Busy Busy Sugar Sugar

This is typically a crazy time of the year. Fall festivals, hayrides, pumpkin picking and, of course, candy candy candy. Tonight was no different. Attending a Halloween Happening at our local township's park was definitely on the agenda. We have been talking about it for weeks. Unfortunately it started at 5:30, which enabled me enough time to get home from work, grab an apple and granola bar, pack a bag and buckle my 2-year-old into the car seat. Of course he chose the granola bar over the apple...lovely dinner.
He did wear his costume, which i was happily surprised at the lack of a fight to put it on. The child prefers to be naked, after all. So Mommy was happy, as it was chilly outside and the costume doubled as a warm suit. Then the fun began...or should i say the candy fest began. EVERYWHERE we turned there were treats. Cookies, cupcakes, candy...the healthiest thing at the festival was a bag of pretzels (which was chucked into the bottom of the goody bag as his little hands reached for the gummy worms). I was lucky to have my parents and sister at the event with me to distract the 2-year-old pleas to unwrap the gobstopper he just won in the candy scramble - 'wait, what's that...a magician...cool! Let's go see the magic tricks' as i slyly dropped the gobstopper in the nearest trashcan. Great thing that kid's attention spans are closely related to that of a gnat's.
Magic show - we watched for a good 10 minutes before he remembered the candy fest occurring behind the performer. OK - back to sugar...ugggghhhh. It was then i asked my mom how she handled us around Halloween and how the candy situation went down when we were young. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a sugar-phobe...i like my sweets but i do try to encourage healthy eating. My mom just kinds of chuckled and said - you do your best to distract and limit the candy consumption. OK, and how am i supposed to do that????
So a scrumptious dinner of bottle caps, cookies and cupcakes for tonight. I feel bad about it, i wish i had time to cook every day and SIT DOWN for dinner every night. I don't want to aide in creating bad eating habits for my son but i guess sometimes, like everything else, it is just unavoidable. Saturday - Halloween - I'm afraid...very afraid...
Needless to say, I'm all prepared and have the slow cooker out for tomorrow night's meal. The candy is hidden and the teeth are certainly brushed. Any interesting ideas on how to divide the candy he is about to receive on Halloween?? Bribery, manipulation and any other suggestions are welcome :0) Thanks!

Knock Knock

Preface: We try to instill an "ask for what you want" motto in our household. Meaning...no whining, no fussin...if you want something then you ask for it!

Situtation: Lazy weekend. Chillin' on the couch with Noggin's finest (Little Bear, Wonder Pets, etc.). I am reading a magazine with background noise and my husband is playing a game with our 2-year-old son. Apparently "knock knock" jokes were floating around daycare that week.

Son: "Knock, knock"

Me: thinking (aw, how cute...his first knock knock joke) "who's there?"

Son: "Me...and i want a drink"

Resolution: Really???!!!! That's it???!!! You wanted a drink and had to put it in knock knock form? I understand that you get the concept (or the reaction that you were looking for) but apparently everyone's a comedian. I look at my husband and he shrugs while smirking.

After laughing for about 4 minutes, i get up and get him the drink he so longingly wants. But i have to reflect. This mini me wants something and sets it up so he gets it. He jokes, he gets me where he wants me and then "BAM" throws a one-liner my way. He plays me better than i play myself.

I learn every day that i have to keep up or i'll be lost. What is hot today will be old news tomorrow. Since Saturday he hasn't said another "knock, knock" joke. Instead he just "wants a drink". Of course he does...he's two. Sheesh - i'm 32 and i want a drink...should put it in "knock, knock" form and see where it gets me.

Next i guess i'll expect "knock, knock cupcake or icecream" jokes. But regardless...it was one of the cutest and hilarious things i have ever seen. He got his drink, i got my chuckle.

Where do they come up with these things???!!!

The Toddler Age Bubble

The age bubble is something you have very little time to manipulate with children. Are they two or three? Hmmm - well that depends...what is the age that we have to start paying admission? 3???!!! Oh, well then he is 2. OR it may depend on how old they have to be in order to be allowed into the activity. 3???!!! Oh, well then he is 3 (or will be in like 5 months). It isn't like children have I.D.'s and will get carded while you are in line for an amusement park or movie.

Enjoy it while it lasts...and do yourself a favor and try not to get burned. I tell you this ONLY because i care deeply about your self-respect and hope you don't have it bruised like mine.

Local Fair, Mickey Clubhouse moon bounce...age limit 3 and up. My son, just turned 2. To avoid a major meltdown as this clubhouse is something he just HAS to investigate, i assure the ride operator that he's 3 and will be just fine. After all, the entire day would be ruined if he had to stare at Mickey without being allowed into his clubhouse.

He goes in, he starts bouncing around and is all smiles. I'm talking to him through the mesh and encouraging him to explore more of the "clubhouse" (there was a ladder and a slide and a tackle-dummy room). He insisted on staying in the bouncy part and was just as content. Until the age-appropriate children come barging in (imagine their nerve). He is bounced into the tackle dummy room like, well, a tackle dummy.

i try to coax him up the ladder and down the slide so he can exit the ride. NOPE!! He is discombobulated but is not moving from the corner of the clubhouse. He may not love it but he certainly doesn't hate being in the house doing the "hot dog" dance.

By this time my father is helping me try to encourage exiting the bounce house. Not successfully.

Ride operator irritated...big kids are pummeling...2 year old shouldn't be there. wha wha whaaaaa (think music bit from a loser on a game show). The ride operator would not let anyone else into the house until he got out (apparently they have a 20 minute time limit for 2...errr...3 year olds on the bounce house. i have to take my shoes off, climb through the double mesh entrance and retrieve my son. All in front of annoyed parents with 'real' 3 and 4 year olds waiting to get a piece of Mickey's Clubhouse (and me). Oooopppssssssss.

Funjunx.com Promotion

Interestingly enough this has been a fun and exciting adventure for me. Sure, i spend mornings and (late) evenings on the computer trying to figure out the best way to get our funjunx.com site visible on this thing we call the internet. I am determined because the information we have posted on our website is free and fresh. Benefits you and in the long run may benefit me.

We posted new parties for Halloween (my fav Holiday) and hope this boosts visits. Free and printable, party hosts will have their games and activities ready to go in less than 5 minutes with the help of only a computer and a printer. We also want to promote returning guests. Once you see what a hit our games are at your event, you'll hopefully come back for more.

I'm a funjunxer - are you???!!!!

Scary Shrimp

Sure they aren't the most adorable animals in the world...but then again most meat products you eat come from rather ugly animals. Our family of three recently had the pleasure of going out for a semi-formal dinner while at the seashore. We were joined by my sister, her husband and her 2-year-old son. "Four adults and two booster seats" i say to the hostess.

We are escorted outside onto the 2nd story deck and it is no less than 90 degrees outside. Her choice in seating may be the fact that we have two young children OR may be the fact that we are relatively young and there for what most would consider the "early bird" special. Whatever, just bring us three pitchers of iced tea please. my son is about to dump his water on his head to cool off and my husband has the napkin around the back of his neck. We are fine, really.

Reading the menu is for the birds...when dining with a 2-year-old (two in this case) you need to have an idea of what you are ordering. i have been in the mood for seafood all day and i think its important to introduce all kinds of food to my son. Three pitchers delivered, "would you like more time", the waiter asks. "no" i say quickly and then add a smile b/c i realized it seemed a little rude. "I will have the surf and turf...medium well...and another water. My son will have the fried shrimp...and another cup full of ice (he managed to fish all the icecubes out of the other glass). Hubby - you've decided right....eerrrrr....ummmm....hubbyyyy!!!! Didn't you say something about the "precious cargo" entree?". Hubby, "um, yes, i would like that". OK - ordering is done.

Bread comes out...everyone's happy. Shade is starting to set in...a little breeze - ahhh...the beads of sweat above my lip have subsided. i can enjoy the conversation. We talk, we laugh...we scold, we move drinks out of 2-year-old's reaches. Our food is delivered in a timely manner - and he remembered to bring another pitcher of iced tea - BONUS POINTS for the waiter.

I prepare my son's food by breaking off the tails of the fried shrimp and putting some ketchup on the side for dipping. He is busy in his mashed potatoes and that's fine with me as long as he is eating. I get done his prep and place the plate in front of him after the shrimp have cooled a bit. I then begin enjoying my wonderful filet and lobster tail.

My son proceeds to dip the first shrimp into the ketchup and take a bite..."yes" i think to myself...small victory of him trying something new. To my surprise, he spits the bite back on the plate, picks up the other half and hands it to me and says "SSScccaaarrrryyyyy!". He wouldn't touch the shrimp. It scared him. i can't say that i blame him, my sister (who was at the table getting a chuckle out of his antics) used to chase me around the house with shrimp until i was about 8 years old.

What goes around comes around...but we all had a laugh.

My son ate some of my steak, some of my broccolli and some of Daddy's french fries. But i got a helping of fried shrimp with my dinner.

www.funjunx.com - check it out!!!!