New Year’s Eve… party from 4-8 p.m. :)

In years past before kids, even before marriage, I remember New Year’s Eve was a big deal. Where was I going to be? What party was I going to? Who would I kiss when the ball drops? There was a lot of energy, excitement, and pressure around NYE. It always felt like NYE had to be legendary.

And I love the New Year. I love the closure of a year ending, wrapping up of good tidings and hard times, and the crisp clean promise of what a New Year could bring. I read a great quote the other day that asked, “If I told you 10 years from now, your life will be exactly the same – what would you change?” This got me thinking about 2014, what steps I need to take so that in 10 years if I’m asked about my life, I say, “Hells yes! It is awesome!” More on my upcoming transitions next year 😉

In the mean time, I’m going to ring in the New Year the best way I know how as a mom – party from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. After nap, until bedtime, we party it up!

Bring on the sparkling juice, fruit snacks, cheese and crackers, veggies and humus, maybe even some cookies. Then it’s bedtime, and regardless of what is going on in our lives, there is always bedtime. Because even if I wanted to see the ball drop this year, the morning wake up is coming, early and on time because that’s how my kids roll. Maybe a glass of champagne though…

~ jibean

 

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Happy Holiday from the Mama Gut!

I find myself wanting to take a quiet moment out of the hustle and bustle of the family joy this week and share a wonderful prose about the greatest gifts. I like to take this time quietly for myself and my family, however, this felt too good to not share. Enjoy the season!

The Greatest Gifts

May we break boundaries, tear down walls, and build on the foundation of goodness inside each one of us. May we look past differences, gain understanding, and embrace acceptance. May we reach out to each other, rather than resist. May we be better stewards of the earth, protecting, nurturing, and replenishing the beauties of nature. May we practice gratitude for all we have, rather than complain about our needs. May we seek cures for the sick, help for the hungry, and love for the lonely. May we share our talents, give our time, and teach our children. May we hold hope for the future very tenderly in our hearts and do all we can to build for bright tomorrows.

And may we love with our whole hearts, for that’s the only way to love.

by Kathy Davis

Be well and merry this holiday season!

~ jibean

Book Club – with the mama gut!

I love book club. I love to read. I love books. And usually there is wine and I love that too. It’s fantastic to have a book to read each month that grows me beyond my normal range of authors, children books, and gossip magazines.

{Fun fact: in UsWeekly, it was reported that even Gisele Bundchen belongs to a book club to feel like a “normal mom.” Although I’m not a supermodel, it’s nice to know we have something in common. :}

And my book club is full of supermoms and great friends. So, if you’re too busy for a book club or don’t know of one near you, I’m going to post my thoughts on our book each month and I’ll let you know what we’re reading next. Feel free to follow along and share your thoughts on the books, too, or just gleam ideas on what you might like to read next.

The summer that Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. Photo caption and photo by Amazon.com

My review: This past month we read The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer and met to discuss in early December. It’s a story about friendships that start at adolescence and change with them as the six Interestings evolve. This story looks at what happens when your dreams come true, when they don’t, how everyone struggles, and how the friendships can get you through. It’s well written, with wonderful word choices, and captures some of the adolescent attitude I’ve forgotten about. Wolitzer describes accurately the heartbreak of a teenage crush and how devastating it can be when your best friend won’t call you back. I loved the story and found it hard to put down some nights… One area that I wasn’t fond of was the way it ends. I felt like I was left hanging. I would have liked more closure, more specifics like the rest of the book was written, but the ending was more philosophical and reflective. I’d still recommend it to anyone looking for a great novel to curl up with this winter. Plus the description of hot days at summer camp made me laugh at the idea of humidity and mosquitoes since we’ve got snow.

Book for January meeting/review: Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin by Nicole Hardy.

PS – If you’re looking for great children books, check out one of my mama-friend’s blogs, Itty Bitty Reader, and you’ll find wonderful ideas.

~jibean