playdate

White Supremacist Loses Then Regains Children

Early last week, a story came out of Manitoba that two children were seized by authorities because their father was a neo-Nazi.  From the story, the girl, 7, was sent to school with Nazi and white supremacist symbols and propaganda written on her arms and legs.  This triggered a call to Child and Family Services (CFS), who took custody of the boy, 2, and his sister.  A couple of days later, it was reported that the woman would regain custody because she had separated from the father.  In the second story, it was also explained that the children were not removed solely based on the neo-Nazi behaviour of the father, but that the girl had missed 39 days of school because "her parents sleep in and don't want to get her ready or take her".

Princesses With Less Pink

My girl has become a princess freak. Me, not so much. I never really was that kind of girly girl, and often, I find the original takes on fairy tales a bit gruesome or scary for her to need just yet, while the modern takes on them frequently make my skin crawl a little. So I tend to tell her my own version, somewhere up the middle, for many of the classic stories, or work hard to find a version that works for both of us.

Still, I like the subvert it a little, partly for my own amusement and partly so she sees you don't have to take this stuff at face value. Not everyone has the same dreams, sometimes those dreams turn out to be less terrific in reality, and sometimes, you just have to be able to laugh. Some of these books are about that sort of approach. Some of them just show a princess with more going on than average - a princess who saves the day is not your standard pink-spangled fare, but it certainly makes me way more willing to let princesses be the fantasy of choice, when princess does not necessarily equal passive.

Over in Binkywood

Binkywood is hosting it's very first caption contest - go one over and come up with a snappy caption for the photo and you can win yourself a prize.

There is lots of gossip going on over in Binkywood so go over and get yourself a large helping of brain candy (it's completely calorie-free!)

Calling all Super Readers!

In the past few weeks, I've noticed a change in my three year old.  It seems like, almost overnight, he has made leaps and bounds in literacy awareness.  He is recognizing sounds and associating them with words, like "S" is for snake and "P" is for pig.  What he is actually saying is:

"S" starts with Snake!  "P" starts with Pig!

Ok, it's a little backwards, but he's got the right idea. 

At first I thought, "My kid is a genius!"  But since I haven't really done anything different with him lately in regards to reading, I certainly can't take the credit.  What then has caused this gigantic leap for Boykind?

Look At Me! I'm a Farmer!

When I embarked on a ‘just for the health of it’ kick about 5 years ago, I traded in picky eater status for positive eater status, and learned to love green things. 
Swapping French fries for French beans did take some time, but my body (and my wallet) is glad that I put in the effort.

Still, I surprised myself when, this winter, I decided that I wanted to not only eat my veggies, but to grow them this year as well. I’m starting small – just a few containers plus an herb garden, but I can’t wait to dig in to the fruits (veggies) of my labour.

Crafting for grown-ups. Or something close.

Hi! I’m Jess.

I hate most crafting. I am the only person I know with a kid under five who doesn’t scrapbook, I couldn’t knit anything to save my life, (and just might endanger my life trying) and sometimes seeing my daughter coming with the coloring book (AGAIN) is enough to give me hives.

So since my three year old loooves doing crafts (possibly even more than Dora, which is saying a lot) and since I love my three year old, I thought I’d better find some things I could do with her and not fall asleep while doing them. But I’m a big girl and want to do big girl things, not any of which include Dora, Barbies, or fluffy bunnies. Crafting for grown-ups. Or something close.

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AutoShare vs. Zipcar: Solutions for Going Carless in the City

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of visiting with a friend who lives in the city.  She made it out to the suburbs for a visit with another friend. She didn't take the GO-train.  She didn't have to take a bus.  She didn't show some leg and hitch a ride.  And...she doesn't own a car.

How did she get here, then?

Continue reading "AutoShare vs. Zipcar: Solutions for Going Carless in the City" »

Let's talk about sex baby

Sex and the City that is.

And I do apologize if that headline makes you wince, referencing as it does, a cheesy and dated song that hasn't been hip for a very long time.

But in this case? It's kind of appropriate.

Because, as much as it breaks my heart to say it, the much-anticipated Sex and The City movie feels just a little dated, a little cheesy and not very darn hip.

A Dog Is a Kid's Best Friend

We are a cat family around the 'Pie household, but this has not stopped Pumpkinpie from being a serious dog lover. She drags around a kennel-worth of stuffed puppies, calling them her babies, gets the giggles around real dogs, pretends to be a dog, is learning about different breeds, and loves to hear a good doggy tale.

Blinded by the Right...words

One of the many perks of parenthood is the entertainment value my children provide.  Granted, they may only be funny to me, but in the end, that's the audience that matters, right?  My three-year-old is at a great age right now: old enough to do some cool tricks, and young enough to know no shame.  It makes for some good times.  He's quite into Spiderman right now.  He's never seen the cartoon.  I'm not entirely sure how he was introduced to the webbed crusader.  Yet, with minor prompting, he can and will sing the theme song almost word for word.  Almost.

Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can.
Spins a web, any size, catches leaves, just like flies.
Look out!  Here comes the spider MAAAAAN!

Catches leaves!  I'm still chuckling at that.  Damn leaves keep breaking the law.  Aw, he comes by it honestly.  His mother is the Master of Misheard Lyrics.