Have you ever happened to see a video of the latest boy band (in this case, One Direction) and realize that you’re wearing the same outfit as one of the boys?
Happy Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day weekend is nearly here! I’m blessed to have a mother and a grandmother to celebrate. Lily has been plotting something for weeks (with her teacher’s help), so I’m looking forward to being surprised on Sunday.
And can I make a confession? I told Tim that I don’t like breakfast in bed. Are you shocked? I have gamely gone along with it for years, but the truth is that the idea of eating first thing in the morning has never appealed to me. I’m more of a brunch kind of girl. The reason I finally broke the silence was because I really don’t think the kids would remember to do it if Tim didn’t bring it up.
Of course, if the kids remember on their own and want to bring me breakfast in bed, I promise that I will pretend to eat with gusto. Just as I’ve done for 14 years.
And then my treat to myself will be to watch the video of Billy Collins reading “The Lanyard” for the umpteenth time. Collins perfectly captures the essence of the mother-child relationship in the funniest, yet deepest way.
So whether you’re with your mom or missing her, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Book Talk: What Are You Good At?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYCvcq4RpPA
Andy Selsberg (The Onion, Salon.com) has written a new book, You Are Good at Things, that celebrates our unsung gifts and talents. Like maybe you always remember people’s names or can tie a maraschino cherry stem with your tongue.
So, what’s your secret talent? I’m really good at guessing how movies will end. (Remember The Crying Game? Totally guessed she was a dude.) And Tim Taylor always knows what direction he’s facing. I just tested this theory by asking him what direction he’s facing right now. He said, “Northwest.” I have no idea if that’s true because I have absolutely no sense of direction. But since Tim’s other hidden talent is saying things with complete conviction, I have to believe him.
It’s actually very nice to sit and think about the little things you’re good at, and even nicer to think about what your favorite people are good at. Take a minute to recognize your awesomeness!
Cinco de Mayo / Weekend Links
Does your family celebrate Cinco de Mayo? I wouldn’t say we celebrate it exactly—we just use it as an excuse to go out for Mexican food. But seeing all these great ideas makes me want to put a little effort into doing something fun. I wonder if Lily and I can work on these DIY mini pinatas in the bleachers at Lexie’s volleyball tournament tomorrow….
- Cinco de Mayo in a box. Olé, and then some.
- Everything you need to throw a great Cinco de Mayo party—recipes, printables, and decorations.
- Tissue-paper streamers to set the mood.
- Cute mariachi guitar craft for the younger set.
- DIY Fiesta Favor Bags.
- A prettier version of 7-Layer Dip.
- Pinata cookies. These would take serious commitment, but they’re awfully cute.
- Beer cupcakes. Not just for St. Patrick’s Day! (Just switch the Guinness for Corona.)
Do you have fun plans for the weekend? The kids have a half-day, so I’m going to squeeze in a coffee date with an old friend. And then Will gets to go bowling at a birthday party while the girls and I spend some time with Grammy. Andrew, meanwhile, will be working on yet another video project with a friend. (He says he wants to be an astrophysicist, but I won’t be surprised if he becomes an actor or director!) Throw in some volleyball, a dance recital practice, baseball, and fishing, and we’ll have a weekend!
Let me know if you give any of these Cinco de Mayo projects a try, and please come back again next week for teacher gift ideas!
Let’s Talk about Books
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When I posted this the other day, Michelle, author of the wonderful blog One Ordinary Day, wrote: “What an awesome poster. My baby girl has been sitting in a nook of her favorite tree reading. Makes me so happy.”
Yes. Michelle’s simple comment pretty much sums up my entire parenting philosophy: Give them some books, a tree or two, and time to enjoy them.
But even out here in the woods of Wisconsin, the hamster wheel tries to pull us in with its siren song: “Achieve! Acquire! Succeed!” I have to remind myself that participation in the wheel-running is not mandatory and busy does not equal happy. Just because we’re presented every day with endless opportunities to “Get more out of life!” and “Make every moment count!” doesn’t mean we have to. The days when we fly around getting kids (and ourselves) to activities might feel like they count more, but the truth is that days spent being instead of doing count, too. So go ahead and fill their heads with information, but be sure to fill their souls, too.