Confessions of a Veggie Lover

We were not going to be one of those households. We were supposed to be a Max Lucado's Hermie & Wormie household. Veggie Tales was a curse word. Ugh. Talking vegetables? How stupid. A dumb looking cucumber? Not on my TV.

And then I got pregnant with twins.

I knew I'd need something special for Wyatt to do when I had to spend time exclusively with the babies. So, I started collecting Christian VHS tapes that my favorite thrift store sold for a $1.48 with the box or a quarter without the box--(and honestly, who needs yet another cardboard box to be misplaced, shredded, stomped on, torn, taped, and chewed on?)

I ended up with around 20 Veggie Tales tapes and a half dozen Hermie and Wormie's. Turns out, this was a good idea because two weeks before I went on total bed rest last September, Wyatt was moved up to the 2-year-old Sunday School class and suddenly began having separation anxiety that left him crying for mommy all through Sunday School and worship service. He hated the new room and was inconsolable. What saved us all? Veggie Tales. His teacher would get him started watching a video, and he would calm down. Eventually, he grew out of it.

Then, I started watching Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber with Wyatt. And I admit it, I'm an addict. I don't care. I'm outing myself before the news media gets wind of it and seeks to ruin my good ever-grammatically-correct English professor name. It's gotten so bad that when I ran across a set of toys for 79 cents at the thrift store today, my eyes sparkled and I was squealing like someone who had just won the lottery!

Ever heard the "Song of the Cebu"? What about "Barbara Manatee"? "The Yodeling Veterinarian of the Alps"? "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"? "The Dance of the Cucumber"? If not, click through to watch them on YouTube. You've really been missing out. This is word play at its best: honest, clean humor that just makes you giggle (or chuckle if you don't admit to giggling hysterically).

And while enjoying the humor, it's just neat to see how they turn Bible stories into something entertaining for the very young (and the not so young). Our favorites? Josh and the Great Wall, King George & The Ducky, and The Ballad of Little Joe. Sometimes, the characters even make fun of themselves, like when the Pea Phillippe asks Pea Claude: "Won't you join me in my little irritating song?"

The twins know the theme song to Veggie Tales, Hermie & Wormie, Super Why, and Strawberry Shortcake. This anti-TV mama has made peace with an hour of Super Why/Clifford in the morning and an hour in the afternoon of some video.

If you are gasping in horror that my 7-month-old twins watch TV, then I will gladly welcome your help any day: on these 97+ degree summer days where you can't go outside because the humidity is 150%, I give the best of you 48 hours before you, too, are desperately turning over all the couch cushions or pulling up the rugs to find the remotes.

As for me? I've learned that my house is big enough for caterpillars and talking vegetables to abide under the same roof.