September brings a brand-new full-length feature DVD starring Thomas and his Friends. “The Great Discovery” features all your child’s favorite characters and introduces them to a new engine named Stanley. The movie’s action centers around the celebration of Sodor Day on the Island of Sodor. It includes 5 new songs that appear in the movie as a sing-a-long with the words posted at the bottom of the screen. My daughters hopped off the couch and danced around each time a song came on.

The movie is narrated by a voice most parents will recognize, Pierce Brosnan. He adds a new element to the movies we’ve all had to watch over and over. You can also see Brosnan in a behind-the-scenes featurette that is included on the DVD. The other special features include a music video called “Thomas You’re the Leader.”

This hour long DVD is a must-have for all Thomas fans. The new story keeps with the tradition of the movies that have come before and doesn’t disappoint. It was a great DVD to watch as a family and the adventures of Thomas and his friends kept us all wondering what would happen next. I liked that it was a full-length story, rather than a collection of shorter stories. Thomas discovers an old abandoned city and Sir Topham Hat decides the city will be restored in honor of Sodor Day. The journey to get Great Waterton ready in time drives the plot and teaches valuable lessons along the way.

All aboard for this new Thomas DVD!!

During economic slowdowns, everyone is looking for new and immediate ways to save money. Whether it’s clipping coupons, buying sale items or cutting out extra purchases all together, there are many ways families can curb their spending. But what about MAKING some extra money in a time of need?

There are several ways to make additional money from the comfort of your own home simply by doing a little research on the Internet to find programs that give you cash for your time. Many of these are affiliate marketing programs and are a great way to make some extra money while giving you the flexibility to regulate how much or little you do. You can find time for these programs when the baby is down for nap, when the kids are at after-school activities or an hour each night after the kids have gone to sleep. This is a great way to make some extra money that will help cover the rising price of food, gas and everything else these days. Read the rest »

Outings in nature are vital for school kids to appreciate nature and make them well rounded in this computer age.

Schools should have science rooms in which children—under adult supervision—can observe plants, animals and elements.

A class walk through the local woods is another great way for children to get to know the local terrain. Interaction with nature should take place at least once a day. This does not mean that the children need to take a field trip every day. Once children are inspired to “see” things in nature, they will be creative on their own in the science classroom and during school recess in the immediate fields surrounding the school. Read the rest »

Q. Potty training has been a huge issue for our three-and-a-half-year-old daughter. She tells us when she has to go, wants privacy and is uncomfortable in dirty diapers. And she is TERRIFIED of going on the toilet. About six months ago, we told our daughter we had no more diapers and stuck with that story for a weekend. The weekend consisted of her throwing up from stress (we think), not going to the bathroom at all for twelve hour stretches while screaming that the poo was coming out, and when given a diaper shaking and crying when about to soil it. Needless to say we quit the experiment and she has been in diapers ever since.

Other kids are starting to make fun of her, which upsets all of us. We have had two deaths in our family this year. She also has a new brother who was born in July, and has asthma and a deadly dairy allergy. So she’s experienced stress in her life, for sure.

Other than this issue, she is happy, fun child with no other developmental concerns. I would appreciate any ideas you have!
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For this week, I first want you to make a plan of action. Break up your home into 7 zones (whatever works best for you). This is an example of what I have done for my home (but please do whatever works best for you).

Zone #1- Master Bedroom/Master Bath
Zone #2- Kids Bedrooms, Laundry Room
Zone #3- Bathrooms, Foyer
Zone #4- Living Room, Family Room and Dining Room
Zone #5- Kitchen
Zone #6- Garage and basement
Zone #7- Deck, front porch

The above zones will be the timeline. Each week we will focus on a zone. The steps actually will be quite similar for each week, so please don’t feel that you need to do the same zones as I am doing. Read the rest »

It’s no secret that secondhand smoke can have harmful effects. However, you probably overlooked the fact that smoking around your pets is just as dangerous as lighting up around your children. For whatever reason, we often overlook simply health matters when it comes to our beloved companions. Besides, aren’t pets supposed to adapt to the owners’ lifestyles? As an owner, you have a responsibility to maintain the health and well-being of your pet. So for your dog or cat’s sake, you should come up with ways to keep the secondhand smoke out of your pet’s life. Read the rest »

I’m about 14 weeks along with pregnancy #2, and I’m just looking forward to that glorious day when this morning/all-day/worst-at-night sickness finally passes. Oh please don’t let me be one of those unfortunate women who have it throughout the entire pregnancy.

Some days aren’t so bad, but there are times when I feel like I’ve just gotten off a nasty roller coaster…that I’ve ridden 10 times. I always have some crackers by my side, but when that’s not enough, or when I’m just sick of them, I’ve got a few other tricks up my sleeve. If you’re on the same nauseating boat as me, give these three products a shot. Read the rest »