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Monday, October 31, 2011

Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up- November 1, 2011

Tuesday's Giveaway Linkup
Welcome to Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up with your hosts Aimee @ Classified: Mom & Karen @ Tots and Me & Alicia @ McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts!

This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways.

Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up

1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please)

2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!)

3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you!

If you would  like to follow the three hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so.


Thank you for linking up with  Aimee @ Classified: Mom & Karen @ Tots and Me & Alicia @  McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts! 




Muffin Tin Monday: A Little Bit of Cinnamon Plus

Muffin Tin Monday at Muffintinmom.com

This week we are still focusing on rain forests, as we didn't get much done last week. Silly colds. So, because our baker from How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World  by Marjorie Priceman traveled to Sri Lanka to get bark from the Karundu tree in the rainforest for cinnamon, I tried to use as much cinnamon in our meal as I could. 

Cinnamon graham crackers with peanut butter
Cinnamon sugar toast
Apples to dunk in the 
Cinnamon sugar
Strawberry yogurt (because we don't have any cinnamon yogurt)
Carrots (because we needed a vegetable)




Giveaway Opportunity at Home Grown Families: Teach My Toddler Kit

During lesson time Hannah has been really interested in joining in. She loves to be a part of what we are doing. But I am afraid most of what we are learning this year is over her head. I just found this great product over at Home Grown Families called Teach My Toddler. In this one kit there are a bunch of activities to teach colors and numbers and shapes and letters, and it comes with a parent guide. And I love that it is all contained in a little organized tote. I would love the opportunity to have some more one on one time with Hannah using this kit.

Love the foam puzzles. 
Head on over to Home Grown Families to enter this giveaway.
Ends Nov 15

Monday Blog Hopping: October 31, 2011

It's the start of another week. If you would like to do some blog hopping today head on over to my "Blog Hops" page to see the Monday Blog Hops I have found.  (There are a couple of new ones this week again.)

If you are visiting from a blog hop, welcome! I am glad you are here. Take a look around. I'd love it if you would follow me via GFC and subscribe to my emails. I also have a Facebook page and a Twitter you can follow.

And on Friday night I invite you back to link up to my new Lovin' the Weekend blog hops (you can also link up giveaways).

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Review: Groove Kid Nation: Music in Motion CD




I was given the awesome opportunity to review the new release Groove Kid Nation: Music in Motion. 


Groove Kid Nation
Music in Motion

Interactive Funky Family CD gets Kids Moving and Grooving while learning about musical concepts

(here is a little bit about the cd from the press release)

National retail release: September 20, 2011
Label:  Groove Kid Nation, Los Angeles, CA www.groovekidnation.com
SRP:  $15.98

Los Angeles -- Rodney Lee (professional musician and father of a 3-year-old) would like nothing more than to conduct a musical experiment on all children under the age of 5.  His hypothesis:  We can improve the way in which kids learn about music by introducing the real sounds of various instruments in the same way that we teach them about animals -- simply by viewing and hearing the instruments over and over in a fun way. 

“Let’s leapfrog over the cheesy imitations of blips and bleeps emanating from most toys and jump to the real thing,” says Lee.  “After all, children learn to speak by listening to their parents talk over and over.  Shouldn’t they learn the language of music in the same way?”  And what better time to test his theory than in those highly formative years from age 0 to 5 when our children’s brains are making the most connections?

Enter Groove Kid Nation, the children’s music label and website founded by Rodney Lee whose goal is to provide parents with the tools to fulfill his grand experiment.  And to that end, Groove Kid Nation is proud to announce its second release, Music in Motion. The CD continues off of the success of the critically acclaimed first release, The Wheels on the Bus, which received a coveted 2011 Parent’s Choice Silver Honor Award.  This time around, Lee and his team of top L.A. musicians recorded an album designed to get children moving to the beat while simultaneously learning about musical concepts and instruments.  Through groovy soul tracks, this mostly original set draws kids into the action with specific instructions on what to do from funny dances, to playing air guitar, to responding to musical cues, to simply nodding their heads to the beat.  An entirely new band of feline characters known as the Kool Katz guide the fun, and the enclosed 10-page booklet features colorful illustrations of each Kool Kat playing their own instrument.

The importance of music in early childhood development is well documented, and Music in Motion is the next step in the Groove Kid Nation series which tracks Lee’s efforts to create age appropriate music educational tools for his son.

“Even though I am a professional keyboard player, I still found it difficult to introduce my son to other instruments like the trumpet, saxophone, and trombone in a way that was fun for a toddler,” Lee says.  “Groove Kid Nation is a focused way to bring the concert experience home, and I designed it so that even parents with no musical ability can easily present the material to their children.  It’s as easy as playing the CD for your children while driving around town!”

In addition, the growing website GrooveKidNation.com offers further resources for parents and children via videos, games, articles, free coloring book downloads, and even a “Buyer’s Guide to the Best Musical Instruments for Kids Under Age 5.”

Ten percent of the wholesale price of Music in Motion will be donated to CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting poverty (www.care.org).
 ________________________________________________________
Here is what we think of this CD

I love Rodney Lee's hypothesis, and this CD is definitely a great way to teach your child about music and musical instruments. I'm all for reality in teaching the children.

I have to say, my girls love this CD with its funky kids songs. When we first received it we played it in the car. They wanted to listen to it over and over again. Then when I brought it into the house they wanted to listen to it even more, while we were eating, while they were doing lessons, when we had a chance to dance to it, etc. There is a song on here called the Four Little Kittens and they absolutely love it. It is sort of like the Five Little Monkeys who jump on the bed, except these kittens are on stage and they fall off one by one injuring their hands so they can't play their instruments. So one by one we lose the instruments from the music. It really helps to focus on which sound comes from which instrument. I think that might be my favorite song as well. 

They have some great resources on their website. We listened to individual instruments on the Instruments page. We were able to download a coloring book of the great pictures that are shared in the booklet which was included with the CD.  The girls have enjoyed painting with water colors while listening to the CD.




Tabitha is insisting on painting the characters as close to the original pictures as possible now.

 Here are some of their completed pages (we are going to make them into a book when they are done).












I love how this CD is so interactive. In the following pictures the girls are following the directions in the song  Go Kat Go! and heading to the right if Thelonius plays a high note and to the left if he plays a low note on the piano. We also used the opportunity to play high and low notes on the piano.









There was also the opportunity to focus on fast and slow while Jasmine played on the flute. Even when I play this CD during the day they will run in for these two songs to follow along. 

Head on over to the website to check out all the great resources. You can also subscribe to their newsletter to download your own coloring book of Music in Motion, plus three other great downloads.

I love the musical lessons in this CD and the girls love the music and the songs. 
I am so thankful I was given an opportunity to review this CD.

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. 

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.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday: October 30, 2011


Scavenger Hunt Sunday items: Macro/Close-Up, Found Texture, Home, Cover and Tree (Kent Weakley)


Macro/Close Up


This is just a decoration I received with a box of scrapbooking materials that I won. 

Found Texture


Our bathroom wall. I've always wanted to have a reason to photograph our bathroom wall. I think it is cool.

Also thought this shot I took of a headband, which is part of my upcoming review and giveaway, worked well for texture. Lots of different textures.

Home

What do we love to do in our home. Bake, of course. And isn't that a traditional view of home.
I love seeing the girls working together. This photo is linked to
Happily Mother After

Cover
The children are all covered up in their snowsuits so they could go play in the first snow of the season.

Tree

I saw this tree on the way home from story time on Friday. Loved that it still had snow on it from the night before. It hadn't yet melted off the trees on the hill.

And I decided to participate in the Shades of Autumn challenge again this week




Also linking to

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Giveaway Opportunity at Familylicious Reviews and Giveaways: Glow Crazy Prize Pack

I am always on the lookout for fun, creative toys for the girls. Once again I found a great looking product while hopping around looking at different giveaways. The Glow Crazy product is something my girls would adore. They love going into the bathroom with a flashlight and turning off the lights. With this product they can have lots of fun making designs on the walls (and ceilings) that will not leave mommy frustrated. The package includes 1 Dual Action Magic Light Wand, 2 Large Reusable Wall Canvas Clings, 4 Stencils, and an Instruction Booklet.
Glow to Go small 300x284 Glow Crazy Review and Rafflecopter Giveaway
It was also great to discover that this is a Christian company and they offer Christian stencils.
If you would like to find out more about this product, head on over to Familylicious Reviews and Giveaways.

Giveaway ends Oct 31st

Giveaway Opportunity at Home Grown Families: SwaddleMe 3 Stage Swaddle Prize Pack

Seeing as we are going to be having an addition to the family in February, I have not only been interested in finding products for the girls, I am also looking at products that will be good for our precious little boy. I have seen different swaddle products around, and when I saw Melissa over at Home Grown Families was offering a giveaway for this 3 Stage set I had to go and enter. I have never been good at swaddling, and this pack comes with the SwaddlePod that provides "womb like comfort," the SwaddleMe adjustable infant wrap that has adjustable Velcro wings (personally this is my favorite), and a Sleeping Sack for older children who no longer need swaddled.
Personally this is my favorite
For your chance to enter this giveaway, head over to Home Grown Families.
Giveaway ends Nov 5th

Giveaway Opportunity at Mama to 4 Blessings: Sorting Shapes Cupcakes Game

I obviously love finding products that are educational as well as fun for my girls. I just posted how much I love Educational Insights. I also love the products that I have found through various giveaways from Learning Resources. The Sorting Shapes Cupcakes game, according to what I have seen, teaches colors, shapes and matching along with listening skills. I loved reading that it is fast paced. The girls love to play games, but some games take so long. 
The top of the big cupcake is the game board and the children work their way around by rolling the dice. I think it looks great. Head on over to Mama To 4 Blessings if you think so too and would like an opportunity to win.
Giveaway ends Nov 7

Giveaway Opportunity at Mom and More: Educational Insights Number Bean Bags

I absolutely love finding giveaways for Educational Insights products. I have posted about their  Alphabet Bean Bags and their Alpha Catch Phonics Game. Now I have found a giveaway for their Number Bean Bags. What a great way to reinforce numbers.  They have the numeral on one side and the number word on the other. I also love that they send activity ideas with the product.
Head on over to Mom and More to check out this giveaway.
ends Nov 11

Friday, October 28, 2011

Lovin' The Weekend Blog Hops Week 4- Oct 29-30


Welcome to the fourth weekend of Lovin' the Weekend Blog Hops.

Here's how this blog hop works. I would appreciate it if you would follow me via GFC. And then, there are three different linkys you can link to. Whichever one you choose to link to, please grab that button and share it on your blog (the codes are on my sidebar). I'd love it if you could tweet or in some other way share about my new blog hop, I'd love to meet some new friends this weekend.  I have noticed that some people are more interested in just increasing their numbers, while others really want people who appreciate their blog and want to keep up with their posts. So, I decided to create two separate linkys. The third linky is for you to link up your giveaways. 

If you are interested in increasing the number of followers to your blog, Twitter or Facebook link up here:

Tots and Me










If you are interested in gaining followers to your blog who will read and comment and truly find an interest in your blog, link up here:

Tots and Me









If you have giveaways to link up, here's your spot. Please make sure to include an end date for your giveaway.

Tots and Me








I am so glad you stopped by. Please leave a comment if you link up and I will be sure to stop by and follow back.


Don't forget to check out my "Blog Hops" page for other great weekend blog hops!!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Friday Blog Hopping: Oct 28, 2011

Wow, it is Friday already.  If you would like to do some blog hopping today head on over to my "Blog Hops" page to see the Friday Blog Hops I have found.  

If you are visiting from a blog hop, welcome! I am glad you are here. Take a look around. I'd love it if you would follow me via GFC and subscribe to my emails. I also have a Facebook page and a Twitter you can follow.

Don't forget to come back tonight to link up to my new Lovin' the Weekend blog hops (you can also link up giveaways). The linky will go live at 8pm Friday. Hope to see you here.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Giveaway Opportunity at Momma T and Baby E: My True Nature Natural Children's Bath Products

I have just entered a giveaway for My True Nature Natural Children's Bath Products. This company makes bath products that are 100% Natural and they also contain organic ingredients. Personally, I am wondering if I would be able to give my girls a bath with this soap. With my skin the way it is, daddy is the one who gives the girls a bath. And if it doesn't help my skin out to use this at least if daddy uses these products on the girls we will know we are not exposing our little ones to junk on their skin and hair.
Head on over to Momma T and Baby E to enter this giveaway.
Ends Nov 4th

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Give a Hoot Wednesday Blog Hop (I am a new co-host)- October 26, 2011



This is a great opportunity to discover some great blogs & to promote your blog as well!
Hosted by: Life According to Damaris ;; Co-Hosted by: Handprints on the Wall , Miss Deb , Monster Mom & Tots and Me
For those that are new to Blog Hopping – you simply just add your link to the list. Readers will be given a chance to add their link too & “hop” from one blog to the next on the list. You do the same – adding whoever you like on the way. If someone adds you, please make an effort to add them back.
Rules:
1. Add your Blog title and URL.
2. Follow your hostesses – that would be me: Life According to Damaris & Co-Hosts: Handprints on the Wall, Miss Deb, Monster Mom & Tots and Me.
3. Follow any blogs you wish.
4. Leave a comment so I can follow you back. I’m not one of those bloggers who just say that, I will follow you back. I’ve learned if you go to the actual blog that you followed & leave a comment there, you’re more than likely to be noticed & get a follow back. Let them know you’re there via Give a Hoot Wednesday Blog Hop! :)
5. Grab our Give a Hoot Wednesday Blog Hop button if you’d like. This isn’t mandatory but it’d be great if you did – that way more people know about the Blog Hop.
If you’d like to be a featured blog, just send me an e-mail. And if you want to go ahead & spread the word of the Blog Hop, go ahead – I’ll leave the button info below!