The On The Upside family has had a fabulous summer!
The kids are now back in school and as much as the mom should be happy about some time alone - she is not ready for school to begin.
Alexis was ready!
She coudn't wait to start 2nd grade!
She didn't even look back.
Little Billy headed off for his first day of middle school. I must have told him 100 times to make sure he takes notes - write EVERYTHING down!
"I got it, Mom - I can handle this," he insisted.
I certainly hope so. He's got 7 teachers this year and ... I do not have the time to spend my days going from class to class with that boy!
Then there were those teenager girls. Courtney and Chloe are juniors this year and driving themselves to school. I was so nervous - I made them call me yesterday to tell me they made it there alright. It's really the parking that worried me most.
They called - they made it! Now they just have to make it there and back again tomorrow and the next day and the next day .......
They are driving the Pathfinder we bought for them to use until their daddy finishes that '69 Mustang. I think they want the Mustang finished, but ... they were awful happy to have their own car to drive to school.
Like I said ...
I should be happy to have the kids out of my hair.
I do like spending my days doing things that I need to do - getting things done while they are at school.
I like the peace and quiet.
I like making lists and getting busy on chores and projects - filling the fall months with days of cleaning and organizing - shopping and changing things in my house.
I like working in the yard with no one yelling "CAN YOU COME MAKE ME SOME LUNCH?"
I like going to lunch with my girl friends.
I like all of these things.
But ...
I like summer ...
BETTER!
I AM NOT ready for summer to end!
It flew by too fast!
We spent a lot of time at the lake, but ...
We never made it to the beach.
We spent many mornings sleeping in.
We watched a lot of movies and way to much TV.
We spent fun times with family and friends.
We didn't do all the things we had hoped we would get to, but ...
I want there to be snow - but there is never snow where I live.
Usually, we try to get away around Christmas or Spring Break to go skiing - then I get to see the snow and it makes me very happy.
This year we didn't go on our regular ski trip at Christmas time and I think we are going to the beach during Spring Break (blah!).
This weekend - this is where I am:
Yes - during even the winter months - we go to the lake.
Now, it is chilly here this weekend (54 or so), but it is still beautiful.
We have a house on this lake - a townhouse. We spend a lot of time in the summer up here and some weekends during the winter. It's nice to come here to just relax and get away from home.
We don't do much when we come here in the winter.
We eat out a lot. We go to movies. We go to Walmart. We rent movies. We watch TV. We sometimes play games. We take walks. We ride around in our golf cart. We visit with friends. We fish. We feed the ducks. We take naps.
We do all these same things in the summer - only add in:
Lots of swimming. Lots of boating. Water skiing. Wake boarding. Jet Skiing. Picnics. Eating outdoors. Long evenings out on the decks.
On Friday I asked my kids, "Do you want to go to the lake?" and they all screamed, "Yes, Yes, Yes!"
So, we came.
This is what the kids are mostly doing:
Playing Guitar Hero. They think they are on vacation and they aren't much help, when help is needed. That's okay, this weekend - they too, deserve a break.
Here is a little tour of our place:
This is our bedroom. Notice my laptop on the bed - never go anywhere without my laptop.
This is the "bunk room" where the older girls sleep and hang out with their friends. They made a complete mess of it before I had a chance to take a good picture.
This blurry picture is of my mom's room. We call it her room because she is often here with us all summer long - she's here almost as much as we are. This also serves as our guest bedroom.
This is Little Billy's bedroom. We made this little room for him in the attic space above the garage. It's a very comfortable and cute little room. He has his toys and TV - it couldn't be more perfect for a little boy.
This is Alexis' room. We made her a little room in a closet - yes, a closet. Since the master bedroom has this really large closet with built in cabinets and all, we decided when she was just a baby to stick her crib in there - give her her own little space. As she has grown, we changed out the crib for a toddler bed and decorated it with her toys and pictures. She is due for a bigger bed and we plan to give her a new one this summer - if it will fit in the closet. Don't tell her it is a closet - she doesn't know - she just calls it "her little room". It is precious and just right for her.
Our house has officially 3 bedrooms and 4 baths. But ... people tease me all the time that if any space is large enough, I'll find a way to make a bedroom out of it and stick a bed in there for some kid to sleep on - and it is true. There is not on foot of unused space in the house - not one inch. Since it is a lake house and we didn't need the closet space (we only ever wear swimsuits and shorts) - the closet was perfect for her and - she has her own bathroom to boot.
This is not her bathroom, this is my mothers.
This is my bathroom.
This is our little kitchen (note all the slushie cups along the wall - we make lots of slushies and smoothies at the lake).
This is our dining room.
This is the living room - before the kids took it over for Guitar Hero.
This is the upper deck. We spend lots of time up here in the summer - sunbathing and looking at stars.
This is the lower deck. We spend lots of evenings out here - fishing and visiting with friends. This is also where the kids swim and the boat (to the right - can't see it) is right here for us to go out whenever we wish. The Jet Ski is kept here also.
This is a view of the lower deck from the other direction.
God has been so good to me and my family. We are lucky to have this beautiful retreat and I just wanted to share it with you.
Wouldn't it be fun to have a ladies weekend here - sit around, the bunch of us - talk about our kids (because they wouldn't be with us - BTW) - share our stories - drink a few Margaritas or iced tea - listen to some music. I wish we could do that!
We love this place.
Thanks for letting me share it with you.
Now .... I'm going to go back to what I've been doing most of the weekend.
I don't know about you, but I've been needing this relaxing weekend. I hope you are having a relaxing weekend too!
My son has been into Sharpies lately. Over the summer he begged me to buy bunches of them.
So I did. BIG mistake!
He proceeded, the entire summer, to Sharpie anything and everything he could think of! I'd walk into his room and there was constantly this overwhelming smell of the Sharpies (you know the smell) and him there on the floor, hovered over an old toy or something ... ee,ee,ee,ee (*the sound a Sharpie makes*). I began to worry that he was doing that sniffing or huffing I've heard about and so I would tell him to "Stop already" with all the coloring of everything (entire shoe boxes, small trucks, treads of shoes, bills of ball caps ...). "STOP ALREADY. And ... if you have to do it - open a window or take it outside."
It became a joke in our family and with friends - this strange obsession he had with Sharpies. I'd joke to friends, "Oh ... it's the same refrigerator - we just left The Boy too long alone - WITH A BLACK SHARPIE - in the house."
I swear - he has colored everything!
I think we should have him Sharpie that old Studebaker we have sitting in our driveway (long story - will one day write about that under the category: My husband and his redneck hobbies). Color it black (all of it - ee, ee, ee, ee, ee) - put some bright orange and red flames on the hood and down the sides - insert the SHARPIE logo in scroll writing amidst the flames - send it to the Sharpie company as a commercial for this product - get some money out of this CRAZY obsession.
I try to encourage my children's artistic enthusiasm - I do. But Son ... STOP ALREADY!
On the upside ... He's not coloring as much lately as he was over the summer. Maybe he just had too much time on his hands - ya think?
I'm ready for leisurely mornings where I wander from my bedroom and find happy children lounging with cereal bowls in the laps, Pop-Tart crumbs on their faces, wearing their pajamas on the couch and watching cartoons.
I'm ready to stop stocking my pantry with small bags of chips, Little Debbie snack cakes and juice boxes for all those bagged lunches.
I'm ready for no more homework or worrying about grades and behavior and agendas and reports and projects and assignments and bus schedules!
The time has come again ...
The time when my family spends ...
Evenings up late watching rental movies and cuddling pillows and bowls of popcorn on the couch.
Afternoons in the car ... running up to the ice cream shop for cones and sprinkles.
Weekends at the lake - boating and swimming and fishing and ... watching the stars in the summer sky.
It's time for romps in the sprinklers and trips to the beach!
Time to visit with family and friends and enjoy Bar-B-Q's in the evenings with George Strait singing on the radio and his sweet Texas voice floating on the summer breeze.
It's time for iced tea and smoothies and cold pasta salads.
On the upside ... Okay! So ... it's been in the 90's for weeks, the kids have been swimming so much that they are already bored with it and we've had a Bar-B-Q or two ---- I'm still waiting to pack away the backpacks and file away my PTA binder. I think I am as excited as the kids. I can't wait for SCHOOL. TO. BE OUT!!!! I can't wait for SUMMER!!
I am so pleased to have received the following awards over the past several weeks. I have been slow in showing my appreciation and am finally getting around to saying thanks to those that passed these great awards on to me.
I am not passing any of these awards on to anyone in this post, but will pass these awards on to others in a future post - I just wanted to at least acknowledge receiving these awards - for now.
Melissa, over at Hope For The Hopeless was so nice to pass on this very nice Tiara-wearing Blogger award- I just love it. Thanks Melissa.
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I was also so pleased to recieve this great "You Make My Day" award from Baby~Amore over at My LittleDrummer Boys. Thank you so much Baby~Amore.
I was also excited when my friend Pam over at Random Thoughts also gave me this nice award - thanks so much Pam - you make my day too!
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And then ... Amy, over at Memories and Musings of a Mommy awarded me this great "Fantastic Fridge Award". You need to go over to Amy's site to find out what this great award is all about - it's very cool! Thanks Amy!
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And then ... The very sweet Natalie over at Red Sox Mommy (Living In a State of Confusion) gave me this great "Friendly Site Award". Thanks so much Natalie.
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And then, Tommie at Tuesday Updates, gave this nice award to all of her readers. Thanks Tommie.
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And then, Vasquez 3 was so nice to pass this fun award on to me. Thanks so much Vasquez 3 !
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And then ..... I was so happy to receive this "Excellent" award from Laura over at Lunatic Fringe - thanks so much Laura.
I was also happy to receive this "Excellent" award from my good friend Kat over at Justabeachkat - thanks Kat!
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And then, JO N over at Shower Your Children With Love The Right Way, was so nice to pass this "Wide Owl Award" on to me. Thanks so much JO N!
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And then ... Irene over at Our Little Piece of the World, was so nice to pass this "A Roar For Powerful Words" award on to me. Thanks Irene.
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And then, my good friend Lizzy over at Life According To Lizzy passed this "You'll Always Have A Room In My Heart" award on to all of her readers. Thanks so much Lizzy!
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And then my friend Melanie over at Livin With Me was so nice to pass this "Loveable Blog" award on to me! I love this nice award - thanks so much Melanie!
I was also so lucky to receive this same award from my Aussie friend Kim over as Frog Ponds Rock - thanks Kim!
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And then, my good friend Summer, over at Summer's Nook, passed this nice award on to me - thanks Summer - I love this award.
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And then - Justabeachcat passed this nice award on to all of her readers - I love this award. Thanks so much.
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My good friend Melissa, over at Hope For The Hopeless, was so nice to pass on this True Blue Award to me. Thanks so much Melissa - I am most grateful!
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My new friend Steph over at My Daily Life, created this wonderful award and I am so honored to be one the first people she has passed it on to.
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My good friend Angela over at Angela's Chocolate & Potatoes passed this very nice award on to me. Thanks so much Angela.
I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE GREAT AWARDS - THANKS SO MUCH!!!
Over the course of these 10 months, I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing my life, my children and my stories with many readers.
I have also enjoyed getting to know many wonderful women/moms through my blog.
I have also .... been very fortunate during this time ... to not have received very many negative comments on my posts. I've received a few - but, not many at all.
I did receive one VERY NEGATIVE comment yesterday (Wednesday 6/18/08).
Now ... I would like to just let this comment go and not say anything, but this comment - this person - gives me the opportunity to set a few things straight.
I was a bit angry about this comment.
My anger was not about the honesty - I very much appreciate honesty from my readers.
My anger was not about the words - while some could have been chosen better - I am all about words!
My anger was that ... "This woman doesn't know me. She has no clue what she is talking about. She obviously has not read any of my other posts, or she would not feel free to say such things."
I was frustrated that someone would say something so "mean" based on one post. If she had TRULY read the over 300 posts I have written - I do not feel she could have said these things. This, therefore - made me mad!
I'm not going to try to defend myself in detail against this person's comments - I am only going to say ...
My stories are a mere GLIMPSE into my life - mere moments.
My stories - my blogging - is a way for me to document my children's lives - my life - my family's life and this is a blessing and a gift!
My stories are intended to offer others ... moments where they can laugh or cry - where they can witness or relate to another mother that does not always get everything right and is not ashamed to admit that. A place where they can go daily and find a good story and hopefully leave with a smile on their face.
My blog is a place for me to write my stories - a creative outlet - something I love doing and something that is mine and something that I deserve to indulge in if I care too. It's my blog and I use it to tell stories that I think people will enjoy.
My blog is a HAPPY place - I created it for that purpose - I intended it that way! It is not a place where people come to fight - to knit-pick - to ridicule anybody! It is a HAPPY PLACE! It is not a teaching blog. I am not here to tell anyone how to live their life or impose my opinions or beliefs on anyone. My blog is simply a place for me to tell my stories.
I write about the stuff I do wrong in mothering - a lot! I write about the mistakes I have made. I write about the things my kids say. I write about the things we do in our lives. I write about a lot of things .... and I do all of it with LOVE for my family.
I DO NOT write about all the things I do right in my life - not often anyway, and that is because ---- THAT STUFF IS NOT FUNNY!
It's all pretty simple.
I am proud of my blog.
I am proud of my stories.
I am proud of the type of mother I am and I believe my children would say the same.
I am not going to go on and on defending who I am and all I have done right - while I could do that - I could write a good, LONG list. I'm not going to.
I don't have to.
I know who I am.
I know why I blog.
I believe my stories are a gift, not only to my children and family ---- but to my readers.
I don't think this reader will ever come back to my site - as she stated she wouldn't. But ... if she were to want to come back ... she is always welcome here at On The Upside.
But, beware ...
I will not be changing the way I write ... I will not be changing the way I parent ... I will not be happy if you leave another "mean" comment ...
And ...
By the way ...
Alexis ate Captain Crunch for breakfast again this morning - it was 10:10 A.M. and I actually got my lazy butt up off the chair and went into the kitchen and got her bowl out of the cabinet and I even poured the cereal and splashed on the milk.
You are always welcome here ...
Everyone is welcome here ...
Anyone that enjoys a funny story or a touching story ...
Is welcome here at ...
On The Upside!
But ... keep your MEAN and UNINFORMED comments to yourself or I will DELETE it. As easy as it is for you to say MEAN and UNINFORMED things - it is just as easy to ERASE THEM!
I let you have your say this time. And, I will let others have their say - as long as the comments are not uninformed and mean. I don't do that to anyone else and I won't allow others to do it to me.
Here is the negative comment that was left yesterday:
"seriously, i empathize, but why don't you do something fun with your kids? i see you were nominated for best humor blog but i don't think this is funny.get off your butt and stop living your life on the internet. you have a small banner that says "vote for me" - why don't you stop worrying about the online popularity contest and give your kids a fun summer to remember? best parenting blog? no, it is not. you admit this stuff to make people laugh, but it just makes me sad. when your kids are out of the house you are going to wish you had spent less time blogging and more time with them."
"i'm just reading your comments on this. let's support each other in our "good enough mothering!"this is my first time here, i can't come back. it breaks my heart. good enough mothering? no.i'm not out there planning stuff for my kid for every second of the day, but this is ridiculous." June 18, 2008 8:52 AM
Now ... in true On The Upside fashion ... lets see if we can find an upside anywhere in this mess of words.
"seriously, i empathize, but why don't you do something fun with your kids?" --- I took them to that damn Kung Fu Movie the other night - does that count? DID YOU SEE THAT POST!? And ... I'm at the lake with my kids, as I type this post - need I say more.
"i see you were nominated for best humor blog but i don't think this is funny" ---- That's okay - this is not really my funniest post - I've written far funnier stories before - read one of those.
"get off your butt and stop living your life on the internet" ---- Would it really be possible for me to live my whole life on the internet and raise the 4 wonderful children that I have into the fine people they are becoming? I don't think so! And ... last time I looked - this is MY LIFE and I can live it anyway I see fit for me and for my family. Don't presume that just because I have a "busy" blog that I spend all my time on the internet either. What I do is none of anyone's business, but I assure you - it is interesting and fun and busy and productive and ... centered around 4 children and a husband and 5 pets and extended family and friends and 2 homes and a business.
"you have a small banner that says "vote for me" - why don't you stop worrying about the online popularity contest and give your kids a fun summer to remember?" ---- I'm not worried about these contests - but, I do want my blog to be popular. I love sharing my stories and I want as many readers as I can find. And, as for the summer ... I'm at the lake with my kids - need I say more!
" best parenting blog? no, it is not. " ---- I guess this is where we'd have to DEFINE this category. In some people's eyes - I guess I might be considered a darn good parent. In others - likely not. That's cool! That's why there are red cars and blue cars and yellow cars and silver cars ... so everyone can have what they want. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
" you admit this stuff to make people laugh, but it just makes me sad. when your kids are out of the house you are going to wish you had spent less time blogging and more time with them." ---- I've spent the last 16 years ... with my children - nearly every single day! I spend plenty of time with my kids (All straight A, honor roll students, by the way; 2 are gifted, one is in Boy Scouts, 2 play basketball and softball, one is in gymnastics ...) - if I am not the one spending time with these kids then there is someone that looks an awful lot like me in my house doing that job. And ... my kids are going to find all of my stories to be a GIFT when they grow older. They are going to know how I really felt about them - what I was really thinking - how I heard so many of their words and listened to what they had to say. And ... YES ... I write this stuff to make people laugh. If they are laughing at my stories then I feel happy about that. I try very hard to make my stories humorous. Life is not always happy and if someone enjoys my blog and knows that they can come here daily to read a story that is likely going to make them laugh - then I think I am doing something very RIGHT!
"i'm just reading your comments on this. let's support each other in our "good enough mothering!"this is my first time here, i can't come back. it breaks my heart. good enough mothering? no.i'm not out there planning stuff for my kid for every second of the day, but this is ridiculous." ----- I am not the one that wrote that I was a "good enough mother". I think my title to this last post was, "The Loser-est Mom Ever". It's satire. I am not a loser as a mother - but ... I have my moments and I will have many more. If that is "Good enough mothering" - then that's what I am. It's SATIRE and it is a MERE GLIMPSE INTO MY LIFE - the other 96% you don't see and likely will never see.
I'm done now.
Keep an eye out for a "funny" post tomorrow. Back to business as usual.
Note: If you are so inclined to leave comments on my blog - feel free to be honest - but, BE NICE or I WILL DELETE YOUR COMMENT and ... I will probably write a post about it and talk about you the next day - because this is MY BLOG and I can do that! HA!
And ... PLEASE do not attack this person that left this negative comment - that is not my intent of this post!
If you ever have the opportunity to walk down Elizabeth Street between Houston and Prince during the summer, look for an old man tanning on the side of the road--he's a dying breed of Old School New York. He lays by the road reclining on a lawn chair and sun tans in front of everybody while the cars go whisking by. This guy also has a habit of releasing the water from the fire hydrant across the street, creating himself into a somewhat of a tourist attraction.
As soon as I saw the water gushing forth from the fire hydrant, I knew I had to have a picture with that classic New York summertime symbol in the background. The window of opportunity was open, I staked my ground, and waited.
After waiting about an hour, this couple walked through my path. I like the imperfection in his rolled up sleeves...it's imperfect but he still looks interesting.
Long post I know, so I'll leave the rest to you. :)
I'm gonna take a shower today. I also might just shave my legs.
After I had kids (15 years ago), I began to realize that a person could get by on a shower every-other-day. Every third day, if it is a trade-off for serious sleep. Yep ... I certainly never planned on adopting this previously unacceptable poor hygiene habit, but it happened. To this day, I shave my legs as seldom as possible. I will shave my arm pits whenever I'm in the shower - I guess that is because I see that hair more easily, as it is closer to my face. My legs - I can see those too - it's just too much work to incorporate into my every-other-day shower ritual.
And my kids, they are on an every-other-day bath ritual too (unless they are obviously filthy). And if it's summer, and they have gone swimming in the pool - that counts as a bath, in our house ("Nope ... you can't take a bath, you went swimming today). The pool has chlorine in it; a sufficient amount to kill most any germ - it counts as a bath, in my opinion. Sometimes, they can go a week or so without an actual bath ... during the summer. Not my sister-in-law's kids. Her kids have a bath, need it or not, every single day; clean sparkly hair - sleek shiny bodies - her kids. No matter how I try to spin this, this comes across like I'm not quite the mother I should be. It's like I'm sending my kids down to the creek or something to take their weekly bathes; that's how I think it reflects on me. Now mind you, I am aware of this reflection, but it doesn't bother me enough to actually change the every-other-day bath ritual I have perfected in our house.
I never would have believed, when I was a twenty-something year old girl, that wore panties and bras to match her outfits to work, that I would transform into a person that would go days without shaving her legs or wear pantyhose with runs in them - and not care. At age twenty-something I'm certain I would have said, "Oh, she must care. She cares. She just didn't have time to change those pantyhose - poor thing." But the truth is ... I don't care. And, all those calluses on my toes that I spent years building up in order to successfully wear all those 31/2" pumps - they disappeared early on; the calluses and the pumps.
One last thought on this subject, because it is revealing and embarrassing. On Oprah (yes, I watch Oprah) not too long ago, there was this female gynecologist speaking about things that women should beware of and the subject came up about tampons. The doctor mentioned that it was not uncommon for women to come to her office for regular pap exams and during the course of the exam a stray tampon had been found. The doctor said this happened quite often and made this statement matter-of-factly. Oprah looked at the doctor with a look that only Oprah can give someone when she is flabbergasted.
I was not at all surprised by this news, as I have lost a few myself - up there. Forgotten it was there - found it a day later, "Oh, that's right, I'm on my period - better take that out." Only women that have children and forgetful teen-age girls, forget they are on their period and neglect to realize that they have foreign objects stuck in their orifices'.
This is the point where I should go into how your mind goes, once you have kids, but I thinks that's obvious. You first lose your time - and then you lose your mind. Tampon's, while they may be lost for periods of time, are not important enough a thing as to be listed as "things lost", once you have kids. The tampons ... I just flush down the toilet and go on my way.
I'm going to take a shower now. And I'm going to wash my hair. I'm going to try to remember that I did indeed wash my hair, so that I don't wash my hair again (that sometimes happens) - because God knows ... people that have kids don't have the time to wash anyone's hair twice.
On the upside ... even if I had time to take a shower tomorrow - I don't have too (la, la, la, la,la).
They have been known to spend hour after hour after hour - reading!
They love Harry Potter - LOVE IT!
They have read all the Harry Potter books over and over again.
They love the Twilight series!
They love many different books and lots of different authors.
Given their choice of buying anything they want - they will ALWAYS choose books!
If I take them anywhere near a book store - their eyes will begin to twitch and sweat will bead on their foreheads and they will begin to drool - REALLY!
Well ...
As much as they love to read ...
They are not all that happy about reading books they are required to read - such as ...
The Grapes of Wrath.
It was a summer reading requirement.
I know, I know - it is a classic and lots of people love the book, but ... not my girls - NOPE!
We bought one book at the beginning of the summer.
Courtney began to read the book at the end of July.
Chloe - believing that Courtney would certainly finish the book in a couple of days - waited for her sister to finish before she would be able to begin.
Needless to say - a week before school was to start - Chloe had not yet read the required book and Courtney was still not done.
These are girls that can read a new Harry Potter book - cover to cover - in 18 hours or less. But ... The Grapes Of Wrath Courtney found ... bor-ing!
So ...
The twins' father suggested ... "Courtney - once you get to the middle of the book - let me know and I will cut the book in half and give the first half to Chloe."
*Tee Hee*
This sounded like a good idea to me.
Not that destroying a perfectly good classic by John Steinbeck, was a good thing - but ... it made little sense to purchase a second book - especially one that they hated so much.
Even I - thought this was not a bad idea.
But ...
Chloe worried.
Worried she would need her own book.
Worried they would need their own books in class during the review - during the discussion.
Worried ...
She would have to tell her teacher ...
"Uh ... Page 231?"
"Can you wait a minute ..."
"For me to go across the room ..."
"To get the other half of the book ..."
"From ...
"MY SIS-TER!"
She worried ...
Worried ...
That ...
She might have to tell her English teacher ...
"Yes ..."
"We chopped it in half ..."
"The Grapes Of Wrath ..."
"Yes ..."
"My ... redneck daddy thought it was a good idea ..."
"Yes ..."
"That's just the way we do things ..."
"In the ... On The Upside --- household!"
On the upside ... We bought another book. Chloe was relieved. For a while there - I think she was scared we were actually going to do it. And ... I think she might also have been a bit scared when she realized that I - her mother - was in agreement with her redneck father about this book-chopping idea. It had never happened before where the mother agreed on any redneck idea the father had. It definitely seemed to worry her.
After the Derek Lam Fall/Winter 2010 show at New York Fashion Week. I left more of the background intact in this shot, just because it looked interesting with all the snow, buildings, cabs, police cars, police scooter, black cab, yellow cab....for a New York feel.
At the Spring/Summer 2018 New York Fashion Week shows, talking candidly with Hye Park (Sept. 2009)
At the Fall/Winter 2009 Paris Fashion Week shows (March 2009). I remember taking this shot and not being able to back up any further without bumping into a bunch of people.
At the Spring/Summer 2018 New York Fashion Week shows (September 2008).
If you live in Texas - you get used to the warm weather.
If you live in Texas - you get used to the bugs.
Okay - maybe not this bug! I don't even think you can call this a "bug" - I think it is a CREATURE! The thing is over 6" long and CREEP-Y! This one is dead, but imagine seeing one of these creatures crawling along the sidewalk or up the side of your house - eeeeek! I've had people tell me of how they've had these creatures get in their house!!
If you live in Texas - you get used to the lack of defined seasons and do your best to adjust to the cool mornings that require a sweater and then ... the need to shed that sweater to a tank top ... on that same day's afternoon.
We begin to plant our yards in Texas around the end of March or early in April.
We take our ferns out of our green houses and hang them in the trees or place them decoratively by our front doors.
We plant flowers in the ground and in clay pots that we place on our porches and decks.
We clean our flower beds and plant new shrubs and layer on the cedar mulch to hold in the moisture in anticipation of long, hot summer days.
By the time late July comes ...
Some Texans are clearing out summer petunas and impatients and begonias ... that have seen better days and long since withered and dried up under the hot Texas sun and ... bringing in mums of red and purple and gold.
By the time late August arrives ...
I am tired.
I have watered plants in pots and baskets and flower beds ... for MONTHS!
I have transplanted and pruned ...
I have mulched ...
And ...
I might plant a mum or two, but ...
I am ex-hausted and ... just ready to move on.
By the time September comes around ...
I don't water as often as I should - but, I do what I have to to keep my plants alive.
I no longer transplant, but I still pluck off dead leaves.
I seldom fertilize.
By the time October arrives ...
*sigh*
On the upside ... I have 4 children I can barely feed adequately - keep alive! If it is still warm in Texas by the time October gets here - like it is this year ... honestly --- I am wishing - hoping - praying --- the cold weather will sweep in like a mad arctic northern and kill the plants in my yard - dead! Seven months is well past the time I feel obliged or am even capable of keeping any fern or flower alive.
The first time I met Tara was when I shot her for Teen Vogue.com at Fall/Winter 2009 Paris shows. Little did I know that then Tara was well on her way to walking 7 consecutive shows for Jean Paul Gaultier, an influential show on the fashion season circuit and most certainly an accomplishment worthy of noting:
After the Derek Lam show at the Fall/Winter 2010 New York Fashion Week shows.
At the Spring/Summer 2018 London Fashion Week shows.
Ieva debuted the Paris catwalks at the Spring/Summer 2018 shows with walks down Louis Vuitton and Chanel. She filled in the off season with a British Vogue editorial and a Top Shop campaign among others. She's walked a choice selection of New York shows from Jason Wu to Rag and Bone and Derek Lam.
Juicy Couture's VP of Global Communication's Lauren Kucerak (L) hands Tracy Anderson (R), a custom made Juicy top. According to the June issue of American Vogue, "Lara Stone recently began Tracy Anderson's exercise program..."
Kelly Framel, The Glamourai
Keiko Lynn
Fiona Byrne (R), journalist who launched a site with Agyness Deyn
Sonia Evers (L)/Runway Hippe with Elana Fishman (R) Marie Claire
One cool thing about the local New York City fashion circuit is how it's kind of like a mini-family get together during the week. Last night at the Juicy Couture Showroom, Juicy brought together some of New York City's funnest and cutest bloggers to get up close and personal with the new Juicy collection for summer. The highlight of the evening was when celebrity fitness instructor Tracy Anderson (fitness instructor to Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow) lead a mini exercise routine right inside the showroom. And just for an FYI, Lara Stone recently began using the Tracy Anderson routine well.
While campaign models like Hanne Gaby as seen in the post below and Daria Strokous weren't there, the festivity was a total blast. Juicy had nutritionists come consult with the drinks menu for the evening resulting in healthy and refreshing drinks ranging in title from The Hottie to Revitalize. I opted for the Hottie which was mixed with Herradura Silver Tequila, maple syrup, lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. I swear I was transported to the beaches of Barcelona when I drank this.
I think it's safe to say that the clothing on display in the showroom had a similarly inspirational effect on the others present. Hats were tried on, sunglasses were playfully put on, and an overall good time was had by all.
We all know that summer is coming to an end - except The Princess. She still wants to go to the beach.
She asked, over and over, this past summer if we could go to the beach. I made the (BIG) mistake of saying, "Maybe we could go once school starts. It won't be so busy then and it's cheaper to go to the beach after school starts." I said this, honestly believing that we may very well do this or believing that I could do this for her.
I'm just getting old, I think. I know there are times when I just can't stand the thought of the process - like going to the beach.
There we are at the hotel and the kids all want to go down to the beach. Sounds like a good idea; that's why we came to the beach. So, as their mother, I have to agree. But ... I have done the beach before, many times, with and without kids, and I am telling you ... going to the beach with my kids is exhausting! There is absolutely nothing I like, anymore, about going to the beach. Not the ocean, not the sand, not the wind, not the shells (well, I kind of still like the shells), not the sand getting into EVERYTHING, not the sand toys, not the sand castles, not the seaweed and not the SHARKS!
I think maybe there was a time that I must have liked the beach. But, after I had kids and have made that trip one too many times, I have come to not like the beach at all. And it is the process:
Get out all the swimsuits, put all the swimsuits on, gather up enough towels, find the sunscreen, slather the sunscreen on everyone, get the chairs ready to go, get the drinks in the cooler, get the snacks, get the sand toys ... drag all this stuff from the hotel down to the beach, in several several trips (because you can't possibly take it all in one trip and none of these goin'-to-the-beach excited children can help carry a thing without whining all the way to the waters edge about it). Walk way to far across the hot sand, helping the little ones as we go; hauling heavy coolers, chairs and towels, blah, blah, blah. And then we sit in the scorching sun with sand sticking to our sweaty bodies, sand all in our swimsuits and in our eyes, the wind blowing obnoxiously, make a few sand castles, worry if the kids are going out too far in the surf, worry about the under current, worry about the jellyfish, seaweed and SHARKS! And then when, after only an hour, the children are tired of the beach and want to go back up to the hotel pool, I want to MAKE them stay at the beach ... after all we have gone through to get them down there. But, I don't want to stay either ... so we pack up all the crap we drug down to the waters edge and haul it all back up, over the hot sand, rinse all the sandy feet and bodies off in the shower the hotel has positioned at the end of the pier, unload what needs to go back to the room and ... end up at the pool ---- right where I wanted to be ANYWAY! And then ... we do it all over again, the next day.
Camping is pretty much the same exhausting process, only worse.
I don't like to go to the beach (!) or camping or anywhere that involves a long process in getting us all there. I will do it though; just like I do those damned awful gaudy orange and black Halloween decorations in my house every year - for my children. But, I do sometimes look for ways around doing it if the end does not really justify the "crap I have to go through to make it happen".
If the payoff is to see my little boy build the best and most magnificent sand castle of all the kids on the beach, then I will do it and I will take pictures and I will be happy I inconvenienced myself, just to get those precious photos. I will do it just to over-hear one of them telling their friend, "Yeah, we went to the beach and we had so much fun." I will do it to hear my baby say,"I love going to the beach, Mama," and never once let her know just how much I don't. I will do it. I have done it - many times.
I haven't actually planned this trip to the beach that I promised The Princess - but, as you can see, it is on my mind. If we do it ... I'll take some (d***) pictures.
On the upside ... I've had A LOT of practice doing things I don't want to do and I've had A LOT of practice going to the beach - maybe this time I would love it.
As fashionologie reports , Freja (the FREJ is pronounced 'fry') has been in Buenos Aires recently shooting the Chanel Spring 2010 ad campaign alongside Claudia Schiffer and Lagerfeld male muse Baptiste Giabiconi.
This will mark her fourth Chanel campaign: Spring/Summer 2018 ... Fall/Winter 2007 .... Fall/Winter 2009 ...Spring/Summer 2018
Since October 2009 Madisyn has shot 4 editorials for Vogue Germany, shot with Craig McDean for an editorial in W, and shot the Spring/Summer 2018 campaign for Theory.
Laura Blokhina from DNA Models shirt -- ACNE skirt -- Promod Look out for Laura to exhibit a strong presence at the shows this season. In under one year she's appeared in 3 French Vogue editorials, walked the fall 2009 shows in New York London and Paris, and even walked for Christian Dior and Valentino at the Couture shows this summer.
Anna Schilling from Fusion Models NY vest -- Alexander Wang shoes -- Christian Louboutin
She walked for Margiela and Yamamoto at the Paris shows, did the campaign for Anthropologie, and has appeared in French Vogue and Wonderland editorials.
