Funny Friday - Where is it?

  Me -

My grandfather said something about the glass being half-full or half-empty and Aurella wanted to know what glass where was the glass?

Mom-

We were at my Mom's house and Aurella was telling her cousin a story about when one of her toys allegedly pushed another of her toys down the stairs at our house. Her cousin kept saying "What stairs? "These stairs right here?" she kept asking and pointing to my Mom's stairs.

We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Sunday for a Sunday Scoop.

photo credits:
photo credit 1: bram_app via photopin cc
 photo credit 2: kurichan+ via photopin cc
 

New York Fire Museum

 Me - New York Fire Museum, wow!  The NYC Fire Museum was cool. It was a lot more interesting than I thought  it would be. It used to be a real working fire house. However, I don't understand why they didn't have a pole. They had a lot of different fire trucks.  You couldn't  go on the fire trucks. However, you could dress up in a fireman's jacket and helmet. You could ring the bells. You could pretend to spray the fire house, and they even had a pretend fire ax. They had a fire safety movie. It was more for little kids. When the firehouse was still a working firehouse, there was a dog that hung around. They adopted him as their mascot. There is an exhibit about the dog at the museum. Upstairs, they had a bunch of different fire helmets from different years and places. Some of them looked more like top hats. The museum is not very big so it is a good place to visit when you don't have a lot of time.

Mom - We went to the New York City Fire Museum because we were in the area and we had time. We ended up having a good time there.  It was interesting to look at the different fire trucks and see how fire trucks evolved over the years. It was fun to look at all the different fire helmets some of which were really elaborate and/or colorful and some of which didn't look like fire helmets at all. It was funny to see my daughter, Aurella dressed up in a firemen's helmet and coat. She also got to pretend to spray a fire hose and to hold a pretend fire ax. She really got to ring various fire bells. Melia got to ring the fire bells too. Other objects we got to see at the Museum included fire alarm boxes from various times, firemen's gear, and tools. I was surprised to learn that even with everything  on display in the museum, there are still many more objects that are not on display. There are so many objects in the museum's collection that they cannot display all of them at any one time. Also, some of the objects are too fragile too display for too long. Accordingly, some exhibits are permanent and others change so if you go to the museum and then you go again at another time, you may see some different things.

And that's our view. What would you be interested in seeing at the New York city Fire Museum?

Where-To-Go-Wednesday - New York City Fire Museum

What: New York City Fire Museum

Where:  278 Spring Street
             New York, New York

Who: All ages

Our view: The New York City Fire Museum is a lot more fun and interesting than you would think it would be even if you are not particularly interested in firemen or trucks. Anyone is particularly interested trucks will especially love the museum because there a number of different fire trucks from different periods of times. While kids will probably be disappointed that climbing is not permitted on any of the fire trucks on exhibit, there are still plenty of fun things for them to do. They can try on a firemen's hat and coat. They can learn how to spray a fire hose and pretend to spray. They can hold a pretend fire axe. They can ring various fire bells some of which are especially loud. They can see a cartoon movie on fire safety featuring Sparky the fire dog. For adults (and maybe children too if they are interested) in addition to the fire trucks, there are fire helmets from various times and places as well as medals and other things. There is also an exhibit that deals with 911 but that area is set off  from the rest of the museum so you don't have to see it if it will upset you or your children.  It is really very tastefully done anyway and is not overly morbid or scary. Overall, even though there is a lot on display in the museum, it is not that big and does not take that long to go through unless you intend to linger for a long amount of time over every item. Therefore, it is a good thing to do if you are in the vicinity and don't necessarily have a lot of time. It is also a good choice if you don't want to spend a lot of money because the cost is only $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 2-12, seniors, and students (with valid ID). Children under 2 are free. If you live in the vicinity and your child is particularly interested in cars and trucks and/or firemen, the museum might be a unique birthday party idea since they do host parties.   For more information about birthday parties or about the museum in general go to http://www.nycfiremuseum.org/.

And that's our view. We will also be talking more about the New York City Fire Museum in tomorrow's Talking Topics post.

Tips for Tuesday - Misc.

Today is our 4th blogiversary! We started this blog on this date back in 2011 with a post on that year's Golden Globes so in honor of that we posted about this year's Golden Globes (as well as this year's People's Choice Awards) in yesterday's Talking Topics post.

photo credit: GusF via photopin cc

We may have received some of the products discussed here for free for review purposes. This post also may contain affliate links, if you click on a link and make a purchase, we may be compensated. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own based on our experiences.

Me- Today I am recommending e.l.f. Cosmetics.  They are inexpensive. They make pretty much every kind of make-up and brush you can think of. They work well. They are easy to use as far as make-up goes. It depends on your skill level. They are great for cosmetics on a budget.

E.lf. Brushes

E.l.f. Eye Shadow Palette

E.l.f. 83 Piece Essential Make-up Collection

Mom - Today I am recommending the  Ozeri  Ultra 42" Wind fan, an adjustable oscillating tower fan with noise reduction technology. This fan is easy to use. It is much quieter than other fans. It is lighter and thinner than other fans so it is easy to move around and takes up less room. It has three different speeds and three different modes.  Night mode is slower and quieter. Normal mode is faster and louder although still not as loud as other fans. Nature mode is kind of like a tropical breeze. It has a timer that you can set for the fan to automatically shut off. The only bad thing about the timer is that it can only be set for increments of an hour so you can set it for one hour, two hours up to 12 hours, but you can't set it for a half hour or forty five minutes or an hour and a half or anything like that. The fan comes with a remote control. The remote control fits nicely into the compartment on top of the fan where the controls on the fan itself are located which makes it easy to store the remote when you are not using it. The compartment has a cover that snaps shut so that there is even less chance of the remote getting lost when it is not in use. All in all, this is best fan we have ever had and definitely the easiest one to use.

Ozeri Fan

Our Old Fan

Fan Controls and Remote Storage

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

The People's Choice Awards and the Golden Globe Awards 2015

Me - The People's Choice Awards and the Golden Globe Awards, 2015, wow! The People's Choice Awards: I think Allison Janney and Anna Faris did a good job hosting. Too many people were wearing black. It felt like they were dressed for a funeral. Other than that most of the fashion was not very memorable. Allison Janney and Anna Faris had a couple of nice dresses though. I don't understand why when women host an awards show they always have to change clothes. I agreed with some of the awards I didn't agree with all of them. Some of the things I never heard of or watch. I liked when Lady Antebellum performed. I didn't like when Iggy Azalea performed. I hate her.  Fall Out Boy was okay, but  I don't really remember their performance. All in all, the people's choice awards were okay. The Golden Globes were okay too. I didn't really see most of the movies. I don't really watch most of the TV shows either. It was surprising that hosts, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler only changed their clothes once.  I liked Amy Poehler's first dress better, and I didn't like either of Tina Fey's. Over all, I liked the fashion better than at the People's Choice Awards. The fashion  at the Golden Globes was more colorful. None of the outfits. really stood out to me so much that it stuck in my mind later. Overall both award shows were okay, I hope they are better next year.

Mom - The People's Choice awards were okay. I liked Allison Janney and Anna Faris as hosts. I didn't vote for the People's Choice awards myself, but if I did I would have voted for some of the people who actually won, but not others. For instance, I like The Big Bang Theory, Ellen DeGeneres, and Carrie Underwood.The fashion was kind of boring. It seems like an awful lot of people were wearing black. I did like Allison Janney's blue dress though. I  enjoyed the performances of Lady Antebellum and Fall Out Boy. I didn't like Iggy Azalea's performance though. In general, I don't like her. I liked the Golden Globe awards better than the People's Choice awards. I haven't seen that many of the movies that were up for Golden Globes However, I want to see almost all of them. There were so many good movies last year. I did see The Theory of Everything, however. Eddie Redmayne so deserved the Golden Globe he won for his performance in it. All you have to do is see the trailer for the movie to know how deserving he was. It is going to be an interesting and tough Oscar race between him and Michael Keaton. The TV awards did not interest me as much. I never watch cable television series or streaming television series so I don't think I watch any of the series that were up for and/or won awards.  The fashion was better at the Golden Globes than at the People's Choice awards. The dresses were a lot more colorful, and I liked them a lot better although off the top of my head, I cannot think of a dress that particularly stood out to me. The Golden Globes always puts me in the mood for the Oscars. Of course, they won't be until late February.

And that's our view. If you had your choice who would you want to get a  People's Choice award?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

photo credits
photo credit 1: phoenixawards via photopin cc
photo credit 2:  Genevieve719 via photopin cc

Sunday Scoop 1/17/2015- What Happening This Week or Coming Up Soon

The following post may contain affiliate links, if you clink on a link and make a purchase, we may be compensated. Any and all opinions expressed are our own.

Caviar brings the Meal to you!
It’s that time of year – you’re the host for the playoff games this weekend, the big game in a couple of weeks, or maybe your child’s soccer team is coming over. It’s the question everyone’s wondering - What are you going to serve? Score big and be the MVP: order from Caviar. Order from Caviar. Caviar has a ton of delicious options and easily can feed a crowd – they’re the clear winner when deciding what to serve.

Visit  today Caviar to create your perfect menu!

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February Event at the New York Historical Society

Dimenna Children's History Museum

170 Central Park West (at 77th St)

New York, New York

FAMILIES CELEBRATE LUNAR NEW YEAR AND UNCOVER COLONIAL NEW YORK IN CAMP HISTORY THIS FEBRUARY AT THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY


Ancient Chinese Arts Today: Martial Arts
Sunday, February 8, 2:00 pm
According to legend, it was Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor, who first taught martial arts to the Chinese people during the Xia Dynasty nearly 4,000 years ago. Today, there are hundreds of different Chinese martial arts styles being practiced by people all around the world. In this workshop, families will be introduced to Shaolin kung fu by an instructor from the New York Chinese Cultural Center. Ages 5 and up. Tickets: $15 (members $10); includes admission to the museum and special exhibition Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion.

Reading Into History: Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Sunday, February 8, 3:00 pm
How can one girl start a completely new life in harsh terrain, in the midst of a foreign war? Author Kirby Larson will join us to discuss her Newbery honor winning book, homesteading in the early 1900s, and the impact of WWI on American society. We’ll also see examples of WWI propaganda posters and real letters from WWI soldiers from our library’s vast collections. Recommended for families with kids ages 9-12. Free with museum admission.
This program is supported by a grant from the New York Council for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

February School Vacation Week: Celebrate President’s Day and Lunar New Year
February 14 – 22, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm daily
Celebrate President’s Day with a Presidential Scavenger Hunt throughout the Museum and create a composite portrait inspired by America’s founding fathers and mothers. It’s also the week of Lunar New Year, so stop by on select days to hear stories, see special Chinese dance performances, and learn all about the intricate art of Chinese paper cutting. All ages. Free with Museum admission.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year through Dance
Monday, February 16, 2:00 pm
Come see New York Chinese Cultural Center dancers perform traditional Chinese dances. All ages. Free with Museum admission.

Chinese Paper Cutting Demonstration
Monday, February 16, 3:00 pm
Learn all about the delicate art of Chinese Paper Cutting, also called Jianzhi (??), during this special demonstration by an instructor from the New York Cultural Center! During Chinese New Year celebrations, paper cuttings in red (a lucky color) are used as decorations. All ages. Free with Museum admission.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year through Dance
Thursday, February 19, 2:00 pm
Come see the students of the National Dance Institute perform both traditional and modern dances inspired by their 2013-2014 curricular theme “China!”. All ages. Free with Museum admission.

Camp History
Tuesday, February 17 – Friday, February 20, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Tuesday, March 24 – Friday, March 27, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
What was life like in Colonial New-York? During this four-day history camp at the New-York Historical Society, campers will step back in time to this fascinating era! Led by educators, librarians, conservators and curators, campers will go behind the scenes to learn how museum exhibitions are made; see fascinating artifacts, documents and paintings that are rarely on view to the public; and play fun colonial games! At the end of the week, campers will mount their very own pop-up exhibition on New-York in the 17th and 18th centuries. For current 6th, 7th, and 8th graders only; $500 per camper ($400 per Member camper). For more information, or to register your child for any of this year's camps, please emailcamphistory@nyhistory.org or call 646-293-9922.

Hablemos de la Historia y del Arte: Buildings that Have Shaped New York City
Saturday, February 28, 2:00 pm
In this Spanish language program, families will examine paintings of New York buildings and will uncover the historical events and everyday lives that have transformed these spaces and our community. Families will also create cut-out paper buildings and develop a story for each floor. Ages 4-10. Free with RSVP (required): e-mail paulina.perera-riveroll@nyhistory.org or call (212) 485-9276.

ONGOING PROGRAMS

Little New-Yorkers
Tuesdays and Fridays, 3:30 pm
Held in the cozy Barbara K. Lipman Children’s History Library, this program introduces New York and American history to the littlest New Yorkers with age-appropriate themes and engaging hands-on activities. Ages 3-5. Free with Museum admission.

February 3 and 6:: Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
This week we’re celebrating Black History Month and exploring diversity. Children will explore the similarities and differences between a New York boy and his friend in India. Children will then make a people paper chain collage.

February 10 and 13: Abuela by Arthur Dorros
It’s Valentine’s Day this week! We’re celebrating the love we have for our family with this lovely story of a day spent with a wonderful grandmother. Children will then make a love heart necklace.

February 17 and 20: Chinatown by William Low
This week we’re celebrating the Chinese New Year with a closer look at the celebrations around Chinatown. Children will then make a dragon finger puppet.

February 24 and 27: We March by Shane Evans
We’ll be celebrating Black History Month with this beautiful calming story about change and community. Children will then make hanging peace birds.

Cross-Stitch Circle
Thursdays, 3:30 pm
Drop in to try your skills at one of the oldest forms of embroidery in the world. Beginning cross stitchers and younger children will learn the basic stitch and create a bookmark with their new skill. More seasoned stitchers and older children and adults can continue working on their bookmark or branch into more complicated designs—make a handcrafted gift for someone! Ages 7 and up. Free with Museum admission.

Macy’s Sunday Story Time
Sundays, 11:30 am
Families discover New York history through tales of the past. In February, celebrate our Chinese American exhibition with Lunar New Year tales. Ages 4 – 7. Free with Museum admission.

February 1: Sam and the Lucky Money written by Karen Chinn and illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa-Hu
Chinese New Year means red envelopes filled with lucky money and Sam cannot wait to spend his. What will he decide to spend his lucky money on? Sweets to eat? Toys to play with? Or maybe an act of kindness?

February 8: Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin
Come learn about all the special traditions involved in welcoming the New Year – from sweeping the old year out of the house to awakening the fearsome dragon!

February 15: The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac written by Dawn Casey and illustrated by Anne Wilson
Ready…set…GO! Thirteen animals have been invited to compete in an epic race by the Jade Emperor to determine the order of the Chinese Zodiac. Who will cross the finish line first?

February 22: A New Year’s Reunion by Yu Li-Qiong and Zhu Cheng-Liang
Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions big and small. Come hear the story of when little Maomao’s father comes home to celebrate the biggest holiday of the year.

photo courtesy of the New York Historical Society

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Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Funny Friday - Bedtime

 Me -

My sister Aurella to my parents "I don't like either of you anymore because your making me go to bed.

Dad to Aurella "I love you."

Aurella. "I love you too."


Mom -

Daddy "I know somebody who needs to go to sleep on time tonight."

Aurella  "I know Melia!"

Daddy "No."

Aurella "Mommy?"

Daddy "No."

Aurella "I give up."

We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Sunday for the Sunday Scoop.

photo credit: woodleywonderworks via photopin cc