Book review: Geek Dad by Ken Denmead

I have been reading Geek Dad* by Ken Denmead for a few weeks now. It isn't a novel or biography but it is a collection of super cool projects that parents can do with their kids, together. Even though it is called Geek Dad - any mom could do these projects as well. But to be honest when I first received the book I immediately handed it to Cliff and told him - have at it. But I was very intrigued as he couldn't put it down - I wanted to see for myself.

H is still only 6 so a majority of the projects are a bit advanced for him, but there were still many that he could actively participate in. There are a few projects that I would totally love to do but I don't think we have enough space. First is Build an Outdoor Movie Theatre. How cool would that be to have your friends and neighbors over to watch a great flick, make smores' and cuddle under a blanket under the stars. But alas, we just don't have the space. But if you do...then this book has all the instructions you need.

Some of the other projects we are planning on doing (and only haven't yet because of all the travelling we have been doing this summer) are: Make your own cartoons, Model Building with cake (really - anything with cake and I am in!) and the Exploding Drink practical joke.

These are just the ones I am planning on with H. Some good mom and son bonding. I am sure Cliff has his own list from this book.

*I was given a copy of the book Geek Dad by the publisher Penguin Group. My review is based on my opinion and my opinion only.

Dolls and Tote Bags and Clothes, Oh My

I know you all assume that during my 3-4 week hiatus from blogging was due to an enormous amount of TV watching. And if you didn't assume that...here is a little nugget of info about me, I always find time to watch tv....why..well that is for a whole other post. But no, I was not watching marathons of Real Housewives or Big Brother 3 x a week. If I wasn't travelling I was sewing. I felt like my own little sweatshop.

In about 2 weeks I made 6 dolls, 6 tote bags and a shirt. I was obsessed and I loved every minute of it. All but 2 tote bags were gifts. Since I have been back from my 2 trips I have already made 1 tote and have 2 more I need to make. Maybe I should start selling this stuff instead of giving it all away. But I make them because I love to sew and I love to share what I have made with my 2 hands with my friends and family.

The only question is who else wants a doll or a tote bag...and what else should I make. Once my traveling slows down, I am going to start up classes again and make some more clothes for C. I also want to try and make a blanket for H. I found the greatest fabric - navy blue with these lime green guitars on it.

(I know ... I need to include pictures ...I will..I just haven't had a chance to upload any. But I have them on my camera. I promise by next Tuesday, you will see pictures.)

My wall its a coming down!

My friend Suzi at Pink Vanilla Cupcakes wrote recently about focusing her energy on things she likes to do versus doing things she doesn't want to do. She was very insightful especially as she relates this to her diet and exercise.

I have been deliberately quite here on Mondays about the status of my diet and running. That is because I have been ignoring both. And of course old habits creep back. It hasn't helped that my travel schedule has been really crazy and I am traveling again next week. So after I read Suzi's post I really started to think about my wall and why did I create it. Because I am fully aware I put there myself. I have been eating too much, eating junk and not exercising. This end NOW! I felt so good when I was doing well on my eating and exercising. And now I feel like crap. So this is what I am going to do this week.

• Control my portions
• Lots of protein and vegetables
• Drink my water

It is as simple as that. I am also going to restart my C25K. Tomorrow I am repeat week 1 day 1. I am looking forward to it because I am still committed to RUNNING a 5K before I turn 40.

All these things are reasonable to do. And I am going to do it. I am fed up. I am pissed I had such a long back slide. It hasn't been terrible. It is not like I gained back all 65 pounds...but more like 10. But that is now 10 pounds further away from my goal. I am going to kick this wall in the butt.

Family Wednesday: Pull-ups and 6 yr olds

H potty trained very easily. We didn't push it. In fact, I liked diapers. It made him very portable. We didn't have to stop and find a bathroom every hour. We waited until he was just past 3 years old. It worked, it was easy. We tackled daytime potty training first. And everything we read and everyone we talked to said to start using pull-ups at night and once they are dry for at least a week then try without. That was 3 1/2 year ago and H has never gone more than 1 night with a dry pull up.

Do you remember the movie What about Bob? The one with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus. There is a scene toward the end where Bob (Murray) is sleeping and Dreyfus's' character is trying to wake him up but Bob is in a huge deep sleep and will only wake up to his own alarm. "Bob! Bob! BOB! BOB! COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!" Well - we have done that...to H. He is in such a deep sleep. He just can't wake himself up to go pee.

Before you ask - yes we have spoken to our pediatrician about it and she is not concerned. She told us there is a huge percentage of boys who are so active during the day that when they sleep, they are in such a deep sleep, they just can't wake up. H obviously falls into that category. But, H is starting to express a desire to not want to wear the pull up anymore. The only thing that really works is to stop ALL liquids 2 hours before he goes to bed. That puts the end to liquids at 6 pm. Only 45 minutes after we get home for the evening. Way before we have dinner.

Are any of your children still not potty trained at night? Have your kids taken this long to end the pull ups - and what did you do?

(Don't even get me started on C and her refusal to even think about giving up her diapers...)

What I've Done on my Summer Vacation, Part 1

I'm baaack! It has been a long (yet feeling very short) 3 week vacation. I was not only gone from the office, I was also gone from my little blog. I have missed both. I am sure most of you saying WHAAAT! You missed the office. Well - I did. I am very lucky to work with some great people who have become friends so I don't' necessarily miss work - I miss seeing my co-workers.

I also missed my blog. I had some great intentions on my vacation. I was thinking - I am not at home, no laundry that needs to be done, no vacuuming, no dinners to be made, no lunches to prepare, no bills to pay...just playing during the day, and the evenings to myself after the kids go to bed. And then I thought I would catch up on my google reader, blog daily and just do the things I wanted to do but was getting too busy to do. Oh how naive I was. Both C & H went to bed way later then they usually did and by the time they were down, I was down for the count.

So now I have thousands of blog entries to catch up on my reader, and I am back to blogging regularly...and I can't wait.

So here is what kept us to busy.

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As I have mentioned in previous posts, I grew up in New York. Every summer we head back east to spend at least a week with my family and my extended step-family both in NY and then in the Berkshires. This year, Cliff couldn't make it so it was just me and the kids. The adventure began as soon as we were dropped off at the airport. I had so much anxiety over the plane and being by myself but H really stepped up and helped with C and everything went super smoothly. They dined on snacks galore (Yogos, fruit snacks, chips and yogurt raisins -All special because I don't allow them to eat these snacks normally due to H's cavity experience when he was 3.)

Once in NY we had a pool party where I invited my High School friends over with their families for some swimming and lunch. I love seeing all of our kids playing together. I hate it that we all live so far apart and they can't grow up together. Some of us swam early, but we were rained out later in the day. There was a huge 5 minute storm - Hail and everything - that blew over super fast but closed the pool. We had pizza and salad and laughs and took pictures. I loved every minute that I got to spend with Anna, Chris, Kate, Lily, Liz, Emily, Katie, and Charlie!

On Friday I got to spend the day with the kids and my mom at Jones Beach. I can't get enough of seeing my kids discover the ocean. The sound, the smells, tastes and the power of the Atlantic! We couldn't get H out of the water. He loved jumping over and running from the waves. C was more cautious and tried to hide her enthusiasm when I would take her out with me deeper into the surf. It was all worth the long walk from the car to where we made place in the sand.

Saturday we split up. H went into NYC with my mom and step-dad where they met up aunts and uncles and cousins went to the top of the Empire State Building and saw the Lion King on Broadway. Meanwhile, I took C to meet up with some more of my friends - first stop with Lisa - she is on bed rest (Baby Frank is due in August) and we played with future big sister G. C and G had a rough start - that is often the case with 2 1/2 year olds. But it was so much fun just to see them together. C and I left Lisa and met up with my college roommate Sydne and High School friend Risa at the Central Park Zoo. I 100% expected to see a lion, a zebra, a giraffe and a hippo (ok - they didn't have to be named Ales, Marty, Melman and Gloria - but I expected to see those animals). But I hope I don't ruin this for you...NONE of them are there. Don't get me wrong - it was a totally fantastic zoo - but the Madagascar animals were no where to be seen. What was there was the dancing animals that danced at the top of the hour. You have to check it out to see what I mean.

No trip into NYC for me would be complete without a visit to Dylan's Candy Bar. Now I am not a huge candy person, but the brand at Dylans is incredible. I just love the colors, the logo, the floors - everything! And whooboy - so did C. We had some dessert up at the cafe and stocked up on candy and Dylan's branded gear.

Sunday we stuck close to home for another pool party. This time with the aunts, uncles and cousins. Something happens when these kids get together. The cousins I mean. It is like they are never apart. They are the best of friends and can't be apart. They fight, and make up, and play and laugh, hug and wrestle and just can't get enough of each other.

I will end here and continue later with our time in the Berkshires and then my trip with Cliff to Vancouver. All with pictures...I haven't uploaded them yet.