Life Archives - A Girl Named PJ

The blogging resolutions I won’t be making in 2017

January 4, 2017

My husband, who does most of the cooking in our house, thought that baking Hanukkah cookies and other tasty treats over winter break would be a fun way to entertain the kids. Normally, he’s not a fan of baking (too boring, he says), but he must’ve been feeling the holiday spirit something fierce because he made no less than five different baked goods last week.

While snacking on homemade biscotti and Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies, our 5 year old declared that daddy is “the best cook at home.” That is, he’s the best home cook — but not quite as good a restaurant chef.

“So what am I the best at?” I asked, hoping Levi would say something like “taking care of us” or “playing with us” or, at the very least, “getting us dressed every day.”… READ MORE!

The strange thing that happened on my kids’ first day of kindergarten and nursery school

September 9, 2016

In the weeks leading up to Levi’s preschool graduation in June, I cried almost every day in anticipation of my first-born heading off to kindergarten.

Ok, I bawled. I’m talking big, ugly tears and a chronic lump in my throat. I just couldn’t believe that my baby was heading to elementary school. I mean, he’s so small for his age!

Thank goodness for this waterproof mascara. Seriously.

Based on my tear-stained history, I assumed that actually sending him off to kindergarten last week would trigger a similar emotional response. But I didn’t cry on the first day of school. Not one single tear. Just a little sniffle or two that I managed to stifle while driving back home on the tree-lined street of his school.

What the hell? It’s not like I wasn’t feeling all the feels: excitement, anxiety, joy, sadness. Was it possible that I had cried myself dry back in June?

I thought the tears would certainly reappear on Asa’s first ever day of nursery school earlier this week, but again — dry eyes. In fact, the whole morning seemed a little bit anticlimactic; he attended camp four mornings a week at a different preschool this summer, and I was already used to leaving him for a few hours every day.

Asa, on the other hand, did shed a few tears on Tuesday. He wasn’t too happy about putting away his lunch box (he really likes carrying it), and he started to cry when he anticipated that I was about to leave. But after we did the special goodbye hug-Eskimo kiss-high five-fist bump-thumbs up-kiss routine that Levi and I made up, Asa turned his attention back to his puzzle and didn’t even watch me walk out the door.

Uh, sniff?

As expected, Levi also cried when it was time for me to leave him on his first day of school. He was excited about starting kindergarten but has been having some separation anxiety lately, especially with me. Plus, the night before school started, he confided that he was nervous about making friends.

So it must’ve been a huge relief when a girl he knew from camp — a first grader, if you can believe it! — ran over to him when we entered the building to say hi. His kindergarten teacher followed and suggested that she and the first grade girl walk Levi to the classroom. Watching all three of them hold hands was the sweetest, most reassuring thing ever, and I know it must’ve made Levi feel extra special.

Levi was a little bit weepy again on the second day of kindergarten, but every day since has been getting easier and easier to say goodbye. Then this morning, he practically jumped out of the car in the drop-off line when he saw one of his teachers walking into school. I rolled down the window to blow him a kiss, but he ran after her without even looking back.

As I excited as I was to see Levi so happy, I was a tiny bit shocked that he skipped our big goodbye. And then I almost did cry. Maybe.

Did you cry on your kid’s first day of school this year? Did they cry — or did they jump onto the bus or run through the school doors without even saying goodbye?

PS: No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Levi and Asa got much-needed haircuts in between the first day of kindergarten and the first day of nursery.

(Click to find Levi’s “Snailed It” shirt, Asa’s dinosaur backpack, and more behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram.)

Back to School: 5 Ways to Make Mornings More Manageable

August 31, 2016

It’s hard to believe that Asa begins preschool next week and even harder to believe that Levi starts kindergarten today. (Wasn’t he just a baby? When did he get so old?!) For the first time, I’ll have both boys in school, which means that our mornings will undoubtedly be more hectic than ever before.

Getting Levi and Asa dressed, fed, and off to different camps this summer offered me a preview of what I can expect during the school year. Although our mornings weren’t always easy (yes, there were sometimes tears and yelling from all of us), we miraculously managed to make it out of the house on time almost every day.

Here are the strategies that helped me over the summer to make our mornings more manageable, plus one bonus idea that I plan to try during the school year. Wish me luck because school starts an hour earlier than camp, so I’ll have to corral both kids into the car no later than 7:40am.

4 Ways to Make Mornings More Manageable

Pack Lunch the Night Before
Because I wait to eat a late dinner with my husband, who usually doesn’t get home until 7pm, I started using the time while my kids were eating dinner to fill their lunch boxes. Asa got a Greek yogurt, some crackers, and fruit every day since that’s pretty much all he’ll eat for lunch.

Levi’s only slightly less picky. For example, he prefers jelly on bread with a side of peanut butter in a small Tupperware instead of a standard PB&J sandwich. And he won’t eat a cheese sandwich, but he will eat 100% real, natural cheese like Sargento Slices with crackers or a mini bagel. (Also, some random trivia: Did you know that American singles are only required to contain a minimum of 51% real cheese? Yuck.)

Set Out Clothing Before Bedtime
While the boys went through their bedtime routine — going potty, brushing teeth, getting into pajamas — I was setting out their clothes for the next day. Sometimes Levi had a preference and sometimes I gave Asa a choice between two shirts, but for the most part, I was making the decisions. (One benefit to having boys, perhaps?)

I have to say, it was a relief each morning to walk into their bedroom and find their shirts, shorts, socks, and underwear (well, for Levi) ready to go in two neat piles on their dresser. One less decision they each had to make when we were trying to hurry.

Pack Bags in the Evening

After Levi and Asa went to bed, I labeled any new clothing and packed their backpacks with all the non-food items they’d need for the next day: bathing suits, water shoes, towels, plastic bags for wet clothing, sunscreen, hats, etc. (Their lunch boxes with ice packs and water bottles would be added during breakfast.) Then I’d hang them near the front door on wall hooks similar to this pegboard from The Land of Nod, making them easy to grab as we ran out the door in the morning.

Make Checklists
I’m more prone to forgetting things when I’m exhausted at the end of the day, and on Levi’s third day of camp, I forgot to pack his towel. His towel! After that I relied on checklists to keep me organized. Quick, handwritten lists stuck to the fridge mean I don’t have to try to remember everything…which will be especially helpful during those first weeks of school.

I plan to use these amazing fictional hotel notepads with my new favorite pen: the FriXion Ball Clicker from Pilot, the world’s first retractable, erasable gel ink pens. I swear, these pens are magic.

Plus, One More Idea to Try…

Get a Good Night’s Sleep
First of all, I’m not a morning person, so I’m generally pretty cranky when I wake up. And if I stay up late at night, I’m cranky and tired in the morning. Unfortunately, we’re all going to be waking up an hour earlier in order to get to school on time, so unless I want to be a zombie all day, I’m going to have to get to bed earlier.

I know that exposure to bright LED lights before bed can interfere with melatonin, a natural-occurring hormone that promotes a more relaxed and restful sleep, but I’m not really able to avoid my phone, computer, or TV an hour before bedtime. However, I would consider taking a supplement like Natrol Melatonin Fast Dissolve to help me fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, especially on nights when my mind is racing with to-dos that didn’t get done.

What are some ways you make mornings more manageable during the school year?

(This post is sponsored by Sargento Cheese, Pilot Pens, and Natrol. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help to support this blog.)

Mid-summer check-in

July 25, 2016

So here’s a funny story: After a month and a half of not posting anything on Instagram, I decided last week to share a new photo. Of course, I happened to post when Instagram’s hashtags were broken, so only 21 people ended up liking this ridiculously adorable photo of Asa eating a hot dog bun. (Previously, I averaged 80-100 likes per photo.)

Le sigh.

Anyway, I wanted you to know that I’m brainstorming some new content I hope to share on the blog soon. Thanks for continuing to check in, and please, stay cool — outside feels like the inside of an oven where I live!

Why I’ve been spending less time blogging

June 3, 2016

I just glanced at my archives and realized that I’ve only written 18 posts in 2016. Eighteen! A-list bloggers (and many mid-tier bloggers, too) will publish 18 posts in that amount of days. And if they hustle, some can even get 18 posts up on their site in a week. Normally, I’d be ashamed of my lack of productivity, but there’s a good reason why I’ve been neglecting the blog… READ MORE!

Yes way rosé: 6 American wines you must try this summer

May 17, 2016

For many of us, our first foray into rosé was sneaking sips of mom’s White Zinfandel. When we got to college, ordering blush wine felt immature, so we switched to Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. Eventually — reluctantly, perhaps? — we moved on to red wines, choosing easy-to-drink varieties like Pinot Noir.

Years later… READ MORE!

Gift shopping with UncommonGoods + a giveaway

May 11, 2016

If you think about it, there are really only three types of gift-givers in this world… READ MORE!

Goodbye, ice cream. I’m (sort of) going Paleo this month.

May 9, 2016

At the end of April, my dad mentioned that he was going Paleo again. Although he’s never been heavy, he slimmed down quite a bit a year or two ago by eating like a caveman — lots of protein, fewer carbs — and wanted to get back to his ideal weight before our upcoming family vacation to Hilton Head Island later this month.

We happened to be talking about pizza at the time — specifically, how I was beyond excited to stuff my face with New York City pizza once Passover ended that night. My dad concurred; after all, post-Passover pizza eating is practically tradition. (For all my non-Jewish readers, Passover is the holiday were you abstain from eating bread or any food with leaven for eight days.) But starting the next morning, he announced, he was going back on The Paleo Diet.

“I think I’ll join you,” I decided impulsively. After all, I’m going to have to squeeze into a bathing suit at the end of May, too.

Last year, I was somewhat svelte on our vacation thanks to 15 months of breastfeeding, but I haven’t nursed Asa nor engaged in any form of exercise since since summer. I’m feeling flabby and bloated, and buttoning my jeans is beginning to become a losing battle.

Plus, I’m tired all the time and starting to break out in places other than my face. While stress is surely a culprit, I have a feeling my diet is partly to blame: Indulging in a dairy dessert (usually frozen yogurt, but sometimes Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby if it was a particular challenging day) almost every night while watching TV with my husband is not the healthiest habit for a 36-year-old woman.

For the record, I’m not normally keen on fad diets. I don’t believe they’re sustainable in the longterm, plus I know how to lose weight the old-fashioned way. Back in college, a nutritionist helped me lose the “Freshman 15” by teaching me how to count calories. I’m (usually) a firm believer that you don’t have to deprive yourself of anything if you’re careful about portion sizes.

Except I’m just too busy — and too lazy — right now to measure and weigh my food and record my daily calorie consumption in a diary. I want a more straightforward diet: eat this, don’t eat that, etc.

So what can you eat on The Paleo Diet? Here’s what it says on the official website:

Grass-fed meat
Fish and seafood
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Healthful oils (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.)

Certain foods are completely off-limits when you’re going Paleo, including:

Cereal grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, brown rice, etc.)
Legumes (beans, peanuts, soy, etc.)
Dairy
Refined sugar
Potatoes
Processed foods
Salt
Refined vegetable oils (margarine, canola oil, etc.)

For the next two weeks, I’ll be swapping my nightly bowl of frozen yogurt for frozen grapes and my sandwiches for salads. I went eight days without eating bread over Passover, so I know I can survive with fewer carbohydrates in my life — at least, for the short term. I’ll dip apples in almond butter instead of peanut butter and snack on cashews instead of chips and cookies.

What I won’t do is get crazy restrictive. I enjoyed a quarter of a donut with friends the other day, and I’m still going to drink coffee with half-and-half and organic sugar because using almond milk instead just sounds gross. I’m also not limiting myself to organic lean meat only. Don’t tell Loren Cordain, but I added diced salami to my mushroom omelet this week. Because protein.

Anyway, the Paleo Diet can accommodate a little bit of cheating thanks to the 85-15 rule, which allows you to eat three “open meals” per week. You can bet I indulged in one of my three weekly non-Paleo meals on Sunday when we went out for Mother’s Day brunch with friends. Hashtag: All The Carbs.

However, since nightly runs to Hilton Head Ice Cream are a non-negotiable part of our vacation itinerary, I probably won’t sneak in a bite of ice cream until we arrive in South Carolina.

Probably.

Have you ever tried The Paleo Diet? What did you think? Any tips, tricks, or (easy) recipes to share?

Outfit Details // jeans: Lucky Brand (similar here and here), top: Old Navy, flats: dv, sunglasses: Ray-Ban, necklaces: Stella & Dot, bracelet: UP3 by Jawbone, bag: MZ Wallace

(photography by Laura Metzler for A Girl Named PJ)

How I spent my blog hiatus

February 15, 2016

If you remember, my intention for taking a blog hiatus this past month was to get out of my head and back into my body. I’d been neglecting basic self-care essentials like sleep and exercise simply because I didn’t have time.

(No time to sleep, you wonder? Well, I have the bad habit of staying up late to get work done . . . and then zoning out in front of the TV instead. Maybe you can relate?)

But I had an ulterior motive for taking a break from my blog. By spending the month getting out of my head, I was hoping I’d somehow make more room in there for creativity.

The past couple of months I’ve felt increasing uninspired and, truthfully, a bit lost in the blogosphere. There are sooooooo many blogs out there, and I wasn’t sure how to make mine stand out from the masses.

Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to continue blogging. More and more frequently, I found myself wondering, “What’s the point?”

No, really. What’s the point?

So my underlying goal was to somehow set the stage for a lightbulb moment about what I should be doing with my life — by not thinking what I should be doing with my life.

What did I learned on my blogging break?

Unfortunately, inspiration doesn’t necessarily work that way. Turns out you can’t simply schedule creativity on the calendar or plan an epiphany within a specific time frame.

I might not have had any major insights about my professional ambitions, but I did learn two important things:

Working (and, at this point in time, blogging) gives me sense of fulfillment.
Writing is one of those use-it-or-lose-it skills.

I’ll admit that it’s been a struggle to articulate my thoughts into words and to organize those words into sentences for this post. My brain feels mushy returning to my computer after a month away. I was hoping the process of reentering the blog world would be similar to riding a bike, but I can’t lie — this time around the block has been pretty painful!

As for the blog, I’m still playing around with the idea of creating a totally new website or maybe a newsletter. At the very least, I’ll be tweaking the content here on A Girl Named PJ, introducing new topics that interest me and phasing out ones that aren’t as exciting anymore.

Psst… Stay tuned for a reader survey. I’d love your input as I plan for the future.

How I spent my blog hiatus

So what was I doing when I wasn’t working on a post?

I saw a dermatologist and a gynecologist for the first time in a year and a half.
I started taking Asa to a weekly music class and met an amazing group of supportive moms.
I had four acupuncture appointments and attended three Pure Barre classes.
I played several evening games of Mah Jongg with friends after the kids went to sleep.
I watched the entire season of Jessica Jones with my husband.
I went through the private school admissions process for Levi.
I picked up a new freelance copywriting gig.
I set up a home office in the basement. (Come back Wednesday for photos!)

What didn’t I do? Besides figure out how to become rich and famous (or if I even want to become rich and famous), I didn’t go to sleep much earlier than midnight. I didn’t commit to a meditation practice. I didn’t clean the top of my bedroom dresser nor underneath the bench at the foot of our bed.

But I was busy. Really, really busy. The trick moving forward will be determining how to fit the blog back into my busier-than-before schedule. The goal is to post three times a week — possibly Monday, Wednesday and Thursday — while still making self-care a priority. Obviously, something is going to have to give, but I don’t know what yet.

To everybody who reached out during my break to send a note of encouragement: thank you. Having readers who appreciate what I have to say is really what makes this job so rewarding.

I may not know where I’m heading, but I’m certainly glad to be back. Let’s see what happens next!

(Photos from my Instagram feed. I’d love for you to follow me there, too!)

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