Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Valentine's Gift Guide 2018




While I love Valentine's Day I don't usually do it big at my house.  A small gift or two for everyone and we are done. I would have loved it to be bigger but funds after Christmas was always a little tight. With that being said, I love the idea of a big celebration of love and I know many friends who really do it up including leaving the Christmas Tree up and making it a Valentine's tree with lots of hearts and reds. Whatever your budget is, hopefully I have an idea for everyone.

Stranger Things Fans will love this Stranger Things Valentine's Day Beauty Basket

Avail on Etsy
Unicorn lovers or poop lovers will get a kick out of this
Amazon


You cannot go wrong with Two Dozen Roses. 

Proflowers

Everyone needs a peanut butter spoon!

Avail on Etsy
Men and some WOMAN love Jerky! They can also both be jerks. How about instead of chocolate you gift them with a Jerky Heart from Man Crates.

Avail at Man Crates
Who doesn't love pink? Bet you don't love it as much as Pinkalicious loves pink.

Amazon
Roses are great but maybe they prefer Corgis!

Think Geek

Who hasn't etched their initials in a poor in the wrong place at the wrong time tree once in their life. I have!  Check out this wall plaque to remind you of the time.

Avail at Personalization Mail
Harry Potter Fans or just people who like to pretend they have wooooo magical powers will go wizard crazy over this remote control.

Amazon
You cannot go wrong with a box of Godiva but if you think you may want a piece you better buy two.
Amazon


I know exactly which of my friends would love to receive this on Valentine's Day.

Avail on Etsy
What a wonderful tribute to the love for your daughter.

On Amazon
We love our sons! This is a wonderful day to let them know. They may not appreciate until you are gone but....
Available on Amazon
 
Valentine's Day Berries from Edible Arrangements look and taste fantastic!
Edible Arrangements
Kids love Shopkins. I love this cute collection of Valentine's Shopkins.

Avail on Amazon


And....feelingn sexy? Here are some must haves for your bedside table. Look for my review coming up.

Give your partner the gift of organic pleasure this Valentine’s Day. Good Clean Love’s personal lubricants, love oils, and fragrances are made with all natural ingredients. While other intimate products contain heavily concentrated petrochemical ingredients that disrupt the natural salt balance and immune protection in vaginal area and have proven harmful to skin. Good Clean Love offers the below natural products as a great solution and a perfect gift for your Valentine!

Almost Naked ($15.99):
·         Made with aloe Vera and agar (seaweed)
·         Responds to your own internal moisture  
·         Dries without any sticky cleanups

.     Naturally deodorizing and moisturizing
.         No petrochemicals, no parabens, no hormones
.   Compact and complete with hands-free applicator

·       Made with pure, high-quality essential oils sourced from all over the world
·       Made from organic and wild crafted oils whenever possible
·       Free of petrochemicals, parabens, and glycerin
·       Safe to use all over your body
·       Nourishing to the skin
·       100% Vegan & Cruelty-free

·       Petrochemical-, solvent-, and fixative-free
·       Responds to your unique body chemistry
·       A healthy alternative to synthetic fragrances

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Photo Challenge - Day 22 - Day 28

Day 22 - The view from my deck is incredible with that winter sky. There is something about winter sunsets.


Day 23 - Luna wondering why I am home today. My son was sick so...sick day. He slept Luna stared at me on my computer.


Day 24 - Does everyone's cat sleep on the table? I find it so strange. My first cat never did this. Luna is always on the table. So annoying but who could wake that sweet face.


Day 25 - Prep U is a personal care products for teen boys.



Day 26 - We have been stuffing some envelopes for a fundraiser for animal shelter we got Luna from. Luna really really wanted to be part of this endeavor.


Day 27 - The first night out in a long long time. Work Holiday Party at the end of January is perfect. Far enough away from the holidays to feel like a night out without the stress of the holidays and all you have to get done. Had a good time with my from Clary. We were friends first now co-workers. It is a good thing to have a long time friend at your newish job. I am there since September 2016.


Day 28 - Watching Season 1 of Steven Universe on DVD with my favorite girl!




5 Reasons Pre-School Years Are A Prime Time For Learning






As a teacher's assistant in preschool for 1-3 year olds I can tell you that I totally agree with this. I am honored to teach some of the youngest students of our preschool. We teach science, art, math, letters, numbers, socialization, how to be kind and empathetic and more to 2 year olds. They love to learn and retain so much. They truly are sponges.
 
Much of the discussion about education focuses on the K-12 years, but some early childhood education experts suggest serious learning can start even earlier and pay dividends for the child in years to come.
 “Young children have the capacity at a very young age to be academically challenged, and we need to educate them strongly during those years instead of waiting until they are older,” says Alise McGregor, founder of Little Newtons (www.littlenewtons.com), an early education center with locations in Minnesota and Illinois.

“Children’s minds are like sponges when they are very young. Under age 5 is the most important time for development and our best opportunity to set up children for success. If we strongly educate children at a very young age, while their brains are so pliable, by the time they reach kindergarten, their brain capacity is much higher.”

Recent research confirms that the first five years of life are particularly important for the development of the child's brain. Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child reports that in the first few years, more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second, building the brain’s architecture. 
This growth of the brain’s network establishes a fertile foundation for learning, thus an opportunity to be better prepared for grade school and beyond, experts say. One analysis of several studies, “Impacts of Early Childhood Education on Medium- and Long-term Education,” showed that children exposed to high-quality pre-kindergarten education performed better academically in later years. Early education also led to higher graduation rates, fewer special education placements and less grade retention.
McGregor suggests five reasons parents should consider ramping up their pre-K child’s education:

• Socialization. Socialization with people other than the child’s family in a safe environment is an essential foundational element. “It’s important to introduce our children to other children and support their transition into their own friendship groups, and the earlier we do this, it helps children overcome shyness and gain self-confidence,” McGregor says. 

• Personal experiences. These assist the brain’s organizational development and functioning in many situations, helping children develop learning skills as well as social and emotional abilities. “A good early-education center creates an environment where imagination, love and innovation all come together for a daily adventure,” McGregor says. 

• Enthusiasm for Learning. Lessons can be given in a fun and exciting way that will encourage children to be effective learners. “Feeling inspired and excited to learn takes root in preschool,” McGregor says, “and can last a lifetime.”

• Learning respect for others. A fundamental building block for happiness, friendships and success in life starts early by learning how to share, cooperate, take turns and be nice. “By carrying on conversations, following rules, listening, accepting consequences of actions, the child learns early how to start getting along in the world,” McGregor says. 

• Resilience. It’s important that early childhood educators and parents work together to develop resilience in children as early as possible. “By creating a consistent and stable environment with clear expectations and predictable consequences, children can develop skills in managing themselves and their emotions,” McGregor says. “They may experience bumps, bruises or losing a game, but this is the foundation for building coping strategies for greater challenges in life.”

“The first five years of life are the most critical,” McGregor says. “It is far easier to train a child than it is to fix a broken adult.”

About Alise McGregor
Alise McGregor is the founder of Little Newtons (www.littlenewtons.com), an exceptional child care center focusing on early childhood education with four locations in Minnesota and one in Illinois. She is the author of an upcoming book, Creating Brilliance. Also a nurse, she has a B.S. in Exercise Physiology with a cardiac rehabilitation emphasis.