Archives for September 2011

Child Passenger Safety Week is Here! + Great Child Safety

September 17, 2011 by 3 Comments

Each year, thousands of children are tragically injured and killed in motor vehicle crashes. In fact, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 1-13.

The reason? Most parents and caregivers don’t understand how car seats work and are not familiar with the milestones a child must reach before he or she can be safely transitioned to the next car seat type or seat belt. The aim is to increase awareness during Child Passenger Safety Week (September 18-24) by educating parents and caregivers about this issue and motivate those who think they are securing their child properly to seek help, even if they’re sure their child is correctly restrained. Child Passenger Safety Week concludes with National Seat Check Saturday on September 24, where community events nationwide will have Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to provide hands-on car seat inspections and advice — for free!

Additionally, the Child Passenger Safety Twitter account (@childseatsafety) will be hosting a live Twitter Q&A on Wednesday, September 21 at 2 p.m. ET. Safety experts from the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be available to offer essential information on car seats and how to safely travel with children of all ages in cars. Just use the hashtag #CPSweek to follow along and ask your questions.

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Filed Under: kids

Rock ‘N Learn Twitter Party- RSVP now :)

September 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Collective Media Magic Blogging partners all have a background of some sort in education and academics. It is this background that gives us an appreciation for the mind set of the the developers at
Rock-n-learn. They get it; our kids (aka: students) learn in different ways. 
We were delighted when a peak at the Rock-n-learn
blog made mention of Differentiated Instruction. The term is sometimes
looked upon with much skepticism because it implies the use of a plethora of
instructional methods be used that in theory are easier to suggest that than implement.
We don’t even have to refer to our child on this one….seriously aren’t we all combination learners? We all need our visual, social, creative,
and tactile needs met and don’t want to be bored with ritualistic instruction. A one way approach doesn’t work for most of us and it doesn’t work for our children.
Rock-n-learn not only validates this learning philosophy but
it practices the foundation of this same belief through a multisensory approach.

  

Rock-n-Learn DVDs are perfect for homeschooling, practice or even in
the classroom. They are all have an in-depth entertaining approach that engages
young, inquisitive learners. You won’t find a better phonics system than Rock
‘N Learn!
And to prove it the partners of Collective
Media Magic have teamed up with the people of Rock-n-learn for a Q&A
style prize packed Twitter Party!!!
When: September 27th
What time: 8pm CST
Hash tag: #Rocknlearn
Prizes include: Individual copies of Earth Science DVD,
Human Body DVD, Physical Science DVD and Life Science DVD and the whole Science
DVD Collection as a grand prize!
As well as a coupon code for 25% off just for party goers!
To participate: 
Follow your hosts and sponsor (all attendees will be verified)
Leave
your Twitter name and link in the sign up linky (those that don’t sign up are not eligible to win prizes)
At the party be sure to include the #Rocknlearn hash tag in all question responses and conversation participation. 
Be sure to answer all party questions with a Q and corresponding
question number. For example Q1: means you are replying to the first question
we asked, Q2: is for the second, Q3:, and Q4:.
Questions: Ask there here or send one of an email!
Otherwise we will see you there!

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Weekend Blog Hop! Weekends with Lucy and Sam

September 16, 2011 by 2 Comments

Let’s link up…Everyone is welcome (family friendly of course), there are no real rules except you follow your hostesses Have Sippy Will Travel and Closer to Lucy. 

If you’re new…leave a comment after linking up so I can return the follow. If you aren’t new and know one of us isn’t following leave a comment (we want to follow you too), and if your not new and just want to link up…MUAH!

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Daddy’s Corner- It’s ALL about Think Geek!

September 14, 2011 by 11 Comments

New stuff at our favorite geek headquarters ThinkGeek.com -First we will take a voyage across the ocean to the other side of the planet to Japan and pick up a new pet.  She is small and lives in the fridge by the milk.  She is a tiny little polar bear/ milk carton who greets you upon opening the refrigerator. 

Check it out: Fridgeezoo.  You can pick either the male or female of the species and both are equally awesome.  One word of advice, let the kids see them BEFORE they go into the fridge.  Little Man didn’t notice it until it was in the fridge and insisted on saying hello quite often.  It is fun to give the little critter a hello and nod back as you grab your fruit or milk.   It should be even more interesting at our next friend gathering as they are greeted by a cheerful little voice from the top shelf. 🙂

Next up is the Star Wars stuffies!  Sure it is easy to make stuffed toys out of critters like Chewbacca, Ewoks, and Yoda.  But the true test of a company’s creativity is to create a soft plush of a space ship or land vehicle.  We really loved the Millennium Falcon and AT-AT, both are detailed enough to know what they are yet not too detailed to loss the clearly plush characteristics of them.  Now do not get me wrong Chewbacca still makes a great bed time buddy in the eternal quest for bed time bliss, but the Star Wars vehicles are a nice change of pace and are sure to get your little Star Wars fans in a tizzy.

 Little Man brought his to school today, and he was the envy of every boy there.  Don’t worry, he shared!  He is having a blast with them, and has already told his mom that he wants Santa to please bring him the R2D2 and Yoda. 

Don’t forget to follow @ThinkGeek and on Facebook! 

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Filed Under: review

Dumbo 70th Anniversary Edition

September 14, 2011 by 3 Comments

Join us all this week as we celebrate DUMBO and the release of the 70th Anniversary Edition of the original film.


In anticipation of Disney’s September 20th release of DUMBO as a 2-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def & DVD Combo Pack in celebration of the 70th Anniversary, may I present this fun Dumbo-inspired puzzler sheets your kids will love.  Featuring fun “spot the difference” puzzles, intricate mazes and games, these puzzler sheets will surely entertain the whole family!

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Filed Under: disney, kids

Diaper Rash Remedy- Courtesy of my Meema

September 14, 2011 by 2 Comments

Just a tiny little post- for those of you with or caring for babies- this may sound odd, but if your baby has a terrible diaper rash, one that won’t go away?   Try egg whites.  Now, I am NOT a doctor, and this is just my experience- but I was a nanny for 10 years, and have kids.  I have cared for more then 17 babies, and I have used egg whites on the regular.  People think I am nuts- but Meema is never wrong!  🙂
Not that I am biased  🙂    Love you, Meema!

Take eggs, and separate the yolk from the whites.  Beat the whites into a foam.  (Note- if you have a dog, feel free to give them the yolks, it is great for their coats and skin!)
When you have a good foam going, pour the foam onto baby’s diaper area, with the diaper underneath and ready to be fastened VERY quickly.  I always either double-diaper or use a good waterproof cover over it, because I don’t want leakage!  You can leave it just a few hours or overnight, but if you do this just a few times, your baby’s rash will go away super fast.  You will notice the difference with just the first diaper change.  OK, baby will smell like an omelet for a bit, but a small price to pay for a comfortable touchy, yes?

LOL.  That’s all!  Good luck  🙂

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Filed Under: kids

The flooding has receded- my house? Destroyed #HurricaneIrene

September 14, 2011 by 31 Comments

Sigh.  The floods are (both) gone, and now….the real work begins.

My house is in ruins, our belongings are gone and wreaked.  It just keeps right on piling up, because now we are getting sick from all the sewage, mold, dampness, etc.  And I keep finding more and more things that need to be thrown away.  Just last night I was trying to put away things we had “saved”- and really, not so much- I had to throw out 3 of the very few Thomas trains we had believed we got in time, as well as more of my clothes- they must have gotten splashed as I was carrying them up, because they had strange, splashy stains on them, in all sorts of odd colors that I don’t want to think about.

Both of my “Little Black” dresses?  Gone.  UGH!  You know how it is with your Little Black Dress.  That was a particular brand of upsetting. 
I had sort of “made peace” with the fact that we lost most of our stuff, as much as you can make peace with that.  However- finding things now, that we thought were OK, and having to throw them away is just too much to handle.


Look at my once-beautiful basement.  The basement is the reason we bought this house.  It was beautiful- with a bathroom, office area, door to the backyard, and less then a block to the park.  Now look at it.  I ran a daycare out of here for years!  My kids had their playroom here!

We had a walled off area that was my “closet” since I didn’t have one in the bedroom, and I am a bit of a “clothes horse”- and worse with shoes.
Now?  Look at my house.  We still have 4 more walls to take down, and finish tearing up the floors.  Every time a wall goes down or a floor area comes up, a wall of stagnant sewage comes rushing out, and I cannot describe for you the smell.

There is no end in sight.  FEMA has come, but has not made any promises.  Our homeowners insurance guy came last night, and the flood insurance person has not even called back yet- they may not help at all, but it does look like the foundation shifted a bit, so maybe they will.  God willing, it did and they will- and they will just let us leave the house and insurance will buy it out or however that works.

I know it’s just “stuff”.  But it’s all our stuff, so much of it- and it’s the house, and all the hard work and money and time that made a house a home.  I want my home back.  I want my son to stop waking up crying about water getting him, asking if the water will come back, and why I “let” all his toys float away.  That poor child. 

All that we have worked so hard for.  Just gone in a second.  This whole area, we are just so beaten down right now.  The water has finally receeded, and the streets opened again last night.  I think they are all clear all over now- perhaps one of these days, the school will open.  Maybe even before Halloween!  😛

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The Case of the Colorful Caudipteryx- Professor Barrister’s Newest Dinosaur Book! #kids

September 13, 2011 by 7 Comments

Professor Barrister has done it again!  With his newest book, The Case of the Colorful Caudipteryx, Professor Barrister again takes Nate and Emily (not to mention your kids!) on a whirlwind adventure to the past.  The very, very distant past! 

When the Caudipteryx somehow gets into the time machine, Nate, Emily, and the Professor have to track it down- it has ended up in the wrong era, and won’t know what to do!  Not to mention the effects that a dinosaur who has time traveled to the wrong time period can have on history- who knows what would happen?  Good thing we have a team of science-super-heros to take on the challenge and return the missing dinosaur to it’s correct time  🙂

“When a dinosaur from the Triassic Period accidentally transports itself 150 million years to Cretaceous China, it’s up to Prof. Barrister, Nate and Emily to rescue it. Will Prof. Barrister’s crazy new feather-fossil-color theory be enough to save the time-trapped dino?”

You and your children will have so much fun with this book (and this series, if you have not started it yet!), that you won’t realize how much you are learning about dinosaurs and paleontology.  The Professor Barrister Series are some of my favorite books for kids, and the previous three, The Case of the Truncated Troodon, The Case of the Armored Allosaurus, and The Case of the Enormous Eoraptor,  are adorable and fun.  They follow the same set of characters, and you can get to know them and thier personalities. 

I think it is best to read them in order, starting with the first one, (as you would with any series) but you can read them separatly without getting lost.
My daughter is able to read on her own now, and I think these books are great for early readers through about 10 years old- but they are always warmly recieved at the Pre-K as well.  The kids love to be read to, and what kid doesn’t love dinosaurs?

You can buy these books just about anywhere- Amazon, for your e-reader, Barnes and Nobel- but if you go to author Stephen Penner‘s website, you can get a signed copy, making it that much more special for your kiddo!  These are great books, and if you have read my other reviews (or follow me on Twitter!) you know I love, love, love them- really and truly!  If you have not read them yet- I highly recommend them as a mom, a teacher, and as a lover of books  🙂

Stephen Penner’s books have made several top-children’s lists, including Barnes and Nobel’s Children’s list.  If you have a dinosaur lover or book lover on your hands, The Professor Barrister series is going to be perfect for them. 

You can Follow Professor Barrister on Facebook and author Stephen Penner on Twitter– don’t miss out on new, fun stuff  🙂 
Happy Adventuring!

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Filed Under: book review, kids