Author: cvegnad

June 13, 2016

5 Tips to Keep Potty Training Simple #PottyPartnership

When I was pregnant with my first son, all I wanted to be was the perfect Mother. I read plenty of parenting books, columns and advice. They were great, don’t get me wrong, but it didn’t prepare me for my own child and their personality and learning type. Toddlers learn and process things differently. They are just like adults and it is so important to tailor potty training to their personality to be successful. There is no one shoe fits all when it comes to potty training. For us, we had one child who was resistant to change and one who couldn’t wait to become a “big kid”. Our learning curve with our first child was huge!

While the potty training years were hard and sometimes ended in tears in the beginning, as parents we have come a long way. I wish we had some of the same resources parents have now but I think we did a great job with what we had. Here are our key tips for successful potty training:

Make sure your child is ready to begin potty training. Potty training can be a scary time for toddlers (adults too!!), they want to make us proud but accidents happen and it is important for them to know that it is okay. The first step is making sure your child is really ready to potty train. Look for key signs, like: tugging at wet diapers, hiding to pee, interest in others use of the potty, waking up dry from naps or even telling you that they need to go. It is important to look for at least two or more signs, otherwise you may be starting potty training too early and it may make the experience difficult. Once you have figured out that they are ready, you need to figure out the next step: their personality.

Know your child’s personality and how they learn. This is the ultimate key to potty training success in my opinion. You can try every tip in the book but if you aren’t reaching your child the way they learn the best, then it will end in tears. Pull-Ups has developed five key personalities that tend to occur most often in toddlers: Puppy, Turtle, Squirrel, Owl and Bear Cub. When you visit the Potty Partnership website and answer key questions about your child, it will figure out which personality your child is and provide tailored tips to help both parent and child achieve success. Looking at the personalities I can easily tell I had (and still are in most things) a Turtle and a Bear Cub. For us it meant approaching potty training very differently for both of them to ensure they both felt supported, encouraged and ready.

Get the right tools! As adults, we wouldn’t learn a new skill without all the needed materials and the same is true with potty training. In our house, we ensured we had a potty that our child picked out themselves, flushable wipes (best invention ever hands down), special toddler soap, reward chart, the actual rewards (Hot Wheels car were very popular in our house) and the proper size of Pull-Ups training pants.

Connect with family, friends and community. Use the resources around you for help, never ever be afraid to ask for help. I wanted to belief potty training would be natural and easy, when it wasn’t I became frustrated which didn’t help my child. Talk to friends, family and online communities to see what helped them. You may find an angle that you wouldn’t have even thought of, that may just work perfectly for you and your child. Join online resources like the Potty Partnership to get advice geared to your child’s personality and gender, learn how to talk to your child about potty training (tone, voice) and learn how your child’s mind works.

Keep it simple and fun. Use terms that your child will understand and talk to them in a tone of voice that lets them know you are proud of them no matter what. Potty training will have ups and downs, this is okay. Your child won’t always learn overnight and they need to have that encouragement that they are doing well. Keep instructions simple and consistent – once you start don’t give up but instead keep at it and keep it fun.

I love this video from Pull-Ups, teaching a whole new way to potty train your toddler:

If you have a child or family member who is ready to start the potty training journey, Pull-Ups is giving you the chance to win your own Potty Partnership kit to help you on your own potty training journey. The kit includes:

Pull-Ups Training Pants (size geared to the child’s age and gender)
Big Kid Flushable Wipes
Potty chair with detachable potty seat
Potty Progress chart
Potty Training Book
Plush Toy Reward
$25 Walmart gift card to purchase more Potty Training items from the shopping list

Enter via the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!

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Disclosure: I received a Potty Partnership kit. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 13, 2016

Live Self-Sufficiently Book Spotlight

Learn how to live your life self-sufficiently with this new twelve step book!

About Live Self-Sufficiently

This is a twelve-step guide to living self-sufficiently with lessons on personal growth, self love, health and wellness, financial stability and healthy relationships.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Alibris.

About the Author

Tisha Marie Payton is a certified life and relationship coach. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma. Her education is in human relations with an emphasis in art therapy. For over twelve years Ms. Payton provided service to her community as a Girl Scout, has competed in pageants, fitness and swimsuit modeling, and landed the cover of Playboy Magazine. Throughout her collegiate and modeling career, she found that many people live dependent upon others and aren’t truly living happily. She began a nonprofit organization called Building ME in Texas to build enlightened minds in youth and provide pertinent life skills to stop the cycle of dependency. This is a twelve-step guide to personal growth, self-love, health and wellness, financial stability, and healthy relationships.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour post, I received no compensation for this post. I loved the book’s description and wanted to share it with you my readers!

June 9, 2016

Celebrate Dad With A Meaningful Book Collection from Raincoast Books

Our Dad’s have been there every step of the way from pregnancy through childhood. From late night food deliveries to Mom when she had crazy cravings to driving colicky infants around the block to soothe them. Dads build our confidence up and love us in a way that only they can.

On Father’s Day we get to show them just how special they are (even if we should be celebrating this every day of the year!) but this one day allows us to push aside our crazy lives and focus on the special bond between Dad and child. Raincoast Books has selected their top books that focuses on this special relationship and helps celebrate Dads. Here they are:

Tell Me A Tattoo Story

A bestselling author-illustrator duo join forces to create a modern father-son love story in Tell Me A Tattoo Story. The father tells his little son the story behind each of his tattoos, and together they go on a beautiful journey through family history. There’s a tattoo from a favorite book his mother used to read him, one from something his father used to tell him, and one from the longest trip he ever took. And there is a little heart with numbers inside-which might be the best tattoo of them all. Tender pictures by New York Times bestselling illustrator Eliza Wheeler complement this lovely ode to all that’s indelible-ink and love.

When I saw this book, I knew this one was for us. My husband has several tattoos that our boys are just amazed with. Tattoos tell a deeper meaning for the person who carries them, they tell of love, achievement, family and loss. We love talking about tattoos and tracing our husband’s ones on his arms and back. He has one that represents his move to Canada and another for our eldest son. He has the design ready for our youngest one – he just needs to figure out where! I loved the simplicity, honesty and love that was shown in this book. It was a great read for all four of us to sit down and read together, while sparking a conversation about my husband’s tattoos. I love how this book takes into consideration the new norm by talking about tattoos – tattoos aren’t a bad thing or mean a bad person. More and more people have them now and they represent so much meaning behind them. It was a truly special book.

Monster & Son

In Monster & Son, romp along with parent and child yetis, werewolves, giant lizards, and more as they stir up some monster-sized fun! Readers big and small, young and old, wild and tame, will roar with laughter and take this book by the horns, teeth, and fur… discovering that monsters and humans aren’t so different-especially in the ways they love each other.

A truly lovely book about the relationship between son and Father. It suited my boys perfectly! It was darkly coloured, with scary monsters (with smiling faces), a great rhythm which made reading aloud so much easier and the perfect story line. We followed Father and son as they played games, joked and bonded until Dad tucked little one into bed. It showcases the love between Father and son perfectly regardless of being human or monster! This will make the perfect bed time story.

Commando Dad New Recruits

This essential guide to pregnancy offers everything the expecting father needs to know in the run-up to the birth, or deployment day.” Packaged like an army training manual and written in guy-friendly, no-nonsense military speak, it presents month-by-month overviews of the baby’s development, the lowdown on pregnancy symptoms, tips for supporting the mom-to-be, a guide to prenatal care, and what to expect during labor and beyond. With expert advice, easy-to-follow information, and commentary from other first-time fathers, it’s the go-to reference for the dad-to-be who wants to prepare himself-mentally, physically, and emotionally-for the arrival of his new recruit.”

Letters to My Dad

This book of twelve letters (ten prompted, two blank) makes it easy for children of many ages-from tween to adult-to show Dad how much they care. Once filled out, sealed, and postdated, the letters become handwritten time capsules to give to Dad for Father’s Day, holidays, or milestone birthdays. When he breaks open the seals in the future, he will find a priceless keepsake.

This is a beautiful series of books that will honestly be treasured forever. My boys filled out the Letters to My Mom and it made my heart melt!

Gator Dad

From seemingly mundane tasks such as grocery shopping to more active pursuits like a romp at the park and fort-building, a loving and playful father alligator shows his gator kids that the simplest pleasures done together can make for an incredibly fun day in Gator Dad.

Presented by New York Times bestselling author Brian Lies ( Bats at the Beach ), this heartwarming story demonstrates a series of very special ways children can connect with their fathers and should appeal to parents and little readers everywhere.

A Perfect Father’s Day

An engaging family portrait and a winning tribute to ‘Dad.'” – School Library Journal

Four-year-old Susie gives her dad her idea of the perfect Father’s Day: A fast food restaurant for lunch, feeding birds at the park, a ride on the carousel, the swings . . . they even top their day off with balloons! Eve Bunting’s tongue-in-cheek story is sure to resonate with the loving, exhausted parents of charming preschoolers. Susan Meddaugh contributes ample subtle humor to the reading experience in the details of her illustrations. This sweet treat of a book, in a new paper-over-board gift edition with foil cover accents, is the perfect story for dads and kids to share on a perfect Father’s Day.

Raincoast Books now wants you to win four of your choice of the above titles to give to the special Dad in your life. Enter now via the Rafflecopter form below – good luck!

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Disclosure: I received Monster & Son and Tell Me A Tattoo Story in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 8, 2016

Wonder, Imagination and Creativity with Alice in Wonderland at the Shaw Festival

“If you don’t know where you are going any road can take you there” – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Get ready for an imaginative, mind blowing and visually stunning performance in Alice in Wonderland at the Shaw Festival.

Many of us grew up with the tale of Alice in Wonderland (or maybe even the Disney production of the book) so we all know how on a beautiful summer day in 1862, a ten year old Alice and her two sisters are told a story about a young girl, a white rabbit and a trip down a rabbit hole into a whole new world. But many of us have never seen the story come to life in person. The Shaw brings this difficult story to life in a unique and exciting new manner.

On an extremely hot summer day, we took a trip to the Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake. The sun was shining and the grounds were full of families, couples and individuals there on their own. The grounds around the Shaw Theatre are spectacular and it is worth it to arrive earlier and explore outside or even have a seat on their patio with a cool drink. My boys found their own special little spot which became our own little magical spot. We spent some time out there relaxing in the shade talking about the show we were about to see and just spending some time to unwind.

When we took our seats, we could not wait for the show to begin. The elaborate and detailed backdrop with Alice staring at you, gets you right in the mood for the show to start. As a complete side note, there were so many young girls dressed up like Alice – such a sweet sight! Be prepared – there is a good mix of children and adults a like in the theatre but they never distract the performance at all.

The story comes to life in song, incredible visual displays and humour. Alice in Wonderland is not an easy show to bring to life on stage but Peter Hinton brings it to life in a unique and jaw dropping way. They were able to shrink Alice, make her grow to astounding heights, capture her tears that threatened to drown everyone and even the mysterious Cheshire Cat who would pop in and out of scenes. How they managed to do this was incredible, it takes your breath away watching the scenes unfold.

The costumes matched the flair and extravagance that is Alice in Wonderland. Their characters bring these costumes to life, my favourite had to be the Queen of Hearts and her army of cards. Her army of cards were hilarious as they tried their best to please her and she cracked me up with her lines. We still at home tease each other with “Off with their head!” whenever someone is being naughty. Tara Rosling is a wonderful Alice with her charming personality and child like wonder. She ties the whole play together.

Alice in Wonderland is truly a special performance full of wonder, imagination, creativity and a uniqueness that is special to the Shaw Festival. The stage brings this wonderful story to life in a way that draws you into the play and captures your complete attention, leaving you wondering how did they just do that?! Alice in Wonderland at the Shaw Festival is truly a play that will spark the imagination from the youngest member of the house to the eldest and is a definite must see this season. The play is running at the Shaw Theatre until October 16th, 2016, so make sure you pick up your tickets and head to Niagara on the Lake to get in on this spectacular performance.

If you want to see how Alice in Wonderland came to life on stage, check out this awesome video:

“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality” – Lewis Carroll

Disclosure: I received tickets in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 8, 2016

My Father’s House

In My Father’s House, Growing up, life is idyllic for Lily Rose Cates due to one constant – her father’s love.

About My Father’s House

But in her sixteenth summer, all that changes without warning. There begins Lily’s struggle to find herself and the life she’s lost. Marriage promises fulfillment, but her happily-ever-after barely survives the honeymoon. Her husband’s sophisticated façade hides a brooding man with even darker secrets.

When all illusions shatter, Lily must make hard choices, abandon her husband or risk losing much more than her marriage. She flees their home in Detroit and sets out on a fearful journey to a house in Georgia that her husband knows nothing about. This is one woman’s compelling tale of love and survival as she finds her way back home to who she’s meant to be in her father’s house.

My Thoughts

A powerful story of love, hurt, forgiveness and survival. When Lily lost her Father, she lost so much more. She was constantly on the search of that replacement love. She thinks she has found this in her husband, a man she sees as perfect. But under this façade is more hiding, which she quickly learns. The man she thought was perfect and who would love her forever is as far from this as possible. It doesn’t take her long to realize she needs to leave and with some help from an old family friend, she escapes her terrifying present life to relocate to the house she had inherited from her Father.

Once she is away from her harmful marriage, Lily must take the steps to healing her heart from her past and her marriage in order to move forward. With the help of some heart warming characters, Lily begins the slow process of healing her heart and her mind. She reminds us all that there is always hope, even when we are hurting the most we can still find hope.

I loved every moment of this suspenseful and heart warming novel. You will fall in love with her writing, her characters and the hope that is sprung from this novel. An excellent read from start to finish!

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Rose Chandler Johnson is the author of the award winning devotional God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea: Experiencing God in the Midst of Everyday Moments. My Father’s House is her first novel. She happily makes her home near Augusta, Georgia.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.