Archive for the ‘Stuff about my kids’ Category
Little Drummer Boy
I need to take a minute away from writing about kids belts, recipes, tips, tricks, and iPhone apps to brag about my son, Super Dude.
Super Dude is about to turn 7 and like his other video; Amazing 5 year old drummer does Crazy Train!, his talent shines through. We are working on updating his drum set. He recently got a new throne and we are going to get all new heads on his drums and get them tuned up. We are also getting him a metronome for his birthday, in just 2 1/2 short weeks.
Here he is drumming to “Hard to Handle”, while hubby sings and plays guitar in the back ground. See for yourself…
Pretty amazing, huh? I may be a doting mother, but considering Super Dude has only had 4 half hour technique lessons and doesn’t read music, I think he’s a natural. (PS. the video of him at 5 years old, playing crazy train, was with no lessons ever.)
I could watch and listen to him play for hours. Most moms would probably think I am crazy for letting him have a drum set, but I love it. He loves it and we are making some great memories with them. Super Dude and Hubby like to have little “jam” sessions and I think that is great father son time. It makes me smile to think they are both so talented and actually interested in the same things.
What amazes me is that he can just sit down and play and make it look so easy, like it’s normal and everyone should be able to do it. I can’t wait to see the things he will accomplish and how much better he will get. I’ll be sure to keep all of my faithful readers posted as his talent continues to blossom!
Now… I’m off to buy an old school bus that I can paint with Mondrian inspired patterns and we can travel the land embarking on our music career, I shall call us “The Dapper Snappers Family” (ala The Partrige Family, in case you didn’t catch that reference!). By the way, if you tell me you don’t know who The Partridge Family is, I think I’ll scream.
Blessings,
Parental Control
I came across something while watching TV this weekend that I thought was really cool and since it’s new to me, I thought I would share with you!
At home the hubby and I have DirecTv for cable and I was exploring some of the features that we haven’t used (but pay dearly for, I’m sure). What I found was really useful, especially if you have kids in the house. While you are on the guide screen, if you scroll to a TV show or movie and hit info, there is a tab called “Parental Info”. I had never noticed this tab before. Probably because I am surrounded by two kids screaming to each watch something different, but at this blissful moment I was by myself and could actually take in what I was looking at.
I love this parental info thing! I am so busy with my kids belts business that I don’t always have time to prescreen a movie prior to letting the little ones watch it.
It’s hard to read here, but it tells the parent about the movie and who should be allowed to watch. I can’t tell you how many times Super Dude and/or Bug have come to me and asked to watch a movie. Some of these movies I have never heard of before and I don’t want to just let them watch anything. That’s why this info is great. For example, the one above is for Men in Black and it explains that there is a high gross-out factor and that if your child is easily frightened, then this is not an appropriate movie for them. The parental info section also tells you about the language and any other inappropriate material. If you go to DirecTv’s website, you can pull up a movie and see what ages they suggest.
Ok, so this may not be “new” but it is new to me and I am glad I found it! Hopefully there was someone out there that didn’t know already and now it’s new to them too!
Blessings,
Happy Halloween!!!
A special message from the Bug…
Blessings,
Halloween is just around the corner!
Crinkle… crinkle… rip… crunch, crunch, crunch….
That is me enjoying a piece of tasty Halloween candy that my kids have so graciously procured for my enjoyment uh… testing, yea, that’s right, testing… you know for razor blades and poisons and such. I’m a giver like that I have to make sure every little piece is safe for my precious little bundle of joy. I personally don’t even like candy. Horrid stuff it is, but I will take one for the team when needed.
Back to Halloween… I love this holiday (all Fall holidays, really) because I get a chance switch my creativity from kids belts to costumes! This year, just like every year, I asked Bug and Super Dude what they want to be for Halloween.
Bug wants to be Jessie from Toy Story.
Cool! That seems easy enough. Red cowgirl hat… Check! Cowgirl boots… Check! I can very easily take a white shirt and add the yellow trim as well as add cow print fabric to a pair of her old jeans. Add one braid and a yellow bow and ta da, Jessie from Toy Story. I just have to find a cowgirl belt buckle to add to one of her belts. That may be the trickiest part… ah who am I kidding, I’m in FL, there are big buckles all over the place. Bug will be so excited!
Now, on to my sweet little Super Dude. When I asked him, he said he wants to be a Spooky Buddy (have you seen these movies before? They are ridiculous).
Uh huh… So let me get this straight, he wants to dress up as a dog that’s dressed up like a human wearing a priate’s costume? Great, cause that’s easy to put together. Why oh why was he cursed with my vivid imagination? That’s like 3 costumes in one. Super Dude has the utmost faith that mommy will pull through, though, so I will. The things I do for my kids!
Alright, I guess I better get started on these costumes. I only have a week to put them together. I’ll have to let you know how it goes.
UPDATE: So, since I wrote this post, both of my kids have changed their minds (of course). Now, Bug is going to be a Jedi and Super is going to be Boba Fett. Talk about obscure. At least these were costumes I could purchase so that makes it easy, but it did lead to a long discussion about whether or not a girl could be a Jedi.
Boba Fett
Jedi
I have to ask, what are you (or your kids) going to be for Halloween?
The Birds and the Bees…and the Lovebugs
We all have that ideal age we think would be a good time to tell our kids about the birds and the bees. For me, it’s some time in the beginning stages of puberty. This seems like the best time to talk to them about their bodies, what’s going on, and what’s going to happen. This opens me up to the question that so far, I have been successfully avoiding; “Mama, where do babies come from?” I think, when they actually get to the point of asking, I’ll pretend to be in the middle of making my kids belts and let daddy handle it!
Here in Florida we are plagued with a twice yearly occurrence of Lovebugs. They sound cute and like they should be ladybug-looking insects with smiles and kisses. They are not. They are ugly. They are everywhere. My kids, upon seeing two lovebugs attached and flying around together, wanted to know what they were doing. “Well, Sweetie,…they are kissing…with their butts…” Now you can imaging the giggles and fits of laughter this statement was met with.
At our most recent lovebug-palooza (at Disney World of all places), Super Dude asked again…no, more like stated, that the lovebugs “aren’t just kissing, right Mama? They are making eggs.” “Yes, son” I answered in shock. “They are making eggs. The eggs will turn into baby lovebugs and they will start all over again.”
Of course the biggest part of me is screaming that it’s way too soon, that I’m not ready. He’s all of 6 1/2 and in 1st grade. He’s very popular with everyone in his school, even the older kids, which I’m sure is how he comes up with some of the smart-mouthed answers he has for us on occasion. And I am also sure this is how he found out about the lovebugs making eggs. The tone in his voice was more of a “Mama, I already know the truth. You wouldn’t tell it to me but the big kids did.” Okay, maybe I’m reading too much into it. Maybe he was just tired.
I guess I’m just stuck in that weird place between not enough and too much information. At what age did you, or do you plan to, tell your kids about the Birds and the Bees (or the Lovebugs, as it were).
Blessings,
Something for the Big Kids
So, not too long ago, Super Dude came up to me and (very politely) told me he was too old to still wear Dapper Snapper kids belts. What? He can’t be my child, my child would be forever in love with my marvelous invention. Sadly, no, he’s growing up, and I hate it. I want him to be my little boy forever. Now, what do you do when your not-so little one comes to you and says “I’m too big for Dapper Snappers” but they very obviously still need help holding up those bottoms?
I got it, a belt! Well, we tried another popular kids belt but found so many flaws with it (Made in China, not adjustable, and started falling apart) that it wasn’t usable after a week. Then, in true Cazella fashion, we went to work solving this new problem. What could we make that is great for bigger kids because they can buckle and unbuckle the belt “all by myself”, is adjustable, and could be made right in our own factory in the USA?
I’d like to ask you to travel back in time with us…way, way back. All the way back to the 70′s (which happens to be very popular in fashion right now). Do you remember those Bottle Opener Belts? Those great little kids belts have a buckle that interlocks like a puzzle, providing easy use for girls. I know you have heard the saying “everything old is new again”, well we took that old idea and made it new & better. I know what you are thinking, though, Super Dude is a boy, what about him? Don’t you worry a bit about those boys. We brought magnetic belts are back and we made them cooler than ever! Durable, reliable, adjustable to give boys a perfect fit. We even added a boys robot print and a girls flower power print.
Features of our new “Big Kid” Belts:
- Made from quality Suspender Elastic (for that snug, but not too tight fit)
- Interlocking Buckle for Girls (easy to get in and out)
- Magnetic Buckle for Boys (clasp with ease)
- Fully Adjustable Length (will grow with your child)
- Numerous Colors available to Match Any Outfit
- Made in the USA
- CPSIA tested and approved!
Why should you choose our Big Kids Belts? Because you have known and trusted the Dapper Snapper brand and the quality that we have provided for toddlers. We are bringing that same caliber of products to the table with our “Big Kid” Belts.
Problem solved, Super Dude loves his “Big Kids Belt” and I didn’t have enough going on so why not add a few new products??
Blessings,
New Routine = New Found Free Time
Super Dude has been back at school for a week now, but Bug just started today. Pre-K better watch out, they may have met their match!
Now that they are both back in school, a new routine has emerged. They both have new bed times, new times to wake up, and new times to get out the door. We wake up and have breakfast, get lunches ready and backpacks packed. After that, we all load up in the car and head out to school. Ok, maybe it’s not quite that smooth, yet, but we are working on it.
There were a few tears this morning as I dropped off Bug, just from me though. She is glad to be back in school. I will miss her. I won’t miss her telling me every 5 minutes that she’s hungry though.
The one thing I am noticing so far today is that once I dropped them both off, an amazing thing happened… SILENCE! Yes, that blessed sound (or lack there of) that comes from being alone and do you know what that means? Less distractions which in turn means a more productive day! Hallelujah! Let the new found free time prevail!
Free time? Yeah right! The kids belts world is a busy one and yes, this new routine of dropping the kids off is a huge time freer upper, but that new free time is quickly filled with projects and deadlines. I wouldn’t change it for the world though. Having a business that I have built from the ground up and one that is growing by leaps and bounds daily is an amazing accomplishment that is worth every minute I have invested into it.
So I guess I should have changed the title of this post to New Routine = New Found Sanity… Hmmm… that’s probably not right either. Stupid deadlines…
Hope your Monday is being awesome to you!
Blessings,
New Digs
That’s right, I am happy to report that we are moving to a home that I LOVE! Why?? Because I didn’t quite feel as though I had enough on my plate what with the whole new fall catalog, the ABC expo, new product release, new patterns, school starting, and so on.
The house is in a great neighborhood and just minutes from the elementary school. This home is definitely an upgrade from where we are now, the place I refer to as the “slum”. I refuse to invite anyone over because this place is horrible. The cupboards are all warped from water damage. The tile is chipped in several places from previous tenants. A couple doors won’t open/shut properly because the pot-smoking maintenance guy stripped the screws when changing out the locks. Speaking of the moron…He cleaned out the drier vent with 6 coat hangers connected together. He installed carpet and didn’t pound down the carpet tacs so they kept stabbing us in the feet. The carpet in the kids room has a ripple in it that’s just getting worse and there is nothing we can do about it. Nests of carpenter ants live in the walls and it’s a constant battle to keep them out of the house. If we leave the master bedroom door closed, the room starts to reek of stale cigarette smoke. I could go on, the list is very long, but I would rather think about how much I’m going to love the new house.
This is probably the best thing to happen to me since inventing my super adorable Dapper Snapper kids belts… oh, wait… I meant the birth of my children and the day I got married!
This is a place that we can not only call home, but will actually BE a home! It’s been a while (since just after we moved here) that we have felt at home and I am so thrilled to be able to feel that again.
It’s going to be amazing to have no carpets to worry about, have a (meager) screened lanai, a little fenced in yard for Sammy to play in (previous renters put plexiglass windows in the fence for their dog), kids have their own rooms (important now that Super Dude is starting to be very aware of private parts and doesn’t want Bug to see him), and most importantly; I won’t be embarrassed to invite people over for dinner. I am already planning out the housewarming in my head…. (not that I am having a housewarming in my head, but a housewarming for the house. 
It will be grand and fabulous and all of you will want to be there (but, the house isn’t quite that big, so I will include you in spirit)!
The other nice thing about the house is the proximity to Super Dude’s school, although it’s not as close to the shop as where we are currently. But I won’t grumble about it being 5 minutes away as opposed to 3 blocks.
Overall, it’s seeming pretty perfect for our little family. I don’t know if I have expressed it accurately or not, but I am just a little excited. The only and I mean ONLY bad thing is that we have to wait until after the 1st to move in… boo! So who wants to help us move?
Blessings,
School Days, School Days, Dear Old Golden Rule Days…
In case you haven’t seen all of the “Back to School” TV ads, print ads, radio ads, posters, mailers, the meet the teacher flyers, school supply lists and so on and so forth, let me be the first to tell you, “It’s time for the kids to go back to school!” YAY!! Oh, wait, I probably shouldn’t be so excited, but I am.
Super Dude goes back to school on Monday and he couldn’t be more excited (Although I’m not as physically fit as I once was, I am definitely doing cartwheels in my head). He’s going onto first grade this year and I can’t believe it. We have gone through this twice now (pre-k and kindergarten) but doesn’t seem to get any easier. When did he get so big? And where was I when it happened?
We have bought into the hype and purchased all of his “back to school” supplies. He picked out a Transformers “Bumblebee” lunch box and a very cool camo backpack. Don’t get me wrong, I want my son to be “supplied” but it seems like the list gets larger and larger each year. I kind of feel like we are supplying for the whole class! Seems like retailers and the school board are getting together to single handedly improve the economy.
We got to meet his teacher today and I am very pleased. He seemed to really like her, as well. I think this year will be a great year and Super Dude is such a little sponge, he will do amazing.
Bug gets one more week of freedom, but after being stuck with us at the kids belts factory all summer, I think she’s chomping at the bit for some new scenery! I can’t say that I blame her. I mean, I love being here so much I hardly leave long enough to go to sleep (ha ha…), but for a 4 year old, it gets awfully monotonous.
She seems eager to start her pre-k adventure. We will see if that holds up once the day actually gets here. I gave her the option of a princess backpack or a monkey backpack, surprisingly she picked the monkeys! It even came with a super cute, matching lunch box. She’s already had plenty of experience with her new teacher from staying for “Lunch Bunch” after school most of last year.
I am thrilled that they are going back because they need a break and the social interaction (as well as the education) that comes with school, but it’s always a sad day in our household. Seriously…Didn’t they just learn to crawl?
Don’t Get Greedy!
Alas, poor Netflix, you served me well…But your split plans? Um…no…
My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed hours of unlimited streaming (I think that’s the only thing that has kept Bug from being bored out of her mind here at the office while we schlep kids belts) and the DVD’s have been great, but I have to say that a 60% price increase seems a bit excessive. I’m not sure what school of business you attended that said such a drastic increase all at one time is a smart one.
It seems as though the rapid (seemingly overnight) popularity of Netflix all but hastened the demise of Blockbuster, Movie Gallery (in case you don’t remember those, click here) and the like. I mean, really, we saw those stores going by the wayside eventually thanks to cable companies offering “On Demand” programming and more and more Redbox vending machines popping up all over the place and the endless places that you can stream movies online, but I’m pretty sure that Netflix was the straw that broke the camels back.
While all of these new options are convenient, there is something to be said about walking into a video store, picking up a VHS tape (yes, that dates me, I know) reading the description on the back of the box and moving on to the next. Call me nostalgic, but it was exciting to see the “New Releases” and all of the fancy cover art. Ok, so I’m a geek, but I’m ok with that.
Then, there were all of those glorious late fees. By the time we actually returned the movie and paid the late fees, we probably could have just bought the movie, but all those tapes just took up too much room.
Ah… Squirrel!
Back to Netflix, I think it was a major mistake to raise your prices so drastically and no matter how much I love you, it’s now the principle of it… I will not pay a 60% price increase, for no additional return. I guess our life will consist on trips to the nearest Redbox vending machines. Maybe we will now just have to check out Epix for our online streaming. It’s free for the time being, anyway. And if we stick with you? Well, I will be saving $2/month by only getting streaming. Thanks for saving me money.
The lesson: Don’t mess with a good thing by getting greedy. It’s bad for business.
Blessings,