There are so many things about this photo that are great, I could not choose only three!
Every evening we have a little tradition; we stop and share the three best things about our day. We do this around the dinner table or sometimes before Lilly goes down to sleep. Sometimes they are simple like, “I got to use paint at pre-school” or “I wore my favorite shirt.” Someone always says, “I get to spend time with my family” and everyone shouts “That’s what I was going to say,” – laughter quickly follows.
It’s a nice way to share a positive part of our day, as simple as it may be. No one wants to go to work. No one (well, one person) wants to get their hair brushed, but we all want to spend time together and we all can find something from that day that made us happy. Ending the day on a positive note so only sweet dreams follow.
Lilly’s favorite thing last night, “I got to listen to Madonna in the car!”
Can you love an item of clothing? I am in LOVE with this shirt from JCrew. In the words of Tracy Jordan from 30 Rock, "I love it so much I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant". Inappropriate? Yes. True? For shizz!
Do I have the guts to spend $88 on a shirt? I don't know...
Until I can decide I will continue to dream about this perfect specimen of clothing.
I rarely mix my professional life with my blog life, but this new exhibit has kept me busy. I have been doing research on locals who had a connection to the Titanic. I think all the stories of those lost on the ship are sad but this one in particular has caused me to go home and hug my children a little tighter and value life even more.
I’m going to give you the quick version because you don’t need your keyboard covered in tears. The Asplund family was traveling from Sweden back to Worcester via the Titanic. They left Southhampton England as third class passengers. It was Charles and Selma with their four children: Filip (14), Clarence (10), twins Lillian and Karl (5) and Felix (3).
You know how the story goes: The ship hits an iceberg, there are not enough boats and few survive. Well, in terms of the Asplund family, only three returned to Worcester. Selma, Lillian and Felix. Selma watched her husband and three boys go down with the ship. Lillian lost her twin brother. Young Felix barely knew any of them.
Lillian was the last American survivor and the only one who remembered the tragedy when she died in 2006. Selma, Lillian and Felix never spoke of the tragedy when they returned home. As Lillian got older there were request for interviews but she never gave one.
As a mother, I’m a wreck when I see my son standing on top of the toy box. I can’t imagine what must have been going through Selma’s mind when this was all happening. Can you?
Oh the irony. Mom moments aren’t cool. Are they? I had a great one this morning.
Beautiful sunny day. Drove the kids to daycare and we had the tunes cranked. Singing along with the windows rolled down. Dropped them off. Went on my way to work. Shades are on. Windows down. “Party in my tummy” cranked on the radio. NO KIDS IN THE CAR.
I dream of being as cool as DJ Lance Rock.
Yup, the Yo Gabba Gabba was at full blast as I cruised pass the local colleges. Thank goodness none of the kids were out, too hung over from lingering St Patty’s Day celebrations I assume (lucky buggers).
This is one of many cool mom moments I have experienced since joining the big M club. There was the time I was out with a friend and she mentioned she was starving. My mommy brain assumed she would like some Gerber puffs…which you know, I had in my purse. Yeah, I gave them to her. Yeah, she looked at me like I was a crazy person.
How about the time I was at a conference and the gentleman next to me asked if I had a tissue. No, sorry, I don’t. But…let pull out this giant package of wipes and offer you one of those. You know, there here in my bottomless purse of tricks.
I’m waiting for the day when I walk up to a stranger, lick my thumb, and proceed to wipe something off their face. Then I can ask the fidgety young adult in front of me if they need to go potty.
Have you had a mommy moment? Perhaps you had the Laurie Birkner Band cranked when George Clooney rolled up in the car next to you? Did you hand a sippy cup of water downed apple juice to a thirsty friend? I know. You threatened an obnoxious adult with a time out.
I am happy, ecstatic, jovial, delighted and down right exultant (just found out my program has a thesaurus). Why am I so all of these things? MaxxSilly will now be accepting sponsors.
Yes, yes, yes. I have decided it is time to open this puppy up and see what it can do. My rates are fair and very reasonable for small business, ETSY shops, blogs and more. Shoot me an email to find out more.
Please do not bother contacting me if you are looking to advertise an illegal business, something immoral or anything having to do with a Kardashian – MaxxSilly don’t roll like that. MaxxSilly is about happiness and all around awesomeness.
I find great admiration when someone takes a classic song that is well known and gives it their own twist – sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. I love cover songs. There I said it.
This being Friday and all, I thought I would start a new feature called the Friday Five. Five things on Friday (duh) that I like, observe or feel you guys - and anyone with a computer needs to know about. I thought that I would share my five favorite cover songs to start us off.
Hugo covers JayZ’s 99 Problems
I'm not sure where I first heard this version but I love it.
Katie Melula covers The Cure’s Just Like Heaven
I think I saw this in a movie andthen immediately searched out who sang it. It is one of the few covers that I actually like more than the original. Her voice is so pretty. Her song "9 Million Bicycles" was my favorite to sing to Lillyana when rocking her to sleep.
Ben Rector covers Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance Somebody
I just stumbled upong this cover recently - after Whitney Houston had died. I think it was one of her best songs and I remember roller skating to it at birthday parties. This version makes it sound a bit more grown up - but I still want to roller skate.
Billy Preston covers George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord
I love that this version makes me feel like I am in a church where they play Beatles music. Many called Billy Preston the fifth Beatle - his tribute to George is fitting.
Lady Gaga covers Coldplay’s Viva La Vida
Another case of liking the new version more than the original. My daughter loves this song and calls it the "Oh Oh" song.
Bonus: Mary J. Blige (and Elton John) cover Elton’s I guess that’s why they call it the blues.
Not technically a cover since Elton John is singing as well, but man can you feel the words when Mary J sings. Especially towards the end when she says, " I simply love you more than life itself". Awesomeness
How about you guys? Any favorite cover songs or do you totally detest them? Are there any artist that are off limits to cover?
A little lift here. A tuck here. Oh, who am I fooling - it's a teardown. I'm talking Bruce Jenner revamp here.
Time to start fresh and really get this thing kicking into high gear.
I'm interested to here what you guys think of the new look. Too white? Does it look like Rainbow Bright threw up here? Does Bruce Jenner's lack of facial expressions scare anyone else?
Thanks for your patience while I have some work done...
Remember when you had to wait an entire week to watch the Smurfs? Like, seven whole days. When it ended at 11am on Saturday, there was no seeing those little guys (and one girl, but that is a whole post all together), until next Saturday at 10am. The horror.
There was no pressing a button and the show magically appearing at 4:30 on a Thursday, or 1:15 on Monday. It was on when it was on and you dealt with it. Excuse my rant; perhaps you were lucky enough to have a VCR, like we did. But the work that went into recording a show on the 200 pound machine that was louder than the actually TV was hardly worth it. No, you can wait.
Waiting. Kids today don’t have to wait anymore. It’s all “On Demand” or “DVR” or “DVD”. Pop it in and press a button – instant Elmo. I’m not complaining. I have had a sick little one at home that just wanted to watch Peep and the Big Wide World while lying on the couch snuggling. It made him feel better. Took his mind off the horrible feeling in his belly or the pain from his ear. It’s a distraction. I remember being home sick. There was nothing on but soap opera’s. I didn’t know who Erica Cane was but I felt nauseous so I watched her slap some guy over and over. I survived.
My question: is “On Demand” a bad thing? Sometimes I think so. Are children losing the ability to be patient because everything is so easy to get? I want Octonauts and I want it now!
I know television and children are a slippery slope. Some say they watch too much. Others say but it’s educational. I’m not trying to start a debate about children and television. We keep it very strict in our home. One hour in the morning and a half hour at night. If Lilly has been good she can watch Octonauts after her brother goes to bed. We stay away from stations that show too many commercials – PBS, Nick Jr and Disney Jr are ok. That is what works for us. But I look at my DVR and I see 15 episodes of Peep, 6 episodes of Octonauts, 3 Super Whys and a Caillou. This is of course going by the assumption that Mr. MaxxSilly taped Alaska State Troopers, but who knows, it could have been the 17 month old.
Where do you sit on the whole “On Demand” thing? Do you make your kids watch what’s on, when it’s on – aka no DVR or On Demand? Do you ban television all together? Did you know what a Remipede was before you saw it on Octonauts?
Along with the movie catch-up this past weekend, I also took Lilly and Alex to the FREE Home Depot Kids Workshop while Mr. MaxxSilly ran some errands.
My kids are familiar with Home Depot. Lillyana often ask if we can go so she can get "Mickey Cards", these are the Disney paint chip cards in the shape of Mickey's head. We also like to wander around and look at different things for projects we will one day begin.
When we were there the previous week one of the employees mentioned the workshop to us and gave Lilly a pin - guess what I had to hear about all week....
So, we got out the door bright and early and headed to "The Depot". I was not sure what to expect but we really had a good time. Both kids got an apron with their name on it and Lilly was handed this weeks project - a race car. We picked a place to work where there was a hammer, screwdriver (it was a flat head; aka Turner, my knowledge of Handy Manny has no end) and some glue. We opened up the package and got to work while Alex supervised from the shopping cart.
We really had fun. I love that they gave the kids real tools to use and Lilly did really good following the instructions. After we were done we showed our finished project to the employees in charge. They gave her a certificate and a lollipop. A fun few hours on a rainy day that cost me nothing!
Thanks Home Depot for putting this great workshop together.
For more information on the Kids Workshop series you can can click here.
Ha, ha...I knew that post title would suck you in.
Another weekend passes on. Sigh. Lots was accomplished at our house this weekend. Closets were cleaned. This led me to learn two new things: 1)My daughter has way too many puzzles and 2) I have a slight obsession with buying children's books - both kids have full bookshelves in their rooms and Lilly's closet has two more cubes filled. Good thing Alex likes to eat them.
I also caught up on some movies this weekend. Mr. MaxxSilly and I usually get to go to the movies once a year, so DVD/Blu Ray is what we usually watch. I got a few movies from our local library:
Beginners: Adorable. I love Ewan McGregor in anything. Seriously. I also love Christopher Plummer in the film and can see why he won the Oscar. Although the film would have been even better had he sung some Edelweiss.
Crazy, Stupid, Love: Ryan Gosling. Ryan Gosling. Ryan Gosling without a shirt. Love. Besides that it was a really good movie. I like romantic comedies, but not the cheesy kind - I'm talking to you Katherine Heigl!
This one was perfect. Plus, Ryan Gosling had his shirt off.
X-Men: First Class: It's true. I'm a comic book movie dork. The flick was really good. Lot's of action and exploding stuff. James McAvoy is in it. For some reason I always confuse him with Toby McGuire, who played Spiderman - weird. The movie also starred Michael Fassbender who is going to be a big star, or so Entertainment Weekly tells me.
Oh, and when we were away I watched Breaking Dawn with my sister (and my poor suffering husband). I loved the books, but these movies are getting worse. The dialogue is horrible and Kristen Stewart is just a bad actress. This picture that I found on Pinterest sums it up for me.
Anything I should add to my viewing list? Preferably with Ryan Gosling...
3D Viewing from Life magazine, 1952 KStew image from themetapicture.com
