Gearhead Mom

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Cool Shop For Sensory Processing / Autism

Posted by Missy W. @ 04:44 AM

If you have a kiddo with sensory integration/processing challenges, then hustle on over and check out this cool site, The Therapy Shoppe. Sy’s a big fan of the Safety Grip Scooter Board. They are used in OT for vestibular input, motor planning, bilateral coordination, and body strength/stability. My four year old just thinks they are fun as hell to ride around on.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Great Party Favor: Queen Beatrix Jumping Bug

Posted by Missy W. @ 11:32 AM

Sy got one of these super cool suction cup jumping bugs the other day as a birthday party favor. It has been a huge hit in my house. She does it over and over and over for her 1.5 year old little brother, who laughs hysterically over and over and over again.

But uh, make sure your Littles stay out of the way as it pops up! I don’t let Baby G play with it, just watch.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Speesees Valentine Sale

Posted by Missy W. @ 02:23 AM

In honor of Valentine’s Day, speesees (fun, fair, organic!) is having a big ol’ tomato colored sale. Check it out - all tomato colored items are on sale and up to 40% off!

Saturday, February 06, 2010

My Father’s Homage To My Detox

Posted by Missy W. @ 03:55 AM

My father wrote a poem for me about my detox, which he sent to me via text, natch. He was especially proud of the tofu line.

No coffee, no tea
And no meat I see.
No beer, no gin
Where de fun begin?
No milk, no cream?
Of gigantic feasts
You’ll dream.
No wheat, no rye
No tarts, no pie.
Corn’s taboo.
Tofu too?
All that juice,
Pot a soup?
Sounds like
Really healthy goop.
But glad to hear you’re
Fit and well,
Robust, eager,
Feeling swell.
Keep me posted,
Let me know.
How this Spartan
Eating go.

And here’s mine:
My Dad’s RAD.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

The Sparkle Fairy

Posted by Missy W. @ 02:20 PM

My daughter’s very old-school preschool has a Sparkle Fairy. She hides “gold” (spray-painted gold rocks) in the yard every few months. The kids find it and either re-hide it for their friends or put it in the big gold pot outside. It’s one of Sy’s fave activities. I am thinking of ripping that idea right off and hiding some gold of our very own in our backyard for Baby G to find on days when his sister has the nerve to go off to school without him.

What is your favorite part about your child’s school?

Massive salmonella outbreak and the culprit is salami

Posted by Missy W. @ 03:23 AM

The CDC is collaborating with public health officials in many states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the State of Rhode Island to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella serotype Montevideo infections. Investigators are using DNA analysis of Salmonella bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak.

See full article here.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Do You Feel LIke You Have Leisure Time?

Posted by Missy W. @ 02:47 AM

Here’s a good read on all of our apparent “leisure time.” Do you feel like you have 30 hours of leisure time per week? I don’t. But then again, the dude who does the time studies would probably consider blogging leisure time. Semantics.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Detox: Week Three

Posted by Missy W. @ 03:53 AM

Oh my heavenly stars, how on Earth can I stilllll be doing this detox!?? I’m on day 16 and I have to admit, I feel great. I also really miss chewing - I only get to do it once a day after all.

Week One: peppered with delirium and headaches (hence my lack of reviews).
Week Two: lots of energy, resolve and determination (hence my lack of reviews, I was too busy re-organizing my baking cabinet, but why? It’s not like I can BAKE).
Week Three: complete boredom (hence my lack of reviews, I can only daydream about chewing). BUT. I feel great, really I do. It’s so very sad to me that I have to bid a very fond farewell to refined sugar and caffeine.

Stupid health food.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Happy New Year! Time To Cleanse!

Posted by Missy W. @ 08:31 PM

Happy New Year, everyone. May 2010 be full of adventure for us all.

I was feeling incredibly run-down during the holidays and realized I had been putting a LOT of bad choices down the hatch. Some friends were going to do the Clean program,* so I decided to jump on board. This detox is no Master Cleanse, rather, a pretty sensible way to detox - liquid meal/solid meal/liquid meal. But it is three weeks long. Three weeks! I’m only on day three, but I have hope that I’ll keep on track. The first two days were punctuated by not much more than a growling stomach and a severe headache (I opted out of the Elmination Diet phase where you cut back on caffeine and sugar, etc). Ahem. Apparently I was incredibly addicted to coffee! And sugar. And coffee. And more coffee.

The good news: I feel GREAT today. The bad news: I am supposed to have a beet/celery/apple juice for dinner.

I’ll keep you posted. If anyone is doing this cleanse, jump in the comments section and share your fave recipes!

*I did not purchase the $350 supplement kit sold on the site. I bought the book, bought some supplements at Whole Foods and a LOT of kale, beets, celery, apples and a brand-new Breville juicer. By the way, that Breville Juice Fountain Plus is OFF THE HOOK. We made the most amazing apple juice out of one pink lady apple. Sy went bananas for it. It’s enormous and expensive (I got mine on major sale at Macy’s last week). You don’t even have to peel most of the fruits or vegies, just toss em in and whir it up. It takes about a minute to make juice for four people, and about eight minutes to clean the entire contraption. Most of it is dishwasher-safe, but I hand wash it since I’m using it so much right now.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

GHM Gift List: Dinosaur Train For Your Traveler

Posted by Missy W. @ 12:42 PM

Are you traveling today or tomorrow? Do you have a total Dinosaur Train freak in your house like we do? We are giving Sy a special early present today before we climb in the car - the family iPod filled to the rim with Dinosaur Train episodes. Omigoodness, I can just imagine the caucophony of hoots that will occur when she realizes she can sing along to I’M A T-REX for the whole drive. Are we crazy??

FYI, if you do live with a Dinosaur Train freak like us, toys will not be produced until 2010.