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Back-to-School with Hallmark!

September 16, 2014 By 16 Comments

 

 

Hallmark - Pics 'N' Props

It’s Back-to-School time for us this month and at the beginning of each year I like to take photos of my son. We usually make our own sign saying which grade he is starting but this time we decided to try the Hallmark’s Pics ‘n’ Props. The School Days Pics ‘n’ Props kit comes with the coolest chalkboard and there are  inserts for preschool through 12th grade. My son loved the chalkboard sign and is very proud to show he is in 6th grade this year! The Kit also comes with a memory book (5×7 photo album) and Journaling Cards to document your child’s first-day-of-school thoughts.  This is just the best way to start a new school year! I love that you can take a photo each year and put it in the 5×7 photo album. 

20140916_190627    20140916_190626

I also received a collection of “everyday” greeting cards from our friends at Hallmark and I can’t say this enough…they really do have the best cards!

Six Children - Cover     Looking Young_Cover

We have teamed up with our friends at Hallmark for a Back-to-School Giveaway! One winner will win their own School Days Pics ‘n’ Props kit and a collection of greeting cards. To enter, leave a comment below telling us your child’s favorite time of the school year and why. Deadline to enter is September 24, 2014 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected from all entries.

Self Disclosure: I received free products to facilitate this feature review and giveaway but any opinions expressed are truthful. Photo Credit: Hallmark (except for two photos of my son).

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Jim Henson Company has released the first book in the brand-new Enchanted Sisters series: Autumn’s Secret Gift!

September 16, 2014 By 1 Comment

Autumns Secret Gift

The Enchanted Sisters series tells the stories of Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer who, along with Mother Nature, are responsible for each turn of the season. The series will contain four chapter books for readers ages 7 to 9 and each sister will star in her own book. Winter’s Flurry Adventure will be published in October 2014 while the following two chapter books will feature the adventures of Spring and Summer and will debut in 2015.

 

This “fast-paced adventure…[is] bound to appeal to readers who wish for a little magic in their own lives,” says School Library Journal.

We received a copy of this book and I do think this book will appeal mostly to girls ages 7-9. The characters are fun and I like that there is a Sister for each season. Seems to be a delightful series for young children! SoCal City Kids highly recommends!

Self Disclosure: I received a free book to facilitate this feature.

Filed Under: Media Reviews

ON Powered Refreshment

September 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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Looking for a refreshing low calorie drink on these hot summer days? ON Power Refreshment is the answer!  They are Naturally Sweetened and come in tasty flavors such as Peach Mango and Dragonfruit Tangerine. We received samples to try and were quite impressed. I like that they taste great and do not have any artificial flavors.

Active, health-minded individuals have lacked a refreshing, low calorie, great tasting, beverage that also provides a natural sustainable boost. Enter ON Powered Refreshment.

ON’s key ingredient,Ornithine, is an amino acid that stimulates the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and fat-resulting in the release of stored energy and boosting endurance. Ornithine also reduces ammonia-which is harmful to the body and brain, causing fatigue, confusion, slower thinking speed and poorer memory. ON beverages increase stamina, boosts brainpower and enhance focus.

 

ON offers five naturally lightly sweetened, low calorie flavors:

  • Blueberry Lemonade
  • Tropical Citrus
  • Dragonfruit Tangerine
  • Peach Mango
  • Raspberry Limeade

ON is currently available in 20 states at retailers like Gelson’s, Fresh & Easy, Keil’s, Bristol Farms, Amazon and more. You can find the nearest retailer to you at the following link: http://onbeverages.com/on-near-you/.

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this feature but any opinions expressed are truthful. Photo Credit: ON Powered Refreshment.

 

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Simon Youth Academy at Westminster Mall Expands Capacity to Serve Local Students New Academy Space Designed to Further Local Dropout Prevention and Recovery Efforts

September 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

A successful dropout prevention and recovery program, operating since 2003 as a partnership between Simon Youth Foundation (SYF), Westminster Mall and Huntington Beach Union School District, is expanding its capacity to serve local students through a larger academy space at Westminster Mall and an affiliated second site, Simon Youth Coast High School Academy.

 

Simon Youth Academy at Westminster Mall will be one of 22 Simon Youth Academies nationwide that exist to help at-risk students stay in school. To-date, SYF has graduated more than 12,000 students, awarded more than $12 million in scholarships and maintained a 90% cumulative graduation rate across all Academies. In Westminster, CA, the existing Academy has served more than 600 students.  To-date, SYF and Westminster Mall have awarded $98,000 to local college-bound high school students.

 

A preview of the new Academy space and celebration of the expanded program model is set for September 18, 2014. This is not a Public preview. It is by invite only.

There will be 2 Simon Youth Academies in Westminster – Simon Youth Academy at Westminster Mall and Simon Youth Coast High School Academy located on Gothard Ave.

 

SYA at Westminster Mall will have a seating capacity of 120. However, this program is predominantly independent study. The combination of additional staff, seating, and instructional delivery model (independent study) will allow this SYA to serve 2000 students per year.  The majority of the students (80%) are between the ages of 18 to 22 and working toward their high school diplomas. Students work through their required courses one course at a time while balancing adult responsibilities such as families and work. The new space offers roughly 3,000 more square feet of instructional space than the old site, and the interior is being designed and furnished to accommodate modular, flexible classroom spaces.

 

For Coast High School, an added partner to the SYA network, capacity is 240. This program also has an independent study component and a flexible classroom environment. These students are typically 14 – 18. Coast has three curriculum delivery models that support students’ learning, based on individual needs. Traditional direct instruction is offered to students who need support and guidance. Lab-style independent study is offered to students who have the academic background to work independently but require staff on hand to guide them and keep them focused. Full independent study is offered to students who have demonstrated that they can be to be both academically independent and independently motivated.

 

SYF has operated nationally since 1998, and has maintained an academy in Westminster since 2003.

 

Credit: SYF.

Filed Under: Announcements

Parents! Vote Now to Help Kids Have More Fun – One Playspace at a Time

September 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

As parents, we spend a lot of time discovering creative ways to nurture our children’s curiosity. Luckily, being outdoors provides the perfect landscape, fueling young imaginations and creating endless possibilities for exploration, discovery and creativity. Children’s Claritin hopes to inspire parents to create innovative play spaces in their backyards, and communities.

 

Children’s Claritin also believes in the benefits of outdoor activity for children, and wants to help children get the most out of every day! They’re teaming up with KaBOOM!, a national non-profit, to help bring innovative playspaces to communities in need and you can help! By voting, you can help them pick the four community organizations that will receive Imagination Playground™. What’s Imagination Playground™? See imagination at play – watch last year’s winner enjoying Imagination Playground™.

 

Be sure to visit ClaritinVoteforPlayspaces.com where you can place your vote and gather playspace inspirations for creating your own backyard playspace.

 

While visiting the Children’s Claritin & KaBOOM! Facebook page, you can also:

  • Learn more about the twelve organizations you can vote for receiving Imagination Playground™
  • Download coupon offers
  • Locate a playspace near you

Vote now and help us pick the four community organizations that will receive Imagination Playground™. You can vote one time per day through 9/26/14. Click here for voting rules.

 

As a member of the Children’s Claritin Mom Crew, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit. No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.

Filed Under: Announcements

Be Fond Of This Find – Lifter Hamper Lifts Up As You Grab Laundry Out

September 16, 2014 By 3 Comments

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Need a line to save you time and not make you bend over backwards breaking your back weekly while you do your everyday laundry?  Lifter Hamper is your solution.

Experiencing a career-ending back injury on the football field, Marvin Phillip, father and former NFL player created Lifter Hamper for his growing family, a growing pile of laundry, and a growing sensation to find a solution to make everyday household chores a cinch and less of a pinch on his back.  He shares that early on, the smallest moves could strain his back so he had an idea and he began tinkering around with it at home. He grabbed his football playbook notepad and began quickly writing down ideas and sketching drawings. Eventually, Marvin engineered the components himself to create Lifter Hamper, the bungee spring loaded laundry hamper.

Lifter Hamper hold 2-3 loads of laundry, is easy to move around the house in and out of every room with its built-in wheels and saves you one less step – NO MORE bending over into the hamper to pick up piles of heavy clothing.  Lifter Hamper is the innovative laundry hamper that will reduce strain on your back and allow you to move more slowly and fluently while you lift out clothes and load up the washer.

Lifter Hamper truly lends a hand and lifts up while you pick up your laundry out of the hamper, placing less strain on your back.  Great for mom’s and dad’s, expecting Mom’s, anyone with back pain, seniors and all consumers looking for a solution to make doing laundry easier.  Once you try Lifter Hamper, you will not want to go back to your old hamper again.

We received a sample to try out and love how easy this is to use and how it does make doing laundry an easier task. I mean, laundry IS the never-ending  “L word.” So, anything that makes it easier, is a really great thing! It is also simple to put together and a Must-Have for the entire family!

To find out more, check out the website: http://lifterhamper.com

Self Disclosure: I received a free sample to facilitate this feature and any opinions expressed are truthful. Photo Credit: Lifter Hamper.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week