Paranoid or Protective

     Our world as far as pictures and documenting our kids' lives is so different from what it used to be.  Years ago, you had photographs and film that was an ordeal to show.  I guess our impatience started with the Polaroid camera.  We got our pictures instantly and didn't have to wait on them.  Now, it is a whole different ball game.  Pictures are everywhere and we can retouch, crop, and do anything we want to with them.  Who would have ever thought, for one we could carry a phone around, but to also be able to use that mobile phone as a camera too.

     With our modern conveniences comes a few cons.  We are able to keep family members that live away from us connected through email, facebook, and other ways of immediately sending them videos and pictures.  BUT, we don't always know who is also looking at our pictures.  I have always admitted to being an overprotective parent.  I don't know how you can be any other way.  I keep a close eye on my kids and depend on family and those in my community to help me keep them safe.

     We don't want to be prisoners in our home and not be able to go out and put pictures where we want to.  When I started my first blog, I wasn't sure about putting pictures and up and didn't for a while.  I was even more hesitant about pictures of my nieces and nephews because they are younger.  But, with all the ways of documenting our every move, a picture can be taken, posted, and spread around without us ever knowing it.  I look around at the mall sometimes when we are all there with our kids and wonder if there is some creep watching our little ones and taking pictures.  We are in a completely different world and it can be more than scary.

     I don't want to expose my kids or nieces and nephews, but I love talking about them.  My blog is hopefully going to be a record of them and parts of their life.  I am stubborn enough not to want to give that up.  However, I also want to keep them safe. 

    What is your opinion on this?  Better yet, can you share some websites and ways to help us all keep our kids safe.  Although we have to worry about our neighbors, we also have to worry about people miles and miles away.  Our internet has made us all neighbors with one another and we need to look at it in that way. 

     I found http://www.tineye.com/ to see if your pictures are used anywhere other than where you have them.  This link is from the FBI and it is a great source of information.  Surfnetkids is a recent source for keeping kids safe on facebook, especially with their photos.

     Do you have any helpful sites or tips?  Please share them.  I am interested and we can't ever do enough to keep our kids, and ourselves, safe.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids (Coupons Too!)

     It is so hard to think about Christmas while we are still having hot weather in Georgia, but it will be here before we know it!  I am already looking at gift ideas.  I have ordered from several times

for my boys and have been happy with my online orders.






Here are a few coupons:


Save 3% at HobbyTron.com using coupon code: SAVE3D (Except Lego Mindstorms, Savage 25, T-Maxx, Revo, Jato)

Save 5% at HobbyTron.com on 3 or more items. Coupon code: SAVE5D (Except Lego Mindstorms, Savage 25, T-Maxx, Revo, Jato)

Save 5% on all Magic Tricks and Magic Supplies at HobbyTron.com using coupon code: MAGIC

Save 5% on all Science projects, kits and accessories at HobbyTron.com using coupon code: SCIENCE







This is a great website too. 



I like that they have different categories like Father and Son, Mommy and Me, and even a Grandparents page.  They also have a few items for girls.

Tweety Bird Ride On ATV Car Is  Great For Girls And Comes In Pink Tweety Bird Ride On ATV Car Is Great For Girls And  Comes In Pink is in stock and ready to ship from TrendTimes.com. Our toy stores sell Tweety Bird Ride  On ATV Car Is Great For Girls And Comes In Pink for  the best price of $68.72 and personal shoppers are standing by to assist you.

Scooter Duo Pink 6v Offers A Perpetually Good Time Scooter Duo Pink 6v Offers A Perpetually Good Time is in stock and ready to ship from TrendTimes.com. Our toy stores sell Scooter Duo Pink 6v Offers A Perpetually Good Time for the best price of $278.88 and personal shoppers are standing by to assist you.

Gas Scooters and electric scooters blowout sale is now in effect.

WINNERS!!!!! Congratulations!

     Thank you so much to everyone who entered and commented.  I love reading your comments and suggestions.  They are very helpful.  I used Random.org and the drawing is # 7393.  It is entry accessible.  I used either your name or name of blog if there were similarities.  I kept numbers out of it and added an a,b,c, etc. to the end of your name for those of you with multiple entries.  I can give you the way your name is entered if you don't see it.  I am new to giveaways and random.org and try to keep the entries as simple as I can so it will be as fair as possible.

WINNERS:


$30 Visa Card:    Kia89

Smokey and Rose Quartz Necklace:     Donald vtarcher

Red, White and Blue Bracelet:     Tatertot374

America Bracelet:     Susan1215


     Congratulations to all of you and I will be emailing you for mailing addresses. 

     I am going to host another giveaway, but I am going to enjoy a couple of carefree days with my kids!  We have had a lot going on and I am ready to just kick back with them.  We also have my niece's birthday party this weekend.  I am going to post the next giveaway soon and I will be working on updates to the blog.  If you haven't looked at my other blogs and have a minute, do so.  The Lollipop Fence is for my jewelry and that online shop is in the process of being opened.  I hope to have it ready by next week.  Also, if you want to see why I talk about my kids, nieces, and nephews so much, look at my other blog The Sisterhood of Spiritual Single Moms.  Please continue to give me feedback for this blog, I use all the comments and suggestions I get!  Someone suggested a recipe page and I am working on that too!  Thanks everybody and I hope all of you have a blessed, safe, great holiday weekend!!!!!

Little Angels

I talk about my kids and nieces and nephews all the time on my other blog.  They are so sweet, innocent, and pure.  All kids are.  When I saw my sister's babies come into this world I was amazed.  We all look at a baby and child and just see wholesomeness.  It is so hard to lose anyone we love, but when it is a child, I can't imagine the pain a parent feels and I hope and pray I never experience it.  When my grandmother passed away, my great grandmother (her mother) told me, "I am old, I have lost parents, siblings, friends, (she lost her husband three weeks after my grandmother) and even my husband.  But, you can't lose a child.  To outlive my child is just not natural."

     Even when you have seen your child live a full life it is just so hard.  But, when a child is taken away before they even have a chance to grow up it is so hard to understand.  We have lost two children in our community and school this week.  This is when a community that is family is wonderful.  The parents need all the comfort they can get.  The best comfort they can get is through God and any way we can help them keep that in their mind is the best we can do for them.  I found this poem and thought it was a little comfort for such a painful situation.

I put this on this blog too just in case it reaches out to some of you and brings someone comfort.



Little Angels

When God calls little children
to dwell with Him above.
We mortals sometimes question
the wisdom of His love.
for no heartache compares with
the death of one small child,
who does so much to make our world
seem wonderful and mild.
Perhaps God tires of calling
the aged to His fold.
So He picks a rosebud
before it can grow old.
God knows how much we need them
and so He takes but few,
to make the land of Heaven
more beautiful to view.
Believing this is difficult
still somehow we must try.
The saddest word mankind know
will always be "Goodbye".
So when a child departs
we who are left behind,
must realize God loves children,
Angels are hard to find.
~Author Unknown

How Do You Stop Bullying?

  Kids have always been mean to one another.  But, today, there are more ways for kids to hurt their peers.  We have facebook, my space, twitter, texting, cell phones, cell phones with cameras, and then there is still verbal and physical bullying.  What makes a kid bully?  Things like jealousy, their own insecurities, putting the attention on others instead of themselves, a need for control, and being a victim of bullying themselves are just a few factors that contribute to the behavior.

     We are always so quick to blame the parents, and in some cases it makes sense to do so, but I believe there are a lot of reasons kids are so unhappy.  Besides the fact that there are so many broken homes and kids are pulled in two different directions, parents aren't around as much as they should be most of the time through no fault of their own.  Both parents have to work in most homes whether they are together or not.  Here are just a few facts.


· In America today, millions of young people are alone and unsupervised in the hours after school, before parents return home from work. This situation places children and teens at grave risk for juvenile crime, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and other problems. It means students are wasting precious time when they could be learning. And it leaves millions of working parents worried about their children when they should be focused on their jobs. This unproductive, untenable and unacceptable situation would be remedied if our nation invested more fully in the after school programs that keep kids safe, support working families, and help young people succeed in school and in life.
· The after school hours are the peak time for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex. (Source: Bureau, Urban Institute Estimate, 2000) Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2002)
· The parents of more than 28 million school-age children work outside the home. As many as 15 million "latchkey children" go to an empty house on any given afternoon. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor; U.S. Census Bureau, Urban Institute estimate, 2000)
· Teens who do not participate in after school programs are nearly three times more likely to skip classes or use marijuana or other drugs; they are also more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and engage in sexual activity. (YMCA of the USA, March 2001)




     Parents, teachers, and administrators can do their very best but with so much technology it is almost impossible to keep track of behavior and monitor that behavior at all times.  The thing is that these kids are just that, kids.  They aren't capable of comprehending consequences of some of their actions.


Child Development:

"Child development refers to the biological and psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence."

"Developmental change may occur as a result of genetically-controlled processes known as maturation, or as a result of environmental factors and learning, but most commonly involves an interaction between the two. It may also occur as a result of human nature and our ability to learn from our environment. Human beings have a keen sense to adapt to their surroundings and this is what child development encompasses."


     You can click on Child Development and see the stages of development, but the bottom line is kids should be held responsibile for their actions, but sometimes they act when they are not fully mature enough to understand their actions.  Say a child bullies another child, for whatever reason.  Maybe that child is a victim of abuse at home or is just mean and really has no reason.  Either way, he/she is causing harm to another person whether they fully understand it and the consequences.  A child that commits suicide because of bullying is a consequence of the bully's action.  If there is a psychological problem with that child such as a mental disease (bipolar, schizophrenic, etc.) their interpretation may be affected, but if it is a kid just being mean, they are going to at some point in their life realize what they did to another human being. 

     We are the adults and we are supposed to teach and discipline kids so they don't hurt themselves or someone else, but with all the ways of being able to bully today I don't know how you do it.  It is overwhelming for single parents, parents, teachers, coaches, administrators, and other adults supervising kids to stay on top of everything.  You can implement programs, have a zero tolerance bully policy at school, but kids are going to find a way to bully other kids.  It is a real problem and it seems to be getting worse. 

Here are some really good sites that have a lot of information and tips for preventing bullying.

Bullies

Cyberbullying

Consequences of Bullying

Effects of Bullying

Bullying Statistics

Signs of Bullying

     I don't know what to do about the problem.  I know in my own home, my kids know that is one thing I will not tolerate.  Thankfully, it is one thing that really bothers them about their peers.  They don't like to see it, but at times don't know what to do for fear of being a victim if they get involved.  At my daughter's former high school they lost a student to suicide.  This was a small, private, Christian school also.  It happens everywhere.  The student had other problems, but he definitely did not fit in.  I won't ever forget the look and the tears on my daughter's face when she got in the car that afternoon and told me what happened.  She said there was so much guilt for the students who had been mean to the student.  He was a victim, his family was a victim, and his friends were victims of being and feeling helpless.  It is a big problem with big consequences.

Fashion Update and Added Seasonal Page

I have just updated the Fashion page with some cute new arrivals at Willow Ridge.  They have really pretty things that are very affordable.  I have added some coupons also.

I also added a Seasonal/Holiday page.  It is ALL ABOUT Halloween right now, but this will be a fun page to keep updating!

I have enjoyed shopping vicariously through all of you this Saturday morning!



***Also, thank you so much to my new followers!  I am trying to post you under followers on the sidebar, but for some reason it won't let me.  I know it has been a blogger problem, but I hope to get it to working soon because I am proud to have a following!

Educational, Fun, and Free.....Can't Beat That!

     Have you seen DOGO News for kids?  My kids are a little older and use Google and such for finding information and I don't have to help them like my sister does with her younger kids.  I was the weird child that always loved school and learning.  I still do!  I have gone back and taken classes here and there since I graduated with a degree in Middle Grades Education.  I was a stay at home mom for years, so I enjoyed taking classes here and there.  My parents say if I could get paid for being a professional student I would.

     This site is part of PBS so it is free and entertaining as well as educational.  There is even a chance for your young writer to be a part of the information.  For teachers, there is a free sign up for lesson plans, homework, links to your classroom wiki, and a password protected way for students to add comments.  I may be the last parent to know about this site since my kids find most of their information on their own, but I love it and I am going to make sure my sister and sister in law know about it.  Anything that is as much fun as educational gets an A+ in my book!

$30 Visa Card Giveaway with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Handmade Jewelry Prizes!

The first giveaway was so much fun and successful that I have another one that will end next Friday, September 2.  I am offering a $30 Visa Card that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.  2nd, 3rd, and 4th Prizes are Handmade Jewelry from my The Lollipop Fence pieces.  (Lollipop Fence blog is under construction, but facebook is active) The same rules apply for this giveaway.


1st Prize:   $30 Visa Gift Card

2nd Prize:  Smokey and Rose Quartz necklace with toggle clasp  (18 inches but can be lengthened or   shortened to fit)

 3rd Prize:  "Red, White, and Blue" bracelet (7 inches, but can be lenthened or shortened to fit)

 4th Prize:  "America" charm bracelet (7 in., but can be lengthened or shortened to fit)

      If you would like to enter to win the gift card and jewelry prizes all you have to do is comment on this post (this blog is new so any comments with suggestions would be appreciated or you can tell us what you would do with the gift card) or send me an email.  I am going to break it down to where you can have more than one chance to enter.

*****  Please remember however you enter to give me your name and email address.  I need your email address just so I can contact you, it won't be used for anything else.*****

my email:  aprilgcm.queens4@gmail.com (it is also on the home page)

For 1 entry, email me your name and email address.

For 2 entries, comment on this post and leave your name and email address.

For 3 entries, comment on here leaving name and email and one tweet about the giveaway  (***Be sure to leave  your URL to the tweet in your comment with your name and email.)

For 4 entries, comment on here and blog about this post and giveaway (***Be sure to leave your URL to the blog with your name and email.)

*****To make it fair, if you don't have Twitter or a blog, you can get 3 entries by commenting here on this post AND on my facebook page Grand Central Mom.


***The contest is for 18 yrs. and older
***The winner will be chosen randomly and notified by email.
*** If the winner doesn't respond within 3 days, another winner will be randomly selected.


    

WINNER!

     Thank all of you so much for entering.  I had so many comments, many, many emails, etc.  The winner is "Bleush"!  Will you please contact me at my email aprilgcm.queens4@gmail.com within the next 3 day?  I used Random.org and chose the option where you can verify your entry.  Many of you sent emails and didn't comment publicly, so to keep privacy, I chose that option.  Many of you had multiple entries as well. 

http://www.random.org/draws/details/?draw=7264  This is the URL given to me. Some of you had similar names, or didn't want your email used, so if you don't see your name as you entered it I can give you the way I entered it to keep me clear on who is who.  I tried to keep all the entries around the same length, etc. to be fair.  This was my first time using Random.org and I didn't know if anything offsets the drawing so I tried to keep it as simple as I could.  Maybe some of you use it and can give me pointers. 

     This was my first giveaway, so if any of you have more experience with them and have tips for me for this next one and ones in the future please let me know!
     THE NEXT GIVEAWAY starts now!  It ends next Friday, Sept. 2nd, for a $30 Visa Gift Card to be used anywhere Visa is accepted.

     I am really excited about this blog and will constantly update pages as well as continue with the giveaways.

     Thanks again and CONGRATULATIONS  Bleush!

Last Day To Enter Target $25 Gift Card Giveaway! NEW GIVEAWAY STARTS TOMORROW!

     Today is the last day to enter for the $25 Target Gift Card Giveaway.  Thank all of you SO VERY much for entering!  I am so thrilled with the number of comments, tweets, blogs, and other participation for this giveaway.  I couldn't be happier about the amount of support I have gotten.  I have enjoyed reading your comments about your favorite time of year, I appreciate your suggestions, and I am so thankful for the encouraging comments.

     This giveaway was so much fun and successful that I am going to have another one beginning tomorrow, August 25th, and ending next Friday, September 2.  I am offering a $30 Visa Card that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.  The same rules apply for this giveaway.




      If you would like to enter to win the gift card all you have to do is comment on this post (this blog is new so any comments with suggestions would be appreciated or you can tell us what you would do with the gift card) or send me an email.  I am going to break it down to where you can have more than one chance to enter.

*****  Please remember however you enter to give me your name and email address.  I need your email address just so I can contact you, it won't be used for anything else.*****

my email:  aprilgcm.queens4@gmail.com (it is also on the home page)

For 1 entry, email me your name and email address.

For 2 entries, comment on this post and leave your name and email address.

For 3 entries, comment on here leaving name and email and one tweet about the giveaway  (***Be sure to leave  your URL to the tweet in your comment with your name and email.)

For 4 entries, comment on here and blog about this post and giveaway (***Be sure to leave your URL to the blog with your name and email.)

*****To make it fair, if you don't have Twitter or a blog, you can get 3 entries by commenting here on this post AND on my facebook page Grand Central Mom.


***The contest is for 18 yrs. and older
***The winner will be chosen randomly and notified by email.
*** If the winner doesn't respond within 3 days, another winner will be randomly selected.


     I enjoyed reading about your favorite time of the year.  My favorite is Halloween.  I have always loved Halloween and I am embarrassed to say I have more Halloween decorations than Christmas decorations.  I love scary movies and all the things that go with Halloween, but I think it is my favorite because it is the beginning of such a fun time of year.  It is just the "opening act" to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I enjoy decorating my whole house.  I will swap out pictures, put fake spider webs all over the place, and set out all kinds of battery operated scenes.  My kids and nieces and nephews love it!  One of my nephews is a big fan and he remembers from the year before where I had something.  If I change it around, he notices.  I have another nephew that isn't too fond of one of my decorations.  It is an awful-looking man/creature and the head makes a cracking noise as it turns all the way around.  It is really scary to him.  He hates it when I put it out, but he got me back a few years ago.  Because of the sound it makes, he told his kindergarted teacher his aunt had a "crackhead" on her porch!  That is what we call it now!

     **********  I am using Random.org and will announce the winner of the Target Gift Card tomorrow morning!  Good luck to all of you who entered and thank you so much for participating!  You can begin entering the Visa Card giveaway anytime after midnight tonight!**********

Thank You

     Thank you so much to everyone who has entered for the giveaway!  It is still open until Wed. August 24th.  I appreciate all the entries so far.  I am really enjoying reading your comments and you have taken my nervous butterflies away and now I am just having fun! 

     I am also updating pages daily.  I added some new products and information on my Beauty page yesterday and I just added a new page today for pets.  They are part of the family and we take care of them as such.  I hope the resources I am finding on each of the pages is helpful.  It will be constantly updated and if any of you have suggestions or would like to see a certain subject of resources please let me know.

     The blog is titled Grand Central Mom, but it is intended for dads as well.  My main goal for this site is to keep current information for readers to cut out the time you would have to spend looking for something on the internet.  I am researching and looking for you daily.  I hope to build your trust that I will find the best resources that will help in any way make our busy lives a little easier!  Thanks again to all of you!

$25.00 Target Gift Card Giveaway

     Let's see.......school has started back for some and soon will for others, we have Labor Day coming up,  and then Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then next Christmas will be around the corner.  Time moves at a totally different rate for kids and adults when it comes to Christmas doesn't it?  It seems like forever for kids and for the adults budgeting gifts, it gets here sooner and sooner every year.


     With all of that good stuff coming up, who couldn't use a $25.00 Target Gift Card????????

     This is my first giveaway and I am nervous, but excited about it at the same time.  I am already planning the next one!  If you would like to enter to win the gift card all you have to do is comment on here (tell us what your favorite part of this time of the year is AND/OR your suggestions for this new blog) or send me an email.  I am going to break it down to where you can have more than one chance to enter.

*****  Please remember however you enter to give me your name and email address.  I need your email address just so I can contact you, it won't be used for anything else.*****

my email:  aprilgcm.queens4@gmail.com (it is also on the home page)

For 1 entry, email me your name and email address.

For 2 entries, comment on this post and leave your name and email address.

For 3 entries, comment on here leaving name and email and one tweet about the giveaway  (***Be sure to leave  your URL to the tweet in your comment with your name and email.)

For 4 entries, comment on here and blog about this post and giveaway (***Be sure to leave your URL to the blog with your name and email.)

*****To make it fair, if you don't have Twitter or a blog, you can get 3 entries by commenting here on this post AND on my facebook page Grand Central Mom.


The giveaway starts today, August 17th, and will end next Wednesday, August 24th!


***The contest is for 18 yrs. and older
***The winner will be chosen randomly and notified by email.
*** If the winner doesn't respond within 3 days, another winner will be randomly selected.





     I am really excited about this new blog.  I look forward to keeping up with current information for kids and the latest health and fitness news along with, oh..yes...the fun part......fashion and beauty trends.  We want to look good for all those holiday parties!  I want this site to be full of valuable resources for busy moms.  I will keep up with the important information (a good excuse to buy all those magazines I love!) and you come here to find what you are looking for instead of wasting all that extra time none of us have surfing the web.  If there is a particular item or bit of information you would like me to research for you or you think it will be helpful to all of us moms, just send me a message at aprilgcm.queens4@gmail.com .


Good Luck!!!!!
    

I Think I Can, I Think I Can.....

     One of the biggest issues with being a busy mom is having enough energy to get through the day.  I know I drink way too much caffeine and if I don't keep taking it in, I will eventually crash.  Then..........sometimes it kicks in just when I need to be able to relax and go to sleep.  I am up because of the caffeine and then the tired cycle starts all over again the next day.

     I am blonde and have my blonde moments, all too often and I usually blame them on being tired, but I think we all know that our bodies function much better when we are nourished.  Replacing nourishment for caffeine and sugar to keep us going isn't the healthiest way to feel better.  I found these tips to try to change the way I get through the day.  Maybe you wil find them helpful too!

Portable snacks for a pick me up:

whole grain crackers
walnuts,
dark chocolate (hello?! healthy and a treat? can't go wrong!)
watermelon

     Being low on magnesium is why a lot of women struggle to get through exercise and a crazy day.  With fall approaching, pumpkin seeds are a great way to get the magnesium you may be lacking.  Just 1/4 cup of them will get you half of your daily need for magnesium.

     Stomach upset can drain you of energy and just plain make you feel bad  Yogurt replaces the good bacteria we sometimes lose and gets our stomachs off balance.  I love the greek style yogurt.  You can get about twice the protein in the greek style with all the benefits of the good bacteria to make you feel better.

     High fiber wheat bran cereals can start your day off right.  Not only is it absorbed slower to help blood sugar levels, but increasing your fiber helps in weight loss.  Drinking lots of water helps you stay hydrated, and fruits like watermelon help with hydration.  When we become the least bit dehydrated, we feel fatigued.  Also, if you didn't get your vitamin C from your morning orange juice, 1 cup of red bell pepper at lunch or dinner will give you 200% of your daily vitamin C needs, that is more than in an entire orange.

     If you are used to that warm cup of caffeine during the day you can switch it out to tea.  You won't get as much of a caffeine kick, but you will get what coffee lacks, l-theanine.  This amino acid is found naturally in tea and will help with alertness, memory, and reaction time.  Those things may be needed if you have a long commute home from work!   Have a little dark chocolate to help increase your serotonin and your mood will improve for that ride home too!  And I thought chocolate made me feel better just because it was chocolate!




You can click here to find out more about naturally increasing energy while nourishing your body at the same time.
photo

Welcome to Grand Central Mom

     Are you a mom who is always on the go, multi-tasking, juggling so many things at one time that you feel like Grand Central Station?  If so, welcome to Grand Central Mom!  This is a blog with endless useful information right at your fingertips.  Homework tips, basic tips for health and safety and don't forget about you.  The Fashion and Accessories page as well as the Beauty page is just for you.  Take a moment, a deep breath, and treat yourself.  Mom and the word "busy" go hand in hand.  We all need a place to find helpful information as well as the latest trends.  I hope Grand Central Mom can be that place for you!