Puddle Jumping in DC

links for 2009-03-30

• repurposeful
  tips for reusing and repurposing
  (tags: blog environment green frugality)

links for 2009-03-29

• Top 20 Ways to Share a Great Blog Post
  (tags: blog socialmedia tips publishing writing)
• TodaysMama
  . . . personal, professional, and parenting resources designed to foster a greater sense of identity, empowerment, and connection for women and mothers everywhere. Just launched a new feature called Connect to give Twitter a run for its money (is there money involved, must be) when it comes to moms.
  (tags: parenting socialmedia women web2.0 moms connect)
• Kelby Carr
  More interesting ideas in social media from a women not at all afraid of self-promotion.
  (tags: blog socialmedia business web2.0)
• Community Marketing Blog
  Interesting suggestions on managing twitter accounts and other social media.
  (tags: Marketing socialmedia web2.0)

links for 2009-03-26

• Shutter Sisters
  collaborative photo blog that welcomes all women with a passion for photography from experts to amateurs alike
  (tags: blog photography inspiration women design photos photo)

links for 2009-03-25

• Scrabble and Other Games Have Overvalued Points - WSJ.com
  Scrabble and a number of other games -- on boards, fields, courts and ice -- have overvalued points, leading to calls for rule changes.
  (tags: news fun culture language scrabble games words competition)
• Home/Work
  A working mom embraces life with four busy kids and a continually buzzing Blackberry.
  (tags: blog mom parenting attachmentparenting teens)

Maya Fighting in the Jardin des Tuileries

Maya Fighting in the Jardin des Tuileries, originally uploaded by Studiojmm.

Apparently, unlike the Spanish bull, Mayas cannot resist the lure of the colorful scarf. They must charge.

Pere Lachaise

It turns out that the zoo in Bois de Vincennes is closed for renovation and since that was a big draw to that park, we went to a cemetery known for its 64,000 ornate and even ostentatious tombs of the rich and famous: Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Eloise and Abalard, and more.

More pics here.

Pooped in Paris

Hall of Mirrors, originally uploaded by Studiojmm.

We're having a lazy day here. With the exception of Mac and Maya nipping to the corner to buy croissants, we hung out in the apartment all morning. At 11, Mac and Alex went to the art museum around the corner (yep) while Maya napped. We're planning a visit to the Bois de Vincennes for running about, a palace(maybe), and the zoo in the afternoon.

We're resting up from a visit to Versailles - part of which Alex keeps referring to as the forced march: the walk from the palace to Marie Antoinette's house. Versailles is tough for toddlers. You can't touch anything - not even the walls or doors. I also would have appreciated a warning that once you went into Le Chateau, there's no exit until you've been through every room - eek. Maya was in need of running around. We thought we were going to stick our head in and see a few rooms, hit the grounds, and then come back for more. No such luck.

Maya liked the Hall of mirrors very much though, even though she couldn't actually go touch them. She also enjoyed the grounds. She didn't care a bit that it's the off-season and there are no flowers yet. It was 60 degrees and sunny (a bit too sunny for us slightly reddened adults who didn't nap in the protection of the Ergo for a bunch of the walk). Sticks and rocks in France are just as interesting as at home, in case you were wondering.

The palace was impressive. I feel like I need to go look up all sorts of stuff. And it was very interesting to contrast the main building with the little estate given to Marie Antoinette. While the inside is distinctly different, following the queens tastes, the grounds are the biggest contrast. The grounds near the palace are as imposing as the building, with little shade and grand walks. There is (or would be were there leaves) more shade further out and, as you get to Le Petit Trianon, you find yourself in an English-style garden and more rustic-looking grounds complete with an entirely fabricated far eastern-style rock and water feature (which I'm really hoping Alex photographed).

Oh well, more tea and snacks . . .

An American in Paris

An American in Paris, originally uploaded by Studiojmm.

I had intended to get a whole blog post done this evening but I hadn't intended Maya to nap through dinner and stay up late. Oh well. She's doing pretty well with the time shift, generally, but this traveling thing is tiring. Anyway, you can track our trip though pictures in my Ah, Paris. set on Flickr.

more changes, basement apartment for rent

Tom is moving.

He's been living here for almost exactly four years. He stuck with us through the basement renovation that upgraded him from a room upstairs to his own in-law suite/apartment. That involved a month or so living in what is now Maya's 6'x9' bedroom while we all lived on the second floor and shared one bathroom.

Finally, the man cut his own bathroom tiles as I installed them (don't remember what Mac was doing that weekend but I'm in charge of all renovation projects that involve goop anyway), helped lay his living room floor (more adventures in goop), and painted to move things along.

hanafuda cards

Renovation II: Moving Day (Jan 2006)

He is also responsible for a long running household Hanafuda addiction that was sadly put on hold until Maya can be trusted not to run away with (and eat) all the cards.

If you know anyone who needs an extremely metro accessible and quite affordable one bedroom apartment starting in April, let me know.

the age of vacuuming begins

It was either get rid of the kid or get a rug.

We finally conceded that Maya running about and dropping toys is really too loud for downstairs tenants.  Much craigslist surfing and carpet cleaning later, the living room has a new look.

Maya seems ok with it.

I'm still getting used to all the visual stimulation.

The camp chair is normally folded up in a corner but it was supporting another area rug (not pictured) as it dried.

As soon as the chair was uncovered, Maya had to sit in it and read a book.

More recent photos on flickr.