Inspired By Annedroids

When my kids talk about, draw or build their dream houses, several things are always included; a candy room, an indoor slide and a science lab. From their descriptions, I'm pretty sure their science lab would also include every art and craft material known to humankind, as well as a large pile of "junk" that they could use for their various projects and experiements.

I'm pretty sure the creators of Annedroids, Amazon Original's new show for kids, have the same daydream. Anne is a kid genius and scientist, with a couple of human friends, a couple of android friends and a huge junkyard laboratory. The live action show emphasizes STEM learning, problem solving and is way more appropriate than most shows aimed at tweens.

After we watched a few episodes, I asked the kids if they'd been inspired to develop a project or experiment. Lovebug's idea was to turn the basement into our own junkyard lab, but since I'm not a TV parent, I wasn't supportive of dragging power tools, old cars and piles of junk into the house to entertain my 6, 8 and 9 year olds. Instead I pointed out that we had plenty of stuff that would work for projects in the real world, where elementary school kids don't get to repurpose cars.

Recycling household "junk" into "cool stuff" (as described by Hugmonkey) became the plan for the afternoon. Ironflower started out by sketching some very elaborate plans for turning paper towel rolls into drawer organizers. As of this writing, that project is still in progress. I do feel that the show inspired Ironflower to solve one of her organization problems instead of just complaining about it.

Lovebug's project involved all the toy catalogs he hasn't let me recycle. He's making a catalog of his own, with the "best stuff" from each of the others. He is also determined to do "something cool" with all of the scraps.

Hugmonkey immediately went for the paper towel tube. Then he chided me for not saving "all the paper towel tubes ever." I see an extra recycling box in my future. Anyway, Hugmonkey made a light saber.  When Lovebug suggested that they find a way to make it actually light up, Hugmonkey was reluctant to try it with his light saber that he'd worked so hard on, but he's will to try it with the next paper towel tube.

Possibly unrelated: Hugmonkey and Lovebug are trying to use paper towels for everything lately.

I just love the ideas behind this show. Common Sense Media named Anne one of the role models of 2014 and it's easy to see why; she's bright, creative, searching for solutions to problems and handles failure gracefully.




I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Teachers Change Lives

As most of you already know, I used to be a teacher. I taught in an urban school district and I could have spent my entire (fairly meager) paycheck on supplies for my classroom and stuff for my students. As it was, I spent more than I should have. On necessities like paper and on enriching things like books. Heck, even Hot Guy spent money on my classroom; he built a model rocket with my students when we were dating. Plus, I had to buy stuff every time we had a class party, because many of my students' parents couldn't afford to send in treats. My former students are teenagers now and I don't know how many of them remember their first or second grade teacher, but I like to think that teaching them to read changed their lives for their better.

Office Depot's Teachers Change Lives program recognizes how many teachers spend their own money and most of their free time helping students succeed. They've partnered with Adopt-A-Classroom to recognize and help all the amazing teachers across the country.



I teared up (just a little) watching this video. #TeachersChangeLives, and these students are proof. Watch as students express how much their teachers mean to them.

• How to Donate to the Teachers Change Lives Program
1. Go to Teachers Change Lives. 
2. Click on the teal "Donate to a Teacher" box on the Teachers Change Lives website, which will take you to the Adopt-A-Classroom website.
3. Follow their directions. 
• How to Register Your Classroom as a Teacher
1. Go to Teachers Change Lives.
2. Click on the red box that says "Register Your Classroom," which will take you to the Adopt-A-Classroom website.
3. Follow the directions provided. 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The Best Gift I Ever Gave

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For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000.
Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.


I love to shop. I can be just as happy at Nordstrom or at a garage sale, as long as I get to buy something. In times of great stress, I may even fill up an online shopping cart without actually ever purchasing anything. Usually that's what really fits my budget. Anyway, my love of shopping means that I generally enjoy buying gifts, even if my budget precludes buying as many gifts as I would like. Or buying them at Nordstrom.

The truth is, though, that when I first read the topic for this post, my mind flashed through all the best gifts I've ever gotten - the Barbie Dream House, the grown up bed (after years on a futon), the ring, the first ornaments made at preschool. It was remembering the first ornaments from preschool that did it, that reminded me of our first Christmas in New Jersey.

Ironflower had just turned 3 and was halfway through her first year of preschool. Lovebug was a few months from 2 and had just discovered Thomas the Tank Engine. Hugmonkey was still a couple of months away form even making me nauseous. Things had been tight, but I was determined. It was the first time we would not be spending the night at one of our parent's houses on Christmas Eve and I wanted the kids' eyes to light up when we came downstairs in our own house.

Which is why Hot Guy spent several hours putting together a train table and a play kitchen. And I do mean hours. Bless him. It would have taken me days.

Anyway, unlike losing your virginity, the first time your kids marvel on Christmas morning never disappoints. I mean, they'd certainly been excited before, but never in their own living room. And never to that extent. I almost cried. In the years since we've had a few more Christmas mornings in our own house and lots more excitement. But I've never been able to match the thrill of giving them presents they hadn't asked for but were absolutely what they dreamed of (thanks, toy commercials).

PS Remember how I'm only doing posts for things I really, really like? This is one of those things.


Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.