She collects the stories of nuts, er, moms like me - and they're pretty funny. So go check her out and find out what set me off this time!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Neurotic Mom
I know all about the first step to recovery and all of that . . . sadly, admitting I'm neurotic is not going to cure me. But it did earn me a space on Kelly's Neurotic Mom site!
She collects the stories of nuts, er, moms like me - and they're pretty funny. So go check her out and find out what set me off this time!
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She collects the stories of nuts, er, moms like me - and they're pretty funny. So go check her out and find out what set me off this time!
Friday, November 28, 2008
On the First Day of Christmas: We Kick off 13 Days of Giveaways
Black Friday will be anything but. Today marks day one of the 13 Days of Giveaways here on Inside Out - the 12 Days of Christmas becomes a baker's dozen. Every business day for the next few weeks, we'll be putting up one must-have product for someone in your family (yes, even the four-legged friends). And everyday, you'll have a chance to win - some days MANY of you will win.
Kicking it off? Fill in the Blankie blankets are the kind you save for something (or someone) special. Well made enough to be well loved, the soft fabric centers are surrounded by one-of-a-kind strips where you get to fill in the blanks. Have them embroider the edges with glow-in-the-dark thread or a barn red. Pick a funky font or a classic print. Write a love letter to your little one. Commemorate a birthday, an adoption, a christening. Fill in the Blankie has taken a child's lovie and made a lifetime keepsake, and they let you direct the process.
It's the holiday gift that will remain in their cribs, on their laps, under their picnics and follow them on adventures for years to come.
And Fill in the Blankie will be securing your memories in cuddly form. The first winner of the first of Inside Out's 13 Days of Giveaways will win their own Fill in the Blankie blankie, at a value of $150! To enter, leave a comment with the reason you think your daughter/niece/granddaughter/whoever needs a blankie and tells us what you would say with 200 characters if you had your very own ULTRA personalized blanket from Fill In The Blankie (check their site for inspiration). Get extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about this contest and all 13 Days of Giveaways (remember to leave the link in comments as well).
Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, the contest will close on December 5, so remember to check back or subscribe at left to be notified right away (and find out what the rest of our 13 days of giveaways have in store). There are just two more days to be entered in the November subscribers giveaway for the Build-a-Bear Friends Fur All Season Nintendo game courtesy of Game Factory Games!
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A Black Friday Deal That Will Save More Than Money
Two weeks ago, if you'd found me a kid who doesn't have a habit of carrying their bowl of Cheerios on its side, I'd have contemplated a switch.
Not anymore. Parents, rejoice. For unto us, a savior has been born.
The Loopa Bowl looks like it was dropped off by the space invaders, but it's kicking those every day kids bowls out of this world. With a center that spins around, courtesy of centrifugal force, and handles for the kids to get a tight grasp on, the Loopa Bowl keeps their snacks where they're supposed to be. Turn it upside down, and the bowl spins to stay upright. Turn it sideways, and the bowl spins to stay upright. Turn it every which way, and well, the Loopa Bowl spins to stay upright.
It's the gizmo to buy for the Moms on you're list who are accustomed to following their tots with a dustpan and broom, and maybe even Moms with clumsy teens too.
To get you started, the Loopa Bowl is available at 50 percent off to Inside Out readers through Dec. 12. Enter code INSIDEOUT at checkout, and you'll get half the retail price of every bowl you buy lopped off the bill. So get over there - before I buy them out.
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Not anymore. Parents, rejoice. For unto us, a savior has been born.
The Loopa Bowl looks like it was dropped off by the space invaders, but it's kicking those every day kids bowls out of this world. With a center that spins around, courtesy of centrifugal force, and handles for the kids to get a tight grasp on, the Loopa Bowl keeps their snacks where they're supposed to be. Turn it upside down, and the bowl spins to stay upright. Turn it sideways, and the bowl spins to stay upright. Turn it every which way, and well, the Loopa Bowl spins to stay upright.
It's the gizmo to buy for the Moms on you're list who are accustomed to following their tots with a dustpan and broom, and maybe even Moms with clumsy teens too.
To get you started, the Loopa Bowl is available at 50 percent off to Inside Out readers through Dec. 12. Enter code INSIDEOUT at checkout, and you'll get half the retail price of every bowl you buy lopped off the bill. So get over there - before I buy them out.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
She 'neaked up
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone - and a special one to TLG1981. She won last week's U-Neak sneakers giveaway.
TLG1981 - I need you to send me an e-mail with your little one's sneaker and sock choice and size of his/her little feet!
Good news for everyone else is still on the way - 13 Days of Giveaways Begins on Friday and runs for, well, 13 business days (I know, I know, duhhh Jeanne).
To get you all in the holiday mood:
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TLG1981 - I need you to send me an e-mail with your little one's sneaker and sock choice and size of his/her little feet!
Good news for everyone else is still on the way - 13 Days of Giveaways Begins on Friday and runs for, well, 13 business days (I know, I know, duhhh Jeanne).
To get you all in the holiday mood:
The Ten Best Christmas Songs For the Kid in You
Do You Still Have Halloween Candy In Your House?Add to Technorati Favorites
How Can Something So Little Save So Much?
Compact fluorescent bulbs usually leave something to be desired in the way of looks. They have pride of place in every lamp in my house, but there's something about that twist that reminds me more of a soft-serve ice cream cone than it does an instrument of light.When I look at my electric bill, however, all is forgiven. So what if you could have your ice cream and eat it too?
Sylvania's micro-mini compact fluorescent light bulbs aren't just a smaller version of that big twisty bulb. They switch on faster, and they provide the same light at half the size. A 60 watt replacement bulb claims just 13 watts - and it will last you some 12,000 hours. Even better, the price of the CFLs are slipping. The bulbs estimated to save you $56 on your energy bill now come in two-packs at a tune of $7.98 (from Lowes.com).
You'll have a little extra left to buy yourself a real cone, with extra sprinkles.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Get a Handle On it
I read a post the other day about the new corporate giveaway "throw away," and as someone who has been there - as the meanie blogger writing about something ridiculous - I had to crack up.
But I respectfully disagree. The Mobigrip is - as CNet blogger Justin Yu says "a circular hunk of plastic with adhesive on the back and a lanyard attached to one side."
But Justin Yu is not a mother (he could be a father, but I'm not making much of a leap here folks - definitely not a mother).
So he doesn't know that for those of us who are perpetually put in the position of having our hands full of too much ridiculous nonsense, the usage of each and ever digit to hang onto our valuables becomes a life skill. Think balancing a broom on your nose is cool? Try carrying a canvas grocery bag filled with two bottles of apple juice, today's mail, three pre-school art creations, the stuffed animal friend of the day and a loaf of bread - all on one pinky.
That, my friend, is parenting. And the Mobigrip - that hunk of plastic - makes it easier. Whip off the thin sheet covering the adhesive on the back of that plastic disc, and attach it to your cell phone, iPod or whatever teeny weeny little electronic gadget of the moment you can't live without. The small loop hanging off the edge slips over that valuable digit, freeing the hand to carry oh, I don't know, seven toy cars, a package of Oreos and their monster lunchbox . . . and leaving the other hand free to hold tight to theirs.
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But I respectfully disagree. The Mobigrip is - as CNet blogger Justin Yu says "a circular hunk of plastic with adhesive on the back and a lanyard attached to one side."
But Justin Yu is not a mother (he could be a father, but I'm not making much of a leap here folks - definitely not a mother).So he doesn't know that for those of us who are perpetually put in the position of having our hands full of too much ridiculous nonsense, the usage of each and ever digit to hang onto our valuables becomes a life skill. Think balancing a broom on your nose is cool? Try carrying a canvas grocery bag filled with two bottles of apple juice, today's mail, three pre-school art creations, the stuffed animal friend of the day and a loaf of bread - all on one pinky.
That, my friend, is parenting. And the Mobigrip - that hunk of plastic - makes it easier. Whip off the thin sheet covering the adhesive on the back of that plastic disc, and attach it to your cell phone, iPod or whatever teeny weeny little electronic gadget of the moment you can't live without. The small loop hanging off the edge slips over that valuable digit, freeing the hand to carry oh, I don't know, seven toy cars, a package of Oreos and their monster lunchbox . . . and leaving the other hand free to hold tight to theirs.
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Monday, November 24, 2008
Zwaggle Your Troubles Away
I usually wait until my daughter has gone to bed before I attack her playroom. Like Niecey on Clean House, I make my piles: this is garbage, this is recyclable, this is a disgusting sippy full of milk that somehow ended up in the toy box (aren't you glad this isn't a smellable post?), and this . . . this is getting passed on to some other poor sap, er, mom who "needs" it for her kid.
They grow out of their clothes, grow past their toys and stop needing all of those must-haves you registered for pre-shower so quickly, it's a wonder parents have time to parent with all the buying and purging we have to do.
Enter Zwaggle. The parent-centric site is a one-stop-shop for exchanging the goods of family life. Although Freecycle and its ilk have their place, Zwaggle's parent-products-only set-up limits how many offers you have to weed through before finding a new stroller for you and a new home for that enormous exersaucer.
Post your goods to give away, find a new home for them, and you earn "zoints" toward some hand-me-downs of your very own. An integrated FedEx tool helps make shipping the goods out of the house manageable, and parents limit the flow into the landfill.
Just want to say bye bye to it all? Donate your Zoints to a collection of charities, and you get double the benefit. A clean house, and a clean soul. Talk about thanksgiving.
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They grow out of their clothes, grow past their toys and stop needing all of those must-haves you registered for pre-shower so quickly, it's a wonder parents have time to parent with all the buying and purging we have to do.
Enter Zwaggle. The parent-centric site is a one-stop-shop for exchanging the goods of family life. Although Freecycle and its ilk have their place, Zwaggle's parent-products-only set-up limits how many offers you have to weed through before finding a new stroller for you and a new home for that enormous exersaucer.
Post your goods to give away, find a new home for them, and you earn "zoints" toward some hand-me-downs of your very own. An integrated FedEx tool helps make shipping the goods out of the house manageable, and parents limit the flow into the landfill.
Just want to say bye bye to it all? Donate your Zoints to a collection of charities, and you get double the benefit. A clean house, and a clean soul. Talk about thanksgiving.
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Inside Of Me . . . Goes Home with Who?
Considering the name of this here blog (and the column for which it's named), it's no wonder "Inside Me" was the first shirt I picked up on at Little Chickie Wear.
It's designer and mom Gwen's best seller, a little tee that reads:
According to Gwen, her then-6-month-old was sleeping when she whispered to her, "what's inside you?" It's the kind of thing we whisper to our kids, like asking them, "how did you get so cute?" or "how can Mommy show you you're the smartest kid in the world?" Most of us just don't make a spot-on poem about childhood out of it and print it on a t-shirt.
That Gwen has turned Gwen Designs into Little Chickie Wear proves she's a mom with an eye for turning childhood inside out - or at least reminding us how they got so cute. Her shirts (available from onesie to size 6) are organic and soft, the designs both impish and adorable.
Of course, if you ask, you receive . . . so I've secured an extra Inside Me tee for one Inside Out reader! The rules are the same as always - leave a comment to enter (tell me your favorite Little Chickie Wear design), and earn extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about the contest. Leave that link in comments.
AND! Because I don't like having to chase people down, I'm throwing in an extra entry. For the rest of November, new subscribers will be eligible for the Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo Wii or DS. So subscribe at left to be notified of new giveaways, who wins and all the rest of the Inside Out reviews!
The Little Chickie Wear contest will close December 1, 2008, and it's open to US and Canadian residents. We'll be skipping Wednesday's giveaway this week to open up the 13 Days of Giveaways which begins this Friday. Happy Shopping everyone!
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It's designer and mom Gwen's best seller, a little tee that reads:
Inside me I've got:If there's a kid out there who doesn't fit that label, please don't introduce us. I'd probably scare him. The story behind the design sheds light on what makes Little Chickie Wear a company with kids at heart.
world peace
2 rainbows
light from 4 stars
green stuff
milk
some dog hair
and
a
raisin
According to Gwen, her then-6-month-old was sleeping when she whispered to her, "what's inside you?" It's the kind of thing we whisper to our kids, like asking them, "how did you get so cute?" or "how can Mommy show you you're the smartest kid in the world?" Most of us just don't make a spot-on poem about childhood out of it and print it on a t-shirt.
That Gwen has turned Gwen Designs into Little Chickie Wear proves she's a mom with an eye for turning childhood inside out - or at least reminding us how they got so cute. Her shirts (available from onesie to size 6) are organic and soft, the designs both impish and adorable.
Of course, if you ask, you receive . . . so I've secured an extra Inside Me tee for one Inside Out reader! The rules are the same as always - leave a comment to enter (tell me your favorite Little Chickie Wear design), and earn extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about the contest. Leave that link in comments.
AND! Because I don't like having to chase people down, I'm throwing in an extra entry. For the rest of November, new subscribers will be eligible for the Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo Wii or DS. So subscribe at left to be notified of new giveaways, who wins and all the rest of the Inside Out reviews!
The Little Chickie Wear contest will close December 1, 2008, and it's open to US and Canadian residents. We'll be skipping Wednesday's giveaway this week to open up the 13 Days of Giveaways which begins this Friday. Happy Shopping everyone!
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Friday, November 21, 2008
Pow, pow, power
When the toys your kid brother played with start showing up in your child's toy box, do you feel old?
I was too old for the Power Ranger craze when it hit sometime in the early 90s, but my brother was the prime age for "morphing power." And when we were flipping through channels, only to have my daughter point out "Power Rangers, Mommy," I had one of those deja vu moments (minus the Mommy, thank you very much).
The nostalgia factor played heavily into the Power Ranger giveaway slated for 13 Days of Giveaways (yes, another shameless plug!) that will start next Friday. Until then - a taste of winning. The folks at Bandai, who provided the Power Rangers for the giveaway (not telling you what day - that you have to figure out yourself!) are promoting Power Rangers "Feel the Fury" with an ongoing sweepstakes and giveaways in theaters across the nation (with some cool goodies for your kids).
So get over there before Dec. 12, and qualify to win a toy aisle shopping spree worth $1,000! And come back to win some Power Rangers toys for the kids at Inside Out.
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I was too old for the Power Ranger craze when it hit sometime in the early 90s, but my brother was the prime age for "morphing power." And when we were flipping through channels, only to have my daughter point out "Power Rangers, Mommy," I had one of those deja vu moments (minus the Mommy, thank you very much).
The nostalgia factor played heavily into the Power Ranger giveaway slated for 13 Days of Giveaways (yes, another shameless plug!) that will start next Friday. Until then - a taste of winning. The folks at Bandai, who provided the Power Rangers for the giveaway (not telling you what day - that you have to figure out yourself!) are promoting Power Rangers "Feel the Fury" with an ongoing sweepstakes and giveaways in theaters across the nation (with some cool goodies for your kids).
So get over there before Dec. 12, and qualify to win a toy aisle shopping spree worth $1,000! And come back to win some Power Rangers toys for the kids at Inside Out.
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Becoming Part of the Routine
I probably shouldn't tell the world this, but what the hey. Most of my readers are mothers; you'll understand.
Sometimes, I don't get to shower.
Gross. I know. But when you're up until 3 writing posts for Inside Out, Strollerderby, and PeekabooPicks, writing stories for the real job and then expected to crawl out of bed in time to get them to nursery school, well, you know. But not washing my face is out of the question. I'm not THAT gross!
I've gotten hooked on Become, a line out of Australia created by a mother who worked for the likes of Estee Lauder and Tommy Hilfiger before striking out on her own. The Become Foaming Cleanser isn't cheap. At $24 a bottle, it would do you well to put this one on your Christmas list. Trust me, it's worth it.
The Become Foaming Cleanser does what it says - it cleans, and it does it gently. Mix with a little water, and it foams right up, and what's more - it washes right off. Sweet scented, with a solution that doesn't feel like it's ripping off the top layer of skin, Become lets you wash and go. Just what mom needs.
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Sometimes, I don't get to shower.
Gross. I know. But when you're up until 3 writing posts for Inside Out, Strollerderby, and PeekabooPicks, writing stories for the real job and then expected to crawl out of bed in time to get them to nursery school, well, you know. But not washing my face is out of the question. I'm not THAT gross!I've gotten hooked on Become, a line out of Australia created by a mother who worked for the likes of Estee Lauder and Tommy Hilfiger before striking out on her own. The Become Foaming Cleanser isn't cheap. At $24 a bottle, it would do you well to put this one on your Christmas list. Trust me, it's worth it.
The Become Foaming Cleanser does what it says - it cleans, and it does it gently. Mix with a little water, and it foams right up, and what's more - it washes right off. Sweet scented, with a solution that doesn't feel like it's ripping off the top layer of skin, Become lets you wash and go. Just what mom needs.
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Thursday, November 20, 2008
Sniffing Out the Winner!
I know we were one giveaway short this week, but I've been busily putting the last touches on the upcoming holiday guide and 13 Days of Giveaways which will kick off next Friday. With one new giveaway each business day for 13 days, I'm turning the holidays Inside Out. So make sure you visit every day - and tell everyone you know!
In the meantime, commenting closed last night on the Mo Smells Red Giveaway, one of my favorites since I started this site. I was glad to see some of you who you'd be buying this book even if you didn't win because Mo needs a home!
He'll find one with laurie - our winner this week. Laurie has 72 hours to shoot an e-mail my way with her address so I can have a book sent hers! The rest of you? Check out the ongoing Uneak giveaway, subscribe to win a Build-a-Bear game for Nintendo and keep your calendars marked for the 13 Days of Giveaways!
Some more reading over at Strollerderby:
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In the meantime, commenting closed last night on the Mo Smells Red Giveaway, one of my favorites since I started this site. I was glad to see some of you who you'd be buying this book even if you didn't win because Mo needs a home!
He'll find one with laurie - our winner this week. Laurie has 72 hours to shoot an e-mail my way with her address so I can have a book sent hers! The rest of you? Check out the ongoing Uneak giveaway, subscribe to win a Build-a-Bear game for Nintendo and keep your calendars marked for the 13 Days of Giveaways!
Some more reading over at Strollerderby:
Canada Nixes Parents' Request for Dual Leave At Twins Birth
A Twilight Tutorial for Moms (and Dads)Kindergartners Vote An Autistic Classmate Out of the Class
Tub Toys As Climate Change Fighting Tool?An Obama Your Kids Can't Resist: Make the President-Elect in Cupcakes
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Everybody Scramble: They're Animals
The return of the Water Baby gave me a chance to dig around on Wild Planet, and I came up triumphant with a pile of toys for kids that deserve pride of place under the holiday tree (or Hannukah bush) this year.
I've got to admit my own monkey fascination sent me scrambling for the jungle game that teaches colors, letters and animal sounds. Animal Scramble allows them to play tag without ever having to catch the kid next door. A giraffe "narrates" the game, telling them where to go and what to do - if they're listening.
The accompanying monkey, elephant, tiger and parrot targets are sized just right - too tall to get lost like most game pieces, but big enough for your eagle-eyed tots to find with their giraffe guiding the way. Which animal's brown? They have to drop the long-necked narrator down over the monkey. Who roars? Got to get to the tiger . . .
Well priced and well crafted, the Animal Scramble doubles as a learning adventure game and a jungle toy for them to act out their safari dreams.
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
What Child Is This? Sing It With Me
Looking around for a holiday album that's packed with enough variety to keep the spirit going even when your child's dumped the cookie sprinkles across the kitchen and the cat's knocked over the tree?
Susie Tallman's latest CD is a Christmas classic already, a disc of 30 tracks from your standard Santa Claus is Coming to Town sung in Tallman's crystal clear and friendly voice to an Aussie twist on Christmas courtesy of Tallman's rendition of the Willy the Wombat holiday story. With jokes and sweet children's voices wishing you happy holidays in different languages, Tallman's A Child's Christmas brings out the kid in all of us to celebrate with the holiday spirit we really never lost.
And for those kids who like singing along (I was always one of those who wanted to read along, word for word, tone deaf and loud as anything), the liner notes share the full lyrics for a family sing-along . . . after the dog's licked up the sprinkles.
Available from RockMeBaby Records, Susie Tallman's A Child's Christmas will be the soundtrack of holidays for years to come.
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Susie Tallman's latest CD is a Christmas classic already, a disc of 30 tracks from your standard Santa Claus is Coming to Town sung in Tallman's crystal clear and friendly voice to an Aussie twist on Christmas courtesy of Tallman's rendition of the Willy the Wombat holiday story. With jokes and sweet children's voices wishing you happy holidays in different languages, Tallman's A Child's Christmas brings out the kid in all of us to celebrate with the holiday spirit we really never lost.
And for those kids who like singing along (I was always one of those who wanted to read along, word for word, tone deaf and loud as anything), the liner notes share the full lyrics for a family sing-along . . . after the dog's licked up the sprinkles.
Available from RockMeBaby Records, Susie Tallman's A Child's Christmas will be the soundtrack of holidays for years to come.
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Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Mommy's Running Partner
I'm starting to feel like the Forrest Gump of parenting. "Wherever she went, she was running." Although I've got to disagree with the Gumpster. Life is nothing like a box of chocolates. Chocolates I can pick up and squeeze the gushy inside out so I know what's inside.
I can, however, dress up the outside. I know, I'm so shallow so
metimes. But my daughter forgives me when it fills up her closet.
And Ava's Closet is a kids clothing company that puts materialistic moms to shame. Girl power gets its due with the Doctor Not Diva and President Not Princess duds while mommy and daddy get their own personal nods with Mommy's Running Partner and Daddy's Running Partner shirts. The messages hiding in Ava's Closet pop out on thick cotton tees sized from baby to big kid, and they're priced to move.
So take a peek inside.
What's Going on Over at Strollerderby:
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I can, however, dress up the outside. I know, I'm so shallow so
metimes. But my daughter forgives me when it fills up her closet.And Ava's Closet is a kids clothing company that puts materialistic moms to shame. Girl power gets its due with the Doctor Not Diva and President Not Princess duds while mommy and daddy get their own personal nods with Mommy's Running Partner and Daddy's Running Partner shirts. The messages hiding in Ava's Closet pop out on thick cotton tees sized from baby to big kid, and they're priced to move.
So take a peek inside.
What's Going on Over at Strollerderby:
Ten Songs You Never Want to Hear A Little Kid Singing
Alllllvin! Everyone's Favorite Chipmunk is FiftyWant to Be a Muppeteer? Here's Your Chance
Five Movies You Shouldn't Watch While Pregnant
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Double Winners
A massive migraine means I'm behind on awarding winners again! So I'm doubling up with the announcement of the Thomas the Tank Engine counting game winner AND the Water Baby's new home.
Brandice has 72 hours to shoot me a line to let me know she wants the Thomas the Tank game (I see she subscribed . . . yay, no chasing her down!), while Kendell gets the honors with the water baby. I think a Kendell won a few months ago - not sure if this is the same one? Congratulations ladies!
The rest of you, get entering!! The 13 Days of Giveaways will begin on November 28 (that's Black Friday) and run for 13 straight business days with new prizes every day for the whole family . . . right down to the four-legged friends. Plus November subscribers are entered for the Nintendo Build a Bear Workshop games from Game Factory Games.
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Brandice has 72 hours to shoot me a line to let me know she wants the Thomas the Tank game (I see she subscribed . . . yay, no chasing her down!), while Kendell gets the honors with the water baby. I think a Kendell won a few months ago - not sure if this is the same one? Congratulations ladies!
The rest of you, get entering!! The 13 Days of Giveaways will begin on November 28 (that's Black Friday) and run for 13 straight business days with new prizes every day for the whole family . . . right down to the four-legged friends. Plus November subscribers are entered for the Nintendo Build a Bear Workshop games from Game Factory Games.
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One more step in advancing acceptance
The presidential election always catches my attention so completely that I tend to take my eyes off of Albany. But I was hardly surprised when the Democrats took hold of the State Legislature after 70-some years of trying.
What I missed with my eyes on the White House was the impact this will likely have on our chances to finally legalize gay marriage here in New York State.
Yes, while close-minded and close-hearted individuals in California, Arkansas, Arizona and Florida added to the list of states coming out against those who’ve come out of the closet, here we finally have hope.
Because whispers in Albany say the winds of change will include a proposition to extend our support of gays and their partners.
It’s the sort of thing that makes me proud to be a New Yorker.
Mine isn’t a popular viewpoint here in Sullivan County. I know that, and yet I’m still baffled.
The Sullivan County where I was raised is a place that is largely homogenous.
Ironically, in a place where differences should stand out like sore thumbs because they are so few and far between, in the Sullivan County where I grew up, they mattered less. Our neighbors are our neighbors. End of story.
When the snow piles up and the heat has gone out; when your car runs out of gas and you’re stranded on the side of the road; when your child has wandered away and night is setting in, it doesn’t matter who comes to your rescue. They are your neighbor.
And if that neighbor is black or white or gay or straight or Christian or Jewish, it doesn’t matter. They’re there and they’re part of the community.
They’re familiar.
Somehow, people who are slightly different get absorbed into our small town life. They become ours; they become part of us. This is where I’m troubled.
Instead of accepting them, along with their differences, they’ve been accepted despite them.
Suddenly, we’re back to the beginning. Us versus them.
What we need to do is take a step out of our comfort zone. Accept the familiar and then some.
If it’s good for the goose… it’s good for another goose and that gander too. And the gander up the street? Yes, him too.
The attitude that’s made life in Sullivan County one I want to share with my daughter, the willingness to accept one’s neighbors, is one step ahead of the attitudes in states like Arkansas and Florida.
It’s what makes me proud to be not just a New Yorker but a native of this small corner of the state.
Can we extend it one more step?
Related Over at Strollerderby:
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What I missed with my eyes on the White House was the impact this will likely have on our chances to finally legalize gay marriage here in New York State.
Yes, while close-minded and close-hearted individuals in California, Arkansas, Arizona and Florida added to the list of states coming out against those who’ve come out of the closet, here we finally have hope.
Because whispers in Albany say the winds of change will include a proposition to extend our support of gays and their partners.
It’s the sort of thing that makes me proud to be a New Yorker.
Mine isn’t a popular viewpoint here in Sullivan County. I know that, and yet I’m still baffled.
The Sullivan County where I was raised is a place that is largely homogenous.
Ironically, in a place where differences should stand out like sore thumbs because they are so few and far between, in the Sullivan County where I grew up, they mattered less. Our neighbors are our neighbors. End of story.
When the snow piles up and the heat has gone out; when your car runs out of gas and you’re stranded on the side of the road; when your child has wandered away and night is setting in, it doesn’t matter who comes to your rescue. They are your neighbor.
And if that neighbor is black or white or gay or straight or Christian or Jewish, it doesn’t matter. They’re there and they’re part of the community.
They’re familiar.
Somehow, people who are slightly different get absorbed into our small town life. They become ours; they become part of us. This is where I’m troubled.
Instead of accepting them, along with their differences, they’ve been accepted despite them.
Suddenly, we’re back to the beginning. Us versus them.
What we need to do is take a step out of our comfort zone. Accept the familiar and then some.
If it’s good for the goose… it’s good for another goose and that gander too. And the gander up the street? Yes, him too.
The attitude that’s made life in Sullivan County one I want to share with my daughter, the willingness to accept one’s neighbors, is one step ahead of the attitudes in states like Arkansas and Florida.
It’s what makes me proud to be not just a New Yorker but a native of this small corner of the state.
Can we extend it one more step?
Related Over at Strollerderby:
Mom Kicked Out of the PTA for Position on Prop 8
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Monday, November 17, 2008
Say Goodbye to Blanket Forts
If there was anything that could bring together a brother and sister with a wide age gap and a relationship akin to oil and water it was a rainy Saturday afternoon spent in the living room with a pile of blankets.
Make that the only thing.
But every family has to have something. And blanket forts provided the meaning fo
r my little brother's existence when I was a kid. They were merely the BANE of my mother's existence. After 20-some-odd years, I'm starting to understand why. Each time my daughter spreads a perfectly clean blanket across our floor to play "restaurant" or descends on the living room with arms full of babies who need to be wrapped up in warmth, I cringe. I just want my nice, neat, folded blanket to stay cat-fur free and ready for the next time I curl up with a good book. But let her miss out on rainy afternoons crawling in the fort?
Not on your life.
Connectables from The Happy Kid Company take fort-making to another level of imagination with bright nylon ripstop taking place of Mom's blankets and durable fabric tabs that keep the whole thing together. Imagine, a fort that won't fall in on your when you make a sudden movement! Reminiscent of the old gym class parachute, the ripstop will stand up to being dragged around the house to make a hideaway in the kitchen corner, hall beside the bedroom or the old living room standby.
Designed for ages 3 and up, Connectables can be used in conjunction with The Happy Kid Company's Fortamajig, another fort-making blanket replacement, or on its own.
So stow the blankets and let them connect with imagination.
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Make that the only thing.
But every family has to have something. And blanket forts provided the meaning fo
r my little brother's existence when I was a kid. They were merely the BANE of my mother's existence. After 20-some-odd years, I'm starting to understand why. Each time my daughter spreads a perfectly clean blanket across our floor to play "restaurant" or descends on the living room with arms full of babies who need to be wrapped up in warmth, I cringe. I just want my nice, neat, folded blanket to stay cat-fur free and ready for the next time I curl up with a good book. But let her miss out on rainy afternoons crawling in the fort?Not on your life.
Connectables from The Happy Kid Company take fort-making to another level of imagination with bright nylon ripstop taking place of Mom's blankets and durable fabric tabs that keep the whole thing together. Imagine, a fort that won't fall in on your when you make a sudden movement! Reminiscent of the old gym class parachute, the ripstop will stand up to being dragged around the house to make a hideaway in the kitchen corner, hall beside the bedroom or the old living room standby.
Designed for ages 3 and up, Connectables can be used in conjunction with The Happy Kid Company's Fortamajig, another fort-making blanket replacement, or on its own.
So stow the blankets and let them connect with imagination.
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Uneak Up on a Winner
I used to debate the point of spending money on funky socks just to have them hidden away inside their shoes. A multi-pack of plain white was just fine with me. The better for convincing my kid to keep her shoes on out in public (rather than whipping them off to show off her cute little booties).
I consider Uneaks a compromise - the sneakers with windows in the sides show off their snazzy socks, and they never have to pull them off. The
same old styles they'd wear anyway - think skate shoes and sneakers for boys and for girls - the Uneak twist lets them trot out their tootsies in something distinctive every day.
When I told Inside Out readers about the Madagascar socks that roar off the Uneak webpage, I promise a giveaway to come. And here it is: Want to win a set of shoes and socks for your little monkey's feet? The rules are the same as always - leave a comment to enter (tell me what other goodies you've found at Uneaks), and earn extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about the contest. Leave that link in comments.
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I consider Uneaks a compromise - the sneakers with windows in the sides show off their snazzy socks, and they never have to pull them off. The
same old styles they'd wear anyway - think skate shoes and sneakers for boys and for girls - the Uneak twist lets them trot out their tootsies in something distinctive every day.When I told Inside Out readers about the Madagascar socks that roar off the Uneak webpage, I promise a giveaway to come. And here it is: Want to win a set of shoes and socks for your little monkey's feet? The rules are the same as always - leave a comment to enter (tell me what other goodies you've found at Uneaks), and earn extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about the contest. Leave that link in comments.
AND! Because I don't like having to chase people down, I'm throwing in an extra entry. For the rest of November, new subscribers will be eligible for the Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo Wii or DS. So subscribe at left to be notified of new giveaways, who wins and all the rest of the Inside Out reviews!
The Uneaks contest will close November 24, 2008, and it's open to US and Canadian residents. Thanks for reading (make sure you sign up for the other ongoing giveaways).
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Sunday, November 16, 2008
I'm a Jezebel
I meant to share this awhile back, but I have a one-track mind . . . and too many trains jump off of it.
Jezebel (you know, the women's site) picked up one of my Strollerderby pieces on whether men really have a pregnancy fetish. Here's the link to Jezebel. . . click on it and follow it over to Strollerderby so you can read my original post.
Highlight: "Hello, McFly, she just made it with another guy and it's staring you in the face (and bumping you in the tummy)."
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Jezebel (you know, the women's site) picked up one of my Strollerderby pieces on whether men really have a pregnancy fetish. Here's the link to Jezebel. . . click on it and follow it over to Strollerderby so you can read my original post.
Highlight: "Hello, McFly, she just made it with another guy and it's staring you in the face (and bumping you in the tummy)."
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Give Them Sweet Dreams
My (unashamed) obsession with pajamas aside, the Pajama Program is one of those projects that makes me pathetically weepy.
The non-profit sends pajamas and a new book to children awaiting adoption around the world (yes, including kids here in America). For kids who could truly use extra love, they're providing sweet dreams when they drift off to sleep. Donations can be sent directly their way - now's a good time considering it's National Adoption Month.
But if you want to outfit two kids (your own included), MyBabyPajamas is offering a 15 percent discount on every sale through December 31 and sending a portion of the proceeds of every sale straight to the Pajama Program. Just use code Pajama15 at checkout (enter in "view cart" after choosing your jammies).
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The non-profit sends pajamas and a new book to children awaiting adoption around the world (yes, including kids here in America). For kids who could truly use extra love, they're providing sweet dreams when they drift off to sleep. Donations can be sent directly their way - now's a good time considering it's National Adoption Month.
But if you want to outfit two kids (your own included), MyBabyPajamas is offering a 15 percent discount on every sale through December 31 and sending a portion of the proceeds of every sale straight to the Pajama Program. Just use code Pajama15 at checkout (enter in "view cart" after choosing your jammies).
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Thursday, November 13, 2008
Mats on the Move
I didn't used to get skeeved out by germs. I was the queen of the five-second rule . . . and then some.Then I had a kid. What she won't put in her mouth I don't know. I've resorted to screaming, "no, that has cooties on it," when she reaches for the buckle on the grocery cart and starts pulling it toward her mouth. I thought she'd be well past this by 3, but apparently, my daughter is orally fixated. No, I don't want to think about what that means. She's 3 people.
Which also means she's still working on keeping things in one area when we go out to eat. Stuffed animal of the day will be 5 feet away from the chair, ketchup smeared down the side of the her cup, the whole nine.
Put 'em together, and what have you got? A skeeved out mom who is desperate to keep her food from getting germy. Hello Mobile Mats!
International Playthings has unveiled the two-in-one box of goodies that comes with disposable (or re-usable . . . read on) placemats that look like road ways and come with a car to drive on them. Adhesive strips on the back of the Mobile Mats guarantee they'll stay in place despite your child's best efforts to stick French fries beneath them. Leave the strips in place, and they're sturdy enough to be re-used for extra bang for the buck. And with 20 placemats, that's plenty of bang. Each box of Mobile Mats comes with a car for motoring around the mat. And check this out - the car is dishwasher safe.
So bring on the ketchup, the salt packets and the orange juice and tell the germs to move on out.
More Neuroses of the Mom Variety at Strollerderby:
Has Parenting Made You Neurotic? Join the Club
More Stuff Parents Dream About: Being Alone in the BathroomParents Say: Don't Reward My Kid
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Over the Knee and Out of My Wallet
There's one major problem with kids and cold. Convincing them that the two don't mix.
My daughter would wear a sundress in December if I let her, only to step out onto the porch and scream, "Mommmmmmmyyyyyy, I'm cold!" Try telling a 3-year-old, "I told you so."
Yeah, that's what I thought. Socks and tights. That's all I'm saying Mom. Socks and tights.
Now where to get them? Soft, funky and stay right where you want 'em knee socks and tights are the name of the game at Tote and Tee. The long pink light bright dots are my pick for warming up the knees in winter. Too girly for your little monkey (or little man?), keep looking. Tote and Tee keeps childhood kid-centric with alphabet tees that make them want to jump around and birthday hats scream "let's party."
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My daughter would wear a sundress in December if I let her, only to step out onto the porch and scream, "Mommmmmmmyyyyyy, I'm cold!" Try telling a 3-year-old, "I told you so."
Yeah, that's what I thought. Socks and tights. That's all I'm saying Mom. Socks and tights.
Now where to get them? Soft, funky and stay right where you want 'em knee socks and tights are the name of the game at Tote and Tee. The long pink light bright dots are my pick for warming up the knees in winter. Too girly for your little monkey (or little man?), keep looking. Tote and Tee keeps childhood kid-centric with alphabet tees that make them want to jump around and birthday hats scream "let's party."
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Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Girls Tutus - Half Off . . . in the Good Way
I am the definition of "non-prissy" mom. Apparently it's disgusting to wipe your kid's snot on the cuff of your jeans. Who knew?
But when I shared Prissy Poofs with y'all I wasn't blowing smoke up the frilly layers. My daughter is in love, so naturally, they've won me over. Now here's the good news - right now they're offering every single blessed poof at a deep discount! Yes, they've cast their wand price-ward, and poof . . . savings.
The price cut only lasts until the end of November, so do I need to tell you to get yourself over there?
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It Smells Like a Winner to Me
It's scratch and sniff meets the pop-up book with the cuteness of a puppy thrown in.
The newest book that needs to find a home on your child's book shelf is Mo Smells Red, a "press 2 smell experience." The book for kids follows Mo, a black and white spotted pooch with the hardest working schnoz in the book biz. Mo's sniffer picks up a series of red delights - strawberries, roses and more, teaching kids about colors with the surprise bonus of real scents thrown in!
Based on the rescue dog owned by illustrator Amanda Giacomini, the story by Margaret Hyde manages to put in words what a color can be and how a dog can sniff out the mysteries behind the hue. It's a magical story - and the donation from each sale that goes to Best Friends Animal Society allows this to double as a gift for your kids and a gift for animals in need this season.
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The newest book that needs to find a home on your child's book shelf is Mo Smells Red, a "press 2 smell experience." The book for kids follows Mo, a black and white spotted pooch with the hardest working schnoz in the book biz. Mo's sniffer picks up a series of red delights - strawberries, roses and more, teaching kids about colors with the surprise bonus of real scents thrown in!
Based on the rescue dog owned by illustrator Amanda Giacomini, the story by Margaret Hyde manages to put in words what a color can be and how a dog can sniff out the mysteries behind the hue. It's a magical story - and the donation from each sale that goes to Best Friends Animal Society allows this to double as a gift for your kids and a gift for animals in need this season.
Want to win one for your book shelf? The rules are the same as always - leave a comment to enter (tell me what other goodies you've found at Mo's Nose), and earn extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about the contest. Leave that link in comments.
AND! Because I don't like having to chase people down, I'm throwing in an extra entry. For the rest of November, new subscribers will be eligible for the Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo Wii or DS. So subscribe at left to be notified of new giveaways, who wins and all the rest of the Inside Out reviews!
The Mo Smells Red contest will close November 19, 2008, and it's open to US and Canadian residents. Thanks for reading (make sure you sign up for the other ongoing giveaways).
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Her Kids Win
The Stott Pilates giveaway winner I picked at random this morning with the help of my daughter - I told her to pick a number. She can actually count to 18 in English at the moment (when she wants to . . . when she's not telling me "I can't tell you how" ugggggggh), so I figured I'd give it a shot.
Her big number? 2. OK, so we tried. But hey, that's good for Dee, who is the winner of the Stott Pilates DVD. Dee shoot me an e-mail so I can mail out your DVD! The rest of you - get registering. The 13 Days of Giveaways start soon! And the Build a Bear Workshop games are only available to November subscribers! So subscribe at left to qualify.
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Her big number? 2. OK, so we tried. But hey, that's good for Dee, who is the winner of the Stott Pilates DVD. Dee shoot me an e-mail so I can mail out your DVD! The rest of you - get registering. The 13 Days of Giveaways start soon! And the Build a Bear Workshop games are only available to November subscribers! So subscribe at left to qualify.
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Babble Best: Piggybanks
The economy's in the toilet. What better time to start the kids on a saving program? I share my favorite piggybanks for bankrolling their education in this week's Babble Best: Piggybanks over at Babble! Spend a little . . . so you can save.
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If You Give a Cat a Cupcake
The Laura Numeroff "If You Give A . . . " series wormed its way into my heart with that little mouse and the enormous cookie years ago. Good news . . . she's not done.
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake is out on shelves, and Numeroff has once again given kids a way to walk in the pawprints of a cute critter on the quest for the next best thing. Although parents can recognize the logic and sequence the books are teaching, what makes
Numeroff's series a hit with kids is the sheer silliness of the situations (and accompanying illustrations) and the way it all makes sense in the end . . . to them anyway.
A sweet little girl offers up her sweet treat to a kitty, who of course asks for some sprinkles to go on it, and we're off. Coming 'round the bend after a series of requests, the cat has sand that somehow reminds him of sprinkles, and, well, you know what sprinkles remind him of!
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake is a sweet treat for kids who just want to know "what's next."
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If You Give a Cat a Cupcake is out on shelves, and Numeroff has once again given kids a way to walk in the pawprints of a cute critter on the quest for the next best thing. Although parents can recognize the logic and sequence the books are teaching, what makes
Numeroff's series a hit with kids is the sheer silliness of the situations (and accompanying illustrations) and the way it all makes sense in the end . . . to them anyway.A sweet little girl offers up her sweet treat to a kitty, who of course asks for some sprinkles to go on it, and we're off. Coming 'round the bend after a series of requests, the cat has sand that somehow reminds him of sprinkles, and, well, you know what sprinkles remind him of!
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake is a sweet treat for kids who just want to know "what's next."
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Do Me a Favor, Get an Answering Machine
To everyone who has signed up for caller ID to avoid getting an answering machine, a piece of advice: it doesn’t work.
At least six or seven times a week, a call goes out across the building here at the Democrat: “If you’ve called So-and-So please pick up line 5. They said this number showed up on their caller ID.”
Apparently, caller ID has created a world of people too anxious to let a call pass them by.
It has its uses – especially combined with call waiting, when you aren’t sure if you really need to break the connection with the first caller in favor of the second.
Working from home, I depend on the two to work in concert to let me know when I can blab away to a friend and when I need to cut things short and get to work. And when I’m in the midst of an important, work-related call, it lets me know my mother is trying to get ahold of me.
When a strange number comes up on the caller ID, the fact that I ignore it means it’s doing its job.
Also doing its job?
My answering machine, which lets “normal” callers with those strange numbers get ahold of me. If I’m home, and I hear the call, I might even answer right then and there.
I’ve been on the other end of that phone.
I know, I sound cranky. But I’ve had my blonde moments (which I can say, thanks to a tow-headed childhood).
I’ve called the wrong number more than once. I’ve called the newspaper – from the phone at my desk upstairs – when I was off in la-la-land.
I’ve called the doctor’s office when I meant to call the State Police barracks and vice versa – thanks to numbers that are just one digit apart.
If I’m lucky, I realize my mistake before I’ve bothered someone. I hang up.
I’ve also called people, only to realize they aren’t available, and hung up without a word. I needed them right then, but in an hour that call won’t make a difference – so there’s no sense leaving a message and making them call me back.
Oh, but they will.
If they’re one of those people who scrolls through the caller ID looking for something to do when they get home, they’ll hop on the phone.
And I’ll have to tell them, no, sorry, you just wasted your time.
Or they could just get an answering machine . . .
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At least six or seven times a week, a call goes out across the building here at the Democrat: “If you’ve called So-and-So please pick up line 5. They said this number showed up on their caller ID.”
Apparently, caller ID has created a world of people too anxious to let a call pass them by.
It has its uses – especially combined with call waiting, when you aren’t sure if you really need to break the connection with the first caller in favor of the second.
Working from home, I depend on the two to work in concert to let me know when I can blab away to a friend and when I need to cut things short and get to work. And when I’m in the midst of an important, work-related call, it lets me know my mother is trying to get ahold of me.
When a strange number comes up on the caller ID, the fact that I ignore it means it’s doing its job.
Also doing its job?
My answering machine, which lets “normal” callers with those strange numbers get ahold of me. If I’m home, and I hear the call, I might even answer right then and there.
I’ve been on the other end of that phone.
I know, I sound cranky. But I’ve had my blonde moments (which I can say, thanks to a tow-headed childhood).
I’ve called the wrong number more than once. I’ve called the newspaper – from the phone at my desk upstairs – when I was off in la-la-land.
I’ve called the doctor’s office when I meant to call the State Police barracks and vice versa – thanks to numbers that are just one digit apart.
If I’m lucky, I realize my mistake before I’ve bothered someone. I hang up.
I’ve also called people, only to realize they aren’t available, and hung up without a word. I needed them right then, but in an hour that call won’t make a difference – so there’s no sense leaving a message and making them call me back.
Oh, but they will.
If they’re one of those people who scrolls through the caller ID looking for something to do when they get home, they’ll hop on the phone.
And I’ll have to tell them, no, sorry, you just wasted your time.
Or they could just get an answering machine . . .
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Monday, November 10, 2008
She's Just a Baby, Bring Her Home
I've heard from a lot of moms that they'd like to see more stuff on the market for kids of various races. Whether their child has a doll of the same race as them doesn't seem to be the issue . . . they'd like to see their kids with baby dolls of other races!
Hearing that is the kind of thing that gives me hope. For moms to realize that they need to make their children's bedrooms as multi-cultural as the rest of the planet is a sign their kids might be the first generation to be truly color blind. I hope. I wish . . .
Want some help? How about a Water Baby from Wild Planet? The Water Babies have something a lot of dolls don't these days - a pricetag we can afford. At $34.95 for the "big" babies and $24.95 for the newborns, you're not breaking open their piggybanks to find someth
ing that doesn't fall apart or look like it came from beyond the crypt.
ing that doesn't fall apart or look like it came from beyond the crypt.Water Babies are relatively lifelike - not enough to be creepy - and their name comes from a special hole for Mom to fill them with water (I know what you're thinking . . . the valve holds it in, I promise). That extra water weight adds just enough heft to make it feel like they're cuddling a real baby - good for practicing for a new brother or sister. There are no moving parts, no walking, no talking. Nothing about the Water Babies cries out for batteries or a fake bottle. It's just good old-fashioned baby love - in the end, that's what makes them worth picking up. Who wants to cuddle the hard-as-rocks dolls that are chock full of electronics when you can have something a little closer to the real thing? And in a variety of ethnicities to make your baby feel at home anywhere . . .
My daughter has laid her clutches on her favorite Water Baby, but we're working on sharing around here. So I've got one baby up for grabs. Want to win? The rules are the same as always - leave a comment to enter (tell me what other goodies you've found at WildPlanet), and earn extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about the contest. Leave that link in comments.
AND! Because I don't like having to chase people down, I'm throwing in an extra entry. For the rest of November, new subscribers will be eligible for the Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo Wii or DS. So subscribe at left to be notified of new giveaways, who wins and all the rest of the Inside Out reviews!
The Water Babies contest will close November 17, 2008, and it's open to US and Canadian residents. Thanks for reading (make sure you sign up for the other ongoing giveaways).
Save a Little, Save a Lot
Remember the can't-live-without computer goody I shared on Inside Out this time last month?
The Clickfree is the brain-free way to save all those pictures of your pumpkin in case your hard drive has a melt-down. No muss, no fuss, and you don't lose anything . . .
I've got even better news! Now you can save $15 on a Clickfree and slip it into their stocking. Along with free shipping, that saves you a chunk of change to buy yourself something nice. Just visit the Clickfree site and enter the code at cfr3308 checkout.
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The Clickfree is the brain-free way to save all those pictures of your pumpkin in case your hard drive has a melt-down. No muss, no fuss, and you don't lose anything . . .
I've got even better news! Now you can save $15 on a Clickfree and slip it into their stocking. Along with free shipping, that saves you a chunk of change to buy yourself something nice. Just visit the Clickfree site and enter the code at cfr3308 checkout.
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Sunday, November 9, 2008
Two Giveaways, Two Winners and One More!
I know I'm a bit behind, but the giveaway for the Durtbagz bag went out to Durtbagz owner to be judged . . . so thanks to Erin's carefully sifting through the ideas, we finally have a winner:
Sandy's take on a Men Working or Men At Work sign bagged it: She said "men working- either a man sleeping and snoring or on the computer playing games and poker"
Sandy's a two-time winner, so I don't have to track her down. Which reminds me: if I haven't whined about it enough (me? whine? never . . .), I love giving stuff away but hate it when people don't claim their stuff. It means I have it sitting here, tempting me to keep it! And that would be baaaad.
So for all of you who might be tempted to comment and run, I've got the solution. Two new subscribers in the month of November will have their names pulled to win a Nintendo game from Game Factory Games! The perfect stocking stuffer, the Build a Bear Workshop a Friend Fur All Seasons game lets you bring home their favorite store . . . and keeps you from having to shell out more cash each time they want to build that bear. So subscribe now to get in on the winning.
One last announcement: the Jakfish giveaway for the comfy maternity clothes that keep you from looking dumpy (approximate rhyme there folks - I know, I know) was blown out of the water thanks to the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival.
I was happy the winner actually is pregnant and can really use a new Jakfish outfit! Kristin Wynder was the random.org pick of the day. She left her e-mail address in the comments, so no chasing her either.
Thanks to everyone for reading - make sure you check out the giveaways that are up right now and tell a friend or two - the 13 Days of Giveaways for the holidays will start on Black Friday.
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Sandy's take on a Men Working or Men At Work sign bagged it: She said "men working- either a man sleeping and snoring or on the computer playing games and poker"
Sandy's a two-time winner, so I don't have to track her down. Which reminds me: if I haven't whined about it enough (me? whine? never . . .), I love giving stuff away but hate it when people don't claim their stuff. It means I have it sitting here, tempting me to keep it! And that would be baaaad.
So for all of you who might be tempted to comment and run, I've got the solution. Two new subscribers in the month of November will have their names pulled to win a Nintendo game from Game Factory Games! The perfect stocking stuffer, the Build a Bear Workshop a Friend Fur All Seasons game lets you bring home their favorite store . . . and keeps you from having to shell out more cash each time they want to build that bear. So subscribe now to get in on the winning.
One last announcement: the Jakfish giveaway for the comfy maternity clothes that keep you from looking dumpy (approximate rhyme there folks - I know, I know) was blown out of the water thanks to the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival.
I was happy the winner actually is pregnant and can really use a new Jakfish outfit! Kristin Wynder was the random.org pick of the day. She left her e-mail address in the comments, so no chasing her either.
Thanks to everyone for reading - make sure you check out the giveaways that are up right now and tell a friend or two - the 13 Days of Giveaways for the holidays will start on Black Friday.
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Friday, November 7, 2008
Clean It Up
I'm dreading the holidays this year because I've let the house go to pot. I've got a new job, Jillian's going to school, Jonathan's going to school . . . who has time to clean? I get the big stuff, the gross stuff (we change the sheets, clean the toilet . . . that kind of thing).But clutter piles up like white on rice. I'm not asking for your pity - just close your eyes when you come in my house and keep 'em closed. I shared a few of my favorites for hiding the clutter (without filling the closet) in this week's PeekabooPicks column, but I couldn't leave Inside Out out in the cold.
PacEasy is making the closet clutter-free with its ToolBuddies (not just for him - a few wrenches and screwdrivers are necessary in today's electronic toy world) and PetBuddies. The long strips of heavy-duty canvas hang on a simple hook and fit tight to the wall to maximize space. With hooks, pockets and elastic strips to hold the little and big things alike, there's no more rooting around in the toolbox or back of the closet for everything you need.
So stuff their stocking with something that will keep their stuff in line.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Let Me Take You Back
I've reveled in every chance to give my daughter a little bit of my childhood. I can't be the only one who went pawing through my parents' house for the remnants that made it through my mother's overhaul after I moved out (come on guys, I'm not, am I?).
The memories of movies are especially dear; in part because my family didn't have television when I was a kid. We had what my dad jokingly referred to as "VCR-vision." It made me the fanatical reader I am today (for which I'll never complain), but it also made the movies we watched - many of which were borrowed from the local library - our link to the world that our friends were tied to. We were obsessive about our videos as much as any kid today can be about thei
r cable.
Where most of you have been waiting for your favorite tv series to hit DVD, I've been pouring through eBay for old Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals. Go ahead, laugh. I can do a mean "wash that man right outta my hair." But I'm going to join you out in "normal land" for a moment.
Because Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre did double duty in the '80s on Showtime and on video, the medium that made it into my house for my little brother and I to watch over and over and over again . . . until it had to make the trip back to the library.
Out in time for the holiday season from Koch Entertainment, Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre is not only a complete series but the equivalent of an entire DVD collection for the family. With the likes of Billy Crystal, Christopher Reeve, Matthew Broderick, Robin Williams and Susan Sarandon taking their star turns to bring the Grimm Brothers' to the small screen, and legendary directors managing the storytelling behind the screen, Faerie Tale Theatre was a pre-cursor to today's kids entertainment. Fun for kids, it was engaging for their parents.
Coupled with the card game and book in this special collection, the space this will fill in your movie library makes this worth the investment (and the admittedly higher than I'd usually pay price . . . remember, this is an entire series, 26 separate tales). One mom says she had to search far and wide for this one because it had already sold out - no doubt fueled by the same fond memories I've had. So buy early to get this under the tree!
BOGO for Books
I love two-fers. It brings out that "I got a deal, ha ha" in me. But when the two-fer includes two products I would have bought separately anyway, it's even better.
Nursery Rhyme Tease is a two-fer that's almost too good to be
true. The brainchild of a teacher, the tee-shirt and book combination gives your kids a comfy tee with their favorite nursery rhyme played out on the chest. Along for the ride? A book that tells the tale.
Creator Heather Sievers quotes a study published in the Journal of Child Development when she tells the tale of her tees. The study followed 2,500 families across North America and found that the children who were read to daily from infancy had more expressive vocabularies, more extensive vocabulary use and higher comprehension skills. Putting a book in the hands of every kid is part of Sievers' plan, and her Nursery Rhyme Tease double the efforts with tee-shirts that serve as a tease into the story.
The kids are proud when they recognize a piece of their story on their chests, and that pride translates to a desire to get crackin' on that book. Mom gets 'em dressed; Mom gets 'em reading. Yup, sounds like a two-fer for me.
Some more fun at Strollerderby:
Dressing the Family Alike: Cheesy or Check It Out?
Crafty: Make a Green Owl With "Oh My GAWD" Janice from Friends
Happy Birthday Cookie Monster: C is Still For Cookie Thirty-Nine Years Later
World's Cutest Monkey Rejected by His Mom
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Nursery Rhyme Tease is a two-fer that's almost too good to be
true. The brainchild of a teacher, the tee-shirt and book combination gives your kids a comfy tee with their favorite nursery rhyme played out on the chest. Along for the ride? A book that tells the tale.Creator Heather Sievers quotes a study published in the Journal of Child Development when she tells the tale of her tees. The study followed 2,500 families across North America and found that the children who were read to daily from infancy had more expressive vocabularies, more extensive vocabulary use and higher comprehension skills. Putting a book in the hands of every kid is part of Sievers' plan, and her Nursery Rhyme Tease double the efforts with tee-shirts that serve as a tease into the story.
The kids are proud when they recognize a piece of their story on their chests, and that pride translates to a desire to get crackin' on that book. Mom gets 'em dressed; Mom gets 'em reading. Yup, sounds like a two-fer for me.
Some more fun at Strollerderby:
Dressing the Family Alike: Cheesy or Check It Out?
Crafty: Make a Green Owl With "Oh My GAWD" Janice from Friends
Happy Birthday Cookie Monster: C is Still For Cookie Thirty-Nine Years Later
World's Cutest Monkey Rejected by His Mom
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Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Listen Up!
Congrats to Neen - her entry into the I Sit and Stay giveaway was chosen by random.org (officially it was number 12 that was chosen - and she's it). She has 72 hours to contact me to collect her book and kit for her kids.
Other giveaways are up and going, so check them out . . . and anyone who subscribes in the month of November will be entered to win the new Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo DS or Nintendo Wii from Game Factory Games. No more doling out the dough time after time for another stuffed animal that will be buried in the bottom of their toy box! Two November subscribers will win, so subscribe now. . . button on the left of the page will send Inside Out to your e-mail every day.
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Other giveaways are up and going, so check them out . . . and anyone who subscribes in the month of November will be entered to win the new Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo DS or Nintendo Wii from Game Factory Games. No more doling out the dough time after time for another stuffed animal that will be buried in the bottom of their toy box! Two November subscribers will win, so subscribe now. . . button on the left of the page will send Inside Out to your e-mail every day.
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Animals All of Them
In case your kids have't pestered you enough, did you know Madagascar 2 is hitting theaters this weekend? For kids who like to wear their hearts on their feet, I've got good news.
My daughter's new favorite footwear company, Uneaks, has unveiled a line of its funky socks that are all about the animal escapees. The socks are only half of the company that sells shoes for kids who want to make every day "uneak," but that's coming later (think giveaway guys, think one of the best giveaways ever . . . so you'd better be checking back every day or subscribing for this one!).
Why pony up for Uneaks' socks alone? Thick enough to keep them warm and stand up to feet on the go, Uneaks' socks stay on! No more yanking them up and yanking them up and . . . you know. Madagascar for their feet will look sweet sticking out of their stocking this holiday . . . and if you get over there now, you can get an extra pair! In honor of the movie's debut, Uneaks is offering buy three socks, get one set free, plus free shipping.
Count Me In: a Thomas the Train Giveaway
George Carlin clinched it for me. I'm a Thomas the Tank Engine fan. But train tracks are expensive . . . and they always end up underfoot. Then there's that lead scare.
So I've spent some time looking other Thomas options to keep my daughter from developing a serious case of train envy this holiday. I should have known I'd fall back on Briarpatch. The game company that put up a Fancy Nancy game for an Inside Out giveaway a few weeks ago has taken character play in an intelligent direction.
With a wide variety for a wide age range and sturdy construction, the games have won their place in my daughter's closet without much competition on the horizon. I named a few of my family game night favorites over at PeekabooPicks in October, but now we've got Thomas on the brain.
The Thomas Great Race Game chugged to the front of the pack with tracks that make it seem like you've got a railway station set up in the living room and a number theme that makes learning a second thought. Shoving it down their throats doesn't work, but the game makes them have to focus on what numbers are on the cards and blocks. It adds to the fun instead of subtracting (yeah, yeah, it's punny).
Of course, if you ask, you receive . . . so I've secured an extra Thomas Great Race Game for one Inside Out reader! The rules are the same as always - leave a comment to enter (tell me what you like on the Briarpatch page), and earn extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about the contest. Leave that link in comments.
AND! Because I don't like having to chase people down, I'm throwing in an extra entry. For the rest of November, new subscribers will be eligible for the Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo Wii or DS. So subscribe at left to be notified of new giveaways, who wins and all the rest of the Inside Out reviews!
The Thomas contest will close November 12, 2008, and it's open to US and Canadian residents. Thanks for reading!
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So I've spent some time looking other Thomas options to keep my daughter from developing a serious case of train envy this holiday. I should have known I'd fall back on Briarpatch. The game company that put up a Fancy Nancy game for an Inside Out giveaway a few weeks ago has taken character play in an intelligent direction.
With a wide variety for a wide age range and sturdy construction, the games have won their place in my daughter's closet without much competition on the horizon. I named a few of my family game night favorites over at PeekabooPicks in October, but now we've got Thomas on the brain.
The Thomas Great Race Game chugged to the front of the pack with tracks that make it seem like you've got a railway station set up in the living room and a number theme that makes learning a second thought. Shoving it down their throats doesn't work, but the game makes them have to focus on what numbers are on the cards and blocks. It adds to the fun instead of subtracting (yeah, yeah, it's punny).
Of course, if you ask, you receive . . . so I've secured an extra Thomas Great Race Game for one Inside Out reader! The rules are the same as always - leave a comment to enter (tell me what you like on the Briarpatch page), and earn extra entries by grabbing my badge and/or blogging about the contest. Leave that link in comments.
AND! Because I don't like having to chase people down, I'm throwing in an extra entry. For the rest of November, new subscribers will be eligible for the Build-A-Bear Workshop game for Nintendo Wii or DS. So subscribe at left to be notified of new giveaways, who wins and all the rest of the Inside Out reviews!
The Thomas contest will close November 12, 2008, and it's open to US and Canadian residents. Thanks for reading!
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Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Flu Shot? We Got It
Number one thing I miss about being a kid: you never feel self-conscious. We were in a room full of adults, a good portion of which were at least 50 years old.
At the minimum, she was “out-aged” by a good 20 years, 80 years by some.
I don’t know if it was the time of day (mid-afternoon, when most kids are at school); the place (the Town Hall in Jeffersonville) or if the flu clinics offered by Sullivan County Public Health Services are always so sparsely attended by parents.
As much as we love our pediatrician, the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone appealed to me. So we opted not to call his office for the flu shot this year.
Instead we headed to one of more than a dozen flu shot clinics offered every year by Public Health.
I took pictures for the Democrat to remind the rest of you that it’s time to get your flu shot (and public health offers the chance to do it), and I queued up with my daughter to get her the shot that we hope will keep her free of the flu for another season.
She eyed up the competition. Not another toddler in sight, plenty of grey-haired ladies. This was a crowd she could work.
And work it she did.
When she started to fidget, began making a move for the door, they offered her alternatives.
“What are you dressing as for Halloween? Look here on my shirt, look, it’s a kitty. Do you have a kitty?”
By the time we’d gotten to the front of the line so I could write out my check, she had collected more “awwws” than most of us get in a lifetime. Then the Public Health employee checking us in ponied up two lollipops and a handful of stickers.
She was in heaven. There was nothing that could bring her down.
Not even a needle in the arm.
She didn’t flinch. She didn’t cry.
She just hopped off of my lap and went running to Callicoon Town Clerk Janet Brahm, who’d already promised her another lollipop.
It pays to be a kid.
It also proves all of you who wuss out on the flu shot are bigger babies than a baby.
If my kid can do it, so can you. Public Health in Sullivan County has a host of clinics left on its schedule, or you can call the Liberty office for other options.
Don’t feel self-conscious – they’re waiting for your call.
They might even give you a lollipop.
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At the minimum, she was “out-aged” by a good 20 years, 80 years by some.
I don’t know if it was the time of day (mid-afternoon, when most kids are at school); the place (the Town Hall in Jeffersonville) or if the flu clinics offered by Sullivan County Public Health Services are always so sparsely attended by parents.
As much as we love our pediatrician, the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone appealed to me. So we opted not to call his office for the flu shot this year.
Instead we headed to one of more than a dozen flu shot clinics offered every year by Public Health.
I took pictures for the Democrat to remind the rest of you that it’s time to get your flu shot (and public health offers the chance to do it), and I queued up with my daughter to get her the shot that we hope will keep her free of the flu for another season.
She eyed up the competition. Not another toddler in sight, plenty of grey-haired ladies. This was a crowd she could work.
And work it she did.
When she started to fidget, began making a move for the door, they offered her alternatives.
“What are you dressing as for Halloween? Look here on my shirt, look, it’s a kitty. Do you have a kitty?”
By the time we’d gotten to the front of the line so I could write out my check, she had collected more “awwws” than most of us get in a lifetime. Then the Public Health employee checking us in ponied up two lollipops and a handful of stickers.
She was in heaven. There was nothing that could bring her down.
Not even a needle in the arm.
She didn’t flinch. She didn’t cry.
She just hopped off of my lap and went running to Callicoon Town Clerk Janet Brahm, who’d already promised her another lollipop.
It pays to be a kid.
It also proves all of you who wuss out on the flu shot are bigger babies than a baby.
If my kid can do it, so can you. Public Health in Sullivan County has a host of clinics left on its schedule, or you can call the Liberty office for other options.
Don’t feel self-conscious – they’re waiting for your call.
They might even give you a lollipop.
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Just Be . . . Whoever
On election day every year, I always tromp out the same old, same old. I don't care who you vote for, just do it. But there's something about being a parent that has made that plea that much more urgent. 
The "kids are our future" cliche? Not a cliche when you're a parent. Because as long as kids keep dreaming big about the future, we're OK.
Fostering their dreams with a t-shirt from Just Be, a line that lets them be whoever they want to be. A punk? A princess? Muddy? Green? The soft cotton tees are just $15 apiece, and they tell the true story of the future. As long as our kids can just be . . . we'll be OK.
Oh, by the way, they've got men's and women's tees too - under $30 (most well under), you don't have to break the bank to let the world know who you want to be today, tomorrow and the rest of your life.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Your Kids Win Too
I've never been an "exercise" kind of girl. Thus exercise in quotes. I'm sorry, I wish I could be a skinny mini who spends her days at the gym. But I've never met a piece of chocolate I didn't like.
Which is where the winter gets me in trouble. I hate the gym. Sorry, hate is a word and it's a word I throw around like my kid throws tantrums. I'm just not a "get up, dress in workout clothes and run to a place where I have to pay to sweat in front of skinny people" kind of person.
But winter hits, and my butt grows because I'm now home with nowhere to walk. Oh, and did I mention that chocolate obsession? Then there's my poor child, who is absolutely bouncing off the walls because Mommy is not much of a fan of the outdoors during the winter either. Have I mentioned I hate the cold?
OK, so I'm sort of cranky sometimes - we all have to find ways to get past this. And I have. I have opted for exercise inside the comfort of my home, where no one has to watch the bat wings fly (if you know what I'm talking about ladies, I feel for you - they're not fun). Better still, I've found a way to harness my daughter's energy.
I'm talking about Stott Pilates Kids DVDs. Yes, I know what you're thinking - bouncy chick with no butt and a grin that's too wide. No, I promise you. This is a fit mama, yes, because she IS a pilates instructor. But the Stott Pilates Kids movie (video sounds so '90s) is split into quadrants with her showing four different kids how to do a set of exercises. It's calm, which is a marked difference from those annoying '80s workout videos. It's also geared toward kids, with children of different age groups featured in each segment. The child on-screen is put through his (or her) paces by the instructor, giving kids and moms at home an example of what to do. As the DVD continues, the age of the kid onscreen increases, and the workout intensifies. So Mom continues to get a workout while the kids wander off to do their thing - leaving her alone for a few blessed minutes to workout.
Oh, and about that workout. If you haven't tried Pilates, I will admit it's the one class I took several sessions of and would have continued with if I didn't have a child at home and bills to pay. This is from someone who HATES exercise and HATES the gym. But it was relatively easy and dealt with building muscles that have been weakened greatly by the day-to-day grind of motherhood. We bend to pull kids out of carseats. We lug diaper bags and hear "up, please" all day - we hurt.
Stott Pilates Kids DVD allows you to incorporate your kids into something you need to do for yourself. And with them on board, it makes it harder to skip out on something you would otherwise excuse yourself right out of.
Which is why I'm handing out a Stott Pilates Kids DVD to one lucky Inside Out reader this week - to get you guys ready for winter. Want to win? You know the drill. Check out their Website, browse around and let me know if there's anything else that looks appealing. Maybe make some suggestions for winter workouts in comments . . .
For extra entries, as always, grab my badge and/or blog about the contest, then leave the link in comments. The contest will close on Monday, November 10, and it's open to residents of the US and Canada only. Make sure you check back to see if you're a winner, or subscribe to be the first to know about any of our giveaways. I don't need to chase down winners!
Ever Met a Happy Heiny?
Remember the utter fear every time the baby rolled closer to the pin? The cloth diaper that just wouldn't fit tight, no matter how much you yanked and pulled?
OK, me neither. My parents were disposable diaper usin' fools, and I was too. But I do have a cousin who sewed her own cloth diapers. God bless you Ardis. I guess I'm from the shallow end of the gene pool.
But for those of you with much firmer convictions than me (yeah, I'm a sell-out, I admit it), I had to share. Happy Heinys are one-size fits most cloth diapers that are as cute as their name. Yeah, yeah, they sold me with their monkey print, but there's no monkey business going on here.
With a kid who is potty trained (thank goodness), I had to test these out the old-fashioned way - playing in the water. And my willing accomplice (who goes by the nickname water monkey, but that's a whole other story) soaked the daylights out of these. No leaking, no nothing.
Then the Happy Heinys size test. We tried them on EVERY stuffed animal, I kid you not. One size fits all? Well, all except the mega Melissa and Doug giraffe, but I can sit on that thing without it giving way. That's one massive kids toy.
So make 'em happy, and maybe they'll reward you with a few fewer blowouts. Hey, it's worth a try, don't you think?
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OK, me neither. My parents were disposable diaper usin' fools, and I was too. But I do have a cousin who sewed her own cloth diapers. God bless you Ardis. I guess I'm from the shallow end of the gene pool.
But for those of you with much firmer convictions than me (yeah, I'm a sell-out, I admit it), I had to share. Happy Heinys are one-size fits most cloth diapers that are as cute as their name. Yeah, yeah, they sold me with their monkey print, but there's no monkey business going on here.
With a kid who is potty trained (thank goodness), I had to test these out the old-fashioned way - playing in the water. And my willing accomplice (who goes by the nickname water monkey, but that's a whole other story) soaked the daylights out of these. No leaking, no nothing.
Then the Happy Heinys size test. We tried them on EVERY stuffed animal, I kid you not. One size fits all? Well, all except the mega Melissa and Doug giraffe, but I can sit on that thing without it giving way. That's one massive kids toy.
So make 'em happy, and maybe they'll reward you with a few fewer blowouts. Hey, it's worth a try, don't you think?
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