All Dressed Up

You can dress them up, but you can't take them out.


They go through spurts with their DSes. When they are all into them, it's like they can't even stop for a second. It's all, "Can I finish this level first?"

Grrr.

Whenever I say we are going somewhere it is, "Can we bring our DSes?"

Hence Warren and I are working on rules and etiquette.

1. 9 times out of 10 what I am asking them to do is more important than them finishing a level.
2. DSes are not allowed in restaurants.
3. In the car is okay as long as they turn them off the minute we get out.
4. They are not allowed on sleepovers/playdates unless the invitation comes from a kid who has his own DS.
5. Never at school unless you manage to convince your teacher you need to show the class pictures of something you have inside of your DSi.
6. Every once in awhile the DSes need to disappear so that everyone remembers what life is like without them.

And yes, I broke rule #4 today. I was tricked by a variation of rule #5. "We just want to take pictures at the party!" they swore.

What are your rules/etiquette?

End of the Year Program

Jiro did his best to hide!



Satchel was right up front! Notice how they worked in the Amadinda!


Poor Satch couldn't stop scratching his face.

Illin'

We have our first case of poison ivy--on Satchel's face! Poor guy got it trying to capture (and convince me to adopt) a feral kitten hiding out behind the old Marine Hospital downtown. I said to him, "Watch out for poison ivy!" but I didn't wipe him down to prevent the rash from taking hold. He's actually been quite a trooper and is doing a good job of not scratching. He is driving me a bit nuts with the hypothetical situations he is imaging now. (i.e. "Would you die if you got poison ivy in your eye? In your ear? Stomach?")


I took a little jaunt to the hospital this morning for a procedure they call "Novasure." (Basically it will allow me to walk along the beach in white pants with a smile on my face.) Warren kept my spirits up with jokes he heard on the Comedy Channel like "Your momma's so fat, she had to go to the hospital for a KFC-section!"

Now that I'm home, the boys are letting me rest and being very sweet. They were really excited about the fact that I had a camera inserted in my belly button--until I showed them the incision. Warren is making my favorite Tom Kha soup. He's never made it before, but I'm sure it's going to be great. I haven't eaten since the lovely cookout at the Alleys' yesterday! (Good thing I ate enough to sustain me for a week.)


Anyways, I'll be home resting all week. Send Netflix suggestions.

Dinner with the Smiths

Colleen invited both boys to spend the night on Saturday and invited us all to dinner on Sunday. We hung out chatting in the kitchen for awhile and I tried to decipher what Ben was making. (I've grown accustomed to him explaining his every move after taking 3 of his classes!) When he finally told me, I just couldn't believe my luck. Fried Soft Shell Crab BLTs!

I had every intention of eating dinner and not compulsively photographing every moment of it, but once I realized what was to come, I couldn't resist.


Colleen made roasted potatoes and a spinach salad with golden beets to go with the sandwiches. (Earlier she made mango margaritas, but that was before I started taking pictures!)


Colleen & Ben also made ground turkey tacos and corn for the kids, but they merely nibbled before returning to their normally scheduled programming.

Three-year-old Ayden, however, doesn't go more than a few minutes without nibbling on something. I was incredibly impressed when she sat down and started nibbling on a crab.


The boys reappeared at dessert time (Angel food cake, fresh berries, and champagne sorbet).


I told Warren to start thinking of how he was going to top this meal, since it will be our turn to host next. "Soft shell lobsters?" he suggested.

The best part of this Sunday dinner was not having to wake up early for work/school the next day! Thank you Colleen & Ben!

Children's Theater Fest at Rhodes

On Saturday, we had a lot of activities scheduled, but I really, really wanted to check out the Children's Theater Fest at Rhodes (put on by Voices of the South). I had heard a lot of good things about it, but had never made it due to the fact that we usually leave town over Memorial Day weekend.

Despite hearing a lot about it, I didn't do a very good job of finding out exactly what was going on and when. It was 3pm on Saturday before I could drag the monkeys there and it seemed as though we had missed the bulk of activities. However, we were still able to visit with friends, see the dude walking around on stilts, eat popcorn and lollipops, see a one woman performance of "The House on Mango Street," the Company D dancers, and the Grace St. Luke's performance of Annie.

As we were leaving, I was asked to fill out a survey. The survey had a list of activities for me to rate. That's when I discovered that I missed seeing Two Way Radio Friday night (Thanks for telling me, Kate!!), the community mural, and many other fabulous activities.

So, next year if we are in town, I'm going to do a little more homework. And I might ask that the event organizers not keep their amazing schedule such a secret.


That's Satchel climbing the walls, "The House on Mango Street" one woman show, Chris Davis doing some video for what will probably prove to be a much better run down of the festival than this one, and me and Jiro waiting for popcorn.

Pocky...for Men

Saturday the kids spent the night out so Warren and I had a date night. We decided to eat Thai food and go shopping--at the International Farmer's Market on Winchester. As Warren investigated the tortillas, I went in search of Pocky. Gone was the usual red box. In its place were several new varieties, including Pocky Crunch, Thin Pocky, Hello Kitty Pocky, and Pocky Men's.

Pocky Men's.


I immediately set about trying to discover why this Pocky was for men. Was it the bitter chocolate? Bitter is most often associated with women--at least in the U.S. Maybe Japan is different? I looked on the back at the list of ingredients...


Could it be the chocolate liquor? What exactly is chocolate liquor? Warren says that is a typo, but a typo for what?

Of course I am not the only person on the Internet questioning this product. A Google search led me to Inconspicuous Consumption, which features the Men's Pocky product, but in a fancier box that says "Men's Pocky is for the intelligent connoisseur who enjoys the finer points in life."

I know I should be insulted and add Pocky to my list of untouchables, but I find it to be more hilarious than anything.

Movies with Monkeys

Team Oster is a big fan of going to the movies. Studio on the Square is our theater of choice, but rarely do they show movies made just for kids. We've gotten into the habit of going to the Paradisio with the kids even though I'm not crazy about the drive--or the crowds. (The fact that it is close to Muddy's and Whole Foods makes it bearable.)

A few weeks ago when we asked the kids what movie they wanted to see they emphatically said, "Hotel for Dogs!" Turns out it was already at the second run theater in Bartlett, so we considered it a good idea. The Bartlett Malco, or "The $1 Movie" as we call it, actually costs $2.50 per person, a total steal. The refreshments are also discounted.

So on a rainy Sunday afternoon, we drove to Bartlett and spent $10 on the movies--a refreshing change from the usual $40. As a special bonus, the movie was actually good! (I cried!) However, I do have to say that the Bartlett Theater is a little run down and kind of nasty. (i.e. There are a few seats with garbage bags over them due to roof leakage.) So while it was a good deal, I can't say I'll be eager to go back anytime soon.

Yesterday, Warren and I talked about taking the kids (plus a friend) to see Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. (This somehow morphed into me taking the kids to NATM and Warren going to see Terminator: Salvation.) Both movies were actually showing at Studio on the Square, but Warren had an idea. "What about the Econo Hour at Palace Cinema on Summer?" he suggested. We'd thrown this idea around before, but never made it. The deal is, all movies play at 5:00pm for $4.00. And they are first run.

The old Fare Four used to be one of my favorite theaters, but when it switched owners it rapidly got yuckier and yuckier. (i.e. Your feet stuck to the floor due to all of the spilled Coke.) I was worried it might be grosser than the Bartlett, but when we arrived we were pleased to discover that it had a complete makeover. Paying $20 bucks for 5 people to see a first run movie was also quite awesome. The icing on the cake was the Econo Hour special at the concession stand--a small drink and small popcorn for $1. The bathrooms were even clean!

Now, I will say that the screens weren't the biggest or most clear, and the leg room wasn't the most roomy, so I probably wouldn't go outside of Econo Hour, but overall it was a great deal!

And if you are wondering, I thought NATM: Battle of the Smithsonian was not nearly as good as the first, but the kids loved it. Jiro actually thought it was scary in places and demanded that I let him go sit with Daddy in Terminator a few times. (He refused to believe Terminator was scary. My kids are weird!)

Oh and for you lucky dogs who have the summer off, remember Malco's Kids' Summer Film Fest starts June 2. A handful of local theaters will be showing old-ish movies like Kung Fu Panda at 10am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through July 29th. Tickets are $2 each and proceeds go to St. Jude.

Zip It

On Wednesday I took the boys with me to a private "skatepark" for a story I am doing. Warren had Kendo, so he couldn't come with. I spent a good deal of time in my closet trying to find something "cool" to wear, but did not succeed. I decided to wear my trusty brown pants and a black tee. Boring but basic. I figured I'd blend in, right?

As we were leaving Warren looked at me and said, "Why don't you wear something more skater-ish?"

I sighed and said, "I'm not a skater and I have nothing cool to wear. I'm a journali...I'm a mom pretending to be a journalist." He looked at me funny and we left.

The actual interviewing went fine. I knew some peeps from the internet, ran into my old neighbor, and even met the dad of one of my friends. My favorite CA photographer got the assignment, so I was thrilled about that.

The kids behaved pretty well for about an hour, then complained of repeated mosquito attacks and begged me to take them home. Having no bug spray on my person, I agreed. Just as we got to the car they giggled and made a break for the nearby zipline which I had deemed off limits until I was done working.

They totally tricked me.

Duck Duck Goose

We spent Sunday evening at Chickasaw Gardens with Vanessa, Miles, and Natasha. It was lovely and as you can see, I got a little camera happy!

Read about our visit in my column, Geese nag but park's fun is free, unplugged. (Just before we went to print, my editor called to make sure we hadn't broken into private property!)

Herbs

I was on kid duty most of the weekend, so Warren gets 99% credit for the bounty that we are about to receive. This year's garden includes tomatoes, peppers of various kinds, cauliflower, raspberries, strawberries, and many, many herbs.

Look Who's Here

Vanessa, Miles, and Natasha came to visit us this weekend. We haven't seen Tasha since she was just a few weeks old. Look at her now! Vanessa and I had to dig through the archives to see if Tasha is actually chubbier than Jiro was. (I say yes, she says no.) Regardless, look at her! She is a dream. So mellow and laid back. Smiley and full of strawberries to blow.


Miles and Jiro were much too busy to stop and be photographed. (Which is for the best considering that their activity of choice was "The Naked Dance." )

We spent most of Saturday outside in the yard and at the park. It was great catching up with Vanessa, snuggling with a sweet baby girl, and watching the three crazies run wild.

Guerilla Knitters

Anybody (except me) remember the interview I did with Knitta, the radical knitters in Houston, three years ago for Hipmama? Well it looks like the idea has finally caught on here, except the members of the Memphis Knit Mafia don't have to hide their identities.

This was just installed near Cafe Eclectic with the owner's blessing.


This makes me so happy.

Read more about this group on the Flyer's website.

You can also find the Memphis Knit Mafia on Facebook.

Trekkies

If we were vulcans:



If we met at the Starfleet Academy:



Trek yourself at Cheezit.com

Planning with Monkeys

Tuesday night Warren and I took the monkeys to the Phase II meetings for the Mud Island Riverpark at the Botanic Gardens. I've been to plenty of these types of meetings in my day, but never with kids. Warren and I wanted them to be a part of the process so that (hopefully) when the skatepark is built on Mud Island they can look back on the meeting and say, "I helped get this built!"

I was really impressed by the turnout. It was great to see people from all walks of life and spanning several demographics all working together to come up with a feasible plan. And yes, it was most awesome to see so many enthusiastic skatepark supporters.

Somebody tell me where to get my Sk8 Mud t-shirt!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Everyone was assigned a table and given numerous maps, office supplies, and their very own urban planner. Together we were tasked with designing our dream scheme for the island. There was a guy at our table who was a trip. His main goal in coming to the meeting was to cast his vote for a celebrity golf course. Oh, and he really wanted to see giant dinosaur bones somewhere too. For awhile I thought he was a RDC plant sent to throw us off and deter us from the task at hand. However, after lots of discussion, the dude was soon 100% on board with the skatepark. It was hilarious.

It should also be noted that most of the skateboarders were interested in linking the island to the greater downtown area as well as building playgrounds and splash areas for kids. If RDC listens (and forks over the money) Mud Island could be one amazing recreational wonderland for Memphians young and old. It's really exciting just to have this conversation.

Other highlights included seeing my old neighbor/skateboard enthusiast, Jeff Green, planning alongside Virginia Overton. I was also really impressed with the ease with which Jiro designed his very own skatepark.

If you missed Tuesday's meeting, but want to participate in the process, go to the meeting downtown tonight!

Thursday May 14th from 5:45 - 7:15 pm
MIRP Harbor Landing, 101 Island Drive (gate security will give directions)
Basically drive to Mud Island and go through the security gates. It's on Mud Island.

You can also give the project your input by going to the RDC's website and clicking Online Survey under Mud Island Public Meetings.

What I Did on Mother's Day

1. Even though I really want to plant our garden, I rejoiced when Justin Willingham (the hardest working dude at WKNO) announced that it was raining when my alarm went off at 7:30am.

2. Slept until 10am.

3. Reminded Warren that it was Mother's Day and asked him to wish me a happy one even though I am (technically) not his mother.

4. Picked up the kids at their friends' house and reminded each of them to wish me 'Happy Mother's Day.' (They made gifts at school and gave them to me last Friday, so in their minds it was already a done deal.)

5. Took a nap with Jiro at noon.

6. Went to the Hunt Phelan for a fabulous brunch (bordering on linner) with my boys, my mom, my sister, and my niece.

7. Saw the most awesome Star Trek movie ever (and fantasized about the day I get to "meet" Captain Picard as a young man).

8. Went to the grocery store and had an hour long debate with Warren over whether or not Jiro's insatiable desire for twisty cheese is due to my weak character, hypocrisy, packaging, product quality, or marketing. (Or somehow linked to my inability to properly navigate the self-check out.)

9. Read the kids a Henry and Mudge book about snow that Jiro picked out at the library and snuggled with them until they fell asleep.

10. Watched Art School Confidential with Warren before going to bed at 1am.

"Work"

Tonight I had a work meeting to discuss the upcoming issue of Spoon. Maggie invited me, the monkeys, and Andria over for dinner. She lives in a really cool loft downtown and I had the feeling of being in another city. The kids busied themselves with various electronics while we talked about pretty much everything but work. Then we all sat down for an amazing home-cooked meal. Satchel declared artichokes his new favorite food, thus ending his three day love affair with breakfast nachos! We eventually did get down to business and came up with some great story ideas. It was awesome! Thanks, Maggie!

Inspired

I don't cook. I reheat, microwave, chop and/or assemble. My specialties are breakfast burritos (which involve cooking eggs, the one ingredient I have mastered), nachos, and fancy salads. This morning the kids said they wanted Spaghetti-Os for dinner, however by 5:30pm they were clamoring for breakfast burritos. The only problem was that I knew we didn't have any tortillas and none of us felt like going to the store.

I mentally ran through the pantry and in a moment of inspiration suggested breakfast nachos for dinner. Satchel loved the idea and was immediately on board.

Jiro, not so much.

I scrambled eggs, cooked bacon in the microwave, opened a bag of chips, and sprinkled cheese everywhere. Easy!

The result was a hit! Satchel ate three servings! Jiro rejected his in favor of regular scrambled eggs with bacon on the side, which was fine with me. I threw some salsa on top of his rejects and ate them myself. Pretty good stuff!

I refuse to Google breakfast nachos because then I will see that somewhere someone else had my idea first. For now, I prefer to believe that I am a genius.

Certified Junior Pizza Chefs

We kicked off the monkeys' sleepover Saturday with a pizza making session at Lou's. This was Satchel's birthday activity of choice, but since Lou only offers classes on the first Saturday of the month, we had to wait. Satchel invited his friend, Cole, and Jiro invited his friend, Ian. Up until the minute we arrived Jiro insisted that he wasn't going to participate. He had no interest on our first visit either, but I hoped he'd change his mind.

Once Ian walked in and announced his excitement about the pizza making activity, Jiro did in fact change his tune. Soon he was the most enthusiastic chef in the group. Even Lou was like, "Is this the same kid?" However, Cole was the only junior chef to actually venture past the standard ingredients (tomato sauce, cheese, and pepperoni). While the pizzas were in the oven, Lou gave everyone a certificate and posed for a group photo. (There were two other kids who came for a class while we were there.)


The only cost of the class is the purchase of a large pizza. I love Lou's pizza, so I considered the entire venture a win-win situation. I was looking forward to "paying" as much as the kids were to cooking! I also enjoyed getting to hang out with Cole's and Ian's very fun moms for a bit.