Get your gamers to the breakfast table. If your kids love creating with Minecraft, then they are going to love this new cereal. Kellogg’s Minecraft Creeper Crunch Cereal is a tasty, cinnamon-flavored cereal featuring green square-shaped “Creeper Bit” marshmallows that delivers the vibrant world of Minecraft.
“As a popular video game, Minecraft has inspired exploration and creativity for millions of players worldwide,” said Erin Storm, marketing director of Kellogg All Family Cereal. “With Kellogg’s Minecraft Creeper Crunch Cereal, game fanatics and families alike can build their own delicious breakfast and gaming adventure.”
Inside every box there is a code that unlocks one of ten in-game clothing items allowing Minecraft users to customize their characters head-to-toe with cloaks, jackets and more. These clothing items, typically only available through purchase, offer players a fun way to personalize their characters’ unique style in-game.
“Minecraft players seek to experience the imaginative, adventurous spirit offered within the game,” said Kayleen Walters, general manager of licensing and partnerships at Mojang Studios. “Partnering with Kellogg’s is the perfect opportunity for our community to extend the vibrant creativity of the game they already eat up — and it gives them a literal taste of Minecraft in real life.”
Minecraft Creeper Crunch is now available in stores nationwide. An 8 ounce box retails for $3.99 and a 12.7 ounce box retails for $5.69.
Are you happy? The question is innocent enough. My four-year-old who is running around the house with his plastic sword in case we get attacked by Princess Robots (yeah, don’t ask) stops dead in his tracks to ask me.
I’m always happy when I’m with you, I instinctively reply. The truth, the truth, I’ll always tell him the truth, I think to myself as I justify the obfuscation by rationalizing that I am indeed always happy in his presence. But this prescient, empathic, stubborn-persistent little boy follows up: Are you happy when you’re sad? I smile. Caught.
In the moment’s melancholy and awed by his ability to read me, I answer: Yes. I’m thinking of your Abuelo. And I’m happy and sad. Content that he got the answer he knew was right, he moved back to the Princess Robots. An Abuelo he’s never met. An Abuelo who would revel in his prescient, persistent precociousness. An Abuelo who doesn’t know he exists.
The earliest memory I have of my Father, is of him giving me 15 cents (I am that old) to go to the corner of the strip-mall to buy a colada. For the uninitiated, a colada is a cup, yes a cup, of espresso that is then poured into tiny cups that people do as shots. He would watch me from one end of the strip-mall as I walked to the other end, to make the purchase at the bakery window. Most bakeries in Miami, at least those that aren’t particularly fancy, have take-out windows. I could do this because at six-years-old I was a big-boy. And, I was allowed certain freedoms and responsibilities.
By eight-years-old, I was helping him in the family business; digging in the earth, planting trees, fertilizing plants. But not too much. My brother did most of that work, with rare protest. I was the fancy child even then. I can, however, still recite the mantra he instilled in me: Make the hole bigger than the root ball so that it fits comfortably in the ground; throw some loose dirt at the bottom and around the root ball to make it easier for the roots to spread; don’t pack the dirt too tightly, you’ll just get in the tree’s way; water, fertilize and leave the rest to nature. I still plant trees in the same way. Little did I know then, the old man was also teaching me how to raise a child. But that’s the subject of another essay. Always leave them wanting more.
By age 15, we would get into ferocious arguments about the need to lift the trade embargo against Cuba. I was for lifting, he was against. His heart still freshly bleeding from the wounds of having to leave a country he loved; even though it had been almost 30 years by then. Of course, during that time, my Father knew nothing, and I knew everything. Still, I marveled in awe with how he could recall with precision his exploits in Cuba and Venezuela, at first selling fruit on the streets with my Mother to eke out a living in support my brother and sister, long before I was born. Then later, owning businesses that were acclaimed by heads of state. I still wish I had told him then how much I loved his stories.
In my early 20s the distance grew between us—physical distance; as I left that godforsaken city and traveled to Washington, D.C. to study. I made the begrudging weekly phone calls. And I remember one in particular. I was on the verge of quitting law school: emotionally wrecked, overwhelmed, and anxious as all. Yet, using every ounce of skill he had as the finest negotiator in the world, he talked me off the edge of the cliff. Not too bad for a guy who never got past the sixth grade. This time, he recalled with great joy my great exploits, and how proud he was of me. He drew on examples of things I had long since forgotten or thought trivial; yet, in his fatherly eyes were luminous.
In my 30s our relationship hit its emotional stride. My Father knew everything, and he acknowledged I knew some things. In his 70s he was funny, uncensored, irreverent, and sharp-as-a-tack. He would go toe-to-toe with me, and with my husband quip for quip. He would regale us with stories of things that happened when I was a child; of his adventures with my mother; of my siblings. We traveled the world together. But we did notice his short-term memory started to fail.
One Thanksgiving, while staying at my sister’s house for a week, I noticed my Dad had been washing his underwear daily in the sink. I checked his suitcase, sure enough, his then-wife had packed him enough underwear for the entire stay. I asked him why he was washing his underwear. I need clean underwear, he answered.
At 93 Dad remembers nothing. The deterioration was slow. And painful. And excruciating to watch. And the memories that are locked inside that, yes, beautiful mind are inaccessible.
My son does not know his Abuelo. I will regale him with stories that are locked in my mind, for as long as I am able. Stories about that prescient, empathic, stubborn-persistent man that he will never meet; a man that he would revel in. A man that in his youth, as a prescient, persistent precocious child, worked the sugar cane fields to support his family. A man that talked me off many a ledge. A man that raised his own brothers. A man that knew to give a root ball space. A man that was happy, even when he was sad.
And even though I am a more imitation than original, he will still hear his voice. And together they will fight the Princess Robots.
Father, children's book critic, writer, judge, director, actor and amature photographer—together with his husband of 25 years—raising an energetic four-year old! "Parent is not just a noun, it's a verb. If you're ever in doubt as to what to do, substitute the word caregiver. It will steer you in the right direction."
Barbie has teamed up with Star Wars on its latest collaboration paying homage to Star Wars, by putting a high-fashion twist on iconic characters. Last year, Mattel introduced a line of Star Wars x Barbie dolls inspired by Princess Leia, Darth Vader and R2-D2. This year, they have unveiled additional dolls inspired by Chewbacca, C-3PO, Rey and Stormtrooper characters.
The Star Wars Stormtrooper x Barbie takes design inspiration from their legendary look to capture their plastoid armor in a runway-ready silhouette.
Star Wars Stormtrooper x Barbie is striking in head-to-toe white over a black bodysuit with a shiny patent-leather look. A platinum bob, dark glasses, cuffs, a utility belt and boots with a knee protector plate detail complete the battle armor-inspired look.
The Star Wars C-3PO x Barbie® doll takes design inspiration from C-3PO’s legendary look to capture his golden armor in a runway-ready silhouette.
Star Wars C-3PO x Barbie shines in a head-to-toe liquid gold look with accents of sheer organza and golden sequins. Polished details include a golden collar, bangles , C-3PO-inspired glasses and a brilliant cincture echoing the droid’s primary power coupler outlet.
The Star Wars Chewbacca x Barbie takes design inspiration from Chewie’s legendary look, bringing a glamorous edge to signature costume elements.
Star Wars Chewbacca x Barbie wears a lavish faux fur coat over a strapless dress with a fur skirt and bodice of vinyl and sheer organza.
Chic details include a furry headband and knee-high boots, as well as cuff bracelets and a handbag inspired by Chewbacca’s signature bandolier and satchel.
Do you find that your kids are always outgrowing their shoes? Shoes that are too small put your children at risk for foot deformities and other serious health issues. Turns out, two out of three kids are wearing the wrong size shoes.
BlitzResults recently conducted a survey and found that 67% of all kids are wearing shoes that are too small. Shoes that fit incorrectly can cause a condition called hallux valgus. This is a foot deformity that occurs when the big toe starts to angle inward causing a swollen lump just below the big toe.
When shopping for shoes there are a few important tips to remember. The right and left foot are rarely the same length. They could have a difference of length of up to half an inch, but that discrepancy corresponds to almost a full shoe size. Parents should always go by the longer foot when buying new shoes.
Take note that shoe manufacturers label their shoes using standard sizes, but there is no mandatory industry standard. With that in mind, never rely strictly on shoe sizes, have your child try on each shoe carefully.
A measuring guide, sources and studies on the topic can be found here.
Over the course of the last few weeks, my four-year-old has developed a horrible new habit. He gets out of bed multiple times a night, begins screaming, “MAMA” at the top of his lungs, and moves into the bedroom, still screaming, until I sit up and have a conversation with him about why he is screaming for me.
I cannot tell a lie, it completely and totally sucks. There is nothing like being jarred from sleep by a four-year-old with a blood-curdling scream. The first time it happened, I was terrified. I thought he had fallen out of his bed and broken his leg or that something equally as terrifying had happened.
But no. That is and never has been the case.
All I have to do is ask him what’s wrong and he will calm down after about 30 seconds and say something along the lines of, “My big toe itches. Will you scratch it?” through snot and tears. So I scratch his toe or rub his back, or get him “this much” to drink.
As a person that truly loves sleep and needs at least eight hours a night to function, I have developed a habit where I lie in bed all night anticipating that blood-curdling scream. So needless to say, I have not been getting the best sleep lately.
This morning, I got a blood-curdling scream and thought about how much I miss the little things, like being able to sleep and having alone time.
Disclaimer: Yes, I love my children more than life itself. I would step in front of a train for them. But becoming a parent has taught me that some things are non-negotiable. So don’t comment that I’m a bad mom, Lisa, the internet troll.
Here are 11 things you must love —or learn to love—if you want to become a parent.
1. Being woken up in the middle of the night by a blood curdling scream or by its equally terrifying counterpart, the tiny person staring at you while you sleep.
2. Poop. Cleaning poop. Picking up poop. Finding poop in odd places. Teaching your kid to poop in the potty. Watching them poop in the backyard like the dog. That last one might just be me.
3. Never being alone. The minute you have kids, you will never have alone time again. They will always find you. You could hide in the crawl space under your house and a tiny little hand would find its way under a crack to ask what you’re doing.
4. Fart jokes. Maybe this is just because I’m a boy mom, but my kid is in the “fart, poop, laugh” phase and it’s killing me. Every sentence ends with the word poop, fart, toilet or underpants.
5. Bad knock-knock jokes. Henry just learned what knock-knock jokes are and I have said, “Poop who” at least 500 times in the last 5 days.
6. Crumbs. I don’t care what my kids are eating, they will somehow make a massive amount of crumbs from it. They could eat ice cream in a bowl and somehow develop crumbs. My advice is to get a dog to lick up the crumbs.
7. Someone completely defying societal norms. Having a kid is like one big sociology project. They will stand in the elevator facing the wrong way. They will tickle the back of a random person’s neck while at church. They will scream, “Is that a BUTT?” at someone in Target. And yes, Lisa, I have told my child we don’t say butt, but he has not complied.
8. Tantrums. Wrong color bowl for eggs? Lay on the ground screaming. Wrong superhero cartoon? More screaming. Ask if they had a good day at preschool? Screaming and crying. Taking them to a place they asked to go? Screaming and crying.
9. Doing things that gross you out. I rode a freaking camel at the zoo the other day. Enough said.
10. Teeny tiny toys. Damn the inventor of Tsum Tsums and Shopkins. I know they are tiny so you can sell more and pay less to make them, but I have spent so many hours on my hands and knees searching the backyard for a 3 cm sword that goes to a teeny tiny pirate.
11. Ryan’s Toy Review. So annoying. Props to Ryan for creating a virtual empire, but does he go to school? How does he find time to make all these videos?
So if you are about to have kids, or are thinking about trying, just remember that they are adorable little minions that smell like fresh baby powder for a few days, months or a year if you are lucky. But you will then learn that you won’t sleep until they are 18, your coffee will always be cold and they will repeat the bad words you say.
So don’t yell, “Use your blinker, you as*hole!” in a fit of rage on an Interstate somewhere.
I am a full time working mom with two little boys, Henry and Simon. I write about real life and real life gets messy. Contributor for Motherly, HuffPost Parents, Scary Mommy, Today Parents, Love What Matters and Her View From Home.
Gymboree is making a comeback! Last fall, reps from The Children’s Place announced the company’s decision to buy the rights to both the Gymboree and Crazy 8 brands. With a promise to relaunch the classic kids’ clothing brand in 2020, it looks like Gymboree’s latest line is ready to hit stores.
Back in October, Jane Elfers, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Children’s Place, said in a press release, “We have embarked upon an exciting journey to bring this iconic brand back to the loyal Gymboree customers, who continue to voice an unrivaled passion and affinity for it.”
Elfers added, “We are thrilled to be able to revitalize bow-to-toe collections that create magical childhood moments. We are making every effort to meet her high standards for curated and elevated product and eagerly anticipate welcoming her back to the Gymboree brand.”
Fast-forward a few short months and The Children’s Place finally has a list of 200 select stores that will soon carry the Gymboree brand. While you won’t find stand-alone Gymboree stores, you can check out the list of The Children’s Place locations to find the new spring 2020 line here.
Along with the brick-and-mortar The Children’s Place locations, you can also find new Gymboree merch online in early 2020. As of now, there’s no debut date for the online shopping option.
Poppy, Branch and the whole gang are getting ready to dance their way back onto the big screen in Trolls World Tour and now you can join the adventure with new Trolls LEGO sets.
The new movie doesn’t hit theaters until April, but fans will be feeling the toe-tapping excitement when they see the new LEGO sets based on Trolls World Tour. LEGO is releasing five new Trolls-themed sets in January and the new sets range in price from $19.99 to $49.99. Check out a peek at some of the sparkly fun below.
Poppy's Hot Air Balloon Adventure
$29.99
Lonesome Flats Raft Adventure
$29.99
Volcano Rock City Concert
$39.99
Techno Reef Dance Party
$19.99
Pop Village Celebration
$49.99
All of the LEGO Trolls World Tour sets are available now at retailers like Target, Kohl’s and Walmart. Trolls World Tour hits theaters Apr. 17, 2020.
The balancing act of keeping your baby snuggly and warm while trying to change that diaper in the middle of the night isn’t easy. Luckily Carter’s new 2-Way Zipper is the perfect solution.
The new 2-Way Zipper is part of the popular Carter’s Sleep ‘n Play collection. The footed pajamas now feature a zipper which can be zipped up and down both from the neck and from the toe, making it much simpler to change your baby without undressing them completely. This is big plus for those middle of the night diaper changes where the slightest chill can mean a crying baby, or worse a stream of pee mid-change.
Available in Carter’s stores and online starting now, the new 2-Way Zipper line is available in sizes from preemie to nine months. It comes in a variety of styles and patterns including ribbed, fleece, terry, pointelle, thermal and organic fabrics for the fall and winter season.
You can check out the full collection starting at $8 online here.
Parenting is dangerous work—at least for Ashton Kutcher. While on a recent episode of Live with Kelly and Ryan, the actor opened up about a recent kid carrying-related injury!
Kutcher’s kiddos, like many of our children, prefer to sleep with mom and dad. But the actor and wife Mila Kunis aren’t into the idea. When four-year-old daughter Wyatt made her way into the couple’s bedroom, Kutcher scooped her up and carried her back to her own room. At least, he attempted to.
After picking up his daughter, Kutcher realized his leg had fallen asleep. With only one steady leg, the actor tripped and fell over—breaking his toe. Kutcher told Kelly and Ryan, “And I’m on the ground and I’m like, ‘Um, Babe, I think you need to take Wyatt to bed.'”
The actor/dad continued, “And so she comes around and she takes her to bed, and I don’t want to turn the lights on because I’m afraid of what I’m gonna see.”
Even though his toe was clearly broken, the late-night timing made a trip to urgent care a non-option. So what did the actor do? Kutcher revealed that he did, “The Mel Gibson Lethal Weapon thing and just kinda like put it back on.”
The Trolls are rocking their way back onto the big screen in an epic new sequel and here’s your first look at Trolls: World Tour.
Dreamworks Animation has just released the first trailer for the brand new sequel to the hit film Trolls and the universe is about to get a major expansion for Poppy and her hug-loving crew.
As the trailer reveals, the new film will include some new voices, like Kelly Clarkson playing the country music-loving Delta Dawn and Kenan Thompson as Tiny Diamond. The returning cast of favorites will also welcome newcomers Ozzy Osborne, Mary J. Blige, George Clinton, Jamie Dornan, Sam Rockwell and Hamilton’s Anthony Russo.
The new Trolls movie also promises to bring plenty more of the toe-tapping tunes the first movie was known for with a plethora of genres from rap to smooth jazz. Only time will tell if we’ll get a new song quite as catchy as Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”
Trolls: World Tour will hit theaters Apr. 17, 2020.
