Ah, I love a four day weekend. Today, we bought our tickets early, and took the kids to see The Muppets, the latest Muppets film, which I believe Disney wants to bring back in a big way. Jason Segel both co-wrote and stars in this film. Along with Segel and your favorite cast of Muppets, the film also stars Amy Adams, Chris Cox, Rashida Jones, and a number of actors in cameos.

The film’s premise is reminiscent of the first three Muppet films — a ruthless business tycoon wants to tear down the now-shuttered Muppet Studios and drill for oil. Segel, Adams, and a new muppet named Walter, discover the plot, and work to reunite the Muppets to save the studio. I’ll admit that I’ve struggled in the past to reconcile my memories of the Muppets when I grew up, and the voices of the Muppets in the post-Jim-Henson world. The voices are still different to my ears, but I’m learning to let it go.

I have to say the movie was pretty good. I liked how the premise acknowledged the existence of the original Muppet Show and the earlier films, with many references to the old programs. Those were the old shows and films that they acted in, but now had all moved on. Furthermore, the world had forgotten them, and they now had to find relevancy in 2011.

The Muppets were fun again, the songs were engaging enough, and everyone had a good time. Success. I hope there will be many more new Muppet films.

The Muppets (2011)

Based on our parenting experiences raising both a boy and a girl, I have many witty observations to share.  I’m not going to share them all with you now, because really, I need to save some material for boring dinner parties at your house. Yes, you. Don’t deny it.

I do want to pontificate on how children sleep. Notice that I didn’t do that arrogant self-centered thing where I comment on how my children sleep differently from your children, and how that’s more interesting. No, no, no. Plenty of self-centered parents out there, and I’m not one of them. My children don’t do anything better or worse than other children out there. They’re all different, and yet all the same. I’ve noticed that my children often sleep in odd positions, and yours probably do too.

Butts in the air, sideways sleeping, you name it. It doesn’t look particularly comfortable, but maybe it works for them. Recently, Lily has won an unofficial trophy for the weirdest sleeping position. Recently, my wife went to wake up the kids, and found my daughter in a particularly odd position. Sometime in the night, she had taken off her shirt. Furthermore, at the time of her wake-up call, she was sleeping with her hand down her pants.

It’s just odd.

Lily sleeping kinda like Al Bundy

Last year, my wife introduced Joshua (and Lily via the trickle-down effect) to yoga for kids. Before I had even tried yoga myself, she bought this yoga-for-kids DVD set, featuring yoga instructor Marsha Wenig.  Joshua enjoys it a lot, and has his own yoga mat to along with my wife’s. Lily likes to participate too, but she’s basically hanging around.

Turns out that more parents are trying out yoga for the kids. According to CNN’s article, “Yoga helps even little ones channel energy, emotion“, hundreds of studios across country teach yoga to children. Wow, I had no idea.

I watched this, and just started laughing.  LMAO, actually.  Are we going to see Dora join the Bratz dolls? HA!  Just seems so toy company corporate boardroom decision.  “So Jenkins, Dora will move to the city and be fashionable?   And she can have fancy outfits that girls can buy and accessorize?”

I’ve seen the ads on TV and newsprint about the Smile Train, with Jessica Simpson as spokesperson.  We should really donate to that charity.  I’ve got to talk to my wife about it.  Anyway, there is a documentary, “Smile Pinki,” that has been nominated for best short documentary Oscar, and chronicles this little girl’s surgery.

Bert, left, and Ernie have been mainstays of "Sesame Street" since the beginning.

I’m trying to get my son into more of Sesame Street, instead of all that Nickelodeon cartoons. Don’t get me wrong, I used to watch Nickelodeon when I was young, but for his max 1 hour of television watching per day, I’d prefer it if he was watching healthy, educational TV.  Like many of us growing up in the 1970′s and 1980′s, I watched Sesame Street while growing up.  I do remember Mr. Hooper (before and after his death), if that helps to date me.

I’d have introduce him to Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, but the show no longer airs.

Author Michael Davis has a new book named “Street Gang”, which goes over the background and history of the show.  It covers Jim Henson, who was abviously involved with the show from the very beginning. Davis has a website for the book too — http://www.streetgangbook.com. 

Sesame Street (and PBS) taught me a lot, and I appreciate it.  I want my kids to benefit too.  You know who else taught me a lot?  Steve Austin, the $6 million dollar man.  He taught me to never go up against a Sasquatch without backup.

Speaking about the Muppets, CNN /Mental Floss had a article providing a brief-but-interesting background history on 20 of the popular Muppets that Jim Henson created.