Everything's Abuzz

ECCO sweepstakes, #WIN a pair of shoes!

May 15, 2012 by queentob · 2 Comments

ECCO has been a leader in the footwear industry for over four decades. ECCO shoes are known for their quality, comfort, sleek lines and innovative technology. ECCO is hosting a daily sweepstakes for the entire month of May. ECCO is giving away a fabulous pair of shoes every day for a month! Each day, at 10 AM (EST) they announce, via their facebook page which style they’ll be giving away. All you have to do to enter to win is visit their facebook page and click the sweepstakes link at the top. It’s easy, takes seconds and you can enter DAILY!

Here a look at today’s shoe, the Biom Golf, from the 31 Days of shoes by ECCO:

Women's BIOM Golf

Want a sneak peek at what’s ahead? On THIS Monday, May 21st you can enter to win the ECCO Moscow, a classic leather pump. I love the rounded toe, high heel but not my-feet-are-going-to-kill-me-high heel, and that is fitted with a breathable, moisture absorbent lining.

ECCO moscow

and just in time to kick off Summer, a little Memorial Day treat, The ECCO Mora will be featured on Thursday, May 31st. I love the sophisticated lines of this sandal, the two toned platform bottom combined with shocking pop of color, the Mora definitely says, “Hello Summer, I have arrived!”

ECCO Mora

Check out all the latest styles from ECCO by visiting their website, like them on facebook or join the @ECCO_USA_Shoes conversation on twitter.

Good luck!

I was not compensated for this post.

Filed Under: Life As a Bee ·

Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge

May 15, 2012 by queentob · Leave a Comment

The Scholastic Summer Challenge is back and is inviting you to participate! With Memorial Day only a few short weeks away, summer will be here before we know it! To me summer always means taking life a little slower, spontaneous trips, lazy days at the beach, and finally enough minutes in the day to catch up on my long “must read” list of books. For many children, summer means a break from school, day camps, vacations and the “summer slide”. As an elementary school the most frequent question I was asked was, “What should I do during the summer to keep my child’s skills sharp?” My answer? “Keep them reading!”

The summer slide is the dip children’s skills take as they “take off” during the months when they are out of school. Scholastic is challenging all of us to beat the “summer slide” by hosting their annual Scholastic Summer Challenge. The Scholastic Summer Challenge is a FREE interactive reading program to help keep kids reading all summer long.Reading every day throughout the summer will keep their basic skills sharp, vocabulary strong, and improve their comprehension and overall literacy skills. Click here for an article I wrote about maintaining and encouraging literacy. Readers can visit Scholastic.com/summer to sign up. Scholastic offers a host of resources for parents, teachers and kids. The summer reading program is already in progress and ends on August 31, 2012. Readers all over the globe will try to break the world record and read MORE THAN a collective 64,213,141 minutes! (the 2011 record!) The 20 schools whose students log the most minutes will be named in the 2013 Scholastic Book of World Records! It’s easy to be part of the challenge, read, log your minutes online and even earn cool prizes!

The Scholastic Summer Challenge provides all the tools you’ll need to get reading, from contests, to minutes logged charts, to book lists and online reading tools, you’re just a click away from helping to break the world reading record! Click here to see the minute counter and see how your area of the world is doing! Happy Reading!

I was not compensated for this post!

Filed Under: Life As a Bee · Tagged With: kids summer reading program, Schoalstic sumer reading challenge, scholastic, Scholastic summer program

A lesson from my Mother

May 13, 2012 by queentob · 4 Comments

I often hear women speak about sounding more and more like their mother, looking more and more like their mother and becoming more like their mother. There’s usually a negative tone, a roll of the eyes and a dismal sigh. I always have an adverse reaction to their conversations because there’s truly no other person I would rather be more like than my own mother.

My gorgeous mother, 9 months pregnant with me

As I became a mother my admiration, adoration and respect for my mother grew (and continues to grow) exponentially. My mother is energetic, dynamic and her heart is full of love. She is also the most generous person I know. As I watch my mother play with my children, I struck by her attentiveness. I have learned to be the mother I am from my ever supportive role model.

My mother taught me a lesson many years ago that has stuck with me and I would say plays a significant role in the woman I grew up to be. People often say I am much like my mother and I could not think of a more flattering compliment. They often speak of the very quality of which I most humbled, grateful and honored to have in common with her. It all goes back to that day that would help mold and shape me forever.

Me, six years old

I was about 6 and my mother had called me into her room to ask me which ~~doll, bunny, toy~~ I don’t remember! I would like. One of the items was purple, and the other yellow. My favorite color was purple so I wanted to grab that one, but I also knew that my younger sister’s (by 3 years) favorite color was blue. There was no blue choice and I knew that my sister would be disappointed that I got my favorite and she would be stuck with the yellow leftover. I decided to pick the yellow, doing what I thought was expected of me. To my surprise, my mother quickly handed me the purple one, hugged me and told I could take the one she knew I really wanted because I was willing to be so generous to my sister.

My mother and I, me at 3 1/2

Years later, the details are fuzzy and insignificant but this small moment in time has had a lasting impression on me. I am so thankful that my mother taught me such a valuable lesson at such a young age, when people say I am so much like my mother, I nod, smile and give her all the credit she so rightfully deserves.

Happy Mother’s Day! xoxoxo

Filed Under: Life As a Bee · Tagged With: happy mothers day, lesson mom taught me

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

May 9, 2012 by queentob · 7 Comments

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” has to be one of my favorite movie songs. I love the sweet lyrics and can recall watching Judy Garland sitting on that haystack effortlessly singing all the while inspiring us to dream our dreams….

The other day while driving home with the children, Big B said to me, “Mommy this is the kind of weather that makes rainbows appear…” and within minutes, we looked up in the sky, pulled the car over and enjoyed this magical wonder. It was the first time the children have ever seen a rainbow and the awe in their eyes took my breath away. “and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.”

Filed Under: Life As a Bee · Tagged With: judy garland, rainbows, rainbows in the sky, somewhere over the rainbow

Wonderworld #eco friendly toys, #Mothers Day #giveaway

May 9, 2012 by queentob · 9 Comments

I recently was introduced to the eco-friendly toy company, Wonderworld. Their site is chock full of gorgeous, wooden eco-friendly toys that inspire children to use their imaginations. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Life As a Bee, Queen Bee Goes Green, The Buzz · Tagged With: eco friendly toys, green toys, rubberwood toys, toxic free toys, wonderworld, wooden toys

Carnegie Hall for Kids, Family Concert Series

May 5, 2012 by queentob · 13 Comments

Carnegie Hall for Kids?! Yes! I had the opportunity to take Big B with me to Carnegie Hall for the perfect mix of beautiful music, engaging entertainment and wow factor ambience. There’s nothing quite like New York City’s Carnegie Hall and as soon as we entered the theatre, I knew Big B could feel that it was a magical place too. His eyes lit up in wonder as he perused the high balconies, the sparkling light fixtures and the overall grandeur of the Hall.

We were able to see a tribute to the late and ever talented, Jim Henson. The performance by The New York Pops, led by musical director, Steven Reineke, and hosted by the enigmatic, John Tartaglia,was nothing short of spectacular. The concert entitled, Jim Henson’s Musical World was part of the Family Concert Series that Carnegie Hall runs throughout the year. Two performances held on a given Saturday, allow families to come together and enjoy all the wonders of musical performance at Carnegie Hall. The concerts are casual, geared for children 5-10 (although Big B was only nearing 4 and enjoyed it immensely) and offer a before the show activity (free for all ticket holders). The Family Concerts are affordable with ticket ranging from $9-$20.

We enjoyed the show not only because we were so enraptured, but also because we were spending time together. Big B loves music and truly appreciated the lively sounds, fast beats, harmonies and rhythms-he literally was on the edge of his seat. I loved watching him and was happy knowing that by being at Carnegie Hall, he was exposed to a variety of musical instruments, live theatre performance, practiced how to be a participating audience member, as well as, enjoyed many out- loud belly laughs.

Carnegie Hall also partnered with McGraw Hill to offer free children’s weekend concerts in the 5 boroughs. The concerts are 45 minutes long, interactive and focus on musical instruments, movement and creative musical play. Click here for the calendar.

Carnegie Hall is located at 881 Seventh Ave, at 57th street, NY, NY 10019
Contact Info: 212 247-2800.
Visit www.carengiehall.org for more information or tweet them @carnegiehall or find them on facebook here.

I was not compensated for this post. Thank you to Carnegie Hall for providing me with tickets to the Jim Henson Family Concert.

Filed Under: Life As a Bee, The Buzz · Tagged With: carnegie Hall for kids, free concerts for kids in NYC, Free concerts in NYC, kids concerts in NYC, NYC entertainment for children

Pax Designs, Locally Handcrafted Eco Friendly Jewelry #Giveaway

May 3, 2012 by queentob · 11 Comments

Pax Designs is a locally handcrafted, eco-friendly jewelry line that is as unique as it beautiful. I have known owner and jewelry maker, Marion, for quite some time. She reuses vintage buttons, scraps of velvet, mismatched earrings and turns them into one of a kind pieces of jewelry. I love how she is a huge recycler and reuser of anything and everything. Her studio (which of course is composed of refurbished furniture and repurposed bins for storage) is chock full of the tiniest baubles that with Marion’s vision, turn out to be anything but ordinary.

I go to many craft fairs, street vendors, and local shops and I have seen a lot of “handmade” jewelry. It’s not all pretty, it’s not all something you’d want to wear, it’s not all seemingly made with love. Each piece that is created by Pax Designs is carefully crafted, made with quality components, and is certainly made with peace, love and joy. Everything she creates is a work of wearable art and is even showcased, wrapped and sent with Marion’s unforgettable attention to detail. Pax Designs is special, high quality, meticulously crafted, artisan jewelry.

The photos speak for themselves:

For more photos and to purchase a one of a kind piece by Pax Designs, visit Marion’s Etsy site www.etsy.com/shop/PaxDesign1 and show her newly introduced blog http://paxdesignjewelry.wordpress.com/, some reader love.

Just in time to celebrate two very special days, Earth Day (April 22) and Mother’s Day (May 13) Marion of Pax Designs is offering one lucky winner a unique piece of jewelry designed especially for you! One lucky reader will #win a handcrafted, sterling silver, ankle/wrist bracelet complete with Swarovski crystals of the birthstones of her children.

Enter below using rafflecopter!

How to Get your Kids Excited About Brushing Their Teeth

May 3, 2012 by queentob · 3 Comments

Having a healthy mouth is crucial to overall well-being. Getting your kids excited about brushing their teeth is an important part of ensuring that your children take care of their little chompers even before there are teeth to speak of. Gently brushing their gums when they are 4 or 5 months or so helps babies become accustomed to the idea of you putting your hands near and in their mouth. We started using an all natural fluoride free gel (like the ones from Branam) at about age 6 months and had our first pediatric dentist visit at age 2 years.

Here are some tips that work in getting our kids excited about brushing their teeth:

1. We read lots of books about teeth, we love Dr. Seuss’ Tooth Book as well as Bear’s Loose Tooth, and Brush, Brush, Brush!
2. We let the children pick their toothbrush, so far the ones that stick to the counter are the winners.
3. We put the kids in charge, let them squeeze the toothpaste on the brush, fill the rinsing cup and start the brushing.
4. We play an I spy game that not only makes the kids open wide but helps them connect eating with the role their teeth play in the process. “I spy some carrot” “I spy some turkey”. The kids love predicting what we’ll find (practices memory recall) and love to peek inside each other’s mouth to “spy” more areas that need brushing
5. To clean the fronts of their teeth, we pretend the toothbrush is a train on their track of teeth.

We make sure to brush their teeth twice a day and often join in the process so they can see that this is part of all of our healthy routine.

For more tips on keeping your child healthy, visit Healthy Child, Healthy World and sign up for their newsletter. You can find them on twitter @healthy_child or on facebook.

I was not compensated for this post.

Filed Under: Life As a Bee · Tagged With: Branan oral care, brushing teeth, caring for children's teeth, caring for kid's teeth, healthy child healthy world teeth, how to get kids to brush their teeth, kids brushing their teeth, tips for getting kids to brush their teeth

Happy Birthday Baby

May 2, 2012 by queentob · 8 Comments

This weekend we celebrated Big B’s 4th birthday! Here is a post about his birth story which I told him again this year, as I will every year as my mama does with us. Happy Birthday to my shining star, mama loves you up to the moon and back again, 4 ever! (wink wink)

Filed Under: Life As a Bee · Tagged With: birthday

Eco Friendly Fashion, Momtrends

May 1, 2012 by queentob · 2 Comments

I loved doing my homework for my latest piece on Eco fashion! My latest column on Momtrends is all about committing myself to only buying clothes that are made using eco friendly practices and materials, and by companies that are committed to doing their part for Mother Earth. You can find my post here, I welcome any feedback or insight you may have on additional companies or clothing lines!

Filed Under: Life As a Bee, Queen Bee Goes Green, The Buzz · Tagged With: eco chic fashion, eco friendly clothing, green fahsion, momtrends