Momathon Blog

"Real" Bookstore Browsing Online

I am a fan of online shopping. And I love books. When I discovered Zoomii--a "real" bookstore online that replicates the browsing of bookstore--I fell deeply in love. 

The books available on Zoomii.com are Amazon.com books at Amazon's great prices, thanks to their affiliate program.

Check it out in the YouTube video below.

French Cooking School--No Passport Required

My home economist mom taught me how to make mouthwatering midwestern meals with garden-fresh veggies, Norwegian salmon, and Scandinavian cookies. I never knew why people made such a big deal about French cooking until I worked at a French restaurant staffed almost entirely by chefs who never spoke a word of English. Besides improving my French, I discovered a whole new world of spices and sauces. 

If you want to learn how to pan sear tuna or grill a rack of lamb sesame style without leaving the US, check out the EVOO Cannon  Beach Cooking School on the Oregon coast. No passport required. Chef Robert Neroni leads the classes. The school offers a wide variety of classes. A 2-day Vegetarian Fundamental class in June where students learn to plan menus and create vegetarian meals is $125/day. The Dinner Show class featuring coriander seared wild salmon, halibut and grilled prosciutto, garlic seared lamb chop, and strawberry sorbet shortcake with whipped creme fraiche is a festive three course format--2 1/2 hours of dinner, entertainment, and lively interactive educational  banter--$89 per person.

Go Around the World with Key Spices

Some days being a mom takes all the fun out of cooking. Trying to find a meal that pleases everyone at dinner is never an easy task. Basically, I have given up trying. Instead when the schedule permits, I try to make meals that involve the kids in the kitchen. When they help out, the meal is always more fun. 

That's why I love versatile recipes that are simple to make--like the recipes by chef Mark Bittman featuring international spices on a recent segment on the TODAY Show. Imagine just alternating a four spices you keep on hand and creating a dee-lish international meal.

In the video below Bittman shows how to stock an international kitchen. With Bittman's spice advice you can turn an ordinary meal into an international dish that is a crowd pleaser.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

International Spice Checklist according to Mark Bittman, a guest chef on the TODAY Show.

India

Curry Powder

Coconut Milk

Fresh Ginger

Mint

Mexican

Chili Powder

Cilantro

Fresh Chilies

Lime

Southeast Asia

Coconut Milk

Fish Sauce (or Soy Sauce)

Lime

Cilantro

China

Soy Sauce

Sesame Oil

Five Spice Powder

Garlic

Six Easy Steps to Save 60 Gallons of Water a Day

It has been raining like crazy all month here and it's all too easy to forget about the fact we still need to conserve water.

According to Planet Green here are 6 easy things you can do to save big:

Take a 5-minute shower instead of a 10-minute shower (Savings: 12.5 gallons)

Put a bottle filled with gravel in your toilet tank (Savings: 7.5 gallons)

Turn off the water while brushing teeth and sharing (Savings: 8 gallons)

Filling your dishwasher to max capacity (Savings: 2 gallons)

Mulching your garden (Savings: 25 gallons)

Fix that leaky faucet (Savings: 5 gallons)

TOTAL Water Savings: 60 gallons

Don't forget to talk to your kids about the water saving tips. If you do, your family could save more than 60 gallons today. You can follow PlanetGreen.com on Twitter  

(Thanks for the tips Planet Green.)

Kids and Household Chores

Do your kids have household chores each week? Nothing ever goes exactly as planned at my house and unfortunately some chores get lost in our hectic schedule. Not the best idea. According to Fiona Purdon "Experts say household chores could dictate a child's success in later life."

At my house I've found the best way to make sure the chores get done is to stick to a routine. I even put the chores on a chart for the kids to read (or add photos for younger kids). If you have a regular schedule with a set chore routine it is also easier to check to see if the kitchen floor got vacuumed or the dog was fed dinner. 

My kids love to procrastinate and this can make their To Do list of chores linger for hours...even days. I hate this. Now I set a specific time as a deadline and once the chores are done, then the kids get to go and play, watch, TV or whatever.

"There's a lot of good things about household chores because they teach kids social and organisational skills, to be an active member of a group and make a contribution and take on responsibility which is something that is good to learn early and to carry on later in life. Kids have to learn life is not all about having fun and play," says  Curtin University psychologis Melissa Davis in the Essential Baby article Recipe for domestic harmony.

My kids like to compare what they are expected to do with what their friends have to do for chores. And they want to know if a friend gets a bigger allowance for doing daily/weekly chores. I don't have a great answer for this discrepancy. Every family has different standards and different expectations. This explanation never seems to satisfy my kids when they have friends with no chores. All I can do then is tell my kids that in our house we have our own rules for chores, we don't follow a community guideline for chores. 

Summer Reading for Crafters

I love to make things: Sew, cook, draw, paint, knit, bead, and more. Reading a crafting book always motivates me to start a new project.

Now more and more women are turning their love of crafts into a business. Here are a few books that just might inspire you to do the same.

Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business

Meg Mateo Ilasco

Designer, writer and pro crafter Meg Mateo Ilasco offers a step-by-step guide to everything from developing products and naming the company to writing a business plan, applying for licenses, and paying taxes. 

My favorite part: In-depth interviews with such craft luminaries as Jonathan Adler, Lotta Jansdotter, Denyse Schmidt, and Jill Bliss provide inspiration and practical advice.

Country Living Crafting a Business: Make Money Doing What You Love

Kathie Fitzgerald

If you are thinking of starting a home-based craft business, this book by the editors of Country Living tells the real-life success stories of women artisans.

My favorite part: Even if you are only interested in one type of craft, the diversity of in-depth profiles featured in this book is a real plus. As crafters we can learn so much from successful women--from hand-weaving, doll making, and rug hooking to travel, interior design, and photography. Filled with great advice on how to get started, develop a saleable product, organize a company, market your goods, manage the finances, and handle staffing.

Be Happy: Do One Nice Thing

Want to make the world a better place and feel better yourself? It all starts when you do one nice thing. When you help someone out, it gives you hope too.

According to Debbie Tenzer, author of the book Do One Nice Thing, being nice can be habit-forming. Find out how Debbie got hooked on being nice in the video below. 

When you view this video, a donation will be given to Feeding America, the nations food bank network.

Check out this link for more information on Debbie and Do One Nice Thing™.

Are You LinkedIn?

Mompreneurs are LinkedIn. Are you? A LinkedIn mom is the one who networks on the web instead of the soccer fields or at PTO meetings. Over 40 million professionals use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. The best part of this networking site is the fact it's not just a group of connections, at LinkedIn your network is alive and easy to navigate.

According to the media gurus at wowOwow, LinkedIn is: 

"A network for professional connections, and instead of sharing info on your children and pets, you share business information. It is a fantastic networking tool for job searching and for promoting a business or service. It also doubles as a terrific database for all your business contacts."

If you know how Facebook or Twitter works, then you know how important social networking sites can be. LinkedIn offers a professional slant on networking.

Want to get started? Check out the simple step-by-step direction by the gals at wowOwow: How to Get Started on LinkedIn. You can also find out how to grow your network to help you get your message out to the appropriate contacts. Just check out this wowOwow link.

The YouTube video clip below explains LinkedIn in plain English.

Social networking can be time consuming and it would be overwhelming to join every social networking site out there. Sree Sreenivasan in a 

WSJ.com article suggests limiting your networking to two or three sites. In the same article, brand strategist Catherine Kaputa and author of "U R A Brand" says LinkedIn should be on your short list, "It is the one crucial place to be if you are a business executive, professional or entrepreneur."

Do You Need a Sleep Makeover?

Look into my eyes. You're feeling sleepy... Very sleepy... 

If you're a mom, you probably don't need to hear a hypnotist's voice to make you fall asleep. Sleep deprivation is a fact of mommy life. The problem is squeezing in enough sleep seems impossible for most moms. 

You probably have your our own way to deal with sleep deprivation. Caffeine gives a jump start to help you feel more energized. Chocolate anything makes you smile. But nothing makes your sleepy head feel refreshed like a good night's sleep.

It's time to change your sleep patterns with a sleep makeover. BlogHer cofounder Jory Des Jardins and life coach Laurie Santos offer simple steps to get a better night's sleep in a new web episode of The Juice, "A Good Night for a Good Morning."  

Sending warm mommy hugs to my friends at BlogHer for including tips from my Momathon Blog in your The Juice episode!

Geeky Mom: Stay Ahead of Your Kids with All Things Digital App

My kiddos think they are the experts on all things tech. I admit I use them. For FREE. They are best tech consultants in my neighborhood. But sometimes I want to catch up and maybe even know something new and cool first.

I am a fan of AllThingsDigital on the WSJ.com. Sometimes I read their columns and I think tech gurus Mossberg, Swisher, Paczkowski, Kafka, and Boehret can read my mind. Has someone implanted a chip up there?

Now these clever folks offer a new cool All Things Digital app for the iPhone and iPod touch. It features their daily columns, blogs, video, product reviews, and more formatted for easy use on your iPhone or iPod. For more info on this app check out Swisher's column here.

Go get the ATD at the iTunes App Store. It's FREE!

Momathon Fave: New Moon Girls Magazine

Finding a magazine for girls that isn't loaded with diet advice, popularity contests and ads might seem impossible. That is, until you discover the wonderful New Moon Girls Magazine.

"New Moon Girls magazine is about helping girls discover and honor their true selves, engage in meaningful pursuits and dialogue, and express their voices in ways that matter."

In every issue readers will find: 

• Articles about girl athletes, adventurers, and activists
• Girls internationally teaching readers about countries and cultures
• Features about women in careers that girls can aspire to 
• Life stories about fascinating historical women 
• Fiction stories about girls 
• Honest, accurate information about our bodies
• Inspirational messages from accomplished girls and women 
• Book reviews, cartoons, Ask a Girl, Dear Luna, and more 

You can read a full issue at this New Moon link.

Am I a Salt-aholic?

You've probably heard all the news stories about the fact Americans consume way too much salt. I admit I am a salt lover--not quite a salt-aholic. I don't carry a salt shaker in my purse, but I do crave salty snacks more than sweet. I always thought I was managing my cravings within healthy guidelines, but now I am wondering.

How much is too much salt?

Less than a teaspoon of salt a day is okay. That translates into a maximum daily dose of about 2,300 mg of salt for healthy adults according to the recommendation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

I am guessing I probably get more than a teaspoon of salt a day in the packaged foods I love like cheese, crackers, cereal, and soups. Salt is added to practically everything. Even bread and chocolate. I'm afraid to check the sodium amounts on the cartons of ice cream in my freezer!

If you eat in a restaurant, you probably are getting too much salt in your diet. Before you place your order, consider the ingredients. You can also check out the sodium levels in restaurant meals as reported in an online resource such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The bottom line: Shop for low-salt alternatives. Read package labels for sodium content. Buy more REAL FOOD like fruits and veggies.

For more tips on how to slash the salt in your diet check out these links

Learn to Shake the Salt Habit- msnbc.com

Sodium: Are you getting too much? - MayoClinic.com

Why Should We Love Our Bees?

If you like flowers and fruit and veggies, then you need to thank our busy bees for all the hard work they do. A third of the food we eat depends on bees for pollination, but the honeybees are disappearing fast. Why are they disappearing? The cause is still unknown, but scientists call this environmental issue Colony Collapse Disorder (CDC). Without the honeybees for pollination, the fruits, vegetables and flowers will disappear too. 

Burt's Bees recently made it a priority to educate the public about CCD. According to Burt's Bees:  "CCD is a mysterious disorder causing the disappearance of millions of honeybees that if left unsolved, could affect the availability of the food we eat." Häagen-Dazs - Help the Honey Bees also wants to "keep these little heroes buzzing" and get the word out.

The good news is you and your kids can work together to help save the bees too:

• Support your local organic farmer.
• Plant a seed a create a bee-friendly garden in your backyard, deck, or a neighborhood park.
• Make a donation to programs that support research into CCD. Pennsylvania State University and University of California at Davis have two of the world´s leading honey bee research facilities.  

Donate to the Penn State Entomology - AG Science Haagen Dazs Honey Bee Project

Donate to the UC Davis Honeybee Research Fund

Geeky Mom: Finding a Better iPhone Case

My latest geeky quest: finding a better iPhone case. I want something tough because as every mom knows, when kids are around no gadget is safe. 

The case I have right now is ultra tough, but at the price of making it difficult to use the iPhone. When you can't answer the phone on the go or type a text message without bruising your fingertips, then something has to go. My current case, that is.

I want a case that is durable and functional. Oh, and the cute factor helps. Here are just a few I am considering. I will let you know my choice soon. 

iCooly Clip Case

Clip it on your pocket or let it stand on your desk. Best part: the swiveling clip/stand can be rotated and positioned for standing (or carrying) horizontally/vertically. $33

 

OtterBox iPhone 3G Impact Case and iPhone 3G Defender Case // OtterBox.com

According to the OtterBox website, these cases offer impact absorbing features in a non-slip grip Silicone form. The buttons are easy to access right through the case. $49.95

iPhone Juice Pack

This one is spendy at $99, but it is a multi-tasker. Case doubles as an iPhone charger.

Uses a rechargeable lithium polymer battery in a non-slip grip case. Heres the scoop on the amount of time battery provides:

• Standby time--up to 3500 hours
• Talk time--up to 6 hours on 3G
• Audio playback time--up to 28 hours
• Video playback time--up to 8 hours

One Dad's Thoughts on Mother's Day

At Scott Simon's home "every day is mother's day." Recently Simon, "Weekend Edition Saturday" host on NPR, talked about a typical day for his wife--a full-time mother who "doesn't work." Simon says:

"She has four minutes a day to herself and eats only Cheerios that fall on the floor. She works 15 hours a day with no breaks or mandated meals, 365 days a year with no real vacations. Our daughters feel free to cough up and sneeze things into her hands. If Samuel Gompers heard about my wife's working conditions, he'd say, 'Organize and fight!'"

You can check out the complete story by Scott Simon as well as the audio file on this Weekend Edition link: At My Place, Every Day Is Mother's Day : NPR.

Sending warm mommy hugs to all those wonderful moms out there.  

What Do You Do All Day?

In honor of Mother's Day on Sunday I am posting The Mom Song again. Practically everything a mom says in a 24 hour period set to the William Tell Overture.

Create Memorable Mother's Day Cards with Smilebox

Put a smile on your mom's face with one-of-a-kind Mother's Day cards from Smilebox.com. It's so easy:

1. You pick the style you want from dozens of lovely designs online at Smilebox. 
2. Next insert your favorite pictures, videos, music, and your words. (You can also use the text and music supplied by Smilebox.) 
3. Email, blog, print, or burn it to a DVD

Clever Children's Book Is Also an iPhone App

Making a smooth transition back to work is not easy for new moms. The book Oscar the Pig by Megan Calhoun, the founder of Twittermoms, aims to help moms and their young kids adjust to the changes including the feelings of separation anxiety. In the book, Oscar the Pig's mom is going back to work. And Oscar is just a little worried. Fortunately, Oscar now has also has a lovable but eccentric nanny hen who takes Oscar on magical adventures to other cultures. Now Oscar has fun adventures and discoveries to share with his mom when she gets home from work.

Oscar the Pig is now available from iKids iPlay in an app format with five interactive activities on iTunes for 2.99. 

Acccording to Jenrab at blog The Next Kid Thing, with the Oscar the Pig app "kids can rub the screen to reveal hidden pages; the book becomes a coloring book with the stroke of a little finger, which can later be sent to grandma via email; storytime can enjoyed with automatic page turns and beginning readers can read, record and replay as they grasp their new reading abilities."

Here are the five app activities listed on the App Shopper:

• RUB - Rub the screen with your finger to reveal the hidden picture book pages.
• COLOR - Classic coloring book using a finger as the crayon. Save and email to mom, dad and grandparents.
• STORY - Enjoy a video story time, narration and page turns included.
• READ - Read, record and playback the picture book
• PAINT - Digital finger painting. Save and email to mom, dad and grandparents.
  

You Never Really Stop Being a Mom

I don't think we ever outgrow needing our moms. I'm not saying the relationship between daughters (or sons) and our moms never changes. Fortunately we both grow up over the years. Sure, we might relapse once and while. As a mom, I still try to wipe off Oreo cookie crumbs clinging to the corners of my teenager's mouth. The truth: as much as kids, teens, and grownup kids push their moms away, we are all still deeply grateful because our moms always care about us.

Bestselling author Kelly Corrigan wrote a wonderful memoir The Middle Place  that talks about being caught between childhood and adulthood. They say a mother's love knows no bounds. I agree. And apparently, that also includes the sections of the bookstore where Corrigan's books are sold. For over a year, Corrigan's mom has been stopping by the bookstore and helping out a bit with the shelving of her daughter's books.

Check out the YouTube video below and hear Corrigan's heartwarming story of her mom's "shelf awareness."

Thank goodness for moms like Mary Corrigan. If you were Kelly's mom, wouldn't you do the very same thing?

Sending warm mommy hugs to my mom, Mary Corrigan and all the moms who help us even when we think we are all grown up. Happy Mother's Day!

You Can't Overestimate the Power of Giving

Blake Mykoskie calls himself the Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS Shoes. For every pair of canvas shoes his company sells, they give a pair away to a child in need.

This year the company's goal is to give away over 300,000 pairs of shoes.

Since the company's beginning in 2006, TOMS Shoes has given over 140,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina, Ethiopia, and South Africa. 

Women understand the lure a great pair of shoes, but in places like Ethiopia, even the most basic shoe is priceless. Having a pair of shoes means living a healthier life. According to the Los Angeles Times, Mykoskie also hopes donating shoes will help eradicate podoconiosis in Ethiopia, "a form of elephantiasis believed to be caused by walking barefoot in silica-rich soil."

Shopping for shoes never sounded so great. TOMS Shoes start at $44 for men, women, and children. They also feature some styles made with recycled materials. You can buy them at Nordstrom, Whole Foods and over 500 more stores nationwide and internationally. 

Way to go Mykoskie. TOMS Shoes is a Momathon Fave!

Feeling H1N1 Cabin Fever?

If you are feeling a bit of H1N1-related cabin fever, no worries. You can travel virtually from the comfort of your own home with your laptop. Check out T + Ls gorgeous new travel website.

I want to go to there.

It's Hip Hop, Baby!

Kids love music. They bounce to the beat. They love to sing rhymes. Why not pair hip hop music with learning? That's exactly what Candi Carter, a Chicago mom and Emmy-winning television producer did when she developed the educational (and fun!) "It's Hip Hop, Baby!" DVD series. 

Warm Mommy Hugs go to Candi Carter who realized music was key to helping her son Emerson learn. According to Oprah.com:

"Candi's son was born with a chromosome disorder, which affected his ability to learn. Because he can't speak, Candi says she began making up catchy tunes and beats to help him communicate, have fun and learn."

Musical learning is great for all kids--especially kids with developmental delays. Carter's son Emerson has a severe speech delay and she noticed that making up songs about bath time, bed time, and more was key to helping him communicate. 

The "It's Hip Hop, Baby!" educational DVD series is available for $15.95 at specialty retailers, 

Amazon.com and online at  HipHopBaby.

"It's Hip Hop, Baby" educational benefits according to their website:

• Encourages reading
• Teaches children to follow instructions
• Encourages, dance, movement, and freedom of expression
• Helps children master concepts like repetition and rhyme