New review post is up!  Please check out my review spot for two new Twilight-esque books.  Don’t forget to enter the giveaway while you are there!

UPDATE: Pictures from this event can be seen here. And while I didn’t fall, I DID get to meet some incredible women bloggers from the D.C. Metro area.
What a great night!  For more info on Sondra Robers handbags, check it out here.

Who wants to see me fall on my butt via live stream?

Goody!  I just knew you all would!

So here are the details – I am going to be participating in a Twitter Party for Sondra Roberts New York…and “modeling” (using the term very, very, very loosely) in a live online fashion show on Stickam this Thursday night!

Now, of course, if  seeing me fall on my butt watching me online is not enticing enough, know that you will have the opportunity to win one of the beautiful Sondra Roberts bags – because the hosts will be giving away over $800 in Sondra Roberts New York and SR Squared bags.

When: Thursday, November 19

Where: Twitter (follow #sondraroberts) and ResourcefulMom’s Stickham channel: http://www.stickam.com/resourcefulmom

Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm (cameras will start rolling earlier – zoinks!)

My family and I spent the day on a family adventure exploring two lovely towns as part of the Eat, Drink, Buy Art program being coordinated by Maryland Life Magazine.

I’ve got to be honest, here. I’ve largely spent my “life” in the Western part of Maryland and quite frankly, have not given the Eastern counties much though except when passing through on my way to Ocean City. But in following this promotion, I have been pleasantly surprised to find so many lovely little communities! It has been so much fun making these discoveries. (I’d previously visited Snow Hill and Berlin as part of a fun girls’ weekend away.)

So, we packed up the kiddos and together embarked on a day trip adventure to the communities of Cambridge and Denton.

It turned out to be the perfect excursion. We enjoyed some real family time on the road and had a chance to just enjoy each other’s company. (Except for the part where my sons insisted on playing Michael Jackson tunes non-stop for 30 minutes. Yeah. Don’t ask.)

Things we enjoyed about Cambridge… mosaic murals everywhere! Lovely shops and shop owners.Water, gulls and the smell of the sea. Adorable cobble stone streets. Talented artisans. History.

And Denton was such a charming town! The atmosphere was laid back, the food was delish and it was the perfect fall day for exploring. (Just ask my boys who collected “the biggest leaves EVER!”)

If you are interested in seeing some pictures of Cambridge and Denton, click here. (Fan page on Facebook for Hip As I Wanna Be… more photos will be uploaded later.) If you live in the Maryland area, I would encourage you to check out Eat, Drink, Buy Art. You might be surprised at what you find when you go exploring!

I’ve believe that I have spoken with you before about my little Twitter addiction.  I am a master Tweeter, people. Most folks don’t understand the fascination.

And I don’t care.

I’m kind of tired of trying to explain it to people who refuse to open their minds to new experiences.

Wait a minute.

This post is not going the way that I planned.  It is not about complaining.  It is about learning. More specifically, what I’ve learned this week. (As part of a weekly series hosted by Musings of a Housewife.)

This past week has been one of the most stressfull in my entire life….No worries. I survived. (Albeit, barely.)

Throughout the week I wasn’t able to participate much in my social medial life or even chat it up with real life friends and family.  I felt a little displaced, actually.  But despite that, I learned something valuable from my Twitter pals… LAUGHTER.  In the midst of all of the craziness, I would pop in and out of conversations and just a laugh out loud at the wit flying back and forth.  LAUGH OUT LOUD. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t happen to me very often.

My Twitter pals taught me how to open myself up to laughter in the midst of what seemed to be a terrifying week.  The smile hasn’t left my face yet.

Quote of the Day: “I’m here to live out loud.” – Emile Zola

Excuse me for a moment while I proclaim – OHMYGOSHIGOTTOINTERVIEWUMATHURMANTHEOTHERDAY!!!!

So. I know what you are thinking… “Why in the world would YOU get to interview Uma Thurman?”

No clue?  Me either! 

I got to participate in an interview with Uma along with some of the greatest mom bloggers (many of which are my personal favorites) to get a better understanding of the Motherhood movie and Uma’s character, Eliza.  (A little while ago I also spoke with Anthony Edwards about the movie as well. If you are interested, you can check out that interview here.)

Although I went into this opportunity in a reporter-interview type of mode,  I quickly realized that this character, and even Uma herself, faces the same struggles that I do. That YOU do as a mom.  What a revelation!

I mean half of this blog is all about ways to “find your mojo again.”

One statement that Uma made about her character was particularly poignant - “She no longer feels like she recognizes herself as a person… as who she thought she was supposed to be. Those tiny grinding repetitive acts have let her lose herself.”

Wow.

Anybody else recognize these statements to be true? I think we have all felt that way at one point or another.

Uma also talked a little bit about her struggles balancing work and children in a demanding field. (I’ve soooo been here as well.) I also identified with her take on it -  “You are never the same before and after you have children.  It made much more clear the lines between my work and my life.  I am also more appreciative of my work now.”

I was lucky enough in the interview to have been able to directly ask Uma two questions.  I’ve embedded the sound (above) in case you would like to hear her answer yourself.  Otherwise, the transcript is below.

Q. Something obviously drew you to “Motherhood” and to Eliza’s character. What do you feel is “authentic” about how motherhood is portrayed in this movie? How will we (meaning: audiences) be able to relate?

Uma: Well, I think, first of all this is a story where the mother is actually central to the experience where she is the one being seen through her actions and not there to focus your attention in how the mother relates to the person of interest who is either a man or a child.Which is kind of, how mothers are often used in narrative.  Filling in the blanks per se on about another character but not really about them themselves.

I just think that Katherine’s (the film director) character was just so honest, you know? She is someone who has chosen to be a stay at home mother and yet she is struggling with that decision and  feels fulfilled but at the same time compromised in a way at times by being in total babyland and not stimulating other sides of herself that important. And I like that she has flaws. And I like that she has anger issues and yet she still loves her kids. She’s funny and charming and she is just, sort of, REAL.

Q. Let’s talk a little bit about mom blogging.  I’m sure we are all interested to know your take on it. But I’d like to also know the motivation behind your character Eliza’s blog. Why does SHE do it? What reward does she get out of it?

Uma: Well, she is a writer and she is someone who is studying to be a writer and was a promising student and a novice novelist and has chosen to dedicate herself to want to raise her kids. A mommy blog is a way for her to exercise her creativity that fits in with her life as a mother because it is what she has chosen to be focused on and is living with and so it is kind of, her transport. Her voice, so to speak outside of this isolated experience of raising your kids on your own.

Again, very relevant to me and certainly to other mom bloggers out there.  “To speak outside of this isolated experience of raising your kids on your own.” True. Very true.

So to celebrate the the release of a long overdo Hollywood film spotlighting the complexity of motherhood and mommy bloggers everywhere, I am hosting a giveaway! (My first giveaway, to be exact!) I have one Motherhood movie poster and T-shirt combination to give away.  All you need to do is leave me comment telling me what you get from either reading or authoring your own mommy blog.  Three entries if you link to this blog from your own. Contests ENDS Oct 23rd at 5 pm. The winner will be announced October 26th.

Remember – Motherhood arrives in theaters on October 23. If you  in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston or San Francisco areas, grab some mommy time and head out to see this flick! For the rest of us who live in other cities, the hope is for a wide release the weekend of  October 30. I will totally be going, of course! Sounds like the perfect excuse for a girls night out, doesn’t it?

AND ONE MORE THING: Be sure to check out these other fabulous bloggers some time: Jessica of The Unemployed Mom, Lara of Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom, Amanda of Parenting BY Dummies Kerri of City Mommy and Jill of Scary Mommy.