I can’t say it wasn’t my fault. I was getting out the car, holding two books in my arm with my iPhone on top of the books. I think I was trying to hold the door open so Madelyn’s fingers wouldn’t get squished while she was trying to squeeze past Sebastian who was not in a hurry to get out of the car. Things were just a little chaotic. My iPhone slipped off the book and landed flat on the driveaway then bounced over to land on its back. Serious, major, HUGE bummer! I feel like an idiot for letting that happen.
Over the years my iPhone has been abused by the kids and myself (not on purpose) and I guess that I started to think it was invincible. NO, it’s not. Just the right fall, the right angle, and the right surface shattered my iPhone screen and not as if I didn’t already, but I realize how attached I am to it and how much I rely on my iPhone.
Every night when I put Madelyn to bed, I lay with her and read the news on my iPhone. I check my email on my iPhone when I’m out, I have several applications I use regularly such as Things, iNotify, and TwitterFon.

What am I going to do? Oh wait.. I also make and receive phone calls from my iPhone. Huh, I forgot it’s a phone. There really is no point to this post except to remind my readers that iPhones aren’t unbreakable and unfortunately, you can’t get insurance on an iPhone through AT&T (when I purchased mine that wasn’t an option).

Today I’m struggling with these options:

• Apple will replace the screen at the Apple store for $199 (the cost of a new iPhone!?)
• I found several online stores that sell replacement iPhone screens for $25-$60+ and extra for the tools required to replace the iPhone screen myself (Tim would do it).
• Get a new iPhone
• Borrow my Dad’s extra iPhone.. but I feel bad about that.

Have you ever had to replace your iPhone screen? What do you think I should do?

My iPhone 3G screen shattered last night! is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

As my regular readers know, I love my iPhone.  I love almost everything about it; the phone and the apps are awesome.  The camera though, is not so great but that’s why I have a regular camera!

Whether you just bought an iPhone or you are thinking about buying one, My New iPhone is for you.  The books explains every detail of the iPhone from working with the keyboard to voicemail to how to browse the built in YouTube feature for videos.  You’re not just making calls with your iPhone are you?  If so, shame on you!

This project-oriented book will have you using your iPhone like a pro in no time.
My advice is to buy the book, put it in your car and read it while you are waiting in the carpool/pick-up line at school. You can easily cover a few projects while waiting.

There are lots of pictures making My New iPhone an easy read, especially for those of us with ADHD who have a hard time reading for more than 5 minutes at a time… or for those of us who have kids for that matter.

Wallace Wang, author of the best-selling My New Mac, will show you, step-by-step, how to:

• View weather predictions, traffic patterns, flight information, and stocks
• Take notes, text message your friends, and browse the web
• Customize your iPhone by rearranging icons and changing its wallpaper and sound effects
• Find and install the best new applications and games
• Browse iTunes, listen to music, and watch YouTube videos
• Use Skype to call your family for free
• Create your own ringtones and get free podcasts and audiobooks

Buy the book at Amazon.com here: My New iPhone: 52 Simple Projects to Get You Started

P.S. Read our iPhone reviews here.

Enjoy My New iPhone and why don’t you let me know what your favorite iPhone feature and/or iPhone app is while you’re here!

Book review: My New iPhone is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

My husband and I are on a ‘get rid of stuff‘ kick.  We are selling tons of baby and kids stuff at a consignment sale here in Atlanta this weekend and let me tell you.. if I ever sign up to do this again (which I seriously doubt I will) I’m going to make sure I have lots of time, xanax, and sleep the week of the sale.   What a royal pain in the butt this week has been, but the hopefully the payoff will be worth it.  You may have noticed that I’ve written fewer reviews and posts in the last 5 or so days.. blame it on the consignment sale!

What does this have to do with Kijiji you ask? I was recently introduced to Kijiji.com which is an online community where members can connect with one another to exchange goods, ideas, and services and is the perfect place for a mom like me to sell used kids stuff without having to enter each item into an online inventory system, print card stock tags, and then secure the tag onto the item with packing tape… sorry.. I went off on a rant again.

The FREE Kijiji iPhone app allows Kijiji users to search local classified ads, watch listings, reply to listings and post items with just a few simple taps while on the go. The Kijiji iPhone app makes it easy to buy or sell everything from clothes to cribs, find a babysitter, adopt a pet, rent an house and do so much more, right from your iPhone.
What a great way to occupy yourself while waiting in the pick up line at school!  Find stuff to buy, locally, and cheap.. just because it’s a little ‘used’.  Just don’t get to the point where you need a Kijiji intervention though.. it could happen!

Learn more about the Kijiji iPhone app here.

We are giving a lucky reader a $25 iTunes giftcard!

We’ll give you one entry for each question you answer. Tell me your answers in the comments box below.

1. What is your favorite family-friendly iPhone app?
2. If you sold $300 worth of stuff on Kijiji, what would you do with the money?
3. What’s the most expensive item you’ve purchased online in general?

Have fun with the Kijiji iPhone app and good luck on the iTunes giftcard giveaway!

Kijiji iPhone app review + $25 iTunes giveaway! is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

I’m having a blast trying out new iPhone apps and what’s even better is that I get to watch my kids enjoy them too! Yes, I try apps for organizing, apps for recipes, apps for travel, but apps for the kids are the most fun because my kids are involved and I love to see their reaction and desire to play or watch them over and over again.  My kids are on iPhone time limits.  I don’t recommend handing your iPhone over to your kids and letting them have at it for hours. I think about 10 minutes at a time is plenty.

Animal Fun Time (iTunes link), brought to us by people operating technology, provides interactive musical on-screen flashcards featuring the animals as the stars. Promoting interactive see, touch & recognition skills, with bright colors and great sound effects, it’s the perfect app for a busy toddler AND for a busy parent who needs a busy toddler!

So what is Animal Fun Time? It is an app that teaches toddlers ages 3+ animal recognition as well as hand-eye coordination.  There are 5 animals on the screen at a time and your child must ‘press’ on the correct animal to move to the next screen. Kids are awarded with realistic (if not real) animal sounds and enthusiastic praise when he/she presses on the correct animal.

Madelyn, 3 years old, has a great time with Animal Fun Time. She loves to hear the noise each animal makes when she chooses the correct animal. The game is randomized so the game is never the same and thus your kids won’t get bored with it. Oh, and don’t worry, there’s no need for instructions so you can count on handing your iPhone over to your toddler to play Animal Fun Time and she’ll be on her way to a super fun time!

GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to people operating technology, we are giving 5 lucky readers their own free copy of Animal Fun Time!
1 entry: Just leave a comment below telling me why you want to win Animal Fun Time and/or tell us a funny story about your child and your iPhone.  Did something crazy happen when your kid had your iPhone?  Let us know!
2 extra entries: Click the green ‘retweet’ button to share this post with your Twitter friends then leave a comment below with your Twitter ID.
Entries accepted until August 25th, 2009.

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Animal Fun Time iPhone app review + 5 readers will get a free copy! is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

The YouTube sensation that is Eric Herman’s Elephant Song is now available on your iPhone for hours of entertainment for your toddler. Madelyn loves Elephant Song. She asks to watch it at night before bed.  I’m not sure how we got into that habit but it happened and it’s actually very entertaining to hear her sign along and watch her interact with the app.

The Elephant Song app is a music video and song that’s kids can interact with by tapping on the screen.  There aren’t any challenges like finding letters or numbers so this is a great iPhone app for young toddlers.   The song lyrics are funny and the graphics are simple, colorful and entertaining.   The screen shows a corresponding picture such as when Eric sings about a rooster who likes honey there is a rooster eating honey from a bee hive on the screen.  Next thing you know a cute little voice comes on saying no, that’s not right and corrects Eric.   The app moves through screens on its own and if your toddler wants to pause on a screen, she can press the pause button at the top of any screen.   Then when she presses on the animal on the screen she hears the sound that animal makes.  When the song is over Madelyn can build her own elephant from puzzle pieces that she can drag on the screen to put together.

Just as I was writing this review and referring to the app, Madelyn walked up and stole my iPhone right from my desk!  She’s sitting on the couch, much like in the photograph above, watching the Elephant Song iPhone app, over and over again now.  It seems to never get old.  Good job guys!  We’ll see how this app entertains Madelyn on our 4.5 hr road trip Tuesday.

Download the Elephant Song iPhone app here .

Elephant Song free iPhone app – Madelyn watches over and over.. and over is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

A family information manager for parents, “Kids” is a must-have iPhone app for both parents and those of school-age children.  “Kids” allows parents to save and have quick access to extremely comprehensive and important information including:

• Doctor’s information
• Dentist information
• Teacher and coaches information
• Babysitter information
• List your kids allergies
• Clothing sizes
• Favorite stuff
• Current medications
• and more

When you set up your children’s information page in “Kids” you can add a photograph from your iPhone and each child’s main page can include 2 pieces of important.  It’s easy to make changes from any screen using the “Edit” button and getting back to the main screen from any screen is a cinch with the “Kids” button featured on the left side of every screen.

Some upcoming features include

• Push a contact’s phone number or email to contact them from the Kids iPhone app
• Share information via SMS or email

You can learn more about “Kids” iPhone app via iTunes here.

“Kids” iPhone app for parents is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!