Product reviews for trendy Moms & Dads, their children & pregnant moms
Today’s Holiday Gift Guide is all about… Books, books, and more books!
I See Me! Personalized Books $29.95 (Variable titles – all can be personalized!)
The Dangerous Book for Boys $16
1,000 Places to See Before You Die $12
Merry Christmas Curious George – $5.38 Hardcover Price!
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book that makes me actually think. I know that sounds horribly tragic, especially seeing as I was once quite the book worm. But these days my book of choice is usually some teen fantasy book that involves vampires and teenage angst.
But the latest I picked up was a borrow from a friend – the Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. Margaret George writes historical fiction that’s based on fact. I had heard of her because of her Mary Queen of Scots book. She’s also written a novel about Helen of Troy and an Autobiography of Henry VIII.
I’m only partway in (warning: it’s long) but I’m engrossed. While I know that the conversation and back and forth stories are fiction, it’s all based on fact and I’m learning all sorts of amazing facts I never knew.
Like did you know Cleopatra had no actual Egyptian blood in her? She was of Greek descent and since her family believed in sibling marriages they hadn’t yet mixed with the natives!
And also of interest to me being in Philadelphia, the word “Philadelphia” comes from a Greek word that means sibling love (hence the above statement about all the in-breeding) Kind of gives a whole new meaning of the “City of Brotherly Love” 
Get The Memoirs of Cleopatra on Amazon for $13.03 with free shipping when you purchase $25 or more worth of eligible products
My husband’s on the road a lot. I’m most definitely a part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Husbands. And while it’s hard on me, I know it’s even harder on the kids at times.
So while nothing can replace having a parent there in person, that modern technology allows us to do to ease the pain of feeling that absence of the parent. Beyond just email, phone calls and video chat, there are products like Record-A-Story. Adults can record their voices within these stories for future playback. Children can then open their favorite childhood tale and rather than having it read in-person, it can be read via the speaker and the pre-recorded message that’s been taped.
Love this for a military family, grandparent or anyone who has a parent who is on the road. So far, Record A Story offers the following stories: Dora the Explorer, Guess How Much I Miss You, Twas the Night Before Christmas and Sesame Street. Get it on Amazon for $13.95-$17.95, depending on which story you chose, with free shipping.
Knowing the outcome didn’t make the ending any easier when I finished Stephenie Meyer’s Short Second Life of Bree Tanner earlier today.
I put off reading this because I didn’t have much interest – did I really care about Bree Tanner and her brief appearance in Eclipse?
While I didn’t care much before, I do now that I’ve finished her short story. I did love Bree’s story and character, which only made the ending that much harder. You can get it on Amazon for $8.50. Did anyone else read it? What did you think of it in comparison to the official Twilight series?
While I’m only on my Kindle these days, I couldn’t help but notice the sale prices on some of these great titles at BarnesandNoble.com:
Love the One You’re With, by Emily Giffin – I’ve read all but Emily’s most recent title and loved them all. Great beach reads. Get the hardback on BarnesandNoble.com for $4.99 (80% off! Retail is $29.95)
When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris - same deal, 80% the retail price for $4.99.
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore – I read this book awhile back when it popped up on a recommended reading list for me having liked the Twilight Series. It’s a fantasy book for young adults but I thought it was great. $3.99 (down from $17.00) for the hardcover.
They have kids books too, like the hardcover version of the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle for $3.99!
When Middle recently asked what an Earthquake is, Big ran off. Saturday night, he asked that question himself and, unbeknownst to us, grabbed his resources, researching the information himself.
When he was only two, my mom gifted him My First Encyclopedia. I found it a silly, unnecessary gift back then, what 2 year old needed an encyclopedia? In the future he’d have a computer with internet access to answer his questions. And us. We could always answer questions.
But in the past 4 years that encyclopedia has seen much use and much love. It sits out on his dresser and he refers to it for questions about health, food, weather and, most recently, Earthquakes.
The writing style is basic, intended for a grade-school aged student. The book simply explains science and history to children. Its vivid images further explain each area of interest.
For Christmas this year, Santa added to our collection of research books with Scholastic’s My First Dictionary. Another wonderful resource written for young minds, we first found use for this book when Big asked “what’s a dynasty?” It was the first time we, as parents, could say “look it up.” In 3 weeks we’ve looked up dozens of words.
We’re teaching the kids one of the basic ways to get ahead in life: Ask questions; Find the Answers.
Since the week before I even knew I was pregnant, I’ve been hungry. I’ll never forget begging my mom to take me to a diner the day before I took my pregnancy test. After inhaling my meal and part of hers, she was convinced that I was “with child”. She was right…and I haven’t stopped eating since.
For someone who has always had a small appetite, I’ve had a lot of fun eating while pregnant. However, it has been a challenge to answer my cravings while simutaneously fulfilling all the nutritional requirements of growing a baby.
Recently, I was sent a free copy of Feed the Belly: The Pregnant Mom’s Healthy Eating Guide, and man…I wish someone had handed me this book months ago! Frances Largeman-Roth, RD – a dietician, mom, and Health magazine editor – wrote the book so that it was completely understandable, totally skim-able, and well worth the read. It covers everything from what nutrients a pregnant woman needs to how to combat a caffeine addiction. The book discusses the best diet for morning sickness and the healthiest options for dining out. The guide also includes:
My favorite part of the book is the last section – 65 mouthwatering recipes organized by the cravings a typcial pregnant woman has: Sweet, Meaty, Salty/Savory, Spicy, and Thirst-Quenching.
My tastebuds have been screaming for “sweet” since the end of the first month. So, the first recipe on my list to try was Chunky Monkey Muffins. They certainly did not disappoint! How could you go wrong with a chocolately banana and peanut butter muffin? As an added bonus, the muffins are loaded with protein, fiber, and also pack in some omega-3′s. The Peach and Blackberry Crumble is next up in my kitchen.
If you’ve got a bun in the oven, Feed the Belly is the only healthy eating guidebook that you may need. It would also be a great read for any dad who enjoys cooking…or better yet, enjoys having a happy wife.
Disney has launched Disney Digital Books —an interactive reading site. Because it’s from Disney, it’s got the gorgeous art, beloved characters and familiar stories you’d expect. For $8.95 per month/ $79 a year, you get one parent account/3 child accounts. Children can choose from over 500 new and classic Disney books.
[Read more...]
From the jacket cover, “Sure you love your kids, but your pre-Mom self – the one who wore sexy underwear and took vacations that did not include Happy Meals – had its perks too. This book is for anyone who relishes her role as Mom but longs for a few minutes with nowhere to be and no diapers to change.”
The book is: If you give a Mom a Martini: 100 Ways to Find 10 Blissful Minutes to Yourself. Check it out – it’s a quick read (the authors appreciate a time-constrained Mom) but full of some fun, quick relaxation tips.
It’s a great gift for any Mom. Plus, any book that includes the word Mom and Martini within the same sentence is alright in my book.
You may know about LeapFrog’s Tag Reading System, which was a hot pick of ours for the 2008 Holiday Season. The Tag is recommended for kids between ages 4-8 and is a great learning tool for early readers.
Now, LeapFrog has announced a new product to cater to the younger crowd — the Tag Junior Book Pal. Geared for toddlers and preschoolers, the Tag Junior helps encourage early reading skills. Tag Junior books help children learn the alphabet, teach counting and more.
The age range for this one is 24 months-age 4. It’s a great little toy to have for a younger brother or sister who sees an older sibling using the regular Tag. You have to buy the books separately – all of the books for the Tag Junior are board books.
Organizational tip: Be sure to get it with the Storage Case too, it’s easiest if you keep the book together with the actual Tag system and having the case is key. We’ve found the same with the regular Tag.
It sells for $34.99 on Amazon and ships for free.
I hope my kids never have a chance to read Emily Franklin’s book, Too Many Cooks. The reason why: this book makes my sad attempts at cooking even more pathetic than they already are.
Pre-kids, the author was a professional chef and foodie. Her book chronicles her life in the kitchen, cooking for a family of six, over the course of a year. She shares over 100 yummy recipes along with everyday life family stories.
I hesitate to call it a “cookbook” because it’s not that. It’s basically a year-long story about a Mom who happens to have a cooking background, having fun in the kitchen testing different foods and recipes on her family as she multi-tasks everyday at just being a Mom. She shares plenty of fun antidotes along the way that any Mom can appreciate.
It’s a fun read I think everyone can relate to (whether or cook or not) with a variety of recipes like good old corn pudding to Egg Nog Pancakes and Kahlua Sauce. (yum!)
Read an excerpt and get it on Amazon for 32% off at $16.99.
Hey Moms, want to win a great set of Mommy books? Hachette Group is giving one lucky Mommies with Style winner a package with these five books:
1. Miracles of Motherhood
2. Odd Mom Out By Jane Porter
3. Mommy Grace By Sheila Schuller Coleman
4. Beginner’s Greek By James Collins
5. The Road Home By Rose Tremain
To enter, leave a comment. What are you hoping to get for Mother’s Day? One winner will be selected at random from the comments after May 10th.
With a foreword by Ricki Lake, 
Labor of Love: A Midwife’s Memoir is the story of Cara Muhlhahn, a midwife who has delivered over 700 babies. She was featured in Ricki Lake’s The Business of Being Born and her memoir tells of her engaging life story and the choices she made that led her into midwifery.
We have 3 copies of the book to giveaway. This is a great one to read if you are expecting, or if you have an interest in giving birth. To enter, leave us a comment on our message boards in our Book Forum – what was the last book you read or what are you reading now? (You will need to register if you aren’t already a member of our boards.) Everyone who posts by the end of the day April 23rd will be eligible to win. 3 winners will be selected at random after the 23rd.
