2006 or As I See It; 3 B.K. – Let Me Explain

Can you even remember life pre-parenthood anymore? You know – B.K. – Before Kids. I think back to times when I was out with friends – even before I met my husband – and now I find myself wondering “Who was watching the kids when…” I was at that concert? That party? That spa day? That Bachelorette party in Vegas? That week long work trip? I know it’s totally not logical, but my head is so firmly set in Mom mode I can’t even picture life without my little birds.

Three years B.K. I was 26 and living a happy, full (so I thought), busy, single life. I worked out for 2 hours almost every day, spent time with family and friends not based on anyone’s nap time, my roommate and I bought groceries for ourselves (AKA wine and beer) and I worked a full time corporate job without contemplating the cost of 8-5 preschool. So carefree, right?! I was my own responsibility – that’s it.

My mind – my world – is now so consumed (in the happiest way) with these boys of mine that it truly is hard to even remember life without them. I think to myself, “Wow! I went to see Jack Johnson on the field of UCSD and I didn’t need a babysitter? Whaaaaat?!”. I know some people say life didn’t really start until they saw their child’s face for the first time. Now, listen, that moment changed my life forever in the most amazing way, but let’s not discount life before kids because that was filled with great times too!

The point is my world was forever changed in February of 2009 and again in November of 2010. My goals changed from being focused on my happiness to putting every ounce of energy I have into creating the best childhood for my sons. Raising confident, independent, caring, kind, happy, intelligent little men. That is my goal, my new dream. So, yes, I still absolutely enjoy and look forward to girl time at the spa, concerts with my husband and quiet time, but I always know that I have those two sweet faces waiting for me and that means more than anything!

Annoying Dad

Let me just start by saying I'm not trying to be negative here, but seriously, you all have run into a version of Annoying Dad at your playground and can relate!

So, my little birds and I were at the playground - lots of kids, Moms, Dads, Nannies - and everyone is having a great time. Sun is shining, birds are chirping, kids are laughing, blah blah blah. Annoying Dad shows up and throws off the whole vibe.

Let me describe him so you can get a good vision in your head of this guy. Dad jeans - and I mean DAD jeans. Acid wash, 12 inch zipper, probably Costco special via 1998. White (yet dirty), super puffy New Balance shoes which I'm sure he refers to as 'sneakers', sweatshirt tied around his waist (I mean, how can he do this?! I'm sure he normally reserves this space for his fanny pack!), shaggy gray hair with washed out brown tips. Proof that he went through some sort of mid-life crisis and dyed his hair only to realize it was not his best look. Oh, and how can I forget the color changing glasses - watch 'em get dark in the sunshine kids!

Okay, okay so who cares what he looks like. I get it. If he's a great Dad he can wear whatever floats his 1990's lovin' boat. What certifies his Annoying Dad status is how LOUDLY he talked to his 5 year old son in a baby voice in public. "Watch that big guy come down the slide-y wide-y! Go strong man...my tough bear!" I feel like he was trying to talk so loudly so we could all see what an "amazing" dad he was being. He asked all the parents which kids were theirs in a manner that made me feel like he wanted to know right away who to jump on if his child was 'wronged' and made absolutely sure no one cut his son in line for the swings and was right on his heels baby talking him all around the sandbox. Do your son a favor, Annoying Dad, and keep the baby talk at home. Geeeesh!

I'm one of those people who gets embarrassed for others and I was dying inside for this kid. Uuuhhhh, I feel so much better now that I got that off my chest! I hope your inevitable run-ins with the Annoying Dad at your playground are few and far between!

Halloween Schmalloween

Don't get me wrong, October is an exciting month, but I'm not a big Halloween fan. What I love about this month is breaking out the holiday candles (please, please say that in your best SNL Target Lady voice), snuggling in the cold - 60 degree - weather  (hey, I live in SoCal), thinking about Thanksgiving & Christmas, Fall festivals & pumpkin patch trips with the kids. I'm all about the warm, family-fun feeling this month starts to really bring out in us. I would be perfectly happy skipping all the spooky, scariness of Halloween. Yes, I want my boys to dress up as Mario & Luigi, I just don't want to run into zombies, Scream masks or the inevitable dead/sexy cheerleader while trick-or-treating. And really, ladies, if your costume consists of dressing up as a baby you can not be a sexy baby. That's just weird. Fishnets, a bonnet & an over-sized pacifier are not cute. And makes no sense. Moving on...

Here are some of my favorite October moments:

Nothing spooky, creepy or scary here! Just pure, childhood joy! 

Happy October!!

Water Front Family Fun!

San Diego's Most Beautiful Playgrounds

My family and I are lucky to call San Diego home. My little birds are especially lucky that our city is full of so many beautiful playgrounds, many of which are on the water.

Coronado, Del Mar, Solana Beach and La Jolla (clockwise from top left) are a few of our favorites. Liberty Station, Pacific Beach and Shelter Island also have parks on the water your kids will love.

Have fun exploring the city and see what others you can find!


Coronado: Tidelands Park, Mullinex Dr., 92118

Del Mar: Powerhouse Park, Coast Blvd., 92014

Solana Beach: Fletcher Cove Park, S. Sierre Ave., 92075 http://www.solanabeachchamber.com/Preview/visit/parks/index.aspx

La Jolla: La Jolla Shores Children's Playground, Camino Del Oro, 92037
http://friendsoflajollashores.com/wp/kellogg-park-childrens-playground/

Yum!

Simple Chicken Enchiladas

I want to share this easy dinner I made because my family LOVED it. I keep it really simple which allows each person to then add their favorite topping – guacamole, sour cream, extra spicy salsa…anything really. You’ll soon realize how Trader Joe’s is my BFF and if you don’t have one close you might want to consider moving.

Basic ingredients:

Sliced chicken breast

Cheese

Tortillas

Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce

Start with chicken breast already sliced into strips (yep, Trader Joe’s or Fresh & Easy), salt & pepper, taco seasoning and lemon and/or lime juice. Cook the chicken (spiced to your liking) until it’s nice and browned. I love the flavor the fresh citrus gives the chicken and it keeps it moist.

Grab your tortillas (I use flour) and shredded cheese (Mexican blend works well) and start rollin’!  Place chicken and cheese (and any extras your family likes – peppers & onions or corn…maybe even sliced black olives) in center of tortilla, roll tightly and place in an oven safe dish that you’ve given a good coat of cooking spray (I like TJ’s coconut oil spray). If you want to make these extra special check out this gem – slice then pan fry cotija cheese and use this as part of your filling. I challenge you to actually get the cotija cheese in the enchilada and not all in your mouth. It’s that good. 

Once your dish is full, pour the Trader Joe’s amazing-ness (yes that’s a word) enchilada sauce over the top being sure the tortillas are fully covered. Top with more cheese, cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a few more minutes to allow the cheese to get bubbly and crisp.

Top with finely shredded lettuce and anything else you like! Make sure you make enough for seconds!

Products I Love!

Physicians Formula Eye Makeup Remover Pads

I love mascara (I'll even post a 'drug store vs. department store' review of my two favorites soon). Along with lip gloss it’s my go-to, everyday product even if it’s just me & the kids around the house! 

What I hate about mascara is how it can crumble and leave little specks on my face or smear by the end of the day. I wash my face every night...okay...most nights. Let’s face it, at the end of a long day we don’t always have the energy to go through the wash & moisturize routine our skin deserves. 

On those nights I use these gentle eye makeup remover pads by Physicians Formula. Oil free & fragrance free, these magical little pads wipe away the racoon eyes and are super gentle on my skin. They are also great for the stubborn grey tint left behind under the eyes even when you do give your face a good scrub!

I love them because they actually remove the mascara easily (unlike some others I’ve tried) & they don’t sting my eyes at all (and they’re inexpensive - $5!). Even better, I bought them online (drugstore.com) & avoided taking my little birds to CVS where they undoubtedly would have done some product testing of their own. My littlest one loooves to cover his arms in lotion – or shampoo. Ugh. Boys will be boys! ;)