To Boldly Go...

I must admit, when I first heard there was going to be a new Star Trek movie, I winced. I mean c'mon, why do this to one of the most iconic series in television's rich history?

It's gonna be awful , I thought.

Well, I got to see it the other day--it's terrific! What a dazzling fun ride!

The prequel takes us to the time before Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Bones and Scotty became crew members on the USS Enterprise. Being a fan of the tv series, it was a blast seeing the characters in their youth!

The writing, acting and special effects are all first rate. So far, the movie has grossed over $190 million and going strong!

There will be sequels--at this point that would be...well, logical.

Relax, It's Summertime!

We unofficially kickoff summer on Memorial Day! With that in mind, hopefully you'll find the below tips handy--have a terrific summer!

Top 8 Tips for No-Stress Summer Fun
By Robin McClure, About.com


1. Plan Ahead for Summer Activities
Summer fun activities and an endless array of sports, dance, activity and academic camps are available in most communities. However, parents need to keep in mind that advance planning is key to getting in, as many of the most popular activities fill up quickly. Check with your city recreation departments, school districts, local attractions and libraries for starters to find out what the offerings are and what costs may be involved. Ask your kids what they really want to do with their time ... both for individual enrichment and as a family. Then don't wait; sign up while you still can!


2. Create A Budget and Stick With It
A big stress for families over the summer months is spending too much money. After all, costs for entertainment, food, travel, and even admissions to local swimming facilities can really add up. Parents should budget their summer fun dollars, and then advise kids (as age appropriate) that there is so much money for activities. Of course, with a little creativity and searching, you might be delighted in how many activities can be enjoyed for free!

3. Don't Overschedule Kids During Summer
Camps and special interest activities are wonderful, but beware of overplanning your kids' days over the summer. If a parent is home, sometimes sleeping in, taking a walk around the block, planning a bike ride or watching a movie together can be more enjoyable then rushing around getting from Point A to Point B and on the "go, go, go" all the time.

4. Consider 'No-Plan' Times
Keep an organized calendar that lets family members easily reference plans (such as swimming lessons or basketball camp). On that same calendar, schedule in some "not-to-be scheduled time." And stick with it. Part of summer's fun is to have cookouts, unstructured reading, etc., and block regular times out on the calendar that are dedicated to family only. Let your kids be bored (they will absolutely find something to do), and take a deep breath and just relax!

5. Set Limits for Neighbor Kid Play
Of course, you want the neighborhood kids to come over and play with your children. Kids can spend hours together having backyard adventures and enjoying either others' friendships. However, be careful to avoid feeling taken advantage of and feeling that you are feeding all the neighbor kids or responsible for their entertainment and overall happiness on a daily basis. Arrange playdates where you alternate whose house kids play at or make other mutually agreeable days where kids can play. Set expectations with your own kids in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.

6. Keep Food Choices Simple and Light
Parents sometimes fall in the trap of too-much takeout and fast food, and overlook the scrumptious and health offerings that come with summer. Load up on sandwich meats, fruits, vegetables, yogurt and healthy snacks and grill outdoors whenever possible. Summer presents a good time to encourage healthy-eating vs. calorie-laden snacks. And, while you're at it, use summer picnics and laid-back fun to encourage the learning of proper eating etiquette and table manners!

7. Keep Safety on Top of List
The lazy, long days are summer create the opportunity to let your guard down. But tot safety must be kept as a high priority at all times. Summer fun means outdoor adventures, swimming, and explorations, which can also mean opportunities for sunburn, heat exhaustion, drowning, Lyme disease, and ozone alerts if you're not careful. Be sure that all elements are considered before heading outdoors or on vacation!

8. Don't Use Just Any Babysitter
Lots of high school and college-age kids are available for babysitting jobs in the summer, but that doesn't mean they are qualified or right for the job. Before you entrust anyone with your kids, be sure to check out references and make sure that a potential babysitter really likes to be with kids and isn't just looking for easy money. Summer days can be long and present opportunities for health and safety concerns if kids aren't supervised and cared for with a loving heart and attentive eye.

Happy Mother's Day!

This Sunday is Mother's Day--a day to celebrate mom for
everything she's done for us throughout the years!

Have a happy Mother's Day and enjoy some interesting facts
about one of the most important days of the year!


Mother's Day trivia must begin with the date of Mother's Day -- the second Sunday in May. It's often celebrated with gifts, flowers and brunches. But here's some Mother's Day trivia you may not know:

* The holiday is over a century old.
* 57 percent of U.S. mothers with infants work for pay.
* There are about 83 million American mothers.

Read on for more interesting and surprising Mother's Day trivia.

Origins of Mother's Day
Mother's Day began on May 10, 1908, when Anna Jarvis organized celebrations in Philadelphia and Grafton, W.Va.

As support for a national holiday grew, Jarvis lobbied Congress to designate a day in honor of mothers. In 1914, Congress set aside the second Sunday in May for Mother's Day.

Mothers and Children
Approximately 82.8 million U.S. women were mothers in 2004. Of the 15 to 44 year age group, 55 percent were mothers in 2006, according to government statistics. 80 percent of women aged 40 to 44 were mothers that year, compared with 90 percent of that age group in 1976.

The U.S. saw 2.1 births per woman in 2006, the first time since 1971 that the fertility rate was high enough for the adult generation to replace itself. Utah enjoyed the highest fertility rate, 2.6, whereas Vermont, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia had only 1.7 births per woman.

Of the 37.8 million mothers living with minor children, 94 percent lived only with biological children in 2004. There were 3 percent living with stepchildren, 2 percent with adopted children and less than 1 percent with foster children.

9.8 million single moms were living with minor children in 2008, up from 3.4 million in 1970. 36 percent of women aged 15 to 50 who gave birth in 2006 were unmarried.

New Moms and Babies
There were 4.3 million births in the U.S. in 2006. The average age to become a mothers was 25 in 2005, the first decline since the government started measuring the statistic in 1968.

Of those births, 18,674 were the mother's eighth baby or more. 38,568 of the deliveries didn't occur in hospitals.

Twins were born 32.1 times per 1,000 births. Other multiples were born 153.3 times per 100,000 births in 2006.

August saw the most new babies, with 387,798 births. Wednesday was the most common day to give birth, with an average of 13,482 deliveries.

The most popular baby names were Jacob and Emily, in 2007.

Working Mothers and Stay-at-Home Moms
57 percent of 15-to-50 year old mothers of infants worked outside the home in 2006. There were 5.3 million stay-at-home moms and 140,000 stay-at-home dads in 2008.

The U.S. had 757,616 child care locations in 2006, including 73,755 centers with employees and 683,861 individuals or family daycares.

Looking at maternity leave, 80 percent of first-time moms worked until one month or less of giving birth, compared with 35 percent in the early 1960s.

Of moms who went back to work within a year of giving birth, 83 percent returned to the same employer. But beware the mommy track -- only seven in 10 of these women resumed working at the same skill level, pay and hours per week.

True Mother's Day Trivia
Of all the children younger than 6 in the U.S., 58 percent ate breakfast and 80 percent ate dinner with their mother every day in 2006. That compares with 53 percent and 71 percent for meals with dad.

To honor Mother's Day, you may purchase flowers at one of the 20,227 floral shops, perfume at one of the 12,765 beauty stores or a necklace at one of the 28,300 jewelry retailers in the U.S.

You can also pick up a Mother's Day card from one of the 132 greeting card publishers who employed 12,765 people in 2006.