WE WIN

I'm often amazed at some of the thoughts my son shares at random times...

There are the 5:54 am conversations (by conversation, I mean, him talking and me begging him to lower his voice while I bury my head in the pillow) about how I should know that Padme was Luke and Leah's mom and that Darth Vader was once Anakin and now Optimus Prime is defeating the Autobots... Or something like that.

Then there are the 2:45 pm conversations where out of no where I am bombarded with questions about how "volcane-oos" erupt or how Moses told the Pharoah to let his people go (Seriously, I'm not making this up).

Then there are the right before bed moments... where all is quiet. All is calm (ish). And "all" becomes gems... Nuggets of sweetness... conversations and questions that, (for lack of a better word), tickle me so that I could literally devour him up if eating him were an option. (Truth be told, I have actually tried to eat him).

Last night, before bedtime, literally as we're sitting down on his bedroom floor and opening "Miss Nelson is Missing."

J: Mommy, did it hurt your boobies when I drankED milk out of them?
Me: (Gulp) Um, not really. (LIE. LIE. LIE).
J: I'm so glad I'm not a mommy.
P and I try to contain our laughter.
Me: Why is that?
J: Because I'm just so glad I don't have to have a baby in my stomach and then have a baby come out of my... my... Pa--Pa--Pa--
Me: (Remembering our many "Pachina" stories): I get it Jonah.
J: Oh, women just have to do ALL the work.
NOW we are laughing.
Me: Oh, is that right?
J: Yah, daddies don't have to do anything.
Me: Some daddies do a lot.
J: Nope. Not really. All they do is hand the mommies the diaper.
Me: Change the diaper?
J: NO. They just HAND the diaper and the mommy changes it. Mommies do EVERYTHING.
Me: Well... yes. That is kind of true.
J: They have it the WORST.
Me: Yes. Yes... It's a lot of work.
J: How will I meet my mommy?
Me: Your mommy?
J: I mean, the mommy of my baby...
P: (Sotto to me) Well.. you could go on the internet...
Me: Funny.
J: Will I just meet her walking down the street?
Me: That's a possibility.
J: She will have to do all the work.
Me: Hmmm... Let's discuss that in 20 years.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: MY FAVORITE B&W PHOTO

My Nana and Papa on their wedding day, July 10, 1949.

Lots of love. Lots of passion. And one very skeptical looking father (my great grandfather) watching from the sidelines...

This is one of my favorite, and certainly most cherished black and white photos...

#ThrowbackThursday

RED TRICYCLE: DO GOOD, DO MORE!

It shouldn't take tragedies and disasters like Hurricane Sandy to remind us about helping others, but sometimes it does... I often think about how lucky I am... How much I have to be thankful for... Especially around the holidays, I tend to feel sentimental about this blessing... I'm surrounded by friends, family, and full of health. Lately I've been thinking about ways that I can give back to my world and my community and it is my goal to put my thoughts and efforts in to action over the next few months... Even if it's something small like bringing my boyfriends' clothes to GoodWill, I want and need to do something... and I intend to share my experience "doing good and doing more" with you...

Recently Red Tricycle told me about a project that they're involved with and in an effort to share and do better with my own community, I thought this was a good start to sharing good things:

Red Tricycle and Blue Shield of California have teamed up to spotlight local moms that are on a mission to promote health and wellness in their communities.  These ladies have inspired others to promote healthy, balanced and active lives—all the while balancing the needs of her own family.  (Not easy, we know!)  

Highlights include profiles of women like Nicole Dawes, the Founder and CEO of Late July Organic Snacks, who remains committed to providing healthy, organic snack foods to our kids and Stephanie and Beth (the moms behind OC Mommies) who put together a fundraising event called Trike 41, where over 100 toddlers rode tricycles to fundraise $10,000 for other kids their age fighting cancer.

But we know that there are many more moms who fly under the radar who are doing meaningful things for their community so Red Tri wants to find them!

Here's how you can help:

1.  Read about Moms who Make a Difference on Red Tricycle at www.redtri.com/kids/we-shield-moms and become inspired.

2.  Nominate yourselves or a friend in the We Shield Moms contest that launches on November 11th where you/they'll have the chance to win $5,000 grant to donate to the charity of your/their choice, $500 shopping spree and a family membership to local zoo or museum.  To enter, visit Blue Shield of California’s page on Facebook page after November 11^th, Click HERE to Nominate or http://apps.facebook.com/weshieldmoms/tabs

As a bonus to say thanks to all the moms that are out there doing great things for the community, Red Tricycle is hosting a series of free playdates in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego.  The event line-up is here:  http://www.redtri.com/kids/we-shield-moms-1

This is a sponsored post.

eBAY: SELLING HIGHLIGHTS

If there's one thing I've discovered since I started selling on eBay just 9 short months ago, it's that there really is no one right way. There's no science. There's no secret. Some things just sell and some things just don't. It seems that the real key is timing. Like everything in life: timing is everything. And selling on eBay is certainly no exception to that rule.

For whatever reason, my timing was right on the money (no pun intended) this past month. I don't know what came over me, but I realized I was sitting on an electronic gold mine. Old computers, old camcorders and even old iPhones, I had a ton of hot ticket eBay items that could easily make me some extra money!  

First up, my iPhone 4. When I say it sold in less than 2 minutes, this is no exaggeration. I listed it with a "buy it now" of $200 and by the time I refreshed, it was sold. That was an instant high for sure. Then I listed my iPhone 3GS.... this was trickier... There were a ton of used iPhone 3GS listings ranging in price. I was tempted to take the "you have an instant offer" offer for $51 as the first two times I listed it, honestly, it did not sell. I really don't know why- as each time I listed them I even did a starting price at $0.99! (That made me a little nervous BUT I saw that is what most of them were starting at). Eventually, good 'ol universe timing kicked in and my listing at .99cents went up to $118! I'll take it!

If I get the courage, I might even list my computer. The average selling price of a used, 13" MacBook Pro in great condition is about $800. That will pretty much fun a brand NEW one. Sounds like a win, win to me!

Some other eBay Parent Panel highlights included interviews with top seller Tristen O'Brien, and high-end fashion consigners Mindy Loll and Dana Weinrot.  I am still very nervous about selling my clothes and shoes but now that I'm over what felt like an unknown in the world of selling electronics, I'll be listing something precious soon. Maybe. I might want to hold on to my Manolo Blahniks a liiiiiiiiitle bit longer. Metal studs are back in... They say. 

WHEN BLACK BOOTS GO BAD

Every woman has them. One amazingly perfect pair of boots. The kind of boots that zip right up... The kind of boots that fit your leg just right.... The kind of boots that go with everything and everyone... You can wear them up, you can wear them down... Comfortable, chic, they are your "go tos" from Fall to Spring. (Or in Los Angeles, whenever the eff the gods of weather decide to drop below 70). 

I had these boots. Er... I still have them. But they are gone, really. Something happened between last May and now and I don't even know who they are anymore. And frankly, without them, I'm a little lost.

OKAY, fine. Am I being dramatic? Maybe. But seriously, when I tell you I lived in these boots, I am not lying. 

Meet my Steve Madden riding boots. Purchased, oh... I'd say sometime in 2008. for about ... oh... $118 bucks... maybe. These were (up until yesterday) the kind of boots that got attention. Simple, black and totally nothing special, I am telling you, every. single. time. I wore them I would get stopped... ""Where did you get those boots? I love them."

"These old thiiiiings??? Oh, I've had them for years." Revealing they were Steve Madden was like telling someone your adorable blazer is from Target... which inevitable garners the  "Omg, So cute, who knew?!" reaction. 

Little did anyone know, that these boots had probably been repaired and resoled, oh, maybe 4 times (thereby costing five times more than their original price)... But it didn't matter. And frankly, I would have continued to resole forever. For no boot fit me like this. I thought we'd be together forever.

We took trips to the beach (I'm squatting, but trust me. I'm wearing them).

We dressed up like characters. (Guess which one is meeeeeeeeeee!)

But then it happened. While packing for my trip to Chicago with Lifetime Moms for the Mom 2 Moms Conference, I pulled my boots out... because, duh. Unlike the 98 degrees outside my apartment, it IS Fall in Chicago. And Fall means boots. And boots mean these. 

I try them on. 

I look in the mirror.

I'm baffled. 

Something is off. 

They look strange. 

They look different. 

It's feeling very "when good times go bad"ish and my once "everything, everywhere, everyone" boot looks dated. 

WHAT HAPPENED???? It's like they just stopped WORKING. Not even Tim Gunn could make it work.

When did these beloved boots go from being totally acceptable and even IN to looking like they've been run over by a truck carrying two tons of bad style????? 

SO, what I'm getting at here is:  I NEED NEW BOOTS.  I REALLY NEED NEW BOOTS.... Where do I even begin??

Thankfully, I have a fun new pair of ankle booties I saw on Piperlime (obsessed with the recs that Olivia Palermo makes) that I brought with me.... so for the time being (here in the land of true Autumn), I'm okay.

But when I get home, and life starts again, I'm going to be lost.

What am I getting at here with all this whining? WELL, the point is, like me, there are probably many of you that are holding on to shoes or clothing that you need to say "SEE YA" to in a major way.  And though I did a wardrobe overhaul about a year and a half ago, it might be time to do it again...

What are YOU holding on to that you need to say goodbye to? What will you replace it with? Tell me!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: THE VIDEO GAME GLAZE

The intensity begins...

MOTOROLA WINE TASTING WRAP UP

You know what's fun? Drinking with friends. You know what's even more fun? Drinking with friends and eating ridiculously oooey, gooey grilled cheese sandwiches ... and ultimately having your friends tease you about  the cheese that inevitably ends up on your black blazer.... See exhibit A --->.

I've been amidst a crazy surge of work and life, but believe me, I haven't forgotten about the event I hosted in partnership with Motorola.  The event brought together some of my favorite LA pals and bloggers. Equipped with more wine than Bordeaux and Napa vineyards combined, we got together at LA's Corkbar to sample said wine, eat yummy apps, and play with Motorola's Photon Q.  This phone is a blogger and social media enthusiast's dream. The navigation is easy and the social media tools are fast. The PC-like keyboard with LED edge lighting and big screen making typing and tweeting a cinch... especially after several glasses of Chard... and Pinot... and Cab...

Huge thanks to friends Christina Simon of Beyond the Brochure, Diane Mizota (the Kate to My Alli) of Away We Grow, Matt Steiner of Launch Education, Sarah Maizes of Mommy Lite, Kathryn Gray of October Media Group for their support of #flirtywithqwerty... AND and of course, Motorola! It was a fun night!

For more information on the Photon Q, click here.

This is a sponsored post.