Upside Down

Today is a day of contradictions.

I pride myself on being (reasonably) organized. I believe that life is easier if everything has a place and things are returned to their places when you’re done with them. (Of course, there are four other people in my house who don’t always share my philosophy, so I do a lot of picking up, as well as a great deal of coaxing.) However, sometimes I clean things up so well that I can’t remember where I put them. And that’s where I find myself today.

This morning I decided to let my 16-month-old twins try crayons for the first time. And then I realized that I have no idea where I stored our set of Crayola Tadoodles Crayon Buddies when my oldest son was finished with them. My mother gifted them to us several years ago, and we quickly learned how easy they make it for a little one to hold a crayon. (I tend to think they also discourage chewing on the crayon, which seems to be a temptation for my boys.) They’re inexpensive, so I could easily buy another set, but that’s beside the point right now. I know our original set is in this house somewhere, and I’m determined to find them.

While sorting through drawers and cabinets, I needed a little entertainment. I decided to watch Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.

If you're suddenly confused because you thought I only had sons – not daughters – you’re not wrong. I don’t have any little girls. Given that I’m a child at heart, though, sometimes I still like to privately indulge in a girly movie. (I must confess, The Princess Diaries is one of my favorites.) I found Kit Kittredge to be quite entertaining, as well as educational, and after watching it I believe it would be equally appealing to a boy or a girl. This will likely be one that gets added to our list of acceptable DVDs once my boys are a little older.

What about you? What are you doing today? Is anything in your world “upside down” at the moment?

Fleeting Moments

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday weekend. I know I did! Sunday night we drove around town and saw multiple displays of fireworks. This was quite exciting for my big kid, Little Mr. W (who’s almost three). We then capped off the evening with some ice cream from Sonic, which is a rare treat for him. (I do not believe in pumping kids full of sugar on a daily basis.)

Yesterday we left the twins with a babysitter and took Little Mr. W on his first movie theater outing. We saw Toy Story 3 (and got some popcorn). He was quite in awe of the entire experience. You add to this the fact that we have been working on potty training and he has been wearing training pants for the last five days, and he’s had quite a busy week!

If you’ve read the reviews, I’m sure you know that Toy Story 3 is about what happens to the toys when their owner grows up. As a mom, I felt a little teary thinking about it. Of course, it’s thrilling to watch your children grow and develop and gain their independence. But we also have to remember that these moments we have with them when they are little are precious and fleeting and we need to make the most of every minute. As much as I look forward to seeing them become the adults they are meant to be, I also want to make sure I always remember what they are like today.

Fashioning “An Education”

Instead of venturing to the beach this weekend, my Hubby and I decided to spend the holiday relaxing at home with our three little boys and enjoying some wonderful food and films. One of our movie selections was An Education, starring Peter Sarsgaard and Carey Mulligan. Set in England in 1961, it is the tale of a young girl’s coming of age. While I definitely enjoyed the storyline, I was most taken with the fashion. This is lady-like dressing at its finest.

If you are a lover of vintage fashion, this film is definitely a must-see.


Photos ©2009 Sony Pictures Classics, courtesy of Hollywood.com.