On my yoga mat this morning, I had that feeling you get when you are addicted to exercising and you have just gotten a hit of the drug. I had just spent 22 minutes on the elliptical, which I’ve done (or exceeded) nearly every day of late, except yesterday. It’s been regularly followed by yoga,…
travel
End of summer, with grief and relief
As summer 2015 draws to a close, I am filled alternately with grief and with relief. Now, it’s pretty typical for me to flip-flop from one extreme to another in my emotions in the space of about two minutes. I remember one fall day I took my children to Ticonderoga Farms by myself and thought…
Pulling the plug on BlogHer14
It is with an ache in my gut — literally — that I have to come to terms with the fact that I am not going to BlogHer ’14. I had to believe the trip was possible when I bought the ticket. We’d had two snow days that week (including my birthday. What a rockin’…
Conviction and compromise on the road
Welcome to the July 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Family Vacation This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared their family-travel tips, challenges, and delights. Please read to the end to find a list of links…
To BlogHer, or not to BlogHer
I’d already lost count of which snow day it was when I bought a registration ticket for BlogHer ’14 in San Jose, California, the annual blogging conference’s 10th anniversary year. There had been so many days that the weather had forced me to scrap plans to work toward the launch of my new site or…
City mouse, country mouse, suburban mom
It’s been a lifelong desire of mine to live many different existences at one time. I wanted to be a jet-setting child actress and also live a life of quiet contemptation from my perch in the treehouse. I wanted to be a busy, driven academic and also a party girl. Today, I want to be…
What does “vacation” look like?
When you’re a parent, vacation seems like two four-letter words. If you have taken one recently, I’m not sure I can handle hearing about it. But tell me anyway. I have a friend who recently posted on Facebook a screen shot of her phone texting with a friend about what they should take to New…
Confessions of a mostly natural parent
Welcome to the second edition of the “I’m a Natural Parent – BUT…” Carnival This post was written for inclusion in the carnival hosted by The Artful Mama and our feminist {play}school. During this carnival our participants have focused on how mainstream society has affected their natural parenting and how they have come to peace…
Ten things I love — and don’t — about summer
The days are getting shorter. How sad. Thank goodness. The children will be out of the house soon. How sad. Thank goodness. We will have to adhere to an imposed schedule. How sad. Thank goodness. In the spirit of being two things at the same time (see the title of this blog!), here is my…
On the road, again and again
For the last month, it’s been neglect the blog or neglect the children. Or both. Today I am at BlogHer ’12, so it’s the kids who are getting none of mama’s love. They are, however, getting thoroughly entertained and spoiled by their cousins and aunt and uncle. Really, I think my son may learn to…
On the road again
Once upon a time, I could go on a road trip without making all my own unprocessed, organic, starch-free food. Once upon a time I could go to my parents’ house without drooling over idea of family-provided childcare so that I could enjoy some time to catch up on all things computer — email (professional…
More yoga than sleep
I went to three yoga classes today. That’s six hours of yoga, which is more time than I have spent sleeping at least a few of the last dozen nights, in preparation for leaving for this trip and since we’ve been on it. Once again, I’m writing from a hotel parking lot with a snoring…
A nice afternoon, but not perfect
Yesterday I finally got to see the Georgia O’Keefe exhibit at the Phillips Collection before its final weekend. However, although it was a lovely afternoon out in the city, it didn’t quite hit all the sweet spots I was looking for after a week of staying home with a sick son. Read my post —…
Another mama’s baby
Call me a sucker, but I’m so glad I finally got to see the new baby gorilla at the National Zoo. It is just so darn cool to see such an expressive and tiny face on another animal, especially when the baby is naturally clinging to its mama like I’ve tried to mimic by using…
Gramma’s Kitchen: Better than Wendy’s!
On the day before Thanksgiving, we had the pleasure of a lovely little breakfast at Gramma’s Kitchen outside of Mansfield, Pennsylvania. This is the only photo I successfully snapped before my camera battery died, which is a shame, because I’d have loved to snap one of the cute grannies on duty or the vegetable omelet…
Goin’ to Carolina (solo, with my son)
On Saturday mornings when I was a child, I spent hours watching cartoons before my parents came downstairs. It always startled me when one of our Siamese cats darted into my field of vision. After inhabiting a two-dimensional light-box world, seeing the muscular real-live animal removed my fantasy goggles. A similarly surreal experience was enjoying…