An Incorrect Latte

I'll start with an explanation of the name of this post, my latte today was, in fact, incorrect. I ordered a non-fat mocha but was given a peppermint white mocha. Although it was festive, it actually wasn't what I wanted this morning, but at least it wasn't decaf.

For about 2 weeks I've been composing a latte in my mind on rearranging furniture. But that was an incorrect latte, what I've realized is that all of this moving beds, sofas, and dressers is all about sorting through more stuff. It is one thing to have a junk drawer or three throughout the house, but when you empty the contents of a huge cabinet it's hard to ignore all of the stacks of stuff. I spend so much time trying to organize all of the kids things, and, at least some of the time, I think I'm making progress. Lego pieces, barbies, dress-ups, and art supplies all have their place.

But what about all of my things? I don't seem to have a place for my books, pictures, and stacks and stacks of papers. My latte today is to be prepared, once you start rearranging things it might turn into a long process. I think that it has been metaphorical for sorting out all of the parts of my life. I will say that I now have a super-comfy place to watch TV in the den, but there is no sofa in the living room. I also have a huge basket of my own "stuff" to sort through while I sit on my comfy couch. Maybe tomorrow I'll start the day with a homemade latte so that at least I know I'll get the correct one.

90,000 miles

I recently rolled past 90,000 on my 2003 Toyota 4 Runner. Those miles all belong to this family, and I couldn't help reflecting a little on where we've been on our journey.

We bought the car brand new about a week before Mason's 1st birthday. We needed 4 wheel drive for Colorado, and we needed a place to put both a carseat and an excited 80 pound dog. 2 weeks after we got it, we took a 2 week road trip that started in Denver and included stops in Atlanta, Hilton Head, Boone NC, Ohio, and the Twin Cities to name a few spots. As a doting first-time Mommy, I spent much of that trip riding in the back seat so that I could entertain Mason who was still rear-facing in his carseat. Over the next 2 years, while still in Denver, we took trips to Vail, Aspen, Mount Rushmore, and Jackson Hole. Our sweet dog Sadie took her last ride in the back of the 4 Runner, and her nose prints were on the back windows for a long time after she was gone.

Once we moved back to Atlanta (loading up the top carrier for the ride), we soon added the third carseat to the back. Our kids don't have lots of extra space, but they do now have a DVD player for long car rides such as our annual trips to Hilton Head and Ohio, and 2 trips last year to Washington DC with a side trip to New York City.

All of those big trips add up to alot of miles, but most of the miles are probably from trips to the mall, doctors, karate classes and ballet, the zoo, and botanical gardens, and, of course, the coffee drive-through. In other words, everyday life with 3 kids who are getting bigger by the minute.

I realize that 90,000 isn't a huge milestone (hopefully) for vehicles these days. We're planning on keeping our 4 Runner for as long as we possibly can. It's not the greenest car out there, but at 25 miles a gallon on the highway, it's not a bad way to get my crew around town. My latte today came to me as I drove around town drinking a latte, take a break from all of the chaos of the holidays to reflect on your journey - and don't forget to buckle up for the ride.

A day in my life...

Years ago, when I only had one or 2 children who were under the age of 3 and who napped each afternoon, I use to wonder what moms did when their kids got older and spent some or most of each day in school. I couldn't imagine having hours each day of childless free-time. Little did I know that back in those days, before Facebook and blogs, homework and after-school activities, I actually had a little more free-time than I do now.

So, for those of you who might wonder what goes on once the kids give up naps and start school, here is what I for one did today: After making breakfast & lunches, getting a happy 5 year old, and sleepy 7 year old off to school, I got a call to substitute at Mary Jane's preschool. Since I was trying to get there early, we, off course, ran late getting out the door - homemade latte (soy mocha) in hand. After a busy 3 hours with 3 & 4 year olds, Mary Jane and I returned home with one of her friends along for a playdate. The next couple of hours were a blur of dress ups, snacks, cleaning up, and pick-ups from the elementary school.

More snacks followed and then the girls and I accompanied Mason to his first karate class as a new blue belt! We arrived home to produce a fairly well-rounded dinner followed by homework, pjs, books, and bed. Now the laundry is folded and the dishwasher is running. I've settled in with my laptop and some bad TV. There is nothing spectacular about my day, but I'm alright with that. My latte today is to take a minute to think review your day, all of your running around is an accomplishment even if you still have some things on your to-do list undone. And if your babies are still little and napping, enjoy it while it lasts!

New Shoes

A couple of years ago I took all three of my (then very young) children to REI to get new shoes. At one point a woman who did not work there asked if she could help me at all. She was asking because I think I must have had that crazed, sleep-deprived, mother of three look, and she wasn't sure if I was going to make it out of the store without going completely crazy.

I've come at least a little way since then, random people don't usually ask if they can help me when I'm out shopping. But I'm still a sleep-deprived mother of three, and my kids still need new shoes every now and then. So off we went this afternoon - haircuts and shoe shopping for all. Mary Jane had a fever last night, but is in denial that she was sick at all. She had energy to burn, and she tried to use it all up by running around the small shoe store to try out various new pairs. Mason promises me that he will keep his shoe laces tied at all times on his new Nike's. I actually don't mind spending money on shoes for Charlotte because if she outgrows them too soon, I can save them for Mary Jane.

There was no chance to get a latte before we sat in traffic on the ride back home. Dinner for the last two nights has not involved any veggies, but homework is done and all of the right notes, checks, library books are ready for tomorrow morning (I hope). If Mary Jane sleeps all night, then tomorrow should be a good day to show off new shoes and haircuts for all. Perhaps in the morning I'll have a homemade latte - new shoes don't grow on trees. My latte today is to take a deep breath, and try not to be a crazy person when your out shopping with your kids. Be sure to thank the people who try to help if you are though, and eat something healthy!

Happy Thoughts

It's raining here - again. After years of severe drought conditions in Atlanta, we just finished up the second rainiest October on record. It's tough for moms and kids when all activities have to take place indoors. On top of the rain, lots of illnesses are going around these days, and I've been coughing for weeks. But I'm going to look on the bright side of things.

I once read somewhere that a good way to stay happy with your life is to write down three things each evening that made you happy during the day. So here are some of my happy thoughts from the last couple of days: 1) Watching all 3 of my kids have fun doing yoga poses from a set of cards I got them a couple of years ago. 2) Amelia Bedila books (they're really funny). 3) Making a moth costume for Mason to wear in his 2nd grade musical tomorrow without making a single trip to Target for supplies, and then getting called McGyver mom by a Facebook friend. 4) A gingerbread white chocolate latte! 5) Charlotte doing her ballet twirls all over the living room to show off her adorable skirt.

Even if your latte isn't as fancy as mine, find some things to be happy about today! It might help you forget the rain for a little while.

Reality

When I was not that much older than Mason, I knew who shot J.R. Ewing. Along with half the country, I watched Dallas on Friday nights. It seems that I have always enjoyed a good drama with a twist or 2. I was a huge fan of Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place, ER, and, of course, Desperate Housewives.

Reality shows, on the other hand, have never held much appeal for me. I was intrigued, though, by the Real Housewives of various cities. I've watched a few, and I'm here to say that they don't seem to match any sort of reality. How do I know? I am a real housewife of Atlanta, and it is not as glamorous as it is on TV. Last week I went on a 2nd grade field trip to the History Center, I painted an old dresser with a great paint off of the oops rack at Lowes, I grocery shopped, I raked leaves, and tried (not successfully) to keep up with the laundry. I'm not complaining, I'm simply pointing out my reality.

Mason seems to have finally caught whatever is going around, and so we'll be housebound for at least a few days this week until he feels better. That is my reality, I'll clean, do more laundry, pay bills, and take care of my sick little boy. I don't have drivers, house keepers, or professional landscapers, and that's alright. Today's latte is to find your own reality and embrace it - perhaps with an Eggnog latte, they're here for the season!

9 Years Ago Today

9 years ago today, we lived in a bubble. Jobs were everywhere and houses sold as soon as you put a "for sale" sign in the yard. 9 years ago September 11th was just another day on the calendar, and we never dreamed of paying more than $1.50 for a gallon of gas. 9 years ago the country was 3 days away from learning about recounts and hanging chads. 9 years ago our only baby was a 70 pound mutt, and Rob had never changed a diaper. 9 years ago we talked about having 3 kids someday, and we used cameras with real film.

9 years ago today we said "I do" and then we danced, and we started our adventure as a family. Happy Anniversary, Rob!

The Day After...

We survived. You may remember from last year that Halloween is not my favorite holiday, but this year it seemed to take on a life of its own, as well as most of the month of October. After not buying new costumes last year, we more than made up for it this year with numerous new holiday ensembles. The good news is that the kids had many occasions on which to wear their costumes.

Mason was Harry Potter every chance he got, Charlotte went back and forth between Silver Mist (a fairy friend of Tinkerbells), and Sharpay from High School Musical. Mary Jane has 2 Dora costumes and one of Daphne from Scooby Doo. Of course, yesterday she ended up wearing a fancy dress and some wings. Mason was not happy with her for not wearing an actual costume. I have lots of pictures, and I promise to share them soon.

Mason decided about 6 weeks ago that he and his sisters should have a Halloween party. They made a list of friends they wanted to invite and they started making plans. Who am I to stand in the way of a good party? Especially on that involves about a dozen over-excited small children in costumes on a cold and rainy day? As I said, we survived. We had help, Mason's first grade teacher made an appearance and she told scary stories to the wild 7 year old boys. Mason planned an art project that involved toilet paper tubes and pipe cleaners, but he was having too much fun to even get to it.

Here's the good news, the house is very clean, Mason entertained himself all morning making a cardboard cage for Hedwig (his stuffed owl for those of you who don't speak Harry Potter), and I didn't have to spend too much time out trick-or-treating in the rain thanks to Aunt Allie and Alex. Here's the post-Halloween latte, remember that most things in parenthood are not about the parents, they are about the kids so put up some Halloween decorations and buy a little extra candy at Target, put on a costume, and enjoy!

A loved bear...

If you know my family or if you've been reading this blog for the last year, you're sure to know all about Bunny, Mary Jane's very expensive lovey that I had to replace last fall. She still carries it with her most places that she goes. Before there was Bunny, or even Mary Jane or Charlotte, there was simply Mason and Rooty Bear. Rooty Bear was a gift from a friend in Vancouver. He arrived soon after we brought Mason home. A little red bear that has bearly been able to withstand all of the love that he has received through the years.

I once spent 40 minutes back-tracking through the streets of San Francisco when we realized that Rooty Bear had fallen out of the stroller. I actually cried when we found him. On Monday, I spent an hour doing some repair work on the poor bear. He was about to loose an arm and a leg, Mason was not happy about it. For better or worse, Rooty Bear is made of fabric, not fur. When Charlotte was about 6 months old, I realized that she had a little pair of pants that matched the fabric. I'm still cutting those pants up for patches. Mason now makes a point of leaving his bear in his bed each morning. I don't miss the bed time Rooty Bear hunts. He seems so tiny and fragile now, Mason told me that I now need to patch his face and maybe make him some new ears.

I don't know why our kids get so attached to certain objects, but if a little red bear or a $77 bunny from ebay brings some comfort to my child, than I will patch or pay to keep everyone happy. So today's latte, from a house that needs to be disinfected because we've had too much coughing and sickness here this week, is to realize that sometimes there is no substitute for a bear or a bunny or a real latte with lots of caffeine!

What do you see?

Let me start this post with a story about me and my husband. We first met as co-workers 12 years ago. Not long after we met, we went to a team building meeting and one of the activities was to look at a painting and list what we saw. I saw a clock, Rob saw anguish. It's often good that we have more than one perspective on things. We now have an abstract painting that hangs on our dining room wall. We got it at an arts festival in Denver, and the other night our kids started telling us what they saw in the painting.

Mary Jane saw a rocket, Charlotte saw a lady with "broom brush" feet, and Mason saw a gun. I don't mean that in a violent or disturbed way, he literally sees a gun in the painting. I never noticed that there is a silver outline that looks alot like a gun. Now I see it every time I look at the picture. As Rob says, he is my son. He and I have the same literal perspective on many things. We crave the same sense of order (despite my chaotic house), we both fear change, and we both remember all of the details.

My son and I are so much alike that, at times, it is hard for us to communicate effectively with one another. He is spending the night with a friend tonight, and I miss having the chance to tuck him in - stalling tactics and all. Tonight's latte (or blueberry martini as the case may be) is to pay attention to what your children see. Even if they share your perspective on most things, they might help you see something new.

This old house, again

There is a mountain of mulch in my front yard. Our neighbors had a tree taken down, and we asked for the woodchips. Be careful what you ask for! Don't get me wrong, we'll use every bit of it, but we need it in the backyard which is proving to be alot of work. Rob (with the help of my dad's old station wagon) is doing an amazing job of getting it all into the back yard. In the process of all of our new landscaping, we're adding the sandbox that we've talked about under the tree fort. Who knew that we had such a great backyard? Instead of composing an entire new latte about the joys of my house, I decided to reprint one from last November. Here it is...

Our house was built in 1954. We bought it in 2005 from the original owner. By mid-2008 we started to like it. Yes, it is a typical ranch, fixer-upper, money-pit; but it's home. When we bought the house, Charlotte & Mason were 1 and 3 and Mary Jane was on the way. I was frustrated that it wasn't our "dream house." My mother told me that most people don't buy their dream houses, they buy a house and live into it. There is some wisdom in that, maybe even a latte.

Dream houses belong to adults, not their small children. This has become Mason's dream house because he has a huge tree-fort in the backyard thanks to Uncle Lou. The girls love the fact that my bathroom has a pink toilet, tub, and sink to match the tile on the walls. For better or worse, I've actually come to like the fact that I don't need a baby monitor to hear my kids in the middle of the night. There will always be plenty of projects around here, some big and some small.

My latte is this, when you're thinking about your dream home, think about your dreams. My dream is to have a beautiful space for a Christmas tree and plenty of room for all of my family to enjoy each other and their toys, a kitchen that can be a gathering place, and a cozy room to sit and watch TV. When I look past the clutter and dust, it looks like I just might be living my dream.

Fashion Fun for Girls

It's now fall. The leaves are changing color and just waiting to be raked from our yard. They'll probably be there for a while. Here in Atlanta, the weather is finally starting to cool off a little bit. The big fashion excitement for my girls, ages 3 and 5, is that tights season has begun. They get so excited to pick out just the right combination of striped tights, a flower covered skirt, and a polka dot shirt to start the day. As the person who purchased most of these items, I can only sit back and tell them how colorful they look.

After Charlotte was born, it didn't take long for me to realize how much fun little girl clothes could be. They're much more interesting than the clothes for boys. I loved finding cute and cuddly little outfits and dresses for her to wear. Right around her 2nd birthday, something strange happened - she developed a very strong opinion about what she wore. Gone were the days when I could dress her (as I could Mason) in whatever I wanted. We started having daily battles over getting dressed each morning. I began buying more dresses to eliminate the need to mix and match. As she walked into preschool one day at a age 2 1/2, one mother commented that little girls should have buttons they could wear stating "I dressed myself today."

I've relaxed alot in the 2 years since. While I do like it if my girls manage to keep outfits to one or 2 patterns per day, it's alright if they don't. As long as they put on a jacket when it's cold, everything else is alright. My latte today is something I've said before, enjoy your child's creativity and pick your fashion battles carefully. They're just having fun with the tools that you've provided, which, in the case of my girls, is a closet full of mix and match pieces from the consignment sale at the preschool.

Playing Catch-up

First, let me apologize to my mother, sisters, and 3 other readers for the infrequency of lattes. Last spring when I talked about how great it is to volunteer and stay involved in your child's school, I forgot how crazy my life gets during the week of my 2 big volunteer commitments - wrapping paper sales at the elementary school and the consignment sale at the preschool. Both are now over with some degree of success, and, despite the fact that the girls are both sick, I'm going to try to catch my breath this week. A new latte seems like a good place to start.

Today's latte is going to be more of a few random observations which may make a full post at a later date (I welcome requests). Here goes, in no order, a few lattes to start the week:

1. Carpool line is no fun, avoid it if possible, but, as you may have heard, we had some rain in Atlanta so I put the stroller away and drove. If you must wait in line, bring some reading material because you may be waiting a while. Weather permitting, turn your car off while you sit in line. As someone who has pushed a stroller by many a line, the fumes seem unnecessary.

2. Fall cleaning and purging is just as important as it is in the spring. I have assured my husband that more stuff went out than came into the house for the consignment sale last week. That doesn't include money, my personal sales offset some of my purchases but did not cover them. But really, you should see the Talbots embroidered jeans that I got Charlotte for $7, as well as the 20 other cute things.

3. Redbook Magazine has a feature called "You know you're an adult when..." I realized today that "You know you're an adult when ...you and your spouse go on a double date with your Dad and his wife and have a great time without feeling like you're 16 again!"

4. While your adorable and sweet children inherit some great traits from you, they might get some not so great ones as well, that's ok. I am not a happy person in the morning before I get a latte. My son is miserable when he first gets up, we are a lethal combination from 6:30 till 7:45 but we're managing (I think).

5. Don't forget to live in the moment. We spend so much time planning for and worrying about the future these days, but the moments with our kids won't last. I keep telling mine to stop growing, but they don't seem to be listening.

More lattes to follow soon!

Why bother?

Tonight I fixed a new recipe for dinner. The fact that I was cooking at all is an event all its own these days. I thought it would be a kid-friendly meal, chicken triangles. Mason had fun helping me mix chicken with cream cheese and ranch dressing mix, and then we spooned the mixture onto crescent rolls to bake in triangles. None of my kids liked it, Charlotte actually gagged a little. Rob & I thought it was pretty good, but I found myself thinking "why bother?" Why did I go to the trouble of cooking a nice dinner for everyone when I ended up making toast, once again?

I guess that's not a very innovative attitude. I am constantly telling my kids to try new things (usually some sort of vegetable), and I should lead by example. Tomorrow night I'll feed the kids fish sticks while Rob & I eat leftover chicken triangles. Thursday we'll probably have spaghetti. Perhaps this weekend I'll feel motivated once again to look through cookbooks to see if I can find the next great crowd pleaser for my family, which, other than Rob, is not an easy crowd.

Today's latte is keep trying. The evening wasn't a total loss, Mason & I had 15 minutes of quality time preparing the meal, and Rob & I did like it enough to eat the leftovers.

Queen for a Day

I like to refer to Atlanta as a small town, but we all know that it's not. My husband, on the other hand, is from a true small town. A tiny little town in Northern Ohio, population about 1200. We just spent Labor Day weekend there with family as we have many times in the past.

Like many very small towns, I've learned, they have one weekend a year for some type of festival. In Rob's hometown, Labor Day weekend is the Melon Fest. Since I grew up in Atlanta, I never got to experience these festivals as a child. I think I missed out, and I can understand why our kids ask to go every year. There are carnival rides, games where you can pay $3 to win a plastic or stuffed prize, and festival food which is the best - brats, fries, tacos, funnel, cake, and the BEST corn on the cob I've ever tasted (sweet corn for those Ohio natives). Not to mention the cantelope and watermelon ice cream.

And then there is the parade. In all the years I've attended the festival, at least 5 now, I've been to the beer tent and two bars many times, but I've never made it to the parade until this year. Here's what I found out, each town in the area has some sort of festival during the summer, and at each of these events a queen is chosen. That queen then gets to go ride in a convertible or float at all of the other local parades. I'm pretty sure that Charlotte thought she was watching a parade filled with live princesses waving right at her. To top things off, almost everyone hands out candy as they pass by.

I don't know that I have a latte from all of this, it's more of a shout-out to the joys of small town America. I'm glad it's an experience my kids get to enjoy. I have quite a bit of fun myself, and even if they don't sell lattes from a booth at the festival, the corn on the cob is really out of this world!

Be Productive

A couple of weeks ago, as my husband was leaving for work one morning, he told me to "be productive." This was on one of the days that Mary Jane & I were on our own since the other two were already in school. A couple of hours later, I called Rob and asked if a trip to the zoo with friends was considered productive. I don't think that's what he had in mind, but my options are fairly limited if I want to keep Mary Jane engaged and not in front of the TV while I try to clean up. Don't get me wrong, we do that, too.

The whole thing did get me thinking about productivity. Most things that are fun and addicitive in my daily routine, are not very productive. Things like trips to Starbucks and way too much time on Facebook. Blogging is productive if I find a way to turn it into some sort of money-making endeavor, but, for now, it's more theraputic and, possibly, mildly entertaining for my mom, sisters, and 3 other readers.

There are minimum requirements for me to consider that my day was productive. When a newborn was in the house that didn't sleep and nursed around the clock, if I had a shower and did a load of laundry it was a great day. Times have changed. Most days do involve laundry and hopefully a shower, but there's now much more. Everyone needs to leave for school on the time with the correct work or provisions for the day, there are bills to pay, shopping to do, and a house to clean. If you've been to my house, you know that it's not always clean and the pantry is sometimes fairly sparse. I'm working on it.

I now consider it a good day if I make it most places on time, turn the TV off before we all start singing the Sponge Bob theme song, the kids all eat at least a few fruits and veggies, and homework is done before the last minute. Cleaning and organizing are going to take a while this fall. Yesterday, I tackled one of my drawers full of stacks of paper and I found out that Rob has a doctor's appoinment next week, and I also found car insurance cards that should be in the car. I did manage to get a handle on all of the beginning of the year papers for school, and I set up annual binders for Mason & Charlotte. I will end up purging most of the stuff they bring home, but I give myself a little time to enjoy.

The productive latte for today is to stay on top of things. Open a drawer or closet and clean it out before too much stuff piles up. If you have a productive day, you can reward yourself with a trip to Starbucks and some time on Facebook.

Sunday Reflections

The kids are asleep, 2 snack baskets are packed for this week, and I'm taking a few minutes to look back on my weekend. It was a good one, but not what I had planned. Our first plans for Friday night were cancelled because of a friends' sick 7 year old, we then had to cancel other plans when Charlotte came home from school with a fever (she's fine now).

Saturday night, Rob & I hoped that we would be able to go hear friends' band play, but we couldn't find a sitter. I do have lots of new numbers, though. Instead, we invited a neighbor over for an improtu cookout. Today we followed our Sunday routine of Sunday school, church, lunch followed by a lazy, rainy afternoon.

In the midst of it all, I did some laundry,, grocery shopping and even a little cleaning. Not a bad, uneventful weekend. So here's my Sunday latte - be flexible. If you had asked me last week what I had planned for the weekend, I would have given a very different answer than the way it turned out. That's ok, we still had fun and good lattes.

Fill in the blank

Here is a little known fact about me, I always read the last page of a magazine first. I never do that with books, but magazines ususally have an interesting one page feature or article that you can read in less than 5 minutes. Coincidentally, that is often all the time I have for reading.

I got my latest issue of Redbook Magazine in the mail today, and I immediately turned to the last page which is ususally little blurbs about "You know you're an adult if..." This month is different. A few readers fill in the blank of the following sentence, "I love my ______ life!" It is a sentence that is used for the cover interview each month. Cindy Crawford apparently loves her "beach" life. After reading the 3 little stories from readers who love their "remarried, uncertain, and whole" lives, I started trying to fill in the blank of my own life. Here it goes...

"I love my MOMMY life!" I love that I get to go to the zoo and storytime, read to kindergarten classes, and help out in 2nd grade. I accept the challange of trying to balance activities with downtime, trying to make sure that at least a few vegetables are eaten each day, and trying to keep clean clothes available for all. I also love the fact that I get to have a break from being a mommy every now and then so that I can catch up with my husband, family, and other adults.

My latte for today is to fill in the blank, "I love my ______ life!"

Allergies

Today I have a serious latte - be aware and considerate of children with food allergies. As the mother of a child with a peanut allergy, I find it very frustrating when another parent acts inconvienienced by my child's allergy. My 5 year old is allergic to peanuts. I have know this since she was 1. She's never had any serious problems, but I usually carry an Epi-pen for her just in case. Now that she's in kindergarten, she is no longer in the protected, peanut-free preschool environment.

Food allergies are very real, and very scary. We went to the allergist yesterday for a check-up, the last time Charlotte was tested, she was 1. I was shocked at how quickly and severly she responded to the peanut test. It was a good reality check for me, and I now have extra Epi-pens so that I'll never be without one if needed.

Like many people my age, I didn't know kids with severe food allergies when I was growing up. I know that there are alot of theories about why allergies have become so prevalent now. For whatever reason, they are out there. If Charlotte touches peanuts, she gets a rash. This will be an issue for her entire life. For now, the best I can do is ask the parents in her class to please not send any peanut product for snack at school, and I hope that no one is too put out by my request. The good news - there are no peanuts in lattes or in the side of whip cream that Charlotte occasionally gets as a Starbucks treat.

Sunday Reflections

Now that we have the 1st week of school behind us, routine is starting to set in. I just looked back, and it has been close to a year since I first wrote about Sunday reflections and lessons. Days of the week did not matter as much during the summer, but today we headed back into the school year with Sunday school at a new church. The kids do not seem to have been affected by all of the potential upheaval of this summer.

As we get into the new school year, I, once again, am trying to figure out how to get organized. I almost said "how to stay organized" but I need to get there first! We put new beds in the girls' room this weekend, and so I took everything out of their room and sorted it in the living room. I know that my husband would have loved to see more things go into the trash or get rid of piles, but I do feel like we at least got a handle on the inventory of barbies, dress-ups, and doll house accessories.

I think I'm reaching a point where some of my lattes might sound repetitive if you were to read them all together. I don't think anyone is actually going to go back and do that, so I guess I'm safe if I just go ahead with this latte - take it one room at a time. If you have kids underfoot, it is almost impossible to get everything organized at once. The task will seem much less overwhelming if you break it down into manageable pieces. One of these days I might get through enough of everyone else's things, that I even find time to organize my own stuff. Of course, it's only 4 months until Christmas and we'll need to reorganize then to make room for new toys!

First Day

I just set my alarm clock for tomorrow morning. Other than to awake for an early start to a road trip, it's the first time I've done that in a while. Tomorrow is the first day of school, 2nd grade and kindergarten for our family. I will admit that I didn't do a great job of getting everyone off of the summer schedule, but they did manage to get to sleep fairly early tonight. I expect that the morning rush for the first week won't be too bad, it's the 2nd week that gets exhausting.

For now, we have new shoes (which felt funny to Mason after wearing Crocs all summer), backpacks, and lunchboxes ready to go. Charlotte is much more independent than her brother, and I don't predict any apprehension about starting a new school. It's a new chapter for all of us, one that has many lattes ahead, I'm sure. I'll admit that I enjoyed the break from a schedule during the summer, but I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine. On that note, my back-to-school latte it to take it one week at a time, and have everyone pick out their clothes each night before bed.

End of summer...

...and what a summer it has been! I realize that I took a break from lattes this summer (and actually switched to decaf), but there is lots that I could say about what I call the Summer of Indecision. I just reread what I wrote about decisions in January. When I wrote that post, I had no idea what sort of decisions Rob & I would make for our family this year. I won't bore anyone with the details, we made a very tough decision and then we unmade it. We're not moving across the country, and the for sale sign is now gone from our front yard. We feel good about our choice, and we're going into the new school year with an increased appreciation for the friends, family, and community around us.

Despite all of the indecision, it has been a great summer simply because my kids are growing up. Of course, I miss having a little one, but, at the same time, I love that my littlest one is now 3. It was a summer without diapers or cribs, and a summer of watching 2 amazing little swimmers while Mary Jane paddled around. As a family, we survived several long car trips (including one with a broken air conditioner), and we enjoyed lots of time together.

Mason & Charlotte start school on Monday. I am more relaxed than I have ever been at the beginning of school. Charlotte is growing up, and she will start kindergarten at the elementary school. It is bittersweet, but she is excited so I am too. I am looking forward to a new routine of school, homework, activities, and Toyota Free Tuesdays. This year I will have a little more time when all of the kids are in school. The plan is that I will cook more and have a cleaner house. I also plan on making lattes part of my routine again so look for more to come.

Packing

I have been packing since I was seven or eight - packing to go back and forth between my mom and dad's houses, packing for camp, packing for weekend visits to my grandmother's house in East Tennessee, etc. It has never been a task that I enjoy, but it is necessary.

Now it is 25 years later and I'm packing for 5. Well, technically my husband packs for himself, but he also traveled around Greece for 2 weeks with less stuff than I take to the park with the kids so I usually add a few things to his bag. We're having the year of the roadtrip in our family, and right now I'm trying to pack for a week at Grandma & Grandpa's house. The good news is that we no longer need to include things like diapers or portable cribs. The bad news is that we need to include most other things.

The kids try to "help" by packing up toys which they wish to take along. We'll usually take about 1/3 of what they pack and they probably won't look at their toys until we return home. I think that after years of packing I have finally learned (sort of) that less is more. It is alright if everyone wears the same outfits more than once on a trip, and kids very quickly overcome any disappoinment regarding a toy which didn't make the trip. I have even cut way back on the snacks that I take along for long car trips - fewer choices usually mean fewer diagreements.

My packing latte is this, make sure you have the most important items, and the rest will (after a little bit of stress) fall into place. I always feel better about 30 minutes after we leave the house when I realize what it is that I forgot. As my mother always said, "You can just buy as you go."

Free Time

A funny thing happened today- this morning, for the first time this summer vacation, I got up, packed 3 little lunches, rushed around getting everyone ready, and took all 3 kids to day camp. I dropped them off at 9:30 (really it was closer to 9:45) and for the first time in about a month, I had 3 hours to myself. What now? They will be at camp every morning this week. I have a dentist appointment on Wednesday and a trip to the eye doctor on Friday.

It's now summer in Atlanta, 90 degrees before noon and about 200% humidity so power walking is out, and I don't belong to a gym. Of course, my first stop was Starbucks which is a treat these days. Believe it or not, I've been making soy, mocha lattes for myself at home most day. Next, I ran to the mall to make a few returns and exchanges of various kid items, and finally, before carpool line, I ran to the grocery store to grab a few things to pack in tomorrow's lunches.

There you have it, nothing earth-shattering, and nothing that I couldn't have done with the kids in tow. After 4 weeks of spending most of our time together, I think that this week is a good break for me and for the kids. We've had lots of fun so far, and I am still glad that we don't have too many things on the calendar for now. This summer has had plenty of unexpected twists and turns, we don't need lots of scheduled ones. That said, for the sake of sanity, my latte to you is to schedule some down time for yourself if at all possible. Even if you spend the time doing a few kid-related errands, it's nice to get a little time without the kids along for the ride.

Camp

Camp brings different things to mind for different people. In these days of over-scheduling, it seems that every person and place around is offering some sort of camp. $200 to spend the week building forts, cooking, swimming, etc. Last week I took my kids to the zoo where we saw campers from Zoo Camp. Mason asked me if he could go to Zoo Camp sometime, and I told him that we were having our own private zoo camp as a family.

For me, the word "camp" brings one place to mind, the summer camp I attended as a child, teenager, and counselor. I returned a few times after college for the annual reunion of former attendees, and recently, thanks to Facebook, I have reconnected with many of my childhood camp friends. This year I went to the reunion for the first time in 10 years, and I took both of my daughters. It was amazing to watch Charlotte do many of the things I once did there in a place that is remarkable unchanged in the last 20 years (flush toilets are a nice addiditon since my camper days!). Several of my old friends were also there with their children who will be campers with my kids in the coming years. My baby sister is also a counselor there this summer.

I realize that not all summer camp experiences were like mine. CJL (my old camp) provided a great backdrop to my high school years, and I love that I can now share it with my daughters. So here's my latte today - share an experience from your childhood with your children. It could be a place, an activity, even a favorite recipe.

One side note: I realize that my lattes have been anything but daily, I'm going to try to get back into a routine. Look for more soon!

A Great Big Bag

As the mother of 3 (ages 3, 5, and almost 7), I'm trying to navigate a relatively unscheduled summer vacation.  I've quickly realized that I need to be prepared for anything!  Without realizing it, I guess that I had gotten lulled into the ease and schedule of the school year.  It has been a while since I've had full days to plan with all 3 kids, but I'm quickly getting back up to speed on what it takes to keep everyone happy.  Here is a list of the things you might need with you at all times:

1. A change of clothes for anyone under the age of 10 - you just never know what type of accidents might happen and you don't want to cut everyone's day short because you don't have the right wardrobe.

2. Lots of water - My kids each have their own water bottles that are with us at all times, but I have to carry a backup supply as well.

3. Sunscreen - This is a no-brainer, and it should be an SPF of 50+.  Last night, after 2 hours in the pool during peak sun hours, Mason told me that his shoulders hurt.  It is actually the 1st time he has ever gotten a sunburn, and now we all understand the need to reapply regularly.  Luckily Charlotte (who is very fair like her mom) was wearing a bathing suit with a t-shirt style top.

4. Colored pencils and paper - Summer in the south is not a good time to carry crayons around in your bag, trust me.  Colored pencils serve just as well and make much less of a mess than markers.  You never know when you'll need to entertain everyone for a few minutes.

5. The right bag - It would be great to just have one bag that went everywhere with you each day, but that doesn't work for summer outings.  You need a pool bag that is big enough for towels, goggles, toys, comb, etc., and a backpack that is comfortable to carry on trips to the mall, zoo, etc.  A shoulder bag/purse might work for trips to the bookstore, playdates, and, of course, Starbucks.

6. Snacks, snacks, snacks - Take advantage of the summer and the chance to get fresh fruit, I love when we take a snack break and all the kids eat is fruit.  Goldfish, crackers, teddy grahams, are all good choices also.  If you're meeting friends, make sure you have enough to share just in case.

Be prepared!  That's my latte today, be prepared with a bag of tricks and plenty of coffee at home so that you don't have get everyone dressed and out the door before you enjoy your daily latte.

Summer

It's here, 75 degrees and rainy, but summer is here.  I haven't planned much, and so I'm going to be back in cruise director mode for a while.  That's not a bad thing.  I'm finally learning not to over-plan for the kids.  It is possible for everyone to have a great time without alot of travel or expense.  On Memorial Day, we actually took the kids on an outing to a local gardening center.  They had a great time playing with the fountains and statues while Rob & I got some landscaping tips.  We then came home and let the kids splash in a little pool in the yard for a while while we grilled hot dogs and corn on the cob.  We all had dinner on the porch, and they told us it was the best summer ever!

Little did they know what they had to look forward to: today they helped me shop for a new bathing suit, and then we put on new rain boots and went puddle jumping through the neighborhood.  Add a newly DVR'd (recorded) Scooby Doo movie, and it was another great day!

Don't get me wrong, it is necessary to make plans each day.  Mason has already told me that he's getting tired of playing with his sisters.  Our tentative plans for tomorrow require that the weather cooperates, and so I need to start thinking of a Plan B.  I'm sure it will involve going out for a latte.  Today's latte is don't overplan.  Camps and vacations are great, but so is just plain summer fun.  If it rains, you can always puddle jump and have a mud fight.

A Graduation Latte

My baby sister graduates from high school tomorrow.  It doesn't seem like my own high school graduation was that long ago.  It was an exciting night - a streaker ran across the field just as the valedictorian was beginning his speech.  Both guys are actually now on my list of friends on Facebook.  I have to take time to say how amazing it has been to watch my sister and her friends grow into amazing women over the last 4 years when we have lived just around the corner from them.  These soon to be graduates restore are proof that, despite what the media may lead you to believe, it is very possible to raise confident, intelligent, well-adjusted, beautiful young women in today's society.

The class of 2009 is off to a very different college experience than mine of the early 90's.  I was probably part of the last wave of students who still used the library instead of the internet to do research.  We didn't have cell phones or DVRs or laptops.  Not everything has changed, and so I'll pass along this lesson learned from my freshman year - ordering pizza at 3AM may sound like a great idea at the time, but, believe me, it's not.

My graduation latte is to take it all in.  I realize that in no time at all, my kids will be having their own graduations and not just from pre-school.  I also know, and I hope my dad knows, that the nest is never really empty.  Congratulations graduates!

The Crazy Days of May

"May is the new December."  Someone used that line on Facebook last week to describe the very hectic schedule that comes along with having small kids in school just before summer.  It is a schedule that seems to be rivaled only by the weeks leading up to Christmas.  

This is what my day looked like yesterday:  It was one of those days on which by the time I got out of bed, I was already running behind.  I still haven't learned to take my own advice and get things ready the night before.  I had to remember to take about 6 things with us to the preschool for an outdoor arts & crafts day - there was no regular school, parents helped out the whole time.  This was followed by a class picnic (more things to remember).  

All of that was before noon, and then the day got really busy.  Honors day for the 1st grade class followed by a class party/playdate in my backyard.  Yes, I had all 19 kids from Mason's class over to play.  It would not have been possible without the help of other moms, a patient husband, and a jumpy which the class rented.  We survived, house & yard intact, with the help of a plunger and lots of juice boxes.  

Today, aside from the fact that it is unseasonably cold and everyone had to wear jackets to school, the reality of summer is settling in.  I have given money to every room parent around for teacher gifts, and Mary Jane had her last day in the Older 2's class.  By this time next week, I'll be trying to figure out exactly how we are going to keep ourselves entertained without spending too much money on activities.  

Today's latte (an espresso truffle latte for my step-mother who is celebrating a birthday), is to get ready, summer is upon us.  Enjoy the change of pace from the crazy days of May.

Birthdays

I know alot about birthday parties.  I've been to hundreds and hosted at least a dozen in the last 6 years.  I started a birthday blog at one point, but I haven't found the time to keep it updated so I'll just go back to birthday lattes.  I've just survived the big birthday weekend in our household.  My girls' birthdays are 3 days apart.  This is the 2nd year that we've had parties for them on the same day.  I managed to use many of the tricks I've learned through the years, and I will now share them:

1. Buy food that is already prepared - hot dogs from the Varsity were a big hit with the 3 year old crowd, and quesidillas from Willy's worked for the 5 year olds.

2. Keep it practical - I let the kids at both parties decorate their own cupcakes, it saved me from having to do it, and it served as the obligitory "craft project" for both groups.

3. If you're inviting more than 6 kids (as we did for the 5 year old party), you probably need good weather, great entertainment, and beer for the parents.  We had all 3!  Great entertainment from Brainy Tunes  brought in all the way from California.

4. Know going into it that 3 year olds aren't going to be able to get a pinata open without a little help.

5. It helps to have Grandma around to bake all of the cupcakes for the parties at home and at school the next week.

Here's what I've learned for next year, I'm going to try harder to convince the kids that they don't need presents from their friends.  It's not an easy idea for a child, but I'll keep trying.  My post-party week latte is this - keep it simple!!  Less is more and kids are happy to just run around in some semblance of organized chaos.  On that note, I will be sending Thank You emails this year, I'll chalk it up to living a greener life!

Happy Mother's Day!

It's not just Mother's Day, it's also my baby's 3rd birthday.  Charlotte will be 5 on Wednesday, and we had big parties for both of them yesterday.  It has been quite a weekend around here!  The kids gave me the adorable cards and gifts that they made for me at school, and my sweet husband had a gift for me as well.  He also made a Starbucks run for me as soon as he got up this morning.  It was a good day!  

The kids were actually more interested in new birthday toys and the fact that Nana was staying in a hotel with a pool than in celebrating the day with me.  After hosting 20+ kids at 2 parties yesterday, I may be a little celebrated out anyway.  A few minutes alone by the pool with my mom were enough of a celebration, next time I'll wear sunscreen.  Happy Mother's Day!

Proud Moments

One of the great things about being a parent is the strong sense of pride you get to experience as you watch your children reach their goals.  An example I've used in the past is potty training - a big step for the whole family.  Yesterday, after a week off due to illness, Mason returned to karate and earned his next belt.  He worked hard, and it paid off.  Somehow it made all of the hours that I've spent trying to entertain the girls and keep them quiet during karate class seem worthwhile.

Of course, by this afternoon, we managed to run the gammut of emotions as we do every day - there were tears, anger, laughter - and that was just in the first 10 minutes at the park after school.  It's more fun to be proud, so find a reason - instead of being upset by a bizarre clothing combination, feel pride at the display of creativity; celebrate the displays of indepence that your children show several times a day even if they are only 3 years old and some might call the independence defiance.  Enjoy a proud parent latte.  

Recovery

Once when I was 3 or 4 months pregnant with my first child, I remember crying to my husband because I was so tired all the time.  That was only the beginning.  Last week, I had a very sick child all week.  The sleeplessness that accompanied his illness reminded me of what it was like to have a newborn baby.  I think I spent much of the week feeling half-asleep and able to only focus on the most important matters in front of me.  I didn't cook or clean beyond washing every sheet that Mason touched each day.

He's now fever-free and feeling much better.  It's going to take a few days to get his energy back.  For the record, he didn't have swine flu, he just happened to get sick the same week that the media went crazy about getting sick.  He also didn't get a flu shot this year, he's also gotten the flu in  years when he did get the shot.  I'm ok with my decision.  Now, as alway happens after one of my kids has been sick, we get to spend a few days unlearning all of the behavior that came along with the illness.  I will finally turn off Sponge Bob Squarepants, and stop waiting on Mason's every need which is good because even though he is still my baby boy, he's getting a little big to carry around!  I guess that I will need to start cooking once again, and Rob (who was an amazing help through all of this) has already started getting the yard ready for next weekend - birthday parties for both girls in one day.  That will be a latte or 2 in itself.  

Today's latte is to allow a few days for recovery.  When a child is sick, it takes a toll on the whole family, and it will take a little time to get back to normal (whatever that is). 

Saving Money

I'm all for saving money, especially in this economy, but 25+ years as a shopper have taught me a thing or two about bargains.  The hardest lesson for me to learn is that just because it is a great deal doesn't mean I should buy it.  I have fallen into this trap more than once for myself and my children.  I was reminded of it as I sorted everyone's clothes for the warm weather and packed away winter clothes.  The kids and I all seem to own a few things that I bought because they were such a good deal only to find that they didn't match anything in the current wardrobe therefore it was actually a waste of money.

Another lesson is that quality matters.  When I buy something for Charlotte, my assumption is that it should last for Mary Jane as well.  It is worth it to pay a little more for something that will still look great in two years as a hand-me-down.  I have said in the past that every now and then it pays to splurge.  It's not really a bargain if you don't get your money's worth out of it.

Today's latte is to spend carefully.  Think about what you and you kids want versus what you need.  Don't get too caught up in a great bargain, but make sure that you get good value for your money.  Don't make the mistake that I made this morning after sleeping with a sick child for 3 nights, I decided to save a little money and get a regular coffee instead of a latte.  A good latte is always worth a few extra dollars!  

Compromise

Anytime I ask my kids (now almost 3, 5, and 7) what they would like to eat, watch, read, play, etc, I usually get 3 different answers.  The rare occasions when they do all want the same thing, they all want to be the first one to get it.  We compromise on everything.  At times, everyone is content to take turns as long as they each get what they requested eventually.  But how do you keep everyone happy?

The short answer is that you don't.  No one who has at least one sibling is going to get his or her way all of the time (at least not in my experience), and they need to learn to accept that.  As a parent, the bigger struggle is in making sure that things are fair.   Charlotte was sick for several days this week.  When one child is sick, the needs of the other two suddenly multiply and they all want my attention at once and are very unhappy when the sick child gets more attention.  

On Wednesday, Charlotte didn't feel up to walking to pick Mason up from school so we called the school and said that he should go in the carpool line.  For those of you who know where I live, you're probably laughing - I pull out of my driveway into the carpool line.  Mason was furious, but Charlotte was sick so her needs came first that day.  Sometimes in those situations, distractions and bribery are the easiest way to keep the peace.  Starbucks to the rescue (I really don't make this stuff up).  A chai frappicino for me and chocolate milk for everyone else and we were all happily on our way to  karate.  This is a latte all moms already know, sometimes everyone needs a little chocolate to keep the peace and to keep your sanity!

Volunteers

As soon as your kids start school, the requests begin.  In preschool, it might start simple, reading a story to the class, making a meal for a family with a new baby, helping coordinate the teacher gift and end of year party.  If you say yes to a few of these, the requests grow - you might be the room parent, a member of the consignment sale committee, or even the parent council president in training.  Then comes elementary school, and with it, the PTA.

Tonight I went to the final PTA meeting of the year at my son's elementary school (also my alma mater), and I think that all of the moms and dads who commit to help out for an entire academic year deserve a thank you latte.  These people make a huge time commitment in order to be advocates for our children.  

I know that sometimes it's hard to find time to catch up on the mail and housework, much less time to volunteer at the school, but give it a try.  My latte today is to go to a PTA meeting.  They actually love to have few new faces in attendance, and you just might learn something.  And the really great thing is that if you chair a committee, you will actually get a thank you latte - my favorite kind!

"Be Patient"

It's something I say at least a dozen times a day, "Be Patient, we'll be there soon, Be patient, I'm fixing your snack now" etc.  Patience isn't easy for kids or for their moms.  About 4 1/2 years ago, people often told me how patient I was as a mother.  Looking back, I realize that things were easy then, Mason was happy as long as he was close to me, Charlotte was always happy, and I had complete control over all of our plans and activites.  They both napped in the afternoons and slept all night without calling me in.  

As things have gotten more busy and chaotic through the years, my patience has worn a little thin.  I'm more tired and have more to worry about than I did a few years ago, but it's time to practice what I preach (once again).  I need to find a way to "be patient" - patient with a 2 year old who is tired and hungry, patient after 12 hours in the car with 3 kids, patient with a house that never seems to be clean, patient during a 2 day blackout, patient with the 5+ pounds I can't seem to lose.  Too many lattes does not really help my patience, but I need at least one to make it through the day.  I am very lucky to have a husband who is patient until I get it each day.  

As I tell Mason, who also struggles with patience, take a deep breath and count to five.  That's not bad advice, maybe I'll give it a try.  

Road Trip

Spring Break 2009 -  We saw the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, dined with new American Girl dolls (thank you Nana), ran around Grand Central Station, took a carriage ride in Central Park, and found new Bakugan at the 3 story Toys R Us in Times Square (thanks again Nana).  We played with great friends while in the DC area and caught up with family in New York City.  Our family of 5 piled into our 4 Runner, made sure the DVD player was working, and we drove though 10 states and logged almost 2000 miles over the course of the week.  I'm exhausted!

I had an amazing time seeing the kids take in the sights and excitement of DC and New York for the first time.  It was a LONG drive, but well worth it.  It is great as a family to take some time away from the routine and schedule of every day.  A break from lattes and Facebook for me(I drank regular coffee all week), and a break from Noggin, Cartoon Network, and school for the kids.  It will probably take us all week to get back on track with school and work, but at least we made it home, we unpacked, and we went to Starbucks to start the day.  My latte to you is to take a family vacation, even if it's just a day at the park - pile in the car and take a break.  You'll enjoy the time together, especially if a latte-deprived mom tells you to enjoy or else.

Pictures will soon follow!    

Firsts

When I think of the "firsts" in my life before kids, I think of things like my first kiss, first car, first time I met my husband, first house, etc.  Once I became a mother, I began to measure everything in firsts - first time rolling over, sitting up, first tooth, first word, etc.  For the first 2 years of Mason's life, I meticulously recorded all of these events with pictures and notes in his baby book.  Putting together baby books for the girls is somewhere on my list of to do's right now.

Today I wittnessed a friend's 1 year old taking her first steps.  We were in the lobby of a 4 & 5 year old gymnastics class, and her youngest of 3 took her very first steps.  It was a very bittersweet moment for the mom, and one I think I'll remember for a long time even though I don't remember when my kids each took their first steps.  Each first for a child represents a step towards growing up.  Charlotte will have her first day of kindergarten in the fall, and Mason just spent the night at a friend's house for the first time.  Next week is spring break and we're taking our first family vacation without any diapers or portable cribs.  That's not such a bad thing.

Todays latte is to celebrate the firsts.  It doesn't have to be as monumentous as a first step, but sometimes it helps to celebrate the little things.  Right now I'm celebrating the fact that I made it through our first week of activities every afternoon - most of them in the rain.  Maybe one day I'll celebrate my first free latte from Starbucks for all of the advertising I give them on my blog.

Growing Up

Yes, yes, my kids are growing up - way too fast for my preference.  Mason has 2 loose teeth and I just dropped off Charlotte's kindergarten registration for the fall.  What I've really been thinking about today is the fact that moms grow up, too.  On a very non-TFT (rain, swim lessons, returning a pair of shoes), I was going to take a few minutes to catch up with a few of my mommy friends.  That's when I realized that while my kids have been busy growing, taking on new activities, and entering new stages in life, so have my friends.

When Mason was 1 1/2, he wasn't in school and Charlotte was on the way.  My mommy friends were my lifeline, women I saw or talked to daily for sanity checks about feeding, pregnancy, nap schedules, etc.  We went to Gymboree classes, playgroups, and the zoo together regularly.  I still miss those moms since I had to say goodbye to them when I left Denver for Atlanta.  It shouldn't be a surprise that my latte habit (decaf back then) started around that time.  

Now that the kids are in school more, and most of my friends are done having babies (I think), they're spending time on other things - jobs, PTA, working out, etc.  If it ever stops raining around here, I'm sure we'll plan trips to the park if anyone has time.  My latte today is to have a latte with some friends.  I've reached the point in mommyhood where I don't spend as much time with other moms, but it is still important to my sanity that I make time for my girlfriends.

The Good Stuff

My latte today should be to get organized.  Clearly, I'm not since I took my kids to the suburbs 30 minutes north of town for a birthday party at a jumpy place on Saturday only to find that the party was actually not until Sunday.  I had no one to blame but myself for the mix up.  I guess I could hold Mary Jane partly responsible since she ran off with the invitation about 3 minutes after it arrived in the mail, but I think it's really my fault.

By the time I drove back to the burbs today for the party, I realized that it actually made for an ok excursion.  Here are a few reasons that it's all good:  1. Yesterday was very, very rainy so being at a Jumpy Place was a good indoor activity, 2. Unlike last weekend, we did not have 3 other parties to get to.  In fact, the only other birthday party this weekend was just for adults.  It helped my mood yesterday knowing that I had a babysitter and night out with my husband on the way.  3. We still actually made it to the party, and everyone had a good laugh - the situation wouldn't have been as amusing if we were a day late instead of early.

As a result of the long drive again today and the fact that we went out last night to a grown up party, I'm worn out from the weekend but I'm not beating myself up for my mistake.  I'm looking at it as a learning experience (write it down, and double check the date & time), and a good latte, find the good stuff in a not so good situation.  

On a side note, I told Mason at bedtime that he needs to take a flower in to school tomorrow because it is teacher appreciation week, he looked confused and said, "Shouldn't we appreciate teachers every week?"  That's the good stuff!

Imagination

As an adult, I realize that I don't imagine things as much as I daydream about what could be - things like having a full time chef, housekeeper, secretary, and personal trainer.  When we bought our house 4 years ago, I suppose that Rob and I imagined the potential for the original 1954 kitchen and aqua blue walls, ceiling, and carpet.  We're still working on it.

For my kids, imagination has a whole different meaning.  I always wished we had a level backyard with a big swing set and lots of toys for the kids.  Since spring weather has arrived in Atlanta, the kids are having a blast playing in our very overgrown backyard with their tree house, the woods, and lots of imagination.  Mason (the leader, of course) makes secret clubs everywhere he can find - under the porch, under the basement stairs, and, now, in the woods behind our house.  He has realized that he needs to make a few concessions to get his sisters' participation in his games so he lets them be princesses.  Watching my kids play in the woods, I realize that they may each be imagining a different scenario as they run around and collect rocks and sticks, but they are all imagining something fun.  Not once have they stopped and said "I wish we had some other yard toys."

Today's latte is one that isn't easy for most adults, but here goes - stop daydreaming, wishing, or wondering what if, use your imagination and have some fun with or without kids.

"It takes a village..."

As I'm sure you know, "It takes a village" is not my line, but, right now, it is my life.  I was thinking about that line this morning when another mother actually said it to me.  She was picking her daughter up from my house between soccer and baseball games for her boys.  I am navigating my way through 5 birthday parties in 3 days while Rob is out of town.  It took carpools, playdates, and a babysitter to coordinate the day, but everyone survived and had fun.  

One day this week I got a call from another mother 10 minutes before preschool pick up - she was in a fender bender and she wanted to know if I could get her child from school.  About a month ago I asked the same favor of her when I locked myself out of the house.  As moms we need other moms (and dads) to rely on and to help us stay sane as we navigate our way through each day.  Today's latte is to ask for help, if you try to do it all yourself you and your kids will miss out.  Drop a child off with a friend while you take someone else to a party.  It will be more fun for everyone, and I'm sure that you will return the favor in no time.  And if you have a few child-free minutes (as I did this morning) don't forget to stop for a latte!

Busy, Busy, Busy

In the fall, I took pride in the fact that my children had plenty of unstructured time in which they could play with friends, toys and each other.  That only lasts for so long.  Each one of my kids is not involved in too many activities, but because of their ages (almost 3, 5, and 7).  They all get to ride along to each event.  Now this is my schedule for the next month - karate for Mason on Monday and Wednesday from 4:15 - 5, swim lessons for all Tuesday and Thursday at 4:30 (girls) and 5:00 (Mason).  Yikes!  

Here's the good news, the kids are all really excited about what they're doing which makes the commitment of both time and money seem worth it.  There is nothing worse than paying for an acivity that becomes a huge struggle every week when a child looses interest.  Also, sometimes it's nice for everyone to know exactly what's going to happen each afternoon and a busy schedule helps everyone enjoy down time even more.  

My busy latte is to not get too busy for a latte every now and then.  If the kids have lots going on, plan your day so that you aren't stressed by 5 in the afternoon about the evening routine.  Take a minute to catch your breath, maybe at the Starbucks drive through that's across the street from karate.

Children's Art

My kids bring home lots of artwork.  Of course, it is all sweet and adorable.  I would love to say that I cherish every piece, but if I tried to do that it would take over my house.  I've learned to let go and only keep a few pieces here and there.  The art is great, but, as I wittnessed last night, it is not priceless.  At the elementary school auction, lots of parents (including this one) put a price on their kids' artwork and wrote a check for it.  Mason is very excited that we will be hanging the artwork from his class in his room.  Rob isn't thrilled that I went above the $80 limit he set, but it's all for a good cause.

If you have kids, this latte is for you - enjoy the art and then move on.  Frame some of it, display it on the fridge, rotate it, and keep a few special pieces.  Don't feel badly about throwing a few things away here and there.  Like a good latte, there will be more tomorrow.

TFT - No Excuses

I'm good at excuses.  With three young kids at home, it's fairly easy to find an excuse for almost anything - an excuse for not having time to cook, clean, exercise, shower.  You get the picture.  Today, after a very sleepless night with a coughing child, I decided that there are no more excuses.  It's TFT so even though it meant we were late for school, we walked.  Just to ensure that I wouldn't get lazy, I let Rob take the car.

So here I sit, tired after a long day of walking around and worried that it's going to be another long night.  I'm hoping that I can carry my "no excuses" attitude into my Wednesday and the rest of my week.  I can think of a dozen things that I need to get done around the house, and I'm out of excuses.  I seem to be having a tough love week as I say "Stop making excuses" as my latte today.  And don't forget to wear sunscreen - TFT left my arms a little pink!

A Lost Hour

In the spring of 2002, Rob & I went out to breakfast one Sunday morning before our weekly trip to Lowe's.  I was pregnant with our first child and traveling a bunch for work, and Rob was spending all of his spare time finishing the basement of our Denver home before our new arrival in July.  (Sidenote - my water actually broke on the way to one of our trips to Lowe's a couple of months later!)  Anyway, we were sitting at breakfast mapping out our day and I realized that with the time change, I really felt like I had lost the hour when I had to "spring forward".  Now, 7 years and 3 kids later, I still haven't gotten it back.

The longer days are great.  After last weeks snow, the weather is cooperating nicely with 70+ degrees.  The Indigo Girls were right when they said "There's someting 'bout the southland in the springtime..."  But where is my lost hour?  

This morning I woke up (in Mason's bed where I fell asleep at 5:30AM when he called me in), and I realized that it was 7:25.  Waking up with the sun doesn't really work this week.  After a mad dash to get a bleary eyed boy and his daddy out the door by 7:50, I realized that the girls needed to go to the doctor for strep tests.  No mommy & me yoga today.  One positive test (Mary Jane) later, I was in a fog because it was 11:30 and I had not had any lattes.  1 1/2 hours later after chick-fil-a, latte, and waiting around, we came home with our medicine.  

Now we're having a quick break before we go, sickness and all, to Mason's karate class.  Today I'm offering a tough-love latte - learn to deal with it.  Accept the reality that there just might not be enough hours in the day.  Luckily going out for coffee is a great way to pass the time while you wait for medicine from the pharmacy!

A Cliche Latte

Here's what I've realized, cliches and stereotypes - both often too general and overused - have some basis in truth.  As my children grow (way too quickly for my preference), I find myself using one cliche after another, "They grow up way too fast" is the most common one.  About an hour before my wedding, while I was having pictures taken my grandfather walked into the church and told me that I grew up too fast, I guess we never stop feeling that way.

Watching your children grow up can be liberating as well.  Recently the kids all had the day off from school and we went to the zoo.  It's an outing that we haven't done in a long time.  In fact, while we were there I realized that it was our first stroller-free zoo trip.  I enjoyed the freedom of watching everyone have fun without having to keep track of a stroller.  That same weekend we went to the North Georgia mountains for 2 nights, and traveling with kids has gotten so much easier now that we don't have to worry about cribs and diapers.

Still, I feel a little sad when I see a tiny baby and realize that I'm done with those days.  I know this is very cliche, but my latte today is to cherish every moment because they grow up way too fast.  Before you know it, they'll be ordering a latte with you!

The Things Mommys Say

A few weeks ago I noted some of the really cute & funny things that our kids say.  Yesterday I realized that moms say some pretty funny things, too.  The thought crossed my mind as I walked through the den saying "If it's not food, get it out of your mouth."  I was probably using what Mason use to call my time-out voice when I said it.  When I'm really angry, I ask questions - "What kind of behavior is that?", "Do we hit?", and the ever-popular "Is that a crying reason?"

I feel just like my mother when I tell my kids to "work it out yourselves."  If your kids are still young enough to play make-believe, you'll realize the things that they hear you say.  Mason has taken to asking retorical questions in the same tone that I use.  Hearing a child scold a toy is enough to make you realize that you sometimes just sound funny, even when you're trying to sound mad.  So my latte today is to listen to yourself, you might be funnier than you think.

Note:  It was not a TFT thanks to cold weather, playdates, working at the preschool, and picking up a new table from Crate & Barrel.

Snow Day!

One of the great things about being a mom is getting to relive the joy of things that excited you as a child.  Today it's a snow day!  We spent Sunday afternoon playing in the snow with big, fluffy flakes that reminded me of Denver.  It was a rare and fun day in Atlanta, and today the snow is crunchy and icy and schools are closed.  My kids are all young enough that they still really like school, but they seem to be excited about the change in plans and the fact that we all still have on our pj's at 9:00 AM (which is not early around here).

I will admit that I haven't finished my first latte of the morning (I do know how to make them at home occasionally), and at some point we're all going to get a little stir crazy and need to get out of the house.  It will probably turn into a long day, but an exciting one since it might be a couple of years before Atlanta gets this much snow again.  Here I was about to pack up all of the coats and sweaters to get ready for spring.

Today's latte is to remember your childhood.  Remember the excitement of things like seeing a great snow storm as a fun activity not as a hassle that will snarl traffic.  Now I'm off to make another latte.  

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Fashion

This topic is a little like decorating - probably not a subject on which I should give advice.  When Mason was about 6 months old, I remember reading an article in Baby Talk magazine with advice about how to avoid the "mom uniform" which at the time was kaki pants, tee shirt, running shoes, and a pony tail.  That happened to be what I had on as I read the article.  

These days my uniform has evolved to jeans, Danskos, and layered tees if it's cold out.  If I'm doing alot of walking then I spend the day in workout clothes.  I'm finally ok with that.  I see moms all of the time who look like they find time to shower, put on makeup and a cute outfit before leaving the house in the morning.  I'm not that mom.  The advantage of dressing down all of the time is that it makes a much bigger impression on the very rare occasions that I do dress up.  

My girls are young enough (I think) that they don't pay much attention to what I wear - their clothes are much more interesting than mine.  Different patterns on skirts, tights, and shirts are all the rage for little girls these days.  By age 2, both girls developed strong opinions about what to wear.  My very grown-up latte, after years of blisters, is to wear comfortable shoes.  You'll need them while you chase kids around so that you don't spill your Daily Latte.

TFT - A Good Book

Another Toyota Free Tuesday (TFT) on which I've cheated again.  I won't bore anyone with excuses, but I drove the girls to and from school.  I probably won't get in the car again today.  While they were at school, I decided to take the morning off.  The house is still pretty clean from the weekend since my stacks of stuff are still in the basement.  

After I read to Mason's class this morning, I spent the hour and a half that I had free with a good book.  I have gotten sucked in (excuse the pun) to the Twilight series of teenage vampire books.  I read the first one for book club which I then couldn't attend, but now I can't wait to get through them all.  My problem with a good book is that it can take over my life by giving me yet another reason not to clean, do laundry, blog, etc.  I needed to take some time to finish my book so that I can get some other things done later on today.

Mason is developing a love for books that I hope will continue to grow.  He can't get enough of his chapter books which we take turns reading to each other.  Maybe one day I'll write a book of lattes for my kids to read.  I can't think of anything that goes better with a good book than a Daily Latte.

Cleaning Up

We had a Saturday night cookout.  It sounds like something fun and casual - bring the kids and some wine, we'll grill pre-prepared kebobs from Whole Foods.  Here's the catch - our house is not generally in company ready condition.  Entertaining is a way to keep us honest with our housekeeping.  We love having friends over, but we always have a mad rush to get everything ready in the hours before guests arrive.  The house looked great last night when everyone arrived.  

My last minute trick that I always end up using is to load all of my miscellaneous "stuff" that seems to pile up in stacks around the house into a laundry basket which I then place in the basement.  I'll bring the basket back upstairs in a couple of days when I'm looking for a bill that I know is due.  By then, I'll be able to sort a few of the items into the trash.  Of course, new stacks are already forming on my beside table.  Here's my entertaining latte - don't wait until an hour before company arrives, sort through a few stacks today.  I realize that many people may have a much better way of keeping up with things besides stacks so this may be a non-issue.

I do not want to pass these habits along to my kids, and I work hard on making sure that they know where all of their things belong so that they don't end up in stacks.  My husband would like to just get rid of all things that don't have a specific place to reside.  As long as my laptop and latte maker have homes, I guess I can sort the rest out as I go.

Shower

I needed a shower this morning.  That doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but moms with small kids will understand that it is sometimes easier said than done.  Mary Jane was up part of the night with a bad cough so getting up early didn't really work out.  I got a last-minute call to substitute at the girls' preschool which was a great opportunity, but it meant that I left the house and myself a complete mess.  After school, lunch, gymnastics, dentist we made it home for a little quiet time.  

As I cleaned up the kitchen and planned for my dinner out with girlfriends, I still needed a shower.  Rob got home just in time to take Mason to a Cub Scout event.  Luckily my little sister stopped by.  She had a tea party with the girls while I finally had a shower!

I talked to a friend today who is at home with her 6 day old baby.  I now always tell new moms that, in my experience, if you get a shower and a load of laundry done, it was a good day.  Maybe a latte, too.  Today was a good day, chaos and all.

Toyota Free Tuesday (almost)

Last week I gave a name and a pledge to my Tuesdays - Toyota Free Tuesday (TFT).  One week later, I didn't quite make it, but I came close.  We had a full week of spring here in Atlanta, but now it has gotten cold again.  It was 35 degrees out this morning so I drove the one mile to preschool to drop the girls off.  That was my only car outing of the day.  I would have loved to drive the kids to the bookstore this afternoon, but in the interest of TFT, I decided to wait until tomorrow.  It's going to be a rainy day here, and Mary Jane and I need an activity.  The High School Musical III DVD, my sequel to Twilight, and, of course, My Daily Latte will all be available at Barnes & Nobel in the morning.

Glitter and Glue

Valentine's Day is another holiday that I have never been crazy about.  As a mother, I like it even less now that it has become the new Halloween.  There is way too much sugar in my house right now.  When I was a senior in high school I was given a huge, heart shaped mylar balloon that floated in my room through the summer.  Now I play the martyr and tell my husband that we don't need to do anything to celebrate.  Then, of course, I pout when he listens to me and doesn't do anything to celebrate.  I have a very patient husband. 

Glitter and glue make this holiday much more fun.  Who knew that glitter, glue, and construction paper hearts are all it takes for hours of entertainment?  I'm sure that I will find glitter in my house for the next six months but that's ok because for two days last week, my kids loved making cards for everyone.  My latte is to make your own non-commercial holiday to celebrate with lots of glitter and glue.  It's amazing to see how much more fun things are when they sparkle!

Make a Change

Unless this is the first time you've looked at this blog, you'll notice that I've made big changes - new background, new pictures.  Change is not something that comes easily for me, the last time I got a really radical new haircut was when I was 12.  The nice thing about computers is changes are easy and they are not permanent.  Please feel free to let me know what you think of the new layout.  I love getting comments and I always read all of them.

While you're at it, make a change in your life.  It doesn't have to be something big like a new hair color or new job.  We've made several changes around here recently - moving furniture, hanging new doors, Mason just started taking Karate lessons.  I'm hoping that we'll make a few changes in our back yard this spring, as well.  I'm starting to realize that kids change every day and I need to embrace the changes and make changes in my own life if I'm going to keep up.  For today, changes to my blog are enough to go with My Daily Latte.

Toyota-Free Tuesday

Since I started this blog, I have also started reading other mommy blogs.  There is not one in particular that I follow, but there are a lot of really good ones out there.  Several of the good ones seem to have a routine - different themes for different days.  I've decided to give that a try with "Toyota-Free Tuesday."

Here's the deal, we've had 3 days of spring weather and I've come out of hibernation.  I love my car and I know that gas is no longer $4.00/gallon, but that's no reason to drive more than needed.  I am going to try to have one day a week on which I don't get in my 4 Runner.  Since Mason has karate on Mondays & Wednesdays, Charlotte's gymnastics class is on Thursdays, and weekends are unpredictable, Tuesday seems like a good day to go sans car.

I hope that I'm not giving anyone the impression that we just stayed put all day, Tuesdays are actually fairly busy.  After I walked the girls to school, I walked back to Mason's school to read to his class for a little while.  I then walked home and cleaned, changed sheets, fun stuff like that.  When I left to pick the girls up, I brought Goldie along on the walk and we got the girls and the double stroller and walked back home.

My one dilemma of the day came this afternoon when I really needed to get Charlotte started on Valentine's cards for her preschool class.  It would have been easy to load everyone into the car for a quick Target run, but since I had already decided not to use the car today I had to think out-of-the-box.  I looked through our art supplies and found a stash of toilet paper rolls that I've been stockpiling for a rainy day.  It was 70 degrees and sunny today, but I cut the rolls into hearts which Charlotte then decorated with stickers and glitter.

Getting out and taking a walk is a great way to get some exercise, but my latte today is a little more than that.  Think about where you're going in your car.  Maybe you can have a Walking Wednesday or Foot Fest Friday.  Just make sure you can walk to get your daily latte.

Wake Up!

I am not a morning person.  I'm also not an early evening or late night person.  I guess I'm more of an 8 - 3 kind of Mom.  It's all a little unfortunate since my kids need me from at least 6:30 in the morning until 8 at night.  My mornings usually start between 4:30 and 6 when either Mason or Mary Jane calls me.  I crawl into bed with my child and go back to sleep until someone else wakes up.  On some mornings, everyone sleeps and I actually have to wake Mason up at 7:15 so we can all scramble to get him out the door in time for school.  Of course, on weekends all of the kids are up by 6:45.  All of this helps explain my very expensive latte habit.

Today's latte, and you'll need a latte to go with it, is wake up a little earlier.  I know that staying in bed an extra 10 minutes is not going to help me feel any less tired, and, yet, I still try to cling to a few more minutes.  I need to take my own advice and get up earlier which is actually a little easier now that it's not so cold.  Maybe I'll be able to make time for an extra latte!

More Sunday Lessons

It was a beautiful weekend here!  We're getting a peek at spring after an unusually cold winter in Atlanta.  We took full advantage, and spent lots of time outside.  Now I need to shift gears and get ready for the week.  Who am I kidding?  I'm blogging, checking Facebook, and watching the Grammys.  I did spend some time today thinking about the week ahead, though.

I've mentioned before the Sunday ritual I try to find time for - a latte alone while the girls are at Sunday school followed by church with my grandparents.  As I sipped my latte and read the Sunday paper, I realized that my latte would make a good latte for the day.  Take a few minutes sometime each weekend to reflect and recharge.  It could be 10 minutes of checking your calendar for last week and transferring things to the new week that didn't get done, or perhaps it is an entire afternoon at a spa, or maybe a date night with your sweetie.

The rest of my day was busy.  The girls played our yard for hours resulting in skinned knees while Rob did house projects.  I felt guilty for not doing more spring cleaning given the weather, but I did spend much of the afternoon helping Mason do his homework which we (I) had been putting off all week.  Now I, once again, have too many things to do, and I'm not going to do any of them before I go to bed.  I'm glad that I took a little "me time" this morning to think about the week (and the really good lattes at Java Monkey).

Moments

"Life is too short to drink bad coffee."  That was on a sign at a new coffee spot I've discovered recently.  Mary Jane and I stopped there this morning on our way to a jumpy place to meet some friends.  I actually agree with that statement, hence my very expensive latte habit.  But it made me think of much more.  

Today Charlotte's preschool class had a field trip.  It was a trip to the post office near the school, and Rob went along.  He wasn't sure if he would be able to make it, but he was able to take time our of his day so that he could go and it was worth it!  Charlotte was thrilled to have him along.  I think that life is too short to miss out on moments with your kids.  There are lots of things that happen when we're not around, and we won't be a part of many of the big moments as our kids grow up which I now realize happens so very fast.

Have a "moment" today.  Surprise your child by reading to his class or going on a field trip, it will become a moment for both of you.  My personal moment today was dancing with my 2 year old in a small coffee shop while I, of course, enjoyed My Daily Latte.

Birthday Blog

If you haven't checked it out, I have some birthday tidbits on my other blog Birthday Buzz.  That's all I've got today.  Between haircuts, playdates, and Mason's new karate lessons all in below freezing temps (that's cold for Atlanta), it was a crazy day.  More lattes tomorrow...

Distractions

There was a time, not so long ago, when I could work on the same spreadsheet for an hour at a time without getting distracted.  Now, I go into the kitchen to get a glass of milk for one of my children, and, along the way, I stop to check Facebook, put away a few dishes (they're never done), and write down a few things on the calendar.  10 minutes later, I hear someone calling asking for their glass of milk.  I got distracted - again.

I'm not sure if whether it's age, motherhood, technology, or some combination that sends us into multi-task overdrive, but too much multi-tasking makes it impossible to get anything done.  Today's latte is to do one thing at a time.  If you're playing a game with your son, don't check email or read the paper at the same time.  Mary Jane often tells me to "get that phone off of your ear"  Princesses do alot of things, multi-tasking is not one of them.  Try to limit distractions, you'll enjoy your daily latte more!

25 Random Things

I joined Facebook a few months ago.  One of the things going around right now is a list of 25 random things about yourself.  If someone "tags" you in their list, then you write your own list of 25 things about yourself.  I will admit that I started thinking about my list about a week before I was tagged, and I was excited to start writing.  It is not that easy.  

My latte today is to make a list.  It was a fun and thought provoking exercise.  For those of you who did not read my list on Facebook, here it is:

1. I am an easy person to get to know, my emotions are easy to read.
2. I am terrified of change, Rob craves it - that's one of the reasons we are so good together.
3. I use to think it was silly on TV when characters stood at a door and watched their children sleep, now I do it all the time.
4. I've been secretly hoping someone would tag me in one of these notes (thanks Leslie).
5. I lived in Denver for 5 years and loved it, but I never took up skiing.
6. I love family and I wish that my brother and my sister both lived on my street instead of in Texas and California.
7. I have been tired for seven years.
8. My life revolves around my kids.
9. I have a love/hate relationship with my house, but, like Dorothy, I think there's no place like home.
10. The only time I have really liked my hair was at my wedding.
11. The month of December is my favorite time of year, I'm not much of a Halloween person.
12. I hate that I don't have babies anymore, but it is nice to be done with diapers.
13. Patience is the biggest thing motherhood has taught me, I'm still learning.
14. Going to camp every summer is one of the best things I did growing up, but it breaks my heart to think of my kids leaving for any length of time (even for CJL).
15. Preschool politics are no fun to get in the middle of, but I can't say no to committees.
16. I have made some amazing new friends in the last 3 years, and I am also still close friends with girls I have known since high school. I consider myself very lucky.
17. We just got a DVR last week, I'm not sure how I lived without it.
18. We no longer have a LAN line, I don't miss it at all.
19. I started writing a mommy blog in October http://amysdailylatte.blogspot.com/ Writing it has changed the way I think about each day.
20. I love that Facebook makes me feel like I'm in touch with all sorts of people from my family, distant past, and recent past.
21. I am a dog person.
22. I will never be caught up on the laundry or the dishes.
23. I am constantly trying to figure out how to live a greener life (unplug, unplug, unplug).
24. I don't have words to describe how great of a husband and father Rob is.
25. I have wasted, I mean spent so much time on this list that I'm going to post it on my blog.

More Girlfriends

Today was a busy day.  Committee meetings, quick lunch and clothes change before rushing off to gymnastics, laundry, cleaning up after the dog, etc.  It actually was a really good day despite the chaos.  I also got to spend some time with some of my girlfriends.  I had lunch with women I've been friends with for close to 25 years.  I feel very old saying that.  There is an ease that comes with being around friends who were by your side during the drama of being a teenage girl.  

We added to the dinnertime chaos in this house by having another one of my girlfriends over and her kids for pizza while her husband is out of town.  I have only known her for a couple of years, but we have shared the drama of being a moms - going through things like sleep deprivation, trips to the emergency room, potty training, together.  It is another type of friendship that brings ease and comfort.

As a mother, I spend a good deal of  time trying to help my children build and foster friendships.  It's possible that one day they'll trade bakugan and barbies for a playdate of gossip and lattes.  All are important in this family!