Agree to disagree - My argument for why every child should learn to swim above all else.

My child didn't really learn how to ride her bike until this summer, age 8.

Even with training wheels until this summer she was not comfortable.  She hated the tippy feeling.
Did I push her?
No, not really. I knew in good time she would "get it" and it didn't bother her that other kids were not using training wheels. She preferred her scooter anyway.

But - if she had not liked to swim. I would have been relentless in my getting her adjusted to the water.

Why?

1) We live in Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes and lots of pools.
2) In Minnesota everyone knows someone who has a BOAT, Pool, or lives on a lake.
3)

Need I elaborate?

I was on swim team from the time I was 11 or 12 - and I was a lifeguard, taught swim lessons for years, and coached a swim team. My GRANDFATHER was a lifeguard people...in the 1930's!

There is nothing sadder to me than someone who is afraid of the water. Yes, you need to be smart and know your limits, but afraid - and can't swim? Not an good combination.  And not in my family!

Why?

 Our summer is spent at a resort with several pools.

We have a hot tub on our deck.

Did I mention we also boat on our vacation?

Friends and relatives have pools and invite us over...

and its fun to go and be able to play!

Friends have boats

Friends take us tubing on their boats

Friends live on lakes - and ask us to join the fun!

 Even paddleboating...

Friends have winter birthday parties at fun pools with rope swings and slides. 

And we want to go and have FUN!

It never ceases to amaze me the number of children my child knows who can't swim. 

Boo Boo La La could swim from the summer she was four.  Obviously she wears a life jacket when called for - she is never allowed to swim without adult supervision - but!! she passed her first deep water test the winter she turned five. 

And now that she is eight, it really breaks my heart when we invite a friend to go to the pool and when we pick that friend up the mother asks if their child can use a lifejacket, because "they can't really swim".  

Other years I got it.  

Your kid is five or six or whatever, but YOUR CHILD IS EIGHT and going into third grade and we invited you to a POOL where most of the activity requires your child to be able to swim.  

And no, they don't allow you in the deep end there with a life jacket. 

I realize not all adults are exactly great swimmers or love the water.  But it is my plea that you get over it already. Get your child in swim lessons - get YOURSELF in swim lessons.  My dad took swim lessons when he was in his 40's because he got tired of watching me in swim meets knowing he wasn't the best swimmer!  

A whole WORLD of places to go and be will open up to you if you take a chance. 

And if you GIVE your child the chance. 

And you won't cause mother's who's children can swim to groan. 

Thankfully - my child has been told, and is very polite now, that if a friend can't swim she stays with them in the area of the pool where the friend is comfortable. 

If I weren't so fired up about it, we would both be good. 

My response to all the Hub-Bub. You are too casual - EVERYWHERE!

There is a lot of noise about a restaurant chain implementing a dress code and it being racist.

News flash - if you dress like they say NOT to dress you are TOO CASUAL to be out at a WINE BAR and Restaurant. Stay home, order Domino's and crack open the T-box.

In fact, implement that dress code in the workplace please.  I am sick and tired of people in hoodies and college t-shirts and sweatpants in the office.  I don't care if we don't see customers - I HAVE TO LOOK AT YOU!

I am NOT joking here people.  You need to dress BETTER.

Not spend a fortune, just wear something nice please.

And just so you don't think this is some new soapbox from me - here is my rant on the same from August of 2009

             ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My good friend Amy came into town from Orlando, Florida for just a few days - we planned ahead and she could make time to meet me for dinner. I love to meet her anywhere when she comes to town, she always brings good treats from Florida. This time it was coconut-orange marmalade, but I love her even without the cute treat!!! Besides, this time she lost her deodorant so I brought her a fresh one from my bathroom stash; don't laugh I stock up on EVERYTHING.
But, the point here is that we met at Stella's Fish Cafe in uptown - nice views and excellent seafood in the heart of Uptown.

I saw a group of young girls, early twenties I think, and they were dressed nicely - except one girl who was seriously dressed like this: I mentioned to my dining companions - all wearing nice dress/skirt/sandals and tasteful jewelry -- that I think we are WAY TOO CASUAL these days and they heartily agreed. Amy said she would hardly EVER wear the dress she had on in Florida, which was cute BTW and in a pic on my Facebook, because NO ONE dresses up there.

I bemoaned the fact I can hardly EVER get my stepdaughter to wear anything but jeans, t-shirt and the most GINORMOUS college/high school sweatshirts. I used to DRESS UP for school and would only wear such a combo if it were cold and I had morning swim practice - and even then RARELY! (p.s. she now dresses up for work as a tax accountant! yeah! - 2014 ML)

Our other companion Cassie said - and she works at the airport as a flight attendant - "Just think of the crap and pj's people wear on planes these days."

Which led me to yesterday. I mean if you are getting a big job opportunity, you should DRESS the part like this classy gentleman.

NOT this itinerant sharecropper who looks like they plucked him out of the fields.

COME ON! With $12M you could not find a clean hat at least?

So I leave you with this video of people who look good no matter what they wear, and GM is forgiven jeans because he is a pop star- or was at the time. Enjoy the view. 

Happy Fourth of July!

If you have spent any time on this blog at all you know that I spend time telling you about this little goofball...

Boo Boo La La is the biggest reason I get up in the morning. She is fun to be around,(most days!)  She is super creative and smart. And she has a FLAIR for fashion.

Who could ever forget the Project Runway Boo?

I could not ask for a better child. I am truly a lucky mommy to have this child. Not because she is smart or funny or a snappy dress-up partner...

She is thoughtful and kind.

She wants to hold and feed her baby cousin, she wants to help friends with their school work, she put on a magic show for the "little kids" at daycare, she thinks about how other people feel. 

Since pre-school every teacher has described her as a "mother hen". 

I want my child to be kind to others no matter what.  

Not naive, just kind. 

Where does that come from?  How did it happen?

And, more importantly, how do I not screw that up?

join the fun

And so this happened.

Have you seen the show "Chrisley Knows Best" on USA?

OMG - so good. So good!

I love that show and it was NOT enough episodes.  Really.

Then I saw a Kathie Lee and Hoda tweet that he would be on today.

I tweeted.

Todd Chrisley FAVORITED!

Day is made. That is all.

Kidecals - A Review

I love finding new things.

I love when new things find me too.

Kidecals..

What a fun solution to labeling your stuff, your kid's stuff, your husband's stuff, your kitchen stuff.

I have even seen people at work using the chalkboard stickers on their lunches.

We ordered some with the idea they would be VERY useful to mark Boo Boo's stuff to make sure it came home from all the camps she has going on this summer! Acting camp, 'Camp Auntie Lois", Girl Scout Camp...

They sure came in a nice envelope!

And I think I picked some pretty fun decals for myself!

Quite the STASH  - huh???

And totally ready for camp luggage!!!

And they stay on over TWO muddy, wet soccer practices.

Do you want to try them too??? Guess what!?!

You can use this code to get your own!

Okay? Come closer, let me tell you the code.

You ready?

FASHION!!!

shhhh. keep it to yourself okay???

Nah, share it with everyone! Enjoy 15 percent off your order!

Just FYI - Kidecals did send me a code for some free stickers, but I honestly could not believe how durable they are. That soccer ball was all over a swampy soccer field - You have heard about our rain here in Minnesota this summer?  No fading, peeling, nothing.  It sits just where Boo Boo put it - RIGHT OVER THE DIRT THAT WAS ON IT ALREADY.  Amazing, no? 

Go get some.

a Taste of Summer

I don't think there is anything here in Minnesota quite as nice as the first rhubarb of summer.

My mom has rhubarb, but her patch is dying out as the trees are shading it too much. 

My neighbor has some.

My carpool buddy has some. 

Thankfully, people also like to SHARE the first rhubarb of summer.

I brought it home on Friday and hemmed and hawed over just what I would do with this delicious bounty. 

You see, the people in my house are "MEH" rhubarb - I can take it or leave it.

As a kid I could not WAIT for the rhubarb.

I mean....it is really just a vehicle for sugar.

So on Father's Day - I made Rhubarb Dream Bars.

It called for powdered sugar AND regular sugar.

Recipe here.

And the people said, "YUM!"

Link up to Mama Kat here. 

Yeah - I know, I am that mom. The one that let's her kid do things other mom's may frown upon.

So, let us blame my mother - she is the one who started all this business with the markers.

EVIDENCE from November 2008

My child decided she needed some spice to her appearance at Positively Pop Star camp this week. 

And if you need a tutorial - she made one.

I TOLD you the kid wants to be a YouTube star.

Boo Boo wants to be a YouTube Star. She needs a new videographer - not Mom.

My little girl wants to be a YouTube Star.

 She loves watching the "How To" videos on everything from cake decorating to MineCraft.

 She needs a better videographer than mom. And probably a mic attached to her - not just trying to hear her from my phone a parking lot away.

Hail to the Chief - is it that, or The Throne Room Theme Song?

Boo Boo was so EXCITED when I picked her up from daycare after the last day of school yesterday.

 She could barely contain herself saying that she got "The BEST THING EVER" from her teacher Miss. M. It was this award -

She was telling me all about the awards her friends got as well, Helping Hand - Friend to All, etc.  

Then when we got out of the car she held up her's and told me I had to salute her.  

Sure! 

"But, Mama, what song do they play for the President? All I can think of is Star Wars!" 

- Well my dear, let's go. I will find the "President's Song' on YouTube.

And this is what she did.

#YesAllWomen

Long before the recent mass murder incident I was thinking about this topic.

Men don't see how they behave the same way.

Amanda Hess was more articulate about it than I could ever be here on The Slate.

But it is not just the men who hit on you in bars - or yell at you on the street.

Men can unknowingly make women uncomfortable just by not giving you space or by acting "playful".

The reason I thought about this topic was that within the space of 24 hours I had felt threatened by men - who probably didn't see it that way.

I was walking out of the Y early one morning, VERY early as I get there at 5am when it opens and leave by 5:40am.  It was still dark.  A guy zipped into the parking lot by the sidewalk I was on - rapidly stopping and jumping out.  And as he jogs past me says, "Good Morning." as if this were normal.

Are you a man and think I am crazy?

Ladies, what would you have done?

Me.  Nearly peed myself.

I went into church the next morning to drop something off for a Sunday breakfast. I walked into the kitchen and this guy booms, "HEY. This is the MEN'S Breakfast - YOU can't be here!" And then after a beat - he laughed.  He was totally joking, but it took me a full ten minutes to feel right again after I left. It made me acutely aware that I was being watched by all in that kitchen as I put berries and juice into the fridge.  And like any good girl I laughed too in an attempt to ease everyone, including myself.

It's unsettling and startling to be called out like that - and I know he did not mean to upset me, but he did.

Men. I am not bashing you. I know we need you guys around and you are good and everything - but, bless your little souls you need to think about a woman's space and feelings of safety.