6 Easy Eco Friendly Ways Busy Moms & Dads Can Save Lots of Money on Gas

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Eco Family Living

Green living seems to be on my mind a lot lately, most recently when I wrote a post for this blog for Earth Day on how families can take a more active role in repairing and preserving our environment.  As I left the house today I started obsessing on the fact that here I live in L.A. where people really do drive four blocks from home to go grocery shopping.

To be honest, I'm as guilty sometimes as just about all my neighbors on this.  So, today I thought why not combine all my errands to save gas, money, and do my small part to improve Southern California's air quality?

Pacific Ocean at Sunset - Brown/Orange Tint on Horizon is Colored by Smog

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

This shopping trip inspired these tips that will help you save big money on gasoline too.

• If your errands are all within walking distance of each other, why not consider driving to a central location between these different places, parking, and walking to each location? Instead of starting and stopping your car excessively, you'll only have to do it once.

• Even if you only have one errand to do, if it's within a 15 minute walk of your starting location, consider leaving the car and walking instead.  You'll save gas and money but also get some exercise besides.

• When driving the kids to extra curricular activities, such as to friends' houses, sports games and music lessons, where you are just dropping off your child, get them to walk home from the event, if it is safe and close enough to your house for him/her to do so. That way you don't have to make two round-trips to drop off and pick up.  Plus your son or daughter gets the physical workout all kids need but don't always get now a days.

• Don't overlook the freedom and convenience that owning a bicycle provides -- both for the driver and for the kid.  Get your child to ride their bike if he's old enough and responsible enough wherever he wants to go.  You'll feel like less of a taxi driver and your child will feel they actually can go to a lot more places without always depending on a ride from you.

• Lastly, but most importantly, your child will see you making an effort to conserve fuel, money, and show you care about the environment. Wouldn't it be great if your kid also adopted this ethic after he/she get their driver's license so they can enjoy the benefits too?

Try to do any or all of these little things whenever you can and you'll notice how much less often you find yourself at the pump filling up.  Besides all the money you're saving, you'll be helping to save Earth's precious natural resources too.

Now it's your turn to comment.  What other eco friendly ways can you think of (or that you already do) to conserve gasoline?

FTC Disclosure:  I did not receive any payment or other compensation related to this post.   See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Los Angeles Times Book Festival

Family Events

Annual LA Event Entertains, Educates Kids & Adults: Ages 1 - 100

Little Bear, Star of the movie First Dog, at the Los Angeles Festival of Books at USC

Photo by My Daughter, Mini MommyBlogExpert, MommyBlogExpert.com

I'm still on a high after the recent 16th Annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books which took place April 30 - May 1.  I've been attending every year since the first event at UCLA before I had kids and last year I covered the Fresh Beat Band 's live appearance at this Los Angeles Times book festival for this blog.

My Daughter, Mini MommyBlogExpert at the 2011 Festival at USC
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

There was some chaos and confusion this year at the two-day fest as well as parking issues.  I think that could likely be attributed to the event's first year at the new location at USC near downtown L.A.  Even still, my kids and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  In fact, we spent the whole day there, staying till this free book lovers' mega event closed at 5 p.m.

There was truly something to discover for every generation here: kids (babies, toddlers, or school-age), tweens and teens, parents with children of every age, adults without kids, grandparents, and even great grandparents.  With eight outdoor stages and the glorious Southern California weather that weekend, it was so hard to choose between the one-show only events going on simultaneously.  

The Ben & Jerry's full-size ice cream giveaway on a sweltering hot weekend day to thousands at the event was a delectable treat for young and old alike, for sure. Though this had nothing to do with books, B&Js were there to pass out free samples of their new flavors available exclusively at Target which was a major sponsor of the event.

Juggling Ben & Jerry's Server

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

So many (hundreds) really intriguing panel discussions were available to attend, too, with some of the world's premiere authors like R.L. Stine (Goosebumps).  There were also talks by journalists, such as popular L.A. Times columnist, Steve Lopez.  

As a Baby Boomer who grew up on black and white TV, Sunday was the perfect day to attend the event.  That's because I found the conversation on stage between my favorite L.A. Times writer Mary McNamara and Jeannie Out of the Bottle author and actress Barbara Eden of 1960's I Dream of Jeannie fame a real thrill.

Barbara Eden on the L.A. Times Stage at the Festival

Photo by My Daughter, Mini MommyBlogExpert, Mommyblogexpert.com

There were also hundreds of authors who made personal appearances for book signings, too.  That's on top of all the interesting and diverse exhibitor booths to visit showcasing books, book-related items, and even movies based on books coming out this summer -- like Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer. 

Heads up:  I'm working on a separate post now based on my interviews with author and creator of the Judy Moody book series, Megan McDonald, and several members of the cast of this film which scheduled for release June 10.  So, look for that story with more photos really soon on this blog.

  

Zany Props on Display from the Judy Moody Movie

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

New in 2011, bringing the L.A. book festival fully into the hi tech age, was The Times first mobile interactive guide for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android.  This app was developed to help attendees explore and enjoy everything the weekend had to offer from their hand-held devices.

Mobile App That Was New to the Festival This Year

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

About the L.A. Times Festival of Books

This festival was created in 1996 to promote literacy, celebrate the written word, and bring together book creators with the audiences who love to read them.  The 2011 event was presented in association with USC, presenting sponsor Target, major sponsors Buick and GMC, and official ticketing vendor Eventbrite.

FTC Disclosure:  I covered the L.A. Times Festival of Books as a credentialed media member.  I did not receive any payment or other compensation related to this post.   See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

A Healthy Kind of Grilled Cheese Kids Will Love Because They Can Make It Themselves

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Good Food

A Plain Sheet of Matzoh Awaits Some Kitchen Creativity

 iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Passover ended last week.  Yet there are still more than a few boxes of matzah left over at our house.  What's a good Jewish mother to do?

Don't worry, I'm not going to save it for next year -- yes, people I know really do that (not me), LOL.  Instead, I decided to rise to the challenge of somehow combining this matzoh surplus with the cheese that Tillamook sent me for tasting and review on this blog.

Tillamook Kosher Medium Cheddar Cheese
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

The Tillamook variety I received was the Kosher Medium Cheddar Cheese.  Though they produce a range of dairy products, this is the only one that the Oregon company makes that is certified kosher.   

This particular cheese is made with a vegetable-based rennet which also makes it acceptable to vegetarians but it is not considered vegan because it contains milk.  An added product plus, health wise, is that this cheddar is made with milk from cows that were not treated with the artificial growth hormone rBST.

A Scene from the Tillamook Loaf Love Tour

Photo Courtesy of Tillamook Cheese

Inspired by the grilled cheese competition Tillamook sponsored during their recent Loaf Love Tour, I cooked up my own version of the classic sandwich in my own kitchen at home.  For sure,  you don't have to be kosher or even Jewish to enjoy this new twist on an old family favorite.  Good thing, too, that matzoh is widely available in many supermarkets nationwide and usually can be found in the kosher or ethnic section year-round.
Grated Tillamook Kosher Cheese
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

The beauty of the rendition I came up with is four-fold.  First, it only requires two ingredients: a loaf of Tillamook's Kosher Medium Chedar Cheese (which you will need to grate) and a box of matzah.  Even better, this is so easy and quick to cook in just 30 seconds that even a child can make his own sandwich as long as he knows how to use the microwave safely.  It's also really good tasting and crunchy which really seems to appeal to kids.  Best of all, this Mommy Blog Expert concoction is healthier than traditional grilled cheese because no fat or grease is used in the preparation.

MommyBlogExpert's Matzoh Grilled Cheese
Serve open face (as pictured) or top with a second piece of plain Matzoh
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

All my kids love this fun way to eat grilled cheese which I made plain for them. But this would also be good with raw sliced tomatoes or sauteed vegetables of your choice on top when you pop it into the micro.  With four teens at my house, I've found that this is an ideal quick and healthy snack that they can whip up for themselves any time of the day or night whenever they get the munchies.

My oldest triplet -- who also made an off the charts macaroni and cheese with some of the cheese we received, sums up our family's experience well.  "Tillamook is the best cheddar cheese I've ever tasted.  I also love it because there are so many ways kids can use it to make a snack or meal for ourselves that is both delicious and healthy."
My Daughter's Delectable Tillamook Mac & Cheese
iPhone by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Now that your mouth is watering from this all this blog talk about fun ways for kids to cook with cheese, please leave a comment and share your own favorite way to use cheddar in a meal or snack.

FTC Disclosure: Tillamook sent us their scrumptious cheese to facilitate our family's taste and review project.  I did not receive any payment or other compensation related to this post.   See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Electronics Expected to be Among Top Gift Choices This Mother's Day

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Mother's Day

Pink Rose Closeup
Photo by Mini MommyBlogExpert (age 13)

This Sunday, according to the annual Brand Keys Mother's Day survey, nine out of 10 consumers (91%) will celebrate Mother's Day, with spending estimated to reach $15.7 billion, based on the Brand Keys market research findings.

That's an average of $148 in 2011 per buyer, up almost five percent from last year, with men each spending about $176 while women plan to spend quite a bit less, about $120.  Most notable, is that electronic gift buying for Mom has increased by 10% this year.

“Gifts for Mom are going high-tech this year for certain” says Robert Passikoff, Brand Keys founder and president.  “Along with the traditional 3Cs – cards (greeting and gift), candy, and clothing – consumers this year will be focusing on electronics to honor mothers."

Consumers may still be shopping smarter due to the economy, but this year high-tech products are the clear stand-out with shoppers indicating that they're buying Moms electronic book readers (25%), tablets (19%), smartphones (15%), computers (9%), and cameras (6%).

What gifts will you be giving for Mother's Day this year? Or, if you're a mom, what one thing would you like to receive most on Sunday?  Leave a comment and share your ideas.

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive any payment or other compensation related to this post.   See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Los Angeles Times Book Festival This Weekend Sat/Sun April 30 - May 1

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Family Weekend Event

The Los Angeles Times annual two day book festival is this Saturday and Sunday.  With so many exhibitors and family friendly events going on simultaneously on various stages on the USC campus in L.A., it's good to know that The Times just launched its first mobile interactive guide to explore this weekend's Festival of Books. 

The Free download for iPhone, iPod Touch and Android features:

• Customizable schedule of events
• Detailed search by activity, author, book title or genres as well as scheduled performances and appearances
• Maps of the Festival venue, plus parking and public transportation information
• Integration with users' Facebook and Twitter accounts for posting photos, status updates and tweets
• Simple access to the latest news from the Festival via Facebook and Twitter feeds. Plus, a real bonus when it comes to parking in L.A.,  USC traffic updates

The entire festival, including eight outdoor stages, hundreds of panels, exhibitors, book sellers and entertainment, will be located around the USC campus.  The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is presented in association with USC.  Also, presenting sponsor Target, major sponsors Buick and GMC and the official ticketing provider is Eventbrite.

Watch for more posts on MommyBlogExpert about the goings on at the event this weekend as I'll be attending again this year.

FTC Disclosure:  I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.