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Treat with Benefits: Nutella My first introduction to Nutella was when I was in elementary school in Canada.  We had friends who were from Paraguay and one of their kids was in my brothers class.  I don’t know how it came up, but my brother said that chocolate was a good lunch.  My mom made us the home-made whole wheat bread with an aged cheddar sandwich and carrot sticks and if we were lucky some home made banana bread for dessert so I wasn’t sure where my brother got this idea.  It turns out his classmate was bringing Nutella sandwiches for lunch.  Since then, I’ve lived in France (also as a child) where a common after school snack was a square of chocolate in some baguette leftover from the morning meal.  In our house, chocolate was just a special treat and it definitely was never thought of as a healthy food.  Now as a parent, with finicky eaters, I can see how a sandwich with whole wheat bread, and chocolatey, but also nutty Nutella could have some value.  In our house just as Ovaltine is packed with great vitamins and Nutella has some good protein, it’s still a treat, but one with benefits. I was lucky enough to host a Nutella party at my house recently, where we enjoyed some Nutella with crepes and fruit.  On the right is a classic French (and my daughter’s and my favorite crepe filling) lemon and sugar.  With the Nutella a little went a long way and having the chocolatey nutty filling made it much more filling (at least for me). What I love about Nutella for a party is that it pleases everyone!  I can’t say it is a health food, but it is a food I don’t mind serving my kids, friends and family.  Just like peanut butter, it has a lot of fat and because of the chocolate it is high in sugar, but you can’t eat Nutella and think that you’re not having a sweet treat!  Just like the chocolatey, sugary cereals they sell on television as a “part of this nutritious breakfast” if you add some fruit, fiber, and maybe some crepes made with eggs, then you’ll have a great start to your day. And you won’t have trouble getting someone to help with clean up. There is not doubt that aside from a debate about nutrition chocolate brings something else to the table.  Joy.  Enjoy your Nutella in moderation and call it a day!  Bon appetit! 
Pretty Pretty Unsure Princess 
Classes We’re Taking Parents are always asking one another about dance classes, music classes, and other activities.  There are tons of resources out there, but sometimes they just become a little too overwhelming.  Here is what we’re taking and I’ll include what we took when the kids were younger so that everyone can find something!



This is a work day for me, but we would head over to Sharon Simon’s Music Together Class over at the Deborah Mason School of Dance (another great place I hear, but haven’t tried classes there yet.)


We start our day off with a little playtime in my daughter’s class and occasionally we stick around to help with a cooking project, then it is off to gymnastics for tumble tots with Lynn at the Gymnastics Academy of Boston (in Cambridge).


We have swimming lessons at Boston University, which are great.  We have piano lessons at the Yamaha Music School in Lexington and the learn to skate program at The Skating Club of Boston.  It’s a busy day, but we manage to find time to fit it all in and still enjoy the weekend.

We haven’t tried any of the team sports either.  I’m kind of on the fence about team sports for micro, mini, teeny, totsy, or whatever they call it.  If you are interested though, there are the super soccer stars, and micro soccer as well as the local “farm leagues“.


Conversations: On Love and Nipples Part I:

Love:  If you’re going to dis me dis me like this.

As we sipped our waters and lemonades, Henry said, “Mommy, I love you.”  My response was first, “Henry, do you need to go potty?”  It’s not as weird as it sounds…trust me.  Somehow “I love you.” became code for “I need to go potty.”  This time it wasn’t, so I added, “I love you too, Henry.  I love you as big as the sky.”  Then he replied, “Mommy …  I don’t love you … um, I don’t like you  … I don’t like you when you leave me.”

“I know.”  I replied.


Nipples:  What are these?

As we sit and chat a while, Henry rubs his chest and asks, “Mommy, what are these?”  “They are nipples.”  I reply.  He rubs them and asks how they come off.  I explain that just like our nose, and fingers and fingernails they are part of us and they’re supposed to stay there.  He thinks for a minute and then says, “Mommy, I think that if you eat round foods, that’s where these come from.  That’s how they get on you.”

Not sure if he’ll be wanting any more carrot “coins”  or should I say “nipples” for dinner.


First Full Week of Spring


Spring is in the air and so is music.  Inspire your little virtuoso with an outing to the Symphony Hall for a family concert with the talented Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra.  There’s nothing like children to inspire children.  Children are free and adult tickets are $20. (Saturday March 27th at 11:00)

Majestic Yoga, a cute little yoga studio in Huron Village now offers wonderful children’s yoga classes on Friday afternoons.  It is a great way to end the week and start the weekend grounded, relaxed and open to whatever comes their way.  My daughter loves Tara who keeps the class moving along with stories, soothing rites, and child appropriate yoga poses.  Classes are available on a drop in basis.  Hi Rise is a great pre-yoga stop or post yoga treat. (Fridays 2:45 for ages 2.9 – 4 and 3:30 for ages 5 – 11 )

If tacos are calling your name then you’ll be glad to know that El Pelón Taqueria has reopened after their fire at a new location 2197 Commonwealth Ave./ Brighton Ma 02135/Phone: 617-779-9090.

Planning for Passover? Give yourself a break whether you love to cook it all or you love to cater it all.  There are so many options.  Tony Maws has his seder open to guests at Craigie on Main for goodness sake!  If you haven’t gotten to the point where you’re saying “Next year at Craigie!” then check out these other Passover menus to help you get it all done while keeping your sanity.  Formaggio Kitchen, Wilson Farm, Bakers’ Best, Russo’s, The Butcherie, or Whole Foods.

We’re not quite getting to farmer’s market season, but it is fast approaching.  Start prepping your raised beds and plant some seeds in egg cartons or newspaper pots and soon you’ll have your own farmer’s market spread.  We uncovered some nice baby chives as we cleared the leaves from our yard this weekend.


Have you looked at your children’s feet lately?  Are they still wearing their Uggs or Kamik boots trying to climb the spider web at the playground?  Do their shoes look smaller than their socks?  The Stride Rite Outlet at the Arsenal Mall is having a buy one get one 50% off sale.  It’s the perfect time for a fitting and a seasonal update in the shoe department.


Camp Registrations continue…

Massachusetts Audubon Camps

Meadowbrook Day Camp

Fayerweather Street School Camp

Summer at Park

Shady Hill Day Camp

Arsenal Center for the Arts Camp

Boston.com Camp Guide

Family Camp


Redefining the Glitterati

We had a late dinner, did the walk around the block with daddy, a “night night” game of marble track and then it was off to bed.  After a valiant effort, daddy came downstairs saying “Henry wants a little ‘nuggle before he goes to sleep.”  I go up give him a hug and kiss and head back downstairs.  A few short seconds later I hear “Mommy, you didn’t ‘nuggle a little bit.”.  What he really wants is for me to lie next to him so he can play with my hair until he falls asleep.  “I’ll be there in a minute.” I say, as I continue looking on craigslist, freecycle, and bizrate.com for a keyboard for Isabelle to practice piano on.   A few seconds later it is quiet and I continue my frustrating search for a good but inexpensive keyboard.  “I guess he’s asleep.”  I comment to my husband. In the morning, Henry was up first and as we clomped down the stairs he says, “Mommy my eye hurts.”   I respond “You probably have glitter in your eye.  Let me see.”  Sure enough a little blue square of glitter sat right in the corner of his eye by the bridge of his cute little nose.  “That’s what you get for dumping out all the glitter.” I thought to myself.  And another day began.

from → Boston, Fatherhood, Motherhood, Parenthood, Pregnancy 101