Organization for Life

Recital Survival Kit

2011-06-08T22:31:00.000-05:00

Princess Liyah had her second dance recital of her life. She was so nervous, which was a shock to me and her dad. I am so happy to be a Dance Mom now that I had to inflict my organizational madness on my little one and her dance friends.

Here are the ingredients for an almost perfect recital survival kit:

I missed a few things, so I will have to update the list for the many more recitals and performances that I will be attending as a Dance Mom, and probably a Dancer again :-)

Bobby Pins
Safety Pins
Clear Nail Polish
Dance Makeup
Bottle of water
Costume Cover-up - this was the cutest creative thing at the recital because most of the dancers had their dad's dress shirts on as cover-ups.

Princess helped me create them, and we had a great time. All of the girls in her classes loved them, and they actually used them at dress rehearsal and recital. The recital bag and fabric markers gave the girls something to do while waiting their turn to "strut their stuff" on the stage. Everything else are essentials, and every dancer will have to agree with me.

If you have other items that should go in the Recital Survival Kit, please share them with me by sending an email to katinya@kkldesigns.com.

Spring Break 2011

2011-03-22T18:19:00.002-05:00

Our beautiful nieces came to visit us this year with Grandma, and here is a view into our week of blessings.

Happy 6th Birthday Aaliyah LeeAnice Lilly

2011-03-22T18:19:00.000-05:00

Originally posted on 2/7/2011

At ~~12:34 pm~~, 12:37 pm 6 years ago today, my little girl came into this world. I am guessing my water broke Saturday night due to teaching dance at church on Saturday, but we will never know. I do know that she was tired of being thrown around inside because SuperMommie didn't stop teaching around that time. So, we went into labor the morning of Super Bowl Sunday, and she decided to make her debut Monday afternoon. It was such a blessed event, and I am so glad that God gave us this blessing to raise.

Sorry, but this is a re-post. I had to post this on Facebook first because Blogspot was not working on her birthday :-( Time to shift to Wordpress :-)

Back into the job market

2011-02-18T13:34:00.019-06:00

I have so many friends and family going through the whirlpool of jumping in and out of the corporate workforce. It's the hardest thing that I can think of for anyone, no matter the age, color, or gender.

older articles

Absence of a career and the economy

Best Gifts for Grandparents – Gift - Parenting.com (Page 8)

2010-12-21T10:22:00.000-06:00

Best Gifts for Grandparents – Gift - Parenting.com (Page 8)

Aaliyah's dance class with 'Mary Poppins'

2010-12-17T23:22:00.000-06:00

Create a scrapbook design

My other world...

2010-09-27T22:00:00.000-05:00

Like so many mothers out there, I was a dancer in a former life. It is hard to think that it has been almost 20 years since I was in an organized dance/drill team. This month marked the 20 year reunion for my Big Sis, Jenny Hunter Billman. She was the Head Dance Captain, I might add, of the World Famous Tyler Junior College Apache Belles!!

I had the pleasure of spending the day with the Belles all day long. They had a wonderful Belle Babe workshop for the morning, so my little girl was able to participate.

Then, I met up with The Sophomores from my Freshman year. The Apache Belles now have a wing in the nicest dorm that I have ever seen. I know that every school has some type of tradition. Ours is to perform "The Rim" to open up the game. This is just phenomenal, and here is My Big Sis doing the rim with her classmates and other Belle Gold members.

I am so glad that I was able to go back and experience Apache Belles all over again :-)

Aaliyah's First Day of School

2010-08-23T19:25:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, I didn't cry today. It was so beautiful to be able to see Princess Liyah off to school today at her very first day of school and watch her go into the classroom to find her seat. She loved it, but I am sure that I was more excited to hear about her day than she was to tell me this evening.

I hurried home today in order to hear everything, and it was like pulling teeth to get information. I finally gave up because I was disturbing her afternoon movie with The Twizzles :-)

Organization for Life, to Google or not to Google

2010-08-19T11:37:00.000-05:00

I have been a long time Googler from Gmail, to Google Notebook, to Google Apps, to Google Website Optimizer. You name it, I use it. I am very anti "Borg", so it is hard for me to do this kind of thing.

I have been pretty successful with this mentality with other "Big Brother" groups like, Apple and Microsoft. I don't have an iPhone or iPad, but I do have an iPod Nano which is like 3rd generation, and I got it FOR FREE! I use Open Office and Portable Apps the majority of the time.

So, when it comes to Google, it just keeps coming back as the best tool of the 21st Century. I don't even know where to start to explain all of the tools that Google provides (FREE OF CHARGE) that help me on a daily basis. And, I keep "assimilating" people on a daily basis to cross over to the Google Side.

Here is the latest, "Gotta Have It" tool. Google Forms Do you have a non-profit, school, organization, family group that needs a simple place to communicate and receive feedback at a whim without becoming a web developer to do it. Google Forms are for you. In your Google Docs, now there is a choice to create a form. You can make this form look so professional and place it on any website that you want. It is so sweet, just take a minute to check it out.

The Google Forms is listed on the What's New page for Google Docs. Be sure to bookmark/rss that page and check it out frequently.

Wait, here is another one that I will blog about later. Google & Real Estate Finally Get Married... Oh, and I have another one :-) you get the picture. Check Google out!

Smart Blessings in 2010

2010-08-11T10:15:00.000-05:00

Trying to make time to read is so hard. My inbox is always full of articles that I think I have to read to help my blessings grow to be the best upstanding citizens that they can be. One of the newsletters that I have received for almost 6 years now is BabyCenter. They sent me 4, I mean 5 in one shot that I MUST READ, so I think you should as well :-) I am going to try an old-fashioned non-eco friendly way and print these articles this time around. If I get my dream phone, I will just load them in my Mobile Google Reader (speak it to make it come true right?)

Big Story: 7 steps to raising smart kids
Secrets to raising smart kids: Get creative
How to Spot your Preschoolers Hidden Talents
How to encourage your budding artist
Secrets to Raising Smart Kids: Play Music

Best Regards,
Techie Mommie

POTUS

2010-08-09T14:56:00.000-05:00

POTUS was at my alma mater today, here is a snapshot of it Twitpic - Share photos on Twitter

Happy Birthday President

2010-08-04T12:48:00.002-05:00

I didn't realize that President Obama and I share the same birthday month.
Happy Birthday President Barack Obama, August 4, 1961

Happy Back to School Season!

2010-08-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

I believe this and Christmas are my favorite times of the year. I love getting my blessings organized for the school year. I know, you don't have to say it "WEIRDO!" Those that know me well, know that I have always been this way. Organized for life ◕‿◕ Well, whatever to you because mine will be the best organized blessings in the schools ◕‿◕

Anyway, I have been finished for a while now buying school supplies because finding the best deal is the fun part for me. I love getting the cute stuff, name brand stuff, state-of-the-art stuff all at a great price. I know that some people haven't even had a moment to start thinking about school supplies, let alone shopping for them.

Since you may not have started yet, I have a few tips and some great sites to share with you.

Your Retail Helper blog has a posting about the Tax Free weekends listed by state. I always forget when this weekend occurs each year. Some times I am just too excited to wait, HA!
My Dallas Mommy blog has a posting about the best deals. It is a great list of all the different supplies out there, and the best place to buy that item like crayons.

Speaking of crayons. I noticed on my 2nd blessings supply list that her school wants only name brand supplies. I remember this from my oldest blessing's supply list, but elementary was a long time ago. I vividly remember now buying her the best supplies, and then all of those supplies going into the general bin in the classroom. Then, my blessing would always get someone's off brand supplies to use for her assignments, and they would always break or something like that. I am getting perturbed about it all over again while writing this, so here are my solutions:

Buy more supplies than you need. The list doesn't say that those supplies are the maximum. They only show a minimum. I buy a few extra 25 cents crayons, and send them all to the school. That way the teacher can hopefully put out all the best quality supplies for our blessings to use each day.
Make sure you are buying name brand. Now, I know this can be a bit pricey, but if you use the links above, you should be fine. The school specifically asked for name brand because of the poor quality of the other brands. I have bought off brand in the past, and I end up having to buy double of those instead of buying one set of the name brand. Where is the saving in that?
Check for the word WASHABLE. So, the other thing that I noticed about the school supply list is that it said WASHABLE. Notice that the WASHABLE crayons, markers, and pencils are not the cheap ones. They cost almost double the regular supplies. Read the box, the non-washable ones are harder to get out of clothes and off fingers. We found that out on Saturday. It took until Monday for the colors to come off without SCRUBBING MY BLESSINGS TO DEATH ◕‿◕

Happy Back to School Season!

Techie Mommie!

Events for the Summer

2010-07-30T09:57:00.000-05:00

One of my co-workers was looking for some events that she and her blessing could attend. Not for sure why, but she asked me if I knew of any deals around town. Well, I told her not of the top of my head, but of course that got me to searching. Since, I found some sites specifically for events in the DFW area, I figured I would share them...

Around Town Kids
FamilyEguide - tailored for Flower Mound, Lewisville, and surrounding areas
Metroplex Baby and Kids
My DFW Mommy
Todays Mama - DFW Events Page

If you have more sites that show local events, please share them.

Q-pon Queen

2010-07-28T10:47:00.013-05:00

I am ready to unveil yet another persona of myself. I am a new self proclaimed Q-pon Queen. Future (my hubby) mentions places to eat, places to shop, and so much more at home. Now, he pauses to wait for me to say "Hold on, I think I have a coupon for that". It's crazy; I feel that I am somewhat a little bit obsessed with coupons now. This has happened in the past, but it is just so much easier now to get them, organize them, and use them.

I am on so many rss feeds and twitter following for coupons and sales, it is crazy. Of course, it is all organized. In the near future, I will be making a list of the good coupon rss feeds, twitter accounts, and so much more. As I am typing this, I got an email about a new McDonald's in "my lovely place" have a grand opening this week.

McDonald's has Opened a NEW Store!

The O'Reilly Group McDonald's has opened their very first store in Frisco! Come help them celebrate with deals, deals & deals!
Get your FREE Burger on Thursday July 29th or a FREE Sausage Biscuit on Friday July 30th. Just bring the coupon by clicking on the link below. No other purchase necessary!!Where: McDonald's @ 6225 Custer Rd, Frisco (near Starbucks just north of Highway 121)

Some Coupon and Sales Sites

Text Messaging via Email

2010-07-23T11:01:00.001-05:00

I use this all the time, and have been sharing it for years thanks to my hubby. Did you know that you could text someone's phone from your email account? Yes, seriously. The mobile phone providers have provided (of all things) a way for us to incur more texting charges by offering email addresses to text to our phones. GET OUT! The one thing to remember is the character limitations of each provider. Remember to keep your texts short if you don't have unlimited texting.

I was going to cut and paste this information from the sites that have the lists, and then I changed my mind. I am not one to keep updating information especially in blogs. I am just going to list the TOP 4 here, and click on the links below if your provider is not listed.

Service Providers and Email Address
AT&T - 10digitphonenumber@txt.att.net
Metro PCS - 10digitphonenumber@mymetropcs.com

Sprint PCS - 10digitphonenumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com

T-Mobile - 10digitphonenumber@tmomail.net

Verizon - 10digitphonenumber@vtext.com

Lists

Happy Texting!

Blessings Left in Hot Cars

2010-07-09T11:49:00.001-05:00

"She gets out of the car, grabs her purse, keys, and coffee. She walks into the building and never looks back. At lunch, she realizes something is wrong and runs to her car. Her child is in the back seat near death or dead because she forgot to drop him/her off at daycare."

This statement hurts me every time that I read it in the news. It seems to prevalent these days. It's like we have placed value on the wrong things. We have been given the privilege to raise blessings. We have been given the privilege of taking care of a precious life that is not our own. Why can't we realize this is a privilege and not just another chore?

I cry as I type this because it disturbs me so much that I can't even hold back the emotion. An acquaintance of mine went through this over a year ago in the winter, and it still haunts me to this day. It's not just hot cars, but cold cars as well. I pray that God helps me to come to grips with what the little 7-month old blessing went through in that car all by himself for too long. I roll EVERY window down even when I am filling up the car with my blessings in the car just to look at them. I keep the air conditioner on as well because I can't fathom this

I follow a lot of Mom Blogs, and MomLogic just posted a Babies Left in Hot Cars article. Please take a moment to read this.

Here is another article by Parenting.com which has some good tips to IMPLEMENT! Tragedy in the Back Seat

Here is a new article about blessings in hot cars from The Kid's Doctor.

Aaliyah's First Dance Rehearsal and Dance Recital

2010-06-19T21:57:00.002-05:00

I hope you enjoy Aaliyah's firt dance rehearsal and dance recital. This is the first of many more to come (if she wants).

Spontaneous Combustion

2010-06-10T14:07:00.000-05:00

I call my last pregnancy "Spontaneous Combustion" because we could not get pregnant (like we were both pregnant, but anyway). So, before the doctor started to prescribe alternative methods, she told me to do one thing. GAIN WEIGHT! I am a little embarassed to say that because so many people usually have to lose weight before getting pregnant. Long story short - about 2 and a half months later, we were pregnant with TWINS :-) Then, a couple of months after that we found out that they were two boys. Oh Joyful Day!

Future Angelo Lilly III and Frederick Douglas Lilly III were born five weeks early because Frederick decided he needed more space. His water broke, and I had a C Section about three hours later.

The Twizzles are about 2.5 in this shot. Go to their blog to see more of my blessings.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

2010-05-25T14:53:00.006-05:00

This is one of my favorite TED videos. It is so poignant, and meaningful for any era.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

How many Greats do you have?

2010-05-24T11:46:00.000-05:00

Someone asked me recently how I am able to do all that I can do each day. I answered with "I have a bunch of Greats: Great Husband, Great Family, Great Company, Great Tools". Each of these greats is so true.

We were hit with the Economy Bust last year, so my husband became a SAHD (Stay-at-home Dad). It has really grown on him, and we have so many kids that it is completely "Daddy Day Care" at our house each day.

My Great Family includes two girls, two boys that are twins, 20+ aunts and uncles, and numerous 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cousins. We are all pretty close, and Facebook, Picasa, and distribution lists allow us to keep up that closeness. On Facebook, we have a closed Facebook Group. Most of us have gmail accounts (especially the photographer people), so we share our images through Google Picasa. Then, I use Google Apps for my domain management. Through there, I set up distribution lists of all kinds for everything under the sun. Can you keep up with e-mail addresses and phone numbers for everyone? Neither can I. I set up a Calendar and Address Book template that you can use to put your families contact information including birthdates in one file.

Template 1
Template 2

I work for one of the greatest companies in North America. Our CEO could never be on "Undercover Boss" because we know him too well. It is an airline company in Dallas, and we LUV everybody. That's all that I am going to say.

I have so many tools to make my day easier. I have a not-so-great smart phone, but waiting and saving for something better. I have great Firefox and Google Add-ons that keep me "connected" each day. And, I follow cool people and companies on Twitter so that I can stay abreast of the latest tools out there. I am going to start sharing my favorite ones soon. As I am writing this, I realize that tools have taken on a whole new meaning in 2010 for me. Used to be, tools were for the cars and trucks in the yard. Since my dad had only me, I was the daughter/son in the house. It was great to learn how to fish, hunt, change the oil, and so much more. It really helped me later in life.

How many Greats do you have?

Is your smartphone really smart?

2010-05-21T10:42:00.003-05:00

I have been on a journey for a pretty long time now to find a smart smart-phone that fits my needs. I am a wife and mother first, and then i am a techie power house. This means that I am hard on a phone, so it needs to keep up with me.

I just can't make a decision on such a big part of my life :-)

Here is my current choice list (current meaning this hour because this changes as the wind changes):

- Nokia N8 - http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/04/27/the-nokia-n8-nokias-new-flagship-phone-is-official/
- HTC Everything - http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/05/20/htc-desire-incredible-android-2-2-froyo/
- iPhone - really don't like the touch screen, so let's not even add a link to that one
- Palm - seriously, I was the biggest advocate. Now, not so much :-(

Here are my needs:

- good phone reception
- 5MP camera or better
- HD video capable
- 16GB memory at least
- Android or Windows OS or ?
- Touchscreen
- Vibrate, Bluetooth, Wifi - these have to be standard by now
- Keyboard is mandatory
- All of my e-mail accounts visible seemlessly
- and so much more...

Signed,

Disappointed with my choices

Well, I just found this article the day that I finally put up this blog entry. My list above is already old. Image Gallery: Top 10 smartphones of 2010 ... for now

Parents and Kids Go Online Together on Togetherville

2010-05-21T10:33:00.000-05:00

Parents and Kids Go Online Together on Togetherville

This is worth looking into considering our children are so exposed already to the Internet. Why not be there with them, together?

Happy Mother's Day Weekend

2010-05-17T09:36:00.000-05:00

It is really sad when you dream that you finished a blog post. I thought that I wrote 'Happy Mother's Day', and I realized a week later that I didn't. OMG! that is just ridiculous. I am wound up in organization, and "can't see the forest for the trees" right now.

I had a pretty good Mother's Day weekend considering so many other things. All of the ladies in the house got pedicures on Saturday, then I worked in the daycare at church on Sunday. I know, shouldn't I have taken off on Sunday. Of Course Not! After church, we went to P.F. Chang's for Lunch/Dinner/Supper, whatever you call it. It was great! I made reservations the week prior, and I never think in advance for myself. Only for others. Anyway, we walked in and the line was out the door. I went up to the hostess, and they sat us immediately. We are 10 minutes early, and the table was ready. Isn't that fabulous? My 2nd mother felt so special (mother-in-law). She was so proud of me. I shock her all the time with that kind of stuff. I just keep thinking, I was brought up right.We had a great lunch. The children loved everything, and we had a big to-go bag to boot.

Then, we went home and took a nice long nap. My little girl had to nap with Mommie, and she refuses naps altogether. I really felt special then.

Decisions, Decisions...

2010-05-04T16:10:00.000-05:00

I am such a "techie snob" that it was harder for me to decide on a smart phone than having more blessings. Wouldn't you know it, I would have 2 blessings at once? Anyway, right now I am struggling to make this decision: Buy a digital camcorder with high-res still image capability, or a digital camera with good video capability. I have been searching from November to May. This is just utterly ridiculous, but I must trek on :-)

More details to come on what I find...

10 Little Things that Lead to a Happier, Healthier You

2010-04-27T13:45:00.000-05:00

I am the biggest list maker that I know. I have notepads all over the house, my smart phone has two to do list apps installed, and I have a notepad in each car. With all that said, it really doesn't help if you don't read the lists each day right. Here are my 10 little things that can lead to a happier, healthier you, in my opinion.

Take 5 minutes in the morning to make a list. In my case, that would me to consolidate my lists. Everyone sleeps at least I hope that they do. I know that when I sleep, I forget EVERYTHING! By taking only 5 minutes to make a list for the day, I keep the list short and simple. Instead of writing four pages of lists that I know I won't finish in a million years (well, two weeks to be exact).
Clean only 1 room a day. I work full-time, but I still have my mountain of house work to do. In order to keep my sanity, I have started only cleaning one room a day. By the end of the week, you have cleaned the whole house, well almost the whole house. This allows you to have more time to yourself on the weekends. Oh, and more time to your family. We must not forget the family.
Iron only 1 day a week. I have family and friends that stress themselves out each day by trying to iron their clothes and their children's clothes for the next day. Set aside one hour on Sundays to iron enough clothes for one week.
Take a stroll. Walk around the neighborhood preferably with the family, but that may not be an option for you after dinner. If not with the family, a few minutes around the block won’t hurt. The television is not going anywhere, and the dishes will not be mad that they didn’t get washed immediately after dinner. All of that can wait while you take a few minutes to “smell the roses” each day.
Do your favorite thing once a week. By doing the one thing that makes you happy at least once a week, you are keeping your sanity. It could be playing the piano, painting, dancing, listening to music, mopping the floors, reading a chapter of a book, or whatever it may be. Fit it in your schedule once a week and it will really help.
Make 1 meal your Healthy Meal and 1 snack your Healthy Snack. Our lives are so fast and hectic, it is really hard to accomplish healthy in a fast food drive-thru. By planning one of your meals each day to be healthy, it helps you to organize your day and helps your body in turn. Eventually, you will grow to 2, 3, and eventually the whole day will be full of healthy meals.
Learn something. I have so many items on that “mega to do list” that I want to learn, it is ridiculous. I have come to grips with not completing the list each week let alone each day. In order to make my “inner child” happy, I try to learn something each week. Even if it’s something as simple as learning how to focus better on my digital camera to learning how to use some new gadget that my husband has bought for the kitchen. At the end of the week, I can say that I accomplished something this week.
Laugh. I am the first to say that I am too serious. I feel most days that if I am not serious, then I am not going to finish the “mega to do list” each day. I have come to “lighten up” on myself and on my “mega to do list”. By lightening up, I routinely act silly with the children or even watch our favorite Funny Videos re-runs on the television.
Pray. This seems to be the hardest things for people to do in this day and age. We get too tied up in the world and forget why we were so blessed with what we have each day. Say a prayer for those family members and friends in need. Say a prayer for each blessing that you have been given. Say a prayer for our country, government, and for those less fortunate. Keeping it simple will help to accomplish so much more.
At the end of the day, take 5 minutes to reflect on the day. Think about the triumphs and pitfalls of the day, and just be thankful that you get to have those experiences each day. Not everyone is so blessed.

I know that you are saying, “How do these make me happier and healthier?” By organizing your time and giving yourself time to enjoy life that makes your life much happier and healthier. You are alleviating stress more than you know by making these simple changes in your life.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tropicana Trop50 blogging program to be eligible to win 6 free Juicy Rewards points and a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY. Must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account. Limit one new account bonus code per new account. All accounts must be created and all codes entered by May 7, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST.

Mothers of Multiples groups, are you a fan?

2010-04-26T10:24:00.001-05:00

I never thought that I would love my mothers of multiples group as much as I do. Our common interest is, of course, our children/blessings. I am just so glad to talk to others that can relate to my world. I love my friends and family, but they don't understand completely what my world is like compared to the Plano Area Mothers of Multiples or PAMOM for short (www.pamom.org). We have over 50 boards and committee members running a group of almost 400 members. That is phenomenal to me because we all pretty much get along :-)

I can't believe that the minimal yearly dues allows me to be in such a great group. I am so glad that I was surprised with twins and found PAMOM.

Venturing into something new...

2010-04-20T11:58:00.001-05:00

Do you currently blog for fun? Well, you can get paid to blog about products that you would already talk about. Check out http://payperpost.com for more details.

The straight library knocks the analogue.

Tax Deductions

2010-04-10T23:07:00.000-05:00

Well, I just finished uploading almost all of my e-newsletters from years past. I thought about doing a blog back then, but never got the concept. I get it today, and I thought that it would be good to upload those past newsletters for all to see.

I started writing a newsletter to friends and families that were having blessings around the same time as I had my blessings. My second blessing was about two when I started writing. I never figured that I could write. Now, I know that I can type, so I guess writing is not far from that right, WRONG! I didn't figure I could write until I had Aaliyah. I guess while my brain cells were seeping out :-), some new brain cells came alive that allowed me to write and to understand how to write.

I read my newsletters from back then, and I saw one about having some lovely new tax deductions. Since Tax Day is looming, I guess that I can remind you about getting those taxes in as fast as you can.

I am one to do everything myself. I only started using an online tax tool about five years ago. Before that, I would do our taxes on paper. Isn't that crazy? Now, I am over being that "anal", so let's hope that our blessings are good tax deductions this year.

Happy Tax Month,
Techie Mommie

Events for March and April

2010-03-17T15:35:00.000-05:00

I am searching for events where I can take my kids for the rest of March and April. I figured that I would share what I found...

Gadget Girl - another persona

2010-02-18T13:05:00.001-06:00

Gadget Girl is officially one of my names. I am working "on site" this week, and the first day was so hard because I didn't know about how thing were going to be set up as my workstation. I didn't have all of my gadgets with me, and I felt "out of sorts" the whole first day. Day 2 rolls around, and I was ready. So, let me know if you think I am a Gadget Girl or not.

Palm Treo Pro
External Hard Drive
Ipod Nano
Flash Drive
Foldable Keyboard
Finger Mouse
USB Port Hub

Now I need a special Techie Mommie bag designed just for me to hold all of this and the normal paper and pencils that I can't leave home without.

Princess and the Frog PARTY ROCKED!

2010-02-08T11:25:00.002-06:00

So, it's Monday morning, and I am still thinking about the awesome party that we threw for our 5-year-old on Saturday. I went into labor with her on Super Bowl Sunday, and her birthday this year was on Super Bowl Sunday. Since that was a bigger event for most of my family, we decided to have her party on Saturday instead.

I wanted all of my boys to be frogs and the girls to be princesses. So, we started off the party with t-shirt decorating. Everyone decorated their own green shirts (with help). While those were drying, we went on to decorate their frog visors and tiaras.

In the background, my sister, Jessica, was decorating Aaliyah's room with Princess and the Frog everything that she got from the movie theater. Can you believe that they throw the displays away? Anyway, and my Aunt Norma was on camera duty.

When we finished the shirts, visors, and tiaras, my smaller ones and the boys went to the play room. All of the princesses got their nails done and make-up.

Then, we had cake. And, since she is 5, her aunts said that she could cut her cake all by herself (ARGH!).

Then, we opened gifts. After the gifts, we went upstairs for Aaliyah to see her new room. She was so surprised.

I knew that she was happy because she has gone to her room numerous times since the birthday, and just stared around the room. Thanks so much Aunt Jessica for making this day great for her.

It was the bestest party ever. Whew, now time to prepare for the next one around the corner.

Television Influence on our blessings

2009-12-19T20:53:00.000-06:00

The girls and I went out shopping for Christmas. We saw some beautiful jewelry, and my little girl says "mom that jewelry is from jared's". I asked her, "What are you talking about?" Then she repeated it 3 times. By then, another shopper was looking and laughing. I turned to look at her and asked if she heard that, and you already know what she said. "He Got It From Jared's" is always on the television for the holiday season, and she associated all jewelry for sale to them. That is serious television influence, but I can't tell you if that is good or bad.

what a difference a year makes

2009-12-11T13:35:00.000-06:00

One year ago, I was not on Facebook. Now, almost 500 long lost and new friends later, I don't know how I made it without it. It is such a great tool that helps me so much all the time. Long lost friends give you so much perspective on life. It is just such a good place to keep connected.

One year ago, I wasn't much into anything about social media. Now, I have a blog, moderate 8 Yahoo! Forums, administer 2 Facebook groups, administer multiple groups on BigTent, and tweet for 3 groups including my personal twitter account. This year has truly been an eye-opener for me regarding what I know about myself.

I am happy to have the tools that I use. I consider myself a tool fanatic.

This is from Techie Baby - zxczCl'P 'pxOLA
And the photo is from our first Christmas with the Twizzles (Techie Baby and Talkie Baby).

Reason for the Season

2009-12-11T13:34:00.001-06:00

Sometimes it is so hard to get in the Holiday spirit with all of the commercialization. With my 4-year-old blessing telling me to leave Santa Claus a credit card for him to get her gifts to almost every store staying up past midnight since before Thanksgiving, it makes you think about the Reason for the Season.

It really helps to listen to Christmas carols intently. Not just the funny ones, but O Holy Night, and ones such as that. We have to keep perspective this time of year. If you can't buy your blessing(s) everything on the list, that is okay. They will still love you.

Shower them with love this holiday season, and give them the real meaning of Christmas as often as you can.

Happy Holidays,

SuperMommie Style

Have you smelled your blessings lately?

2009-11-24T15:22:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving is here, and the Christmas holidays are around the corner. Now is the time to take a moment and "smell" your blessings. I posted this last year on FB, and I got so many responses about it. Here is my thinking of this: We smell strong perfume, old coffee, cigarette smoke, smelly feet, stinky lunches, and so much more all day long while at work, grocery store, the gym, etc. I tend to get mad when I smell bad things because they bother my nose so much. Then, I thought about it one day, "Why don't I smell my blessings when I get home?" We talk about it all the time "My children smell so "different" after playing in the rain, playing in the mud, just plain playing." Isn't that smell so much better than the everyday smells that we put ourselves through. So, one of my mottos is "Have you smelled your blessings?" My blessings think that I am crazy because I will literally smell them. I think they are getting used to it now, but I can't get enough of what God has allowed me to have.

So, take a big whiff of those blessings on Thursday (and every other day), say a little prayer for them, and thank your Heavenly Father for what He has given you.

Cookies and Credit Cards

2009-11-19T23:20:00.003-06:00

Princess Liyah: Mommie, can you get me a Hungry Hungry Hippo game?

SuperMommie: Sweetie, maybe we need to write this in your letter to Santa for him to get it for you.

Princess Liyah: Then, we need to leave him some cookies and a credit card. No cupcakes, now. C R E D I T C A R D.

SuperMommie: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Priceless discussions during evening bath time.

Already behind...

2009-11-18T18:24:00.000-06:00

I figured that I could keep up with blogging as much as I update Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I was wrong. I have to figure out how to organize all of these tools into something easy for myself. Isn't it weird how you are different on each of these social networking sites. I "talk" business on LinkedIn. I "talk" geek on Twitter. And, I "talk" family/friends/life on Facebook. All totally different, but all me. We are all diverse like this. How do you "do" it?

Jumping in feet first

2009-08-24T13:20:00.001-05:00

So, it is 2009. I have resisted blogging for as long as my 2nd blessing has been alive (about 4 years). I gave in last year, and I joined Facebook for work of all things. Well, almost 500 friends and 11 months later, I am about to embark on a new endeavor, blogging.

I have been sharing my world by micro-blogging via Facebook and Twitter for almost a year, as well as creating personal e-newsletters for four years. All of those tools are great, but let's see what I can do with the blogging world. Bear with me as a devour yet another tool.

Here is my bio:

1) Best friend with a man for 20+ years and married to him for 10+ years
2) Over-achiever with four blessings and two of them being twins
3) Believer in Christ
4) Devourer of tools
5) Lover of family, friends, and knowledge

Blog Definitions

blessings - children in my life
passions - projects of love for familiy and friends
endeavors - projects using my skills in the workplace
aspirations - career goals

That is about it for today, so I hope to get to know you better, blogger.

NuMoms Network Ed. 11, 03/04-08

2008-04-10T21:43:00.002-05:00

Hello Mommies,

How are you and your little tax deductions doing this month? I have been out shopping lately, and it is just so funny to see those bibs and onesies that say "Tax Deduction" on the front. I had to use it once. I am loving the double tax deductions this year, aren't you!

Anyway, how are all of you doing? I have been back at work for about 1 month now, and I MISS MY BLESSINGS TREMENDOUSLY. I can't remember now if I missed Aaliyah as much as I do them right now. I know that I had less time with them than her, so that may be my problem.

From,

Your Techie Mommie

Qs and No As

This is Questions and no Answers. We need some responses for this section from my Mommies.

1) What color baby food are you supposed to start with? I remember someone telling me green (green beans, peas, etc.). Someone else told me orange (carrots, sweet potatoes).

2) Along with this question, what order should you feed your blessing?

Cool Gadgets

Jazzmyne and I were out power shopping the other day. What is power shopping you might ask? That is shopping on your lunch break under 1 hour and successfully getting everything you need for those that don't know. Anyway, we were in Babies-R-Us, and we found some cool stuff. I know that "they" say you should not feed your blessings through the feeder bottles. Well, since I have 2, I am going to use them. These feeder bottles are hard to find because "they" want us to not use them. We should be feeding with spoons and such. If you want to see how that went for me, check out the boys web page for baby reactions. I found the best feeder bottles (by Sassy) at Babies-R-Us for only $6 for 2 of them. I had some from Wal-mart, but they leak too much. Now those are Aaliyah's play toys.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2793324

And, here is something we found that we bought (we have bad gadget buying issues), and we wanted to share our findings with you all. I will let you know next month if this gadget worked or not.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2908664

Health News

Did you know that you shouldn't allow your new blessing to have only Ready-To-Feed formula? This was brought to my attention by another mommie. Her doctor told her that your little one will not be getting any flouride because of that. The best source of flouride is tap water. By making bottles with powder and tap water or powder and Nursery water, you are giving them the flouride they need for healthy teeth to come.

Neat Sites

I used to read this site all the time when I had my last blessing. I lost all those brain cells with that one, and forgot about it. Well, I just found it again this week.

Zero to Three - http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=par_parents

NuMoms Network Ed. 10, 02-08

2008-02-08T21:21:00.001-06:00

Hello there Mommies,

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!

Some Mommies have shared some great things with me, and here they are for you. Don't forget, I have Enfamil coupons (like $2 - $5 denominations). If you want them, just reply with your information, and I will drop them in the mail to you.

Your friend,

Super Techie Mommie--I added super cause I had twins! :)

Great Products

My best friend came by the house last week with the coolest thing. Her little blessing has allergies (he is only 3.5 months old, go figure), and the doctor told her to give him Benadryl. Well, we all know that medicine is always spit out by little blessings. So, she found a medicine dispenser at Albertson's that has a baby nipple on it. That way, the baby just sucks out the medicine and there is no mess. Is that not cool or what? Well, I have been searching online for one, and I found a couple of cool sites for you guys to check out.

www.munchkin.com

www.onestepahead.com

www.greatbabyproducts.com

Here is the link to for you to order the medicine dispenser - http://www.greatbabyproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MUNC-12501&click=862226

Health Update

For those of you with blessings under 12 months old, this will be very beneficial to you. Of course, I have been researching different ailments to see if my blessings are suseptable to them or not. My main 3 concerns right now are SIDS, Autism, and ADHD. Check out these websites when you can because they have some wonderful information:

SIDS

http://www.firstcandle.org/

It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that children suck a pacifier at bed time to help reduce the risk of SIDS - http://www.munchkin.com/userfiles/AAPrevisedguidelinessids05.pdf

While SIDS occurs in all socio-economic, racial and ethnic groups, African American and Native American babies are two to three times more likely to die of SIDS than Caucasian babies.

• Most SIDS deaths occur when a baby is between 2 and 4 months old; 90% of all SIDS deaths occur before 6 months of age.

• Most babies that die of SIDS appear to be healthy prior to death.

• 60% of SIDS victims are male; 40% are female.

At this time there is no known way to prevent SIDS in all cases, but there are steps parents and caregivers can take to reduce the risk of sudden infant death.

Modifiable risk factors for SIDS include:

Stomach and side sleep positions
Soft or loose bedding
Inappropriate sleep environments
Bed sharing
Overheating
Secondhand smoke
Maternal alcohol and illegal drug use

Non-modifiable risk factors include:

Male gender
Age distribution: 2 to 6 months
Low birth weight
Prematurity
Maternal smoking during pregnancy
Young maternal age especially mothers less than 18 years old
Late or no prenatal care
Fall/winter season
Higher parity

http://www.aap.org/

NuMoms Network Ed. 9, 01-08

2008-01-05T21:19:00.001-06:00

Hello there Mommies,

I hope you had a wonderful holiday. Mine was totally full with the new blessings of course. Check out www.kkldesigns.com to see the latest pictures of the boys. There is a link at the bottom of the page for our Christmas pictures. I will upload more periodically to their web page.

Now that the boys are here, my NuMoms Network E-mails will be much shorter. Don't forget to reply if you would like to do the baby coupon swapping.

Talk to you guys later,

Techie Mommie

My Findings to gain Free Stuff

You guys may know this already, but I have recently found a cool thing. Pampers offers the ability to gain points when you buy Pampers products. It is called Pampers Gifts to Grow Program. Go to www.pampers.com, and set up an account for you and your blessings. Search for the Gifts to Grow, and read the About section. It explains where to find the points.

It is great! Considering we have to buy wipes, diapers, and such, why not benefit from it. You can redeem the points with Sears pictures, Blockbuster movies, etc.

Health Update

Did you all watch the national news yesterday? A piece of the Autism puzzle may have been found in Chromosome 16. That is so promising. If you want to know more, read here at MSNBC - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22577335/

NuMoms Network Ed. 8, 12-2007

2007-12-05T21:43:00.003-06:00

Hello Mommies & 2nd Mommies,

If you haven't heard or been told by now, THE LILLY BOYS ARE HERE! They decided to come 5 weeks early, so now they are now 3.5 weeks old. Thank you all for those that prayed for them and for me. My water broke on Sunday afternoon, and the boys were here 2 hours later. They both were healthy and big enough to go straight to the Nursery. On Tuesday evening, we were discharged from the hospital.

I plan on keeping my website updated with pictures of them and the whole family, so if you want to see them, check out www.kkldesigns.com. If any of you would like to get a Photo Gallery like I have on my page, let me know. All that I have to do is invite you to get a Google Email Account. Once you get that account, the Photo Gallery is built into your email account. You can e-mail people your Photo Gallery also, click on this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/katinya/TheLillyBoysDebut

Techie Mommie,

Katinya

SIGN ME UP!

To all of those mommies & 2nd mommies, if you haven't signed up for everything baby, do so. Here is a list of the sites and companies that offer free coupons, discounts, etc. for your new blessings:

• American Baby

• Baby.com (Johnson & Johnson)

• Baby Talk

• Enfamil

• Fisher Price

• Gerber

• Huggies

• Nestle Good Start

• Pampers

• Parentstages

• Scholastic

• Similac

If I missed a company, please reply with that information so that I can sign up :)

COUPON SWAP

If you would like to swap coupons with other mommies, please reply to all with your mailing address. I am getting Enfamil coupons ($5 dollars each), and I am willing to mail them to any of you. I am in the market to receive Similac and Pampers coupons please.

Free Photos

Here are a list of photo printing companies that will offer from 10 to 50 free 4 x 6 prints. All that you have to do is set up an account, and the free photos are all yours. You will have to pay or shipping and handling, but that is minor compared getting quality pictures. This is great for sharing pictures with all of your family and friends for the holidays.

www.clarkcolor.com

www.ofoto.com or www.kodakgallery.com

www.photoworks.com

www.shutterfly.com

www.snapfish.com

www.winkflash.com

Yahoo Photos

www.yorkphoto.com

Again, If I missed a company, please reply with that information so that I can sign up :)i

NuMoms Network Ed. 7, 11-2007

2007-11-15T21:37:00.002-06:00

Hello Mommies & 2nd Mommies,

I wanted to let you know that we are now at 34 weeks on bed rest. I haven't been able to scan the latest sonos of them, BUT you can see my big ol' belly (the outside) on their site right now. I took maternity shots a couple of weeks ago. I swear that I am on the verge of POPPING!

Congratulations again to all the new blessings for 2007 & 2008! We have more Numoms on the list delivering in 2008.

So, I hope to update you on the boys arrival next month. If I am not able to do so, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year (sorry if I missed your holiday)!

Best Wishes,

Techie Mommie

Health Update

Are you guys tired of all the recalls as much as me? I am so worried about the baby product recalls, food recalls, and toy recalls. Please share any lists that you guys may have for these recalls.

MISLEADING MEAT-Target Asks For Carbon-Monoxide Warning Labels On Meat Packages

Take a look at this article when you get a moment and let me know your thoughts. Can you guys believe this? http://www.nbc5i.com/news/14589615/detail.html

NuMoms Network Ed. 6, 05/06-2007

2007-06-15T11:54:00.002-05:00

Hey there Mommies & 2nd Mommies,

Well, so much has been going on in my world, it is now time to share.

Me and My Two Soulmates are pregnant at the same time! I am pregnant, due on Christmas Day with TWINS! Can you believe it! My best friend is pregnant, and due 2 months before me. And My best friend/cousin is pregnant, and due 4 months before me. Isn't that AWESOME!!! I have been going through all day sickness like crazy and some other complications, so please keep me in your prayers.

It is so cool in our family, that someone is pregnant with someone else every time. We have our children 4 months apart like clockwork. So my God Son, Ryan, is 4 months younger than my child, Aaliyah. And another cousin, Ajemian, is 4 months younger than Ryan. GOD IS SO AMAZING!

I don't have much below so that you can absorb what I have told you above.

Your Techie Mommie,

Katinya

Your School Age Children

Students will start the new school year on Monday, Aug. 27. This date was set due to the amended section of the Texas Education Code which states schools cannot start before the fourth Monday in August.

NuMoms Network Ed. 5, 11/12-2006

2006-11-15T11:52:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah to the Mommies & 2^nd Mommies out there,

I just want to say Happy Holidays to all of you and your blessings. This will be Aaliyah’s 2^nd Christmas, and I am so excited for her. She helped to trim the tree this year, and each day she helps us to UNtrim the tree. We have a little Ham on our hands in my household. She is constantly making us laugh. Now she says, “Oh so funny” about HERSELF when she sees us laughing at her. Is that not hilarious!

Question for each of you: Are you going to have your new blessings believe in Santa? We are! Share your thoughts.

I only have a few things to share this time, so here you go!

Be blessed this holiday season,

Katinya, the Techie Mommie

ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas

ABC Family has a wonderful holiday line up with the 25 Days of Christmas. You can see all of the animations that you grew up watching, like “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (which is coming on tonight at 6:00 pm). They did this last year, and my family had a blast watching them every night. They also have a few new shows and movies that you may want to see.

They have a wonderful line up of shows, and you can print the whole holiday schedule directly from the website. Take a look before you go home http://abcfamily.go.com/25days/index.html

Holiday Hazards

For those of you that have older children, please watch out for some of the toys on the market. They have been on the market for a while, but I am just now hearing these problems.

I watched the news recently, and they showed a woman who recently lost her 22 month-old blessing to a magnetic toy set. He had swallowed a couple of the magnet balls separately. When he did that, the balls reconnected in his small intestine. His intestine got tangled up after that, and he died soon after.

I know that you won’t be buying these for your blessing, but you may have thought about buying them for an older blessing or a friend’s blessing. It is just best to not buy these type of toys at all unless the pieces are too big for our blessings’ mouths.

If you want to know more about product safety, please go to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website at http://www.cpsc.gov/.

Kats’ Kreations

My aunt and I are taking orders for Holiday embroidery work if you need it. Here are the details and the price list.

Kats’ Kreations offers wonderful baby items including personalized blankets, throws, some special creations that will make you and your essential baby so happy.

Cocoon Blankets are blankets that hug your baby in all the right place. The Mommy & Me Bath Towel allows you to not get wet while you are drying your baby. The Mommy & Me Shawl is for those mothers that are nursing their babies. The Mommy & Me Totes have space for your personal items and all your baby needs on your short or long trips. The Ms. Lilly Bib is a bib that goes over your baby’s arms instead of around their neck. On top of all of those special creations, we offer the essential personalized receiving blankets and burp clothes along with bibs and nursing blankets.

KKLDesigns

I will be launching my own website within the next month called KKLDesigns. I will have some showcase pages up there of all my blessings that you can go see the slideshows and photo albums by the end of January. I also have a web design business on the side, so if you know of someone in need of a reasonably priced website, let me know.

More details to come on this.

Very Meaningful Story

I leave you in happy tears this time. You may have seen this before, but if not, it is well worth the tears. My husband shared this with me earlier this week, so I felt that I must pass it on. You have blessings from God, and this story proves it. Please share it with others if your heart is led to do so.

http://cjcphoto.com/can/

NuMoms Network Ed. 4, 10-2006

2006-10-01T11:49:00.001-05:00

Hello Mommies,

I hope that you have been good to your blessings, and your blessings have been good to you. Well, I know that you guys have probably complained about my past editions, so I want to keep this one short and sweet 

I have to share that we finally have a Mina Bird in the house. Princess Liyah (as we affectionately call her) repeats everything now. She mastered the “t” sound, so she wears her big sis’s name out ALL DAY LONG. She loves to “read” books. She can make all the right sounds throughout her favorite books, like PEEP, SCREECH, POP. It is such a treat to see GOD AT WORK EVERY DAY.

This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Be a blessing, and talk with your loved ones about breast cancer awareness.

Bye for now,

Katinya, the Techie Mommie

Unruly Hair

Please share your girl hair regimes with us if you can. My little blessing has a FRO THAT JUST WON’T QUIT. We have tried Aura, Carol’s Daughter, Motions, and a few others. They all leave her hair dry and brittle to me.

Toddler Keys

I know some of you set up Toddler Keys because you called for help, which I was glad to give. Here is a picture of my newest cousin assisting his Mommie on some things  Remember it is for free, and YES I OFFER FREE TECH SUPPORT FOR A LITTLE WHILE!

http://www.download.com /Toddler-Keys/3000-2132_4 -10451159.html

http://tk.ms11.net/

Crayon Holders

I was out perusing the Clearance Aisles at Wal-mart as I always do when I have 5 extra minutes, and I came across some crayon holders. Now, these are pretty neat because it helps you save crayons that have broken. I know that we all have that problem with our blessings breaking the crayons. So, these little things come 2 in a pack, but they were only $1. I bought 2 packs (being the cheap person that I am), and I just switch out the colors for Aaliyah. Check out the clearance aisle and these crayon holders.

The best part about these things is that they were invented by a kid by the name of Cassidy Goldstein.

At age 11, Cassidy invented her Crayon Holder, which is now patented and commercialized. The original Crayon Holder, inspired by the plastic tubes used to keep roses fresh, gave her the tool(s) that she needed to complete a drawing project when her art supplies were down to broken crayons. The Crayon Holder is a device that holds various sized, partial or whole crayons to extend their use and reduce waste. Additionally, the wider circumference of the hard plastic holder makes the coloring and drawing experience more precise and essentially more comfortable. She realized all kids, parents and educators encounter broken crayons and could see the value of her holder. Cassidy has received a U.S. Patent for her invention: # 6,402,407 and also has one patent pending.

Working Mother Article

Working Mother Magazine had an article recently about the top 100 family-friendliest companies in America. Check it out when you can: http://www.workingmother.com/web?service=vpage/77

NuMoms Network Ed. 3, 08-2006

2006-08-01T18:30:00.006-05:00

Hello NuMoms,

Well, it's that time again. To some of us that have older children in the house, it is Back To School time. I hope you all had a wonderful (short) Summer this year. It may not have been short to you, but it seemed really short to me.

Anyway, on to my Mommie Questions:

When should you move your toddler to a real bed (or toddler bed) from the crib? I have been battling with this one lately, and I need some guidance from my Mommies out there.
I have a thumb sucker. We have tried jalapenos and Tabasco sauce. She likes Hot stuff is what we have figured out after using those two items. We are now onto this stuff made by Thum for thumb sucking and nail biting. She just avoids the thumb for about 1 hour, and goes right back to sucking (too smart for her own britches). Please give me a Down Home Remedy for thumb sucking please.

I am going to have some somewhat gently used baby toys available for anyone that wants them. Just let me know, and I will work something out on transporting these toys to you. They are floor toys: LeapPad Table, Farm play area, etc.

I am happy to tell you that one of our Mommies has been in Japan for a pretty long time in the Army, and she is now coming home. Welcome Home Toni (and Ben & Lily)!

Thanks to those that sent me pix of your blessings! I am about to start Aaliyah's baby tree in August. I need your blessing's full name, parents' names, and birthday. Here is a list of the pix that I have now:

Ajemian Naurice Beckworth
Caleb John Dwayne Lathan
Caleb De'Shawn Darthard
Lily Brinker
Ryan Jevon White

I am proud to say that I will be turning 33 next week!!!!!!! August 1st is my day! Let me know your birthdays please (you can respond just to me with that information AND you can leave off the year if you like). I would love to be able to send you an e-card on your day. Especially since your blessings have taken over your life. My inbox has more Aaliyah stuff in it than for me.

That is all from me for now. If you would like to stop receiving these e-mails, please let me know and I will remove you from the NuMoms Network (with no hard feelings).

NuMoms Network Ed. 2, 07-2006

2006-07-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

Hello Mommies,

I wanted to share some information for you and your blessing. I hope you have a great 4th of July!

Katinya

Sales

Wal-Mart has Huggies Baby Lotion and Baby Body Wash on sale for 75 cents. It is a 15 ounce bottle, and it is regular $3.48. They also have little girl tights on sale for $1.50 for 3 pair (2T to 4T).
11 Albertson stores in the North Dallas area are closing soon. They have all of their baby products on sale including baby food, juice, diapers, etc. for 30% off. Check them out. Also, they have their Birthday Party section on sale 50% off. I am going to get ALL the Care Bear birthday stuff for Liyah’s 2nd Birthday on Friday.

Health

FEVER - Did you know a fever is a good thing? Liyah had a 102.7 fever on Monday, and it didn’t break until Monday evening. I was worried, so I called my mom about it. I gave her an alcohol bath and some medicine. She was good as new by 9:00 pm. The next day, I received my American Baby weekly newsletter, and it included a Fever article -- http://www.americanbaby.com/ab/printableStory.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/ab/story/data/1185.xml&catref=AB4
SUNSCREEN – How often are you supposed to apply sunscreen to the whole family, especially your blessing? You should apply sunscreen by rubbing it in thoroughly at least 15-30 minutes prior to going outside, and reapply every two hours after that. Be sure not to miss any of the often-forgotten spots on your body that are susceptible to the sun, including lips, ears and feet. (from www.medicinenet.com)

NuMoms Network Ed. 1, 06-2006

2006-06-01T09:53:00.003-05:00

I wanted to say "have a happy safe summer with your babies/toddlers" and use plenty of sun screen this summer. It is going to be a hot one for those Texas Babies. I also wanted to share a few things with you.

#1 - Have any of you tested the generic diapers at Wal-Mart or Target? I have tested both, and Aaliyah wears the Target brand diapers well. No rashes or anything. They are really cheap also.

#2 Online Photo Albums. Have any of you used them? I used to live by Photosite.com, but I kept maxing out the accounts. I am about to build my own website, and I found some great utilities that will create a web page for you with all the images. All you have to do is put your images in a particular folder, start the software, and it will do the rest. It is a tool that can be installed from Microsoft for FREE.

#3 Another kind of photo album - I am working on a digital scrapbook in my "spare time", and I found this tool that a lot of you may be able to use. You need Powerpoint 2000 to use it. Now if you have Powerpoint 2003 or better, it is built in already. Just click on New, and you will see Photo Album as a choice.

This allows you to insert photos and text, and it builds a stand-alone photo album to share with family and friends.

#4 BABY UPDATE - Liyah is now 16 months old, and about 25 pounds STILL. She hasn't gained in 10 months or so. How is your blessing from God doing? I would like to make a baby tree for Aaliyah to see all of her potential friends in the future. Could you please reply with your baby's whole name, birthday, and parent's names? Once I complete it, I will share it with you.

#5 ESSENTIAL BABY STUFF - My aunt (Katrinka) and I are working on some great stuff that I want to share a little bit with you. She does embroidery, so if you have any embroidery needs, let me know. Also, she makes wonderful children's clothing, along with burp cloths, blankets, etc. We also have some other items to be developed. It is something that I am about to start with her, and we will be called Kats' Kreations.

#6 FINALLY - We have about 20 babies in this "NuMoms Network", so it is a great thing to share what you experience with the group just in case someone else is going through the same thing. With that said, if any of you have any thumb sucking remedies, please share them with me. To blow your mind, Princess Liyah likes Jalapenos. I know I know. Future did it, and I had to go with him down this road. Well, she loves them now.

Organization for Life

Recital Survival Kit

Spring Break 2011

Happy 6th Birthday Aaliyah LeeAnice Lilly

Back into the job market

Best Gifts for Grandparents – Gift - Parenting.com (Page 8)

Aaliyah's dance class with 'Mary Poppins'

My other world...

Aaliyah's First Day of School

Organization for Life, to Google or not to Google

Smart Blessings in 2010

Big Story: 7 steps to raising smart kidsSecrets to raising smart kids: Get creativeHow to Spot your Preschoolers Hidden TalentsHow to encourage your budding artistSecrets to Raising Smart Kids: Play Music

POTUS

Happy Birthday President

Happy Back to School Season!

Events for the Summer

Q-pon Queen

Text Messaging via Email

Blessings Left in Hot Cars

Aaliyah's First Dance Rehearsal and Dance Recital

Spontaneous Combustion

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

How many Greats do you have?

Is your smartphone really smart?

Parents and Kids Go Online Together on Togetherville

Happy Mother's Day Weekend

Decisions, Decisions...

10 Little Things that Lead to a Happier, Healthier You

Mothers of Multiples groups, are you a fan?

Venturing into something new...

Tax Deductions

Events for March and April

Gadget Girl - another persona

Princess and the Frog PARTY ROCKED!

Television Influence on our blessings

what a difference a year makes

Reason for the Season

Have you smelled your blessings lately?

Cookies and Credit Cards

Already behind...

Jumping in feet first

NuMoms Network Ed. 11, 03/04-08

NuMoms Network Ed. 10, 02-08

NuMoms Network Ed. 9, 01-08

NuMoms Network Ed. 8, 12-2007

NuMoms Network Ed. 7, 11-2007

NuMoms Network Ed. 6, 05/06-2007

NuMoms Network Ed. 5, 11/12-2006

ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas

Holiday Hazards

Kats’ Kreations

KKLDesigns

Very Meaningful Story

NuMoms Network Ed. 4, 10-2006

NuMoms Network Ed. 3, 08-2006

NuMoms Network Ed. 2, 07-2006

NuMoms Network Ed. 1, 06-2006

Big Story: 7 steps to raising smart kids
Secrets to raising smart kids: Get creative
How to Spot your Preschoolers Hidden Talents
How to encourage your budding artist
Secrets to Raising Smart Kids: Play Music