Summer is officially upon us! It's time to hit the beach, neighborhood pool or fire hydrant. It's also a time that is loaded with Nostalgia. Yes, I am talking about it with a capital 'N'. As I type this I'm coincidentally wearing a t-shirt from my home state of Rhode Island. Nothing says summer to me quite like the shores of Rhode Island. Land of the oldest carousel, clam cakes, Del's Lemonade and salt ponds with the scent of beach plums in the air. The beaches there are simple. There are not a lot of snack bars or distractions. It is just stretches of soft, golden sand, cold Atlantic ocean and views that put the movie Jaws never far from your mind. It's one of the reasons why I watch that masterful movie at the start of every summer. It completely gets me in the mood for these warmer … [Read more...]
Where’s Mummy?
This week I am all about giving away pizza, discussing my burning desire to review cars and more-Did you enter to win some pizza? There is still time. Go!New at MPR this week-Company Kid's bathing suits,I'm spending my 'Summer with Toshiba'Giving a fellow Rhode Islander and author Christine Carr some loveHow to whiten your teeth and freshen your breath- naturally with EvoraPlus.While honest baby lets me mull over eating my own placenta. Weigh in!Last week it was noted at DC Metro Moms that H has a point about Father's Day. … [Read more...]
$2 Underpants and an Early Bird Special
I'm wearing $2 Walmart underwear with a plastic peace sign hanging on them. Can you say teeny bopperesque? Yup. I'm going to admit it is the first time I've bought the big W underwear and I can only describe a lot of it as eye-searing tricktastic looking. The 3 a.m. hookers in the District might think it is too loud. At 3:59 p.m. yesterday I realized that both my parents had whole dinner plates full of food in front of them and they were eating...um, dinner. I had dinner at 4 o'clock people! Isn't that earlier than the early bird special? It is day four of intense clouds, rain and low temps. For my probable last trip up to the New England area it is kind of a bust. I'm missing the beach but the idea of dragging a baby and toddler to the cloudy sea is not an idea that is going to … [Read more...]
Notes from the Road
Queue the ridiculously bad and entirely inappropriate except for the song title Barry Manilow song, 'Looks Like We Made It' The girls and I had hit the road yesterday around 4:30 a.m. Typical of TD to stay awake for the whole drive and consume her weight in goldfish crackers while watching 'Bolt' two times in a row before screaming, "I just cannot watch Bolt again!"To the woman at the Woodrow Wilson rest stop with the white fluffball of a dog: Thanks for telling me my kids are so well cute and well-behaved and all. However? So not cool to then dash into the bathroom ahead of us and take the only handicap stall. Thus leaving me, one antsy toddler and The Comedian in a baby carrier car seat to squish ourselves into a Jersey Turnpike single person bathroom stall. I like being close to my … [Read more...]
What Part of Vacation Do I Not Understand?
Holy Melting Hell.I'm in New England for a bit of a breather. TD and I did the solo flight up here yesterday and can I just say that if a plane full of kids can be fab then we had it? Yes, Virginia it really is possible to soar through the air with the greatest of ease and actually have a kid who thinks even the bumpy parts of the plane ride are fun. "More bumps," TD exclaimed and "Faster! More Faster!" I think I fell in love with her a bit more, if that is possible, in those moments.Now for the holy melting hell part. I'm up here chillin', maxin', wishin' I was at a pool or ocean but no, indeed I am glued to my hot box of a laptop working. Le Sigh.I am swelling and pissy.Not a good combo in even the non-pregnant.Thank goodness for grandparents who actually go on solo excursions with the … [Read more...]
Breaking Curfew and Seeing R-rated Films
There are claymation penguins eating cake with seals in party hats. The main topic of conversation/argument in the house is the ever changing temperature reading off the side of my parents house. My Father: Ooh! It's 38! Look at the sky!My Mother: 38?! (utter disbelief that it could be 38 degrees rings in her voice) Why that is ten degrees colder than yesterday!My parents are fascinated by weather. My father's dream is to have some sort of Wizard of Oz like capability or machine on the premises that would tell him the weather every five minutes or so down to the last centigrade, jet stream and barometric pressure. If my father had to live in a climate like sunny So Cal where seasons are hard to differentiate he wouldn't know what to do with himself. He is the Oz of weather. He and my … [Read more...]
Ryan Gosling Hates Trans Fats
Another night and another dream with a celeb sharing advice with me. What gives? Is it the fresh New England air making me hallucinate enough to see Ryan Gosling berating passerbys?Or Dick Cheney playing slots at Mohegan Sun? Yes, folks. He's not in an underground bunker. He's playing slots and keno at Mohegan Sun. Run for your lives.Don Imus was watching street performers on the roof too right before the fireworks last night. It's a crazy world I tell you when you are living it New England style.So my dream. A young Ryan (think 'Remember the Titans Ryan) is standing on the side of a country road with a bunch of friends. They are yelling eco-world information at passing cars while hurling used plastic water bottles at them. I come upon this whole mess of a scene and say, "Boys! What are … [Read more...]
Consumed!
To date on this version of "Mummy Cruises Home Turf" the following has been consumed.1. No oreos. I'm holding out people. I am resisting the fat! 2. Five clamcakes. Deep-fried goodness oh and with clams.3. Sand. Beach day!4. Screams of Terror as H nearly rear-ended a car much smaller than the Pathfinder as he gaped at yet ANOTHER Dunkin Donuts in the New England area. While not a total fan of 'the Nut' Tim Horton's can kiss my now sunburned tookas.5. Screams of Indignation as my father pointed out my no longer "I've never carried a baby" stomach. Flat most days, not yesterday. Two plates of pasta and meatballs bloated me. Probably that feedbag of popcorn the night before as well.6. Magazines, books- two.7. The Bourne Ultimatum. Can I just say I might have a Jason Bourne thing now? Not to … [Read more...]
Overheards
Standing back a bit in my parents kitchen, I watch my father carve a turkey.My Mother: Do you want more room than that? Here's a plate. (Mom takes shows him the serving platter)My Father: No. I'm fine.M: (Gets out cutting board and places next to platter) Turn around. I have set up a carving place. Would that be easier for you?F: No. (Sighs heavily as the electric carving knife hits the roasting pan.)M: (Moves platter next to roasting pan.) I have a cutting board set up behind you. Here is the platter. Why don't you just carve it up on this. It would be easier. Wouldn't it?F: No. (Hits the inside of the roasting pan again with the knife. The noise makes my teeth tickle) M: Silently moves platter closer to roasting pan.F: Slaps turkey slices onto pan and then... "I can't freakin' carve this … [Read more...]
What We’re Not Going To Talk About
Are we going to talk about the delayed flight home yesterday? Nope.The jerk who made snide comments to my MiL on the flight home and then proceeded to yell at the flights staff, captain, and random airport workers as we deboarded the plane? No.How about the fact that we sat on the tarmac for an hour after sitting at the gate both in departure and deboarding? Sorry, no.We'll also not be discussing overzealous diaper changing grandparents who succeed in going through a whole box of diapers and wipes in four days. Poor T.D. but we're not talking about that either.Nor will we discuss the sheer exhaustion I now feel from only one day of traveling with a toddler even though I had help.I will only say that I adored having a TV back in my room and the Sleuth channel on Direct TV rocks! There is … [Read more...]