Princess = Privilege? I think not.

I just watched a movie - Sydney White.  Based on the Snow White story.  A 'modern retelling' of the legend.  Girl goes to college, pledges to a sorority, gets kicked out because of spite and realizes that vanity is an evil to not divulge in.  But what now?

She moves in with a seven-member gang of misfits.  A group of non-conformists.  But not non-conformists per say - just dorks who don’t fit in.

And I sigh.  That was me.  I was that dork.  Despite the pretty exterior, I am that dork.  I still am that dork.  And why on earth am I told that that is something wrong?  That I am wrong?  That what I am is wrong, and yet, I am that dork that is exemplified in the movies?  That pretty girl that loves the dorky guys?  That the dorky guys love?  That is friends with them, and because of that, leads them on?  When in fact, I really just love them as people and have wanted only to be their friend, yet am burdened with ruining another person's life due to my unreturned advances?

And a princess?  My goodness, I hate what a princess has turned into.  Cinderella - the girl who was a servant, and very humbly too.  She cleaned, served....and sang while she did it.  She sacrificed herself for others.  Snow White - again, a humble, sincere, sweet individual.  Naive, but never self-serving.  Sleeping Beauty - giving, generous, and concerned with the well-being of others.  Where have these princess qualities gone?  Why is our sense of entitlement so high?  As North Americans, we have so much.  And yet, we crave so much.  We are guilty of greed.  Let us listen to the true message of the Disney princess.  Self-sacrifice.  Honesty.  Trust.  Compassion.  And love.  Yes, above all, love.

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Phineas and Ferb Rock!

I just hosted a Phineas and Ferb themed birthday party for my 7-year-old daughter this weekend.  What a blast!  We asked everyone to come as their favourite character, and we had Dr. Doofensmirtz, Agent P, Ferb, Vanessa, Candace, Isabella and few fireside girls attend.  I dressed up as Lindana (the Mom) and her Dad dressed as Dr. D, complete with lab coat and outrageous accent.

The house was decorated in lots of green and orange, and we created some drawings of the characters to hang in the living room.  We started off with a short episode of the show to get everyone in the Phineas and Ferb state of mind, then built a 'structure to the moon' using toothpicks and marshmallows.  We placed the creations on paper plates (labelled with their name of course!) so that they could be taken home at the end of the party.  We had all the Lego out during the party as well, so that kids could create as they so desired.

Up next was a game with Dr. D - his evil plan was to create the Sad Birthday-inator.  My two daughters wore their Agent P hats to help foil the plot!  The Sad Birthday-inator consisted of a pinata that Dr. D was going to fill with rocks instead of candy.  While Agent P distracted Dr. D, the rest of the party guests and I replaced the rocks with candy, foiling his evil plan!  What a lot of fun.

We then had lunch.  Great tip on birthday party table covering - buy a roll of brown wrapping paper and cover your table with it.  Provide crayons so that while kids are waiting for lunch, they can draw on the paper.  We still have it on the table, and the kids love it.

We then played a circle game where we hid Perry behind someone's back, and 'Dr. D' (the child in the middle of the circle) had to figure out where Perry was hiding.  Finally, we had purchased a whole whack of Bendaroos (a great product) for the children to build their own Phineas and Ferb invention.  We had some really cool creations!  We placed them in ziploc bags for the kids to take home in their loot bags.


And finally the cupcakes!  This is how I made them:  I downloaded various images of some of their favourite characters, printed them on photo paper and then laminated them.  Then I cut them out to make perfect cupcake toppers.  Each guest was able to take a cake topper home with them.

As guests left, they received a loot basket (I'm a big fan of placing the loot 'bag' in something reusable, like a storage container, basket or purse), filled with a Phineas and Ferb pencil and colouring sheets, a cool flashlight, a Phineas and Ferb CD of songs from the TV show, a large Tootsie Roll and a book.  They also got to take home their marshmallow creation and Bendaroo invention.

A really fun party, and great for any age or gender.  I think I had at least as much fun (if not more) as the kids!

What makes a Princess beautiful?

I recently came across an article from Plus Model Magazine (http://plus-model-mag.com/2012/01/plus-size-bodies-what-is-wrong-with-them-anyway/), and was inspired to share it via Twitter and Facebook.  However, after thinking on it for a day or two, I feel compelled to write a blog entry.

Body image is something that is talked about by women constantly.  As a woman, I know it is always there in the periphery of your mind.  There is always that little voice talking to you about your appearance.  Always that little nag every time you eat something that you 'shouldn't', every time you can't muster up the energy to exercise, every time you opt for a day of sweats and messy hair rather than full makeup and 'attractive' attire.

I am neither large nor small.  I sit very firmly right in the middle.  And sometimes this bothers me.  There are very few images of regular women in the media.  When the average woman on TV is a size 0, how is a real-life average woman who is a size 10 supposed to feel?  If you remember a few years ago, Jennifer Love Hewitt was slammed for having cellulite (gasp - the horror!) and 'piling on the pounds' (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-496995/A-holiday-swim-reveals-Jennifer-Love-Hewitt-piled-pounds.html).  Really?  How can we as women take anything the media says seriously when a woman such as this is ridiculed for slowing the slightest imperfection?

Ironically, I dress up like the most perfect of women - a Disney Princess.  With the glittering costume, Princess-perfect hair and makeup, and sing-song voice, how can I not find the Disney Princess image another unattainable standard for girls to live up to?  Disney Princesses are revered by young girls not for their spunk or kindheartedness, but for their costumes and beauty.

Yet the Princess is not just the costume.  She is not just her beauty.  What we all fail to remember is that these Princesses have spunk.  They are kind-hearted.  They put other people first, have consideration, look after those less fortunate than themselves. 

Cinderella cared for the mice, the dog, the horse and even the mean cat Lucifer.  She still sought out the good in her horrible stepsisters.  She still wanted to believe that her stepmother could be a good person.  I'm sure you are thinking doormat, but I think that she is exhibiting the faith that people can change.  And if you are a fan, then you know that her faith was rewarded by one of her stepsisters.  Cinderella also showed a resilience and spirit that could not be broken. 

Snow White cared for seven people who she barely knew, even on the day she was sent away from her own home.  She offered not her beauty, but her kindness and caring.

Belle stood up to the oaf Gaston who wanted only her beauty.  She lived her own way despite the criticism of her community. She took her father's place in prison to save him.  She showed kindness to a Beast and risked her own life to save the person she loved. 

While these Princesses are all beautiful, it is important that we as mothers and women remember that it is their inner beauty which shines the brightest.  As a Princess, I try to emphasize that when meeting young girls - to convey the heartfelt kindness of each of my Princesses.  Hopefully each little girl I meet remembers that I was more than just the pretty costume, that Cinderella was kind, that Snow White was genuine, that Belle was caring.  And in particular, I am proud to be a perfectly average-shaped Princess. 

 

The beauty of a child's smile

This princess has had some rough days lately, personally speaking.  Christmas is coming, and with all the preparations, the last thing I feel like doing right now is setting up a tree, Christmas shopping, etc.  My friends are very excited, as are my little girls, but this year I am having trouble getting in the mood.

That is when I realize that really there is no 'mood' that I need to get into.  The gift of Christmas cannot be conjured up with all the consumer goodies and trappings of the season.  It is a gift that lives within us, and doesn't need to acknowledged by a tree or decorations or wrapped presents.  It is the gift of a child, and all the wonder and joy that is embodied in that child.  All we need to do is look into the face of a child, and witness the beauty that shines from within them.  The beauty of a child's smile is the beauty of Christmas.  The spirit of Christmas surrounds them, lives within them, shines out of them. 

I was reminded of this on Saturday as I visited a little girl named Charlie.  Charlie's favourite princess is Sleeping Beauty, and she was so excited to see her.  Her exuberance and love and pure joy are really what the love of Christmas is all about.  A child embraces and accepts a gift with their whole heart.  In Charlie's beautiful smile, I saw the brilliance of love shining through.  Thank you Charlie for reminding me how beautiful the gift of a child's smile truly is.  And how beautiful the gift of Christmas, in the form of a child, truly is.

Now to get the Christmas tree up........