Crane Humidifier - Mya the Monkey

With a winter baby on the way, one of the top items on my list for the nursery is a humidifier. Fortunately I have some experience with humidifiers already, as we have had one for my daughter since she was a baby. We felt that a humidifier was important because of the health benefits. In the winter the air in the house can be very dry. Having a cool mist humidifier provides enough moisture to ease dry coughs and help loosen nasal congestion. These were two symptoms we were seeing in my daughter during the cold months, so we began researching and decided on a Crane Cool Mist Humidifier.

I have to say that we have been very happy with her Penguin and have used it for several years now. So when I was given the wonderful opportunity to check out one of Crane's newest designs, Mya the Monkey, I jumped at the chance to add this cute little critter to our nursery.

"MYA THE MONKEY" COOL MIST HUMIDIFIER

• Ultrasonic cool mist operation
• Increase air moisture for easier breathing and a good night's sleep
• Relieves cough, cold and flu symptoms, including nasal congestion, dry cough, sinus irritation, nose bleeds, dry skin
• 1 gallon water tank runs whisper quiet up to 24 hours
• Mists up to 2.1 gallons of moisture per day
• Effectively humidifies rooms up to 250 square feet
• Auto shutoff safety sensor
• Uses less energy than a standard household light bulb
• Does not require a filter

All these facts are what helped to sell us on the Cool Mist Humidifiers offered by Crane. But another selling point is the cuteness factor! I love that you don't have to sacrifice fun for function. With the variety of animals and characters that they offer, you are sure to find one that looks great in your child's room. My daughter loves her Penguin because of how cute it is. She doesn't really understand the benefits it is providing her with, but she reminds us to turn it on because she loves it so much.

Mya and all her friends are easy to use and easy to clean. I love how low maintenance they are, because I barely have time for extra jobs with one child and can only imagine how busy life will be with two. I am also a big fan of how quiet it is. You can barely even tell when it's running. 

While I know my readers value my opinions, and I know I wouldn't steer you wrong on something as important as helping to keep your kids comfortable, Crane has been recognized all on it's own. Crane was listed in the November Consumer Report Issue Best Product of the Year. Under the category "Best choices for humidifying a single room," Crane was listed 3 times in the top 8 of 25. Now that's impressive!

I would highly recommend that you check out Mya the Monkey and all of the other fun options available from Crane. They are affordable at about only $45.99. 

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

In Celebration Of

Universal Studio's 100th Anniversary,

One of the Most Beloved Films of all Time Comes to

Blu-ray for the First Time Ever

October 9, 2012

When an imaginative boy meets a lost alien, it is the beginning of one of cinema's most endearing friendships, as Elliot (Henry Thomas) helps the marvelous creature he calls E.T. find his way back home before the government agents can capture him.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, AcademyAward®-winning director Steven Spielberg’s magical adventure, celebrates its 30th Anniversary with its first-ever release on Blu-ray™ October 9, 2012. Featuring an all-new, digitally remastered picture that delivers six times the resolution of DVD, as well as all-new 7.1 surround sound, the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes the 1982 theatrical movie, an all-new interview with director Steven Spielberg, and “The E.T. Journals” featuring never-before-seen footage from the set of the film. The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack also includes UltraViolet™, a DVD and a Digital Copy of the film, offering fans a chance to relive the mystery, laughter and wonder of the iconic movie anytime, anywhere on the platform of their choice.

In 1982, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial became the biggest blockbuster of the year, ranking #1 over 16 different weekends. Even today, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial remains the fourth most successful movie of all-time1 in the United States. Nominated for nine Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Writing and Best Screenplay, the film took home four statuettes for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Sound and Best Music for John Williams’ (Jaws) memorable score. The unforgettable cast includes the adorable Drew Barrymore (He’s Just Not That Into You, Charlie’s Angels), Henry Thomas (Dear John, Legends of the Fall), Dee Wallace (10, “Sons and Daughters”) and Peter Coyote (“Law & Order: LA,” Jagged Edge).

My Thoughts:

Wow, this was like a step back in time. E.T. was released just before I was born and was a household name throughout my childhood. We grew up with a VHS copy of this classic and would watch it frequently for our family movie nights. It is a movie that I am excited to add to my collection and share with my family for years to come.

E.T. is one of those movies that truly keeps you on the edge of your seat. You experience so many emotions throughout the film, from a little bit of fear (what is this strange creature and what does he want) to adventure to sadness and joy. Watching Elliot from his first encounter with this creature to his last is like watching a love story. Their friendship endures so much, yet he remains faithful to helping E.T. and getting him home. Have the tissues handy!

My husband and I loved taking a trip back to our childhood with E.T. It was like visiting old friends and reliving the adventure all over again. This is sure to be a hit with the entire family!

The Great Mouse Detective on Blu-ray and HD Digital

Available for the First Time on Blu-ray and HD Digital on October 9, 2012

On October 9, 2012, fans can experience Disney's greatest listt mystery, in High Definition picture and sound, and go on a great big adventure as "The Great Mouse Detective" Mystery in the Mist Edition arrives on 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack and HD Digital. When the diabolical Professor Ratigan kidnaps London's master toymaker, the brilliant Basil of Baker Street and his trusted sidekick Dawson try to elude the ultimate trap and foil the perfect crime. This family classic on Disney Blu-ray proves big heroes come in small packages!

Rated G and approximately 74 minutes

My Thoughts:

I was very excited to gather the family around for a fun family movie night with "The Great Mouse Detective." I had this movie on VHS when I was younger, but my husband had never seen it and it was brand new to my daughter. I thought this would be an especially fun movie for the family because of how full of adventure and excitement it is.

My daughter loved the characters. She thought the mice were really cute and especially took to Olivia (the toymaker's daughter) and Basil's funny sidekick, Dawson. She really enjoyed the humor and adventure and got up and danced to some of the lively music. I was very pleased that she took a step outside of her typical princess movies and was able to enjoy a movie that was really very different from what she's used to.

My husband and I both agreed that this movie is being released for a reason, because it's good. It is something the entire family can enjoy. With action, adventure, danger, and plenty of humor it had us all engaged throughout. I would highly recommend this film for a wonderful family movie night with boys and girls of all ages... and parents, too!

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hope and Healing for Your Breast Cancer Journey

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Hope and Healing for Your Breast Cancer Journey

Surviving and Thriving During and After Your Diagnosis and Treatment

Inspiring Chicken Soup for the Soul stories and accessible leading-edge medical information from Dr. Julie Silver of Harvard Medical School. The stories in this book from women with breast cancer and their family members, along with the up-to-date medical information provided, will give you inspiration, strength and hope. This book will educate and comfort you and will serve as a support group from diagnosis through treatment to rehabilitation and recovery.

My Thoughts:

There's not much I can say about this book. I felt it very appropriate to share this with you during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It seems like everywhere you look people are being touched by breast cancer, whether it's a friend, family member, or yourself. This books is simply powerful. I feel incredibly fortunate that I am a healthy woman, but there is always a fear that lingers in your mind about the power of the unknown future. I am glad to have had the opportunity to check this book out and know about it. Should the occasion arrive where someone close to me is touched by this terrible disease, I will reach out with this book of hope. 

The best part of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books is that you know there is a real person on the other side of every story. It makes you feel like you're not alone. You're connecting with people you've never met on a whole new level. This book shares stories, gives advice, and leaves the reader feeling hopeful. 

To Sprinkle or Not to Sprinkle

When we found out we were pregnant with our second we started to talk about whether or not we should register. I knew I didn't want another shower. I didn't feel comfortable inviting 40 people to buy me another baby gift just 3 years after they bought me one for my daughter. Plus, I did get most of the basics and equipment in neutral colors.

None the less, there was definitely still stuff we needed. For starters... clothes! I couldn't believe how few gender neutral clothes we had. Everything was pink and this baby is a boy. Plus, my daughter was born in the spring and this baby is due in the winter.

We also had lots of sleep sacks and swaddles in pink. So this became a debate. I didn't think it was a huge deal for him to wear a pink sleep sack. My husband felt a little differently and wanted to get some cute boy colors and prints.

So we started a registry with only about 20 items on it. And then we had the talk with my family about whether or not we would take part in the new trend of Sprinkles. I personally feel like every baby should be celebrated. I was fine with it being a "gift-free" event. All I wanted was a cake and some family around to celebrate. I also wanted to do something to celebrate to help show my daughter how excited we are and to make her a part of it.

Ultimately we decided to have a Sprinkle. It was 10 of our closest family and friends. We had it in the middle of the afternoon and served lots of yummy appetizers and a huge selection of desserts. We had it at my mom's house and it was perfect. We all fit around the dining room table to eat and make a craft. And we all fit in the living room to open the very generous gifts we received. My daughter was super excited to be a part of the day and helped open all the presents. I would say it was the right decision for us.

Did you have a Sprinkle or second baby shower? Or do you feel they are unnecessary?

Delivery.com Review and Giveaway!

I was recently given the fabulous opportunity to check out Delivery.com. This website was new to me so I was excited to check it out and see if any restaurants in my area were available. The site sounded like a quick and easy way to get food delivered to my home.

Here is a little about Delivery.com:
At Delivery.com you can easily order food online from your favorite local restaurants for delivery or pick up. There are over a half million hungry users every month that order from thousands of restaurants in over 50 cities nationwide.
If you have never ordered food online before it's very easy and simple: you place your order on Delivery.com, the order is sent to the restaurant and when your food is ready the restaurant delivers it or you pick it up. No searching for old menus, no phone calls, waiting on hold and no repeating your order. There are also iPhone and Android Apps for easy ordering on the go.

My Experience:
I was provided with a gift card to give Delivery.com a try. The first thing I did was search my address to see if there were any restaurants in my area participating, and I was happy to find that there were. Then we decided what kind of food we wanted (the ultimate decision was to order from a local Chinese food place). We clicked on the restaurant of choice and chose the lunch menu. Then we clicked on what we wanted. It walked us through the specifics, since it was lunch there were specials available and it had easy selections for what kind of rice we wanted and what kind of soup.

Once we had everything on our order that we wanted we checked out using the gift card. It also gave us the option to add a tip right onto our card (which was great since I didn't have any cash on me). Then it asked when we wanted it delivered and we chose ASAP. Within 20 minutes we were enjoying our lunch at home on a very rainy day. It could not have been any easier. E-mail notifications were sent to let us know that our order went through.

I think this site is fabulous! Now I can order from some of my favorite restaurants online and use my credit card. I also think this is an awesome idea for new parents. If you give them a gift card to Delivery.com you leave them with the freedom of picking from a variety of restaurants. One thing I did not want to have to worry about after having my daughter was making dinner. I was just enjoying my days with her and finding our routine. I would have loved to have a stock up of gift cards to order pizza or Chinese or whatever we were feeling that night.

I would highly recommend you head on over to Delivery.com and put in your address. Find out what restaurants in your area are available and place an order. I think you will love the convenience!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Pound Puppies: Super Secret Pup Club Coming to DVD

Pound Puppies: Super Secret Pup Club

On DVD October 16, 2012

from Shout! Factory Kids

"A pup for every person and a person for every pup!" That's the motto for the Pound Puppies: Lucky, Niblet, Cookie, Squirt, and Strudel - a team of fearless canines whose sworn mission is to find homes for lonely dogs. However, when the Pound Puppies get too busy, the younger puppies, Rebound, Cupcake and Patches form the Super Secret Pup Club to help out with the missions!

On October 16, 2012, Pound Puppies: Super Secret Pup Club will arrive on DVD from Shout! Factory Kids in collaboration with Hasbro. The DVD set features five exciting Pound Puppies adventures and also contains all-new bonus features, including Learn to Draw Rebound.

Winner of the 2012 Humanitas Prize in Children's Animation, the Pound Puppies series is currently airing on The Hub in the U.S. and YTV in Canada.

My Thoughts:

One day when flipping through the channels I discovered The Hub. I was so excited to find this channel as it showed that it aired tons of my favorite cartoons from when I was a little girl. From My Little Ponies to Smurfs to Pound Puppies. I couldn't wait to give it a try with  my daughter and see what she thought of what I consider to be "classic" TV.

My daughter took a very strong liking to Pound Puppies. She gets very excited when it's on and often asks for it throughout the day. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to check out this new DVD, since now I have a DVD on hand for when it's not on TV and she is itching to see those adorable pups!

I really enjoy watching the Pound Puppies with my daughter. They are loyal and true friends devoted to doing what is best for each animal. They have each other's back on every crazy adventure they end up on. And I think the puppies are just the cutest, so this DVD was extra fun to watch.

This show portrays a message of friendship and loyalty. It's full of silly adventures that keeps kids engaged and entertained. I would suggest you check it out on The Hub and grab a copy of the newest DVD on October 16th.

Dora the Explorer: Dora's Royal Rescue on DVD Today

Available Today on DVD!

Lady Knight Dora is joined by the legendary Don Quixote in the brand-new DVD, Dora the Explorer: Dora's Royal Rescue. The DVD includes a double-length, never-before-aired episode, "Dora's Royal Rescue," which features the voices of Andy Garcia as Don Quixote and Placido Domingo as Malambruno. Also included, is the new-to-DVD episode, "Dora's Knighthood Adventure," which features the voice of Garcia as Don Quixote. In addition, for a limited time only, kids can enjoy a free Dora coloring and activity book. Created by Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and distributed by Paramount Home Media Distribution, Dora the Explorer: Dora's Royal Rescue will be released on DVD Oct. 2, 2012 for the suggested retail price of $14.99.

My Thoughts:

If you are a frequent visitor to my blog then you know my daughter adores Dora. From the DVD's to the play sets to the Pillow Pet. We have it all! When my daughter first started to have an interest in TV, Dora drew her attention. I would limit her TV time and often found that I was putting Dora on for her during that time. I asked myself why that was my choice and it really all came back to the quality of the show.

Dora is obviously engaging for kids. Almost every kids I have encountered knows who Dora is and smiles a big smile when they talk about her. But as a mom I look for more in a show. I want my daughter to be stimulated and engaged, not just spend her time staring at the TV. Dora offers this wonderful opportunity by creating an interactive show. In every episode your child's mind is challenged as Boots and Dora go on exciting adventures. From figuring out which way to go with the help of the Map, to solving puzzles, completing patterns, and counting out loud. My daughter is now at the point where she is verbally participating, as well as physically. She jumps across the river stones when Dora tells her to. She is up and moving and her mind is working. Not to mention that she is being exposed to another language! All while having fun.

I knew this latest edition would be a big hit with my daughter because she is all about princesses and knights and fairy tales. She was thrilled to go on an adventure with Lady Knight Dora to help save Don Quixote. She has already asked to watch it again!

* I received a copy of this DVD for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Ralph Tells a Story - By Abby Hanlon

Ralph Tells a Story

As a teacher, I have encountered many students just like Ralph. This book is perfect for kids in school that are beginning to be asked to do some creative writing. It can be very challenging for some students to come up with ideas when they are given the opportunity to write about anything. Some children really do need some more prompting and structure to get their creative juices flowing. But this story helps kids realize that they have much more to say then they even know. The smallest experience or adventure could lead to the most interesting story. A story that leads to other questions and engages the interest of others.

I loved this book because of how relate-able it is to kids. It's encouraging and inspiring. You are cheering for Ralph to come up with a great story! I would highly recommend you check out this book and share it with your new writer.

Inspiration for Ralph Tells A Story

For Momma Drama 

Abby Hanlon, author of Ralph Tells A Story 

I wrote Ralph Tells A Story when I was a first grade teacher. An adorable little boy in my class with really messy hair inspired the story. This little boy hated writing time. He struggled with the basics—holding his pencil, forming letters, writing his name. Drawing was not a satisfying way for him to tell a story because his drawing skills were undeveloped. This little boy squirmed in his chair and tried to find every possible distraction to avoid writing. Every day he would declare that he had nothing to write about.

But I knew that was not true, because this kid was funny. The other kids in the class loved him for his silly stories. He just couldn’t write them down. I remember one day when it was time to share at the end of writing time, I called on him to share his story, knowing there was nothing, or very little, on his paper. He stood in front of the class, holding his empty paper. After his initial unease, he improvised, making up a funny story as he went along. When he was finished, the class burst into applause. That was how the idea was born for Ralph Tells A Story.  I felt that this boy was a natural hero.

Writing Tip of the Day

Copyright (c) 2012 by Abby Hanlon

Kids like stories that are funny, so a great way to encourage reluctant writers is by tapping into their deep well of silly kid humor. Notice what your kids find funny. If told with humor, anything can be a story. My son loves when I tell a story about strange noises he makes in the middle of the night. Keep a list of these things that make you laugh at home. Pull it out when your kid complains, “I have nothing to write about.” 


Be sure to visit the next stop on this book tour: KidLitFrenzy and check out Abby's Blog on tumblr!