European Wax Grand Opening in Plano
Beauty usually doesn’t come cheap but in this case, it’s even better than cheap – it’s FREE!
European Wax is so confident you will love their wax and service that they are offering free unlimited services to the first 100 guests who make a reservation for Premier week, February 13 – 17, 2012.
(Valid for the initial appointment only)
This deal is ONLY good at Plano and with the phone number listed (972-905-3789)
New Location:
Preston Park Village
1900 Preston Road, Suite 195
(In the Tom Thumb Shopping Center between Toni & Guy and Coldwater Creek)
Phone:
972-905-3789
Overview of European Wax services:
ONE OF THE FINEST BODY WAX SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD
Four step process designed to cleanse, protect, wax and rejuvenate the skin
Contains no alcohol, 100% natural beeswax and the finest polymers
Applied at warm bath water temperature
Non-Strip wax formula provides quicker application time
Much less pain, irritation and redness. Silky smooth results
Developed in Paris exclusively for EUROPEAN WAX CENTER
Top Ten Reasons to use European Wax
- No Double Dipping
- No Recycling Of Wax
- Expensive Wax, Inexpensive Prices
- Clean, Fresh, Sanitary Environment
- Beautiful, Comfortable, Luxurious Facility
- Programs Created To Help You Save
- Products Designed To Help Your Skin
- We Provide Services Everyday
- Qualified, Experienced, Licensed Estheticians
- Educated, Knowledgeable Staff Trained To Understand That Our Guests Are Our #1 Priority
The Christmas Production That Helped My Kids Find Their Passion
T'was the Night Before Christmas
I remember where I was when, as a child, I realized I might be good at something. I was in 5th grade walking home from school feeling badly about myself because many of my friends were busy preparing for their weekend activities. They were cheerleaders and dancers and even though we were only 11, they had already found their *place* and were excelling in something that made them feel successful. This success made them want to work harder which consequently limited their time and made me feel left out. So on this walk home from school I was giving myself a pep talk (I still do this, don’t judge me) and started to list the things I enjoyed and thought I was suited for. Drama was at the top of my list. At the tender age of 11 I hadn’t had many opportunities to explore Theatre Arts outside of the occasional Christmas pageant (darn you, State of Texas and your limited arts offerings in elementary school) but I knew enough to know that my natural abilities lent themselves to the dramatic. After that walk home from school, I primarily focused my efforts on the performing arts and eventually ended up teaching high school Theatre and dabbling a bit in professional acting and directing.
My older boys are only 8 ½ but we have been searching for an activity that would make them feel successful. Of course, I encouraged theatre but we have also tried baseball, football, soccer, basketball, karate, art and even choir. My kids make friends easily and are willing to try most endeavors but truly finding their *place* has eluded us. Until now. In October, my boys auditioned for the holiday show being produced by the Wylie Acting Group for Children. This amazing organization can’t accommodate every child who’d like to be in a show but if you’re cast in the play, you provide your time, talents and costumes. That’s it. No outrageous participation fee or mandatory ticket purchases which might exclude some families in this economic climate. My boys were both given roles in T’was the Night Before Christmas and have truly relished every minute of the production process. The memorization, the late nights, the hard work – all of it. This is the first activity we’ve ever done where they spend the day asking me, “how long until we get to go to practice?”. I also find them talking about it to their friends and family which tells me how special this project has made them feel. They didn’t get the biggest roles and they don’t have the most lines but being a part of this show has been really wonderful for them.
Look, I know that they may not stick with theatre forever. Their father has a music background and hopes to start them on drum lessons soon – maybe one of them will find that playing an instrument is their true passion. But even if they don’t I can tell you this: finding something that makes you feel successful is priceless and that confidence can carry you through in life when you find yourself struggling in other areas just to keep up.
For those interested in the work the Wylie Acting Group for Children is doing, we invite you to see the show this weekend and check it out for yourself:
T’was the Night Before Christmas
Friday, Dec. 9th, 7:00pm
Saturday, Dec. 10th, 3:00pm and 7:00pm
Ticket info available at wagforchildren.org
Pictures with Santa and hot cocoa available before the show!
Need Some Spa Time? Let Chevy Treat!
I recently drove a Chevy Traverse, White Diamond Edition (ohh la la!) for two weeks and got to experience the absolute
Polly Picking Up the Traverse
thrill that comes with driving such a well made vehicle. (The countdown for replacing my own claptrap has begun.) Chevy even gave me a $40 SpaFinders gift certificate to spend during my tenure in the car. I was able to use mine for a mani/pedi AND a makeup application desperately needed for a special occasion! See here:
Chevy and SpaFinders – a Great Start to my 40th!
But now, Chevy is offering a promotion for the general public that couldn’t come at a better time. With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season fast approaching, who couldn’t use a little time at the spa? Test drive a Chevy Traverse or Malibu and Chevy will give you your own $40 SpaFinders gift certificate, FREE! You’ll love the way the cars handle (I should know, I’ve driven both on behalf of Chevy.) and you’ll love all the features available that makes morning carpool a lot more enjoyable.
So get yourself to your local Chevy dealer and take advantage of this generous offer.
Chevy Traverse, White Diamond Edition
Hurry! Offer expires on 11/23/2011. Check out the Gotta Love Chevy Facebook page for more info.
Forty and Fabulous…….With a Little Bit of Help
Holiday Cards With Shutterfly
Halloween is over and it’s officially time to start getting ready for Christmas! This is my favorite time of year and even though I spend it running from store to special event (and back again), I completely embrace all the sentiment and nostalgia associated with the holidays. One tradition that I especially enjoy is the holiday card exchange with family and friends. I spend lots of time calculating which photo to use and then more time shopping around to find that *perfect* card. In years past I have gambled on smaller websites with cute designs but have spent weeks waiting for my cards to ship. Last year, I didn’t get my order until Dec. 16th and I had to race around to address and mail my stack before Christmas Day. Too much stress! So this year I plan to go back to a tried and true original that has lots of designs to choose from and tons of experience printing and shipping them in a timely manner. Shutterfly is my go-to when I want something beautiful, personal and professionally done. I have already ordered two photo albums for gifts (shhh! Don’t spill the beans!) and have been perusing the cards to find an original design for the pictures we had taken.
I love this one for our family photo that turned out okay. It’s a good picture and this classic understated design would really make it pop:
The picture I really love has my little guy crying while the other two boys look at him (more of an accurate portrayal of our photo session!) and this card would be perfect for that image:
I am also ordering a calendar for the boys playroom and study area. They are always asking me how many days until __________ so a personalized calendar of their own will be a great relief for me.
Happy holidays and if you’re so inclined, drop me a card in the mail. We love them!
Disclaimer – In some cases, I receive free or discounted goods or services in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone.
Forty and Fabulous …….With a Little Bit of Help
I recently turned 40 and in an attempt to pull my focus off the dreaded number, my husband threw me a big party and invited tons of our friends to help celebrate. As any self respecting husband will tell you, doing something in your home in honor of your wife can be a very sticky
wicket. How to prep the food, stock the bar, bake a cake and pamper the guest of honor all without simultaneously stressing her out???? Easy. Get some HELP! With the assist of a few specialists, my husband threw a birthday bash that wowed our guests and left me able to socialize without worrying about a thing. Pert near a miracle.
First, my reign as a Chevy Girl was still in full effect so I drove my Diamond Edition Chevy Traverse to a spa to get a mani/pedi and my makeup done. This excursion was made possible by the SpaFinders gift card I received as a gift for my blogging participation. Thanks, Chevy! Check out the before and after (ignore the hair, I did that later):
Then my husband spent the day meeting the folks who would make this party effortless:
Is there a prettier way to announce you're 40?
The bakery showed up first with one of the most beautiful cakes I have ever seen. Creative Sweet Shoppe dropped off a gorgeous vanilla cake with raspberry filling topped by their famous buttercream frosting under a layer of chocolate fondant. Delicately decorating the exterior was fondant and edible sugar accents. While the cake made an impactful center piece for the party, the actual eating of this dessert was really the most impressive part. Truly and amazingly delicious. My guests raved and raved about this cake! We have used this bakery before to make cupcakes for my twins’ birthday party and they were delectable too.
Next the margarita machine company arrived to set up for frozen libations. This was our first time renting a margarita
This little baby makes a mean margarita!
machine and I couldn’t believe how easy it was! Justin at Margarita Adventures answered all of our questions prior to the event and sent a list of alcohol we needed to have on hand for the mix. That’s all we had to do! He delivered the machine, set it up, mixed the alcohol with their mix and loaded the machine. He even premixed the next batch in case we needed it as the party rolled on (we did!). Margarita Adventures has commercial grade machines that keep the drinks cold, smooth and very tasty! When it was time to add another batch, the red light on the machine notifies you in plenty of time so that you never have any down time. There’s always frozen margaritas in the machine even as it’s receiving and freezing new mix. Brilliant!
And finally, the food. We bought a few snack mixes to have around (the Rangers were playing for
Totally yummy!
the pennant that night – snack mix with baseball on the TV was a must!) but the rest of the food was taken care of by Taco Taxi. I had read about them and heard of them through others so when my husband asked who we should have cater I knew exactly who I wanted. We picked a menu ahead of time and they arrived at the house 45 minutes before the start of the party. They set up their grill and tables in the backyard (beautiful night!) and immediately started preparing their fresh food. No electrical outlets needed because everything was fresh and grilled! 6 kinds of salsa with chips, chopped limes, cilantro, onions, 2 kinds of meat, corn tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, rice and beans. And their set up was really festive! Watching them prepare the meal behind their beautifully decorated tables made for excellent entertainment (for those not interested in the baseball). The food was seasoned beautifully and the effort – on our part – was minimal. The best kind of caterer.
All in all my party was a success and the guests had a ball. Can we do this every year?
Cake – Creative Sweet Shoppe
Margarita Machine – Margarita Adventures
www.mojomargaritas.com, www.texasfreeze.com, www.margaritaadventures.com
Food – Taco Taxi
http://www.tacotaxicompany.com/
Disclaimer – In some cases, I have received free or discounted goods or services in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone.
Forty is the New Thirty, Forty is the New Thirty……
It’s almost here and I’m really not sure how I’m going to handle it. I’m going to be 40 in a week and I’m convinced we have our dates confused on the calendar. When did this happen? I can still vividly remember counting the days until my 16thbirthday – surely it hasn’t been 24 YEARS since then, has it??? My husband informed me that he’s throwing me a party for the big day so I’ve busied myself by helping with the planning rather than focus on the ticking of the clock. But still, time marches on. I know, I know – turning 40 is better than the alternative. I get it. I realize it’s better to be alive than dead. But there’s a definite shift in society for women that occurs at 40 that’s pretty hard to ignore. Tons of magazines, beauty products and clothing lines tout themselves as being for “Women Over 40”. Why?? What happens at 40? Are all my regular things going to stop working? Do I need to cut off my hair, throw away my shorts and get age cream? Should I have done that a long time ago?? This is all new territory for me and I intend to (hopefully) approach it all gratefully and gracefully. Or maybe a little tipsy.
On the upside, the party my husband is planning sounds like it’s going to be lots of fun! In an effort to keep me from having to do much, he hired a housekeeper and scheduled a spa appointment for me the day of the big event. Also, we’ve outsourced the food and libations – Taco Taxi, a mobile taco cart catering service (doesn’t that sound like fun??) is doing dinner, Margarita Adventures is providing a margarita machine, and Creative Sweet Shoppe, will be baking and decorating a vanilla cake with raspberry filling. I can’t wait!!
Check back next week and I will follow up on the big shin-dig and let you know my thoughts on how it went. And how everything tasted! That is, if my aged old brain can remember all the details. I’ll be 40 by then so you never know.
I’m A Chevy Girl – Again!
Chevy has given me ANOTHER vehicle to drive for them and this time, it’s the three row Traverse. A perfect car for my family and our busy lifestyle. Check out my little video talking about what I love best about the Traverse. *It’s really dark because I filmed it at night. When else am I in the car by myself???*
The Chevy Traverse campaign is being sponsored by the North Texas Chevy dealers. They are letting me test drive a Traverse for two weeks as well as providing me with a gas card and a spa gift card.
My Friend Has Cancer, Now What?
One of my best friends has breast cancer and it’s not fair. I realize that cancer isn’t discriminating but my 38 yr old vegan yoga instructor friend is really the last person I would have guessed would be inflicted. To make matters worse she’s also a single mother of three children who works full time so managing the constant barrage of medical appointments while coordinating care for her kids is just as stressful as the disease. An aggressive insidious disease that continues to infect her body even after a full dose of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.
Brandie was always a pioneer when it came to new phases in life development. We went to college together and she was the first of our friends to get married and the first of our friends to have a baby. A woman’s girlfriends can play a significant role in these type of events (throwing showers, wedding attendants, baby advice, etc) but she didn’t have many of us for expert help when starting these ventures. We were stuck in the last phase of life wondering how in the world to go along on this new one. Now she’s done it again. She’s the first of our group to become seriously ill and I’m afraid we don’t know how to do this any better than we did her other developmental stages. We have many friends in common and I’ve seen several who have kept up with her blog and helped out where they could. I have also noticed that a few seem to be hesitant and aren’t exactly sure how to respond. We’re too young to have had many peers suffering from serious illness (thank God) so in the absence of life experience, some aren’t confident about what to do. I’m definitely not an expert on the best way to approach a friend who is sick but my assumption is that it’s better to do something than say nothing.
For instance, I had no real idea how many doctor’s appointments that a cancer patient had to endure. Offering to accompany someone on one of their appointments is a great way to help. And definitely bringing meals, filling their car with gas, babysitting, running errands, cleaning the house or even washing their dog would likely be welcome gestures. Sure, it brings up feelings about your own mortality and yes, hearing intimate physical descriptions about illness can make people uncomfortable. But support is given in the form of what’s needed, not in what’s most convenient.
Personally, what’s most interesting about Brandie’s particular struggle is that through it all, life goes on. I don’t know why this surprises me – she has always been a glass-half-full kind of person – but her insistence on not letting her condition define her is inspiring. Not that she set out to try and inspire anyone, she’s just trying to get through this and out the other side to a lifetime of better health.
The month of October is breast cancer awareness month. Support those you know suffering from this disease and please, get a mammogram.
Family Camp
When I was growing up, I could divide my friends easily into two categories – the ones who went to camp and the ones who didn’t. My family was in the non-camp group. That’s not to say that I didn’t have camp type experiences. I routinely did a week of day camp at the local YMCA camp and even remember playing capture-the-flag with the entire camp and winning the game for my team <preen>. But I never packed a trunk and went away for a week or two to experience nature and navigate the politics of a dozen girls staying in one cabin. On the other hand, my husband comes from a camp family – his sister went to camp every summer, he went to camp every summer and they even ended up serving on senior staff at the camp as they got older. So my boys will be going to camp in the next year or two but until then, we attend camp as a family.
For the last five years, we have spent our Labor Day weekend at Camp Allen located north of Houston in 1100 acres of beautiful pine forest. After meeting my in-laws at check in (this trip serves as an annual family get together), we schlep our bags up to our hotel-like accommodations and find our way down to the conference center where we make nametags, sign up for our weekend activities and grab our first meal. From there our weekend unfolds with activities as varied as canoeing, orienteering, a petting zoo, skeet shooting, horseback riding and even a chamber music concert. We participate in all of these while sneaking in some time in the pool and enjoying lovely meals made without any of us lifting a finger. In other words – this is heaven for moms and dads who want an outdoor experience for their kids but would rather not pitch a tent and cook each meal over a fire.
So my whole family goes to camp and we’re hoping that these trips will make great family memories for my boys. Either way, I know in the future when I pack their trunk and send them off to their own week of summer camp that they will know a little about what to expect. And I’ll feel better because I’ll know that if they are asked to play capture-the-flag, the drive to win is in their blood.
summer, 2011
Our Solution to the Summer Whine
First, a disclaimer: if you’re one of the lucky people who are fortunate enough to have your own pool in your backyard, you can skip over this post comfortable in the knowledge that your current situation is more than adequate in arming you against the relentless heat. But if you’re like my family and find yourself trekking all of your kids, snacks, and giant foam noodles to the local pool on a DAILY basis just to get some relief – then listen up. My family has discovered a SOLUTION that has already eliminated much of the summer whine in my home.
A little background – we have bought and used several $30ish inflatable pools over the course of each summer since having our twins and every time we used them it was a gigantic pain. It takes 20 - 30 minutes just to blow the thing up, then another 30 minutes waiting for the hose to fill it up while yelling at the kids to quit squirting each other and leave the water in the pool. Playing was more or less fun but when the day was over, my husband and I would be in the backyard dumping the pool over so the dirty, grass filled water wouldn’t be sitting around attracting mosquitoes. And the next day, we’d start the same laborious dance all over again but this time the pool water would eventually get grassy AND muddy due to the previous flooding of the yard. This whole process was enough to squash all of our home swimming enthusiasm and we’d eventually start declining the kids’ repeated requests to swim outside (“Honey, why would you want to go outside when there’s so much good TELEVISION on right now?? Oh look, Spongebob…”). But for $99, we found a solution at Target and it’s changed our whole outlook!
Voila! The Intex Metal Frame Pool, 10′ x 30“. It’s about the size of a hot tub so it’s not a *true* above ground pool but it’s bigger than those inflatable jobs that have vexed me for years. It stays up through the summer with no emptying or refilling problems and with the cover we bought, it stays relatively clean – I think I’m in love!
Of course, with any body of water in the backyard, it’s important that an adult is always supervising young children while they play in the pool but at 2 1/2 ft deep - even my 4 yr old can stand up with no problem.
Like many families, my children are on different schedules and my little guy still takes a nap. This pool has been fantastic at entertaining my 8 yr old twins while they wait for their little brother to wake up. It keeps them outside, they get exercise, and it’s virtually effortless for me. (Well, with the exception of all those wet towels all over the house but that’s a post for another day.)
We think this pool is really sturdy and once we take it down in lste September, we assume we’ll be able to store it until next year. But even if it doesn’t store well, this solution to our summer whine will have been worth every penny of that $99.
november, 2010
Ode to Thanksgiving With Easy Peasey Recipe
I love love LOVE Thanksgiving! It’s the kick-off to the holiday season and it’s filled with opportunities to spend time with our friends and family while simultaneously gorging ourselves on food. Yep, the food part is pivotal to my love of this celebration and I won’t apologize for it. I used to enjoy preparing and serving epicurean delights but that was prior to the deluge of small children in my home. Now I try and wrangle an invite to other people’s homes who also enjoy preparing food. Sometimes I lament my lost love but not enough to venture back into the land of chopping, basting, sauteing, marinating and all of the other tasks which can make cooking a timely pursuit. These days, I open a few cans, add some fresh veggies and VOILA! A colorful, tasty side dish to contribute to the spread (recipe below). So now at Thanksgiving I just try my best to keep my head down, behave, and help with the dishes when the meal is over.
But the real reason Thanksgiving is so great to me is that it doesn’t involve gifting of any sort. Many other family gatherings orchestrated through out the year require participants to budget time and resources to acquire the perfect gift to give. I usually love the opportunity to honor loved ones with a special something but every once in a while it’s nice to get together just…… because. No gathering around to ooooh and aaaah over someone else’s gifts. No bribing the children to stay away from other people’s persents. None of that. Because at Thanksgiving you come together to give thanks, eat, visit and clean up . Nothing to it! Really, Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday. Oh Thanksgiving, how I love thee. I’m hungry just thinking about it.
Recipe easy enough for parents with small children to contribute:
Corn Salad
- 1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup Fat Free Italian-style salad dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Combine and cover. Chill in refrigerator until it’s time for dinner.
Happy Holidays!
september 28, 2010
Massage is More Than Just a Good Time
Word on the street is that there are some people out there who don’t *love* getting a massage. In most things I can find common ground but on this I absolutely cannot relate. I dance a quiet little jig every time I’m lucky enough to find myself in the hands of a competent masseuse. When Massage Envy and Chevy offered to treat myself and a friend to a complimentary massage, I knew exactly who to invite with me. My long time friend, Brandie Sellers, is a Yoga Coach with her own business (Simple Life Yoga) but for me personally, she’s a gentle guide in nurturing and being kind to ourselves. Check out our Massage Envy date and see what she has to say about what massage actually does for our body (other than feel amazing!): Polly and Brandie talk massage
september 23, 2010
OnStar Navigation Takes Us Where We Want to Go
- Easy!
By now, most of us have heard the OnStar radio ads with chilling snippits of real life conversations between the OnStar operators and drivers who are in distress. These recordings do a good job of illustrating what I have come to believe – passengers would be better protected if every vehicle came equipped with OnStar. But the feature I wasn’t aware of was the simple navigation service. We have a GPS but plugging it into the console and dealing with the cord while typing in the info makes using this system while you’re actually moving too precarious. OnStar solves that problem. With one touch of a button on your rear view mirror (yes, your rear view mirror), you get to speak to an actual human who does the heavy lifting for you. Want to see what I’m talking about? Watch my latest video and see how easy OnStar actually is
Follow Polly and the Malibu at Gotta Love Chevy DFW.
september 16, 2010
Mom is Only One of My Hats
I really love being a mom. I planned, pleaded and prayed for my children and I realize every day how lucky I am to have them. Still, every once in a while, I like to get in my car, crank up the radio, roll down the windows and pretend I’m footloose and fancy free. The feeling of the wind in my hair and the sound of the music blaring with absolutely NO REGARD for the content of the song (cuss words? Who cares! I’m carefree!) is so…….rejuvenating. No surprise - this is hard to do when you’re driving a minivan littered with cheerios and happy meal toys.
The Chevy Malibu has afforded me the opportunity to shed my outer mom and become someone who isn’t always concerned about locating the next public restroom for her child. I find that when all of my boys are in school (for a precious 11 hours a week), the Malibu allows me to become a …..gasp….GROWN UP who
enjoys her time alone. (The 8 speaker Bose sound system also helps.) So many *family cars* give the family an opportunity to have an accommodating vehicle but leave the primary driver labeled (“there goes a MOM!”) even when they’re driving alone. The Malibu is different – it’s a great family car that masquerades as a sporty, zippy sedan.
It’s not that I want to stop being a mom. Au contraire, I love this gig! But being a mom is only one of the hats I wear and frankly, I like to change my hat every now and then.
september 12, 2010
Grocery Shopping – The Great Equalizer
No matter who you are or where you live, you will eventually have to go grocery shopping. There are some go-getters who grow most of their own food and may just buy toilet paper or hairspray but even they need to go to the store occasionally and pick up “a few things”. For a family these “few things” can multiply quickly and after a marathon shopping trip, it’s important to have a vehicle that can transport your bounty without smashing the delicates. On the surface it might seem like the medium sized Chevy Malibu wouldn’t be able to accomodate as many groceries as an SUV or a minivan. So Chevy asked me to spend $100 shopping and then write about getting it all home in the Malibu and I am here to tell you that not only is it possible, it actually holds them BETTER. Let me explain: in my minivan, I have a narrow but deep well in which to stow my purchases. This means that I can transport a scooter or bicycle with ease but several bags of groceries eventually get stacked on top of each other for the ride home. In our SUV, there’s plenty of space to put the grocery bags but they roll and shift around with nothing to contain them. In both of these vehicles, I have eventually ended up with squished and bruised produce and even some broken eggs.Not so in the Malibu. I was able to fit everything in the trunk which is deep but also long. I had plenty of room for my 
$100+ in groceries AND for the other few things I picked up at the warehouse store on the way home. The trunk even has a feature where you can lay down the backseats and use the whole space from the trunk through the back part of the car. I didn’t have to do that with my groceries (not even close!) but next time I’m hauling a bike or a scooter, I know I have options.
My family has really enjoyed the bells and whistles available with the Malibu (they insist I call people just so they can talk to them on the bluetooth enabled in the car!) but it’s important that any car we drive be able to accomodate all of our *stuff*. And the Malibu did that perfectly.
For more info on Polly and the Chevy, check out Gotta Love Chevy DFW.
september 9, 2010
Love at First Sight
You know how sometimes introductions can be a bit awkward? Well when we met the new Malibu it was love at first sight. Head over heels, crazy, starry-eyed love at first sight. It’s only been a few days and it feels like the Malibu is already part of the family.
Much tears will be shed when it’s time to return this beautiful car. <sniff, sniff>
Polly and the Boys Meet the Malibu – the movie
september 3, 2010
I’m a Chevy Girl!
Chevrolet has asked me to participate in their Girlfriend Getaway promotion this month and I am so excited! Not only
do I get to drive the GORGEOUS Chevy Malibu for the whole month of September (heaven!) but I will going on “missions” in the car and blogging about my outings.
Check back here, on dfwmama or over at the Chevy site to see more of my adventures with the car. I know you’ll love it – I love it already and I’ve only had it a few hours!
august 30, 2010
Why am I Here?
School started recently and when events are being planned, I will not be one of those moms who fights over the last chaperoning spot on the school bus (unless the field trip is for shopping in Paris then you’d have to pry me away from the doors) or who insist on being at every class party. I love love LOVE for my kids to experience life outside their average daily grind - I have blogged many times about our family adventures and even use our experiences as anecdotal information during my parenting workshops. But I think I’m different from lots of parents when I willingly and happily opt out of the exploring my boys do while away from home.
Many of my good friends and momrades-in-arms will move heaven and earth to go with their child’s school as they take the students on a new adventure. They bristle when the teachers remind them that they can’t bring their younger children on the bus or to the holiday party. In the case of field trips, I have even heard moms encourage those who didn’t receive a coveted chaperon spot to just show up anyway; “What’s the worse they can do? It’s a public place!”
Please don’t misunderstand me, I support the teachers/counselors/sponsors/den leaders/coaches and if they need an extra set of hands, I’ll help where needed. But it has never occurred to me to fight to the death to accompany my children on their field trips or pass out cupcakes at their parties. Am I the only one who needs the time away from my kids to recharge my mom batteries? Am I alone in my confidence that the instructors will have the situation under control? But perhaps most importantly, are my children the only kids who just act better when I’m NOT around??? I’ve been on a few field trips with the boys and with some exceptions, my kids get clingy and whiny and the twins start bickering with each other. The entire experience usually leaves me wondering, Why Am I Here?? When I’m not present, their behavior is normal-to-above average and on occasion, even gets commended.So future leaders of my children can rest assured that I will monitor the situation carefully and then quietly, step back. I know the boys need time to establish their own identities and forge their own relationships just as much as I need time to regroup. But if their school decides to suddenly schedule a trip to the Bahamas, I reserve the right to recant this entire post.
august 16, 2010
Love Letters to My Children’s Teachers
School hasn’t even started yet but I feel compelled to write a love letter to the teachers who will be educating my kids.
To the educators who have committed themselves to my children this year,
I don’t know you but I already love you. I love you because you have promised to care for each and every child assigned to your classroom, including mine. Not just work with them – not just impart wisdom – but actually care for them. (How many other professions require that you care for a group of sneaky nose pickers? Not many.) I love you because I know that you enjoyed your time off this summer but most of you still found yourselves itching to come back. You could feel the quiet desperation of all of those hit hard by the economic downturn and while you sympathize with their need for a job, you will be danged if you will give them yours. I love you because you spend your own money to make your classroom a welcoming space. A place where children can feel safe and where learning is valued. I love you because you often give hugs and pats on the back even when society is telling us to maintain a safe distance. I love you because you come to class with an open mind and a willing heart and a servant’s passion for children. But mostly I love you because you step in to take my boys right when I think that all of this summer-time togetherness might be the death of our little family. I love you because you will save us all.
If you need me, I’ll be getting a mani/pedi and sipping a latte.
signed,
a grateful mother
