Miracle Mom

When you become a mom, your life changes in a million different ways. Becoming a mom is a blessing and a miracle. It's also challenging, rewarding, thrilling, and, sometimes, downright heartbreaking. As a mom, I love helping children who really need help, and the one place I always donate to is the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

I am honored to be part of the Miracle Moms Network. The Children’s Miracle Network has teamed up with the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and has two goals: to help children by raisings funds for children's hospitals, and to keep funds in the community.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals provide treatment and hope to millions of sick kids each year, in 170 hospitals in Canada and in the United States.

I have my own donation page, and I'd love it if you could please click the link and donate whatever you can, knowing that you're helping the precious, incredible, strong, and brave young children that are treated in CHEO every single day.

On a personal level, I have experienced having a sick child in the hospital. When my oldest son was 12 weeks old, he had a high fever and was rushed to CHEO, where he was admitted, and stayed for 14 days. I endured seeing him in pain, get daily blood tests, IV's, catheters, x-rays and ultrasounds. He was incredibly strong through it all. He had a kidney infection because of a condition called hydronephrosis, a fairly common condition most children outgrow by the time they're three years old. My son outgrew this condition, but was back in CHEO for five days with another infection when he was six months old. It was during these stays that I realized how lucky we are to have such an amazing children's hospital so close to home, where children receive the best care from nurses and doctors every day.

We were back in CHEO when my son was three years old. He had a severe case of pneumonia. Two weeks in the hospital, IV's, oxygen masks, blood work, and even more bad news... surgery, to drain fluid from his lung. I never thought I'd live through seeing my son being wheeled away to surgery. I don't know how I survived that day, but somehow, we made it through. After the surgery my son had a chest tube in him for four days. To say this was the biggest nightmare of our lives is an understatement, but again, every day I count my blessings, as again I was face-to-face with other children who were very sick and in CHEO for a much longer time. I was thankful for the care, love and attention we received from the staff at CHEO. My son made a full recovery, and is a perfectly healthy, incredibly smart, six year old.

This experience made me aware of how important it is to do everything in our power to help sick children. It hurts my heart that so many children get sick and to think that we can help make a difference? How could we not? I know what it is like to have a sick child in the hospital, and I know how helpless the situation can feel. We have the power to make a difference.

I spoke with another CHEO mom a few days ago, a mom who shared her personal story with me. Jennifer was a mom to a perfectly healthy three year old, Hunter. Hunter had a bad virus when he was three years old and he wasn't getting better. He was put on antibiotics, and Hunter and his parents went out for dinner because he was finally feeling better. He was promised a trip to Mrs. Tiggy Winkle's after dinner, a favourite toy store of his, but on the way, he told his mom he wasn't feeling well. He was pale, and his fingers were blue. The visit to the toy store turned into an emergency visit to CHEO, where he was admitted. Doctors discovered he had a heart condition and required a pacemaker, which was put in two weeks later. Needless to say, Jennifer was completely shocked with the news that her little boy was suddenly needing heart surgery. It was a lot to suddenly accept and deal with. Hunter is now a healthy nine year old, who has frequent visits to CHEO to make sure all is well with his pacemaker.

During the time that Hunter's heart problems were detected, doctors also discovered Jennifer had an unknown heart condition, and the twins she was carrying were likely to have a heart a condition as well.

Hunter's siblings were born prematurely, with heart conditions, and spent several weeks in CHEO. The twins have not needed surgery, and are monitored at home. They are, for the most part, healthy. Jennifer considers herself very lucky to have CHEO so close to home. "I feel immensely happy and in huge gratitude to the people who every day save the lives of children."

Of course this is just one of many stories about the children who go through the doors of CHEO. I would love it if you could support me and the hospital that helped save my son's life.

Please click here and help. I would be so very thankful!

Disclaimer: I am participating in the #MiracleMoms campaign and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Very Thankful, Indeed

Being a mom is challenging, exhausting, tiring, heartbreaking, emotional, and impossibly hard. But it is also the best job on earth, rewarding every single day, and filled with so much love and laughter and moments of awe, it takes my breath away. I am madly in love with my children, and thankful every single day that I am their mother, because I think they're the most incredible people ever. My boys never cease to amaze me.

I'm thankful that I see my mom several times a week, talk to her a dozen times a day, and have her (and my father) care for my children when I'm at work. I'm thankful I have an equally amazing grandmother (and grandfather) who also take care of my children, my house, and me, every week. I'm thankful I have a mother-in-law (and father-in-law) who cook amazing food for my children, take them to and from school, and look after them, when I'm working my 9-to-5 shift, Monday to Friday.

I'm thankful to have a supportive husband who is a great father, and I'm thankful to have an awesome sister who makes me laugh. I'm thankful to have amazing friends; the ones who have been with me my entire life, and the ones I've been lucky enough to meet through blogging.

I'm thankful this week, because I was honoured at my son's school for being a volunteer, and I saw how proud he was of me when I stood up in front of everyone to receive my certificate.

I'm thankful that my four year told me he loves me so much he has hearts coming out of his head.

I'm thankful I had the chance to appear on CTV Ottawa Morning to talk about and show everyone some awesome gift ideas for Mother's Day. You can watch the segment here! It's always a blast, doing work on television, and I miss the days of working in a busy newsroom.

Also? I'm thankful that I've got two amazing Samsung cameras to give away to two of my readers, for Mother's Day. I take tons of pictures of my children, and this camera is so small, you can just slip it in the back pocket of your jeans so you're always ready to take those perfect candid shots. My favorite part about this camera is that it has built-in Wi-Fi! Total bonus, right? The Samsung DV300F talkes up to 16.1MP high-resolution pictures and 720p HD video, and has a a front-facing screen, too.

To enter to win, just leave me a comment telling me what you love about Mother's Day.

I'll randomly pick two winners on May 14th.

Good Luck!

And to all the moms I know, Happy Mother's Day. I believe we should celebreate motherhood every day of the year, don't you?

On Being A Car Girl

The keys to my heart have always had the initials VW on them. I have loved Volkswagen since the days of the original Beetle.

I've been a car girl my entire life, mostly because my father owned a used car dealership that sold German-made automobiles. Yes, my love for the finer things in life came to fruition at an earty age. I loved hanging out with my dad, watching him sell cars, and my first high school job was working in a car dealership after school.

I'd dream about the day I'd finally get my license, so I could get behind the wheel of a a VW. On my 18th birthday, I got the keys to an Audi 5000, which was okay with me. I learned to really drive in that car, and of course, I got into a few accidents. Picture Cher from Clueless behind the wheel. Yup, that was me. Maybe still is, sometimes... ahem.

When it was time to retire that car, I was in the parking of my dad's dealership, trying to decide what car I would drive next. Of course, the choice wasn't up to me. My father had a couple of used cars in mind for his little girl. Both were red. One was a BMW. And one was a VW Golf.

My decision was made, even before I got behind the wheel. But once I actually drove that VW Golf? Mad love. It's still my favourite car. It's the car I love more than all the other cars I've owned, the car that drove me to and from university, and later, college, a few hours away. It's the car I really learned how to drive stick-shift in, and the car I had before I became a mom. It was the car of my youth, and I have so many awesome memories I associate with my little red VW Golf.



My next car? A Jetta. Almost equal love, because the ride was smooth, and perfect. Two children later, I upgraded to a Passat. This family car took us on road trips to Montreal, Mont Tremblant, and Toronto. It had enough space in the back so my boys were always comfortable, and safety-wise? Well, you simply cannot go wrong no matter what VW you get behind. I'm back to a stick-shift Jetta now; I bought my new silver four-door last spring and it's in great condition. You know, minus the old Goldfrish crackers and juice boxes you'll find in the backseat!


Of course, my husband is a proud VW owner, too. I like to think I had a lot to do with his purchasing decisions, since he's gone through a VW Golf GTI, a Jetta, and now, a brand-new 2012 Passat. Yup, we are a Volkswagen family and I wouldn't have it any other way.

If you're looking to buy a new or used car, get behind the wheel of a VW. I promise you, you'll fall in love, and then you'll be singing da-da-da... all day long. And can I just mention here how much I love the VW Darth Vader commericial? It's my favourite! There's just something so fun about being a VW owner, you know? If you don't know? You should find out.

Disclaimer: Volkswagen  Canada was kind enough to be my partial sponsor for the recent Mom 2.0 Summit that took place in Biscayne Bay, Miami. Thank you Volkswagen, my love for you is deep!

What's Next?

I had a pretty rough weekend. I was in Key Biscayne, Miami, at the Ritz-Carlton, with several hundred other bloggers and movers and shakers in the world of social media, the arts, and publishing for the annual Mom 2.0 Summit.

It is pretty inspirational how much we can do when we are passionate about something. The good we can accomplish with our determination and drive to make positive change is well... pretty awesome. This view from the Ritz took my breath away, and so did much of what I was lucky enough to hear, thanks to my amazing sponsors that made it possible for me to attend: Volkswagen Canada, IKEA, Tommee Tippee, and Kellogg's.

What did I take from this particular blogging conference? So much. I am still processing everything, and to be quite honest, listening to people like Brene Brown, Karen Walrond, Lee Rhodes, Liz,  Liz Lange, Gretchen Rubin, and Pilar Guzman (the editor-in-chief of Martha Stewart Living) speak was a bit overwhelming.

I left Miami feeling inspired, a bit scared, and asking myself the question: What's next? In my personal life and in my professional life, I'm excited, and I'm ready to take a risk. What does this mean, exactly? Like I said, I'm still processing it all. But one thing I have always found to be true is this: taking a risk, making the jump, and asking for what you want is never wrong. I tend to follow my heart, and I've found that by doing so, dreams can come true.

I enjoyed the intimacy of this conference, and I thought the location was perfection. I loved re-connecting with old friends like Jessica, (my very first BlogHer roomie... awww...) and spending more time with the Canadian crew, Kathy, Erica, Maureen, Nadia, Julie, and Candace. I find all these incredible women and moms to be beyond inspiring.

I was excited to be sharing a room with Marinka and Stacy, and am even more excited to report I never once snored, despite what Marinka may say, ahem. I did wake up with a pillow on my face one morning, but maybe I imagined that? We had a great time, and I loved sharing a room with these awesome ladies. We had some great discussions.

I was also so thrilled to finally meet the lovely Jill, who loves fashion and shopping as much as I do (kindred spirits, I tell you) and who had the most adorable outfits I've ever seen a pregnant woman wear. She is pure awesome. I loved seeing Nicole from Momtrends again, too, who is an absolutely beautiful person, and makes me want to spend the day shopping with her.

Of course, there were tears, because when are there not, at a blogging conference, right? I loved the 7 minute sessions and listening to these speakers on a variety of different topics was moving.

I attended my first blog conference in 2010, three years after I started my blog, and that BlogHer conference was quite memorable. My first Mom 2.0 conference was just as awesome. I've actually never left a conference disappointed, because I'm always surrounded by amazing poeple. Also, you make it what you want it to be.

I'm a little sad I missed Saturday night's party at the Versace mansion in South Beach, though, I always used to take pictures outside the house whenever I visited South Beach, and to have the chance to see beyond the front doors? Wow. I'm also bummed I didn't hear fellow Canadian funny lady Sam Bee speak. However, to be able to kiss my children on Saturday night was a bit more awesome than even a party at that address. I'm Queen of the Mommy Guilt club, in case you didn't know. Also, had I not left on Saturday, I wouldn't have by total random coincidence ended up on the same plane home as my parents, who were returning from Cancun.

If you're considering going to Mom 2.0 next year, GO. Just, go. It's taking place at the Ritz Carleton, Laguna Niguel. You have a year to make it happen, so you know, make it happen. You'll leave feeling like you can do more than you thought you were capable of.

Till next time!

Read The Label, Lick The Spoon

I'm sure if I told you to jump off a bridge because it was fun, you'd think twice about doing it, right? I mean, I'm sure you'd look over the bridge, to make you'd be landing in some deep ocean water, hopefully free of sharks, rather than into oncoming traffic on a busy highway. And even then, you'd probably still question me.

As a mom, I'm always trying to make the right decision for my children. I'm a pretty laid-back mom, and despite the fact that I worry non-stop and am constantly on my toes waiting for a disaster to strike, I'm relaxed about the snacks my boys eat, as long as I know they're generally eating well-balanced meals. And they are. I am lucky to have family look after my boys when I'm at work, and since we're Greek, it's almost a given they'll be eating extremely healthy every day. We basically follow the Mediterrenean diet, which is full of food that is good for you. The snack of choice for my boys? Greek salad.

Of course, my boys like to indulge from time to time, and there is no food that is not allowed in my house. They have chocolate, in small amounts, when the cravings hit. And Nutella, of course. I mean, how could they NOT love Nutella? You get what I'm saying, right? It's damn good! And psst... it's not all that bad for you. I'd rather my children have a Nutella and banana sandwich instead of frozen chicken nuggets!

The makers of Nutella recently settled two class-action lawsuits which were filed by consumers who said they were deceived by the brand's advertising. The settlement? $3 million dollars.

I don't understand how the company was successfully sued, when all the nutritional information is right on the jar, listed for everyone to see. Did the people who sued Nutella not read the Nutrition Facts before feeding it to their children? Also, what chocolate fairy unicorn island do these people live on, where they thought that a chocolate spread was totally HEALTHY, anyway, despite what the ads said? Sugar is the first listed ingredient. Which is why my children don't eat Nutella every day. I believe in being accountable, and from the commercials I've seen, I don't see where they were wrong.

This ad for Nutella, in my opinion, is not misleading.

I also don't get people who sue McDonald's because, ohmyGod they gained weight and how is that possible, just because they were eating seven Big Mac combos a day? I mean, the nerve, McDonald's, the nerve!

Personally, I think Nutella on two slices of 12 grain bread with some fruit and a glass of skin milk is not a bad breakfast, no worse than some cereals out there. Better than no breakfast, at all. Nutella is not always in my house, but when I do buy a jar, my children are happy, and so am I. We eat it occasionally. Of course, right now, all I'm craving is a crepe with nutella and strawberries and ice cream.

I've bought hair products that claim they'll make my hair more shiny and strong, and hair products that claim they'll totally get rid of the frizz. Time and time again, I have been disappointed in the results, because often, my hair doesn't look like it did in the commercial. Despite this, I don't sue or blame anyone, or get angry. I might switch brands, but that's as far as I'll go.

I buy orange juice after seeing ads on TV that claim the juice will taste as good as sticking a straw in an orange, and sometimes, that's not true. I don't sue. Or get mad.

I have used Bio Oil to get rid of a couple of minor scars, but hmm, they're still there. I did not get mad or sue because of this, either.

I could give dozens of other examples about how ads can be misleading, but long story short, I love Nutella.

Advertising wasn't my major in university, but I did take a few courses. I'm not completley clueless when I see ads, and while I expect honesty in what companies and brands are selling to me, I know I should do my own research before deciding on what products to consume. I always knew I'd never look like Cindy Crawford drinking a Diet Pepsi, but it's still my drink of choice.

Oh, and Red Bull never gave me wings, either. That's why I'm not actually going to jump off that bridge, after all.

Love

There are many things in life that annoy me. I mean, like really annoy me.

Of course, those are the things I blog about when I want to complain. I have a lot in common with George Carlin, you know. Top of that list? Having major psychotic f*cking hatreds towards things, not just minor pet peeves. People who can't drive? People who are mean?  People who don't understand elevator etiquette? People who can't operate a revolving door? People who are ignorant? People who do gross and obnoxious things in their office when other people are around? People who don't read? People who don't know what's going on beyond their own backyard? Yeah, combine that with a bad day (i.e. waking up late, a rainy day, a bad hair day, zero job security, a fight with my spouse, an ill child, five pound weight gain, nothing to wear, depression) and well, my pet peeves can take a turn for the worse.

There is always something awful on the news that can make me seriously depressed, and there is always something to think about to turn my sunshine day into a gloomy one. It isn't hard to think about a sad story, or to worry about something to the point that it affects your day. What is hard, though, is looking past the gloom and doom and just being happy in the present. Even though there are a lot of things I don't like, there are a lot of things that make me happy.

And there are a lot of things I love.

I love fresh picked flowers given to me by my four year old, just because.
I love eating movie theatre popcorn in my family room, watching trashy television shows.
I love watching old favourite movies, like Heathers.
I love Christian Slater and Winona Ryder.
I love thinking about high school and knowing if I could go back today, I wouldn't change a single thing.
I love watching my six year old play with his friends and seeing what a big boy he's become.
I love listening to my four year old play the drums.
I love hearing the few words my children still mispronounce, like me-magine for imagine, and ba-lack for black. I'll never correct them.
I love watching my boys in their swimming lessons.
I love to death this commercial that makes me cry every time I watch it.
I love the Olympics, and not just because the Greeks invented them.
I love soccer, and people with passions.
I love how great a father my husband is to our children.
I love my family, and our dysfunctionalness that makes us so awesome.
I love shopping, and I love ModCloth like crazy. I had to blog about it, and my online shopping addiction, even.
I love summer, and dresses, and flip flops, and tanned skin, and coconut smell.
I love chocoate chip ice cream.
I love planning vacations, and going on vacation.
I love swimming in the ocean.
I love sleeping with the balcony doors open, listening to the waves.
I love my awesome friends.
I love reading a good book and knowing when it's finished, another one is waiting for me to start.
I love Gale. (Why, Katniss, why?)
I love the many incredible people I've met because of blogging.
I love funny peoople who make me laugh.
I love 80's movies.
I love many, many movies, actually.
I love music to my core.

I love a lot of things, too many to list here, but you get the idea. "When I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favourite things, and then I don't feel... so bad."

What do you love?

Changes

Change. It's the one thing that is always certain, and it's the one thing I hate the most. That, and waiting. I have no patience, you see. I'm constantly begging my boys to HURRY UP, and well... they never listen.

I don't like change, especially when I don't want it, and especially when I'm not ready for it. I like when things go according to plan. My plan. However, as we all know, change happens, and we have to deal. Roll with it. Accept it. Move on. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end, right?

The end of high school was brutal for me. Depressing. Of course, summer was a blast, and high school was a distant memory once university began. Once university was over? Brutal. Depressing. And then, well, you move on, you adapt, and the memories (amazing, foggy, hilarious, wonderful) replace the sadness. And on and on it goes...  each milestone my children reached was met with applause and tears from me. Change... not my favourite thing.

Sometimes change can take you by surprise, too. My secure job in the government is not so secure anymore, due to the budget cuts everyone is now dealing with. If you thought federal government employees were safe for life? Yeah... not so much anymore. What does this mean for me? I have to re-apply for my job along with a couple of other colleagues, (super fun times) and one of us will be laid off. In the very official meeting when we were given this scary news, we were told that one of us could volunteer to be the one to be laid off.

Of course at that point all I wanted to do was stand up and yell: "I VOLUNTEER FOR TRIBUTE!" but sadly, I'm too conservative in the workplace for those types of shenanigans. I did, however, say: "Let me play the lottery at lunchtime, and if I win millions, I'll get back to you."

If I'm laid off, (chances are very high this will happen) I'll have months to find another job, so I'm optimistic, and hopeful. I believe change can be a good thing, when it comes to work. It can be a great thing, actually. There will always be another opportunity. Yes, there is more stress in my life (to say the least) because of this situation, but perhaps... it's a blessing in disguise?

Meantime, in two weeks I'll be putting on my best heels for one of my best friend's weddings, and in three weeks, I'll be boarding a plane to Miami for Mom 2.0. I'm so pumped to be attending this conference, and to see so many amazing women and friends. And yes, I'm still dealing with mommy guilt, and I'm likely going to miss the party at the Versace mansion because three entire nights away from my boys is really hard on me. I know my boys will be fine, it's me I'm worried about. I know when they're older three nights will be easier to deal with, but right now? I'm not so sure. Maybe if I didn't work full-time leaving would be easier, because then I could say I deserved a break.

In other news, big C and little D are doing great, and growing right before my eyes. I am on a mission to find that pause button, yo! They're constantly asking me questions I don't have the answers to, and when they're not, they're making me laugh, as they always do.

Life is busy, with, well, everything... house stuff, school stuff, after-school stuff, family stuff, friends stuff, life stuff, hosting jewelry parties, (and stocking up on summer accessories!) celebrating Greek Easter, blogging about the Michael Kors event, and hosting giveaways on my shopping blog.

I've got no complaints, despite the fact that I sleep five hours a night. Busy is good. I'd still like to find a few more hours in the day to get it all done, and to find that balance I keep trying to find, and to finally get caught up with all my favourite blogs I just haven't had the time to read lately. I miss you! And you. And you.

Bully

Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more.

As a mom, I worry a lot about my children. It seems the worrying doesn't go away, ever. I remember when I was a new mom I thought sleepness nights and constant diaper changes were going to be the hardest part of motherhood. As my children grow, I realize that each stage brings new challenges.

My oldest son is in grade one, and he loves school. He has great friends, wonderful teachers, and happily looks forward to school every day. I literally have to drag him home after school, after he's played with friends on the school yard for almost an hour every day. It is wonderful to see his innocence and happiness, and I hope it will always be this good for him, and for my youngest son. I'm sure they'll have rough patches like all children do throughout their childhood and teenage years, but I pray that they never experience being bullied.

When I was in middle school, I was bullied. I was beat up pretty bad, and thrown up against a locker. When I finally made it home, I burst into tears as soon as I saw my mom. The next day, we were in the principal's office along with a police officer and the person who had attacked me. Looking back, I appreciate that the situation was taken seriously, and I am thankful my parents were there for me to make sure something like that never happened again. As a mom, I cannot imagine something like that happening to either one of my children.

Today, the bullying situation has escalated and millions of kids are bullied every day. The results are often devastating. I am hoping things change, quickly. We need to help teach our children that it's never okay to be mean to another child. On any level. And if our children are bullied, we need to be there for them. And we need to be loud.

I recently watched the trailer for the new movie Bully, and it brought me to tears. Knowing there are kids who take their lives because they've been that badly hurt by someone bullying them makes me livid, and every time I hear of a child suffering because they're being treated badly, it makes me want to scream.

Bully follows five kids over the course of a school year, and shows some very tragic outcomes, including the stories of two families who have lost children to suicide, and another mother waiting to find out the fate of her 14 year old daughter who is jailed after bringing a gun on a school bus. Throughout the film you'll also see how children behave in the classroom, in the cafeteria, and on the school bus. It's a hard film to watch, but it's worth watching.

 Here is the official trailer:



Bully is now in select theatres. I'll be watching. And I can only hope this film sheds even more light on this major issue.

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. Find showings in your area for The Bully Project and buy tickets here.

Catching Up

Jumping back into blogging can sometimes be as hard as trying to find the perfect time to jump into a game of double dutch. I haven't blogged in a while, and I miss it. I miss reading blogs, and I miss writing. You guys, I need more time. Perhaps less time on Twitter would help, but only a little bit. I need like, 24 hours more a day to get it all done. Balance? I don't have it. So here it is. A random post, because there is so much to say.

My boys were sick, and as soon as they were on the mend, I got sick. I had a high fever that lasted one week. I visited my doctor, slept all day, had blood work and an ECG done, was seen in the ER, and broke out in a huge rash. Boy, that was fun. And then? I got an eye infection that resulted in me rushing to the Eye Institute for an emergency appointment. Of course, being sick meant I couldn't go to work, so when I was well enough to return to my job, I had a lot of catching up to do. Which means I had even less time to do the things I love, like blogging. And of course, on top of working full-time and playing catch up with everything, I had a million things to do around the house, and most important of all, spending a lot of quality time with my boys. I don't get computer time when my children are awake, because as a mom two active boys, it's impossible to even go to the bathroom alone. But, the good news? I'm not sick anymore, except for a lingering cough that will likely go away in early 2013.

Things have been busy, with school, activities, homework, parties, swimming lessons and did I mention homework? I also attended an afternoon tea at the home of the US Ambassaror with our Prime Minister's wife with my mom and sister for a special Red Cross event, and then I went to Toronto for the weekend for a best friend's bachelorette party.

A weekend getaway in an amazing city, in a fabulous hotel, with my best friends since childhood? Just what the doctor ordered! I was still sick, but couldn't give up the chance to celebrate with my closest friends. The Marriott Bloor Yorkville welcomed me back (remember they treated me to two fabulous nights for my birthday weekend last year?) and they took amazing care of my friends and I. The location, the service, and the rooms were perfection, and it's my favourite hotel to stay at when I'm in Toronto. Our weekend away could not have been more fun or memorable. I didn't even have time to shop and I'm totally okay with that.

Let's shift gears and talk about The Hunger Games, shall we?  I read the books in three days, which is less time than it took me to read the Twilight series, but only by like, a day. And I saw the movie. And you guys? I loved it. SO MUCH. I'm totally going to be Katniss for Halloween. (How awesome was Jennifer Lawrence?) I didn't want the movie to end, and I can't believe I have to wait to see the next two movies. Grumble. It was so well done, and I think everyone was so well cast. The movie was almost exactly as I had pictured the books in my head. I have something else to say. A confession, if you will...

I'm Team Gale. I know. I'm sorry. I really tried to love Peeta, but even before I saw who was playing Gale and even before I saw the movie, I thought he was the one for Katniss. I don't want to give too much away here, because I know at least one person reading this who hasn't read all the books yet, but let's just say... Gale. Gale all the way. Peeta is too... I don't know. Lacking something. But Gale? He was always there for Katniss, when he could be. I totally think he loves her more. Totally. He's not lacking the something that Peeta is.

You know what I'm not lacking, though? I'm not lacking mommy guilt.

In one month, I'm going to be in Key Biscayne, Miami, for the  Mom 2.0 conference. And I'm thrilled to announce that Volkswagen, IKEA, Tommee Tippee and Kelloggs are my sponsors for this conference! I have so much more to say about these fabulous companies, but that'll come in a few upcoming posts. Mom 2.0 has fabulous speakers lined up, and amazing sessions, and I'm very excited to be attending. The cherry on top? A party at the Versace mansion in South Beach wraps up the conference on Saturday night. But. That would mean I'd have to be away from my children for THREE nights. And I missed them way too much when I was in San Diego for three nights during BlogHer last year. I know I'll miss them more than they'll miss me and I know I'll regret not going to a party in THE Versace mansion, but... mommy guilt. Every year when I'm in Miami, I take pictures outside the Versace mansion, and now I have a chance to walk through the front doors. What's a girl to do? Why can't I have a money tree in my backyard so I can fly my entire family down to Florida with me so I don't have to miss them? Sigh.

What would you do?

A little bit of something

There is so much going on lately I don't even know where to begin. I think the most important thing to talk about is the one thing that has been on my mind more than anything else over the last couple of days. You know, the story that everyone has been talking about, because OH MY GOD REALLY? |At what age do you realise that it's just wrong... so wrong... so terribly wrong...

You know what I'm talking about, don't you?

Yup.

The capes. The weird, Eyes Wide Shut capes that Courtney and Lindzi wore on last night's episode of The Bachelor. God, I'm glad this season is over, because I couldn't bear to look at robotic, zero personality bad-haired Ben any longer.

In all seriousness, let's talk plagiarism. I learned it was wrong to steal other people's work years before I graduated from university. I mean, duh. This is something my boys, who are four and six years old, already know.

I have a hard time writing about a similar topic another blogger has written about unless I credit where I got the idea from. I used to have panic attacks when I would re-write news stories, wanting to make sure that the words I was writing were my own. Liz pretty much sums all I want to say about the topic, even though it's not a new post. Marinka, too. Funny, these two women also happen to be on my top ten list of favourite bloggers, often giving me inspiration with my blog. I support my blogging community and hate it when things get ugly. It's not that hard to do the right thing.

In other news, I haven't been online much because my children have been sick with a never-ending virus and high fevers. A week long fever in either one of my children causes my 'normal' (read: ridiculously high) level of anxiety to reach another level altogether, and night time with sick children means that the hours will move slower than dripping molasses.

I've also been busy with something else. I've been busy drawing pictures. Draw Something is my newest addiction. Admit it. You're totally obsessed with this game, too, aren't you?  I have accepted the fact that my drawing skills are nothing like my professional artist of a mother. No, my skills are the same as they were when I was oh, seven years old. That's pretty much where my math skills have stayed, too. Showing these pictures to you is nowhere near as embarrasing as it was when I showed you my most horrific childhood pictures. That was a really hard post to publish!

Even though I'm not a gifted artist, I don't think my drawings are that bad... right?

I'll return to the regular world of blogging as soon as I can stop trying to collect coins so I can buy new colours and more bombs. Peace out!

Fear 2.0

I have major fears.

Things that used to mildy scare me now completely freak me out.

I used to ski all the time, and even though I was always scared of crashing into a tree and dying, I did it. I liked the ski outfits, goggles, and hanging out in the chalet, okay? And actually, I liked skiing, too, even though once I accidentally made a wrong turn down a double black diamond hill. It took me all day to get down that hill on my behind, but I did it.

I went white water rafting when the rapids were at a level 4, and although at first I didn't even know I'd get wet once I was in the boat (ha!) I did it, and even fell OUT of the boat twice, but I did it, and I won the prize for "most entertaining" afterwards.

I went snow tubing, for crying out loud, when I was 19. I sat in an inner tube and propelled down an icy steep ski hill at top speed. I'm pretty sure I had a mild heart attack that night, but I don't remember because I drank so much afterwards so as to numb my state of fear. But, I did it. And now? I'd never. Ever. Sit in an inner tube again.

I got lost driving in Inglewood (Inglewood, Inglewood, always up to no good..) when I was in L.A. but hey, I didn't get shot, and I even made my friend take a picture of my "Oh, my God, I'm lost in Ingleewood what what" face to have as a memory. Remind me to show you one day.

I survived almost getting kidnapped in a taxi in Greece one summer, rode a jet ski in the middle of the Mediterranean sea and survived a strange man playing with my hair on the subway at 5 a.m. after a night of partying in Queen's, New York, one weekend.

Now that I'm a mom the fear I have is on a whole other level.

However, the fear of snow tubing or white water rafting doesn't have to exist for me anymore because I'm unlikely to do these types of activities again. No, I'm a responsible mom now, (for the most part) and I won't put myself in these types of situations anymore.

I can control whether or not I sit in an inner tube again, but you know what I cannot control?

All the other things that scare me to death.

You know, things like the end of the world.

There's also something else that scares me. Solar storms. And today, we're getting hit hard.

"The largest solar storm in five years is racing toward Earth, threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids, GPS and airplane flights." No, CBC News, that didn't freak me out at all.

Actually, yeah, it did. What the what is happening today?

"The sun erupted Tuesday evening, and the effects should start smacking Earth between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. EST Thursday, according to forecasters at the federal government's Space Weather Prediction Center. They say the storm, which started with a massive solar flare, is growing as it speeds outward from the sun."

Okay, so?

It's a big event, the experts say, but not like, extreme. So, we have nothing to worry about, right? Except for the fact that, as one NASA solar physicist said, "It could give us a bit of a jolt."

In 1989, six million people in Quebec (that's like, my backyard) lost power after a solar storm knocked out the power grid. I will completely lose my mind if we lose power tonight.

And there could be GPS outages, so good luck to those of us who always get lost.

There could also be communication problems and added radiation around the north and south poles, which is forcing airlines to reroute flights. Thank GOD I am not boarding a plane today, because oh my goodness, you wouldn't want to be sitting next to me, even in my Ativan state.

No matter what happens today, know that I love you and also? Thank God for our iphones. Those will still work, right?

The Songs That Define Me

I used to think I had nothing in common with Einstein. He was a brilliant man who changed the world, the man who invented E=mc². Don't ask me to explain what that means, because I don't even know how to do long division. Einstein and I, we are not similar people. But. I once read something he said, and it made perfect sense to me. He was finally speaking my language.

“If I were not a physicist," Einstein said, "I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”

Bang on, Einstein. Bang on. I, too, often think of my life in music, even though I can't play an instrument well, unless you count the two years I played the violin in middle school, or the several years I spent playing the guitar. Oh, and let's not talk about my voice; Adele, I am not.

However, music is in me. It moves me. Whenever I watch a movie with a good soundtrack, I get chills. I have dreams of being the person who gets to select what songs get placed in certain parts of movies. What is a good movie without a memorable soundtrack, after all? Yes, music is a huge part of my life, and has been for as long as I can remember.

Songs can lift you up, they can turn almost any bad situation good, and they can make you feel wonderful. Music gets me through a killer spinning class, music can get me through a bad day, and music can make road trips with friends incredibly, stupidly, fun.

Certain songs can bring back memories as if they took place yesterday.

Some songs make me feel like I'm 12 again, some songs I can't listen to because they're too painful, some songs make me burst into tears no matter how many times I hear them and other songs make me want to roll my windows down so everyone can hear the! most! amazing! song! on! earth!

Of course, the most amazing song on earth changes on a weekly basis for me, but trust me, I have good taste. I can't possibly fit all the songs that are meaningful to me in one post, but I'm going to highlight the most important songs that bring back all sorts of memories, memories that came flooding back after I read Ali's post.

These are the songs that take me back. They take me back to my childhood, to vacations in Greece, to summer camp, to high school, to middle school dances, to heartbreak, to friendship, to loss, to laughter, to crazy butterflies, to tears stained on my pillow, to my yellow Sony walkman, and to everything in between. These songs will always be unforgettable to me.

In no particular order, here are the songs that define who I am:

Yesterday - The Beatles
True Blue - Madonna
I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany
Into The Groove - Madonna
How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
Music - Madonna
Lost Together - Blue Rodeo
Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Riders
Hotel California - The Eagles
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - Wham
Refuge - Tom Petty
Games Without Frontiers - Peter Gabriel
If You Leave - OMD
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy
Wasted Time - The Eagles
Policy of Truth - Depeche Mode
Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
I'm On Fire - Bruce Springsteen
I Drove All Night - Cyndi Lauper
Sabotage - Beastie Boys
Wild Thing - Tone Loc
Blister In The Sun - Violent Femmes
Being Boring - Pet Shop Boys
Still D.R.E. - Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Piano Man - Billy Joel
American Pie - Don McLean
I Think It's Gonna Rain Today - Bette Midler
Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith
All That She Wants - Ace of Bace
Take My Breath Away - Berlin
Escape - Enrique Iglesias
Second Hand News - Fleetwood Mac
Because I Love You - Stevie B
I've Had The Time Of My Life - Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
Hangin' Tough - New Kids On The Block
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Let Your Backbone Slide - Maestro Fresh Wes
Groovy Kind Of Love - Phil Collins
Red, Red Wine - UB40
With Or Without You - U2
Paranoid - Black Sabbath
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel (Lloyd Dobler. Say Anything. That scene.)
Graduation Day - Vitamin C
Patience - Guns N' Roses
At Last - Etta James
Angie - The Rolling Stones

These are the songs that define me. There is a story that goes with each one of these songs. These songs will always be special to me.

What are the songs that move you? What songs define you, and what songs make up the soundtrack to your life?

"The good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
Bob Marley

The Oscars: In Summary

When I interned at Entertainment Tonight in Hollywood, California, I got the chance to see dozens of Oscars up close and personal. I never actually touched any of the hard little golden men, but I got closer than I ever imagined I would.

Being on the Paramount lot was a dream turned into reality for me, a young girl fascinated with the news and entertainment world. Fresh out of university, I went to Los Angeles and lived in a hostel with my friend until I chose to leave early to accept a job offer back home. I repeat: I stayed. In. A. Hostel. Shudder.

The Academy Awards have always been a special night, despite the fact that since becoming a mom I've only seen like, half the nominated films for Best Picture, year after year. Still. I wouldn't miss The Oscars for anything. Except maybe a trip to Paris.

Miraculously, I put my children to bed at 8 p.m. so I was able to watch funny man Billy Crystal host the Oscars for ninth time. I'm so glad he was back, because James Franco and Anne Hathaway last year were... let's just say... a weird combination with zero chemistry.

I'm still trying to figure out what the biggest story of the night was: Billy Crystal and his Botox? Or the fact that Christopher Walken and Billy Crystal are, in fact, twins separated at birth? Jennifer Lopez and her accidental nipple? Or Sandra Bullock wearing a dress that was too horrible to even define? There were some laughs, but overall, it wasn't the most exciting Oscars ever.

Here's what I thought about the 84th Annual Academy Awards: Who looked hot, who did not, and everything in between.

Best Dressed, from the waist up: Michelle Williams, in a coral Louis Vuitton dress.

It's all a big DO for the most part, but those ruffles do nothing for her. Or that dress.

Stunning in white: Rooney Mara, aka The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, in Givenchy. (Also, she's my biggest crush right now.)



Most likely to be mistaken for a Greek Goddess: Gwyneth Paltrow, also gorgeous in white.



Scariest arms: Angelina Jolie. Enough said.



Weirdest pose: Again, Angelina. Please see Jennifer Aniston for tips on wearing a black dress with a sexy thigh slit.

Most in need of a hair-cut: Brad Pitt.



Most in need of a woman shorter than himself: George Clooney.


Tighest ponytail or is it Botox: Sandra Bullock



Best in Gucci: Cameron Diaz



Overall best dressed and most beautiful: Natalie Portman



Confident lady in red: Emma Stone



Best beard: Sacha Baron Cohen



Lovely in lilac: Penelope Cruz



Flawless funny lady: Tina Fey



Most unoriginal: Jennifer Lopez.



Couldn't take my eyes off of: Ellie Kemper



Actors I've met who were in attendance at the Academy Awards: Pharrell and Mario.





Best dressed Greek (after Tina Fey): Maria Menounos



Honourable mention, just because he's an awesome Greek: Zach Galifianakis

Best hair and shoes: Miss Piggy



Miss Piggy is wearing a dress by Zac Posen and shoes by Christian Louboutin. I'm totally jealous!

As for the actual winners, well, out of the nine films nominated for Best Picture, I have only seen two: The Help and Moneyball. The person I wanted to win the most was Rooney Mara for her amazing role in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but the always incredible Meryl Streep took home her third (really, only third?) Oscar for Best Actress, and well, Meryl is in a league of her own. She is glamorous, beautiful, classy, and talented, beyond beyond.

Best Actor went to Jean Dujardin, and The Artist won Best Picture. Guess I'll be seeing that in theatres soon!

Who did you think deserved to take home an Oscar last night?
Did you agree with the winners?
Who did you think was Best Dressed?
What was your favourite movie this year?

On being a scary mommy

A few years ago, I took my children to Washington, D.C (crazily, without my husband) to visit family and to show my boys where I worked when I interned at CBS TV. Not that they had much interest in the building itself, but Wisconsin Avenue will always hold a special place in my heart. Travelling solo with my boys was an awesome accomplishment, and the vacation was memorable, despite the fact that I was a nervous wreck flying alone with two children.

On the agenda? Meet Jill, one of my favourite bloggers. Through emails we tried to plan the perfect night out - drinks? Dinner? Both? Of course, with five children between us, that wasn't going to happen. We settled on meeting at the Barnes and Nobles in Bethesda. I recognised Jill's famous curls as I crossed the street with my boys in their Maclaren double stroller, and her adorable youngest son and my boys quickly hit it off.


They started playing in the waterfall outside, while Jill and I sat on the bench and caught up like old friends. We took our party of kids indoors where they continued to play, and we continued to talk, until a temper tantrum (my kid? hers?) stopped our conversation a couple of hours later. We hugged good-bye,and I made plans to go to BlogHer 2010 in New York City. Meeting a blogger in real life wasn't that scary, after all!


Jill has always been one of my favourite bloggers, because her posts are honest, relatable, and hilarious. YES! I want to scream in agreement, when I read what she writes about raising children. It's comforting knowing I'm not the only one who thinks a swear word uttered here or there is no big f*cking deal, and I'm in full agreement when she says "It's the dirty little secret of new motherhood that nobody tells you: Newborns are a breeze. Just wait until you have a three-year-old and you'll kill for those early days." So very true. But don't tell anyone who doesn't have kids yet, okay?

Jill and I hung out at BlogHer in NYC and and we spent more time together last year at BlogHer in San Diego, too. That's when I found out she was going to be a published author. I am pretty sure all of San Diego heard my SQUEE when I heard the news that she was approached to write her book about motherhood. Who better to write a book like this, I thought, than the Scary Mommy herself?







Two days ago, I tore into the envelope that contained Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and IrreverentLook At Motherhood—The Good, The Bad, and The Scary.

I brought the book with me to my son's swimming lessons, and started reading the Acknowledgements first. I saw my name listed among other bloggers I adore, and I got a little teary.

For two years now, the parenting book I've been trying to write has stayed approximately three chapters long. I am nothing if not a procrastinator. An excellent one, at that.

Jill has turned her words into a book, and accomplished one heck of a goal. Her book is for all moms, written from a mother, the true expert on parenthood. Every chapter is easy to relate to. And comforting. I'm buying a few copies for my best friends, those who are currently pregnant, and those who are already moms. It's well worth the read, and I couldn't put it down.

Motherhood is not all sunshine and roses. Motherhood is full of cloudy skies and muddy days, too. Being a mom is scary. And I'm so glad I have a book to keep near me when I need a good laugh, or when I need to be reminded that we're all in the same club. It'll also serve as a good reminder that dreams do come true.

I'm happily giving away a copy of this book, too, to one of my fabulous readers. Just leave me a comment below telling me what makes you a scary mommy! I'll pick a winner randomly on February 29th. Contest open to U.S. and Canadian residents.

Good Luck!

Oh, and I am also giving away the awesome LG Optimus LTE smartphone, too! Enter here.

Happenings

Life is busy. Sometimes overwhelmingly so. Being a mom is a constant job, and having a full-time job on top of everything else? Might as well throw the word balance out the window. But, busy is good, for the most part, despite the lack of sleep and constantly being on the go. I do wish life came with a pause button, though. These moments with my boys are precious, all of them. And time passes too quickly, it's almost scary.

The days I can drop the boys off at school and pick them up are extra moments with them that I'm grateful for. Conversations in the car, extra hugs on the playground, and big smiles when they see me at the end of their day make my heart skip a beat. I wish my schedule would allow me to do drop-off and pick-up everyday. It's something I'm working on.

Blogging has slowed down a bit for me, because I can't turn the computer on when I'm home and my children are awake. If there are distractions, I might miss things like: "Mommy, I don't want to go to university or get married because I want to stay with you forever!" from my little four year old. Yes, he and his brother melt my heart on a daily basis.



I love blogging because I'm able to share stories here with my readers about the joys and struggles about motherhood. I also love the people I've met through blogging, and the opportunities I have been given.

This past long weekend, I hung out with some of my favourite online friends, people who inspire me, and people I admire for the work they do and the words they write. I attended a reception hosted by Kathy Buckworth with my mom along with other Ottawa bloggers to meet David Chilton - The Wealthy Barber. He was amazing to meet in person, and to hear him speak was incredible. I have actually been reading his book, and reading a book on being financially responsible is not like me at all. He makes it fun, though. Did I mention David is a stand-up comedian? He was hilarious, and I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time. Note to self: Stalk David until he agrees to meet with me for an interview!

Some of my favourite Canadian bloggers with Yummy Mummy Club were in town this past weekend, too, celebrating Winterlude. I attended as many (indoor) events as I could, and I got to hug Erica, Ali, Connie, Sharon and Kat again.







Conversations and laughs with these fabulous ladies are always so nice, but never long enough. Hanging out with bloggers I adore always makes me smile.

Monday was a holiday, and I spent it with my boys and hosted a really fun family event at Old Navy. Hosting an event in a store that I love shopping in? Totally my thing. I had a blast, the music was awesome, and the kids didn't want to leave.



Normally my kids are the ones screaming when they come into contact with a shopping mall, but this was the exception. There was a cookie and juice bar, and a table full of fun crafts. I loved hosting Old Navy's Funnovation Imaginarium, and can't wait for the next opportunity.





Yes, life is busy, but life is full, and I'm okay with that. Busy is hard, but busy is good. Even if I haven't figured out how to do it all, and likely never will, I'm taking things at my own pace. And enjoying the experiences I have been blessed to have. If I could get a few more hours of a sleep a night, though? That would be awesome. Any tips on how to manage that?