What To Read: Flashback Episode

No, there's no writer's strike...but every blogger needs a break, so I'm leaving you with a 'best of' post for your reading pleasure!

First, here's a title I haven't mentioned, which is perfect for summer chick lit:

A Mile In My Flip-Flops by Melody Carlson

This one is extremely light and fluffy, yet with Christianity weaving through it (I loved this aspect, but ironically a reviewer on the Chapters website was annoyed by it.) Main character Gretchen is a single thirty-something kindergarten teacher who makes a crazy decision to buy and flip a rundown house. I loved following the progress of the home renovations, and of course the developing relationship she has with carpenter Noah. The ending is way too cheesy, but if you're in to home renos and predictable romances, you might enjoy it as I did.

A second, significantly heavier book which I recently devoured is:

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

This novel (a Globe and Mail bestseller) was incredibly moving, and I found it very hard to put down. Here's the publisher's description:

In a tiny hit in rural India, Kavita gives birth to Asha. Unable to afford the 'luxury' of raising a daughter, her husband forces Kavita to give the baby up -- a decision that will haunt them both for the rest of their lives.

Halfway around the globe, Somer, an American doctor, decides to adopt a child after making the wrenching discovery that she will never have one of her own. When her husband Krishnan shows her a photo of baby Asha sent to him from a Mumbai orphanage, she falls instantly in love. As she waited for the adoption to be finalized, she knew her life would change. But she was convinced that the love she already felt would overcome all obstacles.

In a braided narrative that unites the stories of Kavita, Somer and Asha, Secret Daughter, the debut novel by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, explores the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss and belonging. As the story moves between the two families, one struggling to eke out an existence in Mumbai, the other grappling with the challenges of raising a brownskinned child from another culture, Gowda poignantly parses issues of culture, identity and family loyalty.

What I loved about this book was the way the author weaves the stories together, and the vivid, well-described emotions. I think women who have either adopted or given a child up for adoption would connect to it on a different level as well. I also enjoyed learning more about India and the Indian culture.

What didn't sit very well with me was the portrayal of the adopted family. Although I have no experience with adoption, and therefore cannot pretend to understand the associated feelings, I would like to believe that there are situations where the adoption does not hang over the heads of everyone involved on a daily basis. In the book, daughter Asha never feels like she fits in, and Somer (who was not portrayed as sympathetically as her husband Krishnan) always seems to feel inadequate and awkward. I think the fact that the book covers the stories of the three women over more than 20 years, all in 330 pages, has affected the character development. At times, I felt like information was missing from the years that were skipped between chapters, but I did finish the book feeling fairly satisfied.

So, those are my two new suggestions, one being much lighter than the other!

If you're looking for something to read for the rest of the summer, check out some of my past recommendations:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The First 13 Books Selected By My Book Club (that's not the title of a book, it's the title of my post!)

Good To A Fault

Notes Left Behind

There are also a couple of titles in my sidebar "Bookshelf" which aren't mentioned here, so check those out as well! Happy reading, and stay tuned for my NYC recap!

By the way, I'm always open to hearing your must-read suggestions...feel free to leave a comment about what you've loved recently, or your thoughts on any of the books mentioned here!

Front Door Makeover!

As teachers, we are lucky enough to have our summers off. Because of that, we spend ten months of the year adding to the "we'll do it in the summer" list. For 2010, one of our goals was to update our front door with a new paint colour. This is the before shot:

Now, of course there was nothing actually wrong with it, but we found it a bit blah. We naively thought that we could just decide to paint it, and then forge ahead. Little did we know all of the questions we would be faced with:

• 
  
  What colour? Well, we knew we wanted black. True black, or a shade of black? (The lady at the paint store thought we would love the greenish black she used on her home, but I dug in my heels. I wanted black black.)
• 
  
  Do we paint the trim around the window panes? Do we paint the casings? I am embarrassed to say that we spent at least an hour Googling these questions and looking at various before and after photos in order to reach our decision: trim yes, casings no.
• 
  
  Do we keep the hardware? It's a brassy metal, and I am much more into the stainless steel or brushed nickel look, but we weren't going to get rid of a perfectly functional (and only seven year old)  set of hardware. Plus, there are gold-toned accents in the window panes, so silver tones wouldn't really match anyway.

Here is the after...do you think we make the right decisions?

Thanks to my darling hubby for doing most of the legwork on this one (the trips to the paint store and the actual painting - one coat of grey primer and two coats of paint). I did do the washing and taping...and the childcare throughout the whole process, which is even harder when you are trying to keep a two year old away from her Daddy and the wet black paint!

One more thing crossed off the list. Next up: remulch the gardens!

Read Me A Story: Review and Giveaway

Giveaway open to Canadians

Hot off the press, Scholastic has a fantastic collection of five classic Canadian favourites entitled "Read Me a Story". Included in the book:

• Henny Penny by Werner Zimmerman
• The Party by Barbara Reid
• A Second Is a Hiccup by Hazel Hutchins
• Sophie and the Sea Monster by Don Gillmor
• Too Many Books by Gilles Tibo

I have now read this book to my daughters several times, and they love it, especially four-year old Frannie. Quite often when I turn the page, she'll say "turn back for a second!" because she's not done absorbing the detailed pictures. Her favourite story (today) is Henny Penny, "because it's the funniest!" (Ask her tomorrow and it may be different).

Barbara Reid's trademark plasticene art graces the cover - which includes an item to represent each story

Another terrific feature of this book is that there is an "about" page following every story, where you and your children can learn more about the authors and illustrators, the origins of the stories, etc. I haven't shared this information with my girls yet, but I've certainly enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the books.

Each story offers its own bonuses: the rhyme and repetition in Henny Penny, the opportunity for children to connect to The Party, the lesson about time in A Second Is a Hiccup, the imagination in Sophie and the Sea Monster, and the humour in Too Many Books. I love having such a sampling of Canadian storytelling and illustrating talent all in one place.

Be aware that "Read Me A Story" is not a throw-in-the-diaper bag, disposable type of book; this one is a hardcover classic that you'll want to share with your children and save for the grandkids.

And yes, of course, I have an opportunity for you to win your own copy of Read Me A Story (retail value $25), simply by leaving a comment naming one of your favourite children's books. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you (if it's not on your profile).

For additional entries, leave a separate comment letting me know that

• you follow This Mom Loves publicly through Google Friend Connect (be sure to specify if you're a NEW follower, so I can pop over and return the favour)
• you subscribe to This Mom Loves through email
• you follow @thismomloves on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Contest is open to Canadian residents only, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, August 18th. Good luck, and don't forget to check out my sidebar for other great giveaways running now!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book for review purposes. Opinions are, as always, my own.

In Praise of Epidurals: My Birth Story at Ingenue Mom

Today I am guest posting for the first time over at Ingenue Mom!

Cameron was looking for a variety of birth stories to share on her blog this week, and I have the honour of being first up with my pro-drugs experiences. Pop on over to Ingenue Mom and check it out. While you're there, explore a bit, because she has a terrific blog, and she loves new readers, followers, and subscribers (as do I, so if you're a new visitor, sign on up!)

So, How Do I Look?

WAIT! STOP SCROLLING!

If you're reading this post in your Google reader or email, you absolutely must click on the title above, and pop on over for a quick visit at This Mom Loves. I have a new look!

While I love the template I've been working with, the header was a little uninspired. The flowers were nice and feminine, and I did like how the butterflies moved when your mouse hovered over them, but I'm not much of a gardener (although if you looked at our landscaping, you might think differently, but that's mostly thanks to my husband!)

In terms of what "This Mom Loves", so to speak, my girls and books rank a lot higher for me than butterflies and flowers. Thanks to the talented Julie at Leelou Blogs, I now have a much more personal look (plus, she kept a couple of moving butterflies just for old times' sake!)

My daughters are obviously the inspiration for this blog, and the new illustration captures something we love to do together --- read! My job and students are also important to me, and I had an idea for fitting that in, but Julie suggested that it might make the header too busy (and heaven forbid something of mine should look cluttery! I was aiming for more of a streamlined look.)

It's funny, because I felt like a teenager waiting by the phone for a cute boy to call as I sat by my computer awaiting Julie's mock screenshots. I swear, I would even keep refreshing my email to just see if anything was there! (I'm sure my fellow bloggers can understand.) I actually went to bed with my laptop beside me last night in case there were any last-minute questions (Julie's in a different time zone, and has to do her work after her kids go to bed. Can anyone relate?), had bad dreams about the final product, and had to force myself to go back to sleep several times as if it were Christmas Eve...all I wanted to do was log on and check things out!

Needless to say, I am thrilled with the result, AND...I now also have a button just perfect for grabbing (see sidebar for code)! If you add it to your site, leave the link below so I can check it out and return the favour.

I also wanted to quickly mention the content of This Mom Loves. This week is giveaway heavy, which some of you love. However, I have many loyal readers who have been with me since before my "PR Friendly" days (drawn in by my touching prose and witty remarks, I'm sure). I would like you gals to know that while I am enjoying product reviews and giveaways (I'll be honest - I love free stuff, I enjoy sharing my opinions about it, and giveaways help build readership) I have no intentions of taking This Mom Loves completely in that direction.

Finally, apologies to my American readers for the fact that so many current contests are Canadian only. That won't always be the case.

So, back to my cute new illustration...comments are very appropriate at a time like this (hint, hint!)....so, how do I look?

(P.S. If you're still seeing the old title at the very top, it is going to be removed!)

Playhouse Disney Canada - Review and Giveaway

Giveaway open to Canadians.

I love television. There, I said it. I also allow my girls to watch TV...almost every day! Of course, I always sit right beside them, watching intently and discussing the storylines. I would never, ever use their TV time to get my own work done, or to have a moment of peace. (My fingers are crossed right now, by the way.)

In all honestly, their TV time is (usually) less than an hour, and since I can't always be right beside them analyzing the shows, I choose the channels and programs in advance...and keep the remote out of reach! I am quite picky about what they watch, and for that reason I was excited to be chosen as part of the Playhouse Disney Canada blog tour through Mom Central.

I trust Disney to provide age-appropriate, entertaining programming for my girls. Of course, my daughters could name many classic Disney characters before even seeing them on TV (Mickey and friends, Pooh and Tigger), since they were exposed to them in books or on merchandise. They have some new Playhouse Disney favourites as well, like Handy Manny and Special Agent Oso. When asked who they like the best, Frannie's response is "Mickey Mouse", and Maggie's is "Winnie Pooh"...so there's something to be said for the classics! My girls are also thrilled to see other well-loved friends, like Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears, showing up in the Playhouse Disney lineup. Plus, I feel like I can justify a bit of TV time when I see valuable aspects to the programming, such as music, numbers, colours, etc.

Another great resource you might want to check out is the Playhouse Disney website, where you can find games, activities, parent information and their programming schedule.

Playhouse Disney Canada is offering a fantastic prize pack for one lucky This Mom Loves reader. Included in the pack: a Playhouse Disney DVD with five full episodes (you could sit and watch too, like a good mom, or get a whole lot of work done!), stickers, crayons and a colouring magnet, and a magnetic pen. (I love the pen...it's now stuck to the fridge, so we will never be penless again. There's nothing like signing important forms in crayon...but I digress.)

To enter, simply visit the Playhouse Disney Canada website, and come back and leave a comment letting me know who your child's (or your!) favourite Playhouse Disney character is. Be sure to leave your email address (if it's not on your profile) so I can contact you if you win!

For additional entries (after the mandatory entry has been completed), leave a separate comment letting me know that:

• you follow This Mom Loves publicly through Google Friend Connect
• you subcribe to This Mom Loves through email (make sure your subscription is activated)
• you follow @thismomloves on Twitter, and tweet about this giveaway (feel free to retweet mine)
• you like Playhouse Disney Canada on Facebook

This contest is open to Canadians, and ends on Monday, August 16th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Good luck, and don't forget to check out my sidebar for other great giveaways running right now!

Oh, and just so you know, you are encouraged to enter this contest multiple times (i.e. on different blogs participating in the blog tour), but you will only be able to win one Prize Pack!

Disclaimer: I am participating in the Playhouse Disney Blog Tour through Mom Central. I received a Playhouse Disney prize pack and a thank you gift card to facilitate this post. Opinions are, as always, my own.

Perfect Parties Theme Two: The Pajama Party!

Thanks to my friend Krista, I have another fantastic party plan to share: The Pajama Party. Sure, you've heard of this idea before, but I am positive there are some details in here that you may not have thought of.

While you could certainly do a traditional sleepover, and go with more of a nighttime theme, Krista's daughter had a morning birthday party, complete with a Scooby Doo/morning cartoons emphasis. Here's how she did it:

Invitations:

• instruct the guests to come in their p.j.'s and bring their favourite pillow and blanket

(Family Fun gives neat directions for making a pillowcase invitation)

Food:

• pancake breakfast, complete with toppings; milk, juice

Activities:

• musical pillows (just like musical chairs, with Mr. Sandman, the Lion Sleeps Tonight and the Scooby Doo theme as the music)
• circle time with a Scooby Doo story
• hot Scooby Doo (i.e. hot potato with a Scooby Doo toy)
• Scooby Doo mystery taken from the internet, which involved realizing that the cake was "missing", and having the kids go around the house in a group to find clues (each stop had a treat, and all kids got one by the end), with Scooby Doo music playing in the background

The cake:

I think this idea is so fantastic! She took a photo of her daughter's bed:

and replicated it on a cake (which she made and decorated herself, by the way)

Loot bags:

• a pillowcase fillied with Scooby Doo fruit snacks, an individual cereal box, juice box, addition/subtraction cards, a bedtime story, and a hairbrush

Congratulations on another creative masterpiece, Krista!

Other p.j. party ideas I found online include:

Activities:

• pillowcase hop (like sack race)
• relay - put on robe, slippers, grab teddy, run back lie down and snore three times
• freeze dance (lie down and snore when the music stops)
• pillow or pillowcase decorating

Loot bags (these items could also be game prizes):

• glow-in-the-dark items (e.g. bracelet)
• nightlight
• flashlights
• mini teddy bears (candy or toy)

If you've seen or used other pajama party ideas, please leave a comment below!

Stuck On You Personalized Backpack and Tags - Review and Giveaway

Giveaway open to Canadians

Let's get one thing straight: school is NOT just around the corner. I say this for two reasons:

1. I am a teacher. Enough said. (Although ironically, spending my days with two kids seems to tire me out more than spending my days with twenty!)

2. My daughter will start school this year, which is a turning point in her little life. I still need the next six weeks to process it all!

However, I am a planner by nature, (as well as a shopper!) so I agree that it's never too early to start purchasing back-to-school items, and Stuck On You Canada is a great place to start! When I was contacted about the possibility of a Stuck on You review and giveaway here at This Mom Loves, I was thrilled!

I recently received an adorable personalized backpack for Frannie, with her name and my choice of design from their new Designer Collection. I went for the pink bag with cupcakes...and judging from Frannie's huge eyes when she saw it, I made the right choice! The quality is excellent, and it has several different functional compartments.

Stuck On You is also your one-stop-shopping destination for iron-on clothing tattoos, which I also received, and which will be going on several of Frannie's items of clothing before September! Never lose items to the abyss that is the school lost and found again! I also love their stick-on dots and rectangles (Frannie got some in the Cupcake design) which I'll be putting on her water bottles and reusable lunch containers. I also want to order some Shoe Dots to put inside her school shoes. She's a bright little thing, but faced with a lineup of Barbie shoes, it's pretty hard to tell whose are whose.

As a teacher, I would also highly recommend the Stuck On You "Tools 4 School pack", with personalized pencil case, markers, coloured and HB pencils, sharpener, ruler, eraser and stickers (shown above, available in different designs). These are all essential classroom items, and believe me, having your child's name on everything is sooo helpful.

They also sell personalized shirts, pyjama sets, height charts, wall art...the list is endless.

"Enough!" you're thinking. "You promised a giveaway! What can I win?"

Here it is: one lucky This Mom Loves reader will win a personalized backpack (your choice of design) and bag tag, both with your child's name on them. (Well, I guess you could put your own name on them, but your little guy might be jealous when you head off to work with your cool "Traffic Jam" or "Jungle Animals" backpack. And you might get some weird looks at the office.)

 The total value of this prize is $59!

Mandatory entry: simply visit the Stuck On You Canada website, and leave a comment here letting me know your favourite design from their new Designer Collection. Be sure to leave your email address (if it's not on your profile) so I can contact you if you win!

For additional entries, leave a separate comment (after completing the mandatory entry) letting me know that:

• you follow This Mom Loves publicly through Google Friend Connect (be sure to specify if you're a new follower, so I can pop by and return the favour)
• you follow @thismomloves on Twitter, and tweet about this giveaway (feel free to retweet mine)
• you subscribe to This Mom Loves through email (make sure you have an activated subscription)

This contest is open to Canadians, and ends on Friday, August 13th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. Good luck, and happy back-to-school shopping! Don't forget to check out my sidebar for other great giveaways running right now!

P.S. Although this giveaway is only for my fellow Canadians, Stuck On You is available in many different countries, so you can go ahead and start shopping!

Disclaimer: I was provided with the above-named products for review purposes. Opinions are, as always, my own.