Twin Mom | Raising Girls | Twin Advice | Reviews

Tips for taking twins skiing for the first time

2010-03-10T14:00:10Z

In February we were guests of The Hidden Valley Club in Vernon, NJ and I got to take the girls skiing for the first time ever. We had a great time! The girls were quick to pick it up and I tried not to panic. With a little planning, you too can have an experience like this:

The problem is that The Mister has had more than one surgery on his knee and his shoulder so he was, OUT.

Knowing I would not have The Mister along didn't discourage me. But I knew logistically it's IMPOSSIBLE (and I rarely use that word) to get me and two kids on skis, up a hill, and back down.

Tip #1 have one adult per child

Luckily my brother and his family live only an hour away from the Hidden Valley Club. He was more than happy to join us so we had three adults and 4 kids. My neice is 9 and already solid on skis. Plus, she's a trooper and didn't mind taking the lift alone so that the three adults could each take a little one (the Twofer and my nephew). I knew now that we had enough hands to help, but how about the mountain?

Tip #2 pick a family-friendly mountain

The Hidden Valley Club is perfect for families. It's not a huge mountain but has a good variety of trails and has a great beginner slope. The guys running the beginner lift were quick to help the kids on and pick up the skis that came off in the process. The ski rental process took only about 30 minutes for all of us. And when we took a break for lunch at the lodge we saw this...

Kid-friendly is... a pack & play in ski lodge

and this

Kid-friendly is...napping

Speaking of the lodge...you see how crowded it is in the photos?

Tip #3 bring lunch

Anyone who's ever been skiing knows the lodge at lunch can be scary. And that goes for any lodge, at any mountain on any Saturday where there is snow. First of all, it's difficult to walk around in ski boots. To balance a tray with food while walking in ski boots takes poise, agility, and some ballet lessons for balance.

Plus, learning how to ski makes everyone hungry for lunch at 10:30 am. Better to bring lunch or at least a bag full of healthy and filling snacks to take the edge off.

Besides food, what other items should you bring?

Tip #4 bring a backpack

Knowing I was going to stick to the beginner slope, I decided to ski with a backpack so that I had all the important things ON me throughout the day: wallet, phone, camera, Flip video , chapstick, tissues, Hothands , extra gloves, and bottles of water.

Tip #5 Don't forget

Don't forget to pack extra gloves and socks because a cold and wet kid makes for a whiney ride home.

Don't forget to ask if the mountain has ski helmets for rent. Some only have a limited number but after El had another little kid crashed into her (it's always the other crazies on the mountain) and she banged her head, I'll never take them skiing without a helmet.

Don't forget to have reasonable expectations. After waiting in line and working up a sweat to get all the equipment...kids might already be tired. Slip them a snack (chocolate works for us) and get them out on the snow. Remember there is always the chance they could HATE skiing...try and be patient, keep it at their level, and I bet they'll love it.

Janine

I may need to bring back my "Kate" hair this week for The View

2010-03-09T14:00:11Z

Last year I gave myself "Kate" hair in response to the craziness that was starting to surround Kate Gosselin because of her husband, Jon's midlife crisis.

This image was on my Twitter and Facebook profile and MANY people thought I had really cut and styled my hair this way. I might bring it back because FRIDAY Kate will be guest hosting on The View. But this time it's not as much fun.

Kate has extensions.

Kate's going to be on Dancing with the Stars.

I think Kate has 'jumped the shark'.

So take warning my friends at The View. Don't be surprised if the ratings this Friday for Kate aren't as high as they were last time. For some, going on DWTS is a great move (Apolo Ohno) but for others like Kate, it's a cry for a shot at another 60-120 minutes of fame. And one I'm guessing America is not willing to give her.

Besides Kate, here's what's coming up this week on The View...

TUESDAY, MARCH 9 – Guests -Andy Garcia and his daughter Dominik Garcia-Lorido (“City Island”); Elissa Stein and Susan Kim (author, Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation).

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 – Guests: Forest Whitaker (“Our Family Wedding”); Jesse Ventura (author, American Conspiracies).

THURSDAY, MARCH 11 – Sir Elton John will be sitting with the women at the table and partaking in “Hot Topics”; Guest - Eric McCormack (“Who Is Clark Rockefeller?”).

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 – Co- Host Kate Gosselin is back and will join the women and the return of “The View: Fashion Friday” with designer Carolina Herrera

What do you think? Will you watch DWTS to see Kate Gosselin? Would you watch her in another reality show?

Janine

Disclosure: I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved prior to being published.

Spring Cleaning for the clearing house

2010-03-08T17:21:42Z

My house has become a clearing house of sorts.

I have hand-me-downs coming in (read here how the Twofer fight over them), I have hand-me-downs going out to friends with younger kids, and I have hand-me-downs waiting in the wings to be used.

And then...I have HMDs (hand-me-downs) that come back to me from the friends with younger kids.

Twice a year I have to take inventory. This year I'm going to sell some of the HMDs and toys at a local consignment sale. This will require a little more organization on my part but I KNOW it will be well worth it.

Step 1: collect what you want to sell

For me this is the stuff that has been returned from friend with younger kids and that's in good shape. It also means toys the Twofer have fully outgrown and that I'd rather not keep for young visitors...I can't keep it all now can I.

Step 2: sort by age, size, and season

It's almost Spring so anything Fall or Winter will get put back to be sold in September. Yes, this means YET another bag but I can deal with it later. Procrastination isn't such a bad thing. All the Spring clothing looks like this:

spring clothes sorted for consignment

and I've started a lovely pile in my foyer of toys, gear, etc that looks like this:

toys, water safety, roller skates and more for consignment

Step 3: price and label items

For yard sales I stage everything in my garage and have colorful dot stickers where I write the price so people know what to pay where to start haggling. For this consignment sale they've got a very cool online system where you enter information for each item (price, size, description, if you want to donate it after the end of the sale) and then you print out a label with a bar code.

TotSwap.net uses bar code system for tagging

The hardest thing is knowing how to price items. Go here to get an idea of where to start with pricing items and keep in mind what you would pay if you found the item at a yard or consignment sale. For larger items I've done better (made more money) selling them on Craigslist. For smaller items I'm hoping the sale will help me get rid of most of my inventory while still making a little money.

wood work bench and roller skated priced and tagged for consignment

Step 4: get rid of it

Now you are all set to either sell it at a yard sale, at a rummage sale (ie: where the proceeds go to the church hosting it) or consignment sale.

You can also list it on ebay or CraigsList.

Or donate it! You can easily add up the value to use on the donation receipt.

And leave me a comment letting me know where you get rid of your stuff and how. Tips and tricks are appreciated!

Janine

Disclosure: I have a working relationship with Tot Swap that is separate from my blog. All opinions are my own and this post was neither reviewed nor approved by Tot Swap prior to being published.

Fashionista Friday - twin girls can make glamour ugly

2010-03-05T14:00:09Z

In this weekly series I explore all things fashion...especially as they relate to 6 year old girls. I also explore things for me like this fab calendar and this fashion "Bible" of sorts, but for this post I'm back on the kids.

Because this morning they made fashion ugly. And not in their choice of clothing.

Image of CSF Wrestlers by Podknox on Flickr

It was their attitude.

With each other.

You see we are a humble family and we save money wherever we can. That includes accepting any and all hand-me-downs. The problem comes when we get a new shipment of hand-me-downs and the girls start tearing through them and declare "MINE!" all over the stuff.

Today I heard a LOT of this..

"Moooooooomy! El's wearing MY SWEATER! Why can't she wear HER OWN sweater??"

and then a few,

"That's MINE! You have THAT one!"

For some reason they don't understand that NONE of it is theirs. It all belongs to whomever gave it to us or the the person we are passing it onto.

What's more, many items fit Em first because she is a size taller and then they get passed onto El. Oh don't worry, they each get new stuff (Thank GOD for Grandmas) but the sad truth is that El usually gets stuff after Em. So what sucks for her is good for me because who knew I'd be able to hand-me-down with twins??

But it definitely makes for an ugly scene. One that rivals any America's Next Top Model show.

Minus the swearing.

But there is a lot of eye-rolling, grabbing, snickering, hair tossing, tears, and all-around drama.

All before 8:30 am too.

U - G - L - Y

You ain't got no alibi

You ugly!

You ugly!

Points to whomever can name that movie first.

Janine

There's something to be said for wanting MORE

2010-03-04T22:00:43Z

What do you want MORE of?

Do you want to be MOREfinancially savvy?

Want MORE info on health and exercise?

Want MORE from your career?

If you answered yes to any of the above then check out the MORE Magazine Reinvention Convention for women.

It kicks-off in DC next Monday, March 8th and with it brings speakers that cover all these areas and...

MORE!

Here are just some of the speakers:

Lesley Jane Seymore, editor-in-chief of MORE Magazine

Mika Brzezinski, co-host of MSNBC's Morning Joe

Vice Admiral Regina Benjamin M.D., the 18th Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service

Jean Chatzky, award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and financial guru for NBC's Today Show

Geralyn Lucas, author of Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy which became an Emmy nominated Lifetime Television movie

I wish I could go because many of the speakers will also be doing book-signings but more importantly, this is a great opportunity to invest some time and thought to ME.

Have you done that lately? Me neither.

They are also having conventions in Chicago and New York City so let me know if you plan to go!

Janine

The View hosts share something in common with this bull

2010-03-03T14:00:19Z

In a recent discussion on Mom Central, just about everyone polled said what they liked most about The View was the Hot Topics portion at the very beginning. I love the Hot Topics and the mix of personalities, but let's not forget about the guests.

Well, it's not even the guests, it's that the hosts have, um, cajones, and ask great questions

Wall Street Bull image via CeeKay on Flickr

The View hosts ask the questions we all want the answers to.

Like, does The Situation from Jersey Shore "use protection"?

Or does Regis Philbin put the seat down (in the bathroom)?

And this classic from Barbar Walters to Robert Pattison (from the Twilight movies), "Did I hear correctly that you said something about vaginas?"

Ah ladies - I am improving my interviewing skills with every show. Thank you!

Want to know what's coming up on The View this week?

Wednesday, Mar 3: This show will feature the best of “View Tube,” including backstage antics and celebrity exit interviews. And Lisa Kudrow will be joining the hosts as well.

Thursday, Mar 4: Celebrity guest co-host Valerie Bertinelli, former Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin from Broadway’s “The Miracle Worker,” Mia Wasikowska from Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland”

Friday, Mar 5: The View’s “Road to the Oscars” episode welcomes former Oscar nominee Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes and “Fashion Friday” celebrates “The History of Oscar Fashions” with a two-part look back at some of the most memorable Oscar hits and misses.

Will you be watching? What question do you wish they had asked a recent guest?

Janine

Did you see me on that box of Cheerios?

2010-03-01T14:00:16Z

Yes, TwoferMom has made it to the Big Time folks.

My photo is on a special edition of Cheerios.

You can all say you knew me when.

Here is the box:

Remember a while back when I wrote this post here about Shop Rite's program called Partners in Caring? From that post Shop Rite and General Mills donated 30 boxes of cereal to a food bank!

That campaign was called Bloggers in Caring and as a thank you, Shop Rite and General Mills included all of our photos on the back of a special box of Honey Nut Cheerios.

Here's my fabulous photo:

OK, it's really part of a mosaic of all of our photos but still, it makes me feel special and so happy to have helped Shop Rite raise awareness and help donate 3,000 boxes of cereal!

I also received a lovely thank you package that included a Shop Rite reusable shopping bag, some yummy treats, and a $20 gift card. The treats are long gone, but I've decided to continue the caring part and let one of my readers win the shopping bag and $20 gift card! Visit my reviews/giveaways page to enter.

And pick up a box of Honey Nut Cheerios with the "Blogging Against Hunger" on the front the next time you are in Shop Rite so we can have breakfast together :).

Janine

Disclosure: I received the Shop Rite gift card, shopping bag, and other treats at no cost and as a thank you for participating in the Bloggers in Caring program. All opinions are my own and this post was not reviewed or approved prior to posting. It was my own decidsion to pass along the gift card and shopping bag to one of my readers in a giveaway.

Fashion Friday - 80s style

2010-02-26T19:02:11Z

Here is the outfit...

Description:

long Tinkerbell t-shirt, belted

black leggings and purple twinkle toes high-tops

The 80s is back people.

Last night I learned about 'jeggings ' at a CAbi show. Jeggings = jeans that look like leggings.

Anyway, the combination of El's heart leggings with a belted tunic top (or long t-shirt we just inherited from her older cousin) brought me right back to my childhood days. The pop of purple from the shoes gave it that extra edge. The only thing missing were the rubber Madonna bracelets I used to wear.

You too?

I know, those were so rock-star cool were they not? Check out this updated version of the Black Rubber Bracelet I found on Amazon. Makes me want to find that Madonna tape!

Janine

The Stars were out and accessible at Disney

2010-02-24T14:00:28Z

You just never know who you are going to see when you go to Disney.

Of course there are there are the usual suspects....

The Twofer with Mickey and Minnie at Hollywood Studios

And the Twofer were excited to meet the 'other' set of twins:

My twins with Disney twins Chip and Dale

But did you know I had the chance to meet and interview Kermit the Frog?

Kermit the Frog at Disney EPCOT

Of course I didn't know that interviewing Kermit meant I had to go behind the 'circle of truth' as I call it. One minute I was sitting with Kermit looking at my notes and then I looked up and saw a wall of people surrounding us! It looked something like this...

Then I realized...Kermit is a puppet! And I guess it would ruin the secret if everyone walking around Epcot that day saw the puppeteer with his hand, you know, up Kermit's....um...yea.

A blog friend of mine had the chance to meet and interview a few stars of Disney's Camp Rock!

And of course the highlight for our 6 year olds was the private mini concert with Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato

Have you seen anyone famous while at Disney? Did you get up close and personal?

Janine

For more from the Disney Social Media Moms trip see...

Disney makes everyone feel like a VIP

Follow me during the Disney Social Media Moms Conference

Disclosure: As an attendee of this conference I received a discounted room rate, complimentary items, and access to special events including food and entertainment. All opinions are my own and were not reviewed nor approved by Disney prior to posting.

Loving this week on The View - Cast of Jersey Shore and Octomom!

2010-02-23T14:00:47Z

So last week I revealed that I'm one of The View Ambassador Moms and this week's upcoming shows is exactly WHY I am!

First of all, I cannot get enough of the campy cast of MTV's Jersey Shore and TODAY (February 23, 2010) they will be joining the ladies of The View! I really want Elisabeth to get a bump-it hairdo like Snooki...don't you??

Snooki Hasselbeck courtesy of JerzifyYourself.com

Not only that, but Nadya Suleman will be at The View on Wednesday and should make for a VERY interesting interview, no?

Want to know what else is happening?

Here are some schedule highlights...

Tuesday, Feb 23: The cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore

Wednesday, Feb 24: Nadya Suleman who famously gave birth to octuplets last year will be making her first trip to NYC to chat live with the Women of the View. Author Danielle Steel will also be a guest

Thursday, Feb 25: A one hour show Themed “trying to have a baby?”Guests include Giuliana And Bill Rancic

Friday, Feb 26: Regis and Joy Philbin will perform a song from their new CD: Regis & Joy: Just you. Just me.

Want to know what other ambassadors of The View are saying? Go to www.search.twitter.com and type in #theviewmoms to see what we are discussing and join in! Just use #theviewmoms in your tweets.

Janine

Disclosure: I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed here are mine and were not reviewed or approved by Mom Central or The View prior to posting.