New years resolutions & teamwork

Are you one of those people who love to make resolutions? Actually keep them for more than a month? I'm sorry to say I'm not part of that group....

Perhaps instead like me you are more the "I'll do my best and be happy with what I can achieve". I've never been a focused,  goal oriented person. I'm a creative person who thrives on getting dirty and figuring out how things work. I REVEL in the process of research and achieving the end result. I THRIVE working alone and being solitary - most of the time.

BUT, I think that makes having a resolution harder when you don't have the support of a team. Heck, pretty much everything in life requires teamwork. Parenting, mentoring, most jobs, I even stress at interviews for daycare families that I expect my ALL parents to work with me as a TEAM to care for their kids. There is no "I" in teamwork. Right?

So, I'm thinking this next year I'd like to focus on losing some weight. I know I'd feel better for sure. It would be better for my hips and the periformis & severe lower back issues I'm having. Perhaps I wouldnt fall as much. And hopefully the severe exhaustion I've been struggling with the last 4 months or so would ease up. With fibro tho who knows if that will help. I'm going to need a team for support and encouragement when I'm not walking so well or struggling with pain.

So, I'm thinking SparkPeople maybe what I need. They have a great app for logging food, water and other details. They also have a great bunch of groups and maybe I can find a group for fibromyalgia survivors. One thing they've offered me as a new member is a new 21 day challenge to get started so I think I'll start there. Feel free to join me!

Do any of you use SparkPeople.com or their app for weight loss or maintenance support? What has been your experience?

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Video reviews: Christmas Break In & The Christmas Apron

I'm a bit late posting these darling Christmas family movies - it's not to late to order them and watch them the week of New Years when kids are out of school. They are the kind of adventurous movies that kids love - especially Christmas Break in which sorta has a 'Home Alone' kind of feel. Order them on Amazon and likely you'll have them by the end of the week. Please note the  kindle app won't allow me to add the trailer so you can watch on this post. Please click on the link - I promise you won't be sorry! :)

Christmas Breakin
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/302131170
Today was supposed to be one of the best days ever for 9 year old Izzy Rush. But now, on the last day of class before Christmas break, she has been left alone at school. To make matters worse, the biggest blizzard this town has ever seen is blowing and snowing full force. Which is why 3 bumbling crooks on the lamb decide to take shelter in the seemingly empty school. When Izzy discovers  that the criminals are holding her friend Ray, the school custodian, she decided it's up to her to save the day. But what can a 9 year old girl do? Your be surprised!

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The Christmas Apron
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/295637919
The children in Millies family can't wait for Grandma to arrive with her special Christmas Apron. According to tradition, each child will write down the gift he or she wants most in the world and then slip that wish into the aprons pocket.Then on Christmas morning, those wishes for gifts will be magically waiting under the tree. But then 11 year old Millie overheard her parents: the family can't afford gifts for all the little ones. She pictures the disappointment in her siblings faces: nothing to open on Christmas morning. Is Millie willing to sacrifice her own whole-soul wish so that someone else's can come true? Full of tender emotion and delightful surprise, this story reminds us of the miracles that unfold when we think of others before ourselves.

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Disclaimer: I received a DVD of each movie to review and share my honest opinion. I was not paid to review these movies. All opinions were my own and are not influenced by FB, TW, Pinterest, Instagram, Google or any other platform.This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. If you have any questions about this event or would like to host a review of giveaway, please email me at wswpub2@gmail.com

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Handmade Christmas Idea - O Holy Night

Every year I struggle with coming up with Christmas ideas for the family. It's like this:  

1) I like to match gifts to each persons personality and since I only see my brother & sister 1-2 times a year that gets hard. And of course my sisters kiddo's are growing up and kind of outgrowing the old book presents I've given them for the last 13-14 years. Their interests are changing and becoming more focussed and it's hard to match those interests without knowing them.

2) Money is tight and the family is getting bigger - altho it actually hasn't grown much physically.  And the men in the family (namely brother & brother-in-law) are notoriously hard to shop for (I've threatened them with a paper sack if they don't give me ideas).  

3) This year instead of doing a gift for each adult in the family I decided to do a gift for each couple but I had a requirement. It had to be quick and easy - between my day-care and my NaturalTherapyPacks business I'm working 18 hours a day and I'm exhausted and my time is at a premium. I needed to be able to do it half asleep lol.   Anyway,  I thought some of you might be interested in a quick, fun craft for a last minute gift.

O Holy Night picture

Materials needed:
* Wooden plaque: I used #SCH-299 from Sierra Pacific Crafts which is appr 14 3/4" x 14 3/4".

* Peace on Earth scrapbook page (on right) from the O Holy Night series from SimpleStories.com (this is discontinued but you might find it at your favorite scrapbooking or craft shop)
* Paints: I combined the following paints. It wasn't perfect but I wanted to get as close to the red ink on the paper and I got no where near it. I ended up with a very dark red black color. I used: Americana Alizarin Crimson and Apple Barrel Jet Black Matte Acrylic Paint.
* Sandpaper
* Sponge brushes (the cheap ones)
* Mod Podge Gloss #CS11205
* optional: coffee grounds or dark tea to create wash. This would be nice on a red or maybe a light wash. I did not do this step. It was suggested by one of the artists who work at the craft store I shopped at.

Super Simple Instructions:
~ I began by sanding down the wooden frame and then painting it then I wanted it again and let it dry.
~ Then I glued the picture to the frame and put several coats of mod podge gloss over the top
~ That's it. Super simple.

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls

Hi everyone - how is your summer reading with the kids going? We are currently working on Chapter Book #2 for the summer:

This is the story of two kids, brother and sister, who are staying with their uncle throughout the summer while their folks travel. Peter is imagining a LONG boring summer complete with no TV, a old(er) Uncle who doesn't know what to do with 2 kids and a know it all older sister (only 1 year older but still....). Little does he know that he and his sister are the only ones can figure out the Secret of the Hidden Scrolls!

This year I have 2 kiddos that I'm reading it with. Connor will be 10 next month and still enjoys being read to. He is the same age as both the kids in the book and he is finding something in common with them. He is also connecting with the story and actually remembering what we read the day before and understanding what is happening as I read. Gianna is 3.5 and has been having a very difficult summer with listening and obeying so she isn't to thrilled with having to sit down and listen to the story - but she is doing it. She is actually doing pretty good with comprehending the story and able to answer some of the questions. By and large she is more interested in the pictures in the book though. 

What I like about this series:

So far, we are about 2/3 of the way through the first book. We had just finished reading a Magic Tree House book which I personally always have a hard time reading due to the stilted story telling and because the writing is not smooth and easy to read. So, my first comparison with the Hidden Scrolls book and probably my favorite thing about the way the author writes is the fact that he doesn't "dumb" down the story for kids. The writing is smooth, natural and easy to read. It's written like I speak and with proper grammer which is how children's books should be written so they are learning the proper way to speak as they read. Children's books should also provide a challenge to their reading, their thoughts and comprehension so they have a bit of a stretch to understand. They should hear something new to a story each time they read it (I tend to read books over and over and over....). If I learn something new about the story or the characters I count a book as a success. Connor is understanding what the author is saying before I give him the answer in the book and can answer the questions, sometimes with a bit of thought occuring first, before Mike Thomas tells us what is happening. He is using the skill of prediction and sometime that is a very hard thing to learn. At the same time Gianna is learning to listen to the spoken word and beginning to get a picture in her head of what is currently happening. Finally Connor was looking at the book on Friday afternoon and asked the question every teacher, librarian, author and parent wants to hear: "Is there another book?" Yes, Connor there is a sequel. In fact, there is a entire series coming!"

Now, before I answer a question Im sure some of you are wondering - The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls is available for pre-order right now. Go to: https://www.worthykidsworld.com/ and learn how you can order it and also receive some great online activities for your kids to enjoy while you are reading to your kids or use them as a homeschool or book club activity. It looks like the next book coming up is about Noah's Ark.

Now, to answer your question... (off subject, kinda sorta):

I'm sure some of you are wondering why she (Gianna) is listening to a chapter book already? I started reading chapter books with her at around 18 months (she wanted to listen to The Magic Tree House books and actually did better than the older kiddos). As we all know reading books is important for developing language and I find that the books written a century ago have a high quality language and the reading skills required to read them are non-existent in today's books. Usually around age 4 I start reading the Classic books to my kids. Heidi by Johanna Spyri is usually the first book I read and then A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Princess and The Goblin by George McDonald. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and The 5 Little Peppers (and the sequel) by Margaret Sidney appear around age 6/7 and so on. 

These are the books I try to introduce to kiddos between 4-7 depending on attention span and ability to listen. We've also read The Jungle Book, Under the Lilac Tree (this is tough book to read to the younger readers - but it was one of MY favorites in elementary school!!!) and many others. We still also read many many story books as well and I try to have a few fun activities to go with them so she isn't totally deprived of age appropriate books like Curious George and Dora the Explorer which are 2 of her favorite characters right now... 

So, that's all for now. Tell me what books are you reading with your kiddos this summer? Remember it is vitally important that you are reading TO your kids AFTER they learn to read as well. Parents need to make a effort to read to them as long as possible - up to and including Jr High. They need to be hearing proper sentence structure, the rhythm of reading, learning to comprehend and understand more difficult passages and they can only do that when you are reading with and to your older child.

Remember - I love comments:

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Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book to read and share. I was not required to have a positive review or even leave a review. Thanks for reading GivingNSharing!

Scribble & Author Book Review & Blog Tour

SCRIBBLE & AUTHOR         

Author: Miri Leshem-Pelly

Publisher: Kane Miller Books

$12.99

An excerpt from the book:

A color spot,

some pencil lines,

and here you are… Scribble!

Hi, who are you?

Hello Scribble.

I’m the author, and I’m here to help you create your journey.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Wow, Author, you’ve created a beautiful beginning!

Where do I go next?

Well, it’s your journey, so it’s up to you.

What would you like to do?

About the book:

Scribble & Author is written as a dialogue between the main character, Scribble, and the author who created her. 

Scribble's journey starts on a peaceful shore called THE BEGINNING, continues to the rough, adventurous MIDDLE, and leads finally to the gate of THE ENDING, but it’s not at all what Scribble expected… Scribble is a scribble and Author is an author, but who really gets to tell the tale?

A picture book about finding your own voice, making your own decisions, and writing your own story.

My thoughts:

I wasn't really sure what to expect from reading the blurb about the book. I have been purchasing Usborne Books though for years and love nearly everything they have ever put out (thats the first thing I look for at garage sales & thrift shops - it's like a thrill goes up my spine when I find one!). 

The first things I thought when I received the book is:

1) It's not really for younger kids. I tried reading it with my 3.5 year old Gianna and I think we got about 4 pages in before I lost her. She is able to sit through a 18-20 page storybook that isn't fiction but she just wasn't ready yet for a book like this. 

2) Now elementary age kids who are learning about the parts of a book and learning to use their writing skills may be able to read it and use it as a lead in to a activity. I'm thinking that Scribble & Author is for kids 7/8 and up.

3) I love the images in the book and I think a fun followup to do with preschoolers or elementary kids would be to have them "write" their own book using thumbprints and lines to illustrate their book. It would be fun to encourage kids to have the creature they create from their thumbprint talk back to them in the book. Can't you just see cute little thumbprint dragons, aliens and Darth Vadar's arguing with the author or planning an adventure? 

4) Another neat feature of this book is the use of watercolor in the story. It adds another element to catch the eyes of the reader and the use of the brush and watercolors draw the readers eyes to the movement of the story and the final conclusion of the book. If you've ever seen a post or an article about mixed media journaling the pictures very much remind of that technique. 

You can purchase Scribble & Author online @ Usborne Books & More for $12.99. 

About the author:

Miri Leshem-Pelly is the author-illustrator of 14 children’s books. She’s also illustrated 14 books for other writers. When Miri isn’t writing she can be found speaking at schools, kindergartens and libraries. She is invited to do more than 200 presentations with her books per year. Miri is also a Regional Advisor for SCBWI (Society of Children’s book writers & illustrators).

Miri is represented by Olswanger Literary Agency. Miri’s works have won awards and her illustrations have been shown on several exhibitions.

Miri lives in Israel with her husband and two children, and loves reading books and going on nature hikes. Her latest book is Scribble & Author.

Find her at:

Website: http://mirileshembooks.com/

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/MiriLeshem

FB:         https://www.facebook.com/mirileshem

Christmas in July ~ Sale & Discount

Just a quick heads up - several of my Handmade Journey friends and I have all banded together and are providing shoppers with a special discount. Click on the image below and use the code: ChristmasInJuly20 to receive 20% off your order. 

NaturalTherapyPacks ~ receive 20% from any order $14.99 and up.

(Sale is July 10-16)

To see the full list of participants go to: https://hjacademy.com/christmas-in-july-sale/

Christmas in July ~ Summer Loves

What are your Summer Loves? Mine are:

Lazy Days ~ Summer Heat ~ Swimming at the Y

Watermelon and Cantalope ~ Sewing in the Summer Rays

Wet Hair and Reading a Good Book

The Kids and I have been reading quite a bit this summer. Arbordale Publishing has a FREE Summer Reading Program where we can read 25 of their ebooks for FREE and once we have Gigi will receive a FREE book to keep. The kids love FREE books! They learn all about different animals around the world, their habitats, what they eat, who their predator is and how they keep safe. Many of the ebooks make the animals sounds when you touch their bodies and well I never knew that the sounds of a zebra aren't anything like a horse or a donkey, or that giraffes make the sound they do. We've truly been enjoying their books.

Some of the books we've been reading:

         

Garage Sale Fun:

Friday we stopped at a kids & teacher garage sale. It's a good thing I didn't take more than $10. Books were .50 or $1 and there were a few toys too. I gave each of the kids a dollar and told them I had the right of veto. Usually I'll let them buy what they want but I can veto the sale if it's broken or sounds awful. If I see something usually I'll have them check it over in case I missed something that is broken. It works well for us. The car track thing has been our best purchase this year. It was $3 and they have used it as a marble run, a car track, a little people race trace, a water slide and more. They love it. So far, I've only had to confiscate it once because Miss G was throwing marbles....

Swimming at the Y:
We have been making an effort a couple times a week to go swimming at the Y. This year I had the option of raising my daycare fees to help cover the summer expenses & then I had a GREAT brainstorm: Parents can purchase each child a Monthly Youth Membership for $15 and we can go swimming as much as we want. It has been so nice knowing we can go swimming in a clean pool and we don't have the rough kids who plow everyone down at the splashpads nor do we have to deal with huge daycares/schools who bring 20-30 kids who take over. There are usually only about 10-20 people there and it's a wonderful pool. I only have 2 kiddos this summer right now - Connor (almost 10) and Gianna (3.5) so it works out great for us. She has gotten so much more comfortable in the deeper area of the pool and getting her hair wet. Loves to crab walk in the 0 Level entry. It's been perfect for us and it's one of the few places Gianna doesn't throw a fit for me. I do make her take a nap before going tho. Non-Negotiable!

What have you been doing?

Big Cat Little Kitty ~ Book Review

Big Cat, Little Kitty 

by Scotti Cohn

Pubished by: ArbordalePublishing

$16.95 (hardcover)

$8.95 (paperback)

$7.95 (ebook with auto-flip, auto-read, spanish/english)

Available in Spanish or English

Introduction:

Big cats are fierce predators that roam the world from the mountains to the deserts. How are these wild cats that hunt for their food the same as pet cats that might chase a mouse or ball of yarn? How are they different? 

The award-winning prequel to this book, One Wolf Howls, introduces children to counting and the months of the year as they watch the seasons changing. This sequel introduces children to the days of the week as they travel to seven different world habitats to meet the big cats, and then back home to compare and contrast the domestic cat’s behavior to that of its relative. Compare/contrast big cat predators to little kitty cats each day of the week.

The illustrations are beautiful!

My thoughts:

This book teaches how Big Cats & Little Kitties are different in their behavior and the sounds they make as well as the following: big cats, domestic cats, days of week, habitats, math, life science, maps, the senses, tiger, cheetah, lion, snow leopard, cougar, jaguar, bobcat and cat. It's one of Gianna's favorites and she really gets into listening to the sounds. 

At the end of the book there is a section called For Creative Minds that she can enjoy. Since she's only 3.5 most of the activities are over her head still but some can be tweaked and she surprised me by being able to talk about the cats shown on the world map and understanding which ones roar and which ones don't. There is also a Teachers Activity Guide available online at the books homepage. With 30 pages of worksheets, math, writing and science activities there is something for everyone to do (click on the title of the book above to see everything available to you). This book has won the Mom's Choice Awards Gold.

About the book:

Scotti Cohn is the award-winning author of One Wolf Howls, the prequel to Big Cat, Little Kitty, and is currently working on a third book in the series about migrating animals. She is the author of eight nonfiction books. Scotti’s short stories and poems have appeared in numerous magazines for young people. She has two grown children. Scotti and her husband, Ray, share their central Illinois home with five “little” cats. For more information, visit www.scotticohn.com 

Disclaimer: I wasn't asked to review this book nor compensated for the review. We read it as part of the Summer Reading Program that Arbordale offers.