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Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Lemonhead Superfan?

Brickfish

Are you getting anything on your Christmas list?

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I actually have gotten a couple great gifts from my husband already.  He spoiled me this year and got me two of the things I have really been asking for.  So am I asking for snow for Christmas?  It is pretty green outside still.  I personally do like seeing a little snow on Christmas, but this year I would just like decent weather.  I told my husband I wanted to go somewhere warm and sit on the beach for Christmas.  I know that is not going to happen, but I can still check out warm weather stuff like patio furniture and steel frame gazebos.  I would like to go back to the warm peaceful days that we had this summer.

So what are some nice gifts for us women?  Well everyone likes the tech gadgets this year...you know all those tablets and cameras make great gifts!  Many of us like more personal things too.  Some nice perfume, clothing, or household items.  I would not recommend getting a new vacuum or dishes, unless that is really something she asked for.  I know I would be like "thanks, something more for me to work with" lol.

Me, I love pictures and picture frames.  I really need some new ones like a standing picture frame.  Since having Lauren all my picture frames are off.  I used to have two like ones, one for Zach and one for Kennedy.  I think they look funny when I add a different one to the mix.  I also really need to get photos done of my kids.  I did get Laurens newborn, but none since.  I also did one of Kennedy myself.  Now I still need to take the twins to get their senior pictures done, need to take Lauren to get her one year, and seeing Zach hasn't had a photo done in since probably he was a year old, he is on that list too.

One other thing I need is lots of new furniture for my living room.  My couch is going to fall apart soon.  We have a cracked very old light fixture above our desk.  My desk itself is very ugly.  Then it drives me nuts because I do not have a clock in the room.  I have the one on our cable box, but it is behind a frosted door, so typically can't see what time it is.  I would love to get something like these square wall clocks.

I would love this first one, but I had to post this train clock also.  I saw this and thought of Zach.  He would absolutely love the lights and sounds!

Besides all those things the one thing I want the most I highly doubt I will get any time soon.  I really want new flooring in my kitchen and family room!  I know, that is a big request.  Some day!  How about you.  What are you asking for and do you think you will get it?

Wordless Wednesday

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Seeing I am not able to be there...here is another skype picture of Lauren.  Im getting to check her out with the birthday present I picked out for her.

Santa is checking his list.

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Well it is almost Christmas.  So how many of you are still needing to go Christmas shopping.  I am just about done.  The kids are done, except maybe a couple small items for their stockings.  I know as a kid opening up my stocking was just as fun as the big gifts.  I think my kids like it too.  It is pretty nice living here in Wisconsin.  Many around this area do stockings twice.  Once on Christmas but also earlier in December on St. Nick's Day.  It is a fun way to get into the holiday spirit. I can't say what Santa is bringing the older kids....they actually read this blog of mine from time to time.  I can however share what is in the younger kids stockings, and what I would still like to get. 

For Zach he is all about Cars2, trains and angry birds.  So he will love his stocking.  Besides having a some yummy candy I picked up some fun Cars 2 items from Target's dollar section.  I love that section for stocking stuffers.  They had fun notebooks, pens, puzzles and even socks all that were Cars 2 themed.  He also is getting his long awaited for Thomas train he has been asking for.  I could never find this one in the store I finally ordered it off amazon.com.  Lady has been one of his favorite characters since reading one of his Thomas stories a couple years ago.  She is magical you know...just like Christmas!  One of the last things that I am sure he will love my sister actually picked up.  He is getting an Angry Birds watch!  He loves numbers, keeping track of the time and of course Angry Birds.

One thing both of the younger kids will be getting is a new toothbrush.  This is a must with all the candy they get...but also it is a family joke.  Years ago Kennedy was opening her stocking and unwrapped a toothbrush.  Zach started crying.  He cried and cried with jealousy.  He wanted a new toothbrush so much.  I guess even more than any of the fun presents in his stocking.  He got the biggest smile when he finally got to the bottom of the stocking and unwrapped his new toothbrush!  This year they will be getting a new crayola toothbrush from GUM.

We get these types every time we go to the dentist.  The suction cup bottoms are great to keep the toothbrush standing up.  We got to try out a couple other types that they carry recently also.  The GUM Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush is great for the kids that think a couple seconds is long enough.  The flashing lights are great reminders on how long to brush their teeth.  Zach normally likes these types a lot, but after trying out the GUM Crayola Power Toothbrush I do not think he will go back to any other toothbrush.  I actually was going to use this one for Kennedy.  She is harder to to brush and could use the spinning action.  Zach however grabbed it and started using it right away.  He has used power toothbrushes before I did not like them.  He asked how it worked and was independently using it before I knew it.  He even told me he really liked it.  I think it is because it just spins, and is fairly small.  Other ones he has used go back and forth and are larger brushes.  I think these would be great for young ones and their little mouths.  So now Kennedy will be getting a power toothbrush and Zach will be getting some replacement heads for his. 

Picasso Hair Feathers - CandyLand

Kennedy is a tough one to buy for, but the stocking stuffers are easier seeing many girly things she does like.  She loves getting dolled up, so this is the perfect way to do it.  We fill her stocking with lots of nail polish, hair accessories and jewelry.  She loves being that girly girl and told she is pretty.  I can not wait to try out the Picasso Hair Feathers with her.  We got the CandyLand themed set as these are colors she wears often.  I have seen many pictures of children with feathers in their hair from back east, but not many here in Wisconsin.  So Kennedy will have to be that trend setter.  I think they are really cute and the Picasso Hair Feathers look like a great way to start out.  They are thinner than some full feathers that I have seen people wearing.  So I think it is a good way to introduce the feathers before getting bigger.  I also like the sets, where they have many colors.  So you can wear one or wear all.  I think they are cute. 

Now for Lauren...She just turned one.  You would think she would be easy to buy for.  Nope I actually have not bought her one thing for her stocking.  I think I am going to check out some more teethers for her.  I remember Kennedy and Zach both liking the vibrating teethers, like the Learning Curve Massaging Action Teether.  So I think I will try to see if I can get her one of these.  Any other ideas for baby things?  I just can not think what to get her. 

So how about you.  Are you ready for Christmas...or are you like my husband(typically) and wait until Christmas Eve to do your shopping?

Seeing lots of scrubs lately

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Well we are still stuck here in the hospital.  We surely are hoping to get home before Christmas.  I can not believe Christmas is so close.  It is hard to get into the holiday spirit when you are in the hospital.  One thing that does help is seeing all the holiday print scrubs.  One place you can find some scrubs, including cool holiday scrub hats is at Blue Sky Scrubs.  You can find these by visiting http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/. 

They have scrubs for men, women, and even children.  They even have the white lab coats, which I really think the attending that is on today really should wear.  He really did not look like a doctor at all wearing very casual clothing.  Sometimes I find it hard to take someone seriously when they are not in the proper attire.  I have to say I do not run into this often here at the Children's Hospital.  The nurses here are typically in their nursing scrubs uniforms or else wearing scrub pants and shirts with the Children's hospital logo. 

While I am not a nurse, sometimes I wish I had some scrubs to wear.  I could use the many pockets while trying to carry around all the stuff Kennedy needs.  I am her personal nurse after all.  I thought their prices were pretty reasonable also.  Plus they look pretty comfortable.  One thing I also noticed while browsing their online shop was that they even sold lanyards.  They have really pretty and stylish ones that would make a great gift for that favorite nurse! 

Saturday Photohunt Theme "JOY"

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Well what doesnt fit in better than to see the "joy" from your little one on their first birthday!  Lauren just turned one yesterday.  Although I did not get to be at her party (I am at the hospital with her sister Kennedy) I did get to see her earlier today....then thanks to modern technology I got to see her enjoy her cake and open a gift all through skype.  Here are a few "joyous" and one not so joyous picture of her celebrating her first birthday!

 saying hi to mom on skype

 blowing out her candle

 trying some cake

 not really too happy about how messy the cake was

 opening her gift

Gotta love that I got to be there...without actually being there!  Here is one picture that I have from when she came to the hospital and she had a little treat.  Im still waiting for my husband's phone to send the rest of the pictures to me. 

Happy First Birthday Lauren!!!

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Twitter Backgrounds  I got to see Lauren today...and she was full of giggles!  I hope she has a great birthday at home tonight!  She loved the balloon I picked up at the gift shop.  It was nice actually seeing her today, and I cant wait to get home to celebrate!  I got some pictures, but have to wait til my husbands phone actually goes ahead and send them to me.

New City

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Guest post written by Guy Barnes

I had only been in Memphis for a week when a local who owns a coffee shop down the street suggested I look at http://www.expertsatellite.com/direct-tv/direct-tv-memphis-tennessee.html after overhearing me on the phone. At this point I welcomed advice from any local and jotted down the information. The move had went smoothly and I had most of my ducks in a row. There was no doubt I was ready for some downtime with the remote in one hand and coffee in the other. I walked the six blocks back to my apartment and got down to business. I wasn’t in a huge hurry but was pleasantly surprised when the direct tv customer service rep told me a technician could be at my new place the very next morning. If only everything had been this easy with the move! Now it was time for a little retail shopping. One thing is for certain about Memphis, you got to own a great pair of boots! What a better way to spend the afternoon than getting acquainted with my new downtown neighborhood and new shoes on my feet.

Can't believe its been a year already

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I can't believe my baby is turning one already!  Doesn't she know she is my last and is suppose to stay a baby for a long long time!  It has been one hectic month around here with Kennedy in and out of the hospital.  I have done lots of looking around online for Christmas and birthday gifts. 

Having many children already, I do have so many items that it has been difficult trying to figure out what to buy Lauren for her first birthday.  Baby clothing is just so adorable though, so of course I have been checking them out.  Even if I do have tons of hand-me-down clothing, new stuff is always great!  I love baby girls clothes....they are just so stinking cute! A year ago I  just had to get something new for that adorable "coming home" photo, and now for her first birthday. I can not wait to see Lauren in her first birthday outfit and her little crown I picked up for her.

I am glad I did some online shopping early.  Everything for Lauren's birthday was bought online, well except a little something I picked up at the hospital gift shop yesterday.  I am hoping I get to leave the hospital some tomorrow so I can actually see Lauren on her birthday.  Kennedy has spent many  holidays in the hospital, but it will be hard missing a "first" holiday.  On the same hand I would like Kennedy included too, so I am thinking of asking if they have some decorations, or at least buying some balloons from the gift shop and having her come to the hospital for a little family party.  It wont be the same, but at least it will be something special for her. So if she ends up partying at the hospital I at least have a little gift here for her!

Happy first birthday Lauren....Mommy loves you!

Wordless Wednesday

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Why my blog has been so wordless lately....

Kennedy is back in the hospital.  The movements she was having were definitely seizures.  She is still having them and we are trying to figure out a different treatment plan.  Today she goes for a spinal tap to send off to Mayo clinic for furthur diagnostic testing.  They are testing for some other diseases that could be causing the progression of the seizures...instead of just mitochondrial disease.  We will begin a treatment probably Thursday of steroids and IVIG, treatment for autoimmunine epilepsies.  We wont know if that is what she has, but are going to do the treatment as she has tried so many.  So we are looking at probably being in here until at least Tuesday.

It's been so crazy around here

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I sit here right now, with Kennedy next to me....We keep watching her because we don't know if she is having seizures or "movements".  She seems alert...or at least seems to get more vocal and smiley as these movements progress.  She was in the hospital for 2 weeks around Thanksgiving for these seizures/movements...and now they are getting more frequent again, but she is also getting more alert than she was when she came home.  So today I am trying to figure things out some.  Her meds do not seem to be lasting long enough, even though she gets a ton of them.  She is waking up early and having clusters, that do not seem to really be effected by giving diastat...but do stop once I give her meds.  In the morning they pretty much stop and then she falls back to sleep for a few hours.  Last night and tonight she was having some arm movements off and on most of the day...but get stronger until I give her 5pm meds.  Right now she is awake, but much quieter and looks kind of sleepy.  The movements are mostly gone.  Right now she gets medications four times a day.  One seizure med she gets 2x, one she gets 4x, and two she gets 3x.  I am recording some of the movements and keeping notes this weekend...then am going to call the doctor on Monday.  I am wondering if changing the times of the meds might help...or adding a dose so we can spread them out.  I also wonder if the newest one could be making her have more...seeing when she came home she was on a lower dose, but after we increased it she became more alert but started having arm movements.  As we raised it the second time she started having the bigger movements in the morning.  It sucks trying to figure out all this stuff. 

On top of this, for those that arent friends with me on twitter...she also has a fractured leg.  When she was having seizures a few weeks ago.  We went in The week before Thanksgiving and then she was much better after a few days.  So they sent her home.  The next day she started back up.  As the day went on they got stronger (like the morning ones now).  While we were in the ER she had a large one with lots of jerks with her right arm and leg.  As soon as one stopped she started crying.  Which is not typical for her.  Later they got them to stop by giving her a load of Dilantin.  The next day she was out of it from the meds.  Then the day before Thanksgiving we were going to go home again but she would cry every time we changed her.  At first we thought maybe muscle spasms from the seizures, or a mood change from the new medication, which can cause irritability, headaches, etc.  I just did not feel right taking her home acting the way she was.  On Thanksgiving I had her sitting up in her wheelchair and noticed her knee swelling up.  They did an xray and found out she had a fracture behind her knee.  They said it was most likely caused by her having osteoporosis and the extra movements...so I think she probably did it while she was having the large kicks during the seizures.  So now when she has the big jerks I am concerned that she could end up fracturing other areas.  I also wonder how the right leg movements could effect her hip or feel while in the cast.  She hasnt cried so I do not think she is currently in pain, but I hate seeing her jerking so much.  I am also concerned what she is hitting when her arm goes crazy.  We have to somewhat hold it at times because she has hit her headboard, or smacked herself in the head. 

On top of her health....the services we have can't seem to figure out what they can and can not do.  One time they can do something, the next that person was wrong and now they cant.  One being the stupid school bus.  We have had a short bus coming to the house for probably at least 5 years and the drivers have almost all pulled in our driveway(its big enough they can turn around in the driveway).  When there is snow, since Zach has been the only one taking the bus, we just meet them on the road instead.  This year we have just done this in the morning everyday, but the afternoon driver has still been pulling in.  So the other day Bob had to drive the twins to school, Kennedy was having the seizures so I called the bus company to ask if he would radio the driver and ask if they would pull in the driveway and honk so I did not have to wait outside.  Now all of a sudden they are not allowed to pull in our driveway.  He would have to talk to the drivers because they shouldnt, even though a different year I spoke to him about the driver pulling in and he never said that.  So thanks for nothing and make up your freaking mind.  If you dont allow them to do it, then you would think the at least 5 drivers we have had would know not to do this???? 

Happy's Christmas Gift (giveaway)

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Oh no! Happy is in trouble again! Having gone out to post his Christmas letter to Santa, he suddenly finds himself on an unexpected journey.

Although Happy is cold and scared at first, his adventure takes a turn and delivers him to magical lands where he discovers that dreams really can come true. Can Happy save the day? And more importantly, will he get home in time for Christmas?

Happy's Christmas Gift is a very cute book!  It has all the magic of Christmas, along with the heartwarming kindness you see from many people (and animals) this time of year.  Children will love reading about Happy's adventure and they will learn the lesson of showing kindness to others. 

Happy's Christmas Gift is a longer picture book, but it actually is a pretty quick read.  It is 40 pages verses many shorter picture books.  This longer book lets author Geoff Parker Sr. share Happy's adventurous journey getting a letter to Santa.  Children will love that Happy does not have to speak to be understood and all the love the characters in the book show for each other. 

The illustrations by Lisa Fox are adorable!  They are colorful and engaging.  Happy is just adorable in his Santa suit!  Our kids loved Happy and his Christmas story.  They also loved the little plush of Happy in his Santa suit.  He is soft and cuddly!  Kennedy loved holding him while I read her the story...which she lit up when hearing it. 

Popcorn lovers got to try Kernel's Seasoning

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We love popcorn....lots of different types or flavors of popcorn.  I have even done stocking stuffers one year as popcorn boxes, popcorn and movies....which I think make a great gift idea for friends and teachers this year. 

I love the sweet popcorn, like caramel corn....but do not love all the calories.  I can now have some great flavored popcorn with out tons of calories by sprinkling Kernel's Seasoning on my popcorn.  You can sprinkle these on microwave or air popped popcorn.  The air pop they recommend using their spritzer with...or I just use some spray butter to moisten it some and then sprinkle the Kernel's Seasoning.

I got to try out their seasonal flavors Pumpkin Spice and Milk Chocolate Caramel and absolutely loved them.  The Milk Chocolate Caramel has a light chocolate flavor, and I can really taste the caramel in it.  I loved the Pumpkin Spice flavor even more.  I think the aroma really helped too.  It smelled so good and had a nice sweet pumpkin flavor. 

What's for dinner? Let Green Giant help.

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Making meal time easier than ever, Green Giant has introduced vegetables with pasta and savory sauces to their already convenient and tasty line-up of Valley Fresh Steamers frozen mixes.

New Valley Fresh Steamers Vegetables with Pasta varieties include:

• Macaroni and Cheese Sauce with Broccoli - classic elbow pasta and broccoli in a mouth watering cheese sauce
  
• Pasta and Vegetables with Alfredo Sauce – delicious corkscrew pasta with carrots and broccoli in a savory Alfredo sauce

Steam-in-the-bag sides will have your family asking for seconds. Join in the conversation today on the Green Giant Facebook page.

Laurens way of helping decorate the Christmas Tree

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Our new Christmas tree ornament! 

Check out Playfully Ever After while Christmas shopping

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I recently was introduced to a very cute online store, Playfully Ever After.  I found many items that I thought my friends girls would love, or that would be great for Lauren if she were just a bit older.  I will definitely be checking them out more for her next Christmas.  They do offer some boys items, but really have a great selection of adorable items for girls.

I just love the Olivia Zoobles pillow blanket pet.  They offer some really cute ones.  These are pretty hot items this year and make great gifts year round.  They do have ones that are cute for boys and girls.  I also love their backpacks.  A couple of my favorites are out of stock right now, but I am going to keep checking back later.  They have boys and girls backpacks, and I love the ones that have little friends that come with them. 

They offer some craft items too.  They do not have a huge selection, but I really like how they are "sets" versus individual items.  Zach really loves painting right now and I thought the "Decorate Your Own Race Car, Train and Jet Plane Model Kits" were perfect for him.  I was absolutely right!  He loved them...although I had to hide the Race car one for Christmas, as he loves cars.  They are a really great combination for boys. 

This comes as a set of three individually boxed crafts: one plane, one race car, and one train.  Each comes with some wooden parts and glue to put them together.  They also come with paint and stickers to decorate them.  Zach loved every step.  They were fairly simple to put together, not too many parts.  Just enough to make it seem like they were building something.  I did help him with holding the wheels on after they were glued.  You do need to wait a few hours after gluing the parts together so that they stay together.  We did this step first, waited and then Zach painted.  He then put the stickers on after the paint dried, which didn't take too long.  So it is a craft item that will take a few hours to actually put together.  It does make a great "yucky" day activity.  Having three crafts is nice for either having multiple kids, or having something for multiple days. 

The finished product has held up fairly well.  We have had a few little stickers come off, but otherwise he can play with the items and they have not fallen apart.  I do have him be somewhat on the gentle side and not bang it around so that the wheels do not fall off, but we have not had that happen. (He did his first one about a week ago.)  He has been very proud of his creation and likes showing it off!

I think the main things Playfully Ever After specialize in are pretend play items like their dress up costumes.  These are where I know my neighbors girls would be in love....and they even have boys items so Zach does not have to come out wearing princess dresses.  They have a nice selection of dresses for the girls and capes for the boys, as well as many accessories to go with them. 

I would really suggest checking them out soon for Christmas gifts!  You can find these items and much more on their site www.playfullyeverafter.com.  To stay up to date you can follow them on facebook and twitter or visit their blog.  I have even seen some giveaways recently, one just ended on twitter.  They have one on their blog right now which will end once it gets 100 facebook likes...you can check it out at http://blog.playfullyeverafter.com/2011/11/28/thats-right-its-giveaway-time-again/.  The cute dress up items in the pic above are what is up for giveaway!  I entered...you can too.  Just visit the link and follow the directions to enter. 

disclosure:  I received the craft item mentioned free to review.  These are my personal opinions.

Giveaway from PlayfullyEverAfter

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Recently I was introduced to a very cute online store,  Playfully Ever After.  I am working on posting a review very soon, and am checking out some very cute items that I might pick up for Christmas.  I just noticed that they have a giveaway ending tonight!
***update-the giveaway has been extended and will end when it reaches 100 facebook likes***
http://blog.playfullyeverafter.com/2011/11/28/thats-right-its-giveaway-time-again/

When their blog post gets 100 likes, then they will giveaway a princess and a knight dress up costume to one lucky entrant.  So head on over to the blog post...and click the like button below it.  Then follow the directions there to enter the giveaway.  Good luck!

I also saw they are doing a contest on twitter too.  https://twitter.com/#!/playfullyever

Follow and Retweet for a chance to win #Cinderella #Princess Dress-up size: 3-5 http://dld.bz/cinderella this ends 4 dec

So head on over tonight and enter to win their giveaways and spread the word quickly!  Stop back by and check out our product review that will be up soon!

Mr. Holidays Presents The Roof Top Hop

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Well we all know Santa is a jolly old soul.  Did you know he had his own "roof top hop"?  He surely does and now everyone can hear all about it with the book/CD/DVD of Mr. Holidays Presents The Roof Top Hop. This great collection all came about when Michael Sheahan pulled out his guitar to sing some holiday jingles for his eight year old son and friends.  One friend said he didn't believe in Santa.  Sheahan stopped playing and simply replied with a smile, "Well I still believe in Santa Clause and it's okay if other people don't...but we love Santa Clause in this house!".

 In an effort to keep the holiday spirit alive, Sheahan, retired NYPD detective and accomplished singer/musician, created Mr. Holidays.  Mr. Holidays is a character created that celebrates the American holidays that we all love.  His first book, Mr. Holidays  Presents The Roof Top Hop, Sheahan reveals Santa's secret...his favorite song and dance.

The book, CD, and DVD combo is a great set to get your family in the Christmas spirit.  Both of my children really loved the book.  Written by Sheahan, you will learn Santa's secret, and learn the words to his favorite song.  It is a cute story, and a fun way to sing a long.  The illustrations by Doug Wright are great!  The colors are bold and really pop out.  Mr. Holidays is not just dressed in Christmas attire, but also other holidays like Easter, Valentines Day and patriotic colors.  You see him along with children and Santa and his reindeer in the story. 



The accompanying CD and DVD are great bonuses.  The CD has two songs on it, which are both very lively Christmas songs.  They are fun and catchy.  The DVD is fun to watch.  You can see in the video above "The Roof Top Hop" dance that is on the DVD.  The DVD has that, but also has step by step instructions so your family can all learn how to do The Roof Top Hop.  The DVD also has the book on it.  This is nice so that you do not have to have the actual book open to read it.  I personally would have liked to have had this read out loud, but you will have to read it yourself.  It does have background music though, which will make reading the book to your family more entertaining.  It also has coloring pages that you can print out by putting the DVD on your computer.  (I still have to figure out how to print these out from the dvd, but there is several pages to select to print. You can print coloring pages off from their website.)  I think this whole set would make a great early Christmas gift....and would make a great family night activity.  You could read the book, learn the dance and color some pictures while listening to the fun songs.  I look forward to seeing the fun that Mr. Holidays will bring to future American holidays. 

You can find more information on Mr. Holidays Present The Roof Top Hop by visiting www.MrHolidaysSongs.com .  You can purchase this set on the website or it is also available at Barnes and Noble and Ingram book outlets. 

To stay up-to-date, get special deals, and win prizes sign up for Mr. Holidays mailing list, and follow on facebook and twitter.

disclosure:  I received this set to review.  These are my personal opinions.

The Black Shard by Victoria Simcox

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About the book:
The Black Shard, Victoria Simcox’s fast-paced, intricately woven sequel to The Magic Warble, takes Kristina Kingsly and her schoolmates back to Bernovem … and into a thrilling, often dangerous adventure.

Kristina’s stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least, and it’s all because Hester and Davina are there as well, making her life miserable. When Hester’s cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it’s actually what sends the three girls back to the magical land of Bernovem. In Bernovem, Kristina is very excited to see her former friend, Prince Werrien. When he invites her to sail with him on his ship to his homeland Tezerel, putting it simply, Kristina can’t refuse.

Reunited with her gnome, dwarf, animal, fairy friends … and best of all, Werrien, things seem like they couldn’t get any better for Kristina. But when Werrien becomes fascinated with an unusual seeing stone, the “Black Shard”, Kristina is haunted by a ghostlike old hag. Struggling against suspicion, guilt, illness, and ultimately the one who wants to possess her soul, Kristina will see it’s in her weakest moment that she will encounter more strength than she has ever known.

Juvenile Fiction -266 pages

My thoughts:
After reading the first book in the series, The Magic Warble, I really wanted a sequel to come out.  I finally got my wish, as the second book is now available.  The Black Shard brings back the main characters from The Magic Warble, all a few years older now.  Kristina, the main character, and some of the others have now grown from children into teenagers.  We now get to see relationships blossom, which I think is something the readers will like, especially the preteen and teen girls.  There is lots of adventure, and the story will leave you wondering who is friend or foe, who to trust or distrust.  There are some twists and turns that will leave you ready to read the next book in the series.  This story definitely leaves you knowing that there will be a next book.

I do like that while the reader would be more likely to understand this story better by reading the first book, Victoria Simcox does a good job weaving the characters and story together so that you really do not need to read the first one to follow along with this one.  If you haven't I would definitely recommend the first one though.  I thought that one was really good.  You can read my review of that one by clicking here. Both books have  mystery, magic, suspense and great characters.


I think these are great stories for older children and adults. I love that there is are illustrations here and there through out the book also.  This I think is helpful for the younger readers to get a better picture of some of the characters.  The illustrations by Amanda Swanson are great. They really bring the characters to life.  I would really recommend the book for children, especially girls, aged 10-16 years old.  It is a good story for the whole family.  The books are full of adventure with magic, mystical creatures, fairies and humans all intertwined together in another world.   This would make a great gift for the holidays. You could purchase one or both books and start your child on a great series to grow up with. 

• For more information on The Black Shard or to purchase visit: www.theblackshard.com 
• The Black Shard on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Black-Shard/264063053622412
• Follow Author Victoria Simcox on twitter: http://twitter.com/VictoriaSimcox

Disclosure:  I received this book from the author to review.  These are my personal opinions.

Mr. Popper's Penguins DVD giveaway....plus bonus treat recipes and giveaway

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Giveaway closed.
Congratulations nancyrobster!

Top 5 Ice Cold Recipes

Enter to Win Your Very Own Copy of the DVD out on December 6

Mr. Popper sure had his hands full with all those penguins – too bad he didn’t have a handy guide for making fun, ice-cold treats for them! Here, you will find a recipe guide for making slushies and popsicles, and other fantastic ideas on how to turn ice into edible and refreshing desserts that the kids will love! You will get an ice-cold kick out of how easy and fun these recipes are to make for all ages.

Jim Carrey (A Christmas Carol) stars in MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS, available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download December 6th. The whole family will be full of laughs watching Mr. Popper, a driven businessman, inherit six adorable and mischievous penguins. As Mr. Popper quickly gets attached to his winged roommates, his life quickly unravels: the deal he’s long been working on with a formidable socialite, Mrs. Van Gundy (Angela Lansbury), is derailed and Popper almost lands in jail. While Popper’s penguins turn his swank New York apartment into a snowy winter wonderland - they teach him valuable lessons about family – human and otherwise!

1)Popsicles

Popsicles are the classic go-to frozen treat for kids and grownups alike! Try making fruit popsicles – all you need is popsicle molds (or disposable cups and popsicle sticks), fresh fruit chunks (try strawberries, pineapples, kiwis, mangoes, or a mix of whatever fruits you like), sugar, light corn syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla yogurt. Blend everything but the yogurt for two to three minutes, then add in the yogurt until the mixture is smooth. Then, pour the mixture into your popsicle molds, insert your sticks, and freeze for at least four hours. Enjoy at your leisure!

2)Chocolate Snow Ice Cream

If you live somewhere where it snows, Chocolate Snow Ice Cream is really simple to make, and lots of fun! All you need is a big bowl of clean snow (you can leave a bowl outside to collect the snow), one can of sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate syrup or cocoa powder (to taste). You could also use strawberry syrup instead. Since the sweetened condensed milk is so thick, it helps hold the melting snow together and adds a lot of sweetness to your ice cream. Once you have all of your ingredients gathered, all you have to do is mix them up in a big bowl and enjoy!

3)Slushies

If you like slushies, try making Frosty Fruit Cups, a fun, kid-friendly take on the popular slushie! All you need in crushed pineapple, bananas, frozen sweetened strawberries, chopped walnuts, and foil or paper lined muffin cups. First, blend the crushed pineapple (with its juice) until it’s smooth. Then, add in the rest of the fruit (with their juices) and blend well. Next, pour a little bit of the fruit mixture into your lined muffin cups and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Freeze for at least two hours. Kids can help make them, they’re individually sized, and it’s a terrific way to get children to eat fruit!

4)Shaved Ice

You most likely eat shaved ice in a snow cone, but if you’re looking for a different treat made from shaved ice, try the Korean favorite, Patbingsu. You need a bowl of shaved ice, sweetened condensed milk, red bean paste, matcha powder, fruit cocktail, mochi, ice cream, and any other toppings you desire. First, top the shaved ice with sweetened condensed milk, then add red bean paste and sprinkle matcha powder over that. Then, add fruit cocktail and mochi (as well as any other toppings you want), and top it off with your favorite ice cream. Enjoy with your family!

5)Italian Ice

Many cultures have their own take on Italian Ice (like the delicious Mexican raspado). If you want to make your own at home, try this amazing banana pineapple Italian ice recipe. You need apple juice, mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, and then pour the mixture into a square dish. Freeze for two hours, then transfer to a bowl and beat until smooth. Next, return the mixture to your square dish, and freeze until firm. Remove from the freezer about 30 minutes before serving, and garnish with mint!

We are so excited for the release of Mr. Popper's Penguins on dvd!  Enjoy a great family movie night watching this movie and enjoying some of the frosty treats above.  On top of all those great recipes, you can also make your own penguin ice cubes, with Mr. Popper's Penguins ice cube tray!  I know I can not wait.  This is going to make a great gift for the kids.  We may have to make a Christmas Eve night of watching the movie together and enjoying our treats.   I highly recommend this movie.   We saw it in the theater and LOVED it! 

Win it!

One lucky reader can win Mr. Popper's Penguins DVD and the cute Mr. Popper's Penguins ice cube tray!

To enter: Simply leave me a comment telling me what your family is doing this year for the holidays.

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This giveaway is open to US and Canada only and can not be shipped to P.O. boxes.  Please leave a valid email in one of your comments.  This giveaway will end on Dec.  6 and the winner will be chosen by random.org.  Please be aware that I can not guarantee that the winner will receive this prize before Christmas.