SWAGGER WAGON

And this is why I can't bring myself to get a minivan. And you can be sure that I sent this to both of my sisters who have this exact same minivan!

Recall Medicines

Moms and Dads, it's time to go to your medicine cabinet and grab all the children's Motrins, Tylenols and Benadryls. Go to the website below and type in the info on your bottle to see if yours is recalled and if it is, you will get a check in the mail.

I have to confess that I'm not the most diligent Mom when it comes to recalls lists, I mean heck, I barely have time to wash my hair on a regular basis. However, when I realized there was a chance some of the medicines I have could contain incorrect dosages and could be dangerous for the children, I realized I probably better take a look at this recal. Turns out, SIX of the children's medicines I have are recalled and I should have a check arrive in the mail in a few weeks!

http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com/

Central Air

Apparently, it is not common to have air conditioning in New England. It is especially not common to have central air and heat in New England. Which means you have to heat and cool the house in other ways than a mere switch of a thermostat. For example, I have a good friend who heats her house with pellets. I'm not kidding, she has a big heater in her kitchen and bags and bags of pellets in her garage and that's what she uses to heat her home.

Now, in the south, it is very common to have central air and heat. I would go so far as to say that the entire southeastern population, at least in Georgia, have air conditioning, whether it be a unit or central air. I don't think you could survive down south without it. It is humid and the temperature hovers around 95 degrees all summer long.

When I discovered that most people didn't have ac up here, I thought that it must not get hot enough to need it. Yes, maybe the summers don't even get above 90 degrees. Hello good hair! Yet unfortunately, most good thoughts must come to an end. Today was 95 degrees up here. Luckily, the genteel southerners that we are (translation: wimpy), bought one ac window unit last August because we couldn't stand sweating in our home. So, we pulled that out. But still, with one little unit in our kitchen, it is not easy to keep the entire home cool.

So my day went something like this: turn on the ac before 8 am, draw all of the shades to prevent the sun from adding any heat to our house, cook dinner before 10 am so as not to have to stove running later in the day, run the dryer and use the iron before 11 am, and turn on all five fans in our house to circulate the air that our little ac unit was putting out. Alas, the house was pretty cool all day, but my goodness, what a change from down south where you walk to the thermostat flip the ac switch on, turn the dial to 72 and viola.

Is "The Help" for real?

I had someone ask me, since I'm from the south, is "The Help" for real. Let me first say that my experience growing up in the deep south was entirely different from this book. I think we were one of the few upper middle class family in our town who didn't have a regular housekeeper, who weren't members of the country club and who had to be back from sleepovers by noon on Saturday so we could all do yard work as a family. This was while my friend and next door neighbor had a black maid that wore a black and white uniform everyday to work in her home. My Catholic, Italian father wanted to instill in us the value of a dollar regardless of whether we wanted to learn.

However, I think that we were the exception. Going back to when my mother was raised in the deep south in the 50s and 60s, my grandmother was frustrated with the way my mother talked. My Mom told me that she talked like the help because that was who she was around the most. And what's interesting is that when she tells stories of her childhood, she often refers to their help as though she was a member of the family.

When I asked a couple of friends from Georgia about this book and recommended it to them, these were some of the comments I got (and keep in mind this is from people of my generation who grew up in the south in the 1980's, that's over 20 years after The Help takes place).

One friend, "If it talks bad about our help, then I just can't read it. You know Betty practically raised me."Betty is the name of her"help" who was with her for her entire childhood.

Another friend, "Oh yes, (as she went through all of our friends and knew all of the names of our friends' help) Betty was xxx's help, Ruth was our help, Alberta was xxx's help. In fact, I am almost certain that Betty used to spank us all."

Another friend "XXX (name of her help) has been with my Mom for over 30 years, I don't know what we'd ever do if something happen to her."

So, to answer your question, is The Help for real? I think in many parts of the south it was not only real, but a deep part of the culture. And for some it still is, for better or for worse.

Capturing life at home

There is something very special about going into someone's home with your camera and just capturing them as they are; no special background, no special props, just real everyday life. With this family, I popped in, watched them interact, chatted with them and all the while I was taking photos. I was reminded of that dear time of life when your baby is not even 6 months old yet. It seems as though sometimes we're so busy and tired that we don't take the chance to stop and appreciate it as much as we should. And how soon we forget, as my youngest is only 18 months. But when I looked back through these photos, I felt overcome by just how precious life is at that age. Thank you baby Cy for that reminder!

Summer Read

There are few things more delicious than having a book that you don't want to put down, one that is satisfying and leaves a good after-taste in your mouth. One of my best friends recommended "The Help" and if you haven't already read it, this is the perfect summer book. I originally thought the book had something to do with someone needing help, am I intuitive or what? But instantly after beginning the book the light turned on and I remembered my mother always referring to their housekeeper as "help." She would say something like "oh yes, we all had help growing up." And that is just what this book is about, African American women working in white women's homes in the south.

It is a book that will ignite all of kinds of emotions: happiness, anger, frustration, outrage and joy. Once you start it, you won't want to put it down.

Kennebunkport, Maine

There are buoys everywhere, in all different sizes and colors

The Bush Compound

A typical Kennebunkport-style home

So I finally talked my husband into taking the family to Maine. I've always wanted to go and while taking our 4-year-old, 3-year-old and 1-year-old wouldn't have been my first choice, it was our only choice so it had to be. Kennebunkport is a charming coastal town in Maine that has been around for over two hundred years. The shops and restaurants are fantastic, at least that's what I heard. We spent most of our time pushing strollers along the sidewalk and picking up seashells on Goose Rocks Beach.

I couldn't help but notice a few things that are a bit different up here:

1) The Northeastern seaside has large rocks and ice cold water while the southeastern seaside has primarily flat, long beaches with marshes and lukewarm Atlantic water. Both are stunning in their own right.

2) Up here, from what I could see, it is entirely upper class with beautiful, often understated homes. Southeastern sea towns are diverse, you have antebellum mansions on one street and the projects several streets away.

We had a great time on our "trip" (we don't call traveling with the children vacation). Let's see, we only had to leave one note on a car after our daughter threw a rock at it and chipped the paint, we only left one restaurant before we even sat down since all three were melting down and even managed to enjoy a lobster meal. There is nothing like fresh steamed lobster dipped in hot butter.

We happen to drive past the Bush compound so I couldn't resist sharing a photo of it with you.

I kept thinking, this would be the perfect weekend getaway with my husband! Until then, all five of us had a ball and my son kept wanting "to go on Maine again to get more shark eye seashells."

Prep School

Groton School

I am finding that prep school is fairly common up here in New England. Our babysitter goes to prep school and one of my best friends up here also went to prep school. Where we're from down south, in all of my childhood, I have ONE friend that went to prep school (if you're reading, I love you!).

Last night at a wine tasting talking to two Ivy Leaguers:

me: making conversation... so how do you two know each other?

them: we actually went to school together

me: oh, you both went to college together?

them: no prep school

me: oh neat, where did you go?

them: oh, just this school in MA

me: Okay, must be a good school because they don't want to tell the name, little do they know that I won't have heard of it no matter how good it is. Really? What's the name.

them: It's called Groton

me: All sophistication, if I had any, flies out the window. Ohhhh, I say inquisitively, is it one of those really good prep schools that funnels you into Ivy Leagues? I remember seeing something like this on Dead Poet Society

them: look at each other kind of shyly well sort of....

girl speaks up: he went to an Ivy, but not me.

me: Oh good, something we have in common. Where did you go?

girl: University of Chicago.

I will forever have a special place in my heart for Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams after The Notebook. So when I saw this photo, I could help but notice two noteworthy things: 1) Those heels are fantastic and would make any legs look good, where can I get a pair? and 2) Ryan Gosling is extremely easy on the eyes, even with those shoes.

A Hoardable Recipe

Every now and then someone will share something they've made with me and I think to myself "I've got to get that recipe." And when I say "I've got to get that recipe," I mean I will stalk them, call them, email them, give them friendly reminders, beg them until I get it. This recipe is one of those. The other night some girls came over for dinner and funny enough I was the only American. My beautiful Venezualan friend, my kind Mexican friend, and my amazing-cook Canadian friend came over for a glass of wine. When my Canadian friend brought these cookies, part of me wanted everyone to leave, go change into my pjs and sit there with that entire plate of cookies all by myself.

She was kind of enough to share the recipe. And if I was recipe hoarder, this would be one of those recipes I'd keep to myself and never share with anyone because they're just that good. But since that is absolutely no fun, I'd much rather share it with you! So next time you need to bring a dessert somewhere, I promise you, this is what you want to bring!

White and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks of butter (1 cup), room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup of milk chocolate chips, 1 cup of white chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and baking soda. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add flour gradually (I usually do a cup at a time because I'm impatient) and beat in as much of it as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in chocolate pieces.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 375 oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to a wide rack and let cool.
I always make the cookies a little bigger than they say you should, and I undercook (about 6 minutes in my oven, in my old oven it was just over 7.. so just check them often)

Friends and neighbors

We live in a condo and share a wall with a family from Tokyo, Japan. Over the last year, we've had the privilege of getting to know them up here in New England. They are such a special family and to say that the wife is a phenomenal cook would be an understatement. When they invited us over for dinner, we couldn't accept quick enough. She made some of the best Japanese food I've ever had, and that's including living in Japan for three years!! She recommended the chef and her books, Harumi Kurihara, who has been coined "The Martha Stewart of Japan."

This is a photo I snapped of their precious daughter yesterday. Isn't she beautiful?!!

Photo Session

Yesterday, I met with photojournalist, Stephanie Kuykendal. She is one the most down-to-earth photographers I've ever met. She is one of those photographers who is all about taking a true photo without all the fancy gear and with as little editing as possible (yes, most photographers spend hours editing!). Here is a website with some of her work. The way she captures emotion in a picture demonstrates her superior level of photography.

http://globalassignment.gettyimages.com/stephanie-kuykendal/

We strolled around the neighborhood and stumbled across our neighbor's daughters. They were natural little models and couldn't get a enough of the camera. It has been a while since I've photographed anyone other than my children (who can't seem to run from the camera fast enough), and I was reminded how of just how much I enjoy this! These are a couple of shots I got of them while they chatted with us. I was taken away by the little one's blue eyes, I mean wow, captivating! And what an all-American blonde-haired little girl with a smile that will blow you away. What a FUN morning!!

Chivalry Up North

My son is not chivalrous, in fact he is anything but. If he is waiting in line next to a girl, you can be sure he is going to try to cut. If a girl is crying next to him (like today), expect him to call her "fakey pants." And when he is in the class play, standing next to the prettiest girl in the class, it is no surprise to see him picking his nose throughout the entire play. Yes, that's my sweet lil' 4-year-old who needs a LOT of work.

And yet everyone now and then I see a glimmer of hope. The other day my husband was taking him to school. As they were approaching the front door to the school, there was a mother and child behind them, so naturally my husband held my son back and they both held the door for the ladies. Yet, the mother was hesitant and tried to insist that my husband go ahead (typical for the north). And out of nowhere another mother walked around the hesitant mother saying outloud "You might as well walk in. They're from the south and they'll stand there all day holding that door open."

When my husband told me the story, I was stunned for two reasons: 1) they actually knew where we were from despite never making eye contact with me, much less conversation, and

2) they knew about chivalry down south.

E Invitation

I discovered a new e-invitation site. The invitations are simple and clean without a lot of distractions. I used it yesterday for my daughter's invitation and it was super-easy to figure out (unlike some of the others). So, when you're thinking about your next computerized invitation that is free, check it out!

Pingg

http://www.pingg.com/

Sweet and Simple

Spring Snack Mix

1 lb. jar of roasted peanuts

12 oz bag of butterscotch morsels

2 cups of raisins

Stir and store in airtight containers.

Maple Sugar Season

It's that time of year, in New England of course. It's time to make maple syrup. This past weekend we showshoed down to a maple syrup lodge to watch how maple syrup is made. First, there are buckets on all of the maple trees collecting the sap. Then in the smoky lodge, the sap is boiled down to maple syrup.

We ate maple syrup on ice which hardens into a caramel-like texture and then followed that with pickles to cleanse the palate. It looked very strange at first, but the caramelled syrup turned out to be delicious. Then we drank a bit of pure maple syrup, quite tasty and quite sweet. And after the cider doughnut it was time to snow shoe back.

Just a standard day in New England.

The Colony Club

The Colony Club

I am officially on the countdown until our trip to NYC. A couple of my girlfriends and I are driving down to "the city" (as the New Yorkers call it, as though there is only one THE city) to watch a broadway show and do some window shopping (yes, window only unfortunately). I can hardly wait. I've got the mix almost completed for the car-ride down, including Jay Z Empire State Building and Lady Gaga.

But before I go, I have to share this email that I received from my dear friend who is from "the city" and who is going with us. Her mother is a member of the city's most exclusive and prestigious private women's social club, the Colony Club, which is where we are going to stay. For all you Gossip Girl fans, it is the Club Blair Woldorff tried to join. After googling this Club, since I had no idea what or where it was, I realized that this puts the Junior League to shame. It's so exclusive, it doesn't even have a website or any information about it, much less any info on how to join.

In her email to us she warned us that there might be a lot of ladies with "helmet heads" and

"OHHH, my mom reminded me – unfortunately no jeans unless we are sprinting out to dinner."


Hmmm....do they not know that my jeans are quite possibly...okay undoubtedly my nicest piece of clothing in my wardrobe?

Back to the drawing board for weekend attire.

A Real Von Trapp!!

The movie cast

The real Von Trapp Family

Johannes and his son, Sam, Von Trapp (a photo I found)

To say that I am a fan of The Sound of Music would be an understatement. My children may very well forever drift to sleep with Edelweiss, Raindrops on Roses and Do A Deer on their minds. The movie encompasses so many things that I enjoy. On a superficial level, it has big, beautiful homes, traditionally-dressed children and clever music. On a deeper level and one that was completely missed on me as a child, it shows a broken man who is made whole again and a family that follows their conviction no matter what the cost (standing up to Hitler and even leaving their home of Austria).

What I didn't know about this movie is that the Von Trapps are a REAL family. And that they did in fact leave Austria and move to Vermont in the United States, and toured around the world as the Von Trapp Singing Family.

We took a day trip to the Von Trapp Lodge this past weekend and the highlight of the visit was meeting one of the ACTUAL Von Trapp children, Johannes (the youngest boy). And while I know it wasn't him in the movie, I just picture him in his knee socks and shorts marching to his father's whistle. We met him and his son, Sam. They were both gracious and kind and it didn't really hit me that he was one of the children until after he left. The Lodge is a special place with hundreds of acres to snow shoe, cross country ski and enjoy the mountains of Vermont. I am already looking forward to our next visit.

http://www.trappfamily.com/

Today's Fashion

Do you ever look down at yourself and think, "this is really not me." I like to attribute some of that to motherhood. For example, today I was racing out of the door with the children waiting in the car for me, albeit for approximately ten minutes while I cleaned up the breakfast dishes and ran a load of laundry, I looked down at myself. I'm wearing Walmart-special faded black leggings (not the cute, tight ones from the upscale stores), gray socks OVER the leggings (don't ask) and then if that was not enough, I threw on my worn-out old sneakers (namely because they were slip ons). As I looked down, all I could think was, this is really not my style....is it?

Fancy Nancy

This has become one of my new favorite children's books. It does seem like people like things fancy down south, so perhaps that why it especially rings true to me. And while it is a book about a little girl, it certainly isn't limited to just girls. My four-year-old son cracks up at "crazy Fancy Nancy," as he calls her.

A New Friend

Dear New England,

I am having a moment with you and thought it best to capture it before it goes away. While getting to know you, I have been critical at times. Your accent is different. You don't smile at me, in fact you don't even give me the opportunity to smile at you because you won't make eye contact. You treat me as a stranger, I am anonymous. Your architecture is different, really quite simple. Your food is often all-natural and you make me feel guilty when I ask for plastic bags rather than bringing in my own cloth bags.

Yet today, perhaps just today, New England, I like you. I love that you sound different than me, it's refreshing. I love being unseen, unnoticed, anonymous today. I even bought cloth bags and one day I just know I'll remember to take them into the coop (your funny name for a fancy grocery store). I'm enjoying your local products and am impressed at how many people support the local food industries. Your brown stone buildings are starting to become familiar. I like that your safe and isolated. You allow me to sleep with my window open, a first in as long as I can remember.

Yes New England, I think that we are going to be friends. Friends indeed.

Katie in Uganda

My sister sent me Katie's website this Saturday morning. I woke up like every other morning, a bit in a daze, turned on the computer, walked into the kitchen to start breakfast for the children and eventually sat back down with a cup of coffee to check email. I clicked on the link my sister sent me and must confess that I instantly thought "oh great, one of these ... it's too early to read about the starving people in Africa." So I went through all my other emails and then figured I better click on my sister's link and get the gist before I talked to her today and she asks me about it. After reading a couple of Katie's blog posts and taking several breaks to referee fights, change diapers and refill drinks, I had a knot in my stomach.

As I initially read this beautiful 21-year-old's blog who is a mother of 14 Ugandan little girls, I thought to myself, how coincidental, we sponsor a little girl in Uganda too, we have something in common. But the more I read that she gave up everything in the US to go live with the Ugandans at such a young age and then adopt children without a husband or means, I realized we have virtually nothing in common. Yes, we are both Christians. But as my husband and I raise our children, with hopes to provide as much as possible to our children, Katie strives to follow Christ stripped of every single comfort and convenience in Uganda.

I am not saying that every Christian needs to live a life like Katie. We are all a part of the body of Christ and while God intends for Katie to be perhaps an arm, he may desire for me or one of you to be a leg or a hand. But it is certainly meaningful to see how other believers are living and how they are following Christ.

Katie reminds me of a modern-day Mother Theresa, seriously. She has left everything, to live in abject poverty in Africa and is changing lives everyday. I leave her blog speechless.

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

New Artist on the Horizon

Isn't this painting captivating? Since I'm fresh from reading about the life of Van Gogh, I feel I can really appreciate art all of the sudden. And when I saw, this painting, it made me pause and look at it.

The artist is Kieron Williamson. He's from Holt, Norfolk (England). Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, he's six years old.

How to WIN on ebay

Comment from a friend:

Sorry, but this has nothing to do with hair (though I think yours is gorgeous, and I think it would be fun to see short). I was looking through your older posts but can't find the one on ebay- didn't you post a site that helps you win auctions? I found a pair of boots I want and I need your help! ;)

Dear Friend,
First, thank you for the hair compliment, I'm blushing. Next, onto serious matters ... winning those boots on ebay. As you know, I love ebay. I do a lot of the children's clothes shopping on ebay and every now and then, I get something fun for myself. Ebay is a great way to buy something that is a nice brand but one you wouldn't or couldn't necessarily pay full retail price. I've bought brand new Tory Burch flats for half price, Rothschild children's wool coats for the winters in New England, smocked dresses for the girls, etc. I even have a friend who buys oriental rugs from ebay.

When we lived in Italy, I would get so frustrated because all of the auctions ended when I was sleeping since we were in such a different time zone and I would often lose the auction by less than $1. Then, I discovered there were sights that you could sign up easily (easy being the key word, I didn't want anything that took a lot of time or was complicated) and it would bid your max bid in the last five seconds of the auction.

So, friend, here is step-by-step (my sister made me walk her through it this way) what you do to win those gorgeous boots.

Go to:

1) http://auctionsniper.com/

2) click on Free Trial in the upper right column

3) fill out only five questions and feel free to use my email address under the "Referral" question (casmith3822@yahoo.com)

4) click on the upper right tab My Snipes

5) copy and paste the ebay item number (go to your ebay item you want and on the far right side of the photo you'll see item #)

6) enter max bid (don't change the other numbers)

7) click add

And you're finished. It will email you after the auction to let you know if you won or if someone bid more than you. Be sure to put in your max bid though, often you won't have to pay that, but I do make sure I put the absolute max I will pay and I use odd numbers, like $51.88 because people will not want to pay above $50.

You get three free snipes to try it out and anytime you refer someone you get 3 more free snipes. I used this just the other day when I saw a TDF (to die for) dress for one of the girls and voila, I won!

Good luck!

p.s. if you ever get an email from "ebay," never, never click on it and "update" your info. Always, type in the ebay site in your search bar and update that way. I learned this the hard way many years ago when I clicked on that email and updated my credit card info and then tried to use my credit card the next day and was rejected. Turns out my bank put a hold on my card because someone was trying to use it from Romania!!

Haircut

This haircut looks absolutely fabulous on Sophia Loren. I'm seriously considering it. Yet wondering, as a Mom without much time to fix it, would it look like this on me....or would it look like I've just given up entirely.

email to sister:

we need to discuss swimsuits (bite down on chocolate covered craisin), i think we have some possibilities (chewing), they have some sort of slimming fabric (swallowing), which is what i need since i can't seem to shake off this babyweight.

Haiti

Help the victims from the earthquake in Haiti. The American Red Cross.
http://www.redcross.org/

Another organization that I personally know and trust is Compassion International:
https://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/haitiearthquake.htm?referer=105932GivingOpps&utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SP_SEG-0773%20Haiti%20Crisis_GENERAL_VERSION%20(1)&utm_content=

Aunt Clare

A letter from my South Carolina aunt.

Dear Niece,

There is an uncanny similarity between my stint in the Philadelphia area and your current situation in New England: very young children, maternal learning curve, extremely cold, snowy weather, culture shock, absentee husband, sense of wonder, isolation, frustration, excitement, maturation, and change. I know very well how busy and exhausted you are at the end of the day. You pray for temperatures to climb to a humane level so that you can bundle those babies and get them outside for some fresh air and exercise. You dread the germs that bring the kiddie crud as we used to call it. (It seemed like someone in the house carried a cold or flu from Halloween to Easter some years.) You want to support your husband, but you also want a larger chunk of his time for the children and for you alone.

You must co-op, child! If you have to stay home with 3 children, you may as well make it 5 or 6 and then have a couple hours all to yourself the next day. Hire 10-13-year-old "mother's helpers" to come play in the afternoons. Recite "The Children's Hour," by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, everyday around 5pm to your little ones. They'll shock and delight some high school language arts teacher when they stand and deliver during class unit on poetry. Go to the public library every week and bring home 30 each time. Oh, and don't forget to reward the good behavior with a little dance party from time to time.

Enough with the sage aunt advice. I feel for you! I'd love to see you over the holidays, but if it doesn't work out, believe me when I say I totally understand. You are doing the hardest job - and the most rewarding work there is. Hang in there, kiddo.

Love, Aunt Clare

"The Children's Hour"

The Children's Hour

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Between the dark and the daylight,

When the night is beginning to lower,

Comes a pause in the day's occupations,

That is known as the Children's Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me

The patter of little feet,

The sound of a door that is opened,

And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,

Descending the broad hall stair,

Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,

And Edith with golden hair.

A whisper, and then a silence:

Yet I know by their merry eyes

They are plotting and planning together

To take me by surprise.

A sudden rush from the stairway,

A sudden raid from the hall!

By three doors left unguarded

They enter my castle wall!

They climb up into my turret

O'er the arms and back of my chair;

If I try to escape, they surround me;

They seem to be everywhere.

They almost devour me with kisses,

Their arms about me entwine,

Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen

In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!

Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti

Because you have scaled the wall,

Such an old mustache as I am

Is not a match for you all!

I have you fast in my fortress,

And will not let you depart,

But put you down into the dungeon

In the round-tower of my heart.

And there will I keep you forever,

Yes, forever and a day,

Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,

And moulder in dust away!

$30 Well Spent??

I'll admit that I am a sucker when it comes to celebrities. Give me an US Weekly and see me disappear for an hour as I devour it cover-to-cover. I am not proud of this little snippet about me. I'd much rather confess that I am avid reader of the New York Times that comes to our home and collects dust. But, we all have our outlets and this one seems to be fairly inexpensive and a great way to turn my brain off. I also love to read what the celebrities are wearing, eating, and how they are staying fit. So, when Gwyneth Paltrow said Tracy Anderson workouts were the ticket to her getting in the best shape she's ever been in after having two children, I was interested, very interested. And since we have several more months until bathing suit season, I figure if I start now, I may just have an excuse to upgrade from my 5-year-old Lands End tankini to something a bit more daring (LL Bean here I come!).

Soooo, I just ordered this from Amazon. I'll keep you posted.