Because I'm the Mom; Or, Overture in K(ids) Flat!

Comedian Anita Renfroe condenses everything We Moms might say to our kiddos in a 24-hour period, and sings it to the urgent strains of "The William Tell Overture." This video has been hanging around Mommy Blogs on the Internet for at least a year, but we thought we'd give you a mid-summer's laugh, anyway! We're pretty sure The Lone Ranger and composer Gioachino Rossini might even get a chuckle out of this--The Pop'r Family sure did! BTW, The Pink Potpourri is offering a fanTAbulous giveaway this weekend! Check out the rules for winning homemade stationery. It's really quite lovely!

Keep Your Vay-Kay Safe!

This sign is kind of a scary sight isn't it? Aunt Julie took this photo during a Pop'rs Family Vacation near Port St. Joe, FL, last summer. Let's let her tell the story:

"I was lamenting to a local restaurant owner that I was having trouble finding sand dollars, and that the sand bar where we usually found them was no longer there. He gave me directions to the best place for shelling, so I headed out to explore. No one wanted to go along, so I went alone. "

OK, Auntie J., so far so good. Then what? "I pulled into a small parking lot at this secluded beach and was greeted by this sign. I called my family and told them that I was at this really cool beach, but that if I failed to return…And read them the sign. My college-aged boys pleaded with me to stay in the car and not to 'be stupid'. But I explored the beach anyway. And 10 minutes later, my entire family was there."

Obviously, The Pop'rs Family wasn't eaten by sharks, nor do they appear to have been afraid of the rip currents. The question, however, remains: Did they find any sand dollars?

This photo puts Vacation Safety in mind. Here are the Top 10 Things you should keep in mind when considering the safety of your Vay-Kay this summer, according to the Web site, Health A to Z:

• Collecting the first-aid supplies you need to take with you.
• Checking to make sure you have the proper immunizations.
• Will your health insurance be enough to cover you and your family during your trip?
• How can you keep your home safe while you're away?
• Considering measures to protect your family from poison ivy, rabies and other threats.
• Checking to make sure the water is safe to drink at your vacation spot.
• Making sure you investigate local cuisine; some native dishes might upset your tummy!
• Taking precautions to prevent motion sickness.
• If you're traveling outside the United States, reviewing the driving laws before you get behind the wheel.
• (OK, this last one is from me!) Following the directions on the sign above, and Paying Attention to All Hazards (including nude sunbathers)!

One more thing to remember: Please enter our Great Pop'rs Giveaway! The deadline is Monday at 6 p.m., EST, so don't delay! And don't forget to Share the Comment Love!

Try Something Cool and Delish for a Summer Potluck!

Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r Queen and King, live in a family-friendly neighborhood. That means lots of kids playing, lots of parents on the lawn chatting, lots and lots of potlucks.

Auntie J. spends some of this social time gathering recipes from the neighbors. Here's some simple summertime fare, which Aunt Julie calls a "real hit at our block party a few years ago."

Summer Block Party

Chicken Salad

2 ½ cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks
1 ½ cups cooked white rice (really!)
¾ cup red or green grapes, halved or whole
¾ cup diced celery

1/2 cup pineapple tidbits (drain)
½ cup mandarin oranges (drain)
Dressing:
½ cup Hellman’s mayo
1 cup ranch dressing

Top with Slivered Almonds.

I've never heard of ranch dressing in chicken salad, but my mouth's watering already! This is a delightful dish that would pair well with one of Aunt Julie's pies. Hope you've had a chance to try either her Scrumptious Blueberry Pie or Tasty Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, or even both--I know I have!

And hey, Pop'rs Pals: You've got all or part of Four Full Days to enter our Great Pop'rs Giveaway Contest! So get crackin', and let us know where you like to spend those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer! We have a pretty funny photo--shot by the Talented Aunt Julie, of course!--for tomorrow's post. I know--you're on the edge of your seat, right? Well, folks, you should be--see ya then!

You Won't Wipe Out If You Enter Our Giveaway!

Where do you like to vacation! We're staying close to home this year, 'cause of gas prices, the economy and all. In fact, Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, has been taking the family to the lake a lot recently, catching a little Vay-Kay in her own neck o' the woods.

They had a rousing good time up at the cottage over the Fourth. Auntie J. was soooooo proud when she was able to get up on waterskis, for the first time in ages. She was having a rolllicking good time until...well...see for yourself!

It's not too late to enter our Great Pop'rs Giveaway! Just click on this link and go from there. The contest runs through Monday, July 14 at 6 p.m. EST, so Get Poppin'! And don't forget to Share the Comment Love after you enter. Pretty Please?

PS, to All You Pop'rs Pals: Because the economy has us all in a bind, Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, has just reduced the price of Pop'rs! You can purchase a 4-pack of this fun seasoning for $7.69, while an 8-pack of Pop'rs now sells for $14.99. Please order your Pop'rs online by clicking here. Such a bargain!

Aunt Julie's agreed to send another yummy recipe our way tomorrow. Please join us, and don't forget: You can't win unless you enter--Today!

Share the Comment Love-We'll Share the Pop'rs!

Lots of folks are staying close to home this summer, because of the price of gas and all. I know my family's taking shorter trips to save on gas and money! The photo above--which looks like a Florida Vacation Postcard to me--was snapped the other day by Aunt Julie, practically in her backyard. Who knew that pelicans flew anywhere near Northeastern Wisconsin, even in the summertime?

To lighten your mood a little, Uncle Lynn, the Pop'r King, thinks we need Another Giveaway. Here's the deal.

Let me know, in a comment on this post, where you like to vacation with your family. Whether it's the back porch at home or the back lot at Universal Studios, location doesn't matter. We'll collect all the comments and pick two Grand Prize Winners by random drawing.

What will you win? Why, a complete box of Pop'rs, of course! That's eight flavors--Cinnamon, Color Burst, Chocolate, Strawberry, Raspberry, Butter, Taco and Buffalo--that you can sprinkle on everything from applesauce to broccoli to green beans to yogurt. And remember--not only are Pop'rs fun to eat, but they enhance your taste sensation and are infused with healthy vitamins--a great way to get you and your family to Eat Your Veggies!

We're picking Two Grand Prize Winners, folks, so please share that Good Ol' Comment Love--and perhaps a link back to our blog from your blog--and You. Could. Be. A. Winner! The Giveaway starts today and runs until 6 p.m. EST, next Monday, July 14. What a great way to spend a summer afternoon!

About Best Friends and Families

The old saying, "Man's Best Friend" should be expanded to women and kids as well. Trouble and Moses, pictured above, are the beloved dogs of The Pop'r Family. They are the doggie sons of Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn, the Pop'r King and Queen.

A funny story--"Elizabeth" has been a given name in Aunt Julie's family for generations. Most recently, Grandma Vera, Aunt Julie, and my oldest all have been christened with the middle name Elizabeth. Since Aunt Julie is the proud mama of four boys, she couldn't partake in this family tradition. She's taken to calling Trouble, her beloved 16-year-old Springer Spaniel (that's 112 in "dog years"), "Trouble Elizabeth" in his old age. Has a certain ring to it, doesn't it?

The Boys are nesting in Aunt Julie's fabulous flower garden. Auntie J. inherited her green thumb from Grandma Vera (we've already established that I have no green thumb, although my geraniums are doing so much better--thanks for asking!). As you recall, Julie also has a knack for baking pies--most recently, Blueberry and Strawberry Rhubarb. One more thing Aunt Julie learned from her mother--how to make quilts! But more on that later this week.

A PS From Veggie Mom: The newest edition of The Carnival of Family Life is posted now on All Rileyed Up. Today's Carnival features posts on everything a SAHM could possibly be interested in, from Education, to Cooking, to Crafts, to Travel, and beyond. Of course, Yours Truly's post on Aunt Julie's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is part of the Carnival. And, if you wish to take part in next week's Carnival, to be hosted by Suzanne over at Adventures in Daily Living, use this handy-dandy submission form.

A PS From Uncle Lynn: We're running our Second Pop'rs Giveaway ever, starting tomorrow! Stay tuned for details. Remember--the more the merrier. You, too, can be a winner!

It's All About Making Friends!

First of all, if you're not a SITS Sister, you should consider becoming one! The Secret is In the Sauce is a, well, saucy little ol' blog, with quite a following, and lots of interesting and entertaining info. Tiffany and Heather run contests, offer advice, and generally have a grand old time in the Blogosphere! T and H refer to themselves as "two comment junkies who love to blog about life..." That pretty much sums up their happy-go-lucky take on Momhood and the world around them. As Tiffany and Heather correctly point out, "The secret to success is support," and they encourage lots of comments on their blog. They, in turn, are more than happy to share the love. Stop by to see SITS today!


Another great Bloggy Connection is the Carnival of Family Life, run by--Who Else?--why, Blog Carnival, of course! Each edition of the Carnival is hosted by a different blogger, who basically collects posts from all over the Blogosphere and organizes them under one basic theme. The current Carnival of Family Life is hosted by Mixed Metaphor, and showcases 34 posts of interest, ranging from Education to Parenting Tips and Advice. Also included are posts on Cooking, Chores, Fiction, Finance, Health, Humor and Family Travel. The next Carnival will be hosted on Monday by All Rileyed Up. So, if you've written a scintillating post recently--and I know you have!--please send it in before midnight tonight, using this handy-dandy submission form. You'll be glad you did!


And last but certainly never least, all the Blog "experts" say that another good way to get your blog noticed is by running a contest or a giveaway. Which brings me to my next point: Uncle Lynn, the Pop'r King, has authorized me to run another fun-filled Pop'rs Giveaway. We're launching the new contest on Tuesday, so make sure you're on board!

Eat Your Veggies! And, Watch for Our Next Giveaway!

Caitlyn, the toddler featured in this clip from YouTube, seems pretty resistant to the idea of eating veggies. Of course, she's too young to know about serious concerns like eating healthy. But her Dad should get clued in: Caitlyn might not like veggies the way he prepares them, but if he put some Pop'rs on them, all that head-shaking would disappear quickly, along with Caitlyn's food!

Stay tuned, Dear Readers, for our Upcoming Giveaway. Uncle Lynn, the Pop'r King, has given me permission to launch our next contest on Tuesday, July 8, and it's a fun one. Stay tuned!

Congratulations!

Uncle Lynn, the Pop'r King, is pleased to announce the winners in our first-ever Pop'rs Giveaway! Each winner will receive two free flavors of Pop'rs.

• Megan, at Reed's Home for Our Savior, says her 2-year-old "won't touch anything green, and even turns down most fruits." We hope Pop'rs will help him Eat His Veggies!


• Cindi reports that her family could use more convincing to eat broccoli, cauliflower and peas. We're going to be sending some Buffalo and Taco Pop'rs her way, without delay!


• Elizabeth, who blogs at blueviolet, says her daughter "hates carrots and celery, and I can't figure out why." We hope Pop'rs will solve your conundrum, Elizabeth!


• Angie, aka John Deere Mom, informs us that her kids don't like most cooked veggies, but they do love BUTTER. We'll send some Pop'rs your way, Angie, and see if that does the trick!


• Sean, over at DC Sports Plus and one of two men to enter our contest (we're an equal opportunity blog, ya know!), tells us that his sisters hate most veggies, but if he snuck some chocolate-flavored Pop'rs into their meals, they might be agreeable. If not, Sean plans to keep the Pop'rs all for himself!


• Speaking of being KooKooForCocoaPuffs, Lynette laments that "If I could get my youngest to eat anything other than chocolate or sugar-coated stuff, I'd be living large, I tell you!!" We're sending Pop'rs to the Rescue!


• Deanna, proprietor of Deanna's Corner, says Her Hubby absolutely shuns green beans. Do we have a Pop'rs Surprise for him!


• Brandy, who definitely is Not Your Average Soccer Mom, blogged poetically about Pop'rs' ability to "spice up your food." She predicts that your kids will eat broccoli, for goodness sakes, if Pop'rs are involved. We're gonna put her family to the test!


• Sherri, over at Kaysville Momma, boasts of her "Random Ramblings" on her blog, but nothing was random about her Pop'rs Post. Hope Pop'rs help out in the veggies department, Sherri!


• Jena, who manages A Scrap in Time, tells us that her 5-year-old will only eat fruits, and that she'll Eat Her Veggies when she "gets older." As soon as the Pop'rs arrive, we expect Little Miss will be growing up mighty fast!

Thanks to all of you who entered our giveaway. We'll be running another Pop'rs Contest next week, so Stay Tuned!