The school year is here! Even though I am actually still enjoying the last couple weeks of Summer vacation…I have to admit it is here! But, one thing I really love is coming up with back-to-school ideas,  gift ideas or ways to be more organized.

Stationery Studio makes finding gifts and being organized an easy task this school year!

As a Homeschool Mom, staying organized is a real necessity for me and also for my family! I imagine it is important for all parents! The Rainbow Hearts Weekly Schedule Pad is a great way to stay organized! I love this eye-catching, adorable weekly schedule pad! It is a pad of 50 sheets (11″ x 8.5″) and the pad is a real must-have in staying organized! The wording “week of…” is on each page. This has really become my favorite new way to stay organized for the upcoming school year! Retails for $27.00. I think everyone in the house needs one of these!

Are you looking for a great gift idea? I think this one would make a great gift for a college student! The Design Your Own Natural Scent Soap is a must-buy! It’s simply a beautiful gift that will add style to a bathroom. The triple-milled, 100% vegetable-based warm white soaps are manufactured and handcrafted in Vermont. I love the gentle scent and that the gift set comes in a keepsake box. You can personalize with your choice of monogram, single initial, name or a short phrase. Retails for $30.00. This gift is also perfect for a variety of different occasions such as weddings, housewarming and many more.

For these two products and many other great suggestions, check out Stationery Studio.

We have teamed up for a Back-to-School Giveaway! One winner will win a $50 e-cert to use online at the Stationery Studio. To enter, visit the website and leave us a comment below telling us one of your favorite items for back-to-school! Deadline to enter is September 1st, 2015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org.

Self Disclosure: I received free product samples to facilitate this back-to-school post. No other compensation was received. Photo Credit: Stationery Studio.

Brood Ten is vicious and ready to invade. 

During a sweltering summer night, Brood Ten emerges and wreaks havoc with the electric grid, phone and cell service, wi-fi, food and water supply. Civilization as they know it is gone. 

Seth and Lara are thrown back to the stone age in their own home with trillions of cicada trying to deposit their eggs and breed. 

Fast paced and filled with tension, Brood Ten is the perfect summer read when you’re sitting outside listening to the cicadas sing.

Michael resides on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

Connect with Michael on:
Facebook: facebook.com/michaelphillipcash
Twitter: twitter.com/michaelpcash
Web: www.michaelphillipcash.com

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Lovable little Peppa Pig is getting ready to go back to school – and so can you– with the DVD release of Peppa Pig: School Bus Trip – available from Entertainment One!

My son is a little old for Peppa Pig! But, my 4-year-old nephew loves Peppa Pig! He loved this new DVD!

The colorful new title is launching as a special DVD + Scholastic Mini Book Gift Set (SRP:  $19.98), and will also be available for Digital Download. And the Scholastic Mini Book included as part of the Gift Set is titled “Class Trip,” making it the perfect addition to this Peppa seasonal offering as well as a great “watch and read” opportunity for parents and kids. 

The “peppasodes” include:

·         “School Bus Trip”

·         “The School Camp”

·         “Gym Class”

·         “School Play”

·         “Mister Skinnylegs”

·         “Jamble Sale”

·         “Sports Day”

·         “The Quarrel”

·         “Madame Gazelle’s Leaving Party”

·         “The Library”

I watched this one and the “peppasodes” are entertaining and younger children will be delighted with Peppa Pig! I love how they are based around school. My 4-year-old nephew will be starting Pre-K and this DVD made him laugh. He is also more excited about starting school in September!

 

Airing on Nick Jr., Peppa Pig follows the adventures of Peppa, a loveable, exuberant little piggy who lives with her brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig.  Peppa Pig episodes are available on DVD, and for download on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video.

 

 

In the Peppa Pig: School Bus Trip DVD, Peppa and her school friends take a trip to the mountains, where she and her classmates have fun hearing echoes, having a picnic, and singing their favorite tune on the bus ride home – the “Bing Bong Song.” Back at school, Peppa attends gym class, acts in the school play, participates in sports day, and much more! Young viewers will love these hilarious adventures filled with lots of snorts, laughter, sunshine, and of course, jumping in muddy puddles!

We have teamed up for a Back-to-School Giveaway! One winner will win this new Peppa Pig DVD! To enter, leave a comment below telling us why your younger child is looking forward to the new school year! Deadline to enter is August 25th, 2015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org.

And for more information about Peppa Pig, please visit www.peppapig.com, Facebook at facebook.com/OfficialPeppaPigUS or Twitter at @PeppaPigUS.

Self Disclosure: I received a free copy of the Peppa Pig: School Bus Trip DVD to facilitate this feature and a winner will receive a DVD that will be shipped to them.

 

The 3^rd annual Long Beach Folk Revival Festival invites families and folk fans of all ages to enjoy a pure American jamboree with banjos, crafts, beards, beers and more folk than imaginable. The festival will take place on Saturday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the grass lawn of Rainbow Lagoon Park in Downtown Long Beach.

Annually the Folk Festival brings the community together and invites young folk fans to enjoy a day in the interactive Wee Folk Village. The expansive Village will offer folk crafts, instrument making, square dancing, face painting and balloon animals throughout the festival. The Family Stage will present the Hollow Trees “Folk Music for Families” band with sing-a-long songs, stories and more kid friendly folk entertainment.

Kids can make music at the Instrument Petting Zoo and learn to play real folk instruments with members of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra.  They even have their own Kids’ Beard & Mustache Contest. Boys and girls alike can craft their own beards and mustaches at the festival or bring their own from home and enter to win prizes.

Adult Folk Festival goers also have the opportunity to enter into signature folk themed contests. The annual Deering Banjo Contest will be a showdown of the best banjo plucking in the west. The winner will receive a custom banjo ukulele courtesy of Deering Banjos. Polly’s Pie Eating Contest will return to determine the first person able to eat a whole pie without their hands. The coveted Beard & Mustache Competition presented by the Long Beach Beard Advocates, anticipates nearly 100 entries in six categories including a female category where the ladies can craft their own beards or mustaches.

The Long Beach Folk Festival brings live music, gourmet food, craft beers, signature contests, the Wee Folk Village and the “Vintage Bazaar” shopping experience to Downtown Long Beach to celebrate community. Tickets are currently on-sale for $20 in advance online. Tickets will be available day of the festival for $30. Admission is free for kids under 12 and seniors over 75. Complimentary bike valet is available, so ride down with the whole family for day of good old fashion folk. http://www.FolkRevivalFestival.com

Giveaway Opportunity! One winner will win 2 tickets to the event! Leave a comment below telling us why you would like to win! Deadline to enter is July 30th, 2015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected from all entries via Random.org.

Self Disclosure: SoCal City Kids is featuring this event. We will be attending for free as Media and covering the Festival. No other compensation was or will be received. 

Mystified by your how your child’s brain is wired? Neuropsychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and brain-based parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. offer 12 easy to remember “whole-brain” strategies (for example: Name It to Tame It, Engage Don’t Enrage, Move It Or Lose It), with dozens of exercises and activities that address sibling conflict, homework or screen time battles, meltdowns, tantrums, sulking, and other issues every parent faces.

I received a copy of this book and have found it very insightful, interesting and helpful as a parent. My favorite chapter is Chapter 5: The United States of Me: Integrating The Many Parts of Self. My son is gifted and that can be a challenge in itself. But, to go along with that he is also overly sensitive at times and can sometimes let his emotions get the best of him. This book is helpful. I especially liked the Letting Feelings Go: A Guided Exercise (on page 90). My son is in touch with his emotions, maybe too much so at times so this exercise is very helpful.

In addition to their expertise in the field, Drs. Siegel and Bryson are both parents, and understand that in the day-to-day it can be hard to just get through a day, much less read a book about parenting. This workbook is written for the busy—possibly overwhelmed—but still committed parent who wants to understand at an even deeper level what it means to connect with his or her children. (This is an expanded, interactive book based on the authors’ New York Times bestselling book The Whole-Brain Child.)

It can be purchased directly through the publisher: http://www.pesipublishing.com/go/wholebrainchild/

        

With wedding season in full swing, brides are seeking the perfect gift to show gratitude to their bridal party. What better way to say “thank you” than with a gift that gives back from the Avon Foundation? A portion of the net profits from each product will benefit Avon’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program and the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. 

All three of these items would make wonderful gifts!

Lose the Heels!

• Breast Cancer Floral Print Flip Flop: Guests will be thrilled to find an adorable pair of flip flops at their ready for when it’s time to lose the heels!

o   Price: $12

• $1 will be donated to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade

o   Description: Breast Cancer ribbon logo on the bottom with floral print and pink straps

o   Retail Website: Avon.com

Something Blue

• Empowerment Tennis Bracelet: Accessorize your bridesmaids with matching Empowerment Tennis Bracelets. This beautifully adorned bracelet will be a keepsake memory for many years to come.

o   Price: $5

• $1 will be donated to the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program

o   Description: Silverstone and faux stones, 7 ¼” L with 1” extender.

o   Retail Website: Avon.com

A Tote for all the Essentials

• Empowerment Tote: Perfect for carrying all items on the big day and can be used afterwards for everyday use. Remember to fill the tote bags with goodies for your girls!

o   Price: $7

• $1.50 will be donated to the Avon Foundation  to fund programs to end violence against women

o   Description: 100% cotton. 15 1/2″ H x 15″ W; handle drop, 10″

o   Retail Website: Avon.com.

My favorite this Summer are the Flip Flops! They are really cute and comfortable too!

We have teamed up for a Giveaway! One winner will win a pair of the Breast Cancer Floral Flip Flops. To enter, leave a comment below with a bridal shower or wedding planning tip! Deadline to enter is July 12th, 2015 at noon PST. US Residents only. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org.

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received to post. One winner will receive giveaway prize to be shipped directly to them. Photo Credit: Avon.

The Jim Henson Company has been busy creating a new television project, Lily the Unicorn, based on the hit children’s book from acclaimed author/illustrator Dallas Clayton and featuring… an adventurous unicorn!  And now you can watch the pilot episode for FREE!

 

Dallas Clayton is the writer of the acclaimed and beloved The Awesome Book series, who began his writing and illustrating career by creating a book for his son about dreaming big that resonated with millions worldwide.  He has been compared to Dr. Seuss in the simplicity yet power of the messages in his books.

WHO IS LILY THE UNICORN?

 

 

Lily is our heroine!  She is a remarkable, colorful and comical gal and she’s truly one-in-a-million!  Literally!   She’s the only unicorn that she knows of in the world besides her dad!  She is lively, creative, thoughtful and confident—and a bright pink beacon of  hope for her friends—and even her foes (although they never would admit it)!

An outside-the-box thinker, Lily’s goal is to show people how easy it is to be themselves!  Lily’s unique perspective and independent spirit can brighten up any situation and often leads her and her loyal friends into unexpected shenanigans. In Lily’s world, anything is possible. A simple song she hums can go viral and top the charts. A quiet surprise picnic for her best buddy Roger can lead to a city-wide adventure featuring falafel waffles (yum) and a wise guru (of course). Lily the Unicorn puts a hilarious spin on everyday situations as Lily transforms even the most typical day into something extraordinary.

 

WATCH LILY THE UNICORN FOR FREE HERE!

The pilot episode for Lily the Unicorn is now available for viewing for FREE via Amazon’s pilot program where Amazon customers can watch, rate and review this unique series.

 

You can view Lily the Unicorn HERE via the Amazon Instant Video app for TV’s, connected devices and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/AIV.

 

Enjoy the show, and follow the lyrics below to sing-along to the “falafel waffle” song!

 

Falafel Waffle, I love you!

Falafel Waffle, you’re a dream come true!

Falafel Waffle, and you’re so fun to chew!

Fala-fala-fala-fala-fel Waffle!

 

Falafel Waffle, it seems so wrong

You’re a yummy gooey coney taco right in my palm

All I want to do is nom nom nom nom nom

Fala-fala-fala-fala-fel Waffle!

 

Falafel Waffle, I love you!

Falafel Waffle, Makes your mouth say WOO!

Falafel Waffle, I always get two

Fala-fala-fala-fala-fel Waffle!

We love you!

 

Show your support for #LilyTheUnicorn – Watch. Rate. Review here on #AmazonPrime: http://amzn.to/1BI0sZW

 

And please don’t forget to share the link on all your social media sites encouraging your friends to do the same!

 

Plus, you can tweet this:

LOVING the new #LilytheUnicorn pilot by @DallasClayton. Watch. Rate. Review on #AmazonPrime: http://amzn.to/1BI0sZW

We have teamed up for a Giveaway! One winner will win a copy of the book! US Residents only! To enter, click on the link above in this post to watch the pilot episode of Lily the Unicorn. Leave a comment here telling us your thoughts. Deadline to enter is July 5th, 2015 at noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected via Random.org. I received a copy of this book and found it delightful and recommend it highly! I like that Lily the Unicorn gives a message that it is okay to be different. 

Self Disclosure: I received a copy of this book to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received to post. Crdit: Lily the Unicorn/Dallas Clayton/Jim Henson Company.