805moms - Just Shootin' the Breeze

Great Video: How to tie your shoes really fast

Annabelle — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:18:29 GMT

Sop this would be a cool thing to teach older kids...help get them out the door just a little bit faster in the mornings!

10 simple, practically instant energy boosters

hart — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:01:22 GMT

Shine from Yahoo

10 simple, practically instant energy boosters

The alarm clock Monday morning is nobody's friend. That early morning blare is our final farewell to the more relaxed tempo of the weekend. But there are simple ways we can put a little spring in our step even on the days we feel dog-tired.

1. DRINK WATER
Dehydration causes fatigue, so stay hydrated to stay bright-eyed. Caffeine can jump start your motor, but you don't want to over do it. Energy drinks and coffee can give you a temporary energy boost by firing up your fight-or-flight hormones, but when they wear off, you crash. Start your day with a glass of water, enjoy your daily cup of coffee, and then switch back to water.

2. GET SOME PROTEIN
If caffeine jump starts your motor, protein keeps things on an even keel by keeping your blood sugar levels consistent. Try some of these super fast protein-packed breakfasts.

3. USE YOUR NOSE
Citrus smells can perk you up, so drop slices of grapefruit, orange, or lemon in your water (bonus: you feel like you're at a super posh spa.) Suds up your hair and bod with citrus scents in the shower, or try the get-up-and-go smell of mint, which stimulates the area of the brain responsible for arousal and can make you more alert. Pop a peppermint as you walk out the door.

4. FIRE UP YOUR IPOD
Music can sharpen our mental focus and boost our mood. Put together a soundtrack to your life that you can listen to as you get ready in the morning, drive to the office, or dance to while you're folding the laundry.

5. GET MOVING
A study from the University of George found that when sleep-deprived people exercised, their perceived level of energy increased by 20 percent and their fatigue was reduced by 65 percent. Take out the dog for a quick walk, power through some crunches and push-ups during the commercial breaks, or pop in one of our favorite workout DVDs.

6. SPEND TIME WITH PEOPLE WHO CHEER YOU
There are some people in your life who make the good times great and the bad times bearable. And we're not just talking your friends and family. Co-workers, as well as the people we interact with casually, like the mail carrier, can help boost our energy. So smile at the barista's corny joke. It might just power you through to lunch.

7. GO FOR GOOD ENOUGH
Trying to be perfect is an energy black hole. Also, it's, well, impossible. So go for good enough rather than perfect. Give a solid effort, and then move on.

8. SMELL THE ROSES
Did you need an excuse to spring for that $4 bouquet of daisies? According to Real Simple, a Harvard study showed that people who looked at fresh blooms in the morning reported higher energy levels for the rest of the day. Put a small bouquet on your bedside table, or use them to brighten up a corner of your cubicle.

9. DEAL WITH DAILY ANNOYANCES
Some of us have annoyances that we struggle with every single day. Maybe your cabinet door has fallen off its hinges, a corner of craft clutter blocks your path to the front door, or the lock sticks and you spend three minutes jiggling it, every single day. Feng shui consultant Catherine Brophy says that "these things take energy from you that you could expend on something else." Deal with the daily frustrations to free up more energy for what's important.

10. BE NICE, BE GRATEFUL
It's hard to feel stressed and burnt out when you are busy appreciating your health, your family, and your new pants found on super sale that make your bum look magnificent. Focus on the positives in your life and then spread it around. Hold open the door, smile at a stranger, tell a co-worker she looks great. It will give both of you a boost.

7 ways to stop being a "perfect" mom and start being a real one

Emmy — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:16:56 GMT

Shine from Yahoo has a great article titled:

7 ways to stop being a "perfect" mom and start being a real, true-to-you great one

Feeling like you have to be perfect��at everything from parenting to Excel spreadsheets��isn't an idea you somehow brought on yourself. Psychologist Ann L. Dunnewold, author of Even June Cleaver Would Forget the Juice Box, points out that the notion of striving is firmly entrenched in the American soil. "We live in a culture firmly-rooted in the idea of improvement. We want each generation to progress, and we feel it is our job as parents to provide a better life for our children." And because we also tend to view things in all-or-nothing terms "we think perfection is required to achieve that success." How can we cut ourselves some slack in the parenting department? Some experts weigh in.

ASK WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO YOUR FAMILY
Some of us spend time obsessing about details that don't matter to anyone else. Zen Buddhist priest Karen Maezen Miller, author of Momma Zen and Hand Wash Cold, suggests letting go of the idea that you have to be all things to all people. "Ask members of your family to choose the things you do that matter most to them. Make those your priorities, and let go of the rest. You might be surprised at the answers you get."

MAKE MISTAKES ON PURPOSE
What's the worst thing that could happen? How about you find out? "Purposely make mistakes or leave tasks undone," suggests Dunnewold. "Put the baby's shirt on inside out; leave the bed unmade; leave one glass in the sink overnight." When you allow little things to be imperfect you realize that the world does not come screeching to a halt. "You'll find that it's not the disaster you fear."

TRY A MANTRA
When your mind starts to reel, use a mantra to ground you, either repeated in your head, or written down on a note card and placed in your wallet or on your mirror. Dunnewold suggests, I'm a mommy, not a martyr; I'm only human, I make mistakes; Control what I can, let go of the rest. "The more you repeat them, the more these phrases will come to mind in stressful moments to help you let go."

DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF
"The less time we spend obsessing over our parenting skills, the happier we'll all be," says Miller. Check in with who you are separate from being a mom. "Do something nice for yourself. Not in the name of self-improvement, but in the name of self-care. In your absence, your family will be eager to show you how responsible they are for their own well-being."

ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU ACCOMPLISHED TODAY
Instead of looking at the trip you still need to take to the dry cleaner at day's end, focus on what you have completed, says Dunnewold. "Write a 'Did Do' list at the end of the day, including the hugs given, tears brushed away, carpool runs driven, baths completed."

SEEK OUT THE JOY, JETTISON THE GUILT
No one really cares whether their bed has hospital corners. "The greatest joy in life comes from serving others," says Miller. "Find the joy in doing those things that are truly life nourishing and creative, like cooking and eating together, making art or music together, and being outside in nature together." And if you can't find the time for walks in the park with her family, maybe it's time to check in with how you're spending your time. "Be honest about the real time-wasters and let go of those: keeping up with Facebook, really bad TV, self-criticism and guilt. One more thing to let go of this year: don't sign up to be room mother, and don't feel guilty about it!"

THINK LONG-TERM
When you feel yourself bogged down in the minutiae of parenting, zoom out and view the big picture. Ask yourself, "When my child is 25, will this really matter?" "Think about what you and your partner value as a family, and what experiences and concepts you want to give your child," says Dunnewold. "Focus on that, pat yourself on the back for committing to those values in your daily life, and let go of the rest."

Cell Phone Towers and your Child's Safety

hart — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:23:55 GMT

Agoura Hills Patch has an article about a friend of mine and cell phone tower safety.

Cell Tower Q&A: Rina Baraz Nehdar
Patch sits down with the Fountainwood resident and mother of three to get her view on the effects of electromagnetic radiation on children.

Rina Baraz Nehdar, 39, joined a coalition of concerned mothers in 2009, when she learned that a cell antenna tower was going to be installed near her oldest son's middle school. Knowing nothing about electromagnetic radiation, the former broadcast journalist did her research and discovered what she says are real biological effects on children, teens, pregnant women and persons with immune problems.

She helped persuade the city of Agoura Hills to reject the permit required to place the tower at the Lindero Canyon Middle School campus, which spawned a lawsuit by telecommunications company T-Mobile against the city in February of this year.

A temporary moratorium on all new wireless telecommunications was approved at the Aug. 25 City Council meeting. This is the only extension left under state law, according to assistant planning and community development director Doug Hooper, and will continue through September 2011

How big is your child's imagination?

sevendragonflies — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:55:43 GMT

My toddler has quite the imagination and I just love watching her come up with new things every day. I'm so glad because that is so rare nowadays with all of the toys we have for kids. I always thought that I needed to buy her an actual microphone to sing or an actual princess crown to play princess with but she can just imagine that they are there. How big is your child's imagination? What are some funny things that they come up with?

I am thankful for..........

Jackie — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:25:01 GMT

I am thankful:

For the wife who says it's hot dogs tonight,
because she is home with me, and not out with someone else.

For the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato,
because he is home with me and not out at the bars.

For the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes
because it means she is at home, not on the streets.

For the taxes i pay
because it means i am employed .

For the mess to clean after a party
because it means i have been surrounded by friends.

For the clothes that fit a little too snug
because it means i have enough to eat.

For my shadow that watches me work
because it means i am out in the sunshine.

For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing
because it means i have a home.

For all the complaining i hear about the government
because it means we have freedom of speech.

For the parking spot i find at the far end of the parking lot
because it means i am capable of walking and i have been blessed with transportation.

For my huge heating bill
because it means i am warm.

For the lady behind me in church who sings off key
because it means i can hear.

For the pile of laundry and ironing
because it means i have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day
because it means i have been capable of working hard.

For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours
because it means i am alive.

And finally, for too many e-mails
because it means i have friends who are thinking of me.

Seniors Gone Wired

Phyllis — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:01:59 GMT

On Sept. 1 the first in a series of informative Internet workshop programs will teach seniors to safely connect with and keep up with loved ones, their community and the world.

Charles Carroll Funeral Home and Ted Mayr Funeral Home are sponsoring this series of innovative, hands-on programs, �Seniors Gone Wired,� designed to provide web browsing training for seniors living in independent and assisted living residences. The first event will be held September 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Cypress Place Senior Living, 1200 & 1220 Cypress Point Lane, Ventura, 93003. Open to the public, Seniors Gone Wired is hosted by Life Event Networks and Swift Chip Ventura; please call 805.650.8000 to R.S.V.P.

�These workshops couldn�t be more timely and important as seniors continue to turn to the Internet and social media for news, information and to simply stay in touch with their family and friends,� said Mark Rook, manager of Charles Carroll Funeral Home, a local Dignity Memorial� provider in Ventura. �Recent reports from The Nielson Company show that in the last five years, the number of seniors actively using the Internet has increased by more than 55 percent to 17.5 million active users in November 2009. The company also reports that nearly a quarter of the time Americans are online is spent on social-networking sites and blogs, and that twice as many Americans over 50 visited social networks than kids under 18.�

A 2009 study by the Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies, a non-profit think-tank in Washington, D.C., found that those over 55 can experience a significant improvement in quality of life when plugged in to the web when face-to-face interaction becomes more difficult. The study showed that Internet access reduced depression in this age group by 20%.

�Communication, feeling connected and in touch improves everyone�s quality of life, yet it is especially important for senior as a means of strengthening family bonds and friendships, and of staying in touch with their communities,� said Sherry Scott, funeral director of Ted Mayr Funeral Home and Crematory, a Dignity Memorial provider. �We are proud to sponsor Internet training that will help seniors learn to access a safe place online where they can connect with loved ones, no matter where they are.�

Charles Carroll Funeral Home (www.charlescarrollfuneralhome.com or (805)642-8134 and Ted Mayr Funeral Home (www.tedmayrfuneralhome.com or (805)643-9977 are proud Dignity Memorial providers in Ventura, Calif.

Do You Know Your Kids' Facebook Friends?

sevendragonflies — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:10:18 GMT

AOL Discover

In 2006, 13-year-old Megan Meier befriended a boy called �Josh� on MySpace. According to news reports, after engaging in friendly communication, Josh then ended his contacts with Megan, claiming she was mean and that �the world would be a better place without you.� Megan then hanged herself. Further investigation into the matter revealed that �Josh� was in fact a fake profile that had been created by neighbors who knew Megan.

The case was splashed across TV screens and newspapers as horrified parents across the country came to realize the potential dangers of social-networking websites, where impostors, predators and bullies can pose risks to their children.

Maria, the parent of a 13-year-old Facebook user, explains that social-networking is a �reality of life� for many tweens and teens, and it�s such an important communication tool that she believes schools should be responsible for teaching children about online safety. She draws parallels between parents� disapproval of rock-and-roll 50 years ago and parents� disapproval of social networking sites today: �The reality is, rock-and-roll was here to stay, and so are websites such as Facebook,� Maria says. The important thing is learning to set boundaries for your kids' online activities.

Safety programs for parents
In the great wide world of cyberspace, parents such as Maria and Nora need the reassurance that their children are conducting themselves safely online. Enter programs such as Net Nanny, SafeSocial.com and SafetyWeb.com, which allow parents to �watch� their children�s online activities and help prevent them from being exposed to inappropriate content.

SafeSocial, for example, monitors your child�s online friends by checking their information against several other websites to find out if a friend looks suspicious, or if, for example, the �friend� in question is actually an adult. In addition, SafeSocial scans the major social networks for posts involving your child that include trigger words like "drugs," "suicide" or "violence."

Net Nanny, on the other hand, is an Internet filter that can help prevent members of your family from being exposed to pornography or other content you deem inappropriate.

The importance of these programs is that they can alert parents to online predators, cyber-bullying or worrisome online discussions or activities in which a child is taking part.

Dangers of online activity
In addition to the dangers online predators pose, many parents also feel the need to monitor their children for other reasons as well. A Virginia parent we contacted says he closely monitors his son�s postings and online activities because �teenagers are impulsive�.They often post tasteless or derogatory stuff about classmates, teachers and coaches. We've had to ask our son to remove some postings, usually complaints about teachers and their assignments. The second reason is security�It's critical to avoid posting information that identifies where you live or where you go to school, both in text and photos.�

He explains that his son had initially intended to write on his Facebook wall about where and when they were going on vacation, but his parents warned him not to because someone could read the post and find out that their house would be vacant.

Another reason to monitor kids online is because tweens and teens are frequently unaware of the consequences of their actions and statements. Maria recounts an incident in which her son joined the group �I hate Mrs. �X'� (the fictitious name of a school official). The school reprimanded her son and contacted the family to notify them that their son had joined a �hate group.� In another instance, her son who is on the football team was preparing for an upcoming game, and jokingly wrote on his Facebook wall that �We�re going to kill [the other team].� The post was then viewed by the parent of one of his Facebook contacts who interpreted it as a threat.

Taking necessary precautions
These examples drive home the point that most kids need some sort of supervision. In addition to talking to children about the realities of the online world, it�s also important to monitor their social-networking activities to avoid the possibility of potentially harmful interactions with strangers, or inappropriate discussions in which your child may be engaged.

Bejeweled Blitz Tips

jacklivimama — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:59:08 GMT

At 101, Grandma gets her 3rd tattoo

805harleymama — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:49:45 GMT

To celebrate her 101st birthday, Mimi Rosenthal just got her third tattoo, a sunflower on her arm. That follows a flower on her leg when she turned 100 and a blue butterfly at 99. She joked that her next tattoo will be on her derriere.

You GO Grandma!

npr.org

Family of Four Grows Food in Swimming Pool (video)

larissa — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:02:34 GMT

PRETTY NEAT IDEA!!!

A family living in Mesa, Arizona, has decided to convert an old unused backyard swimming pool into a very productive DIY urban greenhouse, which they named Garden Pool. Within a small, mostly enclosed space, they grow all kinds of vegetables and herbs, as well as raise chickens and tilapia fish. They started this project in 2009 and expected to be "self-sufficient" by 2012, but they've reached that goal this year, getting "8 fresh eggs a day, unlimited tilapia fish, organic fruit, veggies, and herbs 365 days a year" (though I'm not sure if by self-sufficient they mean that they could theoretically live off the amount of food the Garden Pool produces, or if they actually do it). Check out the video tour of the Garden Pool below.

Whole Foods Kids Club

Emmy — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:01:16 GMT

I just found out that when you walk into Whole Foods with your child, stop at the customer service desk and grab one voucher for a free milk, free animal crackers, free yogurt, etc. When you check out, you will get one item for free. Wow, pretty neat deal! Do you know about any other great kids club deals at some other stores?

Beware! Car broken into at Conejo Creek Park, behind Thousand Oaks library

sevendragonflies — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:53:02 GMT

Beware, there was a woman who left her purse covered in the front seat of her car during the morning at Conejo Creek Park behind Thousand Oaks last week. She was only at the park with for around 30 minutes and her car window was smashed and her purse was stolen with everything in it, including her cell phone.

DO NOT leave your valuables in your car, even they are covered.

Sometimes I feel like leaving my purse in my car because I don'to want to carry it with everything else I have but it is not a smart idea. What do you do? How will this information affect your future decisions?

Quotes to live by

jacklivimama — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:43:53 GMT

What is your favorite quote? Mine is as follows:

"If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.� ~ Michael Jackson

Divorce Cakes (funny photos)

Jackie — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:54:12 GMT