Thanksgiving Week

This week we had Danielle, Clay and Clay's family out for Thanksgiving. It was sooo fun. They were amazing house-guests and the kids adored them. I felt like I was on vacation all week because my kids were so entertained. I even got to take several naps because Patty would watch Kate while Tanner and I slept. They were all so helpful too. Paul made the turkey (the most stressful part in my opinion), Patty made the stuffing and cleaned for a couple hours straight while Danielle and I continued to bake and make messes in kitchen. Clay helped Shad pick out some surround sound and adjusted the sound on our TV so we could hear the voices better over the music in movies. And Makayla was just so fun to be around. She is Clay's BEAUTIFUL 14 year-old sister.

This first picture is a pretty accurate look at who my kids prefered all week. Both Tanner and Kate, were absolutely in love with Clay and Paul. All week Kate said, "I hold you....Paul" or "I hold you...Clay". Tanner would say, "Where is he?" He would search the house for Clay or Paul to play with. Paul had never-ending patience with building forts, playing with blocks and wrestling.









And guess who we saw at the zoo? Kate Hudson and her son Ryder. She was right next to us walking with her little boy. I even talked to her (for a mere 3 seconds). Clay was totally making fun of Danielle, Makayla and I for being star-struck, but it was really cool. She looked just like in the magazines. She was in leggings, cowboy boots, a man's button-up shirt and over-sized sunglasses. Shad was mad at me that I didn't take a picture of her and sell it to a magazine. = ) Typical Shad.











Again, it was so fun to have them all out for the holiday. I really hope that Danielle and Clay end up down here. I loved having family around for Thanksgiving. I loved baking with Danielle. I loved watching how much my kids love their aunt and uncle. I loved going to the zoo and out to eat as a bigger/extended family. I loved waking up at the crack of dawn with Danielle so we could hit the sales at JoAnns together. Thanks for coming. We love you guys!!!
Happy Thanksgiving
from the Chesco Mom Bloggers family to yours!

We hope you have a healthy, relaxing and yummy Thanksgiving!

One a Day?

Seems perfectly obvious to me.... But.... sweet thing had to throw a little doubt in as I was taking my daily dosage.



Sweet thing: "Do you know how many to take"? With an air of superiority!



Me: "What"? Looking at him like he had three heads!



Sweet thing: "I'm just saying".... With eyebrows lifted


Me: Pointing to the bottle "One.A.Day"..... crazy man....



Sweet thing: Laughing "I was just checking"..........................



Me: "Please"!

Show some bloggy love and visit...

Our friend Nicole at A Mommy's Musings is hosting her very first bloggy giveaway to win a high-resolution digital photo card created by Krisi's Kards. The give away starts today (11/24) and goes through November 30.
All CCM's are welcome to enter the contest
Click here
to visit Nicole's blog. This is one of my favorite blogs to visit.. She has it decorated for the holidays.. I love it!

Best of luck Nicole, with your first bloggy give away!

Thanksgiving Turkey Jump

School's Out Early--Pump It Up is Open
Schools are closing early, so we are opening our doors.

Tuesday, Nov 25 2:30 - 4:00pm

$9.95 per child, $5.95 per sibling

Space is Limited. Buy you tickets now to guarantee your spot.

For all of our latest Pop-In PlayTimes, Family JumpTimes, and other special events, be sure to visit our Calendar of Events

For More Information on Pump It Up, or to Book A Party, give us a call at
610-918-9180 or visit us on the web at www.PumpItUpOfWestChester.com

P

Holiday Toy Re-Sale

Just in Time for the Holidays…
Toy Re-Sale
Saturday, December 6th, 2008
Masonic Lodge, 246 N 3rd St., Oxford, Pa.
9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Don’t miss an opportunity to shop smart for the Holidays.
Lots of gently, pre-loved toys, electronics, music, games, and a whole lot more…at
BARGAIN PRICES

Need extra Holiday money??
We are still accepting consignors with toys to sell. For complete information, please call
610-932-2996.

Jump.....

Back during the 1929 financial crash it was said that

some Wall Street stockbrokers and bankers jumped from


their office windows and committed suicide when


confronted with the news of their firms' and clients'


financial ruin . . . Many people were said to almost feel a


little sorry for them . . . . . .?



In 2008, the attitude seems to have changed somewhat:

What next?? The auto industry?!? And, at what cost to the American public?!

I'm fed up...................

Sick

I could blame my break from blogging on being sick, but I only came down with it yesterday, so I guess I don't have an excuse. I haven't been taking any pictures lately, and I typically don't post, if I don't have pics of the kids.

We have been doing well though. Shad has begun to come home a little earlier, which has been WONDERFUL. The kids are obsessed with him, so it's nice for them to be able to see him more. Work is still tough right now, with the economy, but he seems to be handling it well. He told me this last week that their theme song at work these days is that song that has the line, "it's the end of the world as we know it.... " in it. But he told me this half laughing. He knows that he can't control any of it, so he just does the best he can each day. He's amazing. After the holidays he'll be slammed again at work because all the snowbirds will be back and he'll be marketing like crazy.

The kids have been a complete joy lately. They are so cute and sweet. Kate is constantly saying, "I hold you." Which translates into, "pick me up and hold me." She must say it 100 times a day. Tanner is growing up so fast. He is very into his "friends" lately and talks about them all the time.

Danielle, Clay and Clay's parents and sister are coming up today to stay the week with us for Thanksgiving. I have been soooo excited for them to come. We all waited to see Twilight so we could go together. It's always nice to have company because it gets me motivated to hang pictures, clean the house and organize.

I feel like this is a really boring post. I can't believe it's almost Christmas. 5-6 more days and we're officially in the holiday season. I'm not ready for it to hit yet. Love you all!!!

Our friend Caroline, at Lina Bean just posted her first blog contest. Let's show her some bloggy contest love.....Click here to visit the Lina Bean blog and enter to win a Lina Bean Throw & GO or a 3 piece matching set.

Another Reality Show Opportunity

Hi there!

My name is Lauren Kurnit and I'm a casting associate for the unscripted series "Nanny 911." We are currently looking to cast families in the Philadelphia area, and I was hoping you might be able to help me spread the word to your fabulous group's members.

We are essentially looking for families who really want or need the opportunity to spend three or four days working on bettering their lives with our nanny specialist. Perhaps mom and dad don't know how to deal with the public tantrums or wish that they could get through a meal without a meltdown; our nanny specialist will work with them to implement structure and create harmony in the home. As we all know, child rearing doesn't come with a manual and sometimes a little bit of outside help is all a family needs.

If you are interested in helping us spread the word, please e-mail me and I will send you a flyer. Feel free to pass this information on to any families (single or two-parent) that you think might be interested.

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about the show can feel free to contact me via email (lauren.nanny911@yahoo.com) or 212-404-1842. We also have a website with further information: www.nanny911casting.wordpress.com.

Alternately, interested families can send an email with the following information:
1. Name
2. Address and contact information
3. A brief description of the family members. They should be
sure to note the out of control kids and give us examples of
bad behavior /why they need a nanny specialist.
4. A list of the issues the family would like resolved (potty
training, tantrums, etc.)
5. Pictures of the family and the home
6. Whether you own or rent your home

Any family who makes it on the show receives $10,000. The length of filming varies between three and four days.

We are currently in our last phase of casting, so if you know of any interested families, please tell them soon!

I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for your anticipated help.

Best,

Lauren Kurnit
Casting Associate
Jennifer Sullivan Casting/Nanny 911
212-404-1842
lauren.nanny911@yahoo.com

Reality Show Opportunity

CBS and NEXT ENTERTAINMENT are looking for dynamic, competitive and entertaining families that all live in the same neighborhood to participate in the next great reality competition series. Families will compete for substantial cash and prizes!
If you think you can gather at least SEVEN other families that live in VERY close in proximity to you, contact us to be part of the ultimate family and neighborhood bonding experiment.

Some facts:
~ the taping of the show will be Summer 2009
~ families must be able to commit for 3 weeks (24/7); stipend of $5000 will be given during this time to each participating family.
~ winning family will receive a life changing monetary award!
This will be posted to the CBS website soon--so contact the the casting agent (below) immediately if you are interested.

Contact her directly at:
Lauren Spiegel Casting Producer
310.566.7618
laurenspiegel@blockpartycasting.com

Who’s the one with the stinky pants?

Baby Clean Fun is a CD of 16 short, catchy tunes that turn challenging daily tasks into fun parent-child bonding moments.

I recently had the opportunity to talk to Baby Clean Fun, co-creator Michelle Cruz and asked her a few questions about how the idea for the CD was born.

The idea for the CD came up when co-creator Beth, mother of 3, would sing "Mr. Washcloth" to her baby to distract her and clean her up after meals. The song was so catchy that Michelle remembered it and sang it to her children. Amazingly, Michelle had the same reaction that Beth had. Singing the song made after meal clean up a breeze!

The two friends, thought if this could work with cleaning up after meals, it would certainly work with other challenges like getting baby to eat, washing little hands, and putting on shoes... just to name a few. Before they knew it there were 16 songs for 15 different tasks.
To hear a sample of the songs & view the lyrics click here

The Baby Clean Fun moms are from Lancaster County and worked long and hard to get their CD produced. Support local Moms and order a copy of Baby Clean Fun today! FREE Shipping until December 25th.

Facebook-ers... click here to become a fan of Baby Clean Fun.

I am a HUGE fan of "Baby Clean Fun" and would like to share a copy of the CD with one lucky Chester County Moms reader. My 3 year old daughter and I sing 'Gotta Brush" every night while brushing her teeth. Our rule is, when I am done singing she is done brushing.
It has totally worked and I know she is brushing for more than a few seconds.

To enter this contest please email contests@chestercountymoms.com and enter Baby Clean Fun in the subject line.**

**This contest will end at midnight on November 30th. The winner will be notified via email and has 10 days to respond. If the winner fails to reply within 10 days we will pick another winner. The winner of the contest must be a Chester County resident.

Boo..

Father please forgive me for I have sinned....it has been....... ummmm... AWHILE... for those of you craving pics of the chicks. It wasn't like they were neglected. They were a part of the party too and they know their momma wants to dance with Mr. President. Ok... so I'm a dreamer.





The chicks were into Halloween this year in a big way. I was surprised. Really surprised! Katie was so afraid last year that she cried. She was afraid of the scary costumes and the eerie noises. But, this year the kid was unstoppable. She's still afraid of anything spooky. They took turns racing from one house to the next ringing the door bell and screaming "trick or treat"! Funny thing though, Katie thought this was an invitation to come in and would push her way in so that she was standing in the foyer! Their handmade Halloween boxes were overflowing with candy when they returned home. But, sweet thing had brainwashed them before leaving instructing them to bring all the sweet stuff back to daddy! Which they did... They didn't eat one piece! We'll never get that lucky next year.






Mai and Wes went with us too. I think Wes was ready to get on their merry as Mai was looking pretty hot. Her outfit was adorable. I can't wait until next year.

MNO Wedding Memories

We had a fun night wearing part or all of our wedding day attire and looking at each others wedding albums. We also enjoyed appetizers, wedding cake, and playing Taboo!

Divided we fall....


I feel I need want to explain my actions of late. I know I have seemed a bit bat crazy extreme lately. Even for me........but I can not hold my tongue any longer. I can not sit back and do nothing. I am scared of what I see. Angry. I hate what is going on in our country right now. Here.In.Our.Country. Against our brothers and sisters. I probably will never understand it.




I respect ALL religions. I really do. Probably more than most. I'm not out to change anyone. I believe in freedom of religion. I believe in freedom of speech. I believe in freedom. I believe in G-d. I don't hate christians. I embrace all. We are a colorful family. Multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-sexual (is that real) family... BUT, this effects me. Yes, me. There has been so much in the media lately with Prop 8. When I watch the christian groups protesting it breaks my heart. I take it personally as if they were atticking me. Why? Because my dearest, dearest friend is gay as is my sister in-law -- studyin for her Ph.D. Smart cookie. No, geologist. (sorry J....had to brag on you a bit...) Anyway. These. Are.My.People. And I am not ashamed of them. They share something more special than a lot of married couples. Love. True devotion and admiration. RESPECT. I am honored to know them and to have them in my life. Not only do they love... LOVE my chicks....but we love them. Unconditionally. They are who they are. And we accept it. We do not wish to change them. This is not something they chose. They are gay and they too accept it. So, when the christian rights group protest their love... and their union...it hurts... and yes, I take it personally. You have attacked my family. So, yes, I am defensive as any of you would be if they attacked your family! I fear some crazy person will act out in anger against them because they are gay. So, if it is a sin to judge... who gives them the right? None of us are perfect. I believe in equal right for all. I stand firm on this. I will raise my children to love and accept all. I love you R & D... and J & K... be who you are and be proud. Because we are! We will always support you. We stand behind you.

World Diabetes Day

Today the 250 million people worldwide who have diabetes will help celebrate World Diabetes Day. The goal of the day is to gain attention for the need to improve care, prevent the disease in those at risk and find a cure. This year the theme is children with diabetes. Unfortunately, the epidemic is increasing in children. This includes Type 1 Diabetes as well as Type 2 Diabetes. Leading a healthy lifestyle can prevent the onset of Type 2 Diabetes. 
One of the main focuses of today is awareness. So please look at the following symptoms and if you are concerned about yourself or any family member please call your doctor ASAP:
extreme thirst
frequent urination
weight loss
lack of energy

5 Simple Rules For Happiness

1. Free your heart of hatered.
2. Free your mind from worry.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

A few decorating projects...

I stole this monogram idea from my friend Brooke. Her house is adorable and especially her room. I love that it's a large thing to put over your bed for a mere $20. I got it on Etsy. By the way, the 'L' stands for our last name, not Lizze. I'm not that egocentric. = )


The hooks are still crooked and I haven't finished (well....maybe I should say started) Tanner and my aprons yet, but I still like the idea. It's in my kitchen right beside where we bake.


I have been looking forward to hanging these lanterns up for 6 weeks and finally yesterday it happened. I obviously still have several dining chairs to put together and things to put on the walls, but it's slowly happening.


If you can't read the little sign, it says, "And they lived happily ever after". Totally cheesy... and I totally love it.

These little birds and leaves are clips to hang the kids artwork and pictures on. The chalkboards are magnetic too. The kids love them.



So I'm getting there. Here are a couple of pics of the kids playing with a toy train that Grandma got them at Disneyland. They LOVE it. It makes the same exact noises as the train at Disneyland and blows smoke when it goes around the track.





Tanner is so boy. The other morning I went into his room to find snot smeared across the wall right next to his bed. Gross. Then later in the day we were building a sandbox together and he "stepped out" to make a few calls (pretend of course). I asked him who he was talking to, and he said "my friends". I started naming some of them and he said no to all of the boys, but yes to all of the girls. Finally he said, "I'm talking to all the girls."

Today we went to Shad's office and Shad's assistant Sarah gave Tanner some candy. On our way back to the car, Tanner asked, "Why she give me candy?" I said, "She likes you." He paused for a few minutes and then said, "She loves me."

On a really sweet note, today I was picking out a few church dresses for Kate and I held them up to ask her if she liked them. She said, "No, don't like it." (She never likes any of the clothes I pick out. She prefers to wear Tanner's clothes.) Anyhow, Tanner leaned over to her and said, "But Kate, they're really beautiful. Don't you like them?" It was so sweet.

Steve Irwin Day - November 15th

Steve Irwin Day is on November 15th. The annual event is held to celebrate the extraordinary life of the one and only Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin.

On Steve Irwin Day, people from all corners of the globe join together to raise money for Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors conservation projects. The day will represent the many things Steve was passionate about - family, fun and wildlife conservation.

You can participate in Steve Irwin Day.....Don your khakis and visit the Austrailia Zoo website.

BPA Update - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

By now, we've all heard about the potential dangers that exist from plastics containing BPA. This is an issue that I follow pretty closely and have gone to various different lengths in my home to eliminate it, especially in products for my children. Some new information has been released on this topic, and I found it very interesting and thought our Chester County Moms readers may too.

This information comes from the Healthy Child, Healthy World Blog.

Bisphenol-A has had its fair share of media coverage this year and things are definitely not quieting down. Just this week a scientific panel released a report charging that the FDA ignored valuable studies when it concluded last summer that BPA is a safe chemical. Many retailers and manufacturers have responded over the past year by voluntarily phasing out the suspect plastic. Despite these clear market signals, the manufacturers of BPA aren’t giving up without a fight. Here is the latest in this on-going chemical saga:

The Good
Kudos to Canada for officially declaring BPA a toxic agent and banning the sale, import, and advertising of baby bottles containing BPA.
• Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, along with the Attorneys General from New Jersey and Delaware, sent a letter to 11 baby bottle and formula container manufacturers asking them to voluntarily stop using BPA in their products.
• San Francisco Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier wants stores in the city that sell baby bottles made with BPA to pull them from the shelves -- and Safeway already has agreed to do so across its grocery stores nationally. She will also be asking hospitals to discontinue their use of these products.
• The National Institutes of Health’s National Toxicology Program released a report on October 23rd reaffirming their 2007 findings that BPA does indeed pose a health concern. Now if they could only convince their FDA peers…

The Bad
In addition to the piles of studies that have already raised red flags, new research continues to demonstrate BPA’s potential ill effects.• The first study on humans showed a link between BPA and heart disease and diabetes.
• In tests on breast cancer cells, researchers from the University of Cincinnati found that BPA may protect cancer cells from dying off when they are exposed to anti-cancer drugs, reducing the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
• Based on a review of 261 scientific publications, the National Toxicology Program found that BPA may alter brain development and behavior, and increase the risk of prostate cancer in children, infants and fetuses.

The Ugly
The government agency that has the authority to protect us from this chemical, the US FDA, has declared BPA safe. Since they made this declaration, many have been asking why. Investigative reporters from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel uncovered a dirty, little secret: the FDA report claiming that BPA is safe was written largely by the plastics industry and others with a financial stake in the controversial chemical.

The American Chemistry Council, the trade group representing chemical manufacturers, submitted their own (biased) review of BPA studies that the FDA used as the foundation for their evaluation. In addition, it recently came to light that the chair of the FDA subcommittee failed to disclose receiving a $5 million “gift” from a major BPA user. Science for sale, anyone? "This latest revelation makes clear that no matter who is in the White House come January, he has to rebuild the FDA," said Environmental Working Group (EWG) President Ken Cook. "An agency that once epitomized independent, impartial expertise in the service of public health has degenerated to a disgraced stenographer for the chemical and plastics industry."

Sign the petition supporting legislation (S. 2928, HR 6228) introduced this summer that bans BPA from all food and beverage products. The Consumer's Union has already gathered almost 18,000 signatures! Add yours now.

Pump It Up Grand Opening

Pump It Up, West Chester's new bounce facility celebrated their Grand Opening this weekend. We were invited to a pre-view party and we had a great time bouncing the afternoon away. Both kids and parents!

The facility is broken up into 2 bouncing areas. Area A has a giant slide, obstacle course, and basketball bounce.



Area B had an awesome rock wall, another giant slide, a really cool bounce mountain and a huge octagon bounce.

After we bounced the kids had pizza and juice in one of the private party rooms.

The party hosts at Pump It Up, were all so nice and were interacting with all of the kids and parents to make sure everyone had a good time. The Chester County Moms Blog team Loves Pump It Up!

For more information on birthday parties, family fun nights, pop-in play, field trips and lots more please click here or call Larry at 610-918-9180.

Pump It Up
250 East Union Street
West Chester, PA 19380
610-918-9180

Why?


Like so many of you I feel as if it were all a dream. The exhaustion from worrying and fretting if we were going to win has consumed me. The alternative could have been much worse.... BUT, he won. Yes, we won. Fair and square. What a feeling. So, it should be no surprise that I have already expressed my interest here too. The chicks say "Barack's your friend, right mommy and our President"? Warms my heart. BUT, this... well this just makes me sick. Yuk. Let.Them.Be. Why do people feel they need to stick their noses in where it doesn't belong? Why was it allowed on the ballot? Equal rights for all. I see absolutely nothing --- NOTHING --- wrong with same sex union. Stop the hate. Move on.....