Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Legend of my Prego-Shamrock Belly LIVES ON!

HERE and HERE

A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever, and for your enjoyment.

A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever -- powered by Cracked.com

I'd like to thank Amanda D for tipping me off.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go.”--Dr. Seuss

Today is the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). Sadly, he is dead, like lots of interesting people. He was an author AND an artist, and did many great works outside of his children's books.

This work is called "plethora of fish".  I think the one fish is showing all the others: this is a hook! Do not bite it!

Check out this fun Dr. Seuss site.

Thank you Dr. Seuss for providing such whimsical entertainment for me as a child, and for my children today!

“My alphabet starts with this letter called yuzz. It's the letter I use to spell yuzz-a-ma-tuzz. You'll be sort of surprised what there is to be found once you go beyond 'Z' and start poking around!” --Dr Seuss

My new favorite mom thing, and a free gift for you!

by Emily

It's the end of the day, my kids are pajama'd, and we're snuggling up on the couch for some reading time together. Often the day was long and chaotic (my husband and I are both in graduate school full-time and teaching), and its the first chance we've had to really connect with our kids. Days like that are tough on everyone. Our bedtime reading has become a sacred family ritual, and we all look forward to it.

When I think about being far away from our parents, and our children's grandparents, I feel sad that they don't get to enjoy our children in this same way--all snuggled up with a good book.

Enter:




I have been wanting to share this with all my mother friends! I finally got "permission" to do it from my brother in law, who is involved with the development of this cool product. It is called Readeo--as in the combination of the words read+video=Readeo.

Let me explain: have you ever used Skype? Or any other online video-chat program? Do you have children or grandchildren you do this with?

We have 2 children, and they miss their grandparents and so we have tried Skype as a way to have more meaningful contact with grandparents. It is nice, but Readeo is much more satisfying. It is like Skype, only with really great children's books, smooth video streaming, and bright, clear pictures.





I think my 2 year old, Joey, loves it most. This afternoon when I was talking to grandma on the phone, Joey was pulling on my leg, "Mommy? Mommy? Iwah book wih gamma! Now! Mommy?"

40 minutes later: the dishwasher is loaded, dinner is on the table, and Ruby (4) and Joey (2) have read 6 books with Grandma & Grandpa, as well as having showed them their tiger puppets they made at a Chinese New Year party, among other glorious tricks via Readeo's BookChat.

To get the full effect, check out this video on their home page: http://www.readeo.com/

The Story Behind Readeo from Readeo on Vimeo.

A few more things I like about Readeo:

• Face-to-face story time from anywhere in the world
• Award-winning and popular titles hand-picked for the site by Readeo’s editor (she's an expert in children's literature, IMO)
• Personalized “bookshelves” (I love this feature, and I gave some feedback to my brother in law, and now the bookshelves are awesome!)
• A library that is searchable by age, gender and subject matter
• A Book of the Month that is free to read for all users (even if you're not a paying subscriber!)



I hope you'll try it out, it is such a cool thing to do with your kids and grandparents, or a spouse who travels, or aunts & uncles, etc.

Here is the gift: a free month trial! You will need to sign up for a subscription to do so, but if you decide its not for you, you can cancel at any time, and you won't be billed until after the free month is over.

Coupon code: "readeolaunch"

I think you will LOVE it!

This might be a great gift for a grandparent who already has everything imaginable. Also, both users on each computer do NOT need to be a paying subscriber to use Readeo--only one user needs a subscription. The other user is a guest, and can BookChat anytime with the paying subscriber--so this is a great gift for the grandparent who has grandchildren in multiple locations.

I Love The Olympics!

By Melissa

I really really do! Our family always eats traditional food of the host country while we watch the opening ceremonies. My kids spin our globe around, finding each country as the athletes parade in. I love it. I learn new things! (Who knew 90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the Canada/US border?) I get weepy watching athletes win and loose. No matter whose anthem is played I get chills. I love the personal stories and the amazing dedication! For 2 weeks my kids get a rare chance to watch recorded shows after dinner. We cheer, we watch in wonder, we gasp! (Yesterday my kids spent 3 hours outside in new snow doing their own version of the luge, speed skating, and downhill skiing on our driveway.) Today Eve said "I am getting good at the side by side triple toe, except, when Jane isn't next to me, then it is a plain triple toe." We love the Olympics!

Then I heard this About the games. I'll be honest, it just baffles me. I mean, I know I'm prudish, but come on! Really? What made the IOC think, "Gee, you know, we ought to give the athletes a hat with our logo, and badges and pins and free water bottles and condoms!" I mean, really? Is this necessary? (ok, even if it is necessary, note the volume- that is 14 per athlete or official...)
Am I alone thinking this is a touch absurd?

Valentine's Day = Yummy in my Tummy

by Emily

My daughter is now in preschool. I'm not sure yet what the Valentine's Day protocol for preschool is, but I am kind of excited. I'm not the over acheiving parent who is going to make all adorable martha stewart one-of-a-kind valentines for my children's classmates on Valentine's Day. But I might make these Jello Jigglers.

You can find the recipe HERE.










The Family Fun website (Disney company) is great, and I get their newsletter in my email once a week. It is the same stuff that is in the magazine! How cool is that--online for free! (though, sometimes it is just better to have it in print :) )


I think I must also make something chocolate.
Yes, definitely. Chocolate.


Find the recipe HERE.

















This will do, as well:





(I did this one year, but with a heart on top. Cut out a heart from paper, discard the heart. Put the paper heart-shaped-hole on the cheesecake, and sprinkle powdered sugar to make it super fancy. What a treat!)




Recipe, is, of course, HERE, because I am so nice like that. ;-)





Do you have any Valentine's Day plans, or suggestions? Please share--and feel free to include a web link!

Cell Phone Age

Sweet Sixteen is sweet at our house for one reason:

Cell Phone Age

Sure its also the age you can date, drive at night, and its NCAA March Madness (coming soon!) but the real reason 16 is sweet is the cell phone. We have purchased three 16 year old cell phones.

Here comes baby Ike. He is the most darling 13 year old boy. He is also obsessed with getting a cell phone. He is the only 7th grader in Colorado who doesn't have a cell phone.  He claims he needs one in case of an emergency. But he is surrounded by 7th grader (and 6th grader) cell phones, so he can borrow theirs.

Here is something to chew on:

• NPR reported a recent study that show that children under the age of 15 spend an average of 5 hours a day on their cell phones. 
• A Korean study found that teens who used their cell phone 90 times a day (apparently not unusual) scored significantly higher on tests measuring depression and anxiety than students who used their phones a more sedate 70 times daily. 
• 30% of teenage cell phone users have received "sexts" sexually explicit texts. 
• 37% of teens felt they would die, a long and painful death, if they didn't have a cell phone. 
• 39% of teenagers said they lie about where they are and what they are doing when they use the cell phone. 

But these aren't the reasons we wait until 16. It is more a right of passage than an issue of trust or worthiness. Honestly, I'm not ready for him to grow up and a cell phone screams "GROWN UP!" He is the one person in our house who maintains eye contact with me during conversation because he isn't texting. I worry about the girls calling and texting. Currently they are forced to stop by the house to talk to him  (using the parent's phone is unheard of) and I like to meet them and watch the awkward flirting.

We will probably cave and get him a phone before he is 16. That will open a whole new can of worms with the older kids and will kick off years of accusatory exclamations: "We never got to do/have/travel/act/buy/say/watch/listen to that!"

But for now we are holding strong. Just say no.

Bossy Blog 2010 Fitness and Health Challenge: FINALLY!

By Sally

I am finally following up on my previous post. Sorry it took so long! We were out of town, frolicking in the snow, and sans computer. But I'm baaaack! And ready for 2010 (well, kind of ready)!

So, wonderful readers, what are your health/fitness resolutions for the new year? If you need some ideas, see the blogpost below. It is time for you to share yours. Here are some of mine:

1. Eat more healthfully
2. Become a proficient runner
3. Lose 15 lbs by July 1

As you all know, it's hard to accomplish a goal without specific milestones in your plan. So here are my milestones, just as an example (don't read if not interested):

• Add 2 cups of veggies to my lunches and dinners at least 10 times/week (already started this) 
• Cut out carbs for 2 weeks (this I started yesterday) and then introduce healthy carbs (whole grains and fruit) starting no sooner than Jan 18 (this is basically the South Beach diet) 
• Start fitness walking and make sure my quad is healed (that is this week) 
• Start running at least 4 days/week, in the AM before family is awake. Stretch after running. (this starts Monday if my quad is sufficiently healed). 
• Get daily runs up to 3 miles by Jan 29. 
• Run 5 miles continuously by Feb 27 or sooner. 
• Get daily run up to 4 miles by Feb 27. 
• Run a 10K race by end of March 
• Train for a half marathon--get a group of friends together (I kinda already did this, I'm hoping they'll want to do it again) 
• Run a half marathon by Nov 1
• Increase core strength by doing ab and back work after my Monday/Wed/Saturday runs.

This is me doing a run/walk half marathon in 2005. I loved it and I want to feel that way again!

All of this is going to require determination, hard work, and self-control. I will do better at it if I have a support group, and you will do better with your resolutions too, so let's help each other!

Please! Post your fitness/health resolutions for 2010! Leave a comment that is as detailed as you like, and we will encourage and congratulate each other! We will check in on this topic once/month so you can post your progress if you like.

Also: we Bossy Sisters have been talking about doing something fitness-y this year and inviting any and all to join us. One option is the Women's Fitness Celebration in our hometown of Boise, ID. It is apparently the largest women-only 5K in the world, it's in September, and it looks like a LOT OF FUN. My guess is that some of you have done this event or are planning to--please let us know! Another option is the Revlon Run/Walk for Women in LA on May 8. That is a nice time to be in Southern California and I'll be doing that one for sure.

Okay: please, click on the comments, and tell us your goals. 2010 is going to be healthy!

Bossy Blog 2010 Fitness and Health Challenge: Just think about it.

by Sally

Attention, attention:

In less than a week, it will be 2010. The year's name alone (2010!) boggles the mind and it seems that we should all be zipping around in personal flight pods with silver jumpsuits and perfect bodies.

Hmm. Maybe we will all be driving these by the end of next year?

Well, I do have the silver jumpsuit, but my body isn't perfect. And I want to feel more fit and healthy. So I am asking you to join me in a challenge to set goals to improve your health and fitness for the coming year.

You don't have to commit now, but think about it. You can set a goal to start walking for fitness, get more sleep every night, eat more healthy food, start a running group, learn yoga, stop a bad habit (too much Diet Coke!), or run a half-marathon--whatever you want to do to improve your health and fitness. On or around New Year's Day, I will post a little more info and invite anyone who is up for it to comment with their personal fitness/health goals for 2010. We will encourage each other with monthly check-ins and lots of support and positive feedback! I hope you will join me.

We can be exercise buddies.

Some ideas to get you thinking:

WebMD recommends 5 healthy eating habits for 2010

Benefits of adding fruits and veggies to your meals

Get walking for fitness with this 12 week training program!

If you can walk, you can run!

Couch to 5K

Beginner's Running Program

Top 10 Questions asked by new runners

A "My Turn" essay written by a self-proclaimed "fat runner"

Think about your own health goals for 2010 and share them with us next week!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to our wonderful readers, from the Bossy Sisters.

Please enjoy this beautiful video, especially appropriate for little ones.