Goodbye Target shoes. You had a good run.

You covered my feet for three years in all your sparkly glory.

You graced the cover of Time.

You survived multiple trips to Disneyland on hot summer days and countless water rides.

You were definitely worth the $10 I spent on you.

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We initially started our “Real Men of Attachment Parenting” series as a joke. Our friend Maria started the AP Ryan Gosling series, and we wanted to create an online rivalry between our “real men” and the fictitious online Ryan Gosling character.

The series morphed into what is now a playful and touching look inside families with present fathers. AP is such a fluid concept that even if people don’t identify as attachment parents, any “present” parent who validates the needs and feelings of a child as a human being is an attachment parent, which is almost the entire population. So really, this is a series that is less about specific parenting practices (although baby-wearing is very present in many of the submissions) and more about celebrating fathers. The role of present fatherhood has been overlooked in our society as important to families (aside from contributing financially).

Like with the title of my blog, which started out as a joke, this has also escaped my control and turned into something much bigger and more beautiful than I could have imagined.

The Leakyboob joined forces with Beco to offer an article for fathers or partners who have breastfeeding partners and featuring the Real Men of AP series. (The article also features a giveaway to win a Beco Soleil.)

A Real Men of AP tumblr was created to celebrate fatherhood.

And now instagram and our #realmenofAP hashtag have started to be used by others to help showcase present fathers taking an active role in their child’s life.

Again, this normalizes the idea that present fathers are more than just financial providers. There is nothing extra special about a present, loving father, but society has made it seem like this is the case. So, these images and accompanied stories will show that this is not unique behavior, but should be considered the standard for fathers, just like it is for mothers.

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One of my favorite dishes!

Ingredients:

• 3lbs ground lamb
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon all spice
• Dash cayenne pepper

Topping:

• Tomato Sauce

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees

Mix all ingredients (except topping) together well but DO NOT OVER MIX (this is important).

Form into about 2 inch ovals.

If you wish, the luleh kebabs can be frozen at this point. Pack for freezing in plastic bags or freezer safe glass tupperware. Defrost in refrigerator.

Arrange luleh kebabs in a glass pyrex for baking.

Cover with tomato sauce:

Cover with foil and place in center oven for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes (or until cooked throughout)

Serve with Pilaf.

The post Recipe: Armenian Luleh Kebabs appeared first on I Am Not the Babysitter.

Our last two book club books were interesting reads, but I can’t handle reading another overly depressing book for the time being.

It is summer and I think we deserve a fun summer read.

We’ve chosen A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) by George R.R. Martin:

Book Description:
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Of course, anyone who has watched the HBO series knows the story is much more rich and exciting than this quick plot summary. In fact, many fans of the show who have also read the books have said that the story goes into more detail and is more interesting than the hit series.

George R.R. Martin brilliantly opens us up to a world of fantasy with such realistic character development that we will find ourselves siding with a house and giving our loyalty to the most beloved characters, but we will soon realize that no one is safe in a game of thrones.

Book club starts immediately! We will start our discussing on July 15. However, this series isn’t meant to be rushed and we realize many will not be finished with this book in a month. We will start the discussion and see how everyone is doing with the book.

If this book is enjoyed by most of our members we will probably continue on with the series into the fall.

The post Book Club: A Game of Thrones (Book One) appeared first on I Am Not the Babysitter.

The image of these stockings is going viral on Sina Weibo (China’s version of Twitter and Facebook in hybrid form).

Source: Sina Weibo

The text to go along with the image claimed these “sexy summertime essentials” were perfect for keeping away perverts. I am curious if the idea was a joke, or if these really will be a new trend in Chinese fashion.

Interesting nonetheless…

Do you think this is a joke? Are you offended by the entire idea? Or is it a clever way of repelling men in a society which finds hairless women’s bodies more attractive?

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