She's got the ham gene!

My parents always told me growing up that I inherited a "ham gene" from somewhere up the family tree. I always hammed it up in front of people. If I wasn't the center of attention, then I wasn't happy!!

Well, Klara has inherited it, too! She tells me everyday that she is going to be a singer and she is going to be on stage. One day she told me that she when she grew up she was going to make people laugh so hard that they peed in their pants (lovely image, I know!). She is going through a stage now where she dances and sings to songs that she makes up on the fly. She also gets Kenna involved as back up. I caught one of them on video today. I believe the chorus goes something like this:

I don't want to be like you.
I don't want to be like you.
I don't want to be like my family.
I just want to be like you.

I thought that was pretty funny, maybe not as illogical as some of the lyrics on the radio today...

Check out the video of them performing in my bedroom (I was in the middle of folding laundry).

Daniel X-Citing!

Okay, okay, that blog title was a bit cheesey, but I can't help getting excited about a book that totally engages my 12-year-old boy. It was as good as the time he discovered Captain Underpants when he was eight!! For some reason, as most moms can tell you, when boys get into middle school they don't exactly become avid readers. As a matter of fact, books usually place second to, umm, let's see...brussels sprouts?

I had to coax my son to pick up the copy of Daniel X that I bought for him. But as soon as he began reading, he was hooked! I knew I had stumbled onto a good thing when I came in his room last night to turn out the lights and he had his reading light on next to his bed, poring over his copy of Daniel X. Hooray! Thank the book gods for Daniel X! He finished it a few days ago and came up to me and said, "When is the next Daniel X book coming out?".

Ahh, music to my ears!

If you have a middle school son, you have got to check out this winner!

A Boy and His Bike

Korben got his first "big boy" bike yesterday and took it out for a spin. I didn't even know he was outside because I was in the kitchen putting away the groceries. I looked out the front door and noticed he and his bike were gone and walked up to the cul-de-sac to see what was going on. What I saw there melted my heart. His big brother had hauled his bike all the way up our steep gravel driveway so that he could give him his first lesson.

Kyler was teaching him, Karis was trotting (and dancing, as you'll see in the video) beside him, and Korben was pedaling his heart out and learning how to use the brakes. I love this whole motherhood thing so much!!!

Noodle me this!

Finally! A game that teaches kids manners! We tried out a brand new game called Noodleboro Picnic Basket and it is beyond cute. It's non-competitive, which is always a good idea with preschoolers, and it's so much fun that my six and ten-year-old boys joined us for a round.

The point is to gather up all of the supplies you need for a picnic, but in order to do so you need to say, "please" and "thank you." You even get to reach into the picnic basket and get your tokens, but if you pull out an ant then he just gets plopped down on the "blanket" (game board).

It really is adorable. Check it out!

Here's the link to look at the game:

http://www.hasbro.com/games/preschool-games/noodleboro/default.cfm?page=manners

FYI!! When I checked out the website I noticed that they were having a contest to win a Disney cruise (can't beat that). Here's the link:

http://www.hasbro.com/playskool/noodleboro/

My girls met the Jonas Brothers!

I totally shocked my two oldest girls the other day (Kelsey, 15, and Katie, 13). I took them to Virginia Beach on Tuesday (for one last girls day fling before school started). And they were under the impression that we were just going to enjoy the beach. Secretly, I had secured tickets to the Jonas Brothers concert and even finagled some meet and greet passes for them.

They were SHOCKED when I surprised them with tickets; and when I told them they were going to the meet and greet, they almost went into cardiac arrest. It was AWESOME! All I have to say about the Jo Bros is that they are total gentlemen. They made Kelsey and Katie feel completely special. Here are three boys who have the teen world at their feet, but they are completely humble and down-to-earth. Evidently, their mama must be doing something right.

happy piggies!

Kenna crawled up in my lap yesterday, and like I do with all of my babies (while they're still babies), I doodled little happy faces on her piggies. This takes just seconds, and kids always get a kick out of it. There's nothing like a chorus line of happy piggies to bring on the giggles. Go ahead! Get that skinny sharpie marker and color some happy faces on your baby's piggies (or even your own).

Kyler is Indy-Obsessed

No..I'm not talking about Indy music. Kyler went to see Indiana Jones with his dad, and has since donned a fedora and taken up archeology. Even in this sweltering Virginia summer heat, he wears that brown fedora EVERYWHERE! I actually had to take it off his head when I went in last night to tuck him in bed (so cute!).

He also got a leather whip for his birthday and is quickly becoming quite the cracker! Here is a video of him showing off his skills when we went to visit my family.

PC games go ECO

As an environmentally conscious mom, I'm always trying to drive an earth-friendly message home to my kids. How cool is it when a video game does it for me? A company called Fluid entertainment has just launched a PC game called, "Emerald Island." But, forget about earning points by beating up the other guy or finding your way through a maze.

In Emerald Island, kids ages 6-12 engage in a story and team up with Tamino, the game's hero, to prevent the destruction of the Island's landscape. Emerald Island is threatened by the ravaging Pirats. The game hinges on an ecological theme, which inspires the kids to become champions and trusted eco-heroes.

To navigate through the game, kids create a highly personalized character with loads of possible combinations, plant and cultivate 150 species of plants, trade with friends, participate in challenging quests and play engaging mini games. Kids immediately enter an expansive world of exploration and imagination that will leave them with a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Is that groovy or what?!

The game is still in development, but you can get a sneak peek by playing it before it's even released! Here are the download instructions:



Visit the website
• Go to www.emeraldisland.com/momc and click “Play”
• Enter Access Code: green617

Download the game
• Read the rules and license agreement, check the box to agree

• Click the green button to download the game
• Select “Run” and follow the installation wizard
• Click “Finish” when it is complete

Sign up
• Select “Let’s Go Play”
• Follow instructions to create a username and password
• Confirm world choice "Aspen," when prompted


Play!
• Enter Emerald Island and have fun!

Starting school has never been so chic!

I was lucky enough to get some AWESOME office supplies the other day (and I don't use all caps with pure abandonment--these cute notepads, folders, sticky notes, and binders were absolutely adorable). They are called Simply Chic Eye Candy and you can pick them up at any Wal-Mart. Forget the old solid blue, yellow, green notebooks and folders with pictures of kittens and puppies. These are things you definitely want to show off, whether you're updating your home office or sending your kids off to school.

And speaking of updating your home office, they are having a contest right now to win a complete collection to glam up the office (or the locker, as the case may be). My kids have gone so crazy over these office supplies, that they are actually trying to make up excuses to buy more of them (NO! You do not need five binders and six folders for one History class...).

Check them out and make sure you visit the website for more details on the contest--www.carolinapad.com.

You're Invited to the Block Party

After listening to the same Dooblebops CD over and over in the car, I finally convinced Kenna to venture out and try something new. We got Disney's Block Party CD and LOVE it (yes, even the older ones. They just won't admit it). It has our fave, Dooblebops, on it, as well as some new artists. Wayne Brady sings "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" (you may know him from one of my favorite television shows, "Whose Line is It?" It also has a group on there called Imagination Movers, which is quickly soaring up the Keeley charts. They are four guys who wear blue coveralls and they are AWESOME! I am totally in love with them and their music (anyone who feels comfortable grinding an ax on stage in blue coveralls and a cowboy hat has already won my deepest respect).

They are also taking this block party on tour, so if it comes to a town near you DO NOT miss it. You'll be kicking your cute little fanny if you do.

If you want to listen to samples of the music:
http://disneymusic.disney.go.com/albums/disneymusicblockparty.html

If you want to find out about the tour:
http://www.disneymusicblockpartytour.com/

The Family Parade

Today Kyler, my 12-year-old, was running out the door when he yelled to me, "Mom, I'm going to my friend's house to pick up a book." I noticed that Oscar, our yorkie, was anxiously standing by the door so I handed him the leash and said, "Here, take Oscar with you."

Karis, my 10-year-old son overheard and remarked, "Oh! You're taking Oscar for a walk? I want to come along."

Korben overheard Karis, "I'm coming!"

Kenna came running, "Me go! Me go!"

I started to get Kenna to keep her with me but Kelsey walked in at that moment. "Hey, I'll take Kenna. I need some fresh air anyway."

Kyler just looked at me and pleaded, "Mom! Please! I'm just running down the street to borrow a book. Does it really have to be a Keeley family parade?"

Well,....yes.

Pets ARE allowed!

No! You are not getting a kitten. No! You can't have an iguana. No! You can't put a collar and leash on your little sister! Why? Because who ends up caring for the pets...the MOM, that's who! Nintendo DS has just made saying “yes” to a pet a little easier. With GoPets Vacation Island kids can adopt a pet, care for it, make friends with other pets, and play games – all in a virtual world!

The pets in the game, either a dog or a cat, can be chosen randomly or matched to your child based on their interests. The pet’s name and appearance, however, is completely up to your kid. As your child makes their way around the island, caring for their pets and meeting friends, they can trade purple shells they earn for different toys and pet supplies. Your kid can also interact with other characters, and compete in mini games. Kids can also befriend new islanders, exchange gifts, and even unlock new places to visit, all while increasing their ranking and with the goal of acquiring the title of Big Kahuna, the most influential resident of Vacation Island.

GoPets even lets kids connect with other players from around the world by throwing a Wi-Fi party, allowing your child to chat with Nintendo Friend Code buddies. Through the Nintendo DS system, kids can only talk with players that they’ve given their Friend Code to, so you can rest assured that they are only chatting with approved buddies.

So, if you're sick of saying "NO!" to all of the pet requests, then motherhood just got a whole lot easier.

I'm not sleepy!!

Kenna is at that awkward stage where she is growing out of a daily nap. When she does take a nap, she is up until 10pm. When she goes without one, she is totally exhausted and can barely make it until 8pm. I rock her to sleep every night, so this quandary either makes my rocking take ten minutes...or hours!

She had a nap today and tonight was one of those nights when she wasn't sleepy. She had no problem telling me about it either. She was so funny!!! She insisted that she wasn't sleepy and well, I guess she was right because it's after 11pm, and I just laid her down in her bed...fast asleep.

Brush Your Teeth On THIS!

Doesn't it feel good to be a part of something special? Whether it's making cupcakes for a bake sale or brushing your teeth to save the planet, it just makes you feel good all over. I was so excited to find out about Preserve toothbrushes (I picked up a bunch of them and even the little ones use them). These toothbrushes are made out of recycled yogurt containers. Is that cool or WHAT?

So, every time you chow on some yogurt and toss the container in the recycling your bin...you are making your smile that much brighter. And saving the planet is definitely something worth smiling about.

Check out this cool video of how these toothbrushes are made:

http://www.recycline.com/sundance.html

Lame fireworks in the 'burbs

We never go to firework displays because it always seems that we have a little one who is bothered by the loud noises. So we always end up lighting fireworks at home in our cul de sac. That's how it is with big families, you always have to round off to the lowest common denominator. It works fine most of the time, but you always have those kids who want a little more bang for their buck. Check out Klara and her opinion of the fireworks. You've got to admire her honesty.

btw--I found my Flip. It was in Kelsey's (my 15-yr-old) overnight bag!