I found myself crying today for no good reason. Or maybe it was, in the interest of time. I'd been reading Neil Gaiman short stories on a five-hour drive through ice with ten-year-old feet in my face and sports on the radio so loud I couldn't hear myself think. I had one of those moments where you just want everyone to go away so you can remember what you were trying to do in the first place.

I couldn't remember. So I cried. It was awful and embarrassing, and my daughter reminded me of the time I cried in We Bought a Zoo, and I realized I've become that mother whom you can't bring anywhere.

Fuck it.

I cried because sometimes in the midst of it I forget what I was starting to do snd how important it seemed at one time to get the stories out. And even if, over time, they start to seem more silly, I should remember that since the dawn of time stories are important.

My husband, dear man, told me to carve out time instead of crying, and that does seem more useful (smart bastard) so tonight I scheduled appointments with myself on Tuesday nights and Saturday afternoons. I will work on my stories when I am not exhausted because they and I deserve that. And, if I am honest with myself, because my husband snd daughter encouraged it and said they would occupy themselves elsewhere while I did.

It is hard to be a mother and pursue a dream at the same time. I realize what a huge gift I've been given to be encouraged to grow by my family.

So I pick up my book and my notebook and schedule meetings with myself in off hours, because I promised myself years ago I would keep reaching, no matter what.

*reaches*

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you enjoyed a great week! Despite it being another scramble of a week (I'm basically ready to say goodbye to January), I'm feeling in such happy spirits because my sister and her baby are visiting...hooray! Also, it's Friday and also National Pie Day (he are 10 pies you'll want to try), and it's time to think about the weekend. Here are 21 events to consider via the Weekend Roundup:

1. An afternoon of outdoor winter fun. (Andover)

2. Matt Roberts: Laughs and Illusions one of a kind interactive magic show. (Arlington) 

3. Grab your camera and warm coat and hop aboard a winter wildlife cruise. (Boston)

4. Explore assistive technology with Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital! (Boston)

5. OSHOGATSU 2015 - Japanese New Year's Celebration. (Boston)

6. Shake off the winter cold and warm up in the tropics. (Boston)

7. Kids intro to digital photography. (Boston)

8. Juggling, magic and wacky antics with Davey the Clown. (Brookline)

9. Final weekend for The Pied Piper of Hamlin puppet show. (Brookline)

10. Explore the science of dinosaurs. (Cambridge)

11. Tim Seston concert and CD release party. (Concord)

12. Everything you ever wanted to know about North American birds of prey. (Ipswich)

13. Creature Feature live animals presentation. (Gloucester)

14. Ben Rudnick Family Works benefit show. (Natick)

15. A winter stringfest and instrument petting zoo. (Newton)

16. No snow is no problem at this winter open house. (Princeton)

17. Learn about ONE, international development and the fight against global poverty. (Somerville)

18. A winter day to work and play the old fashioned way. (Sturbridge)

19. It’s time to start thinking about summer camp. (Sudbury)

20. Support the Greater Boston Food Bank and have brunch for a cause. (Various locations)

21. Have tea with Queen Elsa. (Wenham)

Image credit: The Trustees of Reservations

I love pie. There's something so homey and happy about homemade pie and I always lobby to contribute pies for Thanksgiving potluck. However, pie is awesome all year round and tomorrow (January 23) is National Pie Day. I don't need a holiday to eat pie, but hey, I'll take the inspiration! Here are 10 pies to try, tomorrow or any day. I think my 2015 resolution will be to make all 10 of these pies by the year's end.

Click through the links below for full recipes, additional images, and further culinary inspiration from these amazing pie-loving bloggers!

1. Laurel recently introduced me to brownie pie (a true stroke of baking brilliance) and this brownie pie recipe looks similar in composition.

2. I adore coconut and this coconut cream pie looks simpler than a recipe I've used in the past. I can't wait to try it!

3. This French coconut pie (yes, I meant it when I said I adore coconut) looks like a macaroon in pie format. Sign. me. up.

4. Don't feel like firing up the oven? Try this no-bake peanut butter pie. Mmm...peanut butter.

5. S'mores. Great on a stick, even easier to eat as s’mores pie.

6. Got lactose issues? Not a problem with this chocolate tofu pie. I was surprised by how good it was...I was a little skeptical at first, despite being pro tofu!

7. This lemon meringue pie is a major favorite in our house; Laurel mastered it for Thanksgiving! The photo below is of her final product -- impressive, no?

8. Two words. Crack pie.

9. Enjoy two fruity servings with less guilt (that math totally works, right?) with this strawberry pie.

10. Quick and easy caramel pie. I think I'm going to surprise Laurel with this soon. She will FREAK OUT.

Image credits: all images via linked sources above

I met author Margaret Dilloway when I was managing the BlogHer Book Club. We discussed and reviewed her first book, HOW TO BE AN AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE, and her second book, THE CARE AND HANDLING OF ROSES WITH THORNS. Since then, we've grown friendly and I even got to have dinner with her at last year's BlogHer conference. When author Angélique Jamail gave me the opportunity to interview another author for Women Writer Wednesdays on her blog, I picked Margaret. I hope you enjoy the interview! We discuss craft, her favorite of her books, her career and more!

For the book club discussions:

• HOW TO BE AN AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE
• THE CARE AND HANDLING OF ROSES WITH THORNS

Looking for an indoor adventure? Read on to learn more about 5 Wits via Lindsey + enter to win a ticket giveaway!

My children, husband, and I recently headed to Patriot Place in Foxboro to experience 5 Wits, a "cutting-edge, live-action entertainment venue that immerses participants in realistic, hands-on adventures." There are two adventure experiences at 5 Wits, one called Espionage and one called 20,000 Leagues.

Each adventures takes about an hour and immerses you in a high-stakes, drama-filled experience of trying to solve a mystery. In Espionage, you're cracking codes, dodging lasers, and trying to find a corporate mole. In 20,000 Leagues you're solving geography puzzles, building gears that work together to drive a motor, and tweaking a chemistry experiment in order to try to return to the surface of the ocean. In both cases, the 5 Wits team is energetic and well-trained and the technology that underlies each adventure is well thought out and compelling.

During the brief break between the two adventures, we figured out that 5 Wits refers to using all five senses to solve the mysteries. I asked my children what they liked best about 5 Wits, and this is what they had to say:

Whit (9): "I thought it was really exciting!  You had to actually put your mind to things and it was so much more interesting and interactive than a regular museum."

Grace (12): "I thought that it was a one-of-a-kind experience and a lot of fun! The people there were super nice."

+ + + + +

Are you ready for intrigue and adventure? To win a four-pack of combo tickets* to 5 Wits, simply leave a comment below by noon Friday, January 23, 2015. Be sure to include your e-mail in the e-mail field so we can contact you if you win (note: your e-mail will NOT appear publicly when the comment is posted). Easy peasy!

*One winner will receive one (1) four-pack of combo tickets (package value = $92) to 5 Wits, Patriot Place, Foxboro.

Last week I attended the Boston Auto Show via a partnership with Chevrolet and SheBuysCars and it was a truly fascinating experience. I’m by no means a car freak, but I do use a car daily and think about design and usability daily. I learned so much about design research and urban mobility (Chevrolet designer Wade Bryant had me hinged to his every thoughtful word!), and a Women in Automotive panel especially struck a chord with me.

During the panel, moderator Scotty Reiss asked Betsy Flegg (Chevrolet), Michell Lander (General Motors), and Tina Mahoney (Best Chevrolet in Hingham) about their best car shopping advice for women. As these ladies shared their advice, it struck me that their tips extended way beyond car shopping and into the domains of work, parenting, and relationships. Here were the key takeaways I thought you might find helpful.

1. Do your research. A car is a big investment (obviously) -- one worth researching! The panelists recommended using resources such as Consumer Reports, Edmunds.com, and SheBuysCars for comparative research. They also recommended Google’ing dealer reviews (brilliant...never thought of that!), crowdsourcing friends and family, and also asking complete strangers you see driving a car you're interested in (e.g., at a coffee shop, parking lot), given that they'll likely be candid since they have no relationship with you. Similarly, research is so key with many parenting/life choices, though I do advise against driving yourself crazy via the quest for the one perfect solution -- it usually doesn’t exist (totally speaking from experience here)!

2. Know what your needs are. As with many work and personal situations, it's important to outline and make explicit your needs/priorities when car shopping. I'm a big fan of writing down your priorities so you don't lose sight of them in the face of other incoming information and options. Tina Mahoney (who totally awesomely rose the ranks from cashier to sales manager at Best Chevrolet) made the smart recommendation of bringing key things you usually travel with (e.g., stroller, luggage) to make sure your car fits your needs. Super smart.

3. Take a test drive. Related to #2, it’s important to take a test drive to figure out if a vehicle is right for you, or whether there are options that may be right that weren’t even on your radar (here's where the needs/priority list comes in handy...a car dealer could help you learn about other options depending on your needs). It made me think how enormously helpful it was for me to “test drive” careers when I was in college via internships and mentoring programs; the processes of which helped me rule out law, child psychology, and politics! I’ve also heard -- particularly from women exploring new careers after leaving the workforce to raise kids -- how helpful it is to go into a new employment situation with a 3-6 month test drive period.

4. Be confident. Like many things in life, confidence goes a long way. If you're armed with the knowledge, experience, and reflection from tips #1, #2, and #3 above, you will be in a good position! However, if you're really nervous about a situation (car shopping or otherwise), I recommend practicing your opening line/asks out loud. Having a loose script -- so you're not fumbling for words -- helps a lot!

5. Know what your deal breaker is. I loved Michell Lander’s advice to know what your deal breaker is when shopping for a car. And I find this to be 150% relevant to work negotiations! In fact, whenever I'm negotiating a new client project I always explicitly map out the expectations, deliverables, and ideal compensation...and internally make note of my deal breaker line so I'm ready to negotiate if there is push back on my proposal.

It was so interesting to be on the floor at the auto show and to engage with the Chevrolet and SheBuysCars teams in depth. In addition to clearly putting a lot of thought and resources into their work, I love that Chevrolet also commits to social responsibility, and it's wonderful that SheBuysCars is working to help women gain the confidence and experience in a consumer domain that is often male dominated!

Image credits: Christine Koh

Disclosure: I attended the Boston Auto Show as a compensated ambassador of Chevrolet and SheBuysCars. All expressed opinions are, of course, my own.

Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying a lovely weekend! It's been a very good one here, and I'm sharing the Weekly Blueprint early because there are a lot of options for tomorrow, including programming in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There's a link for service projects below, and also, check out this collection of ideas for engaging kids in volunteerism, 8 ways to declutter for good, and 8 ways to donate winter gear to kids in need.

January 19: Design, build, and explore a mini city constructed completely out of cardboard. (Acton)

January 19: Celebrate MLK by creating a child of the world doll. (Arlington)

January 19: Belmont World Film Festival celebrates Dr. King. (Arlington)

January 19:  An open house at the MFA in honor of MLK Jr Day. (Boston)

January 19: Special access to the Children’s Museum for some very special kids. (Boston)

January 19: Celebrate the life and leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. (Boston)

January 19: Enjoy music and hear distinguished leaders speaking Dr. King’s words. (Boston)

January 19: Learn more about zoo careers and conservation. (Boston)

January 19: Help create a community art mobile as a reminder of MLK Jr’s dreams. (Easton)

January 19: Pajama party concert with SteveSongs. (Lexington)

January 19: Ivy and Bean the musical. (Newton)

January 19: Josh and the Jamtones MLK Day bash and DVD release party. (Newton)

January 19: Honor Dr. King’s memory with service projects. (Various locations)

January 19: Family hike to Little Prospect Hill. (Waltham)

January 19: Learn about the year round bird residents of the Charles River. (Waltham)

January 19: Stamp activities, stamp scavenger hunts and design your own Dr. King stamps. (Weston)

January 20: Hop aboard the rockin’ railroad. (Wellesley)

January 21: Food for Thought Film Series: Y.E.R.T (Harvard)

January 21: Fill your day with art and play. (Lincoln)

January 23: A festival of music, stories, plays and activities promoting financial literacy. (Boston)

Image credit: Museum of African American History

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're having a great week! This has been another unusually crazy week for me (between caregiving and work things) but things are slowly smoothing out and I'm really looking forward to a (hopefully low key) weekend. It's also a little quiet around town but if you're looking for something to do, enjoy today's collection of events via the Weekend Roundup:

1. Design, build, and explore a mini city constructed completely out of cardboard. (Acton)

2. Boston’s hottest magician, Bonaparté. (Arlington)

3. A film festival for the whole family. (Belmont)

4. The Boston Auto Show has driven into town. (Boston)

5. ASL interpreted Critter Day. (Boston)

6. Shake off winter cold with a trip to the tropics. (Boston)

7. Comedy goes airborne. (Brookline)

8. World premiere of The Pied Piper of Hamlin puppet show. (Brookline)

9. Search for signs of animals in the snow. (Framingham)

10. Lexington Pops Chorus winter concert. (Lexington)

11. Smart, hip annual comedy cabaret. (Newton)

12. Learn more about New England’s civil rights legacy. (Sturbridge)

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today, Rene shares 5 HIIT workouts that have been kicking her rump -- in no time at all:

Looking to get in shape but have no time, no gym membership, and no idea where to start? Check out HIIT workouts to get the blood pumping and the sweat rolling. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training, where a series of exercises are performed at high speed with high intensity in a short amount of time, with short breaks between sets. (You might also see these called Tabata workouts. Same principle.)

A sample workout could be 20-60 seconds of classic exercises (think squats, jumping jacks, and push-ups) with a 10-second rest in between sets. The sets are repeated any number of times, but the workout never exceeds 30 minutes. In fact, you can get a full body workout in as little as four minutes. HIIT workouts are not only effective, but are also quick, free, and you don't have to leave the house. Here are a few great routines to try out.

1. Straightforward HIIT Workout. No video is needed for this straightforward workout that you can really do anywhere. This is my too-tired-to-think fallback routine, thanks to the basic movements I remember by heart after many, many rounds.

2. World's Fastest Workout (4 Minutes). This four-minute workout gets the job done before your brain can even register it's exercising and hates it. I like to crank this one out while the kids are zoning with the iPad -- sometimes twice if I'm feeling ambitious.

3. 12-Minute Lean & Tone Workout. Twelve minutes of exercise is totally doable during nap time or before you fall into bed. I use five pound dumbbells for this workout, though the trainer uses ten pound weights. If you don't have dumbbells, use large canned goods from your pantry, or a full 12-ounce bottle of water.

4. 15-Minute At-Home Workout. Perform each exercise at high intensity first and then regular intensity to fire up your metabolism ASAP. I use the stopwatch on my phone to keep track of time.

5. 30-Minute Body Weight Workout. I printed this routine out to ensure I performed the moves correctly. This detailed HIIT workout is 30 minutes long but will burn major calories using only your own body weight as resistance.

Totally doable right? Have you tried HIIT workouts? Share your thoughts or favorite routines in the comments below!