Zumba - Join the Party as they say...

So I'm month three into my personal Zumba craze. Looking for a Monday night option to replace spinning and said spinning instructor I call Ms. Breasts of Distraction (whose breasts distract me to the point I can barely work-out, yes, they are real and spectacular); I decided to take up a class at a church near my work. I had some reservation about this. I wasn't sure if the music would be as bumpin' as I'm used to at a church and all. A friend suggested I might be better off taking the class at Mt. Zion Temple of Deliverance Blessed Abraham Missionary Baptist but that was sort of well, far. Anyway, my hesitation was misplaced. The first song was the Mexican version of Baby Got Back. Okay, so far so good, but then the next song the pastor's wife surely must not know about..."you think you're a gangsta because you did time" uh, uh, uh. Thank the Lord, I've found a Monday night Zumba class.

Next week I'm in NYC and I plan to go to the Alvin Ailey Dance School and take a Zumba or Hip Hop class. Yes, anyone can take a class there as the motto is "dance accessible to everyone." Cool huh? Of course, I'm the only one that will probably go get pizza afterward.

Toddlers are Crazy Part 4

So far, we've made one big parenting mistake. Becoming a short-order cook. This has created a monster. We joke that the child needs a butler to take orders, a maid to clean up and a personal chef for all his meals and snacks. Last night I was alone on baby duty...here was my dinner experience.

Me: Here's the peanut buttter and jelly you asked for.
Toddler: I don't want a peanu-buttu-and jelly!
Me: But you said that you did, all cut up. See I cut it up.
Toddler: No!!!!!!!!!
Me: How about an avocado, you like those.
Toddler: mmm, hmmm takes four bites and shoves plate away with sass.
Toddler: I DON'T WANT AN ANACONDA.
Me: I'm not giving you a snake. I'm giving you a slimy Mexican fruit that you like.

Hissy fit ensues. Geez, this kid has no sense of humor.

His dinner then? Peaches, peas and potato chips. Yes, that's where we landed.

Get A Room Neely's

I'm happy about Memphian's Pat and Gina Neely's success on Food Network, their cookbooks, their great restaurants, etc. I'm happy that a couple married so long is still so lovey-dovey and they are super cute together, but am I the only one that thinks that those two are the reason for the phrase "get a room?" To watch their cooking show to me is to suffer through it. Take today. It comes on at noon straight up and I'm watching it while eating my lunch.

Pat: "These tomatoes are firm."
Gina: "And you know I like it firm, uh-huh, umm hmm."

I could not reach the remote fast enough. It just nauseates me because it's so over the top. And I think it seemingly doesn't have a place on the Food Network. Meanwhile, to counter point, Ina Garten is all ga-ga over her spouse too...but she displays it on TV without saying ridiculous phrases like "my Baby like things hot" with a giggle and wink and carrying on and on with innuendo. It's more like"...'Dave' (don't know dude's real name) loves roast chicken, so tonight I'm making his favorite meal. He'll be so surprised." That to me, is love I can get into on a cooking show.

Words We Thought We'd Never Hear...

And this Vince Lombardi trophy goes to the New Orleans Saints...
What a happy joyous night we had and to wake up this morning with six inches of snow, unpredicted and out of the blue...surely pigs are flying.

And now for the picture...

Hard to believe "this" was the child at the photo shoot. Cute eh?

Thanks to Marci Lambert photography at www.marcilambert.com. You're the best!