Mommy and Me Monday

Rainy Sunday, last day of school vacation, and we decided to take a spur of the moment to a great mall in Massachusetts.

I’ve been dying to take the Mad Hatter to the Rainforest Cafe, and this was the main reason for our hour long journey.

After some shopping (Mommy and Daddy got nothing, MH managed to wrack up some awesome goodies from the Lego store, a mini-wardrobe from Gymboree, some loot from the Disney store, including The Princess and the Frog DVD, and some adorable little sandals from Nordstrom), we headed to dinner.

Bonus: Sweetheart and Poppy came along for the trip, and the mall wasn’t too far from Uncle D, so he met us for dinner too – impromptu family dinner!

  We fed the hungry alligator money (or was that a crocodile??). We weren’t scared of those teeth!

At dinner, when the lights started flashing and the animals started moving and making noise, we didn’t know where to look first!

And the flashing cup our lemonade came in was way cool. (we kept shutting it off to “conserve energy in the rainforest”.

 

Three generations of happy ladies (yep, that’s my mommy and me!):

A very happy Sweetheart and Poppy:

And one little girl who had a great time, especially waving her “sparkler” from dessert around in front of “that strong man” Atlas!

While I would definitely recommend having low expectations for the quality of the food (pricey and lacking a bit in flavor), we had a fabulous time and will definitely go back again for another jungle adventure!

Join in the Mommy and Me Monday fun by clicking on the picture below!

Hosted by Krystyn

Calling all MA and RI Moms!

It’s time to celebrate YOU!

I recently received an email asking if I’d be willing to share the following with my blog readers, and how could I not?

It sounds like a  fantastic night out, and don’t we all deserve a few hours of being celebrated, pampered, and (if you’re early) showered with gifts?

See below and let me know what you think – I would love to meet up with some of my fellow blogging mommas for some camaraderie and fun!

4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Thursday, May 6^th, 2010

Emerald Square Mall hosts National “Mom’s Nite Out” Event

Celebrate Mother’s Day early at this FREE national event with an evening of food, fun, entertainment, shopping, prize giveaways and more

WHO: Moms and moms-to-be are invited to celebrate Mother’s Day early at Emerald Square Mall for the national “Mom’s Nite Out” event.

WHAT: Emerald Square Mall hosts the national “Mom’s Nite Out” event on Thursday, May 6^th from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  The event, which is billed as the “Ultimate Celebration of Motherhood,” is an evening of free pampering, fun and giveaways for moms and moms-to-be.  Activities will include wine and cheese tasting, mini-facials, jewelry cleaning, menu tastings, self defense demonstrations and much more!

The first 100 guests will receive swag bags with items and offers from event participants.  In addition, guests will have the chance to enter-to-win a trip to Aruba!

For more information please visit Emerald Square Mall’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/EmeraldSquareMall.

WHEN:           Thursday, May 6^th, 2010

                        4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Emerald Square Mall

                        Macy’s Court, Level 1 

                        999 South Washington Street

                        North Attleboro, MA

ONSITE CONTACT:  Holly Carpenter, Director of Mall Marketing, (508) 699-4100

LOVE.

Remember this post?

I’ve decided it has nothing to do with good coaching.

What it takes is a really great photographer – one who is completely used to kids and knows how to grab “the shot”.

And I’ve been the subject of seen some pretty horrible school pictures.

But this?

I know it’s not the huge, wide-mouthed, see-every-single-tooth smile we know and adore … BUT?

I am in LOVE.

The sweetness.

The simplicity.

Those eyes.

Cannot wait to frame it and get it on my wall.

Mommy and Me Monday

What does a non-Easter-celebrating family who has survived the Great Flood of 2010 do when faced with a GORGEOUS, dry, and sunny Easter Sunday?
Head for the beach, of course, with camera in tow!



It may have been chilly by the water, but the warmth in our hearts made it one of the best days I’ve had in a long time.

And that’s how it goes.

According to The Mad Hatter, there are some new rules in this house.

It’s been a long few days with the flooding and all, so when the sun came out this afternoon, we took full advantage of having some good friends over for a playdate, spending a few glorious hours outside, burning off energy and enjoying the beautiful and dry weather.

The playdate ran its course after a few hours, as most do, and by the end of the day, I was ready to run out the door when Daddy walked in slightly frustrated with the MH, who was having some minor sharing issues.

At the last minute, I’d remembered that I should probably put dinner on the table, and took out some chicken to defrost, but when the hubby walked in, I was still trying to figure out what to do with it.

Being the wonderful husband he is, he suggested ordering takeout, and off to Panera he and the little princess went.

I should probably interject here that it’s Passover, and therefore I’m not eating any bread and for unknown religious reasons/rules most other normal foods, but the hubby is not observing. His choice, and I could really care less.

BUT. I ordered a salad, while he feasted on a delicious looking panini, and a side of bread. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t look and smell delicious.

When he finished his own meal and reached into my potato chip bag, my instant response was “Hey! You got bread!”

And the Mad Hatter says:

“Daddy wants what he wants, and he gets what he wants, whenever he wants it. Anything he wants he can have, and that’s the rules.”

I guess I’ve been put in my place.

Author’s note: I jumped out of my chair immediately to blog about this, and the whole time, MH has been bringing me chips out of her own bag. Apparently she is firm on her rules, but still willing to share.

Seriously, where do they come up with this stuff?

I got a feelin’.

That today’s gonna be a good day.

That today’s gonna be a great day!

I’ve been kinda draggy lately. Tired. Logy. No real will to move in the morning (sans the fact, of course that I’m a mommy, therefore I don’t have a choice).

I think I’ve been in slight depression mode since returning home from our vacation.

I mean, of course I am elated to be back with my little girl. If you read this, you know I missed her like crazy.

But …

I’m just having a hard time getting back to reality and it’s taking its toll on me and how I feel about myself. I have a lot of things on my mind, and sometimes they feel like they’re overtaking me.

I’m sure the weather has been of no help. I can’t remember the last time we saw sun. And I’m beyond sad for all of those here in RI who are suffering from the devastating effects of the flooding that’s put us on the national news. Honestly, for this tiny little state, I’d compare what some are going through to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. It is devastating.

This morning, I got up, got right out of bed, and hopped in the shower.

I was dressed, made up (if you can call bronzer, blush, a swipe of eye shadow, eyeliner, and lip gloss swiped on in the car “made up”), hair washed, dried, and flat-ironed (having a great hair day if I do say so myself!), child dressed, fed, teeth brushed, toys picked for the car, and on the road by 9:25.

If you know me, you know this is big. HUGE.

We’ve met two different friends to drop things off with them, gone to CVS (where I had almost $16 extra bucks waiting for me – WOOT!), done some grocery shopping, and stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts for a treat for the amazingly well-behaved Mad Hatter and an iced coffee for me (talk about struggling with the temptation of freshly baked donuts during Passover – my will to be an observant Jew won out … again, WOOT!).

Now, we’re back home and I’m straightening up for an afternoon playdate (that’s an effort in futility– we all know I’ll end up doing it all over again and then some after said playdate).

I may even squeeze in a little Passover baking.

I need more days like this in my life.

I’m going to have to make them happen.

Because you know what? Days like this do wonders  for my mental health.

I’ve gotten stuff done. I feel empowered and accomplished. And I have an energy I haven’t felt in weeks.