I have written several times about the joys and angst of my children playing soccer. I get frustrated by the competitiveness and horrible way parents behave sometimes and wonder what we are teaching our kids with examples like that to…

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• US Womens Soccer US Soccer Cards Sports Collectibles

Continue reading → A Soccer Mom’s New Eyes

It’s so ingrained in our culture that one doesn’t have to understand a lick of French to know what RSVP means. Répondez, s’il vous plaît is a polite request that the invitee let the party host if they will be…

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• French Bulldog Dog Animals Collectibles

Continue reading → RSVP Does Not Mean “If You Wish”

There’s nothing like spending one to two hours a day reassuring employees and co-workers that they will probably not be laid off when you’re a busy working mom with no extra time. Well, besides the fact that I’m really not…

• Deals Sun Valley Idaho Skiing Vacation

• Deals Waterville Valley New Hampshire Skiing Vacation

Continue reading → Scary times in the Valley

I never wanted to be a Mervyns mom. My mom is a Mervyn’s mom. I like to think of myself as an Anthropologie sale rack kind of gal. Growing up, my mom used to take us to Mervyns as part…

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• Growing Up Girls Enesco Decorative Collectible Brands Decorative Collectibles Collectibles

Continue reading → Farewell My Inner Mervyns Mom

Although the election was a week ago, I find myself wondering how parents voted as a group, i.e. what percentage voted for McCain versus Obama. Every other demographic has been broken down for us in the media–the young, the old,…

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• Hard to Find Romance Audio Books

Continue reading → The Parent Vote

As a single dad with half-time custody, I straddle the worlds of parenting and dating. One night I’m helping my son with math homework, or discussing Hawthorne’s use of light and darkness with my daughter. The next night I’m on…

• Night Lights Lamps, Lighting Collectibles

• Night Cream Skin Care Store

Continue reading → High Cost of Company

Here we are at book club again at Silicon Valley Moms Group, as announced last week, and Silicon Valley Moms Blog is hosting. Today, we are talking about The White Trash Mom Handbook, authored by our own Michelle Lamar from…

• Deals Sun Valley Idaho Skiing Vacation

• Deals Waterville Valley New Hampshire Skiing Vacation

Continue reading → Parenting for the School Aged Years - A book club for The White Trash Mom Handbook

I forgot to thank my grandma for the thank you card. My mom passed along the inquiry, “If you received it, Akemi, please just call her and tell her you received it.” “But Mom!” I want to whine, but I…

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• Card Shuffler Casino Collectibles

Continue reading → Thank You for Thanking Me

Veteran’s Day is one of those holidays that I think many people glaze over. It is not tied to a three day weekend. It doesn’t have a huge shopping sale associated with it. There is no big Hallmark card section…

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• Civil War Veterans Items Civil War 1861-65 Militaria Collectibles

Continue reading → Veteran’s Day

This evening, my children and close friends returned to the Palo Alto corner of El Camino Real and Embarcadero. Directly across the street from the entrance to Stanford University and Palo Alto High School, we joined hundreds of friends, old…

• High School Romance Books

• Ken Same-Size Friends Friends Family Barbie Contemporary 1973-Now Dolls Dolls Bears

Continue reading → Palo Alto Prop 8 Vigil

Dear Sloane Citron, Founder and Publisher of Gentry Magazine. You just knew that we were going to have to comment on your latest November 2008 Gentry article, A Diverse Story. Written by Sloane Citron, Founder and Publisher of Gentry Magazine….

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• By Publisher Bronze Age 1970-79 Comics Collectibles

Continue reading → WTF Gentry Magazine… Sloane Citron on DIVERSITY

Has anyone noticed the recent epidemic of ads featuring enlargements of the male “vital organ?” Have I been blind or has there been a marked increase in ads for the male enhancement medication Vimax? An inundation? A virtual flooding of…

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• Time Travel Romance Audio Books

Continue reading → “Male Enhancement” Ads Should Be In “Prime Time”

I’m always astonished at the amount of energy my children have. From the moment they rolled over for the first time, it seems, each began a journey of perpetual motion which has, well, never stopped. My husband and I learned…

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• Time Travel Romance Books

Continue reading → These boots were made for walkin’

On Halloween night, my kids and I approached the final target in our forty-house candy shake-down. Their goal was to get one last treat, mine was to be friendly with the neighbor. Earlier that night in a courtyard, teenagers dressed…

• Night Lights Lamps, Lighting Collectibles

• Night Cream Skin Care Store

Continue reading → Neither a Trick Nor a Treat

We all know that times are tough right now. No matter where you live, families everywhere are struggling to make ends meet. But I’m feeling pretty lucky right now. I’m so relieved I’m not one of those moms who’s just…

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• Tee Times Green Fees Golf

Continue reading → Firing the Housekeeper

Last week, my daughter asked me one of her “back when you were a little girl” questions, and in response I mentioned hand-me-downs. It surprised me when she interrupted to ask what they were. I have one older sister, and…

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• Back of Book United States Stamps

Continue reading → Back to Basics

Join us next Wednesday, November 12th as the writers on Silicon Valley Moms Blog and our sister sites discuss the book, The White Trash Moms Handbook, authored by our own Michelle Lamar from Deep South Moms Blog. About The White…

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• Deals Big White British Columbia Canada Skiing Vacation

Continue reading → The White Trash Moms Handbook: A Book Club Day coming up next Wednesday, November 12th

You’ve heard about the drop-off playdate, that lovely invention that allows busy mommies a bit of free time and active kiddos a chance to torment someone besides their little brother. Okay, I’ve never actually dropped my kids off anywhere specifically…

• Time Travel Romance Books

• Time Travel Romance Audio Books

Continue reading → The Pick-up Playdate

I am sitting with my three boys and husband explaining why this moment, that Barack Obama is now President Elect, is historic (the first time a white-majority country has ever elected a nonwhite head of state). We talked about the…

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• Current Year, Next Year Calendars Paper Collectibles

Continue reading → My 6 Year Old Said: I Want The Guy With The Dark Skin To Win

Today is THE day. V Day. Voting Day! No matter what your party affiliation, this is a big day. No matter if you are loving every minute of this year’s political scene or counting the minutes until the mayhem is…

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• Republican Party US Political Historical Memorabilia Collectibles

Continue reading → Getting into the spirit!

This past week I have been feeling ill - nauseous, tired, run down. As moms you know, I sound pregnant don’t I? I am not, but I sure was worried. My family is covered under COBRA health insurance, which means…

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• Health Beauty Advertising Collectibles

Continue reading → Vote YES on Santa Clara County Measure A

“Do NOT throw those toys down onto the ground! You’ll break it” I said to my son in frustration. It was the third time he decided to throw down the special Transformers his grandpa had brought back from an international…

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• Plush Toys Contemporary 1968-Now Disneyana Collectibles

Continue reading → No More Toys!

This morning, I drove down the streets of my Palo Alto neighborhood and started to take pictures with my Sony DSLR. I have walked past these homes hundreds of times and smiled at my neighbors. “My Peeps”, as some of…

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• Tee Times Green Fees Golf

Continue reading → What Are The Political Lawn Sign’s In YOUR Neighborhood?

At the beginning of the Iraq war, people were called “Un-American” for not supporting the war and our troops. At the height of the troop surge, there was also a surge of patriotism. Flags proudly flew, and in some cities,…

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• People Postcards Collectibles

Continue reading → Where has freedom of speech gone?

When I moved to San Francisco after college, I had as many gay friends as straight ones. We went dancing together, cooked each other dinner, teased each other mercilessly about our boy and girlfriends and sat up late into the…

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• Political Autographs Collectibles

Continue reading → In which the political becomes deeply personal

Like all tragedies, it happens more often than any of us might think: an expecting mom goes into the hospital with happy anticipation (and physical pain, of course…but perhaps not mental, not yet) and finds herself, two to four to…

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• Happy Birthday Barbie Barbie Dolls Barbie Contemporary 1973-Now Dolls Dolls Bears

Continue reading → When a new mom wants to die

My experience with computers go back to the days of being one of the first people to program on the Apple Lisa when our school district finally scrounged enough bake sale coins to get one for our jr. high school….

• High School Romance Books

• High School Romance Audio Books

Continue reading → Not that I’m paranoid or anything but ….

Finding balance in life is a real trick. I’m sure most of us struggle with it for most of our lives. Prioritizing what really matters with what I have to get done with what I want to be doing…it can…

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• Real Estate Opportunities

Continue reading → The Eternal Quest for Balance

This presidential election has been fun. I’ve never followed one more closely, in fact, the Democratic primary process was a downright adrenaline rush. But I must say I am ready for it all to be over. The last few weeks…

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• Democratic Party US Political Historical Memorabilia Collectibles

Continue reading → I don’t ‘heart’ Sarah Palin

I hate shopping. HATE it. I can never seem to find what I want, within the price that I want, and I end up leaving empty-handed and frustrated. Now that I have kids, this feeling has been exacerbated three times…

• Tee Times Green Fees Golf

• Hard to Find Romance Books

Continue reading → A new reason to go to the Mall

Many of you Silicon Valley Moms may have seen the giant photo of my neighborhood featured on the cover of the Local section of the San Jose Mercury News yesterday. The title of the article summed up what is happening…

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• Local US Political Historical Memorabilia Collectibles

Continue reading → Same-Sex Marriage Debate Makes Me Wonder — Do Bigots Live Here?

Some friends of mine – we’ll call them Lucy and Fred – are divorced. They live in the same town and share equal custody of their two children, friends to my kids. Lucy is in charge of all things child-related…

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• Ken Same-Size Friends Friends Family Barbie Contemporary 1973-Now Dolls Dolls Bears

Continue reading → I want a divorce!

With the economy going down the drain, it’s been pretty stressful cutting expenses. It’s not just a matter of investments losing value, but the reality of what a downturn in the economy jeopardizes: jobs and the cost of living. And…

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• Fire Escape Ladders Home Security Home Improvement

Continue reading → My House, My Escape Hatch No More

I drove by my ex-wife’s house the other day and noticed it was decked to the hilt with spooky stuff for Halloween. There were pumpkins on the porch, cobwebs all over the yard, a tombstone, a witch, and a sword-stabbed…

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• Pumpkins, Jack-O-Lanterns Contemporary 1960-Now Halloween Holiday, Seasonal Collectibles

Continue reading → Holiday Decorating Gene

Let me see if I have this straight. Governor Palin, candidate for the Vice President of the United States of America, won’t “come out” for any more public venues where she would have a chance to inform the country of…

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• United States Stamps

Continue reading → Governor Palin “Comes Out” for SNL

So, it happened. My six and four-year-old boys cornered me in the bed (how apropo, no?) during story time and brought all Geronimo Stilton storytelling to a halt by asking “Mom? How does the baby really get into the mommy’s…

• Time Travel Romance Books

• Toy Story Pixar Collectibles Contemporary 1968-Now Disneyana Collectibles

Continue reading → Va-Chinas and Sneezing Penises

Susan wanted to sell her Mama Guilt recently over in Chicago, and while no, I don’t need to buy anymore (thank you very much), it sure brought up guilt pangs of my own. I thought I had it under control….

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• Weed Control Pest Weed Control Gardening Plants Yard, Garden Outdoor Living

Continue reading → Save me from the Horrible Guilt

Okay, so it is a little late to be talking about summer vacation, and it is still a bit early to talk about holiday breaks, but my family has been skipping town on a regular basis during the last month…

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• Deals Alaska Skiing Vacation

Continue reading → Let’s Go on Vacation!

I found out yesterday I would be talking today with Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Senator Joe Biden, who may in two weeks be the wife of the Vice President-Elect. Knowing I would have time for perhaps one question only,…

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• Jill, Jeff Jan Vogue By Brand, Company, Character Dolls Dolls Bears

Continue reading → Talking Education with Jill Biden

Dear Elsie Floriani, Founder/Executive Editor of Gentry Magazine. Yes, it is that time again… another Gentry WTF! We were kind of hoping that our last Gentry WTF would have changed the type of garbage that you published. I have received…

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• One of a Kind Artist Bears Dolls Bears

Continue reading → Another WTF GENTRY MAGAZINE

When the dot-com bubble burst in Silicon Valley back in lates 90s, I was a recent college grad. I hoped that my entry-level salary and my passion to get the job done would keep me employed while nearly every start-up…

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• Bubble Baths Bath Body Store

Continue reading → Riding “it” Out

Our own little silicon-valley-family-economy has been going down hill for a while. First my husband decided to pursue his dream job, which, lets just say, doesn’t have a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow five year plan….

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• A Simple Plan A Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia

Continue reading → When Will it End?

The statement that arrived last month showed our college savings down, but I tried to stay optimistic. I told myself it’s a set back, but we have time for things to bounce back. However, now, a few weeks later, my…

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• Back of Book United States Stamps

Continue reading → When Will We Be Hit?

First, it was Sarah Palin that scared me. Now it is the economy. We all must be having similar conversations at the dinner table. What is happening to our world economy? What the hell has just happened to our 401k…

• Bubble Baths Bath Body Store

• Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely Women Discount Fragrances Store

Continue reading → Will The Bubble Burst In Silicon Valley….and why I am scared!

My Dearest Silicon Valley Target, Let me just start out this note by reassuring you that I love you. I will always love you. But, we have to start seeing less of each other. We can’t just go on this…

• Love Romance Books

• Love Romance Audio Books

Continue reading → The End of a Love Affair

When news of the government bailout initially broke, I’ll admit it, I wasn’t too alarmed. Generally I’m an optimist, plus, we didn’t get in over our heads with a gigantic unaffordable mortgage. And we certainly didn’t rack up tons of…

• Government Advertising Collectibles

• Forest Service Government Advertising Collectibles

Continue reading → Small Ripples of Uncertainity

I have a secret that I don’t share with many people: while I am immersed in technology for business and social networking, I only introduce technology to my kids on an “as requested” basis. I believe when kids are ready…

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Continue reading → Homework 2.0

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you know that the stock market decline has been to topic of conversation on every news stations, newspaper and blog. You know that ALL our savings and retirement accounts are losing value….

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• Gas Stations Gas, Food, Lodging Postcards Collectibles

Continue reading → Topic Day: THE ECONOMY

So yesterday mid-morning I got the following email from one of my 4-yr-old’s silicon valley preschool teachers:Your son has been testing the school boundaries on acceptable language. After we explained to him that “we don’t talk about guns at school”…

• High School Romance Books

• High School Romance Audio Books

Continue reading → Guns and Poo Holes and Chickens, Oh My!

I was stunned, surprised, mildly amused, and thinking either way this turns out, America will have someone my age leading her. That’s where the emotional impact of Sarah Palin ended for me. Although I share some of her (rather confused…

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• Impact Drivers Wrenches Corded Drills Power Tools Tools Home Improvement

Continue reading → The Association Argument