First Love Note
A little girl in Nicholas' class gave him this note.
Nicholas informed me they are BFF (best friends forever). He also said that they have decided to wait until next year to get married.
We're glad he's not rushing into anything :)
Nicholas informed me they are BFF (best friends forever). He also said that they have decided to wait until next year to get married.
We're glad he's not rushing into anything :)
Pepsico Party at Six Flags
It's that time of year again. Nicholas has been waiting for this for a whole year now. Last night was the Pepsico private party at Six Flags for employees and their families.
We love this kind of party and it's really the best way to go to Six Flags. Free admission, private guests (smaller crowd), all you can eat Frito Lay products, and all you can drink Pepsi, Gatorade, Sierra Mist, and Aquafina Water, plus free Daffy Dollars to spend in the park on food or souvenirs. Woo hoo!
Unfortunately, Six Flags is not a "Pepsi Pour" location so all of the Coca-Cola vending machines are made unavailable and have these nice little signs over them.
Yes, I take that same picture every year because I just think it's that funny. You'll probably see this again next year too. Consider yourself warned.
Rachel didn't really know what to expect since she hasn't ridden on many rides but she was excited just because Nicholas was so excited.
We were able to get two extra sets of tickets and Daffy Dollars so we invited along some friends. C is about 6 years older than Nicholas but the two of them play together really well. I think Nicholas looks up to him like a big brother. They rode together on the trucks while Rachel sat in the cab driving. I love the big smile on her face.
C enjoyed riding some of the kiddie rides and was great with Nicholas. It was nice that Stuart or I didn't have to ride on them all. I think we'll have to bring C along with us each year :)
Nicholas has ridden this roller coaster many times but it's a lot of fun. I like the expressions on his face (click the pictures to enlarge for better viewing).
Rachel and Nicholas were going to ride the tea cups but Rachel didn't hold on and they got spinning too fast and she bonked her head. She decided that she was all done with the rides at that point. Nicholas didn't mind riding solo though.
We had to ride the balloon ferris wheel. It's a neat ride for little ones but it must have the slowest moving line in the park - which is really not fun for parents trying to corral their toddler - keeping them from pulling the hair of the person in line in front or trying to grab the lollipop from the little boy behind, and wearing out the parents who have to hold said toddlers for what seems like an eternity while waiting in line. Once we finally got on the ride, Rachel had a great time which made it sort of worth the hassle of that crazy line, especially since she had been acting so afraid of rides.
We wandered to an area of the park that our friends were quite familiar with but that we had never been to. It was fun seeing a whole side of the park that we hadn't seen before. Maybe we should try looking at the map more often!
One of the rides that C recommended was the Sombrero. We caught the end of the ride as we walked up and it seemed like a simple spin-around kind of ride. Rachel let me take her on it but soon after it started going I realized I had made a mistake. I felt butterflies in my stomach from the spinning so I knew that Rachel was scared. Sure enough she started whimpering and literally shaking with fear. I felt so bad! Next time, I will be sure to watch the entire ride before I determine the toddler-appropriateness of it. Bad Mommy!
Of course, Nicholas and C had a great time on the Sombrero and rode it again.
Somehow they talked Mr. B into riding some rides with them.
It was neat having these particular friends with us. Mr. B and C knew their way around this other side of the park well so they were great tour guides. We rode antique cars, Yosemite Sam mine adventure, Crazy Legs, and of course, Batman. Stuart and Mr. B talked a lot while Nicholas and C were riding rides together. Nicholas looks up to C so he was acting brave and tried a lot of rides that I don't think he would have otherwise. And of course, as I already mentioned, C unknowingly helped us by taking care of Nicholas on some of the bigger kid rides so we didn't have to. Plus it's just always more fun doing things with friends!
Baby girl in the big Texas-sized chair. Such a little doll!
Rachel was worn out around 10:00 but managed to do ok a while longer with someone holding her. However, the heat, humidity, and the extra weight of carrying Rachel meant that Stuart and I were done by 11:00. We let the kids spend our Daffy Dollars on light up swords and butterfly toys that probably won't survive through the weekend but they were quite happy with their loot. Of course, both kiddos were fast asleep soon after we got in the car.
Hooray for Pepsico for an awesome way to show employees how they are appreciated (and for making bedtime easy on the parents by wearing out their little ones to complete exhaustion)!
We love this kind of party and it's really the best way to go to Six Flags. Free admission, private guests (smaller crowd), all you can eat Frito Lay products, and all you can drink Pepsi, Gatorade, Sierra Mist, and Aquafina Water, plus free Daffy Dollars to spend in the park on food or souvenirs. Woo hoo!
Unfortunately, Six Flags is not a "Pepsi Pour" location so all of the Coca-Cola vending machines are made unavailable and have these nice little signs over them.
Yes, I take that same picture every year because I just think it's that funny. You'll probably see this again next year too. Consider yourself warned.
Rachel didn't really know what to expect since she hasn't ridden on many rides but she was excited just because Nicholas was so excited.
We were able to get two extra sets of tickets and Daffy Dollars so we invited along some friends. C is about 6 years older than Nicholas but the two of them play together really well. I think Nicholas looks up to him like a big brother. They rode together on the trucks while Rachel sat in the cab driving. I love the big smile on her face.
C enjoyed riding some of the kiddie rides and was great with Nicholas. It was nice that Stuart or I didn't have to ride on them all. I think we'll have to bring C along with us each year :)
Nicholas has ridden this roller coaster many times but it's a lot of fun. I like the expressions on his face (click the pictures to enlarge for better viewing).
Rachel and Nicholas were going to ride the tea cups but Rachel didn't hold on and they got spinning too fast and she bonked her head. She decided that she was all done with the rides at that point. Nicholas didn't mind riding solo though.
We had to ride the balloon ferris wheel. It's a neat ride for little ones but it must have the slowest moving line in the park - which is really not fun for parents trying to corral their toddler - keeping them from pulling the hair of the person in line in front or trying to grab the lollipop from the little boy behind, and wearing out the parents who have to hold said toddlers for what seems like an eternity while waiting in line. Once we finally got on the ride, Rachel had a great time which made it sort of worth the hassle of that crazy line, especially since she had been acting so afraid of rides.
We wandered to an area of the park that our friends were quite familiar with but that we had never been to. It was fun seeing a whole side of the park that we hadn't seen before. Maybe we should try looking at the map more often!
One of the rides that C recommended was the Sombrero. We caught the end of the ride as we walked up and it seemed like a simple spin-around kind of ride. Rachel let me take her on it but soon after it started going I realized I had made a mistake. I felt butterflies in my stomach from the spinning so I knew that Rachel was scared. Sure enough she started whimpering and literally shaking with fear. I felt so bad! Next time, I will be sure to watch the entire ride before I determine the toddler-appropriateness of it. Bad Mommy!
Of course, Nicholas and C had a great time on the Sombrero and rode it again.
Somehow they talked Mr. B into riding some rides with them.
It was neat having these particular friends with us. Mr. B and C knew their way around this other side of the park well so they were great tour guides. We rode antique cars, Yosemite Sam mine adventure, Crazy Legs, and of course, Batman. Stuart and Mr. B talked a lot while Nicholas and C were riding rides together. Nicholas looks up to C so he was acting brave and tried a lot of rides that I don't think he would have otherwise. And of course, as I already mentioned, C unknowingly helped us by taking care of Nicholas on some of the bigger kid rides so we didn't have to. Plus it's just always more fun doing things with friends!
Baby girl in the big Texas-sized chair. Such a little doll!
Rachel was worn out around 10:00 but managed to do ok a while longer with someone holding her. However, the heat, humidity, and the extra weight of carrying Rachel meant that Stuart and I were done by 11:00. We let the kids spend our Daffy Dollars on light up swords and butterfly toys that probably won't survive through the weekend but they were quite happy with their loot. Of course, both kiddos were fast asleep soon after we got in the car.
Hooray for Pepsico for an awesome way to show employees how they are appreciated (and for making bedtime easy on the parents by wearing out their little ones to complete exhaustion)!
Beefed Up Fun at the Viking Cooking School
This morning was pretty cool! I was invited by Holly at June Cleaver Nirvana to mingle with some other DFW area bloggers at a free cooking event at Milestone Culinary Arts Center/Viking Cooking School in Dallas. The event was sponsored by the Texas Beef Council.
What a delight to arrive at my seat to find this cool reuseable goodie bag filled with great information on family meal time, a fabulous cookbook, a meat thermometer, an apron, a measuring spoon, fajita seasoning, a notepad, and pen. Who doesn't love goodie bags?!
And this is our lovely hostess, Holly, who was raised vegetarian but is hosting a promotional event on beef. Seriously, is there anything she can't manage?
We were introduced to Angela Lemond, RD, LD. Angela is a registered dietician who talked with us about pediatric nutrition and promoting healthy family lifestyles. You can follow her blog at http://www.mommydietitian.com.
Angela talked about the three "E's" for optimal child feeding:
1. Educate - Teach children about foods and why they are good for them. Use resources like the one we just learned in cub scouts this week, www.mypyramid.gov, to teach about the different food groups.
2. Expose - Children need to try a new food for at least 10-15 times before they really know if they like it or not. So just keep putting it on their plate and exposing them to it even if they say they don't like it. Also let children "experience" food by taking them to a farmer's market to touch and smell fresh food or let them grow their own in a home garden.
3. Empower - Let children make their own choices whenever possible. This doesn't mean that they can decide to not have vegetables at dinner. Instead ask them, "Would you like broccoli or carrots?". Then let them help you prepare them by washing them or putting them in a serving bowl. As a child, they have so little control over things in their lives. Letting them feel like they had an important part in the decision making and dinner preparation could just possibly get them to finally eat that broccoli.
She pointed out that personalities may affect food choices. Shy and timid children will be more timid about trying anything new so they may be more picky whereas adventurous kids love to try new things and will likely enjoy testing out new flavors.
She also pointed out the obvious that as parents we need to be a good role model for our children. Kids will more likely do what you do, not what you tell them to do.
As far as tips for healthy eating, Angela promotes buying most of your groceries from the perimeter of the store because that is where you will find the least processed foods like fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, meats, etc. All foods are ok to have in your diet but the key is to watch your portions, frequency, and variety. Avoid fad diets. Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks each day to keep yourself from feeling hungry and giving in to unhealthy food cravings. Include fish in your meal plans at least 2 times a week. Eat low fat dairy foods 2-3 times each day.
And most importantly, make meal time "family time". Enjoy good healthy food together while relaxing and talking about how each other's day was.
For the next session, we had a celebrity chef cook some delightful meals right before our eyes. It was fun being in a "kitchen stadium" and learning cooking tips from a great chef.
Chef Richard Chamberlain is the owner of Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House. His restaurant has received awards and "best restaurant" rankings from such magazines as Bon Appetit, Gourmet Magazine, Wine Spectator, Texas Monthly, and D Magazine as well as Zagat's ranking as one of "America's Top Restaurants". He is also a co-author of the cookbook we received in our goodie bags, The Healthy Beef Cookbook.
Did you know that beef really can be healthy? Did you know that there are actually 29 cuts of beef that are considered lean? Hallelujah! It's like telling me to eat more chocolate. I'm there, baby! Check out the Texas Beef Council's website, www.txbeef.org, for more information on lean beef and its health benefits.
Chef Chamberlain made two recipes from The Healthy Beef Cookbook - Beef and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basalmic Syrup and Beef Pot Roast with Maple Sweet Potatoes and Cider Gravy. After he completed each recipe, we were delivered plates with samples of each dish. The salad really surprised me. I haven't had beef in a salad before but it was so good. The balsalmic syrup was really pulled it all together. The pot roast was moist and juicy but the sweet potatoes were the best I've ever had. Stuart loves sweet potatoes so I can't wait to make this recipe for him.
After quite a show in the kitchen, it was our turn to show off our cooking skills...in the Viking Teaching Kitchen no less! How cool is that?!
We were divided up into teams and each team got to complete one of the great beef recipes in the cookbook. My team made Chipotle Sloppy Joes with Crunchy Cole Slaw. We gathered all of our ingredients at our station.
Then we chopped and measured. It was hard to not feel like I was on some cooking challenge television show like Hell's Kitchen. It was funny because others on my team said the same thing.
But unlike Chef Ramsey on Hell's Kitchen, Chef Chamberlain doesn't call you "donkey" and kick over a trash can because you didn't slice the peppers thin enough! (Why in the world do I like that show?) Instead Chef Chamberlain just walked around and gave feedback, jumped in to help, and talked a lot about food. It was so educational and fun!
Oh yummy! This filling smells so good. Lean ground beef, onion, ketchup, corn, beans, tomato sauce, chipotle peppers, and cumin. Mmmm..
Ta-dah! Doesn't that just make you hungry? And it's an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and zinc.
The other teams made impressive dishes as well. Such as Beef Brisket Tostados with Spicy Peanut Slaw...
...Tenderloin, Cranberry and Pear Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing...
...and, one of my favorites, Sweet Hawaiian Mini Burgers.
My culinary buddies! Check out our cool "I Love Lean Beef" aprons. Sexy, right?
While I was at the Viking Cooking School, I decided to go ahead and shop for our next kitchen. We are way overdo for a remodel. This one really jumped out at me, complete with Viking professional appliances. Do you think Stuart might surprise me with this for my birthday? :)
I had so much fun today. The staff at the cooking school were so gracious. The Texas Beef Council provided some great information and resources for cooking with lean beef. Chef Chamberlain was so helpful in the kitchen and very generous to share his cookbook with us.
But above all of this, I enjoyed getting out and having some Mommy Time. Time alone with other adults and having conversations about something more than super heros or Elmo is so rare. It was awesome to play in a professional Viking kitchen and cook next to a celebrity chef. It was kind of like stepping out of my day-to-day life for a few hours and into someone else's shoes.
But alas, my Mommy role quickly returned when I got back to the van and actually saw the back seat where I had quickly removed Rachel's car seat earlier this morning.
Crushed Cheerios, crackers, and who knows what smooshed into the fabric of the seat.
Guess it's time to get back to reality...
What a delight to arrive at my seat to find this cool reuseable goodie bag filled with great information on family meal time, a fabulous cookbook, a meat thermometer, an apron, a measuring spoon, fajita seasoning, a notepad, and pen. Who doesn't love goodie bags?!
And this is our lovely hostess, Holly, who was raised vegetarian but is hosting a promotional event on beef. Seriously, is there anything she can't manage?
We were introduced to Angela Lemond, RD, LD. Angela is a registered dietician who talked with us about pediatric nutrition and promoting healthy family lifestyles. You can follow her blog at http://www.mommydietitian.com.
Angela talked about the three "E's" for optimal child feeding:
1. Educate - Teach children about foods and why they are good for them. Use resources like the one we just learned in cub scouts this week, www.mypyramid.gov, to teach about the different food groups.
2. Expose - Children need to try a new food for at least 10-15 times before they really know if they like it or not. So just keep putting it on their plate and exposing them to it even if they say they don't like it. Also let children "experience" food by taking them to a farmer's market to touch and smell fresh food or let them grow their own in a home garden.
3. Empower - Let children make their own choices whenever possible. This doesn't mean that they can decide to not have vegetables at dinner. Instead ask them, "Would you like broccoli or carrots?". Then let them help you prepare them by washing them or putting them in a serving bowl. As a child, they have so little control over things in their lives. Letting them feel like they had an important part in the decision making and dinner preparation could just possibly get them to finally eat that broccoli.
She pointed out that personalities may affect food choices. Shy and timid children will be more timid about trying anything new so they may be more picky whereas adventurous kids love to try new things and will likely enjoy testing out new flavors.
She also pointed out the obvious that as parents we need to be a good role model for our children. Kids will more likely do what you do, not what you tell them to do.
As far as tips for healthy eating, Angela promotes buying most of your groceries from the perimeter of the store because that is where you will find the least processed foods like fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, meats, etc. All foods are ok to have in your diet but the key is to watch your portions, frequency, and variety. Avoid fad diets. Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks each day to keep yourself from feeling hungry and giving in to unhealthy food cravings. Include fish in your meal plans at least 2 times a week. Eat low fat dairy foods 2-3 times each day.
And most importantly, make meal time "family time". Enjoy good healthy food together while relaxing and talking about how each other's day was.
For the next session, we had a celebrity chef cook some delightful meals right before our eyes. It was fun being in a "kitchen stadium" and learning cooking tips from a great chef.
Chef Richard Chamberlain is the owner of Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House. His restaurant has received awards and "best restaurant" rankings from such magazines as Bon Appetit, Gourmet Magazine, Wine Spectator, Texas Monthly, and D Magazine as well as Zagat's ranking as one of "America's Top Restaurants". He is also a co-author of the cookbook we received in our goodie bags, The Healthy Beef Cookbook.
Did you know that beef really can be healthy? Did you know that there are actually 29 cuts of beef that are considered lean? Hallelujah! It's like telling me to eat more chocolate. I'm there, baby! Check out the Texas Beef Council's website, www.txbeef.org, for more information on lean beef and its health benefits.
Chef Chamberlain made two recipes from The Healthy Beef Cookbook - Beef and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basalmic Syrup and Beef Pot Roast with Maple Sweet Potatoes and Cider Gravy. After he completed each recipe, we were delivered plates with samples of each dish. The salad really surprised me. I haven't had beef in a salad before but it was so good. The balsalmic syrup was really pulled it all together. The pot roast was moist and juicy but the sweet potatoes were the best I've ever had. Stuart loves sweet potatoes so I can't wait to make this recipe for him.
After quite a show in the kitchen, it was our turn to show off our cooking skills...in the Viking Teaching Kitchen no less! How cool is that?!
We were divided up into teams and each team got to complete one of the great beef recipes in the cookbook. My team made Chipotle Sloppy Joes with Crunchy Cole Slaw. We gathered all of our ingredients at our station.
Then we chopped and measured. It was hard to not feel like I was on some cooking challenge television show like Hell's Kitchen. It was funny because others on my team said the same thing.
But unlike Chef Ramsey on Hell's Kitchen, Chef Chamberlain doesn't call you "donkey" and kick over a trash can because you didn't slice the peppers thin enough! (Why in the world do I like that show?) Instead Chef Chamberlain just walked around and gave feedback, jumped in to help, and talked a lot about food. It was so educational and fun!
Oh yummy! This filling smells so good. Lean ground beef, onion, ketchup, corn, beans, tomato sauce, chipotle peppers, and cumin. Mmmm..
Ta-dah! Doesn't that just make you hungry? And it's an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and zinc.
The other teams made impressive dishes as well. Such as Beef Brisket Tostados with Spicy Peanut Slaw...
...Tenderloin, Cranberry and Pear Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing...
...and, one of my favorites, Sweet Hawaiian Mini Burgers.
My culinary buddies! Check out our cool "I Love Lean Beef" aprons. Sexy, right?
While I was at the Viking Cooking School, I decided to go ahead and shop for our next kitchen. We are way overdo for a remodel. This one really jumped out at me, complete with Viking professional appliances. Do you think Stuart might surprise me with this for my birthday? :)
I had so much fun today. The staff at the cooking school were so gracious. The Texas Beef Council provided some great information and resources for cooking with lean beef. Chef Chamberlain was so helpful in the kitchen and very generous to share his cookbook with us.
But above all of this, I enjoyed getting out and having some Mommy Time. Time alone with other adults and having conversations about something more than super heros or Elmo is so rare. It was awesome to play in a professional Viking kitchen and cook next to a celebrity chef. It was kind of like stepping out of my day-to-day life for a few hours and into someone else's shoes.
But alas, my Mommy role quickly returned when I got back to the van and actually saw the back seat where I had quickly removed Rachel's car seat earlier this morning.
Crushed Cheerios, crackers, and who knows what smooshed into the fabric of the seat.
Guess it's time to get back to reality...
MyPyramid.Gov
Nicholas had his second Tiger Cub den meeting tonight. He has memorized the Cub Scout promise, motto, and salute. It's so cute hearing these sweet boys recite them!
At tonight's meeting, they learned about the Food Pyramid.
* Orange is for grains… Remember to make half of them whole grains.
* Green is for vegetables… Don’t forget to eat dark green and orange ones.
* Red is for fruits… fresh, canned, frozen or dried.
* Blue is for milk products… Go for low fat or fat free.
* Purple is for meat and beans… Choose lean meats and poultry, and more fish, beans, nuts and seeds.
* Yellow is for oils… In addition to the five food groups, choose your oils carefully.
Now, physical activity or exercise… No matter what you call it, the steps remind us to be active every day.
One Pyramid does not fit everyone. So there are actually 12 different ones, depending on how many calories you need and how active you are. There are pyramids designed specifically for toddlers and older children. There are also pyramids for pregnant and breastfeeding moms.
There are also resources and activities for getting kids more interested in learning about healthy eating. There is even an interactive computer game for kids called Blast Off where kids can reach Planet Power by fueling their rocket with food and physical activity. “Fuel” tanks for each food group help students keep track of how their choices fit into MyPyramid.
The Cubs colored their own food pyramids.
Then they cut out pictures of food from grocery store flyers...
...and glued them to their food pyramids.
Nicholas received his first awards tonight. He received the Immediate Recognition Emblem as well as two totem beads for a family activity and a den activity.
His awards hang on a button on his shirt. I guess I really need to get those patches on his shirt now. I found a lady just a few streets over who sews patches for lots of different Boy Scout troops in the area. She is called "The Patch Lady" and she has a box outside her door where you can leave your shirt and patches and she will call you when she has completed the work. She only charges $1.00 per patch. That's a bargain for me!
At tonight's meeting, they learned about the Food Pyramid.
* Orange is for grains… Remember to make half of them whole grains.
* Green is for vegetables… Don’t forget to eat dark green and orange ones.
* Red is for fruits… fresh, canned, frozen or dried.
* Blue is for milk products… Go for low fat or fat free.
* Purple is for meat and beans… Choose lean meats and poultry, and more fish, beans, nuts and seeds.
* Yellow is for oils… In addition to the five food groups, choose your oils carefully.
Now, physical activity or exercise… No matter what you call it, the steps remind us to be active every day.
One Pyramid does not fit everyone. So there are actually 12 different ones, depending on how many calories you need and how active you are. There are pyramids designed specifically for toddlers and older children. There are also pyramids for pregnant and breastfeeding moms.
There are also resources and activities for getting kids more interested in learning about healthy eating. There is even an interactive computer game for kids called Blast Off where kids can reach Planet Power by fueling their rocket with food and physical activity. “Fuel” tanks for each food group help students keep track of how their choices fit into MyPyramid.
The Cubs colored their own food pyramids.
Then they cut out pictures of food from grocery store flyers...
...and glued them to their food pyramids.
Nicholas received his first awards tonight. He received the Immediate Recognition Emblem as well as two totem beads for a family activity and a den activity.
His awards hang on a button on his shirt. I guess I really need to get those patches on his shirt now. I found a lady just a few streets over who sews patches for lots of different Boy Scout troops in the area. She is called "The Patch Lady" and she has a box outside her door where you can leave your shirt and patches and she will call you when she has completed the work. She only charges $1.00 per patch. That's a bargain for me!
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