Today is the Bomb (Pop)

Everyone prepare yourselves for purple lips and serious brain freeze; today is National Bomb Pop Day! Now personally, I don't know that there's a better symbol of childhood summers than the Bomb Pop (the Ninja Turtle ice cream bars with gumball eyes are a close second). And let's face it, it HAD to be from the Ice Cream Man; a Bomb Pop out of our own freezer just wasn't the same, and my Mom even suggesting the idea was just plain insulting. I can still recall those moments of being outside on a sweltering hot day, hearing that familiar bell, then full-on sprinting (which was still pretty slow given the fact that I was a 'husky' child) inside to have a rapid-fire argument conversation with the parents about getting change to buy ice cream. They caved most of the time, and moments later I would be outside, hurrying to enjoy a Bomb Pop before it melted and painted the driveway with blue, red and white droplets. And on that note, the classic three-color bomb pop is the only way to go; these new-fangled variations on the Bomb Pop that have different flavors and candy inside are just bollocks. (sorry, cranky old man moment)

My daughter has never had a Bomb Pop, but maybe today is the perfect day to introduce her to them. With a heat advisory today in Kansas City and the temperature potentially reaching 100 degrees, a Bomb Pop would be the perfect remedy to the scorching heat. And given the fact that my daughter devoured last weekend's frozen yogurt like some kind of starving predator (seriously, I was kind of worried I'd lose a finger), I have no doubt that she would fall in love with eating the Bomb Pop. Of course, with a Bomb Pop it's pretty inevitable that a disastrous mess will be produced, so it would have be one of those food items that I lovingly refer to as a 'diaper eater' (aka stripping down to nothing but a diaper to avoid permanently stained clothes).

So, if you happen to be at the grocery store today, pick up a box of Bomb Pops and share them with your family in celebration of this 'holiday'. Even better, if you hear that crescendoing 'ding' of the ice cream man heading your way, sprint outside with your wallet and enjoy the cool, tri-flavor goodness with your family outside. Granted, on a day like today, the thing may melt before you even get to the blue section, but it's all about the experience right?

As a little trivia side note, the Bomb Pop was invented right here in Kansas City in 1955!

Happy National Bomb Pop Day!

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Review and Giveaway: Doggie Doo

In an age where everything entertainment-related for kids seems to be found on an LCD screen, it's nice to have new products being introduced that take it back to the "old school" style of family games. And for me personally, it's even better when said game incorporates something hilarious and childish like picking up poop. Enter: Doggie Doo.

I'll admit, when I first saw the commercial for Doggie Doo, I was in shock. I thought there was no way that a game that involved scooping dog poop could be real. But in typical fashion, I quickly took to Google to do some research on the product and learned some interesting things. Doggie Doo was  originally introduced in Europe, where its popularity exploded. It was even nominated for 2010 Toy of the Year in the Netherlands. Due to it's popularity overseas, the manufacturer's (Goliath Games) decided to try their luck in the United States market. The game will officially be released nationally on August 1, but I was lucky enough to get my hands on the game ahead of time and review it.

My first surprise upon opening the package and examining the contents was that Doggie Doo doesn't require any batteries. I expected that the farting and pooping action was electronically assisted, but I was wrong. Again, this game goes old school and employs manual pumping to 'will' the doo out of the doggie.

I anticipated the doggie treats (which end up doubling as the poop) to have the consistency of Play-Doh, but when I opened the container, it was actually reminiscent of Nickelodeon's old 'Gak' product, if you remember that. It was sort of a slick feeling, yellowish green goo that made a loud farting noise when you press it into the container. As you get into the game, you realize that consistency is necessary in order to provide the awesome dog fart noises that precede the 'dump'.

Doggie Doo after releasing some back-end tension.

Setup is simple. It's as easy as connecting the 'leash' (aka pumping hose) to the dog, distributing shovels and getting out the treat goo, and you are ready to go. Also included is a treat mold, a 'feeding bone' (how you transport the goo into the dog's mouth) and a die, which dictates how many pumps of the leash you get on your turn.

The game process is simple. The dog is fed a treat, then players take turns rolling the die to see how many times they pump the leash. If the dog poops thanks to one of your pumps, you scoop the poop and add it to your 'collection'. This continues until a player has 3 pieces of 'dog mess' on their shovel and is declared the winner.

A close up of the radioactive Doggie Doo poop.

In the end, the game is short, sweet and very comical, especially the first time around. The simple rules and quick set up make it a perfect family game. It's definitely the type of game that is fun for the kids, while avoiding being completely mind-numbingly boring for adults. I honestly see this being the perfect game for younger kids who still have short attention spans, especially younger boys who will be enamored with the echoing, wet fart sounds. Though Ava is too young to actually play the game, she loved petting and kissing the doggie and of course pointing out the poop and exclaiming 'Poo poo?' So even if your child isn't quite to the game-playing age, Doggie Doo could still serve as a temporary diversion (with proper supervision, of course) with the doggie, bright colored poop and absurd farting noises. I also commented to my wife that I could see creative college students managing to make a drinking game out of this if they were bored (if anyone ever does that, you did NOT get the idea from me!).

Ava goes in for the kiss of approval.

I did have a couple minor qualms about the game, but nothing that would divert me from recommending it. The mold that is intended to produce the 'perfect' size treat isn't so perfect. It actually seemed like more often than not, we had to put a bit more into the dog in order to get it to move through to the backside properly. Fortunately, when the dog isn't farting, you basically know that nothing is happening, so you at least have a good indicator of something being stuck or if there isn't enough food inside. Also, be careful with the treat goo; I made the mistake of setting a chunk down on a piece of paper, and when I picked it up the goo had pulled the printing off of the paper. Keep the 'food' in the container as much as possible! And hopefully, Goliath Games will make replacement tubs of the food readily available for purchase, because I could see the stuff getting lost/misplaced/trashed frequently.

Overall, I was a big fan of Doggie Doo. Kids would definitely enjoy it, and I love that it's a diversion (albeit brief) from computers, iPods, etc. If the standard board game fare isn't for your family, I highly suggest giving Doggie Doo a try. Unique, simple and humorous; you can't ask much more from a family game, can you? Plus, if you're lucky, it will convince your kids that picking up dog poop is fun and you can get them to clean up the backyard!

Visit the Doggie Doo website for more information, plus find them on Facebook and Twitter.

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DOGGIE DOO GIVEAWAY!

Goliath Games agreed to provide one Doggie Doo Game (a $29.99 value) to a lucky winner in my giveaway. One of you will have the chance to own this game before it's even available to the public!

Required entry:

To get entered into the contest, you must Like the Doggie Doo Game Facebook page and follow Doggie Doo on Twitter. Once you've done so, leave a comment below with your Facebook and Twitter names, plus a way to contact you if you are the winner.

Additional entries (leave a comment for EACH additional action):

- Follow A Family of My Own on Twitter (1 entry)
- Like A Family of My Own on Facebook (1 entry)
- Watch the Doggie Doo Walks a Human video and tell me one of the places Doggie Doo visits (1 entry)
- Tell me what you would name your Doggie Doo (get creative!) (1 entry)
- Tweet about this giveaway, mentioning @AFOMOBlog, @doggiedoogame and linking to this post. Example:

"Enter by July 15 to win a @doggiedoogame in this #giveaway from @AFOMOBlog: http://bit.ly/mdS7nC"

Make sure to leave a comment below for each additional entry action, otherwise they will not be counted!

Deadline for entries is Friday, July 15, and I'll announce the winner on Monday, July 18.

Good luck!

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Wordless Wednesday - Buckethead

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A Toddler Divided

When it comes to toddlers, you might think that the biggest decisions they face in their youth are pretty inconsequential. Do I want blueberries or bananas for breakfast? Should I play with my Busy Ball Popper or gigantic stuffed bunny first? Which bathroom drawer should I empty out today? Should I poop in my diaper or wait until I'm in the bathtub and create havoc for everybody? Day-to-day life is pretty easy, without any groundbreaking choices existing. But my daughter has an incredibly important choice to make at some point in her younger years, that is simply bubbling and growing as each day passes: will she be a fan of the Kansas Jayhawks or the Nebraska Cornhuskers?

My dad is an avid KU fan. Amanda's dad is a hardcore Huskers fan. In less than 2 years, both have already made valiant efforts to sway Ava's sports loyalty to their side of the proverbial NCAA fence. From books to clothing to lessons on saying mascot names and other applicable phrases (Go Big Red, Rock Chalk, etc.), there has been no shortage of attempts to place a bug in my daughter's brain. We've got  a serious Grandpa sports allegiance battle on our hands, and it's hard to say how it will end.

This collection is just the beginning..

Right now, KU seems to have taken a slight lead in this race. Ava can say 'Jayhawk' (kind of, it comes out as 'cock' or 'caw-cock') and is able to identify them upon sight. And she does seem to have developed a bit of an affection for them. But, with her, I know that could change at any moment. It's entirely possible that one day she'll see Herbie Husker and decide to drop her Jayhawk crush like a bad habit. Neither Grandpa has any sort of guarantee that Ava will stay loyal to their side.

Of course, this is all just the beginning. Chances are, this isn't a battle that will end lightly or immediately. Whenever she grows out of her current KU and Nebraska clothes, they'll be quickly replaced. Sooner than later, she'll be reaching the age where she can go to her first sporting events, and I don't doubt that Kansas and Nebraska games will be thrown in the mix. I'm already envisioning Jayhawk and Herbie Halloween costumes being suggested. And in 16 years, Ava will have voices in either ear, telling her she should go to college in Lawrence and Lincoln.

So who will come out on top and earn Ava's allegiance? I have no idea, and I don't plan to push her either way. If she likes the Jayhawks, great. If she decides she wants to chant 'Husker Power', then so be it. And for all we know, she may decide to fool us all and decide to cheer on a completely random team. Maybe she'll start wearing green and cheering on the Oregon Ducks (she does love to say 'Quack quack' as it is). Hey, given her obsession with monkeys, she might decide to be a Pitt State fan based on mascot alone. Maybe I'll throw a wrench in things and start buying her a bunch of Creighton University (my alma mater) stuff in hopes that she'll decide to be a Bluejay fan (fat chance). And obviously, there's always the possibility that she will loathe sports and think we are all idiots for devoting so much time to athletics. Honestly, I'm kind of putting my money on that one. Regardless of what she ends up deciding, I'll support it.

As long as she doesn't decide to be a Missouri Tigers fan.

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My Dad Kryptonite, Revealed

I still remember the day I developed my aversion to snakes. I was in Tennessee, or Kentucky or some state in that general region. My parents had taken us on a God-forsaken trip to the South to see such attractions as Dollywood (yes, that would be an amusement park started by Dolly Parton) and stay in a cabin in the woods. That particular day, we were hiking up a mountain, when we stumbled across a large crowd stalled at one point on the path. There was a large rattlesnake coiled up in the middle of the trail, and everyone was frozen as the reptile shook its tail in warning.

Now, while this creature didn't bite me or anyone else in the group, it was still a moment that resonates with me today. As a kid, seeing a single animal put the brakes on a group of 20+ adults is a pretty significant sight. Clearly, they were afraid of this thing, so why shouldn't I be?

To this day, I still hate snakes. My encounters with them have been few and far between, but I still am repulsed at the idea of coming across one. Strangely, this fear doesn't translate to other 'creepy crawlies', so to speak. I take no issue with bugs or spiders (in fact, you can ask some of my old college friends about the day I ate a live spider after snatching it  mid-air), and even the small lizards that bound around my parents yard instill more fascination than fear inside of me.

My aversion was brought back full force the other day when I received a picture message from Amanda that showed a dead snake she found a mere 50 yards or so from our apartment. Oh crap. Just looking at a picture on my phone raised my heart rate and caused a string of curses to run through my mind. What if there were more? Is there a nest I need to set fire to? What if they sneak their way into the sewer system and bite my ass while I'm on the toilet?

The picture message that immediately weakened my powers.

This overly dramatic fear of snakes presents one big problem for me, though: I'm a dad. I'm not supposed to be afraid of anything.

All of us dads recognize the fact that, to our kids, we are veritable Supermen. We are there to protect, serve, and show courage in all perilous and scary situations. So what am I supposed to do if I'm ever with me daughter and happen to stumble across a snake? Well, I'll admit. I'm still going to act like a little pansy. Because snakes are my "Dad Kryptonite". And we all have our "Dad Kryptonite", that one major thing (or in some cases, many little things) that make us immediately drop our tough guy facade and show our weakness. I know I'm not alone. I took to Twitter in order to receive some support, and learned I'm not the only one. Other Dads noted their own forms of Kryptonite, including tornadoes and bugs.

As a comic book dweeb, I'm very much in tune to the fact that even the most powerful heroes and villains have their weaknesses. Heck, incarnations of the Green Lantern have had weaknesses to wood and the color yellow (a fear of snakes doesn't look so stupid now, huh?). As much as I never want to crack in front of my daughter, I know it's going to happen at some point. And since I know it's coming, all I can do is plan for it, and do my best to turn it into a teaching opportunity.

After all, fear is a funny thing. We aren't born with it. Hell, Ava has proven time and time again, through her daredevil climbing and diving escapades, that she came out of the womb with no fear or trepidation whatsoever. But as she's grown older, she's developed fears of her own, and lately I've been trying to help her overcome them. But as many times as I might tell her the vacuum cleaner is "nice" and give it kisses, or touch the doorstopper to show her that it's not going to pull my arms off, those fears still linger. They may be around for a long time, and that's okay. Being afraid of things is normal, regardless of how silly or meaningless other people might think it is. If, in 20 years, she still has a fear of doorstoppers, then so be it. She may earn herself a spot on some TLC reality show, but I won't judge her.

Dads, we may not want them to, but our kids will ultimately benefit from learning about our Dad Kryptonite. They need to know that even the toughest of heroes have things that they are afraid of and make their defenses come crashing down. While my daughter will be exposed to the 'human' side of my character, I know my powers of (almost) fearlessness, courage and super strength will remain intact. She'll just know to never dangle a snake in front of my face, or the consequences will be dire. And of course by dire, I mean I'll produce a deafening, high-pitched shriek and run for my life. Hey, but maybe then I can add super speed to my list of powers?

Chime in below, Dads; what is YOUR Dad Kryptonite?

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