Ketchup is a Vegetable: And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves
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Ketchup is a Vegetable: And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves

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4.04 of 5 stars 4.04  ·  rating details  ·  673 ratings  ·  163 reviews
"A book about motherhood that will make you nod with recognition, while simultaneously reminding you to schedule a hysterectomy." -Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess
"With the humor of Bombeck and the warmth of a best girlfriend, Robin O'Bryant gives every mom permission to not be perfect. The chapter on road-tripping with three tiny children and a flu-stricken husband was one of...more
Paperback, 266 pages
Published November 8th 2011 by Greenforge Books
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Community Reviews

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April
Mommyhood is hard. You have ideas of what it means to be a Mom while pregnant but those are often quickly dashed by the time you give birth. As you maneuver your way through the first year, you learn the ropes, gain confidence, and start to feel as though you know what you're doing. In our house, months 10 through 15 were favorites, ultimate kiddo cuteness abound.

And then, like many, you decide to change the ballgame, make things more interesting and have a second. Thus negating all said learned...more
Haily
Robin O'Bryant is officially on my FAVORITE author list...I just started reading "Ketchup is a Vegetable: And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves" and it is hilarious!! I have literally laughed out loud on several occasions. If you are a mommy....trust me when I say this is a must read!!!
Florinda
Robin O'Bryant was already represented by a literary agent when they decided to publish her first book, Ketchup is a Vegetable: and Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves, independently. As a popular blogger and regionally-syndicated newspaper columnist, Robin has name recognition, particularly in the South. However, self-publishing Ketchup was a choice made with an eye toward raising her profile nationally, building a track record that traditional publishers might respond to for future books. Support...more
Melissa
I recived Ketchup is a Vegetable And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves for free in a recent Goodreads First Reads giveaway and was happy when I saw which one it was. I'm one of those people who do judge a book by it's cover. It caught my eye which made me interested enough to read the description and enter to win it. When it arrived I hoped it'd be as good as I thought it would be. And, it was.

The foreward introduced us to the author, Robin O'Bryant, her life and loved ones. It was a perfect litt...more
Jacqueline Corcoran
You’ve got to have a strong stomach for this book, and, if you’re a mother, you probably do. However, I still have intrusive thoughts from all the detailed accounts of both parents and children having diarrhea and vomiting. Luckily, the details of the author’s 38F size breasts haven’t stuck with me as much. But in all, isn’t it a good thing when you think about a book after you have read it?

The book was definitely “a quick read” – one sitting for me. The author is not afraid to share the most i...more
Kristin (Kritters Ramblings)
Have you ever read a book and literally laughed out loud so hard that you started crying? From page one this book had me laughing and crying and the boy starring at me strangely! Although I am not a mom and this is most definitely a mom book filled with stories from birds and bees talk to horrible road trips with infants and toddlers, I found the humor through knowing a bunch of moms and how life can be out of control.

This book starts with a perfect prologue to set up "the characters" and help...more
Denise
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Emilie
I should start by saying it is technically well-written and well edited. I found it extremely boring and not very funny. I am positive there are many out there who's sense of humor is spot on with this book and love it, but mine was not. It is less a collection of stories than the regular ramblings of girlfriends. I mean, how funny are your friends' potty training horror stories during playgroup? Mildly humorous. That's what this book is as well. Mildly humorous.

I was determined to continue read...more
Joanna
I got my copy here on Goodreads.
I'm not a mother. Why? Because I do not enjoy frequent encounters with poop, vomit, and other bodily fluids. I can't afford thousands of dollars per month in child care. I like to sleep late, go out whenever I please, and I won't even park next to a minivan. My biggest pet peeve with new mothers is when I hear them say: "I didn't know I would be tired all the time", "I didn't know I wouldn't have time for a pedi", etc etc etc... What do you mean you didn't know?...more
SaraJane
Page 144:
"I used to go to dinner with my husband before children and talk about our future, my work, his work, life in general. Now when we go out to dinner, we usually fight through our appetizers and salads about things we haven't been able to discuss in front of our children. By the time our entrees are on the table, we are ready to play nice and move on."

Page 202:
"Thankfully, for all of us, God doesn't need eight hours of sleep and two cups of Starbuck's Cafe Verona before He can keep up wit...more
Kari
I don't think I have laughed so much while reading a book in a long time. Ketchup is a Vegetable: and Other Lies Mom Tell Themselves is full of tales and anecdotes from the author who is the mother of 3 small children. She discusses everything from breast feeding to talking about sex with your young child. I think most mothers will find this book very amusing and will find themselves nodding their head over and over. I know I did! Her honesty and frankness about subjects from the sacred nap time...more
Elisabeth
This book is hilarious! I was able to identify with her on so many levels because I have either experienced the same situations or have thought the same thoughts! This is a laugh out loud book!
Violeta
OMG the best book I read since I got my kindle 6 months ago. (and for those 1 and 2 stars people sorry to disapoint you but I am not related to the author).
I loved it from page 1 to the end it might not have been my life but it came close :) I am a mum of 3 kids 9 year old boy and 2 girls 3 and 1 so I can relate to most things and it was nice to see the funny side of those OMFG situations.
I am a very positive person and always look at the bright side so this book was perfect for me. I see some...more
Diane Barnes
I gave this one 5 stars because I enjoyed every word of it. Robin O'Bryant's style is reminiscent of Anne Lamott and Celia Rivenbark because she is brutally honest about her life as a wife and mother. Forget the magazine articles that tell you how to be a "perfect mother". No such creature exists, and I don't like the ones who pretend to be. Raising 3 children under the age of 7 is a daily struggle, even with a supportive husband and family. Finding the humor in that struggle is her forte, and s...more
Amber
Laughed till I cried. Like a porthole into my day most of the time, which may be why I liked it so much. It is good to see Mothering for what it is...shoveling while it is snowing...in Alaska...in January. Thank God every year also has an August.

As a Mother of ten small people I can understand how we all start out with the ideal and then cope with where we find ourselves 5 years later. Being able to see the humor in raising children really is a great practice. Looking forward to reading this aga...more
Elaine
I hate to say I just finished this book and I am very sad that it is over. I LOVE IT. It was so funny. I have been telling the ladies at work about it and I plan on making them read it. They have NO choice. They have to read it. Any self respecting mother must read this book. Between the FBI, Wal-Mart, V.S. and the mall, I thought I was going to have a heart attack from laughing so hard. I thought I was ALONE in so many of these things. But being pregnant for forty 'lven months was just up my al...more
Amanda
Stumbled upon this book and it was a great accident! I have read and re-read this book because it is the real deal about parenting! No it isn't about what to feed your baby, how to get them to sleep, or how to discipline. It is better- it makes you feel okay that your own child has only eaten chicken nuggets for 6 straights days or that sometimes we act a fool to keep your own child awake so they will sleep all night or that sometimes when we should discipline our children... All we can do it la...more
Meggin
This book is hilarious. I received this book free through Goodreads First Read giveaway and I am so glad that I did win. It is so heart warming to see how much family means to the author. I have four kids of my own and hearing some of things she has been through with her own kids is like a breathe of fresh air. I'm always worried when I go through things with my kids but now I know I'm not the only one. Robin O'Bryant is witty, humorous, and brave for sharing story. I'm glad I got the chance to...more
Sherri
Wish there was 4 1/2 star rating, because this book certainly deserves it. I found myself laughing from the first chapter on and sharing many of the passages with my husband who found it every bit as hilarious as I did. I recognized my own life with children in many of the essays. Not sure if people without children could appreciate as much. The book took a more serious turn at the last chapter which was unexpected but added more depth. Loved the author's down-to-earth writing style. Now it's ti...more
Jennifer
Robin O'Bryant's book is funny, honest and touching. Her stories revolve around her life as a wife and mother to three young children. Being a mom myself, I can really relate to a lot of these stories. I chewed through this book because I just couldn't put it down. It's well written and thoughtful, and though the book ends on a less than cheerful subject it does give you some perspective as a mother.


Read my full review at : http://newmommyconfessions.blogspot.c...
Katie
Every so often a book comes along that really speaks to you, gets you at a gut level that most books cannot. The wonderful thing about Ketchup is a Vegetable by Robin O'Bryant is that not only did this book really “get me”, but it made me snicker non-stop for over two hundred pages. This memoir focuses on Robin and her misadventures as a mother and wife. Let the hilarity ensue.

In one scene Robin recounts the road trip from Hell. With three daughters ages five and under, one an infant, Robin's f...more
Sharon
If some stories had been removed, this would have been a 4-star, or almost 5-star read for me. What drops the rating is simply the length.

The beginning had me laughing out loud, and I really enjoyed the author's casual writing style. You could picture having coffee with her as you fight back the tears of laughter as she relays the various family drama to you she (unfortunately) lived through.

By the end I found myself skimming as it simply seemed less funny and became repetitive. Overall, an enjo...more
Debbie
A tough choice between 2 & 3 stars.
This book started out so strong. I was laughing every other paragraph.
Then started the endless boob, poop & puke stories....and I was really about ready to just stop reading. (And I have to *really* not like something to finish it.)

I decided to give it 'one more chapter' and the bodily fluid details stopped, so I kept going. It ended really sweetly and I completely agree with every word written in her last paragraph. So I'm glad I finished it.

Still th...more
Mich
The last chapter had to be said. The last chapter is a short story unto itself. The last chapter threw the whole LOL business of the rest if the book down the river. Read ALL but the last chapter. Enjoy the funny parts. Let is soak in. THEN. After a few days read the last chapter and let it soak in. And yes I know they were all separate little stories but they had a 'theme' and the last chapter just made me say 'oh'. Maybe read the last chapter first?
Gretchen
Other than the poop story, not much else in this book had me laughing out loud. And, really, that is because poop is always funny. This book was more like a book of observations, venting and some complaining. I'm a SAHM, I get it. But, honestly, I get bigger belly laughs from the other moms I hang out with. I got a little tired of Mommy Juice cravings and concerns about flashing her "Britney." Entertaining enough, but no new ground broken.
Yuri
Ketchup is a Vegetable is the first book I read in a really long time that made me laugh out loud. I was literally laughing and crying because I think only mommy's would truly understand and appreciate this book. O'Bryant is honest, candid, and tells it like it is. Motherhood is hard, but when we look back at some of the things we went through, we can all just laugh about it. This book came into my life when I really needed it the most.
Tina
I typically don't like books that I deem "blog-like", basically snippets of stories. It's just my preference to have a beginning and an end. This book, however, may have changed my mind.
The author writes about parenting her 3 daughters under 5 years old.I laughed out loud (and cringed) at the been there done that moments as well as the oh no is that what I have to look forward to ones.
I recommend this to anyone that needs a good laugh.
Cynthia
I don't get it. Every review gives this a 4 or 5 and claims it is laugh-out-loud funny. I didn't have high expectations and just wanted something light to read; it was free on my Kindle. I read the first 8 essays and couldn't continue. It is very poorly written, not at all clever, and I didn't even think about smiling. I am frankly shocked that anyone chose to publish these blog posts with so many better examples of the genre available.
Betty
ou’ve got to have a strong stomach for this book, and, if you’re a mother, you probably do. However, I still have intrusive thoughts from all the detailed accounts of both parents and children having diarrhea and vomiting. Luckily, the details of the author’s 38F size breasts haven’t stuck with me as much. But in all, isn’t it a good thing when you think about a book after you have read it?

A lot about breast feeding.
Christine
This book was hilarious! Parts of it may not be suitable for you if you don't have kids and you have a deep-seeded fear of childbirth, but the rest of the book is very entertaining. Even if you're not a parent and you just work with kids, or know people who have kids, you'll find this book funny. And if you're a parent, this book will probably read like a day in your life. I only wish that my library had a copy of it!
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Ketchup is a Vegetable: And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves (ebook)
Ketchup is a Vegetable: And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves (Kindle Edition)
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Robin O'Bryant is a writer and stay-at-home-mom to three daughters born within four years. She finally figured out where babies come from and got herself under control. Robin survives the hilarity of motherhood by making fun of herself in her self-syndicated humor column, Robin's Chicks and on her blog by the same name.
More about Robin O'Bryant...
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