Author: stefanie

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Review: ‘Something Rotten!’ is something sweet for theater lovers

Welcome to the Renaissance, East Lansing! Without leaving their seats, Wharton Center audiences have traveled across the world and through the decades this season. And now, the Tony Award-nominated musical “Something Rotten!” takes audiences on a journey back to the 90s. Well, the 1590s, that is.

“Something Rotten!” tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, a pair of brothers struggling to write a hit play in the shadow of fan favorite William Shakespeare. Out of desperation, Nick seeks the help of a soothsayer, who predicts that the next big thing in theater will be musicals. What ensues is a fun song and dance through modern musical references and plenty of in-jokes for theater lovers.

With Tony-nominated music and lyrics from brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick and Tony-nominated direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw, “Something Rotten!” is the distant English cousin of other self-aware musicals from this century, such as “Spamalot” and “The Book of Mormon”; Nicholaw was also Tony-nominated for best choreography for those productions, as well as for co-directing “The Book of Mormon.”  Continue reading “Review: ‘Something Rotten!’ is something sweet for theater lovers”

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When you’re a stay-at-home mom and the customer complains

Stella said something to me last night that broke my heart. It was during bath time, with both girls splashing around together and playing with plastic cups.

“Mama, sometimes you don’t pay attention to me.”

What did she mean?! Isn’t every waking moment spent answering a litany of questions, fielding requests for snacks or refills of milk, suggesting art projects and cleaning them up, and responding to “mama? Mama? MAMA?” a hundred times a day?

“What do you mean, Stella?”

“Sometimes you pay more attention to Margot.”

Well of course! I was your sister’s main food source for the first several months of her life. Remember how she never took bottles? You can dress and use the bathroom by yourself. Your sister is still light-years from that. Most days are spent realizing that your sister has an uncanny ability to find the tiniest piece of something on the rug and want to promptly put it in her mouth. I need to pay more attention to her sometimes. 

“I’m sorry, sweetie. Your sister is still a baby.”

“Yeah, but sometimes I feel lonely.”

Shit. I am failing as a mom. 

“I’m sorry, Stelly. I will try to do better.” My eyes filled with tears and my throat began to hurt.

“Mama, why are you upset? Do you think I don’t like Margot? I love her!”

Continue reading “When you’re a stay-at-home mom and the customer complains”

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Stella’s ‘Coco’-themed 5th birthday party

Our family fell in love with “Coco” the moment we saw it in the theater last year. Stella talked about it so much that I suggested using it as her birthday party theme, and that’s just what we did. A “Coco” theme meant we could have fun with colorful decorations, yummy Mexican food, and plenty of Disney music on the playlist.

My fabulously talented friend Stephanie designed the invitation for Stella’s party. You can find other designs or ask her to do a commission through her Etsy page, Millstar Creative.

This year was the first year we decided to do a friend party for Stella instead of a party with friends and family at our house. Between her preschool classmates and friends outside of school, a party geared toward the kids seemed like the best idea. Having the party a week after her birthday gave us the chance to celebrate with family closer to her actual birthday, and also spread out the fun.

Here are the details of Stella’s birthday party! Continue reading “Stella’s ‘Coco’-themed 5th birthday party”

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The women who have inspired me

Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day. This year, in an era of #TimesUp and #MeToo, it’s only fitting that the 2018 campaign theme is #PressforProgress. As the mom of two young girls, I can only hope that this progress will continue and they will grow up in a world that treats them equally.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, I wanted to honor the women who have inspired me the most in my life. Some I know very well, and some I’ve never met. Yet all have helped shape me into the woman I am today. Continue reading “The women who have inspired me”

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Interview: There’s something about Mandie Black in ‘Something Rotten!’

From Paris to Little Havana, Wharton Center audiences have traveled back in time and all over the world this season. This month, they’ll be treated to a trip back to the time of Shakespeare. “Something Rotten!” the hilarious, Tony Award-nominated musical, arrives at the Wharton Center for a week of fun, March 13-18, 2018.

As assistant dance captain and a member of the ensemble, Mandie Black wears many hats in the touring production of “Something Rotten!” — literally. I spoke with her about her experiences with the show, how she got into theater, and the movie role she gave up to pursue work on Broadway.
Continue reading “Interview: There’s something about Mandie Black in ‘Something Rotten!’”

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To my first baby, as you are turning five

It’s March 1st, and I just completed Stella’s enrollment for kindergarten. I really can’t believe it. I was already feeling a bittersweet sensation as we’ve been counting down the days to her fifth birthday, so the timing of kindergarten registration is another big reminder that our first baby is growing up so fast.

I feel that my words should be directed to Stella, so here is a little letter from me to her. I’m also going to sprinkle in some of my favorite Stella photos from the last five years.

Dear Stella,

No matter how many times I say that you need to stop growing up, you giggle and insist that you absolutely have to grow up. When I ask why, you say it’s because you have to be a big sister. You also reassure me that you’re never going to leave our house and you’re going to live with me and daddy forever. And also that you are going to marry daddy.

You actually say a lot of hilarious and wonderful things, and that’s why we keep a book of your best quotes. Your most recent one happened when I said that you couldn’t have a sucker before dinner, you said “when I have a daughter, I’m going to let her have suckers before dinner. And I’m going to eat kid food, not grownup food.”

I’m sure I said many of the same things to my mom, too. “When I have a daughter, I’m going to ____.” I certainly had some thought as to what life would be like with you, but as any parent comes to realize, I criminally under-anticipated what I was in for. Continue reading “To my first baby, as you are turning five”

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Three reasons to visit Curvaceous Lingerie in Old Town

In a 2008 study, it was reported that 80% of women wear the wrong bra size, which seems crazy and yet not surprising at the same time. There have been plenty of times that I’ve gone into a Target dressing room with a handful of bras in different sizes and bought whichever one appears to work the best. Women’s bodies are constantly changing, but so often, we stick with that old faithful bra.

Yet when it comes to something I wear every single day, it seems that I should invest some time and money into making sure I’m wearing something that is the correct size and doing its job.

I came to my senses after having Margot last year. Around the same time that I realized I was annoyed with the ratty nursing bras I kept after having Stella, Curvaceous Lingerie in Old Town posted a photo of the prettiest nursing bras I had ever seen:

Photo credit: Curvaceous Lingerie

It’s hard enough to be a new mom and feeling worse for wear. You might as well be wearing something pretty to make the whole process of being a human milk truck slightly more tolerable. Just days after seeing that photo posted, I zipped over to Old Town to get fitted and buy nursing bras.

Continue reading “Three reasons to visit Curvaceous Lingerie in Old Town”

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Love a cappella? Check out Varsity Vocals

In the last decade, the art of a cappella has reached new heights in pop culture thanks to TV shows like “Glee” and “The Sing Off,” as well as the “Pitch Perfect” films. I was first exposed to a cappella thanks to the amazing and informative 90s game show, “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?”

Well, and Boyz II Men, obviously. And in high school, I loved watching our MasterSingers and Madrigals perform.

Then, at Michigan State, I remember when the Spartan Dischords visited the sixth floor of Holmes Hall my freshman year and sang us a song in the hallway. My friends and I followed their roaming concert down each floor until they did a final performance in the lobby.

Another group at MSU, Capital Green, holds a special place in my heart. My sister-in-law, Lynn, was a member when she was at MSU; she and the group performed a song at my brother and Lynn’s wedding in 2012, and she also arranged a performance with the group at our baby shower for Stella in 2013. I have other friends who were members of Capital Green, including my friend Andrea Poole.

Andrea is an incredible singer (she sang Martina McBride’s “Independence Day” for karaoke on Mackinac Island and I’m still shook) and self-proclaimed lover of “organized nerd singing.” She walks the walk as well as sings the song, so to speak, thanks to her involvement with Varsity Vocals. Continue reading “Love a cappella? Check out Varsity Vocals”

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I vaccinate to protect my winter babies

An F-bomb was dropped in our house last month. No, not that one. I’m talking about the dreaded FLU.

Growing up, I only remember thinking that the flu was no fun. As a parent, the flu is downright fearful. What if I get it and can’t take care of my girls? And worse, what if they get it? I’ve seen the conversations in the various mommy groups I belong to on Facebook; moms are scared. Every visit to a public place is wrought with fear of germs. My throat feels scratchy just thinking about grocery carts.

It feels like this flu season has been particularly scary. According to recent reports, the flu is killing up to 4,000 Americans a week. That is staggering. My news feed has been filled with stories about the flu, and it makes me want to stay home and hibernate until the coast is clear.

Despite our entire family getting flu shots at the beginning of the season, Zack was diagnosed with Influenza B a few weeks ago. This kind of thing can happen, even when vaccinated, because of the many different types of flu viruses. After we got the news, he barricaded himself in the basement and the girls and I kept away as much as possible. Thankfully — knock on wood — the girls and I escaped relatively unscathed and Zack was back on his feet a few days later.

Children under the age of five are among those who have a higher risk of developing serious flu complications, which is one of the reasons why making sure the girls both got the flu vaccine this season was very important to me. I can’t imagine how I might have felt about Zack having the flu if Margot was too young to get the vaccine this year. Continue reading “I vaccinate to protect my winter babies”