Friday DVD Review: Nim’s Island

It’s Friday already? Really? Well welcome to it and the Friday DVD review.

This is another Sari’s pick and she got it right again with this family adventure set on a beautiful island hidden from the rest of the world. If there was no other element to the story I would still be sold.

Nim and her Father are the model of happiness, love and respect. Respect for one another, for their island abode and for the creatures they share it with. The pair may dine of meal worms and make their own toys and gizmos but they are far from living primitively, using web searches and email to stay connected and in touch.

Nim doesn’t go to school. What she knows, and she knows plenty, she has learned from her Dad and the books he brings to the island, the internet, and the animals on the island.

Nim is a refreshing character in contrast to the usual cast of bumblers and trouble makers we are accustomed to. Take my favorite show “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” for instance. Two cute loveable bumblers. We watch everyone in the cast taking their turn at screwing up, then doing the right thing in the end. This is good for kids to see so they know that nobody’s perfect and it’s never to late to right a wrong. But it sure was nice to see a strong, responsible character like Nim who can identify what needs to be done and take care of business right from the start. Not whine or try to weasel her way out of it. Ahhh refreshing indeed.

“Nim’s Island” is out on DVD now so if you would like to see how Nim works with her animal friends to ward off would be vacationers and enlists the help of her favorite author (played by Jodie Foster) to find her missing Father, rent it this weekend!

If you already know you love it, BUY IT right here from Blog Island. Cool right? I know, I’m getting very fancy over her. 

And if you just want a glimpse of what all the hububs about, I am attaching a video clip for you to enjoy. See how thoughtful I am? You’ll have to get your own popcorn though.
Enjoy!

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Happy Friday!

Remember I gave thanks in my journal a few weeks ago for how much I enjoyed sitting on the back deck watching the kids giggling and jumping on the trampoline while sipping mojito with the fresh mint sprigs grown on my back deck.  That was a lovely night.  Something else I did that evening was plan out a schedule for Her Family Blog and came up with special features for it.  One day soon I hope to be thankful for IMPLEMENTING those plans!    One feature I had decided on was movie review Friday.  I am so glad today is Thursday so that I can write about the incredible movie we saw last night.  Wall-E.

Disney Pixar has hit another home run with this fresh and original story.  Before seeing the movie the title character reminded me of the heart warming character of my generation, E.T.  Although the characters are similar in that way, that is where the movie similarity ends. 

Wall-E is not an extra-terrestrial.  He is a robot, part of fleet of robots called ”Wall-E”s that were designed to compact trash and clean up planet earth while earth’s inhabitants enjoy a five year, all inclusive, tour of space.  

Seven hundred years passes and generations of people are born and pass on the space ship, each generation becoming more fat and complacent.  Something went wrong on earth preventing their return.  Eventually, this is the only life the people know.  There is no interest in returning to earth.

The man in charge of the earth’s clean up did a super job of inventing robots to squash the trash, but he neglected to put anything in charge of “looking after” the planet.  Eventually there is not a single piece of vegetation and no living creatures except one little bug whose best (only)friend is Wall-E, the last functioning trash compactor robot.  After 700 years Wall-E has developed quite a personality. 

Wall-E dreams of a place more than this desolate land covered in cubes of trash.  And through his collection of treasures he has saved over the years, he has evidence it exists.

Follow Wall-E along on his journey as he meets a girl, and goes on adventure through space with her to get the humans back on track to their lives of action and emotion, and their home that needs them.

How you learn so much about what the characters are thinking and feeling is testament to the wonderful minds at Disney Pixar once you realize the first two thirds of the movie has almost no words. 

Sari had been talking about seeing Wall-E for several months prior to its release and I am kind of sorry we waited so long to see it. Whether you have or have not yet seen Wall-E click on the widget up top for some Wall-E fun where you can do things like meet the characters, explore the space ship and even build your own bot! The kids will love it!

Have you seen Wall-E?  What do you think about a future spent on hover chairs, interacting only with monitors and sipping big gulp dinners?

 

 

 

I am a little distracted.  I wrote a post which I realized too late that it cannot be posted until Thursday because the other post it references doesn’t come out until Wednesday.  Now I need something new but I am tired and my mind is elsewhere.  I was going to try and find a cute video or something.  OOOH!  In fact I will. “Charlie Bit My Finger.” It will cheer me up to watch it again.  But I also decided just to share Mama’s worries today.

My Fam is still at my Parent’s cabin up north.  They left Thursday night.  I have completed some good projects around the house and gotten some writing done so the time has been productive.  They were supposed to come home tonight but they decided to do some fishing expedition in the morning.  I am really excited for my Son to have this cool experience with Dad and Grandpa.  And did I mention they’re not coming home tonight?  Woohoo Yippeeeee! 

Listen, I work from home.  Hubby is off work.  Kids are off school.  We are all home all day every day in this little house that I think shrunk since June.  So don’t judge me until you’re squeezed in a cracker box with three other people while walking in my shoes.

Here’s why I’m worried.  There is something wrong with Cheese, my hamster!  I am extra protective of him because when I went away last November, I found his twin brother Ham floating in the sump pump crock upon my return.  Go ahead and say it, “it’s just a hamster” but he trusted me and suffering is suffering.  SO anyway, I guess I overcompensate with Cheese.  Or Ham, whoever is left.  Did I mention they were twins?

I guess I didn’t set him up properly before we went to to Orlando. 

• I ran out of the fluffy bedding so just before I left I used cedar chips to line his cage.  We had them on hand which saved me a trip to the pet shop and I thought that since we were going to be away and unable to clean out his messes, the cedar would provide a more pleasant aroma til we got back. 
• We turned off the central air.  And by “we” I do not mean “I”.  “I” was unaware.  That’s all I’m saying.
• I left the hammies home alone.  (we have a russian dwarf hamster named Mac, as well.  He is just a baby and they live separately)  Cheese is squirrely and get’s very nervous around people so I figured it would be less stressful on him if he could stay at his own house.  Plus, honestly, after the Ham tragedy, I didn’t trust anyone to lock the gate securely.  My Dad checked on them one day to make sure food and water were fresh and abundant.

A few days ago I noticed Cheese had some sores on his belly.  The next day I realized his belly was bare of fur.  I also figured out that he wasn’t super skinny because he’d lost weight, he had actually lost a lot of fur so he wasn’t puffy and fluffy!

I have some hamster antiseptic on hand from when Ham and Cheese used to fight and tear each other up.  But it’s not getting better.  I fact, there is one scab so big, soft, and thick looking that it looks like it is just going to pop off his tummy like a small child’s puzzle piece. 

TMI?

He keeps licking his wounds is part of the problem so it never dries up.  He has also developed 2 black knobs on his back.  Although, they could have been there all along but hidden by the fur. 

Guess what I found out.

• Hamsters cannot tolerate sudden changes in temperature.  (he was hot and laying in his ceramic  dish to cool off when we got home.)
• When hammies are hot they lose their fur.
• Cedar chips have been known to kill small animals. 

Apparently the sharp cedar chips irritated his skin at a magnified degree due to the fact that his fur was thinning and he was hot.  He developed a rash and just itched his whole belly raw. I put some neosporin on today.  I want him to get better for sure but I do not want to be around when that scab falls off. 

If anybody reading has a hamster, learn from my mistake… no wood chips and leave the air conditioning on!

 With that, I leave you Charlie!

Scratch that.  Charlie’s video can’t be embedded so I’ll give you Kassie the monster fighter instead!  Enjoy!

Regardless of varying musical genre preferences, we Michiganders love our Kid Rock.  We are proud of our Eminem too but we don’t need a parental advisory label to tell us that once you have kids in the house your days of listening to the Marshall Mathers Show are over.  Kid too has a wild side, for sure.  But these days his music and good old boy demeanor conjure up good times and happy feelings of remember when.  It was watching one of his videos though, that I had another one of those, “oh my gosh I’m a parent now!” moments, and went from nostalgic to “square” in the matter of a second.

Have you heard Kid’s “All Summer Long”?  I drift off into happy land whenever I hear it.  I was proud of my 12 year old who recognized and pointed out the “Sweet Home Alabama” sampling.  (My kids are familiar with that song because Reese Witherspoon’s movie of the same name is one of our favorite chick flicks.)  Add to everything else the mention of “Northern Michigan” in the song and it becomes a family classic.  (My kids are up north at the lake with Grandma and Grandpa right now, in fact!)

So you get it, right?  The song talks to us.  We sing it together, we bond as a family.  The one bit of discomfort is the line about “smoking” funny things.  But my daughter immediately changed it to “singing” funny things before I had to decide how to censor.  Problem solved. 

Singing, dancing, bonding, good family times.

One day last week we caught the video.  You know how hard it is to actually see a video on the MTV right?  But I think we caught a countdown show or something.  Anyway, everyone flocked to the tv to see it.  Seriously we are all singing and got a little bounce going because this song has created this moment of joy that surrounds it every time we hear it.   We can really relate to Kid driving the boat on the lake in Michigan, wind whipping through his hair, happy, and singing.

I see Hubby, he’s smiling.  Gone from his mind for three minutes are the worries of bills and his job security in the auto industry.  What a great video.

I am always talking about enjoying the tiny moments… here are a few of my favorite lyrics.

• 1989 in Northern Michigan.  Me and Hubby were fresh into our 20s hanging out at the cabin every weekend.
• no internet.  You forget there was a time we didn’t have it!
• “whiskey out the bottle“ Don’t tell my Dad.
• catching walleye off the dock… omg you have to be from Michigan to get that, right?
• when the leaves begin to change… another instance of Michigan beauty.  They actually have “color tours” it is such an amazing sight.

I actually feel like a teenager seeing the young couple boating and playing and smooching it up at the lake, surrounded by all their friends. We actually commented about what good clean fun it was.   Drinking beer.  Dancing on the stripper pole.  We’re all humming and smiling.

It wasn’t immediate is the funny thing, my realization that this song and video were INAPPROPIATE! (not a typo, there.  That’s how my daughter says it)  I remember looking at the song title that they display at the end of the video and the whole video suddenly rewound in my head!   I looked at Hubby whose contorted face told me he was having the same realization.  The kids were still smiling and singing. 

I scooted the kids away and told hubby, “good clean fun my ass!  I will lock my daughter in a tower if I see her dancing in a bikini with her friends around the campfire at night with a “red plastic cup” in her hand!”  In one instant the images went from “good clean fun” to “unacceptable behavior”.  Isn’t that funny how our attitudes change?

In all other areas besides entertainment my parental censors come on beforehand.  But I guess because I am so open minded when it comes to arts and entertainment that my parental advisory is a little delayed. 

Check out the video below and get lost in the good vibe, then remind yourself that your kids are soon going to be teenagers.  It’s brutal!  Tell me what you think. 

Although I wouldn’t say that there was any part of our trip that was BAD there were definite high points and low points.  I’ll share them with you to keep in mind should you find yourself planning an Orlando trip sometime. 

HIGHLIGHTS!

In case you are not familiar with the Universal Studio parks, they are based around movies, cartoons, comics, characters, and all kinds of entertainment.  I would love to tell you about it all but don’t want to ruin the surprises so I will just say that the 3D and 4D attractions will blow your mind and the roller coasters will shake you up and thrill you to the bone!  Our first attraction was JAWS.  My kids, 8 and 12, were scared to death.  (in a good way!)  It was fun, but it paled in comparison to the rest so I am glad we started there.  I recommend you do the same.

The JURASSIC PARK ride was super fun, too.  Again, the kids were awe and fear stricken by the “dinosaurs” we encountered.  Hubby and I were pretty spooked at the end of that one, too!

We almost skipped the SHREK 4D movie because we weren’t in the mood for a “movie”.  OMG!  It was amazing and so much more than a movie!!!  We followed that up with the TERMINATOR 3D (which we had preveiously decided against due to our 3D cynicism) movie which sent shivers down our spine as the animation, sounds, and smells hovered all around us.  AMAZING!

I think the collective favorite was THE SIMPSONS ride.  It is very circus/carnival looking and attracted my daughter immediately, even though she does not really know who the Simpsons are.  The wait was 65 minutes and she was the only one who wanted to do it.  We were tired and wet but it was her consolation for not being tall enough to ride The HULK coaster. I’m holding my tongue here so I don’t blab about it because this is the first summer for the Simpsons ride and I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.  I will just say it is unlike ANY ride/attraction you have experienced.  It is worth any wait. Take a potty break, get a LIGHT snack, and take your place in line.

The milder attractions such as those found in SEUSS LANDING will amaze and entertain Dr. Seuss fans of any age.  The music and festivity stretching from MARVEL SUPER HERO ISLAND and all along the CITY WALK keeps energy high and faces smiling.  Soaking wet and disheveled, we pranced proudly into EMERIL’S restaurant on Universal Studio’s City Walk.  Treated to white linens, gorgeous table settings, and three waiters, we felt so welcome and comfortable and enjoyed the meal of a lifetime. 

DISAPPOINTMENTS!

We are big fans of Wil Smith at our house and were looking forward to shooting up aliens at the MEN IN BLACK ride.  It was completely boring and nowhere near the high standards of the other attractions.  Blunt and to the point.  Sorry Wil.  We still love ya.

I desperately wanted to check out the MUMMY attraction but no one else did.  My kids have never seen any of the Mummy movies, but considering that the star of the movie, Bredan Fraser, was there that day and that there is a new Mummy movie coming out this summer, I tried to convince them they’d love it.  Honestly, I think they were scared, though.  So I didn’t push it.  Big bummer for Mama.

The new waterpark, AQUATICA was a big dud for all of us.  The weather was crappy but we played anyway.  The water wasn’t as refreshing as it would be on a sunny day, but we figured the sliding, floating, and waving action would still be good.  The only “original” thing about it was the DOLPHIN PLUNGE where you slide down in the water inside a clear tube while dolphins swim around you.  I thought I was going to faint in the tube from lack of air and excess humidity and I didn’t see one dolphin.  Don’t get me wrong, it is not a bad park.  But compared to other water parks we have been to, the WOW factor of other Sea World attractions, and the customer service everywhere else in Sea World, Aquatica cannot compare.

Having said all that, you cannot go wrong with an Orlando vacation.  The level of customer service among the Sea World/Universal/Disney folks is amazing.  Their goal is to create magic for you and that’s exactly what they do.

You know what other place is full of wonder and magic for me?  Vegas!  We haven’t been there since we had kids.  Neither of us gambles, we just love the weather, the shows, and the buildings.  I think that’s going to be our next trip.  I know Vegas has family oriented hotels and vacations but I haven’t started my research yet.  Has anyone been to Las Vegas lately on a family vacation?  Please share your tips so we can all start planning! 

Because I’m in a hurry today, I thought I would share this cute video with you. If you are anywhere near as stressed as I am, you’ll appreciate this, and the laugh it gives you!

I do not mean to skimp you guys, but I am working on two other blogs, and helping another one along while the blogger is on vacation, too.

Aren’t these kids just adorable?

If you’re looking for a good rental for the family this weekend I strongly recommend Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium.  It stars Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, and Jason Bateman in a spectacular story about believing in yourself. It is positively appropriate for all ages and everyone will enjoy it.

At first the story has a strong resemblance to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but Mr. Margorium is so much warmer and endearing the comparison quickly fades. 

Natalie Portman plays a young woman who thrived as a child because she believed all the good things people said about her.  Somewhere along the lines she became a grown up and stopped believing in herself and on the verge of giving up her dreams.  Her boss and friend, Mr. Magorium has other plans in store for her, though.

The characters are all lovely, the toy store is amazing, and the messages are bold but not preachy.  Dustin Hoffman’s Mr. Magorium character is full of wisdom and thoughtful lines. 

We love movies around our house.  We watch them and we discuss them.  When the movie was over I asked the kids, “Now what did we learn from Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium?” and they both yelled, “Never stop believing in yourself!”  It was the most enthusiastic answer they have ever given to that question I often ask.  I hope as they grow up they hold that movie close to them and never forget what they learned. 

Have you seen it yet?  

Welcome to the July 1, 2008 edition of Everything Family.  More excellent submissions this time around, and we’re all ready set for a great edition for August, keep ‘em comin’!

Sagar presents 100 Ways to Scale Down Your Life posted at EcoTrekker.

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips – Saving Money On Clothes posted at Tip Diva, saying, “With the economy in tough times, more people are watching their spending. Clothing is a necessary purchase, so here are some easy ways to save”

Jane @ Kidzarama presents The Importance of Small Things posted at Kidzarama.

Tiffany Washko presents Helping Kids See Past Commercialism posted at Natural Family Living Blog.

Technology Editor presents Lowering Prescription Drug Costs posted at Physician Entrepreneur.

David Cassell presents College Budgeting posted at selectcoursesblog.com.

Sheila Danzig presents Financing your Distance Education Online posted at Degree Talk Blog.

Steven Chang presents Bed Wetting Solutions posted at Gagazine.

Mike Remer presents Wish Exercise wasn’t so Hard? | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

David Dave presents How to Become an Alpha Male- Attractive Personalities posted at Become The Alpha Male Now.

James Brausch presents The Problem With Exercise posted at Weight Loss Dude.

David Cassell presents Keeping Your Study Skills Razor Sharp posted at selectcoursesblog.com.

Sheila Danzig presents Distance Learning Online: Educational Degree Programs that Benefit You posted at Degree Talk Blog.

Children

Kailani presents We Interrupt This Wedding . . . posted at An Island Life.

Tip Diva presents Tip Diva | Top Ten Tips – Saving Money On Children’s Birthday Parties posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Children’s birthday parties can cost a pretty penny after you factor in food, decorations, goody bags and more. However, there are ways you can save money, yet still have a lot of fun”

Raymond presents Student Credit Card Rewards posted at Money Blue Book.

Stefanie S. presents Creating a Non-toxic Nursery For Your Baby posted at Focus Organic.com.

Metaliphe presents Out of Control Children posted at Chandra Unplugged – No nonsense, Straight-up blogging from a Life Coach, saying, “Is your child out of control? If so, it is important to understand how out of control children are often the result of parents without boundaries.”

Vera Lang presents Good Dogs for Children | Fine Pet Care .com posted at Fine Pet Care .com.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Cognitive and Emotional Development Through Play posted at SharpBrains, saying, “We sometimes neglect to mention a very basic yet powerful method of cognitive and emotional development, for children and adults alike: Play. Dr. David Elkind, author of The Power of Play: Learning That Comes Naturally, discusses the need to build a more “playful culture”.”

Kevin Heath presents 25 Top Children’s Charities posted at More4kids.

WhatWorksForUs presents We Have ARRIVED. In Bedrock. posted at What Works For Us.

Dads

Tony Chen presents What to do? posted at Savvy Daddy, saying, “Here’s one dad’s perspective on sometimes not knowing what to do with his kids”

Jeff Tincher presents The Best Part of Putting My Son to Bed posted at Daddys Toolbox, saying, “Lately my son has been requesting ME to read books. I do enjoy this time we share, until the bedtime routine takes 2 hours — which has been happening – that’ll be left for future post.”

Family

Jessica Donnovan presents 13 Ideas for Fun Family Fitness Plans posted at Sensible Self-Improvement.

Amy L. presents Which Mattress Is Best For You? posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Every year, thousands of people purchase mattresses, only to find that their new mattresses are as uncomfortable as the old ones.”

Tip Diva presents Tip Diva | Top Ten Tips – Packing For The Beach posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Summer is just around the corner, and for many, that means beach season. But how do you pack for an enjoyable trip to sand, sun and surf?”

tmpatton presents Yes, being a stay at home parent, I do have the right to complain about finances! posted at thekiddieclique.com, saying, “This blog is about why as a stay at home parent I have the right to complain about finances.”

Yi Hui Chang presents The turning point of my marriage resolving money and love issues posted at The Simple Wealth.

Sherry Love presents Can my daughter find happiness in a mixed-race relationship? | Sherry Love. net posted at Sherry Love. net, saying, “Can my daughter find happiness in a mixed-race relationship?”

GP presents GreenHouse Guidance posted at Innstyle Montana- Come on Inn, saying, “greenhouse guidance from the inn.. everyone can pitch in!”

Nara presents Staying Positive During A Divorce posted at Surviving Infidelity, saying, “Divorce is never easy ?C even if you’re parting on amicable terms.”

Kevin Heath presents Tips for International Adoptions posted at More4kids.

Jamie McIntosh presents Increase Your Food Security posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, “At the grocery store, increasing prices complement shrinking product sizes on the shelf. Meanwhile, you can still grow much of your family’s food for pennies.”

Jose DeJesus MD presents Cash Before Treatment – The Crisis in Medical Care Funding posted at Physician Entrepreneur.

Tina Covington presents 20 Rules for Family Communication posted at thekiddieclique.com.

Balanced Life Center presents 43 Things To Do When You Stop Watching Television posted at Balanced Life Center, saying, “Save money, get more time, have more energy when you stop watching television.”

Jeff Tincher presents My Son’s First Baseball Game posted at Daddys Toolbox.

Ken presents Seven Signs That He Is Cheating posted at Cheating Detective, saying, “Author describes seven ways to detect if a boyfriend or husband is cheating.”

GP presents Sing along the campfire posted at Innstyle Montana- Come on Inn, saying, “Singing around the campfire… this summer”

Ken presents How You Can Catch A Cheating Spouse posted at Cheating Detective, saying, “When you suspect your spouse is cheating on you, there are

ways you can go about finding out if this is true.”

P.L. Frederick presents The Sweetest Pet Ever posted at Small and Big, saying, “Selecting a new family pet? Before you run off to adopt a special four- or two-legged bestest friend, I urge you to consider something more. Something more-legged: namely, honeybees.”

Carole Gold presents Relationship Paradox posted at McKay Today, saying, “Why it’s important to understand conflict and it’s place within marriage.”

Amy L. presents Should You Buy a Mattress and a Box Spring Set? posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Since most furniture stores sell mattresses and box springs
as sets, you may have just assumed that you’ll need to buy a whole new
bed if your mattress wears out.”

George L Smyth presents One Minute How-To – How To Get Organized And Stay Motivated posted at George L Smyth, saying, “Paris Love explains the most important element to getting organized and maintaining that commitment.”

Moms

Jody DeVere presents Traveling in the Family Way: 2008 Lexus LX 570 posted at Ask Patty – Automotive Advice for Women.

Asheesh presents Selecting The Right Pregnancy Doctor posted at My Pregnancy Blog, saying, “A good pregnancy doctor is a lifeline for pregnant women.”

Tonya presents Pregnancy Facts – A Guide To Having A Healthy Baby posted at My Pregnancy Blog, saying, “Knowing certain facts about pregnancy can help you have a
healthy pregnancy.”

Parenting

tmpatton presents Breastmilk?.It is what?s for dinner (as well as breakfast, snacks and lunch too) posted at thekiddieclique.com, saying, “A blog I wrote about breastfeeding and my views on it, includes some facts, tips and links to supplies for the new or experienced breastfeeding mother”

Chris Davis presents posted at The Healthy Snacks Blog.

Linda Ann Nickerson presents Preteen Pretext (Phoning’s Cool for Middle School) posted at Nickers and Ink, saying, “What happens when a parent gives a preteen a cell phone? Is this bane or blessing, security or spoiling? Rhymed humor examines this tricky technological question.”

David B. Bohl presents What To Do If Your Daughter Pulls a Britney? posted at Slow Down Fast Today!, saying, “I hope we all realize that no one is so far gone that they cannot be reached.”

Raymond presents Explaining Why Financially Independent Men Rarely Call Their Mothers posted at Money Blue Book.

karen alonge presents a mother’s heart posted at advice for parents.

Lars presents Preventing Child Tooth Decay – Important Healthly Habits for You and Your Child posted at InsightsandAdvice.com, saying, “Sage advice from a mom and a registered nurse.”

Fiona Lohrenz presents Encouraging Creativity At Your Day Care posted at Child Care Only.

Technology Editor presents posted at Physician Entrepreneur.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of everything family using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: everything family, blog carnival.

Welcome to the June 3, 2008 edition of Everything Family.    We received a whopping 72 submissions this month!  That’s incredible, and I hate that I could not include them all.  For further editions, submission time will be reduced from a month, to two weeks.

Lin Burress presents So Sexy, So Soon: The Sexualization of Childhood in Commercial Culture posted at Telling It Like It Is.

Autumn Beck presents My Top 4 Pocket Cloth Diapers posted at All About Cloth Diapers, saying, “I have been excited to write about my favorite pocket cloth diapers for quite awhile now, but had to wait for the arrival of a particular brand I wanted to try.”

Theresa L. Twogood presents Daily Prayer Journal posted at OLIN e-Book e-Publishing.

Jackie presents Mother’s Day posted at A Keeper’s Jackpot.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Ode To An Absent-Minded Husband posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Shaheen Lakhan presents Acknowledging Vaccination Concerns posted at GNIF Brain Blogger, saying, “When it comes to parents who choose not to vaccinate their children, a study reports two types: radical (refuses everything) and reformist (selectively opt out of certain vaccines).”

Family

Beth Blair presents Six Tips: Surviving a Family Road Trip posted at Traveling Mamas.

Linda W. presents Eating Well On Your Budget Vacation posted at The Eclectic Female, saying, “Eating out cheaply while on vacation can be tough, but is definitely doable.”

Trevor McKay presents Gastric Bypass Surgery And The Food Police posted at All About Gastric Surgery.

Jeff Sullivan presents The World Largest Toy Museum – Nostalgic Time Machine posted at Branson Travel Attractions.

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips – Stocking And Organizing A Medicine Cabinet posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Everyone should have a medicine cabinet in their homes in case of a sickness or an emergency. Here’s what to do to make sure you’re stocked and prepared”

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips – Moving Back Home As An Adult posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Maybe you’ve been away at school. Or, your lease may be up and you need an affordable place to stay while looking for a new apartment. Many young adults are moving back home for a variety of reasons, but coming back may be a culture shock. Here’s how to ease the transition”

Jeremy Neal presents What Moms Really Think About Good Dads posted at Discovering Dad.

Vera Lang presents Community Disaster Preparedness Tips – Plan Ahead of Time posted at Be Safe Insure .com, saying, “Emergencies & natural disaster can happen everywhere. Prepare to be safe and well for when this happens. Besides immediate responsiveness to get out of danger, these Top 10 Disaster Preparation Steps can help you and your family to take care of yourselves.”

Signs of a Cheating Spouse presents Personality Traits of a Cheating Spouse posted at Cheating Wife, saying, “Cheaters often have similar traits. Here is a list of characteristics to look out for.”

Hsidea presents Building friendships through homeschool groups posted at Homeschooling Tips, saying, “Tips for building friendships for homeschooled children”

Mother Hen presents Ship Full O’ Pirates » Blog Archive » Man Over-Bored! posted at Mother Hen.

George L Smyth presents One Minute How-To – How To Organize A Clothes Closet posted at George L Smyth, saying, “Nicole Green explains the most efficient way to make sure your clothes closet does not waste your time.”

Brent Diggs presents Nightlife | The Ominous Comma posted at The Ominous Comma.

Global Traveler presents Surviving Marital Infidelity – Signs of Infidelity » Protecting Your Finances In A Divorce posted at Infidelity, saying, “How to make the best use of a vacation guide.”

Metaliphe presents Dreading Family Gatherings? posted at Chandra Unplugged – No nonsense, Straight-up blogging from a Life Coach, saying, “Do you dread family gatherings? If you have a meddling mother-in-law that is constantly critical or a father-in-law that drinks too much and is bigoted, you are most probably anxious at family functions. Learn the best way to deal with these problems before, during and after dinner.”

Ken presents How To Recognize The Signs Of A Cheating Husband posted at Cheating Detective, saying, “How to find out if your husband is cheating on you”

Sherry Love presents Should I remarry after divorcing my husband for 14 years? posted at Sherry Love. net, saying, “Explore a situation when a woman isn’t sure if she should remarry.”

Mother Hen presents Photo Broadside: Fire Away!!!!! posted at Mother Hen.

Life

Christopher Johnson presents Dealing With Stress At Work posted at christopheraaronjohnson.net.

Matthew presents Will You Marry Me? posted at Conservatives and Normals . Com – The Blog, saying, “Thank you.”

Tina presents My Special Blend: Oh, happy dry day! posted at My Special Blend.

Fuel Efficient Driver presents Tips On Saving Gas And Money posted at Getting Better Gas Mileage, saying, “Here is a general list on how to save money on gas.”

Heather Johnson presents Finding an Ethical Partner posted at A Philosopher’s Blog.

Moms

Alison presents 7 Green Gifts for Mom posted at Green Me.

Woman Tribune presents A Little Mother’s Day History posted at Woman Tribune.

GP presents Mom?s Day in the Kitchen posted at Innstyle Montana- Come on Inn, saying, “Mom’s day in the kitchen… and a recipe”

Pregnant Woman presents Third Trimester Diet posted at Pregnancy, saying, “What you should eat in your third trimester for a healthy baby!”

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips – Finding The Perfect Mother?s Day Gift posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Mother’s Day is for celebrating that special woman in your life – and not just your mother, but perhaps a grandmother, aunt, older sister or close friend who’s been like a mother to you. Don’t know what to get that person? Here are some creative and unique ideas”

Mother Hen presents Mommie N’ Me Cookies posted at Ship Full O’ Pirates.

Tonya presents First Trimester Pregnancy: Symptoms, Problems, and Solutions posted at My Pregnancy Blog, saying, “Information about the first trimester of a pregnancy.”

Patty presents Inspiring Women to Be Irresistible! Listen in to Christina Wiley, Motivational/Health Coach posted at Parenting, Child Development, Shopping Resources, Recalls and Reviews, saying, “Please consider adding my post and blog to this carnival.
Thanks! My weekly moms support show features bi-weekly guests, authors, experts and women/moms in business.”

Suzanne presents Reaction To Eco Kid’s Birthday Party posted at Mommyfootprint.com, saying, “One of the places that accumulates the most waste and excess is our kid’s birthday parties. Read about the reactions from my guests after we tried an Eco party for our son. We would never go back to a traditional party…”

Tonya presents Natural Labor – Some Suggestions For A More Comfortable Labor And Delivery posted at My Pregnancy Blog, saying, “Natural labor followed by childbirth without any intervention from doctors or medical procedures is safe and most common.”

Parenting

Sam presents Best Children’s Books. Best Kids’ Books. Good Story Books and Picture Books for Children ! Surfer Sam posted at Surfer Sam and Friends, saying, “The best children’s books delight, inspire, and teach. You open the world to a child when you read together. Here are good story books and picture books for children. Would your child like these favorites?”

Fiona Lohrenz presents Getting Parents Involved At Day Care posted at Child Care Only.

Angela Williams Duea presents At least she?s not naked. posted at angelawd, saying, “When does clean=punishment? When you’re talking to a teen, of course!”

Sonja Stewart presents Avoiding arguments part 1 – Gift Cloning. posted at Parenting Squad, saying, “When it comes time for gifts, you can stop a lot of arguments by buying the same thing for every kid.”

Jessica Jones presents Celebrating Womanhood posted at Practical Nourishment, saying, “sharing female rites of passage with our daughters”

Kevin Heath presents Bringing Baby Home – Parenting 101 posted at More4kids.

Kevin Heath presents Tips for Working Parents posted at More4kids.

Linda W. presents Signs And Symptoms Of Dust Mite Allergies posted at The Eclectic Female, saying, “How to tell if you might be suffering from dust mite allergies.”

Nara presents Surviving Marital Infidelity – Signs of Infidelity » Helping Young Children Through A Divorce posted at Infidelity, saying, “Divorce can be hard on young children. Make sure to keep their interests in mind when going through a divorce.”

Summer presents Compassionate Parenting posted at The Attached Mother, saying, “Thoughts on raising compassionate children.”

Jamie McIntosh presents Organic Gardens Blog @ Suite101.com posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, “Get children out of the house and into the garden.”

Dianne M. Buxton presents Parent Volunteers Can Help With Natural Stage Fright Before Ballet Recitals posted at Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes, saying, “Suggestions for helping with stage fright in young performers.”

Homework. Dinner. Life. presents 10 Ways to Make Certain That Your Kids Hate School, Become Lazy & Dependent Learners, Drive Their Teachers Crazy, & End Up Living in Your Basement Until They Are 40 – posts – Homework. Dinner. Life. posted at Angela Norton Tyler, saying, “Angela shares a story about doing too much for her daughter.”

Ms. Mystery presents Wife’s Affair Broke Up Marriage: How to Protect the Kids posted at Good Luck and Confess, saying, “I am wondering if I have any rights to protect my children from being around my future ex-wife’s boyfriend. They had an affair and broke up our marriage.”

Kevin Heath presents Parenting a Child with Special Needs posted at More4kids.

Kevin Heath presents Tips For Helping Our Kids Grow Up Green posted at More4kids.

Anmol Mehta presents How to Raise Enlightened Children posted at Mastery of Meditation, Enlightenment and Kundalini Yoga, saying, “Non-dual, spiritual approach to raising children such that they grow to achieve their highest human potential.”

Fiona Lohrenz presents End the whining at day care posted at Child Care Only.

Dana presents A hot water bottle named Grofa posted at Principled Discovery.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Everything Family using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: everything family, blog carnival.

In light of the Memorial Day holiday today, I thought I would share some activities for you and your family to use in celebration of the holiday.  If you aren’t already on vacation and using the holiday your advantage that way, then here are some things you can do that will not only celebrate family togetherness, but to educate the family on Memorial Day.

·         Host a Barbecue:  With Summer on its way, there is no better time to embrace the nice weather than to host a family get together with food, fun, and music.  Grill burgers, hot dogs, or whatever else you enjoy, and spend the time socializing in the warm sun.  If bad weather strikes you today, try doing an indoor version of this same thing.

·         Make Patriotic Crafts:  The possibilities here are pretty much limited by whatever you want it to be.  Take a trip to your local craft or discount store, and gather items like construction paper, glitter, yarn, and wood sticks.  You can make pinwheels, windsocks, flags, and more.  For some craft ideas, along with the step by step instructions, check out this website: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/memorialday/   (there is something about a subscription fee, but you don’t need to worry with that!)·         Take a Look at Your Family History:  As it is a time to honor those fallen in battle for our country, you should take time to look at your family history see if there are any soldiers you can honor.  Of course, as some may be closer to you than others, you may already know of a family member or two that you can honor here.  You can make cards, look at photos, visit their graves, or whatever you see fit.

What do you do with your family on Memorial Day?  Share your celebrations with all of us below.  Many times, Memorial Day is a holiday that we use to relax, and forget about what it is really for.  What do you do to honor the fallen heroes of our country?

Photo credit of: USFlag.org