Mama Called The Doctor, and The Doctor Said, No More Corn Kernels Stuck Inside Your Head!

Once upon a time, in the land of Vacation, was playing in the room while Mommy took a

came into the bathroom & told Mommy “I put a popcorn in my ear!”

“You did what? A what in your ear?” Mommy said.
“A popcorn. Look!” And as digs his finger in his , Mommy yelled “Stop!”

From inside the , she saw in his .

“Tilt your head & jump up and down.” says the soapy Mommy in the . No luck. The was firmly in place.

Greaaat. At least we passed a hospital about 5 minutes away from the hotel. Mommy had a feeling we’d be making the trip, so she told to ask to try & get it out.

As he’s working at the computer, sees come over nervously & says “I have popcorn in my ear. Can you get it out?”

Thinking Mommy would be mad (and not knowing that Mommy already knew), and went quietly into the bathroom to look for a tool to remove the .

Luckily, found , and using his big, bad Daddy ninja-skills, he popped the out of Reese’s .

Mommy was SO glad we didn’t have to make a hospital trip, & we all understand NO popcorn kernels in the ear!!

vase crafts

Looking for an easy way to decorate your house for the holidays? Try this at home:

You will need:

• A clear vase
• Ornaments, plastic fruit, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, acorns, or any other small decorative thing that you can fill the vase with.

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the vase thoroughly.
2. Fill the vase with one of the decorative items from above – keep it consistent (either all the same size or all the same color schemes).

This is great way to get the kids involved in decorating the house and you can display the vase anywhere – from the middle of the table, to the coffee table to the bathroom counter.

Get creative and tell us what you’d fill your vases with!

Thanksgiving Confessions from a Burb (Grand)Mom

Three generations gathered around the Thanksgiving table…at my daughter’s house. “Over the river and through the hills to DAUGHTER’S house we go!”

She took over hosting that holiday event four years ago… seamlessly.

Her turkey was a work of art. I caught my son-in-law taking a picture of it before he wielded the carving knife. Now, that’s a compliment! The grandmoms brought a few side dishes and the whole dinner came together perfectly at just the right moment. I’ll admit it. I was SO PROUD!

As we sat down, my daughter asked firstborn grandson to offer a prayer. He gave his sweet child’s verse in that still young voice. Then she asked each of us individually what we were most thankful for. Wow.

The adults, choking back a little emotion, had trouble keeping it short. The 19 month old scamp just looked happy to have us all together. Firstborn grandson, nine, said it best, I think. “I’m thankful for my Mom, my Dad, and my little brother. And Nana and Mimi and Paw Paw. And Mom’s turkey! It’s the best! And Pokemon!.”

I looked into the faces of my grandsons and watched them enjoy the feast. Firstborn tore into the rolls and turkey. Green beans and potatoes, well not so much. The scamp seized on the candied yams and green beans. The turkey, not much interest. Ah multiples, they are so very different.

Football on TV, grandmoms cleaning the kitchen, the scamp playing hide and seek in the backyard with his dog, and firstborn grandson into his game things.

It just doesn’t get better than family. I now know that family is anyone you care about. And family grows as time goes by. My son-in-law’s mom is a great friend now. We have lots in common. My grandson’s friends are family when they come to swim in summer. My neighbors are family, especially when they stop by to sit on the patio for awhile.

I am so thankful to have them all.Co

Super Easy Potato Soup

Is dinner a puzzle?

Do you need a low maintenance supper recipe?

I promise this is easy!

I don’t cook and I can do it.

This is what you will need:
Potatoes
Onions
Salt
Pepper
Milk or cream
Baked potato toppings

I figure for every two people I am serving I use one very large potato. I use an onion for every 3 large potatoes.

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces.
2. Prepare the onions and chop. The pieces do not have to be small since you will be blending later.
3. Put the potatoes and onions into large pot and cover with water.
4. Cook on stove until all are tender–you can “over cook” at this point. There is a lot of leeway!

5. Blend the onion-potato mixture in a food processor or blender. Add milk or cream as needed to get the desired consistency.

6. Return the blended soup to the pot on low heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Obviously you can add other spices at this point if you desire.

7. Add additional milk or cream as needed for creaminess and consistency. I find if your potatoes are really, really soft it reduces the necessity for cream and ends up quite creamy.

8. Serve! I like to add a topping bar with bacon, shredded cheese, chives, sour cream and anything else that tastes yummy on baked potatoes.

9. Eat.

10. Left-overs are yummy too…

Ten Ways to Learn While at Celebrate Roanoke

I love free, family-friendly activities and events.

One of our favorite fall events is Celebrate Roanoke.   It is a fun festival coming up Saturday, October 10– from 10am to 10pm, on Oak Street, Roanoke.

Perfect for the whole family!

As with everything we do as a family, I try and engage my preschool-aged kiddos and interact with them.  Here are ten ideas that we have used in the past and they may help you interact with your youngsters at Celebrate Roanoke, or any other local fall fair:

1. Play where’s Waldo, only pick a clown or someone in costume (maybe the Elvis impersonator).  Have your children tell you whenever they spot him or her walking around.
2. Count the number of people you see dressed in historical garb.  How many different types of outfits or historical personalities are there?   Talk to one of the people in historical “character” and ask them who they are pretending to be.
3. Watch the historical reenactments and ask your kids to tell you what they think life would have been like if they were “at the gunfight” or if they had to drive around in a horse-drawn carriage all the time.
4. Count the number of people in line for an event, like a bounce house.  How many people are before us?  After another batch gets in for their turn, re-count and discuss subtraction and addition as more people have entered or left the line.
5. Make quantitative comparisons of the lines at two different vendors, or between the balloon-blowing clowns and the face painters.  Ask your kiddos which line they’d prefer to be in, the longer or the shorter one.  Ask them to theorize why someone would prefer to be in the longer line.
6. As you walk up to or past a music stage, ask if they can hear the music yet, and talk about how the closer you are to something the louder it becomes.  My kids love the kids’ music stage at Celebrate Roanoke where the performers are all under 18.
7. Practice map skills.  I love that Celebrate Roanoke distributes a program with a nifty map, or they did previous years.  You can use the map to discuss where you are and pick a destination of where you want to be – like you are at the bounce houses trying to get to the mini-train station – and have the kids figure out how to get there.
8. Practice telling time.  Pick an activity that your kids are looking forward to, like open street dancing, and have them tell you how long they will have to wait before the event will start.  My daughter also loves “counting” her steps while she is dancing – and they have really patient instructors teaching her “the moves”.
9. Discuss safety as your kiddos are exposed to and get the chance to interact with law enforcement and firemen.  My son especially loves policemen and is thrilled to watch the Motorcycle Rodeo.
10. During the fireworks, try and guess which color is going to “explode” next.  Compare the bangs.  Was this set of fireworks bigger or smaller than the last one?  Have your kids describe what they see.

Any questions, call the city of Roanoke, 817-491-2411.  Here is there public website with information about the Celebrate Roanoke Festival.  I hope to see you and your family there!

This article was written by Rachel, mom to three youngsters who lives in and loves Roanoke.  Check out her blog for more fun learning and interacting ideas.

The Best 3 Bucks I Have Ever Spent in DFW

Holly keeps a daily blog of adventures with two bowhead girls and her baby boy at I Heart Bowheads.

Events this Week – August 9 to 15

Here are some of the really fun things we found on the Family eGuide calendar for families in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex:

When you click on the event links below they will take you to Family eGuide’s information about the event – while you are there be sure to sign up for the weekly e-newsletter and check out the other fun things on the calendar.

Week of August 9 through August 15 – Events and Activities for DFW moms, dads & kids!

Sunday – Wizard of Oz at Studio B in Highland Village – 2:30 pm

Monday – Summer Movies at Studio Movie Grill: Price of Egypt – 11:00 am

Tuesday –Free Ringling Bros. Party – Ft. Worth – 7:00 pm

Wednesday – Callie’s Kids – Feeding Nature (free kids clinics at Calloway’s) – 9:30 am

Thursday – “How to Raise A Money- Smart Child” – 6:30 pm*

*Check out Burb Mom’s take on teaching kids about money

Friday - Highland Village Balloon Festival – 5:00 pm

Saturday – The Knack Free Family Event: Summer Fun Tote Bags – 10:00 am

My Wife Is Always Right…Except When I Am.

Someone much smarter in the ways of marital harmony told me 5 things to remember when navigating “discussions” with your better half. My wife and I have employed these points, and have enjoyed the difference in our marriage and overall happiness.

1. Be each other’s advocate. Be the spouse that talks highly of the other. It’s an incredible thing when someone wants to give themselves to you, to spend their life with you. Talk about them like you adore them, when you’re in front of them, and when you’re not. Defend them. They will adore you for it.

2. Acknowledge their feelings. This does NOT mean you have to agree with them. Every issue should be treated as “This is how it made me FEEL”, not “This is how it IS”. Too often we take positions of My Fact versus Your Fact…start to think of each situation as My Perception versus Your Perception. They have a right to their opinion, as do you, and it isn’t necessarily RIGHT. Minimally, respect that they have feelings about the situation.

3. Compromise. How hard is it to give in, even just a little? Don’t set your feet in concrete, remember : You are not “right”, you simply have a differing perception.

4. Do something different. Doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result? Come at it from a different direction…acknowledge their feelings, soften your stance, try again.

5. Fix the system, don’t abandon the house. When a pipe breaks in your home, do you move? I know, it’s tempting… Don’t bring up divorce like it’s some pebble to toss at the fragile glass of your relationship. Address the system. Return to the steps, over and over, find a different way.

As you can see, the person who taught me these nuggets is deranged.

I am not wrong.

Ever.

Go forward and do likewise, gents.

Be right.

At all costs.

Then decide on which 40% you want to keep.

Jay Lessons is a novice ‘burb daddy, a husband-in-training, and a sarcasm specialist. You can find more of his reflective rants at HalftimeLessons.com.

Events this Week – August 2 to 8

Here are some of the really fun things we found on the Family eGuide calendar for families in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex:

When you click on the event links below they will take you to Family eGuide’s information about the event – while you are there be sure to sign up for the weekly e-newsletter and check out the other fun things on the calendar.

Week of August 2 through August 8 – Events and Activities for DFW moms, dads & kids!

Sunday – Wizard of Oz at Studio B in Highland Village – 2:30 pm

Monday – Fun and Games at the Coppell Library – 3:00 pm

Tuesday –FREE concert at The Shops of Highland Village – 6:00 pm

Wednesday – Fish Feeding Frenzy at Bass Pro Shop in Grapevine – 12:30 pm

Thursday – Summerfest at the Gaylord Texan – 5:00 pm*

*Check out Burb Mom’s take on Summerfest at the Gaylord Texan

Friday - Movies at the Park – Coppell - E.T. – 8:00 pm

Saturday – Wee Boogie End of Summer Bash – 4:00 pm

Wafflepalooza

I don’t cook much.

OK, I really don’t cook at all.

BUT I can make a mean waffle.  Waffles at our house are a major food group.  They take special priority and can occasionally be found at the dinner table.

*gasp!*

It isn’t all bad.  The boys enjoy applesauce or a fruit topping on the first one and then the syrup comes out for all to enjoy.  They really are good.

A few Christmases ago a family member gave us the fancy barnyard waffle maker.  I figure that protein is implied when the kids are eating cows and chickens.  The gift is well used.  It probably is used more than my oven.

The waffle recipe I use is originally from the Oster Belgian Waffle maker I received for my wedding 17 years ago.  I have tried a lot of other recipes, but this is by far my favorite:

LIGHT ‘N CRISP WAFFLES

2 egg yolks

2 cups milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Preheat the waffle maker.  I separate the eggs placing the whites into a small mixing bowl and the yolks into a large mixing bowl.  I add all the other ingredients to the large mixing bowl.  I pull out my hand mixer and first whip up the eggs until fluffy.  Then mix the other ingredients with the hand mixer until they are combined.  I then fold in the egg whites with a spatula.

That is it!  Pour the batter into the waffle maker…

Mmmmmm.

Dinner? is served.*

*also works well for breakfast!

More yummy recipes can be found by visiting Rachel at A Southern Fairy Tale where she hosts Mouthwatering Monday .

When Holly isn’t trying to pass off breakfast food as dinner to her family, she is at June Cleaver Nirvana.

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