Next week I'm picking up my fab Mommy X pendant, made espically for me by Andrea. Can't wait to share it with you!

I loved Ernie and Bert long before celebrities started making appearances.  And I'm pretty sure that when I was a youngster, Snffaluffagus was simply a figment of crazy ol' Big Bird's imagination. The songs were fab.  C Is For Cookie, Doin' The Pigeon and Rubber Ducky would certainly make it on a Mommy Music MiX today!

Let's celebrate Sesame Street by watching the original opening from the 1970's!

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!!!

My first cashmere sweater remains my fave. It's a grey Lord and Taylor brand, cross over style. I checked out their web site, but it doesn't look like they have that particular style available anymore. That's too bad or I would buy one in every colour.  I also love the cashmere zip-up hoodie. Too cute. My cashmere lasts. I usually dry clean it every two or three wears. If you're wearing a tee underneath, then you can go even long. My neighbour D swears by hand washing her L&T cashmere, but I'm too much of a chicken to try that. And I hate hand washing.  When the sweaters are on sale they range in price for $79.99 to $119.00 USD. Right now the green back is almost on par with the Canadian dollar. Unfortunatly L&T doesn't deliver to Canada, but it worth the drive down to the Walden Galleria in Buffalo.

I also happen to love cashmere scarves and gloves. This is the perfect time of year for cashmere gloves or mittens. It's not too cold that you need your thermal ski mitts, but it's cool enough that your little fingers will get a tich icy if not covered up.  I found these cute medium weight, long cashmere scarves at another US retailer called Garnet Hill.  I love the black/dusty plum stripped scarf. So cute. And it would look just right with my black Pea Jacket.  These scarves are luxuriously long so they can be wrapped around a couple of times. Love that.  I personally am not into matching gloves and scarves, but if you are then you'll adore the cashmere gloves. I like them because they are long. I love gloves that sneak up my arm. Perfect!

The scarves from Garnet Hill retail for $68.00 US and the gloves are $40.00 US.

Scientists In School is a non-profit charitable organization that fosters childrens interest in science and technology. The students in our school are lucky enough to have this program brought into their classrooms at least twice a year per class. Scientists is funded by our volunteer run Home & School Association.  Every topic explored in class is in line with the Ontario Elementary Science Curriculum. This year is the 20th Anniversary for the Scientists in School program. 

I have been lucky enough to volunteer at least once a year in each of my son's classes. To be honest with you, sometimes I walk out of the class feeling like the school board should cut me a cheque. It's a little like work. Fun, enjoyable work that is.  Today was the exception. Our topic this morning was Kitchen Chemistry. I heard that this was a fun topic, but had hadn't had the chance to volunteer for this one yet.  The kiddies were wee chemists exploring liquids, solids and gasses (no toot jokes, save those for grade 4). Two of the experiments were particularly fun. One was adding two table spoons of baking soda a balloon (through a funnel) and then putting the balloon over a plastic bottle half filled with vinegar. When you empty the baking soda into the vinegar it neutralizes the vinegar and the gas created causes the balloon to blow up. The kiddies, and the parent volunteers loved it! 

The other experiment that was very popular was creating Magic Mud. Magic Mud is a substance created out of cornstarch and water that behaves like both a liquid and a solid. A little messy, but tons of fun. Here is the recipe, but be warned, lay down lots of newspaper and be prepared for a mess. But hey, what's a little mess in the name of science?

Magic Mud

You need:

A medium bagggie

5 tablespoons of water

1/2 cup cornstarch

Plate or container to pour the minxutre into.

What to do:

In a baggie, mix together the cornstarch and water. Seal the baggie and squish it all together. Dump the contents of the baggie and watch the magic happen.

Have fun!

Happy Halloween!

I had a little pow-wow with TheJollyInebriate and we agreed that Whiskey is the drink of the season. Love the amber colour. It reminds me of the gorgeous leaves that are all over my front lawn. Note to self: rake.  Love the way it warms your entire body, from the tips of your toes to your tips of your fingers. Triple love the fragrance, fruity and woody all the same time.  Like cooking peaches in the forest.  Imagine that!  So with all those warm thoughts in mind, JI set out to create a warm and wonderful Halloween cocktail for you.  We’ve even pitcher sized it so that when the kiddies come trick-or-treatin’, you have a little something to warm up the Mommies and Daddies. Or if you happen to be hosting a Halloween bash, consider this your signature cocktail for the evening. Enjoy!

Halloween TriX

.5oz Centennial 10 Year-Old Whiskey

0.5oz Kittling Ridge Icewine Brandy

2 dashes Angostura bitters

2 oz cider

Apple slice

Stir the first two ingredients in a rock glass, fill with ice and then add the bitters. Top up with cider. Garnish with an apple slice.

Pitcher Size

 8 oz Centennial 10 Year-Old Whiskey

2.5oz Kittling Ridge Icewine Brandy

6 dashes Angostura bitters

10 oz cider

12 apple slices (approx.)

Stir the first two ingredients in a pitcher. Fill with apple slices and ice then add the bitters. Top up with cider. Serve in a rocks glass.

Z: Mommy!

Mommy: Yes Z.

Z: I can't sleep, there is a funny noise in my head...it's sounds like this...buzz, beep, buzz, bop (you get the idea)!

Mommy: Try to think of something nice honey and go to bed!

The Daddy: (contributing his two cents) Can't you just go in there and rub his back or something? Take his mind off it!

Mommy: (begrudgingly getting out of bed) Ok...I'm coming!

Y appears in the hallway to check out the action!

Y: What's wrong?

Mommy: Nothing...go back to bed please!

Y stomps off to bed.

Mommy: (curling up in bed with Z) Do you want me to sing you a song?

Z: Yes please Mommy!

Mommy: (singing very badly) Rock-a-bye-baby...

Z: (looking at me with a strange face) Not that song!

Mommy: Fine then. (singing)Somebody call 911, shawty's fire burin' on the dance floor.

Z: (looking at me like I've totally lost it) Not that one either. Do the first one!

Mommy: (sings the full rock-a-bye baby...you know the words).

Z: You're silly...now I'm going to bed!

Mommy: Yes...I am, but I bet the noises are gone?  Goodnight!

Should I be worried he has noises in his head? No, he is my kid. It's perfectly normal!

It was reported today, that a thirteen year old boy died yesterday of complications from H1N1 (aka swine flu).  He's a hockey player, an A student and he had huge brown eyes, just like Smarties, just like my boys! I cried  when I read the news. My heart is heavy for his suffering family. 

I think I'm with the majority of parents out there in saying that I'm totally confused about what do next. How do I protect my children from this flu that is taking lives? I know that The Daddy, myself and Z can and will get the vaccination. But what about Y? He's allergic to eggs and flu vaccinations are grown in fertilized eggs. Death looms over us daily already as we struggle to deal with his extensive food allergies. Now I have to worry about the flu? How do you tell an eight year old who's life is already high risk already that things just became even riskier? 

An official statement was released by The Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology on September 30th. It states: "For patients at higher risk, or if the risk is unknown, we recommend an initial test dose with 10% of the total dose followed by 30 minutes of observation. If there is no reaction after 30 minutes, the remaining 90% can be given and the patient observed for 60 minutes. Children who tolerate the split dose and who require a second dose (1st time receiving influenza vaccine) can receive the next dose in one injection." But do the benefits outweigh the risks? Am I prepared to sit beside my son while one of his known allergens is injected into this body to fight a flu that he might not even catch? Talk about a choice? 

So now you understand my fear and confusion. I don't want to watch TV because it's scaring me even more. The newspaper is full of H1N1 facts and figures, but how many of them can we actually believe? Apparently it's not appropriate to ask my friends to vaccinate their children to protect mine. And what side effects, if any, are there to this very new, very quickly developed vaccine?

I'm not normally a live-in-fear type of girl. But this is getting to me. This hen must protect her little chicks from the big, bad piggy!!!