Your Right To Know: Genetic Engineering and the Secret Changes in Your Food #NGFoodie

GMOs are a hot topic in our home. The amount of items in our grocery store right now not properly labeled scares us and we're not afraid to say it.

Next month we'll be voting on Prop 37 and deciding whether or not foods containing GMOs will be properly labeled as such. Now maybe I should back up.

What is a GMO? 
Now I was a bit surprised to hear that some people didn't know what GMOs were as I was sitting at a Community Garden meeting earlier this year but the truth is, people don't know! GMOs are genetically modified organisms. Basically, they're created by scientists in labs versus in nature the "natural" way. And genetically modified crops can be devistating when planted next to non-GMO crops. There's no way of preventing cross pollination between GMO crops and non-GMO crops. Scary, huh?

Why Is This So Scary? 
 For those who are not familiar with GMOs, you must check out Your Right To Know. Not only will you learn about GMOs, but you'll also learn exactly what our government is, and is not, doing to regulate genetically engineered foods.

From the book's description:
More than half of America's processed grocery products- from corn flakes to granola bars to diet drinks- contain genetically altered ingredients. They are unlabeled, untested and we are eating it. Your Right to Know is a complete, full-color reference guide outlining how unmarked genetically modified foods get on to the family dining table and what consumers can do about it. 

This definitive and accessible guide is for concerned parents, as well as the entire consumer population, who want to know more about the potential health risks, the organic options and shopping choices, and the knowledge and methods available to counter the corporate takeover of the food we eat.

This book not only takes the reader through the ins and outs of GMOs, it also discusses where GMOs can be found. It allows us to take charge and realize what to look for. By breaking down sections of the grocery store the book outlines great choices for non-GMO foods. 

What I absolutely loved about this book was the fact that I not only received the information I wanted, I also received resources. It wasn't full of opinion but the opportunity to learn and educate myself on the subject matter. Going into this election and knowing that I have a better understanding of GMOs makes me feel as if my vote will be based on research versus an opinion.

To find out more about GMOs and how you can educate yourself, check out Your Right to Know: Genetic Engineering and the Secret Changes in Your Food on sale now. And for more amazing titles, take a look at Madala Earth Books on Facebook and follow them on Twitter at @MandalaEarth.

The hardcover version of "Your Right to Know" includes a copy of the documentary (DVD) "The Future of Food" and is also on sale for 37% off right now to help promote CA's Prop 37 through the election.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Your Right To Know for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Mission Possible Book Review & Giveaway #readmissionpossible.

My oldest is just about to start pre-school for the first time. He's never gone to daycare, nor has he been watched by anyone other than family (and one family friend for a short period). Since birth I have been the one to teach him. To create experiences for him and to introduce him to new things.

When I think about who I'm handing him over to when he starts school I get nervous. then I realize that I have total control of where he goes and who his teacher is. That is until he's in elementary school.

I have to wonder with the changes made in the school systems, the budget cuts, the layoffs, have affected the teachers that are left in the schools.

Why are teachers not being held to a higher regard in this country? Why are we not doing everything we can to assure that the people who are teaching our cihldren are receiving adequate pay and adequate supplies to actually teach?!

A teacher who is limited to a specific curriculum, limited supplies, and a limited budget can only do so much. And after a few years that teacher might lose the drive and motivation they once had when they started their career. What if that burned out teacher is the one my son gets when he starts?

Because of these questions and concerns, I have to wonder if this stagnation, not being able to move forward, that is keeping our teachers from reaching a higher level in their careers, is another reason why teachers are losing their motivation.

If it is, what can I do about it? So I'm starting to look for answers, and maybe an alternative to what is available for me. I have the ability to choose where I send my son, who teaches him, and how I emphasize what is taught when he comes home. I will not let budget cuts and school reforms change the schooling my son receives and will make sure to be as involved as possible to help aid his teachers in teaching him.

I recently read Mission Possible by Eva Moskowitz, a book geared towards reforming schools and changing policies to allow schools to get things done much faster. They offer classroom-tested methods for dramatic improvement in teaching and learning and reveal the results of their many tests.

The Success Academy charter schools have proven to be quite successful. Children who attend a Success Academy are expected to take action. And parents are involved as well. All of the pressure isn't just put on the teacher, but the teacher-child-parent unit as a whole.

Teachers who work at a charter school like Success Academy are able to:

• Be more creative and innovative in their instructional approach 
• Choose their own curriculum
• Control their budget
• Not automatically be subject to the teachers' union contract

With these differences and many more in the charter school system, our children are in classrooms with happier, better paid teachers with the resources needed to teach. Head on over to the Success Academy website for more information.

To learn more about Eva's book and her mission, you can find her on Facebook and Twitter. You can also check out the Mission Possible website for a list of stores where the book is available for purchase. Have questions? Don't hesitate to reach out to Eva on Facebook or Twitter!

Why do you think this country treats teaching so differently than it does other professions?


Interested in winning a copy of Mission Possible? Simply enter the rafflecopter below by August 14th at 11:59pm. Good luck!

A Royal Birthday Celebration {@iseeme_Maia Book Review}

Our family loves to read.

We include it in our morning routine, our after nap routine, and our bedtime routine. Our kids love for books makes us very happy and we love encouraging their excitement about stories and imagination.

When I first heard about I See Me I fell in love with their whimsical storytelling and vivid illustrations. In my review of their wonderful book, Who Loves Me, I shared with you how much I enjoyed the flow of the book as well as how excited my kids were to read their names in the story.

Then we were lucky enough to receive My Very Happy Birthday in which my son was the start of the show. The size of the book and the fact that it was a board book made it perfect for our family and our small children.

When we received the latest I See Me Book, My Royal Birthday Celebration, I knew that my daugther would fall in love with it just as we had the last time. And boy was I right! As soon as I asked her if she wanted to read her birthday book she excitedly clapped her hands and grabbed it from me to climb up into bed.

I started reading to her but she quickly took over and started reading to me! She pointed out each and every person and animal and when she was done she allowed me to finish her special birthday story. Since her birthday is 6 months away we'll be putting this book up and re-introducing it to her as a special gift for when she turns two.

The best part about this I See Me! classic is that the child's name is repeated throughout the story. Your child will know that they are the star and that their special day is all about them. The royal extravaganza created for Princess Molly in her Royal Birthday Adventure created an amazing illustration of the party to come and to say Molly was excited is an understatement.

In this Royal Birthday Adventure there is even more detail and color in each page than before. The storyline quickly flows from one thing to another. My Royal Birthday Adventure is a personalized storybook that turns your child into a royal birthday princess! This beautifully illustrated book takes the birthday girl on an adventure to a magical birthday kingdom, where she is crowned princess.

Written by award-winning author Jennifer Dewing and illustrated by Valerie Sokolova, each book is made in the USA especially for each birthday girl.

Have a birthday boy? You can make a special Royal Adventure for him as well!

Buy Here | Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter

Disclaimer: I received a copy of My Royal Birthday Adventure for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.
 

Personalized @PaperHatPress Book: Little Super {#NoiseGirls Review}

There's something special about picking up a book, opening it, and finding that you're the main character! You even appear in great likeness throughout the book in the illustrations that tell the story. From your hair color, to your eyes, to your skin, the book encompass all of your features and your personality as well!

That's what my son found when he opened up his Little Super book from Paper Hat Press. Not only was this a book about a super hero, it was a book about HIM as a super hero!

As soon as we received our book in the mail I started to get excited about showing it to him. He was down for his nap and wasn't ready to wake up for another hour. But I almost woke him just to give him his book. I did resist the urge, though, and when he woke from his nap I showed him what came in the mail.

The first thing he did was unwrap the paper that was wrapped around the book. He quickly found the little note attached showing him how he could make his own paper hat. He insisted that I make it for him while he checked out his book.

I absolutely loved how beautiful the illustrations were. They told the story of my Little Super well and went into great detail about the role a super hero has and how busy they stay. Every once in a while the story would mention personal information about my son and our family that made him turn to me with wide eyes and ask, "Are they talking about me?!"

My Little Super loved reading this story and has made sure to add it to our nightly rotation of books at bedtime. His little sister is known to pick it up as well and start reading, "E, E, E, kitty, E, E, E." as she follows the story and turns the pages since she knows it's all about her little brother (and she has an obsession with kitties right now).

This book is perfect for the Little Super in your life! From amazing artistry to a fantastically woven tale perfect for children ages 2-10. The best part is how fast it takes to actually create your personalized book. It took me 5 minutes from start to finish to order it for my son.

And that included choosing the special, unique features and personalization involved in creating my own Little Super. Talk about a great experience! Shipping was quick as well and I received email confirmations along the way to let me know what was happening.

Make sure to check out the other personalized books Paper Hat Press has to offer:

• Little Sparkle
• Little Star
• Who's Birthday Is It

I'm sure there is one perfect for you and your family! These books make wonderful gifts for friends and family as well and are perfect for birthdays, potty time rewards, and holidays. For more information, or to purchase a Paper Hat Press book please visit their website at http://www.paperhatpress.com/.

You can also check them out on facebook and twitter as well to stay connected and learn about fun new adventures that might be coming soon.  Like their new circus-themed book due to arrive next month. It's sure to put a smile on your kids face and bring excitement to your bookshelf.

Paper Hat Press is being featured on Plum District! 

Take advantage of this amazingly discounted offer on Paper Hat Press books by purchasing your Plum District deal today! $24 for a Personalized Children's Book of your own (a $40 value). I just purchased mine and cannot wait to use it for their newest circus-themed book. This deal expires on June 21st at 11:59pm so hurry over and purchase one today.

Purchase the Plum District deal here

Paper Hat Press has been kind enough to offer one lucky winner a personalized book of their choice in the Noise Girls' Around The House giveaway event.

The giveaway event will be held from June 25th to July 16th and will include multiple packages valued at over $3,500! Make sure to head back and enter to WIN one of these amazing prize packages.



Disclaimer: I received a Paper Hat Press book for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  

My Very Happy Birthday book from @iseeme_maia {#springintobooks Sponsor Spotlight}

I See Me! has done it again and created an amazingly creative and beautiful personalized story book. The My Very Happy Birthday book is wonderfully written and illustrated to create excitement about your child's birthday. If you're child is like mine and is obsessed with their birthday then you need to get this book for them.

Every few pages your child's name is included in the sing-song flow of this story and their birth date is woven in as well. The book is a board book and is very sturdy. It would even be safe in the hands of my 15 month old. Our Who Loves Me? book by I See Me! is carefully kept on the upper shelves of our bookshelf so she doesn't rip any pages but this birthday book can be kept down with her other special board books to be enjoyed throughout the day.

My son didn't need much coaxing to dig into his new book and soon he was in his favorite reading spot (on his bed) with his sister "reading" the book to her. He then asked me to read it to him. And asked again that night to read it at bedtime. He's already talking about his next birthday (which isn't until next February) and how all of the animals in the book are going to be invited.

He also has started talking to my daughter about her birthday and how we have to get her a birthday book too. I can't wait to order one for her! I See Me! has both a boy version and a girl version of this book and each are perfect for any child.

Ignore my daughter... she has a bit of an obsession with her nose right now.

Interested in purchasing your very own personalized My Very Happy Birthday book? Just head on over to the I See Me! website to purchase a copy. You can also keep up with the happenings of I See Me! by becoming a fan on Facebook or following on Twitter.

- - - 

If you'd like a chance to WIN a copy head on over to my Spring Into Books giveaway and enter today!


What's your favorite children's book? Do your kids love to read too?

 Disclaimer: I received a personalized copy of My Very Happy Birthday for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I Like Book {#tiskettasket Sponsor Spotlight}

Does it make you feel awesome when people tell you things they "like" about YOU?

Imagine how great it would have felt when you were growing up to have had your very own "like" book.

The "i like" book series is amazingly powerful yet simple! They are creatively designed so each child has their own "like" book and the adults in their life write "like" statements in their book.

When we received our "i like" book (in green for my son and red for my daughter) I was eager and excited to give a copy to my son for his birthday at the end of February. I quickly wrote in it the date we were starting and since the first of March I've written at least one like a day in his book to share with him. We've also become more verbal about our likes as well.

When I kiss him goodnight and read him a bedtime story we end with our like of the day. And he tells us what he likes about his day as well as what he likes about us. It's a feel good way to end our day and we all seem a little less frazzled as we head to bed. 

When my son wakes up he goes to his book and asks me to read what it says. He goes back to previous days and repeats what I've told him I liked and he remembers what good he's accomplished over the past month. I love how positive he is about what he's doing and what he's learning. I know that this book is helping us communicate as a family and I am appreciative of that.

I can't wait to start sharing our likes for our daughter in a few months.

The "i like" book isn't just for kids. The "i like" book for couples (couples share a book) is now available and is bringing peace and happiness to couples everywhere. I can't wait to order a copy for me and my husband.

The "i like" book is back to the basics approach that swims upstream against the current of this fast-paced world. The "i like" books are immediately impactful and forever cherished.

Giveaway Event Information | Where to Buy

To find out more about the i like book check out their Facebook page or follow the i like book on twitter. Check out their blog for great tips and tricks for incorporating the book's message into every day life even more.

To purchase the i like book go here. 

Enter to win the i like book for your child (a $19.95 ARV) in the A Tisket, A Tasket spring giveaway hop that runs from April 8th to April 22nd. You won't want to miss out on the amazing packages I'll be giving away so make sure to come back and enter!

Disclaimer: I received an i like book for each of my children for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Fit Moms For Life {Review & Giveaway}

Fit Moms for Life chronicles the successes of 31 mothers who used Dustin Maher’s fitness and weight loss program with stellar successes. Armed with personal stories with before and after photos, Dustin takes the reader through the five pillars of fitness: Mindset, Nutrition, Strength Training, Burst Training, and Environment. Ultimately leading to the end goal: Staying Fit for Life.

Fit Moms for Life is perfect for mothers (and women in general) who want a fitness program that works. Dustin Maher says:

• Traditional Cardio Doesn’t Lose Fat
• You Can’t Work Out to Compensate for Poor Eating
• See Results 9 Times Faster With Burst Training
• Learn ONE Exercise That Shrinks a Waistline WITHOUT diet changes
• Burn Fat While You Sleep
• A Healthy Environment Equals A More Fit Family

I've been reading up on a lot of different fitness plans and books. I'm trying to regain my focus on my health and weight loss journey and have reached out to different branches of thoughts and ideas to find the right plan for me. Since the 17 Day Diet was a bust I need to find another alternative and a better mind set.

After reading Fit Moms For Life I have a better grasp on what I need to do on a physical level so I can worry less about what I'm eating. I mean, I'm still making healthy food choices but I'm also leveling out the bad choices that are inevitable in my stress-filled world with great workouts that burn the calories I take in.

A lot of the training tips and workout routines are simple enough that I can fit them into my daily and weekly routines. I don't feel completely exhausted afterwards but know I'm working out due to the aches I feel the next day in places I didn't know I was working!

I will continue to use the Fit Moms for Life fitness plan to try and reach my ultimate goal weight and know that by sticking with working out I'll be able to stress less about what I'm eating and enjoy myself more when out with friends and family.

Where to Purchase | Connect with Fit Moms

If you're interested in checking out Fit Moms for Life you can purchase your copy on the Fit Moms website or on Amazon. Amazon offers the paperback and Kindle edition available for purchase.

Make sure to check out the Fit Moms facebook page and twitter stream for updates and information about the book as well as tips and tricks for a healthy lifestyle!

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. This post contains affiliate links. By clicking through to the sponsor's website your are helping support the Simmworks Family Blog.

Spring Into Books Giveaway Event {@iseeme_maia My Very Happy Birthday Book}

Welcome to the Spring into Books Hop hosted by eReading on the Cheap and Beck Valley Books. The hop lasts from March 20 - March 31st at 11:59 PM EST. Each blog participating has at least a $10 book related Prize.

I'm excited to be participating in this particular blog hop because I was able to review the perfect book for our family. I See Me books has been featured on my blog before and this time they are proud to be sharing the My Very Happy Birthday book with you. And since TODAY is my birthday I thought this was the perfect book for my readers!

One lucky reader will win a copy of the My Very Happy Birthday book for their child, a retail value of $24.95. Simply enter to win by using the rafflecopter form below between now and March 31st at 11:59pm.

After you're done entering this giveaway head on over to the other blogs listed on the linky for more giveaways!

A Teddy Bear Tale {#TisketTasket Sponsor Spotlight}

I love books, especially childrens books. We include a bedtime story in our nighttime routine to not only make sure we're reading to our kids daily but to also include a little family time at the end of every day. With our routine, we let our kids choose one book and we choose the other. I recently had the honor of reviewing an illustrated children's book called A Teddy Bear Tale and as soon as I received it I included it in the selection of nighttime stories to read to the kids. My son already loves the story and has chosen it 3 times this week! Even though we can't read the whole book in one sitting (he's only 3 years old), we're able to read portions of the book to them each night. And after reading it for two weeks now, our son has started taking his teddy bear to bed with him armed with the foam sword. It's quite the sight!

A Teddy Bear Tale is the story of Tristan the Teddy Bear and his last night of guarding his child from the Monsters under the Bed. On this final night the Monsters under the bed are unleashed by the wicked Bogeyman and Tristan must defend his child from the Kobolds, the Goblins, No Names and No Noses, the Slobbering Slobs, the Knockers, Blighters and Silly Buggers, Blue Skins with bald heads and a Dust Dragon with razor sharp teeth. With his child’s innocence at stake Tristan must find a way to defeat them all and stop the Bogeyman from claiming his child.

This book is not only great for children but enjoyable for parents as well. I don't know how many times I start reading my son a story and get bored two pages in. But A Teddy Bear Tale is exciting, fun, and very descriptive. And the illustrations that accompany the story create an imagery for any child to follow. I've caught my son after a nap quietly creating a story of his own by looking at the pictures and he's pretty darn accurate when it comes to describing the story. Watching his excitement as he "reads" the book only shows how great of a story it really is. I can't wait to order him his own Tristan.  

About the Author

Hello, my name is Nick Davis and I’m an Englishman currently living on the East Coast of the USA not too far removed from Baltimore. Once upon a time I was a former White Dwarf feature writer and production editor. now I’m a content creator, web designer, writer, jack of all trades and a dedicated father.

I’m married to a very patient Irish American lady and have three children. When I am not working, running errands, playing with the kids or burrowing through an ever growing list of ongoing house ‘projects’. I can be found plodding away on a keyboard exploring the worlds of my imagination and wonder.

Where To Buy | Keep in Touch

The book can be purchased directly on Amazon or via the books website by clicking on the Buy the Book link. You can find A Teddy Bear Tale on Facebook and on Google+ to keep up with the latest about the book and the author.

Giveaway Information

One lucky reader will win a copy of A Teddy Bear Tale by Nick Davis retailing at $9.99 as a part of my child's package for the A Tisket A Tasket Spring giveaway hop.

The perfect addition to your little one's Easter basket! So stay tuned for the A Tisket, A Tasket event post coming up April 8th. Your chance to enter the giveaway for this awesome prize will be posted then.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of A Teddy Bear Tale for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.