Free answers to all those $%&* questions

There area good days, and there are bad days.

Yesterday was one of those bad days. I was woken up at 6:00 AM with a little voice asking me...a question. I mean at 6 in the morning I don't care what the freakin question is - it's annoying and way to early to be in my room!

But what makes a really bad day is when the questions continue...all...day...long.

While I'm fumbling around the kitchen getting their lunches together, "Mommy, why are some people small and some people big?" On the walk to school, "Mommy, what makes a flower smell?" On the way to riding lessons, "Mom, how do the builders make roads?"

After a day like that I feel frustrated AND dumb. But now when I'm out of answers and feel the real Scary in me coming out, I have a resource at the tip of my fingers

I no longer have to reply with 'I don't know', or 'Ask your father' or 'That's a great question for your teacher!'

I can simply go to Chacha.com or text 242242 with the question and get an answer within minutes, if not seconds! And, it's free - text charges apply of course.

Here are two questions and the answers I received in under one minute:

Q. What is the E in 'Chuck E Cheese' for?
A. "The 'E' in Chuck E. Cheese stands for entertainment. The company that owns it is CEC Entertainment."

Q. Why is the sky blue?
A. "A cloudless sky is blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light."

How do they do it? Chacha.com hires guides ...blah, blah, blah. I don't really care!
The fact that they give me a logical sounding answer and I don't have to use the brain power to even be creative and come up with one of my own is what is important here.

Try it next time you want to impress your friends, quiet your kids, or resolve that argument you've had going for years with your husband about the most economical temperature setting for your HVAC...you get the idea.

Twofer Thumbs Up to Chacha.com!
ScaryMom

The Wonderful World of Woogi

Imagine, if you will, a place online where where kids are encouraged to do good deeds and where their efforts pay off in the real world...what? Yes: play online, do good deeds, get rewarded in real life.

That place is Woogi World.

Woogi World gets a big Twofer Thumbs Up from me for these reasons:

It is a world where kids learn about internet safety as well as how to find a balance between time spent on the computer, with time spent doing other important things.

Kids are rewarded when they watch videos that discuss real world values.

Rewards for community service happen in real life with letters of recognition from state governors and senators (this is a first I believe).

There is the opportunity to start learning financial responsibility without risking real money. (This excites me because I'm tired of watching them blow what little they have on stupid plastic stuff that breaks and makes a mess within hours!)

Plus, it's fun! The Twofer loved picking out their personal Woogi World character and checking out their Wigwam, then exploring the neighborhood and playing games too. Next we learned that we cannot afford to adopt a pet and that motivated them to get going on earning (and saving) some Watts (Woogi money).

I disabled the chat feature until they get a better feel for the site. I'm not opposed to it because it's set up to be ultra safe. I just don't want them distracted from learning how to be an active participant in the Woogi World community. (See, times like these and I start to think I'm not so Scary).

The best part? Most of this is FREE with the basic membership. Just go to Woogi World, sign up for the free basic membership, and start playing!

Meet us at the Shark game!
ScaryMom (L and M too)

Special thanks to Mom Central for another really cool opportunity!

Our Little House on the Prairie Night

Oh don't get your knickers in a bunch. I'm ScaryMom - so it's not gonna be all "Night Maw, Night Paw", but it was as close as I'm ever gonna get and here's why: the TV was off the whole evening, I was NOT on the Mac (until now) and we spent about 3 hours outside...talking to each other!

I know, I know. Crazy right?

A few weeks ago I bought a fire bowl thing for our back patio and tonight was the first fire!

L and M getting ready to burn things

Things that made me feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder:
1. We burned things.
2. We "cooked" s'mores over the fire (if you count chocolate in one hand, graham cracker in the other and a burnt 'shmallow in your mouth a s'more).
3. We told scary stories.
4. I saw 2 shooting stars.

M & L with S'mores fixins

Things that kept me from donning a bonnet and a hoopskirt:

1. The stories quickly turned silly and disgusting with lots of potty-mouth words that I'm sure Maw and Paw would not have put up with.

2. For the first time I heard the racket that the crickets, frogs, and whatever else that lives in my backyard make and I can't fathom how anyone gets to sleep when camping.

3. The glow from Mr. Scary's laptop was somewhat distracting, but hey - at least he was out there and managed to be part of the conversation!

4. The booming voice of the announcer and the faint cheer of the crowd at the local high school football game brought me back to reality quickly.

All in all it was quality time together and the fact that we all smell like roasted pork is a small price to pay when your kids go to bed saying "that was the best night ever".

Charred but smiling,
ScaryMom

Mmmmmm mashed potatoes in minutes

I am a skeptic...blame my mother (sorry mom but you're used to getting thrown under the bus by me I can't change just because it's in a blog).

I am also a mashed potato snob of sorts.
I like to put mine through a ricer, then hand mash them, THEN take the hand mixer to them for light and fluffy homemade mashed potatoes.

I often don't like the restaurant versions that everyone else does and feel I can make them better. I have made mashed potatoes flavored with garlic, Monterey Jack & sour cream, dill, chives, etc. but prefer plain with light salt.

When I'm in a rush, I have my own version of "instant": microwave, peel, and mash with just the hand masher and some milk and butter.

I came up with this method only after trying all the others:
boxed, frozen, refrigerated...and "doctoring" them up to taste a little better.

So when I saw the new Ore-Ida Steam n'Mash potatoes I just couldn't believe it would taste as good as homemade. I read the ingredients and liked it -potatoes, salt, and something I can't pronounce but basically keeps them fresh. The directions were easy too...similar to my quick method but without the peeling...the part I really hate!

And the taste? Well, when I asked the Twofer they said "39 thumbs up!". Why 39? I have no idea. Mr. Scary liked them as well and as for yours truly? A big Twofer Thumbs Up to Ore-Ida Steam n' Mash potatoes from this tater snob! They tasted like real potatoes (they are real potatoes so that's no huge surprise). Had a light and fluffy consistency (and I didn't bring out the ricer or the hand mixer!). And were ready in 13 minutes!

For the record, I bought the plain kind but they come in cheese, garlic, and sweet potatoes too.

I also have a small stack of coupons for $1.00 off for the first 8 people to leave a comment! So if you want one, let me know (and tell me where to send it if you don't live near me).

Mmm eating the leftovers,
ScaryMom

Third week of school, first phone call from the school nurse.

It is the reason I keep my cell phone with me at all times: work, running errands, at yoga (silenced of course), on a walk, even at home!

Only once did I get the call when the Twofer was in preschool. M had an earache and by the time I got to the school (30 min. post phone call) she was in agony and completely melting down in her teacher's lap.

Today I got that call. Just after yoga while I was in the grocery store and had luckily turned the ringer back on.

M somehow hit her head on the monkey bars (Aren't those the things you hang down from? How exactly would you hit your head ON them?)

So yes, she's fine and still in school. Part of me felt like a cool mom in the grocery line, taking a call from the school nurse, and brushing it off like an old pro.

The other part of me had a very strong urge to visit the school and see how big the bump was and do that eye test to make sure she doesn't have a concussion....you see how easily the neurotic in me creeps up?

Update: When I picked up the Twofer from school I got 2 completely different versions of what happened.
And so it goes...
SM