Mommin' It Up!

July 30, 2012

I think we should shoot her.

That’s my husband’s favorite response to my almost-constant question, “What are we going to do with her??” Andy finds that more often than not in life, there’s a Ferris Bueller quote that fits any situation.

Anyway, it’s not just “her” (aka Kate) I am exasperated with, it’s also “her” brother (aka Sam).

Most often, it’s both of them.

My kids are four years apart, and for a long time, they didn’t fight. Basically, Sam happily did whatever Kate told him to, and they co-existed peacefully. Now, though, at the ripe old age of four, he’s developed preferences and opinions.

And Kate does not like it one bit.

Driving each other crazy seems to be each of their goals in life, and in the meantime they are making Andy and me insane. The moments when they’re nice to each other? They are so nice. They’re sweet and funny and adorable. However, those moments are increasingly growing fewer and farther between.

I’m reading a book called “Siblings without Rivalry,” by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, which, like their book “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk,” is full of great suggestions on ways to facilitate communication and prevent jealousy. The problem is, I can’t remember what the hell I’m supposed to do.

Evidently I should read it again.

Until then, though, I turn to you – any suggestions on what to do with our kids when they are at each other’s throats?

July 28, 2012July 27, 2012

Fun new app: Kraft Photo Booth

You all know I LOVE apps that are good for kids! You also know that I am a *wee bit* vain and a *smidge* silly. I’ve passed the silliness and the love of seeing one’s own picture on to my kiddos, and so we’ve had a lot of fun using these er, qualities while playing with a new app from Kraft, Kraft Photo Booth!

I mean, who doesn’t want their picture taken with the Kool-Aid man?

Or chillin’ out and munching on everyone’s favorite cookie, the Oreo?

Karft Photo Booth is available for iPad, iPhone, or Android devices so just about anyone can use it! We’ve tried it on our iPad, iPhone, and Motorola Xoom and it works great! See?

peanut — I love Mr. Peanut but he was in my personal space!

Then I forgave him the next day because he let me try on his monocle, hat and cane!

The Kraft Photo Booth app is FREE and available by downloading GoldRun from the app or Android store. After you have downloaded GoldRun, just open it and click “campaigns” then choose Kraft Photo Booth! Then you’ll be on your way to taking silly pics with some of your favorite Kraft brands. New brands are being added weekly, so keep using your app to see what’s new!

Joshua was pumped to find this new brand this week:

After you make your super-fun photos, you can tweet, Facebook, or email them right from the app to share your silliness with your friends and family. It’s so easy.

We’re having fun with Kraft Photo Booth! What Kraft brand makes YOU say “cheese”?

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Kraft Photo Booth compensated me for this review with an iPad 3. I about jumped out of my chair when they offered me this opportunity because I’ve been dying to provide an iPad for therapy to a special needs child in my community. And now I can!! All opinions about the app are my own.

July 27, 2012July 27, 2012

Up Hill Both Ways in the Snow

How many of you remember this?

Back in my day, that’s all we had for entertainment when we were in the car! No batteries, no screens, nothing! And also no peace and quiet for the adults.

That last part we’re not supposed to admit, right? Taking car trips should be full of family bonding, singing “100 bottles of milk on the wall” and sharing our inner-most secrets. Just like the Brady Bunch.

However, just as most of us don’t have astroturf lawns, most of us don’t have such picturesque travel, either. At least, we don’t! In fact, I think my kids might fight in the car more than anywhere else. The other day I told Andy I was going to make us rich by inventing an impenetrable screen to go between two car seats. Doesn’t that sound like a great idea?

Until I do that, though, I am not ashamed to admit that I love having a DVD player in our van. As you may remember, we just entered the realm of minivan driving a few months ago when we bought our Toyota Sienna – and we are loving it. Don’t worry, we haven’t completely given up on the idea of communicating with each other in the car – like I said, we have plenty of time for our kids to fight – but when we’re on a trip for an hour or more, we happily put in a movie.

Of course, even though our van is a 2011 model, I was just perusing the Toyota website and now I am totes jealous of the brand new Siennas. Check this out:

From Toyota.com:
This dual headrest Rear Seat Entertainment System lets your rear passengers watch movies, play video games and even listen to music… Each monitor can operate independently to allow for separate video or video game use and includes a pair of infrared wireless headphones with two user selectable channels (A and B) that offer superior stereo sound quality. Both monitors also feature RCA A/V jacks for connecting external inputs such as video game systems or digital cameras.

Did you catch that? Each screen operates independently. Each kid gets to watch their own movie. Can you imagine? I die.

These tricked-out vans are not just fun and games for the children – they also indulge the techie adult. I hadn’t seen this before, but Toyota’s now have entune.

Entune is a collection of popular mobile applications and data services that are now accessible right from inside your Toyota. Now you can stay connected, no matter where you are.

Apps for your car. That is quite possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen.

Now, Andy and I have recently purchased two new (to us) vehicles – and given our track record, that means the next one we buy will be in 2022 (is it just me, or does that look like a fake date? I did that right, didn’t I? 2012 + 10 = 2022? Anyway.) So we will need to live vicariously through others to experience this. But I would LOVE to check it out.

So I have two questions for you – have any of you seen entune in person? Generally, what are your family’s rules on in-car entertainment?

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Disclosure: I was selected for participation in the TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I did not receive any compensation for writing this post, or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of Toyota.