BMG Mom's Reviews

Fast, Easy, Treat with No Trans Fats!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:16:00 +0000

Forget those refrigerator cinnamon rolls stuffed into a cake pan...

This little gem is truly a great find.

It takes a little extra planning (before the kids can dive in and start devouring) but it's well worth it. It's called Monkey Bread and it's a mix that's easy and fun to make. We made the chocolate chip/banana version (by Lollipop Tree). I found it at our Whole Foods store.

Here's how it works. You prep a 9" cake pan with a smear of butter, then melt 4 T of butter. While it's melting, you dump the mix (in a large silver packet) into a bowl and add water. Stir just until blended. Open the other silver packet (filled with raw sugar) and dump that into another bowl.

Let the kids help! Grab little clumps of the sticky dough and roll them around in the sugar. Place the sugared balls into the prepared cake pan. When it's full, pour the melted butter all over the top, then put it in the oven to bake for about 35 minutes. When it's ready, take it out and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix some powdered sugar, more butter, vanilla and a little milk together until smooth (the precise measurements are provided on the box). Pour this glaze over the top of the monkey bread and you're done!

The result is a delectable, relatively healthy breakfast treat that tastes so much better than all those other refrigerator-to-oven breakfast foods.

Oh! And...the company donates a share of the profits to Heifer International!

What's not to like?

________________

Image from Lollipop Tree's site.
Please note, I get no compensation or anything from this review, I'm just passing on this info because I think it's a great find!

Mysterious and Curious DS Game Coming 2.10.08

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:03:00 +0000

If you like clues, mysteries and DS games that make you think a little, you'll probably be intrigued by this new title (expected to be released on February 10). Here's the official website.

Intrigued? Watch this:

This is the first Layton game to be released in the US (although other Layton games have been released in the Japanese market). I learned about it when I received this mysterious letter:

I'm looking forward to playing this game. It looks like a much more fun way to do brain teasers and logic games because creators wove the games into a mysterious storyline, with appealing characters and English accents. The direction and pace make it feel more like a mini movie than, say, Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney.

Games created from popular movies always stink. So, I say, enough with the lousy movie tie-ins, just give us good games that make us feel like we're interacting with a new movie. I like that idea.

All in all, Professor Layton and the Curious Village seems to be a promising new game. I'll update this post as I discover more information (or receive more mysterious letters). Look for it next month -- wherever you buy DS games!!

Recall of Some Cranium Cadoo Games

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:57:00 +0000

Our family loves the Cranium board games. In fact, we've recommended them on our podcast. We recently discovered, I'm sad to say, that they're recalling some of the Cranium Cadoo games due to an excessive amount of lead in the die of some of the boxes of this particular game.

If you have one of these games, go to their main website, answer a series of questions and, if you have one of the bad boxes, they'll send you a replacement.

__________________

Looking for a Cool Table?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:18:00 +0000

Design Within Reach has done it again.
Check out these tables:

You choose either the high table or the low table in either frosted or black. They also have side tables. Ultra sleek. Ultra modern. Fab.

Fabulous Wallet Clutch

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:43:00 +0000

Today, I was out and about, running errands and browsing through some of my favorite shops when I found these great little, sleek, chic wallet clutches made by Lodis:

They're sturdy and get the job done in a whimsical, stylish way. It's bubble printed, patent leather and snaps open with a push of your thumb. Inside, you'll find 14 credit card slots and a zippered coin compartment. Nordstrom sells them, but if you go to their website, you can enter in your location and they'll tell you where to buy one.
It's a great find!

Winter Reading Challenge - My List of Books

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:37:00 +0000

For those of you who might be interested in my blogger friend, Inksplasher's Winter Reading Challenge, here's the beginning of my list of books that I intend to read this winter (please read my post of December 19 (below) for more information):

Three Cups of Tea , by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, a non-fiction NYT bestseller about an American nurse who attempts to climb a challenging mountain in Pakistan, fails and becomes seriously ill. He is nursed back to health by villager, then promises to repay their kindness by building a school in their village. I've heard that it's an uplifting story that seems like a great read for this month. That will be first book. I'll post reviews of each book as I finish them.

After Three Cups of Tea, I plan to read Water for Elephants, a novel by Sara Gruen.

Then, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck which is considered a classic.

Pope Joan, a novel by Donna Cross.

And more books to come...stay tuned...

Happy Holidays to You!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:42:00 +0000

Here's a little holiday cheer for you:

Happy Holidays!!

Merry Christmas!

- bmgmom

Winter Reading Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:25:00 +0000

I've agreed to participate in a fellow blogger's Winter Reading Challenge.

Basically, this agreement means that I'll select some books to read during the designated time period (Dec. 22 - March 19), write a list of the books (soon to come!) and blog about the books after reading each one (that last part is optional). The leader of this challenge, Karlene over at Inkspotter, has urged us to reach a little (in other words, step outside our comfort zone with respect to genre).

Sounds fun? Join us by clicking the link (or click on the logo) above! Read through the details, then sign up! Oh, and there will be prizes (and lots of commenting and link love)!
Happy reading!!

Baby Language!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:31:00 +0000

-

Have you heard about this terrific tool for new moms and dads? I recently saw this lovely Australian mom, Priscilla Dunstan, describe her technique for communicating with newborns. She appeared on Oprah and shared the results of her research on the language of newborn babies. She listens to the time just before the babies start their full blown cries (what she refers to as the pre-cry) and has come up with a group of "words" or sounds that she says all babies speak.

This is fascinating! What a huge help this could be for parents of newborns!!

You can see her on Oprah's website or you can buy her DVD called Dunstan Baby Language.

This DVD would be a great gift for families expecting a baby. It's important to start listening for the baby language right after a baby's birth. It's best to listen and respond to the baby in those early months (birth to three months).

I know that when we were dealing with our first baby, we would have done anything to have a better understanding of what our baby was trying to tell us. Sure, we learned to distinguish the different cries of hunger and fatigue, but it would have been even better to respond to the baby and deal with the problems before she worked herself into a full blown cry.

Check this out. It could make a significant difference in a new parent's life!

___________________________________________

Image from Google Images and Dunstan Baby Language.

Best Hot Chocolate for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:39:00 +0000

My son rarely gets carried away with compliments for food or beverages (unless you count Junior Mints or really good chocolate like Moonstruck Chocolate as food). For the last several years, however, he can't stop complimenting a certain hot beverage we've discovered.

Let me back up...I should start by explaining that we love hot chocolate and, while I admit to having enjoyed Swiss Miss (powder mixed with hot water) as a kid, we now tend to only have hot chocolate made with milk. It's not because we're snobs or have anything against Swiss Miss, it's actually due to our kids' deficiencies of calcium and our doctor's urging us to find a way to get more milk in their diets. Our first few attempts were pretty much failures, because we just tried to use milk instead of water with our standard powdered brand cocoa mix. So I decided to turn it into a game...a challenge...a quest to find the best hot chocolate (made with milk).

By best I don't mean most exquisite a la Marie Belle or Moonstruck Organic Double Dark, or Senor Fred, I mean good enough for daily consumption (and to have my kids asking for it day after day) but not unreasonably expensive.

We went through Godiva (odd flavor), Trader Joe's brand cocoa (okay), Whole Foods brand cocoa (good but not fabulous), Ghirardelli cocoa (too chalky), the Williams-Sonoma brand with shredded chocolate pieces that you melt on the stove (we really liked this one but I found it too time consuming and labor intensive for everyday use) and many more. Then, last winter, we received a catalog with a picture of a jar (the only brand that used a jar, not a tin or packet) of hot chocolate mix.

A friend of mine (who is a very good cook) recommended a company called Penzeys (based in Brookfield, Wisconsin) for its amazing spices. She insisted that the spices were so much more flavorful and pungent than any you could buy in a market and that I had to try them. So I did and she was absolutely right (especially about their many types of cinnamon). She didn't mention anything about their hot chocolate mix, but a short time later I received the Penzeys catalog with a photo of their mix on the cover.

(Note: this is just a sample of a Penzeys catalog, not the actual copy of the one with the hot chocolate on its cover)

As I looked at that jar on the cover, I had a feeling that this one might be different. It said, Penzeys Hot Chocolate Mix with a Hint of Mint. "Hmmm," I thought. "It's true that we love chocolate covered mints, but what's important for good hot chocolate is the chocolate flavor; it can't have too much mint. Well, a hint of mint sounds intriguing. I've got to try this." I ordered one jar, as well as a jar of Penzeys plain hot chocolate mix.

To give you a sense of how this company operates, let me tell you what happened with that order. Shortly after placing the order, the two jars arrived with one lid broken and the hint of mint mix all over the box. When I called and explained the situation, I didn't know how they'd respond, but was surprised by what I heard. The woman on the phone (with a lovely midwestern accent) was understanding and gracious and said they would send out another jar right away. I appreciated her kindness and proceeded to make a few cups of hot chocolate from the other jar. It was really good. The powder dissolved more fully than other brands with powder and it took much less time than the shaved chocolate that you melt on the stove. We just heated the milk in the microwave then added a generous tablespoon of the Penzeys powder and stirred. Simple, fast and delicious. The kids gave it a definite thumbs up.

Less than a week later, the Hint of Mint replacement jar arrived. As soon as I made the kids their cups of that hot chocolate, the rave reviews started rushing in. I kept ordering more throughout the cold winter months and we stayed with Penzeys for the rest of the season.

Fast forward to this year. We're back on our hot chocolate kick and went right to the Penzeys. This year, my son is so enthusiastic about this hot chocolate, he'll stop in the middle of his lengthy, passionate description (complete with play-by-play) of last night's football game, look at me and say, "Mom! This hot chocolate is the absolute best ever. There is no hot chocolate better than Penzey's Hint of Mint."

Well, there you have it. Based on our arguably unscientific testing methods...without a doubt, the best hot chocolate for kids: Penzeys Hot Chocolate Mix with a Hint of Mint!

________________

Penzeys stores are located throughout the country or you can order from the catalog or online. ($6.49 for a 13.4 oz jar or $6.70 for 1 lb. replacement bag)

Fantastic Gift Books (or Toys?) for 3-8 Year Olds!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:02:00 +0000

Holiday shopping often leaves me wondering whether kids have too many toys. The answer is always, "YES!" I would really rather see books on their wish lists. Then I start thinking, "Gosh, wouldn't it be great if some of their favorite characters could be in books that seem like toys?" Then I could feel good buying this sort of book/toy, knowing that they would actually spend a lot of time with it, look forward to using it and really enjoy it.

Well, take a look at this great electronic book, called the Disney Princess Talking Dictionary.

If your child loves the Disney Princesses, she'll love this electronic book (and so will you!). Look at that electronic keypad on the right side of the book -- it is so fun and inviting, the kids will go right to those buttons and push and push. You know how they always do that with these types of books? But this one will give them much more than a beeping car, it will let them spell out English words, tell them what they've just spelled (along with its definition) and if they push the "Spanish" button, it will also tell them the Spanish equivalent of the English word. Who knew an English/Spanish dictionary could be so fun!!?

But there's more -- the book part of this electronic book! The pages of the Talking Dictionary (just to the left of the keypad) are filled with four, five or six definitions on each page. Color illustrations accompany each definition, as well as a contextual sentence and then the same sentence in Spanish. I especially loved that last feature. With it, a child sees the word used in both an English and a Spanish sentence. So the book is great for English speaking kids who are learning Spanish as well as Spanish speaking children for whom English is a second language.

Each word, by the way, is presented in clear, black uppercase letters on a tastefully designed pink (or blue) ribbon, with a light blue (or pink) oval near it that spells out its Spanish equivalent in lower case print.

It's a great way to interact with your child (while she views her favorite characters and has fun with those buttons). As I mentioned earlier, this book will really appeal to kids who are right at that age when they can't get enough responsive buttons. So your child will be happy to play with it, and you'll be happy that she's actually learning something rather than just hearing a car zooming or a cymbal clashing.

Here's an example: press "B" "E" "D" and you'll hear each letter after each push. Then, a gentle push of the purple "Spanish" button would give you this: "In English, we say 'bed.' In Spanish, we say, 'cama' " while your child follows along in the book. Push the blue "Definition" button and you'll hear "Bed -- furniture made especially for resting and sleeping," followed by a brief and pleasant lullaby jingle. The speakers of the electronic keypad have an average sound-quality for books of this type. So don't expect hi-def sound with that jingle, but the words, letters and sentences are clearly spoken and audible.

Now remember, this is not just an electronic toy. As she holds it in her lap, your child will see a picture of a bed, a blue ribbon with the word "BED" and a pink oval with the word "cama" next to it. Underneath the ribbon, you'll see the definition, "Furniture made especially for resting and sleeping" then an English contextual sentence, "Each Dwarf has a tiny bed" and its Spanish equivalent, "Cada Enanito tiene una cama muy pequena."

This book will feel like a book to you, but to your child it will be an exciting, interactive toy. We consider this a must have for any family with a child who loves the Disney princesses. It's a great way to introduce another language or to support an already established learning program. Why settle for a basic princess book or a doll when you can have so much more with this product?!

Oh, and we wanted to mention that we especially love the Mulan definiton, "Mulan: a heroic woman who saves her country." My kids have watched that movie so many times! They would love to hear that definition when they push the button, followed by my reading the next sentence, "The Emperor praises Mulan for defeating Shan-Yu."

We're excited about this book!! It provides so much interactive fun for you to share with your child and, for those times when you have to tend to other mom duties, your child will enjoy exploring it independently. It's quite a find!

Speaking of finding it, you can often find these electronic books in your local Target, Wal-mart, Toys R Us, Costco, Sam's Club or BJs, but if they're sold out, you can also buy them online.

When I went to their site (click on "Shop Now" in the lower right corner of the home page), I was delighted to find that they publish these electronic books with far more characters than just the Disney Princesses. In fact they showed 79 titles in the category they call, "Electronic Books." Just look for that heading and you'll see familiar names, like Dora, Diego, Elmo, The Wiggles, Scooby Doo, Sesame Street, Little Einstein and Thomas the Tank Engine. And it's not just bilingual dictionaries.

Look at this Sponge Bob book, ideal for older kids (K-Grade 2)!

Sponge Bob's Sea Sale

We also recommend the book called, Learn to Write with Disney Friends because it is another well made, fun interactive electronic book. With this book, your child holds a large yellow stylus (or writing instrument) as she hears spoken letters, a variety of sound effects, words, and instructions.

For example, when she presses the "Aa" key, your child will hear " 'A' [whistles] 'A' is the first letter of apple

[crunching sound of person biting into apple is heard three times, then...]. Write the letter 'A' on the pad." The voice is clear and easy to understand.

While she hears that voice, your child looks into the screen in the upper right corner of the book (or the top of the giant pencil) and sees the letter being written, followed by an animated picture of an apple. Then, as she hears the crunching sounds, the apple appears to actually have a couple of bites taken out of it, then it slides to the left and another apple slides in, gets bitten, and another until a whole apple remains briefly on the screen. You (or your child) can select either "CAPITAL" or "small" letters to be drawn on the screen.

We found it very clever that the animation takes place in what is really the eraser part of the giant pencil/electronic control board and that the pencil tip acts as the eraser tool for the writing board at the bottom (the tablet area below the pencil tip). This is really a fun, educational book that's well designed and ready to go right when the child opens it. Great gift!

Last of all, we reviewed a Disney Sing-Along book that would be great for any young child who loves to hear short electronic tunes and loves to push buttons.

We believe this book will be best when an adult can play along with a youngster. The way it works is that you have a simple key pad in the lower right corner of the book, with only nine buttons. Your child can choose from forty tunes, each of which has a corresponding code. So, for example, to hear (and sing along with) "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," you enter the code C34 and with each push you hear a young princess-type voice responding to your touch. In the three mirrored stars above the buttons, you'll see Ariel, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and Cinderella, alternatively. When no song plays, the stars are just mirrors, but when the song plays, the pictures of the princesses light up within the stars. Kids will love this magical feature!!

At the bottom of the keypad, on either side of the speaker, you'll find a star button with clapping hands inside it (pushing it yields an applause sound) and a star button filled with a fireworks graphic (with majestic princessy music that sounds as if you're about to introduce a star performer).

We recommend this book for younger hams in the family, whose little fingers would love to grab the easy to manage plastic microphone. Preschool or younger for this one.

All in all, our bottom line is that you can't go wrong with these electronic books from PI kids. Look for them today (or buy them by clicking here) and mark one more thing off your list!

_____________

Note: We found Sponge Bob's Sea Sale in a local book shop. The Disney Princess Talking Dictionary (publications international, ltd.) was sent to us for our review along with the Disney Princess Sing-Along and Learn to Write with Disney Friends. We give the highest recommendation to the Talking Dictionaries.

If You Buy Only One Game This Holiday Season...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 23:04:00 +0000

If you're looking for a great video game to buy loved ones this holiday season but you're overwhelmed by the myriad choices, then I have the perfect game for you - Super Mario Galaxy! Well, that's if the person for whom you're buying owns a Nintendo Wii (or will be getting one soon). I know that they're often ridiculously difficult to buy (and I'm pretty disgusted by that fact--why can't Nintendo be more reasonable about meeting the demand?). So if you're not looking for a Wii game, then look at my earlier post about top video games or go with a gift card. Better yet, give the child some cash and tell him that it's a donation toward his Wii fund...no, just kidding.

Since he was first introduced (way back in the early '80s), I've been playing video games that feature Mario and I can tell you this one is the absolute best.

He's gone from this:

to this:

I'm so excited about this game. When we were kids, the best video game we had was Pong. My hubby and I actually bought an Atari Flashback system (which plays Pong) in part, for its nostalgic value, but also to show the kids how far these video games have come. I mean, sure, you probably know that video games are nothing like Pong. Maybe you've even played a few. I'm telling you this one is not simply better than Pong, it's better than anything out there.

Here's the deal: he flies from planet to planet in various galaxies (each level is a different galaxy). His mission? To defeat his evil nemesis, Bowser, and rescue his true love, Princess Peach. That's always been his objective, but it's the way he does it that's different...well, significantly different...in this title.

I think Nintendo put together the best of all its previous Mario games then vastly improved upon them, thanks to the breakthrough technology of the Wii system.

You really have to see it (or better yet play it) to understand (you can try it out at Target or Gamestop). If you've never played video games, or you haven't played since Pong in 1979, and just don't see what all the fuss is about, try this one and you'll see. It's just that good.

If you've seen the Nintendo Wii at the stores but (honestly) were too intimidated to try using the controller contraption, here's a brief primer on how to do it: the wireless controller (with the nunchuck attached) makes you feel like you're really part of the action. Sometimes you gently shake the controller, other times you click it or just point it at the screen (actually the sensor bar above the television is what's receiving the signal from the controller). In your left hand, you hold the nunchuck (which has the control stick). Your left thumb moves the control stick around and that moves your character around the screen. As with all the older controllers, the right hand still has the "A" button which makes him jump. But when he jumps now it's not like that '80s Donkey Kong jump, rather, if you learn how to make him jump well, he can do a little cartwheel high in the air, spin around and so much more. You'll also be using the controllers to make him fly in a bee costume, transform into a Boo and more. Oh, if you've never seen a Boo in Mario, watch this:

That's enough information for you to go into a store and see for yourself how much fun this game provides! Or maybe you've seen enough here to convince you!

Girls like it, boys like it, moms and dads love it.
Go get it! You won't be sorry.*

*Actual results may vary.

IPhone Was Just the Beginning...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:18:00 +0000

It's no secret to those who know me well that I love Apple and its iPhone. So it may come as a surprise that I'm intrigued by something non-Apple that I read about in today's New York Times. In the article, "Google Discloses Plans to Put a PC in Every Pocket," I learned that Intel has a new Mobile Internet Device (MID) that looks really cool. It's bigger than a cell phone, but smaller than a laptop.

Here's a look:

It might not look like much to you, but read more about its capabilities by clicking here.

Hmmm...interesting....

That's just one of the devices -- the one that's already on the market -- that's made by this alliance of companies (which includes Google at the helm, plus Motorola, Samsung, T-Mobile, Sprint and others). They're planning on making phones that function more like computers. So you'll be able to surf the Internet, work on your blog and talk on the phone (with a Bluetooth earpiece). So, no, you won't put this big rectangle up to your head, you'll have it conveniently stowed in your purse or carrying case and just talk through the earpiece. Then, say, when you're done with some errands, you can go for a coffee, sit down, take out the device and work on your blog. Mmmmm...I find this absolutely thrilling. I can't wait until they work out the kinks.

I'm definitely staying tuned to this story.

What's MRSA?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 18:29:00 +0000

Have you heard about the latest danger to our kids? Staph infections (or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (or MRSA) infections). To learn more, read this article about MRSA or this article from the Mayo Clinic. It used to be thought of as a hospital infection but has more recently been problematic in schools and playgrounds.

Here's an article about how to help protect your kids from MRSA while they're at school.

In all the articles I've read, experts agree that kids need to (at least!) take simple precautions like washing their hands well. Here's a site with a downloadable poster about hand washing. And here's an information-packed site which includes a good article about the importance of hand washing (for your especially reluctant kids). If that part of the website is too young for your kids, then try their link for teens, by clicking here.

While we're on the topic of handwashing, here's a good (a bit old, but still good!) article from USA Today about it.

The other most important point I took away from the articles was to be sure to clean any open wounds on your kids and cover them with bandages. Don't give in to the, "Aw, mom, it's okay..." whine.

Image from USA Today (by Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune, via AP).

Math Links for Tweens

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:15:00 +0000

I often search the web for great websites for my kids. For some subjects (like math), I particularly like finding sites that make learning fun (even for tweens).

I was thinking that there might be some readers who don't have the time to go searching for sites...so, here are a few links I like. These are mainly for math:

The first site I'd describe as a James-Bond-type-of-character-meets-math site that I call Cool, Cool Math Site that you just have to see! (mostly b/c the URL is insanely cumbersome)

Here is a well-known site called FunBrain-Math, more commonly referred to as Math Baseball. Basically, your kids will do many simple skill exercises that earn them a "homerun". Don't expect great, engaging graphics, though. Your kids will undoubtedly like this site much more for its well known character, Greg Heffley, and his "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." His site can be found on the main FunBrain Home Page (just click on the "Web Books + Comics" button) or here and for his blog click here.

If you haven't heard about this yet, and you have a fourth grader (or older), you will most likely hear about it soon.

The next site is called simply, CoolMath. Or you can go right to the section just for kids, called CoolMath4Kids.

If you'd rather have some without all the bells and whistles (i.e., vivid colors and eye catching buttons) of CoolMath4Kids, but with great research tools, try these -- first, this one has a nice drop down menu called, "Quick! I need help with:" (which is exactly what I call it when I bookmark it). On that site, you can search within all sorts of math topics from Quadratic Equations to Word Problems with Ages.

And this site looks really boring, but has some fun tools.

For something completely different, this one is all games!

I've always loved math, so I especially hope this helps kids who don't yet (and may never!) see the magic of math or those who just dread doing their math homework.

Images from Google Images (and Alleghany High and fotosearch.com)

Jessica Seinfeld's "Deceptively Delicious" Cookbook

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 14:43:00 +0000

Listen to our radio show from Saturday, Oct 13 by clicking on the blue play button in the right sidebar or by clicking here. PKTR's hosts discussed Jessica Seinfeld's new cookbook, "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food" where she puts pureed veggies into basic kid friendly recipes. Have you tried the recipes? Did you see her on one of her many recent TV appearances? Well, the hosts have quite a bit to say about it.

E-mail us at pktalkradio@yahoo.com and let us know what you think (or post a comment here).

You can read more about the cookbook by visiting two posts on my main blog. The first post provides a handy list of purees used in the recipes and the second post tells you about how the members of my family responded to the food.

The Power of Kindness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 15:53:00 +0000

While leisurely strolling through our local bookstore, I discovered a great little book called, "The Power of Kindness" by Piero Ferrucci.

It was the kind of moment when you're looking for one book, but another just seems to pop out at you, urging you to pick it up. Don't you love when that happens? Well, I do. And I did (pick it up).

It's been serving as a gentle reminder to keep my head up and not let the crabby, negative people get me down.

Ferrucci describes various facets of kindness: honesty, warmth, forgiveness, contact, sense of belonging, trust, mindfulness, empathy, humility, patience, generosity, respect, flexibility, memory, loyalty, gratitude, service and joy.

I haven't finished it yet, but I already love it.

I think about how much nicer the world would be if we all focused more on being kind. Not just to strangers in the supermarket, but to our kids, spouses, families, pets, fellow bloggers and especially to people with whom we disagree.

Roger Federer Wins 12th Grand Slam Title

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:07:00 +0000

Roger Federer won the U.S. Open yesterday. The match was terrific. It was one of the few where Federer seemed to really work hard to earn his title. Same was true when he played Davydenko on Saturday. At the end of that semifinal match, he seemed to be glad it was over. Is he nearing the end of his reign? I hope not.

Roger Federer is a joy to watch. In addition, he is one of the most elegant, chic tennis players of our time. I loved it when he changed (right on the court!) into the jacket (Ralph Lauren, I believe) after winning Wimbledon. Style finally comes to tennis.

But...

What was up with his all black attire yesterday??

It was shocking (presumably intentionally) and just a tad distracting. I know that the U.S. Open is the most lenient Grand Slam tournament when it comes to rules regarding attire. Wimbledon is the strictest with its all white rule (which it only relatively recently loosened and, even then, only slightly). But all black? Hmm...

Then, in this morning's New York Times, I couldn't help but notice the full page (Gillette!?) ad featuring Federer in his all black garb against a black background with the words, "Darth Federer strikes again" positioned just above his head. No, no, no, please don't take away his enchanting elegance and turn him into a dark knight or something. Darth Federer? What message are they trying to convey? Ugh.

I'll tolerate the all black (some would say chic) get up. But only for the U.S. Open. And only if it comes without some dark PR connotation.

BMG's Collection of Great Quotes of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:51:00 +0000

Here are some of my favorites from the Quotes of the Day:

"I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game's winning shot...and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why...I succeed."
-Michael Jordan

"Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children than the unlived life of the parent."
-C.G. Jung

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique."
-Martha Graham

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult."
-Seneca

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast--you also miss the sense of where you are going and why."
-Eddie Cantor

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."
-Joseph Chilton Pearce

"We turn outward, attracted by the beauty we see in created things without realizing that they are only a reflection of the real beauty. And the real beauty is within us."
-Ernesto Cardenal

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."
-Henry David Thoreau

"Nobody sees a flower--really--it is so small it takes time--we haven't time--and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time."
-Georgia O'Keefe

Let Kids Modify Vacation Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 02:12:00 +0000

Ahh, vacation. A time to relax, unwind and bond as a family.

Right?

Not always.

In the past, I used to make charts and timetables of what we would see and when we would see it. I used to spend weeks researching details about our travel destinations and make as many reservations as possible for dinners, shows, etc. Now I look back on that time, smile and think, "Wow, did I ever overdo it!" Control freak? Um, yeah. I'd say so.

So, over the years, I've really tried to lighten up. While I acknowledge the usefulness of the charts and schedules, I don't think you can effectively vacation that way as the kids get older. When kids are little, they follow you anywhere and do so without question. As they get older, however, they start to wonder why they're going where they're going and often lobby for different destinations (especially when they're on vacation).

When the kids want more of a say in the itinerary, we parents have a few options. First, we can surrender control and completely cave in to their demands. "Okay, sweetie, whatever you want." We would then change things around and proceed to the new place without the benefit of hours of at home research. But that's risky. You don't know what to expect! What sounds good in a PR soundbite could be boring (or worse--freaky) when you actually experience it.

Alternatively, we can be complete control freaks and insist on the original travel plans (designed completely by us, of course). With stacks of research papers in hand (and maybe even some brochures sent in advance by the museum or other place of interest) you proceed to the original destination at the designated time, disregarding the kids' points of view. Grumbling, disappointed and discouraged kids follow along like scolded puppies with tails between their legs.

Not an ideal situation. So what's the third option?

Well, you can find some kind of compromise where you get information about the place the kids would like to see (i.e., ask a local or the hotel concierge or someone else with knowledge (or, if you're really tech savvy, look it up on your iPhone or laptop)). Then, if it sounds like a good idea go ahead and change your plans and rearrange things on the schedule. Do you really have to go to that museum? Nah. So take it off the travel plan and replace it with the kids' idea. Engage in a little compromise. The result? Your kids feel like you've heard them and you get a pass if the place stinks. If you're lucky, you'll end up in a place that's a real winner and everyone will benefit.

It worked well for us this summer. DH and I set up the details for the plane, hotel and car and left everything else pretty open. Well, okay, I had a general outline and two tabbed guidebooks, but I was open to suggestions. Each night we looked through the brochures and guidebooks and, as a family, we talked about what worked and didn't work, what family members liked and didn't for each of the previous days and we collectively figured out what to do for the next day. We used the services of the concierge and did some online research. Also, after seeing some of the attractions, the kids' levels of interest changed. So, in some cases they wanted to spend a lot more time in one spot, other times they didn't want to go anywhere near the place. So we changed things around. Without incident. It was great. The kids felt like their opinions mattered and each day we had a plan. It worked well.

Now that we're home, we all agree it was the best vacation yet.

Let All Ages of Kids Play Together

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:55:00 +0000

What's up with kids these days?

Or, perhaps more to the point, what's up with the kids' parents?

When I was growing up, as long as you were a kid, other kids would play with you. We'd quickly form a group and play simple games like four square, kick the can, basketball and tag or we would create games with imaginary lands, forts and castles. The typical range of ages would be about six years or so (where the youngest child was around seven or eight and the eldest was about 14. Everyone had fun. Age just wasn't an issue.

And now?

Ten year old boys play with ten year old boys, eight year old girls play with eight year old girls. Thirteen year olds play with thirteen year olds. Parents lift their noses as if it's a matter of pride for THEM and assert, "My son just doesn't enjoy the company of younger boys. It's just not something he'll do." Oh come on now. That's ridiculous. What if he's part of a family of five kids? He just won't interact with any of the younger kids? I can just piture it, 11 year old Bobby says to his 9 year old brother, "Sorry, Charlie, you're beneath me. I couldn't possibly engage in activities more suited to children of your age and grade level." Absurd.

Or, if it is true, how sad!

What about the concept of mentors? Leaders frequently mentor younger, less experienced professionals and take them under their wing, right? Some Montessori schools have combined classrooms which include kids from Kindergarten through sixth grade just for that very purpose. I've seen it in action and it was beautiful. The result? The sixth graders were confident, self assured, polite, considerate and helpful.

The boys I know whose parents pride themselves on this "I can't be bothered with younger kids" stance are bossy, self centered, and inconsiderate. They're otherwise kind hearted souls that, IMHO, are being led astray by adults who are trying to feed their own egos in some backhanded way. Somehow they think that makes their children more, I don't know, what? More intellectual? Please. More mature? Also doesn't compute for me.

I think these lousy attitudes are leading us down a path where we'll end up with narcissistic, rude, egomaniacal adults who treat their coworkers, employees, supervisors, clients and/or customers badly.

I think we parents need to take responsibility for the enormous influence we have on our kids. We need to realize that what we say and do sinks into their minds and often gets spit right back out. Let kids be kids. Let them play and see what happens.

Today, at parents' day at my kids' summer camp, I observed my son playing tennis with about a dozen other kids of all ages. His team consisted of a few middle school aged kids (about four years older than DS), a couple of kids three years older and one boy who was a grade higher. They worked as a team, supported each other and interacted in a jovial, collegial manner. It was touching and encouraging.

That interaction gave me hope. Society hasn't changed. I don't think that that negative attitude is pervasive. I think it depends on the parents. I tell my kids to be gentle and kind to younger kids and to teach them whatever they can. I want them to guide them and support them, encourage them and value them. Then, when they're older, I expect them to give the same kind of respect, compassion and kindness to people of all ages.

Doesn't that seem reasonable?

In Defense of Webkinz

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:38:00 +0000

This morning I read another article mischaracterizing the craze of the moment - Webkinz.

Haven't heard of Webkinz? It's a great website (www.webkinz.com) where you and your kids can turn purchased stuffed animals into virtual pets. The stuffed animals come with a code that unlocks a room and a virtual version of the animal. Then you go online to Webkinz world and can enjoy games, create rooms for the pets, earn Kinzcash, tend to a virtual garden, play trivia games, arcade games, old fashioned games (like checkers and go fish), compete in tournaments with other virtual pets, hunt for gems in the "Curio Shop," send and receive gifts (and thank you cards) and so much more.

It is NOT comparable to Neopets which my kids found annoying. It's also not like Beanie babies (which were about as bad as those ridiculous Mighty Beans) from a few years ago.

It's a safe alternative to some fairly frightening online places your kids' friends might be visiting or your kids might be tempted to visit.

Yes, I admit, I'm one of those adults who has been drawn into the Webkinz craze and will now confess to actually enjoying playing along with my kids.

Is it a chore (as described in so many recent articles)? Certainly not.

Do I have to feed and "care for" my kids pets? No!! The health, happiness and hunger levels will remain at 100 (full capacity) if you don't go online for a month. It's only while you're playing that the meter starts to fall. So your kids could be away at camp or school all day or all week and never touch a computer, then come back and their pets would be exactly the same as they left them.

The only way a pet would turn green and have an ice pack on its head (with a low health meter) is if your child is playing online and completely ignoring the pet. My family has been playing for close to eight months now and I've never had a pet display these ailments. I tried to imagine how that might happen. Here's all I came up with: Let's say you play arcade games, participate in tournaments, perform your job in the employment office, hunt for gems in the Curio Shop, then spend a lot of time decorating your rooms and all the while never happen to notice your hunger meter going down, maybe, just maybe, the meter will get pretty low (I don't think mine has ever gone lower than 50). But you'd have to play several days in a row, ignoring your pet each time you play (i.e., don't bother tossing any food over to your pet) for it to get to the point of falling ill. And, by the way, you only play with one pet at time, so the neglect would only impact the one pet you've selected. Really, this emphasis on caretaking is simply unfounded. It's not about the caretaking! I hardly pay any attention to the little guy while I enjoy the many activities the site offers. I do, however, slide over some food once in a while. It's just not a big deal!

If nothing else, one might argue that it's comparable to letting your gas tank get a bit low. If you drive all over town and don't happen to glance at the gas meter, eventually you'll find yourself in a predicament. But, after having one scare where my sister and I were driving across the country and almost ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere at nighttime, I generally make it habit to keep my gas tank above 1/2 full. I tend to treat my Webkinz health meter the same way. So, hey, you could argue that there's a potential life lesson application for your kids (a stretch maybe?).

Anyway...

My bottom line here?

I wish folks would stop comparing Webkinz to Neopets, Tamagotchi and Beanie Babies and give Webkinz a try!!

Difficult People

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:43:00 +0000

I remember when I was in third grade walking to my gym class asking my teacher, Mr. Szymanski, the most perplexing question of my life, "Why are people mean?" He had no answer. I've been searching for it ever since.

Maybe, just maybe, I'm getting closer to understanding how to answer it.

Kids will do that for you - help you answer questions that you couldn't answer before you were a mom. When questions arise in your children and they look at you with those love-filled, innocent eyes, you feel obligated to provide some kind of an answer.

So once again I ponder the questions I asked long ago. This time with much more experience, much more knowledge and maturity.

What have I come up with?

Well...with respect to today's question...here's what I said to the kids:

"People are often mean when bad things have happened to them. If people don't address whatever hurt they feel right when it happens, it sits inside them and festers. It stays inside if they don't deal with it and begins to slightly change," I explained. "And then?" they asked. "Well, then they turn that hurt into anger and they lash out at other people--people who probably had nothing to do with what hurt them. But what we have to understand is that it has nothing to do with us. Okay, sometimes we might provoke it, but the intensity, the whole of their anger, really is not about us."

"So what can we do?" they wondered.

"You can be compassionate and feel sad for them, maybe say a prayer if that's your kind of thing, but just listen, hear them and then walk away. If nothing else, you can learn how you do not want to be. You can use it as an example of what not to do in your life. Don't try to change them, don't judge them. Just accept them as they are and move on. Focus on your own life and what you're learning in your life. How you're growing and changing and improving yourself," I added.

"Every encounter provides an opportunity to learn. So learn something if you can and let it go."

I continued, "We will probably never really know why certain people are mean. But it's not for us to know or for us to understand. It's just important that we tolerate them and feel compassion for them. And don't let it change who we are. We can't let it pull us into a negative place where we return the meanness with our own jabs of anger. Let's keep our intentions pure."

"Grandma always said, 'If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything.' Let's live by that and focus on what's good in our lives," I urged.

"It might be tempting to wish that all difficult people would just disappear down some dark bottomless pit, but that's no solution. There will always be difficult people in our lives. Always. We can't run away from them. We can't change them," I continued. "But when we encounter them, we can choose to go deeper into our selves and find the soft spot within ourselves. Not to make ourselves more vulnerable, rather to remember who we are and feel the compassion in our hearts. Let their rage pass by us like a hot wind. Observe it as it flies past, but just let it fly. It will pass. Just give it time."

Then I reminded them, "Every night we say, 'I forgive myself for any mistakes I made today, I correct them, learn from them and then I let them go.' The letting go part is especially important. When we choose to hang onto anger or turn it into resentment or bitterness, we start walking down the darker path. We, too, then have unresolved feelings festering inside us. So let go. Trust that it's not up to us to deal with all the unjustices in the world. But it is up to you to be the best YOU you can be. For today, choose to not be a difficult person."

You know, being a mom actually helps you figure out life.

Responding to iPhone Criticisms

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:09:00 +0000

I'm surprised to hear some moms criticizing the iPhone, saying that it doesn't have enough features.

Are you kidding me??

It is a phone, after all, and some people want it to do everything that every other device can do. Talk about demanding.

It might not have video capability, but please! You can take fairly decent photos with it. You can also, by the way, use the photos you take as the photo identification in your contacts - cool! Okay, many phones do that now, but with the iPhone's large screen, I can actually see these photos, unlike my old tiny little cell phone.

Another comment I heard is that someone wanted to be able to read books in it (i.e., to have it function as an e-reader, too!). Come on now. I think that's absolutely unreasonable. The audiobooks are sufficient for me.

Let's talk more about what it can do!

It has a beautiful-to-look-at calendar that is just as good as (if not better than) my Palm. I can include detailed notes, birthdays, anniversaries, and even a to-do list at the top of my hour-by-hour day page. I can flip through it with a gentle flick of my finger and it's visually more appealing than my gray screen Palm.

I can also watch You Tube videos (by the way, speaking of YouTube, if you're considering an iPhone, you really need to check out David Pogue's/NYT video).

Well more accurately, my kids can watch You Tube videos while we're waiting in line or on a long car trip or whatever. Or they could watch one of my many downloaded movies, tv programs (from Sponge Bob to The Office), music videos and more.

Speaking of car trips, I can also check weather for the week in a variety of cities of choice. Once again, I can do that neat finger-flick action to look at the attractive, colorful pages.

Curious about stock activity? Check. It's got that capability.

Texting? Sure. In the most stylish way I've seen.

Music via iTunes (just like any iPod)? Absolutely. Steve Jobs has said it's the best iPod ever made (to date). I especially love the ability to flip through the album covers with a gentle flick of a finger.

Internet searches? YES! (admittedly, it has no Flash player so that means you can't play Webkinz, but still...) Check today's headlines or find out the online price of a book while you're standing in a bookstore which wants to charge you full price. Apple may upgrade sometime in the future to allow Flash to function, so I'll keep my hopes up. Oh, and the cost of surfing? Included in your monthly AT&T bill (which really is not very big (in terms of pages), though some folks have stated otherwise...).

I also love the e-mail feature. You can check messages from several accounts (e.g., AOL, Gmail, Yahoo). And the iPhone notifies you (with an ear-pleasing, gentle buzz) when you receive another message.

Okay, now on to the phone features. Right, it is a phone after all! Your list of contacts can include the standard home phone, work phone, mobile phone, various e-mail addresses, birthday, spouses' names, kids' names, and more. But here's the feature I love. If you touch the address listing for one of your contacts it takes you immediately to a map of the location! Then, if you need to drive there, it can provide directions (there and back!).

Does your old phone do that?

Oh, and if you're on vacation and you want to find the nearest Starbucks? Type in "Starbucks" and the map will provide locations, indicated on the map with tiny little red-ball-tipped pins, along with the phone number and address right in your contacts. Just touch the phone number and it will call the location you selected. Think about how that could work to call ahead to get take out on your way home.

Assignable ringtones are more fun than other phones, too, including a barking dog and an old fashioned phone ringer. UPDATE - and now you can hand pick measures from selected iTunes songs and design your own ringtone! I did that with John Mayer and I love it!

The Apple folks are excited about the visual voicemail feature where you're given a list of all your voicemails and can scroll through to select only the voicemails you want to listen to at that moment. Very, very handy (especially if your child's school called with an urgent message!). You don't have to listen to six other voicemails to get to that one urgent message. Just touch it and it plays.

Everything loads, syncs and charges through iTunes in your computer, so you just put the iPhone into the dock (included) and all the information is transferred (back and forth). That feature also means that if you (heaven forbid) ever lost your device, you could get a new phone and upload everything into it and continue right where you left off. So you have no worries about losing all your information forever (a concern which I've heard some people express).

Overall, IMHO the iPhone is well worth the investment. It lives up to the hype and makes my life easier and a whole lot more fun!!