Making the Ocean Safer...

...one shark at a time!

The POPrs crew went on a Florida panhandle vacation last week. The trip was strictly guys-only.

They hung out in the sun, smoked cigars, ate oysters, talked smart and shark-fished. There may have been some adult beverages involved, also! All in all, it was a great bonding, team-building experience. And based on the number of sharks caught, they are all rethinking ever swimming there again!

Designing Playful Desktop Marketing Strategies

A video for Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta? You betcha!

Meet Myles the Cat. Shark Boy brought him home to Meet the 'Rents last week and he's been aclimating himself to The POPrs Family ever since.

Talked to Aunt Julie the other day, though, and she sounds like the Snot Monster is in the Howse. AJ is deathly allergic to kitty cats, even if they are quite helpful around the desktop.

I'll let you know as the situation develops. For now, Myles is driving Rowdy the Diving Dog crazy, and helping Uncle Lynn with some POPrs Marketing Strategies.

Happy Birthday, Shark Boy!

Another trip down Memory Lane for all you POPrs Pals today. We're celebrating Shark Boy's Big Day, and want to do it in style!

In this "vintage" 1991 photo, meet Big Bear, Uncle Lynn, The Birthday Boy and College Boy. Oh, and Mr. Gator. Aunt Julie conjured this Green Masterpiece as the young lad's birthday cake.

While the Black-Tipped Reef Shark Adventure was exciting, Shark Boy has much Bigger Fish to fry these days, including helping Mr. Pops launch the new retail line of POPrs - Coming to a supermarket near you, fingers crossed!

So, Happy B-Day, SB...May you live long and POPrs...er, prosper!

Wordful Wednesday: Spring Snowstorm

If you think snow isn't possible in April, think again. While I was visiting my peeps last week, we had a crazy, blowing, ice-snow mix that went on for a couple of hours. In April. The official Month of Spring.

Of course, last week's precipitation was just like spitting in the ocean compared to the Spring Storm of '96. Here are College Boy (holding the sign), Shark Boy (holding the baby) and Soccer Boy (in his warm and cuddly snowsuit) standing on Aunt Julie's back deck.

Yes, you read the sign correctly. Snow. On April 15th. Must have been a present from Uncle Sam, huh?

As Moker always says, "Wisconsin has two seasons: Nine months of winter, and three months of tough sledding!"

Participating in Angie's Wordful Wednesday. Come join the fun!

Easter Remembered: 1987

Dare I say it? This photo is a relic! Here we have Big Bear on the left, carefully dipping his egg in the dye, and Shark Boy, who finds the whole business really funny, for some reason.

However you may be celebrating this special day, I'd like to share a poem that my kids learned when they were even younger than this. The rhyme comes with hand motions, too, so knock yourself out. Happy Easter!

PS: I'm a newby at Sarcastic Mom's Weekly Winners, so please bear with me. Obviously, this is an old shot. Snapped by Aunt Julie with a Canon Rebel, I'm pretty sure. A classic film SLR camera...no digital back then!

Five little Easter eggs, lovely colors wore (hold up five fingers);

Mother ate the blue one, then there were four (bend down one finger).

Four little Easter eggs, two and two, you see;

Daddy ate the red one, then there were three (bend down next finger).

Three little Easter eggs, before I knew,

Sister ate the yellow one, then there were two (bend down next finger).

Two little Easter eggs; oh, what fun,

Brother ate the purple one, then there was one (bend down next finger).

One little Easter egg; see me run!

I ate the very last one, and then there were none (open up both empty hands)!

Meet the Beatles!?!

Well, really, I want ya to meet Aunt Julie's side of The Pop'rs Family from a few years back. Auntie J. always does Creative Christmas Cards, and this was no exception. But somehow this little gem got stuck up on the fridge with a Beatles magnet...and you do see the resemblance, don'tcha?

In the phun photo on the left, clockwise (from left): Big Bear, Shark Boy, College Boy, Trouble Elizabeth, Moses and Soccer Boy. In the other phun photo, clockwise (from left-Geez Louise, I feel like this is a yearbook!): Ringo, John, George and Paul, sans dogs.

I don't know. Did the Beatles have dogs? Playing along with Candid Carrie today and her Phriday Photo Phinish Phiesta!

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!

You're Not Dreaming...Veggie Mom Puts on a Pretty Face

There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. ~Author Aldous Huxley

No, you're not dreaming...as Soccer Boy seems to be, in this sweet Aunt Julie snap! Veggie Mom has a new "look," and wants to give you a little peek into the thoughts behind her transformation.

Huxley, who wrote that odd classic, Brave New World, is only partially right. Yes, I try every day to improve...in my approach to life, to others, to myself. But look, Dear Readers, at what else I've had a hand in improving. Eat Your Veggies! enters a new era, with a new face.

I've shared my thoughts on blogging with you for about eight months now. I've made so many cyber-contacts, and I hold your friendships dear. But I've also coveted some of your looks...and learned that while it might not be easy to teach an old dog new tricks, it is possible to help her do an about-face.

It all started with a note from Susie, who runs Susie's Homemade. She and her talented husband, Jeff, are into blog redesign. I took them up on their offer, and I'm livin' large now!

A Great Big Thanks to Susie and Jeff, of course, for their patience and perseverance.

And thank you to others who contributed in both big ways and small to this blog redesign. To the Lovely Mannequin, and her Pop'rs Pals Frankie and Cupid, thanks for the photo that adorns the button on top of my left sidebar...if you click on these cute critters, you'll get a gander at my blogroll.

Thanks to Aunt Julie, who provides so many of the sweet snaps for this blog. I've inaugurated a special place for Julie Eliz in this new space...click on the button at the top of my right sidebar, and you'll get all of the yummy recipes from Aunt Julie's Kitchen.

If you click on The Pop'rs Family in the right sidebar, which features a silly snap of Shark Boy trying to skimboard at the beach (another Aunt Julie photo), you will find all of the sweet, silly, quirky tales of the family members who make this blog go 'round.

And, of course, thanks to Uncle Lynn. Without his inspiration and his fabulous Pop'rs, none of this would be possible! We have a special button for Mr. Pops over on the right...click there and you'll find posts that take you through Uncle Lynn's amazing Pop'rs Journey.

Yes, Veggie Mom is still a work in progress. I continue to post every day, and try to bring all of my friends something fresh, new, current, interesting. The Blogosphere is so vast, and I realize that I'm really lucky to be a part of it. Thanks for coming back every day...this redesign, really, is for you.

So, if you like Veggie Mom's transformation, please stop over to see Susie. She'll help you put on a pretty face, too!

This photo of Shark Boy and Big Bear enjoying their apples on the front lawn started me thinking about the meaning of autumn, and of falling leaves. Then I found this quote, which made the picture complete!

"If winter is slumber and spring is birth, and summer is life, then autumn rounds out to be reflection. It's a time of year when the leaves are down and the harvest is in and the perennials are gone. Mother Earth just closed up the drapes on a another year, and it's time to reflect on what's come before."

~Mitchell Burgess, writer & producer of "The Sopranos" & "Northern Exposure"~

Cute Lil' Ol' Punkin, Ain't He?

OK, No One who Knows Him Now will believe this, but this Cute Lil' Ol' Punkin is Shark Boy, Back in the Day. I know, I know...Just Too Precious, huh? Auntie Julie stitched this costume, too, BTW. Found this pic while digging around in the Basement Boxes yesterday. Julie Eliz probably Doesn't. Even. Know. I. Have. It! They do Grow Up, don't they?

Also I've got an Editor's Note for ya, too. The M-I-C-K-E-Y in Yesterday's Post,was not Big Bear, but Soccer Boy! What kind of Aunt am I, anyway? Just to Set the Record Straight.

OK, on to the Great New Pop'rs Halloween Giveaway! Please Click Here to get started. And Here and Here, to add even More Comments, thereby giving you More Entries!

Remember, the contest is open both to Pop'rs Newbies--those who've never tried our delectable, nutritious and delicious seasoning--and to Pop'rs Veterans, too! The Vets, thankyouverymuch, are those who've won a Pop'rs Giveaway before.

Ya, Shore, Youbetcha, as they say in Our Neck O' the Woods! The Great New Pop'rs Halloween Giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday. That's Halloween, and you'd rather be Treated than Tricked, right-o?

And the First Winner Is...

...Channah, of Get a Grip, Mom! According to her Bloggy Profile, Channah has been blogging since May, which would make her a Newbie, just like Veggie Mom!

Uncle Lynn chose Channah yesterday, by Random Drawing! And what does she win? Her choice of two flavors of Pop'rs, that good-for-you seasoning, which really encourages everyone, young AND old, to Eat. Their Veggies! Remember, Bloggy Readers...Pop'rs are only available online from Uncle Lynn. And, they come in eight fanTAbulous flavors: Buffalo, Butter, Chocolate, Colorbust, Cinnamon, Raspberry, Strawberry and Taco.

So, Channah, shoot Veggie Mom an e-mail, and let her know what flavors you prefer. And remember: We'll be announcing four more winners this week, and a Grand Prize Winner on Saturday!

We'd also like to use our posts this week to showcase Fall, Our Family, and some Funny Stories we've be saving for ya. The shot above, an Aunt Julie Special, showcases Shark Boy, Uncle Lynn, Big Bear, and College Boy, who is hanging out in his Baby Backpack. They're in the Pumpkin Patch with their Newfoundland, Nelson. This photo was taken When the World was Very Young, of course, before Soccer Boy came along!

We'd like to leave you, Dear Readers, with a quote about Autumn. And, a Bloggy Reminder: Stay Tuned for more Great New Pop'rs Giveaway Winners!

Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower.

~Albert Camus, French Existentialist

A Bloggy Celebration and a Great New Pop'rs Giveaway!

Happy First Day of Fall! Aunt Julie and The Pop'rs Boys--Big Bear, College Boy, Shark Boy and Soccer Boy, pictured above with Trouble Elizabeth and Moses--love the changing of the leaves, the dropping of the temperatures and, of course, the playing of the football games every Sunday. Fall also means the advent of Halloween, which is Soccer Boy's favorite holiday, since it comes so close to his birthday!

We have an extra special reason to celebrate this season. Saturday will be Veggie Mom's 100th Post! And what better way to commemorate This Life-Altering Event than with a little ol' Bloggy Giveaway?

This Great New Pop'rs Giveaway is a contest With. A. Twist. It features two phases. Here are the rules, plain and simple:

• Giveaway Dates: Today through Saturday, October 4. In Phase One, contestants may enter as many times as they like, but all entries must be recieved by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, September 26. Phase Two of the Giveaway takes place September 29 through October 4!
• Giveaway prizes: Five Bloggy Friends will each win their choice of two flavors of Pop’rs, the good-for-you seasonings that make eating veggies fun! One Bloggy Friend will win the Grand Prize—a complete set of Pop’rs! Pop’rs are that tasty and fun seasoning that really encourages kids to Eat Their Veggies! Pop’rs, which come in eight flavors, add great flavor, and fun, to just about any kind of food, from applesauce to broccoli--all the way through the alphabet, to yogurt and beyond. Pop’rs, which are only available from Uncle Lynn at http://www.poprs.com/, have an added kick--as the name implies, they go POP! when you eat them.
• Giveaway Rules: Veggie Mom is celebrating her 100th Blog Post and the changing of the seasons, by offering a Great New Pop’rs Giveaway in two phases.

1. To enter the Giveaway, readers must post questions that they want to ask Veggie Mom, Aunt Julie, Uncle Lynn, or anyone else over at Eat Your Veggies! This is Phase One of the Giveaway. Readers get one Giveaway Entry for every question they post. There is no limit to the questions you may ask! Veggie Mom will collect questions from today through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, September 26, so make sure to get your questions in! I will answer all readers’ questions on Saturday, September 27—which happens to be my 100th Blog Post—and Sunday, September 28.
2. Starting Monday, September 29, Phase Two of the Giveaway begins! Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, will award Giveaway Prizes to one Giveaway Finalist each day, through Friday, October 3. He will announce the Grand Prize Winner in a post right here on Saturday, October 4. Finalists will each receive two Pop'rs flavors of their choice. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a complete set of Pop'rs--all eight flavors!

The changing of the leaves, the crisp Fall air, the NFL and a Great New Pop'rs Giveaway. You ask, we'll answer, and we'll both have Something to Celebrate!

It's Friday, So It Must Be Foto Fiesta Time!

Yup. Participating in Candid Carrie's uber-creative and ultra-fantastic Friday Foto Fiesta Finish today. We really should entitle this photo "Oops!" It's a shot by Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, of Shark Boy trying to skim the waves at the beach a couple of weeks ago. OBX, baby! Hope ya Hang In There down on the NC Coast with the onslaught of Hurricane Hannah!

Remember...You've got Less Than 10 Hours to enter The Great New Pop'rs Giveaway. Don't be shy--Give it a try! We'll announce Two Grand Prize Winners tomorrow!

They're Hoppin' to Get Poppin'!

Take a gander at Big Bear, Shark Boy, and Uncle Lynn, Sharing The Pop'rs Love early this summer at the Institute of Food Technologists trade show in New Orleans. The trio showed The Biggest Names in Food How to Get Poppin'! Smile, Boys!!

And, speaking of Pop'rs, it's time to enter our Great New Pop'rs Giveaway! Share that Comment Love and win you some of the most delightful, fun and nutritious seasonings around!


BTW, three--Count 'Em!--of our Bloggy Friends are Singing the Praises of Pop'rs!

Hoagie, The Coach over at DC Sports Plus--and also our only Giveaway Winner of the Male Variety so far--loves him some Pop'rs! Here's what he had to say:

"Try this Product!" Hoagie enthuses. "I recently won a contest where I received two flavors of Pop'rs. Pop'rs are essentially awesome-tasting, good-for-you Pop Rocks that you sprinkle on foods. They're mostly marketed toward families (so moms can get their kids to eat their veggies), but with my two flavors (Chocolate and Taco), I can add both flavor and nutritional value to my ice cream and Ramen Noodles. They're really worth trying out...To borrow the catchphrase from Pringles: Once You Pop'r...well nevermind."

Lula, Our Gal over at Lulaville, cooked her up a DyNaMite Dish the other day and added Pop'rs to the recipe. "Buffalo-flavored Pop'rs enhance chicken casserole. Delish! Thanks, Veggie Mom!" Lula's also the one who's trying to convince Uncle Lynn to e-mail Ellen DeGeneres to Get Poppin' with Pop'rs on The Dancin' Queen's show. Lula has all kinds of ideas to get that to happen. She's So Enthusiastic, that we Just. Might. Do. It. "Why aren't y'all on Ellen yet?" Lula wants to know. We're workin' on it, gal!


Mannequin, who is anything but at Fractured Toy, placated Mr. Man the other day with a Strong Dose of Pop'rs. Uncle Lynn's fun seasoning came to the rescue over at Mannequin's place.

"And have you tried Pop'rs?" Mannequin asks. "I was lucky enough to win some a couple months ago (Thanks, Veggie Mom!) and I'm greedy enough to enter for another giveaway! They were a big hit here! Mr. Man loves his chocolate milk but is VERY picky about which brand. Having run out one morning, I popped into my cupboard and popped out my Pop'rs (yes, very clever, huh?). Mr Man loved it! We used Taco on tacos and then per Uncle Lynn's suggestion, we used it on corn ( I added diced red peppers to mine also. Yum). We loved every one of the eight flavors; this is a giveaway you don't want to miss! The ColorBurst came in handy this weekend again! I had only plain vanilla yogurt in the fridge and wanted a treat. What better to use than my Pop'rs? What a yummy treat!"

Thanks to everyone who's been Sharing the Comment Love! You're all So Dear to our Little Ol' Bloggy Hearts. *Group Hug*!

Welcome to Wisconsin!

Hi, there! I’m Veggie Mom, the proprietress over here at Eat Your Veggies! Nice to meetcha! I started blogging back in June, at the behest of my BIL, Uncle Lynn. Lynn, also known as The Pop’r King, is a Wisconsin Legend in his Own Time. He makes Pop’rs, but that’s another story. Let’s just say he’s on a Quest, and it all revolves around his fun new product. If you have time after the tour, please drop by Uncle Lynn’s Great New Pop’rs Giveaway. You’ll be glad you did!

For those of you new to the Pop’r Family’s Story, let me introduce you. There’s Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn, the Pop’r Queen and King, respectively, and their four boys: Big Bear, Shark Boy, College Boy and Soccer Boy. I’m Veggie, and I’m married to Aunt Julie’s bro, Uncle Mark. We call him Moker, and he’s our Guest Blogger today. That’s him in the photo above, tailgating at the famed Lambeau Field in Green Bay. We have two daughters: College Girl and The Wild One. The six kids together constitute the entirety of that Famous Northeast Wisconsin Gang, The Pop’rs Cousins.

Before we embark on our tour, we’d like to thank Debbie and all her friends at Blog Around the World, for this chance to showcase the Great State of Wisconsin! So sit back, relax, grab some snacks (the cheese curds are fresh!) and pay close attention, as Moker takes us on a tour of our Upper Midwest Home.

Moker, here, with all the news that's fit to print, and then some! Wisconsin has many mottos. Some of them, like "Forward,” “America’s Dairyland,” and the “Badger State,” are official, steeped in tradition and history. But most residents understand that the best descriptive slogan is “Eat Cheese or Die!”

Wisconsin, where one congressional district has more cows than people, is a national leader in the production of milk, butter and cheese, especially cheddar. Fans of the Green Bay Packers (12 NFL championships) are known as “Cheeseheads” and wear yellow foam rubber wedges on their heads. BTW, one of those foam cheeeseheads once helped prevent serious injury to a victim of a small plane crash!

Wisconsin also is famous for its beer and bratwurst, delicacies that celebrate the German and Polish immigrants who settled in Milwaukee. The Scandinavians–Norwegians, Swedes, Danes and Finns–who immigrated to the rest of the state brought along lefse, lutefisk and sandbakkels.

Living so close to two of the Great Lakes (Superior and Michigan), Wisconsin residents are hardy souls who enjoy delightful summers and falls and endure sometimes brutal winters. Only in Wisconsin can you have a White Christmas as well as a White Halloween and a White Easter all in the same year. No wonder the state leads the nation in per capita brandy consumption!

Wisconsin gets its name from an Indian word of various origins–the Algonquian word for "long river" or the Chippewa/Ojibwa Tribe word that means "grassy place" or "gathering of the waters." The towns of Oshkosh, Menomonie, Menomonee Falls, Oconomowoc, Aswaubenon, Kaukauna, Mukwonago, and Chippewa Falls, among others, are of American Indian origin.

Politically, Wisconsin is viewed as a progressive state that produced Gov. Robert M. “Fighting Bob” La Follette, maverick Sen. William Proxmire and Sen. Gaylord Nelson, the Father of Earth Day. Wisconsin also is the birthplace of the Republican Party (Ripon) and gave the country that infamous, disgraced “Commie Hunter” of the 1950s, Sen. Joe McCarthy.

Wisconsinites love their sports, especially the outdoor variety, including hunting, fishing (muskies), snowmobiling and skiing, and residents enjoy thousands of lakes, although they do grumble about the number of Illinois residents who head north and bag black and white Holsteins instead of deer every year!

Notable Wisconsin personalities include architect Frank Lloyd Wright, super computer inventor Seymour Cray Jr., pianist Liberace, actors Orson Wells and Spencer Tracy, astrologer Jean Dixon, and magician Harry Houdini, whose most famous trick may have been escaping from Appleton!

Well, that concludes our tour of The Badger State. Hope you enjoyed yourselves and Moker, our Guest Blogger! Please feel free to snag some more snacks (we’ve got plenty of lutefisk left!) on your way out, and Don’t Forget to Share the Comment Love Before You Leave. Pretty Please?

Beat Those Back-to-School Blues With a Giveaway!

As promised, Dear Readers, it's that time again--Time for another Great Pop'rs Giveaway! This one's simple, since you're right in the middle of that Most Bittersweet time o' year and some of you, most likely, are fighting those Back-to-School Blues.

Here's the deal. Leave a comment here, explaining what this time of year (end of summer, back to school, seasons changing--whatever tickles your fancy!) means to you. That's it! At Midnight on September 5, EST, we'll select Two Grand Prize Winners by random drawing. What do you win? Why, a complete box of Pop'rs--All eight flavors!--that tasty and fun seasoning that really encourages kids to Eat. Their. Veggies!

Above, BTW, is a Parting Shot of the Pop'rs Cousins at the beach. We haven't done it in years, but we used to line them up here every year for a photo-shoot. We renewed the Family Tradition this year, before the kids get too old for going to the beach with the Old Folks!

Pictured, from the left, back row: Big Bear, The Wild One, College Boy, Shark Boy; front row: College Girl, Soccer Boy. For those of you who are new to the Pop'rs Family, The Wild One and College Girl are mine; the four boys are the Number One Sons to Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn. And, to the Uninitiated, the answer is "no." Veggie Mom and Aunt Julie aren't the same person; Veggie is married to Auntie J.'s brother, Uncle Mark, also known as Moker. And who could wish for a better SIL?

Ode to Vanna White

The Pop'rs Cousins, along with Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn, left the beach this weekend, headed for home. After an overnight stop at our house, they were on their way back to Northeastern Wisconsin. Their 14+ hour trip was made more comfortable, of course, thanks to Vanna White.

We're not talking about the "Wheel of Fortune" star here. We're talking about a big ol' white Econoline Conversion Van, with close to 260,000 miles on it. The Pop'rs Family bought Vanna in 1994, when the boys were little and Soccer Boy wasn't yet digging the sod out of his cleats. Vanna has traveled to DC, OBX, and Florida too many times to count. She's also always up for ski trips at the blink of an eye! The shot above shows Vanna in her younger years, with Shark Boy, Aunt Julie, Moses, Uncle Lynn and College Boy ready to embark on another Vanna Voyage.

Vanna is outfitted for the Traveling Life, you betcha. She has four sets of headphone jacks in the back for iPods and personal DVD players. "We laughed at first when we’d ask the boys a question and they would yell because they were wearing headphones," Aunt Julie says. "College Girl has a habit of getting carsick in Vanna, with the movies playing and all the junk we eat on trips, so she is banned. The dogs see us loading Vanna up for a trip and will jump in if we leave the door open. They know we are going away!" Both Trouble Elizabeth and Moses have made multiple trips to the beach in Florida in Vanna. "Trouble Elizabeth had to go on his first beach vacation when he had a broken leg, and needed physical therapy," Julie recalls.

Then there was the time when Auntie J. was seven months pregnant with Soccer Boy. "We got to Milwaukee and I made Lynn stop," Julie explains, wincing at the memory. "I felt closed in, uncomfortable and trapped (much like College Girl feels when she gets Vanna Sick), so he pulled over at a rest stop. He called my OB, who laughed when told I had only been on the road an hour-and-a-half! So I took some Dramamine and slept the rest of the trip. When we got to the hotel for the night, I was amazed at how good the boys had been. Lynn retorted that I could have slept through an atomic bomb!"

Vanna showed her advancing age during this last beach trip. Just outside Milwaukee, she blew a tire. Near Louisville, she overheated. And when Vanna and the Gang reached my neck of the woods, she had to go to the mechanic for a radiator problem.

Everyone made it back to Wisconsin safe and sound, though. But Uncle Lynn is thinking about retiring Vanna. He's got his eye on a successor--another white Econoline Conversion Van. Vanna White the Second, I suppose?

JAWS, Part 2

When we left you last, Dear Readers, we were telling you a Big Shark Story. Let's catch back up with Aunt Julie, and see how the story ended.

"When Shark Boy’s big shark was pulled in, he was lying on the deck of the pontoon. Joey instructed him to keep his foot on this beast, which was fighting like all get out to get back into the ocean, 'Don’t let him wiggle back into the water!' Joey shouted. He then reached up into an overhead compartment while we were all focused on the shark."

Those of you who love real-life drama should read on. Those who are of sensitive dispositions should close your eyes for this next part. "All of a sudden, we heard a 'pop!' and looked up to see Joey holding a handgun," Aunt Julie says, picking up the narrative. "He’d shot the shark! Well, the girls were all screaming, and there was crazy pandemonium; way too much drama for a pontoon boat! Joey apologized, after a fashion, saying had to do it to kill the shark, because we wanted to keep him. Yikes!"

That night, Shark Boy and his girlfriend took some of the meat to a local restaurant, and the chef prepared it for them for dinner. "The Shark Adventure was easily the best single day of the trip," Julie enthuses. "We took the rest of the shark home frozen, and put in our basement freezer. The power went our briefly, and the fridge stopped. Days later, we were met with the pungent odor of melting shark. I am still trying to get the stink out of the fridge!"

Before The Pop'r Family left for the beach on Friday, Auntie J. scattered containers of charcoal throughout the fridge, in yet another attempt to freshen it up. Forty pounds of charcoal might do the trick!

Just a friendly reminder, Sports Fans. Today's the last day of the Great Pop'rs Giveaway! Make sure you get your entries in by 8 pm. EST today. Extra entries for comments on the past week's posts--be there or be square!

"I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat"

Remember that famous quote from "Jaws"? Well, Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn were saying just that last year on vacation in Florida, when Shark Boy caught this monster.

"Last summer, we postponed our spring break until August, and still went to Florida," Aunt Julie explains. "Three of the boys brought along their girlfriends. Well, six 20-somethings aren’t happy walking the beach and shell hunting (there are none that time of year, anyway!), so we needed a plan. Not to mention that it was extremely HOT."

Aunt Julie got one of those ideas that come along with the cartoon lightbulb that goes on above your head. "I had taken a 'shuttle' across a narrow stretch of water to an island for shelling on previous trips. The shuttle was run by a college kid and his pontoon boat. He charged $10 and I am so cheap, I told Joey, the kid, that I could swim it and save the $10! He said he wouldn’t do that, because of the sharks. Yeah, right. Anyway, he also charged to take tourists fishing, so I set it up for early the next morning."

The Pop'r Boys were a little disappointed when they saw the pontoon boat the next day. "They were expecting a fancy fishing boat, but it was Joey and the pontoon that met us," Julie says. "One of my boys whispered, 'Mom, Joey isn't a college boy! I’m a college boy!” So I asked him how old he was. Turns out he was my age! I guess the folks down Florida way are better preserved than we are up north!"

What about the sharks, you ask? I'm getting to it! "Anyway, we followed a shrimp boat for a few minutes and saw lots of dolphins. About 10 minutes out, well within sight of the shore, we stopped and Joey went to work baiting the hooks. We asked what we were fishing for and he said 'sharks'. Great. We were out about 2 1/2 hours and it was constant action. Shark Boy caught this 6-foot, black-tipped reef shark, and everyone else caught at least two smaller sharks."

Even the GFs got caught up in the action. "There was a seat bolted to the front of the pontoon, where there was no railing, where you sat to reel," according to Aunt Julie. "Joey held onto the back of the girls' T-shirts, so they wouldn’t fall in. At one point, a hammerhead circled the boat, close enough to the surface that we could see him very well. Joey thought he must have been 15 feet long! He tried to catch him, but no luck. We would have had to drive to boat back in, dragging that huge shark!"

Even though the sharks were pretty scary, Julie's glad she went on the expedition. "It was exciting enough just to see such an amazing creature!" she says.

We'll have more of this Shark Story tomorrow. In the meantime, have you entered the Great Pop'rs Giveaway? You have until Monday at 8 p.m. EST; it's really easy--just click here--no gear or pontoon boat required!

You Asked? We Answered!

Unless you ask Veggie Mom and The Pop'r Family! You asked, we answered! Day 2 beachside with Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn, who are answering Your Bloggy Questions today. Now, just 'cause we're on VAY-kay, doesn't mean that we're forgetting about our Great Pop'rs Giveaway, which ends on Monday. Please join the fun and enter today!

Ticopi, over at Nonchalantly Treading, wants to know about Pop'rs and dorm food. "How could college students use Pop'rs in college food to make it healthier/more appetizing? I do have a kitchen, but school is rapidly approaching and the meal plans are upon us!" Of course, Ticopi! As Aunt Julie likes to say, no kid’s too old for Popr’s!! They can jazz up any dorm-type food, from spaghetti to mac 'n' cheese to Jell-O—and don’t forget the frozen yogurt!

KKJD1, who has Farmgirl'inGa. Style, is concerned about diabetics eating Pop'rs. "My comment or question for the day is can a diabetic use the Pop'rs?" Uncle Lynn says that these fun and good-for-you seasonings have a sugar content of about 15 percent. He also says that since you'd be shaking Pop'rs on food, that would dilute the sugar content even more. And thanks for the positive thoughts as we commence our Beachy Week, KKJD1!

Lula, our gal over in Lulaville, says she's interested in Pop'rs, but has "Twilight" on the brain this week. "Here's my question: Have you started reading "Twilight" yet? It is THE summer beach read. You knew I was gonna ask..." Thanks, Lula! All I can say is, we're gettin' to it!

Betty, who's in charge of Betty's Blog, asked three Pop'rs -related questions. You know, those teachers try to be very precise! "Are they diff erent colors? Do they pop when you eat them? Also, are they used on all types of food?" Aunt Julie says that's why Pop'rs are so fun, Betty!Different colors, different flavors—these carbonated crystals pop on contact with moisture, so, of course, Pop'rs pop in your mouth, not (necessarily) in your hand! Yes, Betty, we use Pop’rs on veggies, ice cream, beverages—just use your imagination and let us know what new uses you can come up with!

Gina, who presides over at The Clan McLeod, has flavor-specific questions: "How about some Cheddar Popr's?! And Caramel!" Since Pop'rs are made in Wisconsin, Gina, cheddar sounds like it’s in our future. The company has just developed an intense lemon flavor that Aunt Julie cooked up, so Caramel wouldn’t be out of the question. We’d have to take that one to the lab!

Corey, who's Living and Loving Every Minute of It, says she's sometimes confused about the Pop'r Family Tree. "Okay...so have you explained who the author of this blog is? I sometimes feel lost with all the characters in this Popr's story. Point me in the right direction to figure who is who is who out. :)"

Corey, here’s the deal. Veggie Mom (that’s me!) writes the blog. My BIL, Uncle Lynn, makes the Pop’rs. Uncle Lynn is married to Aunt Julie, The Pop’r Queen. Their kids are Big Bear, Shark Boy, College Boy and Soccer Boy, and their furry children, Trouble Elizabeth and Moses, The World’s Best Dogs. Veggie Mom is married to Aunt Julie’s brother, Uncle Mark (we call him Moker). Our kids are College Girl and The Wild One. Does that help at all, Corey?

Mary Beth I., who's a Blogmaniac, is curious about Pop'rs availability. "Are Pop'rs available in the grocery stores?" she queries. "If not yet, any plans?" We’d love to get 'em there, Mary Beth. That’s the ultimate goal. Right now, though, the only place you can buy Pop’rs is from Uncle Lynn. To order yours, click here!