And then Kate

Welcome to Friends 2 Follow Friday!
I enjoyed my blogging break so much, that I'm going to make it a regular feature. What better way to get to know some amazing bloggers than a little one-on-one time?

Today's featured blogger is Kate from and then kate. She is a talented writer and truly hilarious. Really. Browse her posts from early September and check out the Hallmark one. She has a way of pointing out real life... with a funny twist.

The writer behind the words? My name is Kate House. I'm the mom of the almost-four-year-old Aura, a little girl who gives new meaning to the words chatty and early-onset chocoholic. We live a few miles outside of Boston, which is still too many miles for our comfort. But when Aura's toys threatened to take over and rule our city apartment two years ago, we surrendered and moved. We now have the space we need, yet we find ourselves having a difficult time adjusting to Life in Suburbia. So very many green lawns, so very few takeout Thai places.

When (& why) did you start the blog?
I was a freelance writer for several years before Aura was born in 2006, and still work (from home) in educational publishing on a very part-time basis. Last fall, I looked up from my latest project (something no doubt scintillating, such as the early dental history of George Washington or the Top Five Ways to Teach Your Kids About the Electoral College), and thought, I might need to write this, but I don't have to want to write this. So I took what I suddenly knew best— motherhood and everything that goes along with it—and started my blog (originally called And Then I Was a Mom). It started as and remains primarily a humor blog, though now and then I surprise myself with a little soupçon of sentimentality. (Don't tell anyone.)

You live in the Boston area... what is a must-see in/around Boston for a family vacation? For a city that is, geographically speaking, actually very small, Boston is positively overflowing with family-friendly entertainment options. My advice for visitors? Dabble in the obvious options, like Quincy Market and the infamous Boston Duck Tours, but then just make yourself get lost. A person could spend hours staring at the gorgeous brownstones and playgrounds in the South End, and the reflecting pool and walk-in fountains at the Christian Science Center (an unlikely tourist spot, but a good one) are worth experiencing.

My favorite food in Boston - Mike's Pastry! (Holy cannoli!) Have you ever been? YUM. LOVE THE BROWNIES THERE, TOO. Next time you come, try Flour Bakery, too. SO good!
Name one thing that surprised you about parenthood. For four years now, I have been shocked and awed at the unadulterated physical labor involved in parenthood: the carrying, the schlepping up and down stairs with toys and laundry, the after-craft cleaning up. I mean, NO ONE mentioned all this in childbirth class. Sneaky suckers.

What does "balance" mean to you? Hmm, that's a tricky one. I know I'm supposed to say something like "Balance is making sure my family is happy, while remaining contented with the progress of my own personal goals blah blah UNICORNS AND RAINBOWS!" But to be honest, I still don't know exactly how to find the elusive balance. When I head to bed at night, if I've kept everyone clean, happy, and well-fed, I'm feeling pretty decent about life. In desperate need of a pedicure, but decent.

If you had two hours of pure "me" time, what would you do? WAIT. Pure "me" time exists? I'd always thought it was just a legend, kind of like those so-called true stories of kids who play by themselves for more than three-and-a-half minutes.

Anyway. If I had two hours purely to myself, during which I was absolutely forbidden to clean the house, prep dinner, or do anything caretaker-y related, I would grab a book, get myself an enormous Diet Coke from the nearest drive-thru, and camp out on the beach for a blissful 120 minutes. Books always make me happy, Diet Coke keeps me awake to read them, and the beach remains the most perfect place on Earth. The end.

@andthenkate on Twitter
Hey blogging friends - I'll be looking for more Friends 2 Follow Friday participants. EMAIL ME if you want to join in the fun. I'll send you a quick & easy interview.
Use the Linky Tool below to link up YOUR blog! Happy Friday!