Sunday, April 14, 2013

Playing with Fashion



Lately, I have been scouring fashion blogs (especially Girl with Curves) trying to learn how to dress. It is amazing, how much of a difference it makes on my mood when I feel both confidant & well put together. I have also been taking risks, wearing tighter fitting clothing, pops of colour, & bold prints. In general, my new way of thinking about clothing is if I used to say "no I can't wear that" now it is "sure why not".


I love these shoes the stud detailing is just way too cute.


Girl With Curves

Friday, April 12, 2013

D.E.A.R. Bibliophilia


This week the boys school has been all about books, books, books, because it is Reading Week here in RI! I love reading & sharing that with my children is just one of the most cherished parts of our day. Which makes this week, one of the best weeks ever in my book!

The theme this year is Digging Deep: Unearth a Good Book, there were daily contests, activities like share your favourite book, wear your craziest hat, bring a favourite stuffie, & let's read at the beach. We also had a wonderful family literacy night at the school! We went on a New England trivia hunt, heard an amazing oral story teller, prizes were raffled (no, we didn't win we have zero raffle luck), ice cream was enjoyed, & every child went home with a new book.

The classrooms have had lots of guest readers & parents come in to visit. I was able to share one of my favourite stories with J-Bird's class: Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf. Nothing beats reading to a room full of young children. They are the best, & the questions they ask when you are done are just way too much fun.

The school is also doing D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) this week! Every day at 1:45 an announcement is made & all the students get to stop what they are doing to read from a book of their choice. National D.E.A.R. day is today (Happy Birthday to Beverly Cleary!). Make sure you remember to join in with your family, trust me you won't regret it.

Friday's theme was dress like a famous (or infamous) New Englander, it was SO specific & I was completely stumped. We checked out what our dress up trunk contained & discovered it was woefully lacking when it came to famous New Englander. We had lots of cowboy, super hero, Star Wars, fantasy, construction worker things, but NO famous historical New Englander things.  This did not go over well, & I refused to go buy anything new. We have our imaginations, a home full of things, & so the answer was no, I will not run out to buy something. That earned me the mean Ima award from both boys, oh well what can you do.

The boys really, really wanted to dress up though, so I thought about it, however by Thursday evening I was still completely ferhoodled. After I put the boys to bed last night, I realized that I was seriously over thinking it. My ideas were too big, I needed to think much smaller. The solution was name labels & button down shirts, so simple but very effective!

Johnny & Bobby



It was perfect, & even better after I dropped them off this morning I saw a tiny little Jackie walk in the front doors.

The Drop Everything and Read Program

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Playing Dress Up with Gwynnie Bee


My friend Kyrstel (owner of Army Wife 101) recently blogged about a clothing rental that caters to sizes 10 & up, called Gywnnie Bee. The best way to explain how Gywnnie Bee works is to compare it to Netflix, you pay a flat fee and you get to have a certain amount of wardrobe pieces sent to you. You can keep them for a while or send them back right away. You don't have to launder the clothing but they do include care instructions for each piece just in case you want too.  The really cool bit is right now they are offering a free 30 day trial! Since I am all about free I decided to give it a try, I figure if I don't like it well I am out nothing so it is a win/win.

My three wardrobe items came less than 48 hours after I signed up in a white box, that had been winterized just in case there was weather. Each item was wrapped carefully in pretty tissue paper, & pinned to the clothing label was an instruction for care tag. They also sent in a black envelope: a handwritten welcome note, a couple business cards to share with friends, & a card explaining how the return kit works.


What I enjoy the most about Gwynnie Bee, is that it encouraged me to try clothing pieces I would never have even taken off the rack in a shop. Something about not being out money if I didn't like it, really made me branch out of my clothing comfort zone! My first shipment contained an exotic print tunic from INC, a lace skater dress from Asos Curve, & a blue polka-dot dress by Style&Co.


Yesterday, I wore the INC tunic with grey tights, & brown boots to a birthday party. Surprisingly the fabric didn't cling in all the wrong places (I normally shy away from polyester & spandex), the dress was extremely comfortable, looked both simple & trendy. Which brings me to my current problem I lack a good mirror! Any time I want to take a picture of an outfit I have to climb up onto my step ladder & try to angle my camera just right in the vanity mirror.

So far I am in love with Gwynnie Bee, & can't wait to get my next shipment! This was just what I needed as I continue to lose weight. Now I can still have clothing that fits, without buying a whole new wardrobe of in between sizes.

Gwynnie Bee
*The plans range between one wardrobe item up to ten, with the price going from $35.00 a month up to $159.00. Your first 30 days are free, billing starts on the 31st day, & you may cancel at anytime.

*Once you get your clothing you can keep it as long as you want there are no return by dates. When you are ready to send it back just pop one item or all of your items into the pre-paid return mailers.

*Let Gwynnie Bee know you have returned an item & they will get your new items out to you even before they get your mailer!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Baby it's cold...inside?


It was 59 when I woke up at 6:30 am

Woke up this morning to a cold house, after messing with the thermostat I realized the boiler was not turning on. OH NO yet another swim morning ruined, this is just not my week. I called Petro & was told they could come anytime between when I was calling and noon (I called at 6:45 am). I was hoping they would come sooner rather than later.

I got the boys up for school & they had many complaints about getting dressed in (to them) a freezing cold house. As a result everyone was pretty cranky, & slugish. Herded the boys out of the house, & drove them to school worried the whole time that I was going to miss the Petro man! I have that sort of luck most of the time, if it can go wrong it almost always will.

When I get back home the first thing I see is Chavi's school binder sitting on the couch. So back in the car, & back up to the school to drop that off for him. (it figures the one morning I don't ask is x,y,z in your book bag, & the boys wonder why I am such a huk) Perfect timing because the Petro man arrived not 2 minutes after I got back home again.

Our boiler is brand spanking new, it was just put in this past June. I find it really frustrating that a piece of it is already breaking down. The oil feed line has a valve, & on top of that valve is a little wheel knob looking thing. That is what broke the little wheel knob thing, it was not allowing the oil into the boiler. The Petro man told me that with these new boilers that is almost always the problem. It is just not a very well  made little wheel knob thing I guess, at least the service call and part replacement is free that is a plus!



That is the feed line with the wheel knob thing off, such a tiny part to cause such a big fuss


Thursday, March 21, 2013

Is coffee breaking up with me?


Sunday & Monday of this week I was so ill, it was just horrible. The kind of ill where you are pleading with the porcelain gds to just let it happen already, PLEASE! All week long my stomach was recovering, I haven't had coffee since Sunday. I have had mugs & mugs of wonderful tea. What is it about tea that makes it so wonderful, especially when you feel like garbage?

Yesterday, I had one cup of coffee in the evening after swimming with the boys. Around bed time I started to feel ill again, still feeling nauseated this morning. The only connection I can make to how I feel is the coffee, which would be devastating because I love coffee!

Now I am going to miss my morning swimming again because I don't want to get ill in the pool. I love swimming & have only been one time this week because my stomach is apparently out to get me. I have missed yoga all week too, which makes me just feel so blah. I love my pool & yoga time they recharge me, & make me feel wonderful.

Pity party table one please!

Now I am wondering if I have gallstones. Google U tells me coffee can cause contractions in your gallbladder & if you have gallstones bring on an attack. It is times like these when I feel like the universe is pushing back against me as I try to change & become a healthy person. I get into the swing of things & then something happens to knock me right out of my game again. I don't want to be sick, I want to be at the Y in the pool working towards being fit.

I am not saying I have gallstones, or even that the universe is really out to get me, I am just saying I desperately want to feel well.


Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Wordless Wednesday


(our last day in NYC I know, I know it took me forever to post LOL)

MoMA





Alice's Tea Cup: Chapter 1




The Met












Shake Shack & Leaving NYC








MoMA
Alice's Tea Cup
The Met
Shake Shack
Amtrack



Saturday, February 23, 2013

NYC Day 2: Trying to see it all!


After a very good nights rest (seriously our room was SUPER quiet, if you are ever staying at Park 79 request room 118!) we were up, bright eyed, & bushy tailed by 7:30. J-Bird was of course starving so we got dressed & ready for our only full day in the city.

For breakfast we stopped in at the Amsterdam Diner, (between 82nd & 83rd) for some challah french toast! This is the boys favourite thing ever & they were so excited to see it on the menu. The staff were very friendly, the service quick, & the food was very tasty. Two plates of french toast (four pieces each) and one plate of home fries was more than enough for the three of us to share.

Today we had three stops to make, the Jewish Childrens museum in Brooklyn, F.A.O Schwartz, & the Empire State Building. I used  the Hop Stop app to get around the city, between that & my phones compass we never got lost. (it is a free app & can be used in a few other large cities) I had to use the compass because I don't have a built in ability to figure out which direction is SE blah blah blah & will apparently pick the wrong direction to walk every time.

We took the 1 train to Brooklyn, and it let us out right in front of the Childrens Museum, the boys were ecstatic. They kept saying LOOK there is a Jewish person, OH & look there is another Jewish person. I had to tell them several times that they were in Crown Heights, which is a very Jewish area to live. (I am so glad we made the trip because I thought it was very exciting to see as well) They even got to experience a tiny bit of Purim, Matanot l'Evyonim (gifts to the poor) & giving Tzedakah.


Chavi was enjoying the kosher super market.

Honey & Apples for Rosh Hashanah



Simchat Torah


Arts & Crafts


View from the roof, during our golfing


Giant Floor Clock

The museum itself is a very nice size, tons of things for little people to touch & experience. The admission price includes a free art project & putput golf on the roof. They also give you a wrist band so you can leave & re-enter. The museum gift shop is not open yet, but Mendy's deli is in the museum and the food was great. Not cheap but the portions were large so you don't need a meal for everyone pick a few things & share. I had 1/2 a pastrami on rye & a bowl of split pea soup, Chavi had chicken, J-Bird had a hotdog.



Yummy

After the JCM, we took a little walk around just to look at things we popped into one shop Chavi picked out a new kippah, & J-Bird picked out a small clip picture of the Rebbe. Then it was time to get back on the subway & head to F.A.O Schwartz. This time we took the B train and got to enjoy going over the water instead of under it. Another fun thing that happened was a small group of dancers got on the train & then did some amazing hip hop dancing.


The view from the train

When we got to our next stop, the boys saw the horse drawn carriages, the man called out "carriage ride around central park miss?" & I looked at the boys they had HUGE puppy dog eyes. I sighed, "do you really want a carriage ride?" They did & since they were both being so well behaved I said alright. We were able to enjoy the park scenery & the boys had a street vendor soft pretzel for a snack.



It was chilly, but relaxing


Central Park

Just before we crossed the street to go into to F.A.O. Schwartz who should we happen to meet? BIG BIRD! Both boys were over the moon & J-Bird kept saying "this is were they MAKE Sesame Street, this is where Big Bird LIVES!!!! "



Big Bird

Finally we made it to F.A.O Schwartz which was remodeled in 2004 & looks nothing like it did when I was a teenager. We spent over an hour in there just looking at everything Chavi loved the Lego section, & the books the most.  J-Bird's favourite things were the dollhouses, Playmobile, & the Calico Critters. I loved the Tonner Doll Company dolls & the Barbies, they were so pretty.



Chima Tower


Giant Box of Nerds


Tonner Dolls

After F.A.O Schwartz we went into the Apple store because my phone was dying! This Apple store was so cool its a glass square you go in & then you go down a glass staircase into the store. They saved the day because we would have been lost without the phone!

Our last stop of the evening was the Empire State building, because it is winter there was no line to deal with! We got in & right to the top, spent about four minutes outside on the observation deck but between the wind & the cold we had to go back in right away. The boys got to see the view though & it was long enough to snap a few pictures.



The View from 102 stories up


Fancy pants Walgreens on the way out of the Empire State Building


We grabbed some McDonalds (the boys picked dinner) and then hopped on the subway to go back to our hotel room, day 2 was done!




HopStop app

The Jewish Childrens Museum of Brooklyn


Mendy's Kosher Deli


F.A.O Schwartz NYC


Empire State Building