Speaking from the heart and telling it like it is…

When DC was hit with record snow in the Blizzard of 2010, some northerners on Twitter chuckled at us because they found it hard to understand why a snowstorm would effectively  shut down a region. Having lived in more than a few northern states, I can tell you that this area is simply ill equipped to handle this much snow.  It happens so infrequently that there’s no need for significant capital investment in equipment for snowstorms that hit us every ten or fifteen years. From my perspective, it’s beautiful (though somewhat challenging). Here are some of our captured moments.

If you’re familiar with Kobe, LeBron and Nike, you might enjoy this:

You know about LeBron’s chalk thing? Then you’ll like this one:

Congratulations to Roger Federer on winning his sixteenth Grand Slam title at the 2010 Australian Open. It’s his first slam as a dad.

Wonderful win.

I admit that I am not crazy about the name but I’m thrilled about the new device Steve Jobs presented at this year’s WWDC.

The iPad.

Ahhh…soak in its loveliness.

My favorite part? It’s too hard to choose.
hi-res color iBooks, the keyboard dock, the revised iCal (that looks much better (and resembles my ancient (no, wait, did I ever actually use one of those?) Filofax)) or the ability to view all my apps on a larger screen.

Here are David Pogue’s first impressions.

Honestly? It is so very tempting for me. To say the least.

I was in a bus filled with middle school kids today and they were all atwitter, excitedly chattering away about how each and every one of them wanted to get an iPad. Mmmhmm.  Those naysayers on Twitter don’t know what they’re talking about.  This baby is going to be sizzling hot. I can feel it.

What about you?

Just another gadget you don’t need or want? Or are you dreaming about it and frequently thinking about it? Giving up your Kindle for this thing? Or sticking with your hardcover bestseller?

Hmmm….

____________________________________

I often wonder whether most families experience the challenges of at least one picky eater.  I suspect they do.

Well, I know we do.

It’s my son.

I can’t criticize him too much, though.  I was the same way.  Didn’t like my corn touching my mashed potatoes, despite the fact that my sister loved mixing them together. I’d sit next to her and think, “Ugh! How could you!?”

So last week, when my son suggested adding some swipes of Nutella to a few graham crackers, I thought, “Sure! Automatic buy-in (because he suggested it) and super economical.” When I was a little girl, I remember trips to Europe with my sister. We treasured that chocolate hazelnut taste because we knew we would never have it after we returned to the States because no stores sold it.  Now, however, it’s readily available (at least where we live).  What’s more…it’s not primarily made with HFCS anymore.

Since that day, he has asked for the same treat more than once, so I decided to share this simple idea with my readers.

If you have some picky eaters and are frequently seeking snack suggestions, I recommend giving these little treats a try.

Happy snacking!

_______________________________

To satisfy those of you who rely on our video game recommendations, here are our favorites for 2009.

I’ll provide more detail and artwork soon.

For the Sony PS3:

Madden NFL 10

DJ Hero (Bundle with Turntable)

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (Rated E 10+ This is a must-have for the boys on my lists.)

Little Big Planet (This game allows for creativity; the kids can create their own game levels! Don’t be fooled by the cover, it’s best for older kids 10-12.)

Need for Speed: Shift

——————————–

And for older kids only:

Continue reading →

Now that some of the relative hysteria has lessened, it’s probably safe to ask:

should I vaccinate my kids against H1N1?

I found this video and still ask the question:

Swine flu vaccine: Dangerous or safe?

So tell me, what do you think?

But before you answer, read this…

For those of you asking us for recommendations for board games this year (and even for those who didn’t), here’s a quick list.

We’ll fill in more information about each game soon.

Quelf

Quarto

Blokus (and/or Blokus Trigon)

Blurt

Monopoly

Bop It (not a board game, but highly addictive & fun!)

Apples to Apples

Milles Bornes

Electronic Battleship

Last Word

It’s nice to have a happy couple in the White House.

Image by Nicolas Kamm / Getty Images

And a family with strong family values.

Photo by Annie Leibovitz/Released by White House Photo Office

Happy Holidays!

Written by SoapB

Hooray!

That’s all I’ll say about this.
…for now.

Take some time to listen.

I especially liked it when Harkin said that we need to start “focusing on a health care system, not a sick care system.”

It’s a good thing. Really.

Now is the time.

Let’s get this done.

___________________________________________________

Get informed and then call your members of Congress!!