Dear Starbucks, Please Don't Make My Kid Fat.

Dear Starbucks,

I count on you several days a week, for as a rest stop. A small haven in a busy world. I stop in to have an ice cold drink on hot days and a hot drink on cold winter's days. Often, I have one of my darling children with me, sometimes all three.

My children always feel "hungry" when we stop at Starbucks. What is their favorite snack? The giant cookie, of course. Those things are big enough to feed 4 kids. When I only have one child with me, I end up buying the huge cookie and feeling horribly guilty--I'm going to make my kid fat by stopping for my little personal relax time. 

The cookie is WAY too big for a kid, for anyone for that matter. 

I ask that Starbucks please consider serving child sized cookies 1/3 to 1/4  of the size of their current cookies--just for us parents who still want to stop in on Starbucks regularly with our kids but don't want the horrible guilt from feeding them over-sized sweets.

Sure, I could give up stopping at Starbucks with my kids. And yes, ultimately it is up to me to say no to my children. But all I am asking for is a little support.  Help me keep them healthy children--able to indulge in an appropriate sized treat when they're out and about with Mom or Dad.

Yours Appreciatively,

Modernista Mama (Gold Card Member)

Just Another Day at the Office

At the "office" with my little darlings Tabs and Pippi. The girls love to go to Starbucks and work on their computers. Tabs is writing a novel about Christmas Elves and Pippi uses my computer to play Club Penguin. She told me, "Mom! I told two penguins that I loved them today!"
I said, "What did they say back to you?"
Pippi, "I don't know but I think they said, 'I don't care.'"
Mom (me) gets to write old school while we're there (in my hard covered book style journal). It is worth it to get s few moments to listen to my ipod and jot down some ideas while the girls are amused.

Tonight is a traditional Christmas Eve fondue at my house. Miranda (sister) and her family and my parents will be joining us.
This morning we will go skating on the pond down the hill from our home.
Felt unusually exhausted yesterday and thus didn't do too much. Walked Fernando, read books with Pippi, sang a few carols with Pippi, built a Barbie Christmas house with Pippi--we decorated a little Christmas tree for her Barbie family.
Must limit Tabs' computer time. She has had deep scratches on her face for months and we figured she was doing it in her sleep--but yesterday I caught her scratching her skin on her nose until it bled (unconsciously) while she was playing some game on her computer!
Mist had a quiet day which was OK as she had two busy days with friends just before.
Peter is home for 3 days so I guess that means he is coming skating with us once he returns from the  gym !

Merry Christmas Eve my Friends

Seattle Morning

Peter and the Girls in Seattle

Peter and the girls

Tabs at the world'd highest Starbucks.

Tallest building in Seattle

The lobby of our hotel: Hotel Olympic Fairmont

I love Seattle. I need to move to a big coastal city. Sure, staying at the Fairmont adds a rosy glow to my visit, but I love the whole West Coast feel. I feel it in San Francisco, Vancouver and here. 

Yesterday, my first Seattle morning, I got up early and worked out in the hotel gym. I went across the street to the 4th Ave. Starbucks (my very favourite Starbucks ever: big, historic building, comfy chairs, good people watching) and worked on my thesis revisions. It was the very best place to work on my thesis.

 Peter and the girls went swimming, out for breakfast and toured floor 73 of the tallest Seattle building while I enjoyed my work time.

The afternoon was spent walking around the down town. We had lunch and went to floor 40 of the tallest building in Seattle and went to the world's highest Starbucks (only in Seattle). We toured Pike Market on the water front and then went to the SAM (Seattle Art Musuem)--was the best--will post more pics of that tomorrow. Many cool exhibits. My favourite was by American performance artist, Nick Cave "Meet Me at the Centre of the Earth."  The exhibit housed many cool costumes made to fit Nick--made out of stuffed toys, fun fur, yarn, buttons , etc. The videos of him dancing in the costumes were so fun.Of course, I am drawn to the paintings--so excited to be getting back to my painting. I love to paint.

We ate supper at Wild Ginger--Asian fusion. Most tasty and our waiter was the best.