Pioneer Valley Mom

We recently had a much needed adults-only dinner at Chez Albert in Amherst, MA. Can I just say this has to be one of my absolute favorite restaurants in the Valley. The food is phenomenal and the simple ambience is so relaxing. If you want to have some really good food I would definitely recommend it. Just make sure you make a reservation.

Image from: http://www.chezalbert.net/

I really love Patience Brewster’s work. When I first came across it, I was shopping for greeting cards and couldn’t help but be struck by how much hers stood out from the pack. The art is eye-catching and unique while the individual messages are  perfectly succinct.  “Organic Love” stands out as my absolute favorite. Whenever I look at it, it reminds me to be patient – spring is right around the corner.

I can’t get enough of TED. I have learned so much from this website – especially on obscure, really interesting topics I would never encounter in my average day-to-day life. I always feel a little smarter after a TED Talk.

The video I just watched was of Jessa Gamble, a writer from Oxford who makes her home in the Canadian Subarctic. She shares her findings on our internal sleep clocks. As a mom in the throes of a teething baby/night owl, I was especially intrigued to learn about her findings.

Check out Must Get Sleep - Only 4 minutes long and well worth it.

Using a planner to stay organized helps me run a successful household and be effective in my job outside the home. I rely on my Moleskine Weekly Planner to do the heavy lifting however I recently came across this “to do” list  in Real Simple magazine and really like it. It’s more big picture than a typical daily checklist. Of course - finding a few minutes to sit down and think beyond the next 48 hours is the real challenge. In terms of digital planners, I have tried the iPhone app for Remember the Milk . Although it is super intuitive and easy to use, I still find myself jotting things down with pen and paper. I’ll get to paperless …someday!

While my musical listening tastes have always been eclectic, my actual musical knowledge is basically non-existent. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve made some honest efforts through the years. There were drum lessons about 5 years back and last year an 8-week piano course. But like so many parents, the concept of children’s music did not exist for me until I found my son in front of the TV one day, transfixed by Yo Gabba Gabba’s DJ Lance.

Fast forward to now and our recent completion of a Music Together class. If you are as clueless as I once was, Music Together is an “internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program.” Basically you and your kid(s) sing, dance and play instruments for 45 minutes once a week. Locally you will be led by Miss Sondra, an excellent Music Together leader. It’s so popular that classes are available nationally and it was even featured in the Babies documentary. Now we are music-crazy! I find myself buying up all the kid-friendly instruments I can find and reading Zoogobble for the latest info in the space. Boy how times have changed!

As 2010 winds down, I have made some very predictable New Years Resolutions for 2011 that involve the requisite weight loss goal as well as the plan to exercise more, procrastinate less and enjoy more quality time with family and friends.

In addition, I have decided to get  more focused about supporting the Valley’s for-profit businesses and non-profit charities.  

Resolution 1: I am committing to support the 3/50 Project. What does that mean? Well…

The three local businesses I am choosing to support are:

1. Village Food Mart in Hampden, MA. They have great customer service and sell delicious local food at reasonable prices. My family can’t get enough of the whole milk they sell  from Shadow Hills Farm.

2. Kiddly Winks in Longmeadow, MA. Another example of phenomenal customer service. They have unique offerings and always recommend the coolest gifts ideas for kids. Best of all - they will wrap everything you buy. How great is that?

3. Local Yoga Studios – I have enjoyed taking classes in multiple locations in and around the Valley so depending on my schedule, I will continue to experiment with different styles, times and locations in 2011.

Resolution 2: I have signed the One Percent Giving Pledge and committed to give at least 1% of my annual income to philanthropic causes. I will post where my support goes towards the end of 2011

Happy New Year Everyone!!

I came across this print and immediately thought – this could work in a kid’s bedroom or in a play room or even in an elementary school library.

If you are anything like me and have waited until the absolute last minute to finish your Christmas shopping then look no further! I have compiled a list of my favorite holiday gift guides geared towards the little ones.

1. Great Toys at Every Budget from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio - The highlight for me is an affordable version of T’was the Night Before Christmas book with built-in recording machine for homemade audio narration.

2. Curbly Gift Guide: The Best Toys for Creative Thinking - Especially cool for boys 3 and up, the  Ultimate Boys Costume Role Play Dress Up Hat and Accessory Trunk.

3. Heifer International - Teach your kids a valuable lesson about purposeful giving by making a donation in their name to Heifer International. A $20 donation will fund a flock of chicks, ducks or geese and a $30 donation will fund honeybees and the necessary accouterments.

4. Think Geek: Geek Kids - What DON’T I love in this list? Periodic Table Building Blocks are an amazing choice and this is coming from someone who pretty much sucked at science. Rubik’s Cube – who doesn’t need one? I could go on but if I were you I would just head on over there.

5. Etsy Gift Guides – Something homemade and completely unique for everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) on your list.

Happy Shopping!

Heather

P.S. One holiday tradition that’s definitely on my list for next year is the popular Elf on the Shelf which you can buy locally at Kiddly Winks in Longmeadow, MA.

Everytime I find myself in Northampton, MA I love to visit Pinch on Main Street and see what’s new. The work featured is consistently interesting and I often leave wishing I had bought something. So, for the first time last week I bought a piece. It’s a small canvas by Ian Nicholas that features a beautiful Irish blessing. It now resides in our home office and is a welcome addition!

Is it possible to be a true foodie when you absolutely hate to cook? I like to think so. Besides my love of trying new restaurants in the Valley (and beyond), I also love reading foodie blogs and finding unique recipes that  I will more than likely never make. Why? I have no clue but it’s immensely fun.

Here’s a few new ones I’ve discovered. Bon Appetite and Happy Black Friday!

Roasted Beets w/ Goat Cheese

Pomegrante Poached Pears

French Onion Soup Stuffed Mushrooms