MOTHER’S DAY – WHEN THE TRIBE IS FORCED TO SUBMIT

One of the number one survival tools in my mothering tool kit is connecting with other moms for reassurance and laughter.  I say, “I just had a Mommie Dearest moment”, which is usually greeted with “I have those often”, or I say “I’m eating my umpteenth Oreo while the kids are destroying the living room” in which my friend responds, “double stuffed or regular?” It’s deeply satisfying to know I’m not alone in this deal. And there is even better news: on Mother’s Day regardless of what we’ve been through that year, my family is forced to recognize me for my greatness and to submit to my whims (no dishes, diapering, cleaning of ANY kind, and no and I do mean it – absolutely no pet rodeos).
And of course there is the gift giving.  This year my proud little boys gave me some personalized masterpieces: a giant card with my three year old’s picture glued inside a flower, a laminated place mat with my five-year-old’s picture glued inside the “O” of a giant “Mom”, and a peace treaty from my eleven year old to not beat up his brothers until after Mother’s Day. 
 
There is no preparation for motherhood.  I did play with Barbies until I was twelve. Has anyone ever met Barbie’s kids?  My Barbie lived like a hip hop star with her private Barbie jets, yachts and sports cars. Today, I have yet to see glamorous outfit changes and private jets (well I did help some friends unload a jet once).  However, I truly love the less flashy side of my life: the uncontrollable laughter when I launch tickle attacks and the endless hugs (ok, the eleven year old is currently running from my hugs but I’m working on it). It’s these things that make mothering worthwhile to me. The presents do help though.
Let mom’s know you are thinking of them today:
If they need a laugh send Magical Bouquet:
mthrs_fairysm_03b
or Latasha’s Types of Mother’s:
latasha-types-of-mothers

Or if you want to send Gratitude to someone far away send Across the Miles for Mothers:

thumbnail

And Finally I leave you with:

Top Ten Movies That Remind Me of Parenting Three Boys:
Platoon
Planet of the Apes
Return from Planet of the Apes
Altered States
Lost in Space
Conan the Barbarian
The Clash of the Titans
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
The Blob
March of the Penguins

We Gave Latasha Her Own Blog and Now She Wants a Raise!

latasha

Last month, one of my best girlfriends celebrated a landmark birthday. I won’t say which one (You’re welcome, Cindy!) but suffice it to say that diva was absolutely losin’ her mind over the whole aging thing! We ended up having to keep her knee deep in Long Islands just to keep her calm enough to open her gifts. And it really got me thinking…

 

Some now-dead white guy once said, “Another year older, another year wiser,” but we all know there comes a birthday where it’s just another year older, another year older and there’s not a single thing we can do about it. Sure, with age comes maturity and wisdom and the wonderful years of experience and knowledge, but wisdom ain’t all it’s cracked up to be when your butt’s flat and the twins are making friends with your knees.

 

Plus it’s a perfect excuse to go shopping. You should see the new shoes I am staring at. They are gorgeous.. It’s not my birthday but, like I told Cindy as she hyperventilated into a gift bag, it’s your birthday! And no matter how old you get, it is still a day of celebration dedicated to you.

Why on Earth are we all so afraid of that?
Celebrate your friend’s birth with my birthday card. To spread all my wisdom check out my eCard collection.


 

 

Cinco de Mayo

The Mexican army beat the French at the Battle of Puebla and now we get to celebrate for an entire day with Mexican Food, sombreros and maracas. The kids think I’m crazy (not a newsflash) but I love to put on the giant sombrero my husband and I got in Tijuana and dance all around them shaking the  maracas from my friend Kat’s trip to Guatamala. Kids can not keep a straight face when you wear a big hat and shake maracas.  Then of course they have to grab the hat and the maracas and I get dog piled but everyone is in the spirit.   Once I insisted we all wear sombreros to El Cholo Restaurant (the best green tamales in Los Angeles).  My eldest son said “this is so lame” but everyone was laughing while eating their chips.  If you’re depressed about everything going on in the world celebrate Cinco de Mayo wearing big hats with loved ones and eat Mexican chips, chrunching them really loudly.  If you are on a budget like most of us, there are many affordable Mexican Restaurants. My husband and I still frequent the Taco Truck we used to visit when we were at college.  It may sound scary but I am telling you it is delicious. To stay connected with those we love but who we can’t celebrate with (like your friends from growing up and from school)  send our most popular Cinco de Mayo e-cards.
I highly reccomend the Disco de Mayo ecard

The Gecko Margarita and Sexy Margarita are  also very popular.  For friends across the miles send some virtual holiday fun with Viva Mexico. My kids love the Crawfish de Mexico  . Feliz Cinco de Mayo mes pequenos Doozy amigos!

Juice War!

Hi, this is Bennett,

.. Before you get all excited to read Chandler’s and my epic struggle to outlast each other on this 5 day juice cleanse (read, “Liquid pseudo starvation”), I have to tell you… I folded. At 11 PM last night, 10 hours after beginning the infernal fast, I was compelled by stomach and dizzied brain to shove a hard boiled egg with pear-chutney down my gullet. It was followed by a Bosc pear and the remaining 3rd of a very nice piece of brie. It’s what I had in the fridge besides fresh parsley, carrots, apples and a big papaya for the juicing. I do feel much better now.

I have to say, if the Gods had meant us to eat juice, we would have razor sharp whirling teeth, and a pulp sluice out the back of our heads.

 That said, today, Chandler seems hungry. I’m counting on her caving by Friday morning. To tease her I sent her our ecard “Please Send Chocolate“, and a funny one about Diets.

Celebrate Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day Bennett and I went into the yard, barefoot, with our carrot juices. We are both on a five day juice cleanse because we are celebrating Earth Day. Ok, OK, we are actually fat from storing winter holiday food for the past 4 months; so if no-one appears to be running the company it’s because we are facedown on our desks in a catatonic stupor or we are downstairs juicing. I’ve bet Bennett lunch at our favorite Mexican Restaurant, Tere’s, that he won’t make it five days. I of course have never even gone a day without eating so this is all new to me. While we are drinking only what the earth produces and lying in the grass, we agree that things are different now in the world. Simple pleasures are becoming fashionable and desirable. Lying on my back, looking up into the trees with the sun trickling through the branches reminds me I haven’t seen this view since I was a child. It brings an enormous smile to my face and what’s this? Could I be relaxing? The grass tickles my ears and I think of all that is good on our Earth: the grass, a child’s smile up close in your face, friends, and enchilladas verdes from Tere’s. Happy Earth Day. We hope you celebrate by treasuring friendships and reminding friends they are the salt of the earth by sending them an  Earth Day Ecard  or  Talking Flower or let Talking President Obama deliver your message.