I have a certain type of appreciation for cars. It’s a girly type of appreciation: I enjoy nice-looking cars and cars that have nice gadgets and, of course, cars that look like they are smiling. I’ve never had the type of appreciation for cars that a typical teenaged boy has (rightfully so, I guess, my being a girl and all). The older boy bought his first car* early last fall, and he has spent some of the little free time he has had since then researching cool things to put on the car, like snazzy (sorry, that’s a mom-ish term, isn’t it?) headlights, custom-made wheels with his personal logo metal-worked…
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It’s Not What You Know; It’s Who You Know!
We recently had some problems with our stove. Basically it became more and more inconsistent when it came to…working. The problem? When we pressed the “preheat” button, the desired temperature lit up on the electronic display, but only for a moment. It then turned off, before the sensor “caught” and we heard the whoosh of the gas coming on, to begin the preheat. Eventually it would work, but only after we repeated the process ten or twelve–or twenty–times. After we discussed the fact that the stove was getting so unreliable, it would probably stop working altogether at the least convenient time ever, like when we were entertaining* or when we…
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Need A Hundred Bucks? You Could Win It!
I’m going to keep this short and sweet. 1. Want to win a $100 Visa Gift Card? 2. Do you enjoy scavenger hunts?3. Interested in “meeting” some new bloggers?4. Ready to get started? BlogHer has a scavenger hunt going on NOW through Tuesday, April 20th. All you have to do is click on the link at the end of this post, and you’ll start there. Get 100% of the answers correct, and you’ll be entered in a random drawing for one of ten $100 Visa Gift Cards! Oh, and by the way? I’m part of the game. I won’t tell you where; you’ll have to find me yourself. What are…
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Take A Picture; It’ll Last Longer.
Over the weekend I attended a bloggers and brands event at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago, hosted by Silicon Valley Moms Group and sponsored by some incredible companies, which I’ll write about on my review blog over the next couple of days. Due to the construction mess on the Eisenhower, I left really, really early and–much to my delight–arrived at the Hard Rock approximately an hour early. It was the perfect amount of time to take a walk around the block and take some pictures of the city I love so much. I posted my favorite shots yesterday including this one, the subject of which happens to be in my…
- Best Thing Ever, Blessings, Favorite Things, Fun in Chicago, Proud Moments, Something That Could Change Your Life
Love.
©2010 Suburban Scrawl
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Dinner Date.
Last week I received an e-mail out of the blue from my friend Rob in Liverpool. Rob and his wife Louise, who I met while on that fabulous trip to Europe with Kate and Scott nearly four years ago, were going to be in Chicago for a couple of days and wanted to know if I would be able to meet them at some point during their stay. Hell yes, I would! I was really, really excited to see them again. The hospitality they (and Rob’s parents, too!) showed me in the United Kingdom back in 2006 was unparalleled, and the four days I spent in their home area made…
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Lunch Date.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting with my aunt for the afternoon. (She’s a regular reader of the Scrawl: *waving hi!!*) Though she only lives about thirty minutes north of my house, we don’t see each other very often due to my busy family life. Boo. It’s always nice to see her when we do get together, though. I arrived at her house wearing my favorite jacket, one that she made for me more than twenty years ago. An expert quilter, she took scraps of fabric, sewed them into log cabin blocks, pieced them together, and produced this spectacular “coat of many colors”. I adore it, and always get…
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Only Slightly Different From Smelling Like He’s Toasted.
The younger boy and I were leaving the house to go…somewhere*. I was in the driver’s seat already, putting my seatbelt on, when he opened up the passenger door and climbed in. “Woo!” he said, running his hand through his hair. “SOMEONE smells freshly baked and right out of the oven. Oh wait! It’s me!” I looked at him quizzically, and said, “Huh?” He grinned. “I used your Oatmeal Raisin shower gel.” A-ha. Okay, now that makes sense. *I can’t remember, and it’s not an important part of my story. Photo credit: The Philosophy website. Trust me, you want to go to there. ©2010 Suburban Scrawl
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Not A Fan.
Most teenagers, at one point or another, think that the world revolves completely around them and don’t care to consider the feelings or preferences of others, especially the people they live with. As you know, my boys are fabulous individuals but that doesn’t mean they don’t possess certain “typical” teen quirks. The older boy is “famous” for using up every last drop of hot water in the house. His idea of a quick shower is one that would give me enough time to thaw a frozen pond with a hair dryer and then warm the water in small pots on a big stove in order to use it for a…
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(Spring) Break From the Normal
Spring Break was highly unusual for me this year, not in what we did but how it felt. As usual, we didn’t go on a vacation (last year’s New York City trip was a freak occurrence); we were just milling about smartly around the house. I worked my two days at the salon and taught three spin classes, Jim worked, and the boys had lacrosse practice, got together with friends, and wasted time in the normal ways that they don’t often get to enjoy (video games, watching movies, etc.) because we’re so busy. It felt…weird. Perhaps it’s because I spend so much time these days at home and on the…