Do you have problems taking pictures of yourself with others? Do you find your arm ending up in the shot? Do you find that you aren’t in any shot, because you are always taking the picture? Do you find that you and your subject have to pose awkwardly just to get you both in the picture?  (Thanks to Christine for use of her arm picture).

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you need to get an xShot.  What is an Xshot?

XShot is a telescopic stainless-steel rod that adds three feet of reach to any point-and-shoot or hand-held video camera. It is super easy to use. All you need to do is screw your camera into the Xshot to get to work. No screwdriver is required! You can make the xShot 9 inches all the way up to 37 inches. Want to see how easy it works? (Thank you Julie for the pictures!)

The first picture shows you how the xShot works. The second picture shows the actual picture that was taken. Its pretty awesome, isn’t it?  Wouldn’t it be nice to be on vacation and not have to ask a stranger to take your picture?  I personally found it super easy to easy.  I had no problem putting my Cybershot camera on there and taking lots of awesome pictures (unfortuntaly, my camera is broke, and I can’t get any of my pictures off.  I am waiting for a cable to fix this problem from Sony).  My fear was that I wasn’t going to be able to take steady pictures.  It was actually super easy.  I had absolutely no problems with it.  I found the xShot super lightweight (it’s only 5 oz).

When can you use this?  Some perfect times would be when you are traveling, hiking, camping, vacation, the beach, parties, concerts, sports events, etc.  I know that the xShot will be an item that will come with us no matter where we go!

One of the movies that Madison loves is 3-2-1 Penguins! Save The Planets! This movie follows the galactic adventures of two young kids and four space-traveling penguins. They respond to distress calls from across the galaxy. While helping others, they learn life lessons and values along the way. There are 3 stories on this DVD. However, my favorite has to be the first story about the green-eyed monster. As an adult, I knew exactly what they were talking about. However, Madison (my 4 year old) didn’t. It was great story and lesson about jealousy. My one year loved the music and danced the whole time.  He often laughed too, but I am not sure if he understood what was happening or if he just laughed because we were.  The green eyed monster is a topic that I encounter daily at my house.  I love that there was humor for both adults and kids in it too.  It makes it much more enjoyable for us adults who have to watch the movie over and over and over again.  I often found myself giggling when my kids did.  I didn’t realize this was a cartoon on TV (till my husband informed me).  However, I am so impressed with the lessons that it will be a cartoon that we will continue to watch.  Here is a sneak preview of what the movie is like and about (and you will laugh at the preview I promise).  3-2-1 Penguins! Save The Planets! is a movie that should be under your tree this Christmas.

Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics announced today that children should get double the usually recommended amount of vitamin D because of evidence that it may help prevent serious diseases?  What does this mean?  Millions children will need to take vitamin D supplements to reach the new recommendation of 400 units daily (up from 200).

I know there are parents all around who are wondering how to get this additional amount of Vitamin D now into their children.  The best source of vitamin D is sunlight because the body makes vitamin D when sunshine hits the skin.  However, if you like in a state like me (Illinois), we don’t often go out in the winter, because it is way too cold.  The only way most children are going to be able to get this much vitamin D is too supplement it.

I luck out that my daughter takes vitamins without a problem.  However, my cousin’s daughter will not take anything.  An easy way to get the vitamins into your kids is to use Emergen-C Kidz Complete Multi Vitamin and Multi Mineral Supplements.  For kids 4 and older, all you do is add a packet of Emergen-C Kidz to 4 - 6 ounces of water and stir.  For kids 2-3, use a half a packet with 2-4 oz of water.  Emergen-C Kidz has 24 essential nutrients including choline, 500 mg of vitamin C, and 400 IU of vitamin D.  It also has beta carotene, vitamin E, zinc, iron, and phosphorus (there are several more vitamins too!).  If you notice, Emergen-C Kidz offers more health boosting vitamin C than the leading brand to help support their immune systems.  It is available in major grocery stores and drug chains and in health food stores.

This passed the kid test in my house.  We tried the orange pineapple explosion, and Madison drank it in one sitting.  She like the flavor and wanted more after she was finished.  If that flavor doesn’t sound like something you’d be interested in, this also comes in Strawnana Berry and Cherry Yumberry (ok, I can’t even type that without giggling a little.  Your kids will love those name as much as I do.

Your kids will like their fizzy drink and think they are getting a treat, and you, as a mom, will know that they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need.  I promise, I’ll keep it our little secret.

Can you believe that Halloween is less than a month away? I know I can’t. Madison wanted to be a fairy with wings or a princess. My mother in law has a princess costume that we can use, so she was easy. However, I had no idea what to make Will. He is in a weird size this year, and it is really hard to find costumes for him. However, I did find a some Halloween costumes at the Halloween Party Store that were super cute and that would fit him.

(Ignore the mess in the background and the pearl necklace he’s holding too).  I just ordered this for him and it came within a couple of days!  It is tad long but besides that it fits awesome.  I love that the toolbelt is attached to the costume, so you don’t have to worry about losing it.  You can also adjust the belt in back and make it tighter too!  This does come with a cute little red hat too, but there is no way I can keep that on a 16 month olds head!  I am impressed with the quality and service from the Halloween Party Store and highly recommend you use them for your Halloween costume needs!

School is upon us again.  Madison was in preschool last year and is in it again this year.  She had two backpacks that she used last year, so neither of them are very worn out at all.  I decided that since it was only preschool and they would work perfectly fine, I was not going to buy her a new backpack.  To the left here is the backback that she is using this year.  I feel slightly guilty, since it seems that the rest of the kids have new backpacks.  However, when I came across PakNak Charms, I knew I had my answer.  This was a way to alter her backpack and make her happy without me having to by her a new one.

Now, I got a snail and a butterfly to add to her backpack since it goes with the Tinkerbell theme pretty well.  She noticed right away that I added them!  The PakNak charms are made of a soft material that is both flexible and weatherproof!  It took me less than 5 minutes to attach, and I can easily switch the places of the charms.  Now, Madison’s backpack is pretty busy.  Can you imagine the difference these would make on a single colored cooler or backpack?  All I know is that the PakMak charms made my 4 year old a very happy little girl!

Do you recognize the two people to the left?  Look very close.  That is what Stephanie and Sportacus from LazyTown really look like!  Hard to believe, I know!  Lazytown is a show on Noggin and Nick Jr. that encourages your kids to get off their butts and be more active!  When asked about the inspiration for the show, Magnus (the shows creator and Sportacus) answered:

Really, when you get down to it, LazyTown is a state of mind. We’ve all been to LazyTown. When we decide to go “veg-out” on the couch, you could say you’re “in LazyTown.” Even me. It’s a place we all go.

In a funny way, LazyTown reflects characteristics that you see in yourself or in people around you. These characteristics are universal: It’s that dynamic of opposites.

For instance, in the show, Sportacus is a driving force. He’s fit, agile, and an amazing athlete who’s patient, kind, and understanding. He encourages kids through example. He doesn’t take the low road. Conversely, his adversary, Robbie Rotten, is all about easy solutions and pulling the group down to his level. Then there’s Stephanie, the lead kid character, a wide-eyed optimist who believes she can make a real difference; while Pixel, a boy character, can conquer every video game, but when the situations are real, he has a harder time.

Just like in real life, nobody’s perfect and LazyTowners are constantly trying to find ways to understand and improve themselves. I guess that you could say that LazyTown explores the opposing forces that we encounter in our own daily lives.

How is that for teaching your children? Most moms and kids that I have talked to like this show. Magnus knows what he is talking about too — he was the Icelandic Men’s Individual Champion in Aerobic Gymnastics in 1992. In 1993, he became the Scandinavian champion, and was the European champion twice in 1994 and 1995. He was voted Athlete of the Year by Iceland in 1994. Adding superhero to that resume just makes it twice as nice (and you know is his shape he doesn’t have to worry about getting term life insurance quotes).

Now, why should you and your children watch this?  It does get them off their butts.  I find Madison and Will dancing and singing with the show when its on.  It has taught my children that there is nothing wrong with going outside and playing.  On top of the activity lessons, there are moral lessons too.  Check your local schedule and see when you can watch it at your place.  You won’t be disappointed!

Monty Python and The Holy Grail is a classic movie that everyone needs to see.  I still giggle uncontrollably every time I see this movie.  It is about King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail and all the interesting stops along that way.  He runs into obsticles like the Black Knight (who really should have invested in travel medical insurance) and the 3 headed knights who say “Ni”.  Now, you do have to understand British humor a little, but even if you don’t, it is still pretty funny.  This is one of those movies that you can quote from and watch 200 times and still enjoy it.