Winter Beauty

How can you look at this and not be dazzled. Winter is beautiful, especially when glistened by a new layer of snow. Sure it may be cold, but that's what wool is for. Bundle up, get out and enjoy the fresh air. Let it cleanse your system that tends to be dusty due to cabin fever. And, for God's sake, if you don't like winter move away from MN. Don't complain about it!

Moomah, MooMe

I first heard of a play-cafe a couple of years ago while watching the Travel Channel. A play-cafe is a place for both adults and children. They have designated areas of supervised play while adults can escape, under the same roof. Often times it's a coffee bar, tea room or cafe.

The Travel Channel was featuring a place in San Francisco, which when featured was called Tumble & Tea, but has recently been changed to Sadie Days Cafe: http://www.sadiedeyscafe.com/.

I immediately started researching local play cafes and came across nothing. I had ideas and visions in my head, but did not pursue anything as I was heading my career at Target.com, which is where I thought I wanted to be. After weeks, maybe even days, of the cube farm I suffered. I felt like a robot, I felt less than individual, I felt lifeless. I did find time and a bit of motivation to research owning a small business, but didn't have the funds to back it up.

To preface, I was given the gift of Cookies magazine when I was expecting the twins. I fell in love with this magazine b/c it was everything I wanted. To be a young, dedicated, creative Mom with a sense of taste and style. Unfortunately the magazine folded due to the crashing economy and the last subscription would be out in November 2009. My subscription was up in October and I spaced buying a copy from the newsstand. In January of 2010 I came across a copy of the last issue in my Doctor's office (waiting to be examined for baby #3). I secretly placed the copy under my left arm and departed the building, feeling like a child at Christmas time.

There on the counter sat my prize possession for days as it's hard to find some free time in between working and running a household. The night before I read the issue we fell asleep to Jon Stewart on the Daily Show (entertaining for both Chad and I). One of the featured working Moms was Tracey Stewart, who is married to Jon. First I was intrigued by the coincidence and secondly I was intrigued by the content. Tracey recently opened a play-cafe in Tribeca called MooMah: http://www.moomah.com/. The space was breath-taking, the activities were amusing and the menu looked delicious, as well as family friendly. Exactly how I had pictured my own Play-Cafe!

Minneapolis is consistently ranked one of the top cities to raise a family. The city is full of young, vibrant families that yearn for outings any time of the year, especially during those winter months that tend to be long and dreary. If there was a place like this in my neighborhood I would be sure to visit it frequently.

I am trying to convince myself that I could run a small business, along with a young family of 3 boys under the age of 18 months.

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.
-Edith Sitwell

Thank you Chad!

I've been counting my blessings the last couple of weeks, especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner. I want to take a moment to thank my husband, my best friend, my lover. I look back over the years and how our life has drastically changed and I do feel that we have embraced these changes, individually and together. I am thankful for the way Chad sees me, for the way he let's things roll off his shoulders and for his motivation to keep renovating our house!
I look back at where I could have landed and I thank my lucky stars that I landed with him. He is my home!

I am thankful for many things, but today I'm especially thankful for the musicians in the world that keep it going. Today I was given a gift of a CD, with a few of my already favorites, and a few tracks that are waiting to be on that list.
I've been anticipating 5:00 so I can listen to this disc on my way home. No interruptions, all by myself. It will be 30 fantastic minutes of music and my thoughts!

Song List
Riot Gear/Regina Spektor
Much Farther to Go/Rosie Thomas
Dusty Turnaround/Lizzie West
Down to the River to Pray/Alison Krauss
Maybe There's a World/Yusuf Islam
Tell Me True/Sarah Jarosz
Friend Like You/Joshua Radin
Nine Million Bicycles/Katie Melua
La La La/The Bird and the Bee
White Winter Hyman/Fleet Foxes
Thinking, Drinking, Sinking, Feeling/Snow Club
Holiday Road/Matt Pond PA
Wish You Well/Katie Herzig
Welcome Home/Radical Face
Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall/Simon & Garfunkel
We'll Meet Along the Way/Hem
New Soul/Yael Naim
You and I/Ingrid Michaelson
All the Way to New York City/Rosie Thomas
The City and the Traveler/Hem

Firenze

Last night I had a dream about my dream. I was in Firenze Italia soaking up the culture, art, food and people. The dream was rather intense and I remember details. Such as the intricate carvings, the intense colors and the details of the architecture. I remember the hotel that I stayed in and it was full of Italians, not your typical American tourists. The language was so beautiful to listen to....like a song. I also remember the smells. The sweet smell of Tuscany and the not-so-sweet smell of the streets in Florence.
She is calling out to me. I need to revisit so I can relive this dream!

"Build for one and you will influence millions. Build for millions and you will influence none."
-Eva Lorenzotti