Here is the interview, thanks Shelly! 

Can you share a little bit about the research that went into Momology?

The research being done on parenting and families is extensive. To shape the content and better understand what moms are most concerned about, we spent several months reviewing research done by agencies and organizations such as the YMCA, Search Institute and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as reviewing the thinking of multiple parenting experts, current university and government research as well as mom websites and blogs. About 1,800 moms of preschoolers also responded to surveys specifically for Momology. Momology is also based on what MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers, Intl.) has learned in over 35 years of working with moms.

From your research and extensive surveying, you found that there were four essential elements that result in the best parenting. Can you share what those essentials are?

After considering the research, we identified four areas that most contribute to shaping great kids which are: Core, Finesse, Circle and Grandscape. They’re quite interconnected, one supporting another to shape healthy, resilient moms and kids.

Starting within herself, there is a mom’s CORE. To be healthy and resilient, a mom needs to know and grow who she is, her personality, experiences, passions and potential.

From her CORE, a mom develops FINESSE, the ability to successfully interact with her kids, loving them, caring for them, disciplining them, and shaping who they are becoming.

Every mom needs a CIRCLE of relationships to support her and her kids. Having people we can count on, the service providers, neighbors, friends, extended family, and most importantly, if a mom is married, her husband. If she’s not married, having a parenting partner makes a huge difference.

A relationship with God, engaging in his GRANDSCAPE or plan for life gives a mom purpose and hope both now and in the future. That relationship positively impacts her CORE.

You can see how the four areas are both critical for success and interconnected with each other.

How can a mom handle the effects of culture on her children?

In the eight years between my oldest and youngest children, my experience is that this has become increasingly challenging but I still think the same three principles that can guide moms.

• Immerse in excellence. Engage kids in the best culture has to offer. Share opportunities for them to participate in and with the best music, art, literature, science and media your community has to offer. Surround your kids with a circle of supportive, positive people of a variety of ages and ethnicities. Include kids in doing good- host an International student, pack groceries in reusable bags, grow vegetables and share some with a soup kitchen.
• Instill discernment. Identify negative influences and discuss why they are harmful. For instance, if litter is a problem in the neighborhood, talk about how this can hurt birds and our water supply. Teach evaluative skills. Is this real or pretend? Safe or scary? Practice safe responses such as how to say no, move away, tune out or seek assistance.
• Be aware. Keep up with new technology, media and cultural trends and the impact they have on children. This is one place a mom group can be really helpful.

What little tidbit or nugget of information can you give to my readers that you have learned from writing this book?

I need to share two!

1- As I wrote Momology, I became more convinced than ever that mothering should be done in community so invest each week in time with at least one supportive mom friend. Meet at the park or at your house to talk while the kids play. Chat on the phone. Do some errands or make a meal together.

2- I am specifically designed to match what my child needs in a mom and so are you.  I had some kid challenges while I was writing Momology and spent some time beating myself up for who I wasn’t. It’s easy to go there as a mom. While every mom screws up at times, our “who” is no mistake. Be confident in the mom God created you to be and use all that he’s given you to be the best mom possible.

By Shelly Radic

My 5 year old was brimming with excitement and anticipation as we gently took the cone out of the tissue paper. The vibrantly colored beautiful red cone with cute little illustrations all over it, she was in awe and we hadn’t even peeked inside!!

As she sat down and dove into the giant red cone it became apparent that this was one special gift! A gift of treats celebrating school- specifically made for those entering 1st grade, layer after layer of things to enthrall a 6 year old– a book (a journal really) ”Me, Myself and 1st Grade” which includes an exclusive KinderJournal for keeping track of memories, a bundle of pencils, a cute little yellow cat named Karl- complete with a tiny bag over his shoulder,  a bunch of (temporary) tattoos, and finally a certificate stating that we had a very special KinderCone, one of only a limited number made. How cool! As we went through our treasures and talked about them we got more and more excited about school and all of the fun things that comes with entering 1st grade. All of this thanks to KinderCone!! 

What is KinderCone?  Simply put, it is based the Schultute German tradition dating back to the early 19th century. Oftentimes, the first day of school can be a bittersweet moment in a child’s life, but in Germany and Austria it is marked by a day of celebration and appreciation. On that day, families present their first grader with their very own Schultüte. Inside, the child finds little gifts, treats, and school supplies. From this concept, founder Vivian Lie (a native of Germany now living in Chicago with her family) formed KinderCone in 2008. Her hope is to inspire every family and their young children to enjoy learning by celebrating this special event in their lives.

Much more on KinderCone and how to order these special treats for your youngester can be found at www.kindercone.com.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of KinderCone and received KinderCone samples to facilitate my review. Mom Central also sent me gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?  

By Pete Wilson

My Review:

How many times have we all said- this wasn’t the way it was supposed to turn out! This isn’t what I planned! We all think that we have such control over our lives, we live day to day with the authority to make decisions for ourselves and our family that we feel is best and we go with it. Some people are more controlling than others in their quest for the “perfect life”. Ultimately though at one point or another I think we all come to the realization that WE do not have the ultimate control over our lives, God does. This is a very difficult realization to discover for many people, and oftentimes it comes smacking us in the face when we are down and want to blame someone…something…anything besides ourselves. We get mad, sad, frustrated and feel let down, how can God love us and still let us live the lives that He does? With so much pain and uncertainty, so many ups and downs, how can a God that loves us let these things happen? This is what the author Pete Wilson discusses in Plan B. The book is about how even when we are questioning everyone and everything around us about things that have happened in our lives, God is always there, just many times in ways in which we don’t see.

I think during this time of our lives when so many friends and neighbors are struggling with the loss of jobs, loss of houses, loss of spouses, we are ALL affected in one way or another and question why these things are happening. I have been in the midst of discussions with friends that are so difficult, so many questions of why? and what do I do now? These aren’t easy questions to answer, but to be able to give a friend this book and have them read what Plan B is and how Pete Wilson gives a different perspective on things and hope for the future is worth the price of admission (buying the book).

It is a great read for anyone, because at this time of great uncertainty even if you aren’t going through a rough time yourself, you know someone that is. And chances are that at some point you’ll be traveling down a path in your life you weren’t anticipating, and this little book might just be the resource to support you and get you through.

Book Description:

Learn how God often does His best work in our most hopeless situations.

What do you do when a shattered dream or an unmet expectation causes you to turn to Plan B? Pastor and author Pete Wilson uses real life stories of disappointments and tragedy along with biblical stories such as David, Joseph, and Ruth to help readers face their own overwhelming situations and through them to learn God is working to help them surrender their plans to receive His. He identifies our common responses to difficulties and offers hope, helping us to

Understand what God might be up to See how surrender helps us to receive God’s plan Embrace the community of believers Reconcile a God of love with a life of tragedy and suffering Wilson points readers to the cross as not just the starting line but the centerpiece of our stories with God where we turn in our Plan B and find the undeniable relationship between crisis and true spiritual transformation

Be sure to checkout the book’s website http://www.planbbook.com/

You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be  

By Max Lucado

You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be is a condensed version of his book the Cure for the Common Life. Both of which are excellent reads with an amazing message. The beauty of You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be is that it is short and to the point while packing a powerful message in easy to read hardcover book. This is a perfect gift for a new grad or a person struggling through a tough time. Max Lucado continues to amaze me with his writing, it is a sermon in a book, complete with humor and personal touches that make it easy to read and apply to everyday life. I like that he doesn’t come across as perfect, he doesn’t “preach” in the sense that he tells a message, but in a loving and supportive way while bringing his own experiences to his writing. This little book is really a must-have for anyone’s bookshelf. I can see myself coming back to it on a day where I am feeling frustrated and alone, it has a backbone and as always Max is able to support his faith that God has the big plan and that we need to just be patient and listen and that the Lord will lead the way and that He ultimately wants the best for us. I am fortunate to have read this book and would recommend it to just about anyone.

Book Description:

God made only one version of you. He custom designed you for a one-of-a-kind assignment.

You are heaven’s Halley’s comet; we have one chance to see you shine. You offer a gift to the world that no one else brings. So find it and bring it! And when you do, both you and God will smile.

Yes, you can be everything God wants you to be.

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes, I was not compensated in any other way for my thoughts and the opinions expressed in this review are my own thoughts and words.

The Twilight Gospel- The Spiritual Roots of Stephenie Meyer’s Vampire Saga   

By Dave Roberts

The Twilight phenomenon is all around us, from the actual books to t-shirts, posters, magazines, the list goes on and on, the marketing blitz of all that is Twilight has become to people today was Harry Potter was a few years ago. I resisted reading the first Twilight book for a long time, until finally my curiosity won the best of me and I gave in. To be honest, it was pretty intriguing and easy to read, so easy that I felt like I had to read the next book, and then the next, and of course I had to finish out the series. Before I knew it I had read (to my embarrassment) the entire series of books and actually kind of liked them. They are a strange mix of romance, teenage angst and mythology. I am still not quite sure what the fascination is, but I also didn’t get it about Harry Potter.

When Litfuse Publicity Group offered readers a chance to review the book “The Twilight Gospel” The Spiritual Roots of the Stephenie Meyer’s Vampire Saga I jumped at the chance. After reading the books I had some questions myself about how my role as a Christian Mom might play into whether or not I would allow my children (when they are old enough) to read the books. It was an interesting premise to dive into and I looked forward to what the author had to say

About the book: The blockbuster Twilight Saga is being read by teenager and adult alike. These powerful novels are getting even more popular as the movies hit the theaters. Crisply written and with a gracious spirit, The Twilight Gospel will help teens, their parents, and their pastors discern what is good from what is unhealthy in the novels and equip them to be biblically literate readers.

My thoughts: I liked how the author wrote the book using very easy to read topics that can be easily applied to the storyline of Twilight. He is very clear about explaining the characters in the book and their storylines and how they can be compared to ideals not only in Christianity but other religions. As a Mormon writer, Stephenie Meyer has a little different perspective than that of a Christian writer, Dave Roberts also takes this into account with her writing. It was a very easy to read book that explained a lot about the characters and their special “gifts” and how those ideas many times came from different pagan and Christian beliefs as well as scientific figures. The way that the author was able to connect the problems of the characters with those of society as a whole was very interesting. I liked the book, it gave a bit of a different perspective on the whole Twilight series and its background and enlightened me on many different facets of where the storyline came from. An easy read that is a nice compliment to the series.

About the author: Dave Roberts is a professional journalist, editor and speaker. For more information please visit his website at www.thinkchristian.co.uk.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher and LitFuse Publicity Group. See more reviews in this blog tour at Litfuse’s tour page.

Gigi’s Big Break (DVD) Gigi, God’s Little Princess

By Sheila Walsh

Review of the DVD:

Gigi is a very cute and precocious little girl that gets herself mixed up in a problem like many kids do- she tells a white lie and everything backfires. She tells a lie so her mom won’t know that she broke a vase, not just any vase, but one that was a wedding gift to her parents. Gigi knows that this vase is special to them, so she is afraid she will get in trouble for accidentally breaking it. To make matters worse, she broke the vase doing something she wasn’t supposed to be doing- practicing her dancing in the living room. For all of these “I shouldn’t have done that” reasons, Gigi tells some “little white lies” to cover up what she has done.  As the lies get bigger, Gigi can’t continue covering them up, so she finally tells the truth. She ends up learning the value of telling the truth and that even if you get into trouble it is best to do what is right and say what really happened.

In the second story, The Pink Surprise, Gigi learns that her mom is going to have a baby.  She has a tough time with this change in her life, she has always been the only child and the center of her parents attention and is worried that her parents won’t love her and pay attention to her once the baby is born.  When she finally discusses her fears with her parents, they explain that the new baby won’t divide the love in her house but will multiply it instead.  Gigi ends up being proud of her new baby sister and realizing that her parents were right.  She realizes that sharing her parents’ love with a new blessing in her life will only give her more joy and happiness, not less.
This was my first Gigi DVD and we loved it! As a parent I really like that stories are not only entertaining, but also teach  kids life lessons in a fun way (and and hopefully a way in which they will remember!). This is a great way for kids to learn lessons about honesty and loving siblings. Even though the Gigi character is very much aimed towards little girls, I think boys and girls both would be entertained (she is quite a funny little girl!).

About the DVD:

Two new, fully-animated heart-warming stories and a fun sing-along song.

The White Lie: Sheila Walsh reminds little girls that it’s no fun getting in trouble. But when we do wrong and try to cover our sin, things only get worse and our hearts get heavy with guilt. But we have a God who knows our weaknesses and loves us anyway. Teaches the lesson of 1 John 1:8-9 “If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he will forgive…and cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.” (ICB)

The Pink Surprise: Sheila Walsh says: “Isn’t it fun to be the first in line? When I was young, all the kids would run to get as close as possible to the front. It’s a little like being the only child in a family—you get one hundred percent of your parents’ attention, and can sometimes even feel like the world revolves around you. But it turns out that there are other blessings in life besides being first, and Gigi has been blessed with an adventure that will last a lifetime.” Teaches the lesson from Jesus’ prayer in Luke 10:21 “Father, you have hidden things from the people who are wise and smart… but shown them to those who are like little children.” (ICB)

DISCLAIMER: I received this DVD free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. My thoughts are mine and my family’s own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

This was an interesting book with a twist on traditional conservative thought that brings to light a compelling question- how to be free and let go of all of the constraints that we as Christians often times place not only on each other but on ourselves. The author is passionate about freedom in Christ through a relationship with Him. He takes the tone of agitator throughout the book, oftentimes creating a sense of aggression against those who constantly follow the rules with a strict sense of doing what is “right” in the eyes of so many. The author creates a new sense of self in those that break the rules and live a life of freedom, yet still comply with the life of a Christian- loving the Lord with everything that we do. As he states (and I believe) Jesus was a man that loved everyone, not just those that were clean and well-to-do, he loved the dirtiest, filthiest and poorest and brought them into His kingdom for no other reason than that he loves them, as he loves us. Even in the dirty ways in which we live with temptations and lies surrounding us, He loves us completely. The main theme in the book is to let go of those things which bring us down and tie us to the thoughts of “I have to do this to be loved, accepted, etc.”. God loves us, with all of our faults and His true love shines through everything we do. He wants us to live fully with freedom to live a life created by Him.

There are challenges in getting through the book at the author consistently challenges conservative thinking on so many levels. I think he was trying to punch though the wall that many have that Christians are uptight, rule givers who don’t have any fun (which is unfortunately true in way too many cases).

Throughout the book I liked that the Scripture being referenced was both natural in the conversation and referenced at the bottom of the page. The principles were solid and the suggestions to break bondage, deal with the spiritual, and enjoy freedom were presented much well as the book progressed. My thoughts on the book- it is worth the read if you take it with a grain of salt and apply it to your own life as applicable.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy to me for review.

The Crimson  Rooms                                                                                                                                                                                                                       By Katharine McMahon

About the Book:

There are events that happen in our lives that change everything from that moment on. In the life of Evelyn Gifford that defining moment was a ring of the doorbell and an officer announcing the news that no one wants to hear- her beloved only brother had been killed in action in the Great War. Life goes on, but she is still haunted by the immediate loss.

Evelyn is completely unprepared when a young nurse named Meredith, and her six-year-old son Edward appears on their doorstep one night. To add to the angst and mystery, Meredith claims that Edward is the young son of James, conceived in a battlefield hospital. The grief-stricken Gifford’s’ take them both into their home with trepidation but with a sense of duty as this is family- even if newly discovered. This move proves to be stressful on all fronts- Meredith bursts into the very conservative home run by the Gifford women with a bit of extravagance and spunk, which puts them all on edge.

Evelyn is a struggling newly appointed attorney to Bascomb and Breen, a firm run by men that are taking a chance on hiring a woman to the firm, and a bit resistant to what she brings. Her first two clients are challenging to say the least. The first, a woman, Leah Marchant, who gave up her children to be cared for by the social services, but then decides she wants them back. And an intriguing murder mystery- Stella Wheeler, found dead in a field of grass after a picnic with her new husband. Both cases weigh heavily on both the time and thoughts of Evelyn who is working so hard to break into a man’s world. Coupled with the weight of having to support her entire family financially at a time when work for women lawyers is almost nonexistent leads to much anxiety and fear in Evelyn’s life.

My Review:

This story has twists and turns that keep the reader engaged and interested in the lives of the characters. The author has a compelling style that kept me guessing about where the storyline was headed and how it was all going to wind up. She is a brilliant writer in creating memorable storylines and characters. A good read for anyone interested in this time- 1920′s London and how women in this time period were on the edge of creating new careers for themselves. I really enjoyed it and now plan to read more by her!

The book is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound and other online retailers.

Disclosure:
“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by MotherTalk on behalf of G.P. Putnam’s Sons/Riverhead and received a copy of the book to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

About the Book:

In this behind-the-scenes look at sports broadcasting Eli Gold tells how a kid from Brooklyn, New York, went from selling peanuts at Madison Square Garden to being one of the most recognizable voices in all of radio sports broadcasting.

My Review:

I am a sports fan of sorts, but not really any of the sports that Eli Gold reports on- I am more of a jump on the bandwagon at the end of the season football and baseball fan. I tend to only be interested if it is the home team and it happens to be a play-off game with great importance, and even then really if there are only 5 minutes left in the game. I tend to ride the wave at the very end cheering them on to victory. Enough said, even though I may not follow many of the sports of Eli Gold’s illustrious career, I did find this book entertaining and informative. It gives the reader an inside look at the career behind the microphone by telling how it all began and how it cascaded into a lifetime of memories of some of the most well known events in sports history. An easy read that is sure to please most readers that have any interest in sports or the voice behind the plays.

Eli’s book starts off telling the story of a young boy who dreamed of one day working on the radio, doing what he loved to do most- talking about sports.  He has now been a sportscaster for over 25 years. He began his work as a young man, not even out of high school, on the radio and eventually landed on TV, doing commentary for NASCAR. Along the way he met many fellow sportscasters who would one day become well known to many, including Marv Albert and Bob Costas. Eli has covered a wide array of sporting events- from hockey to NASCAR. His dream began as a little boy listening to the radio before bed and even now has not diminished regardless of the success he has achieved as a renowned sportscaster. The book does not really go too deeply into Eli’s life but it does describe the world of sports during the 1970′s to today wonderfully.