Sometimes I can be a little bit of a loser. Right now is one of those times. Dreyer's Ice Cream has decided to discontinue my favorite (the ultimate) flavor of ice cream (see previous post: Ultimate Carmel Cup) so my hand has been forced - I have started a Bring Back My Ultimate Carmel Cup campaign.
I have emailed friends and family asking them to email the company about the loss of their favorite flavor. This is where I really look like a loser. I mean, it is only ice cream. The thing is - it's not. It is a little bit of heaven in a bowl. This carmel flavored ice cream has carmel syrup swirled throughout. Adding more decadence, little milk chocolate carmel filled cups are mixed in as well. My mouth is watering. It is an addiction.
Like all good addicts I have a dear co-dependent friend who is helping me scour grocery (actual and online) stores for unpurchased remnants. She is good. She has already found and purchased 3 gallons. They are waiting for me in her freezer (I just need to drive over to Bellevue...).
The email I received back from Dreyer's (in response to my inquiry) confirmed what I had already learned, Ultimate Carmel Cup had indeed been discontinued because of national sales. But they also said (a glimmer of hope) However, it is possible if we hear from enough consumers who share your views this product could be reinstated.
Many friends and family have already sent their pleas to Dreyer's (and have been rewarded with 2 $ .50 coupons for future Dreyer's purchases - you could save a WHOLE dollar). This is your chance for your voice to be heard! Visit Dreyer's website and let them know your devastation of the discontinuation of Ultimate Carmel Cup. If not for me, then do it for the kids. Kelan and Lauren's mom is a lot happier knowing that this ice cream exists.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
50's Housewife
I felt like a 50's housewife yesterday. Well, I had a fleeting flash of a feeling. A friend of mine, Kate, (she is renting the house next door while her own home is being remodeled) invited Kelan over to play yesterday afternoon. Her son is one of Kelan best friends (see Stating the Obvious). Kelan is old enough to walk next door by himself, however I wait on my porch until I can see Kate open the door and give the wave - meaning: I have him. I go back inside with Lauren to finish frosting the birthday cake I am making and that is when I have the flash.
The whole visual included my baking a cake and sending my son to my mom friend next door, but what brought the whole thing home was that I was wearing an apron. It was the icing on the cake. Pun intended. I had to laugh at myself and remember - I am NO 50's housewife.
I do not meet my husband at the door with a scotch - neither of us drink. I usually have dinner on the table when Dan comes home - but it could be something store prepared that I just pulled from the microwave. And I have a true life partner and co-parent in my husband. So I remind myself that the cake and apron is just a necessity of the moment - not a symbol of my life.
Consequently, the birthday cake was for me. I turned 38 yesterday. A really uneventful birthday. 38 - who cares? But I guess I need to be 38 to have everything that I have in my life and to actually recognize that I have it. I am happy in life - what more could I want for my birthday.
The whole visual included my baking a cake and sending my son to my mom friend next door, but what brought the whole thing home was that I was wearing an apron. It was the icing on the cake. Pun intended. I had to laugh at myself and remember - I am NO 50's housewife.
I do not meet my husband at the door with a scotch - neither of us drink. I usually have dinner on the table when Dan comes home - but it could be something store prepared that I just pulled from the microwave. And I have a true life partner and co-parent in my husband. So I remind myself that the cake and apron is just a necessity of the moment - not a symbol of my life.
Consequently, the birthday cake was for me. I turned 38 yesterday. A really uneventful birthday. 38 - who cares? But I guess I need to be 38 to have everything that I have in my life and to actually recognize that I have it. I am happy in life - what more could I want for my birthday.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
I Have No Shame
It seems since the birth of my two children - I have no shame. Sure, my kids can embarrass me at times, but I do not think I have any personal shame left. I remember when I was laboring with Kelan, my younger sister, Mary, said later that it seemed like every person who came into the birthing suite would stick their hands inside of me. Not an exaggeration. After this, really, what could I be less comfortable with or ashamed of?
Yesterday while on a family walk into Ballard, I decided to make a stop at Bartell's drugstore. I figured it was right next to where we were and (sadly) I needed Monistat. Yes I know, not your most advertised purchase, but here we are as a family walking through the aisles looking for yeast infection medicine. Lovely. Dan is pushing Lauren in a cart and Kelan has his own child sized cart. I lead the parade down the feminine aisle (an aisle I am sure no man likes to walk down - although my husband dutifully has picked up tampons on request in the past - have I mentioned that I have a great husband?). I decide to buy two packs - just to be safe. Kelan likes to have all items placed in his cart when we are at Bartells - so I drop them both into his cart privately laughing that my 3 1/2 year old son is carrying two boxes of yeast infection medicine (our only purchase) to the counter.
Today I noticed while flipping through the flyers in the Sunday paper that there is a $4 off coupon for any Monistat purchase. Then I see that it is on sale at Walgreen's (for an additional four dollars - for a total savings of $8). So back to Bartell's today to return a pack - explaining to Kelan we are returning one - only to explain later at Walgreen's we are buying another one. I even had to fill out a return form at Bartell's with a male cashier (juggling two kids) and a line forming behind me. I have never spent so much time with Monistat.
Since Kelan and Lauren were born I find myself taking care of their every need (or teaching them to provide it for themselves) which leaves me exhausted most of the time. So I guess I am just too tired to care when it comes to buying - or returning - private products.
Yesterday while on a family walk into Ballard, I decided to make a stop at Bartell's drugstore. I figured it was right next to where we were and (sadly) I needed Monistat. Yes I know, not your most advertised purchase, but here we are as a family walking through the aisles looking for yeast infection medicine. Lovely. Dan is pushing Lauren in a cart and Kelan has his own child sized cart. I lead the parade down the feminine aisle (an aisle I am sure no man likes to walk down - although my husband dutifully has picked up tampons on request in the past - have I mentioned that I have a great husband?). I decide to buy two packs - just to be safe. Kelan likes to have all items placed in his cart when we are at Bartells - so I drop them both into his cart privately laughing that my 3 1/2 year old son is carrying two boxes of yeast infection medicine (our only purchase) to the counter.
Today I noticed while flipping through the flyers in the Sunday paper that there is a $4 off coupon for any Monistat purchase. Then I see that it is on sale at Walgreen's (for an additional four dollars - for a total savings of $8). So back to Bartell's today to return a pack - explaining to Kelan we are returning one - only to explain later at Walgreen's we are buying another one. I even had to fill out a return form at Bartell's with a male cashier (juggling two kids) and a line forming behind me. I have never spent so much time with Monistat.
Since Kelan and Lauren were born I find myself taking care of their every need (or teaching them to provide it for themselves) which leaves me exhausted most of the time. So I guess I am just too tired to care when it comes to buying - or returning - private products.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
I Want to Talk
Lauren is starting to talk more and more. Her words are short, simple and to the point. Nack (read: snack) for when she wants food. Pon (tampon) is coupled with the action of handing me a tampon from its carton in the bathroom (my children love to help with everything). Ami (salami) might just be her favorite food (not to be confused with Mommy - you have to have a good ear to hear the difference). And tine made it into her vocabulary with the gift of Valentine soaps to Kelan from his preschool teacher. Sometimes she is very polite (peas) with her requests, she has even been known to say me me (excuse me) when she burps/farts (or when Dan does). Other times she is VERY demanding. She often couples her words with a hand gesture of pointing at the thing she wants (over and over again).
We have moved from the guessing game with Lauren's needs and wants to the translation game. Although she does have some words down like the word no. In fact it was her first word. She learned it from Kelan. Lovely. Mine is pretty popular as well. Again, perfectly pronounced.
Kelan is another story. He just talks all the time. There is hardly a quiet moment - ever. On my bad days, sometimes I ask him to stop talking for 1 minute. This simple request is usually met with him whining, I want to talk. He has actually said, I want to talk - to talk. How very true.
With all this talking, it must be said that there is no listening. It is a one way street with my children. Lauren (I think) is pretending that she does not hear me (giggling while she does exactly what I have asked her not to do), while I seriously believe that Kelan is deaf. My comments, questions and requests are met with HUH?!?! I (ignorantly) repeat myself and am met with HUH?!??!?!? Deep breath. I try again, and before I even finish my words, HUH?!?!?! Now I am thinking - I want to talk.
Dan says a work colleague does the same thing - he ignores him (because truth be told, his colleague has heard him, it is just his knee jerk response). I try this approach with Kelan, but then I am bombarded with what'd you say? MOM! What you'd say? It is a no win situation. I finally started asking Kelan what he thinks I said. He knows - he repeats what I have said - then he asks again, what'd you say? This happens all day long. Hopefully it is just a phase that he will grow out of soon.
It is clear that my children will never be at a loss for words - they are my children after all. I guess I must look ahead to their futures and realize that they will speak up for themselves (and hopefully others). They will have a voice. They want to talk - I will raise them with something to say.
We have moved from the guessing game with Lauren's needs and wants to the translation game. Although she does have some words down like the word no. In fact it was her first word. She learned it from Kelan. Lovely. Mine is pretty popular as well. Again, perfectly pronounced.
Kelan is another story. He just talks all the time. There is hardly a quiet moment - ever. On my bad days, sometimes I ask him to stop talking for 1 minute. This simple request is usually met with him whining, I want to talk. He has actually said, I want to talk - to talk. How very true.
With all this talking, it must be said that there is no listening. It is a one way street with my children. Lauren (I think) is pretending that she does not hear me (giggling while she does exactly what I have asked her not to do), while I seriously believe that Kelan is deaf. My comments, questions and requests are met with HUH?!?! I (ignorantly) repeat myself and am met with HUH?!??!?!? Deep breath. I try again, and before I even finish my words, HUH?!?!?! Now I am thinking - I want to talk.
Dan says a work colleague does the same thing - he ignores him (because truth be told, his colleague has heard him, it is just his knee jerk response). I try this approach with Kelan, but then I am bombarded with what'd you say? MOM! What you'd say? It is a no win situation. I finally started asking Kelan what he thinks I said. He knows - he repeats what I have said - then he asks again, what'd you say? This happens all day long. Hopefully it is just a phase that he will grow out of soon.
It is clear that my children will never be at a loss for words - they are my children after all. I guess I must look ahead to their futures and realize that they will speak up for themselves (and hopefully others). They will have a voice. They want to talk - I will raise them with something to say.
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