MWLM Blog : Mom writers who have something to say...

Summer Family Fun Ideas

Summer is the perfect time for family fun! The trick is keeping the kids entertained when you're on the road. These innovative ideas will keep children safe and engaged and will help banish the dreaded phrase, "Are we there yet?"

TRAYblecloth :Wondering how you'll keep the kids entertained on the plane? Try the Kids TRAYblecloth ™ and Activity Center by Love to Travel Products - a slip on cover that turns your airplane tray table into a clean, organized space for eating and working. It features a write-on/erase vinyl surface, dry erase markers, interchangeable games, pockets, and more. Hours of fun for kids of all ages! www.lovetotravelproducts.com

Colorpals: Portable, affordable, and fun. The Color Pal traveling crayon holder keeps crayons off the floor and close at hand for your little artist. No more fits in the backseat while you're driving! Color Pals are cute and cuddly plush animals – caterpillar, octopus, or spider - with specially designed legs and caps to hold crayons. Each Color Pal comes with its own activity book and crayons. Learn more at www.colorpals.tv

TeethingBling by Smart Mom Jewelry: Traveling with a baby this summer? Then try TeethingBling! Inspired by babies who like to tug on jewelry, Teething Bling pendants and matching bangles are pretty and practical! TeethingBling mimics real gemstones like coral and jade but are actually made from a food-safe, federally-approved, phthalate/lead/toxic free silicone so they are safe for curious babies to handle and chew. They are super stylish too! Learn more at www.smartmomjewelry.com.

Oxi-Soft Hand Sanitizer: Made for moms and dads who are tired of extra-dry skin from using alcohol-based sanitizer. Now, there's a simple solution – Oxisoft! It provides longer lasting protection than common alcohol-based products, yet is just as tough on germs. Unlike alcohol-based products, OxiSoft's formula is safe for kids. The spray pen design is easy for moms and kids to carry and use while traveling. It fits conveniently into purses, backpacks, and diaper bags! Learn more at www.oxibrands.com

Sweetpea3: Made for the tiniest of hands, the SweetPea3 is an MP3 player designed specifically for children. Keep kids of all ages entertained while traveling with soothing music or entertaining stories in a safe and convenient manner. Perfect for children in the car or to soothe your baby to sleep. This musical player can store up to 16 hours of music in three separate playlists! With no moving or small parts, and no headphones needed, this is perfect for all infants and children. Visit www.sweetpeatoyco.com

All the best,
Lydia O'Neil
Publicist
Orca Communications
Lydia@orcacommunications.com
Orcacommunications.com

It's a matter of perspective

Today we spent the entire day with our good friends.  It had been way too long since we were all together--which is sad because we only live about 15 miles from each other.

We spent the day playing games, going on a walk, and talking with each other.  We finished the night with dinner together and dessert.  It was the perfect way to spend a day.

Why does life sometimes get too busy that we do not see our friends for a few months?  I don't know, but I plan to make sure that our friends are on the calendar each month.

Kathy Schlaeger lives with her husband and three daughters near Cincinnati, Ohio.

Camping for Dummies

There should be a certain progressive evolution in a family’s method of camping. You should start out, when you are young, vigorous and too naïve to know better, by camping in a tent. Then, as your family and your waistline grow while your flexibility and patience decline, you should switch to some kind of pop-up trailer that at least gets you off the ground.

Finally, in the golden years, when you are wise enough, wealthy enough and cranky enough to insist on taking it all with you – bed, bathroom, TV and kitchen – you can commune with nature in a way that doesn’t allow nature to commune right back. You can buy a recreational vehicle.

I’m sure this is how our pioneer ancestors, who worked so hard to tame the wilderness, would have wanted it.

Last summer, my family disregarded this character-building camping system by skipping right to the everything-including-the-kitchen-sink phase for our first campout in the mountains of Colorado. We rented an RV. And it was great.

This year, we were once again eager to explore the Great Outdoors. But thanks to my husband, we backtracked from our very civilized home on wheels to a couple of musty tents that left us wet, whiny and at least in my case, whimpering with embarrassment.

Claiming that our previous RV experience did not allow sufficient bonding with Mother Nature and each other, the man I married suggested we borrow tents from friends and head for the hills. Although I suspected my cheapskate spouse was actually trying to leave enough room in the family budget for a new set of golf clubs, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and foolishly agreed to his plan.

Our bonding started off with a bang when we attempted to put up the tents. After what seemed like hours and with several far-from-harmonious verbal exchanges over who knew less about what we were doing, the tents appeared to have assumed their intended shape. So we decided to go for a hike.

At first, things went well. We drank in the beauty of the mountains as we walked along the trail. The sun was shining through the trees. The air was crisp, cool and dry. So dry, in fact, that I emptied my water bottle within the first couple of hours of the hike. And soon, I felt the need to answer nature’s call.

Being a descendent of pioneers, I did not panic, even though we were a long way from the nearest toilet. I explained the situation to my loved ones and then went off the trail to find an appropriate place to do my business.

Our campground was crowded, and I was concerned about other hikers coming down the trail. Each bush and tree I examined seemed either too short or too thin to provide the necessary coverage. But I finally found just the right spot, well hidden from the trail, and I proceeded to, as the English so colorfully say, spend a penny.

What I failed to realize was that there was another trail just above me which merged into our trail a little further on. And that I was fully exposed to this other trail. I found that out when, squatting in my secluded spot, I heard a highly amused young voice quip, “Nice view.”

And he wasn’t talking about the mountains.

I whirled around, yanking my pants up at the same time, and found myself staring at a group of college-age hikers, every one of them grinning from ear to ear.

Without responding, I ran, mortified, toward where my family waited. When I told my group of miscreants -- most of whom I’d brought into this world -- what had happened, each one laughed so hard I thought they were all going to need medical attention.

They grabbed on to each other for support and laughed some more. They were bonding, but it wasn’t exactly the kind of bonding I’d imagined.

By the time we made it back to our campsite, the mercurial mountain sky had clouded up, and it had started to rain. We huddled together in our tents to wait it out. The others soon got cold, but I was still warmed by humiliation.

Unfortunately, the rain didn’t stop. After a while, our supposedly waterproof tents began to leak. And with each drip of water, we got wetter and whinier. By the time darkness fell, we were ready to pack it in. We threw everything into the car and headed for a warm and dry motel.

Our pioneer ancestors must be rolling in their graves.

© Jackie Papandrew, All Rights Reserved

Visit www.jackiepapandrew.com to read more of Jackie's humor.

Life in the Circus

"Ladies and Mommies! Welcome to the Big Circus!"My five year old makes this announcement in his pajamas as I'm entering the den this morning. The room is transformed into a makeshift circus ring, complete with a Spiderman tent and Native American drum, (to help introduce amazing acts, of course). "I am now an acrobat," he continues. "Little sister is Bonzo the clown, and little brother is the bouncing ball." The show goes on for several minutes while I fry "eggy bread" in the kitchen for the circus employees, and periodically shout "Wow!" as unbelievable stunts involving my leather sectional continue. I come to the baby gate that separates the den from the kitchen holding two plates of french toast. "Now, I would like to introduce our special guest," my son says to his sibling audience, who are also enthusiastic circus participants. "It is MOMMY the Great Elephant!"
This is a typical morning in my life.

By: Loren Christie

Read more from Loren at http://lorenelizabethchristie.blogspot.com

Gas Pains

     I’m talking about the pain at the pumps.

     At my local service station, the price of gasoline has currently toppled over the four-dollar mark. Boy, don’t you wish Beano could relieve this type of gas pain?

     Because we have gas-powered mowers, weed-eaters, cars, trucks, and boats, we are now forced to conserve or pay the price. Therefore, the million-dollar question is…

      What lifestyle changes can we make to reduce our gas usage?

1.     When I grocery shop, I purchase enough food to last for three weeks, loading up on the items that are on sale or exclusive to that store. For the bulky things, I now need extra storage, so I use the trunk of my car for paper towels, toilet paper etc.

2.     The dollar store is my friend. They have increased store inventory. However, recently I’ve noticed that when I stop for basic items, milk, sweet tea, or bread the store shelves are barren.

3.     Whenever I drive past a gas station with low fuel prices, I fill err’ up or top it off. If the local gas station raises the gas price just before the weekend, I’ll run my vehicle so low the empty-idiot light comes on.

4.     No more Sunday drives down to the sugar white sandy beaches so I can stroll in the surf. It is not an option to zip over to the video store or even catch a current movie at the theater. I solely use Netflix and microwave my popcorn from the stash in the pantry.

5.     Living in a small town makes it easy to drop off the electric, phone and water bills. I like delivering the checks personally. I can visit with the clerk as I hand over my payment. In addition, I have security knowing that my bill is paid on time. But, now I use a postage stamp, forty-two cents is cheaper than gas.

6.     By turning off the faucet when we brush our teeth, we conserve water. I try to save gas with that same type of mind set when I come home from work. I pull up to the front gate and turn off the car. I wheel in my garbage cans after I’ve secured the dogs, and open the locked gates.  Only then, do I restart the engine and quickly pull into my driveway.

     My pretty pink and purple speedboat silently sits on its trailer-bed hot and thirsty for a quick dip in the creek, however, that’s not gonna happen any time soon.

     I read that Microsoft has incorporated a shuttle bus that is equipped with WiFi for their employee commuting needs. Once again, Bill Gates is a step ahead of other companies.

     Is it possible that the little corner grocery store will make a comeback? I have fond memories of warn wooden floors and the penny candy aisle. People that live in large cities already have neighborhood stores; daily they tote their groceries home saving gas and getting exercise at the same time.

     Today gas pains have clearly altered my lifestyle. I for one have become more of a homebody. Playing cards, visiting with neighbors, riding bikes, and taking long walks are becoming familiar activities again.

     As a child, I remember that life’s simple pleasures were the best. Maybe this is a Good Thing!

~Pamela Vanden Bos, Mom Writers Literary

From the Mouths of Babes

The princess is an old soul. At the dinner table, she asserts her inner mommy. "Don't be ri-dick-lous! Eat your peas, you silly boy!" Big brother laughs in surprise, as he picks up his fork in submission to her commanding tone. Dinner time is a ritual of family life that doesn't always go smoothly at the Christie house. In an effort to develop a routine, I sometimes create more strife.

"Who is going to say Grace?" I'm secretly proud of myself for remembering family prayer time. Instantly the hands go up and I grin at that. How they know I like raised hands is a mystery, since the fact that mommy has an actual name and that she worked as a teacher before they existed does not compute in their little brains. I pick big brother, and little sister falls over in wailing protest. She wants to be the first one. I re-evaluate the situation and decide to let her go first. Big brother surprisingly does not complain. She begins.

"Hail Mary, Fold of grace, the Ord is wit you.
Bless are you to women
mumble, mumble, mumble,"

Big brother chimes in: "That's not how it goes!"
The princess starts to cry, because she's trying to pray. Moaning, she decides to dramatically fall off her chair, landing in an ever so delicate pose of distress on the floor.

Moments later, after order is restored, and her brother is threatened with consequences, she finishes in a huff of sniffles.
"And I love you at the hour of my deaf. Amen."

Big brother laughs and I try to look stern. I have no idea what he's about to say in his prayer. He folds his hands like a little cherub;

"I fold my hands, I bow my head, to thank the Lord for the food we have, and are about to receive. I love my family and winning games, but not every time. It's not winning, but how you play the game. Sometimes everyone can be equal, and that's a tie. A tie is good, but winning is more fun. AMEN. "

A laugh that I've been holding in escapes, along with some Sprite that I just sipped. The children look serious. "Safety violation!" shouts little sister, pointing. "Mama, you should never laugh with food or drinks in your mouth, because you can choke," explains big brother. I apologise profusely and then we finally eat.

By: Loren Christie

Read More From Loren at http://lorenelizabethchristie.blogspot.com

The Importance of Backing Up Your Work

Just think about this for a second; say you have been writing a manuscript for a really, really long time. You have a good feeling about it. You plan to submit it soon. It's almost there. Then you download the wrong something from a random website, it infects you're computer, the screen goes black - maybe your computer won't even come back on - and then your manuscript can't be recovered. As soon as this happens, the agent of your dreams calls and says "I have heard about your manuscript through your blog/writer friend/conference, I'd love to look at it."

Nightmarish, no?

Seriously, you guys. Back up your work. If you've been putting it off, here is your cue. You will be so grateful you did.

I remember a Sex and the City episode a few years ago (Carrie was with Aedan) and her computer crashed. When telling people of her misofrtune - remember Carrie's a writer - everyone asked her "Don't you back up your work?". "Why does everyone keep saying that?" she responds, the sinking "I should have known what they know" feeling ruining a lot more than her day.

Once again, I know how the fictional character feels.

Back then I knew well enough to copy my documents and pictures onto cd's. But I didn't. It took too long, or my system was too slow, my husband had to use the computer...there was always an excuse.

So when my PC crashed a few years ago, I lost all essays, stories, rough drafts, letters - everything! -that I valued and had been working on. As a writer, I cursed my ignorance. I also lost all of our family photos. As a Mom, I'm still sad and not over that (we're talking baby pictures, first solid food feeding pictures, sigh).

My laptop unexpectedly died a few months ago and because technical support has improved (read: become a big business), my files were saved. I paid a lot of money I shouldn't have paid. Luckily, I had most of my work burned onto cd's, but to get me up and running again, I was at the mercy of another entity. I despise being at the mercy of another, so I finally purchased an external hard drive (and actually took it out if the box, and actually took the time to learn how to use it). It is a bit bulky. If I had to do it over again, I would buy a thumbnail drive, the tiny apparatus the mobile tech support guy introduced to me. Those little gadgets have capacity for at least 2GB - more space than even I need - and can fit in your pocket, bag, bedside drawer, wherever you keep your insurance policies and Mylicon.

Before you are crying for mercy or searching your system for gone-forever baby photos, just go online and order a thumbnail drive, go to the electronics store after work, or copy your can't-live-withouts onto a disc.

Backing up your work is one simple way you can be a smarter Mom writer.

www.samanthagianulis.com
http://samanthagianulis.blog.com

Mother Hen

Okay...I admit it.  I am a mother hen.  I worry about my kids and try to protect them any way I can. I do try to give them room to grow though.  It is hard to let them get hurt, but I know that it is part of the learning/growing process. Tomorrow though, I will follow my gut instinct and be a mother hen.  No one will harm my daughter tomorrow if I can help it.

You see, Sabrina has a job interview tomorrow (summer job) at the Visual Arts Center in Montreal. She has never been there before, and she has never taken the bus and subway on her own into Montreal before. The area of town where she has to go is not extremely dangerous, but it has been known to house the occasional creep who is on the lookout for vulnerable youths. I don't want my daughter to be there, looking kind of lost, like she doesn't know exactly where to go.  So I will accompany her on the ride.  Once she knows the route, she will be fine to get there again with confidence if she gets the job.

So call me a mother hen, but I'd rather be safe than sorry!

Lucie Bouchard Antoniazzi, Regular Columnist, All in a Mom-day's Work, www.luciebouchardantoniazzi.com