Weekly Update

Holiday Travel with Your Pets

2011-12-17T01:44:03Z

If you're tagging along the furry family members this holiday season - here are some helpful tips to follow:

Consider your pet’s needs. Distance, location, temperature, mode of travel, your pet's health, age, etc. are all important factors to consider before traveling. Remember that your pet is very sensitive to change, and when stressed, the immune system is likely to become weakened, so be sure to boost immunity prior to travel.

Packing & preparation. Remember the essentials like medications and medical records, food and bowls, a pet first aid kit, bedding, carrier, tags, and toys.

Before any trip, make a quick stop at your vet to have your pet examined to make sure vaccinations are up to date, and to get any medications your pet might need, etc.

Relaxing your pet. Anxiety and car sickness are two of the most common concerns amongst pet owners. For anxiety, take your pet on short trips regularly to help accustom him to traveling, and remember to bring a favorite toy or blanket. If traveling by car, make sure the vehicle is well-ventilated, and open a window if necessary.

If your travel plans leave no rooms for the paws, here are some helpful tips for boarding your pet:

Make a reservation. Boarding facilities become hectic during the holiday season, so be sure to book in advance.

Find out what’s permitted. Certain toys may be dangerous for other animals and prohibited.

Leave favorite items at home. Keep in mind that boarding facilities deal with many pets and owners a day, meaning that your pet’s favorite item may end up in someone else’s hands.

Leave your emergency numbers. Always provide your personal contact info, and even the hotel or house you will be staying at just in case.

Give clear instructions. If your pet is on medication, verbally tell someone in the facility about medication needs and also leave instructions.

Bring the essentials. Include a list of feeding instructions for your pet along with an unopened bag of food. In some cases, there may be times when another animal eats out of your pet’s dish; sending a fresh bag of food will ensure your pet has enough of his/her food to last while you are away

Tips are courtesy of PetAlive (www.petalive.com), the leading online provider of all-natural herbal and homeopathic remedies for cats, dogs, horses and other small pets.

ENOUGH!!

2011-04-20T01:34:25Z

As I was racing through my day today - with all the hats I am wearing right now I do nothing but race - I stopped to read a post by a wonderful longtime friend. It caught my eye because she always has a gem or two to share....and she's not even a blogger - egads - she should be. Enjoy!

Enough

When your Mom spoons food onto your plate at Thanksgiving and you get the amount you need, you say,
"Thank you, that's enough".

When The kids are arguing or the dog is barking or life hands you more than you can deal with, you may scream,
"Stop it, I have had Enough!".

But how often do we examine at our gluttonous lives and say, "It's Enough"?

Do you ever look around your house and wonder, what is it all for?
I have 8 sets of dishes, but rarely entertain company.
I have 2 refrigerators and a freezer, but rarely cook a meal.
How many pairs of shoes or jeans or coats do I actually need?

We work to buy more stuff while still owing on the stuff we have.
We buy bigger homes to store our stuff and yet we are hardly home to enjoy any of it.
We are slaves to commercials that tell us to take the kids to Disney.
What happened to playing in the mud....
or dreaming under the stars.... for free?

We don't make time for long meals with family and friends
because the kids have practice or we have work to catch up on.
Instead, we polute our planet with fast food trash and plastic bottles
that help to expedite this rush-rush life.

We watch this beautiful world go by through office windows and windshields of cars.

We strive to impress those we may not even know with our fancy homes and vehicles.
We work to give our kids, and ourselves, all that is wanted, but not enough of what we need.
We convince ourselves that it is worth it.
We don't stop to ponder, worth what?

It is time to downsize our stuff and Supersize our time.
It is a precious gift that we take for granted and
we hope it will be there waiting for us
when we're old.

I, for one, am fed up.

I have more than I will ever need.

Come and share my food, dear friends,
My plate is full,
and I
have had
enough.

- Kate P.
(Thank you to my kids for my clarity of this life!)

Eye-Q - Eye Exams

2010-10-04T18:16:25Z

Wii Summer Games National Championships

2010-08-30T21:59:03Z

We are an expansive family of gamers and we couldn't be more excited to see all the teams compete in the Wii Summer Games final competition. Friday September 3rd through the 5th in Redondo Beach, CA see the best of the best compete for the final prize. If you can't make it, start an event in your own home with a free download! We love these interactive games that get everyone moving. Find out all of the details here: wiigames2010.com

Classroom Mom in a Box

2010-07-27T18:00:52Z

Need to find inspiration week after week for this coming school year? Want to be more involved but don't feel like working as the class room mom is your strong suit? Budget cuts are happening everywhere and volunteers in the classroom make up for the dwindling school budgets and increase in class size. This tool box is perfect for grade K-3! Room moms from across the country share their classroom tips inside this special activity deck of 45 brightly illustrated cards and classroom-friendly pointers and projects.

Sections include:

Nuts and Bolts—everything from a room mom's job description to specific details on logistics like emergency preparedness.

Parties—room moms will find suggestions on party planning, treats, decorations, activities, and more.

Indoor/Outdoor Games—no matter what the weather, room moms can count on an array of games to keep kids occupied.

Arts and Crafts—includes a variety of seasonal craft projects and ideas for hands-on art lessons

Teacher Appreciation Week—activities and suggestions to ensure your teacher knows you care.

Find it here: www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Bill Nye Answers - Does 3D Make You Dizzy?

2010-06-29T19:56:10Z

Race to Nowhere - A film, a movement

2010-06-07T20:32:49Z

From the wonderful site: Director Vicki Abeles turns the personal political, igniting a national conversation in her new documentary about the pressures faced by American schoolchildren and their teachers in our achievement obsessed public and private education system and culture. Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people across the country who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burned out and worried students aren’t developing the skills they need, and parents who are trying to do what’s best for their kids, Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace, students have become disengaged, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.

Race to Nowhere is a call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.

Join the site, sign up for the newsletter and sign the petition. If you're a parent of a school aged child, you need to take a look at the trailor. Get motivated. Help the kids.

www.racetonowhere.com

This Little Piggy Wears Pink

2010-05-10T22:02:46Z

Once you have seen the demonstration of what chemicals in standard nail polish does to a Styrofoam plate...you'll wonder why you would ever paint your nails? Piggy Paint is non-toxic, odorless, water-based and hypo allergenic. We got the opportunity to give it a try and the pink is perfectly pink and the claims they make seem to be spot on. Odor free and fast drying. The colors are fun and the kits are very affordable. Great for gift giving. Very refreshing to find a non-toxic nail polish....but it begs the question, if they can make it for little girls, why not for us big girls, too?

As luck would have it, we happened upon (at the Bonnie Hunt Show mother's day episode) nail polish from Julep. Found at retail locations in several cities and online for purchase, Julep Nail Polish offers fashion nail color in healthy, "Three-Free" formulations — free of formaldehyde, toluene and DBP. We got a fun kit with bright summer colors but found some classics on the site. Finally, a safer option for the big girls, too.

Find Julep Nail Polish here: myjulep.com

Find the line of Piggy Paint here: PiggyPaint.com

Egg Free Easter Eggs - A little on the sweet side

2010-03-31T21:26:07Z

We were watching television and noticed the ad for Rice Krispie™ cereal (the one with the sweet mom and children making Easter Eggs) and I thought, how fun is that? How hard can it be? We set out to give it a try. It's not as time consuming as you would think IF you have all the fun ingredients.

First, we made the mixture of cereal, butter and marshygoo and shaped it into about 20 eggs. The trick is to let the mixture cool a few minutes and then either spray your hands with a non-stick cooking spray or a little butter. We shaped them all while we had white chocolate chips melting in a double boiler (I just KNEW there was a use for it outside of holiday baking). We also set out several sprinkle dipping options into separate bowls. When the eggs were formed, we dipped one side of the egg into the chocolate and then quickly into a sprinkle.

Super fun for everyone and really yummy. Enjoy!

Partnership To Educate Parents About SIDS

2010-02-09T17:28:24Z

With the coldest of the winter months now upon us, parents and caregivers are more likely to crank the heating and reach for plush, thick blankets to keep their babies warm. Infants who are overdressed or covered in heavy blankets or many blankets are at higher risk for SIDS. It is very important for babies to be dressed lightly and comfortably to avoid overheating. The CJ Foundation recommends the use of wearable blankets and sleep-sacks in place of blankets to keep infants warm while sleeping.

aden + anais®, creator of the original muslin swaddling blanket and unique muslin cotton sleeping bags, is proudly sponsoring the CJ Foundation for SIDS and their continuing efforts to educate parents about the importance of not over-bundling and over-heating their infants. Over 2,000 babies in the United States still die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) each year, and overheating is a leading risk factor.

In an effort to support the CJ Foundation for SIDS’ mission, aden + anais® began sponsoring the foundation in October 2009 during SIDS Awareness Month. Each aden + anais® product is made of 100% breathable muslin cotton, which allows baby’s body temperature to adjust naturally, reducing the risk of overheating.

The CJ Foundation recently launched its Sleep in Safety, Grow in Style (SSGS) campaign to help educate parents about the importance of designing safe sleeping environments for babies. aden + anais® is working to help the CJ Foundation inform parents of the many ways they can keep their baby safe. While over-heating is one risk-factor for SIDS, SSGS and aden + anais® seek to educate parents about this and the other risk-reducing, precautionary practices:

Consider the use of fans to increases ventilation
Room temperature should be comfortable for a lightly-clothed adult, approximately 61-67 degree Fahrenheit
Cribs should be totally free of all loose blankets, stuffed animals and crib bumpers
Lay baby to sleep in an improved crib, on a firm mattress; do not let the baby sleep on soft things, like a couch, pillow, sheepskin, foam pad or waterbed
No smoking when pregnant or near baby
If possible, breastfeed baby
Offer a pacifier at bedtime
Co-sleeping should be in the same room but not the same bed or other sleep surface as parents

Find out more here: www.adenandanais.com and about the CJ Foundation for SIDS here: www.cjsids.org