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Family & Friends

My Dad Gets Schooled in Facebook

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My dad is a Baby Boomer.  He is going to be 60 in a few short weeks.  I love him to death, but he is not- shall we say- very fast to embrace technology. 

He loves to take pictures.  For years, my siblings and I encouraged him to get a digital camera. We told him how much he would love to be able to see his pictures right away- instead of having to take all 24 pictures on his 35mm film and then wait for it to be developed. Nope- he was having none of that. Finally, my step-mom bought him one about two years ago, and as we told him, he LOVES it.  He laughs about it now, wonders why he waited so long to go digital. 

He does have a computer, but I suspect that was my step-mom’s doing too.  Every now and then he will tell me something like, “I got on the computer, and looked up that Google….wow- you can find a lot of stuff there.”  Usually at this point, I use our standard teasing line with him, “Welcome to <whatever year it happens to be>, Mr. Banks.”  We took that  from Father of the Bride, when Steven Martin’s character (George Banks)  is in shock over how much the wedding was costing and Franck, the wedding coordinator, laughs at him and says, “Welcome to the 90’s Mr. Banks.” (This line occurs right around the 3:40 mark)

Yes, my dad is the Mr. Banks of technology.  He knows it exists, but that’s where it ends.  Last night, while we were hanging out with family, visiting with our cousin (Peter) and his girlfriend (Megan), from out-of-town, my sister, Mara, decided to show my dad Facebook on her laptop.   It went like this:

Mara (opening her laptop): So Dad, this is Facebook.

Dad: Face-what?

Mara: Facebook

Megan: It is a social-networking site.

Dad ( already lost- has that deer in the headlights look)

Mara (pulling up her profile page): This is my-

Dad (cutting her off): Hey, that’s your picture.  That is a nice picture of you.

Mara: Thanks- so this is my page, and here I can check my news feed and see what my friends are doing. They write updates, and then I can see what they are up to.

Dad (looking disgusted): Why in the world would you want to post what you are doing?

Me: Because it is interesting.

Dad: Why don’t you just pick up the phone and call them?

Me: Because people are busy.

Mara: Yes, remember my friend,  Ellen, (name has been changed) from high school- well here she is.

Dad (putting on his glasses so he can see the tiny profile picture): Oh yes, I remember her. That is a nice picture of her.  What is she up to?

Mara: You just have to read her update- and it says she put her son to bed and she is going to watch a movie.

Dad: Why do you need to know that?

Mara: I don’t need to know it, but now I know what she is doing. 

Dad (looking confused): Is this like Big Brother?

Me: No- but it’s almost midnight- you would never pick up the phone and call someone this late, just to see what they are doing.  But when they post it on Facebook, now you know.  It helps you stay in touch with your friends.

Dad:  I call my friends- I don’t call them at midnight, but I don’t need to know they are watching a movie.

Mara: Look here, Caroline, (our other cousin who was not visiting us), made stroganoff for dinner.

Dad: Really? How do you know that?

Me: Because she posted it on her page. 

Mara: Yes, and Heather wrote her back and told her we missed her and hope she could come visit us soon.

Dad (reading this exchange): How did Heather get a computer to write her back?

Me: I sent it from my phone. 

Dad: WHAT?!  You can send this to your phone- so is this like a video game then?

Everyone in the room laughing: No, it is not a video game.

Dad: These these are your characters- in your world- you control them?

Mara (because everyone else was still laughing): Dad, these are real people.  Look- here is Maggie (another high school friend).  Remember her?

Dad: Yes, I remember her. That is a nice picture of her.  Where does she live?

Mara: About 10 minutes from here.  We became reacquainted again on Facebook.

Dad: When did you last see her?

Mara: Last week.

Dad: Does she have any kids?

Mara: Yes, and I can show you the pictures of her kids. 

Dad (looking at the pictures): Well, they are cute kids.

Me: See how nice it is- you don’t have to wait for your friend to send you a picture- you can just look at it.  A few weeks ago, when I was having a bad day, I posted on my update I was having a hard time, and a lot of friends wrote back, just saying hang in there.  It was nice.  I would have never had been able to call that many people.  But with a few sentences, you can update all your friends.

Dad (thinking): Well, pen and paper work just fine for me.  When I want to write a letter, I don’t need a computer or a phone- I just get my pen and paper.  I don’t need Spacebook.

All nine people in room, crumbling into laughter: Spacebook…

Mara and I: Welcome to the 09’s Mr Banks!

My dad is wonderful and is a good sport. If he ever decides to join Spacebook, I’ll let you know.  🙂

Categories
Household Parenting Shopping

Guest Post- Finding The Right Stroller

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I am pleased to have an expert at CSN Baby.com, Suzanne as a guest blogger today. 

Suzanne’s post is a guide for tips on selecting the right stroller for your baby and your lifestyle. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, trying to learn and research baby items.

When I bought my first stroller,  I thought any stroller with four wheels would do.  However, I didn’t consider that I did a lot of walking, and did not get a stroller that was very comfortable for Ryan, for long walks.  Needless to say, I could have made a better purchase- one that would have saved me a lot of hassle and would have made it more comfortable for Ryan.    I hope this guide will be informative and helpful if you are researching a stroller purchase.  

Finding the Right Stroller

Parents of babies and toddlers know that there are two major purchases:  cribs and strollers.  While cribs can be determined largely on style, color, quality, there are other important factors to consider when looking for a stroller.  We’re going to outline a few things that you should consider when shopping around. 

Your Lifestyle

A stroller should compliment the daily lifestyle of yourself and your baby.  Are you planning on driving around a lot with the baby?  Then you might want to purchase a foldable stroller or a travel system (which is a stroller that supports an infant car seat).  If you live an active lifestyle, then consider a jogging stroller.  These types of strollers are designed for parents who want to run with their baby, so they come with a sturdier frame and swivel wheel to ensure maximum maneuverability.

Size Matters

Of course your child will grow, but if you are planning on buying for a newborn, keep in mind that most strollers will not do, as infants have to travel lying flat on their back to ensure their safety.  You will need either a fully-reclining stroller, a travel system that can hold an infant car seat, or a pram.  Once your child grows to toddler size, most strollers should be able to work for them as they should be able to sit straight up.   

Your own space matters too!  The safety and comfort of your child should be paramount when it comes to this purchase, but the stroller should also be easy and convenient for you to use and store.  If you might need to bring it on a train or subway or have limited space to store it, then you should be looking at collapsible lightweight strollers.  Foldable strollers may not have as many features as others, but are a lot easiest to push and to store.

Features!

Strollers these days come with all sorts of features, from storage areas to pivoting food trays, cup holders to adjustable handlebars.  Of course a lot of the features make the stroller more convenient to operate and more comfortable for the little passenger, but bear in mind that these accessories also add to the price tag.  So think long and hard toward whether these add-ons are necessary or whether you’d be better off with a stroller that has fewer features, but is less expensive and just as durable.

Choosing the right stroller is an important decision, and it often comes down to personal tastes and needs.  But hopefully these tips will help get you on the path to getting your child on wheels!

Categories
Activities Ryan Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday- Estes Park, CO

We took a drive up to Estes Park, today.  Ryan loved throwing rocks in Lake Estes- Cole was more interested in climbing on the rocks.  The famous Stanley Hotel, inspiration for Stephen King’s, The Shining, is in the background. 

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Visit Wordless Wednesday to see some more pictures. 

Categories
Cole Family & Friends Household Mothering Ryan

Don’t Mess with Hamburger Helper

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I will admit it- I LOVE Hamburger Helper.  My mom used to make it a few times a month, when we were growing up, and somewhere along the way, it has joined the ranks with homemade macaroni & cheese, lasagna, and chicken enchiladas as a comfort food for me. 

This is pretty ironic, since all the other comfort foods I make are from scratch.  I suppose at times, everybody craves a processed, sodium, preservative enriched food. One time I posted on Twitter I was making Hamburger Helper for dinner, and one person told me that is THE meal her husband requests every year for his birthday.  The flavor he always wanted?  Beef Pasta!

The ONLY flavor of Hamburger Helper that I have ever eaten and probably ever will, is the Beef Pasta.  That was the only flavor my mom ever served, so Hamburger Helper to me, means Beef Pasta (but when we were growing up, it was called Beef Noodle).  With green beans.  Plus, I add a little Worcheister sauce to it as it cooks.  And I always use milk instead of water, to mix up the special seasoning packet.  It ends up much thicker that way.  On a cold winter night, it is hard to find anything that tastes as good as Beef Pasta Hamburger Helper cooked this way.

Because it is a comfort food, I don’t eat it very often.  Maybe three times over the winter.  I hate that it is processed, but it tastes so good.  Ryan and Cole are picky eaters.  I have no idea where they get that from (me).  But, even they like and will eat good old Hamburger Helper.  They will even eat some green beans with it.  Maybe Hamburger Helper is a taste that is acquired genetically.

Because it is not the healthiest food to eat, the other day I was in the store and spotted Annie’s Homegrown Organic Cheeseburger Macaroni.  The boys’ favorite food ever is Annie’s Mac & Cheese, and I don’t feel quite as guilty giving it to them, since it is all natural and doesn’t have the additives and preservatives in it. This looked great!  It was Hamburger Helper, with no guilt.  I bought a package and decided to make it that night.

The boys always ask what is for dinner, and I told them we were going to have Hamburger Helper with cheese- like mac & cheese.  They got that look- where they know you are trying to pull something over on them, but don’t know what it is yet.  I made green beans too. 

I was convinced the boys would dig right in, and I would feel good they had a healthy dinner.  As soon as Ryan and Cole  the food critics saw me bring their plates to the table, they faces turned down.  They looked at their plates and at healthy organic version of Hamburger Helper that I might add, costs almost double what the original version of Hamburger Helper does, as they turned up their noses.

My precious two-and-a-half year old looked at me with his blue eyes and asked,

“What the heck is this?” 

I didn’t even know he knew the word ‘heck.’

My other precious son, had to get his two-cents in, so he just made the comment,

“Gross.”

I was the organic Hamburger Helper cheerleader. I told them to give it a try- they might like it.  I even sang the old commercial song about Hamburger Helper:

“Hamburger Helper Helped her Hamburger, Make a Great Meal!“ (click on the link to hear the song.)

The boys were not amused.  And it wasn’t even because of my singing.  They ignored my cheerleading, and asked if they could have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I told them they had to eat some of their Hamburger Helper.

“But Mommy, this isn’t Hamburger Helper.”  Ryan told me.

“Not Hamburger Helper- this is YUCKY!” Cole added.

They had a point- it didn’t look like our beloved Beef Pasta Hamburger Helper. 

“This isn’t even mac & cheese.” Ryan told me upon further inspection, poking the hamburger around on his plate.

“This is YUCKY!”  Cole added, holding up a piece of hamburger.

I was not defeated yet. I sat down and told the boys this was a very good dinner and I was going to eat my plate of Hamburger Helper.  I took my first bite, and it wasn’t bad- but it wasn’t Hamburger Helper.  Ryan and Cole watched me eat a few more bites, and then Ryan tried a bite.  He looked like he was eating a cross between some dirt and some mud.  After he took a huge drink of milk he told Cole, “It’s not too bad Cole.”   Cole’s response was, “YUCKY!”

I had Cole eat a few bites, which was not fun, and the boys ate their green beans.  Then they were done.  As I was clearing the plates away, I overheard Ryan tell Cole “to watch mom at the store, and make sure she never buys that yucky food again.” I think the food critics have evolved now into food spies- they are going to cut me off at the pass. 

Since we don’t eat regular Hamburger Helper very often, I will just stick to the original processed version.  The boys like it, I like it, and they won’t have to hear me sing a commercial jingle from the 80’s.  Some things shouldn’t be changed, and Hamburger Helper is one of them. 

Now it is your turn- do you like Hamburger Helper? Do your kids like it? Which flavor is your favorite?  Let me know I am not the only Hamburger Helper lover out there.  🙂

Categories
Cole Mothering Parenting Ryan

Pee and Stomach Bump

Have you ever been around a male- it doesn’t matter who- your husband, your brother, your dad, your friend, as they spend their down time watching something that seems so silly-that you just don’t get, like The Three Stooges?  As they sit there laughing uncontrollably,  with beer running down their face, (or drool)  do you look at this male, and wonder 1. why is this so funny,  and 2. when did this start? 

Being the mother of two boys, I have the answers to these questions.  If you are a mother of more than one boy, thanks for checking in today, but you can skip this post, because you know.  If you only have one boy, or have girls, keep reading- this post is for you.

Boys- they feed off of each other.  When there was only one boy, and he yelled out “pee” there wasn’t anyone else around to echo “pee.”  I don’t think Ryan even ever uttered the word “pee” outside of restroom before Cole was born.  If he did, he certainly wasn’t laughing about it.   When another boy is added to the mix, (like Cole), he yells, “pee,” then Ryan bursts into hysterics, and also shouts out “pee.”  It is a verbal tennis match between the two:

Cole: Pee

Ryan: Pee

Cole (louder): PEE!

Ryan (even louder): PEE!

(Pause, but not long enough for Mom’s ears to stop ringing)

Ryan (laughing):  We said pee pee.

Cole (louder): PEE PEE

Ryan (even louder): PEE PEE!!!!

Cole (pulling down his pants and his diaper, and yelling ever LOUDER):  PEE PEE!!!!!!!

Ryan (about to go pee pee in his pants because he is laughing so hard): You have a pee face.

Cole: You have a PEE face.

Ryan: You have a super PEE face.

Cole: You are pee pee head.

Ryan: (shrieking and laughing) Pee pee head! 

And it goes on and on. Just like Curly, Larry, and Moe poke, hit, and make dumb noises over and over.  You can’t fight it- it just is.  I don’t understand what is so funny about pee and pee pee, but evidently it is hilarious to boys- just like the Three Stooges are to men.  I don’t know why, but I understand that nothing I can do or don’t do will change this.  It is just a part of the boys growing up, and finding certain things funny. 

Ryan and Cole also have a new game.  They call it Stomach Bump.  I am sure grown men do this same game drunk, in -20 degree weather when their football team scores a touchdown.  Stomach Bump is played by both boys lifting or taking off their shirts.  Then the stick out their stomachs as far as they can- showing their milk guts.  Then they step back from each other, like they are getting ready to dual. They run as fast as they can into each other, bumping their stomachs together (hence the clever name of their game). 

I expect tears everytime they do this, but even though they are both knocked down, they laugh, and laugh, and laugh, and get up to go do it again.  The other night, they tried to add a twist- Bath Time Stomach Bump.  Ryan stood up in the tub on one end, and Cole on the other end.  The milk guts started coming out, and mom stopped that game, before it began.  That is why parents are advised to stay in the bathroom when the kids are in the tub.  Because boys just come up with these creative games.  

I have yet to see two girls playing Stomach Bump, or the other varieties the boys have come up with like Butt Bump, Elbow Bump, and Head Crash.  (you don’t even want to know.)  But as their mom, even though I don’t get it.  They do.  They are having a blast.  They are doing something that they both find outrageously funny.  They are playing with each other and bonding over Super Butt Bump.  Most importantly, they are becoming friends. 

I suspect one day Ryan and Cole will grow up and they will like The Three Stooges- probably love The Three Stooges, and have beer running down their faces as they watch.  Their girlfriends or wives will shake their heads, and wonder what could possibly be so funny, and won’t understand it.   But after wtaching my boys at this age,  I know exactly why they do- it will go back all the way to now- to pee and Stomach Bump.