Hypnosis by Cartoon

I’m sitting here in Steamboat Springs, CO looking out the window of our condo watching the snow and listening to my kids watch television. We don’t have cable at home (by choice, read about it here) so they think they are in Disney World at this very moment. My head is ringing with the annoying voices of The Cartoon Channel and I’m thinking that the world would be a better place if kids didn’t have this crap broadcast to them. Let’s teach our kids to be rude and idiotic with nasally high pitched voices. I have no idea what exactly this particular program is but one of the characters is bringing a “repto-slicer” to school for “homeless pet day”.

Impressive.

I’m sure I’ll pay for the indulgence later and as I watch them all gaping at the TV, hypnotized by lunacy, all I can think of is that my kids would be reading books, playing dominoes, or coloring right now if the “Gawk Box” (my mother’s term, by the way) hadn’t enticed me with the promise of a few quiet moments to shower and wash my hair.

Frankly, I’d trade a quiet shower any day for the knowledge that my kids weren’t watching this high pitched collection of drivel.

Hypnosis by Cartoon

I’m sitting here in Steamboat Springs, CO looking out the window of our condo watching the snow and listening to my kids watch television. We don’t have cable at home (by choice, read about it here) so they think they are in Disney World at this very moment. My head is ringing with the annoying voices of The Cartoon Channel and I’m thinking that the world would be a better place if kids didn’t have this crap broadcast to them. Let’s teach our kids to be rude and idiotic with nasally high pitched voices. I have no idea what exactly this particular program is but one of the characters is bringing a “repto-slicer” to school for “homeless pet day”.

Impressive.

I’m sure I’ll pay for the indulgence later and as I watch them all gaping at the TV, hypnotized by lunacy, all I can think of is that my kids would be reading books, playing dominoes, or coloring right now if the “Gawk Box” (my mother’s term, by the way) hadn’t enticed me with the promise of a few quiet moments to shower and wash my hair.

Frankly, I’d trade a quiet shower any day for the knowledge that my kids weren’t watching this high pitched collection of drivel.

Vacation Mode In Full Swing

I’m fairly certain that my mother has seen me at my worst-many times-but as an adult I definitely don’t want her to see me as a lazy unmotivated slob. My mom rocks, she’s totally laid back and that makes it even easier for me to go into vacation mode when she’s around. We always have big plans but somehow we sleep in and sloth around a bit and then the day is mostly over. I love these visits but I wonder if she loves them as much as I do?

I just spend the last four or five days cooking, eating, and napping. I’m done with the food part of that cycle. My body is rebelling and I honestly think I could fast for a week and not feel the least bit hungry. Why do we overeat on the holidays?

We had lots of sloth-ish family time while my 9 week old baby nephew was here and I think my sister-in-law enjoyed it just as much as I did. I’m a little bit of a freakishly excited new aunt but my nephew loves me mucho. I’m good with babies, really good. I think it might be partially due to the squishy comfort they find in my arms-let’s not mince words, my boobs make me a very comfortable place to hang out. Mostly, I think babies can smell love and I love this baby, he’s adorable and has such a great temperament. We’re going to be buds, of this I am sure!

What do you do when family is in town? Do you go into “tourist” mode and entertain or are you like me and just let your hair down?

Donovan Duggins Mt. Vesouvious Burger Wins Big in Red Robin Cook-Off

Fresh Ingredients + Child’s Creativity and Imagination = Ten Awesome Burgers!

This morning, I was honored to serve as a judge for the 5th Annual Red Robin Kids’ Cook-Off. The panel of judges included actress Anna Sophia Robb (17-year-old star of upcoming film “Soul Surfer” with Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt), Tom Giesen (executive producer of the Food Network’s Unwrapped)  my new BFF the fabulously effervescent Nancy McBride (National Safety Director for National Center for Missing and Exploited Children), Eric Houseman, President and COO, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, and fun Frances Hill (THANK YOU for the tips on what water does to burger buns in your belly).

The finalists were chosen from thousands of entries around the country. Each contestant “built” and then presented their gourmet creations for judging. This was hard! We tasted every burger and had to judge on things like creativity, presentation, taste…. and they were all quite amazing!

The winning Burgermeister was the charming 12-year-old Donovan Duggins from Wichita, Kansas. His “Mt. Vesuvius Burger” will be sold in all U.S. Red Robin® restaurants in summer 2011. Donovan’s “Lava Sauce” (made from sweet BBQ sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder and paprika) was the perfect combination of “sweet, with a kick”. The sauce,crumbled blue cheese, bacon, and provolone cheese, topped a beef patty and was served on a sesame seed bun. This burger was tasty and creative, with a name (chosen because Donovan loves geography… hello, little lesson in a burger!) that will likely have had the marketing team jumping out of their seats ready to get the “Lava” flowing tomorrow. Oh, what I would do to be part of that!

Next summer, when you order the “Mt. Vesuvius Burger” at all Red Robin restaurants, 50 cents of your purchase will support the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) child safety efforts. To date Red Robin has raised $400,000 in partnership with NCMEC , and 50% of that figure is attributed specifically to the the annual kid’s cook-off. I love that this competition gave kids an opportunity to be creative, to hone their presentations kills, and benefits an amazing organization at the same time.

The top 10 kid finalists were:

• Zack Caison, Amarillo, TX: “Jalapeno Blue Ranch Bacon Burger”
• Gavin Belliveau, Kingston, MA: “The Meatball Burger”
• Malia Grant, Fresno, CA: “Tropical Hawaiian Turkey Burger”
• Isabel Honzay, Chandler, AZ: “Southwest Cobb Burger”
• Megan Casteel, Mesa, AZ: “Gorgonzola Goodness Burger”
• Emily Whitaker, Tualatin, OR: “The Bacon Dill Delight Burger”
• Angela Feltz, Portland, OR: “The Bangin’ Spicy Chicken Artichoke Burger”
• Dominic Staiti, Citrus Heights, CA: “Jalapeno Cornbread Chili Burger”
• Jake Tucker, Chesterfield, MO: “Campfire Burger”
• Donovan Duggins, Wichita, KS: “The Mt. Vesuvius Burger”

I was really impressed by Red Robin’s embrace of social media in this event. I love that they engaged blogger/social media correspondents in each of the finalists’ cities and streamed a live webcast of the entire competition. The tweets, dm’s, messages, questions and comments that came my way this morning were fun and a very cool example of how powerful word of mouth is.

Are you a burger lover? What are your favorite ingredients?

May You Be Thankful on Thanksgiving

I am thankful for many things this year……

I am thankful that my car has stalled half in and half out of my garage. It is dead. I will be getting a new car. I am thankful.

I am thankful that nobody decided to visit us this Thanksgiving. Sometimes it is nice to just be with my kidlets and hubby.

I am thankful for the game Apples to Apples – we had a rowdy and fun time bonding this evening. I am thankful for my kids’ education and the fact that Kat is learning to read without fear or hesitation. We championed her as she sounded out each letter and was able to play and win quite a few hands on her own! I am so thankful for my family.

I am thankful for the people who read my blog, the social media gang that keep me in line and the clients who believe in me every day.

I am thankful for the carpet steamer that is getting much use as our doggy ages and somehow things peeing inside is more fun.

I am thankful for Whole Foods… my traditional “Ride n’ Slide” trip means I will be left only to roast a turkey, make a pie, and whip up my famous yummy potato dish that has no name. The rest was lovingly made by the Whole Foods elves and slid into my shopping cart

I am thankful for my hair stylist who gave me low-lights yesterday and brought my hair into “fall blonde” mode.

I am thankful for the hearing aid gods who have given my Daddy his ears back, it was nice to talk to him yesterday. I am thankful that he seemed to be quite cheery about it.

I am thankful for the snow, which seems to be blessing the mountains early this year.

I am thankful for so many things…. Happy Thanksgiving ya big turkeys!

Lessons from Daddy Blonde

My husband is an amazing man. I have proof.  For almost 15 years (holy crap, that is a freaking long time) he has not only tolerated me but loved me unconditionally in a way that I never imagined possible. Even more incredible is the fact that he had known me for 4 or 5 years before that and still married me.

He’s that guy everybody loves. He’s not afraid to express feelings and oozes passion when he talks about the things he loves, chicks did that. He’s that guy you want to make babies with. You choose him because he is going to be the Dad everyone wishes they had.

We have three little people. All of them will tell you that Dad is the fun one. I may be the not so fun one, but I am also the only reason they have all learned the virtue face washing.

Parenting is a journey that will take you from the highest peaks of bliss to the heart wrenching pits of hell. You never know if the decisions you make, or the things you say will some day end up as a case study in the form of a 2015 Psychiatric Analysis of  Top 10 Ways to Jack Up Your Kid.

The other night I was sitting on the bottom bunk with my 10 year old. We were lying with our feet up, looking at the underside of the top bunk. This is our “having a deep conversation” position.

We were talking about learning from our mistakes. We categorized the types of mistakes people make and I must have said something to the effect of, “There are some mistakes that have dangerous or life changing consequences.”

Suddenly, my child sat up and looked at me with great conviction and a fire in his eye, and said, “Dad says the two biggest mistakes are 1. doing drugs and 2. getting a girl pregnant. Those are two mistakes you really don’t want to have to learn from, right mom?”

Well then!

I suppose our job is done here…..

Emergency Preparedness In the Aftermath of Disaster ~ $25 Visa GC Giveaway

During the month of September I have joined The Clorox Company and Consumer Queen, along with several other bloggers, to spread the word about emergency preparedness. This will be the final installment in our series on Emergency Preparedness. If you are just joining us be sure to click on the links for important information on creating an emergency preparedness plan and building an emergency preparedness kit.

Emergency Preparedness Plan: Check!

Emergency Preparedness Kit: Check!

So, what happens AFTER disaster strikes?  What do you do when you get home?

In the wake of disaster there is often confusion and chaos. The most important thing to do before you return home is to check communication channels to ensure that local officials have declared it safe to return home.
Cleaning up after a natural disaster can be a daunting task. Ensure the health and safety of your family with the following:

• Before entering the home, look outside for loose power lines, damaged gas lines, foundation cracks or other damage
• During cleanup, wear protective clothing, including rubber gloves and rubber boots
• Look for flooding or large pools of standing water surrounding your home. These waters can be contaminated with high levels of bacteria that can make you sick, so disinfecting with a solution of bleach and water may help to remove mold and prevent the spread of infections and illness

General Health & Safety Tips:

• Keep your hands clean, either by washing your hands or using a hand sanitizer
• If you feel feverish or sick after a disaster or during clean-up, see a doctor immediately
• Eat healthy foods and drink lots of clean water

REMEMBER – your emergency preparedness kit should include a minimum three-day supply of water for evacuations (2 weeks for home) for your entire household.  This means approximately one gallon per person, per day for washing and drinking. If water supplies are compromised and you are unable to boil water for one minute (three minutes at high elevation), you can create drinkable water by using un-scented disinfecting bleach such as Clorox. You can also use bleach to clean non-porous surfaces in your home

• To Disinfect Surfaces: Use 1/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water, or as directed on the label, to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces in your home.
• To Disinfect Water: If you need to purify water during an emergency, (and do not have the means to boil it for 3-5 minutes), you must disinfect your water using bleach. If water is clear, add 8 drops (1/8 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. If water is cloudy, add 16 drops (1/4 tsp.) of bleach per gallon of water. Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand for about 30 minutes before using it. Properly treated water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn’t, repeat dosage and allow water to stand an additional 15 minutes. The treated water can be made drinkable by pouring it between clean containers several times.



For more information please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the preparedness guide: Prepare Yourself Now for Peace of Mind Later

UPDATE: Congratulations to winner #343

ENTER TO WIN $25 Visa Gift Card From Clorox

I’m giving away another $25 Visa gift card again this week! Wouldn’t it be nice to be $25 closer to a completed preparedness kit?

Bonus Entries (leave one comment for each):

1. Subscribe to Bantering Blonde

2. Follow @banteringblonde on twitter

3. Like Clorox on Facebook and tell them I sent you!

4. Tweet this:      Enter to win $25 Visa GC from @Clorox @banteringblonde http://bit.ly/cHLB0X #preparedness

Winner will be chosen by random.org 12pm CMT Wednesday October 6th.

*As a blog tour participant, I received information and giveaways from The Clorox Company and Consumer Queen at no cost to me. I was compensated for my time by The Clorox Company for participating in this project. All views are my own.

Emergency Preparedness for Pets ~ Win $25 Visa GC Giveaway

This is my all time favorite picture of our family pets. Ilsa is now 14 and even although Bogie has passed on and my youngest child never had the opportunity to meet him, all three of our kiddos include the two dogs when drawing family portraits. They are part of our history, part of our family.

For many people, pets are an integral member of the family; however, when disaster strikes pets are often left out of the emergency preparedness plan. September is National Preparedness Month and I’m joining The Clorox Company and Consumer Queen, along with several other bloggers, to spread the word about emergency preparedness.

Do you have an Emergency plan for your pets?

As you design your plan, here are a few steps to keep in mind to make sure your beloved pets are taken care of:

• Create a pet survival kit along with your emergency preparedness kit. Include:

*Pet food
*Vet records
*Can opener
*Cat litter/pans (if applicable)
*Medications (if applicable)

• Keep your pet’s identification tags up to date and securely fastened to their collar. In case you are separated, finder will know exactly whom to contact
• Make sure to choose an alternate location within your emergency preparedness plan that allows pets.  Keep in mind that many emergency shelters are unable to accept pets due to public health reasons
• If you’re ever concerned about including your pet in your emergency preparedness plan and need advice, contact your local animal shelter or animal control office.

For more information please visit www.clorox.com/redcross and download the preparedness guide: Prepare Yourself Now for Peace of Mind Later

CONGRATS to $25 Visa Gift Card Winner – commenter #22 “Katie”

ENTER TO WIN $25 Visa Gift Card

I’m giving away another $25 Visa gift card again this week! Wouldn’t it be nice to be $25 closer to a completed preparedness kit?

Bonus Entries (leave one comment for each):

1. Subscribe to Bantering Blonde

2. Follow @banteringblonde on twitter

3. Like Clorox on Facebook and tell them I sent you!

4. Tweet this:      Win a $25 Visa GC from @Clorox @banteringblonde http://bit.ly/d1ciou  #preparedness

Winner will be chosen by random.org 12pm Thursday September 30th

*As a blog tour participant, I received information and giveaways from The Clorox Company and Consumer Queen at no cost to me. I was compensated for my time by The Clorox Company for participating in this project. All views are my own.

Perfect Moment ~ Take Me Out to the Colorado Rockies

My Perfect Moment this week is wordless…..

Perfect Moment ~ Rockies Game from BanteringBlonde on Vimeo.

Be sure to visit Lori to read about more…