Mommy Cracked

Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories Prize Pack Giveaway

2009-11-15T14:19:00.007-06:00

Over the past eight years, Cheerios has given away more than 40 million children´s books by distributing them free inside cereal boxes and has donated $3.2 million to First Book, their non-profit partner, which provides books to children from low-income families. The program is part of Cheerios´ ongoing commitment to helping parents provide their children with a healthy, nutritional and educational foundation.

Beginning this month, Cheerios is again bringing books to the breakfast table, by providing six million children´s books free inside Cheerios boxes. The books are for children ages 3 to 8 years old, and include a brand new book in the popular "Trucktown" series, available only inside Cheerios boxes. And for the first time, all five books have been specially printed in both English and Spanish.

This year´s book offerings from Cheerios - all by Simon & Schuster Children´s Publishing - are:

Junkyard Fort, written by Jon Scieszka, and illustrated by David Shannon, Loren Long and Dave Gordon: Join Gabriella, Jack, Melvin, Ted, Lucy and the other Trucktown characters as they make their own fort, using things found in the junkyard. Ages 4-8.

Tea for Ruby, written by The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser: Wherever Ruby goes, a bit of disaster seems to follow. But one sunny morning, things change when the postman brings Ruby an amazing invitation: would she like to have tea with the Queen? Ruby needs to polish her manners, and quickly. Ages 4-8.

Sleepyhead, written by Karma Wilson and illustrated by John Segal: In this rhythmic bedtime story, a cat is the parent and a teddy bear is the child who doesn't want to go to bed. All ready for bed with teeth brushed and story read, Sleepyhead teddy tries anything to prolong his bedtime; books and his quilt provide ample fodder for his imagination. Ages 3-7.

Ballyhoo Bay, written by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Derek Anderson: Mira Bella, an artist who teaches painting and sculpture, loves Ballyhoo Bay and what it offers: sun, sea, sand, and sky. But one gray day a billboard arrives, announcing an impending development that would take all the fun out of the place. Read along to see if Mira Bella and her art can save the day and Ballyhoo Bay! Ages 4-8.

What´s Under the Bed?, written and illustrated by Joe Fenton: Young Fred cannot stop worrying about the scary creature that might be hiding beneath his bed. Finally summoning the courage to peer under his bed, Fred, with his cumbersome glasses, sees that the only thing there is Ted, his friendly Teddy Bear! Ages 3-7.

We recieved a prize package like I am offering for a giveaway below and we have thoroughly enjoyed reading each book. They're just small enough for little hands and all titles my son has never read before. It's been fun introducing him to these books and the librarian (my former profession) in me is so excited that Cheerios does this each year. We have a little collection of these books from the past two years and we look forward to them!

I have one Spoonfuls of Stories gift pack, which includes a set each of the five Spoonfuls of Stories books, a box of Cheerios, and a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble to give away to one lucky reader!

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment telling me what your favorite children's book is.

Contest will end on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 11 PM Central. Winner will be notified by email.

The Birds and the Bees

2009-11-14T21:27:00.004-06:00

E.B and I were watching a documentary on PBS the other night about healthcare and how it is funded in other countries. Oh, alright...I was trying desperately to bore the child to sleep because he would. not. give. it. up. It was one of those days when he was going 90 mph with no signs of stopping, and besides...it worked the other day for naptime when we watched Bob Ross painting 'happy little trees".

Anyway....

On the program it showed a pregnant woman. E.B. asked me why her tummy was so big. I explained she had a baby in there and it would be in there until it was time to be born.

"Mama," E.B. innocently asked, "why did that woman eat that baby?"

I can only dream that all of our future "birds and the bees' talks will be so light and funny.

Growing Tree Toys- Review

2009-11-14T18:38:00.004-06:00

Ladies and gentlemen with little boys in your life, feast your eyes on this:

And just what is this? This is a solid hour (or more) of pure entertainment for my son and husband. It was also a solid hour of blissful, uninterrupted computer time for this mama. Save for happy shrieks of delight, that little remote controlled car bought me more peace and solitude than I have had in two weeks time.

Actually, it's a Morphibians Gator Remote Control Toy from Growing Tree Toys. Able to cruise over land or water, this remote control car also has working headlights and the ability to make grown men regress back to their childhoods, all the while exclaiming "how totally cool this thing is!!".

A few details:

Remote control vehicle that features 4-wheel drive, headlights, and a fully functioning radio control
Land and water toy
Operates at 27 MHz
Requires 3 “AA” batteries and 2 “AAA” batteries, not included
$29.95 plus shipping

And? It's also handy for chasing the cats around the house, as my son gleefully found out. That's where the happy shrieks come in. If you're looking for some great Christmas gift ideas for the little ones in your life, Growing Tree Toys has a fabulous selection of "out of the box" type toys with a mix of the familiar.

This was a HUGE, HUGE hit with my son. Thank you to Growing Tree Toys for allowing us to try this out. I highly recommned this to my readers and dare you not to swoon over unusually delightful toy selection there.

Sensory Processing Disorder. It's What's For Dinner.

2009-11-09T23:00:00.005-06:00

Just a quick note. I realize it's been almost a week since I've written anything here, but right now E.B. is going through some very tough sensory-related issues. It's been an exhausting week to say the very least, but right now my attention has to be on him. I'll be taking a (hopefully) short break from blogging and reading blogs until we work through this. Just hated to leave things hanging here.

Boys Will Be Boys

2009-11-03T16:16:00.002-06:00

Dear E.B.,

Making toy guns out of these?

Gets you a time out at preschool. I'm sure someday someone at the Lego company will appreciate your artistic ability and imagination and demand to hire you as Creative Director because you make the most awesome toy guns ever, but for now? No.

Are we squared away on that?

Good.

Love, Mom

Warner Bros. Entertainment Movie Reviews

2009-11-01T19:05:00.005-06:00

As an affiliate of Warner Bros. Entertainment, my family and I periodically receive movies to review. We recently recieved the following 4 movies and below I'd like to share our thouths on each of them.

TCM Spotlight" Esther Williams Volume 2:

Synopsis: THRILL OF A ROMANCE Man overboard! War hero Van Johnson takes one look at Esther Williams and decides he needs swimming lessons. With Tommy Dorsey, Xavier Cugat and more. Dive in. FIESTA Mexico’s greatest bullfighter is…Esther? She plays a devoted sister who secretly fills in for her twin matador brother (Ricardo Montalban) after he abandons the ring. -or- A non-aquatic change of pace: Esther disguises herself in matador gear and secretly fills in for her twin brother (Ricardo Montalban) after he abandons the ring. THIS TIME FOR KEEPS An ex-GI falls for a bathing beauty (guess who!). Lauritz Melchior, Xavier Cugat, Jimmy Durante and Mackinac Island locations add to the good times and romance. PAGAN LOVE SONG Island girl Esther plans to leave Tahiti, but maybe she’ll have a reason to stay when Howard Keel arrives. Gorgeous, frothy fun with pristine Hawaiian locations filling in for Tahiti.MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID Tonight in the Hippodrome Tank: Annette Kellerman, Goddess of the Sea! Esther portrays Kellerman in a splashy biopic that includes a must-see Busby Berkeley extravaganza. EASY TO LOVE Esther wins fans at the Cypress Gardens’ aquashow, but will she ever win the heart of her all-business boss Van Johnson? Busby Berkeley guides the legendary water-ski number.

OWN IT ON DVD October 6.

Our Verdict: Esther's aquatic moves are amazing to watch and Million Dollar Mermaid was our favorite of the collection. Watching older movies, we sometimes find the storylines and acting in that era amusing, simply because it's different from the movies we grew up with or watch today. While definitely not a set of movies we'd normally buy, we still enjoyed watching them.

Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Edition

Synopisis: Now, the colorful characters and unforgettable songs of Oz come alive as never before when Warner Home Video brings this cinematic treasure into the digital age with the September 29 Blu-ray release of The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector?s Edition. The commemorative edition contains nearly 4 hours of all-new and never-before-available bonus features and is housed in numbered collectible packaging, and will be available for a limited time only.

OWN IT ON DVD August 11. Please visit the official site: http://wbshop.com/Wixard-of-Oz/wiz,default,sc.html.

Our Verdict: Love this! Definitely a classic that everyone must own in their DVD library. We were so excited that our son was finally old enough to appreciate this. The extra bonus footage was also very neat to watch to see what went on behind the scenes back then. And has it really been 70 years? Amazing!

Yellowstone: Battle for Life

OWN IT ON DVD September 29

Synopsis: In a land of beauty and peril, the dramatic lives and fortunes of these animals are inexorably bound together. Intimate and emotional, epic and engaging, Yellowstone - Tales from the Wild reveals the grandeur of this unique place as its animals struggle to survive over the course of three vividly changing seasons.

Our Verdict: I have a special place in my heart for Yellowstone because I spent a summer there, so of course this documentary appealed to me. The seasons in Yellowstone play such a vital part in all of it's living things, from plants to animals and it's interesting to see how it all plays out. I really enjoyed this documentary.

Available for purchase at www.bbcamerica.com

Singing House- Halloween Lights Timed To Music

2009-10-31T00:52:00.002-05:00

Someone in our town got very crafty and came up with this amazing Halloween light display set to music. I happened to drive by one night and thought it was a little tacky with all of those lights just randomly flashing. However, once our newspaper covered the story behind it, I completely changed my mind the second time I drove by. To get the full effect, you simply had to tune your radio in your car to a certain frequency (90.1 in this case) and you could hear the music the lights were timed to flash to. In this recording, the pumpkin on the front of the house is singing a Calypso Halloween song called Zombie Jamboree.

Pretty cool, huh? I can't wait to see what they come up with for Christmas!

In The Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-31T00:44:00.003-05:00

Because of the excessive amounts of rain we've received just this month, E.B.'s class trip to the pumpkin patch was rained out both times they tried to go. Fortunately, the school decided to sell pumpkins for a fundraiser this year, so although there was no corn maze to get lost in, he was just as pleased spending some time at the school pumpkin patch.

We Took The WAT-AAH! Challenge

2009-10-30T22:54:00.007-05:00

Besides having the cutest packaging ever (have you ever seen such cute water bottles?), WAT-AHH! is the first 100% sugar-free, functional beverage brand designed especially for kids. However, this mama thinks it's pretty amazing stuff, too.

We are not big water drinkers. I know, I know. We definitely need to start drinking more water. The WAT-AAH! water was crisp and refreshing and comes in 4 different formulas (Bones, Body, Brain, and Energy) that contain just the right amount of minerals to fortify and maintain children's health.

My son was thoroughly impressed with the bottles, because nothing says "cool" to a 4 year old like a screaming kid, and the clever packaging also encouraged him to try the water, which he would always balk at otherwise.

WAT-AHH! is only available in stores in just a handful of states at the moment, BUT you can purchase it online at Amazon.com.

(We were sent a few bottles to try. Thanks, WAT-AHH!)

Dirty Jobs

2009-10-27T12:55:00.003-05:00

Even when we were childless, my husband and I still enjoyed taking part in the Halloween festivities. We enjoyed handing out candy and decorating our place for the little ones that came by on Halloween night. We always bought a pumpkin, but we never bothered to carve it...it just added a nice touch to the outdoor Fall decor.

However, since having E.B., I have discovered another side to my husband I never knew, and that would be master pumpkin carver. He told me he used to draw in high school, but I never knew he had such amazing artistic ability. On E.B.'s first Halloween he used a pumpkin carving kit to create a great looking pumpkin.

E.B. was finally old enough this year to really appreciate how awesome pumpkin carving can be, so he and Cracked Daddy spent many tedious hours a couple of Sunday's ago on this:

And that black line beside the nose? E.B.'s handy work.

When they were finished my husband asked E.B. what he wanted to name his pumpkin. E.B. matter of factly said, "Dirty Job". Appropriate, indeed, because pumpkin carving IS a dirty job...but somebody has got to do it.

Crackbook Facebook

2009-10-25T22:49:00.007-05:00

I didn't used to be this way, but I really drag my feet when it comes to switching to technologically advanced products and things that are new and better. I get set in my ways and can stay there mighty content until I finally decide to give something new a try.

Facebook was no different. I had been a MySpace kind of girl for 3 or 4 years and was convinced it was the end all and be all of total coolness. Then suddenly, I noticed several of my friends jumping ship there and going to Facebook. Facebook looked boring to me. Where was the music? The cute graphics? But wait...is that...OHMYGAHIHAVENTSEENTHEMINYEARS!

Over the Christmas holidays last year I became hooked on Facebook. It seemed like everyone I had ever known in my whole entire life, from Kindergarten onward, was on Facebook. Friends, former classmates, co-workers, blogging buddies, family....I can check in several times a day and know what all of them are up to, what they eat for supper, where they vacation. It's such a fantastic way to stay connected in real time that I can't believe I didn't go crazy over it sooner.

And then there's the crazy. There has been many a time I've read about something happening in our own small town (a fire, a wreck, etc.) before the emergency workers even arrive on the scene. In the span of a couple of weeks, I have watched a couple's nasty divorce play out online where they each air their dirty laundry for all of us to see, teenaged girl catfights over some trifling little boy who probably loves the attention more than anything, and someone's very serious and personal medical condition talked about openly for all the world to see. My husband and I discuss daily the things we read on there and are continually amazed at how brazen people can be when behind a computer screen and how nothing is shameful anymore.

As brilliant as Facebook is and as much as I enjoy it, there are some days when I just shake my head and think it's all too much information. Yet, like an addict, I must check it daily. I can even check it from my phone now. (See, I told you I was slow on technological advances)

How To Eat Healthy This Halloween

2009-10-24T21:21:00.002-05:00

Do you already have your Halloween candy bought by now? Now, for the trick question...is there any left? When I was growing up, it seems like my mom always bought Halloween candy at least two or three times before Halloween actually arrived because we'd always dip into the big plastic bowl of candy that sat on the TV by the front door.

Dr. Margaret Lewin, Medical Director of Cinergy Health (www.cinergyhealth.com) suggests the following ways to eat healthy this Halloween:

*Buy treats only a day or so before Halloween so they’re not around long to tempt you
*Keep the treats in an inconvenient, difficult-to-reach place till Halloween arrives
*Buy treats which you don’t particularly like, making it easier to resist
*Buy healthy mini-packs of Raisins or other dried fruit, 100% juice, sugar free hot chocolate mix, Trail mix, cheese and crackers, or sugar free gum.
*Buy non-edible treats such as Stick-on temporary tattoos, Mini bottles of bubble bath or blow bubbles, Costume accessories such as wax false teeth or a stick-on mustache, Sidewalk chalk.
*Take your children out after dinner – when you’re not hungry
*Go through the “goodie bag” when you arrive home – discarding any outrageously unhealthy treats or those with questionable packaging
*Put the remaining edible treats in that same difficult-to-reach place – to be dispensed one at a time on a scheduled basis (such as dessert time)
*When you yourself get that urge to indulge, take a look at your watch and wait ten minutes (if you’re lucky, you’ll get distracted and forget about the urge)
*Set a date – maybe two weeks after Halloween – when you’ll dump the leftovers

How To Snag Quality Time With Your Doc

2009-10-24T21:14:00.007-05:00

Since having a child I often times have to write down a list of my concerns to discuss with our doctor during office visits or else I will have a "mommy brain moment" and forget them. Dr. Margaret Lewin, Medical Director of Cinergy Health (http://www.cinergyhealth.com/), has devised a fantastic list of pointers to help you get the most out of each doctor visit. Listed below are some helpful suggestions for making each visit count.

*On your first visit, give the doctor a detailed medical history – preferably typed, and including your allergies, past surgeries and serious illnesses, family medical history and a list of all your medications, including dietary supplements and other over-the-counter products - even if you don’t use them regularly (in fact, you should always carry that list of medications in your wallet, along with your doctor’s business card, in case of emergency); on subsequent visits, always give the doctor an updated list of those medications
*Take with you a careful list of all your issues, placing first the most important ones – try not to get distracted from that list. It can be helpful if you give the doctor a copy of that list at the beginning of the visit. If you need prescription refills, be sure to give the doctor a list of those needs at the beginning of the visit.
*Make sure prevention is on your list.
*Whatever the assistant says when putting you in the exam room, be sure to undress sufficiently to make it easy for the doctor to examine the area(s)of concern
*When the doctor explains the diagnosis and recommendations, make sure you understand by repeating back in your own words
*When given prescriptions, check that the new medications don’t interact unfavorably with your usual regimen, ask for expected side effects and what to do should they occur
*Before leaving the office, check with the staff to find out to handle problems that come up between visits:
*What to do in an emergency, including finding out which hospital emergency department to go to if necessary
*Is the doctor available for emergencies outside of regular office hours – and if not, what arrangements have been set up?
*What to do with easier but important problems:
*Is there a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant to call?
*Does the doctor have regular times set aside for telephone calls?
*Can you email in your questions - and if so, what’s the expected turn-around time?
*What’s the procedure for getting prescription refills?

It's All The Same...Only The Names Have Changed

2009-10-22T23:26:00.003-05:00

Since I frequently take my son with me to run errands and do the weekly grocery shopping, he knows the names of the stores we go to on a regular basis. He has a little twist on the store names, however.

Dollar General- We stop in at least once a week because it's very convenient location-wise AND they always have the cat food we need in stock. But it's not Dollar General...it's Donald General, according to my son. I don't know who Donald General is, but he would probably be proud to know there is a 4 year old who thinks he rules because they have the best selection of plastic toy guns ever!

Walgreens- Aside from the fact that they have the largest selection of candy AND a neat toy aisle (according to E.B.'s standards, and they are mighty high for a 4 year old. ahem.), it is NOT Walgreens....it is Green Walls. Get it right or you will nevah hear the end of it from the backseat.

And finally, today while we were taking back some games we rented from Moobie Gallery (Movie Gallery), my son looked across the street and asked me why I wasn't taking our car to get tires at the Shoe Bird Garage.

Do what?

All I saw was the Good Year Tire store:

Ohhhhh. I get it. The shoe on the logo...the shoe with the wing. Birds have wings...wings make things fly....the Shoe Bird Garage.

Do your kids have funny names for things, too? I'd love to hear them!

Balloon Boy- The Real Crime

2009-10-19T08:55:00.006-05:00

By now we are all familiar with the Balloon Boy story. I can personally attest to the fact that my heart nearly beat right out of my chest watching what we all thought was that poor little child floating all by himself in his dad's homemade weather balloon. When the balloon finally did land, I was nearly nauseated until they tore it open. All reports indicated that if indeed the little boy, Falcon Heene, was inside that in all likelihood he may not be alive due to the massive amounts of helium contained inside it. When it was discovered that the boy wasn't inside and that it had been reported that something fell out of the balloon while it was making its aimless journey, I nearly could not take it anymore. His poor parents...that poor baby.

This weekend it was determined that it was all a publicity stunt. A hoax. Poor baby and parents, indeed. Criminal charges against the parents are reported to follow shortly, but despite all of that, despite all of the manpower and resources used to aid in the rescue of this child, the hoax itself isn't the real crime, at least in my eyes.

Falcon Heene, I am sorry YOUR parents, the people in this world who are supposed to protect you and love you the most, used you for their own attention-whoring gain. The fact that you got sick on national television only proves to me that indeed, the psychological and physiological effects of this whole entire mess has already taken a toll on you. You're only 6 years old. They are adults. Their behavior is deplorable, but the fact that they would even involve their innocent child in something so sensational and then expect that child to take the heat and answer to authority figures for THEIR stupidity? Unforgivable in my book.

Infant Nutrition Center

2009-10-18T23:18:00.005-05:00

If you're a parent, chances are you are already familiar with just how important proper infant nutrition is for your growing child. A new wesbite has recently launched called InfantNutritionCenter.com and is designed to give parents and expectant parents an amazing interractive look into how your infant grows and the nutrients needed to help in the normal growth development of your child.

I viewed the videos and wish this site had been available while I was pregnant because the 3D interractive aspect of learning more about infant development is really amazing and informative.

There will be a live launch of the site on Monday, October 18 at 7 AM Eastern where you can tune in here. If you know an expectant parent, please feel free to pass along the link.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Mead Johnson. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Good Reads

2009-10-18T00:33:00.003-05:00

I used to be so good at posting links to great blog posts I would come across each week, and somehow I got very, very far behind. Some of these links lead you to older posts on each blog, but they are definitely worth a look.

Cutest cookies ever at Bakerella. The packaging alone had me sighing with happiness.

I read this post from Scribbit and if you ever wonder about your blog traffic (who, me?) and just how much the blogosphere has changed (at least since I started 2 years ago), then read this. It's gold, y'all.

And then go read this from Marty at Don't Take The Repeats. Perspective in blogging is a very good thing.

And THEN....Megan will tell you why some people shut down their blogs after big blog conferences.

Neatest refrigerator makeover ever for those of us with white appliances. Now, just to convince my husband...

Happy Sunday and happy reading!

The Shandle- Review & Giveaway

2009-10-17T22:49:00.008-05:00

Having a little boy means having some interesting toilet adventures in our home. My son has his own half bath in his bedroom, so I am constantly going behind him to make sure he has kept the bathroom clean and washed his hands. I hate germs with a passion and am almost obsessive about cleaning our home in the hopes that everyone will stay healthy.

We recently tested out a great little product called The Shandle, a toilet seat handle that helps to remind children to wash their hands while actually offering an antimicrobial surface that prevents germs from growing on it. Since I have a boy and little boys are constantly having to touch the toilet seat to lift it, this definitely caught my attention.

To use The Shandle, all I had to do was simply peel off the backing on the self-adhesive strip and stick it to the toilet seat. That's it. Now when my son needs to use the bathroom he can simply lift the seat up using the Shandle while also getting a reminder from Frog Bear to wash his hands when he is finished.

The Shandle proved to be an absolute hit. It's sold exclusively on their website and now comes in Halloween designs!

GIVEAWAY: REMIND YOUR KIDS TO PRACTICE HAND WASHING WITH THE SHANDLE. The Shandle has generously provided 5 Shandles to give away to 5 lucky readers.

To Enter:

Sign up for the Shandle Newsletter at theshandle.com for promotions, discounts and product news and then leave a comment on this post.

Earn additional entries by completing any or all of the tasks below. Each optional task below is worth one additional entry.

Become a fan of the Shandle on Facebook.
Post a message on the Shandle Facebook Page
Follow The_Shandle on Twitter and Tweet about why you would like a Shandle in your home - include a link to www.theshandle.com.
Tweet about this Giveaway and include a link
Post a link to this giveaway in your Facebook feed
Post a link to this giveaway on your blog

To complete your entry you must leave a comment on this post. Please state which Shandle design is your favorite and indicate any additional entries you completed and your email address for contacting.

Comment Example:

“ I love Frog Bear Washes His Hands. He is so cute. Hope I win!! My additional entries are the newsletter sign up, tweeting about Shandle and tweeting about this giveaway. Thanks for the chance! My email is Mommy (at) nextdoornyc.com”

CONTEST CLOSES ON Sunday, October 25, 2009 at 11 PM Central. All winners will be selected via random number generator. Winners must be confirmed as Shandle Newsletter subscribers and will be notified via email. Prizes will be sent directly from www.theshandle.com

Halloween Cookies

2009-10-17T00:29:00.004-05:00

The past few days have been extremely yucky in terms of weather. At one point I thought we might have to start building an ark. E.B. decided Wednesday that he wanted some "ghost cookies", so as soon as I picked him up from school we went straight to Kroger and purchased them. They're from Pillsbury, already portioned, and just the easiest things ever.

It was a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon.

Mark All Read

2009-10-15T22:48:00.004-05:00

It pained me greatly to do it. My finger hesitated on the mouse before giving the go-ahead to do what couldn't be undone. I wondered what I would miss...would it be a fabulous room makeover, a hilariously funny moment in parenting, or perhaps a link to another great blog I've yet to discover? I'll never know, because I did it.

I clicked on "mark all read" in my feed reader.

During a normal week, I have a little time to relax after E.B. is tucked in bed and catch up on my favorite blogs. I try to keep up with 300+ blogs and savor reading each and every one. I've tried in vain many, many times to pare this list of blogs down to a manageable number, but I just can't. Each one has sucked me in and I can't seem to part with them.

However, this has not been a "normal week". We have battled sickness, fatigue, working longer hours, schedule innteruptions galore, and the list goes on and on. And each time I opened my feed reader to catch up, the number of updates on each blog began to reach the double-digit numbers and left me overwhelmed so much that I didn't attempt to catch up because I knew I couldn't and enjoy doing it.

So, I gave myself permission to start fresh. I've actually been thinking about giving myself permission to start a lot of things fresh in my life lately and if clearing the feed reader is a small, tiny step towards that, then yay me.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

2009-10-15T12:52:00.006-05:00

Poor Clyde. His meow-er is broke. Yesterday while getting ready for work I noticed he was awfully quiet while I was breaking out the can of cat food to feed him. He usually meows to beat the band when it's feeding time. Before I sat his dish down I looked at him and saw that yes, he actually was meowing....only, no sound was coming out.

Weird.

I've started him on an antibiotic (in case it's a sore throat or something like that) and we've also started some hairball treatments. If I had to guess I would have to assume it's a hairball. He is acting fine, otherwise.

Let's just hope that hairball elimination thing will happen while he is playing outside.

Story Time Felts Review

2009-10-11T18:28:00.005-05:00

I think felt boards are the neatest way to make a story come alive for a child. There are so many great books for children that become twice as fun when using a felt board. It's definitely an attention getter!

A fellow blogger friend, Tammy Lessick from AutismLearningFelt.com is an independent consultant for Story Time Felts, a company that sells felt kits and story boards in a variety of themes, such as Holiday, Preschool, Religious, Creative, and Educational. Tammy very generously sent me a sample to use with my son and we have enjoyed it so much. It's also a great way to spark a child's (or your own!) imagination when you let them make up their own story as they go along. For visual and tactile learners, like my son, these felt activities are perfect for reinforcing thinking skills. I apologize for not having a picture of our particular set that was clown themed (camera issues), but below is a sample picture from Tammy's site of the Child's Dress Up Set which I thought was super cute. What a neat way to teach your child how to dress themselves!

Tammy has so many other fantastic felt kits and felt boards available and they are reasonably priced and would make a great (and educatonal) holiday gift for the kids on your list! Click here to visit Tammy's site.

A Is for Admission- Review & Giveaway- CLOSED

2009-10-11T10:54:00.008-05:00

Have you ever wondered exactly what is involved in applying and getting accepted to an Ivy League school? I'll admit that I have, although I never had any dreams while growing up of attending one.

Michele Hernandez, a former admissions officer at Dartmouth has written a fantastic book entitled A Is for Admission; The Insider's Guide to Getting into the Ivy League and Other Top Colleges that gives readers an inside look as to how selection for admission to these schools is really made. If you have a child (or know of one) who is heading to college in the next few years, this book is a wealth of information for those aspiring to attend an Ivy League or other top school. Have a small child at home? It's still not too early to start preparing for their future.

Topics such as standardized test scores, class ranking, personal interviews, applications, and more are thoroughly discussed to give you an insiders edge as to what is expected of potential students.

About the author: Michele A. Hernandez graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1989. She served as an assistant director of admissions at Dartmouth College from 1992 to 1997. Currently, she is the president of Hernandez College Consulting LLC, one of the nation's leading firms on helping students gain admission into top colleges.

GIVEAWAY:

I have generously been given 5 copies of this book to share with my readers. If you'd like a chance to win a copy, please leave a comment in this post and make sure if your email address isn't in your profile that I have some wat of contacting you in case you win. Deadline to enter is Friday, October 17 at 11 PM Central. U.S. Only.

Funky Monkey Snacks Review

2009-10-10T14:10:00.005-05:00

It's hard enough to get kids to eat the daily recommended servings of their fruits and vegetables, especially if you have a picky eater like I do. My 4 year old could literally live off of chicken nuggets and hot dogs if I let him. I'm constantly trying to get him to try new things that are (unbeknownst to him) healthy, especially snacks because he loves to graze instead of eat big meals.

Funky Monkey Snacks are dried fruit snacks that have 3 servings of fruit in every ounce. The snacks are also all natural fruit and a raw vegan food with no sugar added. Want more good news for those of you that may have children sensitive to certain food ingredients? They're also gluten-free, wheat-free and dairy-free. I haven't run across many snacks in the stores I shop at that could make that claim, so of course this alone piqued my interest.

Funky Monkey Snacks come in 6 fruity flavors and we were sent 4 packs to try out, which included the following flavors: Bananamon (banana and cinnamon), Carnaval Mix (banana, pineapple, apple, papaya and raisins), Jivealime (pineapple and lime juice) and Purple Funk (banana and acai berries). Unfortunately, as with many foods, my son wasn't too keen on anything except picking the pineapples out of the Carnaval Mix. But, those few pieces of pineapple were tops with him. I completely enjoyed the rest of the Carnaval Mix and the Jivealime, because I love limes. I could definitely see buying a few bags of this regularly as a snack for myself.

Funky Monkey Snacks can be purchased online and found in stores near you. Click here for a complete list of places that carries Funky Monkey Snacks.

Flu Schmoo

2009-10-09T21:45:00.003-05:00

I hate to even think I am coming down with the "F" word, but due to the fact that I was exposed to it this week, that I am running a fever and my throat feels like I swallowed a piece of hot, flaming charcoal, I'm afraid I may have to admit defeat at some point. I sure hope this is not the case because, quite frankly, I don't have time for this.

This coming week I have a preschool field trip to chaperone, a child with a dental appointment, another school function to attend....and...and...and.

And a child that suddenly refuses everyone but his mother. The sick mother he probably doesn't need to be around right about now. The grandparents have tried to entice him to their house with promises of golf cart rides, ice cream, and toys. He's not budging.

Joy.

And because I have seriously neglected the blog this week I thought I should ~~complain~~ explain. Because I know you were all perched with anticipation on the edge of your seats for an update on this blog.

See? The deliriousness? It's a side effect.