Looking for Something NEW in 2010?

Now is a great time to join my team and become a Discovery Toys Educational Consultant. It doesn't matter if we live in different states, we can still work as a team! Get your Success Start Kit for only $99. Whether you want an amazing year round discount for yourself or want to be your own boss-there is no better time than right now at the start of a new year! Earn your kit for free when you follow the Success Start Rewards Guide.

Are you a FuNkY MoNkEy?

I am always looking for new snack ideas for myself and Eliza. I was recently sent some Funky Monkey snacks to try and they were YUMMY! Eliza loved the name and was excited to try them. What are Funky Monkey snacks? Funky Monkey is "Fruit that Crunches" made from real fruit using a proprietary freeze-drying process which removes 97 percent of the moisture. They end up being nutritionally equivalent to their fresh counterpart. WOOT WOOT! This process is not used on any other snack product in the U.S. The snacks are 100% fruit with no added sugar, colors, or preservatives. Each 1oz bag contains 3 servings of fruit.

My little monkey and I devoured them.

We sampled three different flavors: Applemon, MangOJ, and Pink Pineapple. You don't have to eat yours out of your Exersaucer.

I absolutely loved the Pink Pineapple while Eliza preferred the Applemon. The bags were gone as quickly as they arrived. Eliza found the Applmon on the table and pulled it off-spilling the contents everywhere. That didn't stop her from eating them of course.

Some of the snacks are USDA Organic. Here is the breakdown of five of the seven flavors. The Bananamon, JiveALime, and Purple Funk are 100% organic! Pink Pineapple is 95% organic and Carnaval Mix is 70% organic. I didn't see info on the site regarding the other two flavors. They are also Raw and Vegan.

For more information visit http://www.funkymonkeysnacks.com/

I will definitely include some in my next Amazon order. YUMMY

My Spirited Child

I mentioned I've been reading Raising Your Spirited Child. Eliza is my spirited child- at least so far I have only one. haha She is an an exuberant child and Pete and I want to discipline without crushing her spirit. Eliza buzzes like a bee from the moment she rises. You can almost feel her energy. She has always had difficulty dealing with all her excess- especially when it comes to settling down and relaxing. Eliza laughs hard, cries hard and does everything with MORE.

Here is a brief overview of how Mary Sheedy Kurcinka defines a spirited child.

Some characteristics that identify the spirited child are the following:

Intensity—meaning greater drama, easier cry response, making more demands on parents.

Persistence—gets committed to and stays with ideas, may argue points with parents long after an issue is settled.

High Energy Level—also sometimes labeled hyperactive, but many who write on this disorder do not want the term hyperactivity confused with the disorder.

Sensitive—may be overly sensitive to sounds, slight discomfort, pictures, and stimuli of all sorts.

Difficult Adaptability—may react with greater emotion to changes like attending school, or moving to a new house.

Moody—may be more prone to get cranky, but may also be susceptible to and more perceptive of the moods of others.

The book is extremely insightful. I actually have both the workbook and and the book and I plan on going through some of the exercises on here. The book takes a great look at what comprises temperament- including introversion and extroversion and what they really mean. It has really helped me to see Eliza much more clearly and to even look at Pete in a different light.

Next time I'll focus on two questions.

1. What do you enjoy most about your spirited child?
2. What do you find most challenging?

Discovery Toys Winter Sale!

This winter sale is amazing! Items will sell out quickly. Order securely online at www.discoverytoyslink.com/ilove2play

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had great holidays! We have been so busy I just haven't found any time to blog.

Jude's tummy is doing better. I eliminated dairy and that seems to have helped-everything seems to have gone back to normal. Just when that resolved itself Jude went on a bit of a nursing strike. It started the day after Christmas and lasted a few days-it seems to have settled now and he is eating better- including still getting up every two hours at night!

So I am pretty exhausted these days. The winter is depressing and I had a hard time feeling much holiday spirit this year. It was hard being home all the time but never having any time to get anything done. On New Year's Eve I just wanted to lay in bed- and it had nothing to do with turning thirty at midnight. I am just spent- very, very drained. I am looking forward to spring and have started spring cleaning early. Will 2010be the year I finally declutter? Who knows.

I have started thinking about preschool for Eliza in the fall. It would only be two days a week for about 2 1/2 hours. I think it would be good for both of us. I have been reading How to Raise Your Spirited Child (on my new Kindle!) and I plan to blog more about that someday- hopefully soon.

I have some parties coming up for Discovery Toys. I am trying to stay positive and motivated but it isn't always easy! I am planning a review of Measure Up Cups on the blog soon. Also, they are running a great deal if anyone is interested in becoming an Educational Consultant. It is more fun to work with a buddy. I am looking to expand my team. The kit is only $99 until Jan. 31st! It is a great deal to join- even if you only want to be a friends and family consultant. You'll get a great discount all year long.

What are my plans for 2010?

Spend more time with my husband!
Launch my DT biz
Teach Jude to sign
Eat more raw foods
Get organized
Get E potty trained
BLOG!

What are your plans for the New Year?