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A month or so ago, I had the opportunity to go to to the Brands and Bloggers Summit in Chicago as part of the “Midwest Moms” group sponsored by Verizon Wireless. It was a great trip – I met a lot of wonderful people and learned a ton of stuff. And I got to take a Motorola Xoom home with me to try it out and see how I could use mobile technology in my life.

I’ve gotta say, I love this thing.

Sadly, I’m going to have to fork it over to Jenny later this week, but I convinced her to let me hold onto it for our vacation last week. I’m glad I did – I couldn’t believe how often I used it for various things throughout our trip.

I used it to access Google Maps, and the 3G and gps technology tracked where we were and pointed us to where we wanted to go. I used it to watch videos (ok, I will admit – I got caught up on “Teen Mom” episodes on the way home from Michigan!), and I used it to read books. I love the Kindle app! Of course, I also used it for Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader, email, and all the other various activities I am addicted to enjoy.

My very favorite thing about the Xoom, though, is the ability to make it a wifi hotspot. That means – are you ready for this? – that the kids and I could all three be using different devices and all be connected to internet as we zoomed down the highway. It was fantastic. Kate absolutely LOVED having access to Pandora (and I loved that she had headphones, ha!) throughout the trip, and the internet access came in particularly handy on the way home when the kids were bored to death – I was able to download new game apps for Sam and new books on the Kindle app for Kate (and me). It made the trip so much more pleasant!

I really enjoyed traveling with the Xoom, both on the trip with my family and on a trip by myself. Because the Xoom can do pretty much anything, it was all I took with me. I stuck it in my purse and hopped on the plane – no carry on filled with books and magazines needed! So, on that trip and our vacation, the Xoom really cut down on the clutter, which cut down on my stress level.

I have really enjoyed trying out the Xoom, and I’m anxious for Jenny to have a chance to try it out too (even though that means I will have to part with it). I’m curious to see how she uses it in her life.

What about you? What’s your favorite use for mobile technology?

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Verizon Wireless hooked us up with a Motorola Xoom and 6-months of service.

One of the things I’m dreading about back to school is packing lunches for Kate. I know it sounds silly, but it adds an extra step into my morning, and most of the time I don’t have time for that! Kate packs her lunch about half the time, I’d say, and honestly most of the time I’m scrambling to figure out what to throw in there. Mom of the year award, coming right up.

I’m determined to be better prepared this year, so I’ve done a little googling and found some good ideas to keep lunch interesting… something beyond the standard peanutbutter and jelly. Here’s my list so far:

— Bagel sandwiches
— Turkey and cheese roll ups
— Fruit skewers
— Sliced apples and caramel
— Yogurt and granola
— Homemade snack mix
— Muffins
— Spaghetti, soup or chili in a thermos
— String cheese

Or, my personal favorite, Ants on a Log.

Yum… I could eat that every day.

What am I missing? What do you pack in your kids’ lunch boxes?

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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Country Crock via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Country Crock.

We’re pretty embroiled in getting ready for back to school, and based on the conversations, posts and pictures on Facebook, Twitter and blogs, most of the rest of you are too!

It’s extremely important to my husband and me that our kids do well in school and have a positive experience – and that they provide a positive experience for their teachers as well. Aka, behave yourself!

I’m doing a series of posts about BTS for Country Crock, and this week’s theme is setting kids up for success in school. Since my husband is a teacher, I turned to him for ideas. Here are a few things we came up with that we as parents can do to help our kids be successful:

— Encourage reading. This is a pretty basic tip, obviously, but it’s a big one. Andy teaches science, but he often talks about how crucial reading comprehension skills are for success in every subject – kids have to be able to read and understand what’s being asked of them, regardless of if it is a literature exam or a chemistry test. Reading is the foundation for everything! And it’s one of life’s great pleasures, in my opinion. So, read to your kids, obviously, but demonstrate the importance of reading in your life by visiting the library together, having books in your home, and reading yourself! The next time I’m trying to read a book and Kate wants me to do something for her, I’m going to say “Not now, I’m trying to be a good example for you!”

— Stay involved. It’s important for kids to know that what they do at school matters to us – the bad things AND the good things. We usually go around the dinner table and ask each other what the best and worst parts of our days were. It gives us all an opportunity to tell about things we’re excited about, proud of, or worried about, but it also gives Andy and me insight into what goes on during Sam and Kate’s days. We also make an effort to let their teachers know that we support them and want to partner with them in regards to our kids. Since I don’t do drop off or pick up for Kate, it takes a little extra effort to stay clue in to her school life, but I think it’s important to do so.

— Cover the basics. We can’t usually be in the room helping our kids learn throughout the day, but what we do before and after school makes a huge impact on their behavior and ability to learn. It’s our job as parents to provide for their basic needs – only we can make sure they get enough sleep and eat a good breakfast!

Ok, that’s all I’ve got! But of course I want to hear from you. What tips for helping your kids succeed can you share with all of us?
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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Country Crock via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Country Crock.