Need Perfect Popcorn? There’s a Secret App, Just for That

Ok, the app isn’t really a secret- it’s actually called Perfect Pop, and it’s made by Pop Secret. Read on to see how it improved our Kahuna Family Movie Nights!.

The Summer of Six and Nine has brought a lot of new experiences for us- including a two week stint of being down one kid or another. That’s right, both Mam and the Fox got a week of what they’re calling “private time” with Grandma and Grandpa. It’s been fun on both ends- they’ve loved the time away and the time of ruling the roost at home. But this weekend we picked up the boy and now we are back to what we affectionally call “everybody all together.”

On evenings after a long day away from home, we love to do what we call a “movie dinner”, which means, you it- eating in front of the television! After dinner, we typically pop popcorn, and munch on that until the movie’s over. We learned early on that on movie dinner nights, mom and dad get to pick a family movie, so we’ve been having fun sharing some classics like Honey I Shrunk the Kids and the original Karate Kid.

Tonight we added some fun to the movie dinner tradition, and I showed the kids the Pop Secret App I had downloaded to go with the popping of the popcorn. They oohed and aahhed as the app ran along with our microwave, and were sufficiently freaked out when the app “knew” that the popcorn was done. While we were waiting (longest less than three minutes ever!) we got to see some fun facts about movies display on the app.

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The Pop Secret App is a free download in the AppStore, and works whenever you have a bag of Pop Secret to pop. It’s a fun way to prevent ruining movie night and the next ten times you use your microwave by making sure the popcorn is done to perfection.

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Oh, and for the record, we always eat popcorn of these containers- because once you have, how could you not?!?!?

Goodbye-Burned-Popcorn

 

Thanks to Pop Secret for sponsoring this post AND saving our future movie nights! 

Listen to Your Mother 2014: Do You Miss Me While You Are Sleeping?

It’s time! It’s time! Videos from the productions of Listen to Your Mother 2014 are up on You Tube. Videos from across the country, from women and men, are up for the world to see. I love that YouTube makes the entire body of work available- it’s such a treasure of humor, advice and heartache.

My piece this year focuses on just one only slice of my life- the trials and trauma of having a boy who doesn’t like to sleep much. It’s gotten 110% better since Groundhog’s Day, and I’m sure in another year, it will seem like just a blip on the radar of childhood. Who knows- in couple of years, I might even be the one waking HIM up.

Enjoy.

©2014 Mike Washington Photography

 

SIX.

Today’s the first day of summer AND the boy is turning six. On June 1, he came down stairs and announced, “It’s my birth month!” and he’s been angling for special treatment ever since.

“It’s my birth month- do I have to put my clothes in the hamper?”
“It’s my birth month- can I pick a Netflix show first?”

“It’s my birth month! I get the last popsicle!”

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The kid is turning six and owning it. Like father like son.

The list goes on and on. Kindergarten finished last month, and I have to say, not only is he ready for first grade, he’s probably ready to get a job and move out on his own.

He’s growing up so fast- I really can pass on our board books, and our Bob books, and a lot of “preschool” toys.

He can swim like a fish, and has had a blast with his first team sport= teeball.

He’s obsessed with Skylanders, and Plants vs. Zombies, and Hot Wheels videos that some guy narrates on You Tube.

And he’s still as sweet as he was as a toddler, generous with hugs and kisses and the random, “Mom, I love you” that I never,ever get tired of hearing.

Six will bring more team sports, more reading, more Skylanders and more of all the things I love about him. I think I’m liking six already.

 

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Running into home!
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Happy Birthday Sweet Boy, We Love You!