Spring..Easter Bonnets..and April Fools...

In your Easter bonnet

with all the frills upon it,

You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade..

 

 

 

Spring has sprung...and we are almost to Easter already! Lord, where does the time go? I at least have everything purchased for the Easter baksets ( peeps included!)...however; I need to figure out what the youngins are wearin to church..and that includes the sporting of the Easter bonnet! Which leads me to this next question...Does anyone know the origin of how they came to be? And, do you still partake in the grand fesitivies of wearing them? I can remember my most favorite Easter outfit like it was yesterday, and I believe I was about 8 or 9 years old...it was powder blue, with a matching jacket, white gloves and white Easter bonnet...I felt like a little Jackie O at the time... =) ahhh...the memories of youth...

Ballet Teresa and Barbie....

 This photo was recently taken in a Louisiana Walmart. It seems as though Ballet Teresa here has been discounted to half of her price of her counterpart, Ballet Barbie. Why you may ask, is this a big deal....Walmart is just trying to hit their numbers...it's called inventory management. So, this led me to thinking...do we literally look at everything as color and race, or is this truly a major ordeal? I went to the toyrus.com website, and also found this Superstar Barbie on clearance for $3.00....I also got to pondering about the dolls my daughter plays with...I still have yet to find that perfect doll for her, even among the "mixed" dolls, there still seems to be the usual suspects....so my quest continues...and as for my daughter: i noticed that she has a fair share of the rainbow coalition in her Barbie line-up...and she plays with all of them: even those with missing limbs...and haircuts...=)

Books featuring Biracial Kids and Families

I am always on the search for books, magazines or movies that feature biracial children or families. It's hard to find dolls, let alone books that represent a biracial or multiracial background. I have recently stumbled upon several that are wonderful and deserve some recognition! Enjoy!

The pattern on a young girl's quilt comes to life at night and becomes the backdrop for her dream. Although the artist rarely depicts adults in her picture books, she most likely used her own biracial (African-American/white) daughters as models for the children in her books (all published by Greenwillow) which include: Holes and Peeks (1984), The Trek (1985), Now We Can Go (1986) and Where Can It Be? (1985).

A small boy and his sister like it when Daddy's adult sister comes to live with them. The aunt (who is white) finds a place in this happy biracial family: she plays the trumpet and gives the boy and girl lessons. She splashes with them in the biggest puddles. Daddy paints her picture. She helps Mama with her weaving, and they laugh together and listen to the radio. But sometimes the aunt is sad and stares out the window all day. She misses her home, Mama says. Soman's pictures in watercolor and pastel are fresh with the summer greens and flowers of this comfortable house in the country. Words and portraits of the casual, funny young woman are affectionate and poignant, true to the child's viewpoint. Many kids will relate to the story of an adult they love but whose sadness they can't fully understand.

The middle child in a interracial (black/white) English family compares herself to her siblings, speaking matter-of-factly about differences in skin color.

There are two Mrs. Gibsons in this young girl's life, and she remembers both of them lovingly.The older Mrs. Gibson has skin the color of chocolate, big hands, and a big voice, and she gives big, fat hugs. The younger Mrs. Gibson has skin the color of vanilla, writes Japanese, and cooks the family food from her homeland. It is not until the end of the book that readers discover that the first Mrs. Gibson is the girl's grandmother, while the second is her mother. This probably will be a surprise to those too young to figure out the relationship, but even without that pertinent bit of information, children should enjoy getting to know these women. The story does get repetitious at times; however, sturdy, detail-filled paintings will help hold attention. An author's note tells readers that this is Igus' personal story.

A biracial (African-American/white) girl helps out in her family's bakery on Christmas Eve.

The narrator enumerates qualities inherited from her parents--a face that's ``a little dark, a little light,'' somewhere between Mama's ``chestnut brown'' and Papa's fair skin; hair that's ``halfway in-between'' blond and black A mixed-race child celebrates the rich inclusiveness of her life in a joyful picture book. "Just right!" Each double-page-spread shows how members of the family are individuals with likes and dislikes, hobbies and habits that move beyond stereotype. Mom orders vegetarian; Dad orders ribs and bagels; the child likes it all. Mom does ballet; Dad dances to rap. Mom likes African masks; Dad goes for modern art; the child loves the Egyptian part of the museum. Each page has a rhyming refrain that ends, "just right". In keeping with the upbeat text, Trivas' energetic illustrations are full of movement and affection.

Biracial Best Friends

I have spent a lot of time pondering how our daughter will respond to her first day of kindergarten. She seems to get the general understanding of what lies ahead...but I can't help but be a little skeptical. Her very best friend in the world is a little girl in her class that is also biracial. Our daughter and her act as though they are old lost souls. I always wondered what drew them together. They have a large class filled with many diverse kids, but they have a connection that is unbreakable. Lately, our daughter has been wondering why her friend will not be coming along on the journey to her "new school." Her eyes fill up with tears, and she seems lost when I try and explain to her that she will be able to make new friends. While I know that we will always stay in touch with her best friend; I am praying that her new class will be just as diverse as her preschool, and that there will be at least another little girl who our daughter will be able to relate to. As we watch her grow, a new sense of reality is starting to set in and realize soon enough the challenges of what lies ahead.

Cocoa Babies...

I stumbled upon the cutest baby and kids gear last night, and want to share with everyone! The website is: http://www.cocoababies.com/ ; and they are very reasonably priced. Here is a sample of some of my favorite picks

Mixed Families....Different but the Same

What a great weekend! Even though it's about to be Monday soon, at least I am comforted by the thoughts of a short work week, thanks to July 4th. Add that to my doctor's appt. on Thurs., and we are sittin' pretty with a 3.5 day work week! Yeah!!

This weekend we had a bday party to attend for our good friends' 2 year old twins, who are absolutely adorable. It was wonderful to see a lot of our friends there, we always have a great time hanging out within our "circle of friends." As a few of my gal pals and I were sitting around the table chatting about life, kids, and marriage, it was brought to our attention that all of us are in some type of "mixed" marriage; resulting in at least one child. It's so ironic that within this close knit group of friends, that race or color is or has never been a focal point or issue. It brings me to the phrase..."Different but the Same." Because that is what we represent: black, brown, white, and the spectrum between, different cultures, backgrounds and races. We are a sacrament to the American Melting Pot. What makes this group so different than anybody else?
We all are hardworking, caring, dependable, loyal, respectful, funny (well, maybe not everyone.. :) honorable and dedicated to our families. Wait a minute, where exactly is the difference? ...... Point in case...we're not. What's different: color, race, ethnicity and backgrounds. And that my friends is the beauty of friendship, bringing together differences and similarities. The yin and yang of life. Chow!

Unite for Change...

This was sent to me from the Obama camp; and if you have not heard or signed up yet, then what are you waiting for? Check out this link and find a soiree near you! In fact, I have even seen get togethers that are for Obama supporters who love dogs; as well as wine and cheese hosted events and my personal fave: BBQ's! Get out there and meet some new people and show your support! Obama 2008! Click here to view more: http://my.barackobama.com/uniteforchange
Chow!

Sound-Off

I would LOVE to hear from other families that are also raising biracial or multi-racial children. What are your stories? Chow!

What’s the Word

It’s finally Hump-day! Thank God! We have been doing an incredible amount of swimming over the last few days, and my daughter is golden brown. She held up her arm the other night, and said: “Look mom, you’re red, and I’m tan.” She thought that was hysterical. I totally burned like bacon in this heat. That’s one of the first references to color that she has made. In her mind, she refers to herself as “tan.” We haven’t had any significant discussions about race yet. We like to point out that she is a beautiful mix of both mommy and daddy, so we will see if that resonates for awhile :)

Go Tiger!!!

anyone who was fortunate enough to watch the sudden death match yesterday: All Ive got to say is: WOW!! That was really incredible. Go Tiger Woods! If that isn’t a terrific role-model for other young mulit-racial kids, than I can’t help ya! That is one for the record books. My daughter is showing some interest in golf as well. Still undecided on which way to stear her, as she loves swimming, soccer, and softball also. Who knows, maybe she will be the female version of Bo Jackson. She also LOVES to cook. Besides the discovery channel for kids, she is an avid viewer of the foodnetwork. She has quite eclectic taste for a 4 year old. Her faves? Meatballs, spaghetti, broccoli, and strawberries, and smoked salmon. Check out our recipe section for family friendly,quick meals. What sports does your child play, and did you have any influence on them? Sound-off!! Chow!

Frustration

The frustration behind checking the infamous box of : race. I recently just registered my daughter for kindergarten, and of course in the paperwork, you must check race. I decided to choose black and white; being that that’s what my daughter is. When the administrator was going over the paperwork, she immediately told me that I had to pick just one. I am not allowed to check both. I should have known better, but how can you deny one parent completely? I ended up check marking black, but leaving the office feeling very disheartened. It was like i didn’t even exist. I’m sorry ma’am, but she can be only one race, even if you did carry her for 9 months. When will we ever catch up to the 21st century?

MSNBC Article

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24542138/ A great article to read when you have a moment. Finally, an article that is shedding some light on mixed families.