Qimo

We are thinking about getting our kids a computer to replace the, now, non-functional iBook that they used to use.  Qimo looks interesting for our kids.  Qimo is a Linux distribution that has been customized for kids 3 and older.  The launcher has been customized to have larger icons, and comes preinstalled with games for kids.

You can run Qimo from the CD, so I will probably check it out before installing it.  One thing that I hope to be able to find is a modified browser where I can specify the sites where they can go, and it will ask for a password if attempting to navigate anywhere else.

time lapse video of 9 month old

This is a pretty cool video of a 9 month old playing over 4 hours, compressed to 2 minutes.

 
http://www.youtube.com/v/8vNxjwt2AqY

[via Boing Boing]

New wake up song

Recently, we have been having a hard time with our oldest daughter getting up in the morning.  I had set her radio to start playing a Laurie Berkner album at 7:15am.  For the past week, when I get up to their room to check on them, she is still in her bed. 

Last night, I bought the song "I Like To Move It
" by Will.I.Am from the the Madagascar 2 soundtrack, and I set it to play for her alarm on her Squeezebox Boom
.  At 7:16 she came down stairs, very happy and excited, to let me know that "I Like To Move It" was playing.

I think that this will work for a while.

Rocketship Run

We are fans of Laurie Berkner and the Laurie Berkner Band.  Her music has always been something that we can sing with the kids.  Buzz Buzz and Victor Vito are great albums.  A few months ago, I saw that Laurie Berkner had a new album.  I purchased Rocketship Run
from the Amazon MP3 store.

So far, I don't like this album.  The kids do like it, and keep playing it on their SqueezeBox.  I am not sure what it is about the album th at I don't lik, but I would recommend getting her other albums over this one.

Dog Train

There is a lot of kids music that I can't stand listening to.  For example I don't like Raffi and The Wiggles.  XM Kids, Kids Place Live now, plays songs that parents don't mind listening to.  For a while, they have played the song "I Need a Nap", which is a pretty funny song sung by Kate Winslet and Wierd Al.  Last week the DJ mentioned that that song is on the album "Dog Train"
.  All of the songs on this album were written by Sandra Boynton, who is the author of a lot of the children's books that we have.

I purchased the album from Amazon MP3, and I like it a lot.  The songs are sung by some well known artists.  The kids like the album as well.

RV Vacation

We rented an RV for vacation this year, and we had a great time.  We were going to vist family for the holidays, and we wanted to have a less hectic drive down there.  Normally we would have all piled in the minivan, and driven down in one sitting.  We would have either driven down udring the day, but the kids would get pretty restless, and we would have to deal with that.  Or we would leave when it gets dark, and the kids would sleep the whole way down.  The only problem is that when we got there, the kids would be up, while we would be tired.

We thought that we would rent an RV, and take our time on the trip.  On the way to the Palm Springs area, we spent a night in Big Sur, a couple in Pismo Beach, and a night in Pomono.  This was wonderful, as we were able to play in a river in Big Sur and play on the beach in Pismo Beach with the kids. 

In addition to those stops, we were able to stop at various places along the way.  We stopped in Solvang, which is looks like a Danish village.  Outside of Solvang is a Ostrich farm called Ostrich Land.  Also we stopped at the Dinosaurs in Cabazon, which is was shown in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.

Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch

When I was a kid I heard, and saw on tv shows and in movies, where people would go on summer vacations where the kids would go fishing and swimming, spending time with their parents. I never really went on those type of vacations when I was a kid, and didn't think that they really existed.

For the past three years, we have gone to the Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch.  This dude ranch is right outside of Quincy CA.  We have had a blast every single time that we have gone.  The kids love it, even though they are too young to ride out on the trails.  They go fishing, catch frogs, go swimming.  There are wagon rides to cookouts.  One night a week, the kids are able to race the frogs that they caught.  There is a game room with various games, that our son loves to play.  For the kids over 6 years old, they can ride their horses on the trails.

For everyone, in addition to the riding, there is a softball and volleyball games against the staff .  There is also a card night, a karaoke night, a guest rodeo, and a bunch of other activities.

For us, the best part about going is that we can go and have fun with our kids, and not have to worry about making food or cleaning up the room.  And we know that when we are on our rides, that the kids are safe and having fun.

We would recommend the Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch to everyone.