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Wiggly Waffle on Sprout

Posted on October 8, 2009 10:03 am by TheAngelForever

A few weeks ago, I got up early and went to stand at the box office to get tickets for a concert. No, it was not to see Billy Joel, Five For Fighting or Bon Jovi. These tickets were for a family event. Once again, we are going to see The Wiggles!!

We are huge fans of The Wiggles. We have been watching them for over five years now. We have not only been to two concerts, but last year we sat in the front row of the show.

This year, we are taking the newest Wiggles addict in our family. JSL will finally be able to see The Wiggles live and he has no clue what to expect. He has only seen the show at Wiggles World in the Six Flags park near us.

Of course, NHL grew up watching The Wiggles on Playhouse Disney. Did you know that The Wiggles have a new television home in the United States?

Not only are The Wiggles on Sprout, but they have a new show that is on weekday mornings from 6-9 on Sprout. Sadly, our cable company (Time Warner) does not provide us with Sprout. We have been asking for it for many years now, but still have not been able to get it. Of course, with The Wiggles move to Sprout I am once again starting my crusade to get this cable station added in our area. I not only went to WigglesPlease.com, I am also planning to call my Time Warner Cable to make the request again.

When I was asked by Family Review Network to help to get the word out about The Wiggles moving to Sprout I jumped at the opportunity. We were also told about Sprout being on Facebook. If you are on Facebook head on over to check out the Wigglemania Facebook Contest.

In addition to helping to get the word out about The Wiggles new television home, we were also sent a DVD to review. When the DVD arrived my little Wiggles fans were eager to check it out. We received The Wiggles Present: Dorothy The Dinosaur. As you can see, we are no strangers to Wiggles DVDs.

The Wiggles Presents: Dorothy the Dinosaur is different from other Wiggles DVDs that we own. This DVD takes us to Rosy Town where we meet up with Dorothy the Dinosaur. Dorothy begins by showing us her book that is filled with some of her wonderful memories. As she turns the pages of her memory book we are transported into her past. We get to sing and dance along with Dorothy, Wags the Dog, Henry the Octapus, Captain Feathersword and special guests that include Francis Awaritefe, Rachel Beck, Troy Cassar-Daley, Kathy Gothadjaka, David Hobson, Jane Kennedy, John Rowe, Leo Sayer and Don Spencer.

Some of The Wiggles Songs included on this DVD are:

Balla Balla Bambina
C’est Wags, C’est Bon
Come On Let’s Jump
I Look in the Mirror
I’m Dorothy the Dinosaur
I’m the Postman
Lettuce Sing (Fresh Fruit and Vegies)
Say Aah at the Doctors
Vegetable Soup

10 other songs are also included on the DVD along with the following Special Features:

The Wiggles Jukebox – The Band Sings and Plays Some of Their All-Time Best Songs
Join The Wiggles for Wash Your Hands – UNICEF’s official song for Global Handwashing Day
Two Bonus Episodes from Dorothy the Dinosaur’s TV Series
Photo Gallery

What our Wiggles fans thought:

NHL (6): He liked the songs that were included. He immediately got up and danced along with Dorothy. When the DVD was over he asked where Sam, Anthony, Murray and Jeff were. Being older he is used to the more traditional Wiggles DVDs where they are front and center in the production.

JSL (2): As a newer Wiggles ~~addict~~ fan, the little guy asked to watch it again when it was over. He loved dancing and singing along to several songs that he recognized. After watching it a few times he now sings along with everything and especially love the song featuring Leo Sayer who is also in the You Make Me Feel Like Dancing DVD that we already owned.

Parent View: We could appreciate the brave move to try something different. Putting the spotlight onto Dorothy and seeing her memories in song/dance was a nice change. As always, we love the educational push that all Wiggles DVDs have in them. There is a lot for children of all ages to learn from watching this DVD.

There is no doubt that our Wiggles DVD collection will continue to grow. Look for new Wiggles concert photos coming in about a month when we take JSL to his first live Wiggles event with Sam, Anthony, Murray, Jeff, Captain Feathersword, The Wiggle Dancers, Dorothy, Henry and Wags.

If you have Sprout, know that we are extremely jealous of you and please be sure to tune in and watch Wiggly Waffle each weekday morning. For now the boys and I will continue to watch our Wiggles DVD collection and play on The Wiggles area on Sprout Online.

Disclosure: This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Sprout Television, who provided the DVD for review.

Categories:
jsl looking back nhl photos Product review show television

Think Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Posted on October 5, 2009 9:53 pm by TheAngelForever

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The sad truth is that most of us probably know someone that has breast cancer. Last June, someone I knew was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went for her yearly mammogram and something did not look right. Her doctors called her back in for a biopsy. The result was surgery and yet another at the end of June. During this time, I knitted this cloth for the new breast cancer warrior.

When we parted ways, I gave her a big hug and wished her luck on her surgery. Fast forward to September when I saw her again at school. She looked amazing, strong and was proudly sporting her pink bracelet.

Last October, I wrote about a hero of mine. My Aunt S is now a six year breast cancer survivor. I know this because she was diagnosed just before I gave birth to NHL. Thank goodness Aunt S caught her cancer early, fought it aggressively and is with us today adding lots of precious memories with our family. She is a huge part of our family and see her often since we live close. The boys are especially love to see and play Aunt S. Aunt S is special because she will toss on snow pants to play and make snow angels, build sandcastles at the lake, and take time to talk. This summer, they spent some time at the lake with Aunt S and the rest of our family. Each of the boys loved their time sitting with Aunt S on the boat with the wind in their hair. Here is Aunt S with each of my boys.

Please remember not only this October, but every month to check your breasts. Don’t put off having your yearly mammogram and be sure to have a baseline done when your doctor recommends it if you have never had one before. Early detection is crucial so be sure to…

Categories:
family health awareness knitting looking back photos

Hockey game memories

Posted on October 2, 2009 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

The other night, we took the boys to a pre-season hockey game. The event was free for the community, so we figured it would be a great time to go. This was the first ever hockey experience for JSL. NHL has been to a few before, but so many years ago that he does not remember.

When we decided to go, I told TechyDad that I was going to do something that I never thought I would do. I actually asked for seats behind the nets. Since it was only 24 hours from our ER visit with the little guy, I wanted to make him less of a puck magnet.

To understand why it was painful for me to do this, you should know that for several years I had season tickets to our hockey team. My season tickets were a few rows back, on center ice and right behind our home team’s bench. The seats were amazing when I was into it, but as a parent they make me a little nervous with pucks flying by. Of course, reality also hit during the game. I realized that it has been ten years since I had season tickets. My how time flies!

Both of the boys liked the hockey game. NHL had fun watching the instant replays, chanting for the home team and screaming when prompted. JSL got a little antsy, but was content with a snack.

Of course, one of JSL’s favorite parts was when the zamboni came out. He sat there mesmerized by the big "car" and kept jumping up and down each time it was close to our end of the ice.

Toward the end of the game, I asked NHL if I could get a photo of him wearing his hockey shirt. Check out the only photo he would allow:

So my question for you this week is inspired by our recent fun at the hockey game:

What is your favorite sport to watch in person (not on television) and why? Feel free to shout out your favorite team while you are at it!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the MckLinky there if you are participating.

Aloha #68

Categories:
Aloha Friday fun jl jsl looking back milestone nhl photos

Smile update – part 2

Posted on September 29, 2009 7:08 pm by TheAngelForever

Check out NHL’s grin, do you notice anything different?

As a comparison, this is a photo taken a little over a week ago:

Yes, NHL lost his second tooth today. Once again, the adult tooth came in behind his baby tooth (history of the toothy fun can be found here). I figured we would work on it and see what happened since he had a dentist appointment coming up. Today was the dentist appointment. Last night, TechyDad tried to get the tooth out, but it did not go well (to say the least).

When we arrived at the dentist office, he knew it would probably get pulled since it really was close to coming out. When the dentist came in after his teeth were cleaned, she agreed. Given his worries and the "fun" trying to get it out, she would see what would happen. She applied some of their magic numbing gel onto the area, let him sit for about two minutes. Then she asked him to open his mouth. As he was trying to complain, she got her hand in and pulled the tooth out. It seriously happened so quickly that NHL could not believe it was out.

So this evening, the Tooth Fairy will be coming again and then we wait to see if/when the next teeth start to wiggle. Oy!

Categories:
doctor milestone nhl photos teething

Flu shot frustrations

Posted on September 28, 2009 9:04 pm by TheAngelForever

As I sit here and type this, I am battling some sort of virus. I do not think it is the flu. I have had a horrible headache, body aches, chills and a fever. No congestion, sore throat or the like YET. Being sick on Yom Kippur was rough. Hubby went to services and the boys stayed home with me. Thanks to the television and toys, they were happy. At points, they came to check on me, and I went to check on them.

Still in the back of my mind, I worry and do not have time to be sick. I worry not only about TechyDad and NHL catching what I have, but I am particularly scared about JSL. The little guy had a febrile seizure, stopped breathing and turned gray in February 2008. He was hospitalized for four long days. A little over a year went by and we thought we were safe from a repeat. The reality was two additional febrile seizures in a 30 hour span of time in March 2009.

In August, when NHL went to the doctor for his physical the office already had their flu shots. The three of us (TechyDad had his at work) were ready for our shots. When the nurse came back in, she had to report that they did not have any of the vaccine for children under three years old. She told me to call back in mid-September to see if they received their shipment.

October is quickly approaching and still no flu shot for JSL. Each day it scares me because he is quite vulnerable if he catches something with a high fever. Going to the ER on Friday scared me even more since almost everyone was coughing and so very sick. I have now done some more investigating to try to find out where I could get JSL a flu shot. The short answer, there is no location in our area that has them for children under three years old. According to the Health Department, they have not even been able to get any. When I asked the nurse what the hold up was, I finally received an answer. She told me that the federal government told the drug company to halt production of all of their vaccines and to switch gears to produce the H1N1 vaccine.

*sigh*

Yes, the H1N1 is a very serious virus, but so is the regular flu. People forget that the flu kills thousands of people, including young children under three each year. I can not understand why they would stop producing the vaccine that is used for children if there was not enough for the majority of the population. My phone calls also included a pharmacy where an amazing pharmacist did even more research. She called the company of the flu shot and was told that they will not be able to fulfill any new orders until 2010-2011 – OY!

Please understand that I am not downplaying the H1N1 virus at all. As a thirty something adult it scares me a lot. This flu is attacking and killing people in my age group the most, along with kids that are the same age as my children. I understand the gravity of the situation, but I think perhaps some of this was done the wrong way.

Now I must sit, wait, and pray that my little guy stays healthy. The nurse at our doctor’s office told me today that they will likely get the pediatric flu vaccine in by the end of October, after the H1N1 vaccine will be released. So with any luck, he will get that it in the next month.