Binkytowne

This just in..

I was invited to be on TV this morning, our local Fox affiliate.

I went on at 7:50AM to talk about things to do with your kids this week. Because I am the Milwaukee Editor for Savvy Source and I should know about these things.

  (and counting)

 

Sadly the person who interviewed me was not the person who was supposed to. The one who was supposed to asked me if I would be bringing props and I was like props? and she was like for the crafts? and I was like hahahahahaha. I don't do crafts. and she was like Oh good- me neither and I thought all was good. But she walked off the set and didn't return and I wasn't told anything besides where to sit and how to attach my mike (not up the back of my shirt, as I found out).

I didn't get to pimp SavvySource or my own blog and re-arranged my morning to get there, but alas, I now have fame and fortune.

Among the grandma set.

(Look at the shiny news desk!)

Also, news people totally zone out when they are not live on camera. I always thought they talked to each other or checked email or something. They didn't. They just spaced out. (Not that I know anything about spacing out on the job.)

Here is a link. If it doesn't work look for the "interview" box and scroll to the top to the link that says "Keeping kids busy during the holidays".

I'm the one behind the giant mass of hair. (And the girdle, not that you can tell. Yes I really bought a girdle, yes it is an instrument of torture and yes it helped my pants fit better and despite that fact, if it wasn't so all up in my business I would return it.)

This just in..

I was invited to be on TV this morning, our local Fox affiliate.

I went on at 7:50AM to talk about things to do with your kids this week. Because I am the Milwaukee Editor for Savvy Source and I should know about these things.

  (and counting)

 

Sadly the person who interviewed me was not the person who was supposed to. The one who was supposed to asked me if I would be bringing props and I was like props? and she was like for the crafts? and I was like hahahahahaha. I don't do crafts. and she was like Oh good- me neither and I thought all was good. But she walked off the set and didn't return and I wasn't told anything besides where to sit and how to attach my mike (not up the back of my shirt, as I found out).

I didn't get to pimp SavvySource or my own blog and re-arranged my morning to get there, but alas, I now have fame and fortune.

Among the grandma set.

(Look at the shiny news desk!)

Also, news people totally zone out when they are not live on camera. I always thought they talked to each other or checked email or something. They didn't. They just spaced out. (Not that I know anything about spacing out on the job.)

Here is a link. If it doesn't work look for the "interview" box and scroll to the top to the link that says "Keeping kids busy during the holidays".

I'm the one behind the giant mass of hair. (And the girdle, not that you can tell. Yes I really bought a girdle, yes it is an instrument of torture and yes it helped my pants fit better and despite that fact, if it wasn't so all up in my business I would return it.)

Be well. Be happy.

Be well. Be happy.

little steps and big steps

Can I come over to your house sometimes? He asked my neighbor as we were chatting in our shared driveway.

I looked down, surprised and started to back-pedal for him. Surely he didn't understand that it would mean hanging out at an unfamiliar house beloging to parents whose children were all grown up, where there were no matchbox cars or flashing, noisy fire trucks.

Our neighbors are very busy little man, maybe someday. I was trying to rescue him and not put her on the spot and back out of this gracefully.

You can come over today my neighbor said and looked at me for approval. He looked at me, eyes shining. Today!

Let's go have lunch, I said, thinking surely, he'll forget.

But he didn't. I want to go. I want to go. I want to go, he told me, following me around every room.

I want to go. By myself.

Oh.

I can walk there by myself mom, he told me zipping up his coat.

Not really, but I'll watch you, I said, from the porch.

I stood outside the back door as he unlocked the gate (by himself) and turned to flash a smile at me, his tossled hair sticking out from beneath his hood.

He was so proud.

He walked the steps from our house to the next, few enough to count but too many to measure.

little steps and big steps

Can I come over to your house sometimes? He asked my neighbor as we were chatting in our shared driveway.

I looked down, surprised and started to back-pedal for him. Surely he didn't understand that it would mean hanging out at an unfamiliar house beloging to parents whose children were all grown up, where there were no matchbox cars or flashing, noisy fire trucks.

Our neighbors are very busy little man, maybe someday. I was trying to rescue him and not put her on the spot and back out of this gracefully.

You can come over today my neighbor said and looked at me for approval. He looked at me, eyes shining. Today!

Let's go have lunch, I said, thinking surely, he'll forget.

But he didn't. I want to go. I want to go. I want to go, he told me, following me around every room.

I want to go. By myself.

Oh.

I can walk there by myself mom, he told me zipping up his coat.

Not really, but I'll watch you, I said, from the porch.

I stood outside the back door as he unlocked the gate (by himself) and turned to flash a smile at me, his tossled hair sticking out from beneath his hood.

He was so proud.

He walked the steps from our house to the next, few enough to count but too many to measure.

Holiday Eating Tips

I don't know who to credit for this, but it's making the rounds in my email circle and I think it bears repeating.

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Holiday Eating Tips

I don't know who to credit for this, but it's making the rounds in my email circle and I think it bears repeating.

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Out takes

Blurry. Silly over-complicated digital camera bites.

 

Left: You women can squeal all you want- I'm not looking.

Right: Matching sweaters are lame.

 

One more reason not to let your child have lollipops. Someone will no doubt accuse me of letting him smoke.

Out takes

Blurry. Silly over-complicated digital camera bites.

 

Left: You women can squeal all you want- I'm not looking.

Right: Matching sweaters are lame.

 

One more reason not to let your child have lollipops. Someone will no doubt accuse me of letting him smoke.