Releasing the inner rock star
By erin on August 30, 2010 | Filed Under faces & places
Help! I'm drowning in my hair!
Those who know me, know that I aspire to rockstarness. I believe that hidden inside is a little bit of Joan Jett, a little bit of Freddy Mercury and a whole lot of rock and roll.
Put another dime in the jukebox baby.
However, as of late, my rockstarness has given way to my mumminess.
Not that thats a bad thing. I have just had a different set of priorities.
But my innate (or at least what I believe to be innate) fierceness has gone the way of convenience. Hair is put up in a ponytail. Makeup-which was never much to begin with-has been replaced with baby moisturizer. The only thing that has survived the arrival of the worlds best baby has been my shoes.
And my jewellry. But thats for another blog.
I have been feeling a bit less of myself. I think a lot of mums lose themselves in the essence of ‘mumness’ and don’t take time for the little things. Like washing. Or taking time to read. Or flossing. Or styling your far too long, very strangely coloured because you played with a box of dye you really shouldn’t have hair.
I wanted to take some time for me…just me. Time to take the giant mane of hair and the tired face and bring it back to life. Take some time to rejuvenate me into being a better mum, wife, football player and all in all happier human being.
But could a hair cut really do all that? Only time would tell.
I first met Kelli from Gloss at a mom and baby boot camp class. I thought she was the coolest mum I had ever seen. She had a full sleeve of tattoos, really cool hair and a very hip little dude for a son. I had a ponytail, no tattoos (not for want of one, but a body covered in freckles is not always the best canvas for ‘ink…but I digress) but a very hip little dude for a son.
We got along quite well.
I later ran into her at a story time at our local library and it was pointed out to me that anyone that cool had to be a hair stylist.
And she was. A famous one at that.
We got to talking about what we did, and she mentioned that she loved cutting hair and doing makeovers for mums because so often mums (and dads) forget that before they were mums and dads they were…well..themselves and that in order to be the best mum (and dad) you need to be the best you that you can be! And if she could help achieve that greatness by using her scissors and makeup brush, she would be there.
She promised me that she could revive my inner rockstar AND that I could maintain this rockstar in 5 minutes or less.
So I put myself in her capable hands in interest of research.
I promised myself I would give no restrictions…that I would trust her implicitly because she was the expert.
With a pair of sharp, pointy scissors.
She showed me a picture of what she wanted to do with my hair, and then explained why it would work for my lifestyle. It had all the rockstar elements I was craving, yet would still look good if I had to run out the door without…say…showering or brushing. She wanted to brighten the colour to add light to my hair, yet still keep it close to my natural colour to allow for easy maintenance.
I was sold.
Out with the drab, in with the fab. Check out the shoes.
As she was chopping and foiling, we talked about what has become both of our favourite topics. Our sons. We discussed what we loved about motherhood, and what we were looking forward to as our little men grew up into big men. We chatted about how we had both changed our careers fairly dramatically to adapt to our new roles as mums. Kelli only works a few days a week at the salon so she can spend more time with her son, and often takes appointments at home, or at her clients homes to make it work not only for her family, but theirs as well. I left a job in advertising to work for yoyomama and pursue other creative avenues on a more flexible basis so Max had more mum time with a happy, creatively satisfied mum.
I watched my hair pool around my feet (she took off about a foot) and I felt a wee bit nauseous, and yet excited at the same time. There was no turning back. This wasn’t like purchasing a yellow shirt when you really should have bought green, or starting Malcom Gladwell when really you were feeling Sophie Kinsella. I couldn’t change my mind and get that mile of mane stuck back on. It was gone. But I felt fully confident that she was going to make me look my best. It was invigorating! And a heck of a lot lighter!
Once the hair was cut and coloured, but not styled, it was time for make up. Time for…
And it really took five minutes. A bit of tinted moisturizer, some high lite powder, a magnificent eyeshadow called Smut (seriously…best…eyeshadow…name…ever), two brushes and mascara later and she was done. In about 3 minutes and 28 seconds.
huh.
Finally, it was time to style my newly shorn locks. She gave me instructions as to how to easily tame my naturally curly hair with a bit of curl creme and a hair dryer. Then she went for the straightening iron and the hair dryer.
She explained each product that was going onto my hair and why, and how I should use it at home. I always find hair product so intimidating. What is a serum? Why are there so many bottles? Who has time for all of this? But by the end of it, I was much less afraid.
And fierce….really fierce.
Blue Steel
I loved that Kelli got…well…me. She got that I wanted to be a fierce, rock star like woman (hear me roar) and still be a great mum at the same time. That it was okay that I wanted to embrace that side of me, all while singing ‘I am a pizza’ and blowing raspberries. She got that the two didn’t need to be mutually exclusive.
Above all, I think a pair of scissors, a make up brush or two and a really awesome hair straightener brought back a little bit of me that had been missing.
Sure, its superficial. Its just a haircut and a makeup application. But if it makes me happier, fiercer and more fun for the little guy, is that a bad thing?
Judging by the raspberry of approval I got, I think its okay.
Happy mum...happy boy.
A Dino-mite Night
By erin on August 27, 2010 | Filed Under events
It was a late night for the kiddos last night. But one of those special ones they’ll remember for a long time, so well worth all the next day grumpiness.
The family took in the opening night of Walking With Dinosaurs at the (newly renamed) Rogers Arena.
It was, to quote the seven year old “absolutely amazing”.
This “live” theatre show includes ten large electronic motorized dinos, five suit dinosaurs and two baby dinosaur puppets – To quote our four year old, ‘the big ones were robots but the little ones were real!’ Little being relative, they’re all ‘lifesize’, which means the largest; the Brachiosaurus is a staggering 36 feet tall and 56 feet long, and even the baby T-Rex is 7 feet tall and 14 feet long.
It takes 24 microprocessors, 15 hydraulic rams, 6 hydraulic motors and three people to operate one of the large dinosaurs – the result is quite fantastic with very natural movements and reactions. When our youngest waved at the very cute Brachiosaurus it swung its head around to give him a second look.
The narrator, ‘Huxley the Paleontologist’, tells the tale of the dinosaurs from the Triassic through Cretaceous period. Our four year old didn’t always follow the narrative but there was so much going on visually, with dramatic music, thunder and lightening thrown in, that he was never bored. Although the comets and flashing lights finale seemed a little random to him without the benefit of the verbal lead-in.
For him it was just the right type of scary – enough to make sitting on dad’s lap (with the ritual burying of face in the shoulder and peaking out with one eye at the most dramatic bits) the best place to be, but not scary enough that it took away a smidgen from the thrill.
And it wasn’t the four year old who nearly hopped out of his seat when the T-Rex turned and roared at the family from six feet away…
But the producers did a great job of balancing out the scary with humour; big fierce Mama T-Rex was accompanied by Baby T-Rex who roared whenever his mama did. And Baby “had a very, very funny roar.”
We got lucky and scored prime seats in the first available row (6th row in the world of hockey, is just barely out of tail swinging distance at this dino-spectacle), but everything is on the grand scale so you’d get quite the panoramic view from the nosebleeds.
It was a little cool so dress them in long sleeves or bring sweatshirts, but if you’ve got a dino lover at home it would be well worth catching one of Walking with Dinosaurs’ six shows running through Sunday (August 29th) at Rogers Arena (yes, daytime shows on the weekend!). My guess is they’ll be talking about it for a long time.
mamas rock: penny seto q&a
By annemarie on August 18, 2010 | Filed Under biz tips, faces & places
Here’s the full transcript of our interview with Milk Factory’s Penny Seto. We couldn’t fit all her great thoughts into our article, so we wanted to run the full q&a here:
What did you do before you became a mum?
Ahhh. Important question, methinks! One that all mums must remember the answer to by keeping the “pre-mum you” alive, whether you have one, three or five kids. I was much more active and creative than post-kids. I truly try to live without regret but looking back, I see I let some of my passions slip away. I lived for sport. Any sport. And, art. And, cooking. . .real food. Slowly, I’m bringing those passions alive again. The gym. Cycling a bit. Art is in much of my work. And, I did start a food blog that I will, one day, make public. Oh, but by “do” you probably meant work? For many years I was Manager of Operations for a group of high-end retail stores in Vancouver. It was there that I realized I was meant to work for my own family and not someone else’s.
What inspired Milk Factory?
I met my co-founding partner at the local community centre while on maternity leave. We’d head out for a walk but wouldn’t get very far before one of our babies had to be changed or fed. While we were sitting on the damp grass, we explored the idea of making a really big nylon-lined blanket that we could all sit on. At the same time, I wished for clothing that would dry quickly and help protect my son’s skin from drool and heat rashes.
What gave you the confidence to take it from idea to reality?
While testing products, we both went back to work full-time. It didn’t take long for us to see that working for someone else limited the flexibility that we both wanted for our families. Once we had prototypes to test, we knew we had some amazing products. We quit our jobs and dove in head first. At the time, there wasn’t a line of quick-drying clothes for infants and toddlers. The speed at which the shirts cleared up and protected my son’s skin from those rashes was amazing. UV protection was icing on the cake. The SpillProof Blanket (editor’s note: we’ve been using our blanket all summer long. For picnics, the beach, basically any outing, it rocks!) has made a name for itself, proving to be indispensable for families on the go. 7 years later, my original is still going strong and the SpillProof Blanket is the favorite amongst Milk Factory customers – new, old and yet to be.
What gave you the impetus to recently rethink the whole business and your product offering? If you can give me a bit of background on what that looks like that would be great too.
Life is simply too busy. Everyone says so. Yet, many of us do little to reduce the chaos, often saying “yes” when we should be saying “no”. There were many, many factors that came into play but for some time I’d been thinking about how I could make changes and still do everything in a way that is truly satisfying. “Back to basics” is the approach I’m taking. I want time for me – to do things I’m passionate about, outside of family and work. I want quality time with my family and friends. I want to keep offering great products through Milk Factory. And, I want to make the most of another part-time-flexible-no-inventory business opportunity that I’ve taken on – see, can’t say no! By going back to the product that started Milk Factory Designs, the SpillProof Blanket, and sticking with some other favorite and easy to manage products (the beanie and bucket hats, the multi-mat and bag plus a brand new blanket), I’ll be able to get a better handle on everything else. As anyone that has inventory can attest to, it’s a lot more work than it looks at the beginning!
What’s next for Milk Factory?
In the immediate future, there will be one final clearance of the Quick Wick Activewear in September, as part of our annual birthday celebration. The winter will be used to think long and hard about where the collection goes from there. I have many, many ideas that I would love to implement but for now, I’m practicing saying “no”…until the time is right! Just as it’s been for many customers, it’s been sad watching my boys out grow the clothing. . .there’s a good chance it’ll be back next summer, in one form or another.
Do you run your business from home, or do you have an office?
From the beginning, Milk Factory Designs has run an office out of a Vancouver factory where our products are made. It was impossible to hold the volume of inventory we had at home and the office made it a bit easier to leave work at work. Not to say that there weren’t (many) long nights spent at home working on something for the business! I’ve had a blast over the past two years, opening “the studio” to the public for an in person shopping option. It was like an extra large trade-show booth that displayed all that Milk Factory had to offer, without the chaos of the trade-show itself. It was so much fun meeting customers and their kids in person. Unfortunately, as part of the whole “rethink”, I chose to close the studio at the end of July (though, should people still wish to pick up their orders, that can be arranged). With much less inventory and storage still at the factory, I now have a cool and quiet space in my basement that is dedicated to Milk Factory Designs and anything my creative heart desires! As an added bonus, I see my husband kicking around the house during the day since he most often works evenings.
How do you organize your workday? What kind of childcare arrangements do you have in place?
I function on what I call “organized flexibility”. I have two boys, ages 5 and 7, who will be in the same school this year and then after-school care til 6 pm. Theoretically, this leaves me lots of time to fit everything in. Scheduled appointments (the gym, meetings etc.) and tasks with deadlines take priority. Packing orders and the other business are fit in next and everything else falls into the cracks in between. This flexibility gives me a bit of structure but lets me drop everything for something important – even if it’s a chai + chat with a friend. Still, some things seem to fall through the cracks but I’ve decided that I’m okay with that and get to it when I can. Luckily, my husband seems to enjoy doing laundry – which kind of lets him off the hook for choosing to work evenings!
What are the rewards of having your business?
Hands down…flexibility. Being my own boss means that I can take a few hours or days off to take care of sick kids (or myself for that matter) and often work from where ever, when ever.
Do you miss anything about working for someone else?
I really don’t think so. Sure, I could say benefits and steady income but things have come full circle – I have a steady income and, when we need it, we’ll get benefits. Until then, I have everything that working for someone else doesn’t give me.
snappy outakes
By annemarie on August 17, 2010 | Filed Under faces & places
Here are some more of our fave shots from our recent session at Bopomo’s Surrey Location.
M in repose.
M with flowers.
The girls.
This is how they seem to spend a lot of their time. Smooshing each other and laughing.
L: Go ahead. Make my day.
Best picture ever of my youngest.
For the love of shoes
By erin on August 11, 2010 | Filed Under faces & places
Actual photo of my shoe. I got married in these shoes. Yes, I know. They are awesome.
When I announced to the world that my husband and I were expecting our first (and we now know giant) baby, I consistently recieved three comments as reaction:
“YAY! its about time! ”
“Wow…your boobs are going to get even bigger!”
“Oh no! You won’t ever be able to wear your fabulous shoes again!”
The first two comments would get simple smiles of acknowledgement. Yes, my hubby and I had been together for 10 years before we got pregnant, yes my already impressive bustline was soon to become more impressive, but I’m sorry, neither rain nor sleet nor swollen ankles nor a giant baby was going to stop me from wearing my fabulous shoes.
So there.
Thhhhhpt.
You see, I have a confession to make. I have a shoe problem. Not a fetish per se…that would be creepy. I just LOVE shoes. Particularily high, sassy, saucy, beautiful, brassy shoes. Can’t get enough of them. Imelda Marcos and her closet are the stuff that dreams are made of. Sex in the City was a regular happening on my TV not for the witty banter but for the Manolos. I firmly believe runners should only be worn while running and that ‘sensible’ shoes are only good in the rain or really desperate situations. And I really really hate birkenstocks. Sorry mom.
“But what about falling?” I would hear them cry, “Aren’t you worried about falling while wearing those ridiculously high, yet extremely sexy and envy causing, shoes?”
No. Never worried.
You see, in addition to being having a shoe problem, I am a clutz. Years of dance, gymnastics, sports and theatre school have not cured me of this problem. So you may ask , why on EARTH would I continue to wear such fantastic shoes while carrying such precious cargo?
Because I never fall while wearing high heeled shoes. Runners, Blundstones and flip flops…yes. Heels? Never.
I think its kismet.
So I wore my shoes. When my feet started to swell, I got new shoes. I wore pregnancy stilletos. I brought heels to the hospital. I may have looked exhausted, worn out and lets be honest, completely freaked out when I left the hospital…but my feet looked amazing.
Why can’t I wear high heels and be a great mom. I can sprint in them, I can reach higher things and my butt looks spectacular thank you very much. So what if they aren’t practical or sensible or overly mom like. Who said all moms have to be practical and sensible anyhow?
I may not wash my hair, I occasionally forget to brush my teeth, and now that I work from home, suits are a thing of the past…but always ALWAYS will I wear fabulous shoes.
I think I’m a better mother for it.
summer survival tips
By annemarie on August 8, 2010 | Filed Under parenting
Although our six-year-old keeps lamenting that summer’s almost over that’s not the case. As any of us who are constantly trying to come up with fun ways to keep our kids busy over the holidays can attest! So when I got this press release about Barbara Allisen’s new e-book - Summer Survival for Parents and Caregivers (you can download it for free till August 10th) – with handy tips on keeping sane during the summer months we had to share some of Allisen’s tips.
Her key strategy is to have a routine. It does seem contrary to the idea of lazy summer days, but routine actually gives more freedom. Really, this means that everyday you do not have to reinvent the way. Each day flows along and can be adapted as need be. Children function better with boundaries and limits. Once they know the routine, they can be more independent and responsible. This is great for even the little kids. Think of the summer routine as a map… it is much easier to get to the treasure when there’s a plan. Below are some of Barbara’s summer treasure ideas:
- Find a calendar with big squares. Check out how many days there are before school is back in session. Mark of the the family holidays etc and see how many days are left for fun! Do a search in your local papers, or online for festivals, fairs, markets etc. Put them on the calendar and let the fun begin.
- Water is also a big hit in the hot season. You can always head to the park, beach or pool. You can also turn on the sprinkler and let the jumping begin. A big roasting pan of water and some containers for splashing and pouring will keep the little ones occupied. Letting each child have their own bowl or cup does discourage and water fights.
- Arrrrrrr! How about a week long program on pirates? Juice lids can double as the treasure, shoeboxes as pirate chests. Bring in some maps, props, costumes, flags, boats and more and let the adventure unfold.
- If it’s rainy out, an at-home afternoon at the movies just might be the ticket. Colour a few tickets, make some popcorn and decide on the movie. Line up chairs, collect the tickets and enjoy the afternoon with your feet up. You could also have a puppet show. For live performances, kids like to act out favourite stories. Stuffies love to be the audience.
Allisen is a parent, grandparent and kindergarten teacher. She loves teaching kindergarten because it’s the only grade in which she can play with puzzles, blocks, LEGO and playdough and get drawings for her fridge and lots of sticky hugs.
Okay, I’m off to find a big calendar and I know where I’ll find my listing of festivals and fairs, I’ll just reference our ongoing summer fun list. Sorry, had to get that in. I’ve just downloaded her e-book too and I’ll be digging in ce soir.
get shorty
By annemarie on July 25, 2010 | Filed Under faces & places
When I first started corresponding with Karen from the soon-to-be-launched The Shorty List last spring I was intrigued by her idea:
The Shorty List is a soon-to-be launched Metro Vancouver website which will help parents make demanding choices about daycares, preschools, and elementary schools. We will have the hard facts – including satisfaction survey results, daycare sizes, class demographics, and test scores. We know it’s not just about the numbers though. It’s also about your stories, feelings, and perceptions. That’s why The Shorty List provides a space for parents to share info you can’t get anywhere else online. Real-life reviews of daycares and schools. Scoops from parents on the inside. We want to give you the word on the street, the playground talk between moms, and the confab between dads.
How was it going to work I wondered? Would parents be driven to post positive and negative reviews or just the negative? How can I trust what Jane22 says about the school or daycare down the block? How will Karen get enough mums across the city to contribute to make the list a truly valuable resource?
Well I don’t know the answers to those questions yet as The Shorty List is now in the process of being pre-populated with info – yes, you can get in your two cents in time for their launch, just visit www.theshortylist.ca and get typing – but I’m eagerly awaiting her launch and the opportunity to check it out. I know our article on preschools with availability that we ran during our very first summer is still one of our most referenced pieces (even though the info’s obviously a bit outdated) and I know we all stress so much about the choices we make for our kids in terms of childcare and eduction and I know I love watching someone take their great idea and bring it to fruition so for me I’m very intrigued by the Shorty List.
So what about you? What do you wish you’d known about your child’s school, preschool or daycare before they started? How would you define a great resource for parents trying to make the right choice for their kids? Oh and slightly off topic but something that came up today that piqued my interest – what are your thoughts on private school?
get your knit on
By annemarie on July 21, 2010 | Filed Under faces & places, live and learn, parenting
A recent interaction with another mother in the grocery store line up reminded us how isolating the early days – and challenges – of motherhood can be (read more about it in on our Facebook Page) and so when this came across our desk we thought it was worth sharing!
Call for Knitters!
Are you a knitter or crocheter who can whip up a hat in an evening? Then get your knit on this summer! You’ll be helping to raise awareness about the Period of Purple Crying and shaken baby syndrome.
The Purple Crying folks are looking for crafty moms and groups to knit or crochet Purple newborn baby caps to be given to babies born in BC during the week of November 15th to coincide with Canada’s National Child Day.
Create from five to 50 wee hats using any newborn baby cap pattern and a soft baby-friendly purple yarn.
If you’re on facebook, then join the facebook group and share the information with your friends and encourage them to knit a few caps over the summer months.
Purple caps should be mailed by Nov 5, 2010 to:
BC Children’s Hospital:
c/o Claire Yambao
Provincial Program Coordinator, Prevent SBS BC
BC Children’s Hospital
4480 Oak Street, K1-209
Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4
By knitting and sending purple newborn baby caps to be given to babies across the province, you will make a difference by:
- Raising awareness for this life-saving project – Period of PURPLE Crying – Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome BC.
- Participating in a growing, province-wide grassroots effort to educate new parents about the normalcy of early infant crying and how to cope with the frustration that can accompany it.
The Period of Purple Crying – Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome BC is a part of the most comprehensive shaken baby syndrome prevention initiative in North America. To learn more, visit www.PURPLEcrying.info and follow them on Twitter @PurpleCrying
best intentions part II
By annemarie on July 19, 2010 | Filed Under eco friendly, faces & places
Rather like my best intentions to go to the Farmers Market every week my best intentions to blog about my part in the Community Share Agriculture Co-op run by the Home Grow-in Grocer have gang aft agley. In part that’s because we were away and missed a week and in part well, just because.
But to bring you up to speed the folks at the Home Grow-in have been ironing out the kinks in ordering and pickup to streamline things and it gets a little more organized each week. I’m having the same issue I had with getting harvest boxes delivered – I can’t get everything I want and I end up with a little more than I need but in both respects I think I am actually rising to the challenge, making do more with what’s local and trying new things.
Take beets for example. I’ve never been a fan but I tried them a few years ago and they were okay so thought I’d give them another whirl when it was a choice between them or lettuce which I knew would go to waste. I’ve now mastered the art of roasting them in the oven individually wrapped in tin foil (at about 400 degrees for about an hour depending on their size) and then waiting till they’re cold to peel them and slice them up and serve with greens, goat’s cheese and a light vinaigrette. SO good. And I even ordered more. Because I wanted to.
And potatoes. We’ve had a lot of new potatoes. But it’s not the weather for baking or mashing them so I’ve been making my mum’s delicious French Potato Salad (recipe below) which is mayo-free (I’m not a fan of mayo!) and delicious and perfect for picnics and cold suppers. So I’m shopping locally and expanding my repertoire. Plus my freezer is full of frozen raspberries and blueberries as we couldn’t keep up with all the summer bounty so I’m smoothie-ready. So far I’m loving this experiment and excited to discover they’re planning a winter co-op as well. Squash and apples here I come!
French Potato Salad
- 2 1/2 lbs red potatoes (of similar size, we’ve been using white ones)
- 1 tsp each salt & pepper
- 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup minced green onion
- 3/4 cup minced parsley
- 3 hard boiled eggs (optional but highly recommended)
- Boil potatoes. Drain and let sit 15 minutes.
- Combine all the other ingredients (except eggs) and mix well.
- Cut warm potatoes into pieces and add to mix carefully.
Best if let to sit for one or two hours before serving and serve at room temperature. If you’re using eggs slice and add them at the last minute. We’ve been using about 1/2 cup of fresh chives from the garden rather than green onions and parsley and it’s delicious. The only credit I have for this recipe is my mum, not sure where she found it.
doodles
By annemarie on July 14, 2010 | Filed Under faces & places
Feel free to download these PDF doodling sheets from Pocket Doodles for Boys & Pocket Doodles for Girls:
