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By Mom Unplugged, February 21, 2011 7:00 pm

I had a cell phone, simple and small,
For babysitters only, when they might deign to call.

That’s all I needed, or so I thought,
Until my hubbie, the IPhone, he bought.

“Uh oh!” I thought, “my Unplugged Life is in danger!”
“Daily technology is here, and no longer a stranger!”

I was shocked as I snapped that 3G is … cool.
What an awesome and cute little net learning tool!

I can listen to radio (vive!) from France in my car,
and keep up with my blog from here, there, and far.

I can see Earth from space, and the clouds that cover it,
Get all the news - a lot, or just a little bit.

I need no window to know if it’s cloudy or sunny
There’s a new app for that, it’s really quite funny!

With my kids I just sighed, looked down and shrugged.
From now on bear with me, we’re Semi-Unplugged.

_________________________________________________

(… OK, maybe I shouldn’t quit my day job to take up poetry …)

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By Mom Unplugged, May 9, 2010 8:08 am

Is it a new DVD player? A subscription to People magazine? A case of anti-aging miracle pills? What could say “I love you Mom” more than a miracle weight-loss drink or anti-stretch mark cream?

(By the way, these examples are extracted from actual Mothers’ Day gift suggestions that I received via email at Unplug Your Kids from eager marketers!)

No.

THIS IS THE PERFECT MOTHERS’ DAY GIFT:

All real moms will understand. (Take note marketers.)

Happy Mothers’ Day!

PS. This was my actual gift from my 4 year-old this year, presented with great ceremony!

Comments (11)

By Mom Unplugged, February 10, 2010 11:18 am

BLAST FROM THE PAST POST (Originally published on May 23, 2007) - Having fun digging out some old stuff!

++++++++++

I did a silly thing.

With child number three, we finally outgrew our small kitchen table. I ordered this great table with the green chairs from West Elm. The table arrived and I LOVE it! It looks fabulous in my green kitchen area and is nice and big for meals, homework, projects (clutter), etc.

But…I ordered the cushions too. The chair cushions are a lovely, minimalist white. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? They have washable covers, but do I really want to be removing cushion covers and washing them every day? I have enough daily laundry to do without adding more to it. Plus, what about spaghetti sauce? Will that come out or will I need to dye the covers red to match the stains? Maybe we should just eat white food from now on. Potatoes, pasta, milk, ice cream (vanilla)…

This reminds me of one of my pet peeves. Decorating magazines that feature “families” with cute little blonde curly-haired angels running around the immaculate garden in adorable white outfits. These families always have elegant minimalist living rooms in varying shades of white with sisal rugs. The room is completely decorated with “flea market finds” and boasts (and this is the kicker) a WHITE SLIPCOVERED SOFA on which the family greyhound is reclining comfortably.

The glamorous, yet natural-looking mother always offers up some savvy decorating wisdom, such as: “Seek out flea market pieces that have good bones.” Or, “I like to decorate with white slipcovers because you can just pull them off and throw them in the wash!” With a house full of toddlers and sofa-sleeping greyhounds, this mother (or her maid) must be washing her slipcovers five times a day.

My slipcovers would be living in my laundry room. My sisal rug would have cat barf on it (How does one clean cat vomit out of the fibers of a sisal rug anyhow? With a toothbrush?). Do Lazy-Boy recliners have “good bones?” Where do I find a flea market near me? We have garage sales, thrift stores and a “swap meet,” but unless your decorating style is “Early Salvation Army” or involves antlers, you might be a bit disappointed with the availability of elegant antique bargains where I live.

So, this brings me back to my dilemma. What do I do with white kitchen chair cushions? I am simply not as brave as those “magazine moms.” Mine are in a box in the attic to be brought out when my children are in college.

PS. I thought about cleaning off the table for the photo, but decided that it was more interesting to simply capture a moment in time from a “real mom’s” house. I hope you appreciate my honesty.

Comments (16)

By Mom Unplugged, January 7, 2009 7:18 pm

My littlest baby is now three. A “big girl.”

On Monday, just three days after her third birthday, she was scheduled to have her first day of Montessori preschool. After 8 and a half years of continuous togetherness with one child or another, I was REALLY looking forward to that first miraculous day of school for the last one, and the promise of several hours of solitude.

My imagination soared: loud music in the house (and NOT “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”), a good book, maybe even a trip to the bathroom without an audience!

But when I awoke on that much anticipated morning, what should I see out my bedroom window:

Snow. Lots of snow.

Mom of the Year Moment: Was my first thought of the day - “Oh, look at the lovely snowy scene!”

No. My first thought was: “OH NO - A SNOW DAY!!”

I had waited three years for this first day of school and it was going to be a Snow Day! Serves me right doesn’t it? The cruel irony of it all. I just wanted to put my pillow over my head and go back to sleep.

In fact it turned out to merely be a two hour delay, what a relief!

Despite my excruciating Mom Guilt over the depth of my joy on my baby’s first day of school, I was able to pull myself together enough to rock-out in the kitchen to some extremely loud music, unsuitable for children.

I can now set all guilt aside since it turns out that she loves school, and I love my mornings alone. So far, we both seem to be benefiting from the arrangement!

Comments (1)

By Mom Unplugged, September 5, 2008 9:44 pm

6 year-old son out of the blue at dinner last night while eating cherries for dessert:

“Why did George Bush chop down a cherry tree?”

(The many possible responses that suddenly filled my mind are not publishable here since I don’t “do” politics on my blog, but I have been laughing to myself about it all day!)