This weekend I had a rare day alone with my son, or The Boy, as we affectionately call him (he wouldn’t want me to publish the other name we call him).  Since my kids are so far apart in age, The Boy and I were used to having lots of time together in the early years and as a result, I believe that we are very close.  After my daughter was born our time alone together was much less frequent, but by then he had ventured out into the world of school, playdates and sports activities to take his attention away from home and me.  And as he got older, the outside world drew his attention even more.  Now we are at the beginning of the teen years and he is starting to have more of a social life with Jr. High dances, parties, movies with friends and of course IMing and texting all the time.  Still, I am pleased to see that even though he enjoys spending time with friends, he also enjoys being with his family too.

It is a strange thing, being a parent of a teen, and we learn something new everyday.  We give him space to grow and develop into the unique person God designed him to be, yet we keep him close to us both physically and emotionally, all too aware that time flies and soon he will be off on his own.  We have 5 years left with him at home and I cherish that time. Our days after school are either filled with homework or activities and on the weekends we are all together as a family.  Sometimes The Boy and Dad take in a sporting event or do some other “manly” thing and that’s good for both of them.  Sometimes I will find a play or exhibit that is only appropriate for older kids and we will do that together.  And I have read all the Harry Potter books aloud to him and we’ve gone to all the movies together (I am sad that our experience together in that area is over), but I really like my son and find that time together alone with him becomes even harder to come by these days.  Girly is mostly around and can be quite demanding of my attention and body, so my son rarely has me to himself.  Sometimes in the evenings, if he is done with his homework, and after Girly goes to bed and if my husband is out of town, he will come lie on my bed and talk or we will read together side by side, and that’s nice.  It’s nice that he still enjoys being with me as much as I enjoy being with him.

This weekend was a rare opportunity to actually spend an entire day together; my husband was out of town and Girly had a birthday party/sleepover.   At first I looked up a movie for us to see, but there wasn’t anything appropriate playing (PG-13 needs to be looked at on a case-by-case basis, as what they deem appropriate material for a 13 year old is shocking).  And then we looked at the High Museum, but we had already seen the latest exhibit.  Finally we settled on a traveling exhibit called Dialogue in the Dark.  It was perfect because it was something that I couldn’t have brought Girly along to do and it was an active experience that we could share (vs. watching a movie, a passive experience).  The exhibit, or rather participatory experience, was great and if you are in Atlanta, you should really check it out (it is also traveling to other cities, so be on the look-out in your area).  I can’t tell you much about it because it will ruin the experience for you, but it is appropriate for kids over the age of 10 and definitely a great thing for adults to do (all of the people there with us were adults).   We are still talking about that experience!

After Dialogue in the Dark we headed off to lunch at Strip and had both a great meal (lobster burgers) and great conversation.  It was nice to have a more mature conversation and listen to what was going on in his life in a relaxed and focused way.  Leaving lunch we noticed that it was an absolutely gorgeous day in Atlanta, so after we got home we parked the car and walked down to the local park.  We just talked about nothing and everything while he lazily dribbled his basketball.  At the park he shot around the basketball court while I sunned myself on bench and watched him.   I wasn’t in a hurry and neither was he.  Just being at the park without two other people along to get bored or hungry or hot or something was a luxury in itself.  We just enjoyed–no reveled–in our day.

Later back at home, he had some homework to do and I surfed around on the computer, but it was nice, and he noted, quiet.  He said it liked the quiet.  Girly is always talking and Dad has music or the television on when he is at home, so it is never quiet with them around.    The Boy and I, I guess with him being the oldest and me being the only child, we like quiet sometimes.   When it got late I retreated to bed to read a bit and he joined me where he fell asleep and slept all night.

And today, on Monday, on his way out the door to school, he gave me a big long hug and remarked on what a great time we had together and told me that he loved me.

My daughter’s teacher, a woman who has been teaching for 41 years and who has grown children and grandchildren gave this advice: ” When you are raising your kids, you don’t think about how you want your relationship to be with them as adults.  Please do.  It is so nice when you enjoy your grown children as much as I do.”

I think I am off to a good start.

© 2008 – 2011, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

I am a HUGE fan of classic Sesame Street!  Back in the day we didn’t have Nick or The Disney Channel, so PBS was as good as it got for kids.  At the time of it’s inception, there was nothing like Sesame Street on television that combined learning with entertainment.  I’m sure that I learned many things from Sesame Street, but what I remember best are the skits and songs (see my profile for my “gift”).   One of my dreams is to be a Sesame Street guest–I’m not kidding.  I was at a dinner party recently and someone who had worked at PBS back in the day was telling stories about the cast….some of stories were not so flattering.  I wanted to put my fingers in my ears and chat “lalalalalalalala” like a 4 year old because she was messing up my memories!  I don’t want to know the real people on the show; I want to see them as Susan, Gordan, Luis, David and Maria–residents of Sesame Street and lovers of children and muppets.  

Here’s a classic Sesame Street song:

Now, this next clip I don’t actually remember seeing on Sesame Street, but I just had to include it.  Richard Pryor, may he rest in peace, was a funny man.  This clip is classic Pryor and funny, but I don’t know if I would want my kids learning the alphabet this way!  He sounds like someone’s drunk uncle.  Although, since every family has one of those, I’m sure kids could relate.

And finally, any child of the seventies would know this Sesame Street clip.  I think they still show this:

I hope you enjoyed this video walk down memory lane as much as I have!

© 2008 – 2009, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

I was at the Mac Store yesterday buying some new software and fully intended to go DIRECTLY to the Mac Store and come DIRECTLY out of the mall, but Anthropologie (my favorite store) is only a few doors down, so I just went in to browse around.  As you know, I’m not a shopper!, but the saleswomen in there always recognize me–even though I’m not a shopper!–and they are so nice.   I wasn’t looking, but I found this really cute dress for the fall and had to get it.   Normally I shun anything with bows because I am not a frilly girl, but these bows are funky, not prissy, so they are okay. You can’t really tell from the photo, but it is a soft wool that drapes beautifully and it has lots of great detailing.  It is very versatile; the saleswoman said that I could even throw it on to go to the grocery store.  Um, no….I wouldn’t wear it to the grocery store, but I can dress it up or down.  See:

The Dress

Now, if I put on proper heels like these, I can look very lady-like:

Hair pulled back, nice small black purse….I am ready for church or a ladies lunch.  Well, I have on fishnet stockings, can I wear those to church?  I normally wear jeans to church.  And I don’t go to lunch with ladies like that, but I could.  You never know, you have to be ready for anything.  My mother would be proud of this look:

But, I can funkify it also!  Pull on my favorite boots, a funky necklace and my new red purse (also from Anthropologie) and this is the real me, this is how I will wear it.  I think a wide belt would look cute too.

© 2008 – 2009, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

*This category “What About Me” are things that I am really excited to tell you about me.  Things that give you a better idea about Funkidivagirl.  Please comment and tell me more about you too!

I really want a dog!  I have been dog-less now for a very long time and I miss having a pet.  I had 2 bunnies for a few years (pre-kids) and while they were very cute and lovable (well, one was…the other one bit everyone but me), they did not like to go for a walk.  And believe me, I tried; I bought a leash and everything.  They just laid in the grass.   My kids have had various fish over the years and once the novelty wore off, they didn’t give the fish a second thought.  And neither did I; fish are boring.  I *accidently* killed the last one and the kids didn’t even notice for a week.

I wasn’t always dogless; this is the dog that I had growing up.  His name was Chipper Ceaser.  I got him for Valentine’s Day at age 10 and he died when I was in college.  He was a great dog, despite the fact that he wasn’t trained at all.  He frequently got loose in the neighborhood, chewed all of my stuffed animals, and humped total strangers.

The problem is my husband; he’s not an animal lover.  Maybe he never got over the fact that I bought the bunnies without his permission.  And yes!–one was the bunny from hell–but that was a long time ago and really, he should just let it go.   

Ever hopeful, I look at dogs on the street and research dog breeds in my spare time.  I found this dog in Real Simple magazine awhile back and my heart soared!  I found my new dog!  Unfortunately I don’t know anything about this dog, but I cut him out and taped him in my dream book.

Do you know what kind of dog this is?  Please comment if you do.  Or if you have a suggestion about what kind of dog I should get.  I want a medium-sized, non/low-shedding dog that is good with children.  And husbands.  Also, if you have some choice words for my husband, the dog-hater, I will forward those to him.

© 2008, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

Welcome to my redesigned and funki blog!  If you were a funki fan before, how do you like the new digs?  If you are new to my world, you can start this groovy trip by checking me out:

Can you be both crunchy and fabulous at the same time?  Absolutely!  That’s me!

I shop almost exclusively at Whole Foods and believe that yes, organic foods are better for you.  My children slept in the family bed, I nursed them both well beyond their second year of life and I birthed one of them at home.  I have dredlocks.  That’s the crunchy me.

But I’m only a psuedo-hippie because I also like some BLING!  Peace signs are my favorite icon, but they are even better covered in Swarovski crystals or diamonds.  I don’t consider myself a shopper, but somehow they know me in Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.  I am also a beauty product junkie; Sephora is one of my favorite stores and I’m always searching for the perfect mascara and lip-gloss.  The fabulous me!

I am a stay-at-home mom, but that is what they call an oxymoron, as I am never at home.  I have been married forever and have a teenaged son and ‘tween daughter.   I live in the South, by way of the Northeast, by way of the West, by way of the Midwest.  But I plan to move to the beach and become a surfer.  I will take my husband with me; he’s cool even though he is irrationally afraid of birds.

I have an uncanny ability to remember lyrics to a frightening number of songs. Even obscure grocery store loudspeaker ones. Or sappy sentimental ones, which I hate. I haven’t figured out how to parlay this skill into a beach house, but I’m sure it’s marketable somehow.  I love cartoons, but not politics and certainly not political cartoons.  I am very opinionated and not afraid to say so!

I started this Lifestyle Blog because my husband, who is a social media big wig, made me.  He thinks that I have a lot to say.  Or maybe he just wants me to say it to someone other than him.  Either way, I accept my mission: To Save the World From Mediocrity.

New to Funkidivagirl.com?   Start with The Best of Funkidivagirl to read my favorite posts.

Want to know more about me?  Learn useless–yet fascinating–random facts about me in Betcha Didn’t Know and on-going revelations (or confessions, depending on your point of view) in What About Me.

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Got questions?  I’ve got answers.  Email me at Funkidivagirl@Funkidivagirl.com

If you read my blog, I promise to be charming and witty. Make sure you don’t miss a thing by subscribing via RSS Reader or email.  Please come back and visit me often and leave nice comments.

Peace,

Funkidivagirl

© 2008 – 2011, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.