Uncategorized – Page 132 – Mom on the go in Holy Toledo

The Oogieloves: Roundtable Discussion with the Creator & Camp Oogie

August 9, 2012August 9, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

As many of you may have noticed I took a brief hiatus Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. But it was for an exciting reason and one that I can’t wait to share with all of you!

I had the opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion with Kenn Viselman (pictures below with me), The Oogieloves creator and marketer behind Teletubbies, Thomas the Tank Engine and Eloise. During the roundtable discussion the subject of appropriate FAMILY friendly films was addressed and the fact that there is a lack of QUALITY family entertainment. True, Hollywood has released films that they felt were appropriate for young children but if you really sit back and contemplate those movies most, if not all, were not appropriate. True many were cartoons, but, just because movies are animated doesn’t make them appropriate for young children. Take a moment and think about the movies that have been released for children this summer. Now, if you were to make those animated movies into a movie with live actors would that movie be appropriate for your young child? I know I personally wouldn’t allow my 2-year-old to view those movies.

As a mother to 3 children ages 2, 5, and 6 years old I want to be able to take all 3 of my children to an APPROPRIATE QUALITY FAMILY film and…..

I do not want to have to leave my older two children in the theater by themselves while I walk around with my 2-year-old because there was a “scary” scene during a film. (True story, this did happen and thankfully my mom was with us to stay with the older two kiddos while I walked the halls of the theater with my 2-year-old while they finished watching the film).

Or, worse, after spending over $40 for my family to enjoy an afternoon at the theater together, having to leave because there are just too many “scary” scenes. Given our family budget I know I can’t afford to take a gamble like that!

I do not want to have an awkward discussion with my children during or after the film about adult issues. (Up was one such movie that was followed by a slew of questions from our preschooler that I was not prepared to address at such a young age).

The Oogieloves in The Big Balloon Adventure has heard us moms loud and clear and is a TRUE G-rated film. In fact this movie is a mommy film going ally. Not only do us moms not have to worry about scary scenes in the film for our toddler, or awkward discussions with our preschoolers, but we can also eliminate the constant request to…”sit down please”…” be quiet please”….”shhh”….”put your hands down”….”sit on your bottom”….etc.

Asking young children to sit still for over an hour is asking a lot. Also, they are young and inquisitive, they will have questions, and that is good. Now imagine if you could address the questions and actually interact during a film? Shocker right!?! Once again The Oogieloves in The Big Balloon Adventure delivers.

Children are encouraged to get up, out of their seats, and dance! As well as talk and interact with the film while in the theater. There is queuing in the film that indicate when it is time to standup and dance and when it is time to sit back in your seat. The queuing is easy for a child to comprehend and follow, the butterflies fluttering across the screen indicate it is time to get out of your seat, while the turtles indicate that it is time to slow down and be seated.

At the culmination of the round table discussion I found myself quite eager to attend The Oogieloves in The Big Balloon Adventure Premiere the next day. As I left the roundtable discussion I felt such gratitude because my voice as a mommy had finally been heard! The Oogieloves in The Big Balloon Adventure was finally going to provide the quality family entertainment us moms have been longing for.

Speaking of moms, Kenn Viselman’s mom attended the roundtable discussion and I also invited my mom to attend. Here is a picture of Kenn Viselman with his mother, me, and my mom. We give The Oogieloves in The Big Balloon Adventure a thumbs up!!

While I was attending the roundtable discussion my children were attending Camp Oogie! Where they had fun decorating an Oogieloves lunch bag, learned songs from the movie, learned some dances from the film, and had an all-around fabulous time.

As we left The Townsend Hotel on Tuesday we were all elated and in much anticipation for the premiere of The Oogieloves in The Big Balloon Adventure the next day.

Here is The Oogieloves in The Big Balloon Adventure trailer….

Stop, Drop, and Blog Roll

August 6, 2012October 2, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Okay, so remember like decades ago when moms used to watch Soap Operas when the children would nap? And then they would get together with other moms and kibitz about the characters, plot, and actors? Well, we moms might have bid adieu to the Soap Opera era but we have happily replaced it and embraced Mom blogs with opened arms. We are welcoming this new era of inspiring, motivating, encouraging, and at times, darn right hilarious mommies. However since we are moms it can be difficult to find the time to search through tons of blogs to find ones that gels or worse, what if there is an amazing blog that you perfectly gel with but you just keep missing it? The solution…STOP, DROP, and BLOG ROLL. It should be an easy saying to remember, it is the same thing you do if you are on fire, remember, stop, drop, and roll? Now, I trust you not to confuse the two. Don’t read blogs when you are on fire just roll, roll like mad!! Okay, glad I got that out of the way, I feel more comfortable having clarified.

STOP….I know you are busy but you deserve some “me time” so put the kiddos down for a nap or bed (when it is time of course). STOP what you are doing.

DROP…Like right where you are, or wherever your computer is, drop… or if you prefer a more graceful technique, sit.

BLOG ROLL….This is the fun part, every other week I am going to be discussing a handful of the blogs I follow. I will make certain I keep the synopsis of the post brief because your time is valuable and include a link so you can read more.

Ready, set…STOP, DROP, and BLOG ROLL…

Moms Who Wine….I love this bog because she tells it like it is. I am a fan of honest, genuine, and a bit of humor blogs and this blog delivers!

Who to turn to for Avice

Do you worry that being honest will open you up to judgment from your friends and family? Who do you trust will give you good advice?

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Our Homeschooling Journey… This blog has wonderful activities that engage your children’s intellect and are a whole lot of fun! I am looking forward to making the dominos and playing dominos with my kiddos this fall!

Homemade DIY Tile Dominos

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Crud My Kids Say….I love this blog because it always offers a quick pick me up during the day. And I am sure most moms can relate to the unique things children say and it is true, you just can’t make this stuff up. I have been inspired by this blog to jot down things my own children say, try it, you’ll like it (as Yo Gabba Gabba would say, lol!).

This post is funny…

I’m Smarter than I Look

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Essential Nutrition…. This blog provides an informative and sometimes entertaining reminder that you are what you eat. I also like the food by stars posts…how many stars would your food receive?

Do This Now! Goal Setting

This post discusses goal setting for a healthier lifestyle and with school just around the corner now is a great time to set that goal.

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Weighbeyonmotherhood….This is a new blog and one that I am enjoying. Tammy tells it like it is, she is brutally honest about her health issues and struggles as a mom who is overweight. She shares her journey to a healthier lifestyle with her readers.

Here is a great example of a post that is raw, open, and honest, with emotion and her struggles…. Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

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Lilly’s Kitchen Lab…This blog is brand-spankin new but I already love it! Lilly offers great recipes and food ideas; I especially like this post …Dating a PB & J addict

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Please let me know if this is something you think you would be interested in reading every other week or so. Also, if you are reading this and you have a blog please post a comment with a link to your blog. I will be sure to check it out and possibly include it in future Stop, Drop, and Blog Rolls.

Tea Time

August 4, 2012August 4, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

My mom treated us to tea yesterday at the Stranleigh Manor. The children were so excited. They sat out their clothes the day before. Our little man so desperately wanted to look handsome. He asked me if I could get him the coat and tie that men wear at weddings. He wanted a tuxedo for tea. He is so sweet; he told me he wanted to be a handsome gentleman so badly. In fact he asked that I call him Mr. and Sir during tea, lol! Thankfully I was able to convince him that his white button down shirt and tie were dressy enough. And that shorts were a must since the temperature that day was in the 90s.

As we walked to tea it was so much fun to see what all the ladies were wearing, some were even adorned with creative headdresses (hats, headbands, bows, etc).

Once there we received a number and we waited in the front room.

Since they only take reservations for half the seating when we called all reservations were full so we had to take a number and wait. And wait we did. After waiting half an hour the children, my sister, and I walked around the gardens for a little while to kill time.

After two hours our number was finally called. Boy was it worth the wait. There are three rooms designated for tea and since we had a larger party we were fortunate enough to be seated in the same room as the musical entertainment. Which just so happened to include one of the children’s preschool teacher, it was so awesome!

The petite sandwiches and desserts were delicious. They even had PB & J for the tiniest tea goers.

And our daughters got a kick out of the fact that there was one seat free at our table and they designated it for their Brave doll.

We had such a wonderful time and our little gentleman was so endearing. He even offered to eat any food us ladies might be unable to finish. While my sister and I were served hot tea, my mom iced tea, the children opted for punch and I just couldn’t resist this picture of them sporting their punch mustaches…

The next tea is September 7th and the theme is dress like your favorite I love Lucy episode. For reservations call 419-344-4765

Have you ever had tea with your children? Some of the best tea parties are the impromptu ones, right? With random attendants like Barbie, Big Bird, or whatever stuffed animal your child favors that day…who have you had tea with lately?

Chick-fil-A (Need I say more?)

August 3, 2012August 3, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

I toyed with the idea of posting this yesterday, or even at all. I figured enough has been said, I won’t bother. But then I started reading comments on facebook that called those who purchased Chick-fil-A yesterday haters. That is when I knew I needed to say something. I am not a hater. I love. I forgive. If I have something you need I am more than happy to share, donate, and give. I believe all people; including Gays and Lesbians have a right to live as they choose. That being stated, they don’t have the right to redefine marriage for all of us.

Here are some pictures from yesterday…

This is a serious topic and one that is very near and dear to my heart, Marriage. My grandparents on my father’s side were married for 47 years, my grandparents on my mother’s for 44 years, my own parents have been married for 35 years, my in-laws for 43 year, and my husband and I will celebrate our 10^th wedding Anniversary next April. Those marriages, all combined welcomed over 17 children. The sanctity of Marriage and family is engrained in me and my children. I pray every night that my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will experience and know marriage as love between a man and women that gives way to family.

I do not want my grandchildren to think that one-half of humanity, either mothers or fathers, are dispensable.

What is your stance? (Don’t worry, I am not a hater. You can speak/type freely. I am grown-up enough to handle opposing views. I do believe that what you have to say is important so please share. But it would be appreciated if you did it in a cordial manner, thank you)

TP: Not just for your Butt (Put it on your Christmas list)

August 1, 2012August 1, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Think back to Christmas. Remember all that time, money, energy, gas, and more time you spent locating gifts, wrapping gifts, and then carefully placing those said gifts under the tree? Now remember how late you stayed up and how early your rose just to watch your little ones tear open those wrapped gifts? Remember how much time you spent trying to get those darn things out of the packaging? Seriously!?! Why do they make it so difficult to remove toys from the packaging? So after wrestling with the packaging for a half hour you then moved to the next obsticle, batteries. Of course you never have the right batteries on hand, who does? Thus begins the search for other toys and/or remotes with the same size batteries. Then…finally, done!

So your little one plays with the toys for roughly ten minutes and then where does their attention move? That’s right that darn packaging! Whether it is the cardboard box, plastic do-hicks (what are they called?), bubble wrap, etc. No matter how hard Fisher-Price, Mattel, Melissa & Doug, etc. try they can’t trump a child’s imagination. One such example, toilet paper wedding dresses….

The girls wanted to play bride but did not have their dress-ups at Nana’s house thus, toilet paper wedding dresses evolved.

So for Christmas this year I propose the following items be on your child’s Christmas list:

Toilet Paper
Cardboard box
Wrapping paper/tissue paper
Bubble wrap
What would you add?

Never underestimate the power of a Child’s imagination!

Can you relate to the Christmas morning mayhem? So what type of up-recycling, trash, packaging, etc. do your kiddos enjoy playing with?

Exclaim! 2012

July 30, 2012July 30, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

We had a remarkable weekend and I hope you all did too! While we did miss out on the Pizza Palooza event on Friday evening due to rain, rain that we desperately needed, the remainder of the weekend was gorgeous. Sunday was especially beautiful for Exclaim. What is Exclaim you ask? Well….

Three years ago the Toledo area Catholics decided to create a local event that would feature nationally prominent Christian musicians and family fun activities. The first year drew 4,000 and the second 7,000, making it one of the largest outdoor Christian music festivals in the region!

Exclaim is an event organized by Catholics but intended for the entire Christian community. One Faith. One Hope. One Lord. Exclaim is a FREE family friendly event. This year Exclaim featured….

Photo Booth Sponsored by The Blade.

Local band Canons played throughout the day.

National artist Josh Blakesley

The City Harmonic played

Followed by one of my favorites, Kutless!

There were workshops on various faith topics.

Inflatable games, kids’ corner, and Magic show for the children.

Nearly 40 organizations were onsite to offer faith related information.

Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration tents

The day culminated with a gorgeous evening mass outside. But before Mass things needed to be taken down and the kiddos got to sit on the cart with their Nana (possibly one of the highlights of their evening) then we tailgated dinner…

Mass was amazing. It was so fascinating to see so many Catholics gathered outdoors, the Mass was so moving between the awesome procession with the Bishop, the music by Josh Blakesely, the readings, Homily, and energy of the crowd the Holy Spirit was definitely present.

Thank you…

So many people put time, effort, energy, and sweat (literally sweat) into this event and it was amazing.

My parents and sister and brother helped this year and I would love to be a part of such a wonderful event next year. It is my hope that I can one day attend Exclaim with my grandchildren.

Of course none of this would have been made possible without the support and contributions from Medical Mutual, The Catholic Diocese of Toledo, and Catholic Youth Organization Athletics.

And there are many more to thank…click here

Fort Rapids Indoor Water Park Resort: Save $50 off Overnight Stays OR $12 off Day Passes!

July 28, 2012July 28, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Fort Rapids Indoor Water Park Resort in Columbus, Ohio is central Ohio’s largest indoor water park resort. Fort Rapids is the perfect family fun travel destination where 60,000 square feet of wet and wild fun is waiting for the whole family. Come relax and unwind in one of the guest rooms or family style villa suites, then zip down 12 unique water rides, float in the lazy river, get drenched by the 1,000 gallon tipping bucket and win big at the 5,000 square foot Gold Rush Arcade. Then, stop by the Branding Iron Grille or Copper Star Saloon for lunch or dinner. Read more

Save $50 off Overnight Stays OR $12 off Day Passes!

Coupon valid for Overnight Stays or Waterpark Day Passes! -Mention this coupon when booking an overnight stay to get $50 off instantly! (Present this coupon at check-in, valid on new reservations only. Some blackout dates may apply.) -Present this coupon to receive an All day Waterpark Admission Pass for ONLY $17.95! (Good for up to 4 passes at the discounted rate. Regular price is $29.95, some blackout dates may apply. Call ahead for occupancy and availability.) Call 877-33-SPLASH for more info.

Click Here to print off Coupon

Baby Book Menu: Mommy Guilt Sundae or Humble Pie (post includes a FREE journal)

July 26, 2012July 26, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

It is time that I finally get my act together, hunker down and go through our baby girl’s 1^st year pictures.

Now this might not sound that bad but there is a catch. See, that baby girl isn’t turning 1, nope, she is turning 2 in less than a month and mommy has yet to get her baby book together. I feel like I have just been served two scoops of anxiety in one of those fancy Sunday dishes (you know the type, the frosted glass that is fluted at the top and has the rounded edges…shoot, if I am going to have two scoops of anxiety it better at least be served in a gorgeous dish).

With our first child I had her baby book completed before she was even 9 months old, (I really had my crap together back then). I was literally waiting for events to occur so I could add them to the book. Then with our son I had his completed by the time he was 1-1/2 years old. But with our third child I have been…well…busy.

I know…excuses, excuses…excuses! So the fact that it has taken me longer than the other two to ~~complete~~ start her baby book isn’t the half of it. I suppose we could add some toppings to that anxiety sundae.

Remember those ice cream cones that would get dipped in the chocolate and form a hard shell for all of two seconds until ice cream would come leaking out of all sides of the cone and running down your arm as you raced against time to stop it? Well, we mine as well coat that anxiety sundae with mommy guilt so as to allow the anxiety to leak through the guilt so to speak. Why?

Well, I am the worst mother ever; you know those amazing sonogram pictures? You know the ones that give you a first glimpse at the little person inside of you…basically your baby’s first photo ever….and if I may add…the only set we received. Yep, those! Well…I…I lost them! There, I said it. Now you have my permission to judge away. What kind of mother loses those pictures, right!?! Maybe we should add some sorrowful sprinkles to that sundae and lastly, because what is a sundae without a cherry? One non-merry berry because (and this is the worst) there is still a ~~big~~ little part of me that doesn’t want to embark on this project and hassle with cutting pictures, pasting, writing, etc. You may now nominate me for worlds worst mom because I don’t want to do a scrap-book for my baby.

But wait…there might be hope. I will take that Mommy Anxiety and guilt smothered Sundae back and exchange it for some humble pie thanks to Paper Corterie.

Make that merry berry humble pie thanks to the ease of digital baby books and Paper Corterie’s user-friendly site. Not to mention the quality of the books, amazing! In fact, I might just have that baby book done before she turns two …maybe. (Don’t hold me to that because, well, I am…busy. But thankfully Paper Corterie has something for that too, checkout their planners).

Oh…and this added bonus….

FREE journal for new customers! Enter the Coupon Code: welcomejournal at checkout.

Okay, so I dished to you. I was brutally honest about my feelings, emotions, and the fact that I am a horrible mommy for losing those sonogram pictures and not wanting to scrap-book my child’s baby book. Now comes the part where you build me back up and tell me that it isn’t just me, right?

How long did it take you to complete your child’s baby book? Do you scrap-book or go digital? Did you forget when milestones occurred in their lives and then have to guess? (Because I would never do something like that…now if you’ll excuse me I have a pie to eat, lol!)

Giveaway!

July 24, 2012July 24, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Update: This Giveaway has been extended through the end of July.

Can you recall the moment you found out you were going to be a mother? For me it was the third morning in a row that I refused coffee, me, refuse coffee, that is a crazy concept! My inclination was confirmed after taking a pregnancy test. The emotions that followed were so powerful, instant joy…quickly followed by worry…..rapidly accompanied by panic. I felt like Cinderella, like my fairy Godmother had just transformed me into something amazing, it was magical. Then the clock struck midnight and reality hit and what preceded was shock! I am pregnant….I don’t know how to be pregnant….what is normal…what isn’t normal….what if I screw this up…….what if I eat the wrong food and my child has extra limbs because of it……am I going to have to buy granny panies…..can I still be intimate with my hubby…….labor…oh God, labor…..worse, delivery….what if I don’t have the strength….and those questions kept coming, one after another. Then, upon hearing our exciting news my mother gave me a wonderful gift, What to Expect When Your Expecting. Inside the front cover she even addressed a person message to my hubby and me;

As you begin your journey as parents look for knowledge and pray for wisdom. Love always and God Bless, Mom & Dad

Ah….relief. Being the wise woman she is, my mom just gave me the best thing to ease my pregnancy and pre-motherhood worries, she gave me knowledge, she gave me What to Expect When Your Expecting or, better known as, the expect mom’s bible. I carried my copy of What to Expect everywhere….to the grocery store, work, doctors appointments, mall, you name it and it was in my bag. I was constantly referencing and easing worries and concerns that coincide with……is this normal? I took it with me to the hospital to labor and deliver. Of course I had read the entire book by that point and it is a good thing I did because our little bundle of joy was born “sunny-side up”, or posterior, and had the cord wrapped around her neck twice. But the book prepared me for any and all outcomes and I felt rest assured. While in the hospital I reread the section on breastfeeding, postpartum, and more……mom was right, knowledge is the key!

After the birth of our first child we decided to do it again….and again three years later. And yes, I still referenced my, What to Expect When Your Expecting with my third pregnancy. The book is right, each pregnancy is totally different.

So, fast forward to today and we have a 6-year-old, 4-year-old, and 22 month old and I have to be honest, I have not referenced a What to Expect book in a while. I totally by-passed the What to Expect the First Year (But after reading through it I wish I could go back and do it all over again with that book of knowledge….hmm gives me an idea….baby # 4?). Since I have 3 children, you would think I have it all figured out by now, or at least I thought I did, that is until I read What to Expect the Second Year. Hello! How could I have let my foolish pride keep me from purchasing this book! Talk about valuable information. There is an entire section on Treating Toddler Injuries, totally could have used that, especially with our son, he was/is prone to “trying to fly” accidents (why must Super Hero’s fly!?!).

I have come to the realization that it doesn’t matter if you are a first time mom or this is your 15th time around, there is always something you need a refresher course on. What I have really found helpful in, What to Expect the Second Year, is the Disciplining your Toddler; What Discipline is…and Isn’t. How quickly we forget. This book has really helped me express how a Toddler acts to my older two children too, in addition to a considerable amount of additional knowledge I had since forgotten.

Okay, enough about me, this is where you come in………

What to Expect.com has generously team up with me to host a giveaway to celebrate this wonderful book series. In honor of the ease, calm, peace, understanding, knowledge, and yes, as my mother stated, wisdom that has evolved as a result of the priceless advice discussed in the What to Expect Series I am giving away the first three books in this series to TWO lucky readers!

Two lucky readers will receive:

•What to Expect When Expecting

•What to Expect the First Year

•What to Expect the Second Year

To enter this giveaway you must follow Mom on the go in Holy Toledo publicly, and leave a comment telling me which book you will enjoy the most. Please include your email. You must do this before you complete any of the extra entries! Even if you are a been-there, done-that mom remember the What to Expect Book series is a great refresher course and also makes a great gift for an expecting mom, dad, grandmother, caregiver, etc. so enter yourself and a friend!!

Extra entries – leave a comment telling me you have done each of these:

-Like Mom on the go in Holy Toledo Facebook

-Like What to Expect Facebook

-Post this giveaway on your blog (leave the link to your post)

This giveaway will end ~~Monday, July 2nd at 9 EST~~. August 1st at 9pm EST.

Good luck to everyone!

Music under the Stars

July 23, 2012July 23, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Last night we attended Music under the Stars at the Toledo Zoo’s Amphitheatre.

Music Under the stars is presented by the Toledo Symphony and is free, that’s right, I said FREE! Thanks to the headline sponsor, Mercy, and support from The Andersons, the Toledo Community Foundation, Huntington Bank, Taylor Cadillac, and the Toledo Zoo.

It is such a wonderful way to introduce your youngsters to the Symphony in an outdoor setting that is kiddo friendly. So if you need to walk around with your toddler you can simply get up and walk around while still enjoying the music. Or, if your toddler is inspired to dance after watching the Ardan Academy of Irish Dancers on stage she can. The dancers were amazing…

And the zoo has a variety of yummy treats too! Nothing like a cold refreshing ice cream during intermission…

While waiting in line for ice cream, and what a line…

…we had the pleasure of listening to Summerstock Toledo who will be presenting My Favorite Year at Ottawa Hills School July 27^th and 28^th at 8pm and July 29^th at 3pm. Summerstock Toledo is a non-profit, student run theatre company. We are committed to offering theatrical opportunities to high school students in the Toledo area. Our students not only perform on the stage, but also run the business and technical aspects of the show. Read more…

The theme for last night’s concert was “Music of the Movies” which included pieces from movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Selections from The Sound of Music, Theme from Superman, Selections from Star Wars, and more.

It was nice because there were a variety of genera that our entire family enjoyed. I and the girls adored the Selections from The Sound of Music that was conducted by Sam Szor who made a special appearance! Many in the crowd started singing along. My hubby and son favored the theme from Superman and Star Wars selections.

Upcoming concerts:

July 29^th “Passport to Europe”

Jason Stumbo, conductor with Voices of Harmony

August 5 “Americana”

Rodney Dorsey, conductor

August 12 “That’s All Folks”

Kenneth Thompson, conductor

Have you been to Music under the Stars? Or perhaps you have attended something similar in your neck of the woods? If you have what is your favorite part, the music, the fact that it is outdoors, the entire atmosphere? If not does it seem like something your family would be interested in attending?