Obama First Family Puzzle Review

Black History Month is wrapping up as February is coming to a close.  GEEBEE Marketing Inc. has a Black Heritage Series of games and puzzles. These can be used anytime not just in Febuary for children to learn about African-American History.  GEEBEE has taken a fun approach to teaching children about African-American culture and key figures.

Puzzles in my family have always brought us together at the table.  My grandfather loves puzzles.  He would put them together and display them for others to admire.  At Thanksgiving, a new puzzle is always produced by my in-laws to put together before dinner.  It is never finished in one sitting.  We would continue to add pieces to the completed puzzle every time we gathered.

This 1000 piece puzzle of the Obama First Family is perfect for family time or for students working on a unit on the presidents.  It contains images from the life of President Obama and his family.  This puzzle is perfect for teens.  For younger children and students, two 24 piece puzzles in the series are also available of the president. 

The puzzle pieces in the Obama First Family Puzzle that my family received fit together perfectly and seemed to be made with a quality cardboard.  None of the puzzle pieces had any peeling which we have had with some cheaper puzzles that we have purchased in the past.

There are other puzzles in the series such as those of Annie Lee's artwork and of famous figures such as Harriet Tubman. Games include Mancala for Kids, I Can Do Anything, The Underground Railroad Game, and the Black Heritage Trivia Game.  If you homeschool or teach in a classroom, GEEBEE also has teacher resources for teachers of children ages 3-11.

Sale: GEEBEE currently has a special where if you buy two Annie Lee or 1000 piece President Obama puzzles, you get one free (one is randomly selected from the collection for the free item).

I was sent an Obama First Family puzzle to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own. 

WAT-AAH Review & Giveaway

What is WAT-AAH?  A mom like you and me was wondering how to get kids to drink more water. She joined with other moms in asking their kids how to get them to drink more water rather than juices and other sugary drinks.  The answer turned out to be that it was all about packaging-a cooler name and an appealing design to make the bottled water more interesting. 

WAT-AAH come in four varieties:

• Body (pure spring water)
• Brain (ultra pure water and electrolytes)
• Bones (ultra pure water and magnesium which helps build bones)
• Energy (ultra pure water and oxygen)

The waters taste like clean water and have no sugars which is a huge plus.  The website was fun to check out.  The packaging is definitely eye catching and probably more appealing to younger consumers many of whom would not choose water to drink.  This is a fun alternative to sugary beverages on outings or to keep in the car for when your running errands and more likely to buy sugary beverages at your child's request. You can check the the WAT-AAH website for a listing of stores near you that sell WAT-AAH or you can buy it at Amazon.com. 


Check out their blog where they just announced that they will be sponsoring the New York International Children's Festival.  You can also become a WAT-AAH fan on Facebook or follow them on twitter to stay-up-to-date on the latest news.

Enter their WATS-THE-WORD Contest to win a pair of custom-made Addidas Wat-aah shoes.  How cool is that?  The contest is open until March 31st.

Want to try WAT-AAH for yourself?

WAT-AAH Prize Pack Giveaway

 Enter to win 4 bottles of WAT-AAH (one of each type), stickers, and temporary tattoes for your little ones.

To enter do any (or all) of the following and leave a comment:
 Don't forget to leave separate comments for actions that result in multiple entries (ex. I added TPMG to my blogroll #1, I added TPMG to my blogroll #2...) 
&
Please make sure that you leave an email address or some way of contacting you (if your email or blog is not listed on your Blogger profile) in the instance that you are the winner.
 

*Leave a comment about why you would like to try WAT-AAH (1 entry)

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you are already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Follow WAT-AAH on twitter (1 entry)

*Become a fan of WAT-AAH on Facebook (1 entry)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name
Copy and paste: WAT-AAH Giveaway at #TPMG http://bit.ly/bTCh99 (ends 3/12). Please RT. 

(1 entry per tweet)

*Enter another giveaway at The Practical Mom Guide and leave a comment with which giveaway you entered (2 entries for each giveaway you enter)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Friday, March 12, 2010. I will announce the winner on March 13th here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for participating!

*Contest only open to U.S. residents.

* I was sent a WAT-AAH Prize Pack in order to write this review.  No other compensation was or will be received.  All opinions are my own.

Rockabye Baby Review & Giveaway

Wouldn't you like to share your favorite music with your little darlings?  Now you can at bedtime or during quiet time.  Rockabye Baby has taken your favorite bands' classic rock songs and made them into instrumental lullabies.  Mellotrons, vibraphones, and bells are used in place of the often- fast paced and loud guitars and drums.  The sound is much mellower and softer and more suitable for little one's ears.  Some of the bands whose music has been remade into lullabies include: U2, The Beatles, Green Day, Aerosmith, The Beach Boys, The Ramones, and many more.

Their site features also features a blog (it includes coloring pages, baby food recipes, and more).  I liked the post about 5 Songs to Get Toddlers Dancing. They also sell cute little rocker onesies.

I had been sent the Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Journey.  The CD includes lullaby renditions of 12 of Journey's songs including "Open Arms", "Any Way You Want It", and "Don't Stop Believin'".  The little booklet inside the CD has a space for your little rockstar's name, birthday, first influential rock song, first time playing the air guitar, favorite foods to be served in his or her future dressing rooms, and their first haircut.  It also includes little dress-up bear cut-out rocker teddy bears which I thought were adorable.

My two year old wanted to listen to the new "moosic" as she calls it. I played it during "quiet time" when my oldest can play quietly while my youngest naps.  I usually don't play music during that time since my oldest is a bundle of energy but she danced quietly when I first turned it on.  She eventually settled down to read and play with her dolls.  My youngest slept peacefully in the other room.

The CD would make a nice gift for new moms who are classic rock fans.  In fact, they are about to release a sampler of their music through Starbucks.  Check out their fan page on facebook for more information.  You can win your own copy of the Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Journey CD.

I was provided with a copy of the CD to facilitate my review.  All opinions are my own.  No other compensation was or will be received.

Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Journey CD Giveaway

To enter do any (or all) of the following and leave a comment:
 Don't forget to leave separate comments for actions that result in multiple entries (ex. I added TPMG to my blogroll #1, I added TPMG to my blogroll #2...) 
&
Please make sure that you leave an email address or some way of contacting you (if your email or blog is not listed on your Blogger profile) in the instance that you are the winner.
 

*Visit Rockabye Baby and leave a comment about which CD you would like to own. (1 entry)

*Become a follower or a subscriber of The Practical Mom Guide and if you are already do so just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Follow Rockabye Baby on twitter (1 entry)

*Become a fan of Rockabye Baby on Facebook (1 entry)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name
Copy and paste: Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Journey CD Giveaway at #TPMG 
 http://bit.ly/bwIBSm (ends 3/12). Please RT. @rockabyebaby

(1 entry per tweet)

*Enter another giveaway at The Practical Mom Guide and leave a comment with which giveaway you entered (2 entries for each giveaway you enter)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Friday, March 12, 2010. I will announce the winner on March 13th here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for participating!

*Contest only open to U.S. residents.

I Need a Kitchen Aide (and I am not referring to a mixer)

 Do you know how teachers have a teacher's aide?  Well, I could use a kitchen aide.  I have issues with cooking that a little extra help in the kitchen would probably solve. 

1) I have issues with timing.  I never seem to be able to get the meat and the side dishes timed perfectly so everything is ready at the same time.  Who wants to eat overcooked, mushy veggies or cold veggies at that.  I have started relying on salads as a side dish because of this.  Thank goodness my daughter likes salads.

2) I have the unfortunate problem of being unable to hear timers going off.  It is like my ears hear them but my brain refuses to register what their going off means.  When I am cooking it is imperative that I stay in the kitchen.  With a toddler and an infant, it never happens.

3) I have food fears.  I know this is irrational but I always worry that the food is not cooked well enough. It doesn't matter that I can follow recipes with the best of them.  I still worry about whether the meat is done enough. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people that can look at a piece of meat and say definitively that it is done.  I have never made steak for this very reason.  Of course, I have learned that a good meat thermometer (one that actually works properly and is digital to take the guesswork out of reading the numbers) can help in this area tremendously.

4) I worry that I haven't killed all the germs on my counters (even after using products that say "kills 99.99% of all bacteria" and/or soap and water). 

So as you can see, a kitchen aide would be helpful.  Someone to tell me when to put the side dishes on, listen for the timer, check the temperature of the meat,  and clean up.  I have the prepping of the food and the eating down.  It's just everything else that seems to be a pain. 

Keep in mind I am not losing sleep over this.  In fact, I can laugh about most of it but I could never be a professional chef.  I would love to hear about any issues you have in the kitchen?

It has been an off week here at The Practical Mom Guide due to the stomach bug that has infected our family.  This was a post that I had written awhile ago and I had it in "reserve".  Next week hopefully things will have returned to normal and I will be able to post more articles and mommy posts.  Stay tuned.

A New Brand Ambassador for The View

I was chosen as a Brand Ambassador for The View through Mom Central.  What is a Brand Ambassador? They get the inside scoop on upcoming guests/storylines and the chance to share what they learn with you.  They also have the chance to provide feedback to the ABC Daytime Marketing Teams.



Normally, I don't get to watch many shows in the morning when they are on but that doesn't mean I don't know how to work a DVR or a computer.  If it wasn't for those two devices, I wouldn't get to watch much tv.

I remember first watching The View with the original co-hosts: Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, Barbara Walters, Lisa Ling, and Joy Behar when I didn't have college classes back in the late 90's. When I still taught, I always enjoyed The View in the morning and Ellen in the afternoon on days when I didn't have to go to school due to snow days .Almost three years ago, when I was pregnant and home on medical leave, I would tune it to watch these women daily.  I would watch them after Today.  This was my morning routine since I was supposed to be "taking it easy". 

Today, the co-hosts include Barbra Walters, Joy Behar, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Whoopi Goldberg, and Sherri Shepard.  Two college degrees and two kids later, I still tune in.  Why?  How can you not be interested in the views of these different women.  They come from different backgrounds, have different styles, and of course, have unique and sometimes clashing perspectives, on anything and everything.  How can you get bored with that? 

Mom Central is currently running a contest where a random winner will be drawn to attend a taping of The View in New York City. You have until Febraury 28th to enter. 

Here is the guest line-up for this current week:

• Monday, Feb 22:  Senator Evan Bayth of Indiana will be making his first and only television appearance since announcing that he is not running for re-election in 2010.   
• Tuesday, Feb 23:  The controversial cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore will be joining the Women live on Tuesday. This will be an interesting show to see how the cast and the women interact!
• Wednesday, Feb 24:  Nadya Suleman who famously gave birth to octuplets last year will be making her first trip to NYC to chat live with the Women of the View.  Author Danielle Steel will also be a guest
• Thursday, Feb 25:  A one hour show Themed “trying to have a baby?”Guests include Giuliana And Bill Rancic
• Friday, Feb 26:   Regis and Joy Philbin will perform a song from their new CD: Regis &Joy: Just you. Just me.

If you missed any of these shows you can catch up online with full-length episodes at The View's website.  It has been an interesting week if you haven't watched yet.  Nadya Suleman freely admitting why she was taking so many offers coming her way and her life as Octomom were an interesting sight on Wednesday.  Danielle Steele was also on on Wednesday.  Can you imagine writing several books at one time?  I believe she said she wrote five books at once.   I can't even read one book at once.  She is so elegant and poised. I felt for Giuliana and Bill Rancic on Thursday as they talked about their journey to get pregnant.  It was interesting to hear the different stories of the co-hosts and their stories about getting pregnant and suffering miscarriages.

Interested in getting in on the action and finding out what other moms are saying about The View?  Follow other Brand Ambassadors, by using the hashtag #theviewmoms on twitter.  You can also follow The View on twitter @theviewtv.

I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.

U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing the Leader Within Book Review

How can you develop your leadership potential?  U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing the Leader Within, written by Debra Slover explains how to do so by introducing the concept of the Leadership Garden.

What is a Leadership Garden?  According to the Leadership Garden Legacy website, "A Leadership Garden is a metaphor for a way to pass your knowledge and wisdom on to future generations. Like a physical garden, a Leadership Garden can take many forms. However, it is you who must start the process by planting the leadership seeds you desire." 

Each chapter begins with a quote by Debra Slover that seems to sum up the chapter.  The first chapter introduces us to Leda, a gardener planting seeds at Leadership Farm.  Leda meets a stray sheep, named Hugh who has left his home.   Hugh tells her his story.  He sees himself as a coward and an outcast.  In subsequent chapters, Hugh will meet the "unique" farm animals that will help teach him lessons on how to grow his Leadership Garden.  

He will learn how to plant his seed of leadership, pluck his weeds, how to fertilize his leader behaviors, leader-friendly gardening practices, and what will erode his garden. By following the lessons he learns, you to can have a thriving Leadership Garden.

The author uses her own experiences to help illustrate the lessons that Hugh learns on his journey around the farmyard.  She also includes questions and activities at the conclusion of each chapter to help you define your purpose and aim as you develop your own Leadership Garden.

I loved the characters in this book, especially Annabelle who is Hugh's tour guide.  I actually kept flipping back through the chapter as I thought about the questions and activites.  It was a very thought provoking book.  This book emphasizes how we can all be leaders and how to cultivate leader worthy thoughts, behaviors, and actions.  I recommend this book for everyone.

There is also a version of the book available for 8-12 year olds called U.N.I. Q.U.E.  Kids: Growing My Leadership Garden.  The fable is similar and written for younger readers.  Each chapter also ends with a set of questions and activities for children to help them grow their Leadership Garden.  The book also is beautifully illustrated so it will certainly appeal to a younger audience.

Visit the Leadership Garden Legacy to obtain more information about Leadership Gardens and how to obtain a grant to implement the Leadership Garden Legacy Framework in your school or community.

I recieved copies of both of these books courtesy of Debra Slover through PR by the book in order to write an honest review.  No other compensation was or will be recieved. 

Disneyland Postcard Review

Does your family love all things Disney?  Imagine having one of your child's favorite Disney characters sending your child a postcard with a personalized message for his/her birthday, school graduation, or other special occasion.  Disney Postcards specializes in obtaining postcards directly from the parks and having them hand signed by the character of your choice (as long as they do meet and greets) from the Disney Theme Parks.  The owners of this online company, Karrie and Chris, are themselves Disney enthusiasts.  Their business started after having one of the postcards signed for their niece.  She loved it and other people who saw it started requesting their own signed postcards.

Click here to see a sample card.  Ordering your own postcard is incredibly easy to do.  There are four cards to choose from.  Choose a Disney character autograph.  Once you choose your card, type in the message that you would like the character to write.  Then, verify the postcard selection and make your purchase through PayPal. 

My daughter received the postcard with Jasmine, Cinderella, and Snow White.  I had placed it in her little mailbox of her play house and told her she had mail.  The postcard had a little tab that when pulled, it changed the picture to one of Auriel, Aurora, and Belle.  My two year old had a blast changing the picture again and again.  She was excited that it had a Disney princess autograph.  Cinderella had written a message to her.  It was like Santa had left her a handwritten message. 

Their site also contains a postcard archive.  It contains over 800 postcards dating from the first ones ever printed.  They will take you on a trip through Disneyland's history.



Please see the Disney Postcard site for disclaimers.

I was provided a postcard in order to write a fair and honest review. No other compensation was or will be recieved.

Wordless Wednesday: What Does Not Belong In This Picture?

What does not belong in this picture?

Yep, that is my daughter attempting to play hide-n-go-seek.  She also likes to hide under things and behind curtains.  My heart always skips a beat when I leave the room and I come back to find a seemingly empty room.  It turns out that she is playing hide-n-go-seek with...herself.

Post-it Notes of a Sick Mamma

 

 

  

 

It Was Bound to Happen Sooner or Later

It was bound to happen sooner or later. We were lucky that we made it 2 1/2 years without seeing its effects.  An invisible enemy snuck into our home and made a stand that every mother has battled for ages: the stomach bug.  Ugh.  Double ugh. 

I always wondered how I would handle it when it happened.  I handled it rather well, if I do say so myself.  Take note, neither my hubby nor I were stricken so for those of you who have not been so lucky during this long winter, my heart goes out to you.

My husband heard the sounds first.  The retching.  He flew up the stairs so fast I was left wondering what calamity had befallen our oldest.  My ears didn't recognize the sounds at first-just the piercing screams that followed. By the time I had got upstairs (I was right behind the husband), he had her in the bathroom, stripped, and was running a bath.  That man is a saint.

I will spare you the details of the sight in her bedroom.  Needless to say I don't think I will ever feed her blueberries with pizza (homemade or otherwise) for lunch ever again.  I have also definitely learned the value of urging your children to chew well before swallowing. 

Our daughter was traumatized by the event.  When I ran into the bathroom, she kept screaming and her whole body was rigid.  She was starring straight ahead, not blinking.  For a two-year old child who hates having dirty hands and dirty clothes, she was horrified.  Not to mention totally unaware of what just happened and no glimmer that it was probably going to happen again. 

I had to have her face me, look at my face, repeatedly saying her name in a soothing tone before she would even begin to relax enough for me to pick her up.  Once I picked her up, she was fine within seconds. 

All of this happened within less than a minute.  Once deposited into the bathtub and her father's capable hands, I returned to her room to clean up the offending sight.  I was amazed not to feel ill myself.  I didn't even gag.  Armed with a roll of papertowels, lysol. a dishpan of soapy water, and some dish towels, I restored order within about 10 minutes.  All the while I could hear my daughter chattering happily, splashing in the tub, telling her father about the horrible hiccups she had. 


Yes, it did happen again and again but within three hours she was sound asleep.  The next morning she proclaimed it, "a bee-oo-tee-full day." 

Thank goodness for the resiliency of children.

May you all be spared fighting the battle against the stomach bug and its effects.  Blah!

Lesser-Known Giants of the 20th Century Book Review

I enjoy reading books about real people.  Lesser-Known Giants of the 20th Century was written by Charles Aulino.  As the title suggests, the stories included in this work are about real people who's stories are often not included in history books.  These are people who's lives have left an indelible mark on the history of our nation.

According to Aulino, "With few exceptions, it seems that fame is ephemeral.  What a pity that wonderful stories fade from collective memory so that the life lessons and inspiration they offer are lost to future generations."  How true this is.  This book is a collection of real life stories full of strength of character.  As many of the people in this book discovered, doing what they believed in often meant not taking the easy road in life. Moe Berg, Joe Louis, and Margaret Chase Smith are just some of the individuals whose lives and contributions are captured between the pages of this book.  Even though I am not a huge fan of boxing, I  especially enjoyed reading about how Max Schmeling protected the two teenage sons of a friend from the Nazis during WWII and the compassion he showed Joe Louis's widow after her husband's death.
 
I highly recommend this book for history classrooms or as a supplement for those homeschooling their children.  The lessons that these people can teach us are invaluable and meant to be shared with our children.  Lesser-Known Giants of the 20th Century has also been "highly recommended" by the National History Club.

If you would like to learn more about the people whose stories appear in this book or Mr. Aulino, visit www.charlesaulino.com.

To purchase a copy of Lesser-Known Giants of the 20th Century, visit Amazon.com.

Rainbow Brite & Friends Doll Review and Giveaway

                                             

She's back.

Recently, I wrote about how Rainbow Brite, the young character who I remember from my youth (yes, I am dating myself) is back:

"I was excited to see my old friend.  The futuristic looking cherubic girl from my childhood has been updated to resemble a futuristic looking Bratz doll.  She's older, thinner, and possesses more style than the Rainbow Brite of my youth.  Moonglow and Tickled Pink join Rainbow Brite on her new adventure along with Starlite and the sprites (who I adored as a child)."

Through Mom Select, Hallmark sent me a Moonglow doll.  When my daughter saw the package she was so excited.  I wasn't sure how she would receive this futuristic looking doll with blue hair.  She begged for me to open the package so she could play with her.  "Moonbrite" as my daughter, Em, calls her because of the rainbow on the package and her familiarity with the Rainbow Brite video clip has become a constant presence at my daughter's side.  She has also taken up residence in my daughter's bed at nighttime. 

Rainbow Brite dolls are sold at Target and are coming soon to Toys R Us.   You can check out Hallmark's website to see the complete line of Rainbow Brite dolls and to access fun activities to introduce the new and improved Rainbow Brite and her friends to your little darlings. 

Want to win a doll from the Rainbow Brite Collection for your little one? 

Rainbow Brite & Friends Doll Giveaway 

One lucky winner will receive ONE of the dolls from the Rainbow Brite line of dolls (Rainbow Brite herself or either Tickled Pink or Moonglow).

 

To enter do any (or all) of the following and leave a comment:  
 Don't forget to leave separate comments for actions that result in multiple entries (ex. I added TPMG to my blogroll #1, I added TPMG to my blogroll #2...) 
&
Please make sure that you leave an email address or some way of contacting you (if your email or blog is not listed on your Blogger profile) in the instance that you are the winner.
*Leave a comment about your favorite childhood toy (1 entry)

*Become a follower of The Practical Mom Guide and if you are already a follower just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Subscribe to The Practical Mom Guide (1 entry)

*Follow The Practical Mom Guide on twitter (1 entry)

*Become a fan of The Practical Mom Guide on Facebook (1 entry)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name
Copy and Paste: #rainbowbritemom Rainbow Brite doll giveaway at TPMG http://bit.ly/dz2lHR Please RT

(1 entry per tweet)

*Enter another giveaway at The Practical Mom Guide and leave a comment with which giveaway you entered (2 entries for each giveaway you enter)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Friday, February 26, 2010 at 8 pm EST. I will announce the winner on February 26th here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 24 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for participating!

*Contest only open to U.S. residents.
*Thanks to MomSelect and Hallmark for providing me with a doll from the Rainbow Brite collection in order to write a honest review.  All opinions are my own. 

Friday Follow

Don't forget to join Friday Follow!  I am a little late joining today.  Meet new bloggers and check out some great new blogs.

Activities for Preschoolers at Home

All of the little ones in my daughter's playgroup are in preschool.  She couldn't go since she was only 2 so I decided to do some stuff at home with her. You may be like me and wonder what you can do at home with them to help teach them skills for when they do go to preschool or even kindergarten.  This is just an overview of things to teach your child and examples of ways to teach the main concepts.  You probably have lots of educational toys (puzzles, games, videos, etc) that you can also use.  You can also take field trips.

How to set up preschool at home:
Pick a weekly or monthly theme and tailor activities around it.  Depending on your child, you may choose to pick two or three days a week where you set aside one or two hours to have structured activities or you may choose to go with the flow and implement them whenever you have time.

Example:
Discuss what day of the week it is and the date
Dress a doll or a stuffed animal based on how cold it is outside
Have a theme and read a story, play a game, sing a song, eat a snack, and/or do a craft around the theme
Do something physical (such as play outside or dance)

Activities:

• Use a chore or reward chart.  My daughter does little things like pick up her toys and help unload the dishwasher (warning: this takes forevvverrrrr)

• Sing songs that teach or just silly songs to dance to.  I wrote a post a few weeks ago about Songs to Motivate Your Kids: From Counting to Cleaning.  Teach them to clap the rhythm to a song.  Hop, march, and jump around (skip if they are able).  Have them do the bunny hop forward and back.

• Play Simon Says (or Mama Says) or Follow the Leader. This helps them to learn to listen to directions.

• Act out emotions.  Look at pictures of other children's faces and identify what emotion they are showing.

•  Throw and catch balls.

• Draw circles, horizontal and vertical lines, and triangles.  You can use shaving cream or whipped cream also to make it more fun.

• Tape a piece of paper with straight, zig zag, and squiggly lines on a window with a blank piece of paper over it.  Let your child trace the lines.

• Play pretend and encourage them to use their imagination.  With blankets build a tent and pretend to go camping.  Have a tea party with their stuffed animals.

• Crafts are always a good activity.  Folding paper, pasting, coloring, and using safety scissors require some coordination. 

• Teach them their left and their right.  Have them hold their hands out in front of them and take notice of which hand the thumb and forefinger make an "L" for left.  You can also make a game out of giving them directions such as "point to the left", "step to the right", and "raise your left arm" or have a scavenger hunt with directions involving left and right. You can also have them trace their hands and feet and label them.

• Try to get them to sit for a story.  Use funny sounds or props when you read.  Try to get them involved by asking questions.

• Teach them their colors and about fruits by making your own scratch n sniff paints. You can also have a placemat (a piece of letter size paper that you've had laminated) with colored blocks and using foods of varying colors have them put the colored foods on the matching colored blocks.  You can also have them sort legos or blocks by color.  You can also use colored stickers to teach colors.

• You can teach the alphabet by giving your children alphabet cookies and a placemat that you have made with the alphabet and have them match up the cookie with the letters on the placemat.  Have them say the letter out loud to you. Make an alphabet book with the letter and pictures of things that begin with that letter.  Spell out words for them such as their name and teach them the letters.

• Teach numbers by counting foods into piles. This will also allow you to introduce the concepts of big and small by comparing different size piles.  You can count anything with your child.  At dollar stores, they often sell wall decals.  If you can find numbers (or make your own with circular wall decals that you've added numbers to with marker) you can put them on the wall by the stairs if you don't have an open staircase.  This way they can see the numbers as you count the stairs together when you go up and down. You can also do countdowns using calendars or make your own.

• Create an obstacle course for your children using pillows to jump in, have them limbo under a broom handle (set up on two chairs), jump over a piece of tape on the floor, and crawl under a kitchen chair.  Do you remember having to crab walk in gym class?

• Running with a kite or kicking a ball.

• Fill a dish pan with water, beans, or rice and give them a strainer, a little rake, and measuring cups. 

• Help them complete 3-6 piece puzzles (or larger ones as they become more capable).

• Have a doll or a stuffed animal that you can dress based on the weather outside (good way to teach a child fine motor skills and about the weather).

• Teach your child spatial relationships such as in, on top, inside, outside, up, down, over, under, near, and far.  You can have your child sit on a chair or climb into a box or use a stuffed animal to illustrate these concepts.

• Have your child help bake or cook by pouring ingredients in the bowl or mixing.

• Pounding, pulling, and stamping play-doh.

• Teach safety by making a list of rules for your home and letting them decorate it.  You can also use their stuffed animals and buckle them in the car to show them the importance of buckling up.  Determine what rules you want to emphasize first, determine what ones they already know, and go from there.

• Teach manners by modeling what you want them to do.  You may want to pick one or two to stress monthly or until your child has mastered them and continually reinforce them. 

• Days of the week can be taught by talking about the day of the week on a daily basis using a calendar or you can have all of the days written on index cards with magnets attached.  Put the day of the week on the fridge with your child first thing in the morning.

• Teach body parts by making it into a game.  See how fast they can point to their various body parts.  You can also make a large cutout of a doll and then make cutouts of eyes, a mouth, hands, feet, etc.  Have them put the body parts where they belong.  You can do this with clothing cutouts also.

A lot of the time, you teach your child these things just from everyday life when the opportunity arises. 

Here are a list of websites to check out for activities, crafts, and theme ideas:

Curriculum ideas
PreschoolLearning.com
Family Education
abcteach 
First-School
PreschoolEducation.com
Gayle's Preschool Rainbow

Crafts and activities
DLTK
Disney Family Fun
thebestkidsbooksite.com
Enchanted Learning

I also did a post awhile ago about online games for kids (many educational), click here to check it out.

The Mommy Race of Soon-to-be Preschoolers

Can you believe that you need to register your little ones NOW for pre-k in the fall?!?!?!  At some preschools, it may already be to late to get in. 

I just left a message this morning at a local preschool that had been highly recommended by no less than six or seven moms.  My daughter is turning 3 at the end of August and I think it will be good for her to learn and socialize with other little ones in a structured setting. Hearing the raving of the moms of current and former students of this pre-k certainly helped put my mind at ease about sending her.

My heart skips a beat thinking about her going off to school for the first time-without me. 

I wanted to be that nonchalant mom enrolling her daughter in pre-k who didn't talk the administer's ear off with how I am preparing my daughter academically and socially (as if pre-k determines whether your kid is going to be a success or a failure in life), no tears (on my part), and no racing to her office to sign the forms in the need to have two hours of peace all to myself (hallelujah, start the party).

She called back before lunch.  After she explained how their day was set up and the times, I told her I was very interested and how did we proceed from there.  She mentioned that paperwork was involved.  If you know me-paperwork is what sits in pretty piles in a basket on my husband's desk to make the room look authoritative and businesslike.  I told her she could drop them in the mail.  Yes, folks, I was successfully that laid back parent nonchalantly enrolling my daughter in pre-k.

And then the words came spewing out, "I know classes can fill up fast..."

She replied, "yes, they do.  We only have two spots left."

I'm sure she heard my sharp intake of breath.  I'm sure they heard it in China. 

When she said that they only had two spots open, my adrenalin started to race.  My mind was calculating how long it would take me to get both girls in their winter gear, whether the gas gauge was still on E,  and where the preschool was located exactly (I only have driven past it a hundred times).  I estimated about fifteen minutes even before she could utter a word.

She replied that she was on her way out and that she would be in tomorrow from 8-10 if I wanted to stop by then.  Did I?  Was the sky blue?  Does a poopy diaper stink?

Do you think me sitting in the parking lot waiting for her at 7:45 is to desperate?  No, I wouldn't really do that.  Or would I?  Actually, I will probably make sure I am there at 8 sharp.  I figure that will just make me look punctual.

I feel like I'm in a mommy race.  Who can register their kid faster?  All I want is not to come in last.

Any pre-k advice from you seasoned mommies?

Tomorrow I will be posting an article about activities to do at home with little ones (basically doing a version of pre-k at home).

A New Look at Mommy Jeans

What do you think of when you hear the term "mom jeans"?  Those high-waisted and tapered leg jeans that were sold years over a decade or two ago that are rarely flattering, right.  The jeans that Jessica Simpson and President Obama (at the All-Star game) both were accused of wearing last year.

That isn't what I'm referring to though.  I am referring to any jeans worn by moms. 

At playgroup one day we were discussing the crazy things we collect in our pockets by the end of the day.  Following around an infant and a toddler or any kid for that matter, you pick up anything and everything.  Garbage or dirt on the floor (why bother dragging out the vacuum when you could just pick it up faster), something that your child could choke on (screws that your hubby left on the counter after one of his projects forgetting that your little one now climbs), and that puzzle piece (that has been missing for the last two months that you found under the couch searching for a lego) all find their way into your pockets.

Yesterday, I was reflecting on how my jeans probably resemble something a garbage collector would wear at the end of his shift.  I coudn't even identify some of the spots on my jeans.  How often in the course of the day do your little one's grimy hands clutch your jeans or how often, for the sake of time (that pesky dish towel is not within reach), do you just swipe your hands on your jeans?

Thank goodness I didn't have to run to the grocery store last night or any other errands.  The sad thing is I probably wouldn't have even checked the state of my clothes before running out.  Guilty, as charged.

Blog Awards II

Hi! My name is Joy and I am a procrastinator... Seriously, I am. I try so hard not to be that way but sometimes it seems that the harder I try, the worse I get. Several people were kind enough to give me awards awhile ago (and I do mean awhile ago) and I am just now getting around to returning the favor. 


I received the Best Blog Award from Tanya of The Grab Bag and from CityGirlGoneCountry awhile ago (as in several months ago) and have delayed in passing them on. If you haven't already checked out The Grab Bag or City Girl Gone Country, please do so. They have wonderful blogs and I know I have enjoyed reading them.

The rules to accept this award are:

To accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his/her blog link.
Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you have recently discovered and think are great!
Remember to contact the bloggers you've awarded to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here are the bloggers to who I am passing this award:

The Brouse House

Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow
"Manda Blogs About
Mommy Words
The Suburban Jungle
One Prince and Three Princesses
Adventures in Mommyville
City Chic on a Farm
Coming Clean:Confessions of an Imperfect Parent
The Husailey Bunch 

The Crunchy Wife
Crumbs in the Minivan
Busy Little Monkey
Crazy Adventures in Parenting
Lunchbox Limbo

I also received the One Lovely Blog Award from "Deal"ightfully Frugal awhile ago and also from Finding Michelle. Again I have been a little slow in passing on this honor. "Deal"ightfully Frugal is a very inspirational blog so stop on over if you haven't checked it out. Finding Michelle is wonderfully written and you'll enjoy traveling with Michelle as she finds herself.

The rules to accept this award:

Accept this award and post it on your blog.
Include link back to the blog you received it from.
Pass the award to fifteen blogs you have newly discovered.
Be sure to contact them to let them know they have been awarded.
Here are the blogs to whom I am passing this award:

Just an Army Wife and Mother
A Mom After God's Own Heart
HaleMom.com
Strawberry Seeds
three pumpkins little
Crazy Little Thing Called Life
Mommy Has to Work
The Love Shack
From Misery to Happiness
A Lil' Story
Peaster Peach 
Bump 2 Basics
Tickle Me Button
The Winey Mommy
The Happy Little Wren

I also received the I Love Your Blog Award from Finding Michelle. Thanks, Michelle! I am passing this award on to some blogs that I enjoy reading. Here they are:

The Stroller Ballet 
Of Mice and Ramen
Faithfully Frugal and Free

This past week I was given two new awards.  I am not procrastinating this time. I am learning. Consider this  my attempt at working on keeping the New Year's Resolution that I didn't make.  

 

I received this award from Turning the Clock Back last week.  If you haven't checked out her blog yet please head over there.  She has lots of great information about how we can take be more eco-friendly in our day to day lives.

Here are the rules:

Put the logo on your blog or within your post,
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers,
Link the nominees within your post,
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

Da...da...da..dada... da...the bloggers I am passing this award on to are :

Adventures of a Wanna-Be SupahMommy

Simply Stacie

Organic Motherhood with Coolwhip

 Confessions From a Working Mom 

20 to Life 

Mrs. Blogalot 

A Nut in a Nutshell

Mom's Best Bets
Ascending Butterfly
Today's Cliche
The Story of Us
The Rantings of a Drama Queens Mum

To accept the "Happy 101 Award" I need to:
1. Acknowledge the person who gave it to me
2. List ten items that make me happy, and
3. Award it to ten other bloggers.

I received this award from JDaniel's Mom recently.  She has some great resources for moms and some great giveaways on her site.

10 Things That Make Me Happy:

1. My husband and daughters laughing.

2. Chocolate (Any chocolate will do.  I have a special affinity for Hershey's because of childhood memories.)

3. Umbrellas and galoshes in funky and whimsical patterns.  They make me smile on rainy, dreary days.

4. Snuggling under several blankets at bedtime.

5. Gathering with friends at our house.  

6. Traveling.

7. Shoes (There is no such thing as to many shoes.)

8. Vintage hats (my collection started as a joke and it grew with the help of family and friends)

9. The smell of fresh laundry.

10. Getting lost in a book.

Here are the bloggers to who I am passing this award:

The Girl Next Door Grows Up

 Wonderfully Chaotic

 Theta Mom  

A Daily Scoop of Chaos 

  Eternal Lizdom  

CA Girl

Under the Golden Apple Tree 

Mommy is Green  

The Days Ill Remember 

Thrifty Mammas Tips 

Since it took me three days to finish compiling this list that I started awhile ago, it will probably take me awhile to get around to all of these amazing bloggers.

Have a great Monday, Everyone.  Repeat after me, "snow, snow, go away...."  Another snowstorm is forecasted for tonight.  Yippee. (Yup, that was sarcastic.)  Tomorrow is Fashnacht Day and what would it be without a doughnut run????

Cover Girl Blast Review & Giveaway

I have been a member of BzzAgent for several years now after hearing about it from my sister-in-law.  For those of you unfamiliar with BzzAgent, it is a WOM (word-of-mouth) marketing network.  After signing up (it's free), they will alert you when they have new campaigns that you might be interested in.  I have recieved free products to try and share and coupons.  If you like trying new products for free and telling your friends and family about them, then this is something that may be of interest to you.  What is the catch?  There is none. All you have to do before the end of the campaign is log into your account at the Bzzagent website and fill out at least two reports about your opinion of the product, who you talked to, what you said, and how they responded.  In return, you get MyPoints which you can redeem for gift cards from your favorite retailers.

I was recently sent a box of goodies to have a CoverGirl Blast Party.  I invited friends over for some good converation, yummy food, and a chance to try the new line of CoverGirl cosmetics.  Even though there was a snowstorm on the horizon and a few friends cancelled, several of us still got together for a "Mommy's Night Out". 

Here is what came in my CoverGirl Blast Kit Box:


We had a good time.  I told everyone about the makeup and showed them the colors.  Everyone got to take a Shineblast Lip Gloss and a SmokyShadowBlast with them.  Our little party broke up early due to the threat of snow but a good time was had by all.  Some food, wine, and makeup (did I mention no kids) all made for a great evening.

What did I like about the makeup?

I am not usually a fan of lip gloss but I would use this again.  I hate really shiny lips and I was worried about the "4x more noticeable shine" but there was no need to worry. The lip gloss in my opinion had just the right amount of shine.  The lip gloss comes in sixteen colors.  I tried number 815 called Heat.  It had just a hint of color and I really liked the shine it left on my lips.  I have to confess I also liked the smell of the lip gloss.  It had a hint of a watermelon scent to it.  The make-up artist inspired applicator made applying the lip gloss incredibly easy.  

 

The shadow stick includes two color combinations.  One color has a rounded end for shading the eye lid while the other has a tapered end, perfect for lining the crease of your eye and your eye lids.  I loved the colors which are perfect for spring.  I am not a big fan of powders so this was a great product for me to try.  I would note that I did not twist out as much of the stick as they show in the pictures above.  I can see it breaking if you would press to hard.  The shadow stick was super easy to use and it gave expert looking results without much effort.  It also doesn't take up much room in your purse. The sticks are also hypo-allergenic, so even if you have sensitive eyes, you can still enjoy these shades.

Cover Girl ShadowBlast and ShineBlast can be found wherever CoverGirl products are sold.  The ShadowBlast retails for about $7.99 and the ShineBlast retails for around $7.49.  You can probably find them cheaper though with some competitve shopping or coupons.  You can also enter to win your own CoverGirl ShineBlast and ShadowBlast products to share with a friend!

CoverGirl ShineBlast and ShadowBlast Giveaway
(Approx. Retail Value: $30)

The Practical Mom Guide is giving away 2 ShineBlast lip glosses and 2 ShadowBlast sticks.

 

To enter this giveaway, do any (or all if you choose) of the following:
Remember to leave separate comments for multiple entries. 
Leave your email in one of your comments if it is not on your blogger profile.
 

* Leave a comment with the type of makeup (lipstick, foundation, mascara, etc.) that you can't live without? (1 entry)

*Become a follower of The Practical Mom Guide and if you are already a follower just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Subscribe to The Practical Mom Guide (1 entry)

*Follow The Practical Mom Guide on twitter (2 entries)

*Become a fan of The Practical Mom Guide on Facebook (2 entries)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name
Ex. CoverGirl Makeup Giveaway at TPMG http://bit.ly/9EcCH8 Ends 2/22. Please retweet.

(1 entry per tweet)

*Enter another giveaway at The Practical Mom Guide and leave a comment with which giveaway you entered (2 entries for each giveaway you enter)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

*Contest only open to U.S. residents.

This giveaway will end on Monday, February 22, 2010. I will announce the winner on February 23rd here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for participating!

I was sent the CoverGirl cosmetics through BzzAgent.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Show Yourself Some Mommy Love

We have a tendency as moms to make sure everyone else's needs are being met often in lieu of our own.  Making sure hubby has clean underwear (that is probably the only thing that is clean in the laundary room) and that the kids are fed a healthy breakfast (whether that is pancakes or Trix depending on what you can get your children to eat) often takes precedence over us taking more than five minutes to ourselves. 

Here are some ways to show yourself some mommy love:

1. Smell a favorite scent.  For some reason just the smell of my favorite perfume provides a lift.
2. Light a candle and sit and watch the flickering flame.  There is something soothing about just taking a few minutes to do nothing. It can be restorative.
3. Exercise.  It will get your adrenaline flowing.  Your muscles and heart will thank you.
4. Read a book.  Get lost in another world and forget about your to-to-list.  Okay, reading an entire book may not be realistic but read a magazine cover to cover in one sitting or even the newspaper.   If you have forgotten what that is like, your not alone.  Check out An Ode to the Lifestyle Section.
5. Take a nap.  Who couldn't use a midday snooze (especially if the kids are out for the count to).
6. Forget the laundry, the dusting, and the toilet bowl that needs to be scrubbed.  Strap the kiddos in the stroller and go window shopping.  Or, if your snowed in (like many of us this week), lock yourself in a room and go window shopping online.
7. Dress up in makeup and heels and treat yourself to lunch, even if it is at McDonald's with the kids.  At least you'll feel sexy sitting there in Playland and you'll be the best dressed momma there. 
8. Go for a drive.  I love to drive in the car even with the little ones in the backseat.  The monotony of driving seems to get my creative juices flowing.
9. Meet up with some friends.  There is nothing better than enjoying the company of other women.  It's even better if there is wine involved.  Again, if your snowed in you can conference your friends on the phone and chat or have your own little twitter party online.
10. Take five, or ten, or an hour to write on your blog.  It doesn't matter if your ranting, raving, or reassuring it is good therapy for whatever ails you.  Ask any mommy blogger.
11. If you enjoy crafts, take time to devote to your crafty side.  Finish that project that you put aside.  For me that would be my scrapbooking.
12. Do a puzzle or a crossword to exercise your mind. 
13. You pick a movie or your favorite tv show and sit through it uninterrupted.  Let your hubby watch the kids and be in charge of their nighttime routine.
14.Take a class.  Check out the offerings at the local Y, a nearby community center, or the local community college.  Broaden your horizons.

At least one of these things is guaranteed to take you to a happy place. Best of all, they are all free or relatively inexpensive ways to shower yourself with some "mommy love".

Happy Valentine's Day, Moms!

Journal Buddies Book Review and Autographed Book Giveaway

I am a huge advocate of anything that improves children's self-esteem and encourages writing.  Journal Buddies: A Girl's Journal for Sharing and Celebrating Magnificance  and Journal Buddies: A Boy's Journal for Sharing and Celebrating Magnificance does exactly that.  The person behind these books for children is Jill Schoenberg.  She attended  the University of Minnesota where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Youth Studies and Sociology.  She took her love for creative journaling and used it to help young people increase their self-esteem by focusing on their strengths and allowing them to share those postive traits with others while unleashing their creative side.

Why is self-esteem important? Did you know that "by high school only 29% of girls report that they are happy the way there are"?  To often children, especially tweens and teens, focus on negative aspects of their appearance and their personality.  They are also conscious of how others perceive them and many face bullying (name calling, teasing, etc.) at school.

Each journal entry in the Journal Buddies book has an inspirational thought for the day, has space for the journaler to list three qualities or traits that he/she likes about the person they are sharing their journal entry with and vice versa, and it includes a blank page for them to get creative and a lined page to write their thoughts.  Schoenberg also includes steps for how to find the good stuff, a sample journal entry, examples of traits, qualities, and talents that people have, and also 89 creative journaling ideas. Some of my favorites were to write an ad for youself about why you are a great person, make a collage of your favorite photos, and write a letter to someone who means a lot to you.

I love that this book really focuses on the positive. It helps children see that there is good stuff all around them in their family, their friends, and most importantly in themselves.  Sometimes they just need to look for it.  It also helps children get in touch with their creative side through writing, drawing, or assembling creations through pictures that they find.  I highly recommend this journal to share with your children. 

Journal Buddies has also received the Mom's Choice Award  and The Dove Foundation Family-Approved Seal.

Jill's newly designed website devoted to Journal Buddies also has a list of resources, creative journaling ideas, and sample journal pages for parents and children to access.  You can also follow Journal Buddies on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on new features, resources, and articles on the site as they become available. 

Interested in owning a copy for your child or a child in your life?  Click here to purchase a girl's copy and here to purchase a boy's copy.

You can also enter to win your own autographed copy (your choice for either a boy or a girl).  If you provide me with the name of the child when I contact you if you win, Jill will autograph it to him/her personally!

Enter to Win an Autographed Copy of Journal Buddies (your choice of either the boy or girl copy)

Mandatory Entry: Visit the Journal Buddies website and leave a comment of one thing you learned.  If you do not complete this entry, all other entries will be void. (1 entry)

For extra entries, choose any (or all) of the following and leave a comment:
 Don't forget to leave separate comments for actions that result in multiple entries (ex. I posted this giveaway on my blog #1, I posted this giveaway on my blog #2...)
&
Please make sure that you leave an email address or some way of contacting you (if your email or blog is not listed on Blogger profile) in the instance that you are the winner.

*Become a follower of The Practical Mom Guide and if you are already a follower just leave a comment stating that you already follow (1 entry)

*Subscribe to The Practical Mom Guide (1 entry)

*Follow Journal Buddies on twitter (2 entries)

*Become a fan of Journal Buddies on Facebook (2 entries)

*Tweet (maximum of once daily) about this giveaway and don't forget to leave your twitter name
Ex. Autographed Journal Buddies book giveaway at TPMG http://bit.ly/d8RBgY. Please retweet.

(1 entry per tweet)

*Enter another giveaway at The Practical Mom Guide and leave a comment with which giveaway you entered (2 entries for each giveaway you enter)

*Add The Practical Mom Guide to your blogroll or display our button (5 entries)

*Post about this giveaway on your blog (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on Thursday, February 25, 2010. I will announce the winner on February 26th here at The Practical Mom Guide. If I am unable to contact the winner or they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Good luck and thanks for participating!

*Contest only open to U.S. residents. 

I was sent a copy of Journal Buddies: A Girl's Journal for Sharing and Celebrating Magnificence by Jill Shoenberg  in the hopes that I would do a review.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  All opinions are my own.