September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

“Love is staying up all night with a sick child --....Robert Frost.  Now imagine staying up night after night worrying about your child who has been diagnosed with cancer.  Would you not do ANYTHING for your child?

I have been touched by one of my good friend's little girl.  Her name is Mia and, thankfully, she does not have cancer, but she wants to celebrate her birthday by helping other children who are suffering from cancer.  Mia believes all kids should have happy and healthy birthdays.

Here is Mia's story.
 
It started the night Mia's Aunt, a registered nurse at Fox Chase Cancer Center, stopped by to visit. This was the first time Mia had seen her Aunt since she cut off her long, black hair to donate to Locks of Love.  Mia's Mom and Aunt explained to her that some kids get very sick with a disease called cancer and can lose their hair while they are trying to get better. Mia decided immediately that she wanted to get her hair cut and donate it too.

They explained to her that she didn't have hair long enough to donate, but they had recently received an email from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and they could look at it for ideas on what she could do to help.  As soon as Mia saw the Strawberry Shortcake logo in the newsletter and they read more about it, she got the idea to have a Strawberry Lemonade Stand on her 6th birthday - September 28th. Her goal was small, just $60.00.  Amazingly, Mia was already a quarter of the way to her goal twelve hours after her Mom posted information on her fundraising page on Facebook!

On September 28th, Mia gets home from school at 4 p.m. and she will have her lemonade stand up and running- complete with lots of pink and yellow balloons for a happy birthday atmosphere. Please help Mia celebrate her birthday by helping her with her fundraising efforts.  Donations can be made through Mia's fundraising page on Facebook.

Just a little history on Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation:

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and Strawberry Shortcake are enlisting supporters from across the country to host a special Strawberry Shortcake Alex's Lemonade Stands to commemorate National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month throughout September.  Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott (1996-2004).  2010 marks 10 years since 4-year-old Alex announced she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer.  Since Alex held the first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of volunteers across the country carrying on her legacy of hope.  To date, ALSF has raised more than $3 million towards fulfilling Alex's dream of finding a cure, funding over 125 research projects nationally. 

You can also register to hold a strawberry lemonade stand during September which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Strawberry Shortcake will donate $50 to ALSF for each registration! Click here to learn more and to register: www.AlexsLemonade.org/campaign/strawberry-shortcake .

Other upcoming events for ASLF!

8th Annual Softball Tournament – Saturday, September 18 at South Ardmore Park
Celebrity Casino Night – Thursday, October 28 at Jason Matthew Salon in Philadelphia
The Lemon Run – Sunday, November 14 at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park
The Lemon Ball – Saturday, January 15, 2011 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Road Rally Review

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a great show for toddlers and pre-schoolers. I was very excited to learn that a new DVD, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Road Rally, is going to be released today, September 7, 2010. I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peak of the new release!

Right off, the DVD cover is adorable! Checking out the back, I realized that this DVD has three ways to watch and play this full length feature. First, there is Discovery Mode for ages 2-3. In this mode, as you watch the movie, you can use your remote to answer questions about colors, shapes, and sizes. The next mode, Discovery Mode 2, is for ages 4-5. In this mode, you move to a higher mode with more challenging questions to answer. The third mode is Fast Play. This mode lets you watch the movie without having to use your remote. This is the mode I watched the movie in with Mason.

The first episode, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Road Rally, is an adventure in which the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse gang participates. They must travel through Mickey Park, a sandy desert, Mistletoe Mountain, a tropical jungle, and then back to the Clubhouse, all while finding hidden “Mickey Markers” along the way! Once thy have found all the markers, they may head back to the Clubhouse.

There are challenges along the way of course! The gang must pull together to help each other overcome obstacles like a pile of rubber duckies, a sand covered road, and a broken down bridge. Oh, Toodles is also along for the Rally to help the gang out.

The next episode on the DVD is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Pluto Lends a Paw.  This episode is just as fun to watch as the rest of them!  Pluto, the rescue dog, is enlisted to help Minnie find her kitten, Figaro. Along the way the gang runs into Donald at the golf course, Daisey painting a picture, and Goofy who is also looking for his lost kitten, Mr. Pettibones. And, as usual, Mickey and his friends use their Mouseketools to help solve their problems.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a wonderful and educational show because of the learning that is inherent in program.  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse encourages teamwork, early mathematical skills and problem solving skills. Children are involved socially with the characters and there is also positive reinforcement for your child though cheers from the characters. You will also find that your youngster has to count, complete patterns, find shapes, and colors.

I would recommend Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Road Rally to any parent who is looking for, not only entertaining, but educational programming for their child.

Disney provided me with the product reviewed above in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Cannstatter's 138th Volkfest Oktoberfest

Happy Labor Day Weekend! I wanted to let you know about a great weekend festival that is happening now. Cannstatter's Oktoberfest is running September 4th - 6th. The park opens at noon each day.


You will find tons of activities at this festival. Amidst the true German Oktoberfest atmosphere, you will find Crafts, German Beer & Wines, German-American Singing & Dancing, Souvenirs, German Clothing, and more! There is also a candle vendor, Beyond Scents, who makes the best soy, paraffin, and gel candles in pints and quarts. They also sell a large variety of Fall, Halloween, and holiday decorative candles. The Greater Kensington String Band is also scheduled to perform on Saturday!

There will be authentic German foods like Sauerbraten, Heisser Leberkäse, Kartoffel-Salat, Maultaschen, Spätzle, Bratwurst, Frankfurters, Heisser Zwiebelkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen, Zwetschgenkuchen and much more!

The best part of this festival is that there are rides and games for the children! There is also a playground area for the kids.

Admission for the Oktoberfest is $6.00 for one day, $9.00 for a two day pass, and $11.00 for a three day pass. Children under 12 are free.


Location:
German Club
9130 Academy Road
Philadelphia, PA 19114

Ovarian Cancer Awarenwess Month

I was alerted through a Facebook message of the post below.  This is GREAT information if you are a woman or have a woman in your life you care about.  Please pass it on, it could save a life!

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month and tomorrow, 9/3/10, is Teal day (show your support by wearing teal).

Here are some statistics; Ovarian Cancer is one of the most deadly of women's cancers. Each year, approximately 21,880 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In 2010, approximately 13850 women will die in the United States from ovarian cancer. Many women do not seek help until the disease has begun to spread, but if detected at its earliest stage, the five-year survival rate is more than 93%. Recent research suggests that together the four symptoms of: bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and urinary urgency or frequency may be associated with ovarian cancer.


What Is Ovarian Cancer?

Ovarian cancer is cancer that develops in the ovaries. The ovaries are part of a woman's reproductive system. They are located in the pelvis on either side of the uterus. Each ovary is about the size of an almond. The ovaries make the female hormones progesterone and estrogen and release eggs into the fallopian tubes.

Cancer begins at a cellular level. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells. These new cells take the place of old cells as they die. Cancer cells continue to grow and divide. These abnormal cells continue to create new cells forming a tumor.


Stages of Ovarian Cancer

The four primary stages are:

     Stage I: The cancer is completely contained within the ovary or ovaries

     Stage II: The cancer is in one or both of the ovaries and has spread to
     additional organs located in the pelvis such as the bladder, colon, rectum
     or uterus.
 
     Stage III: The cancer is in one or both ovaries and has spread to one or
     both of the following: the lining of the abdomen or the lymph nodes.
     Stage IV: The most advanced stage of cancer. The cancer has spread from
     one or both ovaries to additional organs such as the liver or lungs, or there
     may be cancer cells in the fluid surrounding the lungs.

     Recurrent: The cancer has returned after successful treatment.

*The four stages of cancer are also divided into sub-groups

Boosting Nutrition for You and Your Family

I chose to begin my son on solid food at 4 months old.  I started with the usual rice cereals and moved on from there.  I also made almost all of the food he ate from fresh fruits, veggies, meats, etc.  It was an easy choice for me because I knew exactly where the food came from and how healthy is was for him.  I am still constantly looking for new ways to keep him eating a variety of healthy foods. 

At the age he is now, 16 months, it is easy to fall into hot dogs or chicken nuggets for lunch everyday.  I admit, Mason has had his days of dogs and nuggets, but thankfully, this is on rare occasion.  So, when I came across this great article, 10 Nutrition Powerhouses for Kids, it only reinforced the importance of continuing to add to a variety of healthy, nutritious foods into his diet. 

But with kids, often comes pickiness. I have been very fortunate that, so far, Mason will eat just about anything and everything that I give him.  However, I do notice that some days he is seemingly pickier and I wait for the day he says to me "Otdog!, Otdog!", which is what I used to call hot dogs at his age.  I always try to be a sneaky Mom when it comes to adding nutritious foods to his diet.  I hope to share these with you.  If it helps your child eat a little healthier, then my job is done.

One of my favorite sneaky tricks I use to boost the nutritional value of tomato sauce is to add pureed sweet potatoes to the sauce.  There is a two-fold reason for this trick - -

     1. Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene -- a substance that protects
         against many cancers.  This is one of  the greatest super foods out there.
         It's a no-brainer to have Mason eat tomato sauce. 

     2. I have found that if my son eats too much sauce, he will start to get
         a rash.

So, by adding the pureed sweet potatoes or (shredded carrots) to the sauce, it will help not only to reduce the acid in the sauce (Bye, Bye rash!), but boost the nutritional value of the sauce (Hooray!).  Sweet potatoes and carrot have just about the same amount of beta-carotene. Sweet Potatoes contain carotenoids, are rich in Vitamin C and potassium. Plus, this starchy veggie is full of fiber, which will help to keep your sweetie full. 

I also like to use the cube method to freeze sauce I have made for Mason.  This way, I have sauce readily available that I can defrost for quick lunches.

ClixSense Review

Since I have been at home with my son, I have been looking for various work at home opportunities. As everyone knows, there are plenty of scams out there and few money making opportunities. The opportunities I have found are by no means get rich quick schemes. I wish they were, I really do. However, I have stumbled upon a few opportunities that I really like and use daily. I will be posting each opportunity separately, but for today, I will focus on “ClixSense”.

ClixSense.com  is a pay per click website where advertisers pay people like you and me to view their ads. Generally, payment is 1 cent to 5 cents per ad. There are no fees to join, but you can upgrade your account to premium status for 10.00 per year. This premium status allows you access to view even more ads and make more money.  I do have an upgraded account and have access to many more ads a day.  Below is just a sample of the ads I received and clicked on in one day.

Your job is to browse ads for 30 seconds each. When you click on a link for an ad, a new window will open with a timer at the top of the page and the advertiser's page in the bottom frame. Once the timer counts down to zero (0), the amount stated for viewing the ad will be credited to your ClixSense.com account. The volume, frequency and value of advertisements targeted to your specific profile is entirely dependent on the advertisers and will vary from day to day, even hour to hour. If you log on frequently, will find more ads from smaller advertisers before they are consumed by other members.

The minimum payout amount processed by ClixSense.com is $10.00 U.S.D.. You may also select higher disbursement amounts through your account profile if you wish. Checks are mailed to the postal address on your profile on or before the 10th day of each month for earnings of the prior month provided that your account balance has reached the minimum payout level of $10.00.  There is a check processing fee of $3 each time a check payment is sent to you from ClixSense.com.  I have my account set to $50.00 for payout. I do not want to lose $3.00 every month. That’s a lot of ads and time you are losing to processing fees.

I think of it as a rainy day fund. I usually click on the ads whenever I am just browsing the web. It takes no additional time and once in a while, the ads are very interesting! Check out ClixSense.com today and start earning some extra money.

OLLY's Shoes

Today I was invited, through Mama Cheaps, to a Philly Mom Blogger Event at the brand new OLLY Shoes store in Collegeville, PA. I was really excited about this event since I have just begun to buy my one year old shoes. We have been lucky in that we have been receiving practically new shoes from my sister’s kids. Secretly, I have been dying to buy shoes for my son because there are so many out there that are so darn cute! Enter OLLY’s Shoe store.

I have never been to OLLY’s, but my sister raves about the product line that is sold in the store. Today was my first day in an OLLY shoe store and I was very impressed, not only with the shoe selection, but also with the friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Upon entering the store, the staff greeted us and asked if we would like to have my son’s foot measured. Never being in the store before, I expected the usual Brannock Device would be used to measure his foot. Not at OLLY’s! They have a OLLY Scan that measures your child’s foot. It is essentially a flatbed scanner that more accurately measures your child’s foot length and width. Not only that, but it will store the data about your child’s foot in case you forget what size to get next time you are shopping. Pretty Cool!

I was then shown the variety of shoes the store had to offer. Brands include UGG, Geox, Tsukihoshi, Lelli Kelly, Crocs, Pediped, The North Face, see kai run and more! I debated on which shoe to buy because there were so many to choose from, but in the end I chose a shoe from see kai run. It is perfect for my little man and his growing feet. This brand takes into consideration the walking level he is at, while offering the style and size I needed to ensure a proper fit.

The day continued with a meet and greet, including snacks and refreshments for everyone. Catherine Chapman, founder of OLLY Shoes, then greeted us and explained her vision of a child friendly shoe-buying experience. Ms. Chapman was followed by Kirby Lohff, OLLY President and CEO, Michael DiGuiseppe, Director of E-Commerce, and a demonstration of the Pedi-Ped Shoe line.

I will definitely be back to shop at OLLY’s next time my boy needs shoes. Or better yet, I will check out the recently launched OLLYShoes.com.