Does floss get stuck forever?

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGH!

That's the sound I ultimately make 20 minutes after I tell my lovely 8 year old that it's time to floss her teeth and she still won't let me near her mouth.

That girl could talk rubber off a tire - she has every excuse in the WORLD as to why she doesn't (and can't) floss. Lately it's: "It'll get stuck."

But at the end of the day (or night) it's ultimately terror. She is terrified of anyone trying to come towards her mouth. And I've tried to let her to floss herself but her attempts are insufficient - she just bounces the floss on the top of her teeth and exclaims, "I did it." No you didn't sister - I was watching.

She laughed the other day and I caught a glimpse into her mouth and the tarter and plaque we JUST got off her teeth at the dentist in December was back - she just doesn't take good care of her mouth.

So, here's my question to you parents: Will she outgrow this or is it time for some help? I asked her if she'd like to talk to someone about her fear because as I shake my head and think "What more can I do?", I am starting to think there isn't much more I really can do.

Oh, and yes, I still do pin her down to floss. Horrific. Bad parenting. Traumatic. But the only alternative is cavities and the *thought* of her having to deal with that is worth losing the Parent of the Year Award, for sure!!!

Did we skip March in 2011?

Excuse me while I panic - where did March go?  Seriously. Because I can't believe my last post was February 25th - and as my GF Julie pointed out - my blogs a-been neglected.

Life has been moving at the speed of...well...life.  As the kids take over my calendar and as I try to drum up new business for my new business (see here: Carlton PR and Marketing), I suddenly realize my spare moments to share and document our silly lives have dwindled to spare seconds.

I'm still a bit frustrated at my lack of "routine" - which is something I miss so dearly from my life last year at this time - but I'm also excited about the "what can be" that is ahead of me.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed that we're able to push along with some prospects and reach the tipping point with the company, and that Abby will someday allow me to floss her teeth (blog post coming) and that Alex will stop growing up because man do I miss my little boy who is quickly turning into a big kid!

Happy Spring - I hear the birds chirping (or perhaps complaining about the COLD weather at the end of March) outside my window and look forward to the change of season that always awakens our spirit.

When your book report isn't your book report

We've been working feverishly on our "Famous Person Book Report" for a couple of weeks.  Little lady brought home a paper in her folder earlier this month outlining how she was to do a book report on a famous person, write a paragraph as if she was that person, dress up as that person and be ready to present on Monday, February 28.  We went to the library and she chose a book on Elizabeth Blackwell - the first female doctor.  How fun is that? Dress up like a Dr. and talk about how you changed the way women were perceived in the medical community. Girl Power!

Abby had a friend sleepover on Tuesday so I asked her if she was ready to dress up on Monday as her famous person and she looked at me rather oddly.  So, I asked her who she picked for her famous person report and she looked at me rather oddly.  When I asked her if she had a book report due Monday she looked at me like she wanted to call her mom and get the hell out of my house.

There is no book report due Monday...the paper was not from Abby's teacher but apparently from another 2nd grade teacher at another school.  I guess this is what you get when your kid goes to private school, but takes the public bus to a public school afterschool program?  We still have no idea how that piece of paper got in her backpack...but I'm more concerned Abby didn't know she wasn't supposed to do it.  We'll work on her "pay attention in class so we don't do extra work" skills...

Now, on to the President report that I KNOW is due Wednesday.  Isn't it?

Happy Birthday Rob Thomas!

If you know me, you know my heart holds a special place for the singer/songwriter and super hot cutie Rob Thomas. Today is his birthday. If you don't know who I'm talking about, you can discover him here or here...or here...No, I am not an official stalker.

And while roses and chocolates and love notes are being passed around on Valentine's Day, I thought I'd stop for a moment and wish Rob a Happy Birthday. Because during this "Hallmark" kind of day, I often find that music can put a smile on your face and a beat in your step and keep you  moving forward during the times when you want to just turn off the lights, curl in a ball and shut out the madness.

Go ahead and hug your partner, kiss your kids and spread the love on this day - but take a minute to blast your favorite song up to 10 and do a silly dance to celebrate what makes YOU happy on this day of hearts.  Plus, it's a lot less fattening than that box of chocolates....

Winter is for the birds...or the kids.

Why on earth do we stay here and deal with all of this in the winter?

Because they get to do this:

And at the end of the day, if they smile, then so do we....this winter is one we'll never forget!

Give a boy his privacy

It occurred to me last evening that I hadn't seen my son in a while.

His coat was still hung up so I assumed he didn't leave the house (I should be a detective, I know).

I called his name and he answered with his typical, "WHAT?" from the bathroom.

I asked the all too familiar, "What are you doing?" He was in the bathroom so I knew what he was doing.

I pushed the door open slightly when he didn't respond to find him comfortably seated on the throne, pants at his ankles, with his DS in hand playing his new I Spy game.

I asked him to please put the game down and finish up his business and get out.

He closed his DS, jumped off the seat, pointed to his accomplishment and exclaimed, "I AM done with my business.  I was just looking for some peace and quiet so I could hear what the lady on the game is telling me to do!"

Right. Because I'm the loud one in the family that never lets YOU have peace and quiet....

What I learned attending a grown up dinner party

1. Deviled eggs is not the appetizer of choice for grown ups. They prefer things with goat cheese, scallops and pesto served on crostinis. And served in a dozen, not in Costco quantities.

2. Candlesticks look pretty when you light them - with fire.

3. Wine glasses are not always 12 ounces.  And when you try to pour the wine once with the cork still in it, you really shouldn't try to pour it twice with the cork still in it.  You look foolish (or drunk).

4. Plates do come in something other than paper or plastic. And served warm make for a toasty surprise.

5.  Silverware is silver - and includes more than a fork and knife.

6. Soup served before a meal is awesome - especially served in cute teacups and not made from a can.

7. You don't have to cram everyone in your kitchen. Suggesting you "move to the living room and sit by the fire" works - and if you bring your crostinis and wine bottles in there, people will follow.

8.  No matter how fancy the party, if you put two Moms together at a table the topic of childbirth always surfaces.

9.  When chocolate souffle arrives at the table for dessert, and you know it's chocolate souffle, don't try to be witty and ask what it's called like someone might randomly rename it.  You look foolish (or drunk).

10.  Adults use their dining room tables to dine, not collect mail, old newspapers and junk.

Christina - the Puerto Rican me

Most of my husband's family calls me by the name Christina.  I often get emails from new contacts who will refer to me as Christina.  I have a great friend whose name IS Christina...wonder how often she's called Christine?

The point of my story is not so much the mistaken identity as it is about how I feel like a little bit of the Latin blood from my in-laws is seeping into my body after almost two decades of knowing my husband.

I keep Goya products in my home like they have been there since I grew up - which is so not true.  Items like Goya Sazon packets, Goya Sofrito (only the frozen version, never the jar), Goya beans of all colors, Goya rice Spanish olives, and Goya tomato sauce.

I've discovered that adding any of those items to an ordinary dinner makes for a wonderful Puerto Rican feast.  Take tonight, for example.  In the crock pot I threw in 2 boneless chicken breast, a small can of Goya tomato sauce, a can of diced tomatoes, a heaping spoonful of Sofrito, a sazon packet, chopped up potato and carrots.  Simmer all day and serve with rice.  Um, delicious!

It's little things like that that make me feel like it's possible to go from Christine to Christina.  It coincides with the fact that after all these years of trying I have finally mastered arroz con gandules...rice with pigeon peas for anyone named Christine.

Comer en casa!

So what are you doing next Sunday?

Ugh. I'm glad I didn't drink heavily yesterday or I would have woken up with both a hangover and a bout of football depression.

Mind you, I'm not your numero uno Boston sports fan, but I do enjoy riding the wave when our teams are winning. And I road the Patriots wave all the way to a stomach ache yesterday watching them crumble on their home turf, to of all team, the JETS!

Usually a loss is a disappointment - but after days of Neanderthal comments from the head coach of the Jets I really wanted to stick it to 'em...beat them just to shut them up.

Alas, we lost. My son, who has yet to grasp the concept of hometown loyalty or the fact that you really should have a "favorite" team, was perfectly fine with the loss because his "other favorite team" is the Jets.  But was this really necessary:

Well, at least that frees up next Sunday to do other things.  Want to meet me to NOT watch the game next Sunday??

Well, Helloooo Twenty-eleven!!

It's here. The New Year is here. I can leave behind all the blah and phooey of twenty-ten and start anew.

Because that's what new years are for, right?  New. That's why they call them New Years. They'd call them Same Ole Same Ole Year if they weren't New...glad we cleared that up.

So, what is happening in the New Year...well, not much.  I'm settling into my new "job" at Carlton PR & Marketing as...well....uhm....as....good question.  I don't really have a title.  You can call me "Business Partner", or "Unpaid Employee Number Two" or "Intern"...I respond to all of them.

But with some seriousness, I've joined a smart, connected, ambitious, level-headed and creative woman (former Ithaca College graduate, as well) at her consulting firm, which is appropriately named after her, and we are offering services to small to medium sized businesses that need social media, PR or other marketing resources.

We have some very cool ideas bopping around and will be engaged in Boston Region Entrepreneurship Week Part Deux in the Fall, and right now I'm coordinating the Sentiment Analysis Symposium in NYC on April 12 (sounds fancy, right? SYMPOSIUM....http://sentimentsymposium.com) and we are working on a few "contracts" out in the field.

I'm really excited because, while the mortgage isn't getting paid yet and I still have sleepless nights, I know that with the right focus and ambition this is what works best for me.  Communicating, networking and assisting people is what I love - blame it on my job start 26 years ago serving OJ and eggs as a waitress and making sure I had happy customers or blame it on a gene in my DNA - if I can help you or someone you know, give me a shout.

Welcome 2011 - it's nice to see you!