LilSugar

Do You Take Your Kids to the Circus?

LilSugar — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:00:07 -0700

The circus is a place for slushies, spinning flashlights and animal acts, but over the years as reports have surfaced about elephants and tigers being mistreated to put on the greatest show on earth, many moms and dads are against taking their kids to witness what goes on under the big top. What's your opinion?
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Sugarbabies: an Elephant and a Circus Peanut

Lil Community — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:16 -0800

This post comes from the Sugarbabies group from member GMarie.

Our two-and-a-half year old had a blast this Halloween, trick or treating in his little elephant costume. I'm almost 5 months pregnant, so I drew and cut out a circus peanut and taped it to my belly.

There's lots of fun stuff going on in our community - join it, check it out, share your posts or advice in the great groups and maybe we'll feature it here on LilSugar!

Should CPS Investigate the Heene Parents For Child Abuse?

babysugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:30:34 -0700

In the case of Richard Heene, the acronym UFO may mean something else: Unruly Father Overacts. While the giant Jiffy Pop saucer may have attracted the whole country's attention, it was the parents' history of taking their three children on storm chases that made me raise my eyebrows. While I may have little in common with people who race after hurricanes, I would like to think that moms and dads always have one goal in mind - the safety of their children. Putting babes (unbuckled and all) in the back of the family car to videotape record-breaking gusts of wind and funnels of debris seems flat-out mad. But it was the silver balloon that had Child Protective Services (CPS) questioning the Heene household.

Officially declared a hoax, it seems the larger concern now is making sure the children are being cared for in the best possible environment. One source claims Richard Heene used his sons as pawns to gather media attention. While it may be questionable to parade one's offspring around on television, it is another to ask children to lie and support felony-inducing behaviors. Not only are the boys learning how to break the law, they are being dragged through a media circus and are sure to face judgment thanks to their parents. Do you think CPS should investigate the parents to see if they are guilty of child abuse?

Non Voyage: Leave Your Heart in San Francisco

LilSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:23:05 -0700

You don't have to travel to San Francisco to leave your heart there. As we continue our week of metropolitan non voyages, we head to the city by the Bay where the kids can get in on the West Coast fun.

Famous for being just seven by seven square miles, San Francisco is completely walkable. Have your children slip into some comfortable shoes and go for a scenic jaunt.
Fisherman's Wharf is a circus unto itself with all of kinds of activities. It's well known for its fresh seafood and sourdough French bread, so see if your local fishmonger has any Dungeness crabs and prep a delicious hands-on meal with the kids.
Lombard Street is incredibly crooked, and children love taking the slow ride down the residential street. Recreate a pint sized experience with a crazy course on your driveway for your tots to man their trikes through.
Cable cars are moving landmarks that attract tourists and locals alike. Though a ride on the trolleys may be hard to simulate, craft some models out of shoe boxes and other materials.
The city is richly diverse and has many cultural neighborhoods including Chinatown, which is the largest one outside of Asia. Set up your own little area with beautiful fans and lanterns and introduce lil ones to dishes like chicken lo mein or pineapple fried rice. Don't forget to have the kids use chopsticks!
During the Summer of Love, hippies with flowers in their hair migrated to Haight Street. Celebrate peace, love and happiness by tie dying colorful tees with your tots.
From the beat poets to political activists, San Francisco is a place of progressive thought where people are celebrated and appreciated for their unique opinions. Have your children put pen to paper and jot down their ideas in a poem.

Are You Still Taking Swine Flu Precautions?

babysugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:00:57 -0700

The media circus surrounding the swine flu had all but died until the H1N1 virus claimed its first victim in Queens, NY. Intermediate School 238's Assistant Principal Mitchell Wiener died of complications related to the virus on Sunday night.

Since the outbreak started weeks ago, some airlines pulled all blankets and pillows from their flights while airports made hand sanitizers readily available for passengers. Schools have been shut down and some stayed closed. I allowed my tots to re-enter the park, but have become more stringent about washing their wee hands after a dash in the dirt. As the illness continues to make waves, I'm still playing it safe and taking necessary precautions to keep my family healthy. Are you?

Jon and Kate Plus 8 Season Premiere to Focus on Marital Woes

LilSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:44:29 -0700

If you were hoping the tabloid circus that currently surrounds our favorite TLC family, The Gosselins, wouldn't infiltrate the fifth season of the big brood's show, Jon and Kate Plus 8 - it's not going to happen. In light of all the news reports and magazine covers, the network will focus the full hour of next Monday's season premiere on the couple's marital strains. A spokesperson issued a statement. It said:

"We are in production for season 5 and moving forward as planned, while fully supporting the family and respecting their needs as they work through this challenging time. This show has always been about a real family dealing with real-life situations, and that will continue to be the case."

Sadly, it looks like this season won't be all sunshine, rainbows, and edible playdough.

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Lil Links: They'll Be Less Partying on Mama Gwen's New Tour

LilSugar — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:00:52 -0700

Gwen Stefani dishes on her expanding entourage - Celebrity Baby Blog
Ava Jackman and her adorable daddy - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Avoid alfalfa sprouts due to salmonella - Health
Is it OK to brag about your kids? - Parent Dish
10 signs your toddler is a brat: Ask Mrs. Manners - CafeMom
Permanently postpartum: The stuff that's here to stay - Alpha Mom
How do you teach your kids to be independent - Momversation
Make some circus party invitations - Cookie

Multiples Baby Shower: Theme, Guest List and Invitations

babysugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:00:23 -0700

We've been sprinkling you with ideas of baby showers all month but what's more fun than celebrating one baby-to-be? Celebrating two or three! Moms expecting twins often need a double dose before the babes arrive. Prepping the mama-to-be with twice the good wishes, onesies and diapers will give her a jump start on the juggling act she's about to perform. Not wanting to create a circus for her before the show, we used calm, muted colors to create a natural and soothing surrounding for this soiree.
Bring an aviary touch to the shower and invite the whole gaggle of ladies to celebrate the mom-to-be. But, a lengthy guest list and two impending babies to celebrate doesn't mean the bank will be broken. For this shower, it's all about dividing and conquering. Stay tuned this week to see how we will create a charming setting, tasty dishes and fabulous favors for this birdy bash. To get the party started, we've created a winsome downloadable invite for hosts to send out to their guests. To download them, read more.

Free and easy to use, everyone will be impressed with the lovely two birds chirping on cherry blossoms PDF invite that you can download here.

Don't forget to enter our fabulous April Showers Giveaway for a chance to win a $2,500 gift card to put toward your babe's nursery and/or necessities for your child at Pottery Barn Kids! And, check out the baby shower invitations we've created exclusively for pingg! Pingg allows you to email invites to a guest list or print and mail, and send reminders via SMS, online, Facebook, Twitter, and more!

Toy Box: Playmobil Vet Operating Room

babysugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:43 -0700

Somethings just get better with time. Such is the case with Playmobil. The old school toy maker keeps upping the ante with new additions to their original staples.

Children who love playing "vet," but have pets with zero interest will love Playmobil's Vet Operating Room ($30). The toy experts satisfy wee veterinarian's imaginations with a CT Scanner, changeable x-rays, bandages, casts, bottles of meds and other clinical supplies. And as expected, vet personnel and animals are included. If the clinic is a hit, tots will enjoy adding a cat scratch tree, a vet car, an animal nursery, and an animal clinic to their setup.

If these don't fit their fancy, check out the Fairy Garden, Pirate Island, Circus Ring, or Fire Rescue Starter Kit. Playmobil products are recommended for children four-years and older for good reason. The parts are very small and could pose a choking hazard to wee ones. Those old enough to play with them will most certainly enjoy them as my own lil guinea pig tester did.

Mini Me: Tim and Gracie McGraw

LilSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:00:50 -0700

We hope the McGraw clan doesn't set their circus down anytime soon. Country vocalist Tim, and his songstress wife, Faith Hill, were spotted on Sunset Boulevard shopping with their three daughters, Gracie, 11 (white shirt), Maggie, 9 (yellow shirt), and Audrey, 6 (pink camo shirt) and a couple of friends. Surrounded by his girls, daddy Tim, who helped remove an obnoxious fan from his concert last week, seemed quite the gentleman.

The cowboy's oldest daughter may not have her father's wild side, but she certainly got his genes. Blessed with the same soulful eyes and sweet smile, Gracie is the 41-year-old singer's carbon copy. And, the preteen may have also inherited the family pipes; She and her sisters sang back up on their dad's track, "Fly Away".

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Flynet