Empty Nest

My daughter is off on a week-long trip with her class. She's been on this trip before. In fact, she went on the exact same trip last year. Since we bought a house and moved, she changed school districts and has the fortunate experience of going on a similar trip twice. This is much to my dismay as I had to fork over $200 both times, but I digress ....

My dirt bag husband and I are going through a separation and divorce. He's been taking the kids every other weekend, leaving me in this really big house all alone. Alone? As a mom of three I am pretty much NEVER alone. I have found myself feeling really lonely when my kids are not here. I miss them. Despite the constant chaos and total lack of "me" time, I genuinely miss my kids when they are not around. I guess I am preparing myself for empty nest syndrome when they get older and fly the coop.

;(

Touch-a-Truck in Westport March 27th

This year's event promises a fleet of crowd-pleasing trucks and vehicles, including the Westport Police Department's inflatable Dive Boat, Trumbull's SWAT vehicle, an ambulance, cement mixer, bulldozer, school bus and limousine. This year's event will also feature an exciting, new attraction, "Roaming Railroads: Train Rides for Kids," as well as the return of the "TheAmazingFunBus," a self-contained, mobile party with the latest video games, including the X-box, Wii and Guitar Hero, plus karaoke with hits from Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and other favorites.

The hot dog truck from Herb's Place in Norwalk will be on hand, serving hot dogs, egg sandwiches and more. Local gym class-provider, "My Gym," will be present at the event with a "bounce house" as well as an interactive, tumbling space for all children interested and the Connecticut Humane Society will be in attendance along with some of their furry friends! Face painting and hot chocolate, coffee and baked treats also will be available. Last year, the event attracted 400 families who climbed on, rode in and pushed buttons on a wide variety of trucks.

Back by popular demand, the event will start with a "quiet hour" from 9:30-10:30 a.m., for those truck lovers with more sensitive auditory nerves.

The 2010 Touch-A-Truck event will take place on Saturday, March 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Coleytown Elementary School, 65 Easton Road in Westport. Admission is $20 per family (six or less members).

Proceeds will benefit the Westport Weston Cooperative Nursery School, a NAEYC-accredited preschool, to help fund its continued educational programs for young children. For more information, visitwww.westportwestoncoop.org.

CT-Moms Tag Sale to Benefit the Center for Women and Families

Toys, clothes, electronics, baby gear, house wares, and more! Come shop for a good cause.

CT-Moms, the largest and most active on-line networking organization for Moms in Fairfield County, will be hosting a multi-family tag sale on Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 10am-3pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church; 1200 Shippan Avenue in Stamford. The venue was generously donated by the Church, and the sale is a fundraiser for the Center for Women and Families.
This is CT-Moms' second annual tag sale, and last year's helped raise over $1200 for the Domestic Violence Crisis Center!
With a membership of over 250 local moms, CT-Moms expects more than 30 families to come together to sell wares at this event. Each "seller mom" will be in charge of staffing her own table. There will be no charge for buyers to enter. No early-birds, please.
CT-Moms is the premier online networking organization for Mothers in Fairfield County. Membership to CT-Moms is completely free and we are proud to be an amazing resource, both to our membership as well as to our community. Learn more about CT-Moms at www.ctmomsoline.com.
The Center for Women and Families of Eastern Fairfield County, Inc. (CWF) is dedicated to strengthening women and families and to eliminating violence and abuse through education, intervention, advocacy, and community collaboration. Learn more about CWF at http://www.cwfefc.org.


Event Details & RSVP
----------------------
What: CT-Moms 2nd Annual Tag Sale
Who: CT-Moms
When: Sat Apr 24, 2010, 10 am - 3 pm EST
Where: Our Lady Star of the Sea
1200 Shippan Avenue Stamford, CT

RSVP: http://www.bigtent.com/home/calendar/event/31190950

CT-Moms Diaper Drive 2010!

Posting this on behalf of CT-Moms - a local group that I am a part of.

CT-Moms Diaper Drive 2010!

Calling ALL Local Moms’ Groups, ALL parenting organizations, and local businesses:

Did you know that even though low-income moms can buy junk food and soda using

food stamps, they CAN NOT buy diapers since they are not considered “consumable”

products? Diapers and baby wipes are off-limits to federal food stamps and Women

Infant Children (WIC) programs, leaving low-income moms struggling to afford the

nearly $100 per month cost to diaper a child. While using cloth diapers may seem

like an alternative to the monthly cost of disposable diapers, most licensed day care

centers do not accept cloth diapers due to health concerns. Furthermore, most people

living in poverty do not have access to their own laundry facilities, and most coin operated

laundromats do not allow customers to wash cloth diapers for sanitary

reasons. Struggling to afford basic diapers for a child can lead to health and safety

concerns as well. In poor and low-income families, a baby can spend a day or longer

in a soiled diaper, leading to potential health risks like rashes and infections, and

persistently upset babies which could lead to an increased possibility of child abuse.

We will be accepting all brands of diapers, pullups, wipes, unopened diaper

creams and powders; anything to keep little tushies happy, dry and

protected! We will also collect any coupons, gift cards and check or cash

donations (mailing address below). The monetary donations will be combined

with the coupons and the best value diapers will be purchased and added to the lot.

For your convenience we have drop off locations across Southern Fairfield County. See

below for the location closest to you and email that coordinator for their address and

drop off instructions.

-Stamford can drop off at Trish's house, email her at tfg604@yahoo.com

-Westport can drop off at Medha's House, email her at medha311@gmail.com

-Fairfield can drop off at Lynsey's house, email her at lynsey_lotty@yahoo.com

-Norwalk can drop off at Sabrina's house, email her at sabrinita77@yahoo.com

-Danbury can drop off at Paola's house, email her at psanta5@aol.com

We are also willing to handle diaper pick-ups in Fairfield County. If you or your group

would be interested in joining this cause but need us to pick up your donation, please

contact Medha Thomas at medha311@gmail.com.

We will also accept check or cash donations, gift cards and coupons for this cause.

You can mail any amount – large or small to the address below. If you donate more

than $20 and would like a receipt for tax purposes, please include a Self-Addressed

Stamped Envelope with your donation:

Medha Thomas / CT-Moms

P.O. Box 106

Greens Farms, CT 06883

Over the next month and a half, let's fill these charities with enough diapers to last all year! All diapers donated

and purchased will be divided up and donated to FIVE LOCAL worthy local charities:

-The Domestic Violence Crisis Center (Stamford & Norwalk) http://www.dvccct.org/

dedicated to the task of helping women and children find ways to live in peace, without the

threat of violence, intimidation or abuse

- The Center for Women & Families (Bridgeport) http://www.cwfefc.org/

dedicated to strengthening women and families and to eliminating violence and abuse through

education, intervention, advocacy, and community collaboration.

-Malta House (Norwalk, CT) http://www.maltahouse.org

providing safe housing, parenting guidance, education, job training, mentoring and child care

for single homeless mothers and their babies

-Mi-Casa/My Home (Bridgeport) http://www.gbapp.org/micasa.htm

providing case management services, housing, meals, clothing, life skills, and access to

primary care, day care, and education to pregnant or parenting teens

-The Department of Children and Families (DCF) www.ct.gov/dcf/

protecting the well-being of children and families county-wide. Diapers especially needed for

newborns that have to be retrieved directly from area hospitals for foster placement

Please help us help keep the little tushies in our area dry, healthy and happy! Any

donation will help, big or small. Regardless of who you are, where you live, what

school your children attend or what Moms’ Group you are active in; let’s band

together and help our community.

Au Pair Answer Mom

Cultural Care Au Pair's YouTube channel offers a myriad of helpful videos with answers to commonly asked questions about their au pair program.

This one in particular provides insight into what an au pair is and what they do.

Check it out. Then give me a yodel to learn more! :)


What is an au pair?