When choosing fruit for preserving, pick ripe but firm peaches. If you are making peach jam or salsa, it is okay to use fruit that is riper. Sometimes you can get a deal from a local orchard on very ripe fruit that is perfect for jam.

If you are hesitant about canning, you can freeze sliced peaches. Cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper, and place the sliced peaches in a single layer. Freeze until they are solid. Then place the peaches in a freezer bag. Frozen sliced peaches are great for smoothies!

I like to use canned peaches for cobblers and crisps. They are excellent mixed with blueberries! Peaches are fairly easy to can. It is a bit time consuming to peel, pit and slice. If you have older kids, get them involved in the process!

Steps for Canning Peaches:

1. Pick or buy peaches. Cling Free peaches are easier to can because the pit is easy to remove. Eleven pounds of peaches makes about 9 pints.

2. Wash Peaches. Place in boiling water for 30-45 seconds to loosen up the skin. Place in ice cold water. The skin should easily peel away from the flesh of the peach. If the skin is difficult to remove, place the peach back into the boiling water.

3. Cut peaches into slices, and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with Fruit Fresh or lemon juice as you go. This will keep the peaches from turning brown.

4. As you are preparing the peaches, make sure your jars are sterilizing and the water bath is heating up. I place my clean jars right in the water canner as it heats. The jars will sterilize while the water heats to boiling (love doing two things at once!).

5. When your peaches are ready, you will need to make syrup to pack them in. I like to use light syrup. Heat 6 cups of water on the stove and slowly add in 2 cups of sugar. Heat just to a slight boil, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place peaches in the simmering syrup, and heat for 5 minutes.

6. Pack peaches into hot jars. I like to use pint jars. Pour hot syrup over peaches to fill jar leaving a ¼ inch head room. Place lid on jars.

7. Process pint jars for 20 minutes in boiling water bath.

The most wonderful sound at the end of a long day of canning is … pop, pop, pop! That is when you know your jars are sealed and your fruit is preserved! For more information on canning, Pick Your Own is a great resource as I am not a canning expert. I have really enjoyed canning over the last few years, and I hope to peak others’ interest!

Renae is a married mom of two young boys. She loves to garden, can and play outside with her boys. Renae’s passion is teaching other people how to make dollars out of change. Find out more about Renae and her money saving tips at Madame Deals.

The Dragon and the Turtle, an imaginative story, written by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark (illustrated by Vincent Nguyen), is a wonderful read for children.  This is a story about friendship….a story of sacrifice and loyalty and perseverance, when it comes to friendship.  It’s a story that teaches true character qualities and one that I’m happy and confident in sharing with my boys.

Padraig is a dragon who is enjoying his snack of a “crunchy, squishy, nutty bug” and would like to find another “crunchy, squishy, nutty bug” when along comes Roger the turtle.  Roger, it seems, has lost his house and cannot find it at all.  So Padraig steps in, thus giving up his search for his next snack.  Padraig has wings, so he can fly around the countryside searching for Roger’s house, based on specifications that Roger has given him.  Even though it takes quite a while for Padraig to finally find the right house, he never gives up.  He stays the course for his new friend.  Not only that, but he and Roger learn many things about each other throughout the process.  They discuss what each other likes and dislikes, and even though they’re not always the same, they still get along as friends.

The book is filled with colorful illustrations that draw children into the story.  The characters are adorable, and the lessons are worth reading about.  There is even a verse to go along with the story, Proverbs 17:17: A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.  There is also a recipe for Roger’s mom’s Chocolate Chip Snappers that are fun to make after reading the story with your children. You can purchase The Dragon and the Turtle for $11.99 from WaterBrook Multnomah.  I definitely recommend this book.

The Dragon and the Turtle by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark , Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen
Genre: Juvenile Fiction – Releases 8/10/10 – ISBN 978-0-307-44644-2
Friends come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Sometimes they’re even dragons.

Roger loves adventure. Today he’s playing pirate, sailing the high seas, dancing to the hornpipe, and catching fish. But the wind’s blown him off course and he’s . . . well . . . lost.  When Padraig, a kitten-sized, bug-eating dragon, encounters the lost turtle, he offers to help Roger find his way home. Roger’s directions take some time to follow—his house looks brown, sounds like singing, smells like baking, feels like sand, and tastes like strawberries—and along the way, Roger and Padraig become friends. And friendship always yields unexpected rewards. Lke cookies.

About the Authors/Illustrator

A former schoolteacher, DONITA K. PAUL is the best-selling author of the Dragon Keeper series, The Vanishing Sculptor, and Dragons of the Valley. She enjoys cooking, beading, stamping, knitting, and her grandsons. Not necessarily in that order.

The daughter of novelist Donita K. Paul, EVANGELINE DENMARK grew up living and breathing good stories. Now she enjoys fiction writing and loves to share Roger and Padraig stories with her own two rambunctious boys.

VINCENT NGUYEN has illustrated numerous children’s books, including best-selling author Debbie Macomber’s The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater…That Grandma Knit, and is also a part of the art departments for 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios.

You can also enter to win a copy of this book!  Four readers will win a copy! You can enter to win by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave me a separate comment for each way that you enter.  I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Friday, September 24.  This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada only.  Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

1. Visit WaterBrook Multnomah, and let me know another book that piques your interest.
2. Like WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers on Facebook.
3. Follow @WaterBrookPress on Twitter.
4. Tweet about this giveaway, being sure to link back to both @WaterBrookPress and @mamabzz; in fact, you can tweet daily to earn extra entries.
5. Blog about this giveaway, being sure to link back to both WaterBrook Multnomah and MamaBuzz.
6. Follow MamaBuzz, or subscribe to our posts.
7. Follow @mamabzz on Twitter.
8. Join the MamaBuzz Forum.
9. Digg or Stumble this post.
10. Subscribe to The Latest Buzz Newsletter (in sidebar).

(Disclosure: I received 5 copies of this book, free of charge, from WaterBrook Multnomah, for the purposes of this review/giveaway).

TenMarks is a program that’s geared for parents and students like us.  They’re a supplemental math program that kids can work through in the summer, during the school year, on breaks, etc.  Personally, I love the program, as it really takes the difficulty away and helps the child to understand, while at the same time giving him plenty of great review.  I also appreciate that it’s a clean, clutter-free website, which to me, promotes better learning.

First of all, the program is only $10 a month, which is very reasonable, in my opinion.  The online program allows you to have both a parent and child account, so that the parent can keep track of the student’s progress, while at the same time set up rewards for the child, based on their performance and advancement through the worksheets.  The interface for the student is set up in the form of an iPod-like setting, meaning that there are albums.  For instance, the album we’re on right now is Decimals.  Within each album is a series of tracks, which cover one topic each.  The child completes different worksheets, and if he has difficulty understanding something, the program will give him a series of hints.  If he still doesn’t get it, then there is an online tutor to help explain the process to him.  He can even watch a video lesson.  With programs for grade 3 up through algebra and geometry, this program is a versatile program for students of all ages.  Once the child has a particular concept down, he can take a test.

Parents can keep track through reports, and they can reward the student with either certificates or games.  In order to receive the reward, the student is motivated to keep working through to unlock those rewards.  This part is great motivation for Jacob, as I already kinda use this concept throughout our school days.  He knows that if he accomplishes a few things, he will be rewarded with either a short break or time spent playing a computer learning game, a board game, etc.

Personally, I love this program for supplementing Jacob’s math.  The whole idea is child-friendly and parent-friendly.  It helps the child to gain independence and promote his learning capabilities; for instance, if he thinks something is just way too easy, he can skip ahead.  Check out TenMark’s Personalized Programs for yourself; you can also follow them on both Facebook and @TenMarks on Twitter.

(Disclosure: I received a free short-term membership, from TenMarks, for the purposes of this review.)

This year, I wanted to do something creative, yet functional. Having my own bath & body line makes for easy go to gift ideas (and our teachers have really enjoyed receiving sudsy sweets in the past!), but this time I was looking for something different. As I browsed the web for ideas, I came across a great little tutorial for an acrylic Post-It note holder. I changed it around a bit, and here’s the result…

Start with an inexpensive acrylic picture frame (easily found at Target, Walmart, Michaels, and various dollar stores). I chose a 4×6 frame for this project, which fits with the standard Post-It notepad size nicely. Using the standard frame insert as a template, mark and cut a piece of decorative paper to size and insert (scrapbook paper or card stock work well).

Center your Post-It pad on the lower half of the frame and affix using your choice of double sided craft tape or a glue gun (the hot glue yields a stronger hold and can be removed/replaced to apply a new pad once the notes are used up).

Next, choose your embellishments. I decided to make my own paper flowers using some pre-cut petals and fabric covered buttons. Determine your placement on the upper portion of the frame, and affix with a hot glue gun.

Here’s the finished product…easy peasey! After snapping this pic, my 1st grader decorated the top note with a self-portrait smiley face and his signature…so sweet!

A big thanks to Dawn’s Stamping Thoughts for the inspiration behind this sweet & stylish Post It note holder. Her original design was made using stamping techniques rather than paper flower embellishments, but I really think this alternative came together nicely!

Helix BioMedix sent me their Striking Skin Care System to try out and review.  This system consists of Striking Multi-Vitamin Cleanser, Striking Multi-Peptide Serum, Striking Rejuvenating Eye Creme, and Striking Restorative Moisture Creme.  The science behind the products is that of SmartPeptide Technology, which aims to increase the growth of collagen, thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles, helping the skin to become more firm.  One thing that I truly appreciate about the products is that they are free of phthalates, paraben, and fragrances, as well as formaldehyde-releasing agents.  This means I’m using a much healthier alternative on my skin.

I used the Multi-Vitamin Creme Cleanser at the end of each day, just to wash and cleanse my face after a full day of makeup and being out and about.  This cleanser contains anti-aging vitamins and other ingredients like Vitamins A, C,  & E, Evening Primrose Oil, Sea Buckthorn, Carrot, and Avocado Oil.  It’s a creamy cleanser that honestly cleansed and soothed my face at the same time because it felt so good going on.  It wasn’t one of those hard to smooth on cleansers.  It was rich and creamy, and it only took a tiny bit to do the job.  Too much meant more rinsing, and that just wasn’t necessary.  It also didn’t leave my face feeling completely dried out.  It felt like it moisturized my face at the same time.

The Multi-Peptide Serum is the next step in the skin care process with this system.  This product contains two SmartPeptides, which help to reduce the wrinkles and fine lines, as well as firm up the skin.  It also moisturizes.  Here are the results of a study:
* 94% of study participants said they had firmer skin in 14 days.
* 84% of study participants said the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles were reduced in 14 days.
It contains ingredients like Glycerin, Trehalose, Palmaria Palmata, etc.  I noticed, and I’m not just saying this, that with a little bit of this serum, my face seemed a bit cleaner, more fresh, a bit brighter.  It moisturized while also providing anti-aging benefits.

Their Rejuvenating Eye Cream is the next step that I used.  This eye cream is a bit thicker in texture, still very creamy, not greasy at all, and it is supposed to also aid in the fight against aging.  It helps to reduce the fine lines and wrinkles, as well as reduce puffy eyes and dark circles.  I have had dark circles my whole life, so this is something that I definitely wanted to try.  I have not been using it long enough to really make a huge difference at this point, but I love the moisturizing benefits that it gives to that area around my eyes, which is sometimes an area that is missed when it comes to moisturizing, as I don’t want to get anything in my eyes.  This product contains Hexapeptide-21, Shea Butter, Glycerin, Squalane, etc.

Lastly, the Restorative Moisture Creme is the last step in the Striking Skin Care System.  This moisturizer has the anti-aging benefits of SmartPeptide Technology, as mentioned above.  I have been using this moisturizer for a couple of weeks now, and it doesn’t leave my skin full of breakouts; it’s not greasy at all.  It’s a very light, creamy moisturizer, and it doesn’t take a lot to do the job.  It smooths right on, leaving my face feeling fresh and moisturized after the entire cleansing process.  It contains ingredients like Shea Butter, Green Tea, Vitamins C & E, Linoleic Acid, etc.

You can purchase each of these products separately, if desired, but you can also purchase all of them together as the Striking Skin Care System for $149.95.

Great News! Striking Skin Care is giving one reader their Striking Daily Defense Duo Product Set, a value of $90! You can enter to win by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave me a separate comment for each way that you enter.  I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Thursday, September 23.  This giveaway is open to U.S. only.  Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

1. Visit Striking Skin Care, and let me know which product would be of the most benefit to you.
2. Follow @strikingskin on Twitter.
3. Tweet about this giveaway, linking back to both @strikingskin and MamaBuzz; in fact, you can tweet daily to earn extra entries.
4. Like Striking Skin Care with SmartPeptides on Facebook.
5. Visit the Striking Skin Care Blog, and leave them a comment.
6. Follow MamaBuzz, or subscribe to our posts.
7. Blog about this giveaway, being sure to link back to both Striking Skin Care and MamaBuzz.
8. Join the MamaBuzz Forum.
9. Digg or Stumble this post.
10. Follow @mamabzz on Twitter.

(Disclosure: I received the Striking Skin Care System, free of charge, from Striking Skin Care/Helix BioMedix, for the purposes of this review.)

Read more reviews from our panel of mom bloggers!

Thank you to all who entered.  Be sure to enter some of our other great giveaways going on right now, and have a wonderful day!

Thank you to all who entered.  Be sure to enter some of our other great giveaways going on right now, and have a wonderful day!

Meredith is an educator who sings and does live performances, including parties and shows.  She has been working with preschool children for about ten years.  Her CD, What Are the Odds?, contains 16 different songs about a variety of things related to kids.  She wants her music to be enjoyed by both kids and parents alike.  I have to say with this CD that my toddler enjoyed it a bit more than I did, but I did have a few favorites from the CD.  One was the song, Wheels.  Maybe it’s just because my toddler loves anything with wheels (cars, trucks, buses, firetrucks, you name it), but this song has been a lot of fun, especially when we’re in the car.  Another song that we can really rock out to is Air Guitar.  If you know me, I’m always dancing around with the kids, so this song is definitely a hit.  Oh, and of course, the song Bubbles, mainly because we love to play with bubbles, and this song is just a peaceful song.  Lastly, I really like the song Willow Tree in the Wind.  This song brings back memories of my own childhood, as growing up, we had a giant willow tree in our front yard, and I remember parting the branches to make windows or doors….playing house underneath that willow tree.  It just brings back wonderful memories of a simpler time.The following is a complete listing of the songs on this CD:

1. Hello (New)
2. What Are the Odds? (This song really is a great teaching song for learning odd numbers, including other facts related to odd numbers.  In fact, the lyrics to this song are included in the CD cover.
3. Shake it Loud
4. This Way, That Way
5. In the Garden
6. Wheels
7. Air Guitar
8. Frogs Eat Butterflies
9. Circle
10. Turn Your Body Around
11. Bubbles
12. Who’s a Knockin’?
13. Silly Animal Friends
14. Guess What I Am
15. Willow Tree in the Wind
16. Goodbye (New)

Meredith definitely has a wonderful, kid-friendly style to her music, and her songs are both fun and educational.  This CD is a great fit for toddlers or preschoolers.  You can purchase What Are the Odds? for $14.99 from Monkey Monkey Music.  You can also listen to samples.The great news is that Waldmania PR and Monkey Monkey Music are giving away this CD to one lucky MamaBuzz reader! You can enter to win by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave me a separate comment for each way that you enter.  I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Wednesday, September 22.  This giveaway is open to US and Canada.  Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

1. Visit Monkey Monkey Music, and let me know which CD you’d most like to listen to with your kids.
2. Like Waldmania PR on Facebook.
3. Sign up for the Monkey Monkey Music mailing list.
4. Follow MamaBuzz, or subscribe to our posts.
5. Follow @mamabzz on Twitter.
6. Tweet about this giveaway; in fact, you can tweet daily to earn extra entries.
7. Blog about this giveaway, being sure to link back to both Monkey Monkey Music and MamaBuzz.
8. Join the MamaBuzz Forum.
9. Digg or Stumble this post.
10. Subscribe to The Latest Buzz Newsletter (in sidebar).

(Disclosure: I received a CD, free of charge from Waldmania PR and Monkey Monkey Music, for the purposes of this review.)

When my five children were little, I had to organize their days. Each one had chores and schoolwork. They also needed order. They wanted the security and stability of knowing when they got to eat their meals, play outside, and what time they needed to go to bed.

In an effort to make their schedules fun and endearing, here is what I did:

I found a sweet picture of one child. This was scanned into my computer. I then made a pretty page, with a fancy title, a fun border, and placed the child’s picture, centered, on the top of the page. Next, I wrote down exactly what that child’s day would look like. I printed this out and tacked it to the wall, as if it were artwork!  I made one of these for each one of my children.

I recently found my youngest child’s schedule, from when he was around 7 years old. Here is what it said:

* Out of bed and dressed by 7:45 a.m. Make bed.
* Breakfast 8 a.m.
* 8:30 straight to schoolroom for school on weekdays, or Bible time on weekends.
* 10:00 Break for snack and outdoor play.
* 11:00 Morning Chores.
* 12:00 Lunch. Help with Clean up.
* 1:00 – 2:00 More School and studying, reading time.
* 2:00 Outside and Free time.
* 4:00 Help make supper.
* 4:30 Night Chores.
* 5:00 Free time or head over to the store for work. (We owned a country store.)
* 8:00 Bath and get ready for bed.
* 8:30 Story time and Bible Time.
* 9:00 Bedtime. Read for a little while.
* 10:00 Lights out. Go to sleep.

These schedules made life so much easier for all of us. No one was ever bored. No one wondered what time they could go outside or what time we served supper. It was all clearly planned out. Of course it was not a rigid schedule. The children knew that each item was general, and we would do our best to make sure everything was done. They loved their play time. They loved to hear stories. And they loved being able to say cute things like, “It’s time for night chores!!” It’s amazing how easily amused small children can be!

Now, as my children are older, we don’t have schedules like that anymore. I have 2 grown children and 3 teenagers. Life is more hectic. It is a tremendous struggle for me to keep a schedule. Yet, I love to look back on the days when they were all little, and I can see how we used to spend our days.

Blessings,
Mrs. White

Mrs. White is a wife and homemaker living in an old 1800’s Colonial house in Vermont.  She has five home-schooled children, ages 12, 15, 17, 21 and 22. She has been happily married for almost a quarter of a century. Visit her blog at  The Legacy of Home.

Thank you to all who entered.  Be sure to enter some of our other great giveaways going on right now, and have a wonderful day!

Beautiful Creatures- Children’s Songs of Africa

As I listened to this CD, it was honestly a fun, down to earth, peaceful sort of music.  At first, it had almost a reggae type of feeling to it.  Some of the music had kids singing, some had adults.  All of the songs were definitely kid-oriented, but I found myself enjoying right along with my kids.  The songs are educational, in that they tell about different African animals.  Some of the songs even have animal sounds in them.  I found myself laughing through a few of the songs, including one of my favorites, Lucas the Lazy Lion.  The artist makes several sounds through the song, including roaring that my Jaden just loves, and the character of the song just cracks me up.  I love it!  Another couple songs that I loved, probably because of their more calming effects were Down Comes the Rain and African Lullaby.  The song the CD is named after, Beautiful Creatures, definitely carries a strong message of caring for our animals and earth, so that they’re here for future generations.  Here is a complete listing of the songs on Beautiful Creatures:

1. Imvubu the Happiest Hippo
2. Lucas the Lazy Lion
3. Mafutha
4. Zee Bee Dee Bee Dee
5. Wallace the Wonderous Warthog
6. Lorenzo the Luckiest Lizard
7. Down Comes the Rain
8. Beautiful Creatures
9. The Night Song
10. African Lullabye

This is definitely a CD that we will be listening to over and over again; it’s one I can actually enjoy with my kids, and I’m not just saying that.  You can purchase Beautiful Creatures on iTunes; you can purchase each song for download, for 99 cents apiece.  They also have a book available.

Just to give you a bit more info from the producers of this CD:
The last five years have seen the release of seven Beautiful Creatures albums: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, MORE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES and EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, featuring fun educational songs about African animals. BEAUTIFUL ME, an album dealing with emotional development for children, tackling issues such as sibling rivalry, anger management, self-confidence and diversity. BEAUTIFUL BEDTIME, songs that take your children through the routine of getting ready for bed. Winding down, bathing, brushing teeth, putting your p-jays on and story time. And BEAUTIFUL CREATURES OF THE SEA, fun sea creature songs that deal with conservation. 2009 saw the release of BEAUTIFUL LULLABIES featuring 10 down tempo songs to get your baby to sleep.

Beautiful Music is giving two MamaBuzz readers a free download of Beautiful Creatures! You can enter to win by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave me a separate comment for each way that you enter.  I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Tuesday, September 21.  Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

1. Visit Beautiful Music, and let me know which CD you would most like to listen to.
2. Like Beautiful Creatures on Facebook.
3. Follow @beauticreatures on Twitter.
4. Tweet about this giveaway; in fact, you can tweet daily to earn extra entries.
5. Visit the Beautiful Creatures Blog, and leave them a comment.
6. Follow MamaBuzz, or subscribe to our posts.
7. Follow @mamabzz on Twitter.
8. Blog about this giveaway, being sure to link back to both Beautiful Creatures and MamaBuzz.
9. Digg or Stumble this post.
10. Join the MamaBuzz Forum.

(Disclosure: I received a download of Beautiful Creatures, free of charge, from Beautiful Music, for the purposes of this review.)

Voskos Greek Yogurt is a healthy snack that I can feel confident giving to my kids.  They’ve actually adapted a very old Greek style straining process, and all of their yogurt, even the lowfat yogurt, is really very creamy.  As I tried the different flavors, I couldn’t help but notice how rich and creamy each flavor was.  The richness of the yogurt lent an almost tingly feeling to the tastebuds.  I don’t know if that even makes sense, but it’s true.  Their yogurt has twice the protein of regular yogurt, and it contains five live, active probiotic cultures, which we all know help both our digestive and immune systems.

We received several different flavors, including flavors from their Organic and Low Fat/Non Fat lines.  Here are the flavors that they carry:

• Organic Plain Non Fat
• Organic Greek Honey
• Organic Vanilla Bean
• Plain Non Fat
• Plain Low Fat
• Plain Original
• Honey
• Blended Greek Honey
• Blended Exotic Fig
• Blended Wild Strawberry
• Honey Vanilla Bean
• Blended Wild Blueberry

The plain yogurts actually make a great substitute for sour cream on tacos or with any type of Mexican food.  The yogurt is so creamy and has such a richness of flavor that I really didn’t notice a difference.  The great thing about that is that the yogurt is healthier for me than the sour cream.  One thing that I noticed about all of the yogurts is their high amount of potassium and low amount of carbs.  Now some of the yogurt has somewhat higher amounts of cholesterol, but it depends on which kinds you get.  If you stick with the Organic or the Low Fat/Non Fat, or even the blended flavors, it’s not near as high.

My favorite flavor was probably either the Blended Exotic Fig or the Blended Wild Strawberry.  When the flavor says Honey, it definitely tastes like Honey, and my boys really liked the Honey flavors.  This yogurt would make awesome smoothies, with its extra creamy texture.  Having natural, organic ingredients, this yogurt definitely gets a thumbs up from this mom.  You can purchase Voskos Greek Yogurt at your local health food market or supermarket; it’s also available in Whole Foods Markets across the country.  You can check out all of the nutritional info by clicking on each product here. Check out their collection of recipes too!

Voskos Greek Yogurt is giving 5 MamaBuzz readers 2 coupons apiece for free yogurt! You can enter to win by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave me a separate comment for each way that you enter.  I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Tuesday, September 21.  This giveaway is open to U.S. only.  Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

1. Visit Voskos Greek Yogurt, and let me know what quality you like best about this yogurt/or which flavor you would love to try.
2. Follow @GoVoskos on Twitter.
3. Tweet about this giveaway; in fact, you can tweet daily to earn extra entries.
4. Like Voskos Greek Yogurt on Facebook.
5. Blog about this giveaway, being sure to link back to both Voskos and MamaBuzz.
6. Follow Mamabuzz, or subscribe to our posts.
7. Follow @mamabzz on Twitter.
8. Join the MamaBuzz Forum.
9. Digg or Stumble this post.
10. Subscribe to The Latest Buzz Newsletter (in sidebar).

(Disclosure: We received a package of Voskos Greek Yogurt, free of charge, from Voskos, for the purposes of this review.)

I know that you will find this impossible to fathom, but my kids, in spite of all the love and attention we have poured out on them, are occasionally naughty.  They throw tantrums when they don’t get their way.  They talk back to me if they don’t want to do what I tell them to do.  Tonight I don’t know who was more exasperated as we tried to finish up a few of our daily chores, me or the kids.  Don’t they know that I am doing everything I can for them so they can experience my full devotion?  Why do they persist in acting this way?

In Isaiah 5.1-7, God asks a similar question.  The prophet sings a song about a vineyard owner who carefully prepared and tended a prized field with the hope of receiving a good yield of grapes and wine.  Instead, to his dismay, the vineyard only produced bad fruit.  We learn at the end of the song that God is the vineyard owner and the vineyard is the people of Judah.  God looked for “good fruit” from his people and instead they only produced bad.

Since we believers are now God’s “chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Colossians 3.12) we now need to be people who produce “good fruit.”  What exactly does that look like?

I’m still trying to figure out what it means to produce “good fruit.”  I don’t just want to be someone who throws money at something and calls that good (especially since we don’t have any money to throw at anyone!).  I am working on developing a mindset that sees how God can use us and our family to minister to the needs of those around us.  We have tried to do things like a “race against hate” as a family.  We pray for people in our community and for situations around the world each night.  We do our best to buy free trade whenever we can.  Even though at this time it feels like we are only taking small steps to produce “good fruit,” my hope and intentions are that the mindset of doing good for others will become so ingrained that we all, even the kids, do these kinds of things as naturally as breathing.

Each day I remind myself that I am doing the hard work of training my kids now so that they will be better people in the future.  I hope soon that they will join me in initiating and thinking of ways to return God’s love in the form of “good fruit.”

photo by D. Sharon Pruitt

You can learn more about the antics of Melanie’s kids and her attempts to teach them how to be normal people at her blog, “tales from the crib.”  She also writes for Mama Buzz at “reviews from the crib.”

And then it started.

My simple request for my son to get dressed had sparked a full on break down. In five year old fashion, he dropped to the ground and dramatically started screaming and crying. He wasn’t done with his game he demanded, he wanted 5 more minutes. This on top of the 5 minutes I gave him 15 minutes ago.

This hasn’t become an uncommon response. Simple requests to start cleaning up, get dressed, and to listen, often result in him trying to assert his independence by refusing to do so, breaking down or just pretending he doesn’t hear me at all. I’m not sure if it is the unpredictability of hot summer days or the lack of structure, but my little boy who always listened and said please and thank you, had become a do what he wants when he wants, back talking five year old.

While I understand that he is trying to find his niche and assert his independence, simple requests from me should still be something he should obey. He should still listen. When he was 2, and his sister was born, he went through a phase of not listening, but after advice from my parents to give him time outs every time he didn’t listen, and most importantly, not to waver, all it took was a week to get him back into shape. This time my parents say the same applies, give him time outs, take things away, don’t waiver and most importantly, don’t let him see your emotion, which is a hard one for me.

Although I try to stay calm when things become surprisingly challenging, I know my frustration is written all over my face and to him, this is like adding fuel to the fire. He sees me more upset and listens less, and in some cases he doesn’t even look in my direction. But don’t get me wrong, George is a good, gentle, kind, loving, smart little boy; however, this recent rash of disobedience has me at my wit’s end.

How do I break him of his behavior and nip it in the bud before it gets out of control?

In a search for answers, I literally dusted a book off the shelf that my mom had given me one day, The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries by Michele Borba. At the time she gave it to me, I shoved it aside and doubted I would ever open its pages and now, I hope it has the answer, if it could only be that simple. As I flip through the pages, I turn to the Won’t Listen section of the Behavior Chapter of the book and there is a question from a parent that I can totally relate to, “I know my son can hear perfectly well, but whenever I talk, he becomes ’selectively deaf’. I’m tired of telling him again and again what I want him to do. How can my child listen to me?”

Selectively deaf. Sounds familiar.

Sometimes I feel that my voice is like that whistle that only dogs and cats can hear because as I ask him to do things and as my demands get a little louder and more persistent, the only one that goes running is the cat. George just stands there looking at me with that blank stare on his face. I am always joking to my husband that our son is deaf to my voice.

According to Borba, the solution is early intervention. (Let’s hope.) She goes on to suggest, “Identify the reason why your kid doesn’t listen and discover why they tune you out”. My son’s reason would usually be that he’s absorbed in a task, such as playing with his trains, cars, or the ever dreaded video game. Then use Rapid Response, “Get his attention first and then talk. If he’s not looking at you, squat to his level, gently lift his chin and give him a verbal cue”.Instead of yelling, like unfortunately I would result in, she suggests, “You lower you voice,speak slowly and keep it short and to the point. You may also have to get active, taking his arm and guide him gently where you want him to go. But most importantly expect compliance and allow consequences to kick in”.

Borba also suggests developing habits for change. “Teach memory strategies by using the rewind method and having them repeat what you said. Write a note and let the child write a note themselves, use your fingers, have your child use them as a task counter. You may need to rethink your relationship. If your child continues not to listen this may be an issue of non compliance or disrespect”. Let’s hope it doesn’t go there, that’s another chapter for another day, hopefully another year.

My husband seems to think it’s all of the above, he’s testing my limits, not listening, non compliant and at times shows a sliver of disrespect. I don’t even want to turn to the non compliance and disrespect chapters of the book. I didn’t think that would ever be my son’s issues; after all, he’s five. I was hoping those weren’t even in his vocabulary. I admit, I try to do my best but since having a 3rd child, I am just adjusting to the chaos myself and sometimes, unfortunately, I become not so persistent in my requests and have wavered at bit.

But now, Mommy is in full effect. The foot is down, and I need to squash this behavior before it gets out of control. Besides, we don’t want to carry on behaviors from the Ferocious Fives into the Silly Sixes or the Super Sevens. One year at a time.

Danielle is a stay-at-home mom to 3 kids under the age of 6 and writes a blog exploring her journey through motherhood and way beyond. You can find her over at My Life in Jenga. Also, if you live in the South Jersey, Philadelphia area and you are looking for things to do and places to go with the kids, check out her other blog, Get.Out.And.Play.