Benji & The Giant Kite Book Review and Giveaway

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Benji & The Giant Kite is a hardcover children's book that is by bestselling author Alan C. Fox with illustrations by Eefje Kuijl. This adorable book is the story of a child named Benji's experience of kite flying and earning money for a giant bright orange kite with hard work. Benji & the 24 Pound Banana Squash is based on a real-life event that happened when Alan Fox was eight. It teaches kids about patience, love, ambition, dedication, and perseverance and how working hard to earn money to achieve a goal can be so rewarding in the end.

Our Thoughts and Spoilers:
Benji & The Giant Kite is a wonderful story of a little boy and his determination. I love how Benji gets right to work and doesn't complain or fuss about how tough it is. He never gives up on his dream. He is determined to get the large orange kite that he saw in the store window even though it is expensive. Because of his "sweat equity" he earns the kite and is able to fly it.

We loved this cute book and its lovely illustrations. The book starts from the beginning where Benji is watching others fly kites on a beach to where he lets the giant kite free to fulfill its destiny and soar high among the clouds. The pictures are fun to look at too. One picture shows the toy shop keeper showing Benji a box kite with nostalgic toys all around. Another shows his dog trailing behind Benji as Benji carries the giant kite down a sandy trail to get closer to the sea. My kids and I will treasure this book.

My kids having fun flying kites.

As a family we love to fly kites too. We also love to go to Once Upon A Breeze in Cannon Beach Oregon. It is the oldest kite shop on the Oregon Coast. It reminded me of the kite/toy shop in this book. Lincoln City Oregon also has a Summer and Fall Kite Festival each year. We have also been to the World Kite Museum and Store in Long Beach Washington which has over 1500 kites from 26 countries around the world. They also have the Washington State International Kite Festival that goes on annually every 3rd full week of August.

Teela and Zari enjoying the Benji & The Giant Kite book.

I suggest this sweet and endearing story to everyone. It is perfect for those who want to teach their children about how working hard and being committed pays off in the end. We love the adorable illustrations and wonderful story. Highly recommended!

BUY IT
Purchase the Benji & The Giant Kite book for $17.95 on Amazon.



WIN IT
Prize: Win a copy of the Benji & The Giant Kite Book {US ONLY}

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for Rafflecopter below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Wordless Wednesday Delbin Practices His Violin

Delbin is now playing violin for extracurricular music. I used to play in 6th-12th grades.

Wordless Wednesday Delbin's TacoCat Shirt

My son Delbin, rocking the TacoCat shirt :)

Wordless Wednesday Goat Kisses

My son, Delbin, getting kisses from our goat, Chia.

Real Kids Shades Eye Protection For Kids Review and Giveaway

The Real Kids Shades we picked out.

I received these products free to facilitate this review. 

Everyone knows that the sun can damage the skin and most parents know to whip out the sun screen to lather on their family before they go outside as a protection from harmful UV rays. But did you know that UV rays from the sun can cause permanent damage to the eyes. Eyes can not repair themselves like the skin can and the damage can build up over time. UV rays can also still do damage anytime of the year and even on overcast and cloudy days. This is why it is so important to protect not only your whole family's skin all year round, but also their eyes when they are outside.

Real Kids Shades, RKS, is a great company that promotes sun eye protection for kids. They sell a wide variety of stylish sun glasses with super sun protection for babies (0+), toddlers (2+), kids (4+), and youth (7+), and new young adult sizes. These sunglasses have a number of wonderful features which make them even more desired for a parent to purchase for their kids:

• Third-party verification of 100% UV-A/UV-B protection
• Durable - shatterproof and impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses
• Comfortable fit - not too tight, not too loose
• Unbreakable polymer frames - can bend and twist, but won't lose their shape
• Transparent enough to see your child's eyes
• Tested to contain no lead, BPA or phthalates
• Many styles have wrap-around frames to minimize exposure to peripheral light
• Explorer, Bolt, and Breeze models have P2 Lenses = Professional grade polycarbonate + Polarized
• Warranty - one year warranty from manufacturer defects
• Affordable - prices range from $14.99-$39.99

All the sunglasses I received came in a clear plastic case with carabiner and came with a reusable soft neoprene® zippered case with carabiner. This is great because they can put their shades in their cases and know where they are. They can also hook them onto a belt loop, backpack, etc. so they can take them with them everywhere they go.

My kids looking cool in their Real Kids Shades.

Delbin, my oldest son, received the Swag for Young Adult in Black/Blue to keep and try out. The Swag design is very similar to the Wayfarer design, but fitted for young adults. The blue color on the temples (arms/sides that are placed over the ears) is one of my favorite colors and so vibrant on these. He liked the way the lenses are mirrored and shimmered blue too. These fit really well on him and looked great.

Jaedan, my middle son, received Blade for Young Adult in P2 Polarized Lens in Graphite/Orange to keep and try out. The polarized lenses on these help with glare-reduction so that your child can see better through them. The wrap around frame looked good on Jaedan and helps minimize peripheral light. The nose pieces on these made them a bit high on his nose, but he could still see well out of them. Orange is his favorite color so he liked that about these too.

Teela, my middle daughter, received Breeze for Kids 7+ in P2 Polarized Lens in Cherry Pink/Lime to keep and try out. These have a squared off wrap around frame that make them look very stylish and very protectant of little eyes. The polarized lenses on these eliminate glare, increase visual clarity, reduce eye strain, and enhance contrast so that your child can see better through them. These are also Flex-Fit^TM which means that the frames are made of Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) and are very flexible. I love the bright colors of these too and they match so much of Teela's wardrobe.

Zari, my youngest daughter, received Breeze for Kids 4+ in P2 Polarized Lens in Purple/Navy to keep and try out. These have a squared off wrap around frame that make them look very stylish and very protectant of little eyes. The polarized lenses on these eliminate glare, increase visual clarity, reduce eye strain, and enhance contrast so that your child can see better through them. These are also Flex-Fit^TM which means that the frames are made of Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPEE) and are very flexible. If you know my daughter Zari, you know her absolute favorite color is purple. She took one look at these and fell in love. I am so happy they fit her so well.

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BUY IT
To celebrate the holidays, Real Kids Shades is offering a 20% off coupon and free shipping on orders over $25.  Use the HOLIDAY15 coupon code when checking out from November 18 through January 3, 2016. These are great for stocking stuffers for Christmas!

WIN IT
Prize: Win one pair of Real Kids Shades - winners choice (style, size and color). USA and Canada Only!

I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to review and an opportunity to giveaway one as well. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday Happy 15th Birthday Delbin

Delbin turned 15 on September 5th and we threw him a pizza party at the park.

Wordless Wednesday Hay Ride

Our boys and their friend got a hay ride in the truck to the barn.

Wordless Wednesday Boy and His Goat

Chia likes to follow Delbin everywhere.

Chia is looking so much healthier since we rescued her.

Delbin likes feeding her things she loves to eat.

Wordless Wednesday Delbin Sandwich

Teela and Zari giving their brother, Delbin, his daily hugs.

Wordless Wednesday Delbin's 1954 Ford Customline Fixer Upper

We purchased this 1954 Ford Customline for our son Delbin. He is 14 now, so he has two years to fix it up with his father before he gets his license to drive it.

Wordless Wednesday Halloween 2014

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Princess Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie

Without wigs at the party

Ranger Jaedan with captured bag of candy.

Delbin was manning one of the activities at the party.

Delbin's Photobook Birth to Age 8

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly baby photo books are the perfect way to preserve your baby's precious moments.

I created this photobook with pictures of my oldest son Delbin. He is now 12 years old, but I ended this photo book at age 8 because that is when he was baptized.

Oregon Zoo ZooLights - Our Experience

This is the first year we braved the cold rainy weather to go to the Oregon Zoo for their annual ZooLights. We went Friday, December 7th. When we arrived it was already dark and we were greeted by this amazing purple and green lit tree in the parking lot. My kids were excited as we exited the van. We quickly got our tickets and shuffled through the gate. I took some pictures of the zoo lights sign as we entered. Then we saw some spectacular light displays, some that seemed to be moving across the landscapes and others that blinked into different poses and positions.

Other firsts for us were riding the Thrill Ride simulator and the zoo train. For the Thrill Ride we got to pick out our movie simulation and we all agreed upon the Prehistoric Underwater one. We waited our turn under a covered area behind the ticket booth and I took some more pictures. We were handed 3D glasses and entered the simulator ride. The glasses were too big for my youngest daughter and so I held her in my lap so she could see the screen while holding her glasses on her face. My boys especially loved the simulator and would love to do another ride again someday. The simulator is hydraulically operated and it twists and turns to the movie so you feel like you are in a submarine.

We parked our stroller under a nice covered area just for that purpose. It was so nice of the zoo to provide these covered places so that the strollers and wagons wouldn't get soaked while we were riding the train. While we waited in line Teela hugged a person in a tiger suit. The steam train was all decked out in lights too and it's steam rose like an iridescent blue cloud from the smoke stack. The zoo train was very pleasant and even though the metal seats were cold we enjoyed seeing all the zoo lights all along the train ride. It was definitely a unique view of the lights and some of the lights that we saw can only be viewed from the train.

I was in awe at just how many lights there actually were and we didn't even seen all of them. We stopped and saw some hula hoopers that were also lit up for the event do their performance. I took a few more pictures and the kids were getting cold and hungry. We decided to go even though I would have loved to stay longer to see more and we totally missed the concert lawn lights which I heard from others were spectacular. I also heard that we missed out on some free fudge from the gift shop because we didn't bring an old string of Christmas lights. Maybe we can see more and get some fudge next year if they are still honoring the promotion. At some point we would also love to see the new baby elephant that was born recently too.

We had a lot of fun and we are glad we could go this year. We loved seeing all the magnificent lights and sights while we were there. We can't wait to go back next year to experience more.

2012 Oregon Zoo Lights Facts
What: "More than a million LED lights transform the Oregon Zoo into a luminous winter wonderland filled with moving sculptures, forests of lighted trees and animal silhouettes."
Admission: ZooLights admission is included in memberships at the Plus level and higher. Train and Thrill Ride simulator is extra, but can be purchased at a discount through member packages. If you buy one of the packages with the train at the admission counter instead of getting them after you enter you can skip the hassle of multiple lines for the train. You can also take advantage of some nice specials the zoo is offering for ZooLights. 
Dates: November 23rd-December 31st, There will be no ZooLights Dec. 24 or Dec. 25.
Times: Sunday-Thursday hours: ZooLights gates are open from 5-8 p.m. Guests may stay on grounds until 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday hours: ZooLights gates are open from 5-8:30 p.m. Guests may stay on grounds until 9:30 p.m. Train will begin running around 5:15 p.m.
Preparation: Bundle up and check the weather forecast and temperature before going so you know how to dress. You might want to pack extra warm clothing just in case, especially if you are planning on staying long. The food stations and restaurants at the zoo do cost extra so you might want to pack food and drink for the trip. Take a stroller or wagon for small children and extra baggage. Come a little early to get a good parking spot.

Oregon ZooLights Link Up:


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Since I am in the Cascadia Connect group of bloggers I became aware of this event and was given free tickets for my family to go as well as free tickets for the zoo train and simulator ride. Thanks to the zoo and others involved for this opportunity. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this promotion.

Polar Express with Mount Hood Railroad - Our Experience

On Wednesday, November 21 my children dawned their PJs and we headed out for the evening to go on our scenic journey towards Hood River, Oregon to go on the Polar Express at Mount Hood Railroad. We stopped along the way and a magnificent rainbow arched across the sky. We took highway 14 on the Washington side and I was sure glad we did because the scenic drive was so gorgeous. It was raining a lot though so I didn't get my camera out for most of it. We fist saw Cape Horn and it is pictured above. We also saw some absolutely breathtaking waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge. We couldn't tell which ones we were seeing from the highway, but some of the waterfalls include: Latourell Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Wahkeena Falls, Horsetail Falls and Multnomah Falls. Even from the distance we were, they were all spectacular. We caught a glimpse of  Beacon Rock as we drove. It was large and it looked like it was cut out from the surrounding landscape. We also passed the Bonneville Dam which I also would have loved to see up close. Then we passed the Bridge of the Gods. The wind blown trees along the highway were one-sided because of the high amount of wind that goes through the valley, hence the name of the nearby river, Wind River. There is also a stretch of highway 14 that goes through a total of 5 tunnels that I counted located between Stevenson and White Salmon in the lovely valley of Skamania. Then we went over Spring Creek and I wish we could have stopped to go see the fish hatchery that was there.

We finally arrived at the toll bridge to Hood River, Oregon and went across. We arrived at the Mount Hood Railroad and got the tickets at the call desk. While we waited for the train to arrive we looked at the many items in the gift shop and display cabinets. Then it was time to board. As we were boarding we were greeted by the train chefs :) The last picture of the chef is our train car. Brian wanted me to take a picture of the train wheels because they looked neat.

We seated ourselves and put our coats and bags in the upper rack. We had coach seats and I guess they are more traditional like the seating you see in the Polar Express movie. The train car was decorated with nice Christmas garlands, lights, bows, and ornaments. It felt very festive.

As soon as all the passengers had boarded the conductor greeted each family and punched the Polar Express golden tickets we were given. He was punching them close to Delbin's head so he got some clippings in his hair.

Then we were underway on our ride to the North Pole. Shortly after we were moving we were served cookies on a napkin and hot chocolate in Styrofoam cups. I was expecting mugs and plates, but I guess this was coach, so not as fancy. I wish we had gotten carbohydrate information for Delbin (he has type 1 diabetes) ahead of time because it took forever for the servers to track any down. They do not have the nutritional information on their website and for those of us with diet restrictions this would be very helpful. They also almost forgot about giving us any refreshments after a while passed and we had to remind them. Unfortunately they didn't have any straws and I was ill equipped as well with no sippy cup for Zari. The cups were easily spilled in the hands of my toddler, so I tried to manage by letting her have a couple of sips here and there, but this was very tedious. At least the hot chocolate was not scalding.

As we got closer to our destination the Polar Express story was read to us. The reader stopped to show the pictures to us at every page turn which was nice. He also tried to put as much feeling into the reading as he could muster. I am sure reading the story over and over gets a little old after a while.

We were interrupted many times while on the train by a loud "bum", Hobo Jo, (one of the characters of the movie) that said crazy things and tweaked the kids' noses as he passed. He interacted well with the kids and was pretty funny to watch.

We finally got to the North Pole and were directed to look out the far window. The inside lights were fairly bright and since it was so dark outside by contrast we couldn't see much except for the Christmas lights and dancing shadows of the elves. I would have loved to see Santa's reindeer better that were looking at us from below. We never got off the train to actually see Santa's workshop and the North Pole like I thought we were going to do originally. I was also thinking that the display would be better seen in the dark and that was why I picked the 4:30pm departure time, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. They really need to have the outside display more lit up next year!

Then after we waited a bit Santa's elves and the jolly man himself joined us on board the train for a picture and gave my kids each a large bell like the one given in the movie. The Santa definitely looked the part with his real beard. The elves were dressed merrily, although my husband said that I would have made a better elf because of how short I am in comparison. Santa was definitely the best part of the whole train ride.

The trip was fairly short. It basically consisted of the ride to the North Pole and a reverse leg back on what I believed to be the same track. On the return leg of the trip we sang Christmas carols. Most of the passengers were trying to remember the words and it felt a bit awkward to be singing in front of strangers, but at least we were trying to make it heart felt.

Even with everything not going as I had hoped we enjoyed our first time on the Polar Express at Mount Hood Railroad. My children will treasure the bells that they received and remember this time we had as a family together. It was a nice retreat from everyday life.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER:
For my participation in the US Family Guide Polar Express Promotion I received 4 FREE coach seats valid weekdays in November and chose to buy 2 more for my girls to go also.

Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this opportunity and Polar Express at Mount Hood Railroad for hosting it. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this review.

Oregon Zoo and Radio Disney's Madagascar 3 DVD Release Party Recap

It was my youngest daughter, Zari's birthday on Friday October 19th and we wanted it to be extra special. We had already celebrated it with her Babu and Papa (my parents) on Friday the 12th and then on Saturday the 13th we went to the screening of Secret of the Wings a new Tinker Bell movie. Then we were offered the chance to hang out at the Oregon Zoo for free to experience Oregon Zoo and Radio Disney's Madagascar 3 DVD Debut Release Party we all did the Afro Circus dance. It seemed like another perfect opportunity to celebrate Zari's 2nd birthday, especially since the zoo event was the day after her actual birthday.

The weather in Oregon this time of year is well, rainy. But since it is rainy a lot in Oregon it usually doesn't stop us from having fun. We packed for the weather, made some lunches and headed out for the zoo. Our drive to the zoo was very pleasant and we were greeted happily by some sunshine peeking through the clouds when we arrived. We got our tickets and made our way to the elephants where we were told that Radio Disney would be.

When we got there we saw that Radio Disney had three covered booths. One booth had their music speakers and bins of things to win, the other had swag bags that you could take and load with stuff from the table and another had coloring activities, crafts and a photo op where you could put your head through a hole in Melman's face. Also the zoo had placed their covered booth in the same square for getting your face painted.

We met my long time friend, Erin, and her family there. Erin has been my friend since about 1997. We met online and role played back and forth with each other. She lived in Maine at that time and I in Utah. It is really neat that we would end up both in Oregon.

Erin brought her family to the event and we all hung out at the beginning of the zoo day. Radio Disney provided us with a lot of fun activities, games, and prizes. My kids colored pictures, made zoo masks, danced with the music, played some hoops with inflatable balls and got rainbow colored wigs like Marty wore in the Madagascar 3 movie. My son Jaedan got his face painted like a tiger and both of my boys won Madagascar 3 t-shirts to take home with them.

After that we headed over to Pacific Shores in Steller Cove and it is a good thing we all did because it started pouring rain and then hailing. We all hung out and ate our lunches watching the sea lions swim. We waited for the rain to let up a bit and then Erin and her family parted ways with us.

Next we went to the Great Northwest because that is the area we missed last time we were at the zoo. At Black Bear Ridge we saw Black Bears and Bobcats. Then we went though Eagle Canyon and saw the magnificent Bald Eagles and different kinds of salmon. After that we went to Cascade Stream and saw beavers, river otters, waterfowl, fish, reptiles and amphibians. Then we went to Cougar Crossing and saw the cougars. They were going up and down a long log in their habitat. When we came out we saw goats and chickens on the Trillium creek Family Farm.

Then we headed back towards Pacific Shores to see the penguins and polar bears. One of the Polar bears yawned right when I took a picture and then he rolled over and I got a great shot of his gigantic paws. We also saw a leopard as we were heading out of the zoo and got pictures of the kids on the mountain goat sculpture.

As we left in our car and got home I got some more cute pictures of the kids. We had so much fun at this event!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Since I am in the Cascadia Connect group of bloggers I became aware of this event and was given free tickets to go. Thanks to the zoo and others involved for this opportunity. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this promotion.

Canterbury Renaissance Faire

We went to the Canterbury Renaissance Faire on July 21, 2012. It is held in Silverton, Oregon on July 14th-15th, 21st-22nd, 2012. This was their 4th annual faire. Silverton is by Salem, Oregon and about 2 hours from where I live in Rainier, Oregon. It is only an hour from Portland, Oregon. The Canterbury Renaissance Faire is wonderful because it is nestled in shady trees so it doesn't get too hot while your looking at other peoples' wares. We spent our day from 2pm til 5pm there.

I was wearing my pair of Elf Ear Wraps, my braided hair wreath and a semi renaissance looking shirt. I was looking for a cape or cloak, but never really ran across any while I was there this year. I was also looking for a lace up corset bustier. None really caught my fancy.

While we were there my youngest daughter, Zari, picked up a wooden sword. She looked so darling in her butterfly dress holding a sword we had to buy it for her. She is apparently growing into her name (Zari meaning princess goddess and her middle name Katana meaning slender or samurai sword). See the bottom left picture of her...that is her fighting face, LOL!

In Faerie Glen a juggler taught the boys some new tricks and my oldest son posed with his bow and some very odd arrows ;) Fairy Princess Lolly also read a story to my girls.

We went around the corner and who do I happen to see? Foxgloves PDX! I knew I was missing an element to my costume. I should have been wearing my Maroon Gold Knit Foxgloves. Ami posed with us and Teela tried on some maroon velvet/silver butterfly ones that I had fallen in love with on her website and out of generosity she just gave them to us! I love the picture my husband took of Teela getting the gloves on. Teela adored them and later wanted to pose with part of my son, Jaedan's knight costume that he brought.

We bought the boys an exquisite custom hand-beaded dragon from Secret Dragon Collectibles. My boys selected the only one left with glow-in-the-dark beads. The one they picked had blue iris, bright green and glow-in-the-dark beads. They told my boys that the dragons wings could be changed for different colors so they chose blue, apple green and red ones to go with the colors of the beads. They also got to pick out a treasure that the dragon would hold. They picked out a large red plastic gem stone and the lady sewed it in the dragon's claws. She then attached a thread from the top so we could hang him. Each dragon comes with a name card with information and insurance in case something needed fixing. They make them very customized so each is very unique and made just for the individual. She also makes beaded mermaids, fairies, pixies, butterflies and dragonflies. All were very beautiful!

Then we went to see the joust, but because it was not very shaded by trees it was very hot there and the horses were kicking up dust so I got a few pictures and then we decided it was time to head home to rescue our dog from being home alone. We had a great time while we were at the Canterbury Renaissance Faire and will definitely be back next year.

Oregon Zoo - Sunset at the Zoo Event #sunsetzoo

My family of 6 got to go to the Oregon Zoo for free on July 11th as part of their Sunset at the Zoo promotion for some of us local bloggers. We have been many times to the Oregon Zoo before but never really in the evening hours so this was somewhat new to us.

The zoo is very family, handicapped and breastfeeding friendly. They have all sorts of activities and fun things that are geared towards kids. My kids love all the extracurricular activities they can do while they are there. We love to use the zookeys and bring them every time we go to the zoo. They unlock 16 stations around the zoo that say information about the animals there. All buildings and indoor facilities are handicapped and stroller accessible. My husband had a bad side effect with an antibiotic and he needed to stay off his feet and so it was a good thing we had a powered wheelchair at home to bring with us to the zoo. They also have designated outdoor nursing areas located on the zoo map so that you can enjoy your little one in peace and privacy. I am so glad these are available because it makes breastfeeding Zari easier.

Since it is summer time it can get really hot, but while we were at the zoo during the evening hours it was very pleasant because the temperature had dropped by then. Also, we got to see more of the critters called crepuscular animals that are active primarily during twilight (dawn and dusk). I am so happy we got to go because we had so much fun!

Plus members and above can attend Sunset at the Zoo concert series for free and also experience a whole lot of fun activities while there. The fun will be happening 4 Wednesday evenings (July 11 and 25, Aug. 8 and 22) from 5 pm-8 pm. Besides concerts, each night will feature live bird shows onstage, storytelling, face-painting, crafts and games for kids, as well as self-guided night hikes, animal talks and a bat-house building station.

We arrived at the Oregon Zoo and first went through Steller Cove in Pacific Shores. We saw the Steller Sea Lions, sea otters, kelp forest and tide pool while we were there. When we exited Steller Cove we heard sweet music from Boka Marimba, a local African-style 10 piece band that is comprised of marimbas, gourd shakers, thumb piano, and drums. While passing we had to stop and dance to the upbeat music. Then we went to see the penguins and Polar Bears, but the penguins were no where to be found. The Polar Bears were lounging around and taking naps.

Next we went to the Fragile Forest where we saw chimpanzees, mandrills, orangutans and other primates. We also saw some very large fish in the Amazon Flooded Forest that is also a part of the Fragile Forest. As we were coming out we saw that they had a live bird show going, on the stage by the concert lawn, so we stayed a bit to watch that. While there we saw a Red-Tailed Hawk, ibis and a Bald Eagle fly overhead.

Then we headed towards Asia where we saw Sun Bears, warthogs and Asian Elephants. The elephant that is pictured above is the one that loves to paint :) The zoo keeper also told us that they sometimes love to sway their long trunks to the music.

After the elephants we backtracked a bit because we craved some Elephant Ears, a crispy cinnamon-sugar flat fried bread confection, and stopped to see Laura Veirs playing on stage. During the Summer Concert there was an area up front where the kids could dance and get wiggles out. My blogger friend at Sweet Deals 4 Moms called it a toddler "mosh pit", LOL!

We also saw Chef/Chez Tse put on a cooking show and she was great! My kids stood front and center and she interacted with them back and forth. I loved her tips on how to "use the claw" hand position while using knives so you don't get cut and how she stacked and rolled fresh herb leaves before dicing them to make ribbons, a technique called chiffonade, to top the delicious Red and Yellow Pepper Pasta Salad she invited us to try. Here is the recipe courtesy of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon. Click on it to make it larger.

Then we headed to Africa where we saw a mermaid??, rhinos, hippos, zebras, gerenuk, pygmy goats, giraffe, etc. in the Savanna. We also saw Colobus Monkeys and fruit bats, etc. in the rainforest. We then went to the African Goat Kraal and the kids pet the goats in the petting zoo. During this section I was babywearing Zari and loving her snuggles.

By that time it was getting late and we needed to get home and rescue our dog from being home all this time. Unfortunately we didn't get to go see the Predators of the Serengeti and the large cats and we also didn't get to see the whole of the Great Northwest. But we did see quite a lot while we were there. As we were driving home I also saw one of my blogger friends, Beeb of Super Coupon Girl and Contest Corner as she was leaving the zoo and said hi out the window of my van. I live in Rainier, Oregon so the car ride home from Portland is a bit long, but Mother Nature made it all worthwhile with a spectacular sunset to end a perfect evening at the Oregon Zoo "Sunset at the Zoo".

You can check out the Sunset at the Zoo too if you are in the Portland area during an event. The events are happening these other upcoming Wednesdays too: July 25, August 8 and August 22. Click on the links for more information about each days happenings.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Since I am in the Cascadia Connect group of bloggers I became aware of this event and was given free tickets to go. Thanks to the zoo and others involved for this opportunity. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this promotion.

EatSmart Nutrition Scale Video Review

When I asked EatSmart if I could do a review on their Nutrition Scale they wanted me to do a video review. Here it is:



The EatSmart Nutrition Scale analyzes the nutritional content of ANY food (labeled and unlabeled) by portion size. It is great for people who need to control their weight, and for others who simply wish to keep the best health by monitoring and balancing their daily nutritional intake of calories, fats and proteins. My type 1 diabetic son, Delbin, uses it to count carbohydrates and make healthy choices on what he eats. Since the foods listed in the Food Code Booklet have been selected to be the freshest, whole foods Americans eat, my son has a good variety of good for him nutrition. We have been using this scale along with The CalorieKing Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter book and also the CalorieKing website to calculate his carbohydrates and the combination has worked tremendously well!

Features:

• Calculates Calories, Carbs, Fiber, Sodium, Fats, Vitamin K and Six other nutrients (12 total)
• Memory Mode – Keep track of your daily food intake save up to 99 entries for daily tracking
• The Only Scale with a Nutritional Facts Calculator (calculate nutrients for any food with a USDA Nutrition Facts label)
• Easy to Read Display
• Easy to Clean Tempered Glass Top
• 2 Measurement Modes: Grams (to nearest whole gram) / Ounces (to nearest .1 ounce)
• Max Weight: 11 pounds (5000 grams)
• Tare Feature; Subtract the weight of any plate or container
• 3 minute Auto-Turnoff
• Uses Batteries so You Can Use it Off the Grid and While Traveling
• Included with the scale: 4 AAA batteries, a 44 Page Color Guidebook on maintaining a Nutritious Healthy Lifestyle, and a Food Code Booklet with 999 of the most common foods plus an easy to use instruction manual.
• 2 Year Warranty & Guarantee

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BUY IT:
You can purchase it at EatSmart's shop for $69.95.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to EatSmart for sending me the EatSmart Nutrition Scale for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. This video review is not perfect. I am sorry for all the ums and the bounciness of the video. My son, Jaedan took the video of me doing my review and we are not professionals yet :)

2011 Year in Recap and New Year's Resolutions

So as 2011 ends and 2012 begins I would like to share with you some of our family's highlights for 2011 and then make a few New Year's resolutions.

My son Jaedan started 2011 with a bang and joined his older brother in Cub Scouts. He made his first derby car and entered it in the pine wood derby race with style. Both Delbin and Jaedan had fun at day camp with the rest of the scout troops in the area and Delbin advanced to Boy Scouts.

I received a new sewing machine from my husband and a new to me sewing table with all the bells and whistles free from a church friend that needed more space in their home. We made new curtains for my living room and dining room with it and took down the old blinds that were looking fairly damaged from kids and pets. I also made a skirt for myself and some other things with it. I plan on sewing a whole lot more. I also got some new knitting looms and some yarn to learn knitting on.

When the weather turned good my husband and some church friends helped us put new shingles on the roof of our home and put a new skylight in above our kitchen. It took a few days to finish because of rain and we had to put tarps over our home to cover it so the roof wouldn't get damage in between fixes. With our cars, boat and trucks out front in various states of repair and a pile of shingles and old roofing on the side of our place we kinda looked very ghetto. I bet our neighbors were really glad when that project was done.

We received word from some really good friends of ours that have a farm at the edge of Rainier that the owner of a mini pony had abandoned it and wasn't making payments for it to be boarded there anymore. So since we love horses and ponies we took up the payments for it and have been feeding it and caring for him ever since. His name is Gizmo and he is a registered mini pony stallion. He has warmed up to us nicely and now that winter is here has fluffed all out like a pony puff ball, LOL! Have you seen the animated movie Despicable Me? Remember the clip where Agnes gets the unicorn toy from the carnival and says, "It's so fluffy!"...well that is what I feel like saying about our mini pony :)

My sister, Jennifer, returned from her LDS mission in Hawaii and came to visit us in May. We celebrated multiple birthdays and her return at the zoo. It was Zari's first time and when we went back to the zoo in October to celebrate Zari's first birthday Zari was even more thrilled to be there. She loved the elephants and the primates the best.

My husband, Brian's mom came to visit us and we went to Ape Caves. For about a month previous to that visit Brian was feeling not quite himself and had to take off work because he was feeling dizzy, light headed, and brain fog every time he stood up and it was getting worse. While we were at Ape Caves he had to sit down a lot and take it easy. He was finally diagnosed with what is known as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, POTS after a whole lot of persuasion from him to his regular doctor and a visit by an actual Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O. or DO). He is being treated now, is feeling better and has been back to work for a while now.

Brian has been tremendously busy with all his various projects. He has been doing a lot of house remodeling like the roof project, vehicle repair and renovation, and trying to get our business, Pony Feathers, up and running...all of this while working at the power plant and dealing with his health.

Our dog, Prince has been having fun chasing a green laser across the floor that my husband got to point at celestial bodies in the night sky for use with our homeschool astronomy lessons. He is also very spoiled with lots of hugs, petting and love from all of us. Zari's favorite word is dog and she says it every time Prince is scratching on the door to go out or in, barking, trying to nibble on Zari's food when we are not looking or she sees him or any other dog.

Teela has been loving her play food and small play kitchen. She is quite the little imaginative cook. I have been trying to have her help out in the real kitchen with food preparation and she is a wonderful helper. She also loves her dolls and rocking horses.

Zari has been growing a lot! She is walking, running, saying some words like mom, dad, dog, Delbin, Jaedan, baby, etc. She has 8 teeth all in front and some molars coming in. She loves books and enjoys music a lot. She loves giving big hugs and kisses. She absolutely adores her sister Teela and loves playing with her.

Delbin my oldest son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It has been an interesting ride so far with this and we are still trying to figure out how to manage the carbohydrates he eats in foods. We still haven't gotten quite away from prepackaged food and drink yet for him because it is easier just looking at a label for what the carbs are. For now it is really hard for me to figure out carbs for a casserole or other mixed dish I normally make for dinner but maybe we will someday get the hang of it.

We had a really great Christmas. We received unexpected gifts from Secret Santa and the Rainier Gift Giving Program this year. We had a real Christmas tree donated to us, got gifts for the kids from giving souls off the Rainier Giving Program (sorta like the angel tree) and received an unexpected knock on our door and two bright red sleds with a large bag of peanut M&Ms left at our doorstep. My oldest has been asking for a sled every winter. Our neighbors sang carols at our door too like they do every year even though they were super busy with the giving program and even though it didn't snow for Christmas it was still wonderful!

My sister, Melody welcomed her new baby girl into the world at close to the end of December. This will be her first child. She along with her husband will learn so much parenting skills and gain so much experience and knowledge by doing. I know I have.

So, my New Years resolution is to have a healthier happier home. What ever I can do to achieve this I will try my best to accomplish. I wish to make healthier meals for my family including Delbin. We bought passes to the local YMCA so that we can go swim and workout so I want to do that more, gain some more upper body strength, and maybe tighten my abs :) I would love to spend more time with my family doing things we all love to do and I am trying to live a better more eco-friendly lifestyle. All in all our 2011 was pretty good. How was yours and what are your New Year's resolutions??

Holiday Gift Guide 2011 A Toy Garden Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit Review and Giveaway

A Toy Garden has a lovely selection of open ended, natural, creative and fun toys that are mostly Fair Trade and Made in the USA for children and their families. I love Waldorf and Montessori inspired toys and products because you can definitely see the great quality of craftsmanship and love that is put into these products. This family run webstore has beautiful products that help foster creativity, imagination, play, fun, together time, pretend play and learning.

I received the Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit for free to review on my blog. This Make It Yourself Candle Kit has everything to make 12 or more beeswax candles! It includes 12 8x8 inch sheets of high quality 100% honeycombed beeswax in 12 different beautiful colors, 4 yards of cotton wick and instructions. My oldest 3 children loved making these candles. They created them using cookie cutters we had to cut shapes out of the sheets of wax and then melt them onto other sheets after they were rolled up with the wick inside. They had so much fun creating and decorating these. I helped them cut out the shapes and carefully punch them out of the cookie cutters. They used our hairdryer to slightly heat the wax so that it would roll up easier as directed and it worked very well. My children and I were very pleased with the results. These were so enjoyable to make together.

WIN IT:
Sonya at A Toy Garden is generously giving one lucky reader a chance to win another Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit.

Mandatory:
Go to the A Toy Garden website and tell me what other product you love.

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Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. Don't forget to leave a comment for each task and the correct amount of entries for each task. This contest ends on Friday January 13, 2012 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to A Toy Garden for sending me a Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit for free and another to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.