Families Fighting Flu

Families Fighting Flu, non-profit organization made up of parents who have all lost a child to seasonal flu, wants parents to know about some important steps we can all take to help protect our children from the H1N1 flu (a.k.a the swine flu). They have created a public service announcement to remind parents that, although there still is no vaccine available for H1N1, there are still steps you can take to help prevent it. These tips are:

1. Covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. You can even teach your children to cough into their elbows.
2. Stressing the importance of washing hands often with soap and water. Any alcohol-based hand cleansers are effective as well.
3. Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces with an appropriate bleach-based solution. As you know, germs can spread by touching infected surfaces and then your eyes, nose or mouth.

AllStarBuddies.com

There’s a new sport-themed virtual world for kids at AllStarBuddies.com.

Founded by Caryn Burns and Cindy Prince, two moms with a passion for sports, fitness and their children,
AllStarBuddies.com is a safe, virtual “playground” for kids
(ages 6+) where a healthy, positive lifestyle is reinforced
through fun games, quests and social interaction. Using
individual and multi-player games, children learn about
problem-solving, goal setting, good sportsmanship, teamwork,
fitness, good nutrition and environmental awareness – all
while having a fun online experience that will keep them
coming back for many “extra innings.”

I created a username and tried out a couple of the education games and a few of the sports. It’s geared more towards younger kids. [It's not a place teens are going to want to hang out.] But I thought it was a lot of fun.

Kids can make friends and write to them. There is also a whistle they can use if they need a moderator. Like always, you will want to monitor you child’s time on the Internet, but this seems like a fun and educational site for them to spend some time on a rainy day.

Weekend Linky Love

I have a feeling Adam should watch his back after this prank. But it is a very cool fish tanks. Too funny!

Maybe it’s because I am a geeky mother of twins myself, but I laughed out loud at these twin shirts.

Kids are so innocent. Remember the time when we didn’t all have the filthy, dirty minds we have now? Um, yeah. Me either.

Keaton was born in August so we briefly thought about holding him back from kindergarten for a year, but decided against it. But I didn’t realize redshirting kindergarten-aged kids was so popular. Seven-year-olds in kindergarten? Really?

The majority of parents think vacation is more stressful than working.

Sometimes you just need to get your groove on.

It’s easy to be jealous of what others have, but we need to learn to be happy with ourselves.

Dell is seeking more female customers with their new Della website that treats women like we still live in the 50’s. FAIL!

Looking for a fun photo project? Try making a photo history of the year you were born.

I gave up on the Sunday Linky Love because, well, I got busy and am a huge slacker who ran out of time for blogging, let alone reading other people’s blogs. But I still want to link to some of the best posts on the web so I decided to bring back a new version.

Plus I get tons (and I mean tons) of PR pitches every. single. day. Most of them I just ignore because I’m busy (see paragraph 1). But some of the pitches are actually interesting to me. And I think might be interesting to you.

And so, Free-For-All Friday was born. On Fridays I’ll try to link to some of the best contests, products, and bloggers on the interwebs. So here goes…

Get a sleeve for your iPod

Is your iPod bare? If you’re anything like me, you don’t want some borrow black case covering up your iPod. You want to show a little creativity. Well Psyclops HQ has you covered. They have the cutest characters for their iPod silicone sleeves. And each character unlocks access to PSYCLOPS HeadQuarters, a fully interactive age appropriate
multi-platform online music and dance experience. Get one (or two or three) for you teens iPod.

Kids can submit their own workout videos

Trying to get your kids off the couch in to a healthier lifestyle? Let Sabrina Bryan from The Cheetah Girls and Dancing with the Stars help. She’s asking kid to submit their own workout video. The top five finalists will receive an autographed copy of Sabrina’s BYOU DVD and one finalist will receive a personalized video message from Sabrina.

Your tween or teen just needs to record an original 3-5 minute workout or dance video starring themselves. They need to include at least 2 of Sabrina’s top 5 tips for staying healthy. And then they just need to upload it on the Empower Me 2B website.

What are the Sabrina’s top 5 healthy tips?

1. Get physically active for at least 60 minutes each day
2. Drink primarily water, 1% or fat free milk, and 100% juice with no added sugars
3. Eat fruits and vegetables with EVERY meal
4. Cut back on screen time and limit it to 1-2 hours a day
5. Get at least 9 hours of sleep every night

Get some new appliances…FOR FREE

In the market for some new appliances? Appliances that save you time and allow you more time to spend with your family? Frigidaire, the makers of all those great appliances that make our lives better, is offering a “More Me-Time” Guarantee: Moms will reduce the amount of time they typically spend on housework by at least 8 hours a month using a combination of three or more select Frigidaire appliances or they can return the appliances to their place of purchase within 30 days and get their money back!

And that’s not all. Frigidaire is also giving moms a chance to get started on that “More Me-Time” by winning a free appliance for your home. Seriously, couldn’t you use a new dishwasher, stove, or refrigerator. Or maybe a new high efficiency washer and dryer. It’s like I’ve gone to domestic heaven.

All you need to do is head over to their My Mother Load website or Facebook page, take the Daily Dare and tell them the 5 things you would do with an extra hour. Here are my 5 things:

1. Shave my legs.
2. Read a book or one of the magazine that have been piling up on my desk
3. Snuggle with my husband.
4. Act goofy with my kids without worrying about what chores need to be done.
5. Spend time with my girlfriends laughing out loud until we cry.

Weekend Linky Love

Holly had to take care of business. And by business I mean beavers. While she was in her PJs. In front of early morning golfers. Too funny!

It’s so cute how a new baby can make the older siblings feel more grown up and responsible.

Liz had me at “Mother’s of teens know why animals eat their own young.” I, too, would just like to be left alone for Mother’s Day this year.

Tracy and Jason discussed Lost and they are so funny I almost peed my pants.

Belinda and Alex are reaching out to us to see if we can help figure out what might be ailing Alex. I have met both Belinda and Alex IRL and they are super, great people. I hope the doctors can figure it out and find a cure soon.

Jessica had quite a postpartum scare this week. Thankfully she’s doing well now.

Did you know aluminum foil has a tab to lock the roll in place?

I’m not the only one having some trouble with companies not fulfilling their end of the bargain when it comes to marketing on blogs.

An 11-year-old wrote this poem? Fantastic!

Sarah has a blog pet peeve. Music. I couldn’t agree more.

Apparently that “free” soda wasn’t free after all.

Like many of us, Undomestic Diva has become a big screen TV widow.

This is both ICK! and totally funny. That poor college kid.

Kids are easily impressed.

I’m giving away a bundle of SIX workout DVDs over at Weary Parent.

There’s lots of good news on the internet this week. I love good news.

They removed Peyton’s port. She beat that cancer. Yeah Peyton!

Kira is having a girl and we get to see her with that new fangled 3D ultrasound thing. They didn’t have that when I was pregnant. It’s so cool.

Jessica finally had her fourth baby. A beautiful baby boy. Congrats!

Jenn’s family adopted a new furbaby…Harley’s little brother. I’m so happy for you guys!

And in other news…

Lee and I both recently had a credit card cancelled for inactivity. Will it affect our FICO score?

Is Twitter making blogging obsolete? I hope not because I’m a horrible Twitter-er.

Apparently a crack addiction is no joking matter.

While Lotus is away her guest bloggers will play. That is some funny shit.