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Make sure to watch Oprah today for Erin Merryn who will be speaking as a survivor of child sexual abuse and as the creator of Erin’s Law - a bill she is trying to have passed which would require mandatory child sexual abuse prevention education in schools. Here is what I know for sure Oprah - Jill Starishevsky has the tool to help in educating kids with her book My Body Belongs To Me. Jill’s book really needs to get in schools to help kids stop sexual abuse from ever happening! Check it out www.MyBodyBelongsToMe.com or follow Jill on Twitter: @SafetyStar.
Speaking of Oprah, check back on Friday for my review of my own “Oprah in the Audience Experience with my review of the education documentary, “Waiting for ‘Superman’”.
Believe it or not, I’ve never had a home security system before. Coming from me, I know that sounds crazy, but for years I had dogs, which I always considered to be my alarms, as well as smoke detectors and CO detectors.
Well, my dogs died and, what finally occurred to me is that while it’s great that I’m alerted that there’s fire, smoke or potentially high levels of carbon monoxide, no one else knows! It’s not as if this was wired to the fire department or police department.
So, this past weekend I had an ADT Pulse home monitoring system installed. I can’t believe how cool it is! This doesn’t just tell you if someone’s coming in the door, this lets me actually control lights, thermostat and view live video of my house from my iPhone and laptop! I’m really just learning how to use all of it (my kids think it’s incredibly cool as well) but already this has been useful. I recently hired a new babysitter. She’s very sweet and, while I checked her out and called references, I really didn’t know her. Within a week of her starting I had to take a business trip to Indiana for the day. With this new system I was able to go to an app on my iPhone and view live video of her playing with them in the playroom! Then, I actually decided to have some fun with my kids. I will admit, we’re all really bad about remembering to turn off lights around the house (I’m trying to get better about this.) As they were sitting in the playroom with the babysitter, I was able to turn off the overhead light through my computer. As soon as I did it I called them from Indiana and asked them why the light went off. Now they really do think Mom sees everything! Seriously though, this gives me extra peace of mind when I’m working or away from the kids. I know exactly where they are and that they’re safe. I can even program the system to take a picture of whoever comes in or out of the doors. And, if I’m nervous about an appliance being left on I can be sure that it’s now turned off even when I’m away from home. Not only is this a safety device but, now that I can be sure lights are turned off and the thermostat is more controlled, I can save some money.
Stay tuned next week once I’ve played more with the system and learn other great ways of using it!
*Content expressed in Home Security Source does not represent the thoughts and opinions of ADT Security Services, Inc. unless explicitly indicated.
Dreams do come true! I so wanted to be in the audience for this one!!! I have been burning the midnight oil writing to the Oprah Show asking to be invited to this powerful event: the crisis in our schools. I am beyond excited to have been given this amazing opportunity to watch the new educational documentary “Waiting for Superman” at the HARPO studio on Thursday night and be a guest in the audience on the Friday morning live taping of the Oprah Show!!! This is an opportunity for us all to join the national conversation with practical solutions to for change in our current educational system. I believe that the only way we will ever change education is to empower and inspire the parents, kids and the teaching teachers to take back our educational system. It’s time to stop pointing fingers, no more bullying tactics, put the balance back between left and right and take action to make our schools better!
I would level the playing field and make cuts at the top tiers of education and develop the dream teaching team for each school, filled with passionate teachers and rich with specialty teachers and aids inside the classrooms. No more part time guidance counselors, or doing without art and music, putting the fitness back in gym, adding fun back into the system by empowering parents, kids and teachers to take back their schools and make it flourish within their communities!
Come join me as I host a Twitter Party sponsored by Lowe’s talking about all things safety related when it comes to your family.
Bringing home your first baby? What are the “must-do’s” to make your home as safe as can be! And we’ll be giving away great prizes to help you do this!
Whole home suites of GE Choice alert products. Worth more than $100
$100 worth of Cooper tamper resistant outlets for the whole home
North States baby gates (3-in-1 Metal Super Yard $148 each)
Want to learn some tips on how to handle emergencies and some of the top hazards around the home? We’ll talk about that too! And, we’ll share some of the “I can’t believe that happened to my kid” stories that we all have.
#Lowes4Safety Twitter Party
When: Thursday, September 23rd, from 8:00P to 9:00PM EST
Where: #Lowes4Safety tag on Twitter
How: Follow hostess @SafetyMom and tweet with the party tag
October is fire safety month, and most schools will be talking to our kids about what to do in case of a fire. But how many of us really practice this at home? How many of us have taken a few moments to read the instructions on our fire extinguisher? Would you know how to use it in a fire?
Take some time in the coming weeks and put together an emergency evacuation plan and practice it! Here are some additional tips to keep in mind:
Having properly installed smoke alarms cut the chances of dying in a reported fire by half. Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on every level of the home. Consider purchasing one with an escape light built in as well. Put a note on the calendar to test the smoke alarm on the first of every month.
Be sure to place specially designed stickers from the fire department on the window of each child’s bedroom which will alert fire fighters that a child could be present in that room.
• Keep fire extinguishers in various places around your home including the kitchen, garage, near the furnace and near any fireplace.
If you are using a portable space heater, be sure it has built-in safety features, such as automatic shutoffs, anti-tipping devices and heat guards.
When you have small children in the home, install a baby gate around the fireplace to prevent access.
Purchase a 2-Story Emergency Fire Escape Ladder and keep it somewhere in or near your bedroom.
Teach your children never to try and put out a fire themselves but to leave the house immediately and call 911 from a neighbor’s home. Have a fire drill once every few months so that everyone can practice.
You can learn more safety tips and give your kids a chance to ride a fire truck during Safety Saturday at your local Lowe’s store on Saturday, September 25th from 10A – 2P. And, your kids can even build a fire truck for themselves!
Visit www.lowesbuildandgrow.com and be one of the first 50 to sign up and reserve your spot. All Build & Grow attendees will receive a free apron and goggles.
It may seem early to be talking about Halloween, but one of the best ways to celebrate green is by planning ahead.
In 2009, $4.75 billion was expected to be spent by consumers for Halloween. And you can bet that this spending ultimately results in a lot of waste, some of which is attributed to costumes.
Swapping half the costumes that kids wear at Halloween would reduce annual landfill waste by 6,250 tons, equal to the weight of 2500 mid-sized cars, says Bob Lilienfield of Use-Less-Stuff.com.
Millions of parents buy new costumes each year wanting to fulfill their childrens’ fantasies. But like a wedding day, in general, costumes are worn once, then thrown away. Relatively small numbers are kept in dress up boxes and reused or donated to thrift shops. Most are likely sent to the dump.
So this year, why not make a boo-ti-ful Halloween resolution and swap?
It’s easy to plan a family or neighborhood swap. Just sent out e-invites inviting guests to bring outgrown costumes in good condition. Make it a party by adding activities like the design-a-bag contest from ChicoBag where your kids can win $250 for them and the same for their schools. Or dunk for apples, make goodie bags or add other Halloween/seasonal games. Or how about staging a fashion show with kids wearing their new-to-them outfits!
If you’re interested in staging or attending a public event where more costume choices should be available, check out www.CostumeSwapDay.com where you’ll find a database of swaps plus tips on how to set one up.
Add another aspect to a public swap by teaming with a non-profit. Charge a small swapping fee that goes to your partner.
And if you can’t make it to a swap or there is none in your area, the internet comes to your rescue. Do a search for “costume swap” or “clothing swap” and you’ll likely find online alternatives.
Instead of my typical weekly blog that involves strategies, ideas, and suggestions for parents and educator, I have decided to share the themes and goals of my children’s books with you. The common thread throughout each of the stories is my commitment to help our children to become more self confident, to instill a love for reading, to encourage children to be open to new ideas, people, and places, to be kind and empathetic, and to love and respect family, friends and the world around us.
“Forever Love” is a beautiful story that explores the everlasting love between a terminally ill parent and his child.
“Room for One More” is a wonderful book to share with young children for it focuses on the heart’s ability to expand as a new baby is welcomed into a family.
“Margaret the Magnificent” is the first in the Margaret series of stories. It introduces the magical super-dog as she travels the globe in her quest to help a little girl who needs love, friendship, and a boost to her self confidence as she gets ready to attend a new school.
“Margaret the Magnificent Visits the Everglades” is dedicated to children and adults who believe in the power of friendship, beauty, and in the belief that working together will create a greener and kinder tomorrow. The book combines accurate information about the Everglades with the imaginary adventures of Margaret the Magnificent, Ali the alligator and Crock the Crocodile. It also blends photographs by Rodney Cammauf with the beautiful art work created by Ann Pilicer.”
“Margaret the Magnificent Visits the Rain Forest” invites readers to travel to the wetlands of Africa in order to help Margaret assist Kyle the crocodile and his friends preserve their ecosystem. Once again, Margaret, the magical, super-dog demonstrates how perseverance and team work can impact change and give us hope for a greener and kinder future. The graphic illustrations, created by Michael Costa, are so life-like that you will feel as if you are in the African jungle along with Margaret and her friends. Again, the combination of facts and fiction make this story a “must read” for elementary aged children.
To order Donna’s books and/or to find out how to schedule a speaking engagement/author visit, please visit, www.magicalms.com.
Moms, we need your help again! Are you frustrated, like me, by companies like Abercrombie & Fitch who seem to think that too sexy is right for our kids and teens? I called to complain and they said the Managers don’t take complaints — must be too busy surfing the web to find nude inspiration or maybe playing Farmville?? I love www.onemillionmoms.com who think like I do!!
Abercrombie and Filth
August 26, 2010
Abercrombie and Fitch continues to push the envelope and now has become more p*rnographic than ever before. A & F’s p*rnographic posters are desensitizing our youth which can lead to addiction and destruction. They are ignoring parents’ concerns and have outdone themselves by printing images which are more graphic than in years past.
A & F’s s*xually explicit posters have images of models posing n*de with parts blurred out, full rear n*dity of a male and men and women with clothes barely covering themselves wadded up so you can tell nothing about the article of clothing they are attempting to sell. These posters will shock, embarrass and potentially hurt the teens they hope to profit from. This type of marketing is damaging to our youth since so many struggle with self-esteem issues which can lead to obsession, eating disorders and depression as well as addiction. The destruction continues in the A & F Quarterly which is published with more s*xual imagery. (* used to bypass internet filters.)
OMM has received numerous complaints from our members over Abercrombie and Fitch’s new ads and store displays. Even though the company has blocked our emails in the past, we will not give up. We will call their corporate office and voice our concerns. We know from past experiences that calling may take a few more minutes of your time, but it will be time well spent. We have found from past experience that we have been successful in doing this and that most of you have no problem in giving your opinion to a retailer that is displaying nasty images to make a buck.
TAKE ACTION
Call Abercrombie and Fitch’s corporate office at 1-614-283-6500 & press #3 & #4 or you can press 0. If you get the recording asking you to email them, then just call back to get the menu to talk to someone. (The email address given came back as undeliverable for OMM since they block us.)
Then ask, “As a mother and a member of OneMillionMoms.com, I would like to know why your ads and posters have images of models posing n*de if you are in the market to sell clothes?” Let A & F know that if they do not remove these outrageous posters from their stores immediately, then as a parent this Christmas Season you will not be shopping in their stores (A & F, abercrombie Kids, Gilly Hicks and Hollister’s) for your family’s Christmas gifts. This type of marketing is ridiculous and we want answers. They can block our emails, but they can’t keep us quiet.
“Ready To Learn Mom” with Stacey Kannenberg Radio Show at 10 CST/11 EST every Wednesday! Join us on 09/01/10 with the Top 2 Winner in the Business Baby Shower Contest, Lori Sawyer of Mommy Moves who is going to help us get fit!
About Lori Sawyer, M.A., ATC, Owner
National Athletic Trainiers Association Certified Athletic Trainer
National Academy of Sports Medicine, Personal Trainer
National Association of Sports Nutrition Consultant
Owner, LS-Fitness and Founder of Mommy-Moves
Co-Owner, Kids-Move
Lori Sawyer earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Movement Studies and Exercise Science with a concentration in Athletic Training from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. She then earned a Masters of Arts Degree in Exercise Science from Montclair State University in New Jersey.
After graduating, Lori took a position at Seton Hall University as an Athletic Trainer for two years. She then moved to Los Angeles to take a position as a staff Athletic Trainer at UCLA in 2001. While at UCLA, she traveled with the women’s basketball team and was directly responsible for the women’s tennis team and the 2003 national championship women’s water polo team.
Her focus as an Athletic Trainer has been on injury prevention, rehabilitation, and sports specific training. She has developed a well deserved reputation in the field for bringing athletes back from injury, quicker and safer than before. While at UCLA, she was certified in the Graston Technique for pain and injury management.
Since undergraduate school and throughout her career, she has trained people from every walk of life to help them improve their lifestyle and achieve their specific goals. Now, her lifestyle and goals have changed. She has created LS-Fitness, a personal training, nutrition and rehabilitation business that focuses on core strength while achieving your goals. When Jake was born she wanted to stay at home with her new son, she also didn’t want to end her professional career…so MOMMY-MOVES! was born! Now with 2 beautiful boys (Jake and Chase) She runs the Mommy-Moves program and continues to teach classes, while working on building Kids-Move with Co-Owner, Mary Patterson. They are working on building a family fitness franchise! She is also working on becoming certified in the Tupler technique, a non surgical way to close diastasis recti, a common abdominal problem in women with children.
Our back to school ritual involves Back-to-School shopping. Every year (this was our 6th year) my daughters Heidi, now 11 and Megan, now 9 and our next door neighbor/big sister/babysitter/who has known the girls since day one, Amanda, who is now 17 and I go shopping. This isn’t just shopping we turn it into a fashion show extravaganza and involving many times the entire store. Honestly, I hate shopping and so do my girls. But years ago I decided to tell the girls we would be having a fashion show with their favorite person in the entire world, Amanda. We went from “fit n’tears” to “fun n’laughs” just by making it into a special event – a few stores for a few hours and lunch in a nice restaurant. They gear up to the event with the girls painting their nails and picking out a special outfit to wear shopping and Amanda does their hair. So they “feel” special for picking out even more “special outfits”.
We only go to a few stores and each of us takes one girl and we work with the help of a sales person with that girl. This year we had one sales girl who keep going in the back room and finding us the cutest clothes that I would never have found on the rack in a million years. Once the girls explain what they want – I have learned that if my girls really, really don’t love it and they are only buying it to please me – they will NOT wear it; so now we explain to the salesperson we want A line waistlines from one girl that cover her appropriately and will not show her belly button when she raises her hand in class and more fitted outfits for the other girl with the same description that they need to be covered appropriately and honestly, the salesperson does all of the work. We have so much fun the manager and a bunch of salesreps usually gets involved too helping us decide which ones we should select. The girls feel special and love the attention! We have stores that remember us each year and enjoy the “fun and excitement” we bring back to Back-to-School shopping.
The key for me, everyone needs an Amanda and salesreps who enjoy their jobs!!
I saw this on one of my favorite blogs, the Clutter Diet Blog from the Queen of Organizing, Lorie Marrero and just had to share:
What Are Your “Back to School Resolutions?”
One of our Clutter Diet members posted this yesterday in our member message boards:
“The new school year to me is like setting new year’s resolutions.”
Yes, it is! It’s a fresh start, just like a brand new calendar year. What will you do differently?
Here are some suggestions of small things you can change that will make a huge difference in your school year and how organized you feel:
Create a lunch-making station in your kitchen, with storage for lunch boxes, plastic bags, food containers, thermal containers, plasticware, and common lunch treats all within easy reach of the fridge and/or pantry. Think about how easy it would be to make a peanut butter sandwich in your kitchen and adjust accordingly.
Start a habit of making lunches the night before. Better yet, have the young ‘uns start packing their own. Give them some guidance on appropriate menus and combinations and keep your supplies stocked for them.
Find out if your school has automated reminders that e-mail you when your child’s lunch money account is below a certain dollar amount. (Ours does and I didn’t know that until the end of last year!)
Get up earlier. Get ahead of the rest of the family, get your workout done, get a shower, or just get some quiet time to yourself before the whole day’s wild rumpus begins.
Do your “Sunday Planning”– just 10-15 minutes a week could change everything! We explain exactly how and what this entails in our free report, “30 Ways to Find Time to Get Organized”, available here.
Set up family policies for homework time, snack time, and how much screen time the kids can have on weekdays and weekends. Agree to these policies together along with the consequences for violating them, and even have the kids sign an official paper about it. Eliminate arguments and constant policing!
Make an effort to organize a carpool arrangement with at least one other family. It saves everyone immense amounts of time and is good for the environment too.
What are your “Back to School Resolutions?” Share in the comments!
Favorite Business Book: Anything by Authors Tamara Monosoff or Joyce Bone
Favorite Family Book: The Dream is Clear to Believe is the Reward – Mike Kannenberg
Favorite Quote: Winners never quit and quitters never win! Vince Lombardi
Which came first: the biz or the kid? The kids were 3 and 1 when I started the biz!
What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day? My ability to multi-task keeps me on track!
How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? As the kids get older it gets easier. Any tips? Involve the family so they support you and the family business; Try to establish a routine that works for the family; Work around your family time; and most important remember it takes practice to balance it all!
What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? It started with my hot dog stand from 1969-1974 in front of my grandparent’s busy family bowling alley in Hayward, WI. I always knew I would have my own business but I wanted to learn from the corporate world first and start my own business from home when I started my own family!
What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life? EMPOWER
Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life? I have the unconditional love of my husband and kids and the support of thousands of people standing behind me that have gotten me to where I am today. From the love of family and friends to the support of so many people that I didn’t even know in person, who once they heard my story, have cheered me on by sharing my story and have continued to rally behind me!
What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? Pray and read the Bible!
What’s the one thing you can’t live without? Electricity!
iPhone or Blackberry? Blackberry
Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
PC or Mac? PC
Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself? Cook it
Who is your biggest supporter? My amazing husband Mike who gave me a crystal clear clock in 2004 engraved with the Cedar Valley Publishing logo that reads: The Dream is Clear - To Believe is the Reward
Who is your greatest inspiration? I was raised by my grandparents who were both my “rock”. My grandfather told me every day that I was destined for greatness and that I could make the world a better place. He started me on my path and passed the baton off to Mike, who continues to support the mission!
What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? More of what I am doing today and loving every minute of it!
Name of Businesses: Cedar Valley Publishing and HerInsight Media
“Ready To Learn Mom” with Stacey Kannenberg Radio Show at 10 CST/11 EST every Wednesday! Join us on 08/25/10 with Fantasy Trilogy Author of the Everland Foundation by Ricardo Amado who is not only an amazing author and dad but also a twice-deployed Iraq soldier.
“Everland Volume I:Opal’s Book of Winter” is the first installment in an all-new fantasy trilogy by fantasy author and twice deployed to Iraq soldier R.J. Amado.
Four teenage girls escape from a miserable foster home existence to a world where anything is possible.
Nadya has always dreamed of being a Nature Princess, whatever that is. Opal would settle for a castle with a moat and a matching prince to accessorize with her wardrobe, while Crystal would give anything to be a pretty knight in pink armor. And Sam would just like to be left alone.
Then one night, a genie-like being offers to whisk them away from their decrepit foster home for a whole year to a place where their most deeply treasured fantasies can come alive. No catches, no questions asked, no strings attached. Well, sort of…
Because upon arrival, nobody told these four ordinary girls that among other things they would be pursued by a mysterious Black Knight’s horsemen; imprisoned by a bad-tempered King Bear with an infestation problem in his Enchanted Forest; and going up against a Fairy Colony with militaristic ambitions.
R.J. Amado invites YOU to join Opal, Sam, Crystal and Nadya on an unforgettable one-of-a-kind fantastic journey that is quite unlike anything else you will ever experience. Because when making it through the year means no less than coming home together, nothing else matters.
“Everland Volume I: Opal’s Book of Winter”
It’s only the beginning!
And coming this Summer 2010…
“Everland Volume II: Nadya’s Book of Spring”
There’s no turning back.
When I was asked to review the ISafeBag (www.isafebags.com); I could hardly wait to receive it. It was invented by an entrepreneur in the Chicago area after he heard a news story about a woman walking on the street at night who was raped by four guys. He was so upset by this story that he decided to do something to help protect women and kids from abductors, muggers and rapists…and even your run-of-the-mill school yard bullies! I love that he was inspired to take ACTION!!!
Essentially, the ISafeBag looks like a regular backpack but underneath a flap on the right strap is a rip cord that, when pulled, activates a LOUD alarm (equivalent to a car alarm) and a strobe light. It will sound for two hours so it’s also wonderful for campers or hikers who are lost. It works on two nine volt batteries and the weight and price of this back pack is similar to any other back pack BUT this offers PEACE OF MIND!!
Ironically, on the day it arrived, I had received an email alert that an alleged kidnapper was on the loose in our tiny community. I am not kidding! The alert contained a picture of a man who looked very familiar as someone we had all recognized as seeing before in our small town. I work from home so I turned on our home security alarm. When it was time to walk down to the mailbox, our lovely babysitter and neighbor (who we all love like a family member) Amanda (Photo by Heidi Kannenberg) wore the ISafeBag Sling Bag and pulled the ripcord.
It’s LOUD and will definitely scare away a predator and get attention! My girls reminded me that it will also scare away the coyotes who have been getting braver and braver, and the recent black bears that have been seen in our neighborhood too! I just reminded the girls that it was not a toy, but a tool.
So the ISafeBag isn’t just for back to school for kids and college students; it’s perfect for traveling, hiking, camping, biking and other outdoor adventures, the zoo, the park, shopping and any place you need a little extra PEACE OF MIND!
We all love the ISafeBag! Please share it with your loved ones too!
Smiles – Stacey
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary ISafe Bag for this review. No other compensation was provided.
Now that summer is ending, many of us are thinking about the upcoming school year and how to create an atmosphere of success for our children. Regardless of age, a blank notebook, a fresh backpack, new pencils, pens, markers, and/or crayons should be joyful and yet, for many children, it elicits feelings of insecurity and fear of failure. It is up to us, as parents and educators, to make certain that our kids are emotionally, socially, cognitively, and physically ready to meet new challenges. Children need guidance, time, and reminders in order to successfully transition from the more carefree days of summer to the more rigorous routines of the school year. Proper manners should be reinforced, kindness acknowledged, reading, listening, and practicing skills encouraged and healthy eating and sleeping patterns enforced. Since children mimic our attitudes and behaviors, it is critical to speak in positive ways about the school year, teachers, school, and curriculum. It is also important to set realistic expectations so that your child/children can tackle their new experiences and challenges with self confidence and with the knowledge that you will be both their cheerleader and confidant. Please note that I am not encouraging parents to make excuses for or to complete assignments for children, but rather, am advocating an environment of open dialogue, where discussions focus on both positive and negative emotions, behaviors, and experiences.
Creating a solid foundation is critical to buildings constructed from brick and mortar as well as those more gentle structures made up of feelings, ideas, and knowledge. Let’s work together towards building a foundation that supports a love for learning, a respect for self and others, and a dedication to excellence, diligence, and empathy.
I wish everyone a successful and lovely school year!!
Heather Jack is the Founder of The Volunteer Family Org and finalist with WE TV!
Heather will be on my show this week - please vote for her amazing foundation, www.thevolunteerfamily.org to win a $10,000 grant. Her organization connects families with organizations who need additional volunteers and focuses on volunteer activities you can do with your kids to help!!
Choose A Character For Cynthia’s Attic: Book Five!
Want to choose a character to be in the next Cynthia’s Attic book? Here’s how!
Listed at http://cynthiasattic.blogspot.com/2010/07/choose-character-for-cynthias-attic.html are 10 Cynthia’s Attic characters the author, Mary Cunningham, is considering for a recurring role in Book Five. Leave a comment with your choice and an explanation as to why you think the character deserves to return. Mary choose one winner based on the most compelling reason.
What do you win? First is the Cynthia’s Attic book of your choice. You can wait for Book Five (title coming soon!) or you can choose one of the first four titles. Now for the really fun part. If your character and comment is chosen, you’ll also become a character in the book!
This video is from CBS and HerInsight’s Own Jill Starishevsky. A New York City District Attorney who is on a mission to give us tools to help our kids stay safe. Please share this video with every parent!! Jill also is the author of another must have, My Body Belongs To Me, a book to fight kids stay safe from child abuse. (www.mybodybelongstome.com)
Rebuild a charity resale shop that supports abused women and children.
WINGS Program, Inc.
Founded in 1985, the WINGS Program (Women in Need Growing Stronger) provides shelter and support for women and children who are escaping homelessness or domestic violence. WINGS has 24 transitional homes and an emergency domestic violence shelter in suburban Chicago.
Right now, Wings is trying to win the Pepsi Grant for $250,000 which would really help rebuild the resale store. Could you please take a few minutes of your time to visit the link below and vote for Wings to receive the funds? Also, please feel free to share this wonderful cause. Thank you sooo much!!!
Vote to give this idea 250K: Rebuild a charity resale shop that supports abused women and children. http://pep.si/cL7KZ2
Christine obtained her Bachelors Degree from The University of Rhode Island in 1993. Upon graduation, she immediately began her teaching career as a PE teacher in East Greenwich, RI. She spent many years coaching middle school girl’s basketball and softball, and was the assistant tennis pro at Pt. Judith C.C. for eight years. Eventually she left coaching in order to pursue her Master’s Degree in the Administration of Physical Education and Health Education. Her entire thesis research project was based on the over-scheduling of today’s youth and how it related to future burn-out rates among athletes. She has been married to Andrew Carr for twelve years. They have three children Nolan (9), Jane (6), and Finley (4) and live in South Kingstown, R.I.
Mother Daze: Tales from the Imperfect Playground
Mother Daze is a truthful account of modern motherhood, a virtual high five offered to the women of the world, written by a girl who thought she had life well under control until kids came along… surprise! It’s been said that motherhood should unlock a universal understanding: same team, same goal… happy, healthy child, but what about the happy, healthy mommy? Where is she in the mix? This heartfelt story, told through entertaining anecdotes from my own adventures as a 37 year old mother of three young children, coupled with my fifteen years of teaching experience as a Physical Education teacher at a public elementary school, will provide smiles and sunshine for the many women of the world who honestly question, “What happened to my life?” It is a story written directly from my heart to every woman out there. I am not a clinical person by any means, and my book is not a clinical diagnosis of life as a parent, and therein lies its strength… I am the woman in the audience, down in the trenches on a daily basis, and I am offering a collection of reflections from someone who exists right beside the reader. I have taken my many years of teaching experience and put it front and center as it relates to the everyday occurrences associated with life as a parent.
Looking for something fun to do with kids of all ages this summer?
Fenway News Online reports that Design Squad, the PBS engineering reality competition series, is offering kids a chance to get in on the action this summer.
The 2010 Trash to Treasure Competition challenges kids, ages 5-19, to recycle, reuse, and re-engineer everyday materials into out-of-the-box inventions. Three winners will win a trip to Boston to see their designs built and appear on an episode of Design Squad.
Twenty-five finalists will be featured on the series website and will receive a Design Squad t-shirt. Entries will be accepted through September 5, 2010. For more information go here.
“Ready To Learn Mom” with Stacey Kannenberg Radio Show at 10 CST/11 EST every Wednesday! Join us on 07/28/10 with the WINNER of the Business Baby Shower, Robyn Pellei of ViveVita.com. Robyn talks about winning and how she manages her 9 kids, ages 1 to 10, while running her business!!! Oh my, 9 kids under 10!!!
About Robyn Pellei:
Currently, I am a very busy lady with a great life! And, I have sneaked out on to my screen porch to steal a moment to write.
My days are filled with smiles, laundry, school work, emails, business calls, diapers, snacks, hugs, coffee and prayers (lots!).
“What am I doing?” and “How do I do it?” are questions that I ask myself and often hear from others.
I have 9 adorable children that range in age from 3 months to 9 years! Please, pick up your jaw and stifle your laughter. I am not a comedian, though that may be my next venture! I started making products when the needs got so great in my home that I had to do something to make things easier. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. Oh, I also homeschool our kids…they are all in 4th grade this year! And, I am the wife and life-partner to a wonderful husband. I have friends that are amazing and a squad of cheering family members.
So, you know all about who I am now – a wife, a mom, a teacher, a CEO, and a friend. Today’s popular term for all of that is Momprenuer.
In my prior life – the BK (before kids) one – I was a nurse, an emergency room nurse to be specific. I also worked really, really hard and got my masters degree as a family nurse practitioner…funny, I never practiced in that role. OK, not so funny, but I just couldn’t do it. I had my first child just two weeks after I graduated and I was sooo tired of school and honestly…I wanted to stay home with my little guy. So, I’ve got that in my back pocket and of course, I use what I learned everyday. A very expensive education to be a mom!
And before all of that…
grew up in a small town in Virginia, that qualifies me as a Southern country girl – sort-of.
lived a “normal” faith-filled life with a fun family and many years of school and good friends.
spent half a year in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa with a missions organization (YWAM) running a small clinic. I lived in a real hut for 2 weeks – so cool!
met the man of my dreams in the ER and married him a year later. He’s the one that I look at and get pregnant!
Now that we are all caught up, I will be sharing my everyday experiences and loads of tidbits that I have and am learning. I will try to be mostly informational, as there are lots of TV shows you can watch if seeking drama. You will hear about how I manage to do most of this stuff and keep myself and our family together. We adopted two of our children internationally, so I will write about that sometimes too – though not very often because I don’t want it to seem like there is a difference in our family. Nothing so different, just a wonderful way to come together. My faith is very strong, honestly – it is only by staying close to my Creator that I am able to be or do anything that I am today. So, you will catch that strength running through lots of what I write. I have nursed all of my babies, even got the chance to nurse our adopted boys for two days – so special! And of course, you will hear lots about daily life with the kids and managing a business. I am not politically minded, so you won’t hear much about that from me and I refuse to write anything about my marriage (except the great stuff!). My marriage is sacred and I wouldn’t want to cause any discord – I can manage that well enough on my own!
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