Blogging & Social Media

Top 5 Things I’m Obsessed With…

Posted on January 7, 2015January 7, 2015 by MommyQ

I think we all suffer from short-lived or long-lived obsessions. I remember back in the day when I just couldn’t stop watching Real Housewives or eating blueberry muffins or stumbling on StumbleUpon. Yikes! Here are my Top 5 Obsessions going into 2015. Chime in and let me know what’s floating your boat.

#1 – The Food Network – Heaven help me, I can’t stop watching Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay and Cutthroat Kitchen. I was also glued to any Holiday Cooking competition too. You’re gonna make cookies, cakes, gingerbread houses, salted porks? I’ll watch it. I am not a foodie. In fact, I’m the opposite of that. (Oh yes, I am loving Worst Chef in America too!)

All of the judges and the amateur and professional chefs just blow my mind. Alton Brown is highly entertaining and admittedly, I do root against Bobby Flay, although he always wins. Will my new passion for watching people cook actually motivate me to cook? Time will tell.

#2 – Lululemon – I know, I know. I’m a few years late to the Lulu party, but I made it. It’s a splurge for me to shop “The Lemon,” so I’m not sporting every outfit they construct. It’s crazy how comfy and cool their workout gear is and now that I’m also obsessed with Pure Barre, (see #3) I have a great reason to wear it 24/7. The wild tank is my favorite top at the moment. I had trouble deciding on a color, so I got them both.

#3 – Pure Barre – All of my friends and family know that Pure Barre will always hold a special place in my heart. I’m recovering from a debilitating L5 herniation which pretty much ruined my physical life. was down and out — literally — for months coping with tremendous pain that never stopped. There wasn’t a comfortable position or a miracle cure. I opted not to have surgery and waited it out. As soon as the pain lessened enough for me to walk normally, I started working out.

I felt the only workout option I had that would protect my lower back and help me regain my strength was Pure Barre. Pilates was too much pressure on my back and I have no flexibility to do yoga again, which I had done for many years. My Pure Barre Lakeway family means the world to me and they’ve given me back my life. Awwwe, tear.

Continue reading “Top 5 Things I’m Obsessed With…” →

I’m Writing a Book: Interview with My Bestie

Posted on January 6, 2015January 6, 2015 by MommyQ

The Prologue.

I’ve finally decided to write that book I’ve always been talking about writing about. It will focus on the epic, oft gluten-free and humor-free-to-the-public adventures that bind me and my bestie together for all eternity in the goofy and nonsensical ways in which besties are intertwined. (Disclaimer: No twine was harmed during the writing of this book.)

My book is dedicated to everyone who has a bestie or has recently purchased one via the Interweb. I’ll share the laughter, the tears, the tears due to laughter and the laughter due to tears that me and my longtime bestie, Alli, have experienced. It’s the epic journey of ~~faith~~, ~~sarcasm~~, ~~extreme~~, ~~extremities~~, ~~delusions~~, ~~hallucinations~~, ~~tenderness~~, ~~chicken tenders~~, ~~enlightenment~~, ~~perspicacity~~, ~~fortunatelessness~~….okay, I made that last one up. It’s about us.

Featured chapter titles include:

No Way, Please Tell Me You Didn’t Do That

That’s not a Dress, It’s a Shirt

I Like to Break Out in Song Mid-Sentence

Let Me Consult My Wrist Calculator Beep Boop Bop Beep Beep

Yay, Your Hair is Longish

What You’re Saying is Totally Weird and I Totally Get It

I’m Laughing Because You Just Fell Down

“I Look Like a Chubby Hooker”

Didn’t You Pass Out at My Baby Shower?

Hey. Hey. Remember That Time When You Did That Thing?

“Am I Sexy Now?” {Insert circus music]

We Already Talked about that Shirt…

Funny Dancing (Part I, II, III, IV and V)

What if a Pharmaceutical Company Combined Ambien and Viagra

“She Thinks She’s So Bendy. Watch This.”

Look for it in a place that sells books or e-books or things you can read, perhaps on 18% recycled paper, in 2017.

My Take on Kourtney Kardashian’s Mommy Blog Featured on HLNTV.com

Posted on December 9, 2011December 9, 2011 by MommyQ

No matter how much you boycott the Kardashians or how many petitions you sign, they just keep coming. And not only that, reproducing at a quick pace to ensure their continued world domination, um, I mean survival. On Wednesday, the eldest Kardashian, Kourtney, announced that she and Scott Disick — America’s favorite Vegas-loving, hair-slicking, baby daddy — are expecting bambino numero dos.

Wait, what’s that noise you’re hearing? That would be the sound of “cha-ching” from Burberry, because they get to dress another designer-clad munchkin. Score!

Isn’t it interesting how well-timed her baby news is? It’s almost like her new pregnancy is part of the grand Kardashian marketing plan since she just launched a mom focused web series called Kourtney’s Mommy Blog at E! Online (the very company people have been petitioning to drop Kardashian nonsense.) I guess you aren’t a legit mommy unless you have multiple kids…

Get the full scoop on HLNTV.com

Image: HLNTV.com

Demand for Quality Real Estate in 78704 Area Grows: 78704…not just a zip code

Posted on October 27, 2011 by MommyQ

Before my husband and I had kids, we were cool. We ran together daily on Town Lake, we went antiquing on South Congress, we drank at local dives and ate buttermilk pancakes at Magnolia Café every weekend. We were hipsters. Our motto was if you don’t live in the 78704, you’re utterly lame and you don’t really qualify as being an Austinite. When we renovated our home on South 2^nd Street back in 2003, we purposely designed it to look weird. We didn’t care. It was South Austin. The weirder, the better.

One marriage and two kids later, I find myself puttering around Lakeway in our champagne-colored Tahoe like 98% of the suburbanites out here, rarely going downtown, because it’s “just too far away.” Oh how I miss being cool. And being in the “04.”

Did you know the Austin rental market nears 95 percent occupancy? South Austin is beyond cool now and new developments like Sola City Homes and The Sycamore are delivering unprecedented value in one of the most coveted neighborhoods in town – the “golden rectangle.” I toured these two properties and was shocked that there was such unbelievable value. The developers bought band foreclosures at a discount and then dropped the market price to sell the properties fast.

These new Austin real estate gems allow buyers to live the legendary Austin lifestyle at a wholesale price of 25 percent below market value, and a mere 3 miles from downtown in 78704. Buyers can realize equity when they move in as the houses are being appraised at $81K-82K higher than the offering. What truly sets these properties apart is that regardless of the overall market conditions of the last few years, their customers are buying because they are shown real value. With these new properties, they’re able to pass on the savings to the public, and buyers immediately recognize the value. How sweet is that?

Central Austin properties like Sola and Sycamore are spacious and comfortable and close to everything that people love about central Austin living – music, history, culture, food and entertainment. In fact, some of the best restaurants and music venues are located just blocks from these communities.

Sola City Homes are newly constructed town home-style condos located off of South Lamar, and boast sustainable architecture and simple designs. These unique offerings allow home buyers to compare the $140 per square foot to the $200+ per square foot 78704 area average pricing. Residents also appreciate their spacious 2,000+ SF floor plans and 10 ft. ceilings

The Sycamore is a private, gated community in South Austin near South Congress that boasts detached, contemporary town homes. The Sycamore features energy-efficient and technological amenities mixed with bold designs, a 2-car garage and private yards. The Sycamore features energy-efficient and technological amenities mixed with bold designs, 2-car garage and private yards. Units are 1,500 sq. ft., 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 baths with a study and garage, starting at $240,000.

Barton Creek Capital has sold 140 homes with the average days on market to contract of less than 3 days, and they are the largest, and arguably the only, wholesaler of condos in the desirable 78704 zip code. These new developments have opened up new options for living near downtown with pricing that beats rental rates by wholesaling condos and town homes and returning real value.

Breast Milk Baby Doll: Let’s Hear Dad’s Perspective

Posted on July 20, 2011July 20, 2011 by MommyQ

If you haven’t heard the buzz about this new doll, I’ll break it down for you. Breast Milk Baby is a doll that allows little girls to simulate the act of breast-feeding. And as you can imagine, this toy is creating waves of controversy as it will soon be available in the US. So what’s the big deal about another doll? I mean, we already have plenty of dollies that eat, pee and poop. Well, it could be the vest with sensors to trigger nursing or the suckling sounds or the fact that little girl can loosely experience latching. Pick one. Here’s a recent article from ABC News.

Today, I spoke with FOX 7 about it and shared my thoughts as not only a mother, but a mother who happens to know a lot about baby products. I even posted something on Facebook about my impending interview, which created its own little swirl of debate. This is a controversial doll for many reasons. Instead of exploring the obvious, I thought it was far more interesting to hear reactions about the doll from dads. After all, dads shower their daughters with gifts. Will they buy Breast Milk Baby for their daughters? One dad added his two cents to my lively Facebook discussion by posting the following:

“Don’t want to drag another ‘party’ to the discussion unknowingly… But having had this very discussion today…. It’s not about sexuality or nourishment as much as it seems to be about the publicity of it. Should be private and between a mom and child, not public and out for display for everyone to share. I think public display kind of sensationalizes it. Back to the doll – is that the right WAY to send the message or teach our children? My girls will never own one of these, but you can bet they will know everything they want and need to about breastfeeding and discretion.”

Bravo, daddy! I think he illustrates great points and let’s face it, dads are an integral part of parenting, so why dismiss their feelings? Many dads seem to be annoyed by the doll, because they feel young girls don’t need to experience something reserved for grown women. It’s simply too much, too soon. Other dads think there is a shady sexual undertone that just makes them feel slightly ill. Loving daddies might not want to imagine their sweet little girls as mothers quite yet, especially with all of the valid fears of teenage pregnancies.

Weigh in, dads! What do you think about this doll? Will you buy it for your daughter?

Attention Austinites: Listen To Your Mother…Or Else…

Posted on April 20, 2011April 20, 2011 by MommyQ

If you give a mom a microphone, she’ll ask for a stage to go with it. When you give her the stage, she’ll ask if it makes her butt look big. Worrying about her big butt will make her change outfits, so you’ll need to get her a glass of wine to calm her nerves…

What happens when you throw 15 moms together and give them a microphone? Well, they talk your ears off about motherhood, of course. The good, the bad, the exhausted, the sedated. It’s a job rich in laughter, marinated in pee, sprinkled with sticky candy and sauteed in a mixture of smeared mascara, laundry detergent and breast milk. Yummy, right? Much like Gefilte fish, motherhood is a delicacy not intended for the faint of heart.

On April 30th, grab your hubby, your mom, your grandma, your girlfriends, your overweight cat, a box of Puffs and join us at a pre-Mother’s Day celebration, the “Listen To Your Mother Austin” show. In fact, you can read more about it in the Statesman’s Mama Drama blog.

All of the fab mamas, myself included, will read a short original essay about motherhood. After our first rehearsal, I was so amazed at each and every story. This is NOT a sappy, cliche, poetry reading involving tambourines, Birkenstocks, awkward pauses and weeping. The pieces are smart, sassy, creative, thought-provoking and highly entertaining – just like the moms who wrote them.

This year’s Austin cast includes: Kristin Armstrong, Kimberly Cockrill, Julie Coombes, Jenny Lawson, Cathy Hale (that’s me!), Kathryn Harrison, Diane LeBleu, Blythe Jewell, Krystin Crain Johnson, Esther Mizrachi Moritz, Elizabeth McGuire, Jennifer Newcomb Marine and Gigi Ross. Show producers Wendi Aarons and Jennifer Sutton will emcee and read at the event as well. (If you aren’t following @WendiAarons on Twitter, you should be beaten with wet diapers. She’s a freakin’ riot.)

“Listen to Your Mother Austin” will be performed April 30 at 1 p.m. at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, 1900 University Ave. Tickets are $14 and available online at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1468976749. Proceeds from the event (after costs are covered) will be donated to Any Baby Can.