PHAT Mommy

PHAT Mommy Is No More

Shannon — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:55:58 +0000

After about a year of consideration, I’ve decided to move away from PHAT Mommy to a brand new blog. I explain all about over at Mom, Reinvented. PHAT Mommy will no longer be updated, so please click on over to my new blog and subscribe.

To kick off my new blog, I’ve got 12 days of giveaways and my personal recommendations for the holiday season. I’m kicking it off today with Shutterfly Photo Books. These books would make fantastic gifts for the holiday and they take less than a half-hour to create. I’ve got 3 codes to give away for free photo books in sizes 5×7, 7×9 and 8×8. Visit my new blog to enter to win!Similar Posts:

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Halloween, Whrrl’d

Shannon — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:58:10 +0000

Check out how we spent Halloween in my first successful Whrrl story.

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Vegas Needs A New Tag Line

Shannon — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:15:59 +0000

They say “What Happens In Vegas Stays In Vegas.” Well, I know some guys that have perhaps taken that to an extreme.

I twittered a few times about my wonderful trip to Las Vegas for SITScation, Blog World Expo, and a much-needed get-away with my husband. The vacation was fantastic, except for the plane ride.

We arrived at the airport in Providence, RI for our 7 am flight. We made a stop at Starbucks and I noticed a man asking every flight crew staff member if they were on the flight to Vegas. He was explaining that he and his friends wanted to buy all of them coffee. It was a nice gesture, but for some reason, this guy really annoyed me. He was loud. And seemed like the type that really liked himself and wanted the world to know. My judgment was right on track.

We got to the gate and there were six or seven guys with him. All loud. All well-built and well-dressed. All wearing feather boas. I silently hoped I would not be seated near them, but they were right behind me when we boarded the plane.

They started drinking right away. They passed feather boas out to the flight attendants. And they got louder. Apparently these guys get together every year in Vegas. They’d known each other since childhood and even had a pet name for their little band of brothers. First they talked about their bodies. Their weight training, dieting, tanning, teeth-whitening and chest-shaving. They talked about the “shenanigans” (this was apparently their favorite word since they said it about 10,000 times) they were going to get into in Vegas. They talked about the blow-up doll they brought. They talked about the women they picked up and the lesbians they slept with, while chatting about their wives and teenage children in the same breath. Then they debated whether or not they should wear their wedding rings. One of them said, “I won’t wear it, but I won’t lie if they ask me.”

Lovely.

I know everyone has had to endure loud, obnoxious people on an airplane, but these guys totally blew my mind. To talk about this stuff in such a boisterous, proud way was truly repulsive. When I saw one of them at the airport for the flight home, I cringed. But thankfully, only a couple of them were on my flight and they were much quieter.

So that’s the long-awaited story of “Assholes On A Plane.”

The rest of the trip was fantastic. This was the view from our hotel room. I love the mountains and the way Vegas is just planted in the middle of a desert.

We stayed at the Venetian Hotel, which was amazing. This is the shopping area and the gondolas. And this is INSIDE. The lighting was so cool – it looked like dusk all the time.

We strolled up and down the Strip and I had to get a photo in front of Vince Neil Ink. Love me some Motley Crue.

And SITScation was excellent. I truly enjoyed the cozy learning environment of this smaller conference and the women I met are so smart and supportive. (Be sure to check out SITS to find new blogs and share some comment love!)

I’m off now to put on my costume (it’s a T-shirt that says, “This is my Barack Obama costume. Now hand over your candy for me to redistribute!”) and get ready to trick or treat… most likely in the rain. Which is awesome because, you know, we haven’t had nearly enough rain in the northeast this year.

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Little Bird Tales: Scrapbook With A Voice

Shannon — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:11:48 +0000

A couple months ago I heard about Little Bird Tales, a service that lets kids create and share personalized books online. Given my love of scrapbooking, I immediately started thinking of the many ways my family could use this service.

Little Bird Tales is easy to use. Have your child draw some pictures (with an online paint program or on paper which you can scan), upload the picture to the site, add text if you want, and record your child’s voice telling the story. The interface is clean and simple. My 5 year old and I created this book in about 15 minutes.

If drawing pictures, creating a story, and recording your child’s voice isn’t enough fun, you can upload photos from a vacation and ask your child to narrate. A scrapbook with a voice! Another thought that crossed my mind is the usefullness of this service for homeschoolers. Your online book needn’t be a preschooler’s story or a photo album. How about asking your older child to actually write and illustrate a book? Thinking ahead to the holidays, Little Bird Tales would be great to use as an electronic greeting card. Upload photos and artwork from 2009 and ask your kids to sing some holiday songs. Enter in email addresses to easily share your story with family and friends.

You can sign up for a free 90-day trial account or subscribe to Little Bird Tales for one year and 100 MB of storage space for $24.95. The good peeps at Little Bird Tales have offered a 20% off coupon code for me to pass on to you. Use code gr8stmom20 when you sign up, which you should do now because the code expires October 31st.

To celebrate the launch of the site, Little Bird Tales is hosting an online contest where kids can submit an ending for their tale “How Little Bird Got His Name” that includes a name suggestion for “Little Bird,” a picture, text and audio. One lucky winner will be selected to win $250 cash, $250 donated to the environmental charity of their choice and a free 3-year membership to the site. Again, the contest ends October 31st, so head on over there today.

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Defining Twilight

Shannon — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:16:44 +0000

Defining Twilight is a nifty little workbook that uses the Twilight saga to teach vocabulary for standardized tests. I received a review copy from author Brian Leaf and was impressed with the fun, simplistic way the book is laid out.

Defining Twilight has 40 groups of vocabulary words (about eight words in each group) selected from the book Twilight, many of which will show up on the SAT, ACT, GED or SSAT. You are told what page in Twilight the word appears so you can read it in context. The workbook asks you to suggest a definition, then turn the page and read a complete definition. The author also provides drills for further comprehension, such as synonyms, analogies, sentence completions and memorization tools. Defining New Moon will be available in late October.

Since my kids aren’t anywhere near taking the SAT, I’d love to pass my copy of this book on to you. (It’s gently used – the binding shows a tiny bit of wear because I did look through it for this review.) Just leave a comment here and tell me if you (or your child) is Team Edward or Team Jacob.

Sweepstakes open to US citizens ages 18 and older. Winner will be chosen at random on Monday, October 12th at 9 am.

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Apparently I Blog More When I Have 1,452,779 Things To Do

Shannon — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:24:27 +0000

So, yeah, I’ve been updating my blog an average of twice per month, but today you get two posts in one day! I have a lot of random thoughts to get down, so I am making a list (copied from inspired by my cool friend Jenny on the Spot).

My blog is in desperate need of housekeeping. Plugins to be updated, sidebars to be cleaned up, wonky stuff to be de-bugged. But it’s most likely that I will spend my time creating an entirely new theme design before I clean any of the other stuff up. That’s just me.
I am starting a new part time job (details forthcoming, like after I finish the web site design and can make a big announcement and good impression and all). And I’m kinda worried. Worried I don’t know enough. Worried I don’t have the time. Worried I’ll let down my employer. Who, by the way, happens to be my sister. {gulp}
I laid down the law with my kids the other day. I won’t go into details but this is the “strictest” I’ve ever been with them. The most I’ve ever asked from them. And so far (well, it’s been two days), they are rising to the occasion. My new motto? “Expect more.” (I know that’s a corporate slogan for something…)
I’m so happy my kids are brilliant. They pick stuff up like *snap* that. Makes my job as a homeschooling Mom way easier.
I have the opportunity to exercise 3 days a week at my gym. And by “opportunity” I mean that I have to be at the gym for my kids’ stuff and there is no reason I shouldn’t be exercising. I will accept no excuses from myself.
I’m also taking an adult tap dancing class. I love it more than I can tell you.
We’ve been having fun letterboxing the past few weeks. It was even fun today when we walked around a park for an hour and a half before discovering that the trail we were looking for was completely overgrown.
I’m going to Vegas with my husband in a couple weeks! Vacation and SITScation.
What the hell is up with the half-constructed Starbucks in Flemington? PLEASE OPEN SOON. And please do not tell me it’s never opening because Starbucks is closing a bunch of stores. I will not listen. LA LA LA LA LA LA.
Fractions are kinda hard to teach. When you’re reducing, you have to change the numerator AND denominator. But when you’re adding/subtracting, you only work with the numerator. Confusing to a kid. Need to seek out a better way to teach it.
I want to read Atlas Shrugged. It’s 1,075 pages. If I start tomorrow I might just finish by next summer.
I’m taking my kids to see Demi Lovato in November and I bought the VIP package so we can meet her. I’m a little more excited than a 40 year old should be about this.
Did you know I write blogging and SEO tips over at SITS on Saturdays?
I’m teaching a web design class to 11 students in our homeschool group.
Did I mention we’re going to Vegas in a couple weeks?
My oven door won’t open. The lever that locks the door closed is stuck. I’m having minor anxiety about this. I need to bake bread for a Tastefully Simple home party tomorrow.
I have 167 email messages to deal with.
And now I shall attempt to sleep.

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Your Child Can Be A Human Body Detective

Shannon — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:23:27 +0000

When you homeschool your children, the idea of “health education” may be something you don’t give a lot of thought to when they are young. It’s something they learn about naturally. Kids are curious about their bodies, so they ask questions about what happens to food after they eat it, where poop comes from, and why it’s bad to eat a whole bag of Twizzlers in one sitting. I talk to my kids all the time about the importance of eating right and exercising. I try to set a decent example.

When you want to take that natural learning a step further, Dr. Heather Manley’s Human Body Detectives series is a good start. My kids and I recently reviewed Human Body Detectives: The Lucky Escape Activity Workbook and Audio CD. We listened to the story on CD, which follows “detectives” Merrin and Pearl as they magically travel through their little brother’s digestive system to discover the source of his tummy ache. The story is cute and short – just long enough to hold the attention of an elementary school child. My 5 year old and 10 year old both enjoyed it. The accompanying activity workbook is filled with games and puzzles and reinforces what kids have learned from the audio CD story, helping them further understand the importance of maintaining a healthy digestive system. My 10 year old got a lot out of the workbook, learning how the digestive system works along with several new vocabulary words to learn and spell.

So instead of giggling about farts and poop, my kids were using words like “saliva” and “peristalsis.” For a day or two anyway.Similar Posts:

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Scooby Doo: The Mystery Begins

Shannon — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:23:14 +0000

We’ve always been fans of ole’ Scoob in our house. My kids enjoy watching the original Scooby from the 70’s, as well as some of the newer animated movies (I’m partial to The Alien Invaders and The Witch’s Ghost) and the “What’s New Scooby-Doo” TV show. But the 2002 Scooby-Doo movie with live actors? Painful.

So I was leery of the new “Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins” movie. I sat down with the kids to watch and was pleasantly surprised. Fred has brown hair, but I quickly got over that because the film was well-cast (really liked Shaggy, played by Nick Palatas) and even the CGI Scooby-Doo didn’t seem as creepy as he had in the other live-action movies. The plot was decent and the movie was just plain fun to watch.

Along with the movie release, there’s a new video game, Scooby-Doo! First Frights. Fun for all ages, players can explore spooky environments as Scooby, Shaggy or any of the teen Mystery, Inc. team. The action-adventure game features co-op play allowing two members of Mystery, Inc. to work together to solve puzzles, combat enemies, and collect clues before unmasking each episode’s mysterious villain – all while gaining prestige as world famous sleuths.

I’ve got three copies of Scooby-Doo! First Frights. for the Wii to give away. Just leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win.

I’m a little disappointed the video game characters don’t look like the actors in the Mystery Begins movie, but like slightly modernized versions of the Pup Scooby-Doo kids (yuck!). But I’m still looking forward to playing this game with my kids. I’ve already warned them that I always get to be Velma. Cuz geeks rock.

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Fresh Beat Band: Music, Action and Fun for Preschoolers

Shannon — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:47:43 +0000

I swear I’m not being paid by Nickelodeon to promote The Fresh Beat Band. But I am going to post about them… again.

My first post about the new Nickelodeon band/show, Don’t Beat Down The Fresh Beat Band, is the top traffic generator to this site and could be the most-commented post I’ve ever had. Something’s going on here. What is it with this show? Well I’ve got the scoop from Teri Weiss, Senior Vice President of Production & Development for Nickelodeon Preschool Television.

Teri has been involved in the launch of mega-hits like Dora the Explorer and The Backyardigans, so I asked her if it’s typical for parents to be so outspoken about a show before it’s even aired. She explained how The Fresh Beat Band (FBB) is different than other Nick shows.

The FBB is Nick’s first live action show for preschoolers, meaning there are no puppets, no animation — just humans. “Our strategy was to launch them as a band first and get kids excited about the music,” said Teri. Nickelodeon started airing music videos by the band months ago, with no mention of a series. As the launch date got closer, the series was introduced.

“There was more conversation about this show because of the bigger window of time (used to promote the show),” Teri explained.

So why a live action show for preschoolers? “We learned a lot from Jack’s Big Music Show,” said Teri. When Nick execs attended live shows by bands like The Laurie Berkner Band and The Dirty Sock Funtime Band (both featured on Jack’s Big Music Show), they loved the energy and excitement coming from the kids.

“The energy of a live band – I wanted to bottle it and put it on TV. There was something special about it that we didn’t feel we had,” remembers Teri. She thought, “How can we create a TV show around a band that could capture that energy, tell a story, and send a positive message to kids through music?”

THE FRESH BEAT BAND-- Pictured: (l-r) Twist (in yellow, Jon Beavers), Kiki (on guitar, Yvette Gonzalez), Shout (orange sweater, Thomas Hobson), Marina (drums, Shayna Rose) in THE FRESH BEAT BAND on Nickelodeon. Photo: Randee St. Nicholas/Nickelodeon. ©2009 Viacom, International, Inc. All Rights Reserved

And The FBB was born. The show is about four best friends in a band who attend music school together. Each episode is a stand-alone with a broad-based music curriculum.

The curriculum focuses on three layers: music appreciation, self-expression through music, and comprehension of music terminology. Drummer Marina shows kids how they can make a drum kit out of anything. DJ/rapper Twist (who is a goofy, skilled physical comedy actor and my favorite character after having seen the first episode) gets his feet stuck in buckets and the band taps out a beat along with him. Musical terms and instruments are introduced and repeated to enhance understanding and retention.

Another reason there’s so much talk about this band is the “pop” feel to all the songs shown in the promos. Parents can find it grating and too sugary-sweet, but the pop feel was intentional, says Teri, because kids respond to it. However, during the show itself, kids will be exposed to different kinds of music – much more than the promotional videos are demonstrating – such as Hawaiian, opera, rock, and beat-boxing.

And while some parents may not be thrilled to have a Fresh Beat Band CD playing in their car over and over (although it’s WAY better than Yo Gabba Gabba or Wonder Pets), I think the show itself will surprise them. And their kids will love it. Check it out Monday at Noon ET on Nickelodeon.

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Universal Healthcare: The Slippery Slope

Shannon — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:50:05 +0000

I’d like to write a long, informative post defending my opposition to universal healthcare, but frankly, I don’t have the time. And there are plenty of people out there who say it better than I.

I will come out and say (in case you didn’t know) that I can’t stand the current President of our country. Can’t. Stand. His arrogant, joking attitude. His socialist agenda. Makes me sick.

And I will say that if “universal” (totalitarian?) healthcare is implemented, universal education, universal property management, and universal business regulation won’t be far behind.

I truly fear for our future.

Update 8/17/09: Yes, this post was written when I was upset and I absolutely tend to be dramatic. Here’s a calmer, more informative opinion piece on the healthcare issue. And a quote from it:

Once health care is a “free good” that government pays for, demand will soar and government costs will soar too. When the public finally reaches its taxing limit, something will have to give on the care and spending side. In a word, care will be rationed by politics.

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