We ‘heart’ WordWorld.  The show that puts words together in a fun and easy way for kids is coming back for another season!  If you’ve got little kids you certainly know how much fun the first season was.  Boy2001 was a big fan for a while but now Girl2004 and Girl2006 have taken over as the resident WordWorld fanatics.

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The best part about this series is that you’re “sneaking” the learning in!  Learning is fun and effective via WordWorld’s hilarious, laugh-out-loud situations.  I learned the hard way with boy2001 when he entered kindergarten. I thought he was way ahead because of his vocabulary but it became clear that the admin were mostly interested in sight words.  WordWorld can help because everything is spelled out in the object itself.  Even the background gets in on the fun!

A U.S. Department of Education funded study found that WordWorld, an Emmy® winning PBS KIDS series, significantly strengthens early literacy skills in preschoolers, providing the building blocks essential for learning how to read. The study is part of the Ready To Learn Initiative that examines the effectiveness of various technologies being used to enhance the literacy skills of young children. The initial findings conclude that regular exposure to WordWorld resulted in children experiencing significant increases in oral vocabulary, reading and recognition of words featured in the show. WordWorld brings words to life through a patent-pending methodology that embeds words into the objects they represent, crystallizing the connection between letters, sounds and words.

In fact the U.S. Department of Education has concluded that just watching WordWorld doubles children’s featured oral vocabulary and TRIPLES their ability to read and recognize featured words.  Girl2004 has been writing and sounding out words for months now, she knows all her ‘AT’ words by heart but she’d love to learn more after watching this DVD.  As a busy mom with little to no help with the kids, it’s comforting for me to know that I can have a bit of ”me” time and the kids are not just vegetating in front of the tv.  Many times that means I get a shower or get a jump start on the laundry.

WordWorld is the best programming to come out since Sesame Street and I am a BIG fan of Sesame Street so I don’t say that lightly.  I highly recommend magnetic or foam letters to accompany this DVD so your child can spell along.

One last thought, I have been downright embarassed by what my kids watch sometimes, the themes and language are really bad on some channels.  I won’t even mention the commercials for products!  The chorus of “I want that!”.  PBS is what I consider a safe haven, one last public space on television that respects family and pure learning.  A brand I’m proud to support.

The 2nd Season of WordWorld starts with a new special on February 13, 2009!  Please check your local listings for times.

Thanks to the FRN for this review opp!

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breathe

Did you see the Fowler – Long, Wife Swap episode?  I should have posted right away, I KNEW it was going to be a big story.  The sad part is I agree with some of what he said BUT his delivery was so horrible it was hard to watch.

He had NO right to tear down Mrs. Long like that.  To be honest I’m shocked they let that woman stay there with him, she was obviously unable or unwilling to defend herself against his mean comments.  The saddest part is he’s already procreated so let’s hope someone gets to those kids before they become mean-bots like him.

Always on the lookout for foods that not only make you feel good, they make you better from the inside out?  Did you know that you can stop the aging process by reducing inflammation…? certain foods can increase inflammation which can contribute to disease and aging.  By avoiding those foods and increasing consumption of foods that decrease inflammation you can ensure better health and anti-aging. 

I went through a diet, that shall remain nameless, that worked on the same principal of reducing inflammation provoking foods.  The effects were amazing so I full heartedly support the principal of Regeneration’s anti-aging whole food bar.

Flavor options…

• Regenerating Original Flavor
• Regenerating Cocoa Brownie Flavor
• Regenerating Gogi Flavor

The ingredients are different in both but rest assured that Regeneration has strict policies for their ingredients.  NO processed sugar, corn syrup, salt, hydrogenated oils, genetically modified foods, preservatives, or synthetic sweeteners of any variety.

The stuff they do put in like blueberries, Acai, Goji berries and more are gathered from around the world in the most remote regions.  I love having nutrition bars handy for when I need to eat but don’t have the time to get myself something healthy.

And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for!  The winner of the Thumbuddy contest is….

Erin Lowmaster! @ http://www.connected2christ.com/theblog

Her comment: This is so cool! I love how they promote that as God’s children we are wonderfully made!

Thanks for an opportunity to win this!

If you didn’t win this time, be sure to check out www.thumbpeople.com for great books and cds.

I LOVE getting Amazon gift certs!  I’ve been hanging on to my little balance but finally decided to go ahead and buy, buy, buy!  You’ll be shocked at what a spendthrift I’ve been.

I bought a 6 pack of Seventh Generation free & clear 2x liquid laundry detergent.  I opted for the 6 month subscription (they say you can cancel it) which I will if I don’t get more Amazon certs by then.  Normally I would have bought something frivolous for the kids or myself but I feel better putting my money torwards necessities right now.

My last Amazon order was for the Seventh Generation TP and we are very pleased with it.  Great quality and value.

This is my first time using this product so I’ll be sure to post a full review after a few uses.

How’s your skin looking mom?  are the kids playing tic-tac-toe on your thigh?  perhaps you haven’t let it get that far – yet.  With the right products your skin never  has to go through that.

Winterize your skincare with Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion.  My family and friends did and saw a wonderful difference in our skin in a very short time.

Boy2001 insisted on unscented.  He is a little afraid of all the scents being too feminine but needs good moisture on his knees and elbows every day just the same. He’s been using it for a few weeks now and there’s been a huge improvement in his skin since he’s started using Clinical Therapy.

Your skin may just be a little dry and need the slightest touch of winterizing like me, just apply every night and wake up with soft skin the next morning. 

Skin is soft to the touch and will take you through the day without feeling itchy or scratchy.  Isn’t that the most embarassing thing? Or catching a callous on a stocking or something — talk about mortification! Spare yourself all those potentially embarassing moments by becoming a user.

Maman (my mom) has also become a big fan as she has persistently dry skin.  It’s done wonders for the texture of her skin and she’d recommend it to anyone looking to have a more youthful appearance.

Now about the name…

I must admit the name sounds scary to those of us on a budget.  ‘Clinical Therapy’ doesn’t normally come cheap you know.  It could even involve a doctor’s prescription but rest assured that is not the case!  You can get Clinical Therapy over the counter at your leisure.  There’s no excuse not to get the skin you deserve at a great price available locally.

About the campaign…

Every once in a while you see a cute campaign and think, “wow, they did a great job with that.”  Prescribe the Nation is one such campaign.  Vaseline recruited a lady from a small town of 6,000 in Alaska to see if she would prescribe informally to people she cared about.  After using the product and being happy with the results, she did.  Watch the vids and results of the prescriptions from young to old and how they feel about the product.

Fun things to do on the Prescribe the Nation Site:

• Win a vacation to Alaska! click on over and prescribe yourself into a WIN!
• Download a $1 off coupon for Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion
• Meet Petal Ruch and read all the stories

Thanks to the FRN for this great review opp!

It’s February 2nd, 2009! Ok, it’s not, I was offline much of yesterday, totally exhausted but wanted to wish you all a…

Happy <Belated> Groundhog Day!

I LOVE the Bill Murray movie and always did a lesson plan on Groundhog Day when I was teaching in Japan.  It’s a great piece of Americana.

Patience everyone, the DVD you’ve all been waiting for will soon be available.  The kids and I had the opportunity to preview VEGGIETALES®: Abe and The Amazing Promise and I can vouch for its’ rewatchability factor… it’s been replayed a gazillion times thus far and no signs of stopping!

I love sharing something with the kids that strengthens their belief in God and gives good solid advice that everyone can agree with… in this case: patience!  All kids can relate to being impatient! I’m quite sure kids are meant not to have any as a test of a parents’ patience!

Are we there yet? how much longer to my birthday? when will the cookies be ready?  The first part of the video is about Abraham and Sarah’s wait for their promised son.  I really like the message, especially good since it’s not a story my kids are very familiar with.  This particular story is a wonderful choice because of the great faith and patience as well as the connections to three religions: Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

In addition to the great DVD be on the lookout for The VeggieTales® Bible from Zonderkidz.  It’s on my wishlist (the running one I keep in my head!).  Boy2001 has a Zonderkidz Adventure Bible but I think this would be great for my girls since they’re younger. 

Consumer Rebate Offer:

Consumers who purchase both the Abe and the Amazing Promise DVD and The VeggieTales Bible can receive a $10 rebate by mail with proof of purchase. The offer will be promoted via point of purchase and on product.

I almost forgot to mention, Nationally Syndicated Radio Show Host, “Delilah,” Voices VeggieTales Character Sarah!  Has that sealed the deal? Check out the coloring pages, fun, games and shopping at the BIG Idea website… a word of caution, they’ve got the entire Veggietales collection available in one set!

Ready to Buy?

Buy Abe and the Amazing Promise DVD for $14.99 in Christian stores Saturday, February 7, 2009 and everywhere Tuesday February 10, 2009.  Pre-order on Amazon.

I’d like to leave with a link to the trailer and a thank-you to FRN for the opportunity to review this awesome DVD.