LTDchix

The ISafe Backpack is a “Why didn’t I think of that?” Idea

Cindy Schmitzer — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:15:49 +0000

Here’s the deal. We live in a different age….some parts better, some parts worse….but mostly different. We live in an age where kids not only bully each other in school, they bully each other through texts, emails, instant messaging, Facebook, Twitter, etc. We also live in an age of the 24 hour news cycle. We are bombarded with stories of terrible things every day. Not the least of which are stories about abducted children. This all adds up to a mountain of things to make kids and parents alike very anxious. HOWEVER, do I have my mitts on a product to make us all sleep better at night?! Yes, I do….

The ISafe Backpack is a brilliant product designed to help alleviate the very fears stemming from the subjects about which I am writing. It comes with a very loud built-in alarm which can be easily activated if the owner is in trouble. If the backpack is worn correctly, it would be virtually impossible for someone to separate the backpack from its wearer. In short, as it says on the tag – “It’s like having a bodyguard with you all the time…” If you are looking for some better sleep at night, I urge you to make this purchase. These backpacks cost no more money than a regular backpack. Think of it this way….you are buying a backpack regardless. Why not a get a little peace of mind along with that purchase?? Please check them out at www.isafebags.com.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary ISafe Bag for this review. No other compensation was provided.

ISafe Backpack is Peace Of Mind For My Girl

Nina Frye — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:50:26 +0000

When I heard about this backpack from the folks at ISafe, I knew this would be the school bag for my 12 year old daughter. For quite some time now, she has been suffering from child anxiety where she has a hard time leaving my side. Sleeping over her grandparents house was an issue. It has gotten better with time, but we have our good days and our bad days. In school, there have been many phone calls from the nurse of complaints of a stomach ache or headache which ended up only being anxiety. She knows I can’t be with her all the time especially in school.

When we received the ISafe Backpack for review I knew instantly that this would put a smile on her face. She is always afraid someone is going to abduct her. She loved the bag right away espcially the beautiful pink and white flowers all over it. It has lots of pockets for all the stuff she takes to school and she gave it a “thumbs up” which isn’t always easy to get from my pre-teen.
I showed her the alarm system and the very discreet pull cord on the strap. Right away this huge smile came across her face and I could see this sense of relief that came over her. When we set off the alarm – the sound that came from that backpack was so loud that you had to put your hands over your ears and run for the hills. This is a great alarm system. Why couldn’t I think of that? She was playing outside with it and her brother was bothering her and of course she pulled the cord to see if it would work. Well, let me tell you, the whole neighborhood came outside to see what that awful noise was. I had to explain to her that isn’t a toy and that your brother isn’t a predator of that kind. I would recommend this to school children, teens and adults who want to feel safe at school, after school, on college campuses or leaving work late at night. Thank you ISafe for inventing a great product that makes my child feel at ease and protected.

Please check out their products at www.isafebags.com

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary ISafe Bag for this review. No other compensation was provided.

Polite Persistance Pays Off

Nina Frye — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:27:10 +0000

Seven months ago, Cindi and I launched our very own internet radio program called “Living the Dream Moms” radio on Toginet. We love our new gig and enjoy interviewing all these great guests. Our show topics include those that revolve around motherhood, fatherhood and families but we also like to include pop culture, sports and anything else that is thrown at us. Cindi and I also like to include “celebrity” moms and “reality tv show” moms who share with our listeners what it is like to raise a famly in the limelight.

My job with this radio program has been promoting our show and guests on social media, but more importantly, is locating the potential guest we have in mind, especially if they are somewhat in the spotlight. As most of you know, Cindi and I own a t-shirt company called LTDchix, LLC and trying to get product awareness (which was my job) through editors which was a tremendous burden on me. You have to make sure when sending emails to them that they have to be between 10am and 2pm Tuesday through Thursday. You should only call them once and leave a voicemail if you don’t get through. They are very fussy, and you definitely don’t want to rub them the wrong way, otherwise they block all correspondence from you for good!

However, on the radio end – being in media is a whole different story! Now you are dealing with PR agents. You can email and call them all day long if you want, as long as you are polite, gracious and kind. I am the persistant kind. I don’t ever give up if they turn me down. Move on and come back to them in a month. It is such a good feeling when I get through to the right PR agent that represents a guest of ours and book an interview! I have to say, I am pretty good at this and I love my new role in the media!

Thank you for listening to us and we always welcome your comments and suggestions!

Listen Now: www.toginet.com/shows/livingthedreammoms

Tips to Avoid the Summer Reading Slump

Nina Frye — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:51:03 +0000

It’s Summertime! Yipppee! Time for swimming, trips to the beach, camping, and all sorts of “no more school” activities. However, many kids suffer from a backward slide in their reading development when reading activities wane over the summer months.

Students can lose as much as three month’s worth of reading level during the school break. Research shows that younger elementary school students rarely make up deficits in reading once they fall behind. Conversely, students who read during the summer could end up three months ahead, too.

Children will benefit more if their reading activities are fun and not looked upon as ‘homework.’ While reading books is important, games that use letter-recognition, alphabetizing, syllable, rhyming and rhythm skills can keep kids’ reading skills sharp without cracking open a book. If you have a road trip or plane excursion planned, use that travel time wisely. Here are some games to try when traveling on summer vacations:

Exercise their storytelling skills by rewriting their favorite story or a book they just finished…’It could also have ended like this….’

Remember the game show “Name That Tune”? Pick a familiar song and rewrite the lyrics….a topic such as “gardening” sung to the tune of “Frere Jacques” ?? This exercise works on rhyming, syllable recognition, creativity, and can expand vocabulary.

Kids get carsick reading but can watch movies on DVD? Try digital books.

Amazon’s Kindle is amazing for Young Adult and adult digibooks, but they don’t have children’s titles. Only publishers such as http://www.mobistories.com provide children’s picture books in color, narrated and ready for on-the-go reading practice. Order from digital publishers that offer downloads to your mobile devices for convenience.

So whether you’re traveling by car, plane, train, or sticking around for a “staycation,” remember to incorporate reading activities into your children’s summer schedules. Read to them, read with them, and give them plenty of encouragement to keep their reading skills from sliding in the wrong direction. Happy reading!!

To download a free digital book for your PC visit http://www.mobistories.com Click on Summer (in the Ages 2 – 4 category) add it to the cart and Michelle Obama then enter the code SUM0710 in the Coupon Code Box.

KATE GOSSELIN SPEAKS OF MOTHERHOOD, HER NEW BOOK AND LIFE AS A SINGLE MOM ON TOGINET RADIO’S LIVING THE DREAM MOMS

Nina Frye — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:49:28 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KATE GOSSELIN SPEAKS OF MOTHERHOOD, HER NEW BOOK AND LIFE AS A SINGLE MOM ON TOGINET RADIO’S LIVING THE DREAM MOMS

Popular Radio Hosts Nina Frye and Cindi Schmitzer Talk with Kate Gosselin about Motherhood in the Spotlight

Sparta, NJ-July 2- 2010-Kate Gosselin, dishes about her new book I Just Want You to Know: Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith, and Family with hosts Nina Frye and Cindi Schmitzer, of the newly popular on-line talk radio show Living the Dream Moms, on Thursday, July 8^th, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. EST.

Frye, a mother of three children, began her career as a radio personality after launching her t-shirt company LTDchix in 2006. Filling a void in themed t-shirts for motherhood, the company offers slogans and illustrations reflecting the everyday life of a mom. Frye’s partner Schmitzer, a mother of four children and previous Corporate Financial Analyst with Playtex, joined Frye in offering Gosselin their LAUNDRY and MINIVAN Mom t-shirts as a gift in 2008. In January of 2009, LTDchix spotted an episode of Jon and Kate Plus Eight on the TLC network, in which Kate was featured wearing the gifted shirt. Gosselin’s appearance garnered a significant increase in online traffic to the LTDchix online store, and provided an opportunity for the company’s radio show Living the Dream Moms to gain momentum.

As fans, followers and fellow mothers of Gosselin’s, Frye and Schmitzer now aim to provide an opportunity for the famous mom, to share her thoughts on being the newly single mother of eight children, a three time published author (with books featured on the New York Times Best Sellers list), and being an organizational guru.

Gosselin’s new book I Just Want You to Know: Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith, and Family reflects the journey of Gosselin’s family from relatively unknown to superstar status, within the three year period of TLC’s documentary reality show on her family’s life. The lighthearted interview with Frye and Schmitzer, will focus on Gosselin’s new show special Kate Plus Eight, airing Sunday July 11, 2010 at 9/8 C on the TLC network, and touch on the shared parenting experiences of mothers.

Frye and Schmitzer’s LTDchix has been featured as one of the Top 100 Home Based Businesses by Startupnation.com.

Frye and Schmitzer have been featured on the Oprah radio network with Jane Chatsky, and will air Gosselin’s live interview exclusively on Toginet.com-the premiere online talk radio production company for serious hosts with quality shows.

About Toginet.com

Toginet.com’s brick and mortar studio is based in Tyler, TX, where the company’s full production staff works to create customized interfaces, live commercials and CD quality sound for over 70 talk radio hosts, in varying genres. The Toginet staff retains an in house producer at all times for live podcast integrity and seamless listening. Toginet is the leading on-line talk radio production company in the industry, working to provide excellence in live show podcasts and re-podcast accessibility.

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Please contact Carrie Hill at cbh.74@hotmail.com or call 757.745.7154 H. or 757.621.9319 C. for questions or to schedule an interview. Please visit www.toginet.com for more information on the company.

Nina and Cindi Launch “Living the Dream Moms Radio”

Nina Frye — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:36:48 +0000

In December 2006, Living the Dream Moms Radio launched their internet radio show. Our show is about things that we all deal with daily. We are two ordinary, frazzled moms who could use organization, education, and guidance on a day-to-day basis. In other words, we are willing to admit that we need help. We will do our best to research and discuss topics that are not always talked about at the coffee clutch. Anything goes! “Living the Dream Moms” are just two “real” women who are discussing the trials, tribulations and triumphs of our everyday lives! Warning!…You might hear dogs barking and kids screaming in the background! Please join us every Thursday at 9am CST to assure yourself that you are not alone.

Please join us LIVE every Thursday at 10am EST on www.toginet.com/shows/livingthedreammoms

Nina Frye Entered the Oprah Winfrey OWN Network Contest

Nina Frye — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:52:27 +0000

Yes, I have entered my first reality show at age 47! It has always been my dream to be in front of the camera but I never pursued it. The dream left me during college and dating years. After I was married and started a family, I started modeling my oldest and middle child and started to feel that urge again. When the kids were small, it was all I had to make it through the day since I had three kids in three and a half years. In 2006, Cindi and I started the t-shirt company and I was so busy pursuing making this Company a success. Recently, Cindi and I were invited to host our own internet radio show called “Living the Dream Moms” where we bring our t-shirts to life. It was then that I started to realize that I love being the “media.” I love branding myself rather than branding a product. There is that passion again. I was scanning the internet when I came across Oprah’s website and she annouced a contest to find the next talk show host for her new network called OWN. I knew right away that I wanted to be part of it.

You had to submit a video describing what your idea of a talk show would be and video it. Since I have a tshirt company about motherhood and I a talk show about moms – my idea of a talk would be called “Real Moms, Real World.” I have submitted the video and if you would like to view it and vote, please click on the link below! Thank you very much for your support.

PLEASE VOTE FOR NINA ON OPRAH

Spring Forward, Fall Back

Nina Frye — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:50:02 +0000

It took me a whole week to catch up the one hour loss from last Sunday daylight savings time change. I work part-time at the local gym here in town and I was asked to cover a spin class at 6am on Monday morning. It was the Monday morning after we turned our clocks forward. I hate spring forward! I much rather prefer fall back and gain an extra hour of sleep. It is all about sleeping for us moms. Anyway, before bed, I made sure the alarm clock was set just right. I hit it a couple of times just to make sure. Well, wouldn’t you know it, the darn thing didn’t go off. I usually wake up every morning by myself at around 5am because I teach other 6am classes during the week. I woke up on time by myself, but it was 5:55am not 5:00am because of the darn time change! Holy smokes! I am so late. I jump out of bed, my heart racing a mile a minute, grab my clothes and dress so fast that I was sure something was on backwards. I quickly called the gym, and told them I was on my way. My head was spinning and the adreline that was rushing through my body didn’t go away and I could barely drive! Thank goodness I only live 5 minutes from the gym. I was on the bike and ready to teach at 6:10am. I don’t know how I did that so fast, but I was in a fog. Oops, forget to brush my teeth. Oh well, I least I made it. Did that ever happen to you?

Lost in the Woods?!

Nina Frye — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:35:34 +0000

My girlfriend Danielle and I decided to go for a hike in early September. The kids had just started school again and “us moms” were free at last. Danielle and her family had just done this hike over the weekend and she told me it was so nice. She mentioned that it had a steep climb so we would definitely get in a great workout, but at the top there was a great view and then we could have lunch there and work our way back to the bottom of the mountain. So off we went. It only took us about half an hour to hike up this hill and it was only 11am. We didn’t care and decided to have an early lunch. We packed a nice salad with crackers and water. Afterwards, we were very chatty and didn’t pay attention to the markers leading us back down to our cars. Next thing we knew, it was already 1pm and we were still walking on a railroad path, which had overgrown grass and didn’t look like a hiking path to me at all. Danielle swore that this all looked familiar and we should just keep walking. Another hour went by. Still no real path. Next thing we knew we saw a bear! We screamed and he ran away. I peed my pants from laughing so hard, but I was laughing out of fear, not humor! It was 2pm and I was getting nervous. We were definitely lost! We had no idea where we were. Now what? Then I realized that I had to be back by 3:45 pm to pick up 4 girls plus my own 3 kids after school to take the girls who were brownies to a brownie meeting. I called my husband and told him the bad news, he had to go and pick the kids up because it didn’t seem that I would be back in time. Thankfully, my husband’s schedule is flexible enough for me to be able to call him when these sort of problems arise. Danielle and I finally turned around and started running back the way we came. We kept running for about 30 minutes and we were deep in the woods. I started to panic and called 911! Thank goodness we had a cell phone with us. The ranger asked us to tell him which way we were heading. North, south, east or west? We had no idea which direction. How would we know what direction? Thank goodness for the sun. He told us if the sun was over our heads, we were heading north. We needed to head north and we would finally find the path markers marking the trail. It worked! It took us 3 hours to get back to our car. It was 5 pm when we left the stinkin’ woods! Our feet were throbbing and we were out of water. If we didn’t have a cell phone, we would definitely have been spending the night. I was never so scared in my life!
My dear husband tried to reach us while we were on our descent to let me know that I had the Suburban with 8 seats and he had the Toyota Camry! He needed 7 seats and he only had 4! He shoved them all in the car and doubled them up with seatbelts. Oh my gosh! On the way, he saw my partner Cindi at her kids’ bus stop across the street from the school. He dumped off 2 of the kids and took the rest to the brownie meeting. He was pretty angry with me. I don’t blame him! There was a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting that night, and everyone knew that Mrs. Frye got lost in the woods that day! I was pretty embarassed! Maybe I should have some sort of GPS chip sewn into my hiking boots…….

The Mysterious Pinewood Derby Results

Cindy Schmitzer — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:49:22 +0000

I am the proud mother of two cub scouts. I think the scouting thing is just great. On an annual basis, the cub scouts hold the Pinewood Derby. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Pinewood Derby is a car race. The cars are made by the scouts (yeah right) with the help of their parents. The cars are little, in fact they can’t weigh more than 5 ounces, and are made out of a block of wood and some metal. They race down a steep track four at a time and the results are computerized. It’s good stuff…big fun.

Now my husband has been making Pinewood Derby cars for years. He’s also an engineer, so he gets the whole physics thing of making these cars fast. This year was a little different for him though because he had two scouts in the race. All of the other years, he only had to make one scout car. The other cars he made were for siblings and that race doesn’t really count.

So anyhow, guy Luke is 10 years old. His car wins his Webelo I division after some stiff competition. Awesome Luke….although I must admit, he’s no stranger to winning his division. But here’s the thing…..my guy Troy (age 7) has a car in the Tiger cub division. There are only a total of four Tiger cubs in the race. Troy’s got this, right?? He has a good pedigree…his father is a veteran Pinewood Derby car maker, his brother just won his division, there are only four Tiger cubs for three trophies. Piece of cake, right?! Wrong!!! Troy Boy’s car comes in dead last in all FOUR races. Poor thing…he’s 7 and only understands he’s the only Tiger Cub NOT on the podium.

We called my husband to inform him of this distressing news. His reply?? “Sometimes it’s just about the parts that come out of the box.” Really that’s it?? That’s the sage bit of wisdom you have to offer the 7 year old who was the ONLY Tiger cub with NO trophy??!! Please Michael…you need to come up with something a little better than that.