Programming for Kids

This video is only 9 minutes long, take a look!



My 9th grader is not the most enthusiastic student in the world.  I have to keep answering the question "Why do I have to read Greek literature?"  Apparently I haven't given him a satisfactory answer, because he keeps asking it.  I will always believe in the importance of the humanities in education, but incorporating technology into education is so important because it has become a thread running through the entire fabric of our society.  From a practical standpoint, an emphasis on technology will open up a whole host of career opportunities for our children in the future.

My son is not too far into his programming class, yet, but he is excited about the simple things he has created.  His proudest moment in 9th grade so far was showing me a button he had created.  We are using a class designed for homeschoolers, but I think this would be a great addition to any student's education:

Homeschool Programming

And check out Code.org

Money Changes Everything

An interesting money blog...

Mr. Money Mustache

Two helpful budgeting websites/apps:

You Need a Budget- My husband and I use this one.  It is good for irregular income.  My big complaint is that they don't have an app for the iPad.  They have one for iPhone that you can use on the iPad, but it isn't very satisfying.

Mint-  I've always had a thing for Intuit products.  To me the best accounting software for small business, hands down, is Quickbooks (also by Intuit).

Paging Dr. Google... the search for health through food

I challenge you to visit your doctor and tell her about something health related you read on the internet.  You will be met with an eye roll and an admonishment for seeking health information on the wild, unregulated, conspiracy filled internet.  Admittedly, if you are experiencing a health problem and google your symptoms, you will probably walk away from your computer convinced that you have 10 different diseases and will be dead in a matter of days.  The only way to halt your untimely demise is to embark on a diet of exotic mail order foods so expensive they will land you in bankruptcy court and engage in a ritual of daily colon cleansing.  Uh, no thanks.

Did you lose your arm in a chainsaw accident?  Blow your knee out in an X Games style athletic endeavor?  Chest pains after meeting your daughter's new boyfriend?  Modern medicine is excellent at treating our acute medical problems.  There aren't very many answers, however, if you experience chronic illness.  I myself struggle with chronic illness and I have found that my diet has a profound impact on my symptoms.  I have experimented with different dietary advice I have come across on you guessed it... the internet... and have found that for my health a diet free of gluten, low in grains (and if eaten at all, properly prepared), and full of good fats, vegetables, and high quality protein is best.  This is how I am trying to feed my whole family.  I don't really believe in religious adherence to any particular diet, but if you want a label this would be a paleo or primal like diet with a strong emphasis on a traditional foods way of eating.

I tried to kick the Standard American Diet (SAD) when my oldest son was a baby and was experiencing severe eczema and asthma and I was experiencing thyroid problems.  Since then I have constantly struggled with my family's diet.  The biggest obstacles for me have been finding good tasting alternatives to the junk food I had become used to and that my picky eater would even look at much less put in his mouth, finding the time to prepare healthy food, being able to afford healthier foods, and being able to find sources for healthier foods.  The internet has been a godsend for me.  I have found some wonderful websites that have helped me tremendously in my endeavors to improve my family's diet.  The proliferation of helpful websites in the last few years has been tremendous.  When I started this food journey 15 years ago with my infant son the information and resources were much harder to come by.  I will leave you with my favorite websites and blogs for recipes and meal planning:  

Wellness Mama- Her Coconut Flour Pancakes and Apple Cinnamon Muffins have become breakfast and snack staples in my house.
The Nourishing Home
Organic & Thrifty
PaleoPot
Mark's Daily Apple
Peace, Love & Low Carb

Enjoy!

Nerdy Productivity Apps

I lost my first iPad within a couple of weeks of buying it.  At that time I didn't know about enabling the Find my iPad feature.  It took me a couple of days to find it right where I should have looked (in a pile of towels next to the bathtub) and during those missing days I was sure someone had stolen it.  In an effort to cheer me up, my 15 year old son said "Relax, mom. When the hoodlum sees your k.d. lang music and all of your productivity apps, he'll give it right back."

The nerdy productivity and organization apps are my absolute favorite and here are a few that are on my MVP list:

Evernote:  I used to carry around paper notebooks and I don't any longer because of this app.  You can even install other apps to work with Evernote, such as a handwriting app that allows for handwritten note taking.  I am currently trying to make the transition to a paperless life by scanning every piece of paper that comes through my hands, such as receipts and warranties, and organizing those things in Evernote.  I also use  Evernote for organizing my business.  I love having everything pertaining to my home and business in one place.  A Mom's Guide to Evernote is an excellent getting started guide.

Mealboard:  I use this wonderful app for meal planning and grocery shopping.  I love that I can pull recipes from my favorite sites like FoodNetwork.com  (Rachel Ray's Week in a Day rocks!)

Dropbox:  I can't say it enough.  Dropbox. Dropbox. Dropbox.  I work at home and in an office.  I work on my iPad.  I work on a desktop PC at work.  I can access my important files from anywhere on any device.  I can work on a plane, on a train, in the rain.  In a box, with a fox, with a mouse, in a house.  I can work anywhere Sam I Am!

These are just a few of my faves.  Favorite music apps next time...