Park-Zone 110-Volt Dual-Powered Battery-Powered Precision Parking Device #PZ-1500 Park-Zone is an innovative precision-parking device for the home that’s easy to use and even easier to install. After a simple one-time setup, the Park-Zone uses its ultrasonic sensing mechanism to measure the distance from your car to the garage wall as you park. When you [...]

Earth’s Best Formula Recalled? Company Says No.
I received some questions about Earth’s Best Organic baby formula today. A few parents have noticed that this formula isn’t on the shelves at their local stores anymore, and couldn’t…

Saving extra cash for the holidays
Filed under: Blogs, In the NewsI’ve been halfheartedly pondering my Christmas shopping list lately, thinking that perhaps it’s a pretty decent time to give up my gingerbread lattes for a while but then I think, no. No, you know what? I work my butt off and I have not bought a new pair of jeans in more than a year and I no longer spend hundreds of dollars a year on fabulous pointy pumps. I totally deserve my indulgent gingerbread latte, even if giving it up means I would save $ 80.00 a month (ouch.) But, I would like some other ways to save up money for holiday shopping for my family, please.This list comes in pretty handy. Daily Brilliance has concocted thirty-six ways to save some extra holiday cash. Some are brilliant (order online, save sales tax, have a look at your cell phone plan, you’re probably paying too much) and some are dubious (Don’t eat your meals on paper plates. What? Who does that?) They also have the no latte advice. I’m just going to ignore that one and pick and choose the ones I like — and hopefully have a little extra coin when I start my Christmas shopping on the 23rd. Unless I find a list with 36 tips on how to stop procrastinating.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

U.S. District Court Announces baby-Tenda Ruling
If you haven’t received an invitation to a baby-Tenda “safety seminar,” you may not be familiar with this company, which sells baby products only through those seminars. In July 2005,…

The mother of all hangovers
Filed under: Lifestyle, parentDish Laughs, Outings, Alcohol I have a hangover. I haven’t had one for years–literally. This makes perfect sense, however, because I also haven’t consumed alcohol the way I did last night in several years. Well before I even thought about getting pregnant I decided to give up drinking to be as healthy as possible for when I tried to conceive. Last night I made up for it in spades. I won’t bother you with the gory details of how much and what I drank. Regardless, it was too much. Way too much. And I knew it would be the moment I took the first shot–actually, before that, when I ordered the shot. But, I’d been super stressed out at work and was meeting up with some of my dearest friends who were former colleagues I don’t get to see very often. One drink lead to another, and another, and some really good stories, and, well, you can imagine the rest. The worst part of it was not how poorly I felt this morning, when I had to be at work by 8:00 in order to prepare for a presentation I was basically giving by myself, the first one at my new job = it had to be GOOD. The worst part was that I felt like I let my baby down. In the old days I would skip the morning run, sleep in a little longer, take something to help me if I needed to get with it. This morning, I couldn’t really do any of that. Well, I did pop two Excedrin, and even though they probably came back up, those suckers work FAST. I felt better in a flash. I managed to get myself together, do the presentation, be nice to people all day and then tend to my son, who is now feeling a little under the weather himself (not due to a hangover). This was not the worst hangover I’ve ever had, but it did teach me a lesson I already knew: don’t over do it. I’m responsible for someone else now who needs me more than ever, and I can’t afford to be turning my attentions to myself when I suffer at my own hand. I had a good time though. A darned good time. Next time–for there will be a next time, we’ve already planned it–I’l stick to my two drink maximum and drink lots of water in between. And eat dinner. My husband was actually really nice about the whole thing and was like, “Ok, do this, then that followed by that.” And he was right. Now, I’m going to bed. Seriously–I got like four hours of sleep!!! Pic of a cat who feels worse than I did by cutglassdecanter.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Do Webkinz help or hinder imagination?
Webkinz are the craze this year, at least in my first grade classroom. The kids eagerly share stories about their newest “adopted” plush toys, who come with a special code that allows their child owners to log on to the virtual world of Webkinz. In Webkinz world, kids earn Kinz cash by playing games and then purchase items to go in their pet’s virtual home. They can also chat with other Webkinz users, soft of like like a My Space for kids. It’s a brilliant idea from a marketing standpoint–it gets kids hooked not just on a toy, but the entire brand. And the toys toys are super cute: made with extra-soft fabrics and spiky fur, each animal is certainly worthy of coveting by the younger set. Webkinz claim that their website is a “safe and educational” way for kids to play, and indeed, the games and activities seem both harmless and fun. But what about imagination? Everything in Webkinz world is a virtual reality that replaces an imagined one–and the difference, I think, is huge. Remember playing for hours with an empty refrigerator box, or a pile of blocks, as they became a castle, a fort, or place to host tea parties for a bevy of stuffed toys? Webkinz leave nothing to the imagination-after a child “adopts” a pet, he or she is then given information about it including it’s favorite foods and secret wishes. In my classroom I watch children sit down to write stories–and struggle to come up with an idea. Many times they go to what they know: and write stories about their Webkinz and the virtual world where they play with them. These stories lack the spark of imagination and delight that accompanies the stories that spring fresh from a six year old’s mind. What do you think? Do Webkinz help or hinder imagination?Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Hot baby Products: Skip Hop Table Fun Feeding Sets
baby’s holiday meals can be extra-special this year with the colorful melamine Table Fun feeding sets from Skip Hop. Available in three cool designs, these feeding sets include a plate,…

Cuddly germs
Filed under: Hospitals, Plush ToysNeed a little something to cheer up a sick kid? Got a microbiology or virology student on your shopping list? Or just need a discreet way to let a co-worker know they need to use breath mints? There are now fluffy, stuffed version of the microbes that cause common diseases like cough, the common cold, stomach aches, or bad breath. The little bugs are cute and kid could use them to re-enact what happens when people don’t wash their hands or cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Each Microbe comes with a photo of its real-life counterpart, along with fascinating information about the germ, so they are fun AND educational! At only $7.95, you could even keep a set on hand to give friends or children when they have the matching illness! %Gallery-11146%Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

High end of average
Filed under: Teachers, Public school, Moms, Dads, Going to school, 5 years, LiteracyToday my wife and I attended our son Hudson’s school for both our parent/teacher interview as well as to discuss the results of the Occupational Therapist’s assessment of our eldest boy’s fine motor skills. I wrote about it here a little while ago, with my hesitations about its effect on Hud, particularly about his self image within his class. That turned out to be a non-issue as the transfer in and out of his assessment within his class was seamless. Well it turns out Hud is at the high end of average for two of three assessment areas and a bit below average in one other. This did not surprise me, or cause me great discomfort. The truth is both Steph and I recognized that Hudson’s struggle with writing and cutting and drawing was just that, a struggle. Both of us do the best we can to encourage him, and find new and creative ways to ensure his very valuable practice time is ardently performed. This assessment was a free service provided through our Provincial education board, and even with the wait time being over 10 months, I was so pleased to get such an accurate and detailed account of how my son was progressing through his first year and a quarter of school. The truth is, I was a horrific writer when I was his age. - my big sausage fingers trying so desperately to stay in-between lines, and not being able to graduate to a pen long before my classmates were giggling and spirographing. I remember my struggle with a strange dose of clarity, meaning it might have been somewhat tragic to me back then. Back then I was simply slower - but eventually I caught up. Now I use words like ardent. I am so cool. Or not. We all agreed the therapist should continue working with Hudson for the remainder of the year - once every five weeks or so. She is also giving us some unique worksheets to handle at home - with our job to continue the practicing as well as finding new ways to spell words - with rice, with play dough, shaving cream in a zip lock bag etc… Sounds like fun to me so I can’t wait to get started. parenting is such a roller coaster. I was not nervous about this meeting as I can see glimmers of pure brilliance in his comprehension and compassion. But having him assessed was odd - felt like a case study - but we are doing whatever we can to make sure he is getting everything he needs to keep his brain growing. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Can diet influence the sex of your baby?
Filed under: Feeding & Nutrition, Pregnancy and Birth, Pregnancy diet, Weird but TrueWhile some couples who are ready to conceive really don’t have a preference regarding the sex of their child, many do. From charting cervical mucus to attempting to conceive only during certain times of the year, there are many methods that will supposedly increase the chances of getting the sex of your choice. Scientists at the University of Pretoria in South Africa have been hard at work on this issue and have come up with another one. Based on the results of a study involving mice, these researchers have determined that girls might really be made from sugar and spice and perhaps chocolate. Likewise, if you are hoping to conceive a boy, skip the puppy dog tails and go for a hamburger and fries.In the study, scientists gave 20 female mice a diet of the steroid dexamethasone, which kept their blood-sugar levels low. Then, the mice had some babies and their litters were compared to those of 20 mice on a regular diet. The steroid-taking mice produced litters that were 41 percent male, compared to 53 percent for the mice eating normally. Low blood sugar is an indicator of a sugar-rich diet, therefore leading the researchers to believe that eating more sugar will produce more girls.But we all know that the sex of the child is determined by a chromosome in the male sperm, so how could the mother’s diet have any impact at all? Researchers theorize that perhaps a woman’s diet affects the environment in her womb, making things more hospitable for a male or female sperm.So, there you have it. It might be total bunk, but I suppose if I were hoping for a girl, I could be convinced to load up on sugar.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments