Strollerderby : obamas

Kelly Ripa Beats Obamas for Your Family Vacation

JeanneSager — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:01:00 GMT

I've got a bone to pick with American families.

Or at least those signing up for nitwit surveys. Because apparently you would rather spend your vacation with a talk show host than the leader of the free world.

That's right, Kelly Ripa has topped the vote of who American families want to vacation with this year, outlasting the Obama family by a full seven points.

Sure, she might be able to get you a line on a really nice washer/dryer, but she's still Regis' perky partner (we're assuming she'd be leaving him home, by the way?). Given the choice of her or the president of the United States, the absolutely incredible first lady and those cute little girls, you know where I'd be.

And that's not just because I'm a liberal. If you're a Republican, you can't tell me you REALLY wouldn't like to bend the ear of the guy on top of it all? No? What if he said he'd let you stay at Camp David for free this summer? The Lincoln Bedroom?

You'd still rather make bedroom eyes at Kelly Ripa?

Sheesh, America, let's wake up here. She's cute, but she can't get your out-of-work Uncle Lenny a job.

Ripa had twenty-six percent of the vote in the Ipsos Public Affairs poll, compared to nineteen percent for Barack and co. By the way, kudos to the folks who picked the Obamas over the Jolie-Pitts. Brangelina and their brethren had just sixteen percent of the vote.

Who do you want to barbecue on the beach with this summer?

Image: People.com

100 Days of Obamas: First Photo Album Released

Madeline Holler — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:23:00 GMT

Yesterday, the White House released a bunch of candid photos from the President's first 100 days in office. Not all of them involve him ripping out his hair bit by bit to deal with all the crises this president inherited. In fact none of them do.

I posted a few of the shots after the jump and a link for even more.

Back from their first trip to Camp David.

Looking for the trap door that the other Kennedy found many years ago.

Career high for person in Easter Bunny suit. (Career low, I suppose, if said Bunny was the Secret Service agent to draw the shortest straw.)

Sledding!

Check out the rest over at the Daily News. Is it me or do the inauguration photos feel more than 100 days old. Like, maybe, 100 years old? Just asking.

Sing It, Baby (Babies?): Octomom The Musical

Obamas are Cheapskates?

Photos: via Daily News

Sidwell Parents Say Obamas are Cheapskates

JeanneSager — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:02:00 GMT

First it was the British press all abub about Michelle Obama's gifts to the prime minister's children. Now fellow parents are claiming the president and first lady cheaped out on the gifts they donated for the auction at the school daughters Sasha and Malia attend.

Really? This is what we're worried about in light of the disastrous global economy, a swine flu pandemic that's taking lives and should I even point upward to that ever-widening hole in the ozone layer?

The Obamas reportedly donated a Rolling Stone with a picture of President Barack Obama on the cover, autographed by the president. They also gave a copy of Vogue Magazine with the first lady on the cover, autographed by Michelle Obama. Have you priced a presidential autograph lately? An Obama-signed baseball recently went for $1,500, but hold on to it and who knows - a recent estimate put his signature on a picture at about $6,000. Anything signed by JFK is estimated to bring at least $2,500 at auction. These were hardly dollar store trinkets.

But according to MSNBC, the parents were hoping for something more personal - then President Bill Clinton gave a golf outing with himself while Chelsea Clinton once offered up her own baby-sitting services. Cool experiences? Most definitely, although I will say an Obama autograph can be sold down the line - you can't make any money back on having someone babysit your kids.

And while I understand Sidwell Friends is an exclusive school, as I understand it the cachet of having a president's child attend is a big draw for the school in and of itself. So the Obamas send their kids there AND pay money to send their kids there, and they have to give their own time too? You know, the time OTHER than that used for running a country at war with a crumbling economy?

School auctions are not big in my very rural area, so I'm not familiar with protocol. Do parents really feel that everyone has to give something of equal value? Isn't the point of paying tuition to a school sort of enough anyway?

Image:

First Video of the First Dog at Home

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:55:00 GMT

The day a family brings their first dog home is exciting, stressful, and gloriously chaotic. Imagine having that day in front of tons of paparazzi and on live camera.

This--admittedly cameratically imperfect--video shows both the unique oddity of the Obamas' lifestyle, and their ability to be at ease even when the cameras are rolling. And if you thought Sasha and Malia couldn't get any cuter, you clearly haven't seen them playing with a six-month-old Portuguese water dog.

Photo: Newsday

Obama Girls Meet Easter Water Dog

Roll Your Kids Over to the White House for Easter

JeanneSager — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:39:00 GMT

Get ready, get set, because for the first time ever, White House Easter Egg Roll tickets are available to you and me.

The Obama administration loves them some Internet (in case you hadn't noticed), and they've set up the first-ever online lottery for families of kids under ten to get their mitts on tickets to the world-famous Easter egg roll.

In the past, tickets were only distributed to people in Washington on the Saturday before the roll (maybe to make up for the fact that the poor residents have to live with politicians all day?), but the lottery which will open Thursday at a White House sponsored site is national.

Tens of thousands will be available for people to show up on the White House lawn and get their roll on with the First Family on April 13. Click here to get your chance.

If you won, would you take the kids on the road?

Image: WTOP News

They Say: Cooking at Home Makes You Fat

Madeline Holler — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:32:00 GMT

You know how the first thing to go in this recession was dining out? And really, what was the sacrifice? You would be saving money AND creating a whole new healthy-eating lifestyle for you and the fam. Plus, you'd score the "time at the dinner table" points, which will apparently bring you one step closer to God or the Obamas or both.

So you picked up a copy of The Joy of Cooking (the standard when you were growing up!) and fired up the oven and, wait, what's this? A larger ass? More jiggly thighs? An extra chin?

Here's the problem: The Joy of Cooking? Those recipes have 40 percent more calories than in the past. FORTY PERCENT!

Now, it's not that they suddenly called for an extra cup of Crisco on every page. Rather, the portion sizes -- as with all American portion sizes -- went up dramatically. A pan of brownies that used to serve 30 now serves 15 -- even though the ingredients and pan size didn't change.

Now, researchers weren't picking on that classic icon just to be mean. It's because it's been around so long that they have edition 1 to 7 to note the changes.

I suppose the moral of the story is the moral of every story: smaller portions. Where's the joy in that?

Colicchio Says Kids Need Real Food

Round 1: Baby Food Taste-Off

Rating Yourself on the Obama Parenting Scale

Image: cookingforengineers.com

First Parents Go on a Date--Do You?

Shannon LC Cate — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Using the bully pulpit of celebrity and good looks, the Obamas led by example when they flew home to Chicago and went out on a Valentine's Day date at a Gold Coast restaurant run by Oprah's former personal chef. Paparazzi and ordinary daters snapped away as the couple tried to get a little us time.

While I am disappointed that the Obama's don't seem to have stopped once to pose, even a little, for their admirers (you can see the stolen peeks at the Chicago Tribune's slideshow), I still think they are great role models for parents of young children everywhere. The lesson is: don't neglect date night!

My partner and I have a weekly date night we protect with concrete walls. Nothing stops us on Sunday evening. (I recommend Sunday, as there's less fighting of Saturday-night-sized crowds). They all say it. Neglect your marriage and it falls apart under the pressure of parenting small children. It isn't always a big romantic event, but catching our breath and talking to each other without interruption is critical to the health of our grown up relationship and therefore, fundamental to our whole family. If the Obamas can find the time in their busy schedule (no doubt they toasted the passing of the stimulus bill at long last!) so can you.

Do you have a date night? What's your usual routine?

Obamas Read to Everybody's Kids But Yours

Madeline Holler — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:30:00 GMT

Raise your hand if you're crazy jealous of these Washington, D.C., charter school second-graders. Me too!

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle read a book to the class in the school library, took questions, shook hands, posed for pictures and everything.

When the kids asked him why he came to their school, he said he and Michelle wanted to get out of the White House for a bit. Hey, sounds reasonable.

Today's top priority on the to-do list: figure out a way to get the Obamas to my second-graders charter school to read a book ... and shake hands ... and pose for a picture (with me!).

Any of you readers have a kid at that school? How are the rest of you scheming to meet the first couple -- uh, I mean, get your children the opportunity to see the first couple in person?

Here's the video:

.msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;}

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Wanted: Malia and Sasha Lookalikes

SunnyChanel — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:12:00 GMT

Does one of your daughters, one of your daughter’s daughters or one of your daughter’s friends just happen to resemble Sasha or Malia Obama? Well, now’s the time to cash in on their luck in being first family worthy doppelgangers.

According to New York Magazine, talent agencies are in a mad scrabble to get look-a-likes of Sasha, age seven, and Malia, age ten, in their stables. Ad agencies are looking to hire girls with a similar look and age for all sorts of bookings.

The president of the Wilhelmina Kids and Teens agency stated that “It’s a very specific age and a very specific ethnicity, so there aren’t that many girls that would necessarily fit the bill.”

If they are just looking for the age and ethnicity, that shouldn’t be an issue. To get total look alikes? Good luck. But when they do find them, I’ll bet we’ll see them hocking everything from toys to tater tots.

Source

Some Obama Thanksgiving Awwwwww

Madeline Holler — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:03:00 GMT

If you missed the Obamas' interview with Barbara Walters last night, the clips are worth it. The president-elect and his wife talk about their Thanksgiving plans (Michelle's taking a pass on cooking this year and, yes, Michelle, that's quite OK!). In this clip, the president-elect once again channels what so many of us Americans are thinking and feeling: Barbara Walters is totally ridiculous.

In this instance, she's putting the hard sell on for the Obamas to get a dog just like her pup Cha Cha. Barack wisely asks/asserts that Cha Cha is a girly dog (and yappy). Walters is putting the hard sell on for the Obamas to get a dog just like her pup Cha Cha. Barack wisely asks/asserts that Cha Cha is a girly dog (and yappy).

We also get to hear how Michelle has reconciled leaving her job to support her husband.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Video: HuffPo, YouTube

Slideshow of Malia and Sasha Growing Up

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:30:00 GMT

I can't believe I'm saying this, but on Day 4 of my post-election elation, I think I may be started to get fully satiated with hope and change. I'm not sure I can stand weeping one more friggin' tear of joy. Still, I can't help myself from sharing some of the sweetest baby photos I have ever seen. That they happen to be of the Obamas' daughters, Sasha and Malia, is almost beside the point. These girls are just too precious. And seeing photos of a First Family exhibiting such genuine closeness and joy is pretty inspiring.

The Huffington Post has posted slideshows of 10-year-old Malia and seven-year-old Sasha growing up in the political limelight over the last four years. They will be the youngest kids in the White House since JFK's presidency. Here a few highlights:

Photos: Huffington Post

Obama's Friday Schedule: Tackle Global Economic Crisis, Parent-Teacher Meetings

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Michelle Obama wasn't kidding when she told Newsweek that her husband will continue to make his daughters, Sasha and Malia, a top priority, even as assumes the leadership of the free world. The Huffington Post has posted a copy of Obama's schedule for today, and the first item on the agenda is "parent teacher conferences at his daughters' school with his wife Michelle."

The schedule goes on to enumerate a list of duties that would make someone like, oh me, want to crawl into a hole and hibernate for the winter. In addition to a meeting with the Economic Advisory Board on today's dire economic news, Obama will hold a press conference, attend his daily intelligence briefing, make a slew of post-election political phone calls, and record the Democratic Radio Address. I have a feeling that those parent teacher conferences felt like a mini-vacation.

As any parent in a high stress job knows, taking time out to play with your kids or help with their homework is not only good for your children; it also keeps you grounded and happy. The Obamas seem to understand this more than anyone.

Photo: Celebrity Babies Blog

Balancing Work and Parenting--When You're the First Lady

Balancing Work and Parenting--When You're a Campaign Reporter

Strollerderby : obamas

Kelly Ripa Beats Obamas for Your Family Vacation

Parents Blame Obama for Field Trip Snafu

Is it a Lucky Boy Who Dates Obama's Daughter?

Three Ways To Get to Sesame Street This Summer

100 Days of Obamas: First Photo Album Released

Better Brains in a Juice Box

Sing It, Baby (Babies?): Octomom The Musical

Sidwell Parents Say Obamas are Cheapskates

Parents Blackmail Their Kids' School

Obama Girls Meet the Easter Waterhound

Is Pay to Play At Public Schools Fair?