It’s a fine line we parents walk, trying to find our own happiness and making sure the kids are okay along the way.

I’m in the thick of it myself.  Widowed in 2007 at 31 with three kids to raise…I knew I didn’t want to be alone for the rest of my life.  But that meant dating and finding a new relationship…something that when I said “I do” back in 1996 I never thought I’d be doing.

But I did.  I got out there in the dating trenches, fought for what I wanted, and eventually I got him.  And that “him” came with three kids of his own.

In this series of blogs, the “Kid Blenders,” I will be addressing our challenges, trying to blend our two families together.  The names of the children will be changed to spare the easily embarrassed.  And let me be upfront about this:  I’m no clinical expert.  I’m just a single mom trying to figure life out as I go.  But knowing that there are around 14 million single parents out there…I’m guessing that I’m not alone in this venture.

So…here’s the situation.  I met Mike almost three years ago.  He works for NASCAR’s #78 (Furniture Row Racing).  We met online, as just about everyone over 30 does these days.  And the only thing that keeps us from retiring to our own private island in the Bahamas (besides jobs, bills, and the small problem that we just don’t have an island) are our six kids combined.

Yes.  You read that right.  Six.

I have three kids who are 10, 8, and 6 and he has three kids who are 11, 7, and 4.  I know what you’re thinking.  Brady Bunch, right?  And you’d be close.  Just with better technology, real grass instead of AstroTurf, and no “Alice.”

On a regular basis, we battle personalities, schedules and, occasionally, each other.  We have the kids’ best interests at heart – all of the kids – and do what we can to make sure that they all feel loved and equally important.

For my kids, who lost their dad when they were 5, 3, and 1, Mike has become their primary “dad” figure.  He helps them with their math, shows my son how to upgrade things I didn’t even know could be upgraded, gives the girls the bear hugs they so desperately need, and fixes things that require more than the all-in-one screwdriver I have in my junk drawer.

For his kids…Mike is divorced and has partial custody.  I do my best to let them know that even though they have a mom who adores them…I would be honored if they would carve out a place in their lives for me.  I try to let them know that I realize that I’m not their mom…I’m just another person who supports and loves them.

With Mike’s NASCAR travel schedule – being out of town 38 weekends out of the year – our lives can get a little dicey at times.  Our conversations during the day usually include something like, “Wait.  Did you say you were going to be around tonight or do you have something else going on?”  Because between football, rock-climbing, ballet, basketball, piano lessons, and Boy Scouts…we’re never quite sure.

We’re out numbered.  And we know it.

I truly believe that a life together is possible and might even be enjoyable.  Ask me on a day when all six of them are running through my house playing hide-and-go-seek, dress-up, basketball, and Just Dance all at the same time…and I might tell you that that island in the Bahamas doesn’t sound so bad.

But when they’re all sitting around the dinner table, laughing and interrupting each other with outrageous stories (that usually involve some sort of bodily function)…I’ll tell you that there’s no place else I’d rather be than squished into my chair, looking at all of their faces.

As with most things, those moments of happiness aren’t constant and didn’t come about overnight.  They happen one moment at a time and can change in an instant.  And for you single moms out there who are trying to figure out how to balance your own happiness and the well-being of your children…

…let’s do it together.

Catherine Tidd is a writer, widow and mother of three. She is the founder of www.theWiddahood.com, a free peer support website dedicated to anyone who has lost a significant other and has a Facebook peer support page under the name Widow Chick. Along with being published in several books on grief and renewal, Catherine is also a humorous motivational speaker who focuses on “finding joy in a life you weren’t expecting.” She also writes a blog on parenting and NASCARing called NASCAR Brady Bunch.

Apps are what I do – I write about them, market them, evaluate them for companies, and consume them just for the fun of it. When Mark shared AppUp with me, I was surprised I’d never heard of it before. In the following months, nearly everyone I spoke to about AppUp hadn’t heard of it either.

Now I know that Intel was playing it smart.

As I mentioned several weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending CES International this year. The technology presented by thousands of companies at the event was jaw-dropping, entertaining and almost unbelievable. I was very interested to see what Intel would be unveiling at the massive event.

During the keynote address, Paul Otellini (CEO of Intel) unveiled a surprising number of products Intel has been cooking up with partner companies. One of the stars of the show was something they called the Ultrabook™. In short, they’re much like the PC version of Apple’s MacBook Air – they’re ultra responsive and ultra sleek. Once I got the chance to see several of these Ultrabooks up close, I saw they weren’t kidding around – these laptops are super skinny and very fast.

If you’re looking to buy one of these hot new computers, here are a few to keep your eye out for: Acer Aspire S3, ASUS ZENBOOK™, Lenovo IdeaPad U300 or the Toshiba Portégé Z830 Series. All of these offer varying 2nd generation Intel Core™ i5 or i7, weigh less than 3 lbs, respond from sleep in 7 seconds or less, display Intel HD graphics, and offer between 5-8 hours of battery life.

I spent some time testing out these Ultrabooks™ – I’m a skeptic by nature and like to thoroughly test things before coming to a conclusion. I wasn’t disappointed – each machine is seductively sleek and incredibly fast. Each one stayed quite cool during demanding performance tasks as well. My conclusion? Ultrabooks look very promising and are an exciting, affordable computing option for parents and students alike.

Enter Intel AppUp. Let’s face it – CD-ROMs are becoming almost obsolete. Apps are the way to go – no more running from store to store trying to pick up the latest hard copy of software. The convenience of downloading software from an app store is delightfully stress-free. Intel AppUp brings thousands of popular games, educational resources, utility apps and much more to PC and smartphone users.

Curious as to the reason Intel had held off on a massive ad campaign to push consumer awareness about the new app store, I asked Gunjan Rawal (of the Intel AppUp team) why AppUp had been relatively low-key until now. She explained that Intel has been focusing on building AppUp, bringing developers on board, making the app submission process user-friendly for developers and, ultimately, waiting for the release of the Ultrabook™. Their patience and hard work has paid off – now PC users who have bemoaned the lack of a Mac App Store equivalent have their answer. Consumers will be impressed at the number of apps already available on AppUp – and Angry Birds fans will breathe a sigh of relief to know their favorite game is alive and well there.

Apple has been such a huge force in the world of personal computing as of late and most companies are stepping up their game to heat up the competition and often price their products at a more affordable range.

What about you? Will you be picking up an Ultrabook this year? Have you delved into the world of Intel AppUp on your PC? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Hannah Camacho is an educator, mom to three wonderful children ages 3 and younger and proud wife of an Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran. She is the founder of MyAppinions.com and TheAppNanny.com. When she’s not chasing her three busy little ones, she does freelance work for application developers as a mobile app marketing and pr specialist.

1. Extreme Talkativeness: Your kindy kiddo might come home bursting with the news of the day. From the moment he enters the classroom to when he exits the building for the day, amazing things are happening. Letting him talk it out is the best way to help them process everything new. And it will lead to…

2. Serious Fatigue: Beatrix hasn’t been this tired since she was a toddler. Kindergarten 2011 is busy and more demanding than our kindergarten experiences. I went to half-day, she goes all day. I spent my days playing in an indoor sandbox or with the classroom dollhouse. She tackles subjects I didn’t until 1st grade. The good news is that within a few weeks, fatigue starts to fade.

3. Extra Clinginess: Most kindergartners are fine with leaving their parents to go to school. I’ve noticed that when we are at home, my kindergartners like to be my little shadow. Beatrix climbs into my lap again and loves to help with chores and dinner. We miss each other.

4. Announcing a New “Best Friend” Almost Daily: This is a natural way for kids to determine what qualities good friends possess. It takes a while to get to know everyone in a classroom. The danger is hurt feelings and frequent misunderstandings. These new best friends can exert a huge influence on each other, too. Peer pressure doesn’t start at age 13. It starts with 5-year-olds comparing sandwich breads and chips.

5. Adoration of the Teacher: Kindergarten teachers do it all. They teach math and reading, but they also read fun stories, teach songs, and give hugs. They are amazing human beings and kids notice. I was suggesting to Beatrix that she could write a lower case letter a certain way. “No, mom. Mrs. M says that I should do it this way so it will look better.” I had to admit, her way worked, too. Go, Mrs. M!

6. Super-Sensitive: All the learning, the variety of sandwich breads, having to stand in lines, and not getting the library book that was spotted through the window just yesterday can lead to a kid who is a little on edge sometimes. Tears flow more easily when disappointments crop up. It’s part of learning to navigate a new world. My kindergartners also seem to reserve their best behavior for school. Their mischievous personalities spill out at home with little provoking.

7. Hungry, Hungry Kiddo: Even though we pack a bounteous lunch and a snack, Beatrix still comes home ravenous. She could rival our preteen boys in wolfing down crackers and milk.

8. Peacock Proud: This is one of the best kindergarten developments. I love watching and listening when they are demonstrating a new skill or bit of knowledge. It’s really a big deal to learn how to read, when you think about it. Their brains have to arrange tiny symbols into recognizable patterns, solve the clues, and discern context and meaning. It’s a privilege to witness their pride, again and again. Soak up the excitement. Let them feel charged by your pride, too.

Cynthia Franklin told a jury Wednesday that Jessica Beagley was punishing the boy for lying about getting in trouble in school. Franklin also says Beagley made the boy to stand naked in a cold shower for getting in trouble.

Beagley is charged with misdemeanor child abuse. Her lawyer says she was not being cruel when punishing her son, but was desperate to address difficult behavior.

“Dr. Phil” viewers alerted Anchorage police after an episode aired that included a videotape of Beagley punishing her son.

By MARY PEMBERTON Associated Press. Photo

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.

~Elizabeth Stone

A few of our favorite Mother’s Day links this week:

*On Being a Good or a Bad Mother

*Our Mother’s Day product picks.

*The Mother-in-law.

Happy Mother’s Day to moms everywhere!

Love,

The Mamas

Photo: Women’s Health Magazine