The Playdate Crashers

We discuss: – Thanksgiving – Christmas shopping – Jimmy Fallon’s “Turkey Stuffing Song” – High School Reunions – The end of naptime for Miles? – Children rooming together – Teething pain and sleeping disruptions Please spread the word about The Playdate Crashers Blog & Podcast by telling 3 friends about us this week!  There are many ways to subscribe to our show and blog and we hope you’ll do them all!

About two years ago, I helped my parents record a small book of nursery rhymes for Miles.  My mom had either thought of the idea on her own or seen it suggested on one of the many websites with ideas for bonding with your grandparents.  She also had a small photo book filled with pages of the nursery rhymes and corresponding pictures.  Absolutely adorable and Miles loved it.  I used it strategically, when I took my showers, turning it on his CD player with the “Repeat” option turned on.  It was so cool to see his little eyes light up, hear him gasp and say “Gawmaw!!” The only problem with the “Grandma and Grandma Reading” CD is that it is a very short recording.  So last Christmas, I decided to record my own CD of myself reading many of his favorite books, something he could listen to at night that would be long enough for him to fall asleep during one playback.  I wanted something calming that would help him fall asleep and would continue his love of books and reading.  In some strange way, I also wanted something that if something ever happened to me, he would have a recording of my voice. Here’s what you need to do to record your own: 1.  Decide on your recording plan.  Will you use your computer?  Your phone?  If you have a webcam, it’s fairly easy to use the microphone to record, but most newer phones also have pretty good microphones and recording capabilities.  If you have a smartphone, there are great apps you can use.  For instance, we have used the “Tape-A-Talk” app for Android to record podcast segments and then instantly send them to backup storage using DropBox.  For my first 2 CDs, I used my podcasting headset mic and the Garage Band program on my Macbook, but if I ever make another one, I might use my phone (and a pair of iPhone earbuds with a microphone).  Simple is good. 2.  Find good directions and do a few test runs.  Once you figure out what you want to use, just search for something like “How to record voice using Garage Band” or “How to make a CD from cell phone recordings.”  Google is awesome.  If you have trouble finding directions and you really want to do this, leave a comment and tell me what you’re having trouble with — we’ll help you! 3.  Select your books.  We have had Miles signed up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library since he was a few months old.  If you aren’t familiar with this program, it’s a program founded by Dolly Parton where free books are sent to your child every month from birth to age five.  They’re great books, classics like “The Little Engine That Could” and newer books as well.  It started in Tennessee only, but is now available in most states, and even Canada and the UK!  From birth to five, your child will receive 60 free books, to start their own personal library and begin a love of reading. Find out more about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library here! When selecting the books for my CDs, I chose a variety of books, silly books where I use fun character voices as well as calm, peaceful books with night and sleep themes. 4.  Choose your order.  Since the idea is to calm the boys down for bedtime and let them imagine the pages of the stories, I start with the fun, silly books and gradually end up with the peaceful books.  Keep in mind how many minutes you will have for recording.  Most CD-Rs will give you about 90 minutes, but our CDs haven’t been that long.  I think one is 45 minutes and the other 60. 5.  Record your stories!  I definitely recommend recording each story on a separate track and naming each one when you finish (this will be important when arranging your CD).  Remember to keep it fun, so use those silly voices your kids love.  Be animated! 6.  Arrange your tracks.  Personally, I would use iTunes for this step.  Once you import your tracks to iTunes, simply make a playlist and put the tracks in the order you chose. 7.  Copy to disc.  Once your tracks are all recorded and arranged in iTunes (or whatever program you prefer), insert a blank CD-R and choose the option to copy the playlist to disc.  Several minutes later, you’ll be finished! ** Bonus Points:  If you’re super creative and have the know-how, you could also do things like add music behind the story tracks or make a fancy CD label.  We haven’t done that at our house, but maybe you’re more awesome than I am!  I’d love to hear what special touches you put on yours! Last Christmas, I did this very last-minute.  It doesn’t take that long, but I would recommend getting started before the last week before Christmas!  If you have some technical know-how, it will take much less time.  I did the first one on my own (that CD is called “Mama Stories” by Miles) but a few months later, my husband recorded a second CD with me (“Dada Stories”).  It was really fun to get him involved and hear the different ways he reads the books. These CDs make a great stocking stuffer for your kids.  It’s an idea that costs almost nothing but your kids (or grandkids!) will treasure forever. [button link=”http://www.playdatecrashers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Little-Boy.mp3″ type=”icon” icon=”heart” newwindow=”yes”] Listen to a sample! “Little Boy”[/button] [button link=”http://www.playdatecrashers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Llama-Llama-Red-Pajama.mp3″ type=”icon” icon=”heart” newwindow=”yes”] Listen to a sample! “Llama Llama Red Pajama”[/button] Pin It

Krista’s son has a brief appearance at the beginning of the show, singing “Happy Birthday, cackers [crashers]!” We discuss the past year on the blog and podcast, reflecting on the emotions, frustrations, and joys of being The Playdate Crashers. THANK YOU (yes, YOU!) for your support!   Please follow us on all of our social networking accounts and spread the word about our show and blog!

Jamie demonstrates her new SodaStream! More about the ABC Kids Expo here! Link from Shaina:  How the Breastfeeding Industry is Killing Breastfeeding O.R.E. Originals Trumpette Krista and Jamie discuss moving Post-Partum Depression and Sleep Deprivation Please spread the word about The Playdate Crashers by telling your friends!  Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, RSS, and email!  Please leave us a review on iTunes — every little bit helps!  

The Playdate Crashers are back! Jamie and Krista have returned from their hiatus (traveling, moving, and technical difficulties have all contributed to this little podcasting vacation) to bring you all the goodies from the ABC Kids Expo in Louisville, KY!

On this episode, Jamie and Krista catch up on Jamie’s family travels, Jamie’s baby boredom guilt, Krista’s house hunting, and her youngest’s destructive behavior. The Baby Whisperer’s “Know Your Baby Quiz” The Baby Whisperer’s “Know Your Toddler Quiz” Household planning and organization Meal Planning Once A Month Cooking (This is the blog Krista was thinking about during the recording but couldn’t remember! Money Saving Mom’s Freezing Cooking 101 & Printables All Recipes The Organized Home Printables Cozi Free Online Calendar House Cleaning and Organization Time Warp Wife’s Home Maintenance Schedule To spread the word about our show, tell your friends about The Playdate Crashers Podcast this week!  Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, and please subscribe and leave us a positive rating or review on iTunes, so you don’t miss an update!

It’s our 20th Episode!!!  Thank you so much for your support in getting us here! The show starts off with a classic Playdate Crashers Podcast moment, Jamie and Krista discussing “Milkies” (from Episode #9: Breast Friends)! We discuss safety plans for severe weather and fires! Be Red Cross Ready – Make A Plan Severe Thunderstorm Preparation and Response Be Red Cross Ready – Get A Kit (or make your own!) Click here to donate to the American Red Cross’s Disaster Relief fund!  Looking for other ways to help? Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes,  and following us on Facebook and Twitter!

We discuss… Baby Purchase Flops Jamie’s car seat mirror post Once a flop, always a flop? Baby carriers (See the widget below for the carriers we talk about!) (Go, Baby, Go! Water Wraps) Awesome baby purchases Diaper bags What to do when you’re done with your baby stuff Parenting Fails (Read the full story about Krista’s trip to Wal-Mart here and read the Diagnosis: Urine post we talk about here) To spread the word about our show, tell your friends about The Playdate Crashers Podcast this week!  Please subscribe and leave us a positive rating or review on iTunes, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our RSS feed so you don’t miss an update!

Parenting Chit Chat and talking about discipline! Books we’ve read and used Time Outs Defining our discipline styles Our discipline struggles Spanking To spread the word about our show, tell your friends about The Playdate Crashers Podcast this week!  Please subscribe and leave us a positive rating or review on iTunes, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our RSS feed so you don’t miss an update!

Parenting Chit Chat – Dairy issues, walking toddlers, developmental fears, sleeping, and weaning from the pacifier Congratulations to the new parents and newly expecting parents in the playdate crashers family! We discuss breastfeeding in the news: Breast Milk Ice Cream A Hit at London Store Chef at Chelsea restaurant offers customers a taste of cheese from his wife’s breast milk In case you’re looking for other ways to serve your breast milk to your baby, here are some ideas we found at KellyMom.com! Cows Produce ‘Human’ Milk Bebe Gloton Breastfeeding Doll Amazon.com product page To spread the word about our show, tell your friends about The Playdate Crashers Podcast this week!  Please subscribe and leave us a positive rating or review on iTunes, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our RSS feed so you don’t miss an update!

We discuss:  second opinions, tongue tie and frenotomies, Krista’s hoarding tendencies, photo book plans, the Playdate Crashers Lexicon, Will’s big fall, parenting differences the second time around, Jamie’s plans to lose baby weight, and dinner talk! To spread the word about our show, tell your friends about The Playdate Crashers Podcast this week!  When we reach 200 Facebook Fans/Likes, we will be giving away a $25 gift card to one random fan!  Please subscribe and leave us a positive rating or review on iTunes, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our RSS feed so you don’t miss an update!

It’s Potty Training Week for The Playdate Crashers! We discuss: Jamie’s toddler adjusting to having brothers, Krista’s son’s upcoming first birthday, a hilarious baby poop story, potty training techniques and methods, and one crazy bottle product!  Be sure to check the widget for products mentioned on and related to this episode! Potty Training Techniques Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, checking out our (newly redesigned!) blog site, and following us on Facebook and Twitter!  To leave a voicemail for the show, call us at 502 – 517 – 9707! Recorded February 19th via Skype. Looking for more from The Playdate Crashers (and friends) about potty training?  Click here!

Breaking up may be hard to do, but catching up is fun to do, and that’s exactly what we’re doing on Episode #14!  Jamie shares about how she is adjusting to being a mom of three, with twin newborns and an 18 month old at home!  Krista tells about homeschooling decisions, upcoming first birthdays, and selling textbooks! Muppet Babies:  This Little Piggy Went To Hollywood (Yeah, you’re going to have to listen to the show to understand why on earth this link is included in the show notes Crochet Green Twin Pod Photography Prop by PurdyThings on Etsy Teddy Bear Hat Set by MaryYarns on Etsy Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, checking out our blog site, and following us on Facebook and Twitter!

This episode is Part 3 of a 3-Part series, Moms @ Work, all about Working Moms’ Issues! The week’s show features an interview with WAHM Jen Maurer, the mom behind Serwa Chic, maker of cloth diapers, nursing covers, and long sleeve bibs!  Find out how she got started with her own business and how she does it all! Find out about Jonah at the Williams Family Blog Jonah’s EB Auction Keep watching the blog site this week for more blog posts during our Moms @ Work series!  Don’t miss the Long Sleeve Bib giveaway from Serwa Chic! Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, checking out our blog site, and following us on Facebook and Twitter!

This episode is Part 2 of a 3-Part series, Moms @ Work, all about Working Moms’ Issues! Our episode features an interview with Monica Wade, the preschool director at King’s Christian Academy in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  We know you will love this interview all about how preschool can benefit your child and how you can make it the best experience possible. Keep watching the blog site during the next three weeks for more shows and blog posts during our Moms @ Work series!  Next week we will have a great giveaway from our guest interviewer! Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, check out our blog site and following us on Facebook and Twitter! Episode 12 recorded January 21, 2011 via Skype.

This episode is Part 1 of a 3-Part series, Moms @ Work, all about Working Moms’ Issues! This episode features an interview with Lindsey Simpkins, a working mother of a two year old named Gavin. We know you’ll love her insights about being a working mom and how to make it work for you! Keep watching the blog site during the next three weeks for more shows and blog posts during our Moms @ Work series! Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, check out our blog site and following us on Facebook and Twitter! Episode 11 recorded January 13, 2011 via Skype.

We discuss: – Starting solids:  When and how? – Jarred baby foods – Homemade baby foods Wholesome Baby Food Grinding Rice for Rice Cereal – Baby led weaning Baby Led Weaning – Transitioning to table food – Picky eaters – Dealing with the mess of eating – Our kids’ daily menus – Products We Love Check out the Amazon Associates widget at the bottom of the post for products mentioned and related to this episode! Long Sleeve Bibs from our friend Jen at Serwa Chic! – New in 2011 for the show: Amazon Associates links to products can support the show!  Purchasing items from our widget contributes a percentage of the purchase to the podcast to help keep us going! Our Zazzle store is a great way for you to show your love for our podcast!  Purchasing personalized items will also contribute a small amount of money to the show to help us pay to keep the shows coming! Leave us a message!  We now have a Google Voice number, so you can call and leave us a voicemail comment that we might play in an upcoming episode!  Tell us your thoughts, what you love about the show, or where we’ve got it wrong! – Coming up this month! We’re doing a 3-part series on working moms, and we need your input!  We’re calling on all of our blogging friends to do some guest blogging as a part of the series!  What do you have to say about day care, being a working mom, or being a work at home mom?  We want to hear it!  Click the Contact link on top to send us an email with what you want to write about! Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, check out our blog site and following us on Facebook and Twitter! Episode 10 recorded January 3, 2011 via Skype.

We discuss: – What’s new with The Playdate Crashers – Jamie’s hospital bedrest – Krista’s return from holiday travels and preparing for potty training – Why we each decided to breastfeed – Our personal breastfeeding stories:  Jamie & Will, Krista & Miles, Krista & Spencer – Special circumstances – Big boobs and breastfeeding – Shopping for larger nursing bras Motherwear – Breastfeeding product names – Breastfeeding support KellyMom.com Le Leche League International null Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, check out our blog site (playdatecrashers.com) and following us on Facebook and Twitter! Episode 9 recorded 12/31/2010 via Skype

We discuss: – What’s new? – Bad gifts! ReallyBadGift.com WhyDidYouGiveMeThat.com – Re-Gifting Re-Gifting Etiquette – Dirty Santa/Yankee Swap/White Elephant parties – New Years Plans and Resolutions – What’s coming up for The Playdate Crashers Podcast in 2011 Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, and following us on Facebook and Twitter!

We discuss: – Holiday Baking Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies – Cookie fails – Cookie Exchange Parties:  quite possibly the greatest thing EVER – Nut Rolls and Monkey Bread – Weather chat – Cold weather frustrations and tips to deal A  must-see blog post about winter coats and car seats! – TV Talk Modern Family, The Middle, 30 Rock, Parks & Recreation, Community, The Office, Parenthood, The Talk A short clip from ABC’s The Middle (Sue Heck explains unicorns) Products Mentioned: Jolly Jumper Sneak a Peek Sneak-a-Peek Infant Carseat Cover Aveeno Soothing Relief Moisture Cream Duck Indoor Window Shrink Film Kit Little Colds Honey Elixir Please spread the word about our show by telling three friends this week, leaving us a positive review on iTunes, and following us on Facebook and Twitter!