Babysitter Delights with UrbanSitter

 For the first 2 years of Coraline's life, she was never left witha  babysitter.Twice she stayed with her grandmother while JP and I went out, averaging to once a year. Until I finally found a babysitter I loved and trusted, I felt almost trapped. My children went everywhere with me, from the grocery store to doctors appointments, right there by my side. As a new parent, finding a babysitter is extremely difficult. You have basically no family network to base your babysitter decisions on. If you are like me, you have no family close by on which to rely.Basically, finding a babysitter sucks. Enter UrbanSitter.com

You could babysit your kids like this... photo credit: peasap via photopin cc   

There are a couple of babysitter finding sites out there right now. We won't name names. I never liked them. For one thing they cost money. I understand that money needs to be made, but it didn't make any sense to me.  I had the opportunity to attend a Sitter Speed Meeting event through UrbanSitter, I was more then impressed. Honestly, meeting like 15 babysitters in one night is overwhelming, it also made me feel really old. Aside from that, the sitters I met were awesome. Most if not all of them were current college students, I live in Boston so that means I was meeting students from Harvard, Boston Univeristy and MIT. That was a little intimidating even if they were only 19 years old. I want an intelligent babysitter, even if they are only with my children for a few hours a month, it makes a difference. When my toddler asks how many bones she has in her body (a real question I have gotten) it would be cool for her to get a real answer. Here are some other awesome things about UrbanSitter:

1. UrbanSitter is linked to your social media accounts. Sign in through Facebook and you can see which of your friends is also using UrbanSitter. UrbanSitter will show you sitters that your friends love! It's technology and your villiage coming together. UrbanSitter also gives you the chance to choose other networks you are a part of to link you to your friends, like schools, playgroups, stores, and such. If your group isn't listed you can recommend one, I asked that they add Coraline's toddler "school". :) 

2. UrbanSitter is FREE FREE FREE! It's free for families use. Completely. I love this. They also have a loyalty type referral program where you can earn $10 in credit for friends that sign up. Use it, Love it, Share it and earn yourself a free date night!

photo credit: Patrick Q via photopin cc

3. Credit card payments. Ok, not every sitter accepts credit cards, but a lot of them do, and that is pretty awesome. I like paying with credit cards, it's just an idiosyncrasy of mine. It makes everything seem easier to me. Usually when you get a sitter you have to remember to get cash from the ATM or write a check. That's all well and good, but credit is more fun. 

4. Searching for a sitter is almost fun. You enter the date/times you need a sitter and then get to check out some specifics. It takes a lot of the questions out of the process. . . so you can find someone that has already said they are comfortable with children in a certain age group, or that have special needs. I met a lot of sitters at the event that had experience with children on the Autistic Spectrum; as someone that has spent most of my life working with those children I know how difficult it can be to find a reliable person to watch them. 

5. You can book an interview through the site as well, because no one expects you to hire someone you have never met to come watch your children. 

UrbanSitter is still in it's Beta version, which means it is new, they are working out the kinks and growing everyday. If there is something you think they should add, shoot them an email and they will thoughfully consider it. Which is why I love Beta sites. The people behind UrbanSitter rock.Don't forget, when you find a sitter you like, you can leave a review for them, which will help them get other jobs. The system is fantastic. I love it. I'm definitely looking forward to a date night. 

I want to add here that I have the best ever super awesome regular sitter, Robin. Robin is one of the most intelligent people I know, she is super active in the community and she is from the south, which means she is just the sweetest person ever. She is also my age, so she doesn't make me feel old. :) I think everyone needs a few sitters though, since Robin is so awesome, often times she is busy with other families. :)

 Check out UrbanSitter!

Run Away with Cirque Du Soleil

I have to say, I was super excited when I was contacted by Cirque Du Soleil asking if I wanted to go see their new show Totem. I have a huge love of Cirque Du Soleil that began years ago. So here is my advice, if you are ever asked the question "Do you want to go to Cirque Du Soleil?" Your answer is "absolutely". I can assure you, if you turn that down, you will be missing out. 

Now Cirque Du Soleil has something like 21 different productions, each one is incredible. Totem is playing in Boston at the Marine Industrial Park until August 5th, you have plenty of time to get tickets. For those who have no idea where that is (because Bostonians rarely go down there it seems) it's on the silver line. 

"TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of human species from its original amphibian state toits ultimate desire to fly. Each of the show’s ten acrobatic acts evokes a different aspect of the evolution of mankind in a surprising artistic way."

I tried to write my own description but it paled in comparison. How does one describe something that is so visually incredible that it literally leaves you speechless while you are watching? I like to think of myself as fairly good with words but I have a hard time describing a show this awe inspiring. Even now I know it feels like I am going overboard on the love of Cirque Du Soleil but I assure you I am not. 

I don't want to describe too much because I don't want to ruin it. I will say that one of my favorite parts of any Cirque Du Soleil production is the live music. That's right, totally live and incredible. At our backstage tour (I know I am super lucky) we talked about how the music can't be recorded because the show is unpredictable. The performers can't perform to music, music has to perform to the show. So, for example if someone is doing a trip and they don't quite nail it, the band will keep playing allowing the performer to retry. It is amazing and fluid and magical. 

So, what are you going to do now? Go buy tickets to Cirque Du Soleil Totem! Seriously, I'm in no way joking. However, get a babysitter because this is not a kids show, it's a date night. I'm telling you that you will not be disappointed. I feel like as an adult there are so few times when you feel like the world is magical and amazing, sitting under the tents watching Totem gives you that feeling from start to finish. 

Buy!

Tickets are onsale now for Cirque Du Soleil Totem...through August 5th. 

Disclaimer: I was given free tickets to the show for the purpose of review. I was not paid for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Girls Night Out...Palettes

There isn’t a mother among us that doesn’t desperately need a night out. Case in point, I went out last night and I need a night out. Motherhood is stressful, filled with constant inner struggles and worries, near constant outward battles with toddlers and children, spit up and piles of laundry, it’s never ending. Yes, it’s rewarding, but it’s exhausting.
Going out to dinner or for drinks with friends is great, even a date night can be a great but both come with issues for me. Those issues are my children, they lurk into every conversation I have with my husband or friends, even when I leave them at home. How do they do that? While it’s nice to get away for a few hours, I never really feel like I am leaving it fully behind. Until now.

Last night I was able to spend the evening with a group of Boston Parent Bloggers at Palettes in Natick, Ma. The idea behind Palettes is simple, a night of guided painting with food, drinks, music and good company.  Palettes insists that no previous art experience is needed, I would agree. For $35, they provide you with a blank canvas, paint, brushes, apron and a guide. You sit down at your canvas and your instructor guides you step by step through the painting process. It’s pretty awesome actually how a painting can be broken down into a few simple steps. Everyone in the class is painting the same picture but everyone’s comes out differently.


What I wasn’t expecting from this night was the really great food and drink they have put together on their menu. I’m not sure any pictures can do justice to the happy surprises that await. Grapes covered in goat cheese and rolled in pistachios. Deviled eggs with gorganzolla cheese. Yummy asian noodles.  Palettes has also compiled a drink menu that was a lovely departure from the usual Cosmos and Appletinis (neither of which I drink). I admit I did my best to taste several of the drink offerings, without going overboard because I had to drive home :) My favorite involved Absinthe over a sugar cube topped with champagne.

We painted a field of flowers, we laughed, we tweeted, we explained social media to our painting instructor Ben. The best part was, we didn’t talk about our children the entire time, we didn’t even think too much about them. I think that is exactly what a mom needs to do once in awhile. This was so much better then a date night out to dinner and a movie, it was better then drinks at a bar with a friend. I literally can not wait to do it again, I have already checked my calendar for openings. I love that I can go to the Palettes website and see what paintings are being done on which days, I can pick one that matches a room in my house or just a scene I love. Call some girlfirends, get a babysitter and go out with your husband, it's a great night of fun and laughs. 

I told Coraline that I painted this picture for her, she carried it around all morning.