crazy hair and apps

Avery has started to really get a crazy head of hair!  Her hair has gotten much thicker and is starting to get a little longer.  She has all this hair that sticks straight up on top of her head and I don't know what to do with it!  She looks so silly.  She isn't a huge fan of wearing the headbands with attached bows on it right now, so I'm thinking smaller barrettes are the way to go right now.  She doesn't have quite enough hair to pull into a Pebbles style pony tail. 

This is the smallest bow we have and she actually kept it in for most of the morning.  

I decided to give Avery a mid-morning snack of Honey Nut Cheerios.  I put a small amount into a bowl and brought that with her sippy cup to the rug in the family room.  This is what she did with the bowl.  She just dumped out all the cereal and picked them up off the floor to eat them.  My kid doesn't get how to eat food out of a bowl or off a plate.  She just picks it up, dumps the food off, and chucks the thing across the room.  It grosses me out that she eats off the floor since I know the floor isn't super clean since we have a dog in and out of the house.  But what can I do?

Rolo is being a good boy and sitting while Avery has her snack.  He wanted so badly to run over and join her in eating the o's. 

Eric is going to be home from a work class shortly.  I'm hoping we can take a family walk since it is nice outside.  Once Avery goes to bed tonight, Eric and I are going to do a date night at home!  I'm excited.  We are going to have chips and salsa and taco salads for dinner.  Eric is going to pick out a movie for us to watch.  All cellphones and computers will be turned off.

Everyone Loves Apps

I spend lots of time playing with my iPhone. Who doesn't?  Pretty much everyone I know has some kind of smartphone.  I love it.  I don't remember what I did without having one.  It is so helpful in many different ways.  Not only can I talk on the phone, text, and video chat... I can also receive all my emails and download tons of apps for my personal needs and wants. 

Here are a few of my favorite apps that I have on my phone and why.

• Facebook (Free): Almost everyone I know has a Facebook account.  It is a great way to keep in touch with family and friends, leave messages, and share pictures. 
• Redbox (Free):  Since having Avery, it is impossible to go out to the movies.  So, we bring the movies home.  There are Redboxes all over with tons of different movies to choose from.  With the app, you can search movies that you are interested in and reserve it at the closest location to you. Since you have to reserve movies using a debit card or credit card, the movie is already paid for when you go and pick it up.
• HeyTell (Free):  This app is a walkie talkie app.  If you and your friends both have it, you can send voice messages back and forth to one another.  It is really quick and you receive a notification as soon as someone sends you a HeyTell.
• Endomondo (Free):  You want to turn this app on when you go for a walk or run.  It will track and map where you are with GPS, keep track of how long you walking/running, lets you know your average pace, and tells you when you hit mile marks.  I use this whenever I take a walk so it keeps a running log of how often and fast I went.  
• Target Weight (Free):  This is a simple app that helps you record your weight each day.  It also calculates your BMI.  
• Pandora (Free):  Tons and tons of music channels for anything and everything.  You can save different channels as favorites so you can find them quickly.  
• A few free banking and utility apps that I love are: ING Direct and the ING Direct ATM Finder apps (we use ING Direct for all our banking.  This app lets you see all account information, transfer money, and locate the closest free ATM's), Geico Insurance (if you need roadside help, a tow truck, information on your policy, it can all be done with this app), Direct TV (you can set your shows to record and view account information with this app), my AT&T (if you use AT&T as your phone service, this app has lots of helpful tips and lets you know how many minutes and data you have used monthly).
• Words with Friends and Hanging with Friends (Free): Play scrabble and hangman against your friends!  You just sign in using your Facebook account, and it will list all of your friends who are already playing and waiting to start a game with you.
• MSNBC.com (Free):  This is the best news app that I have found.  It is very organized and easy to read.  
• KXAN.com (Free):  This is the best local news app I have found for the Austin, TX area.  
• First Aid and Pet First Aid (Not Free):  These apps are worth the little bit of money.  It lists all different first aid advice for many different situations, how to do CPR on a child or adult, and you can create a profile with all of your medical information and emergency contacts.  The pet first aid is the same exact things for your four legged friends.
• Waze (Free): This is a navigation app.  It also tells you where cops with radar are located, accidents, and slow moving traffic areas.  
• Skype (Free):  Video chat with any of your family and friends who have Skype.
• Shutterfly (Free):  I can have all of my Shutterfly photo albums right on my phone to share.  It will automatically update whenever you add new photos to your Shutterfly account.  
• The Weather Channel (Free):  This is the best weather app I have found.  It updates frequently, lets you know of any local weather warnings, and has a good radar screen.
• Wallet Zero (Free):  You know all of those store key chain tags you get for discounts and such?  Well you can get rid of all of them, and just enter their name and number into this app, and show the cashier your phone when you check out!
• GeoQpons and Coupon Sherpa (Free):  Both of these apps have listings of lots of different retailers with currant coupons and discounts available.  When you use a coupon, you just pull it up on your phone and show the cashier at check out.  Some of the great stores I have found are Hobby Lobby, Carter's, The Children's Place, Ann Taylor LOFT, Babies R Us, Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Express, Gap Outlet, JCPenney, Jo Ann Fabrics, Kohl's, Macy's, Michael's, Old Navy, Petsmart, Sam's Club, Yankee Candle.  There are so many more stores and lots of restaurants!  They are always updating and adding new coupons, discounts, and stores!
• Total Baby (Not Free):  This app is so worth it for new parents.  I no longer use it since Avery is older, but for the first 6 months it was a lifesaver.  You keep track of all foods (solids and liquids), baths, sleeping, wet and solid dirty diapers, medicine given.  It was nice to have a running log and reminds of what was going on with my little one.  

These are just some of the great apps I have found for my phone and use.  I love searching and finding fun new apps to try out.  And if you download one and don't like it, you can always delete it off your phone!  Happy smartphone nerding!