The Long Chalkboard

Ever since I had my baby, I haven't found time to read very many books. When he was first born, I pretty much just read parenting books while I tried to figure out what I was supposed to do with a new infant. Now, with my son finding new ways to create mischief, just looking at a book makes my brain feel fried and I usually end up just going to bed. Lately, my interaction with books has consisted of going to the library with my son and watching him tear everything from the shelves while I patiently try to read to him. I have piles of books at home waiting to be read and it's only getting bigger. What to do, what to do...

Last night, I was staring at the bookshelf as I often do when I want to read but am too tired to. Then I saw it - the perfect book to get me reading again. It was The Long Chalkboard and Other Stories, a book that I'd read a couple of years ago, a book that is simple, yet at the same time stimulating. In other words, when you're exhausted it won't fry your brain. I picked it up and read it immediately. Written by Jenny Allen, it's almost like a graphic novel; the illustrations by Jules Feiffer remind me of The New Yorker cartoons. The book is a collection of three short stories that are kind of like bedtime stories for adults. They are bittersweet, intelligent tales that are simplistic on the outside, but also have deeper meanings and make you think. It's also extremely witty, complete with quirky characters. Needless to say, I felt great after reading them and I now feel one step closer to reading on a regular basis. I definitely recommend this charming book of tales - maybe you could even have somebody read them to you at bedtime!

Blog Makeover

Okay, I've been thinking lately that my blog could use a makeover. For starters, a new,interesting header would be good and might spice things up a little. Unfortunately, I'm still learning the ways of blogging, designs and what not, so it may be a while before that happens. I just found out about this website, The Trendy Mommy Blog Designs and they are giving away five free blog makeovers to five lucky winners! Visit their website to enter the contest but you have to hurry - it ends tonight at midnight. In case I don't win, does anyone have any good makeover ideas for me?

Happy Birthday Clubs

Since it's my birthday today, I thought that I would tell you about some Birthday Clubs so that you can have more fun on your special day! The first one I'm signed up for is Coldstone Creamery. I love their ice cream! Join the club for a free "Creation" in honor of your birthday.

Join Baskin-Robbins' birthday club for a free 2.5 scoop of ice cream. I'll be going here tonight!

You can get a free burger on your birthday at Red Robin for joining their e-club. Free food is always a reason to celebrate!

Sign your kids up for Geoffrey's Birthday Club at Toys R Us. Your child will receive a birthday card and surprise gift in time for their birthday.

For kids 10 and under, mail or fax an application for the birthday club at Denny's. They'll get a free kid's meal and sundae.

Do you know any other good birthday clubs? How do you like to celebrate your birthday?

Puzzles For A Rainy Day

It's another rainy day here and so I thought I'd share some puzzles with you. Sometimes, when life gets hectic, I like to just sit down, relax, and do a puzzle. It always feels good to accomplish something and also to challenge my brain once in a while! Today is one of those days where I need to regroup and refresh my mind.

I love to play Sudoku. In this game, you need to enter the numbers 1-9 into each empty space. Each row, each column, and each 3x3 square can only contain one of each number. It's fun, addictive and you don't need to be good at math (which I like!)

Here's one I just discovered yesterday - it's called Futoshiki, or "Son of Sudoku." Every row and column must contain the numbers 1-4 (or 1-5 as I've seen in some cases) and again they can only contain each number once. The puzzle also has "greater-than" and "less-than" symbols that you must obey. This one is really hard!

Crossword puzzles can be rewarding, but I'm no good at them so I never bother to fill them in. However, I found a website that lets you create your own, so now I can have fun with them too. Go here to start creating. Also, if you haven't seen the movie Wordplay you totally should. It's fascinating!

What are some of your favorite games or puzzles for a rainy day?

It's Larry the Lion!

When I found this lion, I just had to share my excitement. "Larry" is made by Lamaze Toys but is unfortunately no longer available on their website. My son absolutely loves this toy - every Sunday at Church he steals it from his baby friend and refuses to give it back. He's fascinated with it. I think it might have something to do with the fact that it's big and yellow. Anyway, that's why I wanted to find one for him but whenever I looked it was always sold out or out of stock. Today I finally found it online and I'm so excited to receive it...and perhaps there will be a little more peace and quiet around here!

Souplantation

I love Souplantation! I've always been skeptical of "all you can eat" buffet restaurants because even though they are kid-friendly and you get to eat a lot of food, they have never left a good impression on me. They're usually crowded, with food that's been sitting out for too long, and even though I can eat as much as I want to I never do. I'm left with a bad taste in my mouth, quite literally. So when we got an invitation to go out to Souplantation with friends, I reluctantly agreed. To my surprise, I was so impressed with the restaurant that my husband and I now look forward to going once a month.

First of all, the food is GREAT. We're talking fresh salads of every kind, a variety of made-from-scratch soups, a choice of healthy pasta, and delicious baked goods. Throw in some fresh fruit and some ice cream for dessert and we're good to go. For less than ten dollars per person, it can't be beat. It is also incredibly kid-friendly and has a pleasant staff. They usually will bring you free cookies and offer to refill your drinks. Even though the restaurant can get pretty crowded, they are super efficient and you never have to wait in line for very long. The tables are appropriately spaced so that when there are a lot of people eating, you still feel like you have your own private family space. My baby loves it too - he likes to chill out in his high chair and observe all the different families...it keeps him entertained the whole time! The restaurant never gets old because every month they have a different theme where they create special menu items (this month the theme is "Flavors of Mardi Gras".) This is one buffet where I always go back for more!

Have you eaten at Souplantation? What are some of your favorite kid-friendly restaurants?

The Ultimate Blog Party

Wanna come party with me? 5 Minutes for Mom is hosting their Ultimate Blog Party on March 7-14, 2008. Check out their website for details. This will be my first time attending, but apparently it's a lot of fun because you get to meet new people, get your blog noticed and maybe win some prizes! Everyone's invited, so hope to see you all there!

The Best Croissants + Some Really Awesome Sponges

Last night I was feeling rather chilly and so I decided that I would prepare some croissants for the next day's breakfast. I recently splurged on a box of croissants from Williams-Sonoma (okay, I used a gift card but still...) Let me just say that next time I WILL actually splurge because they really are that good.

After letting them rise overnight, I woke up to a dreary scene (aside from the screaming baby.) It was cold and looked like it was going to rain, but then I remembered the croissants and ran off to go bake them. A warm, buttery aroma filled the air and I felt instant comfort. The croissants themselves were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with just the right amount of "flakiness." I added a bit of apricot jam and it was ultimate perfection. I felt like I was living the life in France at a gourmet patisserie.

Something else that I love from Williams-Sonoma are the Pop-Up Sponges. They are a breeze to clean with, especially for someone like me who hand washes all the dishes. The best thing about them is that they come as a compressed, flat rectangle and literally "pop up" the first time you dunk them in water. They remind me of those fun bath toys I used to have growing up. They're also super durable and last a really long time.

Cirque du Soleil

This weekend my husband and I attended "Corteo" by Cirque du Soleil. It was absolutely breathtaking. For those of you who have never seen a Cirque du Soleil show, they are incredible and you should definitely go see one if you have an opportunity. Basically it's a theatrical show which combines the art of the circus with elements of the street, dance, live music, and humor. It's a nice, refreshing change from the traditional circus and best of all there are no scary clowns!

"Corteo" is the fifth Cirque du Soleil production that we've seen - my favorite is still "La Nouba" in Disneyworld but this one came close. It had everything - amazing artistry, unbelievable acrobatics, catchy music, bright, colorful costumes and wonderful humor. Cirque du Soleil is a great show to take your kids to (although I think they have to be age five and up). If you can't make it to one of the live performances, you could watch it on DVD but it's not really the same experience. Check out the collection of DVDs here. Even though tickets are pricey, it is worth every penny so go and see it!

Baby Cover Model!

Ever wanted to see your baby as a cover model? Well, now you can star your little one on your very own cover of Parenting magazine! All you need to do is go here and you're on your way. You'll be able to turn that adorable digital pic into a gorgeous Parenting cover in no time at all. Add your own cover lines, greeting, then email your creation to family and friends. You can create as many covers as you like (I went a little crazy) and best of all, it's free. Have fun!

Chinese New Year

Gung Hei Fat Choy! As a kid, I always looked forward to Chinese New Year. It was that time of year when I got "lucky money" (lai see) in red envelopes and ate out at nice Chinese restaurants. There are other New Year traditions, but that's pretty much all we did - the money and the food. What kid wouldn't love that? I also enjoyed the parades in Chinatown with the colorful dragons and lively music. I'm excited to pass on these traditions to my son when he gets older. Happy New Year, everyone!

This Chinese New Year is the year of the Rat. If you don't know your Chinese zodiac sign, look it up here.

Baby Loves Disco

Here's an event that sounds like great fun: Baby Loves Disco, an afternoon dance party at a real club for you to enjoy with your baby! Complete with live djs, bubble machines, healthy snacks and more, this seems like the perfect way to let loose and have some hip, quality time with your child. I like this quote from the website-"make no mistake, this is NOT the Mickey Mouse club, and Barney is banned." Sounds good to me! The party is held several times a year and takes place in over 21 cities. The website also has lots of interesting articles to read, and fun places to go specific to your city. Go check it out!

All You Magazine

I recently discovered a great magazine that really covers all the bases - it's called all you. I'm sure that all of us would like to think of ourselves as interesting people with a variety of interests. That said, all the magazines I peruse seemed to focus on one thing only. I could pick up one magazine that focused on fashion and beauty, another for food and health, one for home decorating and yet another one for parenting. I always found myself wishing that all of these topics could be covered under one magazine. Enter all you magazine...this one has it all. It's chock-full of beauty and parenting tips, yummy recipes, decorating ideas, inspirational articles about real people, and even crossword puzzles. There are also tons of manufacturer's coupons included, so that you can even save some money the next time you go shopping!

Another thing I love about the magazine is the lack of endless ads. It always frustrates me when a magazine seems to have twice as many ads as articles. This one keeps its ads to a minimum. You can also sign up to be a "Reality Checker", which gives you the opportunity to test new products for free and contribute your words and ideas to all you. Sign up here. The magazine is sold exclusively at Walmart or you can purchase a subscription at the all you website.