OOTN Girls' Night In

Went over to a girl friend's house Saturday night for a wonderful night of great food, wine and company. It's a good thing I wore a nice roomy blouse - there was yummy cannelloni and chocolate fondue! Woohee.

Good hair night!

Anthro Bianka Blouse, F21 Skinnies, Franco Sarto Boots

 It's nice to get a little dressed up but still be comfortable. Hot topic last night - Elizabeth Gilbert's Committed. I didn't particularly enjoy reading Eat, Pray, Love (although I enjoy the movie).  Committed is a compelling read for anyone considering marriage, engaged, married, divorced, what have you.

I am really enjoying Anne Hathaway and James Franco hosting the Oscars. They have great chemistry.
Not really digging Anne's big hair extension thingies, though. I had mixed feelings about True Grit, but Hailee Steinfeld - how fresh and pretty is she?! How age appropriate, gasp!

Seasons: A children's book for adults

In college, I started to collect children's books, mostly for the beautiful images and the simple words that accompanied them.  It's been really wonderful to share some of these books with my son. Today I stayed home from work so that N could recover from his fever. Poor little guy, he's been so sick since he started daycare almost a year ago, but they say this helps to build immunity. It's hard to find things to do with my little ball of energy when it's freezing cold outside. Fortunately, there are countless stores we can visit, including an independent bookstore and two local toy stores, all within walking distance.

Whenever we visit the toy store, we always stop outside and have our little talk: "We can play and look with the toys, but we are not buying anything". N is an only child and probably will remain an only child, so it's a constant struggle for us (especially me) to not overindulge him. He did a great job and left without anything and didn't throw a fit when we left the store. But Mama managed to pick up something at the toy store. Seasons (Enchanted Lion Books) is a collection of amazing prints. Truly inspiring. Reminds me that I should make time to dust off the old Gocco press.

 

Thankful for . . .

This was a challenging week professionally. There were a couple  of weepy days and taking off early from work. I work with youth ages to 11-20 in an after school program. Many of the youth call me "Ma". I'm the only parent on staff, although I suppose my colleagues and I consider all the youth we serve, our children. I have always been bossy/maternal by nature- to my friends, students, everyone I know. Some like it and some don't. I think this tendency to mother hen other people has increased now that I'm actually a mother. 

Youth don't always know to make the best choices. In my line of work, we don't tell young people what to do - they have plenty of adults who do that, for better or for worse. As adults in their lives, we try to help youth make informed decisions. That is why when adult volunteers who clearly know about boundaries, decide that it is a good idea to go over to a teen's (minor) house on Valentine's Day while the teen's parents are out of town . . . . I cry. I do that when I am sad and angry. Sometimes I wish I could leave my work at work. But can anyone really do that?

So it's been a tough week, but I'm thankful for so much. The young woman is mad at us for making a big deal out of her hanging out with a "cool guy," but she knows we love and care about her.  My son knows that he is loved and cared for. That is why today he was able to have his first full day of preschool and not react like the world caved in around him. What a sweet, brave and alive, young heart he is.

I am thankful for an awesome husband who is even more awesome on commercial holidays.

I have never gotten flowers delivered at work before. Nice and also embarassing.

I am thankful for a closet full of pretty clothes (bad pic, but cute dress).

Anthro First Whisperings Dress, EmersonMade Belt

Being able to visit an outdoor bookstore on a spring-like day during my lunch break.

A Friday night in a quiet house - with my guilty pleasures - fashion mags (what the hell is Miley Cyrus doing on the cover of Marie Claire?!), a glass of cava, and a few squares of Vosges chocolate (with ancho chiles for a kick).

On Sunday, I am going out for brunch with a new friend I met taking the T. Who knew, that on my rushed morning commutes with a cranky toddler, sweating buckets and cursing the decrepit MBTA, that I would make a new friend (one with FOUR girls, under the age of 7)? Very excited.

Cheers.

 

The clutter in the background always looks less bad after a glass of sparkly.

In a matter of months

1. I'll be able to wear a summer tea party dress with bare arms.

Anthropologie dress

2. Walk into my backyard and see and smell these.

3. And eat these, sun-ripened, straight from the backyard.

4. Drive up to New Hampshire and dip in this.

 More snow is coming. Le sigh.

You and I were meant to be

In my power visit (driven, brief and focused) visit to Anthro after work tonight, I found these lovelies, all by their lonesome.

Raines Heels

I paid $128. 89.95. I was re-united with these lovelies for 39.95! The funny thing is they were the very same pair I returned, because at 89.95, it was still too rich for my blood. Mmhhmm. Reunited and it feels so good. Now why I think I can walk in 4 inch heels is beyond me. But as my good friend E said, I have "plenty of house" to practice walking in them. When I fall flat on my face, I'll look silly as hell, but at least kinda cute doing it. They'll be hiding for a while unfortunately as we continue to get hit with shit weather.

In more meaningful news, N is learning to dress himself. He did not succeed in getting the button through the button hole, but he wanted to "do dit". 

Now he and I, we were meant to be.