Mozi Esmé: July 2009

Friday, July 31, 2009

7 Fragments...

Esmé's Mommy playing along with

and

again and give you 7 fragments of STUFF...

1. We're *supposed* to be watching Curious George and eating popcorn at Family Fun Night right now. But little Miss Esmé decided to throw a crashing scene, so we came home instead. Though I guess it could be expected, with a morning full of VBS, followed by vegetable (and flower) picking, a pancake face at IHOP, and 45+ minutes of swimming at the Y with only a 10 minute car nap involved... Sometimes living 1/2 hour from town is a hassle!

2. There are helicopters flying overhead, filling up big water buckets in our river, and fire fighting teams driving past our house from their base camp in Glide every so often... The Williams Creek wildfire is now 10% contained. The wind has been blowing north, so we're not dealing with smoke and ash at the moment. Our road (Hwy 138) remains closed 8 miles east of us, but so far there doesn't seem to be any urgent danger to anything other than power lines, which have already been damaged. The temperature is lower (85 degrees F) today, but thunderstorms may hamper firefighting efforts. Just in case you were wondering.

3. I tried Firefox a few years ago and had problems with the banking program I used, so I've stayed an IE user ever since. I was FINALLY convinced to try Firefox again a couple of weeks ago, and I'm okay with it; using it most of the time. Not sure what the rave is about, but that's just me. I DO have some issues, though. Those photos that I so carefully line up on my really long alphabet posts to go with the text? They show up perfectly in IE, but in Firefox they float all over the place! I feel so sorry for you Firefox users - all this time I never knew! So WHY do photos float in Firefox? Anyone know? And why can't I just drag and drop photos in Blogger? IE lets me do that!

4. Veggie Tales is giving away DVDs for shipping only ($2.99 in the US) if you sign up for their newsletter. We did this a while back, and I picked the Where's God When I'm S-Scared? one. I figured Esmé would love it, since Daniel is her favorite Bible story at the moment.

Well, she does like it, but it comes with a price. Now she is "scared" of everything. Not just the monsters and lions and the bad men, but scared of Daniel and the angel, too.

Fortunately, she seems to enjoy the scary feeling and telling me all about it!

5. The review and free books have been rolling in. Kind of like a delayed-reaction faucet, where the water just barely starts to run at a trickle when you open up the faucet, so you keep opening it further, and suddenly you are deluged!

I mentioned last week that 12 books was an anomaly, but I got 12 books again this week, too!

Now, I am not complaining in the least. I am really excited about reading these all! But I'm just letting you know that you may be seeing a lot of reviews in the next couple of weeks as I adjust the faucet volume and temperature... This is NOT primarily a book review blog - my goal is 1-2 book reviews per week. I may do additional reviews on other sites as time allows.

Someone had a question about whether ARCs and review books are yours to keep. Yes, they are. Most ARCs are marked "not for resale," but you can gift them or swap them if you choose.

6. Our cat had his yearly exam recently, and I'm pleased to report Flamey is in good health! He needs to brush his teeth more regularly, and he got marked down on his report card for shedding, so I guess we've got some hygiene issues to work out. And the fat kitty has gained another pound...

7. Salsa in China is taking a break from hosting Fashion Friday, I learned! Kind of sad - I was looking forward to seeing all the other toddler fashions out there.

So if your kids are showing some great style this next week, snap some photos! Post them on Friday, and I'll put up a Mr. Linky for Fashion Friday right here...

Fashion Friday

It's been a while since we had a fashion show! Being into the potty training scene, and just the plain hotness of things around here, meant my fashion sense was limited to refusing to wear pull-ups with only one princess on them...

But we got a few boxes of clothes in the mail (thanks, Suzanne!) - with one whole box of shoes! So I've been wearing a different pair of shoes every day and picking clothes to accessorize with them!

Mommy's been slacking on the photography side, but here's what we got for you. So go grab that glass of sparkling grape juice and have a seat...

First, the most impressive black dress shoes. (Did I mention I lost one of my favorite purple shoes? Well, these are far better! With buckles to play with, too!)

Anyway, they go really well with this pink mini and black handbag, don'tcha think? Here are three shots for you.

Next, this versatile pink plastic headband! It makes for great rose-colored viewing.

Or you can turn it backwards and match it up with a green Tinkerbell T, pink pajama bottoms, and sparkly pink dress shoes.

Don't forget the makeup! What to do when Mommy hides her blush from you? Why, just pull out your handy dandy markers, of course! They come in lots more colors, too. This works well at home and is even a bigger hit at VBS craft time.

Feathers always make great accessories. And we are into "F" school right now, which means I have a whole bin of them to try out...

This fashion episode wouldn't be complete without a few photos from my shopping trip with my Mozambican cousin, Janelle. Here's Janelle (and me sporting an orange moustache):

A blue hat?

No, this pink bow works far better...

Now for the matching shoes...

And the outfit is never done until you've selected the matching handbag...

That's all, folks! Hope you enjoyed the show, and we'll see you again next time!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Book Review: Unsigned Hype

Esmé's Mommy here.

One of the things I love about the book reviews I'm doing is I'm getting introduced to books I would probably never pick up otherwise, and I'm enjoying them!

Unsigned Hype by Booker T. Mattison would be one of those...

The Storyline

Terror Tory, a 15-year-old urban kid with a great mom and incredible talent, makes it big on the hip hop scene. Along the way, he discovers being big has its own set of problems. And he acknowledges that The Man Upstairs just might be the only answer.

The Author

"Booker T. Mattison is a writer and filmmaker whose films and music videos have aired on Showtime, BET, MTV Europe, the Gospel Music Channel, and TBN. Mattison lives in New York. This is his first novel." Back cover, Unsigned Hype.

My Review

I started this book not sure what I was getting myself into. I'm not into hip-hop; the vernacular was unfamiliar, and the city life described was totally different than anything I've experienced.

Pretty soon I was hooked, though. And I would highly recommend it for Christian teens, but even more for any teens who might need convincing that God is real.

There is much to like. First, the educational factor - I feel like I've learned a whole new vocabulary and music genre.

And the book is engaging. It keeps moving and grabbing the reader's attention.

There is play on names. Terror Tory's name, for starters, gets used in all kinds of creative ways. And the main girl of the story was named Precious Lord. (Reminds me not only of the song, but also of Precious, a Zimbabwean lady who worked for us in Mozambique...)

It is down to earth. It doesn't create some idyllic view of Christians having all the answers.

It may be a little idealistic in that most kids reading this will never be famous artists by the age of 15. But the storyline clearly shows that even achieving our dreams will leave us still searching if God is not a part of our lives.

For more, check out Tory's website: www.unchartedterrortory.com.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wordless Wednesday - Tiger

Our tigers are camouflaged really well here in Oregon! Almost as good as the leopards we saw at Kruger...

(the kitty at my buddy Gabe's house...)

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For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit

5 Minutes for Mom
Extraordinary Mothers
French Lique
Healthy Living
MomDot
Momspective
Look What Mom Found
Three Peas in a Pod
Wordless Wednesday
7 Clown Circus - Wordful Wednesday
Ordinary and Awesome - Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

At the Beach

Favorite Kid Photo Blog Hop

Book Review: Miss L'eau

Esmé's Mommy here.

We're helping out with VBS this week, and it's VBS with a twist. Instead of working on fancy take-home crafts, the kids are using their craft time to touch the world around them. Monday's craft time was spent making cards for veterans at our local VA hospital. Friday we'll be packaging donated food for local residents. I'm not sure what else is in store, but I love the idea that you're never too young to begin making a difference...

Which brings me to my review of Miss L'eau by author T. Katz.

Storyline

"Miss Leau's eyes were as blue-green as the sea, and if you could get up the courage to stare right into them, you'd swear you could see angel fish, sea plants, coral beds and even sea anemones!! It was the most wonderful, yet frightening, experience when she would talk to you face-to-face." - Miss L'eau by T. Katz

Two young boys in a coastal town are inspired by their unique teacher to make a difference in their community, and the world, by cleaning up the ocean with the help of their community.

You can view the trailer for the book on YouTube. And check out the fun activities on the book's website: www.missleau.com.

The Author

T. Katz, a resident of Southern California has been involved in the children’s entertainment industry since the early 80’s working on hundreds of episodes of animated television and as a music instructor to hundreds of very animated children. She is also the honorary conductor of a four-part harmony household, consisting of her two children (three if you count the spouse on a bad day) and Alice the cat. The people that surround her help her to continue seeing the world with all its magic, beauty and potential. She lives by the motto “a good book, a cup of tea and somehow all is right with the world.” Her adventures in life are adding welcome lines of character to her face and scattered optimistic silver linings all over her head. You can visit her website at www.tkatz.com.

Speaking of kids making a difference, it was her teenage daughter who inspired her to actually get this book published a decade after she had outlined it...

Our Review

Let's start with Esmé's feedback. This chapter book was too advanced for her to get the storyline (ages 7-11 is the probable audience). But she was completely in love with the cover and carried the book around everywhere for a while... This is a girl who immediately draws a circle with two eyes and a tiny mouth whenever she's given a blank piece of paper, and then draws lots of other elaborate eyes all over the page. So the eye on the cover had her completely convinced it was HER book!

On to the story. This was an easy read with suspense to keep the attention of most kids in the 7-11 range. Very descriptive, too.

If you're into pure reality for your kids' reading, this book may not appeal to you, as it might bring up some discussion about whether mermaids (and Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster) really exist.

In general, I love the book. It would be a great companion read to a study on the ocean (early marine biology). And the message about the amazing things kids can instigate and accomplish in the world is what appeals to me the most.

Miss L'eau is available now on Amazon.com and in select bookstores. And you can enter to win a copy over on The Unadorned Book Review, too!

Review copy was provided by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Miss L'eau Virtual Blog Tour.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Tiny Talk Tuesday

We are struggling to figure out how to use the carrot, so to speak, to get cooperation from Esmé (27 months), whose favorite word is "No!" As you might be able to tell from these conversations, ice cream and lollipops aren't working so well as "carrots"...

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Waiting in the car for Pappa to get something in the grocery store, Esmé was trying to convince me to let her out. I was expecting just a quick stop and didn't want to deal with convincing her back into her car seat, so my response was "No!"

"Let me out! I go get ice cweam for YOU, Mommy!" She gets me. She really does.

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The little miss is misadventuring a lot these days, with a variety of scabs and bruises popping out. While she was checking out a new scab, this is what came out:

"The owie goin' to get me a lollipop. I hafta cry. I hafta cry to get a lollipop."

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Another conversation:

"I want a lollipop!"

"No," I replied.

"I want a lollipop."

"You don't need a lollipop," I started to reason.

"For my dolly!"

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Esmé was dragging around some big stuffed tigers as I was trying to leave VBS. I started moving the props back to their proper place. She was adamant that they needed to be dragged around.

"Let's go get ice cream," I bribed.

"Yeah! Tiger need to eat ice cweam!" she agreed.

My mission NOT accomplished...

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And I'm tired... Any advice from all you expert moms out there?

Not Me! Monday

It wasn't me who lathered up the soap, spread the lather around my chin and nose, and called myself a SNOWMAN!

And it definitely wasn't me who set this up on the potty. After all, I don't use the potty, so why would I make my dolly do so?

And it absolutely wasn't me who discovered the Hershey bar on the picnic table where we were camping (left over from s'mores the previous night), completely melted by the heat, and proceeded to eat that chocolate right up. I don't LIKE chocolate!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Winning Readings

We're off in a moment to a 40th birthday bash (for two unnamed individuals...), but just wanted to let you know about our new blog before we left! We're still working on the graphics and such, but the postings have begun.

If you're interested in winning some family-friendly books, check out Winning Readings. You'll find lots of giveaways listed.

Let us know what would make Winning Readings more useful or easier to use. And if you have a giveaway you'd like us to post, check out the submission guidelines.

Mission Sunday

Today I'd like to introduce two blogging friends to you.

First is CristyLynn at Random Thoughts. She and her husband, along with sweet little man Isaiah, serve God in Russia. So you'll find Isaiah's fun tot school posts there, and other mom stuff - all set to the backdrop of St. Petersburg, Russia. And if you want to know more about their ministry, check out their Siberian Grits blog.
Another new friend is Sarah Dawn at Splashin' Glory. She and her husband, along with princes Joshua and Caleb, live in Costa Rica. And her uplifting blog does exactly what it says - splashes glory all around...

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thursday 13 - Free Books

Esmé's Mommy here.

I have a phobia of not having anything to read. I am paranoid that I will have a free moment someday without a book to occupy it. This phobia makes for fun (think heavy) traveling experiences...

My book phobia (is there a name for it?) is mildly tempered by the phobia of ending up one of those old ladies with yellowed books stacked ceiling-high everywhere in the house and only a few paths clear to get from the door to the fridge, bathroom, and bedroom. With a few cats thrown in.

Anyway, I am getting all kinds of nice fuzzy warm feelings as the "free" books and ARCs have started coming in and the stack of unread books on my shelf gets larger. In the last eight days, I've gotten 12 books. A bit of an anomaly; I think if I keep up requesting through my usual sources, I should average about 2-3 books a week.

I am still very much a novice at this, but several people have asked, so I'll share some of my sources here. Keep in mind that my preference is family-friendly: children's books, parenting or family books, Christian, inspirational...

1. Goodreads. A social networking site for people who like to read. Once you've signed up with them, you can enter to win pre-release books on their giveaway page. You're requested (but not required) to review the books. You can do this on their site - no blog necessary.

I've included this site as it is so popular, but I'm a little disappointed in the "free books" result. I've won only one book so far, and have spent by far the most time on this site. It's a little like winning the lottery with so many people competing for each ARC. Quite frankly, I've had better results from entering book giveaways (see items 11-13), and you don't have to do reviews on those.

If you join, be a friend!

2. LibraryThing. Another social networking site similar to Goodreads. After you've signed up, you can enter to win advance copies on their Early Reviewers page. And they also have a Member Giveaways page where members can give away new or used books. Once again, in most cases they do request that you review the books. You can do this on their site - no blog necessary.

I've not spent much time here, but have won FIVE books on the Member Giveaways page in less than a month. You can find me as janemaritz.

3. Review the Book. My favorite source so far. The premise is simple - you request up to 5 books, and as you review them (and post your reviews on at least 10 sites), you can request additional books, so you have up to 5 books to review at a time. No blog necessary.

The site is easy to navigate, and you get the books you request - no lottery. It seems to be efficient, too - I got the first 4 books I requested within a week from signing up.

The catch? A $75 deposit. I'm trusting I'll get this back after a year of good behavior! And I do have 5 books already...

4. Net Galley. I'm not a huge fan of ebooks. Maybe if someone gave me an ebook reader...

However, I AM including Net Galley on this list because they have a great selection of Christian books available for book reviewers. Because they are eBooks, you're more likely to get a copy. And for those of you who don't have US addresses, this route may make a lot of sense...

For options 5-10, you MUST have an established blog on which you are willing to post reviews.

5. FIRST (or Fiction in Rather Short Takes) Blog Tours. Specializing in Christian books, they send emails letting you know when books are available for review and how to request them. If you are chosen for a review, you must post it, along with obligatory content they provide, on a specified day.

It takes a while to get into their review cycle, but I'm expecting a book any day now that is scheduled for a September tour.

6. Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers. Once you're approved as a blogger, you can request one book at a time for review. The selection is not large, but it fits the Christian genre I'm looking for perfectly...

I've been approved and am told the first book is in the mail.

7. Tyndale Blog Network. A few more books available here than on the previous site, and you can request multiple books for review once you've been approved. Once again, the Christian genre I'm looking for is a great match for this site.

I'm approved, and I requested multiple books on Monday. Still waiting for confirmation that these will be sent.

8. KidzBookBuzz.com. A blog tour site specializing in children's books.

I haven't been successful in signing up with them yet, but would really like the opportunity, since I'm looking for more books Esmé can help review.

9. Pump Up Your Book Promotion. You can sign up to be a tour host and then select which books you want to host. All subject to approval, of course. The options aren't huge, but they are diverse.

My first two review books came from here, so of course I am a big fan!

10. Book Blogs. A social networking site for people who blog about books.

I wasn't really expecting much when I signed up this week, but I've had several authors contact me already, and one review book on the way.

Now for some general giveaways - no reviews or blogs required!

11. Brimful Curiosities. Check in here for a roundup of children's book giveaways on Mondays and Fridays.

12. Book Giveaways. I like this blog since it is focused on giveaways only. No other posts to filter through.

13. My Right Sidebar. There are tons of book giveaways out there. I've started a list of what seem to be family-friendly book giveaways on my right sidebar - take a look!

If you would be interested in a weekly post of family-friendly giveaways that don't require you to do a lot of research before entering (which mom has the time, really?), leave a comment and let me know. I just might start this if there is interest...

There you have it in 13! Everything it's taken me a month to figure out... And if you've got additional sources you'd recommend, please let me know!

I've been told you can just ask the publisher for a specific book to review, but I haven't been brave enough to try this yet. If you want to do so, here's a list of publisher information.

And of course, if you don't mind giving the books back, don't forget the local library for a great source of free reading!
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For more Thursday 13, visit:

Thanks to Samulli for the Thursday 13 header...

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Wordless Wednesday - Pool!

The best $20 we've spent all summer...

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For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit

5 Minutes for Mom
Extraordinary Mothers
French Lique
Healthy Living
MomDot
Momspective
Look What Mom Found
Three Peas in a Pod
Wordless Wednesday
7 Clown Circus - Wordful Wednesday
Ordinary and Awesome - Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Review: Time Management in an Instant

Esmé's Mommy here.

Ever feel so far behind that you can't even grab a few moments to sit down and figure out how to organize yourself to catch up? I get that feeling all the time, especially right now after a week off for camping. If I could just make myself a list (I do love those lists, you know), I'd feel better, but it seems the moment I start working on one, Esmé gets into the dental floss or the shower cleaner.

So I was intrigued by the title, Time Management In An Instant. I need to figure out how to manage my time QUICK! And that's why we're participating in this blog tour of the book.

Book Summary

In today’s hurly-burly work environment many business people find it challenging to avoid distraction, stay focused, use their time and energy to maximum benefit, and gain ground on important goals and outcomes. One study by the Families and Work Institute found that one-third of Americans are overworked and more than 50 percent of those surveyed say they are either doing too many tasks at the same time or are frequently interrupted during the workday – or both. In short, we are overloaded!

Time Management In An Instant helps the reader to overcome this feeling of overload and avoid the traps that lead to an unproductive relationship with time. It offers field-tested time habits and expert advice based on the latest research that will help the reader better manage, create and spend their time with more satisfaction and results.

The Authors

Karen Leland and Keith Bailey are partners in Sterling Consulting Group; an international management consulting firm. They are the best-selling authors of six books, which have been translated into ten languages. Karen and Keith have worked with over 200,000 executives, managers and front line staff in companies throughout the world including: American Express, AT&T, Oracle, Microsoft, Xerox, Marriott Hotels, IBM, Lucent Technologies and UPS. They have been featured in dozens of newspapers including: The New York Times, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Newsweek and Time. They also have extensive on-air experience and have been interviewed on The Today Show, CNN, Good Morning America and Oprah. Karen is a frequent contributor to magazines and newspapers and has written for The San Francisco Chronicle, Sales and Marketing, Incentive, Women’s Day, Self and many others.

Karen Leland and Keith Bailey are the bestselling authors of six books, including Time Management In An Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day. They are the co-founders of Sterling Consulting Group, which helps organizations and individuals learn how to fight distraction and find their focus in a wired world. For more information please contact: kleland@scgtraining.com

Buy a copy of Time Management In An Instant the week of July 20th and receive a free license to the Essential Email online course. To buy the book and claim your bonus, or just to buy the book go to: http://www.quality-service.com/timemanagementinaninstant

While email is the most widely used communication tool for business, its remote nature - which eliminates tone of voice and body language - presents a huge potential for mischief, misunderstanding and misinterpretation. This online program will help you go beyond basic email etiquette, to the proven principles and practices for gaining mastery and saving time over your electronic mail box.

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Oh, yeah. Back to MY stress. I was sitting by Esmé's new little plastic pool, feet in the water, thinking about all the things I really should be doing. But I needed my computer for most of them, and I wasn't really keen on getting my laptop wet.

And I began to wonder, why on earth was I letting this little black piece of technology control my life? Why was I allowing it to make me feel so stressed when I could just be relaxing and enjoying the moment in the sun while my toddler splashed around?

If you're wondering the same thing, here's a short article by one of the authors of the book on how to declutter your computer and manage it, instead of letting it manage you.

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Three Steps to Declutter Your Computer
by Karen Leland

Has your computer become the junk drawer of your electronic life? Do you have files stacked ten to a one-room apartment, e-mails were gathering mold in dark corners and bookmarks living in chaotic squalor? So much so that finding things on your desktop and hard drive had begun taking significant amounts of time?

If so, follow this simple three-step process to do a basic declutter of your computer and begin the process of simplifying your electronic life.

Step One: Set up a logical filing system.

Try to mirror your paper filing system on your computer. The more your main folders resemble the names and categories you use to file paper, the easier it will be for you to both find and file various documents.
Create a “working file” or “pending” folder, which lives on your desktop and can hold anything you are currently working on and need to access quickly and easily. While much of your computer may be used for the archiving of information, the “working file” folder can hold the most relevant information and projects.

Step Two: Organize your bookmarks.

Just as you may have random files floating around your hard drive, you more than likely have a ton of bookmarks that are not organized in any particular way.

Depending on which program you are using, find the “organize” feature. This will allow you to make folders with logical names that you can group and move your various bookmarks into.”

Step Three: Clean up your hard drive.

Because storage on most computers is not a big issue, a lot of people have a bad habit of using their computer as a storage unit, or even a dumping ground, for holding all kinds of information, whether it is still relevant or not. A few ways to clean up your hard drive include:

Deleting any old working drafts of documents that are no longer needed or have been replaced by more updated versions.
Deleting files that you created but never did anything with or have no documents in.
Eliminating files that have different names but contain the same duplicate materials.
Dumping files that are so old that the information in them is outdated and never used.

One caution: If you need to keep any files for a legal reason, either:

Print them out on paper and keep a hard copy.
Create a special folder on the computer for “legal.”
Transfer them to a backup disk.

OK, now that you have a plan to follow, set aside 15 minutes each day this coming week (first thing in the morning works well) to work on decluttering your computer.

Happy decluttering!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Camping School

Last week wasn't a traditional alphabet school week, though we did get some "F" stuff in, like fire and frogs and flowers...

But that doesn't mean I didn't learn anything! Here are some very practical things I learned:

Always take a good book with you on a long road trip...

Rest areas have all kinds of entertaining things, like puddles of water after cleaning. And you can make footprints with wet feet!

If you're lucky, there is sand around the trees at the rest area. And you and your buddy can play in it!

Watering the dirt with my little flower watering pot is a great sensory experience, especially when it is hot!

Frogs are tiny and cute and like wet places. And it's easy for grown-ups to catch them, though I didn't quite get it myself.

Swimming pools are great fun! And it is possible to be cold in a swimming pool even when temperatures are sweltering and above 100F.

Shasta Lake serves the same cool-down purpose when you're on the boat.

Some flowers are poisonous. Even pink ones - can you believe it?!

Picking blackberries is a great way to learn about colors. A bit of a problem: green is my favorite color. For some reason, those blackberries don't taste so great.

Rocks make great puzzle pieces. Here I am putting a few together. For even more fun, smash a big rock and try to fit it back together!

I always play a better table tennis game when Pappa is helping me... Even if I'm a big girl and can do it all by myself now.

When sliding down little plastic slides, one must always watch out for black widow spiders.

Horseshoe pits make the greatest sandpiles

when you have a bucket and the right tools. They also make you very dirty.

But being dirty never hurt no one... Proved that to you this week, Mommy!

Panning for gold

is a nice cool way to spend a hot day.

On the other hand, tree houses are hot. You couldn't pay me to climb up in this one...

Sunglasses look very cool pushed up on your head. Especially when you've put them on upside down.

You wanna know the difference between stalactites and stalagmites? Uh... I don' know! But it was fun (and cool) checking them out at Lake Shasta Caverns.