When I was younger, I used to have mixed feelings about therapy. Growing up, there was certainly a stigma and even skepticism surrounding mental health, with psychology and psychiatry considered the “soft” sciences. Basically, the way out of a bad mental health spell was to keep busy and use that willpower and all would be well.
Continue reading “(Pycho)Therapy: Highly Recommend”Whenever life gets a little crazy and stressful, and even when it isn’t, my escapist pastime is to read. During the pandemic I read a lot a lot a lot. There were definitely perks to being very pregnant and having nowhere to go. But even now that we’re in the full swing of life with five kids, I always manage to make time for reading. You could say that it’s a vital part of my self-care routine.
Continue reading “When Life gets Crazy, Just Read”
Reading is my passion and my comfort. Especially in these times of anxiety and uncertainty, I love to escape with a good book. If you, like me, are always looking for the next great read, check out my list of favorite books. I hope you find one or two gems here!
Continue reading “Reading in the Time of Quarantine”
It’s been a rough couple of weeks. One of my kids and I are currently engaged in a brutal game of who-can-push-the-other’s-buttons-the-most. Super fun. Another kid has major disobedience/tantrum/sloth-like issues. I feel like I’m constantly running against the clock, wrangling the offspring to convey them to the next scheduled activity. As a result, I’ve got a bad case of the grumpies, which doesn’t make anything easy on the home front. Sigh sigh sigh.
While I figure out how to sort out this period of chaos and intense emotions, I’m reminded that one of the best ways to get out of a grumpy mood is to laugh. I also need a reminder that while family life sometimes makes me cry, it also has its hilarious moments. No one illustrates this better than a good comedian. Have you heard of Michael McIntyre, Jim Gaffigan, Jason Manford and Sindhu Vee? They are amazing stand up comedians who have had me in stitches over the realities of marriage and parenting. The fact that three out of the four hail from Britain only points to my obsession with all things British.
Continue reading “Need a laugh? Check out these Funny People”
Have you heard of homeschooling burnout? Many moms experience it in the bleak month of February when the weather is frigid, noses are forever runny and it’s just been too many days of nonstop math and spelling. But not me! I actually burn out the second week of September. We haven’t even cracked open all the books and I already want to quit. I’ve thought a lot about why this happens to me. I’ve realized that I get incredibly ambitious and excited about our new academic goals, only to feel deflated and defeated when my offspring don’t share in either my ambitions or enthusiasm. Huh.
Continue reading “My Favorite Things: What is Leisure, Teaching Manners, why Graphic Novels count as Reading, and Bake this Cake”
I meant to publish this post back in July. But then things got crazy and here were are, two months later. Better late than never!
My husband and I just returned from a quick getaway to gorgeous Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was a much-needed break after a hectic school year and before we embark on a three-week family vacation. Which, by the way, we’re super excited about — we’re heading to Quebec and Prince Edward Island! Nevertheless, we will be driving many, many, many hours with children of all ages, stages and temperaments. As Yoda might say, relaxing will not it be. One of my amazing sisters had our two oldest boys for the week, and my other amazing sister offered to care for our two little ones. I found a great hotel deal (thank you Travelzoo), we loaded the bikes, and off we went.
Continue reading “Marriage Saver #5: Getaways with your Spouse”
I love foreign films. I love their originality, their honesty, their non-Hollywood budgets, and their normal-looking actors. If the film includes food, then even better. I present to you my current list of favorite foreign films. Some of the trailers are a little cheesy – it’s amazing how the quality of trailers has dramatically improved in the last decade. Enjoy!
Continue reading “My Top 10 Foreign Films”This is the third and last post honoring British entertainment (check out my favorite novels and TV series). Without further ado, I humbly present to you my favorite British films.
Continue reading “From Across the Pond: My Top 10 British Films”The British sure know how to make good entertainment (thank you, BBC). When it comes to TV shows, I love that each episode is often like a mini-movie, each lasting more than an hour. And the Christmas specials are to die for. I even watch the Dr. Who Christmas specials (but I do leave the room when those darn Daleks show up, because I have limits).
Continue reading “From across the Pond – My Top 10 British TV Series”
In honor of birth of baby Archie (congratulations Harry and Meghan!), I’m dedicating the next few posts to my favorite British novels, TV series and movies. I love all things British: the history, the urban and rural landscapes, the architecture, the food, and best of all, the accents. I love it all: Arthurian legends, C.S. Lewis, Oxford, G. K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens, The Seven Sisters cliffs, Fortnum & Mason, Liberty fabrics, Bath, Cornwall, Afternoon Tea, Jamie Oliver, Michael McIntyre, and the duck sandwich at the Borough Market. If I believed in reincarnation, I would swear that I was a British lady in a past life. The few times that I have traveled to England, it has felt like coming home.
Continue reading “From across the Pond: My Top 10 British Novels”