Check out PakNaks to add some fun for back to school!

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We know our kids love to make their things one of a kind. A fun way to help them get creative is by using PakNaks. PakNaks are fun rubbery 3D decorations that kids can use to personalize their favorite things like backpacks, headbands, lunchbags, notebooks, bedroom furniture, or pretty much anything they can think of.

They come with a strong adhesive backing and velcro that will stick to just about anything. What is great is that by using the velcro backing you can purchase many PakNaks and interchange them. They can easily change their look to from sporty to cute to even holiday.

Kennedy received a cute snail Paknak called Manfred.  Right now we are using her Paknak for her hair accessaries.  I actually cut down the one piece of velcro so that I was able to stick it onto two different things, a barret and a headband.  I love that we can get some more and use the same headband and barret but just switch PakNaks so they will coordinate with so many of her outfits.  I am definitely looking into getting a cute Christmas one(pictured below).

Zach got the cute frog called Ted the Head.  Seeing his backpack for school was full of design on the back, we put his PakNak on the shoulder strap of his backpack so it really sticks out and gives him something fun for the plain black strap they even he can see while wearing his backpack.  He loves it!

The PakNaks definitely make going back to school fun.  I think they will make the holiday season fun too, and would make great stocking stuffers this Christmas! What else is nice about PakNaks is like many other collectables that the kids love, all the characters come on a card that tells where they are from and what is their favorite items.  This makes PakNaks a cute collectable to maybe even share or compare with friends!

Moms and Dads may like these too, as they have some great sporty ones for all the men...and great flowers and butterflies for us Moms.  I saw a great idea on their website for using them to decorate flowerpots.  I personally would love that! I might have to get quite a few and save them for the kids for rewards or tooth fairy gifts.  They could be used for so many different things!



disclosure:  We received two free PakNaks for reviewing.

WoobieWear

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Is your little girl heading back to school soon?  Bet you are shopping for cute clothes and shoes.  Let's not forget about some cute hair accessaries! 

Woobie Wear has products that are one of a kind and very versatile.  You can find things like their crocheted sequin hats that come with an adjustable and removeable ribbon so that one size can fit all.  They have many one of a kind flowers that are so versatile your child can wear then simply in their hair or  attached to hats, headbands, clothing or even as jewelry.  These fashionable flower clips will have your girls looking beautiful! 

Check out these looks on a couple of the girls in our house.  Like I said they are a one size fits all, so here we have 8 year old Kennedy wearing them as well as 16 year old Corie.  I also can not wait to try some of these looks on the little girl that will be making her entrance in December!  It is great having items that will fit so many age groups, so they can all share.  The flowers are cute and held together very well.  They are easy to clip on the Woobie Wear hats, and headbands, as well as other accessaries we have in our collection.  The flower clips look great all by themselves also!

Lisa Blackman, the owner and designer behind Woobie Wear cares enough about others to make a difference, "It's my belief that being a  business owner in the fashion industry is about more than providing a beautiful product.  It's also about the social responsibility of having your products provide individuals who don't have the same opportunities as most of us, as well as helping to put a smile on the face of an ill child who is fighting to overcome a terrible disease which challenges their spirit every day."

I love companies that give back!  Woobie Wear's role in giving back really touched me having a child with a disability and medical condition.  The majority of the Woobie Wear's products are produced and packaged by people who have disabilites.  Woobie Wear also actively supports many organizations that work with families fighting pediatric cancer.  This cause is one that Woobie Wear believes in so strongly, that upon request they will donate to any customer whose child is battling cancer. 

For more information please visit http://www.woobiewear.com/

disclosure:  I received free products from Woobie Wear for review.

Anniversary

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Although today is our 3rd wedding anniversary, I can not believe we have been together for 10 years now.  Where has the time gone! 

Are you looking for some personalized gifts? Check out Dakota's Personalized Gifts

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Are you looking for a personalized or unique gift for someone special?  If you answered yes, you really should check out Dakota's Personalized Gifts.  I was contacted by Jasmine to feature her expanding company and fell in love with all the gifts.  They have a great selection and were so quick in personalizing and shipping! 

Here is what Jasmine has to say about their expanding business:

We started in a spare bedroom about 5 years ago more as a part time hobby than a business with The Anniversary Rose making roses for the traditional anniversary gifts (i.e. 1st year paper, 2nd year cotton, 5th year wood etc) cutting rose petals by hand with scissors. It quickly grew from a part time hobby to a full time business, adding help and equipment to keep up. Then, we started expanding into personalized anniversary gifts. We started getting many requests from our customers for personalized wedding, Mother’s & Father's Day and Christmas gifts etc. That's when we started Dakota's Personalized Gifts. Soon the business took over a second bedroom and the garage, the following year it occupying two bedrooms, the garage & a full basement. With no room left to expand we were forced to move into a commercial location in 2009. We continue to expand with new products and updated equipment all the time which allows us to produce most of the personalized items in house.

I have many things in store ranging from gifts for babies, birthdays, pets, wedding/anniversary, kitchen/bath, go-geen canvas tote bags, wine gifts, golf gifts, and so much more! All of these gifts can be personalized for all special occasions and holidays.


We package using recycled paper, biodegradable peanuts and cardboard boxes and we ship USPS as often as we can. They already go to every address everyday, why make UPS or otherwise waste all that fuel! This is how we are trying to save the world, one gift at a time.

Jasmine was so generous to offer any product for me to review.  My husband is so hard to buy for, so many times I try to find him personalized or theme type gifts.  While searching through Dakota's Personalized Gifts I found several items that my husband would really enjoy by searching through the "Gifts For Him" category. I decided to order one of their personalized Tshirts for my husband for his birthday.  I got my husband the "____'s Beer Removal Tshirt".  It was great!  My husband wore it that night he got it.  Their prices are great.  This Tshirt sells for $19.99 which I think is a very reasonable and competitive price for a personalized item.  After washing the Tshirt, the personalized lettering and the tshirt still look brand new. 

You can find so many gifts at Dakota's Personalized Gifts, from birthdays, graduation, new baby, to wedding or wedding party gifts.  They are great.  I really love some of the new baby gifts and am thinking of getting the "new pregnancy ultrasound personalized frame".  I just love it! 

If you are looking for some special gifts you have to check out Dakota's Personalized Gifts!  Jasmine wanted to share with my readers a discount code.  These codes expire August 31st, but Jasmine said all are welcome to call or email them for current offers.

code 10-AUG31 offers $10 off $50 purchase
code 15-AUG31 offers $15 off $75 purchase

Disclosure:  I received a gift of my choice for free to review.

Happy Birthday to my Hubby!

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Today is my husband Bob's birthday!  So gotta go and have the kids make him a card...gotta look up something creative.  I like to do something with their hands, feet, or fingerprints normally.  I would say Happy Birthday on here to him, but he isnt much of a computer person and doesnt really read my blog.  Gotta check out my review that I will be posting next....great site for personalized gifts (especially those hard to buy for people like my hubby).  http://www.dakotagifts.com/

"Rock Symphonies" CD by violinist David Garrett (review and giveaway)

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Giveaway closed.

Congratulations Shannon!

I love being a member of Music Moms!  I get the opportunity to check out great music that I typically would not be listening to or off to buy at the stores.  This time I was given the opportunity to listen to the new album by the celebrated violinist David Garrett which is a great blend of classical music with classic rock.  It is a great album!

David Garrett wasa named best-selling new classical artist of 2009.  This month he has released his second album, called Rock Symphonies.  Rock Symphonies is a blend of Garrett's classical sound playing classic rock songs from bands like Led Zepplin, Aerosmith and Nirvana.  The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Classical Crossover chart, only second to Sting , and is still holding that position. 

The Germon-born musician has breathed new life into the genre of classical music and has amassed a  large and devoted global following of fans, most of whom are younger than the listeners traditionally associated with classical music.  I would have to agree that I typically would not be listening to much classical music, yet I was drawn into Rock Symphonies mix of classical and classic rock.      I loved the faster songs, and will be putting them on my ipod, so I can listen to them for an energizing walk.  While this is instrumental, I found myself singing the lyrics.  I can definitely see people of all ages enjoying this CD, even my 6 year old is drawn to it! 

You can learn more about Rock Symphonies and David Garrett by going to http://www.david-garrett.com/ .  Rock Symphonies is available at Best Buy, iTunes and Amazon.com

After seeing some of his videos...he is even more entertaining to watch than to just listen to!  Garrett has toured all over the world and has appeared on Oprah, The Today Show and Good Morning America.  You may be able to catch his sold-out concert performance in Berlin, that PBS airs it this month. 




One lucky reader can win an autographed copy of Rock Symphonies!  To enter:  Leave a comment telling me why you would love to win this CD.

Extra entries: 
Follow my blog.
Subscribe to my blog.
Add me to your blogroll.
Follow me on twitter an tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway is open to US.  Please leave a seperate comment for each entry. This giveaway will end on Sept. 6 and the winner will be chosen by random.org.

disclosure:  I was provided with a free CD to review.

#Mamavation Monday

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Thanks to those that listened to me vent here on my blog last night.  You know my son really is a good kid, I just wish I could figure out activities that he is sure to enjoy.  It is kind of like the same for the activities that we do here at home for exercise.  He loves doing the Wii active type games....but will only do them side by side and as of now will only use the remote himself with doing the wii fit running (running with puppies he calls it).  I have given up buying any games especially for him, because for some reason he just will not play.  Oh well.

One thing I do for me is go out for walks.  This week was great for it!  I was able to get out of the house 4 days this past week to go for nice walks 2-3 miles(my bladder doesnt hold out for much more than that lately..lol)  I love it because I have gotten some workouts in, and get some me time.  I actually have asked Zach to go...one day I wanted to go for a walk and then get groceries, but Zach says "go to store, NO WALK!".  Everytime I would put on my awesome exerwalks(which I can tell is definitely helping tone the butt and calfs...I can feel it more wearing them) Zach would get his shoes thinking we were playing outside...but would quickly go do something else, and say "no walk" when I told him I was going for a walk.  At least he is an active kid anyways, so I am not worried that he is sitting around too much.  All I have to do is put on Ninja warriors and he will pull all the couch cushions off and make his own obstacle course bouncing from cushion to cushion.  It is pretty funny...he really gets into it! 

So anyways...this week was successful at getting workouts in....I did 4 walks outside and 1 walk away the pounds totalling up the time was 4hours and 12 miles!  I am trying to get back up to 4 miles, but my walks are taking me a little longer these days.  As for food, I am still working on that one! 

Times when you just feel like you can not do anything or have anything without it being ruined!

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There are just so many times when I could just tell autism to shove it!!!  Bob and I were just talking yesterday at how Zach can be so good, and is overall a pretty well behaved child....yet then the autism kicks in and I just want to kick it!  I get so sick of going places and having our good time ruined because something sets him off...and you can explain away to him what he is doing wrong, or try to ignore the behavior, yet there are times when you just have enough and have to leave.  Trying to get out is hard enough having Kennedy that is so sensitive to the sun and heat, and then Zach who has sensory issues of noise/actions.  I am so sick of sitting at home! 

Zach loves watching airplanes whenever he sees any flying overhead.  So yesterday we decided to go to a local RC air show.  The show was nice, the weather was nice.  It was cloudy out, so Kennedy was able to sit back and watch.  Zach however wanted to walk around and check out all the planes that were on the ground, and quickly became fixed on yellow planes.  Ok....so at first it was just a bit annoying as he didnt want to sit and watch, and was constantly asking for yellow planes.  After a while Bob took him up closer to watch one of the jets.  Zach started throwing a fit, as in throwing himself on the ground...and he doesnt just throw a temper tantrum where he will cry...no he jumps as high as he can, and throws himself down, and if it continues will bang his head.  Its one thing when it is a noise or something that sets him off, and you can calm him down...but when it is more of a "typical" attitude because he isnt getting his way, it just ruines the day!  So home we went!  There are some things you will let your autistic child get away with when you know it is a sensory issue....theres other times when No is No, so you have to show them they can not get away with their attitude.  I just wish that it was easier to explain this stuff to a child with autism.  Typically you tell a child "stop now OR we are going home"...for Zach all he hears is "we are going home"...so there typically is no stopping of the crying or whatever unless you can distract him some other way.  I know I am just rambling here...but I am so sick of some of this I need to vent somewhere. 

Right now my husband left because Zach really ticked him off.  My husband decided to go back to the airshow today by himself so he could watch more.  While there he found a $20 little RC plane that of course was yellow and blue, so he bought it for him and Zach to play with.  He thought he would be nice getting it, and Zach would like it being yellow and have some fun together.  Nope Zach of course hates seeing things crash, and couldnt get over it.  He kept wanting to play with it, but was stomping his feet every time the plane came to the ground and hit anything.  Bob spent about 30minutes climbing up a tree to get it unstuck, to then go in the house and have Zach get ticked off when the plane hit the wall...and instead of stomping his feet, he kicked the plane and now it is ruined.  I get that he doesnt like it when it crashes, but come on now, its been a couple hours....like I said you just want to tell the autism to shove it!  Because I know some of it Zach just doesnt deal well with, but you still want to shout "come on now...get over it!" 

I just want to go somewhere as a family and not have an issue for one day!

I just want to be able to get a toy or something for the family and not have it ruined in one way or another...or have it actually be enjoyed! 

There are so many times when I see people complaining over and over about things ...and I try to be such an optomistic person and not complain too much, especially when I know things could be worse...but I guess today I just need to let it out!

Ever dress up your avacado?

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Your kids can enter the Avacado dress up coloring contest for a chance to win some great prizes.  It is really cute, you can go on their site and create your own avacado, make it into a coloring page, and then your kids can color it and enter it into their coloring contest.  Very neat! 

Avacados are a great way for your family to enjoy a nutrious meal.  You can check out Avacados from Mexicos back to school recipes as well as many others.

Go check out Al and Ava Avacado!

disclosure: I wrote this blog post at the request of Avocados from Mexico, making me eligible to get a $25 iCARD gift card.

Rock N Learn Phonics Volume 1 and 2 DVD review and giveaway

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Giveaway closed.

Congratulations Annie1!

In the mid-80s two brothers—one a school psychologist and the other a rock musician—had an idea. They would combine their respective expertise to develop and launch an educational program that puts multiplication facts to rock music and eventually rap music. Over twenty years later, Rock ‘N Learn has set the standard for learning products, receiving numerous prestigious awards and honors as well as acclaim from educators and parents alike. From math and reading to science and Spanish , Rock ‘N Learn adds a cool and contemporary beat to the subjects kids need most, successfully and effectively extending the classroom experience anywhere and anytime.

Based just north of Houston, Rock ‘N Learn continues to be owned and operated by brothers Richard and Brad Caudle. Working together with their wives, Melissa and Kathie, Richard and Brad have watched as Rock ‘N Learn burgeoned into a family enterprise that is positively impacting families nationwide. The company has grown to encompass more than 50 products—including its best-selling educational video programs and audio books that can be found in schools and homes throughout the U.S. and worldwide.

Making it easy for parents and classrooms to build a study program tailored to every child, Rock ‘N Learn DVD titles are categorized by subject as well as age group. Programs begin at the preschool level 2–5 and continue for children 4 and up. Subjects covered include reading and writing, math, science, test preparation, other languages and social studies. Recently, Rock ‘N Learn introduced phonics to its educational offerings with the launch of Rock ‘N Learn Phonics, a multi-DVD program. This program features new animation, oral segmenting, oral blending, word families, rhyming phrases, sentence practice, and short stories. It provides kids with an easy and fun way to learn the phonics skills that lead to reading and spelling success.

Rock ‘N Learn programs are designed to enable parents to be as involved as they choose with their kids. Easy to use and follow, each program is crafted especially to allow for self-instruction, especially appreciated by busy parents and teachers. Completely kid-friendly, Rock ‘N Learn is expressly developed to empower kids to learn on their own—or parents can help further apply the material that kids have learned. Because Rock ‘N Learn is all about effectiveness—and simplicity—the programs are designed to provide an alternative to the complicated kits and workbooks that demand a lot of adult supervision.

Rock ‘N Learn is education with a beat—and the ‘rock’ behind the ‘learn’ is meant for much more than foot-tapping. Rock and rap music are both very rhythmic; the steady beat helps encourage memorization. The music and video of Rock ‘N Learn work together to involve all the senses: auditory, visual and even kinesthetic (feeling the beat and moving to rhythm).
The Rock ‘N Learn formula for success begins from ever-evolving, real-world educational needs generated by the company’s roster of educational advisors, education specialty retailers and parents. From there, the Rock ‘N Learn team conducts comprehensive subject research; musician-composer Brad Caudle composes custom original songs and the script is written to make the material fun and compelling. Importantly, the Rock ‘N Learn team avoids any educational ‘fads’ or ‘current trends’ and instead focuses on mainstream material that offers broad application to supplement any home or school curriculum. Rock ‘N Learn then tests its programs in-classroom, and secures critiques from teachers that result in fine-tuning the material. Finally, Brad’s compositions are professionally recorded, animation is produced and actors and singers perform the final script. In all, each DVD program takes about six months to produce.

The results have been unanimously praised by educators, parents and media. Major organizations such as iParenting, Learning Magazine Teacher’s Choice, Parents’ Choice, Dr. Toy, The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, National Parenting Publication Awards, The Early Childhood News Directors' Choice Awards, Coalition for Quality Children's Media Kids First, Moms Best Award and Family Review Center Award, among many others.

Rock ‘N Learn has also become a classroom staple as schools are increasingly asking teachers to provide differentiated instruction in the classroom—where instruction must match the specific needs of each student. Together with Rock ‘N Learn, teachers can have the main class watch the program while they work with smaller groups of students. At the same time, Rock ‘N Learn also serves as an effective supplemental tool for reaching students of varying abilities and learning styles—helping students who may not have responded to traditional approaches but can achieve results when given instruction that is multi-sensory and better holds their attention.

Richard Caudle holds a master’s in school psychology from the University of North Texas and worked 12 years as a school psychologist. While completing his M.B.A. from West Texas A&M University, Richard often heard the refrain: “I don’t know why my son can’t learn his multiplication facts. He can listen to a song on the radio just a few times and know all of the words.” He searched for a recorded program that would hold a child’s attention while trying to memorize multiplication tables—but saw that nothing of quality existed. Teaming with his musician brother Brad, the Caudle brothers applied music to multiplication—and set Rock ‘N Learn in motion.

In addition to helping author and produce Rock ’N Learn programs, Richard has written over 25 industry-related publications as well as articles in the field of school psychology. He has served on numerous committees of the National School Supply & Equipment Association. Richard was named the “2006 McKay’s Hero” for his work with a local foundation devoted to children's safety. Richard holds a B.A. in psychology, an M.S. in School Psychology, and an M.B.A.

To develop Rock ‘N Learn, Richard and Brad assembled an advisory board of top educators and child development experts, whose areas of expertise covered every age group from preschool through grade school.

We received Rock N Learn Phonics volume 1 and 2 DVD to try out at home.  These are great for helping your elementary ages child with sounding out their letters, and combining letters to sound out short words.  I loved the mouth in the dvd, showing how to move your mouth to sound these out.  This is great for Zach as we do this often for some letters he mixes up like M and N.  The rock band theme makes it fun and  interesting for the kids.  School starts in just a couple weeks here and I can really see this being very useful this year as Zach is working on these same concepts at school.  It will be a fun way to practice his word building skills.  The age on the website says ages starting at 6 years old, but I know Zach was working on much of this stuff last year in school when he was 5.  I can really see this as a helpful dvd if your child is having trouble with even just the letter sounds. 
Rock ‘N Learn can be found in top school supply and specialty stores nationwide (the full list can be found at http://www.rocknlearn.com/html/find_a_store.htm) as well as Barnes & Noble’s education DVD section, Amazon.com and the company’s own Website (http://www.rocknlearn.com/).


One lucky reader can win Rock N Learn Phonics Volume 1 DVD and Phonics Volume 2 DVD.  To enter:  Visit the Rock N Learn site and tell me another product that would be helpful for your child. 

Extra entries:
Subscribe to my blog.
Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway.
Add me to your blogroll.

This giveaway is open to US and Canada.  Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.  This giveaway will end on Sept. 1 and the winner will be chosen by random.org


disclosure:  I received the dvds mentioned for free to review.

#Mamavation Monday

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I can feel the exerwalks working!  I have done a few walks this week either outside, or using "walk away the pounds" dvd.  I have been wearing my exerwalks during these walks and really can feel it.  I am not quite sure if it is because I have not exercised as much, so my body is getting used to it, or if it really is the shoes.  I think its some of both, but definitely can feel the shoes working as I feel more burn in the back of the calfs and the booty! 

Yesterday while out on my walk I really felt like I was starting to waddle like a duck, but I really want to get moving more and more now that my body is definitely adjusting it's center of gravity.  This week we are supposed to have more temps in the 70s so it will be a great week for getting out and walking. 

Have a question for those that are pregnant, or have some experience of exercising while pregnant.  When I do my walk away the pounds dvd, you do regular walking, leg lifts, kicks, and then side steps.  During the side steps I feel like I need to hold my stomach up.  Is there anything specific that would help make me feel more supported during these?  I would like to do arm movements during these movements instead of holding up the baby. 

So I am starting to get there with adding in some more exercise.  I am slowly getting there with the food.  I was about to say I didnt drink any soda this week, but forgot I drank some at the movies Friday.  I have not drank any soda at home this week!  It was my sons bday, so I did have cupcakes...but they are gone now, so I can start the week with eating good!  I really need to, as I have been a bit concerned that all the sweets I have eaten already is going to make me end up with gestational diabetes.  So I am putting an end to the candy! 


Congratulations Kimberly @christlikemommy for being the Sista of the Week!


This week's blogging carnival is sponsored by Boogie Wipes and @boogiemom. Thanks Boogie Wipes for always being a big sponsor of Mamavation and @bookieboo!

Storytime Sunday: "Share from the Heart" by Marilyn Randall

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 Share From The Heart is a story about a homeless dragon who befriends two orphaned brothers as they all three overcome their differences to learn about each other and become supportive friends. Ms. Randall creates stories that have moral and valuable life lessons for children and this one proves to be no different. Done in the poetry format for the infant to age eight, age group, she brings the characters to life with her unique artistic style allowing the reader to see the story as it unfolds.

Share From The Heart joins the growing list of children's books written and illustrated by this author, being number six on the list. Best Of Best Friends, For Faithful Friends, A Hard Nut To Crack, Inside Out and Elmer The Christmas Elf are the titles of her earlier books.

In her own words, Marilyn speaks about this newest story and how she came up with the name Peter for the dragon. "Peter is a strong name and a name that represents kindness to me and this was the perfect name for this dragon fellow who seems to be ferocious and fierce yet turns out to be kind and compassionate. He is an exciting fellow and causes great concern when two brothers are startled by his presence on their way home late one evening.

The story teaches us that when we can overcome differences and learn to accept those differences instead of rejecting them out of fear, we can accomplish many wonderful things. In Peter's case, he is rewarded with something he has longed for all of his life and the readers are treated to getting to know that there can be unexpected rewards for showing kindness and compassion even when differences seem to be insurmountable."

Ms. Randall is a former art director in the printing industry. She resides on Whidbey Island, near Seattle, in Washington State and considers her home to be the perfect surroundings conducive to the environment needed to write and illustrate the characters she creates. She is now working on her seventh children's book, which she expects will be released in the summer of 2010.

My thoughts:
I always love the lessons taught in Marilyn Randall's books.  Share From the Heart really portraits the values of family, friendship, and teaching our children that sometimes we may seem so different from others, yet we are so much alike.  Having children that are not necessarily considered "typical", I really liked the messages of this story.  "For a difference is only a difference until you know it by name".  I love this line!  It is such a good lesson for children to take the time and learn about each others differences. 

disclosure: I received the book for free from the author to review.

Zach turns 6 today....sorry Zach you are not 24 like you wish

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So he is addicted to numbers, especially the number 4....and everytime we would ask him how old he was going to be for the past month or two he would say 24.  It is such a ham!  Last week I bought a #6 candle so he finally was saying he was going to be 6.  He has been dragging that candle everywhere excited and wanting to use it.  Yesterday he lost it for a while and I told him he had to find it if he wanted to be 6 ...otherwise he would be 5 forever.  He did a little bit of a real/fake cry saying " not gonna be 6, be 5 forever".  It was the funniest thing!  Well he found his 6 candle and was trying to get me to put it on his cupcakes we made last night.  Of course now this morning I am not sure where he put it again.  I am thinking maybe it is in bed with him.  So this morning his presents are waiting for him...I gotta listen for him waking up so I can cover his eyes and surprise him.  That is another thing he has been wanting a to be surprised for a while.  He keeps covering our eyes or his and then yelling " surprise".  I love that this is the first year he really is so excited to be having a birthday.  I am hoping the weather holds out today for us.  We are hoping to go to the drive in movies tonight with his favorite girls, Andrea and Lexi, to watch Marmaduke.  So lets pray the thunderstorm either hold off until the middle of the night or hurry up and move through!


Happy Birthday Zach!!!!

"Dingle The Helpful Ice Cream Cone Delivery Dog" by Audrey Kinsella

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Dingle, The Helpful Ice Cream Cone Delivery Dog by Audrey Kinsella

ISBN: 978-1449083625
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Date of publish: June 1, 2010
Pages: 24
S.R.P.: $14.49







About the story:
It's a particularly hot summer this year, and Dingle, the book's title character, wants to assist his wheelchair-bound owner, Aunt Reeny, who is old and just a little bit cantankerous, and always resists any gesture of help. She, Dingle and the rest of the family often find themselves taking refuge from the heat at Ice Cream Dreams, the neighborhood ice cream stand.

Always looking for ways to help Aunt Reeny in her day-to-day activities, Dingle resolves to solve a messy problem once and for all: the ice cream cones at Ice Cream Dreams always melt before they can be brought back to Aunt Reeny's favorite spot under the outdoor umbrella! Thus the idea for Dingle's insulated ice cream cone carrier is born.
Enlisting the help of Aunt Reeny's nephew, Roddy, Dingle has to learn that hard work, patience and trial and error are all part of making his idea work. Finally, he has the special ice cream cone carrier ready to make its debut. It's an even hotter day outside than usual. Will his clever new invention wow the onlookers?

About the Author:
Audrey Kinsella has worked as a medical research librarian and writer for the past 25 years, focusing much of her time on finding helpful tools for the elderly and disabled. She has worked as a volunteer for a children's book club at a Washington, D.C. public library; and for three years was also the director of information services for high technology programs at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Kinsella is the author of more than 200 articles and the following books: Home Healthcare: Wired & Ready for Telemedicine (1997), Home Telehealthcare: Process, Policy, and Procedures (2003) and Telehospice: A Resource Manual for Program Planning and Implementation (2004). Dingle, The Helpful Ice Cream Cone Delivery Dog is her first
children's book.

My Thoughts:

Kennedy loved this book. She was smiling and giggly through the whole story. We loved how Dingle was able to find a way to help Aunt Reeny, who while disabled could do so much on her own. The story was nice in showing the helpfulness and determination of others. Choosing to make Dingle the ice cream delivery dog was a cute way to get children more interested.  Having a child with a disability I liked that the story did not portrait the disabled individual as helpless, yet found a creative way to show the use of companion dogs. The illustrations, by Susan Anderson-Shorter were colorful and fit the story very well.


disclosure: I received a free copy from the author to review.

Special Exposure Wednesday

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Finally getting around to uploading pics from the fair last week.  Zach loved the rides.

#Mamavation Monday

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Well I have been terrible...again. Kicking this habit has been so hard while pregnant. I am having a hard time sticking with a good diet and exercise plan. Honestly there are many times when I just say "hell with it...I will work hard when I am done"...then I know I need to now. So seeing I dont have any great news that I did some good workouts, did the Yoga like I wanted to and ate great...I guess I will just share some good news from my latest doctors appointment. I went last week for my 20 week ultrasound, and I have a little girl cheering me on already!

I guess things look good...I havent gotten a call from the doctor.  I was measuring a little over a week further ahead, so we will see if the doctor decided to change my due date or leave it as Dec. 22. 

And here is what I am looking like these days...

So I guess I will work on the same goals as I have been trying....quit eating junk, get moving and add in my Yoga for my Mamavation challenge to meet in Dec.

Go vote!!!

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Giveaway: (4)Tickets to Yo Gabba Gabba Live on 9/21 in Rochester, NY

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Giveaway closed.

Congratulations Jeannine!

YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WILL STOP IN ROCHESTER(NY) ON SEPTEMBER 21ST FOR SINGING & DANCING AND TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AFFILIATE.

-- Fresh off a triumphant sold-out tour debut, a headlining performance at The White House, a critically-acclaimed, chart-topping album, and an appearance at Coachella that garnered rave reviews from spectators and media alike, DJ Lance Rock and the cast of YO GABBA GABBA! are heading back on the road with YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! to play to enthusiastic fans in Rochester. Today’s hottest live show for families will be at the Auditorium Theatre on September 21st at 2pm and 5pm. YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! is produced by S2BN Entertainment in association with Wildbrain Entertainment and The Magic Store.

Kia Motors America (KMA) caused quite a stir with its first-ever Super Bowl ad, which featured a colorful cast of life-size children’s characters in the 2011 Kia Sorento CUV, including Muno from YO GABBA GABBA!, the award-winning children’s television series and live tour. Building on the momentum and increased brand awareness generated by the 60-second spot, KMA plans to extend its relationship with YO GABBA GABBA!, as the presenting sponsor of the upcoming YO GABBA GABBA! THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! tour.

Champions on the stage and in the community, the Gabba Gang will partner with Habitat for Humanity to further their homebuilding efforts in Rochester. In addition, $1 from every ticket sold for YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! in Rochester will be donated to the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate.

Tickets are on-sale now and will be available at Ticketmaster.com, 800.745.3000 and the Auditorium Theatre Box Office. For complete tour, ticket information and VIP packages, visit http://www.yogabbagabbalive.com/. Children under one year of age will be admitted free to sit on a parent’s lap.

YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY


Rochester, NY @ the Auditorium Theatre


Tuesday, September 21st at 2pm & 5pm

The state-of-the-art production features music, singing, dancing and animation. The show is an interactive experience that offers audience members of all ages the opportunity to witness their favorite characters come to life. Joining the characters on stage will be hip-hop legend Biz Markie to teach kids how to beat box with “Biz’s Beat of the Day”. Special guests will join the party on stage for the Super Music Friends Show and Dancey Dance segments.

Released in October, 2009, YO GABBA GABBA!: MUSIC IS AWESOME Volume 1 topped kids and overall music charts at iTunes (#1 kids album), Amazon (top 5 kids album) and Target sales, which reached more than 40,000 copies in only 6 months since its release. YO GABBA GABBA!: MUSIC IS AWESOME was picked as one of 2009’s top holiday gifts for toddlers by both PARENTS magazine and the popular Mom web destination MomLogic.com. YO GABBA GABBA!: MUSIC IS AWESOME Volume 2 will be released on iTunes and will hit shelves nationwide this September.

Dates, venues and ticket prices are subject to change.

 
 

We had the pleasure to enjoy the YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! show a few months ago in Milwaukee Wisconsin.  The show was awesome!!!!  It is so much fun and my son and myself had a great time!  All your favorite characters and songs are part of the show, along with so many extras to make it a great time!  If your children are Yo Gabba Gabba fans this is a must see show!
 
How would you love to see YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! in Rochester NY?  One lucky reader can win 4 tickets to the 9/21 show at the Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, 5pm. 
 
(The Auditorium Theatre is located at 885 East Main Street, Rochester, NY 14605. Doors open one hour prior to show time. Parking is available in three paid lots surrounding the venue. Booster seats are available for children at no cost at all performances.)
 
To enter:  Leave me a comment letting me know you would like to win. (an email address must be provided to contact winner)
 
Extra entries:
Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway.
Follow Yo Gabba Gabba on twitter.
Subscribe to my blog.
Follow Yo Gabba Gabba on Facebook.
Follow me on Facebook.
Leave a comment on Facebook about this giveaway(linking back to here).



Again this giveaway is for the specific show date/time/location specified above!  Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.  This giveaway will end on September 1, 2010.  The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email.  Because this is a time sensitive giveaway, the winner will have 48 hrs to reply to the winning email, or another winner will be selected.  (Transportation is winners responsibility)

disclosure:  I received free tickets for a prior show.

Fitness Friday: "Fit For Life" book giveaway

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Giveaway closed.
Congratulations Haylee, dor, and CherylF.!

About the book:

It's the program that shatters all the myths: FIT FOR LIFE the international bestseller that explains how to change both your figure and your life. Nutritional specialist Harvey and Marilyn Diamond explain how you can eat more kinds of food than you ever ate before without counting calories...and still lose weight! The natural body cycles, permanent weight-loss plan that proves it's not only what you eat, but also when and how, FIT FOR LIFE is the perfect solution for those who want to look and feel their best. Join the millions of Americans who are FIT FOR LIFE and begin your transformation with:


•The vital principles that bring you permanent weight loss and high energy

•The FIT FOR LIFE secrets of timing and food combining that work with your natural body cycles

•A 4-week meal plan, menus, shopping tips, and exercise

•Delicious recipes and more.
 
About the Authors:
 
Harvey and Marilyn Diamond are also the authors of the bestselling Fit For Life 2. And, Marilyn also penned The American Vegetarian Cookbook and A New Way of Eating. She is co-author with Dr. Donald Schnell of Fitonics. Marilyn Diamond lives in Beverly Hills, CA. Havery Dimond lives in Florida.
 
Giveaway:
 
Three lucky readers can win a copy!  To enter:  Follow my blog and leave any comment related to being/getting fit.
 
Extra entries:
Subscribe to my blog.
Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway.
Leave a comment on any of my Mamavation Monday posts.
 
This giveaway is open to US and Canada only (NO PO boxes).  Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.  This giveaway will end on August 20 and the winners will be chosen by random.org.
 
disclosure:  This giveaway is provided by Hatchette books.  I have personally NOT reviewed this book.

Piggy Paint review and giveaway

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Giveaway closed.

Congratulations Nicole!

Piggy Paint is a natural, eco-friendly nail polish designed for fancy girls. Its non-toxic, hypoallergenic formula makes it safe to use on all piggies!

•Non-toxic
•Low Odor
•Water-based formula
•Hypoallergenic
•Fun, vibrant colors
•Dries to a hard, durable finish
•Cruelty-free
•Safe for use during Pregnancy!





How Piggy Paint was created:

My name is Melanie Hurley, founder of Piggy Paint™. I am a stay-at-home mom with two very fancy little girls, ages 4 and 6, who love to have their fingernails painted. I’ve always hated the thought of my kiddos putting their hands in their mouths after I painted their nails with traditional kid polishes. Not only did the ingestion of the chemicals worry me, but the smell nearly left me light-headed after painting two sets of fingernails and toenails.

One day while we were painting nails over a foam plate, my daughter dropped a glob of her solvent-based polish onto the plate. Shortly after, the paint began to bubble and “ate” through the plate. I looked in dismay at the hole in the plate and decided to test all of her other “kid” polishes on the foam. Within minutes, ALL of the solvent-based polishes began to bubble and eventually left big holes in the plate (Click to see plate). From that day on, I decided that any flammable substance that could eat through foam was unacceptable for my children’s fingernails, which would inevitably end up in their mouths.

My quest was on, and Piggy Paint™ was born. As you may have guessed, our polish is NOT flammable and sits beautifully on the unaffected foam. We hope you enjoy this water-based polish that is specially formulated of natural ingredients. Finally, a kid-friendly polish without the accompanying drawbacks of traditional polishes. It is free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate and acetone... and made in the USA!


From my heart to yours, I hope Piggy Paint™ takes the worry out of painting your nails and puts the fun back into this enjoyable activity you can share with your daughter and other precious girls in your life

Piggy Paint dries to a hard, durable finish that can easily be removed with their eco-friendly, low odor Piggy Paint nail polish remover. We received both a sample of Piggy Paint and their Piggy Paint nail polish remover.  Both items worked great!  I loved knowing that I could paint Kennedy's piggies and didnt have to worry about her putting her hands in her mouth.  Being pregnant right now, it was also really nice not smelling the strong harsh chemicals of other brands!  The nail polish was great.  We got the "Forever Fancy" a sparkly pink color, that went on with just one coat and was very smooth!  It wasnt clumpy and you did not see any streaks like some other brands we have used.  I give it 2 big painted thumbs up!!!

With Kennedy's birthday coming up I will definitely be checking out Piggy Paints new "Project Earth" line of nail polishes.  There are 5 wild neon colors and even a glow in the dark polish!  I think Kennedy would get a big kick out of having some glow in the dark polish.  With names like "The Boyfriend Blues" and "Eat your Peace" tweens are loving this eco-friendly alternative. Knowing my son I will probably even have to paint some numbers on his piggies with the glow in the dark polish...which could lead to a fun "this little piggy" song at bedtime.

They have many other colors and types of gift sets available like their Breast Cancer pail and their new 3D nail art.  You gotta love a company that gives back! A portion of their sales from the Breast Cancer Pail will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for Research!

 

 

Piggy Paint is proud to announce they received the Excellence Award from Safbaby.com and now proudly have received their seal of approval as an approved Vendor of Mom approved-child tested products!!

 





Follow Piggy Paint on twitter.com/piggypaint & Facebook for secret sales and special offers! My lucky readers can use the coupon code is KIDS10L (expiration September 7, 2010) to get 10% off anything on their Website including sale items.  Spend over $35 and domestic shipping is FREE! http://www.piggypaint.com/


One lucky reader can win a $15 gift code to use on Piggy Paint! To enter:  Visit Piggy Paint and comment here telling me what you would spend the $15 gift code on.  (You must also follow my blog to enter).
 
Extra entries:
Follow me and Piggy paint on twitter and tweet this giveaway.
Subscribe to my blog.
Add me to your blogroll.
 
Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.  This giveaway will end on August 19th and the winner will be chosen by random.org
 
disclosure:  I received a free sample from Piggy Paint to review.
 
 

#Mamavation Monday

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Uggh I am pretty disappointed in myself ....I have just been terrible about gaining weight this pregnancy.  With my first two kids I never gained any weight until between 12-16 weeks.  I think with kennedy I gained about 20lbs and Zach I gained about 30lbs.  This weeks marks my midway point, and I am 20 weeks along...and I think I have gained almost 20lbs already.  At first I was so good...then back in May Kennedy was in the hospital and that put me in a rut of not exercising as much.  Then you add the excuses I have been saying like "I am just gonna get fat anyways", or the fact that I have been hungrier....but there is no excuses especially when I have been eating junk and drinking junk.  I know there is no need for it, but my motivation has just ran away.  I have a couple good days during the week, and then am bad the rest.  I just cant seem to get back to the healthier person I was becoming. 

So goals for this week:
1.dont buy any ice cream or soda until Zachs bday next week...that way if it isnt in the house I cant have it! He doesnt need it everyday either!
2.exercise at least 5 days adding in some yoga.

Leah is challenging all us Mamavation sistas to come up with a goal to work towards until December.  Being pregnant I wasnt sure really what physically I should do.  Many are trying something new for their exercising.  I decided to help me out I would start doing some prenatal yoga.  I havent really done any Yoga, and dont really know if the Wii fit yoga counts (as that is all I have done in the past).  So I have rented  a dvd to try for a while.(Thanks Kia for the recommendations)  My goal is to do the yoga 3 days a week.  I am going to try to add this into other exercising to work on strengthening, stretching, and endurance.  I think adding this in will help me as my pregnancy progresses and hopefully keep me doing enough so that after the baby is born I can get back to where I was and keep trying to get to a more fit me!

Boating fun

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We finally took our boat out yesterday...and we brought kennedy too!  This was the first time Kennedy has been out on the boat since she started having her seizures 2.5yrs ago.  I tell you the tumbleform chairs work for so many things...if you have a child with a disability, you gotta get one(or the tomato seat which is similar).  She loved it, and smiled even bigger when Dad would go faster!  We only stayed out about an hour and a half because of her sun sensitivity, but all the kids had a good time.  It was so nice having all the kids together and just enjoying the nice day as a family....We definitely need more days like that! 

So I gotta share some pics.  Cortnie and Zach went swimming for a while...of course Zach didnt want to get out and he has gotten quite brave.  He was even jumping from the sides of the boat and keeping his head under water practicing his swimming and holding his breath.  He has come so far this summer.