Laugh With Moms

I confess, I may have overscheduled my little 7 year old this winter.  Right now he is currently on a travel hockey team, takes skiing lessons once a week and is in his all school play.  It seems like every night is something and sometimes two things in one night.  Last Wednesday, he had to stay after school for play practice and then I had to pick him up and rush him over to his ski lesson.  As we were driving over there, he said, “mom, I am really tired.  Can I not ski today?”  That made me pause, because he never says he is tired.  He is like the Energizer bunny and has no stop switch until he is asleep.  But your inner struggle as a mom starts to work its magic and you quickly go through all the things you are supposed to do in this teachable moment.  We are firm believers in once you start something, you need to finish it.  If you don’t want to do it again next year, then that is fine, but you have to finish what you started.  Also we try to teach the value of money in that mom and dad paid for this activity that you really wanted to do and to miss a lesson is a waste of that hard earned money.  But then I thought, he said he is tired and wants to take a break, so why don’t I just let him take a break while his sister does her ski lesson.  So that is what he did.  He had a snack, did some homework and watched his sister ski, not once regretting his decision.  But I took note of the situation and realized that I have to be more careful what I sign the kids up for and try to stick to my rule of one activity at a time, especially when you have three kids.  There is so much for these kids to do these days and yet sometimes it is nice to just stay at home, eat a nice home-cooked meal and play with all those toys you got for Christmas.  That my be “boring” sometimes, but sometimes boring is good.

What can I say about Vegas?  We were lucky enough to be able to get away for a long weekend to Las Vegas over the New Years weekend.  My mother and father graciously accepted the job of taking care of my three cherubs while my husband and I headed to the Wild West for some fun in the sun.  Although very little time was actually spent outside in the sun.  We met my sister and brother in law out there and we had a blast.  The trip to Vegas was supposed to be a surprise trip for my hubby for his 40th birthday where he could partake in a few of his favorite pasttimes, most notably a UFC fight and gambling of course.  So I thought I would put a little list together about all the things I learned in Las Vegas:

1.  You can actually get women sent directly to you by one phone call for all types of services.  I think the guy in room 1684 (right next to us) might have held onto those cards they pass you on the street and called the number at 4am.  It was a long and educational hour.

2.  What are people doing bringing their children to Las Vegas?  Seriously, what is there for them to do?  And how do you explain all that graphic information that they pass out to you as you are walking down the street?  It is like baseball cards with naked women on them, are they supposed to collect these?

3.  All the casinos are the same.  They for the most part take your money, have no windows, and have the same bleary eyed people trying their best to win their money back.  We even went to the newest, hippest casino/hotel for a night (Aria)  and yet I couldn’t tell the difference between that and the Bellagio once you got sucked into the place.

4.  Some people have a lot of money and some just don’t.  Both sets of people paid for each and every new hotel that gets erected on the Las Vegas strip.

5.  There is no Planet Hollywood restaurant in the Planet Hollywood hotel.  We must have walked around that place for hours looking for that. 

6.  Going to a UFC fight is a whole adventure in itself and requires a completely separate wardrobe and vocabulary for both men and women.  My hubby loved it and had to sit through all ten fights.  Who knew there were ten fights when only three are actually broadcast on Pay Per View when you watch it at home?  Being the dutiful wife, I watched all ten with him as my sister and her hubby went out to the casino to gamble and win.

7.  What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.  Which is why I rocked it out one night in a short black dress and tall black boots that my friends from home joke that they have never seen me wear at preschool drop off.

8.  Time is completely irrelevant in Las Vegas, you have no idea what time it is until your body decides to fall asleep while sitting at the blackjack table.   When I asked what time it was and somebody said 2am (which would be about 5 am to me), I was shocked.  But then again I hadn’t been outside in over 24 hours.

9.  Drink lots of water.  Even the water is dry out there and you wonder why you have a constant dehydration headache.  It could also be the cocktails you started consuming at 10am while sitting at the blackjack table, but that is even more reason to drink that water.

10.  It is a real bummer to fly 5 hours in the middle seat following a weekend in Vegas.

Despite all that, I would go out there again in a heartbeat.  We had so much fun just being together, knowing that our children were in good hands at home, and not to much that kick ass facial I got in the middle of the weekend.  It being my first facial, I fell in love with esthetician who also massaged my hands and feet while the gunk was doing its magic on my face.   Heaven.  Vegas is so alive at all times that it is invigorating to be a part of it.   So if you get the chance head to Vegas for a weekend (that is all you will need), you won’t regret it.

Due to an unfortunate incident involving my cute and adorable 2 year old, a glass of water and my laptop, I have been out of commission without a computer.  Truth be told, we do have an alternate computer but it is downstairs in the cold, dank basement so very little time was actually spent sitting at the computer down there.  Only the basics were completed and those were completed with winter jacket and hat/scarf.  I would have liked to have gloves on as well, but it is hard to type when you have ski gloves on.  Anywho, santa brought me a new laptop and I have already been reprimanded for having a glass of water on the same table as the computer!  We have had four laptops in 5 years, each one ruined by an industrious, adorable two year old.  Not sure what that says about us and our supervision of two year olds or our laziness in putting the laptop away when the two year olds are in the vicinity.  When my son was two years old (he is now 7), he systematically pulled off every letter on the keyboard.  Have you ever tried to put the letters in the right places on a computer keyboard?  Almost impossible by memory, not to mention he broke off most of the pieces that would allow you to snap them back on.  That was computer number 1 down the drain.  By the way, this always happens the day after the warranty runs out.  Maybe this time my hubby sprung for the extra warranty!  Anyway, computer number 2 met the same exact fate that computer number 1 suffered at the hands of my next two year, my daughter who is now 4.  Didn’t even know it was possible to pull each letter off and yet both of my children managed to do it in the 3 minutes it took me to take dinner out of the oven.   And you know the fate of computer #3, technology and water do not mix.  So this time, I vow to put the computer away when I am not using it, keep all liquids away (as I sit here and sip my iced tea) and buy all extra warranties that I can (hubby just informed me that he didn’t buy the extra warranty, what??????)  I guess we will never learn and we should just start saving our money for computer number 5.  Glad to be back in cyberspace and back to writing on our blog.

Hello friends from the land of blogs!  I have been overwhelmed with book action so I must apologize for the lack of posts.  Please feel free to check out www.christine-carr.com  That is where you can find information about upcoming book talks and signing events.  If you live in the Rhode Island area, please find a date that works best for you and try to attend.  I look forward to chatting about Mother Daze… tales from the imperfect playground and meeting some of our loyal readers.  Also, check out this link to Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Daze-Tales-Imperfect-Playground/dp/1933002859

Have a great week.

Thanks,

Chris (a.k.a “CC”)

Here it is — the cover for my forthcoming book titled, Mother Daze… tales from the imperfect playground. It hits store shelves on November 1, 2009.

In case you were wondering where the frequent posts have gone, most of my time has been eaten up these days by this awesome project, back to school stuff, soccer schedules, birthday parties, and a gazillion other things on the to-do list.  Crazy busy — just like all of you!

One year ago, four of us embarked on this blog-writing journey.  It has been a pleasure and we hope that you have found a bit of humor among the chaos of every day life.

Keep reading and please spread the word about the book.  It’s a head-nod of appreciation for all that you manage to get done on an every day basis.  Way to go girls!

First day back to school and I am already feeling my blood pressure rising!  The bus was 35 minutes behind schedule this morning, I was late for my first day of school faculty meeting, I raced through the day full of activities, and then rushed home to get my three cuties.  My youngest was thrilled to see my smiling face — gotta love that — but my middle darling was so tired from her first day of school, I didn’t quite recognize the gal that emptied off that bus.  She looked wiped!  And adding to her physical appearance, was a transformation to her emotional state — not pleasant.   After a warm hug from my son, I outstretched my arms towards her and was greeted with a sigh, a moan, and a long-annoying groan.  Pressing each of them about their school day, I was offered limited details from my son and nothing from my six year old.  She just grumped herself into the house and I began the annual ritual of checking back packs, reviewing the various paper work inside, and realizing one very, very  real fact:  Ready or not,  summer is definitely over and I am back to reality… How does that happen?

Where do the days go?  I feel that just the other day I was readying myself for our end of the school year Field Day celebration.  Now, with one week to go before the school buses will roll, I am sitting at this computer wondering when I will get my buns in motion and go get the much needed back to school supplies.  As a teacher, I have the ability to truly enjoy a full summer of fun with my kids.  As such, I refuse to believe that it is almost time for our “party” to end.  Do we have to return to reality and get back to work?  Noooooo!!!!  We have hit the beach, swam in pools, camped out in a tent, eaten a bevy of burgers and licked a belly busting amount of ice cream cones.  We have ventured to a few amusement parks, slept over friend’s houses, and watched a few films at the local movie theater.  Geez, summer is tiring.  Without a doubt, though, one of my favorite parts of summer has always been the walks and runs at dawn with friends in the wee hours of early morning.  No doubt, a bit tiring to get up, but always a pleasure to chit-chat with pals.  During the school year, I usually have to do most of those workouts on my own.

With all of this constant motion, I had to laugh when listening to my son answer a question the other night.  My husband and I were going out to dinner with friends.  While I was searching around the house for my keys, one of them asked our son what he had been doing this summer.  Wondering what event he would expose first, I waited for his response.  Thinking he would bare the details of his favorite amusement park ride or a certain sleep over adventure, he quickly responded with, “Oh not much.  Just hanging around watching TV.”  Ha!  Go figure!

So much for the daily journeys we have made.  How quickly those little cherubs forget the various destinations.  By the way, we actually need to get our bathing suits on and hit the beach.  It’s sunny and beautiful — again!  We have to get out there and enjoy.  Or as my son would interpret — loaf on the couch, tune into Sponge Bob on the big screen, and chow some Beef Jerky.  Ugh!

Today is my daughter’s sixth birthday.  Although it should be a day filled with cheerful good times, it is also the day we had to bury my uncle.  Unfortunately, he lost his battle with emphysema and died a few days ago.  As I raced to get dressed, I couldn’t help to recognize how odd life manages to work its magic.  A day to celebrate birth intertwined with a day to celebrate a life lived and then lost.  Six years ago, at approximately the same time I was scrambling to find shoes in my closet, I gave birth to one of the sweetest girls I’ve ever met — honestly.  Through all of the moans and groans of labor, out came an angel.  Now six years later, I am readying myself for a funeral filled with aches and pains of a different kind.

Fortunately, my mother-in-law agreed to take my three kiddo’s to her house while we attended the early morning service.  As such, we quickly opened some birthday presents this morning before we hit the road and we will have the real party on Sunday afternoon — she won’t miss out totally on her celebratory day.  (And, by the way, we are headed to her friend’s house for a sleep-over in two hours.)  Nothing like summer fun!

However, the saddest reality associated with the loss of a loved one is just how quickly life moves forward for everyone else around us.  While my husband and I followed the funeral procession across town, I couldn’t help but recognize the hundreds of cars rushing right by us on the roadway — each blasting off to the next destination on their to-do list.  Every person at the wheel with their very own story to tell.  Yet, for my cousin and my uncle’s wife, their life stands still.  They are left, no doubt, with many memories (I’m sure both good and bad), but it is still sad to see that process of healing begin.  My uncle was always ready to chat or lend a laugh.  He will certainly be missed.

Therefore, while I ready the cake and candles for my six year old tot, I am reminded (once again) to celebrate this precious gift called “life.”  We need to appreciate the days that we are granted.  One never knows what’s waiting behind today or tomorrow, so let’s make the most of each moment and, as often as possible, laugh!

Last night, at 65 miles per hour, I enjoyed some of the best heart pumping adrenaline I have ever experienced.  Unbelievable!  Yesterday, my family and I ventured to Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT.  We spent a good portion of the day roaming through the park — hot, thirsty, and in need of constant refills from the free Pepsi product promotion.  To be honest, I think by the end of the day my belly was filled up with at least 4 liters of Diet Pepsi.  Add to that, two large orders of french fries, cotton candy, and three slices of pizza — my belly was busting at my bathing suit seams — awesome!  The park is divided in half — a wonderful water park to beat the heat on one side and a thrill packed amusement park filled with rides and  games on the other.  However, with the temperature heading towards 90 degrees, everyone and their grandmother was thinking the same thought — hang at the water park first and then make our way to the major ride attractions later.  As a result, the average wait for a water slide was about one hour long.  We had made this trip with about six other families.  Therefore, we managed to break apart into smaller clusters of kids.  With my two youngest girls in toe, I headed for the Lazy River Ride in order to avoid the long wait of another ride.  What’s better than sitting on a rubber tube while bobbing in the cool water?

Anyhow, as the day progressed, we found that our smallest children were unable to ride most of the bigger, more daring rides.  Therefore, we headed over to Kiddie Land.  But, with the hot temp’s causing energy levels to plummet, we were starting to lose our steam.  We knew that the water park would close its doors at 7:00 so we headed back for two final runs down the lazy river.  After we changed up, the sun began to duck itself behind the trees, the temperature became more bearable, and we headed back to the heart pumping rides of the main park.  My husband hit a couple of rides with my son and some other friends, while I stayed safely on the ground with the girls.  But it was my sister-in-law who suggested we get in line for the Boulder Dash ride and let her husband watch the little kids.  Great idea!

The line was long — we figured it would most likely be our last ride of the evening.  Twenty five minutes later, we boarded the ride.  It was pitch black by then and having read the two books from the Twilight series, I felt like we were definitely heading towards Cullen-ville as the coaster crawled slowly up the first hill and pulled us right towards darkness.  Let me say this, the sense of “slow” was never felt again because once that sucker reached the top of that climb it was nothing but speed — pure acceleration… a rush of rapid momentum that never let up.  It was impressive!  I was screaming with joy, laughing with delight.  I actually thought to myself that if I knew that I were dying, I would want to ride that ride — over and over again.  I think the best part was not knowing where we were headed.  Flying through the dark with only the wind whipping through our hair.  Fun Stuff!

If you are in the New England area, you have got to give this thing a chance.  Such a thrill — such a treat!

Two nights ago, six friends and I piled into a big, black suburban and trucked our buns up I-95 to The Comcast Center for an outdoor Cold Play concert.  With temperatures in the low eighties, a cooler packed with cold beverages, and a car filled with fun friends, we all agreed that the night was destined for perfection.  Each passenger is a mother — most with at least two children under the age of six back at home — and found it to be a welcomed treat to fly the coop for an evening.  Let’s face it, we could have pulled into a vacant Wal-Mart parking lot and had had just as much fun, but I must admit, Cold Play did not disappoint.  They were incredible.  What a talented bunch of guys — so great!

Have you ever experienced one of those nights when the drinks flow down too easily?  Well, that was my night.  Before the show even started, I already had a few beers in the belly.   Added to that, were a few more pops during the concert (at $9.00 a bottle) and I was good to go.  Comfortably lubed… I should say.  As the music played on and an almost full moon beamed in the sky, I knew this was a treat to be treasured.  Yet, as the evening drew closer to a finish, I began to feel the effects of over-serving myself — Ugh!  As ColdPlay closed out the show, I was reaching for the Excedrin.  Oh what a bozo!  When will I learn?  Seeing as we stayed until the absolute end of the show and decided to roll out the snacks back at our car, we were now trapped in a traffic jam that would set us back at least an extra hour and a half.  Add to that the hour and a half drive home and it’s safe to say, my face didn’t hit a pillow until 1:30 in the morning.  Oof!  That hurts the next morning… and the next morning after that.  As such, that is why I have not written this post until now.  Man, I can’t hang like I used to.  In college, a night like that could be worked off by 4:00pm the next day.  Nowadays, an evening of too much boozarooski and I’m struggling for days.

Yet, even with a screaming headache and a foggy brain for the next 48 hours, that was some of the best fun I’ve had in awhile.  As mothers, we often put off those plans with our friends for a later date.  We prioritize everything else on the to-do list and often are too tired to schedule the fun for ourselves.   Whether it’s the price that gets in our way, the lack of time in our schedule, or the mere reality that we honestly are exhausted by the end of a day as “mommy”, there are always many reasons to postpone the fun.  My hope for all of you reader’s out there is that you start putting yourself on the list. Check off some time for yourself and enjoy the tremendous beauty associated with good friendships.

And if you can add a little ColdPlay to the mix, consider that a bonus.