It has been a very busy weekend. First we moved College Girl into her new apartment. Her first apartment. Which took us only 15 hours to get her there, unloaded and fully unpacked But oh so worth the time as she loves her new place. I feel so honored that she wanted my help it getting it all set up. What a gift to share with me.
We had to make sure we had everything and yes we did forget a few things. Dear Hubby picked up some of it that we thought of. But other items I did not think of til a day or two later. We did make sure we stayed hydrated and ready with Activate drinks. I love these now! Have you had any? It is a water that has a drink mix in the cap. You twist, shake and then open to drink. And not only are flavors light but healthy. You can have a bottle to help with energy or multivitamin or antioxidant or immunity. I loved how they both shared their water while raising money to help nutrition for pregnant women. Passersby pedaled an exercise bike attached to the vending machine for thirty seconds to release a freebottle of ACTIVATE. 1,250 bottles were distributed, the retail value of which will donated to Nourish America in support of nutrition for pregnant women. The final donation amount totaled $2,240.
We also agree that we need gum to unpack. Really! It seemed that it was impossible to pull stuff out of a box if we were not chewing away on a wad of gum. I know that sounds silly but it helped us stay focused. The thing is that College Girl and I have different favorite flavors. She loves spearmint and has since she was really little. I want something with a lil citrus and a punch. Guess what we both can get what we want in one pack of gum. Mentos gum has UP2U packs. We have a pack of mandarin strawberry for me and spearmint for her. How cool is that. Also we were sent it for being facebook fans of Mentos gum. That was a double cool!
Now you know I just had my birthday too. And I promise I am feeling every dang step of it. Being disabled is beginning to really get to me too. One of the worst right now is the non-stop pain in my knees. Now just add that in with trucking up and down stairs to get boxes to her second floor apartment. I hid several times in the bathroom to deal with the extreme pain I was having. Thankfully Dear Hubby had to return home to get items we forgot. Well he also checked the mail and brought me back the Curamin that had arrived. It is a natural pain relief. I quickly took the suggested 3 capsules all at once instead of just one three times that day. Why? Well I was fighting tears. In time my knee pain subsided to a point I could handle. I was so so so thankful. I am really taking this supplement heart for the pain I am feeling. It is a combination of Curcumin, boswellia, DLPA and nattokinase that combines anti-inflammatory and pain relieving combinations. I do not understand how different supplements work....I just understand when they do work. And luck has it now that I can also share a bottle with one of my readers. I am going to set up a rafflecopter giveaway at the end of this post so you can have a chance to win. Please do enter if you or someone you know has chronic pain. I am loving the relief!
Now of all the new school supplies that we gathered up for College Girl she does have a favorite. It is her new May Book notebooks. These are great lil 5X8 notebooks made from green e-certified canvas covers and sewn spines for eco-friendly binding. As you use these notebooks the covers wear to become like a durable yet soft cover. At the same time they are able to be wiped off from smears or smudges. Now College Girl has two purple covered books that are one a planner for class work and the other a notebook for her to use in the theater. Since they are 5X8 and durable, she can slip it into her pocket while she is acting. Then take it out for notes during critics. But they also have notebooks for weddings, track diet/milestones, pregnancy or to log newborn nursing and sleep schedules. Basically if you need to log it they have a good solution for you.
Today, College Girl thought she would write about a different book that didn't fall in with her preferred genre of fantasy. Here is what she had to say about it.
"Of course, after the first few chapters, I hardly noticed. The night I finished book one of G.M. Dyrek's The Seer and the Scribe series, I stayed up late to do it. I couldn't stop turning the pages and had to know what happened next. Nothing turned out the way I expected, but I was smiling by the end.
Spear of Destiny is the first book in a series that "begins where recorded history is silent" introducing characters such as Hildegard of Bingen and Volmar, a monk and scribe at the monastery at Disibodenberg. The story is set in 12th century Germany, which is a period I know I've never studied. Despite that, I had no trouble at all keeping track of what was happening in the book. Everything starts fairly suddenly, with news of Hildegard's talents as a seer that allowed her to see a murder that had taken place generations ago at the monastery. Volmar listens to her story and helps her find proof that it was true, but before they can find a way to bring the old murderer to justice, Volmar is told of a holy relic with a powerful curse. When another body turns up at the monastery, it is up to Volmar's scientific mind to find out what really happened.
The book isn't very slow to start; it seems to be just the right amount between the opening scenes and the first subplot. Foot notes are provided at the bottom to explain details of monastic life that modern readers may not understand otherwise. I don't normally read historical fiction or murder mysteries, but I already want to get a copy of the next book in the series, Methuselah's Secret. Another cool detail: the author's son and niece are the models for Volmar and Hildegard, respectively. They appear on the cover and in the pencil illustrations inside. The illustrations added another cool angle when they appeared; the black and white style seemed very complementary of the setting and time period of the story. Thank you so much to my mom over at Crazed Mind for letting me review the book. I loved it!"
No money was made off of theses reviews. They are just our opinions.
Hey how is everyone holding up here? I know it is harder than all get out for me to get into shape this summer. No not the let me loose weight shape...as much as that is needed. But the get off my butt and get to work shape. I tell you the heat is knocking me out on my fanny. And I really hate that.
But let me move on. So had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. Did a fun family cookout. Missed College Girl not getting to be a part of things but she is loving her summer internship in Dallas. Had a surprise visit from the grandbabes and the other kiddos. Wonderful as can be! And of course went to the fireworks show here. That is the anniversary of Dear Hubby and my first date. Oh and a long time ago friend and beau called me. Was so much fun catching up with each other. Hopefully him and his wife will be through for a visit sometime soon.
What else? Humm, well have had Princess Emma over some. Not as much with the horrid heat here. You know Texas summers and no a/c is not a great match up. But we are still plugging away. The kiddie pool has become a great life saver for us. Also quiet afternoons are a norm right now. We have enjoyed reading "God Gave Us You" together. A darling lil cardboard book that I want to use this winter for a Christmas gift. I love how the polar bears here tell the process of having a baby in a gentle fashion. Most of all sharing what a gift their baby is to them. This will be a good one to have for our new grandbabe that we are expecting.
Another quiet afternoon joy has been our new DVD with Eric Herman. It is "The Elephant DVD" that emerged from the homemade music video called "The Elephant Song".
Has me singing along. But now with our DVD we can also have the other songs of Eric's. I know that some of the songs can be a bit off, like Steve the Superhero, but they are funny. Princess Emma giggles at the idea of body odor being a fighting tool. So yeah, it gets hot here...but not to much so that we can not still dance around and sing with "The Elephant DVD". This is like an update version of School House Rock for me.
Of course it is not all fun in games unless you have a new Freaky Pet to enjoy also. Have you seen them? Each one has a cute side and a cranky side. (Oh don't we all!) You can get them at the Hallmark Crown Stores then go online and register your pet. Then the kiddos will be playing with them in person and with friends online. I love the lil green Monket that arrived here. He loves all things fast and acrobatic. But get going too long and too fast and cranky can become a reptilian wreaking machine. Freaky Pets are guaranteed to make life interesting no matter what planet you live on! A new interactive that combines a unique line of transformable plush creatures with a browser-based 3D virtual world for kids (and adults) of all ages. You can try it for FREE just by clicking on the new account button at www.freakypets.com. The first one is free, but to unlock any of the other Freaky Pets you will need to purchase a Freaky Pet reversible toy. Each pet comes with a secret code that brings it to life online.
Yeah I know, I love playing with the kiddos. It is what keeps me young. And also I am lucky that these items were sent to me to review. I did not get paid of course, just the fun of playing with them. Lucky me! Guess it is time to get off my duff and get to work now. Laundry, dishes, pets...you know the usual house hold drudgery.
I am thinking of a book bag swap. Wonder who would be interested in joining in. My idea is that you take a reusable bag THAT YOU ALREADY OWN, shove several different books in it THAT YOU ALREADY OWN and then mail it to your swap partner. This is a green swap as you do not have to buy anything at all and we all have 'new' books to read. Let me know who might wanna join in.
If we have a good response then I will post how to participate. Leave me a comment if you would like to be included. And a way to contact you. And hopefully we will all have new books soon!
Image via WikipediaI am so thankful that there is PBS Kids. When College Girl was a child she loved Sesame Street.All she wanted was to hang out with her friends Big Bird, Little Bird, Elmo, Grover, Snuffy and Cookie Monster. Her first sign language words were Cookie Monster. We still use the signs for yes and no in our everyday conversations.
Well today there are so many shows to choose from. But one that I really enjoy as well as the kiddos is Martha Speaks. First off, which of us did not wish that our pets could talk to us. Add in the fun of learning words and their usage in a fun form, what is not there to love. Martha is coming on to her third season on PBS Kids. One of the shows is a two part special where Martha and her friends try to create their own TV show. I remember as a child pretending to have my own TV show...they were musical marathons. I do have to give a two thumbs up to Martha. She is great at helping expand the vocabulary of children and even some adults too. One of the things that Martha does teach is how to say Thank You! The sign for "thank you" is made by starting with the fingers of your dominant hand near your lips. Your hand should be a "flat hand. Move your hand forward and a bit down in the direction of the person you are thanking. Smile.
You can teach your child how to say Thank You and other family values. One aid is the book When You Say "Thank You," Mean It. This would have been one of the books my Grandmother would have loved to share with me. She was big on manners and how to present yourself to others. I love that Mary O"'Donohue has put together a month-by-month guide for families on life long values to teach your children. Now you may be wondering what lessons would these be? Each chapter deals with on lesson or value.
Gratitude
Self-Respect
Respect for Others
Intergrity
Compassion
Forgiveness
A Sense of Joy
Commitment
Lifelong Learning
Inner Strength
Spirituality
A Sense of Purpose
Now I could not have put together a better list of values I wish to pass on to my child. The lessons are interactive and have hands on games to help enforce the idea you are teaching. Some of the games are:
Keeping a Gratitude Board
Creating Respect Tiles
Making a Compassion in Action Calendar
Hosting an Earning for Learning Game show
Starting a Life Map
I love the ease of understanding that Mary has imparted. It is not hard to envision how to explain a thought and idea when you have someone to guide you along the way. One of the ways to do this is to win your own copy of When You Say "Thank You," Mean It. Yes, we have one book to giveaway to you. Entry is easy as always. Just leave a comment telling me how you have helped impart your values on your children. Make sure to leave a email so I can contact the winner. And extra entries to those who follow me on Goggle Friend Connect. Just leave an extra comment with GFC on it. I will announce a winner in two weeks.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book and DVD to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.
Image via WikipediaI have two winners this morning. The first is for the book, My Lost Daughter. I so enjoyed this thriller. I am hoping that it is as exciting for:
I have two things I would love to do with these cards. I would either use them for my daycare business or my hubby's handyman business. I am sure though that he would get them if I were to win.
I have a text message going out to you to let you know. But I will be sending your email on to UPrinting so you can get your code. Congrats Tammy!
3 Monkey's in Disguise will be getting a copy of this "rainbow tree" from Jayde's Lil Corner. I would like to thank Jayde for hosting this giveaway. And for my copy of the "rainbow tree" too!
M and M won the second copy of Crave! I so enjoyed reading this book by Chris Tomlinson. I can so recognize the desire to fill the craving I have. And weather it be for donuts, relationships or God we all have those empty spots we are looking to fill. The secret is to know if we are filling them with the right items? I want to thank Chris for sharing "Crave: Wanting So Much More of God" with me and hosting this giveaway!
What is your favorite childhood book? Mine was Cinderella. College Girls favorite was The Never Ending Story. Well I found out that for many it was The Mouse, The Monster and Me. And that they went out of print. Guess What? They are back. Ten years later and now you can get your favorite book to share with your own kiddos. Did you know that while this book was out of print copies of it was going for $100 a wack on EBay? Amazing. Not only did they bring back "The Mouse, The Monster and Me" but also "Liking Myself". It is really amazing that these two books help teach assertiveness at an early age. I love that they can help children learn how to deal with bullies. Oh, that was one I had a horrid time with as a child. But they also can help kiddos learn how to be responsible for their actions, words and feelings. I love the way these books look inside too! Just like a child has written them. With hand drawn pictures in the margins and thoughts all around. I wish to thank UpLift Press for sending me my two copies. They have them for sale at their site with FREE shipping. Not bad. Also you can pop over to Amazon to get them. Or you can do something even easier than that. Just visit UpLift Press then come back and share with me. Because that is your first entry into winning both of these books. Yeah! We have a giveaway sponsored by UpLift Press. You also have extra entries with the usual comments letting me know if you follow me here or on FB or Twitter. I am giving an extra 5 entries to anyone who can tell me who is the Author and what is their career? I will pick a winner Sunday 1-31-10.
I have many wishes for my College Girl. And I have often thought what would I wish for her the most? That is a hard one. What do you wish for your loved ones?
I Wish her: Discernment, which she has quite well. Thus she can be polite yet state her view in most situations. CG also is very good at deciding who and when to share her life with. Love, to fill her life with. True deep never ending love. She has not found it yet, but she is patient and willing to wait for the right one. Joy, in her choices, in her encounters, in life.
It comes down to the fact I wish her enough. Bob Perks wrote a gift book named "I Wish You Enough". It helps us focus on how we can embrace those moments in our lives. I love the attitude this book brings. Each small chapter starts with a wish that composes part of a poem. My favorite is "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright." That alone can brighten my day.
So instead of wondering what I wish for my College Girl, I have decided to sit and share this book with her. I do want to say thanks to Thomas Nelson publishing for sharing this book with me. And let me end with another line in the book "I Wish You Enough."
"I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
Today is the birthday of my friend Patti over at PJ's Prayer Line. Pop over and tell her to have a happy day. And in keeping with that friendship I want to share an amazing accomplishment.
"Sewing a Friendship" by Natalie Tinti showed up in the mail this last week. It is a lovely book for that preteen girl in your life. For many reasons including a good story line, bright illustrations and a quick read. (It seems that the day is so full for the girls I know.) But there is something that makes this book really special.
Natalie Tinti wrote and illustrated this book. Ok, I know many people are talented and can do just that. But are they only 10 years old? Yes! At 10 Natalie has become a published author. WOW! I really enjoyed how she put this book together. Starting with a cast of characters, listing their likes and talents. I also was able to see her art work right off the bat. I love the use of original art and using scrapbook ideas to set it off. Then I was able to jump into this chapter book to learn her quick valuable lessons in friendship.
Now in this review I was only offered the book. But I would highly recommend it to your preteen girl. At only $12.95 on Amazon it is quite affordable.
Sewing A Friendship by Natalie Tinti was chosen in December of 2009 as a Finalist in Children-Chapter-Book Category by Readers Favorite.
We have a new winner for Shannon Honeybloom's book Making a Family Home. Actually she is not a new winner, Charity is a repeat winner. Great job lady, you have the luck of the Irish with you!
Ok, I have to have one! I love the way they redirect negative attention and replace it with a good suggestion simply replacing bad behavior with good! Also, I will link to my blog. People will enjoy reading it even if they don't have kids. Jen and Poo
WOW, I read the first book in this series and simply loved it .. now can't wait for this second one!
From the sample chapters, what I liked most was, the 'supposed-to-be-complex-management-concept' is broken down into a useful theory for the real life, So that any parent could read, enjoy and benefit it!- Naga
A new mom and how I kick ass at it. I pretend to be domestic and would rather get a tattoo than don an apron. I am neither funny nor profound. What I am is medicated.
Well we have all heard the saying "If momma ain't happy then no one is happy!" and that is so true. How do we stay happy? Especially when so many mothers have to juggle so many responsibilities what do we do. Have you lost sight of what makes you happy? Do you make conscious choices every day to take care of your happiness the way you take care of your health?
"What Happy Working Mothers Know" is a new book that guides us in positive psychology to leading a healthy and happy balance in our work and home life. Written by a behavioral scientist and global leadership guru, and an international lawyer and career coach, this mom-friendly guide offers practical tactics that truly work. Cathy L. Greenberg, Ph.D. and Barrett S. Avigdor J.D. wrote this book as a way to help energize and inspire women. They help remind us of that saying above. And no one can make us happy so we have to do it ourselves too!
So how do we stay happy? Well we can look at the word happy and apply it as an acronym. Healthy Adaptive Proud of Family Proud of Work Young at Heart
Do you try and fulfill these and if so how do you do that?
• Includes interactive activities that illustrate important lessons in the book • Shows you how to use positive psychology to shift from a scarcity mentality to an abundance
mentality for workplace success • Helps you tap into your own sense of joy every day for your own happiness and the happiness of those around you • Science-based and packed with real case studies of real working moms
I know that with all the different 'hats' I have been wearing it is harder to focus on myself and not on my responsibilities. Super woman I am not, but as so many of us do, I try to be. Thinking that I can do it all. Care for family, home, jobs and still be out there offering more. Do you do that? Well, here is a guide to help me find my balance. Making sure I remember that Momma is happy and healthy in order to care for her family.
I was telling you about Randy Kazandy today. Well I spoke to the author and she updated me with what will be coming up for Randy Kazandy. I just thought you would like to know what to look forward to after reading Randy Kazandy, Where are Your Glasses?
From Rhonda Fischer- Author Randy Kazandy will be getting his teeth cleaned and I have a dentist in town who wants to have a book signing in his office around Halloween to tell the ghostly news. This dentist would make a great character. Randy getting braces, yes? I need input for the series. All ideas are welcome. I also won the book of 2009 Book of Excellence Award with Creative Child's Magazine and won an award with the Children's Arts and Illustrators Museum in St. Louis Missouri. Things are looking up. I am up for about 4 more awards. I am keeping my fingers crossed! AND TOES!
College Girl hopes to teach theater one day. I know how hard that first year is on a new teacher. So I was excited to have a chance to read Educating Esme-Diary of a Teacher's First Year.
Esme Raji Codell kept a diary when she started her first class. In here she voices her fears, knowledge, excitement and accomplishments. More so Esme shows us how a class room works when you really want to make a difference. Her innovative lessons along with a stern loving heart touched children's lives in extraordinary ways.
Educating Esme is now 10 years old with 200,000 copies sold and has been re-published with a tip guide for teachers and teachers-to-be. There is also honest advice and a teacher's shopping guide. The ALEX (from the American Library Association) Award was given to this book along with a first place from the Education Writers Association. This is not a text book, but a true story of a teacher growing and learning in her chosen field. The diary itself is exactly the same, but there’s a new foreword by Katherine Paterson, author of "Bridge to Teribithia". There is also a guide called “Hit the Ground Running,” which Esme created to help new teachers do just that. Now there is over twenty-five really specific and hopefully pragmatic pieces of advice from Esme and a comprehensive shopping list for the first-year teacher.
Esme Codell is a nationally renowned advocate for literacy. After teaching in the Chicago public schools for a number of years Esmeresigned from her school position to work on other projects including national advocacy for literature-based learning and read-aloud; writing several novels for preteen readers; running a children’s literature review website; and starting the PlanetEsmé Bookroom . Connecting great children with great children’s books has been the underlying thread of all her work. Currently Esme Cordell works in the school library instead of the classroom.
How many times have you told your ebullient child he's too loud or too active? How often have you told your contemplative, cautious child not to be a scaredy-cat and so shy?
In subtle ways, you are giving your child, when he's expressing his or her unique temperament, the message that he's not good enough. He will get the same messages at school, at church or temple, and from the media. By the time your child is an adult, he will have learned how not to follow the beat of his own drummer and how not to be himself. He will have learned exactly how to act in order to get the approval of others.
If you think that's not much a problem for a child, wait till she grows up and marries someone she thinks she should marry, works in a job she hates because it's expected of her, gets in debt buying a house or car that makes her seem more successful than she really is, or is on a perpetual diet and hates her body because women are supposed to be rail thin.
You can stop this negative conditioning! As a parent, you already instinctively know that your child is good enough. Your child was born good enough. Here are five ways to reinforce that positive message.
·Be there for him. Let your child have his true feelings--sadness or fear, for example. Show him with your support, reassurance, and presence that it's okay to have emotions, and that you'll stay with him through all those feelings, without judging.
·Teach her not to personalize rejection. If someone tells her she's ugly or too brainy, for example, remind her that someone else's words aren't the truth. The truth is that she's fine--just the way she is.
·Teach him not to worry what other people think. If he's afraid to take chorus at school for fear of being teased, or cuts class with his friends to be part of the "cool" crowd, help him understand that following others' opinions won't help him be happy.
·Encourage her individuality. If your child wants to wear a pink tutu to church and it embarrasses you, consider the message you might be giving her about being an individual and expressing herself. Unless it's an act that could harm your child, try to allow her to be and do what she needs in order to fully explore who she is.
·Show him he is loved--unconditionally. Remind your child dozens of times a day, in gestures, words, and acts, that you love him just the way he is. A child who learns that he really is good enough will grow into a confident, healthy, fulfilled adult.
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I would love to win this:) Please enter me. Thanks!!