Mommy Brain Monday

This is shaping up to be the Back-To-School edition of Mommy Brain Monday. Enjoy!

Why Wait on Hold When You Could Be Playing Angry Birds? If you’re not a fan of calling customer service, putting your phone on “speaker”, and listening to that annoying compu-human tell you that “all representatives are busy” over and over again, then FastCustomer is for you. FastCustomer is a free app for Android and iPhone that allows you to choose the company you need to chat with, and wait for *your* phone to ring when the infamous “representative” is on the line and ready for you. Companies include FPL, AT&T, Bank of America, Dell, AAA, and about 2,000 more...including the IRS.

Adorable Step-by-Step Hairstyles for Girls All moms of girls have their go-to hairstyle. Whether it’s a ponytail, pigtails, or barrettes, you’ve got something that you can whip your kid’s hair into when it looks like it has been hit by a mini-tornado on a school morning. But I’m willing to bet that your go-to isn’t a Bohemian Fishtail Braid, or a Twistback Flip Under...am I right? Well, this hair-sorceress Mindy has come up with a website with hundreds of “Cute Girls Hairstyles” and instructional YouTube videos to match. So hook your little girl up for back-to-school by learning something cool, like the Quick Slide-Up Braid below.

How to Make Peepshi Yeah, you read that right. It's Peeps Sushi...I suppose a more accurate equation would be Peeps + Rice Krispy Treats + Fruit by the Foot = Totally Adorable Junk Food That Looks Like Sushi. Props to Punchfork (my food porn website of choice) for this find. Sneak this into your kid's bento lunchbox this September, and you'll be a hero.

Florida’s Tax Free-Weekend Coming Up This August 12 - 14 Just a reminder: school supplies and clothing will be tax-free this weekend if they meet certain, pretty simple requirements, so this weekend is THE weekend to do your back-to-school shopping. No back-to-school shopping for you? Then this is THE weekend to go to the beach and avoid the overcrowded malls.


Back-to-School Backpack Brilliance The smarties at Garnet Hill have come up with a “Backpack Jr.” that is the perfect size for younger kids (Pre-K through 2nd, I'd say.) Not too big, so they won’t topple over, and not too small so it’s not “for babies.” AND the designs are supercute (Elle chose Violet Flutterbies; my fave was the Painted Ponies.) AND you can have them monogrammed. AND each backpack comes with a free matching lunchpack through September 6. AND free shipping through August 9 (better hurry...that’s tomorrow).

photo credit: sxc.hu/rcperez

Mommy Brain Monday

It's that time of the week again, everyone! Mommy Brain Monday, here we go:

Sure, you look crazy. But it works! It’s hot. Really hot. Convincing kids to get into a hot, humid car...yeah, good luck with that. I’m telling you, this bizarro door-flapping method to cool down a hot car quickly, WORKS. You may look like a lunatic, but your car will be cooler, faster.

Crazy, Uptight Parent + Snarky Commenters = My Idea of Heaven
This post about Chuck E. Cheese flipping off a little kid inspired 100+ high-quality comments from what must be the snarkiest people to surf the Internet. Love, love, love!



Fuel for Human Bodies: Our Complex Relationship with Food. Love that this blogger took the time to put together this lengthy, thoughtful post, and craft meaningful responses to the very earnest feedback in the Comments section. A great read all around if you’re interested in the very real, very complex issue of food and families today. She opens with: “This is a post about families and food, poverty and privilege, accessibility and convenience, taste and nutrition, consumerism and profit, affordability and sustainability. This is a post about our complex relationship with the way we fuel our bodies that cannot begin to do the topic justice.” Intrigued? Take a moment to read the full post.



I love JT. And I love rap. And I love funny things. Agree? This video includes all of these things, rolled into one:



Kids on the computer can be a really good thing. This list of social good websites aimed at kids is AWESOME. Especially since outdoor activities are more limited in Miami in the summer, and sometimes the kids just want to chill in the AC and web surf. Let them surf around one of these sites and get excited about doing something meaningful for others.

The Dangers of “Dangerizing” Childhood: From the Free-Range Kids blog, in response to the recent murder of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky. Thought provoking read.


photo credit: sxc.hu/rcperez

Mommy Brain Monday

Welcome to another Mommy Brain Monday! Let's get to it:

“Healthy” Vending Machines? Ummmmm... Sorry, but I call bull@*+%. Read about this on the eaterMiami.com website--apparently, vending machines are going back into some schools by offering “healthy” products. You know,like Popchips, soy pudding, Hansen’s cane sugar soda, “natural” cookies and crackers, Sweet Leaf bottled teas, “natural” kettlecorn--really healthy stuff. GRRRR. Just because it’s “natural”, “organic”, “baked”, “gluten-free”, or made of soy does NOT make it healthy!! I am no food Nazi--my kids eat pure, 100% junk food at times. BUT, the idea of sneaking these vending machines into schools by acting as if they are full of healthy snacks and drinks is infuriating. I suppose I’d go for a vending machine with fresh fruit and veggie packets, and bottled water. But I really don’t want my seventh grader or kindergartner buying bags of Popchips and “natural” cookies and guzzling heavily sweetened “natural” drinks during the school day, and I’ll bet the teachers aren’t crazy about the idea either.

Seven-Day Museum Pass Available at the Library. Lord, how I LOVE the library. LOVE IT! The other day I found out that you can check out a “Museum Pass” that allows your family of four to visit Zoo Miami, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami Children’s Museum, Deering Estate, HistoryMiami, Vizcaya, and Miami Art Museum for FREE during the seven-day period after checkout! You might not make it to all the museums within the seven days, but could definitely save some money and hit your faves. While many of these places have one day a month that free admission is offered, this pass allows you the same privileges without the crazy crowds.

Online News Site for Kids: Here There Everywhere. I found out about this online kids’ news site from DailyCandy online. What a great idea! A website designed for kids to read that allows you to encourage your child’s interest in current events while avoiding Anthony Weiner-type “news.” Current stories include an articles on seatbelts for dogs, the new Republic of South Sudan, and the Minnesota government shutdown, and Jeter’s 3000th homer.

Rainbowy, cakey brilliance. You know those really cool-looking cakes you see in women’s magazines sometimes, accompanied by “how-to-make” instructions? And when you start reading the instructions, the cake seem more complicated than, like, rebuilding a carburetor, or brain surgery, so you close the magazine and hide the picture from your kids?  Well, that’s why this Rainbow Cake ROCKS. It’s true--this is a relatively easy cake to make as long as you have enough cake pans. I showed the picture to Elle, and she gasped with delight. Score!

“Isn’t it wrong to drink alone? Ahm, you are not alone--your kids are home!” Found this video during a Google search for “self-righteous moms”, if that tells you anything. Very funny. She blogs too, at The Self-Righteous Housewife.

Um, it’s just funny, Katie. “Why So Angry, Dad” is some chick’s deeeeeep, too looooong analysis on Slate of a clever, little book called Go the F**k to Sleep that went viral  a while back. According to Miss Katie, the book “exposes yuppie parents’ sexlessness, self-pity, and repressed rage.” Hm. Maybe she's onto something. OR, it could just be a clever little book about how frustrating it can be when you are looking forward to doing something in particular after kiddie bedtime, and the kids won’t GO THE F**K TO SLEEP! Hey Katie? It’s just funny, dear.



Nifty tip for organizing crayons and markers. Another one from the brilliant parent hacks: “Organize crayons and markers by color family.” See, I love this idea because nowadays, there are a zillion different styles (not brands--styles) of markers and crayons, and we seem to have some of each. We currently attempt to keep the different sets somewhat intact, but throwing that futile goal out the window and organizing in bins by color family is a GREAT idea. Click through to the link for a visual.



photo credit: sxc.hu/rcperez

Mommy Brain Monday: June 6, 2011 Edition

Welcome to another Mommy Brain Monday! Check out what has been rattling around my mommy brain this week:


OK Lenore, I posted it! If you aren't familiar with Lenore Skenazy's Free-Range Kids movement and website, you should check it out. You can begin by reading this piece on how major crime is down to its lowest rate in 4o years. While I'm definitely not a total free-ranger, I do acknowledge that a lot of fear-based parental helicoptering is not grounded in facts, just fear. So loosen up already!


Using An Apple to Ripen Fruit. Maybe it's me, or maybe it's where I shop, but it seems like the fruit I find is either hard-as-a-rock unripe, or on the verge of rotting. I read this little lifehacker.com tip on throwing an apple into a paper bag with a few pieces of unripe fruit to speed the ripening process, threw an apple in with a few hard peaches, and what do you know? It worked like a charm.


Attention Gwyneth-haters: This recipe rocked! I never realized that so many people found Gwyneth Paltrow unbearably annoying. But when she published her cookbook about a month ago, the Gwyneth hate exploded online, with many insisting that she should stick to acting and leave cooking to professionals. Um, what? I mean, I hate to say it, but neither acting nor cooking is BRAIN SURGERY for Christ's sake. She published a freaking cookbook, not off-the-cuff, step-by-step instructions to building a nuclear submarine or anything. Geez. Anyway, I am a fan of the recipe below for two reasons: she seriously reduces the cooking time of roasting a chicken by cutting the back out and removing the thigh bones, AND, the way she "fuzzes" her potatoes before roasting is AWESOME. Love it. You go, Gwyneth!







Road Trip Apps: This little article from DailyCandy Kids lists a few awesome-sounding apps for family road trips. Alas, they are all for iPhone (I have an Android phone) but wanted to share with all you iPhone mommies out there. They sound super-cute, especially Road-Trip-Bingo.


Kindergarten Ready, Or Not? This "Motherlode" piece is a couple weeks old, but I just stumbled across it today, and really enjoyed reading the comments after the article. The issue is kindergarten redshirting, and how young is too young for kindergarten. The Comments section really fleshed out the issue. Elle will be starting kindergarten in the fall, and will be a "young" kindergartener by Miami standards (she will turn 5 in July.) And yeah, I have wondered if she will be at some disadvantage as one of the youngest, knowing that other parents choose to keep their kids out of kindergarten for an extra year (starting them at 6+ years old rather than 5+ years old), so she will share a classroom with some kids more than a year older than her. Holding a child back because you feel he or she is "not ready" is one thing, but I know of other parents that hold their children back so they can be the biggest/best/smartest in the class, and I worry that this could really throw off the balance of a class. In this case, *dislike*.


10 Ways to Play in June. I love, love, LOVE this feature of the lets-explore.net website. Each month, in addition to the other cool downloads, the blog features sweet, simple, fun, yet meaningful things you can do with your kids throughout each month. We're not talking detailed craft projects, we're talking: "Sketch or paint the sunset." "Get out all your spices and smell them. Which spice scent is your favorite?" See? So simple I could cry. Check out 10 Ways to Play in June, and the rest of this lovely website, while you're at it.


Ugh. Education News so Frustrating, I Can't Even Come Up with a Clever Title. So basically, US education reform isn't working. Other countries' reforms are working, but hey, we're going to ignore that and keep doing it our way. Sigh. Just read it: U.S. Reforms Out of Sync with High-Performing Nations

photo credit: sxc.hu/rcperez

Mommy Brain Monday: May 30, 2011 Edition

Are you a mommy? Got a brain? Then you might find these links interesting. Welcome to another Mommy Brain Monday!

Breaking News: No Red Bull for Babies! I'll admit it: I'm a drink nazi. As far as I'm concerned, all men, women, and ESPECIALLY children should drink waterwaterwater, plus a maximum of 4 ounces of juice per day. I think sports drinks are the equivalent of glorified Kool-aid, unless you're an actual ATHLETE. So the thought of children drinking energy drinks distresses me. And also confuses me, because I can't figure out what insane parent would give their kid a freaking Red Bull. I mean, seriously, I know a loooooot of parents, and none of them have ever said to me, "You know, little Johnny is just too calm. I think I'll give him a 5 Hour Energy, so he'll run around like a maniac, and neither us will sleep for the next 48 hours." But apparently it is a problem, especially with the preteen and teen set, so the American Academy of Pediatrics has published an article addressing kids drinking energy drinks and sports drinks (like Gatorade.) Read the abstract, and if you want more detail, click on the link to "full text."

Thank You, and Get Real. Regular readers know that I have a love/hate relationship with babble.com. This week's example is a nifty little slideshow called "Food for Toddlers in Daycare".  OK, I'm down--I'm always looking for nifty ideas for the girls' lunchboxes. So, I really love the Peanut Butter Strawberry Wrap (replaces strawberry jelly with strawberry slices--I think they'd be cool with that.) But: Funtastic Party Sandwiches? Really? Let me tell you, a Funtastic Party Sandwich is an elaborately prepared rocket ship shaped sandwich with garnishes, painstakingly arranged on the plate. Soooooo, do you stay at the daycare until snacktime and then whip it up? **eyes rolling** THANKS AGAIN, BABBLE!
Anyhoo, the slideshow does have some interesting lunchbox snack ideas, some other ideas that are great but would work better at home for snacktime, and a few that will make you roll your eyes and laugh. Enjoy!

Nipple Etiquette. "Dear Prudie" on Slate is kind of like a modern, online "Dear Abby." The best part is that because the column is online, and on Slate, the "Comments" section is as entertaining and fun to read as the actual column. This "Nipple Etiquette" column is an older, but thoroughly entertaining "Dear Prudie" that I missed when it was originally published, but completely enjoyed earlier this week, largely because the first letter is about the issue of whether or not it is rude to wear clothing that your nipples knowingly might show through. Love it. I absolutely love in-depth discussions about completely unimportant and trivial "issues" (like NIPPLE ETIQUETTE, for example.) Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

"Even Our Amish Will Fight You"

I'm Sticking With "Front to Back" I clicked on this lifehacker.com gem, called "Which Direction Should I Wipe?" out of sheer curiosity. However, it turned out to be informative, entertaining, and amazingly well-written and funny, considering the subject matter. Seeing as moms tend to discuss wiping more than any other demographic group I've come across over the years, I figured this would be the perfect ending to this week's Mommy Brain Monday. Enjoy!

photo credit: sxc.hu/rcperez

Ready For Dewey's Read-a-Thon: 24 Hours of Reading (Yes, My Idea of a Good Time)

So, Skyler and I are doing something really crazy tomorrow. "Really crazy," as in: staying up for 24 hours straight, from 8 AM Saturday to 8 AM Sunday, READING. As I mentioned in the post title, that really *is* my idea of fun. And thankfully, Skyler's up for the challenge too.
We discovered the website for Dewey's Read-a-Thon about a month ago, and have been looking forward to it ever since. Skyler is convinced that we will go the distance and read it up for the whole 24 hours. I, on the other hand, have had a bit more experience staying up until dawn on occasion, and am a little nervous. But whether we make it 8, 12, or 24 hours, I can't imagine a better way to spend a Saturday and part of Sunday than reading with my favorite almost-twelve-year-old. We are planning to: read at home, read in bed, read at Starbucks (I figure she can read aloud to me while I drive there....that counts, right?), read books, magazines, short stories, and comics, read and eat, read while wandering around, read while jumping up and down, read inside and outside--you get the idea. We've put a lot of thought and planning into this.
Part of the Read-a-Thon is blogging or tweeting throughout the day, so we'll let you know how the reading's going tomorrow. If you want to join us, in person or in spirit, here is the official sign up to read for 24 hours!

Mommy Brain Monday: March 14, 2011

Are you a mommy? Got a brain? Then you might find these links interesting. Welcome to another Mommy Brain Monday!

Don't Pinch Me! I Ate Kale Chips for Lunch! Some cute ideas from babble.com for yummy green  St. Patty's Day foods for the kids. 

The Most Depressing Science Article I Read All Week. Sigh. The zero-second rule? Where's the fun, comfort, and convenience in that? Thanks for nothing, NYT.

How to Trap a Hipster. Who is this brilliant mastermind, the Hipster Hunter? But please, do not bring your traps to Miami. Our hipsters are rare and endangered; we cannot afford heavy losses to our herd.

Seven Ways You Can Help Japan and Tsunami Victims. Time.com has published a list of seven reputable aid organizations accepting donations for Japan's tsunami victims.

Cribs: Teacher's Edition "This is obviously a room for your cat." "Um, no, it's my older daughter's bedroom." 

The Daily Show - Crisis in Dairyland - Apocalypse Cow
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

On that note... @TeacherReality posted a link via twitter to median hourly pay rate for teachers. Yeah, those teachers are living the dream...good job, Governor Walker...


Too Bad Barbies Aren't Made of Metal. Don't you just love simple but totally awesome ideas like this cool storage method for kids' toy cars? (Found this via DailyCandy Kids, btw.)


Witches Don't Pay For Flowers In Cuba. So far, The Real Housewives of Miami is kind of a snoozefest compared to other, higher quality reality television (I am of course referring to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and The Real Housewives of Orange County.) That's why I'm so grateful for Marysol's mother. She's a witch. And will school you on paper flowers: "Ay, Marysol! I didn't come to this country to have paper flower!"..."I didn't marry a gringo to have paper flower."..."We don't have paper flower in Cuba. In Cuba we didn't even have to pay for the flower. You walk to your neighbor and you steal them from her house." Poor Marysol. I'll bet she was like Joan Crawford with the wire hangers--"NO! MORE! PAPER! FLOWERS!"





25 Best Android Apps for Moms: I don't know if I'd call these the best Android apps for moms, but this is a pretty good list. Love Carrr Matey the mostest.