edamomie

An Exploration of Parenting by the Vowel

The Dogs are Barking April 22, 2013

Filed under: Independence,The Unknown — edamomie @ 11:17 am
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I: Independence (or lack of…) and U: The Unknown

Dreaming of Dogs: All About Brand Loyalty

Dreaming of Dogs: All About Brand Loyalty

My nine year-old daughter, Ava, has  been dreaming about dogs for a good year now. Off and on. From Yorkies to Pomeranians. Dinner-time quizzes and questionnaires, weekend bursts of chore-activity to show stellar responsibility and more.

 

After a recent trip to the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley, she is slowly swaying me toward strongly considering getting a dog. Her interest level is so keen right at this moment. Her younger brother, seven year-old Calvin, is not quite as keen. He’s a bit lukewarm, in fact. Ideally, he’d have the same level of interest as her. Or I would, for that matter.

 

Pitbull Mix

Pitbull Mix

My husband grew up with dogs. I did not. I am definitely a tougher sell.  I think I’m being hit up now because the family thinks the sleepless nights of the toddler years are long forgotten. I’ve had a good solid four years of predictable nightly sleep patterns. Am I ready to be sleepless again?  …maybe let’s forgo puppy stage and get a fully grown dog then? It’s an option, but not one that Ava is too excited about.

 

Pleeeeease take me home!

Pleeeeease take me home!

For the sake of pursuing this dog-scenario, let’s say we all agree to get a puppy. How to find the right one for our family is the question. The humane society doled out sheets of info in helpful categories based on dog traits and characteristics: Toys, Spaniels, Retrievers, Property Guards, Pointers*, Sled Dogs, Herding Dogs, Scent Hounds, and Sight Hounds.

 

Then we hit up the library straight after our visit to check out “Everything Dogs,” “Dogs for Dummies, and my personal fave, “Weimaraners*.” Ava is also able to reference recently library books from school: “Yorkshire Terriers Are the Best!” (mid-March) and “Pomeranians Are the Best!” (mid-April) and multiple online sources.

 

I would say we’re an active family. Active in two senses: 1. we’re on the go (weekends at the grandparents; sports/eve activities, etc) 2. we’re physically active (running, biking, etc). So we need a dog that is fine being on their own for long stretches of time, but when we’re around, they’re eager to be very active and run fast! Leaning toward Pointer here with top as Weimaraner. But would our city lot allow for enough fenced-in outdoor space (which is a requirement for this breed)?

 

Just try and say no to me!

Just try and say no to me!

We do not need barking. This would rule out Ava’s front-runners in the Toy category including her beloved Yorkie. What about allergies? In this case, Labradoodles are the preferred choice for low-dander coats. However, they fall in the Retriever category which warns “Don’t expect unsupervised freedom in the house until after two years of age.” I’m beginning to believe it’s like finding a mate  – you definitely have your must-haves and the rest of the stuff, you need to overlook!

 

To dog-lovers out there: What’s your advice on breed, appropriate age for kids to have a dog, puppy vs dog, over-thinking, costs, training, etc? Need to be enlightened so we don’t end up barking up the wrong tree.

 

— all photos via Instagram and Instapics at instagram.com/jengilhoi

 

Happy Trails for Cross-Country Skiers March 6, 2013

Filed under: Activities — edamomie @ 2:36 pm
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A: Activities

Selecting Skis

Selecting Skis

An excerpt from the list of questions we pondered as we toyed with the idea of cross-country skiing with the family:

 

1. Hey, we’re Norwegian, shouldn’t cross-country skiing come natural to us?

2. Don’t we live in a climate ideal for outdoor activities, especially in February/ March?

3. Is it not safer than downhill skiing?

4. Are we not going stir crazy inside with no hope of winter vacation release?

5. Don’t we have some great trails nearby?  … Yeah, that place where Grandma Susie gifted us our membership last year that we only used in the summer: Wood Lake Nature Center

 

A few Sunday’s ago we answered yes to all of our questions. We considered heading to more serious trails – either Hyland Park Reserve in Bloomington or Highland Park in St. Paul – but landed on Wood Lake due to its simplicity, our novice skills and its proximity to our home.

 

CC Racers

CC Racers

The sun is brightly shining, the snow cover is decent and the temp is hovering around 30 with no wind.  We dress in our downhill skiing gear and set out for Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield, just a short 5 minutes away. The parking lot is packed at our 12:15 arrival time, only 15 minutes after opening. Everyone has the same idea as we do today. We hop in line to pay and discover it’d be much cheaper to get a full membership than pay for one time rental for a family of four. IF we go at least two times.  (an annual membership including rental for boots, skis and poles is $50.)

 

We measure for boots, select our sizes and head out to the skis and ski pole racks. We have some loose guidelines – skis should come to mid-palm when you’ve got your arm reaching for the sky. It’s lucky we don’t take someone out getting from equipment rentals to the trail’s start. Next time, I’ll give a lesson in transporting your gear.

 

We Break For Fruit Snacks

We Break For Fruit Snacks

We spend some time hooking our boots into the skis. A group of three girls from my 9-year-old daughter’s school plus one mom are there for the first time too. Good, we can all look like newborn calves together. At least we’re a one parent to one kid ratio.  We start off with two of the girls from Ava’s school intermingled with our skis.

 

Quickly we come to a fork in the road. We need to choose the long route (2.6km or 1.6 miles) or the short route (.6km). I can’t imagine how it would be worth it to get all geared up just to do the short route. We veer left. My 7 year-old son, Calvin, scrappy as ever, insists on being in the lead. Ava on the other hand, has a nice stride going and actually looks up once in a while to feel the sunshine and take in some nature.

 

Wishbone from an Extra Large Turkey

Wishbone from an Extra Large Turkey

The paths are easy to navigate and well-groomed. It’s no problem to pass. At this point, just under a mile in, I notice the Mom and other child in the foursome are not to be seen.  Loosely, it’s the six of us now, making our way around the marshy frozen lake. There are plenty of rosy cheeks, complaints for water (which we did not think to bring) and tired little legs.

 

We stop for a break at the half-way mark. Then it’s time to complete the circle. We all fall a few times. Sometimes when we’re just standing in place. The finale is the steepest hill of the course where you have to point your skis outward and inch up the hill. The downward coast after is well worth it. We reach the end, unhook our boots and carry in our gear. From start to finish = 1 hour and 25 minutes. We agree we’ll have to trek around again very soon and try to improve our time. Then we decide it would be fitting to head to Pizza Luce for slices and a brownie sundae. All that hard work deserves reward!

 

A few notes: I learned a few days later that the mom as part of the foursome overseeing the three girls, was a bit concerned. The two girls intermixed with us were supposed to take the .6km short route and instead took the long route. Having taken the short route, she was a bit panicked until she met up with the two older girls.
I’m also happy to say that within 1.5 weeks of the first outing, we made it out for a second spin. This time with water and snacks. We discovered more in the woods (due to comfort with our strides and a finer attention to nature’s detail). For example, we came across a tree sculpture that we adequately named Wishbone.

 

Winter S’more Variation January 27, 2013

Filed under: Eats — edamomie @ 5:11 pm
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E: Eats

 

12 Ingredient Recipe

12 Ingredient Recipe

On a Minnesota January Sunday Snowday, I don’t mind resigning myself to the kitchen for the day. Such is the case today. To lure the kids away from the constant call of electronics, we pulled out our Williams Sonoma The Cookbook for Kids recipe book on Saturday, put our list together and shopped. One recipe in particular looked so alluring sweets-wise, we all agreed we would make the S’more Cupcakes.

 

Typically thought of as a campfire treat in the summer, I love the idea of making this winter s’more variation. I have always had issues with summer s’mores anyway. My kids think I’m fussy, but the three rectangles of Hersey’s chocolate, two large square graham crackers and one cylinder marshmallow proportions always seem messy and not quite right to me. I do have my own solution for this, but it’s complicated….

 

Blending at Higher than Medium Speed

Blending at Higher than Medium Speed

Mid-afternoon we dive into this recipe. My 7-year-old, Calvin, wanders into the kitchen lazily to help. He perks up at the spread of ingredients and all the mixing, egg-cracking and batter-licking it will require. My 9-year-old, Ava, is curious, but not enough to leave her favorite t.v. personalities… yet. Calvin and I get started by lining the cupcake papers in the muffin tin and completing Step 1 (see below). We’re already two messy bowls into the recipe. Moving onto Step 2 – the blending – I do the pouring in of ingredients and he lightly guides the mixing bowl as it whirls around. The most fun being the flour mixture as it produces poofy whiteness contrasted by the liquid cocoa/vanilla/buttery mix.

 

We spoon the mixture into the 12 cupcake holders and have quite a bit left over which goes into a separate dish. Calvin then sprinkles the Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips on top (the recipe calls for one-fourth cup/ 1.5 oz – we use about one-half of a 11.5 oz bag). In the oven they go. We wait impatiently – turning the oven light on and off. About 5 minutes out, we make the frosting which is seriously yummy. I’m not even a marshmallow fan and I like it. A lot. Probably because it’s more dense and creamy (versus fluffy) what with three-fourths cup of butter and a half cup of powdered sugar. We don’t even have to crush the graham crackers as the recipe directs (this would actually be fun for kids) because I just bought the graham cracker crumbs instead. The recipe calls for a slight amount and we triple that, but I do only go with half the frosting. The point is, we can be a little creative here, kids!

 

Cupcakes - Completed and Ready to Eat

Cupcakes – Completed and Ready to Eat

Prematurely, I frost them before they’re cool enough (again, impatience!) and it makes for a mess typical of a summer s’more. If you make them – be sure to wait it out. As we taste and review, we all agree that we enjoy this variation on a s’more by our indoor fireplace very much. Delish!

 

For the record, the first recorded version of the classic s’more was printed in the Girl Scout handbook in 1927.  Here’s the Williams Sonoma version (pg 102 of The Cookbook for Kids):

 

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder with 3/4 c very hot water. Stir until blended, then add the 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla. Set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

 

Step 2: Blend the Ingredients
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 3/4 c butter on medium until shiny (about 20 sec). Add 1 c granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 min). Add the two large eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.  Beat the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture in three batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture in two batches.

 

Step 3: Bake the Cupcakes
Divide the batter evenly among muffin cups. Sprinkle the chocolate chips (1/4 to 1 c) evenly over the cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (17-20 min). Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely (We didn’t listen to this step!)

 

Step 4: Frost the Cupcakes
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on med speed, beat 1/2 c butter (room temp) until shiny and smooth (about 2 min). Add 1/2 c powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the marshmallow creme (one full 7oz jar, just as you buy in the store) until just blended. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the top (if you’re using whole crackers, place them in a ziploc bag and crush two whole crackers with a rolling pin).

 

Candy Salsa January 20, 2013

Filed under: Eats — edamomie @ 3:29 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

E: Eats

Candy Salsa Ingredients

Candy Salsa Ingredients

Usually the school subjects my seven year-old son, Calvin, tends to be jazzed about are recess and lunch. Every day I get reports about how little time he actually gets to eat his lunch and play outside. One day last week, he came home thrilled about extra time devoted to one of his favorite subjects: food.  The school had someone come in from Midwest Food Connection to make a recipe right there in their classroom for two days last week.

 

I’m pretty sure Calvin was in the front row, taking in all the techniques and mixology that went into the recipes. Upon picking him up at school last Tuesday, he waved the recipe card in my face: Mom, we have to make this stuff. It’s SO good!

 

It was a recipe for salsa. Not rocket science and quite basic. His enthusiasm ensured the ingredients made it to my grocery list for Wednesday. With portions of a whole as the quantity in the original recipe, I increased everything accordingly so I could use the full ingredient. What do you do with half of an avocado, three-fourths of a bell pepper and 18 sprigs of cilantro?

 

For the Love of the Roma

For the Love of the Roma

As he hopped out of the car at school drop-off on Thursday morning, he eyed me: We are going to make that salsa today, right? Me: Sure. True to form, after school, he reminded me once more. He stuck his head in the fridge, seeking our ingredients. After everything was assembled and awaiting chop, dice or squeeze techniques, we re-read the recipe and figured out what each of us would do. I am still not comfortable with him using a sharp knife – especially to dice items into small pieces, so I did all of the knife work. I also had him watch as I dismantled the seedy pepper, chopped the tomatoes and popped the pit out of the avocado. He washed veggies, de-leafed the cilantro, scooped out the avocado, squeezed the lime juice, added the salt and mixed everything together.  Oh, and sampled to taste: Needs more salt.

 

Cheater's Lime Juice

Cheater’s Lime Juice

I heated up the corn tortillas on a pan on the stove and we spooned the salsa onto the tortillas. We sat at the table for a little lesson in wrapping. Typically, this would be a side dish to a main course, but at 3:00 in the afternoon, it was a perfect snack. I’ve made salsa many times in the past with similar ingredients including garlic, but never with bell pepper. I could have eaten this salsa like candy. Calvin agreed and we attribute the sweetness to the pepper, thus renaming it Candy Salsa.

 

Remarkably, Calvin was totally onboard with the tomato, which for whatever reason (his Dad’s not favoring them?) he had vehemently disliked since summer. It must have had something to do with the chef’s preparation, other classmates agreeing the salsa was delicious, or just plain acceptance of the common tomato. Whatever. I love his passion in the kitchen.  He brought home another recipe from school for potatoes which we’ll be making next week. For starters, we’ll share the salsa one with you:

 

Candy Salsa on Corn Tortilla

Candy Salsa on Corn Tortilla

Candy Salsa (our name)/ Salsa Recipe (official name)

one-fourth red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced

2-3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

5 sprigs of cilantro leaves

one-half avocado, diced

1 fresh lime wedge, squeezed juice only

salt to taste

Mix together in bowl and serve on warm corn tortillas or with corn tortilla chips.

 

Recipe from The Gift of Grain Lesson and presented by Midwest Food Connection at Hale school in Minneapolis the week of January 14 2013.

 

Xmas HoaX : Elf on the Shelf December 26, 2012

Filed under: The Unknown — edamomie @ 11:24 pm
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U: The Unknown

“Christmas gift parent advisory: do not buy the Elf on the Shelf. It is advertised to change places in your house while you are sleeping but it doesn’t. We returned our first box and haven’t had any better luck with the second. So far the elf has just been sitting in the box. The kids have been so disappointed. Just giving everyone a heads up on this.” - -Facebook post by my husband, December 24.

 

Elf on Wilde Roast's Shelf

Elf on Wilde Roast’s Shelf

Okay, so we know that as parents we actually have to move the elf ourselves. Most chimed in with comments on his Facebook page that conveyed that they (wink, wink : )) understood that we knew what our role was. However, we did have one person suggest that I call her because “…my brother and wife have had one for a few years and what they do is hilarious I plan to get one on sale for next year. It’s not what the elf does – it’s what you do with the elf.” Now that response, Michelle, is hilarious.

 
The Elf is mainstream holiday culture. We got ours last year. In a culture where easy and consistent access to technology is available to our kids, the Elf for parents represents a third-party way to impose a looming threat over their Christmas gifts. Gifts that by the way, are totally technology related.  We’re guilty too. We put restrictions on technology and tv time saying that the Elf would then give Santa the green light to deliver presents on their wish list, which included a Wii.

 

Box-Resistant Elf

Box-Resistant Elf

Parents are willing to pay $29.95 for this small Elf in a big box with a story. At least I feel better when I look at the mother/daughter team that chose to capitalize on this tradition. We take him out the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) and he works for a month. That’s about a dollar a day. Worth it, I’d say.

 
Our Elf is pretty boring. Others, as witnessed by Facebook posts and photos, have elves that are much more mischievous. Some fly paper airplanes, some get entangled in toilet paper, others make a mess in the kitchen or slide down the banister (see Pinterest for ideas).

 
I’m making a promise to get more mischievous next year – that is, if my future 8 and 10-year-old will even pay attention. I, in intro-Elf mode, have to say the guilt of forgetting to move him nightly mirrored the times when I’ve forgotten to leave money from the Tooth Fairy. I have made up a ton of excuses as to why the Elf might have chosen not to move from his post from the previous day.  That was as creative as it got.  Next year, I’ll be armed with new ideas!  Any Elf on the Shelf stories to share? Michelle?

 

Puppies, Pantones and Piercings December 7, 2012

Filed under: Independence — edamomie @ 6:18 pm
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I: Independence

PBTeen Graphic Patch Quilt Purchased, Potentially Returned

PBTeen Graphic Patch Quilt Purchased, Potentially Returned

I’m not sure what switch was flipped at age nine and a half for my daughter, Ava, but it’s causing a newfound need to be more grown-up.  From nightly dinner conversations about getting a puppy to updating her room decor so she can lose the baby pink pantone, it’s constantly called to my attention that she growing up.

 

To agree to all of these requests — a new puppy, a new room, a new route home from school with a friend, and new and permanent bling in her ears — would most likely overwhelm our entire family. Over the past month, we’ve been working though everything with some careful compromising, added responsibility and sound reasoning.

 

Ava cleverly submits me to online survey-taking to determine the type of puppy I (nevermind her) would be most compatible with and works hard to sell me on the idea that she’d be the one taking puppy out for walks at 7:00a.m. in the winter. Once we revisit our schedule, turns out that yes, it would be me doing those early morning walks/runs. We table the puppy purchase for at least six months.

 

Next we turn our focus to redecorating her room. After seven and a half years of what we call watermelon decor, she insists she’s ready for something new. We scout out PotteryBarnTeen and find a few options (black is a necessity) before ordering the Graphic Patch Quilt and Sham as a starting point for the paint selection and decor. We cannot agree on paint selection, but we eventually agree that maybe it’s too soon to redecorate given all of the things we’d have to replace and buy. We could wait until she’s eleven and revisit it as we’ll probably only do the decor over once while she’s living at home. It’s kind of a relief, truthfully.

 

Thirdly, we discuss walking home after school with a friend to her friends’ house. She insists she’s totally ready for this. I, however, am not. Instead I offer to pick up her and her friend one day each week and bring them to our house so they can hang out. She’s kind of heartbroken over this and I would love to say yes. Maybe next year. Maybe when you have your own mobile phone.

 

Piercing Tech Alicia Measures and Marks with Purple Ink

Piercing Tech Alicia Measures and Marks with Purple Ink

The final quest is for ear-piercing. We create a reward system around this – practice your piano and clarinet frequently and without complaint and you may get your ears pierced. She is game for this and follows through for a month before the assessment date arrives. She gets a passing grade from her Dad and we immediately head for Claire’s the next day.

 

I question the training and skill sets of the piercing technicians at Claire’s, but I am mostly satisfied because of the girl’s optimistic and friendly attitude. She claims she’s a perfectionist and re-does the purple ink dot markings 15 times to ensure the correct and matching placement. When all is perfectly marked, we call on another tech so they can simultaneously perform the piercing. Ava seems a bit nervous, but doesn’t let on. Her seven year-old brother is pacing the store and continually asking if we can buy candy.

 

"I Just Got My Ears Pierced" and now I'm at Starbucks

“I Just Got My Ears Pierced” and now I’m at Starbucks

We settle on the mid-to-high price range earrings although all in their arsenal are hypoallergenic. I talk Ava down from a square cubic-zirconia looking studs to flatter, yet still shiny, daisy-shaped earrings. On the count of three, the techs fire their earring guns. Ava looks a bit flushed. The tech reviews the cleaning process and we walk out $55 later. We opt not to redeem the 50% off coupon for new earrings just yet as she has to keep the studs in for six weeks.

 

She shares the news with her family and fellow fourth-grade friends. She’s slightly worried about her Papa calling her a gypsy, which is what he called me in newly-pierced ears in sixth grade. The girls just say cool. In the next breath, all is well with the other denied and compromised requests for the moment. I’m safe until the next grown-up must-do/ must-have comes along.

 

Candy Plan November 5, 2012

Filed under: Eats,Independence — edamomie @ 5:39 pm
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E: Eats + I: Independence

Carving and Removal of Guts

Carving and Removal of Guts

Halloween ranks second only to Christmas as the holiday when most retail consumer dollars are spent. People buy costumes not only for kids, but grown-ups too; more decorations for parties and bucket loads of candy. Halloween costume stores pop up  in various locations and we stock up and shop early. For this family, I think our Halloween storage outweighs our Christmas storage. As follows is a Halloween recap on carving, costumes and candy handling.

 

Overly zealous in past years, we’ve had to restock on candy and be faced with carved pumpkins whose insides have turned to mush by Halloween if they haven’t already had their decoration chewed off by squirrels. This year, I bought pumpkins and candy ($14.98 value pack) five days before Halloween. The hidden bag is uncovered and ripped into the next morning at about 3:00a.m. by my 7-year-old son, Calvin, who had been obsessing about it. The carving takes place four days prior to Halloween and the Jack-o-Lanterns serve as a centerpiece days before moving outdoors on Halloween, in fine condition.

 

Witch and Gangsta

Witch and Gangsta

Weeks prior we had pulled out our Halloween bins of costumes past and tried to sell the kids on resurrecting all or portions of them for this Halloween. Tough sell. My son wanted to be a gangster and needed a whole new pin-stripped suit because the pink-stripped gangster outfit my 9-year-old daughter wore the year before would not suffice, of course. Even the cheap plastic gangster weapon – found in pieces – needed replacement. My daughter, Ava, was thinking witch. We found two respectable witch hats, six black cloaks and a black wig in the arsenal. We knew our options before heading to the Halloween store. Upon arrival, it was all too tempting to not stick with a costume re-run. Calvin got the gangster and Ava, due to indecision, ended up empty-handed on a new costume and committed to the witchy mix of options at home.

 

Halloween Grub

Halloween Grub

With Halloween on a Wednesday this year, the usual annual parties in the neighborhood occur on the Saturday prior. With minimal effort, I dress in black and add a witch hat to head to the first party with the kids. This annual party with a 2:00p.m. start time comes complete with a fog machine and elaborate Halloween fare from gummy worms in crushed Oreo crumbs to eyeballs conveyed via mini-powdered donuts topped with an M&M as the pupil, red gel lines for the veins. We last about two hours.

 

We regroup at home and try to have a substantial meal before the next party. There is little interest. Now I’m ready for costume two of the day – Elastagirl (recycled from five years prior). My husband, who has costumes set in May for the next Halloween, is suffering a set back. Apparently fabric spray for clothing is not all it’s cracked up to be. Cutting it close at 5:30, his Plan B emerges. We all take over one bathroom and finish applying hairspray, face painting and powdering. The witch turns into a mime of sorts simply because she wants her face white not green. We head to party #2 around 6:45p.m.

 

Haunted House on the Block

Haunted House on the Block

This annual party has another great spread of food – little tacos, artichoke dip and of course mummy dogs (formerly known as pigs in a blanket). Grown-ups gather around the outdoor fire pit and the kids run wild between the bouncy house, playhouse and basement. The kids are sneaking soda and snacks at all times so it’s pretty tough to monitor what they actually consume. We last til 8:15p.m., then it’s time to head out. After all, the adults need Halloween fun too!

 

With sister-in-law set to watch kids, we’re out the door by 9:00p.m. to an old-fashioned Halloween house party where we’re greeted by host Gene Simmons. We meet many bizarre characters that make the evening very entertaining. We’ve had our fill and are ready for a break from Halloween, at least until Wednesday the 31st.

 

As is tradition, I make some sort of casserole or hotdish. This year it’s Aunt Rose’s Easy Cheesy Lasagna. It’s ready to go in advance so we can be ready for the 6:00p.m. trick-or-treaters. They still catch us off-guard. We debate every year if we should go out in shifts so someone can be home to hand out candy. This year, we choose to all go out from 6:30-7:15p.m. Our neighborhood really goes all out so we don’t have to go far. We never miss the house on the block complete with staged outdoor lighting and Thriller on a loop. Ava takes her time and Calvin sprints between homes. It’s challenging to keep up with them and chat with neighbors too.

 

Candy Plan

Candy Plan

At home, we heat up the lasagna and have a fire in the fireplace. My husband also sets a major fire to one jack-o-lantern to creating a flaming pumpkin, which to me looks hazardous and threatening to potential visitors. Trick-or-treaters still come. We hand out candy til 8:30p.m., when we finally turn out the lights. The kids sort and organize their candy, eating as they go, especially the items like KitKats which are pretty popular this year. We try to bribe a few of their 60+ pieces of candy from them.

 

They kids are so worn out, they actually head to bed on their own. Ava doesn’t even take off the white face paint. Calvin puts the tooth he lost that day under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy who actually forgets to come that night. I reason with him on November 1 that too many kids lost their teeth yesterday, bobbing for apples and whatnot. The Tooth Fairy will come tonight.

 

It’s four days after Halloween now and we’ve just taken all of the decorations down. The candy still lingers. This year, rather than limit it to one or two pieces after dinner each night, I’m being much less restrictive. They can have access to it through Tuesday, then it’s gone. Otherwise, they drive me crazy obsessing about it all day and it lasts for 2-3 weeks, making the after-dinner candy treat a tough habit to break. So we have two more days to consume, then I’m getting rid of it. Their uncle offers to buy it for $5, but Ava pushes back, it’s worth much more than that. I’ll sell it to you for $20. I’m glad she negotiated. I’ll just put that money directly to their dental bill or next year’s costume purchase.

 

Fairly Expensive Fun Factory September 2, 2012

Filed under: Outings — edamomie @ 9:25 pm
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O: Outings

SkyGlider over Kidway

SkyGlider over Kidway

It takes a fair amount of cash to enjoy the Minnesota State Fair. Prior to our annual visit, I always under-estimate and end up with too little cash on hand. This year, with me as the sole possessor of the cash for our crew, I was not going to be doling it out. My 7 and 9 year-olds agreed to the sensible plan I laid out and for the most part, did not complain as we put it in action over the course of our six-hour visit.

 

The plan consisted of this: 1. Anything we get to eat or drink is sharable 2. In most cases, we are just getting one of something and sharing it three ways 3. We are not eating while walking or standing  4. We need to stay hydrated  5. We will all take restroom breaks at the same time 5. We leave when I say we leave. Overkill?  Perhaps, but also prevention. The plan took us past our usual four-hour max to six.

 

We arrive on Saturday, September 1, day 10 of 12. Entrance fee: $12 for me, $10 for each kid ($32). Day 10 was much better than last year’s Labor Day Monday visit when none of the workers could muster up any energy to rival mine – OMG, Cheese Curds! was met with glares. This year, upon our 10:00a.m. arrival from a nearby free Park & Ride, the Fresh Cut Fries guys were rocking out to Love is a Battlefield. I give them a fist pump. Love the energy. So fries…. check. First thing on this fair-goers list every year. We opt for the small $5 cup and a $3 lemonade and take up a spot at the MPR booth.

 

Space Tower Observation Before Committing

Space Tower Observation Before Committing

With a quick stop at my insistence at French Meadow for three Risotto Poppers at $2 a pop, the kids have their sights on the next door Giant Slide ride. The hot poppers aren’t delish as hoped and the sorry sauce adds to the disappointment.  They were so impatient, that I make an exception to the eat and walk rule for myself (because I can) and head over to the slide. I give them $8 for two rides each on the slide. Check.

 

I almost miss spotting them leaving the slide. When I lay eyes on them, they insist they are dying of thirst. That will be $3 please. Unless you want to wait at the KARE11 booth for free water in the line that is insanely long at 11:00a.m. Hydrated we pay $9.50 ($3.50 each one way) for the gondola to take us north to the very far ends of the fairgrounds. It’s a 10 minute ride that feels even longer because my daughter, Ava, is mad that the three of us crammed into one car. We are also delayed at the exit conversing with the three teen workers who are appalled at the next door Sing-Along’s Moves Like Mic Jagger lyrics that 9&10 year-olds were lip syncing. Really?

 

Since we had just sailed over Kidway, they know the rides are just within reach. I buy the $20 pack – knowing that it’s always incorrect for the actual amount we need. They go on some maze adventure ride (5 tickets each) while I engage with my iphone. Then it’s Tilt-A-Whirl time (again 5 tickets each). Loads of fun, if not predictable. We have 8 tickets left that will be burning a hole in their pocket until they can spend them.

 

Rosemary Store - Kidstuff

Rosemary Store – Kidstuff

But it is time for me to choose something I want to do. Ummm, Leinie Lodge. We catch some of Home Free’s act while I enjoy a 12 oz beverage ($4.50) before the kids get way too distracted with the Space Tower. Ava is way pouty and Calvin, my 7-year-old, is terrified that the tower is the ride that drops you 330 feet to the ground. We watch it a few times to be sure, while I down my brew finally seated on a bench.

 

We get the overview of the grounds via the tower ($9 total). It was a good thing until Ava became fixated on the Haunted House and insisted we head there next. Yes, we can go, but it’ll be on the way out I tell her. It’s like 1:30p.m. now and we make our way over to the International Bazaar. Calvin gets creative and orders a slice of cheese pizza ($4?). Ava is so focused on the Haunted House, she can’t eat. She’s whining about it. It is pretty toasty out. We find a spot near the stage and take in the Chinese dancer performances for 15 minutes. Calvin is dying of thirst again, really. That will be $3 please.

 

At The International Bazaar, we visit the Rosemary store, knitted clothes and gifts for kids, and a glitzy kiosk that gets our only take-away for the day – two snakes $3 each. Two teenage boys squeeze the small, medium and large snakes and say something about size does matter before they meet my wide-eyes. I’m sure my kids don’t even catch it. 

 

Pre Fun Factory: A New Ride at the Fair

Pre Fun Factory: A New Ride at the Fair

Some how, impossibly, we are still hungry. Calvin coaxes me into giving him a piggyback ride. We order up some Cheese curds ($5) and meander around for a table. We find one at the Italian Kitchen and rudely, us non-patrons sit down. From previous experience I know we need to degrease them. Calvin marvels at the grease swimming in the bottom of the dish – They should just call them Grease Curds he observes. Yeah, I agree. So good though….

 

Again, dying of thirst. $3. Oh no, we can’t go yet. We need a ProntoPup (corn dog). We wait in line on the shaded size of the trailer – the kids delighted beyond a doubt with their snakes. It only takes that one little thing. I get them to agree to give me one bite of each of their corndogs. I think that’s another $9. We end up sitting on the ground in a shaded spot to eat. Our feet in flip-flops are filthy. There’s a few caramel apple leave-behinds next to us. Lovely.

 

It’s about 3:30. Okay – last rides? We purchase two more tickets to round out our 8 and the kids each go on one more ride – the Maze in Midway for Calvin and the Fun Factory for Ava. Ava’s ride is a bit intense. The other two people in her four-car ride are a mother and daughter. When I check glimpses of them, the Mom is holding the daughter’s chin to one side and the girl is freaking. Ava gets off and breaks down a bit saying she kept hitting her head. She quickly recovers and it’s the most awesome ride ever.

 

Stratosphere Stuck Again

Stratosphere Stuck Again

We need to be done.  Ahh, but there is the frozen yogurt  stand. $7 for a large with two swirls, two toppings and Mom gets to share. Half “original” which the workers remind us five times is not vanilla, and half chocolate. Blueberries on the original side and Oreos on the chocolate side. We find a bench. The Stratosphere ride breaks down. Again. I get a picture and tweet it. Not so fun for those people. Let’s hope they have sunscreen.

 

One last thing:  The Haunted House. $4 each (I am not in for this one) and I’m a bit concerned, considering all the kids coming out with parents are in tears. One older teen is breaking down sobbing. My kids aren’t out yet.  When they do come out Calvin is angry. He’s mad that people grabbed him. The lights totally went out at one point. We hug it out. They are so ready to go. We spent $150, I’m still hungry due to snacking all day and I didn’t go on any substantial rides. All we have are two snakes to show for it. We even passed up Sweet Martha’s Cookies.

 

Minnesotan’s attend the State Fair no doubt, but I think it’s a love/hate thing for many. We’ll be going back next year because it is the Great Minnesota Get-Together, but you can be sure I’ll fine tune our strategy – and our budget – a bit more.

 

Pardun Me, Where Did Chivalry Go? August 24, 2012

Filed under: Outings — edamomie @ 8:57 am
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Finding the Right Inner Tube

Finding the Right Inner Tube

This was a summer of milestones. On the date of this particular milestone, my 9-year-old, Ava, learned about chivalry and my 7-year-old, Calvin, learned that it’s close to non-existent. These lessons can be attributed to their inaugural all day trip down the Namekagen River in Wisconsin, when 2012 marked the first year that this typically grown-ups only outing was voted kid-friendly, if not mom-friendly.

 

On our chosen Saturday, we head out with the kids to Danbury, WI to Pardun’s Canoe Rental. Our very own Julie McCoy (aka Sarah) calls them up each year – they know her by name – and she rents everything for the group, which amounted to 20 some people with 8 canoes and 10 inner tubes.  Breakfast is optional at the restaurant in Danbury, but we bypass it this year in favor of getting a later start.

 

The Calm at the Onset

The Calm at the Onset

At the canoe place, everyone corrals all of the gear near our two van buses and the kids select their inner tubes of choice – bottom or bottomless, chair back or not, and orange, green, blue or purple. All come equipped with a built-in drink holder. The kids cannot resist snaking through the center of the lined-up bottomless inner tubes. This whole loading process takes about 45 minutes. Then we climb into the dusty vans and head up river, canoes trailing.

 

Luckily the incoming dust is kept to a minimum with the new paving of a good portion of the trip’s route. The drive takes about 20 minutes. It’s now 10:00a.m. We pile out and move our stuff to the river entry point. Coolers, chairs, towels, sunscreen — the works. It’s a beautiful day.

 

We shove off and get our entourage connected with bungy cords and ropes.  And soon after, some choose to  disconnect. I watch my husband opt out of the canoe for the inner tube and completely detach from us. I was sure I could handle it and navigate with one kid in the canoe and one kid in the tube connected by rope. After all, it’s a peaceful river, really… One that is clean, clear, meandering and virtually free of any development. And free of rapids.

 

Inner Tube vs Canoe: Inner Wins

Inner Tube vs Canoe: Inner Wins

Save for the huge crisscrossed trees we came upon when we took the wrong fork in river. I fought the current for a while, trying to turn us around to glide through the narrow entry.  No such luck. When help arrived on his solo floatation device it was in the nick of time to untangle Ava’s leg from the rope that kept trying to drag her under. Okay, I might be exaggerating here, but it was really hard to assess what was going on.

 

I was ready for an adult beverage. Our canoe plus still needed a bit of maneuvering. By this time, Ava opted back into the canoe and Calvin took to the tube. Ava turned out to be a quick learner and diligent paddler. We rested easy for a while, then we came to the concrete bridge. The current pace picked up and by some magnetic force, we were pulled in the exact direction I aimed to avoid – right into a fallen tree that hovered over the river about three feet. With a shove of my paddle, Calvin sailed out of harm’s way. Ava ducked and I got totally horizontal to grab the lowest threatening branch with both hands. After that limbo, the canoe rocked from side to side and onlookers said later that they were sure we’d tip.

 

I was too off-guard to do much of anything to avoid the concrete pylon that supported the bridge above. Luckily we sailed through, but it was too late to pull over at the stop immediately to the right. We ended up downstream on the left a bit, too taxed to paddle upstream. That’s when Ava, Calvin and I had the talk about chivalry. Five minutes later, my relaxed husband floated over to us singing the praises of the detached inner tube ride. I suggested Calvin try it out with him. I was down one kid. Things were looking up.

 

Mid-journey we pulled over to a sandbar so the adult boys could toss and catch the football one-handed and a few of us girls could do the same with the 10-13 year-old boys. We ate lunch, snapped some photos, hunted down fish and shells of sorts. At the upstart again – I took to the tube and made use of the drinkholder. That did work slick. I could see where he was going with this.

 

Be Your Own Warrior

Be Your Own Warrior

Then, all to soon (5:00p.m.), it was over. Our crew, tied together via Luck, WI, highschool graduates, all made it through unscathed. The kids (ages 4-14) got to know each other a bit more, we didn’t have the challenges of finding daycare and it was reassuring to know we could pull off an all-day friend and family outing. We’ll be smarter about the equipment next time – solo tubes for this family, perhaps? 

 

And, in closing the debate around chivalry, I’m curious – what do women think? With the rise of the independent woman, might it be considered a thing of the past?  What sort of gestures are chivalrous? Ava was taking this all in… I informed her, it’s okay to accept it when the time is right. Like today for instance…. furthermore, if it does not come your way, step up and be your own warrior.  She thought about that for a moment, grabbed the paddle, and did just that.

 

Picnic in the Regional Park August 5, 2012

Filed under: Outings — edamomie @ 12:04 pm
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It's Time to Climb: FRP Play Area

It’s Time to Climb: FRP Play Area

On a recent steamy Sunday, we pulled out our authentic picnic basket complete with casual dishes and silverware all strapped into their appropriate place. My 7 and 9-year-olds put together a menu, I ran to the store and then we took an hour to craft everything that went into our little basket. It certainly could have been easier, but I chose to make it a little exercise in sustainability and creativity.

 

The kids formed a sandwich assembly line with ham, cheese, arugula, mayo and mustard options. We also invited one of my son’s friends. The friend’s sandwich creation was left to the discretion of my son, Calvin. We wrapped them in Wrap-N-Mat’s and initialed them so there would be no confusion – my daughter, Ava, did not want to find arugula in hers after all! The chips were counted out and packaged, also initialed. I peeled and sliced cucumbers and packed them with sea salt and humus. Then came the angel food cake – - an immediate first suggestion in the picnic planning process. We cut four precisely equal slices and packaged them together in one clear container. Cut strawberries and glaze were thrown into the little basket too.  

 

The kids rounded out the basket after a quick check – adding cloth placemats, ice packs, another set of plates (for dessert of course) and glasses. Now, the basket didn’t have any insulation mind you, so we did need to cheat with a mini cooler for drinks.

 

Angelfood with Strawberries and Glaze

Angelfood with Strawberries and Glaze

We picked up my son’s friend around noon and headed west to our destination: French Regional Park. We have made it an annual outing for the past three years and have found it to be a clean, family friendly park with boat access, rentals and a sandy beach on the north side of Medicine Lake in Plymouth, MN. As we pulled in, my kids chimed in, Hey, we were just here on Thursday. So much for originality. Apparently, they had just been to FRP with the kids from their summer camp.

 

The two main parking lots were packed by 12:45, but we managed to nab a slot near the climbing area. We left the basket and beach stuff in the car while the kids climbed, swung and slid. They found some bizarre tunnel route around the play area which was an adventure. After about 20 minutes and a quick stop at the car for our stuff, we caught the trolley that would bring us to the beach area.

 

Push Pop Purchase

Push Pop Purchase

We set up shop at a table with an umbrella overlooking the beach area. The kids went for a swim and immediately worked up an appetite. Out came the basket. We set the table, poured the drinks and enjoyed our lunch. Other families were grilling out (one brought their very own large grill and wheeled it right onto the trolley) and having their elaborate picnics too.

 

Clean up went smoothly without the paper products to dispose. We recycled two bottles and stowed the rest back in the basket.  More swimming and best hand-stand contests. Then it was time for sand castles, moats and all. The three of them spent about 30 minutes tunneling, shaping and building. Suddenly, Calvin remembered there was angelfood cake yet to be consumed, so we headed back to our table, took out the next set of plates, glazed the cake, added the strawberries and indulged.

 

Clean up for the dessert portion was more tricky due to the glaze, but I was able to rinse them off in the sink at the rental station. So, was the dishware, silverware and fare all worth it? For me, yes. I think the kids didn’t notice too terribly much. They were focused on sneaking away to check out rental items and rates. They came back, to my surprise, with a round of orange push-pops all thanks to my son who brings his wallet everywhere and has a habit of buying rounds for him and his friends.

 

We packed up, trolleyed back to the lot and dropped off Calvin’s friend around 3:30. We had a discussion about the basket and how we could make more sustainable choices in our everyday activities. We try to make it fun and interesting with reusable products from our gingham Wrap-N-Mats for sandwiches to funky water bottles. Sustainability on the run requires a bit more planning, but if that becomes second nature to my kids, I’ll consider it a good thing.

 

 
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