a few of my favorite things...

bear feels scared.

This is a new favorite read around our house.  My oldest loves "scary" books.  I actually love all the "bear" books, so it is a favorite of mine too!

flatten me GIVEAWAY.

Pirates + fairies + magic + whimsy.  Stories of magic and far away places are intertwined with your little one as pictures of him/her pop up on page after page.  Such fun it is to dive into a story all about YOU.  Your little one will adore seeing a picture of himself on the pages of a beloved book.  I have mentioned FlattenMe here before and am now back to give one of you lucky readers a chance to win one of your very own.  Just follow the simple rules below and answer the question...What book would you choose?

Giveaway Rules:

*enter a comment on this post
*please enter only once
*answer the above question
*currently we cannot ship internationally
*contest expires Tuesday August 12th at midnight (CST)
*one random winner will be announced Wednesday, August 13th.
*the winner has 48 hours to email me or a new winner will be chosen

flatten me.

One of my favorite activities to do with my boys is to read stories with them.  We love all kinds of books about bulldozers and trucks, to a little boy trying to catch a star.  But among the most treasured are stories about each of them.  Kids love to hear their name and see their picture, in a book no less.  Eyes light up and everything becomes magical.  Perhaps this is why I fell head of heals for FlattenMe.

A fantastic new company [to me] that takes your child's picture and inserts it into a fairy tale story all about him/her.  Imagination comes to life right before your eyes.

"Our lives are defined by stories – stories of childhood, of triumph, of loss. Even wild stories of the imagination. When a child pretends to be a pirate or a princess or a fairy, she truly believes she has changed, become part of a different world for that moment in time. She has invented a new story of her own.

It is in this world – one of imagination, inspiration and gifts of the heart – in which flattenme was born. We seek not only to spark the imagination of a child, but to take a story which starts as a moment in time – a photograph – and then becomes something entirely new."

I must admit that I too am enamored with pictures of Benny dancing across the pages of the story.  And not just any Benny, but My Benny.  This book will be something I will treasure for years to come.

 

elmer the elephant.

My oldest son Ty just got this book for his third birthday.  We especially like it since our last name is Elmer.  But what's even cooler is this colorful little bookshelf to go along with it.  If only I could find an excuse to splurge...

what i wish.

I wish I would have been more informed about vaccines before I had my two boys.  Although I can't go back and change what has already been done, I can arm myself with valuable information for when I am ready to embark on number three. This book contains priceless information that can help you decide what vaccine schedule you would like for your child/children.   Trust me when I say this is one book that you will want sitting on your bookshelf.

story time.

One of my most favorite activities to do with my three year old is story time.  I love browsing through his bookshelf before nap time and bedtime and selecting a favorite or two.  Right now this and this is a go to of mine.  What are your favorite children's books?

the first adventures of incredible you.

I have a deep and undying love for books.  Books for me + books for my boys.  I could literally spend all day in a book store without ever getting bored.  That is why I was beyond thrilled when Custom Made for Kids introduced me to their fabulous creation!

The First Adventures of Incredible You is a charming, customizable book especially crafted for the special little guy or gal in your life.  My son thought it was absolutely wicked that as we read, it named off all his favorite people from his little brother Benny to one of his favorites,  Aunt Sassy.

"Custom Made For Kids was born out of a desire to give people the opportunity to buy thoughtful, personalized and meaningful gifts for the special children in their lives. Our first personalized children's book, The First Adventures of Incredible You, is about the most memorable experiences of early childhood. By answering a few questions, you can personalize these experiences so that the custom storybook includes the specific people, places and things that are unique to each child and his or her family."

Now I will no longer be wondering what to give as birthday gift and worrying about adding more clutter to another toy bin.  Thoughtful, yes.  Fun, yes.  One of a kind, yes yes.  Go check it out now!

magazines.

My two new favorite magazines {Organize + Dwell}.  My list just keeps getting longer and longer!  So far I subscribe to....

Wondertime
Domino
Real Simple
Cookie
Organize
Dwell

Okay maybe I need help....

What magazines do you like to read?

a favorite.

This is a constant favorite book at our house.  My son Ty loves it and often chooses it as part of his nighttime story time.

these is my words.

One of my most favorite activities to indulge in when I have a little bit of free time is to get lost in a book.  At this moment I am reading These is my Words for book club.  Any fellow readers with suggestions?