Let’s Get Ready with Cedar Valley Publishing

Our back to school ritual involves Back-to-School shopping.  Every year (this was our 6th year) my daughters Heidi, now 11 and Megan, now 9 and our next door neighbor/big sister/babysitter/who has known the girls since day one, Amanda, who is now 17 and I go shopping.  This isn’t just shopping we turn it into a fashion show extravaganza and involving many times the entire store.   Honestly, I hate shopping and so do my girls.  But years ago I decided to tell the girls we would be having a fashion show with their favorite person in the entire world, Amanda.  We went from “fit n’tears” to “fun n’laughs” just by making it into a special event – a few stores for a few hours and lunch in a nice restaurant.   They gear up to the event with the girls painting their nails and picking out a special outfit to wear shopping and Amanda does their hair.  So they “feel” special for picking out even more “special outfits”.

We only go to a few stores and each of us takes one girl and we work with the help of a sales person with that girl.  This year we had one sales girl who keep going in the back room and finding us the cutest clothes that I would never have found on the rack in a million years.  Once the girls explain what they want – I have learned that if my girls really, really don’t love it and they are only buying it to please me – they will NOT wear it; so now we explain to the salesperson we want A line waistlines from one girl that cover her appropriately and will not show her belly button when she raises her hand in class and more fitted outfits for the other girl with the same description that they need to be covered appropriately and honestly, the salesperson does all of the work.  We have so much fun the manager and a bunch of salesreps usually gets involved too helping us decide which ones we should select.  The girls feel special and love the attention!    We have stores that remember us each year and enjoy the “fun and excitement” we bring back to Back-to-School shopping.  

The key for me, everyone needs an Amanda and salesreps who enjoy their jobs!!

Choose A Character For Cynthia’s Attic: Book Five!

Want to choose a character to be in the next Cynthia’s Attic book? Here’s how!

Listed at http://cynthiasattic.blogspot.com/2010/07/choose-character-for-cynthias-attic.html are 10 Cynthia’s Attic characters the author, Mary Cunningham, is considering for a recurring role in Book Five. Leave a comment with your choice and an explanation as to why you think the character deserves to return. Mary choose one winner based on the most compelling reason.

What do you win? First is the Cynthia’s Attic book of your choice. You can wait for Book Five (title coming soon!) or you can choose one of the first four titles. Now for the really fun part. If your character and comment is chosen, you’ll also become a character in the book!

Click Here for More Information!

VOTE TODAY!

We are so excited that Corey, from www.CelebrateGreen.net, has entered the Project Green Search.

They are seeking a woman who embodies the spirit of green, not just in her every day life, but who is working to better the world through her commitment and actions.

If Corey is among the ten finalists, she will have the opportunity to share our message with leaders in the environmental movement and further our cause in an unprecedented way.

This is BIG so we’re asking for your vote.

Please go to the link below, scroll down and run your mouse over Corey’s picture. Then select FIVE STARS and click. (It’s important that you select no fewer than five stars.)

Votes are tracked by IP address, so if you have more than one computer, you can vote for her more than once. And every vote counts!

PLEASE vote for Corey today

and if you could please pass the word on via Twitter, Facebook, other networking groups and e-mail whomever you think would be willing to vote, we’d truly appreciate it!

We’ll let you know what happens.

THANK YOU!

I was raised by an amazing Grandma who proudly had a sign in her home that said, “If Mom says no, ask Grandma!”  For all those amazing Grandma’s check out this site dedicated to you and now proudly carries our books!

Grandma’s Shoppe

I will never forget the day I was finally hooked on reading. I was blessed by the presence of my friend Mary Isham one day in 9th grade.

Yes, you read it right. It took me until 9th grade to finally love reading. I wasn’t a born a reader, nor was a child-bookworm.

Even my school librarian knew I dreaded school assignments that forced me to check out books and report on a particular subject—or any subject at all. I was not a struggling reader, but I never found an interest to read anything beyond my homework assignments; which had too much reading in and of itself.

So, back to that glorious day in 9th grade…

I was walking into the school library and noticed my friend Mary Isham having an animated conversation, mostly to herself, as she openly expressed her concerns with the librarian. She was a cute and bubbly girl, dressed in her cheerleading outfit for the big game that night and seemed to be having some sort of problem.

I walked closer and overheard Mary tragically exclaim, “I can’t bear to part with it, I just can’t, you know.  I can’t stand the thought of it being put back on the shelf and no one reading it – I have checked it out three times and have read it over and over for weeks and the thought of it all alone waiting for someone to read it makes me sad.”  Mary spots me walking in and gushes, “Stacey save me!  This is such a great book and I have to turn it in today and I hate to see it sitting on the shelf alone, please, please take it and check it out…it is such a great book.”

I remember her words vividly.

That was it! 

I couldn’t believe that someone could love a book so much that she was having such a dramatic scene about returning it to the library,

So, I figured it must be good, right?  As pleaded, I took the book and checked it out.  I went home, rushed to my room, and opened its first page. I was hooked!

I even missed the football game that night.

When it was time to return it, I checked out another Victoria Holt romance book and the librarian smiled as to say something about that being a life changing event for me.

I didn’t appreciate it until now. Yes, being hooked on reading became a life-changing event for me.

Thank you Mary Isham!

What’s your favorite book? What title can cause you to get dramatic and overly-animated?

Well, whatever book it is, please introduce that book to your child, friend, family member or co-worker.

You never know, it might be a life-changing event for them too!

Copyright 2007-2009 – Stacey Kannenberg, Cedar Valley Publishing, Author of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!

Care to share your favorite book with us?  What about a favorite author or series?  Reading can be a wonderful life-altering experience; the right book can be the key that unlocks the door.

Money’s tight all around but that doesn’t mean fun needs to be limited… just maybe changed up this summer.

Instead of taking a big vacation, bring the excitement to your house by taking a backyard vacation. It can be as simple or complex as you want to make it. You can do special themed meals and drinks as part of your “vacation package” if you want to.

At the heart of it you need three things to make you seem like you’re on vacation (besides time off from work): some place comfy to sit, something fun to watch or do, and lots of relaxation to make memories that the whole fam shares together.

Click Here to Read More…

Playtex Corporation ordered us to drop the “Binky” from our signature product,the Heirloom Binky Bracelet. So, we need a new product name and fast! We thought that there was no better person to name our product than our own customers.

There will be one Grand Prize Winner. The winner will receive an extra large basket stuffed with Infant to Mommy Products from clients of the PR and Marketing Firm Baby swags, which places “Mompreneur” creations in swag bags for celebrities. Baby Swags owner, Phyllis Pometta, stepped in immediately to help when she learned of our business crisis. We’ve been overwhelmed with the generosity of our peers, and their willingness to help another mom owned small business in need. Along with Baby Swags, contact information, you can view all of the wonderful companies and their fabulous products on our Blog post “Grand Prize Basket.”

Contest Rules and Guidelines can be found at http://templetonsilver.com/category/contest-rename-our-product/.

(Please note that we cannot use any word that even sounds like the word “binky” in our new name.)

Thank you for taking the time to participate in our contest, and Good Luck! Don’t forget to check out all of the wonderful companies that helped make this all happen:  Cedar Valley Publishing is one of many companies who have donated prizes, in our case, we’ve donated our award winning books Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! & Let’s Get Ready for First Grade!

Please, go enter to WIN!!! 
http://templetonsilver.com/category/contest-rename-our-product/

Author VS Grenier, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Stories for Children Magazine, celebrates her debut picture book about the importance of telling the truth and getting to know others.

Grenier’s “Babysitting SugarPaw” is about a little bear who hopes to get rid of his babysitter, Bonnie Whiskers, by getting her into trouble after making changes to his rules chart. As this loving story unfolds, SugarPaw learns about honesty and friendship. Babysitting SugarPaw, with its child-centered plot on getting to know others, is the perfect book for little ones scared of being left alone with a babysitter for the first time. This book will delight three-to-eight-year-old readers, especially those who like to create mischief.

When asked what inspired Grenier to write this particular story, she said, “I really enjoyed writing Babysitting SugarPaw based off some of the antics I pulled as a child with my babysitters. I feel children will love the mischief SugarPaw creates and parents will appreciate the subtle ways Bonnie Whiskers teaches how to be honest and a good friend.

“I love writing children’s books! I finish one and then get another idea from my own childhood or from my kids. It takes all my talent to create a book, run Stories for Children Magazine, and raise my children, too. But, I love it! It is such a surprising turn in the road to finally see one of my books in print. I hope to bring many more to children and share with them my love of the World of Ink.”

About the book:
Babysitting SugarPaw
Written By VS Grenier
Illustrated by Kevin Collier
ISBN: 978-1935268062
Publisher: Halo Publishing International
Date of publication: July 1, 2009
Pages: 32
S.R.P.: $13.95

About the author:
VS Grenier is an Award-winning author and Editor-in-Chief of Stories for Children Magazine (http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org). She learned how to hone her writing skills at the Institute of Children’s Literature, and her works include: the Best of Stories for Children Magazine Volume 1 anthology and over 30 short stories, articles, and crafts for children along with newsletter articles for writers.

This dynamic woman developed and continues to grow Stories for Children Magazine freelances as a children’s author and editor for Halo Publishing along with running her own editorial/critique service. She has placed in the Preditors & Editors Reader’s Poll in several categories for the past two years:

• One of the Top Ten Editors of 2007.
• Won 2nd place in Best Nonfiction of 2007 for her article, “Yes, Virginia, There IS a Santa Claus.”
• Won 7th place in Best Nonfiction of 2008 for her article, “Dinosaur Tracks in My Backyard.”
• Won 15th place in Best Mainstream Fiction for her story, “SugarPaw and the Babysitter.”
• California girl at heart, she currently lives in Utah with her husband, their two children, the family’s big fat cat Speed Bump, and miniature schnauzer Taz.

To learn more about VS Grenier and Babysitting SugarPaw visit http://vsgrenier.com/BabysittingSugarPaw
Learn more about Stories for Children Magazine at: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org.

1. Empower the kids to be involved in packing and planning and being a part of organizing your trip!
2. Purchase small travel-size dry erase boards and plan some activities using them such as: 
   • The Drawing Game:  draw a cow, draw an octagon, draw a car, draw the number 48, etc.
   • The True or False Game:  Have kids put a T for True or an F for False to a series of family questions such as:  Grandma Martha used to drive a motorcycle; Aunt Beth is adopted; You have 4 first cousins; etc.
   • The Person, Place or Thing with 10 clues Game:  Select a category between, person, place or thing and write down the answer and have the kids ask clues to figure out the answer.  For example - for a person, the kids might ask, do I personally know this person or is it someone famous?
   • The Yes or No game:  Ask questions and the kids will write yes or no - Do you like pizza?; Would you like to scuba dive someday?; Might you be a teacher?; Sail the ocean?; Travel to the North Pole?
   • Perfect for Tic-tac-toe and hang man games!
3. Bring books for quiet time reading for the kids to enjoy.  Set the timer and tell the kids it is quiet time to either take a nap or read! Of course our books are perfect for kid fun or playing school or teacher in the car:  Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!, the Spanish/English of iA Prepararse Para Kindergarten! or Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!
4. Bring travel-size colors and a coloring book with a tray to do activities!
5. Purchase blank books in the dollar bin and create travel journals documenting the trip.  Purchase some vacation-themed stickers and allow the kids to either use the camera to take some pictures or get them cheap disposable cameras that they are in charge of using!
6. Print off the computer start and stop maps to where you are going and let them draw points of interest that they have seen along the journey!
7. Bring electronic devices, if they already use and a DVD for movie time!
8. Bring prepacked healthy snacks ready to go to keep the kids happy!
9. Crank up the radio and sign along together to your family favorites!
10. Share family stories about how they will be seeing on the trip or about how Mom and Dad met, some of the things Grandma and Grandpa used to do and stories when Mom and Dad were kids!
11. Pack travel-size cold water for the kids, put them in pull-ups to avoid accidents in the car seat or plane, bring wipes for quick clean ups and toilet paper for emergency stops!
12.  Have an extra change of clothing with easy access as well as favorite stuffed animals and blankets to encourage sleep time.
13.  Count to 25 by finding 25 white cars; 25 red cars, trucks, cows, etc.
14.  Before you leave home, guess the number of VW Bugs you will see along the way or Smart Cars or Windmills or flags and start counting.
15.  Play “I Spy” something red, something red, white and blue or something moving, etc.
16. Check out www.roadfood.com, a site devoted “exclusively to finding the most memorable local eateries along the highways and back roads of America.”

Happy traveling with kids!

Gretchen at Tea Safari was sweet enough to give us some of her amazing tea.  Heidi and Megan loved the Strawberry Kiwi Iced Tea.  It is unbelievably delicious and caffeine-free.  

Iced Tea Preparation Instructions:

1. Brew a tea concentrate by following the regular brewing instructions printed on the tea bag or tin, but using twice the amount of leaves. If sweetener is desired, we recommend using sugar, stevia, honey, etc. while the tea is hot.
2. Fill glasses or pitcher approximately 2/3 with ice (preferably made using filtered water). Use plastic or tempered glass only.
3. Immediately pour the hot tea over the ice, separating the leaves with a strainer. If necessary, add more ice until the concentrate is diluted to nearly double its initial volume. 
4. If desired, add a slice of lemon, lime or orange or decorate with a sprig of mint leaf. 
5. Example Measurements: To prepare 36 ounces of iced tea, brew 18 ounces of tea using approximately 6 teaspoons of tea leaves.

Tea is a great way to stay hydrated and healthy.  To visit Tea Safari, click on the link below. Free ground shipping in the continental U.S.

Use the coupon code at the store checkout!

http://store.teasafari.com/