Tech Savvy Mama

Dam Dam Haiti- #Bloggers4Haiti Introduce Technology

2012-01-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Imagine beingintroduced to the internet for the first time and realizing its amazingcapabilities. That’s what we wereable to provide to the women of Dam Dam Haiti during our visit.

20 of the 60 Dam Dam members

Dam Dam isthe name of a cooperative made up of 60 ladies who reside in Leogane, acountryside town an hour outside Port au Prince that was the epicenter of theHaiti earthquake. Dam Dam Haiticomes together- 20 women at a time- to create paper máche crafts out ofrecycled materials. They sitaround low tables in one of the rooms in a 3 room school house to massagemoistened paper, paint, and talk.

Massaging paper for the paper máche

When wevisited Dam Dam the women were as curious about us as we were about them. They wanted to hear who we were, whatwe did, and about our children but also wanted to know the purpose of ourvisit. We shared that we wanted toshare our perspective on Haiti with our readers through our blogs. This sparkedtheir curiosity. They wanted to hear more about blogging and sharing through socialmedia tools that we don’t think twice about using because they are ingrained inour daily work.

On a whim,Nadia brought her computer into the school room where Dam Dam was assembled. Sitting in a child size chair with 20women crowded around her, she showed them her blog. Even the women who seemed mildly interested in our visit cameover, mesmerized by the content on the little screen. It was an incredible sight to see! Dam Dam recognized blogs as a way to share their work withthe world and wanted to know how they could get a computer to do what wedo. They also loved us taking their photos since it allowed them to see a picture of themselves!

@JusticeJonesie gives a crash course on the internet and blogs

Thecommunity manager, Jean, is a natural marketer and savvy computer user who hasalready set up a Facebook page, Twitter account, and is investigating settingup a WordPress blog, MySpace page and Pinterest boards for the group.

Through ourconversation with Dam Dam and Jean, I realized that I found the perfectrecipient for a hot pink Asus netbook that is designated for donation. I’ve struggled to find the rightperson, or organization, to donate it to because I wanted it to be truly usefulthrough it’s purpose. It didn’t take me long to realize that the pink netbookwas destined to be with Dam Dam.

Community leader Jean with the women who are excited about
blogging and social media

The screenmay be small but the women are very excited that it is hot pink. Jean plans to take the women to theinternet café in town to show them the group’s Facebook page and Twitter. With his leadership, I know that he isa tech savvy individual who can teach the women about how to share theirstories of their artwork online.

The netbookwill is already packed up on its way to New York where it will be hand carriedto Dam Dam the following week during another trip to Haiti. Jean has already friended me onFacebook and followed me on Twitter. I have no doubt that he will be a wonderful teacher! It’s wonderful to know that Dam Dam hassuch a motivated individual who is already taking charge of their onlinepresence and can serve as their teacher because without the proper training,the technology is useless.

She tapped me on the shoulder and wanted to take a photo of me taking a
picture of her! Some things are universal!

Giving DamDam a computer is no different to providing a child with a computer. Computers, along with knowledge abouthow to use them and properly navigate the internet, are essential skills thatneed to be taught gradually. Starting small allows for beginners to fully formunderstanding that will allow them to build upon their knowledge that represents empowerment.

Dam Dam asked if they could comment on our blogs in Creole and it is something that I would welcome since their comments demonstrate a developing proficiency in the use of technology and would be a wonderful way to keep in touch with this inspirational group. I am already looking forward to getting my first comment in Creole!

Jeannette Kaplun, Elena Sonnino and I showoff the paper máche ornaments and
painted bottle cap earrings made by Dam Dam

The majority of this trip was personally funded but I did receive a scholarship from Everywhere to help me defray some of my travel costs. Asus Netbook was provided by Asus for donation but I personally paid for shipping it to NYC. Thanks to HP, Snapfish, and The Mother Company for donating products to share with the people of Haiti and T-Mobile for lending me devices to document it. All opinions are my own and based on my experience.

Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge for Middle School Students

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

Do you have a buddingscientist in your home?

Discovery Educationand 3M aresearching middle schools nationwide to find “America’s Top Young Scientist” forthe 2012 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

Competing for the chanceto win more than $25,000 in cash and prizes, students create a one- totwo-minute video communicating the science behind a solution for an everydayproblem in one of the following categories:

The way we move;
The way we keepourselves healthy;
The way we make a difference.

Ten finalists will beselected to participate in an exclusive summer mentorship program workingdirectly with a 3M scientist and will also receive a trip to the 3M InnovationCenter in St. Paul, MN, to compete in the final challenge in October 2012.

Video entries must besubmitted online no later than April 19, 2012.

This information wasprovided by Discovery Education. Logo courtesy of Discovery and 3M. No compensation was received for this post.

eBay MoneyMakers: Seller success stories

2012-01-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

If you've ever pondered the possibility of eBay being a way to increase your income substantially, Amy and Tristen O'Brien of Westfield, Indiana did just that.

The O’Brien family had just relocated for a job that was eliminated soon after the move. With a new baby, the two income family had dropped to no income and needed to

generate cash quickly. The O’Briens turned to eBay to sell household items to fund their day-to-day expenses. Once Tristen’s selling proficiency increased, he turned to clearance and vintage items to resell to make additional income.

Through the eBay MoneyMakers series, the O'Briens chronicle their story on how eBay sales have impacted their lives.

Tristen is now employed and the family continues to sell on eBay to fund their wish list, including a trip to Disney World.

Tristen also uses his experience to help others through his blog, The eBay Entrepreneur. He helps new sellers “become successful…one listing at a time.” As an eBay hobbyist, Tristen’s blog provides me with inspiration and practical tips that I incorporate into every listing.

There are more stories of real families chronicled through eBay MoneyMakers that you can view on the eBay MoneyMakers YouTube Channel.

I am part of the eBay Parent Panel and am compensated for my participation in the program. All opinions about my eBay experience are my own.

7 Bowl Game Party Essentials from OpenSky

2012-01-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

Everyone always has a favorite team whenSuper Bowl Sunday comes around and whether you’re a die hard fan who isthrilled that your team has made it to Indianapolis or are rooting for theopposition out of spite, score a touchdown with your friends by hosting thebest game day party with these finds from OpenSky.

KegStoolselected by Zane Lamprey — $149

Everyone needs a place tosit while watching the game and since we know it’s a real party foul toaccidentally knock over the keg, turn it into a stool! This kit comes with everything you needto build your KegStool to dress up your home bar with this practical piece ofhome décor. The Keg Stool Kit includes theseat, foot rest and all necessary hardware and holds up to 300 pounds.

BeerPong Portable Tailgate Table selected by Zane Lamprey— $99

If your team is losing,there’s no better way to take out your frustration than with a rousing game ofbeer pong. Sure you can clear offthe dining room table of the eats and set your game up there but it’s much moreclassy to have a dedicated Beer Pong Portable Tailgate Table. After all, it’s much easier totransport this handy portable table than carting around your dining room table!

CoreBamboo Revolving Serving Platter selected by Ming Tsai —$45

Now that we’ve covered thenecessary beverage-related items, it’s time to concentrate on the food. This sustainable sectioned spinningpiece is a dream for those who don’t like their foods to co-mingle. Veggies, nuts, and other items havetheir separate but equal compartments but never have to meet until they reachyour plate. The ceramic dish inthe center is removable so you can serve your dip to the side.

GuyFieri’s Salsa Sampler Pack selected by Guy Fieri —$20

Chips and salsa areessential eats for any bowl game fiesta but don’t just settle for the grocerystore variety, kick it up a notch with Guy Fieri’s Salsa Sampler Pack. This 4 pack of salsa includes SalsaVerde, Original Salsa, Chipotle Salsa, and a 7 Pepper Salsa to delight yourcrowd.

2Pack of Salsabols selected by Kath Younger — $32

Now that you added thesalsa to your shopping cart, order the right serving vessel for them. These bowls are just the right size tohold a generous amount of salsa so you won’t constantly have to refill and thegently curved lip of the bowl helps keep the salsa on the chip.

D’Artagnan9 Piece Gift Basket selected by Michael Ruhlman — $99

Elevate your Super Bowl feast with thisincredible selection of D'Artagnan'swide array of French classics, like the foie, pate de campagne, the duckconfit, saucisson sec, and fresh sausage or bring it as a host gift to delighta Francophile fan.

WMF7 Piece Bar Set selected by Zane Lamprey — $145

Tend bar properly with the righttools. This 7 piece set is notonly stylish but function and contains everything you need to shake, strain,muddle, stir, measure, and more to make high brow cocktails to serve along withthe required beer.

What is OpenSky and how does it work?

Sign up fora free account and get a $10 credit to start shopping with your favorite“curators.” Curators are tastemakers who share their favorite productsand brands through the site. For more information, read my how-to guide onOpenSky.

This post was written as part of a newrelationship with OpenSky where I am compensated for curating my favoriteproducts to share with you but all opinions are my own. Membership affiliatelink included in this post.

Sustainable Income Through Art #Bloggers4Haiti

2012-01-23T02:18:00.001-05:00

Croix des Bouquets is a reknowned artist community

Haiti may be a poor country but the people here are proud. Rather than wanting handouts or taking to begging in the streets, Haitians want to learn practical skills that will allow them to work and generate a steady income for their families. They believe in creating a better future for their children by earning money to send them to private school but require funds in order to do so.

Beadwork by Jean Baptiste

Haiti is country full of color and creativity where art is ingrained in the culture. Everywhere you go there are beautifully painted signs and Tap Taps, painted buses that serve as the country’s taxi system to transport people to where they need to go. By selling their art, Haitians are rebuiliding their lives.

Painted Tap Tap, a Haitian mode of transportation

Today we visited atéliers in Croix des Bouquets where Jean Baptiste, one of the country’s most reknowned beadwork artists, has a studio. Just down the road are countless ateliers of metal work artists who craft sculptural pieces, wall hangings, and pendants from hammered oil drums. Oil drums have been recycled and fashioned into art for years but they didn’t sell.

Outside Jean Baptiste's atélier

Through Willa Shalit and Fair Winds Trading, artists have learned what the global community is looking for. Artists work together to develop a vision for the pieces that will be part of product lines that are sold in stores like Anthropologié and Macy’s but also learn how to create invoices, generate packing lists for customs in order to import the items into the United States, and develop pieces with designs that appeal to American consumers but will also be refined enough to sell in retail stores. They also learn English so they can communicate with their buyers- whether individuals or large companies. Each atelier employs 8 Haitians, a significant number when there are so many atéliers.

Just one of many atéliers in Croix des Bouquets

Fair Winds Trading not only helps the metal artisans broker deals with companies like Macy’s for their Heart of Haiti line but also horn artists who are creating a line with Rachel Ray and are always looking for new ways to teach Haitians practical skills that will help them generate income.

Rony (L) who manages the metalwork atélier that creates pieces for Macy's
Heart of Haiti with Jean Baptiste holding some of his beadwork

Today we visited Ofeda, a camp of 200 smart women with an entrepreneurial spirit who kept repeating the need for training, and a real desire to be taught. Willa had met a woman from Ofeda before and during their visit, she shared a book of embroidery that had survived the earthquake. The book was essentially a portfolio of her skills and was the inspiration for a new project- a line of greeting cards with a block print that will incorporate embroidery that will be sold in Haiti and possibly beyond.

Willa Shalit, CEO of Fair Winds Trading, explains the
embroidered card concept to Ofeda women

Willa brought embroidery thread, needles, and blank cards to the women, explained how the embroidery book sparked this idea, and showed them samples of designs. The women were asked to create samples of their work and will be paid for any completed cards upon her return in two weeks.

Materials like embroidery thread, needles, and cards
were left for the women to create samples

This project meets the need for travelers who often find substandard, or no, greeting cards in Haiti, and allows the women to earn $1 per card that should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. This is just one of many examples of how building capacity in the Haitian people serves as a way to better their lives. The women we met today were very excited about earning income to provide private school tuition for their childrens’ education and funds that could help them become property owners in the future.

Example of a card with block print and embroidered details
featuring the Ofeda stamp on the back

Today’s visits made me realize that the best way to help Haitians is to empower them by teaching them practical skills they will have for the remainder of their lives. So many people and organizations have come and gone, never to return. It’s important to support the organizations that are building capacity through sustainable programs not only to help Haiti get back on its feet but to share these skills with future generations.

Tomorrow we'll be leaving Port au Prince for a trip to Jacmel, a coastal town which is about a 2 1/2 hour drive and is the home to paper maché artists. I don't know if I'll have wifi to share tomorrow's journey with you but hope to do so upon my return to Port au Prince on Tuesday.

For more information about my trip and #Bloggers4Haiti, read yesterday's post:

Haiti: 2 Years After the Quake #Bloggers4Haiti

The majority of this trip was personally funded but I did receive a scholarship from Everywhere to help me defray some of my travel costs. Thanks to HP, Snapfish, and The Mother Company for donating products to share with the people of Haiti and T-Mobile for lending me devices to document it. All opinions are my own and based on my experience.

Haiti: 2 Years After the Quake #Bloggers4Haiti

2012-01-21T23:35:00.000-05:00

Travel documents for my trip to Haiti

Two years ago when I was watching the coverage of Haiti after the devastating earthquake, I never imagined it would be a place I would visit 2 years later with fellow bloggers and friends. My trip has elicited a variety of reactions from friends including surprise, awe, curiosity, and encouragement to do great work while here and come back to share what I’ve experienced.

Through my trip I plan to do that and so much more. I’m visiting Haiti because of its importance in the world and my desire to learn about the country apart from the way it has been portrayed in the news. As a Caribbean Island, it shares its border with the Dominican Republic and is just a short 90 minute flight from Miami, making our neighbor but vastly different because it is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Sweeping vistas of Port au Prince from our hotel

Today was just the beginning. Excitement and adrenaline are keeping me going despite a 4:15 am wakeup call that allowed us to arrive in Haiti this morning and have a full day in Port au Prince, our home for the majority of the trip.

Our home in Port au Prince is Horizon Suites, a beautiful hotel with sweeping vistas of the city that was built just up the hill from Hotel Montana, a renowned destination for international visitors that was flattened in the earthquake. A memorial between the two sites helps commemorates the lives those who were lost and helps me remember why I’m here.

Memorial honoring Hotel Montana guests
who perished in the 2010 earthquake

In just a day, I’ve realized that there is help that I can provide to Haiti from afar through blogging and social media not only while I’m here but needs to continue after I get home. I can share the initiatives that help Haitians rebuild their lives through sustainable programs that build capacity through the skills that are being taught. Sustainable programs provide practical training in a “teach a man to fish” way rather than the “give a man a fish” approach.

Hand rolled paper beads made from recycled materials

While I can’t go into detail about all I saw today just yet, I have a great story to tell about my trip to the tent camps and the amazing work that is being done there to build capacity and teach Haitians skills that will allow them to generate an income to pay for private school tuition for their children ($1000/month per child) or buy property to rebuild homes destroyed in the quake. I will share how you can support these efforts soon.

Tomorrow is another full day with visits to the womens’ domestic violence shelter and metal and horn & bone artisans. I look forward to seeing more of Haiti during our travels but in the meantime, wanted to share this slideshow of photos. Forgive some of the photos which were taking from our van en route from the airport to Horizon Suites.

To those of you who have Tweeted or left me Facebook messages—— thank you! Thank you for your interest in my trip, following the #Bloggers4Haiti hashtag, and 48.5 pounds of donated items that I've brought with me.

And thank goodness for an in-room router with fantastic wifi that allows me to share my story with you as it unfolds!

The majority of this trip was personally funded but I did receive a scholarship from Everywhere to help me defray some of my travel costs. Thanks to HP, Snapfish, and The Mother Company for donating products to share with the people of Haiti. All opinions are my own and based on my experience.

Teaching Kids About Chinese New Year: Year of the Dragon

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

On Monday, January 23, my family will celebrate the start of Year of the Dragon. This year is a particularly important year because of the significance of the dragon to Chinese culture. The dragon characterizes ambition, dominance, success, and is the mightiest of all 12 of the creatures that comprise the Chinese Zodiac.

Around our home, we're getting ready for the start of the New Year. I’ll clean the house before Monday to sweep out the bad luck from the previous year and because it's customary to avoid cleaning for the first week avoid sweeping away the good luck that the New Year brings. On Monday, Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer will wake up and eagerly say "Gung Hay Fat Choy" (Happy New Year in Chinese) in order to receive the red li see envelopes from each parent that are filled with lucky money. Then they’ll head off to school wearing something new.

While ordering Chinese takeout or going out for Dim Sum (one of my family’s favorite ways to celebrate!) is perfectly fine, teach your children the significance of Chinese or Lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon with any of these fun activities:

Li see envelopes are filled with lucky money

Make or print li see envelopes to exchange with family members and fill them with lucky money. It is customary for married couples to give them to those who are unmarried.

Print the story of the Chinese Zodiac to share with your family. Since each year is represented by one of 12 animals, use this Chinese Zodiac Sign Calculator to figure out which animals you are. I like the calculator because it takes into account your actual day of birth in figuring out which animal you are. Many calendars like those you see on placemats at Chinese restaurants follow the western calendar that begins on January 1. They don't take into account that those with January birthdays (like Little Miss Techie) might fall under a different sign since Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar. I also like that this site will give you a link so you can read and print the character traits for your animal sign. Did that make any sense?

Make felt fortune cookies, dumplings, or a tray of oranges for your play kitchen. The oranges signify gold and prosperity for the new year while dumpling preparation the night before the start of the new year is a tradition.

Hanging lanterns in red and gold symbolize good luck

Decorate your house with paper lanterns or plum blossom branches

Recycle your toilet paper tubes to make pretend firecrackers that will ward off evil spirits.

Prepare a Tray of Togetherness. In my grandparents' and parents' house a square lacquer box with different compartments were always filled with candied sweets of ginger, winter melon, lotus seeds, sliced taro root, crunchy water chestnuts, and coconut at this time of year. Our box may be an octagon plastic one but it will be filled with sweets like candied winter melon and coconut. Make one at home by gathering 8 dishes and filling them with sweet treats. Eight is a lucky number!

Order noodles with your Chinese meal since the length of the noodles signifies long life and it's customary to eat noodles as part of any happy occasion.

Ward off evils spirits with your own dragon

Have your own parade with dragon hand puppets or dancing lion puppets

Beginning readers will enjoy making a mini book of words associated with Chinese New Year. Also be sure to read any of the following picture books together to learn more about Chinese New Year customs and the Chinese culture:

Gung Hay Fat Choy (or Happy Chinese New Year!)

Amazon affiliate links contained in this post. This post was written as part of the MomsRising Lunar New Year Year of the Dragon Blog Carnival to help celebrate Asian-American families and all families.

PBSKids STEM Challenge Twitter Party (Thursday 1/19)

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

One of the most effective ways thatkids can learn is by playing games— board games, card games, and yes, evenvideo games! PBS KIDS is participating in the 2012National STEM Video Game Challenge, an annual competition to motivateinterest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning amongAmerica's youth by tapping into students' natural passion for playing andmaking video games.

Through the National STEM Video Game Challenge, teams of middle schoolstudents, high schoolers, college students, and teachers can compete forincredible prizes including laptops and cash ranging from $2,000- 10,000!

Join me and co-host Amy Mascott from TeachMama.com and founder of the We Teach Forum on Thursday, January 19from 9-10:30 pm for an exciting Twitter party where we will be talking aboutgames, learning, and the PBS STEM Challenge.

What: PBSKids Stem Challenge Twitter Party

When: Thursday, January 19 from 9-10:30 pmEST

Where: #PBSKidsSC

Who:

Hosts:Amy Mascott @teachmama,Leticia Barr @TechSavvyMama, @PBSKids,@PBSTeachers

Panelists: Andrew Gardner from BrainPopEducators @agardnahh, Brian Alspach from E-Line Media @STEMChallenge, Caitlin Skopac from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop@CooneyCenter,Erica Branch-Ridleyfrom Content Innovation Lab and The Electric CompanyDigital @branchridley3, Melissa Taylor from Imagination Soup @ImaginationSoup,Michelle Bourgeous from Thoughts areFree @milobo,Candace Lindemann from NaturallyEducational @candaceapril

Why: For fun conversation about games, learning, and the PBS STEM Challenge and the chanceto win prizes that include two $25 iTunes gift cards, two PBS Kids prize packs,and a Kindle!

RSVP: http://eepurl.com/inbS2

Looking forward to chatting with youon Thursday night!

I am being compensated to host this party which is sponsored by PBS.

The Day The LOLcats Died - #SOPA #PIPA Protest Song

2012-01-18T22:11:00.000-05:00

Protesting SOPA with a Blackout

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you’ve been surfing the web today, you’ve already noticed that many of your favorite sites are blacked out. The internet blackout is a response by web publishers- big and small- to urge all users to prevent the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) from passing when the United States Senate votes on it on Tuesday, January 24. Essentially SOPA is an internet censorship bill that will affect sites you visit daily if it passes.

SOPA is designed to censor the internet to protect the entertainment industry against piracy and copyright infringement. Private corporations want the ability to shut down unauthorized sites where people download movies, television shows, and music but it also could affect anyone who quotes song lyrics on their Facebook page, uploads a YouTube video of a bunch of friends singing a Top 40 hit, or has a movie playing in the background while doing a video for their blog. With laws in place to already fight piracy, this bill is not necessary.

Please watch the video below to become more knowledgeable about how this affects all of us.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

SOPA gives the government a lot of control and directly impacts our country’s right to freedom of expression.

I am against SOPA because it directly affects me- not only as a internet user but also as an online publisher and lover of social media who believes in startups and relies on eCommerce.

Thanks for your support in learning about SOPA and letting lawmakers hear your voice if you feel so inclined.

GoalForIt.com Printable and Online Charts to Focus on Success

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Despite having established routines in our home and trying to focus on positive behaviors, instead of dwelling on the negative, there are times that I still feel like a broken record and could use the assistance of a concrete system to reinforce the routines and behaviors that are expected.

GoalForIt.com provides free tools like customizable behavior and goal charts that can create success in your home for kids of any age- including tweens and teens! After you sign up for the free site, GoalForIt makes it easy to create a custom chore chart in 5 minutes. Select among the pre-created themes and then select habits and chores or type in your own for a customized chart.

If you’re looking to create routines in your house, I’d recommend making a Habit Chart which is designed to develop effective habits and goals for health, personal traits, fulfillment, and household management. Choose from 140 themes and 60 daily habits and goals or create your own. Charts can be used on the website or printed out and are always tied to your personal account.

There is a community aspect of the using GoalForIt where users can add people to their Friends Network. You must know their usernames and search for them accordingly. As with any social networking or online community, check your privacy settings.

Upon creating your account, you will have the option to set your profile to be viewed only by friends in Profile Settings. For users who have already created accounts and need to revisit their privacy options, this can be done by going to Profile & Account Info -> Edit Account & Profile -> Save.

Michael Murdock founded GoalForIt “as a ‘passion project’ to try to help people of all ages bring more focus and personal success into everyday life by recognizing, developing and capitalizing on their own unique strengths & abilities.”

To sign up for your own free account, visit GoalForIt.com to bring focus, balance and fulfillment into your everyday life in a fun and rewarding way.

This was written as part of a sponsored post campaign with MomSelect but as always, all opinions are my own.

7 Ways to Educate Children About Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2012-01-16T09:40:00.000-05:00

We recognize today as a day where we remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. but does it have meaning for our children other than being a day off from school? Dr. King’s contributions do our children know who he was and his contributions to the history of our country?

Here are some age appropriate sites that I'll be sharing to share with our kids (ages 5 and 8) to further their understanding about who Dr. King was and his impact on the Civil Rights movement throughout the day. Please make sure you preview them first to ensure that they are appropriate for your own kids.

View snapshots of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life taken by photographer Benedict Fernandez during the last year of his life on the Scholastic Teachers site.

Watch part of Dr. King’s historic “I have a dream” speech while following along by reading the text on Martin Luther King Online.

Integrate some math by taking a look at the timeline of Dr. King’s life on The Seattle Times website. Print the timeline out, mix up the events, and use the dates to discuss ordering numbers according to the tens and ones place.

Read age appropriate historical fiction and fictional stories about Dr. King. A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr., My Dream of Martin Luther King, and The Story of Ruby Bridges are some of my favorites. For more suggestions, visit Apples 4 the Teacher for a larger list of books about Dr. King.

The National Civil Rights Museum had an interactive page where children can learn about what life was like in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 before the bus boycott. Clicking on choices like schools, buses, restaurants, city hall, cars, people, etc. will provide children with an idea of what discrimination was like and this site is most appropriate when done together since there is reading involved. The rest of the site is geared towards middle school students or children with an deeper understanding of the court cases that enabled segregation.

Honor the life of Dr. King by engaging in a day of service by finding opportunities for your family through the Martin Luther King Day of Service website. Just enter in your

Apply what you’ve learned as a family and take time to be kind. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to complete 100 acts of kindness between now and Valentine’s Day.

Whatever you do today, it seems quite fitting to leave you with this quote from the great Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

Beauty and the Beast 3D Opens in Theaters Today

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

I loved Beauty and the Beast when I saw it ages ago and then watching it over and over again on VHS but seeing it in 3D with my kids sitting beside me was a real treat when we caught a preview last weekend.

The classic tale is sure to captivate a new generation of viewers with stunning Disney Digital 3D imagery and songs that are sing-along-worthy. Regardless of how you feel about princesses, you have to love book-loving Belle who ignores the boorish ways of Gaston in favor of reading her way through town and wanting “something more than this provincial life.”

Here’s information from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures about this limited engagement showing of Beauty and the Beast:

The film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.

Featuring unforgettable music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, “Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Did you know that the original Beauty and the Beast film was...

Nominated for six Academy Awards®, winning Oscars® for Best Song, by the renowned Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and Best Original Score (Menken);

The first animated feature to cross the $100 million plateau in its initial release;

A musical that opened on Broadway three years after the film debuted. The musical opened at the Palace Theatre and ran in New York for 5,464 performances between 1994 and 2007, becoming the eighth-longest running production. It has played in 13 countries and 115 cities and continues to enchant audiences worldwide.

Beauty and the Beast opens in theaters today and includes an all-new short featuring Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder: Tangled Ever After.

My family received complimentary passes to attend the screening but all opinions are my own.

11 Things to Plug Into Your Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

2012-01-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you’ve ever experienced a power outage where the power inyour house dips just enough to lose important work on your computer, you knowthat battery backup provided by an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can allowsufficient time to save files. Italso helps in closing programsand powering down equipment properly so devicesaren’t fried as a result of the power surge.

Eaton’s new 3S battery backup provides sleek, savvy and sophisticated power protection right out of the box, making it the ideal solution for homeor small office computers and accessories, networking, VoIP systems, and homeentertainment devices. It’s an affordable solution ($79) that provides 10-30minutes of time protect your home electronics using a reliable, durable, andcompact system that is also energy efficient.

I happen to have the Eaton 3S UPS with 10 outlets. 10 may soundlike a lot but in the event of a power outage, here are the things that I wouldlike to be able to protect by powering down properly and ensure are fullycharged in the event that the power goes out for multiple days:

Laptop— A powersurge can fry your laptop. Plugging it into one of Eaton 3S UPS’ power surge outlets protectsit. Battery backup from the UPSalso ensures that your battery is fully charged in the event that your powerstays out for longer than expected.

Cell phone —Plugging in your cell phone charger into an uninterrupted power supply helpsmaintain the charge so your phone will be fully juiced when the power isout. Call, text, access data, andupdate social networks wisely though since the UPS typically runs between 10-30minutes.

Digitalvideo recorder (DVR)— Nothing is worse than missing the very end of afavorite show because the power goes out! Plug your DVR into your UPS to make sure that it keeps recording so youcan catch that cliffhanger of an ending when the power comes back on.

Homecordless phone— Many are abandoning their landlines in favor of cellphones. If your home phone iscordless phone, it won’t work without power. When plugged into a UPS, the home cordless phone system willwork for the duration of stored power in your UPS. This should be just longenough to phone essential family members to let them know your power is out andyou aren’t really ignoring their calls.

Radio—Emergency radios transmit important news and developments regarding emergencysituations. Keep one on hand andplugged into your UPS so you can be in the know and share information with yourfriends and neighbors via word of mouth.

AA and AAArechargeable battery charger— Batteries are needed to poweryour flashlight and other emergency communications devices. Plug the battery charger into the UPSso all batteries will be fully charged in case of emergency.

Cablemodem/DSL — Life without WiFi can be a nightmare for some but thenightmare only gets worse if your cable modem or DSL is damaged because of thepower surge. Keep it protected orprolong its’ life a little longer by plugging it into the UPS to maintain yourinternet connection for the life of the battery backup.

Backupcharger for mobile devices— Plugging in a backup charger for your phone keepsyou connected even when the initial charge runs low. Devices like the iGo ChargeAnywhere can charge 2 USB devices at a timewhen fully charged thanks to your UPS.

Floor lampwith a compact florescent or LED bulb— It’s Murphy’s Law that powertends to go out after it’s dark, leaving you scrambling for candles andflashlights in the pitch black. Plug in a floor lamp that uses either compact fluorescents or LED lights(because they use less energy) and you’ll have a few minutes to find and lightthose candles and distribute flashlights.

iPod dock— Musiclovers who feel like the party stops when the music does will have a few moreminutes to finish that last song before having to plug in a set of headphonesto listen to their fully charged iPod.

eReader — Booklovers who don’t own headlamps or find it hard to turn pages while holding aflashlight will want to make sure their eReader is plugged into a UPS tocontinue reading by the light of the backlit display. Due to the long battery life of eReaders, a fully chargedone could probably outlast most power outages!

While some of the devices from the above list are notnecessities in the event of a power outage, it’s always a good idea to plugtechnology into a UPS to protect them against power surges.

This postis part of a sponsored campaign with Technorati Media.

Cell Phone Etiquette for 2012

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you’ve ever cringed when a ringing cell phone has interrupted a live performance or someone has taken a call in your presence when they should have stepped away, AT&T encourages all cell phone users to make a resolution to follow proper cell phone etiquette in 2012.

AT&T is advocating for everyone to start the year off right with improved cell phone etiquette.

Here are AT&T’s Top Five Tips for cellphone etiquette to most of your time with people – not your phone – all year long.

Quiet as a Mouse – All cell phones should be on silent or vibrate mode

Take it Outside – If you must take or make a call, step away from your group.

Avoid Email Overload – Unless you are waiting on something urgent, wait until after your meal to check your email.

Stop With the Paparazzi Already – Everything doesn’t need to be posted on Facebook. Take a break from photographing your friends and family – interact with them.

Hide the Games – Wait to play Words with Friends or Angry Birds until you’re on your way home.

Because cell phone etiquette is as important now as it was in 1995.
Take a look at that phone!

Tips courtesy of AT&T. No compensation was received for this post. Consider it a public service.

Tegu Mobility: Unplug and build with magnetic blocks & wheels

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ever since Tegu blocks came into our home, they have been one of our favorite open ended toys. There’s nothing like the satisfying click as these eco-friendly sustainable wood blocks connect with magnets to create vertical and horizontal masterpieces that are only limited by the imagination. Now imagination has wheels with the introduction of Tegu Mobility, a line that adds functionality thanks to wooden wheels rimmed with rubber for smooth rolling that attach to any Tegu block.

Tegu Mobility from Tegu on Vimeo

Create vehicular masterpieces on wheels by purchasing a set of 4 wheels ($15) or start with the Mobility Compacts like Dart and Hatch ($38 each) sets that contain the colorful Tegu blocks and 4 magnetic wheels.

From L-R: Hatch, Maddy Micro, Riley Roadster, and Dart

Maddy Micro and Riley Roadster are also a great way to add Tegu Mobility to your collection, especially for younger car fanatics. Both Maddy and Riley are nicely priced at $19 and feature a wooden car silhouette and 4 wheels.

Car lovers ages 4-12 can enter Tegu’s How Do You Roll Sweepstakes for a chance to work with Tegu’s designers to design their next car and then take a trip to the Tegu factory in Honduras to see it roll off of the production line as the grand prize! For more information, visit the sweepstakes page and enter before the end of January.

How do you Roll? Sweepstakes from Tegu on Vimeo.

I received a set of Magnetic Wooden Wheels and Hatch for review purposes and look forward to adding to our collection. Images courtesy of Tegu.

Resources to Reinforce Spending, Saving, and Giving

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Did you knowthat kids receive an average of $25,000 in gifts and cash before they reach age18? What happens to that money andwhy do so few kids save? Theconcept of delayed gratification can be hard especially in a consumer culturewhere the idea of creating savings is very abstract but it doesn’t have to be,even for the youngest kids.

When I waslittle, one of the most rewarding parts of saving my money was watching my bankaccount balance increase. Thesavings institution where my family banked had passport-size books where theyprinted deposits and withdrawals when you visited the teller at thewindow. Birthday money, cash andchecks given as holiday gifts, and eventually funds earned from babysitting,summer jobs, and internships found their way into that account and I loved howI could watch the balance grow.

My bank book was like this...but horizontal, blue, and from Great Western!

These dayswith electronic banking, ATMs, and the days of passport-size passbooks longgone, it’s hard for kids to grasp the concept of saving which makes Kidworth is a great tool to teach savings ina fun, concrete way. Kidworth is asite that is designed to teach and empower children to save, invest, and spendwisely.

If you’reinterested in helping your child save just a tiny portion of the $25,000 theywill receive before they turn 18, here are 3 helpful resources that can helpreinforce the concepts they are learning through Kidworth:

Become knowledgeable about money so you can better educate your kids. Financialeducation for kids on CNN Money featuresa parent guide to kids and money including tips for young kids as well as highschool and college ages.

Reinforcethe concept of savings by sharing websites like Northwestern MutualFoundation’s TheMint.org/kids withyour kids. Children can figure outwhatkind of spender they are through a 5 question quiz, learn tips for smartshopping to maximize their dollars, or use the Whenwill you be a millionaire? game to figure out how long it will take them tosave in order to reach that million dollar mark.

Sincecharitable giving is one of the goals that kids can work towards on Kidworth,help children find a charity that is worthy of their hard earned money using Charity Navigator, an independentwebsite that contains top 10 listsfor all kinds of charities including the top military,education,celebrityrelated, and oneseveryone’s heard of.

I am a Kidworth Ambassador and amcompensated for my involvement in the program.

2011 Year in Review According to Tweets

2012-01-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

Source: http://frugaldad.com

BlogHer Call for Ideas- deadline tomorrow, 5 pm EST!

2012-01-04T20:55:00.000-05:00

If speaking at a conferenceis on your list of things to do in 2012, BlogHer's callfor ideas is open until Thursday, January 5 at 5 pm PST. Yes,that’s tomorrow!

Each year BlogHer asks thecommunity to submit ideas for topics, sessions, speakers, and moderators. It’s perfectly acceptable to nominateyourself to share your knowledge with the blogging community or submit asession based on where you’ve noticed programming holes in the past.

If you aren’t familiar withBlogHer’s timeline for programming, here’s some helpful information from theBlogHer site:

This is the Call for Ideas for the first round ofBlogHer-planned programming. A second round, called BlogHer’s Room of Your Own (ROYO) programming,will take place early next year. BlogHer’stimeline
December 5, 2011 – January 5, 2012
(closes 5pm PST): Round One programmingcall open
February 15:
Firstround, BlogHer-planned programming announced
February 15, 2012 – March 15, 2012
(closes 5pm PST): Round Two, Room ofYour Own programming call open
March31:
Second Round, ROYO programmingannounced

Awealth of helpful resources can be found on the BlogHer site including Jes Ferris’Howto Become a Speaker at BlogHer Events, past conference agendas, this year’sconference tracks, ways to make your submission stand out, and the link to thesubmission form.

I’ve spoken at 2 out of the 4BlogHers on ROYO panels and also at the Geek Bar and have to say that it is a great experience! The BlogHer team is amazingand will make sure that you are well prepared before you take the stage if yourproposal is accepted.

Good luck and see you in NYC in August!

As a member of BlogHer’s Tech Committee,I am passionate about good programming for the conference but was not requiredto share this on my personal site. Information and image courtesy of BlogHer.

Pantone's Tangerine Tango: 2012 Color of the Year

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Pantone Tangerine Tango is 2012's color of the year. A favorite color of Scraps of My Geek Life's Michele McGraw, there is no shortage of ways to decorate, accessorize, wear, or upgrade your gadgets with this trendy hue.

Here's my Houzz ideabook with favorite images featuring Tangerine Tango.

Pantone Tangerine Tango

I am compensated for my ideabooks on Houzz but am not required to share them on my personal site.

My OpenSky Is...

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ever since I was introduced to OpenSky at Blogalicious, I've loved following my favorite tastemakers whose picks comprise my OpenSky. The great thing about OpenSky is that you can follow anyone you'd like to build your own personalized shopping site.

My OpenSky is full of picks from incredible chefs and style mavens and over the holidays I had the opportunity to try out some of my new gadgets...in my kitchen!

OpenSky is free to join and you can use my link for immediate access: http://osky.co/techsavvyvideo

I am sharing this video as part of a contest for OpenSky and received a shopping credit to try the site. As you can see from the video above, I went well over the provided credit and personally paid for some of the items. All opinions are my own.

Organizational Products to Streamline Your 2012

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

2012 is upon us and as I sit at a desk covered with papers, business cards, gadgets, and various items our kids have so kindly left behind, I know that my goal is to get organized in time for the new year! I’m taking a take-no-prisoner type approach to every piece of paper, business card, and receipt as I sort into piles, digitizing some, tossing others, and archiving the rest.

It’s out with the old, in with the new and I’m hoping that my New Year’s resolution for a clean work space lasts at least until I start tackling taxes. Here are some of the products I’m using to organize my desk, life, and home.

Sarah Kimmel's Organized in 20 Days
makes home and personal organization easy

Organized in 20 Days eBook for Nook and Kindle ($5.99)— If you’re in need of some serious organization, Sarah Kimmel from The Organized Mom will help you take control of your house and life and develop habits to keep you organized to save time and money. Organized in 20 Days provides a different area to tackle each day. There is a day dedicated to each room in your home but also a day to establish routines, organize contacts, tackle paperwork, come up with a meal plan, and deal with the household budget. Each day’s tasks are manageable, with helpful tips that provide guidance and the motivation for getting organized!

Her Point of View Binder can be customized
using Franklin Planner products

Her Point of View Binder (starting at $69.95)— As tech savvy as I am, I’m a sucker for a good paper calendar that I keep next to me while working so I can create my blog’s editorial calendar as I think about or hear of new topics to share. I’ve switched from free month-at-a-glance printable PDFs from the internet and am keeping track of my writing on a Simplicity Two Page Monthly Calendar with Tabs ($9.95) in a gorgeous leather Her Point of View Binder from Franklin Covey. With pockets for business cards and a zipped section at the back, I have everything I need tucked neatly inside and even room for notes on a Classic Botanica Notepad ($10.95). Save 20% and Get Free Ground Shipping on Orders over $75. Use Code 21240.

Wire-Bound Planners ($24.95)— If you’re a minimalist but need a portable solution, Franklin Planners are considered to be some of the best quality paper planners on the market. With thick high quality thick paper, I never have to worry about this month bleeding through to the next month on the other side and with a variety of formats, there’s a calendar to suit everyone’s needs. For example, the Botanica Wire-bound Weekly Planner is perfect for thos who enjoy less bulk and want to get organized with a fresh floral design. There’s space for tasks and room for recording notes or appointments. The brightly striped Simplicity for Moms Wire-bound Weekly Planner includes ingenious spaces for Moms to easily keep track of their schedule plus the kids' classes, doctor's visits, games, car pools, etc. in a slim format that also includes forms for the kids' critical information that can be easily grabbed at a moment's notice.

Cozi (free)— As much as I love my paper calendars, the tech savvy side of me has found Cozi to be a lifesaver. Cozi is a free service that syncs seamlessly the web version on your home computer, the mobile app on an iPad, with Outlook, and also on iPhone, Blackberry, or Android phones. Color coding activities or appointments is easy. Cozi automatically enters holidays and also finds and add school calendars and applying all relevant dates to the correct child with a simple click of a mouse. For additional information about Cozi, visit my post on My Life Scoop.

Internet Notes keeps a multitude of passwords
and other online information organized

Internet Notes by Galison ($7.95)— This handy notebook is a low profile place to keep your passwords, usernames, email addresses, online purchases, etc. While it might be very low tech, the likelihood of it being deleted, stolen, or raided by hackers is pretty slim.

Keep a record of all valuables in the Valuables.doc Kit

Valuables.doc Kit (on sale for $9.99)— Keep a consolidated record of valuables in home for insurance purposes in one handy place. Categorize information according to 8 categories- jewelry, artwork/collectibles, family/living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, basement/attic, and other in this sturdy 150 page binder with organized sections and pouches for photo documentation.

Closet Dividers keep clothes organized

Closet Dividers Set of Big Dots ($11.95 for set of 6)— Clothes are easy to find with these closet organizers when they are arranged by age or type. Available in orange, pink, red, and green.

Purse Perfector makes it easy to switch purses
without leaving important items behind

Purse Perfector ($54)— Being a purse lover has its downsides whenever you make the switch to a new bag and leave needed items behind. The Purse Perfector handbag organizer allows you to keep everything you need neatly organized in the various compartments and to switch bags quickly and easily. Purse Perfector has two main sections- one tall and another shorter one- that zip together and apart to accommodate different size bags. With plenty of pockets, there’s a space for everything including your wallet, pens, glasses, business cards, lipstick, and more!

The large squares in the See it Bigger Plan Ahead Planner
allow multiple appointments to be listed daily

See it Bigger 2012 Large Monthly/Weekly Planner from Plan Ahead ($8.99)— Desktop calendar lovers will appreciate the large format of the See it Bigger planner. Each 12-month planner features larger space allotted for each day, perfect for writing in multiple tasks and appointments. The weeks at a glance and monthly overviews are easy to read without requiring style mavens to compromise on style, size and features. Laminated monthly tabs makes it easy to find what you’re looking for quickly. Additional features include spaces for emergency contacts and important information such as a password log, contact pages, and a two-year reference calendar.

Samples were provided for review purposes but all opinions are my own.

Must Have iPad Accessories on Houzz.com

2011-12-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you're already done setting up your brand new iPad 2, it's time to shop for accessories that will keep your new gadget protected, away from prying eyes, fun for the kids during long waits, and geeked out. 20 of my favorite accessories are featured in my Houzz ideabook.

Tech Savvy Mama's Picks: iPad Accessories

I am compensated for my ideabooks on Houzz but am not required to share them on my personal site.

eBay Old Gadgets to Declutter & Defray Costs of New Ones

2011-12-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you were given the gift of shiny new devices this holiday season and are wondering what to do with your old ones, eBay them!

You may think that your first generation iPod Nano is a brick, the 10 MP digital camera is too grainy to be useful, your old laptop is too slow, the broken iPhone 3G may not have any value, that old ink for your previous printer is worthless, and be tempted to rid your house of the cable clutter from cords that have been long separated from their devices BUT you’d be surprised about how much value these items hold for others.

Did you know:

Even broken iPhones are highly sought after for their parts, regardless of what model they are.

Cords and cables are one of my favorite things to find on eBay because they always cost a mere fraction of the price that big box and name brand retailers want for them.

We bought our kids older model digital cameras because we wanted them to have decent cameras but ones that we wouldn’t be devastated when dropped. In fact, for very little money both cameras are still going strong.

I buy cables from eBay for a fraction
of what they would cost from a big box retailer

eBay is a wonderful way to declutter your home and make room for the new and shiny gadgets you received as a gift or self-purchased since money made from the sale helps defray the cost by putting it back in your pocket.

If you’re new to eBay, check out my 5 Quick Tips for Selling on eBay and 7 Photo Tips for eBay Listings that include tips from eBay staff and seasoned eBay sellers who make a sizable income from regular sales. eBay’s Tech Selling Guide is an incredibly useful resource to teach sellers which products, accessories and brands are in demand, how much cash they could make on tech and electronics they might otherwise have thrown out, what items sell when, price ranges, and selling histories.

Put money back in your pocket through eBay sales

Potential buyers are always trolling eBay for hard to find items or have set up alerts to notify them of when certain items are listed. All it takes is for one person to find your item and place a bid or select Buy It Now to make a sale!

What gadget do you have in your home that you might consider listing to put some money back in your pocket?

I am part of the eBay Parent Panel and am compensated for my participation in the program. All opinions about my eBay experience are my own.

LG Nitro: 5 Apps to Maximize Display, Camera & Speed

2011-12-24T15:00:00.000-05:00

If you’re giving yourself or a loved one the gift of a new Android phone for the holidays, the LG Nitro is an incredible choice thanks to a gorgeous display, fast download speed, and an 8 MP HD camera. LG Nitro contains a True HD IPS Display that features a 16:9 Aspect ratio for widescreen entertainment, sharper and crisper images, amazingly accurate colors. Since it is exclusively available on AT&T’s 4G LTE network, you can experience, download, and share HD content faster than ever.

If the LG Nitro will be your entré into the Android smartphone world and you’re wondering how to maximize the specs of this phone, here are 5 must- have free apps to download from the Android Market that will allow you to stay connected to your social networks in real time, share photos, view movies, and find information quickly.

YouTube— The high pixel count of the LG Nitro’s True HD IPS Display provides crisp images and accurate colors makes watching YouTube videos even better. With an incredibly efficient display for optimal power consumption, watch even more videos without the worry that your battery will die in the middle of the hottest must-watch viral sensation.

PicPlz — With an 8 MP HD camera and 329 pixels per inch with real RGB, photos taken with the LG Nitro are gorgeous. Use PicPlz to share them as-is or add retro styling using the different filters before uploading them to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Posterous, Foursquare, and more.

Google Maps with Navigation— This free app that is only available for Android will have you kissing your old old-school GPS goodbye while saving trees thanks to paperless navigation. Google Maps Navigation provides turn-by-turn directions just like a GPS device and re-routes you around traffic. When you arrive at your final destination, the app displays a Google street view image that looks exactly as it does in real life thanks to the crisp image on the screen. Other smart features that make this app a must-have include the ability to speak your destination and also type in a business name even if you don’t know the address.

Yelp— Maybe you don’t always know where you’re going but Yelp can help you find anything quickly. Whether you are looking for the best eats, most talented barista, or recommendations for a dentist, Yelp allows you to become a local even when you’re traveling. The user generated reviews are easy to read from any angle or distance and images are always crystal clear. The LG Nitro makes it easy to move seamlessly through town with Google maps zooming in and out to quickly find your destination thanks to the dual-core processor.

TweetDeck— Keep up with your followers, update those following you, and stay social on the go. Tweetdeck allows you to watch your tweetstream in real time thanks to the fast browsing speed of the LG Nitro and AT&T’s 4G LTE Network.

LG Nitro

Loading up a sleek new LG Nitro with a host of helpful apps that capitalize on the phone’s incredible true HD IPS Display features is a great holiday gift idea for yourself or others. For more information about the LG Nitro, find out more at www.NitrobyLG.com

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with LG and Technorati. All opinions are my own and images are courtesy of LG.

Tips for Modeling Digital Citizenship from FOSI CEO Stephen Balkam

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

As part of anongoing series this week about online and mobile safety, Family Online Safety Institute CEO, StephenBalkam, is here to provide tips to help keep your family safer online. In myrecent interview Stephen talked about mobile safety, Facebook, factorsto consider if you’re thinking about giving your child a cell phone, andlimiting screentime and safe online gaming over winter break. Today he’s providing tips on how we, asparents, can model good online behaviors.

Tech Savvy Mama: How can parentsmodel good digital citizenship?

Stephen Balkam: This year FOSI andPew released a study on teens’ experiences on social networking sites and oneof the most heartening findings was that parents are the number one sourcewhere kids learn about what is appropriate and inappropriate digital behavior.This means that parents can and should take a very active role in modeling gooddigital citizenship.

Parents shouldstrive to spend quality time with their kids in which they aren’t distracted bytheir gadgets. We can’t expect our kids to pay attention and not text while weare talking if we text and talk as well.

Parents should alsotalk to their kids about how they read terms and agreements every time theydownload an app or sign up for an online account.

Finally, parentsshould respect age limits and restrictions of certain sites and not assisttheir children in accessing sites that they deem inappropriate.

This is part of a series of posts from myinterview with Stephen Balkam, CEO of FOSI. Additional topics from this weekincluded:

• Mobile safety for iPod Touch and cellphones

• Strategies parents can use to help keep kids safer on Facebook

• Factors to consider if you’re thinking about giving your child a cell phone

• Advicefor monitoring screen time and tips for online gaming

No compensation was received for this post or in the series.

Limiting Screentime & Safe Gaming Over Winter Break- Tips from FOSI CEO Stephen Balkam

2011-12-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

As part of an ongoing series this week about online and mobile safety, Family Online Safety Institute CEO, Stephen Balkam, is here to provide tips to help keep your family safer online. In my recent interview Stephen talked about mobile safety, Facebook, and factors to consider if you’re thinking about giving your child a cell phone. Today he’s sharing how to monitor screen time and ensure safety when playing online games.

Tech Savvy Mama: Since winter break is coming up and kids are likely to be spending more time playing the new games they received for their gaming systems, what advice do you have for parents about monitoring screen time and ensuring that they play networked games with those that they know?

Stephen Balkam: In our house we keep our computer in a public place. I can’t stress how important it is for kids to understand early on that the Internet is a public place. That messaging should be supported in the home as well. I would also try to encourage parents to set limits or ratios for how long their kids can be “connected” vs. engaging in another activity they enjoy. If parents position alternate activities in a positive way, then children won’t feel like you are taking away screen time.

It’s also incredibly important for parents to read the terms and agreements and understand how the games work. That way, parents understand how their kids are connecting and can effectively use any parental controls available. In September FOSI released a study conducted by Hart with the great news that most parents are aware of parental controls. But, the research also suggested that online gaming was an area where few parents were implementing controls. Finally, this is another time where keeping digital tools in an open space in your house is useful. This way parents can see who their kids are connecting with and ask them about how they know the person.

This is part of a series of posts from my interview with Stephen Balkam, CEO of FOSI. Additional topics this week include:

• Mobile safety for iPod Touch and cell phones

• Strategies parents can use to help keep kids safer on Facebook

• Factors to consider if you’re thinking about giving your child a cell phone

• Ways to model digital citizenship.

No compensation was received for this post or those in the series.

39 Clues: Rapid Fire eBook Series Begins 12/25 (giveaway)

2011-12-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

I admit tobeing completely addicted to The 39 Clues series despite being well outside thetarget demographic for the series. I’ve loved following the main characters, Amy and Dan around the worldas they search for clues in a treasure hunt and fans of the series will bethrilled to learn Scholastic is releasing a week-long series of eBooks onDecember 25 in support of the series.

Beginning onChristmas Day, The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire will release adifferent top secret eBook short story daily, leading up to an explosive finaleon December 31! Beginning with The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire Legacy, alleBooks are available to download on your eReader, tablet, smartphone, orcomputer— making them perfect for reading while traveling over the holidays!

I’m excitedabout the new eBooks not only because it continues the adventure, but becausethey will motivate even the most reluctant readers thanks to a fast, funadventure format that include lots of geography. There’s also a hidden code component to the eBooks as wellas the original series where exclusive cards and medals help readers solve themystery along with Amy and Dan.

To celebratethe eBook series release, I have an incredible giveaway!

Win The 39 Clues Boxed Set

containing Books 1-10 worth $129.90!

TO ENTER:Visit The 39 Clues site and share 1 thing about the series that would appeal toa reader in your home— whether you or your child by Wednesday, December 2811:59 EST. You must leave youremail address or Twitter handle in your comment for the entry to be valid. (1entry)

Foradditional entries, complete the required entry above and do any of thefollowing:

Daily Tweet:@TechSavvyMama & @Scholastic have a great #39Clues #giveaway- box set ofbooks 1-10 worth $130! Enter: http://www.techsavvymama.com Include the permalink to your tweet in your comment along with your email address or Twitter handle. (1 entry/day)

Share your favorite adventure series in your comment and include your email address or Twitter handle. (1 entry/day)

Complete the Tech Savvy Mama reader survey if you haven’t completed it as part of my Xbox, Nintendo DS, Roku, Striiv or Kalso Earth Shoes giveaways. Those who have not completed the survey will receive 2 entries- 1 for the survey, 1 for leaving a comment below saying you completed the survey. If you have completed the survey as an optional entry for another giveaway, leave a comment to let me know you’ve done so and you’ll still get 1 entry into this giveaway. Please note that all responses will remain anonymous. If your comment is selected, I will check to make sure you really did complete the survey. If you just comment below without completing the survey, your entry will not be valid. (1 or 2 entries)

For official sweepstakes rules, click here. All entries must be received by Wednesday, December 28. Winner will be selected from valid entries using Random.org and must respond within 24 hours or risk forfeiting their prize.

About the 39Clues

The 39 Cluesbegins with the death of Grace Cahill, the last matriarch of the Cahills. Herheirs are called together to learn that she changed her will minutes before shedied and are given a choice to receive million dollars or a clue. The clue isjust one of 39 hidden around the world that when put together, will reveal thehidden secret of what makes the family so powerful—a reward beyond measure. TheCahill descendants battle it out in this exciting race around the globe, withreaders hot on the heels of the main characters, Amy and Dan.

Links:

Official Website: http://www.the39clues.com/rapidfire
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/the39clues
Twitter: http://twitter.com/scholastic

I received the box set in exchange forthis post, however, I previously purchased many of the books in the seriespersonally. All opinions are myown. Images courtesy ofScholastic.

Right Age for Cell Phone? FOSI CEO Stephen Balkam shares factors to consider

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

As part of anongoing series this week about online and mobile safety, Family Online Safety Institute CEO, StephenBalkam, is here to provide tips to help keep your family safer online. In my recent interview Stephen talkedabout mobilesafety and Facebook. Today he’sproviding factors to consider if you’re thinking about giving your child a cellphone.

Tech Savvy Mama: One question that Iam commonly asked by fellow parents is what is the right age for a cell phone. Itend to think that it is a decision that differs for every family. Whatfactors should parents think about as they consider the possibility of gettingtheir child a cell phone as a holiday gift? Are there certain features tolook for such as options provided by carriers?

Stephen Balkam: I would agree that the right age for a cell phonediffers by family, but mostly by child. Some 15 year-olds maybe be less matureand responsible in their digital use than a 10 year-old. Parents really need toconsider their children’s understanding of the digital space, their willingnessto stay in open communication with their parents, and their willingness tofollow rules.

In regards to choosing optionsprovided by carriers, parents definitely need to research what controls areavailable from each carrier and the carrier’s policy and track record ofinformation security. Setting timelimits on a child’s phone is a particularly helpful parenting tool.

This is part of a series of posts from my interview with StephenBalkam, CEO of FOSI. Additional topics this week include:

• Mobilesafety for iPod Touch and cell phones

• Strategies parents can use to help keep kids safer on Facebook

• Advicefor monitoring screen time and tips for online gaming

• Waysto model digital citizenship.

No compensation was received for this post or those in the series.

Joining Silver Spring Patch

2011-12-20T13:11:00.001-05:00

I'm joining the Silver Spring Patch team as a contributor to share tech tips and tricks with DC Metro readers!

If you aren't familiar with Patch, think of it like a local newspaper but in digital form. Patch sites are all over the country but drill down to provide you with the news that is relevant to your neighborhood.

To find the Patch site for your area, click here for your daily dose of local knowledge.

I am a paid contributor for Patch but was not required to share my new gig on my personal site.

Facebook & Social Networking Tips for Parents from FOSI CEO Stephen Balkam

2011-12-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Tech Savvy Mama: We know thatFacebook Terms of Service prohibit kids under the age of 13 for signing up foran account however, research shared at this year's annual FOSI conferencedemonstrated a staggering number of kids lie about their age to gain access toonline content. Are there strategies that you can recommend to parents tohelp keep their kids safer while using Facebook?

Stephen Balkam: I am personally friends with my teenager onFacebook and I’ve found that to be very helpful. Actually, accepting me as herfirst friend was a contingency for my teen joining the site.

It is very hard for kids to fullygrasp the idea that potentially everything they put on the Internet ispermanent. Rather than trying to communicate this, ask them if what they areputting online is something they would share with their grandparents, anotherrespected adult, or at a school assembly! This can really put it intoperspective for kids.

Also talk to kids about the realityof the Internet – not all people are who they say they are. Remind your kidsthat they should know every person that they connect with on a personal level.This is also important messaging to use to discuss how they should interactwith others on social networking sites. Kids need to remember that there is areal human, with real feelings, behind the Facebook profile. Facebook, and theInternet generally, is NOT the place to say or do things you would not normallysay or do in person, including teasing or even bullying another person.

We do know from some of FOSI and Pew’srecent research that most kids have witnessed mean or cruel behavior on thesesites. It’s best practice for parents to ask kids about their experiencesonline. If they are witnessing mean behavior or are the victims, asking themabout their experiences might make them more willing to come clean about a badsituation. Also, show them howthey can report bad or troubling posts on Facebook and other social networkingsites.

This is part of a series of posts from my interview with StephenBalkam, CEO of FOSI. Additional topics this week include:

• Mobilesafety for iPod Touch and cell phones

• Factorsto consider if you’re thinking about giving your child a cell phone

• Advicefor monitoring screen time and tips for online gaming

• Waysto model digital citizenship.

No compensation was received for this post or in the series.

Mobile Safety Tips for iPods from FOSI CEO Stephen Balkam

2011-12-19T22:00:00.000-05:00

If you're giving the gift of an iPod Touch or a mobile phone this year, they are incredibly powerful devices due to the amount of content that can be easily accessed. Last year when I attended the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) Annual Conference, CEO Stephen Balkam talked about how for $200, kids could go into a store and purchase this mobile device with limitless content.

I recentlyinterviewed Stephen and asked him abouteverything from the power of mobile content on iPods, keeping kids safe onFacebook, the right age for a cell phone, monitoring screen time and onlinefriendships (especially over winter break), and the best way to model digitalcitizenship.

Stephen’s responseswere fantastic and rather than present them all at once, I’m going to share onea day over the course of the week.

Today's topic? Mobile safety on iPod Touches and cell phones!

Tech Savvy Mama: Last year at FOSI’s Annual ConferenceI remember you talking about how the iPod Touch was a highly powerful mobiledevice because of the type of content that could be accessed. With manyparents putting iPod Touches under the tree, what recommendations do you havefor them about mobile safety?

Stephen Balkam: It really comesdown to communication and fostering an open exchange. First, parents need todiscuss with their kids the ramifications of downloading an app or accessing acertain site. Even young kids can understand at some level that mobile devicesstore personal information and that personal information can get sent otherplaces.

Besides that,remember that parental controls are a good backup. Look into which controls areavailable. Most devices allow you to lock certain apps or restrict capabilitiesincluding placing time limits or placing a block on downloading apps oraccessing certain websites

Given that the holidaysare a time when kids will probably receive digital devices, it’s an incrediblyimportant time for parents to visit or revisit the online safety discussion.FOSI provides a safety contract for both parents and kids that we think isextremely useful in beginning the discussion. The contract is available inEnglish and Spanish at http://www.fosi.org/resources/internet-safety-resources-for-parents.html.You’ll also findour top Internet safety tips for parents and kids available there.

This is part of a series of posts from an interview withStephen Balkam, CEO of FOSI. Additional topics to follow this week include:

Strategies parents can use to help keep kids safer on Facebook
Factors to considerif you’re thinking about giving your child a cell phone
Advice formonitoring screen time and tips for online gaming
Ways to modeldigital citizenship.

No compensation was received for this post or those to come through the series.

Dangers of Button Batteries in Small Tech Devices

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

We know that technology requires batteries and while we love the fact that our devices are getting smaller and more portable, they rely on smaller coin size button-type batteries that are hazardous for young children. Commonly found in remote controls for MP3 players, they are also in other devices such as singing or talking greeting cards or books, flameless candles, car keys, bathroom scales, and calculators, button batteries are very dangerous. These batteries can get stuck in a child’s throat and can cause serious burns in the esophagus in less than 2 hours.

3,400 reported cases of ingestion (many more went unreported), 19 serious injuries, and some deaths were caused by button batteries in 2010.

Due to the danger of button batteries, Safe Kids Worldwide and Energizer announced a critical partnership to share life-saving information with parents and caregivers about the potential risks of swallowing coin-sized button batteries. The formation of The Battery Controlled by Safe Kids and Energizer shines a light on this growing issue and provides easy steps parents and caregivers can take to prevent injuries and deaths to children.

What can you do to keep your child safe?

Here are some tips to be mindful of especially as new devices make their way into your home as holiday gifts:

Take the pledge to keep button batteries and devices that use them out of reach if the battery compartments aren’t secure.

Know what to do if your child swallows a battery. Go to the emergency room right away. Don’t let your child eat or drink or induce vomiting and, if possible, provide medical personnel with the type of battery or what kind of device the battery came from.

Tell others about this hidden danger. Visit The Battery Controlled website for additional information, like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and check the hashtag #BatteryControlled for Tweets.

This post was sponsored by Energizer as part of their Battery Controlled initiative.

Gift Guide Picks for Healthy Living (w. giveaways)

2011-12-18T22:00:00.001-05:00

With 2011 nearly behind us and a New Year coming, if you feel inclined to make some resolutions in 2012 to better your health, here are some of my favorite products that can help. Now please pass the chocolate!

GIVEAWAY: Kalso Earth Shoes (starting at $130)— Those who believe in no pain, no gain when it comes to shoes have not yet been introduced to Kalso. With 40 years of manufacturing footwear designed to reward customers with a true whole-body wellness experience, Kalso shoes are stylish and comfortable. The footbed features a cupped heel that supports the foot with proper positioning while toes are cradled to distribute the weight away from toes. From trendy boots to updated Mary-Janes, Kalso Earth Shoes are shoes you can wear comfortably from day until late at night. Trust me, your feet will thank you and while each pair comes with a higher price tag, you might never look at a pair of shoes the same way again! Win the most popular pair of Kalso Earth Shoes in your size at time of prize fulfillment by completing the requirements below!

Pykamo Golf for Everybody sets (about $110 for the PK2 set)— Future PGA hopefuls can enjoy learning on top quality equipment designed especially for them. Pykamo is a Canadian company founded by golf professional Maurice Duhamel who realized that there was a lack of high quality golf equipment for schools. All of Pykamo’s equipment is designed by Maurice, fellow golf professionals, and physical education teachers to help even the youngest children learn and master the game. The most basic PK2 set contains an inron, putter, hold & flagstick, 2 tee-off markers, 4 foam balls and a carry bag for $109 Canadian dollars, or about the same in US, depending on the exchange rate. Irons are perfectly sized for children’s hands and height plus the triangular shape helps ensure that they learn the proper grip. Foam balls are designed for inside and outside use and I love that the set comes with a carry bag to store everything in one place when you’re done practicing. A Pykamo set (PK2 or the larger PK6 that allows the family to play together) is worth the investment for year-round indoor and outdoor fun.

HotPants ($70)— A magical garment that works as a secret weapon against cellulite sounds too good to be true but it really isn’t. Originally from England, HotPants are brand new to the US and can be worn underneath your clothes or to exercise in and have amazing ability to trim your waist and hips in two weeks when worn for 8 hours a day. How do they work? For that, I recommend you read this post by my friend Jennifer from The Dirty T-Shirt where she talks about bio-ceramic technology in a most elegant way! Thicker than Spanx, HotPants are about the thickness of neoprene. If they feel a little snug under your clothes, they won’t be after a couple weeks! They seem to be doing the trick even as I sit here and blog away saying HotPants in my head using my best James Brown voice. And take advantage of the 25% holiday discount for becoming a HotPants fan on Facebook because the name doesn’t lie and you will get a little sweaty under there. Just sayin’.

Sleep Innovations Gel-Memory Foam Mattress Topper ($99 for twin- $169.99 for king)— The amount of sleep that I’ve been getting each night is downright pitiful but I know that when my body hits the bed that I can rest better thanks to my Sleep Innovations Mattress Topper. Gel beads infused in the memory foam provide support and a comfortable fit that cradles my body, distributing my weight evenly for a more restful sleep and relieves pressure points that can cause you to wake up at night. If someone in your home is having back problems and you think it could be due to the mattress, try a Sleep Innovations Mattress Topper first. They are pricey but not as expensive as a brand new mattress and certainly worth every penny!

NXE Armbands ($29.99 for a set of 2)— I’ve been searching for a way to take my iPhone with me as I run and finally am happy to have found the NXE Armbands that came as a recommendation from Michele. Unlike others that I’ve tried, these armbands stay exactly where they are supposed to in order to secure your iPhone or an iPod Touch. The wide band is snug to keep the device firmly around your upper arm yet doesn’t cut off your circulation which is certainly a good thing!

GIVEAWAY: Striiv ($99)— Do you know how many steps you walk each day? Neither did I until Striiv arrived at my doorstep. This amazing little device not only works as a pedometer to track your number of steps and convert the distance you travel each day into miles while putting all the data into nice easy to read charts, but there’s also a fun game called MyLand that uses the energy points you earn from physical activity to build a virtual world and a charitable component where your steps contribute towards a global giving component. Trade in the number of steps in order to buy a day’s worth of clean water for a child in South America, immunize a child from polio, or conserve a parking spot size piece of the Tanzania rainforest for a year. Exercising has never been so rewarding! Easy to charge with the enclosed USB cable, this pocket size device is highly portable. Mine lives on my bathroom vanity where I charge it at night and slip it in my pocket as I get ready in the morning so I’m never without it!

Invisalign— For those who have always wanted to have a healthy gorgeous smile but have worried about adult braces, Invisialign is worth looking into. Invisalign uses custom-made aligners- invisible plastic molds over your teeth. Digital imagery, xrays, and impressions of your teeth help your certified Invisalign dentist or orthodontist create a series of aligners that are replaced every two weeks during the course of your treatment. With no unsightly wires that poke at the inside of your mouth, the ability to take them out when eating, a certain number of free replacements, fewer office visits that tend to be shorter, and often covered by dental insurance companies, Invisalign treatments are good for teens and adults alike.

Healthy Kids Plate ($4.99)— With the updated USDA recommendations to make half your plate fruits and veggies and the remaining quarters whole grains and lean proteins, Super Healthy Kids’ Healthy Kids Plate makes it easy to ensure that your family is getting proper portions for a healthier diet. Developed by Amy, a mom of 3 with a background in health education, Healthy Kids Plates are not just for little kids. She has plates for ages 2-10 and 11 and up! All are quite affordable and empower kids of all ages to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

NewBalance NB639 Fitness Evolved Headphones ($99)— I always find it’s helpful to have goals when I run. Being able to see how far I’ve gone or my pace using an app on my phone is helpful but recently I’ve been using the NewBalance NB639 Fitness Evolved Headphones to get instant feedback. Manufactured in conjunction with iHome, Fitness Evolved Headphones work with your iPhone or iPod and allow you to play music while getting instant feedback as you exercise. Get mid-workout statistics such as caloric burn, step count, and exercise time by placing your finger on the speech bubble above the New Balance logo and it will pause the song and read workout statistics back. This is a convenient feature for mid-workout feedback and to help maintain motivation! To read my full review, click here.

Filtrete Water Station ($31.78, Amazon)— More useful than a regular filtering water pitcher, the Filtrete Water Station helps you stay hydrated while on the go by filling 4 bottles at a time. Snap the 4 individual water bottles in place, hold the pitcher under the faucet, fill all 4 at once, then grab one and go! If you happen to be filling and someone needs a bottle, the automatic valves will cut off the water flow to the bottle that is removed. Pretty smart, right? And no worries if you lose a bottle…Additional bottles are available through Amazon.

It’s winter and the frightful weather that hits many parts of the country this time of year threatens outdoor workouts. These fun games will keep you moving so you can justify that extra dessert or glass of wine:

Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 for Xbox Kinect ($39.99, Amazon)— I loved the original Your Shape Fitness Evolved that came out last year and while this version provides similar workouts (boot camp, cardio boxing, and yoga), the new dance classes are fantastic as is the ability to do floor exercises like push ups and situps.

Zumba Fitness 2 for Wii ($39.99)— Zumba fans or those who have been too intimidated to take a class can Zumba at home using the Wii remote control. Strap the Wii-mote to you using the enclosed Zumba belt for a hands-free workout featuring 32 routines, 20 different dance styles, and a variety of game modes. Oh, and choose where you want to get your Zumba on. You can choose from 5 different locations including a yacht in Miami, urban stage, LA nightclub, and among palm trees in the tropics!

Abba You Can Dance for Wii ($39.99)— Abba fans will love channeling their inner dancing queen to 26 Abba tunes as you dance with 4 friends and have the option to perform a mini-musical using the songs or use the karaoke mode. There’s no taking on a chance on this new Ubisoft title that is pure fun for the whole family and a good workout!

The Black Eyed Peas Experience for Wii and Xbox Kinect ($49.99)— Wii and Xbox owners can get their Boom Boom Pow on with Fergie and will.i.am at home with the brand new The Black Eyed Peas Experience. High energy dance moves unique to the Black Eyed Peas are sure to burn calories as you dance to your favorite songs in this multiplayer game that was inspired by their shows and music videos. Great gift for the ultimate fan!

Self Defense Training Camp for Xbox Kinect ($24.94, Amazon)— Empower yourself to stay safe by learning the best self defense moves while getting in shape. The game features 30 real self defense moves taught by experienced self defense instructors, boxing moves to improve reflexes, martial arts and kickboxing exercises for cardio, and calming Tai Chi moves.

Kinect Sports Season Two ($49.99)— Tennis, golf, football, baseball, skiing, and darts are part of the newest season of Kinect Sports. Full body game play and the ability to use voice commands makes you feel like you’re immersed in the game whether you’re engaging in a one to one showdown or connecting with friends via Xbox Live.

Enter to win a Striiv or a pair of Earthies!

TO ENTER: Leave a comment about 1 resolution you are making to lead a healthier lifestyle in 2012. Valid entries must include an email address or a Twitter handle.

For extra entires, you MUST complete the above and do any of the following:

Complete the Tech Savvy Mama reader survey if you haven’t completed it as part of my Xbox, Nintendo DS, or Roku giveaways. Those who have not completed the survey will receive 2 entries- 1 for the survey, 1 for leaving a comment below saying you completed the survey. If you have completed the survey as an optional entry for another giveaway, leave a comment to let me know you’ve done so and you’ll still get 1 entry into this giveaway. Please note that all responses will remain anonymous. If your comment is selected, I will check to make sure you really did complete the survey. If you just comment below without completing the survey, your entry will not be valid. (1 or 2 entries.

Share one item from above that you would like to receive as a gift. Include your email/Twitter handle. (1 entry)

Subscribe to Tech Savvy Mama via RSS or email. Include your email/Twitter handle to let me know you've done so. (1 entry)

Tweet this daily and leave your Twitter handle in the comments: I entered @TechSavvyMama's #giveaway 4 @Striiv & pair of @KalsoEarthShoes! Enter by 12/25: http://bit.ly/livehealthy2012 (1 entry/day)

Blog about this giveaway and include “TechSavvyMama.com is giving away a pair of Earthies shoes and a Stiiv to help you have a healthier lifestyle in 2012" and include this link http://bit.ly/livehealthy2012. Leave a permalink and your email/Twitter handle in your comment. (10 entries)

Winner will be randomly selected from valid entries on Sunday, December 25 using Random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to reply with a U.S. mailing address and phone number before another winner will be selected. Giveaways are being provided by the companies and will be shipped directly to the winner. Complete rules regarding this giveaway can be found in the Official Sweepstakes Rules.

Samples were received for review purposes. I was not compensated for this post or hosting these giveaways. I attended an Invisalign Straight Talk event hosted by Invisalign and received a gift bag but all opinions about Invisalign and aforementioned products are my own.

Redbox: Inexpensive Way to Rent Movies & Games

2011-12-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

Whetherout-of-town guests are descending upon your house and you’re looking for a wayto entertain kids of different ages or you’re wondering what titles for yournew game system might be best for your family, Redbox makes it easy to bringhome the latest games and movies inexpensively. Grab a movie (Blu-ray or DVD) for afamily movie night for 99 cents or rent a video game before you invest inbuying it. Video game rentals begin at $2/day.

With over28,000 Redbox kiosks nationwide, it’s easy to find one in yourneighborhood. They tend to beplaced in locations where you already shop such as grocery stores, drugstores,restaurants, convenience stores, and big box stores. I find that there’s always one convenient to where I am andthey are hard to miss! To find your closestRedbox, text FIND to 727272 or download the free Redbox app for iPhone® orAndroid™.

One feature that I like about Redbox is I can check my neighborhoodkiosk to see what is available to rent before leaving the house. I can browse through movies by top 20,genre, DVD, Blu-ray, etc. or games according to game system, genre, and ratingthrough the easy to use website. SearchXbox 360, Wii, or Playstation with a click of a button and see what iscurrently available.

Once you find movies and games you like, they can be reserved throughthe website and held at the Redbox near you until 9 pm the next dayand can be claimed by visiting the kiosk and pressing the “Online RentalPickup” button.

If you’re out and feeling spontaneous, it’s also easy to rent directlyfrom the Redbox kiosk. Visit yourneighborhood location and tell it whether you want to rent a movie or agame. Browse through titles andtouch to learn more about it. Whenyou’re ready to rent, just press the “Add to Cart” button. Redbox allows you to rent as manymovies as you’d like before you check out and pay with your credit card.

Redbox is also offering daily prizes until December 24 through their 12Days of Deals & Prizes. Text FUN to 727272 for instant savings of 25cents - $1 off of your movie and game rentals, as well as a chance to beentered to win a daily prize from Redbox. Each day, a random drawing willselect a winner with top prizes from Sony, Wii, Barnes & Noble, Activisionand more.

I receivedRedbox codes to try the service and host a family game night. All opinions are my ownand no compensation was received for this post. All images courtesy of Redbox.

Washington Ballet's Nutcracker- Tips & Discount for DC Readers

2011-12-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

This week we saw The Washington Ballet's Nutcracker which was just as magical as last year! If seeing the Nutcracker is on your holiday to-do list and is a tradition you want to start but you haven't purchased tickets, The Washington Ballet has a special offer for 20% off tickets for the following performances at The Warner Theater:

Friday, December 16 (tonight!) at 7 pm
Sunday, December 18 at 5:30 pm
Tuesday, December 20 at 7 pm

To get your special savings on the performances listed above, order online at washingtonballet.org. Choose one of the above dates and enter the discount code THANKS.

A few tips before you go:

The performance is just about 2 hours long with an intermission halfway through.

Attending on a weeknight is fabulous. I know it's a school night but we went on Wednesday evening and had fantastic orchestra seats. Also, street parking opens up at 6 pm and you can often find open spots instead of paying for garage parking

Bathrooms are downstairs and the lines can be long for the women's room. If Dad or another one of the members in your party is male, have your kids go to the mens' room where the line is shorter.

There is a dazzling selection of gifts in the lobby that is hard to resist. Proceeds benefit The Washington Ballet and if you're looking for a keepsake of the performance, I recommend the Nutcracker ornaments that hang on the trees. They are $8-12 and we personally purchase one each year.

Before you go, provide background knowledge about the story of The Nutcracker and the ballet.

Don't be afraid to pack some snacks to eat during intermission. There are refreshments available to purchase but it's also nice to have the things your kids love ready when they need them.

The orchestra pit is definitely a great place to visit before the show and during intermission. We had wonderful conversations about the different kinds of instruments and enjoyed watching the musicians tune their instruments before the show.

If your child can't see past the head in front of them, fold your coats to serve as a booster seat. Hopefully it will provide just enough height for them to have a better view.

Regular price tickets also available for performances now through December 24.

The Washington Ballet provided tickets for my family to attend The Nutcracker for my coverage on various sites but this is a holiday tradition that we are happy to spend our own money on every year. All opinions are based on our experience of attending. Images courtesy of The Washington Ballet.

Gifts for Geography Lovers from HearthSong

2011-12-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Withgrandparents who travel the world and my upcoming trip to Haiti, our kids arefascinated with geography. Sincewe look forward to trips that span the globe, we love that they have an interestin places around the world, different cultures, and the Earth itself.

Here are afew gift picks from HearthSong thathelp foster global understanding in an age appropriate way that are sure toarrive by Christmas when ordered on or before December 18:

Illuminated Orion Relief Globe ($49.95)

I’ve alwayswanted to get a globe for our house and happen to love our IlluminatedOrion Relief Globe with Non-Tip Base ($49.95) because it has a raisedsurface to indicate the Earth’s topography, boundaries that can be seen when theglobe is lit, meridian lines, a raised equator, and a very sturdy base so theglobe can be rotated endlessly. This is a wise investment since it’s a gift that a family will have foryears to come!

Digital My First Weather Station ($24.98)

Buddingmeterologists will enjoy being able to read indoor and outdoor temperatures onthis DigitalMy First Weather Station ($24.98) while the boy or girl figure on thescreen dons appropriate attire as part of the weather predictions. Learning about the weather and beingable to predict patterns is a great scientific skill that can help your childbecome a global climate change expert!

Break Open Real Geodes Science Kit ($29.98)

Be ageologist and study rocks. BreakOpen Real Geodes Science Kit ($29.98) reveals crystal that takemillions of years to develop upon being cracked open, FluorescentRock Science Kit ($39.98) literally allows kids to see rocks in a newlight, or specialize in paleontology with the ExploreReal Fossils Science Kit ($29.98). With fossils from places likeMadagascar and Morocco, make sure you have a globe handy or at least a reallygood map to show kids where the specimens came from!

Interactive Lava Volcano ($39.98)

Sincevolcanoes helped form islands around the world, show kids how an eruptingvolcano created the Hawaiian islands with this InteractiveLava Volcano ($39.98). Lava beads erupt underwater just as they do beneath the surface of theocean to form an island and as a bonus, it can function as a night light!

GeoSafari Sea-Scope ($29.98)

Study bodiesof water and what lies beneath with the EducationalInsights GeoSafari Sea-Scope ($29.98). This telescope-like device allows children to magnifyobjects under or above water while a temperature strip and ruler can help themgather scientific data about their findings. The attachable AquaLight is a nice feature to use to spy onunderwater creatures who live in the mucky depths or to get a view of creaturesunderwater at night.

I was provided with samples for reviewpurposes. All opinions are my ownand images are courtesy of HearthSong.

outfitYOURS.com- Apple Accessories & Phenomenal Customer Service (giveaway)

2011-12-15T14:30:00.000-05:00

Whether youare a PC to MacBook convert, iPad devotee, iPhone lover, or just can’t bewithout your iPod, outfitYOURS.com isthe best place to shop for all the best Apple accessories.

Founded in2010 after brothers Taylorand Thayne were frustrated with their online shopping experience,outfitYOURS stands out from its competitors. With an incredible selection ofproducts from popular brands that are comparable in price to other retailers,in stock products that ship at lightning speed, and phenomenal customer service(honest video reviews through the site and YouTube!),outfitYOURS is a place I will come back to when purchasing Apple accessories.

Earlier thisfall I ordered a Speck A-Line Bag for my iPad after coveting Julie’sat BlogHer. Hoping it would arrivein time for me to take to Blogalicious, I ordered it on Friday. I figured Iprobably ordered it too late in the day for my order to be processed and astheir site claims. Alas, my lackof planning meant that I was Monday, chancing the arrival of my new bag in timefor the conference.

I was amazed at how quickly my Speck A-Line iPad bag ($59.95) arrived!

True to whatthey claim, outfitYOURS processed my order on Friday and my new bag arrived onMonday!

I pridemyself on being a savvy online shopper who takes into account the whole experience-from browsing, ordering, customer service, ship time, etc.- when making apurchase and deciding whether or not a store will get my repeat business. outfitYOURShas won me over by going the extra mile and I have confidence they willcontinue to do so with every purchase I make.

Order by December 20^th for freedelivery by Christmas and since everything is in stock, it ships the sameday. Even if you happen to orderit late at night!

InCase is just one of the many great brands you'll find on the site

Giveaway: outfitYOURS.com wants you to experiencetheir incredible customer service with a $50 credit to shop on their site!

To enter, browse the site and leave acomment with the Apple accessory you’d put the gift card towards and be sure toinclude your email address or Twitter handle. (1 entry)

For anextra entry, complete the mandatory comment above and tweet this daily: @TechSavvyMama raves abt @outfitYOURS as THE place 2 shop 4 Appleaccessories & I want to experience their customer service w/ a $50 GC! Leavea link to your tweet in the comment you leave below. (1 entry/day)

For official sweepstakes rules, click here. All entries must be received by Monday, December 19. Winner will be selected from valid entries using Random.org and must respond within 24 hours or risk forfeiting their prize.

Mophie Juice Pack Plus in a rainbow of colors from outfitYours ($99)

Thanks to Thayne for sending me the mostcreative pitch ever in my 4 years of blogging to share outfitYOURS.com with me.I was provided with a code to order a product of my choice to experience thesite. As always, all opinions aremy own. Images courtesy of outfitYOURS.