[photopress:biggestloser.gif,full,pp_image]I have survived my first two weeks of boot camp. No, this maple-leaf-pledging Canuck did not join the American troops but I have ventured out on a new kind of workout and weight-loss program. The kind I hope will not only kick butt but will reduce my protruding one. Do you know those women whose pounds just seem to magically melt away after giving birth? I am not among them. Following my first pregnancy, I lost most of the weight but after baby No. 2, it is still clinging to me like a blood-sucking leech. Too bad they don’t do fat. I have participated in a number of great mommy and me exercise classes, most of which I highly recommend. But this time, I needed something different; I needed to focus only on myself to get back on track. Enter: ...
Congratulations to Amy F. of Greely, winner of our Little Hands Learning Activity kits! [photopress:lemongrass_1.jpg,full,pp_image]I have a confession to make: I am addicted to lotion. I almost called it a fetish but such a descriptor conjures up images of perverts who collect women’s underwear. Though admittedly many of my creams do hail from Victoria’s Secret. Hmmmm…. I recently talked about my need to use lotion umpteen times a day on our mama-to-mama forum. I was soon contacted by Jill Brenehy of Lemongrass Spa Products who introduced me to her female-owned Colorado company that specializes in spa treats. She offered to send me a sample to review. The chance to feed the addiction? Sign me up. I am extremely picky about what goes onto my skin. I don’t like it too...
Do you know a kid who is kind to animals? I don’t, which is precisely why my young children do not yet have any pets. But for those who do, the American Humane Association is celebrating its 94th annual Be Kind to Animals Week, May 4-10. To highlight the event, American Humane is seeking nominations for kids, ages 6-17, who are working hard in their communities to improve the lives and welfare of animals. To enter, fill out the nomination form at www.americanhumane.org/bkaw. Nominations must be submitted online or postmarked by April 15. Nominees must be between the ages of six and 17 during the time of nomination. The grand-prize winner and two runners-up will be selected from each of the two age groups and featured on American Humane’s Web site. Grand-prize winners will receive $2,...
Have you ever called Poison Control? When I was pregnant with our first baby, we called. Did I ingest Lysol? Was I overcome with ammonia fumes? Did I take too many prenatal vitamins? No. I ate an apple. In the process of apple-eating, I accidently bit into several little black seeds which were clustered together. They were bitter and I tried to spit out the acrid taste. The word ARSENIC suddenly sprang to mind. Don’t apple seeds harbor arsenic, the same stuff Cary Grant’s ancient lace-wearing aunts used to put lonely men out of their misery? My unborn baby was inside. I could see the arsenic absorbing into my bloodstream. I envisioned it coursing through my body and into the umbilical cord of my baby. I told hubby what I had done—ingested apple seeds! He seemed unimpressed unti...
The brouhaha of this past week regarding a blogger junket planned by Johnson & Johnson got me thinking about where it’s appropriate to bring a baby, and where it’s not. Last summer, when I was still pregnant, many of my fellow bloggers brought their babies to the BlogHer conference in Chicago. Some of them used the child care services provided by the conference organizers, but others carried their babies in slings throughout the days (and nights). I wasn’t disturbed by their presence at all, and even held one little guy on my lap while listening to Elizabeth Edwards’ keynote address. Since Oliver’s birth, I’ve taken him out several times without incident. (Unless you count his bowel movement at Panera that literally echoed off the walls and ceiling....
[photopress:Easterrun.jpg,full,pp_image]You are one of only a few families invited to a friend’s Easter egg hunt where they stuffed about 1,000 eggs and hid them all over their huge backyard. You know you have sunk to a new low when: 1) A certain father shadows his daughter around the yard. When her bucket is full, instead of quitting like she wants, you convince her to keep hunting and completely fill your jacket full of eggs. 2) You later find your outgoing daughter, stripped down to her panties, sitting on a bed reading a book while her friends play outside. 3) When you hear there are several eggs with $2 bills inside, a certain mother shoves little children aside to shake every single egg, listening for the money. 4) All of the above. P.S. How was YOUR Easter?
Congratulations to Jenny R. of Arvada, winner of our Colorado Mountain Mamas membership! I still remember when I was in the hospital with my firstborn that I was stupefied the hospital staff didn’t check in on me every few minutes. Did they not know I had never even held a newborn before? And those first poops that looked like tar – what were those all about? Where was my manual for it all? I have felt the same way about my daughter’s education. Though I have her enrolled in a capable preschool and she has graduated from the mind-numbing Teletubbies to the bilingualism of Dora, I often have this nagging feeling that I should be doing more. But beyond the basics of numbers, letters and reading, I have no idea what she needs to know for kindergarten or how to teach it. [pho...
I inquired and you delivered! Many Mile High Mamas came forth with even more information on Colorado’s children’s consignment sales. Missed the first round? Click here. For those not in the know, these consignment extravaganzas feature children’s clothing from newborn to size 12, maternity clothing, car seats, cribs, bedding, feeding supplies, high chairs, potty chairs, bouncy chairs, swings, strollers, toys, books, videos, etc. at a fraction of the cost. Most of the sales have a nominal entrance fee and have half-price deals on the final day. And did I mention killer deals? So. forward this link to your friends and make a day – or month – out of hitting the following sales together….
[photopress:presnals_2.jpg,full,pp_image]Our Mama Blogger of the Month does not blog in her native language, has lived in more countries with her family than most people have visited in their lifetime and currently runs a popular online store for children. Meet Katja of Skimbaco, our Mama Blogger of the Month! 1) How did you and your husband meet? Is he Finnish as well? My husband and I met in Frankfurt, Germany, over ten years ago. Matt is from Austin, Texas and he was in the military and stationed in Germany for six months. I was an engineering student, and taking a year off my college in Finland, and studying German in Frankfurt. We dated only for one month in Germany, and I came to the United States a few months after Matt left Germany. It was like in the movies – farewells at th...
It was my husband’s birthday, so we decided to celebrate by taking our family out to lunch at a downtown Denver restaurant famous for their dairy-based desserts. Our six kids were very well-behaved, and one of our fellow diners complimented me when I stood to take our toddler daughter to the bathroom. I thanked the woman. Then she said, “Do you beat your children?” The look on my face prompted her to add that she was just joking. But I didn’t believe her. It was a little too late and a little too brusque. We are used to people asking to change tables in restaurants if they are seated near us – even when we are at “family friendly” places. We’ve watched entire tables rise, move their drinks, napkins, bread plates, and menus before we’ve ...
No. They are not âI love you.â? They are not, âIâm really a man.â? They are not, âI will not be ignored.â? They are not, âFreeze, this is the police.â? The scariest words ever are, âMom, Dad, Iâm pregnant,â? as spoken by a teenaged girl. At least those are the scariest words for me. My wife and I saw the movie Juno over the weekendâan excellent flick, by the wayâand I was forced to look at parenthood from an extremely uncomfortable position. As the father of two girls, ages 2 and 4, parenthood is still about providing and developing. Real parenting apparently takes place when real life enters the picture. Watching this movie really bummed me out because it made me realize that before long my girlsâangels that adore their daddyâwill get to the point that they want...
It has been 12 years since the day I almost died. I seldom reflect upon it anymore, nor have I really written about it. Well, except for when I poured out my soul for an essay contest in college, only to win an honorable mention. I suspect I would have taken first if I’d have actually died. Nothing like tales from the crypt…. Memories of my accident came back to haunt me in consuming flashes last week on our way home from a trip. A semi-truck did not see our SUV and changed into our lane. I do not want to think what would have happened if my husband had not been quick to react. Shaking, I looked over to the right-hand side of the car at my sweet boy who would have received the brunt of the impact. Once again, I was reminded of what a simple blessing it is to be alive. It was Ma...