liasynthis

Fall In New England - Tons to do

2011-10-11T10:02:00.002-04:00

There is so much going on this weekend. I figured it warranted a rare blog post (maybe even two). We'll see...

Boston Book Festival
Saturday, October 15
Copley Square (rain or shine)
Boston, MA
Free event with activities for every age!

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Saturday, October 15
Jeep & Truck Day!
Larz Anderson Museum Auto Museum
10am-2pm
15 Newton St
Brookline, MA 02445

Car Registration (though I think they really mean jeep & truck registration):
$20
Spectator Admission:
Adults, $10. Military, Students, Children, Seniors, $5. Childern under 6 free
Lunch available on site
For registration & more information, visit the event website.

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Applefest at Wachusett Mountain
October 15-16
10 am - 5 pm
Wachusett Mountain Ski Area
499 Mountain Road
Princeton, MA 01541
Admission
$10 Adult
$6 (6-12)
*Kids 5 & Under receive free festival and skyride admission
Tickets cheaper if you buy in advance (available online)

AppleFest features over 75 Craft Fair & Farmers' Market Booths, Family Entertainment, Chainsaw Carving Demonstrations, Scenic Foliage Skyrides to the Summit, Mountainside Barbecue, Pony & Hay Rides, Specialty Items from Hannaford Supermarkets, Clowns, Jugglers & Magicians for the Kids.

Apparently there will be real Bengal tigers there!

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Coggeshall Farm Pumpkin Fest
Saturday, October 15th
12:00pm-4:00pm
Coggeshall Farm Museum
Bristol, RI 02809
Free admission
Coggeshall Farm Museum will offer a day of Autumn activities including games, a cider pressing, and of course, pumpkins.

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Cranberries Alive
October 15 & 16
Edaville Railroad
5 Pine Street
Carver MA 02330
Special Appearances by the Cat in The Hat & Curious George
$18 adults and kids (Ages 2-64)
$16 Seniors, under 2 are free!
Peak foliage & peak cranberry harvest for a weekend event that is sure to awaken the senses. Train enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy an authentic train ride through spectacular scenery – oftentimes past actual cranberry harvesting– as well as a wide array of carnival rides and amusements. Come see, taste, touch, and learn about the mighty cranberry while enjoying the delights of a New England harvest.

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Hudson Pumpkin Fest
Friday, Saturday and Sunday October 14th, 15th and 16th
Friday 4pm-8pm, Saturday 11am-8PM, Sunday 11am-5pm
FREE Trick or Treat 2-4PM Sunday
(kids in costumes, 10 & under)
211 Derry Rd
Hudson, NH 03051

Kids Rides & Games, Crafters, Vendors, Food, Children's Entertainers, and more!!
FREE Admission
Over 100 crafters & vendors at registered so far!!
The Largest OUTDOOR Craft Fair in Southern New Hampshire
More information on the Festival website

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Edgar Allan Poe: Cemetery Tour
Monday, Oct 17
6:00pm
at Old Ship Church, Hingham, MA
$15
This one is for the older crew. It sounds great to me. Edgar Allan Poe rises from the grave for a series of readings of his work at historic cemeteries and burial grounds.

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Blogging Day of Silence

2011-03-18T08:51:00.001-04:00

Today I'm taking part in a blogging day of silence to help support Japanese disaster relief. Please chip in by donating at Shelter Box

Art at age 2.10: our daughter the "progidy"

2011-02-25T16:42:00.010-05:00

The other night Michael and I were watching a bit about child prodigies on the news. They said that one thing about those kids is that their parents don't have to get them to practice doing whatever it is they're prodigies at, they have more trouble getting the kids to stop. That's basically where we are with Hazel. I think this Winter has made her forget that she can actually go outside to play. It's art, morning, noon and night at our house (well...art or pancakes). When she wakes up at 7am on Saturdays, all she wants to do is paint.

We gathering lots and lots of her art. Here's a sampling.

Michael turned to me and asked "Do you think Hazel is a prigidy" Um, yeah, I don't think so...highly unlikely with us as parents

balancing a dark color

2011-02-14T14:08:00.004-05:00

The only thing sexier than a leprechaun...

2010-10-22T11:43:00.001-04:00

...is a serial killer
Ah, how I love Halloween

Sexy Halloween

2010-10-21T09:18:00.004-04:00

It's almost Halloween which means the return of the rediculous sexy costume. Here's your weird sexy costume fix of the day.

There's nothing sexier than a leprechaun.

Hazel the beautician

2010-09-16T14:00:00.000-04:00

I seriously have no idea where she got this from.

Hazel Toes from michael lewy on Vimeo.

Funniest. Costumes. Ever.

2010-09-15T14:39:00.002-04:00

I saw these in a catalog about a week ago and HAD to share.
Find them on Costume Express

Freshy Fig on Etsy

2010-08-19T14:05:00.010-04:00

I came across FreshyFig on Etsy and love, love, love the necklaces, of course the designer is from Portland, OR. Why am I not surprised. Check it out.

Smart Shopping for Kids

2010-07-29T11:40:00.032-04:00

I shop a lot for Hazel. I don't always buy but when I do, it's most often something that's on sale. Right now there are a ton of end of summer sales so you can shop for next year in the next size or think about t-shirts, tank tops or dresses you can pair with long sleeve shirts, or shorts that can be worn with leggings or tights.

Email shopping clubs are huge right now. They offer substantial discounts on clothing, accessories and gear. There are a couple that specialize in children's items. Zulily is one and The Mini Social is another. Both of these clubs have multiple sale shops available ever day. Haute Look is another email sale. It's not specifically for kids but they often offer one to two kid's sales a day. Baby Steals and Mamabargains have one large item a day and it can sell out fast but the deal is usually pretty good. I prefer Baby Steals.

Here are a few of the online shops I like visiting.

For shoes I love Livie & Luca and See Kai Run. Livie & Luca has a more whimsical approach to their designs while See Kai Run is more practical but both companies provide well made leather shoes that stand up to toddler abuse. A couple of times a year, they have 50% off sales which I try to take advantage of. Target is also a great place to get kid's shoes. I love their converse sneakers. Their a fraction of the cost of regular converse.

Livie & Luca

See Kai Run

Target Converse

While in NY I came across a great Japanese kids store called Bit'Z Kids. It took a while but they finally got a online store. Their clothes and accessories are adorable and a lot of fun though they do run small so I'd say buy a size or two up.

Bit'Z Kids

Speesees makes organic clothing of really high quality. I love their shirts. They come in great colors and are excellent basic additions to any kids wardrobe. My coupon code "beens" will provide you with15% off on all items you purchase.

Speesees

naartjie is great. Their clothes are soft and comfortable and they're extremely reasonably priced. On Tuesdays they have "mystery items" which are discounted an extra percentage. The images of the kids on their website turned me off at first because they layer so many patterns on them but once I looked past that I found they have some great stuff. Their clothing run a little large so keep that in mind if you want your kids to wear them right away.

naartjie

I love Mini Boden. These clothes will last a long time. They wear well. Mini Boden's full price items can be pretty expensive but they often offer discounts through their catalog and the clearance sales are great (check out the one going on now). Free shipping and free returns are also usually available.

Mini Boden

Garnet Hill is a store I check almost daily. Aside from their regular fully stocked sale section, they have special clearance items every day (look under sale of the day). Their clothing is good quality and their sheets, towels and bedding are the best I've bought.

Garnet Hill

tada!shop is basically a one-stop shop for a great number of stores. Most of the brands are luxury ones unaffordable (at least to me) at their full price, especially when Hazel's going to get tomato sauce all over the shirt or grow out of it in a few months. The positive is that they list all of the sales from the various stores through their one site. The negative is that to purchase items you are redirected to the specific online storefront of the brand you are interested in. While it's great to have a resource for multiple shops, it can be a pain to pay various shipping costs. It's unclear from the homepage of tada!shop that this is the case so I'm laying it out there now.

Old Navy is my standby. They often have cute clothes at much lower prices than most other stores and their designs are patterned after what's hot now (and we all know how toddlers are so into "what's hot") so you can get similar styles. I specifically love their pajamas. The quality may not be as great but I was still able to pass on most of Hazel's Old Navy clothes to my sister's daughter. They still look new.

Old Navy

I recommend getting on the mailing list of any company whose clothing you like. You can find out about sales ahead of time without expending your own energy to search for them.

I was able to get a $39 dress from Tea Collection for $10 because I was on their mailing list.

Tea Collection

If I'm buying at full price, I always check RetailMeNot before completing the purchase. Often times there are discount codes available.

Maybe I sound cheap but who cares.

Baby Kitties

2010-07-28T08:55:00.003-04:00

When we ask Hazel what she dreams about, she always says "kitties". I thought this was her canned response and that she didn't really understand dreams or have the ability to express what hers were. I was proven wrong the other night when Hazel woke herself up yelling "BABY KITTY!"

This was the start of a three night (so far) waking cycle. Every two hours, Hazel's up. She's either mumbling incoherently, asking to eat or wanting to "get out" of bed.

We've had these periods of unrest before, usually they proceed some milestone or are related to teething. Hazel walks, she talks, she has all of her teeth, she can eat with a utensil (though she often chooses not to)...what milestone is this? Will she wake up on Sunday doing complex calculus or be self toiled trained?

God I hope so.

To toddler bed or not to toddler bed

2010-07-14T15:55:00.013-04:00

Hazel is still in a crib and we're debating when to move her to a bed. I'm thinking it would be better to move right to a twin size bed and skip the toddler bed all together. Why transition twice? I'm still on the fence about it though. Some people say to wait as long as possible, even until your child starts to try to climb out of their crib.

What if she NEVER tries to climb out of her crib?!

There's a wide range of beds out there, many of which we can't afford (or are really nutso). Here are some of the examples I've found:

This is one of the more reasonable choices.

It's from KidKraft and retails for less than $200. It's clean an modern looking and has a little bench at the end so kids can sit and read or put their shoes on there.

Flexa also makes fairly reasonable beds
with fun add-ons like curtains and slides.

Matrix makes beds with slides as well, though their beds are a bit more finished looking than Flexa. They might be a little too precious for us.

There's always good ol' IKEA

This loft bed is reversible, the bed can either go at the top or the bottom so it grows with your child (if it lasts the rebuilding process). I love this starry tent. I think I would have really enjoyed this bed when I was little.

I love this Oeuf Sparrow trundle bed.For over $1000 (trundle price included) it's a high price to pay for style (for me at least).

Nurseryworks makes a bunk bed with a lot of extra storage but it's a little too modern for my tastes.

I've found some beautiful antique beds on ebay, like this French one. As you can see, it would require supports, it's basically just a frame but it would be nice to get something unique that has character.

Perhaps we'll just get Hazel this little cottage bed from PoshTots.It's only $14,450 but hey, Hazel's worth it.

Adorn your little girl

2010-07-14T08:42:00.013-04:00

I saw Decor8's Take 5 Tuesday post and fell in love with Nest Pretty Things. Then I realized that Tamar makes accessories for kids and I was truly smitten.

I started looking fr other kid's accessories and found these great felt barrettes from May Crimson.

I also found gorgeous feather hair accessories at Neva Plume

and check out the ponytail holders from lulu blu.

Now if only Hazel would let me decorate her.

Here comes Hazel cotton tail

2010-07-12T08:05:00.002-04:00

This weekend I made Hazel a bunny tail, inspired by Curly Birds made possible by my preteen years of making pom-poms for my ice skates.

WOW

2010-06-18T09:18:00.006-04:00

This morning I saw some paintings by Leah Giberson on Apartment Therapy. I was totally blown away. You can feel the heat in them. The colors are so crisp. They are photo realistic but the paint has texture. I love them! Seeing work like this makes me want to pick up the brush again.

She has an Etsy shop where you can pick up limited edition prints. She also has a blog

Strollin, strollin, strollin

2010-06-15T13:07:00.010-04:00

Kids love to imitate and I basically guarantee that there will come a time when your child will want to push a stroller. Hazel’s stroller goes out for walks with us, it folds and easily fits under our stroller when she gets tired and needs to ride. It gets run up and down the hallway and acts as an impromptu high chair for dolls & animals. Even though we spent under $10 on it, it seems to never fall apart. There are toy strollers on the market that fit every style and budget from vintage prams to ultra modern. Here are just a few.

You & Me Umbrella Stroller
Metal folding stroller, features a clip for umbrella (sold separately).
$8.99

Chicco Padded stroller
Features swivel wheels, storage basket & reclining seat, for sleepy dolls. Folds.
$34.99

Merrily We Stroll Along
$49
Made from sustainably sourced wood, rubber tires, recommended for indoor use.

Troll Doll Stroller
Handmade of bent birch plywood. Designed by Wolfgang Sirch and Christoph Bitzer. All-surface wheels. Reversible bar faces doll towards you.
$260

English Style 3-in-1 Doll Pram
Includes a pram, carrier and stroller. Has 7.75” wheels.
$32.99

Helping the Gulf Coast

2010-06-11T08:48:00.005-04:00

Watching what's happening on the Gulf is just sickening. I didn't know what we could do about it and then I saw Etsy's Help the Gulf Coast shop and knew we should add one of our items. Check out our Heron. 50% of proceeds will go to Oxfam America and 50% to the National Audubon Society. Here's your chance to help and to get some great work.

Featured on Ohdeedoh

2010-06-09T10:38:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we were lucky enough to have our backyard featured on Ohdeedoh. It was hard to choose photos of our backyard that really highlighted it but I think the post came out great.

Animal Equation

2010-05-18T16:31:00.003-04:00

Vote for Animal Equation by Michael. Let's get this shirt made by Threadless!

Posted using ShareThis

Hazel's Room

2010-05-07T16:08:00.019-04:00

Due to overwhelmingly popular requests (ok one person), I am posting photos of Hazel's room. A note to those who view these, her room is basically a little square and really hard to photograph.

These are a few images from before Hazel was born and we thought we could "arrange" her world hahahaha (insane laughter) and also before I realized I was allergic to that cool lambskin fur thing on the chair.
Then reality set in. Yes we cleaned up before we took these, but forget perfection. We also switched out that chair and got a craft table from IKEA.

Cakes

2010-04-30T09:14:00.006-04:00

My dad is getting frighteningly good at making animal birthday cakes.
You might remember Hazel's first birthday cake, which was a copy of the cake he made for me when I turned 1.

He made Hazel a monkey cake for her 2nd birthday, which came out great.
My friend Matt said it was racist.

I had to remind him it was a monkey, not a person.

My dad just sent me a photo of my sister's birthday cake.
It's a bear.Isn't it cute? Guess how old she's turning this weekend?

34.
Maybe he should expand his répertoire?

I LOVE "Ilovegorgeous"

2009-11-04T09:15:00.010-05:00

What little girl wouldn't want to wear the clothes at Ilovegorgeous? They are whimsical and harken back to clothing of many different eras. I see influences of the 60's and 70's but also the the 15th century. The dresses are definitely swirl worthy and their separates are adorable. Also, I love the styling in the photos on their website. Gorgeous.

I heart my daughter's highchair

2009-10-13T15:24:00.002-04:00

We have the high chair from IKEA and seriously, it's amazing.

We fed our daughter in a bouncy seat until she was sitting upright really well and then switched to the IKEA seat. We wanted the Stokke seat but we haven't looked back since (not once).

It comes apart easily and fits in the trunk of our car for trips to the in-laws (who have no high chair). It has an extremely low profile and goes great with our table. The seat fits under the edge of the table for times we want Hazel to eat with us without a tray. It's all plastic and easy to clean. It doesn't have a million parts and it’s only $25 so if you don't like it, you really haven't made a huge investment.

We actually made no investment because a friend found ours on the side of the road and brought it to our house but I would have paid for it, knowing what I know now.

Six thumbs up (and no I’m not being paid for this endorsement, unfortunately).

Wow, I've read a lot of books since I lost my job!

2009-09-22T11:05:00.004-04:00

Ever since I lost my job, I've been less inclined to post to the blog. I'm not really sure why. I haven't stopped reading though. Here are my brief yet informative reviews of the books I've read since my state of unemployment began in August.

Emotionally Weird by Kate Atkinson - A fun read.

He, She and It by Marge Piercy - Eh, it was ok, I finished it but I don't think I'd pass it on.

Winner of the National Book Award: A Novel of Fame, Honor, and Really Bad Weather by Jincy Willett - Great! Go buy it or borrow it from your local library NOW!

Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian - Don't be fooled because Midwives was good, this books sucks ass (excuse the language). I really don't see what all the reviewers are raving about. This book was all about getting nowhere.

The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark - I loved loved loved this book. It reminded me of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer which you should also read if you haven't. This is definitely the best book I've read since I've been unemployed (someone hire me, not so subliminal message).

The Red Men by Matthew De Abaitua - I really enjoyed this sci-fi read, until the end, when it all fell apart for me. I'll still recommend it because I was totally wrapped up in it and maybe I just missed something because let's face it, it happens sometimes.

I just started People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks because March: A Novel was amazing. I'll let you know how it is.

New Etsy Items

2009-09-16T15:28:00.005-04:00

Finally, we've got some new items at our Etsy shop. We think they're pretty cool (of course). Check them out.This photo-collage is a 6 x 8 inch photograph printed on 8x10 Archival paper with Epson inks.
Multiple is a 7.5 x 7.5 inch photograph printed on 8x10 Archival paper with Epson inks.
Ocean is a 6.5 x 9 inch photograph printed on 8x10 Archival paper with Epson inks.

chivalry is NOT dead

2009-08-31T15:24:00.002-04:00

Clyde helps Hazel across the threshold! How cute.

Love these!

2009-07-31T10:04:00.002-04:00

I saw Julia Rothman's hand silkscreened pillow on dooce.com, that's how I found these GORGEOUS gouache dress paintings ($135 each). Too bad I don't have any extra money...where'd that go? Oh yeah, I had a baby.

Hazel likes....today

2009-07-28T10:05:00.003-04:00

Ice...yes, ice. She calls it ichy I don't know why (probably because she's 15 months old) but, she LOVES it. I think because it's hot (really hot) and because she's teething (really teething). I'd been giving her little ice chips by hand or spooning it to her from my glass in restaurants when we went out but last night I had the genius idea of putting some cubes in her Nuby Nibbler (which we never actually used with her). She happily chewed on the mesh bag and it gave me time to get her dinner ready. Why hadn't I thought of this before. Then she wanted more, because of course, the ice melted. I don't know why, but getting the top on the Nibbler isn't so easy for me. Does anyone else have this problem? It looks like it should screw on but it doesn't...I was getting really frustrated, and the ice kept melting. I kept having to put more ice in it and Hazel was watching me stand over the sink, water streaming down my arms and I got more and more annoyed with this stupid piece of idiotic baby equipment that I couldn't friggin get closed....sigh....now I remember why we never used it. Anyway, I finally got so frustrated that I pushed the top really hard and it snapped shut...ooooh! Duh! Drool....

Mommy Bloggers on MSNBC

2009-07-28T10:01:00.001-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Manipulator

2009-07-27T12:39:00.005-04:00

I love these photos by Jill Greenberg...some of them are a little TOO manipulated but they're still excellent. The underwater photos are also great.

Cute Skirt

2009-07-24T11:40:00.003-04:00

I just got this adorable pink chicken skirt for Hazel on Hautelook for a great price (over 50% off). I didn't think I'd use Hautelook but the deals are really good! Go figure. It's going to be great for Fall with tights!

I'm Reading

2009-07-24T10:38:00.004-04:00

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann.

Before I talk about that, I just want to conclude my thoughts on It Sucked and Then I Cried. That book was so honestly written. I loved Armstrong's unblushing admittance to eating nacho cheese Doritos by the bagful and having pop tarts every morning for breakfast. That along with her sense of humor, easy writing style and willingness to share every aspect of her pregnancy (I mean EVERY ASPECT) made this book a pleasure to read. Go out and get it already! What're you waitin' fer?

Ok The Lost City of Z... I can't put this book down, except I have to occasionally because Michael and I are reading it at the same time plus sometimes I have to do other things, like drive. One thing I know for sure is that I NEVER want to go into the Amazon, EVER, NEVER EVER NEVER. Do you know there are worms that burrow under your skin, bees that sting your eyes, bats that suck your blood, fish that will eat you, snakes that weigh over a ton, not to mention poisonous plants, incessant rain...should I go on? Anyway, I don't need to go, because Percy Fawcett did and David Grann is writing about it.

Fawcett entered the Amazonian rainforest in 1925 to find a lost city and was never heard from again. Grann goes into the Amazon to follow Fawcett's route and hopefully solve the mystery and maybe even find the Lost City of Z. I can't wait to see how it all ends.

Hazel likes....today

2009-07-22T11:18:00.004-04:00

Her new Offi Kapsule chair! We've known for a while that Hazel wanted a chair her own size because she's been climbing up and down off of the couch and chairs in the living room and looking really proud of herself when she got up there. Then she'd sit like an adult and look through a book (maybe upside down, maybe right side up, whatever, she's 15 months old). So we caved and bought her a chair her size.

This chair is great because it's hollow so we were able to also use it as storage...which trust me, with a kid, we totally need. We stuffed it full of Hazel's plush toys, which she loves to pull out and throw all over the floor. Hey, whatever keeps her busy right? She also loves to push it down the long hallway of our house. Much to my dismay, Hazel also loves to stand on it, and use it as a climbing tool to get to other HIGHER chairs. Everyone kept saying it was fine, she hadn't fallen, to which I added the dreaded "YET". So, of course, this morning, she did a complete face-plant, OUCH! Of course, she survived. Kids are tough.

Standing, sitting, pushing the chair down the hall...this chair gets two thumbs up.

I'm Reading

2009-07-16T09:39:00.003-04:00

It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita by Heather Armstrong. If you don't know who Heather Armstrong is, she's the writer of the blog dooce.com (which, if you've never checked out, you should). First off, I had to wait months to get this book from the library. We have a moratorium on buying books at my house so I twiddled my thumbs and waited (impatiently). After reading the first two pages I knew I had to buy this book for everyone I knew who had ever had a baby...ok well, at least my sister (hey, I work for a non-profit, I'm not made of money). I was reading the book in bed before going to sleep and I had to leave the room. The book was making me laugh so hard I was shaking the bed and Michael was whining beside me because I kept waking him up. I laugh silently so he couldn't tell if I was laughing or crying, which can be disturbing. I think I might have shed a few tears actually. This book simultaneously makes me want to be pregnant again and makes me want to have my uterus permanently removed so that there's no chance that it ever happens again, EVER! I'm not finished with it but I already highly recommend It Sucked and Then I Cried. Go out and get it.

Not to be ungrateful but...

2009-07-02T13:08:00.002-04:00

... it would be nice to see an end in sight. Not that I'm unappreciative of the Sunday & Monday of partly cloudy days in my future but when is Summer going to be here...will this endless rain ever stop?!

I'm reading..this, while I'm reading that

2009-06-26T16:55:00.002-04:00

Mysteries by Knut Hamsun because seriously, there's only so much about food (and how horrible it all is) I can read before I go to bed. So far, I'm really liking it. More to come on completion.

WTF

2009-06-25T11:26:00.002-04:00

I'm Reading

2009-06-22T20:10:00.003-04:00

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan. So far I've spent the last 3 nights reading about corn. Corn propogation, corn, elevators, corn chips on legs. It's very interesting but I'm kind of ready to move on to another food type...though, apparently all we eat is corn.

I spent Family Matters waiting for the ball to drop. It was good but not as good as A Fine Balance. I got a fortune cookie fortune a little while ago that said "It can't rain all the time" (forget the weather for now) this book does not exactly follow that reasoning. So....just keep that in mind when you go along for the ride. I mean, I guess it has it's sweet moments but in general, it's a cloudy tale.

I kept that fortune by the way. I love it. It's hanging on our fridge.

Hazel likes...today

2009-06-19T15:39:00.003-04:00

Ring Around the Rosie...yes, she does. She likes it over and over and over again. She likes it in the kitchen, and in the living room, in the hallway and in the our bedroom. She likes it in her bedroom and even in the bathroom. She's a big fan. You know, it's not always safe to "all fall down" everywhere....I'm not middle aged but I'm not 20 anymore either. Spinning around at 6:30 in the morning doesn't exactly do wonders for me, if you know what I mean. Of course, I laugh through the whole thing because she's having the time of her life and even though I'm dizzy and honestly, a little nauseous, so am I.

Circus Themed Wedding

2009-06-17T12:48:00.006-04:00

Michael and I had an amazing wedding (why am I never prepared with photos when the urge to blog hits me...and I can't restrain myself and wait) but check out this amazing circus themed wedding...how cool is that?! As seen on A Cup of Jo. Photos from Cinematographer & Photographer Josh Goleman's website.

Hazel likes...today

2009-06-12T09:50:00.003-04:00

Rock-A-Stack Finally! I don't know why this product is for children ages 6 months and up. Maybe there's a genius baby out there who can stack these at that age...I guess it could have been all of the shaking and gumming of the rings that led to this momentous day but Hazel finally did it. Two days away from 14 months of age, she stacked all of the rings on the yellow base. She did it in order too. It was really something to watch. Then she clapped with pride at herself and took them all off and did it again, and again, and again...

I'm Reading

2009-06-11T16:45:00.003-04:00

Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry. I'll have to give you a review once I'm done. I'm hoping it's as good as A Fine Balance which was an amazing book. It was so hard to put that book down. The Book Thief was good, not amazing but an enjoyable read, maybe because it's a young adult book, which I didn't really know while I was reading it. If I was 20 years younger I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more...ok now I feel really old.

Hazel likes...today

2009-06-08T14:57:00.004-04:00

Coco the chick. These books by Sloan Tanen are so funny. Hazel loves the adventures Coco goes on and I get a kick out of them too. Sloan's attention to detail in her chicken vignettes are great. I highly recommend them. I just ordered the counting and alphabet books from Amazon. I wish the hardcovers came in board book versions.

Bulthaup

2009-06-08T11:40:00.006-04:00

Want gorgeous new kitchen, have no money. Sad conundrum.

Long grass

2009-06-07T20:31:00.002-04:00

Hazel loves playing in the long grass that David let grow in the backyard.

WOW!

2009-06-04T16:23:00.003-04:00

I'm in love with a kitchen!
Seen on small space style, designed by Fuse Interiors. If I'm not mistaken...I think there's a print on the wall by roddy&ginger.

Cutest Shoes

2009-06-04T11:35:00.007-04:00

I just found the CUTEST shoes for kids on ebay at Boutiquemax. I'm happy to see they have some items from Japanese brand Bit’z Kids which has a location at 410 Columbus Ave., at W. 80th St. near the Natural History museum and has been working on an online presence for a while...which makes me doubtful (and sad) that it will ever exist since their clothes are ADORABLE and pretty affordable. You can buy them at various Japanese online outlets, like Child Akiyama but as I don't speak or read Japanese, it's difficult for me...anyway, this is about the shoes. How cute are they?!

Hazel likes...today

2009-06-03T11:25:00.004-04:00

MILK!!! Hallelujah, praise Jesus and all that stuff. After a month and a half of not drinking milk, the light finally went on in her head and she loves the stuff. I don't really get it but it works for me. We've been feeding Hazel dairy with every meal hoping to get whatever it is in milk that makes it so important for babies to have, into her. Two days ago, BOOM, she's drinking it like it's the greatest stuff on earth. Yay! Here's a shot of Hazel, pre-milk days, happily sitting with her cup o'water. She still hasn't had juice (the big lie), which is just a-ok with me.

I'm Reading

2009-06-02T16:52:00.005-04:00

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Only on page 20 or so but I'll let you know how it is. The White Tiger was excellent. Pick it up and read it. Read eeeet. That's an order!

Mother Lover

2009-06-02T09:45:00.003-04:00

I meant to post this a few weeks ago but I forgot. I think this is genius (in it's own way).

Finished Reading

2009-05-26T10:12:00.001-04:00

I'm posting the books previously in my right hand column here. I finished these over the past two years.
The Rise of Silas Lapham
The Invention of Morel
The Boy Detective Fails
The Light of Other Days
The Songs of Distant Earth
The Sparrow
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Dance Dance Dance
Jude the Obscure
The Beautiful and Damned
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Saving the World
All Aunt Hagar's Children
Persuasion
Mansfield Park
The Hermit
Falling Angels
Sea Glass
Fortune's Rocks
The Painted Alphabet
Summer
Spirits of the Ordinary: A Tale of Casas Grandes
Emma Brown
When Nietzsche Wept
No Angel
Ines of My Soul
Shakespeare: The World as Stage
The Holy Terrors/Les Enfants Terribles
The Color of Water
The Hours
Dreams of My Father
Disobedience
Immortality
All But My Life
Schindler's List
Rendezvous With Rama
Dreamland
Of Human Bondage
The Dower House
Sarah
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
The Space Between Us
Eat,Pray,Love
Gray's Anatomy
Sex With the Queen
Howards End
The Blue Flower
Manon Lescaut
Candide
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Crystal World
Eugenie Grandet
Mademoiselle Fifi
Distant Star
The Custom of the Country
Lost in the City
Possession: A Romance
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Five Quarters of the Orange
A Wedding in December
The Hummingbird's Daughter
Never Let Me Go
The Inheritance of Loss
The Fountainhead

I'm Reading

2009-05-26T08:20:00.004-04:00

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. So far I'm really enjoying the narrator's voice. I think this one's going to be a hit.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

2009-05-21T20:48:00.003-04:00

Every year a couple of friends and I go out for our birthday's to Zon's in Jamaica Plain. Tonight was the night. I don't go out THAT often (should I not be admitting that, probably not) so I figured I'd blog about one thing we ALWAYS order at Zon's. Their ice cream sandwiches. They are soooo good. OK, done, go there and order them. Enough said.

Hazel likes...today

2009-05-19T21:03:00.002-04:00

Cheese! I think Hazel had cheese for dinner, seriously, I got a couple of beans in there but she was hysterically laughing as she shoved cheese into her mouth. This is good I guess, since she refuses to drink milk.

Poetic make-believe

2009-05-19T12:36:00.003-04:00

Could creative dressing get any more beautiful? From Wovenplay.

Laundry Confusion

2009-05-19T11:15:00.001-04:00

Do you co-habitate with someone who drops their laundry not in the laundry basket but right next to it? Perhaps they leave their jeans with one leg draped in the basket and one leg out? I asked Michael (guilty!) about this phenomenon, because I really see no problem with putting my dirty clothes right into a conveniently placed basket (that has a very wide opening). He says, the clothes are borderline dirty and clean. They're not quite there yet so they go next to the basket. Does this make sense to anyone? I understand that you can wear jeans more than once and they don't need to go in the laundry basket after you wear them but do they need to go on the floor near the basket? Are they related? They are cousins to the dirty clothes...they like to stay close.

How cool is this?!

2009-05-17T20:27:00.004-04:00

A giant cup! This is so awesome. Seriously. As seen on Ohdeedoh. From Limi Teds. I want one (or two)!

Still loving Eugene

2009-05-15T11:22:00.002-04:00

Eugene Mirman on Late Night With Conan O'Brien

Even though this video's almost a year old....it just happens to be the one I watched....I still love Eugene. So funny.

Lou and Lee

2009-05-13T11:01:00.005-04:00

I saw these headbands on Rebecca Woolf's gorgeous baby Fable on Girl's Gone Child. They're made by Lou and Lee. I think Hazel might need one. I keep trying to put barrettes on her but she's totally on to me and keeps pushing my hands away. She did enjoy watching me put the barrette on her lamb and on her baby doll though. I got her to wear a barrette once....once...and of course, I got a photo!
While you're on Etsy, check out our shop too!

Hazel's First Steps

2009-05-12T15:36:00.000-04:00

Hazel first steps from michael lewy on Vimeo.

I'm reading

2009-05-12T09:25:00.004-04:00

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. So far I'm into it. It was a birthday gift from Stacy. Thanks Stacy! I ended up returning The Yiddish Policeman's Union to the library before I finished it. I can totally live without finishing that book. I've now given Michael Chabon 3 chances. I loved Kavalier & Clay but other than that I think I'll pass from now on, thank you. It's just not my thing.

Adorable

2009-05-11T15:17:00.005-04:00

I found these really cute clothes from Sooki Baby, an Australian company and I was going to blog about how cute they were, blah blah blah...so of course I started looking for where to buy them (discounted hopefully) and I came across rosiepose which has so many other adorable items (and focuses on handmade stuff from Australia) that I got completely overwhelmed and well, let's just say it's a good thing I don't have much money (oh did I say much money, I meant ANY money). I'm just posting a couple of the Sooki items but browse the site because there's a lot of really great stuff.

Livie & Luca Shoes

2009-05-08T11:16:00.004-04:00

I love these shoes from Livie & Luca.

Momversation - Swine Flu

2009-05-08T10:08:00.002-04:00

HA!

2009-05-07T10:51:00.001-04:00

Law And Order: BFD from This American Life on Vimeo.

Mmmm - Good Stuff

2009-05-06T12:38:00.005-04:00

When I was in DC I went to the Good Stuff Eatery, brainchild of Spike (Top Chef fame) and Cathy Mendelsohn. I had THE BEST shake. It was toasted marshmallow and it was delicious. When I was pregnant one of the things I craved was marshmallows. I ate them all time time. It's a good thing I didn't live anywhere near this place or I would have gained a thousand pounds. My burger was tasty too. If you're in DC in the Capitol Hill area, you have to check this place out. It can get crowded on a weekday lunch hour but it was worth the wait for a table. You can take your food to go too.
GET THE SHAKE...IT'S TOASTED!

I'm reading

2009-05-05T10:53:00.002-04:00

The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel by Michael Chabon. I'm giving him another chance because I loved Kavlier and Clay.

Hazel likes...today

2009-05-01T14:12:00.002-04:00

Grape tomatoes....who would have thunk it?! I'd love to hear what other people are giving their 1 year olds for snacks. She only has 2.5 teeth so I feel like I'm limited but maybe I'm not.

Hazel likes...today

2009-04-30T11:23:00.005-04:00

Dominican roast chicken from Alex's Chimis in Jamaica Plain. Mmmmmm it's soooo good. I wish you could just buy the dark meat. Maybe I could if I could only speak Spanish. Note to self, a good reason for Hazel to take Spanish lessons though this could take a few years since she's just learning English. Check this place out if you're ever in the neighborhood.
If you can't find Alex's Chimis just look for the store with the stripper mannequins in the window and you'll know you're close.

Sandals for me

2009-04-29T11:05:00.004-04:00

I love these sandals designed by Calleen Cordero. I saw them in the Sundance Catalog where I was doing some fantasy shopping yesterday, because like most things in this catalog, they're pretty expensive ($298.00). The outlet prices aren't bad. Maybe I'll be lucky and they'll end up there.

I'm reading

2009-04-29T09:30:00.004-04:00

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris. I am especially enjoying his chapters on quitting smoking in Japan. If you want to continue to be thought of as sane, (if you are now, that is), I recommend not reading this in public. I read this book on the plane to DC and was laughing aloud. If you've heard some of Sedaris' reading's on NPR or live then some of these essays may be repeats for you.

Hazel might need these

2009-04-28T16:23:00.002-04:00

she'd need two of course...a nice summer sandal. Seen on UMI Shoes

two worlds collide

2009-04-23T20:25:00.002-04:00

my family life and my work life
weird

Bread + Butter

2009-04-22T20:42:00.002-04:00

Amazing new letterpress print from Carol at Bread + Butter. I do think fluorescent pink and black will help to elevate my mood! I love this shop!

Hazel's Birthday Cake

2009-04-21T13:13:00.001-04:00

I had to share this amazing cake that my dad made for Hazel for her birthday party. It's a recreation of the cake I had when I turned 1. I'm going to try to locate a photo of my birthday cake. I'll post it if I find it.

So sad

2009-04-17T15:15:00.003-04:00

This is where I am
This is where I am not

It's gorgeous outside
Working is sad

communication differences

2009-04-17T10:18:00.002-04:00

I asked Michael to get vegetable oil this morning for Hazel's cupcakes and this is what happened

M: I'm going to the supermarket today do you need anything?
me: I need vegetable oil
M: What kind of vegetable oil?
me: regular vegetable oil
M: but what kind?
me: Like, plain vegetable oil
M: like broccoli oil?
me: (in head- !?) no...vegetable oil
M: like, shortening?
me: no, just fucking plain vegetable oil
M: Why are you yelling at me?
me: (in head- ?!)

what the hell?

Hazel likes...today

2009-04-17T09:51:00.003-04:00

One Moose, Twenty Mice by Clare Beaton. She especially likes it when I meow every time she points to the cat. The cats are a little of hard to find on most pages so I just point and meow myself. When I get to twenty mice she points at the cat over and over and over and I end up meowing like a crazy cat and she ends up giggling like a crazy kid, it's fun. I think the repetative nature of the book keeps her really entranced. She loves it.

Hazel's Shout-out!

2009-04-16T10:15:00.001-04:00

Hazel's birthday shout-out on Ohdeedoh. YAY!

Watermelon Watermelon

2009-04-16T09:29:00.002-04:00

In preparation for Hazel's birthday party I decided to make these petite watermelons I saw on Ohdeedoh.
They are SO cute! I learned something in the process...limes don't want to be hollow, and watermelons are meant to be big. The recipe says to scoop out the lime. This was so hard. Maybe my problem was that I didn't have a grapefruit spoon or something but ouch, stinging eyes, burning skin....not easy...beauty is pain. I was able to finish the shells though. I'll post a photo of the final product once they're done. We'll see if they look as good as these.

Happy Birthday Hazel!

2009-04-14T15:26:00.004-04:00

Tonight Hazel's going to have cake (for the first time). We'll sing happy birthday, which she'll love, even though she doesn't really know what the song is, and we'll give her some little presents. This weekend is the party. It's hard to believe it's been a year since you were in your little starlight swing peacefully sleeping.

I'd like to take the opportunity to also welcome Hazel's new cousin to the world. Simone Rae was born at 6:22pm on Sunday April 12th. I can't wait to meet you cutie pie.

I'm reading

2009-04-13T10:27:00.004-04:00

Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson. Just like all of her other books, I'm already drawn in. It's great. I'm still not sure if it's a young adult book or not but either way, it's good.

I wouldn't recommend What Was She Thinking...It's not worth the time. If you feel the need, rent the movie, which incidentally, I haven't seen.

lovelydesign

2009-04-13T10:18:00.004-04:00

Absolutely adorable handmade children's books, from lovelydesign. It's things like this that make me wish I had thought to do that...but I don't think I could have done it half as well.

Hazel likes...today

2009-04-09T14:58:00.003-04:00

Here a Chick, Where a Chick by Suse Macdonald...and of course, peas!
We're now gearing up for her first birthday on Tuesday. I can't believe it's been a year.

I'm reading

2009-04-09T14:44:00.004-04:00

What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller. For me, I have to say, the jury's still out. I'll let you know when I'm done.

rafinesse & tristesse

2009-04-09T14:34:00.005-04:00

rafinesse & tristesse take recycling to a whole new level by taking items like tin oil containers and transforming them into amazing children's toys and furniture pieces.

Truly magical! As seen on HAUTE*NATURE

Hallelujah!

2009-04-06T13:32:00.001-04:00

I'd just like to say...IT'S ABOUT TIME! Thank you Bloomingdales, for finally bringing 40 Carrots Frozen Yogurt to Boston! Yipee. See my former post

Now I'm reading....

2009-03-30T16:36:00.002-04:00

The Invention of Everything Else, by Samantha Hunt. OK so far...

I'm reading

2009-03-27T14:17:00.003-04:00

Land of the Laughs. I'd recommend it.

Hazel likes...today

2009-03-27T14:14:00.003-04:00

The Poky Little Puppy I don't know what instigated this sudden desire to have this book read to her over and over again but she's REALLY into it.

Sweet love rectangle

2009-03-19T09:33:00.001-04:00

Happy break up

2009-03-16T10:18:00.001-04:00

This is the best break up album I've ever heard! Viva la break up!!! Lily Allen

I think I'm in love

2009-03-13T16:54:00.004-04:00

with Heather Bailey. Where have you been all my life?!

Can someone...

2009-03-11T16:34:00.007-04:00

...please explain this Long John Silver's ad campaign for me?

It's better to be a child than a old fried man? Dont leave your children alone in long john silvers b/c their employees are obviously insane?

Now I'm afraid to eat their fish. Not that I wasn't before.

Thanks Matt for sharing this frightening comic.

who

2009-03-10T15:57:00.002-04:00

the heck is the little kid on the jpg icon?

water cooler saddness

2009-03-10T15:31:00.003-04:00

I'm happily being passive aggressive in the office

My favorite lines from 'Double Indemnity'

2009-03-10T15:19:00.001-04:00

Quit your fancy talk

PHYLLIS
My husband. You were anxious to talk
to him weren't you?

NEFF
Sure, only I'm getting over it a
little. If you know what I mean.

PHYLLIS
There's a speed limit in this state,
Mr. Neff. Forty-five miles an hour.

NEFF
How fast was I going, officer?

PHYLLIS
I'd say about ninety.

NEFF
Suppose you get down off your
motorcycle and give me a ticket.

PHYLLIS
Suppose I let you off with a warning
this time.

NEFF
Suppose it doesn't take.

PHYLLIS
Suppose I have to whack you over the
knuckles.

NEFF
Suppose I bust out crying and put my
head on your shoulder.

PHYLLIS
Suppose you try putting it on my
husband's shoulder.

NEFF
That tears it.

This is a lot of lines but...no one talks like that, I love it

My money's on the bear

2009-03-10T15:15:00.001-04:00

Shaaaaak attack!

A bear has arms, legs, claws and teeth while a shark only has teeth. Bears can swim and walk, try taking a shark out of the water and putting it in the woods, not so scary now, are you shark?! Wait, where is this fight?

Recovered at last

2009-03-06T14:06:00.003-05:00

Our household has recovered from a stomach bug just in time for another music class where we're sure Hazel contracted it...yipppeee! I can't wait to see what she gets next. The class is fun(ish) for her but so far Hazel brought home a horrible cold that had Michael and I taking sick days (right around the time Obama was inaugurated); we're still coughing from that one (not Obama, the cold); I contracted conjunctivis, which luckily but strangely, no one else got, and now, the stomach flu, which was by far the worst. First Hazel got it, then Michael was basically on death's door, then I got it (I was least affected). We actually sent Hazel away for the night (thank you, thank you, thank you, you know who you are). It was our first night away from her and I actually teared up a little when I saw her again. Motherhood makes me weepy.

She's basically back to normal but she's really only eating cheerios and Mum-Mums. We must do something about that. We took her out to sushi last night. Perhaps we were trying to shock real food back into her system. She had a couple of sips of miso soup, a strand or two of seaweed salad, some rice and a teeny tiny piece of chicken, oh and a whole lot of cheerios....sigh....

The rural juror

2009-03-06T10:23:00.001-05:00

rural
I can't say it properly, it drives me nuts

awesome
I guess if it was used correctly it would be ok but I don't like the "slang" version of the word and I hear it SO much, and then I use it and I don't like that...

wicked
it's ok if you're the wicked witch or a wicked woman or something but not if you're wicked cool