Playing video games, oblivious to the squalor in the kitchen.

What? What did you think I was going to say?

On the drive back to the office I stewed, not about the video games (it was his lunch break) but about the kitchen. I felt my temperature start to rise as I recalled the crusty patches of dried oatmeal, the crumbs, the dirty dishes. I thought about all the times and ways I’ve tried to explain why a clean kitchen is important to me. I pictured my kids coming home to same said kitchen and sitting down at that disgusting countertop to do their homework.

Oh how I stewed.

But then, I read the status updates of friends, all mentioning prayers and thoughts for our friend Audrey McClelland and her husband Matt who was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery last night. And I watched the video she posted this morning, giving us all an update on Matt’s surgery, and got a lot of perspective.

Last night, while I was watching my son and husband perform “Whip My Hair” on Dance Central 2, Audrey was sitting in a hospital worrying about her husband. And today, while I’m at work and my husband is happily playing video games or doing who knows what around my house, she’s probably back at the hospital by her husband’s side.

Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?

So to my husband I say – I know you didn’t see it, but sorry I got a little crazy. But please try to keep the kitchen cleaner.

And to Audrey I say, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Thank you for the perspective, and the reminder to appreciate every moment. I will be sending healing thoughts Matt’s way.

While I haven’t had a lot of time for blogging, I have been taking a lot of pictures. And, I’m determined in 2012 to take more, especially with my new camera. (Have I mentioned that I love my new camera?). Because busy or not, a girl has to have an interest that isn’t her work, and isn’t her family.

I’m not trying to “be” a photographer – I just want to “be” a girl (yes, I said girl, sometimes that’s just how I feel) who can take a decent picture that captures the moment. But to keep me honest, I thought I’d share some of my favorite pics through something I’m going to call “Sunday Snapshots.” My goal will be to post a photo that captured the week, or at least a moment I want to remember.

I’d like to say the photos will always be great – the teacher from my Nikon class said “great photographers take plenty of bad photos. They just don’t share them.” But let’s face it, sometimes it’s a photo, like the one below, taken on your iPhone that captures the moment best.

I took this picture at a red light on our drive to school. The moment may not seem like much, until you remember that  last year our son was diagnosed with dyslexia. Since then we’ve put together a team of teachers, tutors and others to help him not only learn how to read, but to learn how to love reading.

On this morning, he jumped out of the car to get a book he forgot in our other vehicle, and then sat quietly.

Reading. Voluntarily. Happily.

(I think the quest for tips is because you know you are about to spend a good amount of money, and you don’t want to miss a thing.)

Now, there is no question, that on all things Disney I am not an expert. And there are many sites, books, podcasts and videos dedicated to giving you the inside scoop on the house of mouse. But my husband and I did discover a few things we thought were worth recommending:

Shoes & Bags
As the saying goes – you can never have too many shoes . . . except in Disney. I brought four pairs – sneakers, heels, nice sandals and Tevas. Given the cool temperatures and the many, many, many miles walked, I could have lightened my load by packing just my sneakers and nice sandals (which are super comfortable).

Of course sneakers don’t have to mean athletic shoes – I wore a cute pair of plaid Airwalk sneakers from Payless.

With the heels, you can also leave your pocketbook and wallet at home. Instead, pack light (license and one or two credit cards) and bring a good backpack you are willing to wear everyday, because you’ll need it to carry hats, sweaters, wipes, camera. . . you get the idea. I’m always on the hunt for the “perfect” bag, and for this trip I may have found it in the Xhilaration® Grey Neon Backpack from Target. I used it as both my carry on, and for the parks.

"Smooshed" pennies

Collections
From pins and lanyards to “Vinylnation” characters, there are lots of things your kids are going to want to collect. May I suggest two inexpensive options – autographs and pressed pennies.

Our 6 year old filled her Disney autograph book ($14.95) with signatures from characters as well as various cast members (including the waiter from our Princess Dinner and the Pirate League make up artist). It took us a couple of days to realize the Disney app on Steve’s phone (more on that below) showed which characters were appearing at each park, allowing Sophie to maximize her efforts.

While our 9 year old wasn’t interested in collecting autographs, they were both hot to collect pressed pennies. Hidden in corners and secret spaces, each machine has a different selection of designs available, based on their location. To help us find the machines, which are not marked on the official Disney maps, I downloaded pdfs from ParkPennies.com. Each “smooshed coin” costs 51¢, so their collection of 20 coins was something I could happily sponsor.

As I said on the show, my plan is to have Steve make Sophie a pressed penny charm bracelet.

(You should know that I have a “no coins” rules, and never allow the kids to put coins into rides or vending machines, so the idea that I was letting them put coins into machines was a treat).

One of several family photos we had taken

Pictures & Disney PhotoPass
There are official Disney photographers throughout the park, which is helpful for families like ours where, as the family photographer, I am rarely seen in photos.

The first time you have your photo taken, you will be handed a Disney PhotoPass which you can give to other photographers each time they snap your picture. But don’t worry about rushing to the photo center before leaving the park – instead, open a free account at DisneyPhotoPass.com. With this account you can register each of the PhotoPass cards you receive, and review all photos that have been taken.

At the end of your vacation, you can review your photos and purchase any you may want. You can also choose to buy all the photos as a download for $149.95 (I went with this option because we had at least 10 photos  we wanted to purchase, at a cost of $14.95 each).

Before you buy all the photos, make sure EVERYTHING is loaded into your account. Right after I hit “purchase” I realized I hadn’t added the codes listed on the receipt from our daughter’s Princess Dinner. Good thing I had prints which I could scan at work. Oh, and make your purchase within 30 days, otherwise you can kiss the pictures goodbye.

Update: In a comment below someone mentioned they were given the wrong PhotoPass and lost some of their pictures. One way I kept track of our cards was to register them immediately through the site’s mobile-formatted interface. If I didn’t see our pictures appear within a timely manner (a few hours), I stopped at one of the photo spots to have our account checked. (Turns out sometimes the photos appear on the full site before they appear on the mobile site). Taking a picture of the card (as suggested below) is also a great idea.

Sophie doesn't seem so excited about the Tower of Terror

Ride Photos
After watching my family plummet down the Everest rollercoaster, we wanted to buy the photo as evidence of our daughter’s first big roller coaster.

Just as I was about to buy a 5×7 photo, which I didn’t really want because I load all our photos into iPhoto for our album, I noticed a small sign next to the cash register. Turned out I could save $2 and some space in my luggage, by ordering an electronic copy of my ride photo. And, it would be added to my same Disney PhotoPass account.

Food
I have good news – the food at Disney World does not suck. Which is a big change from the last time I visited. Selections at the walk up restaurants ranged from hamburgers and hot dogs to grilled veggie sandwiches and salads. The kid meals all came with bags of grapes and yogurt crush cups.

As for dinner – make reservations. Even on days when traffic in the parks was light, it seemed there was a line at every restaurant we went to at night. You can look for availability and make meal reservations online. The site is also mobile formatted so you can plan from your cellphone.

I want to be this Jedi when I grow up.

Free stuff
While we joked that we could hear a faint sucking sound throughout our vacation (that would be the sound of money leaving our wallet), there are several great activities available for free.

During the Jedi Training Academy, children ages 4 to 12 are invited to participate in the live show and learn how to “use the Force.” You need to get to Hollywood Studios early to sign your kids up (first come first serve), and don’t make the mistake we did – dad cannot run ahead. The kids need to be present when you sign them up. Details about show times and  where to sign up are on the daily schedule.

Sophie gets her orders from Kim Possible

While Anders rode rollercoasters with my brother, Sophie took charge of our group, leading us through several challenges as part of the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. Each adventure takes 30-45 minutes to complete, so you have to have some patience with the process, but Sophie loved it and tried to take the “Kimmunicator” home.

Speaking of free stuff  – After our first day, I noticed several people wearing “1st visit to Disney” buttons. Visiting the concierge at our hotel I was able to secure a button for Sophie, as well as “I’m celebrating” buttons for the rest of us. A few days later I returned to get “Family Reunion” buttons which I forced everyone to wear because, well, they were free.

Technology
Finally, technology was our best friend on this trip to Disney. Steve downloaded the Disney Mobile Magic app (it was free for Verizon Wireless customers) which helped us keep track of ride wait times, character appearances and dining options.

Update: There were some apps available for purchase through iTunes. If you aren’t in a “mixed marriage” (Verizon and AT&T) like I am, I would suggest spending a few dollars to get an app. We found it really helped.

While it was tempting to leave the cell phones at the hotel, text messaging was the easiest way to keep track of each other when we went our separate ways. Rather than making 4 phone calls, I would send one text to each member of our group with any plan changes or updates.

When you get home
My final tip is get the vacation photo album done right away. I started organizing the photos on the flight home (yes, I brought my Macbook Air with me) and ordered the album four days after we returned.

I’m sure if you are an experienced Disney go-er, I’m sure these tips may seem obvious. But honestly, I wish someone had told me some of these things.

(Readers – feel free to share your tips. Betcha’ you’ve got some good ones).

As my family enjoys a moment of peace before we head back out to the park for dinner in England, I wanted to say. . . Please don’t hate me.

I know it’s cold there and you have received a lot of snow. And the idea of a week away in the “happiest place on earth” sounds like a great way to get away. But to use one of your turns of phrase, “be ye not fooled” – this is no vacation.

The first few days were cold – not freezing, but cold enough that we were all wearing layers of clothing including tights under jeans, scarves and t-shirts – Judging from the attire of our fellow park-goers Disney was making a killing on sweatshirts and hoodies.

My feet are killing me! Despite the new cute sneakers I bought at Payless, my dogs are barking. That could be in part because I have spent the better part of this vacation chasing after my family, as evidenced by all the pictures of my husband’s back.

You won’t be surprised to hear that he is a man who believes in efficiency over experience. (Just think of the things we could apply that phrase to).

Standing on the Monorail platform Saturday night, watching my kids argue with each other and my husband fidget abut the amount of time we’d lost traveling back to the Magic Kingdom for the extended hours, I wanted to turn around and walk home.

Feeling better about your snow day?

Yes? Then you might want to stop here.

Because, of course, we’re having a wonderful time.

Good thing we have the blog…

Anders: I wish fate hadn’t decided to move Tommy to New York.

Mommy: I don’t think it was fate. I think it was Mike.

Anders: Because he wanted Tommy and Brendan to live near his grandparents, like we do?

Mommy: Yes.

Anders: I can respect that.

Instead, I spent most of the day sitting in a darkened auditorium at Regis College, attending Nikon School with my mom.

As I wrote recently, I received a new-ish camera for my birthday (thanks honey). And while I’ve taken some great pictures with it, I would say that’s been mostly due to dumb luck, and a good lens (again, thanks honey).

The worst part about taking a class on the weekend is that it takes me away from the kids. It forces my husband to take lead on childcare, when he deserves a break (one more thank you for Mr. Brandt). And deprives me of the opportunity to “be mom.”

It also gives me the opportunity to learn something new, stretch my brain in new directions and in the case of this class, allow me to fully focus on acquiring new technical skills so I can indulge my creative side.

Today, among many other things, I finally figured out how to adjust the aperture to change the depth of focus when composing my photos. How to remove the orange tine from the photos I’ve been taking indoor. Why the histogram is more than an annoying chart that pops up on my camera’s view screen. And was reminded to just take photos, even if it’s of the same thing, as a way to really get to know the camera.

Most of us are focused, in addition to everything else, on providing opportunities to expose our children to a wide array of activities and interests – music, dance, sports, art – but in the day-to-day insanity of cultivating well-rounded children as well as managing home, career, kids, and piles of laundry, it can be easy to forget to invest in ourselves.

So yes, I missed an unusually warm day. And my kids may have spent more time inside than I would have preferred. And at 2 pm my husband sent me a text that said “this sucks” (I think he was upset he couldn’t go for a bike ride).

But in exchange they got a happy mommy.

And over fifty pictures of our cat.

Despite my attempts to get our family organized, and keep him in the loop about the family’s schedule, one of his favorite excuses is that he forgot dinner because he didn’t realize we would be home, or that the kids wouldn’t be eating at my parents.

Thinking about it, I realized there might be a better way to get him to remember…

This note is now hanging on the wall above his desk.

I told him that, rather than worrying about what our schedule is on each day, just answer this one question. If he knows the answer, great. If he doesn’t know the answer, find out by checking the Google calendar or asking me.

I have no idea if it will really help, but it certainly can’t hurt!

I have crossed off several things on the list, and am taking a small break as I wait to take the next batch of cookies out of the oven. Beyond time with friends and family, my favorite thing about this time of year is the food!

So, for those of you who might be looking for something, I thought I’d share some of my favorite recipes of this season:

Carmelized Pecans
Erin introduced me to the concept of sugar-encrusted pecans, but since she moved away, I had to find a new source or start making them myself! There are several recipes, but my favorite is made right on the stovetop. (The first year I looked for the recipe, I confused it with candy-coated pecans. They are not the same).

Cookies
With the extra time afforded by Christmas Eve on Saturday, I was able to indulge my children’s request that we make homemade cookies for Santa this year (I think the kids are trying to suck up to the big guy). I’m not a big fan of Christmas cookies, instead preferring a basic Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie (the chunks are good also).

Dinner
I don’t remember when my parents made the switch from turkey to beef on Christmas, but every  year my mom brings over the big piece of meat from the local butcher, my mouth starts to water! But a rib roast dinner wouldn’t be complete without our favorite sides – creamed spinach from The Pioneer Woman; popovers from the Barefoot Contessa (butter makes the difference); and my mother-in-law’s mashed potatoes (some day I’ll get Steve to write down the recipe for me).

We have a vegetarian joining us for Christmas this year, so we’re adding a new roasted vegetable dish to the mix using a recipe I found in the Wegman’s magazine.

Breakfast
Of course before we can eat dinner, we need to have breakfast while we open presents – an exercise that can take hours because I insist we pay attention to everyone as they open each present.

This year, at my son’s request, my mom will be bringing The Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls.  I can’t start the day on such a sweet note (sadly), but happily I have my favorite english muffins from Wolferman’s and blueberry preserves. My grandmother buys them for us each year, making sure they arrive a day or two before Christmas, and I love, love, love them. (Now ask me why I don’t order them any other time of the year… I have no idea).

Even as I link to all these favorites, I can feel myself getting excited about tomorrow’s meal. If I remember, I’ll take pictures of our big meal to post later.

But there is still much to do including vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, setting the table and visiting friends for cocktails tonight!

To quote our family card today – Happy Everything! And Happy Eating!

You know the ones of which I speak – the ones featuring a mom who is obsessed with getting her whites whiter than any white found in nature; her floors so clean that her children could actually eat off of them, or her plates so shiny they “squeak.”

Maybe there are women out there who are obsessed with these things, but in the world I (and most of the moms I know, be them working or staying at home) have better things to think about then making sure our kids’ socks are so white they can be seen from space.

We are also not in this venture alone, sharing responsibilities for caring for our children with our spouses, with more dads taking the lead. Companies are clearly taking note of the trend – dads are taking a more active role on television (see Will Arnett as a stay-at-home dad on Up All Night) and in commercials like this one from Clorox which I recently caught:

I don’t know what my husband, or friends like C.C. Chapman think of this commercial, but there are a couple of reasons I really like this commercial.

First, the dads. Deep in conversation, infants strapped to their chests and toddlers running around is presented as it should be – normal. As is the moment when, catching a whiff of something stinky, completes a maneuver we’ve all done, lifting butts to nose looking for the source.

Then, when we finally see the product, there is no talk about who is doing the laundry. There is no mom shaking her head wisely as she handles the situation; or looking appalled when dad comes home with Mr. Poopy Pants, or proudly showing off the now pristine underpants to an applauding family.

Instead, it’s just a message that says to me, shit happens and it has to be cleaned up (or, as in my house, thrown away).

(No, Clorox is not a sponsor. Nor have they ever been a sponsor. I don’t even use bleach because it scares me. I’m just a mom and advertising professional who likes to think about commercials. I just don’t usually share my opinion).

Bringing her upstairs while the dads cleaned up the mess and attempted to remove the beads from each of our children (turns out they are static-ey little buggers), I was reminded of another, far more traumatic and significantly messier incident which had set the bar high for what it would take to upset me…

It was Sunday, January 15, 2006 and I had spent most of the day washing and folding laundry. Sometime after all the laundry was folded, sorted and stacked neatly on our bed, our then 4 year old son brought the industrial-sized bottle of baby powder into our room.

Unattended at the time – who can remember where I was – he discovered a new game of jumping on the bed while squeezing the bottle of baby powder. Below, is what I came back into the room to discover….

Not only was every surface covered, but the air was thick with powder.

Anders was also covered with powder (and completely nonplussed by my reaction). It took days for powder-filled snot to stop flowing out of his nose. Fortunately, my husband insisted we buy corn starch based baby powder, so no talcum in his brain!

Yep, that’s me. I had to wear a mask, our shop vac and a fan with an air filter attached to clean up the mess. Our bedroom smelled like baby powder for weeks.

And rewash every piece of laundry.

So you see, styrofoam balls in my basement is really nothing.