Teach Me How to Mommy

Last week, an amazing photographer sent me the photos from the photo shoot Amy and I did a few days prior.  I teared up, then I showed my husband.  He said, "wow, these look professional."  That's because they are - sometimes I wonder what he's doing when I am talking... Rewind. Amy and I don't do professional photographs.  There are a lot of reasons why, (maybe none that are actually worthy).  We have Iphones and take pictures of our kids EVERY day.  Professional photos can be expensive.  Also (and sorry) but the ones we see streaming on Facebook often seem staged, weird, unrealistic (all while, yes, being beautiful).  But, once you start how do you stop?  Do you do them every year?  Wait, it's holiday we should get our pictures taken!  A new baby?  Better line up the photographer.  First tooth?  Call her up! Yet, when a childhood friend offered to update our Teachmehow website with some new pics, we conceded...

Vacations with toddlers aren't really vacations.   This will end up positive, I promise.   But back to the start.  Preparing, packing, traveling and then living on vacation is no joke.  Challenging?  Yes.  Worth it....  For the second year in a row, Jerry and I have traveled to Maine to spend time at his Pepere's lake house.  Along with us come many members of extended family.  The kitchen table is always full of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.  Every bed is full and so are the couches.  Shoes don't have a rightful home, but laughs, beer and memories certainly do. So even though it takes nine plus hours in the car to get there, once you're there it's magic.  Limited internet, surplus of trees, off-road vehicles and lake walks.  Magic. Even better?  Plenty of 20-somethings, grandparents and teens who don't see my children as much as I do.  To them, most things they do are cute.  T...

Well, we've waited for it all year.  It's finally come!  It's Mother's Day! Even if Mother's Day means that the craft your kid made you at daycare has already broken and the outdoor barbecue you planned for your family will be slightly ruined tainted by pouring rain, it's still "our day." On Friday, I finished up a year long relationship with a student teacher.  The experience was such a positive one that I held back tears when I said, "good-bye" to her.  She helped me with all the taxing things that go on behind the scenes - grading, planning, copying, organizing, cleaning and the ever important report cards.  Beyond that, she became such an energetic and kind presence in my room.  She is a friend now and I will miss her dearly. She left me with a gift, that in her words, "defines who I am." I never received any of these "knit" things in my life.  I've always liked them, but isn't it kind of a lost ar...

For Christmas Amy's amazing husband got Amy two tickets to see Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper live in Providence, RI.  In fact, he is so great that he didn't even expect to be her date.  That ticket was already taken (by me naturally). And so it was.  On Saturday,  Amy and I left after gymnastics and swimming lessons, park time, breakfast and lunch.  We traveled the short road to a city we have never been to and, well we just had some honest, good fun. We splurged on a fancy room and got some special drinks.  We laughed our asses off for two hours and even though we were in bed at 11pm it was a blast! Top 5 Highlights: 1)   Brian bought good tickets.  We were dead center and pretty close.  Even though we love Andy and Anderson we both didn't really know what to expect.  Who pays money just to hear people talk?  Well, Brian does and boy did we benefit!  Well-worth if it you have the option. 2) You're never too old to cr...