Give ‘em What They Want
I’m not a complete pushover when it comes to being a parent, but most of the time the girls get what they want…within reason.
You want to throw your toys off the staircase?
I’ll make the parachutes.
But you’re working your own quads and glutes retrieving them between “launch” and ridiculously fast “land.”
You want your own customized hot dog for a Memorial Day lunch?
So long as they’re Smart Dogs…or bananas. And so long as I get one too.
Gigi’s Dog (aka “Not Bananas About Veggie Protein Links Dog”)
- whole grain bun
- natural peanut butter
- 1/2 a large banana
- drizzle of organic agave
Lulu’s Dog (aka “The Ketchup in the Dill Dog”)
- whole grain bun
- an entire pickle
- Smart Dog
- 1/4 c. of ketchup
Pea Daddy’s Dog (aka “If Tommy Bahama Sold a Veggie Dog”)
- whole grain bun
- homemade teriyaki sauce (you might see this recipe somewhere…)
- Vegenaise
- Smart Dog
- fresh pineapple chunks
- 2 T. toasted coconut
Mama Pea’s Dog (aka “Looks Like a Pregnancy Craving But Never Gonna Happen Dog”)
- whole grain bun
- homemade vegan Thousand Island (clearly I’m working on my condiment chapter)
- Smart Dog
- sauerkraut
- caraway seeds
- Daiya mozzarella cheese
You want what I’m having too?
So long as you split it three ways.
You want to go toy shopping?
You’re going to earn it.
You want to pick out a new Barbie with the last of your birthday money?
So long as you let me help.
Talk about Memorial Day. Nothing to make you feel ancient like your favorite childhood toy being turned into a “classic” edition.
I owe Peaches n’ Cream Barbie an apology for challenging her sexuality through multiple “dates” with a freshly shorn Malibu Barbie. I’d yet to acquire a Ken. I hear they were packing close to the same thing downstairs anyway.
After Gigi refused to let me have a second chance with Peaches, among waffling, indecision and a complete lack of understanding of what can be bought with a $20 bill, a beam of heavenly light shot through the Target ceiling and illuminated the dolls of Gigi’s dreams.
And get this: she sings. And not just a bar or two. THE WHOLE SONG.
Lord help me, if I hear Taylor Swift at 11:48 pm, 2:36 a.m. and 4:22 a.m., I’m sending her over the staircase. Only this time, there will be no parachute.
***Our family’s thoughts and prayers are with the veterans and service people who sacrifice their own lives and families to give all of us Americans and citizens of the world exactly what we want. Happy Memorial Day!
holy. crap.
barbies, with their big bullet boobs and high heeled feet and impossible proportions, i’ll buy my daughters. taylor swift that SINGS a whole song?
dear heavens, woman, you are a much better mother than I’ll ever be.
I used to have a Peaches and Cream Barbie! I feel super old now. Super. Old.
I bet my 5-year-old wishes she lived with you because I give in to her 5% of the time. I am one strict mother!
I’ll take 1 of gigi’s dogs please!! Yummm =) I have no clue what any of Taylor Swift’s songs sound like and I’m very happy about that. Good luck!
Peaches ‘ Cream Barbie makes me miss the 80s even more! I hate that I can count my age in decades now.
Jenn
Yikes. I remember when roller blading Barbie was about as modern as it got. These kids and their new-fangled toys…
By the way, I just had to share with you that this afternoon I was baking muffins and my puppy was determined to get me to notice his toy duck. (He does this by sashaying about with the duck in his mouth, looking coyly through his eyelashes and endeavouring to make the duck look exciting enough that I’ll attempt to take it from him and thus find myself entangled in a never ending game of chase. It would be more effective if he showed up with a bar of dark chocolate. It’s got to be worth my while before I’ll chase a man, thank you!
Anyway, I humoured him and went after him, making grabbing movements with the oven mitts.
Therefore accidentally playing Pincher Pincher with my dog.
Oh goodness a Taylor Swift doll! I would be nervous if I were you
I love all the different dog options and can’t wait for your book with these condiments…um, I’ll take your dog!
I picked up a package of SmartDogs at Target last week in preparation for the Memorial Day weekend…but I didn’t end up eating them. Now I have enough ideas to use them all up this week:)
Well, at least she chose “Love Story.” Any 5-year-old who hears “Picture to Burn” on replay all day has a high probability of turning into a bitter harpy by her preteens, and if you’d let her choose “Teardrops on my Guitar” I’d be prepared for mooning and crying over boys from afar with no sense of self-worth. The worst “Love Story” does is promote teen marriage, but hey, that means you could be the world’s hippest grandma.
I love that pic of Lulu with the vacuum! haha
That’s hilarious, i can’t believe she loves Taylor Swift so much!
Peaches and cream Barbie?! I would have been all over that!
I MUST have that 1985 Barbie! That was my favorite dress ever! I had forgotten about it. I need to tell my mom. 34 years old and i’m still spoiled
Haha, such a great idea to do a “build your own dog” style lunch. What a great way to please everyone!
I think I’m liking Daddy Pea’s the best!
So cute! since when did barbies get so expensive?
I’m not wild about protein-processed dogs either but when I want one, I want one and Mama Pea, I’ve got to follow your memorial day what I want philosophy
I reminisce every time I see Peaches and Cream barbie – I had her too!
Do you guys ever see zeFronk the dog cooking on TV? Cause he makes banana dogs too
And yours looks the best. I’m very confused by Pea Daddy’s dog.
Also, my condolences – that Taylor Swift doll is so horrible. Best wishes for her silence. Do her batteries come out?
I remember the barbie days
Do your girls like Polly Pocket yet, or is she not even on the radar for cool kid toys?
I’ve never tried a SmartDog, I’m too scared. I just tried Gardein BBQ skewers last night and they were exactly like beef…not sure how I feel about that!
As always, the girls are beautiful!
I”m actually surprised the LULU was the one who wanted the smart dog and not gigi!
I love the smart dog ideas – the Tommy Bahama looks like it’s perfect for summer!
I like the way pea daddy rolls with his dogs, dawg
I fully realize how creepy this is going to sound, but I look forward to your condiment chapter! I love condiments, but definitely need some healthier options.
Sigh. I LOVE Barbie. I can’t help myself. And I totally had Peaches n Cream Barbie…classic my a**. That outfit is timeless.
We’re shopping for fabrics for recovering our dining room chairs, and yesterday at Jo Ann’s fabrics, we were looking at ones from TOMMY BAHAMA!!! Lol…I immediately thought of you and Pea Daddy.
2 things:
1. I *heart* the Backyardigans and have been known to watch an episode even if my kids are no where to be found.
2. Peaches and Cream was my absolute fave! I remember the Christmas I received her and the uncle who gave her to me. Oh what a glorious gift. She was def high on my hierarchy of Barbies.
Oh your dog looks like a reuben dog! I love reubens. I’ll have to try out those Smart Dogs!
You’re such a good mother doing short order cooking for the fam! Awhile back I was making dinner and Ryan asked what we were having. He didn’t like the sound of the menu, so he asked for something different and I said No, this is what’s for dinner in Mommy’s kitchen. He said Hmmm…what’s for dinner in Daddy’s kitchen? Cheeky monkey.
Yikes! The Taylor Swift doll looks like she has big crazy hair coming out of her armpits.
you barbie comments about packing close to the same thing downstairs just made me laugh out loud. at work. it was dead silent
so what you’re sayin is… gigi will be striking up the taylor swift cd, whipping out her microphone AND having taylor swift barbie to assist in the performance of a duet??
where’s the tylenol??? =)
that pic of Peach n Cream barbie just gave me chills! i had her too. love her!
Holy moly the Peaches n Cream Barbie just gave me some crazy flashbacks – I remember not only the doll but the commercial too. It’s like I’m right back in the middle of the Barbie vs. Jem debate…
Oh my I can’t believe my childhood toys are now classics. Wow I’m getting old.
And I love the hotdog fun
Oooh condiments are amazing!
Any vegan Caesar dressings in the works??
That’s so cute that you made hot dogs for everyone so differently. What a good mama.
I never played w/ barbies. All I wanted were legos and hot wheels!
Those are some seriously creative veggie dogs!
I LOVED that game! My sisters beanie babies… not so much
No parachutes though… I remember a certain pig breaking open and it raining beanies all over my family’s dinner table while they were eating… that was the last of that. The innovative ideas you come up with simply astound me… who would ever think of making a Tommy Bahama Veg-Dog? That sounds amazing with a Gigi-Banana Dog for dessert?
Peaches and Cream Barbie! The pinnacle of my youth…I can still smell her…
I got on here to tell you about traffic court: the line was long, the looks were dirty but between the old man who relieved himself at the trolley, the young man who was ticketed for 1) being over the alcohol limit 2)under the age of 21 and 3)driving through a stop sign 4) with an open container, and the woman who was ticketed for texting while driving AND an unrestrained child in the car, I left feeling a little better about myself and with a fee cut almost in half. Not ideal, but not the worst way it could have gone. traffic courts are apparently the same the world over…
Texting with an unrestrained child?! Oh my. Way to beat the rap. My date’s on Friday!
Oh man, I was eyeing Lulu’s dog, and then I got to your dog, and almost bit my tongue off. It’s like a rueben in hot dog form. Two of my favorites in one – you are brilliant Mama Pea!
Never was much of a Barbie Girl…my brother’s toys were much more fun, and I spent a lot of time climbing trees.
Baaahahhaha, love the comment about what Ken’s packin downstairs
You better believe I undid his pants a time or two just to check.
What creative adaptations on the hot dog- I love it!!! I will definately use the banana and peanut butter one with my children who eat almond butter like no ones business! Yum!!!
Ah parachutes…and barbie. i still have my originla Aladdin and Jasmine. tehehe…
can we please go shopping for pants together? i’ll drive all the way to your place for it…or we could meet halfway? SAN FRAN!?!?!?!?! <3 you and thank you so much for your latest comment on my blog.
My long lost childhood friend! Peaches and Cream Barbie was my very favorite, because of her peach dress of course. I just emailed the link to your blog to your mom because I know she’ll get a big kick out of it. Thanks for the nostalgic reminder!
I used to love hot dogs when I was kid…I sure wish you were my mama these look amazing!!
Lori and I both were barbie girls…loved to get together were are friends and play for hours. Funny to think about it.
It just never fails….I’m always in for a treat visiting your blog. Love the play by play stories, complete with the Target beaming light!
I’m not even old but when I look at barbies I feel old since they have changed so much. ha
Love the vacuum pic. hahaha
Alas, Taylor and the Backyardigans, I hardly knew ye! And they had so much to live for.
Homemade Thousand Island? I’m in… that looks deeeeelish. I love and admire the way that you try to cater to everyone’s tastes… so very sweet!
And don’t feel bad… that Barbie ’85 being a “classic” made me a wee bit disturbed as well… kind of like hearing Duran Duran on the classic rock station!!!!
Wow. Impressive use of condiments on the hot dogs. I didn’t even know some of that stuff was possible.
I now have a strange craving for a pineapple & coconut covered hot dog. Or perhaps they would also work with the banana, sans veganaise/teriyaki. Because my craving is definitely not of a the pregnancy variety.
Ah! I came across this older post and nearly melted when I saw the Peaches-n-Cream Barbie photo. I had that Barbie too! I’m sure she is stashed in my parents’ attic now, but just seeing that peach dress brought back lots of Barbie memories.
She was always my favorite too.