SUPERMOM CENTRAL

Totally Tip Tuesday - Sibling Rivalry

2011-02-01T02:00:00.000-08:00

I chose this picture as a way to send my love to anyone out there who is kind enough to stop by here these days. Consider yourself hugged (and much appreciated). It's feels good to get back to blogging - I've missed y'all!

The main reason I started this site was to provide a place where moms could share their experiences and help one another survive and thrive in Parenthood. Enter in Totally Tip Tuesday, where I pick a parenting topic that on the brain and ask you, dear reader, to offer up your best aspiring-supermom tips. You never know who might put your advise to good use, just in time to save their sanity. So please speak up!

Your fellow mamas need you! I need you!
This week's Totally Tip Tuesday Topic comes straight from the trenches of the Horsley Home, where I have broken up no less that 29 fights in the past 2 days. Now don't get me wrong - I've watched enough Super Nanny to know what to do when I encounter my children trying to kill eachother. What I am seeking is a way to PREVENT the fighting! I need to figure out how to encourage a peaceful co-existence between my kiddos.

How do you promote love between siblings?

Monday Mommy Must-Haves: Resolution Solutions

2011-01-31T08:18:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness - January is almost over! Has it flown by as quickly for you as it has for me? I've spent this past month gearing up for what I hope will be my best year yet by organizing, prioritizing and energizing myself and my fam. But if I've learned anything from 2010 it's that I can't do it alone. No Mom is an island, as I'm sure you well know, and without the support of loved ones and the aid of some super-helpful tools, tackling resolutions quickly becomes a wicked uphill battle. I figure, why make it so hard on myself? Here's my first Mommy Resolutions for 2011 and how I'm getting it done. (I plan to share one each week, that is if I actually get started on them!)

1 - Get Organized! I'm embarssed to admit that I spend WAY too much time rummaging through mounds of school papers, digging through diaper bags and making extra trips to the store for that one essential ingredient I forgot to pick up. Thankfully, I've discovered some great organizational tools that are helping me clean up my act (and my house!).

Quite possible the best $8 I have ever spent - no lie! This unobtrusive IKEA paper tray sits in a little corner of my kitchen and keeps my counters mercifully clutter free. What I love is how each tray slides out independently and also comes off it's track so I can easily pull it out and go through the contents. I keep "Important - Must Deal With Pronto" stuff up top, "Get To Sometime Soon" stuff in the middle and "Someday When I Have Some Free Time (aka probably never)" stuff in the bottom.

I also picked this up at Ikea:

Which is doing wonders for all the stuff-clutter in our home. I've labeled each basket as "Mom", "Dad" and "Kids" so that anytime I step on a Lego or clear the latest issue of Imprimis off the table (yes, my husband's a political junkie) I just plunk it in the appropriate bin and can keep moving.

Next-up is the age-old diaper bag dillemma: I've got 3 kids with 3 different needs, not to mention my own must-haves for family outtings. In the past, that was the makings for an organizational nightmare which weighed 50 lbs and never seemed to have what I need when I needed it. Then I was introduced to the Clic-It diaper bag, which has recently been rocking my mommy world!

Despite its mundane appearance, the Clic-It packs a secret punch - it comes with all sorts of handy accessories that can attach/detach, which makes it easy to customize my diaper bag to fit the needs of the moment. I use the insulated bottle bag when I'm packing drinks to the park (clicking it in makes sure they stay upright!), but snap it off for church and bring the oraganizer pouch (packed with crayons) instead. An impressive number and variety of built-in pockets also helps keep everything in it's place. And while I'd like to see the Clic-it color-schemes get a little funkier, I'll chose parenting function over fashion any time.

Lastly, our budget and my sanity were both tested to the limits last year by the word "Groceries". Then my sister passed along the tip that meal planning has helped her stay more focused and organized at the store, as well as cut down on buying unnecessary items. So I'm having a go at it, with a little help from this cute Whoops Bunny Magnetic Weekly Menu Planner:

So far so good!

What are you Resolutions for 2011 and how are they going?

{this moment}

2010-12-31T15:00:00.000-08:00

A Friday ritual, initiated by Amanda Soule of Soule Mama, that I want to honor. I hope she won't mind if I echo her words here: "A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

(thank you, Soule Mama, for the gentle reminder to slow down and enjoy the quiet sweetness of life).

Wishing you a sense of adventure as we enter the New Year!

New Years Activities For The Whole Family

2010-12-31T01:18:00.000-08:00

Celebrating New Years Eve with kids is not exactly the wild-and-crazy time you may have had in in holidays past. But you don't need to pack away your party pants just because you've got little ones around!

Check out these awesome New Years Eve family activities that will make the evening both fun and meaningful for your kiddos...and you!

Green Your Party - Just about any used container can be turned into a festive New Year's Even noise maker, and decorating them is half the fun! Family Fun suggests using empty ribbon spools, National Geographic's tutorial uses left-over Christmas wrapping for decoration, and my friend Marie at Make and Takes says paper rolls are the way to go.

Make A Family Time Capsule - This the tradition that keeps on giving because once you've filled a container with 2010 memories, you'll have something to open and cherish on New Year's Eve 2011! Time capsules don't have to be fancy - you can use a left-over holiday box or cookie tin (like the one pictured, found at Kaboose). Decorate the outside with paint or paper and the words "Don't Open Til New Years Eve 2011", then fill it - photos, mementos, written memories, etc. Little ones can draw pictures of their favorite 2010 events and school-age kiddos can write themselves a letter to read a year from now!

Boogie In The New Year - We're a bunch of dancing fools at our house so I can't wait to put this idea I found at Martha Stewart to good use: Lay out bubble wrap for each family member, put on your favorite tunes, then jump, wiggle, stomp and jiggle to make your midnight noise!

Make A 2011 Wish Jar - Teach your children to reach for the stars, and then help them acheive those goals by decorating Wish Jars for the coming year. Decorate with pictures of your little one's wish! Then make a plan to either put aside a bit of each week's allowance or fill it with loose change earned through helping around the house. Such a great way for kids to learn how their patience and hard work can make almost any wish come true!

Make A 2011 Happy Jar - An awesome idea I found on BringTheFamily.net in which your family takes a little time once a week to jot down something good going on in their lives and sticks it in the jar, so that by the end of the year it is filled to the brim with wonderful things to look back on. And hmmmmm - maybe you then paste them in a scrapbook to save and look back on? Maybe with a photo you took from each week? Oooooo - I feel a year-long project coming on!

Four Tips for Dealing with Too Many Toys

2010-12-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

My house looks like a Toys R US Tornado hit it! Each Christmas my kiddos are shown much generosity by their grandparents and we end up with more toys than we literally have room for. And while my husband (aka Peter Pan) doesn't think there IS such a thing as "too many toys", I'm already tired of stepping on, sitting on, and tripping over it all.

If you're feeling like me, here's are four ways to clear the clutter:

1 - Thin the Herd

The first thing I did (as soon as the kiddos were asleep on Dec. 25th) was go through the current collection. Anything broken, unplayed with or from a fast food restaurant went in a bag and off to the DI. The same goes for any duplicates of toys (like my little boy got a bunch of new construction trucks, so the oldies are getting the heave-ho). Most of these items will never be missed, but should there be a question, I find distraction to be the best policy. For instance, should Jude ask "Where's that bobble-head snoopy I got from Burger King last month?" I will respond "I'm not sure but let's go get out those paints Santa brought you!". Works every time.

2 - Divide and Conquer

Get yourself a couple of big, lidded bins and split your pile of too many toys down the middle. Half gets packed up, half stays out. The bin vanishes into storage for a month or so, then emerges just as the current toys are getting boring. Voila! A whole new set of toys to play with! The stuff that's been out gets binned and stored, and the whole cycle begins again. Not only does this cut down on the clutter, but it's absolute magic to pull out the storage toys on a day where you need a bit of a break - you'll be amazed at the hours of enjoyment a box of mystery toys can bring!

3 - A Place For Everything

One of the big challenges with too many new toys is that they don't have a specific place to be put away so they get left around more often. Spend an hour or so helping your children find "homes" for their new toys. Then, when you trip over Buzz Lightyear for the third time and almost break your arm, you can say "Buzz needs to go to his home!" and your kiddos will know what to do.

4 - Get Creative

Especially in a small, crowded home, you may have to think outside the box to contain the clutter of too many toys. One of my favorite solutions for toys with lots of pieces (like blocks, legos, etc.) are those little zip-up mesh laundry bags that you wash your delicates in. They're the perfect size, you can see in them, and zippers are easy for little fingers to manage. Plus, they cost a dollar!

And then there's always the "Anything that's still on the floor in an hour is going in the trash!" method that seems to motivate kiddos to figure it all out for themselves! Though, I can gurantee you'll lose a little popularity with that one.

Christmas Thoughts on Mothering

2010-12-21T22:49:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I had the privelege of participating in a Christmas lesson at my church. My part was a small reading about Mary, the mother of Christ. While reading I was filled with gratitude and empathy for this holy woman who labored in a stall that night to bring into the world the greatest gift ever given. I was overwhelmed by emotion several times as I read and have since pondered deeply on what kind of mother Mary was, and what kind of mother I am trying to be. Because we meet here at this blog to discuss mothering, I thought I'd share the passage with you.

Taken from a Christmas devotional talk given by Jeffrey R. Holland -

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger." (Luke 2:6-7) Mary... is the mother of mothers - holding center stage in this grandest of all dramatic moments. And...save for her beloved husband, she was very much alone.

I have wondered if this young woman, something of a child herself, here bearing her first baby, might have wished her mother, or an aunt, or her sister, or a friend, to be near her through the labor. Surely the birth of such a son as this should command the aid and attention of every midwife in Judae!
We all might wish that someone could have held her hand, cooled her brow, and when the ordeal was over, given her rest in crisp, cool linen. But it was not to be so. With only Joseph's inexperienced assistance, she herself brought for her firstborn son, wrapped him in the little clothes she had knowingly brought on her journey, and...laid him on a pillow of hay.

...Perhaps these parents knew even then that in the beginning of his mortal life, as well as in the end, this baby son born to them would have to descend beneath every human pain and disappointment. He would do so to help those who also felt they had been born without advantage."

I have thought often since reading this on what Mary might have truly experienced and felt that first Christmas night. Elder Holland's words and The Nativity video clip (posted below) have put a new perspective on the struggles I go through as a parent and the spirit with which I face my role as a mother each and every day. I hope it touches you as it has touched me.

Merry Christmas.

The Best Gift I Ever Gave - A Twenty Dollar Bill

2010-12-20T23:02:00.000-08:00

SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards. For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000. Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

Two months ago our bank account officially hit zero. As in "if you spend any more money the bank will start coming and taking stuff from you." We'd started the year with a hearty and well-cared for cushion of savings that quickly got eaten up by multiple medical bills, car repairs, home repairs, etc. My husband's employer had been promising and over-due raise for months but had not delivered. We were headed into the holiday season and weren't sure how we were going to afford fresh fruit & veggies, let alone Christmas presents. I'm not telling you this as a "boo hoo for me" kind of story - really, I'm not. I just want to help you understand why this $20 bill meant so much to me.

It was early November and I was on the freeway headed to Target to return something (in hopes of keeping us out-of-the-hole until the next pay period). It was a snowy day, my kids were playing at my dad's house and I had some seriously sad music in the CD player. I had our last $20 for the month in my pocket and no clue how it was going to stretch us until December. Right there in the van I had myself a little pity party, sniffles and all.Then I turned into the Target parking lot and passed a beat-up car. It was running, but parked at the back and right away I could see it was bursting at the seams with small children. They were unbuckled and bouncing all over the car and all over eachother. In the front, a lady was slumped over the steering wheel. I circled a few times to make sure I had really seen what I thought I saw. Was the person in front ill or possible dead? Were the children in any danger? It was so hard to tell. So I pulled up next to them. I got out and knocked on the driver's side window. All the little kids in the back smiled and waved at me and started poking the woman in the front. Slowly, she raised her head, stared at me quite bleary-eyed and rolled down her window. I told her I was so sorry to bother her but I was worried that she might be sick and in need of some help. She said she was just very very tired and explained that they were living at a shelter but she was so worried about her children that she never slept at night. She was napping.Suddenly, my problems seemed so trivial. I still had a drying tear on my cheek from my earlier "boo hoo for me" moment and I quickly wiped it away. I asked her if I could do anything to help. She said no, no, they were fine, she just needed a little rest. I jammed my hand in my pocket, grabbed my 20-dollar-bill and pressed it into her hand. Said I was sorry I didn't have more to give her. She protested, tried to hand it back, but I told her to consider it an early Christmas present, smiled and walked back to my car. More tears. Lots more. I'm not telling you this as a "hooray for me" kind of story either - really, I'm not. Because what I gave that girl that day was pretty insignificant. But what she gave me - a fresh perspective, an opportunity to serve, a kick in my pity-partying butt - was life-altering. So why am I sharing this story with you? Well, you probably noticed that this post was sponsored by a site called Swagg.com. It's a free new app that manages giftcards on smartphones, which is quite handy in and of itself. But while I was checking out their site (to see if I was interested in participating in their "Best Gift I Ever Gave" project) I learned that for every download of the app (which is free, btw) between now and Dec. 31, 2010, Swagg is going to donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000. Talk about a fresh perspective - if you ever find yourself a little low on gratitiude, spend an hour or so in the Pediatric Oncology department of the hospital. You will say "good riddance" to almost any pity-party you might be throwing yourself after watching a parent hold their ill child's hand while they suffer with cancer. When I decided to write this post, I originally had planned to tell you about the year I drove an hour to get my husband a dry-erase board someone was giving away for free, because he was in his last year of a Physics degree and wanted it to work out equations on. That was a dang good Christmas present.But the opportunity to give something to someone who needed it more than me in that Target parking lot was personally the Best Gift I Have Ever Given, or Received. And I love that Swagg's participation in Stand Up To Cancer is giving people a chance to do something similar, just by downloading their free app. Pretty sweet. PS - Happy ending to the money woes I mentioned earlier: just weeks later my husband was offered a great job, closer to home and better pay, which he now loves. Such an amazing blessing! And we are doing just fine. Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.

Gifts That Will Wow (but won't make your wallet say Ow!)

2010-12-17T20:24:00.001-08:00

What's on your holiday wishlist?

As part of the Nestle Family Holiday Exchange, I'm sharing my unique & inexpensive gift ideas with you and Nestle is giving away a Holiday Gift Giving prize package (including a $100 Visa Gift Card, WONKA Fun Dip books and a CRUNCH/Paul Frank Basket) to one lucky SuperMom Central reader - see the bottom of this post for info. on how to enter this rad GIVEAWAY!

Whenever I ask for someone's holiday wishlist and they say "Oh, giftcards are best." I want to respond "Challenge Accepted!" I'm a firm believer that even the hardest person to buy for can be won over with creative, thoughtful gifts. I'm also a firm believer that Christmas should not put you in the poor house. I love the thrill of finding that perfect "something" for each person on my list, and figuring out how to fit it into our teeny-tiny Christmas budget. Check out these unique gift ideas that are sure to wow, without making your wallet say "Ow!"

1 - Rockin Paper N Scissors Bookmarks ($4.00) - Answer the "Barnes and Noble giftcard" request with a vintage book from a second-hand shop and a beautiful bookmark tucked inside.

2 - Handmade (but no-sew!) "Very Special" Christmas Stocking (idea and tutorial found on the Nestle Family Holidays site) No kid, or adult for that matter, will frown when handed a homemade stocking filled with treats! Felt and fabric glue let you personalize each one for just a few dollars.

3 - DownEast Basics Puckered Scarf ($14.99) - This scarf is just plain gorgeous and will please even the most finicky girl on your list with it's understated stylishness.
4 - Mod Podge Notebooks (idea & tutorial found at Crafty Chicks) - This is a brilliant idea for those "I just can't find something that fits" people on your list. Take you favorite photo or get ahold of a picture you know the person likes (postcard of their favorite place, favorite artwork, favorite quote, etc.) and Mod Podge it onto a blank notebook.

1 - Love Stitched "Little Lou" Rosetta Hairpin ($6.00) Short hair or long, young or mature, these subtle rosettes are going to look good on any girl! For extra fun, I might consider getting a matching Rosetta ring as well.

2 - Ikea Tripp Storage Tins ($3.99) Cool tins are useful to anyone, especially when they're filled with the receiver's favorite treat, craft supply, etc.

3 - MOMA Store New York In A Bag ($15.00) Because I'm such a travel-junkie, I love to find out someone's favorite city and get them something unique from that place. That way they always have a little piece of the world in their home!
4 - Chortle Tees "MiniVan Mega-Fun" tee ($6.00) What guy doesn't love to be the "dude with the cool t-shirts" in his office? I picked out this one especially for all the men like my husband who drive their minivans with pride! (secretly I plan to steal it from him every so often!)

I guess it comes as no surprise that each of these items is on my wishlist this year!

What are some of the unique gifts you're giving or hoping to get? How do you save money while still gifting thoughtfully during the holidays?

Nestle wants to help make your Christmas giving/receiving dreams come true this year by hooking one SuperMom Central reader up with a Holiday Gift Giving Prize Package!

GIVEAWAY

What You Could Win: Stocking Stuffers, including a $100 Visa Gift Card, WONKA Fun Dip books and a CRUNCH/Paul Frank Basket!
How To Enter: Because this is such a cool prize and because Nestle has so generously sponsored these fun Family Holidays Exchange Discussions/Giveaways the past 2 weeks, there are 2 requirements for entry -

1 - Comment on this post, answering the question: What are some of the unique gifts you're giving or hoping to get this holiday season?

2 - Participate (by leaving an appropriate comment) in each of the 4 other Nestle-sponsored holiday discussions on this blog:

Celebrating Holiday Traditions

Holiday Recipe Exchange

Planning A Holiday Gathering

Helping Kids Make Homemade Gifts

*This giveaway will end on Dec. 21st, 2010. Winner will be chosen by Random.org, contacted via email and have 24 hours to claim their prize. This giveaway/post has been sponsored by Nestle - I was compensated in exchange for sharing my thoughts & opinions with you.

I'm so excited to read your comments and see this awesome prize go to one of you rad SuperMom Central readers! I hope you've enjoyed these posts as much as I have - thanks to you and to Nestle for all the great tips and ideas!
May this holiday season be your best one yet!

{this moment}

2010-12-17T08:43:00.000-08:00

A Friday ritual, initiated by Amanda Soule of Soule Mama, that I want to honor. I hope she won't mind if I echo her words here: "A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

(thank you, Soule Mama, for the gentle reminder to slow down and enjoy the quiet sweetness of life).

Have a warm, delicious weekend!

Helping Kids Make Homemade Gifts

2010-12-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

Are you making homemade gifts with your family this holiday?

As part of the Nestle Family Holiday Exchange, I'm sharing my favorite holiday family crafts with you and Nestle is giving away a Homemade Holiday prize package (a $25 gift card to Jo-Anns plus LOTS of yummy products from Nestle, Carnation, Libby's and more) to one lucky SuperMom Central reader - see the bottom of this post for info. on how to enter this rad GIVEAWAY!

Time is a precious commodity during the holidays. When it comes to gift giving, the temptation to parade the kiddos around the dollar store for a quick "buy your grandparents a present" shopping trip is high! But there are two major reasons that I have resolved this year to help my kids make homemade gifts, and encourage you to have a go at it too: 1 - It means so much more to both the receiver AND the giver. We all know that nanas and poppas go nuts for anything made by their grandbabies. But the amount of patience and dedication it takes a child to create something unique for a loved one helps them to truly understand what it means to "give" of themselves. Our lengthy projects have become daily reminders to my little ones that Christmas is a time to think of others.2 - Making gifts together creates wonderful holiday memories.Last week I shared some of my favorite holiday traditions, both old and new. I can't believe I forgot to mention how much I used to love making homemade gifts with my mother! Every year she taught us to craft a different ornament that we would deliver to our neighbors. I loved learning from her and spending time together. Now that I'm the mom, I'm excited to make these special memories with my own little ones and have found tons of creative ideas at Nestle's holiday family site - I especially love the Holiday Gifts To Make Together.
Our kitchen table may have been taken over by glue, scissors, thread and buttons, but we're having tons of fun! Here's a little peek at what we're working on...

Portrait Bookmarks

(tutorial and photo found at Mothering)

This was the very first project I dog-eared in my well-loved copy of "A Handmade Home" by Amanda Soule. Brett and I have decided to give books to our parents this year, so I figured what better way to dress up a potentially boring present than with a handmade portrait bookmark! Aren't Amanda's examples charming? Ours are a collaboration between Gabby and I - she's drawing the artwork on squares of white bedsheets, I'm doing the stitching. I'll post pictures of our finished project as soon as their done (if they get done! My sewing machine just got back from the fixit shop!).Button Wreath Ornaments

(tutorial and photo found at Factory Direct Crafts)
Merricks tiny little hands are just perfect for this project, and I love the way he sticks his tongue out when he concentrates on threading the buttons onto the wire! They're so very simple and I know he'll love seeing his gift hanging on our loved ones' trees each holiday season. Are you working on any homemade gifts with your kids this year? Nestle wants to help! GIVEAWAYWhat You Could Win: A "Homemade Holiday Prize Package including: $25 gift certificate to Jo-Ann Stores for craft supplies, TOLL HOUSE Morsels, “Famous CARNATION Fudge Kit,” a LIBBY’S Pumpkin Bread Kit, CARNATION Evaporated Milk and LIBBY’S® Pure Pumpkin.How To Enter: Leave a comment sharing a favorite homemade gift that you’ve received or an idea for a homemade gift that your kids can give. Extra Entries: You can earn 1 additional entry for each of the following (leave a separeate comment for each one you do)-

Become a Fan of Nestle Facebook Family
Subscribe to SuperMom Central's feed
Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet in the comments.
Become a Follower of SuperMom Central (see right sidebar)

This giveaway will end Dec. 21st at 11:59 pm, winner will be chosen by random.org, contacted via email and have 24 hours to respond. This is a sponsored giveaway/post by Nestle, but all opinions and tips are mine.

***A little hint: There will be five sponsored Nestle Family Holiday Exchange posts/giveaways here at SuperMom Central - the last one will include a $100 Visa gift card and the only way to win is to participate in all five holiday discussions, so be sure to leave a friendly comment on each of these festive posts!

Books My Kids Are Getting For Christmas

2010-12-15T02:49:00.000-08:00

Books are my very favorite gifts - both to give and get! I've been patiently stockpiling a huge stack of great books to give to my kids for Christmas this year, with visions of sweet storytimes dancing in my head. Here's are a few good reads I'm super-excited to cuddle up and share with my kiddos as soon as they tear off the wrapping paper!

For my enthusiastic 3-yr old little dude:

Interrupting Chicken

by David Ezra Stein

Meet Chicken, who gleefully enjoys her bedtime stories, but can't help jumping in to "save" the characters in each book Papa reads. I giggle just looking at the hilarious pictures (crafted in watercolor, crayon, china marker, pen, and tea!) throughout this charming book! Plus, the sweet ending reminds both parent and child that the snuggle is quite often more important than the story.

For my day-dreaming 4-yr old daughter:

Moon Dreams

by Ruth Martin

Little Luna loves the moon and wonders where it hides during the daytime. Each night she dreams of fantastical adventures the moon might be having, imagining herself joining in the fun! This wildly creative tale ends with our heroine discovering the real explanation for the moon's daily disappearance, much to her relief. The book's pages are filled with modern whimsy and charmingly-childlike depictions of Luna's moon dreams that I simply can't get enough of.

For my big-thinking 6-yr old son:

The Boy Who Changed The World

by Andy Andrews

The first time I read this book, I wanted to give one to every child I know. These are the true (but fictionalized) stories of 4 young boys, leading vastly different lives but all growing up to make the world a better place in unique and incredible ways! The over-riding message is that ordinary people can do extraordinary things - even children - and that we all have the potential to be "the boy (or girl) who changes the world." Beautiful and inspiring!

For the 3 adventurous little travelers I hope I'm raising:

How To Make An Apple Pie and See The World

by Marjorie Priceman

This book is nothing but pure fun! Readers follow a clever young baker as she plots how to gather up the ingredients she needs from far and wide to make the perfect apple pie. From Sri Lanka to England, Jamaica to Vermont, it's an around-the-world grocery shop that's both delightful and delicious (and ends with an actual recipe for apple pie!).

Do you like to give books for Christmas? If so, I'd love to hear what you're giving and to whom!

Planning a Holiday Gathering - Tips, Crafts and a $50 giftcard to help you out!

2010-12-13T23:18:00.001-08:00

Are you planning a Holiday Gathering this year?

Nestle and SuperMom Central want to help! As part of the Nestle Family Holiday Exchange, I'm offering up my best party tips (seriously - learn from my mistakes, people) and Nestle is offering a $50 giftcard plus an armload of Nestle products to one lucky SuperMom Central reader (see the bottom of this post for info. on how to enter this rad GIVEAWAY!)

I love everything about Christmas parties - planning, preparation, hosting, attending! My husband, on the other hand, does not enjoy being the man behind the woman behind the fabulous holiday shindigs we've thrown over the years. I take full responsibility for this, as I tend to get a teensy bit crazy when pulling everything together! Which is why my very first Planning a Holiday Gathering Tip is:

#1 - Be Good To The Help...as in your husband or your kiddos or whomever you might be able to con into setting up tables or baking 6 dozen gingerbread cookies. Butter them up the night before your big soiree (send hubs to "Tron 3" with a buddy, take the little ones out for ice cream) and you'll have a much happier crew willing to put in a good team effort and pull together a great party.

#2 - Go Paperless. Websites that send free electronic invitations are ingenious - use them and you'll be way ahead of the organizational game! My favorite is Evite, which not only lets you to create and customize super-cute party invites, it also helps you keep track of RSVPs, head counts, who's bringing what, and even make last-minute changes if necessary. Plus, you can put all the $ you would've spent on cards & stamps towards party awesomeness!

#3 - Get Everyone Involved. Make your parties extra fun and memorable by encouraging guests to participate - prepare a favorite holiday treat, bring an ornament to exchange, come dressed as their favorite holiday character or sing a Christmas carol for their dinner. You can include little ones by helping them hand-craft the party decorations - how darling are these Homemade Holiday Napkins (shown below)? They're surprisingly easy to make, too - check out the tutorial here!

#4 - Make and Keep Traditions. Not only will this give your family and your guests something special to look forward to each year, but it will give you a planning pattern to follow (things to buy, how long prep takes), helping you breeze through party prepartions.

What some of your tips or ideas for entertaining family and friends over the holidays?

GIVEAWAY! You Could Win: A NESTLÉ Family Holiday brunch package, including a $50 VISA gift card, brunch menu and corresponding NESTLÉ products (Juicy Juice, Toll House Morsels, Carnation Evaporated Milk, Carnation Breakfast Essentials, etc.)

How To Enter: Simply leave a comment answering this question -

What some of your tips or ideas for entertaining family and friends over the holidays?

Extra Entries: You can earn 1 additional entry for each of the following (leave a separeate comment for each one you do)-

Become a Fan of Nestle Facebook Family
Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet in the comments.
Become a Follower of SuperMom Central (see right sidebar)
Subscribe to SuperMom Central's feed

This giveaway will end Dec. 19th at 11:59 pm, winner will be chosen by random.org, contacted via email and have 24 hours to respond. This is a sponsored giveaway/post by Nestle, but all opinions and tips are mine. ***A little hint: There will be five sponsored Nestle Family Holiday Exchange posts/giveaways here at SuperMom Central - the last one will include a $100 Visa gift card and the only way to win is to participate in all five holiday discussions, so be sure to leave a friendly comment on each of these festive posts!

Recipe Exchange - Traditional Swiss Zopf Bread, Chocolate Chip Cookie Truffles, and a GIVEAWAY!

2010-12-12T01:36:00.000-08:00

Almost as much as I love Christmas traditions, I love Christmas treats! I especially enjoy combining them - baking cherished recipes with my little ones every December. Do you have a favorite holiday recipe? As part of the Nestle Family Holiday Exchange we're participating in, they've encouraged me to share one of my family's special holiday recipes with you today (along with an awesome HOLIDAY BAKING GIVEAWAY - keep reading!).

Last night we started our 12 Days of Christmas Around the World, kicking it off with Christmas traditions from Switzerland because my husband's mother is native Swiss. I was lucky enough to have this wonderful Swiss Bread (also known as Zopf) recipe taught to me while Brett and I were living just outside of Geneva during our first year of marriage. I've made it every Christmas since and relish the thought of warm Zopf and hot cocoa on cold mornings!

ZOPF (pronounced zup-fa)

4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
4 tbs butter (melted)
1 1/4 cup milk (warm)
1 packet of yeast
1 egg yolk (beaten)

This is a great recipe to make with children because they love to get their hands in the dough (plus, you can practice math while doing your measuring - brainy bonus!).
Combine dry ingredients & stir well, then add the milk & butter. Kneed well - at least 15 minutes. Cover and let rise for 2 hours (dough will double in size). Then spilt dough into 2 equal part and roll them out into 2 long "snakes" about 2 inces thick. Lay them out criss-cross and follow the photos below to do the special Zopf braid, tucking the ends under at the bottom (I'm not gonna lie - it's a bit tricky!).

Brush the top with the egg yolk. Bake at 400 degrees F for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.When it comes out, it's gonna look all gorgeous and taste even better. I'm also excited to share with you a few new recipes we're adding to our repertoire! While browsing the Nestle Family Holiday Recipes I discovered this:

It's called A Very Merry Cookie Wreath and looks like tons of fun to make (not to mention super-delish to eat)!Next I found these...

Major YUM, right? Here's how you can make them yourself! Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Truffles 1 pkg. of NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
1 3 pz. pkg. of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup of NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon of NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa, for dusting (optional)

First, prepare the cookies just like you would normally. Let them cool, then blend them up into small bits in your food processor. Add the cream cheese and process some more until the mixture starts to hold together. Roll into 1 inch balls, drop onto a wax-papered cookie sheet and refridgerate for 1 hour. Then microwave chocolate morsels and shortening uncovered for 1 minute. Stir together to make sure everything is melted. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate with a fork, let the extra chocolate drip off and return them to the wax paper. Lastly, let your kiddos sprinkle some sort of deliciousness on top! The recipe suggests cocoa, which looks very pretty, but I think we're also going to try crushed candy canes, rainbow sprinkles or even some crushed Butterfingers.

Are you drooling on your keyboard yet? Well, Nestle Toll House and Carnation want to make sure you've got all the delicious ingredients you need to make your favorite holiday recipes, so they're offering one SuperMom Central reader this awesome Baking Package Giveaway:

You Could Win: VIP coupons for Carnation Evaporated Milk, Tollhouse Morsels, Nestle Refridgerated Cookie Dough and a $25 Visa Gift Card!How To Enter: Participate in this recipe exchange! Leave either a link or the instructions for your favorite holiday recipes in this post's comments.Extra Entries: You can earn 1 additional entry for each of the following (leave a separeate comment for each one you do)-

Become a Fan of Nestle Facebook Family
Visit the Nestle Family Holiday website, pick a recipe you'd like to make and share a link to it in the comments.
Tweet the following "I participated in the SuperMom Central recipe exchange and you should too - you could win a $25 VISA gifcard! http://bit.ly/hXbr6D"
Become a Follower of SuperMom Central (see right sidebar)
Subscribe to SuperMom Central's feed

This giveaway will end Dec. 18th at 11:59 pm, winner will be chosen by random.org, contacted via email and have 24 hours to respond. This is a sponsored giveaway/post by Nestle. ***A little hint: There will be five sponsored Nestle Family Holiday Exchange posts/giveaways here at SuperMom Central - the last one will include a $100 Visa gift card and the only way to win is to participate in all five holiday discussions, so be sure to leave a friendly comment on each of these festive posts!

Utah Family Fun: North Pole Express and The Dicken's Festival

2010-12-10T01:39:00.000-08:00

Scroll down for a $5 off coupon to the North Pole Express!

This is the year. The year when each of my children is old enough to really get into the magic of Christmas, and young enough to still believe in the magic of Christmas. They're the absolute embodiment of the holiday cheer - shouting "Merry Christmas!" at strangers in the grocery store, humming "Frosty The Snowman" while they make their beds, begging to buy presents for family members, wearing Santa hats everywhere they go and, of course, listening each night for the Polar Express to pull up outside their window.

So when the Heber Valley Railroad graciously offered to host our family on a special ride on their North Pole Express, my kids nearly exploded with Christmas excitement! We bundled in our snuggliest jammies, grabbed our tickets and hopped on board for a magical evening of singing, laughing, hot-chocolate-sipping, and more! Our "elves" took good care of us on the train, bringing around treats and a holiday book full of stories & songs.

My little Jude kept his nose pressed against the window and was the first to see jolly old St. Nick waving to us as we reached the North Pole! Soon Santa and Mrs. Claus hopped on the North Pole Express with us to hear the children's wishlists. He even gave each of them a special gift!

It was a truly magical night - the delight in my little ones' eyes was one of the best Christmas presents I've ever been given.

And now I've got a little Christmas present to pass on to YOU from the Heber Valley Railroad! You can get $5 OFF North Pole Express coach tickets if you call this number: 435-654-5601 and tell them you'd like the "Utah Blogger" discount, found on SuperMom Central. Excursions leave every night at 5:00 and 7:30 but hurry - tickets sell out fast for this Utah holiday favorite!

We also had the opportunity to visit the Dicken's Christmas Festival just yesterday and had ourselves a jolly good time!

Decor, costumes and entertainment transform the Utah State Fairgrounds into 19th Century England for a festive holiday market that would cheer Scrooge himself. There was something for everyone - I enjoyed browsing the hand-made gifts, Gabby was enthralled by a performance of "Oliver", Jude loved making brass rubbings, Merrick squeeled as we rode around the grounds in a horse-drawn carriage and Brett ate platefuls of strawberry crepes. Such a unique and charming holiday event!

Totally Tip Tuesday: Teaching Children Generosity

2010-12-07T23:32:00.000-08:00

Just by happenstance, our kids have already sat on Santa's lap THREE TIMES this holiday season! I've been noticing (with a bit of cash-poor dismay) that their wishlists seem to be getting longer with each St. Nick-visit and it's got me thinking hard about ways that I can help my children focus on giving during the this toy-centered time of year.

Here are a few of the ideas I've come up with - I would LOVE to hear about how you are teaching your kids generosity during the holidays so please share!

Include Children In Neighbor Gift-Making/Giving

We've come up with a craft we can all work on together to deliver around to our friends and neighbors. We will be caroling and handing them out each evening before dinner over the next few weeks, in hopes of making giving a daily part of our holiday season.

Help Them Share Their Talents

My grandfather passed away just after Christmas 3 years ago in a wonderful elderly care center and I always miss him extra hard during the month of December. So, we've been practicing our Christmas carols since October, in preparation for visits to several nearby nursing homes during the holiday season. The look of joy on the faces of those sweet people, many who don't receive visitors for weeks on end, is something I want my children to know they can give just by sharing their talents.

Involve Them In Volunteering
or Charitable Opportunities

Remembering that there are children who won't get anything on their wishlist this Christmas helps to put a kid's own desires into a bit of perspective. Here are some great national volunteer/charity projects going on that your family can participate in for little or no cost!

GiveBack: Ever wished that the money you spent on Christmas gifts could go a little further? Do your shopping through GiveBack and up to 15% of your $ goes back into the charity of your choice! (Mom, if you're listening, Oprah loves this site!) They have hundreds retailers participating, including some of my all-time faves - Target, iTunes, Boden, Marriot, Travelocity, Shutterfly, Gap, Borders, Land of Nod - need I go on? It's completely free and actually really fun - I just set my account up last night and have already donated to several great causes! This is a great way for older kids to get their Christmas shopping done quickly and make the world a better place at the same time.

GenerationOn: This awesome organization, which encourages children and teens to volunteer in the community, has partnered with Hasbro for their Holiday Gift Campaign: For every pledge of service made between December 3 and December 10, 2010, Hasbro will give a toy to a child in need through the Toys for Tots Holiday Gift Campaign.

The Fresh Air Fund: When we discovered this program, my kids were amazed to learn that some kids live in places where it isn't safe to even play outside. The thought of it just breaks my heart. Impressively, The Fresh Air Fund has been giving inner-city children the joy of a summer vacation for over 100 years with volunteer host families and at Fund camps, helping them enjoy healthy, positive activities and create unforgettable memories.

WorldVision: It's amazing how far a twenty-dollar bill can go to bless children half-way across the world. For under $20 the WorldVision organization can help you provide a needy family with 1 rabbit or 2 basketballs or 3 ducks or an entire set of bednets! I think it would be fun to hand my kiddos the WorldVision Gift Catalog (their free), give them a budget and let them decide what they would like to give a child in need.

Give The Gift of Service To Loved Ones

Rather than take my kids to the dollar store this year and have them spend their hard-earned money on junk to give to grandparents (which is what we did last year), we've decided to help each child make a Service Coupon Book they can give, filled with activities they can do to help or show love for them. The coupons range from as simple as "Good For One Really Big Hug" to things we hope our children will develop a sense of duty towards like "Good For One Weed-Free Garden". Be sure to let your kids help decide what they'd like to give so they're not grumpy when it comes time to redeem!

What sort of "giving" do you and your family do during the holidays?

What are your favorite charities?

Nestle Family Holiday Exchange: Celebrating Holiday Traditions

2010-12-06T02:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays, friends! I'm so excited to introduce to you a festive holiday campaign that SuperMom Central and its readers (that's you!) have been invited to participate in. We're talking 5 days of awesome holiday tips, recipes, ideas, discussions and PRIZES!

It's the Nestle Family Holiday Exchange and I sincerely hope you'll join me in sharing all the best things about the holiday season - traditions, crafts, gift-giving, food & recipes, entertaining and more!

Our first holiday discussion is sponsored by Stouffer's, Ovaltine, Rainsinets and Edy's/Dreyer's - sounds like the makings of a YUMMY giveaway, right? Here's the prize and how to enter:

YOU COULD WIN: A Family Holiday Movie Night Package including “A Christmas Story” Collector’s Edition DVD, a family size dinner from Stouffer's Dreyer's/Edy's ice cream cups, 3-flavor pack of Ovaltine and Raisinets.

HOW TO ENTER: Easy-peasy! Just post a comment answering the topic of today's holiday discussion:

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Have any of those been passed down for generations? How about ideas for creating new family traditions?

My family's holidays have always been rich in tradition; from carolling through the neighborhood to dressing up and reenacting the Bible story to Christmas Eve pajamas - and I look forward to every single one! Here, let me show you...

This is my sister Lynsey and I, dressed respectively as Mary and an angel (yes, that's a sheet I'm wearing and yes, there's a pillow stuffed under her bathrobe!). Now flash foward about 25 years to last December, with my own two little ones, Merrick and Gabby, ready for their own pageant...

There is something truly precious to me about passing on to my children the traditions I hold most dear, in hopes that they'll feel the warmth in their hearts that these experiences give me.

I'm very excited to start new traditions with my little ones as well! There will be homemade decorations to craft and delicious new recipes to try (I'm particularly looking forward to whipping up a batch of these Brownie Bites Sundaes I found at the Nestle Family Holiday site - they've got soooo many yummy ideas!)

We've also decided to countdown the 12 days 'til Christmas by traveling around the world - at our own kitchen table! Each night we'll choose a country, learn about how they celebrate the holidays and try out a few of their traditions. Here's a peak at some of the activities we'll be doing-
Holland: We'll be filling our shoes with hay and sugar for Sinterklauss's horse, in hopes that he will leave behind a special treat when he visits in the night.
Iraq: We'll be reading the Christmas story by candlelight, then building a bonfire and singing carols. When the fire dies, each person will jump over the ashes 3 times and makes a wish.
Argentina: We'll be taking an evening stroll around the neighborhood with our suitcases in tow, in hopes of bringing good luck in our travels for the new year.

Now it's your turn to share!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Have any of those been passed down for generations? How about ideas for creating new family traditions?

***A little hint: There will be five sponsored Nestle Family Holiday Exchange posts/giveaways here at SuperMom Central - the last one will include a $100 Visa gift card and the only way to win is to participate in all five holiday discussions, so be sure to leave a friendly comment on each of these festive posts!

{this moment}

2010-12-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

A Friday ritual, initiated by Soule Mama, that I want to honor. I hope she won't mind if I echo her words here: "A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

I want to begin this tradition here at SuperMom Central as well (thank you, Soule Mama, for the gentle reminder to slow down and enjoy the quiet sweetness of life).

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

The best of Family Christmas Media

2010-12-02T00:30:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit of a junkie when it comes to Christmas music, movies, books, etc. I keep them handy all year long and have been known to snuggle up with my kiddos and watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" or sing along to my "Carpenter Christmas Collection" in the dead-heat of July. Most of us are familiar with the popular Christmas media favorites, but today I want to introduce to you a few unsung heros that have won my holiday heart.

First up, in the Christmas music department there's the beautifully orchestrated yet never dull soundtrack to "A Muppet Christmas Carol".

This show is a must for family movie watching in December (or anytime, really), and the soundtrack is the cherry on the top of the banana split. I dare you not to snicker during the rousing "Marley & Marley", performed by Statler and Waldorf (aka the two grumpy hecklers in the Muppet Show audience). I dare you not to get little-kid-giddy when Kermit sings "...after all there's only one more sleep til Christmas". And I double-dog-dare you not to tear up at the sweet lyrics to "Bless us all". Here are my favorite passages:

Bless us all, who gather here
The loving family i hold dear
No place on earth, compares with home
And every path will bring me back from where I roam

Bless us all, that as we live
We always comfort and forgive
We have so much, that we can share
With those in need we see around us everywhere

Bless us all with playful years
With noisy games and joyful tears
We reach for you and we stand tall
And in our prayers and dreams
We ask you bless us all

Sniff, sniff, right mums and dads? Seriously, your family will love this soundtrack.

Next, every family needs great Christmas books to read each night, cuddled up by the fireplace. Again, I'm bypassing the famous stories you probably already know and passing along my two favorites from off-the-beaten-path...

A Wish To Be A Christmas Tree, by Colleen Monroe

What's a tree to do when he's grown too big to fit in someone's home for the holidays? The fir in this story turns to his friends with his disappointment at not being chosen and is cheered by their desire to make his wish come true, right where he stands. My children adore the sweet woodland creatures that give of themselves to help their friend, as well as the beautiful pictures in this nature-loving books (just turn a blind eye to the fact that no tree really wishes to be cut down in the first place, right earthy mamas?). I adore the "true meaning of Christmas" message behind being generous, thoughtful and unselfish during this wonderful time of year.

The Little Shepherd Girl, by Juliann Henry

I know, I know, I'm a huge sucker for books about plucky young girls boldly breaking gender stereotypes. But this story about a girl who is told she can't be a shepherd (and then ends up being a really good one and visiting the Christ child in the process) is never preachy, but sweet and subtle in its message about God's love being universal to all. The charming tale and lovely artistry appeals to both genders and a wide age range - my 3 yo and 6 yo (both boys) beg for it almost nightly. I also feel it really personalizes the story of Jesus's birth for small children, who are able to imagine themselves as small shepherds on that magnificent night.

Lastly, let's talk awesome Christmas movies. I could go on for days about my favorite Christmas shows, but instead, I want to post one that many of us enjoyed at one time but has been long-forgotten by most. Normally I would link you to a place to buy this show rather than put all 5 youtube segments of it here but sadly, it cannot be bought in its entirety. When the rights to distribute it in video form were bought, the company didn't want to shell out the money for complete permission to make money off of the Christmas carols. So instead, they cut out huge chunks of the show (some seriously great parts!). Thankfully, I found the whole uncut version on Youtube!
It's charming, it's quirky, it's nostalgic, it's classic, it's HILARIOUS...

it's "The Muppet Family Christmas"!!!

Complete with Fozzy's corny jokes, the Swedish Chef's attempts to cook the Christmas turkey, the Sesame Street re-enactment of "Twas the Night Before Christmas", a quick jaunt into a Fraggle cave, a carol sing-along sure to put you in the holiday spirit, and much, much more. Enjoy! (and watch out for the icy patch.)

What are your favorite Christmas books, movies or music?

All-Weather Fun with Whoops Bunny! (GIVEAWAY)

2010-11-28T22:01:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been caught in a rainstorm with your kiddos and wished you could just splash the day away in the puddles? One of the ways I've been working to "slow down" life around here is to relish those unexpected events that can be turned into magical memories with the right attititude (and a little preparedness!). After letting several encounters with yucky weather ruin our family fun, I turned to one of my favorite shops, Whoops Bunny, to gear us up for great days out-and-about - rain or shine!

It didn't take long for Gabby to pull on her rain jacket and go exploring in downtown SLC...

Our Whoops Bunny Rainy-Play raincoat folds up teeny-tiny in our diaper bag so we don't even know we have it 'til we need it. Even handier, it's bright, whimsical pattern makes it easy to keep an eye on my little ones on our daily adventures (score one for all out-numbered mommies).

As you know, I'm a totally Girl Scout when it comes to traveling with kids - my motto is Be Prepared, and then Be More Prepared. But I never want to let that get in the way of being spontaneous with my family. Whoops Bunny's motto is that a "whoops moment can be personal or shared; choose to celebrate these moments with whimsy and laughter...". Their shop is full of delightful things that give moms the best of both worlds - being prepared to be spontaneous!

Now that the wild winter weather has hit, we've kept our Whoops Bunny Rainy-Play rainboots by the front door at all times (because cute wellies are a must for any Utah girl worth her salt). They've seen us through wet mornings, snowy evenings and some very leaf-y afternoons...

I love Whoops Bunny's commitment to making life colorful and joyous, whether it comes in the mail, follows you to school or just decorates your day. And I'm so pleased that they have generously offered to spread a little Whoops Bunny fun to one SuperMom Central reader!

GIVEAWAY

YOU COULD WIN: A Whoops Bunny Rainy-Play raincoat, so you can splash the day away too!

HOW TO ENTER: Swing by Whoops Bunny's cute site, pick out your favorite product and tell me about it in this post's comments.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: Leave an extra comment telling me about a "Whoops Bunny" moment you've had with your little ones.

DETAILS: This contest will end Dec. 7th, 2010, winner will be chosen by random.org, notified by email and have 48 hours to respond.

Whoops Bunny graciously provided us with the raincoat and boots so that we could provide an honest and accurate review of their products for SuperMom Central readers.

Good Luck!

In The Swing of Things

2010-11-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

I'm dying to get this blog moving again! In the past few months, as I've taken a much-needed sebatical for the sake of my family and health, I've stockpiled a mountain of fun ideas, tips, and kiddo-friendly products that I hoped I would find the time to share with you. I'm to the point of bursting!

I've also thought about how I'd like to structure my posts here so that there's always something new and (hopefully) helpful for those who are kind enough to stop by. Here's what you'll find throughout the week on SuperMom Central:

Monday: "Mommy Must-Haves"
I love kicking off the week with my very favorite "finds" in children and parenting products. I also love hooking you up with rad stuff so I'll do my best to host a weekly giveaway in this segment. But trust that anything I recommend here has been kiddo-tested by my fam and is featured because I genuinely believe it will make your parenting world easier, more fun or super cool!

Tuesday: "Totally Tip Tuesday"
Struggling with a parenting issue? So am I! I stared SuperMom Central with the hope that we could each share our "insider secrets" to surviving and thriving in our roles as Moms and Dads. Each week I'll pick a topic, discuss the ins & outs and offer the best tips I've found on the subject. Then I hope you'll share your own thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Wednesday: "What's On Your Nightstand/In Your Player/On Your Screen?"

Because I believe in the power of positive media, I wanted to dedicate a segment each week to highlighting the best in books, music and even tv/movies for both you and your little ones. I'm incredibly picky about these mediums in my home and will continually strive to recommend only those that uplift, nurture and inspire.

Thursday: "Family Fun"

Around here we work hard and we play hard. Whether we're road tripping cross-country or crafting in the kitchen, I love incorporating creativity, education, spirituality, and family bonding into our activities - and sharing it all with you! Hopefully our experiences will spark some Family Fun in your own home.

Friday: "This Moment"

Inspired by one of my favorite blogs, SouleMama, this is meant to be an encouragement to all who visit here (but especially myself!) to slow down and savor the simple joys in life with your little ones. I will post a photo from our week of a moment I want to "hang on to" in my heart. I'll also post a linky for anyone who wants to share their own "this moment".

Saturday: "Clever or Ghetto?"

I'm a huge fan of shortcuts - especially those that save my fam a little moola! I'm always trying out ideas that I think are fabulously frugal (i.e. cost-cutting but still super cute!) but sometimes it's hard to know whether they're really "working" or not. I need your help! I plan to post photos, instructions and costs on my projects and let YOU vote - is it Clever or Ghetto?

Sunday: "Serious Sunday"

As much fun as I like to have here, I don't ever want to lose sight of the fact that Motherhood is a serious job which requires me to be on my toes at all times. I hope to write this segment as a way of staying contemplative and educated about the biggest challenges facing families today. I'd also love for this to be a dialogue between those who read here and welcome your input as long as it's kind and respectful (even if you totally disagree with me!).

What it means to be an "Aspiring SuperMom"

2010-10-26T05:22:00.000-07:00

Much as I love it, this blog has been in slow decline for the past few months. I've considered simply closing up shop several times but the friends I've made here and the desire to continue to connect with wonderful parents like you keeps me coming back. However, I've come to realize something I wanted to share with you, in hopes of explaining why I may disappear from this space every so often.

What It Means To Be An Aspiring SuperMom

The reality is that no one woman can be "SuperMom". I've always believed this and while this blog's title may have been interpreted differently by some, my goal here has always been to track down the very best Tips, Tricks and Tidbits that might help you become the kind of parent you want to be. I feel like a SuperMom when I am the best version of myself with my children. I've tried to use this space to help you feel the same way.

Part of that goal includes drawing on the wisdom of the wonderful women who have already traveled the road of a young mother, in hopes of saving new parents the trouble of having to learn everything the hard way. I figured that the easier motherhood is, the easier it is for you and I to enjoy the job!

I also know that I have more fun with my children when I get to share with them the things I love. So I've tried to provide entertaining ideas for many different kinds of mommy: Rockin' Mommy, Hip Mommy, Healthy Mommy, Earthy Mommy, Disney Mommy, Brainy Mommy, Mindful Mommy, Creative Mommy, Savvy Mommy and Trippin' Mommy. Incorporating your talents and hobbies into your parenting helps you avoid burning out or feeling swallowed up by the responsibilities of motherhood.

Lastly, I wanted to combine my love for hip new finds with my appreciation for excellence in family products by recommending the very best of the best in child-related shopping. The bottom line: Cool stuff just makes parenting more fun!

But more than anything else, I wanted to ignite or fuel in young moms like me a true passion for parenthood.

Because I believe that any woman who dedicates each day to finding joy and inspiration in her mothering is truly an "Aspiring SuperMom".

No parent is perfect and we shouldn't expect that of ourselves or others. But what we can and should do is set the bar high. Because as mothers, we are charged with teaching the rising generation how to live, learn and love the world. It is the most important (and most difficult) job we will ever do. So we've got to band together - support one another, share our ideas, inspire and encourage eachother and renew our passion for parenting on a daily basis.

That is truly what I hope to continue to do here.

An "Aspiring SuperMom" puts Motherhood as Job #1 and works hard to make sure it doesn't slip out of that spot. That means that for now our eyes might look tired, our clothes might have peanut butter stains, our floors might go unswept and our nails might go un-painted. That means that for now we may not return library books or phone calls on time. That means that for now we may not know what bill is being debated on the senate floor or have an opinion about the latest New York Times best seller.

But our children will feel nurtured and nourished, comforted and cared for, listened to and LOVED.

So if I disappear from this place every so often, please pardon my absense. I'm recharging and refocusing on Job #1. I'm hugging my kids. Go hug yours and I'll see you back here soon.

Sick-Day Survival Tips

2010-09-15T23:13:00.000-07:00

We have been battling a wicked head cold in our home for the past week and a half! It burned through our house, hitting each of my little ones in turn with sniffles, sneezes and sore, sore throats. And after taking care of sick children all week, I found myself flat on my back in bed all weekend, begging for Nyquil and orange juice. Not cool.

I'm crossing all my fingers and toes that this virus skips your home! But if it doesn't, here are some tips on helping your kiddos keep smilin' through the flu:

1 - Pedialyte Pops - Sore throats and upset tummies never get in the way of my children's love for popsicles. You can buy these in the name brand at any drug store. But I just get a big jug of the generic, pour it into paper cups, put popsicle sticks in, and throw them in the freezer for a few hours.

*** Bonus - You can also make Pedialyte Jello by heating it, then adding plain gelatin and refridgerating for 4 hours.

2 - The Quarantine Mailbox - Once I know one child is ill, I do my best to keep them away from the rest of the crew, because we all know that two sick kids is exponentially harder than one sick kid. But the sick-y always feels left out and lonely, and the well-ones always miss their sib. So we use a shoe box for carrying "mail" back and forth between them. The well-ones fill it with homemade "get well" cards, treats, special toys, etc. to give to the sick-y. The sick-y, in turn, is kept busy coloring pictures to "send" to the well-ones. It's great fun!

3 - "Call Mommy" Button - Hollaring for mom with a sore throat is miserable. Instead, I give my little patient one of the many toys in our home that makes music/noise when you push a button. For example, my son uses his fire-engine siren. This is his "Call Mommy" button and he knows that any time he presses it I will come running. The baby monitor is placed in his room so that I can hear my Mommy Call-Button from anywhere in the house. This way I can shut the door while he rests, while he's being humidified, etc. but still be on hand in a moment's notice.

4 - File Folder Games - I found this idea just today on one of my new favorite blogs, Some of This and Some of That. These are cute little learning games you make for your kiddos in file folders, which makes them way easy to store and transport, not to mention the perfect size for a little lap. What a perfect "toy" to pull out when your kiddo is stuck in bed all day! (Not to mention, super handy for church, quiet time, car rides, and on and on). Genuis!

(pic creds. go to Childcare.com, which also has some great File Folder Game ideas)

Five Simple Things you can do to keep your child's smile healthy and bright

2010-08-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

Does your kid have a great smile? Mine does too! But you'd be surprised at how quickly things can go wrong with children's teeth, when you think you're doing everything right.

Last spring one of my little ones had to have some major dental repairs done, and it was a HUGE eye-opener to me regarding how I help him care for his teeth. We've made some big changes in our practices, and the way we view our children's dental care in general. Here's what I've learned from the experience -

Five Simple Things You Can Do To Keep Your Child's Smile Healthy and Bright!

1 - Swish! Using mouth wash after brushing provides an extra layer of protection, strengthens teeth, and catches bit of food your child may have missed while brushing. Plus, kids love it! Every night we march around the house humming our favorite songs while swishing - making a game out of it ensures that everyone is excited to join in! (We use Act Anticavity KIDS brand, which comes in two yummy flavors my family loves).

2 - Fruit Snacks: The Silent Attackers. When my dentist informed me of Jude's cavities, I said "How? We hardly ever eat candy in our home, he doesn't chew sugary gum and we regularly brush." He responded "Does he eat alot of fruit snacks/leathers?" GUILTY. As I posted recently, we totally love the Stretch Island Fruit products (both the leathers and the Fruitabu roll-ups) and because they provide a whole serving of fruit and are processed-sugar-free, I let the kids go nuts on 'em. What I didn't realize is that anything sticky is going to keep food stuck on their teeth, eating away, until they brush. So now we have a rule that if we eat fruit snacks/leathers, we always always brush. I've even packed toothbrushes on picnics to ensure this! Which brings me to...

3 - Pack a Toothbrush. Throw a travel-sized toothbrush and toothpaste in your purse & diaper bag so that your kiddos teeth can stay clean on the go!

4 - An Apple A Day Keeps the Dentist Away... My mom used to tell me that apples were nature's toothbrush, so if you find yourself in need of a quick cleaning on the go, grab a Granny Smith! Crunchy fruits and veggies help to scrape junk off your teeth, while the apple also has a slightly astringent quality that makes it great for cleaning and brightening. Obviously, this should not replace regular daily brushing (apples still have sugar that can eat away teeth if left for too long) but it can be a quick, healthy fix in a pinch!

5 - Be a Good Example. Kiddos who see their parents taking the time to care for their teeth are going to naturally understand the importance of dental care. Plus, children love to mimic their parents! My little ones always want to brush when I'm brushing, floss when I'm flossing, etc. And the opposite is true too - they often protest if I don't join them in daily dental practices - "Why should we do it if you're not?"

HERE"S HOPING YOUR LITTLE ONE'S SMILES ARE ALWAYS HEALTHY AND HAPPY!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Five Favorite Family Time Ideas

2010-08-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

Nothing brings me more happiness than Family Time!

The bonding, the lessons we teach one another and the wonderful memories we make are invaluable to building a strong family. Here are our Five Favorite Family Time ideas:

1 - Game Night. I know this is kind of an obvious one, but we try to mix it up and get creative every so often! We'll do Outside games or Made-up games, obstacle courses in the living room or games that involve service. Game night doesn't have to be boring or routine!

2 - Daytrips. You'd be surprised at the delightful and unique things you'll find when you stray from the beaten path! We live in the heart of the beautiful and diverse state of Utah, so we love striking out in one direction and exploring someplace new for a day.

3 - The Great Outdoors. Again, we are very blessed to make our home at the foot of the Rocky Mountains where opportunties to enjoy nature abound! Hiking, camping, lake swimming, biking, nature walks, skiing, snowboarding and berry picking are all wonderful ways to enjoy Family Time with children of almost any age range. They also provide great opportunities to teach your children about appreciately and respecting Mother Earth.

4 - Making Cookies. Who doesn't love baking a treat as a family? Everyone gets to pitch in and then enjoy the yummy products of their hard work! Plus, there's always extra to share with neighbors and friends.

5 - Service. Doing a service project as a family can be just as fun as it is rewarding! Consider ways to get each child involved and make it enjoyable - turn on fun music, make a game out of it, give each kid a pocket full of jellybeans to munch on while they work, etc. The values being taught at the same time make this Family Time activity exta meaningful.

What Is Your Favorite Family Time Activity?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and LEGO blogging program, making me eligible to get a prize pack. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Don't Forget to Pack the Road Trip Snacks!

2010-08-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

Now that we've talked about how to save money on food while traveling, let's chat a bit about the best travel snacks. Because every mom knows that you can pack Barbies, dinos, blankies - plan activities, games, entertainment - you can even jam your car to the gills with toys, CDs, books, clowns and more...

but none of that matters if you don't got great snacks.

As a veteran road tripper, trust me when I say this: The right munchies will save your sanity on long drives with the little ones. So what makes a good travel snack?

1 - Low in processed sugar.

The last thing you want to do is hype-up your kiddos and then strap them into a carseat for hours on end.

2 - Appealing to kids.

Rice cakes might be low in sugar, but they'll quickly become backseat frisbees if your crew isn't into them.

3 - Minimized mess.

There's only so much you can do here, but handing off a bright red slushie to your toddler in the backseat is asking for trouble. I'm just sayin'.

4 - Dare I say it...Nutritious?

Yes I dare. Because it's actually easier than it sounds. Here's an example of what we brought on our most recent road trip:

Yoplait's Simply GoGurt (frozen)

As I said, I'm not a fan of handing off anything that can be spilled into the back of my minivan. So I love freezing Yoplait's latest and greatest (in my opinion) healthy option for kids - the Simply GoGurt, named such because it is free of artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. That gets a big WOOT from me as I continue to wage my little war on red dye 40 and the likes (read more about it here).

The best part is that I've somehow convinced my crew that these frozen yogurts are "popsicles" and they gobble them up whilst I place a little mental check mark next to "Daily Dairy" on my healthy-eating Mommy Checklist.

And looky here! I found a Simply GoGurts $1 off coupon that I've made all my family members print off so we're well stocked.

Smartfood Popcorn 100 Calorie Mini Bites

For the most part, I don't do a lot of calorie counting, especially so when it comes to my kids. But I dig these indivdual bags because they're the perfect size for my little ones; and should mommy find herself with a white cheddar popcorn craving, well...Let's also not forget that though SmartFood popcorn can spill, it won't crumble into a million tiny pieces if stepped on (like chips/crackers do), it's a good source of fiber, and is MSG and food-coloring free (again, unlike most chips). Plus, it's seriously delish.

And while I admit that some sort of nutty trail mix might also provide protein and therefore be an even healtheir option, my kids hollar like they're being stuck with a pin when I try to serve them nuts. I know my last Healthy Mommy post suggested that we should give our children at least 11 opportunities to taste a new food before acquiring a liking to it but I ain't no masochist, girls. Road trips are not the time for it.

Stretch Island FruitaBu

Why is it that when you roll something up like a snail, it is instantly more exciting? We've been big fans of Stretch Island Fruit Co. for years now, gobbling up the Costco-size packs of their fruit leathers at an impressive pace. But when the good people at Stretch Island recently sent us a box full of what they call their "Smooshed Fruit" rolls, my kiddos went a little nuts with delight.

Why? Because when mommy put the kaibosh on red dye 40 they had to say good-bye to their beloved "Fruit By The Foot". Thanks to Stretch Island products (sweetened and colored only by fruit), they can now have all of the fun without the garbage. Hooray for FruitaBu! Plus every roll is a whole serving of fruit so score another big "Cha-Ching!" for the Healthy Mommy checklist.

HAPPY TRAVELS AND HAPPY SNACKING!