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Nighttime NYC Photo Walk (with Fire Trucks)

Aug 072010

I thought it would be a fantastic idea to take a nearly three mile nighttime photo walk with Burgh Baby (one of my all-time favorite Internet-turned-real-life friends) last night. You know. After I ran a 5K that morning. To be fair, I felt fine. And I still feel fine today. Just some sore feet.

But it was so worth it.

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Mainly because I had great company.

But also because it’s NYC. And things get random. And sparkly.

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And Buzz was there to remind me of my boys.

I complained to Michelle as we walked and talked and talked and walked that the only time that I had seen a lights and sirens fire truck while walking, I didn’t have my camera in hand. As we continued on our way, every lights and sirens situation was an ambulance. I sighed.

And then we stumbled upon a fire house. One in which two of their trucks were just returning.

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And I squealed with joy.

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I’m sure the firefighters were thinking, “Who is this crazy short woman with the tall friend? Why is she squealing with delight and taking 498590409 pictures?” They didn’t know that I was part of their extended family, that my nightshirt while in NYC is one of my husband’s old work shirts. I considered stopping, especially when Michelle pointed out the tall firefighter who, like my husband, didn’t look old enough to drive the fire truck. But my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and we walked on.

But not before I snapped this with no flash in a low-light situation.

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So worth the sore feet.

Things That Will Never Happen

fire life 8 Responses »

Jul 082010

There are some things in life that will never happen.

I will never willingly dye my hair blonde.
I’m never going to make homemade macaroni and cheese to taste just like my grandmother’s recipe.
I will never catch the winning touchdown in a Super Bowl game.

And:

I will never pay $945.00 for an antique toy fire truck.

No, really. I can’t make these things up.

What?

In case you can’t read that, let me help you out: Smith Miller Fire Truck 1950′s $945.00.

No. Really.

$945.00

Not happening. Nuh-uh. Never.

FireDad and I found that particular fire truck during one of our geocaching-walk-date-things that we do because we’re dorky. It was in the window of a local antique shop, of which we have many. We stood there for awhile, blinking at the red truck in the window. We decided that even if we ever won the lottery that we don’t play, playing nearly a grand for a toy that would likely break if our kids touched it seemed somewhat silly.

I did some research, of course. Smith-Miller closed in the 1950′s and reopened decades later when a man who used to buy the trucks as a child bought the company. If you search eBay and other similar sites, you can find the truck pictured above ranging for as low as $150 for a well-loved truck all the way up to over $1000 for those in mint condition. The official website hasn’t been updated since 2009, and they don’t seem to have any trucks currently in stock. That’s a shame. I’d pay a normal amount for a truck made in the USA from a company that seems to be well-loved.

All the same, I won’t be paying $945 for the antique version.Yowza.

Book Review: Firefighters Coloring Book

Reviews 2 Responses »

Jun 242010

We love coloring books in this house. Or, really, I love coloring books and my kids seem to be catching on. All the same, we have an ever-growing collection of themed coloring books. Recently, I’ve been looking for and collecting buying firefighter themed coloring books. I thought I’d share one with you.

Firefighters Coloring Book doesn’t have an imaginative title; it is what it is. It happens to be a Dover Coloring Book which I actually remember from anatomy class in high school. The Firefighters Coloring Book is a typical coloring book with black and white pages that leave room for even wide, toddler based crayons to add life and color to the page.

This coloring book follows firefighter Mike through his day. He arrives at the fire station. He changes into his fire gear. He tests and cleans equipment and fire engines. He does some drills. He goes out on inspections. He eats some lunch. And then he rushes off to put out a fire. He then fights the fire and even rescues a baby. Mike is a hero.

I love coloring books that tell one story as you continue through the book. Some of our licensed character coloring books jump all around and you’re never sure what you’re favorite big red dog will be doing on the next page. I like organization and cohesive flow. My kids might not care about such things but, really, I do. As such, coloring with them in books like this one doesn’t usually resolve in a full on body twitch from me. Usually. Have you colored with a two and a four year old? Save us all if I color the shoes the wrong color. I digress.

Yes, I Colored This

(Yes, I colored that page. What of it?)

The two page spreads for various scenes, including the wide fire truck, are my favorite parts of this coloring book. I like how it allows for a bigger presentation of the big red (or whatever color you want to color it but, really, fire trucks are red) truck. I think giving kids more room to create and color and imagine is always a positive thing.

Other Dover Coloring Books with a fire theme include the Firehouse Coloring Book and the History of Fire Engines . The latter looks a little more complicated than my preschoolers’ fingers can handle so we’ll hold off on it for awhile.

I’ll be sure to bring you more firefighter coloring book (and printables) reviews in the near future!

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[Have you entered my $100 giveaway yet? Why not?]
[Disclosure: Links are through the Amazon Associates program.]

Book Review: Fire Truck

Reviews 4 Responses »

Jun 042010

When my brother was two, he wanted to be a fire truck.

I can’t make these things up.

Yes, really. If you asked him what he wanted to be, his reply was that he wanted to be a fire truck. Not a firefighter. A fire truck. Shortly thereafter he picked the human profession of paleontologist. My brother is kind of weird unique. All the same, it has been a long running family joke for years. Even my cousin who wanted to be an elephant doesn’t get teased as much as my brother for his grown up wishes.

We received Fire Truck by Peter Sis as a gift before BigBrother was born. It’s a cute little board book that warms my heart for various reasons.

Fire Truck

The book features a little boy named Matt (which just so happens to be my brother’s name). He loves fire trucks. He thinks of them first thing in the morning. They’re the last thing he thinks of on his way to dream land. He loves fire trucks. As you might guess from the story that lead into this review, he wakes up one morning and he is a fire truck.

The board book then launches into a double pull-out page of what Matt the Fire Truck has on him (1 ladder, 10 boots). It’s a great little counting lesson as well as a lesson as to what fire trucks have on them other than firefighters. The only bad thing about this particular pull-out page is that it is easy to tear off the one side. Even my children who are particularly great with everything from paper pages to pop-up books have managed to tear the page off (accidentally) twice. Glue on the “hinge” makes it workable again.

Matt the Fire Truck then zooms around his house putting out fires in book shelves and rescuing stuffed animals. Until he smells pancakes (which are BigBrother’s favorite, by the way). A review on Amazon claimed that the book ended too abruptly. I feel it speaks to the attention span of younger children. “I’m a fire truck, I’m a fire truck, I’m a… ooh, pancakes.”

I love reading this book with my boys. It is one board book that we have decided to keep despite the fact that they’re both into longer books with paper pages now. I can imagine reading this to my grandchildren someday and telling them about how Great Uncle Matt wanted to be a fire truck. I also can’t wait to buy the book for my brother and sister-in-law when they begin to add to their family.

I learned today that the book is also available in a hardcover. I may purchase it so that we can retire (and save) our much loved board book.

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[Disclosure: Links are through Amazon Associates.]