Some Weekend Reading

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Mindy Long / @mindywrites

Are you busy weekending? We are, but I still manage to find some time to sneak in my favorite blogs. If you have some time to fit in a little reading, here are some of my favorite reads (either new or new-to-me posts) from the past week.

Make editors love you by offering solutions not problems from Linda Formichelli.
Interesting post on SEO for writers by guest blogger Erin MacPherson on agent Rachelle Gardner’s blog.
I love this post on how following a dream can help your career from Alexis Grant.
Writer mamas everywhere can relate to this comic by Debi Ridpath Ohi.
This cute pumpkin garland is a great way to keep the kiddos busy while you wrap up an article on deadline or clean the house.

Bribing Kids with After-Dinner Treats

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Mindy Long / @mindywrites

I am not above bribing my kids. I was back before I had kids, but now I know that the promise of a lollipop or a cookie can work wonders. Homemade ice cream sandwiches can do the trick too.

One graham cracker + two tablespoons of low-fat ice cream = very happy kids who didn’t even notice you served leftovers for dinner. This somewhat healthy treat will also keep them busy while you shoot off a quick email, especially if you put a few chocolate chips on the plate and let them decorate the ice cream before putting another graham cracker on top.

What are your favorite bribes and/or mommy magic tricks?

Pizza with a Side of Phonics

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Mindy

We livened up our usual pizza making by pulling out the alphabet cookie cutters and creating a fun canvas for sauce and cheese.

Pre-made dough from Trader Joe's made it even easier. My little guy is totally into letters these days, so he loved it. I love fostering some early reading skills.

Sounding out vowels over dinner…what could be better?

A Kid Favorite: Tails

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Mindy Long / @mindywrites

Both of my kids love Tails by Matthew Van Fleet. Evan has been a fan of the book since he turned one and now Madelyn is following in his footsteps. She loves the hands-on textures and gets so excited when she gets the book all to herself. That, of course, only happens when Evan is at school.

They both love it so much that I’m thinking of buying a second copy!

Outdoor Inspiration

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Mindy

Spring has me longing for the summer fun that is waiting for us. Last year the sprinklers were a bit hit with my little guy. I’m sure they will be again this year, and the warmer weather has thinking of the make over our backyard desperately needs. My hubby has already re-seeded the lawn and I have a new paint shade in mind for our picnic table and chairs. But more than anything, this year I want our backyard to be a land of fun and discovery.

I’m brainstorming ways to transform our space into an outdoor wonderland—on a budget of course. I’ve found some great inspiration via Google.

I think these teepees are super cute. I can also picture a swing hanging from our tree. I like this how-to on building a tire swing from Popular Mechanics. This is a great Popular Mechanics article on building your own backyard games. And, last but not least, isn’t this PVC pipe “kid wash” a fun idea?

I’d love to have you help me brainstorm my backyard additions. What is your favorite part of your backyard? Do you have any ideas to share?

Conquering Evan’s Legos

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Mindy Long / @mindywrites

Hey everyone—look at what I did. I built a Lego fire truck, and, admittedly, I haven’t felt a sense of accomplishment this strong since I finished grad school.

So what if the box says for ages 5-7. The piles of small parts, pages of instructions and an attention-seeking infant made the prospect of assembling the Lego fire truck seem daunting. After days of my little guy’s requests, I bit the bullet and started stacking Legos. Lo and behold, we have a fire truck. So what if there is a small bag of "leftover parts." They apparently don’t serve a crucial purpose. The ladder works, the wheels turn and my little guy is having a ball playing with it.

Just look at those moving parts!

Is it wrong that I feel a bit territorial over the fire truck and keep telling Evan to be careful while playing with it?

Favorite Read: There’s a Wocket in my Pocket

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Mindy Long / @mindywrites

Last week, while our pizza dough was rising, my kiddos and I sprawled out in the living room with a stack of books and bowls of Cheerios. There’s a Wocket in my Pocket by Dr. Seuss took center stage. Any Dr. Seuss book is a favorite in our house, but this one has been especially popular lately.

We had so much fun munching and reading while we waited for our next job in the kitchen.

I was tempted to sneak away to my computer to catch up on e-mail with the little bit of "downtime" we had, but I’m so glad I didn’t.

I’ve been trying to live in the moment with my little ones a little more. They truly are so much fun to be with. These pictures don’t do our little book fest justice, but let me tell you, we had a blast. So much so that I think I’m going to start trying to plan every meal so we have 20-30 minutes of book time before we sit down to eat. It is optimistic, but it would be great if I could find a way to make it happen.

Red Hearts, Sources and Special Occasion Planning

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Mindy

This week:

–I am bound and determined to add some Valentine’s flair to our house. I love the 3-D garland above from Pottery Barn Kids. It isn’t available anymore, so I might tackle it as a DIY project.

–I hope to find sources to talk to me about resonant macrosonic synthesis for a feature due next week. It is turning out to be even harder than I thought it would be. Any recommendations are welcome.

–I will catch up on e-mail and phone calls. I can’t thank my friends enough for being patient with me! You know who you are!

–I have to clean like crazy. I think every room in my house needs attention.

–I might shed a tear when I attend an open house to learn more about kindergarten options for Evan. When did my baby stop being a baby?

–I am going to try not to get distracted by the new-to-me blog the Nie Nie Dialogues.

–My little guy and I will pen Valentine’s cards for his class.

–I will plot out birthday plans for the special boys in my life. Their special days are coming up fast.

Kid-Friendly Office Space

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Mindy Long / @mindywrites

This corner desk for my little guy is one of the best features in my home office. As much as I try to avoid working with my kids in the room, there are times when it is unavoidable. This desk and the Fisher Price Cool School Computer were gifts from my in laws, and now Evan has his own place to work. We spruced up his "office" with his original artwork that we can rotate out as new creations come home from preschool. Now he gets right to work when "we" have important projects we’re trying to wrap up.

Madelyn’s workstation is her Jumperoo, which is positioned between my desk and Evan’s. Now I can get a solid 30 minutes of screen time in when necessary. Phone calls, however, are out. Between the music from the computer and the Jumperoo, it sounds like you’re in the middle of a Chuck E Cheese. But for sending e-mails or proofreading a final draft of a story, it’s perfect!