The Parents’ Guide to the Best Kids Toys

Parents seem to constantly be battling their children over what toys they absolutely need to have. After several attempts on their child’s part that likely go to the tune of “But Mommmmmmm! I need [insert toy here]! So-and-so’s mom let them have it and I need it, too. Neeeeeeed!!!” A lot of parents cave in, go out and buy this really awesome toy that without, their child would surely drop dead at the dinner table upon hearing that it would not soon be theirs.

Another problem parents deal with quite frequently, especially when their children start to get older, is thinking a video game their child can’t live without this week is simply just a video game or that a toy or item their children wants is just a toy. In reality, Some toys and even more so, video games that have been coming out recently that children just have to have are getting obscene reviews from even adults, so thinking about what kind of effect these means for entertainment could have on your child are frightening to even think about. It is becoming increasingly difficult for parents to keep up and shield their children from what the mainstream media is trying to tell and sell to their kids. Because of this, more and more parents are opting to join online parenting groups and websites to share tips and tricks on how to shield their children from the big, scary media monster. With more and more resources becoming available to parents, it is now easier than ever to make sure you know exactly what your children are being subject to when they are playing with a toy or video game.

Because of the lifestyles and schedules we lead today, for parents who don’t have time to sift through the archives of parenting groups, communities and websites, wouldn’t it be ideal to be able to go to a website that is specifically for children’s toys alone?

The Best Toys Guide is a website dedicated specifically for children’s toys and what toys are ideal for children to have and play with. This site has done all of the work for you and is ideal to consult the next time your child is screaming about a toy that they have to have or right before holiday or birthday present shopping. The website is split into categories making it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. As a new site, they specialize in best toys 2008, giving parents a resource to consult for all of the best toys over the entire year. They have also compiled a list of the absolute best online toy stores. Because of our hectic schedules, it isn’t always a possibility to make a trip to the mall or the nearest toy stores and online shopping has gained so much attention for its accessibility and your ability to shop when you have the time to, all from the convenience of your own home.

The Best Toys Guide is definitely a handy resource to have at your fingertips when toy shopping for any child in your life.

Stay Fashionable in the Heat

The heat and humidity can mess with people, I am proof positive of that fact, turning into one raging bitch as soon as the humidity kicks up. As soon as my hair starts rising five inches above my head and my face breaks out in prize-winning acne, I need something to make me feel sexy again because all women know that if you feel sexy, other people are going to look at you and think the same thing.

It’s the little things that make a woman feel like a million bucks–New underwear, her “skinny jeans,” a manicure; a lot goes into how a woman feels about herself and what she puts on her body when she goes out in public. One thing that is not to be forgotten in the spring and summer months are a very small item that not a lot of women even give much thought–Sunglasses!

In addition to shielding your eyes from the harsh sun, sunglasses come in so many designs, colors and tints that they are a true fashion accessory. Being a fashion accessory, many labels are getting away with robbing women all over the world blind and charging ridiculous, designer prices. These prices may suit a movie star’s budget just fine, but if you’re a regular, middle-class, working woman, you know that a pair of sunglasses, or any fashion accessory at that, isn’t going to compel you to tragically break the bank to that degree. It is because of this that so many people buy online, either through eBay or through other online vendors specializing in the product they want.

It is important to find a trustworthy, cheap and quality online retailer to purchase from; you don’t want to spend your good, hard earned money on cheap accessories that are going to break in a few days, or even in a few months. Sunglass Warehouse knows what women want and stock women’s sunglasses in every color and style imaginable, striving to match the eclectic style of every woman who purchases from them.

Frankly, because I despise the heat and humidity of summer and find going outside on the hottest day of the year unbearable to begin with, I will not leave the house until I have my sunglasses already on so there is no opportunity for the sun to aggravate my eyes and cause headaches, which I am also prone to having. One of the top priorities for women when buying accessories are that the items are going to have to fit not only their attire, but their style in general and since designers everywhere are striving to expand their collections with accessories and because their styles are so versatile, Sunglass Warehouse stocks designer sunglasses at a highly affordable rate. Every woman who wants to look fashionable and hot this summer deserves the chance to do so and luckily, it doesn’t have to cost your kid’s college tuition to do so.

Book Review: Please Excuse My Daughter by Julie Klam

Allow me to preface this review by stating the fact that typically, I enjoy memoirs. Memoirs, in my opinion, mark the struggles, triumphs, courage and stamina of a person. They signify a life that has truly been lived and allow a person to share their lives with others who may benefit from reading their story.

Julie Klam was born and raised in a Jewish family where her mother and many other Jewish wives and women in general believed that women did not work. Instead, they married rich men, spent their husband’s money on luxuries that purely benefit the way they look and eat and nothing else and have a few children before they are expected to get a job and contribute to their families. Julie was not only raised in this lifestyle, she inhabited this lifestyle and truly made it her own.

Her mother frequently took her out of school so she could go shopping and wear the best clothes out of all of the girls she went to school with because she was raised thinking that that was the important part of life–The best clothes, the best hair, the best nails and so on. Because of her upbringing, Julie did not receive the education that she deserved as a young child growing up.

As every adult knows, there comes a time when you need to become an adult; to grow up and take responsibility for your life and eventually, for your family. Sadly, Julie Klam never did break away from the way she was raised and instead, formed a lifestyle around fear and laziness.

On the back cover of Julie Klam’s memoir, Please Excuse My Daughter, you will see a laundry list of pseudo-accomplishments. She had attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where it was a requirement of hers to watch a countless number of movies. She was an intern at Late Night with David Letterman, she landed her first “real” job at VH1 on the popular music video show, Pop Up Video, where she met and later married the show’s producer, Paul Leo. It was for Pop Up Video that she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Class Writing; however, as good as “Emmy Nominated Writer” looks by your name, she simply received that nomination in conjunction with the rest of the writing staff of the show. Since then, she was also published in O: The Oprah Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour and Rolling Stone, although you learn in her book that her close friend works for Rolling Stone, so it is obvious to see how she landed that gig.

Julie Klam’s life has been a series of excuses. Excuses as to why she had never had a real job that she could stick with and not because she simply enjoys the life of freelancing, but because she is simply incapable of being an adult. Throughout her memoir, where at 257 pages, was 256 pages too long, Julie whines, complains and feels sorry for herself for not being able to highlight her hair or go to Saks; she is truly her mother’s daughter.

Julie Klam simply wrote an entire memoir based upon what most “mommy bloggers” are writing about now, yet most mommy bloggers are far more entertaining and don’t lose their reader after a few posts. As a matter of a fact, Heather Armstrong of Dooce did write a book and from what I have been hearing, it’s a hell of a lot more interesting to a broader range of people than what the reviews of Please Excuse My Daughter are receiving across the board.

While Please Excuse My Daughter is written very well and some of the times is absolutely hilarious, Julie Klam’s memoir is long, dry and sticks to your throat as you try to swallow it. In my (most humble) opinion, I believe that the next time Julie Klam finds herself in another slump and needs money desperately, instead of writing a memoir (because this one surely is not going to make her the millions she lies awake dreaming of at night) she should opt for children’s books. She has a wonderful sense of humor and a talent for writing humor and should apply her talents to something not so involved; something that will not let her drag out a story and pretend it is epic when it simply falls flat.

Taken from Julie’s own blog, in a post written about Goodreads, a site where people are able to keep track of the books they want to read, have read and write reviews, you can tell what a self-assured woman Klam is when she responds to those who do not enjoy her book and agree with her that she is brilliant by saying, “…I’m thinking of leaving the Author Program, too, because I want to write nasty things to people who give my book low ratings and I don’t want them to know it’s me. (Like “Sorry, I didn’t write the book for half-wits.”) You know?”

Well Julie, who did you write this book for? If it was for yourself, then I suggest you stick to journaling your random thoughts and long monologues about why your life was so hard. If you wrote the book for well-read individuals looking for a book about someone’s life who has accomplished something and who actually has something to say, well I’m here to tell you that you’ve disappointed your ideal audience.

Rating:
Buy the Book!

Hell’s Kitchen’s Newest Executive Chef

The season finale of Gordon Ramsay’s popular reality show, Hell’s Kitchen, revealed the winner and new Executive Chef for Gordon Ramsay’s newest restaurant.

Christina, a 25 year old culinary student with only three years of experience hit it big last night landing herself an Executive Chef position with a $250,000 salary. Beating out Petrozza for the position, she learned that an elegant dining room and simple, home style food with a gourmet twist can go a long way and her efforts certainly paid off.

I’m glad that someone with a passion for cooking won this season, although I was rooting for Corey from the beginning and was devastated when she left. I’m just glad that Jen didn’t win because I could not stand her; every time she opened her mouth I cringed, especially on the finale when she was asking Gordon for a letter of recommendation with a fake smile and that arrogant tone of hers.

Congratulations to Christina and may she have a successful career; she sure is starting off on the right foot.

Find the Best Deals on Diamonds and Jewelry

Summer is the season for engagements, weddings and in turn, wedding anniversaries. People are most definitely spending an obscene amount of money leading up to the summer season and a lot of people run into the problem that for the first few months leading up to summer and through the entire season, prices on jewelry of all kinds is marked up for just these occasions, as well as through all major holidays.

Because of the convenience as well as the chance to find the best deals possible, more and more people are shopping online. The only confusing and sometimes irritating people run into while shopping online is the fact that there are so many websites out there trying to sell you pretty much the same thing–How do you know what site to choose and what site is going to give you the best deal possible for the item you want?

My Jewelry Box is an online jewelry store with the best prices that I have yet to come across. They carry all types of jewelry, perfect for any occasion. With an extensive collection of blue topaz jewelry, diamond stud earrings and a massive selection of engagement and wedding rings and bridal jewelry, My Jewelry Box is a site that must not be missed; you won’t find a better deal anywhere else with the same selection or customer satisfaction they strive for.

Whatever kind of jewelry you are looking for, for any occasion, My Jewelry Box not only has the best prices out there, but they also offer free Fed Ex shipping on all orders over $99 as well as free gift wrapping if you’re planning on purchasing something for that special someone in your life.

The Hopeful Haven Project

When you think of homeless shelters, most people’s first thoughts leap to movies and what they’ve seen showcased on their television screens–Bland, cold, run down. Sadly, what people have seen for so many years on movies and television shows aren’t far from the truth in the least.

Terry Grahl visited a homeless shelter for women dealing with drug addictions and domestic violence, Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac, MI. The women who live at Grace Centers of Hope have already had some very traumatic and life-shattering experiences and this shelter provides these women with shelter for them and their children for up to one year. Because of the experiences these women have already had, shelters such as Grace Centers of Hope and so many others across the country are there to lend these women a hand, to assure these women that their lives are not over and to relieve these women of their pasts and teach them to look forward towards a hopeful and promising future. While the mission of these shelters is amazing, the interior most often resembles the emotional deterioration of the women themselves; which is exactly what Terry Grahl thought when she visited Grace Centers of Hope.

As soon as Terry had seen the prison-like beds that these women slept in, the walls and carpets that looked as if they were part of an abandoned building that fell prey to a handful of high school kids wanting a place to party, she knew she had found a project to dedicate her time and talent to. Terry believed that these women deserved so much more, especially considering that Grace Centers of Hope is the “in between” place for these women to start to get on their own two feet and start to make sense of their lives. How were they to make sense of their lives while living in a space that lacked to inspire.

Luckily, not only Terry felt this way, but so did the women who ran this shelter as well as the people who had donated money to be used to revamp the center as well as those who had donated various items such as ceiling fans, air conditioners, washers and dryers, baby cribs, curtains, beauty products, homemade art and so much more. The community surrounding Grace Centers of Hope came together with Terry, the women who run this shelter and the women who find themselves in a shelter that once reminded them of how lost they were, but can now remind them to always have hope, to not look upon themselves as victims and to provide the best life they possibly can to their own children. The women of Grace Centers of Hope can now feel inspired, motivated and hopeful and their surroundings can now uplift them and hopefully, they will never feel the sorrow, loneliness, or feel victimized in any way for the rest of their lives.

To see what Terry and the women of Grace Centers of Hope and the people of Pontiac, MI did to transform this space for the women who live there, click the images below and you can also visit Terry’s website, Terry’s Enchanted Cottage, where she has dedicated a page to The Hopeful Haven Project.

Before Pictures:

After Pictures:

Mind Your Own Business Girls: Business Coaching, Education & Empowerment for Woman Entrepreneurs

Successful woman entrepreneur, strategic business coach and mentor Karina Harris, who has been featured in the January 2007 issue of Home Business Connection Magazine [PDF] for her overwhelming and profitable Kangen Water home business, has taken the success she has achieved within her career to a new level and is now teaching other hopeful woman entrepreneurs how to follow in her footsteps and make a six-figure income or more each and every single year with her business coaching, education and empowerment firm, Mind Your Own Business Girls.

Just two short years ago, Karina was just like many other woman entrepreneurs today–Sick and tired of home-based opportunities that kept going under or being shut down; little did she know, something as simple as water could completely change her life.

Enagic, a global, 45 year company is turning home-based reps into millionaires. Enagic manufactures water electrolysis machines that produce Kangen Water, a water that enhances the health benefits of plain tap water.

Everywhere you look, people are drinking water and as people strive to achieve optimum health and fitness, they want the best water they can get. Karina found this to be true in just her first month working within her home-based Kangen Water business and made nearly $30,000 simply by spreading the word about this revolutionary water!

If you’re struggling to pay bills, keep gas in your car because of long work commutes or have been dreaming of starting you own business, but a job with strenuous work hours and little flexibility have kept you from living your dreams, Mind Your Own Business Girls is here to help you make your transition into minding your own business seamless. Whether you are just deciding to start building your own business and being your own boss, are an experienced entrepreneur who wants to mix and mingle with the right people to get ahead, are unemployed and looking for a home-based, turn key business that can kick start your life and secure you and your family’s future, or even if you have a job and are just looking for a part time gig that you can have fun with and earn a six-figure income in the process, Mind Your Own Business Girls wants to help you succeed and start living the life of your dreams!

Mind Your Own Business Girls will give you everything you need in order to start minding your own business as soon as possible! As a successful woman entrepreneur herself, Karina Harris knows exactly how to market a business for success and with a complete turn key business, you will have everything you need to go out there and start earning your six-figure income as soon as possible–Best of all, this is a secure income that lasts, not just some too good to be true business to put your heart into with no pay off.

Visit Mind Your Own Business Girls for information on the business and coaching areas and how to kick start your life and business in as little as 28 days. Find out just how powerful of a resource Mind Your Own Business Girls is and what Karina Harris can do for you and your new, home-based turn key business.