Mommy 911

I recently received an email about a new app called Mommy 911.  Looks like something I would have loved to have had when my kids were little and always in tow. 

I thought many of you with younger kids would appreciate it, so with Sarah's permission, here is the info for you:


I wanted to share an app with you, Mommy911App, that can alleviate a lot of stress. Mommy911App provides activities for those long trips to visit family, games to play when you're stuck inside because of the weather, jokes for the whole family and kid-friendly mealtime ideas for those days where everyone is staring at you to come up with a way to feed them. There's also a little something for moms too: inspirational quotes, creative discipline techniques, stories any mom can appreciate, and more.

The app is being offered at $0.99 for Apple and Android devices so it won't come near to breaking the bank. Links to the app can be found at http://mommy911app.com or you can click on the links below.


Sarah Foote
Mommy911App
Rescuing Moms One App at a Time
Download from the App Store
Download from Google Play









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Chicken-Scratch-Saturday: Good Will Halloweening

I have always hate-hate-HATED those realy cheap, flimsy, poly Halloween costumes. Not that I haven't resorted to them a few times over the years. Especially if my little one would simply not make it to his next birthday if he wasn't dressed up as some character that I could never in a million years replicate on my own, or if my little princess happened to see the prettiest princess costume EVER and would DIE if she could not have that exact one.

And even though I CAN sew, I have never had the desire to make any of my kids a costume for Halloween if sewing was involved. Never, I say.

Let's face it, those poly costumes are quick and easy, and Halloween can get super busy when your kids are little, between classroom parties, community fairs, scout parades, parties, and let's not forget the actual night of trick-or-treating. So it's very tempting to just pluck that cheap-o costume off the rack and be done with it.

But one of the things I love best about Halloween is the potential for creativity. Between decorating your house, carving the jack-o-lanterns, and helping your kids figure out what they're going to be, it's a smorgasbord of outside-the-box thinkin'.

And we all want our kids to be outside-the-box thinkers, don't we?

So. My first stop with my kids for costume shopping is not the seasonal Halloween store, and it's not WalMart. It's Goodwill.

At Goodwill, the clothing items (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses) generally run about $3.50 to $5.00. Accessories even cheaper. With a little imagination and only a few dollars, you and your child can find the perfect things to make a wide variety of costumes, such as...

pirate
hobo
prom queen, bride, bridesmaid (dead or otherwise)
clown (evil or otherwise)
cheerleader
hippie
zombie
farmer, cowboy/girl
black cat
scarecrow
goth
rock/pop star

The list is endless.

Of course, you might still need a few accessories at a Halloween store. For example, your child might find all the trappings to be a zombie, such as oversized clothing that he can rip and tear and bloody, but he'll still need the make-up. Or maybe she found just what she needed to be a cute little cowgirl, but she still needs the hat.
So get the hat at the costume section of WalMart, braid her hair into some pigtails, and add a few freckles with your eyeliner, and you've got yourself a cheap, no-sew, creative costume that your kid thought up and picked out.









Now, how to carve that jack-o-lantern this year....





Image courtesy: coolest-homemade-costumes.com
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In case you didn't know it, I'm like the queen of blog-hoppin' lately. It's kind of like square dancing but without the dated outfits, smelly gym, and elderly caller.

Here's the schedule I keep:
Monday: Homestead Revival's Barn Hop, The Chicken Chick's Clever Chicks, A Cat-Like Curiosity's Monday Mantras Link-Up, and @ Home Take 2's Mom's Monday Mingle
Tuesday: Heavenly Homemaker's Gratituesday,   Crafty Garden Mama's Tuesday Greens, and The Wrinkled Mommy's Tuesday Archive Link-Up
Wednesday: My Life and Kids Finding the Funny, Tilly's Nest's Down Home, and Crafty Spices Wordless Wednesday
Thursday: A Rural Journal's Rural Thursday Blog Hop, and Two In Diapers' Mommy Brain Mixer
Friday: Deborah Jean's Dandelion House's Farmgirl Friday, Little Becky Homecky's Fantabulous Friday, and Oh So Amelia's Friday Chaos
Saturday: Camera Critter's Life With Dogs Pet Blogger Hop and Country Momma Cooks Saturday Link-Up.


Since today is Saturday, that means I'm linking yesterday's post "Chick Update" with Camera Critter's Life With Dogs Pet Blogger Hop and Country Momma Cooks Saturday Link-Up.




Come join the fun!

P2P

Rosie is signed up to go on a People To People "ambassador" trip to Australia this summer.

This means she gets to go on a 3 week vacation while her Dad and I take out a second mortgage to pay for the trip.
And the new luggage.
And the new clothes.

That's OK, though. You know me, just sittin' around with nothing to do most of the time, so it's nice that I get to drive her to the monthly meetings which are an hour away. I love parking my ample hindquarters on a middle school cafeteria bench for two hours.

Apparently, the chief thing the good folks at P2P need to teach is that the kids shouldn't pack any jeans. Some of the best moments of my life have been spent learning this, because they've gone over it in depth
at every freaking meeting.

I've also learned that, as the person in charge of the refreshments committee, I have become the Snack Nazi.

You haven't gotten back to me by the end of the day on the carb you're volunteering to bring?
I will hunt you down.

Tonight was a bit embarrassing for Rosie, though. The P2P leader was talking about dress code (and yes, she reviewed their standing on jeans. Again.) She looked down the line and said, that shirt there would be fine, so would that one, etc,etc.
Then she got to Rosie.
My hussy daughter.
Leader woman said, "Yeah, you wouldn't be able to wear that. Bare shoulders aren't really appropriate."

Poor Rosie. My sweet little tramp in her layered tank tops.

You know that scene in Alien where Sigourney Weaver backs herself very s-l-o-w-l-y into the space suit when she's in that little shuttle with the creepy critter? Yeah. That was Rosie s-l-o-w-l-y easing herself into her jacket after leader lady called her out on her streetwalker's attire.

Walking out to the car at the end of the meeting, Rosie looked down and gasped in shock.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"My ankles are showing! I'm mortified!"



Can anyone recommend a good convent for my little Jezebel?

Snatch the pebble, Cricket ....

James and Daniel started Kung Fu lessons last week. They both love it and I think it's going to be a big help for James with the behavior/attitude problems we've had of late. Good physical outlet, discipline, respect, all rolled up in one tidy little package.
Of course, now he'll learn how to sneak up Ninja-style on his siblings more effectively. And he'll learn how to wield swords and spears.
Oh my. What have I done ....?

Get Your Head in the Game

Rosie, James, Julie and I participated today in a brain cancer awareness walk. We walked with a team called Christina's Crusaders. Christina was the daughter of an aquaintance of mine who passed away in the last year from a brain tumor. Rosie was able to walk with her good friend Alyssa, who was a friend of Christina's.

I also walked in remembrance of my brother Donald. We wrote a message to him on the "Memory Wall" and I wore his picture and life dates on a card hung around my neck. It's coming up on 13 years that he passed away. It was nice to have an event like this to bring people together and raise awareness.

I was glad some of the kids wanted to walk in this, and we took the time this morning to look on the website at the pictures of the people being walked for. It's so wonderful, I think, when kids are able to see outside their small world every now and again, and to realize how truly blessed they are.

Of course, they also loved being part of the walk so they could enjoy pizza and popcorn, and dance to the live music. Bottom line is, it was a very memorable date for all of us, and I think it will have a lasting impact on them.

Holy Communion, Batman!

Daniel celebrated his First Holy Communion on Saturday 4/25. It was a beautiful day, and the event was attended by his godparents (Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary) as well as his Aunt Ronnie and Uncle Jamie, Aunt Donna and cousin Megan. Despite being nervous, Daniel did great. The church is still standing and not one head spun around the entire time.
Good job, Daniel!

A Little Culture Never Hurt No One ....

Took the kids to the Brandywine River Art Museum. Got to show them a lot of Wyeth works and explain to the kids how the Wyeths are from this area and much of their subject matter is stuff they see when driving down the road. Saw paintings of the Brandywine Battlefield of the Revolutionary War, which took place a stone's throw from the museum.

One would think that kids that are a product of this generation, kids who have grown up with eyes glued to a glowing screen of one kind or another would have no interest in looking at paintings of hayfields and barns. But not only were they pretty well behaved, but I actually heard the occasional oooh and ahhh from them.

No matter, the security guard took one look at my crew walking in the door and we had our own personal escort tailing us throughout our tour of the museum. I think he actually looked a little disappointed when my kids didn't break anything. We gave this kindly octagenarian no excuse to throw us out on our kiesters.

Maybe next time ....

Skating Her Way to First Place

Bella was in her first skating show on Saturday and she had a blast! Julie, myself, and Bella's friend Anastasia was there to cheer her on. She had never done anything like this before and was nervous, but she did great, taking 1st place in one event and 4th in a pairs event.

She really is a thing of beauty and grace to watch on the ice, so I'm really happy that she was able to do well in spite of the nerves.

Just a Walk in the Park

Took the kids (plus friend Lucy) to the park today and had a blast. In just a couple hours they managed to:
Play on the playset
Jump the creek countless times
Climb in and on a drainage pipe
Drink a gallon of water
Eat a large bag of animal crackers
Get cut
Get muddy
Get sand in their eyes
Play sumo wrestling
Draw pictures in the sand
Splash in the creek
Have a game of freeze tag
Have the time of their lives

Girls Day Out. Plus Daniel.

So the girls were going to die if we did not see the Jonas Brothers Movie on opening day. We had a lot of appointments that day, but the day off school, so the only way we could fit it in was to take them to an 11am show. Wouldn't have time to see that and get home again before our first appt, so Daniel had to come with us. So picture me, with my three girls, plus our friend McKenzie, and poor little Daniel, who is about as Pure Boy as they come. He sat in his seat looking miserable as screaming girls chased through the streets after Nick, Joe and Kevin on the big screen. He covered his ears, then sat on the floor till I finally got the hint and offered to sit with him on the bench out in the lobby. He was much happier there, trying to jimmy all the gumball and candy machines for coins or candy, running around in snowboots (on a 65 degree spring-like day) that were 7 sizes too big for him.

But he was a trooper and he lived to tell the tale. We then went on to lunch, then our first appt in downtown Wilmington. A little time on the playground at AI duPont, then Bella's appt with her eye doctor (can you say surgery one more time?). Finally home, a quick pizza dinner, and then I went out to my book club. Haven't done that in a dog's age, so it was good to get together with the girls and talk about grown-up things. Though of course the subject of most of our conversations was kids. School, chores, homework, music lessons, the things they do that make us scratch our heads.
And of course, the Jonas Brothers.

Another New First

Went through a tunnel today driving the kids down to Baltimore for Port Discovery. Both the kids found it a most incredible experience. Julie's eyes about popped out of her head as she exclaimed, "What the hecka!" And James had fun pointing out the "Titanics" we saw docked as we drove along. I think Port Discovery paled in comparison....

Hugs-n-Kisses

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! And Happy Birthday to Fred my honey. And Happy Patrickmas Eve to my firstborn.

James and Julie seemed to enjoy their first Valentine's Day, first getting cards and some money in the mail from spoiling grandparents, then at school yesterday receiving cards and candy, then today getting a goodie bag from Mom and Dad with another card and a few sweets and things.

We actually have a pretty full house today, as our friends from NJ are spending the w/e with us. So this morning there were 11 Valentine treat bags set out on the breakfast table. K and M treated us to a wonderful homemade breakfast that took 2 1/2 dozen eggs, 2 lbs of bacon, a couple dozen pieces of bread, 40 sausages and more. Don't think I'll eat the rest of the day ......

Right now all the kids have completed their showers so they're all squeaky clean for the time being. As stereotypically cliche as this sounds, the girls are working quietly at the table creating crafts and the boys are playing video games, soon to be gearing up to run amok in the fields killing each other with paintball. Hey, they're all being quiet right now, so I'm not complaining.

Yet another treat from our friends, they'll be watching all 9 of the kids tonight so Fred and I can go out to dinner and a movie for his birthday. Better them than me. Everyone please say a quick prayer for them!

School on the Run

Seemed like a simple plan when I made it. Clear the morning calendar. Make a nice space in the dining room for ESL (English as a Second Language) lessons. Every morning, get the other kids on the bus, then sit down with James and Julie and proceed to teach them English. Follow each well-taught lesson with a trip to the barn together for chores, and then a stroll down our country lane, pointing out the English words for familiar items such as fence, tree, goose. Throw a few bluebirds twittering around our heads and you get the picture.
Yeah. Well. That's happened all of like, twice. More commonly, we're picking one of the kids up from school to run them to the doctor or orthodontist, going to the grocery store for the third time in a week, schlepping out to the social security office for more paperwork, or any one of the myriad of things that keep popping up to fill these new gaps in my calendar.
So usually we have school on the run, as we listen to ESL CDs in the car or I point out things while we're driving around, like truck, bus, train, etc. Skojit "hobo". One drawback to this method is that I'm about to lose my friggin' mind. If I have to listen to this Bryan Adams wannabe and his cheesy accompanying musicians sing "What's Your Name" or "Supermarket Sally" one more time I am going to leap out the window and start playing in traffic. But the kids love it. "Mom, Mom, What's Your Name. Please? What's Your Name." OK. One more time ....
Another occupational hazard to being in the position of ESL teacher is that I've come to resemble a silent movie actor in my manner of speech. As I point out a new word to them, I am striving with every nuance of my facial expressions and body language to convey its meaning. Imagine, if you will, my melodrama as I teach by charade the words happy, or angry. While it seems helpful during the lessons, it's gotten to be a hard thing to switch on and off. I might say to someone, "I like your shirt (sweeping my arm up and down across my torso to indicate shirt). It's pretty (with a stupid happy face on). It's red (might gesture to several red things at this point)". They just look at me and I know what they're wondering. Where's her 'special helmet'?