By Jamie Wiersma

I admit it, I am one of the hold outs. I have a pay-as-you-go phone that really can’t do much more than make phone calls and text. And texting is NOT fun when you have to use the number keys!

I Resisted Getting a Smartphone for So Long for a Few Reasons:

1. First of all, I liked the cost of the pay-as-you go which for me, is very minimal because I don’t care to talk on the phone much.
2. I also don’t like being with people who are consumed by their phones to the point that they are being rude to the people that they are with. I didn’t want to become one of those people.

But, when I got the opportunity to try out HTC’s One S Smartphone for a month, I decided to give it a try. I was warned that I probably wouldn’t want to go back to my old phone and they were right – I’m hooked!

The HTC One S is a fantastic phone! Our family recently invested in a tablet and after getting accustomed to using it consistently during the day for little things like email, Facebook, Pinterest, and my Bible and book reading,  my husband decided that he wanted to take it to work with him. I felt lost!  We joked that we would need to get another tablet for the family. But, when I started using the HTC One S, I realized that it could do all the things that my tablet could do AND, I could easily take it with me and use it on the go.

Features that are Worth Talking About:

3. If you are using it as your MP3 player, you can’t beat the sound quality with Beats Audio technology. Even when you are just using the speaker, the sound is great!

Additional Pros:

1. Touch screen really responds well.

2. Loaded with a ton of useful apps like Flashlight, Navigation, Google Play, and Weather.

3. Very user friendly.

4. Great design – it is more durable than stainless steel and super thin.

Cons:

1. I’m not sold on the set up of the actual phone app. It is very sensitive and it is very easy to accidentally touch on a contact and call them. I worry about little fingers that might hit on the phone and call people without me knowing it.

2. Be careful when you first set up your phone that you know what you are syncing. I accidentally told the phone to sync all my Facebook friends to my phone book and now have all my friends who have their phone number posted on Facebook in my contacts whether or not I want it in there. So far, I have not figured out how to remove the ones that I don’t want there.

3. The battery life – I guess that’s just something to get used to! I hear that most smartphones have a short battery life.

From a Mom’s Perspective:

As a new smartphone user, I caught myself almost venturing into the world of rudeness and literally had to turn myself away from my phone and not get caught up in playing games while hanging out with my family. I’ve heard of some families who insist that everyone leave their phones at the door when they all get together and I’m thinking this might be a great thing to implement in my family.  Learn more about mobile etiquette and teens and cellphone manners in our previous posts.

That being said, there have been a ton of times this month when it’s been fantastic to have the capabilities of a smartphone while out and about. From sitting in a busy parking lot and being able to call the restaurant and find out what the wait is, to recording a TV show via my phone, and pulling up coupons that I had forgotten to print (and now don’t have to print), having a smartphone definitely has its advantages. As far as the cost of plans, I’ve found that you need to shop around. There are plans out there that are affordable if you do your research. There are plenty of plans out there for any kind of user.

If you are looking for a phone that can serve multiple purposes, the HTC One S is the perfect phone for you! I am using it as an e-Reader, tablet, camera, GPS, MP3 player and my computer away from home. It is priced at $199 (suggested retail $599) with a 2-year contract with T-Mobile. Check out the features on the T-Mobile website for all the details of the phone. There are too many to write about. This phone is full of bells and whistles! Looking at the reviews, most people agree that this is a phone worth the investment.

* I was loaned the HTC One S smartphone in exchange for my honest opinions and review.

Click on pen to

by Lori Cunningham

 Editor’s Note:  A Mother’s Day Flashback….A reprint of my Mother’s Testimony…

Ahhh Mother’s Day.  Mother’s Day is my third favorite holiday (Christmas and Easter are my top 2).  Mother’s Day is a day I relish because of the great joy my children bring to me.  I am so thankful for them and to God for blessing me with my little angels.  Along time ago, I remember waking up one morning and feeling like my heart was singing.  It was that moment I knew that I was ready for children.

The Best Laid Plans….

I began thinking of names and figuring out which characters we would put up on the walls in the room I had set aside for the baby.  There was only one problem, I wasn’t getting pregnant.  Hmmm, that’s not how life and planning out your life is supposed to work.  No worries, it will happen.  Two years later, nothing happened.  And so the journey of infertility had laid its course.

For a couple of years we went through artificial insemination and in-vitro.  I remember seeing pictures of in-vitro on TV as a kid…a baby made in a petri dish…and I thought how sad, how scientific.  All of a sudden, I was one of those people putting hope in this scientific approach.

Needles Anyone?

It’s only by God’s grace that I made it through the whole ordeal.  Sticking myself with needles, rushing unmarked brown bags to the laboratory, and praying endlessly that this expensive, highly emotional venture would end soon.  We paid ahead of time for two in-vitro attempts.  The first attempt resulted in 8 embryos.  After a lot of prayer, I opted for all 8 embryos to be inserted.  Now mind you, today, you probably couldn’t do that for fear of becoming the next octuplet mom.  I couldn’t bear the thought of any of those embryos being destroyed one day.

Elation to Deflation

After the insertion, I went straight back to work and tried not to think about it too much.  A number of weeks later we were so excited to hear that I was pregnant!  Woohoo!  I can remember feeling so overfilled with joy.  I saw the doctor every week and was elated to hear our baby’s heartbeat.  The 9 week check-up was special because it would be the day I “graduated” from the specialist and could see a normal (less expensive) OB/GYN.  I was over-the-top excited to see the doctor on that day.  As normal, he turned on the ultrasound and began looking for the heartbeat…which was always so melodic to me.  Screeeeeeetch!  My world stopped as I heard the Dr. say, “I can’t find a heartbeat.”  I asked him to keep trying.  With his second confirmation, I found myself in a deep tunnel.  I stared straight ahead, motionless.  After all of those years of trying, we finally had gotten pregnant.  Now we lost our beautiful child.

I’m sure many of you can relate to this.  You are at a total high and then the carpet gets ripped out from under you.  I refused to have the baby extracted.  I was still numb and needed time to grieve.  I wanted my body to discharge our baby naturally.  Unfortunately, after two weeks, this still hadn’t happened and I needed to go in for a D&C.  I’ll never forget that day.  They tried to play Andrea Bocelli to sooth me.  To this day, I can’t listen to his beautiful music.

Round Two

The second round of in-vitro was tougher.  I waited about 4 months until I was more emotionally ready to try again.  Even still, I didn’t have a lot of hope and anticipation – which is what used to make the needles and discomfort more palatable.  Once again, we inserted a high number of embryos, five,  this time.  I remember feeling very thankful that we were  blessed with many eggs during both in-vitro’s.

I busied myself with different activities so I wouldn’t constantly worry as to 1.) whether I would get pregnant and 2.) if I did, would it end up in miscarriage again.  As it turned out, I didn’t have to worry about either one.  The 5 embryos didn’t take.   Sigh.  I couldn’t bear to take on any more in-vitro’s.  Emotionally, I was spent.

Adoption?

The thought of open adoption gave me new hope.  My heart longed to love and care for a child, even several children.  We began down this path, prepared ahead of time knowing that there would likely be heartbreak ahead here too;  not being chosen right away, seeing our friends in the adoption program being chosen over us, having a birthmother choose us than dropping out at the last moment, etc.

We worked diligently on our “Letter to the Birthmother,” home study, getting fingerprinted, and reading our mandatory books on how to be a good parent.  We filled out mountains of paperwork.

Stepping Out in Faith

In the meanwhile, after years of prayers, I felt like I finally had gotten an answer from God.  Basically, he told me to quit my corporate job, that I loved, and had been at for 12 years.  What?  My job?  It was my escape from the emotions of my personal life.  Did He really mean for me to quit?  It took me 3 months to obey Him.

The hardest part about being out of work and not having kids as my reason for staying home was the question “What do you do?”  Ughh.  No matter how many times I was asked that question, I never seemed to have an answer.  I simply replied, “I do nothing.”  To my dismay, people reacted with, “wow, how great would that be!”  Hmmm, I never thought of it that way.

A Sudden Surprise

Two and a half months later, while finishing the last of my mountain of paperwork for the adoption agency, I had a whim to go waste another pregnancy test.  I couldn’t believe my eyes!  I was pregnant…naturally!  I remember going downstairs to tell my husband.  I opened my mouth and said, “I…” and then I just babbled and slobbered all over him.  He was startled, having never seen me this way before.  He didn’t know if he should rush me to the hospital or just stay there and comfort me.  When I finally got the words out, he was even more startled!  After nearly 5 years of trying, we sat there dismayed but with incredible happiness.  God had answered our prayers in His timing.

Let me tell you, I was a nervous Nellie the first 9 weeks…I breathed a sigh of relief after the 9 week check-up.  Then I continued as a nervous Nellie up until our beautiful healthy girl was born.  Wow.  What a miracle indeed.  In some ways I am thankful for the years of infertility.  They gave me so much more appreciation for finally having the opportunity to give birth to God’s creation.

God blessed again nearly 3 years later with my son.  Next to my husband, my children are the light of my life.  I am so

grateful for them and the honor to raise them as children of God.

So, this Mother’s Day, I’ll be spending it with my family.  I’m looking forward to my kids’ homemade cards, family love, and home movies and recounting my kids’ birth stories and how special they are to us.

My daughter and I on her birth day.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Enjoy the time with your moms and your families.  Hug them a little tighter this year, for you are truly blessed.

Images source:  Microsoft Office

Click on pen to

by Lori Cunningham

I recently spent two days at the Digital Kids Conference in Pasadena, CA.  Last year, I attended this conference when it was called Engage and attached to the Toy Fair in New York.  I was happy to see I didn’t have to travel so far to attend this time.

Although the conference focuses more on business to business (B2B), it’s always a good place to identify emerging upstarts that could really be interesting in the digital kids space.  I talked to the founders of several of these companies and although there is not a lot of public information about some of them yet, they are worth mentioning.  I also found a few new apps that my kids have been thoroughly enjoying this past week and wanted to share them with you.

Emerging Websites

KidzVuz.com - KidzVuz.com is a video review and sharing site for kids aged 7-12.  Tweens visit KidzVuz to watch and leave video reviews of books, movies, TV shows, toys, technology, travel, fashion and more.  In a safe, COPPA-compliant space, kids create community, content, and connections with other kids and build authentic bonds with a nationwide tween audience.

What kid wouldn’t want to see themselves on video and gather a following?  KidzVuz.com just launched in October and they personally review every uploaded video to ensure a child does not say their real name, city, or school to ensure privacy.  It’s a great site for kids to have a voice and share what they have to say.  Kids earn badges by commenting on other videos, uploading different categories of videos, and more.  KidzVuz.com is an excellent place for kids to grow in poise and confidence as they become better speakers and reporters on their favorite subjects.

ToonGoggles.com (& App for iPad/iPhone & Android) – ToonGoggles is a parent-friendly kids portal that aggregates hundreds of animated children’s’ shows from around the world, many of which have never been viewed in America. All shows have been professionally produced.  Their cartoons are geared for kids ages 4-12.

Have your kids ever wanted to watch TV but there were no good kids programs on, due to the time of day?  The Disney Channel is great until the older kid shows start coming on.  Now, you have a safe place to send them, and better yet, they can “change” the channel all they want without needing you.  My kids have watched YouTube cartoons before, but have been uncomfortable sitting at the desk.  With the tablet version of ToonGoggles they can be more comfortable and discover a whole new world of cartoons out there just for them.  Phew, we avoided Cartoon Network, I’m happy.

There are two types of Apps available:  Free with Child Appropriate Advertising and Paid Subscription without Advertising (though this model will not be available until late Summer).  There are over 500 hours of cartoons to choose from, from Preschool to Girls, Boys, Action, Comedy, and Educational.  One of the cartoon series, called Adventurers Masters of Time, takes the characters back in time to historical moments like Pompeii, Paul Revere’s Heroic Ride, The Pharaoh’s Return, and more.  Love it.

PixyKids.com - PixyKids.com is an emerging social platform for kids ages 6-12 that combines the best features of social media sites communicating with friends, sharing personalized content, and playing with engaging apps.  Kids can upload photos and videos, create their own content through interactive tools and apps, connect and share with family and friends, and build and publish a curated digital portfolio, all within a safe COPPA-compliant environment.

Though PixyKids is not yet available, I had the opportunity to see the “world” PixyKids is creating…kids are going to love it.  They start by creating their own 3D Avatar and customizing their own space.  They can then make friends and invite family members into their community.  PixyKids offers a safe environment for kids to video chat and send e-mails with other friends within the community or even grandparents, aunts, etc., within their safe environment.  There are some great apps available within PixyKids that allow them to create and publish pictures and content.  PixyKids.com launches in July.

Play-Werks.com - This is another online community with interactive media and entertainment built for kids to connect and “have their own space,” on the Internet in a safe manner.  The founder of this community started as a teacher, than began working for Mattel in research in their Girls Division.  Later she worked for MGA Entertainment as a brand manager for their Bratz girls line.  Play-Werks.com is in development and not yet available, however you can visit Play-Werks.com to sign up with your interest.

KickinKitchen.TV -  KickinKitchen.TV, an innovative live-action comedy that takes the format of a sitcom, the utility of a cooking show, and the connectivity of digital and social media, and smashes it together into a groundbreaking show that entertains and engages tweenagers and their families. Viewers communicate with the characters on the show and with each other by uploading videos, entering national contests, playing games, exchanging recipes, engaging in social media, and downloading mobile apps. The website features tween-friendly recipes and nutrition facts, all designed to empower tweens to become proactively involved in their own food choices and health.

KickinKitchen.TV is a great educational series that teaches kids how to cook, know more about nutrition, and interact with the series via uploading pictures, videos, and comments.  It’s energetic, fun, and has a great dance element to some of the shows that makes them very entertaining.  My kids, ages 6 & 9, have recently begun cooking in the kitchen, they made some great fruit and green salads last night for dinner…all on their own.  They have been inspired by the Iron Chef series.  KickinKitchen.TV is a great way for them to learn about nutrition, safety, and cooking to further inspire their new skills.

Fun New Apps

Where’s My Water?  (website/iPad/iPhone App) – This is our new fave game.  Where’s My Water really makes you put your thinking cap on!  Swampy the Alligator lives in the sewers under the city.  He is a little different from the other alligators - he’s curious, friendly, and loves taking a shower after a hard day at work.  The other alligators have damaged his plumbing and disrupted the water flow.  Your job is to guide the water to his shower.

There are many free levels in the free game, but there are 140 in the paid game, which is only $.99.  The game is also available for free online.  Where’s My Water teaches kids cause and effect and the importance of planning ahead to ensure the water gets through to Swampy.  Trust me, you’re gonna want to play this game too, it’s a fun one!

The LORAX Truffula Shuffula - help The Lorax create colorful clusters of 3 or more matching objects. The more clusters you create, the more points you earn!  It’s similar to other games, but this version is kid oriented.  My kids took to this game really fast and have enjoyed playing it.  Truffula Shuffula is free from the Apple iTunes Store.  It also features the movie trailer from The Lorax.  My kids are eager to see the movie now.

Definitely try out KidzVuz.com , ToonGoggles.com, KickinKitchen.TV, Where’s My Water?, and Truffula Shuffula now, as they are all available and all FREE.  PixyKids.com  and Play-Werks.com will be available later this year.  Kids entertainment continues to explode on the Internet, in Apps, on TV, in video games, and in toys.  As a parent, it is hard to keep up with it all.  Nonetheless, be engaged and look for the types of games and apps work well with your family and share them with your kids.  This way you can lead them to parent approved entertainment that you know is safe and fun to play with as a family.  Enjoy!

Click on pen to