I went on a hunt last night. I had to find a new way to keep the girls busy for a little bit so I could finish making ornaments and Christmas Cards. I would have simply let them help me but there are a bit too young to do some of what I’m doing. They can help make the ornaments but spraying them with acrylic paint is definitely a “mom only” job.
Like all moms I try to avoid using the tv as a babysitter, though sometimes it is the easiest option. I wanted Sam to do something at least semi-educational and without a satalite dish my channels are very, very limited. So I headed to my favorite place~ cyber space 🙂 !
Take a peek at PBS Kids. These are the only shows they get to watch that aren’t from a purchased dvd or tape. Sammy LOVES “WordGirl”. Even Jolene watches that show! I am all for anything that helps them practice reading in a fun way.
Also, if you’re worried about kids messing with your computer fear no more!
My sweatheart found a great software program called Peanut Butter PC. We downloaded the trial, loved it so much that we went back and ordered a copy. It creates a desktop for your children, as many as you want on one pc, and YOU choose which icons they can see and click on! No more finding out your files are missing, photos have been edited, or computer settings changed (our daughters LOVE to change the background and screensaver images). Simply hit CTRL-ALT-P to enter a password and get back to YOUR desktop screen. Sammy loves that it writes her name in the clouds when it loads.
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I am terrible at keeping a to do list… it is a love/hate relationship as I LOVE them, I just can’t seem to remember to use them. I have a flash drive (with U3) that lets me run programs off of it, so I went in search of some “to do” type software that I could use on it, in the hopes that making my list available no matter where I was might help me actually use the program. (I was going to use an online calendar, which I won’t name, but discovered they track my activities) I downloaded “Accomplice“, here is a quoted description from their site:

“Accomplice™ is a software application that helps busy professionals like you manage your to-dos, goals, and notes, then sync them with your team.
This isn’t some trivial to-do list, and it isn’t an overweight project management suite. Accomplice has just the ingredients you really need to stay on top of your busy life, integrated into an intuitive and flexible system.
It works online and offline, integrates with Outlook and other software you already use, and syncs with your PDA. Oh, by the way, it’s free.“

Once the Holidays are over I’m going to start using it to keep track of what I want Sam to do with school. You can add something to your “To Do” list, put it “ON” or “OFF” your plate, and add multiple notes for each task. You can even collaborate via email with others! It took me a few minutes to really get a feel for it, and I know I am totally under-utilizing it right now but I still love it.
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Well, the sun has risen, which means my girlie girls will be up soon….time to go refresh my cup of coffee!