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Children’s Book Cooper and Me By Monique & Alexa Peters Review

October 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Reviewed by Emily:

I have two little girls who are complete opposites when it comes to socializing. My oldest who is five, is an extrovert, a little social butterfly who adapts wonderfully and gets excited for play dates, preschool and now, kindergarten. My two year old on the other hand is the introvert and has clung to my side since day she was born. She plays wonderfully alone at home, but won’t explore in a group setting. As we begin to think about preschool for my youngest, I am a bit anxious for her since I’m afraid the transition will not be an easy one. In the meantime, I am trying my best to expose her to other kids at play dates and local activities. I am also trying to find reading material on the subject of separation at this age; not just for me, but with story books she understands as well. One book we’ve recently read, Cooper and Me, relates well to the fear and anxiety little kids experience with separation.

Cooper_and_Me_PicThrough rhythmic verses, Cooper and Me tells the story of a young girl who is nervous as her first day of school approaches.  She is frightened about leaving home and doesn’t want to go without her best friend, her dog Cooper. Fortunately her mother finds the perfect solution to help the little girl overcome her fears – a small replica of her beloved pet she can take to school with her.  In Cooper and Me, the story of a child’s worries about starting school has evolved into a timeless tale about overcoming separation anxiety and trying new things – basic emotions all people experience throughout their lives – but this time, written by a child, for children.

Cooper and Me was illustrated by 11-year-old Alexa Peters and co-written with her mother, Monique Peters.  The idea was inspired by Alexa’s own experiences on her first day of school.  A talented young artist and writer, Alexa wanted to give back to others in a meaningful way through her art.  Starting at a very young age, Alexa created illustrated stories about her daily experiences, and from the pages of her sketchbooks came the idea for her first book, Cooper and Me. Cooper and Me, is the first in a series of books that invite children to explore life the lovable Labrador Retriever, Cooper.

My older daughter thought it was pretty amazing that a young girl had created this book. She assumed all books were written by grown-ups and this opened up a nice bedtime discussion about all the things she can do even as a kid. Cooper and Me also includes some discussion tools at the end of the book to help relate the story with real life situations.

What I thought was great about the book was that in addition to helping young children gain emotional resilience and confidence through their books, Alexa and mom Monique wanted to go beyond that to help less fortunate kids.  Their search for an organization to which they could donate a portion of the proceeds from the Cooper and Me book led to a charitable alliance with the Happy Hearts Fund. Happy Hearts improves children’s lives through education and sustainable programs in areas devastated by natural disasters.

My only negative review about the book is that the rhyming of the words didn’t quite flow smoothly. Each page had a different rhyme scheme which made it difficult for me to read the story aloud. But I don’t think my kids noticed at all, they both liked the story and the pictures even if Mom couldn’t make the rhymes flow correctly.

Cooper and Me is available for purchase at www.cooperandme.com. The book sells for $12.99 and includes a free download of the Cooper and Me theme song, which extends the fun and learning. For more information about the Cooper and Me brand, please visit the website at www.cooperandme.com.

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Emily:

Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. She raises chickens and has 2 shih tzus. Her daughter Caitlyn attends Montessori school and she hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off over the past 10 years, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend.

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Behind the Movie Disney’s Winnie The Pooh Blu-ray DVD Combo Pack

October 22, 2011 By 360 Comments

Back before Disney’s Winnie the Pooh came out in theaters I went to the studio and interviewed Directors Don Hall and Stephen Anderson and the legend Burny Mattinson. Burny Mattinson has had a long career at Disney Studios, he was a story board artist and became a character animator for Winnie the Pooh. So he’s been working on Winnie the Pooh for a very very long time.

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Directors Don and Stephen decided early on that the new Winnie the Pooh movie needed to take Winnie the Pooh back to it’s roots. So they went back to the original stories, On October 14, 1926 A.A. Milne published Winnie-the-Pooh, the first volume of stories featuring the beloved bear and his Hundred Acre Wood inhabiting pals. Burny Mattinson was definitely on the same page, I asked him what he thought about My Friends Winnie The Pooh (my kids loved that show) and well let’s just say it wasn’t his favorite version of Winnie The Pooh.

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So back to the books they went. They also traveled over to Ashdown Forrest in, in Sussex, England. To create the movie Winnie The Pooh they took six stories and kind of weaved them into a narrative. Obviously some of the stories dropped by the wayside in the process of that. And, of course, the film, organically  changed even more over the course of the movie’s life. While in England they visited London where they were able to view some of the original book art. This helped them capture an older feel to the movie while they still made it new. I found that Winnie The Pooh was very well done. The artwork was outstanding from background to character. It’s the perfect movie for little kids and the young at heart.

 

One thing I truly love about visiting the Disney Studio lot is how much creativity is on the premises. Inspiration is from floor to ceiling. They completely recreated Christopher Robin’s room just for inspiration. I know they needed it for the opening scene, but I think this set we saw was not the same as what was in the movie.

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Also on the walls we found Tigger…In Winnie The Pooh the characters play with the words which is absolutely adorable. They use the words as a ladder to climb out of the whole and the words are just part of the story. Just like the narrator is also part of the story. He talks to the characters and they talk to him.

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And poor hungry Pooh in his honey dream. The Honey scene in Winnie The Pooh is one of my favorite scenes. It’s over the top like a Broadway musical and still fun to watch.

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Winnie The Pooh is available on Blu-ray DVD Combo Packs October 25th.

 

Winnie The Pooh Blu-ray DVD Combo Pack

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Amy.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

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Time to Change the Batteries Energizer Smoke Alarm

October 22, 2011 By 146 Comments

It certainly was time to change the batteries in all of our smoke alarms. We’ve been woken up in the middle of the night on more than one occasion to that annoying beeping. Beep, Beep, Beep. My husband had to hunt down which one was beeping and then had to change the battery. One night it stopped beeping before he found it, so a few nights later he was woken again. AHHHH. He found the guilty fire alarm and changed the battery and decided to just change them all because they were all put in at the same time and who wants to be woken up a third time in the middle of the night because this is ALWAYS when the alarm goes off right?

change your clock

While we’re talking about time to change, this year, the time change is on November 6 and we are asking for your help in getting the word out about Change Your Clock Change Your Battery.  Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) are asking parents to take a vital step to keep their kids safe at home – Change Your Clock Change Your Battery®. Plus you won’t be woken in the middle of the night by that annoying BEEP.

Throughout October, Energizer is inviting parents across the country to join the Energizer Bunny® Brigade on Facebook for a chance to win free smoke alarms and batteries for their home or a grand prize of a home fire safety makeover. It’s a fun way to get people thinking about an important topic – home fire safety – and sharing positivity within their communities. Thirty-eight percent of fatal fire injuries occur in homes without working smoke alarms, while 24 percent occur in homes in which at least one smoke alarm is present but fails to operate.*

*Statistics provided by the National Fire Prevention Association

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Mary T.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

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Iams Home 4 The Holidays Gift Basket

October 22, 2011 By 930 Comments

You know we’re already working with Iams right? Summer picked out a charity and arranged for Iams to give us 1000 meals. And we’re at about 300 something comments. So we have a long way to go. Take a minute and help us reach 1000 comments. Now if that wasn’t enough charity for you then that’s great. Iams has even more giving up their sleeve.

 IH4TH Gray Kitten_2010IH4TH Cocker Spaniel 1_2010

I remember hearing about this program last year. Continuing its relentless dedication to ending animal homelessness, Iams Home 4 the Holidays, one of the world’s largest pet adoption programs, is kicking off its annual adoption drive with the goal of finding homes for 1.5 million orphaned pets! Orphaned pets are some of the sweetest dogs in the world. I know from experience. Now in its 13th year, the program, which runs from October 1, 2011 through January 3, 2012, has already helped 5.8 million pets find loving families across the globe. And we can help even more!

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Understanding that not everyone is in the position to adopt, Iams is also helping homeless pets by donating bowls of food to animal organizations in need. New this year on Facebook.com/Iams are easy ways to get involved and make a difference in the lives of orphaned pets, such as customizing adoption announcement cards that, when shared, will see Iams donating a meal to participating animal organizations through its Bags 4 Bowls program.

Also, For every person that enters this giveaway, Iams will donate 10 bowls of food to an animal organization in need.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, ellen.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

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Dark Chocolate Fudge Mint, Orange Cream And Almond Joy Fudge at SilkFudge

October 22, 2011 By 263 Comments

This time of year gets me in the mood for fudge and I’m not particular on the type of fudge because hey, it all has chocolate in it. That’s what makes it FUDGE, that and the sugar and marshmallow cream or butter. Whichever recipe you use I’m not that particular. I just love it.

Dark Chocolate Fudge

SilkFudge was established almost a decade ago in South Dakota. While they are primarily an Internet company, they also have a storefront on Keystone, right next door to Mt. Rushmore.

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People constantly ask why they call themselves "SilkFudge." They use the word "Silk" in their name because their fudge doesn’t have that usual grain to it. It’s creamier than a chocolate bar, but with that familiar fudge taste. This is because SilkFudge doesn’t use any mixes, just pure ingredients: cream, butter, sugar, and fine-quality chocolate.Orange_Cream_lrg

They are also offering a 20% off code "k101" to any of their fudge for yourself.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Gretchen Gerth.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

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The Most Yummy Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Ever!

October 22, 2011 By 343 Comments

So you know what Milesman loves? Doughnuts. But not just any doughnuts, ok maybe he does, but I know for a fact that he loves Krispy Kreme. Remember how much?

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We haven’t had time to make a Halloween run to Krispy Kreme yet, but I see there are fantastic options in store for us when we do. Want to know what’s on our to do list for our next visit to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts?

Krispy Kreme is scaring up some special treats this season with the return of three frighteningly tasty Halloween–themed doughnuts, and a pumpkin spiced fall favorite. The Krispy Skremes!  jack-o-lantern, chocolate iced w/Halloween sprinkles, spider web and pumpkin spice cake doughnuts are available for a limited time only in Krispy Kreme U.S. and Canadian Shops.

Holiday Coffee only 0012a7.5x10

· Jack-o-Lantern Doughnut: A pumpkin-shaped doughnut wearing a mask of orange icing and a jack-o-lantern face.

· Chocolate Iced with Halloween Sprinkles Doughnut: A festive orange and black sprinkled doughnut.

· Spider Web Doughnut: A chocolate-iced doughnut with Kreme® filling caught in a tasty web of white icing.

· Pumpkin Spice Doughnut:  An old-fashioned cake doughnut made with pumpkin flavors and spices and finished with Krispy Kreme’s Original Glaze®. 

DomesticPumpkinFor updates on special promotions, exclusive offers and local events, join “Friends of Krispy Kreme” by visiting www.KrispyKreme.com. Interact with Krispy Kreme on Facebook, foursquare and Twitter, and KrispyKremeDoughnuts on YouTube.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winners:

  • Michelle C
  • Sisifo
  • hannah
  • Jennifer T.
  • Felicia
  • Costana Hornbaker
  • Ashley
  • Annie Lehnick
  • BusyWorkingMama
  • Brittany

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

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Taco Time 50th Anniversary

October 22, 2011 By 104 Comments

Guess who’s having a 50th Anniversary? Yep, it’s in the title, Taco Time is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a giveaway. We all love giveaways right?

Taco Time Northwest is one our family favorite places to eat. They have the really cool Coke A Cola Freestyle machine. I Love playing with all of the flavors. My favorite flavor has always been vanilla coke. With over 106 flavors you can get Vanilla Coke, Vanilla Coke Zero, Diet Vanilla Coke, and Caffeine-free Diet Vanilla Coke. I know with all of the possibilities limiting myself to vanilla coke is pretty vanilla! BORING!

coke freestyle

Taco Time NW is a Renton-based family-owned Mexican quick service restaurant that is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012  and includes 72 restaurants in the Puget Sound region. Taco Time Northwest offers convenient Mexican-inspired meals with fresh ingredients and healthier dining options on its new Fit-Hits menu, which features eight items with 400 calories or less and four gluten-friendly items. Taco Time NW also provides guests the opportunity to collaborate with Taco Time Health Coach Deborah Enos, who is available though Facebook and Twitter to discuss nutrition and provides tips to make healthier dietary decisions.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, lala r.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

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Hormel Chili Cheese Dip

October 22, 2011 By 247 Comments

Hormel Foods Recipes is running a Trick-or-Treat Sweepstakes on Facebook. You will have until 12:00 p.m. CT on Monday, October 24, 2011 to like the page, fill out a simple entry form, and be eligible to win one of five coupon prize packs worth $20 for Hormel® products! And Hormel has quite a few fun products ya know?

This month we tried something new. We tried the Hormel canned chicken and made chicken and rice burritos. I cooked the chicken in all of the rice spices and it turned out being a great meal and perfect leftovers. You should try it.

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Of course there is also the crock pot cooking possibilities. One fun treat we just had was using the Hormel® chili cheese dip kit. This kit of chili and cheese was so easy to make. Open the cans dump in the crock pot and leave it to cook for an hour or two. What else is good in the slow cooker?

Vegetables are ideal for slow cook dishes because they can be combined with different meats depending on what you have the taste for. You can make soups, stews, chili — you name it! Try mixing in some Herb-Ox® chicken bouillon cubes or chop up Hormel® Cure 81® sliced ham to throw in the pot for a rich soup or stew base. Or you can grab your favorite Hormel® Always Tender® product and simmer on low all day with your favorite vegetables and have a delicious meal waiting for you and the family at dinnertime.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Vickie Couturier.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

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Puffins, Not Penguins! A Day with Barbara’s Bakery

October 22, 2011 By 124 Comments

By Reviewer Ashley, who spend the day with Barbara’s Bakery at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle

PUFFINS , NOT PENGUINS! clip_image002

Do you know the difference? Puffins are SCRUMPTIOUS! (And Atticus can break their legs…)

clip_image006Do you know the difference between a puffin and a penguin? I don’t really… and it really doesn’t make a difference other than it is the hook of Barbara’s new ad campaign for their seriously AMAZING cereal! As far as the breaking legs thing goes… well you’ll have to keep reading to hear about that!

Earlier this fall, my family and I were invited to a special event at our local zoo by Barbara’s Bakery. They asked us to come in and taste test some of their delicious all natural cereal line clip_image008– Barbara’s Puffins. There are so many different Puffins flavors to choose from, so we decided to divide and conquer. Atticus took on the Puffins Cinnamon, my husband (a big Reesee’s fan) took on the new Puffins Peanut Butter and Chocolate and I went for the Puffins Honey Rice. All flavors passed with flying colors. Seriously… Puffins are AMAZING! I have to admit that I’m one of those people who could eat cereal 3 meals a day… but even with that being said, you can even compete with the taste and quality of Barbara’s Puffins.

Like all Barbara’s products, Puffins are 100% natural. That means that whether you’re watching what chemicals and crazy 18 syllable word things you’re feeding your own body, or trying to go all natural (or as close as possible) for your kids – Barbara’s Bakery has so many products to help you out. Here’s how they describe their clip_image010Puffins:

  • 100% Natural
  • Dairy Free
  • Low Fat
  • Wheat Free Ingredients
  • Gluten Free (Honey Rice & Multigrain)
  • Cholesterol Free
  • Vegetarian

The only thing they forgot to add is that they are lower in sugar than most other breakfast cereals… and oh yeah… they’re DELICIOUS!

clip_image012Barbara’s has a really cool story about their beginnings. It all started with 17 year old “Barbara” back in 1971. With a vision of healthy, natural foods, Barbara’s has become what it is today.

clip_image014clip_image018I have to admit that when I first got the invite for this trip, I didn’t think I knew anything about the company. Then I realized that my all natural cereal bars (AKA – emergency car/diaper bag snacks) that I LOVE were Barbara’s Nature’s Choice Multigrain Cereal Bars! Now I can add their Snackimals to our “emergency stash” too!

Barbara’s is wrapping up a re-branding campaign that leaves their products easy to distinguish when out shopping. Not to mention their packaging is as natural as their products! They’re getting easier to find in your regular grocery stores and can be found at any natural foods stores and Trader Joe’s. I even took a picture of the great selection my local Safeway had!

 

clip_image016Barbara’s provided us with a great breakfast, some snacks for the road, and a fun-filled day at the zoo. It was great timing and something that all 3 of us really needed. With some major travel just around the corner, spending the day together was perfect. We even got to take some great pics with Babs, the official Puffins spokes-puffin. Atticus got a little too close and sat on her legs… her cardboard legs… and after sending her crashing down to the ground, we realized he had broken her legs! Sorry Babs! I hope the recovery is going okay. Luckily she was able to wing it and made it through the rest of her photo ops. =)

There are so many amazing Barbara’s products. I wish I could share them with you. OH WAIT! That’s right! Barbara’s has teamed up with MomStart for a great giveaway. One lucky MomStart reader will receive a Barbara’s Gift Box filled with some of their tastiest treats!

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Jessie C.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Ashley:

Ashley has a background in teaching Kindergarten and working with children K through 8th grade. She is now a SAHM and President of our local MOMS Club chapter. She writes her own blog at Momicles.

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Nominate a Green Mountain Naturals™ Hot Apple Cider “Apple for Teacher Contest”

October 22, 2011 By 1 Comment

It’s Apple season and I’m drinking Hot Apple Cider in my new Hot Apple Cider Mug that Green Mountain Naturals sent me. While I’m sitting here drinking my hot apple cider today, I thought I would let you guys know about the “Apple for Teacher Contest”

appleThe “Apple for Teacher Contest” that Green Mountain Naturals™ Hot Apple Cider kicked off October 11th, 2001 will run through October, 31st, 2011. They are inviting us to nominate a teacher that has inspired you or your children on the Green Mountain Naturals Facebook page. Finalists will win a variety of prizes including a $1,000 Apple Computer gift card, Keurig Brewers, Hot Apple Cider K-Cup portion packs and glass mugs. The grand prize winner, American’s Most Inspiring Teacher, will receive a $10,000 grant to his or her school of choice.

How it works:

 

clip_image002From not until the end of the month, you are invited to nominate a teacher that has inspired you or your child at the contest tab on the Green Mountain Naturals Facebook page. CHECK!

10 Teacher finalists will be announced on November 10, 2011. The finalists will win a Keurig® Brewer and Hot Apple Cider K-Cup® portion packs for themselves, and a $1,000 Apple®gift card, Keurig® Brewer, and Hot Apple Cider K-Cup® portion packs for their school.  If your nominated teacher is selected as a finalist, you will receive a Keurig® Brewer and a $25 Apple® gift card. DOUBLE CHECK!

EVERYONE KNOWS A TEACHER RIGHT?

Green Mountain Naturals Facebook fans are then invited to vote for America’s Most Inspiring Teacher, who will receive a $10,000 grant to his/her school of choice. 

If your nominated teacher is selected as the grand prize winner, you will receive a $100 Apple® gift card.

Visit www.facebook.com/GreenMountainNaturals for more information.

I am a Keurig Green Mountain Coffee Ambassador.

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