a la mama

My daughter loves Miley Cyrus. She’s eight. I guess it’s that time.

First, my dad gave her a Hannah Montana doll when we were at my brother’s wedding rehearsal dinner.

Then the kids got to watch the Disney channel (the kids have next to zero screen time at home) while we were in Ojai on our family vacation. There were just times…when I needed a break…and there were a lot of back-to-back Hannah Montana episodes on.

“Mom, I just LOVE her,” she said. “She’s just so COOL.” Is she? Is she?

On the one hand, I want to hand-pick/curate all of my daughter’s role models. On the other hand, I know that’s crazy talk. Kids dig who they dig. I had a giant affinity for Olivia Newton-John at her age, but my mom freaked out and said she was a “loose woman, a temptress,” due to her “Let’s Get Physical” song, which I actually thought was just about working out. I didn’t need to be disabused of that notion…but I was.

So I decided to be neutral. And inside, I thrilled a little–she’s getting older! She used to love The Little Mermaid’s Ariel, and now she grooves on a different Disney chica. I just hope Miley doesn’t flame out like Britney and Lindsay. Those Disney princesses tend to pay a stiff price for their renown. If she starts dancing on tables and getting arrested, Honorée does not need to know.

The last time Honorée did some substantial laundry folding in exchange for chore money, she asked me if we could download Miley Cyrus songs as her payment. She sat on my lap and we earnestly evaluated different music samples. She chose four: “Party in the USA,” “Fly on the Wall” (which has a satisfying Joan Jett vibe), “Hoedown Throwdown” (learning those dance steps would be fun), and another one I can’t recall. She and Nathaniel have dedicated dance parties now…it’s darn cute.

At her dad’s house, she gets a steady diet of opera, classical, and musical theater. At my house, it’s Miley, Regina Spektor, Feist, and the Black Eyed Peas. And “Party in the USA” has found its way onto my running playlist. I highly recommend it.

I have 5 Couples Retreat DVD movies to give away. All you have to do is be one of the first five commenters who answers the following question: What is your romantic relationship tip? It can be in the category of “the secret to my successful relationship” or in the loved and lost category: “I learned this the hard way and hindsight is 20/20″ .

COUPLES RETREAT IS ON BLU-RAY HI DEF & DVD FEBRUARY 9!

Off the topic of Valentine’s Day, my poor friend Kathy Pape received this anonymous note today. She lives in a place where it was 64 degrees and she was holding her son in her arms the whole time. Oh, the in-humanity!

So I was wandering around the arts and crafts store yesterday, trying to come up with a valentine craft for Honoree, my second grader. Last year, I thought we were pretty darn fancy with our valentines made out of paper doilies. Each kid got a wee heart-shaped eraser, too. But H. came home with an assortment of valentines and a bit of a long face. There was the felted valentine, the quilted valentine, the knitted valentine, the fired-ceramic valentine. I may be exaggerating a little bit, but…you get the picture. Normally I would say, “Hey, kid, we’re not getting into a competitive craft-off with the rest of your class.” But I actually do like to come up with fun creative projects (if I have five minutes to think about it), and so I vowed to give it a little more attention next time.

Fast forward to yesterday. Wandering the aisles. I didn’t want to purchase any foam sheets. What are they made out of? There was so much merchandising space taken up with foamy stuff. I guess it sells.

I don’t have a sewing machine. We’re not hand-sewing 19 anythings. Um…

I came across small square white glass mosaic tiles, red glass hearts with flat backs, and small round magnets. We glued them together: magnet, tile, red heart on top. Then H. rubber-stamped tracing paper with a heart stamp, using red ink–as simple wrapping paper. Cute, inexpensive, and we have lots of leftover white tiles and magnets for other crafting opportunities.

{Wait a minute. Do they look like tampons, or what? Not so much in real life. It’s a scale thing. “And then mom sent me to school with tampon valentines for the whole class…”}

My friend Pat Chapman, an amazing assemblage artist, gave me another idea: cut lots of printed paper (mostly red and pink) into random small shapes. Glue it on card stock, in an overlapping way, and then cut hearts out of the card stock after it dries. Write your valentine message on the solid side.

My kindergardener, Nathaniel, would LOVE to cut up a bunch of paper. He is my in-house confetti factory…however, he and his classmates are each making one valentine craft and bringing it home. So I dodged a bullet there–I’ll save that idea for next year.

I am so happy when people take advantage of the fact that they know a Mothering editor. Pepper me with questions, y’all! And I am always happy to get even more advice and suggestions for the Q-ers in the form of comments. Spencer went to high school with me, and had really great cast parties after our school plays. As a contextual element, I have included my high school senior portrait.

Here goes:

Hi Candace,

Spencer

Dear Spencer,

I would love 2010 to be half as special as it is going to be for you! Lots of love and blessings to you and your family.
Candace

Anyone else have advice for Spencer? Comment below.