Margo’s Mom Blog

So here is our first report from our summer writing project. The girls and I wrote a letter to each mascot in Major League Baseball. There are 28 that we know of. And a few teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Angels and Cubs do not have cute, lovable mascots — or at least mascots we could find from our research scanning the kids pages of MLB.com. And some teams, like the Reds (Gapper and Mr. Redlegs — who replaced the now-retired Mr. Red) and the Pirates (Pirate Parrot and Captain Jolly Rogers) have two mascots.

We wrote a letter to each mascot asking them a few baseball questions like: “Who is your best mascot friend?” and “What do you like to do to make the fans go crazy?” and “What is your favorite thing about baseball?” and “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Questions from a 6 and 3-year-old and maybe a question or two that I threw in as well.

This letter-writing campaign started when we were watching the Royals play the Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg in July. (We referred to that stadium as the Casserole Pot. It’s not much to look at from the outside and it’s got this cute little topper in the center of the roof, it just reminds me of my grandma’s casserole pots!) So, anyway, we’re watching the game in the dome (first dome game for me and the girls) and we see their mascot, Raymond, who is an Aardvark.

He comes down our aisle but doesn’t linger long enough for the girls to get hugs. See, a great baseball game at our house means one thing and one thing only — getting hugs from the mascots. The girls take mascots and fireworks at the ballpark for granted. Katie doesn’t realize that fireworks are shot off traditionally for the Fourth of July holiday, she thinks it’s the special privilege of ballparks.

So we must scan the crowds looking for Raymond.

“Where is Raymond? I don’t see Raymond. Can I have more food,” the three-year-old asks constantly.

Between innings, the Rays have their own heated running race between unusual objects. In Kansas City it’s the hot dog race between ketchup, mustard and relish, but in Tropicana Field it’s a bottle race. I cannot remember if there’s a racing orange juice or not. (Feel free to enlighten me on the bottle participants.) Anyway, the girls are glued to Raymond and are quite appalled when they see their new idol TRIP the water bottle.

“Why did Raymond trip the water bottle?” is the question we must field the rest of the game.

We do not have a good answer. The helpful guy seating in front of us who told us during the first inning that Raymond is in fact an aardvark mascot, cannot help us out either. We wonder if aardvarks have an aversion to water like cats do or something.

Then, in the eighth inning, the girls are excited to get a handshake from Raymond — donning his Rally Ray cape — on the way back from across the stadium after finding that the stingrays tank is closed. (The guy in the row in front of us warned us it was kind of nasty anyway.)

So with a glimpse of the Raymond/Rally Ray Raymond the girls are still concerned how a “superhero” aardvark mascot could get away with tripping a bottle race participant. I suggest we write a letter to Raymond. This in turn, becomes THE summer project of writing to ALL MLB mascots. We mailed out the letters the first part of August.

We are pleased to report that we have received letters back from five mascots, including Raymond of the Rays. Raymond writes: “I tripped the Bottle because he always wins. I try to let the other bottles win.” This seemed to satisfy the girls, as well as the accompanying stuff in the box of goodies. Raymond sent BamBams and two backpacks and stickers. The girls are now lifelong Raymond fans.

The Orioles Bird, who says his favorite thing about baseball is “the home runs and all the mascots” sent the girls instant tattoos, car magnets, Old Bay spice packets (very clever, I think) as well as the team’s schedule card.

The Phillie Phanatic living at the Citizens Bank Park, sent the girls an autographed copy of his birthday book along with an 8.5 x 11 “limited edition” photo card.

The girls have also received great letters from Dinger the Rockies purple dinosaur and Rangers Captain, the horse mascot of Texas.

Ranger Captain’s favorite thing about baseball “has to be hearing one of our players hit a home run. The sound of the baseball hitting the bat and then sailing into the stands is awesome.”

And Dinger says his favorite thing about baseball is the relationships. “All over the park you see Fathers and Sons, Husbands and Wives, Brothers and Sisters, First dates, and Best Friends enjoying baseball together.”

We think it’s a great relationship with fans when the mascots take the time to write back. It keeps the girls running to the mailbox daily.

The Update from our “home” office!

I am happy to report that my husband will be returning in four days. Then we still won’t see him much as he finishes his 75 Reds Book. But at least I won’t need to always try to be constantly converting the time to 13 hours ahead.

After two weeks, I have FINALLY figured out the audio settings on Skype that allows us to both see and HEAR Joe and vice versa. It is a wonderful world of gadgets and technology to allow us to be able to communicate with family on the other side of the world. Next project: Sign up for facebook, at my mother-in-law’s insistence!

Update to Springsteen concert. My friend in the music business is working on getting tickets and a recent e-mail had the words “99.9 percent sure” in them. Now, if the airlines could guarantee Joe’s flight time by oh, “50 percent sure” we’d be golden. Whatever time, Joe gets in, there’s a good chance Bruce will still be playing at the Sprint Center on Sunday night.

So, at dinner last night, the girls and I are continuing our research into China by watching the “Discover China: Bodacious Beijing” DVD. They were really interested in the sites, but could not stand learning that Chinese eat snake.

“I’d just eat the tofu,” Elizabeth said.

She even told her Dad via Skype that he’d better stick to tofu. I don’t think I could come up with better advice.

My husband has beat me to writing about the first day of school, and he’s on the other side of the world. It wasn’t as sad for me this year to see her little gait toward the bus. She has been waiting for this day for awhile and loves the fact that she’s got a number in front of her grade!

Elizabeth and I were listening to “Abba” and songs from “Hairspray” before school. We were both excited for the chance to get back to work.

Elizabeth is a bit sad she’s only getting two recesses instead of three! And they are shorter recesses! (NOTE: Must blog about schools requiring more physical education and recess soon. The recommended time for a child to exercise each day is an hour, which most elementary students are probably not getting that amount. Maybe I need to get Elizabeth to help me clean the house after school, snack time and rest.)

So while we are learning that blogs are banned in China as well as any way to even say Google a map of China while in China,

we are enjoying learning about the country from afar in various media here in the States.

BOOKS: Elizabeth read all by herself Hu Yong Yi’s “Good Morning China,” and we love all of Jan Brett’s great illustrated books including “Daisy Comes Home” about a small girl and her happy hens in China.

I am currently reading a book on Chinese Mythology (lots of dragons and Gods and Goddesses that were sort of like Greek Gods but wore long gowns and wrestled or were born from dragons) and “To Live and Die in Shanghai.”

MUSIC: I’m listening to the 12 Girl Band. We got a copy of the CD from some visiting Chinese journalists a few years ago. It’s sort of like those Celtic Girls on PBS only more Oriental. A sort of hipper acoustic sound but bordering on elevator music on a few numbers from the West. The CD cover is in both Chinese and English. Here’s a sampling of the English:

ROCK MUSIC ENTERTAINMEG LNC.
ALL RIGTHS OF MINUFAC TURER AND OF THE OWNER OF THE
RECORDED WORK RE SERVED UNAVUTHORIZED/COPYING.
HIRNG.RENTING.PUBLICPER FORMINCEAND BROADCASTING
OF THIS RECORDING IS PROHIBITED

(I give them credit for doing better than I ever could with learning Mandarin.)

MOVIES: I’ve read Yimou Yhang is a big director (at least more acclaimed internationally than in China) and Gong Li is a popular actress. So here’s what’s on the top of my Netflix queue. Click on each movies to read more about the titles.

(This last is for the girls. E is a big Jackie Chan fan.)

It’s been hectic and perhaps for my husband, trying, as I ask for the 59th time whether or not he has his Visa for China. “It’s part of my media credential,” he tells me, again. Based on corporate sponsorship tie-ins with the Games, when I write Visa I mean the governmental, red-tape kind not the charge-anything anywhere plastic that not paying gets you into governmental red tape or so I’ve been lead to believe.

So to answer for the 58th time the question I keep getting asked by friends, “No, I am NOT going to China. Even as curious as I am to see the Orient, I’d much rather see it broadcast in HDTV or my computer. Plus the girls start school and I was worried about eating meats other than cows and traveling there would not have necessarily given me the chance to see my husband (a big part of vacations I think) since he takes a break from writing only long enough to eat and maybe sleep. If there were medals handed out for journalistic bravery, Joe would have to be in the running.” Whew. Think that covers it.

Do not make me feel bad for not being an open-minded, adventurous traveler.

I really want to be a Dora Explorer, but let’s start easier like London in 4 years for the next summer games. And I can take the girls and we save the money we would have spent on the Games tickets and shop all day at Selfridges.

(Yes, Harrods is okay and worth a visit, but I think I’m a Selfridges gal. And I’m waiting for our department stores to start offering great food courts and you know, just cool stuff that I can afford.)

Sorry for the tangent, back to sports. My husband is NOT necessarily taking IN the home country’s sites, he’s covering the Olympics — or soon will be after he stops at every city with a Hard Rock Cafe between here and the Orient. (No kidding. He has layovers in Dallas and Tokyo before arriving in Beijing.)

And this Web site blocking by China 30,000 Web police has me concerned. As well as this talk of making “rain” to clear the air. Let’s just leave the weather alone, please. My husband has enough breathing troubles. And with the smog I’m a bit concerned with his navigating abilities. Let’s hope there are some eco-friendly shuttles.

(Okay, here is my Green is Great rant. Listen, I believe our world is in crisis. BUT isn’t it ironic that we are encouraged to get new credit cards to help the earth or buy T-shirts or handmade bags to solve the crisis? I’m thinking the idea is NOT to purchase more stuff, right? Am I thinking straight or is this “earth is in trouble” turning into a cash cow.) Think they are recycling Coke bottles in China during the Games?

Click here to see the medals for these games.

Speaking of Gold Medals, we’ve had an interview with an Olympic Gold medalist swimmer Mel Steward right here on this blog! And I highly recommend Mel’s vlog as he treks through the hoopla that is the Olympics.

And you must also check out the New York Times’ Play magazine with their former athlete feature here! Remember Nadia, Jackie, Bruce and Mary the original Wheaties cover models? They are here reminiscing. Makes me think I need to stop procrastinating for not making it into the gym. Much more soon on the Chinese-themed books and movies on my on watch and read list.

I made it: 100 posts! And we got Snoopy to help us celebrate, sort of! I know this isn’t ANYTHING like the Simpson’s 100th episode or really, anything that takes real work or perhaps makes money. And if I were a vociferous writer as my husband I’d have hit this 100 milestone back at last year’s Thanksgiving! Alas, I have great stay-cation photos of our trip to Worlds of Fun today.

It was the girls first trip to our local theme park. Joe’s first trip to this park, too. For me, alas, it brought back many memories. The Zambanger or some such African roller coaster is gone but the Viking Voyage still rocks. It’s just not as long a ride as I remember. It was a magical day with a light rain falling in the morning, a lighter crowd and overcast skies that kept the sun and heat at bay. It should be a day to remember for awhile.

We are a bit preoccupied with China right now. Er, actually just maybe me. My husband would much rather be writing his second book (on the 1975 Reds if you hadn’t heard) and blogging every day about baseball and other American past times. My daughters are into China when I tell them that’s where all their Barbies and Polly Pockets are created. Plus, they will be excited when the Olympics coverage starts in a few weeks on NBC.

I am a bit obsessed with studying up on the country, this might come as a bit of a contrast to last summer’s obsession with locally grown foods.

I just got Simply Ming, Ming Tsai’s cookbook from the library. I love easy and I love new dishes, and this cookbook has some very fascinating dishes to try that don’t call for too many exotic ingredients.

And, I just finished reading Jung Chang’s “Wild Swans” saga about her grandmother, mother and her life in China before and during the Communist rule. It makes former dictator Mao out to be a ruthless and pretty inept leader. I don’t really remember learning much about China in school, just learning about the Nixon visit in 1972. The book is an enlightened read on a fairly unenlightened time in Chinese culture. I highly recommend it, and it was one of our recent book club picks.

At her art camp this week, Elizabeth learned all about Chinese landscape painting. According to her teacher, Chinese paintings used the color black a lot because this embodied ALL the colors. They used various shades of black and gray to depict distance. An object up close would be painted very dark where an object in the distance, say far-off hills or mountains, would be painted with a brush very faint to show landscape perspective. They would also paint in a single person to show the contrast between man and nature.

Here is Elizabeth’s interpretation of an Oriental landscape. I thought she was on a boat near a castle on a stormy night, but she said she is on the sidewalk walking from her house to a friend’s house. The “waves” on the bottom of the sidewalk were actually worms.

I’m not a fan of Tom Cruise, but I think he can act or act out or maybe he’s not acting and just being himself. And when pitted against Kevin Costner there is NO question who’s more adept at their craft. (We’re not talking magical movie-making here at all, just the ability to be halfway believable. My standards are low, I know.)

And while it might be hard for me to aptly describe my dislike for Mr. Costner’s previous work (I think it is common knowledge and probably already a question on nationwide “No Child Left Behind” tests: Name five bad Kevin Costner films in order of disappointment.) I will not mention all the stinkers, but I will expand a bit only because of the promise that my husband will link here!, thus setting my statpress to high numbers! (I don’t really need your comments, but I LOVE comments! I just want your hit to count, thank you very much, and please tell your wives and girlfriends to visit this site, too, unless they are Costner fans. I’m not holding my breathe.)

Oh, where to start! Where to start! Since I’m assuming you are a sports fan since you found this link from joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog, I’ll start with the dreadful For Love of the Game, and yes, for the love of God, they could have named it, I don’t know, “So Not Even Close to the Majors.” Kevin Costner as a Major League Baseball Pitcher? Hello! So NOT believable at all. Why were we even supposed to LIKE this character? That’s my big bugaboo. If you are going to invest tons of time and the studio’s money, pick a character that is likable or has a friend or two. (pets don’t count) (Movie for Comparision: The Rookie with a savvy Dennis Quaid was so much more enjoyable.)

That unmoving Love came out in 1999, which I only mention because it was 11 years after Coster’s role as a 12-year veteran catcher in Bull Durham. One of my favorite baseball movies, but not because of Costner’s acting. The dialogue is good and catchy and Susan Sarandon is great as Annie. And in real life she ends up with Tim Robbins. (Who both seem real — if not a bit touchy on a few political issues — and not jumping on sofas or just being bland.)

So Costner, after years in the Wild West or those bizarre, weird worlds — worlds that I believe were vacated after the entire population was told only new Costner movies were playing at cinemas worldwide (i.e. Waterworld and the Postman Cometh or whatever those movies were.) Costner is debuting his newest movie — I don’t know the name of the movie. Anyone know? Anyone care? — in Springfield, Missouri. Enough said.

Costner will stoop to play a “serial killer” character while TOM is doing edgier villianous work as a hitman in a cab all night (didn’t see that movie) and as a Nazi officer (not going to see that movie either. And yes, I have issues with any movie other than a documentary showing the Nazis. There better not be an eye-patch cross-promotion surprise in my cereal box.)

Speaking of ominous, I still see Costner at his most menacing as a whirling, dervish dancing man or something in that prairie. You know, that Dances with Wolves epic movie that didn’t have any water or baseball in it.

But it has been awhile since we’ve heard from Kevin. He’s a father again. Click here for Celebrity Mom’s entry on how Kevin took great care of his then-pregnant wife. What, he wasn’t treating her right BEFORE she got PG? And her quote says they want “a whole football team.” Do they realize that means 11 kids? Not that Kevin’s really that busy and away from home that much to make that inconceivable, but I’m picturing that movie preview now:

Disney Pictures presents…..based on a true story of a movie-star father using only his beguiling smile and a few flimsy hand and arm gestures to coach his down-and-out, but happy-go-lucky Hollywood brood in the California Pop Warner league. Once ousted as “elitist,” the team pleads to Gov. Arnold and gets reinstated an hour before kickoff, winning it all and celebrating with sundaes at an aquarium afterwards.

While on vacation in Orlando, the Saturday pool activities included a Polynesian themed program with band and dancers. The girls enjoyed the show and loved the fact the dancers chanced outfits for every number. Hmmm, my daughters like frequent wardrobe changes, too. And yes, I had to go up on the stage with the girls and about 12 other members of the small crowd to learn a few hula moves. (What we do for the love and happiness of our children.)

I can Hula dance as well as I can do the hula hoop. I was never good at this, even as a kid. But here’s a video with pointers: here!

After the show, Elizabeth said, “The only thing better would be able to meet the dancers.” So we asked the main man in charge of the band and he was more than happy to have us meet the girls, who are cousins from Hawaii.

So Elizabeth’s new party theme for her end-of-summer birthday might be a Hawaiian luau. We saw some great ideas in the summer edition of the American Girl magazine. Kind of a fun magazine — Not as cool as my old Dynamite mags. (Kinda sad when you have to go to ebay for a picture. My mother had kept a lot of our old issues. But when I wanted to get them she told me sadly that she’d given them to my sister, who had used them for clip art for I don’t know what kind of projects. I was devastated!)

For your American Girl fans, here’s their site with fun hawaii facts and games.

Family Fun’s Luau party ideas here.

For the yummy sweet bread similar to King’s Hawaiian Bread, try this. I’m making this evening, if I can get Katie to calm down. She’s reminding me of the Tasmanian Devil right now. Here’s info on Tasmania – an Australian island, if you want to explore the other side of the Pacific! Click here for more info on Hawaii!

Here are vacation photos to share! No need for post cards, just check back for more updates soon.

So here is our eldest heading to the St. Pete Beach earlier this week. Note the clear sky and the great shadows. (If you’re not able to tell time by the length of the shadows, this picture was taken around 4:44 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.)

This would be my entry in those reader vacation photo contests, if you know, I actually took the time to enter any contests. I’ve entered a few e-mail “contests” with no avail. Plus I really need to clean the kitchen rather than spend more time trying to win some trip or gadget. Vacation is great — if only for me to escape my kitchen for a week!

Here’s the youngest with her father. Note the darkening skies from the southeast. My apologizes to my husband for not getting his head in the frame. Joe said when viewing this photo: “How can you even tell what Katie looks like EVER, with her hair that way?” Time to schedule a haircut!