Spring Awakening...

Answer this Survey and Tell Researchers what YOU think about Spring!!

Horton Hears a Who...

We went to see Horton Hears a Who the other day, here's a seven minute sneek peek...

This was my absolute favorite book when I was little, so I had pretty high expectations for this movie. The best I can say is that if you watched the seven minute long trailer above, you've seen all you need to see...

I was very disappointed with Horton - it was slow and although it stuck to the story pretty well, two hours just seemed a little too long for a story that would take ten minutes to read to a child. There were scenes that really made no sense (in relation to the movie plot) - like an animated kung-fu sequence that seemed to drone on forever. My kids normally don't have a problem sitting through movies, but they got very squirmy about 2/3 of the way through the film (I guess they were done with it too!). I don't want to give away the end of the movie (like everyone doesn't already know what happens), but why doesn't the one thing that Horton strives to do actually happen???... did they run out of time??

I'd say skip this one at the movies and do pay-per-view (at least it'll only set you back $5) or rent it when it comes out on DVD.

Pink Lemonade rates Horton Hears a Who a 2 out of 5.





Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

Featured Weekly on Posh Mama Online Magazine


TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him! If the button doesn't work on your email system - send an email to: askpinklemonadeeric@gmail.com

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Friday Free Stuff

Friday is finally here again! The end of the work week... the beginning of the weekend.... the day to grab some totally great freebies!! Here are Pink Lemonade's finds for the week:




Rewards Gold has a free subscription to "Interview" Magazine.

Got Curly Hair?? Redken has samples of their products made especially for curly hair.

Grab a free sample of Dial soap.

Print a coupon from Bath & Body Works. Good for any product free (up to $11) with any purchase (this includes a $1 nail file, etc) - great deal!

Does anyone remember those great Beverly Cleary books, like Ramona the Pest and Henry Huggins from when you were a kid (Little miss Lauren has actually read all of these and LOVES them!!) Well, Harper Collins sponsors D.E.A.R. (drop everything and read - as seen in the Ramona books). Get your free kit Here.

Sign up today to receive your Best of Cooking Light Supper Clubs™, Volume III mini-magazine and monthly Supper Club Dish e-newsletters from Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski. The mini-magazine and e-newsletters include seasonal menus, wine-pairing options, clever shortcuts, and entertaining tips all to help you host your best Supper Club party yet! Note: Mini-magazines will be mailed out in August 2008.

Walmart has Gold Bond Ultimate Restoring Lotion samples.

Take a quick survey and receive a sample of StaphAseptic pain relieving gel.

Take another quick survey and receive a FREE Swingline Optima Desk Stapler, worth over $20!

Swing by the Picture People and receive a free 8x10 or 10x13 portrait (sitting is free too!!)

Seattle's Best wants you to try their ground coffee!

MAC Cosmetics has a free download of their exclusive remix of "Glamorous" by Fergie.

Try Lacoste's new Touch of Pink cologne for women.

Kiehl's would like you to try their Ultra Facial Cleanser.

Do you know any guitar players? Premier Guitar is offering a free 1 year subscription.

Minwax knows you're ready to spiff up your home for spring - they're offering several home improvement publications.

Do you live in earthquake country? I certainly do! The USGS wants you to be prepared - order one of their handbooks.

Dove has two new fresh antiperspirant scents to try (and a new shampoo too!)

Love Lamb? The Australian Lamb people have a new cookbook for you!

Dogs Love Maine wants you to try their Maine-made dog biscuits, handcrafted with organic ingredients and no preservatives.

Have fun with your free goodies this week!

Be sure to visit Amanda at mommymandy.com for other offers!


There are only FOUR more days to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!If the button doesn't work on your email system - send an email to: askpinklemonadeeric@gmail.com





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Weather, Weather, Everywhere...

Answer this survey and tell researchers what you think about the weather...

MIT/Wellesley Toons

Yesterday, Eric and I took the kids to the Childrens Discovery Museum in San Jose. The girls had a blast playing with all the hands-on experiments. Their favorite, of course, was the water play area (I have to admit - it was pretty cool with a water vortex that pulled colored balls from top to bottom). But the coolest part of the whole afternoon was the show in the little theater. We went into the theater with no clue what kind of show was going to be put on (this guy was walking through the museum calling out "there's a show in five minutes" so we went to see what it was) - I'm really glad we did! The performers were the MIT/Wellesley Toons. They're an acapella singing group made up of college kids from... you guessed it - MIT & Wellesley. They were awesome! About three minutes into the show I was wishing I had brought the video camera but our still camera takes video so I pulled it out and took what little the camera had room for - check these kids out!!

They're really great (and, yes they do sing grown up songs too!) The Toons currently have a CD called The 59th Street Bridge available, selling for $13. The CD features ten of their more popular songs. The album features a mix including three Boyz II Men songs and “Feelin’ Groovy”, by Simon and Garfunkel as well as a song by U2. You can listen to all of the songs from their CD's here. I can't seem to find out where to buy the cd's (but if you contact them through the "contact" button at the top of the page, I'm sure they will point you in the right direction!)

Here are some other pictures from our day at the museum:



Well, there you have it... our "Day at the Museum"!

P.S. - Remember how sad I was when the girls decided they were too old for the Wiggles?? - and I wanted to go to the concert anyway?? Well, Yesterday there were actually only about two blocks away from the museum playing their second day at the HP Pavillion (can you believe it?? only two blocks away and I didn't get to see them?? I tried to get Eric to take us - believe me, I tried but he wasn't buying. The Wiggles.. so near.. and yet.. so far...)





Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

Featured Weekly on Posh Mama Online Magazine


There are only FIVE more days to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!

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Weight Loss Wednesday

Welcome to Pink Lemonade's Weight Loss Wednesday!

Did you try any new produce from the "L" list last week? Here's your "M" List:
Mushrooms, Melons, Mangoes, and Mustard Greens.

These are Pink Lemonade's weight loss friendly foods of the week:

Today, we are checking out Pizza - who doesn't love pizza? Now we can eat them without feeling guilty...

Kashi Thin Crust Pizzas

Yum! These new pizzas have a super-thin crust made of Kashi's signature Seven Whole Grains & Sesame blend and flax seeds. They're available in Roasted Vegetable, Mushroom Trio & Spinach, and Tomato Garlic Cheese. One third of each large pizza has 270 - 280 calories, 9g fat, and 5g fiber (POINTS® value 5 - 6*). - courtesy of Hungry Girl.com


Smart Ones Calzone

Oh, it's a happy day at the Hungry Girl HQ! Why? Because we have discovered a ridiculously tasty, guilt-free calzone swap. And the best part is, you don't even have to spend time in the kitchen building it. All you have to do is head to your favorite supermarket's frozen food aisle and snatch it up from the Smart Ones case. This frozen wonder comes complete with its very own "crisping sleeve", so your 'zone will be crusty and oozing with low-fat mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, and a yummy tomato sauce -- as opposed to a soggy nuked mess! Another perk (to quote the Smart Ones marketing peeps) is the fact that it can be enjoyed "fork-free" (not that we have anything against forks)! Weeeeee!

Serving Size: 1 calzone Calories: 290 Fat: 6g Sodium: 620mg Carbs: 47g Fiber: 6g Sugars: 6g Protein: 14g POINTS® value 6* - courtesy of Hungry Girl.com


Here's this week's motivational "moment":

"Some people have a foolish way of not minding, or pretending not to mind, what they eat. For my part, I mind my belly very studiously, and very carefully; for I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly will hardly mind anything else.
" - Samuel Johnson

See you Next Week!


There are only SIX more days to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no questions for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!

Don't miss a Weight Loss Wednesday! Subscribe to my Blog!

The Outmat from GoBaby

We received a super cute Outmat from Go Baby to give away during our March Madness Sweepstakes and couldn't resist checking it out and we're so glad we did!

This is definitely one of the most useful products we've seen in a long time. Our Outmat is the pink swirl design as shown and it is so very pink (just as we like things here at Pink Lemonade!).

When it's rolled and zipped up, it's a cute little roll with a generous carrying strap - handy for Dad to throw over his shoulder or Mom to hang from the stroller. The fabric is so soft and everything is very well put together. There's even a handy little zippered pocket on the outside (we think it's the perfect place to store an extra pacifier or two or to tuck a few dollars into for when the ice-cream man strolls through the park). Unzipped, the Outmat is even more stylish - it's brown and pink swirly flower pattern is so sweet. It measures a generous 50"x50" - plenty of room for story time in the park, or even an impromptu picnic with Mom! The Outmat is waterproof and washable.

My only question is... Why didn't they have these when my kids were smaller??

We give it a 5 out of 5!

You can enter to win an Outmat just like the one shown during Pink Lemonade's March Madness Sweepstakes, or you can visit Go Baby and grab one for yourself today in one of three fantastic colors!





Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

Featured Weekly on Posh Mama Online Magazine


There are only SEVEN more days to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!

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Do You Love Samples?

Do you love to get samples of new products?? Are you always the first one of your friends to try something new?? Do your friends come to you to find out what's trendy?? Then Sample Gal is for you!!

Sample Gal sells sample boxes which contain a variety of sample and full size products from various companies. Each box contains 10-15 samples from different companies/consultants. Companies also include great discounts that are only provided in these boxes. This is a great way to be introduced to wonderful products you may have never otherwise heard of! The samples are always different but will always include 10-15 different samples from different companies. Sample boxes go on sale the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month (That's Today!), each sale date is considered a campaign. In each campaign there are only 150 boxes, after that they are sold out.

Check out Sample Gal and get your awesomely cool box of samples today!





Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

Featured Weekly on Posh Mama Online Magazine


There are only EIGHT more days to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!

Don't miss an Article! Subscribe to my Blog!

Happy Easter

There are only NINE more days to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!





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Friday Free Stuff

Friday is finally here again! The end of the work week... the beginning of the weekend.... the day to grab some totally great freebies!! Here are Pink Lemonade's finds for the week:



Visit Kids Corner for a free Miracle of Easter CD for kids (email)

Head on over to BE Sloppy for a Be Sloppy, Sloppy Joes TShirt

Walmart has samples of Dexatrim Max O2

Sign up for the Degree Girl Network and get samples of Degree Girl

Walmart wants you to try Vaseline Intensive Rescue Lotion

Tide now has Dawn Stain Scrubbers (pretty good idea!), try some for yourself

Walton Music has a CD Sampler of Choral Music (sign up now & they'll send it out in May)

Jonathan Wheeler Art is sending our 3 free Mini Prints (they're very pretty - you get to choose)

Try out Armani Code fragrance for men

Start Sampling has a 2yr subscription to Ready Made Magazine - the magazine for do-it-yourself people who "like to make stuff" as the description puts it.

Metromint Water wants you to help spread the word about their product sign up to be part of their word of mouth advertising campaign

Don't get mad, go on over to Walmart to get Glad....Forceflex Trash Bags that is!

Do you get UTI's? Try some Theracran cranberry supplement for urinary tract health

Shellburne Falls coffee sample for signing up for their newsletter

Try new Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation

Low Price Subscriptions has free 1 year subscriptions to Bassmaster, Computer Shopper and Radar Magazines (they also have Rachael Ray for only $4 a year - not free, but close!)

Join the Jungle Club and receive a free sample of Start Right water conditioner for your fish tank.

Dandy-Lyon has a sample of their healthy kids snacks

Last, but by no means least:

This is definitely the best freebie of today... Not because it's something totally cool (well, it kind of is), but because it's something that is great (in my opinion). We all know the benefits of fish oil (mainly omega-3 fish oil), it can protect your body in so many ways - we don't even know about all of them yet. Not only can it benefit everyone, but there has been quite a bit of research on the benefits of Omega-3 for children with speech and language delays/disorders. My little Collette can not swallow pills so giving her fish oil has always been a challenge - until I found this product. It's omega-3 fish oil in little packs (like fast-food catsup packs) that taste like pudding (orange, lime, orange/chocolate) - just squeeze a pack in your mouth and you've added 2,000 mg of omega-3's to your day!! You cannot believe what a difference I have seen in my child since she's been taking this - try some for yourself (it will take more than the few samples they'll send you to see a difference, but at least you can see how great it tastes and how easy it is to use!) Try Coromega!!!

Have fun with your free goodies this week!

Be sure to visit Amanda at mommymandy.com for other offers!



There's still plenty of time to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no questions for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!





Don't miss a Friday Free Stuff! Subscribe to my Blog!

It's a Spring Thing!

As seen on Posh Mama Wednesday, March 12, 2008.

The flowers are beginning to bloom, the days are getting warmer and good old Uncle Sam has once again messed with our body clocks! Spring is knocking on our front door, and we all know what that means.... Spring Cleaning!

Why do we "Spring Clean"? Do we have some sort of need to be miserable for several days? Do we have a fascination with cleaning products? More than likely, if you're anything like me, you just want to make everything fresh, just like the changing season. Let's face it - we've been cooped up in our houses for the better part of three or four months (more if you live in a colder climate). Add to that the horrible cold and flu season this year and the need to just "wash everything down"... to clean... is calling my name!

Sometimes the most daunting part of a big task like Spring Cleaning is where to even begin... It's really quite simple - begin with a list! A checklist of sorts will make your job so much easier. Begin your Spring Cleaning not with rubber gloves, but with a "cuppa" coffee (or whatever you like - it's your choice). Grab a pad of paper, a pen and sit down for a brainstorm. Imagine each room of your home and quickly jot down the things that need to be done in each room.

A "Quick" list might look like this:

Kitchen:

• Walls & Ceiling


• Clean out Refrigerator


• Oven & Microwave


• Tops & Fronts of Cabinets


• Sweep, Vacuum & Mop


• Feeling Ambitious?: Move appliances - vacuum & mop under & behind them

Bathroom:

• Walls & Ceiling


• Mirrors & Windows


• Window Treatments, Shower Curtains & Rugs


• Shower, Sink & Toilet


• Sweep, Vacuum & Mop

Bedrooms / Home Office:

• Walls Ceiling
• (don't forget the ceiling fans if you have them)


• Windows & Window Treatments


• Clean & Dust all Vertical Surfaces
  • (don't forget lampshades)


• Shine & Protect all wood furniture


• Launder or dry clean winter bedding & store


• Shampoo or steam clean carpets, rugs & upholstery


• Flip Mattress


• Feeling Ambitious?:
  • Move furniture & vacuum under & behind (if possible)

Living Room:

• Walls Ceiling
  • (don't forget the ceiling fans if you have them)


• Windows & Window Treatments


• Clean & Dust all Vertical Surfaces
  • (don't forget lampshades)


• Shine & Protect all wood furniture


• Store heavy & cold weather fabrics & replace with lightweight ones


• Shampoo or steam clean carpets, rugs & upholstery


• Clean & Dust electronics


• Clean out fireplace for the season & store unused logs
  • (replacing the logs with candles makes your fireplace pretty without adding extra heat!)


• Move furniture & vacuum under & behind (if possible)

Once you have your quick lists, make a final list for each room on separate pieces of paper (one page for each room). Be sure to organize your tasks to work from the top of the room to the bottom (that way any dirt that falls will not fall on something you've already cleaned!). Post the list outside of each room & check off as you go - seeing things checked off, really makes you feel like you're accomplishing things - Plus, if you're lucky enough to have family members who want to help out, they'll know just what needs to be done and no one will duplicate efforts!

Aaahhhh, Spring.... It warms the heart and soul, It turns a young man’s fancy to love and it calls the name of all my cleaning products to gather around me and chant....”spring”.... “spring”.... “spring”....

Helpful Hint: If you have roughly textured walls try using old pantyhose instead of a sponge when wiping them down, they won’t shred like a sponge.





Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

Featured Weekly on Posh Mama Online Magazine


There's still plenty of time to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!

Don't miss an Article! Subscribe to my Blog!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Welcome to Pink Lemonade's Weight Loss Wednesday!

Did you try any new produce from the "K" list last week? Here's your "L" List:
Leeks (if you haven't tried these, give them a chance. They're so yummy, kind of a delicate onion-y/garlic-y flavor. Just be sure to wash them very well as they can often have lots of grit between the layers - crunching on leeks.... good - crunching on grit... not so much), Lemons (yes, we've all tried these - but think of a new way to use them), Limes (one of my favorite ways to use limes is to marinate chicken in lime juice, garlic, sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper - yummy), Lo Bok (also known as a Chinese Radish - makes a great simple soup. Peel it, cut it up, and toss it in a pot of water. In minutes you have both nourishing cooked radishes as well as a tasty broth. If you like, try adding a bit of soy sauce or even a handful of noodles) and lastly, Lychee fruit (I have never tried these, but see them often in the store - guess now is as good a time as any to give them a whirl!)

These are Pink Lemonade's weight loss friendly foods of the week:

Today, I thought we'd concentrate of Breakfast. After all, it is the most important meal of the day and one all too many people skip because they're pressed for time. Research has shown again and again that skipping breakfast is the surest way to lose the battle at the scale... so check out these great finds!

Amy's Multi-Grain Hot Cereal Bowl

PER SERVING (1 bowl): 180 calories, 1.5g fat, 260mg sodium, 34g carbs, 4g fiber, 8g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

We typically don't do backflips over hot cereal, because we usually don't find the portion sizes satisfying enough. However, we were more than pleasantly surprised when we tried this new breakfast bowl from Amy's. The cereal is REALLY delicious (we added some sugar-free maple syrup to it, to make it even yummier!), and the portion size was pretty big -- definitely satisfying enough for breakfast. Whoever is in charge of development over at Amy's has some ROCKIN' tastebuds, because all of the products that come out of that kitchen taste SO good . This bowl is a GREAT way to get a hot breakfast in at home -- or at the office. And the nutritionals are right on target, too (4g fiber!). Two yums up!!! BTW, Amy's breakfast bowls also come in Cream of Rice, Rolled Oats, and Steel-Cut Oats (we've tried 'em all, but this is our fave!). Look for them in the freezer aisle. Overall Score: 9. Actually backflip-worthy - courtesy of Hungry Girl.com


Fiber One Bread

We don't have full details just yet, but this brand-new line of bread products is popping up on shelves in the Northeast. Bagels, breads and english muffins have been spotted -- and a serving of each contains as much as 56% of the daily value of fiber. Yowsa - courtesy of Hungry Girl.com
PL here: If this bread turns out to be as good as their other products, I'm stocking up! One of my favorite quick breakfasts is toast with peanut butter... and when I can get more than half my daily fiber in one meal... I'm there! - I can hardly wait for it to get to the West Coast!!

Here's this week's motivational "moment":

"Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.." - Mark Twain

See you Next Week!


There's still plenty of time to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no questions for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!

Don't miss a Weight Loss Wednesday! Subscribe to my Blog!

Five Kind Things

I was tagged for five kind things by
Amanda.


Here are the rules:

• List five kind things you do for yourself. List five kind things you do for your family (I changed it just a smidge) and List five kind things you have done for a stranger


• Tag five more people.

So, here goes:

Five kind things I have done for myself:

• I learned how to stress myself out less.


• I've started eating way more fruits and veggies.


• I gave myself the "day off" on my Birthday!


• I filled my Ipod with music that I love (not just kids songs for the kiddos)


• I go to bed at 10 every night, even if I don't really want to - because 5am comes all too early!

Five kind things I have done for my family:

• I lay the girls' clothes for the next day out for them every night


• I drive 40 miles each way, just to go get Nana and take her shopping


• I get up at 5am every morning (okay, not on Saturday), so I can get everyone off to their morning destinations on time and un-harried.


• I'm secretly planning to get the girls each a new kitten when the "spring kittens" are ready


• I make Eric dress up in a big'ol white bunny suit (think mickey at disneyland) to deliver the Easter baskets on Easter Morning

Five kind things I have done for strangers:

• Given money a young child who didn't have enough change to buy something at the store (he was buying a gift for his Mom and was, like .50 short - so sweet)


• I always stop and let people cross from the store to the parking lot (especially in the rain)


• I take the girls to buy toys for underprivileged kids at Christmas time.


• I hold open doors for little old ladies (men too)


• I help little old ladies pick up things they've dropped at the grocery store

Now it's my turn to tag five more people:

• The Vasquez 3


• Lilly Pad Mom


• Tammy at Mom Knows Everything


• Kim at Rainy Day Diamonds


• Anna at Beth & Cory's Mom

There's still plenty of time to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!





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The Trouble with Shrinkie...

I try not to do this too often, but today, I must vent... just for a moment....

Collette, my special needs kiddo has an IEP coming up in a few weeks. For those of you who do not know, an IEP is an Individualized Education Plan, it's something that all special ed kiddos have written out for them every year (kind of goals to work on, placement, etc). Now I usually hate going to these because I always feel like DH and I need to go in expecting some sort of fight. Every year, the school tries to put her in a more handicapped class than she should be in, but luckily, we are well-versed enough in the "rules" that we know she doesn't have to go anywhere we don't want her to be. Every year, we have this "discussion" and every year we prevail although it's very stressful at the time. Not only do we have to go to an IEP meeting every year (not just DH, me and Collette's teacher, but also school administration, district administration, school speech therapist, school occupational therapist, you name them, they seem to be there!) but every three years they do an additional IEP called a "triennial IEP" which is more long-term planning. These wonderful "triennials" include all the above players, plus our own private therapists (whom, we must pay hourly out of our own pockets to attend) and, my most favorite of all participants... the school psychologist... (if you are a school psychologist, please do not be offended by what I am about to say... I'm sure not all school psychologist are like ours!)

Our story begins several weeks ago, when a "pre-pre-IEP" meeting was called to authorize any testing that needed to be done for the triennial. DH and I don't feel that any standardized test is a good indicator of how our daughter is learning and growing. Lots of children just don't test well even though they know the material and Collette is one of these children. Add to that the significant speech and language disorder and auditory processing difficulties and you might as well not even bother, because an accurate result is never going to happen. As hard as we tried to waive the testing, the school district pushed right back stating "compliance" and the point came where we had no choice but to just give in and let her be "tested". Now we have no problem with the tests that the speech therapist and occupational therapist are giving her, they are actual assessments of what is being performed. The psychologist, however, is a whole different ball game...

To begin with, this woman (I'm going to call her "Shrinkie") talks down to me like I'm some uneducated person straight off the turnip truck (a sure way to push my buttons!!). She calls me at home and asks when we can meeting so she can go over a questionnaire that needs to be filled out for her assessment. Shrinkie asks me "do you think you can do this at home?... or would you like me to go through it with you??...." (...trying not to scream at her....teeth clenched... heart attack vein pulsing...) "no" I answer, "I'm pretty sure I can do it all by myself"... So we make an appointment for DH and I to come to her classroom to go over the questionnaire and answer any questions about the tests she's giving Collette.

Several days later, Eric and I visit Shrinkie and she, in her usual way, proceeds to speak very clearly, very distinctly, to me....like I'm a (bleeeeeeeeppppp)ing idiot!! My blood is beginning to boil, but I keep my calm...deep breathing... think happy thoughts..... butterflies... puppies.... ice cream..... martinis...... She is showing us these tests and explaining how she's giving them. I ask her if, when giving the tests, she sometimes rephrases the question if it seems that Collette is having trouble answering it (for example.... three crayons of different lengths...ask which is the largest....if she's hesitating, does she then maybe ask, which is the longest, or biggest? - same result, just different wording)... She, for some reason, cannot answer a question directly and goes round, and round, and round (I'm getting dizzy) until she appears to have answered the question... only it's not even the question I asked... (maybe she's the idiot, not me??).. The example she gave was this (in reference to the crayon length question).... "for example one of the questions is to show a red square and a blue square on a piece of paper, and ask the child what is the same about these two things?... the child doesn't get it right away, so I'll pull out two objects - one red, one blue (different objects, mind you) and then ask them what is the same about these two objects (say a blue truck and a red crayon)"....... What the &*%#@!!!!???? did anyone figure out the thing that is the same is that they're both colors???.... me either!!! And she's going to mark my kid down because she can't answer that question!!! It's at this point that I've lost my cool and get up to leave, I tell her I feel like she thinks I'm an idiot and I don't appreciate it. She of course, looks all concerned ..... "oh my, I don't want you to feel that way..." Eric is much better at being diplomatic and tries to steer the conversation away from Shrinkie's behavior. We leave with our questionnaire in hand and I go home to have a cocktail...

So, I'm filling out this questionnaire, and you'd never believe the questions it asks (I must rate these on a 0, 1, 2 or 3 scale with 0 being not able, 1 being never, 2 being sometimes and 3 always). Here are is just a sampling of the questions I'm supposed to answer (about my 4th grader, mind you!!):

"Answers complex questions that require careful thoughts and opinions, for example questions about politics or current events"

"Calls a repair person if, for example, the air conditioner or heater is not working"

"Reads classified ads for purchases and services"

"Performs minor household repairs, for example, a clogged drain or leaky faucet" (do you really want your 4th grader fixing your leaky faucet?)

"Buys over the counter medications when needed for illness"

Here's a good one... "Washes and rinses the sink after brushing teeth".....My own 47 year old husband doesn't even do this....sheesh...

And these are just a tiny sprinkling of the outrageous questions I had to circle seven pages of tiny little numbers for!! So, for every one that I mark less than 3, she's getting her score lowered ... do you think her score should be lowered because she's not buying her own medications, calling the plumber and fixing the air conditioner all by herself???.. what an irresponsible parent I am... all this time, not letting her do such things - maybe I should let her take the car to have it serviced next month - do you think they'll bring her home in the shuttle van?

So, today I turn in my little questionnaire, answers neatly circled (with, mind you, five typed pages of comments to go with them)... and wait... while Shrinkie compiles my answers and gives them a score then she will add them to the scores that she and Collette's teacher hav given her. This score will be the school districts view of my child... a number. Do they care that a year ago, she wouldn't even sit long enough to try a preschool puzzle and today she sits at the table long enough to put together a 25 piece puzzle without one drop of help?.... Do they care that today she can read a little reading book when two years ago we were told that she would never be able to read?... Do they care that she can now dress herself when it was a struggle only last year?... Nope, they only care about the score of her test...oh, and if she can call for an air conditioner repairman (nevermind that we don't even have air conditioning!!)...





Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade

Featured Weekly on Posh Mama Online Magazine


There's still plenty of time to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!

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The Mommies United Launch Party!!

Hey everyone! Hop on over to The Mommies United! They're throwing a mega launch party - these ladies are awesome and I know you'll enjoy their site...

They are giving away some really awesome prizes! Some of my favorites are: A blog design by Splat Designs, and a gift pack from Mom Spit!

Head on over, Party yourselves sill and have an great time!

Ask Eric

Eric won't be answering any questions today.....why? you ask.... Because no one sent him any this week.... He's feeling very unwanted (you know how guys get - all pouty & stuff). Do we want to continue with Eric's weekly post?

The poll will remain open until midnight on Friday, March 21st.







There's still plenty of time to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has no questions for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!


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Friday Free Stuff

Friday is finally here again! Not only does that mean the end of the work week for most of us, but also a nice little list of free goodies you can send away for.

3M Wants you to Win Sophie's Stuff! Answer some questions about post-it products and win one of several cool prizes!

Ever go into a public restroom and think "eeeewwwww" (me too) - Klean 2 Go wants you to try their Personal Protection Packets - they include everything you need for a "clean getaway".

Claritin has a choice of three Storybooks for kids (all about allergies) - I got one last year for my kids "Casey's Allergies" - it's cute.

Try some Curel Life Stages Moisturizer (c'mon, your skin is begging you...)

Love Escada? Try their new Moon Sparkle Fragrance.

Another Magazine Subscription!! Rewards Gold is offering a subscription to HOME Magazine for answering quick survey about comforters.

Loreal Skin Genesis Strengthening Skin Care is new - you MUST try it.

Are you way past your teen years and still breaking out??....me too. I love Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Power Clear Scrub - it really works & they're offering samples - yippee!!

Can't sleep?? Take the Unisom 8 day challenge.

Love the Philadelphia 76ers? If you live near their home arena, you can get 2 free tickets to a home game - just fill out the form & follow the instructions (they're probably nosebleed seats - buy hey, they're free!)

Walmart has these goodies for you this week:

Purina Healthful Life Cat Chow

Dove Cool Moisture haircare

Easter is almost here! Here are some early Easter goodies for your basket:

Hop on over to Walmart for free Pictures with the Easter Bunny

Want to entertain the kids with something that doesn't involve sugar?? DTLK Has tons of Easter Activities.

Are you cooking Easter Dinner? Leanne Ely at Saving Dinner has full Easter/Passover menus! Her menus are fantastic and include shopping lists - I use the Thanksgiving one every year. (click on the "free menus" in the right-hand green bar)

Have fun with your free goodies this week!

Be sure to visit Amanda at mommymandy.com for other offers!



There's still plenty of time to enter the March Madness Sweepstakes! Click on the button for details on how to enter to win one of four fantastic prizes!


Be sure to email all your Questions about your guy to Eric - He'll be answering them every most Saturdays! Click on the "Ask Eric" button to email your question now! --- Eric currently has only one question for Saturday, send him a question today.... show him we want to hear from him!





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You Love Me.... You Really Love Me !!

WOW everyone... I feel so fortunate to have so many bloggy friends! I've gotten two awards over the past few weeks and with everyone in the house being sick one after the other, I haven't had a chance to share them with you or to "share the love". So bear with me, this is my attempt at a make-up exam!