Meal Tip Monday

It's Meal Tip Monday! Today's tip is - Copy Me That! What is that you ask? Well, it's an app to save and organize all your recipes! Check out the screen shots. It's a way to copy a recipe from any website with one click AND you can even store your recipes made from scratch!!! This is good news if you're like me and never write anything down. My mom frequently prints out recipes for me, but I find that they end up all over the place. I also love cook books, but I'm in a Marie Kondo-ing and trying to have less stuff in my life! 

This meal tip is brought to you by Fit4Mom Norfolk. If you want more tips like this one, like their facebook, and if you want to try a class... the first one is free!

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live

This weekend for the first time, I attended an event with monster trucks. I guess this was just one of those things in the world for me that I never felt like I needed to see and didn't understand the appeal, but after watching RT's face while a fire breathing metal T-Rex ate and ripped apart a car, okay... it's kinda cool!

So monster trucks are loud.... like, really loud. Like, feel it in your seat when they are right in front of you loud, but the kids around us were all wearing the noise canceling headphones, and most of the adults had ear plugs. I just wore the regular "my husband is snoring I can't sleep" ear plugs and I was fine. Also, I didn't see any kids around us that seemed to be scared or crying because of the noise. 

The show that we went to started at 7:30, a little bit late for a toddler, but actually RT wasn't phased by the time at all. Scope has apparently redone their seats where we were sitting, which was a welcome change. The MC did a good job of walking around the crowd and having people participate, and I thought that the tickets were reasonably priced. They said "see you next year", so I'd imagine the tour comes around annually. We would go again!

Lava MiniFest

Sometimes kids are welcome at non-kid places, which was the case Saturday night at Lava MiniFest. An outdoor music mini festival held at Toast, bands played on alternating stages while kids ran around, danced, and jumped about. A big highlight for RT... you can see the train tracks from Toast, which meant that every time one came by he could run over to watch it.

From a parent perspective, the music wasn't too loud; there were nachos, which my kid would eat; and the atmosphere was super laid back. I'll admit, though, we didn't stay for the whole night, and it seemed like most of the parents were packing up to head home around bedtime. (Seriously, this is fine. I'm exhausted by 9:00!) There was an indoor craft market to browse and moon shine drinks from Belle Isle Moonshine.

All kids under 12 are free, and adult tickets can be bought in mega advance for only $5.00. As the event gets closer, they go up to $10.00, then $15.00 the day of. We love supporting local and close by acts, like our friend Landon, whose band Landon Elliott and the Goods played. We also love supporting our friend Josh who actually created Lava and has done an awesome job with it! Check out Landon's music below and check out some upcoming shows. I'd recommend checking out one at Toast where you can bring the kids, sit outside, and enjoy this weather, good food, and live music.

Katie's Kickers

I have been swimming for as long as I can remember. Besides growing up with a pool in my backyard, I was on swim teams, and then I lifeguarded through high school and college. Water safety is no joke, and according to the latest statistics, in 2018 more than 148 children under the age of 15 drowned. So, as summer approaches, (teacher friends- we have about 50 school days left, not that anyone is counting!), I knew I wanted to get RT into some swim lessons. I turned to the most powerful mom tool I have - my friends, to find the best place to take him and was given information on Katie's Kickers.

Katie is committed to helping reduce the number of drownings each year. She has a masters degree in education and has been teaching swim lessons for 25 years, 19 of them at a year round swim school. She is certified in Red Cross Water Safety, Swim America, Australian Swim School, and Infant Safety Rescue. She has also coached USS Club and YMCA swim teams. She has several employees who work for her during the summer months, who are all certified, trained, and experienced. While it's cold, she holds classes indoors, but during the summer she hosts lessons at her outdoor, saltwater, heated pool. Katie also remembers each child by name and somehow remembers specific songs each one likes (hello wheels on the bus for the millionth time a day), and which sticker sets they will want when they finish.

Time to be honest. RT isn't always thrilled about his lessons. It's weird. When I ask him if he wants to swim, he tells me yes! But then when we get there, he is scared and doesn't want to go in. He cries, but does everything that Katie asks him to do. Katie is good at reassuring him, but still telling him that he has to do what is being asked. He says he wants to get out, but once we get home, he tells us how much fun he had. I hope he likes it, but I know he sleeps great that night, and he is progressing. It's awesome to see all of his progress.

If you want to get information on the lessons, Katie's email is katieskickers@gmail.com. I've been amazed to see reviews and testimonials from friends, and it seems like every time I am going or coming to the pool, there are more mamas that I know. If you're interested, I would jump on it before the summer. For some reason, people have this lax attitude about water safety. They complain about the cost and time associated with swim lessons. But, as harsh as it sounds, they cost less than a funeral, and the time spent is so worth it. I'm really glad that we started the lessons and I can't wait to see him use what he has learned in action this summer!

One good thing about swim lessons at the indoor pool is if you have them later at night, just shower them and get them ready for bed there! We honestly didn't plan this, but how cute are these bubbas in their matching pjs?! 

Toddler Tuesday Tech Edition V. 2

Once kids understand using the mouse and the keyboard, they learn everything else on a computer super fast. Happyclicks is a website that teaches kids to use these. Basically kids can start out by playing little games that just require them to click or touch the mouse. Each game will react with a motion or sound. The next step of games is for kids to play swipe games before moving on to a section of drag and drop. You'd think that clicking and moving at the same would be simple, but for kids who are still learning how to use their fingers- it's hard! Kids can advance from there to mazes and memory games to puzzles and coloring games.

Let me be clear. This site is not a pretty, state of the art, song and dance type site. It is bare bones. But I like it because of that. Not many sites are directly specifically to young toddlers, but this one is. RT still struggles with the difference between a computer and an iPad, so he sometimes tries to use the monitor as a touch screen. They do have an app called Maui Mini, but I like that RT is learning some computer skills by playing on the computer. It's nice to have a supply of mom tools in your toolbox for times when we need a distraction, have a rainy day, or just need some down time.