Happy Friday, Smarties! We’re excited about a LONG weekend with (hopefully) no kids’ sports…
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I’ve got a major dilemma over here: water bottles. I pack a reusable water…
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Smarty Anne, and I were discussing a very serious topic during our little ones’…
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Happy Groundhog Day and Super Bowl Weekend, Smarties! Who knew February was filled with…
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I have been spending the last two months since the Madonna show silently cussing…
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Wahoo! Friday! We hope you enjoy our Top 5 Pins this week!
1. These Skinny Stuffed Shells look delish minus the guilt.
2. Groundhog Day is coming up and we just think it’s the cutest holiday. Leave it to Pinterest to show us how to be uber crafty on this non-holiday holiday. Could not resist Groundhog Push Up Pops. They make us smile!
3. OK, this might be too “Elf on the Shelf,” but we still thought it was super sweet – Valentine’s Day Love Buckets.
4. Here’s a novel idea: actually healthy Lunchables-type prepared meals for kids – Go Picnic – rumor has it you can find them at some Targets around town.
5. We’re already dreaming about warmer temps. Love this Farrah Jumpsuit from Lilly Pullitzer’s Resort line – now if we could just get the fab resort to go with it…
To stay up to date on the latest Smarty news and tips, follow us on Pinterest, Twitter (@charlottesmarty) and Facebook.
Happy Pinning, Smarties!
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Just when we start relaxing in this quiet lull between holidays, something jolts us back into the reality of mommyhood: it’s almost February, which means most preschools are accepting applications for new students! If this is your first time maneuvering the great big world of preschool, don’t worry. We’ve got your back. We asked Smarty Mom of the Year, Charlotte Shakleford, preschool director at Mouzon United Methodist Church, to share with you some of her tips about how to pick the right preschool for your child.
You can also take a look at the Smarty preschool tips from last year to supplement your research. We have so many amazing preschools in Charlotte – you are sure to find one perfect for your child and your family.
Now here’s Charlotte’s advice on preschool enrollment:
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If there are any doubts about the talent level in the Children’s Theater of Charlotte (CTC), just listen to the first song in “The Secret Garden,” CTC’s latest production. You will be mesmerized and thrilled at Charlotte’s amazing pool of talent. CTC has outdone itself with this one.
If you haven’t read “The Secret Garden” since you were little, let me refresh your memory: little Mary is living in India when her parents die. She is shipped to England to live with her grieving, hunchback uncle whom she has never met. There, she meets a loving chambermaid, Martha, a sarcastically sweet gardener, Ben, and her sickly cousin, Colin. She discovers a secret garden that her Aunt Lily created before her death that has since been neglected. She and her new friends work to restore the garden to its original beauty, and in the process, see the beauty in each other and themselves.
I took my 7-year-old son and his friend to Friday’s performance. Neither had read the book or even heard the story. I knew it would be a little confusing and high-level to them, so I tried to whisper updates to them during the course of the show to explain characters – this seemed to help (except when I told my son’s friend that the man singing was her uncle, and he turned to me and said, “He’s YOUR uncle?” Oh geez).
CTC’s production of “The Secret Garden,” directed by Michelle Long, is a musical – each song is more beautiful than the last with amazing duets and group performances. The ghosts of Lily and Mary’s parents and other “dreamers” appear frequently in song and supplement the storyline. The dreamer idea was confusing at first to the boys, but these spirits ended up being their favorite part.
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Happy Friday, Smarties! Here they are – our top 5 Pinterest Pins of the…
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I’ve coveted it for years. Ever since I was old enough to know who Louis Vuitton was and what made “his” bags so special, I’ve wanted it. It’s a silly thing to covet really – a purse. But this isn’t just any purse; this is my mom’s Louis Vuitton “Speedy” bag.
It’s the bag I most associate with her, and it’s the bag I most associate with my childhood. She bought it before I was born for $100. (You heard me right: $100.) It’s her go-to bag – her first love in the handbag world. Yes, it’s a “designer” bag, but somehow this is Jackie O., not Kim Kardashian.
She always swore my sister and I would never get it – that she couldn’t decide who should be entitled to it so neither of us would win. Well, my sister saved up and bought her own several years ago (after we had a Chardonnay-lunch at Arthur’s in SouthPark and together got brave enough to actually go through with it – obviously she more so than I).
I never invested in one – I am not exactly sure why. Maybe it’s because even with a husband and four kids, I still don’t feel grown up enough to own a Louis Vuitton (or maybe it’s because of the four kids – sports fees, clothes for growing kids, and four 529 plans are my Louis Vuitton – OK and maybe with a little Lululemon mixed in).
