The Great Debaters

Dear Viewers,

My children argue about everything. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.  If my daughter says it’s white, it is most definitely black according to my son.  Because she’s older, she feels the need to lecture her brother incessantly. But instead of taking whatever she says at face value – he launches into a great debate, even if he has no idea what he’s talking about.  This occurs most often in the car, and it’s all I can do not to swerve off the road from laughing so hard. 

For example, she was gazing out the car window one evening and started lecturing her brother about stars and the solar system – and explained when a star streaks across the sky it’s called a shooting star. He responded, “actually (he says “actually” a lot), that’s called a rock star.”  “No”, she counters, “shooting star.” Ding, ding, ding – round one was underway.   

They argued all the way home – neither giving in.  I kept my mouth shut, curious as to who would acquiesce. The banter continued as we climbed out of the car, through the door, into the kitchen, where it reached a fevered pitch.  My son, so overcome with passion, ended the debate the best way he knows how: he punched his sister. 

As I carried him up to his room for his time out, he bellowed – “but I’m right!!!!!I’m right!!!!!!”. I sat him down, and in an effort to calm him, explained it’s not okay to hit his sister, but if he would like to call it a rock star that’s just fine.  He immediately stopped crying, and a sly grin crept across his face. “Humph. I knew I was right.”

Although sometimes the bickering is a little much, I am glad they are steadfast in their convictions. Perhaps we’ll have a lawyer in the family – or maybe boxer.

Until next time,

Mindy Basara

Ahhhhh….the spa.

Dear Viewers,

One of the things I like best about my husband is he knows what I like – and there’s nothing I like better than the spa: rubbing, buffing, polishing – nothing beats it in my book.  So I was thrilled to receive an afternoon at the Red Door Spa in Cross Keys as a birthday gift from him. Best present….ever.

I’m one of those people who has a difficult time relaxing – “wound tight” as hubby says.  But I can totally unwind in the confines of hushed voices, subdued lighting, tinkling nature music, and comfy robes.  Who wouldn’t?

First up – a pedicure, which included a delightful foot massage and parafin wax treatement. My feet are as soft as a baby’s bottom.  Anna did my pedicure, and my manicure.  The manicure included something I’ve never tried before, gel polish.  It’s supposed to last two weeks without chipping or peeling.  Hope it lives up to the hype.

But my favorite part of any spa experience is the massage.  Heaven on Earth.  Every time I’ve gotten a massage, the masseuse comments on the huge, hard-as-rock knot in my shoulder. It’s been there for decades.  No one has ever been able to conquer it.  Sharon tried her best, I have to give her an A for effort. She used her fingers, thumbs, elbows, forearms –  I think she even used her feet at one point – but that knot was not budging. “It’s part of you”, she said in defeat.  

But overall, the massage and mani/pedi were awesome – and I floated home in a state of euphoria. I vaguely remember having dinner with my family and tucking the kids in to bed. I was in an altered state of consciousness. I floated off to sleep that night and was awakened bright and early the next morning by the human alarm clock – “MOMMY, IT’S WAKE UP TIME!”

Back to reality…

Until next time,

Mindy Basara

Excited about ice skating

Dear Viewers,

Like most parents I’ve often wondered which activities my children would take a liking to – and secretly hoped it’s an activity I enjoy too.  Well, I couldn’t be more thrilled that my daughter likes ice skating…and is good at it to boot. 

I skated for ten years – age 6 to 16.  It was a big part of my life. I even skated before school, had a private coach, the whole nine…just loved it. 

I have been crossing my fingers my daughter would feel the same way, but I didn’t want to push it.  We took the kids skating in the Fall and she really seemed to enjoy it, so I casually suggested she might want to take lessons. She said “oh yes mommy I would love that!” I was excited as she was.

I try not to let on how much I am enjoying this – I want her to skate because she wants to , not because I want her to. And I realize just because she likes it now, doesn’t mean she’ll feel that way tomorrow.  So I live in the moment, savoring the experience of watching her on the ice, mastering new skills, beaming with pride – the kind of confidence a child exudes when they know they’re good at something.  (Her brother, by the way, also took lessons – kind of. He would last about 15 minutes on the ice, then decide he had enough for the day)

Last night she had her first skating “test”, where the instructor determines whether you can move up to the next level.  She passed beginner 2 and 3 – and got her “badges” – patches that you can sew onto something, like the ones you get in Girl Scouts.   I have similar badges sewn onto my old skating bag, tucked away somewhere in my old closet at my parents’ house. Gone but not forgotten. 

She clutched those badges in her hand the whole way home. Wouldn’t let her brother touch them. “I earned these”, she said.

I hope there are many more skating badges in her future, but I accept the fact this could be just a passing fancy.  Throughout the kids’ lives, their interests will come and go, but our support and encouragement will be constant.

Until next time,

Mindy Basara

Daddy does Disney on Ice

Dear Viewers,

Part of being a parent is taking your kids to things like Disney on Ice.  A co-worker of mine was kind enough to give me four tickets — enough for the whole family!  I actually like that kind of stuff. My husband … not so much.

When I broke the news to him he gave me one of those looks, like, “Do I have to go?” And I shot him a look right back, “You bet your sweet cheeks you’re coming!”

All week, I braced myself for some major complaining, but the hubby was silent. I figured he was quietly plotting some kind of diabolical excuse.  The day of the show came — and not a word.  He put on his happy-daddy face, we all piled in the car and off we went for a fun-filled Princess extravaganza.

I for one thoroughly enjoyed it — so did the kids.  The skating was phenomenal, the music delightful and the special effects riveting.  It was quite a production!

Hubby sat and watched with our daughter on his lap. I caught him smiling in spite of himself, enjoying the kids’ delight.  (Of course, he felt it necessary to text his friends during intermission to act as if he wasn’t enjoying himself.  I know better.)

Afterward, we went to dinner at a friend’s restaurant then headed home, satiated from good food and entertainment. After we tucked the kids in, hubby said, “What a great family day.” I couldn’t agree more.  We’ve reached that point in our lives where the greatest joy is experienced through the eyes of our children.

Until next time,

Mindy Basara

Great Wolf Lodge was a great time

Dear Viewers,

Have you ever been to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg? In case you haven’t, it’s a hotel/indoor waterpark/childhood nirvana.  We went for the first time Sunday with a group of families and had a blast.

We arrived around noon. It’s really easy to get to – right off of 64 east, took about 3 hours (with one potty break).  We pulled up and the kids were in awe – it looks like a giant log cabin. We couldn’t check into our room for several hours, so we immediately headed to the indoor waterpark.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  The kids were so entralled I thought their heads were going to fly off.  Personally I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people, and was convinced I was going to lose at least one of our children, but got over that after awhile.  There was a wave pool, several enormous, no-joke water slides, plus some smaller-scale slides for the younger ones. There was also a giant-sized tree house with a ginormous water bucket at the top, which filled up, and poured out a wave of water, to the screeching delight of those who got drenched underneath.

My only complaint is I couldn’t hear a thing.  You’d have to be standing right in front of someone to hear them. It reminded me of my single days and being at a bar on a Saturday and trying to have a conversation. But instead of club music, it was the constant wooshing of water and squealing children that rang in my ears.  I did end up with a raging headache, but once we got into our room I popped a few Advil, had a glass of wine and all was good.

In the evening, the kids’ fun continued with story time in their pj’s by the fireplace in the lobby.  By 8:30 they were worn out and ready for bed.  A great time had by all….

So if you’re looking for a fun family trip in the dreary dead of winter, check it out. The rates were really reasonable and the family memories will last a lifetime.

Here’s the link: http://www.greatwolf.com/williamsburg/waterpark

Until next time,

Mindy Basara

Driving Doubting Thomas

Dear Viewers,

For some reason, my children have very little faith in my ability to drive them from point A to point B – especially my three year old son. As soon as we get in the car, he says “Mommy, you know how to get there?”  This happens even if it’s a place we go all the time.  As we head out, Doubting Thomas starts his inquisition: “Is this the right road? I don’t think it’s right… What road is this? I think you turn that way.  Wrong way mommy. Let me get the map.” Yes, he actually takes the road map out of the back seat pocket and starts flipping through it.  Then he wants to look at the map on our GPS system and monitor our location.  He does not do this to daddy. What is the deal?  I rarely get lost – I can’t understand this lack of confidence in my sense of direction.  Recently all four of us were on our way to a friend’s house that I’d been to just once before, but it looked different in the dark so we ended up at the wrong house.  My son just sighed and said, “that’s okay mommy. Nice try.” 

Just wait until he starts driving….pay back time!

Until next time,

Mindy Basara

Kris Kringle in the computer age…..

Dear Viewers,

When you have little kids, Christmas is a total blast.  You can live vicariously through them and harken back to your own childhood – and the magic and wonder that comes along with this time of year.  And now thanks to technology, the Santa perpetuation has reached a whole new level. 

Our Bloomberg Business reporter – Jane King – mentioned this cool website on the air yesterday.  It’s called Portablenorthpole.tv.  You have GOT to check it out.  Basically you answer some questions about your kid…their age, grade, what they want for Christmas, whether they’ve been good or bad, etc.  In a matter of seconds, it creates a personalized video from Santa at the North Pole, talking directly to your child.  And it’s free!

My kids were so excited to watch their video messages from Santa. The look of wide-eyed wonder on their faces when Santa addressed them by name and revealed other personal information was priceless.  The bubble over their heads would have said “how did he know THAT?”

You can also make an adult message for a spouse or friend which can be pretty amusing. Have fun with it!

Have a wonderful holiday everyone and a happy New Year!!!

Until next time,

Mindy Basara

 

 

Crab crazy

Dear Viewers,

We have two new members of the family: Samantha and Hermick. They are hermit crabs.  My daughter became enamored with our neighbor’s hermit crab and convinced me to let her buy one with her allowance. Of course her brother wanted one too – so off to Petsmart we went. 

The little critters were five bucks each…the kids had enough cash to cover that, then mommy decided to spring for the crab accoutrement’s. I asked the sales person what I needed to keep these things alive for as long as possible.  So he loaded me up with a cage, sand, food, décor etc.  (I stopped short of purchasing the hermit crab mister to keep them comfortably damp.  I figure a squirt bottle will do the trick).  The clerk at the check out couldn’t believe I was buying all this stuff for two hermit crabs.  But to my defense, I do not have a good track record with fragile creatures. Dogs and cats – no problem. Fish have lasted, on average, about a week.  The odds are against the hermit crabs.

We brought them home, got them situated in their new digs…and waited for something to happen. Anything.  The kids stared into the cage with rapt attention .  Then finally one of the crabs – I think it was Hermick- moved, and they squealed with excitement.  For the next hour the kids gave me constant updates on Samantha and Hermick’s slightest activity. At least they weren’t watching tv.

And then Samantha crawled out of her shell and looked up at my daughter. Lindsey picked her up and cradled her in her palm. The two gazed at each other. It was quite touching (or perhaps terrifying, depending on the perspective… the kid’s or the crab’s.)

Anyway, thus begins  a love affair that I pray will not end in an untimely death anytime soon.  

Until next time,

Mindy Basara

Talking Turducken

Dear Viewers,

Hope everyone had a lovely holiday. I sure did. Even though we hosted dinner, I didn’t cook  a thing. Not that I didn’t offer, but my hubby is a real Thanksgiving control freak.  Did you ever see the Friends episode where Monica cannot relinquish control of the Thanksgiving meal? My hubby is a Monica. Mind you, I’m not at all complaining – the food was fabulous.  He loves to cook, I love to eat. It all works out. 

On Friday we visited with my hubby’s brother.  He also loves to cook (guess it’s in the genes) and he made something I have never tried before. Turducken.  It’s a de-boned chicken stuffed inside a de-boned duck stuffed inside a de-boned turkey. Deeeelicious.  I can’t stop talking about it. 

Now it’s time to get ready for Christmas.  Putting up lights outside has always been a challenge for us. We live in an old house without a lot of amperage, and inevitably two or three light strings go haywire. So our solution this year is the Mr. Christmas Panoramic Projector.  You just stick it in the ground, aim it towards your house, plug it in and flip the switch.  Voila!  There’s a display of gently falling snowflakes projected onto your house.  The best part is, there are a handful of other images you can project throughout the year – everything from American flags for the 4th of July, to ghosts for Halloween.    That’s my kind of decorating: big impact, little effort!

Hope you had a good one..until next time,

Mindy Basara

Who knows what could be growing in there…..

Dear Viewers,

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but my car is a disgusting mess.  I drive a Lincoln Navigator and it is the “family car”, “mommy mobile”, whatever you want to call it.  I love this vehicle, and when I first got it two years ago, I was bound and determined to keep it spotless. There would be no eating or drinking! No dirty shoes kicking the back seat! No sticky fingers on arm rests! Nothing of the sort!

Guess how long that lasted? About a month.  I slowly acquiesced…first allowing the kids to drink something, then eat something, now I practically let them make mud pies in the backseat.  

 Then when my son reached under his car seat, pulled out a petrified french fry and ate it, I decided I needed to do something about this. “Mike and Mike” to the rescue. They are a fantastic mobile car wash crew that comes to the station from time to time. I made an appointment for their super-duper detail. 

The guys from Mike and Mike rolled up and took a look inside. I had warned them that what they were about to see was disturbing.  Rather than being disgusted, they were amused – especially by the rock-hard, half-eaten chicken nugget they found under the floor mat. The zip-lock bag filled with doggie kibble was hysterical as well. 

 Then there’s the black mark on the bumper from when I backed into someone’s truck.  This is no easy feat considering the car beeps if there’s an object behind you when you’re backing up. The closer you get to it, the faster it beeps – until it’s one continuous tone screaming at you “stop you idiot!”  Somehow I missed that.

 Anyway, I had no idea what to expect, but three hours after working their magic and I feel like I have a new car.  It’s spotless and shiny and smells heavenly. And miracle of miracles, the black smudge is gone!

 So I’m back to being the car nazi. Kids, don’t even THINK about eating those crackers in the backseat. 

Let’s see how long that lasts…..

Until next time,

Mindy Basara