On Vacation

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I am at my parents house staying for a week for vacation. I swear someone is always sick...and of course it started off right away. Kennedy started throwing up in the car only an hour into our drive. She threw up 4 times that morning. I thought she was getting carsick. I guess it was something else as she threw up half of the night also! So far today she is doing ok though. I have her on clear liquids today and hoping that she is over what ever she had yesterday.

Not really sure what we will be doing. I have a couple graduation parties Saturday so I will be able to see a lot of family then. Otherwise we are just planning to hang out and play it by the day. I will be checking out the crayola twitter party tuesday night #GNO...and there will be another crayola creativity pack giveaway then also. If you havent, go and enter for this weeks crayola pack ending Monday!

Book reviews and giveaways

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I will occassionally be doing some book reviews and/or giveaways here. While we love childrens books here, I have began reading more myself too. In the past years I have been too busy or tired to do much reading. I know there are plenty of friends of mine that love reading..and I do enjoy reading. I have found I have more time now to sit down with a good book...or like some of my fellow special needs parents...we are trapped in hospital rooms watching cartoons to keep the kids happy...so it is nice to have a good book along. So I know my blog is more focused on the children, but thought it would be a nice change to offer some other topics too. I hope you enjoy the reviews and occassional giveaways.

Book Giveaway : The Lost Dog by Michelle de Kretser

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GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

THE LOST DOG by Michelle de Kretser

Book Information

Tom Loxley, an Indian-Australian professor, is less concerned with finishing his book on Henry James than with finding his dog, who is lost in the Australian bush.Joining his daily hunt is Nelly Zhang, an artist whose husband disappeared mysteriously years before Tom met her. Although Nelly helps him search for his beloved pet, Tom isn't sure if he should trust this new friend.Tom has preoccupations other than his book and Nelly and his missing dog, mainly concerning his mother, who is suffering from the various indignities of old age. He is constantly drawn from the cerebral to the primitive--by his mother's infirmities, as well as by Nelly's attractions.

THE LOST DOG makes brilliant use of the conventions of suspense and atmosphere while leading us to see anew the ever-present conflicts between our bodies and our minds, the present and the past, the primal and the civilized.

About Michelle de Kretser

Michelle de Kretser was born in Sri Lanka and emigrated to Australia when she was fourteen. She was educated in Melbourne and Paris and has worked as an editor and a book reviewer.The Hamilton Case, her second novel, received the Commonwealth Writers Prize (SE Asia and Pacific region), and the Society of Authors’ (U.K.) Encore Award for best second novel of the year. It was also first runner-up for Barnes & Noble’s Discover Award in Fiction, and a New York Times Notable Book.The Lost Dog is her third novel. It was a finalist for the Commonwealth Writers Prize and received the 2008 Christina Stead Prize for fiction.

Article:Michelle's motivation for her newest novel

Thanks to Valerie Russo at Hatchette Book Group I can offer 5 copies to giveaway to my readers.

To enter:

leave a comment here letting me know you want to win this book. For an extra entry, follow or subscribe to my blog(in right sidebar). Giveaway ends 8/15. Winner will be chosen randomly. Please leave you email/contact info in comment. Giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada only and can not ship to PO Boxes.

Crayola Creativitycast and giveaway

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Giveaway Closed

Come join the Crayola creativitycast twitter party Tuesday night 9-11pm est #gno. Go RSVP at Mom it Forward . There you will find the tweetgrid. Also you may enter there for the awesome grand prize crayola wonder gift package ($200 value)! You can download a coupon here for $1 off crayola wonder good until Aug.2

I am very excited to be part of the Crayola Creativitycast. Crayola and MyBlogSpark has generously offered a Crayola Creativity pack for me to giveaway to one of my readers. I am hoping you all will join the creativitycast Tuesday night(July 28) on twitter. Also join us Tuesdays during August for more creative ideas and chances to win some giveaways. I will have 3 more creativity packs to giveaway(one each week) ...make sure to enter all 4 weeks(you may only win one time here).

The Crayola Creativity Pack includes the back-to-school list staples like 24-ct. Crayola Crayons, 10-ct, Crayola Markers and 12-ct. Colored Pencils and some of the new, innovative, affordable variations on these classics:

24-ct. Crayola Crayons, the quintessential back-to-school tool that kids love for their vibrant colors, and moms and teachers choose for superior quality and value
10-ct. Crayola Markers, with an array of consistent, true colors to complete any task
12-ct. Crayola Colored Pencils, which come pre-sharpened with thick, strong lead made to tackle touch projects and art activities
Crayola Pip-Squeaks Colored Pencils and Glitter Glue, which give children big color in a small size and are perfect for jazzing up art projects with bright, bold, shimmering colors
Crayola Window Crayons, to help let your little ones transform glass surfaces into instant decorations with bright colors that lay down smoothly, dry quickly, and wipe clean with a damp cloth
Tadoodles Washable Crayon Buddies, which are colorful little characters that hold a triangular-shaped crayon that twists up when the tip wears down - perfect for little hands!
Crayola Color Explosion Black Extreme Surprises, which comes complete with a stencil sheet and two Broad Tip Color Explosion clear ink markers that reveal a different surprise design as they´re colored on 18-page tablet
Crayola Color Switchers, which are dual-ended markers that allow kids to magically change the colors of their drawings with a swoosh of the "color switch" tip

You´ll be excited to find that Crayola is helping to stretch those back-to-school dollars even further this year with a lineup of school tools that are priced under $9 (with many of the school list must-haves like the 24-ct. Crayola Crayons and the 10-ct. Crayola Markers priced under $1.00 at retailers nationwide). But more importantly, what makes your investment go even further is the investment you´re making in your child´s development. Giving your kids the tools to power their imaginations doesn´t have to be expensive.

To learn more about these and other great back-to-school products, check out http://www.crayola.com/.

Mandatory entries for week #1 crayola creativity pack are the following:

1. Comment here about what you love about Crayola (1 entry)

2. Follow or subscribe to my blog(in sidebar)...leave your email or ID (2 entries)

Extra entries:
3. follow me on twitter @colleen_mouse (1 entry)

4. tweet about my crayola giveaway and leave the link here (1 entry)

5. Share what you learned at Tuesdays Crayola creativitycast (1 entry)

6. blog about this giveaway, linking back to me or email 5 people about this contest and CC colleen_mouse@yahoo.com (4 entries)

That is a total of 10 possible entries .

Comments #1 and #2 are mandatory to qualify for the giveaway...also I must be able to contact you, so be sure to leave your email address. This giveaway will end Monday August 3, 2009.

Thank you:

Summer Giveaway Bonanza at MomCentral

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I may be a little late posting, but you can head on over to MomCentral.com and enter to win lots of prizes.

Week 3: July 20-24
Win an At-home Tetherball System from Lifetime Products (Open to US) Enter by July 31
Win a $100 Gift Certificate to Alice.com (Open to US and Canada) Enter by July 31
Win a Polly Pocket Playset (Open to US and Canada) Enter by July 31
Win a Wateroos Drink Pack for Kids (Open to US) Enter by July 31
Win a Birthday Party Bash for Wii game (Open to US) Enter by July 28

Week 4: July 27-31
Win a Play-Doh Spaghetti Factory (Open to US) Enter by August 7
Win Wisk High Efficiency Detergent (Open to US and Canada) Enter by August 7
Win a Laugh and Learn DVD Set (Open to US) Enter by August 7
Win a PBS Family DVD Set (Open to US and Canada) Enter by August 7
Win a Snack Caddy (Open to US and Canada) Enter by August 7

Mommalicious Monday

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So I am anxiously waiting for the next few days to go by..and hoping for some reimbursment checks for some cash...I am hoping to be off to visit my family later this week. I am a little nervous as I will be driving with the kids by myself...but hopefully it will be as smooth as the last time I did it by myself. I was thinking of asking the twins to go with us, but dont think it is a good time for Cortnie to go out of town. As for her, she is doing better...they are still playing with some meds, but the seizures are getting better!

So today I dont have much going on...I have been using Mondays as errand days after Zachary's speech therapy. So again today, off to the pharmacy, bank and store.

Tuesday Kennedy has therapy and then I will spend the day getting my packing done...her supplies will be delivered so I might as well get them ready to go. Also I will be checking out twitter for a crayola theme...come check out the crayola creativitycast #gno by rsvp at momitforward. There will be giveaways...and then stop by here again after for a giveaway of the crayola creativity pack right here.

I am hoping to be on the road early Thursday and to the family's by that evening. Bob will be having his own fun attending the airshow for a few days...then I think he is going to be going on a road trip with his friends to a big carshow.

PhotoHunt: utensils

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So this weeks theme is utensils...and Zach even being almost 5 still makes such a mess as he hates using utensils! GGRRRR!

Here is an old pic of Kennedy trying so hard to use her utensils, yet still messy, messy, messy(oh those were the days though)!

Soaringwords...survey for a cause

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One of the toughest things for a family to deal with is if one of their children becomes seriously ill. It is important for parents and children in this situation to gain strength through support and believe they can heal. One organization that promotes this type of strength and inspiration is Soaringwords.

By acquiring help from local schools, churches, synangogues, community outreach centers, etc. Soaringwords puts together inspirational events as well as therapeutic activities for familes dealing will their child’s illness. Their signature event allows people to decorate quilts and pillows to give as a gift to ailing children.

According to the Soaringwords website, the organization was started by Lisa Honig Buksbaum after she experienced illness in her own home. In a matter of just 10 months Buksbaum’s only sibling passed away, her father found out he had cancer for a second time, and her oldest child became seriously ill. By launching the non-profit organization, Soaringwords, Buksbaum puts her efforts into helping sick children and families to heal through inspiration.

Now, it looks like Soaringwords needs our help. The organization is participating in something called a 10,000 in 10-Day Research Challenge that is sponsored by Hershey. If Soaringwords can get 10,000 people to donate just 15 minutes of their time by completing a survey, Hershey’s has agreed to give a $35,000 grant to the organization. In order to take the survey, you must be between the ages of 18 and 54. Soaringwords is also asking that participants pass the survey link (www.surveyforacause.com/survey) onto 10 or more friends as well as posting on their Twitter and Facebook accounts to get the word out.

I think this sounds like a great cause....please take the time and fill out the survey today!

Prayers for Cortnie

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Cortnie(my stepdaughter for those that may not know)has been having an increase in seizure activity. They have been trying a couple different meds that havent been helping. Today she has been admitted for further testing and IV meds. May everyone send some prayers that the doctors may find a medication to reduce her seizures!

GM- Crayola art gear sweepstakes

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Found this sweepstakes for crayola art gear. You can click HERE to enter daily through July 31st.

Crayola Creativitycast tweet #gno starting this Tuesday

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As I was out shopping yesterday I was reminded that it is back to school shopping time! To many this time can get stressful looking for all the items that are listed on their kids lists, plus all the extras the kids themselves want. I have always loved the crayola brand...and always take advantage of this time of year to stock up on their essentials as you can get such good deals. So I was really excited to learn about the Crayola Creativitycast thanks to MyBlogSpark.

Crayola wants to help you get ready with tips and creative ideas to make the season less stressful and more fun!

Starting July 28 and every Tuesday night through the month of August, Crayola is sponsoring "Girls Night Out" on Twitter - the mommy social gathering featuring colorful and engaging discussions on all things back-to-school. Crayola has teamed up with MomItForward.com, the creator of "Girls Night Out" (GNO), to bring you the "Crayola Creativitycast." The weekly series of GNO discussions will feature a new topic each week like "Affordable Fun 101" and "Back to School Survival Guide."

Tweet the night away with other moms, Crayola creativity experts, and noted mommy bloggers, and get great ideas to help you prepare for the best back to school ever for your kids!

How it works:

Every Sunday through Tuesday, you can RSVP for the party by clicking on the RSVP post on MomItForward.com

There, you can include your Twitter URL in the link list or comment section and see the list of other GNO gals.

Visit http://momitforward.com/gno each Monday for more information and a custom Tweet Grid for that week´s event.

On Tuesday nights, tweet using the hashtag #gno and chat away.

GNO participants will have the chance to win great prizes .

Keep watching my blog for reviews on some crayola products and giveaways during the crayola GNO, thanks to Crayola and My Blog Spark.

Mommalicious Monday

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Ok so starting with the weekend before this past one....started off with a bang...ok so they were a bunch of huge bangs as we went to the best fireworks show around our area! When it started Kennedys face lit up, she loved it. Zach wasnt too sure...but you can tell how much he has changed in the past year. Last year when he would get upset at something like that he would have jumped and banged his head into something...this year he sat next to me, grabbed my hands to cover his ears and was ok! He really wanted to watch, just not hear them. Then last Sunday we went to a good parade...again what a change in Zach. The year before we had to use one of the kiddie harnesses because he was all over the place. This year he sat and behaved so well! It is such a nice change!

Monday both the kids had therapy and did well. Kennedy was supposed to have PT again on Thursday, but we got a call Wed saying her therapy has been denied. The insurance companies always find someway to get out of it. Their reason for denial was that she isnt homebound, as she went to school. HELLO ...its summer therapy...she isnt in school now. Plus she also didnt go the last 6-8 weeks or so. Of course I can appeal it, but by the time that is settled summer will be over. They do these things on purpose, just for those reasons...they know by the time its settled, they wont have to pay because it wont matter by then. So I am going to work on the stuff the PT was working on by myself.

The rest of the week was pretty boring, until Thursday came along with a huge bang. I wrote a little about it then...so for an update...Lexi is doing fairly well...mostly just sore! She definitly had an angel watching over her!

Friday was cloudy and rainy off and on...but we had decided that was the day we would go to the fair. We took the kids. It was pretty quiet. Zach really enjoyed going on some rides with us. We still do not trust him to go on rides by himself(last year he got off one before everyone stopped...so we are afraid he will try standing, or getting off before the rides are over). It was looking really dark and we had just enough tickets to go on one more ride. Bob took him on the bumper cars and he cried having to get off! We packed up and just as we got in the car it started raining...great timing!

Yesterday the weather was nicer...I took the kids to the park. First we grabbed a pizza and ate at the picnic tables. Then we played on the playground. Zach loved finding loose change that other kids had lost under the monkey bars. Our park has such a great playground. There are 4 age/ability sections, a sandspot, and swings. Zach went on the barrier free playground that has a ramp..so I took Kennedy up it a couple times and would run back down. She liked that. Then he moved over to the sandspot...which had a table that was at the perfect height for Kennedy to reach in. Then over to the swings...which I held Kennedy and we both went on the swing together. This got a rise out of her and she was giggly. Then it was her lunch time, so she watched as I helped Zach across the monkey bars. He really enjoyed going up everything and down every slide. Then we stopped and got a lollipop with his new found $ and took a walk around the park. They both had a good time and behaved so well. I didnt even get any fits when we left! Then last night we went next door for a BBQ. We had a nice time visitting and playing with our friends! It was a really nice day.

Today is looking pretty nice out!

Fitness Friday...get motivated, get moving

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The last couple of weeks I have felt so unmotivated! I hadnt exercised much the week before last, then caught myself up and was feeling better, but then Sunday night I noticed my ankle was sore and it is sore exercising now. I am not sure what I did to it as I do not remember doing anything. So of course that has now been my excuse the last few days. I have been trying to think why am I so unmotivated lately. I think it is boredom! I think during the spring I had a lot of yard work and spring cleaning that needed to be done...So I was getting extra exercise doing daily work stuff, then would feel like doing the wii because I felt pumped up. Now the last couple weeks I havent had a lot to do around here, so I feel like a bum instead. My food choices have been terrible too...I will have a snack and then another snack, and all the while telling myself dont do it...but I do. I have been able to fight the crave the past couple of days, but now I have making up to do. I need to get the motivation to cut my calories more and get off my butt! So I guess my goal around here is to just do that...get off my butt, just find more things to do, and to smack myself when I want those terrible snacks!

http://www.foodfit.com/fitness/lifestyleActivity.asp

Lifestyle Activity AsHealthy As A Gym Workout

by Carol Krucoff

One woman started walking laps around the soccer field

instead of sitting during her child's practice.

One man stopped driving to restaurants for lunch and

started walking to lunch instead.
These were some of the small changes that added up to major health benefits
for participants in Project Active, a two-year study conducted at the Cooper
Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas. Researchers randomly assigned 235
sedentary men and women into two groups: a lifestyle group that learned
behavioral skills to help them gradually fit more physical activity into their
daily routines, and a structured group that used a fitness center to do
traditional forms of vigorous exercise such as aerobics, swimming, stair
climbing and walking.
The results suggest that lifestyle activity is as
effective as a structured exercise program in improving health.
For example,
both groups decreased body fat by "about one clothing size. . .2.4 percent for
the lifestyle group and 1.9 percent for the structured group," notes the study's
lead author, exercise psychologist Andrea Dunn.
"This is good news for
people whose barriers to exercise may include lack of time, lack of access to
facilities or dislike of vigorous exercise," says Dunn. "Many people think
exercise is an 'either-or' phenomenon, where you either go to the gym and work
out for 30 minutes or you do nothing. This study helps demonstrate that every
step you take counts."
Many people don't realize how little physical
activity they actually get and how important it is for them to use every
opportunity they have to be active.
In fact, researchers estimate that
adults burn an estimated 800 fewer calories (about the equivalent of four glazed
donuts) per day than did previous generations, largely because technology has
engineered physical activity out of our lives.
For example, one 49-year-old
aerospace engineer was able to drop 10 pounds and lower his cholesterol from 210
to 195 simply by taking a few extra steps at the office whenever he needed to
use the restroom or get a bite to eat

25 Ways To Add Movement To Your Day

Here's a starter list of
25 life "activating" strategies:

Don't use the nearest
bathroom. Use one that requires you to walk a bit, preferably up or down some
stairs.

Balance on one foot while
brushing your teeth. Balance on the other foot while combing your hair.

Park in the furthest space.

Move with your kids.
Instead of just watching soccer practice, walk up and down the sidelines.

Join in your child's karate
class. At the playground, get off the bench and swing, climb, hang and slide.
Hide your TV remote, so you have to get up and walk across the room to push
the buttons.

Never take an elevator
fewer than three flights, take the stairs.

Get rid of your electric
can opener and use a manual one.

Turn your coffee break
into a walk break. Walk to a distant vending machine, cafeteria or coffee shop
to get your snack.

Stretch or walk while you're talking
on the (cordless) phone, preferably with a headset.

Set an "activity" timer or program
your computer to remind you to take periodic walking and/or stretching breaks.

Take a five-minute walk
before you sit down to eat.

Walk or bike to do
errands instead of driving.

Take a minute to stretch
your arms, legs, back, shoulders and neck whenever you get up from sitting or
lying down.

Sweep your floors, patio
and/or front walk every day.

During TV commercials,
get up and walk or get down and stretch.

Socialize actively.
Instead of sitting and talking, go for a walk with family and/or friends. Or go
bowling, play Ping-Pong, basketball, bocce ball or line dancing.

Put your favorite mug on
a very low shelf, so you'll have to squat down to get it out and put it back.

Take your dog for a walk
every day. If you don't have a dog, borrow your neighbor's, or just walk your
"inner dog."

Practice "aerobic
shopping" by taking a lap around the mall or grocery store before you go into a
store or put an item in your cart.

Avoid "drive-thrus." Park
your car and walk in.

Practice good posture
when you're forced to wait in line. Stand firmly on both feet and try to raise
the top of your head to touch an imaginary hand held a quarter-inch above you.
Let your spine extend, stomach lift, shoulders relax and arms fall at your
sides.

Don't automatically
drive. If the dry cleaner is across the parking lot from the bank, walk there.
(Wear decent walking shoes or keep a good pair in your car.)

Install a chin-up bar in
a convenient doorway, then use it often to chin-up, pull-up or simply hang.

Try musical housework.
Put on dancing music and sweep, vacuum or wash windows to the beat.
Every
time you hear a bell ring (phone bell, doorbell, church bell, etc.) take a deep
breath and smile. Think of it as "mouth yoga" that relaxes hundreds of muscles
in your face. And it's contagious, so pass it on.

For me...I think I am going to try the 5 minute walk before eating....I think this will be a good reminder that I dont need a snack, and if I walk anytime before eating, then some of those snacking times will end up forgotten. I also got an idea from watching tv about putting on some ankle weights while I am doing housework...that could help burn some calories. I need to get more involved in my kids playing outside instead of sitting and watching or reading. I need to be pushing them on the swings, jumping on the trampoline, crawling around in the sandbox, watering my flowers a couple times a day(seeing there isnt much other yard work to do as it is so dry all the lawn is dead)....I should do smaller loads of laundry at a time so I can go up and down the steps more to do the laundry...hmm I am trying to think of more ideas of things to do just around the house or while playing with the kids. Kennedys PT just got cut, so I need to be the therapist now...so I need to be moving doing that....Ok all these ideas are helping...Tomorrow I am getting up and getting motivated and getting moving!!!! Who's with me?!!! Lets get supporting one another!

Answered prayers

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I sat here today praying for our little friend Alexis...and my prayers were answered. Earlier today Lexi fell out a second story window and was taken to the hospital. She has to stay overnight for monitoring, but was miraculously able to come away with out any serious injuries! Mainly she has a cut tongue from biting it so hard and broken/missing teeth...All the scans came back good!

Lexi~~May God continue to watch over you and heal you!

A thousand words thursday

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Ok so it is not often I get a picture with my husband actually smiling...he hates taking pictures...maybe its because he is caught with the dog being where he is not supposed to be...oh and dont you love my couch under the dog...yeah it started with a little tear that we patched up, but didnt hold...then with the new dog(yeah my dog is only 6 months)who chewed the cushion. We are now just waiting a little longer until we know the dog is passed the chewing stage to get a new couch.

Happy Birthday Kylee!!!!

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imikimi - Customize Your World!

PhotoHunt: Garbage

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Never figured out how she managed to get stuck in the garbage can lid!

#KidsWeigh Wii Fit Contest

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With childhood obesity reaching an all time high across the country, many parents struggle with how to help their children maintain a healthy weight with proper nutrition.

Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, the official doctor of Camp Shane and a board certified pediatrician, has created Dr. Dolgoff's Weigh, a traffic-light system that allows kids to learn which foods are healthiest without counting calories. To spread the word about her site and program, Dr. Weigh, is sponsoring a Wii Fit contest to help you get your family up and moving this summer!

To Enter: To enter to win the #KidsWeigh Wii Fit contest, check out client testimonials and fabulous Dr. Weigh success stories then fill out this secure contest form telling us which story was your favorite!Form: http://tinyurl.com/kidsweighcontest

Want a chance to speak with Dr. Dolgoff about your nutritional questions and win more prizes?

Join her Friday, July 10th at 9 p.m. ET on Twitter for her #KidsWeigh discussion. Door prizes will be awarded. To RSVP and for more information go to:
Resourceful Mommy. One grand prize winner will receive a Wii Fit. Two runners-up will receive a free one month membership to Dr. Weigh. This contest ends Friday, July 24th at 11:59 a.m. ET. and is brought to you by Momfluence.

CookiesKids.com laptop giveway

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CookiesKids.com Laptop Giveaway Sweepstakes
Is your current computer stalling and giving you blue screen nightmares? Would you love to be able to have one that the kids could use (alas, staying off of yours)?

CookiesKids.com feels your pain and has come to your rescue!

Sign up to recieve the Cookies Kids Newsletter via e-mail and you're automatically entered to win one of 4 brand new laptops!!

Simply fill out the form below to be entered into our Laptop Giveaway Sweepstakes. Please be sure to read the Giveaway Sweepstakes "Terms and Conditions" before entering your information.

The CookiesKids.com Laptop Giveaway entry form for readers is:
http://cli.gs/6dGhsh

Contest ends 9/30/09 at 11:59 AM ET. This contest brought to you courtesy of the Momfluence network.

#wiimoms twitter party

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GRAND PRIZE (@wiimoms) The Wii Mommies- Hoover Platinum Windtunnel Vacuum
Julie’s Prize (@Momspective) Momspective- Harry Potter for the Wii AND the DS!
Jenn’s Prize (@SuperJennBlogs) Super Jenn- The Sims 3 Collectors Edition (sold out in most places!)
Sarah’s Prize (@RealLifeSarah) Real Life Blog- A copy of EA SPORTS Active!

Come join the fun!

(must come to twitter party and enter at sites above to be eligable to win prizes)

Silly Monkey Stories...Rocks

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Zach is addicted to rocks all of a sudden. When he goes over to the neighbors he has to swipe a couple rocks from their driveway. Andrea is going to have to start yelling at him "swiper no swiping"! He also has been wanting to feed the fish....well that is his excuse to get into the fish tank...so that he can scoop out the rocks as soon as I turn my back. Not quite sure why all of a sudden he is so fascinated with rocks. It did help to my benefit on Friday while we were cleaning rocks out of a rock garden we no longer want!

Summer learning giveaway at I Never Grew Up

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click here to go to I Never Grew Up blog to enter for a chance to win a great collection of reading books for your children. These are elephant and piggie books by Mo Willems.

click here to also enter for a chance to win a set of summer bridge workbooks for what ever age group you like preK-8th grade.

Storytime Sunday...on Monday

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I know...Its Monday, Colleen...not Sunday...Well I enjoyed the story on Sunday, but was too busy to post my review until today. It was a beautiful day out, so I took the kids and laid a blanket under a tree and we read some stories outside. Here is one of the stories we read.

"The I Believe Bunny" written by Tish Rabe and illustrated by Frank Endersby is a beautiful childrens story. This book I believe is best geared for toddlers and early elementary school aged children. I received this book from Thomas Nelson book review bloggers program. http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ I was first drawn to this book, as I love getting books with little mice. My nickname growing up was mouse...and even as a grown mouse, reading this book to my children I loved the story that we all, no matter our size, need the kindness of strangers and the strength of God to help us through life! "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" Phillippians 4:13. While this is a religious book, and teaches children to trust in God, it is also a very cute picture book that any child would love. The illustrations are so cute and full of expresssion that children could tell the story with out reading the words. The rhyming words are wonderful. My daughter is drawn to Dr. Seuss stories and really enjoyed how this story plays on the rhyming and emotions through the story. It is a story you can get really dramatic with while reading and make it really enjoyable for the children. The story itself is about a cute bunny that wishes it would stop raining. He comes to the rescue of a little mouse who has fallen into a river and needs help. He realizes he is too small to rescue the little mouse, but puts his faith in God and is able to rescue little mouse. He becomes the I believe bunny! This introduction book of the "I Believe Bunny Series" is a great start to teach children how to believe and put their faith in God. I am really looking forward to more stories in the series.

You can visit the I Believe Bunny and his friends at www.ibelievebunny.com

Mommalicious Monday

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I hope everyone had a fun and safe Independence Day weekend! We had a good time. We do off fireworks every year and they were really great this year! I really enjoyed the company...and was glad that it didnt get too wild this year. Zach was in heaven playing with all the other kids that were over and bouncing on the trampoline. Last week was a cool week here, but yesterday turned right around. I am hoping our pool water warms up very quickly so we can cool off again. Zach was asking to go swimming all last week. We had a pretty quiet week otherwise and this week will probably be the same. Not too much going on. It does seem we are all stuffy this weekend...hopefully it is just some allergy crap and it goes away soon.

I think the week will be good...Woke up yesterday morning...cleaned up some outside, and heard a plane above for quite awhile. At first with all our trees it was difficult to see what was going on. Then I noticed this........

I would guess someone was having a great weekend(and maybe practicing for the upcoming air show in a few weeks) and wanted to share with us. It was pretty cool...and loved having the sky smile down on us....maybe they liked our fireworks the night before too lol! Hope everyone has a bright smiley week!

An honorable, touching movie

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This Independence day weekend I watched the movie "Taking Chance". This was definitly not your typical war movie or any drama I have ever seen before. What a wonderful movie, especially watching it on the weekend of 4th of July! It was very moving and made me cry and feel so honored by all our soldiers that make our country what it is! The movie was based on an article by Marine Lt. Col. Michael Strobl...and tells the story of Strobl's experience as he travels across the country as a volunteer escort for the body of fallen soldier Chance Phelps. Along the way you are told of how so many people honored this fallen soldier. If you havent seen it, you can honor all the fallen soldiers by renting it and really "feeling" the story.

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Glitterfy.com - Glitter Graphics

Photohunt: Pink

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Seeing last week I shared some pictures from Hawaii...I found quite a few while hunting that fit this weeks theme(pink) from our trip to Hawaii.

The beautiful rainbows!

Here is the awesome lava flowing!

Here are the great sunset that turn the sky pink!

Fitness Friday....eating things I shouldnt be eating

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So I dont have much to show this week...only lost 1/2 pound. I guess that is what happens when you eat crap...and yes I ate crap. With it being a holiday there is so much junk food out...I had bought some chips and dip...and I havent had dip all year and it tasted so good...It is gone and I am not buying any more...bad, evil stuff! What is even worse than dip....how about a deep fried snickers! Yep...had one of those on Sunday at a country festival I went to. Had to try it once. Ok so moving on and know what to not bring into my household!

I actually did quite a bit of exercising this week though....so that probably saved me from gaining. I worked out Friday, skipped the weekend, but then worked out every day this week. I skipped the weekend cause I went to a festival walking around a lot...also on Saturday I did some really heavy duty yard work for about 3 hours.

Shawn and I decided yesterday to make up a custom routine for the active. It is just a short routine, 15 minutes...but a quick calorie burner. We noticed that the amount of calories burned depends on your weight. As Shawn is about 50 lbs lighter than me..she burned less calories doing the same exact routine...about 30-40 less. Our routine was the run &walk med., then cross punches, standing ab crunches, and twists, then the run, high knees, kick ups, then the cross punches, standing ab crunches, and twists again, then the medium run. I burned about 120 calories , while she burned less than 90. So I guess in a way you can see how it is easier to lose weight in the beginning and gets harder as you get lighter....as you actually burn less calories doing the same activities. Interesting!