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Kohl’s Cares Campaign – A Review

Posted by Professor on June 24, 2012
in Books, Education, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Giving Back/Charity, Kids Toys, Organization

Kohl’s is one of my favorite stores… not only because they offer a great variety of fashion but because of their low prices and great deals! But Kohl’s is awesome because they also give back though their Kohl’s Cares campaign.

Kohl’s Cares Campaign features merchandise for children and 100 percent of the net profit benefits children’s health and education initiatives nationwide.

Items available through the Kohl’s cares campaign for the Summer 2012 campaign feature Vibrant Guy Parker-Rees illustrated Books, Coordinating plush toys, and tote bag.

Kohl’s Cares Cause Merchandise for Kids Books include:

Down by the Cool of the Pool – Children will love to sing and dance along as the story comes alive with animal sounds and celebration!

Giraffes Can’t Dance – This adorable story will teach children about the importance of individuality in a tale of a giraffe with two left feet.

Dinosaurumpus! – Read this fun story aloud to children and watch their excitement as they get a glimpse into the life of a dinosaur. Who knew dinosaurs could dance? This book and coordinating plush are available exclusively at Kohls.com only.

NEW ITEM: Down by the Cool of the Pool tote bag – Resourceful and cute, this multi-purpose tote bag is great for the pool, a sleepover or even a trip to the grocery and features a vibrant illustration from Down by the Cool of the Pool – a must have for summer!

All items are ONLY $5.00 each

Kohl’s Cares Cause Merchandise for Grown-Ups

Kohl’s is treating adults to a tasty way to support children’s health and education with two cookbooks that are great for the entire family. Beat the summer heat and treat friends and family to a variety of homemade popsicles featured in POPS! Icy Treats for Everyone by Krystina Castella. Adults can also learn to master the art of outdoor grilling with Good Housekeeping: Grilling cookbook. Each cookbook is available for just $5 – a real value!

In addition to the merchandise program, Kohl’s Cares features the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program, which last year recognized more than 2,100 young volunteers with a total of $410,000 in scholarships and prizes; the Associates in Action program, which encourages associate volunteerism and provided more than $10 million in grants last year to youth-focused nonprofit organizations and fundraising gift cards for schools and youth-serving organizations. For more information, visit www.Kohls.com/Cares.

OUR REVIEW:

We were very excited to have the opportunity to review items from the Summer Kohl’s Cares Campaign. We received a plush monkey and two books (Giraffes Can’t Dance and Down by the Cool of the Pool). The monkey plush is so cute…my youngest (3 years old) totes it around everywhere and has deemed it her best friend. The books are also a favorite in our household. The stories are very cute and the illustrations are wonderful. The illustrations make the stories pop to life…my children absolutely love hearing the stories again and again.

I would not hesitate to purchase more from this series…not only because the kids love the books and plush but because all of the profit goes to charity. I actually went to Kohl’s today and stopped by the Kohl’s care campaign Kiosk to grab a tote bag…and to my disappointment the entire Kiosk was empty. So…this must be the hot campaign this summer. I hope my local Kohl’s restocks so that I can get some more goodies real soon! Stop by your local Kohl’s and check out what they have to offer!

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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Download the Colonel’s Autobiography and Recipes for FREE!

Posted by Brande on June 21, 2012
in Articles, Books, Downloads, Ebooks, Food and Treats, Free Stuff, Recipes, Thrifty Thursday

Head over to Facebook and “Like” KFC and download Colonel Sanders’ Autobiography FREE and a secret recipe book!

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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms

Posted by html404 on June 15, 2012
in Books, Encouragement for Moms, Parenting, Products for Mom

The first several years of being a mom I was pretty uptight and stressed – a lot more than I am now. There were (and still are) so many things I didn’t know (still don’t know). However, time, experience and maturity has taught me what is important:

1. Prayer. I pray all the time for my children. After all, God is the one who made them and ultimately knows them.
2. Love. Kids need lots of love and it is a constant work in progress to show them I love them on a daily basis amidst the good, bad and ugly. Each of them enjoy what is often referred as “love languages”. When they know they are loved they thrive.
3. Doing My Best. If I am truly doing my best, then the rest is up to God. As finite humans there is always room for improvement but if my husband and I are jointly seeking what is best for our family and individual children, then things should be ok. Our children will make choices, but any bad or wrong choices won’t be our fault if we have taught them right from wrong – after all our children are human too with minds of their own. Some just have to learn the hard way, unfortunately, and I cannot beat myself up about it.

I still tend to worry about certain things, think that’s part of being a parent, but overall I have loosened up quite a bit. As a mom of eight, I do not have time to let my Type A personality rule me like it use to!

I know all of you moms with 2-3 children all think I am nuts for having as many children as I do, but in many ways having 2-3 is as much work as having my 8 now. I know you don’t believe me but it’s true. When I had three children 3 and under or even five 6 and under, I was doing everything. Everything. My oldest was just starting to be a helper girl. Now I don’t do everything because I have built in helpers, however, I do work for income within our home and without the children’s help we would probably never eat or have clean clothes! Not that they do it perfectly by any means because often I find myself finishing up what they didn’t.

When I was a young mom (making myself sound old now! ;)) I also remember reading a lot of books. Books for encouragement, books about parenting, books about children. I still have many of my favorites and yes, they are still an encouragement to me. I hope one day my daughters will benefit from them.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms

Kristine Carlson has written a book titled, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms, that has short chapters for busy moms. In it she shares “simple ways to stress less and enjoy your family more.” I think new and young moms alike would benefit from this book. She includes many reminders like:

– There’s no such thing as a “perfect” mom
– Practice breathing before you speak
– Gratitude is a family practice, and begins with you
– When all else fails, laugh
– Celebrate other mothers
– Guilt-free working mom

Plus many more in her little 100 chapter book.

You, too, can connect with Kristine and other Don’t Sweat Moms via:

Facebook ~ Facebook.com/DontSweatMoms
Twitter ~ Twitter.com/DontSweatMoms
YouTube ~ YouTube.com/user/dontsweatmoms
Pinterest ~ Pinterest.com/dontsweatmoms
Join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #DontSweatMoms.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms may be purchased at any Amazon.com or Barnes and Nobles

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Pottery Barn Summer Reading Challenge

Posted by Brande on May 31, 2012
in Books, Deals, Education, Family Stuff, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Giveaways, News Worthy, Parenting, Saving Money, School, Thrifty Thursday

*Pictures are from the Pottery Barn Website*

Select a book, track your child’s progress with the book(s), get a reward! Sounds good to me.

With summer nearing, it’s hard to keep your child still reading. Here’s an incentive and a reading challenge! Download the book list, progress chart, a certificate from Pottery Barn’s Website ( http://www.potterybarnkids.com/design-studio/articles/summer-reading-challenge.html ). Once your reading is done and tracked, you then print a certificate for your child and visit your local Pottery Barn and your child will receive a book! You can also enter to win a backpack with books!

Happy Reading!

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Barnes & Noble Kids Club

Posted by Brande on May 24, 2012
in Books, Deals, Ebooks, Education, Family Stuff, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Parenting, School, Thrifty Thursday

I just signed my daughter up for the Barnes & Noble Kids Club! It’s FREE! Here’s all the great information she will receive!

“30% off list price on any one kids’ book or toy for your children”

“$5 reward for every $100 you spend on kids’ stuff”

“Free cupcake from our café for all your children’s birthdays”

“Free digital book created by your child on Tikatok.com”

“Monthly email newsletter featuring even more savings”

“25% off every day on books created by your child on Tikatok.com”

Make sure you read the fine print, they say there are exclusions!

It’s easy to sign up and FREE! Head over to Barnes & Noble Kids’ Club!

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2 Day Freebie!

Posted by html404 on May 17, 2012
in Books, Deals, Downloads, Ebooks

Get The Keeper FREE!

2 Day FREEBIE!

KINDLE NOOK

TWO DAYS ONLY!

On May 17th and 18th, Revell Books is giving away FREE copies of my new release, The Keeper for Kindle, Nook and other eBook formats!

Pass it on!

And grab a copy for yourself!

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Playtex Baby Facebook Contest!

Posted by Brande on April 16, 2012
in Baby Products, Books, Contests, Diapers and Accessories, Fun Stuff, Parenting, Pregnancy and Birth, Products for Mom

How many times have you wondered… Why didn’t anyone tell or warn me about this!? I think the truth is, they/we don’t want to scare you. I’m sure we’ve all read it or read parts of the book “What to Expect When You Are Expecting”. I read the book, and NO WHERE does it say… because if you sneeze, cough, or laugh to hard once your 7 months pregnant or ove you will…I’m sure most of you know or understand where I’m going with this.

Starting today! April 16th when you answer Platex’s question “What did you least expect when you were pregnant or a new Mom?” you have a chance to win some prizes. There will be daily winners! The grand prize winner will be “flown to LA for the premiere of What To Expect When You’re Expecting. The film will feature Playtex Baby products including the Playtex® Nurser with Drop-Ins® Liners and the Playtex® Diaper Genie® Disposal System!”

Head over to thePlaytex Baby Facebook Contest and share your stories and experiences. So go! Enter! Good Luck! Let us know if you win!

https://www.facebook.com/PlaytexBaby/app_321062914616209

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Playtex Baby. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating”
www.momcentral.com/mcc,

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The Discovery Review

Posted by html404 on April 14, 2012
in Books, Reviews

If you are looking to read an intriguing book, The Dicovery by Dan Walsh is one to read. This is a sentimental love story, fictional of course, but sweet with a hint of espionage and the lies that often come with being a spy.

I have to admit that I read all the portions written by the main character’s grandson first before I delved into “the discovery”. Not something I usually do, but for me it set the tone for the whole book.

Most of these books that I have been reviewing are not overtly preachy by any means. The Discovery is another novel that brings the main character back to God through life’s hardships. Most hardships people can relate to, however, the details of “Ben’s” story are hardly normal by any means.

I liked the sacrificial love Ben showed, as well as the lasting love and devotion of a couple in their eighties. I also liked the fact that when the grandfather knew he was dying he spoke to each member of his family about the terms of the will and what to expect; thus eliminating any money wars you often read about or see in the movies!

While the story was a bit surreal at times, it had all the elements of a good book and made me cry too. Two thumbs up from me.

“Available April 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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Food Fights Review & Giveaway

Posted by html404 on April 13, 2012
in Books, Food and Treats, Giveaways, Health and Nutrition, Parenting

I am always hesitant to read parenting books because after being a parent for so long you kind of get into your own groove. Our groove tends to be very different from most, as it should be because every family, every child and every parent is different. None of us are cookie cutter parents or we shouldn’t be! We each have to develop our own style of parenting that fits us as individuals and our children.

Book Reviews

You all know that I do a fair amount of book reviews, but I do not do a lot of parenting books. Guess they scare me! Ha! No seriously. When I was a young mom I tended to want to do what every good parenting book said but parenting just does not work like that. I gradually learned that we get ideas from other parents, books etc. but we tweak them to make it work for our individual family.

Food Fights

Food Fights is the book I mentioned at the beginning of the week and shared a juicy update about. It offers parenting tips on how to pick food battles, dealing with the mine fields of TV dinners, fast food, eating out, sick kids and so much more. This book is written by two pediatricians, Dr. Laura A. Jana and Dr. Jennifer Shu. I know how picky some children can be and thought this book would be a great one to share.

What I Liked

The facts they shared throughout the book were very interesting and helpful.

It has a beautiful cover of a darling baby.

Spoke out against feeding kids junk food, soda pop and sugary juices.

Encouragement to feed your children fresh fruits and veggies.

Supportive of breastfeeding.

They were concerned with childhood obesity, but our food system has a huge part in that! Read labels!

What I Didn’t LikeBeware I go into a tangent!

The book discourages breastfeeding your child at bedtime/naptime. This one gets me riled up! I have breastfed eight children for 1-3 years each and have breastfed them all to sleep at some point or another and it DOES NOT make them dependent. Babies and children are already dependent for pity sake! Arggggh……..’Nough said.

Ok, I realize this next one is a can of worms in certain circles – what kind of milk do you serve your children? Rhetorical no need to answer, however, have you ever heard of not feeding children over 2 whole milk, only skim? Hmmm…..that’s a new one to me. Raw milk is better, but even our family doesn’t buy raw milk because of the price. That’s why we need a cow!

Another myth the book advises against is drinking well water. Oh really? I grew up in the country and that is the only water we had and I am fine (ok that’s debatable sometimes! Ha!) as are my parents, my sisters and all those that lived around us. Since moving to a rural area we now drink well water. Ummmm….so far none of us are any worse for doing so, but the authors claimed it was dangerous to drink well water. Did you know that Chlorine and Fluoride are NOT good for you and that they are chemicals? Just do a little research and you’ll learn ALOT.

The last two items are certainly personal choice but ones I happen to disagree with. First one, you shouldn’t make your children eat if they don’t want to both hunger wise and what you serve them. I understand and agree that if they are referring to not being hungry, but not when it comes to what is being served. We are a family of ten and neither my daughters, who now cook, nor I will make ten different meals. That is ridiculous. Therefore, our kids are required to eat whatever they are served. Period. If they really dislike it then they are required to eat bites according to their age. For example: If our four year old did not like what was for dinner he would be required to eat four bites, our six year old would need to eat six bites and so on.

The book has merit and will be helpful to those parents searching for a solution to “food fights”.

Enter to Win!

If you are interested in owning a copy we are hosting a giveaway and I will mail you your copy in a 2-3 of weeks, whenever I close the giveaway. Just fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. Thanks!

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Win KIWI Magazine’s Cookbook on Facebook!

Posted by Brande on April 12, 2012
in Books, Contests, Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Health, Health and Nutrition, Organic, Parenting, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Recipes

Remember when I told you about KIWI Magazine’s New Allergy – Friendly Cookbook?

Why not try and win it first? When I read the rules they are only giving away 3, but hey you never know! Hurry because the contest ends on April 13th, which is tomorrow! Log onto Facebook – here’s the direct link!