gube – Mom on the go in Holy Toledo

What I Bought myself for Mother’s Day, 2 Apps every Super Mom MUST Have, and a Special Shout Out to YOU!

May 9, 2012May 9, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Okay, so I fell in love with this mug the moment I walked into Caribou the other day, I just had to have it. So, I did what any Super mom would do, I bought it for myself because if past experience has taught me anything it is that you sometimes need to purchase your own Mother’s Day gift. Please, don’t get me wrong, my eyes fill with tear the moment my children hand me those delicate imprints of their hands and I read those heart wrenching poems that coincide. You know the ones; the ones that make you want to come up with some secret potion to keep them small forever. Why must they grow, and why so fast?? And of course my hubby, God bless his soul, he does try to makes an effort to give me a Mother’s Day gift from the heart, kind of. But if I have to fake a smile for one more gosh darn last-minute, convenience purchased, cheap, carcinogen based candle I might lose it! Seriously, I am not sure if he is aware of this or not but he has given me the same candle 3 years in a row, I have the proof.

So, long story short, instead of doing a woe is me pity party later, after the Mother’s day festivities I decided to purchase the mug for myself. This way I am guaranteed a smile Mother’s Day as I sip on my coffee from my new mug. Despite what gifts and appreciation may, or may not be expressed on Mother’s Day I am already guaranteed a great day because my mug says I am a SUPER MOM!!

The mug got me thinking though, what does every SUPER MOM need in order to be, well, SUPER? Faith, patience, kindness, a sense of humor, love, tolerance, integrity, faith, a positive disposition, a sense of humor, fortitude, a sense of humor!! If you can’t tell, I think faith and a sense of humor need to be emphasized; you can’t take life or raising children too seriously and sometimes you will have those days when you only get by on a prayer. SUPER MOMs also need super support networks. A supportive family, friends, neighbors, etc. are a must otherwise you lose your mind and the SUPER. Then I started thinking about some of the more modern-day gizmos like technology, iPads, iPhones, etc. and the ways they support and encouraged the SUPER status. There are two must have apps that instantly came to mind.

Gube, it is wonderful, a true life saver in desperate moments. You know those days when you are at your wit’s end and you feel like throwing in the towel but you still have 2 more errands on your list? Well, Gube is the answer. Gube is an app that provides kid safe videos. Parent’s there is no need to worry about your toddler or preschooler stumbling across a provocative video on their search for Elmo or Yo gabba gabba. Gube provides parents with a catalog of pre-screened, moderated, and safe, yet fun, YouTube videos. Designed and developed by parents of toddlers for parents with young children. Paired with the BubCap (www.bubcap.com) home button cover, it turns your iPhone or iPad into a great learning and entertainment device!

Best part, as a special Happy Mother’s Day Gube is $0.99!! It is normally $3.99 but starting Friday May 11^th– Sunday May 13^th it is $0.99, so be sure to get your app Friday! Moms this is a great gift to give yourself for mother’s day, trust me, you will thank yourself the next time you are waiting in the Doctor’s office, waiting in line at the grocery store, going on vacation, or stuck in road construction (construction season is just around the corner).

The second app that is a must for a SUPER MOM is Rescuehood. As many of you know I experienced a Scary Mommy Moment this spring while enjoying what was supposed to be a fun-filled memorable day at the zoo with my children and friends, but quickly became a nightmare. As I express in Scary Mommy Moment: You can’t Find your Child!, there is panic and pure adrenaline that takes over your body when you can’t locate your child. It is a feeling that no mom, parent, or guardian should have to feel or experience. But if they do have the misfortune of experiencing this scenario Rescuehood is the ally you want on your side!

Rescuehood would instantly alert everyone in the area that a child is at risk, so a mass of people can mobilize into action and rescue the child fast. Rescuehood is an emergency broadcast social network however in order for it to work the technology needs to be on EVERY mobile phone in the world to help save children from harm. The founders are building awareness parent by parent, community by community.

Rescuehood is a must for every SUPER MOM and for that SUPER MOM’s support network. This app is FREE; please share with all you come in contact with today.

Now it is your turn to share, what helps you be the SUPER MOM you are? Do you have a support network, technological allies, or some other means for getting through parenthood, please share?

Lastly, I would like to take a second to give a special shout out to all the amazing Mom bloggers, followers, and friends, you rock!! You are all a part of my social support system, it is nice to read other moms banters and blessings, to know that I am not alone, that there are others who have experienced the same is comforting. To all the SUPER MOMS out there I hope you have a Happy Mother’s Day and God blesses all your efforts.

Added Bonus: The Ten Super Powers of Moms

Our First Thanksgiving…..Gobble Gobble, Gube, and Gratitude

November 25, 2011November 17, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

T’was the day before Thanksgiving and all through our house the children could be heard, it was as if we told them we were off to see the infamous mouse! Truth be told, mom and dad were pretty excited as well and slightly nervous, we were going to be cooking our first gobble gobble, I mean turkey.

thanksgiving11 001 — My little helper busy tearing bread for the stuffing/dressing

As tradition would have the family started off in the kitchen. I prepared the stuffing with my little helper while my hubby peeled the potatoes. Then they were off to pick up our daughter from school and purchase a Roaster, light bulbs, and cream for the coffee (those random but necessary last-minute purchases). While he was gone I continued with preparing the stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrot and parsnip ginger puree, and slicing the sweet potatoes into sticks (the kiddos love sweet potato stick and they are a healthier option than the casserole).

Once home the kiddos helped my hubby clean out the fireplace, bring in some wood, and make a fire. Then the kiddo’s made name placing for our guests, tidied their rooms, and then the excitement slowly turned into annoying each other. It was time to introduce technology to our thanksgiving preparations. They each took turns playing on sproutonline.com and using the iPhone app, Gube.

Gube is an iPhone app that provides parents with a catalog of pre-screened, moderated, and safe yet fun YouTube videos for toddlers through grade-school age. Kids can search for and add videos to their favorites list, or browse the wide selection and find new favorites. For the younger tots, videos can be set to repeat, or a list of videos can be looped.

The app is really handy when your child needs some discreet entertainment while you finish a task, like a thanksgiving feast, or simply run an errand. Also perfect for car rides and finishing a meal out. Many of the videos are educational songs, and some of them are just fun and even enjoyable for parents too! Parents- It’s on sale for just $0.99 through Tuesday, November 29th. Find Gube in the app store, or like them on Facebook to keep up on the latest deals and even post your favorite videos you’d like to see in Gube.

app store: www.gubeapp.com

facebook: www.facebook.com/gubeforkids

Thank-gube-ness for technology! I was able to finish setting the table while they played games, sang songs, and watched videos. Then it was off to bed, and while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads mine was a whirlwind of Thanksgiving turkey cooking conundrums.

Thanksgiving Day

I awoke to my daughter repeating, “mom, mom, mom, I’m hungry….mom, mom, mom I am hungry”. While the cat lay on my head poking my cheek with her paw and the dog continually nudged my arm. Who needs an alarm clock; obviously, it was six o’clock, on the nose. When the baby adds her cry to the mix it is 6:30am and when my son does his moaning walking to the bathroom it is 6:45am.

So I rolled out of bed, made coffee, fed all the living things in my home, changed the baby, and procrastinated. I was still a little nervous about the turkey. Why? I had no idea. I finally Momuped! I got the turkey out and stared at it for a few minutes actually thinking about the life it lead, all-be-it-short, but a life no less. I quietly thanked it for giving its life, not exactly its choice, but still I appreciated the sacrifice and I said a quick prayer. Then it was on with the show!

thanksgiving11 040 — Our turkey….I think my hands were shaking while I took the picture in anticipation.

After consulting many of my mommy friends and my own mom we collated all the suggestions and advice and decided to prepare our turkey by infusing thyme into butter and rubbing it under the skin directly onto the meat, we place thyme and orange slices into the turkey and cooked it in a Roasting pan upside-down. We were going for taste, not presentation. I am happy to announce that everyone’s advice, recommendations, and prayers paid off, the turkey tasted amazing and we received so many compliments. Thank you to all who contributed to our turkey preparations.

thanksgiving11 011 — The yellow tablecloth is from Ireland; my family went this past summer and purchased it at a flea market, I like to think it has its own history to add to our table.

Our First Thanksgiving in our home, and possibly our last, was beautiful. Our house is on the market so it seemed rather appropriate that after living here for nearly 8 years that we host Thanksgiving at least once in our first house together. Thanksgiving was so wonderful that it almost had contemplating not moving. Granted we never registered for fine China so our table was not perfectly set but it was genuine, it contained a few family heirlooms, and dishes passed down to my hubby and I when we were first married (you know the ones you hope to misplace but I am glad we did not). The table told a story of us, of each of our family’s history, our first thanksgiving together as husband and wife, and our present family of five with Sippy cups, cutouts of little hands shaped like turkeys, and two adorable kiddos with headdresses. Yes, it was genuine.

thanksgiving11 015 — This was a wedding gift.

thanksgiving11 032 — The kiddos picked out the Turkey placemat last year.

thanksgiving11 049 — The Hurricanes on the table were my husband’s grandmothers thus, the kiddo’s great-grandmothers.

The atmosphere was a symphony for the senses. A Steve Tyrell’s CD played in the background, we had a warm and beautiful fire in the fireplace, the aromas coming from the kitchen were mouth-watering, and the food was a rainbow of colors that delighted the palette.

thanksgiving11 065 — One of my favorite dishes and it is so simple, Brussels sprouts and grapes tossed in olive oil and roasted, yum!

Our first Thanksgiving has come and gone and I realize we can never have another “first” again but I am grateful for the memories. There was never a mommy meltdown, I relinquished the control (it was difficult but I did it) I think I came to realized the true value of the day, while the food is important, it is not the main reason for the gathering, it truly is about the people. If the turkey had not turned out or the dog had gotten to the stuffing first it would not have mattered, we would have made do. We can substitute a main dish or a side dish but we can not substitute the people.

thanksgiving11 098 — My mom’s yummy cupcakes!

I am Thankful for the people in my life. I am thankful for…..my family, my children, my sister, brother, mother, father, hubby, in-laws, and their health, my health, for the fact that my hubby has his job and that we our fortunate enough to live in the same city as our parents so that our children can have a relationship with their grandparents. I am thankful for….my grandfather, my many uncles (my mother has six brothers) and aunts and pray that their health continues. I am thankful for…my cousins and the fact that technology (facebook) allows us to stay in touch. I am thankful for…the wonderful friends God has put in my life, and the support system they provide. I am thankful for….you. Thank you for taking a moment out of your hectic schedule to see what is going on in this mommy’s on the go life here in Holy Toledo and thank you for contributing your thoughts, suggestions, and advice, it means a lot to me.

I hope you had a safe and Happy Thanksgiving with Family and Friends.

God bless,

Kat