Cruising the au pair world for 16 years

One of my favorite things to do every year is chaperoning 500 au pairs on a disco cruise boat around Manhattan. Cultural Care Au Pair do an amazing job each and every year they host this event. Even though the route is the same I am reminded of things that I take for granted. I see the same sights, the same lights but I always feel like I'm seeing them for the first time.
The first time I set foot on the boat cruise was 1994.I was a 22 year old au pair. As the boat sailed past the statue of liberty everyone rushed to take photos with our 35 mm cameras. I do have this one photo of me and another au pair who's name escapes me. I did the very same thing last week. It was a perfect warm evening and the statue of liberty always creates such excitement. There I was snapping a photo on my phone.
Two things spring to mind. Look how far technology has come in 16 years. I took a picture and within minutes 600 of my facebook friends saw one of the most beautiful photos I had ever taken. I felt compelled to share it. In 1994 I had to wait to get the film developed and sent it by snail mail to my mum in England. The second thing was just how beautiful and amazing New York city really is.
I live only 25 minutes away in the suburbs but its almost like you forget that there's a whole city that never sleeps right on my doorstep. I am caught up in the kids schedules, girl scouts and every day soccer mom life style but yet there really is a 'sex in the city' life out there I'm just not often a part of it.
I walked back from the pier to grand central station (my feet were killing me)through Times square where I stood in awe as I always do. It doesn't matter how many times I see the lights of the city at night I still love the vibe.
I love the fact that my work allows me to share the experience and magic of NYC with these au pairs who years from now will remember that boat trip.
Here's to cruising New York city for years to come!

If at first you don't succeed.......

Today is Monday. The same things happen every Monday. The phone doesn't stop ringing, the laundry needs some attention and the house is a horrible mess because my husband and kids have spent time in the home unsupervised over the weekend. Because I tend to work and be out of the house for the best part of Sunday I pay the price on Monday. C'est la vie! I try not to let it get me down but Mondays are the same thing over and over and over again. Talk about groundhog day.
There is something else I do most Mondays. Not every single one but a good 50% of Mondays. Which when you think about it that means that I do it about 26 times a year. I know some of you do this too and Monday seems to be the most popular day to do it. In fact on Sundays I get excited about it. Get your minds out the the gutter folks! I'm talking about dieting.
So, really, how crazy is this? I start the diet on Monday. Nothing extreme, no shakes, no pills, no purging, no surgery. If I lived every day like I do on Mondays I would weigh 95 pounds because I eat healthy, small meals and sometimes exercise. Well, obviously I don't eat like that every day because I wouldn't weigh ***. I am laughing, you really thought that I would share that with you? I don't want to admit the number to myself, much less to my 9 followers. By Tuesday I've fallen off the wagon with nothing but my big butt to cushion my fall.

I can no longer call it baby weight. Especially since I weigh more now than I did when I was pregnant and lets face it..... my baby's 4 years old.

If I were brave I'd tell you the number. If I were really brave you'd see a full length profile photo of me on facebook (Go on, look, you won't find one!) I do head shots only, preferably taken from a higher angle, or like my current one I am standing behind Donald duck. I love the cropping feature and I untag photos of myself. There I've admitted it.

Today is one of those Mondays. I figure if I don't try I'll never succeed right? but what is going to make it different this time? Maybe the new 'Mario Lopez' book I just bought called 'extra lean' I looked at the photos of course but didn't read it yet. Glossy colored photos of Mario cooking. Yummmm!!! I'd rather lick the pages than read them.

I have all the tools to succeed. I know what I'm supposed to eat and not eat, I have a gym that is open 24/7, I have diet books up the ying yang and supportive friends and family. So friends, tell me something that will motivate me please! People tell me to put a photo on the refrigerator of myself but I'm confused. Should I put a skinny one up to remind me how I could be or a fat one to remind me to STOP OPENING THE FRIDGE!

Serious answers and tips in the comment box please :)

Cinco de mayo or as I like to call it.... Cinco de Mario!

This was the best Cinco de mayo ever. Not that I have ever really celebrated the day before. For any one who doesn't know about this holiday, Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday held on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. The date is observed nationwide in the United States and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day. History lesson over. A lesson that I only learned today. Gotta love google!

So, why am I excited about this Mexican holiday? Apart from the fact that I love to celebrate as many international holidays as possible and some of my wonderful au pairs are from Mexico. I have a great passion for Cultural exchange but if truth be known it has more to do with Mario Lopez.

I noticed that Mario Lopez would be coming to do a book signing in my area. I loved him in 'saved by the bell'. Remember that high school sitcom in 1989? I spent evenings flicking the channel between saved by the bell, fresh prince of Bel-Air, the Cosbys and beavis and butthead.(yes I did just admit that) It was truely great viewing back then! My daughter is currently watching the saved by the bell re-runs and not Beavis or Butthead, thank Goodness. My son kept asking when is George Lopez coming. That did make me and the other ladies on line chuckle.

Now, have you seen Mario recently? When he played A.C Slater back in the day he was cute (A.C stands for absolutely charming) but now...... WOW. We recently drooled over him in 'Dancing with the stars', he hosts the miss America pageants, is a reporter for 'extra' and according to my friend Christine was unbelievably hot in a few episodes of 'Nip/tuck' So I dragged my kids to stand on line with a hundred other middle aged desperate housewives for a signed book. Sadly, I didn't care much about what the book consisted of but I will share with you that its a diet/health book that will probably gather dust on the same shelf as my weight watcher books, Dr Phil's weight loss challenge and the biggest loser cookbooks.

All in all it was a great evening. We met him, if only for a brief moment, took some pics, he signed the book to Hannah (which made her day) but most importantly my daughter and I made a memory of which I'm sure we will remember in years to come. I can be a cool mom after all.

Happy cinco de mario!

The power of a mohawk

Alex sporting some hair height at 11 months



Who ever said that size doesn't matter?

Being vertically challenged myself ( 5 feet 0 inches short, when I stand up straight, in the morning whilst breathing in) Even then, my family are convinced that I am exaggerating and don't quite meet the 5 foot mark. I have always been short but you learn to compensate and use some tiny tricks to get by in this sizest world.

My son Alex, who has just turned 4 is learning very quickly that he might be more mature in mind than body and that he has been handed the short straw in the height department as he stands a petite 37 inches short. I know this because I take him to an endocrinologist on a very regular basis. So, just a few weeks before departing on a dream family vacation to Disney world he was measured. Now, most parents would have logged onto the Disney web site to learn of their restaurant choices, hotels and useful tips, I logged on to view the height requirements of the rides.

Here's my other issue. I also have a thrill seeking 11 year old daughter. I knew that juggling the two kids of different stature was going to pose a problem. So there I am viewing the 'family' rides we can all enjoy. Imagine my horror when I discovered that you have to be 38 inches to go on our favorite water ride!

Time to get creative!!! He needs just one inch. That's all. Yes, I could have added height with folded napkins in his sneakers, older kids can wear 'healys' (the sneakers with the wheels underneath adds a good 2 inches)but he's 4. Healys are not a good idea at this age! His regular sneakers add a half an inch so now all he needed was a half an inch.

Don't bother putting the mickey ears on the kids in the hope that they will add 6 inches, they will be asked to remove them :( So, for all you mommies out there with little boys......... I went with the somewhat fashionable, cute look that adds height. With some aaahhhhs from crowds of moms and grandma types...... consider THE MOHAWK.

With nothing more than a dime size blob of hair gel we were good to go. I held my breath as he stood up against the measuring stick as his spiked blond hair brushed against it. We let out a cheer, congratulated him on what a big boy he is, grinned from ear to ear and ran to join the line for the ride. Victory at Disney!