I See Me!

Well I am sure your gearing up for the holidays.  Of course there is Thanksgiving just around the corner.  We are also celebrating Dear Hubby's 50th birthday soon.  Yeah that is a pretty big milestone.  And then there is the big day, Christmas.  The Grandbabes will be biting on the bit soon to get to the goodies then.  Right after that is Granny M's 79th birthday.  Yeah, November and December are pretty busy times for us.  We are working on holiday jams already.  I am also gearing up for all of the holiday baking too.  But most of all I am hoarding away all the gifts for my family.

Right now I have two really special gifts for the Grandbabes from I See Me.  They are personalized just for them.  You see my oldest has always loved puzzles.  Thus I ordered her a puzzle that has her name on it as well as beautiful artwork of animals.  Of course the picture is a sample as I have not put her puzzle together.   The pieces on top are really large for a floor puzzle.  Then the bottom ones are small and all the same pattern.  So it will be interesting for her to look and piece out her name.  

This summer I noticed that our middle grandbabe has really been working on coloring in the lines and very neatly.  He has shown so much pride in doing this.  That is why I ordered him his very own name coloring book.  His is the one with the owl.  Inside he will find each letter of his name per page as he spells it out with matching pictures to color. I know that Princess Emma would enjoy one just as much since she loves to draw and color too.

I was looking at the personalized placemats for our youngest Grandbabe.  He is up and running now.  I am not too sure on how well he is being kept at the table during meal times either.  You know how they get at this stage.  But a placemat no only keeps the table cleaned up it can help entertain your young one when their attention wonders.  We use to keep one under JD's high chair that attached to our dining table when she was just a wee one.  Add in that it is personalized and you can have learning time.  Pointing out the letters of their name and spelling it out for them.  Also the bright colors and shapes could be identified.  Seems like a winning gift to me.

FREE SHIPPING promotion is here! Enter coupon code SANTA at checkout at www.iseeme.com. Hurry! Expires November 14th!

Make sure you pop over and check out I See Me.  They have personalized books for Christmas and Hanukkah.  I bet you can find the just right gift that would be for your lil one and them only.  Also know that when 2 or more placemats or coloring books are ordered...there is always a discount!!  You can also find I See Me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.  It was lovely of I See Me to provide me with both the puzzle and coloring book in exchange for letting you know about them.  I could not have asked for better gifts to give to my oldest grandbabes.  

Six for the Grandbabes

You know that it is almost Dear Hubby's 50th birthday. Add in Thanksgiving in the same week. Well of course that means we will get to see family and have the Grandbabes here for a short visit. I love that! I can not wait til our youngest grandbabe gets to be part of that too. It will be so exciting to have him running around here. Maybe I can talk to his mom to come down for a few days with him this time around.

 But we will be running from house to house also. I have two house sitting placements during this time. Yeah, holidays are busy for everyone. Especially when they are going out of town to see their families but the doggies are still at home. That is where I come in. Thankfully I can have my family with me when I house sit for my friends. I am taking a box of toys and a stack of books for the Grandbabes. I thought you would love to see the latest ones. Especially with the holidays coming up. You may see the just right one for your own lil one too.

 Good People Everywhere, for children aged 3 to 8, is a Triple National Award-Winner, having been selected for a "Teachers Choice Award", a "Mom's Choice Award", and a "Moonbeam Children's Book Award." It shares a soothing story that nurtures awareness of--and gratitude for--the many caring people in our lives. Each page delightfully unfolds with vibrant, engaging illustrations and endearing text that warms hearts, stimulates awareness, and inspires young and old alike to contribute to a world of compassion and beauty. Quite cleverly, it gets kids thinking of how they can and do contribute to the world as well. The result: children will discover a different way of looking at the world and their place in it, fostering a sense of calm and happiness.

 The Lima Bear Stories Series is a recent winner of the "Peace Corps Children's Book of the Year Award". The latest addition to this series is The Labyrinth. Within a few sentences, you and your young reader will be smiling. The witty, engaging rhyme draws you in, but as always with The Lima Bear Stories Series, it is the story that will keep your collective interest. As with The Megasaurus, How Back-Back Got His Name, and The Cave Monster (the other titles in the series), The Labyrinth delivers an important message: one of forgiveness! It is rare when a children's series of books comes around that make a difference in your life and the life of your child.

 Helping toddlers learn their ABCs is one of the first "teaching" tasks parents undertake. While there are a number of alphabet books on the market, there hasn't been one quite like Healthy Foods from A to Z / Comida sana de la A a la Z. This book is the winner of a "Mom's Choice Award", a "Creative Child Magazine Award", a "National Parenting Publications (NAPPA) Award", and a "Moonbeam Children's Book Award". Imaginative FUN faces of healthy foods surrounded by food vocabulary in both languages serve to draw the children into the world of healthy eating, while the bilingual approach helps to address a large audience and introduce children to a new language and culture. Designed to encourage children at an early age to eat healthy foods--as well as learn their ABCs--the book features 18 charming faces that depict a range of emotions children ages 3-6 (and older) can understand. There is also an interactive segment called "Now Make Your Own Healthy Food Face!" It challenges the imagination of young readers to create their own food faces using a template and six simple steps.

 Create With Maisy by Lucy Collins for ages 2-5 years. Why does Maisy keep a Big Box of Everything, filled with glitter, sequins, foil, stickers, paint, brushes, paper, and tons more stuff? Because she loves to make things! Children as young as two will be thrilled to follow her lead, thanks to a brand-new Maisy format featuring both familiar illustrations and photographs by Lucy Cousins. Here are crystal-clear steps for creating seventeen simple crafts, highlighted by photos of the end result. Enjoy making things from painted pebbles to paper lanterns, food collages to feathered masks, and wax-relief paintings to wonderful vegetable animals. As spectacular looking as it is hands-on, here is an activity book sure to please parents as much as it does Maisy’s little fans.

 The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare by Sam McBratney for ages 3 years and up. Just like young children everywhere, Little Nutbrown Hare likes to explore, play, venture out into the world, and sometimes just savor the comfort of being at home with loved ones. But whatever he does, and wherever he goes, Big Nutbrown Hare is always there to cheer him on. In a beautiful jacketed Guess How Much I Love You storybook, here are four heartwarming new stories that little readers (and their bigger companions) will instantly relate to.

 Charley’s First Night by Amy Hest for ages 3-6 years. On Charley’s first night, Henry carries his new puppy in his old baby blanket all the way to his house. He shows Charley every room, saying, "This is home, Charley." He says that a lot so that Charley will know that he is home. Henry’s parents are very clear about who will be walking and feeding Charley (Henry will, and he can’t wait). They are also very clear about where Charley will be sleeping: Charley will be sleeping in the kitchen. But when the crying starts in the middle of the night, Henry knows right away that it’s Charley! And it looks like his parents’ idea about where Charley is going to sleep may have to change. With warmth, humor, and endearing simplicity, Amy Hest tells a tale familiar to everyone who has loved a puppy, while Helen Oxenbury renders each tender gesture and charming detail in a beauty of a book that children will be eager to take home.

 Make that free BOOKS!

Grandbabes Make Us Happy

It was wonderful to have the grandbabes here this last weekend.  Of course Princess Emma was here most of the time too.  We love hearing them all giggle while they are either jumping around with the Wii or decorating my porch with the sidewalk chalk.  There was plenty of Pink-alicious (a pink colored juice) consumed while we had a baseball game in the backyard.  But of course we also snuggled in and watched A Dolphin Tale.  It was wonderful if you have not had a chance to see it yet. 

On top of all of that there was bedtime stories.  We loved reading 'The Cookie Thief' by Francis Gilbert and Ben Quesel after singing Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar.  The kiddos all loved singing along.  Then we launched into our night time story.  Thomas notices that the cookies are missing from cookie jars all over the neighborhood.  When everyone is doing all they can to have them watched.  Finally Kristina decides to set up a trap to catch the cookie thief.  Thomas wants to help but is reluctant to hide behind the couch where it is dark and small.  With much prodding Kristina finally gets Thomas to move the couch....and wow, there are the cookies.  But who is the Cookie Thief?

We have also been fighting all kinds of sinus problems.  Tissues are running very low here.  So we also enjoyed Cougar Cub Tales "The Sneezy Wheezy Day" by Sharon Cramer.  What a great way to learn that helping each other it makes being under the weather a lil easier to handle.  Reading how brother cub isn’t feeling well and his sister  and brother cub seek help for his cold.  They encounter many silly home remedies. One friend even tells brother cub, “Tickle your nose with the tail of a goose and do it before the next blue moon rise!” they appreciate all of the recommendations help but the final remedy is his sister's love.  I know the kiddos were more than willing to help get tissues for Princess Emma after reading our book.  The Sneezy Wheezy Day e-book is available as a free download on Amazon through Saturday.  What a great deal...go download your copy.

Add in the fun of singing along to the Veggie Tales and you can see we had a full weekend.  This time we had "If I Sang a Silly Song" and "God Loves You Very Much".  Of course College Girl jumped right on in.  She loved Veggie Tales as a teen and is having a blast sharing it with her lil sister Princess Emma and her niece and nephew.  Larry the Cucumber hosts “The Silly Song Telethon” and counts down the top favorite silly songs of all-time... voted for by thier fans!! The fun continues with a surprise introduction of a never-before-seen, new Silly Song chosen by Larry the Cucumber from thousands of fan submissions!  VeggieTales: God Loves You Very Much is a fun and family friendly film featuring stories that demonstrate how God cares for us in all kinds of situations!  It features three fan-favorite VeggieTales stories that teach other valuable lessons about love, Gideon: Tuba Warrior, The Ballad of Little Joe and my favorite Rack, Shack & Benny. The title also includes an all-new “story-song” called Does He Love Me?


I loved my weekend.  I loved my grandbabes.  I loved Princess Emma.  And more so I loved the memories we make every time we spend time together.  Thanks so much to all the ones who send me books and videos to share with them.

Time to Play!

Hey folks...forgive me but life is busy for me this weekend.  Why?  Well the GRANDBABES are here for a visit.  So as a good Nonnie I must play.  So here is a quick update.


Here are the Grandbabes.

And here is the bedtime story from last night.  Sadly I am nursing a bad cold so reading is out for me.  Thank goodness Vanessa Williams agreed to read for us.  She is willing to read for your babes too!  How? Well she is on CD reading Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel.  It sure did save me since I was really down and out last night.  It was hard when kitty was told that her favorite foods were all gone and that all that was available was asparagus and beets and cauliflower and dill and lots and lots of other vegetables kitty did not like.  The she became a very bad kitty indeed.

Kitty…Ate the homework…Bit Grandma…Clawed the curtains…Damaged the dishes…BAD KITTY!

So her owner went to the grocery store and  bought her anchovies… buffalo burrito…chicken Cheesecake.  All of kitty's favorites.  

Thankfully kitty then apologized to grandma…cleaned her cat box…and all was well. Well until the new puppy arrived!

The Grandbabes enjoyed the story, bright pictures and was glad to have it 'read' to them even if Nonnie could not do it.  I liked the story but was not happy that kitty was bribed with her favorites in order to mind.  I would have preferred for her to learn to eat her veggies....even if she did not like them the best.  I thank McMillian for sending me this book and CD set.  It was a life saver last night!

Image via Wikipedia

Oh and if you did not know it....it is Girl Scout cookie time.  Find yourself a girl scout to stock up on your favorites.  Come on you know you can not live with out the Thin Mints and the Samoas!

And if your addicted to chocolate as bad as I am then Kelloggs has done you in.  They just released Krave.....the chocolate pocket cereal...or better yet the chocolate pocket encased in chocolate crisp!  No I did not get any free cookies or cereal.....I wish.  But I thought I would let you know what is next for that late night indulgence. 

Planning Ahead

It is getting closer and closer to the holidays.  I know that Halloween just finished but I have to plan and get ready.  It is something that takes tons of looking ahead to make sure I get all done.  You know how it is.  Mom's have to do 90% of all of the holidays preparation for all to happen.  From planning out meals, gifts, decorations, cards....oh my...the list goes on and on.

We have a new grandbabe this year and it will be his very first Christmas.  Of course he is just a wee one and will not know what all is going on.  So most of his items are really to help make things easier for his mommy and daddy.  I love making sure that what I share with them is not only the best for my grandbabe (The Turtle) but also good knowledge too.  So I am including a completely natural baby lotion and bath that will not hurt him in anyway.  Gosh, you have to look at all the ingredients that is going into everything these days.  It is hard to know what one will be allergic too lil on what is it, where did it come from and what side effects can it cause.  That is why I was thrilled to find Dolphin Organics.  I can look at the label and see that the ingredients area all natural and what is organic easy peasy.  Even shows what is artificial....but it is always an empty column on the label!  I also like that the very first item on the ingredients is always certified organic aloe not water.  So now I know that my lil Turtle will not only we clean and soft but also safe too.

I also found him his first teddy bear.  Now of course it could not be just any ol bear!  And no it is not the adorable lovable bestest bear, Pooh, either.  I have ruled out Paddington as well.  I want him to have a bear that has character, knows his way around the block so to speak.  A bear that will be there in thick and thin no matter what.  One that does not worry about looking good but about making sure his lil man always has the best friend ever by his side.  And I have him right here!  Ugly Ted is his name and being accepted is his game.  Now Ugly Ted has had to put up with a lot of criticism in his life.  And he knows how hard it is to deal with bullies.  But his has a heart that is pure as can be.  You can share his stories with your lil ones online for free.  I adopted Ugly Ted for my lil Turtle and I bet he will love him to pieces.  I really think it will be his favorite toy through out the years.  And a great way to learn that we love people for who they are not for what they look like.

Oh and I found another cool gift for my oldest Grandbabe, TK.  She is such an avid reader and always so curious that I just knew this was the way to go.  Curious Critters by David FitzSimmons is the best book for her.  Bright photographs of the coolest animals you have ever seen.  Then poetry to tell you all about that critter is there too.  And at the end of the book there is their information on each critter of their natural history.  Along with their actually size in silhouette form.  You will love the bright beautiful crisp clear photographs.  It is what got me right off the bat!  Here is what the double page looks like for Goldfish.

I love sharing with the Grandbabes.  Especially when I am able to help them grow to love all that is around them.  Weather it be from building toad house and bird houses here at home.  Or to share a good book with them that tells them of the world far away from us.  To see their eyes open wide and here the exclaim the surprise of what they learn....now that is the fun of being a Nonnie.

Help with the Family

Howdy everyone!  How is today treating you?  Good, yeah hot here too.  Looking at 107 right now and know it will be up to 111 today at least.  I am working on my house and chores early in the mornings right now.  And then doing inside chores like folding laundry, working on blog and things like that during the heat of the day.  That way I can hide in my bedroom where the lil a/c is for me.  Evenings are inventive on how to have chilled meals as cooking is definitely out.  Also that is now becoming a heavy family time weather it be playing Wii, watching movies or chatting.  We are all gathered in one small room so we are having plenty of 'family' time. 

In doing so I have noticed how we look at things as we grow.  Weather it be viewed from Princess Emma to Granny M, each age range has it's on set of priorities.  So it made me think about what are some things we can do as parents to help in each age range as our children grow from babes to college age.  And with brand new babes around we have to start with Baby's First Year.  I have The Essential Guide to Baby's First Year that I want to share with my step son and his wife for their newborn babe, The Turtle.  I think it is something that will come in handy for a first time mom.  Just today she was asking me how to stop his hiccups.  I looked it up to see if there was something I did not know.  But alas, as we guess, there's not much you can do but soothe them with a pat on the back.  What we do naturally.  There is tons of information here though.  Weather it be looking at feeding issues, milestones on the first year, those common illnesses that bother us so or just how thing happen and change.  I want to get this to her in the mail as soon as possible.  Stacy look out for it!

For parents who are making baby food for the first time, try starting with a simple fruit puree recipe, like this one from page 177:

Vegetarian-Vegan Fruit Compote

Ingredients:
-1 apple, cored and sliced
-1 plum, sliced
-1 peach, peeled and sliced
-1 slice of lemon
-Pinch of cinnamon
-2 tsp. brown sugar
-2 cups water

Boil water with the sugar and cinnamon. Add the fruits and cook until they are soft. Squeeze the slice of lemon over the mixture. Cool. Serve as is or on top of a waffle or pancake (A great breakfast option).

Now Princess Emma is starting school this year.  The oldest Grandbabe is in 2nd grade too.  Education is becoming the focus for their families.  I love that we have so many learning aids to help them out.  P.E. is using the  learning to read DVD set that I gave her last month.  I hope she becomes a great reader like my Grandbabe is.  She read to her baby brother every evening when they were here for their last visit.    What is your focus with the kiddos starting school soon?  Getting back into the swing of things?  How to maximize study time?   Schedule changes and getting on track?  I have my College Girl who is going to be moving into her first apartment this year.  I wonder if she will be returning home next summer or not.  Will this be her last time at home or will she be one of the Boomerang Kids?  It has become well known that many of the young 20 year olds often strike out on their own but if things get tough they return home.  It is like a trial independence that many feel has lead to a failed adulthood.  I remember my older brother having to return home after his first time out.  He was greatly depressed.  I am looking at how I can help CG to make these changes in her life.  Also to accept that there may be those in and out times of life.  I love how parents can help children overcome the following challenges:

• Missing home and family: loneliness after moving out on one’s own
• Managing increased freedom: increased discretionary choice
• Unemployment: seeking or losing a job
• Indebtedness: overspending and credit card living
• Stress: coping with excessive demand
• Fear of the future: facing what to do with one’s life

Of course are we helping our kids learn how to make decisions, have a good attitude or to try and make it in these hard times?   I love sharing with College Girl.  And have handed her three books that may just help her out.  This summer she met people who were joy robbers and energy drainers.  It was such a bummer for her to find that some people just go out of their way to make your day a lil bit harder.  In sharing Attitude, Try and Decide with her, she can put out a positive first step when meeting people.  Also work hard on making the best of her every day life.  Most of all not to give in to those who test our good nature.  As Karen Okulicz says "You Can't Out Think Crazy".  Keeping that in mind we can make the best decisions for our own lives and not give in to what other peoples opinions are.

And last off is when you do get school out of the way, settle down in your life and the day to day living really sets in.  Then we find that we are often over whelmed with how hard it is to just stay caught up on our responsibilities at home.  Taking care of the home is a job that is never ending.  I am glad that I do not have the thought that Granny M has.  She told me "Why clean like mad, it just has to be done again tomorrow."  Well I do not like to clean like mad but I do want a neat organized home.  I have found that doing chores in small bites works well for me.  I wake early by nature so I use that quiet time to get dishes done, sweep and mop and do the dog yard.  It really only takes a few minutes for each task.  Also I can do many lil jobs in between other activities.  I do not watch much TV but there is the odd show I would not want to miss.  But I hate commercials.  So when they pop on I can pop up and change out a load of laundry, make a bed or even sweep the front porch.  Just lil chores that can pile up on you when ignored.  I have Totally Together which gives me shortcuts to an organized life.  Many of the ideas in it were common to me but to have a daily planner included for chores, meals and seasonal jobs helps out.  All divided up in bite size chunks.  It keeps me from feeling overwhelmed but thrilled with the success of a job well done.  I would fully recommend it for those that need that lil extra boost in managing a household.

Well these are my hints at ways to help your family at different levels of life.  What hints would you give me?  How about ways to help a 77 year old change?  Okay, I know that will never happen.  Wait...wait....she did.  She stopped smoking after a life time habit.  She is taking good care of her health now.  And stays very active with friends.  Dang if I did not give her enough credit.  Granny M, Good Job!  Also thanks to all that have sent me books to read and review.  I am thrilled with them.  Great way to help my family and me too.

Welcome to the World Scott

Shouting from the rooftops!

Welcome into this world to my newest Grandbabe!

7-31-11 at 5:26 a.m. at 8 lbs and 21 inches 

Scott Wayne Webb finally arrived!

Let the spoiling of "The Turtle" begin!

I'm Back with a FREE Cookbook

Whew, what a week off.  Texas heat abounds.  But it was great to have the time with Dear Hubby and run around.  Visited College Girl and was so proud of all of her hard work.  Traveled with Princess Emma who behaved like a dream!  Hard to do for a 4 going on 5 year old.  Enjoyed a birthday weekend with her and family.  And then had my Grandbabes arrive too!  Yippee!  They are here for a week.  But......  look what happened.

 The poor dear laid down for a nap and woke up with pink eye.  Dang the luck.  We did the ER thing since it was the weekend. 

Dear Hubby knew just how to keep him happy while waiting for the doctor.  Now it is eye drops and being isolated at home.  No visiting with other kiddos or great grand parents.  We are hiding at home in the bedroom keeping ourselves entertained.  They are a wiz at sword fighting on the Wii! 

I have tons of catching up to do.  Stacks and stacks of books to read.  And today this came in my email to share with you.  Really cool deal!

 My name is Chef Jeff (well, that's not my official name)

I am trying to create some buzz and get some feedback for my new ecookbook called DinneRevolution before I roll it out.

So here's the deal:  I am simply going to give it away for free to your readers. 

It sells for $27 so quite a good deal for your readers.  But they will have a link for a FREE copy.
 
I know you won't send *** out to your readers, so I am including a complimentary copy of the cookbook.  I'm real proud of it, and it's going to change the way your readers do dinner.  Here is the page to send your readers to for their free copy.  Here it is:
  
http://www.dinnerevolution.com/free-offer

I know this give-away is a little different than what you are used to, but I really want to get this in as many hands as possible for feedback before I roll it out. 

Hopefully it's a good fit for you.  The recipes are super family-friendly, healthy, have less than 10 ingredients, and take less than 30 minutes to prepare.

Let's get the family back to the dinner table and out of the fast food joints!

Let me know if you have any questions.  jeff@dinnerevolution.com

Thanks
Chef Jeff

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• Win Chef Jeff's New Cookbook: Dinnerevolution (mamasbagoftricks.blogspot.com)

For the Birds

We are so happy to have our youngest daughter and her beau here visiting right now. The Wee One has never been to our home before this visit so it is a very big deal to us. And she has never met her half brother and half sister. Well yesterday....she was surprised when The Grandbabes and her half sister drove up. Squeels and all! Can you believe this is their very first meeting?  It should have never been this long for them....but they are making up for lost time.  'Vannah was asking how she could miss someone so much she had never met.  Well now she knows that they are sisters always...never to worry about that bond not being there any more.

And of course I had a great day with all.  The grandbabes loved hanging at Nonnie's again.  We did a bird house project together.  So cool.  Now it is hanging in my tree and the birds love it.  We used the Red Tool Box Bird House Kit and the Red Tool Box Kids Tools.  Of course there was supervision.  Wanna see what they made me?

Landon loved the tools. Wanting them all right then. Of course we had to watch what he had as they are real tools that are just the right size for lil hands. Hammer and screw drivers where ok. But the saw and file was put up for this project. Thankfully we did not need them just yet.  Red Tool Box has an electric drill the kids can use also.  But loud sounds tend to bother the kids.  Since this is our very first project we thought we would keep it simple.  Let's work our way into each new item.
TK conentrated so hard to screw in the screws real tight. Sadly she did such a good job that one of the heads popped off. Pouted! But we explained it was fine. The Bird House would stay together fine.  Did you ever know a screwdriver takes two hands?  Well it did for Miss TK.  She wanted to so sure it did not slip. 
Yes, lil boys love hammers. And this peg got just the right amount of tapping to get it in place. Actually I was very surprised at how gentle he was being.  I have to say thanks so to Red Tool Box for sending us this to try out.  And the cool tool sets too!
Didn't it turn out great!  We have not painted it yet.  Prefer to wait til we get some paint that will be good for outside.  And then of course something to seal it too.  But the top does open on a hinge.  So we poured in bird seed for good measure and hung it in our tree.  BTW, these tools are so good that College Girl obtained them.  Made a place to hang them up out of the kiddos reach even.  We can all share them for future projects too.  I love that they really are the right size for a child.  But very durable tools.  These are items we can use for many years to come.  I am already thinking of what we will be doing next? 

Birthday Gifts for the Grandbabes

Next month is the birthday of my Grandbabes. Actually just one day apart at that. So we have been looking at different things to put in their packages. We found something for them to share in their bedroom.  And a lil to help decorate it up some for our Grandson.  But there has to be all the extra fillers too.  At least for me that is how I always see it.

I have to always have in some books as reading is so important to me.  And the Grandbabes both love stories.  My Grandson will love the cardboard book 'Rocket Town'.  It is perfect with rockets, trucks and trains while they are traveling in an old pickup.  Bright colors that help the countdown to blastoff.  This was done by Bob Logan who worked on Madagascar, Open Season and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs too!

I also think that both Grandbabes will love the book 'I Love to Swim' with summer coming up.  Time is the water is part of summer in Texas with the heat we have.  Rita Goldberg wrote this book to help children who so wish to swim.  She started teaching children to swim in a basement pool in England back in 1981.   There is also a dvd in the back of the book to share with your lil ones.  Perfect!   And seeing the joy that water has always brought to kids she was able to show that to children everywhere with this book.  Teaching water safety rules and ways to move so you can swim.  I am thankful for anyway to help alleviate the fear of water that some children have.  I remember being scared when I was a child....thankfully I finally learned how to enjoy the water.  Now I just like to hydrate anytime I can!

My pick for my Granddaughter is 'Bluebonnet Time!'.  What a bold book that has beautiful facts popping out all around you.  Along with the cd of songs to listen to when we are out looking for the wildflowers on our roadsides.  The Bluebonnet is our state flower and one that makes me so happy to see fields covered in the bright colors.  I have shown off my own favorite photo that I took one Easter morning.   I hope that sometime soon I will have time to take some more photos of my own Grandbabes in a field of bluebonnets.  It is almost a Texas tradition.  My Granddaughter loves to read to me, her Nonnie.  This will be a perfect evening read on the porch this summer.  I can't wait.  Can you?

My other lil extra is a Disney dvd for my Granddaughter of Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure.  Sharpay Evans plays a small town Diva who has hit New York City with her lil dog, Boi.  And then the adventure begins.  TK loves to sing along with shows so I know she will be performing right along with the songs here.  Especially the son Baby that Justin Bieber released performed here with  Ashley and Ryan Evans of High School Musical.  See for yourself right here.  You can get your own copy next week as it is being released on April 19th.  I think that it is going to be cute seeing TK with the Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure Limited Edition Clutch that comes with the 3 disc set.

This has been so much fun setting up gifts for the kids.  I wonder what else I might find between now and then.  Thanks so to the different PR reps that sent me these books and the DVD.  I am so lucky to get the sneak peek at them all.  Of course you know I am not paid for this....just lucky to show off the items to you.  What a life!