I love the theaters where you can butter your own popcorn.

Entertainment Weekly's Holiday Movie Preview edition arrived here yesterday, and this morning's Chicago Tribune had a winter movie preview section as well.

What must it be like to live a life where you actually need to plan and strategize for what movies (plural) you are going to see in the upcoming months?!

I can name every movie I have seen in the theater since 2005.

2005, pregnant with Bub: Walk the Line

2006, about to have Bub any minute: Casanova

2007 (I think): The Pursuit of Happyness [sic]

2008, pregnant with Little Bit: Juno

2009: The Proposal

It's possible I may be forgetting one or two films, but I sincerely doubt it. Hubby and I don't go to the movies because it just doesn't seem like the ideal use of paid babysitter time. We'd rather eat well, talk to each other, and/or hang out with friends. I could arrange to go to the movies during the week after hubby gets home, but that would require advanced planning and energy and effort. I could volunteer to take Bub to his first movie, except hubby wants to take him too so it's a stalemate there unless we arrange child care for Little Bit ( who is definitely not ready for the movies).

The point is that it will be a holiday miracle if I see even one movie in the next couple of months.

In case opportunity knocks, here are the movies I'd be interested in pairing with my extra large bucket of self-buttered popcorn and a large Diet Coke:

It's Complicated with Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep -- most likely candidate because it is a comedy. I go to the movies so rarely that I tend to want the experience to be a fun escape. Also, I really enjoy Alec Baldwin even though he is probably an asshole in real life.

Did You Hear About the Morgans? with Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant -- Scratch what I said above. This movie about a married couple in a witness protection program would be number one on my list. I will forgive Hugh anything.

The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock -- I haven't read The Blind Side, but hubby enjoyed the book. It's not often that hubby and I are willing to see the same movie so this is a good candidate as well. Plus, I like Sandra Bullock and am fond of heartwarming stories.

A Single Man with Colin Firth -- Colin Firth. Enough said.

Youth in Revolt with Michael Cera. Michael Cera. Enough said.

I know that seeing The Road with Viggo Mortensen would be powerful, and I feel drawn to/obligated to see Precious (Oprah factor, Mariah Carey with mustache, Mo'Nique in dramatic role), but I don't know if I can get through that kind of gut-wrenching stuff right now. Though, I have to say that Owen Gleiberman's review of Precious in EW does make want to try to see the film. Gleiberman writes, "Sometimes, a movie has to take you down--and I mean down, really far--to lift you up. Precious is that kind of movie." Then, at the end of the review, he writes, "It's a potent and moving experience, because by the end you feel you've witnessed nothing less than the birth of a soul." My soul could probably use that kind of movie-watching experience.

At the theater around the corner from us, people were lined up to see Antichrist, but I will not be joining that line. It's just not for me.

I would see New Moon as I enjoyed the Twilight movie and think that Taylor Lautner is cute, but I'm happy to wait for the DVD too.

If Bub were old enough, I would take him to see Jim Carrey in Disney's A Christmas Carol, but it sounds like it's a teense scary.

If we do take Bub to the movies this holiday season, I can see us ending up at either The Princess and the Frog (with his cousins) or Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (he's seen the first one many times and loves it except when Alvin says stupid: "Mommy, that not nice to say 'stupid.'").

So, what's on your holiday movie season wish list? What are the chances you will actually see a movie in the theaters?

I've earned my personal pan pizza. Go forth and Book-It.

One of items lost when our hard drive bit the dust a week or so ago was the document where I had been recording the titles of the books I've read in 2009. I've been working on recreating the list this evening and decided that today's NaBloPoMo (see graphic to right) would be a list of my favorite reads so far this year. You can click on each title to link to the original NTB post written about each book.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite reads this year:

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Commencement by J.Courtney Sullivan

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Plus, there's one more title that I loved but never posted about: Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym. This novel tells the story of four co-workers (not friends) who work in mindless office jobs as they transition into retirement. At moments, the novel is amusing as Pym so perfectly captures the eccentricities and habits of retirees. At other moments, the novel is truly heartbreaking in its portrayal of loneliness and disconnection.

You know what's coming, tell me please what you've been reading and enjoying this year . . .

I'm not Rick Steves.

I'm not a photographer, nor am I travel writer, but I thought you might enjoy some highlights from the trip hubby and I took about a month ago. We attended a wedding about thirty miles (?) outside New York City and then spent one night in the city.*

We stayed at the Hilton in Rye, NY, and I tell you, I was quite taken with the pool area there. I wanted to take photos during daylight, but that is when the pool is being used by families with small children. I would have felt awkward snapping photos in that scenario. Both the pictures I snapped turned out like junk but please note the elaborate lattice work, the carpeting of green astroturf, and the elaborate floral window treatments with coordinating chaise cushions.

When I looked at the pool area, I could totally picture women (at some unspecified time in past) lounging, boozing, smoking, and discussing the Scarsdale diet (Scarsdale is near Rye).

The wedding itself was beautiful and the reception was a true celebration. Fantastic music, lots of dancing, and an abundance of wonderful food. I should have photographed all the appetizers, but I was too busy eating them, especially miniature slices of hot pretzel bread and their accompanying cheese sauce. I did snap a random photo of the dessert served in addition to the wedding cake.

On Sunday, we headed to New York City where we rested, walked around, visited Actchy and Co. (including the adorable "Acey") in their new digs, and went out for a nice dinner.

That afternoon, we happened upon a Polish Pride Parade and paused to appreciate hubby's heritage (his mom's maiden name ends with a "ski").

That evening, we ate dinner at Perilla, the restaurant of Harold Dieterle, the original and coolest Top Chef. Our favorite thing was the Farro Risotto which involves artichoke confit, parmesan, and chili-grape salad. We didn't order the risotto but our server knew it was our first visit and brought it to us anyway (for free!) because she thought we should try it. Delicious!

After dinner, we walked for a bit before getting a cab back to the hotel. Look what we walked past: the place where Harry met Sally!


My only advice to those traveling to NYC in the near future is to beware of the televisions inside the cabs (maybe there are televisions in cabs in every city now, I wouldn't know). If you are prone to car sickness, you really shouldn't watch, no matter how intrigued you are by the segment on the art appraiser who found herself out of work and began appraising art for a consignment store that raises funds for HIV. Just look out the window or close your eyes instead. Trust me.




*I didn't include any photos of the wonderful people we saw and hung out with as I only violate the privacy of my husband and sons by posting of photos of them without their permission.

Miss Bliss

Some evenings I am too lazy to wash my face before going to bed. Sad but true. In case you are worried that I am going to bed with a face caked with makeup, you should know that whatever makeup I put on (and I do devote 3-5 minutes to makeup almost every morning) is eaten up by the pores of my face within an hour. The only exception to the dissolving makeup phenomenon is my mascara which smudges so that I look sickly and tired.

Back in my younger years, I tried a variety of skin care regimes--Mary Kay and Clinique, in particular. These regimes involved multiple products and steps--masks, toners, cleansers, moisturizers, and cotton balls. I don't know that my skin was any better for it, though the stinging of the toner did make me feel like I was doing something.

Around my mid-twenties, I got lazy and alternated between buying cleansers at the grocery store (Neutrogena, Oil of Olay--something in the $8 range) and washing my hands with regular soap and then using my clean hands to splash water on my face.

The clean-hands-water-on-face is pretty much the norm for me these days. Kind of interesting that the more I need skin care (increasing evidence of lines and wrinkles), the less I bother with it.

Until now, sort of. About a month ago, hubby and I traveled to New York for a wedding. We spent two days outside of the city in West Chester and then one night in Manhattan at a W Hotel. W Hotels stock Bliss Spa products in their rooms, and I took a fancy to the "fabulous foaming face wash for all skin types." It has just a little bit of grit, forms a satisfying lather on your face, and, best of all, smells WONDERFUL--rose hips, chamomile, and passion flower (according to the label). I dropped the sample in my clear plastic, airline-approved baggie and have been enjoying it ever since. The next week, hubby was staying at another W for work and, per my request, brought home the sample that came in that hotel room as well. Now, I have a miniature fabulous foaming face wash downstairs and upstairs. NTB.

For now, I am going to try to continue using samples that hubby brings home when he stays at W's. If my supply run dangerously low, I may buy a full-sized bottle at the Bliss Spa location in Chicago or online or something.

Do you wash your face? Of course you do. What do you use?


P.S. -- I warned you that if I were going to post every day, some of the posts would be weak!

P.S.#2 -- Am I remembering correctly that there was a television show with "Miss Bliss" in the title that starred Hayley Mills?

But it's so hard to make things easy.

At preschool pick-up today, one of the moms was congratulating me on the pregnancy. She already has three kids and so I asked her, as I have been asking many moms lately, if she had any advice for me on managing three. She said she had received one piece of advice that was invaluable: "Never let a day go by . . . " I'm going to stop there and note that I was nervous that she was going to end the statement with something like ". . . without telling your kids you love them"--a sentiment I totally agree with and all but not the kind of practical wisdom I was seeking.

Instead, she said, "Never let a day go by without doing at least one load of laundry." Now, that's pretty sweet advice, considering that I waste time each day finding clean/semi-matching socks for the boys, clean pants for myself (even harder when pregnant), clean washcloths for bath time, a onesie to go under Little Bit's footie pajamas, and a decent top and bottom combo for Bub to wear to school. And then there's hubby with his pesky news bulletins like "Honey, I only have two pair of underwear left." For some reason I tend to save the laundry until there's almost nothing to wear. Then, I attack the huge mound and start sorting and end up with about seven or eight loads worth. That's silly.

My life would be easier if I tried to do one load of laundry a day.

I've brainstormed a list of other things I could do that would make my life easier.

My life would be easier if I . . .

. . . put the little potty into storage.
Bub does all his bathroom business on his own these days, and I am no longer abreast of all his movements. Literally. He pees into the regular potty but prefers the little plastic one for number two. That's all fine except that he fills without emptying. And, since he does it all on his own,* I don't realize that there's been poop resting in potty until I open the bathroom door and almost pass out from the stench. I know he can use the real toilet for all his needs so I should just put the little potty into storage. But what would I use to sit on (lid down) during bath time?

. . . ran the dishwasher every night before bed.
I prefer to delay running it until I can fill every last nook, cranny, and crevice.

. . . emptied the dishwasher first thing every morning.
Then, I sometimes wait to unload it until there are so many dishes waiting in the sink that they practically fill the newly-emptied dishwasher.

. . . were stronger about removing toys that threaten my sanity.
After two or so days of picking up 300+ MegaBlocks multiple times a day, I get a little testy. I tell myself, "Tonight, when the boys are in bed, I will re-hide the MegaBlocks." Then I forget about it until the big box gets dumped all over first thing in the morning. The tunnel thing that takes up the entire living room when unfurled creates a similar state of irritation and chaos that I often fail to troubleshoot effectively. These toys are good for one or two days at a time. Then Mama needs a break.

. . . took some time over the weekend to plan my meals and grocery shopping for the following week.

. . . kept a typed piece of paper in my purse that lists ingredients for the dishes in our weeknight rotation of family favorites.

. . . developed a weeknight rotation of family favorite dishes.

. . . emptied the recycling every evening.
If I did that then Little Bit would not spend a good portion of each day scattering items from the bin--junk mail, wine bottles, pop cans, newspapers--all around the house. Had I emptied the recycling last night though, Little Bit would not have been able to entertain himself with an empty (but, unfortunately, unrinsed) gallon of milk for over thirty minutes.

. . . graded 5-10 papers each day instead of saving all 42 for the night before they absolutely need to be returned to my students (which, in my mind, is before their next assignment is due so they can "learn" from the feedback from the previous paper).
My failure/procrastination in this area is just as frustrating now as it was in the late nineties when I had 80-something papers to grade at a time.

How am I doing?
I have a load of laundry in now.
All the dishes are in the dishwasher, but it's not nearly full so I can't bear to run it.
The tunnel and MegaBlocks are both currently in hiding. The Diego puzzle may join them if I remember.
I graded two papers this afternoon.

You know where this is headed . . . what could you do to make your life easier? Or, even better, what do you do, NTB, that makes your life easier? Please share in the comments.






*You may be thinking, "But, MEP, shouldn't you be wiping him?" No lie, it's a clean break every time. Kind of amazing, NTB.

Oh, What A Peeling!

Pretend you hear Lionel Richie when your read that title, okay?

One of my wedding shower gifts was a Cutco pizza cutter and peeler set. After I wash these items (in the dishwasher, not by hand as recommended), I place them back in the navy box in which they came. Then, I put the box into a cabinet that Bub can't easily access.

Both items do their jobs extremely well. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial bimbo, I will say that using the Cutco peeler makes peeling almost fun. It's just so easy!

Or, it was so easy until I lost my peeler. I suspect that it got gathered up with a paper towel full of pear peelings and thrown into the garbage. I actually hope that's the case, as opposed to finding one of the boys playing with the peeler one of these days and making a bloody mess. In case you are worried for my kids, I'm 95% sure the peeler got accidentally tossed.

On Saturday, hubby and I went to Old Orchard (outdoor mall in a nearby suburb) to take my defective laptop to the Apple Store and to get him measured for a new suit during a sale that was going on. Grandma and Grandpa were visiting and happy to stay with the boys so we were out and about for almost three hours all by ourselves. NTB. I even got an Auntie Anne's pretzel and a fountain diet coke. NTB.

Giddy with the freedom and the retail environment (remember, I rarely have time to shop anywhere but Target or Kohls these days), I wondered if I "needed" anything else. Aha! A new peeler! An excuse to browse in Williams Sonoma.

We walk in the store and when greeted by the sales associate, no-nonsense-shopping-buzzkill hubby says, "Show us where your peelers are." So much for browsing.

There were two on offer. One was an OXO that looked similar to the lost Cutco peeler; it cost $14.00. I was thinking about it. Yes, I know "a paring knife can do the trick," but I am not great with a paring knife and my Bub prefers his fruit "with no outside." I prefer my fingers with no gashes.

Then, the sales associates says, "We also have the kind the chefs on the Food Network use." That got my attention. If Ina and Giada have a preferred peeler, then you better believe I want the same one (though, to be clear the associate did not name specific chefs). But, of course, how much would such a special peeler cost?

$3.50!!! That's how much. So now I have a generic looking "clearpeeler" that retails for $3.50 and seems to be getting the job done and supposedly is better at just getting skin and peel, not flesh (of the fruit/vegetable). Though using the clearpeeler did not feel as easy as the Cutco one, it definitely got the job done on the apple I peeled this morning.

So there. Do you need a peeler? There's one for $3.50 at Williams Sonoma and you can brag that it's what Food Network chefs use.

Any kitchen gadgets or bargains to recommend?

Connected/Disconnected

Today's weather turned out to be just gorgeous--a great surprise. After Little Bit's nap, we headed to the park and enjoyed an hour or so of the usual: swings, sandbox, supervision of Little Bit on the play structure, "ice cream window," more sandbox, and treasure hunting.* Warm sunshine and gorgeous autumn leaves. No complaints here.

Or maybe one. Or maybe it's more a question than a complaint. Or maybe I am being too sensitive.

Whatever the situation, I'll come out with it: I don't understand parents who bring their kids to the park and then spend the entire time talking or texting on their phones.

There, I've said it.

I'll admit that I'm not a big phone talker myself. I'm happy to chat when someone calls, but I don't make tons of calls throughout the day, especially not on my cell phone. I can't balance my cell on my shoulder, for one thing. For another, unless they are really absorbed in some activity, my kids freak out when I am on the phone and it's difficult to be really present in a conversation.

I especially don't talk on the phone at the park. I would probably answer if someone called, but my phone is usually in the stroller not on my person. Beyond that, my kids still need supervision at the park. Bub is pretty good about sharing, taking turns, and playing nice, but he's been known to throw some sand every now and again. When he pulls stuff like that, I definitely want to be there to intervene. Little Bit can't really be left for a second. He thinks he's a big boy who is ready to climb, tackle steps (up and down), slide, "borrow" shovels and pails from others, and attempt to drink from the sand and leaf-filled water fountain. Lots of the play structures have drop-offs that scare the bejeezus out of me so I like to stay close to him. I don't think I could hover as well if I were engrossed in a phone conversation. That's just me.

I'm sure plenty of parents can balance talking/texting and watching their kids at the same time.

I assume there are plenty of parents whose kids are all at Bub's stage and beyond and don't need to hover.

And I know all too well that for plenty of parents, including me, taking care of kids--despite all its many, many joys and rewards--can be a lonely, isolating, and sometimes boring job.

I know how important it is to feel connected to the world beyond kids throughout the day. I check my email more than I care to admit (on my laptop though--my phone is not fancy like that). I depend upon the daily exchanges of status updates, photos, and encouraging comments on facebook . . . little glimpses of the lives of other moms and their joys and challenges. I author this blog and take great pleasure any time a reader leaves a comment (hint hint).

I know and understand that it means a lot to talk with, text, and otherwise connect with friends and family throughout the day. I get that. I really, really get that.

But here's the thing. If everyone at the park is connected to someone who's not at the park but instead on the other end of the phone line, then it's kind of tough for the people at the park to connect with one another. (You can replace "at the park" with "at any public/community space.")

When I say "connect," I'm not talking about trying to recruit new best friends, engage in obligatory small talk out of a sense of politeness, gossip about preschools or bad nannies, or drill the person you've just met with nosy neighbor questions. I'm just talking about acknowledging that the other people at the park are real, breathing human beings with at least one thing in common with you (the care of small children) and that it doesn't hurt to disconnect the phone for a bit so that you can at least be open to making some connections with the people breathing the same air as you.

Especially when I was a new mom, the conversations and exchanges I had with other moms--those in the same boat as me and those moms with more wisdom and experience--helped me through a lot of tough days. Even if the exchange was brief, I treasured that feeling of shared sympathy and understanding. I liked being reminded that I was not alone in the boat. All it takes is a "How old is your son?" or "I love her little jacket" to get the ball rolling.

Maybe you don't need to talk to anyone new. Maybe you can get most everything you need from your phone.

But maybe the other people in the park need you.








*Bub hunts for "treasures" (rocks) which he presents to me with a description of its shape ("looks like a triangle" and "this one's a turtle" etc.) and then stores in my pockets.