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So I still cannot figure out how to make the little box show up, but I wanted to show the true random drawing for the DVD...Comment # 6
Cheryl said...



I am following via GFC.

dizzybloom(at)gmail(dot)com

August 25, 2011 12:29 AM

Congrats Cheryl!! I will email you shortly to get your mailing information!!

SIMPLE GIFTS

By Sharen Pearson


As a mother of five and now grandmother of seven, I’ve planned my share of birthday events. I am a creative person, so my problem is “going over the top.” My expectations supersede those of the birthday child. So, I have to step back and say, “Whose birthday is it anyway?” And, therein lies the key to a successful birthday party.



I recently assisted with my grandson, Waylon’s party. He was reaching that big-boy age of 5 years. He knew what theme he wanted: Herbie the Love Bug. He wanted a backyard campfire and a cake with Herbie on it. Simple—Herbie, campfire, cake. Got it! My daughter complied. She invited a few families from church that Waylon knew well and was comfortable around. Since entire families were represented, parents were there to help with crowd control. Bowls of chips and dip provided a place to gather around as people arrived. Children scattered to play in the back yard, parents grouped to watch and chat. Easy, huh? Daddy lit a small fire in the campfire ring in the yard. More talk, more easy playing. The cake was a simple giant chocolate chip cookie with a frosting “Herbie.” Waylon thought it was wonderful.



Mommy announced that it was gift-opening time and everyone pulled up lawn chairs and sat in family groups. Waylon sat in the middle of the circle on the grass and guests watched as he opened each gift and thanked the giver. He received many nice gifts, but to everyone’s delight, a small, inexpensive VW bug toy car was his favorite. He opened it, raised it above his head as if it were a trophy and yelled in delight. Waylon slept with his “Herbie;” woke up and greeted it; placed it on the edge of the tub so he could see it. He had the birthday he wanted. Simple party, simple gift, simple fun!



Some suggestions to consider when planning your party:

•If your child is old enough to have input, allow it.

•For ages 1-5 years, simple is best. Simple decorations, simple food, simple games.

•Invite only one party guest per age of the child. Young children are very intimidated by many children of the same age. Remember, “Whose birthday is it?”

•If guests include family/friends with older children, add activities especially for them.

•Home is the best place for children ages 5 and under. Big party venues are confusing, scary and do not position the “birthday child” as the center of attention as he should be.

Some traps that parents fall into:

•Making the party so complicated that you, as the parent, no longer enjoy it. (Been there, done that.)

•Allowing young party guests to get close to and grab for gifts as as the birthday child is opening them. (Admit it, you’ve seen this haven’t you?)

•Spending too much money. (Guilty as charged.)

•Preparing food for adults and not age-appropriate to the guests. (The only thing to show off today is your wonderful child)

•Engaging in sleepover parties before the age of 9 years. (Children younger than 9 or 10 years often find sleeping at someone else’s home frightening and uncomfortable.)



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Author Bio:

Sharen Pearson’s Goof & Giggle classes and materials continue to provide a quality Mom/Tot interaction. Widely popular, Goof & Giggle’s child-focused play plans are offered in various Arizona communities. She’s also created a variety of Goof Juice DVDs and filmed episodes of Baby D.I.Y. and written workbooks for BabyFirstTV. Arizona Midday (NBC) tapes monthly segments with Sharen to provide their audience with a variety of original and creative “easy to do” activities for babies and preschoolers. Sharen’s creativity reaches a combined audience over 200 million viewers worldwide. Goof & Giggle classes and products encourage green living, repurposing materials from around the house into affordable objects for play and learning. Learn more at: http://sharenpearson.com/





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The above article is loaded at docstoc.com. If for some reason you have difficulty copying or downloading the article, we will be glad to email the article in .pdf or .doc format.

Russ@kathycarltonwillis.com



This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com.



All other standard copyrights apply.

The Grace Card DVD review/giveaway

Ephesians 2:8 "For it is by grace you have been saved."

One of the things I have learned in church is that grace is getting what you don't deserve and mercy is not getting what you do deserve. Grace is being nice to the person that is not likeable and is not nice to you. Mercy is not treating that person the way he/she has treated you.

What do you get when you team up a black preacher with a white man who is prejudiced and angry with God? You get a lot of hurt, anger and resentment; but you also get a reason to share the grace card. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to love the people that love you? Your family, your friends, and even people you just meet that smile and are nice to you. But what about those people that you meet that are mean and don't love you? You should love them anyway! Easier said than done, right? It is always easier for us to receive grace than it is for us to give it away.

Have you ever met anyone that you couldn't love? I am sure we have all have had someone come into our lives that has made it hard for us to love them. I try to stay away from these people, but sometimes it is not always that easy. That is when we need to pull out the Grace Card and share with them. What is the Grace Card?

THE GRACE CARD

I promise to pray for you everyday,

ask your forgiveness,

grant you the same,

and be your friend always.

About the movie:

After police officer Mac McDonald loses his son in an accident, years of bitterness and pain erode his love for his family and leave him angry with God... and everyone else. Can Mac and his new patrol partner, Sgt. Sam Wright, somehow join forces to help one another when it's impossible to look past their differences - especially the most obvious one? Every day, we have th eopportunity to  rebuild relationships and heal wounds by extending and receiving God's grace. Offer The Grace Card...and never underestimate the power of God's love.

There is power in forgoveness, but it takes a strong person to be able to forgive. And sometimes the person we have to forgive is ourself.

I highly recommend this movie for all families and even church groups. In fact, I have offered my copy of this movie to share with the church at our upcoming family movie night. I watched this movie with my husband and son and by the end of the movie my husband's allergies were really bothering him. He told me I was not allowed to tell anyone he cried so we have to go with the allergy theory.

This movie is out on DVD on Tuesday, August 16th so you need to go out and get it. If you don't want to buy one just yet you can WIN ONE right here!!! Along with the DVD that I was sent to review, the company is holding one for a lucky North Carolina Momma reader for a giveaway!!!

TO ENTER GIVEAWAY:

Visit The Grace Card websitehttp://www.thegracecardmovie.com/ and tell me something about the movie that I did not mention already.

Leave me a comment and make sure your email address is in your comment so if you win I can contact you. To keep from getting spammed you can leave your email like this - gerrie DOT shaeffer AT yahoo DOT com.

For addtional entries: leave a comment for each entry....

• like The Grace Card on facebook
• become a follower of North Carolina Momma with GFC
• Share this giveaway with your friends
• tell me in a comment your all time favorite family-friendly movie

This giveaway will end on August 25th @ midnight.

Disclosure: "I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising."

My Coke Rewards for Schools

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of My Coke Rewards for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you familiar with Mycokerewards?  I have been saving those yellow caps for years now and have gotten quite a few nice things from the program.

If you are not familiar with the program, let me share a little about it with you. Any time you buy a Coke product (there are 15 participating brands), there is a code. If you are buying a bottle, the code is under the cap; if you buy a 12-pk or 24-pk of cans, the code is inside the box. Go to www.mycokerewards.com and set up an account, then enter your codes there. The caps are worth 3-pts and the others are 10-pts or more.

But that is not all. You can also donate points to your school through My Coke rewards for schools. It works the exact same way but you will go to mycokerewards.com/schools. Pick your school and then you can donate as many ponts as you would like.

If your school is not yet participating, encourage them to go to mycokerewards.com/schools and click "Register Today".  Then spread the word through newsletters, or meetings and encourage the parents and faculty to donate points.  This is a great way for schools to get some of the supplies they are in need of but can't afford - such as art supplies.

As parents, you can also use the points that you save in your account and get school supplies as well. So what are you waiting for? Drink Coke and help out the school that your children, grandchildren, or neighbors go to.

Also, from July 13 through September 30, Sprite is giving away 25 playgrounds, worth $25,000, to schools and are giving consumers who purchase and enter a code from any package of Sprite/Sprite Zero an entry into the sweepstakes to help their school win. In addition, every three points donated to the school through the Sprite Spark Parks for Schools sweepstakes will give the school additional chances. Any new school that registers will be given a chance to win. 

Monte Carlo - The Must See Summer Movie

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Monte Carlo for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 Grab your daughter(s) and/or friends and race to the theaters this Friday to check out Monte Carlo!

Movie synopsis: Grace (Selena Gomez) is an ordinary girl who becomes an accidental heiress when a summer trip to Paris turns into the fantasy of a lifetime. On a dream vacation, Grace, along with her best friend and step-sister, discover that the greatest adventure is finding out who they really are. 

Check out the trailer .  You can get tickets ahead of time beginning Wednesday, 6/29, by going to Fandango, then you will be ready for the family date night Friday night when the movie hits theaters!

Be sure to "like" the official Monte Carlo Facebook page. This will be a fun movie for my daughter and I to watch together.  She is a fan of Selena Gomez and I am a fan of Paris! And we are both fans of dreams coming true - or in this case she had a fun time pretending!

It really looks like a great family- friendly movie, and sure to be a hit for moms and daughters everywhere!! Check out Monte Carlo for yourself, and make that date night with your special someone! My family enjoys spending time together and watching good movies. This movie will be one that the guys might not like as much as the girl do so we may have to make a mother/daughter date night and watch this without them. Most girls, like my daughter, likes Selena Gomez and they like the "fairy tale" story. That is what this movie seems to be, a modern-day Cinderella; except the girl in this movie is not stuck home cleaning and being a slave, but happens to look like someone famous and she gets to live the life of that other person for a short time. Wouldn't we all like to go to a place where our "twin" is famous and we accidentally get mistaken for them? I know I would, if nothing but a short time just to see what they other side lives like. Maybe if we all were given that opportunity, we could be grateful for the life we have.

Will you and your daughter have a date night?? Let me know your plans.

Important help from Cryo-Cell for new moms

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CryoCell International for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

When a woman becomes pregnant she is either excited or scared or a little of both. No mother wants to think about their child not being healthy. In fact, a lot of times you will ask a new parent-to-be what they want, boy or girl, and they will say "It don't matter as long as it is healthy". It would be nice if that could be possible but sometimes the unfortunate happens. That is why it is important to check into cord banking with Cryo-Cell.

Since 1992, Cryo-Cell has helped more than 230,000 clients worldwide preserve their newborn's umbilical cord blood for potential use against many diseases. Along with cord banking, Cryo-Cell Cord Bank is pioneering the way in research, to find more solutions to preserve stem cells in a noncontroversial way. Cord blood is just the first step in new medical advancements.

Cryo-Cell knows that as a new mom, it's hard to find time to exercise. We believe that Cryo-Cell moms really understand the importance of safeguarding the future health and well-being for both their newborns and for themselves. With the award-winning Baby Jogger City Mini stroller, new moms can work out as they enjoy time in the beautiful outdoors with their new baby.

What better way to celebrate the birth of your newborn and get back in shape all at once? enroll today in Cryo-Cell's signature U-Cord service and for a limited-time receive a free Baby Jogger City Mini .

10 Tips for Keeping Your Family Safe on the Road

It is vacation time..YAY!! But with that, comes a little concern about safety and traveling. Safelite auto and SocialMoms has asked for some tips to stay safe...and here is my list to share with you.

1. The very first thing you should do before you ever leave the yard, is make sure everything on your vehicle is like it should be. Check the oil, tire pressure, make sure the wipers work, etc. The last thing you want to do is break down because of something that you could have prevented. It is not safe to stop on the side of the road anyway, but you also never know who may show up to offer "help".
2. Don't carry a lot of cash, but make sure you have some in an emergency. Just say you do break down and a truly nice patron comes along to offer assistance. It would be nice to offer him/her a little money for their help. Also, you never know where you may end up that doesn't take debit / credit cards
3. Beware of pickpocketing. They are unfortunately everywhere so you have to be prepared. Some suggestions for that is...don't have loose money in your pockets. Use a fanny pack or something else that zips so that it is harder to get into. Men~~ don't leave your wallet in your back pocket if it is loose and you cannot feel if someone touches you. Women~~ use a purse that zips and keep it zipped at all times!!
4. This may seem a little elementary, but use the buddy system!! Especially when going into public restrooms. This is safe for adults as well as children. Women get raped inside of public restrooms just like children.
5. Make sure that everyone that has a cell phone, has the ICE phone number listed. This is In Case of  Emergency. That way if you are in a wreck and someone needs to get help, they can easily find a phone number in someones phone. If your kids have cell phones, they may have the parents numbers listed, so in the case of everyone being together on vacation, it may be smart to change them all to the same person/number.
6. Don't look too obvious that you are a tourist or on vacation. Get your maps out at the hotel room to see where you want to sight see and don't pull it out in the street. You don't want to draw attention to the fact that you are a tourist or visitor because this makes you vulnerable to trouble.
7. Carry as little as possible. Don't carry your camera around everywhere you go, or pad your pockets so they look like you have a wad of cash in them. Be smart about what you carry out with you.
8. You also have to be careful in the hotel rooms. Make sure that the hotel you are staying at has a safe inside the room. That way you can lock up any extra cash you have as well as other valuables, while you are out enjoying yourself.
9. Make sure your family has a plan for the "what if's". I am sure everyone remembers the Home Alone movies where the little boy gets left by his family. Make sure your family is prepared and everyone is on the same page in any kind of scenario of getting lost or other scenarios. If you are planning a shopping trip to the mall, where is the meeting place if someone gets missing. Those things are not thought out before hand, but rather parents end up in a panic.
10. And last, but surely not least on my list, always be aware of your surroundings!! If you are going to the ATM, look around to see who is in the area. We all have natural instincts and in some cases you have to rely on them. If something feels weird, then go another route.

Most of all, have fun on your vacation!!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Freschetta by the slice - review & giveaway

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you tried the new FRESCHETTA® By the Slice? If not, what are you waiting for?? They have a great variety of flavors and they are good!!

I recently received a coupon for a free FRESCHETTA® By the Slice and also a 6-pc Freschetta storage set. I also have one to give away so keep reading. We LOVE pizza in our house!! So we have tried all kinds of frozen pizzas as well as the pizza chains. I have to say that I did not even know about the FRESCHETTA® By the Slice until I was given the chance to do this review. With my coupon, I went to WalMart and looked and was wowed at the different varieties of such good looking pizza!!  They have a BBQ recipe chicken, Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom, Six Cheese Medley, and Vegetable Medley.

I got the BBQ recipe chicken and I was impressed! I usually want to make sure I can cook my frozen pizza in the oven, but I took this for lunch one day and all I had was the microwave. They have it where you can cook it in the microwave and it comes out crisp like in the oven. My only problem is I only had one slice and was left wanting more. I cannot wait to try out the other flavors as well, and I want you to try them out too if you haven't.

Giveaway:

Mandatory Entry: If you would like to win a coupon for a slice of pizza and a 6pc storage set like I received, visit FRESCHETTA® By the Slice and in a comment, tell me which flavor you would like to try. Make sure your email address is in your comment.

After the mandatory entry you can come back daily and just leave a comment just to say hello, tell me about your day, or anything else! Show me the love in a comment.

This giveaway will end on May 20th and I will draw a winner using random.org. Giveaway is for US only ages 13 and over.

Just in time for Easter - Magdalena: Through Her Eyes from Campus Crusade for Christ. Review & Giveaway

With Easter fast approaching, we alwasy reflect back to the sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us when he came to Earth and then died on the cross. The meaning of Easter has been lost behind Easter bunnies, Easter eggs and other "things". But we must remember that Easter is all about Jesus going to the cross but then rising again in 3 days!! If he had not come back to life, then we would not have anything to truly believe in.

As we read the Bible, we find many accounts of God and Jesus through the eyes of the writers. But how about seeing the story of Jesus through someone else's eyes, Mary Magdalene. The story Magdalena: Through Her Eyes, is the life of Jesus through the eyes of the woman that was once full of demons. When Jesus came by and released her from the bondage of the demons, she began to follow Him.  She is telling the story as the scenes go back to the time she is telling about.

I like the fact that this DVD shows the story of Jesus from someone else's eyes. Each time we read the Bible, it is the same. The word of God never changes. And in this DVD it still does not change, but we can see how the life, and death, of Jesus affected others. This is a great DVD for small study groups or just for families.

I was so grateful to be given the opportunity to review this DVD and also to offer a giveaway.  If you would be interested in receiving this DVD package, please leave a comment below. The first person that says they want this will receive the DVD along with some group study materials.

For more information on this DVD, visit the website http://www.magdalenatoday.com/

And you can also watch a preview

Preview: http://magdalenatoday.com/video/trailer.html?iframe=true&width=640&height=480
 
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this DVD and promotional materials in hopes that I would post a review and/or giveaway on my blog. I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions expressed are 100% mine.

NMEDA - Finding independence again

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

Do you have a loved one that has a disability that keeps them from being able to get out and about like they would like to? NMEDA is here to help.  This is a non-profit company that helps to educate consumers about buying products from dealers. NMEDA DOES NOT SELL ANYTHING: NMEDA is the only association that promotes safe driving and equipment for disabled people. They are non-profit and their members are required to adhere to the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NMEDA dealers (members) are the ones who sell handicap vans and vehicle modifications for disabled people.

No two people have the same needs, so it does not do a whole lot of good to buy  "generic"  products to take care of someone with a disability. That is why NMEDA offers a personalized "in person" evaluation to make sure are getting just what you need.

NMEDA has Dealers AND Quality Assurance Program (QAP) dealers.  The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality.

Even if you do not know someone that is disabled, how about an aging parent? The people at NMEDA can help you now to decide what kind of assistance you may need to help them out, even if they don't need the help right away. We all enjoy our independence, so why take it away from those we care about?

Memories from Coca-Cola

Coke® is a classic, all-American beverage that always stirs up memories of good times with family and friends no matter where you’re from. These kinds of memories are the glue that bring families and communities together.About Coca-Cola®


Created in Atlanta, Georgia, by Dr. John S. Pemberton, Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water. Coca-Cola was introduced in 1886, patented in 1887, registered as a trademark in 1893 and by 1895 it was being sold in every state and territory in the United States. In 1899, The Coca-Cola Company began franchised bottling operations in the United States.

 I have great memories of Coke from my childhood. I had an uncle that was a manager at the local Coca-Cola plant. Anytime that one of us kids would get sick, he would bring over cases of Coke.  I grew up thinking Coke was some sort of miracle medicine or something.  Recently I met one of my mom's cousins at a funeral and they were reminiscing about their youth days, and he said something about going to another family members house and seeing a garage full of Coke cases and he knew our uncle had been there. He also knew that someone was, or had been, sick. Now when one of my children get sick, I automatically want to get some Coke. I don't know that it makes you feel any better from the sickness, but Coke always makes you feel better when you drink it.

Several years ago after I had both of my children, I was on a weight loss journey. I had a friend that had lost a huge amount of weight by going to Weight Watchers, so I joined up and went to the meetings with her. I did really great, but had to quit near Thanksgiving. Weight Watchers is a great program and I recommend it to anyone that needs to lose weight but can't do it alone. I just wish I could afford to go back myself! But one of my favorite part of WW was the support and the recipes that are shared. I found a recipe on a website one day that my family has fallen in love with. This website, http://www.dwlz.com/ is  from a lady that lost an enormous amount of weight using the WW program, and she shares her success with others. She also has a recipes section that has the points and everything layed out for you. It is a wonderful tool. The recipe I got from her site is called Cola Chicken. Here is the recipe:
Cola Chicken

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup ketchup
12 oz can diet Coke

Put chicken in non-stick skillet. Pour catsup and diet cola over the top. Bring to boil.
Cover, reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes. Uncover, turn up the heat and continue to
cook until the sauce becomes thick and adheres to the chicken. It turns into the most
incredible BBQ sauce and it's only 4 points per serving. Yummm!

I have told others about this recipe and they turn their nose up at the thought of Diet Coke making a BBQ sauce but I tell you it is awesome! The first time I made this recipe, I made the chicken and a big pot of macaroni & cheese. I figured the kids would eat the mac-n-cheese and leave my chicken alone...but I was wrong!! They loved it!! I didn't have enough. It is a recipe that is good whether you are dieting or not, but it is great to know you can eat something that tastes so great and still lose weight!

So, do you have any memories of Coke or any great family recipes? If so, please share in the comments. I always enjoy reading the comments of my readers.

More info: http://www.cookingwithcoke.com/
Join Coca-Cola® on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cocacola
Join Coca-Cola® on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cocacola

"I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® blogging program. If I am one of the first 100 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 gift card. For more information on the program, click here"

Don't forget to enter these giveaways

I have two giveaways right now that end next week and both have only a few entries:

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce (ends 4/15)

Rebecca St James Worship CD (ends 4/16)