Meet to new moms on OC Mom's Blog!!<< MORE >>

Happy Wednesday Everyone. If you are a Mom in Orange County with a nack for writing/blogging you can make extra money by simply being you. OCMomsBlog is looking for several new Mom's to Blog. If you are interested please email us at Mom@OCMomsBlog.com. This is a great opportunity and offers a flexable schedule, being a Mom we know you need flexability.

Thanks,
The OCMomsBlog Team

When she’s not busy running around after her 2 ½ year old son, south Orange County resident, Morgan McKean eats, sleeps and breathes media communications, as she so appropriately named her media company, Breathe Media Communications. << MORE >>

Summer's around the corner, and we have the BIG Summer camp list. Summer Camps in Orange County.<< MORE >>

We've put together a list of great places to celebrate Mother's Day in Orange County. Have a GREAT Mom's Day!<< MORE >>

Coming this summer is something Really Cool for families. We have it posted on OCezine (Orange County's Online Magazine), but I had to let all you Mom's know about it. The Orange County Performing Arts Center is bringing back it's Free For All Movie Mondays!!! It's really cool for all the Mom's that have kids old enough to enjoy a whole movie (that's not a cartoon) pack up a picnic dinner and grab that old picnic blanket this summer and come enjoy a movie under the stars. Read About it Here
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Banana Smoothies have somehow become a staple in my house. I'm in love with these delicious little concoctions, they take no more than 5 minutes to make and good for the kiddo's (and Mom). Smoothies are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. They also make it easy to sneak in a bunch of healthy stuff like protein powders.<< MORE >>

Hello wonderful Orange County Mom's and Happy Earth Week.

In celebration of Earth Day (Earth Week) I really feel like I should do my part to help spread the GREEN Word. I spent a few hours Sunday researching ways that can really make a difference in global warming. Most of us have heard the obvious, like cars that are eco friendly and using the right kind of light bulbs.. I was on a mission to find bigger things that we can all do. When I was a kid everything I watched on TV or the movies always boiled down to sides of good or evil, dark side or light side. When it comes to living green those sides exist, you are either a planet healer or destroyer. I know that seems a bit drama but it's true and that's how I explain it to my kids. You have to pick a side, which one are you on?

Personally I'm working on as many as possible, but I admit I have a long way to go before I'm green enough. So here are some of the things I found on my lovely Sunday afternoon of searching for green tips.

The first thing that I found to be a very important issue is DEAD TREE MEDIA, what an ugly term. But it speaks loud and clear, it’s from dead trees and it’s media the worst kind of media, especially magazines. You know trees are here for many reasons, one of them is to shield us from global warming by absorbing carbon. According to Forest Ethics, deforestation accounts for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As Mom's we can protect forest by taking action online, let advertisers know how you feel about print (especially glossy paper), support more online programs, write letters do whatever it takes. The glossy pictures on the covers can look so pretty I know, but what is even prettier is planet Earth and it needs our help. Many glossies out there write about being green, but don't practice what they preach they follow a do as I say not as I do approach. The glossy paper most magazines use is one of the worst papers you can use, you can’t even recycle some of these papers. I found a good article at CNN if you'd like to read more about what the Big magazine publishers are doing read here>>

The next one can be a bit tough, for me anyways. IT'S COFFEE, I know this may have sounded scary because a lot of us love stopping by starbucks and reading our glossies...BUT we can do so much for the planet by bringing our own coffee cup and laptop. If you want to read DEAD TREE MEDIA make it a newspaper, at least we can recycle that paper (unlike many magazines). Or bring your laptop and read the online version of your favorite magazines. The paper cups can be so festive and fun around the holidays, but you can resist the temptation Mom's I know you can. When our kid's see us doing this they will continue this as they grow up and bring a cup with them where ever they go. After enough Mom’s have stopped reading the glossy magazines, publishers will get the point and change their evil ways.

This is one I love and can be easier for us, because it looks good I'm talking about Bamboo. Bamboo is so amazing and an incredible replacement for wood in just about everything we use wood for. Bamboo is one of the strongest building materials. Bamboo's tensile strength is 28,000 pounds per square inch versus 23,000 pounds per square inch for steel. It can be harvested in 3-5 years versus 10-20 years for most woods, now that's impressive. You can read more about bamboo at www.bamboocentral.org

Washing the dishes and the planet, well scientist say that running your dishwasher uses less water than washing everything by hand - thank God!
But there’s a catch only run the dishwasher when it is completely full and when you pre-wash the dishes to place in the dishwasher don’t rinse the bubbles.
This may freak some of you out, but think about it the dishwasher is going to re-soap the dishes and then rinse so no need to rinse before they get loaded up. This will save each house hold hundreds of gallons per year, you can read more dish washing here>>

I hope this info can help, I know Mom’s have so much on their plate but as Mom’s we can change so much we have a lot influence on our little ones and even our friends. Have a great Earth week!!!

Good Environmental articles for Mom’s

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/environment

Cool tips or Kid's being green

Rainforest Alliance
http://www.dre.ca.gov/kidspage/little_kids.htm
http://www.kidsplanet.org/defendit/new/pledge.html

 

The March of Dimes has changed the name of its biggest event to March for Babies. It's a great change because it makes it very clear exactly who I am walking for — all babies. I am very excited to be a part of the “first” March for Babies; please support my participation. << MORE >>

At OC Mom's Blog we will be proudly showcasing the special Momprenuers in Orange County. Do you know one of those crazy busy Mom-prenuers? Let OC Mom's Blog know.

The Scoop - Once a month we will showcase a Mom-Entrepreneur, letting all the great Mom's in Orange << MORE >>

Cox Video Contest invites students to submit videos about friendship. First prize is $2,500. Winning videos will air on Cox On Demand.<< MORE >>

Being Green is cool... Here is yet another list of very easy things we can all do to be more green :)<< MORE >>

I always say there is no need to be ordinary. This applies even to soda, make it fun. This is super easy and kids (and Mom's) go crazy for it.<< MORE >>

Pizza and soda are typically the main course at birthday parties these days. It's easy and who does'nt like pizza. But next time your planning the birthday scene consider letting your little guest make their own pizza. We have a great way for you to serve up the traditional favorite foods in a very fun way. This also gives the kids one more thing to keep them busy at the party. << MORE >>

I received a couple really cool emails I thought I'd share with all you OC Mom's. The First one is from Rick Brotherton a photographer in Ladera, he even sent a cool slide show to share. << MORE >>

You can do more with peanut butter and jelly than just make sandwiches. Here are two fun baking recipes that your kids will love.<< MORE >>

This is posted on our calendar already, I just want to make sure Mom's know about this great opportunity on March 16...

When: March 16 at 9am
Where: Departing from Newport Beach
Cost: $35 - $75
More information: (949) 673-1434
Online: www.acsonline.org/orangecounty

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“I was at a party the other night and I got trapped in the corner by a man who just talked and talked and talked. I tried to give him the signals to end the conversation, but he didn’t pick up on them. What a bore.” Teaching children how to communicate politely and effectively is one of a parent’s most important tasks. Assuming that children will learn proper communication skills without parental guidance is a big mistake. Parents should begin teaching their children basic communication skills at birth and continue to hone their child’s skills as the child matures. Communicating well with others is a basic tenet of society.<< MORE >>

The two things you should never talk about Religion and Politics, or so they say. Well I happen to think you can discuss this topic without creating any enemies, well I can try. I am probably writing this out of curiosity more than anything else. Being a Mom in Orange County, California has it's quirks, for one thing a lot of people box you in with the "Real Housewives of Orange County", or many of the other so-called reality shows. And while I admit I do watch a couple of those shows it does represent a small percentage of Mom's. Don't get me wrong Orange County is a land of beautiful and rich. But what about the Mom's out there who are 'The Beautiful and the Intelligent'? So far what I have seen on most of the shows are Gold Diggers, Shop-O-Holics and Superficial Lame Brains (so much for the no enemy thing). Okay let me just say quickly that I have met a couple of these ladies and they are very nice. Alright back to the subject, I guess my curiosity is wondering how many Mom's out there like to talk about (or think about) anything other than shopping, nails and botox. Yeah I love all those too but while I'm out with a friend or the hubby I like to chat about other things like, Oh I don't know politics, world events, schools and many other topics (except religion, even I leave that one out). << MORE >>

The Grammy Awards are going green this year with a fleet of gas-friendly vehicles from Chevrolet. OC Mom's Blog gets a sneak peek at the cool new cars and the celeb Mom's driving these green friendly cars. We will be adding the Mom photos a bit later, but check out one of the cool new cars.<< MORE >>

Valentine's Guide, just a quick note with a couple fun things for Valentines Day! This one is for you Mom's. If you get the chance to have a grown up Valentine's this is a great deal. << MORE >>

We are always looking for Super Sites, especially ones dedicated to Mom's, Kid's and the Family. So far on our quest we have found these. Let us know if you have found any super useful sites and we'll get them listed here:)<< MORE >>

According to an Associated Press article vegetarian Restaurants doubled in the US last year. Many of us are turning to an animal free diet. There are so many reasons why people are turning to meat free life style. One reason I've heard many times is simply for health reasons, our meat is LOADED with hormones and antibiotics. It is so full of junk that most countries have a ban or have banned US imported beef. << MORE >>

My son is coming down with something. I hope it's just cold. The early signs; he's cranky, has a bit of a runny nose, and he's starting to feel a little warm to the touch. He's only 17 months and goes to a home daycare 3 days a week. The worry begins to set in as I think about whether or not he will be well enough to go tomorrow. For so many of us, this is a common yet challenging situation that parents encounter trying to balance family and work. Even though fathers have taken on so much more of the household responsibilities in the recent years, the majority of the absenteeism in the workplace occurs with mom, according to the Maclean's 2008 article on the doctor shortage in Canada. << MORE >>

It's cold and Flu season and they've taken away medications for little ones....So what do we do? Well first off remind yourself that no baby or child has the flu or a cold forever, it will pass. Second read what the American Academy of Pediatrics has to say here. Last check the list below, mabye your medication is still safe. And if you need more info read what the FDA has recommended. << MORE >>

Raise an Environmentally Aware Child and Family

Right now it is our time to shine as MOM. We can make so many changes simply by raising our kids to be friends of the Earth. As a kid I remember Ricky Raindrop and give a Hoot don't polute. They said their message loud and clear in between commercials on Saturday Morning cartoons. What our kid's get is quite different and scary GLOBAL WARMING.  A great way to ease fear is knowledge. When you and your family are actively making changes to help Earth your kids will feel a sense of hope that we can make a difference and we can be the change. I have put together a few resources that are really helpful. If you have any resources feel free to add them in a comment. 

• 
  
• Parenting Magazine
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• Scientific American
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• National Geographic
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• The Green Guide

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Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early part of the 20th century. He was a very frail child and determined to develop a strong attractive body he studied meditation, yoga, martial arts and other body strengthening activities. over the years Joseph combined many of these into what is known as pilates. pilates exercise will help to develop your bodies core strength, meaning your back, stomach and pelvic muscles. It will also develop your posture and increase flexibility. << MORE >>

Are your children naturally curious? Do they wonder how things work? Do they marvel at the stars and moon? Are they the hands-on type that are always taking things apart and putting them back together? To some parents, such habits may seem annoying, but kids who show a keen interest in acquiring scientific knowledge early in life eventually become intelligent, inquisitive teens and adults who don’t take a simple "yes" or "no" for an answer. Their curious minds will take them far!<< MORE >>

As a child I thought my grandmother was a bit strange because she complained about how fast time went. Fast? It was forever until cookie time. That was then. Now time passes so fast I feel wind burn. << MORE >>

Moms are constantly on the go. Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mother, it is hard to find the time to sit and eat a meal, let alone a healthy one. Here are a few tips to sneak that healthy eating into the busiest of schedules.<< MORE >>

Awesome tips and advice on video. Doctor Mom covers many health topics for both Moms and Kids.<< MORE >>

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Today I say farewell to self-criticism of my being. I choose today to see myself as a beam of light designed to shine wholeness and happiness to others who I meet. Today I say farewell to self-sabotaging behaviors. No longer will I remind myself of my past mistakes and failures. No longer will I beat myself up for making choices that did not benefit me. Instead, today I choose to honor learn from my failures and embrace my successes as I am a woman designed with dignity. << MORE >>

On the eve of my baby’s due date, I am unable to sleep. With baby moving in my belly, Braxton Hicks contractions spontaneously occurring (that often render me helpless, like a beetle on it's back waving its legs), and the enormous pressure in my pelvis that whisks me off to the toilet only to expel an unimpressive thimble full of pee every 15 minutes…I reflect upon the following 10 best parenting advice and pregnancy resources I received.<< MORE >>

Awesome Recipes for the much needed COFFEE BREAK..<< MORE >>

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 can pumpkin pie filling
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups simple syrup (1 part water to 1 part sugar)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

In a bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Pour the mixture into an electronic ice cream maker9or follow your ice-cream makers directions. Freeze for 20 minutes, or follow the instructions for your ice cream machine.

Makes 1 quart (4 cups)

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Find a Mom's club or playgroup in Orange County.....<< MORE >>

Birthday Parties in Orange County!!!<< MORE >>

Happiness is not an end-all product. It is actually one of the factors in keeping one’s beauty. Being happy is one of the key things that keep a person healthy and beautiful. This article tries to give some tips on how to maintain beauty by being happy. << MORE >>

Each birth order position has its own unique set of characteristics and attributes. For instance, achievement and ambition is a common first born trait, while persistence and creativity is common among last borns. We all know exceptions to the above, however there is enough evidence to support these notions. Last week new research was released that shows one birth order position is smarter than the others When it comes to being bright, it pays to be a first born << MORE >>

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels<< MORE >>

Flower Cupcakes << MORE >>

Here are some time tested favorites of kids and Moms. They are great for parties or just a fun project for any day at home. Please feel free to add any great ideas or recipes that you have to share with the Moms in OC:) << MORE >>

Yes, it sounds dangerous and the potential for messes seems highly likely, but you'll be surprised at the good, "clean" fun you'll enjoy when you make ice cream. This recipe is enough for one person to make a dish! << MORE >>

One of the most popular party favors is a framed picture of the party guest taken at your kids party. He or she could be showing off a silly hat or party costume, performing an outrageous party game stunt, or wearing a face full of frosting and ice cream. << MORE >>

Birthday Party Games, Crafts and Ideas We are compiling a list of cool and fun party games, crafts and ideas. If you have a great idea feel free to share it with OC, use the comment form below<< MORE >>

With today’s hectic schedules and busy lifestyles it is often hard to even fond the time to share a meal together. But repeated research has proven that families who make a habit of sitting down together for at least one meal a day have happier, healthier children and stronger family relationships. Eating together as a family not only makes it easier for your child to eat healthy, family mealtimes can reduce the chance of substance abuse, premature sexual activity, and disruptive behavior like fighting. << MORE >>

The issue of media's impact on teenagers has generated a lot of interest in the last decade. Despite contradictory findings, all researchers agree that teenage girls as a group are focused on their looks—especially on what they don’t like about themselves! Marketing departments and ad agencies spend millions each year targeting teenage girls who spend much of their hard-earned dollars (and their parents’ hard-earned dollars!) on looking good. Although the message of “girl power” is prevalent in today's marketing messages, so is the irrefutable idea that “sexy” and “thin” are in!<< MORE >>

I've just finished reading the Dickinson College, Helicopter Parenting Quiz and I'm happy to find out that although my eldest is still a couple of years off college, so far I've achieved success in denying our personal chopper, flight clearance. What a relief! Ok, there are probably some of you out there wondering what on earth I'm talking about. Well, it's this, helicopter parenting. That awful phenomenon characterized by parents who can't let go and subsequently hover over their children 'helping' them through their college years by phoning them to wake them up and generally interfering in every way possible.<< MORE >>

1. Buy a cordless, headset telephone and return or take calls while you're washing dishes, doing housework, recycling, folding laundry, cleaning out the refrigerator, etc.. (Not only will you be multi-tasking, you'll have some pleasant company while you do your chores.)

Time saved: 13.5 hours per month (based on making three 15-minute phone calls 6 days per week while doing other things)