Hurry! Get This Awesome Sale for the Jonty The Dinasaur App

    Today's post will be super short, but I really wanted to share this opportunity with everyone before it expires. If you have read my review on the Jonty - The Dinosaur, you know how much I recommend it. If not, you can find it here. Now is your chance to get the app at a reduced rate! Unfortunately, I was late to get this out because of my life outside of this blogosphere. Sunday, August 3, will be the last day to buy the app at it's reduced price of $0.99.

 
   I recommend the app for parents who like to share bedtime stories, because this one is so much fun. You can check it out at the App Store or you can find the link on the Jonty website here. That's everything for today.

     Have you tried the App? Comment about your/ your child/ren's favorite part!

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Adventures of Ai Review: PLUS A game you have to try

    Oh my gosh! I couldn't wait to do this post today! I'm so excited! Yesterday was the launch day for a new book targeted for children ages 9-12, called Adventures of Ai. It was written by Craig Bouchard who happens to be a New York Times best selling author. I really wanted to post this yesterday, but unfortunately I was having a hard time with everything electronic for a while, which put me back a bit. Serious frowny face! :( However, I finally got everything to work so that I could read the book and review it for everyone! Needless to say, I did a ton of reading in a short amount of time, and I'm so happy to share this with you all!

     Without giving away the entire book, I'll share some of what I enjoyed.

      A father has these amazing bedtime stories for his daughters who, by the way, cannot be fooled with cheesy stories. I think we all know how kids can point out when our stories stink on ice. He describes to the reader how he tells stories of the past to his daughters, who think the past was boring. When he gives his account, he does it with such color and description that the  characters are easy to relate to and they feel like old friends. I think it would be a great story to read to your children at night, in segments. I can imagine my younger self begging to hear just one more page! Just be warned, none of your stories will be this good. However, I don't feel like this is a book just for kids. It was very enjoyable and had plenty to keep adults turning the page. Overall, there is a lot of wonderful material here. It's more than just a story, and when you read it, you will understand why.

     I love the way the writer blurs the line of reality. It makes for a very interesting story and is the reason I feel adults will enjoy this tale too. There are illustrations as well as photos included, which adds depth to the story and really gets you involved. I was a huge fan of the artwork. It's a true journey that I really enjoyed being part of, even just as a reader.

       Thats not where the fun stops, because there's also a game for iOS, Android, and Kindle  to complement the book called Ai Adventures. Here is a preview of the game, which is now available for free download. I've played it and it's great and quite addicting. The thing I love best is this (and, yes, it's worth putting in bold letters): You can help your team win money for charity!

     Once you start the game, you'll see an explanation for the World Cup Charity. You can visit www.adventuresofai.com to see the charities being represented by each territory as well as rules. Once you know which territory you would like your points contributed to, you then click the area of the map that territory belongs to and then the flag and this will be your "team". Each time your play ends, your score is calculated into an average. The territory with the highest average points at the end of the contest wins cash for the associated charities. 

     I can't think of any way to make playing a game more productive.

     Here are the links to where you can find the ebook and app:

For the ebook:
From iTunes 
From Google Play
Google Books
Amazon for Kindle

For the game from the App Store:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ais-adventure/id874619193?mt=8

     Thanks for reading Amerimommy and please spread the word about these two products. I'm so glad Pulp PR reached out for the review of the ebook and game! I think it's incredible. Let me know what you think!

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My Reading Eggs Review: Why I think you should try it

    Helllooo, all! I'm here to share yet another review! Those of you who are fans of the Amerimommy Facebook page  will also find more posts in the future from Reading Eggs. Reading Eggs is pretty much a game that helps your child learn to read or build upon their current reading skills.

     The website states that the program is suitable for children ages 3-12. Luckily for me, I have friends and family with children on all ends of that age group to test this out on! I'm going to jump right into the review and say the kids loved it! The first thing that happens after signing up is a fun test to see how much the child already knows so they can start at a comfortable stage in the program. I really liked the way this was done. If you have a child on the younger side, you can opt to skip this and just let him/her start from the beginning.

     The activities were very colorful and entertaining with stories, music, and games. Each child really enjoyed the time s/he spent playing. I was also very impressed at the way it was set up. The best way I can describe it is that it was like a fruit smoothie with vegetables secretly blended in for a picky eater. They were having fun and were excited to get to the next level and it didn't seem like work.

     Here is the strangest thing - after only a couple hours, the child who couldn't spell before knew more letters and sounds and knew how to spell three words. That was the biggest shocker for me. Wow! It wasn't even a day and already there was a huge amount of progress. I can only imagine what would happen a few months down the road. Every child will pick it up at a different pace and that's important to remember. Upon reviewing the website, you will see that it states 97% of people notice improvement in their child's reading ability. I can definitely believe that from what I saw with my mini study group.

    Reading Eggs also offers a program called Mathseeds, which I haven't yet tested but I am so excited to try.

     So, yes, I do recommend trying this out! Here's the best part, you can still get a free 14 day trial on the website. You can test it out and see how much your child enjoys the program. That website is here. I know there are a lot of very expensive programs that make very large promises. It's nice to have one out there that offers a free trial with no credit card required - you just get to try it. You can really tell there was a lot of time and effort put into this by people who really know what kids are craving from their entertainment and studies. Reading Eggs is okay by me and most definitely gets a stamp of approval.

     ** In case you were wondering, it's been a month since I started testing this program and the child I described learning to spell can still spell the learned words. **

     Has your child tried the program? Share your experience with us!

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Smile of the Week at Amerimommy

     Have you all 'Liked' Amerimommy on Facebook? If not, you can do that at the Amerimommy Facebook page here. This is a good spot to go to find extra recipes and crafts, fun posts, giveaways, post alerts for the blog, and even spoilers for upcoming blogs.

     I will also be starting a smile of the week on the Facebook page. If you have a picture of a really cute smile you just can't help but share with the rest of us, you can post it on the Amerimommy Facebook wall. Each Monday I will choose a smile to post on the smile of the week tab. Don't be discouraged if your smile doesn't make it. You can post a new one each week.

    This is in no way a competition or sweepstakes. It's just a fun little present for all of you. I know how much moms and grandmas love to show off their cuties! So please have fun. Of course the pictures have to be within Facebook guidelines. I look forward to sharing the smiles!

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Gender Specific Toys: Why I feel they don't exist

     I wanted to write this post to share my opinion with all those who are unsure or think they're extremely sure how they feel about this topic, but also to hear how others feel too. I'm going to address the biggest fears I hear from parents concerning whether or not their child should play with toys aimed at the opposite sex.

     First, I'll start with my first-hand experience. When I was a child, my dad bought me every toy I  think he ever wanted as a kid. I played with giant water guns, the coolest bikes, RC cars, army men, and many more "boy toys". Most of the kids I played with were boys just because that's who was around. I enjoyed playing in the dirt and rough housing.

     Despite all these things, I still grew up a girl and evolved into a woman.

     Don't get me wrong, I loved playing with baby dolls and pretending to cook. I enjoyed playing school and hop scotch - things you might imagine a girl doing, but my parents always allowed me to choose which types of toys I wanted to play with and I always had an assortment to choose from.

     Do I think all girls have to play with pink and purple toys? No. However, I'm not offended by them. Pink has been representative of girls for many years and I don't think that will go away any time soon. On that same note, I don't find it offensive nor neglectful when I see a parent letting their son play with a pink toy. I also don't find it terrifying when a boy chooses a pink lollipop, balloon, bracelet, or any other object when given a choice.

     You may already know where I'm going with this. No. I don't think it's wrong for a boy to play with dolls or a girl to play army men. In my opinion, this isn't going to ruin their character or make them confused about who they are. It may even help them to be a little more well-rounded. A boy
caring for a baby doll or watching a "girly" movie might help him relate to the opposite sex a little better. Just as a girl who plays with cars and dirt may learn that superficial things aren't as important as people make them seem.

     It's also my opinion that there is a lot of influence today making girls feel like they have do do girly things like paint their nails and put on makeup. It's starting at such a young age it actually makes me ill. I don't want my daughter to grow up thinking these are the things that make her who she is or that these are the qualities that make girls valuable. Likewise for boys. There is so much pressure for them to be "men". They are taught not to cry or show emotion and that if they pick up a toy meant for a girl, it's a bad thing. They are shamed into believing it's wrong.

     Why have we made it this way? We're so afraid of our children not growing up to be "normal" that we forget to let them be THEMSELVES.

     The next most common fear I hear about is their child becoming homosexual. Really?! Nope. I'm pretty sure no toy ever has made a child gay! I think that's enough said for that topic.

     These are my opinions, and my personal advice is to give your child the freedom to be his or herself.  Give them the opportunity to be individuals. Children play to learn. If you are judging them by the toys they play with, they are learning that they can't be themselves around you.

Don't stifle a young child's IMAGINATION for fear of individuality. 

     What's your opinion?

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My Hair One Review

     A few weeks ago, a family member was going through her things for a big move and gave away what she had not used in a while to lighten her load. Fortunately for me, I was the recipient of a 3/4 full bottle of Hair One. You may all remember my past posts for trying the no poo method, if not you can check it out here and here.

    

     Using Hair One is helping me stay true to the no poo method. I have the Hair One cleanser and conditioner with olive oil. It's not a "normal" shampoo full of chemicals. Here is the description as it can be seen on sallybeauty.com:

cleans with an astringent and antibacterial properties

No damaging detergents or harsh chemicals

Formulated with natural herbs and oils

Sulfate Free

Hair One is a salon quality product that provides a new all natural approach to hair care and hair detox that leaves hair cleansed, conditioned and in optimum shape. This conditioner has no damaging detergents or harsh chemicals. It's made with an elixir of natural herbs and oils that clean with astringent and antibacterial properties through a luxurious, penetrating cream without the stripping of detergents. Hair is left with remarkable shine, moisture, manageability and polish. With continued use, Hair One Cleanser Conditioner will stimulate the scalp, promoting better blood circulation, allowing for healthier hair growth and prevention of hair loss. Hair One is available in four formulations.   

http://www.sallybeauty.com

     So now you are all wondering if it truly is what the site is describing. Here are my thoughts: I love it! My hair feels wonderful after I use this product! The cleanser feels like a very thick cream and is actually quite easy to spread around in your hair. There is also menthol in the cream, so while it's sitting in your hair it tingles your scalp. I'm guessing this is one of the ingredients that helps with the blood flow that is mentioned in the description. I also rather like the smell of it, which doesn't smell like any menthol product I've ever smelled.

     You do have to use quite a bit in one washing. I use around 20 pumps, which is why I alternate between this product and other products I have. I try to use this once a week. I also thought that with all the oils in the cleanser that my hair would end up oily faster, but that was just not the case. That made me very happy. I ended up with nice, soft hair and it wasn't weighed down-even without blow drying. I think this is my new favorite hair wash. I find the description on SallyBeauty spot on.

     I would definitely recommend this to any of my friends trying to go a more natural route or just trying to get healthier hair!

     Have you tried Hair One? What are your thoughts?

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Summer Fun on a Budget

     Do you remember the Disney movie Up? The Fredricksen's save all their spare money in a glass jar for their dream trip, but life keeps bringing them obstacles, so they have to smash into their jar of savings time and again.

     While most of us don't keep an actual glass jar of savings, metaphorically we know exactly how smashing that jar feels. We all want to take the kids for a fun summer vacation, but sometimes it's just not in the jar. Luckily, we have some cheaper, or even free alternatives to the large amusement parks or that trip to Spain. Here is a list of ideas. Some do require travel expenses depending on where you live or other small fees, but are mostly pretty affordable options for some summer fun.

• State parks. State parks are great for hiking, picnics, swimming (when it's allowed), or even a weekend getaway. Chances are you have one close to you.
• Don't have a state park nearby? How about your back yard? Young kids like being outdoors and they definitely like doing things out of the ordinary. Try popping a tent in your back yard and "roughing it" for a night or two. They'll never forget playing games in the tent and telling spooky stories.
• Local playgrounds make for a nice day along with picnics. Try going ahead of time to plan out a fun scavenger hunt.
• Do you have farms near you? Some farms offer tours. Look into it.
• Museums. Museums are everywhere! Do a quick search online of your area and museums and you'll probably find a few. Check your local library to see if they offer discounts or free passes.
• Pet stores. This one might sound strange, but going to the pet store to watch the bunnies play almost always makes for a smiling face. 
• Free factory tours are fun too. Places that make snacks or candies often have free tours to watch how it's made. Kids really enjoy seeing what's on the inside and they often get a free sample at the end of the tour.
• Don't forget your local library. Most have game nights, movie nights, story times, and even hang out times for teens. If your library doesn't, make the suggestion.
• Local pools are always a fun way to get kids outdoors. Most even provide swimming lessons for a small fee.
• Check with your local home improvement store. Some have workshops once or twice a month for kids to build their own masterpiece for free. Also on that note, craft stores have craft times for kids-usually at a small fee.
• Check to see if your church has a vacation bible school. These usually last for a week. Some are all day while others last a couple hours. Ask if there is a fee.
• Is there a railroad near you? You may be surprised at how affordable a train ride is.
• If you are bent on going to an amusement park, you may be happy to hear there are still some free admission amusement parks around. You still have to pay for rides and food of course, and there may not be one quite near to you. You can find a list of remaining free admission parks here.

    These are just a few ideas to get you started on a fun summer journey. The possibilities are endless when you think outside the jar. ;)

     Do you have more free/cheap ideas for summer fun? Share them with us!

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Your Baby's Back There!

     Every year we see numerous cases of very preventable and very devastating deaths of children being forgotten in the back seats of cars. This is something that we can all keep from happening! I'm not here to pass judgement on a single person that has had this happen, but I do want to help remind others of the most precious cargo they will ever drive around.

    I've seen lists before of things to do to remember that your baby or small child is in the back seat. On almost every list it says to leave something like your purse or phone back there so you remember to check. It's sad for me to think that grabbing your phone or purse is on your mind more than your child, but if it helps save a life, I will add it to my list also. Some of these you may roll your eyes at and call me crazy, but I want to help prevent as many of these cases as possible-even if by stating the obvious. So here we go. Here are my tips to help:

• ALWAYS check the back seat if you have children - even if you know they aren't with and you feel like a mental case. It takes, at most, 10 seconds to see if anyone is back there. Just look! Even if your child can talk, check! Kids sometimes falls asleep in cars and if they are quiet you have the opportunity to forget they're back there. I follow this rule always.
• Place your purse, cell phone, work bag, wallet, hat, reusable grocery bags, or whatever in the back if you think you are distracted. Put whatever you have to in the back seat to remember to look back.
• Start your car early and put down the windows or start the air conditioning. It's hot in there. Seat belts and buckles get hot too! Load up the diaper bag, backpacks, or whatever else you will be taking with when you start the car to make it easier.
• Tape a checklist on your dash, visor, steering wheel, and/or door. Put "CHECK FOR BABY" as number one in large red ink. 
• Talk to your baby throughout the car ride. Even if they are sleeping you can sing to them. Babies love to hear your voice anyway.
• Don't leave your child in the car to "run in quick". Take them with. It's not worth the chance. Even if you let the a/c run, someone could drive away with your child. Not worth the extra minute it would have taken to get them out.
• Leave early so you aren't rushing!
• Place a baby item in the passenger seat to remind you he/she is back there such as a sock, shoe, or toy.
• Obviously don't try driving under the influence of anything - even prescriptions. Read labels and know what the side effects are. Some don't even allow you to drive. Some can alter your state of mind and judgement. Be responsible.
• Be sure to teach these tips to newer drivers who may be taking your kids out such as older siblings or babysitters.
• And back to the first point, ALWAYS check no matter what! Don't allow yourself to be so distracted you can't take the time to check for life.

    Please remember all these tips and share them with your friends. I know we sometimes rush around, but it's important to remember our biggest priorities are right behind us.

     Do you have more tips? Please share them!

 

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June is National Fresh Fruits N Veggies Month!

     June is National Fruit and Vegetable month here in the U.S. and there couldn't be a better time. We have plenty of choices this time of year in our markets. The produce section is busting at the seems with wonderfully colored foods.

     We have all heard we need to eat our fruits and veggies to grow up strong, and most of us know it's sometimes a hassle getting the young ones to follow suit. Many of us are worried they aren't getting enough so we supplement with multivitamins or nutritional drinks. Here is a wonderful link to the CDC website to give you a good visual idea of how much the fruit you're eating equals out to in terms of cups.

     If beyond that you need to know how many of each you or your child should be consuming in a day's time, you can also swing by the CDC's fruit and veggie calculator here. You will be asked your age, sex, and activity level and the calculator will give you a good idea of the amount you should shoot for.

     Sometimes we run out if ideas on how to keep the kids interested in their vegetables and fruits, but fortunately the internet is booming with some wonderful and creative ideas! Sometimes just arranging the fruit into fun art is enough to catch a child's eye and tummy. I like these ideas on Pinterest. I've also seen a lot of great fresh-fruit cakes. I like this one from food.com because it looks quite easy to manage on your own. I'm also a big fan of fresh fruit for breakfast. In many parts of the world, they would turn their noses up to the bacon and egg idea. Fruits are a large part of breakfast ingredients in most places.

     Juicing may also help you get to the amount you're aiming for and it can be quite fun trying out new variations. Juicing is also great for sneaking in vegetables for the extra-picky eaters. Often you can mix some in without detection from the little ones. "Ants on a log" was always another favorite of mine to help with the veggie dilemma. Sometimes melting cheese on broccoli, asparagus, or other vegetables can help. Hey, veggies with cheese are better than no veggies at all!

     We all know a diet high in fruits and vegetables will help reduce the risks of obesity, cancers, strokes, and many other problems, and sometimes we ignore this important information. Let's make a conscious effort the rest of June to fit more great foods into our diets and see if we can't keep it going!

     Do you have a great fruit or veggie recipe to share? I want to hear about it! You can leave a comment or email me at amerimommy@gmail.com!

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Make Your Dad a Character In a New Book

     Today's post is short and sweet, but I wanted to share this wonderful opportunity with all my readers. First, though, I hope all the dads out there had a wonderful Father's Day. With that said, FarFaria has a wonderful opportunity for you to show your dad how much you love him by giving him a pretty awesome Father's Day present.



     You may remember my past post about the fabulous FarFaria app available for iPad and Android products. If you don't, you can find it here. The wonderful people from FarFaria are holding a sweepstakes called "My Dad, My Superhero". You can enter to have your dad immortalized in one of the FarFaria stories as a superhero! The grand prize winner will receive a printed copy of the story along with a bobble head which, get this, looks like dad's superhero character from the story!

     It's super easy to enter. You fill out your name and email and let them know why your dad is a superhero. You can find all the details here. Also, if you share the link with friends through email or social media, you can earn more entries for yourself!

Go check it out and good luck!



 

 

 



   
   

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My Titan Chains Review **UPDATE**

    Those of you who have read my previous post about Titan Chains will be happy to know I finally have an update for you! If you haven't read the first review, I recommend you do to get caught up. You can find it here. You'll learn what Titan Chains is and what kind of work opportunities they offer.

     So, as you know, Titan Chains was kind enough to send me a free kit to test out and review for all my readers. I was so, very excited for this opportunity because I know a lot of people are looking for work-at-home opportunities, but finding one that isn't a pyramid scheme and/or scam is next to impossible unless you have many years experience in a field.

     The last time I posted about Titan Chains, I had received the deluxe kit and I was starting to work on the wrap. I worked on the interchangeable wrist wrap, which is the one you will work on if you decide to give it a shot. I'm not going to lie to you -it's tough. It is very fun and exciting but it is tough. You will not pick this up in a day. When you order your kit, you will most likely use all the materials in it for  the sample wrap you need to send in before you are able to fill orders for the company.

     It is difficult learning how to work with the wire at first. I worked on a few wraps before I felt okay enough to send them my work. I had just about every issue you could think of come up while I was working on this. I wasn't knitting the wire correctly, then I was doing it right, but not tight enough. I got the chains stuck on the mandrel more than once and had to use a hammer to get them off ... it was pretty funny. I did have a ton of fun with it, though. I've never done anything like this before. The process of learning is exciting and I always feel achieved when I learn something new. If you are a crafty person and you enjoy using your hands, I recommend trying it out. Even after just a couple chains, I could see myself getting faster and the quality of my chains was improving.

     Once I finished one that looked pretty close to the sample the company sent for me to reference, I packaged mine and sent it back to them. The company asks you to notify them with a tracking number once you send it so they can get it back to you as fast as possible. I did notify them, but I never sent a tracking number and I still got my sample back within a few days along with paperwork.





      After they have checked it, they send it back to you with a critique and helpful tips or they will tell you it was great ... I guess. My chain did need some work, but I was impressed with the amount of helpful tips and feedback they sent. It showed me that they really took their time in looking at my work and they tried to come up with ways to fix any issues they saw, which was awesome.

     I'm very happy with the service I received from Titan Chains throughout my experience with them. I always got a quick and courteous response. I feel like they are really committed to people doing well when working with the company. Their tutorials are pretty easy to follow along with because they also provide pictures, which you will need for referencing. They never gave me any reason to believe the business was a scam. I would say they even go an extra mile to help you succeed.

     My best advice is this: Don't do this thinking you will get it right the first time or overnight, because you probably won't unless you've done this type of thing before. Do go into this thinking it's a project and that it could be fun to learn a new skill and eventually profit from it. There really is a certain amount of work involved. Don't give up right away and make sure you have time to invest in this. An hour a day may not be enough. You wouldn't go into a brick and mortar company with an application saying you can only work an hour a day, some days a week would you?

     I really did enjoy working on the chains, but for right now I don't have the time to invest in them. You do have a deadline to meet once you are filling orders for the company and it wouldn't be fair for me to waste their time with late orders.

     So, based on my experiences with this company, they definitely get my stamp of approval!

     If you have questions, please feel free to ask. I would also really love to hear from anyone who has gone on to work with Titan Chains and get paid.

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My Jonty the Dinosaur App Review

      I'm always very thankful when a company reaches out to me for a review of their product, so I was very excited when a marketing consultant contacted me for a review of an app called Jonty - The Dinosaur Who Could Not Go to Sleep. It's an interactive bedtime story for your kids and it's a lot of fun! 

      Jonty the dinosaur has a very busy day, so once bedtime rolls around he has difficulties falling asleep. I think most of us have experienced the thousands of excuses children come up with to evade shutting their eyes and dosing off, and Jonty does too. It's relatable for children and parents alike, which makes it even more appealing to me. 

     The overall feel of the app is very bedtime appropriate. It has nice, soft illustrations, gentle and soothing background music, and the storyline is just the right amount of exciting for bedtime. Plus, it hasn't become old news once you've read through it. You can make the story unique by adding to it over and over again. The kids loved adding objects to the story to make it their own, which is nice because they are getting a story and a bit of a game all-in-one.

     There are different modes to choose from on the main page of the app. We can choose to have the story read to us, add to the story, have the story play automatically without interactions, or we can choose to read it ourselves. I love the last option for children just learning to read, because if they get stuck on a word all they need to do is press that word and the narrator will say it for them.

      The app is longer than I expected, which was a nice surprise. I can see the disappointment in the eyes of children when you read a story that doesn't meet their expectations, and that didn't happen with Jonty. I was very pleased with this app and I do recommend it to anyone with children probably up to the age of 10 or so. Jonty has nice illustrations, a fun storyline, and it's a great way to wind down - this app definitely gets the Amerimommy stamp of approval. 

   
Have you tried Jonty? What did you think?

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Another Facebook Recipe: banana/apple oatmeal cookies

      I don't know about all of you, but I really like when people share recipes on Facebook. Some of these are so creative and so easy it's almost a terrible folly not to at least give it a whirl. The last recipe I shared with you all was for pancakes made with just bananas and eggs. I have to be honest by saying it wasn't a total success. I've also seen other people say the same thing I said - it was more like a banana omelet. You can find that post here.

      This next recipe, however, was definitely a success in my book. I saw the recipe floating around a few times and actually, I've seen a few variations of the recipe and I'm not sure where it came from so I'm just going to share how I did mine. But the first time I saw it I was like, "oh, heck yeah". It's really easy to make and it's actually pretty healthy. It doesn't take long to prepare and bake at all and, honestly, I have made them for breakfast. It's great for kids because they think they're getting cookies but really they are getting a better breakfast than any cold cereal offers. You could serve it with a tall glass of juice or milk and some yogurt and have some happy little campers. So let's get down to it!

      What you'll need is:

• 3 ripe, smashed bananas
• 2 cups oats 
• 1/4 cup milk (almond milk is great for a good taste and fewer calories. I tried it with almond milk and with 1% and both ways were good)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

      Basically, you just smash up your bananas, mix in all the ingredients until it is well blended and place the mix on a cookie sheet in cookie-sized shapes. They don't really grow when you cook them, they just harden so you can place them fairly close together without worry and you can shape them and have fun with them. I didn't spray my cookie sheet with anything and I had no problem getting them to come off the pan. I set my oven to 350* and let them in for 20 minutes. I would say you can get about 12 cookies out of this recipe, depending on how large you're making them. That's it. Kids love them and they are quite healthy, so thumbs up to whoever thought up this creation! 

       Thanks for playing along and if any of you have alterations you made to this recipe, please let us know!

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My Lifefactory Glass Sippy Review

      Heeeellllooo, all! Today I have a short little post for you all, but I just HAD to share this with you! And, no, this is not a sponsored post. I just really, really like the product. Okay, let's jump into this! I used glass bottles because I just really like to stay away from plastic when I have the option, BUT after bottles came sippy cups. I could never find glass sippies anywhere! Even when I searched online I had no results. Well, a couple months ago I tried again and found one, but for some reason I got distracted and never bought it (go figure!). Then, about two months ago, I was wandering around the health food store and I stumbled across the same cup I found online.

 

       The company that makes the cup is called Lifefactory. They sell a variety of glass products that all look so amazing. I would definitely like to try out their glasses! You can look at their products on their website: Lifefactory.com. Anyways, I loved everything about the sippy. So, of course, I bought it and tried it out myself so I could let you all know exactly what it's like.
       The sippy is actually a bottle which is converted by buying the sippy caps to screw onto the bottle. So, actually, you can save yourself space by buying these guys. I bought the four ounce bottle, but they come in a nine ounce bottle also. The glass is very sturdy, but what's really neat, to me, is that it has a silicone cover on it. It's nice for gripping, and resilience, and also telling the difference between bottles. Plus, it's a really cute design. I also bought the sippy caps separately. They came in a pack of two. It's a plastic cap, which is pretty difficult to get around; there aren't many options out there for caps. The flow that comes out of the cap is nice. It has a spill-proof silicone fitting inside which works great, is easy to remove, and easy to clean. The only thing I would warn about is when I screwed the cap on as tight as I could, it was next to impossible to get any of the drink out. You don't have to screw it onto the cup quite so tight. Even without tightening the top the entire way, the cup did not leak. But that is the only flaw I found - if you want to call that a flaw. I noticed that they did cost a bit more than some of the other glass bottles out there, but I absolutely thought it was worth it and I was very pleased with my purchase. I'm so happy to have found a glass sippy/bottle combo. It is definitely a product I will keep in mind for baby showers!

Have you tried any of the Lifefactory products? Let me know!



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Cloth Pads: And other reusable alternatives

     By now you all may know I like to "go green" when I can, which is why I used cloth diapers. I even went as far as to make some of my own. Before I made any purchases for my cloth diapers or any of my materials, I did a lot of research. I spent countless hours looking through shops in person and online. While searching, I came across cloth pads. I remember I thought, "Oh, that's weird," and moved on without looking into it further. It always stayed in the back of my head, though. So, not long ago, I decided to look into the cloth pads and other alternatives to their disposable counterparts.Turns out there are a lot of brands and options.
      First, I wanted to touch on some reasons people switch to reusable and more natural products.

• Disposable pads are made from fossil fuel derived petroleum products: bad for you and the planet.
• Many pads get flushed down the toilet, going into the ocean untreated.
• Most disposable products are not made with organic fibers which means you are being exposed to pesticides and other chemicals. It's easy for these chemicals to be absorbed into your body.
• Many women have reactions to the scents that are added to these products.
• Some women feel that the disposable products degrades the natural process of their bodies and that disposables make it feel more like an ailment than a natural occurrence.
• Many women who use reusable products claim they have less cramping and lighter periods.
• A lot of women who aren't using disposables claim they no longer suffer from "period odor".
• It can be fun collecting all the fun designs and choosing which fabrics, materials, an designs you want to use.
• Using reusables saves money!

     

Cloth pads

     Cloth pads come in all kinds of shapes, styles, materials, colors, and whatever else you could think of. The options are almost endless. You can opt for just using a terry cloth towel in your underpants to buying a PUL lined pad with  a hemp absorbing core and everything in between. This is all great, but cleaning is obviously one of the first turn-offs we face and we tend to just curl our noses and run away. I did quite a bit of researching and it doesn't seem like it's too bad. Also, from what I've read, most cloth pads don't leave ... dare I say ... the period odor some women are familiar with, because the soiled pads don't have any of the chemicals that are in the conventional disposables to react with. So now you may be worrying about bulk. There are materials out there that are super thin and extra super absorbent. There's a material called Zorb that stands out in my mind, or if you want to go more natural, bamboo or hemp are good options. I've seen regular flow cloth pads half as thick as disposables. I also think these could be a better option because of the rubbing from plastic disposables on your legs. If you want to know more, I recommend going here. It's a great youtube channel. She can answer just about every cloth pad question you could possibly come up with. If you do a quick search for cloth pads, you will find tons of online stores - from major retailers to etsy sites.

Cups

      This is a product I know a little less about, but it's an option that many women like. Basically, it is an alternative to tampons. From what I understand, the product is made from silicone and it is exactly what it sounds like. It's a tiny little cup with a stick-like bottom. I've watched a few comparison videos between cups and tampons and the sups actually seem to hold a bit more than most tampons. Every few hours you empty it, rinse it, and use it again. There are special cleaning products you can buy for them and most come with a storage bag for in between uses. Each manufacturer is different, but some last up to a year. You can find a bunch of videos on youtube that show you what they look like and who prefers which product. There is a video on the cups on the youtube channel link I placed in the cloth pad section of this post.

Reusable tampons

       There are a few different options to tampons besides the cups. Some women use sea sponge as a tampon replacement and some women use cloth tampons. They can vary between rolled cotton or even knitted. 

It's important to remember that TSS is a possibility with feminine products - especially those which are used internally. Do your research and talk to your doctor. Some fibers are more prone to harboring the bacteria which cause Toxic Shock Syndrome. It's always important to follow cleaning directions or any other instructions on how often to change the product, etc, etc when using these products. I am by no means a doctor, I just like to share the things I find with you. Using green alternatives is great and sometimes cute and fun, but be safe. 

 Let me know which products you've tried or which you prefer!



      

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No-Flour Banana Pancakes

      Hello, all! I apologize for not posting too much last week. It was quite a busy week. But none the less, I'm back and I have a pretty fun post for you all today. If you haven't already noticed, I like to find healthy alternatives for my family and share them with yours. I also try to share posts on FaceBook of the same breed. (So if you haven't already, race over and hit "like" on Amerimommy's page so you aren't missing out!) Recently, I shared a post from The Natural Parent Magazine for flourless pancakes. I don't like to just share stuff with you all without trying it for myself, so this week I gave the recipe a shot.
       Now, from the very easy to follow recipe pictured, it seems all you need is a banana and two eggs. You would slice the banana into a bowl, crack your eggs in there and mash them together. Then you would pour them into your greased pan and cook like a normal pancake. So that's exactly what I did for purposes of reporting back to all of you.
      I used large eggs and just a simple masher. The product of this was more of a banana omelet than a pancake. Also, this only makes one pancake, so don't expect to feed your family if you only have a single, lonely banana lying around. I disliked it, but the kids ate it up.

      For the next batch, I used one egg and one banana. I followed everything else the same as before. This turned out better, in my opinion. The egg-banana ratio was better, but I think it was still a bit of a strange texture.

 What I will do differently the next time I try this recipe:
       I'm going to revise the recipe a bit by using two bananas to one large egg and using a hand blender instead of mashing them. Also, the flavor was a little bland for me, so I'm going to add a bit of cinnamon. Also, my bananas weren't at the peak of their ripeness yet, so I'm going to make sure my bananas are on the verge of brownness for my next go.

      Has anyone else tried this recipe or one like it? Let me know!



       

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My App Review: FarFaria

     Hello, all! I have another little something to share with you! I was recently contacted by someone from Pulp PR who asked me if I would be interested in reviewing an app for them. I was pretty excited about this chance, because I love to share great products with you guys. So of course I said yes to a chance to try it out free. And keep in mind I would never give my stamp of approval to something I don't think is great just because I was asked to review it!
     The app is called FarFaria. It's an app for children on iPad and android products. Basically, when you open up the app, you see a world map. Each area of the map represents different story genres. You can choose adventure, bedtime, etc. (I really enjoyed the sing alongs!). Once you choose the area of the world you want to enter, you can then choose from various stories. One of my favorite features is that you can choose a tab that sorts the stories by reading level, so if your little one will be reading it will be easier to find something appropriate to their rading ability. You can opt to read the story to yourself or let the narrator read to you. This is nice to have if your small one is ready to hear a story but you're a little tied up at the moment.
     Another feature I really enjoyed was that I was able to save the stories we liked to our favorites. That way we didn't have to go through each section of the world trying to remember where our favorite story was! Also, I used this feature when I went through the stories and saw some I wanted to read later. Easily saved. I also liked that there were plenty of classic stories to read as well as originals. The artwork on some of these stories is beautiful too!! I was really surprised. Overall, I have nothing but great things to say about the app. Not only do I really enjoy it, but of course I handed it over to the true critics - the munchkins. They enjoy it too and they honestly don't want to turn it off once they start.
     I was curious, though, how often new books are added. If you're going to pay a monthly subscription, I would expect new books to be added regularly. I asked the gentleman who first contacted me. He informed me that books are added quite regularly - at least five a week, which was more than I anticipated and enough to keep me happy.
     So, yes, I absolutely like this app and I would definitely recommend FarFaria to anyone with young children (up to 9 or 10 yrs.). It's fun and colorful and the kids really enjoy choosing a place on the map to go for their story.
     Well that's it. That's my review. You can check it out for yourselves at the App Store. I hope the review was helpful! If any of you try FarFaria, leave a comment and let me know how the little people in your life liked it!



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Have You Heard of The Orange Rhino?

     Hey, moms. Do you find yourself yelling more than you desire? Yeah, it's okay to admit - even if it's just you sitting in front of your computer screen. We've all been there. It may be that you're going through a rough time, it may be that your child/ren just happen to be having a hard time following the rules this week, or maybe it has just become your parenting style. Sometimes we just need help getting out of a rut.
     I came across this website a while back and I felt I should share it with you all. Possibly some of you could benefit from the advice you'll receive, or maybe you'll just get a good chuckle following the her journey. The website is www.theorangerhino.com. The entire premise of the site is to help parents stop screaming at their children. You can find her trademark phrase on the site, which sums everything up. There is also a challenge you can take yourself, which could be very hard, but very helpful. I won't go into full detail as I really want you guys to check it out. You can find out more about the challenge here.
     Whether you need help changing your parenting style, or you would like some encouragement along the way, I definitely suggest reading the blog. You can share in the encouragement and read some funny stories along the way! That's it for today, moms! If anyone is currently taking this challenge, leave a comment and let us know how it's going!



 

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Another Mother's Day Gift

     With Mother's Day right around the corner, I wanted to share a link with all of you for a very special Mother's Day gift. In an earlier post, I shared the Compassion website with all of you, which I have created a link for on the home page under the 'special links' tab. If you haven't read that post or visited the link, I'll give you a little information. Compassion is a charity that helps children in poverty across the world. You can sponsor one or more of these children by sending a monthly donation. This donation works towards helping the children get healthy meals, healthcare, education, and it allows them to spend time in their local church playing games. It also goes towards helping the parents. They can go to educational classes and it helps with any addiction problems they may be suffering through.
     You may have noticed I said the children get to go to their church for activities. Compassion is a Christian based charity. However, many if the churches they work with are Catholic. You can find out more about that on the website. It's a really great way to help these children have fun and forget about the conditions they are living in even if for just a couple hours. It also helps them remember that someone out there cares enough about them to help. You will get letters and pictures from the child you're sponsoring. I am currently sponsoring a child in Brazil, and the first time I received a letter from him with a picture he drew, my heart melted!
     What I really wanted to tell you all about today is the Rescue Babies and Mothers program from Compassion you can be part of. Your donation will be $20 a month and this is what your donation will help with:

• Immunization
• Food
• Breast feeding
• Monitoring growth
• Female literacy
• Family planning
• Oral rehydration

     I think this would be a fantastic Mother's Day gift to a mother truly in need and their tiny babies. For more information, you can visit the website here. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!



     

    

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Healthy Sunblock: Use less chemicals

     If we have so much knowledge about skin cancer and how to prevent it, then why are there higher rates of cancer now than there were before sunscreen was available? I don't have the answer, and frankly there could be many factors, but I do know one thing - commercial sunscreens have a lot of things in them I need a few minutes figuring out how to pronounce. There are a ton of chemicals in these products that we are smearing all over our skin and our children's skin. Their little bodies are absorbing things we've never even heard of before and we don't know what they're doing to us. You can find explanations about what some of these chemicals are and how they can be harmful to your body here.
     It is important to remember that a little sun is good for you. Sunshine can help with mood disorders and depression. Plus, Your body absorbs a lot of vitamin D through soaking up some sunshine. As most of us know, vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and has also been linked to preventing cancers such as breast cancer. However too much is a bad thing. Anyone rocking the lobster look after a beach vacation could tell you that. But chemical lotions and sprays don't seem to be much better for you. This is a link to the doctor Oz website. In this article, you will find a doctor's point of view on chemical sunscreens. If you're in panic mode about tossing away your favorite brand of lotion, don't worry. There are plenty of things you can do to avoid using these toxic chemicals.

• Don't forget a hat! Try purchasing hats with wide brims to cover your little one's face.
• Find some shade. Sitting beneath a tree, pavilion, or under an umbrella will help keep your little one from overheating as well.
• Remember the sun is most aggressive near midday - from about 10am to 4pm in most places.
• Sun damage can occur in any season, not just summer.
• Try finding zinc oxide or titanium oxide creams instead.
• Don't forget sunglasses, even on overcast days.

     Here is some information I took directly from skincancer.org about what you need to look for when you buy your sunglasses:

For proper protection, sunglasses should offer the following:

• The ability to absorb and block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB light. Ideally, they should also guard against HEV light.

• Sufficient size to shield the eyes, eyelids, and surrounding areas. The more skin covered, the better. Wraparound styles with a comfortable, close fit and UV-protective side shields are ideal.

• Durability and impact resistance.
• Polarized lenses to eliminate glare, especially when driving, but also out in the snow or on the water, where reflection greatly magnifies glare. Continuing glare can cause fatigue, headaches, and even migraines.  www.skincancer.org.

     For smaller children, Realkidshades.com is a great place to get sunglasses. And here is what they have to say about their products (taken from realkidshades.com home page): "All Real Kids Shades are third-party tested to provide 100% UVA/UVB protection as measured by the strictest American, European, and Australian governing bodies. They’re CPSIA compliant, CE certified, and FDA approved are lead-free with no bisphenol A or phthalates. Oh, and they’re really cute."

     I feel like this is a product that can really be trusted for your children's precious peepers. 
     Also, I have been finding a lot of recipes online for DIY sunscreens or homemade sunscreens and while I applaud everyone who tries to do things at home, this one was a little concerning to me. The 
ingredients I was seeing didn't seem solid enough for me to trust. After a bit of research, I came across this article. If you are thinking of making your own sunscreen, you may want to read this and take their point of view into consideration. 
     I hope these tips and links were helpful to all of you. Please let me know what you think about making your own sunscreens! Stay safe and enjoy the sunshine, mommies!



     

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Kindergarten Readiness: For mommy and child

     All moms know it will happen eventually, the impending first day of school. We don't realize how fast it arrives until one day it sneaks up on you and you're sending your little one off on an adventure that will last 12 years or more. There are a lot of questions and concerns moms and children will have to address when this time comes and I am aiming to help ease the transition.
     You may have a preschooler who will be going to school in the upcoming year or the year after. It's never too early to know what kind of things you need to teach your child so he or she will be prepared. It's true that if your child is going to a daycare or preschool that he or she will learn a lot of the skills s/he will need for kindergarten, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't work on things at home. It's a good idea to get your child used to the idea of learning at home too to understand learning is a fun thing and also to get used to the idea of studying and doing homework. Some things outside of being able to count, recite the alphabet, and recognize their name are these:

• Knows and uses manners
• Can adjust to new environments with a reasonable amount of ease
• Can dress his/herself 
• Runs, jumps, bounces a ball
• Can speak in sentences 
• Is able to share

     These are the types of things that are mostly learned at home. If your child spends his/her days at home or a babysitters, it's important to get em around kids at the park, toddler gym, or local library. There are plenty of places to take your child where they can be around kids their own age. For a check list on kindergarten readiness, it's a good idea to contact your school district or you can get the general idea here from Leapfrog or at familyeducation.com.
     The next question a lot of moms have is what kinds of materials to supply their kids with. Once again, you can contact your school district. It is pretty common for the school to send out a checklist during the summer or even on the first day of school. However, it's not a bad idea to call and get an early start. Sometimes, though, it varies from teacher to teacher and the district won't be able to give you the entire list.
     Now for the harder part of preparing for the big day - the questions. Your child may be filled with excitement or anxiety or a mixture of the two, but either way you know you're going to have a lot of questions to answer. I found an amazing link to today.com where Ruth A. peters, a clinical psychologist, answers some of the tough questions your tyke may ask. You can find that page here. I also stumbled upon this awesome page full of helpful pointers for preparing your little one mentally from Dr. Laura Markham. This is a fun video for your small one and you to watch together of kids getting ready for their first day and then answering questions about it. It may get your child more pumped up for their first day and you'll get a little giggle out of it as well.

Special Needs:
     If your child has special needs, you already know your checklist for readiness may look a little different. In this day and age, most special needs children are involved with agencies before starting school. It's important to get on-track with these agencies about what is expected for school and how to meet that goal and what kind of evaluations your child should have if any. You can begin planning kindergarten entrance and asking these questions a year before hand. As I poked around the web, I noticed each state has its own guide for parents with special needs children preparing for kindergarten. If you don't have one already, a quick search may help you out. Your child's IEP team will be especially helpful at this time.

For Mom:
     It's important to take a breath and remember you will get through this and so will your little one. It is the beginning of a new chapter in both your lives. Be happy and know that your child will need you just as much in the upcoming years as he/she always has, just in a different form. And REMEMBER to charge those camera batteries and to have some tissues ready.

Have a fun first-day-of-school story or helpful tips? Share them, please!



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DIY Mother's Day gifts: Grandma's a mother too!

     While all the still very active mothers may be getting breakfast in bed, flowers, cards, or coupons for chores (cash these in fast, ladies. The excitement doesn't last!), don't forget about the moms who have put in their due share of mothering. Your mom, step mom, grandma, or mother-in-law will go crazy when she sees a homemade gift from your little ones. I think it could be quite fun to make these special ladies a gift from your favorite little people. I have a few ideas listed below and of course the age of your child/ren will determine which of these works best for you.

• Build a bird house
• Paint a picture and put it in a nice frame
• Grow flowers with your child from seeds. (This is one of my favorites. It's learning and a gift all-in-one)
• Prepare a picnic with your child for your mom. Star shaped pbj, anyone?
• This one could go along with the third ... Paint a clay potter and plant some pretty flowers.

     I love all these ideas and really, if you're a bit creative, you can come up with some pretty fun stuff. Keep in mind all these ideas are great for dads too. Father's Day comes up fast! I have one more idea for you all and I decided to write out the directions myself. I'm not sure where I got it, but I have it written down from a long time ago. Who doesn't love a nice handprint? This one is fun because these little people grow up so fast and it's nice to have a little imprint of their hands or feet. Also, most of the project is edible, so if you have very tiny ones, the first part won't be so worrisome.

Here is what you'll need to make hand/foot impressions:

• 2 cups white flour
• 1 cup salt 
• 1 cup water
• Mixing bowl
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper
• Rolling pin.

Optional:

• A straw to poke a hole for your string
• Ribbon, yarn, a shoelace ... Something to hang your project on the wall with
• Food coloring or acrylic paint

     First you will want to place a fitted sheet of parchment paper onto your cookie sheet. Next, mix flour, salt, and water ( if you want the entire lump of dough to be a certain color, mix in a few drops of food coloring. If you want just the impression to be colored, hold off.) in a mixing bowl until you have a ball of dough. You will then want to roll it out a bit. You want to have it at least 1/2"  thick and make sure your child's hand or foot will be able to fit without going over the edges. Place your child's foot or hand in the center and press down firmly and evenly. At this point you could also cut around the edges to make a nice circle, heart, or whatever shape you like. Then, if you want to be able to hang it, you can poke a hole in the center, top with your straw and be sure it goes through cleanly. Also, it's fun to date these by carefully carving on the back or waiting til it has hardened and writing with marker. There are two options for letting the dough harden, you can let it air-dry for a couple days or you can stick it in the oven on 200 for a couple hours. The size and thickness will make your cooking time vary, so keep an eye on it. If you want your print colored only, you can paint it with the acrylic. I would do this after it has cooked or dried. Once dried, you can stick your ribbon or yarn through and you're finished! There are endless possibilities for decorating these, which is fun for the kids. The way you want to decorate could be the deciding factor on whether or not they go in the oven. For example, if you want to stick some plastic or wooden beads around the imprint, you probably wouldn't want it in your oven!
     So those are my ideas for you all. A quick search on google or youtube could give you instructions for bird houses. You may even be able to find kits at a craft or home improvement store. You may even be able to find one which was already built but needs painted. Also, if you want an outdoor handprint, say for your garden, these flour ones will not hold up. You can probably find kits to make stepping stones at an arts and crafts store. Have fun with your gifts and share your ideas if you have more!

 

Help others find Amerimommy too!

 



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