App-tastic: This Rocks

I try not to fall for too many gimmicks when it comes to adding apps to my iPhone, but this one sent me hurtling in the way-back machine to a simpler time. Perhaps, the mid-1970s? It was a time when merchandising to kids was a much simpler, less insidious enterprise – but still deeply effective.

Magic Rocks. I wanted this product. And I wanted it bad. The box said it all: Grow a beautiful underwater garden in minutes!

If those words sound familiar to you, then I'm glad to know that I'm not the oldest human being alive. You probably also remember H.R. Pufnstuf, MAD Magazine and Sea Monkies (the original ones that read newspapers and had cute faces).

But Magic Rocks held such intrigue for me, their simple colored rocks transforming into beautiful towers of crystalized salts right before your eyes.

And now, two disparate worlds of modern technology and old-school chemistry have collided: I can now "grow" them with pixels rather than in a jar with a dandy iPhone app. Sure, the visceral experience is gone, but I can now add a clown fish and a scuba diver and annoy my friends on Facebook with updates and ratings of my spectacular rock gardens. I can even add my own photo as a background to my rocks. And my mom will be happy that there's not a gloopy mess on my bedroom dresser (oh, wait, just slipped back to that era again).

Isn't technology great?

S'mores, Tents and ... Wi-Fi?

I'll admit that I have a long list of difficult demands when I'm forced to go camping:

• a scorpion-free, flushable toilet that does not require a two-mile walk in the dark to get to it


• a shower that does not contain the word "solar" in its name


• plenty of bacon


• sandwiches that contain neither dirt nor bologna


• a bed that does not deflate in the middle of the night


• a 5 o'clock cocktail hour


• ambient nighttime temperatures that do not dip below 70 degrees Fahrenheit


• absolutely no harmonicas


• absolutely no bears

I'll spare you the rest of my demands, but suffice to say that my husband Steve really just packs up the kids for his annual camping trek with our friends – and leaves me happily behind in the comforts of my quiet house and scorpion-free bathroom. But that's not to say he doesn't pack plenty of bacon and other fun camping stuff, like his guitar, outdoor toys for the kids, a hammock and a book. In fact, the SUV often looks like an overloaded jalopy, with fishing poles and duffle bags piled high in the back.

Sticks, creeks and dogs: So 2009.

What doesn't he take? His laptop.

You'd be shocked to learn (as I was) that the national trend across campgrounds in the U.S. is to offer Wi-Fi – yes, I said Wi-Fi – according to the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. And it's a trend that's being fed by the demand from campers to have communication (often where there's a lack of cell service), access to movies and yes, to update their Facebook status.

Really?

For me, even access to my beloved NetFlix, e-mail and Facebook would not make camping any more enticing to me. And my laptop would probably just get hurled at that bear who's trying to make off with my bacon.

But seriously, campers. Leave the laptops out of nature.

What do you think?

What's Cookin'

I've been bacheloretting it for the past week, so putting together a meal that doesn't use the terms "french fried" or "Kentucky fried" has been a challenge. I do OK in the kitchen, but when there's just one of me, all my home-cookin' plans get tossed out as quickly as a fast-food bag.

Lately, I've had some success pulling recipes off a fun new site called Kitchen Monki. First of all, it has a monkey on it, so it's got to be great. Secondly, it's got some good site features, like weekly meal planning and grocery list management – which you can have delivered to your mobile phone (the only way to grocery shop, in my book).

Lastly, I like that this site isn't about "How to Slap Dinner on the Table in 10 Minutes" or "Quick & Easy," although it's not going to tie you up in the kitchen for hours on end, either. It's about the enjoyment of food and appreciating the flavor and fun of making a meal (a great thing to teach our kids). Members (the site is free) upload a lot of the recipes, which are rated (in bananas, of course) by other users. The recipes are easy to follow, too. I tried the grilled corn salad recipe, which was perfect for me as a solo diner but would've worked as a tasty side for my corn-loving son, Jack.

Kitchen Monki was founded by Sam Kinny, a Seattle-based Web entrepreneur and single father of three who loves to cook and eat but wanted to break out of his recipe rut. He structured the site to help families streamline the meal-planning process, which the site does by building grocery lists and storing your recipes.

Which means I might just go ape in the kitchen this week.

Well, Hello

That last month of school nearly did me in, what with all the parties and plays and performances – I was pooped! Then the summer started. Then the deadlines rolled down like thunder. Then I sent my two little darlings off to spend three weeks with their grandmother and aunts.

With all that, I either had too much to blog about and, seriously, "no time for this," or nothing to blog about and all the time in the world.

Either way, I'm back to the blog and am hoping you'll find some funny stuff, helpful tidbits and useful information as we continue on this parenting journey together.

Have a topic/event/product/person/place you think I should to know about? Send me and email at carolyn.graham@parenthood.com.

And stay tuned!

Interview: A Q&A With My Mom

I interviewed my mom for the May issue's Editor's Note. Here's the complete Q&A with Cora, the undisputed queen of our clan:

I know you are cute,
I know you are funny.
I know you are sweet,
You're a lot like your mummy.

My mom scribbled that little rhyme to me in an autograph book back in my grade-school days, and it makes me smile to this day. Even though these days we live almost 800 miles apart and both of us lead busy lives, she still manages to help me along on this parenting journey, often with incredible wisdom, always with calm and patience, and usually with her trademark wit.

I thought I'd share a bit of her wisdom and humor by conducting a brief Q&A with my mom, who raised three girls and is a grandparent to one young woman (my mom won't let me reveal my niece's age), a 9-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy.

Why is being a mom so difficult?
Because you have kids. That's what's wrong with this country.

Do you think we moms make raising kids more difficult, or is that our kids' faults?
Of course it's the kids.

Do you think being a mom is fun? Why or why not?
Yes, it's fun just thinking about them knowing that I am still the boss.
No, wait - some of them think they are on a pedestal, too.

What would you consider to be a few of your mothering "mistakes"?
I wish I had not thrown your pinwheel out the car window over the golf course.
I wish I had known that children who put kitties in the refrigerator needed more supervision.
I wish I had kept a closer eye on the kids' dog, before she ate 20 boxes of Camp Fire Girl candy.
I wish I had played more Monopoly with them, rather than finding out that the kids where throwing tomatoes at someone's white convertible passing by on the street.
I wish I had visited the school more so my daughter would not have gotten sent to the principal's office for throwing dirt clods with a boy (Editor's note: That wasn't me).
I wish I had not taken the caramel apples for a Halloween party to Carolyn's class in a Coor's beer box.

What would you consider to be your shining moments as a mom?
When Carolyn earned the top prize for candy sales (thanks, dog).
I did go on a lot of trips with the marching band, against her wishes. You are welcome.
Encouraged the kids to go to college.
Took them on summer vacations to California, Oregon, Texas, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, Bahamas, Mexico and oh, yeah, Las Vegas.
And I sold real estate, all while being a mom.
Whew! I am tired.

What makes a great Mother's Day in your mind?
Having all three of my girls and grandchildren together. If they cannot come, a nice gift will suffice.

Why was Carolyn your favorite child?
Because she is just like me.

Thanks, Mom, and Happy Mother's Day to you and all the moms out there! (Your gift is in the mail.)