Typical Suburban Family

I love that Owen just came up here and said, “Mommy. Ryan’s pinching me.” to which I respond “Owen. You two need to work it out. I don’t want you to come up here to tattletale. You can come up and tell me something nice, but don’t tattletale. Just work it out.”

He walks away not saying anything to me. As he is walking down the stairs I hear “Ryan. Mom said stop pinching me. It’s not nice.”

I guess that is “Owen’s way” of working it out.

It’s not often that I stop at the grocery store mid-week, early morning.

Today was an exception.

I had a very early morning meeting across Atlanta today.  By very early, I mean I had to be there at 6am.  Ridiculous.

Since the meeting was so early, it was still pretty early when I made it back to my side of the city.  I had a sick kiddo at home, but needed to run into the grocery store quick for some milk.  While I was there I quickly ordered Emma’s cupcakes for her first birthday party too.  Simple and uneventful right?

Wrong.

While I was waiting in line to pay for the items, I couldn’t help but notice the woman in front of me.  She was very eccentric with big hair and bright, bold, flowing clothes.  Her makeup was done to a tee and she looked very nicely put together out doing a little early morning shopping.  She was purchasing a lot of clearance item bowls and plates.  They were each between $0.25 and $0.50.  You can imagine how many she needed to purchase to get her total to $12.  Then she tosses in a loaf of french bread and two containers of Greek yogurt.

After receiving her total of $14 and some odd change, she pays and makes a fuss about the cost of the yogurt.  The cashier explains that one of them was 10 for $10 and the other was 5 for $6.  The customer continues to fuss and mumble (even though she’s already paid).  The cashier was very polite and asked if she needed anything more.

The customer looks at her and said, “Never mind.  I just want the bread.”

Both the cashier and I look surprised and totally confused now.

The cashier clarifies, “Do you want me to remove the yogurt?” to which the customer mumbles again, “No.  I just want the bread.”

What the… ?!?!?!

After 10 minutes of ringing up each individual clearanced bowl and plate, you now decide you only want the bread?

Oh, good grief.

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing would like to present MIKE THE KNIGHT (Simon Spotlight), a brand new series for preschoolers based on the hit TV show from Nickelodeon. Set in the medieval land of Glendragon, MIKE THE KNIGHT takes you through a world of castles, quests, dragons and trolls! Mike is a young knight-in-training who is always looking for knightly adventures with his trusty steed, Galahad, and his best friends, the dragons Sparkie and Squirt.

No situation is too big or too small to be tackled as a knightly mission! Mike is a great role model and new friend for the target audience of boys and girls ages 3-5. With gentle lessons and tons of rollicking fun, Mike is sure to be knighted #1 by new generations of preschoolers!

Our boys had not watched Mike the Knight, nor had they read any of the books prior to receiving this book pack to review.  I have to admit that we are now hooked.  The books have quickly become a bedtime favorite and Ryan loves to read the beginner books aloud to Owen and me.

The stories are cute and the shows have some good lessons to be learned.  I like that they promote team work and working together to accomplish a task.  This is something that I have been working on with the boys trying to help them understand the importance of working together rather than fighting over who gets to do which task.

I will also be the first to say that I don’t like shows with sassy or whiny kids; and I don’t like shows with any sort of violence (fighting, defending, etc.).  This show (and the books) have none of that.  Personally, I’m partial to Mike’s best friends, Sparkie and Squirt.  They are just too cute.

Mike the Knight has risen to the top of my favorite list too.  Now you can enter to win one of three book packs for yourself!  Each book pack contains one of each of the following books:

Meet Mike!
Simon Spotlight
ISBN: 9781442474291
Pub Date: 1/1/13
Paperback 8X8: $3.99

Mike the Knight gives a tour of Glendragon that’s worthy of a king. And Mike’s father is the King of Glendragon, so he would know! Meet Mike’s sister, Evie, and his two best friends, Sparkie and Squirt—who happen to be dragons! Visit Ma and Pa Troll and their son, Trollee, who also wants to be a knight. Then stop by the castle and the arena, where Mike trains for jousting tournaments! So grab your sword, shield, and trusty steed and join in this adventure that’s perfect for young knights-in-training everywhere.

Mike the Knight and the Good Deed
Simon Spotlight
ISBN: 9781442474338
Pub Date: 1/1/13
Paperback with Stickers: $5.99

When Mike and Evie discover that knights who perform good deeds receive beautiful scarves from the Queen, they set out to perform good deeds for everyone in the kingdom. But since they don’t work together, instead of being perfect helpers, they end up making a perfect mess! Then Mike and Evie realize it’s time to ―be a knight, do it right—and when they work together, they make a great team. A team with beautiful scarves!

Mike and Trollee in Trouble
Simon Spotlight
Ready to Read – Level 1
ISBN: 9781442473355 (HC)/ 9781442473348 (PB)
Pub Date: 1/1/13
Hardcover: $15.99; Paperback: $3.99

In this Level 1 Ready-to-Read story, Mike the Knight is trying to help his friend Trollee the troll. Trollee is stuck in a tree, and Mike wants to use his knightly skills and come to the rescue. How will he get Trollee unstuck? Find out in the very first Mike the Knight Ready-to-Read!

Mike and the Dragons
Simon Spotlight
ISBN: 9781442474130
Pub Date: 1/1/13
Shaped Board Book: $6.99

A knight-in-training like Mike needs loyal, fun, adventurous friends….and that’s just what he has in his best friends Sparkie and Squirt! This board book has sturdy pages that are perfect for Mike’s youngest fans.

Welcome to Mike’s World
Simon Spotlight
ISBN: 9781442474543
Pub Date: 1/1/13
Coloring Book w/Poster: $4.99

The medieval kingdom of Glendragon comes to life with this activity-packed coloring book that introduces Mike the Knight and all his family and friends. Along with Mike you’ll meet his mother, the Queen; his sister, Evie; and best friends Squirt and Sparkie. This book includes a full-color, pull-out poster that Mike the Knight fans can use to decorate their rooms in their own kingdoms.

Entering is easy and there are multiple chances to win.

• Follow Typical Suburban Family via email or RSS feed (both in right sidebar)
• Become a fan of Typical Suburban Family (via /myhellodesigns) on facebook
• Follow Typical Suburban Family on twitter (via @myhellodesigns)
• Follow Typical Suburban Family via My Hello Designs on Pinterest
• Share this giveaway on your facebook wall daily
• Tweet this giveaway up to 4x per day! Suggested tweet: Win a Mike the Knight book pack @myhellodesigns http://tinyurl.com/cepzfhq #kids #giveaway
  

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Leave a comment for each of the above that you do. Remember that some of them can be done multiple times for additional ways to win!

This giveaway ends May 17, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Random.org will be used to determine a winner who will have 24 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen. Open to US residents only. Good luck!

Disclosure: DKC provided me with a book pack for review and for hosting this giveaway. They also provided three book packs for the giveaway prizes. I was not compensated for this post.

Friday, April 26^th is National Pretzel Day!  Help us decide if Pretzel Crisps® should celebrate National Pretzel Day or our own holiday, National Pretzel Crisps® Day.

Starting Tuesday, April 23^rd, you can vote once on the Pretzel Crisps® Facebook page for which holiday you think Pretzel Crisps® should celebrate – National Pretzel Day on April 26^th for the pretzel in us or our own holiday, National Pretzel Crisps® Day, for the crispy, stackable cracker in us.  Voting ends on Friday, April 26^th at 8pm EST.  Vote and help us choose!

As part of our National Pretzel Day celebration and as a special thanks to our wonderful, supportive fans, we will be giving away a mystery gift on Friday, April 26^th.  To find out what it is and claim a gift for you and a friend, stop by the Pretzel Crisps® Facebook page starting at 8am EST on Friday, April 26^th.

Ryan has always been an observer. He quietly watches and figures it out prior to taking action.

He knows his surroundings. He notices new things. If something changes, Ryan is the first to recognize it and announce what is different.

This morning Ryan was in the backyard golfing with Delta. When Delta tired Ryan brought her in the house and went to make sure she had water (she was panting).

Seconds later Ryan emerged looking for a marker. When I asked why he needed it, he responded very matter-of-factly.

“Well mom. When I fill Delta’s water bowl I get tired of guessing how much water to put in the pitcher. Sometimes it is too much and sometimes it’s not enough. So, I figured I would take a marker and draw a line on the pitcher to tell me what the perfect amount is. Then I don’t have to guess anymore.”

And, that is just what he did.

Head over to Disney.com to preview a full 22-minute episode of “Henry Hugglemonster”, Disney Junior’s all new series, before it premieres on the 24-hour Disney Junior channel on Monday, April 15! The new animated series  follows the adventures of five-year-old Henry Hugglemonster, the middle child in a happy, close-knit monster family, as he shares everyday life lessons that are relatable to kids age 2-7. Based on the book series I’m a Happy Hugglewug by award-winning children’s book author/illustrator and Ireland’s Children’s Laureate, Niamh Sharkey, “Henry Hugglemonster” models positive life lessons about family and community relationships specifically designed for young viewers who are discovering along with the enthusiastic lead character, such as learning to work as a team, helping others, persisting in tasks and much more.

I don’t get it.  Why do people keep telling me that chocolate is so yummy?

Why do they say chocolate is an addiction?

I think it tastes like cardboard.

Am I missing something?

Boys are at soccer with daddy.

Emma is napping.

Music is playing.

Windows are open.

Birds are chirping.

Mommy is CLEANING!!

I would say it’a a pretty good morning so far.

Oh, and I can’t forget. Delta is keeping watch over the backyard so no stray cats come over.