Category Archives: Parenting

What is Pinterest?

March 26, 2013 superexhausted 1 Comment

What is Pinterest? So I have a friends who ask me what it Pinterest. Pinterest is a visual bookmarking tool for the web. So lets say you are surfing the web and you come across an article you would like to refer to later. You can “Pin it” (Pinterest term for marking a site) for later use. You can also add these pins to boards by subjects or categories. Think of having a virtual filling system that is visual.

Everyday uses… they are the more obvious ones :

Recipes you can categorize them as type, baking, fish, healthy
Crafts so many great ideas how to remember them, sewing, knitting
Remodeling: kitchen, bath
Gardening
Car remodel ideas
hobbies
books you would like to read
fitness, running shoes to work out ideas

How can Pinterest help you in your work?

Teachers can create idea boards for Lesson plans, Science, Math, ect.
Doctor Nurses: can have ideas for new techniques and articles
Sales men : product idea and new/blogs articles written about the items they are selling so easier to share with customers

Pinterest Making life easier: (boards can be shared or viewed, so other people can add to a board) (boards are public unless you make them private)

What about present ideas for family members?- I always find ideas that would be great during the year and by the time the holidays come I forget them.
Planning a Trip with family, pin ideas you can invite people to to view the boards or add them to add to the boards.
Ideas for fundraising
Sharing ideas wit a designer, artist, planner
Kids can create a wish list for the parents

The list is endless because you can share them, and they keep your ideas organized

How Join Pinterest

So you have to sign up, and create name and password

Go to Pinterest.com, click on the join Pintrest and fill out info

Then you have an account- Congrats now you are on Pinterest.. So what is next?

Adding the Pin It Button

I recommend adding the Pin It button to your computers tool bar, so it is easier to Pin when you find something you would like to remember.

It looks like this

You Add the Pin it button by going to “Goodies” on Pinterest Here is the link to the page Goodies or Pin IT Button Page
Scroll down… it is under the cell phone app pictures.
Then with your mouse grab the button and drag it to you computer browsers tool bar and drop in in a empty area

Great Now you have a Pin it button on your tool bar.

Now what??

How to Pin a Web Page or Something you would like to Pin

You are on the page now you can with your mouse click on the “Pin It” button on your tool bar
If there is a “Pin It” on the picture click (see below)
Then a window will pop up to add a Pin to your boards.(see below)
You then can choose the Board/category you want to add it to, or create a new board to add it too.
You can also leave a note to yourself on the pin.

So once you have you boards and you add you pins you can go to pinterest.com to see them. This is my Board set up and you can drag the boards around the page and rearrange them if you want a certain order. I like the pretty ones on top. when I open it.

NOTE : (boards are public unless you make them private)

Following Others On Pinterest and searching on Pinterest

To see what others are Pinning click on the pinterest in the center of the top of the screen.

You can also search by subject or a general category to see maybe someone already found a pin for what you would like.

If you “Like” someone Like lets say me .. you can follow there pins.

by clicking “follow” in the center of the boards Try it follow me Sherry Aikens Pintrest

Welcome to Pinterest!

Parenting, Product Reviews

Girls Like to build @MegaBloks #Barbie #MommyParties

February 28, 2013 superexhausted 18 Comments

My daughter and her friends got to experience Barbies Mega Bloks. The girls spent about 2 hours building the Barbie Mega Bloks house and the pool. They love also they decorated the house and pool with the stickers and all the accessories. They read and followed all the easy to understand instructions no parental help required.. which was a real bonus for me. Team work is what it took to build this dream house. The girls built it there way as team and dividing the process, there was complete cooperation from all involved int he Barbie Mega Bloks building process. A truly lovely afternoon.

The Mega Bloks® Barbie® collection line-up will allow fans to be in control of their dreams in a buildable world of fashion and fantasy. Girls can feel empowered to build ‘n style their very own Mega Bloks Barbie world, with over 300 specially-designed pieces and tons of detailed accessories. Collect up to 19 mini fashion dolls — including Barbie, Teresa, Nikki and of course Ken — with changeable hair, accessories and clothing styles! There’s lots of great places to shop, like the Fashion Boutique and the Pet Shop. Hang out at home in the personalized Luxury Mansion, relax at the pool or hop in your convertible and head to the beach house!

The girls loved the Mega Bloks sets. I think they were prefect for the 7+ girls we had at our party. They like the building and the play. The mega block also has an online world so the children can continue they play virtually. The online Barbie Mega Bloks site has games and videos. My daughter loved checking it out. Here is a video so you can get a closer look.

I love that Mega Block has other smaller sets in the $10 range so they make great birthday gifts.

I can recommend the Barbie Mega bloks my daughter loves it she has been run late to school every morning because she is playing with them. Great gift. Also I wanted to mention the blogs fit with other building systems. She has been building furniture and accessory for other full size Barbies.. so every toy in her room is in on the Barbie Mega Blok party.

Check out the Mega Bloks Facebook page and the Mega Block Barbie website

Disclosure:  I received a MommyParty kit from via the promotional program with MomSelect.  No other compensation was received, and all opinions are mine alone.

Parenting

International Night Word Wednesday

February 27, 2013 superexhausted 5 Comments

Tonight was International Night at school. My daughter identifies with the Irish side of my family .. (My Irish grandmother thinks she is a hoot) My daughter was born near St. Patricks day, so every thing is irish to her. I am not really sure what it was about international night but my daughter talked about it all week. She wanted to wear a “Irish” costume? I don’t have any Irish costumes laying around. I guess I could have give her a shamrock cape? So I dressed her very last minute as a peasant, green tee with a shamrock quick embellishment I found on Pintrest, apron, and a shawl.

It was very reminiscent of when my mother dressed me as a Polish peasant in 1979- were are the same age in the photo.

I am 1/3 Irish, 1/3 German/Scottish, 1/3 Polish but so we are a typical American mutt. As a kid I was always Polish.. no one could every say my name.. it has a “ski” on the end. Every year at the beggining of school tired of people not being able to say it Ry….ski. So I did change my when I got married, and I did not hyphenate (it is 9 letters..way too long to write.) It took my kids till they were 4 before they could say my maiden name. To this day I still identify my inner Pollock.

On St. Patricks day when my son was 2. I told him he was Irish, lets wear Green. He started to cry saying ” I don’t want to be “Irelish” he thought it was like an illiness.. it took him 2 years before he accepted it.

Tonight my daughter told me I was polish and she was Irish.. Love Kid Logic.. She saw the picture

I love my Irish/Polish child- she is still Polish

Did you get dressed up for international night?

Check out my pinterest for great Ideas as we head towards St. Patricks day.

Crafting, Giveaways, Parenting

Box Tops Rock and Stockup Pantry Giveaway

February 22, 2013 superexhausted 51 Comments

So my kids school has earned in the past years several thousands of dollars in what the school called “Free Money”? How Box Tops for Education . Just by parents looking purchasing for General Mills product and then saving the tops they kids have benefited in the form of new books and tech. The schools is not only the only place in my life my church also collect the tops for education programs so the whole community can contribute.

The General Mills program began as an experiment on boxes of Cheerios in California with first year earnings of only $1 million. It has grown to include more than 240 participating brands providing needed cash for 90,000 enrolled K-8 schools. At the heart of the program is more than 75,000 volunteer Box Tops for Education coordinators who motivate local school communities to collect the 10-cent coupons which are redeemed for cash schools use for whatever they need most.

To celebrate this milestone, this winter, the program is offering a variety of bonus Box Tops on more than 50 million packages at grocery stores and at btfe.com, allowing shoppers to double their earnings with select products. School budget cuts have made the program more and more important over the years as it provides unrestricted cash to help schools with their basic operating needs and programs that would not be possible otherwise, such as field trips, textbooks, musical instruments, playground equipment, classroom technology and arts and cultural programming.

Here are some Ideas to start saving Box Tops for education:

My children’s schools also give the kids inventive. The class with most box tops every month gets a pizza party of ice cream party. Since we save the tops all year my kids love when I give them a big Ziplock of box tops to take to school.
The church leaves a large jug for all the parishioners to leave the box tops, it is left right in the hall where people spill out after church.. so family’s and couples of any age can contribute.
Both my church and schools notify there community in of the box top program in News letters and signs.
It is also fun for the kids to add them up prior to bringing them to school a good math lesson.
The Box Tops For education has a section of all creative ideas of seasonal themed craft projects to get the kids involved
Have a Place to store your box tops at home. This is a great project for your kids to help make. We used a left over Tea Box and decoupage it. We also put the kid who got them last and the date on an Avery Label so we know who get them next. We have kids going to 2 different schools.

General Mills Box Tops are In celebration of reaching more than $500 million to schools since the program started in 1996, Box Tops for Education® and its popular brand partners are offering one of my readers one lucky reader a chance to share in the news while stocking their shelves with some of the most trusted household brands.

The Giveaway to a lucky Superexhausted Reader is Pantry Stock Up gift pack which includes:

New Peanut Butter Toast Crunch® cereal
Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Dark Chocolate Cherry and Protein Salted Caramel
Fiber One® Protein Bars
Progresso® Recipe Starters
Food Should Taste Good® Chips
Green Giant Fresh® Box Tops for Education pencil pouch
Hamburger Helper® Sweet & Sour Chicken and Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Betty Crocker® Mac & Cheese and Au Gratin potatoes
Kleenex® wallet pack and 184 count box
Scott® toilet paper (4 roll) and paper towel roll
Avery® dry erase weekly calendar
Ziploc® bowls and bags

So how can you win this Awesome Pantry Stock Up Prize? Enter using the Rafflecopter form.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Information, products and promotional items have been provided by General Mills and Box Tops for Education and its program partners.

LIfe, Parenting, Photography

A letter to my 12 year old

February 20, 2013 superexhausted 6 Comments

Dear 12 year old son

You are amazing.. you made me who I am today. 12 years ago you came in to this world.. you were not ready to come 43+ hours of induced labor you were not ready to arrive then. My blond haired blued boy.. I was almost 30 and still was not sure I was ready .. but there you were. All 21 inches 6.8 lb tall and skinny. You are mine and no one else will be your mom.. you are always my boy.

Everyone said you were a Toe Head .. it means blond hair blue eyes. I had to look it up. (random thought)

I love everything about you. You may look like your Dad but I get you. I know who you are, you like me. You can get frustrated at yourself. Remember it always works out. Your life is limitless you can accomplish anything.. continue to think differently and outside the box. It is much more fun and fulling life.

Your compassion.. you have show compassion and empathy for others from an early age. Please continue to do some it is one of your greatest gifts. Please find time to give to others.. you will never regret it.

I love that fact that you are kind and even to your sister.

When you can travel see the world and experience new things. You will not regret it.

2 things:

Learn to cook a man who cooks can always feed himself.

Learn to dance a man who can dance is never alone

When you walked away today .. I felt it you are getting older, bigger, and growing into a man.. It makes me sad but also grateful that I was blessed with such a amazing son.

Happy Birthday!

Love Mom

Parenting, Product Reviews

Saving our Teeth – LISTERINE 21 day challenge Part 1

February 5, 2013 superexhausted 1 Comment

LISTERINE^® 21 Day Challenge We are signed up. Are you ? Use LISTERINE products for the next 21 days and see the difference in your mouth. Oral care is always a challenge in my house. Having 2 kids I am constantly nagging to brush there teeth before school and at bed time. Everyone in my household is faced with different challenges when it comes to dental health.

My daughter is easier I think it is because she is 8 and loosing her teeth. She cant wait to loose a tooth and have the tooth fairy to come. I always tell her you have to take care of your new teeth .. she seems to go for it.

My son age 11 he is more challenging he fights me due to lack of time. I remind min often to clean his teeth. The flavor of tooth paste was a major issue since he did not like the flavor of minted products. He is really excited to take party in the challenge.

My husband has been blessed with good genetics in his teeth. At one point there was a gap in his professional dental care.. I expected the dentist to say he need a ton of work. The dentist gave him a all clear.. I even followed up and he said not he is good. Very frustrating, since brushing and floss is so important.. he does not spend the time as I do on dental health.

My dental health, I come from family of oral health major issues. I had a root canal the same week I had a c section. I suffer from bleeding gums and serious tartar. I do brush regularly, and should floss more. Since I am also a type 2 diabetic oral care is important because the tartar can effect your sugar numbers.

The largest Dental challenge in our home is.. Due to job loss we don’t go to the dentist as much as we should. My children have an appointment at the end of the month, so I am excited to see how much the LISTERINE^® 21 Day Challenge improves their check up.

Did you know brushing alone misses 75% of your mouth? That’s right—and believe it or not, even if you brush twice a day, you’re likely missing a majority of your mouth, leaving plenty of room for germs to grow.

By using a LISTERINE^® Antiseptic mouthwash twice a day for 30 seconds, you can clean virtually 100 percent of your mouth. In fact, you can get:

Up to 5 times healthier gums in 2 weeks
Up to 9 times healthier gums in 4 weeks*

That’s not just lip service, either! The makers of LISTERINE^® know that users will feel a difference—or their money back**.

Participating in this challenge offers the added benefit of joining the makers of LISTERINE^®ULTRACLEAN^®in helping Oral Health America impact the lives of children nationwide this year through the Smiles Across America^® program. Shockingly, oral disease is now the most chronic childhood illness in the U.S.[1] It impacts kids of all backgrounds, but especially the millions who are unable to afford, or otherwise get access to, regular professional care.

Want to join me in the 21 day head over to Listerine Facebook page and sign up for the LISTERINE 21day Challenge

For every person who signs up for the challenge, the LISTERINE^® Brand will make a contribution to help Oral Health America’s Smiles Across America^® program toward their goal of connecting 210,000 children with needed oral health services in 2013***.

Disclosure: “I received products from Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. and The Motherhood as part of my participation in the LISTERINE^® 21 Day Challenge. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.”

Parenting

Fashionable or Abuse : Pierced Earrings

January 13, 2013 superexhausted 3 Comments

Pierced Ears Fashion or Abuse for little girls.

I was 7 and my sister was 8, when we got our ears pierced together. We want to be like the other girls in our class and have pierced earrings I remember it clearly, we wait as the marker was placed on our ears, wiped with alcohol and the quick firing of the gun. Like a quick bee sting, then we had pierced ears that we were required to take care of. Such a moment in my life. My daughter has been asking when she can get earings and I told her when she is 8 years old we will do it for her birthday. Tradition and she under understands the care that is required.

So a friend of mine and I walk the mall several times a week. This morning we were to exposed to a very interesting sight. As we walk by “Claire’s” a well know place to get your ears done, A young child about 4years old was in the window. The father was physically restraining this little girl, as her ears were being done. She was screaming her head off. We slowed our pace and watched as this child was restrained and fearful screams escaped as her ears were done with the onlookers of the mother and younger sister watched. We looked at each other and said that was just not right. The more seasoned ladys walking behind us stopped and abuse was mentioned.

Now I have held my son down for a shot at the Dr. office. He was 9 it took me and 2 nurses to hold him for the shot that he need for his health. The nurses tried to make me feel better.. when they said he is nothing “you should see when the 13 year old boys won’t get a shot . It takes 5 nurses to hold them down”. I still felt terrible and pleaded with him to get the shot, because it was for his health. it was a parenting moment I will never forget. I also informed my husband he was taking him for shots from now on..

Ear piercing is not for health.

How does a 4 year old child understand her Daddy holding her down?

We saw the little girl later trailing behind her parents with a lollipop.

Is is possible she got one ear done and then freaked out? Then the restraint came so she got both ears done.

What would you do? How do you feel about it if it was child?

dogs, Parenting, Photography, Wordless Wednesday

Signs of Winter w/ linky

January 2, 2013 superexhausted 3 Comments

Giveaways, Parenting, Philadelphia, Product Reviews

Review: Disney On Ice with Hallmark

December 31, 2012 superexhausted 2 Comments

So we got to attend a preformance of Rockin Ever After Disney on Ice sponsored by Hallmark this past weekend, It was trip to get there because we were in Northern PA visiting the inlaws and left at 9am to make sure we arrived for the 3pm show. It was no easy feat we drove through the snow arriving right on time. Were we glad we did. The Disney On Ice show was super fun.

The Disney skaters performed the Little Mermaid. It was a great adaptation version with Ariel, Prince, Flounder, Sebastian and even Ursala, But it was kept light for the kids to enjoy. The skaters flowed across the ice like they were in water.

Then Rapunzel danced and twirled. The 2 person skating Horse was a super fun addition to the ice. I loved Rapunzel finale the village coming in with lanterns.

Then Brave.. I have not seen the movie yet the kids got it for Christmas. It was a great shorten version. Even my husband said since he has had the time to sit down and watch it with the kids.

The Lovely Bell and Beast made a showing, My daughter loved it she has watched the movie alot lately.. over and over again . Even Gaston, chip and the host of characters were present. It was really neat how they transitioned the set to a castle complete with a chandelier .

During the show Micky, Minnie, Goof, and Donald made appearances so it was great seeing them. We took my daughter age 7 and my son age 11. My daughter of course was thrilled, my son enjoyed the show they had some pyrotechnics. It was really pretty show and lively music. Very well done.

The parking was $15 at the Wells Fargo

Souvenir run from $10 up, small plush for $12 and light spin things were $22. (so you might want to bring a glow stick) After the show they were selling Disney Show souvenir packs for $10 which had 5 items in them (not necessarily related to the ice show but Disney)

Food: Determined by venue: Chicken Fingers and Fries (enough to feed 2) was $9.50. Hot Pretzel was $4.50, Large fry was $8.50 I cream cone $5.50. Snow cone in collector cup was $10. We did bring in bottles of water in. FYI always make sure they are unopened. If they are opened sometime they will not let you bring them in.

We did love the show and I would recommend taking your kids.. they will love Disney on ice. (we went a few years ago and sat in the nose bleed seats I do recommend if you can afford it going to a lower level.)

Rock in Disney on Ice is at the Wells Fargo Center till Jan 6th. Tickets range from $22.50-$90

Disclosure: I did receive tickets from Hallmark for this post. The opinions represented in this post are mine.

Crafting, Parenting

3 Quick Easy Kid Christmas Crafts

December 20, 2012 superexhausted 4 Comments

Easy kids Christmas crafts : Here are 3 crafts that you make with the kids. Great to give as gifts or with cookies. I learned how to makes these crafts from our church avent fair and had to share. I love that all diffrent age kids can make these crafts they will love hanging these on you tree. My Daughter was so proud and was so happy to add to the holiday season in our home. So have fun making them with your children.

Easy kids Christmas crafts:

Paperclip angel:

Butterfly paperclips
red ribbon 7-8″ lemghts
silver pony bead

Put the ribbon through the paperclip slide on bead and knot

Wrap small safety candle with wired garland and ribbon.

Place on a plate when burning and never leave unattended and watch so candle does not burn too close tot he garland.

Tea light holder using Aleens glue to attach tissue paper to the out side of a shot glass or tea light holder.

Alleens glue
tissue paper
glass tea light holder
sequins

Please never leave a candle unattended and only light with adult supervision.

Have fun creating with your children.

Merry Christmas.

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