Tag: book

Thanks a Latte Giveaway

Hosted by: MamatheFox

Sponsored by: Discovery Toys (Angela)

Enter for your chance to win a $45 Shopping Spree at Angela’s Discovery Toys 

Open to: US (48)

 

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

 

 

Brian The Pekingese Pajama Giveaway

Welcome to the Pumpkin Patches & Wins Giveaway Hop brought to you by The Hopping Bloggers!

Hosted By: Mama’s Geeky & Women and Their Pretties

Co-Hosted By: Crazy Busy Family Life & Sunshine and RollerCoasters

Each giveaway has a value of a minimum of $15, however some are worth much more. Be sure to enter to win all of them because there is no limit to how many you can win. GOOD LUCK!

 

Enter for your chance to win a $50 Gift Card to Brian the Pekingese

 

 

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Getting Kids Ready for Bed with Brian the Pekingese

Go to sleep! Please?!

 

This is often how I feel at 7:30 pm each night. I love my kids, but the bedtime battles are rough. Some nights are better than others, and some nights are much, much worse…

After many trials and efforts there are a few things I have come to a conclusion on when it comes to bedtime for the Fox kids.

 

  1. Routine – Kids understand routine. If you do the same thing each night, the consistency assures them and gives them the comfort they desire. They can understand what is coming next and there is much less of a fight.
  2. Full Belly – I try to give my kids a snack and water before bedtime. This helps that oh-so-annoying “I am hungry/thirsty” excuse.
  3. Cozy PJ’s – The more comfortable my kids are while laying in bed, the better their sleep. If they have soft pajama’s on there is less twisting and squirming around to get in that perfect sleeping pose.
  4. Bathroom Trip – We have the kids try to use the toilet, wash their hands and brush their teeth right before bed.
  5. Stuffy and Story Time – My kids love stuffed animals. Like love them. They each choose a few stuffy’s (as we call them) to sleep with that night. This give them a sense of comfort and security. After we cuddle in we read 1 – 3 books depending on time, length of book and honestly, my mood!
  6. Prayers and Lights Out – After our story time is completed we pray to Jesus for our day we just had, all our friends and family and for the following day. This gives my kids the final nod of the day. The “the end” moment

 

 

Brian the Pekingese is a special yellow dog that has come into our hearts and helped aid in our bedtime habits.

Brian is a dog that helps get your child ready for bed some of the most important ways:

  • Pajama’s
  • Stuffed Animal
  • Bedtime Story

At Brian the Pekingese they know that children’s pajama’s should be worn by children, not made by them. Sadly, this is a reality of the world, but with Brian the Pekingese, you can rest assured that all their pajamas are made in the USA. Using no flame retardant chemicals and 100% organic cotton material, you can just feel the softness and love behind each pair of pajamas.

 

They offer both short sleeve/short sets and long sleeve/pant sets, so no matter the weather there is a perfect pair for your child. We love that they have boy, girl and gender neutral prints, so you can shop with man options.

 

The novel – you can purchase here – is a perfect easy to read bedtime (or daytime) story. “Sharing With Friends” showcases the topic of sharing using the main protagonist, Brian the Pekingese. When he sees a situation arise, he chooses to share and make a new friend. I love how straight forward and simple this book is. It has some of the best Children’s book illustrations I’ve seen which really helps bring it to life. It really makes the perfect gift for a young child. You can buy the book separate or as a package along with the stuffed animal of Brian the Pekingese.

 

Something Special – Recycle Your Brian the Pekingese Pj’s!

That’s right, when your child out grows their Brian the Pekingese pj’s, you have the option to mail them back (postage paid) and Brian the Pekingese will recycle the cotton.

 

 

Connect with Brian the Pekingese

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Our path may not work for all children, but the routine part is key. Let us know below what you do for your bedtime routine and if you have any bedtime suggestions.

The Magic of My Name – Personalized Books

Personalized books featuring your child’s name and the meaning behind each letter

Children love to see and hear their own name. When a child see’s their own name in a book it’s a form of ownership to them and builds confidence. The book grabs their attention and pulls them deeper into the story. The Magic of My Name books create a story around the letters in your child’s name.  Having different letters represent a characteristic of that child. I really love the concept of giving the child more words to describe themselves. Larger vocabularies help children in their reading and verbal skills. Using fun adjectives, the story progresses as the child takes a journey thorough a magical land.

What I love:

  • The bright colors and visual designs on each page
  • The use of larger, descriptive words which helps increase a child’s vocabulary
  • That you can choose the hair color and skin color of the child featured in the book
  • The child in the book gains confidence in themselves, which shows your child how great they are too
  • Fast shipping

What I would change:

  • The purchaser could choose the word representing the letter in the names/the story themes (I did not like a tea leaf reader in the book myself)
  • The child’s name is used throughout the book more. My daughter kept asking me why I kept saying “the child” instead of her name
  • The child’s name is on the cover, so if you have multiple kids you can see which book that one is featuring from the outside.

Connect with The Magic of My Name

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Magic of My Name will create a beautiful, customized book for you. You will love the adventure you walk through, as each book is guaranteed to contain at least 38 pages, regardless of how many letters are in your child’s name. Having a short name, like Max or Sam will not cause you to get a shorter, or lesser quality book.

 

Click here to check out more about theses awesome books and to place your order for your own customized The Magic of My Name book

Bible Belles – Ruth, The Belle of Loyalty

Bible Belles is one of my households favorite series to read together. With biblical values at the base of each story they are packed with entertainment, Truth and beautiful images. In each book the reader follows Rooney, the protagonist, who finds herself in a pickle and needs some advise. It is then that a fairy like angel comes to Rooney’s rescue with a story from the bible that helps guide her decisions and actions. Each book pulls from a princess like biblical women and how she handles what God as put in front of her. The book of Ruth shows us to remain loyal, no matter what turmoil we may face. In Ruth, The Belle of Loyalty, Rooney wants to give up and all she wants to do is leave…but can she choose to love instead? As Rooney watches Ruth face the choice to stay or walk away, she learns what it means to be loyal and put another person’s needs before her own.

My children love to read books, it is part of our daily life. Finding Christian books is not a problem. There are tons out there, but I have never come across books that show the readers the women heroes of the bible, and then shows them how to apply the truth in their own lives. No matter our ages, we have room for growth. Establishing the Truth and a solid foundation at a young age can help the young girl in your life set herself up for a successful walk with Christ.

Wouldn’t it be great if girls today were just as excited about biblical women as they are about princesses? Wonderful, real life examples of true beauty, women who can be real heroes for girls today. That would be something. That would be everything.  Bible Belle’s Website

What we love about Bible Belles: Ruth, the Belle of Loyalty

  • It focuses on Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times.”
  • Rooney learns things don’t always end how you want them too, life is not a fairy tale
  • Putting others above yourself is what God calls us to do
  • Trusting in prayer, patience, bravery and now loyalty

 

Connect with Bible Belle’s

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Check out more books in the Bible Belles Series

Bible Belles: Abigail, The Belle of Bravery

Instilling Christian values in my children is one of the top focuses in my life. Striving to give them the tools they need for a future in our crazy world is something every parent wants to give their children. With the help of apps like Playlister, Sunday churches have become easier, and more effective. However, the effect of a book remains immortal.

Having found Bible Belles book series, I am excited to tell you that this is a great way to really help solidify the basic concepts from some amazing bible heroes.

Little girls are often times very attracted to princesses and the excitement that goes with being a princess. Bible Belles took this concept and ran with it. By taking women from the bible who are awesome heroes, than featuring them as the main biblical person to teach the reader about a biblical characteristic. Giving the reader a fun yet true story and, most importantly, how to apply this truth to a small child’s everyday life.

Connect with Bible Belle’s

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Every book has been illustrated by a former Disney cartoonist, giving the books images the stunning and exciting quality that draws in a child’s attention. In each book the main character, Rooney, finds herself dealing with a common issue which a child may face. In the story of Abigail, Rooney see’s her brother being mean and unloving towards a neighbor. The situation which Rooney faces is written to parallel that of Abigail’s. A reoccurring character, Mari the angel, helps take Rooney into the bible story and shows her a real story and truth from Gods Word. At the end, Rooney is able to make the connection and use her knowledge to make the right, and sometimes hard choices, as a child of Christ in her life’s experiences.

Click here to find more about this series

My daughter is 4 and loves to read. Seeing it “click” on how she can be like Abigail by being brave gives her the confidence in Gods Words we are seeking. Teaching a young girl or boy the importance of applying learned truths from the bible to their everyday life is a key trait for any growing Christian. Being able to figure out on their own how to make life applications will help them grown not only in their faith, but as a person dependent on Christ.

Check out their new devo bundle!

Bible Belles Giveaway

Esther The Belle of Patience Giveaway 300

Welcome to the Groovy Giveaway Hop!

Brought to you by: thekidsdidit.com & themommyisland.blogspot.com

hop

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations. 

Bible Belle’s Esther Review

Esther The Belle of Patience 300

In this crazy world it is easy to get swooped up into media, fades and earthly desires. I fall short daily and actively try to turn from my sinful ways and look to Christ as my example. If I fall so easily into earthly ideas and temptations I can only imagine how hard that is on my small, sponge-like little children. I try to instill strong Christian values into our everyday life, but even mom needs helps sometimes.

When I saw Bible Belle’s when searching online for wholesome biblical based books for my kids I was instantly interested. “Wouldn’t it be great if girls today were just as excited about biblical women as they are about princesses? Wonderful, real life examples of true beauty, women who can be real heroes for girls today. That would be something. That would be everything.”Bible Belle’s Website

Girl with Bible Belles

Bible Belles’ The Adventures of Rooney Cruz is an original children’s series that highlights five superhero women of the Bible: Hannah, Esther, Abigail, Ruth, and Deborah.

My children love to read books, it is part of our daily life. Finding Christian books is not a problem. There are tons out there, but I have never come across a book that shows little girls the women heroes in the bible, and shows them the applications in their life. No matter our ages, we have room for growth. Establishing the Truth and a solid foundation at a young age can help the young girl in your life set herself up for a successful walk with Christ.

Connect with Bible Belle’s

Facebook               Twitter               YouTube               Pinterest               Instagram

The Adventures of Rooney Cruz has had 2 books released so far: Hannah The Belle of Prayer and now, the newest book, Esther The Belle of Patience. In each book the main character, Rooney, is met with daily issues that you would find similarly in your own life. A fairy-like angle comes to Rooney and helps guide her through a biblical based story straight out of the gospel that is relative to the daily issue the character Rooney is struggling with. Putting the story in words that a child can understand, but while sticking with the truth of the gospel, you are given the “Bible Belle’s” story. Highlighting that girls play an important role in the bible and have the ability to do great things for God.

Inside of Esther

The graphics in the books are amazing! This is because a former Disney artist is the illustrator, which makes the book stand out from any other books. The colors, animation and design pull your child into the story, just like a Disney princess would.

Click here to find more about this series

I See Me! Review

I See Me! Review

Who is I See Me?

I See Me! provides the highest quality, most personalized children’s books available. I See Me! was started by founder Maia Haag and her husband Allan after they received a personalized book as a gift for their first son in 1998. While they loved that it was personalized, they thought that the illustrations could have been much better and the story more customized to the child. Thus I See Me! was born.

Their goal was to produce an educational book that would teach young children how to recognize letters and spell their names.

They are pleased to say their books have become popular among celebrities including Courteney Cox, Brooke Shields and Jessica Alba along with every day parents like me.

Their mission is to increase self esteem in children through personalized books that celebrate the uniqueness of each child. The goal of I See Me! books is to show each child how absolutely unique and special he or she is, to teach the child how to spell his or her name, and to build vocabulary skills.

What Do They Sell?

Special Notes

Having a book or item personalized for a child is a very special gift. There are many questions people have and most have been answered at the I See Me! FAQ page.  A few notes to highlight are:

What about adopted children? Yes, there are custom options for the arrival day instead of day of you were born.

Can you select certain fairies, animals, sea creatures or countries to be used in your book? Yes, we can accommodate this request if you send an email to customerservice@iseeme.com within 4 hours after completing your order.

More information in these topics and many others can be found at the FAQ page. Click here for a link.

Here are some of the questions which make your book personalized:

  • Childs first name
  • Childs last name
  • Childs gender
  • Childs birth month
  • Childs year of birth
  • Dedications (examples being: I love you! Happy Easter! To a Wonderful Big Sister! Merry Christams! etc….)
  • Photo of your child

Mama’s Experience

Personalized Storybook:

8

“Celebrate your favorite little preschooler with this adorable new personalized storybook, The Very Important Preschooler (V.I.P.)! Your child will learn that being a “V.I.P.” means making new friends at preschool, sharing, helping out, cleaning up, learning new things and more. The Very Important Preschooler is filled with lots of great messages for your little preschooler and is personalized throughout the story and on the cover with his or her name! Written by Jennifer Dewing, Illustrated by Jill McDonald.” – I See Me!

This book is so beautiful. The illustrations are bright and bold. Perfect for a toddler to be fully engaged while reading.

When you child hears their name being read aloud during the story their eyes perk up and eyes open wide. I showed my daughter that her name was in print right there in the book. She thought that was too special. She loves this book because it truly is about her. The book will forever be a cherished part of our home library.

personalized storybook

The personalized storybooks range in price from $29.99-$34.99
Personalized Lunch Box:

personalized lunch box

“Our personalized lunch boxes make your child feel special every day! Each one of our lunch boxes features your child’s name on multiple sides. On the inside lid, there’s a chalkboard where you can write a personalized note to your child each morning!

Safe for storing food, our lunch boxes are made of tin and contain no lead. They’re also great for storing toys and other treasures!

Hand wash with dish soap. Do not put into dishwasher. Chalk is not included.”I See Me!

My daughter has seen many photos of lunch boxes in her expansive 2 years. She knows what they are. But, she has never had her own. We typically use a cooler when going to the zoo or vacation. We share a large container for the whole family. She had no idea that she was getting her own lunch box.

When I showed my daughter her lunch box she got so excited. She wanted to hold it and carry it around with her. She even showed her little brother new prized possession. She has loved purses and bags for ever, so it was natural that my little girl would want to tote around her new lunch box. I sat her down and showed her that her name was on the box she got giddy with excitement. It was all hers. She didn’t have to share this one with her little brother. Having it personalized created a confidence and independence in her. I highly recommend getting a personalized lunch box from I See Me!

lunch box

Lunch boxes are normally priced at $29.99 but are currently on special for $17.99! That is a 40% savings and this is a super limited time offer.

 

Usborne Books with Haley – a Review

Usborne Books with Haley – A review

What are you putting in your child’s Easter basket? Candy? Trinkets? Books?

basket

Haley Strong is a mom just like me. She loves her children, and cares about their growth and development. A large part of a child’s development comes from their exposure to books. Maybe I should look into book scanners more and use one to share fantastic books with those who don’t have access to them. But anyway, she recently became a rep with Usborne Books so she can supply her child and other children with amazing, beautiful books. We all have heard that reading to your children, starting at birth, is key to their development. Here are ten reasons why books are pivotal in your child’s life:

  1. A stronger relationship with you.
  2. Academic excellence
  3. Basic speech skills
  4. The basics of how to read a book
  5. Better Communication skills
  6. Mastery of language
  7. More logical thinking skills
  8. Acclimation to new experiences
  9. Enhanced concentration and discipline
  10. The knowledge that reading is fun!

(For more about these 10 reasons please visit here)

easterKnowing the wonderful benefits of exposing your children to books, you are going to want to increase your home library. Books are available everywhere. We see them in big box stores, grocery stores, toy stores…the list goes on and on. When it comes down to it, what matters is content and price. Haley is able to help us get books with both wonderful content and at a great price. Usborne Books and More is a company which holds “book parties” where you can attend a party in person, or the newly popular online party. If you are on Facebook then you have received an invite to some type of party. Nails, candles. beauty products…they are all fun (I mean I know I buy from them) but they don’t fill our children with the knowledge and love that a book can.

“Usborne Books & More is a division of Educational Development Corporation (EDC), a well-established company that has twice been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of The 200 Best Small Companies in America and three times by Fortune Magazine as one of America’s 100 Fastest Growing Small Companies, and has been in existence for over 20 years.”

truckHaley started selling Usborne just this January after attending a party herself. As a mom and a special education teacher she instantly saw that this business has so much to offer to parents, schools and home schooler’s. Usborne has a great book fair program giving which gives 50% in sales in books, and a grant matching program. As a consultant, you can earn up to 30% in commission, earn free books and other cool prizes, earn trips, and of course get a great discount on the books! If you are looking for a way to make extra income and earn free books for yourself then contact Haley at hrstrong811 @ gmail.com and visit her Facebook page. If you email Haley and mention MamatheFox she will send you a FREE activity card! 🙂

 

You are able to place an order at anytime here. No need to wait for a party to be open. Usborne wants you to get books into easter to doyour child’s hands as fast as possible. One of the best parts about Usborne is their shipping. They have a “5 day” typical turn around, but most people that Haley knows have gotten their books even fast then that. You are now wondering, what is the shipping? Like $30?! Nope, a solid $6 flat! No matter how big or small your order is.

usborne-books

I was given 2 books to sample from Usborne. Secrets Of The Seahorse (Shine-A-Light) and That’s Not My Fox Touchy-Feely Board Book.

Secrets Of The Seahorse (Shine-A-LightDorothy words)

This is such a cool book! I have never, in all my years, seen a book like this. This book has special pages which, when held up to a light, you can see through to the other side. Every page has this feature. The story shows children creatures of the sea, their habitats and the food they eat. My daughter (2 years old) was amazed at the special secrets on every single page. We have a tiny flashlight she uses for comfort at night in bed. We used that because it is small enough for her to hold and control while being powerful enough to reflect the hidden picture. If you don’t have a flashlight you can simply hold the book up to natural sun light or the light from a lamp. This keep my busy, I mean busy, 2 year old sitting still for 10 solid minutes. This is a must for the toddlers in your life.

max words

That’s Not My Fox Touchy-Feely Board Book.

This is the perfect touch and feel book for infants. We all have seen the touch/feel books before. Most, in my opinion, are lame and fall short of any real ‘touch’ engagement. I have been blown away with the quality of Usborne’s touchy-feely books. Each page has an engaging touch feature which captivates your readers and explorers senses. All are relative to the story, large enough for small eyes to spot and have a significant textile distinction to be considered a true feely experience. The story features the quest to find the readers fox. They keep finding other foxes with different qualities but not ‘their’ fox. Will this elusive fox be found!? Grab a copy for yourself to find out.

With Easter approaching us and baskets needing to be filled, what better thing to fill them with then books! Candy is fun and toys come and go, but a book can leave a positive and lasting mark on a child. With book levels from newborn to middle school you are guaranteed to find what you are looking for. They don’t limit their buyers to books alone, they also offer flash cards, sticker books, drawling resources, puzzles and more! For the inquisitive toddler and pre-tween they have a huge selection of non-fiction books to broaden minds and answer questions. These are books that homeschoolers are eating up.

Click here to see more books from Usborne Books and More.

Visit Haley on Facebook.

Try to win a $25 credit to Usborne with Haley (Open 3/2/15-3/16/15 to US and Canada)