Black and White TV? As If!!!

The other day, Bryce asked me if TV was in black and white when I was a kid. I laughed to myself and thought, "Geez, how old do you think I am?" After much reflection, I guess in his eyes, I am pretty old school. Below are a couple things that were at the height of technology when I was a kid:

Sony Discman- This changed everything about music for me. I was able to actually walk around AND listen to music at the same time. However, don't go running with that thing, because it was so sensitive to skipping.  I can't believe this, but these things are still available to sale for up to $150! 

 

Rabbit Ears- Were you like my family where if you the reception wasn't good, you would add tin foil to the ends of the antennas? Low tech at its best! I remember being the one in the family who had to get up and move the rabbit ears around when the reception went haywire. I would get it perfect, then when I let go of the ears, it would get funky again! Seriously?

Rotary phone- Okay, I'll admit it. Rotary phones were way old, even in the 80's. However, we used those for the longest time. I remember my friends coming over and asking how to use the phone when they had to call their parents. It took us forever to finally upgrade to a phone with an answering machine. I wish I still had a rotary phone; they're so cool.

Speak and Spell- This thing taught me how to spell and add. This was definitely the precursor to the laptop. Not to mention, it would talk to you! I can still hear the robot voice saying, "Solve it!"

Motorola bag phone- Remember the phone in a bag? Man, I thought we were so cool with that thing. The phone itself was weight of a brick and the battery packs were like 2 bricks. This phone was for emergencies only! As for talk time, I'm sure it was about $10 per minute.

What was the big thing when you were a kid?

It's A Man's World

Being the mother of two boys, I am obviously outnumbered in my house. Here's the score: boys- 3, girls- 1. Don't get me wrong there are major perks that come with having boys such as no drama and no trace of princess junk in the house. If you're a mom of a male dominated house, maybe we should start some sort of support group. When we get together, we could braid each other's hair and use Easy Bake ovens. (Yeah, I now that I said that aloud, I don't like that idea either) Below are a couple signs that you may be in the same boat as me:

1. Your boys constantly ask you to smell their finger.
2. When you search for your keys in your bottomless purse, you end up with a fist full of Hotwheels.
3. The furniture in your living room is arranged in such a way to allow for wrestling.
4. You know which superheroes are DC and which ones are Marvel.
5. At least once a week, you step on a lego. (seriously, those things hurt!)
6. Everything is a competition, and I mean everything.
7. Your DVR if full with "Man Vs. Wild", "Ultimate Fighter", and "Spongebob Squarepants"
8. You hear the sweet serenade of belching at the dinner table.
9. When cleaning the bathroom, you have more of a mess around the toilet rather than inside the toilet.
10. Fart talk, fart talk, fart talk.

Maybe a support group is a good idea after all :)

Trick or Pumpkin Seed Treat!

I can't believe that Halloween is around the corner. Seriously, where has this year gone? We're planning to do some trick-or-treating then go to our church's Family Fun Fair. As far as costumes are concerned, I'm debating on what I should dress as: a mom or a mom. Read my last Halloween blog entry, "Truly Scary Halloween Costumes" for my point of view on the lack of costume options for women.

More than costumes and candy, for me, Halloween is all about roasting pumpkin seeds. It's that special once a year treat that can't be beat. Below is my favorite recipe for pumpkin seed perfection:

• 1 1/2c raw whole pumpkin seeds
• 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Seasoned salt
• Pepper
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees 
• Toss seeds in a bowl with olive oil and seasonings. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.

Happy Halloween! Btw, here's a sneak peak at the boys' costumes. I call them Captain Asia America.

A Bucket of Chicken and Laughs

Below is a recent exchange I had with my 3 year old son, Gavin:

Me: Gav, we're gonna have dinner at KFC and feast like kings!

Gavin: You're not a king!

Me: You're right. We will feast like kings and a queen?

Gavin: I don't want to be king!

Me: Well, who do want to be?

Gavin: (pause to think) A mayor!

Well, I guess it's settled. Vote Bunbury for Mayor 2041!!!

Your Majesty, will that be extra crispy, crispy, or grilled?

Bryce's Birthday Bash

Bryce's birthday party was an absolute success. He wanted something colorful and vibrant for his 10th birthday with light blue and apple green as the main colors. The result was a bold and happy look with a lot of pop. This party required a lot of diy projects in order to look personal and stay on budget. The baloons, streamers, plates, napkins, and table cloths were from Party City. I purchased the materials for the tissue pom poms and party favors from Target. The cupcake liners, cake pop supplies, and scrapbook paper came from Michaels.

The balloons and the rainbow polka dot tissue paper were my favorite elements of the party. The balloons were a major component to the design. I wanted as many baloons as possible over the tables for maximum impact. They definitely got the job done. I loved how the polka dot tissue paper broke up the sea of blue and green. It served as a great accent, adding more color.

Everyone loved the party. Each detail down to the cake pops was noticed and greatly appreciated. After all of the hard work, I was very pleased. Bryce and his friends had a great time and I enjoyed showering my son with a fun party. 

Birthday Party Sweat Shop

Today is Bryce's 10th birthday. I am amazed at how fast time has flown. I'm the mother of a TWEEN!

As a result, it's been a birthday mad house around here. I have been making all of the decorations. Pom poms, pinwheels, banners- you name it, I'm creating it. Darn you, Pinterest, for all of your inspiration pictures and tutorials. It's creating a lot more work than just going to Party City and buying a Spiderman birthday in a box. (Would anyone like to play pin the tail on the Spiderman?)

And the baking. I don't think my oven will be turned off today. I'm trying my hand at cake pops...wish me luck. Plus, I have to make a snack for Bryce's class, too? Really? Once again, I blame Pinterest for all their cutesy, over the top ideas. I can't handle it.

Random question: why are birthday parties so stressful for moms? They're supposed to be fun, right? There's just so much to do in so little time. We work so hard to buy supplies, make stuff, set it up, and clean the house. Oh gosh, then the party.

All kidding aside, I am happy to create parties. All the effort pays off in the end. I'm super pleased with the results, so far, and I will post pictures soon. To give you an idea of what my week has looked like, I attached a picture of my work station a.k.a. birthday party sweat shop. Time to go, the timer for the cake is going off.

Have a great weekend and HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYCE!!!

What To Give To A Teacher

Bryce started at a new school this year and I wanted to start off the year right. What better way to initiate a relationship with a teacher than with a gift? Now, it was time to decide on what to give. Hmmm, what is cute, low cost, and not the traditional red apple? Luckily, I found a tub of caramel corn at Safeway on special for $1 and used the paper bag and ribbon that was extra from the boys' birthday parties. I love the results and so did the teachers.