mama&baby weekend: girl food and chick flick reviews!

It was our first solo weekend together...just me and this guy...

...well, and this guy, too:

Believe me, I missed my Hubby greatly!  However, there were two perks to a weekend alone {well, after baby went to sleep}:

1. I ate whatever I wanted!!!  I love cooking, and especially love cooking for Hubby; however, sometimes it's nice to choose foods completely based on my own whims.  When I was single and living on my own I lived on: pizza, rice, cereal, and store-bought pastas.  My tastes were simple {carbs!!!}, my budget was small.   Now I know how to cook...but still crave some of my old indulgences.   Let's just say that one of my meals may or may not have consisted of a whole box of Raisinettes and tater tots dipped in barbecue sauce.

Okay, well I wasn't completely unhealthy!  Friday night I made this pear and arugula pizza, a recipe I posted about {here} -- was just as delicious this time around.  I basically ate one of these myself:

 This is the wine I drank this weekend {not all at once, don't worry!}

I won't give it a resounding plug  -- it was nothing to rave over.  But I will share a fantastic red on Wednesday, I promise!

#2.   Chick flicks!!!  I rented two.  Friday night I chose one that I had really high expectations of: My Week with Marilyn.  All the Oscar buzz had me thinking this would be a fantastic film.

But while Michelle Williams does an amazing portrayal of "Miss Monroe" - the overall film wasn't that great, in my opinion.  I was mistakenly expecting to admire Marilyn and come away from the film with warm, fuzzy feelings about her.  Not even close, in fact, I realized how little I knew about her life and personality.  That is all I will say.   Oh, and Kenneth Branagh was a standout, of course, as Laurence Olivier.

The other chick flick I rented was What's Your Number? a comedy starring Anna Faris.

My expectations were low, even though I adore Anna Faris.  I pretty much want her to be my best friend.  Anyway, the movie ended up being hilarious.  I highly recommend renting for a light-hearted watch  - would be great for a girls night in!

Overall, the weekend had it's lovely moments {Kentucky winning!!!} and it's not-so-lovely {Baby Cormac decided to regress back to waking up during the night and became extremely clingy to me without his Dada around.}  I love all the snuggles and kisses I got from him...but there was also a lot of screaming and crying, particularly surrounding bedtime.

Any other mamas have these issues when daddy's not around???

Also, I'd love to hear other opinions on the two movies...

Happy {almost} Monday!

g  

14 days of loves: day 4 {I don't know how she does it}

The latest Sarah Jessica Parker movie I Don't Know How She Does It {based on the bestselling novel by Allison Pearson}  falls under the category of: "Movies That are More Fun to Watch Alone than Make Hubby Watch With Me."  Here is a taste, if you haven't seen it {remember to pause my music player at the bottom of this page before you hit play}:



While it may not be a cinematic masterpiece - more like a fluffy chick flick - I really enjoyed this movie.  I think it has some interesting messages about the modern role of "woman as mother."

I guess as a stay-at-home-mom I could be insulted by this movie.  It humorously pokes fun at mamas like me, painting a picture of SAHM's as rich, self-centered, and annoying.  As gym rats, yoga junkies, organic cookie-baking "Momsters" with posh lives of ease.

"Working moms" {an interesting term in itself...pretty sure we all "work"} are depicted as  "Jugglers" - women who "do it all."  They have high-powered careers, plan elaborate birthday parties, travel,  and create to-do lists in their head while laying awake at night.  Sure, they rush around, forget to pluck their eyebrows {because SAHM's have soooo much time to do that} and miss out on things with their kids (ie first haircuts) but they manage do be great moms and great employees.

I loved this movie -- simply because I am a new mom and it made me think about these stereotypes.  I don't really believe them, as I think whether you "work outside the home" or are "stay at home" or "work from home" you are still "working" your most important job: "Mom."   Each version has it's own challenges and perks.

I stay at home.  I miss my paycheck.  Having extra money for vacations and clothing and home furnishings was kind of nice.  I miss the peace of my office, the adult conversations, and having time in my car when I can listen to the radio and not have to sing "You are My Sunshine" over, and over, and over to prevent my baby from screaming.

Then again,  sometimes I get to stay in my pajamas until noon.  I make my own schedule, have time to keep the house clean, and really don't have to miss any moment of my baby's life.  Oh, and I am able to work out, whether it is a yoga class at the gym, or running with the baby in the jogging stroller.

Sure, I have a huge Rubbermaid bin of cute Express work pants and tailored button-down shirts that I will never wear again. Also, a ton of sassy high heels that, now, hardly get worn.  Oh, and the only time I get a latte that doesn't get cold before I'm able to finish drinking it is when I am grocery shopping on Sunday nights sans baby, which I sip while I shop.


Like I said, no matter what type of "working mama" you are - there is the good and the bad.

The important thing is that you are happy with the choice you make.  A happy woman makes a happy mama.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! 

This was a day late due to the nasty cold I've been nursing the past three days...ugh.

PS -- Would love to hear other mamas' reactions to this movie/book!  

g

mouse.mice.meece

We have a mouse {mice????!!!!} in our house.

I blame karma.  You may remember my rant about the stray cats that hang out in our neighborhood in this post.  Well, my the evil glares I would shoot them and occasional chasing them out of my flower beds is now, karmically speaking, coming back to me in full force.

A mouse.  Who avoids our traps, who poopies in the most random places, who {even though I was assured by Hubby that mice avoid humans and light areas in general} skampered across my granite counter top this morning.  Eeek!

Believe me, ever since I first saw the mouse {weeks ago!} I have been overly diligent about sweeping the kitchen every day, wiping the countertops, picking up any dropped pieces of dog food that prior-to I would have lazily left and hoped Colbie would snag them quickly.

To no avail.

I'm sure Hubby will soon figure out a way to oust the mouse.

Until then I keep comforting myself by imagining he is my own "Little Chef"....
from my favorite animated film, Ratatouille!  Be sure to pause my music player at the bottom if you want to watch this cute scene:

g

attraversiamo

{eatpraylove}

Att-ruh-verrrrr-see-AHHHHHmoh....I could say that word all day. It is Italian for "let's cross over." Just one of the many lines/phrases/bits of goodness that make you warm with happiness while watching the movie Eat Pray Love.

This movie will do 3 simple things:

1. Make you crave carbs. Lots.

2. Inspire you to travel someplace completely amazing (oh, like, perhaps Italy, India, or Bali)

3. Convince you that you, too, can find balance in life...and learn Italian, and marry a rich Brazilian...

...riiiiiight.

Anyway, I first read Elizabeth Gilbert's book several years ago, snagged from the "new release" shelf at the local library.

Fell in love.

The movie is just as self-indulgently wonderful as the book. It has everything I adore in a movie. A strong female protagonist - who is independent but still values romance, a fantastic soundtrack, and is set in Europe. Plus, it inspires you to do something amazing with your own life. Who doesn't want to take a year to visit three exotic locations and be completely self-focused? A luxury only a writer/millionaire can afford. The rest of us can dream, live vicariously through our reads...

...and eat lots and lots of pasta!

{realsimple}