Momathon Blog

I spy a pumpkin...

(image by Paul Keleher)

 

(image by OilBac)

 

(image by norwichnut)

 

(image by farmerjulie)

 

(image by Sister72)

a child's hidden messages of love gives us hope

Young children love to draw. Sometimes sitting down with your child and looking at her artwork is the best way to know what she is thinking and simple things like how her day went. 

When 6-year-old Elena Desserich was diagnosed with a form of pediatric brain cancer she began writing love notes with drawings from the heart and hid them in the house for her parents and her younger sister Grace. 

 

Elena's parents have written a book, Notes Left Behind, that tells the story of her battle against brain cancer. Filled with her drawings, the parents started writing this journal for Elena's sister Grace. The notes she left behind are a message of hope and love. And most of all, they remind us how precious our children and our families are. Sales of this book help fund The Cure Starts Now non-profit that is dedicated to a "home run" cure for all cancers, starting first with one of the most deadly and difficult cancers: pediatric brain cancer.

Sending special mommy hugs to the Desserich family. Thank you for sharing your story. 

Remember to hug your kids today.

I don't have a pumpkin yet...

 

(image by tinyfrogle)

Every year I do the same thing. I wait too long to buy my Halloween pumpkin. I tell myself (and my kids) that I am waiting till I see the right one. Plus, I don't like storing the pumpkin at home because no matter where I put it, the pumpkin eventually rots. Yuck. 

So when should I pick my pumpkin? According to the pumpkin experts on the internet, here's the scoop: 

Step 1

In cold weather areas, pumpkin pickers should wait until the first frost has killed the pumpkin vines. BUT harvest before a heavy frost. 

Okay, I have already blown it. We have had two snowstorms in September/October in my area. The heavy frost has arrived!

If you are lucky enough to find a pumpkin unaffected by frost, you are ready for step two.

Step 2

Let the pumpkin skin cure or harden by allowing the pumpkin to sit in the sun for about 10 days. (If you have less than 10 days till Halloween, don't sweat it. But pumpkin gurus warn against leaving the pumpkin inside for too long.)

Step 3

Never stack the pumpkin. Stacking causes bruising and rotting. 

This is a problem. Because I didn't pick a pumpkin at a pumpkin patch, I have to buy one at the grocery where they always STACK them in huge wooden crates.

Step 4

If you are lucky enough to find a pumpkin that was never stacked or exposed to a hard frost, then I must repeat myself: You are very lucky.

When you bring the lucky pumpkin home, the optimal temperature for storing the pumpkin is 50-60 degrees. This could be a problem for many of us because in October the temp is often below 50. Hint: If you can see your breath when you go out to pick up your newspaper in the morning, then it is probably too cold to keep it outside over night.

Step 5

If you have failed steps 1-4 like me, then don't despair. Jump in your minivan and go to Target or Michaels craft store and buy an artificial jack-o-lantern with lights in it. If you feel even the tiniest pangs of guilt over this, remind yourself that Halloween is all about having the house with the best candy and not pumpkins.  (Don't tell my kids I said that.)

DIY: Make a giant Halloween spider for the front porch

This week why not make a giant spooky spider to greet your trick-or-treaters. A Halloween yard decoration is a fun craft that sets the mood for parties too. Kids can make the spider, but parents or an adult should help out when you need to use a craft knife or scissors. Any craft that uses a milk jug and green duct tape has my vote.  To check out the complete directions for this craft go to Spooky Spider at FamilyFun.com. 

 

Spooky Spider craft at FamilyFun.com

I love, love, love reading Family Fun magazine. Every month their clever editors dream up cool ideas for crafts, printables, recipes and activities for the entire family.

This month in Family Fun you'll find:

• Costume ideas

• Halloween recipes

• Pumpkin carving ideas

• Halloween printables

• Halloween crafts

It's so Etsy: Snuggly warm knit hats for babies and kids by Malindi

 

Elizabeth knit hat by Malindi on Etsy

Snug as a bug white knit Elizabeth hat with a rose pink flower is handmade by Malindi, a proud member of the Etsymoms Street Team. The wool hat is hand knitted with a seed stitch rim and stockinette stitch. Rose flower is crocheted. Available in newborn, 0-6 months, 6-24 months and 2T+ sizes. The Elizabeth hat featured in the picture above is size newborn, $22.

 

Penelope knit hat by Malindi on Etsy

The adorable dark heather grey Penelope hat with a heather grey rose is also handmade by Malindi. The wool hat is hand knitted with a seed stitch rim and stockinette stitch. Flower is crocheted. Available in newborn, 0-6 months, 6-24 months and 2T+, teen/adult sizes, $22. The Penelope hat featured in the Etsy photo above is an teen/adult size.

Malindi has hats available in a variety of styles and sizes. If you would like to have the hat made in a different size or color combo just contact Malindi at Etsy.

Geeky Mom: What's the worst part about reading?

What's the worst part about reading? According to internet comedian Amir the answer is: the reading part.

Check out Amir's solution to the dilemma of reading without really reading in the video clip below. Warning... this is college humor. If you are seriously worried that technology is taking over our lives and spells the end of reading, then do NOT watch this video.

Jake And Amir are two friends that work together, live together, and play together. Are they best friends? Probably not. Watch more Jake and Amir video episodes to decide for yourself. 

Shop, Look, + Learn Art

The studio/shop Collage Collage just opened in Vancouver. This inspiring place is an art destination designed for kids that adults love too. Definitely on my to-do list next time I visit Vancouver. Owner Erin Bonnifero teaches art classes for kids and hosts crafty birthday parties. Based on the photos and descriptions I think the store is geared toward younger kids and elementary age students. Store features cool art supplies that you can try out. Be prepared to get messy. Plenty of gift items for crafty kids including hand made toys, books, music and more. 

 

(image by Collage Collage)

Postcards from paradise

Cold but sunny here in Colorado. Sometimes the best way to stay warm is to think about favorite balmy destinations. Enjoy these paradise postcards thanks to a few of my favorite photographers.

(image by nattu)

 

(image by Kivanc Nis)

(image by sektordua)

(image by Wolfgang Staudt)

 

I can't decide where I want to go first.

Can vitamin D help you fight the flu?

 

(image by Tony the Misfit)

Flu season is normally a winter bug, but it came early this year with swine flu (H1N1) outbreaks even during the summer. Why does the flu come in the winter? I always thought it was because everyone was stuck in stuffy offices and classrooms instead of outside. Turns out that stuffiness factor is only part of the problem. New research links susceptibility with a vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sun during the shorter days of winter. Here's the scoop from a post this week on the NYT.com blog Freakonomics:

"One big risk factor for flu infection is a lack of vitamin D. We naturally produce vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight, and as the days shorten in the winter, we produce less and less of it. That led these researchers to think that flu epidemics could be a sign of widespread vitamin D deficiency, due in part to decreased solar radiation. So it seems darkness makes the flu go ’round."

I'm thinking this new research gives me an even better excuse to enjoy some sunshine and take that long walk during my lunch break. Even better, take a friend or your dogs along. 

Note: I am not a medical specialist. Before you run out and grab some vitamin D supplements, please check with your physician.

Geeky Mom: Will the Nook be a Kindle killer?

A few days ago I wrote a post all about e-books. The e-reader scene is already changing with a new device by Barnes & Noble that offers some unique features including lending technology for sharing books with friends and a color touchscreen.

Yesterday the Nook e-reader with access to over one million e-books, newspapers, and magazines downloaded wirelessly was unveiled by bookseller Barnes & Noble for $259. This e-reader price is so much better than the hefty $489 for the Kindle DX e-reader. Parents might even decide they can afford to give this new gadget to kids. (If a gadget gets kids excited to read again, why not splurge and buy it?) 

The slim Nook is about the size of a paperback and can store as many as 1,500 e-books, newspapers, and magazines. With an added memory card you can keep up to 17,500 books on the Nook. The cost for an e-book is reasonable at about $9.99 and thousands of titles are free at the Barnes & Noble eBookstore. The Nook works on the 3G network and with WiFi.

The Nook features crisp B&W text. I haven't held a Nook in my hands, but after viewing the promotional videos and photos I think the PR buzz is correct. I am disappointed that it does not feature a full page of color image/text. Full color pages would be so useful when viewing textbooks and books featuring rich graphics. (I predict digital textbooks are going to big the next big wave in e-books.) But the Nook does have a colorful touchscreen at the bottom of the screen to help you select the book you want to read.

Features I like include the ability to make text bigger (5 different font sizes) and easily bookmark, highlight passages and make notes as you go. Also the E-Ink by VizPlex offers enough contrast (16-bit gray scale) so there is no glare or backlight making it easy on the eyes. You can adjust the screen lighting to fit the situation.

One of the unusual features of the Nook is you can share books from your Nook with your friends for free for about 14 days at a time with the Nook's LendMe technology. The lending policy reminds me of the public library policy for lending e-books. All you have to do is send the book file to your friend's iPhone, iPod touch, laptop, select BlackBerry and other smart phones. Wonder how the book publishers feel about the free e-book lending? (More about the issue of intellectual property rights of authors in a SF Chronicle article by Michelle Richmond.)

I'm a news junkie so the access to over 20 million newspaper subscriptions sounds great. Note that reading newspapers on the Nook is not free. I do love the NYT, WSJ, and Newsweek. Subscribing to them and a dozen more would be a huge temptation.

What's next on the horizon? 

I'm waiting for the Apple's new e-reader tablet--an overgrown iPod. Unfortunately the Apple option won't be cheap at $700 or more when it is released in a few months. The price really turns me off because I was hoping this tablet would be a good choice for kids/teens, but at $700-$900 I am even nervous to carry it around in my backpack/purse. The Apple eReader-and-more is rumored to run iPhone OS and play MP3 audio files and videos. So cool. Just hoping the price drops soon. 

Common sense tips to keep your kids (and you) healthy

If you are a mom, you know how difficult it can be to keep kids healthy. For starters, you can't watch over them every second. Don't give up, Nurse Lorraine Borek in a NYTimes.com article offers some great common sense tips for staying healthy. 

We know keeping sick kids at home is a great idea, but "sick" kids don't always show symptoms. Research shows kids can transmit the flu virus for up to 3-4 days before they show symptoms. (Adults are contagious approximately one day before symptoms.)

(image by *clarity*)

So what can parents do to keep their families healthy? In addition to getting vaccinated against the flu, Nurse Borek suggests the following strategies for your family:

• getting enough sleep
• eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetable per day.
• exercise — children should exercise for 60 minutes a day. Walking to and from school counts as exercise.
• good hygiene — such as washing hands when appropriate for at least 10-15 seconds with soap and water. Young children may still require supervision and reminders to reinforce proper hand-washing techniques. The use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (such as Purel) when soap and water is not available is acceptable.
• keeping hands and fingers away from your face and out of your mouth (children need frequent reminders).

Cold and flu prevention: Handwashing and N95 masks

Regular hand washing

People touch their faces a lot. Each time you touch your mouth, eyes, or nose you risk letting a cold or flu virus enter your body. One way you can cut down on the chance of a virus or bacteria from entering your body is to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. You can teach your kids to wash for as long as it takes to sing their ABCs. Use a towel or paper towel to dry hands. To prevent picking up viruses and bacteria after you wash, use a paper towel to turn faucet handles and open door handles when you leave a bathroom.

If you can't wash at a sink, alcohol-based gels also kill the flu virus. Just remember to rub your hands up to the wrist until all the liquid dries--about 15-20 seconds.

Are masks really necessary?

We've all seen the images on the news of people walking around with blue surgical masks. Do they work? According to research, loose fitting masks like regular surgical masks fail to capture up to 90% of the aerosalized particles.

N95 masks offer a tighter fit when adjusted properly and are "capable of filtering out up to 99% of airborne particles" according to an article in Los Angeles Times. If you want the mask to work, you must adjust the mask so that it makes a seal on your face. Refer to the mask directions, but in general you need to put one strap high, the other strap low, and squeeze the mask nose strip to obtain a tight fit. You can purchase N95 masks at stores like Home Depot or online.

Flu shots and you

 

(image by Dee Q8)

Each year I get my seasonal flu shot. The truth is I never want to get the shot, but I don't want to get the flu either. I tell my kids it doesn't hurt, but they know better now. I get vaccinated because I am hopeful that developing immunity against the flu will help keep my family and friends healthier too.

This summer my son got the H1N1 virus. He was sick in bed for about a week, but because of an underlying health condition I am very grateful he did not become even sicker with complications from the virus.

I figure the healthier I stay, the better for my family. So that is why I've already had my seasonal flu shot and will be getting the H1N1 shot too. 

I am not a medical specialist and this year's unusual flu outbreak is really a big mystery to me. I have plenty of concerns and questions about the two types of flu and their vaccines. I found these articles helpful:

• WSJ.com article: Two Flu Vaccines, Lots of Questions 

• Mayo Clinic article: Flu shot: Your best bet for avoiding influenza

• Chicago Tribune: Swine flu vaccines are safe and time-tested, experts assert

Check them out. And talk to your doctors for their recommendations about which types of vaccines are best for you.

Will e-books save the planet?

 

(image by cote)

I'm not worried about too many hardcover and paperback books filling up our landfills. I hope we keep them on our bookshelves instead. Even if e-books don't save the planet, this greener publishing alternative is a healthier option for many. Do you like to read books on your laptop or e-reader? I still like the feel of turning paper pages, but I am gradually becoming a convert. I love the convenience of digial downloads and the fact e-books are greener because they cut down on paper use.

Now more and more libraries are offering free digital downloads that reside on your laptop for a couple of weeks--the length of the paper version of a library book check-out. Digital library downloads are not currently available in all formats. 

According to a recent NYTimes.com article, e-books "cannot be read on Amazon’s Kindle, the best-selling electronic reader, or on Apple’s iPhone, which has rapidly become a popular device for reading e-books. Most library editions are compatible with the Sony Reader, computers and a handful of other mobile devices." Apple will be introducing a new e-reader tablet with a touchscreen next year. Perhaps the Apple tablet format that allows an impressive range of graphics to be displayed will change the way many of us view e-readers. This tablet sounds like a perfect fit for digital textbooks too. 

E-books could be a healthier choice for your body too. Considering how heavy a student backpack can get with bulky textbooks, consolidating all the books in a slim e-reader is really good news for keeping backs happier also. 

The cost of an e-book is often lower for customers and technically they never wear out. (With a puppy at home that chews anything made of paper or even resembling paper, this is really good news.) The average e-book sells for about $10 because online retailers subsidize their price. Unfortunately libraries can't buy a digital book for the same discounted price. 

The concept of e-books in libraries is not popular with all authors and their publishers including Stephen King and Bob Woodward. Simon & Schuster has refrained from distributing e-books to libraries. 

I am hoping more authors and readers will support e-books as the book hybrid for a healthier planet.

For more information on libraries that offer e-books check out this link on NYTimes.com.

Delicious autumn

(image: dico4)

Hope you can take time this weekend to watch the leaves turn.

Give your friends a hug today

 

In my blog I like to share bits about my life and interests every weekday. Some days I just can't write. Today is one of them. A best bud battled cancer courageously for a very long time and now she is gone. 

Can't begin to put into words how much I miss her. She was the one with the hugs. When I didn't know how to say something, she knew how to put it into words perfectly. She was the one who could cook a dinner so mouth watering I wanted a permanent dinner reservation at her house. She was the one who was always prepared. You could always count on her... Even for silly things like having an extra Halloween pumpkin to give me when mine went missing. She was the one who gave me a boost when I felt defeated. Somehow she knew just what to say to convince me that I shouldn't give up on projects that seemed too difficult. 

She was the one with a hug and a warm smile. In her honor, give your friends a hug today.

(image: Pink Sherbet Photography)

If mom is happy...

 

Cyron

Ever feel like if you take time to shower, then your preschooler will never get into the right college?

Okay, I'm exaggerating, but you know the feeling. And this mommy guilt is toxic. The truth: the more you accomplish on your to-do list does not guarantee you will be happier. 

You know the drill. While you cook dinner/fold laundry/check homework, you still feel guilty about not spending time reading a book with your kids. 

Chances are if you feel overwhelmed, then now is the perfect time to step back and figure out what you can do to recharge your batteries. I'm not talking about a once-a-month splurge on a mani-pedi or whatever. I'm suggesting you carve out small chunks of time every day to focus on you. Scary? Maybe. But if you take a few minutes to escape and search for beauty in your life, then you will feel better.

No big commitments like training for a triathlon are required. Grab your tennis shoes and take a walk. Or find that journal you loved years ago and start writing again. Even if you just sit down and meditate for 15 minutes in a quiet room, you will feel better.

Just like my mom told me: If mom is happy, the whole family is happier.

Looking for some motivation? Check out this book: Mothers Need Time-Outs, Too by Susan Callahan, Anne Nolen, Katrin Schuman.

Geeky Mom: Test the speed of your Internet connection

 

image: .faramarz

My Internet connection has been wimpy lately. So, to see if I am getting what I paid for I tried out a few broadband speed analysis tools that check my Internet connection. My favorite is Speedtest.net. Ok, I admit it, this proves I am mildly geeky: I think the test is fun. It uses an entertaining interactive Flash interface. Speednet.com performs three measurements to determine the quality and performance of your internet connection:

1) Download Speed: Tests the speed at which your data is sent from the Internet to your computer.

2) Upload Speed: Tests the speed at which data is sent from your computer to the Internet.

3) Ping (Latency): The time it takes in milliseconds for a small piece of data to be sent from your computer to the Internet and back.

What are my test results? Am I getting what I pay for in an Internet connection? Well, that discussion is for another post. Stay tuned.

Depending on where you live, here are a few other testers you might want to check out:

• Broadband speed reports
• Speakeasy - Speed Test
• PC Pitstop Internet Connection Center

DIY: Sew fabric storage baskets

I am fixing up my work/craft room so I was excited to find an easy DIY pattern for making storage baskets by jcaroline creative. I love the Peapod and Flora fabric too. Sewing directions for a small and large basket here.

 

(image: jcaroline creative)

On Saturday he ate through one piece of chocolate cake...

Will you read to me? 

Today say yes to your kids. October 8th is Read for the Record day, an international campaign to bring young kids together with their parents or grownups who are important in their lives to read the same book, on the same day, in communities all over the world. This year the book to read together is Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a perennial favorite with both children and adults. Carle's book tells the story of a very hungry caterpillar eating his way through the week.

Get counted today. Join the worldwide campaign to celebrate the joy of reading with children at this link: Jumpstart's Read for the Record!

 

"On Saturday, he ate through one piece of chocolate cake, one ice-cream cone, one pickle, one slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake, one slice of watermelon. That night he had a stomach ache."

--Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Save a little, save a life

October is breast cancer awareness month. Now when you save a little on the basics you can help save lives. Harper Collins and Amazon.com team up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to offer the Everyday Coupon Book. The book costs only $19.99 and includes more than $500 in savings. The book also includes wellness tips including easy recipes and preventive diet tips. Coupons are good through August 2010.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world's largest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists.

 

The book includes coupons for products including: Tylenol, Tyson, Lean Cuisine, Lady Speed Stick, South Beach Bars, Centrum multivitamin, and Pampers. 

Was this a good hair day?

We've all had bad hair days. If I can get away with it, those are the the days that I hide my hair under a baseball cap. The thing is, everyone knows exactly why I have the cap on.

Why is good hair so important? And why can't we convince our kids (and ourselves) that the stuff on top of our head isn't nearly as important as what is inside. 

According to the Sundance Film Festival 2009 website: When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl's head! 

So what does Chris Rock do next? He makes the award-winning new comedy/ documentary Good Hair that looks at the preoccupation with straightening hair.

Relaxants for hair, weaves and more for black hair are expensive. It's almost as if you can get addicted to the products that make straight hair. Who can afford it? Discussing why and how people turn their kinky hair into straight hair is almost a taboo subject. Which makes me wonder is straight hair really "good."

 Our relationship with hair is a complicated one. Even when life is getting tough some women may choose their hair care over more basic needs. Says Rock in the Chicago Sun Times: "You know Beyonce is going to spend five grand getting ready for the Grammys. But to know Kiki spends five grand to work for AT&T -- where she's only making $35,000 or $40,000, or whatever she's making -- that blew my mind."

 In his documentary Good Hair, Chris Rock visits beauty salons, barber shops, hair manufacturers and wig merchants in his quest to understand how so-called "good hair" affects self-esteem and even sexual relations. Rock's candid look at the nine billion dollar African American hair business opens this Friday.

It's So Etsy: Gerald the Candy Corn Dog

Halloween is a favorite time of year for many kids and moms. One of my holiday faves is candy corn so when I found Gerald the Candy Corn Dog on Etsy I knew I was in love.

 

 

According to Cassandra at her Etsy shop, Gerald is two years old and smells of vanilla pudding and gingerbread. He's made of a combination of blizzard and anti-pill fleece. He's about 6.5 inches tall and 6 inches at his widest point. You can buy him online at Cassandra's Etsy shop Talkproof for $21.

Save the boobs and get a mammogram

If you are 40 or older, it's time to save your boobs and get a mammogram. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women behind lung cancer. Without getting a mammogram, many women won't even know that they have breast cancer until it is in an advanced stage and more difficult to treat. 

If you 40 years old or older, once a year mammograms are recommended as a screening tool for breast cancer. Be sure to check with your doctor to get specific screening information for you.

Too many mothers, daughters, and grandmothers have been through tough times fighting cancer. You can show support and raise awareness of breast cancer by wearing pink in October, breast cancer awareness month. 

If you ever watch Hoda Kotb, a breast cancer survivor, on the Today Show you may have noticed she wears a pink ring made by a friend of hers with the word "Forward" on it. According to the NBC website, Hoda says she wears her Forward Ring as a reminder: "I feel safe with it on...And I also wear the ring just because I know that I'm in a big club with lots of people."

You can purchase the pink "Forward Ring" online at the NBC Store. For every Forward Ring purchased in 2009, a $2 donation will be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The ring is $5.

A message Hoda Kotb from the NBC website:
"As we enter Breast Cancer Awareness month, I have a message for those women who are in the middle of their fight with the disease: I know you feel like you're in hell now, but your life is about to get a whole lot better."