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Bring on the Sunshine – May 23 ’13

Hey DivaMoms!!! Today’s post is going to be a good one; I haven’t had much of  a chance to sit down and type out everything I’ve been wanting to say, but this morning I practiced June Ambrose’s “wake before the quake” rule, so I had a little extra time and motivation!
I absolutely have to start off by acknowledging the beyond tragic tornado situation in Oklahoma. I feel that recently there has been one tragedy after the other and I just can’t wrap my mind around it; what is going on with Mother Nature? There is something so wrong with the balance of things and I feel so helpless in it all. As a mother, it always pains me at the highest level possible to read about the child victims of such tragedies; I cannot imagine the pain their families are going through and how their lives are forever changed and darkened. I was watching the news not too long after this all happened and listened to a woman– her two young children holding either of her hands– talk about how, while in a bathtub with her family for protection, she watched the entirety of her home– and ALL her belongings– just get sucked up into the sky and crushed by Mother Nature. Can you imagine? None of us probably can, and I think it’s absolutely imperative that we try. I’m talking NO belongings left.. just you and the clothes on your body. What would you do? These people need our prayers and deepest, most sincere energy. I would love to organize some kind of clothing drive; does anyone have any information on one already going on? #PrayForOklahoma

Is anyone with me when I say, “WHERE’S SPRING?!” I can’t believe this weekend is Memorial Day; we seriously went straight from winter to summer! While I love the summer sun, I am a little disappointed in the lack of spring; I love the flowers, the smell, the light rain… But, it’s getting HOT, and the boys and I are getting all packed up to leave for our beach club in Atlantic Beach for the weekend! The boys’ favorite pastimes are swimming in the ocean (ONLY up their hips– that’s my RULE!), playing catch under the sun, and building mish-moshes of things out of sand (they call them “castles,” but they rarely ever remotely resemble castles…  I cannot WAIT to curl up with my big hat under the umbrella and dive into my Summer Reading “Lysst,” recently published on SheKnows.com!  Here, I share my best pics for moms and kids– the books that, come fall, everyone will be talking about!

 

When I think of Memorial Day Weekend, I think of DeLysscious barbecues, FabULyss family gatherings, and the long, busy school year coming to a much-anticipated end for the kids and, of course, great warm-weather food and drinks! Here is one of my favorite (and most healthy!) grilling recipes, followed by an indulgent summer drink:

NEED:

2 small zucchini, thinly sliced

2 small summer squash, thinly sliced

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup pitted ripe olives

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Place the yellow squash, zucchini, tomato, olives and onion on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 17 in. x 18 in.). Combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic salt, oregano and pepper; pour over vegetables. Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly.
Grill, covered, over medium heat for 30-35 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.
Transfer vegetables to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 4 servings.
Nutritional Facts: 3/4 cup equals 80 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 479 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1/2 fat.

And for the DeLysscious Watermelon Slush Cocktail….

NEED:

4 cups of watermelon, seeds removed

2 fluid ounces of simple syrup

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 cup of vodka

2 fluid ounces of melon liqueur

4 twists of lemon zest, garnish

1. In a food processor, puree the watermelon flesh. Pour the pureed watermelon into empty ice cube trays and freeze for at least 4 hours. Also, freeze 4 martini glasses.
2. In a blender combine the frozen watermelon cubes, simple syrup, lemon juice, vodka, and melon liqueur; blend until smooth. Pour into 4 frozen martini glasses and garnish each with a lemon twist.

No barbecue is complete, of course, without a great playlist! Try making a playlist full of songs that cater to everyone’s taste in music! Mix some top 100 songs– Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore, Just Give Me a Reason by P!nk, Stay by Rihanna– with some country classics, indie rock like Mumford and Sons and Bon Iver. I’m also going to need a special birthday playlist for tonight: May 23rd is the birthday of THREE of my best friends! What are the odds?! I’m really looking forward to celebrating with them.

Those of you who have attended in previous years know that the Baby Buggy Bedtime Bash at the Victorian Gardens in Central Park is one of our most FabULyss warm-weather events. It’s going to be Wednesday, June 5th at the Victorian Gardens (Wollman Rink). Jackson and Oliver are beside themselves; they can’t wait to this fun-filled carnival for adults and children of all ages for a great cause. We also have a fantastic event coming up in Roslyn Heights, Long Island on the 18th!

Our Truth + Beauty event is going to be an absolute treat, full of pampering and an informational Q & A session. Treat your face  and body to this fab event to kick of summer glamorously… the Diva way I am also already preparing heavily for the Camp DivaLysscious Hamptons events this Summer, which I look forward to more than any other event every year.

Camp DivaLysscious is a series of three outdoor, philanthropic events/carnivals that attract countless families each summer. Annually, celebrity moms come from all over to attend Camp DivaLysscious. Regular attendees include Kelly Ripa, Kyle Richardson, Brooke Shields, Christie Turlington, Bridget Moynahan, Donna Karan,Rachel Zoe, the Kardashian sisters, Tiffani Thiessen, Jill Zarin, June Ambrose, Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss, Mark Feuerstein, Christie Brinkley, Kelly Bensimon, and Kelly Rutherford just to name a few. I am especially proud to support the Max Cure Foundation through the Roar for a Cure Event every year, which is a public charity dedicated to advancing cures for pediatric cancers, funding the development of less toxic treatments for children, including the funding of an immune cell therapy lab at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center dedicated to alternative treatments for children battling the disease. MCF provides low-income families emotional and financial assistance and seeks to inspire children afflicted with cancer to face the disease with bravery.

The other day, my mom asked me what I am most looking forward to about Summer. My response was simply: Recharging my batteries!!!! I am trying something I have never tried before; I am going to the Hippocrates Health Institute. Resting amongst 50 acres of tropical woodlands in Southern Florida, Hippocrates offers a serene setting in which to heal, nurture and develop into one’s fullest potential. The Institute’s signature Life Transformation Program provides the fundamental training and a definitive blueprint for transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. The Life Transformation Program is a three-week residential program that runs weekly every Sunday through Saturday year-round. A literal life-change program, the holistic approach to health and wellness taught at Hippocrates includes transformation of the mind, body and spirit. The team at Hippocrates writes, “The goal of the Institute is to assist people in taking responsibility for their lives and to help them internalize and actualize an existence free from premature aging, disease and needless pain. Good health is our most prized possession, generating a positive mindset of confidence, enthusiasm, strength and joyfulness that can trigger a life of optimum achievement. Such vibrant health does not thrive by luck or by chance. Like all things of great value, it must be tended and nurtured with care. This process can be insurmountable and intimidating without the proper guidance. At Hippocrates, our team of caregivers strives to give each and every guest the tools they need to learn how to help them help themselves.” I cannot wait to experience this beautiful place and write a FULL blog post upon my return. I know many of my mom friends are anxious to hear about my experience, because they feel that it is something they may want to try for themselves. I am hoping that the retreat will allow me to do more things for myself and my family; for example, I am taking off from work Friday to spend the day at Ollie’s “field day” in Central Park, and doing the same next week for Jackson. They were so excited to hear that I was coming and, honestly, I CAN’T WAIT! I hope I don’t embarrass them TOO much when I get competitive playing flag football…..

I am absolutely honored to have been featured on the cover of this issue of Millennium Magazine!!! It never fails to amaze me how people are so interested in my story, life and business! I am truly flattered and so glad I can be the voice of so many incredible moms. Speaking of fantastic magazines, if you’re headed out east soon, don’t forget to pick up a copy of the Memorial Day issue of Social Life Magazine! I am the Mom-tributor for this fab Summertime magazine, and share a variety of my favorite summer “Lyssts” for every issue! But this is only my LIGHT writing; my book editor/agent FINALLY has a copy of my book– yes, my BOOK!– in her hands! I cannot give too much away, but let’s just say this: the next few months are going to be exciting… AND sexy! Make sure to stay tuned with all things DivaLysscious to get your hands on one…

Also: I wanted to talk a little bit more about Countess Luann DeLesseps’ line of tableware that launched on QVC on May 6th! We had a FabULyss celebration of the collection, and I think this line is something that every DivaLysscious mom should want to get her hands on! Luann and moms everywhere are so excited about her first tableware collection inspired by her love of entertaining and her passion for travel! Luann, like myself, loves to have lots of people around having grown up in a big family so whether you’re having friends or family over this collection makes entertaining easy. Designed with families in mind and colors reminiscent of Portofino, Capri on the Amalfi Coast corals. It’s unique, chic and UNDER $40!!! Check out the RidicULyssly beautiful 12-piece outdoor dinnerware set here!!

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

 

Mom Mogul Breakfast: Wake Before the Quake

Hey DivaMoms!! I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather today; the sky looked awful and stormy this morning but it’s turning into a gorgeous afternoon. Last week, I didn’t have a second to blog… or breathe! The Mom Mogul Breakfast (AKA the #MomMogulBreakfast as it was a hot trending topic on Twitter and Instagram) was one of the biggest DivaLysscious successes the DivaMoms team has ever experienced!! Those of you that attended already know how unbelievably incredible, inspiring, impressive and just plain fun the breakfast was, and those of you who weren’t able to attend better put it on your Lysst of priorities for next spring!! Hearing what business moguls and fabulyss mothers Rebecca Minkoff, Jennifer Fisher, June Ambrose, Alexandra Wilkis-Wilson, Ruth Zukerman, Mary Alice Stephenson, and Veronica Webb had to share about how their business got started and how they juggle it all– the corporate world, motherhood, marriage, family, social life– was so exclusive, rare and incredible special. I have to say: I expected to be blown away. I expected myself and all of our guests to be impressed. I was prepared to be enlightened and surprised. But, I did not expect to feel such a connection with over 200 women at one time, and to feel so emotional. It was such a pleasant surprise, and I think I speak for everyone when I say it started that delysscious Tuesday off with utmost motivation and sense of strength. I swear, at some moments I couldn’t believe the absolutely golden quotes– quotes for the books, quotes you read on some inspirational website– that were coming out of the mouths of our panelists! They are such hard-working, intelligent, educated and–above all– endlessly curious women and members of society who are leaving huge, impossible-to-fill footprints. My fab and talented friend, Sharon Lippmann, who runs the hilarious blog My Daily Pill, used her super-journalist powers to jot down some awe-inspiring quotes that I am very tempted to tattoo all over my body. Check some of these out:

Ruth Zukerman: “It’s so much about being passionate about what you want to do. I got divorced when my children were 6 years old…I had to start all over again. I was like a fish out of water. I had found spinning and it had actually helped me through my divorce. I got hooked and knew it was something I wanted to build a career in…I started out carrying my spin shoes from gym-to-gym just teaching spin classes…I believed in it…and it happened.”

This hit so close to home for me and, as I’m sure some of you remember, got me a little bit teary-eyed. FlyWheel Sports changed…my…life. Just like spinning helped Ruth through her divorce– a detrimental event that caused her so much stress– it has helped me through work stress, hard times, anxiety over my ridiculous fear of not being able to be in 12 places at one time, and more. For her to speak to such feelings of passion, stress-release, and turning around the horrible feeling of not belonging was so honest and real…and I will always remember it. I’m sure everyone else in the room– guests, panelists, and, hey, maybe even waiters alike– will, too.

 

Jennifer Fisher: “I had a different experience. My business started because I was told I would never have children…I ended up getting pregnant naturally, and I decided to keep the baby. That’s my son Shane. And, he’s the reason the company started. When he was born, it was such a big deal. I wanted something to represent him…something that felt really, really important and special. And, that’s how my company started.”

I felt such a connection to this beautiful, moving image because my first son, 9-year-old Jackson, is the reason my company began. To this day, DivaLysscious Moms represents the lives of both of my sons. My boys continue to inspire new events, projects, and more, and I am so grateful for their existence giving me another baby I cherish: my company.

June Ambrose: “I wake before the quake.” (I love this. June described how she gets up an hour before her two children, ages 11 and 9, so she can center herself, meditate, and get herself ready for the day ahead.)

What mother– whether she has 10 kids or 1– wouldn’t understand and crack up at this!? Even if it means waking up at 3 AM, I am going to have a “calm before the storm.” Bring on the green tea, erotic novel, and dog-cuddles before the “where’s my orange juice?”s and “do I HAVE to go to school?”s!

Sharon also recorded something I said during the Q & A, and I am so grateful for this. I have read it a few times since the event, during moments in which my confidence is a little down. “I started my business 9 1/2 years ago, and I remember people saying things like ‘Why are you doing this?’ My answer was, I believe in this. I was passionate. I felt there was a real need for what I was doing. So, if you believe in something do not listen to the naysayers. Stay focused. Stay down that road. It will happen. Don’t let people tell you you can’t do it, because you can do it.”

I will always remind myself that I said this, and that I “CAN do it!”

 

Trying to Relax in the Midst of a Tragedy – April 16 ’13

It would be impossible to start off today’s blog post with anything other than the unspeakable tragedy in Boston yesterday. Between the unraveling details and the surfacing photographs, the beautiful city of Boston looked like a warzone…straight out of another country. My heart goes out to the family of the eight-year-old boy who was killed; his 6-year-old sister lost a leg and his mother underwent very serious brain surgery. I kept my boys home from Hebrew School yesterday out of fear and was so nervous sending them to school to take their exams this morning. People who refuse to acknowledge this as an “act of terror” are truly bothering me; how could this not be classified as such? It is so unbelievably devastating, senseless, malicious… the list goes on and on. However, it is so beautiful and gives me so much hope that, in the wake of this incident and those similar, heroes appear. Strangers help strangers. Men and women showed compassion and bravery in the face of terror. It is nice to know that we as humans remember that, regardless of race, religion, etc., we need to stick together and HELP and comfort one another. It is sad that at this day in age we have to constantly keep our guards up. What are you planning to say to your children when they ask about what happened? Here are a few great tips from CNN about talking to your little ones about tragedy in the news:

Wait until they’re older. Until around age 7, Dr. Coleman suggests only addressing the tough stuff if kids bring it up first. “They might see it on TV or hear about it at school (or heaven forbid even witness it), and then you have to deal with it. But younger children might not be able to handle it well,” says Dr. Coleman.

Keep it black and white. Yes, the world can be a cruel place, but little kids, well, can’t handle the truth.”Younger kids need to be reassured that this isn’t happening to them and won’t happen to them,” says Dr. Coleman. Parents may feel like they’re lying, since no one can ever be 100% sure of what the future holds, but probability estimates are not something small kids can grasp, and won’t comfort them.

Ask questions. Don’t assume you know how they feel. Instead, get at their understanding of what happened. “They might be afraid — or just curious. You have to ascertain that by asking things like ‘What did you hear? What do you think?’” says Dr. Coleman. “If they are scared, ask what they’re afraid of – don’t assume you know. They could be using twisted logic, like they see a building collapse on TV and think it’s Mommy’s office building. Correct any misconceptions, and then offer assurance.”

Don’t label feelings as wrong. Let them know that their feelings make sense, and that it’s ok to feel whatever they’re feeling. Never make them feel bad about being scared.

Use it as a teaching moment. Talking about bad things can lead to discussions about how to help others, and gives parents an opportunity to model compassion. Talk about donating to a relief organization, or make the message even more personal. “You can say, ‘It makes me think of Mrs. Smith in a wheelchair down the road – maybe we should make her a pot roast,’” says Dr. Coleman.

When tragedy affects someone your kids know

Sometimes tragedy strikes closer to home, and there’s no way to shield your kids. If you’re dealing with the death of a friend or family member, be truthful about it, but offer some separation between what happened and what they fear might happen. “Say ‘Grandma was very old and very sick, but I’m not,’” says Dr. Coleman. “Distinguish yourself clearly from that person so your child can rest comfortably knowing Mommy’s not going anywhere.”

On a bit of a lighter, brighter note, did you know that MacKenzie-Childs now has a whimsical and gorgeous children’s collection! As a Mom-Ambassador for MacKenzie-Childs, I wanted to share some photos with you taken in the beautiful store last week!

We are also THRILLED to announce that we are giving away a $500.00 gift card to MacKenzie-Childs!!! The winner will be announced next Tuesday on the DivaBlog. Here’s all you have to do: be sure to like DivaLysscious Moms on Facebook!!!! That’s all! One lucky Diva will be notified via both the blog and Facebook! I absolutely love, love, LOVE MacKenzie-Childs; my entire kitchen is composed of MacKenzie-Childs, and my beautiful work desk that I’ve had since college–yes, it has lasted that long and still looks new–is also from the brand. I am so happy that they have launched a children’s line– I want that black-and-white-checkered beanbag chair for myself– and and line for dogs!! My puppy, Jedi, will be so stylish!! Time-honored crafts—producing ceramics and home furnishings—thrive in the 21st century here on a small farm in rural, central New York. From plates to planters, teapots to tureens, MacKenzie-Childs designs are alive with individuality. Since 1983, MacKenzie-Childs has made handcrafted ceramics, each piece a one-of-a-kind collectible. The company also designs and hand-decorates furniture and other home furnishings.  Individuality is what makes each piece a one-of-a kind work of beauty and grace. Stains and glazes are painted on by hand, not by machine. You may notice variations in the density and depth of the color. This evidence of the artisan’s hand is highly valued by collectors: No two pieces are identical. Set a table with MacKenzie-Childs plates and their variations are sure to please and delight your guests. In the 21st century, where standardization and uniformity are hard to escape, we hope you delight, as I personally do, in the unique personality and individuality of their timeless craft!!

Speaking of amazing brands, I hope too see all of you DivaMoms in New Jersey (126 Central Avenue in Westfield) this Saturday from 12pm-2pm at Coldwater Creek!

We also have an incredible luncheon coming up with the beautiful Luann De Lesseps! Join us for light lunch and great wine as we celebrate her new tabletop collection! We know you have a lot on your own plate, but this is one event you do NOT want to miss!!

I went out to the amazing Harlow on Saturday night, a new beautiful restaurant not too far from my apartment. I went out with my husband, my friend and her husband and, luckily for us, we ran into the BEAUTIFUL Amy Adams!! Now, there is beautiful, and then there is beautiful, and she is what I call out-of-this-world beautiful. Her skin is absolutely flawless and her eyes perfect; I was in awe! And she was so, so sweet on top of it all. Our dinner conversation started to get extremely heated when we were talking about being a mother in the 1950s compared to 2013; with the demand on women so much greater than ever before– being successful in business, being a tiger in bed, being Betty Crocker in the kitchen, and being the most amazing mom available for your children 24-7– something’s gotta give. But, not according to my husband and his friend! We were all hysterically laughing the more heated the discussion got.

Speaking of children.. Those that have kids in the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th grades.. Good luck with the tests!!! We are on “lockdown” in our apartment this week; we started off with a big healthy breakfast that also included a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal (not that Jax needs “the luck”)… But, I wanted to do something cute for him and he loves the marshmallows!

I also wanted to wish a Happy Israeli Independence Day to many of my friends who I know are celebrating!

In honor of National Stress Awareness Day, I want to leave everyone with a little reminder…a personal favorite of mine: The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.

XOXOXO,

Lyss

The Truth About Standardized Testing, a Wild West Party, and More – April 9 ’13

Hi DivaMoms!:) I hope you’re all enjoying this beautiful July day… Oops, nope; still April! The day is absolutely beautiful and EVERYONE should be outside today, if not for anything but to look at the gorgeous flowers in bloom all over NYC. My puppy Jedi had a fantastic start to his day; he was brought to the dog park– JUST for little dogs!– at Riverside Park on the beautiful Upper West Side. He had a blast, and even got to take his own taxi, and see his friends that he hasn’t seen since the summer. Truly a great morning for Jedi

While on this perfect weather topic: is there a better time to take outdoor family photos in Central Park?! Heidi Green DEFINITELY has you covered in that department!

In complete contrast to the amazing weather, the city-wide tests are next week, and one Long Island mom has a lot to say about it. How many of you have heard about the Hauppauge mother who decided she does not want her children taking the tests…and is within her legal right? I want to share with you this well-written and thorough letter, that touches upon unbelievably bold and valid points and will undoubtedly leave you with some questions and concerns:

Dear Principal, Superintendent, and Members of the Board,

I am writing today to formally inform the district of my decision to opt out my child_________________ from all state mandated standardized assessments in the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year, this includes the state exams given in April/May, the pre-assessments that are now required for the teacher evaluation system, and field tests: any assessments not designed by our children’s teachers and any assessment for the use of State institutions. Under my guardianship and advice, my child will be scored as a “REFUSAL” with a final score of “999” and a standard achieved code of “96” on all State testing including ELA, Math and Science as described in the NYS Student Information Repository System (SIRS) Manual on page 63.  Please note that a “refusal” is not the same as an “absence” as they are defined differently and scored with different standard achieved codes on page 63 of the SIRS Manual.  Also, note that on page 20 of the 2012 Edition School Administrator’s Manual it is explained that “The makeup dates are to be used for administering makeup tests to students who were “ABSENT” during the designated administration dates.”  My child will specifically be scored as a “REFUSAL”, not an “absent”  and therefore my child will continue to receive a free and appropriate public education in his regular classroom environment during the administration of all makeup test periods as this letter will provides written verification of a “REFUAL” for “ALL”  tests

I request that my child be given alternative educational opportunities during exam times, such as reading in the library or helping out in a lower grade class with younger students.   If you are unable to provide an alternative activity for my child, I would ask that you please utilize the provision of the NYS Testing Program Educator Guide to the 2013 Common Core which on page 9 explains, “When Students Have Completed Their Tests…that the student may be permitted to read silently.”

I am reserving the option of removing my child from school during test administration sessions depending on whether or not the school will provide an alternative activity for my child.  This will not count as an “ABSENCE”.

This decision was not an easy one to make, nor did I arrive at it quickly.  I have determined through my own research that the present testing system is grossly excessive, poorly designed, punitive to students, teachers and our schools.  In some cases it can be perceived as cruel to our most vulnerable children.  Among the negatives of the current state mandated testing system, we would highlight the following:

1)     Excessive testing has introduced the concept of stress to younger and younger children. We assert that “stress” is not something that schools should be creating for our children.

2)     Excessive testing has overtaken the entire educational project, as most of the school day is now given over to “teaching to the test”.  Many of the key functions that schools traditionally served have been reduced or eliminated in the mad rush to improve test scores.

3)     Excessive testing has already robbed our teachers of the freedom to innovate and teach creatively;  little is under their control.

4)     Excessive testing is cruel to students with learning disabilities and other special needs students who are not likely to do well, and for whom the high-pressure tests are likely to cause anxiety.

5)     State mandated high stakes testing is upheld by NYSED as a catchall solution for all our educational issues. Who exactly are they testing? Students? Teachers? School districts? All three, yet the burden fall on our students to represent everyone and do well.  That’s a lot of pressure for young children to carry on their shoulders.

As you are well aware, the rapid pace and constantly changing nature of testing and curricular mandates from the State are strangling our students, teachers and schools.  How can our children exit the school system with creativity, curiosity and a love of learning for its own sake after the meat-grinder of 13 years of constant testing and measurement?

I see my action as a last-ditch effort to stop the testing madness before it destroys our schools.  I want our teachers to be able to teach again.  I want our children to be able to learn again, in all ways, I want the schools to be places children can grow and socialize in a calm and supportive environment.  I am fighting against excessive testing, but also for something that has so much potential—-vibrant public schools that offer a variety of approaches to educate different learning styles of learners.

I  and some other parents  intend on informing as many parents as we can about excessive testing, and we hope to start a dialogue in our community about how we might effectively communicate our resistance but also our visions for schools as learning communities .  We have undertaken this effort in the same spirit as the many other parents who also have chosen to  “opt out” for our children; having  a sense of solidarity with the schools in spite of how the State may try to pit us against one another.  We invite and look forward to your participation in this dialogue.

Thank you very much and I look forward to a great end of the school year.

What are your thoughts on this? I think it is absolutely ridiculous that these exams have hindered our children’s teachers’ abilities to actually teach; when I went into education, I did it so I could enjoy being curious and creative with children. Today, teachers have been stripped of their rights and are inevitably focusing on prepping their young, vulnerable and impressionable students for a bogus test because, ultimately, it they are a reflection of her! #Unfair #CRUEL!

I was similarly impressed with Kristin van Ogtrop’s article in the Huffington Post today; read this article and be prepared to be nodding your head the entire time, ladies. Her views are spot-on and she has a wonderful gift of expressing them!!

So excited for my date night with Jackson tonight! We’re going to an advanced screening of 42, the Jackie Robinson Movie. I am having him write out a little list of things he hopes to learn about Jackie Robinson during the movie and what he hopes to take away from him; I think it’d be nice for him to have a bit of a history lesson. My husband got very jealous of my taking Jackson on a date Jackson and I have been looking forward to seeing this one together– just him and mommy– for so long! I hope the movie is as good as our top four fav baseball movies: Moneyball, Field of Dreams, A League of Their Own, and Eight Men Out! We are such a baseball family it’s unreal; Jax had his first game of the season on Sunday (a double header), and he hit a double! So proud of my little man.

And now onto my OTHER little man… Oliver had his early birthday celebration on Friday evening at Red Carpet Kids! His birthday isn’t until July but, since all his school friends will be at their camps this summer, he wanted a special early celebration just for them! It was such a blast and he was absolutely hilarious and adorable dressed up as a wild West cowboy! The kids made their own Western movie together which, I must say, came out very well and professionally! All the boys and girls looked beyond adorable– handsome and beautiful– and had the best food, lots of laughter and so much fun!!

For all of those Reed Krakoff fans out there (so ALL DivaMoms!), we have an exciting event coming off centered around the brand!

My boys learned the “ya-win-some-ya-lose-some” lesson firsthand this weekend with Syracuse’s loss I had an amazingly fun night anyway with a group of amazing women and my “Little” in my sorority at ‘Cuse! I did, however, feel so old at The Ainsworth watching the game; everyone there was under 30!

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

Enjoy the gorgeous day and have a beautiful week DivaMoms!!!

XOXO,

Lyss

The Importance of Earth Day (18 Days Away!!) – April 3 ’13

DID YOU KNOW? Earth Day is not celebrated in 175 countries, and coordinated by the nonprofit Earth Day Network, according to whom Earth Day is now “the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a half billion people every year.”

In honor of Earth Day every year, my boys and I take a big garbage bag and go door-to-door in our apartment building asking everyone for at least one glass, plastic, or cardboard thing to contribute to our “recycling project;” at the end of our rounds, we take our full bag to the nearest recycling center. We know it’s our little way to make a difference, and it’s a great way to instill in my boys the importance of caring for the Earth. We also make sure to take a trip to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and learn about new plants and my sons’ favorite, veggies! We even buy some seeds there before we go and grow them in a little pot in our window. Did you know we DivaMoms and Dads can even take a class there? It is so important that we teach our little ones the importance of being knowledgeable about and caring for the Earth; we want it to always be a healthy, clean place for them and for there to always be big, beautiful trees giving them fresh, clean air. Doing their parts caring for the Earth always teaches children responsibility, confidence and extra sense of purpose; there is nothing like walking with your little one and passing someone on the street who throws a wrapper on the ground, and having your child acknowledge the wrongdoing and picking it up and throwing it out. It also instills an awareness of personal health in a child that, if nurtured, will carry him throughout his or her life.

Kristin Chenoweth kicked off Earth Month yesterday at an event in LA hosted by JĀSÖN^®, a leader in natural personal care, to kick off the brand’s partnership with the Earth Day Network’s Canopy Project – an organization dedicated to planting trees in areas of need across the world.

Beginning today through 30^th, JĀSÖN^® will host a program through its Facebook page allowing consumers to do their part for the environment in celebration of Earth Day. For every new “like” on the JĀSÖN^® page during this time frame, one tree will be planted via the Canopy Project.

Visit the program at http://bit.ly/JASONcares.

All JĀSÖN products are free of Parabens, Phthalates, Artificial Colors, Petrolatum, Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Myreth Sulfate. www.JASON-PersonalCare.com

Here’s a little bit of Earth Day history I found! Share with your kids! Responding to widespread environmental degradation, Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator from Wisconsin, called for an environmental teach-in, or Earth Day, to be held on April 22, 1970. Over 20 million people participated that year, and Earth Day is now observed each year on April 22 by more than 500 million people and national governments in 175 countries.  Senator Nelson, an environmental activist, took a leading role in organizing the celebration, hoping to demonstrate popular political support for an environmental agenda. Senator Nelson selected Denis Hayes, a Harvard University graduate student, as the national coordinator of activities. One of the organizers of the event said: “We’re going to be focusing an enormous amount of public interest on a whole, wide range of environmental events, hopefully in such a manner that it’s going to be drawing the interrelationships between them and, and getting people to look at the whole thing as one consistent kind of picture, a picture of a society that’s rapidly going in the wrong direction that has to be stopped and turned around. Senator Nelson stated that Earth Day “worked” because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. Twenty-million demonstrators and thousands of schools and local communities participated. He directly credited the first Earth Day with persuading U.S. politicians that environmental legislation had a substantial, lasting constituency. Many important laws were passed by the Congress in the wake of the 1970 Earth Day, including the Clean Air Act, wild lands and the ocean, and the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

I plan on doing this Earth Day craft with my boys this weekend! Make your own globe of the Earth from a balloon covered with newspaper, flour-water glue, and paint. Although this is a messy project that takes days to complete, the results are very nice and teach a tremendous amount about geography.

Supplies needed: A round balloon. Lots of newspaper. Flour and water glue (instructions below). A container for mixing the glue (old plastic containers work well). A spoon or stick to stir the glue. A printer. Pencil. Blue and green tempera paint. Paint brushes. A dark marker.

Send me pictures of how yours turn out so I can post them on my next blog! “Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all other living creatures.” Gaylord Nelson

XOXO,

Lyss

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