New Store, Good People... Petit Green

This past rainy weekend we took the kids to the Polaris Fasion Place (a.k.a. The Polaris Mall) While there we found a new store for kids. It is a brilliant idea. Let me explain...

When we first had Isabella and when our friends started having babies, Nicki and I searched the internet to find that cool new baby gift. During that search we came along many cool and interesting items, but it was online. You couldn't touch or feel the quality. That what the founders of Petit Green were thinking as well.

While there Andrew, the owner, showed us around, talked about the concept and I was blown away. His care and pride is like a beacon for lost aunts, uncles and grandparents who are lost shopping for little ones.

Are you shopping for Christmas for a baby? Are you going to or have you just had a baby? If so go there stick your head in, you won't be disappointed.

Ask him about the new running stroller coming out... Wow it was amazing!!

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It is an Ooey Gooey Season, It's the best time of the year?

After you take your hands out of the pumkin when you are done carving, there is an excellent recepe that we tried yesterday that was a big hit with the kids and the adults, as well as a friends creation that was a huge hit also.

First my friend created octopus brownies. He made the brownie mix, then added some gummy worms for the legs and added a marshmallow on top, cover it in frosting, and made faces for them. A great gooey seasonal brownie! (If someone has a picture please send it to me I would love to post it.)

Second after reading about this recepe online I had to try it, Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes. Watch out, you could eat the entire sheet!

Both of these are easy to make and very seasonal. Go out and try it!

A smile like mine...

Tonight we were over at a very good friends house for the their 6th annual pumpkin carving day. This year we had many new people show. Good friends and good food normally result in a great time.

This year we did not use a template, I asked Isabella what she wanted and where, the result was a face, with rectangle eyes, square nose, and a "smile like mine, daddy".

According to a MSN article: The carved pumpkin is called "jack-o-lantern" because the candlelight inside resembles the flickering lights of that name that appear over peat bogs in Ireland. Of course this begs the question, "Then why aren't they called pete-o-lanterns?," to which we have no good answer other.

Jack Pumpkinhead was a character in several of L. Frank Baum's Oz book series, but unfortunately, never made it into the movie.

According to the University of Illinois, 90 percent of the pumpkins grown in the United States are raised within a 90-mile radius of Peoria, Illinois.

In Ireland and Britain there was a long tradition of carving lanterns from vegetables, but the carved pumpkin lantern did not become associated specifically with Halloween until 1866. The Halloween we celebrate today is the result of many different traditions and influences: ancient harvest festivities, the Festival of Samhain's black cats, magic, evil spirits, death, ghosts, skeletons and skulls from All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day.

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Yes or No?

Update
Isabella: I am pretty confident at this point Isabella is going to become a lawyer. She is very straight forward when she asks a question and wants... Requests a direct answer.
"Daddy are you going to pick me up from school, yes or no?"

Charlotte: Charlotte has been trying out her vocabulary lately. She understands the difference between many names, however everyone she cares for is 'mommy'.

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And now for something completely different... Apple Pie Alcohol?

I normally post things relevant to our kids, however I came across something recently that I would like to share with everyone. I have thought long and hard about how I could spin this off as something to do with kids in general, and the only thing I could think is... if you drank enough of this, you could have another kid nine months later.

Anyway, mead is my topic today. Many people, including myself think of mead as a beer type drink, however it isn't. It is actually closer to wine than beer, made from honey and water via fermentation with yeast.

Now, we all know that apples have always been a very important part of the fall season as well as Apple Pie! There is a meadery in Columbus that has an Apple Pie Mead. Brothers Drake Fine Mead, is a local meadery that has developed Apple Pie Mead, and recently began to sell it to the public. I am lucky to say that I was able to try this in the beginning stages of development probably over 8+ years ago. It is a tasty mead and well worth the trip. It is a perfect drink for your holiday feasts!

To everyone from Columbus, this is a treasure that you should at least try once since you live in the area, you cannot not get anything else like this.... anywhere!

I would encourage everyone to stop by for a tasting maybe even pick up a bottle or two... or three like I did! They have many other meads to taste.

Tell them you heard about it from me, I am sure they would appreciate hearing from an old friend.

Dorothy Gale

This is a side by side compare of Isabella and Judy Garland.

Isabella's dress was handmade by Nicki and her mom in one night! You two are rock stars! I was in charge of buying buttons. Let's just say that we have literally a small bag full of small buttons left over.

Did you know?

Judy Garland had to wear a painful corset-style device around her torso so that she would appear younger and flat-chested.

The horses in Emerald City palace were colored with Jell-O crystals. The relevant scenes had to be shot quickly, before the horses started to lick it off.

Picture for the ages

Here is a picture that Nicki captured while on our way to Cabo.

Did you know? The seat that are mostly commonly found in today's airplanes are 3-4 inches thinner than those of yesteryear? They are able to achieve this with a higher density seat back. Allowing more passengers to be on the plane and not taking away any leg room. More seats per plane means more luggage, correct? And you wonder why they are charging you now?

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Too darn cute.

While making Isabella's bed this morning I found some of her friends under the other pillow.

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Move over Darth Vader, here comes G.I. Joe!

Every once and a while I post about technology, what is available now and wha tthe heck is going to be available when my girls grow up. Well I read an article today about something amazing!

It is a knife that is being tested in today's battle field. This knife seems pretty much the same thing as a light saber that Darth Vader and all of the Jedi yielded.

Next up light speed?

"Nobody ever said the Light Saber was a practical weapon – it’s no match for a good blaster, if you ask me – but it exerts a powerful fascination. Special Operations Command have “completed ongoing testing and field evaluation studies” of the next best thing, according to a Pentagon budget document. It’s a Plasma Knife which cuts through flesh with a “blade” of glowing ionized gas. But rather than being a weapon, the Plasma Knife is a surgical instrument that could save lives."
-via Wired

Leaves are changing!

Have you noticed?

This past weekend Nicki's Grandmother, who I can say has a better social life than the rest us, came to visit us from Arizona.

She could not stop talking about how she misses the leaves and how beautiful they look this time of year.

She misses it, are you missing it? I know I was until this weekend.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Flashback 1 Year!

Here is a flashback one year ago when we went to the Columbus Zoo for Boo at the Zoo! It is easy to talk about "Oh do you remember when..." But a picture says a thousand words!

Over the Rainbow!

Today we went to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Boo at the Zoo is such as fun time for all of the kids! Check out a post from last year that gives you a little more information about the Zoo. Yes, Isabella dressed up as Dorothy this year and Charlotte was the Lion!

Pick a Pumpkin From the Patch

It's almost Halloween, are you ready?

Cabo Pictures III

We recently took at trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. What a great place to visit!

Here are a few pictures from the trip. I hope I will be able to post some more!

Cabo Pictures II

Cabo Pictures

It's cold outside but...

Yes it is cold outside, however there is always room for ice cream. Here in Gahanna we have many excellent ice cream shoppes. Graeter's is a local favorite. They say they use the very best ingredients, and I can say it tastes that way. We were there a few nights ago and I had a dish that was ice cream but it warmed my sole! The Pumpkin Patch sundae tastes like churned Fall served with a spoon. Fresh ice cream always tastes like a spoonful of heaven. If you are in the area try Rita's and Whit's (Custard made fresh, daily!) as well!

Not in Gahanna, but made fresh in Columbus, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. Featuring some really 'cool' flavors, Salty Caramel, Queen City Cayenne, Thai Chili, and Bourbon Buttered Pecan.

You will not be disappointed.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Kids are funny, capture it!

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Plain Apple Sauce Made Saucey!

We have had some issues getting the girls to eat apple sauce. One day it came to me... How do you make apple sauce fun? Make it interactive!

So I pulled out the fresh cinnamon stick. Then I started adding some on Charlotte's apple sauce, Isabella instantly perked up. She wanted to try. So I allowed her. She had a great time and eat all of the apple sauce. Yes I was very careful, if you don't think you child is old enough don't try it!

Nothing tastes better than fresh cinnamon in the morning.

Fresh spices are not just for the adults anymore! Go out and find your local spice store, get away from the local mega mart. Here we have Penzeys. What do you have?
Have a good time and spice up you kids food!

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Tiny 'Tap' Dancer

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Not so hot chocolate

This weekend I was very impressed with Starbucks. Normally I am not a fan of hot coffee from a coffee house becuse it is normally served close to the tempurature of magma, but I do like coffee. So I feared what a kids hot chocolate might do to the girls. However much to my amazment the hot chocolate wasn't so hot.. It was warm and drinkable!
I don't know if that was just at the Starbucks we visited or all of them, but good job!
Side note: those kids coffee mugs do not hold up to bouncing that well and since they are much smaller than a normal cup holder they are susseptable to it. If you do not plan on holding it until completed... Don't get it.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Friends

This weekend Isabella and Charlotte were able to see some of there friends.

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