Spending Quality "Down Time"

One of the ways that Boug, Lil' Buddy, the Hub and I spend some quality down time is by reading. Lil' Buddy is less than interested and Boug has decided that Daddy is the bedtime book man. Mom, I guess, just doesn't measure up to Daddy's reading... or maybe its that she's stuck with me all day long and can't bear to see my face or hear my voice anymore.

Cheerios, one of our all time favorite cereals, for the past 7 years has given out over 35 million books through Spoonful of Stories, packaged in cereal boxes and has donated almost $3 million to the fabulous charity, First Book.

Reading is one of the most rewarding things that we do in our house and I'm sure it ranks pretty high in yours too, and I've had my ideas for a kids book from time to time... but Boug always says, "Ummm Mom, that doesn't even make sense!!" But if you wanted to see your short story for kids (aged 3-8) as one of Cheerios Spoonful of Stories books, you can enter into their contest through July 15th! Head on over to the Spoonful of Stories contest site for more details and to enter.

We've grown to love "The Great Dog Wash" by last years winner of the story contest. I want you to love it too and it will be included in the 4 book prize that you can win here at A Couch With A View!! Boug has completely memorized "Monkey and Me" too... I hear her muttering it throughout the day!!

Would you like to win a collection of 4 short story books from Cheerios Spoonful of Stories?? Post a comment letting me know what your favorite book was as a child or what your child's favorite book is!! Mine was "Where The Sidewalk Ends" by the amazing Shel Silverstein.

Extra Entries?? Follow or Subscribe to A Couch With A View. Post my button on your site. Post about this giveaway on your site. Follow CaseyDeuce on twitter AND tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway will accept entries until noon on Thursday, May 14th. Winner will be drawn with random.org and emailed. Winner must reply within 3 days to winning email or a new winner will be drawn. Please make sure that your email is accessible, whether in the comment or a blogger profile, cause if I cant contact you, how can you win??

Big thanks to My Blog Spark for making this opportunity possible!!

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Journal Buddies Review!!

I received the Journal Buddies book by Jill Schoenberg to review and I'm so pleased!! This is one of the most constructive books that I've seen for young girls in a long time!! With 2 nieces under 14 and a 4 year old daughter, I love finding things that are confidence building for them, not just novelty items.

I love this book and with my 11 year old neices birthday coming up soon, this is the perfect gift. She lives in a very busy house with little time to herself, it definitely gives a girl a chance to reflect on her awesomeness and magnificence!

There is a great section to guide girlies in the right direction to begin journaling, since a lot of girls don't even do things like that anymore. One of the main focuses are NO PUT DOWNS!! Which I think is so important! So many times girls think that they aren't measuring up, putting themselves down and just aren't all that special. Next up is a whopping 30 days of journaling, each day with a different "build-you-up" focus word! On day 14, its laugh, on day 7 its magical and on day 20 its unique. Each day a different word so that girls can focus on another aspect of their wonderfulness!! After 30 days of journaling there's a section for reflection, so that girls can see exactly the progress that they have made during the journaling process.

Journal Buddies has been been given the Dove Family-Approved Seal and was a finalist for the Mom's Choice Awards!! Quality my dear friends, quality. The author says "these books give kids a core self-esteem experience that lives inside them forever." I think that is one of the most important things that we can do for our kiddos!!

Journal Buddies is available for purchase from the Journal Buddies website and when you purchase you'll receive an author signed copy, over $83 in bonus gifts, a 45 day money-back guarantee and a free pack of journaling supplies! And for $16.95, Journal Buddies is cheaper and more constructive than a video game!! You are also able to get an unsigned copy at Amazon.com.


Big thank you to Jill and the Family Review Network for making this review possible!! Check out the Family Review Network for more opinions on this fab book and other wonderful products!!

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Changing a blogs layout EASILY....

Can it be done? Is there a ridiculously easy way to change a blogs layout? I thought I found one and I thought I found the answer, but alas, its a no-go. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing wrong or what I'm missing, can someone point me in the right direction to help me out? I'm so sick of this plain ol' pathetic looking generic blog.

I am so so so excited at this point though. I'm so broke this year its not funny and with the addition of lil' Buddy I really wanted to get professional Christmas pictures taken of the kids. I knew that I couldn't afford it though. Well the giveaway gods answered my prayers and I won!! The amazing Tot Snob chose me to win the grand prize picture people package!! This is going to be so wonderful for the holiday, I'll be able to frame some and give them as presents to my parents and my in-laws. Thank you soooo much Tot Snob!!

Guess what!?!?! I've got giveaways of my own coming soon... stay posted for more on that!!

Here's a few picks for great gifts!!

In our house we have If You Give a Pig a Pancake and Boug loves this book. Its adorable and such a cute little story about cause and effect. Now you can snag up a 5 book series of If You Take a Mouse.... It includes If you Take a Mouse to the Movies, If You Take a Mouse to School, If you Give a Moose a Muffin, If you Give a Mouse a Cookie and of course, If You Give a Pig a Pancake. I love this set!!

Another great book set is The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein Box Set. This set includes A Light in the Attic, Falling Up as well as Where the Sidewalk Ends. There is just something so wonderful about Shel Silverstein and his words. He's one of my favorite writers still to this day and I've been reading his books since I was a child.

Those are my picks for today, I hope they help someone out somewhere who's looking for a great book gift!!

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