INFOGRAPHIC: “Did You Know?” Halloween Facts –Costumes Megastore

Note from Kathleen: It’s October 1, time to start the Halloween Celebrations at my house! I thought the below infographic would be the PERFECT way to start off the month.

Planning to attend a special Halloween party in 2012? Are you ready to savor some of the mouth-watering chocolate candies? It’s time to decide your Halloween costume and have fun with your loved ones. This day allows you to hide your true identity and helps you let out your wicked side. Be creative and go viral with complete enthusiasm and creepy Halloween dress this season.

You can visit an online store and grab some exciting masks and wigs to add to the mood. It will also help you enhance your overall appearance. A few costumes are such that don’t require any props to go with them. There are many online stores that offer best quality Halloween costumes.

It’s quite simple to find out a perfect Halloween costume online that suits your personality, be it funky girlish costumes, typical storybook or pirate dresses. Also, remember to buy a couple of selective Halloween decors and party supplies from online Halloween stores. All these would make the occasion livelier.

This Halloween in 2012, you can go to: www.CostumesMegaStore.Com to buy Halloween costumes, masks, props, wigs, and party supplies. Don't forget to checkout their 2012 Halloween costumes collection here.

Earth Hour 2010 - Mar 27 8:30pm

It's that time again. Time to show our support for being more environmentally friendly, to reduce our electricity usage for just one hour this saturday. Earth Hour has been such a success around the world, why wouldn't you want to participate?

Earth Hour and WWF would like me to share some information with you:

5 Things we want the world to know about Earth Hour

1. We can solve 3/4 of climate change by changing the energy we use.
   First step is cutting down our use. Do those lights really have to be on? Can the computers be turned off at night? Think before you switch on.
2. 10 million Canadians care about leadership on climate change.
   Every person who participates in Earth Hour is sending a clear and inspiring message to our leaders to take further action needed to help our planet.
3. We're in the hot seat this summer - and it's not on the beach!
   Canada is hosting the G8 and G20 Summits in Huntsville and Toronto in June, and climate change is on the agenda. Let's show the world what we are capable of.
4. Wildlife's best hope is avoiding 2 degrees Celsius.
   Global warming is already threatening our coral reefs, the base of ocean life. If we can limit the warming, we can stop 1/3 of species from risking extinction.
5. WWF wants to help you make ever hour Earth Hour.
   There's a big growing community online of people wanting to do more and looking for support. Join us at http://community.wwf.ca

So what can you do without lights, stoves, computers, music, video games, TV etc... for one hour?

How about:

• Having a candlelit dinner
• Reading by candlight
• Play a game that requires little reading and mostly talking (the kind where you ask a question and everyone gives their answer)
• Go outside and enjoy the stars. It should be easier to see with less lights
• If it's just the two of you... have "adult" fun!
• sit in a circle and tell ghost stories
• Have a sing along by candlelight (or a real campfire if you are legally able)

Here's a short video:



Visit Earth Hour US, Earth Hour Canada or Earth Hour Global

*Photo Credit: Phoney Nickle on Flickr

Family Literacy Day

As you may or may not know, today was Family Literacy Day in Canada. I fully intended to post earlier so you could do something to celebrate but today was a bit crazy so instead I share what we did today.

This year's theme is Sing for Literacy to increase awareness of how singing helps literacy. Robert Munsch is the honorary chair for Family Literacy Day.

Singing is a great literacy activity for families because it provides a fun way to expand spoken vocabulary and creates a strong bond. Singing allows you to learn patterns of words, rhymes and rhythms, and is strongly connected to language skills.
 - Sing for Literacy

We went to playgroup today (for those not in Canada, it's like preschool but the parents stay and interact with their kids and other parents.) For Family Literacy Day we brought our teddy bears and did a special teddy bear themed day with teddy crafts, teddy snack and teddy songs and poems and stories at circle time.

This is my children at the sand table

Here they are with their bears at circle time

Here's a poem that was read to us.

We also listened to Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle, sang Going on a Bear Hunt and watched a short video of the Teddy Bear's Picnic.

Want to download some literacy activities? (PDF file)

Check out some literacy facts

World Creativity and Innovation Week

I always find out about these things a little late. World Creativity & Innovation Week is April 15-21 (which means it already started) So let's take a moment to reflect on creativity/innovation.

Without Creativity and Innovation we wouldn't have many of the objects we use everyday. I could name off everything we use but just as a sample: cellphones, internet, toaster, microwave, Wii, Kindle, Twitter etc....

Then there are those things that are very new and you don't see them in stores (at least yet). Check out these cool innovative products. (but come back!)

So did you ever create something new? Perhaps in school? We had to invent something in school and I ended up creating a sling for dogs. You know how people carry their babies on them? Well I made one for dogs. I tried it out on my dog and he didn't like it much but I know the dog my parents have now would love it. I wish I knew what happened to it. It would have been perfect for those little dogs who just want to be held and carried. Perhaps you've heard of or seen a dog stroller? But oh wait, what's this? Someone HAS invented Dog Slings. They're not quite what I invented, these are more like purses.

So what innovation do you covet the most? Which one could you never live without? Inquiring minds want to know.

Are you going to be creative or innovate anything this week? Check out the Innovation Mindset for some ideas and an Innovation 'Prayer.' If you're on Twitter, you may want to follow @WorldCreativity

National Reading Month (and Leapfrog)

I just wanted to let you all know that I pledge to read at least 20 minutes a day for the month of March to my children over here at the Leapfrog site. I think it's a great idea to celebrate National Reading Month.

Also, if you check out this post on Bookroom Reviews (which is where I learned about all this) you can find out more info (including how to enter a sweepstakes for US residents) and to enter for a chance to win:

"a LeapFrog Tag Reader with FIVE books as well as an Expanded-Memory LeapFrog School Tag Reader with TEN books to donate to your local library"

I don't get a bonus entry for writing this up, I just wanted to let you all know because it's a great giveaway and more importantly, I support National Reading Month.

September 20 is Puppy Mill Awareness Day

Do you know what a Puppy Mill is? You should.

A puppy mill is the equivalent of a factory farm for dogs" - awarenessday.org

For the rest, go here.

Puppy Mill Awareness Day is actually and American "holiday" but Puppy Mills isn't exclusively American by any means so it's important for us all to know about it.

Links to check out:

Puppy Mill Awareness Day
http://www.awarenessday.org/national/index.html

No Puppy Mills Canada
http://www.nopuppymillscanada.ca/

This is an important cause, so be informed!