September 2015

Book Review: Say & Pray Bible

sayandprayThe Say and Pray Bible is full of bible stories summed up so that kids can understand them.  The pages of the book have some of the key words from the illustrations as well as an area for “say and pray” which has a bible reading as well as a quick prayer for you to say relating to it.

The book is full of color and illustrations and is a thick book so it can withstand reading it over and over again!  What a fun way to pray!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

About the Book

Say and Pray Bible stories will engage toddlers as they learn about God and all the things in His world.

Simple Bible story text and colorful objects will delight little ones as they are introduced to popular Bible stories. With adorable, vibrant illustrations of six to eight items per spread, toddlers will have the opportunity to learn about God and to point to and name objects on each page as they read with an adult. Each familiar Bible story includes a Bible verse (Little Ones Say) and a short prayer (Little Ones Pray) to help hide the Word in your little one’s heart.

Say and Pray the Bible with your toddler today!

God Made the World God made the world, The beautiful world, And He said, “It is very good!”

Little Ones Say In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. -Genesis 1:1

Little Ones Pray Thank You, God, for the wonderful world You made! Amen.

Book Review: The Plans I Have For You

plansThe Plans I Have For You is a book all about God’s Plan for YOU! Yes, You!  It is a rhyming book all about how you can do anything you want to do and that everything you need is already inside of you.  Whether you want to be a nurse, work at a zoo, a firefighter, etc, it is all part of God’s plan for you to be the best you and to make the world a better place!

This is a hard cover book, a lot of great illustrations and very good at making you want to be the best you that you can be after reading it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

About The Book

Bestselling author Amy Parker inspires children to dream about their future and trust that God has great plans for their life.

The Plans I Have for You combines playful rhyming text written by bestselling children’s book author Amy Parker with whimsical illustrations by award-winning artist Vanessa Brantley-Newton to create a book that inspires readers of all ages to dream about their future.

God has great plans for each and every one of us and this book encourages children to think about the talents that make them special and will help them imagine how God may use our unique traits to make the world a better place.

Love with food box august

20150817_161057

Adventure is calling and that calls for some serious snacks to keep your summer road trip rolling. While you’re noshing with the wind in your hair, you’l know your choices have helped make a difference. After all, for every box sold we donate money to fight hunger. So crank up those tunes and hit the open road!

Popcorn by 479º
Turn those long hours on the highway into a party with a classic snack, jacked up with scrumptious seasonings and absolutely no GMOs.

Cheddar popcorn is my favorite, but this asiago, parmesan and cheddar popcorn may be taking over! So good.

Apple Hard Candy by GoOrganic
Is candy really such an indulgence when it’s this organic? Go ahead, have another – these bite-sized bits of apple-y goodness won’t judge you.

Wasnt really a fan of these, they had a bit of an after taste.

Peanut Butter by Wild Friends
No matter what flavor, peanut butter goes with everything. Here it’s an even more perfect match for your road trip pick-me-up with zero trans fat.

Mom tried this one because it was coconut and I am not a fan. She was, though!

Roasted broad beans by Enlightened
Trust us. Five minutes into your trip you’ll realize these crunchy broad beans are the snack you never knew you needed.

Mom tried these too. She said they were delicious though she didn’t know what a broad bean was and that the wasabi was strong.

Popped Salted Caramel Kind Healthy Grains Bar
The ultimate grab and go road trip snack, each Popped Salted Caramel bar is packed with 20g of whole grains to make every mile count.

This was really good, I have a road trip coming up next month and I may have to stock up on some of these!  I am usually not a fan of these bars because they have no flavor – but this one was absolutely delicious.

Rosemary Croccatini by La Panzanella
No matter your actual road trip destination, these light, perfectly seasons crisps will have you feeling just a little bit closer to italy.

Really enjoyed these crackers/crisps though they were VERY messy so keep that in mind if you’re taking them on the road

Lemon Rooibos Iced Herbal Tea by Stash
Forget that extra-large soda, simply pour one of these sticks into bottled water for a light, refreshing thirst quencher. No brewing required!

This smelled really good, but I found that the taste was rather weak. I poured it in a glass of water vs a bottle of water but I’m not sure that should have made a difference!

Fruity Pie
Never had pie on a road trip? Taste what you’ve been missing with this naturally sweet and energizing treat that will keep the good times rolling.

Our pie was fig and walnut. Since my Mom is the fig fan in the family she got to try this one as well. She said it was good, but she didn’t taste any walnut.

 

Music Monday: Carrick Hypercolor

carrick

I Get High
Wild Child
Beginners
BAnDITS
The Spirit
Hypercolor
All I Think About
Different Drum
Ancient History
Dice
Where We Belong
Chain Me To the Wall

Carrick Moore Gerety was first introduced to me as a part of the band Everybody Else when they opened for Hanson.  Since then, the group has disbanded but Carrick has shown up at a few of Hanson’s song writing camps and recently put together a kickstarter campaign in order to release a solo album, Hypercolor.  The album was released on September 18th and is available now for everyone to purchase, not just backers.

I never did get into Everybody Else so I can’t really tell you how these songs compare to the stuff that they had put out as a group versus just Carrick solo. But I can tell you that this is a really good album. A bit different than what I usually listen to, but very catchy!

Book Review: Gay & Lesbian History for Kids

gayGay and Lesbian History for Kids talks about the Century-Long struggle for LGBT rights.  Although this is something that is being talked about a lot recently, this book starts with a chapter “up to the 1900s”.  The timeline in the front of the book starts with 570 BC.  If you think that being gay was not a “thing” until recently – think again!  It even talks about the first sexual reassignment surgery – that happened in 1930!

In addition to all the great information on various gay and lesbian figures through history, there are also many activities throughout for kids to do based on some of the occupations of some of the people mentioned throughout the book. Writing poems, inventing secret languages, making up song parodies, etc.

While this book is geared towards kids, it had a lot of information in it that I didn’t know about – like one of our President’s may have been gay!  It is very informative for kids and adults alike and I think this is very important topic to be sharing with kids so that they can be more accepting of those who are LGBT as well as knowing that it is ok to be LGBT and a lot of really awesome people were too!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Part of the popular For Kids series, this book puts the historic struggle for LGBT equality into perspective

Given today’s news, it would be easy to get the impression that the campaign for LGBT equality is a recent development, but it is only the final act in a struggle that started more than a century ago. This timely resource helps put recent events into context for kids ages nine and up. After a brief history up to 1900, each chapter discusses an era in the struggle for LGBT civil rights from the 1920s to today. The history is told through personal stories and firsthand accounts of the movement’s key events like the 1950s “Lavender Scare,” the Stonewall Inn uprising, and the AIDS crisis. Readers will learn about civil rights mavericks, like Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, founder of the first gay rights organization; Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, who turned the Daughters of Bilitis from a lesbian social club into a powerhouse for LGBT freedom; and Harvey Milk, the first out candidate to win a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Also chronicled are the historic contributions of famous LGBT individuals, and 21 activities enliven the history. Kids can write a free verse poem like Walt Whitman, learn the Madison line dance, design an AIDS quilt panel, and write a song parody to learn about the spirited ways in which the LGBT community has pushed for positive social change.

Book Review: Dinosaur Amigurumi

dinosaurDinosaur Amigurumi is a book about crochet dinosaurs and how to make them.  The book features 14 dinosaurs including my favorites Stegosaurus and Triceratops as well as TRex, Pterodactyl and more! The book starts out with abbreviations that will be used in the book as well as some notes on stitches. For each dinosaur there is a photo of the finished product, a list of materials that you will need, some tips and line by line instructions for each piece of the dinosaur. All the dinosaurs are adorable!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Geared toward practitioners of amigurumi, the Japanese art of crocheting stuffed dolls, this is the only how-to book dedicated to dinosaur patterns. Learn how to crochet fourteen adorable prehistoric creatures to cuddle, from familiar species such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus to Mosasaurus, Edmontosaurus, and other lesser-known but equally lovable varieties.
Each project features complete, well-illustrated instructions, plus full-color photos of the finished model. The patterns are easy to follow and are suitable for crocheters at all skill levels, from novices to experienced hands.

Book Review: Occupy These Photos

occupyOccupy These Photos is a book containing 30 photos taken by Mickey Z at various Occupy & Black Lives Matter and other protests.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I think these photos beautifully depict what has been going on in New York City as well as other locations in protest.  It’s hard to put into words what these pictures say with very few words. If you’re interested in the protests and want to learn more I definitely recommend you check out this book.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Mickey Z. continues his advocacy work by taking his camera to the streets and showing a number of major demonstrations and protests that occurred in NYC between #OWS and #BlackLivesMatter as he saw them. Not a professional photographer but a street photographer capturing those who, like him, turn out daily to protest and demand changes to an unfair and unequal system as it affects all life in NYC, human and non-human.

Book Review: Doll Junk

dolljunkDoll Junk: Collectible & Crazy Fashions from the ’70s and ’80s. The book is broken down by Small Doll Junk, Barbie-size Junk, Ken-size Junk, Big Doll Junk and Leftovers.  I had a lot of fun going through the book and laughing at the various outfits. While I lived through some of the 80s, none of the outfits in the book are any that I remember having.  Although there’s lots I’d have loved to have had! (And a few I’d like to have right now in Katie sized outfits!)

This book is certainly a blast from the past and a must read for any doll or doll clothes collector!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

“Eeeewww. Fake Barbie® clothes.” Those four words verbalize the faint disgust yesterday’s savvy kids felt when, in the midst of doll play, an inferior, generic, or “clone” dress or top suddenly surfaced from their sizable supply of perfect Mattel doll outfits. The impostors were treated as tainted outcasts and were basically left to rot. Today, a younger generation of doll lovers is on the rise. These leap-for-cheap fashionistas gleefully embrace the very items their quality-conscious predecessors detested. Here, for your viewing pleasure or revulsion, are nearly 800 not-exactly-gorgeous getups and some of the downgraded dolls who wore them, mostly from the ’70s and ’80s (’80s collectors, rejoice! Your time has come!), many in their original packaging. Prepare to shield your eyes from clumsily drawn fashion figures, pathetic attempts at high-fashion lingo, and mediocre package graphics culled from around the world!

90s Weekend at Mohegan Sun

This past weekend was 90s Weekend at Mohegan Sun.  I had previously attended their 80s weekend but was far more excited for 90s Weekend.  Although I missed out on getting tickets for the Best of The 90s concert on Friday night, I was offered free tickets to see Sugar Ray on Saturday night and All 4 One was also doing a free concert in the mall area on Saturday too.  (The only thing better than 1 free concert is TWO!)

All 4 One took the stage in the shops at Mohegan Sun just after 7pm.  They did a 5 song set – starting with their single I Can Love You Like That and then saying they were doing another song and asked if the crowd knew what it was. “Do you swear? Because it ain’t that!” They ended their set with their other well known single I Swear and also threw in a couple of new songs. They have been a band for 20 years and just came out with a new album – Twenty. It has 20 tracks and represents their 20 years as a group.  After their set they did a signing, but I didn’t stick around for that because doors for Sugar Ray had opened at 7pm.

All 4 One

I Can Love You Like That
Skillz
So In Love
Baby Love
I Swear

Sugar Ray was a private show and you had to be invited. This was the first time I was invited and actually able to go to the show (I had tickets for Joy Behar in the winter but we ended up canceling because of the weather)  The show was “General Admission” but you were given a section you had to stay in.  I had section 19 which was the far back of the arena. I opted to stay in the last row so I wouldn’t have to navigate the stairs and climb over people.  For free, it was a great spot!

Sugar Ray took the stage at about 8:20 and did roughly an hour set. Mark talked a bit between songs and I am pretty sure that 90% of what came out of his mouth was bullshit LOL  One truth was that he now has a 2 hour show on Sirius XM 90s on 90s called Mark McGrath’s 120.

Sunny in California
Someday / Groovin
Answer the Phone
Every Morning
Under the Sun
Blister in the Sun
Summertimes Coming
When It’s Over
What The World Needs
Mean Machine / Blitzkrieg Bop
Unbelievable (EMF)
Fly / What I Got

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