God Gave Us the World- a truly beautiful book (review)

February 2, 2011 by 6 Comments

I recently got the chance to read a fabulous children’s book- God Gave Us the World, written by Lisa T. Bergren and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant.

Weather or not you are a deeply religious person, I think you will love this book. Why? Because I think this book is fantastic for everyone who has a child, and wants their child to grow up tolerant and loving towards others. You don’t have to even be a certain religion for this book- it just speaks about “God”.
This book is extremely well written, has a great flow, and lovely illustrations. It is all about a little polar bear who doesn’t understand why there are other types of bears in the world, why they live in other places, look different, and eat different foods. (Sound familiar?) The loving and thoughtful mother polar bear explains that God made the world, and made all the creatures in in. That we all love our homes and foods the best, because it’s what we know. There are some very wise and well written responses to some not-so-easy questions. I loved this book, I love the premise. It’s just so lovely! The fact that the Little Cub is questioning the colors and food choices of other bears is really interesting, and is helpful to let kids draw a parallel to humans. Should we all look alike, or are we beautiful because we are different? If we all looked the same and ate the same and lived in the same places and houses- would that be as much fun? Would it [Read more…]

Filed Under: book review, kids, review

Disney’s Princess Wishes on Ice- tonight!

January 27, 2011 by 5 Comments

We will be going to see Disney on Ice- Princess Wishes tonight- if the snow doesn’t kill us, LOL. I’m hoping by that time of day, the snow won’t be so bad [Read more…]

Filed Under: disney, kids

Boogie Wipes- Review and Contest!

January 25, 2011 by 48 Comments

Ah, cold and flu season. We all know it! Have had it, maybe have it now? (Wish it would go away and never come back, taking it’s lovely friends “mucus” and “congestion” with it?) One of the annoyances that come along with colds is the constant runny noses! As an adult, it’s bad enough. But when I see my Little Man with that red, chapped nose? I feel so bad! I can’t stand it when he gets worked up over a tissue- he doesn’t want me to wipe it because he knows it’s going to hurt his nosie. Poor bubbie! So what’s a mommy to do? Often, I end up using a wet wipe, like one that is made for “diaper messes”. But there is another kind of wipe- called “Boogie Wipes” that I just got to try out. Made just for runny noses, they don’t chap them like a regular tissue does. They are soft and sensitive, and come in 3 varieties- Unscented, Aloe, and Grape (LOL, like you are going to eat them!) They are really big, too- so if you have a GIANT boogie mess- you are good to go! I usually ended up cutting them in half, because I don’t like to waste, and they are too big for your average nose wipe. But it is good to have the option of the GIANT MESS WIPE if you need it- because we all know they come, don’t they?

Boogie Wipes are made with natural saline to dissolve boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold, allergies or otherwise booger-filled kid moments.
Extra soft, alcohol, phthalate and paraben free, Boogie Wipes are available in Great Grape, Fresh Scent, Magic Menthol and Simply Unscented. Recommended by pediatricians as a gentle, effective alternative to a dry tissue.

Want to win some Boogie Wipes to try out on your little booger? (hehehe)
Here is how to [Read more…]

Filed Under: giveaway, health, kids, review

Children’s Advil

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Hey mommies! (And daddies, LOL)
Here is some great information about Children’s [Read more…]
Filed Under: health, kids

Pocoyo on your iPad!

January 7, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The second Pocoyo application, “Coloring with Pocoyo and Friends,” is now available! You can view the app at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jFenBbAXI0
The new “Coloring with Pocoyo and Friends” app can be downloaded globally, exclusively from the iTunes/App Store to the iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch for US $1.99, for an initial 60-day period from December 21, 2010. The application will provide children, parents and caregivers the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild as they paint Pocoyo and his friends’ coloring pages, experimenting with creativity and color as they let their inner artists out. New sets of coloring pages will be available on demand via the app. This latest app is a natural extension of the Pocoyo brand which has consistently garnered strong interaction with fans of all ages across the globe.

Downloading the application provides seven days premium access to the Premium Club at pocoyworld.com, Pocoyo’s virtual world online destination.

The first “Pocoyize” app was initially released for Christmas 2009 for the web with 10 million users to date. In June 2010, the Company unveiled the “Pocoyize” [Read more…]
Filed Under: kids, technology, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Adopted Ed

January 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment

As most of you know, Kamikze is adopted, so anything adoption hits home with us. For many years prior to her adoption, I was a volunteer in orphanages abroad, and knew that when the time came, I would adopt. When I had the chance to review “Adopted Ed” by Darren Maddern (himself an adoptee), I knew I had to jump at it!

“This simple and beautifully illustrated story is about an adopted little boy and his journey through his early years. Sensitive and likable, we’re with Eddie the moment he learns he’s adopted. At school when he is teased by bullies about being adopted, his mom coaches him through the situation, which ultimately sets the course of his life with personal empowerment. Over time, Eddie feels a strong “void” and becomes curious about his biological parents, which ultimately leads him to find out more. ADOPTED ED concludes with a section of famous people who were adopted.”

Kamikaze was quiet about the book. Not much expressed, but she gets like that sometimes about [Read more…]

Filed Under: kids, review

Monkey Monkey Music- The Videos

December 11, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Meredith LeVande, whose children’s CD, “What are the Odds” was previously reviewed right here on Have Sippy Will Travel, recently released a children’s musical DVD. Monkey Monkey Music- The Videos with Meredith LeVande.

I put it on for my kids, and they liked it. The two of them sat and watched it quietly for the whole length. Nice! Rare, and nice! I had to bring it to the Pre-K, of course. (If it will quiet loud children, then you KNOW I was going to bring it to the Pre-K, LOL.) For me, the worst days are often those when we can’t go outside. Taking the kids outside, even if it’s only for a little bit, gives them a change of scenery, lets them exert some energy, and burn off some steam. The first rainy day we had, I popped in the Monkey Monkey DVD. Ahhhh…..the sounds of quiet! All those little mouths quieted and ears opened and they sat nicely for 20 minutes and watched. Then I got them up to dance with the music- after all, they are kids, and they do need to wiggle! Music and movement is a great activity for kids. With Monkey Monkey Music, The Videos, you get the bonus of having a professional lead the “movement”, LOL. For example , on “Let’s Fly”, Meredith was flying in her plane all over the country. So, the kids became airplanes and flew all over the “world” (classroom). After the song was done- they each drew a picture about where they had flown, and told me all about it so I could write it down for them. We even looked up some of the places on a map- some of them are unknown to our maps, LOL. A nice rainy day activity, and we were [Read more…]

Filed Under: education, kids, review

Shofar, anyone? Mama Doni’s Music Review!

November 28, 2010 by 1 Comment

WHO NEEDS A GUITAR WHEN YOU HAVE A SHOFAR?
A “MUSICAL CHICKEN SOUP” OF A FAMILY SHOW
WITH MAMA DONI & THE MAMA DONI BAND!

SUPER SUNDAY EVENT

DEC. 12 –UNITED JEWISH COMMUNITIES OF METROWEST– WHIPPANY, NJ


“Her stage name may sound as if it belonged on a jar of pasta sauce, but Mama Doni is an indisputably Jewish performer. Doni Zasloff Thomas in real life, she specializes in putting a Jewish spin on all kinds of musical styles, including reggae, rock, disco and Latin.” – The New York Times

“A zany musical chicken soup of reggae, rock, disco, Latin, klezmer, and other styles.” –The Boston Globe

“Wacky Jewish indie-rock for kids.” – The Star-Ledger

MONTCLAIR, NJ (Nov. 5) – In a spirit of outrageous fun, Mama Doni & The Mama Doni Band bring their special brand of “funky music with a Jewish twist” to a free, all-ages family show at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 12 at United Jewish Communities of MetroWest Alex Aidekman Family Community Campus, 901 Route 10, Whippany, NJ. This show is part of a “CareLink” Super Sunday Event including a variety of community service projects.

Doni Zasloff Thomas, a.k.a. Mama Doni, is the lead singer/songwriter of The Mama Doni Band, winner of the Simcha Award for “Inspiring Joy Through Music” in competition with more than 100 bands from 15 different countries at the 2008 International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam. The band celebrates Jewish culture with irrepressible zest in its high-energy, interactive family rock concerts filled with catchy pop songs that break the mold of traditional Jewish music. Quirky, offbeat, and unpredictable, The Mama Doni Band offers up a contagious and unexpected blend of reggae, rock, disco, Latin, klezmer and “Jewgrass” – all woven together with a hip Jewish sensibility and a zany sense of humor.

In a spirit of fun and ruach, Mama Doni’s show will be filled to the brim with dancing, sing-alongs, and giveaways for everyone. As a special treat, there’s also be a “sneak peek” at songs from Mama Doni’s next CD, Shabbat Shaboom, with reggae dancing to “Mazel Tov,” rocking out to a Latin dance beat in “Challah-Day!,” and some crazy “Jewgrass” dancing to a song all about family, “Mishpocha.” The show will overflow with wild and wacky numbers, including such Mama Doni favorites as “Jewish Cowgirl” and “Shofar-Blowin’ Band.” Hip young kids and their even hipper parents and grandparents should be ready to get up and dance at this spirited Jewish rock concert!

According to Carrie Stetler in The Star-Ledger, Doni Zasloff Thomas “is proud to have a schtick. And that schtick, she says, is to ‘Jewify’ all forms of music – from country to reggae to holiday songs.” Kids’ media authority Amy Kraft, of Media Macaroni, enthused, “We were all laughing out loud … Listen as Mama Doni spreads around some challah-day spirit in her inimitable cross between Sheryl Crow and Tone Loc.”

Mama Doni, a resident of Montclair, New Jersey, hopes that her music will add some Jewish flavor to the lives of people everywhere. She speaks with great passion about preserving the priceless Yiddish and Jewish spirit by imbuing it with a contemporary vibe that connects to life in our times.

WHAT: MAMA DONI & THE MAMA DONI BAND CUT LOOSE AT SUPER SUNDAY!
WHERE: UJC Metrowest, Alex Aidekman Family Community Campus, 901 Route 10, Whippany, NJ
WHEN: Sunday, December 12, 3:00 p.m. “CareLink” [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, kids, review