Although I seem to spend more time reading a screen than I do a book, reading for me is a given. How would I function if I could not read?

In our family, reading happens everywhere…except the bathroom. I am not a book-in-the-bathroom person. Ewww. We have bookcases in every room except the bathroom.

It’s summer so the kids have days when they are voracious readers and days when they are not. My summer reading tips are as follows:

• Buy books. Yes, I know books are expensive, but kids love to reread old classics or new stories. Invest in books.
• Get each child a library card. Make sure you and your husband have library cards. Carry your library card in your purse or wallet.
• Visit the library regularly for storytimes or summer reading programs.
• Join summer reading programs at the library or bookstores.
• Shop consignment stores for books. I picked up 12 of the 13 Lemony Snicket books for about $10. I found The Complete Wreck (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-13) on amazon for $94.50!
• Shop Goodwill for books.
• Go through your book collection at home. Pull out books that are too young for your child. Move books that are too young to a younger child’s bedroom.
• Buy each child a bookcase or shelf for their bedroom.
• Create screen-free areas in your house. Our living room does not a TV. There is a CD player if kids want to listen to books on CD. Our girls have laptops, but each child has reading time where the screens are turned off.
• Read the newspaper, read a book, read a menu, read the phone book — read anything while your little kids are in the room.
• For long car trips or lengthy visits to the doctor, have kids pack a book or a puzzle book to do while they wait.

Are you a blogger with kids? Check out this fabulous I Can Read contest over at Twittermoms!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get an “I Can Read!” book. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

I know that I need to ensure that my kids behave. I use whatever means I have at my disposal. When the kids were little, taking a special toy away or not letting my child have dessert was enough to get the children back to acting correctly. But, my children are older and their special toys are cell phones and computer use. The kids know that I can take away the phone whenever I need to.

Some parents who are frightened to discipline their children would never take away their child’s phone. I worry about kids who have permissive parents. Sadly these are the same parents who will buy alcohol for a teen party to “keep the teens at their house and off the roads.” Shudder.

At the Cox Teen Summit on Internet and Cellphone Safety, @KeyInfluencer, the moderator, shared that in his house their are two kind of cellphones. I attended the summit a week or so ago. James Andres told the teens, moms, and dads in the audience, and special guest John Walsh that in his house the “cell phone with the bells and whistles” is for kids who behave and get good grades. The “cell phone that only makes voice calls” is the phone his kids get if their behavior is not what it should be. LOVE THIS IDEA!!!

Our kids’ cell phones were purchased as a way for the kids to contact my husband and I. If the kids use the phones to chat or text friends that is a bonus. The kids know that we are in charge of the phones.

Are you in control of your child’s cell phone or are they?

Some hits and some misses:

Hits

• Apples to Apples Junior — easy enough for 7-year-old, but still fun for the 14-year-old. She prefers the older version of Apples to Apples. Her brother finds the older version frustrating as the words are a little too challenging.
• Candyland — short and sweet. We’ve had a few squirmishes over the Queen Frostine card over the years. I made the mistake of letting my daugther find the Queen Frostine card one too many times. She wasn’t happy when someone else got the card.
• Elefun — great game for the 5 and unders.
• Monopoly Junior Edition — short and sweet. Easy-to-follow rules.
• Bananagrams — A free form Scrabble. Play as a group or divide letters to play individually
• Twister. Love this game. I wish I was a tad bit more limber. I usually can do two feet and 1 hand, but collapse after I have to move to another color. Kids think it is hilarious!

Misses

• Mousetrap. Kids love it, but in all the years we have played the mousetrap has NEVER worked correctly. My kids at 5 would get so frustrated when the “ball down the shoot” did not work.
• Monopoly — I just don’t care about buying houses, properties, at all.
• Any game based on a TV show is a huge miss. The games are overly complicated. Kids argue over who gets to be Gabriella and Troy.
• Hasbro Operation — Have you ever been able to get the rubberband on the appendix?? Again a very frustrating game for adults, let alone kids!

What are your faves? Duds?

My son’s motto is “Have Nerf. Be ready.”

In the spring my son began his birthday talk. My children like to talk about their birthday from the moment the last birthday ends. Oh and you know how much I lurve hearing about birthday plans for an entire year. Not.

My son was fixated on a Nerf birthday. Was there such a concept? How would I go about a Nerf party? I consulted my offline network of friends. I have a large-ish network in western Howard County. One friend suggested checking out Airmania.

Hmmm. I had heard of Airmania. But, did they have the Nerf Dart Tag? An internet search, phone call with a quick date check and we were set!

Nerf gun dart wars while jumping on inflatables is awesome for the under 10 set. The above photo shows my son waiting to ambush someone at Airmania. My teen, tween, and their tween cousins had fun, too.

The kids bounced for 80 minutes with 40 minutes in the party room. I chose a weekday party due to our crazy weekend schedule. For the weekend parties, you share the facility with another birthday/party group, which breaks down to 40 minutes on one side of the bounce area with another 40 minutes on the other area.

Airmania is huge — 8-10 bouncy houses/structures plus basketball nets and hockey table. I loved that our birthday party group had the entire place to ourselves!

There was zero cleanup for me as the Airmania assistant supervised the kids while playing and sorted out the cake and juice part. The assistant orchestrated the present opening, too. We left with one tired, but happy boy!

I have one Nerf Dart Tag Capture the Flag Set for one lucky Musings from Me reader! Have your own Nerf Dart Tag battle at home or in your backyard. One comment = one entry. Leave a comment for a chance to win a Nerf Dart Tag Capture the Flag Set.

Required Entry — Leave a comment

My thought was fireflies. We had not hunted for fireflies yet. So I had the warring thoughts of “early bedtime” jousting with “it’s summer…stop being so rigid.”

As we pulled up the driveway, I leaned back and said “How about hunting fireflies?” He was thrilled. The thoughts of the neat and tidy early bedtime were replaced by the hunt for bugs using new Backyard Safari Outfitters Bug Wrangler’s Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum.

Whew, that’s a mouthful, isn’t it? But, I was intrigued by how the Backyard Safari Bug Vacuum would work. How would it suck up the bugs without hurting the bugs? Would my son be gentle?

I listened as my son assured me that he would not hurt any bugs. He told me that he planned to suck up the bugs carefully and then gently release them. I must admit that in the past we have caught fireflies with our hands, trapped them in the bug catcher, and forgotten about them until the next firefly expedition. Poor little bugs.

This time we were a well-oiled machine. I chased after the fireflies with the bug net. My son found the fireflies more easily with his eagle eyes. He sucked up his fireflies with the Bug Wrangler’s Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum. I swatted at mine with the bug net. Between us we caught and released about 7 fireflies.

Once sucked up in to the Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum, the fireflies glowed brightly. My son swiveled the magnifier to see the fireflies more clearly. We released all of the fireflies by opening the vent on the Bug Vacuum.

Our successful night back to nature ended with a rabbit hopping through our yard!

The Description:

Backyard Safari™ Outfitters the Bug Wranglers Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum

There are THOUSANDS of crawling, flying, buzzing bugs in your backyard – catch them LIVE with your Bug Vac! Look at bugs UP-CLOSE with built-in magnifying Glass! CAPTURE CORE attaches to the Bug Habitat (sold separately) for easy transfer of your insects.

The Features:

• 2 CATCH & RELEASE CAPTURE CORES WITH BUILT IN MAGNIFYING GLASS
• PLUS: EXTRA NOSE CONE FOR THE REALLY BIG BUGS

Who Is It for:

Age 5 & Up

Price:

$19.99

Where can you buy the Backyard Safari™ Outfitters the Bug Wranglers Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum: Summit Toys. Amazon.com has another Backyard Safari Bug Vacuum model for $26.

I was given a selection of Backyard Safari toys for my children to play with. We also received a Backyard Safari Cargo Vest with umpteen pockets and a Backyard Outfitters Land & Water Mega View Periscope. The Periscope is a hit with all the kids…including the teen. She has taken to using it to see who is watching what on TV or who is downstairs in the hallway while she is upstairs. I love it when older kids find something fun in a new toy. And yes, my tween decided she needed to use the Cargo Vest as part of a costume for a play she is writing. Crazy kids + free time + summer = creative summer fun ideas

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We had a few AWFUL “first time at the movies” experiences.

I took my then-3-year-old to see Tarzan. In the first 5 minutes Tarzan’s mom and dad are mauled and killed by a tiger off screen. Lots of roaring. 3 yo kept saying “Where Tarzan’s Mom and Dad?”

I took the same child to see Elmo in Grouchland at the movie theater. Within 5 minutes Elmo’s blanket fell down Oscar the Grouch’s trash can or maybe it was the sewer. In any event 3 yo cried so hard, one of us had to go to the car for her blankie.

Other odd movies we took kids to. Lilo & Stitch — 4 yo was scared of Stitch when he froths at the mouth.

I took my 1-year-old to see Because of Winn Dixie at a Mommy-Me showing. All the other moms brought babies who slept through the movie. My 1-year-old climbed up and down the steps. Wouldn’t eat any of the snacks. Was loud. He watched about 5 minutes of the movie.

You all know that I am passionate about online safety and I promote Yoursphere to everyone I meet. Yoursphere is a site where my teen can exercise her creativity by writing and getting her peers to comment on her writing…my tween can create spheres about subjects that she is passionate about, like Converse sneakers and Silly Bandz…and my kid can play a game where zombies attack vegetables. Yes, I said vegetables! He was roaring with laughter as he told me how the zombie tried to stomp on the broccoli. Yoursphere has a little something for every kid!

So about those two things…

1. The founder of Yoursphere — Mary Kay Hoal, mom of 5 and internet entrepreneur — auditioned for her own Oprah show. Yes, that’s right Mary Kay wants to strut her stuff on TV! Mary Kay’s idea for a show centers around finding ways for families to talk about online safety. As a mom, I know that my kids go the internet before they research a project, play a game, contact a friend, etc. I want to find ways to talk to my kids about staying safe on the internet. Mary Kay’s video focuses on conversations you could have with little kids, big kids, and the moms in your neighborhood about staying safe online. To vote for her to be chosen to have an Oprah TV show, go here.
2. If you want to learn more about Yoursphere, go here. Yoursphere is now FREE. That’s right…Free…no membership fees…no messages about “your account has expired”…just a FREE service for kids to play and parents to relax knowing their child is safe. I have a FREE code — YSMC-0051 — for you to use to get the FREE membership. You do not need the code to join, but if you use the code you will be entered in to a drawing for a $50 gift card. It’s a win-win…your child or children get a FREE service to play on and you get a chance at winning a gift card! Use Code YSMC-0051!

I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review.

• The doctor’s office…waiting for our name to be called.
• The car dealership…clockwatching until the repair was done.
• The supermarket…sitting not so patiently in the shopping cart.
• In the van…running errands that were endless.

With my girls in tow I did all of these outings without benefit of a cell phone, car DVD player, Nintendo DS, itouch, #VerizonPalmPrePlus, or smartphone. I know? I’ll let you have a minute to catch your breath. I can’t believe that my girls and I survived these trips. I guess we had to rely on the old standbys of playing I-Spy, reading books, and 20 Questions. Eeek indeed.

I won an itouch in late December. To say that the itouch was a hit in our home is an understatement. My younger two fight with each other over who can download the most apps. I commented that I had not downloaded any itunes. My teen told me that my tween has downloaded many, many itunes.

We have a road trip coming up on Friday. Dad and the girls are driving up to a volleyball tournament while the boy and I will follow on Saturday. The girls will have to make do with their ipods because there is no way I am heading on a trip out of town without my itouch. My little guy is a talker…a question asker. I’ll need something to distract him as we hang out at the hotel with our free wifi! In short and in conclusion, I need the itouch, STAT!

But, what to add to the itouch? I met a lovely person at Celebrate Mama in Bethesda. She invented an iphone/itouch app that is brilliant in its simplicity. Tales2Go won the PTPA seal of approval for excellence in family products (“Parent Tested, Parent Approved”).

Tales2Go is an app you can download to your iphone/itouch. Tales2Go streams great children’s book to your iphone. For itouch users, Tales2Go will work when near wifi.

Your child will have access to over 1,000 stories. I’m a book person and that is a lot of stories!

We tried out the Henry and Mudge stories. My son loved the books. I will pack headphones so that he can listen at the hotel when we are in PA. Tales2Go is a fantastic audio book for kids. I found it entertaining, too!

The app is super easy to download. Once downloaded I showed my son how to navigate to find books. He was all set. Truthfully, kids figure things out so easily, don’t they? My kids more than once have grabbed an electronic device and said “Here, let me show you how to do it!”

Tales2Go is available for a free 30-day trial! I can assure that you will want to upgrade to the yearly subscription once the free trial ends. The yearly subscription is $24.99 for unlimited access to over 1,000 books!  Right now, Tales2Go is available for Apple phones only, with more smartphones coming soon.

Check out the extensive library of audiobooks! Books include: Anansi’s Children, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, and many others.

Oh, and one more thing, you can listen to Tales2Go in a few different ways:

- Through the iPhone/iTouch speakers

- On a docking station

- With earphones

- Using mini portable speakers

• - Over your car speakers (via your car dock or with an AUX cord)

I was not compensated for this post. I happen to love the product!

I had the unbelievable good fortune to win a laptop computer. I was thrilled not only to win, but to try out a new type of computer.

The litl is a computer that is simple to use. Now, how often do you see the word “simple” and “computer” in the same sentence? Never, right?

Once I arrived home from the brand/blogger gathering I unpacked the computer. I was surprised at how light (weighs about 3.5 ibs) and thin the litl is. I pressed the button on the side to turn the computer on. The first screen asked me to select a wireless network. No modem or wires or cables needed — only wireless.

The second screen showed a series of boxes. Some are preset — weather, clock, and media. I got to work adding my own boxes to the litl. First up e-mail. I typed my e-mail host in to the search box at the top, hit Enter, and my e-mail popped up. I saved the box so that I can check my e-mail each time. I played around with starting and deleting and rearranging the boxes on the screen. Next up I added boxes for the kids…PBSKids, Webkinz, and Yoursphere. Facebook for Coach Dad and me.

No more Windows with folders and subdirectories on top of other folders and yet more directories jamming the screen. Can you say clutter? My laptop AND desktop computer screens (and hard drives for that matter) are a cluttered jumbled mess. And just try getting rid of a Windows folder or a program…another mess!

The litl does not have a harddrive. Everything you need is stored on the internet. There is no CD or DVD drive only a USB port, a place to plug in an HDMI cable, and a power button. No software to install, either.

—

From the litl website, here’s a description of the litl:

We love the web. It’s full of useful stuff, and it’s a great way to connect with friends and family. But we hate computers. At least the mainstream ones that we’ve been using. They’re unnecessarily complex for everyday tasks like browsing and checking email. So we hit the reset button by designing a first-of-its-kind computer that lets you enjoy the web without worrying about anything else.

With the webbook, you can do everything you can normally do with a web browser, and you can use the litl’s apps for a new way to experience the Internet. Carry the webbook around the house to

• Watch your favorite TV shows and movies
• Listen to music, talk radio, and podcasts
• Check email, news, and weather
• View and share photos
• Look up and use new recipes

We also flipped traditional hardware design on its head to make it easier to use. You can bend the webbook over into an easel for a more TV-like viewing experience. When you’re not actively using it, set the webbook on your desk, or counter to stream news headlines and photos. You can even connect it to a big-screen TV.

Best of all, we built the webbook as a computer without all the computery stuff – it just works. We packed the webbook with intuitive software that takes care of all maintenance, automatically and free of charge.

How does it work?

Using wifi, the webbook accesses all your content over the Internet — that means that you store your documents, music, emails, and photos, online where you can access them from the webbook or any other computer. No more worrying about hard drive crashes and data recovery — let your web services handle that for you.

You’ll also never see a pop-up about your virus protection being out of date, or a missing security patch required. The webbook automatically takes care of system updates, patches, and virus protection and even sends you new features and upgrades. Just leave your webbook plugged in overnight, and we do the rest.

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Oooo, I almost forgot! I have a deal for you to use to get your own litl computer! Go to litl.com/momdeal by July 1, 2010, to get $100 off a litl webbook! Oh and did I mention that the litl deal includes FREE shipping and a FREE remote!

I was invited to attend the Silicon Valley Moms Blog Brand/Blogger Symposium. I won a litl as part of a drawing. The views expressed in this article are my own.

As a college student DJ, my radio show was called “Technical Difficulties.” Skipped records, locked myself out of the studio, broke the sound cart…you name it I did it. At my house I regularly struggle to turn the wii on for the children. I’ll say to the kids: “What am I doing wrong?” “Why is the screen blank?” “Do I press Aux 1 or Digi 1 to get the wii to come on?” My children are more techie than I am. One will reach for the 3 remote controls and fix the problem. BTW, 3 remote controls is not helpful if you are #notatechie…I’m just saying…

At a recent brand/blogger gathering in northern Virginia, I was surprised — nay shocked — with the depth (for me!) of my computer knowledge. I was chatting  to two reps from litl. Annie was explaining the litl to me. She said that the litl is a computer that uses wireless internet. I nodded, but was thinking “wireless?” She went on to explain that the litl does not have a hard drive. My first thought was “no harddrive crashes.” But, my second thought was “Where is the data stored if there is no hard drive?” Annie explained that all the data is stored online at flickr, shutterfly, google docs, your e-mail server, etc. I burst out with “Cloud Computing!” I’m sure I caught her off guard. I’m generally either completely disinterested in computer/tech speak OR I nod my head alot and say “ummm” and “aahhh” to show that I understand.

At the drawing at the end of the event, the business cards we exchanged with the PR/brand reps were put in a drawing for some fabulous prizes. Guess what? I won a litl computer!!! You should have seen me juggling a few bags, a plate of food, and trying to leap over other bags to receive my computer! I was shocked when I heard my name called. In the photo above, I look as though I am about to fall on Jordan Newman of litl, don’t I?

My next post will explain my first impressions of the litl. What do I think of it so far? I love it…that is when my family have allowed me to use it!

Oooo, I almost forgot! I have a code for you to use to get your own litl computer! Go to litl.com/momdeal by July 1, 2010 to get $100 off a litl webbook! Oh and did I mention that the litl deal includes FREE shipping and a FREE remote!

I was invited to attend the Silicon Valley Moms Blog Brand/Blogger Symposium. I won a litl as part of a drawing. The views expressed in this article are my own.