"Mama Mia! That's a Spicy Pizza!"

That's the kids new catch-phrase, spoken often as we make our Sunday night pizza (Charlotte's squeaky-tone makes it all the cuter). These kids love food. They are definitely Italian.

A Cupcake, a Padded Room et Vous

It was our turn to host playgroup on Friday, so we used an auction item we bid on last year at the preschool fundraiser and treated our friends to a Buzz cupcake feast and an hour scrabbling inside a padded room (man, do I love the soft playroom). The kids were dripping with sweat when we left and oozing with the remnants of a sugar high. Good times, people, good times.

From the Ashes...

.....rises a beautiful shower! And it is glorious. Even the kids are now referring to this evolving space as "our beautiful basement." Ok, not yet, but boy, what a difference a decent bathroom makes. (we don't actually have sconces IN the shower, it's a reflection off the shower door). The power is on, the water is hot and it was a virtual party down there last night. Let the shampooing commence!

Shower Power

Has shower tile ever looked so beautiful (while only half installed)? Ok, sure it has, but to me these 1930's style mosaic doodads from Lowes are like an oasis. Could I be more excited? No! If you have ever before shared this same space with spider crickets and mold, you'd know my joy. (And have I mentioned what super entertainment renovation is for toddlers? It's like winning Lotto.)

'Thinking Small'

I do a little freelance for magazines other than my own (no one would consider me a subject matter expert when it comes to sailing, that's for sure). My latest piece was about the fit of children's footwear. The target audience is doctors, but the things I learned would be useful for ANY parent of a child under 16 (when I learned the bones in the foot stop growing).

In fact, the first pair of shoes you ever wear directly impacts your gait and your foot health for the rest of your life. Other tidbits: stiff shoes on babies- a total no-no. And don't even think about handing down a pair of well-loved shoes to a sibling. If you want to learn more, you can read the story here. And be sure to check out the picture of Harry and Suri Cruise. I always knew he'd one day swan-around with child stars.

Right Now

It is a world of construction below floors at 104 Commonwealth. We've embarked on a very speedy basement remodel to transform our unfathomably ugly, mildewy, pipe-laden basement into a playroom with a separate laundry area and finished bath.

The ceilings are low (no we're NOT digging) so this will never, ever be the Taj Mahal of anything. But with the help of a plumber, electrician and small construction crew, we're seeing magic every day. Much, much, much of the credit has and continues to go to Paul.

Together we looked at the estimates (yow!!) and he agreed to do half the work himself (all the demo - like removing a kohler tub circa 1942!, tearing down all the walls and rotted beams, single-handedly putting up 12-foot sister joists (so that we can remove the five metal floor-to-ceiling jacks that divide the room, and then framing out the whole bathroom with 2 X 4.)

Next he'll be installing new stair treads, and when the bathroom is done (thanks to Lee Rodriguez and his amazing crew -- think tiled shower with a recessed light, a beautiful new sink and a pretty tile floor...yea!), Paul will come back in to install a huge pocket door to close off our storage from the playroom.

I have an amazing husband. When Lee found out Paul was doing all this he said "oh I thought you worked for a living." Paul said, "yeah, I do," and Lee's mind was blown. "You mean you're doing this on the weekend?!?" So I'm pretty sure Lee think's I'm a total B, making my husband slave instead of enjoying the bounty of a contractor. This is when I remind Paul he made me knit a winter hat for Harry just hours before Charlotte was born. What comes around, goes around!

So, for your "enjoyment"....some before and during pictures of our basement adventure. [Harry in his safety glasses swinging a rubber mallet; the stripped bathroom (with a glimpse of the new black and white tile sample); Paul working on the framing. and all the rewiring in progress. You may be able to just spy our sign that reads "Beware of Dog"....which has pretty much summed-up the aesthetic value of our basement. I'm hopeful Paul and Lee can change that.

Tangled

Harry and Charlotte saw their first full-length feature AT the theater. We took in an early matinee on Friday and settled in with popcorn (who cares if it was 9:50!, it's the movies!). While I was confident they could sit still during the show, I hadn't realized that most kids movies, as of very recently, are 3-D. And that means wearing Buddy Holly style specs. Without them the 3-D action looks a little out of focus. But they were troopers and we all loved the new Rapunzel flick: Tangled.

(A note to fellow parents: I politely asked the concessions clerk for a second paper bag, in order to split the popcorn for the kids. The guy said he'd be forced to charge me another $5.99! But he was nice enough to give me a paper tray, and that worked just fine - maybe better since Charlotte could lay it in her lap. )

He's Nothing But a Hound Dog

We had a special one-on-one with The King last week. Our buddy Tripp channels Elvis, right down to the pelvis grinding and knee quaking. He met his idol (or a facsimile thereof) a year ago at the beach and has been mesmerized ever since. His mum, who is wicked-good with the sewing machine, whipped him up a couple gold lame outfits. Add wig, mic and glasses, and well...presto! It's Elvis. "Would you like to join me up on the stage for a photo?" He asked Harry. Don't mind if we do!

My Funny Valentines

A Valentine's day romp in the park with my precious little valentines. One of them looks particularly pretty in pink.

Super Interference

This was our view during the Super Bowl. Franky, it was more interesting (to me).

Pinkalicious...the True Story

Admittedly, we have read Pinkalicious (a favorite among both girls and cupcake lovers) so MANY times it was starting to get to me. I wanted a pink cupcake. I wanted it bad.

So on Saturday out came the pink cupcake wrappers and the buttermilk and the sugar and the strawberry juice in order to bake red velvet cupcakes with Pepto-pink icing. The kids were in heaven, quoting our heroine throughout "pink, pink, pink!" chanted Charlotte as I dropped in the cherry-red food dye.

If there was one disappointment, it was that we did not wake to discover that our skin was raspberry in hue. Maybe next time.

Pillow Talk

When you're a young boy, very little tops a burping Elmo doll, shopping cart races and a pillow fort.

What's in Your Purse?

This morning I decided to photograph the contents of my daughter's three purses (for posterity). I have decided that I, too, need a ball in my bag.

1 plastic ring in the shape of a heart

1 pink ball

1 ball with internal lights

1 Strawberry shortcake doll

1 baby bottle

1 set of keys