A little help for the homeschoolers

As a home school mom, I have had many challenges. One thing I have found is that there are different learning styles for each child. All children want to learn, we just have to find the correct way to teach that child. Many of the children today are used to high-tech toys, such as computers, ipods, etc. As parents and teachers we want to sit them down to what they call “boring” books and try to teach them. This is okay, if it works. But you have some children that want the excitement of high-tech in learning.

This can be a great challenge to many teachers and home school moms or dads if you don’t know the benefits that are available to you through online teaching. One such website I have visited recently is KC Distance Learning Inc. I visited this website to see how it works and if it would benefit me in teaching my teenage daughter. My daughter loves high-tech gadgets. She loves learning in different areas. One day she wants to learn in the car, the next it might be out in the open at the park. This can make it very difficult if we have to pack up all of the books for the day and head out. I can see where KC Distance Learning can be of great benefit if you have a daughter like mine. There would be no need to pack up anything but the computer!

In doing my research while reviewing KC Distance Learning I found two statistics that were very intriguing to me. In a recent survey they found that 58% of online students get more help when they fall behind vs. 40% in traditional schooling. Also the same survey found that online students have more interest in attending a 4 year college after graduation than students in traditional school. 78% vs. 67%. Even taking into consideration that home schooling is different from traditional schooling, these statistics are eyebrow raising. I know that the students of today live in a faster pace world and enjoy learning in different ways, that is one reason I decided to look into KC Distance Learning.

I can also see the benefits of KC Distance Learning in the traditional school setting. If a child is struggling to keep up in class or is excelling to the point that they are bored in class, KC Distance Learning can help in both situations. I can see this website helping those that just can’t seem to “get it”. I can also see this site helping those that are wanting more but traditional school isn’t providing more learning opportunities to keep them interested.

We can all see the many changes in technology over the past few years. I can see online schooling through websites like KC Distance Learning becoming one of the most sought after ways of learning in the near future. This type of learning is going to be essential as our children’s generations become more and more high tech.

Overall, I think this website can be beneficial to the home school family, those that are struggling in traditional school and those that are excelling and bored with traditional schools. KC Distance Learning also can benefit those that want to continue their education even after they are out of high school. I think this is a great website for any teacher, mother, or dad to look into if they have a child in either category.


I recieved a $20 gift card in exchange for the time I took to review this website.  No other compensation was recieved and all opinions are my (Anita) own.  See full disclaimer for more details.

Micielo Winner!

The winner of the ipod / iphone cover from Micielo is.....Jgmulligan, who said, "love the Mr T shirt!"

Thanks for reading the So Mommy blog everyone!

Don't forget to enter the "All Tied Up" giveaway HERE!

CSN Stores Review...Coming Soon!

I have been a fan of CSN Stores since I found out about them about a month ago.  They have over 200+ stores to help you find EVERYthing (ok, almost everything) that you could possibly need from lights to cookware to bookshelves to kid stuff.

CSN offered me a $40 gift card to use to get an item to review.  Any ideas on what I should choose?  They have so many things that I'd love to have, I'm having a hard time deciding.  Here are a few things that I've seen and liked:

KidCo PeaPod Travel Tent($57.95):  http://www.csnstores.com/KidCo-P101-KCO1007.html

Child's Gliding Rocker ($61.95): http://www.csnstores.com/Storkcraft-06550-138-KD1481.html

Papagaya Rocking Chair by Lambs and Ivy ($88.00) http://www.csnstores.com/Guidecraft-G85401-EZ2025.html

Trimmer Cookware ($44.99): http://www.cookware.com/Trimmer-SC-SS004-TRI1031.html

Farberware Cookware ($69.95): http://www.cookware.com/Farberware-71237-FBR1148.html

My Baby Sam Lamp Medallion ($60.00): http://www.csnstores.com/My-Baby-Sam-LP157-MBS1083.html

My Baby Sam Lamp Paisley ($60.00): http://www.csnstores.com/My-Baby-Sam-LP151-MBS1055.html

All Tied Up Review and Giveaway

I recently came across “All Tied Up,” and I just loved their selection of shirts for kids. The owner was gracious enough to let me pick my favorite to review, so I picked the Minnie Mouse shirt. It's such a cute, girly shirt that I just loved it when I saw it! She even puts your child’s name on most of the shirts for FREE!

The shirt came “all tied up” in a cute little bag with a pretty ribbon, perfect for gift-giving (VERY quick shipping aslo). Sydney said “awww” as soon as she saw it. Sydney gets so many compliments when she wears this precious little shirt. The Minnie Mouse is embroidered with bright pink thread onto a good-quality t-shirt with a pretty little bow sewn onto her ear. This shirt has been worn and washed several times and still looks just as great as the first time. I do always lay it out to dry, but I do that with all of our handmade clothing.

I would recommend “All Tied Up” to anyone! The shirts are great quality and would make a great gift for any kid! They have a large assortment of shirts, so I'm sure you could find one perfect for the child in your life. As with most Etsy store owners, contact her if you have a special request, and it's likely that she can help you out!

Here are a few pictures from the Helen Keller Festival where Sydney showed off her beautiful shirt!

GIVEAWAY
"All Tied Up" is offering one reader their choice of shirt with a name put on it! 

How To Enter:
Mandatory-MUST be done or other entries will NOT count:
Visit "All Tied Up" on Etsy HERE and tell me which shirt you would like and what name you want on it.

Extra Entries:
(1 entry) Share this giveaway on Facebook
(1 entry) Follow All Tied Up on Facebook HERE
(1 entry) Blog about this giveaway and leave the link to your post
(1 entry) Follow So Mommy on Facebook HERE or Google Connect

Giveaway will end Monday, July 5th at 5 p.m. CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator.  If winner doesn't respond within 48 hours another winner will be drawn.  "All Tied Up" is responsible for shipping prize to winner.  Please see full disclaimer for more information.

We Love Abby!

We received “The Tails of Abbygail: Dreams Come True” from the Producer, Terri Lynn. 'The Tails of Abbygail” is a DVD mini-series created to help inspire children ages 2-10. This DVD is about a Jack Russell Terrier, named Abbygail, and her adventures with her friends.

In the first episode, “Dreams Come True,” Abbygail learns the importance of water safety and about stranger danger. This is a fun way to help your kids learn about these important topics. These episodes use real pets to tell the story- don't worry, none were hurt in the making of the film! You can meet them and read their stories HERE.
Sydney is only 16 months old, but she loves this DVD. I decided to let my niece, Katie, who is 3 years old watch it to see what she thought about it, and she also loved it. I think the fact that it is told in a storytelling way helps keep kids interested. Most kids also enjoy seeing the real animals interacting together. The movie is about 30 minutes long.

You can visit Abbygail on Facebook HERE or at http://www.weloveabby.com/.

5 DVD set + 7 Posters available at http://www.weloveabby.com/ NOW!

Aloha – How about a Hawaiian GIVEAWAY?

I know you were all hoping it was a trip to Hawaii...and maybe one day I'll be able to offer that as a giveaway, but not today....What I have is a VERY unique company called mi cielo ("mi cielo" means "my sky, my love"in Spanish) that offers items for almost any age range! They have cute clothing at mi cielo and ipod / iphone / gadget cases at the sister store HERE.  All items are created and hand-stitched with 100% love by the owner in Hawaii. She uses felts in 28 different colors every day to create something original.

The owner sent me an adorable t-shirt for Sydney to try. Sydney LOVED that it had a flower on it (they are her favorite things right now). I love that it has a hand-crafted design. The design is made from felt and sewn on. Sydney has worn this shirt SOO many times, and it has been washed SOO many times, and it still looks great. I even (accidentally) dried it the last time instead of laying it out to dry...and it still looks great! People always comment on how adorable it is.

Here are a few more of her creations:

Guess what?? The giveaway is NOT a kids shirt! It is one of the ipod / iphone cases from the gogo gadget store! I think this is a great way to keep your phone or ipod safe and un-scratched! It will hold many different phones or other devices, but it is the perfect size for ipods.

Here is a picture of the one up for grabs. It is pink with a felt sewn on picture of Princess Leia from Stars Wars. Don't worry if you aren't a Star Wars fan...I'm not, and I would still use it! Click HERE for specifics on this case.

HOW TO ENTER:

(1 entry) Visit mi cielo HERE or the gogo gadget store HERE and tell me what your favorite item is
(1 entry) Follow So Mommy by Google Connect – Click Follow on the right hand side of the page
(1 entry) Share this giveaway with 3 friends – Please be honest
(3 entries) Buy something from mi cielo HERE or from her gadget store HERE

Giveaway will end Monday, June 28th, 2010 at 5 p.m. Winner will be chosen by a random number generator and contacted via email. If winner doesn't respond within 48 hours another winner will be drawn.

**I was given above mentioned t-shirt in exchange for my honest review. See full disclaimer for more information.**

Book Review-The Adventues of Bible Buddy

I chose the book The Adventures of Bible Buddy because I thought it would be a book my granddaughter would enjoy.

This book is about a little dog named Buddy.  His mom reads him daily devotions and teaches him lessons from the Bible.  One particular adventure Buddy has requires him to turn the other cheek.  His mom had taught him this lesson from the Bible and Buddy finds it is very hard to turn the other cheek, but he knows it is the right thing to do.  Throughout the book Buddy asks the child what they would do in his situation and it gives space for them to answer. There are several illustrations in this book of Buddy himself.  This is a cute book and I think it would be great for children grades 1-3.

I, Anita, received a complimentary copy of The Adventures of Bible Buddy as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team.  Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.
 

The Newest Member of the So Mommy Review Team

Meet the newest member of the So Mommy team, Anita! She will be doing more of the teen / adult related product reviews and giveaways.   Just so you can connect a face with the reviews, here she is with her husband, Ricky.

Hi! My name is Anita, and I have been married to my husband Ricky for 7 years.  I have 3 daughters: Marsha, Heather, and Megan.  I have 3 grandbabies-Katie, Austin, and Sydney -who love to call me "Mimi."  I am currently homeschooling Megan, who will be entering the 8th grade in the fall.  I enjoy sewing, couponing, reading, and spending time with my family.  Even though I do not work outside of the home, I am always busy doing something!  I look forward to writing reviews and doing great giveaways for you all!

-Anita

Daddy Toolbox WINNER

The winner of the Daddy Toolbox is....Amber (shm....bee@yahoo.com), who said, "I would add some diaper ointment."

Congratulations, Amber and thanks to all who entered....look for more giveaways soon! :)

Wordy Wednesday :)

Today was storytime at our local library, so we decided to do a little shopping afterwards.  By the way, if you have kids, check your local library.  Most have free storytimes for younger kids (babies-preschool)...we LOVE going to storytime!  It's also a good place to rent kids dvds and books!

After storytime, Sydney & I shared a burger from Five Guys...yum yum!  Then we headed over to Target and Petsmart...and I just want to brag about how much I saved today! :)  Everyone needs to brag a little every now and then, right??

Target:  Spent $15.36, Saved $56.79 and got ALL of this (20 items):

PetSmart:  Spent $2.17, Saved $12, Got this (5 items):

I love shopping and saving money! 

Check out my two favorite coupon "help" sites:

http://www.southernsavers.com/

http://www.bargainbombshellblog.com/

My Baby Rocks...Does Yours?

I recently came across My Baby Rocks.  Surely, all of you think your babies rock...if so, you definitely need to check out this store!  They have some awesome clothes for kids (boy/girl and infant/toddler...even some stuff for parents)!  I had so much fun looking through the variety of items they had.  I fell in love with some of the shoes and of course some of the punk tutu sets!  It was definitely hard to pick an item to review, but I finally chose the Charlie Classic pink canvas shoes and the Zebra star tank top.

When I received the package, I couldn't wait to open it.  I just knew it was going to be adorable...and of course it was!   The tank top looks very tiny, but fit perfectly.  I got the 12-18 month size, which is what Sydney wears in most brands.  The shirt has been washed and worn several times and shows no sign of wear (I lay it flat to dry).  I got 18-24 month shoes, and it was a good thing since these seem to run a little small.   She absolutely loves the shoes.  They are slip on with elastic in the back to help keep them on.  The only downside is that they are recommended for indoor use only and are not machine washable.  We've had no trouble with that though because they wipe clean pretty easily.  

Sydney gets A LOT of compliments when she wears the shoes and tank top, but especially the shoes!  Everyone loves the little canvas shoes! 

 Something Special for my readers:

My Baby Rocks was great to work with, and I can't imagine they'd be any different to anyone!  So head on over and check out their selection of clothing and gifts - Let them know So Mommy sent you!  Use coupon code SAVE5 for $5 off your purchase!

Just in case you want to see some more items...Here are a few of the items that I really liked!

**I recieved tank top and shoes in exchange for my honest review.  We really do love these items and have given you our honest opinion.  See full disclaimer for more information.**

Real Men Change Diapers - Giveaway!

Moms-to-be everywhere are hosting Co-Ed baby showers recently to help get dads more involved. But what kind of gift do you get the Dad-to-be? The Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox is a fun and functional way of giving the Dad to be a gift and a chore all in one.  Mom's will love using this as a way to say "Yes, honey, you WILL be changing diapers."  This is a gift that Dad can call his own.

Fun Stuff 4 Babies is a Tampa, Fl based company whose mission is to develop products that encourage and acknowledge Dad´s involvement in raising children. The Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox arms new Dads with everything they would need for their very first diaper change as well as provides them with a chuckle. The company was created in 2008 by Chris and Julie Hartsfield, and their debut product is the patent pending Daddy Diaper Changing Toolbox. For more information visit http://www.funstuff4babies.com/

When I saw this, I thought it had to be one of the best Dad-to-be gifts I've ever seen!  It will definitely be a hit with friends, family, and the dad-to-be! It has been featured on VH-1's series "Dad Camp" recently.  Moms- don't worry- the website also has gifts for you, too so check it out!

The Toolbox includes the obvious needs:  diaper, wipes, hand wipes, bio-hazard bag, and pacifier

It also includes some "dad necessities" such as:  mask, goggles, tongs (for picking up the diaper), turkey baster (for an extra splash of water), poop poncho, and rubber gloves

GIVEAWAY
Chris and Julie from funstuff4babies.com are going to give one lucky winner their own Toolbox!

How to Enter:

(1 entry) What is your favorite item in the toolbox?

(1 entry) What item would you want to add?

(1 entry)  Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter

Contest will end June 16th at 5 pm CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator and emailed.  Be sure to leave you email address.  If winner doesn't respond in 24 hours, another winner will be drawn.  FunStuff4Babies.com will ship prize directly to winner.  

Mobu Herbals Winner

The Mobu Herbals winner is....Kathy K, who said, "I'd so love to try the P.M. Pain Balm."

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered!  I've got more giveaways coming soon, so keep watching!

Ohhh Sydney....

I promised some pictures from my Memorial Day weekend...and maybe I'm a little slow, but I'm posting some now!

I also have a question for you all!  Some of you may have seen this on Facebook earlier, but for those of you who didn't, here is the problem:

Sydney, 16 months old, has started getting her legs stuck in her crib slats (during her naps).  I found her 2 days ago with one leg stuck (her knee was the main problem).  I used a lot of vaseline and wiggled it out.  This morning, I found her laying on her stomach with BOTH legs stuck-up to her diaper!  She was wearing pants this time, so vaseline wouldn't help.  For some reason-I say God-I put her in 2T pajamas last night and they were a little big, so with a lot of effort on my part (and crying on Sydney's part), I wriggled one leg out of the pajamas at a time.  Then applied a LOT of vaseline and wriggled her little legs out. 

Her poor legs are red and bruised-mainly from her pulling them before I could get them out.  They look so sad!  Anyways,  do you all have any opinions on what to do?  I am thinking a toddler bed.  She doesn't stand in her crib anymore, and she goes straight to sleep when we lay her down, but she is quite young.  I don't think bumper pads will help-she always put her legs under/over them when she was younger so we took them out to prevent using them to climb. 

I worried that if I hadn't gotten her out when I did, she could have lost circulation.  Thankfully, we have a video monitor so I keep an eye on her.  ANY advice/opinions are appreciated!

Sydney wanted to wear Daddy's socks

The Jubilee Festival at Point Mallard

Megan (my younger sister) and I

Sydney & Daddy

Splashing in her pool

Mobu Herbals – Review and Giveaway

About the Company:“Mobu Herbals formulations were created by Janell Hendricks-Cole, Naturopathic Doctor and Master Herbalist in response to the many diverse health conditions she has encountered through patients in her practice, many of whom were unable to properly assimilate the herbal remedies she recommended in oral form. Janell personally selects, blends, tests and approves every ingredient in the Mobu products. Her uncompromising commitment to the highest standards of excellence is the hallmark of MOBU Herbals formulations.” – from MobuHerbals.com

All of the ingredients in the Herb-dicinal Balms™ are 100% organic and ethically wildcrafted for the highest quality and purity. MOBU Herbals Balms are made by them in small batches in their own closely monitored facility.


On to the Review:
I know most of you moms are probably as skeptical as I am about herbal remedies. When I was growing up, my grandmother swore by Tea Tree (and still does). We used to laugh anytime anything would happen (scratch, rash, etc) and say to put tea tree on it. We laughed, but it did honestly work. I recently came across Mobu Herbals, a company that has an Herbal Remedy for some of the most common problems. I was able to try the Kava Calm Balm and the Slim Stick lib balm.

Kava Calm: Uses herbs that can help alleviate anxiety, stress, etc. and help promote relaxation and restful sleep. All you do is apply the balm to your temples, wrists, or other areas of tension.  I was very intrigued when reading the website description of the Kava Calm. I had no idea if it would help me, but I was definitely willing to try! I have used this several times during the day, and it has helped me. I haven’t used it at night (guess I need to go put it by my bed now), but I have no doubt that it would help me then, too. I received it just in time for our girls’ trip that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, and I was so glad! With 3 under 3 years old, I definitely needed something to help me stay calm and relaxed! After trying this product, I definitely want to try some of their other herbs (like the A.M. pain and the X-tracting Balm). I will say that the herb smell is strong at first, but it goes away quickly. I’ve gotten used to it and don’t even notice it now.

Slim Stick Lip Balm: The Slim Stick is not made for quick weight loss, but it is made to help appetite control without having to take pills. It has green tea flavor which helps curb your appetite, and the Gymnema herb stops your desire for sugar. You can easily use this through-out the day.  After the Kava Calm worked so well, I was excited (but still slightly skeptical) about the Slim Stick. I put it in my purse to use before meals and during the day when I felt I “HAD” to have a snack. I have used it several times, and it definitely seems to help. I was actually contemplating eating one of Sydney’s teething cookies yesterday on the way to the library, and I remembered I had the Slim Stick with me, so I put it on…and I did not eat the cookie! While this isn’t a “miracle diet” or anything, it does help reduce cravings. There are many weight loss enhancers that claim to do the same thing, but how many come in a lip balm that you can use anytime, anywhere?

GIVEAWAY
The GREAT news is that Mobu Herbals is offering one reader one product of their choice!!

Here’s how to enter:
(1 entry) Tell me which product you would like from Mobu Herbals
(1 entry) “Like” So Mommy on Facebook HERE and suggest to at least 3 friends
(1 entry) Grab my blog button for your blog!

**Open to U.S. Residents only.  Contest will end Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at 5 p.m. CST. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator. If winner doesn’t respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.**

*I received these products in exchange for my honest review. See full disclaimer for more details.  Mobu Herbals will be responsible for shipping prize to winner.*

WINNERS (finally)

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! We spent a lot of time at Point Mallard Water Park (thanks to our cheap season passes) and a lot of time with family - I will try to post pictures for you all later today.  We had a great, long weekend and can't wait until the nenext one! Due to my family time, I haven't posted the winners from the last 2 contests..So, without further ado...Here are the WINNERS!


The winner of the "I'm the daddy" t-shirt from DaddyScrubs is...
Amanda, (abo...08@gmail.com) who said, "I "like" DaddyScrubs on Facebook!"

The winner of the hair cover from The Hair Coverings Store is Tonya (t..bama@gmail.com), who said, "I am following The Hair Coverings Store on twitter."


Congratulations to you both! Thanks to everyone that entered! I hope to continue doing giveaways for all of you...so to those of you that didn't win - keep reading my blog! :)