Blog at Home Mom: Balancing Blogging and Motherhood

Blog at Home Mom by Christin Slade

A quick look through my archives reveals that I am a sporadic blogger. My lack of consistency is due to an ongoing struggle between my role as Mom, Wife, Housekeeper and my passion to write.

After wrestling with this lack of balance for over five years I jumped at the chance to review Christin's new ebook, Blog at Home Mom: Balancing Blogging and Motherhood.

I devoured the book in 3 evenings! Since reading the final page I have slowly read through it again, this time taking notes.

"Living out my passion to write helps me live out my purpose to mother with greater passion to thrive."  - Introduction, Blog at Home Mom

Christin inspired me in the introduction that blogging and motherhood (housekeeping, parenting, homeschooling, etc.) doesn't have to be either-or. I can do both simultaneously, and I can do both well.

The first page of chapter 1 really pinpointed my problem for all these years. Namely, I am a part-time blogger and a full-time stay at home mom.

"Part-time bloggers don't have some of the time luxuries that full time bloggers have. Especially if you are a homeschooling mom like me, or a working mom. My time is divided, therefore my goals will be different from those who have the ability to blog full time."  - Chapter 1, Blog at Home Mom

After reading the above quote something finally clicked for me. As a home school mom with four children (and another child due in May), I don't have the same about of time to dedicate to blogging as a mom with children in traditional school.


So, what am I to do? Christin answers that question.

"The key is to choose what will be most impactful for your time, your family, and your season."   - Introduction, Blog at Home Mom

 The rest of the book gives practical tips and ideas for how to decide what's most important for your family and blog and then follow through on those decisions. Some of the tips I put into place last week: tighten up our daily routine, set aside 2 hours each day (4 days a week) to write, and staying off the computer until my morning routine is completed. So far, so good.

I have other ideas that I hope to implement in the coming weeks, but for now I'm taking my return to blogging slow and easy. I don't want to burn out again!

If you struggle with balancing motherhood and blogging, then I strongly recommend you purchase Blog at Home Mom today. 

As a side note, Christin is using all of the income from her book sales to fund their Ghana adoption travel expenses. For less than $5 Christin's ebook will help you balance motherhood and blogging; and you help Christin bring her two new daughters home!


I'm thrilled to tell you that Christin has offered to give a copy of her ebook, Blog at Home Mom, to one of my readers. Just leave your email address in the comments on this post to be entered. This giveaway will end in 48 hours on Wednesday, February 6. Congratulations Del Kroemer, you won the copy of Blog at Home Mom!

4 Ways to Encourage Healthy Oral Hygiene Habits

Ben after losing a tooth last year.

Several years ago my husband developed a tooth infection. I'll spare you puss-filled details and just say that the abscess was disgusting. But worse than that, it hurt and consumed his thoughts and energy.

So several weeks, a couple of dentist appointments and one oral surgery later the abscess was gone and he felt much better. (I'm sure the post-surgery medications helped lift his mood as well!)

Joel takes his oral hygiene very serious after that experience! He doesn't want a repeat visit to the oral surgeon so he brushes, rinses, and flosses daily.


We've found 4 ways to encourage those healthy oral hygiene habits in our children.

• We start brushing our children's teeth when those new pearly whites first break through the gums. Our children were early teethers so we used a damp wash cloth in place of a tooth brush. They didn't object to the wash cloth rubbing the tooth and gums.

• We gave our preschoolers battery operated spin brushes to insure brushing happened instead of chewing on the toothbrush. These kid-sized toothbrushes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Princess and Super Hero toothbrushes are preferred at our house.

• We made brushing teeth a part of our morning and bed time routines. Oral hygiene is habit for my kids. To NOT brush their teeth before bed feels weird to them.

• And just to make sure these habits stick, we occasionally throw in the scare tactics. In other words, we tell those gruesome stories about daddy's oral surgery and my fillings. I share how my grandparents had ALL of their teeth pulled and wore dentures because they didn't brush their teeth.

Complete Care Water Flosser System

So far all 4 methods of developing good oral hygiene habits are working. Four kids, 2 dental visits a year, and no cavities so far!

One area that we haven't been diligent in teaching our kids is flossing. Have you ever tried to floss a 3 year old? It's not easy!

But all that might be changing. We are currently trying out the Complete Care Water Flosser System and the Water Flosser for Kids.


After his first experience with the Complete Care Water Flosser System, which includes water flossing and sonic brushing, my husband declared his teeth felt really clean.

Using the water flosser system on my kids was... well... hilarious! The best way I can describe the water flosser is to picture a tiny little power washer like my husband uses to clean the grime off our siding. Only you use it to clean the grime off your teeth.

Water Pik Water Flosser for Kids

My children thought the Water Flosser for Kids was 1000x more fun that brushing! They took turns leaning over the sink while I used the water flosser to gently blast clean their teeth along the gum line. We all laughed as water poured from their open mouths.

The hysterical part occurred when I tried to manipulate the wand in their mouths and got sprayed myself!

I'm sure the more I use this effective flossing tool the more coordinated I'll become. Until then my kids will be having a good laugh at my expense every time we water floss their teeth.

Do you own a Water Pik product? 

If not, they are currently offering coupons to use to purchase the Complete Care Water Flosser System and the Water Flosser for Kids.


Disclosure: I received free product in exchange for this post.  All opinions and stories expressed are my own.

Back to School Haircuts with Hair Cuttery

Ellie loves getting her hair cut!

Being a girl with 3 brothers is tough at times: pink glittery toys are few and far between while burps and "toots" are frequent and celebrated. 

But Ellie has learned that having 3 brothers isn't all bad!

She knows mama buzzes the boys' hair while girlies go get their hair done at a salon. This means about every 6 weeks Ellie gets special Mommy and Me time when we go to Hair Cuttery to get our hair cut and styled.

You can see from the photos that she hates this time. NOT!

A few weeks ago Hair Cuttery asked me if I would tell you about their Share A Haircut program. Since we have been Hair Cuttery customers for about 2 years I readily said "yes."

What is Share A Haircut?

Since 1999 Hair Cuttery has been donating back-to-school haircuts to children in need. To date they've donated more than 625,000 haircuts. That's a lot of children starting school feeling special and looking their best!!

You can also help a child receive a haircut!

This year Hair Cuttery invites you to join them in giving a child a haircut. There are two easy ways you can participate.

• Tell your friends about Share a Haircut using the easy app. All you have to do is go to the app, click on the Facebook or Twitter icons, then share the link. Easy peasy, as Ellie would say.

• Take your child to Hair Cuttery August 1-15 for a haircut. Working in partnership with local non-profit agencies, Hair Cuttery will donate a haircut to a child in need for each purchased hair cut.

As you can see from the pictures, Ellie thoroughly enjoyed her hair cut at Hair Cuttery! She's looking forward to starting our extra curricular activities and showing off her beautiful hair cut to her friends.

Will you help a child start school feeling beautiful and excited?

Disclosure: Hair Cuttery provided a gift card to cover part of the cost of Ellie's haircut. Ellie and I are both regular customers of Hair Cuttery #3733. Special thanks to Michelle D. for her patience with my paparazzi antics while she cut Ellie's hair.

Frugal Vacation Planning with SAVE

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of SAVE . All opinions are 100% mine.

The Orca Christmas Show at Sea World San Antonio

My family LOVES traveling, but the cost of a family vacation adds up quick! By the time I pay for transportation, lodging, food, entertainment, and souvenirs for 6 people I've usually spent over $1,500!!

To help lower vacation expenses I always search the internet for discounts and coupons on lodging, entertainment, and food. I bet you do the same thing!

Visit San Antonio knows that moms need a good discount so they've come up with a program called SAVE – San Antonio Vacation Experience. It's one stop internet research for moms planning frugal vacations to San Antonio!

I wish SAVE had been around in December 2011 when my family flew to San Antonio to visit grandparents! We could have saved money using their exclusive discounts, deals, and limited time offers.

Out of curiosity I looked up the 3 attractions we visited last Christmas to see what discounts are currently available.

• SeaWorld San Antonio -SeaWorld offers several coupons to print. $10 off a single day admission, as well as other discounts.
• San Antonio Children's Museum - SAVE currently has a 20% off a family of 4 coupon.
• The Alamo - The Alamo is always free admission but there is a $5 off adult coupon for a tour that includes The Alamo and several other museums.

Since my in-laws live in San Antonio we don't need lodging but if you need a hotel, I highly recommend staying in downtown San Antonio. Multiple museums and attractions are within walking distance of Riverwalk hotels.

We only scratched the surface of San Antonio attractions on our Christmas vacation. Since my in-laws have retired there, I know we'll be back. So using the SAVE website I started a list of places to visit on our next trip:

• Institute of Texan Cultures - Buy one, get one free!
• Ripley's Believe It or Not! and Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum -$1 off each ticket.
• Natural Bridge Caverns - $2 off adult tickets, $1 off child tickets.

In addition to bookmarking the website, follow @SAVEinSA on Twitter for all the updates on deals, limited time offers and ideas to help plan your next trip to San Antonio!


What attractions and hotels from SAVE – San Antonio Vacation Experience would you include in your San Antonio vacation?


Disclosure: This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of SAVE. All opinions are 100% mine. Links to SeaWorld, Children's Museum, and The Alamo take you to my reviews of these sites based on our visit in December 2011.

Save Money Grocery Shopping with Cut It Out! ebook

How much do you spend each month on groceries to feed your family?


$700?  $800?  $1,000?!


Kate Megill feeds her family of 10 on $500 a month. And she does it WITHOUT coupons.
 

Cut It Out! by Kate Megill

Yep. You read that correctly. $500 a month for a family of 10. I thought I did really well by spending $500 a month for my family of 6!

Kate recently offered her ebook in exchange for a review to the members of a Facebook group I participate in. I jumped at the chance to read Cut It Out!

I considered myself a frugal grocery shopping expert but watched my grocery budget inch upwards in recent years. I wanted to learn Kate's grocery shopping tips so I can lower my budget again.

Basic tips and tricks for saving money on groceries.  

In Cut It Out! Kate suggests you:

• Create a master list of meals. 

• Write out a menu plan based on those meals. 

• Track supermarket prices in a price book. 

• Invest in a well-stocked pantry. 

• And a whole lot more.

I came away from Cut It Out! with a renewed goal of lowering our grocery budget. I already menu plan and shop sales but I could do a much better job of this. Kate reminded me of the basic steps to frugal food shopping that I've been skipping.

Would you like to save money at the grocery store? 

I strongly suggest you purchase Cut It Out! and implement Kate's method for saving money!


From today through August 3, 2012, Cut It Out! is only $1.99. After August 3 the price will increase to $3.99.


If you are a newcomer to frugal grocery shopping, or an expert seeking encouragement that you're on the right path, I recommend you buy Cut It Out! today!

Are you a frugal newbie or a frugal expert? What is your best money saving tip?

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Disclosure: I received a free copy of Cut It Out! in exchange for my review. My opinions are my own. I truly believe this book will help anyone looking to save money on groceries.


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The Better Mom, Hip Homeschool Hop, Women Living Well, Raising Homemakers, Mom's Library, Whatever Wednesday, What's Up Wednesday

Barbie, Hot Wheels Double Dare Snare, and a GIVEAWAY!

I stood near the open door of my bedroom chatting with my husband who sat on the far side of our bed. Two neatly stacked boxes sat on the edge of the bed nearest me.

As we chatted, my soon-to-be-six year old daughter wandered into the room. I have the nosiest children in the world so I KNEW Ellie would pick up the box and look to see what it contained.

Curious how she would react when seeing the Barbie Doll inside, I watched her.

Ellie pulled the box off the bed. Her eyes scanned the Barbie doll (Australia Barbie from the Dolls of the World Collection), then shot in my direction.

Next her eyes grew wide and a guilty expression appeared on her face. She quickly returned the box to its position on the bed. As she made a beeline for the bedroom door, she glanced at me one more time to see if I had noticed her actions.

After leaving my room Ellie walked directly to her brother's bed, sat down with her hands in her lap, grinned from ear-to-ear, and bounced up and down. As she bounced she quietly said, "I'm getting a Barbie Doll for my birthday! I'm getting a Barbie Doll for my birthday!"

Hearing her sing-song announcement I burst into laughter and called her back into my room. Her guilty expression caused me to laugh even more.

I'm not sure if she felt happy or disappointed when I informed her that Mattel sent the Barbie for me to blog about and that it was NOT her birthday present. Either way, opening the box and playing with Australia Barbie later that afternoon eliminated any negative emotions she might suffered!

Ellie, Australia Barbie, and Veterinarian Barbie

As you can see, Ellie enjoyed playing with the Koala Bear that came with Australia Barbie. Unfortunately, the Koala fell ill and required a visit to Veterinarian Barbie (who she already owned). But don't worry! He made a full recovery.

In addition to Australia Barbie, Mattel sent Team Hot Wheels Double Dare Snare for my boys.

Ben, Sam and Ellie put together the track without help!

Team Hot Wheels Double Dare Snare is cool!! (According to my sons.) My 7 year old son snapped the whole thing together in about 20 minutes. Then the fighting began.

Fighting? Oh, yes. The set only comes with one car but the tracks make a double loop. Naturally the boys fought over who used the new car and whose turn it was.

It didn't help matters that not all of our other Matchbox cars worked on the 2nd track. Many of our cars are older models so the metal is heavier. Heavier cars fall to the floor part way up the loop.

But we turned lemons into lemonade and used the plummeting cars as an opportunity to teach about gravity and physics. We even had fun testing to see which cars were light enough to complete the loop and which were too heavy and fell to the floor.

Once we worked out a system of sharing the cars the fighting stopped and everyone enjoyed playing with the new track. In fact, my 3 year old surprised me by playing with the track for several days in a row. It really captured his attention!

If you are attending a million kid's summer birthday parties like we are (OK. Only 5.), I recommend you give a doll from the Dolls of the World Barbie Collection or the Team Hot Wheels Double Dare Snare! Both are sure to be a hit with the birthday girl or boy. They were with my birthday girl!

You can receive some awesome toys from Mattel as well! Just enter on the Rafflecopter below to WIN either a Girls' Prize Pack or a Boys' Prize Pack! 

*Note:  

Girl Prize Pack Includes: Barbie Dress & Design Studio ($21.99 APR), A Barbie Doll of the World ($29.95 APR) & Barbie I Can Be... Fashion Designer ($13.99 APR) 
 

Boys Prize Pack Includes: Matchbox Big Boots Fire Truck ($25.99 APR), Hot Wheels Wall Tracks ($24.99 APR) & Hot Wheels Ballistiks ($24.99 APR)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out Mattel on Facebook and Twitter. Make sure you visit the following ladies from RI Digital Media Women (#RIDMW) as well to see their fantastic reviews of Mattel Products!  
 

Baby Gators Den, Savoring the Thyme,  Cira's Lyrics,
Learning to Juggle,  When The Kids Go To Bed,

Blush Mamas, 30 Something Mother Runner,

Mama Luvs Books, Keekoin 

Disclosure: Some of the products in this post were provided to facilitate my review. The opinions and stories are my own based on our experiences with the toys. Thank you, Mattel, for allowing us to review your toys!

A Winning Olympics Children's Book

Olympics Kid's Book

My children are finally big enough to understand and enjoy the Olympic Games so we are a tad Olympics-crazy at our house, as you'll see from posts over the next few weeks.

As with all our family activities, I first searched for an Olympics children's book to read with my children and learn about the Games.

Truth be told, I emailed Sleeping Bear Press and begged politely requested to review any Olympics related books they've published.

A week later G is for Gold Medal: An Olympic Alphabet arrived at my door. And boy, are we glad it did!!

G is for Gold Medal is formatted in classic Sleeping Bear Press alphabet book style: all of the letters are represented in rhyming couplet, each page has a side bar with further information related to the poem, while the illustrations contain bright colors and active scenes.

"U" is one of my favorite pages. The text says,

"U is for an underdog,
so unbelievably bold,
and an unexpected upset
to win Olympic gold."

The sidebar tells the miracle story of 1980 when a group of college-aged amateurs went up against the Soviet team, who had beaten National Hockey League all-stars the year before. Amazingly the American underdogs won the gold medal!

One of the things I love about the Olympics is that you never know what will happen! You never know which athlete's story of hard work and perseverance will shine as bright as the the gold medal he or she wins. 

G is for Gold Medal does an outstanding job of highlighting those personal stories and teaching kids (and parents, too!) Olympic history.

Another of my favorite pages is "L." The poem states,

"A long run starts letter L, 

then a launch, a leap, a landing.

A little gymnast with a large heart.

A gold medal! Outstanding!"

The sidebar tells of Mary Lou Retton who scored a perfect 10 in the 1984 Olympics. In 1984, a 9 year old little girl watched Mary Lou cartwheel her way into the history books. To me, that grow-up little girl, her name is synonymous with the Olympics!

So when I turned the page to "L" and saw Mary Lou on the balance beam wearing the quintessential American leotard I couldn't help smiling. And something deep in my heart longed to join my 5 year old daughter in the gym doing cartwheels and balance beam routines.

Ellie works with Coach Hanna (an Olympic gymnast!) at RISE gymnastics.

I'm sure we will read G is for Gold Medal several times between now and the Olympic closing ceremonies in August. I HIGHLY recommend you read the book also!

What is your favorite Olympic event? Did you dream of going to the Olympics as an athlete?

Disclosure: Thanks to Sleeping Bear Press for providing a copy of G is for Gold Medal for my review! All opinions regarding the book are my own and were not influenced by receiving a review copy.

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Online Computer Games for Stuck Inside Days

I used to be anti-computer games for kids. Then I started having babies. Now my oldest "babies" are 7 and 9 years old. They love playing computer games! So I've revised my kids and computer games opinion.

On days they can't play outside, my children often ask to play computer games. Computer games can be educational, they fine tune eye-hand motor skills, and they are just plan fun! Most of the games we play are installed on our computers rather than online.

So, Pogo.com is new to us. I know you are all probably wondering what rock we've been living under. Just keep in mind we do not own smart phones or similar devices so all our online activities occur at home. I know, we're weird.

After looking over Pogo.com and playing the Poppit online game, I think this is something we will add to our "stuck inside" list of fun. Even my 5 year old should be able to understand and enjoy playing Poppit.

You can enjoy a quick game of Poppit right here on Stephanie's Mommy Brain thanks to this widget Pogo.com is allowing me to embed. I managed to get 14 out of 15. Can you beat me?




Race against the clock and pop as many balloons as you can. To play the Poppit!™ Sprint puzzle game, all you have to do is pop groups of two or more balloons of the same color in one minute. Fast pops of three or more balloons of the same color increase your multiplier and score.

Play the full version of this puzzle game for free* on Pogo.com. Once you register, you will also be able to save your high scores, tokens, and be able to enter daily for a chance to win prizes**. Join Pogo now and play over 100 free* online games!

*Internet connection and EA account required. Must be 13+ to create an EA account.
**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Eligibility restrictions apply. See Official Rules for details and alternative means of entry.


What online games do you and your kids play?


Disclosure: I was compensated for this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Potty Training with Pull-Ups Potty Breaks

Potty training.

Two words that fill most moms with fear and dread. I am currently potty training my 4th child. NONE of my children have "potty trained themselves." I hear from friends that this really does happen. I also hear that Big Foot exists but I've never seen that elusive creature, either.

My biggest tip for potty training is to relax. Understand that it is a process that requires several skills to develop.

Kids have to learn:

• to hold the pee in;
• to recognize when they need to go to the bathroom;
• to get to the bathroom in time;
• to pull clothes off ;
• to sit on the potty so that everything goes IN the potty except them;
• to clean themselves;
• and to pull clothes back on.

That's a lot to learn for a 2 year old!!

My biggest struggle is remembering to take my potty training child to the bathroom! I finally learned to set a timer to remind myself when he would need to go. I usually start with 15 minutes and work up to an hour.

These days Sam (3.5 yrs) is completely trained during the day. He goes to the bathroom by himself and wakes up dry from naps, all without help from me.

If you are currently in (or will be soon) the stage of needing reminders, Pull-Ups has a Potty Breaks website you and your child might find fun. You can set up reminder phone calls so that your child receives calls from Cinderella or Mater.

Here's Sam receiving his call:

As you can tell, Sam wasn't all that impressed. He loves Mater and was excited about the call but it did not inspire him to use the bathroom. Your child might love a phone call from Mater or Cinderella!

After 4 children, I've learned that each one is motivated by different bribes when it comes to potty training. For Sam it was miniature chocolates. Your child it might be a phone call from Cinderella. The only way to know is to try.

Here's an infographic with more potty training tips and tricks:

Whatever you chose to use let me encourage you - your child will not start high school still in diapers. Even if it feels that way! Use what works and don't worry about naysayers!


What is your best potty training tip?


I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Pull-Ups. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

What is America's Most Beloved Ballpark?

Pop Quiz time!

1. What is America's Most Beloved Ballpark?
2. Where do you go to see the 'Green Monster'?
3. Which major league baseball park boasts of 713+ consecutive sellout games?

Know the answer?

Fenway Park, of course! Home of the Red Soxs! The oldest major league baseball park still in use today.

If you are a Red Sox fan you need to buy a copy of F is for Fenway!! Yes, NEED.

F is for Fenway is an alphabet book for kids, grown-ups, and baseball lovers everywhere. Each letter of the alphabet begins a short rhyme about a special Fenway feature.

Also included on each page is a sidebar with additional facts related to the rhyme and colorful, engaging illustrations.

Here's one of my favorite pages:

Just above this image the text says,

G is for Green Monster

The Monster challenges right-handed hitters,

and gives the pitching staff the jitters.

You never know where the ball may fall

when you are up against the wall.

We received this book several weeks ago and my oldest son (9 yrs) POURED over it. He read all of the side bar facts. He studied the pictures. He basically memorized the book.

And then last Thursday, Will and my husband went to Fenway Park.

Will with the Green Monster. ***

Does that look familiar?!

I LOVE it when books come to life. LOVE. IT.

My husband said Will peppered him with Fenway Facts all night. Like spotting the red seat in a sea of green seats where Ted Williams hit the longest home run in Fenway history. Or how they got off the Green Line at Kenmore Square, just like in the book.



If you have a Red Sox fan in your life, F is for Fenway would make a great birthday, Christmas, anniversary, Father's Day, or 'just because' present. I HIGHLY recommend you pick one up today!


Are you a Red Sox fan? Have you visited Fenway Park?


*** You can see more pictures of Will and Joel at Fenway on my Stephanie Kay (Stephanie's Mommy Brain) Facebook page.


Disclosure: I received a free copy of F is for Fenway to aid my review. The opinions and statements are all mine.


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Reading Eggs Online Reading Program for Kids

I tend to be skeptical about digital learning experiences for my kids. We own a couple of computer "learning" games and I find my kids mainly learn how to use a computer but not so much reading, writing, or math.

So when I saw the opportunity to review Reading Eggs, an online learn to read program, I hesitated.

Could Reading Eggs really help my kids learn to read?

To help me review the program Reading Eggs offered a free trial subscription for one of my children. If it didn't work, I wasn't out any money so I agreed to do the review.

My older boys (ages 7 & 9) are proficient readers already, thanks to traditional methods. My girlie (5 yrs) will start kindergarten this fall and has been asking me to teach her to read, so she's the one I picked for the review.

As you can see from the infographic, there are several levels where you can begin your child. I started Ellie at 'Ready for School' beginner. She already knew the sounds each letter makes but I wanted to reinforce that knowledge before she learned to combine sounds.

Ellie is learning to read with Reading Eggs.

Ellie has been playing Reading Eggs online for about a month. She has progressed to level 40 which requires reading basic sound families (such as AT- cat, bat, sat, etc.) and recognizing a few sight words. For the most part she is really reading the words, not just guessing at the correct answer.

I like that the program focuses on phonics but also uses some sight words. I believe learning to read requires both. I also like that she can't just guess the pattern or answer in order to progress. The program is repetitive enough that she really does have to figure out the correct answer.

Ellie's having fun and learning to read with Reading Eggs. That's win-win for me.

Is Reading Eggs worth the cost?

I'm not sure if Reading eggs is worth the fee for your family, only YOU can make that decision. There are 3 different fee levels: $9.95 per month; $49.95 for 6 months; $75.00 for a 12 month subscription - for ONE CHILD.

You can add additional children to your account for 50% off. But when you have 4 kids, that's a lot of money!

I recommend purchasing a Reading Eggs subscription if:

• you have a struggling reader who needs some extra help.
• you want to keep your child's reading skills sharp during the summer school break.
• your child loves computer games and you'd like him to learn something during the hours he spends clicking the mouse.

As a home school mom who has taught 2 children to read, I highly recommend the Reading Eggs online learn to read program. Sign up for the FREE 14 DAY TRIAL and see if it's a good resource for your family.


Have you used Reading Eggs? If so, what was your experience?


Disclosure: I received a free subscription for one child to aid me in reviewing the program. The opinions stated are my own and not influenced by anyone.


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NYC's Museum Mile with Chet the Architect

Chet McGraw is a fictional architect who takes children on a journey down New York City's Museum Mile. Featured in two books, Chet the Architect teaches about the diverse architecture of the 9 museums and the simple shapes kids can use to draw pictures of the museums.

Chet the Architect: How to Draw by Kathryn Koller teaches children to draw the outside of each of the 9 museums on NYC's Museum Mile. By using color photographs of the museum and line drawings children learn about simple shapes and how to combine those shapes to draw their own version of the each museum.

I love that my kids can learn simple architecture terms while having fun drawing on the pages provided in this book.

Chet the Architect: Museum Mile Pocket Edition is an accordion style book that provides a few facts about each museum along with a drawing of the building. Among the facts listed are architect, date built, architecture style, and the museum's purpose.


I can see families using these books in a variety of ways:

• to prepare for a visit to NYC's Museum Mile.
• to learn how to combine simple shapes to create complex drawings.
• to introduce architecture styles to children.

I like both books and heartily recommend them. The publisher, Butterfly Artistic Media, recommends Chet the Architect books for ages 4 and up, but (as the mom of 3, 5, 7, 9 yr olds) I recommend these books for ages 7 and up. I'm just not sure that children under 7 would be interested in the architecture aspect of these books.


Have you visited any of the New York Museums listed in these books?


Disclosure: A copy of each book was provided to me in order to facilitate my review. The opinions stated are completely mine.

$25 Walmart or Amazon Gift Card Giveaway - ONLY TONIGHT

$25 Walmart Gift Card 4-Hour FLASH Giveaway 

A few AWESOME Bloggers have teamed up to give you this wonderful $25 Walmart GC! We believe in quick, small, and easy giveaways! Our giveaways only have a FEW entries to fill out and you will know if you WIN in just a couple of hours! WHAT FUN! Good luck on tonight's giveaway! See you back on Friday for another great FLASH giveaway!

 

Here are our WONDERFUL participating sites for this evening's 4-Hour FLASH Giveaway!! Check out these awesome sites when you have time! 

*NOTE: You can choose PayPal or Amazon in substitution of the Walmart Gift Card if need be.

Mama Luvs Books 

Emptynester Savings & More

Sarah's Blog of Fun

Powered By Mom

Mom Does Review  

Building Carpenters 

Couponing 4 You 

Coupon Hauls

Wonderful Things In Life 

Deal Doll 

Linda's Angels

Snip Shop Save 

Hobbies On a Budget 

Stephanie's Mommy Brain  

Africa's Blog 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm a Coppertone® Water Mom

Fair skin, light brown hair, blue eyes, freckles. A description of my appearance reads like a check-list for skin cancer. Throw in "lived down South from birth to 22" and it's almost a given.

So it came as no surprise in the spring of 2008 when a dermatologist declared the sore that refused to heal in my hairline was actually basal cell carcinoma.

Skin cancer. But not the scary kind.

Basal cell rarely spreads and can be treated by cutting it out. Today I have a pretty cross-shaped scar in my hairline and down the middle of my forehead. And a lesson to be diligent in wearing sunscreen so I avoid sunburns (and skin cancer).

That last part is why I agreed to be a Coppertone® Water Mom. I don't want my children (or anyone else's children) to have a completely preventable scar. So I try to be diligent in applying sunscreen to my kids.

To help me spread the word about Coppertone® and their products they sent me a box filled with great stuff! A beach bag, beach ball, water bottle, 2 full-sized bottles of sunscreen and a ton of sample-sized bottles, as well as coupons.

I'm all for gifting my friends with a free sample of a product that will help protect kids from the harmful UV rays! If you see me, be sure to ask for a sample!

What is your favorite form of sunscreen: stick, lotion, spray, or foam?

Disclosure: As a member of the Coppertone® Water MOMS group, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit.  No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.

A Diet Book for Organic Lovers

O.K. I admit it. I'm a bit of a sucker for diet books. I guess I keep hoping each book is going to tell me I can eat whatever I want, when I want and I'll look slim and beautiful.

We both know any book that told me that would be lying!

My latest diet book is S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim: Conquer cravings, drop pounds, and lose inches by Cynthia Sass. It's... well... predictable.

It begins with a 5-Day, 5-Food Fast Forward. Basically for 5 days you eat spinach, raspberries, almonds, organic eggs, nonfat plain organic yogurt, and some seasonings. The author promises that eating these foods in various combinations will cause you to lose "up to 8 pounds."

I don't doubt this is true. It's called "water weight" and generally happens no matter what diet you go on. Frankly, after eating only those foods for 5 days I'd throw the diet out the window and binge on a hamburger and fries!

After finishing the 5 Day, 5 Food Fast Forward you begin the real diet. This plan calls for you to eat 4 times a day (breakfast, lunch, snack, supper) every 3-5 hours. Makes sense.

Every meal/snack should include: produce, whole grain, lean protein, plant-based fat, and SASS (seasonings). In other words, eat the food pyramid/plate according to correct serving sizes.

Overall I think S.A.S.S. is very basic and a common sense approach to dieting and nutrition. My frustration come from the menus she includes and her insistence on organic foods. She quotes a ton of "studies" to support her claims for organic food and different food combinations.

Warning: I'm climbing on a soapbox.

Folks, just because there is a study does not mean it is scientifically reliable.

If 25, 50 or 100 people were in the study THAT IS NOT A LARGE ENOUGH SAMPLE TO BE RELIABLE. It just isn't. Also, you need to read a study and see what the variables were in it. How did the researcher arrive at her conclusions?

For example, a couple of weeks ago our local news station shared a story from a nearby university in which there were 2 cages of pregnant lab mice. One cage had a turned off cell phone placed on top. The other cage had a turned on cell phone placed on top. After the baby mice were born they were observed for an undisclosed amount of time. The conclusion was that the mice in the cage with the cell phone ON were more hyper and ADD because of the magnetic radiation given off by the cell phone. The hypothesis was then made that if pregnant women spend a lot of time on their cell phones or with their phones on and near their bellies then their babies may be hyperactive.

The above example is terrible science! It didn't tell the distance from the phone to the mice, how the mice were observed or how it was determined that they were hyper. It also didn't test what happened when you used different sized/styles/brands of cell phones. Yet a conclusion was drawn from 2 cages of lab mice.

Most of the studies presented in diet books (and on Facebook!) are also terrible science, just like the cell phone-lab mice study. Be careful to read the studies your nutritional gurus are quoting. 

Climbing off soapbox.

So, what's my conclusion about S.A.S.S.?

If you enjoy eating organic, non-mainstream food (and your family does as well), then this is the diet plan for you. If you don't enjoy that kind of food, then I recommend you stick with the Food Plate, eat correct serving sizes and exercise. You won't drop the pounds overnight but you're more likely to keep them off long term.


What's your favorite diet/nutrition plan?

Disclosure: Thank you to the One2One Network for providing a copy of S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim to aid in my review. The above review is solely my opinion and was not influenced by anyone.

Mother - Daughter Matching Skirt and Dress from Fresh Produce Clothes

"Mommy, can we match our clothes today?"

When you are a five year old girlie you LOVE to match your clothes to someone else. When you are a five year old girlie with three brothers you love to match your clothes to Mama.

Our matching winter outfit was easy - camel suede skirts, brown sweaters, brown boots. But with summer coming up we didn't have anything that matched.

Then Fresh Produce a women's sportswear clothing manufacturer and retailer emailed to ask if I would review one of their products. As I looked over the Fresh Produce clothing website (they have brick and mortar stores but none in Rhode Island) I discovered that they sell not only women's clothes but also girl's clothes.

So I replied asking if Ellie and I could review a matching travel skirt and sundress. Obviously from the pictures they said yes!

We selected a Girl's Surplice Dress in Augustine and a Jersey Tiered Skirt in Augustine both peri colored. Both are 100% knit cotton and SO comfortable!

I think their sizes run a little large. I'm wearing a small, which fits perfectly. 

Ellie is wearing a medium, which fits a bit big. She should get at least 2 summers of wear out of this dress, possibly a third summer with a pair of leggings. She is 5 years old and in the 30-50% range of the growth charts, if that helps you with sizing.

I love how modest most of their clothes are! I especially love that the little girl clothes LOOK like little girls. They are modest, colorful, and stylish.

My one complaint is that the peri color looks blueish on my computer but in real life is purple. This of course is one of the hazards of ordering clothing on line. Everyone's computer colors are set differently.

I like the purple color (although I'm not usually a purple kind of girl) and Ellie LOVES that her dress is purple. Over all it's a minor complaint.

If you are looking for a beach dress, a casual dress, or mommy and me outfits for summer I highly recommend you check out Fresh Produce!


Disclosure: I received products from the brand to aid in my review. The opinions above are solely mine and were not influenced by the brand.

Music on the Hill Concert Ticket Giveaway

Music On the Hill: Concert Series in 

East Greenwich, RI

Music On the Hill is an experience the entire family can enjoy right here in Little Rhody! 

Listening to classical music is not only enjoyable for adults but for kids as well. That's why Baby Einstein DVDs are packed with classical music. Studies have been conducted to show a link between classical music and brain activity. This type of music releases neurons in the brain which helps the body to relax, and once it's relaxed it can absorb and learn. Attending a concert together as a family is a great way to get kids interested, involved, and to appreciate this genre of music.

About Music On the Hill (from their website): "Music on the Hill hosts an annual Festival Series of featuring prominent musicians who have come from, or currently live in Rhode Island during the first two weeks of June. Music on the Hill uses St. Luke’s Episcopal Church as a home base and offer concerts at other venues throughout the state. The Festival offers an enriched musical experience by incorporating “culinary concerts” that include a wine tasting, tantalizing appetizers and an assortment of desserts. Performers enhance the audience experience by sharing some history of the music and composers."

The concerts for 2012 are as follows:

Thursday, June 7, 10:30 am
Sextet-­Set First Baptist Church, Wickford, RI

Friday, June 8, 7:00 pm
St. Gregory the Great Church, Warwick, RI

Sunday, June 10, 7:00 pm
Beethoven, Borodin & Beyond featuring the Apple Hill String Quartet St. Bernard Catholic Church, North Kingstown, RI

Thursday, June 14, 10:30 am
Dance & Romance
Westminster Unitarian Church, East Greenwich, RI

Friday, June 15, 7:00 pm 6:30 pm wine & appetizers German Giants SS Rose & Clement Catholic Church, Warwick, RI

Saturday, June 16, 7:00 pm
European Hopscotch
Westminster Unitarian Church, East Greenwich, RI

  

John Mark Pellegrino, artistic director
Tickets for each concert are 
$15 in advance, $20 at the door. 

Students are FREE

Cut-­off for advance ticket sales is June 1, 2012.
For more information, visit
www.musiconthehillri.com
or email 1MOTHri@gmail.com

Tickets can be purchased online or at The Savory Grape Wine Shop in East Greenwich (Dave's Plaza on Division St)

To WIN a 4-Pack of Tickets to Music On the Hill simply fill out the Rafflecopter below. Winner has a choice to attend any of the above concerts.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Moms Need Business Cards, Too!

 
Has this ever happened to you?

You just met a mom at the playground and spent the last hour talking while your kids ran around burning off energy.

The two of you really clicked. She loves chocolate, you love chocolate. She has a 5 year old, you have a 5 year old. She runs marathons, you run ... well, you walk around the neighborhood briskly on sunny days.

You'd like to get together again. Who knows? She might be your next BFF. But before you can exchange phone numbers or email addresses you've got hot sweaty children climbing all over you asking for snacks and drinks and whining about having sand in their shoes.

What's a mom to do? You could decide the friendship just isn't meant to be, say "nice chatting with you," and walk off to your minivan. OR you could do like my friend, Jen, does.

Mommy Cards

Jen buys "mommy cards." Mommy cards are business cards for moms. On a mommy card you can put your phone number, address, email address, Facebook profile, Twitter profile, the names of your kids, photos of your kids; whatever information you want to hand to someone quickly.

I think Jen's mommy cards are an awesome idea and I've totally used it! Now you can use the idea, too!


Giveaway 

I have partnered with UPrinting to give one lucky mom her very own "mommy cards" (or blog business cards for those lucky enough to be headed to Blogher, Bloggy Boot Camp, or Allume!).

Giveaway entries:

Visit UPrinting Business Cards Page and leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite business card die-cut shape and your email address.

Restrictions:

• This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above. 
• No prize substitutions allowed.
• Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period. 
• Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize. 

I will randomly select a winner the morning of Friday, May 4th. Congratulations Mama Luvs Books! The winner will receive:

• 250pcs Customizable Die-cut Business Cards for one winner 
• 2x3.5" Rounded Corners, 2x2" Rounded Corners, 1.75x3.5" Rounded Corners, 2x3.5" Leaf, 2x3.5 Rounded one corner, 2x3.5" Half Circle Side, 2x3.5" Oval, 2.5" Circle 
• 14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
• 6 Business Days Turnaround time 
• Free US shipping only

I'm really excited that I can give away such a great prize to one of my readers! Don't forget to include you email address so I can notify you if you win!!



Disclosure: You should assume that the owner of this blog will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions.

By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer

"Amelia Gladstone's hopes are tied up in the Titanic--hopes for a reunion with her sister and an introduction to an admirer. But when she offers a spare ticket to a down-and-out young man, her fate is about to change.

Quentin Walpole is stunned when a sweet lady secures his passage to America--and even more surprised to find his wealthy father and older brother on board the ship. Suddenly Amelia finds herself caught between the attentions of two men, but who should she entrust her heart to? As the fateful night arrives, will Amelia lose everything to the icy waters?"

 - from the back of By the Light of the Silvery Moon 

Long time readers of Stephanie's Mommy Brain will know that I'm not a huge fan of Christian romance fiction.  I find most works in this genre are poorly written and force the "Christian" aspect into an otherwise secular story. I've also found intimate scenes in "Christian" romance to be far steamier than my Grandma's old Harlequin romance novels!

Given the above opinion you may wonder why I accepted By the Light of the Silvery Moon to review. 

I've read several of Goyer's books and I've found them all very clean and well written, so I trust her as an author. I also have a fondness for historical fiction (that's the history major coming out in me).

I describe this book as a Prodigal Son story with a romantic twist. All set on the Titanic. By the Light of the Silvery Moon fits the bill for a weekend of lighthearted reading. 

If you enjoy interacting with authors, Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) tonight (Tuesday, 4/10) and giving away books, gift certificates and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club). During the live chat Tricia will have a *special guest* join her. 

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for providing a copy of this book to review. As always the above opinions are mine.