Knitty Reviews

2011-10-10T13:17:00.002-04:00

The Beginners by Rebecca Wolff

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

*Some Spoilers contained* Well, I finished it. It was almost painful to do so at times, but I plowed through. There was a lot of potential with the story line and with the actual characters, but the majority of a time, I felt like I was listening to someone relate their dream after they'd been awake for a few hours and they kept forgetting the point of the dream.

Cherry and Ginger are high schoolers in a small, idyllic Massachusetts town, caught between being kids who play make-believe all day and women who are interested in sexual relationships and social structures. A mysterious couple comes to town (Raquel and Theo) who take an interest in them and they are suddenly enveloped by these strangers. When Cherry starts to recognize that they're not healthy people to be around, Ginger continues to become more and more enmeshed in their dysfunction and so the story goes.

There was one point, about 200 or so pages in, when Theo makes a confession about their true 'story' and I actually said out loud 'What?!' because I didn't see it coming. However, Wolff did not take the opportunity then to use that plot twist and move the story forward. To the end, I kept waiting for a great twist or for something to finally click into place but it just didn't.

She definitely has a great handle on use of language, it's poetic (duh, she's a poet, right?) but there were so many holes in the story that had to be filled in. I feel like I have a pretty good imagination, but there were times I had to re-read a page thinking I'd missed something-nope.

I closed the book and wanted to fling it because I was annoyed that I plowed on for virtually nothing. As my History professor once said on a paper that clearly needed more fleshing out '...if you ever again make me slog through seven pages, there had BETTER be a point.'

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2011-09-14T21:09:00.002-04:00

Long Drive Home: A Novel by Will Allison

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Will Allison has written one of those 'it could happen to anyone' stories: A cautionary tale about the daily choices we make and how they could have a devastating effect on the rest of your life. While driving his daughter home from school, work-from-home dad, Glen is involved in a series of near-miss road rage incidents which culminate in his 'teaching the other driver a lesson', which results in the death of a teenage boy.

The story gets tricky when Glen doesn't tell the truth, to anyone really, about the incident. In thinking that he's protecting his family both from civil suit and criminal prosecution, he not only leaves out important details from the accident in question, but deletes the earlier incidents from the day. In attempting to shield his child, he's actually putting her in a horrible situation because she witnessed the earlier events.

***SPOILER ALERT***

I kept waiting for Glen to come clean and tell the whole story to the detective. I figured the story would either culminate in him being absolved of responsibility or convicted of vehicular manslaughter. I did not expect to have him confess only through a letter to his daughter which could really only further burden her later in life.

In trying to protect his family (well, let's be honest, he was protecting himself) he lost everything. One has to think that he will also lose his daughter's respect when she one day reads the letter and realizes that her father displayed not protective capacity, but extreme cowardice. Losing the respect and trust of his wife, and revealing himself to the detective to be 'broken', Glen was one of the more morally ambiguous characters I've read in awhile.

While I did like the book, I found myself having a hard time liking Glen. He caused so much stress and strain, while not giving his family, the victim's family or the victim himself the closure they deserved.

Oh what tangled webs we weave...

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2011-08-20T19:11:00.002-04:00

Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This review is going to be a bit of a ramble, but that may be appropriate since the book was as well. I realize that I was reading an advanced reader's copy, but it read more like a second or third draft. Kelly is a mother of two teen/tween boys and is in the predicament of trying to 'find her purpose'. She makes an ever-growing, rambling list of Things to Change, or T2C as she puts it. I felt like this could have been a great book if her editor had handed it back to her and said 'Great! Now polish it up, give your characters some depth and insight and make your main character likeable.'

Kelly doesn't seem to have any real connections to her friends, past or present, and she just flits from one topic to another. One minute she's obsessed that her husband is having an affair, and the next she's off on another shopping spree with confrontation number 354 with her arch-nemesis, Rachel.

Honestly, the most likable character in the book was probably Charlotte, who was not necessarily intended to be your character of choice.

The only interpersonal conflicts in the book (aside from Rachel) are all tidied up swiftly with an 'aw shucks' chuck on the shoulder and Kelly, though she has almost zero insight save for the five thousand Oprah-esque a-ha moments, deems herself a very worthy counselor to all of her friends. It's definitely the Kelly show, which I like because it is supposed to be about her finding who she wants to be, but all the characters are so wooden and one-dimensional. They have these revelations that are supposed to be shocking, but I couldn't bring myself to care about them because the reactions by the other characters were so formulaic it was almost silly. I felt like I was reading a fast-talking parody of a women's fiction novel.

Also, could she throw in any more Lifetime Movie of the Week topics? Anorexic teen, adulterous friends who've put her in the middle of their secrets, making amends with high-school friends who you abandoned/bullied and then CONTINUE to call her Bony Beth, becoming a self-made woman, death of a loved one, divorce...seriously, pick 1-2 serious topics and actually explore them instead of having your main character come off as a completely shallow and self-involved twit. It made me a little sad because, and this may be reading too much into it, but I had to wonder if Rouda has a lot of close friends herself. If so, she didn't do a great job of drawing on her experiences with them to create dialogue or set-up of characters.

The woman is food-obsessed and, again, completely shallow and lacking insight when it comes to other people. She has her clothes sorted into weight-gain phases, talks about the benefits of 'having an anorexic around' and says other pretty callous things that drove me cra-zy as I read.

Would you really have your heroine do nothing but bring a bouquet of flowers to a friend whose estranged husband JUST DIED in a motorcycle accident. Really? You'd have to call your mother to see if you should bring a casserole to her, and the consult your friend to see if you're needed at the funeral? Um, how about you just show up and go? But that's just me.

The commentary on stay-at-home moms and their cattiness was about to make me send a little tweet to Miss Twitter Queen. Since it's clear Rouda is not an at-home mother, it made me wonder if this is her little soap box to talk about them? Yes, she is a proponent of women empowering themselves, but what if the way that we do that IS to stay at home? Is that not enough?

After finishing the whole book, I realized I should have read the 'about the author' section first. Really? Two pages? I don't need to know every class you've taken, or that you have a big twitter following. It is awesome that she is a great businesswoman, and strives to empower other women to realize their potential, but stick to what you are really good. Not everyone can write a novel. Or, I guess, not everyone should. Look out, folks, she's got another one coming out soon! You can find out all about it on her twitter feed, her facebook page, her blog or by emailing her. All of which is included in her biography. Which is clearly an autobiography.

Maybe I was just no in the best frame of mind to read this, but it's hard when you compare it to other women's fiction like Jennifer Weiner, who takes more care in creating characters and conflict resolution. While still beach reads, they're more sophisticated and well-crafted. And with that, I will end my rant. If you've read the actual released copy, am I missing something?

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Lighten the Load

2011-08-05T11:30:00.002-04:00

I was reading a post on Our Humble A{Bowe}d about 'green laundry' the other day and I was a little pleased with how much I'd already implemented in our own laundry room.

When we moved, I bought the Electrolux Perfect Steam Front-load Washer and Dryer Set which I reviewed here, and since we were using cloth diapers I was using Country Save Powder to launder them(which is HE friendly). When I ran out of my All Free and Clear for our regular laundry, I decided to start using the powder for all of our laundry. It doesn't just do a great job getting the clothes clean, but it leaves them smelling fresh and clean without a strong perfume. We do a lot of laundry, and the large capacity of our washer and dryer has cut down on the number of loads I do immensely. I do as full of a load as possible each time, and when I can't I love my 'fast wash' small load setting.

I knew that the boxes of powder felt like they were lasting a long time, but a quick check of my amazon account shows that I ordered the four pack of boxes in January and I'm just now about a quarter of the way from the bottom on the second box. It was 68.60 for the case, which is 17.15 per box. Calculated over the months, that's just over $3.50/month that I'm spending on laundry detergent. That seems pretty impressive!

On the dryer side of life, I never have gotten around to installing a clothes line. That will hopefully be a project for next Spring/Summer, or whenever our HOA decides that they're not an abomination. Anywho, I realized after reading the comments that the one thing I hadn't converted to 'green' in my laundry was the dryer sheets. Several of the comments referenced wool dryer balls; What in the world? After all my time spent trolling cloth diaper sites for green laundry tips, how had I never seen mention of these before? And, I had never thought about the fact that dryer sheets would be adding chemicals and toxins to my laundry...I love clean smelling, soft clothes, so I was loathe to sacrifice that! Turns out, I didn't have to.

A quick search on etsy showed that these things were a hot item! I ordered an 8-pack of undyed dryer balls first from a vendor just to see if I really liked them. I'd have ordered just one, but most sites said that for very full loads, they keep about 12 in the dryer. It's the same principle as having tennis balls in the dryer, but without the awful smell and, allegedly, without the racket. (The larger loads buffer the sound better, and as the clothes get dryer, the sound lessens. The second set I purchased are larger and loftier and make significantly less noise.)

When I got them in the mail, I could see that, essentially, it's wool yarn that's been wound into a ball and then felted (probably 2-3 times). I could totally make them myself, but there is little I hate more than winding yarn into a ball. In the future, if I need to add a couple to the mix, I'll make them myself, but for now, I'm happy to support other etsy artists.

What I liked best about them is that you can either get them unscented, or choose from a wide array of scents. How are they scented? Just a couple drops of essential oils. I chose lavendar and vanilla for half the balls, and half unscented (just in case it was too strong). The scent can easily be refreshed, or you can add a totally different scent when the other is gone, by dabbing a couple drops of the essential oil of your choice on the balls.

In addition to replacing the function of dryer sheets, they also cut drying time because the wool helps absorb moisture. I've had each load come out completely dry on the 48 minute setting-that's towels and jeans and everything.

The best part is that this is something that will last for years. You just leave them in your dryer after each load is removed...well, you put them back in your dryer after you've chased the ones that jump out with your clothes and roll across the floor as you hastily warn your giant beast of a dog that these are not his to play with, and they're ready for the next load.

I wanted to wait until I'd been using them for awhile before I reviewed them-the jury is in and I love them. I ordered 5 more from another vendor on etsy because I wanted to see if there was a difference, and because it would get me to lucky number 13 for my mega loads of laundry. I'm glad I did because I like them better. The Sitting Tree has a set of 5 for $25 and the first thing I noticed was that they were bigger, and not wound quite so tight so they don't make very much noise in the dryer.

Plus, I just plain like her shop-and the divine samples of her soap that she included. I love her blog and she's a knitter after my own heart. I purchased some of her yarn as well to go with my new blue bedroom, and it's gorgeous! A bold skein of teal and yellow; perfection. I'm totally addicted to her super soft wool and have several shades to make smooshy hats with now. But I digress...

If you want an eco-friendly alternative to traditional dryer sheets, that you won't have to replace for a long, long, long time-check out her etsy page and click 'add to cart'.

Even my husband, who sometimes is a little leary of my claims that 'it'll be just as good as using x' when I introduce a new eco-friendly alternative, has noted that our clothes are every bit as soft-maybe even, dare I say, softer as they were when we were using dryer sheets. Give 'em a whirl or, maybe more apt, a tumble.

2011-07-08T21:43:00.002-04:00

Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry by Liana Krissoff

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The postal carrier made my day this afternoon when she delivered my birthday gift from my sister, Sherri. I've been lusting after it for so long on my amazon wish list that when I first opened the package, I thought it was something I already owned. I love the photos, I love the font, I love the print of the section pages and I love the paper on which those photos and fonts and prints are created.

In short, I love this book! Not only does it have amazing recipes for everything from Raspberry jam with lavender and lemon to Smoky Corn Chowder, but additional recipes of what to DO with said canned goods. It's broken into season and then further separated out into fruits and vegetables. Makes my little wanna-be organized heart go pitter patter. Actually, it makes it so that my procrastinating nature can flip to the season we're actually in and make something RIGHT NOW. There is a local lavender farm that is currently having their 'Lavender Daze' celebration, so I'm going to snap up some fresh lavendar for the jam this weekend. There are little sticky notes popping out of every section of this baby.

I. Can't. Wait. The hot water bath is calling my name...

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2011-06-28T11:32:00.001-04:00

Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Beside Still Waters starts out like many of the other Amish-centered books that I've read, particularly two series that I really like by Beverly Lewis. In addition to the standard internal conflict brought upon children in the Amish community who are in the thick of their Rumschprimge, eighteen year-old Marianna Sommer also has a family tragedy to contend with; The day of her birth also marks the day her family experienced a defining tragedy. Feeling like she'll never be enough to replace two sisters, Marianna has always strived to be an exceptional daughter and member of the Amish community. With two daughters gone and a son who's chosen to live outside the faith, her parents decide that a cross-country move will be just the fresh start their family needs.

Marianna is devastated, because she feels that a proposal from Aaron is just around the corner and is afraid they won't be able to survive the distance. As an eighteen year-old, she could technically stay behind, but doesn't feel that's a real choice as she's a big source of support for her parents in tending to the younger siblings and helping around the house.

For me, there's always been something fascinating about the Amish and conservative Mennonite traditions and way of life, so I am usually drawn to books about them. This book was no exception in being a 'nice' story. There is no real conflict that makes your guts wrench (other than the narrative about the family's tragedy) and the author is clearly of a conservative Christian bent, as is demonstrated when the family settles in Montana and marvel at the 'friendship' that the local Christian church members seem to have with God, as opposed to their strict reverence of Him.

It bothered me that she insinuated that the relationship that the Amish had with God was less personal or less impactful than that which the members of the local Christian church (it wasn't ever specified, so I'm thinking it was a non-denominational gathering?) have with Him. That presumed bias, while evident, didn't change my enjoyment of the story, which is not anything spectacular, but is certainly a quick read and kept me company over a few days in the backyard watching my kids play, and soaking up the sun.

It also felt a little untrue to the characters that her parents (strict and conservative members of the Amish community) once they arrived in Montana, were fairly quick to start 'coming around' to the ways of the local church: Her father ordered an English Bible, and started making other small changes that they were worried would happen before they moved because it was rumored that the Montana Amish community was much more lax than that which they left in the Midwest. Maybe the lack of prying eyes from the neighbors finally allowed them to take the time to be introspective and figure out what really works for them. If that's the case, I hope they invite their oldest son back into their lives at some point, as it would seem hypocritical otherwise.

Although the writing style was fairly simplistic, it held my attention enough that I would read the upcoming installments. I'd love to see if Marianna and Aaron end up together, as she seemed so firm in her faith that she'd join the church in the Fall, or if she starts to question their compatibility and instead falls for a local boy with a relationship with God that is so foreign to her.

Having an easy Summer read is never a bad thing in my opinion, so I'd still recommend this to friends who've enjoyed similar stories in the past.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Beside Still Waters Campaign and received a copy of the book and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

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2011-06-01T20:13:00.002-04:00

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one is hard to review for me, because I feel a little underwhelmed with how things panned out. Katniss Everdean finds herself, once again, at the center of President Snow's attention in his quest to maintain Capital control over all of Panem. She has her same rag-tag team of experts and confidantes, but it's becoming less clear who she can, or should, trust. Holed up in District 13, it's all just one big PR stunt to try and get the rebels riled up to resist against The Man.

While I can't say I'm disappointed in the ending, it did seem to wrap up rather neatly. Yes, there are some disappointments, and maybe I'm a little cold, but the one death (don't want to spoil) that is at the crux of the story doesn't affect me as sharply as it probably should have. Maybe because I never really connected to that character, or maybe it was because I knew that there was no way the story would end with all the relevant characters alive and well. Either way, I tore through this trilogy in one week, so it certainly kept me hooked even though parts of it were fairly formulaic. The level of moral corruption is pretty astounding when you actually think about the things that are happening instead of it just being a far-off novel of a dystopian future.

Overall, it's a good trilogy and worth reading. I'm glad it's a trilogy only, because I think further installments would just be beating that dead horse. I'm giving it four stars not because it's superb writing, or even because it's a crazy original idea, rather it's because it's a well-developed idea that I'm sure you can find more and more layers to if you read it multiple times.

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2011-05-23T13:26:00.000-04:00

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enter the world of Panem, the region that was once North America, which houses the Capitol and 12 surrounding Districts. Each district is responsible for a different segment of industry, and the Capital rules with an iron fist. Each year, one boy and one girl from each district are picked as tributes to play in the Hunger Games, an event that is a fight to the death with only one winner. The odds of getting picked are stacked against the poor and hungry, and to the victor go the spoils.

Katniss is a sixteen year-old girl who's been providing for her mother and little sister, Prim, since the death of their father in the coal mines several years ago. When Prim is chosen as the Tribute for District 12, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place and a chain of events is set into action.

Brutality and strife sell, and the Hunger Games capitalize on it all, creating events in the arena to make 'good TV' and generally forgetting that they're dealing with the loss of human life with each gory scene they display for all to see.

This is a YA series, but it's written so well that you don't feel like you're lowering yourself to a lower reading level to enjoy it. I really liked it, and can't wait to start Book Two: Catching Fire. I'm so glad I listened to friends who said I should have all three books ready to go, because once you start, you won't want to stop!

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2011-05-16T21:15:00.002-04:00

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was a huge fan of the Jessica Darling series, so when I heard that McCafferty had a new book out, I quickly bought it (and read it basically in one sitting). At first, I didn't know what in the world was going on with all the wink, wink, double-blinking, but quickly realized that because it was set in the future, the characters no longer needed to have their smartphones with them to update their status on MiNet on the fly, all they had to do was roll their eyes and do a series of clicks, ha! The whole premise is pretty disturbing, but that is certainly the point. I loved all of the social commentary, specifically the fact that the firm for whom her 'Surrogette' agent works is called UGenXX.

The inside cover gives a great synopsis, but I liked looking (as did my sister who recommended this book to me) at the conversations with McCafferty about where she drew her inspiration for the novel. As with most topics of personal freedom, and specifically reproductive freedom, every decision or absolute can lead down a very slippery slope. McCafferty certainly knows how to make it a great ride!

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2011-05-15T18:53:00.002-04:00

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is so much to say about this book, but I'll try to limit it to non-spoiler comments. The first 50-60 pages really suck you in, and then there's a slight lull in the middle. After finishing, though, I feel like the majority of what was in those pages was necessary for plot and character-development. A coming-of-age tale that spins in some magical realism (or does it?) and also provides a great social commentary, this is a great book club pick because I felt like it was after discussion that I realized how much I liked it.

It may be one that I read again, but not for awhile. There's a lot to think about and digest, but it's wonderfully written, and there are so many places that give the reader pause. Will you get sucked into Ava's voice and naivete, or will you remain skeptical with all of your adult knowledge? I definitely found that I'm a cynic (but maybe only because I've seen the worst too many times). Travel deep into the swamp to be introduced to a world that will seem magical, if only because it's foreign, Swamplandia! is sure to make you start googling alligator parks you can visit in real life!

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3M Natural View Screen Protector

2011-03-28T22:47:00.001-04:00

I was invited to review the 3M Natural View Screen Protector by MomCentral. I finally got my wish when Verizon released the iPhone 4 and I became part of the non-blackberry smart phone community. It is glorious! The customer service folks tried to get me to purchase a screen protector, but I was not swayed. Well, after about a week, I was elated when I saw the chance to try some out for free, because my screen was a smudge magnet!

I have to say that I am always fairly terrible at putting things that include adhesive or static cling on in a way that does result in air bubbles. This was, unfortunately, no exception. I cleaned the screen thoroughly, then attempted to put on the protector. There was a tiny piece of lint (hint: they mean it when they say to use lint-free cloths when cleaning your screen, ha ha!) that made a giant bubble. Once I'd removed the offending particle, the screen protector then had a smudge on the underside, so I was happy it was a two-pack. After practicing a few more times I'm sure I'd be able to get it on bubble-free, though I'm sure I won't be heading out to do a DIY tint on my car windows with my new found confidence.

While it's still not a perfect fit (because I didn't get it on straights) and there are bubbles at the edges (again, operator incompetence), it is protecting my actual screen from getting smudges, but is not the glass clear surface portrayed in the above video. However, the point of it is to protect the screen, so I'd say it fulfilled its job.

Also, the version I got was made specifically for the iPhone4 and does fit it exactly as it should without you having to trim any edges, which always made my screen protectors look even more terrible before. Also, I've had it on for two weeks and the edges aren't peeling up or moving around, so I'm happy with it.

I use my iPhone as my iPod when going on runs and my run last weekend was over 14 miles in a soggy downpour. I had it in a protective sleeve, but still, the screen protector stayed put and didn't fog over or otherwise impede my use. I didn't really expect miracles from this product, so I'm overall happy with it, and feel like the fit and function of it are great, but as for the smudge-proof properties? I don't know of anything that would resist the smudge of fingerprints or make-up, so it wasn't a deal-breaker for me.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of 3M and received a Natural View Screen Protector to facilitate my review and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

2010-12-19T14:22:00.002-05:00

Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving and Not Lose Your Job, Family, or Sanity by Dimity McDowell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! I've been following their blog and facebook pages for some time, but hadn't read the book. I've been reading it at night for a couple of weeks and have really enjoyed it. I found that I related most to Dimity, but also appreciate that having two very difference 'voices' as authors means that it will reach a large audience. I've already purchased five copies of this book because I have so many girlfriends and sisters with whom I think the messages of this book will really resonate. It is possible to be an active runner and still be a present mother, but the key is in finding a balance that will work for your family's unique situation.

With a ton of nutrition, gear and training advice mixed with their personal stories of trial and triumph and quotes from other moms this book really runs that gamut. It's a book that I know I'll refer back to over and over.

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Johnson's Shea and Cocoa Butter Line

2010-12-14T01:07:00.000-05:00

I have the pleasure of being doubly 'blessed'; the skin on my face is oily and the skin on the rest of my body is super dry. Being a compulsive shaver, with no more than two days going between a date with the razor, I rely pretty heavily on lotions and thick creams. I never thought I would like using oil, but a friend convinced me to try it a few months ago and I found a brand that I love but my wallet would beg to differ.

I was given the chance to try Johnson's Shea & Cocoa Butter line of baby oil products, including Johnson's Baby Oil, Johnson's Baby Oil Gel and Johnson's Baby Creamy Oil. I tried all three over a week-long period at various stages of the day; immediately after a shower without first toweling off, in the morning prior to getting dressed if I'd showered the night before, and then before bed if I showered in the morning. I did not use lotion in conjunction with these products so that the results I felt would be from the oil products alone.

I liked the silky feel that I got from the oil gel and that was because I really wanted a substantial product that didn't 'soak in' too easily. The oil cream felt like a thick lotion and it had the strongest fragrance, and for that reason alone was probably my least favorite of the three. However, I did feel the need to wash my hands after applying the gel, but I'm sure that's a personal preference thing. With both the oils and the lotions, I was able to just rub my hands together and put the excess on my arms.

That said, these were both products that didn't directly compete with my current brand of la-di-da body oil. I found that the Johnson's Shea & Cocoa Butter oil was every bit as effective as the more expensive one that I so covet, and the fact that the Johnson's version comes in more than just the cocoa butter scent (if that's not your thing) tipped the scale so that it will be my staple and the more spendy oil will be used on nights when I specifically want that scent. (Think date night ;))

I even traveled with the oil and it didn't leak into my toiletry bag. That's important to me as well because I tote stuff back and forth between the gym. Between my phone, iPod and other accessories, there would be a lot to ruin if it did.

Overall, all three have left my skin feeling silky smooth and the scent was not overpowering. I used all three directly after shaving, and did not find any skin irritation or other negative reactions. Now I'm on a mission to try all of the scents so I can settle on a new favorite!

**I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Johnson’s and received the products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

2010-12-05T10:47:00.003-05:00

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was really amazing. Little Bee is a refugee from Nigeria, who was held in an immigration facility in the UK for two years prior to being let out with a group of three other women, in what turns out to be an unethical manner that does not leave her with legal paperwork.

Knowing nobody, except a couple with whom she had a fateful encounter in Nigeria, she contacts them and sends all of their lives in directions that nobody would have predicted.

Chris Cleave uses language beautifully and the harsh realities he brings to light in addition to the subtleties of everyday life that we may take for granted or are just the norm were revisited when seen through the eyes of Little Bee.

This is a must-read, and I won't give any more details, but be warned that a box of Kleenex may be in order.

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2010-11-20T14:01:00.001-05:00

Casting About by Terri DuLong

I am so excited that I will be receiving a copy of this book to read and review! It should be arriving in the next month, so stay tuned!

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2010-11-19T13:56:00.002-05:00

Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I have to say that, considering how much I liked Friday Night Knitting Club, I'm pretty disappointed with not only the plot (or should I say lack of plot) in this third book in the series, but with the wooden dialogue and two-dimensional characters.

I read the whole thing, but it took over a week because I was just not getting caught up in the characters like I had before. It was kind of like watching the re-make of 'The Women', in that you expect great things because you like all the actresses and you loved the original, but it just falls about 20 feet short.

I'm so sad to say, Ms Jacobs, but unless the next is a vast improvement, I hope you consider the Knitting Club series cast off, and the ends woven in.

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2010-11-14T10:25:00.001-05:00

Luxury One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I ordered this book on amazon in order to get some inspiration for things that could accompany Christmas gifts. I didn't expect to be able to have the actual project be the gift. It has substantial items from scarves to socks and hats that people will appreciate. Plus, they're knit in luscious yarns that would break the bank if using 4 or more skeins, but one is within the budget if you're planning to knit for multiple people. I can't wait to get my Holiday knitting firmly underway.

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2010-11-14T10:22:00.001-05:00

One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There are some really great projects in here, including socks and scarves. You generally think of one skein or ball projects as being dinky little things that may be more decorative than practical...not so! With Christmas around the corner, I'm looking forward to knitting up some of the more beautiful scarves. It's nice to know that they'll be projects that are not only quick, but also affordable and wearable. I'm so glad I added this, and Luxury One Skein Wonders to my crafting library.

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Johnson's Natural Baby Shampoo and More!

2010-09-05T22:35:00.004-04:00

I was asked to test out several of the products in Johnson's new Natural Baby line, and decided to try it out on my kiddos and nieces during a family get together. The line is 98% natural and is packaged in bottles that use up to 60% post-consumer plastic, not to mention it's still promising 'no more tears'.

I'm big on how a product smells, so it's hard to find a good balance of smelling great, but not having a bunch of essential oils or other fragrances added that could irritate the skin. The 'ALLERFREE' fragrance, which is plant and fruit derived, smells really nice and is not at all overwhelming. I actually forgot to bring my lotion with me during this trip and used the baby lotion the whole weekend...nobody mistook me for a baby or nailed me for a mom, so it's definitely a subtle scent.

I tried the Baby Lotion, Head to Toe Foaming Baby Wash, Baby Shampoo, Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo Conditioner and Body Wash and the Kids 2-in-1 hand and face foaming wash; all of which are under the Johnson's Natural umbrella. Due to the age (and hair) range of the kids, I was actually able to test all of these products in one bath! The 'baby' got bathed prior to the three older kiddos getting in the tub.

I flipped over the bottle and found that there were still some awfully long words in the ingredients list. HOWEVER, if you go to the Johnson's page and click on the product, it lists out what each ingredient is and from what it's derived. In the lotion, for example, the only synthetic ingredient is Benzoic Acid which is used to 'maintain product freshness'.

I liked the scent and felt like it was gentle enough and actually purchased some to put in a gift package for a first birthday party I attended recently as part of a 'bedtime basket'. I'm glad that more companies are making an affordable option for parents who are invested in being more 'green' and sensitive to the needs of our ever-changing environment while they may not be able to afford some of the more high-end brands. I love to indulge in them occasionally, but with how often my kids take the cap off and dump out a whole bottle combined with the fact that a good day is judged by how dirty they are at the end of it; we go through baby wash pretty quickly! I'm glad that there's something I can reach for for everyday use that won't break the bank and also carries a name parent's have trusted for a century!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Johnson’s and received the products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

2010-07-30T18:47:00.000-04:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While this book started out super slow, I'm really glad I stuck around for the long haul. I think part of it was all the character and place names. I like foreign films and generally don't have an issue with foreign settings, but for whatever reason this one was a little more cumbersome.

It reminded me a lot of the Ann Rule true crime books where the first half dragged out, setting the scene, but the second half really took off. As the reader, you were prepared to follow along because all the details were already in place. I look forward to reading the next in the series.

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2010-06-17T14:34:00.002-04:00

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

The Lace Reader is the story of one woman, Sophya 'Towner' Whitney, who left Salem, MA for California as a young adult after the tragic death of her twin sister Lyndley. Prior to heading to California, she had a brief, but successful, stay at a psychiatric hospital.

She returns to Salem following the death of her beloved aunt, Eva, a local 'lace reader' and town legend. The story is all about the women who've influenced Towner, with the confusing events of her past and a mystery intricately woven in.

I just finished this book, and there is still a lot to be processed. I really loved that it's set in Salem, a place I've visited a couple of times before, and that I still have another chance to see before leaving New England.

This book is a rich, descriptive text, full of explanations of lace-making and the geography in which the story is set. I did, toward the end, start to guess how it was going to end, and piece things together, but I think it was intended with the break-through flashes of memory and family history provided.

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2010-05-22T15:37:00.001-04:00

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goolrick's novel, an idea which was first explored after he read Wisconsin Death Trip in the 70's, is another of those quick reads that's got a lot of depth at the same time. I flew through this book in two days, mainly because I couldn't wait to see if what I thought was going to happen would.

Ralph Truitt is a Wisconsin businessman living in the small town of his family's name. A man haunted by the ghosts of deeds and relationships past, he puts out a want ad for 'a reliable wife.' Answering the call is Catherine Land, a woman who also has her share of dark corners and regrets.

Together they explore the landscape that may or may not become their lives. Set in one very long Wisconsin winter, the novel delves into an array of relationship dynamics with twists and turns while also giving a glimpse at some of the vignettes that inspired Goolrick to write about a Wisconsin winter in the first place.

The lives that go terribly wrong in the turn of a thought, minds gone mad when the snow sticks around too long.

While it could easily have been a very bizarre tale that took everything just a step too far, I felt like he kept a nice balance between predictable love story and a novel with deception and twists; sex and sexual themes seem to have a heavy hand, but it didn't feel gratuitous.

No spoilers, this is one to delve into post-haste.

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Sonicare for Kids!

2010-05-08T20:18:00.003-04:00

Many parents find that one of their battles is a struggle with their children to get them to brush their teeth the recommended twice daily, or to get them to brush for the desired two minutes. I'm lucky in that H definitely loves to brush his teeth; a tube of toothpaste, if not closely monitored, can be used within a month's time because he will stand at the sink and brush every time he washes his hands. That's great, right? Well, it would be if he got more tooth-paste on his teeth than he did on his face, or if he wasn't quite so excited about the rinsing phase, and spent more time on the brushing itself.

I didn't want to dissuade his eagerness to brush, but I also wanted him to understand that there could be too much of a good thing by brushing too often (I counted one day and it was 9 times...). Also, because I come from a family of obsessive-compulsives who brush way too 'briskly' I didn't necessarily want him to pick up my form, but I did want him to make sure that he wasn't missing any major sections and, mostly, I wanted it to remain fun for him so that it would be a good habit instead of a dreaded one.

In Massachusetts, they recently instituted a new law that daycare providers and pre-schools who have children that stay for a meal period (or more than four hours) have to brush their teeth while there. I thought this was great, as it's one more way to ensure that the sticky residue from the fruit snacks I swore I'd never let my kids eat gets brushed away expeditiously. As an aside, I was a little shocked to learn last week that raisins are just as bad in regards to sugar (yes, it's fructose instead of corn syrup, but still) getting stuck to their teeth as fruit snacks! Just when you think you're providing a healthy alternative...but I digress.

I was offered the chance to try the new Sonicare for Kids electric toothbrush, and I couldn't wait to tell H. He was ridiculously excited, but what boy doesn't love to get new electronics? It came with different 'face plates' that could make the brush handle more customizable, and two brush heads; one designed for 7+ year-olds, and one designed for 4+year olds. Because H loves to brush, but Charlie primarily bites down, or chews, on the toothbrush, I decided to use one for each, even if the ages didn't exactly correspond. The brush heads were comparable to the ones they currently use, so I thought it would be fine.

After letting it charge for the full 24 hours, which is recommended, I let Henry go at it after briefly explaining to him that he just needed to push the 'big button' once, then when it beeped at him, he needed to brush another area of his mouth. The first brushing session went really quickly, because for the 4 year-old setting (which I had already designated) it starts out at 1 minute, and then increases up to the recommended 2 minutes gradually after each full session with the brush is completed.

It beeps little tunes to move to each quadrant of the mouth, and then plays a longer tune as it shuts off and your time is complete. When it played the 'el fin' song the first time, H looked at me and said 'Is my tooth brush telling me I did a great job?' I would never have thought of that, but told him that it certainly was.

After just a week of him using the brush, he's able to do so independently in the morning, with me watching for the evening session to make sure he's getting all the nooks and crannies. I am able to use it on my almost-two year old just fine, and I'm getting his front teeth and insides of the back teeth much better than before because he doesn't seem quite so tempted to bite down on the vibrating head.

I like the musical cues, because I feel like it makes it really easy for H to use the toothbrush very independently, and at his age, he's really excited about anything that he can do fully on his own. There is only one button they need to push, and they don't hold it down the whole time, it's just a simple press and release. The gentle setting for the 4+ group versus the more vigorous cleaning for the 7+ group only has to be chosen once, but can be changed with the press of a button.

I did put it in my mouth to see what it felt like, and have to say it would take a little getting used to, because it's kind of a ticklish sensation, like when you get your teeth cleaned at the dentist's office, but the surface of the tooth I tried it on felt squeaky clean!

I've been wanting to get a Sonicare for quite some time, and will definitely invest in it now that I see how much easier it's made my kids' routines at night, and how clean my 'test tooth' felt after using it just briefly.

You can currently purchase Sonicare for Kids at Target and Amazon.com, but beginning May 3rd it will also be available at Wal-Mart stores nationwide. At $69.99 it is an investment, but investing in your child's dental health is definitely a worthy one! The replacement heads come in a 2-pack for $21.99. Also, keep in mind that if your budget is tight and you've got two kids, you could purchase one set, and the stand will accommodate both heads, or three kids could even share, storing one of the heads on the handle itself.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by MomCentral on behalf of Sonicare and received a free Sonicare for Kids toothbrush to facilitate my review.

2010-05-06T10:49:00.001-04:00

Remains Silent by Michael Baden

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This book had a lot of potential, and I read it mainly because it sounded like it could really be along the lines of the Kay Scarpetta books.

I guess the word that could really describe this would be 'unsophisticated'. It was almost as if you were reading the pitch for this book and not the actual book. The rough outline. The character development was pretty lazy, and there was no real build-up...the portions that were supposed to leave you breathless barely registered a change in heart-rate.

I had the second one out of the library, but after reading the first chapter, I realized that my hopes that the editors would have taken a more heavy hand with this one were going to be dashed, so I returned it. What a disappointment! I was really hoping to find the next great medical drama/thriller series.

No cigar on this one.

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Born To Run

2010-04-18T17:36:00.000-04:00

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I honestly haven't had a book that was, if not life-changing, then thought-changing like this book. I'm currently in the midst of training for my first half-marathon, and just thinking about the body mechanics, mind-set and absolute joy that the Tarahumara find in running makes each run go a little more smoothly, and has forced me to push myself WAY outside of my former comfort zone.

I've improved my time by almost two minutes per mile, and actually look forward to those long Saturday runs.

Coincidentally, this is the first time I've spent a lot of money on shoes...and that was because this is the first time I've felt on the verge of injury. I'm hoping that with ice, ibuprofen, lots of quality time with the foam roller and time, it'll resolve itself.

Some day, I may even invest in a set of the Five Finger 'shoes' that they feature in the book and my friend's husband bought after reading the book.

This is a must-read for every runner, or anyone who's even thinking of taking that first step. It's ridiculously inspirational and a phenomenal cultural read on top of that!

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2010-03-09T20:44:00.002-05:00

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home by Rhoda Janzen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this memoir. I loved that it was the kind of read that you could pick up and finish in a couple of days, but not because you'd done nothing but read for those two days.

Rhoda Janzen is a Mennonite who 'left the fold' in the religious sense only. Following the dissolution of a long-term marriage when her mentally ill, sometimes abusive husband left her for 'Bob from gay.com' she is further broken, literally, by a car accident that leads her to take some much-needed solace and rest in the home of her parents, who are devout Mennonites; her father was actually once the head of the North American Mennonite Conference for Canada and the United States.

Full of humor, explanations of some of the philosophies of the faith and lots of talk about the food that comforts, there were several times that I actually laughed out loud. I know it's such a cliche, but this really is 'laugh-out-loud funny'.

Throughout, she is respectful of her parents' religion, but is still able to point out the things that are ridiculous to her in a way that is humorous without being bitter.

She clearly loves her family, and everybody likes a good story about getting back to your roots, even if you never really strayed very far.

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2010-03-05T16:22:00.002-05:00

The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In this story within a story, within a story, Wally Lamb encompasses a number of this country's tragedies from the last decade, then reaches back to the Civil War, suffrage and the formation of women's prisons to weave a tale that is richly told.

Focussing on the lives of teacher Caelum Quirk and his 'three strikes' wife Maureen, a school nurse, Lamb tells the story of a couple struggling to make their marriage work, after finally realizing that they truly do love, need and want each other, in the midst of chaos and tragedy.

Maureen, working at Columbine on the day of the shooting, was in the library hiding in a cupboard. One of the 'collaterally damaged' she struggles with acute PTSD that slowly slides into chronic PTSD. Caelum, who was on his family farm dealing with the aftermath of his Aunt Lolly's death, the aunt who helped raise him, was gone from school that day and is left wondering how everything might be different if he'd been at school that day.

Selling their home in Colorado, they move back to his family home in Connecticut where he discovers old letters and documentation about his ancestors and the Women's prison his great, great, great grandmother founded, along with family secrets, history and lore.

A story of self-discovery, intertwined with mythology and faith and rich with history, this is one story that won't let you down on a research level. i won't go into the particulars of the story, so as not to contain spoilers.

The one criticism I have, and it was discussed at book club, was that it seemed like SO much happened in the book; he was personally involved with people from Columbine, Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq War...but that's understandable from the story-telling standpoint because those sub-plots were illustrative of how much things have and have not changed all at once. From the Civil War to Iraq, everyone struggles with their belief system, and how they're going to apply it.

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The Not So Big House

2010-02-25T14:35:00.003-05:00

The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live by Sarah Susanka

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book! I first checked it out from the library and have added it to my amazon wishlist, as it's one of those I'll refer bak to over and over. The Not So Big concept is not so much about the square footage of your home, but in maximizing the usable space in it.

If you're a family that will always eat your meals in the kitchen, no matter how much you have to extend the table in your nook but are scrambling for office/studio space-why would you waste over 100 precious square feet on a formal dining room?

Not So Big House is really all about making a house a home and loving every inch of it, nomatter how big, or Not So Big, it may be.

There are a ton of ideas from this book that I'll be implementing in our new home, and I hope you find inspiration for yours in it as well.

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The Crimson Rooms

2010-02-10T15:21:00.002-05:00

The Crimson Rooms by Katharine McMahon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Crimson Rooms is a period novel set in mid 20's England, with the primary character being Evelyn Gifford; a young, female attorney, working her way to gaining a full lawyer position by being a clerk in a small firm. In the beginning, her character seemed a little one-dimensional, but after reading the story, it seems that she had to seem that way, as the book is really about her own self-discovery and letting go of some of the constraints she'd placed upon herself, while at the same time, strengthening her convictions in her chosen vocation.

Living in an all female, multi-generational home, the family is still recovering (daily, it seems) from the death of Evelyn's brother, James, in the war. Their world is rocked when a late night knock on the door introduces into their lives a free-spirited woman and the young son she claims is the product of a relationship with James during the war, where she was a nurse and he a wounded soldier.

Adding insult to injury, it seems that Evelyn's father had been in communication with the woman, even sending her a monthly stipend in her homeland of Canada. Suspect of the woman's motivation, Evelyn grudgingly forms an attachment to the child, Edmund, with whom she quickly falls in love while still being cautious about his mother's motivations.

Evelyn gets her first professional 'break' when she's assigned to assist in two cases; a case of kidnapping, which brings forth social class issues, those of poverty and alcohol abuse vs. attachment and well-being. Additionally, the issue of sending children to live in the Canada Territory for adoption is explored, and revealed to be nothing more than sending kids out as cheap labor. The second case is a murder case in which her firm is defending the accused; Steven Wheeler, who is charged with shooting his bride of less than a month in the heart during an afternoon picnic.

Without having any spoilers, I can say only that Evelyn's character blossoms and she discovers throughout the novel how enmeshed ones life can become with those around you, and that a person's free will to make choices that will make their life livable are not always in line with 'justice' as seen by the eyes of the law.

Learning to let go, Evelyn also learns when to choose logic over lust, compassion over former convictions, and to open herself to new experiences and relationships. There were periods when I felt about this book as I did In the Woods by Tana French except that, as opposed to In the Woods, in the end I felt like I appreciated the author's choice of pace in certain sections because I think it added to the characters' overall development.

McMahon has actually written several novels prior to The Crimson Rooms, including The Alchemist's Daughter: A Novel, and I look forward to reading more. The Crimson Rooms was released on February 8th, and can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and Indie Bound.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by MotherTalk on behalf of G.P. Putnam's Sons/Riverhead and received a copy of the book to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking time to participate.

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Moose: A Memoir of Fat Camp

2010-02-04T21:13:00.000-05:00

Moose: A Memoir of Fat Camp by Stephanie Klein

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I went back and forth on whether I liked this book. I like her voice, I like the premise and the idea of the story, but there are several parts that just don't feel good...and that's probably part of the point.

While I was expecting a 'ha ha, I had to go to fat camp, but I'm fine now.' This was much more about her continual, daily struggle with eating/food/and body image issues, even though she's been thin for more years of her life than she was 'fat'.

I think the part that made it the most sickening was the sadness I felt for her over her struggle to have to willingly gain weight when she was pregnant with her twins. I don't know if it bothered me because I had anxiety about gaining weight when I was pregnant as well, or if it's because I never have gotten to the point that I've had the discipline to really change my body for the better. It's far too easy to judge the inner workings of someone's mind and the feelings they've laid on the table for all to see. So, I'll try not to be too hard on her in my head.

In the end, though, there must be some poetic justice that that the very word used to sink her gut and break her heart is able to be turned into a meal ticket. Pun intended.

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The Middle Place

2010-02-03T19:01:00.000-05:00

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan

Corrigan has written a beautiful book about our position in life when we become parents to our children, yet are still children to our parents.

In the midst of her breast cancer diagnosis, her father is diagnosed with late stage bladder cancer. This is such a moving book, but it's so much more than another tear-jerker 'Chicken Soup for the Cancerous Soul'.

Her descriptions of the sometimes rote and mundane tasks of motherhood are right smack in the middle of what is quite possibly the best love letter a mother could write to her children, parents and spouse and siblings all rolled together in a neat little package.

Perhaps one of the most relatable parts for me was being raised Catholic, still identifying as Catholic, but not attending church or really subscribing to a lot of the belief systems of the church. In one part, she addressed how she envied people like her father and mother who had such strong faith, and the comfort it could bring in a time of crisis while at the same time questioning whether faith allowed one to sit by...after all, God wasn't going to make sure you went to your appointments, or to ensure that a technician remembered to run a certain part of a test. It's something I've been struggling with personally, so I think I particularly liked that stream of consciousness.

Handling life's biggest stresses with class and wit, Corrigan is someone I would love to know in real life; grab some coffee with, have a play-date with our kids, have in my corner during life's ups and downs.

A quick read, this isn't something you'll have to slog through, but that you could possible purchase two days prior to book club and finish with time to spare. Just make sure you have your tissues handy.

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In The Woods

2010-02-01T16:41:00.001-05:00

In the Woods by Tana French

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I had really mixed feelings about this book. Really, I felt like it was about 100 pages too long. By the time it got to the crux of the story, I was thinking "FINALLY!" instead of being curious to the end. I don't mind that it didn't end up with all the loose ends tied up, because I like having more to think about, but it was a little bit tedious at times, and sub-stories that felt unnecessary and unresolved. Additionally, there's a fantastical element that, in the end, is never really addressed.

Set in present-day Ireland, In The Woods is a 'you can never go home' type tale in which Andy/Rob is the sole survivor of a childhood tragedy in which he and two of his friends went to play in the woods one day, and two of them never came out. His family left, sent Andy to boarding school after which he changed his name to Rob to avoid further media and police contacts. He had no memory of the event, or several years leading up to it. As unbeknownst to his boss and co-workers, and is assigned a murder investigation that appears to have close ties with his own unresolved case.

Perhaps what was most disappointing is that the character that's supposed to be the 'surprise psychotic' is really not surprising at all. Rosalind is fairly transparently manipulative, and it's surprising that a seasoned detective was completely snowed by her when it was obvious to me, as the reader. Had she had more characteristics that were similar to Jamie, hence a reason for Adam/Rob to have a soft spot for her, I could see it, but otherwise it just doesn't fit.

Even though I wasn't wowed by this novel I would still recommend it to others, and would like to have it be part of a book discussion so that I could get different readers' perspectives. Overall, I think it's a great first novel, but it's not ground-breaking, and I look forward to reading the next book in my queue by her to see if her stories become more sophisticated and the characters less transparent.

But, as another reviewer on goodreaders so eloquently put it "Or could it be that weaving an engrossing, eclectic, multi-layered tale of murder, mythological spirits, and memory is a hell of a lot easier when an author goes into it knowing there's no way and no need to wrap it up? Because that's just lazy. "

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The Lovely Bones

2010-01-16T11:35:00.002-05:00

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have always been a fan of murder-mystery-drama books, Dennis Lehane being my favorite master of this genre. In reading the Lovely Bones, it was such an interesting perspective to have the narrator be the victim, Susie Salmon, to know 'who-done-it' from the very start, and to watch the deceased navigate through the author's take on 'heaven' while observing all that was left behind.

I liked that Sebold took on the task of letting us watch a child watch the devastation take hold of her family, and that she was not allowed to intervene. There were no signals etched into steamy mirrors from the after-life (save for one scene that you'll have to have your own take on), which made me like it more instead of less because it made it more plausible, If that's what you're looking for. The dysfunction in the adult relationships paired with the perfection in the adolescent ones may have been simple naivate on the part of Susie, or it may have been just the purity and lack of baggage that allowed them to flourish the way they did.

I was determined to read this book before I saw the movie, because I always get more out of the movie knowing what they left out. I doubt, for example, they'll provide as much back-story of George Harvey and his dysfunctional child-hood. Though it's not hard to deduce that a serial killer probably didn't have a perfect beginning.

The title stems from the following passage; "These were the lovely bones that had grown around my absence: the connections — sometimes tenuous, sometimes made at great cost, but often magnificent — that happened after I was gone. And I began to see things in a way that let me hold the world without me in it. The events my death brought were merely the bones of a body that would become whole at some unpredictable time in the future. The price of what I came to see as this miraculous lifeless body had been my life."

I was really excited to see the Mark Wahlberg will be playing Jack Salmon. In reading the character, you could see him very easily in the role. In all, I really liked this book, although I have to say I was mildly dissatisfied with the ending. Read for yourself to see how you feel.

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The Last Time They Met

2010-01-14T20:52:00.000-05:00

The Last Time They Met: A Novel by Anita Shreve

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At first the dialogue in this book was hard to adjust to, in that it was written in italics as opposed to quotation marks; which Cormack McCarthy did with The Road. I found myself constantly asking if they were just mind-readers, or if they were actually talking to one another.

Rich language, diverse settings and characters that you vascillate between pitying and wanting them to stop pitying themselves, this book leaves you wanting to check more Shreve from the library.

Most importantly, this book has one of the best plot twists of any non-thriller novel I've read, and you will close the book at the end with your mouth wide open thinking "What the $*%! just happened?!" If you're a spoiler, do NOT read the last page of this one...or if you do, don't say I didn't warn you. Certainly, don't tell your friends the ending, or they won't be your friends much longer!

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Idyll Banter

2009-12-31T15:32:00.002-05:00

Idyll Banter: Weekly Excursions to a Very Small Town by Chris Bohjalian

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had read Bohjalian's Midwives and LOVED it. It was such a thought-provoking novel, and the characters were so amazingly written. I really liked that he told the story from the perspective of the midwife's daughter.

Though I knew he was a New England author, I did not know he had a weekly column. Along the same lines as Dave Berry, his slice of life segments are enough to feel complete on their own, but pieced together tell the tale of life in a small New England town. I may purchase this book to remind me of NE when I'm "home" sick next year.

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Evenflo Smart Steps

2009-11-02T17:56:00.003-05:00

Lately, I've been questioning what I feed my kids, and how much of it. It seems like a couple times a week I'm baking something with H...cookies, bread, cupcakes; all in the name of math and science education at home, right?

Charlie will put down just as much food as H at times, and I know they go through stages of feast or famine but always wonder if I'm making the best choices, or instilling good eating habits. I've been making H eat a vegetable every night in order to 'earn' dessert. While I know that some disagree with that tactic...I don't really care. That's just how I roll. After a couple nights of struggling to get him to eat four tiny peas (one for each year of his age), he now 'willingly' will eat the small pile I put on his plate without being asked. It's amazing how follow-through and consistency get the job done!

I got an email from MomCentral* about Evenflo's new Smart Steps program, and was able to try a few of the products from the new line. I got a sippy cup that's in an insulated sleeve (machine washable, yay!) and has a soft spout that really doesn't leak. I've tried just about every sippy cup, and they have pretty much all leaked when left on their side after they've been abandoned by one of my children, but this one didn't. Love it!

I also got a set of spoons that are flat and look a little bit like mini-pancake turners, but they're meant to be easier to maneuver for small hands and a set of snack cups whose lids double as suctions to keep them from being flung (as easily) from the table.

Some of the tips they have on their website were mainly reassuring, as they're things that I'm already doing. But if you aren't, you'll be surprised how easy they are to incorporate in your life. Here are a few:

Let your kids be "produce pickers" at the store. If they can pick out their own fruits and veggies – they'll be more inclined to eat them
Invite your kids to prepare meals with you. All of that mixing, mashing and measuring will make them want to taste what they are prepping.
Offer choices. Rather than ask "Do you want broccoli for dinner?" ask "Which would you like for dinner: broccoli or cauliflower?"

Not sure how you're doing? Evenflo has developed a quiz on their website in order for you to determine your Parental Feeding Style and where you fall on the Eating Arc. The site is also full of tips and products to either continue the good things you're doing, or things you can tweak in order to help your child get on the path to having a healthy relationship with food. Be it dealing with a picky eater, ideas for revamping your mealtime repertoire or conversation starters to begin a tradition of eating at the table as a family, Evenflo Smart Steps has got ideas for you!

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Evenflo and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate

Baby Einstein World Animal Adventure

2009-09-24T15:28:00.009-04:00

As I've said before, I didn't discover the bliss that is Baby Einstein until Charlie came along and I had two kids to entertain while I did my daily 'chores', made dinner, occasionally while I sat and knitted (okay, more than occasionally, but who's really counting?)

The bigger collection I amass, the more I'm amazed at how they just don't get old for either kid. The newest release, World Animal Adventure, is a big hit at our house. After we were given a copy of World Music by MomCentral to test, I not only filled out the survey, but personally emailed to see if I could please, please, please get a review copy of the World Animal Adventure because World Music was so fantastic it even captured the attention of the six year old boy I was baby-sitting.

The World Animal Adventure also has a new feature of a second "mode". It's a little more advanced so an older toddler or pre-schooler will get even more out of the video. Silly puppet shows, a great soundtrack and animals seen in their natural habitat create a well-rounded presentation.

I love that the Baby Einstein line is taking their mission of early childhood education to the level of exposing kids to not only new sights, sounds and shapes but then attaching those sights, sounds, costumes, instruments, etc to the region of the world in which they will most likely be found. Most kids won't get to travel to Australia to see Koala Bears or Asia to see a Panda, but exposing them at an early age to what's 'out there' is something I really value.

Charlie, as you can see, is enthralled by the whole DVD series. He can be having the most off of days, but then that big caterpillar rolls across the screen and gives a little wink of encouragement saying "I know big guy, I'll make it alllll riiight" (Okay, that sounds a little pervy, but whatever); He's a goner.

I love having the compromise of allowing myself the freedom to either interact with he and H while they watch one, or to get my own work done while not feeling like I'm abandoning them to electronic media that could warp them.

I remember when I first saw that the Baby Einstein DVD's were marketed to infants from birth forward (depending on subject) I felt a little bit vindicated that it was a product line that definitely targeted the educated crowd, yet was still bucking the system that said "ZERO TV until 2 years of age!"

Like anything in parenting, there is such a broad spectrum of what 'tv time' means. Do you sit your baby in the Bumbo in front of Goodfellas? Hopefully not. But what harm can some Sesame Street or other pre-school/educational TV do so that mama can get dinner on the table?

As I was typing the above two paragraphs, I clicked over to the Baby Einstein link and saw that they've been addressing this very topic. In fact, a Harvard study on the topic of infant television was recently conducted and found, in part, that it's not harmful for infants to view TV but that content does matter.

And because you can't get a post without a little bit of snark...I love that they're not movies, they're 'Electronic Board Books' which, when said with a snotty British accent while telling other parents what my kids 'watch/read' makes me feel really superior...and I like it.

Please note that I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Baby Einstein and received a World Animal Adventure DVD to facilitate my candid review.

Daniel X: Watch the Skies

2009-08-24T07:13:00.004-04:00

For those of you who have boys who loved The Dangerous Days of Daniel X, the neXt installment, Daniel X: Watch the Skies, is now available! James Patterson, with Ned Rust, has once again created a story that will be engaging for boys and girls alike. The father of a young boy himself, Patterson, founder of 'ReadKiddoRead' wanted to create a series that would help fill the need for literature that makes reading fun for boys. Mission: Accomplished.

Daniel is an alien hunter whose family was killed, and his parents left behind for him 'The List' of aliens on planet earth that must be eradicated. The books follow his adventures in pursuing them and taking them out, while mixing in everyday boy dilemmas about friends, girls and life in general. Daniel X has powers that allow him to conjure people and things, which helps him defeat the aliens along the way.

As the list gets shorter, the higher-ranked aliens are harder and harder to kill, which means he's at more risk of getting killed himself. The aliens methods are creative, and the character names (the nasty landlord is Mr. Gout) will make the adults that read it have a little giggle.

One thing I like about this series so far is that the chapters are really short, so if a parent wanted to find a chapter book to read to a child that was maybe 10+ years old, they'd be able to read a couple of chapters a night. As with most books you're going to read aloud to your child, I'd recommend reading it first to see if they're up for the gore factor, but overall, it's aimed at this age group so I'd feel comfortable reading it to my kids at that age.

While it's definitely a simplistic adult read, I appreciate that it's not too juvenile in that Patterson still uses words that they'd have to occasionally look up and has some complex sentences so that the kids reading the books would be challenged and also empowered to keep reading higher and higher level books.

"Daniel" also maintains a blog, if your kids just keep wanting more...right now, he's promoting the sci-fi thriller District 9.

I have a 12 year-old nephew who will be getting both Daniel X books, and I'm sure he'll love them; Good Morning America recently rated it America's best book for boys!

*I received a copy of Daniel X: Watch the Skies from Mother-Talk in order that I could review it.

Automoblox Minis Design System

2009-08-08T10:12:00.006-04:00

Do you have a hard time finding the right toy for everyone when the plethora of holidays, birthday parties and other gift-giving occasions arrive? Sure, there are age guidelines on the box, but they're not always easy to find, and even if a toy is geared for 3+, would a 6 year-old like it? I first heard of ebeanstalk, a website dedicated to selecting good, safe baby toys, when my sister-in-law sent two gifts in a row to H and Charlie from it. The presents were a hit, and also came with a little card explaining what each toy did to aid in development (i.e. sensory stimulation, fine or gross motor development).

I was intrigued when I got the first email from them saying that they need help from moms like me to pick the toys. I already knew that I liked their site content and was excited to be part of their test panel.

The toy they sent is called Automoblox Minis 3-pack (T9, S9 and C9) from Manhattan Toy, who makes great developmental toys. Packaged in a sleek rectangular box, you slide out the inner portion and I found my first positive: no plastic twine encasing every inch of the toy making it a nightmare for parents in the opening process.

The automoblox are wooden cars that are made to be interchangeable, so that three cars can be made into several different ones by simply pulling them apart (they're hooked together by two color coded male/female plugs). For instance, H's set came with a red, green and blue car. Each of them came apart into 2-3 pieces plus the tires and plastic bubble, which looks like the top of a car, are interchangeable and color-coded as well. H is just at the age where color identification is important, and he was able to see the 'right' way to put the cars back together because all the plugs, tops and tires matched. (The set also comes with four black tires)

This toy is marked for 3+, and I felt like it was a really appropriate guideline. The tires come off easily, which is great because it wasn't frustrating for him to pull any of the pieces apart, but they also don't come off so easily that it falls apart as you're rolling it across the carpet. For this reason, though, it's a toy that will be played with out of reach from my 14 month-old. There is a choking hazard warning on the box for small parts.

There were no weird plastic-y smells, and the wooden bodies had some fun details such as drilled out holes where the head and tail-lights will be. The body is made of German beech wood that's triple coated in a non-toxic lacquer so even though your pre-school may be beyond sticking things in their mouths it's just as important that their toys be toxin-free.

The set we were sent can be found for just under $30, and I would absolutely spend the money on it as a gift for Christmas or a birthday. H was occupied for THREE HOURS while Charlie napped...he is a pretty good kid when it comes to entertaining himself, but these three cars kept him busy the whole time! There are also larger toys that come in a single pack. At the very least, we'll be getting the other mini sets (the m9, X9-X and A9-S) so that there are more parts to interchange with.

Gather 'Round!

2009-08-04T07:49:00.001-04:00

It seems like every time I turn around, I'm getting another email to join a social networking site. So far, I've briefly had, but never used and later cancelled, a mySpace account, am obsessed with maintaining a facebook profile and all the fun that goes with it, and tweet occasionally.

When I got the notice from MomCentral about a new site called Gather.com, I was wondering what was different about it. I'm not big on have 1,000 different sites to maintain, but I was intrigued by this one.

My main focus in using Facebook has been to reconnect with friends from the past, and keeping up with what they're doing now. But what if you want to start looking for others who share your interests, views, challenges and dilemmas? Sure, there's meetup.com, but that's all about getting together in person. What if you just want a quick message board, or ways to chat with people all over the country? Trying to go green on a budget and need cleaning solutions? Want a quick recipe, or ways to cope with your crazy toddler while cloth diapering your infant? How about discussing the newest in thriller fiction, or terrace gardening?

Gather.com has created a vibrant and diverse social networking community where you can meet some amazing people who are, you guessed it, gathered together around shared interests and unique passions. Gather hosts thousands upon thousands of groups and conversations on topics ranging from how to cope with your rambunctious toddler to creating a thriving organic garden; from books that you’ll want to stay awake all night reading to the latest pilates moves; and from cooking without recipes to taking the challenge of creating movie reviews in Haiku (tougher than you’d think!).

Does this still sound like it might be something you've already got an account with? Well, here comes the difference...wait for it...

On Gather you earn points for the content you contribute to the site, which can be redeemed for gift cards to stores like Home Depot, Gap, and Target, and even for PayPal cash. In an effort to encourage a free-flow of ideas, the more recipes, tips, stories and advice you share with others in the community, the more points you earn. Now that’s a great incentive!

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog and giveaway campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Gather. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Cross-posted at Sexandtheknitty

2009-07-23T14:40:00.001-04:00

Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood by Koren Zailckas

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
So far, there are a couple of reasons I really like Smashed. First, she's exactly my age, so when she's talking about things that happend in highschool, etc, it's kind of fun to see the social parallels, but secondly,she's from New England. I'm more than a little obsessed with all things New England since I'm a transplant. (I've watched The Departed and the Dennis Lehane movies more times that I can count). Her bio says she grew up in the 'suburbs of Boston', but when she's talking about a girl who goes to her regional high school andsays "Billie lives in the bordering town of Clinton..." I gasped in excitement, because that's just up the road!

It's a bio that I'm hopingdoesn't turn out to be bogus like that of James Frey.

I wanted to read it before sending it off to my 15 year-old niece as a'cautionary tale' (yep, I'm *that* aunt) and have found that it's really good, frank, and I think that most parents would benefit from reading it even if your kids aren't there yet.

Even though the 'times are different' it hasn't been all THAT long since I was in high school, but I feel like I've forgotten a lot of the nuance. Oh yeah, and I never drank in high school.

The above was written when I was only about a third into the book...I have to say it went downhill from there. She was either grossly exaggerating her drinking in parts, or in fierce denial in others because she'd talk about slugging drink after vodka-filled drink for hours on end on a regular basis, while maintaining a certain level of function; but at others would say things about how 'some' people could tolerate 3 long island iced teas while she was blasted after just two.

I also felt like she never, really, admitted that she had a problem. Saying instead that she didn't have a "genetically based reaction to alcohol that addiction counselors call 'a disease'" or "I drank for the explicit purpose of getting drunk, getting brave, or medicating my moods."

Even though the book is aimed at being a cautionary tale for teen-age alcohol abuse, it's more a cautionary tale for not owning your alcoholism. She was/is an alcoholic. Period. I'm disappointed that she never admitted that. She only says that she stopped drinking because her husband enabled her to feel in a way that she formerly couldn't without alcohol...um...that's alcoholism.

View all my reviews >>

There's a Moon in my Room!

2009-07-13T19:23:00.001-04:00

After one too many nights of a pre-schooler in my bed, I was desperate to find a reward that would make him stay in the bed in that one room in the house otherwise known as his bedroom. When I was sitting for a friend, her son had this nightlight in his room and I asked him about it. He was very eager to show me all the things it could do by remote control. Yep. This nightlight is the size of an average wall clock and can either be turned on to a full moon, or through each of the phases. I really like it so far, and lo and behold, the child has slept in his own bed for two nights in a row! A great feature is that it turns off automatically after a couple of hours so that batteries will last longer. I just let H keep the remote on his headboard, and he's come to get me once in the night to help him turn it back on, but at least it's not on all night...

Family Friendly's

2009-05-29T14:09:00.000-04:00

I remember when we first moved to New England and someone was talking about a frenzy...everywhere I went people were talking about a new flavor of frenzy and I didn't get it, so finally I spoke up. Turns out, it was Friend-z which is one of the signature items at the iconic New England chain Friendly's.

For anyone not from here, it's kind of a mix of Red Robin and Dairy Queen; the Friend-z being the same idea as a blizzard. Once I started going, it's become a favorite for my kids. The options for families are pretty extensive, and the kids meals include an ice cream treat at the end, that kids get to pick themselves and they go way beyond the plain hot fudge sundae. When we went last week, H chose the Monster Mash Sundae which is carefully decorated to look like a monster head. In addition to having a lot of choice, the cost is really reasonable. I usually get one meal for both kids to share with an extra side of apple sauce, then I did the 'create your own for 9.99' so we got out spending just over $20 for three people, including tip!

At one point they were featuring "Sprinkle Vision" which were 3.d glasses that the kids could wear to identify codes on the menu and paper place setting that they could then enter at the website when they got home.

On Saturday, June 6th, they're having a free ice cream day so stop in to Friendly's for a fun family day!

The Skinny Cow...Moooovelous!

2009-05-24T11:48:00.003-04:00

I love ice cream. No, really. I loooooooove ice cream. One year I gave it up for Lent, and I struggled with whether or not Jesus' sacrifice was comparable. (Oooooh, I can hear my Mom's disapproval from over 3,000 miles away!)

Anytime a healthy (read: less unhealthy) ice cream treat comes on the market, I'm all over it; Double-Churned, Slow-Churned, Fro-Yo, I was even subjected to Ice Milk by my parents when I was in high school.

I was offered the chance to taste test Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches by MomCentral, and after some arm-twisting, I decided to go ahead and give it a try. Okay, fine, I couldn't sign up fast enough!

I had already tried the chocolate version at a friend's house, so thought I'd get a package of Vanilla and a package of the chocolate-filled at the store. Little did I know there would be so many choices! I settled on a package of mint-filled and a package of chocolate/peanut-butter; both of which had the chocolate cookies outside. I was also tempted by the Cookies and Cream (my true fall-back flavor) and Strawberry Shortcake which have a vanilla cookie and strawberry ice cream...yum!

My family will concur that they were both good, but we all liked the mint better. I don't know that I'd get the peanut butter again, because I've tried the others and liked them more, but if I was offered a pb Skinny Cow, you would certainly not find me turning it down!

I was pleasantly surprised at how filling they were. Ringing in at just 140 calories for most, 150 for some (2 Weight Watchers points; excepting Chocolate Peanut-Butter and Cookies & Cream, which are 3) they are a sensible choice that is also fulfilling flavor-wise. I get discouraged with 'diet' foods that are low-calorie because they're only one bite's worth of food...it doesn't help much when you eat four or five of them! These were definitely satisfying with only one, and I would most likely have felt sick with two.

While they are on the spendy side (mine were about $5.50 at Stop-n-Shop), since you'll be eating an actual serving each time, they're actually cheaper in the long run. Mine have been in the freezer for over a week with all three of us around to eat them. When you can only grab a certain amount instead of scooping to your heart's desire, I'm far more likely to eat what I'm supposed to and be done with it.

I remember last summer when we got the Good Humor variety pack from BJ's and there were several nights that we'd have an ice cream sandwich and a cone, or another treat. I feel like the Skinny Cow treats are just bigger and more filling.

The Mint, Vanilla and Chocolate-Vanilla Combo are all Best Life approved treats.

One thing I don't like is the after-taste of artificial sweetners in my post-dinner (or anytime of day, really) sweet. I love Diet Coke and really don't drink any regular soda, but something about the taste of NutraSweet in ice cream, yogurt or any other food is just not good to me. For those who like the sugar-substitute option, they do offer the Vanilla in a no sugar added version, using Splenda.

The Skinny Cow website has a lot of information, including a bunch of stuff for scrap-bookers. I'm not sure of the connection, but there are scrap-tips and some other fun things.

Salem Falls

2009-05-23T20:03:00.000-04:00

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. I've read several Jodi Picoult books, and my favorites have been Nineteen Minutes, Salem Falls, Harvesting the Heart and My Sister's Keeper.

I had read Nineteen Minutes as my first intro to Ms. Picoult, so was excited to see the return (or origination of) Jordan McCafferty and Selena.

In this book Jack is a Columbia educated History PhD who was teaching and coaching soccer at an all-girls prep school when he's falsely accused of having a sexual relationship with one of his players after her father finds a diary full of sexually explicit entries featuring Jack, and a package of birth control pills. Excited by the idea that they could be true, she quickly falls into the role of victim, and it's too late to turn back.

The book opens as Jack is released from his eight-month jail sentence and vows to start over again. When he reaches the sleepy town of Salem Falls, things fall into place for him, and he tried to do everything right, including notifying the Detective of his residence in accordance with his obligation to report as a sex offender.

From there, word spreads and a modern-day witch hunt ensues. Throw four teen-aged Wiccan girls, and the half-truths, mis-representations and false accusations build. It was really interesting to me to see how easily a false allegation can get out of control, but I thought she also did a very good job of not minimalizing the trauma or rape, or of making it sound like there were a large percentage of allegations that ended up being false.

****Spoiler****Spoiler****Spoiler*****Spoiler

There was one relationship dynamic which was really not addressed that I picked up on right away (between Gilly and her father, Pharmaceutical giant Amos Duncan). I don't know if it's because of my former job, or if there was just some really obvious foreshadowing, but I was a little disappointed that the "could be a relative" DNA issue wasn't picked up on by the defense attorney, the DA's office or any of the law enforcement. I know that in that line of work, we're all cynical enough to explore that angle if things don't fit. I don't like including spoilers in my review, but I had to include this because I kept waiting for that to be the answer of the missing DNA link, and it never happened. The "dynamic" (Read: ABUSE) isn't out-right identified until the last line of the book, so all you cheaters who like to read the last page or last chapter first, you'll already know.

View all my reviews.

Toys for your Tots

2009-05-21T09:56:00.002-04:00

If you've ever wandered up and down, up and down, and up and down the toy aisles again at Target or other department stores, you know what I mean when I talk about the agony that is selection. Considering everything from age-approriateness (is 3+ really okay for a 2 year old, or too boring for a 5 year old?) to whether or not it will foster development, it's a jungle out there

There are tons of books and websites out there to help you on your way, but the most foolproof ones I've found are The Baby Gizmo (which I've posted about before) and Ebeanstalk.

Ebeanstalk is dedicated to a baby's development. And we select the best baby toys matched to a baby's development. To see great information on how a baby grows up, check out the info on our baby toys page.

Because I've got a slew of showers, new babies and, of course, C's first birthday, I thought I'd post some pointers found on their site.

Picking toys for a baby is not as simple as it sounds. Here are some quick baby facts:

Toys for a newborn baby: A newborn baby is briefly looking at objects and attempting to imitate facial expressions. They can follow objects with their eyes and usually quiet down, when they are picked up.

Toys for a three month old: They will enjoy ‘frolic play', reaching for objects and will repeat enjoyable activities. Believe it or not, they will respond to ‘no' (about half the time) and will start babbling.

Toys for a six month old: They'll search for hidden objects (object permanence). They'll reach for themselves in the mirror, play peekaboo, crumple paper, roll from their stomach to their back and even respond to their name.

Toys for a nine month old: They are pushing toy cars, playing pat-a-cake and looking for hidden sounds. The baby toys they are playing with are also getting more fun.

Second Helpings

2009-05-18T14:35:00.001-04:00

Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Again, Ms Darling delivers witty sarcasm spliced with the naivete of a teen-ager. Her angst-filled journal entries are so fun to read because she's not depressing, just hillarious, self-depricating and not afraid to point out what's wrong with "Skanky and Skankier" and the rest of the gang in the Honors class at Pineville High. I'll be taking a little break to finish Harvesting the Heart, but then it's right on to #3. This time, I made sure I had all of them from the library before starting so I could speed right through. Another one day read.

And Marcus? Again, like Stephanie Meyers' Edward, is it wrong to be in lurve with an 18 year-old? Probably.

View all my reviews.

Union High, Union High, Alma Mater of Mine

2009-05-13T19:19:00.005-04:00

This winter, I participated in the MomCentral blog tour promoting awareness of the Kellogg' Frosted Flakes program Earn Your Stripes, which has a sub-section called Plant a Seed intended to help with field renovations across America. People were asked to submit a field in their community that needed renovation in order that the kids and community members in general could benefit from all that organized sports and fitness in general have to offer.

I was ecstatic when I saw that my High School's field (listed under Union High School-Old Field, Union, OR) had made the final cut and is now a contender for the final 30 that will be renovated! You can vote once a day, every single day until May 31st. Vote, and vote often! If a field in your community has not been selected, I would love for you to put your support toward my hometown.

From Fartleks to Burpies and everything in between, that track and field have helped many a student athlete while away the hours in a positive way. In a community where over 90% of the youth are involved in after-school athletics throughout the course of the year, it's easy to see why a well-maintained field is so important.

The track that you see in the picture is the old cinder track that was our one and only during my heyday at UHS. After I graduated, they wrote grant after grant and worked to have a regulation track (the cinder track is not regulation) and football field built down the road from the school.

The hope is to have the track at the old field removed so that the entire space can be returned to it's previous stat, irrigated and utilized as a large field for Little League and other activities. The town's Little League space is currently at the local Stock Show grounds, which is also used for parking and the annual carnival, so is not ideal.

I have so many great memories of my time at UHS, and would love to see the field get renovated so that the next generations can benefit from a safe place to be active and engaged after-school and during the summer months. Please visit the Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed website and cast your vote every day from now until May 31st!

KaBOOM!

2009-05-01T16:39:00.003-04:00

KaBOOM is an online resource that aims to help locate playspaces in your area. Right now, they're teaming up with MomCentral with the goal of adding 100,000 playspaces in 100 days. I was really pleased when I got the email from MomCentral that they'd teamed up because I remember when I had lived here for about six months, I happened upon the site and found that the listings in my area were pretty limited.

This is just another example of it taking a village...if we all do our part and enter the playspaces we use, other moms and their kids will benefit from our 'expertise' and get outside with their kids as well! After a looooooooooong winter moms and kids are itching to get outdoors and shake their sillies out.

We hope you can help by adding the playspaces you love!

Ragu Old World Style's New Flavors!

2009-04-28T08:30:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I was at the grocery store and picked up two jars of the new Ragu Old World Style sauces in Sweet Tomato Basil and Margherita courtesy of MomCentral. One of the staples we always have in our house is jarred pasta sauce, along with crushed and diced or stewed tomatoes and garlic. I love to make home-made pizza and have found that the pizza sauces (except one brand that I buy from Roche Bros.) are too rich, so use pasta sauce instead.

I used the Margherita sauce on home-made pizza dough and then covered it in Mozzarella cheese and the added some other veggies to help beef up the nutrition. If you're stuck on what to make, the Ragu site also has recipes for the new sauces, including an upside down deep dish pizza which I was originally going to make but forgot to thaw the ground beef. C'est la vie, right?

The sauce was flavorful, and didn't have that weird aftertaste that some jarred sauces can. The best part is that it's got a full serving of vegetables per half-cup of sauce. Lord knows I'm always looking for ways to make H eat more greens! (or reds in this case).

Evenflo Comfort Select Dual Electric Breast Pump

2009-04-20T07:35:00.003-04:00

When I had H, I was working in a very full-time job. I was lucky to be in the position that my husband would have a month off after a couple days of my parents graciously filling the parenting gap so that my first days back to work were not compounded my a baby in daycare.

In addition to my regular work bag, I had slung over my shoulder yet another testament to my new found status of mother; my breast pump. At the time, I was working for the State of Oregon, and they're required to provide a lactation room, and allow for time to pump. But even more important was that I was the last in a string of co-workers (seven of us at once!) to have a baby, so the room was not just a drab little cubie, but an old office that had a rocking chair, magazines, artwork and a mini-fridge with ample space for us to all store our daily goods. (though it wasn't long before I was using the time to return phone calls...

At that time, I had the Medela Pump In Style, which is a really great pump that my insurance paid for. Did you know that most insurance companies will cover the cost of a pump? Something every prospective mom should check into!

I sold that pump before moving East, and with C, I was given the Pump In Style Advanced backpack style pump, and used it when I went to BlogHer Boston in addition to a couple times here and there to build up a little cushion for when I went out (though I'm not at all averse to using formula if it means I get a break, so there wasn't pressure to produce mass quantities). I was staying home this time, and so it's just been all-around a much different breastfeeding experience.

I was given an Evenflo Comfort Select Dual Electric Breast Pump (which retails for $69.99 on Amazon) to test by MomCentral, so I'll be comparing and contrasting it to the Medela, which isn't entirely fair because the Medela is in a price point about $200 higher, but it's the one I have experience with.

I really liked the trim bag that the Evenflo comes in, which really looks like a soft-sided cooler about the size that you'd take a lunch to work in. It has soft bags that you place in the freezer overnight and then take with you to keep you milk chilled all day, which would allow for more milk to be carried than if it were rigid like the Medela. It is over all a much smaller product than Medela, including the fact that the Medela motor and other parts (aside from the cups and tubes themselves) are housed inside the carrying case.

I thought it was nice that the pump comes with nipple adapters for people with smaller breasts, so you don't have to purchase additional equipment if the original cups are too large. The carrying case has a little pouch in the front that holds the user's manual (which I almost didn't see and started to complain to my husband that "If I hadn't already used a pump, I wouldn't know what these parts are...blah, blah, blah..."; yeah, the manual's right there). If I were using this pump full-time, I'd slip a couple of the Medela bags that you can use in the microwave to sanitize the pump parts. I really liked those for an office environment because I didn't have to wait all day to really clean my pump, and that way it was ready for the next use without worry of contamination.

The nipple on the two bottles that are included are shaped a lot more like a mother's would be, so it seems more user friendly for the baby. C took it just fine, though at almost 11 months old, I think his mouth is a little big and the nipples are more for smaller babies.

So, now for the drawbacks; this pump is loud. I think that I'd say it is about the same volume as a Kitchen-Aid mixer, but not as loud or grating as a coffee grinder or blender. The soft whoosh-whoosh of the Medela is what I'm used to, so I think the noise was amplified. Had I not had prior experience with a pump, I would most likely just think that's the way it was, but there would be no question to your co-workers when you were and were not pumping. Well, I guess that could be a positive, because if anyone ever walked in on you, you could use genuine indignation because there's no way they'd not have known you were 'busy'.

The only other drawback is that the only adjustment for the pump is the level of suction (low to high) not the frequency of suction. I found with the Medela that after the let-down fast speed, it was much more productive when I turned the speed way down, like to 1, and kept the suction level high; which seemed to closely mimic how my babies nursed.

With only two drawbacks, I'd have to say that overall (especially considering that this retails for well under $100) this is a great little double pump that has the option to be either cord or battery-powered (in your car in the parking garage, perhaps?) that can be used as either a single or double pump.

And now for the exciting news; You can win one yourself! I have an Evenflo Comfort Select Pump to give away to a reader that I will select at random. Please leave a comment stating why you'd love this pump to be yours and I'll enter all the comments into a hat and choose one lucky girl. If you have a funny or embarrassing breast-feeding story, I'll give you an extra entry; because everyone loves sharing personal anecdotes that could be publicly humiliating, right?

I ask that you please, please, please not enter yourself if you plan to get it only to turn around and sell it. I'd like for someone who genuinely needs it to win it. In addition to the pump, I have two 48-count boxes of Comfort Select disposable nursing pads. Depending on the number of entries, I may split them up for three prizes, two or just one grand prize.

If you'd like more information on breast-feeding, including mom-entered tips on breast-feeding and pumping, go to the MomCentral site; by adding a tip of your own you'll be entered for a chance to win one of three Evenflo Comfort Select pumps from MomCentral!

Shower of Shame

2009-04-16T22:12:00.001-04:00

Today, I busted out the bottle of x-14 that I'd been given to test by MomCentral about a week ago. My shower is in such a state that I am embarassed to post these pictures. My mother will s#&* a brick when she sees the hovel in which I've been cleansing my body.

Just a little background...without my glasses I can see about as well as an octegenarian with cataracts. So, I can shower and pretend that the building mildew isn't really there. Were it someone else's shower that I happened to peek into, I would chastise them in my head, wondering how someone who looks so clean could be getting in that state in a place of such utter filth.

To make matters worse, I have a fiberglass shower that has the pebbly bottom which has obtained tiny scratches from my abrasive cleaner so it's impossible to get all the way clean.

So there I was, standing in sports bra and undies (just like my mother before me) spraying the shower down prior to jumping in and giving it a good scrub. I read the instructions while I was spraying and noticed the phrase "no scrubbing"...okay, right. That's never true. Then I read on to learn that I merely had to spray on and leave until the stain disappeared and then wipe it off.

Sweet. I'm standing here waiting to take my shower, and it'll probably take like 20 minutes to make the amount of filth that I have to 'disappear.' I also noted that it may take heavy mildew stains two cleanings to get it all the way off.

Well, I must not be quite as filthy as I imagined because I turned around and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me...could it seriously be disappearing in less than a minute? Yes. Yes, it can.

While I have to say that the fumes were quite strong, I was willing to suffer damage to my lungs if I had to in order to get that shower clean. I'd tried gels with bleach and other harsh chemicals to no avail, so I was ready and had the vent fan going. Absolutely make sure it's well-ventilated and I'd even open a window to air it out. The fumes are the only drawback of this product.

I got the sponge wet and ran it down the shower walls and then turned on the shower and let it run in the shower getting on all three walls for about 30 seconds before re-wetting the sponge and wiping to make sure the chemicals were off the wall before jumping in for my shower.

You only have so much time before naps and quiet time end, after all.

I honestly cannot believe how quickly and easily it worked, and it lived up to it's claim of no scrubbing required.

Now, for the "Picture's Worth a Thousand Words" moment:

Shameful Before

(with flash)

The absolution of the after...with and without flash

Electrolux Goes Green!

2009-04-13T14:48:00.006-04:00

When Kathy Lee announced that she'd be leaving Regis and Kathy Lee the nation mourned...until they started doing the interviews for her replacement. The minute I saw Kelly Ripa come on-screen I was in lurve. And so was my dad...but I digress. From the high-heeled sprint to openly talking about motherhood and it's joys and challenges, she is the icon of this American mother.

Have you seen the fun new commercials with Kelly for Electrolux? With all the diapers and kids' laundry I do, I've added to my dream home journal a front-loading washer and dryer. I have one in my apartment now, and don't know that I could ever go back to the old top-loader.

Now, Electrolux and Kelly have teamed up to introduce an eco-friendly front-load washer and dryer in the fun shade of “Kelly Green.” The new limited edition shade was inspired by the great outdoors Kelly herself, who is a self-proclaimed eco-Mom.

Kelly said “I love green… the color green and the act of living green. What better place to make a simple, every day difference than in the laundry room? Kelly Green is a gorgeous shade, and just by using the new Electrolux high-efficiency washer and dryer you can save energy and use less water. How green is that?”

Just in time for Earth day, Electrolux kicks off its virtual flower garden campaign to drive awareness and raise funds for Global Green USA. Starting today, when you go to the Electrolux site and plant a virtual flower for a friend, Electrolux will donate $1 to Global Green USA to support their healthy green schools initiatives across America. Everyone who logs on to the site and plants a virtual flower will be automatically entered for a chance to win a new eco-friendly Kelly Green front-load washer and dryer!

Additionally, Mom Central will be giving away one eco-friendly “Kelly Green” washer and dryer set to a member of our community! To enter, simply go to MomCenral and (1) tell us which flower you planted on the Electrolux site and (2) share your own “laundry tips” for saving time and energy. Mom Central will pick one lucky winner in a random drawing from all entries received!

The Household Guide to Dying:A Novel About Life

2009-04-08T06:35:00.001-04:00

I was given an advance copy of The Household Guide to Dying: A Novel About Life by Debra Adelaide in order to participate in the Mother Talk review of it.

When I was reading the first couple of pages I thought "Oh no...it's another Martha Quest!" I only say that because of the chickens scratching in the dirt, and I thought in the beginning that Adelaide was going to be like Lessing, who was so wordy and gave so much detail that the joy of reading that is creating the setting and characters in your mind was squashed.

I quickly realized that I was wrong. Wrong. Wrong. While there are several passages that are a bit cryptic, it's actually in order to make way for a couple of the twists you're not expecting. Adelaide creates the world of Delia, a household advice columnist, whose snarky and sometimes off-topic responses have made her an Australian icon. Basing her world on the work of Mrs. Beeton, an actual English-woman from the 1800's who wrote Mrs. Beeton's Guide to Household Management beginning at the ripe old age of 21, which offered advice on everything from how to deal with servant's pay to caring for a sick child.

Due to the popularity of her column, Delia became famous for her own series of Household Guide books; The Household Guide to Home Maintenance, The Household Guide to the Kitchen, The Household Guide to the Garden and The Household Guide to the Laundry. Pushing the idea the furthest possible, and in order to provide some catharsis for herself upon making the decision to cease unsuccessful chemotherapy treatments, her publisher agreed to The Household Guide to Dying which would provide readers with advice for everything from selecting a coffin (she refused to call it a casket) to making meals ahead to freeze for the family you'd leave behind (if you were a mother as was she).

The sections of the book where she talks about the laundry were so tantalizing that I found myself imagining how I'd have my laundry room in the home that my husband promises me we'll someday own. It was striking to me how the attitude in other countries is so different regarding the laundry. I have a friend from Australia and I know that we're still shocked that she doesn't own a clothes dryer; so I laughed out loud when I read the following passage regarding the code of the clothesline:

And then, in the suburbs, washing left on the line overnight indicated a serious lapse in domestic care. Probably outright immorality: where was that woman? Off in the ladies' lounge having a shandy, no doubt. It was also a clear invitation to thieves and perverts to jump over your fence and steal your lace bras or frilly underpants should you be silly and vain enough to own them.

Finally, you never used dryers. These were for lazy and wasteful people, of those unfortunates who had to live in apartments? In the suburbs, where the sun was generous and a fresh breeze was free, it was a crime not to hang your washing out.

One reviewer called her Household Guide to the Laundry "laundry porn" and I found myself very disappointed that I'd never get to read the full texts of the tomes to which Delia so often referred. It was a little titilating to read about all the mundane tasks of maintaining your home in such a fresh way, and in a silly way, it was just what I needed to read following my three year-old outburst to my husband a few days ago during which I railed about the fact that I didn't get a gold star by my name at the end of the day; I was gifted only with more exhaustion...good times.

The Household Guide is so much more than meets the eye. Taking a journey with Delia through her life as a teen mother who tries to follow the wandering musician of a circus family father of her unborn child to a small town in Northern Australia to her life as a work from home mother of two married to a caring and wonderful landscaper, this book has surprising depth and also a lot of humor.

Another thing that struck me was that as she talked about the way she manages her house, it would take the mention of an iPod or MySpace to remind me that this was a 21st century wife, mother and successful writer, just bringing home that it is quite possible to immerse yourself in the running of your home without having to relegate yourself to historical relic.

When asked how she chose the topic Adelaide replied "Authors will often say the reverse, that the idea or the topic or the entire novel chooses them. In my case, I'm not sure that I did choose to write this novel, but I do remember setting myself a challenge to write about dying in a way that would be original and, in particular, comical. Fiction is – in part, anyway – the place to confront things and explore ideas that in your own life you are too timid to do. Dying tends to confound most of us, frighten us, make us literally lost for words. We have a lot of trouble finding the right things to say and do when we're required to cope with death. In The Household Guide to Dying, I used the character of Delia as a bold and sometimes confronting voice who is trying to make the idea of dying more palatable to those around her, as well as herself struggling to find the right way to express a process that is profound and universal. Her way is via humour, which for her sometimes works, and sometimes not. And sometimes, despite all her efforts, the words literally evade her."

Because I get a little 'connected' with my characters (aka, I have a hard time accepting that SJP is not really Carrie Bradshaw), I googled Mrs. Beeton and was excited to learn that she was real, and so is her Household Guide. I then got even more excited when they made a reference to a "Delia" (Delia Smith) who is an iconic chef in England. She is a modern figure who announced her TV retirement in 2003 and then filmed a 6 part mini-series in 2008, which aired on BBC. "The Delia Effect" is in reference to the fact that she caused such things as a 10% surge in egg sales after her segment on omelettes and several other overnight sell-outs or "a run on previously poor-selling product as a result of a high-profile recommendation." She also wrote a bestseller How To Cheat at Cooking. But alas, it was just a coincidence of the name, as Adelaide reports that no characters were based on true figures.

While the title may seem like a real Debbie Downer, it is ultimately a novel about life; an examination by a wife, mother and woman who is finally able to take the time to tie up her loose ends and think about the mark she'll leave on those she leaves behind.

You will read this book, if for no other reason than to find out what I mean when I say these two words; blood sausage.

Debra Adelaide is the author of two other novels, The Hotel Albatross and Serpent Dust, and the editor of four themed collections of fiction and memoirs, the latest of which is Acts of Dog. She has worked as a researcher, editor and book reviewer, and has a PhD from the University of Sydney. She is now a senior lecturer in creative writing at the University of Technology, Sydney.

*Cross-posted at Sex and the Knitty.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

2009-03-27T19:29:00.000-04:00

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: A Novel by Jamie Ford

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet just after finishing The Piano Teacher, both of which were debut novels written about the time period of WWII, but from opposite sides of the Ocean. The storyline of this novel is so compelling and it was just so refreshing to be reminded of the purity and innocence of love; even during a time of such injustice. The characters came to life for me, and the pages practically turned themselves. The speed of the read cannot be mistaken for lack of depth. Overall, a very good book.

View all my reviews.

The Piano Teacher

2009-03-21T06:42:00.003-04:00

Since re-discovering the library, I can't seem to read enough these days. I've always been a voracious reader, but lately it's even moreso. Flying through the Twilight series, engrossed in the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell about a chief Medical Examiner in Virginia to sate my morbid curiosities (though I question the sanity in doing that, as I often have to put it down and read something else late at night if I've already checked the locks on the windows and doors more than twice, looked in closets and even under my bed....), or more instructional tomes like Knitting Circles Around Socks I've reinforced that books will always be an intrinsic part of my life; continually connecting with characters on paper that you wish you knew in real life.

I had read reviews for Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford and The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee in a magazine and put them in my request queue at the library right away. The Piano Teacher came almost immediately and it was amazing! It just came out last month so run, don't walk, to your local library and check out a copy.

Not often does a book leave such a lasting impression. Set in World War II Hong Kong, and then a decade later, the stories of the women who are the lovers of Will Truesdale, a British man in Hong Kong, unfold on the pages with rich language that isn't wordy for wordy's sake and tell of two women whose lives are very different, but have Will as their center.

What struck me the most was that the in the second 'life' he is only a decade older yet the war has so changed him, making him a much older man. Throughout, I just kept thinking about our current situation and how we, as citizens of the US, are often so insulated from the everyday grisly details of war. Yes, we have the news media now but I imagine they still can't do justice to the in-person experience; the sights, smells and tastes of the depictions in the book are so vivid, that it makes you again feel at the least, fortunate, to live where we do if only geographically.

I loved this book, and would read it again if only to see what pieces I may have missed in the rich tapestry that she wove throughout to lead you to the final scenes. I won't include any more details because I wouldn't want to spoil any surprises.

*Cross-posted at Sex and the Knitty

Neo to Go!

2009-03-20T10:25:00.004-04:00

I was asked by MomCentral and Neosporin to try out NEOSPORIN® + Pain Relief Ointment, NEOSPORIN® + Pain Relief Cream, and the newly available NEOSPORIN® NEO TO GO!® First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Spray. I received full-sized testers of all three on the very day that it was warm enough to hit the parks...perfect timing!

I popped the Neo to Go! in my diaper bag, after doing a couple test squirts on my ring finger, which has recently decided to be sensitive to my wedding band...seven year itch? It sprays on easily and isn't greasy.

That day, while reaching for the plastic wrap from the cupboard, I sliced my palm on the corner of the serrated cutting edge. Ouch! I remembered that I'd been given samples of the new formulas that contain pain relief, and dabbed on some of the cream formula before putting a band-aid over my tender little paw. It really did help, and I liked that it wasn't greasy. However, keeping a band-aid on your palm is just not meant to happen, so I ended up using the cream formula several times a day for the next couple of days like a lotion and my cut healed really quickly....in hindsight, I should have taken some pictures.

Later that night (seriously, was the receipt of this gift a portend for danger?) Henry was putting on his monkey back-pack...okay, it's a harness...when he pinched his naked tummy in the plastic clasp. I thought it was just a pinch, but he'd actually torn the skin of his little fish-belly, so I tried out the ointment this time. It may have been psychological, or just the calming effects that are often imbued with a crayon-shaped band-aid, but when I asked him about ten minutes later if it felt better, he had to be reminded what he should be feeling better about.

I used the ointment in conjunction with hydrocortisone for the next couple days on my ring finger and the rash cleared up...until I slipped my ring back on. Hmmm...maybe it's just my body's way of asking for that upgrade.

Because the majority of cuts, scrapes and other child-hood wounds are treated in order to soothe and relieve pain, I'm glad that I'll be armed with the Neo to Go for the playgrounds this summer...I just hope I don't have to use them too often.

Baby Einstein World Music

2009-03-13T21:13:00.007-04:00

If you're not familiar with Baby Einstein, it's a company with a huge line of dvd's, cd's, books and other toys that are designed to be engaging for children from the time of their birth forward.

Prior to having Charlie, I'd only seen a Baby Einstein video a couple of times, and I have to admit; I was a little bored, so that was that. Well, of course I was...they are not aimed at entertaining 26 year-old women! Poor Henry. However, when I was offered the anniversary-edition of Baby Mozart by Baby Einstein and Mom Central, I decided it was a good time to try again with an open mind.

As I had mentioned in my review of that DVD, Henry wasn't as excited about it as he would, say, The Incredibles, but I looked over and found Charlie absolutely enthralled. As he was the target audience, I felt like it was a success.

Since receiving Baby Mozart and the Baby Einstein lullaby CD in that blog tour, I've purchased several other DVDs including Baby Beethoven and Baby Wordsworth (featuring Marley Matlin). All Charlie has to see is the opening scene of the caterpillar* bopping across the screen and he's bright-eyed and smiling, no matter how upset he had been before..separation anxiety has made leaving him for the simplest of tasks (rinsing diapers?!) full of tears.

The images are engaging without being overstimulating, and I feel like I can hold him and watch it together, or there are times that I'm able to help Henry with something, or even cook dinner. While I know that the purpose is to facilitate parent-child interaction, the reality is that it's just as invaluable to have something that allows you to complete basic household tasks without a melt-down, while you still feel like you're letting them watch something that's not detrimental.

In fact, rumor has it that the Easter Bunny will be delivering a copy of the Baby's First Signs DVD to Charlie's basket in a couple weeks.

The new World Music DVD arrived in my mailbox at the perfect time. I was just heading up the stairs to make dinner for my family along with my friend and her two boys as her husband was out of town. The four kids range in age from 9 months to 5.5 years and all four of them were absolutely silent. This just does not usually happen; four boys in one room generally leads to a volume level that would rival a battle-zone.

I think that what made this one even better than the others is that it used a lot of live-action images with the music so that you could get glimpses of the culture that went along with the music you're hearing. Music has always been a big part of my life, and I whole-heartedly agree with Susan McClain's (VP and GM of The Baby Einstein Company) statement that "From Africa to Australia, music is a common thread that ties us all together. With this new line, our goal is to begin a lifelong appreciation for the world."

Today, the second part of our gift from Baby Einstein came in the mail; the World Music CD. As I put Charlie in his crib tonight, I replaced his current selection of World Traveler; Hawaiian Breeze with the World Music CD and he started smiling when he heard the opening notes...well, he could have been laughing at my over-animated dancing, but I'm pretty sure he recognized the music as he's seen the DVD a couple times now.

I am really happy with the whole line of Baby Einstein so far and will continue to build our library.

*I was searching YouTube for a clip of the caterpillar and came across a mom who'd made a Baby Einstein caterpillar cake...guess I know what Charlie's first birthday will bring!

Norton Online

2009-03-08T20:14:00.001-04:00

While I was working for the State, we had an annual conferece on Child Abuse and one of the most fascinating sessions was on Internet Predators. There are so many tricks that are used that I came away each year with the conviction it's more important than ever to know what your kids are doing.

Norton Online Family has created a new way for parents to easily monitor what each child is doing online. MomCentral has partnered with them to afford us the chance to participate in a free sneak preview of Norton Online Family.

Not only is it user-friendly by having a one-time set-up that you customize with each family member (age, maturity level, etc), but it's simple to modify your chilren's profiles or preferences

It also helps clear up the "I didn't even go there, it just popped up" as the report only shows the sites that your kids intentionally visited, by eliminating things such as ads from websites. If you want to go even further you can select from over 40 topic categories that will be unable to be accessed from your home, monitoring of your kids on facebook and MySpace and a 'curfew' for their time on the computer.

The hard thing about the information age is that it seems like it'll be hard, as a parent, to balance giving your kids a sense of privacy and protecting them. Keeping a diary hidden under your mattress didn't present the same dangers that openly exposing your inner-self on line may. The same way that passing potentially incriminating photos back and forth for a 'party' scrap-book isn't like splashing them across the net for everyone from college recruiters to potential employers to find.

To try this invaluable tool for yourself, simply visit Norton. I hope you enjoy it and find that it makes your kids' ability to live their 'virtual' life something that you can not only endure, but encourage.

No More Tears...50 Years!

2009-02-14T21:49:00.006-05:00

Did you know that Johnson & Johnson has been giving tear-free baths for fifty years now?! From sterile bandages to Baby Powder they've been producing the things that improve our lives since the late 1800's. I was surprised, actually, at some of the brands that I didn't realize were under their umbrella; Neutrogena and Splenda being two of them.

I was excited to sign up when MomCentral offered the chance to try two new bath products from Johnson and Johnson in conjucntion with their celebration of a half-century of the No Tears trademark. JOHNSON'S® HEAD-TO-TOE® Foaming Wash and JOHNSON'S® Baby Bubble Bath & Wash arrived in the mail today, just in time for me to give C his first bubble bath...he loved it! The Foaming Wash is soap-free, dye-free, hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested, and is specially designed for newborns. This is great for the dry, dry, dry winter months! I like having a pump because, especially when they're tiny, I like being able to use only one hand to deal with the soap (by using your palm to pump and curving your fingers over to get the soap) and the other hand can be holding your baby the whole time. Until they can sit up really well, it's nice to be able to have that extra hand free.

H is always up for bubbles, so he didn't need any convincing. After lathering them up and rinsing off, it was time for the real fun.

Thinking about childhood bathtimes, I remember the frosted glass sliders being soaped down at 'the gas station' by my sister and I and crazy hairstyles created with the soapy water that made us look like Snorks. My mom wasn't too impressed with us liberally rubbing soap on the shower doors, but she also didn't make us stop because we were having so much fun. The game-ender was always when my mom's bar of Ivory soap fell in the water making all the suds disappear.

I was a teen-ager when my oldest sister had her first child, and we got to bathe Jess in the bathroom or kitchen sink using that yellow bottle of No Tears wash. As an adult, I bought the Johnson's lavender scented body oil and use it in the dry months on my skin after showering at night, and I currently have a bottle of their Soothing Naturals lotion in my gym bag.

There is a great video library on YouTube at the Johnson Baby Channel with 'expert advice and real-life solutions.' You not only get to watch videos, but you can submit videos of your own to share fun tips you've figured out regarding the 'care and keeping' of your little ones.

For a great product line: Here's to the next 50 years!

Green Works Wipes WORK!

2009-02-05T21:39:00.003-05:00

I've been finding that I look more and more forward to the blog tours I do for MomCentral which provide me with 'samples' of something to test. This is for a couple of reasons, one of which is they always provide full size products, so I get to try it, love it, and use it again.

I was recently given a canister of Clorox Green Works wipes. I'd already reviewed some of their other cleaning products, which my own dear daddy went out and bought after seeing my review, and really liked them. In fact, Target recently had a two pack of the glass and surface cleaner on sale for less than $5, so you can bet your sweet bippy I snapped them up!

Since these wipes are advertised to clean multiple surfaces, I decided to put them to the test, using them on two of the most heavily used areas of my home; the stove-top and the outside of the toilet in H's bathroom (remember, he's potty training...)

I used a damp (hand-knit cotton) dishcloth to get the crumbs and chunks off the stove-top, but then use a wipe only (no spray of cleaner) and just two wipes completely cleaned the baked on spills from the stove-top, streaks from the oven door, grime off the handle and the spatters along the panel on the back as well as the microwave front. I was pretty impressed.

Then in the bathroom, I used a wipe in lieu of cleaner and a cloth on the sink and counter (this bathroom gets used for hand washing and H brushing his teeth; my sink on the other hand...yikes!) I used a second wipe to clean around the entire outside of the toilet bowl. Mmmm...my job is so glamorous!

I was really pleased with the job that it did on both a black metal cook-top and white porcelain bathroom sink and toilet. The only downside I see is that there are just 30 wipes per container. However, you don't have to use very many to do a pretty decent job, and it's not priced to break the bank. Next, I'll be trying the toilet bowl cleaner!

Aside from the cleaning products, I like that the company putting it's money where it's mouth is, literally, through their "Green Heroes Grant Program." Five grants of $10,000 each will be awarded to eco-friendly community projects across the country.

Between January 15 and February 28, 2009, individuals can nominate eco-friendly community projects for a Green Heroes grant by submitting a photo and short essay about the project for consideration online at www.greenworkscleaners.com/greenhero. Each winner - or "Green Hero" - will receive a $10,000 grant to help their eco-friendly community projects grow and flourish!

Then, beginning on March 16 through April 10, 2009, the public will have the opportunity to vote online for their favorite eco-friendly community project. The final five Green Heroes will be announced on April 22 - just in time for Earth Day.

For more information about the Green Heroes Grant Program, including official contest rules and entry guidelines, log on to www.greenworkscleaners.com/greenhero.

Plant a Seed and Watch It Grow

2009-01-31T14:34:00.004-05:00

I was intrigued when I saw the title in my in-box...Frosted Flakes Plant-a-Seed. At first I thought...another tree-planting initiative...sigh. Not that they aren't extremely important; they're just not ground-breaking. (Okay, Okay, I know that in the most technical sense, they are ground-breaking, but you get my point.)

Then I read further. The Plant-a-Seed program aims to help boost America's children by rebuilding America's playing fields. In times of economic crisis, the first thing to go in education funding dollars always seem to be athletics and the arts which results in the same amount of hardship, if not as immediate, as when funding is cut for social services.

I remember a very passionate school-board meeting when I was in high school that revolved around the cutting of athletics from the budget completely. Where I grew up participation in sports was widespread. We had a four day school-week in part because the athlete to student population ratio was such that, in our small school, game-days resulted in the inability to meet the percentage of students present to 'count' as a school day. Thus, games on Fridays and Saturdays only were the compromise.

We had a scraggly football field surrounded by a pea gravel track that wasn't even regulation size. After I graduated, the football coach and several others organized fundraising of mammoth proportions in order to build a 'real' stadium and track.

One of the sports that I participated in was Cross-Country. If you looked at me then, or now, you would definitely not say "wow, she's a runner!" But that didn't matter. Because of the benefits (both physically, emotionally and socially) that I got from being a member of that team (a state-championship team, no less), I know that I'm a better, stronger person. For that reason, I was really excited about the Girls on the Run program that is a link from the Kellogg's site.

I have always felt that you can't down-play the importance of organized sports in building esteem, communication, and the ability to be a 'team player', something that even law enforcement officials recognize. Here in Worcester, the Police Department's Gang and Vice Unit was nominated for a 2007 Project Safe Neighborhood Award after their boxing program has proven to be successful in engaging at-risk youth.

Encouraging kids to work hard, eat right, believe in themselves and to have at least 60 minutes of active play everyday will help them to 'earn their stripes.' The field renovation initiative will make over approximately 50 fields across the United States to help provide better places for families to stay active. So, if you know of a field you want to nominate that is in need of repair, would like to help support the repair of a field or if you know of someone who has a passion for athletics and might know of one, forward them this link and get those seeds planted!

(Watch for it on the Superbowl!)

Stop N Shop's Healthy Ideas

2009-01-27T22:17:00.002-05:00

From Meatless Mondays (or Soy Sundays, whichever day my meal-planning falls on) to cutting out ground meat, me and mine have been making an effort to get more nutritional value from each meal I make. It has been such a fun endeavor to research, plan and shop for meals that will satisfy the nutritional pyramid, but are also really good. No matter how health conscious I become, if what I'm eating doesn't taste good, I won't be able to continue for any length of time.

The Weight Watchers Pure Comfort cookbook has been a staple in my repertoire, and I was excited to see that Stop n Shop, which is conveniently located about 2 miles from my house, has added an online resource called Healthy Ideas which provides recipe makeovers of all your family's favorites, using the FDA and USDA guidelines. The recipes provided on the website range from "Holiday" to "Vegetarian" and everything in between.

In addition to the database of recipes, there are images of dishes featured that allow you to click on the various icons to see what ingredient they've swapped and what it saves you fat and calorie-wise. For example, making a classic lasagna with extra-lean ground turkey, no salt added tomato sauce and fat-free ricotta cheese is a great and tasty alternative to sausage or beef, full-fat cheese and otherwise sodium packed sauce.

Taking simple steps is what will allow people to 'walk the walk' of healthy living.

Park City Mountain Resort

2009-01-24T10:05:00.000-05:00

Christmas is over, the tree is gone and your house again resembles some semblance of normalcy, right? Right? If you're like me, and live in an area with lots of snow, you may be thinking when will this ever be gone? I like having four seasons, but it seems like winter always lasts just a touch too long. That is, until I went snow-shoeing for my first time. Now I'm excited to start exploring all that winter has to offer when you step outside the comfort zone (and warmth) of your home.

I was a little uncertain what to expect, and how to prep my kids for the cold. Park City Mountain Resort, located in Park City, Utah has put together an Insider's Guide filled with tips and ideas for vacationing in the snow. The holiday breaks may be behind you, but in Massachusetts they have February break designed to help break up the germ fest that is the cold and flu season. Want to get away from it all that week? Check out Park City Mountain Resort's Interactive Vacation Planner which helps you "get the most out of your visit to Park City. It’s easy to use and allows every member of your family or group to explore exciting activities, dining, shopping, spas and more. When you’re finished, you can download and print a master calendar, ensuring you’ll get the most out of your Park City Mountain Resort vacation."

If you're really lucky, you could win this package:

* Three nights lodging for four (2 adults and 2 kids (ages 12 and under)
* Lift tickets for four days to Park City Mountain Resort for 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 12 and under)
* Three days of lessons for the kids in our Kids Signature Program
* Transportation to and from the Salt Lake International Airport to Park City, Utah

What are you waiting for? You have to enter the contest by January 30th, but even if you don't win the drawing, when you book certain vacation packages now, you get a third night FREE!

DC 24

2009-01-22T23:01:00.001-05:00

I had posted on Inauguration Day that I left the TV on the inauguration coverage most of the afternoon so that the kids would at least be exposed to the goings-on of their world, even if they aren't old enough to really grasp it. I was excited to hear about a group of 24 Chicago inner-city fifth and six graders who traveled to DC to witness the inauguration, and were sponsored by the McCormick Foundation. The DC24 Kids were in the crowd of over one million people that flooded the Washington Mall on January 20th at Obama took his Oath of Office.

This isn't just a randomly selected group of kids, they were chosen based on a written essay, grades, test scores, an oral interview, but most importantly, citizenship. They then participated in a weekly civics course where they learned more about the Constitution, our election process and African-American history.

During their four-day journey to Washington, D.C., the students visited landmarks such as the Capitol Building and the Smithsonian and got to attend the inaugural ball. When they return to Chicago, the DC 24 will publish a newspaper describing their experience and deliver a presentation about their trip to parents, faculty and peers.

A major goal of the McCormick Foundation as well as the DC 24’s principal and their teachers, is to inspire and enable a lifetime of giving back to community and country.

What an amzing experience! The kids attend Frazier Preparatory Academy in downtown Chicago and this trip to Washington D.C. was the first time many of them had traveled outside their neighborhood. These kids were so excited to be there, and to be able to experience everything from attending a dance in the hotel to talking with a Naval Glee Club member in the crowds outside the White House.

Watching the clips they created and reading the sentiments they shared just further exemplified the kind of excitement that has been a long time coming in the arena of politics. People who hadn't been involved before, or were involved only out of a sense of obligation (myself included) got swept up in the excitement, hope and emotion that resulted from Obama's win and entrance into office.

Be sure you look at the site that's being kept with the DC 24 kids thoughts, videos and adventures

Welcome to the (Windows Mobile) Jungle

2009-01-12T22:00:00.003-05:00

Just the other day, I was talking to J about what people would think if they came to visit us from, say, 1890. When you visit an English-speaking foreign country, there are bound to be words that are familiar, but do not mean the same thing.

Imagine the puzzled looks on their faces if we were talking about Blackjack, Blackberry, Palm, Apple and then pulled out our smartphones and started tapping away. I am definitely a pen and paper girl, so hesitated to get an electronic organizer. In fact, as part of J's residency they were all given a nice Palm, but he already had one...so guess who got his?...yep, me.

After about 6 months of being unused, one of his classmates lost theirs and mine was passed on to them. Fast forward another 6 months and I was tired of getting the last slot at the doctor's office because I had to go home to check my schedule before making my next appointment, and bringing my big kitchen calendar to the planning meeting for my mom's group? Not so hip looking.

For mother's day, I asked for the most basic version of the Palm, the z22, so that I could try it for a year to see if I really use it or not. And use it, I do. It has been the most amazing tool! I input J's work schedule, the kids' doctor appointments, book club, movie nights, meetings, family outings; all color-coded and tres legible (as opposed to the tiny square on the calendar being scratched out and written over).

Now, I'm lusting over the newest iPhone, the Palm Treo and my friends' Blackberries. Described as "your own personal command center" Windows Mobile takes all of the features people love about their smartphones that extra step further by allowing them to download software that lets the user access their same old email accounts, view text and voicemail from their PC, use multiple windows functions or even just play games...choose your poison. And when I say games, I'm not talking solitaire, they have a version of Guitar Hero for Windows Mobile!

For my 30th this summer, I'll be asking for a smartphone...and then look out Slash, I'll be right on your tail!

American Wife

2009-01-12T10:28:00.001-05:00

I just finished reading the book American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, and just can't say enough good things about it. Not only is Sittenfeld an amazing writer who's character development draws you quickly into the world she's created, but she also took a really interesting idea and went far beyond the Law and Order 'ripped from the headlines' style that would have been so easy.

A fictionalization of the life of Laura Bush, this book was enthralling. The 'George' character is named Charlie, and I was amazed how endearing I found him. He's this alcoholic f-up, who genuinely loves 'Alice' and his family, but just lacks in maturity in so many ways. I found myself several times throughout the book glancing up as the sickening realization would again strike me that, even though this is a fictionalized characterization, he's our president!

I have to admit that, while I'm really not a fan of W, I do like and respect our First Lady. I remember being completely disgusted during the '04 campaign when Theresa Heinz-Kerry made snide comments about her. 'Teresa Heinz Kerry told a newspaper she doesn't know if Laura Bush has ever had "a real job." She apologized Wednesday for having forgotten about the first lady's 10-year stint as a schoolteacher and librarian.' (USA Today)

While it's clear it's a novel, I can hear their voices in my head so distinctly that I found myself googling small facts throughout the book. Sittenfeld nailed this family while still taking plenty of artistic licence and creating a storyline that kept me turning the pages to the very end. How close she is on some of the points, I guess only the 'Blackwells' will ever know.

I've got Sittenfeld's other books in my 'to-read' queue on goodreads, and also enjoyed this article she wrote after interviewing Michelle Obama.

(This review cross-posted at Sex and the Knitty and Goodreads)

My M&M's

2008-12-25T16:57:00.003-05:00

Christmas at our house is steeped in tradition. From the annual waffle feed at which the extended family gathers on Christmas Eve, to the stockings filled to the gills with kitch-y fun, we are a people of structure and routine.

For as long as I can remember the girls in by family, Big and Little, have presented my father with very predictable gifts; Large bags of M&M's (one peanut, one regular) and jumbo-sized bottles of Old Spice. One year, we all got together and decided that we would try to think outside the box and give Daddy something unexpected to open on the big day.

Always gracious, he opened his gifts and thanked us all. It wasn't until later that we realized he counted on those gifts for his supply and didn't have anymore Old Spice. Sometimes, it's okay to be predictable.

Mars' M&M's have now given us the option to shake things up a bit on the same old, same old...you can personalize the M&M's that you give! When I got the email from MomCentral about the chance to spread the word about this fun option for the holiday season, I emailed back as soon as it hit my inbox, with a passionate plea about the love my dad has for his favorite chocolate-y treat. I was able to pick my own colors and personalize it with a short message from the grandkids. (You can also put a photo on the M&M's but I wasn't placing the order from my home computer.)

At $14.95 per bag, it's not the cheapest option for a bag 'o' candy for the stocking, but it's a fun treat for the M&M lover who can truly appreciate it. When we receive the candy, I'll post a picture of the enjoyment en masse.

Safeway PowerPump

2008-12-18T11:22:00.005-05:00

Growing up in a small town, new construction was always big doin's. When they announced the impending arrival of a new Safeway, it was certainly the talk of the town. While we already had a Safeway at the other end of the main drag, it was older and was slated to be torn down, with the property being sold and a beautiful new library built in it's place. The new one would be larger and have gas pumps and Starbucks! We knew we had arrived when there was a 'bucks looming on our horizon.

Being at the age where cruising (not commuting) was our activity du jour, having sufficient gas was of the utmost concern. Being able to afford it went hand-in-hand. When Safeway's gas came to town, you could get a certain amount off each gallon when you used your Safeway card.

Fast forward to today, when running around checking off your to-do list and scurrying your kids from one activity to the next uses almost as much gas as when you turned up the volume on Best of Bass volume 12 and drove up and down Adams Ave with reckless abandon, and the search for gas discounts is still there.

Safeway is currently running a promotion on their PowerPump rewards through December 25th, so that shoppers can earn double points. For every $100 you spend on gift cards, you earn an additional gift. They have gift cards for stores from Starbucks to Home Depot; sure to fulfill the needs of everyone on your list. While there is a constant debate about the etiquette of giving gift cards, I know that I love receiving them so that I can save for the next big thing. I've found that a great use for them, is if you're making the same gift for several people and just need something to augment them. (i.e. Making a gift for your child's teacher and then adding a $10 Starbucks card.)

While there is not a Safeway near my home in Mass, I'll be home for the holidays and will be sure to stop in and earn free gas for the drive back to P-town when we fly out. Each purchase you make, will help earn more gas discounts when you use your club card so that it can be tracked.

Happy Shopping!

Baby Einstein

2008-12-11T17:00:00.000-05:00

When H was about 18 months old, J, H and I were at a food tasting at a friend's house to support another friend's budding catering business. There were several kids there, and the hostess offered to put in a Baby Einstein movie to occupy them so we could visit a little more freely. I realized at that time that I had no idea if that would entertain H because I hadn't had H watch a movie before. Yes, I'd had the TV on in his presence, but we hadn't really sat down to watch something together for him before.

The hostess laughed saying that it was because I was being a good mom by not having my child watch TV yet, and I wish that were the case. The truth is in the go-go-go life of working full-time and socializing on the weekends, I felt like H was sometimes an extension of me, and just did what I was doing. Sure, I went to the pumpkin patch and other places I may not have had I not had a toddler, but I can't say that I felt like I carved out time for he and I to do toddler things. We didn't watch PBS kids in the morning, no Elmo's Potty Time or Letter Factory. No. All those things would start happening when I was home full-time. Alas...

Baby Einstein is celebrating their tenth anniversary. Ten years of creating books, movies and musical CD's, in addition to a lot of interactive toys, that aim to stimulate children in an age-appropriate manner. Ultimately, however, the goal is to create an opportunity for parents to have structured interactions with their babies and toddlers.

When I got the package, H was very excited, asking as I unwrapped the cellophane from the Special Edition Baby Mozart "Is that my surprise?!" Feeling the remembered guilt wash over me from that long ago incident, I realized I may have missed the interest boat with him for this particular DVD. I told him that he was welcome to watch it, and he sat dutifully for about ten minutes before finally asking "Are there going to be any words?" C, on the other hand, was enraptured. The colors and shapes that rolled gently across the screen had him mesmerized.

I know you're supposed to use it as a time to spend just with your baby, but Bless me Father, for I have sinned; I have a way to take a leisurely shower (I always showered daily before, I just get to enjoy it now) sans tears (mine and C's) and I even get to shave my legs everyday! I spend the first five minutes or so of the video talking about the different images on the screen and then I politely excuse myself to engage in my daily ablutions.

The board books, on the other hand, have been great for one-on-one time. Along with Baby Mozart, we were sent Baby Einstein Touch and Feel Farm Animals; more than anything it's nice sometimes to just be given a jumping off point...I have several textures in the book to have C try out, and then I can find other things around the house to mix it up a little bit. We already owned Mirror Me, the book about mimicking different silly faces, and H is still a big fan of it.

Lastly, we got the Lullaby Classics CD. I actually already owned this, and have to admit that I don't love it. I prefer some of the more fluid renditions of the classics but the arrangements have been "tailored for little ears" so I'll just get over myself on this one.

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's so easy to get swept away in all the parties and obligations. Helping our kids discover the world in which we live may be our greatest responsibility as parents, but it doesn't have to feel like a chore. There are a lot of great resources out there to make our job fun, and Baby Einstein is one of them; I'm pretty sure it's because it was created by a mom!

Holiday Gift Guide

2008-12-10T07:17:00.002-05:00

'Tis better to give than to receive, right? Well, that's all well and good, but it's sometimes and agonizing process to select the perfect gift for everyone on your list! MomCentral has compiled an amazing list of gifts for every category or recipient on your list at a huge range of prices and interests.

MomCentral has special daily giveaways with thousands of dollars worth of products in multiple daily drawings. Each provides the chance to win an entire gift package that includes gifts worth hundreds of dollars - a great way to combat financial stress this holiday season. We invite you and all of your friends and family to take a look at these great gift ideas and enter for a chance to win. Not only have they made the list for you, but they're giving you a chance to win some of the featured products!

To be eligible to win the daily prizes, participants must register at Mom Central, log-in, and leave a comment on the review post. If you want even more chances for some free swag this holiday season, you can 'tweet' (using Twitter) or email your friends about the giveaway. In order to earn the additional entry, simply go back to the Mom Central Review blog and leave a second comment letting us know.

Happy Shopping! (only 15 shopping days left!)

Shelter Me

2008-11-30T15:25:00.007-05:00

I was offered the chance to review Shelter Me by Juliette Fay through Avon's First Look program. I was immediately drawn into the life of Jane LeMarche, a recently widowed mother of two young children, living in a Massachusetts town very close to my own. It's not often that a novel makes me think so much about my life; I'm usually just reading for pleasure, often with several books in progress at once (My GoodReads "currently reading" list is a little ridiculous). When I reviewed the letter from Harper Collins and realized that the review was due tomorrow (well, today, but this was last night) and I was half-way through, I buckled down and started reading in earnest. I had already become engrossed in the story, so it wasn't difficult. I read into the night, and picked it back up this morning while H ate his cereal, putting it down to 'interact' with my kids for a few hours.

After putting H and C down for their naps, I tucked back into the lives of Janie, Dylan, Carly and all the people that made the first year after the death of Robby maintain some semblance of normalcy. I don't want to put any spoilers in this review, but the basic storyline revolves around Janie who is self-admittedly in a 'shitty' place in her life following the day her husband was killed after being hit by a car while riding his bike without a helmet.

Just months after his death, a contractor, Augustus "Tug" Malinowski, comes to her door with plans for a porch that her husband had designed for their home as a gift to her. Janie decides to go forward with the building of the porch, as it's yet another way she can feel close to her husband.

While she is prickly, and angry and all the things you might expect from someone who's suffered a tragedy of this magnitude, she also reminded me of myself in a lot of ways; brusque and unafraid to speak my mind, but internally sensitive and bull-headed all at once. There were many times throughout the novel that I felt like it was me talking, probably amplified by the fact that my kids are about the same age as hers. There is one instance in which she is describing a 'breakthrough' with her daughter. Following her husband's death, she stopped producing milk and had to bottle-feed her baby. Their intimate breastfeeding routine was interrupted and I'm sure the emotional impact of the situation as a whole contributed to Carly balling up her hands in fists as she ate. The first time Carly again allows Janie to stroke her palm, is one of the gifts or "daily miracles" that Janie recognizes as the signs she needs to look for that life will go on.

She described the palm of her baby, and I just started to cry. Nursing C and H (when he was an infant, not now...blech) is one of my favorite things about baby-hood, and stroking C's palm as I look into his eyes...well, there's just not much that compares.

I could go on and on about the minutiae of my life that this book made me recognize is really special. I have been feeling in such a rut lately, and I know it sounds silly that a work of fiction has bolstered me so much, but I can't really attribute it to anything else.

Janie talks about that feeling of relief that used to wash over her as she realized her husband would be home at any minute to help out with the kids, and how that was one of her many losses. I have to admit that it's the touchstone in my day on the days that J's schedule works out that way. His working hours are crazy, and this month has been particularly hard. This quasi-single parenting is a lonely business, but reading Shelter Me really gave me the gut-check I needed. I'm not a single parent, and each comment I make to that effect is probably a slap in the face to J, who's missing out on all the little milestones that I've been complaining about. But I digress....

The details that Fay brings to life in these characters made me feel like I was reading the diary of a friend. Of course, it helped that I was practically reading about my neighborhood, and I could barely stop myself from googling Janie's town of Pelham, MA to get all the details and feel even closer to the story...okay, fine, I googled it.

The search is over. I have my next book club pick already selected. It will add even more fun that it will be read by a group of Central Massachusetts moms...Ms. Fay...do any local book club visits? :) Shelter Me is available for purchase on December 30th...less than a month!

Graco Travel Lite Table Chair

2008-11-28T16:58:00.006-05:00

When H came of age, eating age that is, we were faced with finding a high chair that would fit in our apartment. We settled on a monstrosity that was put in the corner (I guess we didn't listen to Mr. Swayze's admonition) initially, only to later do the shuffle from the tiny corner to the tiny kitchen at feeding times because apartment designers always think it wise to put carpet in an eating area.

Now that C is reaching the age of solids, I began my quest for the perfect small chair. I didn't want one the strapped onto our chairs, because that takes one out of commission and we only have four. When we have guests over, it's always fun to take H's booster off the chair only to turn red with embarrassment when I realize I needed to have scraped the month's worth of nasty food debris before having company over.

I was at a friend's house and noticed that they had one of the old-school hook-on high chairs at their breakfast bar so that the baby was with the rest of the family for breakfast and lunch, with a traditional high chair in the dining room and the light bulb clicked on.

After searching on amazon.com, I added the Zooper Hook-on Chair in Margarita to the boys' wish list. It had a cloth cover that could be taken off and thrown in the washing machine and got overall excellent reviews.

After several feedings where I had C in his Exersaucer and he was lunging at the spoon in an artful bob and weave, I realized I should just go back online and order the chair, like, yesterday.

Because I usually make rash purchases, I decided to make one more foray into the world of Internet reviews and found the Graco Travel Lite Table Chair (for $15 less, and it still shipped for free with SuperSaver shipping). Not only did it have a higher back, it also had a tray that snaps on, and is as light as the Zooper for travel use. Since I am not purchasing this as a travel chair but as my full-time chair, I was happy to see reviews with the same sentiment.

Today, I received my chair in the mail, and I let C do his wail of hunger while I quickly installed the chair and prepared his lunch. The Tango in the Tongo pattern's background is a little more green than in the pictures, which I actually like. It feels very sturdy, was extremely easy to install and didn't require any assembly; I just pulled it out of the box and hooked it on the chair.

There is a small gap in the chair, between the seat and the back, allowing for food to be cleaned up easily and it seems comfortable while still being very functional. The only drawback I've found so far is that I feel like I needed to hook it very close to the table since it's C's first real chair, and it's a little tight getting my hands in and out to buckle him in. Also, it is a 'baby' print, so if you're looking for something that says "We have a baby, but we won't tell anyone", this isn't the chair for you...the Zooper or Chicco chairs would be a better pick (although, simply having the chair will give you away).

The travel lite chair hooks easily and securely onto our tiny table, in our tiny dining area, for a tiny price...which gives me big satisfaction.

Knit Two

2008-11-25T11:47:00.005-05:00

When I first started working for the State of Oregon, my co-worker and I tried to burn off some nervous energy/stress by learning to do what we called knitting but what others would call making a giant knot of yarn that resembles something a cat may yak up. Being extremely impatient, I moved onto the next task quickly.

Three years later, after having H, Portlandia and I had taken to walking together (one Starbucks further at a time) in my post c-section recovery. One of our talks led to a discussion about knitting, and I learned that she knew how...'would you teach me?!' I practically yelled in my excitement. She gladly, and patiently, taught me to cast-on and away I went on my first scarf...which then sat in a pile until almost a year later...I didn't learn to bind off before returning to work and with the hustle and bustle involved in my job, I didn't take the time.

Then providence intervened and it was off to another mind-numbingly boring training about 'paradigm-shifting' policy changes, which really amounted to more of the same worded differently. I saw another woman knitting patiently and glommed onto her at the next break, asking if she could teach me to bind off. A-Ha! I would have a task for the next days of training...and I haven't stopped since.

That week I picked up a copy of Stitch n' Bitch at Barnes & Noble which was practically my bible for my first 6 months of knitting, and then forayed into the world of knitting circle fiction. I first read Knitting Under the Influence, (because who can pass up a book with a martini glass on the cover using knitting needles and a yarn olive instead of a skewer?) and I was hooked.

When Friday Night Knitting Club first came out, I kept looking at the cover and lusting after the gorgeous skeins of yarn but had been on a huge chick lit run so passed it over in favor of Reading Lolita in Tehran (which I still haven't finished...). My mom came to help out when I had C, and offered to buy it for me also, but I passed it up in favor of the 'behind the scenes' book for the SATC movie.

When I finally read it, I couldn't believe I'd let it go so long. I loved it. They really aren't kidding when they call it the Steel Magnolias of knitting. I finished that book wanting to know more about the characters, and feeling like I'd been left hanging...what happens with Peri and her Pocketbooks? Does Dakota go on to lead a rich life, or is she lost in the shuffle of so many people trying to be a stand in for Georgia? What will come of Walker and Daughter?! So many questions, and no answers!

It wasn't two weeks later that I was sitting at my computer when I received an email from MotherTalk/MomCentral regarding advanced copies of Knit Two being available for review. I think I hit reply before the email had fully loaded. Less than a week later, I tore open the envelope that held Knit Two, and started reading immediately (not exaggerating).

Wow, you've read a long way to get to this! Knit Two did not disappoint. Kate Jacobs again brought KC, Dakota, Darwin, Peri, Lucie, Anita and Catherine to life, five years after Georgia's death. I thought she did a remarkable job of going through the range of emotions and grief stages that would be present in a group who lost someone that meant something different to each of them.

I was really hoping that she wouldn't have James end up in a romantic relationship with any of the girls, because it just would have been too easy, and was very pleased with how she resolved each person's quest to find out what they wanted and how to act on it. This is a quick read in that you become ensconced in the characters' lives so are able to race through it. That said, it has more substance and depth than first glance would grant it.

I was especially happy that she included the pattern for the "Georgia Afghan" and also a recipe for one of Dakota's muffins as they are so central to the story.

My favorite part of the book, just as in the first, is all of the rich and detailed descriptions of the yarn, stitches and various projects that are created throughout. Ms Jacobs knows knitting and it's very exciting and encouraging to see a fiber art that is gaining momentum with my generation being featured in mediums other than crafting magazines. Curl up with your favorite afghan and get ready for another great read.

**As I was looking Knit Two on amazon in order to include a link, I saw that Kate Jacobs has another novel called Comfort Food. What? Since my two favorite things are knitting and eating, I'll be sure to pick that one up next!

SeatSnug

2008-11-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

As C is getting close to being too big for the bucket, it's time to transition him into a traditional rear-facing car seat. The seat that H currently uses is for both front and rear facing and had been our 'back-up' seat in J's truck in Oregon, so has only been used as the primary seat for one year. H is getting too tall for it, and very close to the weight limit for the harness, so it was a natural progression to hunt for a new seat for H, while giving his to C. There are still over 3 years left before the 'expiration date' so I knew it was fine to use this as my game plan.

I was fairly nervous about the prospect of H being in a booster with just the seat belt, as he still seems so young to me, but we couldn't afford the Britax, which has a much higher weight limit than our current Graco car seat. Luckily, I was talking about the dilemma with one of my friends and she told me about the Graco 3-in-1 of which she had just purchased two for her girls. The 3-in-1 has a 65 pound weight limit for the 5-point harness, then transitions to a seat-belt booster, and finally to a backless booster for up to 100 pounds.

Had I not found this car seat, however, I would still have felt more confident about having H in a backed booster given the new product I was sent by MomCentral called SeatSnug. SeatSnug is manufactured by Lap Belt Cinch, Inc., and is both ingenious and very easy to use and install. They developed the product as one of the failings of seat belts is that they "represent a compromise of safety and comfort" in that they allow slack to develop in the lap belt portion which is acknowledged by the auto industry as a major contributor to injuries and deaths in car accidents.

Although H won't be using the seat belt in his booster for awhile, I installed it in our car regardless because I occasionally take friends' kids that do, and the seat belt can be used by an adult or older child with SeatSnug still installed by using the on/off switch.

I was impressed that they provided not only clear and concise directions for installations with lots of pictures, but also an online video to make sure that it's used properly. The Safe'n Snug guarantee also allows for, among other return/exchange reasons, a free replacement of the product should it be installed and in use during an accident as, like car seats, they should not be used after involvement in an accident.

SeatSnug is available on amazon.com for $34.95. Who knew peace of mind could come at such a small price?

TokBox

2008-11-19T13:55:00.006-05:00

Moving so far from family and friends was a very daunting prospect. The furthest I'd ever roamed from my sleepy Northeastern Oregon hometown was the big city about four hours away. This country looks mighty large when you're moving to the opposite coast.

After a few months of living sans family and friends, I realized that it didn't feel quite as lonely as I'd expected. Email and Instant Messaging had made it so that I could virtually talk to my friend just as we had when working across the wall from each other. I didn't miss the way kids were growing up because I got lots of pictures.

Before we moved, my in-laws gave us a web cam so that we could have H call and say hello. I don't know if you've tried to wrangle a toddler in front of a computer before, but it's less than successful.

How fun, then, to have the ability to get them to say a few words in a video email? That's just one of the options available with the program TokBox. The best part? It's free and there's no software to download (or upload, I never quite get those straight.)

Upon starting my account, I was a little dubious, because you have to allow the program to "talk" to your camera and computer. I guess one of the downfalls of having a career where you attend multiple conferences with information about Internet predators is that you can never truly let down your guard (and shouldn't really). Like all camera-based (or chatrooms in general) programs, I would strongly suggest to anyone that they never have the camera in the child's bedroom, and that it be centrally located in the family home (i.e. the living room or kitchen). After performing several functions, however, I realized that each time I attempted to initiate a call or email, I had to physically 'allow' the communication to happen...phew!

Paranoia aside, I immediately mailed a test message to myself and was pretty impressed with the clarity, and 'real time' speed. It didn't clog my inbox either, because it's not a big attachment, it's just a link to the site. I also received an email that the message had been viewed, so you don't have to wonder.

Now for the real test. I sent a message to my parents who love all the opportunities that having a computer gives them, but are fortunate to have a daughter who works for a phone/Internet company that they can call for assistance at any time (thanks, Myrtle!). Easy for Senior Citizens? Check.

My sisters and I have 'sister chat' weekly through messenger, so I was really excited to see that this has a conferencing feature and we can truly chat live. If we keep having all these advancements, living in New England forever may become appealing.

As I was writing the review, I kept noting that something was pinging in the background, and realized that my TokBox screen was still open, and a friend was IM'ing me. I was surprised that she had an account and asked how long she'd had it...turns out, she was IM'ing me from Gmail and because my contacts were imported, she was able to contact me while I was logged into TokBox. What a great feature! You don't have to be logged into different programs to get all the features in one.

The only downside? Wow, I've got some serious jowls that the web cam seems to highlight more than in normal life, and my loft area looks like Hurricane Ike made an appearance. Maybe just talking on the phone isn't so bad after all!

AAGL

2008-11-05T19:23:00.003-05:00

I remember when I had my first 'check-up' when I turned 18, I felt like I'd been brought into the fold. Like menarche, it was one more step toward becoming a full-fledged responsibly procreating (or not) member of society. My mom was firm with my sisters and I about the importance of an annual exam, so it didn't seem like quite the chore to me that it did for others.

I tried to put it in the perspective that I was making the choice between a fifteen minute appointment once a year to stem concerns or cervical cancer that goes undetected for several years? Hmmmmm...such a difficult decision. I'm always a little surprised when someone avoids their exam for several years at a time. I'd talk to other girls my age and their reasoning was "Well, I'm not having sex yet, so I don't need to have someone poking around." It was usually the same people that thought using a tampon would remove their status as a virgin.

As women, it's important that we carefully look at our options when it comes to anything 'down there', which includes seeking both appropriate preventative care and timely treatment of ongoing concerns. All too often, we rely solely on the physician currently treating us to provide us with all of the information used to make our health care decision and/or to create a treatment plan.

A recent study performed by AAGL, which is a not-for-profit organization of physicians 'dedicated to advancing the safest, most efficacious and least invasive diagnostic and therapeutic techniques to treat women's pelvic health disorders' concluded "When half of women suffering from a given condition are unaware that they may be candidates for a minimally invasive procedure that spares them pain, time and disruption of their lives, there is a clear need for stronger efforts in patient education."

While the women surveyed did agree that it was their responsibility to ask providers for alternatives to total abdominal hysterectomies, the vast majority (myself included) trust in their provider to present them with all the options, including those with the shortest recovery and smallest impact on finances and family.

Further the survey concluded that less than 40% of women were aware of the hospital stay, scar and significant recovery period associated with TAH. In contrast to a TAH, a laparoscopic hysterectomy is minimally invasive, can be done on an outpatient basis and enables most women to resume normal activities within a week. Most women didn't know that a laparoscopic hysterectomy was an option.

I feel like I'm a fairly well-informed person when it comes to my health options, simply because my husband is a physician and dialogue about health issues is common in our house, but I am certainly thankful for resources such as AAGL. In the end, my goal would be that my provider and I would be able to work together in order to make the decision that was best for me, considering social and financial aspects of my life as well as the medical. I know that my OB-Gyn would be very open to my coming to an appointment armed with information and specific questions, and I would hope that would be the same for others.

I looked around at the site, and there is a lot of information provided, including a glossary of terms and physician finder. The glossary may be the most helpful because sometimes the medical lingo is the biggest barrier.

You can read the full results of the study in order to get more detailed information. I love that it's called "minimally invasive gynecology" because if it was called non-invasive, you'd know it was coined by a man. All sarcasm aside, I think the important thing is that women be aware of their options, actively use resources to educate yourself in order to be an informed patient and to be generally proactive regarding your own health.

New! Ghirardelli LUXE Bars

2008-10-27T08:00:00.008-04:00

Something I can always be passionate about is...well, a second thing I can always be passionate about is chocolate. When I was in high school, my best friend and I went to spend a week with her adult cousin in the 'burbs of San Francisco. Coming from a very small town, it was exhilarating to drive into the city and walk around the wharf, see all the fun shops and visit the North Shore and Chinatown. The summers I spent there were so important to cultivating a taste for more than could be found in my little town, and there are so many times that I look back and realize just how fortunate I was to have been exposed to all that.

I remember going to Ghirardelli square and buying all the different little squares of chocolate and being so excited (okay, and a little smug) that I'd be able to go home and tell everyone that this was the real chocolate experience. A little different than buying Kit Kats at our tiny local grocer.

When MomCentral announced that they were looking for bloggers to try out the new LUXE bars from Ghirardelli, I couldn't sign up fast enough. The five bars arrived in the mail and it was very difficult to eat just one square of each; a serving is four squares at just over 200 calories, but I had five and savored every morsel. What?! I had to try them all...it's part of my job!

The varieties are: Luxe Milk Almond, Luxe Milk Hazelnut, Luxe Milk Milk, Luxe Milk Crisp and Luxe Milk Duet. I was a little surprised when I saw the price printed on the wrapper because they were just over $2 each. I was expecting closer to the $3-4 range because these are generously portioned bars.

I have to say that trying out this chocolate did more than just fill my belly with chocolaty goodness. Just prior to the birth of Charlie and for the months following, I have had what you might call a little bit of a sugar addiction which, a la Tommy Boy, leads to 'a little bit of a weight problem.' I had become so accustomed to having sugary foods every day that I wasn't really enjoying them anymore. I was just eating them because they were there.

The night I received my chocolates J was working an overnight. After I put the kids to bed, I turned on a movie, made a cup of coffee and unwrapped my chocolates one at a time. I have to say it was probably the most satisfying dessert I've had in a long time, due mainly to the fact that I really concentrated on each square, letting it melt in my mouth so that I could get all the flavor, and it served to bring me back to the real idea of dessert. It should be savored, it should be coveted, and it should be a treat instead of an entitlement. Quality ingredients with a great rich flavor, the combination can't be beat.

I can't pick a favorite of the five, but I will say the order in which I ate them that night because it's obviously how they must have appealed to me then. Almond, Duet, Hazelnut, Milk and finally Crisp. But it's kind of like ranking which of your children you like better; it just depends what you're in the mood for that day.

Run, don't walk to get your own at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Borders and Linens-n-Things (although I'm not sure how long as they're going out of business). They will soon be found at Blockbuster Video, Cost Plus and Target.

30 Days to Natural

2008-10-18T20:09:00.009-04:00

From buying more organic produce to trying my hand at cloth diapering, I've slowly been dipping my toes into the waters of going green. Awhile ago, I started writing about the little lifestyle changes I was making after getting nauseated by the fumes of my cleaning products. MomCentral's latest blog tour about the new Clorox website 30 Days to Natural piqued my interest, so I decided to check it out.

You start by 'planting a daisy' and then have the option to have daily 'going green' tips sent by either phone or email. The site also gave a great overview of the new Clorox GreenWorks products including a list of ingredients, their applications and where you can purchase them. I also thought it was impressive that they had partnered with the Sierra Club and Design for the Environment, which I thought gave it all a little more credence.

My first email tip was "Stoke a green fire. Enjoy a cozy fire, but make sure it burns cleanly by using artificial logs made of wood only. Avoid those that contain paraffin, a petroleum-based by-product." I like that they aren't radical tips, but point out all the little things you can do on a daily basis to contribute. I know, for myself at least, that being environmentally friendly has been a much easier prospect when I don't have to take the all or nothing attitude.

When I logged onto the website on my second day, I had the following tip "Freshen up your air freshener. Create your own natural air freshener with water and lavender or lemon." See? Completely do-able.

There's also a one-page kitchen check-list flyer with simple tips like loading the dishwasher after each meal, but not running it until it's full. Easy steps like this make easing into the green world a lot less daunting. I've read some articles or lists of ideas and all I thought at the end was 'That sounds like a lot of work!" When you add the workload to parenting your kids and all that entails, it can be overwhelming and off-putting, albeit worth the effort.

Recently I decided to start using gDiapers, in conjunction with cloth diapers, while still using disposables at night. It will definitely be something to get used to, and I'll track my costs for a couple of months, but I can't see how I could possible spend more than disposable diapers on water and electricity since I have an energy efficient front-loader and All Free and Clear costs about $11 for the mega jug of concentrate at BJ's (I know, the name kills me every time too!).

While 81% of moms surveyed reported that they were 'green', it's important to remember that there are many shades of that color. I think our good friend Kermit didn't have all the facts; being green can be easy!

*The bag pictured can be purchased for $10 ($3.65 of which goes to the Sierra Club).

Wd-40 Spot Shot

2008-10-06T19:15:00.000-04:00

When J and I moved out to New England, we made an initial trip to go house-hunting in the hopes that we wouldn't be living in apartment-land forever. One of my primary must-haves was a carpet-less eating area.

I will never understand why they install carpet, cheap carpet at that, in an area that will be designated for eating. Kitchens and bathrooms are two areas that should never have carpet! While the quest for a home was fruitless, we did find a great apartment. But you guessed it, carpet in the dining area.

In the past, it was always almost a blessing to live in an apartment that had been around for a few years because I could exclaim "Can you believe the piggies that lived here? Just look at this carpet!" This time we were the first tenants, so I can only point the finger at my little piggies.

I was more than happy to test out the Wd-40 Spot Shot when I heard about it from Mom Central. I own a carpet shampooer, and use it about once every other month for our living room and main traffic areas, but the stubborn stains at the entrance area to the dining room from the kitchen never seem to say bye-bye, it's more like Au Revoir.

Here are some pictures of chocolate on the sample swatch of carpet that they gave me to try. They also gave a small bottle of ammonia to test the removal of pet smells, which I was loathe to try because, well, who likes the smell of pee? Because I am a bit of a lush and like my red wine, I decided to throw in a test of my own with red wine, plus an old stain on my carpet as they say it even works on old ground in stains.

The kit I was provided with, plus my own contribution of a glass of wine. Okay, I admit that I was not planning to try the wine, but was drinking it anyway and when I went to move it out of the picture's frame I had an a-ha moment.

Ammonia was sprayed in the upper left-hand corner, and the chocolate and red wine are hopefully fairly obvious.

After the first treatment; the carpet is still wet, so it's hard to see, but the chocolate is gone and the red wine needed only one more treatment. I think that the lighting and my camera weren't great for this shot, because the upper-left hand corner where the ammonia was looks stained, although it didn't have anything there in person.

A small stain on my carpet near the kitchen table. I have about 1.5 million of these as the result of having a cute little boy who doesn't always keep his food on his plate. While they fade with regular cleanings, I don't feel like they're ever gone. This really seemed to get it out.

This is after only one spray on the 'stream' setting, and a quick rub with a cloth.

I was really impressed on all accounts. It took only one treatment to completely remove the chocolate, ammonia and 'old' stains and two for the red wine. When I say two treatments, I simply mean two times of spraying 2-3 squirts on the area and blotting within a 5 minute period, it was really easy! I am so excited to have this product as the most important features are that it's certified bio-degradable, non-toxic and safe for children.

After all, the whole point of cleaning my carpet is so that I don't have to worry or have a shiver of revulsion when I lay C down to play...it would be just a touch counter-intuitive to hose the carpet down with toxic liquids and then lay my baby in it.

I'll be using the Spot Shot to pre-treat all the little spots on my carpet the next time I shampoo and I can't wait to see my 'good as new' carpet again!

Jooners

2008-10-05T18:30:00.005-04:00

Like a lot of people, I have a habit of overextending myself in an effort to be everything to everyone. After having to get the crappy slot at the OB/Gyn for the umpteenth time because I didn't have my schedule on-hand, I requested a Palm Pilot for Mother's Day this year just to start being a little more organized. I got the most basic model, as I wasn't sure how much I'd use it, and found that I use it all of the time!

I participate in a lot of activities, and coordinate a number of events, so am faced with the constant struggle of not only keeping myself straightened out but ensuring that others are right in line with me as well.

Enter Jooners. I was asked to check out the Jooners website by my friend Alex at Formula Fed and Flexible Parenting. I had been talking about how busy my life is, and was excited to hear about something for free that will keep my life in order. That's right, I said free.

One great thing about Jooners is that it's not just another on-line calender. It's got an evite-esque function, organizers for snack duty, carpool, volunteer coordinators, event planners, a place to make lists...and the list goes on and on. Not only can you create all these calenders and planners and lists, but they can be shared with a group (family, sports team, class parents, etc).

I get really tired of being in on the planning stages of something and sifting through email after email, hoping that I have the most current copy so that I know what's happening when. This function would hopefully eliminate that annoyance.

There is really a lot to the site, and I haven't yet been able to explore all that it offers, but I'm excited to incorporate it into my life.

Now the next time someone requests a sit through my baby-sitting co-op, I can jump on those waiting tokens because my schedule and computer will be in the same place! Yes, I know that I can sync my palm to my computer, but I don't really do it that often. I'm not sure yet if there is a way to sync my Palm with the Jooners calendar, but I'm emailing them with that question, so if it's not a feature now, maybe it will be in the future?

I recently became chair of a committee that organizes meals and services for members who need them, and I really hope to find this an invaluable tool. If I set up a meal service and need 6 people to make meals on different nights, they'll just respond by clicking on the link in an email sent to them and signing up for what works. If you open up a free account, you don't even have to do the double work of writing what you signed up for in your own calender because Jooners will automatically add it for you, and then it sends reminders for that specific event in addition to a weekly calendar sent each Sunday for the following Monday through Saturday.

Lastly, there is a resources section so that people can add people, places and services that make life easier, and then people can review those resources. So if you are looking for a caterer in your area, you can search them and read reviews in one spot. Resources cannot be deleted, which can be good and bad, but hopefully there would be enough balanced reviews to make an informed decision.

From what I've done with the program thus far, I've been really pleased. The best part? If you don't like it, you didn't waste hundreds of dollars (or even one) on software that doesn't fit in with your lifestyle. You literally have nothing to lose.

It's a Three Ring Circus Around Here!

2008-09-15T10:31:00.003-04:00

When I was little, it was a HUGE deal in our town to have the circus come. We'd get to watch the elephants pull the tent posts up, anticipating the time later that night that we'd be able to ride them at intermission.

I remember fantasizing about being in the circus, without the whole travel without your family bit of course, as the women in shiny tights and sequined outfits would stand up on the bare backs of their horses. Even when I read the book Geek Love as an adult, the allure of the circus was there.

While the circuses that came to our little niche of the world were not grand and were generally one ring, they were a circus nonetheless, and we were enthralled.

I have yet to take H and C to a circus, so was really excited when I got the notification from MomCentral that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey would be coming to Boston this year. Not only that, but there is a program for children up to one year of age that allows them a free admission to see their first circus! Ahahahahahnd then, the code MCC gives you a 20% discount off certain ticket prices, making it an affordable event that will create lasting memories.

Although C is not yet old enough to appreciate it (he's free, so I don't care), I can't wait to see the looks of awe on H's face. he is fascinated with animals, and all that they do. He's seen Dumbo about a hundred times and can roar with the best of the tigers!

The code is valid for the circus shows in the following cities:

Indianapolis, IN - Sept. 4-7, 2008

Kansas City, MO - Sept. 10-14, 2008

Grand Rapids, MI - Sept. 18-21, 2008

Denver, CO - Oct. 2-13, 2008

Boston, MA – Oct. 8-13, 2008 (woo hoo!)

Cleveland, OH - Oct. 24 - Nov. 2

Chicago, IL - Nov. 6 - 30, 2008

St. Louis, MO - Nov. 6-9, 2008

Auburn Hills, MI - Nov. 12 - 16, 2008

Highland Heights, KY - Feb 27 - Mar. 1, 2009

Cincinnati, OH - Mar. 4 - 8, 2008

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X

2008-08-29T07:00:00.005-04:00

Reading has always been a huge part of my, my mother and my sisters' lives. The three of us that keep blogs often send chick lit packages back and forth to share the love, as it were. When someone tells me that they just don't enjoy reading, I just don't' get it. What's not to love about getting swept up in the drama of someone else's life? Whether I'm engrossed in the latest from Jennifer Weiner (or my new favorite Jen Lancaster) or a great piece of non-fiction, reading has always been my favorite way to escape or just help my mind release at the end of the day.

My husband is quite possibly the most voracious reader I know. By his self-report, he always has been. He was that kid who finished all the books on the recommended reading list, and continued to find more on his own. Whether it's J with his nose in the latest medical text or a copy of Tender is the Night, or me reading my latest book club pick or a story to H, our kids will be raised in a house of books (much safer than a house of cards).

Upon hearing from MotherTalk and Mom Central about James Patterson's (in collaboration with Michael Ledwidge) latest release of a new series The Dangerous Days of Daniel X, (to purchase at amazon.com click here)I was excited to see what was in store. I loved Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, but knew that this one would be different for a pretty big reason; the goal was to excite young readers...the afore-mentioned books would not so much be age-appropriate.

As the father of a ten year old boy himself, Patterson has made it a priority to write books that will engage readers of all ages, putting special emphasis on reaching out to young boys, who have been statistically shown to view reading as 'boring', thus leaving an entire category of the population less apt to read a book and allow the literary world to influence them in their development.

Daniel X is an alien hunting teen-aged boy, who is out to avenge the death of his parents. His power is unlike most super-heroes, as he relies on his imagination to give him the power to 'create'.

When I first read the jacket of the book, and learned that he'd witnessed the 'brutal murder' of his parents at the age of three, my mom-mind immediately thought This is not appropriate for kids!!! But then I took a breath and read on, a little sad that I'd become so conservative where literature is concerned. After completing the book, I can say that there is just enough shock and ewww to keep boys and girls alike interested in this book.

As a disclaimer, I need to admit that I am not a fan of science fiction; it's always been my least favorite genre. That said, Daniel X was actually a really easy read...I guess it would be pretty sad if it weren't easy for me to read, as I am a 29 year-old woman and it's aimed at the 8-13 y.0. reading level.

One of the things that I appreciated most about the book is that Patterson doesn't stoop to using only elementary language just because the book is aimed at a younger crowd. I think that this is a book for which my nephew, and many other young readers, would need to highlight words and look them up as he goes, which only serves to further open the world of language and would encourage him to broaden his reading horizons. I'll be passing this book on to the Brode-man; I'll ask his opinion and re-post when he's done, so that I have the perspective of an actual 10 year-old boy.

I think that most readers would enjoy the book, but have to say that Mr. Patterson makes one fatal error; in one scene an alien uses 'bad' early-80's music to 'torture' Daniel. How anyone can see Air Supply or Journey as anything other than a sure sign that sweet salvation is on the horizon is beyond me...in fact, it's absolutely Foreign(er).

* For more information, see the Wickipedia entry and the publisher's site

New Classics Challenge

2008-07-26T09:09:00.002-04:00

My sister posted about a literary challenge that she found on Lost in a Good Story.

I love to read, am in a book club, but still can't get enough...it's great to have a list to build from.
The full list of 'New Classics' is here. Following, in bold, are those I've already read along with the six, in italics, that I've chosen to read and review by January 2009. As I read them, I'll review them and then in January I'll write a post about the one that I liked the most. Lost in a Good Story will mail to a random winner a copy of their favorite book.

I found it really hard to narrow it down to the six I'll review. This is going to be a great challenge! Come join the fun.

3. Beloved, Toni Morrison (1987)
6. Mystic River, Dennis Lehane (2001)
9. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier (1997)
11. Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer (1997)
16. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (1986)
20. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding (1998)
25. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan (1989)
28. Naked, David Sedaris (1997)
30. Case Histories, Kate Atkinson (2004)
34. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold (2002)
36. Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt (1996)
48. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
55. The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (2006)
60. Nickel & Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)
67. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini (2003)
71. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Ann Fadiman (1997)
78. Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)
88. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby (1995)
92. Presumed Innocent, Scott Turow (1987)
93. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley (1991)
94. Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser (2001)
95. Kaaterskill Falls, Allegra Goodman (1998)
96. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown (2003)
99. Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman (1995)
100. America (the Book), Jon Stewart/Daily Show (2004)

This is cross posted at Sex and the Knitty.

If anyone knows how to create a button, Joanna has requested help, so contact her about it.

Snacktivate Fun!

2008-07-23T09:55:00.000-04:00

3, 2, 1 Snacktivate!

2008-07-23T08:52:00.005-04:00

As I was transferring diaper bags the other day, I pulled out a not-so-fresh bag of raisins from the bottom of one bag, along with about five packets of fruit snacks and a couple of granola bars. I tossed the raisins, but kept the other snacks with me because one thing is certain when you're out and about; H will be hungry.

When we first moved here and H had his first dental exam, they commented on his beautiful teeth and asked if he had fruit snacks, fruit roll-ups or other sugary, sticky snacks. I smugly replied that I, of course, had not allowed my cherub to ingest such things. They encouraged me to continue the denial of dental disasters and said to keep up the good work.

Weeeeell, this was all before I had been an at-home mom for any significant period of time. After attending several play-dates and lunches, it was clear that fruit snacks would be a part of our life, as it was not one of the battles I would be choosing.

Having quick, relatively healthy and convenient snacks has become an essential to our on the go lifestyle, so I was excited when I received an email from MomCentral about Snacktivate, a new snacking initiative from Kellogg. They have teamed up with family life expert Deb Geigis Berry and Registered Dietitian Rachel Brandeis to create a snack time experience that is healthy and fun. The basis of the initiative is that snack time should be taken advantage of as a time to teach your kids a little about being in the kitchen, preparing food, and making healthier decisions, while having a good time and expressing creativity.

I received a package in the mail, containing two full-sized boxes of Frosted Mini Wheats (a cereal that my family buys in bulk at BJ's because it's one of our faves), along with a recipe for a variation of peanut butter cookies using crushed mini wheats along with the dry ingredients and a further variation to make them into a fun craft; Sassy Sun Pops. The goody bag also had a snack cup which has a folding spoon and a bottom portion that you put in the freezer so it will keep your milk cold and you can mix it all together at your destination. This would have been oh-so-useful when I was working and taking my breakfast to work with me. At the time, I usually just ate the mini wheats dry as I sucked down my Starbucks stand-by; a Triple Venti Non-Fat Latte while strapped to the phones and computer. But I digress...

On the website there are twelve recipes, all of which are also fun craft activities to do with your kids. Depending on the age of your child, their level of hands-on involvement will vary. The site also provides a listing of approximate tasks that kids can help with given their age range. For my own little knitty household, a one-butt kitchen and carpet in the eating area narrows how much of the messy stuff H gets to help with, but I let him do as much as possible.

Last night, while H was eating dinner, I mixed up a batch of the Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies. H was ecstatic because he got to use the flat side of the meat tenderizer to crumble the mini-wheats in a quart-sized freezer bag...my solution to not having to dirty the blender or food processor. It's amazing what ingenuity comes from laziness, and H got to have fun as well.

While the recipe that I prepared would definitely be considered a treat, it's more healthy than standard chocolate chip cookies, or even the regular peanut butter cookies that wouldn't have the added fiber from the Mini Wheats. I was afraid they were going to end up really dry, from the mini wheats, but they turned out to be really yummy! H and J both gave their seal of approval as well.

I encourage you to take a look at the Snacktivate Recipe site and try a couple of them out. It's obviously going to be heavy on brand-power, as the recipes all use at least one product from the Kellogg's family; they are the company that created the site, after all, but it certainly provides a great jumping-off point to begin a healthy and fun tradition for snack time in your family. Keep in mind that in addition to the create-'em yourself projects, Kellogg has a host of portable snacks.

A Lighter Shade of Green

2008-07-11T21:25:00.004-04:00

When I was about six months pregnant with C, and was scouring the tub, I realized that I don't love the smell of the bathroom cleaners that I'm using. Or the fact that I feel like I have to leave the vent fan on for several hours after completing the job...or that I felt slightly light-headed, which could have been the pregnancy alone.

I decided that it was time to start investigating more earth (read: small children) friendly cleaning products. After asking the opinion of several of my amigos verdes, I came home from the market with a bagful of replacements. I did not, however, toss my others, I used them first...sorry, it's the new fiscally conservative Sally HP.

I kept asking people if they would work better, since they were generally more expensive, but then just settled with the fact that as long as they worked as well, I'd be happy with it.

I was watching the documentary King Corn the other night, and the cattle rancher being interviewed stated that if people wanted only grass-fed beef, they'd be happy to supply it, but the demand for cheap corn-fed beef is outrageously high.

I started to think about it and (now, I am not a business major, so please feel free to comment if I'm wrong) I realized that if more and more people buy the green products, then it may result in an eventual decrease in price. Obviously this isn't the case for all things, just look at our outrageous fuel costs right now, and demand has certainly not decreased. However, if it's a domestic product (like beef or cleaners) over which we maintain control, my little purchases may someday make a difference in the eventual price.

In this same vein, I was recently offered the chance to try Recycline Preserve toothbrushes, which are made from high quality pre and post-consumer recycled (BPA and pthalate-free) plastics. In addition, to help keep the cycle going, Recycline will provide a postage paid label on their website so you can send the used product to be made into recycled plastic lumber...pretty cool. The good thing is that they really aren't more expensive than normal brushes, coming in at just over $2 at Target.

If you'd like a chance to be the proud owner of your very own Preserve toothbrush, leave a comment for me with something that you do to be a little more 'green'. In order to have a real test for the efficacy, I'll add a $5 Starbucks card (nothin' like tea and coffee stains) to each of the two winners who will be selected on July 25th.

If you don't win, click here and you'll be taken to MomCentral, where you can find the full Recycline information, along with a coupon for $1 off the purchase of two brushes.

This review was cross-posted on my original blog Sex and the Knitty, at which readers commented.

Strawberry Fields...

2008-07-02T09:56:00.000-04:00

Having a birthday so close to the Fourth of July has always been fun for me, both because of the fun pool parties, but more because I love summer. Summer food, summer activities, water sports, everything summer. Although, if we're being honest here, because I'm a very sweaty person (and self-conscious about it) it was not until recently that I've learned to just embrace the heat.

I was shopping at the grocery store the other day, looking for a good dessert as I was hosting the board meeting for my mom's group that night. When I first entered the store, the produce section was calling to me with brightly colored sale signs. The first stand I came to had strawberries; buy one get TWO free! Sweet, strawberry shortcake it is!

I had recently received an email about the plentiful harvest that California growers are experiencing this year, so glanced at the package and noted that, sure enough, they were grown in sunny California. I got home and started slicing away, placing the pretty berries in my prized brightly colored nesting bowl from Crate & Barrel. After adding a tiny bit of sugar and stirring them to get a little juice going, I covered the berries and left them on the counter to 'mellow' until the meeting started.

When everyone came, I had a store-bought pound cake arranged in pretty slices on my Fiestaware bread plate, the bowl o' berries and a can of whipped cream. How is it that something so simple tastes so good? I love that summer is all about simplicity, and when you start with something yummy and sweet like a strawberry, you really don't have to add much more.

Never one to forget about the kiddies, the California Strawberry Commission has a section of their site called Strawberryville full of games, facts and fun. The strawberry 'school' has sections designated to kids aged 5-7 and 8-12.

Summertiiiiiiiime, and the Livin's Easy...

2008-07-01T08:35:00.000-04:00

I was watching The Today Show this morning and they had a segment on summer safety tips, in which they talked about the dangers of digging large sand holes at the beach. It was pretty alarming and while they noted that research shows the incidences of sand hole deaths are pretty rare, they are more prevalent than shark attacks. (We still look for sharks, don't we?) For more information you can click here.

I liked that the segment wasn't alarmist, but was a gentle reminder that we need to keep our eyes on the sand as well as the water when our kids are playing. It was good timing because I know that sometimes I'm content to just let H play while I visit with the other moms and when there are several kids together, digging a hole can quickly lead to digging a large crater.

In that same vein, I was checking out the MommyDocs website, which has a ton of great information, including a featured article sponsored by Clorox; Five Simple Summer Safety Tips. They all were fairly common sense, but I guess that's the point. In an era where common sense isn't so common (a la 3rd degree sun burns when a parent or caregiver neglects to apply sunscreen to a child in the scorching sun) it never hurts to be reminded.

According to MommyDocs, a lot of summer woes can be avoided by following these five tips :

1. Have a Sun Protection Strategy
2. Keep Pests off Your Little One
3. Keep the Pool Cool and Clean (with the added Safety must: Always supervise children regardless of age when they are around any water; whether it's a bucket, a small backyard plastic pool, or the local community pool.)
4. High Heat Means Hydrate
5. Rid Rashes and Relieve Itchies

With just a little bit of preparation, you can have hours of fun in the sun, while at the same time establishing good habits for your kids. The days of slathering yourself in Crisco and laying on tin foil are g-o-n-e gone, and it's important for kids to be in the routine of applying sunscreen before leaving the house and during their activity in the hopes that they won't have to (obsessively, anyway) inspect their bodies in 20 years, looking for moles and other signs of skin cancer.

This blog tour is brought to you by MomCentral

It's the Most WonderFALL Time of the Year

2008-06-24T06:55:00.000-04:00

I'm looking outside my window, and I feel a bit like the little kids on The Cat in the Hat. It's been raining all day, sometimes sideways, others straight down, but it all adds up to one thing...a day spent inside.

It was fortuitous that I got an email from Mom Central about Beaches' Resorts WonderFALL celebration. It's often hard to plan one more thing to do in a summer that is jammed with activity. Beaches has thought of everything for you, as they're running a special that will help intice you to travel this Fall. Right now when you stay 5-6 nights (between September 1 and November 4, 2008) in any one of 4 locations, you'll get 1 night free, and if you stay 7 nights, they bump it up to 2 free nights! Next to planning my dream home, I love to plan dream vacations, so I immediately went to the site and started to click away. I have to admit that while I was browsing, my attention was initially focussed on the 'honeymoon' and 'girlfriend getaway' packages and not on those that included taking your children with you.

Last year, J and I went to Maui while Granny and Papa stayed with H at our house, and it was the best vacation I've ever had. While I know that I'll treasure the memories created at future family trips, I've always felt like it was really important to continue placing importance on the relationship that made you a family in the first place.

Those sentiments aside, I rolled over to the "Fall Family Fun" and found that they're doing a whole Elmo/Sesame Street themed getaway for families, as Beaches is a sponsor of the beloved PBS classic. Ever the consumate viewer of PBS kids, this was something I already knew, and have to admit that those commercials are such smart marketing, as I'm sure I'm not the only mom sitting at home bleary-eyed with lack of sleep with her kids from about 5:30am until 9 when we turn off Super Why.

Oh yeah, and the vacation is obviously on a beautiful island resort and is all-inclusive...how could it get any better than that?!

Perhaps the most family friendly feature was found at the very bottom of the page; an offer for single parents to receive up to $190/night in savings, making it more affordable for them to take that vacation on a single income.

Sally HP Reviews!

2008-04-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

When my friend Alex told me that the Parent Bloggers Network was looking for people to review Diaper Goop I was, unfortunately, in the throes of recovering from H's first really bad diaper rash. I hope never to have to repeat that experience, so I got more excited than had I accidentally been given a "Gotta Have It" at Cold Stone. I quickly emailed the powers that be, and asked that I be able to try the goop, as it would be my first review for PBN.

While H had his rash, I had tried a number of creams, two of which really work well, but they seemed to rub off and were in his diaper by the next change instead of sticking and creating a barrier.

My doorbell buzzed about a week later, and I excitedly signed for a box which ended up having FOUR tubs of Diaper Goop inside...I thought I'd get a couple little foil packets of the stuff, but these guys don't mess around! Enclosed was a nice letter about the company's beginnings and the fact that they hope to be able to launch in retail stores soon. Diaper Goop was developed by a pharmacist, whose customer had been battling severe diaper rash with her twins. The nice thing about it, is that it wasn't a cream that was conceived with dollar signs in mind. However, because it worked so well, word spread and it was officially coined "diaper goop" in 1990. It has been used by daycare centers and nursing homes alike, treating sensitive skin of all ages.

Fortunately, H's rash had already cleared when the goop arrived, but I noticed he was developing some slight eczema behind his knees. I slathered some on, and was a little put off by the smell, but then read the ingredients and immediately realized why; the primary ingredient in this product is Lanolin...it reminded me of the good ole days of FFA (that's Future Farmers of America for you city slickers) when we would watch the sheep getting shorn. I felt good knowing that it was an odd smell due to being a natural ingredient, instead of the forced 'pleasant scent' in some of the new products which are effected by perfumes being added.

When J got home, he was holding H and noted that he "smelled like bag balm." Yeah, you can take the boy off the farm...

Literally, the next morning, the red areas were gone. I was sold on the effectiveness, and have used it on the backs of his knees most nights after his bath, before slipping on his footy pajamas as a preventative measure. Unlike some of the other creams, the goop was still on his skin in the morning, and hadn't rubbed off onto his clothes. I was pleasantly surprised by this as it's a fairly greasy product, or to be exact lanolin-y. Little C will certainly get the goop treatment when he comes along as well.

The true test came when my friend, L, and her 10 month-old, O, arrived after flying cross-country in the dry, forced and re-circulated air of the plane. She soon realized that she'd forgotten O's prescription eczema cream and his cheeks were pink, and getting more red by the second. I was only too excited to show her the diaper goop, and told her she was more than welcome to try it. We pooled our expertise, and decided that it would be fine to use on his face, as it was just lanolin. She used it sparingly at first, just to make sure.

When O woke up the next morning, the redness had completely faded. She continued to use the goop throughout her stay, and took a tub of it home with her, hoping she'd be able to purchase more when that ran out. L is a very smart consumer...she's one of those people who researches things to death and is pretty eco-conscious. For her to take it with her when she left instead of just using it here out of necessity is a pretty big deal.

I'll also be sending a tub of this to my friend J in Alaska who would really like to use cloth diapers on her fair child, but the diaper rash issue has been prohibitive. I'll post again with the results of that, but feel like it's a good alternative for kids with sensitive skin as well.

I would definitely recommend this product to my friends, and will buy it in the stores when it's available. Diaper Goop is currently sold in only four states, but is available without a prescription. The goop folks are working hard to spread the word and mass-market their product because, as their slogan states 'It Really Works!'

The one thing that I would urge people is to just know that it doesn't smell like baby powder. It's not that it's an overwhelming or terrible smell, it's just a departure from the 'fresh'-scented baby products these days.