Life first, then hobby

Lately, I’ve been boring you all to death with how busy we are. The only thing more boring than hearing how busy someone else is, is hearing why we're late (car trouble, too many commitments, can’t say no, broke as a joke, eh, who cares?). I’ve been thinking lately that I need to find some balance, you know, do SOMETHING other than work and drive my kid places. I mean, sure, I have this odd little blogging hobby, but as anyone who blogs knows, sometimes the blogstipation sets in and writing anything becomes more of a chore than cleaning the toilet (and sometimes not as rewarding). When Julie, now referred to in Stepford as the Fairy Godmother of Free, asked if I’d take a look at Get a Hobby I said “Sure! Maybe it will help me get a life while I’m at it!”

This book is a scream. I don’t know if I’ll actually start a new hobby after reading it, but I have to say I’m a tiny teensy weensy bit closer to understanding rabid show dog people and historical re-enactors. The layout is decidedly retro (with the faux wood paneling and boogie nights fonts I thought I was in my friend Steven’s basement, circa 1980) and although the book gives a surprisingly thorough overview that doesn’t drown one in details, this volume does not take itself too seriously.Some of the hobby suggestions are believable such as Rubber Stamping (what you’ll need: “Rubber stamp, ink, surface such as paper…”), others are just plain silly: “Collecting- what you’ll need: An item you’re infatuated with to collect…” " Species Protection- what you'll need: Time, inclination..."

This is the hobbyist’s answer to Amy Sedaris’s I Like You. You think it’s a joke until you realize that cupcake recipe actyally sounds good! I’m planning to add Get a Hobby to the library in the lavatory because it’s funny, the entries are brief, and so when I can hear about some pastime that has a cult following I can try to learn more about them so I don’t make fun of them.

Who am I kidding? I’ll still make fun of them.

Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid SUV

We're a Saturn family. We've owned four Saturns altogether and I see myself staying with the brand for the foreseeable future, mostly because they're affordable and reliable, but also because way back in the day I had a nutty Republican boyfriend who spoke total rubbish most of the time except when convinced me that buying foreign cars was unpatriotic. Since then, I've bought American and don't see that changing. We bought a non-hybrid Vue in its first model year and were very happy with it. We traded it for a Relay because we wanted more room and DVD player. We like the Relay but I'll admit that I died a little on the inside the day we became Minivan Owners.

One of the things we both loved about the hybrid Vue is that it feels comfortably spacious. We were able to fit both sets of golf clubs plus all the detritus that we lug around with room to spare AND both Hubby and I can both drive it comfortably. This may not seem like a big deal, but let me assure you that in the world of car buying, this is HUGE. You see, we have a bit of a height difference going on between us. Hubby is 6'4" (and stacked, raaawr) and I am 5'2" and also stacked, just differently. Finding a vehicle that fits both of us comfortably is no easy feat and this car did not disappoint in that regard.

But the real reason we're supposed to care about this vehicle is because it's a hybrid. While the Vue doesn't boast the same fuel economy as other leading SUV hybrids, I did notice a savings in our fuel costs over the two weeks. The Vue cuts its engine when you come to a complete stop for more than a second or two and restarts with nary a shudder when the light changes and you hit the gas. I was worried that I wouldn't really feel the benefit of driving a hybrid as virtually all of my driving is done in city conditions, but this feature made me feel like I was making a difference in my fuel consumption. At highway speeds, the gas motor is assisted by the battery.

It's four cylinder engine felt peppy to Hubby, who is used to driving the Relay but I noticed a lack of power compared to my six cylinder. That said, we were late heading in to Boston on Mother's Day and drove the Mass Pike slalom at top speed. We really tested the acceleration and handling on that trip and the car held her own just fine. While there is no 4WD option in the Green Line Vie, traction control (a MUST in New England winters) comes standard.

In general, we both really like this vehicle and if they make a few adjustments to the next model, it will probably be the next car we buy. One of the improvements I'm hoping they'll make is to the heating and cooling system. The car was delivered on an 80+ degree week and I found myself reaching my destination (most of my trips are 15 minutes or fewer) still waiting for the AC to get really cold. Conversely, we had a few evenings where temps dipped into the 30's and I spent a good ten minutes literally shivering with no hear to speak of. Hubby and I both wished there was a trip computer that displays instant mileage and fuel economy and he dubbed the steering wheel control buttons as " too tiny for man hands."

All in all, we were happy with the car and at a MSRP of around $23,500.00 its puts hybrid technology in reach.

This review made possible by the Parent Bloggers Network and the Saturn Corporation.

Homerun

I’ve often thought of starting a site that focuses on traveling with children. A little over a week ago, the Kiddo and I returned from ten days in France and, aside from a few weather related disappointments, we had another great trip. Back when Kiddo was about three years old, one of her grandparents gave her a set of preschool Brain Quest cards. These things stayed in the magic travel bag for probably two years before my little genius needed to move up to the next level of questions.

(aside: If you’ve never seen these things, run out and buy your kid(s) a set. They’re awesome! Even very young children can manipulate them and parent interaction just makes the experience more fun. Best part? The cards are fastened together which means you won’t be forever picking them up off the floor of your car or home (or the airplane, or the restaurant)).

These days, Kiddo is all about DVD’s and video games. Yes, she can read chapter books, but sometimes, the girl needs the sights and sounds. That’s why I JUMPED at the chance to review the Brain Quest DVD game. I had high hopes for this product, given our familial adoration for the card sets and I’m happy to say the DVD was a huge hit!

We have a dedicated DVD player that stays in the travel bag (I promise I’ll write a post about my never-fails bag of tricks soon) and since we received this DVD in the mail, it’s never left the player. Stop for a minute and absorb the magnitude of this statement… my daughter hasn’t played a movie in her player since she got this game. The DVD is a higher teach version of the cards but with bells and whistles. The interface is really easy to use and my seven year old was able to figure out how to play the game using the DVD remote pretty much immediately.

The BEST PART about this game is that, unlike the cards, the game elaborates on the answer to the questions. For example, when it asks about the name of picture writing used by the ancient Egyptians, it follows with an explanation and visuals of hieroglyphics.

While it’s easy to plug your kids in to the game while you drive, there are points in the game where it asks parents to interact and assist the children in answering questions. By my estimation, Kiddo has played this game for a dozen hours or so with her friends, with us, and by herself and has yet to encounter a repeat question.

For those of you wishing you had something to plug into the car’s DVD player that doesn’t involve princesses or cowboys who befriend astronauts, you WANT to give this game a try!

Me and the Z's

Imagine, if you will, having a rush of adrenaline akin to riding a roller coaster in the moments before you sleep. Every night. Imagine not being able to turn your mind off. Imagine being afraid to fall asleep. Imagine keeping your husband awake with your thrashing, night after night. Imagine trying to take a shower, watch TV, not watch TV, read, not read just to fall asleep. Imagine watching the sun come up from your bed more nights than you care to imagine.

I jumped at the opportunity to review Good Night, The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Health. As you will read, I've dealt with significant insomnia for eight years. I was excited and nervous about starting the program, mostly because I was afraid it wouldn't work and then I'd find out I'm one of those people who is beyond help. I read the book and then let it sit there for a few days.

I'll admit I was scared to try it because the quiz at the beginning of the book confirmed much of what I already knew: that my stress level interferes with my sleep. that I ingest more than twice the recommended amount of caffeine (because I'm tired) per day. I'd tried to wean myself from caffeine before and had the worst migraines of my life, so I was reluctant to do that again.

After reading the book cover to cover, I started a sleep diary, as Dr. Breus recommends. As someone who considers herself a critical thinker, I had never actually collected data on my sleep. By starting the diary, I was able to fine-tune my caffeine use (any caffeine past 2:00 messes with my sleep) and address some of the issues interfering with my sleep (the damn cat who wakes me up several times per night? goodbye!).

I became more aware of what he calls "sleep hygiene" and started taking steps toward improving mine. Good Night is a four week program, and so far I am two weeks in. The first week, I was too scared to start Sleep Boot camp full-on, but even with my own modifications to the program, I started sleeping better within 48 hours. Me, the person who hasn't had a good week's sleep in eight years.

For the past two weeks, I've been very faithful to Dr. Breus's recommendations (not perfect, but I try) and I can say that I haven't felt this good in a very, very long time. He offers practical, easy to follow techniques for relaxing before sleep, as well as pointing out habits most of us have that are connected to sleep that never would have occurred to me.

In a few hours, I will be boarding a flight for Paris and my sleep will be disrupted. However, I face this jet lag with a big chunk of my sleep debt repaid and for that, I thank Sleep Boot Camp. When I get home, I'm going to use the program for the full four weeks. And I feel tremendous hope that I'll be able to change my sleep habits for good. I wrote the following shortly before I was approached to read Good Night. I don't feel compelled to finish the post anymore.

And THAT is a very, very good thing.

My mother tells a story about me as a baby that goes something like this ‘you loved your crib so much that I had to grip you tighter when we got close to your room because you tried so hard to dive into your crib that I was afraid I’d drop you’ Growing up, I was a great sleeper. I loved to go to bed early and wake up before anyone else in the house was awake. I used to wake up so early that my mom started leaving a bowl of cereal on the table for me and a small pitcher of milk on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator so that I could fix myself breakfast and watch Captain Bob on weekend mornings.

This continued throughout my high school and college years. While I enjoyed the occasional all-nighter, most of the time I really looked forward to climbing into my bed. Many of my friends napped in the afternoon before a big night out. I was never able to join them. I can’t nap. If I do ever fall asleep in the middle of the day, I end up feeling like crap for the rest of it.

My first big job after college was at a boarding school where I was expected to work a fair number of evenings. This wasn’t my first time working evenings- I worked as a waitress all through college- but it was my first time having to consistently wake up bright and early after an evening shift. My body adjusted and whatever sleep debt I accumulated during the week I’d pay off on weekends.

Sometime during the summer of 1999 my sleep patterns changed. I was in my second trimester and I had passed the point of being able to sleep the entire night without needing to use the facilities. By fall I slept with half a dozen pillows that needed to be elaborately moved and adjusted every time I needed to get up or roll over. Little did I know it was only going to get harder.

In December of 1999, I gave birth to the amazing baby who never slept- the baby who asked to be fed every two hours, round the clock, for the first 3 months of her life. Who we started on solids way too early (shh) to see if maybe, just maybe, that would give her what she needed to sleep a little longer. We sleep trained, we apologized to our downstairs neighbors who were kept awake during these torturous and futile exercises.

I was going through some stuff during our last move and came across one of the letters that I write to the kiddo every so often (you know, the ones I’ll give her at her bridal and baby showers just to make her cry). It was written shortly before her second birthday and I thanked her for sleeping through the night for the third time. ever. She was potty trained and able to stay dry all night long before she started sleeping through the night consistently, which was just shy of her 4th birthday.

Since then, I have had hallucination-inducing, sob-inducing, weight gain-causing insomnia.

Post unfinished. Thank God.

Oooh, it's so empty in here it echoes

Hello-ello-ll0-lo-0

I think it's just you and me here. I invited some other people... they should be here any minute. Can I get you something to drink? Fix you a snack? Seriously, I don't mind.

Welcome to the first post at my new review site. "They"- well, smart people like Julie and Izzy and Chicky-say creating a review site is a great way to generate "buzz" so here we are! I should have started this site a week ago, but the day I was supposed to have you all over was the day Hubs was at the hospital being sliced and diced, so I was a little busy that day.

Anyway, we're here now and that's what counts. I finished reading a really good book while I was in the waiting room at the hospital. It's called "Good Kids, Bad Habits" and it calls itself a guide to raising healthy children, but really, it's a guide to creating a healthier family. I work with kids and parents every day. Some of these families find themselves in need of making changes. Change is scary, big change is even scarier and that's why I'm going to come right out and say that I LOVED this book.

Tone is a big thing for me and the tone of this book is down to earth and accessible from beginning to end. It opens with The RealAge Healthy Kids Test, which I was SURE I was going to ace. We (Kiddo, Hubby, and I) earned 9's in all areas but one (more on that later). The good news is, we received some validation for all the things we're doing right in creating healthy habits, but I learned that I do have some room for improvement in some important areas.

The next step was understanding where we came up short and taking steps toward improving our habits. The fist chapter, post-test was all about nutrition. When Kiddo was little, Hubs and I came to the conclusion that we didn't have a baby, we had an air plant (you know, those plants that grow anywhere there's air in the jungle?). The kid ate nothing. She continues to be a picky eater and although we're very careful about what foods we keep in our home, her diet is limited to a handful of foods.

This chapter has several easy to use charts detailing how many ounces of various foods kids need at different ages, healthy substitutes to mass produced foods, as well as (and I swear the book is worth it's price for this chart alone) How to Keep Your Family's Diet Colorful, that you can bring along to the grocery store. It's so simple, it's brilliant. Simply tic off two items from each "color" (red= tomatoes, blue/purple= blackberries, etc) per week and viola!- you have a balanced diet. As the colors have both fruits AND vegetables in each column, you can easily offer healthy choices to the fruit fanatic or the fruit phobic (mine falls into the latter category, she'll eat a bushel of broccoli but wouldn't dream of eating a peach. What's up with that?).

Obviously, this section of the book is of great interest to me and even though I like to think I know a good deal about nutrition, I read some things and was like "DUH! why didn't I think of that?" Hand in hand with the ways to sneak fiber and seasonings in your kids' meals (shhh, I won't tell if you don't), is the reminder to Take It Slow- you're building habits for a lifetime... you don't need to do everything all at once, and if you do, it could end badly.

The Shape Up, Spiff Up, and Smarten Up sections focus on activity, hygiene, and education. I was not surprised to learn that we are more than meeting our activity requirements and although I wince when I think about how much t.v. Kiddo watches, I was shocked to find out how little she watches compared to her peers. The worst thing I learned in Spiff Up, and one I wish I could forget is that the 5 second rule is a habit we should break (Oh 5 Second Rule, I think I'll miss you most of all. Okay, now I know why it's a big no-no. And also? Eww). Smarten Up has great tips on preparing a homework supply kit, safe internet surfing for kids, homework help, as well as practical (read:not panicky and overblown or preachy) information on learning differences. As someone who works with students with learning issues for a living, I know what a minefield this topic can be. The information here is straightforward and reassuring, for example "If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, it's important to keep your perspective. While it's a chronic condition that will present some challenges throughout life, it's not a life sentence or barrier to future success."

Chin Up is full of questions and issues most parents wish we didn't need to think about (which is why we really should think about them!). We'd all like to be able to say that our kids are pillars of strength, molded in our image, but the truth is, may of us are walking around with insecurities and issues that began in childhood. Chin Up addresses issues such as self-esteem and depression and ways to help kids manage stress and navigate relationships.

The chapter that focuses on the area in which I scored the lowest? Safety (hangs head in shame). It's not that we have family knife throwing or Drano chugging contests, but it's clear that I should be more worked up over safety than I apparently am. Sure, Kiddo wears a bike helmet, but did I ever teach her the Universal Choking Signal? Um, Hey! Look over there!

It's pretty clear that I found this book both useful and enjoyable. The majority of the information confirmed what I already knew, but there were a few things I should be doing that became painfully obvious as soon as I saw them. Nothing in here is rocket science, but that's okay. I don't need to know how to build a rocket, I just want a healthy kid.