As a mom of  two grown daughters, I must say that each one was as different as night and day when they were growing up. They’re 4 years apart, and when they were little, the age gap made a big difference. They’re much closer now that they’re grown.

My youngest was very much in to music. When it was her bedtime, Pumpkin had a tape-recorder and would listen to her favorite musical tapes until she fell asleep. Oftentimes they were storybook tapes. As she grew older, her love of music manifested itself through dancing. Pumpkin developed an amazing sense of rhythm, and took dancing lessons from the time she was a toddler, until she was a senior in high school. Pumpkin was on the Dance Team in high school and as a freshman in college.

I can recall a group that was extremely popular with children born in the 1980s. When they toured and came to a town nearby, we attended the “concert” in the local high school. It was a jam-packed, fun-filled event that Pumpkin now 21, still remembers.

Recently I was asked to review a new CD/DVD that’s going to be having the kiddie set all in a twitter!

Swingset Mamas (a/k/a  Lizzie and Marlowe)

“kindled their friendship singing into the night over a campfire on the beach in Montauk, NY. Marlowe, a classically trained pianist, and Lizzie, a music therapist and rock musician, connected over a belief in the power of music.”

“…the Mamas’ songs tap into the most fundamental joys and struggles of parents and their children.”

Now ‘Lil Moomette, my granddauaghter, age 2 ~ does not take after her mom in a musical sense, but rather (thankfully,) takes after Auntie. Auntie, I’m pleased to say, takes after…moi. ‘Lil Moomette and I were dancing to the Swingset Mamas’  “All Around the House” (actually, mom was too!) It was too cute to see ‘Lil Moomette shake her tiny little booty!

This delightful CD/DVD would be great for Daycare, Preschool, Homeschooling, or rainy days!

There’s still plenty of time to order the entertaining and educational Swingset Mamas CD/DVDs in time for the Holidays or upcoming Birthday Parties. All orders will ship within 2 days of ordering via 1st class mail.

Gift cards and/or autographed CD’s with a brief message and your child’s name are available for no additional cost!

Visit http://swingsetmamas.com for more information.

It’s hard to believe, but even though I have one daughter who’s 21, I still get slipped little notes to “Santa” about what’s on her Christmas List. When she was little, I always used to save her lists and put them in her baby book. Its fun to drag out the baby books and reminisce every now and then.

If you haven’t started your holiday shopping yet and are looking for some neat stocking stuffers, Bella Sara is a trading card game that’s complimented by the magical online land of North of North ~ home to the beautiful horses pictured on Bella Sara trading cards. Bell Sara has captured the hearts of young girls across the country, offering positive, inspirational messages.

The Bella Sara family of horses is expanding as they welcome Baby Bella foals, complete with new trading cards featuring gall of the brand-new babies. On November 6th, the website is kicking off a 10-day celebration where kids can qualify for daily prizes, print of babies’ birth certificates, read stories, and get access to special codes and more.

Each card is approximately the size of a playing card, and features an inspiration quote and comes with a checklist.

Whether you’re looking for something unique for your own daughters, nieces or granddaughters, these cute cards are worth checking out!

Baby Bella Card Packs will retail for $2.99 each, and are available at major retail outlets, booksellers and toy, hobby and equestrian shops in North America.

For more information, visit http://www.bellasara.com

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is coming to Town!

As a life-long resident of Connecticut, my family has always mentioned that Hartford, CT has a long history with the Circus.  And of course, P.T. Barnum was born in Bethel, CT and the P.T. Barnum Museum is located in Bridgeport, CT.

One of the most memorable experiences I’ve shared with my oldest daughter, who’s now 25, was attending the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Hartford when she was younger.  My late Brother-in-Law and I each took our daughters to the show and had such a great time.  We were fortunate enough to get to see the renowned animal tamer, Gunther Gabel Williams perform. To this day we still have the plastic beverage cup and program from the show that we got as souvenirs.

Everyone has his or her own memories and experiences:

Attending a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus provides more than just a night out. It creates a memory that lasts a lifetime and a tradition that can be carried on from year to year and generation to generation. As one mom said, the circus is “worth every smile and mesmerized stare.” From the laughs that come at the clowns’ expense, the gasps of delight at seeing a motorcycle making its way across the high wire, and the huge grins that come from seeing elephants and tigers up close, the circus truly feels synonymous with childhood.

Nothing quite compares to the experience of the circus: the anticipation followed by the sheer excitement of the lights coming up, the performers riding in on elephants, the colorful clowns, and the acrobats flying through the air. Many of us remember the magic of the circus from our own childhoods-one of the rare things that we can now pass down to our children as well.

To help start your own family traditions early, the Baby’s First Circus program allows babies to receive a free ticket voucher that can be exchanged for a free ticket to any Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey performance, anytime, anywhere. No expiration date!

Now you can get a  20% discount code for Ringling Bros. Circus. Code: MCC

Simply go on http://ringling.com and type in your zip code to find the shows and purchase tickets online with the Code.

The code is valid for the circus shows in the following cities:

Indianapolis, IN - Sept. 4-7, 2008
Kansas City, MO - Sept. 10-14, 2008
Grand Rapids, MI - Sept. 18-21, 2008
Denver, CO - Oct. 2-13, 2008
Boston, MA – Oct. 8-13, 2008
Cleveland, OH - Oct. 24 - Nov. 2
Chicago, IL - Nov. 6 - 30, 2008
St. Louis, MO - Nov. 6-9, 2008
Auburn Hills, MI - Nov. 12 - 16, 2008
Highland Heights, KY - Feb 27 - Mar. 1, 2009
Cincinnati, OH - Mar. 4 - 8, 2008