Back to School

I can’t believe that school starts in less than two weeks!

We’ve had the best summer that I can remember, but having said that, it’s time to leave this party on a good note.

I am gearing up to start this year off strong.

And by gearing up, I mean waking up in a Code Red Anxiety Attack.

Will Thomas refuse to eat lunch on grounds that he had it yesterday and now hates it?

Will Marie be able to fall asleep before 9:30pm to ensure that she doesn’t meltdown in the morning due to exhaustion?

Will the afterschool grind actually break me this year?

I don’t have those answers yet (although I am sure at some point the answer will be a resounding “yes” to the afterschool grind breaking me).

What I can do is find peace in preparing the best way I know how.

Like last year’s post, I’ll be stocking up on some of my favorites and reinstituting our routines.

I also talked about it on a Live in the D segment, too. 

The time the kids helped me out on Live in the D on the Back to School Segment

I will also be sure to stock up on a nice bottle of champagne because I think that I am close enough to the finish line to toast to the end of summer/beginning of the 2015-2016 school year.

Cheers!  We are almost there!

Let the Summer Adventures Begin

Summer break has officially begun! 

We’ve celebrated with ice cream.

We’ve visited the library.

But I am ready embrace the thing that I love most about summer (besides an ice cold beer): travel.

I love to travel, and I want the kids to love traveling.  I talked about this last year (along with how things just did not go how I had hoped). 

In order to celebrate my inner fun parent, I decided to kick off summer break with a mini staycation adventure to Ann Arbor.

I am going to try *really* hard to keep my expectations closer to the realistic side of the spectrum and as far away as idealist as possible.

As we embark on our first summer adventure of the season, I thought I would re-share my Live in the D: Summer Travel Tips with Kids post again.

Hope these help you as much as they have helped me!

Spring Break Staycation Edition with Live in the D

Sometimes I think my kids think that all I do is sit in front of the computer and do “computer stuff” all day long.

It’s kind of true: blogging, writing, managing social media, and teaching an online course in addition to my recreational use of social media adds up a lot of screen time.

That’s why I was super excited when Karen Drew, one of the hosts of Local 4’s Live in the D, asked me to bring the kids when I was going to be on the Moms Panel.  They could see me in action, and Karen offered a tour of the Local 4 studio.  

It was super cool to see the people we watch every morning in person!

With Brandon Roux. We see him every morning while we eat breakfast!
Now we see him in the studio - how cool!

Karen took us behind the scenes so we could see all the producers and writers preparing the news.

Karen Drew showing the kids a behind the scenes look.

I love that they had a chance to see people working in a totally different career than Harrington’s or mine (which I’m not even sure they think I work since they have told me to quit playing on the computer).  Thanks so much, Karen, for a great tour!

Maybe this tour will be filed away in their memory banks that any career is possible.
With Guy Gordon and Karen Drew.

  

Future newscasters of America?

I was excited that they were able to see the Moms Panel live.  I had so much to say about the #ImNoAngel campaign and the rising costs of prom.  And one more topic, what was it?  Oh, right.  Mommy Brain.  I think men would have Daddy Brain, too, if they were fully in charge of nursing a new baby and taking the baby to all of the pediatrician appointments, and then later keeping track of all of the homework, after school schedules, and making lunches.  But I digress.

If you missed the clip, you can watch it here.

How's your Spring Break going?  What do you think of #ImNoAngel?  What about the cost of prom?  Did you have “Mommy Brain?”

Treating Myself: Daffodils and Sister Pie

 I am sick of winter – Sick. Of. It.  

I am tired of the cold, the snow, and the pervasiveness of winter germs.

Done.

I try not to complain about the ever-looming winter because I live in the frozen tundra of the Midwest.   But being cooped up in -25 degree weather along with taking care of sick children has made this winter way too intense.  My mental health is suffering. 

So I decided I needed to do little things to brighten up these long days of winter.

I indulged in a $3 bouquet of daffodils at Trader Joe's. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I don't usually get excited about bringing something else in my life that needs care and attention, but I could not resist how springy and friendly they looked.

Ray of sunshine

I also did something that I had been waiting to do for a long time: I ordered pies and cookies from Sister Pie, a Detroit-based company.  I learned about them when we crossed path at Live in the D.  They totally had me at buckwheat chocolate chips cookies.

For months, I have been drooling over their baked goods photos on Facebook, waiting for a special occasion so I could order them. I decided doing something nice for myself was special occasion enough. 

How can you say no to that?!

So here’s a breakdown of what came in the February sampler:

Rose Pistachio and Grapefruit Lavender Shortbread Cookies

The Rose Pistachio is a buttery cookie that has just the right amount of sweetness with a nice crunch from the pistachio bits. There is also this fragrant, sweet rose flavor that is highlighted with by a slightly salty flavor at the end. And the rose glaze is delicious!  This is quite possibly the most unique cookie I have ever tasted.

The Grapefruit Lavender cookie also has the buttery shortbread  and has a bright citrus flavor paired against the subtle lavender that is just lovely.   

Honey Lemon Meringue Pie

I don't like lemon meringue pie. When I was a little girl obsessed with her Strawberry Shortcake dolls, I could never say “meringue” in Lemon Meringue’s name.   My mom said if I practiced and said it right, she would make me a lemon meringue pie. I practiced and practiced and finally said it correctly.

It was the most vile dessert ever - who would want to eat this bitter pie with meringue that looked like whipped cream, but clearly was not as delicious as whipped cream?! I accepted my destiny as a person who would never understand lemon meringue pie’s appeal.

Until I tried Sister Pie's Honey Lemon Meringue Pie. The luscious, creamy filling was the perfect balance of tart and sweet.  The meringue was delectable. Thank you, Sister Pie, for showing me just how wonderful lemon meringue pie can be. 

Salted Maple Pie

Imagine taking the maple syrup part of a pancake breakfast and turning it into it's own creamy dessert housed in the perfect piecrust (which by the way, are made with high-fat French butter.  I’m sure it is not a coincidence that they are the most rich, flakey pie crusts I’ve ever had). That is what this pie tastes like. It is flecked with these delicate salt flakes that totally brings out the maple-y sweetness. 

Red Hot Chocolate Pie

When I was in college, my friend lived in Mexico for a semester. When she came back, she brought me these squares of chocolate with cinnamon and spices to melt into hot chocolate. It was the most complex flavored hot chocolate I'd ever had - a far cry from the artificially flavored Swiss Miss I'd been drinking for years in the dorm cafeteria. 

Red Hot Chocolate pie reminds me of that Mexican hot chocolate. It's chocolaty and rich, but not super sweet with a hint of cinnamon. Then there is this cayenne spicy heat at the end that just makes this the best chocolate pie ever. 

Are you ready for this winter to be over?  What’s your favorite way to treat yourself?

**I was not compensated by Sister Pie or Trader Joe's.  I bought these delicious baked goods and beautiful flowers with my own money and opinions are mine.