Do you ever find yourself trying to be SuperMom?

In the midst of trying to keep the house tidy, the family fed, helping  with homework, doing that craft  you saw on Pinterest, rushing the kids whatever extracurricular activity they have that day, and still working out so you look good for the husband, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s really important.

And then there’s all the “experts” out there in social media land adding even more pressure as they try to tell us what we should and should not be doing.  As if we don’t suffer from the mom guilt enough!

If any of this sounds remotely familiar, than I have the book for you!

Moms, Monsters, Media & Margaritas was written by fellow blogger Angela Williams Glenn of the blog Time with A & N.

The book examines the perceptions and expectations of motherhood with regard to today’s digital world.  The world of social media is shaping and influencing us in ways that moms of the past never dreamed!

We not only feel like as moms we need to be superwoman, but society and social media also makes us feel like we need to push that perfectionism on our children, that they should be reading by kindergarten, in several sports, or whatever other foolishness that seems to spread through the Internet.

Moms, Monsters, Media & Margaritas touches on all this and more.  What I really love about this book is that you don’t have to read the book cover to cover.  (Because, honestly, it’s tough to get to read when you’re a mom!) You can easily pick it up and choose any one of the 12 chapters to read in any order.

My favorite chapter?

I found myself laughing and nodding as I read chapter 7 “What I Didn’t Know about Motherhood.”   I have to agree that as moms we all need those extra locks so we can use the bathroom alone!

Angela Williams Glenn was recently published in Chicken Soup for the Soul:  The Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide. Her blog is one that always makes me smile.

And she has a big heart.

20% of the book sales this summer are being donated to the I ROK Foundation for childhood cancer.

Just click the affiliate link to make it easy to get your own copy of Moms, Monsters, Media & Margaritas from Amazon. Or get Moms, Monsters, Media & Margaritas for Kindle for just $3.99 and you’ll still be supporting the I ROK Foundation!

*I received a copy of Moms, Monsters, Media & Margaritas to read in order to give my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.  All opinions are completely my own.  

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Ever look at the covers of those magazines in the check-out line?  They are full of stories of celebrities caught cheating and articles about who’s getting divorced.   Turn on the television; you will find shows featuring unhappy husbands, wives who make snippy comments about their spouses, and marriages falling apart.

Everywhere you look, marriage is portrayed in a negative light.

And that’s why it’s so important that there is someone out there willing to stand up not only for marriage, but the fact that happy marriages can and DO exist!

I first met Fawn Weaver in an online community we were both members of.  Her positive outlook on marriage was a refreshing change to the negatives you so often hear.

Fawn had become so tired of hearing all the negatives about marriage, when she knew it was possible to have a happy marriage, that she started a club — The Happy Wives Club.  That club has grown to over 100,000 women in over 100 countries!

But Fawn didn’t stop there.  She went on a global search to find the secrets to a happy marriage.  Fawn traveled all over the world, interviewing those who had been happily married for 25 years or more, and then she wrote a book to share what she learned.

Happy Wives Club: One Woman’s Worldwide Search for the Secrets of a Great Marriage is unlike any other marriage book out there.  For one thing, it is not the same old boring, dry “you should do this” type of marriage book.  When you read it it’s almost as if you are there with Fawn, traveling the cities she visited.  She uses vivid imagery to describe the cities, and the food (oh, the delicious food!), mixed with the fascinating interviews of each happily married woman.

I found myself eager to visit the next country, the next city, with Fawn as I read through the chapters.  And as I read, I took away something unique from each and every interview.

Want to check it out for yourself?  The book is now available in stores and on Amazon.  What a perfect bridal shower or wedding gift for a friend or family member!

I was honored to receive an advanced reader’s copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.   I received no other compensation.  All opinions are 100% my own. 

The post Happy Wives Club Book Review first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Argh!   Ahoy, Mateys!  Be ye ready for adventure?

Well, me hardies, climb aboard and give me an ear, for I’ve a tale to tell…

A tale to tell about a pirate book that is!

Pirates seem to be a favorite among many kids — mine included!  We have celebrated Pirate Day with plenty of pirate adventures, and have read  a few a bunch of pirate books over the years.

“Talk like a Pirate Day” is fast approaching, and what better way to celebrate pirates than with a treasure hunt?

This week we had a little treasure hunt of our own before bedtime.

The prize?

A fun new pirate book and super cute stuffed animal — perfect for bedtime!

(This is a sponsored post; all opinions are 100% my own.)

Greenbeard the Pirate Pig, by Andrea Torrey Balsara, is fun book about a guinea pig named Greenbeard who starts off as a farmer and seeks adventure as a pirate.  Along the way he meets Snug Rumkin, a rat, who tries to teach him the proper ways of being a pirate.

My kids love the fact that Greenbeard chooses to carry a carrot for a sword; after all, he says, “If the sword were sharp, someone could get hurt!”

Part of the book includes a pirate song that Greenbeard makes up to sing.  I have to say it’s pretty catchy; my daughter was singing it to herself when she flipped through the pages of the book before she crawled into bed.  

Want your own copy?  You can find (affiliate link) Greenbeard the Pirate Pig Book and Toy Set on Amazon for $19.95.

However, in honor of  “Talk like a Pirate Day,” one lucky reader will receive their own copy of Greenbeard the Pirate Pig and adorable plush to share with their own pirate crew.

Entry is simple.  Just leave a comment telling me which pirates you’d like to share this book with.  The winner will be determined via Random Number Generator on Sunday, September 22, at 12:00 a.m. E.S.T.

(U.S. residents 18 and older only, please.  For full giveaway rules, click here.)

You can check out more about Greenbeard the Pirate Pig and the author by clicking here.

As stated earlier, we received a copy of the book and stuffed animal for the review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

This giveaway is now over.  Congratulations to the winner:  Chris Carter! 

The post Greenbeard the Pirate Pig first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

She held up her hand, and I knew it was time for me to leave.  

I gave her palm a quick kiss, just like in one of our favorite first day of school books. 

To prepare for that first day, we had read a variety of picture books about the first day of kindergarten, and now my baby girl was ready to fly.

Along with these great books, you may also enjoy some of these duct tape crafts for school to get your child excited about starting school. 

To prepare for kindergarten we did lots of fun hands-on learning activities, like these vehicle preschool activities.    We also read through a few of these fun and silly books each day the whole month leading up to the big day.

These Tips to Ease Social Anxiety in Kids may also help ease those first day jitters. 

First Day of School Books for Kindergarten

Just click the words in blue to see an image of the book and get more details about it.    

Affiliate links have been used for your convenience.  See more full disclosure for more details. 

Countdown to Kindergarten by Alison McGhee made us all giggle every time we read it.    It is a cute story about a little girl who is nervous about kindergarten. 

Why?  It’s all because she can’t tie her own shoes. 

She does some pretty silly things with her shoe laces and shoes to try to eliminate the problem.  (My son particularly loved the part where she sails her rubber ducky in her shoe like a boat.)  At the end she finds out that she is definitely NOT alone in not being able to tie her shoes, and, YES, the teacher is willing to help with shoe tying after all.

Miss Bindergarten Has a Wild Day In Kindergarten by Joseph Slate was another one that made us giggle.  

I love how the book uses each letter of the alphabet to name the characters throughout poor Miss Bindergarten’s crazy day.  For instance, there is Danny the dog and Emily the elephant. 

Each student adds to the wild day, from pouring too much water on the plants, to dropping the jar of bugs and opening up the butterfly cage.  I have to say as a former classroom teacher I was really sympathizing with the teacher because it really was quite a day!

Miss Mingo and the First Day of School by Jamie Harper is a cute and educational book. 

The teacher, a flamingo, tries to ease everyone’s nerves on the first day by asking them to share something unique about themselves.  Throughout the book, as each different animal shares something unique about themselves, there are little side notes with interesting facts for each animal.

Ms. Bitsy Bat’s Kindergarten by Pamela Duncan Edwards is a cute story about how the animals all react to a new teacher — a bat!

Chicken Chickens Go to School by Valeri Gorbachev was another favorite.  Two little chickens are dropped off for their first day of school.  At first they have a little trouble making friends, but by the end they are excited to get to come back the next day and play with their new playmates.

When Kangaroo Goes to School, by Sonia Levitin is one that could definitely be read and enjoyed by older children as well. 

The story follows Kangaroo when she goes to school.  The other students are all typical girls and boys.  Kangaroo learns to raise her hand instead of yelling out answers, to follow instructions during fire drills, and other important lessons.

Kindergarten ABC by Jacqueline Rogers went through the alphabet, much like many schools do, with a “letter a day” theme.  For each letter you had a list of items to look for on the page.  We had fun hunting for each of the hidden items.

First Day of School (Fred Bear and Friends) by Melanie Joyce is illustrated with photos of teddy bears in real locations.  This book is better suited for younger children just starting preschool.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn should be on the reading list of every child starting kindergarten.  

When Chester raccoon is scared to start school his mom shares a family secret (the kissing hand) with him.  This heartwarming book is sure to leave parents a bit teary eyed.  (Or is that just me?)  You may even find yourself kissing your child’s palm like I did on that first day of school.

Finally, if you are looking for great preschool/kindergarten books that deal with the start of school, the PBS cartoons Clifford and Sesame Street both have several cute books that deal with school. 

We picked one of each to check out and they were both hits.

•  Clifford’s First School Day — After all, who can resist Clifford as a little pup?
•  The Schoolhouse (Sesame Street) — The kids loved helping Elmo look for the lost puppy in this book.

Your child’s first day of school is one of those moments you never forget.  

These first day of school books will help make the transition easier for you both.

You may also enjoy: 

• Subtraction Squish 
• 40+ Hands-On Learning Activities for Letters & Numbers 

The post The BEST First Day of School Books for Kindergarten first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

As a former language arts/reading teacher, I love doing activities with my kids that help them connect with the books we get from the library.

In celebration of Children’s Book Week, I wanted to share some of our favorite book activities we’ve done.

My son is a lover of anything that goes…  One of his favorite book activities was for the book Making Tracks. 

With 2 preschoolers in the house, we have done tons of Dr. Seuss books!

They both enjoyed Hop on Pop, 10 Apples up on Top, and the ABC Book.

But their real favorite, that they still talk about?

Wacky Wednesday!

My personal favorite book we’ve gotten from the library was Stellaluna.  I had lots of fun bringing that book to life with my preschoolers.  In fact, I just found a copy of it at the used book store and HAD to have it for our personal library.

Other favorites?

• Alphabet Adventure
• Most Loved Monster
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
• One Is a Feast for a Mouse
• Little Fox
• Bear Wants More
• I Am a Backhoe
• I Love Bugs!
• Ruby’s Beauty Shop
• Berenstain’s B Book
  

Share some of your favorite children’s books in the comments below!

And, if you have a post with a favorite book activity, link it up!  This link up is being hosted by Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas, and co-hosted by JDaniel4’s Mom and Smiling like Sunshine.

The post Children’s Book Week — Preschool Book Activities first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

My son loves vehicles.  Trains, trucks, cars…anything with wheels.  With his love of vehicles has come a large collection of preschooler vehicle books.

This week we focused on some of the train books.  One of our favorites?  The classic Golden book, The Little Red Caboose (affiliate link).

After reading the book, we got out the wood trains to try to retell the story.  My son loved pushing the cars up the hill, having them slip down the hill until the caboose helped.

Then we drove our train through an alphabet maze.

I had made the maze up earlier, using upper and lower-case letters.  The goal was to follow the alphabet and see where the train wound up.

At lunchtime I made a p.b.&j. train for us to share.

Banana chunks made up the wheels and funnel; strawberries made up our puffs of smoke, and carrots were the track.

And you know, we just couldn’t resist being trains ourselves, singing “The Little Red Caboose!”  (Wish I had a picture of that, but it’s hard to snap a pic when you’re playing a train engine!)

Looking for more ways to play with trains?  Check out what we did during our Train Day last summer!
Shared on

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