Ok, so I have not been very prolific here of late... but I have a great reason. I found some contract employment! Very, very part time work-from-home writing assignments, but still - in this climate, I am fortunate. And not only in just having projects to work on, but even more fortunate in how I feel about the employer.

Campus Outreach Services is an organization that you may or may not have heard of. If you have a senior in high school, they probably had Katie Koestner speak to their class this year. Ask them. If they did not, find out why their school is not offering these presentations.

Before taking on some assignments for COS, I went and heard Katie speak to Downingtown West's seniors. Unlike the students, I had an idea of what they were about to witness... but like them, I was astounded at the relevance, the poignancy and the power of the live presentation.

I am sure I will be blogging a bit more about this in the future, but for now, I just wanted to share what has kept me so busy and why I am so excited to be involved with it.

Here is my local list for the free kid movies this summer... Downingtown Stadium 16 100 Quarry Road Downingtown ,PA 19335-3062 610-518-3404
06/23/2009-06/24/2009	Curious George (G)
	Kung Fu Panda (PG)
06/30/2009-07/01/2009	Mr. Bean's Holiday (G)
	Spiderwick Chronicles (PG)
07/07/2009-07/08/2009	Wallace And Gromit (G)
	Evan Almighty (PG)
07/14/2009-07/15/2009	Clifford (G)
	Barnyard (PG)
07/21/2009-07/22/2009	Charlotte's Web (G)
	Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)
07/28/2009-07/29/2009	Horton Hears A Who (G)
	Inkheart (PG)
08/04/2009-08/05/2009	Space Chimps (G)
	Surf's Up (PG)
08/11/2009-08/12/2009	Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
	Star Wars: Clone Wars (PG)
08/18/2009-08/19/2009	The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
	Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep (PG) Also, I just found out that the YMCA offers summer only memberships, WOW!

It's almost Mother's Day again... and once again I admit, sheepishly, that what I'd really like for Mother's Day is a day off. Horrible right?

And then I realize that I can't exactly tell my kids that I don't want to have Mother's Day dinner with them as they give me their little hand made cards and say "Happy Mother's Day" in their best party-time voices (well, that may be wishful thinking, but you know what I mean).

I love my kids. I mean I practically worship them, seriously, I miss them when they are at preschool for 2 hours, I really do. But as the seven days a week, twenty four hours a day go by week after week, month after month, I am slowly coming to terms with the enormity of it all.

I am realizing that it will never end, it will only change. I will never, in any way, return to the person I used to be, because they will always be in my mind and heart, wherever they are, no matter what happens from here on out.

People used to tell me that four was the magic number. "Oh yes, those terrible twos are difficult, but when they turn four they will transform into compliant, delightful creatures, just wait!"

It is great.

But they are hardly compliant.
Delightful, yes, but the challenges become more complex. Now it is more than "no", now it is the "why not?", and "but last time you said...", and " Well if I can't have it then I'm moving to grandma's".

I remember when the twins were small(er), telling mothers of older children how hard it was, and seeing in their eyes sympathy, but also something more, something I didn't understand at the time. (And yes, I was a bit of a whiner)

Well I get it now.
What I saw there was a silent "just wait".

They heard what I was saying, but they also knew it wasn't going to get easier, and in fact the dynamics of motherhood get trickier as your children grow up. Sure, it is frustrating to negotiate snack time with a four year old, but I can only imagine negotiating the social life of a teenager, or trying to find the proper amount of space to keep from an adult child, or for that matter, a daughter-in-law.

So this Mother's Day I will be with my family, making sure that they are as happy as they can be. Because this Mother's Day, at four, my children really do want to be with me.
I'll take it while I can.
Enjoy!

Chester County Moms - is a good local blog, (more frequently updated than mine! Sorry!) and their calendar is awesome - check it out for spring break activity ideas for your little ones.

On Sunday I took the kids to West Chester’s campus to see a children’s concert offered by the Kennett Symphony Orchestra. Admission was free, so we got there about thirty minutes early.

I wasn’t sure how the twins would do, but at nearly four, I want to expose them to more forms of art and music. The promise of dancers in costume seemed reason enough to brave the journey.

Even walking the campus was an eye opening experience, as they marveled over the architecture and sculptures on the grounds. I have to say that I have lived in quite a few places, and West Chester really is a charming town. The campus has details I had not noticed before, slate roofs and stonework that make for a nice Sunday stroll with the family.

Realizing that it might be a challenge for the kids to sit still for the show, I allowed each of them to bring a toy. My daughter packed a small game in her backpack, and my son wanted to carry a transparent, bouncy rubber ball. Sure, why not? He promises to keep it with him.

We are in a phase of “favorite toys”. At this age, everything is over the top, high drama. Whatever toy they latch onto that day is their “favorite toy EVER”, even if it is a paper clip or an empty camera case. The favorites change from day to day, but for some reason continually get lost or left in pockets or stores or toilet bowls.

Before the concert began, we sat there: Grand mom, the kids and I, reading the program aloud, trying to entertain them and avoiding a mutiny. Then it happened.

“Mommy, my ball!!!”

I felt my stomach sink as I looked under the seats, then up over rows ahead of us. My mom and I got up and searched, a valiant effort, I thought, for such a minor object. But it was the focus object of the day so we persisted. Finally, I had to tell him that it was lost. And I could not help myself… I reminded him that he had promised to hold onto it.

He started to tear up… and just then someone four rows down and ten seats over held up the ball and said, “did anyone lose this?” Eureka!

I thanked her profusely, so happy that the concert hadn’t started yet, and gave it back to him. (you see my mistake, don’t you?) We settled in, expecting the show to start any moment, when I heard it again. “Mommy, my ball!!!”

“Are you kidding me?!” I said, out loud.

I wanted to leave it. I told him it was gone. I wasn’t looking for it again, the show was going to start any moment. He started crying. I started looking. Not my proudest parenting moment, but then I saw it… only a few rows ahead at the foot of a Daddy who was busily texting on his iphone while his son nodded at me that he saw it too. I interrupted the text and had him pass me the ball….

Elated, my son balked when I informed him that if he was going to hold onto it any longer he had to put it in his pocket and keep it there. And yes, I was being generous. But he did it, and I only caught it out of pocket once, to which he hurriedly returned it to its enclosure on threat of confiscation.

The concert was really wonderful… beautiful music, informative, and the dancers did an excellent job.

But we would have had better luck not arriving so early. By the end they were both asking if it was over yet, and loudly whispering, “can we go now?” But I know they’ll remember it, and maybe next year we’ll pack drawing pads instead of bouncy balls.

And then I heard them announce that a musical petting zoo was available up front for everyone to enjoy after the show. That is a petting zoo of musical instruments you can touch, not actual animals as I had glanced at the flyer and told my kids earlier that day trying to psyche them up.

“I thought you said REAL animals?!” My daughter shouted, stomping her foot.

Mark your calendars... the CCMOMC semi annual clothing and equipment sale will be at the Church Farm School on route 30 in Exton this year -

Saturday, March 14th, from 9am-noon.

Items encompass everything from Maternity Clothing to Outdoor Play Equipment. If a Baby, Toddler, Child or Expectant Mother needs it, wears it or wants it.....WE HAVE IT!

Can you guess?
For Valentine's Day my wonderful hubby watched the kids so that I could go up to Brooklyn and spend a deliciously decadent evening with my BFF.

Dinner at a French bistro, drinks at a hip hang out, window shopping at boutiques I could never afford but still enjoy browsing through. (Ah the feel of really, really fine fabrics).

Never say romance is dead!