Sippycup

Problem of the Week: Playdates

Now that Emma is going back to preschool, I thought I'd make things easier on all of us (mainly me) by inviting some of her friends out for play dates.  In the hopes that when she goes back next week she'll at least be comfortable around a few kids. 

Well my friends, this play date stuff sucks! There's just no other way of describing it.  It's just like dating all over again!

Step One-The Call:  You leave the same super long message on a machine hoping for a quick call back.  The hours pass, and no call. You silently begin to feal rejection.  Maybe I came on too strong. You start to doubt yourself, are other moms out there cooler?  Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. Finally (it's really the next day, but it felt like forever), a call back.

Step Two-The Meeting: You discuss all the possibilities.  My place or yours?  We decide on neutral territory, a local park.  The big day arrives.  You pack snacks for all (want to be generous), fix everyones hair (want to look presentable),  and wipe everyones snots (one last look in the rear view for any bats in the cave).  You have your husband promise to call exactly 30 minutes into the date so that if things aren't going well you can fake an emergency and leave. He never calls, your stuck there for the rest of the eve.

Step Three-Get Acquainted:  Next thing you know, the kids all run off to climb the jungle gym leaving you and this "new" mom no choice but to talk.  This is no small task, especially if you land one from another planet.  You have nothing in common.  The awkward silence is broken when she asks if you like your current cleaning lady.  How the hell am I supposed to answer that? I AM THE CLEANING LADY!

Step Four-The Big Decision: The date is over.  Do you take it to the next level?  Invite them over or just call it quits and search for someone else? 

There's got to be an easier way.

Upcoming: Free Movie Wednesdays

I came across this  great deal while buying tickets for Pirates.  FREE MOVIES!!!! Yup, Free Movie Wednesdays at The Bridge: Cinema De Lux located at the Howard Huges Center just off of the 405 freeway.  They actually call it "Book Worm Wednesdays."

The catch: your kids will have to turn in a book report.  The cool thing is it's really a short form basically proving that your kid read a book.  Don't worry, it's not like they're asking for a thesis.  Plus, children under six AND parents who come in with the "participant" also get in free!!!

What could be better?  Think about it, an air conditioned haven for at least 2 hours.  Plus, it's a good excuse to drag them to the library on an other day (yet another air conditioned escape). 

WAIT, IT GETS BETTER!!!! THE MOVIES CHANGE EVERY WEDNESDAY!!! and (yes, there's an and)...IT LASTS ALL SUMMER LONG!!! Yippee!!!

For the official book report form go to their website at www.thebridgecinema.com. 

The upcoming movies are as follows (mark your calendars and see you there):

July 12-Madagascar

July 26-Curious George

August 2- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

August 9-Racing Stripes

August 16- Because of Winn-Dixie

Upcoming: Fireworks!!!! And Twilight Dances

June is is here and almost gone...damn, this year has gone by so fast.  I can't believe it's time to plan 4th of July picnics again.  Be sure to check out the Santa Monica College's "Celebrate America"  if you are looking for someplace fun and cool to take the kids to see fireworks.  Each year SMC hosts one of the cities biggest shows.  This year, like most, it will be held on Saturday before the 4th of July.

So pack your picnic basket and head over to the football field on Saturday, July 1.

The gates will open at 5:00 p.m.  There is parking there for 5 bucks or go early and walk a few blocks (Ocean Park usually has parking and best of all it's FREE!).  Leave the booze at home, it's not allowed.  That's actually cool with me because I'm still re-cooperating from this past weekend (Two Buck Chuck was not kind).

Also, for those who dare to venture out during the week. Don't forget The Twilight Dance Series is beginning this Thursday, June 29th with Poncho Sanchez kicking off the season.  If you can get a sitter go and enjoy a romantic night by the beach with the hubby.  If you can't throw a sweater on the kids and let them stay up a little late.

See ya there.

Upcoming Events: Fathers Day!!

ATTENTION LADIES: This is your official reminder that this weekend is Father's Day.  What does this mean for us?  This means that we have only a few days left to go shopping for cologne, visit the hardware store, go to the Apple store, and swing by Victoria's Secret.  Don't forget to make reservations for your (I mean Dad's) favorite restaurant (this way you don't have to cook on Sunday). 

Might I also suggest you get the kids in on the action by having them glitter glue, water color and paint there little hearts out (Dads are suckers for that stuff). 

Just in case you need to get out, the Aquarium of the Pacific  has a BBQ lined up for all dads that has built-in entertainment for the kids.

Also, cool but a bit further, is the Pasadena Chalk Festival.   This event is FREE and runs both Saturday, June 17 and  Sunday, June 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  It is scheduled to have over 600 artists create artwork that covers 2 city blocks.   There's food, music and even a "chalk land" where your little Monets can have at it. 

Whatever you do, don't forget to tell your other half how important he is in your life and how much you appreciate all he does; I know I appreciate mine :).

Upcoming: Kids' Nature Festival

June 3rd from 10AM to 4PM.  The Children's Nature Institute will host it's 16th annual; KID'S NATURE FESTIVAL.  It will be held at the Temescal Gateway Park,15601 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades.

I first learned of this festival through Emma's preschool.  It appears to have plenty of fun activities including live music, live animals "yummy food", and plenty of activity booths (Dino dig and bubble ponds both sound extra cool). 

There is a charge of $5 for parking or FREE off-site self-parking and shuttle service.  Stroller accessible since it is primarily geared for toddlers through 8- years-olds.  Tickets are $9  for adults, $8.00 seniors and children under 12, free for babies 12 months and under.

The cost seems a bit high for a couple of hours out with the kids but because it's all going to charity you can use it as a tax write-off.  Plus, after reading about it, the Children's Nature Institute seems like a cool organization.  They are a group that helps underprivileged kids explore the outdoors through traveling classrooms and guided tours.   But you make that decision yourself.   I'm just fond of anyone who pushes the outdoors.

Bug Fair 2006

How was the Bug Fair you ask?  Let's just say it was AWESOME!  I don't know if the kids had as much fun as I did, but honestly, who cares?  They owe me at least one day (or two, I went back for seconds) of my thing.  Especially if you add up all the hours of Barney on the Farm they put me through.  Walking through a crowded museum full of bugs was the least they could do for the woman that gave them life (yup, I'm milking it). 

I had so much fun I don't even know where to begin.  Cockroach races, millipedes, tarantulas, butterflies, beetles, stick bugs, caterpillars all were there in large numbers.  "It was rich  my friends, RICH!"

The kids and I could have done without the crowds.  Actually, I could have done without the kids too.  Don't get me wrong, they had fun touching, smelling and seeing everything but they have short little attention spans.  Emma touched a scorpion (I didn't even want to do that-good thing she can't read this).  But that was part of the problem, I wanted to learn how to find stick bug eggs, they wanted lunch.

The day went by all too fast.  Next year (it's always good to plan ahead), I'll go early and maybe by myself.  I know Sarah's in on that (sorry Steve and Kyle, no boys allowed).  I'm also perfectly willing to take the kids back on the second day.  That way we'll all be happy. 

Even Steve, who initially griped about going, bought himself a new friend, Wendel Tickletoes, a black millipede.   He's also planning on buying some of the beautiful butterfly collections next year.

All in all, this was a really cool event for all of us.  We ended the day at the butterfly Pavilion of Wings.   You can never go wrong there.

Upcoming: Babies at L.A. Zoo

Oh, how cute!  How can anyone resist a baby.  The babies at The Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens will be out to please all month long.  The zoo has selected this month to showcase these newest additions.  They have also created a special map that allows you to experience your very own self-guided tour complete with special posters throughout the park giving fun facts and irresistible photos of the babies.  The exhibition is included in the admission price ($10 for adults, $5 for children 2 to 12). 

An annual pass should really be considered because it has saved me many a weekend.  The cost is only $65.00 for the entire family.  You can get two adults in at any time (only one needs to be the card holder).  It includes admission for all your chidren/or grandchildren ages 2-17. Plus, you get 4 guest passes for anyone to use (out of town guests maybe). Hey, surprise your in-laws with a pair (they don't need to know they were free).

Don't forget the zoo is also great for those weekends when money is tight because you get free parking and can always pack your own food. 

And did I mention that the hills are great for you butt, especially when pushing a stroller.  By the way, the stroller is highly recommended since the babies are spread out throughout the entire park. 

Don't forget that it's going on all month so you can see them during the week as well, and with a much lighter crowd.  Go ahead, call in sick, I won't tell. 

If you do go, make sure to visit the baby giraffe a definite crowd pleaser, and don't forget your comfy shoes.  

The zoo is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. everyday.  Have fun!

Featured Link: What's That Bug?

In honor of the Natural History Museum's bug fair, which takes place today and tomorrow, I thought I would feature a bug-related link.

What's That Bug? is a wonderful site that I've used time and time again to identify bugs, spiders, and pupa that the kids and I have found in the garden or around the house.

It's really designed for the layperson because it features large, detailed photographs and common names to help you identify your bug, rather than scientific genus/species names.

I have been able to identify several different species of local bugs just based on my own paltry descriptions of them, "a big brown insect with long antennae," for example.

So check it out, and enjoy the creepy crawly pictures!

Update #2

The spider we caught for the bug fair is MIA!

I don't know what's worse- the fact that we have to show up for the bug fair empty-handed, or the fact that Mr. Visible Fangs is now loose in our house!

Update

The boys and I caught an awesome spider for the bug fair.  It's kind of black and hairy and you can see its fangs.