I used to love Fridays. It meant Friday night was here. That meant going out. Dates. Lots of dates. Spending time with friends. Movies. Oh, yes, Friday was for movies. And martinis. Movies and martinis. It was a glorious evening that started a weekend of sleeping in until 10 a.m. (or later sometimes!), naps and just being lazy. Weekends were for reading, going to the beach, sleeping and going out. Did I mention movies and martinis?

Now, Fridays mean crash day; the night the weekend is here. But I’m too tired to do much. If we do decide to go out it means shelling out at least $50 extra dollars for a sitter. What happened to TGIF?

However nostalgic I am for my traditional happy hour Friday’s, don’t mistake that for lack of love for being a mom. It’s just different. Now I just have to get creative with how I’m going to get out for some fun. Maybe it’s a martini in the backyard after work and a DVD that I’ve been dying to see. Yeah, that sounds good.

Today, I’ll just leave you with a photo that I found on Flickr. It’s titled “Wooden Moms.” In this case it seems pretty literal — those old fashioned, now vintage, Fisher Price Little People. But “wooden moms” can really mean so many things.

These wooden moms are identical, but when you really look they are all slightly different. Some more worn than others. Hair still up, wearing the mom uniform … and a smile. They have all endured through the years. We too, will persevere the challenges that motherhood throws us so as not to become some “wooden mom.”

This photo was posted by “hownowdesign.” Find her other photos here.

I love this pad. It’s magic. You can write and write and write. Normally, I draw a thousand (and one) trains on it for my son. “One more, Mommy,” he says in his tiny, can’t-refuse-him voice. “Draw train Mommy.”

Of course I draw a train. And another, and another. I draw dogs, cats, houses, letters, numbers, our names. We trace each others hands, feet, legs. Everything evaporates. We draw again.

This magical pad folds up and works with a magic pen — just water. OMG, I just realized that I could use a paint brush on it! Yes, a paint brush would be magical fun. Must do that next time. Wonder what a train will look like painted with a brush? I will soon find out.

Our magic pad (aka the Aquadoodle Draw N’ Doodle Mat) was given to my son as a Christmas gift (Thanks, Padillas!) and it’s been a hit ever since. What I love about it is that you can use it and use it and use it, then forget about it and be totally mesmerized all over again when you try it again.

Go get one of these magic pads for yourself. I guarantee you’ll like it as much as your kid, maybe more.

Update: A reader (thanks AussieMummy) commented and let me know about a Thomas the Tank Engine version of this mat. You can draw railroad tracks and a battery-operated Thomas will follow the tracks! OK, I have to check this out. Here’s a link if you are interested in the Thomas version.

My son has a few stuffed animals that he’s decided to carry all around the house. Bunny gets handled by the ears, feet dragging on the floor. Teddy Bear gets fed from my son’s real dishes. Little Nut Brown Hare gets served milk from a sippy cup. Needless to say, they’ve gotten quite dirty. Not to mention how they smell. My dilemma, as you moms know, is how do you take these snugglies away without him knowing about it.

OK, maybe when he’s sleeping. Yeah, I’ll put them in the washing machine when he’s sleeping.

Wait, he takes them to bed at night.

OK, maybe when he’s taking a nap. Yeah, I’ll put them in the washing machine when he naps.

Wait, he naps with them too.

Crap. How am I going t wash these things. They MUST get washed.

One afternoon I just go for it. I read the tags and they each say they can go in the washing machine and even in the dryer. So, I tell my son that we are going to wash the animals. It’s a huge risk. I don’t entirely believe those little tags that are sewn to the legs of my son’s precious animals. How can they survive a washing machine? How can they not, I decide.

I take my son aside and explain what’s going to happen. He’s seen the washing machine in the works before so I’m hopeful he’ll comprehend what’s going to happen. And, as luck has it, he doesn’t freak out when I tell him what we’re doing. He even helps with the process. He’s uneasy, but goes along with it.

Here’s what we did:

The cast (of characters)

Cold water. Gentle cycle. Dreft detergent. Double rinse.
No turning back now!

Pray.

Pray.

PRAY!

Dryer time. Air dry. No heat!

Pray.

Pray.

PRAY!

All clean!

The big three-day weekend has finally arrived. At quittin’ time today families across America will be headed on trips to the beach or having backyard BBQs with family and friends. With gas prices so high, I heard on the news this morning that less will be traveling for the weekend. What’s a family to do?

According to “Good Morning America,” take a staycation. Love this term. I’ve been talking these up to friends for years. A staycation is when you make a vacation at home. Plan things around your home — either literally in your house, or in your city. GMA showed how to change your backyard into a fun area for the entire family by adding games like croquet.

Here are some more ideas:

• Parents night in. Years ago, many, many years ago, the famous “General Hospital” couple Felicia and Frisco Jones didn’t have money for a honeymoon. If memory serves me right, a good friend of theirs put them up in his penthouse (nice friend) and created a honeymoon with special themes. Each night was a different theme. One night was a Paris bistro with Beret’s and twinkling white lights and French music playing. Another night was an Arabian theme with an I Dream of Jeannie-like outfit, a tent and Arabian music to set the mood. You get the idea. You may not be able to be as free with the ideas as a soap opera, but it may spark an idea of your own. Put the kids to bed and have a creative honeymoon night of your own. (Watch the video at the bottom of the post to see the Arabian night.)
• Turn your backyard into a water park. If you don’t own a pool, don’t sweat it. Get a $5 wading pool, one of those wacky sprinkler attachments and let the kids have a blast getting soaked.
• Camp in your back yard. Pop up the tent, bring out the smores (use the grill) and have fun sleeping under the stars. Camping bonus — the bathroom is only a few feet away. If it’s raining or too hot where you live, put the tent in the living room and have a sleep-in!
• Visit your area tourist attraction. It could be a children’s museum, water park, theme park, or just the regular city playground. Pick up the tourist booklets you see around town and be a tourist in your own backyard.
• Go shopping. There are always great Memorial Day sales going on. Check out your local newspaper for sales and stock up on sale items.
• Make it a picnic. Box up that lunch and head to the fields with a red checkered blanket and a Frisbee or kite.

The idea is to be creative. Don’t just stay home this weekend — make it a staycation.