Have you noticed how much college textbooks cost these days? And did you know that you can actually rent them instead of buying them?

Since I graduated with my bachelor’s over 20 years ago, I haven’t paid much attention to the cost of college textbooks, so hearing from friends what their children are paying now sends a real shock through my system!

Luckily, another thing that has changed since I got out of school is the advent of textbook rentals. (If they existed at the time, I wasn’t aware of them and they certainly weren’t promoted at my school.)

Enter CampusBookRentals.com. This is a great site to check out if you or someone you know are heading off (or back) to school. They offer a ton of benefits:

They also offer scholarships and monthly giveaways, in addition to partnering with Operation Smile to provide cleft palate surgeries to children who need them.

This is definitely a service I wish had been around when I was in school!

Thank you to CampusBookRentals.com for providing a product compensation for this review.

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Price: Apple App Store: $5.99; Android Marketplace: $2.99

About the App

DESCRIPTION: The Sounds of Night is a book app that helps put a child’s mind at ease when the lights go out at bedtime. This book addresses one of the primary feelings young children face; fear. The Sounds of Night reinforces the principle that God is the Creator of every creature. Since God makes all the animals that scurry and screech at night, children can lie down and sleep in peace.

FEATURES: The Sounds of Night has over 75 touch points/interactions. It has rich illustrations and 4 Bible verses on fear that kids can learn with their parents and share with their friends.

DEVELOPMENT: Jessica Kirkland is a member of Moms with Apps. She recently launched Christian Apps 4 Kids, which seeks to draw kids closer to Christ one app at a time. Her inaugural app is a result of the fear that was such a part of her life:

In every season of life, the Enemy would whisper the lie that I would “never make it” to the next. I believed it. Time and time again, I thought his words held power. As a young child, I never thought I would live to see my school years. Once I entered school, I never thought I would live to see the next day, next grade, or milestone in life. I listened to a very real enemy, even though I didn’t want to. Even though I came from a strong, Christian family, I felt powerless to stop the lies. Fear gripped me, stole from me, and taunted every careful step I took.

Jessica believes the only way to be free from fear, as an adult or child, is to replace fearful thoughts with God’s Word. Her desire for each book project is that they not only build character, but help set kids free.

The book app was developed in partnership with ROAR. Click here for the QR codes for your smartphone or other device.

About Jessica Kirkland

Jessica Kirkland lives in Southeast Texas with her husband, Robb, and five-year-old triplets. She is an author and speaker whose greatest passion in life is to see young families grow deeper in their walk with God. Jessica’s newest adventure includes launching Christian Apps 4 Kids, which seeks to draw kids closer to Christ one app at a time. A recent release is a book app that addresses fear and scary nighttime sounds called The Sounds of Night, designed for kids ages 2-8. When Jessica isn’t writing, you can find her cheering her boys on at the soccer field, or watching her little girl at the dance studio.

To find out more about her current writing projects, connect with her at: www.christianapps4kids.com or on her personal blog: www.jessicakirkland.com.

COMING SOON: Christmas App!

The Lonely Stable

From Jessica Kirkland at Christian Apps 4 Kids

Price: Apple App Store: $5.99; Android Marketplace: $2.99

The Lonely Stable is a book app that reminds children that it’s never too late to live out God’s plan for their lives. Told from the stable’s perspective, this intriguing Christmas book tells the story of Jesus’ birth. From time to time, we all wonder about our purpose in life. The Lonely Stable wondered why he was still standing, for he was weathered and old. As time passed, he began to question his purpose.

This remarkable tale is a lesson that both parents and children can hold on to when they ask questions like, “Why am I here?” or “Does God care about my life?” This book shows us that God has made each of us for a special purpose. The Lonely Stable is aimed at kids ages 2-10 years old.

About the Giveaway

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post by December 16th at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. One commenter will be chosen at random and entered into the Grand Prize Giveaway drawing at KCWC.

Note: I received a gift copy of the app in exchange for hosting this blog tour.

Updated 12/16/11 at 5:15 pm EST: Tammy & Parker, your comment was randomly drawn and will be entered into the Grand Prize drawing by KCWC. Thank you to everyone who commented!

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Christmas is a time for traditions, food, merriment, family, and…horrific seasonal sweaters. It’s the only time of year where you can sport apparel with a Rudolph nose that blinks red lights without being teased (too much).

Enter the 2nd Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest and you could win a $500 Visa Gift Card…just in time for Christmas shopping!

Spread some Christmas cheer! Share your picture to win!

There are two ways to enter:

1. Enter the contest on Facebook
2. Enter the contest on WaterBrook’s Website

You can also check out the ugly Christmas sweaters from 2010!

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I wish I had taken a “before” picture, but anyway, here’s the finished product:

Thank you to my friend L. for the use of her button collection, as well as her magical glue dots!

Oh, and in case you couldn’t tell, he’s a bus driver!!

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A few months ago, I was approached about helping to beta test a new site for caregivers of loved ones with issues such as Alzheimer’s, autism, and more. The site offers a way to connect with other caregivers through online journals and book clubs, and it provides lots of resources related to caregiving as well as to self-care.

Sounds pretty good so far, but what really made this site so interesting to me is that the site is built around an online game where you learn about caregiving while also solving a mystery and having the option to solve various puzzles along the way! I have been through the first two episodes of the game, which primarily discuss caring for an elderly relative with Alzheimer’s or a similar illness, and it really opened my eyes to what my father-in-law and sister-in-law have been experiencing in providing the day-to-day care for my mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer’s.

Of course, I blog mostly about autism and many of my readers are more interested in that topic. There are at least two book clubs specifically focused on autism and a fair amount of resources such as recommended books and tip sheets on various issues. A quick search of the term autism on the site turns up a number of related journal entries and book club discussions.

So, if you or someone you know could use a little break from the stress of the day, or would benefit from connecting with someone else in a similar situation, I would encourage you to check out this site. Right now, they are offering a free one year membership and will also contribute $1 to the Autism Society for anyone who joins using this link.

If you want to stop reading and go check it out, feel free! And if you’d like a bit more information about the site first, I am happy to oblige…

New Resource for Family Caregivers

Despite millions of dollars and hundreds of dedicated websites, family caregivers are still in trouble.

Over 60 million family caregivers in the U.S. alone are sick (with nearly twice the rate of chronic illnesses as their non-caregiving peers); they’re depressed (40-60% report significant feelings of depression) and they’re frustrated, unable to find resources or solutions they need to help with the basic, day-to-day caregiving tasks they face. They’re also costly to our economy, accounting for an estimated $29 billion in lost productivity to our country’s businesses.

It’s time to change this description of the family caregiver. It’s time to do just one thing: Improve the lives of family caregivers. Caregiver Village, a brand new place on the web, is dedicated to doing exactly this.

• Caregiver Village is dedicated to building better health, using an innovative, engaging virtual game to inspire better self-care, teach stress management skills, and build more positive attitudes about caregiving.
• Caregiver Village is dedicated to increasing happiness, by helping caregivers connect more with others, choosing their caregiving journey and encouraging mindful support of each other.
• Caregiver Village is dedicated to easing frustration, by linking to resources caregivers need to make a tangible difference in their lives.
• To achieve such an epic change it will take a true Village – a Caregiver Village – reaching out, inviting friends, family and acquaintances to join with us as we raise our voices, affirm our choices and change the world of caregiving today.

Join in. Make a Difference.

You can be a part of this transformation. All it takes is a few simple steps:

JOIN – Become part of Caregiver Village and join a community of supportive, positive, life-changing individuals.

SOLVE THE MYSTERY – Put the “fun” into what is perceived as a terrible drudgery by others. Play the Village Chronicles virtual game, and have a little fun while learning valuable self-care techniques.

SHARE YOUR STORY – Creating and sharing a journal can be an incredibly helpful experience. No writing expertise required. Everyone’s welcome.

GET CONNECTED – Join one of the many book clubs within Caregiver Village. You’ll find a group of people ready to help, support, educate and amuse you. They’re waiting just inside.

FIND RESOURCES – Caregiver Village has a selection of resources selected just for busy family caregivers. Find resources that can make daily caregiving tasks much more manageable. You’ll find links to important organizations as well as exclusive Tip Sheets and Online Training courses designed just for you.

Join me today in reaching out and improving your life – my life – and the lives of other family caregivers all over the country.

LIMITED TIME OFFER:
Join NOW and receive a year’s membership free – $50 value! In addition, when you join using this link, Caregiver Village will donate $1 to the Autism Society.

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I’ve just run across this meme at Callapidder Days and thought I would join in and see how it goes. It is hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

Basically, it’s a place to post about 5 favorite things from your week. As Susanne puts it, “It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, great internet finds, etc.”

Here’s my list:

1. This marvelous video of a middle school valedictorian giving a tribute to her brother, who has Down Syndrome. Here’s the link in case the video doesn’t show up in my post.

2. The announcement of a new CommentLuv plugin that’s coming very soon. Andy has definitely piqued my interest with his ramp-up campaign of a new video every couple of days – I can’t wait for the new plugin to be released so I can try it out.

3. Another great video, this one about Sensory Processing Disorder. The black and white stick figure drawings are fun, and my son laughed so hard at parts that he wanted to watch the video again! Here’s the video on YouTube.

4. The fact that my dental implant is in and isn’t causing me too much pain, just a bit of residual soreness. In a few months, I will be able to get it crowned and smile big again.

5. The support I have received this week since renaming/moving my blog. I have appreciated each and every comment and am surprised and thankful to see my Feedburner count going up a bit.

What are your favorite things this week?

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Mother’s Day is coming up soon, and 5 Minutes for Mom is again celebrating moms with a bunch of great giveaways. Here is some info from the Mother’s Day Giveaway 2011 post:

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” -Anonymous

The sacrifices of being a mom are many, but so are the joys. It is time once again to honor all that you do with one of our favorite events here at 5 Minutes for Mom, our Mother’s Day Giveaway.

We have some fun things in store. Of course we have flowers and chocolate covered strawberries. We also have a BOB stroller and HP Notebook. Yes, we have some fabulous giveaways for YOU, because you deserve it!

Our Mother’s Day Giveaway 2011 event kicks off today, April 21st, and will run until May 7th. We will announce our winners on the morning of Mother’s Day, May 8th.

There are two giveaways up so far, and more to come over the next few days. Rules for entering are listed on the individual giveaway posts:

• Mother’s Day Giveaway – HP Pavilion dm1
• Celebrate Mother’s Day With ProFlowers

Pop on over if you’d like to enter (or feel free not to – more chances for me to win)!

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Welcome to my humble abode – glad you could come for the party! Since I know this week is a whirlwind of activity, let me give you the quick tour and a standing invitation to come hang out whenever you want.

Oh, I see you noticed the family picture.

It’s a bit out of date, but we haven’t changed too much. Just subtract a couple of inches from my hairstyle, add a bit of facial hair on the hubby and imagine some grown-up front teeth on the little guy, and there you have it – our wonderful threesome!

If you’d like to stay awhile, you are welcome to have a seat, although you may have to push the kitties out of the way first.

I know, I hate to move them too! Maybe I’ll just show you around the place a bit then. Just like me, this place is a work in progress, as a peek into my daily life will soon show you.

Be careful not to trip over the stacks of books as you move through the house. My husband swears I would be happy just holing up in the bedroom with him shoveling in the books. He’s probably right – as long as I get my Mountain Dew fix in there as well.

What kind of books, you ask? That depends on the day. My tastes range from science fiction and fantasy to contemporary novels with a healthy dose of Christian fiction thrown in. I also enjoy a good J.D. Robb or Lee Child story to liven things up a bit.

On the nonfiction side, you’ll find almost everything is somehow related to autism, since that is a big part of our lives. I also love to share anything we have found to be helpful on that part of our journey, from advocacy tips to resources on various strategies and therapies.

I will be holding a couple of giveaways in April for Autism Awareness Month, one of which is a novel about a girl with Asperger’s Syndrome, Delightfully Different by D.S. Walker.

Well, thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come by for another visit soon! I’d love for you to leave a comment so I can return the favor. And, of course, you should definitely subscribe to future posts if you don’t want to miss any of the exciting stuff to come.

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First things first, the March edition of Best of the Best is now up over at Help! S-O-S for Parents. This month’s topic is on Family Life (siblings, marriage, single parenting, vacations, finances, etc.) as it relates to invisible special needs. My post on Figuring Out What *I* Need is a very personal take on the theme at the moment, and I am pleased to be included in the carnival.

Also, the April edition of the carnival is going to be the Best of the Best Biggest Blogger Book Review and Giveaway. Contact Danette for details on participating and keep your eyes open for some amazing book reviews and giveaways on her site as well as a bunch of others, including mine!

Next, for all of you readers out there, Katrina at Callapidder Days is once again hosting her Spring Reading Thing. This reading challenge has a very simple and straightforward goal – “sharing some reading goals with all the other participants and doing it in a way that works for you.”

You can read all of the details at her Coming [VERY] Soon post if you would like to join in, and you can check back here on Sunday for my own reading goals.

Of course, I can’t talk about reading without mentioning the What’s On Your Nightstand? monthly linkup over at 5 Minutes for Books. I started joining in on this one again in January after a long break and have really enjoyed sharing what I’m reading and getting ideas from other people.

This one takes place on the 4th Tuesday of each month, so it’s coming up next week. I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading – I’m always looking for suggestions!

Last, but definitely not least, April 1st-8th is the absolute can’t miss blogging event, the 5 Minutes for Mom Ultimate Blog Party 2011!!

Trust me when I say you don’t want to miss this one–there will tons of bloggers to visit, lots of awesome prizes to win and much fun to be had by all. This is one party that just gets better and better every year.

Also, it sounds like they are going to split up the link lists a bit more so it will be easier to find certain categories of blogs, which will be great since the participation seems to grow exponentially.

Hope to see you at the party!

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The Background
Last Thursday evening, Michael was in his school’s talent show. He had wanted to enter last year but couldn’t think of anything to do for the show, and I wasn’t sure we were going to come up with anything this year either.

But then one day he came out of the school all excited because they had started learning Dance Dance Revolution in gym class, and he had done extremely well at it. He and his partner were the only team to get two stars both times during the class.

So he decided that was his talent and that he wanted to demonstrate the DDR moves he had learned for the show. He auditioned for his teacher and was sent on to a second audition for the principal and music teacher. They suggested that he should do it to music, which was another hurdle since he had a very specific rhythm in mind and it was virtually impossible to find a song that fit.

I did some research on DDR songs and finally found something that he recognized and liked (I’m actually not sure if it’s used in DDR but since it was the night before the second round of auditions, I was just so relieved to find something he would use).

By the next afternoon, he had secured his spot in the talent show. Over the next week, I tried to get him to practice, and he refused except for one time just so we could figure out exactly where he wanted the music to stop so he wouldn’t run out of energy. He just kept insisting that he knew what he was going to do and didn’t need to practice.

I was so nervous that night as to whether anything would go wrong, as you can imagine, but it went so well and I was so proud of him! Halfway through his routine, the audience started clapping along and he totally lit up at that and tried to clap along with them. When I told him later that he didn’t have to clap, he said that he just wanted to join in with them because they were having fun. I told him they were clapping because they wanted to be a part of what he was doing!

He also did the spin he wanted exactly on the right note without a cue from his TSS. Evidently he figured out what point in the song was 5 seconds before the spin and counted down from there. Pretty ingenious, I think, probably because I am so clueless when it comes to musical stuff.

The Video
Okay, so now that I’ve gone on and on and bored you with way too many details about the event, here is the video so you can see it for yourself. It is just over a minute and a half, and I’ve put the link below the embedded video for anyone who can’t play it from wherever you happen to be reading this post.

Link to Michael’s Talent Show Performance on YouTube

I’d love to hear what you think (as long as it’s suitably complimentary and full of adoration, of course!!).

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