8/27/11

Planet Weidknecht Huge List of Giveaways

Wow. Look at all these giveaways!



Use my special discount code for $10 off STMMMS93122

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Preschool Week One: Farm Theme

Our first week of our "school year" we did a Farm Theme. This is a two-week theme.
Here was our basic curriculum plan for the week:
Words to Learn: Farm, Tractor, Barn, Agriculture
Songs to Sing: Old McDonald Had a Farm, The Farmer in the Dell, BINGO was his Name-O, Mary Had a Little Lamb
Movie to Watch: Charlotte's Web (over five days in small sections)
Our Theme Projects:
One of our days, we colored pig pictures, sounding out the word pig, tracing the letters, and talking about what foods come from pigs (bacon, ham and sausage). We had ham sandwiches for lunch. We made lots of oinking noises all day long. We also took the plastic pigs outside and rolled them in the mud we made with water and dirt.
Another day, we glued black spots on cows and traced the word cow, sounding it out and talking about how C and K both made similiar sounds. We made cow sounds and learned that milk comes from cows. We talked about the dairy foods that dairy farmers make from milk, such as cheese and yogurt, then enjoyed a nice snack of those three items.
On another day, we talked about patterns we see on farms, such as rows of crops, tractor patterns on the dirt, and fence posts in a row. We looked at animal footprints and matched them to the right animals. Then we drew farms on big paper with crayons.
Our last project of the week was painting red roosters. We learned that roosters are the chickens' daddies and that they always wake up everyone on the farm with a cock-a-doodle-doo. We read lots of books all week long about farms and farm animals. See our reading list below!
Farm Theme Reading List:
Rooster's Off to See the World (Aladdin Picture Books)
Farm Patterns (Finding Patterns series)
1001 Things to Spot on the Farm (Usborne 1001 Things to Spot)
On the Farm
Barnyard Banter
Cock-A-Doodle-Hooooooo!
Down on the Farm
Oink?
Pigs Can't Fly!
Big Pig on a Dig (Easy Words to Read)

And this week's favorite book, as voted by the daycare kids, is:
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Polaroid Sunglasses Best Under the Sun Collection - Review

I am so excited that my sponsor for the Fall Fashionista Giveaway Event is Polaroid Sunglasses. I get to give away the winner's choice of any one of their Best Under the Sun Collection!

If you have not seen this collection yet, it's time to go see it now. These fabulous sunglasses are not only absolutely gorgeous, they are the BEST for your eyes. Polaroid Eyewear is the pioneer and expert in polarized lens technology. This unique technology provides glare-free perfect vision, plus optimum UV protection! Polaroid Eyewear has managed to do all this AND make all the Fashionistas happy at a great price!

There are ten different designs in their Best Under the Sun Collection, inspired by trends from the 1930s to the 1980s. It was so hard for me to choose a pair to review because they are all so cute! In the end the Broadway style won my heart, a combination of art and drama from the 1950s. Even with all the technology wrapped up into these gorgeous glasses, they are very lightweight and comfortable. I could tell a difference from every other pair of sunglasses I've ever owned as soon as I put them on. My eyes are really sensitive to light because I wore contacts for so many years and these chic sunglasses are definite protection from the hot Texas sunlight.




The Best Under the Sun Collection is the ultimate Fashionista accessory! They each come with their own case and microfiber cloth too, so you can store them in style. Be sure to mark your calendar for October 14, so you don't miss your chance to WIN a free pair right here at Planet Weidknecht!

Disclosure: I received this amazing pair of sunglasses at no charge, but you can bet that I love these and that this is truly my opinion!!

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Rock N Learn - Review

This giveaway is now over. 
The winner is #61 (phoinexpeace@...)! 
Congratulations!!!

Thanks to all who entered!
More giveaways HERE.



My daycare kids LOVE "movie time" which falls between 11:00-11:30 every day. After spending an hour running around outside, they grab their water bottles and relax on the living room carpet. It's the half hour when I have to prepare a meal for anywhere from six to nine preschoolers. My kitchen overlooks the living room, so I can see what they are doing while I make them lunch. I am constantly looking for educational videos that can keep their attention for those thirty minutes. I was so excited about receiving a Rock N Learn DVD, because I viewed some of their online clips on their website and knew we were in for a treat!
I received the brand new Sight Words DVD and just the picture on the front got the kids all excited about our "new movie." The daycare kids here range in age from 1-5 so I was wondering if the younger children would be as interested as the older ones.
The kids ALL loved this dvd!! I think it's a wonderful show to help children learn sight words. Even if the younger children are not learning the sight word, they are learning the concepts by hearing the word and seeing the example picture. The music is fabulous and keeps their attention, but is catchy enough that I can listen to it without rolling my eyes they way I do with some children's shows. Two of my kids will go to kindergarten next fall and this will definitely give them a boost. I was excited that there was some farm theme in the video since that was our theme this past week (post coming later).
The images are clear, animated, and colorful. It's a very high quality product and I'm very pleased with the educational aspects of it. Rock N Learn is not just for preschoolers. There are DVDs and CDs for ALL ages of kids and cover everything from math and science to test-taking and Spanish.

And here are some websites offered by Rock N Learn where you can download free study materials:

SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE
I'm ordering more of these fabulous videos with my special 25% discount code that I'm going to share with YOU! Just use the coupon code of JQ7711 until the end of September for 25% off.

SPECIAL GIVEAWAY - WIN ONE!!!
I'm also going to give away winner's choice of any dvd or cd. To enter, you must be at least 18 years old and as always, must follow Planet Weidknecht via email, RSS or GFC. Leave a comment for each entry please and make sure you leave me a way to tell you that you won! Enter until September 14, 2011 at midnight.
Disclosure: I received this dvd at no charge for this review. My opinions and the children's opinions are truly our own.

Mandatory Entry:

Bonus Entries:
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    8/26/11

    Movin' and Groovin' with Buddy

    This post brought to you by Hills Pet Nutrition. All opinions are 100% mine.

    My dog Buddy and I are a great match. I love the way he follows me around all day. We're not very motivational for each other though. We could both lay around all day and do nothing.

    Since that really isn't good for either one of us, we do what we can to stay active, such as walking in the evenings, playing chase the bunny in the backyard (his favorite) and swimming (my favorite). Buddy isn't really fond of the water, so this is the farthest he'll get in the pool.

    To help keep Buddy and me movin' and groovin' I've signed us up for the Hill's Health Mobility Challenge. The registration online is quick and easy and includes the Hill's Healthy Mobility Coupon offers for $30 in savings. Plus I got an automatic entry into the Healthy Mobility Challenge Sweepstakes, where 30 winners will receive FREE PET FOOD for an entire year! Hill's Pet Nutrition is chosen more often by vets for their own pets, so I know Buddy and I can trust Hill's Science Diet. You can get nutritional information on their website.

    The Health Mobility Challenge is 30 days in length, with a place online where you can come back and share your success stories with other pet owners. You can even find Hill's Pet Nutrition on Facebook. I'm hoping this challenge will make us more active. Buddy is probably hoping for the free food. Go register your pet too!

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    Review and Giveaway: Persnickety Prints

    While creating my 12x12 pages with my new My Memories Suite v2 software for the review I posted a few days ago, I wondered where I was ever going to get them printed. After all, my printer will only do 8 1/2x11 and since I've never really printed here at home, I didn't know how well they would turn out anyway. So I posted on the My Memories facebook wall, seeking some guidance on "the place" to get them done. I got a couple of different suggestions, but only one strong recommendation - Persnickety Prints.

    I thought it would be a perfect time to review Persnickety Prints quality and service, so I sent them a review request email and they were just as excited about it as I was. So I uploaded some of my brand new 12x12 pages that I'd just made with my new software and my prints arrived in a flash (so to speak). They were amazingly well packaged. I was worried about dented corners but my photos were wrapped in a plastic sleeve, sealed shut, and taped to the inside of the flat cardboard box. They arrived in perfect condition.
    I carefully unwrapped them and they are excellent quality prints. I'm so thrilled with them! The colors are bright and vivid, just as I imagined they should be when I took the photos. Persnickety Prints also has the best price of four online shops I checked!
    I wanted some comparison so I used my "photo-printing" Canon printer to print one of the 8 1/2x11 pages I made with the MMS software. After fighting with my printer all day yesterday, I thought maybe I wouldn't even get to print one, but it finally worked for me this morning.
    I was really disappointed with the page that came out of my printer. It was clear enough, but the colors are so dull and way too light. Look at the difference! Obviously, I've found the place that will be doing all my scrapbook prints!

    A FABULOUS GIVEAWAY!

    Persnickety Prints is giving away a $25 store credit to one Planet Weidknecht reader, so use the rafflecopter form below to get your entries in today! Ends 9-15-11 at midnight. Must be at least 18 and a Planet Weidknecht follower.


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    Free Photo Wall Calendar

    The Calendar is FREE! Choose from a variety of designs and upload your own photos. Add icons and notes to specific dates so you remember important events. You can even start your calendar any month of the year! Just Pay Shipping and Processing.



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    8/25/11

    Review Rayovac RoughNeck

    THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER.
    CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS:

    46 lewalk 
    49 Raven In A Blue Room

    =================================================================

    Each state has its own childcare licensing regulations and Texas requires me to have a working flashlight on-hand just in case we lose electricity during daycare hours. Here is the one I've had in my daycare room for the last ten years.
    I'm so excited that I am replacing it. Not only am I replacing it, but the new one totally outshines the old one (get it?). Rayovac sent me a Rayovac RoughNeck LED Focus Control Flashlight.
    Well, really they sent me three because I am going to give two away, so keep reading!
    The first thing I noticed was the obvious quality, even before I took it out of the packaging. Plus it comes with four Rayovac batteries! That really made me light up (haha, okay enough flashlight jokes).
    Once out of the package, it impressed me even more. Both ends of the flashlight are made of rubber, so that when my daycare kids drop it, it's not going to break. How smart is that?? Plus when you hold it in your hand, the bottom of the flashlight has a soft rubber grip indentation for your fingers so it's really comfortable in your hand. The back end also has a metal loop so I can hang it out of the kids' reach when I get tired of them pointing the light at my eyes. The loop also folds up flat into the end so that it's out of the way if I wish. I guess my husband could hang it on his toolbelt by the loop too, while he's working on stuff around the house (if I let him borrow it).
    Look at that shine! Beautiful, isn't it? A nice strong beam of light. I noticed, too, that around the flashlight lens is a mirrored frame, so if I get lost on the playground (or in the mountains or the desert) I can use it in the daytime to reflect sunlight as my SOS call. Rayovac is pretty bright (sorry, I couldn't resist one last flashlight joke).
    So I'm testing out the flashlight on the carpet, momentarily missing having a cat to chase the light beam, when my husband (who is reading the package) mentions the yellow level on top changes the beam of light. Really? Okay, I guess that is what Rayovac meant when they said "focus control." So now my new toy tool is even cooler!
    My cat really would have loved this. I wonder if I can get the daycare kids to chase it? This is by far the best flashlight my little daycare has ever had. We may even get to use it for real very soon, since I've heard more media chatter about rolling outages in our area because we (as a city, not just my daycare) are apparently straining the power grid trying to stay cool in these 100+ degree Texas afternoons.

    So if you want a flashlight that outshines all other flashlights, before that hurricane hits, buy the Rayovac RoughNeck LED Focus Control Flashlight.
    Also be sure to sign up below to enter to win.
    THE GIVEAWAY
    Rules: I'm going to pick two winners that have entered prior to midnight Friday, September 9, 2011, via random.org. To enter and win you must be at least 18 years old and, as always, you must be a follower of Planet Weidknecht via email, RSS or GFC.

    Two ways to enter:
    If you do at least one of the above entries, then you can get bonus entries doing any or all of the following (leave a comment for each one you do). Hey, maybe you will win both of them!


    PSST...after you enter this one, feel free to enter my other giveaways!
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