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The Very Hungry Catepillar by Eric Carle will be read all over the world on this day, pledge to read to your group.

The event benefits www.Jumpstart.org  Pledge to read

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New year, new reads!  we’ve started off right with Curse of the Bone Pirates!  This is a first for our family, we’ve never read eco-fiction before.  Boy2001 has shown the most interest in non-fiction these past two years, so I was excited to get him into fiction of any kind.  Curse of the Bone Pirates kept his interest, Big B and the relationship he develops with Sam reminded him of his relationship with Girl2004. 

We meet Big B during a plane ride, he’s bored but doesn’t want to make conversation with his mom.  He thinks about sharks and computations.  Numbers put him at ease as he wonders about the Grandfather he will meet in Hawaii.

Professor Prune is his maternal grandfather.  He’s a brilliant but afflicted man, well respected by the locals and full of useful information.  Big B doesn’t make a good impression at first on the other non-adult in the book, Sam.  She’s pretty, purple-haired and ecologically knowledgeable. 

Along the way we get to know Big B.  He’s a sixth grader, his interests include, wrestling, surfing, BMX and he doesn’t “do” green… at first anyway!  Sam is able to give lots of information about composting and pollution as well as some Spanish words.

As the story moves along, he tries indigenous foods like Katuk and gets closer to Sam and then a new friend, Nalu. I’m not going to go into the book details much more but the point is your child will realize that small things can make a big difference.  Kids also need to feel powerful and take ownership, this book is a great step in that direction.

The book has turned into a book for the entire family to enjoy!  I just now notice that the Nui website has coloring pages, I cannot wait to show girl2004 in the morning, she’s going to love it.  There are also games and fun facts for kids to explore!

 
Favorite line from the book:

I actually made it happen!  I made a difference!

Curse of the Bone Pirates, Recommended for ages 9 – 12 but boy2001 is currently re-reading it by himself without much trouble.

Thanks to the FRN for the opportunity to share this book with my family! 

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don’t you hate it when you sign your kids up for something…

then they don’t want to go anymore…

then you have to keep paying with “contracts” thrown in your face!

the sad part is the teacher is really great, just lousy class timing.

anywho, we’ll have to keep it up until the break.

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With fall in full swing, it’s time to begin the season of festive entertaining. Esteemed Event Planner David Tutera has all the tips and tricks you need to be the perfect hostess, without breaking your bank account.
 
For any fall-themed fete or Thanksgiving get together, here are some tips from David on how to make it spectacular:
 
Tip #1
A signature drink is a great way to save money and eliminates the need for a full bar. Create a signature cocktail and you can even name it something fun and creative. For a tasty cocktail that will add color to your event, serve Nuvo Sparkling Liqueur over ice with a splash of Prosecco. Create the perfect cocktail garnish in a instant using a maple leaf cookie cutter and round slices of apple or pear.
 
Tip #2
Pumpkins are a classic and inexpensive accent to any fall gathering. One creative way to incorporate them into your décor is to use miniature pumpkins as place cards at your table. Simply cut a slit across the top of the pumpkin and inserting the card. 
 
Another idea could be to line the walkway to your party with jack-o’-lanterns instead of traditional votives or luminary bags.
 
If you really want to get fancy, impress your guests by serving your soup course out of hollowed-out gourds. You can also hollow out squash or miniature gourds to serve a first-course soup or even pumpkin ice cream or mousse for dessert!
 
Tip #3
Incorporate parts of the season into your fall floral arrangement. Non-traditional items such as lavender, feathers, berry branches, wheat, artichokes and eggplants all make beautiful additions to any fall centerpiece.
 
Artichokes are a wonderful harvest item that can be incorporated into the festivities in numerous ways. Set one at each place setting and tuck in a name card, or push back the inside leaves and nestle a taper candle inside. Use hot glue to secure for festive fall candle holders.
 
Tip #4
For festive fall placemats that won’t cost you a lot of money, cut paper or thin fabric to the desired size and use hot glue to secure colorful autumn leaves. Lay them side-by-side and let them overlap a little to create a lush autumnal cushion for your meal.
 
Create chic fall table décor on a budget by cutting out large pieces of felt in fall shapes like maple leaves, pumpkins or turkeys. Place them overlapping down the center of the table for a great table runner or set them down as festive trivets.

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Or if you prefer just buy some General Mills Amazon!

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Character Meals @ Disney World meets with success…

 If you’re looking to meet the characters up close and personal I highly recommend the Character Meal Option.  If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan it’s definitely the most bang for your buck.  I will admit it’s a tad bit annoying to have a mouth full of food and here comes character so you have to leave your food to mingle with characters but it’s a nice break for the kids, a chance to sit down and relax.  The food is half way decent for the most part and the service was good in our experience.   I must admit, our first character breakfast was a disaster, kids under tables, children crying, it’s a little scary to see how big the characters are but by the end of the day my three were running up to them with no fear!

The Disney Dining Plan was an excellent value for us.  We took the option with one table service, one counter service and one snack and it is perfect!   I met up with two separate families that took the deluxe and regretted it, way too much, kids are not going to eat the same way they do at home, they’re exhausted and/or exhilarated and don’t want to “waste” time at the table.   One lady was staying an extra day just to burn through 9 meals she didn’t want to go to waste.

If you’re really worried about hunger, consider buying snacks to bring into the park to eat on the run but trust me, the option we took is enough food!  I was surprised the the counter service wasn’t only junk food, there were plenty of more expensive options like ribs, chicken, etc… that were available under the plan. 

The snack option is the real money booster, generally you can buy something $4 and under (that’s not a rule just a guide).  The Nemo cookies and candied apples were a big hit with my family.  You can also get a soda but they’re only $2 so if possible pay cash for that and save your snack for something more expensive.

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Character Meals

If you’re looking to meet the characters up close and personal I highly recommend the Character Meal Option.  If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan it’s definitely the most bang for your buck.  I will admit it’s a tad bit annoying to have a mouth full of food and here comes character so you have to leave your food to mingle with characters but it’s a nice break for the kids, a chance to sit down and relax.  The food is half way decent for the most part and the service was good in our experience.

The Disney Dining Plan was an excellent value for us.  We took the option with one table service, one counter service and one snack per day and it is perfect!   I met up with two separate families that took the deluxe and regretted it, way too much, kids are not going to eat the same way they do at home, they’re exhausted and/or exhilarated and don’t want to “waste” time at the table.   One lady was staying an extra day just to burn through 9 meals she didn’t want to go to waste.

If you’re really worried about hunger, consider buying snacks to bring into the park to eat on the run but trust me, the option we took is enough food!  I was surprised the the counter service wasn’t only junk food, there were plenty of more expensive options like ribs, chicken, etc… that were available under the plan. 

The snack option is the real money booster, generally you can buy something $4 and under (that’s not a rule just a guide).  The Nemo cookies and candied apples were a big hit with my family.  You can also get a soda but they’re only $2 so if possible pay cash for that and save your snack for something more expensive.

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This being the first trip to Disney with a stroller (a double one at that) I was appalled by the lack of covered stroller storage.  We really couldn’t relax and enjoy the attractions because we kept thinking about our girls’ stroller being soaked, along with the stuffed animals, pictures, diapers and all the other gear. 

One time we had secured a great dry spot (rare) that was totally out of the way only to find it had been moved to the “stroller parking” that was without cover in the pouring rain totally drenched.  If Disney World is about children more needs to be done to accommodate strollers!  Stroller parking must be close to the attractions and covered.

Disney World does rent out strollers that are all plastic and can be wiped off but are quite expensive, $15 per day for a single stroller, $30 for a double stroller per day.  I’m not sure if there’s a weekly rate but those rates are a little rich for my blood.  It’s no big deal if you’re there for day but for 8 days $240?  WOW, are they kidding me?

Travel, accomodations, food and tickets are expensive enough but this is just greedy imho.

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