Moms

I’ve got another infographic for you today. I can’t help it, I’m a sucker for them. If you’re a blogger though, this one is a must – 30 really simple ways to promote your blog and get more people reading your posts. That’s what it’s all about after all isn’t it? Knowing you write great stuff is all very well but it’s so much more rewarding to know that people are actually reading it. Do you have any extra tips for reaching new readers? Please do share! The post 30 ways to promote your blog appeared first on Slummy single mummy.

Yesterday, I taught Olivia how to blow a bubble with her bubble gum. I noticed she was holding her tongue in the gum and then blowing — which resulted in her spitting all over me. I told her to make the hole in the gum with her tongue, pull out her tongue and then blow into the hole and… ta da da! She blew her first bubble. After a few bubbles, Olivia was onto blowing ginormous bubbles and so of course I had to capture the accomplishment with my iPhone. What is Your Weekly Photo? Mom Bloggers (and Dad Bloggers too!) post a photo on your site, link up and find others… Wordless Wednesday is tons of fun. (And I know it says “wordless” but I usually just can’t bear to not write anything! If I had created it, I probably would have named it something different! LOL So feel to link up your word-full or word-less Wednesday photos!) Leave the URL to your photo (clearly mine are never truly “wordless”) and then visit others! Link Up: Thanks to Uisce for creating Wordless Wednesday. Written by Janice, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom. You can see more of her photography at Janice Croze Photography.

By TARICE L.S. GRAY I entered parenthood fully embracing the idealism that can be associated with uncertainty. I believed my daughter would be different in the exceptional kind of way. Before she... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Okay, I have more to say about my deep involvement in the LA Mayor race, but right now it’s less than an hour till polls close and I can’t get thoughts together.  We first did something to help Eric Garcetti … Continue reading →The post too nervous to write: election night for Los Angeles appeared first on Cool Mom - Funny videos on parenting and pop culture.

These 3 girls are great friends and they surf against each other in contests. Estos tres amigas. They paddle out during a heat and do their best to beat each other, then paddle in to shore and play in the … Continue reading →

When it comes to blogging, there are definitely some wonderful opportunities and perks. Which is a nice balance for all the effort we put into our work, both in what you see and behind the scenes. One such opportunity was the Food Blogger Forum this past weekend. When I found out that it was going to be held (for the second year in a row) at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, a plan quickly came together. Bring the kids. And don’t tell them anything. You have no idea how hard a secret that was to keep. So many logistical details to arrange. Several friends slipped in front of the kids last week, but thankfully they didn’t catch on. Nick was invited to two birthday parties and a sleepover for this weekend, and just couldn’t understand why he couldn’t go. Just trust me. Madeline has been dying to go on a plane for the past eight months or so (she has never flown), and mentions it rather frequently, so that was going to be a surprise for her all by herself. Not to mention the actual destination (and the extra surprise I had for them on Sunday). I made our flight reservations to leave on midday Friday, and sent them off to school none the wiser. They each had notes in their backpacks to alert their teachers that I would be picking them up early, but the kids had no idea. As soon as they were both in school, I quickly finished packing and taking care of last minute details. I had decided to have as much fun as I could with telling them (because I had kept the secret for so! very! long!), and broke it up a bit into pieces (the plane, and then the destination). First, I picked up Nick. He wasn’t completely shocked to see me (the kid has a crazy intuition like no other that really is unnerving sometimes). He got in the car and asked what was going on. I told him that we were going to pick up his sister next and then I would fill them in. I saw her walking down the hall towards me, wringing her little hands. I bent down, took her hands in mine, gave her a kiss, and told her not to worry. That nothing was wrong, and it was a good surprise. Her teacher told her the same thing. Once they were both in the car, I gave them each a wrapped package and told them that this would be their first clue as to what was going on. (The only thing they knew is that we had plans of some sort on Saturday) They opened up the packages, which contained small United planes. Did you know you can get planes for practically every major airline on Amazon? I thought it was perfect. They saw the planes and asked all sorts of questions. I said that we were going away for the weekend, on a plane, and then when we got to the airport, I would tell them where we were going. Dropped off the car at the valet. Checked in. Got through security. We made our way towards the gate, but I stopped them at the gate right before ours and sat them down in a row of empty seats. I told them to close their eyes, and that I would put something on their laps. On the count of three, they could open their eyes and they would know where we were going. To say they were excited would be an understatement. Madeline’s first plane ride and visit to DisneyWorld. Nick has been to Disneyworld, but it was a terrible trip (regular readers might remember some six years ago, The Ex’s dad went into the hospital the moment we arrived at our hotel and he had to fly back early, and Nick sprained his arm while we were there). Luckily Nick doesn’t remember the trip. Which is good justification for not rushing to take kids 4 and under to Disneyworld. Take them when they’ll remember it. Madeline opted for the window seat on the plane and as we were taking off, she told me she’s afraid of heights. Fine time to tell me! After the initial fear wore off, she was fine (as she was on the way back as well, particularly when we gave her the aisle seat). The weekend was a whirlwind. We arrived and checked into Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, and

There comes a point when, after training my camera on my darling (photogenic and athletically gifted, of course) child, there are just no more photos to be taken, and I start taking pictures of the other darling, photogenic and athletically gifted kids on her team. You know, all of them. Going through all the photos later, the challenge then is how to get the pictures of these other children to their parents. Keeping in mind some parents don’t want their children plastered all over the Internet (I can’t imagine why), and that most of my friends and family don’t need to see multiple photos of children they don’t know. E-mailing isn’t a option because the files are too big, and to be perfectly honest, I’m just learning all of her teammates names. Forget about matching each girl with her corresponding parent and e-mail address. So this year I’m using a new solution – Share sites from Shutterfly. While there is a lot you can do with a Share site – post the team schedule, message members of group, share the team roster, assign snack responsibilities – I have primarily been using the free service to share photos with other parents. While I didn’t do a ton of research – seriously people, what kind of time do you think I have? – this solution has worked so far because: • Price – Did I mention the free? The free was important. • Setting up the site was super easy – and I can manage multiple share sites from one sign in. • Password protected – To access the site visitors either need to either have a Shutterfly account (and permission from me) OR the password for the site. That way player families can pass the URL to friends and family who want to see photos. • Contributors welcome – Other snap-happy parents can be added to the site so they can also contribute their photos of our darling, photogenic and athletically-gifted children. • Download or order – Some parents prefer to pay for Shutterfly to make prints. Others prefer to download files for their use. The site allows for both. Realizing it’s not a perfect solution, I’d love to know how you share (or prefer to receive) team photos?

Join us and Learn How to Set Up Your Own Service Based Business. RSVP to the Google+ Event Here In the sixth hangout in our series – Work At Home Moms Strategy Hour, Kelli Miller and I will be joined by work-at-home mom and virtual assistant Alyssa Avant. During this session, we will discuss the many options for moms to run their own service based business including: editing (writing, audio & video), ghostwriting, virtual assistance, etc. We’d love to have you join in the live chat, ask questions and share your own advice and experiences. RSVP to the Google+ Event Here Watch Previous Recordings How to Find Legitimate #WorkAtHome Jobs How to Get Organized and Productive Working at Home How To Make Money Blogging How To Pitch Blog Campaigns To Brands Improve Your Business Visually – Photo Tips & Tricks Find out more about these #WAHMStrategy sessions that we hold every other Wednesday 10 am Pacific (1 pm Eastern) at http://www.5minutesformom.com/strategy/

"Will you fix my sleeves?" she says. It's Sunday morning and I'm still kind of half sleeping and Fable is fully dressed at the side of the bed with her leotard over her tights over the underwear that hangs out the sides of her velvet one-piece. I don't bother tucking it in because she's four and it doesn't matter. And then I take pause, relishing in this moment of quiet innocence, trying to recall the way it felt to be her age, when I was too little to care about such things. Or rather, to know I should.So much of innocence is that lack of awareness. Of what people are saying and what they're doing and how they judge. The need to protect from outside influences is as innate as our desire to return to simpler times. When we were more like them, our children. When we could hold cameras up to our faces, lens cap still attached, and see the world, alive and vibrant, without ever really seeing anything.Because we saw it all, you know?They see it all.And there was a time, like them, when we didn't think twice about how our bodies looked in leotards. When all that mattered were the sequins. Our only issues, twisted sleeves. "It's not working." Fable frowns. "Something's wrong with the shoulder part."So I tell her relax, that I will help you please calm down."There," I say, untwisting her sleeve. She smiles. "Thanks, Mama. Can I do my makeup now?" "Shouldn't we have breakfast first?"(Of course not.)She does her own makeup because she wants to do it herself. Because "I know exactly how to do it, mommy."She grabs the pinkest lipstick she can find and spends ten minutes applying it in slow motion.She's right. She does know exactly how to do it. She is careful and excited and every so often turns around to smile at me and jump up and down. "I told you I could do it myself," she says and then she smears blush all over her cheeks and eyeshadow under her eyes and I'm kind of relieved that it's everywhere - that it's a little bit of a mess.Because she's four and it doesn't matter. When we arrive at the theatre, all of the children are in costume and I tell Hal that costumes haven't changed in twenty-five years. That I wore a costume just like that when I was little and my brother wore those same suspenders when he danced to 2 Legit 2 Quit - right before he quit dance to play baseball. Hal took dance class, too when he was young. He took ballet with a class full of girls - a class he loved and looked forward to until his friends found out and made fun of him. He quit the next day and never danced again.My brother stopped for similar reasons. They all did. And I watch the little boys on stage recognizing that at some point they just stop dancing... that the girls age, get curvier and more confident, dance on chairs, flip their bodies through the air, but there are no boys over five on stage. And I think of Hal and how he "never lived that one down" and how unfortunate it is that we don't acknowledge #boysunstoppable the same way we do girls. "No girl should stop doing what she loves because of anxiety about her looks." No boy should stop doing what he loves because of anxiety about how it looks to everyone else. And yet... I watch Hal in the darkness with Archer next to him and all of the brothers and fathers in the audience in the same way I do the mothers and sisters. What were they doing before they were aware?My husband danced. My brother danced. And then they stopped. One day my underwear was showing.One day I put on my recital costume and noticed I had hips. And a chest that was no longer totally flat and legs that were suddenly hairy and my eyebrows were too furry and I couldn't wear underwear under my leotard anymore because it showed and this is not fun anymore, I feel stupid. I don't want to be seen.And then I stopped. I was done with dance. Age changes us. Age puts us in the audience when we wish we were on stage. Not because we want to be seen but because we miss dancing.There was a time when I was so happy up there and I watch Fa

There are some big things happening at the Disneyland Resort! Will you join me (here and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) as I attend Disney’s media event this week? Here’s a preview of what we will be checking out – Fantasy Faire – an enchanting, immersive storybook world that extends Fantasyland. Disney Princesses await Disneyland park guests at the new Fantasy Faire and brings their timeless tales to life in fun and surprising ways. Guests will be treated to an interactive storytelling experience with vaudeville-style Renaissance storytellers at the Royal Theatre. There will be two different shows at the Royal Theatre: the tales of Rapunzel (“Tangled”) and Belle (“Beauty and the Beast”). In addition to all of this magic in Fantasyland, Mickey Mouse and a cast of beloved Disney characters will embark on a series of musical adventures through the magical powers of a sorcerer’s map in “Mickey and the Magical Map,” the all-new, live show debuting May 25 at Fantasyland Theatre in Disneyland Park. But, there’s more! It’s a Monstrous Summer at Disneyland Resort! Disney parks on both coasts are bursting with unforgettable thrills and enchantment from new shows and attractions — starting with a 24-hour all-nighter for us here on the West Coast at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park! Kick off a Monstrous summer on May 24, 2013, at an amazing 24-hour all-nighter in Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. Scream with delight as monster hosts Mike and Sulley drop in from Monsters University. Shop for limited-time special All-Nighter merchandise Put the pedal to the metal at CarsLand — now going full-throttle at Disney California Adventure Park! Check out the entertaining vibe on Buena Vista Street at the newly reimagined Disney California Adventure Park. Immerse yourself in timeless Disney tales at Fantasy Faire. Join Mickey on the exciting new magical, musical adventure, “Mickey and the Magical Map,” in the Fantasyland Theatre in Disneyland Park. Image Credit :: Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland