I'm Not the Nanny

Tricks to Get Your Sick Kids to Take Their Medicine

2012-02-24T15:09:00.000-05:00

None of my children like taking their medicine. No matter how sick or miserable they are, the promise of feeling better never works. I beg and plead. I bribe. Then I try the guilt trip. It drives me crazy. Sometimes dealing with medicine negotiations is worse than dealing with the snotty noses.

Desperation can drive creativity. Or bribery. However you want to see it. I'm not proud of all these tricks, but when your child has a 102.2 fever, you do whatever you can to get him to drink his ibuprofen. My husband deserves some credit for some of these tricks to get our kids to drink your medicine.

Bribery can get you everywhere. I used to bribe the kids with candy, but always felt kind of guilty about it. Instead we've tried some different bribes.

Gummy vitamins. My toddler still thinks gummy vitamins are candy. He will suck down his teaspoon of meds so he can eat the little gummy. The only downside to this is that I can only use it once a day he can only have one vitamin a day. My daughter has totally caught onto this trick, but she loves her gummy vitamins. Sometimes this works for her.
Just Dance 3 or other video games. My toddler is obsessed with playing games on our Wii, specifically Just Dance games. His favorite song is the techno hit Barbara Streisand by Duck Sauce. Last night, my husband totally bribed my toddler with a chance to dance to Just Dance 3. Who knows if my toddler will feel well enough this afternoon to dance. But it worked.

Dress up the medications. I don't mean to let cover it with a sparkly princess dress or a special hat. The key is to make the medicine look fun and exciting.

Change its flavor. I don't think I have ever tasted a delicious medicine. They're all gross. If there's a Target Pharmacy near you, you can have them add a flavor shot to any liquid over-the-counter or prescription medicine. I think there's over 15 flavors to choose from. Our Target pharmacist even told us which ones tasted the best.
Put it in different cup. Don't judge, but we've put medicine mixed with juice in shot glasses to get the kids to drink it. We've played "tea party" by putting it in mini teacups or those teeny espresso cups. For some reason this makes the medicine less intimidating.
Teeny tiny straws. Out of desperation, I've cut down bendy straws to fit the little medicine cups. The kids can sip the meds right out the cup without sitting up or being propped up as well. Use a new mini-straw each time so you're not spreading germs from one straw to the next.

If all else fails, threaten them. My daughter hates missing school. She's very social and loves going to school. So a threat to miss school will sometimes work.

Usually we utilize a combination of the above tricks to finally convince our kids to drink their meds. Rinse and repeat every 4-6 hours, right?

What tricks do you use to get your kids to take their medicines? To get more crazy parenting tips and tactics, visit TheCloroxLounge.com, which features hilarious anecdotes, fun contests, exciting give-a-ways, coupons and just the right amount of comic relief. While you're there, check out Last Comic Sitting Competition and Sweepstakes, starting February 27, 2012. You'll have the chance to win $10,000 in the Last Comic Sitting Sweepstakes. Simply visit The Clorox Lounge to sign-up and be automatically entered for a chance to win the top prize.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox® blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here. All opinions and bribery are entirely my own.

Photo by Dru! via Creative Commons

The Latest Android Apps On My Phone

2012-02-23T09:03:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've shared my latest Android app obsessions with you. So here are the some that I keep coming back to.

Bag It! is a surprisingly addictive game for me where you have to bag cute looking groceries without crushing your eggs or chips. I'm not a perfectionist about my groceries but I hate it when the cashier puts the bathroom cleaning spray in the same bag as my food or puts ALL of my heavy items in one bag. It drives my husband nuts to watch people bag our groceries so he will often take over. Since his first job was a grocery bag boy, he's particularly obsessed with this game. Bagging groceries might not sound exciting, but when the eggs cower because you're holding a watermelon over them, it's hilarious and scary at the same time. There's even a level where the point is to crush as many items as you can. I think that's my favorite level. Cost: $1.99

GoodReads I fought really hard about joining the social reading site, GoodReads.com. I mainly joined this year to keep track of what books I've read and what I want to read. I don't really use the social part of it much. That's why I like the app so much. I can quickly scan the bar codes of my books to add them to my virtual bookshelves. I can update my reading status or mark a book as read from bed since that's where I do a lot of my reading. I only wish the app let me see my 2012 reading challenge progress. For that, I have to visit the site on my desktop. Cost: Free

Sandbox by Famigo. I absolutely love this app. Sandbox is an interface that keeps your phone safe while your children play on your phone. Now I don't have to worry about what apps my toddler plays because this app culls only the kid-friendly ones from my phone. The app also keeps him from making phone calls or texts and blocks ads and internet usage. My toddler won't be able to make any accidental purchases either. You can read my full review on Tots2Tweens. Cost: Free

Cookies and Milk I originally downloaded this app for the kids, but sometimes I find it very relaxing and meditative to play. It's a simple concept. You bake cookies, decorate them, and eat them with a glass of milk. You can make the cookies from scratch or use prepared cookie dough. There's even real recipes if you want to make them for real. My kids love decorating the cookies with sprinkles, icing, nuts, even gummy bears. Once your cookie is done, you just tap the screen to "eat" it. Cost: 99cents

What Android apps have you recently discovered?

The Smell of Fresh Air

2012-02-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

I know the kids are sad not to have very much snow this year, but snow would mean not as many days outside. Fresh air is good for all of us.

Bilingual Buddies At School

2012-02-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Every few days, my Asian mommy guilt flares up when I think about how little Vietnamese the kids are speaking. Sometimes the flare ups happen soon after I get off the phone with my mother. I'm sure there's a correlation there. Ha!

Over the weekend, Sophia mentioned that she and a classmate were quizzing each other on their knowledge of the Vietnamese language. I tried to hide my shock. Whoa! I wanted to jump and down with excitement. Sophia was speaking Vietnamese with people besides her family! I was so proud of her. It's a major step outside her comfort zone since she's not very confident with her ability to speak Vietnamese.

I'd like to think I had a part in this. Last month, I visited her class to teach them about the Vietnamese New Year. That's when I learned that one of her classmates is Vietnamese. (For the record, she was the one that asked me why my skin didn't match Sophia's skin AND why I was fat.) Her classmate was thrilled to learn that Sophia is Vietnamese too. She even approached me during the class Valentine party. She was so proud to tell me how to say Mother in Vietnamese.

I hope the two of them continue to "test" each other. I'm totally not making a big deal out of it of course. I want it to continue.

At least I like her classmate a little more now

What Not to Say to the Parent of a Biracial Child

2012-02-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today, I present a guest post by Ellie of Musing Momma. She tackles some common questions and comments parents of mixed race children receive and gives some food for thought. I'm so happy to have her here on I'm Not the Nanny.

Musing Momma's Zippy, age 2

There are certain things not to say to the parent of a biracial child. These are comments or questions that are insensitive, because the person asking usually isn’t considering (or doesn’t care) how the person being asked is going to experience the question. I can’t speak on behalf of all parents of biracial children, but I feel safe saying these comments run a high risk of be perceived as rude, making the parent uncomfortable, or even really offending someone.

When it comes to race, I’m reluctant to tell someone not to say something. When people avoid talking about race it shuts down dialogue, which is invaluable when it comes to changing attitudes and disputing stereotypes. So I’d like to explain why the following comments could be insensitive:

I wonder what your baby is going to look like.

Mixed babies are just so cute.

Why is he so light?

Can I touch his hair?

These are all things that people have said to me personally. The one I haven’t experienced first-hand but is often heard by parents of biracial kids is some variation of: Is she adopted? Is he yours? Are you the nanny?

Each time I was pregnant and after my boys were born, I was very protective of my babies, like any mother would be. My boys are unique and perfect and beloved… like any child is to his or her parents. When people made comments like the ones above, the focus seemed to shift from my baby to his race. I felt a bit like the sideshow in a circus, especially when these comments came out of the blue or were from people I didn’t know very well. These comments objectified my babies. And though I’m not the type of person who starts fuming at insensitive remarks, they do make me feel uncomfortable and put on-the-spot.

Being in an interracial marriage and having biracial kids is definitely a part of who I am, and I’m happy to muse about it with friends who have a genuine interest in understanding our experience, with other multiracial families, or in a situation where I go in expecting and wanting to talk about that part of my family. I blog about it, so obviously the topic isn’t off-limits for me. But multiracial families don’t want to be singled out by strangers. We don’t want the focus on our family or children to be about race. We don’t want to feel we must defend or explain ourselves. Like most parents, we just want people to see our family as beautiful, happy, healthy, and strong.

That’s the general explanation of why comments like the ones above can make me feel uncomfortable or defensive. Now I offer a breakdown of each question, just to satisfy any lingering curiosity.

I wonder what your baby will look like? This question always came from people who knew my husband was black, but didn’t know us well. The underlying question was clearly: I wonder what color he’ll be? How “black” will he be? When I was pregnant, I wondered this too. It’s fine to wonder, but it’s not necessary to ask. See reasons above.

Musing Momma's Bee, 8 months

Mixed babies are so cute! Aren’t all babies cute? I’ve never, ever heard someone say “White babies are just so adorable,” so why would a person specify “mixed babies” are so cute? On the surface, this comment may seem like a compliment. It may be an effort to be supportive or show the parent how liberal one is (Hey! I’m down with mixed babies!), but instead it takes my unique baby, an individual, and focuses on his race as what makes him cute. Just tell me how adorable he is. (Side note: Personally, I strongly prefer the term biracial to mixed.)

Why is he so light? Wow – now how should I answer this? Every time I’ve been asked this, I’ve wanted to say “Shhhh, don’t tell my husband, but this is really the cable guy’s kid.” But I’m only a smart-ass in my head and too nice to be one out loud. Asking a parent why his child is so light is asking him to justify or explain something that has a very straightforward answer. Here it is: My child is light because he is light. It’s genetics. It happens for the same reason two brunettes can have a child with blonde hair. Remember that biology lesson on phenotype vs. genotype? Biracial kids who are black/white vary widely in their skin-tone, hair texture, and the extent to which they look like the template people have in their heads of what a black person “looks like.” When people ask the question, it is probably because they don’t realize that every black person doesn’t look like the image they have in their mind. I am sure this question is driven by curiosity, but asking why my child is so light suggests that my child doesn’t look the way he “should” and that there must be some intriguing explanation. (This reasoning applies to any question about why a biracial kid doesn’t look more like one of their parents.)

Can I touch his hair? At first, I wondered if I was just being overly sensitive when I felt uncomfortable with this question. Maybe it’s a common question when kids have gorgeous curls. Since my (white) niece has a head full of ringlets, I asked my stepsister if people ever ask to touch her hair. Nope. They may comment on how beautiful her hair is, but they don’t ask to touch it. To me, this is a matter of boundaries and appropriateness. Wouldn’t it seem just a little weird and awkward if a stranger started feeling up your head? Also, it’s important to consider how the child will experience this question and, over time, how he’ll feel about being singled out for physical traits. Check out the book Does Anybody Else Look Like Me? by Donna Jackson Nakazawa for a great description of how the attention paid to biracial kids for their “unique” features can make them feel uncomfortable.

Is he adopted? Is she yours? Are you the nanny? Like most people, when I see a family that doesn’t fit the “mold” in my community, one of my first reactions is to wonder what their story is. But then I remind myself families come together in many ways and I move on, because it’s not my business to ask. If the person asking doesn’t know the family well enough to already know the answer, she probably doesn’t need to know the answer. It’s a personal question. If the child isn’t adopted, it’s awkward to be asked this and again the parent is being asked to (unnecessarily) explain his or her family. And if the child is adopted, why does it matter? The answer may be long and complicated and unless you are close friends (in which case you probably already know the answer), expecting the person to explain is very intrusive. For more about how this question affects the person or family being asked, check out these great posts:

· Sometimes Silence is Best, guest post by Jeremy Verdusco at Honeysmoke

· Is It Okay to Ask if Someone’s Kids Are Adopted, at Rage Against The Minivan

· Sometimes I Forget I Don’t Look Like My Kids, right here at I’m Not the Nanny

Have biracial kids? I’d love to know what is on your “don’t ask/don’t say” list.

Ellie lives in the Northeast with her husband and two amazing, very active boys. In a former life she worked as a child psychologist, which was great preparation for motherhood but still no guarantee she knows what the heck she’s doing at any given time. You can find her writing about parenting, marriage, and raising biracial kids on her blog, Musing Momma, and on Facebook.

Macy's Celebrates Black History Month by Honoring Romare Bearden

2012-02-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

I keep telling myself I should visit more museum in the DC area since we have so many. It's funny how fate works. Last night I had the opportunity to attend a special event at Macy's honoring the legacy and artwork of African-American artist Romare Bearden in conjunction of Black History Month.

Bearden worked in many different media: collage, watercolors, oils, and even dance! One of his most well known pieces is The Lamp, created to commemorate the 1954 Supreme Court landmark ruling that struck down state sponsored segregation.

What struck me about his art is that he was not afraid of color. Many of his work is bright and powerful. I'm glad I was able to see them in person. You can too! Several of Bearden's art will be on display at Macy's Metro Center until February 19. If you're not in the DC area, check Macy's events listing to see if there's an exhibition near you. If you are able, you really have to see them yourself.. All the people in his artwork are so alive.

Obeah and Her Daughter, Watercolor

Can you see them just jumping off the paper and dancing around?

Together with The Romare Bearden Foundation, Macy's is celebrating Romare Bearden's 100th birthday with inspiring events. In addition to the exhibit of Bearden's art, Macy's is offering cooking demos and children's activities for Black History Month. Head over to Macy's at Bowie Town Center tomorrow, February 18 at 2PM. Kids can create their own art and listen a reading of Bearden's story, Li'l Dan, the Drummer Boy: A Civil War Story. Or you can head to the Home Department and sample Bearden's favorite Caribbean recipes. Enlarge the photo above for more details about the event.

Want to learn more about Romare Bearden? Visit Macy's and The Romare Bearden Foundation for a more in depth look.

I received a gift from Be Everywhere to share these events with you. All opinions and artistic inspiration are my ow.

DC Family Weekend Picks: Engineering, Art, and Tiny People

2012-02-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

My lovely local DC readers, looking for something to do with the family this weekend? There's some fun events to check out:

Discover Engineering Family Day at the National Building Museum.

Our family attended last year's Discover Engineering Family Day. Make sure you get their early because it gets crowded! There plenty of hands on activities that will make you say, "Wow, that's science?" The event is free and runs from 10AM until 4:30PM. I recommend taking the Metro if you can. Parking was very difficult for us last year.

Here are some activities you can expect this year:

Design Squad host Nate Ball and former cast member Deysi Melgar will be demo'ing their dance moves and the electrical engineering behind a supersized dance pad every hour, on the hour. There will be something for folks of all ages at the event, including dozens of hands-on engineering activities, fun design challenges, and lots of giveaways. Also, the National Society of Professional Engineers will be offering the Design Squad (DS) activity, Pop Fly, where kids will launch a ping-pong ball into the air using a foot-powered lever of their design.

Find out more on the National Building Museum website.

Play With Your Food at Strathmore

As parents we're constantly telling our kids not to play with their food. This Saturday, let their creativity run free during the Play With Your Food workshop. Presented in conjunction with Strathmore’s You Are What You Eat exhibition (February 11-March 17),the workshop is recommended for young people ages 6-11.

Here's a description of the workshop:

The National Gallery recently showcased 16th-century painter Guiseppe Arcimboldo's innovative "Vegetable Portraits" of nobility. In the spirit of Arcimboldo's whimsical paintings, kids create a series of edible portraits using everything from fruit and candy to veggies and pasta. At the end of the workshop, the group will photograph their edible masterpieces, and then enjoy the feast!

Doesn't that sound like fun? The workshop is Saturday, February 18 and starts at 10:30AM. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit the Strathmore website.

If you can't make it this weekend, there are plenty of family friendly activities in conjunction with the You Are What You Eat exhibition. Some activities are free while some require tickets.

The Secret World of Arrietty

As a young child, I imagined a secret world full of magical people and creatures. The Secret World of Arrietty brings that world to life when a human boy, or a Bean as they are otherwise known, catches a glimpse of Arrietty, who is a Borrower. Once they are seen by a Bean, Borrows leave for fear of being found.

Arrietty and Shawn quickly become friends despite their differences. Inspired by the book The Borrowers by Mary Norton, the movie is a beautiful story about friendship and acceptance. Like Studio Ghibli's other movies Ponyo and Spirited Away, The Secret World of Arrietty brings an imaginative and beautiful world alive.

Our family got a sneak peek last week and the kids absolutely adored it. Now whenever something goes missing in our home, we make up stories on what a Borrower might have done with it. The Secret World of Arrietty opens tomorrow, Friday, February 17.

Don't forget you can enter to win tickets to the Maryland Science Center to see their bug exhibit. Giveaway ends February 19!

Our family was invited to a screening of The Secret World of Arrietty. Affiliate links are included in this post.

Paper Camera App Adds Andy Pop Filter

2012-02-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

I hadn't scrolled through my Android Paper Camera app recently. Over the weekend, I discovered a new filter: Andy Pop. How fun is that?

Of course I had to take another photo of those gorgeous hydrangeas using the Comic Boom filter.

What do you use to take fun photos on your smartphone? Any Android apps you recommend?

Is Interracial Love Worth It?

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Photo by Adam Foster via Creative Commons

This coming August, my husband and I celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary. It's a big number. Our journey the past 15 years (that's how long we've known each other) wasn't always easy. In case you missed it or are new to my blog, I married a black man, much to the disappointment of my parents.

Looking back to the early years of our relationship, I'm surprised we even stayed together. I kept the fact that I was dating him from my parents for the first 3 years of our relationship. Sneaking around almost tore us apart. He couldn't understand why I didn't want to tell my parents. He was hoping once they got to know him, they would like him. Instead they disowned me when they found out we were dating.

I know we all want to believe that love conquers everything. Love makes the world go round, things like that. When you're young and in love with someone your family hates, it's scary. No matter how strong a person is, knowing that you won't have your family's support is scary. That's when you're not sure if love really does win over everything. Real life is never like the movies. Happy endings don't come easy.

Imagine being 18 or even 20 (like I was). After months or years of sneaking around, your relationship is at a crossroads. Time to make your relationship legitimate. Time to tell the world. Playing Romeo and Juliet is wearing off. Would you tell your family about your boyfriend or girlfriend, knowing that they vehemently disapprove of him or her? Knowing they've threatened to kill you or disown you if you ever brought home a black, Indian, white, Hispanic, etc boyfriend?

When I explained to my friends what the possible consequences would be if I came clean to my parents, they didn't believe me. No way, they told me. They're your parents. They love you no matter what. Even my husband didn't think it was possible.

Photo by Wolfman-K via Creative Commons

I felt so alone. By telling the truth, my entire world was about to change. It sounds dramatic, but my heart knew what was on the line. Was I ready to give up my family to be with a person I had only known for 3 years? A man I loved. But was it enough? Was love really enough?

Obviously, I chose true love. It's incredibly romantic, right? We got married, have two beautiful kids, blah blah, happily ever after.

The 3 years leading up to our wedding were so incredibly hard. I'm happy that we lived a thousand miles away from my parents then. I didn't have to worry about running into them at my cousins' home or at the grocery stores. On holidays, my husband convinced me-no guilted me, not that it was his intention-to call my parents. Wish them Happy Birthday or Merry Christmas. Every call ended with me sobbing, ugly crying on my couch. He would then hold me tight and whisper how sorry he was he made me call them. Rinse and repeat for each phone call.

He didn't make me call them. Each phone call to my parents was really about hope. If I give them just one more chance, they'll come around. They won't beg me to dump my fiance'. They won't tell me what a disappointment I am to them. They won't hang up on me. Was it worth the heartache? The tears? For a sliver of hope they maybe I wasn't a total failure to them. I didn't become an engineer or a doctor or a computer geek. Now I run off to live with a black man.

When my extended family and my sister finally convinced them to attend our wedding (a mere month before the event), my father didn't look happy. He looked resigned. I think they hoped I would eventually leave my husband if they held out. By this point, my mom was just happy to be able to see me and talk to me. Maybe my father got badgered into attending our wedding. Except he's not that kind of person to be badgered into something.

I guess my parents finally decided that they would rather have me in their lives than not at all.

Photo by Morgacito via Creative Commons

Our journey was not picture perfect. Looking back, yes, I can say that love did win. Once we had kids, my husband was the golden child. They finally called him by name instead of That Black Guy. Now they see him for the amazing person he is.

Was marrying a black man worth it for me? Yes. Even in my darkest moments, my husband was always there for me. It hurt him to see me so sad. He felt responsible for my pain. His shoulders soaked up my tears as his arms held me up. I'm stronger because of his love.

Not everyone is this lucky. Not everyone is this strong. Not everyone has the stamina to keep fighting. Not everyone has a shoulder to cry on. What if you choose love but it turns out he wasn't your true love? Do you go running back with your tail between your legs? Scared doesn't even begin to describe it.

I'm glad I can say it was all worth it. Choosing between someone who makes you happy or the family that raised you to become who you are is not a choice to make lightly. It worked out for me.

If you chose your family, I'm not going to judge you. Seeing my husband dancing with the kids makes every tear I shed worth it. I can honestly say I could not see that image at the end of the tunnel during that tumultuous point of my life. I had no idea how my life would be like in 10 years.

Whomever you choose, know this: Love isn't black and white (pun not intended). There is no right or wrong. Love is taking a chance and hoping that you win the lottery.

Happy Valentine's Day.

The Journey Is Tough, But Where Am I Going?

2012-02-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

My goal of going to bed early hasn't worked out so well so far. Except for the one night I fell asleep on the couch at 6PM and didn't wake up until 3AM. Then I panicked because I had so much work I didn't get done. Crazy, huh?

Since then I've been playing catch up. Lots of late nights, then getting up early to get Sophia ready for school. I've curled up with Jaxson during his naps on most days, but I know my body can't continue this way. Even with coffee. Thing is, I love what I'm doing. I don't mind the late nights, the writing, or any of the other projects I'm working on. It's fun. I meet some awesome people doing what I do and I get to try out cool new things. Throw in the occasional Passion Party and that's a pretty full week.

I know I'm feeling this way because I'm sleep deprived. Right now my journey is hard. Earlier this week Jaxson spiked a fever and has been a cute but sick, clingy boy who wants his mommy. Understandably so.

People say as long as the journey is a good one, the end result doesn't always matter. This week, I wonder, is my journey worth it? Do I even know what my destination really is? Not just a hazy, I want to be successful at XYZ, but specific goals. Every night I toil away at my desk. I play around on Twitter too, but that's my relaxation, my connection to the outside world. When you're working in social media, Twitter really isn't just playing, right?

Maybe this is a sign I'm close to burn out. I can't keep doing what I'm doing and expect my body and mind to hold up. Days off seem few and far between. Because of hubby's work schedule and Sophia's school, the only day we're all together is Saturdays. I pretty much stay offline on Saturdays. But one day a week isn't enough for us. I think we're starting to feel disconnected. Admittedly, our Saturdays so far have been a blast.

I'm rambling now, but I guess it's time to spend an entire day for just me. No work, offline. I feel so guilty for doing so. I shouldn't, but you know how sneaky that mommy guilt is.

I'm also going to grab my binoculars and my 2012 Goddess Guidebook so I can figure out what my destination(s) is. I need to be able to lust for my destination when the journey seems tough. To remind myself what I'm working towards.

Whoever came up with the term work-life balance was fantasizing. Even more elusive is that balance between me as a mother, me as a wife, me as a business owner, and me as just me. One of those me is always at the bottom of the list.

I'll stop rambling now. Sophia has requested crepes for dinner, after our visit to a crepe stand. It's been so long since I've made crepes, but it'll be fun to cook together. Then tomorrow is our family day and Sophia has asked for an adventure. I'm not sure what she has in mind, but we'll have fun finding out!

Photo by Queen Esoterica via Creative Commons

Bug Out at Maryland Science Center! (w. Family 4-Pack Giveaway)

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last week, our family was invited to preview Maryland Science Center's new exhibit Harry's Big Adventure: My Bug World! The exhibit opened last weekend and runs until April 29, 2012. Now, I wasn't sure I wanted to attend at first, but for the sake of my future scientist, Sophia, I sucked it up.

We had so much fun. I can't believe I have lived here for over 8 years and never ventured to the Maryland Science Center. The first thing we saw as we walked towards it was the huge glass windows with a dinosaur staring at us. Pretty cool.

Back to the featured exhibit: bugs. There's plenty of interactive activities in Harry's Big Adventure. The one Sophia enjoyed the most was the House Habitat. All the kids donned a white Terminix lab coat and hard hat, then set about searching for creepy crawlies on their clipboard. After they checked off all their finds, they received a sticker. Guess where Sophia found the roaches? Under the sink. And there's a bunch of the huge flying ones I saw regularly in Louisiana.

You can also "pet" some insects. No one dared to pet one except for hubby. For a man whose first reaction to a bug is to squash it, he did pretty well. No bugs were harmed while we were there. Except the ones we ate, of course. But they were already dead.

On the weekends, there will be an official Bug Chef doing cooking demos. You'll have a chance to sample some yummies like Red Beans and Yikes (which made Sophia whisper, I'm yikes about the yikes), toasted Cajun crickets, and Chocolate Chirp Cookies. I actually ate a cookie and survived.

Also on the weekends are cricket spitting contests, roach races, and a petting zoo. No one dared to pet one except for hubby. For a man whose first reaction to a bug is to squash it, he did pretty well. No bugs were harmed while we were there. Except the ones we ate, of course. But they were already dead.

There's plenty of things to do in the bug exhibit besides what I mentioned here. Of course there's the other exhibits at the Maryland Science Center as well, like the mini-tornado machine that mesmerized the kids. Entry to Harry's Big Adventure: My Bug World! is included with your ticket to the museum. Tickets are $11.95 for children ages 3-12 and $14.95 for 12 and older. You can purchase them online or in person. The Maryland Science Center is located at 601 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21230.

Sounds like fun? Want to win some tickets? Of course you do.

The Maryland Science Museum has offered a 4 pack of tickets to visit Harry's Big Adventure: My Bug World!. You can come see the exhibit anytime before April 30. Please note the tickets have blackout dates of March 31-April 9.

To enter, leave a comment on your favorite or least favorite creepy crawly and why.

For extra entries, do any of the following and leave a comment telling me you did:

Tweet about the giveaway: I'm going to bug out at @MDScienceCenter when I win tix from @thienkim http://bit.ly/yZsfVq (1 entry)
Subscribe to my blog, I'm Not the Nanny, via RSS feed and leave a comment letting me know you did. (1 entry)
Share this giveaway on Facebook. (If you want you can like I'm Not the Nanny on Facebook but it's not mandatory) (1 entry)

Giveaway ends February19 at 9PM Eastern. Winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. Tickets are provided by Maryland Science Center. I'm Not the Nanny is not responsible for items lost or delayed shipping. Our family was invited to the opening reception for the exhibit but I was not obligated to blog about it. All opinions and creeped out feelings are totally our own.

It's a Mini Tornado!

2012-02-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

My little scientists checking out an exhibit at the Maryland Science Center. It's a tornado machine. All the kids kept waving through their hands through it.

Come back tomorrow for a chance to win tickets to the Maryland Science Center to check out their new exhibit, Harry's Big Adventure: My Bug World! For a sneak peek, you can see me eat a bug cookie.

How To Meet People At Blog Conferences

2012-02-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's only February and I've been asked many times which conferences I plan on attending this year. With so many blogging conferences out there, there are plenty of opportunities to learn new skills, make new friends, and connect with brands. Of course there are the parties, the food and of course the cocktails.

Whether I attend a big conference like BlogHer or a more intimate one like Blogalicious or Mom 2.0 Summit, I feel a bit intimidated when I first arrive. Believe it or not, sometimes I just sit on the sidelines as bloggers arrive at the registration table. I hear squeals of recognition as women hug each other in real life (finally) or see groups of bloggers joking and laughing like they've known each other all their lives. How do I compete?

I'm going to share my secret with you. I may not seem like an introvert when you first meet me, but I'd rather connect with others on a one-on-one basis. Here's how I meet new people at any event, not just blogging conferences:

Sit next to someone new. It's safe and easy to sit with people you already know. When you're sitting with your friends during a session or at lunch, you're not giving yourself the opportunity to meet others. Or if you'd rather have a friend nearby to feel more comfortable, sit at a half empty table.
Don't hide behind your laptop. Or iPad or your smartphone. Yes, it is a blogging conference and I know you're supposed to tweet, live blog, etc. Make sure you peer around your device and talk to the person next to you.
Ask open ended questions. The easiest way to start a conversation is to ask the other person about him or herself. Since both of you are at a blogging conference, you already have similar interests: social media. Ask him or her about her blog, kids, dogs, etc.
Listen. After you ask your questions, be a good listener. Truly hear what the other person is saying. You might make a connection over your pets or your favorite Wordpress widgets. Also, by listening, you know you won't be hogging the conversation. Or babbling.
Sometimes you have to walk away. Sometimes when you meet a person, you just don't hit it off. There's no connection, no chemistry so to speak. That's ok. Say hello, exchange business cards and move on. You have my permission.
Hand them your business card. When I'm too nervous to meet someone or I'm in awe of a well known blogger, I break the ice by asking for her business card. Then I make sure to give her mine. I figure it's a better ice breaker than gushing about how much I love so-and-so's blog. She'll glance at my card and probably ask me a question about it. Voila, conversation started and I don't come off as a crazy fan girl.

Melanie & I at John Besh's restaurant in New Orleans

Try out these tips and you never know who you'll meet. I met Melanie of The Coupon Goddess because we happened to sit next to each other during an event at Mom 2.0 Summit. We immediately hit it off because we love to eat. I met Safire (who lives super close to me) when I spontaneously teamed up with her for a Just Dance 3 competition during Blogalicious.

Whatever blogging conferences you choose to attend, make sure you bring business cards with you. I love my cards from Tiny Prints. I get compliments every time I pull them out. They don't have to be fancy cards. Just make sure your contact information is on it.

I received complimentary business cards from Tiny Prints to share my tips with you. I love Tiny Prints products and would gladly pay for them myself. All opinions are my own.

Cinderella Hasn't Eaten My Daughter (Yet)

2012-02-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

My 6 year old loves princesses. At first it really bugged me that she loved princesses and pink. Eventually I've accepted it. It doesn't mean I like that she loves tiaras, poofy dresses and glittery shoes. I don't discourage it, but I do encourage other things a little bit more, like science.

I started reading Peggy Orenstein's Cinderella Ate My Daughter a few weeks ago. When I learned that her daughter is Hapa (meaning a person of mixed Asian or Pacific Islander heritage), it was motivation to get my hands on a copy of the book. There's so much to think about. I learned that the Disney Princess culture is relatively new, but as you can tell by walking through the toy aisle, is wildly popular.

I'm only fifty or so pages into the Cinderella Ate My Daughter, but it's already given me a lot to think about. Especially since the latest tour of Disney On Ice comes to town soon. Sophia wants to go every time it's in town. I think, save for one year, we've gone for the last 3 or 4 years. It's tradition she says.

As she gets older, I notice she talks about princesses less and less. She enjoys wearing poofy dresses (who doesn't), but doesn't wear dresses as often as she used to, which was almost everyday. I say almost because it was probably because I was behind on laundry and all her fancy dresses were dirty. Heck, she's even asked for more variety in her wardrobe-too much pink she said. I was shocked but didn't mind at all.

Her interests have changed now that she's a kindergartner. She loves science even more, and always asks to do an experiment, make paper, or study raw shrimp while I peel them for spring rolls. She always loves to craft or draw, as I've encouraged and nurtured her creativity since she was a toddler.

I'd like to think that she's not obsessed with princesses because I didn't forbid or discourage it. It was because I encourage her other interests more. I'm not sure. What is the natural progression of girlhood and princesses? For a while, when Sophia dressed up in fancy dresses, Jaxson asked to wear one too. I didn't mind at all. I think little kids should play dress-up without adults' gender perceptions pushed upon them.

Do you have a daughter who loves princesses? Do you mind? How do you deal with it?

Photo by Gabriela Camerotti via Creative Commons

At Home Date Night With Justin Timberlake, Er, His Movies

2012-02-03T14:03:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for 2012 is to have more dates nights with my husband. Specifically nights out. The last weekend in January rolled around and we realized that we had yet to go on our date for the month. We've decided to amend our goal and just have date night on the couch. The rule was to turn off all other electronics. No computers, no smartphones. We couldn't even watch a movie on the computer. I knew the temptation to check Twitter or my email would be too strong.

We had a really good time, just hanging out on our couch and watching movies. As a serial multi-tasker, I gave myself permission to do just one thing at a time. I enjoy the nice escape from our hustle and bustle of our lives. We ignored the toys strewn around our living room, grabbed some adult beverages, and curled up under a blanket.

Recently we ended up watching two Justin Timberlake movies. I was never a big fan of his music, but after seeing him on Saturday Night Live, I was really impressed by his talent. You can see that he loves what he does and he has fun doing it. That passion makes him a pleasure to watch. And he's not bad looking either.

My husband and I love romantic comedies so we grabbed a copy of Friends With Benefits from our library. The premise is what happens when two friends agree to have a sexual relationship without strings attached. I'm sure many people have fantasized about this type of relationship. Sure what happens at the end is fairly predictable-it is a romantic comedy after all. Audiences expect a happy ending.

The chemistry between Timberlake and Mila Kunis was great, even during the sex scenes, which I imagine are quite awkward to film. The characters' honest conversation with each other made the characters and situation very real. Kunis'character worries about the size of her breasts. Timberlake has to be given directions to improve his oral skills. It was fun, lighthearted comedy with very real, raw conversations about relationships. Don't forget to watch the blooper reel afterwards.

For our January date night, we watched a preview copy of the sci-fi thriller In Time. I love science fiction. I read countless science fiction novels as a teen. I enjoyed the alternate world; how authors see our society in the future. I enjoy watching sci-fi movies almost as much as reading the books. In Time takes place in the not so distant future when time becomes the currency instead of money. Everyone stops aging when they turn 25 years old. Each person is allotted a year once they reach 25, but for the poor, that year never lasts long enough. Rent, groceries, even bus fare is paid for with time. When time runs out, that person perishes. That means people steal, fight, even kill for more time.

Timberlake's character is one of these time-poor persons. One night he meets a stranger with a century of tie left, who gives it to Timberlake, then kills himself. Timberlake, using his new found time, attempts to take down the system that allows the elite time-rich to control society.

I thought In Time had a lot of potential. I was totally buying into the first half of the movie. It made me think of the Occupy movement, how the 1% controls most of the time in the world while the 99% struggle to live past 25 years of age. The movie loses focus about halfway through and turns into a futuristic Bonnie and Clyde movie. I guess that was the thriller part of the movie. For both hubby and I, the ending was very unsatisfying.

Tonight is another movie night for us. I have no idea what we're watching, so I imagine we'll spend more time than necessary browsing Netflix trying to find the perfect movie to watch. I kind miss my old days of walking in circles at our local Blockbuster, trying to pick out a movie. At least I got some exercise that way.

What are you watching this weekend? Any date night movie recommendations?

I received a copy of In Time for review. Friends With Benefits was borrowed from our library. This post contains affiliate links.

Learn Vietnamese and Other Languages with Mango Languages

2012-02-02T09:45:00.003-05:00

I'm lucky that my county library offers a vast amount of resources. (Montgomery County Library for those of you who are local.) They lend me e-books to read on my phone or e-book reader through Overdrive. They have partnered with Scholastic to offer BookFlix which the kids love. There's even music and videos. That's just what's available online. If we visit our local brick and mortar location, our favorite librarians are the best resources.

While poking around my library's website, I discovered Mango Languages. With my library card, I could access the entire Mango Languages program for free! In fact, your library might offer it as well! Mango Languages has programs for over 16 languages, including English as a second language. All the learning takes place online and the site keeps track of your progress.

My test for any language program is of course, whether they offer Vietnamese since it's my first language. Hubby has purchased and tried several Vietnamese language programs but he never stuck to any of them. Plus the dialect for those programs was very northern Vietnamese, not what my family speaks. Even the way the language was spoken was very formal. Not conversational at all. When he practiced what he learned with me, it was hard not to laugh.

I was thrilled to see that Mango Languages did offer a course in Vietnamese! As I tested the first lesson, I noticed how user friendly the interface was. Each lesson outline the objectives, both with the subject matter as well as grammar. The lesson began with a simple conversation, such as greeting someone. As the speakers conversed, the text changed from English to Vietnamese. Then you're given the chance to practice saying the words.

There's even a feature where you can record yourself saying the phrase and comparing it to the speaker in the program. The speakers speak Vietnamese very clearly and even hubby could pick out the Vietnamese tons in the phrase.

I think that hubby would actually stick with Mango Languages. Maybe we can even work on it together. I can converse in Vietnamese but my reading skills need some help.

To see if your library offers the program, visit the Library page and click "Library Locator" at the bottom right. If your library system doesn't offer Mango Languages, you can try out a demo on their website. I haven't tried out any of the other languages, so let me know how they are once you try them.

No one paid me to write this review. I think it's freakin' awesome my library offers a free language learning program.

Only Two Minutes

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Jaxson has been begging to go ice skating. As soon as he got on the ice and couldn't keep his balance, he was done. He lasted only two minutes. I couldn't even get him back on the ice for a photo!

He did enjoy the hot chocolate afterwards. Sophia was a trooper. She took a hard fall and got back on the ice!

At least I got a photo of Jaxson with his skates on.

Do You Want To Return To Vietnam?

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Every so often when I meet someone, I get asked, "Do you want to return to Vietnam?"

Sometimes it's even worded as "Do you ever want to go back home?"

It's usually asked with the assumption that I'm from Vietnam. No matter where I lived, in Louisiana, central New York, or even the DC area, the speaker usually assumes that Vietnam is my homeland. No one ever asks if I want to return to Louisiana, where I grew up.

I'd love to visit Vietnam. Not to reacquaint myself with "homeland," but to eat. That's right. To eat. Street food, restaurant food, whatever.

"Sure, I've never been to Vietnam. I want to go just to eat!"

When the person hears my response, they're taken back a bit. I don't know what else to tell them without being rude. It's almost akin to being asked, "Where are you from?" and waiting for a country that isn't the US. How would you respond?

Back to the Vietnamese food. I love watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations episodes when he visits Vietnamese. He even loves it there. I know he's mentioned how he would like to live there.

Dang, now I want some banh mi or some spring rolls.

This post was inspired by The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Phillipp Sendker. When Julia travels to Burma to search for her missing lawyer father, she discovers much more than she expected. Join From Left to Write on February 1 as we discuss The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a copy of the book. All opinions are my own. Affiliate links are included int his post.

Banh mi photo by alexrheadrick via Creative Commons.

The Shape Song Swingalong by Steve Songs: Book Review & Giveway (Plus DC Concerts!)

2012-01-30T13:56:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, while I was at the library with Jaxson, he started pointing out different shapes he saw around us. The cool thing was, he got most of the shapes correct. (He's 2 so I don't expect perfection--yet.) At first I was impressed because I hadn't really made much of an effort to teach him his shapes-blame that on the second child syndrome.

Then I realized it was because of our new book, The Shape Song Swingalong by one of our favorite children's musicians Steve Songs. We saw him live twice last year and each time, the kids did not want to leave. Sophia even helped Steve teach the movements to the mouse song during the National Book Fest! Of course the kids love his music. We own a couple of his CDs, though one has been held hostage in our broken car CD player for months now. (If anyone knows how to fix a 5 disc CD changer after you toddler stuffs in extra discs, let me know.)

Steve gave everyone a preview of his new book and song The Shape Song Swingalong (Barefoot Books) when we saw him at the National Book Festival last summer. The book includes a CD with the catchy song. I frequently find myself singing the chorus when my kids are asleep, "line, line, circle, circle. . ." That's a warning for you. The book is very colorful and full of shapes, obviously.

I love the David Sim's vibrant, color illustrations. Also, I love that the children featured in the book are multicultural. Jaxson has started picking out illustrations of kids that he identifies with when we read so it was great to see the children with different color skin in the book. Check out the video above for a preview of the song.

The included CD is convenient stored in the back cover of the book. I've never seen a pocket set up this way before and I love it! I'm very happy to add The Shape Song Swingalong to our collection of books. For $10, it's a great value with the included CD. (CD contains 3 tracks.)

For more SteveSongs goodness, visit his website.

Want to win your own copy? Read more to find out how.

If you're in the Washington, DC area, SteveSongs will be performing at Jammin' Java this Saturday, February 4. In fact, the entire band will be there! The 10:30 show is sold out, but thankfully, he's added another show. If you've never been, Jammin' Java is a cozy cafe. You can grab your favorite mocha or latte while your kids dance their hearts out!

Jammin Java
Saturday, February 4 – three shows!
10:30 a.m, 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
227 Maple Ave E, Vienna, VA
Tickets just $15.00 (ticket required for ages 1+)

Now onto the giveaway: To enter the giveaway for a copy of The Shape Song Swingalong by SteveSongs, leave a comment on your favorite children's musicians. I wouldn't mind some new ones in our repertoire. Who doesn't drive you crazy?

For an extra entry, share the giveaway on Facebook or Twitter. While you're on Facebook, feel free to like I'm Not the Nanny on Facebook (not required). Leave a comment with the link to your FB status or Twitter link.

Giveaway ends February 6 at 9PM Eastern time. Only US addresses are eligible. Winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. I received a copy of the book for review.

DC Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade

2012-01-30T09:53:00.001-05:00

We didn't plan on going to the Chinatown Lunar New Year parade, but after we drove all the way to northern Virginia to find out that the Tet festival was not happening, well it seemed the best thing to do. Sophia was very disappointed that there was no festival on Sunday (we missed Saturday's festival).

I'm glad we fought DC traffic. Aside from the crazy grown ups pushing kids out of the way for a better view and to pose for pictures, we had a good time. Sophia even received some gold chocolate coins from the parade walkers (perfomers?). The parade was much shorter than I remembered, but usually it's freezing cold during this time of the year. I guess we lucked out this year.

After the parade, we even hit up a crepe stand for a cheddar cheese crepe. I think that was the best part of the parade!

Get Organized with AcornPoints by AboutOne & Enter to Win $10,000

2012-01-27T13:43:00.000-05:00

This is post is sponsored by AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints.

Confession. I'm a piler. I pile papers and books everywhere. In fact, my desk is always in some sort of disarray. Don't believe me, check out this post, but beware, it's not for the faint of heart. I keep trying different ways to stay organized and cut down on the paper clutter on my desk. I still seem to revert back to my piling habit.

Maybe I'm not a hopeless cause. That's why I'm excited to try out AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints, an online family organizer that makes staying organizing effortless. They've partnered with Microsoft and Suze Orman to launch a brand new version of their online organizer. The site isn't quite ready to launch but here are some features I would totally use:

It syncs with my Google (or iCal or Outlook) calendar and contact all in one place
There's a calendar-based online organizer. Now I won't miss that webinar I signed up for!
I can use my smartphone to send photos of my receipts or even of my kids' artwork

AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints will keep all of your household information in one place. That's right, your family's health education, home, and vehicle records all accessible in one place. I'm usually digging around in our filing cabinet to look for our car registration, then off to my wallet for our family's health insurance info and then dig around my desk for the latest cable bill. All your information is completely private with bank level security.

You can upload memory keeping items like videos, photos, and artwork too. AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints will instantly format my info (including the above mentioned household info) into online or printable reports. Even newsletters and photo memory books. The less work on my end, the better.

AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints will also reward you for being organized. When you reach certain organizational goals, you can earn gift cards. I'm not sure what the details are, but I'm not above bribery.

Want to try out AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints? As part of their launch celebration, they are running a $10,000 tell a friend giveaway. To enter, head to their website and enter your email address to get on the list to receive a free account. Once you confirm your subscription, refer at least 3 friends who signs up and confirms their subscription will enter both of you in the giveaway. That means $10,000 for both of you to share!

Here's a video with some more info:

Sign-up so you'll be notified when AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints is ready to launch and start 2012 on the path to organization. You can also follow AboutOne on Facebook and Twitter to get updates.

While this post is sponsored by AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints, all opinions and disorganization is my own. Above links to AboutOne are referral links.

My Boss Is Two Years Old

2012-01-26T20:20:00.001-05:00

Don't let that sweet face fool you

Yesterday, I realized that I'm not really the boss of me.

I have no idea why it's taken this long to figure out.
My toddler is the boss of me. Or at least he thinks he is. Yesterday morning, at 6:30, he woke me up. Now 6:30 might not be that early for some of you, but considering I went to bed at 3am, that's a wee bit early. I gave up using my alarm clock after Sophia was born over six years ago. Once I decided to work from home, she became my alarm clock. When she woke up, I got up for the day. It worked out perfectly for my schedule. During her first year, she slept until 10am almost every day. I got spoiled.

Yesterday morning my wake up call made me cranky. Hubby's big work project culminates this week, which means early mornings and late nights. He usually feeds and dresses the kids in the morning AND does bus drop off duty. Yesterday, I was on call for the morning duties. I vaguely remember hubby kissing me goodbye with a promise to give me a 7am wake up call.

Did I mention that Jaxson, my cute toddler woke up at 5:30AM? To keep Jaxson busy, hubby gave Jaxson a banana and the Leapster Explorer before he ran off to work at 6:00. Or maybe it was 6:30. I was too groggy to remember.

Because he can kick butt

For the next 30 minutes, Jaxson sat next to me in bed, eating his banana and playing video games. Every few minutes, he put his face inches from mine, yelling, "Help, mommy! Help me! " I groggily helped him draw the letter R in the freaking Explorer game. He woke me up for the letter R? Five minutes later, he screamed for more help. Did I mention that he spits when he screams?

By now I was pretty darn cranky. I just wanted to sleep until 7am! Exasperated, I told him to play a different game. Ok, I might have yelled it. His definition of a different game was yelling something different at me.

"EGGS! MOMMY, I HUNGRY! I WANT EGGS! "

All while inches away from my face. He was a broken record. Over and over he yelled for eggs until I drug myself out of my warm flannel sheets.

Yes, I made Jaxson some freaking eggs. I wasn't happy about it. Even snapped at hubby when he made his wake up call. I was one super cranky mom yesterday.

Two years old are demanding bosses.

Whimper. Who's bringing me chocolate and coffee?

DC Weekend Picks: Concerts More Lunar New Year Celebrations

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's Thursday, what do you have planned for the weekend? I swear, I'm not normally this organized, but I'm always looking for fun things to do with my family. So why not share with you all?

Lunar New Year celebrations continue this upcoming weekend. We didn't go to any last weekend because the cold, icy snow made me lazy. Plus Sophia wanted to see the parade and standing outside in the snowy thirtysomething degrees Farenheit weather was not how I wanted to spend my Saturday morning. So keep your fingers crossed for this weekend.

More DC Lunar New Year's Celebrations (with some repeats from last week's picks):

Billed as the largest Tết celebration in Northern Virginia, there is a 2 day celebration at Langley High School in McClean, Virginia from 10am to 5pm on both Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30. There will be music, dancing, food, lion dances, dragon dances, charity raffles, beauty pageant, and games. Admission is $2/person. Saturday's event will be held by a Vietnamese Seniors Group while Sunday's will be hosted by Vietnamese Community of Washington DC, Maryland & Virginia. Location: Langley High School, 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 2210.

Bundle up and head out early on January 29 for a good spot for the DC Chinatown's Chinese New Year Parade. We've attended this parade in the past and it never fails to excite the kids. There's plenty of lion dances, performers of all sorts and lots of colorful costumes. Let's hope it won't be freezing this year! The parade starts at 2PM. Visit thewebsite for route information. I highly recommend taking the Metro to the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop. After the parade, head to one of the many Asian restaurants for a new year's dinner.

Creative Cauldron in Falls Church, VA is presenting a Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) Community Celebration at 2PM on January 29. Audiences will be treated to five unique dances, musical selections on traditional 16 string instruments and a fashion show demonstrating traditional Vietnamese costume and dress. Tickets start at $12. For more information, visit the website.

It's not a new year's celebration but this free Hot Peas 'N Butter concert looks like fun:

Friends of the Library, Montgomery County is celebrating 30 years of supporting, protecting, and defending the Montgomery County Public Libraries with this year's anniversary. To kick off the year of fun, FOLMC is hosting the popular children's band and three-time Parent's Choice Award Winner, Hot Peas 'N Butter. On Saturday, January 28 at 11am Hot Peas 'N Butter will play a free, but ticketed concert at the Germantown Library. Free tickets are only available in advance, starting Tuesday, January 24 at the branch.

Want some snow? Check out Adventure Theatre's production of The Snow Day adapted from Ezra Jack Keat's book. It was almost sold out but they added more shows. Yay! Read more of my review at Tots2Tweens.

What are you doing this weekend?

Lion photo by pixiduc via Creative Commons. Hot Peas 'N Butter photo courtesy of Montgomery County Library.

Stop and Smell the Grass

2012-01-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

I had to share with you one more snow photo. As I chased around the kids, I stopped for a moment and noticed how these tiny blades of grass were sticking out of the snow. Beautiful, isn't it?

Work From the Cloud or Your Desktop with Microsoft Office 2010 and SkyDrive (Review)

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

I love working from the cloud. Being able to access my files no matter where I am makes it easier to work on the couch or at my favorite coffee shop. I've been using Google Docs for quite some time. It was easier to work from the cloud since I constantly switched working from my desktop to my laptop or netbook, especially since I only had Microsoft Office installed on my desktop. Microsoft Word and Excel files I received for work could be viewed and edited in Google Docs, but any special formatting didn't show up properly.

Now, I don't have to worry about compatibility between documents I receive in my email, thanks to SkyDrive, Microsoft's free online storage. With SkyDrive, I can work on a Microsoft Word file on my desktop, save it directly to SkyDrive and then access it from my laptop later. All my formatting is saved and remains consistent, no matter where I access my file. I can open and edit my document using Microsoft Office Web Apps or open it using Microsoft Office installed on my computer.

It's easy to share your files

With SkyDrive, I can create and edit Microsoft Word and Excel files. I can also create a PowerPoint presentation or a OneNote notebook. It was also very easy to share a file. In my recent post about nature walks on Tots2Tweens, I shared a printable Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt List by linking directly to the file. My readers can just click on the PDF file and print it out.

As you can see, with SkyDrive you're not limited to MS Office documents. Not only can I upload PDF files to it, I can upload photos as well. Sharing photos with family and friends is just as easy. You can send them a link to view your photos. SkyDrive stores all your photos and files in the cloud without taking up a ton of space on your hard drive.

You can share files by emailing your friends the link

You can even upload video files and view them directly from your browser. I'm not a huge fan of Youtube, but I can see SkyDrive as a more private way of sharing video files. I can store my video files in the cloud and only share them if I so choose.

I still love my Google Docs. It's simple with no frills.

However, SkyDrive has convinced me to go back to MS Office. With Microsoft Word, I can do more fun things with my documents. I'll have access to templates like lists and letterheads and fun projects like notecards. I can also print directly to PDFs. I have the option to save directly to my hard drive or to SkyDrive. If you have a Windows phone or an iPhone, you can download the SkyDrive app for easy access to your files.

I'm not ready to give up Google Docs yet, but I can see myself using both SkyDrive and Google Docs equally. You can do a lot more with SkyDrive, aside from what I've mentioned here. Check out how more than one person can view and edit the same Excel workbook at the same time.

Want to give SkyDrive a try? Sign up for free. Do you use the cloud for your documents? Which service do you use?

I received codes for Microsoft Office 2010 to facilitate this review. SkyDrive is free. As always, all geeky opinions are my own.

Photos courtesy of Microsoft.