Baby Bites

Baby Bites

By   12:48:00 PM   No comments:

I have to confess, since being a stay at home mom I have let the schedule slack. I have also stopped paying attention to what Ashlee is really eating, just letting her snack a she wishes running all over the house. Now I'm paying the price for my mommy mistake!

Baby Bites, the newest title from Bridget Swinney, Registered Dietitian and mother of two, delves into every area of feeding babies, including the less talked about "output" department. She also offers a no nonsense approach to making your own baby food.

"In working with new parents, I've found they really need practical information and real life examples. I appreciate the fact that new moms often don't have the time to take a shower, much less to sit down and read a complicated feeding book! So I've divided the information into sections that can be read quickly--during a nursing session, for example."

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Teens: 50 Activities That Will Change Your Life

Teens: 50 Activities That Will Change Your Life

By   2:50:00 PM   No comments:

This is a great book for parents of teens. The book helps with self discovery in this world where the challenges of being a teen chage daily!

With all the challenges and uncertainty in a teen's life, self-discovery and setting a foundation for the future is difficult. "Who am I?" and "How can I become the person I want to be?" are questions that frequently haunt teenagers.

With the help of Roger Leslie's book, Success Express for Teens: 50 Activities that Will Change Your Life, today's teenagers can begin to discover more about themselves and learn about setting attainable goals.
Leslie compares choosing a direction for your life with going to a train station and deciding which train will take you to your desired destination.

The ticket for every destination in life is commitment. "Are you required to remain only on one train all your life?" students ask Leslie. "Of course not," he reassures them. "You may return to the depot at any time to pick a new train, or you may re-board old trains you once took but left earlier."

To help young people decide on a destination, this award-winning teacher developed and refined the exercises shared in Success Express for Teens. Throughout the book, the brief, action-oriented activities pose the questions "What should I do next?", "How?" and "What's in it for me?" After describing the goal of the activity, Leslie then leaves room to respond to specific instructions and reflect on how the knowledge can be put to immediate use in real life.

The activities are set up to encourage teenagers to clarify their highest ambitions, identify wise risks, and develop motivation that will help make them self-starters and keep them focused on their goals--even in the face of adversity. Leslie subtly teaches students about their dynamic relationship with life and the empowering role they play in any destiny to which they aspire.

Teens can take their journey to success independently by completing the suggested activities on their own. In addition, the book has a helpful appendix for teachers, counselors, group leaders and parents which details ways to turn each of the 50 activities into shared group experiences for five to fifty teens.

So, whether alone or with their peers, teens can board the Success Express and move toward identifying and realizing their dreams.

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Breast Cancer: No One Chose This Journey

Breast Cancer: No One Chose This Journey

By   12:46:00 PM   No comments:

When I saw the title of this book I just had to read it. Many women suffer fromt his disease and many so not share it. But I know that everyone know someone who has or had breat cancer. (weather or not they have told you).

"...a beautiful book, filled with breathtaking art and hope, bringing smiles and much calm..."
- Barbara Delinsky, New York Times bestselling author of UPLIFT: Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors

The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates that each year, over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and of them over will 40,000 die from the disease. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. But when she believes that breast cancer could never happen to her, the diagnosis seems devastating.

Fran Padgett extends a hand to every "she" living with breast cancer in her new book Breast Cancer: No One Chose This Journey. In this tribute to all women who have been "chosen by breast cancer," Padgett offers comfort. Through nine stories that have been entrusted to her by friends and others she met casually at conventions, coffee shops, and in line at the shoe store, Padgett shows that, while the journey may be intensely personal, no one travels that path completely alone.

The spirit of many different women imbues these pages. From the very young to older survivors in various countries, Padgett takes the tales of the same difficult disease and shows how each woman fought and how she bloomed. Readers will meet Destiny who was diagnosed at 29; Becky who kept giving her students so much while she was battling; and Bonnie who rode 14 miles to the Breast Center for treatment. They may have been chosen by the same disease, but each woman's experience is uniquely theirs. Reading about the different trials and tribulations each of these women faced makes it easier to believe that breast cancer does not have to create unnecessary isolation; it can be used to unite.

Padgett's original artwork enhances each of the stories. A series inspired by the women she writes about, The Gift Of Time pieces communicate the sense of strength and hope shared through the stories. Each piece in this collection shows the inner spirit and beauty of the woman for whom Padgett created it. Painted using her own impressions and the impressions of family and friends of the woman, the art is a visual of the love and support with which each woman surrounds herself when facing this hard disease.

A book of comfort and sorrow, this book has a message for all who read it. If you enjoyed the tales of strength from books like Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor's Soul and A Cup of Comfort for Breast Cancer Survivors, this truly touching collection is a must-read.

Every emotion and outpouring of the soul is captured through Padgett's words and her stunning Gift of Time artworks. All of the triumphs and ironies, the laughter and tears, the sensations of survival, and the complexities of healing usher in anyone who feels abandoned by the world and showers them with the courage to strengthen their relationships and the hope to keep moving forward with life.

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Grandloving: Making Memories with Your Grandchildren

Grandloving: Making Memories with Your Grandchildren

By   12:41:00 PM   No comments:

I'm not a grandparent but I got this book for my mother. It is a super book for granparents of all ages and in all stages of life.

You can be the grandparent that every child wants! With Grandloving’s heartfelt ideas you’ll connect, bond, and grow closer to your grandchildren.

The new, 5th edition of Grandloving: Making Memories With Your Grandchildren includes anecdotes and hints from hundreds of grandparents, parents, and grandchildren from all over the world.
Whether you’re a seasoned grandparent, newbie nana, or child caregiver, this vast collection of fun, low-cost activities, resources and helpful information provides support for family members of all ages!

• Revised, updated, and expanded 5th edition (View our videos for more details.)
• Co-authored by two generational team: Grandma Sue Johnson, her daughter-in-law, Julie Carlson, and daughter Elizabeth Bower (Learn about them.)  
• Illustrated by Ronnie Walter Shipman and Frederick B. Johnson

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New Book Uses Art to Make Math Fun

New Book Uses Art to Make Math Fun

By   10:44:00 AM   No comments:

This is an awesome book if you have a child who loves to draw, color, or just have fun. And the trick is they are learning math skills at the same time!

In Levin's 12th 1-2-3 Draw title (series total: 23 titles; over 1.5 million sold), she uses her proven step-by-step drawing instruction to offer lessons that supplement math learning in a fun way. In Draw Plus Math: Enhance Math Learning Through Art Activities, the lessons are based on learning goals outlined by the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).

By enhancing math learning through art activities with exercises and games, Levin turns the sometimes frightening and often challenging concepts of math into something fun and approachable. Robots, critters, odd creatures and more all play an active role in teaching beginning math concepts.

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Helping Military Children Understand Separations

Helping Military Children Understand Separations

By   2:06:00 PM   No comments:

Separation for children at any time of the year can be difficult, but the holidays are often even harder.

How does a parent in the U.S. Armed Forces explain to a young child the concept of service to country and about why they are away so often? Dear Baby, I'm Watching Over You written by Carol Casey and illustrated by Mark Braught, is a warm and beautifully illustrated story of enduring love across distance and time that will help children understand all the tender ways a parent remains connected to family while deployed to another country, to another state, or away for training exercises. Whether the child is a baby, toddler, or teen, they want to know that they remain a priority to their absent Mom or Dad and that their parent continues to watch over them from afar.

There are over a million servicemen and servicewomen on active duty. Many of them have had long and repeated tours of duty creating a challenging situation for military families. The 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimated there are more than 25 million veterans, many who faced similar challenges in keeping close bonds with their children while away from home.

This book is for all the military personnel and for their spouses and families who have sacrificed along with them. It is a love letter from a parent to a child that puts into words the small and precious moments keeping that bond alive through distance and hardship. It also addresses the larger issue of patriotism and duty felt by all those who serve.

Each Dear Baby book comes with a unique yearbook feature that will help preserve precious memories. In this book, it is a "Roll Call" page where the person who has read this to or with a child can write their name and the date.

"A delightfully illustrated story with meaningful passages offering a depiction of the many ways our military moms and dads are watching over their families....Dear Baby, I'm Watching Over You was developed for military families, but it's a book that is suitable for any child's bookshelf. I highly recommend this book for every child, classroom, and library."                 Barb Webb, Country Bookshelf Book Launches with Author's Tour of Military Bases
Author Carol Casey begins a tour of military bases this month stretching from Camp LeJune in North Carolina to Camp Pendleton in California.

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My Foodie ABC

My Foodie ABC

By   1:07:00 PM   No comments:

This book is GREAT! And so funny! Great for kids and even adults can enjoy it!

My Foodie ABC: A Little Gourmet Guide.

My Foodie ABC has been endorsed by James Osleand, Saveur's editor in chief, who says " "I love this sweet little book. It's a delicious primer to the wide world of food and the glories of the alphabet." 

My Foodie ABC is a delightful tool that stresses the importance of having a healthy relationship with food while teaching the letters of the alphabet to tots and other gastronomes in training. Stylish and dazzling illustrations that highlight terms such as Kobe beef, pomegranate, ice cream, and farmer’s market pair with fun foodie facts to make learning the alphabet easy and enriching. A complete introduction to the alphabet and gastronomical terms, this unique book also includes a pronunciation guide, making it an ideal companion for food aficionados.

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Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten and First Grade - Giveaway

Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten and First Grade - Giveaway

By   8:07:00 AM   15 comments:

Is your little one on his or her way to school for the first time? If so check out this great new book from Stacey Kannenberg! She is also releasing Let' Get Ready for First Grade too, one of our favorites!

Stacey Kannenberg is an author, publisher, motivator, speaker, keynote, consultant, blogger, spokesmom and MOM CEO. As the “Get Ready to Learn Mom”, Stacey is a nationally renowned education expert and award winning author and publisher with an expertise in children’s education and “Mom-entrepreneurship”. Stacey is the Founder/CEO of two publishing companies: Cedar Valley Publishing and Stacey Kannenberg Unlimited, an imprint of Cedar Valley Publishing. She is the author of the award winning and state approved, Let’s Get Ready series with Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! & Let’s Get Ready For First Grade! Stacey is currently releasing the highly anticipated Spanish/English Bilingual Edition of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! iA Prepararse Para Kindergarten!

Stacey is a media favorite and has been featured by over 700 mom blogs, hundreds of newspapers, magazines, radio shows, #1 search engine rankings and on national television! She was just listed as one of the Top 50 Children’s Publishers for 2009!

Stacey is a frequent presenter at Early Learning and Head Start Conferences where she holds workshops for teachers and educators entitled: Empowering Parents 101. Stacey is a favorite presenter at schools where she helps parents, kids and teachers with her workshop: Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten. She also presents at Book Publishing Conferences with her sessions on Book Publishing 101 & Book Marketing 101. Stacey also presents Empowering Mom 101 and Mom-entrepreneurship workshops to playgroups, MOPS, NAWBO, Joy of Connecting Groups and Mom Entrepreneurs. Stacey’s newest workshop is “Queen of Free” Marketing, Public Relations and Social Media Tips for Entrepreneurs, Businesses and Brands.

Tanya Peila and Cedar Valley Publishing are giving away a copy of Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten AND Let's Get Ready for First Grade to one lucky reader!
Ways to enter to win:
1. Comment below why you would like to win!
2. Subscribe to my blog!
3. Follow Me on Twitter
4. "Like" Tanya Peila on Facebook.
5. Tweet about this giveaway.
6. Blog about this giveaway.

Leave a comment for EACH entry method please.

Winner will be chosen August 15, 2010. PLEASE make sure you leave an email address where I can get a hold of you! US entries only.

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Turn You Children's Stories Into Books

Turn You Children's Stories Into Books

By   8:37:00 AM   3 comments:

I review my share of products, each unique in its own way. This has to be one of my FAVORITES so far! I found two things you can do with this service.

First, Peter Weck and Blake Williams are two dads who created this wonderful online program where children can turn their stories into printed books! This is such a great way to encourage children to be creative and write! Then once you get the book they are more encouraged to read it to others!

The second use I found for this book and I am not sure if Blake considered this perspective on it, but I found it was great for me to create stories FOR my kids ABOUT my kids. There are unnamed companies out there that sell products that you can create basically online scrapbooks and have them printed. They run about $50 EACH. Storyjumper offered the same type of service for only $25. I hope to create a book for each of my children for their birthdays every year.

I used Storyjumper to create a personalized book for Ashlee for her first birthday called, VIP (Very Important Person). I compiled pictures and stories from our family and put it all into one book to tell her what a VERY IMPORTANT PERSON she is!

Storyjumper.com has tons of props and scenes for you to use in your book. With the ability to upload your own photos and text the creation possibilities are endless. Other ideas include a graduation gift and new baby gift!

I want to thank Blake and StoryJumper for giving me the opportunity to review their product and sending me a free copy of the book I created for my daughter. When she reads it she points at all the pictures and says "baby!"

Join now for free and start your creation online. You can email your book to other and print paper copies. And ordering a hard copy is simple and inexpensive! Visit http://www.storyjumper.com/ today!

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Happy Birthday Dr. Suess!

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess!

By   10:05:00 AM   No comments:

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to the world as the beloved Dr. Seuss, was born in March 2, 1904.

Here are some great ideas from http://www.childfun.com/ to celebrate!

We read one of Dr. Seuss' books emphasizing the rhyming. Then we create our own book which we call "Look Out Dr. Seuss, Our Poems are on the Loose." In circle time I suggest several words that can be rhymed easily and the children make their own rhymes and illustrate them. Examples from last year: The flower took a shower, the man on the floor walked out the door and my favorite, I played in the mud and got full of crud. I make a large drawing of Dr. Seuss that all the children take turns coloring and we display their drawings around it. Copies of the drawings are put together as a book for the children to take home.

Make a Dr. Seuss hat from a paper bag. Just fold up the top of the bag and paint it red and white stripped. Add yarn around the folded part to help it stay on the childs head.
Another Seuss Hat. We took a paper plate and cut out the center. We then took strips (any size you choose) of white and red construction paper. We just used scotch tape to put the strips together. And use the center of the paper plate for the top of the hat.

Dr. Suess Books

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