Review: Motorola Droid Cell Phone
March 5, 2010 by Carissa Rogers · 4 Comments
Cell phone? Seriously? I call it my do-it-all-save-the-day
Smart Device.
The Droid has inserted itself into my daily life right next to my toothbrush and my Mountain Dew. We wonder how we lived without cell phones, right? I’m wondering how I managed without a walking hand-held laptop like the Droid.
I made a list of things (other than cell-phone/email) I’ve recently transformed the Droid into and the list was so long my notepad started complaining.
My Favorite Things About the Droid
- Voice Activated Browser: Hands down this is my favorite feature of the Droid. I’ve searched for Easy Oreo Truffles, Gymnastics in my town, Brandon Mull (for the tween reader in my house), and it never fails. Awesome when you are in a hurry or away from a phonebook or laptop. Look at how readable the webpages are.
- Pandora: Think about this. You don’t need radio. Satellite radio? Forget it. With Pandora on your phone you have your own radio station, and with a data plan you take it with you anywhere you travel! The sound quality is fairly good even without earphones. How about at the Gym? I love my tunes while treadmilling, but even with a few hundred songs on a playlist I get tired of the same songs. Pandora on my Droid solves jogging boredom! (Note: You wouldn’t fiddle with it while driving, now would you?)
- In the Kitchen: Seriously. The whole world of recipes in a little black box. Imagine Foodwhirl.com or Epicurious.com or iVillage.com sitting on your countertop, helping you stir creamy alfredo for dinner, or reminding you to whip the egg whites before you combine solids and liquids for Easter morning waffles. This is the digital recipe book I’ve been dreaming about. (Be careful not to drip chocolate cake batter on your friend… I mean phone!)
- Photo to Flickr to Twitter: Sometimes you need to share an image Right That Second. The 5.0 megapixel camera on the Droid spits out amazingly clear images. I never need to miss a shot again. At the park, during a kid concert, after interrupting little wanna be me with lipstick all over her face—CLICK! Picture taken. Set up your Flickr2 Twitter account and you can email, save, and share your image with a few swift taps, beeps, and wooshes!
- Backseat Crabby-Pants: Kids driving you crazy on a long drive? Believe me, I know. We live 75 miles from the nearest Costco. We are in need of serious munchkin entertainment on those trips! Droid Got Apps? (and games?) Oh yeah, Droid Does. Hundreds. Amen. (Good luck getting it back from your tween by the way…)
- On the Go Shopping and Cost Comparison: Let’s say you are looking for shelves for your tween’s bedroom and you’ve walked into a big box store and found something that might work. But, last night you were browsing around a few websites with similar products. What to do? Pull out your Droid, quickly look up the price of the online shop, and compare with and without shipping. Brilliant.
- GPS map program: I’m in the Target parking lot. I need to find the Gymnastics Studio in town. I use the voice activated browser to locate the address, I click the map and Droid asks: would you like to open the Maps App? Well yes I would, thank you. It opens and I click to get directions from WHERE I AM at that moment. Who needs a separate GPS thing-a-ma-bopper?
- I’ve also ask Droid to become my Timer/Alarm Clock, Calculator, and Calendar. It was happy to oblige.
- Social Media: Of course. The phone is all set up when you first turn it on directing you to log into your gmail account or create one, plus Facebook is ready to activate, and Twitter is easy and free to download the app of your choosing. I don’t use text messages a lot but the set up is easy and clear.
My Least Favorite Things About the Droid
At first the soft keys at the bottom of the phone were diving me nuts. They are so sensitive, when you have turned on the camera if you barely move your thumb over the ‘back’ key, it turns the camera off. I’m getting better about how I hold the phone for different functions and that problem is getting better.
I was ALL about the slide out keyboard of the Droid. However I find I’m using the on screen keyboard way more than the pull out keyboard.
How Much Does It Cost?
The Droid is on sale right now when you renew or start a contract with Verizon. You get 2 for the price of one! $199 for two Motorola Droid phones. One for you and one for your kid (who will take your phone anyway…) I think it’s a fabulous price. $100 for a phone that’s really a walkabout laptop. Yay!
Overall— When my Verizon account expires this month, I am all about purchasing either the Droid or the little sister Eris.
This test drive has been brought to you by Verizon. Carissa was given a Motorola Droid to use and enjoy for 4 weeks.How Can You Help Your Kids Learn & Love Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math?
March 3, 2010 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 1 Comment
I’m not going to lie to you. I hated math. I was never good at it in school. I signed up for an economics class my first semester of college and my TA, after trying to help me grasp a concept for over an hour, looked at me at asked in a really aggravated tone, “Why don’t you get this?” I was at a loss. Why didn’t I get it?
And science? Almost worse. My biggest claim to fame was when I lit my lawn on fire and subsequently burned the whole thing! It was so pretty! Isn’t science fun?
So, when I had two boys, I feared the day they’d come home and ask for help with their math or science homework or any homework that included numbers. Why? Because after learning that I sucked at math in college, I promptly petitioned my way out of it. Apparently, I wasn’t bad at writing and my petition was approved! But what that reinforced was my lack of confidence in all things mathematical—things I really do find fascinating and want to understand.
That is why last night’s #gno Twitter party was illuminating for me. I felt surrounded by brilliance as an entire community of parents and teachers and organizations came together to share tips, links, and awesome ideas for how to help your kids learn and love STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math).
Here are a few things I learned—quoted directly from the Twitter party—that I hope will help you as you teach your kids to learn and love all things STEM. If you choose to read one section, make sure to check out the resources at the bottom. This is chock full of links to help you help your kids!
Tips for Parents
- “Parents shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions. Keep the lines of communication open.” @PBSParents
- “Instead of assuming a child is “too young to understand”, try to find a more relatable way to explain it.” @bkjones
- “Modeling is important; esp. for older kids. If ur online all the time, they’ll assume it’s OK for them, too.” @PBSParents
- “The biggest thing to help your child with is for them to LEARN HOW TO FIGURE THINGS OUT. Applies to everything.” @RobynOHSH
- “If you don’t limit a child’s imagination, there are no limits – they can take you to the moon. Literally!” @geekmommy
- “Your backyard is a classroom waiting to be used.” @connectingwomen
- “Get out & find beauty of physics everywhere, computers are great, but hands on lessons hard to forget.” @coolchillmom
- “Share [with kids] stories of successes, and also those with failures but with a great learning lesson.” @connectingwomen
- “It’s not hard to get kids to think like scientists – just ask them “What do you think?” from the time they can speak!” @NoFlashcards
- “say, “I don’t know”, then follow up with “let’s find out.” @makeandtakes
Tips for Encouraging Girls to Love and Learn STEM Subjects
- “Encourage girls to get their hands dirty, to explore, to ask questions…to think like a scientist.” @PBSParents
- “Give girls books about science, construction, transportation, dinosaurs; not just princesses & ballerinas.” @amymcdurham
- “Many moms let dad do the fixing or hire handyman, do it yourself to show your daughter that she can do it.” @thesmartmama
STEM-Related Activities to Do With Your Children
- “A museum membership is more than investment, great for days when kids say ‘I’m bored.’” @geekmommy
- “Look for star gazing events in your area or do it in your own back yard.” @PBSParents
- “With math, help kids count everything: flowers in a vase, coins in ur purse, people in a store.” @PBSParents
- “Show kids how ice melts or water freezes. Let them see the mold on the cheese before throwing it away.” @PBSParents
- “For little ones, cut out shapes in pancakes. Point out shapes around your house.” @PBS Parents
- “Bath time: Let them see what sinks/floats. In the kitchen, let them see how an egg changes when it’s cooking.” @PBSParents
- “Find out what Geocaching is & make it a family outing.” @GeekMommy
- “Tell a story, history is full of great inventors, scientist, and builders that can inspire just like a good educator can.” @CoolChillMom
- “Play the ABC game w/ pre-k: go on walk and find natural things beginning w/ each letter-fun!” @sanborncamps
- “If you travel, get sciece museum or zoo membership with reciprocal benefits at other science museums.” @moneywisemoms
- “A simple magnifying glass can lead to great scientific exploration of a backyard.” @NoFlashcards
- “Unstructured time in nature is vital Let them climb trees make forts get an ouchie. It’s learning!” @ohboymama
- “Start an outdoor playgroup and discover w/ parents and kids math and science out there.” @activekidsclub
- “Start a Lego club, encourage trips to museums as field trips.” @RobynOHSH
- “Check out local nature centers. They’re free. Many libraries also have free science-related programs.” @PBSParents
- “For early engineering, paper crafting is great!” @pattyonovak
- “I buy my kids kits like Shrinky Dinks and Magic Rocks and Sea Monkeys to introduce science concepts. They love it.” @mammaloves
- “Puzzles, word searches, crosswords all great 4 teaching engineering – teaches strategy.” @pattyonovak
STEM-Related Resources
- Encourage your kids to keep a science notebook. Check out this post from The Kitchen Pantry Scientist for ideas.
- Make your kids aware of and help them get involved in World Math Day.
- Check out this PBS site for tips on engaging kids in science.
- Here’s some fun kids’ sites: Curious George, Sid the Science Kid, and Dinosaur Train.
- Here’s a link to STEM-related Activity Packs, which offer pre K-12 PBS resources and activity ideas.
- Click here to learn more about the Great American Campout Night?!
- Here are some great nature activities that are free and fun!
- Here’s a list of science museums around the country.
- Another great PBS resource is ZOOM. Has over 100 easy activities to do with your kids.
- Here’s an awesome post from Mommy Poppins on what to do on snow days.
- The Carrot Sticks website gives you a “Fun Way to Give Your Kids an Edge in Math.”
- Lots of great engineering activities at this engineering reality program for middle school.
- For teaching girls programming concept, check out the Alice website.
- Heres the National Science Foundations Top 5 Myths of Girls & Science.
- Don’t forget that the Arts and Music build the science mind!
Photo courtesy of Flickr.
Essentials for Traveling With Children
March 2, 2010 by TiaHejny · 1 Comment
By CanCan of MomMostTraveled.com
Though I do review travel gear, when thinking about “must-haves” for travel with children, it isn’t material items that come to mind.
Starting when my first child was seven weeks old, I have traveled with my children to places like the Bahamas, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, spending time to get to know each place beyond the guidebooks and at our own pace.
When I think about it, I don’t really buy anything special for use only during trips. We use sun clothing with UPF +50, but I also send them to school with it sometimes. Recently we have made trips without the child carrier or even a stroller, but there was a time when we used those too.
I often pick our destinations on a whim or based on a good ticket price. Next I read about the history of the place, which in Asia can span back thousands of years.
Searching out specific things to do is actually my last priority, and I think that when traveling in an uncertain place where real life happens, this is actually a strength.
I guess you could say that my first “essential” is to be relaxed. Do what needs to be done to keep your family safe and fed, but be prepared to take detours and enjoy the unexpected.
The second essential is like the first: be flexible. There will always be times when things don’t go as planned. Usually these are things that provide hilarious stories once you get home! Sure, it is frustrating in the moment when the double room turns out to be 2 twin beds instead of 2 queens, you are forced to share your “day train” seat with a goat, or you can’t stomach the regional specialty. But it is the shared experiences, the awkward and the enjoyable, that cause you to stretch and grow as an individual while bonding more closely as a family.
Lastly, lead by example in showing your family that learning and doing new things is what traveling is all about. I didn’t set out with a goal to eat a plate of deep-fried crickets, but I did it, and lived to tell the tale.
What I really want my kids to learn through travel is that you can find adventure in the everyday. It doesn’t have to be a theme park or other manufactured environment to be thrilling.
Life is happening and everyone does everyday things a little differently. That is the beauty of traveling with eyes wide open rather than scanning the pages of a guide.
About CanCan and MomMostTraveled.com:
CanCan is the mother of two strapping young boys; Jojo (born 10/04) and Deeds (born 8/07). They have logged in lots of miles, traveling around the globe.
Since 2002, CanCan has flown between Asia and the USA fourteen times (and counting…).
Mom Most Traveled imparts the wisdom gained from experience on the road with my children. Read about my triumphs and mistakes, and be armed with information to have the best travel experience possible!
What kind of baby food can I buy in Laos? Are there disposable diapers in Thailand? Mom Most Traveled is continually adding more information about child-friendly activities at each destination, as well as available infant and child care items.
Parenting Question: What Would You Do If Your Child Went Missing for 3 Hours?
February 27, 2010 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 9 Comments
Awhile ago, I wrote a post after my boys had gone missing in the neighborhood for about 45 minutes. At the end of that post, I asked a similar question to this post’s title: What would you do if your child(ren) went missing?
What’s prompting me to ask that question again today is a little jaunt down memory lane.
When I was 8-years old, I wanted to go shopping. The mall was 15-20 minutes from my house. My mom was gone. I was left home to babysit my 4-year-old sister. Leaving an 8-year old home alone could be fodder for an entirely different post, but I’ll stick to the point. I had to be resourceful. When a girl “needs” to go shopping, a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do, right? For me, that meant calling our local taxi company and hiring a cab to take me, my 7-year-old girlfriend, and my 4-year old sister to said mall. I.WAS.EIGHT!
A little background. My grandma was an alcoholic. She had lost her driver license and so whenever we visited and she wanted to take us anywhere, we’d always have to go in a taxi. It was the only reason I would have been exposed to them as they weren’t abundant in the city of Mesa, Arizona in the 70s. I thought it was totally normal for a person who couldn’t drive to use one to get somewhere they desperately needed to go—like the mall!
Back to the story!
Part of my being resourceful also included borrowing some of my dad’s money and figuring out how to not have the neighbors get in the way of me reaching my final destination. The solution? To have the taxi pick us up in an adjacent neighborhood about three blocks away in front of a stranger’s house.
Mission accomplished!
We spent 2 1/2 glorious hours at the mall. I only had about $3 to spend, so I bought my sister some earrings. Tell me if I wasn’t the most thoughtful sister evs. I didn’t make sure she left the house with shoes on and she ended up shoeless on our journey to the mall, but I bought her earrings. Doesn’t shopping trump everything?
Back to the homestead. My parents had returned home shortly after we had left. My mom called my friend’s house, looking for us. She went around the neighborhood. She started getting worried. And then she found it. My clue! See… I wasn’t totally cold hearted. I didn’t want my mom to worry…too much! So, I wrote a note: “Mom, I’m going to Reed Park… in a taxi.” Sure, it was a half truth, but that last part was all the clue it took for her to call our local Dial-A-Ride and find out about our adventure.
The taxi driver dropped us off exactly where he picked us up, which required us to walk 3 blocks back to our house. We had lots of stares and heard lots of whispers as we made the trek. I didn’t really have a chance to make a grand entrance or say goodbye to my friend when we reached my lawn, because I was whisked away by my nervous mom who marched me right down to my bedroom.
I wasn’t allowed to play with my friend EVER again. Apparently, her mom thought I was a bad influence. WHAT? I was resourceful!!! I saw a need and I met it with limited resources and only a pinch of stealing and lying.
The up side: My sister’s feet returned to their original color. Her ears glistened with the new earrings. I had a huge adventure notch on my belt. And I had given my parents a wild ride! Everyone’s looking for a little something to spice up their life, right? That was me: life spicer upper!
But no matter how many positive spins I put on this story, the fact of the matter is that while I knew I was a shopping diva, in my parents’ eyes, they had two daughters who were MISSING, which was more than quite a scare!
What would you do if your child went missing for 3 hours?
Giveaway! Fishful Thinking Prize Pack With a Canon Digital Camera ($250 ARV)
January 28, 2010 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 386 Comments
What activities do you do with your kids to spend quality time together and guide them to reach their full potential? Fishful Thinking is a program sponsored by Pepperidge Farm that provides resources, tips, and activities for raising healthy and optimistic children.
Click here to join the #gno Twitter party this Tuesday 2/2 from 9-11 PM EST with Pepperidge Farm Fishful Thinking to share parenting advice and activities with other moms and Dr. Karen Reivich, renowned Positive Psychologist.
Prizes
One winner will receive a Fishful Thinking prize pack, which includes one Canon digital camera to capture life’s precious moments and “The Optimistic Child,” co-authored by Dr. Karen Reivich. ($250 Approximate Retail Value)
Extra Entries
To enter for a chance to win the Fishful Thinking prize pack giveaway, you must do the following and leave a corresponding comment and link on this post:
- Follow @PepperidgeFarm on Twitter.
- Visit FishfulThinking.com and find your favorite activity (found under each of the five ingredients). Tweet the name of the activity and a link to that activity. Include the #fishfulthinking hashtag. Here is an example:
My favorite #fishfulthinking activity is Praise with Purpose http://bit.ly/7UYYz6 What’s yours? #fishfulthinking #gno
- Tweet the following:
Discuss positive parenting & connect w/ moms Tues., 2/2 (9-11 pm ET) @ #gno! RSVP: http://bit.ly/bOsFEk #fishfulthinking
Extra Entry
Complete the following option to earn one extra entry for each tweet for a total of two extra entries. Make sure to leave separate comments for each with corresponding links to the tweet(s) on this post.
- Tweet the following:
Check out what 1,100 moms said about parenting on the #fishfulthinking Parenting Survey: http://bit.ly/4Q7LvH #gno
GIVEAWAY! Enter 2 win @pepperidgefarm #FishfulThinking Prize Pack incl digi camera ($250 ARV). http://bit.ly/cedSUa #gno PLS RT
Terms and Conditions
No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly. Mom It Forward and Pepperidge Farm employees are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Wednesday, February 3 at midnight PT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the US and Canada 18 years and older. One entry per person.
For a complete listing of sweepstakes terms and conditions, please click here.
Full disclosure: Mom It Forward, Inc. offers brands sponsorship opportunities, which include giveaways.
Join #gno Tuesday to Share Your Parenting Tips With Pepperidge Farm Fishful Thinking
January 27, 2010 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 13 Comments
As a mom, your schedule is packed, your life is a balancing act and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the daily demands of parenthood. But, did you know that there are easy tips and fun activities that you can do to build key skills like optimism and resilience in your kids? And, that you can do this while enriching the little moments you have with your children?
Fishful ThinkingSM is a program sponsored by Pepperidge Farm that provides resources, tips, and activities for raising happy, healthy children. Pepperidge Farm teamed with Dr. Karen Reivich, a leader in positive psychology research, and a mother of four, to provide parents with resources, tips, and activities they can use to help kids tackle life’s obstacles.
Who do you go to for parenting advice? Join us for a night connecting with other moms to share tips and activities for positive parenting! Join us here at #gno on February 2 from 9-11PM EST with Dr. Karen Reivich, the Mom It Forward gals, and the Fishful Thinking team to share a night of parenting support!
- What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
- When: Tuesday, February 2, 9-11 p.m. EST (8CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
- Where: Click here to party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtags #gno and #fishfulthinking.)
- Topic: Fishful Thinking: A Resource for Positive Parenting
- Who: @1momof5 @cecilyr @karenreivich @noflashcards @pepperidgefarm @sarah0514 @sitsgirls @springtacious @ssmirnov @reneejross @rockandrollmama @writingthewaves @youngmommy
- Party Favors: Click here to enter for a chance to win this week’s giveaway from Pepperidge Farm Fishful Thinking. Deadline: 2/3
- RSVP: Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jyl_momIF). If you would like to include your blog, please enter it next to your name. Make sure to include your twitter URL in the URL line. Please do not enter your blog URL there.
X
Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.
Teaching Your Kids to Save, Spend, and Share
January 26, 2010 by TiaHejny · 4 Comments
By Eulalie Scandiuzzi
Imagine how different the economy would be today if every child knew the basic pillars of financial money management, saving, spending and sharing, as commonly as “stop, look and listen.”
Starting a conversation about money with kids can be tricky. But, here are six tips for parents to teach their kids to save, spend and share their allowances—even at a young age.
- Start with a visual tool. Most children, beginning at age 4 or 5, are visual learners, so using a hands-on tool like a bank with three compartments—one for saving, spending and sharing each, can better help them learn responsible money management.
- Make money a “yes” conversation. Use pictures to help your kids visualize their goals and then prioritize what they are saving for, what they want to spend their money on, and with whom or with what they want to share their money.
- Discuss wants vs. needs. As you set goals, identifying objects that represent “wants” and “needs” helps to overcome the desire for instant gratification.
- Allow mistakes. Children, like adults, learn from making mistakes. From time to time, allow your child to buy a toy you believe will not be enjoyed very long, for example. Sure, they may be disappointed in a few weeks, but many lessons can be learned from this experience. Encourage them, without guilt, to plan their future purchases, weigh the cost and the benefit of their choices and to think twice next time, even sleep on it.
- Encourage philanthropy. Help your children understand that they are part of a larger world community through discussions about sharing their money and/or donating time to causes of their choosing. Volunteering as a family is a great activity for all to participate, learn and grow.
- Be a good role model. Make sure your children see you doing the things that you are teaching them. Let them in on your bill paying, savings and investment plans and charitable giving. Discuss your attitudes and philosophies about money and tell them your dreams for how your money can fuel your passions.
For more on Eulalie Scandiuzzi and tips and hands-on tools for teaching your kids responsible money management, including an allowance how-to, visit www.moonjar.com.
Balancing Life 101 Part 2
January 25, 2010 by TiaHejny · 3 Comments
By Camille of www.makeitworkmom.com
The most important thing to remember as you try to balance a career and motherhood is that you’re not in this alone. You have to depend on other players to help you get through your day, and retain your sanity. Depending on your situation, your “teammates” may be different people.
If you’re married, you’re working as a team with your husband in raising your children, so it’s very important to keep the lines of communication open in order to decide which role you will each play.
- Negotiate the workload. At a time when stress levels are low, and both of you are able to focus on the conversation, determine who will be responsible for which chores around the house. If kids needs to be taken to extracurricular activities after school or in the evenings, decide who will be the chauffeur and when. You don’t have to be expected to do everything by yourself.
- Go on date nights. Of course, it’s important to build that partnership/relationship with your husband. So, take time away from being “parents” to focus on your relationship as husband and wife, even if it’s ordering dinner in, and talking, after the kids go to sleep.
If you’re a single mom, it may be easier to feel alone in your quest because you’re the sole provider and the sole parent at home. However, you must realize that there are other people on whom you can depend.
- Recognize your daycare provider. It’s important to feel comfortable with your child’s daycare provider so you can focus at work and not worry about your child’s safety or happiness. Take some time to do something nice for this special person who cares for your offspring every day. Make a treat, give a gift, offer a monetary “tip” every once in a while with a card to thank them for making your life more manageable during the day.
- Network with other working moms. For some reason, it feels better to know we’re not the only ones in a certain situation. Collaborate with friends or co-workers who are in your similar circumstance for tips or suggestions on how they handle things. Also, there are many networking websites for working moms like www.workingmother.com.
- Keep close ties with your family members. Your children’s success and happiness in life comes largely from their associations with exemplary people. Assuming your family fits this description, your kids will definitely benefit from spending time with them. Besides, your family knows your particular situation. They love you and they love your children and are willing to help out in any way. So, ask for help if you feel overwhelmed. If anything, I’m sure your mother wouldn’t mind a phone call every once in a while, asking for advice.
About the Author: Camille is a thirty-something mommy with two beautiful daughters, Ad and C8, living in two worlds. By day, she works full-time as an employment recruiter/ staffing supervisor, with a 100-mile daily commute, living in a world governed by policies and professionalism. And by night, she transforms into a mother, living in a world where everything is governed by “Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Moe” and fun. Like so many other moms, she wishes she could stay at home with them, but certain situations require her to work full-time. To learn more about Camille visit www.makeitworkmom.comor contact her via twitter @makeitworkmom.
Handmade and Personalized Family Christmas Stockings
December 13, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 6 Comments
When I was 4 years old, my mom made each member of our family stockings that looked like us. Mine had two brown ponytails and freckles. My dad’s had black hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a long tie. They were made out of felt and fabric and each year, my mom hung them on the wall in the most prominent place in the house.
X
X
We always looked forward to the time she’d pull them out of the box and begged for them to be the first Christmas decoration to go up. With each new child, she’d make a new stocking to add to the mix until today, we have 8 stockings, each resembling the members of my family.
X
Last year, my sisters got together to make similar stockings for their families. I wasn’t able to go, so my sister made two just for my boys. As we brought these out this year along with the other Christmas decorations, I recognized the excitement I felt growing up for “my” Christmas stocking.
What fun holiday traditions do you have?
The Grand America Hotel & The Melting Pot Give Moms a Much Needed Time Out
December 10, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 1 Comment
When you think of taking a time out, do you think of a place children go or a space they take when they are in trouble? I know I do. But, isn’t the concept behind time outs more about kids needing a break from others, their surroundings, or even you, their mom?
Having some alone time gives perspective, breaks up the routine, and enables kids the opportunity to reflect before jumping back into a situation. And isn’t the same true for adults? The only difference is no one is there to force us to take these much needed breaks.
Last weekend, I experienced as close to that as it comes, but it wasn’t for being in trouble and it provided 100% of the break that I needed.
The Grand America Hotel and Spa offered me and four of my friends (Carina, Marie, Janet, and Allison) the opportunity to stay at their five-diamond hotel overnight to check out their digs and take advantage of their spa treatments. Then, The Melting Pot, which happened to be located right across the street, offered to treat us to dinner. I’d put myself in time out every day if this is what it would be like! And, the weekend put me just in the right spot to return to life in general better prepared to tackle the upcoming week, be a better mom, and deal with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
The Experience
Three things in particular made this the best time out evah: X
- Friends. Sharing common experiences makes life so much richer. When you do that with quality people—people who are uplifting, inspiring, and amazing individuals—it adds to the experience and makes you strive to be a better person as well. While the hotel and restaurant couldn’t have provided this element, they did provide an environment where friendship could flourish. The Melting Pot didn’t wince when our dinner turned into a 4-hour affair. The servers had personality, accommodated our many and varied requests, and didn’t make us feel like we had extended our welcome. The Grand America offered a generous suite and an extended check-out time so we could stay up all night talking and sleep in (and we did both!).
X 
Food/Drink. The Melting Pot’s Alpine Ridge dinner for two (drooling as I think of the cheese fondue!) and The Grand America Garden Restaurant’s buffet didn’t leave us hungry, but who were we to turn down the welcome basket of treats The Grand America left for us or the sparkling lemonade waiting as we exited our massages? What’s a girl to do, right?
X- Massage. I’ve had a lot of free massages in my life for one reason or another, so I am comparing apples to apples when I write this next statement. The duet massage at The Grand Spa was the BEST.MASSAGE.OF.MY.LIFE. I don’t even know how to put into words what this experience was like. To describe it briefly, two massage therapists work on your body in tandem. Some times, they are doing the exact techniques on opposite sides—one on the right arm, the other on the left, for example. And at other times, they are working together but on different parts of the body—one on the head, the other on the feet. It is a complete trip, a total escape, allowing you to deeply relax. Talk about stress reducing. Suffice it to say that the duet massage was worth every ounce of time spent this weekend and I’m plotting ways to cover the $210 for future appointments (yes! that was plural!).
How You Can Take an Amazing Time Out at a Discount
And right now for the Holidays, The Melting Pot in Salt Lake City, UT is offering an amazing dining deal. Guests who purchase $100 in Gift Cards get a Holiday Gift of four $25 cards that may be used quarterly throughout 2010. But you must come in to the restaurant for purchase, call 521-MELT or email tj@utahmeltingpot.com. (They have extended Holiday hours!)
And if that’s not enough to tempt you, check this out! Use this discount code for your next stay at The Grand America. Follow this link for and exclusive room rate of $100 off! Or mention “Social Media” at the Grand Spa and get 20% off your spa treatment. Hopefully this will help you enjoy a fabulous spa getaway without breaking the bank. Here’s to a much needed time out for all of you and a relaxing holiday season!
