CM Get Away 2011...+ Our Tattoos From Last Week

This weekend we took off to Cape May, NJ for our annual overnight trip. Well, this year, my Mum took the Monks + Fif down for the overnight while my Mister, baby Liam-b and myself drove down the next morning for the day {work schedules + all}. Oh, we got sandy, saw dolphins swimming, drank road sodas on the beach...the Monks + Fif got stung by jelly fish, shopped {check out my awesome new bag + candle sticks} and we ate more greasy french fries than I'd care to admit. There were about a thousand missed photo opportunities, but truthfully, I was having so much fun, I decided to stay sandy and skip playing photographer for the day. On the drive home, while I admired the new bag my Mum bought for me in downtown CM {our little solo shopping excursions are another CM tradition}, I thought I would post it, along with the photos from the Date Night my Mister took me on last week {a belated anniversary gift}. Yes, while some couples celebrate anniversaries in more, ahem, traditonal ways, we set off to the tattoo shop...and then to my favorite resteraunt in Asbury Park for some spicey Creole food {+ a Cosmo for me!} We only make a tattoo appointment about once a year these days...so I had a laundry list of work for our dear friend Tom. I should have taken these photos right away, as a week later our tattoos are still healing...but here they are all the same. Some fill in work with these diamonds, stars + dots...and I added this new one on the inside of my other arm {the f'ing black cover up arm...so pardon any faded creeping lines, arrrgh.} Yes, after 8 years of marriage, I finally got my Mister's name! {He's had my name on his wrist since we were engaged...}

And then my Mister got this from Bink. Typical guy weirdness...I LOVE IT! So I think that just about catches us up with the more exciting events of late! We are embarking on our first full week with all children at home for summer vacation, my ankles are feeling much better {running injury which has been plauging me of late} and I am chomping at the bit for my new sneakers to come in so I can start pounding out the miles on the treadmill again. With the 4th of July weekend comming up, there are many fireworks to be watched {especially living as close to the beach as we do}...and in other exciting news for this week, alas, there are iphones in our future. I am finally jumping into the 21st century. I have to be the world's most low tech blogger... So on that note, I bid you a happy monday + a week of sunny skies!

xo

Current Events...

When I was growing up, I attended Private/ Catholic schools, where kiddos came to be educated from a variety of different towns relatively close by. My bestest of friends was Ildiko. She and her family lived quite a few towns from me at the time. {I think it is ironic enough to mention that from whereI live today, I pass her childhood home weekly!} Her parents are Hungarian +Romanian...and were first generation here; her mother having escaped communist Budapest in the fase trunk of a car at {I think?} 16 years of age! The home of my BFF was large + spacious. The doors were always open...literally, not even the screens were shut as we little folk were constantly encouraged to get outside. The decor was simple..yet it seemed each decoration was more beautiful than the next; each carrying it's own story. There were always relatives visiting, kids running in the yard + no shortage of young boys named Atilla. It seemed that there was always enough food, wine...and espresso to feed the masses; had the masses decided to show up at their door step. To me, it was just perfect...it was my home away from home. As a girl, I only saw my father, his wife + my 2 younger brothers on some weekends...so essentially, I spent most of my younger years as the "only child" of a single mother. My Mum + I were all but adopted by this loving, fun-loving, unique + most fabulous Euopean family...and I must confess that much of the "open house-everyone welcome" style of family living I live by today comes directly from my years spent with + loving this family. However, this story has a bitter sweet ending...and a strange sort of loose association to the recent events in the news. Right before 6th grade, my BFF's family decided to move back to Hungary. It was heartbreaking. Ildiko and I wrote each other {prior to the days of email!} and when I was 16, I took my first trip to Europe to visit her + her family. For my Mum, the separation was too much to bear. Today, Ildi lives in NYC...and I swear one of the only reasons I keep a Facebook account is to catch up on what is going on in the lives of her + her older sister {also living in the U.S. now}. Sometimes, I wonder what my life might have been like if this second family of mine had not moved away to Europe? In some wonderful kind of way, I think the life my family has created today is not all that different from the one modeled for me by these amazing people when I was small. In a way, they are always with me in that respect...

As it pertains to the events of late, one of my earlier memoreis that will always stand out for me is my Mum + I spending time with our "second family" when the Berlin Wall came down. It seemed as if Hungarian/Romanian family had come from every where + they were all in my 2nd family's house, celebrating, hugging, crying as they watched folks in Germany tear down the infamous Wall on television. This was a defining moment in my childhood...and so I couldn't help but wonder if the recent events in the news today would come to be a defining moment for my littles as well? Sure, there wasn't a massive party + only the Monks would kind of understand the signifigance of what had happened, but still... I wondered all the same, thinking back to my own experience as a young child; watching history in the making... To answer my own thought, at present it seems that the recent events have not had the same impact as when the Berlin Wall came down. Today, we live in a what some would call a "Bedroom Community"; just a hop-skip-and-jump away from NYC with many of our resident commuting to the city to work each day. I wonder if perhaps the events of 9/11 are still just a bit too close to home for us; that the loss is still too heavy to celebrate? I wonder how my kiddos will look back on this time? Will they have discussed it in school? And will the sudden death of a terrible man, after so many years, ever give people the sense of victory that I remember being a part of when the Wall came down? I suppose I will never know for sure. However, I like to believe that things happen for a reason. I like to think that May Day {Just this past Sunday, May 1st} is a time for new beginings...and that after so many years, this closure will provide a true "new begining" for many Americans. That this spring might be the perfect time to fully embrace all things good, beautiful + new. That is my hope + prayer.
xo.

Shhh!...Ye Shall Not Eat Pasta + Post...

Sorry friends, nothing scandalous to report...although I have had a wee bit o' wine + am currently indulging in a small {ahem, MEDIUM} vat of leftover veggie pasta at 11pmon a sunday night. We are just getting home from a super fun Cinco de Mayo/ May Day townie BBQ! Woohooo! Ah, yes, a great time was had by all...I made mini versions of my Coconut Lime VEGAN Cupcakes {FYI: bake for 15 min}....the kids had a BLAST...+ I was really glad to have the chance to meet some of the mama's from town who have little folk who are closer in age to my 2 smaller to babes. Good times indeed!

So at the risk if sounding a bit "Santa-like"... my 2 boys are all snuggled in their beds...the Fif has managed to capture my Mister {who I believe, may have had too much "mister-time-fun" with the boys at the BBQ + the homemade brew...he'll be paing for it in a big way tomorrow I am sure!} They are both passes out in her room..And this mama is sitting at the computer... Hummm? Sometimes, I really love it when my Mister has a rotating schedule + has random days off duing the week. Yes, while I do have a class to teach over at the college tomorrow afternoon, it is NOT I who will be waking up super early to pack lunches + to drop the little folk off at school {Ha! Ha!..yup tomorrow is "OFF Day"} Sometimes, it does pay to behave one's self; tonight, I will go off to bed with a clear head + make the most of a good + long night's sleep, in the big bed all by myself! So with that, I bid you all a VERY happy Sunday night...as I finish the rest of my veggie pasta + enjoy {?} this riduculously random+ rare bit of quiet. Shhhh! So strange to not hear a peep!
...and while I'm at it...Happy Monday to you too!
xo.

Pink

I had planned to post about coloring Easter Eggs this morning, however, recently we have been taunted by the threat of lousy weather decending upon us at any moment. Coloring eggs seemed better suited as a "rainy day activity"...for whenever that rainy day decides to come! In the mean time, we've been soaking up as much Spring + time in the out-of-doors as we can.

So yesterday, I treated myself to a bit walk around our neighborhood, snapping photos of all the Spring time blooms that have been brightening my days of late. It seemed like everywhere I looked yesterday, there was Pink! Gosh, how easy it can be to take the beauty of the world around us for granted during the hustle + bustle of the everyday...I know I wasn't always as aware of all of these changes as I am now. To my great satisfaction, I awoke this morning to another sunny sky {taunted by the threat I tell you!}...and so Easter Egg dying will have to wait yet another day...or atleast until after dinner!

Wishing you sunny skies + all beautiful things.

xo.

In like a Lion, out like a Lamb: Our March Family Vacation

Well...it's not quite a family spring vacation.Vacation weeks at my Mister's job are picked based on seniority, with most "school + holiday vacations" being the hardest to get. More often than not, when he has a week of vacation it is business as usual for the rest of us {...plus whatever house project we might have chosen to work on that season}. Ah, but not this vacation! No, friday night this mama came down with the headache/sore throat/nightsweats, which proceeded to get worse with each day. On day THREE of being couch bound with a most horrible sore throat, I finally agreed to go to the Dr.'s.

Strep Throat it is! And a most vicious case at that! I was so disappointed to not be able to attend the lecture by The Front Yard Farmer I had planned on attending this past Saturday...and I have been feeling super guilty about having my Mister outside transplanting bushes + preparing our own "front yard farm" {aka: this season's project} pretty much solo. However, I don't know if it is the pain medication I am currently taking or the aundance of carbs I've been allowing myself {...after sweating off about 6lbs in my sleep this weekend, bring on the home made bread baby!}, but I suddenly felt really centered this afternoon. The sun was very warm + bright on this rather cold March afternoon and as it poured in through what seemed like every window in our home, I felt so peaceful...grateful for this time I was forced to take to sit + do absolutely nothing...except for knit! The babe was napping, the older 2 kiddos were outside helping daddy with farm perparations + there was bread baking in the oven. Gosh, it really doesn't get much better than that!*************

Ofcourse, just seconds later, someone slammed a door, waking up said babe...and there was some yelling by daddy about dirt on the floor, the bread not comming out right...and something about a Nintendo DS not being played. Hey, nothing stays perfect forever...but I am ever so happy to have been present to recognize that little moment for just how wonderful it was. I thought, "how silly it is that it takes me being sick + in SO much pain to get me to just sit on the couch?" Many a "Stay-cation" have gone by, leaving me feeling less relaxed than before they started...but I think there has been a lesson learned for this mama. SLOW DOWN. {Sure, the bread + percocets really help with that...} However, I think fors, the expression "In like a Lion, out like a Lamb" applies better to the shift in our family's mental state of being this month than it does to the weather. I'm so happy with the direction this change in seasons is taking us... hoping you + yours are all healthy, safe + happy!

xo.

Confirmation Season

I believe we have officially entered the confirmation/first communion making season. Last weekend was my little sister in law's confirmation. I wanted ever so badly for it to be warm + spring like, but alas, I knew that the warmth of the sun could only keep the chilly temps in check for so long. So this was what I had come up with to wear... An adorable offwhite ruffled top with peach polka dots {very summery, but because it is lined, it is better suited for spring}, off white cardigan {Both tops found at Marshall's}, Navy Blue Corduroy slacks {Old Navy}...and ofcourse, my signature red patent leather ballet flats. I have to say that I think even with the corduroy, all that off white + ruffles on top really said, "Bring on Spring!"

On another note, this gathering was bittter sweet one. This youngest sister in law of mine whose confirmation we were celebrating is my Mister's half sister from when his father remarried. It is unfortunate that we don't see them more frequently, but all the same, I consider her my sister in law + her mother, my mother in law. That brings me to the bitter, we recently found out that my mother in law is very ill. Long story longer, while she had been in remission for 10 years, her body is now being attacked with a vengance. I don't think I was fully prepared to see her so changed... She has always been one tough woman, personality wise that is. To see her in this vulnerable way, I was just rattled, which isn't a easy to do. Not all that long ago it seemed that my Mister + I were in the phase of life where everyone was getting married, then it was baby time...I wondered, have we now entered into this period of our life that involves illness + loss like this?

The party was a wonderful success. I don't know if it was a bit of denial or the powerful sense of hope flooding the restaurant which allowed us to all come together to celebrate, eat + laugh. Maybe a it was a bit of both? I hope you'll excuse me for keeping this post on the short side. I'm not one to try to jump on the bandwagon of grief which rightfully belongs to those who are much closer to her {my StepMIL} than I am. I find myself feeling intensely grateful right now. There are times when one has a young family like we do, that things can be a little tough at times with the demands of a house, finanaces + juggling the needs of small kiddos. However, this situation: being faced with the illness of a loved one who is so young + who has a young daughter {tween as she may be}, certainly has my priorities right where they should be. Even on the worst of days, I am so comforted to know that my littles + Mister{...and I myself} are healthy, safe...and pretty happy too. I am one lucky lady. My prayers and buckets full of hope will be with J. while we wait to see what will be what.

xo.

Black Swan

A few weekends ago, my mister and I went on a date night with another couple to see the movie, Black Swan. It is a psychological thriller about a ballerina in the NYC Ballet Company {played by Natalie Portman} who slowly looses her mind as she strives for perfection in her performance of both Odette {the Swan Queen} and Odile {Odette's naughty twin, the Black Swan} in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.

There had been some hype around the movie, most of which concerned how much weight Natalie Portman had lost to portray a prima ballerina. As the move began, I sat, ready to be shocked...but I wasn't. Having been to the ballet twice this last year, I could only commend Portman on both her appearance {as far as what professional dancers really do look like} and her dancing performance {which with over a year of intense training under her belt, she did most of herself!} While I am not usually a fan of scary movies, this was more of a true psychological thriller & tragedy, which left the audience simultaneously captivated + haunted.

I don't think there is a woman alive who leaves the ballet, {or this movie}, without secretly coveting the strong, thin, streamline dancer's body. It is really a level of fitness that few people could actually {or do} ever achieve. The following week, my lady friend {whom I had seen this flick with} brought over the January VOGUE + we poured over the interview with Natalie Portman. The pictures were amazing and interview was quite good; telling us about how Portman was a dancer before moving more seriously into acting, that she is a vegetarian/ vegan {love her!} + that she has some great producing projects in the works along with being an expecting first time mama.

As I thought of the movie + looked at the beautiful photos, one line of the interview stood out for me above others. The author writes of Portman, "With posture as straight as is she had never hunched to text...blah, blah, blah". And then it hit me, it is not only a ballerina's extreme thinness + strength that is so enchanting, but also how she carries herself. Having grown up dancing ballet myself, I know that the art of ballet lies in being able to make something that is SO incredibly difficult seem as if it were the easiest thing in the world. By the time I stopped dancing at 17, I felt that my body had changed in such a way that I did not have much a future in dance past the point I was at {...boobs and all}. Ironically, 13 years + 3 children later, I feel I am in alteast as good of shape {if not better} than I was when I stopped dancing, however, all of my flexibility and conditioning is gone. And this quote from the interview in Vogue got me thinking... Having loved dancing ballet from the time I was a very small girl, I thought about how I could incorporate some of that graceful discipline into the life I live today. I decided that I must do something with my new found inspiration! While I might never loose another pound {god help me, Natalie's character in Black Swan SO needed a Sammich!}, I think I would like to regain some of that ballet flexibility + conditioning. I have ordered a Ballet workout DVD to do at home and will see how I make out with that...and then who knows, perhaps even join up with an adult class at a studio at some point? Inspiration makes itself known in the most random of places...and I believe age and maturity offers us the wisdom which motivates us to once again enjoy things and activites that we may have written off. I feel so very excited about this new challege. I wonder, what source of random inspiration has motivated you to take on a new challenge recently?

xo.

"The world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters."

Ah, this is a favorite quote of mine from Harry Potter; The Order of the Pheonix. It is spoken by Sirius Black {my favorite character name of all time...surprise, surprise}, who is Harry Potter's Godfather, played by actor Gary Oldman.

Sirius goes on to say that, "We've all got both dark and light inside of us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are."

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I believe in this quote whole-heartedly. Whenever I'm faced with a tough situation, I try to remind myself that every crisis is an opportunity to change for the better. Infact, it is not just in crisis, but each day that is an opportunity to act from the light inside of us. To be optimistic, compassionate, gentle, empathetic, humble + forgiving. People are not good or {lol} Death Eaters + the world is a very gray place with few absolutes. It is this gray that makes life an adventure; you never really know what will happen next! But every so often, people can suprise you + show you who they really are by acting from the light within themselves. At a time when I began to feel very stuck; that perhaps a part of my world was {+ would remain} very black + white, someone I had not expected to showed me compassion, humility + empathy. While I cannot know what {if anything at all} will come from it, I am grateful to know that indeed the world is not made up of good people + Death Eaters; that change is always possible + life is full of surprises.

xo.

Scenes from the Christmas Cookie Swap...

I have to say that this really was the most successful Christmas Cookie Swap I have ever hosted! In the photo below, you will see just one of many...well, 15 to be exact, baskets and Anthropologie bags filled with cookies to be swapped. We lined all of the individually wrapped types of cookies out in the front porch so that as each guest left, they could refill their basket {or Anthro bag} with thier assortment of cookies! I can't thank everyone enough for their generosity in bringing appy's, wine and even hostess gifts! I was blown away. But really, I was just so happy that everyone could come...and I will most definately be looking foward to next years swap!

xo.

Abstinence Month by Scary Mommy

So This from Scary Mommy is the darn funniest + most truthful post...atleast in my opinion. Having one little man conceived in February {November Birthday} + another conceived in April {January Birthday}...well, I missed March, but I really get the point when it comes to these winter babies! Even though we are totally set {aka "fixed"} when it comes to having any more littles...well, a month of abstinence? With 3 kiddos, there's been times when we have done THAT without any planning at all!

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Just a funny little something! Happy Tuesday!

xo.

An Italian Wedding

Don't you just love this photograph? It is a picture of our friends, Anthony + Ilaria at their wedding this past October in Ilaria's home town of Naples, Italy. When the invitation arrived, I swear it weighed about 3lbs.! We knew the wedding would be spectacular and while we wanted nothing more than to celebrate with them, jetting off to Italy for the weekend just wasn't in the cards with the kids, work, finances, etcetera.

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But luckily for us, they live in San Fransisco, CA where they have the most incredible restaurant, Una Pizza Napoletana. Anthony's superb culinary offerings used to be available more readily when his restaurant was in NYC, but it was time for a change. I am hoping that one day we'll get out to their new place in SF...and will always secretly be keeping my fingers crossed that one day they will move back east!

Much Love!

xo.

Harry Potter Night

So how excited is everyone that TONIGHT, the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be in theatres?? Actually, for many a brave + die hard fan, the movie was playing at midnight of 11/18-11/19...however, for the rest of us...well, we'll just have to wait for a better time {aka., when we can get babysitters!}

Having read or listened to all of the Harry Potter books on CD, I am beside myself to go and see the story unfold on the big screen. However, in the meantime, I have been lucky enough to happen accross a series of Harry Potter documentaries on the Biography Channel this week that satiated my Harry Potter fiending. I saved atleast 3, including one based on the "Sound/ Music", another on "Creatures" and finally, one documentary on "The making of Harry Potter". {If you happen to have ON DEMAND, I would look to see if you can find these!!}

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What stood out for me was that while there were what seemed like bajillions of kids who tried our for the roles of Harry Potter {and Hermione + Ron for that matter} there was quite alot hanging on the choice that would be made. And Speaking of Hermione {and having watched these actors grow up on screen over the last several years...I do ADORE her bold + beautiful new do!}

Getting back to my point though, while watching the Biography documentaries about choosing the actors who would play these characters {Harry, Hermione, Ron, etc.}, or ANY character in this series of movies...well, they all had to be, DIFFERENT. Harry Potter was not like many movies {or Books} where the most beautiful or handsome characters would be chosen. NO, the success of Harry Potter comes from the fact that it speaks to the heart of all of us who have ever felt on the fringe; like we did not quite fit in.

I love that fact that so many people around the globe are at present, rushing to see a movie about a boy, who in real life, would most likely be shunned + excluded by many a movie goer. But here is what I am also thinking about. This movie {and the books} have grossed more in $ than almost any other...so it has me wondering...are there more of us that also feel that the world of Harry Potter is a refuge than we had originally thought? Has the minority of those of us who have felt peripheral in our lives now become the majority? You know, I think that is most certainly the case.

{Hear playing faintly in backgroung: "We are the world, we are the children....we are the one's who make a brighter day,so lets start givin'"}

SO many of us, especially here in America, where we have experienced such difficult times {like those of 9/11}, often tend to withdraw...perhaps out of fear or just plain sadness. While Hogwarts was a home for many a lost child, like Harry, and my favorite person, Severus Snape...we need to be sure that we all are not so cruel and distant from one another that we create a world of heartless, power hungry Voldemorts. We need to embrace each other like we have embraced Harry Potter and his crew of geeky, freaky, misfit friends. I hope that everyone who is excited to go has an opportunity to get to the theatre this weekend to see Harry Potter. And my absolute best to every person on this weekend before Thanksgiving; friend, foe, wizard + weirdo

{...."there's a choice we're makin', we're savin' our own lives. It's true, let's make a better day just you and me!"}
xo.

Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels...

You only have to look at me to see that I can be a little on the, ahem...excessive compulsive side. I'm also not the most patient person...{See this is what happens when you have studied psychology for years...and went to Catholic school all of your life....I have a talent for picking at my character defects + a need to confess my flaws to someone!}

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But that is not the point of this post, but rather just a bit of insight into me. Knowing what you do now, it probably makes a boat load of sense that when I decided recently, to take off the rest of the baby weight I've been carrying around, I jumped in with both feet. After 7 years of having my head in my uterus, trying to make a family, we are done! It is bittersweet, but I am so grateful to have 3 healthy littles + am embracing this as the begining of a new chapter where I will try to make a bit of time for myself. So to start, I knew that I needed to change my diet...and that sucks, not being able to eat all of the things that I like. However, being a bit on the extreme side, I have re -adopted a diet that I know how to do {and how to do the healthy way}. I enjoy cooking and eating the food, which can be half of the battle...so far, so good.

But I also needed to exercise. Diet is not enough without a movin' your body. I don't love exercise, but it is something that I eventually get used to once I get going. The two {diet + exercise} really go hand in hand though. If I am going to put in the time to exercise, I am certainly going to think twice about what I put in my mouth after I worked so hard to burn those calories! I have put alot of effort into these changes over the last month {hence, the limited crafty/cool posts, lol}. And so, I have a few posts on this, {my new passion/ obsession} that I'd like to share. Some of which are on exercise {with some embarrasing photos of me "exercising", which alone, is worth comming back to laugh at}...and in addition, I think I'd like to post on a healthy recipe that I have made each week. I promise I will never be preachy or try to convert anyone. While I'm not an expert, I hope to offer some information and some recipes that my family likes that are both healthy + delicious. Because in the end, that is what it is really all about. Eating healthy foods, setting a good example for our children...and being alive long enough to see our grand children + great grand children. So while you might be thinking, "why not wait for this to be a "New Years Resolution"? My response is that there is no time like the present to make a positive change. And watch out, the weightloss/ exercise "feel good" is contagious! A few of my mama friends are on health kicks of their own and it is such fun having each others support. So when healthy living gets tough, my mantra is Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. Ha! It always makes me chuckle, but it is true. Since I have started this adventure, I have lost close to 10lbs.! So I figured, why not go into the holiday season feeling good about myself and making splurges only here + there...and looking fabulous all along the way? That is my plan, won't you join me?

More posts to come on this....

xo.

My Big Boobs

First, let me apologize if the title of this post has offended anyone's delicate sensibilities. But the truth still remains, I have big boobs. No, really people, BIG. But similar to finding the perfect outfits to conceal my tattoos when neccessary, over the years I have also become a conosur of bras that keep my bits + bobs where I want them . You know why, because when not under lock + key, my boobs DO make me look fat. I swear everytime I was pregnant, people knew immediately because my boobs would swell + even in normal clothing, I would look like I was wearing a corset style push up bra. By my due date, when I was sitting, I could practically rest my chin on my cleavage...

Go ahead + laugh, it really is rather funny. But you know, it wasn't funny being a kid with boobs. And it wasn't so fun when I was dying to wear a certain kind of bathing suit, that looked SMOKIN', by the way...all except for the non adjustable straps that had my boobs sagging somewhere around rib cage level. True, there have been many an outfit that I have bypassed because it just wouldn't be flattering while doning the strapless bra that would be required.

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However, after many a trail and error, I had found the perfect bra! The Bali Minimizer #3364. It held you in in all the right places, without giving you pointy Madonna- cone- boobs. Some of you might be snickering at me, thinking, "yeah right, this gal doesn't know what big boobs are". You are not the first to have been decieved, my friends! We are talking 32D over here...the bra was just THAT GOOD.And sadly, you might also be thinking, "She just used the past tense in that last statment?..." Yes my friends, I did. Bali has discontinued my bra + I am horrified! I have negelcted buying new ones for a while and now am kicking myself, for had I known, I would have bought up whatever I could find! Alas, before I would begin my quest for my new perfect bra, I decided it was necessary to write an email to Bali, telling them how they RUINED MY LIFE! No, just kidding. But I did tell them that they should bring the Bra #3364 back + that while I was scouring the internet for the bra, I came accross many ladies who were feeling my pain over #3364. And wouldn't you know, I got a response! Surely an automated response via email, but a response all the same.

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You know, it felt good to be moved by something that is close to my heart {no punn intended} and to take the time make these feelings known. So often, it can be easy to think, "Oh, well, I'm just one person, what differnce can I make?" But the truth is that we can make differences, by writing letters and supporting products we agree with by buying them + not giving money to those products which we do not agree with. But most of all, even if they never bring back bra #3364, I feel like I atleast tried to do something. So while I won't be burning any of my bras, I certainly feel empowered + will continue to write and believe that everyone opinions should be regarded as worthy contributions.

Getting back to Basics

Yesterday afternoon, while I sat making up some quizzes to give to my students + developing a power point presentation for this week's lectures, I thought, "wow, it's been a while since I have posted anything on ye olde Monked + Fifed!" It certainly hasn't been for lack of wanting to! Or even lack of activities; there is no shortage of activities in this house. No, lack of time has been the cuplrit...{Circa 2005}

Lately, my Mister + I have made some big changes in regards to our health {that I will post more on later this week}. This crazy life we live, with both parents working + raising 3 kiddos...well, it got us thinking about simpler times...of when we were first married + had the Monks...of our perfectly neat apartment that had white carpet! We loved that place! And seriously, look at the apartment in the background of this picture above...yeah, right past my insanely thin thigh there. We did yoga every day, I watched Signing Time videos with the Monks each morning in bed + we cooked the most amazing vegan dishes! When I think back over that period of time, it seems as though my memories play in slow motion. John was tattooing in the city then, we kept totally diffferent hours; so much was so different! Today, we really have a most amazing life, the life I always wanted. So while I wouldn't say that I took those early years in our little apartment for granted, I always kind of felt like I was kind of playing house...it was just too easy. I spent alot of time dreaming of having a house + being able to have another baby, etc.
I didn't realize then, that the house, jobs and more babies would mean that other things would have to change too. Before we knew it, our days were non stop between family + work, we couldn't shop exclusively in health food stores anymore,we'd go to bed at 9pm so we could wake up at 6:30am and stress was often abundant. Recently, though, we wondered if there wasn't some way that we could incorporate some of that old simplicity into the wild life we lead today? Sure, why not! Ofcourse, you can't change the business of having 3 littles, or of living in a small town without buses for school, where you see people everyday {I hate for my neighbors to have to see me in sweats without my eyebrows on}. And we can't change having a mortgage to pay, or jobs to work... But like we often do with our littles, my Mister + I started with small changes we knew we would be successful with. Those little victories ultimately left us feeling not only successful, but also more ambitious in attampting to simplify our lives in other ways. It also helped us to feel more connected to each other...kind of like those early days of being together.

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So our eating has changed, we are exercising more, we are setting limits on our activities...and the TV is off more often than it is on. They are little changes, but they are helping us to get back to basics; to get back to where we were when life was more simple. I'd have to say that we all feel more connected to each other + more grounded. It's a great feeling. So why wait for New Years...what changes would you like to make to get back to basics + simplify your life?

xo.

The Big 2010 Halloween Reveal...

Here we are! We attended Rockin' Rod's Halloween Bash of 2010 as The Mad Hatter + White Queen. How fun! Ever since I saw Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, I was all but dying to have a reason to dress up as The White Queen. I knew that I had this old prom dress that would make for a perfect costume...all I needed was the make up + wig! I was so happy that the dress fit, but I'll tell you, it was snug and after a night in it, I feel like I have a pretty clear idea of what it feels like to wear a corset!

So here's the preparty...

Initially, I opted against dressing as White Queen because I was a little intimidated by trying to recreate the Mad Hatter's costume for my Mister. However, when I remembered we had an old suit in the basement that I could cut, sew + patch and a friend had a top hat we could borrow...well, suddenly the task didn't seem so overwhelming! Actually, I really got into it. Maybe my true calling is to be a costume designer? Don't you just love the Hatter's pin cushion flower I stitched up?

And while the reconstructed vintage suit looked amazing with some blanket stitches + patches of fabric added here + there...these vintage spools of thread on wooden bobbins really made this Mad Hatter's costume.

And then it was off to the main event. I was thrilled! All in attendance really went all out with their costumes. Everyone ate, drank, danced...

Ofcourse, it would not be Rockin' Rod's Halloween Bash without "The Show"...

Can you say, "GAGA"? THIS, was a party. At one point in the evening, I thought, imagine if all of our kids saw us like this? You know, I bet they'd be thinking, "if this is what being a grown up is like, I can't wait!" Brava! to all of us for letting our hair down and making this Mischief Night 2010 an evening to remember.

Happy Halloween everyone! Have a fun + safe day of Trick or Treating!

xo.