Calling All Winners!

Wanted to tie up some "loose ends" before I start my Big Beach Bash. I've heard from most of the winners in my Everybody Wins POPrs Giveaway...the rest of you need to give me a holler!

If you're one of those fabulous readers who recommended a great beach read for Aunt Julie, please make sure you send me your contact info. Just shoot me an e-mail: veggiemom@poprs.com, and your prize will be on its way.

Looking forward to sending you some beach reports from North Carolina's beautiful Outer Banks...stay tuned!

This update is brought to you by Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. So, there!

Wordful Wednesday: The Cornflake Monster

When we left off, we were talking about family vacations. I was telling you about ours, at the beach in North Carolina. I told you stories, but saved this one for last.

One night after dinner, when the kids were a lot younger and the first time we were at the beach, Uncle Moker took Uncle Lynn aside and told him he was going to tell the kids a story, and to just "play along." Lynn was supposed to operate the lights, and turn them off when he got the signal. So Uncle Lynn agreed, and launched into an elaborate story about the trolls that lived under the bridges over the dune, which lead to the beach.

Mr. Pops had a rapt audience. He explained how children should not dawdle when crossing the dunes, and to be sure to hold hands and to NEVER go across the bridges alone in the dark. Lynn was giving Uncle Moker enough time to get ready, and when the story was long enough, and scary enough, the signal came, the lights went down and THIS...

jumped out of the dark!

The little ones were crying and holding their mamas. Even the big ones weren't acting all that big. It took quite a while for them to settle down.

Even the oldest of the cousins still asks for a reappearance of Cornflake Monster. Soccer Boy missed it, since he hadn't come into the world yet. Should have had a repeat performance years ago. Don't think the Cornflake Monster would have the same effect on a 13-year-old. He's waaaaaaay too cool now!

Until it gets dark.

Well, this is the first year in a very long time that we aren't having Beach Week. My two oldest boys have full-time jobs now and have not earned vacation time. College Boy is working 60 or more hours a week, so he won't have to work during the school year. And the girls have their obligations, too.

Maybe they'll sneak a week in, maybe not. Summer is fading fast. The kids have mostly grown up. Soon there will be careers, weddings, and families of their own. No matter how many more beach weeks we have together, or whether there are no more, one thing is certain...

...I wouldn't have missed it for the world! This memory brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday.

Why You Should Eat Your Veggies!

In honor of "friendship Month," Mary Beth over at Blogmania is featuring bloggers that have developed enduring friendships through blogging. And guess who she featured first? I hate to brag, but listen to what MB said about me:

"You can feel her energy in her writing, which is quite an accomplishment. I can only imagine how spunky she is in person. From what I have seen, she is devoted to her friends and family, to promoting Pop'rs and to living life to its fullest."

Why thankyouverymuch, Mary Beth! Here's the full interview with Veggie Mom, if you're interested. And the photo above? Taken last summer, when we could get all 10 of us together at the beach!

Tell us a little about yourself, your family, etc......
Well, there are 10 members of the “extended” Pop’rs Family. First off, there’s Uncle Lynn, my BIL, the creator of the incredibly good-for-you, wonderfully fun Pop’rs…the whole reason I’m online, urging everyone to Eat Your Veggies! Uncle Lynn is married to Aunt Julie, whose bailiwick is yummy food, homemade quilts, family photos, gardening and, of course, the dogs, Moses and Rowdy. Aunt Julie is also my hubby Moker’s Little Sis. Uncle Lynn and Aunt Julie have four boys: Big Bear, Shark Boy, College Boy and Soccer Boy. On my side of the family, there’s me, Veggie Mom, who’s married to Moker, Aunt Julie’s Big Brother. We have two girls: College Girl and The Wild One.

Besides blogging, what are some of your hobbies?
Let’s see…I love to read, garden, go for long walks…I’m a fairly decent cook, and a pretty good writer, so I’d include those in my interests, too. But as far as being crafty? That’s Aunt Julie’s side of the family! Except for coaxing day lilies out of the soil every spring, I’m just not that handy!

How did you get started blogging?
Well, Uncle Lynn wanted to get the word out this new seasoning he developed at his plant in Northeastern Wisconsin. He thought it would be fun to blog about Pop’rs, and asked me what I thought about the idea. Several of my friends have started blogs, so I naturally was pretty enthusiastic. On June 16th of last year I finally got my feet wet! It took me a while to find Veggie Mom’s “voice,” but the rest, as they say, is history!

What do you like best about blogging?
I consider Eat Your Veggies! to be a forum not just for Pop’rs and the Pop’rs Family, but for my visitors as well. I love sharing my everyday thoughts and dreams. Plus, as a blogger I have a built-in “sounding board” in the blogging community. I love the freedom that the Internet brings. I can be sitting here in my dusty basement, and communicate with others halfway around the world! I also enjoy meeting new friends and making common connections. And I get a lot of encouragement and advice, which is nice!

You have such a strong network of online friends. Which bloggers have you created an especially strong bond with?
I’m close with several blogging buddies. Susie, from Susie’s Homemade is one of my faves…she and her wonderful husband, Jeff, just redesigned my blog, which is awesome! I also have a strong affinity for Karla at Zander and Me, and The Lovely Mannequin, at Fractured Toy. Mannequin’s friends, Frankie and Cupid, are the best…plus they’re featured in my new redesign as well. Check out the Polaroid in the upper left-hand corner that’s labeled “Pop’rs Pals”!

Do you share any common threads with your fellow blogging friends?
We all love sharing stories about friends, family, work and food. Especially food! And every time Uncle Lynn hosts a Great New Pop’rs Giveaway, I seem to make even more bloggy buds. Wonder why that is?

Any fun vacation plans in 2009?
The Pop’rs Family vacations every summer at North Carolina’s Outer Banks. We’ve been going there for years, and consider this lovely strip of sand more of a sanctuary than a vacation spot. Last year we were able to get all 10 of us there at once, which was a very special treat! Other than our annual beach getaway, though, I’ve been saving my sheckels…with two kids in college, I can’t afford a fancy vay-cay right now!

The Pop'rs Family Gets Crabby for Candid Carrie

One of The Pop'rs Family's annual traditions is going to the beach at North Carolina's Outer Banks. The other tradition is ordering steamed crabs and then posing with the critters out on the deck of the beach house before we eat 'em.

This is a shot from a few years back. From the left, if ya really want to know...Back Row: Veggie Mom, College Girl, Moker, The Wild One, Uncle Lynn. Front Row: College Boy, Soccer Boy. Shark Boy and Big Bear have apparently Left the Building (a la Elvis!). Aunt Julie, of course, is taking the pic.

We've had such lousy winter weather recently, that we wanted to re-live warmer times in toasty climes. Candid Carrie put us up to it...Please join the Fun at her Friday Foto Finish Fiesta. For real!

Friday Foto Fiesta!

An Outer Banks, NC, sunset can't be beat! Please join Candid Carrie and Share the Friday Foto Fiesta Love! PS: Don't forget The Great New Pop'rs Giveaway!! PPS: Have a FanTAbulous weekend, one and all!!!

College Boy Catches a Wave

Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, pointed out this morning that College Boy is the only Popr's Cousin who hasn't been featured in this blog. Well, it's your day, CB!

College Boy has been itching to catch a wave since he was a little boy and first started going to North Carlolina's Outer Banks with his cousins. Well, at first he wasn't too receptive to the OBX Coastal Culture. We do remember him arriving at the beach as a 6-year-old, in his jeans, T-shirt, socks and sneaks. It took him a couple of days to ditch the Upper Midwest Gear and make a beach-type fashion statement.

Since, then, though, College Boy has been boogie-boarding through life. Check out the pure joy in his face as he catches a wave with his cousin, College Girl, on his way into shore. His Mom, Auntie J., snapped this with her new digital camera. Life is sweet, ain't it?