Dear Erin,

First may I say… you suck. Okay, okay. I’m kidding. It looks like you are having a fabulous time and I’m only the tinniest bit jealous. Then I remind myself that the next two weeks are going to be HELL, and there wasn’t a chance I could have gone to Disney, even if I had been invited.

The photos are gorgeous, and your letter got me thinking – have we considered The Magic Kingdom for Escape 08? Shopping, spas, restaurants and roller coasters – what else could a mom want? Maybe you and Maria can scheme with Michelle and Joyce. Nothing says “happiest place on earth” like drinking a cosmo and watching another parent deal with their kids.

As jealous as I may be about your trip, I’m also happy to say I wouldn’t have missed today for anything (including a carriage ride with Prince Phillip – Can you name that Disney princess movie?).

The weather is gorgeous – sunny and 70’s, it almost feels like summer has arrived. Steve took off early-ish for a bicycle ride (there are a couple points off my daddy-guilt) while I carted the kids, one bicycle, one scooter and one pair of rollerblades to Tercentennial Park in Framingham. It was Sophie’s first time for a “long” distance bicycle ride and she did great! We actually made it around the whole loop without incident, for which the kids were rewarded with time to play at the playground next door.

Then, and you won’t believe this, they actually left the playground – WITHOUT COMPLAINT – so we could go to Trader Joe’s to pick up munchies for my Lia Sophia party tonight (by the way – did I mention that one of the “Real Housewives of NYC” received a pair of Lia Sophia earrings for her birthday?! I’m so hip!). We nearly escaped the store without incident, until Anders popped his balloon getting into the car. To avoid a historic meltdown, I locked the kids in the car and dashed back in to the store to grab another balloon – only to get back to the car and find a mom looking at the kids through the glass suspiciously.

Fingers crossed she understood when she saw my mad dash with the balloon and won’t call DSS.

After lunch the kids rested – again, without complaint (I’m beginning to think they aren’t feeling well) – while I cleaned the house and participated in an audio press conference with Susan Sarandon. Yes, “that” Susan Sarandon! She was promoting her new movie, Speed Racer. I even had a chance to ask her a question, although I nearly missed out because I was 2 feet from the phone going through the kids’ artwork when they called my name. The best part – she loves the name Manic Mommies (how could she not?)!

The weather was so warm this afternoon that we actually put the kids in bathing suits and let them run through the sprinklers. Then, we walked (yes, I know it’s shocking) to Dairy Queen before coming back here for baths, dinner and final prep for my party (for which I have no idea who is coming, and I let Steve go to a hockey game with our neighbor so the kids are going to be floating around).

Anyway, gotta’ fly. Sophie and Anders just took the opportunity while I was writing this to pull out all the Play Doh and smear it on the floor in the living room.

Say hello to everyone for me, and don’t forget to have your picture taken with a pair of Mickey ears on!

- Kristin