Category Archive for ‘Laptop Television’ at Laptop Television Mom

Archive for the 'Laptop Television' Category

Six Months in Austin, Texas

My new hometown.

It’s hard to believe I moved Austin, Texas six months ago. There’s been a myriad of ups and downs as my family learned to navigate our new city. Six months into it, I can proudly say that I am home. I love living here, and just typing that makes me excited, relieved, happy and hopeful.

In honor of this milestone, here are the top ten things I have learned about Austin in six short months:

Austinites are beyond nice: At first, I was worried I wouldn’t fit in and was searching for pockets of sarcasm and attitude. Yeah, I’ve found that… but I just love how people say hello when they meet each other on the sidewalk or offer a friendly wave when driving down the road. It’s refreshing and kind, very much a sense of community.
Food in Austin is delicious: Yeah, I gained about 10 pounds the first three months we lived here. We lived in a small apartment, and most of my cooking gear was still in California, so we ate out a lot. A. Lot. We’re talking Tex-Mex, Comfort Food, BBQ and fried catfish. I stuffed my face with fried fish tacos, chips and queso, smoked brisket and Mexican Margaritas. Mmmmmm. (Note: I’m back on track and lost the added pounds!)
College sports rule: This is one of my favorite differences from the Bay Area. Granted, Austin is Longhorns country… but I proudly wear my Iowa State gear on game-days. The icing on the cake is access to the ESPN Big 12 channel! (Of course, I must mention that this also is Cowboys country, so my husband is in blue-and-silver Heaven.)
Austinites exercise… a lot: This actually is pretty cool. A day never goes by when I don’t see someone running, cycling, walking, playing tennis, etc. What’s really cool is that moms and kids often ride their bikes to and from school, which is awesome in my book.
Austin has a more casual dress code than Silicon Valley: Believe it or not, I see more flip flops in Austin than I saw in Silicon Valley. Okay, I’ll beat you to the punch: there are plenty of cowboy boots on the streets too.
There are churches everywhere: Luckily, you see all kinds of denominations around town. It seems to me that most people in Austin are members of a congregation, whether it’s a super-conservative or a surprisingly liberal church.
Austin really is the live music capital of the world: Honestly, I questioned this claim before I moved here. But, live music really the backbone of Austin’s culture and community. It’s not just on 6th Street either. It’s on 4th street and 2nd Street. It’s on South Congress and it’s in the mall. You find it in a neighborhood church and on a raft floating on Lake Travis 20 miles away from downtown!
Tex-Mex food is awesome: Coming from California, I was accustomed to what Austinite’s refer to as “interior Mexican” and have grown to love the Tex-Mex fare. And, on that note, you don’t eat breakfast burritos here, you eat breakfast tacos. And they are awesome!
It is flipping hot here in the summer: We moved here in August when it was a whopping 105 degrees. We lived on the third floor apartment… no elevator, just lots of sweat. And ice-cold margaritas.
(Most) everything is bigger in Texas: I say this tongue in cheek, but there are things noticeably bigger in Texas: parking spots, grocery stores, number of children in each family, food portions at restaurants, and pick-up trucks. There is just more space to spread your proverbial wings.

If in town to check out my new city, please drop me a line. Thanks, y’all!

- LTV Mom

Photo Credit: The Austin Dude

Published

Stacy Libby

on March 10, 2011

in Family, Food, Laptop Television and Life in Austin

. 2 Comments

An Afternoon with Elmo, Curious George and my PBS Kid!

Danielle and PBS SoCal

As a recent transplant to Austin, Texas, I now miss many of the top-notch blogger events hosted in California. Since I am never one to miss a party, I decided it was time to recruit a West-coast correspondent for Laptop TV Mom, and my choice was easy:my best friend Vicki. She lives in Orange County, is super-smart (engineer, MBA), has two adorable children, is married to a handful of a husband, and is a great writer. She and I love the same books, have polar-opposite tastes in movies, and we both love being Mom.

Vicki recently represented Laptop TV Mom at a party to celebrate the new PBS SoCal. Enjoy her inaugural post!

– LTV Mom

Vicki, Danielle and Elmo

I had a brief moment of panic, shortly after the first of the year, when I went to turn on Curious George (aka “Monkey George” in our house) for my 3-year old, and it wasn’t there. I checked the time in my head and also confirmed it was indeed a weekday … no chance it was a Saturday and I could go back to bed. I checked the TiVo guide and none of our favorite PBS shows were scheduled for that day or any other day. PBS Kids programming has been around since before I was a kid! Could we all still live in a world without Sesame Street? What had happened? A quick online search indicated that I only needed to move four channels up the dial and all would be well again. Whew! Minor crisis averted, but I never knew exactly what had happened until this week.

My daughter Danielle and I were invited to the PBS SoCal launch in Hollywood to represent the Laptop TV Mom blog. All of Danielle’s favorite PBS friends were there, including that lovable red monster, Elmo himself. We arrived on a beautiful 72-degree January day with blue skies and a hint of magic in the air as we entered the Jim Henson Company lot. After some time in the sunny courtyard at brightly colored tables filled with crayons, activity books and games, we were entertained by an interactive Sid the Science Kid on a big plasma TV. Watching a group of twenty local first-graders “talk” with their equivalent of a rock star was a spectacle to behold. The enthralled, giggly group asked Sid lots of silly questions, tempered with a few that were science in nature. He was a master at playing along with the kids - rolling eyes, quirked eyebrows, funny facial expressions and all.

We then moved onto the Henson soundstage for a presentation by PBS SoCal President, Mel Rogers, and Jim Henson Company CEO, Lisa Henson, where they explained that KOCE is now the new full-service PBS station for Los Angeles and the greater Southland area. They will still be delivering the same high-quality local and national programming we’ve come to expect, just with a new name to represent their focus audience – PBS SoCal. During the presentation, special guests - Elmo, Sid the Science Kid, Curious George, Buddy from Dinosaur Train, and Martha from Martha Speaks - were the star attractions. The bigger-than-life plush characters kept kids and parents alike spellbound as they led the kids in a sing-a-long, skit, and brief show.

As we waited in line outside for our chance to be photographed with Elmo, I quickly realized that we needed to have a serious mom-to-kid discussion - afterall, Elmo was sitting with a very nice man (Kevin Clash) who was moving his arms and legs with plastic sticks and speaking in that lovable, unmistakable Elmo voice. Danielle nodded in understanding and didn’t seem fazed at all. I was a little sorry to have to take some of the magic out of it for her … that was, until she was sitting at the dinner table that night, retelling her adventures, and explained to everyone that the Elmo in our picture was just a puppet, but the REAL Elmo had been inside during the show, sitting up on the big velvet purple box and singing to them. A slow grin spread across my face as I realized the magic was still alive!

A big thank you to the folks at PBS SoCal and Jim Henson Company for an unforgettable afternoon!

- Vicki Halphide

Vicki and her daughter, on behalf of LTV Mom, were invited to the PBS SoCal event and received a meal and give-aways. No blog post was required to attend the event. These words are written by Vicki and are unedited.

Published

Stacy Libby

on January 31, 2011

in Family, LTV Mom West Coast, Laptop Television and TV for Kids

. 0 Comments

An end to my favorite holiday tradition

German Dinner with Granny

My favorite holiday tradition happens after Thanksgiving, before the December holidays start kicking into high-gear. It’s not held to a date on the calendar, rather the date depends on travel plans and social calendars of family and friends. This tradition is special, and it’s filled with laughter and love and food. But sadly, my favorite holiday tradition ends this year, but, I will hold it in my heart forever, and honor it here today.

My family always spent Thanksgiving with my husband’s grandmother, who would fly from her home in Iowa to our home in California for at least a week. We would spend our time together playing cards, drinking cocktails and listening to Frank Sinatra music. But my favorite part of her Thanksgiving vacation happened after the turkey and leftovers were packed away in the refrigerator. Once a year, our family would set a fine table and dine on an authentic, home-cooked German meal.

Our grandmother — who everyone called Granny — was born and raised in Berlin and was blessed with a think German accent, even after 45 years living in the United States. During her trips to California, my husband and I would calendar one evening to gather together friends to honor her German heritage and traditions.

Food was the anchor of the tradition, and preparation was equally delightful. Granny would spend all day in the kitchen preparing our feast, and I would set the table with her best dishes and fine silver she brought over from Germany. We’d invite friends from around the Bay Area to share in the meal, and we would dine together over stories, laughter and togetherness. The menu was always the same: Sauerbraten, red cabbage, applesauce, asparagus and German potato salad. For many of our friends, this was the first time they had enjoyed a traditional German meal, which was lovely, fun and (oh yes!) delicious.

Sadly, Granny died in September of this year. I miss her, and I miss our special tradition. Today is three days after Thanksgiving, usually the time we would be eating together. I should be washing linens and eating left-over Sauerbraten right now. Instead, I am looking at photos and remembering how much I cherished that once-a-year event.

Granny handled the Lion’s share of the cooking, but I always contributed the German potato salad… which is actually a recipe from my grandmother. Granny is not here to eat my German potato salad, so in her honor, I will share my family’s potato salad recipe with you:

Boil 18 small potatoes (any type works, we always use Russet) with the skins on, drain and cool
Fry 4-6 slices of bacon in a skillet, remove bacon from heat; cool bacon and crumble
Skim-off part of the bacon fat, add 1 cup chopped white or red onion to skillet, cook until onion is clear
Mix in a sauce of half-cup white vinegar, one-cup water, one-half cup sugar, one teaspoon salt and one-half teaspoon pepper; add to the skillet with the crumbled bacon (Note: You need to test and try the sauce, I happen to like a lot of sauce with an extra dash of vinegar)
Peel and cube potatoes, add potatoes and to the bacon-onion mixture
Serve hot, potatoes should be soft

Keep in mind, I think this is the correct version of the recipe. Like any good family recipe, it was passed down from generation to generation verbally, it was never written on paper. I asked my mom to write it down for me, and the recipe card arrived with lots of questions marks and approximates. This recipe takes a little trial and error. Regardless, please enjoy and think of our Granny when you feast on this traditional German dish.

Prost!

– LTV Mom

This post was inspired by participation with the Yahoo! Mother Board, where 80 amazing women share thoughts on a single topic each month. While Yahoo! is my client, these thoughts are mine and I did not receive compensation for writing this post.

Published

Stacy Libby

on November 30, 2010

in Food, Laptop Television and Yahoo! Mother Board

. 8 Comments

From Left to Write: The Earthbound Cook

Earthbound Cook by Myra Goodman

There are good cookbooks, and there are special cookbooks. The Earthbound Cook is special, filled with delicious and healthy meals that are good for the body and good for the planet. I was offered a copy as part of virtual book club From Left to Write, and as a fan of delicious and organic food, I jumped at the chance.

This cookbook is filled with recipes that feature fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and herbs. The recipes are healthful and the photography is visually stunning. Happily, I found the colors of the ingredients translate to equally beautiful plates of food. I made several dishes from the book, and here are two of my favorites:

Shrimp and corn chowder (pages 14-15) = This amazing soup is a new staple in our house. The soup is both filling and light. It has a creamy feel, but is crunchy because of the potatoes. We live in Austin, Texas, so we were lucky enough to make the soup with fresh gulf shrimp, which added a subtle (and delicious) salty flavor.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Chard, Gruyere and Prosciutto (pages 106-108) = This is an elegant dish, that is perfect for entertaining and impressing your guests. This main course produces a dish with great color and flavor. I love Gruyere and proscuitto, but had never cooked chard before this recipe. I loved how easy it was to add such color (and extra nutrition) to a meal.

The Earthbound Cook has so many interesting recipes, and I have just hit the tip of the iceberg. One section that is very interesting to me is the “innovative salads with substance.” I am so excited to try the tri-color potato salad, filled with potatoes, tomatoes and green beans. Of course, I might even try the German potato salad recipe just to see how it stacks up to my grandma’s recipe.

If you are looking for a unique cookbook that honors the Earth and the palate, you can buy your copy HERE.

Photo Credit: Earthbound Farms

Note: The book is provided by the publisher. I volunteered to write this post, without compensation. The words are mine and unedited.

Published

Stacy Libby

on November 15, 2010

in Books, Food, From Left to Write and Laptop Television

. 4 Comments

My German Chocolate Cake “Throwdown”

Bobby Flay

I made birthday cupcakes for my husband’s office just after we moved to California 16 years ago. My husband requested German chocolate cupcakes, which is one of my favorites desserts. I happened to be very busy at work at the time, so I opted for (gasp!) store-bought frosting. The cupcakes tasted horrible, so I made an emergency call to my mom asking for Grandma’s recipe for German chocolate cake frosting. And the rest, as they say, is history.

My grandma passed down the best coconut-pecan frosting, the technical name for German chocolate cake frosting, ever. I have since made it dozens of times for my friends in California, happily sharing a nugget of my German-Czech-Midwestern upbringing.

Now for my dirty little secret: I have always used a cake mix. I know, it’s embarrassing. I simply thought the frosting was so delicious the actual cake could never hold a candle, so there was no need to bother. And then, I saw the light…

On a typical Sunday night, I was watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Network. But this episode was especially intriguing. Bobby was on the war-path to make the best German chocolate cake ever, and he wanted to beat the famous “Make My Cake” bakery in Harlem, New York City. Bobby’s Throwdown was my inspiration to create the ultimate cake to support my grandma’s coconut-pecan frosting.

Since that episode aired, I have been on a mission to make a cake that can hold a candle to my grandma’s delicious frosting. Once I have that magical recipe figured out, I’ll write again, but I doubt I will ever share my grandma’s recipe for the frosting. It’s just that good.

In honor of Bobby Flay’s Throwdown, the title of famous show and his new cookbook, I am giving away a copy of the cookbook to one lucky reader. Write a comment below to be entered to win the prize. Share your favorite German chocolate cake recipe to be entered twice. The good folks at the Food Network will mail a copy to you, and you can cook more than 100 recipes from his shows, from meatloaf to matzo ball soup. Deadline for entry is November 12, 2010; entries from the U.S. and Canada only. Make sure you leave an email address, so I can notify the winner.

Good luck and happy cooking!

– LTV Mom

About Bobby Flay’s Throwdown: Are you ready? Every week on Throwdown!, celebrity chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay goes head-to-head with cooks who have staked their claim as masters of an iconic dish—buffalo wings, chicken cacciatore, or sticky buns, for example—even though he may never have cooked these things before. The results are always entertaining—and delicious. In his first-ever cookbook collaboration with Food Network, Bobby shares the recipes and fun from his popular show.

The ultimate companion cookbook to one of America ’s favorite food shows, Bobby Flay’s Throwdown! lets home cooks and fans in on the action, featuring favorite Throwdown! moments and behind-the-scenes peeks alongside beautiful, all-new color food photography created just for this book. So if Bobby Flay ever strolls into your backyard asking “Are you ready for a Throwdown?” you definitely will be! Get your copy today at foodnetwork.com/store.

Photo Credit: Food Network

Note: The prize is provided by Food Network. I volunteered to write this post, without compensation. The words are mine and unedited.

Published

Stacy Libby

on October 31, 2010

in Food, Food Network, Giveaways and Laptop Television

. 9 Comments

When people I love have breast cancer.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As we wrap up National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I reflect on the thoughtful, inspirational blog posts I read throughout the month. You know what, I have amazing friends across the blogosphere. One friend in Raleigh is determined to cure breast cancer. Another is worried about inheriting the BRCA gene because her mother had breast-cancer. Many walked 60 miles to raise money to find a cure. And one brave friend details her personal fight to “kick breast cancer in the ass.”

Heroic? Yes. Strength only a woman can have? I certainly think so.

Women are strong creatures, which is why I want the people I love to “fight like a girl” when faced with breast cancer. This year, Breast Cancer Awareness Month hits close to home. My best friend’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. Thankfully, she is doing well and currently is cancer-free. I saw her shortly after she was diagnosed. I could tell she was struggling both emotionally and physically, so I hugged her and told her we would fight this together. Fight she did, and I am so proud of her.

This also is the first Breast Cancer Awareness Month where I can point to someone my age, someone I grew up with, someone I love, someone fighting the good fight. I have not one, but TWO, college friends who are dealing with the disease. We are all young (40 or younger). One has a success story to share, the other had her last treatment of chemo today.

I am humbled and overwhelmed by the strength and spirit of my friends, they are amazing women. Both are active members of their local communities. Both are loving wives with amazing husbands. Both are mothers to four beautiful children. Both are graduates from Iowa State University. Both are my beloved sorority sisters. Both are my friends. Both are breast cancer survivors.

I have a message for my friends Gretchen and Becky, and to my “other-mother” Gloria, and I don’t say it often enough: I am proud of you. I am humbled by your strength. I am blessed to be in your life. Keep fighting the good fight and being the examples you have become.

- LTV Mom

Photo credit: Fight Like a Girl

Published

Stacy Libby

on October 28, 2010

in Laptop Television and Yahoo! Mother Board

. 7 Comments

I left my heart in San Francisco.

I moved to Austin, Texas earlier this year. Honestly, I love it here. Austin is a cool city with great people. (And dare I mention amazing public schools and parking spaces wide enough for my SUV?) I truly am happy here and can’t wait to raise my daughter in this amazing community.

But, I have to tell you, watching the San Francisco Giants earn a spot in the World Series reminds me how much I love (and miss) my adopted home-town. I love the Bay Area. To date, my years in the “city by the bay” are my happiest. I built a life, a career, a home and (best yet) a family there. I am loyal to my beloved city.

Now, the San Francisco Giants are playing in the World Series. Just last week, I was in San Francisco when the Giants won a play-off game, and I was in Santa Cruz when they lost a play-off game. It became apparent to me: I am a Giants fan.

The irony of it all? The Giants are playing in the World Series against the Texas Rangers.

Everyone in Austin is ready to cheer for the Rangers, ready to show their Texas pride. I think that is awesome. BUT, I feel a stirring inside me, a reminder that perhaps I left my heart in San Francisco. When I watch videos like the one above and see the Giants fans rallying together, I get a little sad because I am not there.

The up-side? I know who I am. I am an Austinite who loves the Giants! So, I’ll don the black and orange in a sea of Texan red-white-and-blue. Proudly. GO GIANTS!

– LTV Mom

Published

Stacy Libby

on October 26, 2010

in Laptop Television, Sports and Trying to be Cool

. 4 Comments

WINOS Pick of the Week: Can Vendrell Penedes

It’s been ages since I wrote a WINOS Pick of the Week, but trust me, the lack of wine-posts is not a reflection of the amount of wine being consumed in my house. I’ve just been busy with work and life. This post is actually two firsts for LTV Mom: 1) I am writing about a Spanish wine, and 2) I am including a vlog from Organic Wine Review (Watch. Laugh. Drink.) The tagline alone makes me love these guys!

Last week I enjoyed a dinner for two (with one of my amazing girlfriends) at Cyprus Bistro and Cafe, a quaint organic restaurant in downtown Campbell, Calif. We were so excited for two hours of uninterrupted chatting and solving all the world’s problems. Little did we know we also would discover a new wine.

I was in the mood for steak, so I ordered a grilled filet mignon with a cherry compote and loads of grilled organic veggies. The restaurant is strictly organic, so I was unfamiliar with most of the wines on the list. I asked the waiter to recommend a wine to pair with the meal, and he suggested a 2006 Can Vendrell from Penedes, Spain. This particular wine is a blend of 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 40 percent Tempranillo, and is made from organic grapes. The wine is also vegan, which means there are no animal products (such as gelatin) used during the fermentation process.

My friend and I each ordered a glass of the Can Vendrell, and it was love at first sip. We enjoyed the rich cherry flavors, and it paired very well with the beef. It’s got a unique flavor, but it’s not so complex or bold that it’s scary for red-wine newbies. Organic wine distributor Organic Vintners calls this wine “bright and lively.” My friend and I agreed, and we left the restaurant with two bottles each!

If you are in the mood for something different, I recommend you try this hard-to-find gem at your local wine store. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find online, but I found a 2005 bottle for sale at the wine portal Vinquire.

Enjoy!

– LTV Mom

Published

Stacy Libby

on October 1, 2010

in Laptop Television and WINOS Pick of the Week

. 1 Comment

My Personal “Food Revolution”

Jaime Oliver

This month, members of the Yahoo! Mother Board are exploring thoughts and opinions about teaching kids healthy eating habits. I am passionate about what I feed my child. I’m just lazy when it comes to feeding myself.

I recently explored this topic on the Silicon Valley Moms Blog, and here’s what I had to say:

When I first heard of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and the show on ABC-TV, I was intrigued. I set my DVR and watched faithfully as Jamie met the people in the fattest city in America and tried to convince them to change their eating habits and live healthier lifestyles. He even tackled the public school lunch program. I was shocked and appalled by the eating habits of the families and school kitchens featured in the show. “How in the world can parents feed their kids that junk,” I smugly asked myself.

After firmly planting myself on Team Jamie — and passing judgment on the kind people of Huntington, West Virginia — I had my own personal food revolution. Before I can join a Food Revolution to make America a healthier country, I needed to look in my own kitchen. I realized that I feed my kid like a professional athlete, I feed myself like crap. The person who really needed a food revolution… was me.

I feed my kid like a champ. Seriously, I feed her with complete responsibility and discipline. For example, her breakfast is steel-cut oatmeal with a drizzle of honey, a glass of low-fat organic milk, and a side dish of strawberries. And while she eats this breakfast, I pack her lunch of an almond butter sandwich on whole-wheat toast, carrot sticks, organic yogurt and fresh blueberries.

I am a hypocrite. My breakfast is a processed bar of some sort in the car on the way to work. My lunch is a lame frozen entrée, pre-packaged apple sauce and a diet cola. Oh yeah, and I eat whatever junk may or may not be lying around the kitchen at my office. And everyone once in a great while, I even remember to eat lunch before 2 p.m. Of course, let’s not forget the wine and Pirate’s Booty I usually consume around 10 p.m. every night.

The light bulb goes off. Yes, I need to practice what I preach. I need to value my body as much as I value my daughter’s teeny little (and growing) body. I worry and plan about each drop of food that reaches her lips. I want her body to be healthy and vibrant and good. Why in the world would I not expect (and want) the same thing for her mother?

Jamie’s lessons enter my house. Jamie Oliver inspired me to eat better and healthier. I now eat fruit and yogurt smoothies for breakfast and try very hard to pack a healthy lunch as often as possible. His cute face (and encouraging words) are good reminders to eat whole foods, healthy foods and non-processed foods. He showed me that I can pack a healthy lunch at low cost and with little effort. He reminded me that my body is valuable too, and I must make time to feed it properly.

My comfort food is back in the house. The best lesson Jamie taught me is that my love for meat-and-potatoes are okay. I watched him make mashed potatoes on Oprah, with the lesson that whole foods are good regardless of the package. I now know it’s not the end of the word to enjoy a meatloaf (with bell peppers, onion and parsley from the Farmer’s Market), mashed potatoes (skin on, with fresh garlic and olive oil) and roasted broccoli for dinner. Not only is comfort food back in my house, so is my joy for eating!

End of the day, I started watching Food Revolution to learn how to make “other people” in America healthier… but the lesson was all mine.

- LTV Mom

This post was inspired by participation with the Yahoo! Mother Board, where 80 amazing women share thoughts on a single topic each month. While Yahoo! is my client, these thoughts are mine and I did not receive compensation for writing this post.

Published

Stacy Libby

on September 28, 2010

in Laptop Television, Silicon Valley Moms Group and Yahoo! Mother Board

. 3 Comments

Back to School = A Time of Firsts

Back to School

I’ll be honest, this back-to-school season is extremely overwhelming for this mom. I have crazy-emotions right now, mostly because this is a season of many important firsts for our family:

First day of Kindergarten: My daughter is starting Kindergarten on Monday. You’d think I would be okay with this concept; after all, she has three years of pre-school under her belt. But this time, in my mind, it’s different. Kindergarten is the first step toward graduating high school. The school is big, and there are tons of older kids to influence her. This Mama Bear is nervous. First day of Kindergarten also means…

First day of public school: I mentioned the three years of pre-school, well, they were small private schools. And these schools were small, high-security schools with strict rules. I don’t know enough about the new school to have an opinion, but I’m sure I will in no time. The teachers and parents seem great, so I am very hopeful and positive. First day of public school also means…

First day of no uniform: Yes, my daughter went back-to-school shopping for the first time. My daughter now has choices and opinions about what she wears to school. While she is excited, I am not. I love school uniforms. I miss school uniforms. I am frightened by some of the clothing options for little girls. I guess I’ll have to create (and enforce) my own rules. The first day of no uniform means…

First day of marketing over-load: I loved the fact that my daughter’s private schools did not allow branded clothing or merchandise in the classroom. No SpongeBob lunch-boxes or iCarly backpacks. The kids brought bags with solid colors, simple designs and no logos. Luckily, we found an appropriate backpack and lunch box for Kindergarten. Of course, this means I totally over-spent on my kid’s backpack, but it took persuasion for her to select the brightly colored (and pricey) backpack over the “Princess” option. And to top it all off…

First day at a new school in a new city: Yes, we just moved to this state, city and school district. Lots of big changes for my small family. But, I am so proud of my little girl. She is handling all of these changes with grace and tolerance… which is more than her mom can say.

– LTV Mom

Photo credit: My Stock Photos via Flickr

Published

Stacy Libby

on August 20, 2010

in Family, Laptop Television, The Kid and Yahoo! Mother Board

. 3 Comments