Guess Who I'm Inviting to Dinner Makes the Huffington Post!

After having a conversation with my mom about what we were going to serve for Passover this year, the discussion switched over to politics and the fact that I've been receiving lots of emails from Barack Obama and one in particular that invited me to have dinner with him.  And so, I instantly became inspired, mustered up all my Jewish shtick and decided, wouldn't it be nice to have him over for Passover.  So within minutes, I whipped up a post, sent it to the Huffington Post and they published it instantly.  Sometimes, when divine inspiration is on your side, the words literally fly off your fingertips.   So click here and enjoy and I'll let you know if the senator and his family come a knocking on our door!

Horton Hears a Who - A Feldman Family Review

While most of America is off celebrating Easter, we're doing what most Jewish families do on this special holiday - we hit the movies!  Today we checked out Horton Hears a Who and while I initially thought it would be too young for my movie savvy kids, I have to say, it was a really good movie.  I loved the fact that Steve Carrell and the hilarious Seth Rogan are in the film along with Jim Carey, Carol Burnett, Jonah Hill and Jesse McCartney.  I also think that Dick Van Dyke was the narrator but the kids had to hit the bathroom at the end so I couldn't stick around to watch the end credits.

The animation studio that created Horton is Blue Sky Studios, a production company based in Westchester, NY - how cool is that and the same masterminds behind Ice Age - which means this movie is a total winner - from the colorful characters, incredible scenery and distinctive voices, we found ourselves laughing right along with our kids to the far fetched Dr. Seuss tale of an elephant who becomes convinced he's hearing voices from the mayor of a tiny city that's the size of a speck.

If you haven't gone to see Horton Hears a Who yet, trust us, this one's a must-see for the entire family. And, we also have some preview picks that we definitely plan to check out once they hit theaters.  Top of the list includes:  Ice Age 3, that new Kung Fu Panda movie starring Jack Black and Nim's World starring Abigal Breslin and Jodie Foster.  We also saw a preview for Speed Racer - which I know my son is going to love and Wall E - which is from Dreamworks but to be perfectly honest, I have no desire to see a movie about a robot again.  Let's just admit that Star Wars by far had the best robots - there's no reason to try to create a better robot movie because to be honest, it simply can't be done.

So that's it for the Feldman family movie review hour.  Don't miss Horton and have a Happy Easter!

A Conversation with My Five Year Old

"Mommy, when I grow up I want to live in a mansion."

"Wow, that's great Dylan, can I visit?"

"Sure, and I'm also going to buy a car that's a convertible."

"Really, and what exactly are you going to be when you grow up?"

"Oh, that's easy, I'm going to work in a supermarket."

Hopefully he's talking about owning a chain of supermarkets, otherwise he's going to have to work a ton of hours as a bagger or cashier to buy that mansion!

Role Mommy Tip of the Day - How do Get a DVD Player on the Fritz to Work?

I'm sure you've been there.  Your child is about to slip in his favorite DVD and watch a two hour movie and you're excited because you're about to have at least 90 minutes to get some work done.  But here's the thing.  The DVD player isn't working and while your husband keeps trying to press every button he can find, he can't seem to get it going.  So he calls in reinforcements. 

"Beth, can you fix the DVD player?"

"Sure.  What seems to be the trouble?"

"It won't work and I don't know what else to do - I've pressed every button and has turned the damn machine on and off like five times."

"Let me have a look."

Within 20 seconds, I've diagnosed the problem.  A disc that has two long scratches and a fingerprint smudge.  While I can't fix the scratches, I put a little saliva on my finger, rub my sweater on the disc 4-5 times and voila, it works!

So to fix a DVD player, all it takes is a little spit and a piece of clothing you're already wearing. What does it cost?  Nada.  No go out and have a happy Sunday, on me.

Review of New Musical, "In the Heights"

We just had the chance to see a brand new musical that, in the words of my husband - a true theater aficionado, is "way better than Rent."  Click here to visit Role Mommy Recommends and find out about "In the Heights."   Then buy a ticket and judge for yourself!

Question of the Day - Can you legally adopt a monkey?

The discussion in the car this morning drifted to an important topic.  Can we own a monkey and if so, is it legal to do so?

After consulting Google, we happened upon a website that says that if you live in New York City, then no, you cannot legally own a monkey.  However, if you reside in New York State, then the laws governing ownership of a monkey are much more lenient so you may be able to actually adopt one and raise it as a pet.

Now here's the next question - where could you even find a monkey to adopt one and if you find one, can monkeys even be housebroken?  Plus, I'm sure it costs a boatload to own a monkey - could we rent him out at parties and Bar Mitzvahs and re-coup our expenses?  We already have a name picked out.  Boynton - for the hippest senior citizen community near West Palm Beach Florida.  Now all we need is a monkey.  Or we can always stick with the stuffed variety - they're cheaper to buy and easier to clean up after anyway. 

Is there a pet your kids are begging you to buy for them?  

Meet the Founders of Meal Makeover Moms!

Today, Traveling Mom's Kim Orlando and I welcomed the founders of MealMakeoverMoms.com and they gave us some great tips on how to spruce up our hum drum meals for family and give our kids some healthy options to some of their fast food favorites.   Find out about their great recipes, at home cooking parties and how they're food is kid tested and mom approved!

The Daylight Savings Hangover

Daylight Savings totally did a number on me today.  I am in a complete haze and no matter how many cups of coffee I drink, I can't seem to shake this nagging feeling of total exhaustion that has consumed my body.  As I sit her on my couch writing and watching "Drake and Josh" and answering my son's umpteenth question of the day, all I want to do is take a nap - or find some cheesy 80's movie that I can fall asleep to without interruptions. 

Before I had kids, I used to look forward to lazy Sundays where I had nothing on my agenda and would be content watching a movie marathon in my pajamas.  But now that I'm constantly pulled in a million directions, there is no rest for the weary.  I've got a one hour break before my daughter gets back from her gymnastics class and then we're off to the movies.  From there, we'll grab a light bite for dinner and wind up in the supermarket before it closes so I can get milk and juice for the kids' breakfast tomorrow.  Then it's bath time, pajama time, brushing teeth and lights out.  Just thinking about the rest of the day makes me want to pass out. 

That's it.  I'm ditching Drake and Josh and hitting the living room where I can flick on the tube and get lost in another decade for the next 45 minutes.  Nothing like a Brat Pack marathon to shake off the daylight savings blahs.

Nobody Puts Swayze in the Corner

What a sad day today.  I just heard that Patrick Swayze is battling pancreatic cancer.  I truly hope that he caught it early and will hopefully beat this deadly disease.  Swayze starred in some of my favorite films of all time (yes, I am lame, but it's true).  From "Dirty Dancing" to "Ghost," Patrick Swayze was a fixture of 80's pop culture.  Let's hope that he beats the disease.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Our latest Blog Talk Radio Show!

Today we spoke with Alan Scofield, founder of The Story Home, a new website that has virtually taken off in 22 countries worldwide!  Find out how this master storyteller is sharing his stories with internationally and how you can download his original tales for your kids too!  Click on the Blog Talk Radio link above and listen in!

Moms of Reinvention Event at the White Plains Library

If you missed our last event, here's a fun outtake of one of our "What's in Your Purse Giveaways" - attendees received products from Swiffer, Johnson & Johnson bath products, MomAgenda, Simon & Schuster and of course, Role Mommy - with us giving away our signature I Need A Playdate and I Don't Do Cupcakes t-shirts.  We'll be featuring video from the event in the coming days and we've got our next Moms Night Out event planned for March 26 featuring diet, weight loss and fitness experts and authors.  For more information, Click Here.

Our latest Blog Talk Radio Show!

Today on our Blog Talk Radio show, Traveling mom, Kim Orlando and I welcomed Lisa Dames, a mom of two who is a budding country music artist who is traveling nationwide in a minivan to promote her music.  Lisa is literally driven and she shares how she reinvented her life while raising kids and has managed to instill in them the notion that anything is possible as long as you pursue your dreams!  Click on the logo above and listen in!

Backyardigans DVD Giveaway

ROLE MOMMY GIVEAWAY CENTRAL!

Get ready to win the new Backyardigans DVD.  Visit Role Mommy Recommends for details!

Childhood Is Calling...Great Website for Kids and Parents!

Was watching a Cocoa Krispies commercial tonight and at the end the spot, a website called childhoodiscalling.com popped up.  So I did what any Pavlovian parent would do...I grabbed my laptop and went right to the website and I have to say...it's great!  It's got all kinds of online games, activities and recipes you can create with your kids featuring Snap, Crackle & Pop.  My son, who is a Cocoa Krispies fanatic, had a blast playing on the site, making music with spoons, winning a matching game and creating an outfit he was able to print out on our computer.  Who knew that cereal has the potential to become the new Webkinz?

The Cosbys, Valerie Bertinelli, The New Earth and Rick Springfield! All on Oprah!

Just kicking back today watching "Oprah" and remembering why I loved her show when I used to watch it way back when.  She gets the best guests - today it was Sean Combs and Phylicia Rashad who star in "A Raisin in the Sun."   Watching Rashad made me realize how much I used to love to watch her on "The Cosby Show" - she truly was the ultimate working mom way back when.  And then, Sean Combs talked about the importance of family over money.  Hey, P. Diddy, you're a really cool guy.

Next there was a preview for a show featuring Valerie Bertinelli - can't wait to see that one considering I joined Jenny Craig when I found out she lost 40 pounds on the weight loss plan (I've lost 15 so far).  Then, they mentioned Rick Springfield will be on and he'll be singing "Jessie's Girl" - I am so there.  

Next up, they just mentioned their Oprah book pick, A New Earth which is at the top of the best seller list.  All kinds of celebrities are raving about it.  I guess this is the 2008 version of The Secret so it's obviously going to sell a gazillion copies.  For more details on all the great stuff coming up on Oprah, click here.   

Great book for Single Moms!

So you thought you found Mr. Right the first time around and it turned out he was Mr. Wrong.  If you're a single mom with young kids, the last thing you might be thinking about is getting back in the dating scene so before you hit the bars, hit Barnes & Noble instead and buy Why Hasn't He Called?

This new book by dating coach Matt Titus and his wife, Emmy award-winning television reporter Tamsen Fadal, shares the secrets of the boys club - cutting through the games that men sometimes play when they fail to call you after a date and offering great tips to find the right guy in places you frequent on a regular basis.  Who knew that Whole Foods was packed with eligible bachelors, but according to Titus and Fadal - that's a prime location to find the catch of the day.  There are many more tips packed in the book including Tamsen's favorite products that will transform your look from hum drum to hot mama so check out this book today and check out Matt and Tamsen's website, Sassybean.com - which offers tips to singles and couples on how to keep the spark alive in their relationship.

Celebrity Supernanny!

Just found out that singer Wendy Wilson is opening her home to America's favorite Supernanny, Jo Frost tonight on ABC.  It seems the mom of four found her older kids regressing when she gave birth to twins and was in need of an expert to get things back in order at home pronto before she and sister Carnie went out on tour.  If only Britney Spears family had called Jo instead of Dr. Phil, things could have turned out a lot differently.  

Role Mommy & Traveling Mom on Blog Talk Radio

Today we kicked off a new Role Mommy on the Run show on Blog Talk Radio featuring Traveling Mom founder, Kim Orlando.  Since it can get a bit lonely doing a radio show solo, Kim and I have teamed up to talk about what's going on in both our mom worlds each week - she'll share great travel stories and tips and I'll keep you updated on the funny stories that have gone on at home as well as bring you up to speed on news, reviews and information that matters to moms.  To listen to our first show, then click on the logo above.  Hope you enjoy it!

The Five Bite Diet...Nutrition Expert for DietTV Weighs In

Yesterday we told you about the Five Bite Diet - where you take five bites of whatever you want at each meal in order to lose weight.  Even though it sounds great - like any other diet - this one is too good to be true, says Toby Amidor, director of nutrition for DietTV.com

Amidor, who rates current diets and assesses their nutritional value for Diet TV, gives her take on the new bestseller, Why Weight Around?  Here are Toby's three top concerns about this revolutionary eating plan that encourages you to give into your guilty pleasure as long you keep your splurge down to five bites at each meal:

1. You are not learning healthy dietary habits - eating whatever you want can get out of control!   Once you have lost the weight, you'll be eating your regular fast food meal again and gain all the weight back - plus some.
2. This 5-bite rule is trying to find a way to control portion sizes, but I would encourage more than five bites of fruits or vegetables (ie. salad) or any other nutrient-rich, low-calorie or unprocessed food.
3. What are you supposed to do with the rest of the food after you have taken the five bites?  This shows the exact point that there is an obesity epidemic due to the over availability of food in this country that is mass produced.

So would you still give five bites a try?  The Golden Arches were calling my name when I first heard about this diet, but I have a feeling I'll be saving my special visits to Mickey D's for road trips.  That's my weight loss rule - when you drive out of state and hit a McDonald's the calories you consume don't count.  And that's why I'm not a weight loss expert.

Role Mommy Book Review...Rebel Without a Minivan

Here at Role Mommy, we pride ourselves on finding great books for busy moms to read. For the most part, when we receive a book that we love, we instantly write about it (or we eventually write about it when we have a free moment). So when this new book arrived with its adorable cover, we were completely bowled over the moment we started reading it.

In Rebel without a Minivan, the fabulously gifted syndicated humor writer Tracy Beckerman shares an incredible collection of essays on what it's like to be a former city slicker living life in the burbs with her two kids, husband and a dog. No matter which story you select, you'll find yourself laughing out loud and completely relating to Tracy's identity crisis as she leaves a television career behind for the road less glamourous - living in a town filled with soccer moms, loads of laundry and minivans. While there are dozens of humor books available today about moms juggling the demands of family, Rebel without a Minivan is a gem and a Role Mommy must-read for anyone in need of a good laugh! Click on the Amazon link today to buy a copy and visit Tracy's website, Lost in Suburbia to sign up for her weekly column. Tracy has also been a contributor to Role Mommy for many years and every time she sends us a story, she has us rolling in the aisles!