Olympic Fun

So I didn't blog about it - but I had so much fun watching the Olympics this year. Introducing my girls to the Games was such fun. They were mesmerized by gymnastics, swimming, diving, synchronized diving, equestrian, synchronized swimming and volleyball. They really loved it. It made it such fun to watch with kids seeing it for the first time.


Of course now we have a fish named Nastia. I begged them to name our new fish Michael Phelps, but no go. My DH was like "what, who? I think you got her name wrong". ummm...nope

Is This What We Need to Be Watching?

So the TLC network is now airing a show called "The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom". The premise is that stay-at-home moms would have the chance to try the career they left behind. The whole thing seems demeaning to me. Like that these women obviously made the wrong choice and are now being given the opportunity to right their wrongs by joining the workforce. I have to admit I haven't seen the show - so maybe its more of an opportunity for the moms - I sure hope so. But something about it stinks to me. Anyone seen it? Thoughts?

Fast-forwarding Through Life

So I've recently been thinking about inventions and how amazing some products/technologies we now have. I was in a law office last week and saw a typewriter. It almost made me laugh out loud. I mean, when I started working everyone had a typewriter on their desk. Now you can't fine one in my office - anywhere! For a while we had one in the copy room, but it is now long gone. My all time favorite invention (next to the WWW) is TIVO. I LOVE Tivo. Seriously. I wish all of life was like Tivo - you would only have to live the parts you wanted and could skip the rest -- and you could fast-forward parts that were boring. Wouldn't that be great? With the exception of sports and Good Morning America, we never watch live television anymore. That's so 2001! hee hee. The biggest problem I have with Tivo is that I get used to it and hate when I can't use it. Like in the car when I am listening to the radio and I miss something - my first instinct it to just rewind. And it really bugs me when I can't!!

What is your favorite technology/product?

Weekend from HELL

So sometime on Friday around 6pm my girls turned into monsters. And basically didn't stop until later afternoon on Sunday. First the middle one had worn shoes to school that hurt her feet and gave her blisters (don't get me started on the reasons why). So when we went to the pool Friday night she screamed when she got in the water, cuz her feet hurt. And continued to cry pretty much the entire time we were there, because she wanted to go in the water, but couldn't cuz it made her feet hurt. Then when she and her big sister asked for snacks I said they could have rice cakes (they love them) - three of them. They wanted candy also. I said no. Then big sister said she didn't only want 3, she wanted 5. I told her three or none. She kept it up, so I took them away. She lost it in a screaming fighting match through when we came home. Saturday they didn't want to nap. I told the big one she could lie in bed next to her little sister until she fell asleep and then she could go to our room and watch noggin. Instead, 45 minutes later I go upstairs and they are both watching TV in our room. I ask big sister if little sister had fallen asleep, but then woken up and joined her, and she says no. They both lose all tv for a week, prompting massive meltdowns by both. Little sister actually went completely hysterical (she also forfeited her love toy in the middle of the mess) for over an hour before completely exhausting herself and falling asleep. Then today they pull the same thing with not wanting to nap and are just generally pretty whiny all day. It is something in the air? It better not be the humidity, cuz we are just at the start of that!

Bitten by the Bee

I admit it, I am addicted to the National Spelling Bee. I watched the different rounds three different times this week, and have TIVO'd last nights final rounds, which I haven't seen yet. What is so compelling?? I have no idea. But I can't pull myself away. Although, given its over for this year, I guess I will have to.

I love the different ticks and rituals the kids go through before and while reciting the words. I love the deadly serious tone of the announcer and the judges. I guess I love how seriously everyone is taking spelling. It just cracks me up. But..I do have a few suggestions for Scripps:

1) no proper-name words. That's just mean. I saw several instances where the words were based on a Proper name. Like, say Megan..if I spelled it Meaghean (which would be SOOO wrong, btw). The word was Meagheanesque. And it meant, reminscient of the works of Megan. And derived from the name Meaghean. Now, really, what is the point of that?? If the kid had never heard of me, they would get it wrong, and why? I think one of the things I like about the bee is that kids can use logic. They can learn the origins of the word and the definition, and reason some of the spelling out. Proper names are just based on memorization.

2) no purely foreign words. They used the word "beurre" meaning butter in French. That is not an English word. The only time it is used here is on a French menu. Again, unfair.

That said, I love the bee and can't wait until next year. And, BTW, I can't spell a lick.

Kids and Television

So a new study shows that American kids watch too much tv. I believe that. I am guilty of that. I don't think I let my kids watch a lot of tv -- they get about 10 minutes a day m-f (as we get ready to leave, only after they are fully washed, brushed and dressed) and about 2 hours a day each on Saturday and Sunday (more if we let them watch a movie). But we are lucky. We have 3 kids. They can spend a lot of time playing with each other. When we had one, she probably watched more than this, even as an infant. We would put her in front of Baby Mozart videos so we could make dinner, do laundry, eat, etc. But now that they have each other, we just tell them to go play, and we can get stuff done.

But the part of the study that really scared me was the determination that 20% of kids under 2 have their own television in their bedroom. Are you kidding me??!! The study also said that 43% of 3- to 4-year-olds have TVs in their rooms. I am flabbergasted. I remember getting a little 5" black and white tv from my Grandfather when I went to college. I was so excited. It was my first tv, and I couldn't belive how lucky I was to have it. 43% of 3-4 year olds??!! My kids would watch tv 10 hours a day if they had a tv in their rooms. Seriously. That is nuts. Who are these people?

Like I said, I am not all doom and gloom about tv. I think the choice of programming is imporant. There are appropriate shows for kids and LOTS and LOTS of inappropriate stuff. Parents should be the decision makers on what they let their kids watch. Hard to do with a tv in a kids room.

Grey's Anatomy -- Shonda do you hear me?

I love Grey's Anatomy. I really do. But the last two weeks have me very worried about one of my favorite shows. First, the whole Meredith drowning thing. She comes back to life and just goes on like normal. Did anyone miss the thing with her choosing not to fight and let herself drown? The girl needs help and pronto. McDreamy mentioned it in the most recent episode, but nothing has come of it. She should not be back at work without getting some serious therapy. Then came the Izzy/George fiasco. I mean, NO! It just makes me so mad. First of all, we saw how drunk they were. We're supposed to believe they had mind-blowing sex when drunk out of their minds??!! George is THAT good? I think not. But more importantly -- how could they do this? A horrible plot mistake. I seriously thought it would be repaired this week by us finding out that Izzy was mistaken or had dreamt it. But no, they had to keep it going. I'm sorry, but I don't think Izzy would do something like that, even drunk. And George, after his horrible experience with Meredith, he would do this again? I think not. But the plot goes on. George is going to break Calli's heart and that will just kill me.

I am so mad at the show right now and pray they haven't jumped the shark.

Watching (some of) the Oscars

So I stayed up to watch the Oscars last night. Ok, I only made it 'til 11pm, which means I missed many of the big awards. But given that I only saw a few of the films (the Queen, Little Miss Sunshine), I really didn't care about the awards. I was all about the fashion. I have to say everyone did pretty well this year. And by everyone, I mean the women. I don't get the point of commenting on men's tuxedos. For me, you either wore a tuxedo and looked fine, or didn't wear a tuxedo and looked like you were trying to hard to be nonchalant. Back to the women -- Nicole Kidman looked awesome. So did Kate Winslet. I didn't think there were any disasters. Jennifer Hudson, who I so want to love, didn't look good. Until she performed (which I slept through, but have seen clips of). The red dress was fantastic. She should have worn that and dumped the brown number.

Did anyone else notice that the two male commentators on the red carpet during "Road to the Oscars" were significantly overweight? I only say it because, as someone who shouldn't talk, you know that the network would never have put a similarly hefty woman out there. Seriously, with the exception of Star Jones (who was a mistake on so many levels), all the women who commentate on the Oscars or other Hollywood issues (or really are on tv in almost any capacity), are like a size 2. Although I read now that a size 2 is big, and really you need to be less than a zero. Whatever. I just noticed that the two gentleman doing fashion commentary were big. And they would never have let a woman that big get the gig. That's all I'm saying...