Strawberry Shortcake - The Nudist

As a kid, I grew up in the Ocean State. Ah, lil' Rhody with it's four hundred miles of beaches. Bet you didn't know that the smallest state in the country could boast so much coastline. We certainly had our pick of the beaches and of all those sandy strips my parents often chose the one that you actually had to strip at. That's right, a nude beach. Moonstone to be exact and I'm not trying to be funny.

Now a nature reserve for the piping plover or some such bird, Moonstone was a nude beach into the early 80's. As a small kid I didn't notice much of anything in the way of awkwardness I rather liked the whole no sand in the bathing britches factor and I was literally free to run around and play all day. Minus the fact that there were often few other children to play with it wasn't a bad beach. I would take my red backpack full of sand shovels, pails and Strawberry Shortcake dolls and follow my parents along the beach to the perfect blanket location. We'd set up for the day and I would take off whisking Shortcake, Huckleberry and Apple Dumpling off to exotic ocean side locales. Barbies were not for the beach but Strawberry went everywhere with me.

One day, as I sat on my parents blanket eating a sandy sandwich I realized something. Shortcake and company was missing! Where had she gone? My father piped in that she was probably by the shoreline where I had left her. I ran down to see only to discover that while Shortcake, Apple Dumpling and Huckleberry were all still sitting in the sand and basking in the sun, there clothes were no longer there. They had been washed out to sea! Gone. Forever. Not a trace of them was left behind. Not an apron, rubber shoe or poufy hat could be found. I was devastated. It was one thing for my parents and I to be naked, but it was quite another for Strawberry Shortcake.

While my mother bought replacement clothes they were never the same original outfits and the dolls never quite seemed the same to my anal-everything-must-be-right-self. From there on out I forever thought of Strawberry and friends as nudists.

For less traumatizing beach adventures check out PBN where you can read more stories and find out how to win a "Summer Fun Essentials Package"- a beach bag filled with summertime must-haves such as beach towels, pool toys, a sand castle building kit, and more! Plus, products from the Huggies® Little Swimmers® line.

A Bit of Clarification

You have to love Moms. Especially when they send you emails like this-

Hi Vicky,

I just read a few of your most recent daily blog items and noticed that you mention MPR. If you're referring to the radio network/station and it's broadcasts, it is NPR which stands for National Public Radio. Just thought I'd point that out. If that's not what you're referring to, then I stand corrected.

Love,
Mom

I love my Mom. I then emailed her back with, "Really? I always thought it was Mational Public Radio. Kidding." Later in the day we chatted and I filled her in. Hopefully now there is no question - MPR is Mummy's Product Reviews. Speaking of which- check it out- I'm giving away four items today. Four lucky readers will win something totally practical and fun!

In other news, the birthday festivities have officially begun. Last night the girls and I headed to Buzz for a night of cupcakes, wine or hot chocolate. The night was a lot of fun and my friends were so thoughtful with their gifts, which was not necessary but so sweet. I came away from the night feeling happy, excited about the weekend and refreshed despite practically closing the place down.

When I got home the house was decorated in streamers, balloons and banners courtesy of H and T.D. Could I ask for more? No. It was perfect and my birthday is not even until Monday. I feel so grateful.

Pffft... Who needs sleep?!

We don't need a new baby to give us sleepless nights. Nope. We have T.D. a.k.a. the Sleep Torturer. Just like her name, the Tiny Dictator, she has blossomed into a czar who makes sleeping four hours in a row seem like bliss.

For example:

I pass out at 7:30 p.m. last night. Lucky me. Sleep when baby sleeps right? Except baby is two and not napping in the afternoon and throwing a Goebbels-sized fit about going to bed. Somehow though the pregnancy hormones make it impossible for me to stay up any longer. I wake up two more times before 9 p.m. and officially turning in.

11:13 p.m.- The dictator arises. She is dissatisfied with her bumble bee blanket. How dare we try to provide extra warmth with such an inferior blanket. Rather than kick if off herself she just wails until we take it off.

I shuffle back to bed.

12 a.m.- Crying again. I open the door to her room and find she is A-OK. It's just a drill apparently. Kick ass.

I shuffle back to bed and trip over a dog bone.

2:32 a.m.- Screams can be heard from across the hall. T.D. is wet and highly pissed. No pun intended.

H stumbles back to bed after changing her.

We slumber for three blissful, uninterrupted hours until....

5:47 a.m.- Terror grips me as it sounds like a wild animal has attacked my child. Actually it is just thirst. She wants milk. At 5:47 a.m. I oblige if it will buy me more sleep.

6:42 a.m.- Awake again. The milk untouched, no diaper change needed the dictator is severely displeased with the book and toy selection in her room. Music is not acceptable either. I want to slam my head into something hard enough to deem me unconscious and therefore unable to deal with any of this. A pounding headache is beginning as is a cold. H snuffles in bed with the dog who both sound like a cold is imminent for them as well.

I lay in bed pleading for silence when at last it occurs until...

7:15



Today is the first of my birthday festivities and while I'm excited I just hope I can stay awake. Especially after having to take a meeting today and then driving everyone around tonight. I'm exhausted just thinking about it all.

Less is More

Want to buy a house for $50K? Well you can right here in the DC Metro area. It's true and it's unreal all at the same time. Everywhere you look these days houses are going into foreclosure, being abandoned and just taking six months or more to sell at prices lower than the appraised tax value.

House flipping has naturally taken a hit as well. With our most recent flip we sold it not in our regular fast pace of less than a week or even less than 24 hours but it took two months, two price drops and accepting an offer that made us little profit. It's disheartening at best but it is a sign of the times.

Reading the Washington Post fashion section in the Sunday Source this past weekend it became clear that even in that realm things are taking a hit. Designers are not offering up a lot of new things this season either. What was in style last summer or a spring must-have is the same this year. Gladiator sandals, patent shoes and bags, chunky jewelry and bright, bold colors are in again. Stores are reluctant to put new items on their shelves that most likely will not move as we have less and less disposable income.

While this can all seem quite depressing, especially if you are trying to sell or keep your home (a whole other issue not related to this post), I have found that it can also be a time of reflection. While consumerism is down due to lack of funds (what are you doing with your economic stimulus check? Let me guess. Paying bills?) it helps to realize that sometimes we need that step back to think about how we essentially need to consume less. Less is more. Those with more are statistically proven to not be any happier than those who consume or have less. Some people are even taking this time to buy nothing. While the 'Story of Stuff' has been making the rounds on YouTube it certainly warrants another look. We are indeed a nation of consumers and it is scary.

I'll step off my tiny soap box now and let you think about this for a second. Maybe if you are not of the mind to not buy anything for one whole month maybe try to just buy and consume less. OK, back on the box. Use less gas by eating out less. Sit down with our families more. Only buy what is on our list at Target this week. I know that is a tough one for everyone including yours truly. Try it for a day, a week, or a month and see where it gets you. Our wallets will be fatter and I can bet that our hearts will be a bit lighter too. It could be a great Project Life Change idea and something fun for the whole family.

I'm off the box now. And I don't feel like making my Target run today after all. I do however feel like going to the library and taking a walk with my kid.

Overheards

Scene: Our kitchen last night. H & I are cleaning up from dinner.

Me: Ugh... I don't know what is wrong with me. It's maddening. I hit this wall at this time every night (6:14-19 p.m. I swear it is that accurate) and I just feel so awful no matter what I do.

H: mumbling under his breath as he puts something away in the fridge. Snorts with laughter to himself.

Me: What? What was that you just said?! I didn't hear you....

H: Nothing! I didn't say anything. (smirks)

Me: No, you did! I heard something. What was it you said?! Tell me or I swear that dirty steak knife sitting in the sink will be used.

H: OK...(sighing) I just said, "It's when you take your bitch pill..."

Me: WHAT?! That is not funny!!! (giving him an Elaine Bennis shove)

H: I know. It's like one of those things that seems funny in your head and then once you say it, not so much.

Me: Um... that is never funny in your head.



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MPR has some great reviews up. One PBN sponsored girly review and another French Country inspired one from Le Couvent Des Minimes.

Marathon Monday

I can tell that today is going to be one of those days. Where it is barely 8 a.m. and I feel like I'm already running around in circles and wishing I could attach that old IV of caffeine to wheel around with me.

After an exhausting but fun weekend away visiting family we are all feeling a bit done. Well, all meaning the 'rents and not T.D. The kid took a four hour nap yesterday afternoon and was up bright and chipper at the wonderful hour of 6 a.m. My eyes would not budge open and my limbs felt dead to the world. As I lay there willing myself to get up and start the day I wonder- is it even worth throwing in the gym time when I feel like Mondays are a marathon anyway?

6:30 a.m.- Wake up Momma! Run upstairs and throw on gym clothes (yes, we have a loft bathroom which H loathes and I love.)

6:40 a.m.- Run down two flights of stairs and feed the dog and T.D. This requires me back tracking all over the kitchen as both dog and kid do loops around me as I put water and dog food in bowls, scoop yogurt into a dish, get milk and beg the coffeemaker to pour itself into a cup for me, pretty please?!

6:45 a.m.- Pour coffee. Leave it on counter as I run upstairs to fight the laundry monster. It has grown to epic proportions and I am beginning to wonder if the dog is wearing our clothes at night and sneaking them into the laundry. How can three people generate so much laundry?!

7:15 a.m.- Laundry sorted. Run down stairs with first load. Drop on living room floor to get T.D. more milk. Wipe up yogurt on T.D. and kitchen table and top of dogs head. Dog is relieved it no longer has to try and extend her tongue to the top of her head to get at said yogurt.

7:20 a.m.- Run downstairs to laundry room. Realize that while the washer is empty the dryer is not. Clothes from Friday, still damp, are sitting in there. Re-wash. Sigh. Throw other pile on floor and try to shut laundry room door without the laundry monster busting out and biting my ankles.

7:25 a.m.- Turn on desktop in office to print items I need for the day. Become scattered, leave office, stare at laundry, run upstairs to start a grocery list.

7:30 a.m.- See coffee. Gaze at it and become distracted by cries for more yogurt. Get yogurt for T.D. She screams at me that it is really cereal she wants. Pour cereal. Pour milk. She screams. No Milk. Want to claw my own eyes out.

7:40 a.m.- Run back downstairs to laundry room and rip out laundry in dryer. Will air dry. Must get laundry monster under control. Dash back upstairs after fiddling with desktop postal forms for ten minutes to no avail. International shipping requires a trek to the dreaded post office where I will feel I've lost a decade off my life. Small post office near me only takes cash and UPS is a total price raping for even the smallest package. Must head across town I realize to a 'real' post office.

7:55 a.m.- Sip coffee. Grocery list is completed with little gagging on my behalf as all food still seems totally unappetizing unless it is the following food groups- Popsicles, cream cheese and pasta.

8:20 a.m.- Run upstairs, strip bed. Growl at laundry in corner and run away as it growls back. Back downstairs I stare at emails about potential job inquiries that I need to take and yet I'm afraid of. I hate that about myself. I must grow a set and just take on some new projects. Realize Australian stroller company I want to review has no contact information on their site. WTF?!

9:03 a.m.- Throw dry cleaning, postal supplies, library books and all other needed errand related paraphernalia at the front door. Think about gym time. Realize I need it desperately but how on earth will I ever get anything done if I go?

9:11 a.m.- Get T.D. dressed. Throw on shoes. Load up the car. Pack snacks for me and the babe and head out the door with no game plan on where to go to next. Think about crawling back into bed and finishing latest Kinsella book.

If you see me out and about today around town. Just ignore me. I'm nice deep down inside and I really don't bite. I'm just running the Monday marathon.

Random Question # 113

While you can easily admit that you are obsessed with your iPod or MP3 player you know that what is on that little device also consists of some dirty little secrets. Go on, share. You know you want to. What dreadful songs do you rock out to or harmonize with when no one else is around?

If someone at the gym just grabbed your earbuds would you melt into the treadmill in shame because you were listening to something like, Vanilla Ice or Weird Al?

I'll confess to-

The Muppet Theme Song (shut up, it destresses me.)

I Gotta Man by Positive K

Freak Like Me, Adina Howard

Faded, by Soul Decision

The Power of Love, Huey Lewis & the News

Arthur's Theme, Christopher Cross


There are more, many more that are equally bad or even worse. H says, that it just demonstrates my lack of taste in music, but I think you get the idea.