Veterans Day

I recently watched a video clip of a guy interviewing random people on the street. All of them could name the President of the United States, but when the man with the microphone asked if they knew the Vice-President, most of them were stumped. And despite the recent media coverage of health care reform legislation, not a single person could name the Speaker of the House who was instrumental in its twelfth-hour passage.

I try not to judge their blissful ignorance too harshly. Perhaps they merely experienced a moment of nervous memory loss when the camera and mic were shoved in their faces. Maybe they were foreign tourists who were unfamiliar with American politics. And if they truly didn't possess a clue who Joe Biden or Nancy Pelosi were, I suppose there's a certain relief knowing that Americans are living their lives, busy and happy and unconcerned with the machinations of Washington, D.C.

Today, however, I hope my fellow citizens are a little more aware. More reflective. More grateful. Today is November 11. It's the day that our country has set aside to honor our war veterans. I hope you'll take a moment in your busy day to remember the price that has been paid so that we can wander our streets, shopping bags in one hand and ice cream cones in the other, oblivious to who was elected Vice-President last year.

Dinner last night: onion soup

Just Like That

It's winter.

The first snow of the year fell over the weekend, blanketing the ground in white. I pulled out all the winter gear—the snowpants and the boots and the warm hats and the wool socks—and we headed outside to play.

I don't like to wear mittens.

But I don't like cold hands, either.

What to do, what to do . . .

Don't worry about the white stuff, peoples.

I'll turn it all yellow for you.

Dinner last night: tacos

Touch the Drapes and You're Dead

Tie-Dye is our cat. She showed up on our doorstep shortly after we moved into our home almost three years ago. She comes and goes as she pleases, although throughout this past summer, she expressed little interest in stepping foot inside the house, preferring instead to hunt mice and the occasional bird.

We have a special pair of gloves, the Mouse Gloves, which we keep next to the mudroom door and which we use at least once a week to pick up a dead mouse or shrew that Tie-Dye has left for us in the garage. They used to be partially eaten, but recently they've been left whole and pristine. Sorry. Circle of life, and all that. My 9-year-old used to be saddened for days after seeing a poor little dead mouse on the garage floor; now she just shrugs her shoulders, pulls on the Mouse Gloves, and tosses the corpse into the woods.

Mice are not the only things to feel the wrath of our cat's claws. Tie-Dye has shredded the base of my lilac tree, by using it as a scratching post. Now that winter is approaching, and Tie-Dye is taking her daily 6-hour nap indoors, I'm a little concerned about what she plans to use inside the house to sharpen her claws once she awakens and feels like stretching. So far, it's been the Berber carpet, which provides a nice rough surface for her to grab and pull. I don't care too much, since it's old flooring that we're planning to replace as soon as we have the money, or Tie-Dye destroys it, whichever comes first.

Like the woman said . . .

Circle of life, little mousie.

Dinner last night: hamburger quiche

Exactly one year ago today: Two Kims for the Price of One

Oops–a–Daisy

Meet the newest addition to our family. She came with the name Daisy, which I wanted to change to the similar-sounding Paisley. The moniker Paisley would not only complement the name of our cat, Tie-Dye, but would also pay homage to our puppy's favorite napping spot: the paisley arm chair in front of the fireplace. However, no one else in the family appreciates my choice, and the twins can't pronounce it . . . so Daisy she stays.

Daisy is an 8-month-old beagle. A co-worker of my husband insisted that she was only giving the darling canine away because she has a newborn and can't handle both a baby and a young dog. She assured my husband that Daisy is potty-trained. And doesn't bark.

First word of advice? Never believe someone who's giving away for free a purebred beagle puppy. Daisy poops like there's no tomorrow. All over our floor.

And the baying when we leave her alone? Let's just say that my new phrase before running to the grocery store is, "Call out the hounds, Jeeves." Then I shut the front door, cover my ears, and sprint to the silent haven of my minivan. Beagles know how to howl.

On the flip side, beagles are one of the very best breeds to have around children, which is good to know, considering I have four. Daisy is loving and sweet and rejoices in the chase. My kids absolutely adore their new pet. They run after her through the house, throw balls for her to chase, and take her for walks. We're the perfect family for an energetic dog that requires a ton of attention. When my girls have finally tired her out, Daisy lets them snuggle up against her on her doggie bed.

Dinner last night: sweet-and-sour chicken over chow mein noodles

Recovery

I survived.

Friday evening, my daughters opened our doors to their friends and trouble flooded in. Shrieking, giggling little girls in costumes hit this house and rocked the foundation as they ate, played games, and bobbed for apples like insane children with water-obsessive disorders.

I fully intended on taking wonderfully composed, well-lit photographs that would showcase the joy and spontaneity of childhood. Instead, I spent the evening in the kitchen stirring melted caramel so it wouldn't burn to the bottom of the pan.

You'll just have to trust me that the kids had a lot of fun before collapsing into sugar-induced comas.

The pizza and the watermelon were big hits. Much to my surprise, the cupcakes went uneaten. It wasn't like the kids tried them and went ptooey . . . they didn't even touch them. Delicious chocolate frosting. Yummy cream cheese delights. NOT A NIBBLE! Learn from my mistake, Moms, and don't bother with cupcakes—they've jumped the shark.

The tote bag decorating station was a great success. We set tables up in a nook, away from the madness of the family room, and after the initial flurry of girls making their own bags, the craft area provided a quiet, creative outlet to which girls returned in small groups throughout the evening to perfect their creations.

Hope you all had a fun-filled weekend, and I look forward to surfing around blogs and checking out your pictures of candy-grubbin' munchkins.

Dinner last night: lime-grilled tilapia, rice

Food for a Children's Party

If you've been reading my posts this week, you know that I'm in the middle of getting ready for the Harvest Party that my 9- and 11-year-old daughters are hosting this evening. I thought I'd take a minute to share the menu, with apologies for the lack of interesting food items.

If there's one thing I've learned from motherhood, it's that my kids and their friends do not appreciate beautifully-presented nutritious food made from scratch . . . so I'm careful about how much time and energy I put into my cooking and baking for a kids' party. The food has to be yummy, but not exotic. Pretty, but not difficult to eat. Traditional, but not boring.

The key to a successful table is presenting a variety of kid-friendly finger foods, so I sat my girls down and asked them to list all the foods they would like to eat at a party. I nixed the messy stuff, like spaghetti and ice cream, and said a big NO to pop. Here's what they came up with:

fresh veggie platter with ranch dip

fresh fruit platter

shrimp platter with cocktail sauce

deviled eggs

turkey sandwiches

meatballs

pizza

(cheese; pepperoni)

cupcakes

(chocolate cake with chocolate frosting;

carrot cake with cream cheese frosting)

cookies

(chocolate chip; peanut butter)

strawberry-pineapple punch

water

Bon appètit, kids. And watch the crumbs falling out of your mouths, will ya?

Dinner last night: teriyaki chicken, seasoned noodles

Exactly one year ago today: The Sisterhood of the Magical Sweater

Games for a Harvest Party

When I agreed to let my daughters invite their friends over to our house, I asked them what kind of party they would like. Crafts? Cooking? Games? Free play? They both agreed that they like to do stuff. They wanted mostly to play games, with one crafty-type activity. So we put our heads together and came up with some oldies but goodies.

1. Candy Count. As everyone arrives, they'll write down their guess of how many pieces of candy fill a glass jar. At the end of the party, the person with the closest guess gets to take home the container of sweets.

2. Tote Bag Decorating. We'll set up a table with fabric markers, a Bedazzler, and various colors of tote bags to decorate. I decided against using puff/glitter/fabric paint, because it takes too long to dry. The bags will be used throughout the party to hold candy and prizes, and the girls can take them home and use them for trick-or-treating.

Crafts can be very expensive, so I try to plan ahead in order to take advantage of coupons and sales. I scored the Bedazzler for 50% off! Because we're operating this party on a shoestring budget, I started buying the tote bags several weeks ago, using my weekly coupons at the local craft store.

3. Bobbing for Apples. Two kids play at a time, kneeling on opposite sides of the apple tub with their hands behind their backs. Ready, set, go! Whoever comes up first with an apple, wins. (To make bobbing more difficult, remove the stems from the apples before placing them in the tub.) You'll need a stack of towels nearby to dry off faces. Each girl can use her victory fruit to then make a caramel apple.

4. Bean Bag Toss. My husband had an extra sheet of plywood, so he cut it in half and then cut out some circles; the girls and I decorated it with craft and poster paints that we already own. If you don't have plywood, just use cardboard boxes. My friend once set up an entire carnival in her back yard, making all the games from cardboard, and the kids had a marvelous time. We have some little bean bags already, but you can make them from all kinds of material laying around the house (baggies filled with rice, rolled up socks, etc.) or use balls instead.

5. Balloon Pop. Each girl will be allowed three tries to pop a balloon with a dart. (To make it more challenging, use small balloons.) Prizes will be doled out accordingly. This game was my husband's idea, so he has promised to supervise and make sure no one puts an eye out.

6. Pass the Pumpkin. The girls will be divided into two lines and then race to pass a mini-pumpkin without using their hands—they'll have to hold it between their chins and necks. If the pumpkin drops to the ground, they have to start over from the beginning of the line. Lots of giggles with this one.

7. Pin the Nose on the Scarecrow. I'm thinking about having them pin all the parts of the face while blindfolded, which might create some pretty funny-looking scarecrows!

If you've got any tried-and-true games for ages 9–11, please leave a comment. I can use all the help I can get!

Dinner last night: creamy chicken enchiladas, refried beans

Songs for a Halloween Party

In my opinion, music is an integral element of a successful party . . . even a children's party. I know that kids are loud and the last thing moms want is to add more noise into the mix, but if you plan your playlist and set up your stereo in the right room at the proper volume, I believe music will help set the atmosphere for a happy, groovin' time.

Here is my playlist for the Harvest Party my girls will be hosting this weekend. You'll notice that I've placed Monster Mash every four songs or so. What can I say? The kids love to sing along and dance to this song. It's really important to listen to your entire playlist; don't just sample each song. I had selected several songs that I thought would be good, but when I actually listened to the lyrics I caught some cursing and themes that were inappropriate for my preteens. You may find some songs on my list that you consider too hard or too silly or too whatever; it's imperative that you listen for yourself and cut or add songs as necessary.

Pacing is also important—for example, you don't want back-to-back slow songs or too much of the same genre. I had a perfect flow until one of my 3-year-old twins grabbed the mouse and in a blink of an eye rearranged the middle section of my list. I don't even know how she did it, the little turkey! I will have to listen once more to fix the flow . . . so, in an order that may change before the actual party, here are some catchy Halloween songs:

1. Monster Mash (Bobby Pickett)

2. Thriller (Michael Jackson)

3. Ghostbusters (Ray Parker, Jr.)

4. Somebody's Watching Me (Rockwell)

5. The Time Warp (Rocky Horror Picture Show)

6. Monster Mash

7. I'm Your Boogie Man (KC & the Sunshine Band)

8. Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon)

9. Grim Grinning Ghosts (Walt Disney Records)

10. The Devil Went Down to Georgia (Charlie Daniels Band)

11. Monster Mash

12. Memphis Exorcism (Squirel Nut Zippers)

13. Psycho Killer (Talking Heads)

14. Don't Fear the Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult)

15. Bring Me to Life (Evanescence, version from Daredevil soundtrack)

16. Monster Mash

17. Ghost Riders in the Sky (Bruce Anfinson)

18. I Put a Spell on You (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

19. Black Magic Woman (Santana)

20. Yo Ho a Pirate's Life for Me (Jonas Brothers)

21. Monster Mash

22. Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf (B5)

23. Ghost Town (The Specials)

24. Cruella De Vil (Walt Disney Records)

25. Abracadabra (Sugar Ray)

26. Monster Mash

27. You Can Do Magic (America)

28. Frankenstein (Edgar Winter Group)

29. Spooky Song (LazyTown)

30. Do You Believe in Magic? (The Lovin' Spoonful)

* Please use the comment section to

add songs that you would recommend *

Reader Alert

The problem with personal blogs like mine is that the content is all over the place. Many of my readers—okay, okay, two or three of you—visit because of my pictures of Alaskan scenery and wildlife. Several other readers—alright, you don't have to be mean about it, one or two of you—check me out on occasion because of my photographs of and my writing about family life. Most of my readers—yeah, yeah, you don't have to rub it in, you final four—are fellow mothers of twins.

My point? My 11- and 9-year-old daughters are throwing a Harvest Party this Friday. So all this week, I'll be posting about our preparations (assuming I can pull myself away from the housecleaning and the cupcake-baking and the game-making to sit down for a few minutes at the computer). The detailing of How to Organize a Children's Party probably is not the sort of material that a hip young chick without kids or a 45-year-old male working in Corporate America will find compelling. So if you want to skip my blog this week, I'll understand.

On the other hand, if you're one of my bloggy friends who has thrown a children's party or who may host one in the future, you just might find my anal-retentive, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety-ridden week of some interest. I hope that you will comment freely with suggestions and advice, as I could use any help you can offer.

I'll be back shortly with my Harvest Party Playlist.

Dinner last night: chili dogs

My Own Real Live Jack-O-Lantern

My 9-year-old daughter's mouth system seems a little underdeveloped. She was born without several adult teeth, which the orthodontist says may be a blessing because her mouth is so small. Where would they go? In fact, her adult canines have no interest in coming on down to join her front teeth because there's no room for them. So yesterday, the dentist extracted FOUR baby teeth. You're probably envisioning the tiny baby teeth that your children have put under their pillow for the Tooth Fairy, but her baby teeth still had full roots on them, and I just about passed out when Dr. Silverman held one up in a forcep, all bloody and huge and looking like a scene from Saw.

Just in time for Halloween.

Dinner last night: salsa verde pork

Exactly one year ago today: Our Favorite Spot