Is it me or is this FUN!

OK, yes, I am totally knackered and would give my right arm for a beach vacation right about now but the whole presents and stories and expectations and cute clothing and happiness and circus and trying new foods like fish … its all so much fun with little kids.

right now, mimi has packed her backpack and she is going to school but her twin is really upset that she is going without her so he is running around trying to pack his backpack and all the while it was a clever trick to get to his new train set

we have had sick kids right up to christmas day but luckily they are both 90% again and we managed to go to the circus with a dear friend. looks like mimi has been a performer in a past life. she was physically desperate to get in the ring. pip just loved jamming out to the music.

and now

boxing day

where we are supposed to get the packages out of the house and eat up left over turkey (we went out for lunch so we have NO food at all) and where naps are absolutely on the docket.

even the annoying arguments are somehow more fun


hope you an yours had a wonderful holiday. 

Brava Brava Brava

Mimi's New York Ballet debut went off without a hitch.  Pip didn't dance but sat through the 90 mins performance, waiting for his Mimi to come out. When she did, boy was he proud.

Mimi!!!!Look Mimi!!!!


Half way through Mimi appeared from the wings and came out to me. Oh no! I thought. It was all planned!  The main geezer came out and swooped her up. She raised her arms and her knees, smiling broadly and was whisked away. The audience went wild. And so did I.

We had a great turn out from fake family and dear friends. When we got home we all a bit of a nap and then dressed the tree.

What a perfect day. 

Prancing secrets.

We've been practicing our prancing quite a bit. According to Mimi my toes are not straight enough. and my gamble lacks commitment. ok.

Pip wouldn't practice for love nor threatening. Then I thought … perhaps I should just ask him?

"Pip - do you want to be in the play?

Nope

Why?

It's scary. I don't like people looking at me."


DOH! He doesn't want to perform. That is why he wouldn't behave in the rehearsal.

I realized that I still treat my kids like they can't communicate.

They can …  if only I ask them!!

Apple tree not far fallen

Last weekend the kids had dress rehearsal for the nutcracker suite in which they play reindeer's. We got thrown out. 

Seriously. 

My kids were asked to leave only an hour into the 4 hour rehearsal. 

This is faintly familiar. 

I was expelled from ballet class. And brownies. And school but that's a whole different story. And kids, if you are reading this many years from now I was expelled through injustice. I was fighting for equal rights - my equal rights - not to have to wear a skirt or hold Jillian's hand coz she smelt, but this isn't about me. 

Yes, my kids are starting to take on the family business of bucking every authoritarian model known to mankind. 

This coming weekend we have folks coming into town to watch these little reindeer's prance on stage for 3 mins. Please, guys, just try to prance. For my sake. Please. 

Oh who am I kidding.

reindeer games

The kids are reindeer in their ballet schools holiday show (the nutcracker). What reindeers I hear you ask? The ones that the teacher made up.

Three little girls and one little fells get to reindeer trot across the stage.

Tomorrow we have a dress rehearsal no less.

Actually tomorrow we have

Dress rehearsal for kids
Kids going to friends birthday party
I am singing in a huge concert


all by 5pm.

They're not kidding when they say women go to work for rest.


Hows is going out there? 

Things that happen when you have twins.

By the end of  a long weekend dealing with two 3 yr olds by myself this is the scene


Kids are major scruff bags.  Hair - all over the place with possible bits of meal in it.  Clothing - if they are still wearing any they are covered in meal and crayon and possibly pee. Smell - everything smells of milk. The sofa, the kids, me, the cats. Not sure how since I am pretty sure we ran out of milk some time ago but there you are.

Space dynamics go all to shit too.

If I got to put something down I generally miss the surface. Hey! maybe that's where the smell of milk is coming from. Dropping all those milk bottles?

The washing that I did at the beginning of this weekend is still on the clothes horse. No chance of me getting to it. Besides, it needs to be washed again - it smells of milk.

The cats are just no-where to be seen. Just smelt. Old cat and old milk.

My husband walks through the door with trepidation. What will he find? What state will I be in?

"What the hell is that smell? Milk?"

I burst into tears.

Where I've been.

Its been nearly a month since I last wrote. For one reason or another we have been plagued by ill health for that entire time

ear infections
bronchitis
laryngitis
virus and virus

the list goes on

As a result my sleep has been very disrupted. All I want is to press some sort of pause button, crawl in to bed and stay there for a week.

I will start writing again as soon as my sleep quota is off 5%

Ear infections and biting

Well, its been a few weeks of total mayhem. Chest infections, coughs, ear infections oh you name it. At one point we were an antibiotics factory. Sleepless nights and sad kids.

Happily we are on the mend but today I saw something that made me freeze.

Pip bit his sister really really hard. She was teasing him over something and I looked over and he was biting down so hard his head was shaking. Her arms have three big bite marks. She's wearing layers so he bit so hard the teeth made marks through various layers.

I put him in time out (where he fell asleep!) but I'm really shaken. It's the first real violence. Guess we have been lucky. My brother and I used to really fight as I think all kids do but as a mum it has really upset me.

Someone tell me that they have had this problem and you have some thoughts to help.


--------------------------------------

Looking for a nanny? Our Saturday baby sitter is looking for a gig in NY or Long Island. She is totally amazing with kids and lovely person  - works hard and gives 101% 

It's finally here.

Autumn. Yippee and yahoo. We went out to play with layers of wool and had to stop of for a hot cuppa tea :)

Kids are growing up faster and faster. I swear they are on turbo grow. Lots of reasoning and explaining things to this old silly ma.  For example ...

a superhero pumpkin owl is a halloween costume so there.
a race car driver and fire truck man are the same thing, dummy.

we keep our batteries in our toes. thats why they are shaped that way.

witches aren't scary they are in a bad mood because someone got them blueberry yoghurt by mistake

under no circumstances am I to sing

big truck refers no to the actual size but the associated emotional response to said truck. therefore a tiny free truck can be "a big truck'

And I don't care what the kids say, the dude in orange with the life size puppets that are carried in a briefcase is creeps me out.

Hows it with you?

PS thanks for the support on the grammar attack. bizarre thing to get all pisty posty about !!

Mosquito's in October?!

In NYC we had a freak hot week and the damn mossies came back fast and furious. BOth kids have very large angry red welts over their legs and poor mimi almost has a black eye.  I got munched on and even the cat got bitten.

What is going on??

Give me the cold sunny weather where all creepy crawlers bog off!!

Any safe remedies out there? Either prevention of treatment

I'm baaaaaack!!!

Blimey its been a long time. Lets play catch up

new job - cool and rocks and insane and fun
went camping with kids and we are already booking the next trip.
kids are fine but we are working out how to get rid of binky. yikes.
its about 90 degrees in nyc and its October. i want to wear my fall sweaters please.
my wonderful and inspiring and very special weight watcher leader up and quit unexpectedly. wtf. i asked her to keep me posted and we (the fat cabel of ww) will follow her blindly


that's about it.
whats up with you?

I want to go home

Mimi has started saying this lately. Out of the blue, whilst sitting on the sofa or doing one her 309509234 jigsaw puzzles she says "oh mum, I want to go home".

I know just how she feels. I really do. Sometimes you just want to go somewhere ... else that is home. Not away. Not on vacation or for a trip somewhere. Just a peaceful, quiet place.

I've been feeling this lately. New job, new routine, new season. It's all good. Yet I would like a moment of zen, peacefulness. I fireplace and a comfy chair and oh some quiet. Especially with two three year olds that talk, yell, fight, scream, need and demand 24 hours a day!!

Next week is the big camping adventure. Watch out Hudson Valley. Here we come. 

Best place to recover from surgery

The tooth extraction no longer hurts that much but the jaw surgery does. Luckily my darling husband and I got an amazing break for two night in a hotel so here I am resting up on the bed in between heavy painkillers. Where's the hotel I hear you ask? About thirty mins from our home. I know. I know! But flying when you are in pain is just no fun. OK in reality my tough hubbie didn't want to go too far from the kids. Honestly. What a big softy.

Room service is a wonder when your a little pill happy :)

So far no famous person sightings. Bummer.  I have my poker face on just in case "your famous huh? never heard of ya" (for non NY folks this is something that is required of ALL NY residents).


Will keep my eyes peeled and iphone camera on alert, just in case. 

Kiddie GPS

Does anyone GPS their kids? I have been seeing lots of Amber alerts lately and wondered if giving the kids toddler tags.  Do I sound completely nuts?

I bet this is a return to work panic.

Speaking of which, I got an email inviting me to a creative retreat in Santa Monica. Haven't started yet but boy I love my new job :) Swanky hotel by the beach in October. Wha ha ha ha.

What's going on with you?

tooth extraction

Just had one. OWWWWWW. Waiting for the drugs to kick in. Reminds me of the c-section (not pain levels of course).

Sigh.

5K

I ran my first 5K this year.  See below.  I ran some of the way and walk really fast the rest. When I crossed the finish line I was amazed to see that I ran the same time as the 5K I did after 8 weeks of training. It has inspired me It has exhausted me :)

Camping and soccer and ballet oh my

We have decided to camping for the night. Which of course means ... stuff. You know ... tent, sleeping bag.  The great thing is this is going to be backyard camping for one night only. Late September me and  kids will be under the star studded sky in the Hudson Valley.

I. am. PSYCHED.

I grew up camping and haven't been for decades. I love falling asleep outside. I cannot begin to imagine how it will be falling asleep outside with my two kids.

The fall schedule kicks in next week. Dear lord our kids are busy. I may have over done it just a little :-) Dancing, yoga, art, soccer, 'learning' ( you know learning to read etc).  I won't be able to go to many of their classes but knowing they are having fun will be great while I start another new job.

I also think bike riding is on the books for the autumn. And apple picking.


Oh this is gonna be fun. Take a look.

Tents sure got fancy since I last went camping - that end bit is called a PORCH and the middle bit is the  hinged door. Reading books under the stars and telling each other stories. Gonna rock.

I posted on fa,ceb.ook...

... about the frustrations that is early education in NYC and I got lampooned. Yup, its a hot topic.


Anyhow we are now thinking about a tutor. Here's the reasoning, see what you think. We have twins. Those twins have about 2323432 friends. Socialisation isn't too much of an issue. We think that learning the stuff is more important than where they learn due to the massive amount of activity the are currently engaged in.
So, hire a tutor.

There are tons of early education students and teachers around. My guys need only four hours of teaching a week and the cheapest we can get with an organisation is $4000 a term. A teacher would run us way less and could be shared with some friends.

So, that is what we are thinking.

What do you think?

OK I stopped laughing now.

Instead of working billable hours today I spent most of the morning organising the kids autumn acitivites. Coz I hate paying for anything full price I searched all the discount sites and got some great deals. Wish my social life was as exciting as the kids is going to be. 

I only have a couple of weeks till full time work starts and I am going to try and go to as many classes as possible. 

I was looking for a school prep class and the cheapest one I've found is $350 per month per child. At that price why wouldn't I just send my kid to a private school? 

It's all a bit fooked up. 

Since Labor Day came and went we have retired our white seersucker (yeah, not really) and are prepping for the wonders of autumn. I LOVE AUTUMN! 

I'm going through cupboards and drawers and just chucking out anything that has been in there for more than 1 yr and not been used. It's a glorious feeling. Bags and bags are on the outs. 

This is in response to not being able to move thanks to kid crap everywhere. Enough is enough. I am taking the apartment back. We are creating a little sitting area in our bedroom so we can read and what not in quiet. I am calling it my mumcave

How do you prepare for the next season? 

PreK and K doing my frikkin' head in!

When I was a kid ... wait for it .... this wasn't so complicated. You turned up to the first day of school, sat in gym and then went off to your classroom.

I just spend hours trying to work out if my kids fall in the right age group for state pre K (seats are like fairy dust or winning the lottery but you gotta have a dream, right). Then I came into a whole new level called 'testing criteria'.

We are going public all the way but there are some institutions that whilst public, run like a private. My future nobel award winning toddlers have to get tested for  .....

five areas assessed both verbally and non-verbally (ten subtests in total)

• Fluid reasoning
• Knowledge
• Quantitative reasoning
• Visual-spatial processing
• Working memory

The verbal subtests of the SB5 test require facility with words and printed material (reading or speaking).

Verbal Domain Subtest Information:

• Fluid Reasoning: early reasoning with pictures, analogies.
• Verbal Knowledge: vocabulary. Includes toys, identification of body parts, Verbal Quantitative
• Reasoning: contains five different levels. tapping number concepts, problem solving, and figural-geometric/measurement estimation problems
• Verbal Visual-Spatial Processing
• Verbal Working Memory: memory for sentences and last word.

The nonverbal subtests for the Stanford-Binet test require understanding spoken instructions and allow for pointing responses, how to work with puzzle-like pieces, and manipulation of toys to indicate correct answers.
Nonverbal Domain Subtest Information:

• Nonverbal Fluid Reasoning
• Nonverbal Knowledge
• Nonverbal Quantitative Reasoning
• Nonverbal Visual-Spatial Processing
• Nonverbal Working Memory

Skills required to do well on the Stanford-Binet test include:

• Listening ability
• General knowledge
• Language development
• Mathematical achievement
• Mathematical knowledge
• Spatial relations
• Visualization
• Induction
• Working memory
• Memory span

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha .. oh wait I'll ok ... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha 

no chance! 

Weigh In and catch up

Wow, its been a crazy week.

I went to Canada to meet some new work colleagues even tho I don't start my new full time position for quite some time.  It was two days and I was really nervous but they were great. They are smart,  funny and friendly people. Very competitive but I can handle that :)

There was lots of food. I ate carefully and drank tons of water. Down 1.8 pounds.

The kids missed me and I didn't make time to Skype with them (I only had 30 mins free time) but on  Friday I took Mimi to her first ballet class. Just Mimi and mummy. I sat outside the studio and watched as my little one ran around in tiny ballet slippers and a tutu. She and I loved being on our own (this is the first time). When we got home Pip was asked when his mummy time was but his class doesn't start for a while. I gave him all sorts of love and cuddles to make up for it.  It's so much fun having twins but the alone time is so special. An so easy!

Looking forward to alone time with Pip although I bet he asks for Mimi the moment he realizes she isn't coming with us!

Oh and it was my birthday yesterday.

Yup, quite the week.

Give away update

For those that were interested in the car sear give aways when I took the car seat and stroller bottom into the shipping place it ends up being over $120 due to bulk. The whole thing is less than that new.

Sorry about that guys. If you are still interested please let me know and we can email each other. 

Saturday weigh in (drum roll please)

I lost weight :) -4.8 pounds which for someone over 40 is not to shabby.

I am so pleased with myself.  I tracked and exercised. Enjoyed food and slept great. PHEW.

the regular leader is back. She is on TV quite a bit and that means we get 'WW tourists'. This week was a couple from Texas who were pretty shocked by all the F-bombs flying around. Sorry guys. They had a blast though which was cool.

The meeting I go to is pretty tight. Long termers and lifers. They asked what had happened to me and before I could think I said "I took a job that  I allowed to take over my life in a very bad way. Basically I had a breakdown. One day, my boss confronted me again and I fought back. I quit. I told her to get a package together coz I had her on tape and she did".

The room erupted. People were hugging me and shaking my hand. They had said that the last time they saw me they were worried for my health and sanity and that they were proud of me. From a tiny moment of vulnerability and a little bit of shame I feel lifted on the shoulders of those wonderful people. I have been lift out of my shame and embarrassment to a strong healthy place.

What a frikkin amazing WW meeting!!

Ballet pas de deux weeks

I love watching ballet. So when I had a little girl that also loves to prat around with her arms in the air I thought "hell, yes"

I waited till a great deal came on-line and bingo! 10 ballet classes with the S.wiss American Ballet school. It was supposed to start two weeks ago.  For two weeks we Mimi's mop of brush hair back (with magic gel) and don pink tights (no shine) white leotard (spaghetti strap only) little ballet slippers and a sweet white band for her head and trot off to the other side of town.

Each week the snotty teacher cancels.

They have the nerve to mandate a strict dress code and then not have the frikkin class! WTF. Next Friday better be something out of this world.

I called the teacher and said "we are at the school for the 10am class but there's no-one here?"
"Oh darlin' you 'ave to confirrrrrrrrm et you did not"
"I see, so paying for the class isn't the same as actually confirming the class. Good to know. Let me confirm for next week now  so we don't score a triple on the return shall I?"
"oh you must confirrrrrrrrm ze day before"
"no, I must confirm now, coz I took the day off work to be here and it costs me a great deal of money and my kid has been disappointed for the second week an a row so, madam, aller en classe la semaine prochaine, d'acord!'

There was another little girl that came for class - not ballet'd up (ha, tourist) but she only spoke French so my kids yelled at her,  y'know, they being American and all.

Bug bite

Mimi has an couple of bites on her leg. They are large round and hard. Today they started weeping. I went to the chemist and she gave me some stuff.

Amazing how something so little can worry me so much. I love being a parent, even tho the weight of the worry is unbearable at a moments notice.



On the weight loss front - I ran today. Ran like the clappers. Furthest ever in shortest time. Was it fun - hell no. Am I proud. Hell YEAH.

Day three and I am still doin' it.

It's like being in rehab getting back on the healthy eating kick. I am constantly thinking I could 'sneak' to 'my' bakery (might as well be since i fund the joint) or eat early or just eat. Oh man, just a little carb and sugar, c'mon man.

I was pretty sick this weekend which I think was a sugar with drawl. OK might be making the metaphor  stretch a little thin. badaboom! here all week, eat the veal.

I do feel better and I am sleeping better even after a couple of days even tho the series end for True Blood was weird and left me going 'huh?'. It seems to have developed into something else. Not sure what. And Eric. Just ... Eric.

Today is the first full day that I have to myself. Sort of. Well, not really but it should be so that counts, right?  Dh and I were talking about sneaking away for a few days now that I have the full time gig but it turns out he can't get any time of work. However, we did promise to work out a way to get some time away from home.  I have always wanted to go to Bermuda.  For someone from England and my generation it's like James Bond glam.  I've heard it really expensive but maybe for our wedding anniversary? That would be super romantic. It's two hours away. I could be on a moped by lunchtime. Oh let a girl dream can't ya!

Kids were very tired this weekend and I got sick (thanks Pip) so we just kind a hung out. Jigsaw puzzles and boiled eggs. We went to 'our' bakery for brunch and all the tourists were gawking and my guys tucking into their eggs and soldiers. I was so NY twin mum about the whole. 'What? They're three now. They can drive, speak mandarin and work the stock exchange'. At least I was till Pip flicked the yolk at me coz 'it's a bugg.er'. Must watch my language.

What mini breaks have you taken and how did you decide on them?

Year 3 promises

Kids turned three and we had the best party.  However, I saw the photo's and I was so embarrassed.

When I returned to WW this weekend it became clear that I have just really f'd up. All the weight back on. I have 100 pounds to lose again. Ohhhhhhhhh. When I couldn't eat in the first trimester of the kids pregnancy I lost more weight and that meant I went down by 42 pounds. I cannot believe I have to start this journey again.

By my birthday I will have tracked everyday (August 30th)
By Thanksgiving I will no longer be in my damn FAT PANTS
By Christmas we will have a family photo where I will be proud of myself again.



Because I will not be the fat unhappy mum when my kids start preK next September.

I will be the healthy happy mum.


Damn it!!

When it rains it a freakin' monsoon

Here is my week so far.

Mon:  amazing full time job offer.
Mon: Pip goes down with really high temperature and hasn't slept in two days
Tue: kids 3rd birthday party - 3!!!!!!!
Tue: amazing counter offer by my freelance client
Wed: directing a reading on Friday without a producer (read: chaos) rehearsals start tonight


I am so frazzled it's not funny anymore.

Job: great company, no travel and they came after me (read: exciting and flattering)
Kids party: amazing and wonderful. Really funny entertainer, home made everything from sandwiches to cake and I did most of it (mum of year award to me). Wonder nanny came in and said that all the guests and moms had enjoyed themselves and the kids were all pooped. Pip and I missed it all since he wanted to get away from the noise. Awwww. We are having another little party this weekend for them so he can get some birthday mojo back.

It's been crazy fun but really stressful. I am all tied up in knots and ... I haven't slept.  Sleeping is key to avoiding a chemical mishap in my brain. I can feel the black clouds framing my mind and need to clear them away.  I should be really excited about this new job and when I take a moment to think about it I am but right now, I'm fighting the blues.

I'm also terribly conflicted about the new job. I have a good little business going and agreements right through to the end of 2014. However, whilst I would earn lots of money I am finding it a little boring, which surprised me. So I have opted to go for less money and more diversity in the full time job. I also get flexible hours and huge amounts of vacation time which makes me very happy. At least it will if I can catch up on some sleep. 

Car Seat and Stoller GIVEAWAY!!!

  We have to get bigger seats for our guys and I thought if someone out there wants to take our old ones that would be cool. We've used a total of about 15 times coz we live in NYC so we don't drive!  No accidents, no dropping etc. We used them to go to UK and they were amazing - easy to fit on place, small enough for european backseats.

If you would like them (they also have the baby insert thing) then please let me know. At the moment I'm hoping someone will want to pick them up! Any new new york mamma's out there in need of a terrific lightweight, parent approved seat and stroller?? If you aren't in NYC and really need a car seat then just drop me a line.


Gently used CAR SEAT GIVEAWAY + Stroller base (foldable) with stroller bag x2 

Combi Coccoro Convertible Car Seat - Licorice

The lightweight and compact Coccoro convertible car seat is compatible with smaller vehicles. A 5-point harness with padding, Tru-Safe Buckle, forward and rear-facing lock-offs, energy absorbing EPS foam and 4 position height adjustments make for a safe and comfortable environment for your child. An adjustable infant insert can be accommodate infants starting at 3 lb. and position your child at the recommended 45 degree angle. The single-pull adjustable harness system, shoulder belt retainers and washable seat cushion add convenience.

Features

•    Compact design accommodates smaller fuel efficient vehicles

•    Allows up to 3 seats across the rear seat of most vehicles

•    5-point harness with chest clip

•    Mini-connectors with red/green indicator

•    Rear-facing tether with Tether Connector Strap

•    One pull harness adjustment

•    Tru-Safe Buckle

•    Shoulder belt retainers for placing child in seat easier

•    Rear-facing and Forward-facing Lock-Offs

•    Tru-Safe Side Impact Protection (EPS)

•    4 position height adjustments

•    Belt Lock-Offs to provide a tight installation

•    Removable Mommy's Lap Insert to provide comfort for smaller children

•    Lightweight and easy to handle

•    Fast and easy vehicle installation




Dimensions: 17 in (l) x 15.50 in (w) x 28.25 in (h)
Product Weight: 11.75 lb
Rear-facing weight capacity: 3-33 lb
Forward-facing weight capacity: 1 year and 20-40 lb
Height allowance: 40 in

second opinion

Thanks Brenda, I did go and get another Dr's pov. He agreed that after losing weight (50 pounds minimum) then reduce 'what's left' so that as little weight as possible is pulling on my back. He suggested lap band but I really want to try and do this by myself.

He also suggested a breast reduction. My girls!!!!


In the meantime I go to physical therapy twice a week. Workout every other day. Yoga every other day. Pilates or giro something every other day.

Yeah, lets start small shall we!!

Good lord.

He said that going abroad is "a stupid idea" and that after losing weight he will write the recommendation for reduction based on the insurance friendly rules.



So there we are. Operation (mmn need a name - any idea? ) is ON!


Thanks again guys

Fog is lifting...

I had a sinus infection and an ear infection. The doctor asked me why I had lived with the pain for so long. I thought about it.

My back. Stay with me. My back got damaged when I was pregnant and will always be bad. My level of pain is compounded by our seriously crap mattress which we are addressing, slowly.

My back hurts all the time, so much so that sinus pain and ear pain, which I recognised but ignored, isn't all that.

So I went back to the list of things I'm supposed to be doing.

• Certain exercises and RICE on joints after exercise.
• New mattress
• No high heels over 4' (hahahahah)
• Stretch & pilates every day (hahahahahahahahahahahaa) 

Then there is the lower abdomen surgery. I was advised to have the fat removed on my stomach, back and thighs - you know the twin hangover as we call it.

So, out of 'why the hell not' I started googling options. Abroad. Out of state. Can we afford it - yeah I guess.

What would you do?

Help please

I am so tired and foggy headed all the time. What is with that? I'm mid cycle so it isn't PMS.  I am literally struggling to keep my eyes open.

I tend to put everything down to having kids and being old but this is really starting to mess with my mo jo! I have a ton of work to do and all I want is to curl up in bed and sleep.

I am wiped all day and then can't sleep at night. Takes hours to fall asleep. I am off rhythm for sure.

But what to do?

Any ideas? 

Shakespeare the thing

I'm directing a Shakespeare workshop tonight. Shakespeare had three kids two of which were twins by the age of 21.


He wrote great farce's and comedies about twins - comedy of errors, twelfth night  etc. Just realized that now!


 He wrote comedies until the death of his twin son, Hamnet.  Then he wrote Hamlet.

I've also been asked  to direct a reading of the play about twin kids.


Weird.

Running towards or away?

I might wobble, I might jiggle and I might turn the color of a lobster but when I put my mind to something .... I ran at my top speed today and hit the 2 mile mark super fast. Goal is 5K in 30 mins so getting there.

I have a job interview tomorrow. Out of the blue I was contacted by a company that has a great reputation to come in to 'chat'. Long story short I did and they called me back immediately and asked me to meet everyone else.

Here's my dilemma. I love the freelance life. I have my little business and so far I've hit my numbers every month without too much madness. I even have a pipeline!  Someone is even thinking of buying 3 days of my time per week for a prolonged time which would be perfect!
I love working from home. I love hearing the kids next door and our time together. I love being able to go to classes and plan outings. I miss working in teams, regular and long term objectives and the trappings that go with a FT job.

My wise friend told me to worry about what to do when I actually get offered a full time job!  The trade off at the moment is career vs income. Having a career used to mean having job security. Not not so much. However, having full time employment means income, nice and steady,  and of course paid vacations :-)

It also means longer days where I don't get to go to the gym.

Ah well. It's a nice problem to have for sure.

Back on the wagon... sort of

Thanks for the comments. It makes the world of difference. I went back at the gym, eating well (except for a little slip last night) and the comments really helped.

It's amazing how different exercising post baby is. It's three years (nearly) and I am all hips and boobs and belly. I know it all bounces up and down when I run so looked on line for new gear  - the stuff that holds you up, in and firm!

What exercise have you found works for you as you get older and your body changes? I love running but I can only do it every other day otherwise my bones will pack in. I find yoga too slow. What have you tried that work?

Weight what? !

Oh dear.

It would appear I have gained a whole lot of weight.  Many more than just a few. Like 30. OH MY GWAD.

Damn.

I know what I need to do. I've done it before. Gym. Log. WW.

Oh but I don't want to. I want to be like everyone else. Whaaaaaaa.

Right. Pity party over.

I will work out a way to go back to WW.
I will get back on that really hard-work but worth it wagon.
I'll grow up and eat healthy and set the best example I can for my kids.

Help me folks. Help me get started on this asap.

We won!

I have never been the type of person to win things. I'm undeservedly lucky in the big things  (husband, kids, life, love etc) but just 'raffle ticket winning' kind of lucky.

Until now!

We just won $350 of stuff  on some fancy shoe line from Look/com (diapers.com etc). I was totally skeptical at first and but today we got the code and we bought the kids really nice looking shoes. And really freakin' expensive if you ask me.

To put this in context - we normally buy shoes from pay less and clothing has to be under $10!

We bought lovely sandals and shoes that should last the kids ... weeks! No seriously, I bought larger sizes to cover off winter and next summer.

Hope this is the start of a lucky streak. I was just on the DOE website and the enrollment process to getting the kids into preK has me munching on the emergency chocolate.

we won :)

yipee

1000 post wait what? I read the ticker wrong. WTF!

I was all geared up to revisit the high and lows of posting 1000 blurbs about being infertile, a mum, miscarriage, pregnancy, marriage and what not. It was going to be freakin' epic.

But it turns out that my score board ticker that i use to keep track of the aforementioned posts included those that I started and never actually published.

Ah crap!

Oh well. 

I guess I should stop typing and go see what mayhem the kids are causing in their bedroom. It sounds like a cross between an all out WWF slam down and an opera. 

Oh I'm sure they're fine. 

Next week will be great fun. I have only one day of contracted work (after many weeks of a long and hard project) and I am really looking forward to going to class, swimming, painting and generally enjoying my kids. 

Maybe I will post 300 posts next week so I can post my epic journey through memory lane. 

Nahhhhhhh

swimming soups

Mimi love to swim - or splash with intent. I have been unlucky in trying to find a decent swim class in NYC that a) doesn't cost $1000 and b) demands that we attend at 5.30am on a Wednesday.

So, anyway, tonight I was looking at the local outdoor pool that just reopened. Mimi was sitting next to me and immediately started with the 'iwanna' whine. Then she presented me with her swimming soup. "Help me put on my swimming soup, please mamma" I laughed so hard I snorted.

Pip has an interesting pronunciation approach. Mostly he doesn't bother so its like a game of guess what he's saying. Today he said "f+ckman"over and over. Believe it or not that was a request for a yogurt. The folks in the cafe were just looking at me like I was the worst mother in the world. Once I worked it out I said loudly " yogurt, he was just saying yogurt"s

I love this age. Yes, its really freakin' exhausting. It's also brilliant fun. We ran around like loons today ( I was a deranged 'octpaneald' (turns out that's an octopus)) and they were little fishes trying to escape. I mean, c'mon that is pure fun!

OK, it's time to go in and cover them with their blankies, wish them goodnight and get the 'goodbye mommie's' from each. Damn I love being a mum. 

Unattended children ...

Saw this poster at a cafe downtown and laughed my arse off. 

My version of the Walton Mountain.

We are very lucky parents. When left to their own devices my kids will play very happily together most of the time.

However when electronics are introduced without fail the relationship and behavior deteriorates.

This brings me to my growing atavistic urges. I have a hankering to get back to living a more natural life. A house that needs work to work. When I lived in Poland (in a wood) I had to find fallen trees to drag home to chop up to use in the fires and stoves to eat and survive the cold. I loved it!

Today we managed to go to a restaurant and come home, pay bills and fight over screens.

I don't want to go back to the Poland wood lifestyle - it gets tiresome quick in the snow and cold. I would love to have a house or cottages somewhere that had a garden. We could open the door and go outside and just play. Unstructured and undersigned and uncluttered and un everything.

We would have a pool too but it would be behind a HUGE fence and be rigged with audio guards and we would have a full time life guard at the pool just in case. OK maybe no pool. Maybe we go to the local pool.

Yeah, we go to the local pool and then the little local pizzeria after the pool where we all share a pie and feel tired but happy. Then we ride home, bath, grab some books and curl up till bedtime.

Summer sucks in NYC when it rains.

Back to ... photo' s from the vacation

View from a window

Our hill top hike

Down in to Smugglers Cove

Harry Potter train

Walk into Robin Hoods Bay (walk out was leg killer!)

Dreaming and scheming in Pioneer Valley

It's long been our plan to retire to Amherst Mass. There are 5 collages in the area and we can both teach part time to supplement income and keep ourselves nice and mentally awake. We have an elaborate plan to have a book/coffee shop called Rosy Cheeks which has a photography/ screening room for DH.

This is based on the usual amount of common sense and research (I read an article about Pioneer Valley in NYT  having more bookshops than anywhere else in the US and knew that was where I was going)!!

We are lucky enough to live in a great catchment zone for public schools at the moment which is really great but BUT BUT they only go up to Middle School. Then we either have to move or pay for private which I would hate to do.

So, I was noodling around the internets looking at real estate in the pioneer valley and look what I found

If this is your home then I am sooo jealous!!

Inside there are rich wood floors, film ready kitchen and appliances and that white building at the back - that would be a separate apartment - which you could rent out to pay for stuff - right!

I mentioned this to my husband who told me that he was ready to go tomorrow. He wants a college town life. It sure is tempting.  We could trade our apartment living for this house and actually have lots of cash left over. The local schools? I can only think with 5 uni's and all those academics that schools would be pretty good - right???? 

Imagine living in an actual house. A lovely one. In a town that has free transport if you teach at the uni's.  That has more coffee shops and book shops than any other business. That has tree's and stuff near by. That has snow that stay white for more than an hour. That doesn't smell like pee in the summer. 

What are waiting for!

Do you live in a collage town? Do you live in MA or in Pioneer Valley? Please let me know what it's like. 

view from my ...ear infection!

This was the view from my front door ...

... and this was the view in front of the cottage

How could you not love this place! 

What you can't see is the sea and the castle in the distance. It was about 5 miles from the beach. Oh how wonderful. 

The air was so clean and fresh. The meadow behind had the lambs and the one to the right had calves. I swear!

The question posted yesterday was how SIL tried to ruin things. Well, she made up a fake school trip so that my nephew had to go back to school half way through the holiday week.  She also turned up at the cottages. Now, to put this into perspective I haven't actually seen this women for over a year including recently when my dad went to hospital and my mum was chair bound.
To top it all off she insisted we go out for lunch (there were 9 of us in total) and then walked out when the check arrived so I ended up paying. Then they announced they would stay the night so we should go out for an evening meal in the local pub. I declined.

Now, we are home my little Pip is down with an ear infection. I haven't seen him this sick for a while. You know what - I'm not stressing. I don't have to go into a hateful job. I can look after him day and night ( he's not sleeping so I am not sleeping). He's a trouper. He even said 'bye doctor, thanks' when we left her office in his tiny little boy voice. I gave him his first dose of antibiotics at 12 today and this evening he is matching his sisters crazy act.

More photo's to come once I get my act together with the camera. 

Holiday photo's part 1.

This is beach ware for June in the north of England. Actually, to be fair we did have some lovely weather, just not all the day! On the days it was sunny we made sure to be out and about so we came back with a tan, which is so funny.

So, the holiday was lovely. The cottages were great and I shall post photo's tomorrow once my jet lag allows me to think again. We hiked, went to museums, went to a play, had donkey rides on the beach, ate fish chips nearly everyday and swam in the pool for hours.
Yes, SIL tried to ruin things but failed and an annoying friend turned up but was dispatched pretty quickly. The friend we traveled with was amazing. I love her more now than when we set off!!

When we arrived I let my folks know I would be coming back and forth and my dad said 'no way'. He insisted we stay and have a proper holiday for the kids. The one day we did make a visit was exhausting for the kids - granddad knows best.

Their health is improving I am delighted to report.

Oh it was so lovely to be off the grid and taking life slowly. So much so that going to the park today I wondered if we shouldn't reconsider the New York and kids thing.  I'll get over it I'm sure :) I was able to throw them outside into a green garden when they annoyed me, I mean, when they needed some exercise.

One thing I noticed on vacation was that the serving sizes in the UK rival US servings. I was totally crap at balanced eating although everyone else did very well. Next visit we decided to start the day with a 3 hour hike to balance off the lard and deep fried potato!!

I now have a mountain of washing, cooking and general post holiday stuff to do so signing off.

More photo's tomorrow.

And we're off...

Tomorrow is D day. Good lord, traveling with this many people is hard work :) I have just got home and put my clothes on the bed. I am so shocked at how much weight I have eaten on in the past 12 months. Actually, past 8 months because I was doing amazingly well till just after Sandy. I put on my summer jeans and they don't fit. Not tight. Just the wrong dang size. YIKES. Good luck I always drop weight when I go to England.

Ah well, what goes up ....


I'm a bit nervous about the kids on such a long journey now they are vocal. Before, if they cried I could soothe them. Now? Not so sure.  We are keeping Mimi's Binky in reserve for take off, landing and
screaming fits. We have a secret stash of little cars for Pip. I do hope that works! For me? I would say chocolate but that strategy hasn't fared so well this year. So I downloaded soft, airy piano concerto by a fave composer of mine. If it all gets a bit loud - earplug in :)


Thanks for the pointers on how to handle the family drama.  I decided to speak to my brother face to face when I see him and then minimize my exposure to the centre of all evil - my SIL.  I sent out the time table of visits to the various feuding families. We get my nephew for half the week coz he has a school trip that he  has to go on half way through the week but that is long enough for some fun. We bought him a catchers mitt and soft ball. We'll take him to the Harry Potter train and if the weather cooperates a nice long hike on the cliffs.

We are going to Scalby, North Yorkshire - for those that asked.  Nr Scarborough. Oh yes, we are that classy. Think Conney Island in bad weather for my American friends :)

The traditional present one brings back from the seaside is called 'rock' or stick candy I think its called here? We also speak an old dialect: Na than (hello) Ey up (hello) Seethee (good bye) Ah Kid (relative).

So, Seethee then, ah kid. 

ARGHHHHHHHH FAMILY

What is it about immediate family?!?!?

So, here's the background.

We saved, plotted and planned to take my clan + friends to some cottages in the UK and meet my parents and my brother and his son to enjoy a week of hiking, swimming and seaside and celebrate my dads 80s birthday.

Well, then dad went into hospital three weeks ago with a life threatening disease.
My mother became chair bound.
Dad came out of hospital but has had major surgery and can't travel.
Mum, chair bound.

OK, we can make this work, we will shuttle between the cottages and my folks home. Four hours of driving per day but OK that's really not too bad.

My brother called today.

He has to let the school know that my nephew will be out of school and he's not sure they will let him out of the school for the week AT THIS LATE NOTICE. And even if the school agrees,  they aren't sure they want him out of school.  This holiday has been planned for 3 feckin' years. THREE???? I hired extra large people carriers, the biggest cottage so we can accommodate my nephew.

We saved for two years to pay for it (yes, we could have put it on a credit card but I hate debt).

Oh why is it never easy?

You know what. I don't care. I am taking my clan to the seaside. To sleep in old cottages where you can not only hear the sea but you are next to a wonderful national park. My kids will be on holiday and they don't notice or care about shenanigans and neither will I.  It will be cold and probably rainy and that is what an English summer holiday is all about.

Dammit. 

Electronics for kids, part two

Thank You for the great info and advice. We have opted for ....

2 old smart phones fully loaded with kid crap and in hard knock cases (there are times when it is great that your husband is a techy nerd)

Ipad which I'm hoping I can download all of Game of Thrones season 3 to take away with us. 

A nook (super nanny's) fully loaded with kids crap. 

I think we have it covered?!

Feeling very excited about the trip. Fir the first time in my life I will be away from work for a whole week. Mind you, 'work' is my company now (hence the setting up of an emergency contact system). We are going to North Yorkshire.  It's a glorious area, very beautiful. We are staying in a farm compound (have I described this before?) that also has an indoor pool (which is the height of luxury in the UK). We are also 5 mins from the seaside. The English seaside. In the north. It is going to be a hoot. My New York kid running around the quiet English countryside and taking donkey rides on the beach. If it isn't snowing. 

I still feel a bit of a fraud as a mum. I feel like I haven't quite earned the title yet. I guess its a process of having such an amazing nanny and working in an office for the past two years. Or not.  I do know that having kids has had a negative effect on my career which is infuriatingly sad. I hear men my age wax lyrical about their offspring and it is seen as great steps forward in equality. If i mention my kids people start talking about work life balance and not 'leaning in' to my work. I really hate the leaning in movement. It's a fine corporate smoke screen. Once again, its up and the responsibility of the individual to succeed. But imagine if we actually took the time to look at the structure  that runs the system? Free childcare, lets start there. 

Oh I seem to have stumbled on a soap box forgive me. 

What is your best advice for traveling with two 2.5 yr old overnight? 

electronics for toddlers

The kids love our iphones. They love the ipad also. It strikes me that on our forthcoming trip we should equip our phones and ipad with toddler approved entertainment.

However, what if they drop them. Sorry. What happens when they drop and break them.

So, is there an alternative out there? I've seen various 'ipad' like objects that are designed for toddlers but are they any good?

Your opinions and rants please. 

Sh*t kids say

So there I am. Walking back home with my two little angels after playing in the park. We whooshed down slides and wheeeeeeeeeeed back and forth on the swings.

We were all a bit bushed coz its really hot here right now.

I turned to Pip and said "hot ?"

and I swear he said

"f*cking hot"


I mean, its hard to understand him sometimes but the friend I was with looked at me and we both said  'nahhhhhh'

F*ck nahhhhhh