This is the best toy ever! My sister-in-law got this for us as a gift. It is a cardboard house with windows, doors, chimney. Kids love running in and out of it but the greatest part is that you can draw all over it. They can be occupied for hours with this toy. It is a big but because it is collapsable and easy to put together, you can store it and take it out when you need it. Check it out - it is called My Very Own House
I think I may have to curse my young friend Chris Andrew for getting me addicted to all this social media. I’ve spent the last two hours adding people to follow on twitter, requesting friends on Facebook and linking to people on LinkedIn. What the heck! Last Tuesday my life was so much simpler…but less connected. Then today my sis decides that I ned to blog on Yahoo’s Shine web site - she thinks I’ll get a following and that I’ll have interesting tips for others. So I do and I’m posted. I think perhaps I’m being too “Tina” with my social web 2.0 thing and I need to be less type A about it all. Ok, good night.
Just figured out how to add commentary to my blog - check it out…
Used Disqus…company that provides web discussion tools
So today could have been a potentially disastrous day. Today my daughter had her first swim lesson. In getting prepped before church, I realized I had signed her up for an advanced class - the result of a busy working mother trying to balance it all and who signed up online without, obviously, enough research. Called the swim class…seemingly kind of clueless front desk guy whose only advice was to show up early and “talk to the deck guards”. If only I could be more like my friends Sharmeen Suri and Sarah Endline - they can commit murder with a smile.
At this point, I went into ”Tina-mode” - what I call my super contingency planning, by force of willpower, things will work mode. I found another backup swim class with one spot and reset expectations with my daughter. But - then I did two important things - I said a prayer and then I asked my Sunday class to say a prayer. I know, naysayers are saying…well that is the least important part of everything you did - actually - it was the MOST important.
When I got to class 30 minutes early, the deck guard amazingly said, “oh yes, we heard about your situation. Actually, your daughter is the only one signed up for the advanced class, so, don’t worry - we’re going to move her to the beginner class. Also, we know this is your first time, don’t worry - we’ll take care of you”.
So, you see, even the seemingly little things in life and little prayers matter to God. Pretty cool, huh? Happy child, happy mom.
So as a mom of 2, I’ve decided to coin a new term - “Recooking”. I love recooking - it is the only way I survive the balance between being passionate about work and being a good mom. What’s Recooking you ask? It is taking simple, but healthy, packaged and microwaveable food and adding a little something special - all in under 15 minutes. Is it a lazy woman’s way of cooking? No it isn’t! It is a practical woman’s way of cooking. Why spend 1 hour cooking a meal that your kids might not eat when you can spend those extra 45 minutes actually reading to your kids. Trader Joe’s is my awesome Recooking accomplice. I bought fully-cooked carnitas from Trader Joe’s this week. Wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them but then went to the A’s game on Weds with my team. We got some great nachos - with cheese and beef on them. Someone asked, are those carnitas - and Voila! - a Recooking idea was born.
Recooking Recipe #1 - Trader Joe’s Fully-Cooked Carnitas, TJ’s Soy/Flax Chips, Cheese. Microwave carnitas, put on chips, melt cheese over them. Total time - 5 minutes. Guess what - the kiddies loved them.
Recooking - my gift to you :)
Ok, so this is my first time blogging but I got inspired today talking to my “gen Y” buddy Chris Andrew. He is totally in the mix with social media. And…I realized that I haven’t really been participating that much. Although I’ve been historically good with building relationships and keeping relationships with my long-time friends…I haven’t really gotten into Facebook and Twitter that much. So, today is my new resolution to do what I do well offline and move it online.
I’ve viewed it more as just another thing “to-do” to add to my busy life. However, I think I can use it to make my life easier - so that’s my new test and we’ll see how it works.
Thanks Chris…
