7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

I decided that I can't continue with the Pros and Cons about the first day of school. I've spent all day agonizing day over what to write today and I realized it all boils down into one...

Con: I hate when things change.

Pro: Eventually I'll get used to everything being different. And, at the very worst, I'll have plenty of time to seek professional counseling to help me get through it.

What I Did on my Summer Vacation

My latest MV Parent article came out today. This month, I hired a co-writer to help me out. Luckily she's a good writer with a good sense of humor and the only difficulty of working with her was that she was overly concerned about hurting someone's feelings. Still, I would definitely hire her again.

You can read the finished product at http://www.mvparentonline.com/articles.php.

T-Minus Eight Days...

I know from my Facebook friends that I am not the only mom counting down until the first day of school. Only eight more days of whining, arguing, and the constant moaning, "I'm bored."

The first few days of school will inevitably be peaceful and relaxing for us moms. But, I wonder if I will still be as happy after a week or two.

In order to figure this out, I have decided to come up with a list of Pros and Cons about the first day of school. Each day, I will post a new entry listing a positive thing about the kids going back to school and a negative thing.

I thought of today's Pro and Con at lunch...

Con: I will have to eat lunch alone.

Pro: Actually, I learned that a few old friends of mine are free to keep me company during lunch. It turns out that Kelly, Dylan, Brandon, Brenda, Steve, Donna, and David are available every day from 11-1 on channel 68. Good thing we got a tv for the kitchen. Those guys will make me feel like I'm eating at the Peach Pit every day. And, as far as I know, none of THEM has a peanut allergy so we can eat whatever we want.

I Couldn't Make This Up if I Tried

It's not just me who's in the holiday spirit. This morning, I was doing some chores upstairs but ran down to switch the laundry. As I was coming down the stairs, I heard Sister Bear singing to herself in the living room. What was she singing? "Frosty the Snowman." Next thing you know, Brother Bear will be singing for me to "Have a Holly Jolly First Day of School."

It's the most wonderful time of the year

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. Yes, I know it’s August but the other day, my own little Brother Bear insisted that I read him The Berenstain Bears Save Christmas. Sister Bear wandered in during the reading and when it was done, she burst out in “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” and Brother and I enthusiastically joined in. If it wasn’t for the thermometer’s declaring that it was 93 degrees outside, I could have sworn it was December.

In The Berenstain Bears Save Christmas, Santa Bear discovers that the citizens of Bear Country have been focusing more on shopping, decorating, and baking and less on the spiritual and meaningful parts of Christmas. He threatens to cancel the holidays until he visits the Bear family tree house and sees that Mama, Papa, Sister, and Brother really do know the true meaning of Christmas.

Maybe reading the book is playing tricks on my mind, but despite the heat and humidity, it really does feel like the holidays around here. There are only seventeen summer days left until the kids head to school and Christmas arrives at this Bear family’s tree house. I’ve been waiting eight years for this particular first day of school when Brother Bear, the youngest in our family, starts full-time kindergarten and I’m anticipating it the same way I used to wait for Christmas when I was a child.

The way I figure, this Christmas will be chock full of gifts for Mama Bear. When Brother starts kindergarten, I’ll be free from the chains of “staying home.” Uninterrupted chores, lunch with friends, a stolen moment with the television, an afternoon at the farmer’s market, the opportunity to supplement our measly income…the possibilities seem endless. Without a child in tow, I can finally accomplish, without interruption, those chores and errands that have bugged me for eight years.

I have stayed home to care for our children since the day Sister Bear was born eight years ago. “Staying home” for me meant a steady stream of part-time paid jobs, working nights and weekends when Papa Bear was around to care for the children. During the day, it meant playgroups, swim lessons, trips to the library, Mommy and Me classes, and eventually, a few mornings of preschool. It meant playdough on the kitchen table, storytime on the couch, arts and crafts, bike rides, sledding, and any other kind of fun I could improvise. I think I’m a pretty fun Mama Bear. Just the other day we went to the splash playground and I was out there with the kids making up relay races and games in the sprinklers. For eight years, we played together, laughed together, watched Nick Jr. together, and tried desperately to entertain each other during long cold winter afternoons.

And there were many long cold afternoons. Staying home can be boring, annoying, thankless, and tedious. While my part-time jobs did a lot to save my sanity, at home with the kids, there never seems to be time to think or plan or dream. Instead, my daydreams are often interrupted with a request for more apple juice.

I wonder if things are about to change. With the cubs in school for six hours every day, will I find time to get some peace of mind?

For all my talk of watching TV and browsing at the mall, I know I’m kidding myself. Somehow my part-time jobs will start to become closer to full-time and we will use our extra income to fix things around the tree house instead of our much talked-about tenth anniversary celebration. Brother Bear’s teacher will surely ask for help in the classroom and there will inevitably be sick days for all. Half of my friends still have little ones at home so unless I plan to head to their house for PB&J, a leisurely lunch with stimulating conversation is probably not going to happen.

Santa Bear might be on to something. This Mama Bear needs to stop making a list and checking it twice. Instead, I need to focus on the simpler things. When the kids are at school, I really will try to set aside a few minutes for quiet thought. After all, I have a lot to think about after the last eight years. I spent all that time raising two smart, happy, self-assured, and thoughtful children. And just because the kids are in school doesn’t mean my job is done. Instead, I hope that from now on I can meet those challenges with a clearer mind and a new perspective. It will be kind of like having a white Christmas.

New Restaurant Coming Soon!

When we were in Clinton, NJ last week for vacation, we noticed a new restaurant was coming to town. The sign says its called "Antnee's Portugese BBQ and Texas Weiner." It's located next door to my favorite Chinese food place, which is called "Bo Bo Kitchen." I wonder if they have a Zagat guide to Clinton, NJ yet. If they do, I'm putting in my name to do some reviews.

People Vs. Twilight

I have been a faithful subscriber to People magazine for at least 8 years now. I am slightly ashamed to say it but the truth is, I love People. I like to know what’s happening in Hollywood (who will get custody of Michael Jackson’s kids?), what happens behind the scenes of my favorite tv shows and movies (Jon and Kate have been separated for less than a month and he’s dating?!), and all the gossip, blatant self-promotion, and Britney Spears psychotic episodes that fill the pages in between.

I know it’s ridiculous. I consider myself very well-read. I’m college-educated and what’s more, I’m a writer. But everyone has a guilty pleasure and mine is People. It takes my mind away from my daily routine and transports me to a world of fluff and nonsense.

The members of my book group share a guilty pleasure that takes them away from their daily routine: the Twilight novels by Stephenie Meyer. These women are major Twilight fans. They inevitably spend a few minutes of each book group meeting reliving their favorite parts of the books, discussing when the next movie will come out, and sharing fan websites they’ve discovered. One time, they selected iron-on t-shirt transfers based on whether they belong to “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob.” No one has actually shown up to book club wearing their t-shirt but I have a suspicion that they exist in someone’s closet.

When the first book in the series appeared as one of our book club picks, I voted for the group to read it. It wasn’t like the types of novels that I usually read, but I’d heard lots about it in People and just had to see what all the fuss was about.

In case you have been living under a rock, the books chronicle the love affair between Bella, a shy but beautiful teen and the elusive but gorgeous classmates that catch her eye at school. I’m not spoiling anything by telling you they turn out to be vampires. When Bella begins to fall for one of them, a lot of drama (and possibly blood-letting) ensue.

To be honest, I don’t know how it all turns out. I’m not even sure I finished the book. Vampires just aren’t my thing. But, according to my research in People, they are quite the thing these days. There’s another series of books that have been turned into a popular HBO show called “True Blood” and more books, shows, and movies are on their way. (FYI, People research also indicates that pirates are now out.)

The books that I do enjoy share one major similarity: they are all based in reality. To me, a good story is something that could actually happen in the real world. I’ve read and enjoyed everything from Pride and Prejudice to The Namesake to so-called “chick lit” and just about everything in between. All of the books I like feature plots that could actually happen in real life.

A few years ago, I was on a young adult kick and read The Princess Diaries series about a nerdy teen who finds out she is actually the heir to the throne of Genovia. Far-fetched? Yes. Could it actually happen? Yes.

Could a young boy find out that he possesses the ability to become a powerful wizard and travel to a magical boarding school to learn his craft well enough to destroy the dark lord who has vowed to kill him? No. I’m not a Harry Potter fan. Also, I don’t like Lord of the Rings, The Golden Compass, or any form of science fiction.

My husband has spent many hours explaining to me that it doesn’t matter that these stories are not real. He has told me to look beyond the plot and try to take the lessons and relate them to the real world. Harry Potter, he explains, is essentially an unlikely hero who is burdened with greatness. It’s a classic storyline that has been repeated in books for centuries. I just can’t do it. All those Quidditch matches just get in the way.

Maybe that’s why I like People so much. It is entirely possible that Robert Pattinson (the dreamy star of the “Twlight” movies) is dating co-star Kristen Stewart. In fact, People has the photos of them canoodling to prove it. It is also entirely possible, per a sidebar in People, that there is tension on the set of “New Moon,” the Twilight movie currently in production.

Is it possible that I will spend $8 to see “New Moon” with the book club when it comes out in November? Maybe. I better wait and read the review in People before I decide.

Teacher of the Year

If you can sew on a button, cook scrambled eggs, lead a group of preschoolers in “Duck, Duck, Goose” select appropriate curtains for your living room, or sketch the food pyramid, it's probably because you took a class in Family and Consumer Science.

What are Family and Consumer Sciences? It’s the new-fangled name for good old Home Economics. You probably think of Home Ec as a required middle or high school class where you burned the grilled cheese sandwich beyond recognition. My husband recalls Home Ec as the class where he “accidentally” turned the onion dip green.

But Home Ec is really much more than that. The International Federation for Home Economics, which serves as a consultant to the United Nations, states that Home Economics includes the study of food, nutrition and health; textiles and clothing; shelter and housing; consumerism and consumer science; household management; design and technology; food science and hospitality; human development and family studies; education and community services and much more.

If you’re wondering how I came to be such an advocate for Home Ec, it’s because my mother has been teaching it at my alma mater for more than 25 years.

In my high school, Home Ec is one of the most popular departments and my mom, Ms. Jayne Stoll, is well-known as one of the school’s “cool” teachers. Over the years, she has taught cooking, child development, interior design, fashion, home computers, and more. She was named Teacher of the Year a few years back and at the time, everyone wondered why it took so long for her fellow teachers to get around to honoring her.

In my mom’s classes, you get to eat whatever you’ve cooked, play with a sewing machine, go on field trips to Ikea, and discuss “Jon & Kate Plus Eight.” As part of her Child Development course, she runs a preschool in the high school, which she is careful to label “play school.” Two times a week, preschoolers come to play and learn while the high school students observe and discuss their behavior. In my senior year, I took Gourmet Cuisine with my mom and although I am ashamed to say that I got a C on her test on kitchen cleanliness, I aced the final exam by making a spectacular Baked Alaska.

This year, my mom is retiring from her teaching job and is finally leaving high school, 42 years after she was awarded her diploma. While I don’t imagine that she’ll use her retirement to whip up Baked Alaska for my dad every night, I have no doubt that Home Economics will play a large part in her daily life. After all, don’t Home Economics play a large part in all of our lives?

Even if you have a reserved seat at your favorite restaurant, you must make some kind of food for yourself each week. Even if you rent an apartment, you considered its layout and design before signing the lease. Even if you don’t have children, you might have to choose some appropriate toys for a niece or nephew for a birthday gift.

What my mother teaches are the skills we need to cope with the challenges of everyday life and she teaches them in a way that her students find engaging, exciting, and fun. And they are lessons that stick in your head, long after you’ve left her class.

One recent afternoon, my kids were whining for a snack and the pantry was bare. It didn’t take long for me to remember the homemade pretzels we made in Home Ec. Fifteen minutes later, little hands are busy rolling dough, stomachs are filled, and I am glad I chose to take Gourmet Cuisine and I’m even gladder that the class was taught by my mom.

The next time you find yourself whipping a snack from scratch, balancing your checkbook, or putting together a Halloween costume, take a minute to thank your Home Ec teacher for these valuable skills.

Thanks, Ms. Stoll...I mean Mom!

Vacation

Henry used to have a hard time saying the word "interesting" and his mispronunciation has stuck with me. So, I now present you with:

Ten Inn-ser-ess-in Facts About Our Trip to Niagara Falls

1. While sitting outside eating ice cream, we not only heard a Celine Dion song but also a Sarah McLachlan tune! Those Canadians love their musicians.

2. The sign by the hotel pool said it was 1 meter deep. We jumped in and hoped for the best...turns out the water was never above Henry's chin.

3. Canadian restaurants are both compassionate and accomodating when it comes to food allergies. They made me slightly afraid of going back to our favorite restaurants at home.

4. We ran into some friends from Clinton while we were there, which isn't that strange unless you consider that it's the same family we ran into when we were on Cape Cod last summer. We figure that if we ever had enough money for a vacation home, they'd probably end up as our next door neighbors.

5. My wonderful husband got so flustered by the Border Patrol that he told them that our reason for visiting Canada was for "a holiday." I think he thought we were entering England.

6. While waiting in line for an attraction to open, we witnessed a fellow tourist videotaping everything around her, including a 5 minute segment of the employee wiping rain off of a turnstile.

7. Elizabeth was terrified when she saw a simulation of a dummy (complete with a sack over his head) being electrocuted in an electric chair at the Guinness World Records Museum.

8. This was the first time the kids stayed in a hotel. I woke up at about 3 AM one night to find that Henry got out of his bed, climbed into mine, and fell back asleep clutching my knees.

9. The kids and I were mesmerized by an Anne of Green Gables animated TV show on Canadian Public Television. There were frequent mutterings of "this is weird..."

10. We were so confused by the way things were priced. They were either completely overpriced for the tourists and/or priced in Canadian dollars that we were seriously left wondering if paying $9 for 4 AA batteries was reasonable.

I recently reconnected with a high school friend named Catherine and after a brief summary of how our lives have changed in the last 16 years, she said, “I just have to ask you. Were you on the news in Massachusetts about 9 or 10 years ago?”

Yes, Catherine, I was on the news. And it was mindboggling.

Just after my husband and I got married, we prudently decided to spend a little of our hard-earned money on a new stereo. We went to a local shop called Cambridge Sound Works, which is pretty well known in the Boston area for selling quality stereo equipment and speakers. We had done a bit of research in advance and had thought about what we were looking for. With the aid of a helpful salesperson, it didn’t take us too long to choose the equipment we were looking for.

While we were finishing the sale, we noticed that amongst the other shoppers was a television news crew. The female reporter approached me and told me that she was doing a story on how difficult it is for women to buy electronics. She asked if she could ask me a few questions.

I have looked back on that moment many times over the years, and every time I scream to my naïve and younger self, “NO! DON’T DO IT!” I don’t know what possessed me to say yes to the reporter in the first place. While I hesitate to put labels on my social and political beliefs, I might call myself a feminist. After all, in my purse was a credit card bearing my “married” name, which hasn’t changed a bit from my “maiden” name.

Why would shopping for electronics be more difficult for women? Have you ever gone shopping with a man? Typically, they’re not necessarily what I would call “browsers.” They give the products a once-over, look for one that suits their needs, and bring it to the cashier. Women shoppers tend to be all about browsing, selection, and careful decision making.

But, I did say yes to the reporter and her interrogation began. After a short time, it became very clear to both my husband and I that what she was really looking for was a quote from me saying that shopping for electronics is simply “mindboggling.”

A sample from the interview:
Reporter: So, would you say shopping for electronics is mindboggling?
Laura: Well…it can be hard to make a choice.
Reporter: Oh, you’re right. That choice can be mindboggling, wouldn’t you say?
Laura: Umm…I wouldn’t say that. It is a little daunting…you know, spending all that money.
Reporter: Definitely. If I were shopping here today, I’d definitely say it was mindboggling.

You get the drift.

The whole incident left me fuming and embarrassed. I was too ashamed to even watch the 5 o’clock news that night. Apparently Catherine did and who knows how many other thousands of Bostonians.

I was really glad to hear from Catherine again after all these years. And I’m even happier that when she saw me on the news 10 years ago, she didn’t hear me use the word “mindboggling.”