The party started with priority seating for the Eat to the Beat concert.  Howard Jones was performing this night.  After seeing how many people had to wait to get into the theater, I was glad for the priority seats.  We showed up a half hour before the show began and got right in the front row. 

Howard Jones Performs at Eat to the Beat

When the concert is over you are loosely led to the area in between England and Canada. I say loosely because the park was packed and many people got separated from the party group by the crowds. When we arrived, we were each handed one plate and one wine glass to use. They told us to not lose the wine glass, it was ours to keep.

Next we entered the waiting area. Why we were waiting, I’m not sure. It’s my only complaint about the event.  They corral a large group of hungry people into one area and keep them waiting until the room is totally packed. I think we were waiting because those that paid an extra $95 a person for the Wine View Lounge got to go to their reserved tables and hit the stations first.

Finally, the curtain draws back and it’s a mad dash to find a table. A person who went the past three years told us it was standing only. But there were plenty of tables to sit at this year. The tables are first come, first sit, so once you get one, you want to stay there. That meant my husband and I had to take turns getting food. The food and drinks were set up at stations. We were given a guide at the beginning telling us what was at each station. This was a huge help in our plans to divide and conquer. I’d get up, grab two of the small plates and a drink for myself, then head back to the table. I’d eat my half while my husband went out for more. By the end of the night, we quit using the platter they gave us to carry the food. Most of the plates were too big to carry more than one on it at a time. I did find it very useful in carrying all the small desserts during the final part of the night.

The food portions are all small tastes. But there are many, many dishes to try. The lines were never very long so you could always go back for more. I do think this event is for the more adventurous eaters. I tried foods I never thought I’d try, like elk tenderloin and wild boar.  If you drink alcohol, you will really get your money out of this event, just make sure to have a designated driver.  Also, I think this is definitely an adult event. While it is not inappropriate for kids, there are lots of adults drinking, non-kid friendly food, and it is a late night event. So if you can, avoid bringing children. If you have to take them, just be prepared for an expensive dinner from the international cheese station.

Now what made this total sensory overload was the entertainment. As we ate and drank, we listened to performers from Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba. In between song sets, other La Nouba performers came on stage. It made for a totally amazing night on the town. When I figured out how much we ate and drank compared to what we would have had if we checked out an equal amount of the kiosks outside, I think it we got a bargain. I highly recommend the Party for the Senses and I hope to be able to make this an annual event, but with friends to help hold on to the table.

A few desserts and a margarita

Stuffed Pheasant and Lemoncello

Waiting for Food

The Green Station

1.
Vote No On 2 because it Takes Away Benefits
Amendment 2 would take away important family protections, including health care insurance and hospital visitation from all unmarried Floridians. The Florida Legislature’s own analysis warns that this amendment: “… could place (domestic partnerships) at risk of losing specified rights and benefits, such as those related to health insurance.”

2.
Vote No On 2 because it Hurts Seniors
Amendment 2 would hurt Florida’s large senior population by taking away partnership rights of widowed seniors, like health care and end-of-life decision making. The AARP and Florida Alliance for Retired Americans have spoken out against these kinds of dangerous amendments.

3. Vote No On 2 because EVERY Major Florida Daily Newspaper is Opposed to Amendment 2 – Newspapers across the political spectrum whose editorial boards rarely agree on politics have come out strongly opposed to Amendment 2.
(read them)

4.
Vote No On 2 because Discrimination Doesn’t Belong in the Florida Constitution
The constitution should protect all of us from government intrusion and discrimination. This amendment would embed discrimination against unmarried people into our state constitution for generations to come.

5.
Vote No On 2 because Hurting Families Doesn’t “Protect” Anyone’s Marriage
Despite the name “Marriage Protection Amendment” this measure does NOTHING to help curb the divorce rate or strengthen marriage. It only scapegoats unmarried partners and strips them of vital health benefits.

6.
Vote No On 2 because it Permits Massive Government Intrusion
Amendment 2 puts the government where it doesn’t belong – regulating the personal relationships of Floridians. Government should not make it harder for people to take care of their loved ones.

7.
Vote No On 2 and Avoid Hiring Expensive Lawyers
Amendment 2 could force unmarried Floridians to hire expensive private lawyers just to be able to see each other in the hospital.

8.
Vote No On 2 because It’s Already Hard Enough for Families
At a time of economic crisis the last thing we should do is put government-enforced obstacles, big legal fees and more red tape in the way of people getting access to vital health care and family protections.

9.
Vote No On 2 because Florida is Better Than This
When Florida voters understand the real harm to real people the Amendment will cause, they will vote no. Everyday more and more Floridians are standing up to this divisive, harmful amendment. The Fairness for All Families’ Vote No On 2 campaign consists of over 260 civic, faith, and social justice groups working together to protect Florida’s families. Help spread the word. Volunteer and donate today.

10.
Vote No On 2 because of It Harms All of Us
People have already lost benefits in states that have passed similar measures. In Michigan, health insurance for domestic partners were repealed at every state university that offered them. In Kentucky, amendment backers had promised they were only “banning gay marriage”. Now they are working to eliminate domestic partner benefits for state and university employees. In Ohio, justice for domestic violence victims was impeded because lower courts ruled that their “marriage” amendment” prohibited applying domestic violence laws to unmarried couples.

For more information, please visit www.votenoon2.com

I do know she will not wear diapers forever.  So I will take a break for now and try again when she seems more interested.  There are few things in life a 2 year old can control, but her bladder and bowels are 2 of those things.

This year will be a bit different.  I’m going to be on a cruise for Thanksgiving.  I probably won’t be able to do my online shopping.  So I’ve decided to plan ahead.  I’m making a list now and keeping an eye out for sales.   I also plan to shop through Ebates.  You can search the site for the best deals and it gives you cash back quarterly.  If you aren’t a member, here’s a link to join.  http://www.ebates.com/refer-a-friend/0809promo.htm?referrerid=7WnEBHXwdEsuw8jPg2Uv9Q%3D%3D  You get $5 in your account when you make your first purchase through Ebates.  Joining is free. 

With the economy the way it is, I try to find every way possible to save money or get a little back.  But I still want the holidays to be good.  I’m hoping my online shopping and a lot of research will help make that happen.  The least, I’ll be able to avoid those crazy malls during the holidays.

http://www.ebates.com/refer-a-friend/0809promo.htm?referrerid=7WnEBHXwdEsuw8jPg2Uv9Q%3D%3D

Her diaper was totally full from the night, including poo.  Yet, within a half hour of her walking around without a diaper she pee peed in the potty.  The potty music went off, I made a big deal, cleaned out the potty, then forgot to give her the promised M&M’s.  But since she forgot too, I’ll just let it go.

After the brief bit of success, the potty has turned into a play toy.  First, she tried to climb in it.  Then, it became a home for wayward animals.  Good thing for Clorox Clean-Up.  I wash and spray the potty down each time she goes.

Pee pee #2 of the day was only a partial success.   Partial because it was on our chair and not the potty.  But it was still a bit of a success because she said “Mommy, I pee peed on the Mickey chair.”  I decided it was time to turn the TV back on so she would sit still on the potty rather than walk around the house.

After pee pee #3 ended up on a book, I decided it was time to take a break (after cleaning up the book.)  Within an hour, the diaper was totally full.  Again, this is good because it tells me she has some control over her bodily functions.  She’s just being her typical stubborn self and not doing it where I’ve requested.

Nap time came with very little actual success today.  I hope to try again tomorrow, but my time is limited by her gymnastics class.

We have a potty that makes noises when something hits the bowl.  I have set it out in front of the TV and put my 2 1/2 year old on it, sans pants.  I also was smart and closed off most of the carpeted areas of the house.  For as long as I can today, she will be watching TV and sitting on the potty.  When she goes, she gets M&M’s. 

Pee Pee #1 came about a half hour after we started our experiment.  Of course, she wasn’t sitting on the potty at the time.  She was talking to me when I felt a warm splash on my foot.  It surprised her so much she stopped mid-stream.  I was able to get her to finish her work on the potty while I cleaned up the mess on the floor and my foot. 

Lunch time came and I put out a folding tray next to her royal potty.  Mac and cheese dropped into the potty makes the same sound as pee or poop.  So after cleaning that up from her seat and her tush, we went back to doing nothing. 

Pee Pee #1 1/4 with a small dropping came a bit after lunch.  She didn’t want to get up because she wasn’t able to finish doing number two.  I did manage to get her up so I could clean it by offering more M&M’s.

Pee Pee #2 came about a half hour later.  Though at this point, the M&M’s began to lose their charm.  I go through the steps of cleaning her and the seat again.  At this point, she decides she doesn’t want to sit.  So I get a bit paranoid as she walks around the house playing with her toys. 

Pee Pee #3 happened while I was out of the room.  I was very happy to hear the royal chimes of the potty because it let me know my floor wasn’t wet.  After going through the routine of cleaning up again, I decided it was nap time.  So I diapered her up, put her to bed, and called it a day for day one of potty training naked. 

I consider this a semi-success.  I plan to try again tomorrow, but I hope to not have her spend too much time just watching TV while on the toilet.

I disagree with my mom’s ideas on the PTA.  Sure, there will probably be busy bodies who are only there to gossip about other people.  But I think the main point of joining these things is to get more involved in your child’s school.  Study after study shows that parents who are more involved in their child’s education help them do better at school and in life.  My daughter’s school requires 20 hours a year of volunteer work from parents or the child may be kicked out.  I really like this idea.  I’ve noticed kids who misbehave the most are kids who’s parents don’t care what they do.  If my daughter misbehaves (and she does), I want to take action right away.  I want other parents to do the same. 

I’m not sure if I ever had a cool card, but if I did, I don’t think joining the PTA would make me lose it.  Because as an adult, what is cool is much different than when we were young.  And caring about education is not only very cool to me, it’s very important.

Today I’m going to tell you about a product I’m trying out that I really love. Pledge Multi Surface spray and wipes is good for most surfaces. This is great for me since I’m a lazy cleaner and hate trying to find something that works on my leather coffee table and my wood dining table. The sample wipes came in handy little packets that I threw in my diaper bag. I wish the wipes always came packaged like this, but I still will probably buy the wipes in the canister. So far I’ve cleaned a picnic table, my house, and today, a diaper pail with the Pledge Multi Surface. It didn’t clean the diaper pail as well as bleach, but it did do a good job. So if you happen to see this on the shelf at the store next time you are looking for cleaning supplies, pick up a bottle or the wipes. This is definitely a product I like to Bzz.

Here’s the Pledge website if you want more information: http://www.pledge.com/multi-surface-cleaner/