Another great review by Amber! Thank you!

What is Monkey Monkey Music? (from the website http://monkeymonkeymusic.com/ )

Monkey Monkey Music is a children’s music program developed by Meredith LeVande, an educator and songwriter who has close to a decade of experience working with preschool aged children. Monkey Monkey Music is a continuously evolving project that’s committed to conscious and quality based music and media which puts the best interests of children first. Learning and music is a fun, joyous, experience for children, which is why Meredith’s collection of songs and live performances continuously engage both children and adults for years on end. Celebrations can be educational, and education should be fun which is why her shows, parties and programs are so successful.

Both Meredith’s live performances and simple listening experiences galvanize and unify groups of people, both young and old to “jump high”, “shake it loud,” and celebrate the topics that reference the lives and desires of young children while fostering connections between groups of people as a whole.

With a clear delivery that’s filled with expression and charm, Meredith LeVande brings elements of traditional children’s music to her original songs, which have a lively, updated sound and a contemporary kinetic energy.  While she’s clearly enjoying herself, there is also a sophisticated, multi-layered aspect to Meredith’s musical compositions.

Monkey Monkey Music has performed at such venues as the Tribeca Film Festival, Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink in Central Park, Pottery Barn Kids, Babies”R”Us, Dylan’s Candy Bar and Tarrytown Third Friday, as well as for famous NYC celebrities and such prominent parent groups as Big City Moms. It was chosen as one of New York ’s best affordable children’s performers by Time Out New York Kids, and has been featured in Parenting and on SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Preschool Radio

“PARENTING PICK! With her fresh vocals and lyrics that encourage monkey-hear, monkey-do interactivity, Meredith LeVande really gets kids moving.” ~ Parenting Magazine

Monkey Monkey Music with Meredith LeVande will release its second full-length children’s CD, “What Are the Odds?” , filled with catchy, clever, upbeat songs, on August 31^st.  I was given the opportunity to review the cd in advance of its release and am very happy that I accepted.

My take:

We have a long drive into the city so I’m always searching for engaging music that keeps my daughter entertained without making me want to plug my ears by the third song.  This album was such a refreshing change from the norm.  It’s geared towards children ages 2-7 but I found myself grooving along to the catchy, blues themed rhythms right off the hop.  Each song highlights a different activity such as clapping, counting, shaking, hopping, and dancing all while interacting with the lyrics.  I was really impressed by the variety of learning concepts incorporated throughout the album.  The title track What Are the Odds? had my daughter counting odd numbers which is a skill that she’s had trouble grasping in the past.

Another one of our favourites was Air Guitar, which had a great rock vibe that had us strumming along in the air with our imaginary guitars.  My daughter had such a great time in the car that I decided to re-play the entire album when we got home so we could properly act out all the movements.  Just as I suspected, it was even more enjoyable with lots of space to clap and jive to the music.

This CD would be fantastic for rainy days or indoor parties to get the kids moving while keeping them laughing and singing in a group environment.

To say Meredith LeVande has a clever knack for creating interactive songs full of charming melodies is an understatement.  Some of her songs are jazzy and upbeat while others have a folksy reggae feel to them. Meredith’s commitment to putting “the child” back into children’s music shines through from one song to the next.  We enjoyed the variety of instruments showcased throughout the album and had fun pretending to play them all while dancing around to the physical instructions in the lyrics.  To sum it up – I absolutely loved it and so did my daughter!

Buy It: You can pre-order your copy of What Are the Odds? by heading to the Monkey Monkey Music with Meredith LeVande (http://monkeymonkeymusic.com/) website to reserve your copy before the August 31^st release date.  Be sure to enter the Monkey Monkey Music game room while you’re there for a great variety of interactive activities and programs.

Enter to win your own copy of this fun CD.  Simply visit  monkeymonkeymusic.com and leave a comment tell which song cat.

For additional entries to this giveaway, you can:

1 -Post or reply to a question (as many times as you like). Leave a comment here telling me you’ve posted.

2- Become a fan on Facebook. Leave a comment below telling me you’ve signed up.

3 – Follow @practicalmum on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (once a day). (Leave me the link to your tweets below)

4 – Subscribe to our email feed (on right sidebar) – have the Practicalmum posts delivered straight to your inbox! Leave a comment telling us you’ve subscribed

Contest closes Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 at 9pm EST.  One winner will be chosen using random.org and contacted by email.

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Just so we’re clear: We were given a copy of Monkey Monkey Music with Meredith LeVande, What Are the Odds? for review purposes. The opinions in the review are our own and are in no way shape or form influenced. We simply say it the way we see it.

To this day, I don’t know what it is about him. His hair is just… bad. His teeth? Really white and really big. Not much for the leather shirt or black shiny pants. But man he has charisma. And he can sing like no other. I did kiss him after all. Didn’t you know? You can read about it here.

And his concerts? One of my favorite nights out. And his show last week? PHENOMENAL.

My girlfriend and I always go to see Bon Jovi.  Every time they play in Toronto, we are there, beer in hand.  We love them. Mom’s night out. Last week’s show was no exception.

Now, I haven’t been out for AGES.  Like I mean… a really long time.  And I now remember why.

I could wish I was a woman of moderation.  Really.  But I am SO not.  I am either one drink OR the girl with the lampshade dancing on the table.  I am either crazy healthy and slim OR super unhealthy and rotund. (My current state).  You get it.  I didn’t have just one beer the other night.  I kind of had a few. Um.  More than a few.

More Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!

We got to the venue and the excitement was brewing in the air.It was awesome.  And there were 30,000 people out past 7pm.  Doesn’t the world know that we power down at 7pm?  Oh wait.  That’s just those of us with kids under the age of 4.  But when you’re housebound from 7pm onwards – it’s easy to forget there is a whole world out there with a life.  You couldn’t help but be caught up in the hype.  And Kid Rock was opening.  And the minute we got to out seats (I was surprised there was oxygen up there the seats were so high up), Kid Rock played All Summer Long which only my FAVORITE song of his.

More beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!

It was super hot in the venue and a girl needs to keep hydrated.  Once the show started and Jon’s magic began. I was mesmerized.  Total putty in his hands.  I know all their songs off by heart, and I was singing (embarrassingly loudly) along with Jon. Stand back… Mama is out on the town.

More beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!

It was their best concert in years.  We all know that we fans tolerate their new CDs, but really, we just wanna hear the golden oldies. Bad Medicine, Living on a Prayer, It’s My Life… and the list continues.  Jon was on fire, he had 30,000 just rocking with his every word.  The concert came to a close much too soon (2.5 hours no breaks – what a guy!)

More beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!

I woke up the next morning happy, hoarse, and hungover.

Not a great state to be in when the kids decide to wake up before the clock strikes 7am.  And then neither would eat the breakfast they had requested.  Then they both refused to wear the clothes they had chosen.  And neither wanted to play at the park once we arrived (at their request).  And neither decided nap that day. They nap every other day except that one. And don’t even get me started on dinner time that day. It’s Murphy’s Law.

More coooooffffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Let me tell you that day I paid for my Bad Medicine from the night before. I was really trying to Keep The Faith.  I know It’s My Life but I was on a Lost Highway… Wanted: Dead or Alive.  But Raise Your Hands, I didn’t Runaway…I didn’t really Have A Nice Day.   but the kids Give Love a Bad Name and you Were There For Me… and I made it.  I was Living on a Prayer.

I leave you the same way Jon did the other night. Enjoy.

A Diaper Cake Tutorial – Easy as Pie!

Ewww, do you actually eat the diapers? That was the first thing one of my students asked me when I suggested the idea of making a diaper cake for their teacher who was expecting her first child. I could understand the notion of a diaper cake being new to them but I was really surprised that very few people on our staff had ever seen a diaper cake before. For that reason, there were a lot of oohs and ahhs when I showed off the final product. It also caught the attention of Shelagh here at PracticalMum.com and so she invited me to share a tutorial with her readers. It doesn’t take long to make. In fact, creating a diaper cake is as easy as pie!

Materials:

• I pack of diapers, size 1 or 2
• An assortment of rubber bands in varying sizes
• A paper towel roll or heavy cardstock rolled into a cylinder
• Decorations of your choosing such as ribbon, bows, flowers, etc

Step 1: Begin by rolling up each individual diaper and securing them with a small rubber band. My 5-year-old daughter helped me this time around.

This is the most tedious of all the steps, hence the reason I choose size 2 diapers with a lower diaper count.

Step 2: At this point, it would be best to cut out a circle from some corrugated cardboard about 12” in diameter to serve as the base. This will make it much easier to transport and sturdier when delivering the final project. Start with placing the roll in the centre and placing a medium size rubber band on it close to the base. Then insert a rolled up diaper all around the tube, securing them behind the rubber band. This usually requires about six diapers.

Step 3: Continue by adding another rubber band around the first bunch of diapers and repeating the process.

Step 4: You will then need a large rubber band in order to repeat the process a third time and complete the bottom tier.

Step 5: Begin the second tier by repeating steps 2 and 3. You may choose to cut out a smaller circle out of cardboard or adding a doily for decoration but I tend to keep it simple.

Step 6: For the final tier, repeat step 2. You now have a three-tier cake made of rolled up diapers.

Step 7: You can now begin decorating your diaper cake to your heart’s content. I like to use a wide ribbon and wrap each tier to cover up the rubber bands. A couple of pieces of tape work well. I found this bright green ribbon at the, ahem, dollar store along with the bows. I find you usually need a little more than one roll so be sure to buy two rolls for this style of cake.

I felt it was a little too bright so I toned it down with some chocolate ribbon. Mmm, chocolate!

I usually add some flowers and die cuts that you can make if you’re lucky enough to own a Cricut machine. This is a diaper cake I made last year for baby Chiara using some die cut letters and baby themed shapes, all colour coordinated of course. Notice the chocolate accents.

And here is a close-up of some of the die-cuts I made. I inked the edged of the flowers using a raised inkpad. They are Prima flowers and can be found at Michaels.

There are different styles of cakes you can make using diapers. The fun is in experimenting with the style you like best. Some other ideas I would like to try include making a square cake or wrapping up each tier in a receiving blanket to give it a cleaner appearance.

If you’ve made a diaper cake before, do you have any tips or ideas for making them unique?

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The author of Toronto Teacher Mom and Diana’s Designs Blog, Diana keeps herself busy with a 5-year-old daughter named Madeleine and a 2-year-old son named Paolo. She also works full-time as a French teacher in the elementary panel. She spends most of her free time writing product reviews and hosting giveaways on her main blog but also manages to work in a few posts on her craft blog as well. She enjoys coffee, yoga, chocolate, walking, coffee, Latin dancing, and coffee. You can find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/torontoteachermom and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/teachermomoftwo

This review was written by  Amber, our new in-house reviewer. Welcome Amber, we look forward to reading lots more from you!

Now that bathing suit season is in full swing, I feel the need to shed some of the extra pounds I’ve packed on over the slower winter months.  Being a full-time mom, it’s difficult to find a suitable weight-loss program that fits into my busy schedule and doesn’t have a huge impact on my finances.  I’ve tried so many diet supplement drinks and shakes only to be left feeling hungry and broke.  Most of them have zero nutritional value and are full of chemicals that I can’t even pronounce.  That’s why I was thrilled to participate in a blog tour with Mom Central, underWAY and Smart for Life, makers of the famous cookie diet.

underWAY™, the first true appetite suppressant supplement drink available in 3 delicious and nutritious flavours.  It  not only suppresses your appetite naturally but also quenches your thirst.  Developed by physician Dr. Sasson Moulavi, one bottle of underWAY appetite suppressant supplement drink delivers the equivalent of 9 grams of fiber nutrition which is nearly a third of your daily recommended requirement of fiber content, in only 20 calories. Filled with HeroFiber™ (a super fiber) and vitamins underWAY is the perfect beverage for a busy mom looking for a natural product to curb those pesky hunger cravings between meals. Best of all, underWAY is COMPLETELY free of any sugar, sodium, carbs or caffeine!

I received a sampling of both the Acai-Pomegranate and Grape underWAY drinks to try and was pleasantly surprised at the sweet fruity flavours and lack of aftertaste common in most supplement beverages.  I can see why supermodel Brooke Burke is such a big fan of the underWAY products and has such an amazing figure.  After drinking only half of a bottle for breakfast, I felt full for hours and wasn’t craving any snacks before or after lunch like I normally would.

Supplement Statements:

-       Only 10 calories and 2 carbs per 250ml serving

-       Amazing taste with no preservatives or artificial flavours

-       Sodium-Free, containing natural fruit flavours

Also included in the package, was a variety of Smart for Life® products including: cookies, cupcakes, soup, cereal, shake and snacks. Smart for Life® Cookie Diet provides a safe and efficient way to lose weight by eating all-natural, appetite suppressing meal replacement diet cookies made without toxins and preservatives.

I was very intrigued by the concept of a diet which consisted of eating cookies and sweet snacks throughout the day followed by small lunch and dinners meals based on the Smart for Life serving guide included in the program.  I must say, eating cookies all day and losing weight during the process sounds like the ideal program for me since I have such an over-bearing sweet tooth.

Made with all natural and 60% organic ingredients, the Smart for Life diet program steers clear of calorie counting, meal preparation and measuring – Just pop a cookie and see the results! The Smart Cookies, Shakes, Muffins, Soups and more, are delicious and available in a variety of flavours at a great value. The Smart for Life® Cookie Diet Foods combine a perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates, fiber and other nutrients that leave you satisfied, control your hunger naturally, and provide the opportunity to reach your weight loss goals once and for all.

I followed the program for 48 hours eating only the cookies and snacks provided and prepared my dinner meals consisting of lean protein and non-starchy vegetables.  The meal replacement cookies came in Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin flavours. Had I not known they were diet cookies, I would never have guessed it.  They were quite delicious and had all the substance and taste of any high caloric treat I’ve sampled.  The Chocolate Mountain and Carrot Sunshine cupcakes were covered in icing and filled with all the goodness my sweet tooth needed to get me through the day.

I was impressed with the convenience of the products.  All I did was add water to the Vanilla Thin Advantage Shake which came in a pre- portioned bottle and that was it – breakfast was ready.  My favourite product was the Momma’s Chicken Noodle Soup.  It was filled with large chunks of zucchini, red peppers, peas and noodles and had a very rich broth.

I can see why the program boasts a loss of up to 15lbs in 4 weeks.  After the completion of my 2-day review process I was down a whopping 2.5lbs.  How that is possible eating cookies and sweet snacks all day is not for me to understand, but I’m a new fan of the Smart for Life products and would recommend it to anyone interested in a program designed to control hunger while providing you with proper nutrition and quick, safe weight loss results.

You can learn more about the underWAY beverages and take advantage of their free shipping offer by visiting www.under-way.com Be sure to visit www.smartforlife.com for more information about the Smart for Life line of products, read about other success stories, and take advantage of their current offers.

Now for the great news! Ten lucky Practical Mum readers will each receive a prize package consisting eight bottles of underWAY (four Acai-Pomegranate and four Grape) along with a Smart for Life assortment including: cookies, cupcakes, soup, cereal, shake, bagel, and crunch.

How to enter?  Visit the www.underway.com and www.smartforlife.com websites.  Come back here and leave a comment telling me why you would love to try the underWAY and Smart for Life products.

Don’t forget you must be a member of practicalmum.com to enter.

For additional entries to this giveaway, you can:

1  – Post or reply to a question (as many times as you like). Leave a comment below telling me you’ve posted.

2 – Become a fan on Facebook. Leave a comment below telling me you’ve signed up.

3 – Follow @practicalmum on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (max: once a day). (Leave me the link to your tweets below)

Open to Canadians residents ONLY!  Contest ends Wed. August 4th, 2010.Winner will be chosen by random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to my email or a new winner will be chosen.

Readers may enter the contest on multiple blogs but are only eligible to win once as part of the underWAY blog tour contest.

Just so we’re clear – We are participating in the underWAY program by Mom Central on behalf of Better Health Beverage, LLC.  I received product samples and a Mom Central gift card as a thank you for my participation.  The opinions on this blog are our own. We say it the was we see it.

You’ve been there, I am sure.  In a doctor’s office… waiting. In the grocery store… waiting. Stuck in traffic… waiting… Trying to talk on the phone with kids… waiting… and you just need to give the kids a quick little something to keep them busy – for sanity’s sake.  If you are an iPhone or an iTouch user, then here is an applications you need.

From the company:

Reviewed by Katrina from Binksy and Bobo: Reversible Custom Clothes for Babies and Children.

Max loved the 3 stories from Living Stories. We chose Goldilocks and the 3 Bears, Little Red Riding Hood and The Tortoise and the Hare.
In all: The visuals in each of the stories captivated Max, the colours were bright, the illustration was good and it was easy for Max to control it himself, by advancing to the next screen on his own, he simply pressed the bright orange arrow (next button).

What certainly held my son’s attention was the animation of the characters in the story. Some stories achieved this better than others. Out of the 3, Goldilocks and the 3 Bears was most visually appealing, since there was a lot of ‘action’. For example: the main character Goldilocks was always moving and it wasn’t just her eyes blinking (as with the characters in the other two stories). The background was also nicely animated with smoke puffing out of the chimney’s cottage, tears coming from the bears’ eyes, the movement of fire, the cottage door closing as she ran inside (to name a few)…..this all made for a really interesting experience.

The ability to customize the story by recording your own voice made the stories really personal. You could add whatever ’script’ you felt like.
The quality of the recording (of the customized story), wasn’t that great though – there was some echoeing, (but this is a result of the limitations of the iPhone speakers) not the application. However, tied in with the background music, it was a really nice effect and fun for Max to hear my voice in the story.

Overall I would highly recommend this iPhone app. It’s lightening-quick to load, the graphics are excellent and it will entertain your child when out at a restaurant or car trip….and save your sanity!

But wait… there’s more.  Enter to win a $25 Gift Card to iTunes right here.  How to win?  Easy.

Don’t forget you must be a member of practicalmum.com to enter.

For additional entries to this giveaway, you can:

1  – Post or reply to a question (as many times as you like). Leave a comment below telling me you’ve posted.

2 – Become a fan on Facebook. Leave a comment below telling me you’ve signed up.

3 – Follow @practicalmum on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (max: once a day). Include the hashtag #MyLivingStories  (Leave me the link to your tweets below)

Giveaway is open to Canadians. Readers may enter the contest on multiple blogs but are only eligible to win one iTunes gift card as part of the My Living Stories contest.

Giveaway Ends Friday, August 6th, 2010, 9pm EST. Winner will be chosen using random.org and contacted via e-mail with 48 hours to reply or new winners will be chosen.

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This review was written while participating in the My Living Stories program by Mom Central on behalf of Decode Entertainment. The iTunes gift card was provided by Mom Central and Decode Entertainment. We received 3 free apps and a gift card as a thank you for our participation. The opinions on this blog are our own. We say it the way we see it.

We loved her as kids.  And now my kids love her too.

Madeline.  She who walks in two straight lines. And lives in the big house covered in vines.  With Miss Clavel and her lovable dog Genevieve.

The arrival of  Madeline’s Great Adventures was very timely.  The Girl had just received Madeline and The Bad Hat for her birthday (thank you Auntie Anne!) and it has been read non-stop every since.  The kids were so excited when they saw the Madeline DVD that it was the number one request on our recent road trip to Ottawa. (see Tip #4 from Traveling with Toddlers).  They loved it.

They watched as Madeline and her friends encountered their very own Arabian lamp, a visit from the Prince of Monaco, a band of pirates (which sparked a weekend of imitating pirates and “Aaaar Maties”) and other fun adventures!

It is the same cute illustrations and fun prose of life in a Parisian school as the books. The narration is easy to understand.  The Boy is now practicing to speak in a faux- French accent.  Both kids give Madeline’s Great Adventures two thumbs up.  Good quality, family fun movie watching.

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I am not a trained professional.  I don’t pretend to be an expert.  But I have travelled with two toddlers under the age of 4 – and I am learning from my mistakes along the way.

We drove 4863.5km on one trip this spring.  And yes, the .5km counts. Especially after we were 14 km into our trip and my 19 month old announced she was “all done car Mummmmeeeeee!” Hmmm.

We would love to hear your tips – add them to the list by leaving a comment… I am sure you know some good tricks to help others out too!

Practicalmum’s Top Ten Tips for Traveling with Toddlers

10. Leave room for Oxygen.

We have a minivan, and we love it.  There are nooks and crannies to tuck every little thing away, even the kitchen sink. The thing is, the more space you have, the more you will bring.  You don’t need it all.  Seriously. It is more comfortable when you don’t have plastic floating boats in your hips (just in case there is a wading pool), or a bike helmet in your back (there may be a bike there).  Think necessity. Pack light. Try having some breathing room in the car. Makes it easier to dive in to the back seat to break up any scuffles… “Don’t make me come back there…”.

9. It is all about the accessories.

Every child needs their own activity bag. Activity purse.  Activity murse (man purse)… whatever you want to call it.  In it, I like to pack toys that have been hidden for a month or so before the trip.  Just play dumb when Junior asks where his beloved etch-a-sketch is, or his personal computer.  I play dumb quite a bit – I am good at it. We pack the activity bags full of quiet activities: Video games for older kids, books, Leapfrog personal computers (we get ours at the second hand shop – i get change for $10)…etch-a- sketch pads, aquadoodle pads, dollies, trucks, cars.  Hit the Dollar Store and add in a few new things.  The kids will feel like they have hit the big time with new toys.

8. Don’t trust the newly toilet trained.

My son was… errr… unreliable in the toileting department once he ditched the diapers.  I made the mistake of thinking he would do pre-emptive pees before we got in the car.  Mistake.  Don’t trust the newly toilet trained to give you warnings of when they may need to go.  Pull Ups were our ticket to success.  We still went through the motions every 2 hours or so… but the Pull Ups were gold for those little leaks that escaped when he was busting (inevitably at the most inopportune time or in a traffic jam).  Save yourself the clean-up.  Trust me.

7. Pack in the Proteins.

We now bring a cooler. It’s a packed full of easy to eat, individually portioned fruit, veggies, cheese and yogurt.  Peanut butter (if it won’t set off any anaphylactic reactions) or any other healthy snack will save you from hours of over sugared, over junk fooded (is that a word?) meltdowns.  Quite frankly, rest station snack foods just don’t cut it.  The junk food bungs the kids up (refer back to #8), sets off mean melt downs and simply isn’t healthy.  Need a bribe?  Those little Halloween sized candy packs got us through many-a-mile.  We specialize in Smarties.  Enough to boost the blood sugar and to be a treat, but not enough to send the kids climbing on the ceiling.

6. Stop to smell the roses.

Well, there may not be roses, but there are lots of rest stops with some grass to run around or to kick a ball.  Everybody needs to stretch their legs – you too – make it a fun stop.  Play tag, soccer, or wild goose chase.  Name 3 things the kids can safely run and touch (avoiding oncoming traffic helps) and have them race to complete it. Have a wander through the visitor station, find some interesting tidbits about where you are.

5. Relax on the routine.

I’d like to think I was a “casual, fly by the seat of your pants” kind of gal.  I am not. I am a type A no matter which way I try to mask it. When we’re on the road, we try to maintain the timing of our regular routine – eat at similar times, nap (no music or DVDs on) around the same time, stop to toilet about every two hours.  This seems to keep things calm on the kid front. Despite being in a new surroundings, they know what to anticipate or expect. If you aren’t a routine person usually, now would likely not be the best time to start one. Find your groove, listen to the kids needs and you should be able to avoid needing an IV of gin or vodka by the time you arrive at your destination.

4. Square eyes is just a myth.

“Don’t watch TV or you will get square eyes!” I was told this often growing up.  My eyes aren’t square.  We are not a huge TV family.  We try to limit time in front of the boob tube to 30 -60 minutes a day.  Max.  The one exception?  When we are in the car. Many cars come equipped with DVD players, this is no mistake.  The DVD player is gold. We bought a portable DVD player and it is one of the best investments we have made. In our car, all fussing, complaining, whining, moaning and groaning comes to a grinding halt with the press of a single button.  Play.  I collect DVDs throughout the year at garage sales, second hand stores or borrow them from the library.  They only get pulled out on car trips so the kids aren’t sick of them. Word to the wise: Drive for as long as you can before turning on the DVD.  Once it’s on, there is no going back.  (Except at nap time in our car – after I have sworn up and down that I will turn it on again when they wake up.)

3. Snoring can be a good thing.

Traveling through the night can be a good thing.  Kids are asleep, it’s nice and quiet, not too many cars on the road… But I am not a great night driver.  My husband is.  He prefers driving all night, I like to stop.  I stop early enough that the kids have time to play before bed.  We pick family friendly (cheap) hotels.  I pack one family overnight bag packed with just the essentials (jammies, toiletries, teddies, books, change of clothes) so the entire car doesn’t have to be unpacked each night. Most hotels also have a complimentary breakfast, though bring your own protein (refer back to #7).

2. Long live the library.

Toronto has one of the biggest and best library systems in the world.  Before a trip, I take out loads of new books the kids haven’t seen. They flip through them for hours.  Older kids will be able to actually read them – and hold them right side up!  My friend shared the best secret… pack half the books away so there is an entire load of new books for the return trip.  Brilliant.  Wish I had thought of that.  Next time!!

1. It’s all about the journey, not just the destination.

Enjoy your time on the road. It’s fun, I am already looking forward to our next big drive in August – out to the east coast of Canada.  I will be driving it solo with both kids.  Gulp. But I am not worried.  When things start going haywire, we will simply pull over.  I will be documenting the drive for my scrapbooks.  I look forward to the conversations with the kids, to their excitement at seeing new sites and to meeting new people.  I plan on leaving the stress at home and enjoying every moment.

A big welcome this week to Carly Cooper from Balance the Mother Load. I am a big fan of her blog and her work. I am sure you will enjoy her post.

From Carly:

Last week I went to see the movie The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith. No, I’m not a 12 year old boy, nor did I see it with one. In fact, I sort of saw this movie alone. Now before you call the cops thinking I’m some creepy Cougar with a thing for an 11 year old who can very impressively do the splits, I did go to the movie with a friend. She just felt sick during the show and had to leave.  So there I was, an envious 36 year old woman watching a prepubescent boy build his biceps and self esteem by doing decline push ups and loving every minute of it.

If you knew me growing up, you’d understand that I’m a sucker for an underdog story. In the mid 80’s when all my friends were obsessed with Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing because he said, “Nobody puts Baby in the corner,” I was sobbing like a new mom in a sitz bath when Sylvester Stallone tiredly yelled “Yo Adrienne, I did it!” in Rocky 2. It’s true. Anything that involves watching someone go from zero to hero has me weaker in the knees than a newborn calf.

The Oxford dictionary defines underdog as “an oppressed person.” “A loser in a fight.” Various other online sources define underdog as “a participant in a fight, conflict, or game who is not expected to win.” “One that is at a disadvantage.” Kinda sounds like how some mothers feel.  At some point, if not daily, we can feel hopeless and full of self doubt.

By no means am I suggesting that mothers are losers or weak. On the contrary. I think much like the typical underdog, moms are the hardest working people on the planet. They just lack belief in themselves. By trying to be perfect, expecting too much and putting everyone else’s needs before our own, we become oppressed, at a disadvantage and in a position where we’ll never win.

Last week, was week 2 of my 8 week telecourse called “Be a Mother Of Reinvention- 8 Steps To Transforming Your Life.” The topic was “envision your ideal life.” I asked the moms enrolled in this group some questions about their dreams, goals and visions they had for their future. I even assigned them an action challenge to help them find more clarity around the subject. These moms admitted that they really struggled with the questions and exercises. As much as I was hoping they would come up with a master plan for their lives, I can’t say I was all that surprised when they didn’t.

It’s very common for moms to talk freely and openly about all the things that they don’t want in their lives. But when it comes to what they do want, they become tighter lipped than a woman with one too many face lifts. They don’t have aspirations because they either haven’t given themselves time to think about it, permission to dream or more often than not, they don’t even know who they are anymore.

Sound familiar?

What have you always dreamed of doing? What’s been holding you back?

If you’re ready to go from victim to victor, I’d love to be your “Mr. Miyagi.” I may not be able to help you do the splits on a railing on top of the Great Wall of China. But I can help you stop splitting hairs over every little reason why you can’t live your best life.

You have the chance to be the next great underdog story. Decide to make it happen and dare to dream. Know that when they make a movie about your life, you’ll have at least one raving fan in the audience.

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Carly Cooper is a certified Life Coach for Moms and founder of balance-the-mother-load.com. When Carly became a mom 4 years ago, she noticed many mothers struggling with guilty feelings, unrealistic expectations and the inability to balance it all. Since then it has been her mission to help high achieving, ambitious working moms reinvent themselves and transform their lives for the better.

For more information about Carly, to read her blog and to request a complimentary coaching consultation, visit her website at www.balance-the-mother-load.com.

Is it hot where you live?  It’s smoking here in Toronto.  Like, walk-outside- start- to- sweat-immediately-fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk hot. One of our readers, StephRC posted a question about no cook meals.  I immediately thought of this recipe.  You do have to cook portions of this meal (nothing like crunching on uncooked pasta!), but it’s minimal.  Minimal work with Maximum taste… HELLOOOOOO!  My kinda cooking.

What meals are you preparing to survive the summer heat? What’s your favorite no to low cook meal? Please leave a comment and share your secrets!!

Lemon Spaghetti

from Giada De Laurentiis Everyday Italian
2/3 c. olive oil  (We found this too much; 1/2 c is plenty for us)
2/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons used for juice)
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)
3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 lb dried spaghetti
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil

In large bowl, whisk oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, 3/4 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper to blend.  Set aside.  Can be made up to 8 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.  Then bring to room temperature before using.

Bring large pot of boiling salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti and stir occasionally – about 8 minutes to cook.
Drain, reserving 1 c. of the cooking liquid.
Add spaghetti to lemon sauce and toss with basil and lemon zest.
Toss pasta with enough reserved cooking water, 1/4 c. at a time, to moisten.  Season pasta with more salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to plates (4) and serve.