Family * Travel * Food

Trying to keep it together

I have been absent from the online world lately. My days are filled with all things back-to-school, volleyball practices, registration, senior pictures, preschool (at home) preparations, being a good wife, keeping our home in order and taking some down time with the family. It has consumed my time! I have had some really good days as well as some trying ones. So far, both girls are ready to start school next week. They both are fully registered, picked up books, got lockers and have completed everything needed for a smooth start. They also have been going through volleyball conditioning all summer long and had try-outs last week. Both of them made the Girl's Varsity team! The first scrimmage of the season is today. It is going to be a treat to watch my girls play together on the same team. They are excited about it as well...it is heart-warming :)

I have been getting things together for William to get him ready for kindergarten next year. It is so different teaching him that it was with the girls. I beat myself up a lot because there is so much he does not know or has trouble with. I feel like I am failing him most days. Sometimes I have a good cry and want to throw in the towel and just put him in pre-k. Other days, he does an amazing job and shows how much he is absorbing. My problem is that when my girls were little, technology had not quite blossomed yet. We didn't have a computer until the oldest started kindergarten and it was a while before we obtained digital gadgets. Of course back in the day, our means of learning was to physically go to the library and check out books for projects. Now in this day, our kids will receive mandatory mini notebook computers for school use. I am surprised they still have actual books. I know one thing though, some of the most basic things in life can't be taught from a computer. I have vowed to focus in on William and make sure I give him all I can over the course of the next year, to get him where he needs to be. I will fight through my own insecurities and anxiety and do whatever it takes.

If anyone has any tips to share on things I can incorporate into preschool at home, I would appreciate it! So is everyone ready for school to start back?

Shelly, Mom Files
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Back to School Basics: Is a Tablet Necessary?

I wanted to share some interesting information with you all from Andrea Eldridge, on the subject of if your child can benefit from a tablet for school use.

As parents everywhere prepare to send sons and daughters back to school, they want to arm them with the best possible resources. For many families, computers or tech gadgets are alongside clothes, pens and paper on the list of purchases to budget for. As tablets grow in popularity, you may be wondering if your student would benefit from having an iPad or inexpensive back to school tablets like a Kindle Fire, Google Nexus or Barnes and Noble Nook in their book bag.

As I’ve explored in previous articles, tablets can play a role in our children’s education. Studies have shown that playing certain educational games can improve test scores. Access to the internet (when in range of a wireless signal) can give your student instant answers to any of her queries, or make quick work of finding ideas for a science project. Office-style programs, while limited, can even provide the ability to write reports or create presentations and email them to her teacher.

However, the overall value of a low-end tablet to pre-college level students is limited and handing your child unfettered access to the internet is a dangerous proposition. The portability of tablets makes it all too easy for Jr. to head off to his room to research that paper, only to end up somewhere you’d rather he didn’t explore on the internet. A common area computer allows you to more easily monitor his activity or better yet, install parental control software to set some limits. Parental controls on tablets are minimal, typically restricting access to certain apps, but not limiting exposure online.

It’s difficult to use a tablet for the kind of school work your pre-college age child will be focused on. Most teachers won’t allow the tablet to be used in-class, and even if they are permitted your child won’t likely have access to WiFi. While the starting price is low (beginning at around $200 for the Fire, Nexus or Nook), you’ll have to add on a Bluetooth keyboard for typing papers and a sturdy case to minimize the risk of damage from bumps and drops. Printing is a challenge and while the programs available to integrate with Word, Excel and Powerpoint give you basic document and presentation production capability, many are limited in their function, particularly when you aren’t in range of a WiFi network. For a tablet running Android, you’ll be best served by investing $20 in Quickoffice HD Pro while iPad users can install Pages, Numbers or Keynote depending on the functionality needed (iTunes app store, $9.99 each).

When it comes to your college-age student on the other hand, there may be some definite advantages to adding a tablet to their arsenal. Using a stylus with certain note taking applications converts handwritten notes to searchable text, while drawings become images that can be inserted into future reports and projects. Their ultra-portability makes them the ideal addition to a backpack and professors typically don’t limit their use in the classroom. Spring for a pricier iPad and your co-ed can utilize iTunes U, the “world’s largest online catalog of free education content from leading institutions”. Even if their specific lessons aren’t posted through the app, they can access virtual lectures, videos and books from the leading minds in education at Stanford, Yale, MIT and many more.

 Finally, many college-level courses expect work to be submitted electronically which is far easier for a tablet user to accommodate than the printouts and tangible paperwork expected of younger students. The “WiFi everywhere” atmosphere at most college campuses also leads tablet users to be more productive than when they’re unable to access the internet. While it would take some getting used to and some working around its limitations, a college student with a Bluetooth keyboard, office-style productivity suite and cloud-based backup and syncing service could definitely benefit from having a tablet at their fingertips. Some may even be able to get by without a laptop or PC.

So what do you think? Are you sending your kids to school with a tablet? 


About the Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service for consumers and businesses. Andrea is the writer of two weekly columns, Computer Nerds On Call a nationally syndicated column for Scripps-Howard News Service, and Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She regularly appears on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and CNN on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, Good Morning Arizona and MORE Good Day Portland, offering viewers easy tips on technology, Internet lifestyle, and gadgets. Andrea recently has begun working with Demand Media to produce content for eHow.com and has written a book for them Smartphone 101: Integrating Your iPhone Into a Windows World.

Shelly, Mom Files
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Clean the old-fashioned way with Brillo

I can remember ever since I was a little girl, there was always a box of Brillo Steel Wool Pads in the cabinet underneath the kitchen sink. Some things never change. Brillo pads have helped to keep my pots and pans, grills, roasters and many other things, super clean and sparkling for decades. I received a couple items from Brillo to test out including the original Brillo pads and some Estracell Sponges. Of course I have had a lot of experience with the original steel wool pads, but the Estracell Scrub Sponge with the Wedge Edge was new to me. I admit that I have seen it many times in the stores before but was scared to try it because of the way the sponge looked. I know it sounds silly but I thought it would be cheap. Boy, was I wrong! One of the first things I noticed was the unique wedge shape. It makes getting into corners easier. The best part about the sponge was how well it made my dish soap suds up. I have used premium sponges in the past that no matter how much dish soap I would use, there was very little suds. The sponge is very durable and rinses clean. I like the fact that it air dries fairly fast too.

You see the pan in the photo below? I have had this pan, along with a few pots that match for over 18 years. Brillo pads work brilliantly to keep the stainless steel surface clean and shiny. Trust me, I use my cookware daily and I can see my set lasting me many more years. You just can't go wrong with a trusted brand that has been around for almost 100 years!
Do you use any Brillo products? Be sure to check out Brillo on the web, Facebook and Twitter.

I received product samples for review purposes. All thoughts/opinions are 100% mine as always.

Shelly, Mom Files
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FREE American Girl dress and swimsuit patterns


For those crafty mamas out there, here is something you might like. FREE patterns for American Girl dolls clothing. You can get a download a pattern for a Drawstring Dress here and a swimsuit pattern here.

You can also receive two more free patterns for signing up for the newsletter from Liberty Jane Clothing. Just thought I would share! Enjoy :-)

Shelly, Mom Files
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Keep track of all things Olympics 2012

    
For those of you following the Olympics this year, I wanted to share these great widgets with you. It is a great tool to help you keep track of what events are going at and what is coming up as well as news, videos and medals. You can share them via your social sites if you please. I know I especially love the first one so I can know when my favorite events are coming up! Enjoy :)

  

Shelly, Mom Files
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