Model good eating habits at home. No we can't control our kids every move when they leave the house but at least if they are eating well at home they have a better shot.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Am I dreaming?
To start this off I have to tell you that I am knocking on wood as I type this. My youngest son Sal made leaps in bounds in our bedtime routine this week. I won't complain too much because I have had it pretty good I know but I have experienced my share of sleep issues with this child. It took me one year to get him to nap anywhere but on me. For a year he napped one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon in my lap. After that he napped in his crib twice a day until a few months ago and then he cut out the morning nap and stuck to a one hour afternoon nap still in his crib though.
I have always been lucky with both kids getting them to go to sleep at night. Enzo went to bed at 7pm as a baby and slept through the night always. Sal also goes down no problem at 7pm but he has been night waker for the past twenty months. My bed time routine has consisted of the following:
1. bath and or get in pjs.
2. read books in his room
3. shut off light
4. walk around room & rock in chair while singing songs until he falls asleep
5. put in crib once asleep
Sometimes he would go right down, other times I have to pick him up and repeat the walking around and singing a few times.
This week however he threw me for a HUGE loop. Three days ago I was putting him to bed. We read books, I shut out the light and said "ok now we will rock and sing some songs". Before I could even sit in the rocking chair he said "bed". My response was "what?" Again he repeated "bed". I said "You want to go in your bed?" He said "yes". Then I said "are you sure you don't want to sing any songs?" His response was "bed".
So I put him in his crib, kissed him good night and walked out the door. I went downstairs in complete bewilderment. This has now gone on for three days. I am sure it won't last but I will hold out hope that our bedtime routine is just finally sinking in and he feels so comfortable that he is now ok going to sleep on his own.
It felt so freeing but also a bit sad at the same time. One small step in his growing independence.
I have always been lucky with both kids getting them to go to sleep at night. Enzo went to bed at 7pm as a baby and slept through the night always. Sal also goes down no problem at 7pm but he has been night waker for the past twenty months. My bed time routine has consisted of the following:
1. bath and or get in pjs.
2. read books in his room
3. shut off light
4. walk around room & rock in chair while singing songs until he falls asleep
5. put in crib once asleep
Sometimes he would go right down, other times I have to pick him up and repeat the walking around and singing a few times.
This week however he threw me for a HUGE loop. Three days ago I was putting him to bed. We read books, I shut out the light and said "ok now we will rock and sing some songs". Before I could even sit in the rocking chair he said "bed". My response was "what?" Again he repeated "bed". I said "You want to go in your bed?" He said "yes". Then I said "are you sure you don't want to sing any songs?" His response was "bed".
So I put him in his crib, kissed him good night and walked out the door. I went downstairs in complete bewilderment. This has now gone on for three days. I am sure it won't last but I will hold out hope that our bedtime routine is just finally sinking in and he feels so comfortable that he is now ok going to sleep on his own.
It felt so freeing but also a bit sad at the same time. One small step in his growing independence.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
14 moves in 15 years
I have figured out that I have moved 14 times in 15 years. That count starts from my first apartment in college after moving out from the dorms until my present location. JB and I alone have moved 5 times since meeting in San Francisco almost 8 years ago.
One year after meeting we were married in June of 2000. Two weeks after our wedding we packed a U-Haul truck and said goodbye to San Francisco as we headed East. We have managed to save all of our moving boxes from those 5 moves broken down in our basement. We have always kept them around because we were used to moving so often it was easier to just keep reusing the same boxes. That has all changed as of today.
This spring will will celebrate 5 years in our present home. If you are doing the math that means we moved 4 times in two years before setting here. We rented our house for the first 4 years of our occupancy and finally bought it in Dec of 2005.
So today I decided the boxes must go. Partly because I am working on creating my studio in my basement but also partly because we have been holding onto the idea that one day we would move back to CA. I can't do it anymore. I cannot live my life like this is my temporary home. I have two children now and I finally feel like I am becoming a part of this community a second time around (I lived here pre- kids, pre-JB, pre-California).
So off to the dump I went today to recycle the boxes. To me however I recycled more than cardboard. Those boxes represented moving back east with my new husband 7 years ago, 4 wonderful places we have lived in since that move and more importantly - feeling like I am finally able to grow some roots here. Even though one day we may move again - for now this is our home.
One year after meeting we were married in June of 2000. Two weeks after our wedding we packed a U-Haul truck and said goodbye to San Francisco as we headed East. We have managed to save all of our moving boxes from those 5 moves broken down in our basement. We have always kept them around because we were used to moving so often it was easier to just keep reusing the same boxes. That has all changed as of today.
This spring will will celebrate 5 years in our present home. If you are doing the math that means we moved 4 times in two years before setting here. We rented our house for the first 4 years of our occupancy and finally bought it in Dec of 2005.
So today I decided the boxes must go. Partly because I am working on creating my studio in my basement but also partly because we have been holding onto the idea that one day we would move back to CA. I can't do it anymore. I cannot live my life like this is my temporary home. I have two children now and I finally feel like I am becoming a part of this community a second time around (I lived here pre- kids, pre-JB, pre-California).
So off to the dump I went today to recycle the boxes. To me however I recycled more than cardboard. Those boxes represented moving back east with my new husband 7 years ago, 4 wonderful places we have lived in since that move and more importantly - feeling like I am finally able to grow some roots here. Even though one day we may move again - for now this is our home.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The wonder of fruit salad
My oldest kid has always been a great eater but he is now 5 1/2 and getting picky at times. A few months ago he decided he didn't like oranges anymore and refused to eat them. So instead I pumped him full of other fruits and stayed clear of the oranges for awhile. Until yesterday. For lunch yesterday I decided to try something new. I cut up all the fruit (including oranges) put heaping spoonfuls into bowls, placed the bowls on the table and called "Come on boys, fruit salad on the table". They came a running "fruit salad, fruit salad" they both screamed and devoured their entire bowls. My oldest who previously was on an orange strike told me while munching them down "wow I do like oranges." Kind of reminds you of a little book called Green Eggs and Ham perhaps?
So lesson #1 for today is don't give up if you kid insists he doesn't like something. Just give it some time and then present the food differently.
And now for an update on my post Junk in the Trunk from the other day:
Lesson #2 for today is don't let your kids run the show when it comes to their nutrition. The only juice we have served in our house is orange juice. that is what my oldest kid grew up on. He gets juice with breakfast and that is it for the day. One day while grocery shopping I gave into his request to try a new juice. We ended up buying some grape juice and he loved it. The problem was once I tried to switch back to orange he insisted he did not like orange juice anymore. I actually let it go for several months but last week I decided to take the situation back again. I much prefer serving orange juice because it is healthier and has less sugar. So last week when I was shopping I bought a new container of orange juice (Minute Maid Kids+ because it is pulp free and extra vitamins) told him this is what we now have, told him it was a new kids juice and served it up. Guess what happened? He loves it now.
So go with your gut. If there is a nutritional choice you feel is important for your family - go ahead and do it.
So lesson #1 for today is don't give up if you kid insists he doesn't like something. Just give it some time and then present the food differently.
And now for an update on my post Junk in the Trunk from the other day:
Lesson #2 for today is don't let your kids run the show when it comes to their nutrition. The only juice we have served in our house is orange juice. that is what my oldest kid grew up on. He gets juice with breakfast and that is it for the day. One day while grocery shopping I gave into his request to try a new juice. We ended up buying some grape juice and he loved it. The problem was once I tried to switch back to orange he insisted he did not like orange juice anymore. I actually let it go for several months but last week I decided to take the situation back again. I much prefer serving orange juice because it is healthier and has less sugar. So last week when I was shopping I bought a new container of orange juice (Minute Maid Kids+ because it is pulp free and extra vitamins) told him this is what we now have, told him it was a new kids juice and served it up. Guess what happened? He loves it now.
So go with your gut. If there is a nutritional choice you feel is important for your family - go ahead and do it.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Junk in the trunk
An article came out today by the Associated Press called Students saying yes to junk-free lunches. It talks about how some schools are taking the junk out of school lunches and replacing it with healthier options. The article goes on to talk about how children are accepting these changes and will eat the healthier foods when they are offered.
I just have to say something now - Duh.
I have nothing against this article but it seems like lately there have been many articles and news specials on this topic. I just find it very hard to believe that the information is being presented as if it is revolutionary.
Here is a simple fact that it should not take a 20/20 special to wake you up to.
If you offer junk food in your home and in school your kids will eat it.
Kids are no different than the rest of us. Many adults have a difficult time avoiding sweets and staying healthy. Imagine if you were a young child or growing teen. What mixed messages we are sending them. The message of how obese our youth are becoming but yet we still manage to stock our home cabinets and school cafeterias with sugary and fatty foods.
If we are going to make a change it starts in the home and at school. I firmly believe that children will eat healthy if given the option to do so. I can't stand it when people say "my kid won't eat whole wheat bread or my kid won't eat low sugary cereal" My answer to that is - they will if that is all you have for them to eat or start them out right with these foods before their small bodies become used to the sugary overly processed foods .
I am not talking about strict dietary changes but if your children are small NOW is the time to start. If you feed them healthy from the start they will never know the difference. In my house my children grew up on getting juice only for breakfast, soymilk for lunch and dinner and water in between. I don't have kids screaming for another bottle of juice because they have just learned that juice is for breakfast. The same goes for other foods. Both kids grew up on plain yogurt. No Yo Baby or other heavily sweetened brands.
I am not claiming to be a nutritionist but here are my suggestions:
1. Only offer juice in the morning. milk (cow, rice or soy) at lunch and dinner. Water in between meals.
2. You should aim to have your breakfast cereal sugar content be 5 grams. Read the box.
3. Cookies, cakes, ice cream etc should not be a common daily food. If saved for special nights or occasions you will find children appreciate the treats more.
4. Don't offer dessert with every meal. If you are doing this because you use it for leverage for the kid to finish her meal you should change your ways. A child should learn to appreciate her food and not eat it only because they know they will get a cookie after. Plus, if you want bedtime to go better I would cut out the sweets at that time of night anyway.
5. Try to avoid buying foods that contain hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats). They are used solely for the purpose of prolonging shelf-life and the are in everything. Prepare more food from home instead of store bought versions or look for alternatives in your local health food store. If you don't have one near you lots of the big chain grocery stores are now offering a "natural section" of foods in their stores. The food industry must begin to produce foods that nourish rather than non-foods designed to enhanced profits because they have a longer shelf life. They profit, we lose.
I just have to say something now - Duh.
I have nothing against this article but it seems like lately there have been many articles and news specials on this topic. I just find it very hard to believe that the information is being presented as if it is revolutionary.
Here is a simple fact that it should not take a 20/20 special to wake you up to.
If you offer junk food in your home and in school your kids will eat it.
Kids are no different than the rest of us. Many adults have a difficult time avoiding sweets and staying healthy. Imagine if you were a young child or growing teen. What mixed messages we are sending them. The message of how obese our youth are becoming but yet we still manage to stock our home cabinets and school cafeterias with sugary and fatty foods.
If we are going to make a change it starts in the home and at school. I firmly believe that children will eat healthy if given the option to do so. I can't stand it when people say "my kid won't eat whole wheat bread or my kid won't eat low sugary cereal" My answer to that is - they will if that is all you have for them to eat or start them out right with these foods before their small bodies become used to the sugary overly processed foods .
I am not talking about strict dietary changes but if your children are small NOW is the time to start. If you feed them healthy from the start they will never know the difference. In my house my children grew up on getting juice only for breakfast, soymilk for lunch and dinner and water in between. I don't have kids screaming for another bottle of juice because they have just learned that juice is for breakfast. The same goes for other foods. Both kids grew up on plain yogurt. No Yo Baby or other heavily sweetened brands.
I am not claiming to be a nutritionist but here are my suggestions:
1. Only offer juice in the morning. milk (cow, rice or soy) at lunch and dinner. Water in between meals.
2. You should aim to have your breakfast cereal sugar content be 5 grams. Read the box.
3. Cookies, cakes, ice cream etc should not be a common daily food. If saved for special nights or occasions you will find children appreciate the treats more.
4. Don't offer dessert with every meal. If you are doing this because you use it for leverage for the kid to finish her meal you should change your ways. A child should learn to appreciate her food and not eat it only because they know they will get a cookie after. Plus, if you want bedtime to go better I would cut out the sweets at that time of night anyway.
5. Try to avoid buying foods that contain hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats). They are used solely for the purpose of prolonging shelf-life and the are in everything. Prepare more food from home instead of store bought versions or look for alternatives in your local health food store. If you don't have one near you lots of the big chain grocery stores are now offering a "natural section" of foods in their stores. The food industry must begin to produce foods that nourish rather than non-foods designed to enhanced profits because they have a longer shelf life. They profit, we lose.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Future Pro
We took Enzo snowboarding for the first time over the holiday break. I was his instructor. I was such a proud mama.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Iron Bell
I had to share this picture of Enzo that I took the other day. He insisted on being buried up to his neck in snow so he could pretend to just be a head. He managed to still give me an award winning smile.
This picture just took my breath away. It reminded me of how big he is getting. He is growing up so fast. I thought I would share this song I wrote about him after he was born.
Iron Bell
You were a peanut
and I was your shell.
You wanted life
I was your iron bell.
You needed me / as I needed you
You grew inside me
and I just knew.
Second comings
A second chance
A life lost long
Another glance at
life and all its possibilities
I prayed long -
and you came back to me.
Is it fate or was it just meant to be.
A child small / five hours of pushing
You finally came when I called
So little and brown
A head of hair - a body long
My tears burn as I sing this song
of life as its meant to be
My little angel
My little angel thank you for choosing me.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Grocery Store Gripe
Has anyone noticed that grocery stores don’t have baggers anymore? I don’t know about where you live but where I live they are almost non existent. It is driving me crazy lately. I feel bad for the cashiers who have to ring in my enormous order and then turn around to bag it all. I hate it because it wastes time and I hate it because I always feel guilty. Like I should be helping or something.
I stay home full time so I already feel like I work a 14 hour day without pay. The last thing I want to do is go grocery shopping with my two kids in tow and work more for free. When I shop at our big Hanford's store i don’t feel as obligated but when I shop at my local health food/coop the guilt sets in.
Because I am a member of the coop I feel like I have more of an obligation to do this. When I didn’t have children I would actually help bag my own stuff all the time. When I had just one child I would still help out sometimes but give me a break. I have two kids now who are usually at their breaking point buy the time I reach the check out line. I have all I can do to keep them in sight just trying to pay. It drives me frickin’ crazy when the cashier just stands there expecting me to help. I can’t always help you people. Why can’t they just hire more people to help bag?
When I was in high school the grocery stores were flooded with kids working part time jobs bagging groceries. I was one of them. Is it beneath high school kids now? What is the deal?
I stay home full time so I already feel like I work a 14 hour day without pay. The last thing I want to do is go grocery shopping with my two kids in tow and work more for free. When I shop at our big Hanford's store i don’t feel as obligated but when I shop at my local health food/coop the guilt sets in.
Because I am a member of the coop I feel like I have more of an obligation to do this. When I didn’t have children I would actually help bag my own stuff all the time. When I had just one child I would still help out sometimes but give me a break. I have two kids now who are usually at their breaking point buy the time I reach the check out line. I have all I can do to keep them in sight just trying to pay. It drives me frickin’ crazy when the cashier just stands there expecting me to help. I can’t always help you people. Why can’t they just hire more people to help bag?
When I was in high school the grocery stores were flooded with kids working part time jobs bagging groceries. I was one of them. Is it beneath high school kids now? What is the deal?
New Biz Logo
Thanks to my friend Chris Varricchione for designing a wonderful new logo for me. He did a great job. I am very pleased with the results. I highly recommend him if you have any design needs. You can contact him at Chris Varricchione Illustrations chris@cvillustration.com
I have also been busy updating my website myself. I am embracing the creative buzz I now get through hacking code. Check out the new look at www.subsixstudios.com
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Baby Lotion Product Review
I have to share when I find a great product. This time it is a baby lotion I just love.
First let me say that I am picky about what products I buy to put on my kids skin. Call me a snob, freak, hippie or whatever but I don't like fragrances, artificial colors, animal ingredients or testing, and paraben. I usually have no problem finding products without these ingredients at my local health food store but usually the cost is high. Especially now that I have two kids and we go through the products much faster.
My littlest has very very dry skin. I have been on the search all winter for a lotion that helps heal his skin but does not break my bank and I finally found one.
Rainbow Research creates a whole line of baby products. I tried the shampoo and body wash (hint: you only need the body wash for both the body and hair. They contain the exact same ingredients) because my local Hanford's supermarket actually carried it in their little "natural foods" section. The price was right and I ended up loving it.
The next week I went back for the lotion. Within one day of using it I saw an incredible change in my son's skin. It is the first thing I have found so far that has worked this well for him.
So there you go. Lather up.
First let me say that I am picky about what products I buy to put on my kids skin. Call me a snob, freak, hippie or whatever but I don't like fragrances, artificial colors, animal ingredients or testing, and paraben. I usually have no problem finding products without these ingredients at my local health food store but usually the cost is high. Especially now that I have two kids and we go through the products much faster.
My littlest has very very dry skin. I have been on the search all winter for a lotion that helps heal his skin but does not break my bank and I finally found one.
Rainbow Research creates a whole line of baby products. I tried the shampoo and body wash (hint: you only need the body wash for both the body and hair. They contain the exact same ingredients) because my local Hanford's supermarket actually carried it in their little "natural foods" section. The price was right and I ended up loving it.
The next week I went back for the lotion. Within one day of using it I saw an incredible change in my son's skin. It is the first thing I have found so far that has worked this well for him.
So there you go. Lather up.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Business plug
I was featured on Miss Malaprop today!
I feel very honored. I am a daily reader of her blog. MissMalaprop.com supports small business, independent designers & artists, and people & organizations who are working to make the world a better place. Thanks Mallory
To read more about her and to check out the wonderful words she wrote about subsixstudios go to www.missmalaprop.com
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy Holidays
We had a wonderful holiday. We were going to be alone this year but we ended up having last minute guests and it was such a nice treat. My mother decided she really wanted to see the boys open their gifts from her so her and my father came up on Saturday the 23rd and spent the night. I made home made pasta sauce (I am trying to master my great grandmother's italian recipe) and had a feast. The boys were excited to be able to open some gifts early. I was sad to see them go on Christmas Eve but they headed home to be with my sisters family. It was nice that we got to see them at least.
Enzo was excited to leave homemade cookies and soymilk for Santa and an apple for the reindeer on Christmas Eve. We read the Night Before Christmas and sent two very excited boys off to bed. Sal is still too young to really get what is going on but Enzo is at the perfect age where everything is so magical. It is wonderful reliving the magic of my experiences through him now.
I was up before everyone Christmas morning. I kept waking up every half hour from 5:30 until Sal and Enzo finally woke up at 7:00am. It was torture for me. Enzo was floored when he came down the stairs and found the tree house Santa had left for him. We had a nice morning opening gifts.
JB has an Aunt who lives an hour from us and we ended up inviting them last minute to have Christmas dinner with us. She had just lost her father and her partner had lost his mother all in the span of a week so we thought it might be nice for them to get out of their house and join us. They were thrilled to come. I made a sweet potato strudel, stuffing, green beans and a salad. It was a hit.
New Years Eve was quite. We stayed in. After putting the kids to bed JB and I pigged out on chips and tex-mex dip. By the time the ball dropped our bellies were full of a food and a few beers so we hit the hay with belly aches. New Years resolution was definitely to eat less and exercise more. Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
traditions old and new
I love the holidays. Especially now that I have children. Children bring back the magic of Christmas for me. I can now relive those magical moments through the excitement of my kids. Being far away from our families is hard on us though. We hold onto family traditions that JB and I had in our families and we are starting to create new ones. Here are a few I would like to share.1. Both JB and I were given some of our childhood tree ornaments when we got married. We love pulling out our box of tree decorations each year. We open each one and hang it on the tree with stories to tell each other. It is nice to have little bits of our childhood to add to the magic of our tree. My mother always got us an new decoration with our names and the year on it. At the time it didn't mean much. Now it means the world to have these and I have started the same tradition with my kids.
2. Christmas morning we let the kids open their stockings and then we stop to make a big breakfast of eggs or pancakes before we sit down to open all the gifts. This tradition came from JB's family. With his family being so far away it is nice to do things that help him feel a bit closer to them.
3. Each year the company we work for (ok I know I don't work there anymore but I can't stop saying it) has a kids holiday party. It starts at the end of the work day and they have pizza, snacks, a craft room and of course santa comes for a visit. It is such a big event now. The company has grown so much so there are a ton of families who come to this. We don't take Enzo to the mall or anywhere else to see Santa so he now looks forward to this party each year as his time to give Santa his Christmas list. The one he made that I posted below made it into the hands of this Santa.
3. A tradition from my family is letting the kids open up one small gift on Christmas Eve.
4. For the second year in a row now we have gone to a holiday gathering at our neigbors house. They are wonderful neighbors and we feel lucky they have chosen to include us in their yearly tradition of getting together with friends to share a meal. They have been doing this since their children were small since so many of them have family out of town. Since we do too it is nice to be surrounded by others in our situation. Their children are grown now but they still get together each year.
5. This brings me to #5. This year will be the first that I do the above with some of my close friends. Two of our close sets of friends live just a few streets away from us. One has a 6 month old and the other couple is about to give birth to their first child in the next few weeks. We will be getting together this week for our first holiday potluck. Our hope is to make this a new tradition for all of us.
6. Baking. My children and I love baking together. I love nothing more than to bake bread and cookies to give to friends during the holiday season.
I hope you enjoy what ever traditions you have for your holiday season.
peace.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Must have children's music
Music is big in our house. I play the guitar. My kids both have guitars plus a large basket filled with various musical instruments. JB and I are both huge music fans and have a large collection of all kinds of artists. Although we play all kinds of music in our house there are times the kiddies require kid specific music. We have had few in our collection that we break out from time to time. Unfortunately they tend to be quite annoying. The ones we have at least.
Until now . . .
Justin Roberts writes songs that kids love and adults love to listen to. He has a soothing voice, lyrics that kids relate to but are not dumb and melodies that hook even a music fan like me. Justin knows how to write a catchy song and he has caught our family. We are fans for life now.
Start out with Great Big Sun. This was our first CD that we purchased about a year ago. This CD is highly addictive.
I am pushing this guy because I think he is a wonderful musician and a great alternative to the normal children's music. If you have any opportunity to see him play live in your area - go. I am trying like mad to get him to come to my town now.
Until now . . .
Justin Roberts writes songs that kids love and adults love to listen to. He has a soothing voice, lyrics that kids relate to but are not dumb and melodies that hook even a music fan like me. Justin knows how to write a catchy song and he has caught our family. We are fans for life now.
Start out with Great Big Sun. This was our first CD that we purchased about a year ago. This CD is highly addictive.
I am pushing this guy because I think he is a wonderful musician and a great alternative to the normal children's music. If you have any opportunity to see him play live in your area - go. I am trying like mad to get him to come to my town now.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Working Mama
I attended my first craft market this weekend. The Burlington Handmade Holiday Craft Market. The turn out was great. We had a steady flow of people from 10am-5pm. Lucky for us the article I posted below came out the morning of our market. It drew a lot of traffic our way.
It was wonderful to finally get out into the craft market scene. I loved it. I think after coming from working in sales and doing very large scale trade shows in Vegas and California while working for the big "B" I felt very much a home. It has been a year now since I left my job. Since deciding to stay home full time I have not for one second really become a SAHM (stay at home mom). Instead I really should call myself a WAHM (work at home mom) because that is what I have been doing. Leaving my other job has allowed me to focus more on my jewelry biz. I have a lot to be proud of. I got my jewelry into my first boutique this year, registered my biz name, signed up for tax license and helped organize the newly formed Burlington Craft Mafia (featured in the article below). I sometimes feel like my head spins more now than when I was working outside of the home full time.
It is different though. For me it was time to venture out on my own. Take all I have learned working in customer service, sales and project management over the past 9 years for the same company and apply it to my own business. I could not be doing what I am doing now if it wasn't for that experience. I loved what I did but my passions changed. Now I can still use the side of my brain that loves to create by designing jewelry and also use the side that lives and breaths sales and marketing.
It has been wonderful to see Enzo embrace my business as well. He actually helped me practice setting up my table for my craft market. He came up with what I used as my earring display. When I called midday to check in while I was working the market he made a point to shout out to JB and ask how many necklaces and bracelets I had sold.
I am tired and mentally beat after all the prep work involved in doing the market. Well worth it though. I look forward to taking some downtime now and enjoying the holidays.
In the News
From the Burlington Free Press
Published Dec. 1, 2006
“As the founding members of the newly formed Burlington Craft Mafia, the women are focused on supporting each other as crafters and promoting the do-it-yourself, handmade movement in the region.” Read full article
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)