Hello folks!

Here is the lastest news from our community forums:

• Which shapes our personality more:  Nature or Nurture or both?
• Care.com and Sittercity.com — have you used these services?  What do you think?
• Thursday Throwdown — What’s buggin ya?
• Tech toys — what are your must-have tech items this year?

Join in on the fun!  As always, we are an open community and love new members, thoughts and opinions!

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Sweater, n.:  garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.  ~Ambrose Bierce

If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?  ~Milton Berle

A mom forgives us all our faults, not to mention one or two we don’t even have.  ~Robert Brault

Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother’s love is not.  ~James Joyce

All mothers are working mothers.  ~Author Unknown

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after. ~Peter De Vries

It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn’t. ~Barbara Kingsolver

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We live in the age of technology.  On all of our devices:  computers, laptops, hand-held gaming devices, smart phones, tablets and game consoles we can play games, watch movies, television shows and listen to music.

When I was a kid, (back in the 80′s) we had cable television; I remember enjoying Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and PBS.  I had my television-watching times just like any other kid.  I didn’t have video games but only because the gaming industry was fairly new and the internet?  Well, that was non-existent at the time.  Regardless, when I was a kid, what I really wanted was to be outside and play with my friends or ride my bike from sun up to sun down.

That was back then…

Now, we have more cable shows than I personally could have ever imagined when I was a kid.  We have more technology devices that keep us tuned in to some things and tuned out to others.  My oldest son got a 3DS for Christmas 2011.  My husband and I had to make a rule stating that he is not allowed to play his DS before school (because he’ll lollygag upon getting dressed) and that he can only play it once his homework is done, after school.

With that being said — how much is too much when it comes to video games and technology?  Can we solely blame McDonald’s or the preprocessed food industry for the obesity/ inactivity epidemic in the United States? Does some of the blame belong to the sedentary lifestyle we have some how come to adopt as a society?

Case in point, a few months ago I brought my youngest son in for his well-child visit.  The doctor was amazed at how healthy he was and “on point” weight wise.  He said that most kids are somewhat overweight and that parents need to actually push their children to do intentional activity for an hour a day.  It never used to be that way.

As a parent, I am worried about something bad happening to my children while they are out of my sight.  It seems that there are more creepers out there today than there ever used to be.  As a result, I feel much safer when they are within my line of sight.  With that said, I find myself advocating that my kids go outside and play anywhere other than the safety of our fenced in backyard.  Maybe i’m not the only parent who feels this way?

Fellow parents, chime in:  what do you think about television and video games?  How do they fit into your kid’s lives?

As you can see the site has a nice design and a very good organization.  This helps to make it quick and easy to find the games you want to play!  They also have forums where you can go and meet others who play the games and give feedback!

For me, the end of the holiday season is kind of sad and kind of a relief. We experience all of this build up to the holidays and then in a blink they pass us by, leaving us to wonder where the time went. Of course, we know where it all went… Busy = time flying by. Now, we’re left with torn wrapping paper and empty toy boxes galore. Our bank accounts are also leaner.

So, where do we go from here?

Take some time out for you. The holiday season is one where we moms think about others non-stop. Does Johnny want a Transformer toy or a Mario toy? Will Aunt Judith like the bread pudding if I put raisins in it? My husband hates pumpkin pie… so what is a good alternative? Oh crap, I forgot I need more wrapping tape! On and on it goes and by the end of it all we are happy because we have made others happy but we’re also exhausted.

So mom, take some time out for yourself at the start of this year. Join a gym and get into shape, pick an area of the house to organize and clean (if cleaning relaxes you that is), go get your hair done, a manicure, a pedicure or have a mom’s night out with friends!

Looking for a sassy New Year’s Eve frock? Savings.com can help you find a great deal!

Year end festivities (Christmas, New Year’s, etc.) are in the full planning and prep stage! For myself, I still need to get our Christmas Day dinner vittles. My husband and I have not yet discussed what we will be doing with the kids for New Year’s.

On my holiday wish list? Well, i’m hoping to get perfume and a subscription to one of my favorite websites. My list is always pretty small. There isn’t a whole lot I really want. I am quite cozy just watching the kids and hubs open gifts. While I do enjoy getting great gifts, my passion is giving. I love giving and this is the perfect time of year to do so!

What is on your Christmas list this year? Do you have any last minute shopping to do? Has all of your online purchases come in?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

As much as I love Christmas and shopping, i’m not sure that I really enjoy the two together at least — not in the month of December.  For one thing, large crowds at stores usually mean that I won’t really get a chance to think about what i’m shopping for (as large crowds of people in stores generally mean that shoppers are moved along like cattle).  You get all of 2.2-seconds to look at an item before you become “in the way”.

As the big day will be upon us shortly and i’m not quite done with my Christmas shopping yet — I have come up with a list of great last minute gifts that won’t have you fighting the crowds!

1.  Amazon.com Gift Card  — Great for someone who owns a Kindle and / or who absolutely loves shopping online.

2.  Lynda.com Subscription — Got a technology / web geek in the family?  He or she will love you for this!

3.  berries.com (aka Shari’s Berries) –  Have it delivered by Christmas!  Cute and unique gift baskets with delectable treats!

4.  Christmas goodies basket — Now this one truly comes from the heart! Make a little gift basket and fill it up with delicious Christmas cookies and candy treats.

5.  Mixed CD — Got some great tunes?  Make a special holiday mixed CD for the loved on in your life.  They can enjoy it in the car on the way to work or school.

6.  Tigerdirect.com Gift Card — for the person in your life who loves electronics!

7.  FragranceNet.com — You can get some lovely name brand perfume or cologne for discounted prices.

Of course, when all else fails and you find yourself racing to find a last minute gift on the way to a party or get-together, you can always stop at your local Walgreen’s or CVS Pharmacy.  They usually have some neat items that would make great Christmas gifts!

Merry Christmas everyone and happy shopping!

Here are some ornament ideas that use fingerprints or hand prints that will help capture the days when they were little. As usual with these posts, clicking on the picture will take you to the website with directions on how to complete the projects.

 These snowmen are made by dipping fingers into paint and pressing them onto the ornament, details are drawn on after the fingerprints have dried.

  This ornament is similar in details, but the whole finger is used, instead of just the traditional fingerprint.

This one is great for capturing the hands of a really little one. Even the youngest of babies can take part in Christmas ornaments this year!

This one is a little more involved, as it is made with clay. The plus side of that is that you get to get creative with shapes and colors.

This one is another basic print with drawn on details, but this time it’s reindeer instead of snowmen.

You can take these ideas and expand on them if you’re feeling creative. We hope you enjoy the crafty ornament ideas and have some lovely new decoration on your tree this year!

I am giving Wal-Mart a big thumbs down this morning.

I went there to get a few items on my Christmas list. Normally, I try to shop at Target, Meijer or Kmart (really anywhere other than Wal-Mart) but found myself to be intrigued about the many television ads featuring Wal-Mart’s so-called AMAZING layaway.

Well, fellow parents, I am here to tell you that Wal-Mart’s layaway policy sucks and that you are pretty much better off putting your purchases on a credit card if you cannot afford the presents up front.

Here’s why:

1. You cannot put an item below $15 on layaway. SO that means each item has to be $15 or more.
2. You cannot put clothes on layaway.
3. Layaway officially ends on December 16th.
4. You have to pay a ridiculous $5.80 fee just to put stuff on layaway (this fee DOES NOT go toward your purchases).

Here’s the thing– I am pretty sure I am not the only parent out there who sees Christmas as an opportunity to buy their children things OTHER THAN toys — like pajamas (for instance), or cheap kiddie watches. Not to mention, some of the smaller toys are under the $15 limit.

I had my cart filled with all kinds of stuff and i’m sure my grand total would have been well over $300. But because of Wal-Mart’s crappy layaway policy, I only laid a few things away and put the rest back. They lost out on $200.

In conclusion, I tried out Wal-Mart’s Layaway and found their policy to be extremely restrictive and ridiculous. If Wal-Mart really wanted to help their customers be more economical this holiday season, they would revise their Layaway policy. As it is, the only people benefiting from Wal-Mart’s Layaway policy is Wal-Mart — customers be damned.

So — I urge you good parents to think twice before shopping at Wal-Mart or using their Layaway. I don’t know about you — but as a customer I am tired for “paying the price” for Wal-Mart’s greed.

Every year, there are certain toys that make the list of “hot toys”. Our children however, are pretty fickle in nature and so hot toys really do find themselves “in” one minute and “out” the next. Still, for us parents, we want to make sure that our children have toys that they love and if it is a popular toy, then all the better!

Here are the current “Hot Toys” for the 2011 Christmas season:

1. Lego Ninjago
My son in particular has been raving over this particular toy group since this summer. His favorite part? The Lego Ninja minifigures!

2. Moshi Monsters
Moshi-what? Little squatty and colorful monsters who have their own action figures, books and Nintendo DS games.

3. Leapster Touch or LeapPad
So popular that they are sold out EVERYWHERE. Even Amazon.com has run out of them (though if you want one really bad, there are sellers who are reselling them for twice the price). The manufacturer has said that the shelves will have to remain empty until February 2012. In the meantime, you might want to try the vTech Innotab which has expandable memory/space and is able to play video and MP3 (something that the LeapPad is currently incapable of).

4. Sesame Street – Let’s Rock Elmo!
Folks, Elmo has done it again. That furry little red guy is rocking out and making kids smile everywhere.

5. Monster High
The new dolls on the block are a cross between Bratz and the Addams Family. Definitely cute and all the rage for 2011. Move on over Barbie Doll!

6. Angry Birds Plushies
When your 3 year old says that he wants an “Angry Bird plushie” for Christmas, you know that the toy must be a hot one! Err… either that or they are really good at advertising.

7. Lalaloopsy Dolls
Cute dolls with silly pink hair in ropes.

8. Halo action figures
No longer just a video game — the re-released video game of Halo has also turned into action figures and vehicles.

9. Razor A Kick Scooter
Santa got these for my kiddos last year! Best. present. ever.

10. Crayola Model Magic Jewelry Studio
Your little one will love to make gorgeous jewelry!