Oh how I loved Sesame Street. They had the BEST short clips. They made learning fun and I can still sing them to this day. This is one of my all time favorites - The Alligator King.
Looking at it now as an adult, I am giggling at the fourth son who tried to give him 7 lemon drops to make him happy - and the lemons were done in a smiley face. A little subtle humor for the parents?
Enjoy!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Adventures of Owen and His Glasses
Owen has had glasses since he was 4. I wasn't shocked when he went for his first eye exam and the doctor asked him to read the 20/20 line and Owen told him that he saw a bunch of dots instead of the jeep that was on the screen.
Ugh. Sorry for the genetics, Owen.
But, in a way, I guess it's good that he got them that early because the kids have always seen him with glasses on.
Well, except for that period of three weeks right after he got his first pair of glasses when he lost them playing in the back yard. I bribed the neighborhood kids with a $20 reward for whichever kid found them.
They found them the day after I broke down and ordered him a new pair of glasses. Figures.
He probably wouldn't have lost them if he hadn't have stretched them out as far as one could take them without breaking them. They ended up looking like those paper 3-D glasses that you get in movie theaters. He had them so stretched out that they could fit on Ken's big D^%$eler head. (No offense meant, dear.) :)
He must have missed his glasses though because check out what he wishes for in preschool.
I think that he's accepted his glasses now because everything he draws has glasses on them. When he turns in papers, he makes the "O" in Owen a face. With glasses of course.
I think that this is just the beginning of our adventures with Owen and his glasses. His glasses will be my payback for all of those retainers that I lost as a teenager.
So, there you go mom and dad. Another "aaaaahhhhh" moment for you!
Ugh. Sorry for the genetics, Owen.
But, in a way, I guess it's good that he got them that early because the kids have always seen him with glasses on.
Well, except for that period of three weeks right after he got his first pair of glasses when he lost them playing in the back yard. I bribed the neighborhood kids with a $20 reward for whichever kid found them.
They found them the day after I broke down and ordered him a new pair of glasses. Figures.
He probably wouldn't have lost them if he hadn't have stretched them out as far as one could take them without breaking them. They ended up looking like those paper 3-D glasses that you get in movie theaters. He had them so stretched out that they could fit on Ken's big D^%$eler head. (No offense meant, dear.) :)
He must have missed his glasses though because check out what he wishes for in preschool.
I think that he's accepted his glasses now because everything he draws has glasses on them. When he turns in papers, he makes the "O" in Owen a face. With glasses of course.
I think that this is just the beginning of our adventures with Owen and his glasses. His glasses will be my payback for all of those retainers that I lost as a teenager.
So, there you go mom and dad. Another "aaaaahhhhh" moment for you!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Edward Scissorhands Part II.
Shane has been steadfastly refusing to get his hair cut. He hasn't had a haircut since July. He was looking like a throwback to the 1970's.
If you think I'm joking or exaggerating, I'm not. Exhibits one and two:
I've been laying off of him even though I can't stand the hair in his face but whatever. It's just hair and it's not worth fighting over.
So the other day he decided that he'd had enough and wanted to get it cut. Well not cut. Just trimmed.
Great. Owen wanted to get his hair cut too. But unlike Shane who wanted his hair long, Owen wanted a mohawk.
Again. Ugh but whatever. It's just hair.
So we get to the barber shop and the boys sat down in two chairs. When Owen said he wanted a mohawk, you would have thought that he was at a beauty parlor. It blew their minds and that was a warning sign that I should have listened to.
Then I told them that Shane wanted very little cut off of his hair. At that point, they switched kids. Um. Yeah. Not a good sign.
So, Owen goes first. I asked them to not shave his sides. Then I see the lady take her comb and start to part the back of his hair in a true mohawk style. No. No. No. Just leave the back like a little boys hair cut and let the top be a spike.
At this point, I'm sticking close to Owen because the other lady is occupied in a struggle trimming Shane's long hair. Owen needed more supervision but the first shave that she took off of his sides was waaaaaay too short. Much shorter than I told her to cut it.
But now the damage is done. Just finish it. Don't cut the back anymore. It'll grow back I tell myself. And he likes it so I guess that's what matters. I guess.
So I turn my attention back to Shane. The woman is still struggling with his hair and asks the woman who cut Owen's hair to finish it up. Seriously? Ugh. I told her not to cut anymore off the length and to just shape up his bangs.
"Oh...you want his bangs cut?" Seriously? I hate it when you go to a barber or hair dresser and they ask if you want your bangs cut or they spend 1/2 hour on the back of your hair and then ask you if you want the bangs cut.
No. Please don't cut the bangs. That's only the part that everyone sees. But, hey...the back will look good.
/end hijack and back to the scheduled hair debacle.
So, anyway, I tell her to shape up his bangs and reiterate that the back is fine. He wants the hair cut over his ear so she does it.
Sweet. He's rocking a mullet at this point. But it's long in the back like he wanted it. She had to put his hair in pins because it's so long. He didn't even notice because he was watching a toonie. lol
I think that she's got it all under control and go back to whatever it was that I was doing. She spins him around and I notice how short the back of his hair is. It's not short but it's certainly shorter than he wanted.
So, she finishes up with him and I'm glad to get out of there with at least some hair on those boys heads.
And then I get into the car and get a good look at Shane's bangs.
And I'm pretty sure that Edward Scissorhands has just cut their hair. He was somehow able to morph into Asian ladies but it was him all right.
And then I'm wondering how in the heck she missed that one long piece near his ear.
This look says it all.
You know I thought it would be some cute pictures of the before and after of Shane finally getting his hair cut. But this is what I got instead.
Edward Scissorhands Part II.
Thank God they're clueless boys.
If you think I'm joking or exaggerating, I'm not. Exhibits one and two:
I've been laying off of him even though I can't stand the hair in his face but whatever. It's just hair and it's not worth fighting over.
So the other day he decided that he'd had enough and wanted to get it cut. Well not cut. Just trimmed.
Great. Owen wanted to get his hair cut too. But unlike Shane who wanted his hair long, Owen wanted a mohawk.
Again. Ugh but whatever. It's just hair.
So we get to the barber shop and the boys sat down in two chairs. When Owen said he wanted a mohawk, you would have thought that he was at a beauty parlor. It blew their minds and that was a warning sign that I should have listened to.
Then I told them that Shane wanted very little cut off of his hair. At that point, they switched kids. Um. Yeah. Not a good sign.
So, Owen goes first. I asked them to not shave his sides. Then I see the lady take her comb and start to part the back of his hair in a true mohawk style. No. No. No. Just leave the back like a little boys hair cut and let the top be a spike.
At this point, I'm sticking close to Owen because the other lady is occupied in a struggle trimming Shane's long hair. Owen needed more supervision but the first shave that she took off of his sides was waaaaaay too short. Much shorter than I told her to cut it.
But now the damage is done. Just finish it. Don't cut the back anymore. It'll grow back I tell myself. And he likes it so I guess that's what matters. I guess.
So I turn my attention back to Shane. The woman is still struggling with his hair and asks the woman who cut Owen's hair to finish it up. Seriously? Ugh. I told her not to cut anymore off the length and to just shape up his bangs.
"Oh...you want his bangs cut?" Seriously? I hate it when you go to a barber or hair dresser and they ask if you want your bangs cut or they spend 1/2 hour on the back of your hair and then ask you if you want the bangs cut.
No. Please don't cut the bangs. That's only the part that everyone sees. But, hey...the back will look good.
/end hijack and back to the scheduled hair debacle.
So, anyway, I tell her to shape up his bangs and reiterate that the back is fine. He wants the hair cut over his ear so she does it.
Sweet. He's rocking a mullet at this point. But it's long in the back like he wanted it. She had to put his hair in pins because it's so long. He didn't even notice because he was watching a toonie. lol
I think that she's got it all under control and go back to whatever it was that I was doing. She spins him around and I notice how short the back of his hair is. It's not short but it's certainly shorter than he wanted.
So, she finishes up with him and I'm glad to get out of there with at least some hair on those boys heads.
And then I get into the car and get a good look at Shane's bangs.
And I'm pretty sure that Edward Scissorhands has just cut their hair. He was somehow able to morph into Asian ladies but it was him all right.
And then I'm wondering how in the heck she missed that one long piece near his ear.
This look says it all.
You know I thought it would be some cute pictures of the before and after of Shane finally getting his hair cut. But this is what I got instead.
Edward Scissorhands Part II.
Thank God they're clueless boys.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Ringing In A Healthier New Year
It's that time of year.
The time of year to make New Years resolutions.
And *probably* break them the next day. And by *probably*, I mean...that's what I usually do. :p
And inevitibly one of those resolutions is to eat healthier.
But, since my kids and husband are a pain in the biscuits to feed because they have all of these rules about what they will and won't eat, I have had to devise a multi-strategic war plan to defeat them.
Here's the plan:
1. I trick them.
That's right. I trick them and add good foods into their meals and they don't even know it. If they weren't so dog gone picky, I wouldn't be forced to do battle in this manner.
Baby Foods
Organic baby food to be exact.
Baby food?! Yes. Baby food. I put it into foods that I'm cooking to add more veggies and fruits to their meal in addition to their salads or veggies that they're eating. I only add enough so that the flavor isn't compromised. Too much. ;) Missy Lapine of The Sneaky Chef fame has a few cookbooks out that advocate for this and it's brilliant. I just don't happen to have her ability to make the food smooth enough for the kids not to notice. So using baby food is better for me.
Flax Seed , Wheat Germ and Oats
I add ground flaxseed, oats and wheat germ to many of the meals that I make - especially ground meat, cookies and breads. Added in the right amount, you can't even tell.
Other Miscellaneous Tricks:
* I mash ripe bananas into the pancake mix. Sure it adds a flavor of banana but it's yummy. Shane saw me do it yesterday (damnit) but instead of lying to him (because he's just too smart to buy anything other than what I was really doing), I told him the truth.
Yep. Just looked him right in the eye as I was mashing the banana and told him exactly what I was doing. He screwed up his little nose a bit but then said "oh...okay" and turned around and left. I also put a few mini chocolate chips in the batter so maybe he ate it because of those but he said they were good. :)
* I use applesauce instead of oil in most recipes.
* I use organic and natural peanut butter. It took a while for the boys to take to it but they have finally accepted it.
2. I have added foods and drinks that are healthy into their diet without tricking them.
That's right. It's a brilliant move. I didn't make a big deal about it. Just gave it to them.
So, here are some items that you may or may not know about that will help you in your war too.
V-8 Juice
It's not your mother's V-8 juice though. It's vegetable juice with fruit juice added to it and the kids love it. There are all kinds of flavors. Their favorite is the orange/carrot juice.
McCain Sweet Potato Fries
These are the best tasting sweet potato fries that I have found. There are other brands but these seem to cook most realistically to "real fries." Owen and I love them. Shane and Ken shove them around on their plates, pretending to eat them and wishing that we had a dog to feed them to. Oh well. I'll keep making them. Eventually they will learn to like them too.
Other Miscellaneous Items:
* Whole Wheat Breads, Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers, Cookies and Snyders Whole Wheat Pretzels.
* Unsweetened applesauce - you can't even tell the difference.
* Capris Sun Juice boxes with no extra added sugar.
Most items come in whole wheat versions these days. Many have reduced sugar or no added sugar. These are just a few of them. If you are at war and have discovered any products or uses of other foods to help in your battle, please let me know!
The time of year to make New Years resolutions.
And *probably* break them the next day. And by *probably*, I mean...that's what I usually do. :p
And inevitibly one of those resolutions is to eat healthier.
But, since my kids and husband are a pain in the biscuits to feed because they have all of these rules about what they will and won't eat, I have had to devise a multi-strategic war plan to defeat them.
Here's the plan:
1. I trick them.
That's right. I trick them and add good foods into their meals and they don't even know it. If they weren't so dog gone picky, I wouldn't be forced to do battle in this manner.
Baby Foods
Organic baby food to be exact.
Baby food?! Yes. Baby food. I put it into foods that I'm cooking to add more veggies and fruits to their meal in addition to their salads or veggies that they're eating. I only add enough so that the flavor isn't compromised. Too much. ;) Missy Lapine of The Sneaky Chef fame has a few cookbooks out that advocate for this and it's brilliant. I just don't happen to have her ability to make the food smooth enough for the kids not to notice. So using baby food is better for me.
Flax Seed , Wheat Germ and Oats
I add ground flaxseed, oats and wheat germ to many of the meals that I make - especially ground meat, cookies and breads. Added in the right amount, you can't even tell.
Other Miscellaneous Tricks:
* I mash ripe bananas into the pancake mix. Sure it adds a flavor of banana but it's yummy. Shane saw me do it yesterday (damnit) but instead of lying to him (because he's just too smart to buy anything other than what I was really doing), I told him the truth.
Yep. Just looked him right in the eye as I was mashing the banana and told him exactly what I was doing. He screwed up his little nose a bit but then said "oh...okay" and turned around and left. I also put a few mini chocolate chips in the batter so maybe he ate it because of those but he said they were good. :)
* I use applesauce instead of oil in most recipes.
* I use organic and natural peanut butter. It took a while for the boys to take to it but they have finally accepted it.
2. I have added foods and drinks that are healthy into their diet without tricking them.
That's right. It's a brilliant move. I didn't make a big deal about it. Just gave it to them.
So, here are some items that you may or may not know about that will help you in your war too.
V-8 Juice
It's not your mother's V-8 juice though. It's vegetable juice with fruit juice added to it and the kids love it. There are all kinds of flavors. Their favorite is the orange/carrot juice.
McCain Sweet Potato Fries
These are the best tasting sweet potato fries that I have found. There are other brands but these seem to cook most realistically to "real fries." Owen and I love them. Shane and Ken shove them around on their plates, pretending to eat them and wishing that we had a dog to feed them to. Oh well. I'll keep making them. Eventually they will learn to like them too.
Other Miscellaneous Items:
* Whole Wheat Breads, Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers, Cookies and Snyders Whole Wheat Pretzels.
* Unsweetened applesauce - you can't even tell the difference.
* Capris Sun Juice boxes with no extra added sugar.
Most items come in whole wheat versions these days. Many have reduced sugar or no added sugar. These are just a few of them. If you are at war and have discovered any products or uses of other foods to help in your battle, please let me know!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all my friends and family. 2008 was great but 2009 is going to be even better. Here's to health, friendship and family.
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