The Problem With Pretty
Last night was one of those special nights that happens every few weeks. A night when we eat dinner in the living room. A night when we kick Pea Daddy out and invite one of our best friends in. A night when we wish Pea Kitty was a boy so we could kick her out too. It was a girls’ night!
When it was time for Pea Daddy to go hang out with his friend Scott (who happens to be a dedicated P&TY reader…Hi Scott!), Gigi pulled the” song and dance “she’s been so intent on the last few weeks. No, not her interpretation of Lady Gaga’s “Love Game” (though I’ve heard her talk about riding a disco stick more than any five year-old ever should), but the somewhat teary, “You’re leaving?! Can I have something to remember you by?” Just today I’ve sprayed perfume on tissues and scrawled notes on gum wrappers, all so I could go the bathroom.
I chimed in with her request to Pea Daddy, though adding, “Yes, Daddy. Preferably something out of your wallet. We accept large denominations.”
Out Pea Daddy pulled some trading cards he’d picked up for free at a garage sale that morning. What a disappointment, on so many levels.
I was less concerned with Barbie’s impossibly small waist and Skipper’s “Snookie poof” on steroids,
and more concerned with the stats on the back of the card.
Props to Mattel for promoting famous women. (Lady Godiva was the best you could do?! Can’t argue with that. Public nudity certainly trumps Supreme Court justice.)
Boo to the fact that this is card #106. That means that there are at least 105 other cards out there and a very good chance the girls will want to become collectors. I wonder what I could get for a mint condition “Skipper the Cheerleader.” Let the bidding war begin.
Pea Daddy headed out to watch Angelina Jolie and we settled in with Susan to watch Nanny McPhee.
The girls have been dropping not-so-subtle hints that they wanted to rent the movie ever since we saw the preview a few weeks ago. We were driving to the store last week when Lulu announces, “Mmmm…it smells like Nanny McPhee in here!”
I was frankly a little surprised that the girls wanted to watch the movie so badly. She’s not exactly easy to look at and doesn’t make you stare at the screen and drool, quite unlike Pea Daddy watching Salt. But we really loved Nanny McPhee. It was funny, smart and had many good lessons in problem solving, devotion to family and responsibility.
One message, though, just didn’t sit right with me. Throughout the movie, as the children grew to love Nanny McPhee and learned themselves to become more beautiful on the inside, Nanny McPhee became more beautiful on the outside. She lost her warts, her tooth was fixed, her hair smoothed.
And they all lived happily ever after.
I had a little problem with this, and not just because I have several “beauty marks” and humidity-sensitive hair. I wanted my children to love Nanny McPhee even though she didn’t look like she belonged on a pink trading card holding a fluffy white cat. I wanted them to not think of physical beauty as a requirement to a happy ending. I wanted them to see that the outside often doesn’t match the inside.
Same goes for dinner. Looks like seafood ceviche, but it’s not.
Vegan Ceviche
Makes 4 starter-sized servings
- 1 jar hearts of palm, cut into 1/2 in. thick slices
- 1 c. cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 c. English cucumber, chopped
- 1 c. red pepper, diced
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 1/4 c. minced onion
- 1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
- 3 limes, juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Toss to coat and refrigerate, allowing to marinate for 1-2 hours, if possible.
Our ceviche was part of a very pretty spread of pita chips, veggies, salsa and red pepper hummus.
And we served it atop greens with some Mexican Roasted Chickpeas.
Made even prettier by some flowers Susan brought with her,
The best date not only brings you flowers and the girls kettle corn, but also doesn’t mind when Lulu breaks wind in her face. Twice. Lulu may be adorable on the outside, but she’s foul on the inside. It did indeed “smell like Nanny McPhee in here.”
After a pretty beautiful evening, Susan went home. Despite my best efforts, she wouldn’t take the Barbie trading cards with her.
Geesh. I just wanted to give her something to remember me by.
Kinda lame the movie ends that way! All the food looks great tho- the Vegan Ceviche looks so crunchy (yum!). And thanks for showing those trading cards, they definitely had me laughing.
I loveee that first photo of Lulu – beautiful lil’ thang!
I ate the best heirloom tomato & calamari salad this weekend – I’m going to recreate it with hearts of palm!
Is it strange that I have NEVER watched a movie with Skylar…and she’s 3.5 years old? I wonder if that’s common or not? She does watch 1 dvr’ed episode of Super Why from PBS every day but that’s it. And I break that out gingerly and treasure those 27 free minutes of mine, not that Im counting
but with Scott on the road 15 days a month or more, I take what I can get!
As for the recipe…lovely! I never cook w/ hearts of palm just b/c well, I have no idea what to do with them and Ive seen those jars at tj’s wondering hmm, after i open this and eat one, what am i going to do with the rest..now I know!
Have a great week!
I just picked up the can at TJ’s today and put it down because I have NO idea what in the heck to do with it. Now I know.
Vegan ceviche?!? Brilliant. Making asap, thank you for sharing the recipe. And Lulu’s unlady like activities, made me guffaw.
that salad looks amazing!
pretty, but not barbie pretty. more like super justice pretty!
Brilliant! So funny, I live in Coventry, England, home of Lady Godiva!
I wonder if Nannie McPhee’s purpose was to show that people become beautiful to us after we learn what their inside beauty is like and we don’t see the first appearance thing any more?
I don’t know, just trying to speculate why they would end it in such a way.
I love girls nights.
I love that all of your posts are such a fun, well-rounded story… with a recipe! I’m so glad I just recently discovered your blog and can go back and read old ones! =)
The first pic is precious.
I had no idea that was the concept behind that movie. It seems that more and more of these children movies are little by little incorporating these subconscious themes. I guess the frog turning into the handsome prince concept will live on forever.
What a great idea for the cevechie! I really thought that was calamari!
I absolutely LOVED Nanny McPhee! I think I took the whole “getting prettier” thing as a message that outer beauty DOESNT matter, and the children learned to love her anyway.
I’m loving this salad idea too… I might even be able to get the hubby to try this one, if I don’t tell him what it is.
I love this post! I agree that so many movies, books, etc., that seem to promote messages of self-acceptance only do so by sharing the message that beauty is ultimately an indicator of worth. I am glad Gigi and Lulu have you to gently tell them otherwise.
Lovely! Clearly I don’t mean those creepy cards – ugh! But the kids and the ceviche! I was wondering when you tweeted about it.
I’ve never tried hearts of palm – what are they like?
Sarah, they remind me of an artichoke heart, if you’ve ever had those. The texture is very similar. I personally love them!
Cute.
I actually really liked Nanny McPhee. Very magical and I love those kind of child-like/magic stories.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I collected all 300+ of those Barbie trading cards back in the day…and am pretty sure my mom still has them stashed somewhere for posterity. I’ll be happy to trade them for a future autographed copy of The Book, if you’re interested.
I can’t wait to try the vegan ceviche. My husband is obsessed with hearts of palm and I’m always trying to come up with creative uses for them.
Thanks for the props Sarah! This site has been my way of keeping up with Pea family. Because of that, Pea Daddy and I can focus on sports talk instead of catching up on family.
This is a very entertaining blog though. Keep up the great work!
I have a few of those trading cards if you would like to add to the girls collection…
i’ve been curious about that movie…it sounds like a good one, but i don’t love the sound of the ending either. and i have to say that i love the “i need something to remember you by” line…i need to get my lines from your girls!
I agree completely about Nanny McPhee. The boys watched that a while back when it was on TV and I was a bit concerned about the message too. The funny thing is that I don’t think Sam even picked up on the fact that she changed. That says something for the innocense of children doesnt it? I wish I could bottle it!
I’m so excited to try that recipe for a birthday lunch this weekend. That’s the one part of ceviche I’ve never liked – the fish!
I felt the same way about the Nanny McPhee message, but figured it had something to do with the man of the houeshold, but then the new movie has Maggie G so I’m very confused. I confess I haven’t watched the whole thing through. Not because I don’t have kids – you know that’s never stopped me from watching a G-rated flick!
I’m fairly certain Cady (the dog) can out-fart Lulu any day. Adorable vegetarian little girl farts have to be better than dog farts. End of fart spectrum discussion.
I still haven’t seen Nanny McPhee. I’m one of those adults who prefers movies intended for children. I’ll have to check it out.
That ceviche is GORGEOUS! I need to recreate it. I have a growing list of Mama Pea eats that I’ve been wanting to recreate. I need to get on that. My husband loves ceviche. I bet he’d love this too!
Vegan ceviche – love this! We are big ceviche fans and I happen to be obsessed with hearts of palm. Billy can’t stand them…more for me!
Question: are you still eating a very similar diet as you were during BFL? Are you still weight training as much? I am just curious to how sustainable it is
I am! I took a little BFL break after my “challenge” (just with the food, not the workouts), but started back up about a week and a half ago? I’m still doing the 20 min. HIIT workouts 3 x a week and weights workouts 3 x a week. On the nutrition front, I’m still eating 6 small meals a day, and trying to get at least 4 of those meals as high protein.
I’ve contemplated sharing more meals and workouts on the BFL page, so if you and others are interested, let me know.
I’m definitely interested! Thank you for sharing!!!!
That ceviche looks so good! I might have to try it myself…
This looks so yummy! I am always looking for vegan versions of my favorite seafood dishes. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing : )
I wouldn’t worry about the outer vs. inner beauty message. When I saw movies about ugly ducklings turned to swans as a kid, I always liked the duckling version better…like the girl in the Princess Diaries was so cute with her frizzy hair and caterpillar brows, but looked scary and un-relatable with the heavy makeup. Emma Thompson is a beautiful woman, but the children see her first as the witch with the warts, and that’s the image they’ll associate with her regardless of the fairy tale ending.
i’ve never seen nanny mcphee, but i have been around the ceviche block and your version looks amazing
just wanted to say hi, i’ve been a commenting slacker but i’m always here lurking haha
xoxo
Oh man, that Barbie card is precisely my vintage. While it was obviously a very good year to be born (a’thank you), that picture of Barbie is a reminder of how much has changed in my ever-so-short lifetime.
I’m glad Barbie’s figure is a little different these days, but I gotta say that even 1983 Barbie is doin better than me on the gray hair front…
I showed Nanny McPhee to my students when I was teaching in China, and I remember thinking that her whole metamorphosis was indeed a little weird and even unneccessary. Glad you noticed–not all moms would bother making an example of it.
i want to see nanny mcphee now!
Barbie trading cards?? How did I miss those back in the day?!?!
When I was a wee one, and I would be away from my dad for a few days, I had him give me a few hugs and kisses into my hand, which I would swallow, and then ‘cough up’ (sounds grosser than it is!) over the next few days as needed. It worked like a charm
awe is gigi doing that nervous neck pinching thing? she must have been really excited for the movie!!!!! she’s so sweet how she asks for stuff to remember you by but i see how it could get old FAST hahah i love all your vegan versions of popular recipe! i can’t wait for the cook book!!
Oh my gosh, I love that you remember why Gigi does the neck pinching. Expect to see a LOT of that when we go to Disney in 2 weeks. Grownups in character costumes are scary.
The chickpeas look so good. I’m going to add them to our menu this week. We did black bean tacos last week and I forgot how fun tacos are to eat, especially for kids. Messy, but fun.
Your girls night looked like a sweet time.
I love that you aren’t a big Barbie fan either! I’m not a mother but I am a preschool teacher and I go so far as to change the ending of Cinderella to read “The shoe fit Cinderella and she used it to walk to college and get a good education. She and Prince Charming married after she started her own business selling custom made glass slippers. Prince Charming loved Cinderella because she had a beautiful spirit.” Sometimes the kids just stare at me like I’m a goofball after that rant.
THAT. IS. AWESOME. I am excited to see what the new Disney movie, “Tangled” is going to be like. I don’t think I’ll have to twist any little arms to go with me.
Ooh! Hearts of Palm! I went through a mild obsession with those during high school (random, I know!).
Love your blog! I’ve been reading, but haven’t commented yet! I had been looking for a blog by a mom to read, and I am glad to have stumbled upon yours! I love the “it smells like Nanny McPhee in here” comment! Hilarious!
Aww, thanks! I LOVE the name of your blog. Stick around for awhile and you will see why. Each of my daughter’s is far more mature than I.
You know, that’s the one thing that really bothered me about that movie too!! I think it would have been great to keep her as she was and have the kids love her anyways. I feel that our movies are full of far too many “pretty” people.
funny you mention the disco stick song…my 4 1/2 year old just wont let the song go…mom, the disco stick song is on….mom,why did you turn the disco stick stick song? dad, can i sing the disco stick song….mom whats a disco stick? lol
definitely making that recipe….i know it would be a hit at a party!!
Awwww I love your date night (and ALL of your dates!) That seviche looks AMAZING, hearts of palm are a weakness of mine – but I never know what to do with them other than salads! Although – I have to admit – I am disappointed that Susan didn’t brnig over any Pinnacle Whipped for you. I expect more out of her.
I’ve been having this salad everyday of my life since i was like 6. I never miss a day unless of course I’m eating out. Hearts of palm can be expensive so I just order a huge box of Native Forest Organic Hearts of Palm on Amazon and I end up saving like 15 dollars. Looks super yummy!