I just finished watching a movie I had never even heard about before. Do you watch American Idol? I watch it quite often, and love the background stories you hear. You know those down and out type stories, the ones that you know is where the singers are "feeling" the songs. You then hear them sing and you feel lifted. Well that is this movie,Lifted.
Lifted is the story of Henry, a middle school student in Alabama, who finds refuge in music from the challenges of his surroundings: a drug addicted mother, a Reservist father recalled to active service in Afghanistan, the financial stress of a Reservist’s pay, a racist, redneck grandfather, and bullying schoolmates. A singing competition provides Henry the vehicle for his personal triumph.
This movie is very moving. I had goosebumps so many times, especially hearing the singing. Uriah Shelton, as Henry, is a wonderful singer. The accompanying singing by his father (played by Dash Mihok) and friend (played by Seraphim) are just as great. The songs "Knocking on Heaven's Door" and "I Miss You" will probably bring on some tears!
Following Henry, and his family through the movie you see so many of the struggles families go through these days. The ending is especially touching, and will have you soluting our American Soldiers. The story will move you to tears! I think this is one of the best movies I had never really heard about before. I think all Americans should watch it!
I say go rent it (I got it on netflix) and then go leave them a comment on facebook telling them how great it is!
My last post on organizing the kids toys was sponsored by Hot Wheels Wall Tracks. I had not seen these before....I actually try to avoid that isle in the store because Zach wants it all! He loves hot wheels...and if they are not hot wheels brand he asks me if they are hot wheels or cold wheels LOL!
Well I now know what Zach will have to get for Christmas! The Hot Wheels Wall Tracks are awesome. I even want to play with them. Seeing he already has some Hot Wheels tracks on the floor this would make a great use of his bedroom walls! Check them out:
disclosure: I am not being rewarded by posting this, I will be for a previous post sponsored by hot wheels wall tracks. This post is just my personal opinions on a christmas wish list for my kids.
Love the book...Live the game with The Little Engine That Could game. This game brings to life the story, The Little Engine That Could.
Contents: 4 Engine Pawns, 30 Cards, 4 Tickets, 12 Toy Chips, Hill, Game Board, Rules
When I got the opportunity to try out a Tales that Play game I thought Zach would just love The Little Engine That Could game...and I was absolutely right! Zach loves trains and I thought the tale of The Little Engine that Could would be a great one for him. He hates losing, and he did hate that he lost the first time, but saying over and over "I think I can" is a great way for him to start thinking more positive.
The game was simple to set up, and simple to play. It is recommended for ages 4 and up, and I think this is a good age for it. It has simple cards that the kids can play either by reading or by seeing how many spots they move by how many trains are on the card. Then they have the fun aspect of climbing up the hill and flying down it to gain points. Between the counting of the trains, spaces moved and then the cards you get for where you land, the child can do some simple math of counting and addition.
The game can be played with 2 to 4 players. Zach even likes playing with the train set all by himself without the game aspect. It even promoted some reading as he wanted to practice reading the box, which has part of the story in it.
I think this is a great one! You can find this and other Tales that Play (The Berenstein Bears Learn to Share, The Mother Goose Game, and Where the Wild Things Are Game) at Patch Products for $23.99.
disclosure: I received this game for free to review. These are my personal opinions.
My son Zach is all about toys that are small and plentiful! He loves to get them out and spread them all over the floor, carry them into bed with him, and play with them all over the house! I hate having them everywhere. I hate tripping over them. I hate when I see pieces are lost the most!
While I do let him get them out and play in most areas, I do also like to keep them organized. There may be times you walk in my house and there are hotwheels and trains all over the place. That does not mean it has to stay that way. I think the way to keep your child's belongings in decent shape and unlost is to make sure to keep them organized well.
Here are 10 tips from me that help you keep them organized....and to do it fairly cheaply. I do not think you need to go out and spend tons of money, just to have everything look pretty.
1. Reuse items like coffee cans, wipes containers, even the plastic zip up bags that your sheets come in. These make great items to hold little items like crayons, building blocks, etc. Got tons of reusable shopping bags. These also make a great way to hold items like bouncy balls and legos. They are easy for the kids to walk around with and pick up toys.
2. Get a some kind of shelving system. This is where you can get something pretty or go with something basic. I actually have a cheaper setup in my sons room. It is just a wire type system, that you can build and rebuild in different shapes. It creates little cubbies for things to be placed in. For us the top is where he has many of his stuffed animals ontop of, and the other openings are for many other toys.
3. Get organized by seperating toys into categories. I keep all Zach's puzzles in one area, all his cars and trains in another. I think by organizing the toys this way it is much easier for the child to find what he is looking for and then to help in cleaning up their toys.
4. Get some see through plastic totes. For items like Zach's train sets I have them put away in easy to get to see through totes. Another great thing is that these totes can be stacked on top of one another. I have one section of his shelf system that is a big open area. I actually have 4 totes in this area stacked on top of each other. This is nice because he has three different types of trains.
5. Got puzzles? A great way to not lose the pieces is to keep them either in plastic boxes, or zipper bags. We actually just stack all the puzzles together and then take out the pieces and put them in baggies. A great way to organize these even more is to label the baggies to match the puzzles. You can write a discription of the puzzle on the baggy to match them up. You can even label each puzzle piece if you want in case you find a lone piece laying out. Some we have put a number on the back of the puzzle board and then labelled each piece of that puzzle with the same number.
6. Got books? I think this is an area that needs its own book shelf. By having a shelf you are able to see which books are there, and are much easier to grab. I keep the book shelf in our living room, so the whole family can grab and read. I do however have a great way to keep some in the bedroom for night time reading. I reuse bookbags. My son had a cute backpack last year that he loved, but it got a small hole in the bottom. So I didn't want to use it for everyday use. Now he keeps this backpack next to his bed with all his favorite books that he loves to read in bed.
7. Take pictures of toys. If you do not have the clear plastic totes, you can find so many of the colored totes in various sizes. Many stores will put these on sale, especially if you get color coordinating ones for the holidays. You can then purchase them on clearance after that holiday. Some are fun colors and may match your child's bedroom colors. I have a bright pink one in my daughters room that I keep extra supplies in. Take these totes and put toys in them...then for your child to know what is in there, take pictures and tape them to the outside of the tote.
8. Utilize all their space. My son has a decent size closet. We hang much of his clothing in there, but there is still plenty of room for other stuff. I have another shelving unit set up in there. That is where I have him place all his larger vehicles to park them away. Utilize extra space within the house too. We have a closet that I use for crafts and games. We have a couple cupboards in our livingroom (used to be a small dining area for the people that used to own this house, it is now our computer area). I use this area for toys that are for the whole family. For instance I have a nine month old that can not get into some of the small things my son has. So I keep the bigger toys, that are appropriate for all ages in these cupboards. Another area is the garage or shed. Remember that you can organize outdoors toys too by placing them in their own space in these areas.
9. Get rid of the dump style toy box. I think these are such a waste of space. You throw all the toys in and then the kids have to pull everything out to find what they are looking for. I hate this. I also found it collected lots of dust, dirty sippy cups, broken toys...ewww...it was just a big old germ factory. I kept the tiny totes that were on the top, but got rid of the rest. I use the tiny totes to hold all the odds and ends type toys my kids have.
10. The last tip is to go through their toys every holiday season. I like to go through and see what they have. Sometimes when they are really little and they haven't played with something you can actually put it up and reintroduce it to them again at a later time and they think they have something new. This is also a great time to give unused toys to charities. I even give items I think would be good for my kid's classrooms to the school. Donate, donate, donate!
Organizing does not have to be expensive. Look at items around your house and see how they can be reused and reorganized. I get so many items through the mail. I have even used the big boxes for short time storage of items, until I can get totes. Think about it before you toss it out!
Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
Hasbro now puts a new twist on a classic game with Connect 4 Launchers. Now you can get more active, while still trying to Connect 4 in a row. This game comes with a two story game board, and two launchers. You use your launcher to try to get your checkers in the spot to make 4 in a row....but watch out, your opponent may get their first!
What it so nice about this new game, is that it actually can be three different games in one.
Launch it to win! Grab you launcher and send your checkers zooming through the air with three fast-flying checker challenges. Basic Frantic Launch challenges you to be the first to land four-in-a-row. The Championship Frantic Launch is your chance to flip to five points first and win. And the Advanced Power Launch is power checkers for maximum fun. So load ‘em up, launch ‘em up and try to connect ‘em up!
The basic launch is great for the younger players, while the Championship and Advanced launches are great for those that want to put more strategy in the game. This game is for 2 or more players, ages 5 and up. I think it is a great game for the whole family to play. Our family really enjoyed it from Zach aged 7, twins aged 17 and myself aged ..well you don't need to know that! This game is easy to set up and fun to play.
You can find this fun game at many online stores like target.com, amazon.com, walmart.com and HasbroToyShop.com
disclosure: I received this game free to review. These are my personal opinions.
Well I have not even posted in two months. I really let everything go, and getting back on track has been touch. This week I am GOING to do better, and am joining the Two week Grunt style challenge with @mrbookieboo. I am pretty darn sure I am going to be crawling by the end of week one, but I need this challenge to get me going.
I am going to get back on track by posting every week and am going to start journaling again too. I need to get more focused. The other big change I am making this week is only allowing myself to eat sitting at the kitchen table. No grabbing food on the go, no grabbing food and sitting on the couch. If I need to eat while I am out, then I will pack a lunch, but otherwise that is it. I find myself snacking and craving all the crappy food again because I let myself eat them.
I kept saying once I got home from vacation I would be good....well I was busy and found myself not sticking to plans. Then I said once school started.....yeah then I have dealt with other changes in the kids. Kennedy and my step daughter had some seizures, the baby has been teething and up a lot, now Kennedy has been sick and Zach I think is getting there. But I am not going to make excuses. There should be no reason I can't get moving, and no reason I need to resort to junk food or making not so healthy meals. This is the time the meals need to get healthier.
So I am back, and ready to start feeling better. So it is time to get moving mentally and physically!
The Blok Squad sets from Mega Bloks give a new dimension to your child's building experiences. These smaller blocks are great for children who want to get more creative. The Blok Squad sets bring some action to life with their action sets.
We got to try out Mega Bloks, Blok Squad Fire Patrol Rescue Set.
Features:
•Buildable Fire Patrol Rescue combo of Fire Rescue Pumper Truck and Fire Patrol ATV with 190 pieces
•Includes 2 Blok Squad Firefighters
This set is recommended for ages 5 and up. The pieces are much smaller. This makes it possible to use pieces for small items like headlights and tools. This is a fun set, but watch out, with them being small they are easy to lose. I wish they offered extra pieces in the set. My son has already lost a couple. He however did not want to actually build it himself. He had his sisters do it, who are 17. It still took them quite a while. He however loved playing with them once they were finished. He did take the ATV apart and was trying to put it back together.
I did like how the Fire truck has doors that you are actually able to open and close. Its a great place to store the fireman's tools. The set is a great way to have your child practice building, but an even better way to get in some imaginative play. The Firefighters have movable parts so you can make them ride, drive, or get out their tools and be heroes on the job!
I think the prices for these sets are great. The Blok Squad Fire Patrol Rescue set is available for $9.99.
Available in US online and in stores -Toys R Us , Walmart, and Amazon
Available in Canada at Walmart CDN, Toys R Us, toysrus.com and Zellers.
You can collect and combine Blok Squad vehicles to create super rescue trucks and to add to the Blok Squad larger sets like the Fire Station. The Blok Squad are also available in police and construction sets.
Sign up at Mega Bloks Family Club for current promotions and to see what other Mommy bloggers have to say about Mega Bloks products.
disclosure: I received a free Mega Bloks set to review as a member of Team Mom. These are my personal opinions.
What a better way to get in the Halloween spirit by spending a rainy day watching a spooktacular new movie, The Dog Who Saved Halloween. The new title marks the first time that TV’s popular Mayim Bialik (CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory”) and Joey Lawrence (ABC Family’s “Melissa & Joey”) share the screen since “Blossom,” as they join the film’s pack of top talent as the voices of “ruff” and tough Bernese Mountain Dog Medusa and beloved Labrador Retriever Zeus.
Everyone’s favorite four-legged friend Zeus (voiced by Joey Lawrence) and the Bannisters are back in The Dog Who Saved Halloween, an all-new adventure jam-packed with family-friendly thrills and chills! When George, Belinda and their kids Kara and Ben Bannister move into a new house – just in time for Halloween! – everything seems to be fine…until they notice eerie glowing lights and strange sounds coming from their neighbor’s house where creepy Mr. Cole (Lance Henriksen) lives with his protective pooch Medusa (voiced by Mayim Bialik). When a black cat suddenly goes missing, George Bannister (Gary Valentine) insists on investigating the matter himself – and ultimately enlists an odd yet familiar pair (Dean Cain, Joey Diaz) to help. But after the trio and Belinda Bannister (Elisa Donovan) get trapped inside the spooky house, it’s once again up to Zeus to save the day!
This is a cute movie, fun for the whole family. It is sure to get everyone ready to celebrate some tricks and treats this Halloween. The voices of the animals are great, I personally wish the dog was a bit more "dramatic", but otherwise it is pretty good. I think it is great for the family. I know ours thought it was pretty cute, especially seeing we have our own dog named Zeus here!
For some families, going trick or treating just isn't in the picture. My daughter Kennedy can not eat candy, and even going door to door is difficult. Having a movie out like this makes a great way to celebrate Halloween, with out all the edible treats.
You can find this movie in stores for a suggested retail of $19.98.
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One lucky reader can win a copy of this movie on dvd. To enter: Leave me a comment telling me why you would like this movie.
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This giveaway is open to US only. Please leave a seperate comment for each entry. You may enter similar giveaways on other blogs, but receiving multiple prizes is at the company's discretion. You may only win one giveaway per 30 days on my blog. This giveaway will end on Sept 30 and the winner will be chosen by random.org
disclosure: I received a free copy of this dvd from Grand Communications to review. These are my personal opinons.
Today concludes the global Mitochondrial Disease Awareness week and today is World Stay in Bed Day.
Today Kennedy is actually stuck in bed. She became ill on Friday and started to throw up. She is still sick and we are hoping that relaxing in bed she will get better. She kept her morning meds down, but the last two nights has thrown up after her night time meds. I am hoping she will keep them all down today, otherwise I figure I will have to take her to the hospital. She can not afford to throw up her seizure meds.
Check out Kennedy's page to see why she is in bed today, and if you can please donate to help find a cure for mitochondrial disease!
Click here to visit MitoAction and to understand more about the demands of energy on those with Mitochondrial disease.
Patients with mitochondrial disorders experience a more profound effect from energy drains because their defect is in energy production and usage. They not only don’t make energy as well, they don’t use it as well.
September 24, 2011, kids and families are encouraged to participate in the Worldwide Day of Play to turn off the TV and play outside. If you are like our family, Nickelodeon is one of your family's favorite channels. While I love my family to be active, I somewhat dislike this day. Having a child that is severely disabled makes it hard to do a lot of activities outdoors. So then on the Worldwide Day of Play, Nickelodeon is off air all day long. So then my daughters favorite shows are not on. So while we do try to get active, for Kennedy it is more like an hour long, not a day full of playing outdoors.
A great time playing in the sandbox, another activity which is difficult to do today, as even bending her arm to reach for the sand is difficult.
For our family, it is tough. My daughter has Mitochondrial disease, which at this time has left her immobile. She always had a disability, but when she was younger she could enjoy the outdoors much more (although watch out for the pretty flowers and trees full of leaves, as she was incredibly scared of them thanks to some sensory issues). Until she was six year old she used to be able to crawl around, or walk with a walker. So she did enjoy most activities like other kids her age. She loved playing in the sandbox, swinging, working very hard to get to go down the slide, and even riding a tricycle. Thank goodness for cleaners like Clorox2, as she was always a mess. Crawling around sure makes for a dirty child and dirty clothes....well that is if she didn't wear a hole in the knees from just a day of playing outdoors.
Kennedy loved riding the 4wheeler...today she can not sit up to do this anymore.
Unfortunately today is a different story. Shortly before she turned six, Kennedy started to have seizures. These escalated very quickly and within a few months she also had stroke like episodes which have left her unable to speak, eat, walk and even sit up. Since this time she has had other episodes and tremors that are difficult to control. Now she is unable to hold her head up and a constant tremor even pulls it to the side. It makes doing most activities nearly impossible. She loves to be a spectator though, and loves watching her brother and friends play. As long as they are being rambunctious and making lots of noise we are sure to still get some giggles out of her!
Watching her brother go fishing, and enjoying the warm sun!
Today's outdoors activities tend to be laying out on a blanket, looking up at the clouds and passing by planes. Occasionally we get to go out in the hammock swing, but as she is growing that is becoming more difficult. She loves going for walks at the park or zoo, but we really have to watch the sun. She is very sensitive in the sun, so even going out in the boat ends up a short ride. We do however try to do stuff outdoors.
She can still get buried in the leaves!
So when Saturday rolls around, join us and take the pledge to shut off the TV and play outdoors. You can take the pledge by visiting Clorox2 Play 2Day Pledge hub, http://clorox2play2day.com. We may just have so much fun that we will really work for our Stay in bed day, which is Sept 25 which is the conclusion to Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.
Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox2® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here
Today's post is a simple request by a young girl who is trying to raise awareness for Mitochondrial disease. Trying to explain what Mitochondrial disease is as an adult, or to another adult is tough enough. So I thought it was great that a young teenager was trying to spread the word and explain to others just what this disease is about. Let me share with you her email:
My name is Delaney, and I'm 14 years old. My brother, Grant, who is a twin, has Mitochondrial Disease. For 2 years, I've watched my brother get sick, and I couldn't do anything to help him. I couldn't really talk to my friends about it because none of them have ever heard about Mito, and I hated going through the explanation every time. Even in school, we spent a week talking about what Mitochondria do, but the teacher had never heard of Mitochondrial Disease.
I felt the need to do something to help and decided to start a Facebook page to explain Mito in a way kids like me could understand it… something I could tell the people I know to read so I didn't have to keep explaining it…. and a way to spread awareness about Mito, in hopes that more people knowing about it will help a cure come sooner.I started by posting the link and asking other people to do the same. In one week, I had over 6000 people like the page. That means 6000 people might have learned something about Mito. I'm asking for your help to keep the page growing. All it takes is sharing the page with others.
Please take the time and check out her facebook page, Wish GRANTed.
Locally I have only met one other child with Mitochondrial disease. So when awareness week comes around I tend to do some searching for others that may be going through similar things. With Mitochondrial disease, this can vary so much, but one thing each of us does is hope for a cure.
I recently came across a group called Peyton's Promise of Hope on facebook. I loved how they are helping to raise awareness of Mitochondrial disease by creating story cards for both childen affected by Mitochondrial disease and their siblings. If you click on their photo tab you will be able to see all the Hope Kids and Hope Sibling. They are beautiful!
Here is a note by Peyton's mom, Katy:
Our Journey to Peyton's Promise of Hope
Peyton was the child who never followed the rules, but not in the way you might think. Her body refused to cooperate in the way a body should. If our doctor said it wouldn’t happen it did, if our doctor told us to expect an easy ride we were in for a disaster. We learned to expect the unexpected, but we didn’t know why. We were told at first: some kids are just slower, some kids are just smaller, some kids are just sicker, some kids are lazier, some kids just require more sleep, and some kids just don’t react the way we would expect. At first we accepted this as true, but we soon had to ask ourselves was it normal for one kid to fit all of those descriptions without a reason? The answer for us was no.
Peyton started exhibiting many signs of a serious problem, but to our pediatrician and several of the specialists we were sent to, it didn’t add up. Peyton had fevers all the time that never turned into illness. Peyton would sleep for days on end with no explanation. She would temporarily lose skills nearly every time she got sick, and was slow to gain them back. She began adding body system after body system to her list of medical problems, but there was no connection. At three Peyton had a kidney infection that was very difficult on her body. She never fully recovered from that before getting pneumonia four months later. At that point many of the issues she had previously developed got worse. Her stamina decreased, her tone decreased, she developed weakness, and she had lost nearly half of the skills she achieved during early interventions. It was then we were sent to a geneticist and told about mitochondrial disease. Before we could even digest what that possibly meant for our daughter, she had developed a seizure disorder, and stopped eating, something that she used to love. We were immediately referred out to a specialized center for mitochondrial disease testing.
It was a difficult year full of lots of invasive testing and hospitalizations for various reasons. Right before Christmas we received the answer our doctors had been waiting for, and we had dreaded hearing. Peyton was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease through a muscle biopsy. It was found that she had defects in complex I and III, and that all of her complexes were deficient to some degree. In other words her mitochondria did not function well enough to keep her cells running, and the associated organs could not work either. It was a very difficult time for our family, not because we didn’t know how it would affect her, her body was already making that perfectly clear, but because we now knew there was no chance she would outgrow the medical problems she struggled so much with. We knew her struggles would only get worse, and that this was it for her for the long haul.
Peyton is now a beautiful, amazing, five year old girl, and our inspiration to say the least. She is wise beyond her years and never feels sorry for herself. She still continues to develop new medical issues, and struggle with the ones she developed in earlier years. It has become a daily challenge finding a treatment regimen that keeps her healthy enough to function. It seems as soon as we get the puzzle pieces all lined up we realize half of them went to a different box. It is a battle inside and out trying to manage her disease, and it is impossible to stay a step ahead. This year alone she was hospitalized twelve times and became completely J tube fed. There is no way to keep up with what mitochondrial disease has thrown our way, but she never gives up. We try our best to take everything a day at a time, and try not to fear what the future holds. This is not what we would have planned for our daughter, but the reality of it is her life was never ours to plan. We have learned so many important lessons from her. I do not believe that God made her sick for a reason, but I do believe God blessed her with the person that she is and the lessons she would have to offer, because she was going to be sick.
This year myself and several friends whose children are also severely affected by mitochondrial disease decided to set up a page called Peyton’s Promise of Hope. At first it started out with a collaborative awareness video, but that made us realize how much bigger our project could actually be. Peyton’s Promise of Hope puts a real face to the daily struggle and heartache that mitochondrial disease causes. So many times people believe to have a progressive life threatening condition, or for some to be terminal, that you must always look “sick.” That is simply not the case with mitochondrial disease. So many of these children could be passed on the street without any idea how truly affected they are. We also wanted to destroy the misconception that for all children with mitochondrial disease it is either easily manageable, or for all fatal. It is not a black and white disease. Just like many other diseases there is a spectrum of severity and progression. While some may be mildly affected and progress slowly, others are severely affected and progress rapidly. There are also many who lie somewhere in the middle. The important fact to remember is that all of these children regardless of current severity have serious struggles and could have their lives changed in an instant. For children with mitochondrial disease something as small as a simple cold virus or flu can cause serious progression of the disease, and for some organ failure or death. It is a harsh reality that no one should have to face. These are real children, and real families having to live with this on a daily basis.
Peyton’s Promise of Hope is exactly as the name suggests. We cannot promise a lot of things to families like ours, but what we can promise is to provide hope through spreading awareness. As with any disease awareness is one of the first keys to finding a cure. We have future goals of turning Peyton’s Promise of Hope into a nonprofit organization, which will raise money for out of pocket costs for parents of children with complex medical needs caused by metabolic and neuromuscular disorders, as well as raising money for mitochondrial disease research. We will never stop fighting for our children, we will never forget those who have already lost their battle, and we will never stop hoping for a cure.
Mitochondrial diseases result from failures of the mitochondria, specialized compartments present in every cell of the body except red blood cells. Mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90% of the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support growth. When they fail, less and less energy is generated within the cell. Cell injury and even cell death follow. If this process is repeated throughout the body, whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person in whom this is happening is severely compromised. The disease primarily affects children, but adult onset is becoming more and more common.
Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidney and the endocrine and respiratory systems.
Depending on which cells are affected, symptoms may include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain, gastro-intestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications, seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays and susceptibility to infection.
We never tried the old Moon Dough, mostly because we tried the Moon Sand and were not that crazy over it. However I had to try the new Moon Dough when I heard it had a new dough formula that was made to be less crumbly. We tried out one of their new Push N' Pop sets which are pretty nice.
You can make a splash with Moon Dough Push N' Pop Ocean Pals (suggested retail price: $9.99). The Ocean Pals set comes with a cute ocean themed backdrop that your kids can create their work on, as well as two colors of Moon Dough. It came with three Push N' Pop molds, coral, an octopus and a sea turtle. It also came with a twistable mold that is a whale and a tiny fish and starfish. All of these molds work really well. I really like the Push N' Pop type as they have a nice roundish handle, that fits nicely in the kids hands. All they have to do is lay some Moon Dough out and push down and their creation pops out. This is really nice for kids, like Kennedy, that have fine motor problem.
Moon Dough is very soft and never dries out. I love this as your kids can let their creations set out and unlike other dough it does not dry. Although this is a new formula, I did notice it still did crumble. It may not be as bad as the old, as I never used that. It is not terrible though. I would just recommend you use the dough at the table or with a plastic cloth down under so it does not get on the carpet. However when it was crumbly you could either pick up the pieces and put it back together, or you could sweep or vacuum it up. Just be cautious as to not get the dough wet. My son took off with the dough and was smooching it in his hands on the couch. I noticed a tiny piece got wet (I think from his drink) and I had to wipe it up with a cloth.
The Moon Dough play sets include the Push N Pop Ocean Pals or Breakfast and the Moon Dough Snack Shop. Moon Dough is available at Toys "R" Us, Target, Walmart, Kmart, Amazon.com, A.C. Moore, Michaels and eToys. For more information about Moon Dough, visit http://www.moondough.com/
disclosure: I received a free sample of Moon Dough to review as a member of Team Mom. These are my own personal opinions.
Have you ever gotten yourself into destitute & desperate situations like Alan from Two and a Half Men? You have to see how out-of-control things get on the Eighth Season of Two and a Half Men, available here http://bit.ly/quDYIe!
In Season 8, Ep 11, Alan can't afford a birthday gift for Lyndsey. He tries to raise money by offering massages at the mall but blows his earnings on a pearl necklace made of mints. Alan considers dipping into Jake's college fund but resorts to stealing a pair of earrings from Judith and has to think quickly to hide Lyndsey's new earrings when both show up at the same restaurant. Have you ever gone overboard with a birthday or general gift for someone special?
Typically I do not think I go overboard with gifts...actually I feel like I used to do more when I was a younger adult than I do now that I have a family. It is probably that I got burned too much when I was younger and feel like I do not need to buy things now to show people I love them. That and things add up so much more once you have a bunch of kids. Sometimes I feel like dipping into the kids college funds ...if only we could lol!
I mentioned getting burned. I remember buying a gift for my husband (now ex husband) and thinking he would be so excited with this surprise. I think it was an xbox when they first came out. I remember getting home and he was sitting in front of the TV playing his new xbox, that he went out and bought for himself! I kind of laughed, yet at the same time it ticked me off. To me an expensive purchase is something you either talk about or give as a gift....and he ruined my surprise. I think after that I kind of quit trying to "buy" into the hearts of others.
Now I am more into trying to do little things to show them I care. I try to think less about giving things that cost a lot. I sure don't want to be like Alan and stealing from my ex...I don't think that xbox would really be worth it these days anyways LOL!
You can always check out all the crazy things Alan did on last season's Two and A Half Men by getting the complete eighth season on dvd!
disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote Two and a Half Men Season Eight on DVD.
Patch Products Take 'N' Play Anywhere has a new edition to its on-the-go fun line up, Design 'N' Doodle. Children can now have fun designing scenes and doodling anywhere they go. The Design 'N' Doodle sets combine two fun activities in one. They can draw with dry erase markers and then play with the magnetic play scenes and pieces.
Each Design 'N' Doodle set includes a colorful 2-sided 14"x9" play surface that folds up and has a handle for travel. They come with several play magnets, some that are left uncolored so your child can design them. The Magnetic play surface has a blank front, so your child can set it up as an easel and draw or even practice writing on it. So in a small area your children can actually do several different things.
These sets come in several designs:
SpongeBob SquarePants
Dora the Explorer
Silly Zoo
Runway Model
Cool Rides
We received the SpongeBob SquarePants set to try out. I like how the whole set can be written on. I like how some of the magnets are uncolored, as this was the first thing the kids did when they opened this up. We did have an issue with our yellow marker not working, but the other three colors worked fine. Being dry erase they do wipe off really easy. So this may get on things. It does wipe off your skin pretty easy. However I am not sure about fabrics. This is one negative for me for travelling with. I pretty much only let my son use dry erase markers sitting at the table. It is a good size though to take to places, like restaurants where you may have to wait with an antsy child.
You can store everything all together. The magnets will stick to the scene and the markers have a spot to set them. You then just fold it up and can take it with you. I would recommend saving the outer packaging as the top and bottom of the dry erase board is open once you fold it shut. The outer packaging simply slides over this and closes it right up. Otherwise even though the magnets stick, sometimes with bumping around the magnets would fall off/out of the board.
The Design 'N' Doodle sets sell for $9.99 each and can be found by visiting patchproducts.com.
disclosure: I received the Design 'N' Doodle for free from Patch Products. No other compensation was received. These are my personal opinions.
We have been using the "My Growing Up Chart" by The Victoria Chart Company and loving it! You can see my full review by clicking here. This chart is great for elementary aged children.
Now they would like to offer a reader of mine a "My Growing Up Chart" of their own! One lucky reader can win one by visiting The Victoria Chart Company and leaving a comment here telling me a feature that you like about any of their charts.
Extra entries:
Become a fan of Victoria Chart Company on facebook.
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Share this giveaway on facebook.
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This giveaway is open to US only. Please leave a seperate comment for each entry. Please only one entrant per household/IP address. You may only win one giveaway per 30 days on my blog. You may enter similar giveaways from other blogs, but receiving multiple prizes is at the company's discretion. This giveaway will end on Sept 30 and the winner will be chosen by random.org. disclosure: I received a free chart to review. This giveaway is provided by The Victoria chart company, and is not affiliated with facebook.
Kennedy got the movie Rio for her birthday...so I wanted to do a little bit of decorating to go with it to celebrate. I got her a leau and did her hair with a big flower, then I also got some cute cut outs of tropical birds partying. She also got to have popsicles! The big hit of the day were the angry bird balloons. I found a free template for these at The Party Animal. It took me a couple hours to make these up, but definitely worth it as all the kids (and the kids at heart) loved them. Kennedy loved having all the kids bounce them around and bop her with them. Zach was in love and loved playing what I called Angry Birds live. I put the pig balloons in one area, then we would snap the angry bird balloons to try to knock the pigs down. It was fun! Rio was really cute too...the kids had to watch it twice (well the second time mostly was just background as our favorite neighbors came over to celebrate and play angry birds lol).
I am trying to exercise and eat/drink healthy again. When I workout I really like to stay hydrated and always have some water to sip from. I recently had heard that coconut water drinks were a great way to really stay hydrated, so I thought I would give them a try.
I tried a few coconut water drinks called Phenom that can help provide your body essential electrolytes . Phenom comes in 4 different types, that each include different flavors. I like the idea of getting hydration, electrolytes and other vitamins from drinks that have no artificial flavors, preservatives or added sugars
While I like to sip water during my workouts, I also need to replenish with a big glass after my workout. What is the best recovery drink after workout? Unfortunately I am not a huge fan of the flavors of the sports drinks. I really did not care for two of the flavors of coconut water that I tried, blueberry pom, and lemon mojito. The pineapple punch was ok and would be a good choice to have on hand for after those really sweaty workouts to help regain some fluids and electrolytes. I wish I liked more of these so that I would drink more types with the electrolytes, but because I am too picky I will most likely just stick to water.
disclosure: I received Phenom free from gnc. These are my personal opinions.
We were pretty relaxed this summer, yet Zach was still pretty whiney. I think a lot of this is due to his autism and for him he really needs visual aids to keep him on track. He has been asking for a lot of things and because he had a birthday and got to get things while shopping (for his birthday) he constantly thinks he can just go to the store and get something. Thanks to Sid the Science Kid Zach has been really really interested in charts. So I thought starting a reward chart would be great to help with wanting things, his behaviors and working on other things.
We were asked to check out a chart from The Victoria Chart Company. I decided to try the "My Growing Up Chart" with Zach. This chart is designed for elementary aged (4+) children. I love it, and so does Zach! This is a large "visual" wall chart.
Each pack contains:
A Large Wall Chart (11 inches wide by 25 inches high) to hang in a central point to monitor progress.
10 Activity Stickers which cover the following activities: I enjoyed school, I’ve been kind to someone, I dressed myself, I practiced my reading, I’ve eaten my food, I practiced my math, I’ve written and drawn, I practiced my spellings, I’ve been good at bedtime and I’ve been polite.
6 Blank Activity Stickers that can be customized to the individual needs of your child.
240 Colored 1-20 Stickers designed to help with learning colors and counting.
84 Gold ‘Great Job’ Star Stickers for when your child does exceptionally well.
A Supportive Information Sheet with a practical example, tips and guidelines to help you and your child get the best results from your chart.
Sticky mounting pads and a dry-erase marker.
We first went through the activity stickers and decided what activities we wanted to focus on. I love that every item works with the dry erase markers. I can write on the board and the stickers. For instance I chose the "I've been polite" sticker, yet wrote the words "all day" on ours. As I mentioned being whiney has been a big thing lately so this is one we really work on. So Most of our activities have the same goal/reward, but this one gets a special reward. That is another reason it is so nice that this is dry erase. I have written on each activity the goal and the reward. I have even been able to change this as we have gone along. We started off working on reaching 10, so the reward was written as that. Then as we completed that I quickly just changed it to 20 to continue working on this.
Zach loves numbers so having the colorful number stickers has been great. He loves doing the activity and then getting to put the next number on his chart. What is nice too is that they are reusable. With a little bend to the chart you can pull the stickers off. So you can either restart when you get to the number you want or you could even replace the activity stickers with a new one and start a whole new goal.
I thought the activity stickers for the elementary aged child were good. There were many activities that really work for school, like I practiced my math, reading, spelling, and writing/drawing. I also like the home stuff like the bedtime, dressing, eating. These stickers are great for visual reminders with cute children on them. All the blank stickers still have a child with a star behind them on them. They also may have a little something else on there, but no words. These actually worked good for us because we are using three of the blank ones right now, with words written on them with the dry erase marker. There is one with a boy and a ball that we use for "cleaning up toys", and one with a boy and a dog that we use for "feeding the pets". These really encourage Zach to help out around the house more. The one that works the best for us that I used a blank one for was "brushing teeth". Our next dentist visit should go very very well...and it is the first one he has received his reward for.
I really think if you have a preschool or elementary school age child that this would be a great chart to use! I give this a big "Great Job" Star sticker (which it also comes with, and are great for a little extra bonus for the child)!
MOMS OFFER EASY TIPS FOR INCLUDING WHOLESOME SNACKS IN BUSY SCHEDULES ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (Aug. 4, 2011) – School is back in session and that means more scheduling and nutritional challenges for kids – and moms – on the go. Between soccer, ballet, homework, Scouts and the myriad of other responsibilities facing today’s kids, moms can use all the help available in making sure these busy children get to their activities on time and with enough energy to succeed.
“School-age children – especially those in middle and high school – have so much on their plates in terms of activities and homework that it’s a real juggling act to balance it all,” says Jennifer Meetz, director of marketing for Farm Rich, the frozen appetizer and snack brand. “It’s a well-known fact that there are significant benefits for kids who are well rested, active and eating a balanced diet, but the challenge is finding the time and wholesome options to make sure they are fueling their bodies and minds properly.”
First lady Michelle Obama frequently acknowledges the pressures facing families today as part of her platform to bring awareness to children’s health, nutrition and fitness. "We are living in a time where we just don't have enough time. People are rushed. They're overworked, overscheduled...But the thing that I want people to understand in this campaign is that families can make small, manageable changes in their lives that can have pretty significant impacts," said Mrs. Obama during the “Let's Move” live web chat.
So what’s a busy parent to do? Farm Rich talked to moms across the country recently to discover their real-life tips for working wholesome snacks into the chaotic schedules of school-age kids and their families.
· Start the Week Off Right. For Bethanne Latkso of Worchester, Mass., organization is the key. “I have two kids, a busy husband, and I’m designing my own jewelry line, so I don’t have time for frequent trips to the grocery store. Instead, every Saturday, I map out the week’s activities and plan our meals and snacks around that.” Latkso says in addition to saving time during the week, planning also helps eliminate poor food choices. “Because I’m eliminating impulse buying, I make better food choices – everything from buying more fresh fruits and vegetables, to buying better snacks for my kids.”
· Mini-Meal Replacement. For Leah Welch of Brandon, Fla., a mother of two boys ages 10 and 12, snacks that serve as a mini-meal are a lifesaver. “We are constantly going between baseball, soccer and chess,” explains Welch. “Just before I drive them to an activity, I’ll pop something like Farm Rich Mini Quesadillas into the microwave. They eat them on the way to the game and they’re good to go until we can get home for dinner. It’s a much better choice than fast food.”
· Sneak in Wholesome Snacks When They Least Expect It. “When my teens are having a study group or a sleepover, instead of letting them load up on sugary soda and potato chips, I try to sneak in a snack that’s more nutritionally sound and the brain food they need,” says Nicole Mills, an Atlanta mom of three. If teens balk at serving friends fresh veggies and dip, parents can try Farm Rich Cheese Sticks or Mozzarella Bites made with real mozzarella cheese. Real mozzarella cheese is a good source of calcium and protein, but they don’t have to know that!
· Make Healthy Snacking Convenient. Kim Griffin, a business owner with two teenagers, says because her children are at the age where they can prepare snacks for themselves, “I stock the freezer with things that are easy to heat and eat. They like being able to reach into the freezer to grab a snack they can heat in the microwave and be ready to eat in just minutes.” With frozen appetizers like Farm Rich Mini Bacon Cheeseburgers or Mini Philly Cheese Steaks, they can have a filling and better-for-you snack in just minutes. Or, suggests Griffin, put some Farm Rich Meatballs in the Crock-Pot, let simmer all day and bowl the kids over with the aroma when they walk in the door from school.
In light of last year’s snacking study out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, tips like these are important for helping give kids snack choices that are better for them, despite the chaos of an active lifestyle. According to the UNC study, kids are snacking more than ever before – in fact, nearly 98 percent of children 2-18 snack between meals. "Kids still eat three meals a day, but they're also loading up on high-calorie junk food that contains little or no nutritional value," said study leader Barry Popkin, Ph.D. He also noted that salty, fatty snacks, such as chips and crackers, accounted for the largest increase in the types of snacks children were eating during the three-decade period reviewed in the study.
About Farm RichA leading brand of Rich Products Corporation, Farm Rich (http://www.farmrich.com/) is based in St. Simons Island, Ga., and features a successful portfolio of frozen snack and appetizer products sold at grocery and club stores nationwide. Featuring the tagline, “Keep ‘em Happy,” Farm Rich makes wholesome, great-tasting snacks that are sure to please family and friends.
You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.
I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK..I am ready to go.'
I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.
I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said. 'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.'
I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.
I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.
I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan . I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me? I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all knew Me.
Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor.Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there.
I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me?
Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.'
I have had a Krazy Life lately...running to so many doctors appointments. Between all the kids I have had to go to the ER three times, stay in the hospital with Kennedy for 4 days, and attend a dozen doctors appointments----all in the last 4-5 weeks. So I think I could use to win this giveaway for a $50 Walmart card over at Two of a Kind Working on A Full House! http://www.twoofakindworkingonafullhouse.com/2011/08/krazy-glue-my-krazy-life-50-walmart.html
I didn’t want another child. I wanted my freedom and to be able to pack up and go where ever and whenever I wanted. I had raised two beautiful girls, now 22 and 27. I had taken care of my parents for three years until they passed. It was my turn!
I had a vasectomy to ensure no little ones would come from my loins. I was not going to be one of those older guys who married a younger wife and had another family! And, by George, I was I going to do everything to prevent that scenario! Then, I rented my house, purchased airline tickets, put stuff in storage and moved to Malaysian Borneo. The island life for me!
I live in a condo overlooking the Sarawak River in Kuching, Malaysian Borneo. It is everything I had hoped and dreamed. The food, tasty curry’s and delicious Chinese cusine, always served over rice. The weather, tropical and warm especially with no snow to shovel or leaves to rake, suited me just fine. The people, with a thousand smiles, welcomed me into their homes.
I usually took the sampan (a small boat) across the river for dinner. Here I could eat homemade Malay food and practice my Malay language. And it was here I met a drop dead gorgeous Malay girl. I asked her why she wasn’t married, an unusual event here, and the doctor, after a series tests, said she could not have children. This meant a life as an old maid taking care of her siblings children.
Falling in love and marriage with a woman who could not have kids was a double insurance policy. We could both take the discount airline to wherever and stay in huts for all we cared. We were not Hilton to Hilton travellers. A perfect match!
After marriage, we flew to north Sumatra where we trekked through the jungle and snorkelled over the reefs. We stayed in accommodations that were in the minus star variety. We didn’t care. We were both in love and enjoyed exploring the wide wonderful and raw world in Southeast Asia.
After our return, we both returned with a stomach flu, not an uncommon occurrence. My symptoms quickly dissipated after a few days but my wife’s did not.
My son, Dzul, is now seven months old and a true blessing from God. We don’t travel as much, just local trips, but he has been jungle trekking on my back, splashed water in the South China Sea and flown home to the States.
Regrets? I just wish Mom had lived longer to see her new grandson. She so loved her grandchildren.
Tom McLaughlin
***
Science teacher Tom McLaughlin battled a rare neurological disease to a stand still, packed up his life and moved to Malaysian Borneo from a Washington D.C. suburb.
Landing in Kuching, he quickly learned the Malay language and involved himself in projects which includes orangutan rehabilitation and research about the famed naturalist, Alfred Wallace, whose thunder was stolen by Charles Darwin.
The advent of cheap air travel to many destinations in Southeast Asia transported him to many adventures. From dancing naked in an earthquake in Sumatra, to getting lost in a warren of World War II Japanese caves to walking the rim of a volcano with poisonous gas, he has jumped with foolhardiness into everything wild and wonderful, all related in his book Borneo Tom.
Reuniting with his Peace Corps family of thirty five years ago, sharing adventures with one daughter, then reconciling with another after a divorce, marriage with full kampung ceremony and then taking both daughters on his honeymoon to Bali are a few of the highlights of his remarkable personal life. Oh, but we can’t forget? His vasectomy coupled with a wife diagnosed as barren has reproduced a son, Dzul Patrick, now a few months old.
Tom teaches at the Lodge International School in Kuching, Malaysian Borneo while writing about his adventures as a US expat living in Borneo.
