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McClain Sisters lead singer China Anne McClain  is an acclaimed young actress who, in addition to starring in Disney Channel’s A.N.T. FARM , a role for which she received a 2012 NAACP Image Award nomination, also starred in the House of Payne television series and the movie The Gospel . “Rise,” written and performed by McClain Sisters after being inspired by Disneynature’s feature film CHIMPANZEE , is the latest Disney Friends for Change anthem. With the motivating lyrics “Together we can do anything,” the song captures the central message of the program: when kids and families work together, they can inspire each other and their communities to make a lasting, positive change in the world.   “Rise” is the fourth Friends for Change anthem to be released with a benefit back to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. This contribution marks nearly $1 million awarded through the music campaign to charities working to protect the planet and conserve nature for ...

 MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS the world’s greatest Super Heroes assemble when Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) join S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to protect the world from the dangerous and powerful villain, Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Like MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MarvelsTheAvengers Follow MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS on Twitter: twitter.com/avengers MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS hits theaters everywhere on May 4 Disclosure: this information provide by Walt Disney, comments and views are my own .

This weekend our laundry room got an update and some fresh paint thanks to my husband's handy man skills. The two document boxes on the left are from Martha Stewart collection that I had from a few years ago, and the other four are from Avery Products   New Martha Stewart Home Office Collection available at Staples . I have purchased a few other items from this collection to help organize the papers such as folders, binders, and wall pockets. The  two other bins (Rubbermaid) I found  in the basement. They match the color pretty good.  The longaberger baskets make good storage. I needed a place to store blog paperwork! Our kitchen table is my desk, and the laundry room shelves provide storage for all the odds and ends of papers. I've got my eye on our "library" room for my next take over of office space or maybe my husband will have to share his home office. Disclosure: This is my real laundry room. This is not a sponsored or compensated post .

Do you have those nostalgic moments when you page through your old high school year book? I have my high school year books, but what a good idea to make a year book as soon as your child enters school.  Preserve your child's school memories with a yearbook from Shutterfly.  From their first teacher to their best friend in kindergarten you can save all those cute photos in a year book. Save those class pictures from our younger years. The day you played the part of a tree in the school play  or the day your Mom brought cupcakes to the class for your birthday. All those special moments can be captured in a photograph and made into a year book from Shutterfly. Shutterfly Year books are easy to make and affordable to parents.  You can easily create specially designed page templates for school activities, subjects, and student classroom and faculty photos. Visit Shutterfly and check out their Yearbook ideas . The Year books are easy to  make with templ...

To those living in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania area, here is an event being held on Satuday March 24, 2012. Feel free to attend! Saturday, March 24, 2012 11:00 a.m. EST at Giant Food (wifi area) 2550 Grant Ave Philadelphia, PA 19144 LOCAL AUTHOR EILEEN SPINELLI JOINS CHEERIOS® TO LEAD SPECIAL BOOK READING AND DONATION TO ENCOURAGE LITERACY Philadelphia “Breakfast & A Book” Event Part of Cheerios® Spoonfuls of Stories®10-Year Anniversary Celebration Cheerios.com ®, through its Spoonfuls of Stories Simon and Schuster ® program, has once again put six million free children’s books inside specially-marked cereal boxes while supplies last. To celebrate the program’s 10th anniversary and encourage parents to read with their children, Cheerios will hold special “Breakfast & A Book” reading events in select cities across the country, including Philadelphia.  During the event, local children’s book author  Eilleen Spinelli , whose cheerful story “Do You Have A Hat?” was fe...

MyMemories has a new Short and Suite Video Tutorial. See how easy it is to use the software and this new Grouping Tools in MyMemoires Suite!  Use promo code STMMMS70410 to get a great deal!  You can visit them at MyMemories.com and see more of the scrapbook tools and much more.

Happy First Day of Spring! It's so nice to see the Spring bulbs emerging out of the ground and have warm sunny days. Although it is only March, the temperatures have been warm. Open the windows and let the winds of March clear out the stale air in your house! Spring and cleaning are those two words that go hand in hand. I wish there was a season for clutter clean up! The kitchen area in our house seems to be the dumping ground for all things clutter. Newspapers, magazines, mail, book bags, water bottles, and all those recyclable containers end up on the kitchen table or counter en route to somewhere. Meal times usually involve some type of ingredient or food that comes in a can or bottle used in a recipe. Glass jars from the applesauce or spaghetti sauce, the can of soup someone had for lunch, or the plastic container of cream cheese someone finished off at breakfast all end up on the counter. It's like a collection area for the day's recyclables. I used to keep a sm...

Do you remember those towel machines from public bathrooms that the towel would go through the machine in a loop?  You had to pull it through the feeder to get a "fresh" spot to dry your hands on. Although that seemed like a good idea, I don't see those anymore in public restrooms. Maybe the germ police said a big "no" to that type of hand drying. There wasn't any paper towel waste or hand drying machines to service, just the simple loop of a towel. An alternative to public restroom/washrooms is People Towels™. They are reusable, personal hand towels that you carry with you throughout the day. When you wash your hands away from home use people towels.  They are made with organic cotton and Eco friendly dyes. They towels are available in neat patterns and designs.  One towel is a two day supply. Then toss it in to your laundry and reuse the next day.   towel with sack to carry with you Switch to People Towels for a year and guess what? From not using paper t...

From producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski comes Disney/Bruckheimer Films' THE LONE RANGER. Tonto (Johnny Depp), a spirit warrior on a personal quest, joins forces in a fight for justice with John Reid (Armie Hammer), a lawman who has become a masked avenger. THE LONE RANGER will be released in May 2013.

Have you heard about McDonald's Happy Meal Chefs?  All you need to do is make a video of you and your children making a nutritious family meal, and answer a few questions on how to make meal time fun when you enter. To enter and get all the information go to Happy Meal Chefs .  You could win a trip to  the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. The two Grand Prize Winners will also win a trip to McDonald's Headquarters for a VIP behind the scenes look and experience  McDonald's own Chef Dan and his team work on the future menu for McDonald's Children 8 to 11 are invited to enter with their parent or guardian. The contest closes on April 18, 2012.

You know that excitement of "we are going to grandmas house", kids know that special feeling of visiting relatives. The smells of a home cooked dinner coming from the kitchen, the tick tock of the Grandfather clock, and the different rooms of your childhood house for your own children  to explore. But how often do  extended families interact these days? Have you  moved away from your extended family? Chances are you only see your relatives a few times a year at the busy holiday season. How do you find some quality time for your children to interact with the family?  Children can learn so many traditions and values from Grandparents. If you live far away or even down the street our lives are busy! Ohanarama is a safe social network for families to play together online. Grandparents, Moms, Dads, Sisters, Brothers, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins can connect, learn and play together with Ohanarama. If you live far away from ...

Crayola is bringing ways to help bring out the creativity in your child. You can also learn about Lisa Loeb´s Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs (Sterling Children´s Books, 2011) available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Sing, laugh, and play together.  You can visit Crayola.com to learn more and on Facebook. <p><p><p><p><p><p>></body></p></p></p></p></p></p> <p><p><p><p></body></p></p></p></p>   Disclosure : this information was provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.

The 2012 Philadelphia Flower Show is this week, March 4-11, 2012.  It is world famous!    For information visit pennhort.net/aloha and theflowershow.com .  Here you will find all the information needed for  the show, ticket sales, times, directions, and much more. I went to the Flower Show on Sunday March 4, 2011.  It is just lovely. Beautiful, fragrant flowers are everywhere. And a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a look at the show, but go yourself to see all of the Flower Show this year! Pick up a map and guide when you arrive. There is also an APP for your phone to help you navigate through the show. (more information on theflowershow.com ) Disclosure: I attend the show as a blogger and was given a media pass to share this wonderful show .

Do you like to dance?  How about a Dance-off-competition? With prizes? For a good cause? Get your grove on and record 30 seconds of it to a video and upload to www.familydanceoff.com . You have until March 23, 2012 to upload your video.  You can also view and vote daily! (one vote per day) Primrose Schools Family Dance-off competition benefits Children's Miracle Network Hospitals©. They also promote physical activity, healthy lifestyles and spending quality family time together. Children's Miracle Network Hospitals©, a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children's hospitals, which collectively treat 17 million children annually for injuries and illness. Primrose Schools© is the leader in educational child care. To learn more about Primrose Schools© visit them at www.primroseschools.com Dance Off Prizes: 16 families will receive a $1,000 donation to their Children's Miracle Network Hospital© and advance to the finalist round from March 26...

Franenweenie movie opens this October. A Disney film with Tim Burton!  The character, Victor conducts  a science experiment to bring his dog, Sparky back to life. Does it work or do strange things happen? join the conversation on Facebook Here is a peak at the movie: