RochesterMommies

See who welcomed you to empowr

2016-08-21T17:07:00.000-04:00

My balance: $20 ►

Hi themommiesnetwork.Rochest,

Nancy Yager welcomed you to empowr

Hamburg, New York

(66 miles from you)

2 transactions over 48 minutes

Close the loop ►

— Your friends at empowr

Guide to earning on empowr

You earn when your posts get viewed.

Your earnings increase when more people view your posts, so you want your posts shared as much as possible.

The more people you "close the loop" with, the more people share your posts (and the more you earn).

What is "closing the loop" and how do I do it?

"Closing the loop" with someone means sharing some of their posts (which helps them earn).

To close the loop with someone, follow the instructions inside the loop:

As you can see, to close the loop with Manuela, you share 2 of her posts.
After you do that, you (meaning your profile and posts) will be presented to her so she can close the loop back with you (by sharing your posts) which helps you earn.

The moment you close the loop with someone, you've made it their turn to help you earn. (They won't be presented to you again, until they close the loop back with you).

Summary: The more people you "close the loop" with, the more people will share your posts and the more you earn.

How to maximize your earnings

QUESTION: For best results, who are the best people for me to close the loop with?

ANSWER: Those most likely to close the loop back with you.

QUESTION: Well, then, who's most likely to close the loop back with me?

ANSWER: The next person presented to you, after you click right (or on mobile, click "Next" or swipe left).

Summary: For best results and to maximize your earnings, instead of closing the loop with random people, click right or "Next" to be presented with the next best person for you.

Bonus tips:

Don't fall out: Have you noticed that only people are presented to you that have posted recently? If you don't post anything new, you'll stop being presented to anyone. So ABP (Always Be Posting) to make sure you are always being presented to others.

Closing the loop gets you seen: People aren't presented to you again until they've closed the loop back with you. On your end, that means that until you close the loop with someone, you won't be shown to them again. So try to close the loop with each person presented before moving on.

Location accuracy matters: In the coming months, you'll notice people shown to you will get closer and closer to you geographically as more people join empowr. This will enable you to meet more of them in-person. It will also enable you to receive services from them (paying with your empowr earnings) and totally wipe out shipping costs when you buy products from them.

So why not accelerate the process by inviting people you know? You earn $20 for each completed account if you're the first to invite them.

Invite now ►

Summary: Make sure your location is accurate or you'll be missing out on much of the value from the trusted relationships you're building.

The end goal

Your goal in empowr should be to have a thousand people in your circle that you can trust to help you earn.

empowr means freedom: Take a moment to imagine having a thousand people in your circle, with each of them also having, on average, a thousand people in their circle:

You'll have one million people within only two degrees of separation from yourself; and a billion people within only three degrees — with each person earning daily, just like you are, and able to purchase with just one click.
Anything you choose to sell, Sponsor or promote will almost instantly spread far and wide, enabling financial freedom for you and your loved ones.

Your turn: empowr has spent over 15 years building technologies with only one objective in mind: Bringing economic upside to you as opposed to rich investors, corporations and advertisers. So now it's your turn: Stop reading this and go close the loop with someone!

Get the free empowr mobile app:

*This promotional email was sent to themommiesnetwork.Rochester@blogger.com and may contain special notices or offers. To see current terms and conditions visit: empowr Terms and Conditions. You can prevent future emails here. empowr - 501 West Broadway, Suite A182, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

SURGE EARNING ALERT: Earn $9 to $14

2016-08-21T16:51:00.000-04:00

My balance: $20 ►

Surge Earning alert

Challenge: Earn $9 to $14 by downloading the empowr mobile app.

Download Now ►

Based on recent history:
You'll earn $9 to $14 for the successful completion of the above Surge Earning challenge. This Surge Earning will be paid out on a first-come first-serve basis. It will likely be completely paid out to citizens within 14 to 27 minutes. View status

What are Surge Earnings?
When empowr experiences a sudden surge in its revenues (example: when it receives a large advertising purchase) those revenues are returned to citizens like you through Surge Earning alerts. Surge Earnings are another way empowr works to achieve its goal of returning 97% of its revenue to its citizens. Learn more

Get the free empowr mobile app:

See who liked your photo

2016-08-21T16:47:00.000-04:00

My balance: $20 ►

Hi themommiesnetwork.Rochest,

Nancy Yager liked 1 of your photos

Hamburg, New York

(66 miles from you)

2 transactions over 28 minutes

Close the loop ►

— Your friends at empowr

Guide to earning on empowr

You earn when your posts get viewed.

Your earnings increase when more people view your posts, so you want your posts shared as much as possible.

The more people you "close the loop" with, the more people share your posts (and the more you earn).

What is "closing the loop" and how do I do it?

"Closing the loop" with someone means sharing some of their posts (which helps them earn).

To close the loop with someone, follow the instructions inside the loop:

As you can see, to close the loop with Manuela, you share 2 of her posts.
After you do that, you (meaning your profile and posts) will be presented to her so she can close the loop back with you (by sharing your posts) which helps you earn.

The moment you close the loop with someone, you've made it their turn to help you earn. (They won't be presented to you again, until they close the loop back with you).

Summary: The more people you "close the loop" with, the more people will share your posts and the more you earn.

How to maximize your earnings

QUESTION: For best results, who are the best people for me to close the loop with?

ANSWER: Those most likely to close the loop back with you.

QUESTION: Well, then, who's most likely to close the loop back with me?

ANSWER: The next person presented to you, after you click right (or on mobile, click "Next" or swipe left).

Summary: For best results and to maximize your earnings, instead of closing the loop with random people, click right or "Next" to be presented with the next best person for you.

Bonus tips:

So why not accelerate the process by inviting people you know? You earn $20 for each completed account if you're the first to invite them.

Invite now ►

Summary: Make sure your location is accurate or you'll be missing out on much of the value from the trusted relationships you're building.

The end goal

Your goal in empowr should be to have a thousand people in your circle that you can trust to help you earn.

empowr means freedom: Take a moment to imagine having a thousand people in your circle, with each of them also having, on average, a thousand people in their circle:

You'll have one million people within only two degrees of separation from yourself; and a billion people within only three degrees — with each person earning daily, just like you are, and able to purchase with just one click.
Anything you choose to sell, Sponsor or promote will almost instantly spread far and wide, enabling financial freedom for you and your loved ones.

Get the free empowr mobile app:

Welcome to empowr

2016-08-21T16:23:00.000-04:00

My balance: $20 ►

Hi themommiesnetwork.Rochester,

My name is Tam Dieu and I'm what empowr calls a "success coach".

I volunteered to help new empowr citizens like you anytime you have questions. My commitment is to always respond to your questions in less than 24 hours, 7 days a week.

So why do I volunteer? If you haven't already, visit empowr's homepage (www.empowr.com) and watch the videos about the company. I am sure you will be inspired like I was, to learn of a company that's so highly committed to changing the world – bringing hope and opportunity to every corner of the planet.

So, whenever you have questions, click "Ask me" at the top of the website; or in the mobile app click "More" then "Speak with my Success Coach".

To reply to this email, simply click this button:

Reply to this message ►

Anything you ever need, please ask. That's why I volunteer!

Tam Dieu

P.S. I know that when signing up, many folks don't read the product terms that they agreed to (here they are again for your review). I highly recommend that you take a moment to read it or watch a quick video if that sounds like more fun than reading, because empowr is a complex economy, as opposed to a simple website. Let me know if you have any questions.

Get the free empowr mobile app:

Disney Junior Live and a Giveaway!

2015-02-23T21:55:00.001-05:00

Congrats to our winners! Lyndsay K. and Sarah D!

Disney Junior is always on at my house! I can only imagine that it's just as much at your house too!

My two daughters could probably name every single character and every single TV show that is on Disney Junior!

Their favorites are Doc McStuffins and Sofia the First. And what is even more exciting then them watching their favorites on TV is the chance to see their favorite characters, LIVE!

That's right, Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirates and Princesses Adventure is coming to Rochester! RochesterMommies is teaming up with Feld Entertainment is bringing the show to the Blue Cross Arena on Sunday March 15, 2015!

Grab your tiaras and doubloons and join us for Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate & Princess Adventure Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt. Mickey and Minnie are taking their seats too at this never-before-seen live show featuring your favorite characters from Disney Junior's hit series, Sofia the First and Jake and the Never Land Pirates. Get swept up in the excitement as Sofia and her family prepare for a royal celebration that helps us all learn the true meaning of being a princess with a special appearance from Cinderella. Then it's off to Never Land where Jake and his swashbuckling friends Izzy and Cubby, with a little help from Peter Pan, battle Captain Hook to unlock treasure hidden inside a mysterious volcano. It's danger and dueling on the high seas as Jake discovers what it takes to be a true hero. Filled with new music, amazing effects, thrilling action and endless surprises, your whole family will sing, shout, and soar into the action when Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate & Princess Adventure Presented by YoKids sails into your hometown.

Special bonus! Starting ten minutes before every performance join lovable Doc McStuffins for a special pre-show! You can help Doc take care of one of her beloved toys with her own special brand of love and magic. Free to all ticket holders.

But, guess what else? You can enter for a chance to win a Family Four Pack of Tickets to the show on Sunday the 15th at 7:00 pm! All you have to do is answer a simple question!

Doc McStuffins cares for all her lovable toys. Leave a comment and tell about a time that you cared for someone in need, for a chance to WIN!

The giveaway will close on March 10th at 8:00 am, a winner will be picked by random.org,

Feel free to visit Disney Jr Live on Facebook or follow them on twitter @DisneyLive

Ticket Prices:

Front State-$85

VIP-$65

Price 3 Level-$35

There is also a $2.00 facility fee not included in the above ticket prices.

Show times are Sunday March 15, 2015 at 1 pm, 4 pm and 7 pm.

You can buy tickets here!

Who is RochesterMommies? We are a safe, free and secure place for Mothers to find support and encouragement from other Mothers and to empower them to be better women, parents and community leaders! Check us out and feel free to join!

Disney On Ice Presents Princesses & Heroes Ticket Giveaway!

2015-01-21T19:54:00.002-05:00

Disney On Ice, Princess and Heroes, presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt is coming to the Blue Cross Arena!

My husband and I have taken our two daughters numerous times to Disney On Ice and my girls absolutely love it! Thankfully, from the generous people at Feld Entertainment, have graciously given us here at RochesterMommies family four pack of tickets for opening night, Wednesday, February 4th, at 7:00 pm.

This year the ever so popular Elsa & Anna, from Disney Frozen and everyone's favorite snowman, Olaf will share their story with. Believing is just the beginning in this mesmerizing show where dreamers from Rochester can witness the magic of eight Disney Princesses; Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana, Jasmine, Aurora and Snow White make their wishes come true in this collection of celebrated tales wonderfully told through artistic skating and acrobatics.

Disney On Ice presents Princesses and Heroes Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt will take audiences on the adventure of a lifetime with an incredible display of special effects, stunning set design and breathtaking choreography on the ice.

So what do you need to do enter the giveaway? First, you must be a registered user of RochesterMommies.Com. Second, leave a comment stating what your favorite scene from the movie Frozen was. The winner will be picked on Wednesday, January 28. 2014.

Good Luck! Again, the family four pack of tickets was provided by Feld Entertainment.

You can catch Disney On Ice at the Blue Cross Arena starting with opening night, Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00 pm, Thursday, February 5th at 7:00 pm, Friday, February 6th at 7:00 pm, Saturday, February 7th at 11:00 am, 3:00 pm, & 7:00 pm and Sunday, February 8th at 11:00 am, and 3:00 pm. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.

Monster Jam at the Blue Cross Arena Review

2015-01-17T08:34:00.000-05:00

On Friday night, my husband and our two daughters headed to Monster Jam at the Blue Cross Arena. It's amazing how they can transfer form the arena into a motor sport arena. The show featured six different drivers and trucks this year. This year there was the always famous and always popular Gravedigger, Backwards Bob(which is the only Monster Truck that is driven completely backwards), Heavy Hitter, River Rat, Backdraft, and Instigator.

The show started out with all 6 drives getting turns to jump over a line of cars and they get scored on how their jump was. Grave Digger took the winning round! The next round they compete against one another to jump over the cars and see who gets to the end of the cars first. Grave Digger again, won! And if that was exciting enough after he jumped over the cars he almost flipped his truck over, he was only on two wheels, which really got the crowd going with only being minutes into the show!

Then they had quad races come out and part take in a fun course around the arena. The two teams were Team America wearing blue shirts and white pants and Team Canada who wore blue shirts and white pants. Team America took the first round, and everyone cheered. The second round went to Team Canada, and the drive of the quad started talking a lot of trash on the US team and the crowd REALLY started to roar!! He fired everyone up, that's for sure! The final round went to Team America and the whole arena cheered and roared!

The next part of the show they had XPogo come out, Xpogo is an extreme sport team who performs tricks and and rides pogo sticks. They came out to the song, Turn Down For What, by Lil John, which made the crowd get up and dance a little! They did lots of flips, jumps, one handed turns and flips and double flips.

Then they had a special surprise the MC told the crowd, everyone waited in suspense as the large, slow moving machine came out into the arena. Slowly, the crowd watch this Megasaurus Dinosaur start to rise. First his claws came out and slowly his head followed shooting flames out of his mouth. He totally destroyed a car, by picking it up with his claws and chewing it to pieces.

They also had the Jet Pack Car come out and do a few rounds around the lap. That car was VERY loud and also the arena smelled the jet fuel for a little while after the car left. They also had BMX riders come out and do some tricks on their bikes and some trail bikes. Honestly, they little entertainment shows in between, surely do help them set up for the next item for the Monster Trucks, but really they are too many of them. My two girls were losing interest fast between the Monster Trucks and the side shows.

Next in the competition for the Monster Trucks, was the ever so popular doughnut competition. Again, Grave Digger won! The doughnut competition is to see how many times the truck can turn completely 360 degrees around. Some of the trucks had trouble with this task, but most of them were able to complete a few circles. Grave Digger completed 8-9 circles, it was crazy!

The last competition, I think is every-ones favorite. The freestyle competition. In the freestyle round, the drivers get points for the tricks, how hard they hit the obstacles, how many doughnuts that they may do, any stunts they may do, how many saves they have from rolling them selves over, and as much as the rollover is always a crowd favorite, if the driver rolls over in the freestyle round they get points deducted form their score. They also get points for doing wheelies. They get deductions if they roll over, back up or stop their truck at all. It must be all action all the time!!

Over all, my family enjoyed the show! It is VERY loud though, so I highly recommend bring ear plugs for the whole family. My two girls who are ages 4 & 2 wore noise blocking headphones. The show is pretty long, it went almost 2.5 hours. So if you are bringing little ones, be prepared they may get tired!

You still have time to check out Monster Jam at the Blue Cross Arena, tonight Saturday, January, 17th the show starts at 7:30 pm. Tomorrow, the 18th, the show is at 2:00 pm. Ticket prices range from $47 to $22. All children ages 2 and up do need their own ticket. They also have party in the pit before the show that you can see the trucks and and meet the drivers. The time for that is today 1/17/2015 from 4:00-6:00 pm and tomorrow 1/18/15 from 11:00 am-12:30 pm. They party in the pit passes are $10 each. You can buy them at the arena or ticketmaster.com.

Thanks for Feld Entertainment for providing the tickets!

Monster Jam Ticket Giveaway!

2015-01-07T16:04:00.001-05:00

Grave Digger, Heavy Hitter, River Rat, Instigator, Backdraft and Backwards Bob.

These 5 names can only mean one thing....

Monster Jam is coming to the Blue Cross Arena!

And guess what else?

Rochester Mommies has a giveaway for one of our lucky members! The lucky member will win a 4 pack of tickets for opening night on January 16, 2015 at 7:30 PM at the Blue Cross Arena! The tickets are provided by Feld Entertainment.

So, how do you win those tickets?

It's simple just leave a comment stating your favorite Monster Jam driver or truck. You must be a registered Rochester Mommy to enter the giveaway! Make sure you use #MyMonsterJam in your comment. The contest ends 1/12/2015 the winner will be announced on 1/13/2015.

You can catch Monster Jam at the Blue Cross Arena on:

Friday, January 16th-7:30 pm

Saturday, January 17th-7:30 pm

Sunday, January 18th-2:00 pm

You can purchase tickets at ticketmaster.com and the Blue Cross Arena box office. Tickets start at $15 for adults and $10 for ages 2-12.

Check out Monster Jam at the following locations:

MonsterJam.Com

Facebook-Facebook/MJonline.com

Twitter-MJonline

If you are not a registered member of Rochester Mommies, it's pretty simple to become one, just follow the link below!
http://www.rochestermommies.com/mommies/registration.php

#MrsFieldsMoments Slow Down And Enjoy A Cookie With Someone You Love! #USO #cookies #family

2014-10-16T04:16:00.001-04:00

Share your story Here and download your coupon

Mrs. Fields Famous Brands ("Mrs. Fields") and Interbake Foods LLC ("Interbake Foods," the company responsible for the manufacture and sale of Mrs. Fields branded pre-packaged cookies sold at retailers throughout North America) today kicked off "Mrs. Fields Moments," a national campaign inspiring busy cookie lovers to slow down and enjoy a cookie moment with loved ones.

At a time when obligations leave precious little time for the ones that matter most, Mrs. Fields is encouraging a nationwide movement to dedicate Sunday night to cookie moments with family and friends. Mrs. Fields wants every cookie lover to embrace and share their #mrsfieldsmoments – from milk-and-cookies to bedtime treats – and has provided fun and useful tools for doing so at www.mrsfieldsmoments.com.

Mrs. Fields is a Proud Supporter of the United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO), and "Mrs. Fields Moments" builds on the Organization's "Every Moment Counts" campaign, which helps all families – military and otherwise – make the most of every moment together.

"When you buy Mrs. Fields cookies, you're not just buying a cookie: You're helping create moments that matter for troops enduring long deployments," said Kevin McDonough, President of Interbake Foods. "By buying a box of Mrs. Fields cookies, you help give a cookie moment for you and for them. It's a touch of home to those who need it most."

Visit MrsFieldsMoments.com for "Snacktivity" ideas, Conversation Starters, more information about the Mrs. Fields–USO partnership, or to find a grocery store with Mrs. Fields Cookies (look for the USO banner on the box!).

About Mrs. Fields Famous Brands The Company is a well-established franchiser in the premium snack food industry, featuring Mrs. Fields® and TCBY® as its core brands. Through its franchisees' retail stores; it is one of the largest retailers of freshly baked, on-premises specialty cookies and brownies in the world and the largest retailer of soft-serve frozen yogurt with live active cultures. Its franchise systems operate through a network of more than 950 franchised and licensed locations throughout the United States and in 23 foreign countries. In addition, it operates an internet and catalog gifting business, a branded retail business and has entered into licensing arrangements that leverage awareness of its core brands among its retail customer base. The Company is currently relocating their headquarters from Salt Lake City, Utah to Broomfield, Colorado.

About the USO The USO lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors, troops in transition and families of the fallen. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Our programs and services are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.

About Interbake Foods Headquartered in Richmond, VA Interbake Foods LLC is a baked goods manufacturer with over 110 years of business experience. Interbake Foods is the North American cookie and cracker Division of Weston Foods. This includes Interbake Foods in the USA and Colonial Cookies Limited in Canada. Weston Foods' mission is to be recognized by its customers as providing the best bakery solutions in North America and Interbake is privileged to serve the marketplace with our award-winning products and services. Interbake Foods consists of three distinct business segments: Retail Private Brands, Contract Manufacturing and Girl Scout cookies through our ABC Bakers Division.

We would like to encourage you to spend a little extra time this Sunday with your family, here is a list of great "Snacktivities" to enjoy with the kids, from mix and watch movie night.....to a family costume contest, these ideas are so much fun. Turn off that TV and put down those devices for a little quality time. Enter to win the trip of a lifetime for your family in the #MrsFieldsMoments contest HERE , just upload a fun photo of your cookie moment and you will be entered to win a trip to Washington DC.

Share this with your fellow bloggers and friends!

United We Stand, You Are Forever In Our Hearts 9/11/01 #America #freedom #9/11/01

2014-09-11T05:12:00.001-04:00

We can never forget that fateful day 13 years ago when all of America was changed forever.

What were you doing at the moment the twin towers fell is a question I often hear asked on our forums, do you remember what you were doing? How has your life changed since then? We all have different answers, some good, some bad, some very sad. One thing we can say is that we still live in America, land of the free! United we stand!

Forever the victims of September 11 will stay in our hearts along with all the many soldiers that have died fighting for our freedom since 9/11.

United We Stand ~ You Are Forever In Our Hearts

Dedicated to those lost in the September 11,2001 terrorist attacks

Video post below- click to view So Awesome!

Post by Kristy Sinsara.

Leslie B

Crafty Kids: DIY Shaving Cream Paint Creations #crafts #kids

2014-08-20T15:17:00.001-04:00

Crafty Kids: DIY Shaving Cream Paint Creations

Rheney Williams-Guest Blogger

For moms who grew up in the '80s like I did, you'll probably remember those spinning art toys that let you create splashes and spiral smears of paint. You know – there was a spinning platform with paper exposed underneath, you dropped dots of paint into the middle and the spinning motion and centrifugal force pulled the paint out to the edges of the circle and you were left with these crazy, tie-died-looking paintings?

Although the toys have changed over the years, a kid's (and kids at heart!) basic desire to see swirls of paint and crazy combinations of colors hasn't. And an old-school product is making new spiral innovations possible: Shaving cream! All you need are a few basic supplies and you and your kids can have hours of creative and colorful fun with a beautiful piece of artwork to show for it at the end of the day.

Gather the materials for your shaving cream paint projects. You'll need:

Foam Shaving Cream (not the gel)
Paints in an assortment of colors
Heavy card stock or construction paper
Spatula or ruler
Skewer or little fingers!
Large cookie sheet or use smaller individual trays, one for each child

Tip: To make clean-up a breeze (and avoid having to buy a disposable tray), line the cookie sheet with aluminum foil first. Then all you have to do is remove the foil and you're done!

1. Spray a few lines of shaving cream onto the sheet and use the spatula or ruler to spread out the shaving cream flat and in a square or rectangle about the size of the paper.

2. Add a few random dots of paint or food coloring around the shaving cream palette.

Tip: If you have leftover paint samples from the last time you painted a room, this is a great way to use those and ensure whatever masterpiece your kids come up with coordinates with the space!

3. Use the skewer to make swirls with the paint in free-flowing circles or waves and if you have little kids, just let them go nuts with their fingers.

4. Place the paper into the shaving cream with the right-side facing down so that when you pull the paper off, the paint is on the correct side.

5. Gently push the paper into the shaving cream so that all surfaces touch and allow it to sit for about 10 seconds before carefully peeling the paper off of the shaving cream.

6. Place the paper on a flat surface (in my case, I had another foil-lined sheet pan at the ready) and carefully scrape all of the shaving cream off of the paper to reveal the magical marbling below!

7. Set the paper aside to dry thoroughly and if the edges start to curl, place a glass or other heavy object on the corners to keep them down during drying.

From here, take some time to admire your work and see what imaginative images your kids can find! Can you spot the hidden smiley face that appeared in my swirls? In addition to your classic refrigerator pin-up, here are some other creative uses for your pint-sized Picasso's masterpiece:

Make DIY bookmarks to give as Christmas gifts to the readers you love
Use the brown paper bags from the grocery store in your shaving cream paint project and have unique book covers for school next year
Frame it so you always have a custom piece of art in your office or work space
A DIY puzzle: Cut it into a bunch of different pieces that your kids can put back together and learn about how shapes and patterns relate to each other

What other cool things can you and your kids come up with for shaving cream paint creations?

Rheney Williams is a prolific crafter with a background in theatre arts. Besides writing about projects for Home Depot, Rheney is currently putting her DIY expertise to work by remodeling her first home and experimenting with colors and textures in her home decor.

Amazon.com Widgets

Are you a Business Owner? Now Sponsorship is easier (and cheaper) than ever!!!!

2014-07-16T20:49:00.001-04:00

Every day, moms across the country are logging into their chapter of The Mommies Network, thanks in part to the support that we get from our sponsors... and our moms are returning the favor by finding out more about those businesses that support their chapter.

That could be you! Sponsorship is a really inexpensive option to marketing, and this week, it's even more affordable.

Now until July 23rd, we are offering 50% all Forum Sponsorship spots with a graphic and text. For as little as $10-$125, your business can be in front of our members for a whole year!!!!

And, we try to make it really easy for you.

Simply Click Here and select the 50% Forum Sponsorship Option. From there, select your chapter and how many spots you want and fill out all of the other information and your discount is instantly applied. Or, you can look around to see if one of our other options works better for you!

After submitting your sponsorship, you'll be taken to a secure PayPal page, and with that complete, we will have your sponsorship up and running within 24 hours!!

An entire year of presentation to our members for as little as $10.... how can you NOT afford to!

Click Here to order your sponsorship today.

WANNA CHANGE YOUR USERNAME? NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!!!!!

2014-05-29T13:02:00.001-04:00

We are in the last 48 hours of the Mommies Network May is for Mothers, and we are upping the perks for you to donate!!!

If you make a $25 donation before 11:59pm on May 31st, you can change your username by simply forwarding your donation receipt to heather@themommiesnetwork.org!

Yeah- it's really that easy!!!

Visit http://themommiesnetwork.causevox.com to make your donation right now!!!

Are you part of the 99%?

2014-05-08T11:19:00.001-04:00

How would you feel if I told you that less than 1% of the people around you cared about what you need?

Far too often, we feel the impact of standing alone and just wish that someone else would stand there with us, knowing that the journey would not be so hard if we just had a few extra people to help us along the way. This is apathy, and it's a big problem. I bet this is something you have experienced in your life. However, when the shoe is on the other foot and something out there in the world needs us, we tend to pass it right by.

The Mommies Network has over 20,000 members... moms who come to us for help and support and community. 20,000 moms just like you. Last year, less than 350 of those members donated to The Mommies Network during our May is for Mothers campaign. Look around you- do you think that only 350 of our members need support and community and the other 19,650 don't? And which one of those are you?

When we look at our chapters, that is not what we see. We see moms logging in day after day, sometimes 20 or 30 times a day. What we see is that almost all 20,000 of those members do need us and do use us, but that less than 1% of our membership helping burden the cost of the other 99% of us. Less than 1% of us are committed to what you need.

Forget the money, because it's not about the money. It's about apathy. The indifference of saying 'I don't need to do anything because someone else will take care of it and I'll still get what I need'. Do any of us really want to be that person?

Are you satisfied knowing that select few people are more invested in your support than you are?

This week, the conversation we are having on the forums is asking our members to make a commitment. We are asking one simple question:

"What will you do to make your community better?"

It doesn't have to be money! There are dozens of ways you can help... little things like signing up for Amazon Smiles and giving 0.5% of your purchases back to The Mommies Network, or asking a friend to join so that our community of support gets bigger, going to an event that one of our volunteers worked hard to provide to you, or even just not passing by a post without saying something.

Or you can give a few bucks and know for the next year that you were not a part of the 99% being cared for by 1%, if for not other reason than to know that a community cannot sustain itself like that and you know you use and need that community.

Give today so you can receive tomorrow.

Get Support. Give Support. The Mommies Network.

I Don't Like Mothers Day

2014-05-06T10:44:00.001-04:00

Let me tell you why.

I don't want to sound ungrateful- I really don't! But, I could do without the store bought card. Flowers are always nice, but they will wilt ( and guess who is going to have to throw them out and wash out the gunky water from the vase?)

Honestly, one day a year, a $5 card and overpriced flowers do not make this job any easier. I'd rather get something I know that I need. Something that actually makes motherhood a little easier. Something that is personal. Something I use the whole year!

This year, I am asking the people I love to give me a community of friends and people who understand me. This year, I'm just asking the people who love me to skip the card and the flowers and make a donation to The Mommies Network instead.

The Mommies Network is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which means that it can't continue to bring FREE support to moms without help.

It's super easy and takes just a second! Just click on the image you would prefer below and you can post it right to your Facebook Wall. Tag the people you know will be sending you a card and ask for this instead! Best of all, you actually are saving time (and money) of those people you love, because this takes just a minute. We will even be send out a personalized E-Card to you on Mothers Day to let you know that person has made a donation in your honor.

Give up the Mommy Myth that you can't ask for what you need, and tell the people that love you to skip the card... you'd prefer a circle of friends this Mothers Day!

Click here to Share this image on your Facebook Wall

Tales from our Supermoms

2014-05-03T11:41:00.001-04:00

Over the past two days, we asked for our moms to share their Mommy Myths, and the response has been overwhelming! Here are a just a few*...

" I had to learn it's okay to ask for help... My mom was very sick several years ago and was in and out of the hospital.... between taking care of my mom, going back and forth to the hospital... trying to keep some sort of normalcy for my family.... Dinner, homework, etc, I almost lost it. I felt like the world was on my shoulders and I was a moment away from losing it.

Thankfully several friends from this site would just send little notes of encouragement, offers to help with the kids, etc. I wouldn't have made it without them. I tear up just typing this because I will never be able to repay them for what they did during that time...."

"I'm not one who's afraid to lay it on the line.... For some reason however, it took me longer than usual to talk about (some) issues. I finally opened up last week and boy am I glad I did! It was like a weight was lifted. I don't want to talk about it on FB .... but I knew here I'd be safe. I got a ton of support and a wealth of information I would've had no clue about otherwise. I feel a lot better about my situation and I feel like I'm able to move forward not only more educated but also supported which means the world."

"When I started back at work after having my first daughter, I really depended on the MOTC forum for major support. I remember the feeling of missing the baby were so strong I felt like someone was ripping my heart strings out! I cried my first day back. The first few weeks were the hardest, and I went to the forum often for encouragement, understanding, advice, tips on how to balance working and being a new mom. It was so fantastic to get connected with other moms who knew exactly what I was feeling."

"I was talking to my MIL last night on the phone, and she asked me how I was coping... I said "Well, I am managing to feed the kids and keep them fairly clean, so we're doing okay." and she said "Well, I see you post smiling, happy pictures on FB and just think you are doing fine,....

Which is exactly why BM helps me. I don't post this stuff on FB because I don't want the whole world to know, but I can come here and talk, vent, ask for advice etc. I know that people here, other moms going through similar things will understand and give me support.

That's really such an amazing thing TMN provides, for their members to get and give support, for FREE! "

This is what just a few of our moms are saying when they are telling us why they need their chapter. We are not social media! We are a place where moms find support when the rest of the world expects them to just deal with what life throws at them. But we cannot do it alone.. just like these moms cannot do it alone.

We give this to our members for free because we don't believe that moms should have to pay to get this kind of support... but that doesn't mean that that it's cost free for us to provide it. We have moms who can't donate... and we understand that. We also have moms who already give their time to our organization, and we do not want to ask them to give more... they make your support possible! If you can give, give for yourself and another mom. Your donation means that these moms and tens of thousands of moms just like them can come here tomorrow and get the support they need!


Click here to donate now!

* Some of the details have been changed to protect the identity of our members and have been used with the permission of those members Our mission: To provide a safe, secure, FREE place for mothers to find support and encouragement from other mothers and to empower them to be better women, mothers and community leaders.

Lessons from a Stressed-Out Mommy!

2014-05-01T00:04:00.001-04:00

I've had it. The smile has disappeared from my face and I am in a twisty-twirly spiral of self-doubt and the words echo through my brain like a mantra I know too well.

I can't do it all....

Those aren't the words of the Mommy I show the rest of the world. To the rest of the world, I am a rock. A pillar. A foundation. But inside, I am crumbling. The dozens of masks I put on... complete parent to my children, loving partner to my spouse, absolute provider to my family, dedicated employee to my job, willing volunteer to the schools and clubs, kind and thoughtful neighbor, generous and loving daughter, giving and supportive friend... I'm exhausted and I'm sick of constantly sacrificing myself. I have to be these things- all of these things- and I don't know which one to let go of ( or even if I can let go of) without feeling like I've disappointed everyone. And in my mind, I spin.

...But I have to do it all.

This is where I have been. Tied up in knots. Caught in a race with myself. Unable to feel any satisfaction because everything I did, even if it was good, was never good enough. And the path out of my Stressed-Out Mommy Syndrome was simple. I just wanted someone else who understood it all.

There is a relief that comes with having someone who tells you that you are not alone. The reason is that within struggle lies a feeling of solitude..and not the good kind of solitude I get when the kids are in bed and I can have a moment of peace. The bad solitude... the lonely solitude. People, by nature, long for connection, especially in times of struggle. And during those times, the best connection is made by simply acknowledging that my struggle is hard. And that I am not alone in thinking that.

What lessons have I learned? Three simple things:

- Admit the struggle. Every time you think the world is depending on you, stop telling yourself that you can't show that to the rest of the world. Stop thinking that you don't deserve support, because you do. We all do.

- Don't underestimate the power of connection. Connecting with other people is key, and finding a place where you can let down the masks, and what you get back is that you are not alone; it's vital to overcoming struggle that you not feel like you are walking the path by yourself.

- You only get what you are willing to give. When we connect, we cannot simply expect to take and never give. Connection is about exchange.... others being there when we need them, and showing up when others need us. With this, we create our own safe space. Our own community of people we can turn to.

This is what we do at The Mommies Network. When we started, we didn't do it to get the latest slow-cooker recipe or to debate about the whether we return shopping carts or not. We did it because we recognized that connections matter, and that women ( and especially mothers!) find it difficult to connect in a meaningful way unless we have a place to be honest about our struggles. And nobody can understand the struggle of a mother like another mother. When I talk about the twisty-twirly spiral of self-doubt, that is a place that almost every other mother recognizes. When I say I can't do it all but I have to do it all, millions of other mothers know this feeling... because they feel it too.

We Get It

We've Been There

This month, The Mommies Network is launching in annual May is for Mothers campaign focused on one idea... the letting go of the Mommy Myth. The Mommy Myth is simply that we don't need help and support. What we do is give you a safe space to let go of your Mommy Myths. A place to come with your struggles and have a community of moms who understand why it's so hard who can rally around you and say the thing you need to hear... that you are not alone.

We are YOUR Community

We are asking for a donation- whatever you can afford- so that we can continue to keep "the lights on and the doors open", for you and for every other moms in our communities. If you have received support, or watched other moms benefit from simply having a place where they can be honest about their struggles, please make even a small donation. We want to keep doing this year after year, but we can't do it without your help.

Click on a mom YOU identify with to help us keep doing what we love.... supporting you!

Now Thru 3/31- earn $5 for The Mommies Network by purchasing from Amazon!!!!

2014-03-24T09:44:00.001-04:00

The Mommies Network

Now through 3/31, make an Amazon purchase through The Mommies Network Amazon Smiles page, and Amazon will donate $5 to the organization we love so dearly ( in addition to the 0.5% we receive regularly). If you are making a purchase from Amazon ( including Prime purchases), please use this link to earn TMN $5!!!

HOW EASY IS THAT!!!!

Click Banner to sign up now to start earning money by shopping at Amazon for The Mommies Network!

Check out our latest deals from our TMN Affiliates!

2014-02-12T22:06:00.001-05:00

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A Night With Disney on Ice

2014-01-24T00:37:00.001-05:00

As I sit here, my feet up, relaxing late at night, after seeing Disney on Ice’s Passport to Adventure, I can’t help but grin as I hear my 3 year old giggling in her sleep, knowing that seeing her favorite characters dancing out on the ice has produced this reaction. All three of my kids talk, laugh, or yell in their sleep, usually at each other, so the giggling is always preferable to hear. While I had a great time, too, I’m just glad to be home out of the icy cold wind and really could use hot chocolate, though I don’t feel like making any right now.

We arrived early to pick up the tickets which were provided to me by Feld Entertainment (Thank You!!!) at will call at the Blue Cross Arena, then we bought a 5^th ticket (since there are 5 of us) and were excited to learn we got the very last seat in our entire section. Next we went to find where we accessed our seats. We were there early so we skipped dinner. We went in search of food, which ended up being pizza, and then took our seats so we could eat our dinner. We were a good hour early. That entire hour my little one kept asking if Mickey was getting dressed (because when she asked where he was, I figured that that would be the best way to explain it). So the whole time…Mickey was behind the curtain getting dressed, sometimes eating dinner, too. When the show began, a few skaters came out throwing boomerang toys around on the ice, making not only my daughter squeal, but another toddler somewhere behind us. It was really cute.

Of course the crowd cheered as Mickey and the gang came out, and received a standing ovation from my daughter (I’ll just call her “T”). T couldn’t help but dance and pretend to skate along with all of the characters, laugh and squeal at the monkeys in the Lion King, and ask if “the kitty” (Nala) was okay when she fell on the ice. Personally I just kept thinking…man that’s gotta hurt. It made me sit there for a bit, taking in all of the detailed costumes. That really can’t be easy to skate in. I have a hard enough time standing up on the ice, let alone skate. Wearing a costume has to be 100x harder. Props to you ladies and gentlemen on the Disney skate crew!

The rendition of the Lion King was beautifully adapted to the ice. The figure skating style portrayed the love between Simba and Nala more than the actual movie did. I was in love! I love figure skating anyway, but to see some of the characters I grew up loving, put to that beautiful ice dance, I was in awe. My all-time favorite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid, and that was next. I loved the giant Ursula and all of the costumes in this part of the show. The fall of Ursula was a great show in of itself including fireworks! But the Kiss the Girl segment was my favorite. I love the song, and loved the ice dancing for this. I wasn’t quite as impressed by the Lilo & Stitch skit, which followed, but I love the Hawaiian dancing. I missed seeing Gantu! I imagine a giant shark-man would be difficult to adapt to the ice, however. And I didn’t see Cobra Bubbles either, the FBI Agent(?) turned Social Worker who checks in on Lilo and Nani in the movie. The Ugly Duckling rendition in it, however, was super fun with the music they chose, and overall it was still a lot of fun to see.

After an intermission the show went on, but I don’t want to ruin it for you all! I’m a big Peter Pan fan, having read the book, seen the movies and several non-Disney versions, and T watches Jake and the Neverland Pirates on tv whenever it’s on. She was a pirate for Halloween. Her choice! I was a little worried about T’s behavior throughout the show. She was kind of all over the place in front of us, but no one seemed to mind (of course this is how every toddler is there), but she was all over the floor, laying there in the 2^nd act. She had lost interest in anything but her favorite Mickey and Pals. Any time they were on stage, she was at attention, dancing, and cheering. Since she only just turned 3 in August and isn’t quite 3 ½ yet, I’d say she did pretty well. My older two ended up coming along for the ride, and one of them said she didn’t expect she’d have fun watching since she’s “too old” (yeah right…) but she had loved it. She’s 10, going on 11 in February. So really it was a great event for a wide range of kids. T exhausted herself, fell to sleep on our way home, and didn’t wake when we got home. So she just crashed in her clothes. Bonus for me! I’d absolutely love to see the newest Disney movie written into a “Disney on Ice” performance. Frozen. It’s meant to be on ice! And T kept asking about it. She’s newly obsessed with it, since it had been her first movie theater experience. With another Disney show coming to the Blue Cross Arena on March 23^rd, Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival, it might be something we look into going to. They’re having only two performances at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Tickets are available already on the Blue Cross Arena website for anyone interested! My tickets for Disney on Ice Passport to Adventure were provided by Feld Entertainment. Thank You Feld Entertainment!!!

Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure

2014-01-15T11:48:00.001-05:00

On January 22^nd, 2014 at 7:00 PM Disney On Ice’s Passport to Adventure kicks off their opening show and my 3 year old is eagerly awaiting this moment. Her all-time favorite characters are the characters from Mickey Mouse Club House (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy), and that’s exactly what this show will star. Mickey leads his friends on a whirlwind vacation adventure across the world of Disney, visiting Simba’s savannah, Ariel’s ocean, and beyond with the music every Disney fan is in love with!

I eagerly await opening night which will be my daughter’s 2^ndshow…her first being the movie Frozen. She did really well there, so I anticipate this show keeping her attention far more than a movie. She sat spellbound as Elsa wove her spell of ice and snow, and the sisters sang. She insists I play the song “Let it Go” over and over on my cell phone. I remember when I saw The Little Mermaid in the theater how it felt like it completely changed my life. Namely it set the stage for me to love music and singing, which prevailed even until now in adulthood. Disney has a way of seeping into your life, altering it just a little, and yet enough. So I am excited to share the opportunity with my children whenever I get that chance. It came to fruition with visiting Disney World for the first time as a family, before my youngest was born. My absolute favorite moment was when my youngest at the time, who has red hair, sat with Ariel and she just looked up at her in wonder. Another redhead like herself. And Ariel said to her “You look just like me!” (Although now I’d have to say she looks more like Merida from Brave).

I am now incredibly excited to share the magic with the members of the RochesterMommies! We are hosting a giveaway! Two lucky winners will receive a family four pack of tickets to go and see Disney On Ice’s Passport to Adventure on opening night, January 22^nd, 2014 at 7:00 PM! The show is being held at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY. If you would like a chance to win one of these 4-ticket Family Packs, please read the rules below:

You must:

Be a member of the RochesterMommies (only moms can join, you must live in or around Rochester, have valid information, etc) http://www.RochesterMommies.com
Post ONCE below with your favorite Magical Adventure or Destination
Reply back by Private Message if you are the winner, with contact information

This giveaway runs from January 16^th, 2014 to January 19^th,2014, 11:59 PM, so come back tomorrow and start posting comments! Any posted before the 16^thwill be invalid. We will draw the winner via Random.org, post it here, and notify the winner by Private Message on RochesterMommies.com. You must respond back to acknowledge by noon on the 20^th. If you do not, we will choose another winner. One person cannot win both sets of four tickets. Contact information MUST be provided once you acknowledge your winning, as we give this information to the venue. Good luck!

Performances for Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 22; 7 p.m. Jan. 23; 7 p.m. Jan. 24; 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Jan 25; and 1 and 5 p.m. Jan. 26.

Tickets for Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure start at $20.00. Tickets are at market pricing. Additional charges may apply. Kids’ tickets, for children ages 12 and under, are available for $15.00 for all 7:00 PM shows (children age 2 and older must have a ticket). Restrictions apply. Tickets are available at the Blue Cross Arena box office or through Ticketmaster by visiting http://ticketmaster.com.

To discover more about Disney on Ice, go to http://www.disneyonice.com or visit them on Facebook and YouTube. Members of the media are invited to visit the Press Room at http://www.feldentertainment.com.

About Feld Entertainment

Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment’s productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

UPDATE

I have drawn the two winners! I am private messaging the two winners! Do NOT comment below to answer if you are the winner. Please reply BY NOON today (1/20/14) EST. The winners are #4 and #7!

Organize Yourself With a Binder

2013-09-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

A home organizational binder is a binder that organizes a home! Okay maybe that's a little vague. It organizes EVERYTHING. How's that for an explanation? Really it does though. It organizes anything you want it to. I think for me that was the most difficult thing to control. I see the “big picture” rather than the steps to get there. I know a task can be realized, and often mentally simplify the road. This can be a great tool for planning things! But it's horrible for organizing. In high school and college, I'd write my paper before my outline, just as an example. How does this relate to my binder? I imagine myself sitting in a crisp white kitchen, wearing Dockers and polo shirts, with fresh cut flowers on my tiled top island, on a bar stool, when I actually don't own any of that. The reality will likely be me organizing this big thing, then not being late, my kids knowing what's going to happen, my mother knowing how to deal with everything when she babysits, etc. And me still in jeans and t-shirts.

If you're looking to organize your life, it very well might give you a makeover as well, so I can't guarantee you won't start being the mom who everyone stares at saying “I wish I could be as together as she is.” That's my goal. To be that mom. I've already had a taste of it using http://www.Cozi.com and let me tell you that (free) website is AMAZING. If you aren't using it, you need to be. It organizes your calendar (you share the account with your whole family), your meal plan, grocery and to-do lists, and more! But back to the binder. Why am I doing the binder if I have Cozi? You can have SO MUCH MORE.

There are a lot of binders out there you can purchase. On etsy there are great starters (nearly everything you could imagine), for about $30.00. I will tell you how much I spent on mine so far...$4.99. I've printed everything on my home computer. I bought a giant pack of paper for about $6.99 from Target, we have extra computer ink and we were nearly out of cyan and yellow, so we did need to replace during the printing process, however, all in all it didn't really use much up. I don't know how many pages I have. Sorry! But I can tell you that all of my resources were free. What do I have in my binder? See below!

*Remaining 2013 Calendar

*2014 Calendar

*Bedtime Routine

*Morning Routine

*Binder Cover and dividers

*Black Friday Shopping Organizing List (...oh yes)

*Children's Wardrobe Checklist

*Daily Goals Checklist

*Emergency Kit

*Fall Home Maintenance

*Kids Chore Charts

*Peek at the Week

*Pet Information Sheet

*Phone and Address List

*Phone Emergency Information

*Phone Restaurants – Takeout

*Seasonal Back to school Checklist

*Birthday Guest List

*Birthday Planner

*Summer Home Maintenance

*Basic Medical Information

*Quarterly Home Maintenance

*Blank Lined Paper

*Kids' information sheets

*Spring Home Maintenance

*Warranty Tracker

*Blank Labels for tabs

*Medication Information

*Tax Checklist

*Weekly Routine Chart

You can add whatever you want in the binder. I know people who have their meal planning calendar, recipes, coupon envelope, school information (I'll be adding this, just need to find a good printable for it), doctor visit info, dental visit info, grocery list, budgets (weekly, every other week, monthly, etc), refrigerator inventory, freezer or pantry inventory, household inventory for insurance purposes, mileage log for driving, baby sitter information...need I go on? Just look around yourself and see if you see any papers. You can find a way to put that in there if it's not garbage.

With three kids, being a Chapter Manager of RochesterMommies, being a photographer, working in the daycare center of the gym I go to, being an assistant running coach for my daughter's team, being in the church choir, and sort of homeschooling my 3 year old for preschool this year, I'm BUSY. I'm hoping this binder can help make this all easier! Do you use a binder? Are you considering doing one? Take a moment to tell us about it and leave a comment!!

I gathered free printables from the following and I urge you to visit them! They have a lot of information:

http://organizedhome.com/household-notebook/printable-pages

http://www.thenesteffect.com/p/free-printables.html

http://printables.yourway.net/home-management-notebook/

http://www.simplify101.com/

http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/

http://www.bloominghomestead.com/search/label/home%20binder

http://www.quickstarthomeschool.com/freebies/household-charts-planners/household-organizer-set-of-binder-pages/

http://moneysavingmom.com/downloads/household-management-forms

http://www.mommytracked.com/downloads?page=1

http://scatteredsquirrel.com/printable/home-managment/

http://www.newbeehomeschooler.com/homemanagementbinder.htm

http://blog.worldlabel.com/2012/organizing-planner-the-harmonized-house-project.html

http://www.thissimplehome.com/2012/02/household-binder-project-part-1.html

And many more here: http://amyswandering.com/2013/01/24/free-household-notebook-printables-updated/

This is my pretty binder below, with some of the pages spread out. I got it from Target. :) No, you can't slide a cover page in but I ended up sticking it inside...probably didn't need it but it's all good.

Invitation to free new website that helps moms better manage their kids’ group activities

2013-08-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

Hello Mommies,

I am a fellow member of the Mommies Network and the creator of a new website called

Podanize, which helps moms, dads and group leaders better organize their kids'

group activities (e.g. soccer, scouts, school classes, etc.)

Kids today are overscheduled, and keeping up is a challenge:

• What day did I volunteer at school to go read with the kids?

• Who is driving to the scout meeting?

• When am I signed up to bring the team's snacks?

These are just a few of the many little details that busy parents have to keep straight.

Try as we might, something inevitably falls through the cracks. We all need a little help

to stay organized.

I’d like to invite you to join our brand new website. To join, just go to http://

www.podanize.com and click Get Started to create a "Pod" for any real-world group, or

even just your family for now. You can create a Pod if you’re a group leader or a group

member. It’s quick, easy and free. Then "get your Pod going" by adding discussions

or events, and inviting others to join your Pod. Podanize can also be accessed via a

mobile browser, and our mobile app will be available in late 2013.

Our mission at Podanize is to help ease the stress that comes with keeping our

kids active and involved. To this end, we welcome any feedback you have. Podanize

is for you and is built to get better over time by adding your suggestions – I’d love

to hear from you. Also, if you know of other moms (or dads) who might benefit from

Podanize, please share this with them.

Podanize is ideal for all extra-curricular activities: soccer, little league, playgroups, scout

troops, swim teams, theater groups, school classes, PTA, etc. The list is endless and

includes anything with a need for ongoing communication and coordination.

Again, just go to http://www.podanize.com to get started.

Best,

Nikki Sacks

Co-Founder of Podanize

nikki@podanize.com

10 Tips To Prevent The "Summer Slide"

2013-07-26T23:57:00.000-04:00

As summer vacation begins for the traditional calendar schools, kids are excited about the long days of playing with friends, going to camps and taking family vacations. Summer vacation is time for having fun and relaxing after a long school year. But as parents, we need to remember to keep our kids' brains active to prevent the so-called "summer slide," that loss of lessons learned, the slip backwards in reading and other academic areas that occurs for many children during the long summer break.

Here are 10 Tips to Prevent the Summer Slide:

1. Read every day. Most teachers require kids to read for 10 to 30 minutes every day during the school year. Don't let your kids get out of this reading habit during the summer. Encourage them to continue to read every day. And for those who have required summer reading lists, make sure they find time to read books they WANT to read as well, so reading doesn't become a dreaded chore. Keep them reading and keep them happy!

2. Sign up for a reading challenge. Book stores, libraries and various online resources, including Scholastic.com, host reading challenges during the summer where kids are encouraged to track their reading ~ either the minutes read or the actual books read ~ throughout the summer. Some even provide rewards such as free books to participants, which can give kids the extra motivation they need to read.

3. Read aloud to your kids ~ or at least let them see you reading. Spend time reading aloud to your kids. This can expose them to more complex stories that they aren't yet able to read themselves. It introduces new vocabulary and different types of literature. If your kids aren't interested in listening to you read aloud, make time to sit together and read silently to yourselves so they can see the enjoyment you get from reading.

4. Start a journal or diary. To keep their writing skills going throughout the summer, encourage your kids to write in a journal or diary about their summer activities. If you go to the zoo, suggest they write about it. If your child is more creative, have them make up their own stories, or work with them to create a scrapbook in which they write and choose pictures to include. Find ways to make writing fun.

5. Play games as a family. Board games, card games and yard games all offer kids an opportunity to think, build strategies, and even hone their math or reading skills. Scrabble helps with spelling. Monopoly helps with math. Uno helps with developing strategies, as well as color and number recognition for younger kids. Games offer a great way for the family to come together while discreetly learning too.

6. Take a trip to a museum. Visiting museums is a great activity for the whole family. Many museums are now set up with hands-on activities for kids, and engaging programs that you can attend. Kids can learn about art, animals, science, history and many other topics, depending on which museums you choose. Give your kids the power to choose one that interests them.

7. Track the weather. How many sunny days will you have this summer? How many rainy days? When will humidity be the highest? Make some predictions and then track the weather to see if you're right. Kids can build their observation skills, and learn about weather, graphing, patterns and predictions by tracking the weather throughout the summer.

8. Explore nature. Science lessons don't have to stop just because school is out. Kids can discover all sorts of things about animals, plants and the earth in your own backyard. Get outside and flip a rock to discover what's living underneath. Observe the types of birds that live in your yard. Plant a garden or some flowers and have the kids take care of them. There are many science lessons to learn outside.

9. Stay healthy. Keep the physical education and health lessons going this summer. Get your kids outside every day to ride bikes, go swimming, play sports or just take a walk. Keep them moving and staying active. And spend time this summer learning about healthy foods. Visit the local farmers' market, and try some new fresh vegetables and fruits that are native to your area. Talk to your kids about healthy eating.

10. Plan a vacation. Most families take some sort of summer vacation, whether it's for one night or an entire month. Get the kids involved in planning this year. Show them your vacation budget, and talk about the cost of gas or airline tickets. Have them map the route you'll take, and calculate time and distance. Involve them in planning your itinerary. Let them pack their own things based on the number of days and nights you'll be away. There are many lessons to learn in planning a vacation.

All of these activities keep your kids' brains going, engaging them in thinking, calculating, reading, interpreting and learning. By keeping their bodies and minds strong throughout the summer, they will be better prepared when the new school year begins.

*Author: Julie from TriangleMommies.com

Seneca Park Zoo Scavenger Hunt

2013-07-24T10:00:00.001-04:00

My kids really like the zoo. And because we have a membership, we go about 3 times a month! I wanted to make sure that they're not just looking at the animals, but that they're also learning something about the animals. So I put together this Zoo Scavenger Hunt. I used Seneca Park Zoo's website to make the list and I added some animals that even I don't remember noticing there before.

Here's a link where you can download/Print a copy. Or you can just create your own.

I told the kids that whoever finds all the animals will get a prize. Now I just need to figure out what that's going to be ;)

-Sarahsworld

RochesterMommies

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