Happy Mother’s Day to the Best Mom (Spoiler Alert: It’s Ms. Bear)

momDear Ms. Bear (the BEST mom ever!)…

I’ve written a blog post for Mother’s Day every year since 2009 — whew, that’s a lot of blog posts! But then again, there’s been a lot to say — err, write! Don’t worry, though! As you can see from the last decade, it’s all good things! It’s hard to pack everything you mean to me in just one post, isn’t it? You inspire me, lift me up, keep me honest, make me laugh (especially with your adorableness!) and, of course, love me unconditionally. Just as I love you unconditionally.

Of course, 2020 hasn’t exactly panned out like we thought it would. For the last nine weeks (or has it been 10…? Who even knows anymore…?), we’ve been quarantining together. We’ve had our moments of frustration and maybe a bit of too much togetherness at times — like when you casually drop a hint with “Wow, you’re really chatty today!” — but other than that, I’ve treasured this time we’ve spent at home and there is no one else I’d rather be in the depths of stay-at-home mode with than you!

I was thinking last week about what I wanted to say in this blog post and that’s when it hit me: Over the last nine weeks, I’ve gotten to see a side of you I don’t get to see very often.

momThe side that relaxes and rests.

You’re usually such a bundle of energy, flitting quickly from here to there faster than the Energizer Bunny, that I can barely keep up with you. In fact, I’m usually the one who is telling you to “SLOW DOWN” and “SIT DOWN,” right, Bert? I mean, I get worn out just watching you go, go, go!!

But since we’ve been home, I’ve actually seen you slow down. You’re relaxing. You’re getting the proper amount of sleep. You’re getting out in nature — and following proper social distancing protocols, of course! And you’re, perhaps for the first time ever, listening to your body. It’s quite a sight to behold — one I’m so grateful for.

You and I have always been a team!! Through good times and bad. Through laughter and tears. Through Yahtzee wins and losses. Through binge-watching The Golden Girls multiple times, including right now. You’re the best of the best and my hero for life!! Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!! You’re aces in my book and thank you for everything!! Now, go and sit down, please!! xoxo

Editor’s Note: As I was finishing up this post, Ms. Bear said “Why don’t you put the links to all the past Mother’s Day posts for me!” Well, who am I to deny my lovely mom?? Here you go, for your reading pleasure: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Ms. Bear Memories: On My Childhood Home

childhood home childhood homeThe wonderful Ms. Bear is back on the blog again today, friends! This time, she’s sharing memories of her childhood home, complete with photos!! Enjoy… xoxo

I beg to differ with the old adage, “You can’t go home again.” Of course, you physically can’t transport yourself to the past, but if you work at keeping the memories alive, you can visit anytime you want! Maybe it’s because my parents and my husband are all dead, but I feel I spend a fair amount of time in thoughts of the past. It’s not that I live in the past; it’s just that thinking about it makes me happy!

Maybe that is why this little gift from my sister is so important to me — see the photos above! You see, I grew up in a bi-level house and when I opened this little model, I just about exploded with joy! It looks so much like the house I grew up in…it’s uncanny!

When I think of memories from my house in Lombard, Illinois, I remember it as big. Imagine my surprise when I recently looked it up on Zillow and realized it was only 982 sq feet! There were 5 of us living there, during all my formative years. We had 3 bedrooms and only 1 bathroom! It’s funny, but I don’t ever remember feeling crowded.

childhood homeWhat do I remember about my house growing up?

Well, I remember feeling loved and cared for every day. I remember hot breakfasts in the morning, a lovely sack lunch for school and a hot meal every night, ready as soon as my dad got home from work. I remember my piano and our first color TV! I also remember playing baseball in my backyard, with all the kids in the neighborhood. I remember going from house to house with my friends, getting drinks after riding bikes around the neighborhood. We also had our elementary school park a couple blocks from our house, and you can imagine the fun we had there! When it turned dark, we would bring out our flashlights and play flashlight tag. Of course, we had to be back at my house as soon as the street lights came on. That was non-negotiable!

childhood homeMy house made me feel safe and loved. Things like holidays and weekends really stand out in my mind as family time. I can actually still see all the rooms of my house in my head. I always say my childhood was like something out of The Wonder Years and for that I am so grateful.

That little house on Greenfield will always be part of who I am. It really was the best of times! Thank you, little house, for sheltering us for all those years. I’ll never forget you, my childhood home…

In Which I Compare Myself to Buffalo Wing CHEEZ-IT Crackers

CHEEZ-ITLet’s just get something out in the open right away: You’re probably wondering why in the heck I’d be writing an entire blog post about CHEEZ-IT snacks on a random Thursday…

Well, for one thing, we’re in quarantine, so you know I’m not going out much. And, for another thing, have you ever had CHEEZ-IT?? They are, without a doubt, the most scrumptious, most delectable, most delicious snack in the ENTIRE universe.

When it comes to the world of snacks, I used to be strictly a potato chip gal. Barbecue potato chips, to be exact; in fact, I’d never deviate from those chips as the perfect lunchtime companion. Then a few years ago, my mom taught summer school and started taking CHEEZ-IT crackers for a mid-morning snack and, as they say, the rest is history!

Well, the rest actually looks more like rows and rows of those uber-recognizable red boxes — they line our kitchen drawers and are completely irresistible. We’re not even picky about what flavor is our favorite, either. Some days we’ll break out a box of the Four Cheese flavor. Other days, it’s all about the Cheddar Jack or White Cheddar flavors.

That’s really the beauty of the CHEEZ-IT brand, though: There is something for everyone. A unique taste experience for each unique foodie out there. Maybe that’s why I’m SO shocked that no one told me about the existence of Buffalo Wing CHEEZ-IT. My sister surprised me one day and needless to say, I was VERY surprised! And here I thought I knew all the flavors in the land. Apparently not and it was quite the revelation, let me tell you!

Now, I’ve been known to down a buffalo wing or two in my day — and, yes, I’m still sort of mourning the closing of our local Applebee’s, which served the BEST buffalo wings I’ve tasted in my entire life. So I was prepared for some hotness in these tiny square crackers; I knew they’d pack a powerful punch and that their small size was quite deceiving!

CHEEZ-ITSPOILER ALERT: I was right. Exactly right. These crackers certainly didn’t disappoint.

I tried them for the first time last night, expecting a slight rush of the spicy variety. At first, that’s exactly what I got. I mean, it all seemed innocent enough.

A few seconds passed, which actually felt like minutes. Then a few more seconds. And then…

That’s when the fire was unleashed — it was a roaring confection of all things spicy and hot and, to personify those crackers, a little bit of sassiness too. I could only eat a couple before it felt like my mouth was literally on fire.

Yes, those crackers weren’t at all what they seemed at first glance. But give them a minute and they’ll show you their sass and spice really quickly. They may be small, but don’t let that fool you — they’re nothing if not mighty!

As it turns out, you can say the same thing about me. Maybe you’re the same way and people make up their minds about you too soon. Maybe they’d describe you in a way that is the exact opposite of your actual personality, but once they get to know you, that description changes. Obviously, I’ve given this metaphor a lot of thought. Like I said, I’ve got nothing but time during this quarantine!

CHEEZ-ITSo, friends, what’s your favorite flavor of CHEEZ-IT crackers? Are you more of a spicy or salty fan?? There are so many options and maybe you’ll be like me and discover something about yourself the next time you find yourself snacking!!! xoxo

P.S. Have you weighed in on my funny tweet yet??

P.P.S. And in case you’re wondering: No, this isn’t a sponsored post. I’m just really, really obsessed with this super snack!

Remembering Harry: The Cat Who Made Me a “Cat Lady”

HarryWe lost our lovable, wonderful Harry two years ago today. TWO YEARS. I can’t believe it…

It’s strange because it doesn’t feel like two years. It seems like it was just yesterday when Harry came into our lives and immediately made himself at home; he just fit into our little family so perfectly from the beginning — almost as if he was a missing puzzle piece that completed our puzzle after my father’s death. My mother always says that our little orange tabby needed us and we needed him and that’s so true. We were, indeed, the perfect match for each other.

In fact, I was thinking just this afternoon about the impact little Harry had on my life and you know what? He’s the cat that turned me into a Cat Lady — capitalized, of course, because that distinction is a proper title, after all, isn’t it? I’m actually surprised that I didn’t come to this realization sooner. Before Harry waltzed into our lives (and, yes, he did have a sort of jaunty waltz to his step!), I wasn’t much of an animal person at all. I guess I was a dog person if I had to choose, but I was most certainly NOT a cat person. Cats didn’t have personality, I thought. If you’d seen one cat, you’d see them all, right? They’re aloof and unfriendly and, well, sort of boring. Yes, I know now just how prejudice that type of thinking is! Cats, it turned out, were FULL of spunk and pizzazz and I have Harry to thank for helping me see the glorious light of what happens when you welcome a cat into your life and, maybe more importantly, into your heart.

HarryI mean, not to sound too cheesy, but so many wondrous and enchanting things happened in our lives because of Harry and I hope he knows just how much he meant to all who knew him. He was the most charming, but also wasn’t afraid to give some side-eye at your shenanigans! He’ll always hold a very special place in our hearts and we’ll miss him forever. As we always said, “He was a good boy.” Yes, indeed. He was the very, very best boy.

Do you have any pets, friends? What’s your favorite story of life with your beloved animal friend?? Pets truly are life-changing and I’d love to hear all your stories in the comments… xoxo

P.S. My essay for Redbook from 2016…all about Harry’s awesomeness!

Quarantine Life: Working From Home

quarantineThis week marks the fifth week of quarantine, friends — or is it the sixth week? I seem to be losing track of the days here. Time certainly seems pretty irrelevant right now, doesn’t it?

Take my schedule for working from home, for example. Right now, it feels pretty much nonexistent, which sounds strange because, umm, HELLO, I’ve worked from home the majority of the week for years now.

So…I told myself that last Wednesday would be the day I’d get back to work. I even gave myself an extra week off for my “spring break” and yet…the motivation just isn’t there. Pitching, blog posts — it all seems so overwhelming right now.

But the world is overwhelmed right now, isn’t it? Everything is so precarious, especially on the medical front, but also when it comes to our social and emotional well-being too. The life we knew is changing forever, so continually processing where we are and where we’re going can feel like quite the feat sometimes — OK, it feels like a huge feat all the time!

It all got me thinking about connecting, especially when it comes to working from home during the quarantine. With so many people working from home, I thought it would be cool to see photos of people’s home office! So! Earlier this week, I tweeted, asking people to show off their office digs, complete with this photo of my space — our kitchen table, complete with my framed viral tweet and a Diet Coke, of course! And I love all the responses, including all the cat co-workers out there!! Check out the thread if you haven’t yet — it will definitely make you smile!

I may have experience with working from home, but my mom? Not so much. I applaud her and every single teacher for all they’re doing and I’ve asked my mom to write about her experience today. Her words, as always, are incredibly wise…

quarantineWorking from home is not something I have ever even thought about in 27 years in education. I mean, 650 kids in my house? LOL. Not to mention my short attention span when I am at home (Oh, look, dishes…better put in a load of laundry….is the mail here?). You get the idea!

So, when we started this quarantine (I couldn’t even spell quarantine then, now it just rolls off my keyboard!), I couldn’t imagine what it would be like. However, things have settled into a nice routine. That doesn’t mean, though, that it’s a “fun” time. As we all know, there is a boatload of worry with what is happening with COVID-19. Lots of sadness and fear are present in our country right now. When this first happened, I couldn’t figure out why I felt so out of sorts and unproductive. Then, I did some Googling and found out that’s a real thing from the stress and worry that everyone is under. I have since tried to be more gentle with myself and encourage Melissa and Janelle to do the same. Of course, that doesn’t mean that things are hearts and roses over here. You should have been here yesterday when the three of us were all melting down at the same time. But, we got through it and today, at 5 p.m., which is a bad time around here, we promised each other that we wouldn’t have another day like yesterday, and we all calmed down.

During this time, I hope all of Melissa’s readers can take our advice and try to be gentle with yourselves. Stay healthy and safe, friends, and follow the recommendations for social distancing to keep everyone healthy! Be well…