Still in Flight
I am a mighty traveler. Well, actually I am a very tired, very reflective traveler. Twelve hours spent getting to a plane, getting on a plane or getting away from a plane will do that to you. And right now, I’d like to get far, far away from a plane. At least for 36 hours. I’m in Tampa at the invitation of my book publisher to speak at their annual sales conference. Executives, editors and salesmen and women spend several days attending... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Week 1
This is the third post in a vegan meal planning series. For breakfast ideas, click here. For snack and treat, ideas click here. For background explanations and links to the other posts in the series, you can read here. Here is the Pealightful Meal Plan for Week 1. Pea Pal’s plan is almost identical, but he has incorporated meat into a few meals. I’m hoping to work on that. Please keep in mind that these are just my meal suggestions... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Snacks and Treats
This is the second post in a vegan meal planning series. You can see the first post about breakfast options here. For background explanations and links to the other posts in the series, you can read here. One of the problems with the popular weight loss method of six small meals a day, is that it can seem like you are constantly eating. Not that that’s a bad thing in my book. But since Pea Pal is trying to lose weight, I’ve suggested... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Breakfasts
This is the first post in the vegan meal planning series. Look for a Snack and Treats post and the Week 1 Pealightful Meal Plan/Shopping Guide later today. When I sat down to talk to our friend Pea Pal, I learned that breakfast wasn’t an issue in his weight and high cholesterol problems. Turns out, for the last twenty years or so, he’s been eating Overnight Oats for breakfast. He “soaks” his oatmeal overnight with some water or milk... Read More
Familiar Face
Once upon a time, we were getting ready for a busy Saturday full of errands. Toenails needed painted. Meal plans needed written. Groceries needed stocked, Bags still needed packed. All of a sudden, Gigi shouted, “Mom! Lulu broke your Tinkerbell!!!” Sure enough, Tink’s leg had been swiftly severed. I thought maybe she’d gotten caught in a tragic bookcase climbing accident and had self-amputated her limb to get free, but when I... Read More
Guessing Game
I’ve always been a hands-on mom. The girls have only ever had three babysitters in their whole lives and one of those gave birth to me. When the girls were babies, I would constantly be down on the floor playing with them even before they could really play anything other than “let’s see how long this clean outfit lasts before I puke, pee or poop all over it.” The answer is always “less than five minutes.” I wore holes in my jeans... Read More
A New Way to Lose, Part II
Otherwise known as: “What Happened With Pea Pal.” It was dinnertime. Pea Daddy had tipped his pal off to my veg intentions, and I was immediately told as we sat down to the table that he had no intention of ever being vegetarian or vegan. I told him I hoped he would just let me speak my piece, and he very graciously agreed. I then started preaching over mouthfuls of food, as I often do. Pea Pal loved dinner. He must have told me eight... Read More
A New Way to Lose
Although it is without question a “Wacky Wednesday,” I have no video for you. I could have videotaped Gigi waking up at 5 a.m. and not going back to sleep, thus leading to a rather early, very cranky yoga practice. I could have videotaped Pea Kitty puking all over our bed or the then terse phone call to Pea Daddy asking why for peas’ sake he took Pea Kitty’s towel off the bed, thus exposing our duvet to nasty hairball/cat food spew. ... Read More
Hijacked
It was one of those rare mornings when I leaped out of bed, eight hours of sleep under my robe belt, ready to start my day. Yet I had nothing to do. And no bathrobe. I confess, I can’t stand them, those cumbersome, heavy straightjackets. But there was no ballet. No doctor appointment. No poster graffiti to be resolved. No urgent trip to Target to get Kandoo wipes. If you don’t know what Kandoo wipes are, I will tell you, they might... Read More
A Star is Born
You can say you knew her when. It’s becoming more and more obvious that the world is Gigi’s stage and we were the lucky callers to get front-row seats, backstage passes and chauffeuring, laundering, hairstyling and catering duties. She’s always in the middle of some sort of performance. I have no idea where she gets it. It’s not from Pea Daddy. That boy was a shy one. When he was six and working that bowl cut like he meant it, he... Read More
Wean From the Bean
I’m closing my eyes and inhaling deeply, imagining the rich, roasty aroma of those dark delicious beans filling my nose. I’m picturing the sound of the hot steamy lava pouring into a thirsty, patient cup, little bubbles of foam rising to the surface and a light fog of steam sending that delicious scent all round me like a caffeinated hug. It still feels like the first time. But… it’s been nearly two months since my last cup of coffee. I’ve... Read More
It’s Not You, It’s Me
I know many of you feel like we could be friends in real life, but believe me, we couldn’t. It is with all sincerity that I tell you, it’s not you, it’s me. In other words, as much as I like you and would want to hang out, share clothes and hire you to babysit, you would not want to be my friend. I’m the kind of friend who emails you on Wednesday night and invites herself, her husband and two kids over for dinner on Friday night. I’m the... Read More
Celebrating Ourselves
Guess who’s the newest kindergarten Superstar Student of the Week? I know I have to love this kid because she’s mine, but seriously, I love that kid. She is ONE-OF-A-KIND. It’s not because being the Superstar Student of the Week is the greatest thing ever, it’s because she thinks being the Superstar Student of the Week is the greatest thing ever. There are no prizes. Everyone in the class gets to be the Superstar Student of the Week at... Read More
Mother Goose
Dear God… something stinks. It might be Mommy. (Mommy is now wishing Pea Daddy’s friends, a few neighbors and friends of her parents would skip this post. I’ve got to keep it real, though.) I’ve led Pea Daddy to believe that I have an invisible pet goose. This goose first came to visit one evening when we were hanging out in my apartment in law school, sipping on Diet Pepsi and sitting in a completely upright position on the end of my... Read More
Kitty Limits
I’m now going to do something I’ve never done before. I’m going to defend Pea Kitty. Turns out she’s got bigger problems on her paws than just having an owner who complains about her constantly. Problems like Lulu “befriending” her. Last night, after Lulu had smashed the last bean from her dinner burrito onto her plate with her index finger with a satisfying squish, she hopped down from the table, plate in hand and headed right for... Read More
Chill Out
I’m feeling very zen today. I’ve suppressed my urge to clean up the living room with a Shop Vac, and I’m able to sit with the mess. It could be that today was just a day symbolic of encouraging change through pacifism and tolerance. Even tolerance for completely unnecessary footwear. Oh, believe you me, we’ve kicked off our Sunday shoes. My zen-like state could stem from that I’m still drinking not drinking coffee. I sniff the beans... Read More
Sunday Sermon
We’ve missed church the previous two weekends in a row. Sorry God. Forgive us? Something tells me You do. This morning the alarm was set and only ignored once, the pancakes were premeditated (I stuck a stack from yesterday’s breakfast in the freezer), and I went for a walk before the girls were even up. When I got back and we convened at the breakfast table, it was clear that Lulu was in no condition to be in a Sunday School classroom... Read More
Just a Little Reminder
Pea Daddy took the girls out this afternoon for a little father/daughter fun. Translation: I had two hours today without any wiping, picking, scratching or people trying to invent injuries to use Band-Aids for. I can’t wear yoga pants and hoodies to business meetings. I went shopping. While I imagined a fun afternoon of twirling in and out of piles of dresses like I had Richard Gere’s charge card and Derby Day to get to, my day was instead... Read More
S’more Stories
There’s never a dull moment around here, is there? It’s okay. I like it that way. I used to see it as a curse that if anything could go wrong, it would. But now, I see it as a blessing. It wasn’t funny when the naked man appeared on our back porch in the middle of the night when I was five. And when I was eight, it didn’t immediately make for a good story when I swallowed too much helium from a balloon, blacked out and believed... Read More
All You Need Is
One person to laugh at your joke to make it worth telling. It could even be just you, laughing at yourself. Or an inanimate object. A husband who brings home a dozen roses, two pounds of organic spinach and ten pounds of carrots. Just because he loves you and you are strange. And hungry. A good book and clean sheets. Slipping your toes into cool, crisp cotton and losing yourself in page after page of sweet words cures all. A folder full... Read More
Snow Place Like Home
Americans across the country are snowed in today. Not us. It snowed for about 45 seconds yesterday, tiny white pindots of indecision that evaporated in the air before they could even dream of making it to the ground. Of course, that didn’t stop Gigi and Lulu from asking if they could go out and play in it. What happened to your flesh-eating Ebola virus, Gigi? Your telethon donors are going to be angry if they see you dancing around outside... Read More
Home Schooling
Ever since we got home from our overnight date, the girls have not been themselves. I caught someone eating whole wheat pastry flour straight from the canister. Simple requests for teeth to be brushed have been met with a foot stomp and a “No!” And while Pea Daddy tried to watch football last night, there was a smackdown over a yellow marker. Gigi displayed some moves I’ve never seen—moves I will remember if I’m ever caught in dire need... Read More
I’m Game
Take note: a new yoga mat is an excellent anniversary gift. It says, “You deserve the extra cush of 5 mm mat, even though I have no clue what that means.” It says, “You don’t need cardio, honey, you just need peace. And I need to see you in your yoga pants.” It says, “I completely believe you when you say green crayon on the perfectly good mat you already have can totally disrupt your chi. Even if they don’t.” I don’t care if... Read More
Best Friends With Rings
Pea Daddy and I became best friends ten years ago. Seven years ago, we became best friends with rings. Someone had a plan, and as a result, it’s been five years since we became best friends with rings…and kids. Since Gigi came along, we have never spent the night alone in a hotel together. We went on an overnight date once when Gigi was two, but since I was seven months pregnant, technically Lulu was there and I had the bulging belly, hemorrhoids... Read More
So About That Dinner Recipe
Aside from freeing children from piranha dining room chairs, we had quite a busy day yesterday. Homework. Work. Working out. Housework. And horse work. Even before we nearly amputated Lulu’s leg, we had our trying moments, our tiring moments and our teaching moments. Like when I learned that the only thing worse the hearing Wham!’s “Last Christmas” being sung over and over again is hearing it be sung over and over again by Gigi. On January... Read More
It Had to Be Lu
I’ve always called Lulu “Trouble.” As in, “Here comes Trouble.” Or “What’d Trouble do now?” My mother hates it. She thinks I’ll give her a complex. But what about me? I bought wrinkle cream this week. I blame it on the trampoline sprained ankles. The peanut butter-coated couch cushions. The hummus hand lotion. The child-sized mug of hot chocolate she finds a way to take a bath in. The sleepwalking that ends with her... Read More
Employee’s Pick
I love when I walk into a book store and they have a wall of Employee’s Picks. I am the second most indecisive person in the world (you should’ve heard Gigi at bedtime last night trying to pick out a nightgown. Here’s a hint, kid, choose the one with a Princess on it), so if “Lexie” wants to narrow down 50,000 titles down to their Top Ten, I stand a fighting chance of stumbling upon something that won’t accumulate dust on my nightstand... Read More
In the Year 2011
I have logged zero miles on my treadmill and five hours on my yoga mat. I had to dig around in my garage to find my old mat that I got free with a second-rate DVD because there is green crayon all over my pretty pink one. (Any bets on how that happened?) I sort of don’t care if I ever run again. Please don’t make me. I have spent $10 on a half an ounce of over-the-counter eye ointment. The ingredients are identical to Vaseline. My optometrist... Read More
Easing Into It
It was bound to happen. After two blissful weeks of staying in our pajamas until noon, Gigi had to go back to school today. I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that I am not a morning person. It’s not just that I’m a complete jerk before about 10 am, even though I am. I’ll be starting the coffee or starting breakfast and Pea Daddy will kindly ask me, “How did you sleep last night?” Dumb move. I’ll whip around and growl, in... Read More
Overlook Point
In one week, Pea Daddy and I will celebrate our seven-year wedding anniversary. If I’ve learned anything in the last seven years, it’s that a successful marriage isn’t necessarily about what you do for your spouse, but more often, what you overlook. I overlook the picture frame that got broken from “somebody” flying a remote control helicopter in the house. Don’t even tell me that’s what vaulted ceilings were intended for. He overlooks... Read More
Homebody Loves You
It should come as no surprise that we spent New Year’s Eve at home. I am an absolute homebody. I like my house. I like my books, my TV and my family’s tolerance for mediocre hygiene. I have to be a homebody–it’s in my job title. It’s not called a “drive-around-town-entertaining-your-husband-and-children’s-whims” mom. Maybe that’s just because the acronym stinks. “I’m a DATEYHACWM,” doesn’t exactly roll... Read More
