To The Races
What’s Jack up to? Jack’s curled up on the couch relaxing with his belly full after a busy weekend with the dear twins of getting into little scraps and scrapes and being and all around trouble maker. Time to rest up now.
Richard Diebenkorn. Sleeping Girl. 1962.I wish I could rest after the weekend of being on the run. Nothing can make you feel your age quicker than going to a club in the village filled with young twenty somethings where the party doesn’t even get started until 1 am. I don’t think I’ll recover until Friday. But it was wonderful seeing my friends and the music was amazing. I’d almost forgotten the pulse of the city at the hour.
Now it’s off to the mommy races and a week that’s so packed that I can barely wrap my head around all the things to do. I guess it’s just that time of year.Best,
KwanaOh Christmas Tree
It’s a not so quiet Friday here with me doing the usual holiday running around today as I’m sure you are too. So I thought I’d post a full length pic of our Christmas tree. I’m such a big kid. I can’t wait until the sun goes down so I can flip on the lights. It’s the best part of the holidays for me. Check out Jack playing on the couch as he knows he’s not really supposed to do. Oh well.
I’ve had to move our knitted sweater and sock ornaments because Jack actually takes them off the tree to chew and play with! The nerve.
The dear twins pretty much did all the decorating. The ornaments have mostly been collected since they were born with me adding a new ones for each of them every year. I’m such a corny one with my Sears portraits and my ornaments. I always shrink down our Sears pic and put it on the tree too just to add to the fun/torture. Scary mommy!
One of my favorite holiday movies is Love Actually. It’s not quite for the kiddies with the hilarious making of a pornographic movie and all, but oh so romantic in every way. What’s not to love about it with Hugh Grant and Colin Firth? You know I was there all the way.
Have a wonderful weekend. Stay sane. I’ll try.Oh and please scroll down. I still want to hear about your favorite tunes.Best,
KwanaBack to The Future
What’s Jack up to? Jack has been such a trouble maker. Sneaking up on the table and eating the DH’s pork ‘n beans right out of his bowl when the DH’s back was turned. Jack you little devil! Ugh!
This post here from my writer/blogger bud YA author, Melissa Walker made me happy. It seems this is a New York Times kind of week, but th
is article where Melissa was featured for her record collection brought a smile to my face because it took me back to a more innocent time. Check out the full article here.Vinyl, roller disco, that faint scratchy sound and the love of the hunt how fun.
I love the idea that record sales are actually up in these dark days. I’m so glad the DH still had his albums in the basement. I’m ready to dust them off and am envisioning a party room red
o. It’s nice to think of lazy Saturday afternoons searching for the perfect album. Something the dear twins have never done. I’m glad the idea is not dead.What albums would you search for?
Best,
KwanaPS. Scroll down for TOP CHEF
True Read
Jack is snoozing ever so quietly by my side. I love it when he plays like the sweet little lap dog. He’s such a little faker at times. I’m currently reading Charlaine Harris’s DEAD UNTIL DARK which HBO’s True Blood is based on. I really like her voice. It’s like being in Sookie’s head all the time. Luckily I don’t mind and find Sookie quite funny and quirky.I find it so interesting, reading this after enjoying the series on HBO. It’s usually the other way around for me. I’m only a few chapters in and already it’s a few episodes in. Wow. Charlaine sure gave them lots of rich material to work with and this is just the first book in the series. Very cool
. I am always so in awe of creative people. It just makes me smile.What are you currently reading?Best,KwanaMomentum
What’s Jack up to? Jack is so fickle lately. We’re having a terrible time getting him to go outside in the morning. He is so not into the cold weather. Running and hiding under the bed and making the DH late for work. Sorry bud. It is what it is and you have to get your walk.
I’ve been terribly unmotivated since returning from Savannah. Running is painful. Really painful and it’s oh so cold. It’s seems to have gotten deep into my bones and they won’t loosen up enough to go the distance to get in ½ hour on the Dreadmil. I find myself barely able to handle a brisk walk. I know it will be a fight through each and every exercise session during these winter months.So I took my very sluggish behind to Weight Watchers for a weigh in and to be introduced to the new program that came out this week. 2 problems:No.1. This may not be a problem just an uncomfortable change but once again Weight Watchers has turned the WW diet world upside down and come up with a totally new plan. No more flex and core plans but now a new flex/core hybrid (much like the auto industry) called Momentum. It seems to require lots of studying and new math. Oh joy.
No.2. I’ve decided to jump start my motivation by changing my day. (Ok the other day interfered with a breakfast date with friends. Shhh don’t be quiet.) This means a new group and leader. More change. And here’s the kicker. They actually sang at the end of the meeting. Seriously, took a popular song and gave it WW lyrics. Cut to my jaw dropping. Too much even for me. I may have to go back for sure now just to see what they sing next week. I guess that’s motivation enough. Pretty slick trick leader.Weight loss is such a hard thing that the words “hard thing” are too weak to describe it. It’s a tiny percent physical. Mostly mental. And then there are these strange chemical things that go on that effect everything. All of it adding up to a big old mess. I’m currently watching
GMA and they are talking about Lady O and how once again she’s struggling with her weight. I know there are some that won’t have sympathy with that, but I do. Weight loss and keeping weight off is such a tough thing to do while living an easy happy life. I’m feeling for you O.Best,KwanaGone Clubbing
What’s Jack up to? First Jack’s all full of the Christmas spirit giving us all sorts of trouble as we try and decorate the tree and just when I try and pose him to snap a few pics he goes and turns into Ebenezer Scrooge. What’s with all the attitude Jack? Too funny.Although I’m a writer I’ve never been one to claim to be literary. I guess you could call me a snob in that way. I love romance and am proud of it. I was mad for Jackie Collins growing up, loved Sydney Sheldon, went through a period where I devoured all the Danielle Steele I could and then came Bridget Jones and my love affair with chick lit. Oh, sweet heaven I’ve found my voice!
So when I read the article in this weeks New York Times style section Fought Over Any Good Books Lately? I was struck but by the two flat out disses at chick lit.
Check this one in reference to a woman leaving her book club because she hated the selections, “Breaking up isn’t so hard to do when it means freedom from inane critical commentary, political maneuvering, hurt feelings, bad chick lit and even worse chardonnay.”Excuse me, what did Chick lit ever do to hurt anyone and how about chardonnay? Yeesh you’d leave a club because you look down on a person’s taste in wine. Oh please don’t come to my house. You will so hate me and my love of sweet white zin. That’s right I said it. I like white zin, historical romance, chick lit and the classics. The complete works of Jane Austen is on my nightstand shelf in case of emergency or duress. You never know when the need of Mr. Darcy will break out and you must combine chick lit with a classic. What is to be done with me?
Now to the second beauty. But I have to backtrack a bit. First off, there are book group facilitators that are paid to lead suburban book club discussions and keep unruly clubbers in line and lead the discussions. Who knew? The members pay the facilitators 250-300 dollars annually. Cool job I guess, but I’m having trouble getting my head around this concept. Groups of adults needing another adult who is not the author or the publisher to lead them in the discussion. In their own homes. Sort of be the expert and make sure no one person takes over the discussion.
Hmm… am I being too critical to think that this sounds like book club baby sitting? If I am tell me. Is this working for any of you out there. Have you tried it?
Oh, but to the second diss. This one is from a facilitator: Another woman decamped because she wanted to read more chick lit. “I hate to sound ponderous,” Ms. Bushell said, “but I have a certain moral obligation. I don’t feel I can be paid for leading a discussion about ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’”Moral obligation against THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA? What Tha-?! And how many weeks was THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA on The Times bestseller list? Pla-ease.When is this going to end? Life is way too short and times are too hard for us to not just get over ourselves and lighten up a bit. There is a place for a little bit of everything and no need to put other people’s tastes down. I feel that I have a moral obligation to say this and not to drink wine that cost a lot but taste like crap.
I’m leaving you with two questions today:1.What did chick lit ever do to you?2. What do you think of book clubs today?I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I did!Best,Kwanafirst image from kwana and jack
second from The New York TimesFun with hot glue
What’s Jack up to? Well Jack’s back home and totally not loving me. He’s not in the house 10 seconds and he pees on the kitchen floor. Jack was totally confused his week in the big city. “Concrete? What ya supposed to do with that?” Ugh! Now he’s all like, “Grass? What ya supposed to do with that?” Sigh.
Moving on to nicer gentler topics… Fun with hot glue or the Five Dollar Wreath Makeover!Check out my porch before. So sad.
I can’t believe it’s really December and I’m already behind. I look up the block and wince. Look the other way and shake my head. Yep the neighbors are all ahead of me with lights strung and wreaths up. I head to my basement to pull out the lights and my old wreath see if I can muster up some spirit. Muster, muster, muster. Here I go…
Sigh again. Look at this wreath. I am not feeling it.
Off to The Christmas Tree Shops to see if I can find a deal. No great deals on full wreaths, but I got a little box of crystallized fruits (I know it sounds strange. Stop laughing) for 5 bucks and I thought hmm… I’ve got hot glue (tasty with plastic fruit?). It was a Martha moment.
Here is the finished product. I likie verrrrry much because it’s all mine.
An original. Let there be light.
Now to the tree. Baby steps.
Best,
KwanaSouthern Charm
What’s Jack up to? Jack is trying to get used to being back home after spending the week being totally spoiled by Nana. How will he survive with just little ‘ol me after having all the bacon, ham and roast beef his heart desired? He is going to be so hard to deal with this week.I’m back from Savannah and visiting the DH’s family for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was lovely, but way too quick and the ride there and back too long. I-95 is a long road.Enjoy the moss hanging from the stately Southern trees while I do some more laundry. Sigh.
What are you up to today?Best,KwanaGive Thanks
What’s Jack up to? Oh that little Jack will me feasting on way too many decadent treats that he really shouldn’t have today. But it’s Thanksgiving so it all will be shared with lots of love.Happy Thanksgiving!
photo by me.Please enjoy this special day will those you loveand remember to give thanks for whatever you have. Anything is a blessing.Have a wonderful day!KwanaTradition
What’s Jack up to? Jack’s tuckered out after a busy weekend (not so much) and a bath (much needed) so as I write this he’s off to his bed. Way to hang Jack.What fresh hell is this?I imagine this is what my family is thinking as we stand in the middle of the waiting room of Sears portrait studio on Sunday. Yep, I said it. I take Sears holiday pics. I have been carting the dear twins down to Sears every year since they were a year old. 6 months really, but it was that first Christmas picture, all done up and incredibly glossy that had me hooked.Their cheeks gleaming, eyes shining bright. What was a mother to do, but pluck down her card and sign up for the full package?So there we were on Sunday at year 14. Another year with more new sweaters from Old Navy, Me, The DH, The DD and The DS, a bunch of other parents and an army of screaming infant to 5 year olds. My gang kept looking at me and saying, is this it? This has to be the last year mom. We are not doing this next year. Eyes roll, heads shake. Even the DH agrees.The tears prick, prick, prick at the back of my eyes. This can’t be it. This can’t be the last year. So what they are not babies. They are MY babies and it was just yesterday that I was carrying them in here in my arms. Besides this is our tradition. Our family photo. Does it matter that we look like fools and my babies tower over these other babies all done up in their holiday finery and screaming like banshees.In a few short years they won’t be here to take these photos with me and all I’ll have is the hi-gloss techi-color sparkle in their eyes, the memory of these days of my forced tradition and maybe some Aretha Sings The Blues or Amy Winehouse and probably a bottle of wine. Sob.How will I get them all back again next year. Bribery? I’m sure they will get hungry sometime.
Best,Kwana
