Write on and Ride on
07 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Technology
Write on or Ride on
Showing Patty at the Rice County, KS 4-H Fair many years ago.
Some people are born to do something; it simply comes naturally for them. Writing was never one of those things for me but riding has always been.
You could say this is my mother’s fault. She rode through each of her four pregnancies. Before you jump to conclusions wondering what sort of woman would ride a horse while pregnant, I can tell you her doctor recommended it. She had always ridden on a regular basis and her body was used to it. Of course, my mother didn’t argue with the doctor as her horses were truly part of her.
Like my mother, horses are just a part of me. There is nothing more comfortable than sitting in my well-worn saddle, in the show ring or just out for a ride in the country. There is a sense of euphoria there.
Two winters ago I lost my Palomino show mare, Patty., I had her for over 20 years. I never saw a horse and a rider more completely in tune with each other than we were. The two of us were peas in a pod. There was an understanding between us that couldn’t and still can’t be explained. Patty and I were a unit, totally devoted to each other through all trials a tribulations. She stood by me and I stood by her, in the winners circle and as the Lord was taking her from this earth-I was with her for the duration. At the time of her passing, I thought my saddle wouldn’t feel as it once did without it being resting on the back of my beloved Patty Sweet Style.
Though it took a few months, I climbed back in the saddle, on a new mare my mom bought to fill the void in our hearts. Charmin Playgirl is no Patty Sweet Style, but that saddle holds the same soft, supple, well-worn comforts it always has.
One of these days I hope blogging becomes as comfortable as my saddle, until then…I will ride on and write on.
What fits? Droid or iPhone
15 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in Technology
What to do… what to do. I have the Motorola Droid currently , but anyone that knows me, knows I am an Apple person. Rarely can I leave the house without my Macbook Pro, iPad, iPod Touch and my Droid. That is where my problem lies. You see, I love my Droid, but when it comes down to it, would I be happier and better off getting the iPhone now that my cell phone provider, Verizon Wireless, finally has it available? Having an iPhone would mean having a complete set or does it mean having a balance?
My Droid Does:
- Has the option for upgraded memory which allows me more flexibility in all media storage. With the removable SD cards the phones come with, I can have multiple SD cards to swap out and use freely.
- Multitasking is one of my favorite features of the Droid. Going from being able to run multiple apps at one time could very well my my favorite function of the Droid.
- I love the feel of the Open OS of the Droid phone….but I love the secure feel of the iPhone.
The iPhone does:
- More robust applications across the board
- Syncs seamlessly to my iTunes for easy purchase and transfer of media
- From a parent perspective I can screen, and review applications with ease from the iTunes store that my kids use on their iPods. (Plus being under 18 they are under my account)
- Although they have the same camera, the iPhone has an iMovie application which allows editing video to take place right on your phone.
What it all ultimately boils down to is what your personal preferences and needs are in a phone.
Now should I go drink a Pepsi or a Coke?
Connect with Kids Via Just Desserts
01 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Technology
Jaime, Jerry, and Renee are working. Really.
Think back to your childhood. Where did your family go to play games together? Did you sit at the table, gather in the living room on the floor or did you have another special place?
If you are like me, your mind drifts off to the times of laughter, fun and that warm feeling of truly connecting with your family members. These times bring a smile to the face and lots of warm fuzzies to the heart. The feeling of togetherness, simply playing games is a priceless memory to not only reflect on but also something you can pass on to the younger generations in your family.
Some of us remember games we played whether it be board games to simple card games. If you are like me, then you might remember the games but forgotten how to play them. For those of you where that is the case, you can visit www.mykidsturn.com and click on the show Just Desserts. Here you will find episodes centered around oodles of games varying from classic board and card games to some of the newer games out on the market.
If you have ultimate favorite games to share or show suggestions….please feel free to leave us comments. If you love them then others are SURE to feel the same way!
Happy playing!
-Jaime Hendricks
Tips for Back to School Shopping
12 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Technology
In the very near future my family will embark on our annual back to school shopping trip. The kids of course look forward to this, while my husband and I….well not so much since we are footing the bill. With the grade school days past us and with two in junior high this year, the cost just jumped up that much more. Ugh!
I guess I really shouldn’t whine when my parents had four kids vs my two……but back then we also didn’t have all the technology needs. The biggest expense I recall needing technology wise was a graphing calculator and we all shared a single desktop computer. Oh the good old days.
Lucky for me, I found a column on Kiplinger.com with ten tips for parents and students alike on ways to save on back to school expenses.
Here are the tip from Kiplinger.com:
1. Take inventory of what your kids have. Don’t assume that your kids have outgrown all their clothes and need a new wardrobe. Take the time to make them try on what is in their closet and drawers to figure out which clothing items they really need. Then plan on buying items that can easily be mixed and matched.
2. Set a budget. Let your children know how much they can spend so they buy only what they need. You can motivate them to keep spending under control by telling them they can keep any cash they don’t spend.
3. Share the cost. Ask children who receive an allowance or who have money from a summer job to chip in — especially if they want to buy more than your budget allows. If kids are expected to help pay for back-to-school items, they’ll be more price-conscious.
4. Time your shopping right. Retailers offer some of the year’s lowest prices on pens, pencils and notebooks in August. For clothing, you’ll find sales on Labor Day weekend.
5.Take advantage of sales-tax holidays. Sixteen states exempt various back-to-school items from sales taxes on certain days. If you’re buying big-ticket items, you might consider crossing state lines to get the tax break if your state doesn’t have a tax holiday. See our guide to find out if and when your state has a tax holiday.
6. Check for student discounts. Some stores, such as Apple, offer discounts just for students. All it asks for is your name and school you are attending.
7. Sign up for e-mail or Twitter alerts from back-to-school retailers to know when their items go on sale.
8. Buy used. Textbooks are cheaper used (and even cheaper when you rent them). See How to Cut Your Textbook Costs in Half — or More for Web sites that will help you get a deal on books. Also consider buying items such as computers refurbished rather than new.
9. Shop online. You may be more tempted to overspend when shopping in a mall, where you’re surrounded by so many options, tempting displays and impulse buys in the checkout aisle. If you shop online, you can give your kids a choice of just a couple of retailers that have coupon codes– which you can get from sites such as RetailMeNot , CouponShack.com and Coupon Sherpa — and free-shipping offers (seeFreeShipping.org ).
10. Buy items in bulk to take advantage of larger discount coupons that give bigger savings for spending more. Places such as Staples offer bulk discounts and free shipping.
These tips make is easy for you to save money while in tandem engaging your children in the shopping process while also teaching financial responsibility. You get a two for one deal with priceless memories of the yearly shopping event AND all the while teaching them life-long skills!
My Droid Does
09 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in Technology
March 26th,2010 was a day that forever changed my life. I finally convinced my husband to get Smart phones and not just any Smart phones! Yep, I worked my magic and got “his and her” Motorola Droids.
Like always, my husband had to do extensive research on each model of Smart phone our provider, Verizon Wireless, had to offer. Lucky for me, this time he managed to complete his research in record time and we had the phones close to a week later. I tend to think he was as eager as I was to get the new phones and this is why he expedited the researching process.
Of course with the new phones new, wonderful apps to explore. It was again time to research just what our phones were capable of for each of our very different personalities. I saw two ways we had to tackle mastering our new phones.
1. Actually learn what the phone can do and do it.
2. Get all the cool applications you need and would get the most out of.
Luckily I came across two great sites: Droid Life and Droid Apps. With these two sites I could learn current and new features all the while staying informed regularly on the latest applications.
Could my Droid world get any better? Of course they can! Everyday the opportunities expand….because DROID DOES!
-Jaime Hendricks
Mind the Gap
12 Mar 2010 1 Comment
in Technology Tags: blogs. guide, family, high tech, kids, online, parenting, parents, safe, sites, Technology
Mind the gap? What does that mean?! Travelers using the London Underground, also known as the “Tube”, must heed to this warning or otherwise put themselves at risk when getting on and off the train. The gap refers to the space between the train door and the station platform. You might wonder what I am trying to get at besides giving a short lesson on the London Underground.
Having visited London, seeing the message and also listening to the recordings on the “Tube”, it got me thinking. How do we “mind the technology gap” with our children? Many children don’t remember a time without computers, cell phones, ipods, wireless internet, game consoles….the list goes on and on. We, on the other hand, adapted and have learned how to use the new technology. Our kids take on new technology in a dead sprint while we often hesitate to leave in the starting blocks.
Do you need some help out of the starting blocks? Below is a list of sites designed to close the technology gap between you and your kids.
- Net Family News: Kid-Tech News for Parents
- How to Keep Up with Technology for Parents
- Parent’s Guide to Technology
- iKeepSafe.org
- The Online Mom
- Tips for Parenting with Google Wave
- hightechparent.blogspot
- High-Tech Parent.com
- The Family Tech Report
- No Parent Left Behind
- Parent Tech Guide
- Tech Wise Parenting
Adolescent Invasion
19 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in 1
After recent events, our 13 year old no longer has his phone. The storm has been brewing since his sister, who is just a year younger, officially proclaimed she is “going out with” one of his friends. Until this last weekend, things had been manageable with the typical tug-of-war you would expect in this situation. The line was crossed when our 13 year old invaded our 12 year olds bedroom creating a video documentary of her room and personal effects with his cell phone. He proceded to focus on very specific items which he then stated she “wore for her boyfriend.” I wish this were the end of the story, but it isn’t since he then tried to blackmail her with the video to get her to do his bidding.
It wasn’t long before my husband, who works in town, was made aware of what was going on (of course via her cell phone) and put an abrupt halt to our son’s plan. Fair warning had been given the two days proceeding about respecting her personal space and her belonging so this was the straw that broke he camel’s back.
First came the lecture from dad, then the lecture from mom, and finally the united front made the executive decision to take the phone for an undecided amount of time. The phone will live on our nightstand until we feel he is ready and able to handle the responsibility in non-destructive or manipulative ways. That was absolutely not the intent of getting the phone so we exercised the right to revoke any and all phone privileges.
The scary thing about all of this is that fact that he had no idea the damage he could have caused to our daughter and her boyfriend. When videos like that are sent out via text and internet, they are out there for the world. Of course he wasn’t thinking of the long-term effects. The incident opened doors to conversations about the seriousness of the situation and the ramifications at this day and age with the technology.
This week I urge you to have conversations with the children in your lives about what they ”put out there” in texts, post on Facebook and beyond. This will be an easier conversation now rather than later when you child has possibly fallen victim.
Becoming an iPod Touch Family
06 Jan 2010 2 Comments
in Technology Tags: applications, digital, downloads, iPod, iTouch, kids, mom, phones, Technology
-
- Digital Mom with her iPod Touch
For Christmas Matt and I, along with my in-laws, went together to get Caleb and Hannah each an iPod Touch. Only six months prior ,Matt and I had equipped the kids with their own cell phones and now we were giving them more digital freedom? ! The kids had proven to us they could manage the responsibility of their cell phones so we decided the iTouch was the next step in our relinquishing of digital freedom.
Reasons we opted for the iTouch:
1. Being under 18, we control the iTunes accounts. Applications, downloads, music, and so on are all monitored and controlled by us since we did not provide them with passwords giving them free reign.
2. Internet access would be limited to locations/places they have permission to be on.
3. It replaced the need/hassle for portable DVD players for travel/entertainment.
4. Served as a stepping stone for personal laptops.
It wasn’t long before the kids were teaching us new tools and features even though Matt and I had ours six months before them. Plain and simple, these kids are wired for technology. Caleb and Hannah don’t know what life without cell phones, internet, digital cable, GPS or even DVRs. Since Matt and I decided many years ago to get rid of our landline phone, I would doubt the kids remember having that or dial up internet.
As a digital mom, I am just keeping up with technology while the kids’ minds are forging ahead looking for every way possible to fully utilize their iPods and other devices. Giving them pieces at a time gives our kids a chance to explore in a way we can monitor while they learn how to manage the new freedom and responsibility. The greatest thing about giving them pieces at a time is the conversations this allows you to have with your kids while learning with them!
Connecting to My Kids Via Cell Phone
29 Dec 2009 2 Comments
in Technology
Life as my husband and I knew it just a few short years ago is over. We the parents of two kids, a 13 year old boy and an 11 year old girl. Connecting with them during these teen and preteen years can pose quite the challenge. Just a few months ago my husband and I finally gave in and got each of the kids a cellphone rather than making them share one.
This was frightening to us, yet an adventure for them as they had a new freedom to talk and text their friends and family members-most importantly, a connection to us. Matt, my husband, and I , realized as parents, it was important we not keep the technology from them that we know they must know how to use and manage in today’s age.
When they were teeny tiny, we didn’t hesitate to buy them the latest battery operated, new fangled toys on the market. Did Matt and I grow up with the same toys as our children? Heck, we were both blessed with Atari’s as kids. Our parents didn’t shield us from the new technology, they encouraged us, and even played with us! This is what Matt and I realized we had to do.
Together we embraced the concept of the kids having cellphones- not because all of the other kids had them, but the fact this was a way of life in these ever changing times. It was our duty as parents to prepare them for the world. Matt and I didn’t hand over the phones without establishing some guidelines to follow. They know they must follow them or reap the consequences.
The cellphone connects us to the kids in a time connecting with them can be most difficult in these teen/preteen years. Are you taking advantage of the chance to connect to your children via mobile devices?
