Posts Categorized: Life’s a Butter Dream

Life’s a Butter Dream – Author M.J. Pullen blogs about body image, weight loss (and gain) (and loss again), fitness and struggling to stay healthy as a working mom. When my oldest son, Skywalker, was a toddler, he used to sing “Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily… life’s a butter dream.” And he’s right!

Itty Bitty Losses

posted on 01/09/2014

[Heads up: This blog is intensely personal and just a bit graphic. If you need to sit this one out, no hard feelings]. It started three nights ago, the night of January 6th. I had just worked all day on getting ready to launch my new giveaway: meeting with my coach, composing a peppy email, […]

Christmas Past: Reflections of a Convert

posted on 12/20/2013

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Can I be honest with you? No rabbis in the crowd, right? As a whole-hearted convert to Judaism for nearly eight years, I have to confess: I’ve been missing Christmas lately. Not the religious meaning (sorry, bumper sticker people), but the secular, gift-laden family event that was Christmas morning at my house growing up. You […]

Cooking with My Mother

posted on 11/26/2013

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This time of year is always filled with a mixture of joy and sadness for me. I love the fall colors, the cool weather, and the time to relax with friends and family. Since it’s “Thanksgivmukkah” this year, the joyful part is amplified, especially for two little boys who are thrilled they get to play […]

The 20-Year Reunion Blog

posted on 10/01/2013

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It’s a half-anticipated, half-dreaded event: the 20-year high school reunion. This gathering of old friends (and enemies) has become a benchmark in our culture: The Great Check-In on how your life is going up to this point. Who better to assess the success or failure of your last two decades than people you haven’t seen […]

Renaming the Seven Dwarves

posted on 08/12/2013

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In the car this weekend, my family and I were discussing some very important topics, led by my four-year-old, who has a new-found interest in princesses, superheroes, pirates and fairy tales. He’s increasingly interested in the characters of these tales – and where he does not know the details, he fills in with his imagination. […]

The Hangover: Early 20’s vs. Late 30’s

posted on 07/21/2013

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Last night, Hubs and I went to a concert with some close friends, a rollicking good time. Since my friend was kind enough to serve as the designated driver, I overindulged a bit at the bar. More than a bit, to be honest — though not entirely my fault. Long story. Anyway, there’s something about […]

Cynicism and the Jazzercise Jiggle

posted on 07/09/2013

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I’m going to tell you a couple of things about myself that you may not know. One, I consider myself something of a recovering cynic. I come from a long line of stalwart observers who often found it easier to point out what was wrong with the world (albeit in a clever and humorous way, […]

The Art of Friendship

posted on 06/28/2013

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I got back late yesterday from a much-needed summer break. One of my nearest and dearest girlfriends, who now lives in another state, managed to organize a couple of kid-free days for the two of us in Asheville, North Carolina. It was rejuvenating in so many ways. Among other things, we sampled some delicious food, […]

Letter to the Me of 1993

posted on 04/30/2013

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My 20 year high school reunion is coming up this year; and predictably, it has me thinking about what I’ve learned in the last two decades, and wondering how my life might have been different if I’d known then what I know now. (Equally interesting would be if I knew now what I’ve forgotten since […]

My Three-Year-Old, In a Nutshell

posted on 03/21/2013

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We let Monkey stay up a little late tonight and snuggle between us on the bed for some Antiques Road Show. It was one of those rare quiet moments in which he is so happy for the special treatment that he actually behaves himself for a bit, like he’s testing out the icy pond to […]