A couple of weeks ago Heidi Klum laughed at one of the southern contestants on Project Runway for saying, “y’all”.  I don’t blame her. Being a military wife, I’ve lived all over the country and had friends from almost every state.  I might not have my husband’s Texas drawl, or my mother-in-law’s southern lilt in my voice, but I have been accused of overusing the “y’all.”  My Minnesota friends giggle and my New York friends roll their eyes, but I just can’t give it up.  I even use it in email.  That is why this week’s Why-Not of the Week is, give “y’all” a try!

First of all, I’d like to point out that y’all is a perfectly good contraction.  It is a combination of “you” and “all” put together with an apostrophe, just like “don’t”, “haven’t”, etc.  I believe “y’all” gets a bad grammar rap because it is used incorrectly as the singular second person when making fun of uneducated southerners.  No one really refers to one person as “y’all”.

Second, it is a better alternative than other second person plural options.  While “you” is most acceptable as a second person plural, it is confusing since it is more often singular.  “You” can easily be mistaken for one of your friends instead of all.  “You guys” is not gender neutral and it makes me think of Goonies….. “Heeeey you guyyyys!”  I’ve had friends from rural Missouri say “Y’uns” (not sure at all about that spelling).  While unique, it’s just a little out there for widespread use.

And finally, “y’all” just rolls off your tongue.  Go ahead, give it a try……… see, it feels good!  Kind of like linguistic lemonade on a hot Southern afternoon.

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November is National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo for short). You, along with tons of other enthusiastic and over-caffeinated amateur novelists will be challenged to write a 50k novel in one month.  This means that there is no room for editing, rereading or dilly dallying. You have to kick your internal editor out of your head entirely for thirty days and just write. Join the forums on www.nanowrimo.org and commiserate with fellow nanowrimos, join local groups and get together to commiserate in person and have a great excuse to lock yourself away and finally sit down to create your masterpiece!  I’ve participated for the last several years, and every year I think I at least learn something about myself or improve my writing skills infinitesimally.  I also end up with a big hot mess of a story, which then takes 11 months to edit.

You know you’re interested, just take a look at the Nanowrimo site and see what all the fuss is about.  You just might get hooked!

www.nanowrimo.org

Stay tuned for more National Novel Writing Month Enthusiasum!

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Also by Robert McCloskey, check out another classic, Make Way for Ducklings.

Blueberries for Sal on Amazon.com

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]]> http://www.creativemom.net/2009/09/13/creative-childrens-book-of-the-month-blueberries-for-sal/feed/ 0 http://www.creativemom.net/2009/09/13/creative-childrens-book-of-the-month-blueberries-for-sal/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCreativeMom/~3/AeLWDRfLS-A/ http://www.creativemom.net/2009/09/06/the-best-iphone-apps-for-busy-moms-dads/#comments Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:20:01 +0000 The Creative Mom http://www.creativemom.net/?p=305 I know you’re busy, so I’ll cut right to the chase.  I love my iPhone, and here are some of the reasons why.  This is by NO MEANS a complete list.  These are just a few apps I happen to have collected and use on a regular basis.  Have some better ones? Please add them to the list by commenting to this post!  I look forward to hearing from you.

Best Apps to Organize Mom (or Dad)…
Because Time is always in short supply.

Grocery IQ: I am a lousy grocery shopper.  I have to have a list or I’ll get distracted by the tortilla making machine and forget half of the dinner ingredients.  This simple app lets you jot down an item right when you think of it.  It gives you a categorized list, lets you check items off as you shop and has tons of extras like a favorites list and multiple store lists.  I’m sure it has lots of goodies I haven’t even discovered yet. Easy to use and  hopefully less likely to be forgotten on the kitchen counter. Shopper is another great grocery list maker too.

To Do’s: A simple, no frills to do list. Let’s you assign priority, move items up and down, as well as make notes under each one.

Notebooks: A step up from the basic notepad that comes with iPhone.  Totally worth a few bucks if you need to organize your notes into folders.  It saves as you type so you don’t have to worry about losing that novel you are writing on your iPhone.  And when you finish, you can just email it right to the publisher!

Flight Track: Because you always need to know right when to pick the grandparents up from the airport.

Phone Flicks: If your family has a Netflix subscription (and if you don’t you should try it out) save some time by picking up the free Phone Flicks app.  You can do most of the things you can do online and who knows if you’ll have time to sit down at the computer today.

iFitness: It is a bit pricey, but it is helpful if you need a new fitness routine or just need someone to tell you what to do at the gym.  It is also a great way to keep track of your workouts.

Facebook: A must have these days.  Post photos of your kids, keep up with all your friends at once, sent quick messages.  And, a great way to kill some time while someone sits on the potty for the eleventh time in one hour.

Clock In: A simple time clock.  Handy for anyone who works freelance or by the hour, or if you want to have a quick record of nap time length or feeding times.

Digital Clock: Just a digital clock.  I use this when we travel.  Make sure you’re plugged in though.

Kindle for iPHone: I don’t have a Kindle, but I always have a book on my iPhone.  It isn’t perfectly ideal for reading, but it works just fine.  I pull it out while my daughter plays for a few minutes in the bathtub.

Walt Disney World Resort Times Guide: This was super handy on our recent trip to WDW.

WDW Dining: Also super easy to find restaurants in the park.

Wikipanion: You don’t have time to run to the computer to look up the name of last season’s Dancing with the Stars winner.  But it will drive you crazy until you remember! Now the answer is at your fingertips.

Amazon Mobile: Oh yeah, shopping on your phone.  Now I just need my flying car.

Other iPhone time savers:  Make sure you are using all that your iPhone can provide.  If you don’t know how your Maps, Messages, Calendar or Contacts works, take some time and figure them out.  You’ll save tons of time in the future.  I also recommend MobileMe, which pushes all of your email, contact and calendar information so that it is always current on your iPhone, computer or web, no syncing needed.

Best Apps to Entertain Little Ones…
Priceless on a plane, at Daddy’s graduation or waiting in line at Disney World.

First Words: I thought this one was lame at first, but my daughter loved it.  It is basically just cheesy pictures and words.  My daughter liked the animal sounds.

iAlphabet: A great little ABC program.  Simple and easy to use.  Just tap a letter and it comes up with a picture and sound.

Bubble Wrap: Just like the real thing, only endless!  Great for entertaining husbands as well.

Koi Pond: My daughter likes the fish, but really I bring this one up whenever I need a moment of zen.  Just lovely Koi fish swimming in a pond. You make ripples in the water with your fingers and they swim away.

Disney Fairies Fly: Okay, this one is for me. More fun than you would think, and totally addictive.

iFart: My husband made me include this one. It doesn’t really deserve a description.

Other iPhone Toys…

I always have a few episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Little Einsteins on my iPhone just in case I REALLY need to keep a little one mesmerized for a while. We also found that with really little ones, a collection of familiar photos in your photo album is a great way to entertain and teach new words.  For a plane trip when our daughter was just learning her words we filled my husband’s iPhone with pictures of animals, shapes, letters, her grandparents faces and pictures of her.  She loved it, and so did the people sitting next to us on the plane.

Now it’s your turn.  What iPhone apps can you not live without?

Let’s face it.  Life with young children in the house can run at a frantic pace. As a work at home mom with a husband in the military I know mine sure does.  I can usually keep up the pace and get everything done with regular exercise, a daily schedule, morning coffee and occasional lifesaving visits from Nana or Grandma.  But some weeks just don’t get their share of mom-motivation.  It is a tough job, and sometimes your body needs a break, especially during those times when your little one isn’t sleeping as well as usual.  That’s why this week’s why-not is a simple one.  Nap with your little one for a week.  Give your body an extra dose of sleep for a week.  Take some time to relax during the afternoon, even if it is for just part of your baby’s nap time.  You may have to cut something out of your day, if you spend more than an hour watching TV or web surfing, this is a good thing to try and cut out.  I usually cut out laundry, but that usually backfires on me.  When I did this last, I had to cut down on my work since nap time is usually Mommy work time. Fortunately working freelance is feast or famine.  And I picked a slow week.

Taking a nap week is also a good way to help your little one get adjusted to a new nap schedule.  Dr. Sears* (without whom my child might be living wild in the backyard) recommends sharing sleep with your baby. If your little one is having trouble sleeping, sick, or just in an extra mommy-clingy stage take your naps snuggled up together. This can be especially helpful to breast feeding mommies trying to increase their milk.  Just nap after feeding using the side-laying position.  That being said, sharing sleep isn’t possible or ideal for some parents, and that is okay.  Just set up your baby monitor, put your little one down, and take a siesta of your own.

Try this why-not when your body is telling you that more rest and less chaos is needed.  Your baby will benefit from a happy, sane and well rested Mommy. Why not?

*Need some sleep advice? The Creative Mom loves Dr. Sears.  Check out The Baby Sleep Book

Need a great little book to read at bedtime?  Check out The Bedtime Book.

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Angelina Ballerina, written by Katharine Holabird and Illustrated sublimely by Helen Craig

This book is quickly becoming a modern classic.  It’s beautiful images and endearing tale of fulfilling your dreams are timeless.  The illustrations are full and rich, and you and your little ones will find new details hidden in each scene every time you read it. If this book isn’t already part of your library, especially if you have a little girl, you need to make just a little space on your bookshelf for a little white mouse with a pretty pink tutu.

Find Angelina on Amazon here.

This very first why-not is for the shoe lover in us all.  You know you’ve got that fabulous pair of heels tucked away in the closet.  You look at them every now and then and sigh, “I wish I had a place to wear you.”  Well, now you do.  Take those fancy shoes out, put on a cute skirt or even just a nice pair of jeans and head to…. the grocery store!  You’ll love being 3 inches (or more!) taller as you saunter through the cereal aisle. Make it a special occasion and let your little ones pick out their favorite princess slippers, cowboy boots or galoshes.  It will take a little of the hum drum out of a regular visit to the grocery store, and if you do get blisters, at least you can take them right off when you get home.  Why Not?

Learn more about the Creative Mom’s Why-Nots and learn how to submit your own!

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Some why-nots will be right up your alley, and some will be way far away in someone else’s alley.  But, don’t discount them right away.  Think about how you can make it work, or change it to inspire or give a giggle to your family.  Most of my why-nots are especially for moms, moms working at home, military families or anyone who loves to create (anything!). But, the great thing about why-nots is that anyone can try them, you just have to ask, “Why not?”

I know you’ve got great ideas, and I want to hear them! Submit your why-not idea by posting it here.  If I use it as a why-not of the week then I’ll send you a free goodie from LittonArt.com.

Check out our previous Why-Nots here.

While my Plan of the Day sheet lets me organize what needs to be done that day, the Plan of the Week sheet gives me a broader view of what needs to get done and what is planned.  I use it to fill out my POD sheets for the rest of the week.  I also use a POM (Plan of the Month), which is basically a calendar, more on that in another post. 

Like my Plan of the Day, what will make this work for you is if you customize it for your needs.  I needed a separate column for Work and Home tasks for the week, a rough week schedule and a place for notes.  You might need a box to keep track of when you’ve worked out, or a section for weekly kids activities you want to try out.   I have included a sample POW to show you how I use it, a blank worksheet for you to try out, and an Adobe Illustrator file for you to use to customize your sheet as well as two spreadsheet versions that can be customize as well.

Mom’s POW blank PDF

Mom’s POW example PDF

Mom’s POW Adobe Illustrator file

Mom’s POW Exel file

Mom’s POW numbers file

For tips on customization see my Mom’s POD post.

I organize these worksheets in a hot pink three ring binder that I keep open on my desk all day.  The notebook is always open to my POD so that I can make notes and check things off as I go through the day.  The PODs for the previous days are right behind the current sheet incase I need to refer back to them.  Then, behind a simple divider is my POW sheets so I can refer to them quickly when I need to.  Behind that I have sections for my POMs and my Baby Grows sheets as well as some other tools I have like a time sheet.  More on these other tools coming soon! 

To be notified when these new tools are posted, subscribe to my feed or follow me on twitter.

Best of luck! And be sure and let me know how it goes.