Last weekend, I abandoned my husband and three kids and jetted off to Santa Barbara for the lowest-key “lost” weekend ever to be kinda/sorta misplaced. Okay, fine. P.J. was with me when I booked the tickets. He practically shoved me out the door. Because he knew- and I know- that when two important people in your life request a getaway, you go away (with them). Kat and Annie were among my very first Chicago pals. We were all of us {Read More}
The worst/best neighborhood in the world/Chicago.
August 25, 2016 By 2 Comments
Sometimes you hate your neighborhood. Sometimes it’s too grungy and loud and entirely too in-your-face for a person who (perhaps) has just returned from the seaside. It doesn’t matter which seaside, only that the glaring juxtaposition with any seaside drives home the fact that someone has recently puked in the alley and you may or may not have run over an already deceased rodent while parking in your garage immediately upon returning from said anonymous seaside. Sometimes after-hours Spanish karaoke sessions {Read More}
Pearachute: Crazy amount of classes edition.
August 24, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Disclosure: As a Pearachute Ambassador, it’s my business to tell you all about the classes, activities, sports, and play times in the greater Chicagoland area. (And business is GOOD.) Although I’m being compensated, all thoughts, opinions, and children with a ridic set of new skills are entirely my own. *** Friends! Summer’s winding down and Fall is gearing up! Whether you’re looking forward to the return to normalcy/sanity, or if you’re of the school of thought that zero scheduling is {Read More}
Camping. A thing we totally did.
August 18, 2016 By 2 Comments
We went camping this past weekend. No, nothing in that sentence was a typo. It did not involve four star hotels- and, in fact, my accommodations were downright tiny. (There were multiple feet in multiple faces at multiples hours of the evening.) There were, however, exceptional friends on this camping trip. The kind who take this trip every year together with their families of three and four. So when they invited our family of five [crazies], I was a) honored {Read More}
5 ways my vacation and my home are very, very different.
August 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Hi. So, I’m not fully back back. Our luggage is back, that’s for sure. (I’m pretty sure it found some friends and made some babies by the looks of the unpacking and laundry. The amount of pajamas alone are quite suspect.) The children are back and so are their parents- at least physically. Mentally, on the other hand, is a different story. There are exhausted meltdowns. There are 3am, 4am, 5am wake ups. There are floor naps. (And that’s just {Read More}
Stargazing with The Little Prince & the #StreamTeam.
August 10, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Disclosure: As a member of Netflix’s Stream Team, there’s no end to the movie-tacular joy I get to spread. This month’s virtual hug is the release of the Netflix original film The Little Prince and, I promise, you will love it. You. Will. Love. It. Although I’m frequently (and awesomely) compensated, all thoughts, opinions, and tiny gasps of glee are entirely my own. Oh, my heart: Netflix has done something spectacular and feelings-y. The Little Prince is a marvel of storytelling, {Read More}
Catcall.
July 21, 2016 By 2 Comments
The other day, I was catcalled by a construction worker. I also happened to be holding my 2 year-old son. As my brain swirled with righteous indignation, anger at the classlessness of objectifying a woman in front of her small male child, and the witty retorts that I’d been saving up since the last time I was catcalled on a construction site… My son lost it. Lost it. “Hiiii DIGGERS, hiiii! Mama, see diggers? A crane! A scoop! Dumpppppppp TRUCK!” {Read More}
An interview with two experienced Pearachuters.
July 18, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Disclosure: As a Pearachute Ambassador, it’s my business to tell you all about the classes, activities, sports, and play times in the greater Chicagoland area. (And business is GOOD.) Although I’m being compensated, all thoughts, opinions, and children with sand in their ears(?!) are entirely my own. ***FYI, stay with me ’til the bottom for new locales and crazy-new prices!*** *** Sure, you’ve all heard me go on (and on and on) about how great Pearachute is as a flexible {Read More}
