A few years ago, I read the book Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks (best-selling author of The Notebook). Already a big fan of his books, I fell in love with the story, the characters, and the setting. Safe Haven is a story of second chances, and fresh starts, a story with romance, danger, and suspense. Earlier this month, the film based on this book starring Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel hit stores on DVD and Blu-ray! I’ll admit my husband was unsure about spending an evening watching this classic chick flick, but it made the perfect At-Home Date Night movie selection!

Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough star in this spellbinding romantic drama based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook). When a mysterious, beautiful woman named Katie (Hough), moves to Southport, North Carolina, she sparks the interest of the locals, especially Alex (Duhamel), a handsome widower. Although she is attracted to Alex, Katie is reluctant to trust him – that is, until a new friend (Cobie Smulders) convinces her to give Alex a chance. But before long, a dark secret from Katie’s past threatens her happiness in this thrilling romance directed by Lasse Hallström (Dear John).

The story is super sweet, but I love the “rising above your past” message, and my husband enjoyed the danger and suspense aspect. The acting in this film is subtle, natural, and so believable. The gorgeous location of the story is perfect for gearing up for the warm weather nights of summer, with beautiful beaches and a charming small coastal town feel. I was anxious to see how Julianne Hough did as the main character in this film having seen her previously on Dancing With the Stars, but Hough and Duhamel had amazing chemistry and lit the screen on fire! I can’t always say this about films based on books I’ve read, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and almost as much as I enjoyed reading the book! If you haven’t read the book, I won’t spoil anything for you, but you definitely don’t want to miss the amazing revelation at the end!

The Blu-ray bonus features include alternate ending, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes. Visit Safe Haven on Facebook and on Twitter (@safehavenmovie). And be on the lookout for it in a store near you! Rated PG13. Run time: 116 minutes.

Here are a few quick tips to clean up your blog posts:

1. Say It With Words

Exclamation points should be used sparingly. Capital letters should be used sparingly. Exclaim with your words, not your punctuation. I reserve capital letters for the beginning of sentences, proper names, and other such instances. Over-utilization of punctuation to get a point across tells the reader you couldn’t find the words. (Ex. This is BAD!!!!)

2. Introduction and Conclusion

Although it’s necessary to begin with an introduction and end with a conclusion to frame your post, remember lengthy ones are not always necessary. Even a sentence or two often does the job, as long as you don’t just jump right in or leave the reader hanging. For instance, starting this post with “Say It With Words” would have left readers wondering what gives me any authority to offer writing tips.

3. Post Title

This is one tip I’m guilty myself of not following myself, especially when posting review. The title should be concise, capture readers’ attention and be relevant to the writing. If you can imagine the same title being used in twenty other blog posts, think of a new one. And remember to capitalize all letters with the exception of articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (ex: and, but, or, for, nor) and prepositions (ex: on, at, to, from, by).

4. Elipsis…

I use the ellipsis incorrectly often but try not to do so in a seriously written post. I make exceptions for myself in conversational writing, on Facebook or Twitter for instance, although some  would argue against such a practice.  But at least be aware of their proper use as I see periods floating around the blogosphere in the guise of elipsis in all sorts of ways. Elipsis, a succession of three evenly spaced (and always three) periods are used to denote words have been omitted when quoting material. All other uses such as to denote “and so on” are not correct. Incidentally, if you’re using an elipsis at the end of a sentence it looks like this: … .

5. Re-read and Revise

The best way to revise your post is to read it out loud. Yes, you will feel silly. By nature we do not like to admit mistakes. When you find errors in your writing, you’re doing just that. Often the ear will pick up mistakes the eye skimmed over on a re-read.

Bonus Tip: If my lawn didn’t look like it was still fall with leaves and sticks littering the yard, I would clean up this post by revising out so many “to be” verbs. But alas, spring cleanup is calling.

If you have any questions about these or other tips, feel free to connect on Twitter (@CoolBabyKid). And remember, while rules are made to be broken, we have to know the rule first in order to manipulate it.

My daughters are 10 and 12, and let’s be honest… there’s not a great supply of clean, wholesome, non-celebrity infused reading material for them. We’ve have found one magazine, however, that both of my girls enjoy thoroughly and Mom and Dad approve of! It’s called Discovery Girls, and it’s been a huge hit at our house for about a year-and-a-half now. We LOVE Discovery Girls magazine! I’ve posted about the magazine before, but my favorite thing is that this magazine is written by girls for girls, and features everyday preteen girls just like mine in each issue. You’ll find no celebrities on the cover of this magazine! The magazine covers topics that both educate and entertain, plus added girly fun like their Embarrassing Moments section (one of my girls favorite), and quizzes.

Discovery Girls has now gone digital with the introduction of their brand-new iOS app. The app is FREE, but you do have to have a subscription to the magazine to receive issues. ALTHOUGH, right now you can download the FREE app here (for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch users) and receive the first interactive issue FREE! It’s all the goodness of a normal Discovery Girls issue, but with the added interactive fun. Now your girls can touch the screen to discover added features to each of their favorite articles like getting results  to the included polls of Discovery Girls readers, or touching their quiz answers and receiving results instantly. Navigating between articles is super easy, and everything is right at your fingertips.

The girls and I have checked out the new digital version, and they are already big fans! Find out more at www.discoverygirls.com. Be sure to visit the Discovery Girls Facebook page, and follow @DGmagazine on Twitter!

Diva Giveaway

Enter to win a subscription to both the print and digital versions of Discovery Girls magazine! Remember to leave the mandatory comment (see Rafflecopter below) in order to be eligible to win. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on May 27th.

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Looking for a last minute, unique Mother’s Day gift? Check out CollageIt Pro (retails for $29.90) from Pearl Mountain! It’s software that helps create gorgeous picture collages that can be used for a variety of projects! Available for Mac OS X and Windows users, the software is easy-to-use and offers tons of options…

• Making collages is as easy as 1-2-3 with only 3 steps, choose template -> add photos & customize -> export collage.

• Various layouts and diverse templates.

• Easily personalize collage by cropping, adjusting photo number, photo space, page margin, rotation, sparse, and so on.

• Save collage as an image file; set as desktop wallpaper; share through Email; or print it out.

CollageIt Pro also makes it easy to share your creations via Facebook and Flickr! The potential is limitless. Make posters, cards, and more! Pearl Mountain wants to celebrate Mother’s Day with you by giving away 20 FREE downloads of CollageIt Pro (12 Windows & 8 Mac)!! Find out more at the CollageIt Pro website, on Twitter (@pearlmountain_t), and on Facebook!

Diva Giveaway

Enter to win a CollageIt Pro download (12 Windows & 8 Mac)! 20 WINNERS! Remember to leave the mandatory comment (see Rafflecopter below) in order to be eligible to win. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on May 27th.

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1. We’re be BACK!!

The promise of a new Disney vacation every year. While it’s fun planning for a Disney trip, it is also extremely sad to pack up and that last day we leave for home without knowing when will be back. As DVC members we know another Disney vacation is always on the horizon, and that is a good feeling. My husband chastises me for always being in trip-planning mode, but I think it’s part of the fun.

2. Cost Savings

We did the math and, for us, DVC membership is a cost savings. Rather than spend $2,000 for a seven night Animal Kingdom Lodge stay, we decided instead to purchase 100 DVC points (at Coronado Springs as our home resort) and spent $10,000 plus annual fees for 40 years of vacations. The general rule is that if you take one luxury trip or vacation each year it may make sense to join.

3. Not Just Disney

People ask about our DVC membership, “Won’t you get sick of going to Disney every year?” (Tired of Walt Disney World? What!?)  DVC membership includes other Disney-owned resorts such as Aulani in Hawaii  but also as a part of their partnership with RCI, we are able to use our point and number of destinations and about the US and around the world.

4. Welcome Home/Perks

Being a DVC member offers fun perks. Their moniker “welcome home” truly does make you feel like a part of a special Disney family during each vacation.

5.  Mix-It Up, Disney Style

Trying to accomplish everything on one Disney trip can be daunting and exhausting. As a DVC member,  I enjoy deciding on which time of year we’ll visit and what new things we can try. Since joining we’ve enjoyed a 7-night animal Kingdom Lodge summer vacation, a just-the-girls Beach Club Villas stay for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon and this December will see Disney during the holidays for the first time.  Choosing different restaurants and experiences each year, I’m convinced we’ll still never see and do it all, but DVC gives us the opportunity to give it our best shot!

Read more Disney tips and let me know @CoolBabyKid if you have any questions.

May is “Get Caught Reading Month” and one of our favorite storybook series characters, Little Critter, and beloved author Mercer Mayer are celebrating in a fun and unique way! Little Critter books are some of our favorites, and get read over and over again. The stories are relatable for children everywhere, and entertain. For the first time, Little Critter and beloved author Mercer Mayer are participating in the Association of American Publisher’s (AAP) national “Get Caught Reading” celebrity poster campaign!

Created to inspire a love of reading in people of all ages, Mercer Mayer appears in a poster together with Little Critter as they are “caught reading” an original copy of the book, Little Critter’s The Trip, celebrating the print edition’s transition into Silver Dolphin Books award-winning app, The Trip – Little Critter Reading Adventure. Posters are made available to teachers and parents for use in classrooms, libraries and other locations throughout the country. All posters are free, but the AAP asks that you pay $5.00 per set for shipping & handling, whether you order one poster or 12. A set is defined as any number of posters that you order between one and 12! Posters can be ordered here!

Also, The Trip – Little Critter Reading Adventure app was recently awarded The National Parenting Center’s 2013 Seal of Approval! To celebrate this great news, during Children’s Book Week, May 13–19, 2013, Silver Dolphin Books is reducing the price of The Trip – Little Critter Reading Adventure app from $3.99 to just $0.99! The app is available through iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Google Play.

And as if that’s not enough Little Critter awesomeness, Silver Dolphin Books has launched the “Get Caught Reading Contest” on their Facebook page where three lucky winners have the opportunity to win a $200 value gift basket, including the all NEW Little Critter plush from MerryMakers Inc., The Trip – Little Critter Reading Adventure and GamePak apps; and lots of fun reading and activity books! PLUS: One Grand Prize winner will win an all-new iPad Mini (16GB, Wi-Fi)!

Want your own ALL-NEW Little Critter plush from Silver Dolphin Books and MerryMakers Inc.? Keep reading to enter! Find out more about Silver Dolphin Books on their website, by visiting them on Facebook, and following @SilverDolphin on Twitter. Be sure to visit MerryMakers on Facebook, too! Want to keep update on products and news from Silver Dolphin Books? Click here to sign up for their email newsletter (bottom of the page).

Diva Giveaway

Enter to win a 11″ Little Critter Doll! Remember to leave the mandatory comment (see Rafflecopter below) in order to be eligible to win. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on May 20th.

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Looking for a great deal on a Mother’s Day gift that keeps giving all year long? Magazines.com is having a fantastic deal on subscriptions now through May 13th!

Find magazines like Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, O – The Oprah Magazine, Southern Living, Redbook, Cooking With Paula Deen, Woman’s Day, Parenting, Better Homes & Gardens, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and Family Circle for $10 and less!! There are some subscriptions more expensive than $10, but with so many to choose form at such a great discount, you can’t go wrong. A magazine subscription is a great gift for moms, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, and even yourself. Get a subscription to learn new recipes, new home decor tips, or get ideas for the kids. Plus, it gets delivered right to their door!

Visit Magazines.com now to take advantage of this great offer! Be sure to visit Magazines.com on Facebook, and on Twitter (@Magazines).

Diva Giveaway

Enter to win a $10 Magazines.com gift code! Remember to leave the mandatory comment (see Rafflecopter below) in order to be eligible to win. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on May 20th.

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The Pajanimals want to help you and your little one celebrate Mother’s Day with a FREE printable Mother’s Day coloring page! Just click on the image below to download and print your FREE Pajanimals coloring page…

Did you know that May is National Family Month?

KidsPeace, a private charity founded in 1882, created National Family Month. This month-long celebration helps raise awareness and highlights the importance of family – kids, mothers, fathers, relatives and caregivers – and encourages supporting one another. National Family Month also provides an opportunity for families to share special time together, to develop or renew relationships, and to remind everyone about the importance of family involvement in raising healthy, confident kids.

To join in the celebration, you can catch two family-themed Pajanimals episodes – one on Saturday, May 11, and one Sunday, May 12!

“Missing Mom and Dad:” At bedtime, Sweet Pea Sue misses Mom and Dad and wishes she could sneak into their bed where it feels so “warm and safe.” The Pajanimals travel to The Night Sky where The Moon comforts her and tells Sweet Pea Sue that her parents are very close by and will always be there (if she needs them). And the episode, “Mom is Amazing!:” Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and the Pajanimals have decided to help Mom with her chores, but they quickly realize that Mom does A LOT of chores for the family. Not sure what to do, the Pajanimals travel to the Night Sky, where The Moon tells them that just recognizing all that Mom does and offering to help her is a great gift not just for Mother’s Day, but any day.

Don’t miss other fun Pajanimals’ themed activities at www.sproutonline.com, including:

· Printable Pajanimals Bedtime Activity Cards which parents and kids can use to learn about and reinforce healthy bedtime routines!
· The site also features fun family games like Sweet Pea Sue’s Heart Catcher — this fun, online game keeps kids and parents on their toes as they try to catch all of the falling hearts by moving the basket left or right; and Pajanimals Adventure Game, which takes the whole family on an adventure with The Pajanimals, including a visit to Jerry the Bear’s house in the Friendly Forest!
· There are also fun family craft projects like Big Blue Sea Felt Aquarium, which instructs families on how they can create an indoor aquarium out of felt; and Apollo’s Night Time Memory Game, which helps families to create their own special memory game to play again and again.
· Nothing brings a family together like meal times, and the Pajanimals have a number of easy recipes the whole family can make and enjoy, including CowBella’s
S-moo-thie, Apollo’s Moon and Stars snacks and Sweetpea Sue’s Horseshoe Bread, a sweet snack that’ll be fun to make for mom on Mother’s Day.

Remember the other day when I posted about how much Luke LOVES his new Pajanimals Apollo plush?! Keep reading for a chance to win a Pajanimals plush for your little one in honor of Mother’s Day!

Check out the Pajanimals on Facebook!

Diva Giveaway

Enter to win a 15” large Pajanimals plush! Which one would you pick? Cowbella, Apollo, Sweetpea Sue or Squacky? Remember to leave the mandatory comment (see Rafflecopter below) in order to be eligible to win. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on May 20th.

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For other personalized gift ideas, with in-store Wi-Fi at the KODAK Picture Kiosks and the recently updated CVS mobile app, photos can be uploaded directly from smartphone camera galleries to create personalized gifts such as photo books ($5.99 – $14.99) and calendars ($19.99). One-of-a-kind greeting cards can be created in just minutes by adding photos using customizable templates ($1.99), or simply print special photos to frame for mom to display at home. Best yet they are buy one get one free between now and May 11, 2013. 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Frederick Douglass once said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” This is such a true statement and a big reason why I am so passionate about children’s books! Introducing my children to books at an early age gave them the freedom to explore the world from the pages of a book. No children’s book company does this better than Nat Geo KIDS with their amazing photography featured in their children’s books! They recently released two new books that are all about exploration and the world around us, taking your children to places they’ve never seen before, and inspiring them for the future…

The World Is Waiting For You, featuring Barbara Kerley photo inspirations, is full of motivation to take exploration to new heights by turning it into a career.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a question kids get asked over and over. But very few connections are made for kids between the present and the future. This book shows kids a pathway from their current interests and talents to a future career or interest. And in so doing, it also encourages adventure, exploration, and discovery, three core principles of National Geographic’s mission. It’s a celebration of possibility–so simple and so profound.

The kiddos could almost leap right into the pages of this amazing book! I LOVED the message behind the photos – explore your world. And while you’re at it… get your hands a little dirty in the process. Ha!

My favorite page in the book is this one…

“The whole wide world is waiting for you… Ready. Set. Go.” Snag your own copy of The World is Waiting for You on Amazon for $12.92 (jacketed hardcover).

Do your little ones find the ocean an awe-inspiring place? Then they will love the Ocean Counting book from National Geographic Little Kids! Featuring numbers from one to ten, and an abundance of ocean animals in full color gorgeous photos, Ocean Counting is also on Amazon for $11.43 (jacketed hardcover).

Throughout our world’s oceans live wild animals that swim, leap, and dive through the pages of this charming title. The photography in this book presents young readers with a foundation for learning basic counting skills while discovering some magnificent ocean animals. The marine life captured on each page portray familiar favorites along with a few lesser-known, but still amazing, animals. Lyrical text about each creature is both lively and thought-provoking. “Did You Know” facts accompany each spread to add both fun and fascinating tidbits about each creature. Fact boxes in the back of the book include information about the animals’ homes, sizes, diets, predators, and babies. The book ends with an interactive map and a brief and inspirational note from National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry. A glossary helps kids expand their vocabulary, and a list of books and websites for further reading help jump-start more discovery.

Luke had a blast learning fun facts about his favorite ocean animals, and counting them along the way through the book!

The entertainment and educational value of this book combined make it a great resource for preschoolers!

We learned all about animals, and even a bit about photography. Be sure to visit the Nat Geo KIDS Facebook page, and follow @NGKidsBks on Twitter!

Diva Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of both The World is Waiting for You and Ocean Counting from Nat Geo KIDS! Remember to leave the mandatory comment (see Rafflecopter below) in order to be eligible to win. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on May 20th.

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