On Being a Fit Parent

I didn't set out to be a fit parent.  I just wanted to lose the baby weight.  The 40 pounds that had accumulated on my 5'6" small-boned frame didn't sit well with me or my jeans.  I joined Weight Watchers and went back to the gym.  A year later I was in the best shape of my life. Take that no muscle-tone, size 5 and 25 year-old self! In the beginning I just wanted to fit in my old clothes and get back to doing what I did before I had TD.  I did the Avon Walk twice before her and after too.  I hit the gym regularly, enjoying the child-free time and clarity that only sweating or yoga can give me. … [Read more...]

My Paltry Attempt at Food Blogging

July 14, Bastille Day, sent me off on a bit of a culinary spree.  I wanted to make the girls something that went beyond my own tastes of the day as a child (doughboys with maple syrup with a dash of confectioners sugar) and start something new.  I decided to make Madeleine's. … [Read more...]

Fifty Shades of Summer

I don't want to say we are in the doldrums of summer but the combination of intense heat and our busy schedule has left us exhausted. The girls have begun their camp schedules this week and it is a revolving door of a house. I sort of welcome the minor reprieve to have just two kids versus three at various times. I think I am going to enjoy spending more time on each kid versus doling out attention all at once in a harried sort of way.  Photos from my Fifty Shades of Summer series after the jump. … [Read more...]

The Adjustment Period

Our bags were packed the night before.  One gym bag and a two swim bags.  I woke up early, got some work done, started laundry and felt ready to tackle the day. Then the kids actually woke up. … [Read more...]

Lessons & Learning from Debbie Phelps

Yesterday I did the following things- I made plantable paper with the girls. That means we ground up paper, liquified it, added seeds and then let it dry back into paper.  You can plant it and in a few weeks you'll have flowers.  They will hopefully make great teacher gifts. I made my bed, changed diapers, saw the kids off to school, wrote a few blog posts and then drove into the city. In the city I had a fabulous lunch at Rasika with some fantastic blogging friends like Sarah, Emily, Shannon, Amie, and Elena.  Debbie and Hilary Phelps were also there thanks to the fabulous women at the Century Council.  … [Read more...]

Get a Summer Camp Physical with MinuteClinic

There are only two weeks left of school and before I know it I will be ironing the name tag labels into my daughter's summer camp clothes. The forms for camp had been filled out, the check for payment mailed long ago but the camp physical was still left undone. … [Read more...]

8 Tips for a Great Nursing Bra Fit

What breast shape do I have? According to experts, nearly 80 percent of women wear the wrong size bra. If you’ve ever wondered what a great-fitting bra feels like, shopping for a nursing bra can be the best time to find that perfect-fitting one. And, good news for soon-to-be moms! Nursing bras are no longer the boring choice of black or white. Today’s stores carry nursing bras that are fashionable and functional. … [Read more...]

Dealing with Postpartum Depression Guilt

Sometimes I look over at TD, my oldest child of the three girls and I feel a deep, internal pain.   Like someone has sliced my heart in two and I'm left grasping at wispy pieces that have floated into the ether to a place I can never have back. … [Read more...]