{SMB} : The Next Vacation You Need

My August contribution to Scottsdale Moms Blog was about our wonderful 5 days in Durango.  Wish we were headed back this week!!

http://www.scottsdalemomsblog.com/2015/08/13/next-vacation-need/

I do have to take just a second to mention how super SAD it is that only 3 days before this post went live, we learned of the accidental spill by the Environmental Protection Agency of 3 million gallons of super toxic sludge (think: lead and arsenic, just to name two contaminents...) into Colorado's Animas River --- the river in my photos, which runs from Silverton, through Durango, and on to Utah.  Such gorgeous country -- so now nasty.  The environmental and financial implications are yet to be seen, but it's just so sad!  Sooo.... maybe it's not the NEXT vacation people want.... but I'm praying it's somehow contained and cleaned up quickly, so others can go and enjoy this beautiful creation. 

(One of many articles about the spill found here:)
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/10/colorado-spill-animas-river-durango-toxic-orange

*****

The Next Vacation You Need

It’s no secret. You guys know how I feel about summertime around here. And you can sugar coat it all you want with your talk of “dry heat” and “but remember winter”… You get as cranky as I do – you’re just not writing it down.

This month, though, our family’s mood, sanity and need for the Great Outdoors was saved! Northern Arizona is truly outstanding, but sometimes — just sometimes — you need real, live mountains. Big mountains. Colorado mountains.

Enter beautiful, accessible, affordable: DURANGO.

Did you know it’s a measly 7 hour drive from Phoenix to Durango? With kid friendly, playground-ridden stops along the way?! (Here’s lookin’ at you, Chick fil A and Mickey D’s!)  7 hours — that’s like 3 DVD’s, 10 new library books, 1 car seat nap and a wake up. Glory in the highest!

Thanks to Airbnb.com, our family found an affordable but swanky condo right across from the Purgatory ski resort, and woke up to this sub-70-degree sight every day.  **Ahhhhhhh**

Those are called “trees”.
Incidentally, the plethora of pines had our 2.5-year-old convinced he landed in a perpetual Christmas.

Even in the summer, we super recommend being so close to a ski resort if you vacation in CO! The family suited activities are endless…

The base of the mountain hosted tons of toddleresque hot spots.  A bounce house, a big sand pit, our own miniature “river” and watering trough – both perfect for splashing. And plenty of seating for parents on vacay.

For bigger kids?? A zip line, bungee-trampolines, gondola rides, mountain biking, and — our favorite — the Alpine Slide!

I’m telling you, this thing is so fun – you won’t even care that you gulped a bug 15 feet into it.

Hiking lends views like no other… And if you can travel with your super babysitter in-laws, you and the hub can savor the sights together! (Thanks, Gram and Aunt Liz!)

**Writer’s Tip: If you’re 5+ months preggo, plan to pause for some breathers. Love that crisp, thin air!

But of everything in Durango, there is one absolute, hands-down, over-the-top-gorgeous must-do: the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

A real deal, functional steam locomotive that lends the most scenic and interesting view of this beautiful country.

Ride with open windows along the raging river, above the breathtaking gorge, past the remote farms, and into Silverton just in time for lunch.

…..Scenery, for example:

Plus, if you have a toddler boy, he’ll REALLY think it’s Christmas! #bestdayever

**********

So this month, if the heat makes you feel loony, just start laying plans for the next chance you have to venture to this gorgeous, relatively nearby area. Just once.

As for you, Arizona: we’re cool. I can tough you out for 3 more months.
But you really have your pal Colorado to thank for my good graces… this time.

{SMB} : An Open Letter to Summertime in AZ

My July contribution to Scottsdale Moms Blog:

http://www.scottsdalemomsblog.com/2015/07/31/an-open-letter-to-summertime-in-az/
*****

Oh, Summertime, you sneaky devil…

Every May, we in the Arizona Valley beg and plead of you to pass over our fine city and spare us your 5+month hot-breath hover. But, ignoring our overwhelming vote, you always blaze on in, making our cold tap run hot and rendering our ovens as abandoned as our playgrounds.

We don our sunglasses, our wide brim hats, our SPF 50 clothing, and our grin-and-bear-it smiles. We turn into those pestering parents who beg our children to JUST DRINK ALL OF YOUR WATER AND HOLD STILL FOR THIS SUNSCREEN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

We invest in remote starters and cooled seats because hoooooly moley bagoley, the cars!

My pool water today? 94 degrees… Yes, really.
But you already knew that, Summertime. Because you did it.

You blow in your monsoons in a feeble attempt to pacify us. “Look!” you exclaim. “Rain! You people adore rain!!” Ohhh but we aren’t fooled. No siree… We see your rain, and we raise you cloud coverage. We want cloud coverage! And not the monsoon-y kind that lasts 45 minutes.

Now, now, now, don’t get us wrong, Summertime: It’s not that you’re an entirely unwelcome guest, per se. We can appreciate a little no school and pool time and ice cream indulgence as well as the next state… It’s just that you SO VERY overstay your welcome. Anyone who comes on Memorial Day and leaves on Halloween without offering to help offset the increase in utilities is just plain rude. And you are one expensive guest!

Plus, you make us do downright crazy things. Tonight, our family took a walk. We couldn’t help ourselves when we felt the blissfully cool 92 degree evening. NINETY-TWO DEGREES meant we WANTED TO BE OUTSIDE and NOT SOPPING WET. What the what?!? It’s like the words lose all meaning!

Crazier than that? I’ll tell you one: Last month after a blissfully cool day trip to Prescott, I told my husband that we should take up camping. Real, live, tent-pitching, fire-building, forest-tinkling camping.

With our 2-year-old.

Now, AZ Summertime: you and I have only been acquainted for 3 summers, so you may not have learned a minor but weighty fact about me:Rebecca Doesn’t Camp.
It’s just a fact. While indeed a lovely and fun and adventuresome (and humble!) person, Rebecca is more your Sleep-in-a-Bed, Shower-in-the-Morning type.

But these temps? This stir-craziness?

Well……… it drove me to utter the suggestion that we *gulp* CAMP. I even looked at REI.com. (PS, There is some cay-uute camping gear on there!)

**For the record, my husband, knowing all too well his Dearly Beloved, did not take us camping and instead took us to San Diego. Smart man, that one. AZ Summertime, you could learn a thing or two from him.

And so, here we are. We’re getting there, no thanks to you.
Of course… this could all be the over half-way point of pregnancy talking: a factor that is restricting my margarita intake and increasing my crankiness gradient.

Admittedly, though… We do have you to thank for one thing, Summertime:
Our chin-down, because-we-have-to tolerance of you procures within us a love we never knew possible.

For glorious, delicious AZ Wintertime.

{SMB} : 7 Things I Thought Were Easy Before I Became "Mom"

May's SMB contribution (I slacked and didn't write one for June...)
http://www.scottsdalemomsblog.com/2015/05/14/7-things-thought-easy-became-mom/
*****

Sometimes motherhood means making sacrifices… or at least, adjustments. I believe that every stage of life carries the ability to challenge us, but I think you’ll agree that the changes introduced by joining Motherhood are unique in their scope.

In light of Mother’s Day Month (because let’s call a spade “a spade”: it should at minimum last a month), I’m offering up :

7 Things I Thought Were Easy Before I Became “MOM”

1) Staying home for the day
Old life: A full-time RN, I’d enjoy a day off. Lounge on the sofa, eat what and when I pleased, and consume without apology my entire TiVo in the span of 5 continuous hours.
This life: I have a 2.5 year old.  If we don’t leave the house to go somewhere — anywhere — by 9AM, we can bid a fond farewell to our ever-loving minds for the rest of the day. The house will be ransacked, the kid will be bored, the whining will ensue and the hair will be pulled out. I like my hair. I have nice hair. So we leave.

2) Laundry
Old life: Who cares? It’ll all get done in one morning.
This life: How can you have no clean shorts?! Oh, right – you covered yesterday’s 4 pairs in peanut butter, mud, honey and smooshed raisins, respectively.

3) Eating in restaurants
Old life: A routine event driven either by romance, convenience or curiosity.
This life: A last-ditch option driven exclusively by travel or risk of in-home starvation. {OR}: a luxury driven by the babysitter’s schedule.

4) Sleeping inOld life: 10 AM.
This life: Why on earth would I sleep in?? And waste those precious quiet moments to just do me?? Besides, “sleeping in” is 7AM.

5) Staying up late
Old life: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
This life: HAPPY BEDTIME!!!!! zzzzzzz

6) Arriving on time.
Old life: Okay, I admit I was actually kind of bad at this in my old life, but I rarely had a decent excuse.
This life: I’m weirdly better at it. Unless I have to change his shorts 4 times.

7) Knowing what day it is.
Old life: A shift-based, work schedule that is constantly shuffling days, evenings, nights. I get confused? –> I get fired.
This life: Did we go to church yesterday? Or was that the day before? What’s tomorrow? When do I get my day off to watch TiVo? Oh wait. It’s full of Daniel Tiger.

And with these adjustments?
The greatest joy I have ever known in the face of a
brown-eyed, red-headed, sugar sweet boy.  
And the pleasure of being his mom.

*****This post is dedicated to MY mom, Carla, and to my Mother-in-Love, Debby. Thank you both for all of the ways that you allowed your lives to change for the sake of your families. Mom, I want to be just like you. Debby, I glean from you so much, and I want Nolan to be just like Mikel.

A few musings about blogging... + {SMB} : Confessions of a Toddler Mom

So, I have a problem.  And that is: I am having more and more and more trouble coming up with anything to write about for SMB...  Our days -- while blessed (don't get me wrong) -- are pretty mundane.  I have lots of toddler chatter and repeated toddler questions and repeated toddler books running through my head... and while these sometimes turn into decent in-person topics among my mom friends, they do not necessarily a great public-blog-post make.  

Sometimes I try to brainstorm topics.... and they are all lame or overly obvious.  Or else I don't know enough to actually write about them.
For example:

-

"10 Reasons Why Daniel Tiger Is Much Less Annoying than Peppa Pig But My Kid Insists on Peppa Every Dang Time"

-
"Why Phoenix's Summer Shouldn't Make You Such an Angry Person"

(I have zero perspective on this)

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"Taming the Pickiest Eater"
(again: zero perspective)
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"Why I Can Only Talk On the Phone for 10 Mins During Sacredly Silent Nap Time"
(while probably an embraced topic, being the one to put it in writing makes me sound like an introverted jerk)
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"Please Just Go Ahead and Fall In Love with Beautycounter: You Know You Want To"

(while heartfelt, maybe not the best angle)

-

"How To Live On PBJ's Alone: A Story of a Husband On Call"

(living the dream.)

...Not exactly fodder for a huge following...  And my editor would surely have words for me.

So then I wonder if I'm getting boring to read.  Oh well.  If that happens, I guess they'll kick me out. And then I won't have to worry about what to write on next!

So...... there was your inner tangent for the morning.

*****
Speaking of kicking people out --- I never submitted a post for March.  I wrote 2 for February instead of saving my cards, so when it came to March, I was all dried up.  Even so -- they actually didn't fire me.

Aaaaaaanyway.... here's my post for April!
*****

http://www.scottsdalemomsblog.com/2015/04/06/confessions-of-a-toddler-mom/

Motherhood.  
You don’t get it until you do it.  

Several times I’ve called my dear friends (who all had kids before me), simply to say, “I’m sorry… I just didn’t know!!!”

Some habits that toddler moms (and I suspect any-stage moms!) might employ to make it through unscathed are…. less than lovely. And the time has come for me to confess a few of mine to you, Dear Reader.  

Just please — someone, anyone, tell me you know what I'm talking about…

– I hand my toddler random items while shopping in Target to keep him occupied and happy. Worse? I simply discard said items to the nearest shelf when he bores of them. (I’m sorry, Target employees of America…)

– I have been known to have apple peel, PB&J crusts and a fistful of rejected raisins for “lunch.”

– When Dad is home, I may have once or twice feigned nature’s call to merely sit behind a closed door for a minute. #or10

– Aside from my 20-Minute Cleaning Ritual, I do not believe in accomplishing anything meaningful during nap time. That is sacred ground for ice cream consumption, blog reading and Modern Family viewing. Well…. maybe some Beautycounter work — but that’s not work, it’s fun.

– I am now that bizarre person who rises without difficulty at 6:00 a.m. for the mere pleasure of drinking a whole cup of coffee while it is hot. College-version Rebecca is appalled.

– Once in a rare while, I might put my tiny beloved in the gym’s childcare….. then camp in the cafe, read a book and drinking a smoothie. (It’s cool, it’s cool – the smoothie is green, so it’s basically a workout.)

-My 2-year-old can open my iPhone AND navigate to his ABC game. *Cringe.

– In conjunction with the previous admission, my iPhone has a cracked screen…

– My belief in folding kids’ clothes is faltering.

– The verdict is out on whether I believe in folding my own clothes.

– I once called the dog “Peppa Pig”.

Most importantly?  
I would never trade this wonderful and blessed job.

What can you dish???  Time to ‘fess up!

{SMB} : Ode to Girl Scout Cookies

Here was the extra post I wrote for Scottsdale Moms Blog in the month of February.  I was munching on Thin Mints and it just came to me. :)

http://www.scottsdalemomsblog.com/2015/02/18/ode-to-girl-scout-cookies/

*****

There are these girls,

they call themselves “Scouts,”

and they make a big splash once per year.

They head door-to-door

and block grocery stores

with their smiles that reach ear to ear.

“Hello!” one will say,

as cute as a button.

“Support us and buy some cookies?”

You pause for an inkling —

oh, who are you kidding?

You know you won’t leave without three!

Decision time comes,

Now, what’ll you have:

Lemon, caramel or toffee?

“I…. uh…. hmm…” you stammer,

not sure what’s the matter.

Jan 1 Resolutions a faint memory…

Do-si-dos are half PB,

so there is your protein.

Cran-Citrus sounds healthy enough

to pass for a salad…

Rah-Rah Raisin!

You’ve got it!

That one is all fruity stuff!

Thin Mints are no brainers;

Just like Tagalongs.

The husband would never forgive

if you came home without.

So, in truth, there’s no doubt:

These two six are for your marriage.

Lemonades add some freshness…

Toffee-tastics, why not?

Toss in a box or four.

Samoas – you know it!

Can’t even control it!

When they’re gone, I’ll cry for some-mo-a.  (Snort! See what I did there??)

Finally: Shortbreads,

the overlooked gem

in the crown of the Girl Scout regime.

“What of us??” they boo-hoo;

You don’t want to be rude!

So you tag on a box, too, of these.

Your order is placed,

then the dad of the Scout

delivers the verdict and grins:

“Let’s see; that’ll be………….

Seven hundred and three.”

…And now you’re too poor for the gym!!

Makeover Fail.

Every once in a while, Scottsdale Moms Blog hooks their contributors up with some fun opportunities. This time, it was mini-makeovers at a recently-opened salon in Old Town Scottsdale.

Haircuts and any esthetician services were 50% off, and we got free chair massages and makeup applications.  It was especially fun to hang out with the other gals.

My 'before' photos

(I was desperately in need of a haircut, so this was great!)

And my 'after' photos, which I obediently sent to our editor

For the first time since leaving my beloved stylist in Rochester, I actually really liked my haircut!  Saving these to show for next time (since the salon is sadly 40 mins away and $$$$).

 

Sweet sugar boy

*****

Okay ---

Truth.

The haircut was great.

The chair massage was great.

The brow wax was great.

But LOOK AT MY MAKEUP!!!!

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This.  THIS is what made this experience blog worthy.  I mean, look!!

This is the face of a woman who is sitting in her car and has been laughing too hard to safely drive home.

Those eyebrow.... That eyeshadow...  

It's really a crying shame you can't zoom on these images or you would appreciate that my skin looks caked like a corpse and the lipliner is actually drawn around my mouth.

How can one set of eyelashes carry so many clumps?

The makeup "artist" applied all of this everrrrr soooo slowwwwly.  She worked on those eyebrows for an eternity.  Seriously.  Everyone else had left and ALL of the stylists/estheticians/masseuses/managers/etc were hanging out at the front of the salon - right in front of me - and watching me get transformed into Ronald MacDonald's twin sister.  With my back to a mirror.  So I had no idea.

The best part was that when she was done (but before I saw the result), the lady stood back and in a delighted voice said, "Ooooh, you're so sexy!!  And I did that!!"

When she turned me around, I couldn't help it.  I laughed.  Like, POP out BAHAHA! laughter.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough to take these selfies and send them to my girlfriends!  What an experience.

THANK THE LORD it was free and washes off.

THANK THE LORD that I volunteered to go last for makeup since the other moms had kids to pick up from school and I didn't have to be back at a specific time.

THANK THE LORD they all left before I got in the hot seat (they all had corpse-style skin, too, but no one looked nearly as clown-like as me).

THANK THE LORD I got to go home - after texting our babysitter a warning - and wash my face/redo my makeup before submitting an "after" photo.  No way in heck was I going to let this face get posted on SMB for all of Scottsdale to see!

At least I still have the cute haircut.

Don't have nightmares.  :)