Are you traveling this summer? Before having two kids, we used to travel back to my in laws’ every Labor Day weekend for the Italian Festival held there each year. One year, my husband and I got a room at the Residence Inn while our oldest son stayed with his grandparents. We had never stayed in one before, but loved the idea of having a small kitchen in our room where we could cook. We definitely put it on our list for long vacations. As it turned out, we have never gotten to go on a family vacation. We are however looking at trying to get away this summer or next. The Residence Inn is at the top of my list for places to stay. With one picky eater and another child who has GI issues and needs a special diet as a result, it will be much easier if I can cook most of our meals instead of trying to eat out the whole time.

I also like that in the room we stayed in way back when, there was a door that separated the TV and kitchen area form the bedroom and bathroom. That means if we could put our 3 year old to sleep and the rest of us can still stay up and watch TV or play games. Going to bed at 7:30pm isn’t fun for the rest of us, and neither is keeping up our 3 year old. It’s why we avoid traditional hotels.I think it says a lot that the hotel made such an impression on us as a young couple about 7 years ago that we still remember it’s a nice place for families.

It’s been awhile since we stayed at a Residence Inn, but they were nice then. Now, they’ve renovated. They also offer lower rates the longer you stay. I looked up my local Residence Inn for the Carlisle/Harrisburg area. Based on the pictures they offer on the site, the suites have definitely been updated since we last stayed in a Residence Inn. There also appears to be a little more room than the one where we stayed. Our local Residence Inn also offers a pool, sport court with tennis and basketball, and a fitness center. For your convenience, they offer a printable hotel fact sheet. This way you can see what the hotel offers by location.

Every family has to choose the plan that’s right for them on vacation. Until I find another hotel where I can cook our meals when we want, I’ll personally be sticking with the Residence Inn.

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Residence Inn by Marriott and received a chance to win a weekend stay at a Residence Inn to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

This year, Pepsi has decided to give away more than $20 million dollars to fund projects in communities around the country. You can submit your ideas every month in one of six categories to try to help make your community a better place. The categories are: health, arts and culture, food and shelter, the planet, neighborhood, and education. The top submissions will be posted on Pepsi’s website for the public to vote. Grants will range from $5,000 to $250,000.

Starting today, February 1, 2010, you and your family can get involved in two ways. You can submit your idea for an improvement you’d like to see in your community, or you can vote on the ideas already submitted at RefreshEverything.com.

You can connect with the Pepsi Refresh program via twitter (@Pepsi), facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/refresheverything,) or at www.RefreshEverything.com.

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Pepsi Refresh. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Do you have a child who volunteers? Why not enter them to be recognized for their efforts by Build-A-Bear Workshop?

Build-A-Bear Workshop® has taken a leading role in recognizing efforts of young people to help those in need through its Huggable Heroes® program. Huggable Heroes are young leaders who Build-A-Bear Workshop recognizes, honors and cele-bear-ates each year for providing extraordinary service in their communities and around the world. The seventh annual search for these special people, ra

nging in age from eight to 18, is now on. Anyone and everyone, ages eight and above, are eligible to nominate a candidate (and kids can nominate themselves) by visiting buildabear.com/huggableheroes or by picking up an entry form at a participating Build-A-Bear Workshop store in the United States and Canada. Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 26, 2010.

Some stories:

Patrick Pedraja, 13, of Palm Harbor, Fla., who helped add 15,000 new donors to the National Marrow registry and raised $160,000 to support the effort.  Patrick demonstrated uncommon creativity and entrepreneurship by selling ads on his bald head and by speaking to groups and businesses to encourage

others to get involved.

Mimi Ausland, 12, of Bend, Ore., who created two Web sites to help collect donations to feed homeless dogs and cats in animal shelters across the country.

And Katie Stagliano, 10, of Summerville, S.C., who started “Launch Katie’s Dream” to help see to it that no child goes hungry.  She plants vegetable gardens and donates the harvests to soup kitchens and organizations that help feed those in need.

Why nominate your child or one you know?

Recognition inspires others
“I think we are looking at another Greatest Generation,” said Build-A-Bear Workshop Founder and Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark.  “Our challenge is to find more kids like Patrick, Mimi and Katie who are stepping up to help in so many creative ways.  By telling their stories through our Huggable Heroes program, we know we can inspire many others to do the same at a time when citizen service is needed most.”

This year, Build-A-Bear Workshop will recognize 10 Huggable Heroes.  Each will receive a prize worth $10,000 ($7,500 in the form of an educational scholarship and $2,500 from the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to be donated to the 501(c)(3) charity of each Huggable Hero’s choice).  In addition, the Huggable Heroes will win a trip for themselves and a parent to St. Louis, the home of Build-A-Bear Workshop World Bearquarters.  During their visit, the 2010 Huggable Heroes will meet each other, be honored for their good deeds and participate in a photo shoot for the 2011 Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes Calendar.

*Press release information and photos provided by Build-A-Bear Workshop.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

November is Military Family Appreciation Month. As such, I wanted to just share this press release with my readers. All too often the military kids are overlooked – especially those of our reserve components because they often live so far from a military installation. I’ve noticed more and more focus on the kids in the last few years, and I think it’s a great thing.

Military teens coping with the stress of war are given a voice in
MY STORY: BLOGS BY FOUR MILITARY TEENS

As the U.S. considers deploying up to 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, thousands of military children at home are waging a hidden, often silent battle filled with high stress, worry, loneliness and loss.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Military life can be tough on kids – many will change schools nine times before high school graduation. But stress levels often soar for military youth when a parent is deployed to a war zone, according to Michelle D. Sherman, Ph.D., co-author of the new book MY STORY: BLOGS BY MILITARY TEENS (Beavers Pond Press).

“Military kids live in nearly every community in our country, but their struggles often go unnoticed and unappreciated” said Dr. Michelle Sherman, clinical psychologist, director of the Family Mental Health Program at Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center and clinical associate professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

About two million U.S. children have a parent in the military, and one in four is a teenager. Deployments can last for 15 months or longer, and many military personnel are deployed more than once. Deployment can be especially difficult for National Guard families who become “suddenly military” when a parent is deployed to a dangerous war zone.

“Only a small fraction of military kids attends Department of Defense schools where they have access to support programs,” Dr. Sherman said. “The rest, more than 95 percent, go to schools in our local communities, and their civilian peers just don’t understand the unique military culture and lifestyle. Even well-intentioned teachers, healthcare providers and community leaders are often unaware of the challenges these young people face, or how to support them.”

Studies show that teens are at increased risk for drug and alcohol use during times of transition, and that military youth also are at higher risk for abuse and neglect by the overwhelmed at-home caregiver.

“These kids are under a lot of pressure,” said Dr. Sherman, who co-authored the book with her mother DeAnne Sherman, a St. Paul, Minnesota teacher and public speaker who mentors junior high and high school students. “During deployment, they lose those simple, everyday interactions with their parents. Plus, military teens often take on more responsibilities at home with chores and siblings.”

MY STORY: BLOGS BY MILITARY TEENS is a series of blogs by four military teens describing their thoughts and feelings before, during and after parental deployment. The characters are fictional but the teens’ stories are authentic—the blogs are a compilation of real life experiences of military kids the authors have met and interviewed. Although excellent summer camps and support services for military youth have been developed, this is the first book written specifically for teens of the Global War on Terrorism.

MY STORY explores how parental deployment impacts teens’ lives and addresses their unique and sometimes confusing feelings of joy, frustration, sacrifice, hope and fear. The blogs bring to light the teens’ pride in their parents’ military service; sadness, anger and confusion regarding deployment; excitement of homecoming; challenges in reconnecting with their parents; struggles in creating a “new normal”; reactions to their parents’ emotional and physical challenges (PTSD, substance abuse or injury); and their own personal sacrifices and resilience.

“My Story tells it like it is for teens whose parents have been deployed,” said long-time member of the U.S. House Representatives Jim Ramstad of Minnesota. “The riveting accounts from the hearts of four military teens will make you cry and make you laugh. This book brings home the costs of war in a way that can’t be measured in dollars and cents. The mental health problems, sorrows and family turmoil are described in unvarnished terms, and so is the pride and joy of being a military teen.”

Military youth are two-and-a-half times more likely to develop psychological problems than their civilian counterparts, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Further, the Pentagon reports that military children sought outpatient mental health care two million times last year, double the number at the start of the Iraq war. Inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations among military children have increased 50 percent in the same time period.

“Research shows that many of today’s military youth—from preschoolers to high school students—are experiencing worry, insomnia, academic problems, depression, anxiety, and difficulty reconnecting with their military parents,” said Dr. Sherman. “Support and understanding from friends, compassionate adults and a caring circle of supporters in the community can go a long way toward helping these children navigate the challenges of parental deployment and reintegration.”

According to a research study co-authored by Dr. Sherman and published in Psychiatric Annals (August 2009), children whose parents are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan benefit from finding meaning and purpose in their situation. Many said they were proud of their parents and considered them heroes, and they craved opportunities to talk to “other kids who go through the same thing.” But when classmates, media, and even teachers made negative comments about the war and our troops, the children suffered.

MY STORY offers coping tools to help military kids through tough times, tips on how to reconnect with a parent upon homecoming, information about the symptoms of PTSD, an explanation of teen depression, and a list of military youth Web sites. At the end of the book, readers are encouraged to blog or journal about their own experiences in a section titled “And Now It’s Your Turn…Your Story.”

“Our hope is that MY STORY will honor and support these young people, and help them realize they are not alone,” said DeAnne Sherman. “We also wrote MY STORY to educate civilian youth and adults about the military family experience. We hope that increased awareness will stimulate civilians to extend much-needed support, compassion, and appreciation to the military youth in their communities.”

Michelle and DeAnne Sherman have written two other award-winning books for teenagers, including FINDING MY WAY: A TEEN’S GUIDE TO LIVING WITH A PARENT WHO HAS EXPERIENCED TRAUMA, which is being distributed nationally as part of the National Guard’s “Beyond the Yellow Ribbon” program. The authors present workshops and training programs on how to support families affected by deployment, trauma, and mental illness. Their books and information on their training opportunities are available at www.SeedsofHopeBooks.com or by calling (800) 901-3480.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

In order to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (the letter O), Kelly Ripa (K) and Electrolux (E) are sponsoring a Text-a thon (T). You can donate $5 to the OCRF by texting “KELLY” to 85944 (standard text rates apply). No worries. You don’t have a texting plan on your phone? I don’t either. You can visit www.kelly-confidential.com.Each day you log onto the website you’re entered to win a luxury washer and dryer in Turquoise Sky from Electrolux. Mom Central is also hosting an Electrolux washer and dryer giveaway.

You can also help donate to the OCRF by sending your friends virtual t-shirts. For every virtual t-shirt, Electrolux will donate $1. If you decide you’d like a real t-shirt you can wear, 100% of the proceeds will go to the fund. You have until September 30, 2009 to participate in all this goodness.

Now, why am I bothering you with all this? Well, it’s charity. I’m a blog whore for charity. I will always pimp my space for a good cause. Also, I had a grandma who died from ovarian cancer when I was in high school. Cancers of the female reproductive organs seem to run in the family, and I’ve had some pre-cancerous cells removed twice myself already in my life. This is a cause that is not only a good one, but one that has hit my family. Besides, who wouldn’t want the chance to win a new fancy dancy washer and dryer? I don’t know about you, but my washer and dryer are ancient by today’s standards.

Here’s a PSA from Kelly Ripa herself as well:

*Mom Central wants you to know that I also wrote this post in conjunction with one of their blog tours on behalf of Electrolux, and received a gift certificate as a thank you.

**Just between you and me, I would’ve written it without compensation because it’s for charity.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Summer is gone and the cold months are fast approaching. This leaves many homeless people and families in search of warm clothing. Land’s End is helping make their search easier. For every sweater purchased from their Fell Good collection, Land’s End is donating yarn to Warming Families, a charity that knits clothes for the homeless.

How Can You Help?

-You can purchase a Land’s End Feel Good Collection sweater.
-Help spread the word through blogging. For every blog post until September 16th, a cone of FeelGood yarn will be donated. This is enough to make 28 hats. In your post, please mention the FeelGood Campaign, and the Twitter party.
Upcoming FeelGood Twitter Party
Join Lands’ End and Vickie Howell, host of TV’s Knitty Gritty, for a Twitter Party to celebrate the kick-off the FeelGood Campaign! The party will feature more than 20 fun giveaways ranging from the FeelGood sweater and Vickie Howell’s books to Lands’ End gift cards and FeelGood yarn.

Lands’ End FeelGood Twitter Party
Date: Wednesday, September 16th
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location: #landsend

-Download the patterns form the Land’s End campaign page and knit your own donations. Here’s a how to video if you’re not sure how to get started knitting.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Turkey Hill Dairy not only provides awesome ice cream, but they also provide awesome support to our PA National Guard troops. It’s so great to see a company take an interest in their local community. Operation Hometown Hello has been going on the entire month of July. As we near the end of the month, let’s all get together and give that last minute push to get these troops some things from home while they’re deployed. Here’s the press release from Turkey Hill:

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (July 17, 2009) – Pennsylvania National Guard Troops have been witnessing the heartfelt thanks and appreciation from residents all over Central, Eastern and Southern Pennsylvania this month through Turkey Hill’s Operation Hometown Hello program. To date, the program has shipped a total of 1150 pounds of donated items to troops serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the beginning of July, Turkey Hill Dairy and Turkey Hill Minit Markets began Operation Hometown Hello to support the 6,000 men and women of the Pennsylvania National Guard serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The program, which runs through the month of July, offers Pennsylvania residents a chance to make donations to Guard members at one of the 250 Turkey Hill Minit Market locations throughout Eastern, Central and Southern Pennsylvania. Supporters can bring in a donation or purchase an item in-store to be included in donation boxes located in each Minit Market store. Turkey Hill Dairy will then collect each donation box and, along with the Minit Markets, cover shipping costs for all items to be sent to Pennsylvania National Guard members serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

More information about the program, store locations, and the top ten most requested items are available at www.turkeyhillcares.com.

*This post is not compensated by Turkey Hill. I’m a PA National Guard wife and anything to support our troops I will post freely and with an open heart.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Cinco De Mayo is just around the corner. It’s always festive and fun at your local Mexican restaurant if you’re into celebrating. I suggest making reservations if they take them as it’s always crowded. This year, Twitter Moms is participating with Cinco De Mama. RADD (formerly known as Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving) is also donating $1 for eveyr retweet May 5th.

My favorite tequila drinks isn’t necessarily a traditional margarita. I like Jose Cuervo Especial tequila with sweet and sour mix and a splash of lime juice and a splash of grenadine. All mixed together, this tastes like Kool Aid.

Recipe:
1 part tequila
4 parts sweet and sour mix
splash grenadine
splash lime juice

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Mother’s Day is fast approaching. I wanted to be ahead of the game this year as last year my husband and I were so busy the day was about 2 days away and we ended up saying “Oh crap! Mother’s Day is in 2 days!” I wasn’t so much worried about myself but what to do for our moms. My gift is easy and can be done on a last minute memory. Every year, my husband gives me the day off. I have the entire day to do as I wish. We also do this for him for Father’s Day, and again for each other on our birthdays. It’s nice to know that as a parent we are guaranteed at least a couple days off a year.

-If you’re still at a loss for a gift for the mom(s) in your life, you can check out the 20% off Mother’s Day Gift Guide at Someone Spoil Me. They’ve covered a wide array of gifts and budgets so you’re sure to find something for your mom that she’ll love.

-If you’re in Florida, you could catch a May show Mother Load. It’s a humorous slant on how competitive parents have gotten these days. The New York Times says it’s “like Annie Hall wearing a nursing a bra!”

- Beginning May 8th for 48 hours only, there’s a free book download. The book is called The Mother’s Guide to Self Renewal: How to Reclaim, Rejuvenate and Re-Balance Your Life by Renee Trudeau (a $20 value). You can go to the site now and sign up. You’ll get the download in your inbox during Mother’s Day weekend.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™

I took this quiz over at DreamBox Learning to see what my edu-parenting style is. It seems I want to spare my kids a little of the trial and error and tell them what I’ve tried in my experience. It also says I may struggle with letting them try their own ideas and letting them figure out things for themselves. Me? No. Never. I try to spare them from reinventing the wheel, but sometimes my boys feel like they need to reinvent the wheel just to prove something or drive me up the wall. I’m not sure which yet.

DreamBox provides an online interactive experience in math for kids in Kindergarten through 2nd grade. They offer a free trial, so you can test it out to see if the program is right for your child before delving deeper. I have to say, programs like this one are great if you don’t live near a place to have your child tutored, and they suffer form the same syndrome mine do. I’m not sure what it is, but I can tell my child one thing, a perfect stranger can tell them the same exact thing, but the stranger is so smart and I know nothing. Also, where we lived before was pretty rural, so if my child needed help in a subject, a place like Sylvan was at least 30 minutes away. What’s easier than logging on to your computer? After surfing the Dreambox site, I’d totally recommend it to parents who want their children in K-2nd grade to work on their math skills.

More »

Powered by Bookmarkify™