Every so often, a book comes along that I have to write about as soon as I finish it. It’s not often, because book reviews are honestly not my favourite things to write, but Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby hooked me from page one (to the annoyance of my husband who had to listen to me in bed every night going on about my plans for this book in my classroom and at home.)

Secrets of a Christmas Box is a fantasy novel like no other that invites the reader into the enchanting nighttime world of the decorations on a family’s Christmas tree. Each year when they’re brought out from the Christmas box, they greet their friends from past years (in the dark, of course, after their human family has gone to bed and the army lights illuminate the tree) and meet any newcomers. Sadly, there are always one or two that don’t make it back to the tree each year and as Larry the snowman discovers by the end of this book, the reason for their disappearance is not what they had always thought.

And that’s all I’m going to say about the plot line. If you have children, are a teacher or just love the spirit of Christmas, you need to read it. For us it will surely become a family tradition to read it daily each December and I can hardly wait to read it to my students in a couple of months. It’s recommended for ages 9-12 but as soon as my kids are in school I’m going to be reading this every year. And what’s with that twelve? I’m 33 and I’m totally not too old for it.

Win it! We’ve got two signed copies of Secrets of a Christmas Box in beautiful red sacks up for grabs. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on October 9, 2009. If you win, you’ll have it in lots time to start at the beginning of December, and if you don’t you’ve got time to place your order!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

There are a lot of gorgeous diaper bags on the market today – some practical and some not so much – but I’ve never seen anything like the Alpha Sherpa diaper backpack from Canadian company Baby Sherpa. It’s not just a comfortable backpack – it’s the most well-designed “diaper bag” ever, and it’s the kind of bag you can use for years after you finish carrying diapers. It’s five bags in one with a total of ten pockets – a padded laptop backpacks that holds a 14 inch laptop, an insulated cooler for snacks and bevvies (whether they come in a sippy cup or not), a parent pack with a change pad & bottle holder, a padded interior pocket and special pockets for your mobile devices & other electronic goodies. It’s ergonimically designed, with an ultra padded air mesh back panel with ventilation channels, padded shoulder straps,a sternum strap and an optional waist belt, and to top it all off it’s downright perty – the ‘Black Graphite’ colour is great for both men and women.

The Alpha Sherpa sells for $119 from the Baby Sherpa site.

Win it! An Alpha Sherpa valued at $119 is up for grabs. Comment here before noon mst on October 8, 2009 to enter.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I recently received a copy of the new Milkshake CD, Great Day. I have loved everything I’ve ever listened to from Milkshake in the past, so was excited to listen to this one.

Here’s what the band has to say about this fabulous disc:

In keeping with the Milkshake belief that one never stops evolving/growing, we present Great Day.

This is the first Milkshake album that is actually Milkshake the Band. It’s not just Lisa and Mikel and a bunch of studio musicians. Play! featured the guys singing, but we still used outside musicians, and we all played our parts at different times. On Great Day, it’s the band playing in one big room at the same time, except for vocal and guitar overdubs. And we have a few special guests — our friends Grammy-Award winners Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer and Rodney Henry of the Glenmont Popes.

We tracked Great Day in six twelve-hour days, and it was a lot of fun. Lots of different musical styles here, as on past albums, but the subjects are a little deeper, the guys are singing a little sweeter and everyone was trying new things, thanks in part to Tor Hyams’ intense, encouraging production style, and in part to everyone really being…well…a band, which is a lot like a family. Enjoy…and have a great day!

Here’s what my kids have to say about it:

“Let’s put Milkshake in again, Mommy!”

Don’t forget to bring Milkshake in the van!”

And because, in the usual Milkshake style, it’s actually really good music that’s easily enjoyed by kids and parents alike, I always oblige.

Win it! One commenter will win a copy of Great Day. To enter, comment before noon mst on September 28th.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I was recently sent a sample of an exercise program, Shapely Secrets, that claims to provide a full body workout without any running, jumping or harmful impact. “Simply standing still and following the program sculpts the entire body with Motionless Exercise™. The seven minute exercise can be done nearly anywhere, including at work while at your desk, with zero impact. The complete Shapely Secrets program provides visible results in two weeks.”

Sounds like something that would be pretty appealing to any busy mom, so I decided to give it a test run for you. Background: I am a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor who runs for fun, and it sounds kind of bogus to me. My first thoughts before trying it? Anything’s better than nothing, so if this is someone’s draw into the world of exercise then that’s great, and perhaps it would be great for someone who’s on bedrest or wheelchair bound. The founder, “world-renowned fitness expert Greer Childers” (of whom I have never heard even though I’m in the field) is, quite frankly, slightly plastic looking. She’s orange too, which is a little scary. However, given that it has the potential to be a success for bedrest mamas and the older and differently-abled population, I’ll certainly give it a try.

Thought I’d better get that typed out before I try the system. Back in two weeks!

I’m back. Did you miss me?

So, Shapely Secrets uses Diametric Resistance™ techniques to work muscle against muscle. “This means the simple act of tightening and releasing the muscles in your arms, legs, buns and thighs (either while standing up, sitting or lying down) actually gives you a full body workout and, combined with a healthy diet, helps shed inches—without using weights or cumbersome gym equipment.”

This is true – it’s actually known as isometric or static muscle contraction. Imagine trying to lift something really heavy that you can’t budge. Your muscles contract and you’re pulling, but no movement is happening. That’s the type of “exercise” that this system is based on. I say “exercise” in quotes because I don’t want you to think that this is all you need. Isometric contractions do, actually, work to increase strength without bulk but do not burn enough calories to encourage weight loss on their own and do nothing to increase your cardiovascular fitness.

I tried the workout several times so as to be able to give you a (hopefully) objective review. Admittedly, I’m negatively biased against anything that lures people into thinking losing weight is easy, but I’ll do my best to be fair.

The workout is, indeed, seven minutes long. I don’t care who you are – you have seven minutes to dedicate to yourself. For that alone, this program may be great for some busy parent who would otherwise do no exercise at all. Combine it with a fast walk with your children or alone and you’ve got an easy & decent workout.

The program comes with Greer’s “7 Secrets to Being Thin and Shapely” pamphlet as well as a DVD of the program and a cheap little case to keep it all together. The case itself makes me angry. It’s cheap piece of made-in-China crap that they’re selling separately for twenty bucks. You could find a similar one at any dollar store, so don’t fall for it. Take it if you get it free with the program, but don’t pay for it.

The workout is easy, and would be great for someone who has no home equipment or is housebound. New mom, perhaps? However, it’s not something I can recommend you go and buy right now. It’s just a little too “infomercial” for my liking, and we all know how those things tend to work out. (Except the PedEgg – that rocks!) I’m not saying it wouldn’t work for you. I’m just saying it’s not “the” answer. “The” answer isn’t actually a secret. Eat less and exercise more. The program itself is certainly decent if you’re looking for something simple, quick & easy. It’s the fact that they promote a pamphlet and a cheap bag as being something special that ticks me off.

Shapely Secrets is available online for $43. If you want to give it a try, there’s a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. So if it sounds like something you want to try, you’ve really go nothing to lose!

Win it! Shapely Secrets is giving FIVE winners a chance to try out the system. To enter to win, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on Friday, September 25, 2009.

Wow, I am seriously slow. But CONTEST CLOSED AND WINNERS FINALLY EMAILED!

Ditch it – it’s a Cinch!

The Cinch by Anew is a much more beautiful and more cleverly designed tummy wrap like the docs used in the good old days. It comes in two sizes, 26-34” or 33-42”. It uses dual front panels and double side wings for all around cinching, yet is comfortable enough to be work all day or night long. The panels are adjustable so it shrinks as you shrink, and your shrinkage (heh) is easy to see with the inner measuring tape. It looks at first like it would be a little claustrophobic & sweaty but it’s not at all – it’s got a moisture absorbent and breathable inner lining with Anion to promote better circulation.

The Cinch features a front inner pocket feature to fit a warm/cold pack insert, and a side zipper allows for ease of wear. There are some ugly tummy wraps on the market, but that’s not something that’s even on the radar for the Cinch. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Starting at the packaging, no detail was excluded. It comes on a hanger as pictured at right, which is draped in a stylish silver satin bag. When you get it all unwrapped and opened, the Cinch itself is very pretty. It comes in two greys – a light and a dark – and pink and sells for $86 at the Cinch site.

Though I haven’t seen them first hand, Anew appears to have some potentially great clothing too. A shirt that sucks in my stomach for me? I’ll give that a shot!

Win it! A cinch in your choice of size & colour is up for grabs. To enter, choose your specs here and comment before noon mst on September 26, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED – Congrats Michelle!

Let’s just say that we’re HUGE music fans around here. Whether that means me trying to play “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” on the piano with four little hands banging on the keys, or whether it means listening to a new CD…whatever it is, if it’s music we’ll most likely love it! Our most recent find is the Dreyer Family Band CD. The story behind this CD is great – twin brothers with their wives and kids having a dream and coming up with a fabulous kid-friendly and family friendly set of songs. All the songs are original and are composed by the family themselves. And of course they are all sung and accompanied by the moms, dads, or kids. Family time is so important so what a great way smack together two of the most important things – family and music! Although the style of music wasn’t exactly my favorite…my kids still loved it though! However, I loved all the lyrics and the fact that the songs were so fun and so family oriented. That outweighs the style of music for me by far. And there’s no doubt about it that the Dreyer Family Band knows how to have fun (just check out the photos on their website).The Dreyer Family Band’s first CD – Family Photograph is great for a road trip or for listening to at home. Check it out here. – by Andrea

Win it! We’re giving away a copy to one randomly selected reader. Just comment on this post before noon mst on Friday, September 11, 2009 and you’re entered.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Vincent Shoes had long been one of my favourite online shops for my kids shoes, and it’s becoming more and more appealing the older they get. When they’re little, I love their Robeez and See Kai Run kicks because they’re just buttery soft and all around awesome, but as they start to wear through a pair of those each month it becomes time to move into the big kid shoes.

Vincent shoes don’t just look good – they last. My children have had several pairs and only one has ever actually looked worn before being outgrown. My son is wearing the Liam toddler boot in brown this fall (pictured) and we’re totally digging it. It’s a stylish low-cut boot that’s perfect for active boys like mine. A mix of leather and suede provides style and comfort, and the velcro closure with bungee laces makes them easy and fast to get on as you’re running out the door. (Is that just me? We never just leisurely walk out the door anymore.) They come in four colours, black, brown, grey & red, and in sizes 5 (toddler, one year-ish) through 13 (child kindergarten-ish).

Vincent has more selection in Euro-style boys shoes than any other affordable shop I’ve ever found, and their sale section always rocks.

Follow Vincent Shoes on twitter, if you’re into that kind of thing.

The folks from Welcome Books recently sent us advance reading copies of their four new books; THE BIG BOOK FOR TODDLERS, THE LITTLE BIG BOOK FOR GRANDMOTHERS, THE BOOK OF ME, and THE LITTLE BIG BOOK FOR DADS.

THE BIG BOOK FOR TODDLERS ($25) is a book for all the little tykes in the world. It celebrates the wonder of youth and is filled with material guaranteed to occupy, fascinate, and delight little ones of all backgrounds and interests and parents will be reminded of the songs they sang and games they played with their own parents many years ago. There are activities (like Hand Puppets, Bubbles, Paper Dolls, and Finger Games), fairy tales (like The Three Little Pigs and The Ugly Duckling), nursery rhymes (like One, Two, Buckle My Shoe and Old Mother Hubbard), songs, games, and jokes. The Big Book for Toddlers is destined to become a well-thumbed classic in no time at all. This is one sample we won’t be donating because my kids and I use it literally every day.

THE LITTLE BIG BOOK FOR GRANDMOTHERS ($25) is a book devoted to grandmothers and all that they mean to a grandchild’s life. It’s packed with enchanting vintage artwork that illuminates a broad selection of grandmother stories, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, poems, songs, old-fashioned games, activities, and recipes. This book would make an awesome gift from the grandkids for any occasion – including “Hey, you’re going to be a Grandma!” day.

THE BOOK OF ME ($19) is a classic baby book that’s taken a little bit further. There’s a spot for each adorable smile and an inspiring quote for each memorable moment; the perfect place to record all the essentials about Baby’s arrival, family tree, milestones, and accomplishments. Unlike many other baby books on the market, this one extends itself further to capture the simple, everyday moments as well. Record the silly things that make Baby giggle in “That’s Funny” with pictures of wide-open smiles. Capture the dreams and thoughts Dad or Mom has as he or she stares in wonder at peacefully sleeping Baby in “Sweet Dreams.” And don’t forget that not all memorable moments are sweet ones, so whatever gets Baby really going can be remembered in “I’m Mad!” Since we all know you won’t have time to scrapbook, I’d suggest this as a more feasible option.

THE LITTLE BIG BOOK FOR DADS ($22) is a great piece full of stories, fairy tales, poetry, activities, recipes, and songs – all selected with the dad in mind. Featuring text by authors such as Bill Cosby, Shel Silverstein, Ogden Nash, and Dr. Seuss, The Little Big Book for Dads makes for a special reading experience to be shared between dad and a little one. It’s filled with activities to while away the hours together, including making sandcastles and identification games; jokes, riddles, and great tongue twisters to laugh over; and even some fun (albeit junky) stuff to try in the kitchen with the kids. All in all, it’s a book any daddy would love to receive – especially if it was received as a gift from their child.

Win it! We’re giving away ALL FOUR of these books to TWO readers. Every baby needs a baby book; and we hope that each one has a dad and at least one grandma and each child eventually turns into a toddler, so why not make it all or nothing? To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on Friday, September 4, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

If you are a mom, you have stories. Big stories, little stories…but you are most definitely full of stories. The very, very first story emits from the first time you see the two pink lines on the pregnancy test (or hear your physician say, “You’re pregnant.”). See? Every mom has a story!

I have stories and memories resounding and reverberating in my head all day long. Instances are brought to mind several times each day, springing up to consciousness in the midst of my daily duties. The problem is this: How to stream all of these memories, stories, scenarios? How to channel them into cohesiveness and get it down on paper for posterity? Therein lies the problem.

Whether you don’t have time or you aren’t sure how, recording your motherhood-based stories may seem impossible and impractical. For you and me, though, there’s help….thanks to Cori Howard and her Momoir Project.

The Momoir Project is the brainchild of Howard, an award-winning journalist whose passion for writing goes beyond her past profession. She formerly published Between Interruptions: Thirty Women Tell the Truth About Motherhood, an anthology of stories by moms and about all-things-motherhood. The Momoir Project is an extension of that effort….a way to help all moms out there figure out how to write down their lives, how to record their experiences (from the mundane to the extraordinary).

Howard offers actual writing classes for moms, as well as online seminars. Brand new, however, is a condensed e-book, The Momoir Workbook, that can be purchased and printed out. It allows you to learn and work independently at your “momoir,” setting your own pace and exploring at your own leisure the writing yet to bloom from your experiences.

The workbook teaches the importance of carrying around a notebook at all times, how to realize what your own unique story really is, and reminds you to remember who your audience is. It goes back to the basics and teaches you how to brainstorm anecdotes, write leads, composes theses, formulate the body, and close your story neatly in a bound ending.

Every chapter in the e-book offers a writing prompt that will set your creativity and memory bank ablaze. There’s also a call to record in writing the random conversations (or Q&As) you have with your children. I found this especially endearing, since I am consistently trying to write down (or email, or text, or Twitter) my children’s quizzical ponderings or hilarious realizations that they frequently vocalize.

Last but not least, great tips for actually finding time for writing and keeping up with it once you’ve begun wrap up this instructional, inspiration e-book.

You can purchase The Memoir Workbook (in PDF format) directly from The Momoir Project’s website. The cost is $32.95 in US dollars and $34.95 in Canadian Dollars. This book is certainly an investment in the things that matter most — penning and remembering these precious days with our little ones, the angst, trials, and decision-making along the way, and as moms, recording our hopes and dreams for the future (both ours and theirs).

Win it! We’re giving away a copy to one reader who comments before noon mst on September 4, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED