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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.