Last Post

Hi Smarties,

I'm sad to say that today is our official last post in the Triad. We've really enjoyed delivering all the Smarty Scoop for you for two years and appreciate the support each and every one of you has given us every single day! However, due to some recent changes in the direction of our brand and business, we deemed it necessary to discontinue the TSP site for now.

We wish you the best of luck with your journey through this crazy little thing called mommyhood and stay Smarty!

Come visit us in Charlotte any time - www.charlottesmartypants.com!

Sincerely,
Jen Plym
Chief Founding Mommy
www.charlottesmartypants.com
www.triadsmartypants.com

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Happy Birthday Jen B

By Katie M

I could not let this day pass without giving a shout out to a dear friend who was taken from us all way too early: Jen B, co-founder of Charlotte Smarty Pants. Today is her birthday and she would be 39-years-old. If you've been a loyal TSP reader from day one then you are familar with this tragic story. Jen B created Charlotte Smarty Pants three years ago and passed away just three months after the site launched. She was 36 years-old, a wife of only four years, a mom to her 2 1/2-year-old daughter, and she died suddenly from non-smoking lung cancer.

Jen B was one of the first girls I met in Charlotte in 1994, and she will always hold a special place in my heart. Jen died without ever knowing she had lung cancer (we all say that was divine intervention) and unfortunately her cancer advanced too quickly for her to recognize any symptoms. As much as this is a tribute to Jen B, I also want this to be a calling to moms everywhere to be vigilant of your own health.

Although I blogged about this in February 2009, I want to reiterate my thoughts about the importance of us moms making our own health a priority. While a primary physician may not have helped Jen B because her cancer was so advanced, perhaps this blog will serve as a reminder and help those who might be able to be helped.

You always hear of moms who put their health second to children and husbands. Well, it’s time we stop doing that. We should never be too busy or apathetic to take care of ourselves. Enough cannot be said about the importance of having a primary care physician. Find a doctor and talk to him or her about getting regular check-ups (and not JUST the annual check up from your gynecologist either!).

I know for years I was guilty of never having a primary care physician. I always kept annual appointments with my gynecologist, but if I ever became sick enough to need a primary doctor, I either had to scramble to find a doctor (and usually wait days to get an appointment) or check in at an Urgent Care clinic. Our children have primary care doctors and we should too.

Last September, we also ran a great blog by Chrissy McCullough, Physical Therapist at Lyndhurst Gynecologic Associates, about how we all need to slow down as moms and take time for ourselves. Take another read of this blog - it has fantastic tips!

So, let's use this blog be a call-out for other primary care recommendations. Who do you see and why do you recommend him or her? Please offer suggestions in our comment section below for readers in all areas of the Triad - Greensboro, High Point and other communities.

I recommend my primary care physician: Dr. Ted Toberg with Premier Medical Associates (affiliated with Forsyth Medical Center) on Brookview Hills Blvd (off Hanes Mill Blvd) in Winston-Salem.

Who do you recommend?

Life is a precious gift. Let's help each other to be vigilant of our health. And big hugs to all of you today!

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Triad Smarty Pants: Where Minivans Meet Manicures

We are thrilled to hear that Triad Smarty Pants is creating a buzz, and we are also receiving many questions about our site and what it’s all about. If you are a loyal reader, we may be telling you things you already know. But, if you’re new to the site, here’s the skinny on Triad Smarty Pants…

• We are a site that is managed and written by moms for moms, and no one knows better than us that being a mom is much more than a job. It's a full-time-never-get-a-break-don't-put-that-in-your-mouth-no-means-no-lifestyle filled with ups and downs, laughs and tears and memories by the minute. We know it can be confusing and completely overwhelming at times, and that's why we're here.
• Triad Smarty Pants is the sister site to Charlotte Smarty Pants, which was started by Jen B and Jen P in November of 2007. Charlotte Smarty Pants is now THE premier site for moms in Charlotte and has won more than one Best Local Blog award in Charlotte.
• Triad Smarty Pants was launched by Katie M in December of 2008.
• We are a local website with tips, tricks, links, resources, local reviews, and fun stories for moms in the Triad.

• We love to hear from dads, too!
• We write blogs that will pertain to pregnant moms up through parents of elementary school children, and we also try to throw in a few blogs for parents of tweens here and there!
• We try to keep our site simple and user-friendly. Therefore, we only post one blog a day. We will sometimes add Smarty Alerts when they arise.
• All blogs are categorized in the archives along the left side of the page.
• We hope you will use TSP as a tool to refer back to and find exactly what you are looking for by clicking on a category. (For instance, for birthday party ideas, pregnancy tips, tutoring, great parks, etc.) Another great place to find this information is under the Local Resources button on the right side of the website.
• The purpose of TSP is to build a community in the Triad where moms can share advice and tips on anything and everything mom-related.
• Katie M and Rachel H are the usual bloggers, but we always welcome guest bloggers too. So email us if you have something to share.
• We feature a “Smarty Mom” every Saturday. A Smarty Mom can be any mom living in the Triad who goes above and beyond the call of duty for others, someone who does incredible work for her family and a charitable organization, runs a company and a marathon, or is just simply lives the daily grit of motherhood! Smarty Moms are chosen by nominations from our readers and our TSP team.
• We feature Smarty Dads, too!
• Click on the button on the right called Family Events to find all kinds of events going on in our area. If you have one to share with us, pass it along.
• On Thursdays, our newsletter is sent out to subscribers. You can register for it by entering your email address in the pink box on the right. Only newsletter subscribers are eligible to register for giveaways and prizes. We will also include scoop and insights on local events and sales exclusively through our the newsletter.
• Every Monday throughout the 2010 spring and summer, we will feature a day trip. These may be in the Triad, or somewhere close by. If you have one to add, please contact us. We hope these will keep you busy throughout the summer!
• Hopefully you are seeing the trend that we want lots of involvement from our readers! We want our website to be a community. This is why we also encourage you to comment on any of our blogs. We want to know what works for you, what you like, and what tips you may have to add.
• We want to help Mompreneurs (a mom who has started her own business) promote their businesses. Please email us to receive information on how to advertise with us.
• We also accept advertising from companies whose products or services pertain to our readers. Our Smarty Sponsors are businesses we personally endorse. We know moms depend on other moms for trusted advice, and you can count on our seal of approval when you read write-ups on our sponsors.
• Since we are Triad Smarty Pants, we want to highlight all areas of the Triad. We hope to show readers in Greensboro and Winston all the wonderful things High Point has to offer for families, and vice versa. We hope that you’ll venture out to new places to try the museums, parks, and shops we introduce on the sight. We are all much closer than we realize!
• Our site thrives on the comments we receive at the end of every daily blog, so please do not hesitate to add in your two-cents. You always have the option to remain anonymous.
• We are on Facebook too, so if you are a user of that site, look for us there and join our group. You might also find discussion threads on our FB page that pertain to you.
• Most of all, we want our site to be fun! Tune in each day as you drink your morning coffee, or escape to us when you need refuge, or log on to TSP after you put the kids to bed.

Thanks for reading and remember ... we don't pretend to know everything but we'll provide plenty of info that we've learned through research, trial and yes, even error.

Please email us here with any questions or suggestions, or leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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Top 10 Blogs for Our First Six Months

By Rachel H and Katie M

This weekend marks six months since the launch of Triad Smarty Pants! We have had so much fun meeting Smarty Moms and Mompreneurs and sharing a variety of posts with you each day. One thing we have learned over the past six months is that there are so many wonderful businesses and events in the Triad that we never knew existed! Now that we are researching and talking to so many people who are involved in family-friendly activities, it has been even more rewarding to share what we have learned with other moms and to have our readers respond with ideas of their own.

We decided to take today to share with you our Top Ten Blogs from the past six months. We chose these 10 based upon the number of hits each one received, as well as the positive comments and emails we received from our readers. If you are new to the site, take some time to enjoy the blogs listed below. If you have been a loyal reader for the past six months, we hope you will enjoy reading some of these again or finding one you may have missed!

Thanks again for all of your emails and comments on the blogs. It helps us to see what our readers want to find out more about and see more of on the website! Some of our most read blogs are on Saturdays because we feature Smarty Moms who provide a wealth of information to our readers. We did not include the Smarty Moms as part of our Top Ten list, so be sure to click on the Smarty Mom link on the left hand side of this website to read about the terrific moms we have interviewed thus far.

Enjoy our Top Ten Blogs to date:

1. Smarty Give-Away: $1,250 of Mom's Favorite Things
2. Remembering Lillie and Helping Others
3. Smarty Picks for Summer Camps
4. Preparing for the EOG - Smarty Style
5. Grocery Shopping - Smarty Style
6. Favorite Parks: Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point
7. Family Food Co-op
8. Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Winston-Salem
9. What Do You Pack for Lunch?
10. Is It Just Me?

What’s been your favorite?

Don't forget to register for a FREE 1/2 day slot at one of Sawtooth's summer art camps! You must first be a Triad Smarty Pants newsletter subscriber, and then you can click here to register. For more information on this give-away, visit our post about Sawtooth's summer camps. Last day to register for this give-away is Friday, June 12, and the winner will be announced on Sunday, June 14. Good luck Smarties!

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TSP Commenting Policy

By the TSP Team

We created TSP to provide a platform for all savvy moms to communicate. We learn so much from your comments and encourage those to continue. We ask that if you are posting comments, you use language that remains respectful and conveys your thoughts, concerns, praise in a way that is not offensive or hurtful to the person, company or writer. If you did not have a good experience with someone, place of business or just don't agree with the topic of the day, we want to hear that but in a way that encourages discussion, not division.

TSP reserves the right to remove comments that we feel are inappropriate, hurtful, or disrespectful.

If you have a concern that you would like to pass on we encourage you to contact us personally, our email addresses are available to all. If you post anonymously, we don't have an opportunity to respond to you and respect your privacy.

Please keep your comments coming as this site would not be successful without your involvement and participation. We just ask that you remember a simple phrase: "Treat others the way that you wish to be treated."

Thank you for your cooperation. To read our full policy, click here:
http://www.charlottesmartypants.com/csp/terms-and-conditions.php

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How to Leave a Comment

By the TSP Team

At the end of each blog you can click on “Post A Comment.” You will see a text box to enter your thoughts. (Please consider others when commenting.) You will then have four choices for “Choosing An Identity”. If you have a gmail account, click the first circle and enter your email address and password. Sometimes you may also need to enter the secret letters for security and then click “Publish Your Comment.”

If you do not have a gmail account, you can click on Name/URL and write your name in the space provided. You can write just your first name, initials, or whatever you please! You can leave the part that says URL blank. Then “Publish Your Comment.”

Finally, if none of the above work, you can click the circle next to anonymous and publish your comment that way. If you wish, you can just type your name in within the text portion of your comment.

Again, the more comments we get, the happier we are because it is great feedback as to what our readers enjoy! As always, you can also choose to email the TSP team directly at triadsmartypants@gmail.com.

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Submitting a Guest Blog

We love to receive guest blog submissions here at Triad Smarty Pants! There are just a few guidelines we ask that you follow:

- Be sure you are familar with the types of blogs we post before you submit
- Know that we reserve the final say with editing
- We do not run posts that are considered free advertising for a business
- There is no minimal length for a post, but guest blogs are usually around 500 - 800 words.
- Your post must be original and must have never been published anywhere else (other than your own blog).

To submit a guest blog, just email us here with either your idea or your blog, and we'll respond promptly to let you know if we can use it, and when it will run. Thanks for blogging, and we look forward to your submissions!

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Advertising & Editorial Policies

Triad Smarty Pants offers a variety of affordable options for advertisers to reach Triad-area moms on our site. A paying advertiser is clearly labeled as a "Smarty Sponsor," or displayed as a banner ad.

We endorse only those products and services we believe in whole-heartedly - either through our own personal experiences or through the trusted word of other moms. Therefore, we reserve the right to refuse advertisers and will not accept advertising for the sake of advertising. And our readers know that.

Additionally, our advertisers do not influence what we cover editorially. We also reserve the right to cover topics and review products, stores, and services as we see fit, and not necessarily as a "Smarty Sponsor."

Editorially, we seek a variety of postions and perspectives from our guest bloggers, and we do not necessarily endorse these views. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. We just want to share the information :)

We select Smarty Moms ourselves and also receive suggestions and nominations from readers and potential Smarty Moms, themselves. We also post event information we receive from our readers, as well as from event organizers, publicists and public relations agencies.

In regards to our give-aways, every winner is chosen by random. When you register, your name is assigned a number. At the end of the give-away, we check to see how many people register, then we enter that number into a website called Random.org and that site randomly selects our winner. Once we determine a winner, we cross check the name with our newsletter subscriber list. If the winner is not a newsletter subscriber, then we repeat the process until we find a winner who is a newsletter subscriber.

If you are interested in partnering with us at Triad Smarty Pants, email us here and we'll be happy to answer questions on rates, reader demographics, and site statistics. Enjoy the site!

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Navigating through TSP - Help with commenting, finding blogs, and smarty things you need to know!

By Rachel H

Today is focused on helping new readers, as well as our loyal followers, navigate through Smarty Pants and to find exactly what you need.

Every blog we write is archived. You can always find a past blog on our site. The question is how to do this. You have a couple options:

One is to use the Blogger Search Box in the very upper left-hand corner of the site. All you need to do is enter a key word that may pertain to the topic. For example, the other day I decided that I wanted to make the Breakfast Cookies that Deborah Martin blogged about over the summer. I went to the search box and typed in “breakfast”. A bunch of blogs popped up that all obviously contained the word breakfast. I scrolled through them and halfway down the page popped up Deborah’s Blog on Smarty Tips for a Healthy Breakfast.

We had a reader contact us looking for the blog her family member, Wendy Piazza, wrote for us. We showed her how to type “Wendy” in the search box, and all the blogs containing that name showed up. She easily found the one for which she was searching.

A second option to finding a particular blog is to use our Categories list. This list can be found on the left side of the website. Simply scroll down our page and you will see them directly underneath the banner ads from our sponsors. If you remember reading about a cool playset made by a business in the Triad, you could search under “Active Lifestyles,” “Smarty Sponsors,” “Greensboro Business,” etc. All of our previous blogs related to these topics will pop up. Many blogs are archived under more than one category. For example, our blog on Education Resource Group could be found by looking in any of the following categories – Tutoring, Education, Elementary, High School, Middle School, Resources, and WS Business.

This categories list is also useful just for browsing topics of which you may have interest. Our “Health” category always has terrific posts from local doctors. If you click on “Smarty Moms or Dads,” you may run across a friend who has been featured who you may have missed! “Parks” and “Day Trips” are great to check out when you want to find out new places to take the kids. We also think “Education” is a great category as well, with many blogs that can help you and your child throughout the school year. And lastly, you can find out all about TSP and the ladies behind the site by clicking on the categories labeled “About Us” and “About the Site.”

If all else fails when searching for a blog, you can click on the Contact Us link on the left-hand side of the page to email us directly and get help finding a particular blog. The only ones that we do not leave archived on the site are the Wednesday Event postings, but we can always pull an old one up for you if needed.

Another great tool on TSP is the pink and green buttons on the right side of our page. Currently, you will see “Most Popular Posts,” which can also help you find a blog that you and many others enjoyed, and “Birthday Party Directory” which is a terrific place to start when planning a party for your child. Many of the businesses on this directory also offer discounts to TSP readers, so make sure you read the write-up on each. We will continue to add more of these buttons on additional topics of interest to our readers.

Also note that any time a word is bold and underlined, you can click on it to take you to that particular website or blog. The same goes for our Smarty Sponsor ads on the left of the page. Click on their banner ad to visit their website and show them some TSP love!

Another topic I want to cover today is on commenting. The only way the TSP bloggers know if their article was helpful is if a reader posts a comment. Please participate in the daily conversations! We love to hear what you have to say, but more importantly, we love your ideas! As we say in our motto, “We don’t claim to know it all, but we’ll provide plenty of info on what we’ve learned through research, trial and error!” We count on other moms to give us their two cents and weigh in as well. We know you have great ideas that we have not thought about, so tell us!

Here is all you do to enter a comment: At the end of each blog you can click on “Post A Comment.” You will see a text box to enter your thoughts. Then you have four choices for “Choosing An Identity”. If you have a google account, click the first circle and enter your email address and password. Sometimes you may also need to enter the secret letters for security and then click “Publish Your Comment.” If you do not have a google account, you can click on Name/URL and write your name in the space provided. You can write just your first name, initials, or whatever you please! You can leave the part that says URL blank. Then “Publish Your Comment.” Finally, if none of the above work, you can click the circle next to anonymous and publish your comment that way. Again, the more comments we get, the happier we are because it is great feedback as to what our readers enjoy! You can read guidelines for comments under our About the Site category.

And last, but not least, the easiest way to stay tuned-in to TSP and navigate like a pro is to keep us on your Favorites List. Make us part of your morning or evening routine and check the site on a daily basis. We always have one new blog each day and once in a while will post a Smarty Alert mid-day if we have something else to share.

Do you have more questions? Email us at triadsmartypants@gmail.com and we’ll help you out!

Don't forget to register for this month's giveaway! You may be the lucky winner of a $50 gift card to Emma Jane's Children's Specialty Shoppe! Their clothing, furniture, toys and accessories are high quality and unique! Good luck!

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Moms: Your Health Is Everything

By Katie M

Tomorrow is a significant day for me. It marks the one year anniversary of losing a dear friend – Jen B, co-creator and co-founding mommy of CharlotteSmartyPants. Jen was 36 years-old, a wife of only four years, a mom to 2 1/2-year-old Claire, and she died of lung cancer. Jen B never smoked a cigarette in her life, yet she was taken from all of us - who loved her dearly - way too soon.

It happened so quickly. Jen B barely showed any symptoms. I actually saw her at our monthly girlfriend get-together in Charlotte right before Christmas. She seemed fine; everything seemed great. That was the last time I saw her. Then at the end of January, I learned from Jen P (of CharlotteSmartyPants) that – for maybe as long as a month -- Jen B was battling a nagging cough that wouldn’t go away, and when Jen B had herself checked, they found a “spot” on her lung. I immediately called Jen B, but she could barely talk because she was so short of breath. Three days later, Jen B checked herself into the hospital and underwent a biopsy. Another three days slowly passed - and as we were all anxiously awaiting the results of her biopsy - Jen B passed away.

Jen B never knew she had lung cancer. Yet as Jen P eulogized, that was divine intervention. Jen B was probably one of the strongest people I knew, but knowing that she would be leaving behind her husband and daughter would devastate her. As hard as it has been to say goodbye to her, it’s been equally as comforting to know she went peacefully – and without any worry.

Although our lives crossed several times (we actually played for competing high school field hockey teams in NJ, unbeknownst to us), Jen B and I really didn’t become good buds until we worked together at a super-fun ad agency in Charlotte. It was there that our friendship solidified. And later, after getting engaged, married and having daughters within a few years apart, Jen B and I became sisters in this crazy little thing called motherhood.

For the short time I knew Jen B, I will forever feel blessed. Like Jen P noted in her blog, Jen B had a mesmerizing affect on everyone she met. It was all the little, thoughtful things she did that would leave you in awe. And while she is no longer with us, I not only feel her connection every day with my involvement with SmartyPants, but I feel her inspiration, her ideas, her calling, and her passion. She is the true reason we - SmartyPants - are here today.

So as much as this is a much-deserved tribute to Jen B, I also want this to be a calling to moms everywhere to be vigilant of your own health. I know you always hear of how we moms put our health second to our children and husbands because we are always the care-takers, or we are too busy. Well, it’s time we take notice of ourselves.

It’s important to have a primary care physician and to get regular check-ups (and not JUST the annual check up from your gynecologist either!). And while a primary physician may not have helped Jen B because her cancer was so advanced, perhaps this blog will serve as a reminder and help those who might be able to be helped.

February 4 is now my wake-up call to schedule an annual physical. My doctor is Dr. Ted Toberg with Premier Medical Associates (affiliated with Forsyth Medical Center) on Brookview Hills Blvd (off Hanes Mill Blvd) in WS. He comes highly recommended for those without a primary physician.

So now you know our routine. I posted my doctor, and now you post yours in the comments section below. That way we build a great referral list for everyone throughout all parts of the Triad.

Thanks for your help, and thanks for your continued support of TriadSmartyPants!

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Thanks for a Successful Launch!

It’s been less than one week since TriadSmartyPants went live, and the response has been nothing short of overwhelming. I sent the launch email out to about 185 people, and as of today, we’ve had over 500 hits – so that means the word is out and is spreading! And each day, the number of newsletter subscribers continues to grow. Everyone has been so enthusiastic and I – along with the team at CharlotteSmartyPants – want to thank you for your support and passing the link along. We knew the mom network in the Triad was strong, but it was even stronger than we realized and that’s inspiring.

I have also received a bunch of great e-mails and comments – including emails from some local mompreneurs who you will be hearing about in the very near future. We are always looking for Smarty “mominations” – it runs every Saturday – so please continue to send in names, and don’t be shy about nominating yourself – only you will know! If you have a great story idea – even if it’s a story to plug your business, charity, or cause – please send along. TriadSmartyPants is designed to be a community for moms in our community, and we can’t be successful without your input!

We also recently corrected a “glitch” on the comment function. You are now able to comment “anonymously” after a blog which, I hope, will increase comments and contributions to this site. And you still have the option of sharing your name if you want to.

Thank you to everyone for welcoming TriadSmartyPants with open arms!

Katie M

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SmartyPants Launches in the Triad

By Jen P, Chief Founding Mommy, CharlotteSmartyPants

With one year under our belt as the premier resource for Charlotte moms and the Best Local blog award, we thought it would be a perfect time to launch in another area, the Triad servicing Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and the surrounding communities. So CSP, meet TriadSmartyPants, our new sister site!


TriadSmartyPants will be led by Katie Moosbrugger, a stay-at-home mom of two beautiful children, Emily (4 1/2) and Henry (almost 2) and married to hubby, Charlie. Katie lived in Charlotte for 10 years before moving to Winston-Salem and has lived there for 4 years. Katie built a career in PR and corporate communications prior to having children and has done steady, part-time freelance writing since staying home. Katie goes back to the 'ole Jen B & Jen P days when we worked together at a super fun ad agency (we were actually Jen L and Jen K back in the day!). Katie is an incredibly talented writer as well as one of the Smartiest moms I know. We are privileged to have her as part of our Smarty family.

TriadSmartyPants will host similar content as CSP with Smarty Scoop Wednesdays, Smarty Mom Saturdays and she'll highlight Smarty businesses, products and events across the Triad region every single day. We're crazy Smarty bloggers that way and we just love to give you new scoop every day! We would be most grateful if you could help our new sister site out and spread the Smarty word to all of your friends in the Triad area. Encourage them to do like we do - wake up to TSP over a cup of coffee for a daily Smarty treat!

Thanks for your support and let's continue to live Smarty!!

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About SmartyPants

We know that being a mom is much more than a job. It's a full-time-never-get-a-break-don't-put-that-in-your-mouth-no-means-no-lifestyle filled with ups and downs, laughs and tears and memories by the minute. Sure, it can be confusing and completely overwhelming at times, but hey, that's why we're here.


Jen B. and Jen P.originally created CharlotteSmartyPants, and now a team of moms with different views add to that site’s daily blog. TriadSmartyPants is a sister site, and together, our goal is to make these sites the ultimate resource for moms and moms-to-be on a variety of activities, events and motherhood-related topics (best parks, cheapest diapers, cool birth announcements, etc). This is a place for us to share as well as our readers, and we don't pretend to know everything here. But, we'll try our best to provide you with plenty of info we've learned through research, trial and, unfortunately, error.

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Introducing TriadSmartyPants!

By Katie M., VP of Mommyhood in the Triad

Chances are if you’re reading this blog then you are a mom (or a dad) and no one knows better than you how frustrating it can be to find good, reliable information in a pinch. Well, I too have shared your frustration which is why TriadSmartyPants was born. This is a blog devoted to moms in the Triad, and written by a mom who lives in the Triad – with contributions from other moms (like you!) in our area.

Note the word “contributions” above; that will be key to the success of this blog. TriadSmartyPants is a place for us to share tips, swap ideas, and voice our opinions (however strong). I don’t pretend to know everything (far from it!). Instead, my job is to provide you with information learned through research, trial and yes, even error.

But the conception of TriadSmartyPants didn’t begin with me. It’s actually the brainchild of a much larger “community” called www.CharlotteSmartyPants.com (based out of Charlotte, of course). Two of my dearest friends, Jen B and Jen P (pictured, left to right), co-founded CharlotteSmartyPants just over one year ago. Today, it is a full-blown web site with several hundred readers each day, as well as a dedicated team of mom writers and a “CraigsList-like” classified forum, among other things.

However, the success of CharlotteSmartyPants has been bittersweet and it came with a huge sacrifice. Less than three months after its launch, we all tragically lost Jen B to non-smoking lung cancer. She was 36-years-old, a wife of just four years, and a mother to a sweet two-year-old daughter Claire. CharlotteSmartyPants was Jen B’s passion, and to honor her Jen P found the strength and inspiration to keep the blog going - and always with Jen B’s spirit behind her every step of the way.

Jen P and her team have been doing such a good job that -- just a few months ago -- CharlotteSmartyPants was voted Best Local Blog in Charlotte by Creative Loafing magazine – a surprise that was announced to all on a very special day – none other than Jen B’s birthday.

So now it’s the Triad’s turn. CharlotteSmartyPants is ready to have a sister blog. You will notice that each day of the week will be devoted to something. For instance, one day will focus on Winston-Salem, one on Greensboro, one on High Point (and other areas like Clemmons and Kernersville). One day will focus on events for the weekend, while one day will focus on ways to save the earth and your wallet. And you can count on every Saturday to focus on a SmartyMom from the Triad (again, another area where I need contributions from you!).

I hope you’ll find it useful and somewhat entertaining.

Now let’s get Smarty!

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How To Use This Site

This site is meant be easy to use. It's in blog form, which means a new topic will be posted every day. Just scroll down the page to see the week's topics. Here are some tips for using this site:
1. This site is FREE, you will never be asked to pay to view articles.
2. Sign up for the weekly e-mail newsletter. It comes out every Thursday and recaps the week's articles. All we need is your e-mail address (no lengthy forms to fill out) and we will never sell your address.
3. Take part in the Survey at the top left of the page.
4. Seek topics that are relevant to you under Categories on the left side of the page(such as "Kindergarten" or "Go Green").
5. Seek blogs by date by searching through Blog Archives on the left hand of the page.
6. Leave comments about any article by clicking on "Comments"' at the end of the article. You can remain anonymous (your comment can never be tracked), create a user name, or give your full identification - whatever you feel comfortable with.
7. View comments that others have left by clicking that same link.
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