So, here are the Best 3…Fads of the 1980s:

1. Cabbage Patch Kids

2. Slip’ n’ Slide

3. Jelly Shoes Honorable mentions: Legwarmers; Slinky; Rubik’s Cube; Jazzercise; ‘the preppy look’

Cabbage Patch Kids (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The top pick for me had to be the Cabbage Patch Kids.  Like so many children, I was lucky enough to a cabbage patch kid that looked liked me with brown hair and brown eyes.  Her name was Anita Lee and because that was what was on the birth certificate provided in her packaging, that is what her name became.  Anita and I went everywhere together.  We even had the same outfits.  Yes, that is right.  For Christmas one year, Santa provided both Anita and I the same pair of pink and teal pajamas.  The Cabbage Patch Kids were such a great toy – simple but one that had a lasting impression and that is why it made it as the #1 best pick

My second best 3 pick had to be the Slip’ n’ Slide.  It was a great invention that provided hours of fun and lots of laughs.  It was crazy how far yo would slide on one of those things.  Honestly, I remember my father setting it up on our front yard, and everyone would have a turn.  It was amazing, exhilarating and simply the best way to spend a hot day.

For those that remember, I’ve posted a 1988 slip n’ slide commercial.

For my final best 3, it had to be Jelly Shoes.  Like so many other girls out there, I had so many of these shoes.  There is not much else to say expect, they were jelly and that was very cool to a kid.

AG

Related articles

• Review: Cabbage Patch Kids (benspark.com)
• How To Spoil Your Cabbage Patch Kids Rotten: Courtesy Of TLC’s “My Crazy Obsession” (thefrisky.com)
• Couple own 5,000 Cabbage Patch Kids, have $200,000 amusement park for them at house (weinterrupt.com)
• Obsessed: Couple Has 5,000 Cabbage Patch Kids (abcnews.go.com)

 Today I found a great coupon book at Target! It was located on a display, near an end cap in the toy department. Since these are all Target coupons you can match these with manufacturer coupons for an even better deal!

RULES: All entries must be between 33 and 333 words and need to include the following word using its third definition:

clean (adjective)

1: free from dirt or pollution
2: unadulterated, pure
3 a : free from moral corruption or sinister connections of any kind <a candidate with a clean record>

* * * * * * * * * *

A year in the life of my childhood

* * * * * * * * * *

The year was 1983

The times? They were so simple

Cabbage patch dolls everywhere

So hideously-dimpled

*

Reagan was the president

And Swatch entered the scene

As did jellies, Rubik’s cubes,

And McNuggets as cuisine

*

My fashion was inspired by

Madonna, Flashdance, Lauper

‘Cause MTV was everywhere

So I looked like a pauper

*

The music was my favorite

Boom box on every shoulder

From Dexy, Prince or Men at Work

(It so sucks getting older)

*

For film, we had The Outsiders,

Big Chill and Valley Girl

And Vacation with Chevy Chase

Gave the Griswolds to the world

*

But I was still a little girl

My parents weren’t mean

They just wanted to be sure

What I saw and heard was clean

*

Enter Mr. Cosby

And his one-man show ‘Himself’

I must have pulled it fifty times

Off our VHS tape shelf

*

The jokes, they were all perfect

The dentist chair he faked

I won’t forget the joke about

“Dad gave us chocolate cake!”

*

Thank you for the memories

Of this, a lifetime chapter

But most of all I thank you, Bill

For all my family’s laughter

* * * * * * * * * *

Please enjoy this little blast from my past.

It’s official, I’m registered for Run For Your Lives. I was only going to be a runner but somehow also got rallied to be a Stumbler (a zombie that creeps out and scares people). I figured why the hell not? How many chances am I going to get to have a team of makeup artists and wardrobe personnel making me into a zombie? Or be encouraged to scare the living daylight out of people? It’s going to be a happening time. I was excited to read that a fellow blogger will also be doing the race in October. I can’t wait to hear about his experience!

I’ll have to wait til November – but it’ll give me a chance to work on my running which is pretty much non existent at the moment. I ran for the first time a week ago (slow, alternating walking and running using songs as my time) and I was surprised by how much I didn’t hate it and how it wasn’t as hard as I had made it out to be in my head.

We do that sometimes, don’t we? Make things harder or more complicated than they really are. I’m trying to be more open – try things that I’ve for so long assumed that I couldn’t do.

Speaking of which – you can add this to the list of things you didn’t know about She BANGS : I’m from an island (now living on a peninsula) but I’ve never learned how to swim. (I’ll let that sink in for a few.)

Yes, I’m 30 years old and have managed to evade the whole learning how to swim thing. My dad tried to teach me when I was young but I was too scared and it just never happened. Then I guess I decided along the way, that I was okay with chilling at the shallow end. Well, I’m done with being complacent and since I’m on a kick to learn new things anyway,  I’m going to be taking adult swimming lessons  in the end of March.

I’m not going to lie, I’m scared. But not nearly as scared as the fact that I have to go bathing suit shopping now. Ack!

a so-so introduction to baby brother...

Yesterday when Maeven saw Judah for the first time she seemed happy to meet him and really wanted to touch him.  Unfortunately it was shortly after Judah’s circumcision and he was in no mood to be touched.  So when Maeven leaned in and touched his face he cried. Judah’s crying scared Maeven and she started wailing and had a major meltdown.  Day 1 was only a semi success.

Today, Maeven came back with Grandma Cathy and we were apprehensive about how things were going to go.  Our fears were quickly relieved as Maeven climbed up on Mommy’s bed and leaned in to touch Judah and give him a kiss.  As Erin asked where Judah’s nose, ears, and eyes were she smiled and pointed to each.  When Grandma and Pop were holding Judah she came up to them and started motioning that she wanted to hold him.  So they lowered Judah down and she leaned in to give him a big hug!

a hug from Big Sis!!!

Our fears have definitely been relieved and while we now their will be some brother sister battles in the future, we know Maeven will be an awesome big Sis!

checking out baby brother's toes

Louis & Lola ?— TITANIC survivors (LOC) by The Library of Congress on Flickr.

I think they make a great pair of twins and have a mischevious look in their eyes.

They both date from the 90′s and have been looked after really well compared to some ive bought.

I am really pleased with how she has scrubbed up.  She had a thorough soaking and scrub, her hair was washed, her face gently cleaned and her new dress was given a wash too. Now i reckon she looks a right picture.

Well lo and behold a month of little Stella’s life had passed and I realized I had not yet started this for our newest little darling. Not wanting her to feel the “you-have-less-photos-of-me-than-the-first-born” drama, I nipped it in the bud and seized the closest item I could find to start documenting. I mean…after much thought and care I settled on Suzy to be the chosen the doll to document our precious girl’s growth. (Of course, her size growth portfolio wouldn’t be so haphazard as me just nabbing the closest item…).

Suzy, by the way, is my beloved Cabbage Patch doll from when I was a child. And charting her first month, here’s Stella and Suzy!

Note 1: These pics were taken around January 26th, even though they are just being posted now. So they do accurately reflect one month of growth. My tardiness at posting them is more a commentary on the time restraints of my current lifestyle. Two young kids and finding it hard to find time to blog. Who would have thunk?

Note 2: Niko is in daycare today.

Note 3: At Stella’s one month check up, her stats were as follows: weight – 10 lb 8 oz, height – 22 inches. (90th percentile for both).

Ill add an ‘after’ pic when she is done

French filmmaker Alice Guy (or Alice Guy-Blanche) directed, wrote and starred in the film. She was the first woman to get involved in the industry. She made as many as 700 films during her lifetime.

This doll has been hanging around the house for a L.O.N.G time.  It was Paige’s.  She probably got it for a birthday or a Christmas.  Most likely from my mother in law.  She loves the Cabbage Patch dolls, and still has my husband’s and his siblings from when they were young. 

Paige could’ve cared less.  She never took an interest in the Cabbage Patch, and long ago it went to the bottom of some random toy pile, lost and forgotten.  ‘

Until Allie found it a couple of weeks ago. 

I don’t know what it was about THIS particular doll, but she proceeded to carry the doll with her for the rest of the day.  She dragged it upstairs to bed with her that night at bedtime. 

The Cabbage Patch has no clothes.  Just a cloth diaper with velcro tabs on it.  The clothes have long ago been stripped (one of Paige’s favorite things to do to her dolls…take their clothes off…should I be worried?) and thrown God knows where.  Allie’s happy with just the diaper.

But she’s a very particular kind of child, and the diaper has to be put on just so every night when she gets into bed.  By me, of course.  It’s not enough I have two children to dress…

So, the Cabbage Patch has been happily hidden in Allie’s crib for weeks.  Her snuggling up with it, and her blankies, every night and every nap.

Yesterday, my Mother-in-law found an outfit for her Cabbage Patch doll that used to belong to her kids’ dolls.  Allie was thrilled. 

Sunday morning, when she woke up, instead of the doll staying nestled in her crib, she insisted on bringing it downstairs with her. 

And that’s when Paige spotted it.

While I was getting Allie’s breakfast, I heard Paige grunting, and Allie screeching.  I figured Paige was trying to rip the doll out of her hands.  A quick peek in the living room confirmed.

“GIVE THAT DOLL BACK TO YOUR SISTER!” I demanded. 

“But I haven’t had a tuuuurn,” Paige whined.

“You don’t even LIKE that doll!  That doll USED to be yours and you HATED it.  You never TOUCHED it!  The ONLY reason you want it now, it because your sister has it!” 

Yes, maybe I should teach them sharing, no matter what the item is, but there’s plenty of gadget-y things I take off of Allie that are Paige’s.  This doll has become Allie’s little lovey.

“She sleeps with that doll every night,” I emphasized.

“EVERY NIGHT?!”  I thought she was finally going to see my point.  But I should’ve known there’s no reasoning with a 5 year old.  “I WANT A TURN TO SLEEP WITH IT!”

I guess the fact that it’s been sitting at the bottom of the toy box for 2 years until Allie rescued it is besides the fact.

“Fine,” I said, smugly.  I thought I had her this time.  “You have a turn with her doll, and SHE’LL take your blankie to bed.” 

It didn’t work the way I had planned.

Paige picked up her blankie, I thought to protect him from slimy sister hands, and gently handed him to her sister.

“Here, sister.  You can have my blankie, and I’ll take the doll.” 

Allie gleefully handed over her doll, not realizing the trade that was happening, and Paige tore the doll from her before any minds could be changed. 

I put my head in my hands and muttered, “You’re missing the POINT!”  There are just some things I don’t find necessary to share.  You have your blankie that you sleep with every night, and you have your blankie’s, and currently, a doll as well.  I would never make either child share a lovey with the other, mostly because it doesn’t mean to one what it means to the other.

This much was evident a few hours later when I returned home from work, and Paige had already discarded the old, raggedy doll into the corner of the living room. 

When it was Allie’s bedtime, she made me grab her two blankies, and made sure we found that doll, too.

And Paige never even noticed the doll was missing…

*and in a quick side note, I have opened my own shop for my crocheted hats.  You can find the link under the “My Crochet” tab.

Ill continue to search eBay for cheap clothes before i begin down the homemade route.

Party With Johnny Feisty

Nerdcore ’80s band The Spazmatics have been bringing their cover song chaos to the Dragonfly for over seven years. The quartet has packed the ‘Fly’s main room with drunk girls who “just wanna have fun” and drunker guys looking to “whip it” good. Their next show is Sunday January, 15th at 10 pm – MLK Weekend.

The fun foursome pulls out all the biggest hits of the ’80s, each rocking greasy hair, taped eyeglasses and zany stage antics. While most of them are obvious — “C’mon Eileen,” “Rebel Yell,” “I Love Rock n’ Roll,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Jesse’s Girl,” “Footloose” — what sets them apart from your average bar-variety hit rockers is the way they render the retro. They use synchronized choreography, mini-mashup moments infusing riffs from current hits, and lots of audience participation. The crowd is twentysomethings shrieking and freaking to songs that came out before they were born.

If you want to relive the 80′s, this is the place. Dress the part and show off your favorite dance moves, such as The Moonwalk, The Sprinkler, The Running Man and The Worm. My personal favorite move is The Cabbage Patch. Here are some simple instructions to get you moving: Find a good spot to dance. Move your torso to the left side with your right shoulder coming forward. Repeat this same action for the right side torso and left shoulder. Stretch your arms out in front of you and move them in a circular motion. Include your legs and feet. Add in hip movements to complete the cabbage patch dance.

This begs me to ask the question, can nerds be sexy?

The Dragonfly
6510 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90038
www.thedragonfly.com
(323) 466-6111

www.thespazmatics.com

www.xplorela.com

The world stopped for a moment at the news of Kim Jong Il’s death; half of which was expecting nuclear war, and the other half to celebrate the death of the last member of the Lollipop Guild. His successor, Kim Jong Un, now is to take power and despite his Asiatic cabbage patch appearance,  the country of North Korea is said to be heralding his reign.

North Korea declared Kim Jong Il’s son and successor “supreme leader” of the ruling party, military and the people during a memorial Thursday for his father in the government’s first public endorsement of his leadership.

Kim Jong Un — head bowed and somber in a dark overcoat — stood watching from a balcony at the Grand People’s Study House overlooking Kim Il Sung Square, flanked by the top party and military officials. Also on the balcony was Kim Jong Il’s younger sister, Kim Kyong Hui, who is expected to play a guardian role for her young nephew.

 

Given Kim Jong Un’s inexperience and age — he is in his late 20s — there are questions outside North Korea about whether he is equipped to lead a nation engaged in sensitive negotiations over its nuclear program and grappling with decades of economic hardship and chronic food shortages…

Well a country of starving people manufacturing nuclear warheads needs nothing better than a chubby youngster to be in control of the little food there is left. Let’s face the facts, North Korea has nothing to offer the world other than fear of nuclear war, at least South Korea has hot chicks, good music and awesome food. North Korea just has angry midgets and starving people. BLEH, try and squeeze that in the fine print of a tourist brochure.

Not all of us are fit to rule countries, a perfect example is myself, I much prefer to poke fun at the mistakes people make doing things I would never attempt. Had I been in power in any other country, I would have claimed North Korea as mine the minute he died, no negotiation, no debate, no war, it’s mine. It would be the my own Cuba, in which I can implement American foreign policy accordingly, they can manufacture my coke and I can enjoy shipping their soaked tired bodies back in the water after a 90 mile swim to freedom.

CBS

I love Christmas and I don’t want you to miss it. God wants to give you three special gifts this Christmas. If you don’t want to miss Christmas, you need to receive three gifts. These gifts of Christmas are found in the person of Jesus. Yes, the baby born 2,000 years ago. The one who gives us the ability to give in the first place.

On one hand, it seems impossible to miss Christmas. Starbucks gets the new cups and drinks (oh, I love Gingerbread lattes), stores fill with decorations, family plans are made, dinners are prepped, credit cards are maxed and our lives are filled and flustered.

We can get lost in the feeling of Christmas and miss the true gifts Christmas has to offer. Beneath all the aromas and emotions of the season we can find the true meaning of Christmas. Underlying the music that rings out of mall speakers, Hallmark commercials, life supposedly wrapped up neatly with a bow, though our lives are anything but neatly wrapped; three gifts are waiting for us to open.

Faith.
How will you respond to the hope and love found in Jesus and the story of Christmas? Take a moment right now and honestly ask yourself, what do I think about all this? Pray (talk to God) and simply ask Him to show you His love and bring you hope.

You miss Christmas by missing Jesus’ love for you, the hope he provides and missing the opportunity to respond in faith.

When my wife was young, her sister convinced her to secretly unwrap her Christmas presents before Christmas. While mom and dad were preoccupied they carefully opened the packages. That was the year Cabbage Patch dolls were “Toy of the Year” and she had made her desire for one clear to her parents. Seeing dirty blonde yarn hair in the bottom of a box, she quickly yanked the doll into her arms.

What she found wasn’t a Cabbage Patch doll at all, but rather a homemade imposter. As you can imagine, she was devastated. Not only did she get the wrong doll, she also got a huge box of homemade clothes for the homemade doll. Now she had to suffer through several more days until Christmas to open the wrong presents.

What gifts are you going to open this Christmas? Will you accept the gifts you’re being given? God is giving you three beautiful gifts in the person of Jesus.

The gift of love.
The gift of hope.
The gift of faith.

I trust you’ll accept these gifts from God. That you will know the love of Jesus, giving you hope for today and faith in your future. When you respond to God’s gifts of faith, hope and love found in Jesus – you’re receiving the best gifts in the world.

I trust you’ll take some time to consider Jesus this Christmas. Don’t miss Christmas this year and God’s gifts of love, hope and faith.

How do you miss Christmas? Miss Jesus.

Just a tad creepy.

In a nutshell it’s a little stuffed elf that you “adopt” much like the Cabbage Patch dolls of old but with a most nefarious aim.  To get your children to behave.  Let’s be realistic fellow parents we are already lying to our kids anyway about a fat bearded ol’ pervert that spy’s on the kids anyways why not give him an accomplice to make the rouse just a touch more believable.

Enter the Shelf Elf, who sits and watches the children silently during the day and fly back home to the North Pole at night to report to the bearded one about the children’s activities.  Hmmm, are they reporting to Lenin or Santa?

The real trick of the toy is to move the Elf every day, thus maintaining the illusion that the Elf is alive and actually doing the North Poles bidding.  The kids will by all account, jump speedily out of bed each and every morning to search for the tiny infiltrator thus releasing the parents from exhaustive morning wake up chores.  Also since the children are being watched by a magical apprentice they should behave for at least the Christmas season.

Also in the extra creepy girl elf version

Is this sneaky as hell, does it smack of McCarthyism?  HELL YA!  Am I for it, Boo-ya.

Lets face it fellow parents any edge us old geezers can have over our spawn is a welcome one, they are bombarded with commercials and peer pressure for toys and attention.  The over sugared lifestyle they live is out of control and if it takes a little subterfuge to get some control back into our back pocket I’m all for it.

So let’s join the Shelf Elf revolution, Viva Elves, Viva Santa.  Oh screw it I need an Egg-nog.

Merry Christmas to all my fellow parents out there.

Bob

I have now had to limited myself to around 50 and the rest I am rehoming a few at a time.

I’ve conquered the kids gift list!! I just have to say that I love toys. That’s why my child has a bedroom that rivals any toy store in town. If there was a “Pop Up Video” of her room, a bubble would pop up that just simply reads, “really?” So, there’s that. And here’s the list of the toys I like.

Pottery Barn Doll

Constructive Eating

Animal Chart

Chopsticks for Kids

Custom Teepee

Classic Bumper Car

Nancy Doll and Pony

Little People Zoo

Rody Pony

Custom Rag Doll

Corolle Les Classiques Bebe Do

Treehouse Dollhouse

Baseball and Glove

Robot Shapes Puzzle

Melissa & Doug Wooden Food Groups

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Cabbage Patch Doll

Kids BBQ

Kids Space Train Set

Duplo

Baby Alive

Train Conductor Hat