Halloween, Halloween, Halloween!

 ~By Laura

Ok so I am a little excited that its October 1st! This means I can decorate for Halloween and start to plan some fun ideas. I want to make some great treats and projects this year.

Here are a few from previous Halloween:

I have noticed they are all goodies LOL. I love Halloween treats and this year I am determined to do more crafts.

Do you have any Halloween ideas or post to share? 

I would love you to share them or leave a link for me to read.

Champions For Kids Dial Into Giving #CBias

By Patricia

This month's Champions for Kids Simple Service Project is all about providing personal care items for children in need. Champions for Kids has teamed up with Dial Soap in the month of October to encourage donations of these very important items that children need to be and stay healthy.

In 2011 the number of Americans receiving food stamps hit an all time high. But families receiving food stamps cannot use them to buy soap, shampoo, or other basic personal items that help keep kids clean and healthy.

I am so proud to be participating in this month's Simple Service Project and helping the kids in my community. I have been made aware that there is a real need at the local food bank. Donations are down, not just for food, but for other personal and household items that they distribute to those in need as well. As parents need help in providing meals for their families, that means they don't usually have money for soaps, toothpaste, and other needed items. I am very happy to be making my donation here to the food bank, and that what I contribute will be put into the hands of children that need them the most.

I went to my local Walmart to buy Dial Soaps and other personal care products. I love that this Champions for Kids Simple Service Project. is so important to kids physical and mental health. When children feel good about themselves, they are more confident and do better in school.

Besides buying Dial bar soap and dial hand soap, I am also buying toothpaste and toothbrushes. I am going to be making some personal care kits that the food bank can give to the kids that need them.

This is what I am buying today to start my donation. I will also be asking family and friends to contribute soap, shampoo, and other items that I can put into the personal care kits. I would like to make as many kits as possible for the food bank.

I am happy to be 1 in a million to help Champions for Kids reach and help 20 million kids by 2020. You can Dial into Giving too, by contributing Dial Soaps and other products to kids in your community. #DialCFK

I will be putting the personal care kits together to include Dial bar soap, Dial hand soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and shampoo/conditioner. I have also included colorful nylon scrubs to have some soapy fun in the bathtub or shower.

I'm encouraging everyone to contribute and participate in this very important project for children. So many of us take soap and other basic hygiene products for granted, but for the kids that don't have them, they can make all the difference in the quality of those children's lives. 

Make October the month that you begin making a difference for the children in your community. Join Dial Soap and Champions for Kids and help bring a healthier and happier life to kids everywhere.

Visit the Champions For Kids website to learn all about the Dial Into Giving project. You can read my Google+ story about my shopping trip to Walmart for Dial Soap products for ideas for your donation.
             .
You can learn more about Champions for Kids and Dial by following them online:

Champions for Kids Twitter 
Champions for Kids Facebook
Dial on Facebook
Dial on Twitter

*I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Dial Soaps  #DialCFK  #CBias #SocialFabric

Tiny Love Gymini My Nature Pals Product Review and Giveaway

  

Sometimes getting your baby to sleep at nap time and bed time can hard. Especially around our house where there seems to be constant noise and chaos. Poor little Ashley has to try to fall asleep and stay asleep in the middle of it all. To help with the noise level I like to turn on her My Natural Pals Mobile from the My Nature Pals Collection by Tiny Love.

                                      

The My Natural Pals Mobile is so sweet and all of the bright and happy colors are really eye catching. I can use it to help my baby get to sleep, stay asleep or put her in the crib to admire it for a bit while I am doing something, like unloading the dishwasher. There is an overhead light, music box light and dangling toys. The music variety includes 9 different tunes in 3 categories. The My Nature Pals Mobile is for ages 0-12 months and enhances Cognition, EQ and Senses. 

Another great benefit about the Mobile is that once your baby is old enough to pull themselves up you can remove the arm and leave the music box attached. Ashley loves music and loves being able to reach the buttons and change it herself!!! 

Another great product from the My Nature Pals Collection is the Gymini My Nature Pals play mat. The mat is endless fun for your little one. The Baby-activated take-along Lights & Music Caterpillar enhances the Gymini® playtime experience along with lights dangling toys and cute animals. The Gymini is for 0-12 months and enhances Fine Motor Skills, Gross Motor Skills and Senses. 

1-3 months

Move nature pals within baby's reach and allow him to explore their smiling expressions and take his first batting attempts.

6-9 months

Let baby enjoy the stimulating features of the baby-activated Lights & Music Caterpillar, which plays 30 min of continuous music and 10 different tunes.

Tiny Love has so many great products that we just love and know you will too. Check them out! Tiny Love has offer one of our readers to win a Gymini Move ‘n Play activity mat.



 Enter to win a Tiny Love My Nature Pals Gymini Move ‘n Play activity mat in the Rafflecopter Giveaway Below:


a Rafflecopter giveaway




 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Oct. 1 2012 and ends on Oct. 16, 2012 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent My Nature Pals from Tiny Love for my review.

Thank You Zondervan Kidz Book Donation and Review

I have enjoyed reading books to my son since the day he was born. Reading is something I have been taught by my own parents to love. There is an adventure waiting in each book and lessons to be learned. I have been able to read my son Zondervan Books and do so proudly. I grew up loving the Berenstain Bears and am thrilled to be able to share the Bear Family adventures with him. He loves to sit on my lap or in his little car chair and look through the books. He reads them to me in his own way as he describes to me what he sees in the illustrations. Earlier in the month I participated in the Champions for Kids Nickelodeon Big Help book drive and Zondervan Publishing was excited to help. They sent us books to donate and books for my son to have.

We read The Berenstain Bears Faith Gets Us Through and God Made the Seasons.  Both are great books!

Follow Brother and Sister Bear through the seasons of the year Bear Country style, doing everything from swimming and biking to sledding and studying. I liked reading this one to my son since we are getting ready for the fall. Summer time stuff like swimming is no longer an option but we have fun fall time stuff to look forward to.

The Bear Scouts hope to earn their Cave Adventure Merit Badges with Scoutmaster Papa’s help. While learning all about caves from Papa the cubs also learn a lesson about counting on God to guide them too.  I like this one! As parents are kids look to us for answers and know how, we don't always have it but can rely on Christian teachings to help us help them.

 Along with the Berenstain Bear books we were sent one of my favorite Christian children books The Jesus Storybook Bible.

The Jesus Storybook Bible is a beautifully illustrated book for kids and adults to enjoy together. In The Jesus Storybook Bible, every story whispers his name. It tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. We were able to donate a wonderful Italian Duo-Tone binding copy of this book to the kids at Home Start. The binding on this book is perfect for keepsake gifts. This book has been printed in 17 different languages so it can be shared with kids all over the world. I love that!

Our book donation to Roseville Home Start that included Zondervan Kidz books.

THANK YOU Zondervan Kidz Publishing for your contribution to the Champions for Kids Nickelodeon Book Drive. The kids at Roseville Home Start are thankful for the books they received. You can purchase the Zondervan Kidz books mentioned in this post and see the other great books they carry online at Zondervan.com

To learn more about Zondervan  you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
For more info on The Jesus Storybook Bible you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.


 * I was not paid or compensated for this post. I was sent a free copy of some of the books for my review by the publisher/PR company. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.

Clearance Items you can actually use ROCK!!!

While cruising around Walmart this weekend I came across some Clearance "Back to School" items. I know that the Back to School craze is over but there are still some really great folders and paper products out there at a great price.

I found these file folders and paper pads for 20 cents each!! That's right for less than a dollar I got all four items. What a score!! The file folders are a 3 pack so really I got 6 folders for 40 cents! With both the boys in school and my husband as well, I NEED to organize our schedules. I found that the inside of our pantry is the best place to keep the calendar and all of our other important papers.

Here is the inside of out pantry door and you can see how I already added my new apple folder and paper pad!! Everyone in the family is color-coded so that if they take a quick glance at the calendar they know if the event is for them or not :) Getting organized and keeping our schedules is an ongoing task for me and I am always looking for bright and colorful ways to help me get there. How about you? How do you keep you and your family organized?

~ By Sam ~