What we did on spring break

There is no doubt that the highlight of spring break was aunty heidi's visit. We did the Air & Space kite festival, we went to a home and garden show (see above, painted faces courtesy of a house painting company), and we hit the zoo.

After aunty heidi left, we did clemyjontri, the baltimore children's museum, swimming at cub run, and a good friday service.

Maybe staying home for spring break wasn't so bad after all.

Channeling Ellsworth Kelly

Evie created this complex sculpture all by herself. She shows promise of a major outdoor garden installation some day, don't you think? Especially if the platform mirrors represent water....

Happy Easter Everyone!!

A Modern Day Miracle

There are no photo enhancements.

These are our children.

Smiling.

Within the 20-meter restraining order they have against the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.

And this was at THEIR REQUEST!

You gave me a gift

Evie, beyond having the only washboard abdomen in this family, loves fashion.

She is very particular about the clothes she wears and how her hair is arranged. It has nothing to do with matching or neatness or trends, she just has definite ideas about how she wants to look.

One of her most favorite looks is her polka dotted headband on her forehead a la Olivia Newton John in that workout movie. The polka dotted headband has been missing for awhile and I found it this morning and gave it to Evie after there had been many complaints about the top knot she was currently sporting.

"Oh! Thank you momma!!!!" Big hug & squeeze upon the presentation.

A few minutes later she wandered into my bedroom and stated

"When you found my polkadotted hairband, you gave me a gift!"

Happy Leap Day!

Today, to celebrate leap year, we are having all of the girls from Juliette's class over after dinner for a p.j. party.

No. They are not spending the night.

That many five year olds away from home and their momma for an entire night, do you think I'm crazy?

Just pjs, popcorn, my mom's best company cake recipe and toenail polish.

Expect a full report tomorrow.

He's Baaack!

Ryan B.

He has returned to Mexico and is continuing in his devotion to Juliette.

As you may or may not remember, after the holiday break he came back from school saying he wanted to play with boys during recess.

Juliette was absolutely devastated. In our culture where every media story is incomplete without the word "devastated" I was hesitant to use it fearing a reader might blow past it.

Make no mistake, this isn't casual devastation. She burst into tears during school, was inconsolable. Finally calmed down during the day. Cried on the way home with me. Cried later with her father. Asked us both repeatedly "Why doesn't he WANT to play with ME?????"

Devastated.

Since then, he has seen the error in his ways.

Juliette doesn't head butt. Juliette likes to play tag, hide and go seek, and cerebral games too. She also knows all of the words to take me out to the ballgame and hail to the redskins (as does Evie). So, while she isn't good for a slug in the gut or wear a different football jersey to school every day, she can run competitively during a sprint and keep up with him intellectually.

He's coming over Monday for a play date.

Juliette says she wants to play doctor.

I asked her to describe what she meant.

"Why, operate on the animals, of course!"

OT-Current Addictions and What They Mean...

Currently, I'm addicted to two things that didn't exist ten years ago.

Netflix and XM Radio.

You are probably saying in your head - what took you so long????

Actually, in my defense, I subscribed to Netflix before we got Juliette and found their selection of foreign films limiting. That was actually when I saw movies in the theater (last one in the theater was 27 Dresses - how pathetic for a woman who has actually seen all ten episodes of the very fine Decalogue). Anyway, since every art house theater in DC is gone - goodbye Biograph, Dupont 5, Dupont North - and a lot of times the art house theater in Fairfax has odd times, so I end up seeing more mainstream stuff - so now Netflix is a Tahitian orchid of culture compared to the old days when opera was more than an advertisement for the Met at the movies shown during "coming attractions".

We've seen and loved - Rescue Dawn, Maxed Out, No End in Sight. I liked Across the Universe and 3:10 to Yuma. What is also cool is that a bunch of friends just joined Netflix too so we are also exchanging lists and recommendations (hence 3:10 to Yuma).

Another digression- been watching the Jane Austen chick-fest on Masterpiece Theater the past month or so. This Sunday was the first half of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth. (Which I first saw at Dupont North!) And it has me pondering - why do I love Jane Austen? Because just two days ago I hated the Sabrina remake with Harrison Ford and Julia Ormond (yet I love the original w/Humphrey Bogart & Audrey Hepburn). How unrealistic that Linus would fall in love with Sabrina after two days? How even more unrealistic that Sabrina would return the affection - hello???? Mr. Darcy going for Elizabeth Bennet?????? Come on? Is it because I have to work harder intellectually - decipher dialogue and clever reparte - that I love one and disdain the other? Good old Jane Austen, great dialogue aside she is the emotional equivalent of a 1986 John Hughes movie and we love her anyway.

Anyway - XM Radio - loving to be able to choose radio that has no commercials and can suit any mood - folk, 80's, 90's, 50's, Soul, Classical, Alternative, 200 channels of choice. Love it. But I'm depressed by my choices - I know who Amy Winehouse is, but I can't say I've bought a CD by a current artist in more than four (?) years. I trend toward my demographic 80's when the choice is completely mine. Which also makes me wonder if I'll be asking for "I'm Your Man" again when the young people from the Scout Troop come to visit and do a few numbers for us in the nursing home.

What does it all mean? I guess I'm getting old and typical and I'm willing to shell out $22 a month to like what I see and listen to.

How sad.

Well, enough pondering. I'm hearing Juliette ask Evie not to pull on her underwear while she is brushing her teeth. I'm thinking an intervention is in order.

Is that Juliette eating ice cream?

Then, there must have been another photo adventure!

Check it out at http://juliettegoesclick.blogspot.com/

Hi Gramma!

I LOVE my new p.j.s!!!

happy birthday Uncle Howard!!

We Love you!!!

Betrayal

Betrayal comes in many forms as a parent. Many many forms.

Some examples - 1. sitting with another mom at a class party.
2. blanket statements "I only love Daddy" or "I love Daddy more" or "I don't love you."
3. immediately going to another authority source when the answer received is not satisfactory.

All of these can be tolerated, excused, and indeed called other things. But there are a few forms of betrayal that cut very deep, and we are going to talk about one of the worst today.

The bitterest form of betrayal is when you, the parent perceive yourself as sacrificial and tolerant and that behavior is not mirrored.

Let's talk for a moment about The Sound of Music. Faithful readers know the girls saw it last year on stage and it has been a constant lovefest of all things Maria and Lisle ever since. I didn't grow up with TSOM. Never even saw it until a few years ago. Sure, I had friends (Christine, Brian, and Mark) who would endlessly sing the lyrics into their twenties and could probably do so today if you called them up and did a request. Not only did I not participate, I just didn't get it. Now, having sat through the movie a few times I can say I understand a certain appeal but I don't quite get it and I definitely don't get both girls' obsession with it.

We sing all the time in our family. Way more than average I think, although I have no scientific basis for that claim.

Evie learned all of the words to Doe a Deer in November. Since then she has sung the song a minimum of three times a day (no exaggeration) and in fact some times it is as much as a dozen times a day (again, no exaggeration.) Three months later, if I never hear Doe a Deer again, I'd be a happy well adjusted person (the only way it will ever happen, I know.) Nonetheless, every day I applaud the song when it is sung and even participate when invited.

Here comes the betrayal part.

I LOVE Cole Porter and Gershwin etc. Before TSOM, we would listen and sing both regularly. Since Maria and that dratted Captain Von Trapp came along both have fallen completely from favor.

Sensing an opportunity in song round last week on the way to school I slipped in the ever clever, ever a crowd pleaser "Be A Clown" during my turn and had the girls join in.

Two days later, I tried it again and then the betrayal....

"Momma, I'm TIRED of THAT song!!!"

An Open Letter to Jose Mugrabi

Dear Mr. Mugrabi,

I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal about your unparalleled collection of 800 works by Andy Warhol. First, I commend you for your insight into collecting and the shrewd manner in which you control the market value of Andy's work. It is a brilliant strategy and demonstrates not only exceptional business acumen, but great market finesse and exceptional taste as well.

This message is really about my daughter Juliette.

Living in DC, Juliette and Genevieve have had substantial exposure to fine art, with a strong emphasis on contemporary and past century giants. Evie enjoys Edward Hopper, having visited the recent National Gallery exhibit twice, she can quickly spot his minimalistic brilliance. Both girls also really enjoyed the Jasper Johns show early in 2007 as well. Juliette enjoys almost any art period, but there is really only one artist that she LOVES, and that is Andy Warhol. I wish I could take credit for this as I love Warhol too, but it has more to do with her amazing uncles, especially her artist uncle Jerry who taught her to spot Warhol's work last summer when she was four and she has been hooked ever since. Today when we were talking about fun things to do in DC, she brought up going to see Andy Warhol at the Portrait Gallery and said it simply had to be on the list.

You may or may not know she turned five last week. Like her sister, Genevieve, Juliette is an adored little girl - doted on by friends and family. Her grandparents, aunt & uncle and parents all chipped in to get her a new bicycle. There were lots of other presents too, so we held the bike in the other room until last. Before we brought it out, after all of the other presents were opened, we asked her if she was disappointed she didn't receive any specific gifts (many hints had been dropped about the bike and she had been without one for a few months.) She thought about it for a moment, said she loved ALL of her presents, but had really been hoping for something by Andy Warhol. We think she meant stationary, but with the timing of the Journal article...

This is where you come in Mr. Mugrabi. You no doubt have something Warhol has done that Juliette would love - she is particularly fond of the shoe series he did early on (she has the calendar), the cats, and most of all the Marilyns. I expect your stockpile of Marilyn's is too valuable to part with, but do check with your assistant about some of the lesser known, less valuable pieces that come to mind when you think of Juliette. We would consider a trade of Juliette's art, and if you are willing to stockpile yet another artist this would be another chance to get in early as you did with Warhol.

It would make her fifth birthday even better, and would definitely help when it comes time to put her (and Evie) through college.

With respect and admiration,

Juliette's mom

Birthday girl on her bike-

Happy Birthday, Juliette!

We love you!!

The things we do for love

If only it were walking in the rain and the snow when there is no place to go and your feeling like a part of you is dying....

Miss Sugar retired, so we needed to find a new place for ballet.

So the things we do for love is really, more about getting up at 5:30 am to drive in your car and get a number (22 by the way) that will in turn allow you to register your child for ballet.

After I picked up said number, I went to Starbucks, natch, and went home to grab a shower.

Then I got the girls up, got them breakfast and took them to Sara's house (her mom owed me a favor) while I went back to line.

This isn't what I was supposed to do, I found out later. I was supposed to sit unshowered, uncaffienated, and wait my turn like everyone else.

I'm chalking it up to newcomer learning curve, but the other mothers aren't buying it.

Being # 22, I want you to know I got the last spot in Evie's ballet class, and although Juliette's friends made it in, Evie's didn't. These are people we go to school with and regularly see on the playground.

Now I am the mom who skipped the sitting in line for caffeine and a shower and their little lovies got bumped from their ballet class while they sat there and waited in line - unshowered, uncaffeinated.

These are definitely the things we do for love. However crazy and absolutely foolish they are.

They are also the types of things we hold over our children's heads at 12 and 13 to guilt them into going on family outings or taking out the trash.

Yep, I know what I'm doing.

What about the camels?

So, for better or worse, we've played down Santa around here. Juliette was/is petrified of the man in the red suit and Evie has followed her sister's cue (maybe out of collegiality or maybe from genuine fear, we are not sure.)

Here is a typical Santa discussion - scene: approaching the mall from the parking garage.

Juliette, hand tightening around mine in a death grip. "Will Santa be here????"

Me trying to seize a teachable moment, "No, he is only there at Christmas time, and what do we know about St. Nicholas?"

Juliette, bored from repetition but still not feeling safe "He is not real and the real St. Nicholas was someone who gave away everything and helped many children a long time ago..."

Me continuing, trying to stave off phone calls from angry parents "But we don't talk about Santa outside of our family because some children still believe in him, right?"

You get the picture.

A recent parenting lesson showed me that such knowledge does not transfer.

The tooth fairy is real - when I dared suggest otherwise I got an incredulous ???WHAT????

I learned that lesson.

That is why, today, there are shoes in the hallway and both girls are blissfully asleep at 2:30 in the afternoon. They are waiting for their gifts from the wise men. They know the wise men can't come until they are both asleep.

In my defense, it was entirely their teacher's doing. Epiphany is a big thing at their preschool. Everyone in king hats and going on pilgrimages... Juliette had to leave early, so her teacher slipped me a gift to sneak into a shoe.

Now Evie's shoe is full as is Juliette's. I haven't thought of anything for me or Bruce yet. An apple? A stick of cheese?

Juliette wanted to know what the camels would do while the wise men visited. I told her the wise men would have to use our hose and they could eat the grass, because the camels weren't allowed to come in the house.

Please don't judge me, but can the wise men plan to make regular visits? I'm willing to negotiate hay and carrots for the camels.

In Out List of 2008

Out - Junie B.

In - Little House on the Prairie
---

Out - Ryan B.

In - Ryan F.
---

Out - Riding bikes

In - Jumping in the Jumpolene
---
Out - Club Soda Lemonade

In - Mango Lassi
---
Out - Dora the Explorer

In - Berenstain Bears
---
Out -- Two Ponytails

In - Topknots & Headbands
--
Out - Cinderella

In - Maria Von Trapp
--
Out - Taking naps

In - Going to Bed Early
--
Out - Swings

In - Ice Skating

Three Best

Since much of my days is spent with two cyclones, I don't get out much. Here are my top three lists.

Movies--
1. La Vie En Rose
2. Juno
3 tie. Into the Wild
3 tie. Ratatouille

DVDs--
1. Lives of Others
2. Infamous
3. Children of Men

Books --
1. Harry Potter - Finale
2. Eat Pray Love
3. Thousand Splendid Suns

Books I Wish I Finished--
1. River of Doubt
2. Michaelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
3. Magellan and the Circumnavigation of the World

Television
1. Damages - The most steady date with the TV in a LONG time - got other people to watch, then called them to discuss in detail the nuances of the previous episode.
2. End of the Sopranos - so glad it has limped out of it's misery
3. Project Runway Season III- Laura Bennett gave season 3 viewers a whole new type of heroine on PR

Three things I regret-
1. Not getting out Christmas cards.
2. Not having a better understanding of HTML so I can own my destiny on my website.
3. Not billing more hours in 2007 - The difference between a consultant and an employee. An employee will never go to their grave saying "I wish I'd worked more" a consultant might....


Sad that there are only these categories - did make it to the ballet once and opera once too - but one experience does not a ranking make. A guilty pleasure in 2008 may be watching Met performances at the theater...stay tuned and happy new year.

The Current Earworm

This is a big file, it may take a minute or two to download.

Thanks to Ellie for adding sound.