After I washed my son’s boo-boo and rubbed some tea tree oil on the wound, I offered a zebra bandaid, which was not acceptable to His Highness. He wanted a red one and insisted on getting it out himself. I tried to help him open it, but he brushed me away with a most serious…
Joining the profession
Once I got the piece published in the Post, I felt like I could call myself a serious enough writer to join what used to be Washington Independent Writers (now gone national to be “American” I.W.). Though I didn’t register in time to go to any agent pitch sessions (which frankly was a relief after…
TV Blues
Last month PBS Kids hosted a lovely event for us DC Metro Mom bloggers. I ought to have posted something about it, but it was kind of culture shock for me, and I didn’t want to write and sound ungrateful. Before the event, I didn’t know anything about Super Why or any shows for preschoolers….
Mother/Daughter stories
Arena Stage has posted my mother/daughter story and my friend Kim’s story on its blog, Stage Banter.
The thrill is gone — from messy to neat and back again
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on June 11, 2009 The thrill is gone — from messy to neat and back again For the first week we were trying to sell our house, it was kind of a game to keep it clean. How fast can I wipe up that spill? Neatness was that…
Mom playwright article
I am just so fascinated with the story of this local mom of three who is a hugely successful playwright. The Washington Post ran a nice piece about Karen Zacarias a few weeks ago. It’s helpful to hear how another mom and her family were able to set priorities for her to be successful as…
Gluten-free pancakes at Original Pancake House
The Original Pancake House in Falls Church, VA now offers gluten-free pancakes using Bob’s Red Mill GF blend, milk, egg and canola oil. The pancakes did taste good — we got one order of blueberry and one of pecan — (choices also include plain, banana and chocolate chip — not as many choices as the…
I have my kitchen back!
After weeks of needing to keep a clean house in the hopes that someone would buy it, I’m so excited to finally have my kitchen back! I’ve finally got stock rolling (from bones I’d had to stuff in the freezer), I soaked millet last night in whey and water and made porridge this morning, I’ve…
Mama and son in the Washington Post
I’m thrilled to have published my first piece in the Washington Post. Last year, right after we attended Alexandria Symphony Orchestra’s, I knew I wanted to write a piece. The event is such a great opportunity for kids to be exposed to classical music, to instruments and to other art forms. I called the ASO…
Public radio, how I’ve missed you!
I used to love listening to radio on the weekend. Often I’d be cleaning or doing laundry or sorting the schoolwork I had to grade while I listened to Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, This American Life, Studio 360, sometimes From the Top. Back in my grad school days listening to WNKU (across the river…
Potato Pancakes (gluten-free, dairy-free)
This is not the most stellar recipe post, but I thought I’d share that lately I’ve been making a quick side dish out of the extra farm eggs we have now that I’m no longer nursing and eating two each morning (and I keep forgetting to decrease my order size!). My son loves eating these…
Blogging because nothing else can get done in 15 minutes
I can’t seem to face any projects. I never know if someone is going to call to come see the house, and my few (as in seven over two days) childcare hours are hardly my own with house stuff and with finally trying — in an admittedly half-assed way — to take care of my…
Whose kid will be the next Adam Lambert in 20 years? (Or Susan Boyle in 40?)
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on May 16, 2009 Whose kid will be the next Adam Lambert in 20 years? (Or Susan Boyle in 40?) My husband and I “aww”-ed in unison when watching a preschooler at Adam Lambert‘s old community theater ask the American Idol finalist how he got so good at…
Baby wants to join a Yahoo group
“Yahoo group!” I could not believe my ears. But then he said it again; my tiny little three-year-old shouted exuberantly and unmistakably, “Yahoo group!” The follow-up question: “Is that for your meeting?” My son asks before he goes to bed if I have to go to a meeting. I either say yes or that I’m…
Gluten-Free Rhubarb-Apple-Strawberry Pie (no dairy, low sugar)
Mother’s Day was also my husband’s birthday. I got my special time running a half-marathon, and then we went out for brunch with friends. He didn’t get much special time, having promised a neighbor we’d babysit for them. D’oh! But he did mention an idea to buy a slice of rhubarb pie for himself, so…
Hearing yourself in your kid’s talk
After sharing some sushi with his friend today at Whole Foods, my son said, “If you could save one for my daddy, well, that would be great.” Other favorites me-isms include, “Well, I’m just looking for something” while standing in front of the fridge and “Where is the…” (about anything) followed without skipping a beat…
Second spring foot soak
About a month after my first ionic foot soak (since pregnancy, since weaning), I did another. I think it looks a little less dark (less black/heavy metals) this time. But who knows if that’s good or not! Does it just mean I’m holding on instead of excreting? I’m so stressed out with showing the house…
Stress is something to let go of, too
I’d hoped that this spring season would find me happily detoxing away. I made a good start nutritionally, and I did the one dramatic foot soak. But I haven’t gotten much beyond that. We have been planning to move but had to do some unexpected negotiation after the home we want to buy got a…
In box finds simplicity
Wow, 11111! That’s a great number! Can you believe it’s the number of unread messages in my Yahoo mail In box? No, I am not kidding. And yes, many of them are digests of lists I seem to think I ought to keep even though I can get everything in the group site archives. The…
Moving targets — when your kid can’t count on you
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on April 28, 2009 Moving targets — when your kid can’t count on you “Leave, Mommy,” said my son when I walked over to where he was enjoying a friend’s toys. And upon leaving another playmate’s house, he protested: “No, I want to stay here. I don’t…