Yikes!

I read this on:
Working Dad: by Paul Nyhan

Dads can do plenty to help their daughters with image issues

My daughter sat in her creaky, wooden high chair last week, blissfully happy in her chubby 2-year-old frame, and I worried.

I worried because in a few years this toddler will stand at the edge of the nation's body-image vortex, swirling with size 00 jeans, underfed celebrities glorified in gossip magazines, the latest "America's Next Top Model" and an unrelenting marketing drumbeat that skinnier is better.

How do I keep her from falling in?

My New Year's resolution is to help my daughter prepare for the mind-numbingly complex, sometimes fictitious image of the female body. Unfortunately, I am out of my element.

Today, involved dads are entering unfamiliar territory, such as body-image anxiety. They want to help, but don't always know how, says Harvard Medical University researcher Dr. Nancy Etcoff. When Etcoff gives a speech these days, dads ask a lot of the questions.

"They don't know what to say to their daughters, how to help them," said Etcoff, who also runs Massachusetts General Hospital's aesthetics and well-being program. "Right now there is a really troubled body image. It is really hard to feel confident."

It is also a scary time to raise a daughter. Girls as young as 7 are now treated for anorexia, more than 40 percent of girls in first, second and third grade wish they were thinner, and the number of reported cases of anorexia and bulimia is rising, according to the Seattle-based National Association of Eating Disorders.

As dads take on more at home, they can help their daughters to deal with these problems. For example, when she complains about her weight, don't dismiss her by saying, "Oh, don't be silly, you're beautiful," Etcoff urges.

Listen. Help her digest the messages she absorbs on YouTube, the E! channel, MTV and ever-growing media outlets.

I'm not generally an over-anxious parent, and my daughter is only 2. But I've known enough bulimics and body-haters to worry.

I also am not alone. More dads are asking Heather Blessington, a former model who writes about body image at the blog www.mamavision.com, for help.

"I think they are just sick of it," said Blessington.

They may be sick of it because the nation's body image is ailing.

When they look in a mirror more than 40 percent of girls and young women see flaws, 90 percent want to change something about their appearance and 77 percent would trade bodies with a celebrity, according to the 2006 report "Beyond Stereotypes: Rebuilding the Foundation of Beauty and Beliefs," sponsored by Unilever's Dove brand.

"I think we are in very bad shape in terms of overall opinions women have of their bodies," said Dr. Rose Calderon, clinical director of the eating disorders program at Seattle Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center.

The insecurity is sad but not surprising. A decade ago, Hollywood trotted out Ally McBeal and her reed-thin arms. Then even-skinnier Lara Flynn Boyle arrived. Now, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" shows few traditional curves.

But, the entertainment world is only one layer of a body-image debate rich with blame and defensiveness, ranging from unrealistic fashions and designers, to Photoshopped faces in ad campaigns and checked-out parents.

The problem is inflamed by the 21st-century parent's latest worry: cyberbullying. Kids taunt with photos snapped with their cellular phones, sabotage MySpace and Facebook pages, and send text insults, making a girl's self-esteem even more vulnerable.

There were always bullies, but now they are more focused on your looks, according to Lynn Grefe, chief executive officer of the National Eating Disorders Association.

"From what I have heard from the teens I have worked with it is pretty vicious out there," Seattle Children's Calderon said.

But, there is a deepening crosscurrent. In the past two years, British superstar Kate Winslet bashed Hollywood's skinny culture, Jennifer Love Hewitt defended her curves and Dove began its Campaign for Real Beauty, complete with viral videos, self-esteem workshops and a 2006 Super Bowl ad.

"There is a countervoice. I think we are at a point where hopefully things are getting better," said Harvard's Etcoff, who worked on Dove's 2006 report.

And a parent's voice is still louder than the media.

Surveys "show parents' opinions are vastly more important to teens and young kids than what goes on on TV," Calderon said."Look at the media they are looking at. Listen to the songs and videos and lyrics, really understand what's coming in, and their world, and talk about" it, Etcoff said.

"If you are going to give a compliment, make it real and make it specific," Etcoff added.

A mother remains her daughter's leading role model, but a father makes critical impressions that help forge the type of man his daughter will date and marry, Calderon adds. Both mom and dad set examples when they talk about their own bodies, eat and watch movies and television.

Talk to your daughters about these skinny celebrities. Encourage their interests outside of fashion and image and boost their self-esteem by simply hanging out with them, experts suggest.

Like so many parenting problems, the family dinner is one of the best antidotes, Calderon said.

"You just like being with them, that is what you want to convey to them."

--------------

My thoughts:

I feel very scared and sad for my daughter and the other littles growing up in todays crazy society- puts more pressure on me as the parent to lead my kids in the right direction! Hopefully, I'll have a positive influence on them! :-)

Here's the link to Paul Nyhan's blog that has the "You Tube" clips he writes about. Pretty moving!

Go Girls

Pretty cool... given all the "lovely" role models our young girls have these days.

Check it out: Girls Rock: the movie.

Good Luck

I received a few gift cards from Santa this year and decided to head out to the old mall tonight for some shopping... kid free, of course. I resolved to "only buy for me" since I usually head right to the kids stores. Anyway, I went to a few shops, looked around for a bit, and then headed to Macy's. Lo and behold, I hit it big!! Found a wonderfully helpful sales associate- she was funny, friendly, polite, had good style, and most important- was HONEST about what looked good and what didn't! I ended up with a bunch of things that I liked, mentally added everything together in my head, and said to myself, "This is way too much money." My new sales associate friend heard me and said, "Don't worry, I'll hook you up." I wasn't quite sure what she meant but decided to "go" with it.

End of story- I got about 240 dollars worth of clothes for 140!!!! And she gave me her card and encouraged me to call her anytime to arrange a shopping trip. I felt like I just "clicked" with her and I definitely will call next time I'm in the market for something new.

Whoo-hooo, yeah for me! I then went to Barnes and Nobles, got a hot caramel apple cider, and relaxed with a few books!

Oh, I did go into Gymboree (of course) and found a few deals for Ms. Le...

Were they really THIS small??

And now onto BIGGER things...

12/26/07- Logan turns 5!!!!
Talk about a shitty day to have a birthday!?!

We always try to make a big deal of Lo's b-day since, after all, it is the day after Christmas and everyone is exhausted, busy returning unwanted gifts, out of town, or extremely hung over!!!

Lo, of course, knows nothing else and he is just happy to receive "a few more extra presents." We started the day with a little scavenger hunt to find a few b-day surprises. Logan got a kick out of this! We chilled out at home for a bit playing with ALL the new toys and then met some friends for open gym playtime at the Gymnastics Academy and a birthday lunch. Home, nap/rest time and then off to Tutta-Bella for family birthday celebration. All in all, Logan had a fun day, felt special, and is proud to be 5.

FYI

With all the angst about how TV and video games are turning our kids violent, here is a welcome insight:

Surveys and studies "show parents opinions are vastly more important to teens and young kids than what goes on on TV," said clinical director of the Eating Disorders Program at Seattle Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center. "You are far more powerful already than any media attention."

Christmas Cheer 2007

Christmas was great- although on the 24th, I was ready to cancel the whole thing with two rambunctious kids going crazy all day long!! Of course, it ended up being a ton of fun for everyone. After all, how could it not be fun with a 5 year old and a 3 year old????

Some highlights included:

...christmas eve party...decorating cookies w/ friends...visits to see the reindeer...christmas songs and shows...Santa boat ride...Christmas lights galore... plenty of snacks, drinks, and special notes to Santa and reindeer...endless trips to the front porch and backyard for Santa sightings...Uncle sleeping over... PRESENTS... rescue heroes...my little ponies... scooters for all...baby alive...mega rigs... lincoln logs and kinex...books and art supplies...games...Barbie pet shop...magnetic dart board...cutest clothes ever...legos...digital cameras for kids...spa gift card for mama!!!...coat with furry hood...scarf and mittens...gift cards...mimosa...maple logs...waking up at 7am...more presents at G&Gs...dvds, movies, XBox games...matching pjs...transformers...laptop computers...jewelry...SNOW on Christmas...pink lawn mower... surf/turf dinner...good company...good food...good fun!!!

However, as Logan says: "Christmas is mostly about being with family and friends and doing fun things together." Mission Accomplished!

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO MADE OUR CHRISTMAS MERRY AND BRIGHT!!

As told by Logan & Leah:

"Wow, Santa musta thought we were extra good this year. I mean, like super good."
"Amazing, I didn't even hear Santa and Red Nose and I listened all night long for 'um."
"Oooooooohhhhh, just what I wanted."
"Logan/Mama/Dada/Gramma/Uncle/Papa- this one is for YOU. For you. From Santa."
"I have to take a nap now because I did so much present opening."

Christmas Cuties

1, 2, 3... LEAH!

Our little Leah turned three on 11/29. Yes, my little baby girl has grown up into a fun-loving, independent, confident, stubborn, happy, silly, and super cute preschooler. Leah loves babies- real ones and her dolls. My friend Julie jokes and says that she should hire Le to be her nanny for her Baby Davis! And it's true- Le is so sweet, caring, gentle, and loving with all babies she knows. She loves riding her bike and is so proud of herself for pedaling on her own. She loves dancing and is a little ballerina and gymnast- twirling and doing somersaults wherever she can. Leah has style- she knows what she wants to wear and don't try to tell her otherwise. She has a "plan and reason" for everything she does. Leah enjoys playing with Logan but is becoming much more selective in her play activities. She no longer plays cars and trucks... but scams Logan to play dolls, princesses, and dress-up. Le loves play-doh and art projects and she is very serious about her work! Leah loves preschool, Gramma, and best of all, Uncle. She frequently says, "Uncle is my buddy!!" She has the prettiest big blue eyes, the best laugh, the sweetest voice, and the brightest smile around. Leah has brought us much joy and happiness in her three little years.

She is our special little friend!

Snow

I miss the NY snow during the Holidays...




...so peaceful, quiet, relaxing, refreshing, and beautiful.

What's the meaning???

As we make the switch for the fall festivities to the winter holidays, let’s reflect on what the big holidays mean to us. What will they mean to our children?

It’s easy to get swept up in the tide of commercialism, especially around Christmas. And I will be the first to admit that I'm into it- big time! And yes, I did go shopping on Black Friday... I didn't really plan it but hey, the kids were up at 6:00am so I figured I might as well have made good use of my time!

As parents, we need to make sure that our kids are seeing the big picture - not just round after round of food, gifts, and rushing from here to there doing all the "required" Holiday Activities.

HealthDay News offers these tips to help us make holidays meaningful for the kids:

* Create traditions in the family that your children can look forward to. Talk about why it’s important to have traditions, and which ones are their favorites.
* Encourage children to volunteer, and to make donations and gifts for those who are less fortunate.
* As a family, make homemade gifts to give to friends and family members. Help your children understand that a gift doesn’t need to be something that’s bought from a store.
* Don’t let yourself get stressed during the holidays. Let your children see that it’s a time to enjoy spending together as a family. (I’ll let you know if I ever figure out how to remain stress-free during the biggest holidays of the year!)

Here's another article that I quickly read through on Psych Central.

What's the meaning of the Holidays for you? What do you hope for your family?

Holiday Toys

Holiday and birthday season fanfare has already begun, and I am thinking of a new holiday motto: No more junk toys!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and/or the Winter Solstice, if you have children, you know what junk toys are. Junk toys are toys that have little educational value, are usually made of plastic, are overly commercial, and end up in our landfills. Further, kids will play with them for 5 minutes... and then they just sit in a bin waiting to be played with. They are often in the price range of 1 cent up to 1 dollar... maybe 2, 3, 4, or even 5 dollars if you're lucky!

Mothering Magazine featured a great article four years ago titled "No More Junk Toys: Rethinking Children’s Gifts" by Judith Rubin. Rubin writes,

"Like junk food, junk toys can be fun but are devoid of nutrition. Buying them requires little forethought. They are excessively commercial, and are often linked to cross-marketing schemes. They excite children at first, but that initial flicker doesn’t endure. Also like junk food, junk toys have hidden environmental and social costs for which the consumers pay."

The safety of toys made in China has been in question lately with the recent rave of recalls- toys poisoned with lead, toys containing phthalates and other "drugs", and toys that are just unsafe for our kids- for whatever reason!

Yes, my kids LOVE these little, non-purposeful toys- for about a day.. and then these junk toys are stuffed into a closet, toy bin, in my purse (?) or on the floor of my car. I keep saying that I am going to do a "big toy clean out" before all of our upcoming birthdays and toy-giving holidays... I just keep procrastination... kinda like that baby book I need to finish once and for all!!!!

Digital Photo Frame

My brother got me a digital picture frame for my birthday back in August. I finally uploaded pictures to the frame and... I love it! It's so cool to have all my favorite shots of the kids on display in a rotating manner. It was relatively easy to program and I'm very thankful for this gift. Everyone who has been to our house since I set it up has commented on how neat it is. Thanks Bri!

Tainted Toys Anyone?

Okay, here goes...

Not that long ago, the first alerts regarding “tainted” toys from China made the news. Many parents, rightly so, were outraged. How could a toy, made for a child, contain lead in the paint? Good question. Let’s all ponder it.

As the days have turned to weeks, more and more toys are being recalled. Sadly, many of these toy recalls aren’t making as much headlines because, let’s face it, toxic lead-tainted toys have made the news repeatedly. There are so many recalls, how can we be sure that our children haven’t been gnawing on a block made from who knows what?

This is one place to start: Us Recall News.

What can you, as the consumer, do? Well, more than you think. Yes, a lot of things are made in China. Don’t believe me? Read the book “A Year Without, Made in China” to learn a bit more on the process. Some things say made in the US or Germany, but contain parts that were made in China.

I realize that all these recalls may mean that you might have to shop differently this Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa season. It may mean you end up paying a bit more for an item, but that can be evened out by not buying as much other "unneeded junk". You know what I mean- stocking stuffers, junk toys, holiday candy and such.
Purchase quality. Purchase safe.

Still, there are items from China that do not contain paint and, as one retailer said “are not a possible toxicity problem.” Will you purchase those toys? If we purchase toys from China that do not contain “a possible toxicity problem,” will the people who make the purchasing decisions pay attention?

If you’re concerned, read the label. Make an informed decision. This article in USA Today says that about 80% of all toys are made in China. EIGHTY PERCENT! It blows my mind to even comprehend that.

If you need some help trying to find safer toys, check out this web site. In order for this problem to be fixed, we need to take appropriate action! Give your business to those who can provide safe and quality items.

Just like nobody wants a fruitcake, nobody really wants lead poisoning, either.

Deep Thoughts

Just the other day, I popped in the movie Pinocchio for the L kids to watch while I did a little folding of the never-ending laundry. It was a movie I remember from my youth– though I can say that I didn't remember all the details. Honestly, I was shocked at what I saw. It seemed far too dark for my almost 5 and almost 3 year old. I’ve always loved Disney movies– call it marketing at its best, but I’ve always had a special place for them. Disney equals good in my book.

But then, I thought about Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, Bambi, and Snow White to name a few. Kinda Scary. Eating a poisonous apple? A young deer who loses his mother in the middle of a forest? An evil stepmother who orders a hunter to kill her stepdaughter because she is the "fairest of them all?" Hhmmmm... things I want my kids to see? Values I want to teach them? Not so much. Young children should not have unnecessary worries and, in my book, that involves some of the darker themes that come with certain children's movies.

And no, I am not bashing on Disney. Actually, Little Le and I went to see Disney Princesses on Ice just tonight! We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery, dancing, singing, and skating. I will say, however, that there were some very scary moments throughout the production- a large fire breathing dragon comes out in a cloud of smoke, pirates fight each other with swords, and a boat becomes shipwreck during an ocean storm. Necessary parts of the show? Not in my book. The $25 programs and over-priced "trinkets" weren't really needed either, but, hey, you might as well make as much money as you can!

---------

There are parents who hustle their children by the needy without explaining the concept of homelessness. Families who never let their children experience disappointment, the "nuisances" of life, or the meaning of the word "NO". There are people who try to keep their children sheltered from everyone who is different from them- be it religion, socio-economic status, culture, or race. Many (not all, and no, I’m not saying you) are comfortable with this fact, but often times, when someone dares not show their child something from popular culture or buy the latest and greatest toy (probably tainted with lead but that's a whole other post), they are automatically delusional.

Babies grow up, that’s a fact of life. They’ll experience heartache and sadness. They will be disappointed, frustrated, and angry. But, they are little for a short period of time and it is my job, as the parent, to shield their hearts and minds from excessive darkness, worry, and fear.

It is up to each parent to decide what is acceptable for her (or his) child. It is okay if we all have different opinions on what is acceptable or not. This is just something that my husband and I value. We want our kids to learn their morals, beliefs, and values from ourselves, grandparents, teachers, and friends- not from movies and society in general! I will let my children watch some Disney movies... because I know that my husband and I are open and honest with our kids and teach them to think for themselves and to have compassion for all people. I think the problems with Disney movies was not premeditated or dangerous, it’s what society perpetuates and so while some movies really touch a nerve, many can open dialog with children and offer a teachable moment about one of life's many lessons.

All in all, know your child. Know yourself. Know your family.
Don’t let popular culture tell you what is right.

Any thoughts???

What's the date?

Isn't it only November 10th?? Every store I walk into has full-on Christmas displays complete with trees, lights beyond belief, giant blow up Santas, snowmen, reindeer, the sleigh, and yes, even the Grinch. A larger than life sized Grinch on your front lawn- now that's cute!?!? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the holidays but I also LOVE the autumn time- back to school, Halloween, apples and pumpkins, changing leaves, cool, crisp sunny fall days, and Thanksgiving time with family and friends. I want to enjoy this autumn season... not feel rushed and pressured to dive into Christmas and such. Let's enjoy each season and all that it brings... not rush to the next!

Although I will admit that I'm using the good old, "Santa is watching you!!" phrase a little too much these days... ;-)

Anthony's Mini-Van

Notice the car seat in the back...

My Top Ten Children's Books (+ 3)

(In no particular order)

1. Harold & the Purple Crayon
2. The Little Taxi That Hurried
3. The Mitten
4. Where the Wild Things Are
5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
6. Madeline
7. The Snowy Day
8. Amelia Bedelia
9. Tikki Tikki Tembo
10. Charlotte's Web
11. The Little Engine that Could
12. Green Eggs and Ham
13. Caps for Sal

What's on your list?

Check it Out

Want to stop a ton of junk mail and help the environment at the same time???
Go to Green Dimes:

http://www.greendimes.com

Anthony and I joined a while ago and our junk mail has decreased dramatically. Well worth doing!!!

Kids are the cutest!

A sweet thing happened this afternoon. I was in the kitchen and Logan and Leah were in and out of the living room and their bedrooms. All of a sudden, Leah walks into the living room where Logan is, holding a piece of art that he made at school and says, "Logan, I loves this art you did. I loves it." Logan puts his toys down, stands up and walks over to Leah, gives her the biggest hug and says, "Thank you Leah, thanks. I made it for you, it's yours." He then asks her if she wants to hang it in her room. The two go into Le's room (with scotch tape that Logan grabbed from the art closet) and I hear Logan asking Leah where she wants to hang it. Leah says, "I want it over by my bookcase, Logan. Then I can look at it all night long and see it." Logan says, "Yah, Leah and it can help you feel safe and happy." And they both worked together to tape it next to her bookcase.

It was just one of those precious moments (which have been few and far between lately)!!!

You know you're in trouble when...

1. The phone rings, you answer it and it's for your 4 years old son. And it's a girl.

2. The same 4 year old shows YOU how to get to his favorite computer game on the Internet.

3. Your 2 year old daughter tells you that "your blue shirt and brown pants don't really match."

4. Your 4 year old wants a Superman or Star Wars birthday party and your 2 year old wants a Princess- Cinderella Princess- or a Barbie birthday party... with a pinata.

5. Your husband wants a bouncy house for his birthday...seriously... because it makes everyone happy and it keeps the kids contained for more than 10 minutes.

6. Both your kids know all the words you spell to your husband because you don't want them to know what you are saying: g-u-m, t-r-e-a-t, b-e-d-t-i-m-e, p-a-r-k.

7. You think your kids are sleeping... but they are actually playing dominoes together in the living room!! Playing extremely nice with each other, using polite language, and taking turns!

8. You don't need to "lock" the fence gate anymore because your kids can climb over the fence if they want to get out.

9. Your son knows how to put Legos together better than you. He can follow the picture directions to make all sort of things- rockets, vehicles, submarines, construction equipment, and more!

10. Your daughter no longer lets you pick out clothes for her- she has to do it all by herself. And by golly, don't try to chance her mind or convince her otherwise.

ASTAR Auction

Hot Mama and Dada...

Priceless....

Tickets to ASTAR charity auction benefiting Autism: $300
Dress, Shoes, Scarf for auction: $200
Dry cleaning for A's Suit: $35
Manicure, Hair Style, Make-Up Application: $100
Babysitter: $75

Getting ALL dressed up: PRICELESS
Spending a fancy night out with my husband: PRICELESS

Showing our love and support for dear friends and for all families who have Autistic children:

I can't even begin to put words on exactly how PRICELESS this is.

Wow... what an emotional and moving event we went to last night. As some of you may know, close friends of ours have a daughter who is autistic. Olivia is a BEAUTIFUL little girl who is special in so many ways. When our friends mentioned this benefit auction to us, Anthony and I knew immediately that we wanted to go. Mainly, to support our friends and to show them that we care (and also to have a REAL night out). :-) Our friends have been through SO much. They are good people who just want the best for their daughter (and other families living with Autism). Yes, it was costly... but what FUN to get all dressed up, have a fun night with A, and support our friends.

Hearing the stories of these children and their families is just heart-breaking. I think the hardest thing about it all is not knowing... Why does my child have this? How did he/she get it? Is he/she going to get better? Worse? How many more treatments and therapies can we try?

We all were in tears by the end...

To Robert, Julie, and Ms. O,

We LOVE you so so much and are here to help and support you in any way we can. You are AMAZING parents and people. I so admire you both!

Olivia is one lucky girl and you both are two lucky parents.

10 Coolest Small Towns

And I am proud to say... that I've never heard of any of them! Budget Travel published this list of up-and-coming towns that "guarantee a fun detour on your next road trip."

If only I had the time to travel to America's top 10 coolest small towns!

• Millerton, NY
• Milford, PA
• Yachats, OR
• Waitsburg, WA
• Pa'ia, HI
• Parkville, MO
• Silver City, NM
• Peterborough, NH
• Tuscumbia, AL
• Collinsville, CT

Rumor has it that you can get the house of all houses in these towns!!!

Picture of the Day

Laura: "Logan, what the heck are you doing?"

Logan to Mama (looking like I am dumb or something) in his very matter-of-fact voice: "I'm climbing up the doorway. Cool, huh?"






And yes, he did climb this with his own two feet and no help!

Things That Go Bump In The Night

Hhhmmm... could it be Lo and Le?!?! Yes, I do think so. Kids are great- everyone is happy, healthy, compliant, and behavior is great (for the most part). EXCEPT, both Lo and Le have been waking up at night. Like 2 or 3 times each night. They usually call out for us and will not settle down until we go in to check them and reassure them. I don't know why they are waking up. Bad dreams? Bodies running and running? Growing pains? Adjusting to new routine? Who knows! Luckily, they will (usually!) go back to sleep after I go and check on them. However, it is a pain to fall into a nice relaxing sleep, only to be woken up- 3 or more times a night!

Well, this is my only complaint these days. All in all, life is good and the kids are great. We are settling into our routines and both kids love school! They are so happy and proud that they go to school. It makes me SO happy to know that they love school and are confident and secure to be away from us during this time.

In another month, we will be pre-registering for KINDERGARTEN! What?!?!?!? Crazy...

Things That Bug Me

1. Coming home from vacation to find my car COVERED in sap from our lovely pine tree out front. Anthony and I spent- honestly- about 4 hours total removing the damn stuff from my car. Not fun and not a good use of our time. At all.

2. School parents who call me on the second day of school complaining about their child's teacher. Second day. Enough said!

3. Not knowing if Logan's little foot is fractured, broken, or just sprained. (It's a long story... drop me an email if you want to hear it). Come on people, is it really that hard to read an X-Ray?

4. All hell breaking loose (whining, crying, the "I wants" and the "I needs") every time (well, maybe about 60% of the time...) I walk in the front door. (After big smiles and super hugs, that is.) Hhmmm... what does this mean?!?

5. Cleaning up all the sand that the L kids tracked into the kitchen... thinking that my cleaning duty is done for the day (HA)... only to walk downstairs to see the play room covered in Kix cereal. Fun. Yes, a lot of fun. It's a good thing my kids like to vacuum. They did not, however, like the long time out they had after they cleaned up.

6. Having a certain "friend" of Logan's (who is almost 2 years older than him) be so excited to play together, begging for Logan to come over, and then completely throwing a fit and telling Logan that he is not going to invite him to his birthday party when Logan says he wants to play outside instead of inside. My Lo and my Le are FAR from perfect, but, come on kid, grow up. I know it's not a big deal and kids are kids but it just rubbed me the wrong way.

7. It's even more annoying when the mom of the same kid just smiles and laughs at her son, making excuses for him and completely ignoring the fact that this 6 year old is acting like a 2 year old. Again, I know, I know, kids are kids and maybe I am being over sensitive but still!!! And don't worry- it's no one who would ever read this blog.

It's just been one of those days...

Life... and stuff.

Here I am again, thinking, man, where did the time go? Am I really that busy? I know I am an organized person... just ask anyone who knows me real well!! Yes, I am working part-time, raising (along with Anth) a 4 year old and a 2 year old, and doing work for Big6/Super3, but when you look at our calendar, it seems (somewhat) empty. The day to day living (laundry, cleaning the house, more laundry, dishes, packing school bags and getting ready for preschool, playing with and enjoying my wonderful family, laundry (yet again), and grocery shopping is really keeping Team Robinson busy... and Anthony is pretty good about helping out!

All in all, life is good and I don't mean to bitch and complain (again having 2 beautiful and healthy kids along with a supportive family is more than enough) but, boy, I would love to come home from work and take a nap... would love to watch the latest episode of Oprah... cook a really nice meal instead of "throwing" stuff together... read the daily/weekend newspaper instead of recycling it... etc.

I love being a mom- it is simply the best... but it is also the hardest thing ever.

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Oh, I love it... what fun it is to receive SPAM Mail!

Mission Accomplished: 8/26/2007

1. Solved plumbing situation... (see previous post).
2. Set 7 fence posts in concrete... (we're almost there).
3. Backyard clean-up and lawn care... (still more to do but every little bit helps).
4. Home Depot/Fred Meyers/Sunday Market... (what's a day without shopping?).
5. Acclimated new babysitter... (kids loved her).
6. Drinks and a light dinner for A and L... (gotta have that adult time).
7. Washed mini-van... (AKA: The Black Hawk).
8. Coordinated schedule for week... (because we're oh, so busy!).
9. Toy clean-up and clean-out... (yes, again).
10. Attempted to watch High School Musical... (realized we're too old for this stuff).

Plumber Problems

It started about 2 weeks ago...

We noticed that our downstairs toilet was flushing real slow and getting clogged quite frequently. We finally relented and called up good old Roto Rooter. They came out and after about 1/2 hour of "exploring" the depths of our pipes, Casey the Plumber finds a matchbox car along with a lip gloss that belongs to Leah. Problem Solved.

Fast forward to this morning... when now our upstairs toilet is flushing slowly and getting clogged. Great... here we go again. This time Anthony tackles the problem and after a few rounds of swearing, multiple trips to the garage for tools, constantly telling the kids that he doesn't need their help, and one trip to Home Depot with Logan (Leah and I went to Fred Meyers- of course), lo and behold, we find the culprit... a small plastic container that one held bath soaps for the kids.

Hhhmmm.... do I see a trend? Do I see a pattern? Let's hope not!!!

Things I Learned This Summer

1. Time really does fly when you're having fun... with kids, with family, with friends!

2. Traveling with a 4 year old and a 2 year old is MUCH easier than traveling with a 7 month old and a 2 year old.

3. Portable DVD players are a wonderful thing....

4. Having the neighborhood kids to join us in trips to Target, the grocery store, Fred Meyers, is just fine and makes your life a TON easier. (And, really, IS a wonderful thing)!!

5. Mommy time is important- drinks with friends, pedicures, and shopping sprees are a necessity.

6. Mommy AND Daddy time is equally as important... and taking advantage of the teenagers down the street to babysit is NOT a bad thing. At All.

7. Daddy time is important, too... I think! (I guess...!)

8. Being a Mommy is the HARDEST thing ever but also the BEST thing ever.

9. Maintaining some sort of schedule over the summer is good for everyone... and will help come back to school time.

10. I am SO lucky to have kids that go to bed reasonably early.. and sleep in reasonably late!

11. You know you're old when your 2 year old sees a telephone booth and asks "What is that crazy thing?"

12. Positive communication, honesty, remaining calm, and being a consistent parent team with your spouse can go a LONG way... and just makes everyone happier!!

13. I CAN do a Big6/Super3 presentation on my own... and do a GREAT job with nothing but positive feedback!!

14. John Hay is the BEST place to work and I am so lucky to have such a wonderful staff!!! (And the best roommates ever!!!)

15. Private tutoring = A lot of money!!!!

16. Life is good!

The fun never ends....

1. While Anth was showering today, the kids thought it would be fun to help clean the house... so apparently they took all the dish soap and emptied it onto the hard wood floors. Needless to say, Team Robinson- minus Mama- spent a large part of the day wiping and cleaning the floors! And they are still sticky and slippery...

2. Leah stays up until 10pm or later (in her room, quiet, so we just leave her alone) because she "really needs to take care of her babies"... When we go in her room in the morning, she has ALL her dolls spread out on ALL her blankets that she has arranged on her floor. Each baby has a book (or two or five) next to them, along with a few toys. And sometimes, even Leah is sound asleep on the floor, next to her babies. Too cute!!!

3. Logan (and Leah) now play "Night Time" with the neighborhood girls. It usually goes something like this: Leah is usually the "Mom or Dad" and she is instructed to tell the "teenagers" who are Abby, Logan, and Sophie, that they need to go to bed. Well, the two girls plus Logan all snuggle and cuddle in Logan's bed under the covers. Who else knows what goes on under there but... it is hilarious!! And they are SO serious about their play. They also play "Mommies and Daddies" where Logan is usually the "husband" and Abby is the "wife"... it is too funny to listen to their little ideas and games... so innocent but yet, already the hormones are raging... YIKES! Another fun game is "Camping in the Outdoors" (in our backyard, no less) thanks to Uncle B... I'll let your imaginations run wild. However, I will say, we have many piles of sticks, plants, stones, fire-pits, and animal traps in our backyard. And beware if you are a PIRATE- you will never survive with these kids!!!!

4. Logan and Leah both took gymnastics this summer and BOTH were recommended for the "STARS" class which is a teacher invite only program! Whoo-hoo way to go, Lo and Le. Logan can do 1-handed cartwheels and Leah can do no-hands somersaults! However, we have decided to just leave the kids in the regular gymnastics class.. actually we are taking a break from gymnastics for the fall and will resume in the winter. After all, they are ONLY 2 and 4!!! We think the transition to more preschool days and times will be enough for now. They need to have time to run free in the backyard, right? As PROUD of them that we are, come on, they are too little to be on the competitive gymnastics team... maybe next year!?!? :-)

Our days are filled with excitement, amazement, and wonder. Everyday both Lo and Le continue to impress us with their knowledge. They are SO different but yet SO similar in their mannerisms. I LOVE watching them grow and learn, interact with each other, and develop into little people! Being a Mom is definitely the HARDEST thing ever but it is also the BEST thing ever! And I think Anthony would agree.....

Every day I learn something new and continue to be amazed my my magical children!!!!

Intuition

So, I've always been a little hesitant about taking my kids to the wading pools (or waving pools, as Logan calls them) at the local parks. Call me a little overprotective, crazy, or whatever, but something just doesn't sit right with me... maybe all the kids with swim diapers that leak, maybe all the chemicals they dump in the water, maybe the fact that the pools are packed with kids- I just don't know but I've always been a bit tentative about taking the Lo and the Le there. Anyway, one hot afternoon, my neighbor calls and tells us that she is going to the wading pool up the street. It's been a long day, so, of course, I jump at the chance... after getting ready for about 45 minutes (packing snacks, drinks, towels, extra clothes, pool toys, changing kids into bathing suits, and slathering on sunscreen) we are ready to go. We get there and the kids have a BLAST!!! I mean, total fun! The park is empty, Cathy and I are sitting on the blanket and actually having an adult conversation without interruption and all is good, make that, great!! I am thinking, okay, tell me again why I haven't done this before..... oh, yes, my craziness!!!
So fast forward a bit, (after I checked with the lifeguard and bombarded her with questions about the bacterial levels, chemical amounts, etc, etc, etc,) when all of a sudden a mom says, "There's glass in the pool, glass, all over." And I'm thinking, okay, is she nuts or what? The lifeguard comes into the pool, looks around, and sure enough, there is glass all on the bottom of the pool. All of the moms and dads get in the pool (with flip flops on) and start picking it out. Meanwhile, the lifeguard tells all the kids to get out of the pool. Of course, right them, Logan starts screaming, "My foot, my foot, ouch, I got stung." Big tears... I go over to him and check out his foot, and yes, my son was THE KID who got cut on the glass... no, it wasn't a cut that required stitches (well, maybe it did) but it was a pretty serious cut... We get him all settled down, bandaged up and good to go. I am thinking, tell me again...

Why did I decide to come to the wading pool?

Oh I remember, because the kids love the water, are happily playing with our neighbors, it is a hot day, and why not go to the wading pool???? Free, convenient, and fun!

Will I go again?

Yes, it was great fun, relaxing (up until the glass incident), and a prefect place for a hot day!!!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

If you've been following the news... you'll know that we had some high temps here in Seattle. We finally are getting back to "normal Seattle weather." It's funny though, because when I was growing up, on the East Coast, I LOVED the heat, even the humidity- bring it on. I would go to the beach with my friends, we would slather on baby oil and lay out for hours. Now, I just can't tolerate it- makes me irritable, grumpy, and tired. Yes, it is nice to play outside, go to the beach, etc, etc, etc but I would much rather do it in the 75-80 degree range with a nice breeze off of the Sound.

I think my husband and kids would agree!!!

---------------------------------------------

I went and got fans for the kids rooms for the hot nights.

Logan's Reaction- "Wow, I get my real own fan like the adults! It makes me feel so refreshed and cool. I love having a cool breeze in my room. It really helps me sleep."
And Anthony and I are looking at each other like, Is this kid really 4?????

Leah's Reaction- We're putting her to bed and she's pretty quiet. We leave her windows open, set up the fan, and give her a cool sheet to sleep with. Again, she's a bit quiet and not her normal bubbly self. Fast Forward to the middle of the night when it's so hot that I can't sleep. I go and check on the kids. Well, I go to the hallway and Leah's fan is sitting on the floor along with the sheet in one big pile! I open her door and she has her big fluffy comforter back on her bed, and all the windows are closed! She was sleeping peacefully- in a pool of sweat. It was so funny. But that's our Leah- if she doesn't want something, by golly, she is not having it. When we asked her about it in the morning, I said, "Leah what happened to all your stuff?" She goes, "No, nothing, I just don't like the fan and new sheet and I had to close my windows!!!"

Never a dull moment here at Team Robinson!

July 9th

I just cannot believe that tomorrow is July 9th... already! Where is the summer going? Yes, we have been busy doing fun stuff (museums, Locks, Zoo, parks, bike rides, play dates, backyard BBQ's), started our new fence (Whoo-hoo), painted two rooms, organized and cleaned out toys, clothes, and closets, but, man, where has the time gone????

As Logan said, "Well, summer to me is doing all this fun stuff with my mom, my dad, and my sister." And that's the truth!!!!

Free Pizza

So, A and I were hanging out (the kids were both in bed and asleep by 7:30 tonight!!!!), relaxing, and all of a sudden we both realized that we needed a good snack. Yes, I desperately need to go grocery shopping (again!)... it's on the list for tomorrow's activities. A wanted milkshakes but neither one of us wanted to go out to the store. We decided on pizza from our favorite, Pagliacci Pizza. We ordered up a pie and waited for the delivery. Much to our surprise when the "pizza guy" as the L kids call the delivery people, handed us our pizza and then a card that read, "Thank you and this one's on us!"

How cool is that? Way to go, Pagliacci! What a nice way to show your appreciation for your customers!

Some pics for your enjoyment!

Changes... and Updates

So, once again, I've fallen into the long time no blog post stage...

Here's some updates on Team Robinson in Seattle.

The 06-07 school year has ended for all of us! I had a pretty successful year and truly enjoyed working with my second and third graders. All students made progress and are proud of themselves as learners! I love the staff and teachers that I work with and look forward to work each day! This summer I will be tutoring here and there and keeping up with my Big6/Super3 work with my dad. We have a new book that will be published this Fall (whoo-hoo) along with a Super3 Discovery Packet for the younger learners! Logan and Leah both finished pre-school... Logan, his second year and Leah her first! Both absolutely loved it and looked forward to going to school to play with their teachers and friends. It amazes me at how much they learn- Logan now talks about the 5 senses along with the different "systems" within our bodies. He knows all of the planets and is interested in space, stars, and the Earth. Leah continues to engage in sophisticated imaginary play games and tells the most amazing, hilarious stories ranging from the man on the moon to animals in our backyard (?) to playing with her friends.

We all went to a Seattle Mariner's game last week. It was GREAT- the perfect family outing. Logan was just amazed by everything... and Leah took it all in. We had red ropes, cotton candy, hot dogs... and the list goes on. We met the Mariner Moose, went in the Children's Hospital Playland, and enjoyed our time together. Other highlights include trips to the Locks to see the salmon run, picnics at the beach, and of course fun in the backyard with friends and neighbors. We had a block party last week in our backyard and rented a bouncy house for the kids! What fun! For kids and adults like.

This summer brings new adventures for all. Logan and Leah will continue preschool on Mondays and Thursdays while I tutor. They are going to gymnastics on Wednesday mornings and have a blast jumping into the foam pit, walking on the balance beam, and just running around being kids. Logan did a 1-week Skyhawks Sports Camp and completely amazed his coaches with his athletic abilities. Leah enjoyed some special time with mom and dad and liked having us all to ourselves. Although, she did miss Logan and kept asking when we can go pick him up and watch him do his games!! Too cute!

I finally painted out playroom and bedroom. The playroom is a fun blueish color and our bedroom is a soothing greenish color. I love them both and am so happy with the way they turned out! My next project is the downstairs bathroom- I am thinking of an orange-ish color but we'll have to see. We are in the process of getting a new fence for our backyard and are so excited to have that complete.

So, that's what the summer brings- fun, family, summer projects, gymnastics, trips, relaxing, and time together. Not too bad, huh? I am lucky to be part of such a great "team!"

Color Changes!

Here's a peek at our new colors...

Strep Throat x2

Ok, so I was sick about 3 weeks ago... real sick with horrible sore throat, temp, the whole deal. Went to the doctor and sure enough had strep throat. It sucked but I took medicine and got better.

Fast forward to this past Sunday: I woke up and felt like crap again... progressively got worse throughout the day. Went to the doctor on Monday and lo and behold, strep again. Why? How? This just sucks. Now I am on a super heavy antibiotic (which I hate taking but I need to get better) and am slowly starting to feel better.

Just needed to vent about this crazy sickness- it's not fun. Let's keep our fingers crossed that no one else in the family gets it and that this is the END!

Fun in Sun

We've been busy here at Team Robinson! Let's see... lemonade stand with neighbor kids (they made over $30 in 1 hour!!), preschool graduation (so cute), nonstop playing in backyard, and even some adult time for A and L (we're getting away to a SUPER resort and spa for two nights- thanks to Gramma and Papa for staying with the L kids- I think all parties involved are extremely excited), fun and special outings with best friends Olivia, Monet, and Davis (Leah is a little mother's helper as is Logan), playdates with preschool and neighborhood kids, and the FUN goes on!!!! Life is good. Whoo-hoo! Well, of course there are a few bumps in the road - the endless laundry since Leah insists on changing her clothes all by herself about 10 times a day (while I am occupied) and thinks she is helping me by putting every piece of clothing she owns into the washer (yes, she knows how to lift up the top and throw the stuff in by herself), me sick with strep throat last week (I have no idea where I caught that!), and Logan trying to solve the world's problems!!! A is doing well with his information aggregation work (I am still trying to figure out what this means) and has a new potential client. We are beautifying our backyard with a new fence (finally... yippee!) and I am still contemplating the painting colors (we now have little paint chips in our room, living room, and Leah's room). At this point, I kinda want to hire a cheap painter to just come in and get it done BUT... don't think Anth will go for that! As cute as Leah's room is, I'm ready for a new color- got an adorable new run and duvet cover and it is just as cute as can be!

Well, can you tell I've had a few drinks?? Backyard BBQ season is here! Got to go hang with husband and uncle.

On that note, good night and good luck!

Quotes of the Day

Leah: "I did make a big mess in the fridg-er-ator with the applesauce, Mama."
(And boy, was it ever a mess!!)

Logan: "Uummm guys, Leah is having a little bit of trouble again in her room. It wasn't me, just Leah. I only came to check on her."

And we go in to find that she has destroyed her room again... clothes and toys everywhere... and Leah goes, "Hi, Wanna come to my princess party? You can come. It be fun for you."

Logan while playing outside with a ton of birds chirping: "These damn birds are driving my crazy."

Leah after she tormented a worm and killed it with a stick (she didn't do it on purpose): "Oh no, the wormy is mad now. He real sad, too." And she proceeded to study it for the next half-hour... with the stick!

Leah: "I did go to my school and played with My Jordan and My Eliza and My Karen and nobody else did. And Mama did play at John Hay with Misa!"

Logan coming inside for a snack: "Geeze, don't we have anything nutritious? I need nutritious to help me ride my bike- not sugary."

Leah: "Can't we just go to the store and get ice cream for us, all of us, like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 30, 100? And big, big ones for us?"

Leah after we tucked her into bed, comes to the top of the stairs and yells in a serious word-for-word manner: "Dada-you-did-not-give-me-a-kiss-or-a-huggy-you-need-a-come-up-and-do-it-again-Okay?"

And at bedtime, Logan: "Mama, you are my best girl friend and you are my best boy friend, Dada. And Leah is my best sister friend."

Mama and Dada, Let's Go on A Bike Ride

A Big Day in the Life of a 4.5 Year Old

Who: Logan

What: Learns how to ride a 2-Wheeler!!!

Where: Strip of sidewalk in front of our house and school park

Why: Dada convinced him it was time to step up in the bike riding department (and he wanted to!). Hey, if the kid can ski down black diamonds, he should be able to ride a bike!

When: Between the hours of 2 and 9PM... he'd still be out there now if we let him!

How: After the convincing, it took 2 tries and then he was sailing like the wind. And away he goes...

Are we cute or what????

On the Nap Front

Well, Ms. Leah may be phasing out her naps (no, please, not yet). Sometimes she sleeps and sometimes, well, she plays. Her playing looks like this: emptying all her clothes out of her drawers (yes, all of them), dumping her toys out of her bins (and she has a ton of little pieces these days- Polly Pockets, Littlest Pet Shop, Barbie accessories and such), taking her many hair ties and "princess jewelry" and scattering it among her room like confetti, and sometimes, she even manages to roll up her rug!! It's kinda funny but a PAIN to clean up... and it gets old real fast. So, I'm taking suggestions on how to continue and prolong her naps. Any ideas? She gets a little crabby on the days that she doesn't sleep but it's not too bad. And both Lo and Le sleep real well at night (usually) so I can't complain too much. Well, off to catch some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's......

Help Needed- Please Reply

You may have noticed "paint bedroom" has been on my to do list for quite some time now... Well, I just can't decide on the color... I got 2 new duvet covers that are white with different splashes of colors and flowers... maybe I'll try to take a picture... but anyway, I need to add color to the back wall of our room. Right now the wall is covered in test patches of different colors. Anthony thinks I should keep painting little spots of different colors all over and we can have a "color collage"...

Current Color Choices:

Terracotta Orange/Rust
Wine Color/Dark Rose
Smokey Blue

(I already decided it's a "no-go" on a moss green and a mustard yellow color). I just can't decide on the final color. I think I am leaning toward the wine/rose. Any suggestions? I want something calming and relaxing but just can't seem to find it!

I'm up for any advice and suggestion...

Room Pics

Here's a picture of our color collage wall and one of our new duvet covers.

Friday 5.11.07

9:30- Grocery Store
10:15- Pedicure
11:00- Home, pack kids lunch, head up to Imagine Children's Museum
11:30-3:30- PLAY, PLAY, PLAY with friends at Museum
4:00-7:00- Dinner with Gramma and Papa, PLAY with Monet, Olivia, Davis
7:00-8:00- TARGET
8:30- Home, Night-Night!!
8:30-10:30- Mommy Time!
11:00- Night-Night!!

Not Regular... yet

So, I know I said I would begin posting more regularly but man, my days just fly by and I'm exhausted by the time I have a few extra minutes to relax. Anyway, things here are very good! Kids (and husband) are great... everyone is happy and healthy. With the nice weather (finally) here, we have been spending a TON of time outside. Lo and Le both love going on bike rides so that has been a daily ritual- well, A and I usually walk as the kids quickly pedal away from us.. but still, it's a nice family outing. A and I actually talked about getting ourselves bikes but I think the kids are still too young to do family bike rides- unless we do the whole bike trailer thing- and I just don't know if I'm in to that! We'll see...

It's 10:36pm- I have a birthday present to wrap, mail to go through, and yes, laundry to fold... so, I'm signing off now. More to come later....

PS- I (yes, it was me, not one of the kids) dropped our camera a while ago and it costs between $175-$250 to get fixed (which is why I haven't done it yet) so we have been "picture less". I finally couldn't stand it anymore, as Lo and Le get cuter and cuter every day, so on the way home from Gramma and Papa's tonight, Team Robinson stopped and got a nice new digital camera! So, keep your eyes out for new pictures coming soon!

Long time, No Blog

I look at my blog every day...sometimes two, three, or four times a day. I want to post, I have a lot to say- but when I sit down to type, nothing comes out. I guess I've got a writers block and my creative juices just haven't been flowing! Sometimes it feels like there's so much to talk about, so much going on, and so many new things that the kids are doing, that I get a bit... overwhelmed... if you will. All in all, I have been trying to slow down a bit and enjoy my family, my work, and my friends.

Anyhow, I'm over the hump and ready to report. Regular readers will notice that I've changed to a new URL and a new name... might even surprise ya all and switch up the colors a bit- so check back.

In the meantime, here's some happenings, interests, and favorites of Team Robinson:

T- Time Together, Tulips, Tickles
E- Earth Day, Electronics
A- Animals, Alphabet, Aquarium
M- Motorcycles, Monster Trucks, Math

R- Reading, Rhyming, Robots, Relaxed
O- Oceans
B- Backyard Fun, Bike Rides, Book Club
I- Imaginative Play, Interacting
N- Numbers, Nursery Rhymes,
S- Singing, Sandbox, Storytime, School, Solar System
O- Oranges, Opposites
N- Never a dull moment....

Snowsuit to Swimsuit

So, this morning, Uncle came and took Logan skiing for the day! Great for them... and great for Le and I. We had her 2 year check-up today (I know, a little late) and she is just awesome!! 33 pounds and 37 inches tall! Dr. Allen was very impressed with all her skills and couldn't believe that she speaks in 9+ word sentences, can petal a trike, draw a smiley face, is potty trained, sleeps in a big girl bed, and eats a ton of fruits and vegetables! Go Leah!!!

Anyway, so while Logan and Uncle hit the mountains, Seattle was beaming with sunshine and warming up to a nice 70 degrees! As Leah was sleeping, among other things, I filled the wading pool and prepped the backyard for springtime fun- pool, bubbles, sandbox, and chalk! What more does one need? We spent the afternoon out back.. it was just great. Fresh air, sunshine, friends, and fun!! Logan thought it was pretty funny that he was skiing this morning and swimming in the pool this afternoon! And by the way, his skiing abilities are amazing. He "tears up the mountain and hits the jumps," as he says. And that's the truth! He speeds down the mountain (can ski anything, even the black diamonds!! Yikes!) doing the "pizza or french fries" and actually slides over the bumps and jumps! It is so great to see him- he just loves it and he is awesome- a natural!!
So, that was our day...just perfect!

Leah's Bed

Not great pictures but you can get the gist...
She looks so tiny in such a big bed!!!

What's New

1) Leah is now potty trained and sleeping in a "big girl bed"... she's not our little Baby Le anymore! She's doing okay with the bed... but asks where her other bed is (it's in the living room, disassembled, hoping to find a new home!) and has started to express some fears of butterflies (?) and bees (?) at bedtime. We're working through it and hopefully she will be fully acclimated soon! It is SO cute and looks perfect in her room. I will get some pictures up soon. Promise Meg!!

2) Logan is doing great. Such a little boy now. He loves playing with all his friends and is always having "playdates" with school and neighborhood kids. Such a little social butterfly. He is coming along with pre-reading skills and knows letters and letter sounds! Today as we were reading an alphabet book, he said, "Look, there's an uppercase M and next to it is a lower case m." It was pretty cool and he continues to amaze us with how fast he picks up things.

3) Spring is here and the kids are playing outside in full force when it's nice out. Our yard seems to be the gathering place for all the neighborhood kids- which is great for me and Lo and Le. We are debating about getting a wooden swing set... I'm checking them out and deciding what would be good for us!

Picture Update!!

The Million Dollar Kid

An article I discovered...

$1 million to raise a kid today? Get serious

By ROBERT L. JAMIESON Jr.
P-I COLUMNIST

A brand new Porsche? Or a runny-nosed kid?

That is the choice a lot of my single guy friends were joking about after a recent Wall Street Journal article burned across the Internet like a raging forest fire.

The piece called "The Million-Dollar Kid" talked about how government figures have put the cost of raising a child at $279,000 -- a conservative estimate, the paper argued.

In our culture of conspicuous consumption run amok, that figure can easily top $1 million.

Think about it, folks: a million bucks to raise a child from birth to age 17!

I was gobsmacked.

This being America -- home of the free, land of the crazed -- I've come to realize resistance might be futile.

I might be pressured to keep up with this acme of mindlessness because, well, everyone else is doing it -- or taking out second mortgages trying.

Junior will have nothing but the best, starting with his first wheels -- a Bugaboo stroller for $900 -- no need to pimp that ride. Surely it already has urban terrain wheels to mimic SUV cruisin'? What about hookups for his iTod to play "The Wiggles" greatest hits?

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And we'll need a nanny -- my future wife and I. That will set us back 12 grand a year. (Yes, I'm cheap. A No-Frills Nanny will have to do).

Junior's Baby Gap wardrobe until he turns 6 will set me back $15,000, according to the March 3 article in the Journal. When Junior ditches the crib, I'm eyeing the $2,000 big-kid bed at Pottery Barn.

The kid's annual supply of organic oranges will cost $2,500 a year.

The price tag at the Bush School in Seattle is $15,000 a year -- given the state of the Seattle public schools, the kid will have to go private.

Junior might need braces for three or four grand -- if I don't have insurance.

And college is a must. It's $2,000 for the SAT prep course as soon as the kid shows promise by acing his "Farsi for 4-year-olds" class.

If I want the kid to see how real Chinese people live -- not just those plasticized stiffs at "The Bodies" exhibit -- I'll need to take him on a trip to China.

If Junior fails to thrive, a dose of child therapy -- topping $11,000 -- would be in order.

And if that fails, back to retail therapy.

None of the above takes into account tutoring, bottled-water delivery, nightly takeout, home electrical bills and guilt payments for spending more time at work than at home.

Add it up and there's something seriously wrong with this picture.

A serial case of affluenza has put society's priorities grossly out of whack. The Beatles got it wrong -- you can buy love.

Seriously, what kid really needs a stroller that costs more than a 20-year-old Volvo listed on Craigslist?

When I read the Journal piece, the thing that kept gonging in my mind is how so many kids in Washington are going without the basics.

More than 138,000 children between the ages of 5 and 17 -- about 13 percent -- lived in poverty in 2003, according to the latest available figures.

That means in an average school classroom of 30 kids, a handful are hungry, said Paola Maranan, executive director of the Children's Alliance, a Seattle-based statewide child-advocacy group.

In 2004, 36 percent of students in the state qualified for free and reduced lunches, up from 31 percent in 2000.

While some parents deluge kids with luxuries they don't need, other parents struggle with children in dire need.

Forget the Porsche. I choose the kid -- one who will be showered with parental love, not a love of material things.

The only million-dollar baby I'll pay for is the flick by that name. It rents at the local video store.

For four bucks.

My thoughts:

I do admit that I go a little (well, maybe a lot) excessive with the clothes and toys for my kids BUT first and foremost, I want to raise my kids with love! I want them to be happy, healthy, confident, and secure individuals. I want my kids to have morals, values, and beliefs. I want my kids to be comfortable with who they are, not with what they have. Much more important than all the material stuff, is spending quality time with my kids as a family, exploring the great outdoors, going to the beach, taking a walk in the rain, doing science experiments, singing and dancing to Johnny Cash, coloring and writing stories together, digging for treasure in the backyard, and just laughing and talking about our day!! This to me, is what being a parent is all about... who needs S1 million when you've got love???

Question of the Day 1

Today's QOTD is:
How well do you know your next-door neighbors?

Answer:
We are lucky enough to live in a great neighborhood and have close relationships with pretty much our whole block! I am reminded of when I grew up, when all the kids were out playing and over at each other's houses, when you could call up a neighbor to borrow eggs or butter, or call them in a pinch to watch the kids for a bit. In fact, our neighbors across the street came over to use our washing machine when theirs was broken and they lent us their extra car when ours was in the shop! Talk about friendliness!
Our neighborhood is filled with kids ranging in ages from 6 months up to 14 years old- who love to babysit Le and Lo! We have built in playmates and babysitters! In fact, our neighborhood just planned a progressive dinner where we have drink and appetizers at one house (ours), then move to the main course at another house, and end with dessert at yet, another house. We have 9 families involved and everyone signs up to bring a dish to one of the host houses! The party will take place on March 24th! We even got the older kids to babysit all the younger kids after the meal so the parents can have some fun adult time! I'll let you know how it goes.
As Anthony says, we're not moving until Sara and Clare, and Ivy and Shawny (the girls who babysit for us) go off to college! And I must say, I'd have to agree!! We are pretty lucky to have such great neighbors.

Pink No More

I, personally, kinda liked the pink format but too many people shot me down! It's back to the blue and green tones! Let me know what you all think!

Education Issues

I have two things to report:

1: Should etiquette/manners be taught in school?

Situation: We have a 5th grade teacher who is starting a unit on etiquette/manners to her class. Now, I'm all for being polite and respectful but we're talking about boys standing up when a girl approaches their table, bowing when an adult enters the room, etc. To me this is a little over the top. I understand some things: proper table manners, holding the door open, and of course, the good old please and thank-you. Which bring me to another question. Should this be taught in school? I mean, if it doesn't start at home and the parents don't value it, then are the kids going to? I guess it "can't hurt" and some kids may not have appropriate adult role models (not the case in my school) but, I personally feel that this teacher is over-stepping her boundaries. What do you all think? Maybe I am, again, being to sensitive and yes, the basic rules of manners and respect in context need to be addressed but a whole unit on etiquette???

2: Second Graders performing Shakespeare.

Situation: My "favorite" second grade teacher- the one who has done the crazy, inappropriate assignments in the past, is having her second graders perform Shakespeare. Yes, Shakespeare. I barely understand Shakespeare. This has NO meaning to their lives and no connection to the second grade curriculum what-so-ever!! Making a bunch of second grade students memorize lines that they do not understand is pointless to me! Why not have the kids work in groups to create, write, and perform their own plays? Why not have the class write a play for a book they are reading??? So, I spent my 45 minute session with these little guys rehearsing lines today that included:
"Helena, love me so. I can not let you go."
"I can not love you, I will not love you."
"Marry me, please. I cannot part without you."
And on and on and on...
Yes, second grade reading lines about love and marriage?!?!?!?!

Going Green

My friend Karen is SO on top of "living a greener life" and taking action to make changes that will positively impact our world! She even started a website/blog with her sister-in-law. Check it out at Green Girl's Guide. I am inspired to do what I can do in our little part of the world to make a difference. This can be a but overwhelming at first, but once you get going, the change is easy... and it makes a big difference!

To begin with, I signed up to reduce our "junk mail" and "credit card offers". A company named "Green Dimes" will do this for you for a minimal fee.. and will plant a tree in your name for each month that you are a member. Check it out! Green Dimes

Other simple things Team Robinson has done:
- I bought 4 reusable grocery bags from Trader Joe's and use these when I go shopping! No more plastic bags that are a pain to begin with!
- We switched all of our cleaners to non-toxic, environmental friendly cleaners. I LOVE the Mrs. Myers brand along with the simple.pure.green. products!
- I now bring my own coffee mug when getting a latte/mocha before work and I purchased a non-leaching water bottle to use instead of buying plastic water bottles.
- We switched to the more energy-efficient light bulbs and make sure to turn off all lights when we are not in a room. We also turned out heat down by 1-2 degrees.
- In addition, we turned down our hot water heater and only wash clothes on the cold cycle!

My next step is to look at environmental friendly make-up and facial products that will positively benefit myself and the enviroment!

So, a BIG thanks to Karen and Laura for jump-starting these efforts and making us all aware of the little things that we can do to make a difference! I did it... what will you do????

New York Trip

Best Things about our Trip
1: Catching up with old friends
2: Playing in the snow!
3: Dinner at Mrs. B's
4: Target with Meg
5: Strong Museum of Toys

Not so great things about our trip to NY
1: Traveling and airplane ride... need I say more???
2: Adjusting to new time zone and new setting
3: Sleep!
4: Leah's moodiness
5: Logan's business

BUT it was a great trip!!!! And thanks to everyone who helped make it successful!!

Is Spring Here?

We have spent the last few days outside... in our bare feet with no jackets on. Anth and Logan got fresh sand for the sandbox, new mulch for the garden, and the weeding has begun. Playing the the sandbox, water table, jumping on the trampoline, and riding bikes galore! Does this mean that spring is here? We'll see... I don't want to "tease" the kids but it is so nice to spend time outside! I open the back door, make sure the fence is locked, and the kids are free to roam.. I mean, play! They love it! Logan was so excited about the warm weather that he pulled out the pool, got his bathing suit on, and is ready to swim! I told the little guy that we still have to wait a few months until we can swim. Luckily, he was satisfied with the sandbox!

Anthony's Pick

As requested by Anthony, (he has been asking for a little "airtime"), so here we go!

A musician he discovered a little while back:

Rehab
by Amy Winehouse

Check it out here.
http://popbytes.com/archive/2006/10/amy_winehouses_rehab.shtml

My personal opinion, (if I'm allowed): great song and voice but freaky video and lyrics... overall, I like it!

Where does the time go??

So, it amazes me that this is the first time since we have been back from our trip that I've had time to update my blog. I have no idea why it takes me so long to get back on track. As most of you know, I am a pretty efficient and effective person when it comes to getting stuff done but geee, you'd think we've been gone for a few months, not 1 week! And yes, you guessed it, this will only be a short posting as I have to do a little writing/editing for Big6 before bedtime. Never-the-less, we made it home safe and sound and had a GREAT time visiting family and friends. And a special thanks to all the Brady's for their kindness and hospitality (we'll see if they ever invite us back)! :)

And Meg, I still owe you for the Denny's trip...

Got to run now but more highlights to come!

PS- In case anyone is wondering, I love my new car. Eeerrr, I mean mini-van!!

Away

On vacation...

Be Back Soon!!
(With lots of stories!)

Word Beads

A teacher at my school does this every week with her students. It's kinda cool! The task is to use the following 5 words in a sentence, story, or poem. The writing piece must demonstrate that you know the definitions of each word and it must make sense. You are able to change the words (vanish = vanished, appreciate = appreciates) and the words may be used in any order. The teacher gets the words out of the book that she is currently reading to the class.

VANISH
APPRECIATE
SURPRISE
VINTAGE
MILKMAN

Here's mine:

I was so embarrassed that I wanted to vanish. I couldn't believe how vintage the milkman was... I appreciate that he is old, but just yesterday, the milkman was a cute, young thing. Much to my surprise, I opened the door today, ready to ask him for a date, but there stood the vintage guy!

Try it, it's fun!
Kim K- I want to see what Danny comes up with!

Five on Friday

This is another thing that the same teacher does every Friday. She, however, requires complete sentences.

ROSES ARE RED

1. What is your favorite red food?
Strawberries, Pasta and sauce, Red Licorice
2. Do you own any red clothing?
Yup, I'm wearing my red sweater right now. And I have the coziest pair of red pajamas (thanks to Anthony)!
3. Name one item you can see right now that is red.
A red toy fire truck.
4. Have you ever run a stop sign or red light?
Oh yes...
5. Do you ever get so angry that you "see red"?
No, I never "see red" but I've been known to get pretty pissed off!

We got a ...

new car!

Hello Nissan Quest and Good Bye Honda CRV...

Yes, we did it- "crossed the line" and purchased ourselves a good 'ole minivan (although I won't let A call it that). I must say, it is SO nice! Black with black tinted windows, gray interior, and it does actually look pretty slick- if that is possible! The kids LOVE it and Logan is especially excited to have his friends "go on trips with us." It rides real smooth, handles well, and is super quiet. I especially love the automatic power doors and back lift-gate- whoo-hoo!

So, friends who also own minivans- I'm now part of your clan!
And for those who don't- I don't want to hear about it! :)