Apps to Melt the Winter Blues {#BetterMoments}

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

Does your teen have a cellphone?
Make sure you download the Parent Child Agreement.

 

US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade

 

The weather forecast is predicting a foot of snow on Tuesday, and I’m planning our snow day activities so we can be prepared. Because the last thing this mom needs to hear during the winter is one more kid whining, “I’m boooorrrreddd!!!”

My iPhone and iPad come to the rescue during moments like these.

Whether the kids want to learn something new or be entertained, the right apps and U.S. Cellular’s high-quality network keep us connected on a cold and snowy day.

A recent U.S. Cellular survey indicated that 61 percent of smartphone owners use their device to play games. Classic board games, such as Monopoly, The Game of Life and Yahtzee, have apps available on Google Play and iTunes.

Smartphone owners also can stay sharp by downloading top trivia apps, such as Guess the Song, QuizUp, Trivia Crack and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

 

Merry Christmas

 

Here are some additional apps that will help keep both kids and parents entertained this winter:

There are several kitchen classic apps. Food Network On the Road and Just Recipes are great apps to spice up the season.

Amateur chefs and mixologists also can whip up their favorite foods or drinks with the Chinese Recipes, Italian Recipes, Christmas Recipes, Frozen Milkshake and Tea Making Recipes apps.

If you can’t be outside in the snow, the Make a Snowman and Snowman Maker Plus apps allow families to design their own snowman, so Frosty can come to life at your fingertips.

For those that need a brain-stimulating app to break up a cold day, the free Elevate and Fit Brains Trainer apps are designed to improve focus, memory, processing speed and speaking skills.

Whew!

Our snow day plan is ready and waiting. It’s a good thing too, because spring won’t be here for another four long months.

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Disclaimer: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.

Scenes: Ironic Silence

This space has been silent.

 

I’ve said this phrase so many times, but this time it’s true. My last post was in April – that’s a long time for me to stay quiet. Anyone that knows me knows I’m a talker, a maker of words and a storyteller.

 

I’m sure to the naked eye it appeared as though I had abandoned this space because there was nothing going on – that life had finally gotten boring.

 

On the contrary life had become loud.

 

So loud it was hard to hear the stories in my head.

 

Now there’s a break …

 

It’s time to process and spill my words onto the screen.

 

See, the spring is hard for me.

 

I lost my dad in the spring, five years ago, and even though my heart has healed there is tender scar tissue from where it was wounded. Every spring my body and heart remembers, ironically it’s also a time when life was born.

 

My two wonderful sons celebrate their birthdays in the spring one in April one in May almost exactly a month apart from the other.

 

E Eight

So while my heart aches for the lost, it also aches for the love I’ve found in these two beautiful boys.

 

On the cusp of celebrating life this year, and a day specifically to celebrate motherhood we lost my husband’s mother.

 

2013-08-25 10.29.57

 

The months of April and May are shrouded in a crazy ironic life and death dichotomy – while we should be planning birthday celebrations for the youngest we are instead planning a funeral and saying goodbye.

 

I believe there is a reason for everything and I know that the Powers that Be, planned these life and death parallels so we wouldn’t wallow in sorrow, but truly celebrate the gift of life.

 

Grant at Grandmas

 

Even when the day-to-day obstacles of life capture my body and brain and hold it hostage prohibiting me from thinking beyond baseball schedules, work deadlines and grocery lists.

 

Add to that the ultimate task of producing and performing a show, founded in brave storytelling and my life just became as ironic as the Alanis Morissette song.

 

This Is My Brave Iowa City

 

Would I have changed anything?

 

Of course not, life is a journey, right?

 

It’s a motto I live by, especially when life is too loud.

 

Because it’s only temporary, eventually the noise fades, and I’m left in silence to BREATHE and share my STORY again.

Be the next James Bond with Wearable Tech

This post is part of my partnership with the US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade

I was alive during Y2K, yes that means I’m old, but it also means I’ve seen my fair share of tech.

 

As the calendar turned into the 21st century, there were visions of flying cars, Jetson’s type housekeepers and James Bond type watch phones.

 

While there aren’t any flying cars just yet, and I’m still [im}patiently waiting for my housekeeping robot, technology has brought about wearable tech.

 

A recent survey from U.S. Cellular found that 63 percent of smartphone owners check their mobile devices every hour, so why not have it right at your wrist?

 

Per a recent report from ABI Research, wearable health and fitness devices are expected to hit 169.5 million, a sizable increase from the almost 21 million devices sold in 2013.

 

Whether you’re a business professional, fitness fanatic, or even a James Bond wannabe there’s a wearable for you.

 

US Cellular has compiled a list of the hottest wearables for 2015:

 

Apple iWatch

 

The new Apple iWatch.
Apple’s first wearable gadget allows users to access emails, texts, social media updates, apps, navigation, Siri and more right from your wrist.  Wearing this device means users won’t have to constantly take out their iPhone 6 to check notifications. It also features health sensors and notifications for easy, hands-free fitness tracking. This iPhone-compatible watch works seamlessly with iOS8 devices, and will be available in early 2015.

 

 

Moto

The Moto 360.
Motorola is bringing functionality to the wearers’ wrists with this new device.  They are available with either leather or stainless steel bands and a Corning® Gorilla® glass face to help prevent scratches.  With the Moto 360 you can take hands-free calls, listen to music, track mileage, take pictures and videos, and check your texts, emails, and social media.

 

 

Loop

For anyone interested in fitness, the Polar Loop Fitness Band for Apple is one of the hottest accessories for 2015.

You can use this custom fit device for 24/7 tracking of daily activities such as calories burned, steps taken and even sleep cycles.  This device gives great feedback on daily, weekly and monthly goals.  The device is water resistant so it is suitable for swimming as well.  It is also compatible with Polar H6 and H7 Bluetooth Smart® heart rate sensors.

 

All these wearable devices empower people to simplify their To Do Lists, improve their lives, and have a little fun while they are at it.

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Disclosure: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.