A plane interrupted the proceedings...
A plane! A plane!
Flipping burgers
job done!
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Jason at the Grill
Jason took his hand at the grill last night! Actually, this was about an hour after I had grilled hamburgers and was out to clean the grill, so the grill was nice and cool. Anyhow, Jason wanted to try on my apron, so here he is!
A plane interrupted the proceedings...
A plane! A plane!
Flipping burgers
job done!
A plane interrupted the proceedings...
A plane! A plane!
Flipping burgers
job done!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Rockin' the Mistletoe Race
Jason was in attendance at the Tri the Parks race at Mistletoe State Park last weekend. It started to pour down rain just before the race and everyone was huddled under tents... except for Jason, he thought it was great fun to run around in the rain. which we let him do until the thunder and lightening started! Eventually the storm passed and we were able to start the race. Alex and I were volunteering... Alex was announcing (he loved it!) and I was body marking (it was fun talking to everyone before their race!). Jason was with me, so he got into the body marking and even manged a pretty decent "4" on my calf. We wanted to be body marked as well, we numbered him 24 (at Jason's request) and put his age on his calf. Here is his lining up to start the race (race was changed from tri to duathlon due to the thunder in the area).
Jason asks "is my HRM ready?"
Due to the USAT Age-Up rule, Jason is racing as a 3 year old.
After the race Jason helped with the clean up. Here he is carrying and stacking buckets.
Is this dangerous?
Jason asks "is my HRM ready?"
Due to the USAT Age-Up rule, Jason is racing as a 3 year old.
After the race Jason helped with the clean up. Here he is carrying and stacking buckets.
Is this dangerous?
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Hangin' at the "New"!
View of the bridge crossing the New River Gorge
New River Gorge is one of those places that every kid who traveled by car from Pittburgh to Hilton Head, SC has driven by and wondered just how far down is that river? The New River is also home to some amazing white water. Well, on this last trip back down south from Pittsburgh, Jason was awake when we passed by and I suggested to Alex that it might be fun to stop at the overlook and let Jason run around a bit. I think it saved our butts because he ran around like crazy and seemed to have a blast. He successfully navigated the 250 feet down to the overlook and back all on his own!!! Thank goodness because I wasn't looking forward to carrying him back up 400+ steps!
Note the mention at the bottom that the way back up is strenuous
It didn't really phase Jason that much as you can tell from the shots below:
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Back from Pittsburgh!
We were in the city of bridges last weekend for PaPa's birthday! We had a blast and Jason really enjoyed visiting with his cousins. Here is a great shot of the proud Grandpa with the whole brood! (Jason, Virginia and Charlie)
As if a part wasn't enough fun, we also had fun at the zoo! Pittsburgh Zoo has a new Polar Bear exhibit, which interested Jason the least of course, that's just a toddler for you! Of course he did spend the entire zoo visit saying good bye to each animal we saw with "Good bye ___ (ex: alligator)! I am going to visit the Polar Bear!" I've got some great video footage of it and will attempt to get it up soon! For now, here's a photo of the boy with his daddy.
That's a big bear, daddy!
Link to all pics from Dad's 60th B-day
Link to all Zoo pictures
As if a part wasn't enough fun, we also had fun at the zoo! Pittsburgh Zoo has a new Polar Bear exhibit, which interested Jason the least of course, that's just a toddler for you! Of course he did spend the entire zoo visit saying good bye to each animal we saw with "Good bye ___ (ex: alligator)! I am going to visit the Polar Bear!" I've got some great video footage of it and will attempt to get it up soon! For now, here's a photo of the boy with his daddy.
That's a big bear, daddy!
Link to all pics from Dad's 60th B-day
Link to all Zoo pictures
Thursday, July 19, 2007
I am "Specialized"
Well folks, it is that time of year again! The time of year when the TiVo starts to melt from all of the hours of recording... yep! It's the Tour de France!
For those of you who don't know this, Jason was born with an affinity for Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen (the TV commentators for American cycling). When he was a baby I could soothe him by putting on recordings of Tour de France stages, he liked the flat stages the best. I've always thought it was that he finds the voices of Phil and Paul very soothing.
Well, we are halfway through Tour de France 2007 and we have been watching every day! Jason has soaked in quite a bit of cycling jargon and bike advertising. He asked me today if I "could do this Ironman" (referring to the tour as an Ironman and wondering why I wasn't riding. Kids are great for thinking that their parents can do anything!!). He likes to watch the "awards" at the end of the stage when the winners get gifts and kisses from the "podium girls".
This year, there is a cute commercial from the bike manufacturer Specialized starring World Champion Paolo Bettini cycling through Italy. As many of you know, Jason loves to dance and this commercial has some great music halfway through. I caught Jason's dance on video today and to see him in action play it below.
Special thanks go out to Alex for the early birthday present of a new Mac!!! The video editing software that came with the computer was so easy to use and made this little video possible!!!! I'm the luckiest mom on earth!!
Here is a link to the original ad on the Specialized website
For those of you who don't know this, Jason was born with an affinity for Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen (the TV commentators for American cycling). When he was a baby I could soothe him by putting on recordings of Tour de France stages, he liked the flat stages the best. I've always thought it was that he finds the voices of Phil and Paul very soothing.
Well, we are halfway through Tour de France 2007 and we have been watching every day! Jason has soaked in quite a bit of cycling jargon and bike advertising. He asked me today if I "could do this Ironman" (referring to the tour as an Ironman and wondering why I wasn't riding. Kids are great for thinking that their parents can do anything!!). He likes to watch the "awards" at the end of the stage when the winners get gifts and kisses from the "podium girls".
This year, there is a cute commercial from the bike manufacturer Specialized starring World Champion Paolo Bettini cycling through Italy. As many of you know, Jason loves to dance and this commercial has some great music halfway through. I caught Jason's dance on video today and to see him in action play it below.
Special thanks go out to Alex for the early birthday present of a new Mac!!! The video editing software that came with the computer was so easy to use and made this little video possible!!!! I'm the luckiest mom on earth!!
Here is a link to the original ad on the Specialized website
Monday, July 16, 2007
Today's funny stuff
Jason came out with some dandy one's today! We solved a mystery that been bugging Alex and me for a couple of months... Jason has been saying "Each out da bawndooo bawndoo" and we couldn't figure out what Jason was saying. Well, we watched "JoJo's Circus" today for the first time in a few months and I realized he was singing the theme song which says "Reach out the sunlight surrounds you!" Whew! Mystery solved!
Jason also started something new today, waking up from nap by yelling "MOMMY!!! Can you come upstairs??!!!!" This was the first thing I heard today, no rolling around, or talking to himself (the usual signals that he is waking up), just out of the blue "MOMMY!!!" Too funny!
Well, we are off to play with the Rocket Launcher!
... some later additions after dinner, Jason had his lemon cookie for the night. He ate the cookie and then asked me where the lemon cookie went. It transpired as follows:
Me: I don't know, where did the lemon cookie go when you ate it?
Jason: I ate the one lemon cookie and it's in my TUMMY!!
too cute!
Then he said something that amazed me:
Jason: I want to see a picture of fireball
This immediately made me wonder if he was talking about our family cat from when I was little, his name was Fireball.
Me: Where did you see Fireball
Jason: I saw pictures of Fireball at Nana's house
Are you kidding me?!?!?! Nothing gets past Jason, even when you think he isn't paying attention, he's taking it all in... to have that skill! Hope it's something he can hang on to as he gets older!!
Jason also started something new today, waking up from nap by yelling "MOMMY!!! Can you come upstairs??!!!!" This was the first thing I heard today, no rolling around, or talking to himself (the usual signals that he is waking up), just out of the blue "MOMMY!!!" Too funny!
Well, we are off to play with the Rocket Launcher!
... some later additions after dinner, Jason had his lemon cookie for the night. He ate the cookie and then asked me where the lemon cookie went. It transpired as follows:
Me: I don't know, where did the lemon cookie go when you ate it?
Jason: I ate the one lemon cookie and it's in my TUMMY!!
too cute!
Then he said something that amazed me:
Jason: I want to see a picture of fireball
This immediately made me wonder if he was talking about our family cat from when I was little, his name was Fireball.
Me: Where did you see Fireball
Jason: I saw pictures of Fireball at Nana's house
Are you kidding me?!?!?! Nothing gets past Jason, even when you think he isn't paying attention, he's taking it all in... to have that skill! Hope it's something he can hang on to as he gets older!!
Sunday, July 08, 2007
We won the Crane Game!!!
We all went to breakfast as a family this morning, and Jason wanted Daddy to play "the Crane Game" outside the restaurant. For anyone who doesn't know what I am talking about this "game", featured in such classic movies as Toy Story, is a box full of stuffed animals/toys, there is a crane that you manuever over a desired toy, press a button, the crane decends and if you are lucky "captures" the toy in it's claw and delivers it to the player. Basically, it is a big waste of money because the claw can never quite grasp the toy... well, today to the delight of on-lookers, Daddy was able to capture the bird in the picture at left for Jason!!! Jason was ecstatic and has since named the bird "Boppy" and only left Bobby long enough this evening to take a bath. Very entertaining!!Thursday, July 05, 2007
Trans Fat Information
Food Thought of the Week
A lot of attention has been brought to Trans Fats recently, but I wanted to include it in the Food Thought of the Week because while people are aware of Trans Fats, I believe the food labeling is misleading.
Trans Fats are an unfortunate man-made invention and can be found in a lot of foods that we bring into our house as parents (crackers, sandwich bread, frozen baked french fries, etc.) Trans Fats are used by food manufacturers to increase the shelf life of many items. As of Jan 1, 2007 food manufactures are required to print the grams of trans fat on the nutrition label of their products. While this was a good attempt by the FDA to help inform the public, unfortunately the Nutrition Label doesn't tell the entire story.
If the level of trans fat in 1 serving of an item is less than .5 grams, they can publish the item as 0 grams of Trans Fat. As many of us realize by now manufacturers can change the serving size to fall below .5 grams of Trans Fat, and we (or our kids) are eating what we may consider a portion are actually eating 2-3 servings and getting almost 2 grams of trans fat when we thought we were not getting any! This is especially shocking when ideally we shouldn't consume ANY grams of Trans Fat as they (unlike other good fats) are not necessary or beneficial to our health. A good example using Girl Scout cookies is available on TrainRight.com.
So how do I really know if the food contains trans fat?
The secret is to look in the ingredient label. If you see "partially-hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" oil of any kind PUT IT BACK ON THE SHELF!
Why should I be concerned? What is so bad about Trans Fats?
Trans fat wreaks havoc on the body and has been linked to heart disease, high cholesterol, liver disease and obesity! I won't rewrite everything here because it is available on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat#Health_risks).
Information on Trans Fat is also available at WebMD, MedicineKnowledge.net and Mayo Clinic.
A lot of attention has been brought to Trans Fats recently, but I wanted to include it in the Food Thought of the Week because while people are aware of Trans Fats, I believe the food labeling is misleading.
Trans Fats are an unfortunate man-made invention and can be found in a lot of foods that we bring into our house as parents (crackers, sandwich bread, frozen baked french fries, etc.) Trans Fats are used by food manufacturers to increase the shelf life of many items. As of Jan 1, 2007 food manufactures are required to print the grams of trans fat on the nutrition label of their products. While this was a good attempt by the FDA to help inform the public, unfortunately the Nutrition Label doesn't tell the entire story.
If the level of trans fat in 1 serving of an item is less than .5 grams, they can publish the item as 0 grams of Trans Fat. As many of us realize by now manufacturers can change the serving size to fall below .5 grams of Trans Fat, and we (or our kids) are eating what we may consider a portion are actually eating 2-3 servings and getting almost 2 grams of trans fat when we thought we were not getting any! This is especially shocking when ideally we shouldn't consume ANY grams of Trans Fat as they (unlike other good fats) are not necessary or beneficial to our health. A good example using Girl Scout cookies is available on TrainRight.com.
So how do I really know if the food contains trans fat?
The secret is to look in the ingredient label. If you see "partially-hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" oil of any kind PUT IT BACK ON THE SHELF!
Why should I be concerned? What is so bad about Trans Fats?
Trans fat wreaks havoc on the body and has been linked to heart disease, high cholesterol, liver disease and obesity! I won't rewrite everything here because it is available on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat#Health_risks).
Information on Trans Fat is also available at WebMD, MedicineKnowledge.net and Mayo Clinic.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Trader Joe's - Customer in Training
Happy Fourth of July everyone!!This is Jason in his American Flag t-shirt, shopping for cookout items at Trader Joes! This is his first time with the Trader Joe's mini cart... he was doing fairly well until he ran into mommy in the freezer section and daddy took the cart away :-(
We ran into Kate and Mike with Ella at the Trader Joe's, it's such a small world sometimes! They were not able to make our last minute party due to prior commitments so it was nice to see them to say hello! After Jason's nap we welcomed friends to the house for dinner and drinks. Jason was he usual entertaining self, singing at the dinner table and repeating most of what he heard! Thanks to Michelle, Eddie, Kim, Patrick and younger Patrick for making the trip up north! :-)
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Jason goes potty at school!
Jason has been going potty when we sit him on the potty at home for a couple of weeks, but we hit a big milestone at school today with a pee-pee on the potty! It's it a little crazy how excited we get about this stuff??? Jason received the following card from his teachers for his big accomplishment!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Greek Yogurt
Several months ago my sister-in-law suggested that I try Greek Yogurt. I am so glad we did! Jason loves the creamy texture and since it is thicker than your "typical" yogurt it is easier for him to eat (i.e. keep on the spoon). Jason likes the plain Greek yogurt with honey drizzled on top. Sometimes we put muslix and raisins in there too!
On it's own Greek yogurt is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein than similar "typical" yogurt. When compared against a "fruit" yogurt the calorie difference is significant and for those folks worried about glycemic index sweetening the plain yogurt with low glycemic sweentener such as Agave Necter will really make a difference. The yogurt tastes just as sweet and is just as much of a treat with a lower glycemic index and less calories to boot!
Some numbers:
There are some decisions to make based on the number above (i.e. if the extra g of saturated fat has you worried), but all in all if your kid is more likely to eat this yogurt because of the creamier texture, I think that's all you need to know!
Typically you will find FAGE brand greek yogurt (our personal favorite) in your grocery store, it is available for us here at Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's. The FAGE brand isn't stamped organic but is made from the milk of naturally/no bovine antibiotics fed cows. More information is available from their website: http://fageusa.com/products.html
On it's own Greek yogurt is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein than similar "typical" yogurt. When compared against a "fruit" yogurt the calorie difference is significant and for those folks worried about glycemic index sweetening the plain yogurt with low glycemic sweentener such as Agave Necter will really make a difference. The yogurt tastes just as sweet and is just as much of a treat with a lower glycemic index and less calories to boot!
Some numbers:
| FAGE 2% Plain Yogurt | Dannon 2% Plain Yogurt | |
| Fat | 4.5g | 4g |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 2g |
| Calories | 150 | 154 |
| Carbohydrates | 9g | 17g |
| Protein | 19g | 13g |
There are some decisions to make based on the number above (i.e. if the extra g of saturated fat has you worried), but all in all if your kid is more likely to eat this yogurt because of the creamier texture, I think that's all you need to know!
Typically you will find FAGE brand greek yogurt (our personal favorite) in your grocery store, it is available for us here at Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's. The FAGE brand isn't stamped organic but is made from the milk of naturally/no bovine antibiotics fed cows. More information is available from their website: http://fageusa.com/products.html
Styling Olivia's "Hair"
It was a rainy day here in Atlanta, which must be the reason Jason decided to brush Olivia today. He picked up a hairbrush, turned to me and said "Olivia needs a pony tail!". Below is hopefully a slideshow of the action. If it isn't working, please let me know and I will just post regular pictures.
To see the captions, click on the little "comment" icon at the bottom of the slideshow window.
To see the captions, click on the little "comment" icon at the bottom of the slideshow window.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Ella's B-day party!
Jason says:
"I went to my friend Ella's birthday party today! We ran around on a mat and sang songs, then I got to jump up and down on a bouncy thing! After that I walked across bridges and beams and jumped into tickle pits!"
We had a ton of fun at Ella's birthday party, it was at the Little Gym in Roswell and Jason really worked himself out climbing and jumping, etc. He attacked his piece of cake! Kate (ella's mom) posted pictures on her website. Thank you for inviting us!
"I went to my friend Ella's birthday party today! We ran around on a mat and sang songs, then I got to jump up and down on a bouncy thing! After that I walked across bridges and beams and jumped into tickle pits!"
We had a ton of fun at Ella's birthday party, it was at the Little Gym in Roswell and Jason really worked himself out climbing and jumping, etc. He attacked his piece of cake! Kate (ella's mom) posted pictures on her website. Thank you for inviting us!
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Jason's First Duathlon
Jason outlined the course (loops around downstairs) and determined a "transition area" in the house today. Here are some photos of the "race"!
Jason takes the corner with a look of determination!
Through the family room and into bike finish...
Quick Transition to the run...
Last corner!
Showing determination at the Finish Line!
Jason takes the corner with a look of determination!
Through the family room and into bike finish...
Quick Transition to the run...
Last corner!
Showing determination at the Finish Line!
Friday, June 08, 2007
Jason's Pink Eye
So Jason is dealing with his first case of pink eye! Alex and I both had a big project due without an extend-able deadline, so with Jason out of school for most of the week, things became a little challenging! I noticed Jason's eye was a little gunky on Wednesday night and I mentioned to Alex that he might have pink eye and we shouldn't count on school tomorrow... Woke up Thursday am with his little eye swollen and gunky. Confirmed with the dr that is was pink eye, so we started the anti-biotic drops and he's already looking much better. I wanted to get pictures today, but it looks so much better you can hardly tell. And of course, with Jason being Jason he looks more like he is posing for an ad, than showing off his pink eye!
So I took a closer picture:
So I took a closer picture:
Monday, June 04, 2007
MKZ in the house!
Jason's friend McKenzie made the trek up to us with her mommy Andrea on Monday. Unfortuantely, we don't have photos of the occasion, we were having too much fun. Jason and MKZ played trains for awhile, Jason was "showing off". Then the kids piled in the jogging strollers and we walked to the duck pond/lake about .5 mile away and played with the ducks. They kids had a blast! MKZ wanted to play with the ducks, but they kept running away! silly ducks! Came home, had lunch and the kids were ready to crash! Thanks for driving all the way up here!
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Good night with Daddy
Jason is getting so big I decided to get another "reading with daddy" photo. Here is the comparison:
Today
July 1, 2006 (about 1 year ago)
Today
July 1, 2006 (about 1 year ago)
Friday, June 01, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
A Nasty Virus
Congratulations to our entire family, we made it through the latest virus! Just when you think you get the hang of the cold thing and figuring out what is wrong a new wrinkle comes in just to throw you for a loop. Well, the good news was that Jason didn't have strep throat... the bad news, we can't do anything for it but let it run it's course! Fun! Jason's mom has named this virus the crabby virus, because that was about the worst of it, a crabby Jason for many, many days. We seem to be coming out the other side of it now, just a little worse for the wear!
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