Danzzz, Mama, Danzzz!

My baby girl (who is now 2, and much to my dislike, less and less a baby) wanted to "jump" on Monday after I got home from work.

Her aunt Kelley gave her a mini-trampoline for her birthday. After my initial "oh no, she'll get hurt" I let her give it a try. She's been jumping ever since.

It was over 100 degrees Monday and I wasn't going outside to walk. I wanted to spend some quality time with baby girl, so I decided we would "jump" and "dance."

Today is Wed, 48 hours after our 45-minute jump and dance session. I am so sore I can't get up from my desk without groaning.

We played this "Fat Burning Dance Party" DVD from Crunch while we jumped and danced. My girl could actually do the salsa arms while keeping up with the mini-tramp.

Here's how my workout went:
1) Jump on mini-tramp while counting to 10 aloud with baby girl (hey, it's educational now too!)
2) Do lunges while baby girl jumped. Cut her off at 60 seconds.
3) Do another exercise (push-ups, squats, standing leg lifts) while baby girl said "almost" a dozen times.
Then she jumps off and proclaims "mama turn" and I would repeat the whole sequence.

We also played Tracy Andersons first Dance Cardio dvd. When I first watched this a couple years ago, I was more than a little critical of her teaching skills. Or lack of them.

Not to mention the pathetic sexy looks she gives the camera (I have a feeling men buy this DVD? maybe not for exercise????) More on this later...

Anyway, I'm liking it more and more, and the coolest thing about this DVD is the MUSIC is awesome!

And she doesn't cue at all in the final workout, so you can just jam to the tunes.

Fast forward 48 hours and my legs and butt are SORE. And baby girl exclaims "Danzzz Mama Danzzz!" everytime she sees me.

Ladies, you can be a working Mom and exercise too, you just have to be willing to look like a complete fool.

images via Amazon

Home office re-do

I am so excited, I've ordered a new white desk and the green trellis wallpaper in the photo above. Home office will soon be lovely and inspiring!

Purple over-the-knee boots. I wish.

Thank you Greedy Girl, for making me want to spend $400 on purple boots.


Seriously, isn't the Eggplant gorgeous?
I can't imagine over-the-knee boots at my office. Mostly because that would mean I was also wearing a really short skirt (no) or leggings and a tunic (another no at work).

Exercise in Paris

This post from Hip Paris is too funny.

I especially laughed at this thought:
The message about exercise in the US: It’s hard, but we still do it. Or even, we do it because it’s hard.

This doesn’t fly in France, where the motto is more like: “If it’s hard (not to mention unflattering), why do it?” Why not just go for a drink instead?

sweet, sugar-free kid

My inbox had several emails about raising a kid sugar-free after the 2nd birthday party.

Planning the party was easy. My fun started when I found red pom pom fringe trim at MJ Trim (a wonderful store I discovered on a NYC trip; bought the trim online).

Then I found the fabric (I know, this is backwards) at Joann's - a darling gingham in M's fave color, "Lellow."

On a different NYC trip, I literally stumbled into the FABULOUS Fishs Eddy and bought my new favorite dishes, these bowls in red.



Add balloons from Etsy (thanks Joanna) and flowers from Dad, and you have a beautiful table.

That was the fun part.

Stocking it with sugar-free goodies a la Amy Atlas was going to be more challenging.

Here's what I included:
grapes
rasberries, blueberries and blackberries as toppings for sugar-free ice cream
pretzels in a glass jar with a red ribbon
small boxes of raisins
goldfish
dried banana chips
yogurt-covered pretzels
popcorn boxes from Target with "Happy Birthday Mirabella" labels (and popcorn!)

The kids seemed to like it. So far my girl doesn't miss sugar because she doesn't know it exists. Her fave foods are watermelon, grapes and yogurt.

We do have to mix plain yogurt with fresh fruit, since most yogurts have an outrageous amount of sugar (read the labels!) and others have Splenda or sugar-alcohols. (NO!)

We've managed to pull off birthday parties, Halloween and Easter baskets without it. We'll see how long it lasts!

August Goals, Hopes and Dreams

I'm inspired by Kimberly Wilson's (aka Hip Tranquil Chick) blog posts where she lists her monthly goals.
She even has the guts to go review the month and admit what she has and hadn't accomplished. Talk about accountability.

So I'm giving it a try this month.

August Goals, Hopes and Dreams

Get a physical with new family physician.

Perhaps buy a new iPad.

Enjoy bachelorette time while hubby is in Colorado.

Reorganize my closet.

Get the new carpeting put down in the basement.

Paint the basement ceiling so the new carpeting can be put down.

Do a one-day Blue Print Cleanse.

Complete the outline for Mission-Centered Marketing book. Yep, I'm writing a book.

Complete work projects: re-write advocacy communications and webpages, promote annual meeting, develop a new concept for site for international medical students and outline a list of resources for a website for community FM preceptors. Whew.

Attend meetings for Family Medicine Working Party and CAFM. Just call them really smart docs.

Start studying for CMP and CAE exams in Dec/Jan.

Stay consistent with exercise. Walk 12 miles per week. Get in one yoga class per week.

Enroll Mirabella in fall classes for French, gymnastics and music.

See Eat Pray Love movie. Can't wait!

Labor Day will be a party if I get half of this done.

Baby Mama...

a sugar-free birthday

I just love the dessert tables that Amy Atlas puts together.

This white spread for a bridal shower is so elegant, and the white balloons add a nice festive touch. (click on number 06)

For Mirabella's second birthday, I wanted to stick with the sugar-free regime she's used to, which made designing a cute table a bit tougher.

But it was fine, because my girl was darling, and so happy.

Mimosas and Caviar for breakfast

La Prairie hosted quite an event for beauty editors to check out their fall products.

Superficial jobs, superficial industry. But so much to learn from them.

La Prairie, and everyone in this industry, understands how to deliver the personal touch and how it affects branding. They obviously excel at it.

This is experiential marketing at its best -- nice job La Prairie.

protein and exercise recovery -- do women need less?

Do women need less protein than men in post-exercise recovery?

Interesting article in the New York Times.

What I find most interesting: nearly all exercise science study subjects are men. Very exciting that a researcher has noticed and is going to find out more.



This interesting study found that men who ingested estrogen had almost "entirely different metabolisms." Hmmm.

Four Stars for Lauren

A lovely time at "Four Stars for Lauren" last night. Christopher Elbow and many of our fave restaurants were there.

And how about M, rockin' the orange dress? :)


Lauren's daughters are all grown up and GORGEOUS: Maren on far left and Brenna on far right. And the handsome guy is Dylan, son of the super-Phit chick Kelly S. (remember her 50K race -- yes, 31 miles).

Yay for Ann Taylor Loft!

Hip Hip Hooray for Ann Taylor and using real women as "models."

Get the dog off the bed Izzy!

Click here to see gorgeous photos of Katherine Heigl and her home.

But if I had that headboard and bed (and I do wish I did) I would NEVER allow a dog on the bed. I'm not anti-animals, but that is a pricey and gorgeous bed.

My envy of the day is...

I'm so jealous of Emily who designed a purse for Coach. How cool is that?

Big fashion in small packages

Melissa at "Lil Bee" does these fabulous posts of her baby girl imitating high fashion. I love this one on Color Blocking. And I may have to buy that gingham dress for M.

Moomah "Funky Forest"

This is why I'd like to visit Moomah (one of the reasons). M would love the Funky Forest. (OK, I would love it too!)

wishful thinking - artist date with my girl

I'd love to take my little girl to Moomah. One of the things that makes me wish I lived in NYC.

angelabroderick.com

Updated my website today with my favorite new photo of M & I.

I find that more and more professionals are being transparent about their personal lives. Many are even successfully incorporating it into their branding.

hmmmm...

Puttin' on the Ritz

We checked in here three weeks ago today. I am ready to return.

I would even pack up the toddler, all the bags, the stroller, the car seat, the car seat attachment so I can roll her thru the airport, the diaper bag, the dvd player, the books, the food, the soy milk again and pack it through security twice if I could go back to the Ritz at Laguna Beach.

"...I can't lose the nanny!"

Mr Right scored major points and took me to see Sex and the City 2 on Friday night of the holiday weekend. After delicious mussels and chardonnay at the Bristol.

Like many Moms, my favorite scene was the Mom confessions of Charlotte and Miranda. Funny and refreshing to hear their honesty, and the shared fears and frustrations from two women with completely different lifestyles.
Ebert would not give the movie a thumbs up. Not exactly an award-winning script, but as I expected (and enjoyed) it was a like a curling up with a talking magazine -- amazing fashion, fantasy vacation, friends and humor.