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Think Pink

in order to get to coronado iland yoo hav to go ovr a majical bridj in the sky

unforchoonatly evn tho it is very high and shaypd like an arch it is not the famus rainbow bridj and so i did not get to see pooh bear the kitty on the other side of it howevr i did see a grate big beech

unlike most beeches this wun allowz dogs to run and play off leed me and tucker wer so eksited that we kept pulling on the leed and becuz mama stops wawking wen we pul it tuk us a long long time to get to the beech trixie got their at least a week ahed of us and then had to wayt for us to ketch up

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"What is the holdup already???"

at long last we finaly reechd the beech ware off in the distans from dog beech yoo can see the hyooj fortres nown as the hotel del coronado as yoo can tell from the spires and turrits this fortres is inhabited by elvs and pikseez and prinsesses of varyus sorts however we didnt go their so i didnt get to meet them

wunse we arrivd tucker wuz verry puzzeld becuz wile this is kleerly sum sort of dog park it is not feeesta iland and normaly wen we ar in the car for this long and get owt at a playse with dogs and water it meenz we ar at feeesta iland

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"Where am I?  This isn't Fiesta Island!  I'm confused!  Where's mom?  Where's Trixie?  Who are all these people?  I'm old and befuddled!"

it turns owt that wile feeesta iland sits in sumthing calld mishun bay coronado dog beech sits in sumthing calld the passific oshun wich is much much biggr and is full of things calld wayvs

and the thing abowt wayvs is that they chayse yoo

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Ocean 1, Vizslas 0

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Ocean 2, Vizslas 0

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"Is the ocean still there?"

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"I still don't know where the heck I am!  Mommmmmmm!"

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Ocean 2, Vizslas 1

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Ocean 3, Vizslas 1

[wpvideo ro5GFY2W]

Ocean 4, Vizslas 1

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Ocean 5, Vizslas 1 (seeing a pattern yet?)

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Ocean 6, Vizslas 1

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Ocean 7, Vizslas 1

after we wer dun at dog beech mama and dada tuk us to a neerby owtdoor shopping senter ware they got sum greek fud frum an owtdoor cafe and then we wanderd arownd the areea for a littel wile as yoo can see we got a gud vyoo of sandy eggo from across the harbor

hay wot is that stuf stikking owt of the grownd?

egad!!!!! this is kleerly sum sort of top sekret gofer fasility cleverly hidden in the middel of a shopping senter behind a chayn fense and sum hedjes!!!!! there nef ... nefari ... there evil plan to tayk ovr the wurld is mooving forward evn as we speek! forchoonatly i hav menny mor peepul in africa and elseware hoo ar trying to send me lots and lots of munny so soon i will be abel to retreev the gofer broke from undergrownd and continyoo with my mishun to thwart the vast rodent konspeerasy ok bye

Aurelia is the only heir to the throne of Tyralt. Or so she believes. Her father, the king, is still alive and wants to make her the best Queen that he thinks she should be. When there have been assassination  attempts on Aurelia's life,  he  fears that she will  freak out and doesn't want her to worry and decides that she is better off not knowing about them. He hires his former royal spy, but what he doesn't expect his for the spy to refuse to come. Instead the son of the former spy, and former classmate of Aurelia, takes the case.

We are lead to believe that Robert, the son of the former spy, is only there to find the assassin. We know that there are some personal reasons, but are not told what they are. Well, ladies and gentleman, it's not that hard to figure out. He's got a crush on the princess. Duh.... Well, it gets interesting when there are plenty of assassination attempts on her life and no one with the ability to make all those attempts. There are more than a few people in on the plot and Robert the amateur spy has to find out how to make these people slip up and catch them.

I don't know that I make this book sound as awesome as it was. Yes, it was kind of obvious who was who and all that, but that wasn't the main focus of the book. Not only was it about finding out who was trying to kill the Princess, but also about the characters finding out who they are and how to handle that. They learn to accept their choices and their lives and do something about it. Plus there was some romance thrown in that is always a plus, yes people I like a little romance.

I think anyone who likes history or princessy tales would love this. Yes, I just made up a word. I'm cool like that. Oh and a lot of talk about horses. Horsey loves would like this too!!

Elvis lives, ladies and gentlemen, in Richmond.  Though he apparently has taken up wearing plaid oxford shirts and brown shorts.

However, this is not about Elvis (the title notwithstanding), this is about a princess named Elizabeth.

The Paper Bag Princess, by Robert Munsch, is one of my newest favorite children's books.  Thanks to Meredith, Colin, and Darcy Yuckman for introducing me to it.

You can read it in its entirety in about five minutes, so I won't spoil it for you.  I think it's smart, clever, and empowering.  Most of my friends agree.

My mother, on the other hand, when I read her the book, said, "What kind of story is that?"  (Her language was somewhat stronger.)  Not criticizing, Mom.  Just saying this is not your average princess story.

My niece, Lily, currently is obsessed with all things princess.  She is ready for a surprise Halloween party at any moment with her princess gear in tow, including dress, tiara, jewelry, and pudding.  (Pudding, it seems, is the food of choice for Michigan-dwelling princesses.)

She's too young to understand the story's finer points.  Her parents think I'm crazy.  She loves my dog, and by association, me.  (I can only get her to talk to me on the phone if I tell her Reilly wants to say hi.)  She doesn't actually like being read to yet, but sometimes she'll indulge me.  This book's been added to our list.

Yay?

First, those little freaks aren't allowed upstairs because they cannot control themselves...although I assume she came in from outside, having refused to relieve herself in the rain because everyone KNOWS Princesses cannot DO that...and then in a rush of glee, running as fast as she could upstairs and skidding to a stop on my bed (and realizing I wasn't there)...she just let loose.

There are words for animals like that.

"I'm not a dinosaur, I'm your mama."
"But you are a mama dinosaur."
"Okay!"

"I am a skunk."
"I'll be the baby skunk and you be the mommy skunk."
"Okay. Hello, baby!" (FYI: Nigel is the mommy skunk.)
"Where are we going?"
"To our home. We live in a box in a hole."
"Something is in our box!"
"Let's crawl, let's go, we have... we have... We walk like this, baby skunk!" And Nigel 'crawls' away, on hands and feet, butt in the air.
"I'm gon sleep on this couch."
"And I'm gon sweep on this couch."
"Ouch. This couch is hurtin' me."
"That couch doesn't hurt you."
"No."

"It's sunny outside today."
"We won't have breakfast today."
"Let's go home again."
"Okay, it's this way!"
"I'll be the baby skunk, and you be the mommy skunk." (Now Emily is the mommy skunk.)
"Where are we going, baby skunk?"
"We are going to our home."
"That's where we stink, in our home."
"I need a mattress."
"And food. This is food in the mattress."
"In my tummy."
"Is that breakfast in your tummy?"

"I'm making mattresses so I can sleep."
"This is my mattress."
"This is mine."
"Goodnight, baby skunk!"
"Goodnight, mummy skunk!"

"I need a blanket. Do you need a blanket?"
"Nope."
"We can both sleep with it, if we want to."
"Nope. It is just time for you to stop talkin' and go a sleep."

"I can be the princess and you can come save me."
"I'll come save you."
"I live in a castle."
"I live in a biiiig castle."
"Yes, and we will SLEEP in it, okay?"
"But there's no doors and steps in it."
"Yes, there is a door and a step, see? You go in the castle, okay?"
"I can't do it."
"But you can sleep in it, right?"
"Yes."
"You can go somewhere else, and I'll sleep in this castle. Go. Go to your castle."
"Okay, I'll sleep here."
"Come save me now."
"Okay, okay, I'm coming. There. Now I will sleep."

"Oh, the princess is a skunk. The princess is a baby skunk."
"And a mommy skunk?"
"No, I am sleeping over there. I always sleep over there."
"I'm really tired."
"And I am a skunk."
"Me, too. A tired skunk."
"Yes, and now I can go to sleep! That feels better, that feels better."

"Can you turn off the light, please, mama?"
"Sure!"

"Mary, I have to go pee."
"Okay, you go pee, then."
"I'm goin' pee, Emily."
"Okay. See you soon!"

The end. My fingers are tired.

Once upon a time there was a young prince who believed in all things but three. He did not believe in princesses, he did not believe in islands, and he did not believe in God. His father, the king, told him that such things did not exist. As there were no princesses or islands in his father's domains, and no sign of God, the prince believed his father.

But then, one day, the prince ran away from his palace and came to the next land. There, to his astonishment, from every coast he saw islands, and on these islands, strange and troubling creatures whom he dared not name. As he was searching for a boat, a man in full evening dress approached him along the shore.

"Are those real islands?" asked the young prince.
"Of course they are real islands," said the man in evening dress.
"And those strange and troubling creatures?"
"They are all genuine and authentic princesses."
"Then God must also exist!" cried the young prince.
"I am God," replied the man in evening dress, with a bow.

The young prince returned home as quickly as he could.

"So, you are back," said his father, the king.
"I have seen islands, I have seen princesses, I have seen God," said the prince reproachfully.
The king was unmoved.
"Neither real islands, real princesses nor a real God exist."
"I saw them!"
"Tell me how God was dressed."
"God was in full evening dress."
"Were the sleves of his coat rolled back?"
The prince remembered that they had been. The king smiled.
"That is the uniform of a magician. You have been deceived."

At this, the prince returned to the next land and went to the same shore, where once again he came upon the man in full evening dress.

"My father, the king, has told me who you are," said the prince indignantly. "You deceived me last time, but not again. Now I know that those are not real islands and real princesses, because you are a magician."
The man on the shore smiled.
"It is you who are deceived, my boy. In your father's kingdom, there are many islands and many princesses. But you are under your father's spell, so you cannot see them."

The prince pensively returned home. When he saw his father, he looked him in the eye.
"Father, is it true that you are not a real king, but only a magician?"
The king smiled and rolled back his sleeves.
"Yes, my son, I'm only a magician."
"Then the man on the other shore was God."
"The man on the other shore was another magician."
"I must know the truth, the truth beyond magic."
"There is no truth beyond magic," said the king.
The prince was full of sadness. He said "I will kill myself."
The king by magic caused Death to appear. Death stood in the door and beckoned to the prince. The prince shuddered. He remembered the beautiful but unreal islands and the unreal but beautiful princesses.
"Very well," he said, "I can bear it".
"You see, my son," said the king, "you, too, now begin to be a magician."

From "The Magus" by John Fowles.

I remember hearing the word cynicism some time in high school, attempting to use it in a conversation, and realizing that I didn't quite get it.  Distrust was as foreign as meanness.

I remember turning bright red, again in high school, when I used the word fuck for the first time.  I was embarrassed.  And then embarrassed more when I realized my friends were on to my embarrassment.  Who would need to use a word with such foul connotation on a regular basis?

I remember being told I was naive, gullible, a drama queen, romantic, innocent, cry-baby, and my least favorite: "Goody Two-shoes."

So I learned the definition of sarcasm and perfected the art to the point where sometimes people can't actually tell when I'm being sarcastic.  I've been told it's a New England skill; one I should be proud of.

I also worked on my cynicism.  Of course, that one took more time.  It took life experience, heartache and disapointment.

And I learned to swear.  Boy, did I learn to swear.

I convinced the world I wasn't an innocent.  You can't step on me, world, I have experience, I can be mean, I can be ruthless, I can bruise the very air with my words.

But after a time, I realized that this act only went so far.  The people who took the time to get to know me, saw right through it, and liked what they saw.  I was liked for being little Goody Two-shoes me.  I didn't need to prove my strength to the world through force.  It was okay to take my time, dream of candle light, sing silly songs, and say things like 'bother' instead of 'fuck.'  It was okay to be considered cute, silly, romantic even.

Truth be told, it's hard work, proving to the world you're something that you're not.  And I rather prefer not to be cynical, sarcastic and foul-mouthed anyways.

Someday I'd like to be brave enough to admit out loud to people that I actually really like princess movies, I read teen adventure and fantasy novels, and that if you cared to ask me, I would definitely go to a ball in a big poofy gown.  And I would say all this without a hint of sarcasm.

It appears that our yesterday’s favorite cartoon characters are getting extreme makeovers to cater to the modern tastes of today’s kids. According to the New York Times, these classic characters are being “freshened up” in order to add upward momentum to the rough sloping economy.

Apparently, the YouTube generation is interested in less belly fat and more muscles. Less “cutesy” and more streamline. Fewer calories and more cell phones. Seriously. What ever happened to nostalgia for days when we didn’t need to think about all that stuff?

Impossibly thin waists and the buff bods have been popular among fairy princesses and hulky princes, respectively, but how about the Care-bears and Little Miss Shortcake?

Strawberry Shortcake went under the figurative knife and was revealed this past Tuesday. Labeled a “fruit-forward” makeover, she was stripped of her bloomers, went on a diet (no more sweets, more fruit!), put down her cat, and picked up a cell phone. No more freckles and of course, more pink—now her signature color in place of her customary red. She looks a lot more “little mermaid” than “strawberry sweetie” from yesteryear.

Toys and toons aimed at boys are also getting a little nip-tuck. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are loosing a bit of their ‘tude and gaining more muscles. Think—turtles on steroids.

Other nostalgic characters getting a face—and body-lift? Bugs bunny, Scoobie Doo, and the Care bears, the latter getting a little lipo to loose the belly fat and eyelash extensions to enhance the eyes.

The companies are trying to appeal to the kids without going too far—attempting to stay away from the hypersexualized and increasingly violent media landscape ever-present today. Even Mickey Mouse will be getting into the action.

Companies like Disney are giving nostalgic characters an update in an attempt to appeal to both modern kids and today’s parents--parents who are trying to protect their youngsters from seeing too much, considering the recent Miley Cyrus exposure and other young stars who are becoming less predictable and more out of control. Not to mention other brands that have gone way to far towards sexualizing the most mundane toys to appeal to Paris-Hilton-like children such as the Disney Horses—Strutz (for girls who are on the cutting edge of what's hot in fashion)

They’re also wary of changing their brand too much or sending out items that parents don’t like as Mattel did in 1993 when they spruced up the classic Ken doll with a poorly chosen purple mesh T-shirt, leather vest, earring, and high-lighted coif. Warner Brothers made a similar marketing mistake when they revamped Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in 2005, full with mohawks and crazy eyes in the series “Lunatics.”

Are cartoon portrayals such a big deal?

According to numerous studies, it may be.

“the depictions about gender roles seen by children could impact and interact with both the expectations they develop about relationships and appropriate behavior, and their future life decisions. It is important to keep in mind, too, that the concern about stereotyping is not less severe because these are cartoons and not "real life." Although this issue has not been definitely settled by research, several studies have indicated that young children accept fantasy as reality and cannot always distinguish well between the two. -- Sex Roles: A Journal of Research by Thompson et al.

WEIGH IN

What do you think? Is it a good thing for these toy and cartoon companies to reflect a more streamline, beauty-oriented, techno-culture in our children’s cartoons or should they be leaving things the way they are? Are cartoons getting too sexed up for the kids or are people making too much of a big deal about the whole thing?

Please comment below!

Looking forward to hearing your opinions.

Photo credits: New York Times, Google, Strutz Site, TOFC, themanbehindtheearring.com, wikipedia

It can be difficult to cope when it seems that our children are growing up too soon. Parents often have a love-hate relationship with much of the media when it comes to their children. Especially their daughters. On the one hand you have the hypersexualization of women and girls in music videos, magazines, internet games and advertisements, and on the other hand you have the classics we all used to love—like Sesame Street and Disney. But as adults, even are old favorites sometimes get on our nerves. Yes, as parents, we have a new perspective.

The following article is a guest post from Vicki, a parent, just like you, who just wants what’s best for her child. As Powerful Parents who know the importance of character education and values discussions in families, we’d love to hear your perspective. You can read her article as well as my response to her regarding at least some ways that she can deal with her frustrations with the Disney Princesses and Barbie, who have clearly gotten on her last nerve.

The Princesses Are Sexualizing My Daughter

Reagan has been “into” the Disney Princesses for years now. INTO them. She’s got reading books, coloring books, sticker books, puzzles, dress-up clothes, regular clothes, CDs, movies, toys, dolls, you name it she’s had one with a princess somewhere on it. We even went to Disney World in conjunction with her sixth birthday so she could enjoy meeting the princesses while she was still in that phase.

There was a time when we tried to ban the princesses. It was a couple years ago and we were idealistic thinking that if we told everyone that we weren’t “doing” the princesses that they would stop giving her things with princesses on them. That did not work. And the ban seemed to deepen her interest. Funny how that works. We couldn’t really express why we were banning them. That would lead to more questions.

“Why can’t I have that Princess coloring book?”
“Because we don’t do Princesses?”
“Why don’t we do Princesses?”
“Because they promote the wrong image?”
“What’s an image?” “What’s promote?” “Why don’t we do Princesses?”
“Here’s the coloring book.”

That’s not how it would end. She wouldn’t get the coloring book. But eventually we gave in and she did start acquiring that stuff again. At some time we thought we could counteract the Princesses. We introduced her to Veggie Tales, Dora, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Hello Kitty (I will never understand why someone finds princesses better than Hello Kitty. She is the best. The. End.), and many other characters. Her desire was always for the Princesses.

Now she knows practically everything about them. What is starting to bother me is that she’s starting to emulate them. Wanting to be more like them. For a while when she would put on a nightgown with a stretchy neck, she’d pull it off one shoulder and walk around with her head tilted towards that shoulder. And look at us with batting eyes. I would promptly ask her to

“Cover your shoulder, girls don’t dress like that.”
“So and so Princess does.”
“You’re not So and so Princess.”

We could live with that because there ain’t no way she’s exiting the house while under my supervision with a shoulder bare like that (visualize me doing the three snap). Unless she’s got a part in some 80s theater production and has on a super baggy sweatshirt and some type of covering underneath.

BUT NOW!!! THE REASON I’M BABBLING ON!!! Just the other night, after her dance recital, she had a friend spend the night. They were getting ready for bed in the bathroom and this is what I heard:

Reagan: “Do you know who my boyfriend is?”
Friend: “Who?”
R: “E****. It used to be S****, and then P****, but now it’s E****.”
F: Crickets
R: “I’d so kiss him. I really would. I really would kiss him.”

WHAT!!??!!??!!?? Where is she getting this stuff from?!?!? It took a couple of days to process. It’s from the freaking Princess characters. And Barbie, she’s not off the hook either. They all are lost in some way. They all need to be saved. They all find their knight in shining armor (or however he may be dressed). And they all kiss in the end with that stupid look of love between them. And what I’m just beginning to realize is this:

You can’t really tell how old the princesses are can you!?!? Or Barbie…

NO, you can’t. The only one, I believe, who mentions her age is Ariel. Disobeying her father at a ripe old age of 16. All of these Princesses look young and girls can totally see themselves playing the part. In fact, mentally picturing all of them, I couldn’t place an age on any of them. Heck, I could see myself playing the part. Girls are learning, ever so subtly, that at their young age they should be finding their one true love and kissing them and getting married.

I don’t think Reagan knows what she means when she says that she really would kiss this boy. She sees Mommy and Daddy kiss and hug, mind you not enough, but I doubt she actually has the moxie to go up and kiss a boy that she doesn’t even have the guts to tell that he’s her boyfriend. How do I know that? Sunday School. You know, the place they’re supposed to go and learn about Jesus? Reagan told a friend that E**** was her boyfriend. So this girl marches right up to him and tells him. His reaction. Nothing. I’m so glad.

So, what’s a Mom and Dad to do? We’re so deep into Princesses and Barbie. Will nightly conversations about this remedy the situation? Will banning the stuff with zero tolerance starting now work? Where is Dr. Dobson when you want to have a heart to heart with him right on the living room sofa? Pray for us please. And seriously, give suggestions.

Dear Vicki,

It's frustrating to raise girls when media keeps telling them that they need to look a certain way in order to get attention. The Disney princess enterprise keeps growing, it's not going anywhere, and it's certainly something that many parents must deal with everyday.

I've got several ideas but let's start here. Ask her what she loves about the princesses. You may be surprised. There are always things we like and dislike about friends and other people in our lives-- but we don't shut them out even if we don't agree with them.

• Go Positive: Take the Powerful Words approach and build from the positive side. Find something that you like about those princesses-- do they have determination and go after something they really want? Do they have goals and dreams? Do they have nice singing voices? Do they show that they're good friends to their friends? Are they kind? Grateful? Giving? Start focusing on the positive. Praise what you like.
• Cite the Negative: You can also be very straightforward about what you don't like about them so that your daughter is clear about your values. In the spirit of "honesty" month, be clear yet age appropriate. Is it their style of dress? Their choices? Their “pinkness?” We want our daughters to get out of the habit of thinking that girls can only look, act, and be one way. Let them know what bothers you and keep it simple.
• Model What You Want to See: As you know, since I write a character curriculum and advise parents on instilling values in their children, I often talk about modeling and discussing what you would like to see in your children. Your example is stronger than any 2-dimensional character could ever be.
• Expose Her to Fabulous 3-D Role Models: Have some great friends or local heroes that really show your daughter what a girl can become? Allow your daughter to have “tea” or lunch with them. The more we can expose our girls to powerful, positive women and teens, the more they will see that reality is much better than fantasy.
• Get Her Into A Positive Activity: Challenge the stereotypes and ensure that your daughter is involved in activities that isn’t all pink and frills. Choose sports that make her feel powerful. Perhaps a martial arts, power tumbling or modern dance class would bring out a different side of her. Any of the Powerful Words Member Schools will also ensure that she’s learning strong character development—not just the physical—which will get her to thrive from the inside out.

If she knows what you like and what you don't like, is challenging the stereotypes, and is exposed to powerful, positive women, you might be surprised the next time you pass by the bathroom filled with girls-- she may just say something like "I like that she's good to her friends but she doesn't always make the best choices."

Let me know how it goes.

Other articles or cites that deal with similar media topics:

Girls Media Maven

Corporate Babysitter:

Final Call

Packaging Girlhood

Shaping Youth

There was a time when we tried to ban the princesses. It was a couple years ago and we were idealistic thinking that if we told everyone that we weren't "doing" the princesses that they would stop giving her things with princesses on them. That did not work. And the ban seemed to deepen her interest. Funny how that works. We couldn't really express why we were banning them. That would lead to more questions.

"Why can't I have that Princess coloring book?"
"Because we don't do Princesses?"
"Why don't we do Princesses?"
"Because they promote the wrong image?"
"What's an image?" "What's promote?" "Why don't we do Princesses?"
"Here's the coloring book."

That's not how it would end. She wouldn't get the coloring book. But eventually we gave in and she did start acquiring that stuff again. At some time we thought we could counteract the Princesses. We introduced her to Veggie Tales, Dora, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Hello Kitty (I will never understand why someone finds princesses better than Hello Kitty. She is the best. The. End.), and many other characters. Her desire was always for the Princesses.

Now she knows practically everything about them. What is starting to bother me is that she's starting to emulate them. Wanting to be more like them. For a while when she would put on a nightgown with a stretchy neck, she'd pull it off one shoulder and walk around with her head tilted towards that shoulder. And look at us with batting eyes. I would promptly ask her to

"cover your shoulder, girls don't dress like that."
"So and so Princess does."
"You're not So and so Princess."

We could live with that because there ain't no way she's exiting the house while under my supervision with a shoulder bare like that (visualize me doing the three snap). Unless she's got a part in some 80s theater production and has on a super baggy sweatshirt and some type of covering underneath.

BUT NOW!!! THE REASON I'M BABBLING ON!!! Just the other night, after her dance recital, she had a friend spend the night. They were getting ready for bed in the bathroom and this is what I heard:

Reagan: "Do you know who my boyfriend is?"
Friend: "Who?"
R: "E****. It used to be S****, and then P****, but now it's E****."
F: Crickets
R: "I'd so kiss him. I really would. I really would kiss him."

WHAT!!??!!??!!?? Where is she getting this stuff from?!?!? It took a couple of days to process. It's from the freaking Princess characters. And Barbie, she's not off the hook either. They all are lost in some way. They all need to be saved. They all find their knight in shining armor (or however he may be dressed). And they all kiss in the end with that stupid look of love between them. And what I'm just beginning to realize is this:

You can't really tell how old the princesses are can you!?!? Or Barbie...

NO, you can't. The only one, I believe, who mentions her age is Ariel. Disobeying her father at a ripe old age of 16. All of these Princesses look young and girls can totally see themselves playing the part. In fact, mentally picturing all of them, I couldn't place an age on any of them. Heck, I could see myself playing the part. Girls are learning, ever so subtly, that at their young age they should be finding their one true love and kissing them and getting married.

I don't think Reagan knows what she means when she says that she really would kiss this boy. She sees Mommy and Daddy kiss and hug, mind you not enough, but I doubt she actually has the moxie to go up and kiss a boy that she doesn't even have the guts to tell that he's her boyfriend. How do I know that?  Sunday School. You know, the place they're supposed to go and learn about Jesus? Reagan told a friend that E**** was her boyfriend. So this girl marches right up to him and tells him. His reaction. Nothing. I'm so glad.

So, what's a Mom and Dad to do? We're so deep into Princesses and Barbie. Will nightly conversations about this remedy the situation? Will banning the stuff with zero tolerance starting now work? Where is Dr. Dobson when you want to have a heart to heart with him right on the living room sofa? Pray for us please. And seriously, give suggestions.

Another group of little princesses enjoyed our Musical Princess Day on May 17th. We had such a great time another one is in the planning stages. Keep watching for a chance to let your little princess participate!

When she uncovers a wizard’s plot to trick the dragons, Cimorene must use all her un-princessly skills (common sense, magic and fencing) to save the day. This is the first in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles and readers will finish the book with a smile, and look forward to starting the next volume, Searching for Dragons.

Ye Loyal Subjects Must Be Allowed To Finish Ye Cornish Game Hen

Over the years the spectacle that is Medieval Times evolved into a tournament held amongst European Knights on horses who would often compete in this "jousting" match for the love of a fair maiden. Most times these tournaments would never reach their logical conclusion seeing as the red knight had a penchant for swooping up the Princess or a random yet strikingly beautiful peasant child bride that all of the other knights had their eye on before she could even finish her Cornish Game Hen. A stolen princess would often be returned after a few days due to the fact that her chastity belt could not be unlocked and the tournament would re-commence lest that Knight be a skilled Metalsmith.

Ye Must Alway Be Wary Of The Red Knight...A Skilled Metalsmith

Current incarnations of Medieval Times are held in family friendly arenas of the suburban Kingdoms of New Jersey, Florida, and Orange County, California. They are a popular destination for Elementary Schools looking to teach children of the more "fun" aspects of Medieval life as they conveniently gloss over the horrors of both the plague and the crusades in favor of the delightful dinner combination of Cornish Game Hen (sans utensils) and Pepsi drank from an ornate chalice. However, every tournament still ends with the victorious knight picking a princess or peasant child-bride from the audience whether her parents approve or not. Nonetheless, Medieval Times is puts a modern day spin on a tradition of old, making it an absolutely friendly and trendy way to catch a fine evening of sport coupled with an inaccurate depiction of history and the opportunity to marry off your daughter at an age presently deemed to be entirely too young.

Apparemment, leur revendication porte sur "le droit à une vie de contes de fées pour toutes".

Un concours original, c'est le mot, permet de gagner des t-shirts Melazic à ceux qui ont la fibre créative.

"Transformer n'importe quel crapaud en prince charmant" c'est possible, d'après le FLP.
Le site propose 7 leçons en vidéos sur un ton décalé pour devenir un prince charmant.

Seules 2 vidéos sont disponible pour l'instant, mais ça donne envie de voir la suite...

La leçon 1 nous présente une belle équipe de bôfs aidant un pote dans un remake à la pretty woman. Personnellement, j'adore le mode "Chicco".

La leçon 2 était disponible sur le site la semaine passée, mais aujourd'hui plus... Après une petite recherche j'ai déniché l'adresse Dailymotion des vidéos ;-P

Voilà la leçon n°2, Comment obtenir un carrosse...

Laissez-nous un commentaire pour nous dire ce que vous pensez de ce savant mélange de Buzz-Viral-Street. Connaissiez-vous l'existence du site www.princecharmant.ch ?

                              "GONE....BUT NOT FORGOTTEN"

Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy (aka Mrs. Joseph patrick Kennedy, aka Countess Rose Kennedy) holding Joe, Jr (circa 1918)....President John F. Kennedy, U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy and U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy....

HRH Princess Grace of Monaco (with Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie)

HRH Princess Diana (with young Prince William and young Prince Harry)

Best  Mother's Day gift for these "legendary mothers" ?  Oscar Heymann's Ruby (and Diamond) necklace  (Cost: $320,000) or  Oscar Heymann's Emerald and Diamond bracelet (Cost: $10,000).  And.... for a sleep "fit for a Queen"  why not Leron's Hand Embroidered Bed Linens.  It takes an entire year to make--to complete--just one set  of Leron's bed linens.  (Cost per set: $10,000)....

                                  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Disney will distribute Renee Baker Studios' first motion picture, in theatres worldwide, under an "output deal" valued at $73.5 million dollars.  U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy will "remain" Renee Ashley Baker's co-producer/consultant....

Miley Cyrus – I’m sick of this girl. She’s always on the headlines even though she just strikes a peace-sign. Like peace is granted for pricking the air with your two fingers? I don’t really watch Hannah Montana because I was turned off when I tried. Her voice is excruciatingly eardrum-breaking! It is very irksome next to that sticky sound of crumpled balloon and metal on metal. This girl really needs more voice lessons from Dad. Sold out concerts? It’s because she gives hope to 67% of the population who do not have good voice. Now she’s pretty popping up in Vanity Fair magazine with only a blanket and people made a noisy buzz out of it. Hello… it wasn’t at all sexy. It was like anorexic 10 year old girl suffering from a fatal disease! So never hope for this girl. She won’t exactly match the Princess Identity.

Jillian Hall – If there’s another source of sexy sultry to-be Princesses on cam, that would be WWE Women’s Wrestling. But have you heard of this hilarious Britney minion on Raw? Yeah. Jillian Hall is her name and I know I must not pay much attention to her because she’s not really worth it. She’s there for wrestling but all she does is sing with her platinum voice (like the metal platinum is really stuck in her throat). The worse thing is that she imitates Britney but Britney is more tolerable because she goes out with her edited lip-synch minus one. But Jillian? Off key, screechy, corny joke time, [insert all insulting words here]. And definitely, she should be out of the entourage. Please.

Olsen Twins – Enough said. I’d rather stick with the Simpsons. Well that is if only four of them remain as women of the world.

Now it gets even harder to dream of the right Princess because the list has been trimmed. But the thing is, it was trimmed for the better. I love it. Now I just have to deal with 100 more – Megan Fox, Leighton Meester, Scarlett Johansson (Check out her Vid!), Natalie Portman, Penelope Cruz, [insert other FHM’s 100 sexiest women here], etc. It’s such an arduous task to be a Prince. Just give me the glass slippers, okay?

Now slipping in the snug blanket,
PC

For our D week, Charlize practiced writing the big and small letter Dd, she's learning to count and write 1-30 (using the calendar), she matched items with equal numbers, and we read 101 Dalmatians & Dumbo before going to bed.

I haven't done "cutesy" layouts in a long time and it was fun playing with the pastel colors again. I bought this mini-album specifically for Charlize's 1st trip to Disneyland (the castle shape is oh so appropriate!).

It's a good thing we started our relocation with a trip to Disneyland. You can see the change in Charlize. She is such a shy girl but when she was with the princesses she came out of her shell. We we're amazed at how she just talked to them like they were her long-time friends! Saying she had a blast is an understatement. It was a magical time for all of us. And here's sharing our happy memories....