Black Friday Morning Snapshots

Written by Lee

I am not a morning person. My man is. Thank God. What this means is that on weekends, or holidays, or any days when there is no school, he is awake with the kids and I am asleep in my cozy bed upstairs a million miles away from my mama duties.

On some of these particular mornings, I will be awakened by screams of chaos and I will have absolutely not one millisecond to adjust from sleep to wake. And then my day tends to take on a general feeling of chaotic grumpiness. Not. Good.

Other mornings, I will slowly emerge from my slumber to what I will describe as a lovely buzzing sound of warm family activity. Today was one of these mornings. Thank God.

As I glided downstairs into yet another perfect cappuccino brewed by my personal hot sexy barista, I took a sip and surveyed the scene around me.

Morning snapshots filling me with gratitude and peace and love and complete and utter satisfaction in being right here and right now. This is the feeling I strive for so when it arrives, I inhale it letting it seep into my flesh and bones. This is my mama meditation. And I know it will slip away on another day but this morning I have it. So I will live in it.

It was only 7:30 AM on this Black Friday, but much had been lived and learned since 6 AM when the kids awoke. My camera captured moments of the scene that had been both played out and was still going on.

My man and the kids had already sifted through the Black Friday super sales dreaming of which ones they would go to if any of us were actually motivated to leave the house.


Claire had boldly declared her love for a treat made by Grandma (my mom) that had made the trek across the desert into Claire's tummy. Claire had also taught Daddy who Roy G. Biv was. Daddy claims he was never taught about Roy in school. Could it be true?

I told Claire I briefly dated Roy G. Biv and almost married him. Claire responded, "But you didn't. You married Daddy."


Phoebe, our Love Fairy, was busy doodling away making more fairies - all friends of Tinker Bell - she told me.



Tommy told Claire to "Buffer up!" She had no idea what that meant. Tommy explained this bit of Thomas the Train phrasology and Claire decided that sounded like fun...

...and so train buffering up playing commenced.

And now a little after 10 AM, the hum of a family playing together is still being heard.

It's gonna be a good day. From beginning to end. Of that I am certain.

Because we all have a dream - The Motherhood Muse

Written by Lee

Sometimes people question me as to why I live in Los Angeles. "It's so crowded, it's so expensive, the freeways are ridiculous, the traffic is suffocating, the public school system is in dire straits, it's dangerous, there's no community...." and the list can go on and on.

But I know exactly why I live here. Because it's a city where most everyone you meet is on their way to somewhere. Not literally. Not in physical space. But in their minds and hearts and souls. They are on their way to achieving the dream.

It's a city robust with a population in transition, searching for opportunity, hanging out on the golden sand with the palm trees swaying overhead and reaching for the stars.

There's an energy here that can not be denied. And I like bumping into people bursting with ideas and doing what they can to make those ideas a reality. This energy feeds me.

So today, I am letting the readers of MWOB know of an affiliate of ours who is in the process of bringing an idea to life. I completely and utterly support anyone who is making concrete steps to realize their dreams 'cause for me, it's one of the reasons we're on the planet.

Kimberly from Zook, Book, Nook is launching an online literary magazine for mothers called:

Kimberly is an avid reader and writer and nature lover and mother of two young girls (her second was just born in June!) and this idea came to her this past summer and it is already becoming a reality. The Motherhood Muse will be a place for mothers to convene and stretch their literary muscles as they explore the essential relationship between motherhood and nature.

I know for me that I dig nature like crazy. But I also don't get out into it nearly enough. Kimberly has some ideas on how to get me back to the dirt by myself or with my kids so nature is not just a distant ideal but a reality interwoven into my daily existence.

Part of her mission statement reads:

"This site will help mother writers find freedom, creativity, and privacy in nature, which will encourage our children to play where the wild things are."

Sounds kinda awesome to me.

So I encourage you to go check out The Motherhood Muse and cruise around and see what she's got brewing. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved, to extend your community of women writers and mothers, and to support another creative soul who is reaching for her stars.

Have a great weekend my friends....