Book Review: The Daniel Plan (40 Days to a Healthier Life)

The Daniel Plan by Rick Warren, Daniel Amen and Mark Hyman
This is about self discovery and adding one more. A powerful approach when you choose getting healthy together. You'll be inspired to start the journey to transforming your life. The plan is well organized with 5 successful parts: Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus and Friends. I especially like the chapter on Change Your Brain, Change Your Health and my favorite passage is Renew Your Mind. I am finding that applying the concepts I've read daily are like applying daily rituals that bring good changes to my life inside and out. The personal testimonies are encouraging, as well as scripture and quotes. I find the recipes to be quite tasteful, too. The book is a blessing and a wonderful gift for my husband and I.

5/5 stars. Highly recommend.
The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life



Book Description

Revolutionize Your Health … Once and for All

During an afternoon of baptizing over 800 people, Pastor Rick Warren realized it was time for change. He told his congregation he needed to lose weight and asked if anyone wanted to join him. He thought maybe 200 people would sign up, instead he witnessed a movement unfold as 15,000 people lost over 260,000 pounds in the first year. With assistance from medical and fitness experts, Pastor Rick and thousands of people began a journey to transform their lives.

Welcome to The Daniel Plan.

Here’s the secret sauce: The Daniel Plan is designed to be done in a supportive community relying on God’s instruction for living.

When it comes to getting healthy, two are always better than one. Our research has revealed that people getting healthy together lose twice as much weight as those who do it alone. God never meant for you to go through life alone and that includes the journey to health.

Unlike the thousands of other books on the market, this book is not about a new diet, guilt-driven gym sessions, or shame-driven fasts. The Daniel Plan shows you how the powerful combination of faith, fitness, food, focus, and friends will change your health forever, transforming you in the most head-turning way imaginably---from the inside out.

I loved the book. I plan to post my review on Goodreads and LibraryThing, too.

Happy Reading!






Thanks for visiting LadyD Books
 “You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Skywatch Friday: Cloud Blotches

palm trees framing a gorgeous sunrise: LadyD Books

speckled eastern sky: LadyD Books

southern california sunrise: LadyD Books

Photos for Skywatch Friday


My grandson calls these random scattered cloud swatches, "cloud blotches." The textured layers of this painted eastern sunrise are just breath-taking. I thought you might enjoy seeing a glorious perspective from our view facing the eastern mountain range here in SoCal.

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news." Isaiah 52:7



Daily Rituals: How Artists Work 


 Amazon Snippet


Franz Kafka, frustrated with his living quarters and day job, wrote in a letter to Felice Bauer in 1912, “time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers.”

Kafka is one of 161 inspired—and inspiring—minds, among them, novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians, who describe how they subtly maneuver the many (self-inflicted) obstacles and (self-imposed) daily rituals to get done the work they love to do, whether by waking early or staying up late; whether by self-medicating with doughnuts or bathing, drinking vast quantities of coffee, or taking long daily walks. Thomas Wolfe wrote standing up in the kitchen, the top of the refrigerator as his desk, dreamily fondling his “male configurations”. . . Jean-Paul Sartre chewed on Corydrane tablets (a mix of amphetamine and aspirin), ingesting ten times the recommended dose each day . . . Descartes liked to linger in bed, his mind wandering in sleep through woods, gardens, and enchanted palaces where he experienced “every pleasure imaginable.”

Here are: Anthony Trollope, who demanded of himself that each morning he write three thousand words (250 words every fifteen minutes for three hours) before going off to his job at the postal service, which he kept for thirty-three years during the writing of more than two dozen books . . . Karl Marx . . . Woody Allen . . . Agatha Christie . . . George Balanchine, who did most of his work while ironing . . . Leo Tolstoy . . . Charles Dickens . . . Pablo Picasso . . . George Gershwin, who, said his brother Ira, worked for twelve hours a day from late morning to midnight, composing at the piano in pajamas, bathrobe, and slippers . . .

Here also are the daily rituals of Charles Darwin, Andy Warhol, John Updike, Twyla Tharp, Benjamin Franklin, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, Anne Rice, and Igor Stravinsky (he was never able to compose unless he was sure no one could hear him and, when blocked, stood on his head to “clear the brain”).

Brilliantly compiled and edited, and filled with detail and anecdote, Daily Rituals is irresistible, addictive, magically inspiring.

The Friday 56


"I wish I had a routine for writing," Miller told an interviewer in 1999. "I get up early in the morning and I go out to my studio and I write. And then I tear it up! That's the routine, really. Then, occasionally, something sticks. And then I follow that. The only image I can think of is a man walking around with an iron rod in his hand during a lightning storm." -- Arthur Miller (1915-2005)
I'm looking forward to reading this one. It was gift from my sweet mother-in-law. 

What are you reading?

Hope your Christmas was wonderful and that the new year ahead will be even better for you!






“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Skywatch Friday: December Skies


winter sky: LadyD Books
 'Glory to God in the highest 
And on earth peace good will toward men' 
December skies here in SoCal have been glorious. We've experienced cooler temperatures lately with some rainfall. Christmas promises to be a lovely day! How is it where you are?



Southern California sunrise: LadyD Books
The palm trees always look so dramatic, while we wait with anticipation to see the sun come up. I just can't get over the cloud formation on the right and also in the above photo.

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6


orange sunrise from eastern sky view: LadyD Books
This morning's cloud cover makes the air temperature a bit warmer. Our tangerine tree is loaded again this year, so the fruit will make nice stocking stuffers...


The woods are lovely, dark and deep, 
But I have promises to keep, 
And miles to go before I sleep, 
And miles to go before I sleep.
—from "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening"
One night late on my way home from college for Christmas, I was caught in a blizzard without the company of an intelligent guide (I was driving, instead of a horse, a '62 Buick Special). I had passed through the last small town and was halfway between nowhere and Dodge City, Kansas when the road vanished beneath snow and my little car foundered badly. Realizing that no one was going to be passing by until the next day, I got out and started walking. Nothing. Nobody, no thing anywhere. At last the distant light of a farmhouse appeared, the only one, I discovered later, within miles. And if it hadn't been for the family inside that farmhouse, I might simply have frozen to death. As I was walking toward it, I thought of this poem, and I knew that I would be able to keep my promises, and I felt ecstatically liberated. Never have I seen these last lines in "Stopping by Woods" read as liberating rather than duty-bound.




                                       




Clouds and Sky: LadyD Books

Once the cloud cover lifts, we'll all be outdoors experiencing the wonder and gift of a new day.


When clustered sparks 
Of many-colored fire
Appear at night 
In ordinary windows 

We hear and sing
The customary carols 

They bring us ragged miracles
And hay and candles 
And flowering weeds of poetry
That are loved all the more
Because they are so common 
—from "Noël"
by Anne Porter







clear skies: LadyD Books

Yep, clear skies ahead...
Photos for Skywatch Friday

Christmas Time is finally here,
It only comes but once a year.
And it's a time to spread good cheer,
To those we love and hold so dear.

Christmas Time is a time of glee,
A time when peace and love run free.
A time for those like you and me,
To sit beneath the Christmas Tree.

Christmas Time is a time of joy,
A time to sit back and enjoy.
The smile on each girl and boy,
As they play with a Christmas Toy.

Christmas Time is a time to share,
The passing of another year.
Birth of Jesus, a joyful prayer,
To show loved ones how much we care.

Christmas Time is a time for song,
A time for us to get along.
To make us feel Lord Jesus strong,
Forgive all those who did us wrong.

Christmas Time is a time to pray,
Put love and kindness on display.
Show compassion along the way,
Christmas Time should be everyday


Source: Christmas Time, Christmas Poem http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/christmas-time#ixzz2o1CXh4tQ 
Family Friend Poems 


Have a wonderful Christmas season!








“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Chapter Book Reviews: LadyD Books

boy reading chapter books
I like reading juvenile fiction and I've enjoyed reviewing children's books from Tyndale House PublishersPeak City Publishing and more. Here is an overview of chapter books that I have read and I've posted my reviews (see my profiles) on LibrarythingGoodreads and Amazon.com.







So, what are chapter books? Wikipedia says...

A chapter book is a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7-10. Unlike picture books for beginning readers, a chapter book tells the story primarily through prose, rather than pictures. Unlike books for advanced readers, chapter books contain plentiful illustrations. The name refers to the fact that the stories are usually divided into short chapters, which provide readers with opportunities to stop and resume reading if their attention spans are not long enough to finish the book in one sitting. Chapter books are usually works of fiction of moderate length and complexity.





For  The Friday 56

"The tall man interrupted her, "Come on, son. It's time to go home." The tall man gave Lotite a final mean look and then took Charles Ray by the arm and led him away. Charles Ray glanced at her briefly with a pleading "don't-tell" look."
-- Barbara Frances (Lottie's Adventure, A Kidnapping Unraveled)

Have a wonderful Christmas season!








“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

The Friday 56: The Daniel Plan

The Daniel Plan: Rick Warren l LadyD Books
Product Details
  • Series: The Daniel Plan
  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Zondervan (December 3, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0310344298
  • ISBN-13: 978-0310344292

The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life

Amazon Snippet

Revolutionize Your Health ... Once and for All During an afternoon of baptizing over 800 people, Pastor Rick Warren realized it was time for change. He told his congregation he needed to lose weight and asked if anyone wanted to join him. He thought maybe 200 people would sign up, instead he witnessed a movement unfold as 15,000 people lost over 260,000 pounds in the first year. With assistance from medical and fitness experts, Pastor Rick and thousands of people began a journey to transform their lives. Welcome to The Daniel Plan. Here's the secret sauce: The Daniel Plan is designed to be done in a supportive community relying on God's instruction for living. When it comes to getting healthy, two are always better than one. Our research has revealed that people getting healthy together lose twice as much weight as those who do it alone. God never meant for you to go through life alone and that includes the journey to health. Unlike the thousands of other books on the market, this book is not about a new diet, guilt-driven gym sessions, or shame-driven fasts. The Daniel Plan shows you how the powerful combination of faith, fitness, food, focus, and friends will change your health forever, transforming you in the most head-turning way imaginably---from the inside out.


Editorial Reviews

About the Author


Dr. Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, leader of a 30,000 member congregation in Lake Forest, California and local California campuses and in major cities around the world. As a theologian, he has lectured at many universities and seminaries including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and University of Judaism. As a global strategist, he speaks to world leaders and organizations including United Nations, US Congress, Davos Economic Forum, TED and Aspen Institute. Rick has also founded the global P.E.A.C.E. plan, which plants churches of reconciliation, Equips leaders, Assists the poor, Cares for the sick, and Educates the next generation in 196 countries and is the author of the international best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life. SPANISH BIO: Rick Warren es pastor, estratega global, teologo y filantropo. Los medios le llaman 'El lider espiritual mas influyente de America' y 'El pastor de America'. el y su esposa, Kay, fundaron la Iglesia Saddleback en California, una propiedad de 120 acres con mas de 300 ministerios comunitarios de ayuda a prisioneros, adictos y padres solteros, entre otros. Como estratega global, el Dr. Warren asesora a lideres en sectores publicos, privados y religiosos en temas de pobreza, salud, educacion, la fe en la cultura y desarrollo de liderazgo. Es invitado a dictar conferencias en congresos y agencias estatales como las Naciones Unidas y es catedratico en diferentes universidades. El Dr. Warren es autor de varios libros, incluyendo el exito de ventas Vida con Proposito.

Dr. Daniel G. Amen


Dr. Daniel G. Amen
is a physician, double-board certified psychiatrist, teacher and eight-time New York Times bestselling author. Widely regarded as one of the world's foremost experts on applying brain imaging science to everyday clinical practice, Amen is the founder of Amen Clinics in Newport Beach and San Francisco, Calif.; Bellevue, Wash.; Reston, Va.; Atlanta, Ga.; and New York City. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including 'The Dr. Oz Show,' 'ABC World News,' '20/20,' Newsweek, TIME, The Huffington Post, BBC, London Telegraph, Parade Magazine, New York Times and Cosmopolitan. Additional information is available at http://www.danielplan.com. SPANISH BIO: El Dr. Daniel Amen es medico, psiquiatra con doble certificacion por parte del panel examinador de Psiquiatria, maestro, y autor de ocho grandes exitos de libreria en la lista del periodico New York Times. Es el Fundador y Director Medico de las Clinicas Amen, en Newport Beach, San Francisco, California, Bellevue, Washington, Reston, Virginia, Atlanta y la ciudad de Nueva York. Las Clinicas Amen tienen la mayor base de datos del mundo entero sobre escaneos funcionales del cerebro relacionados con la conducta, con un total de mas de ochenta mil escaneos hechos a pacientes de noventa paises. Junto con el Pastor Rick Warren y los Dres. Mark Hyman y Mehmet Oz, el Dr. Amen es tambien uno de los principales arquitectos del 'Plan de Daniel' en la Iglesia de Saddleback, el cual consiste en un programa de cincuenta y dos semanas para hacer mas saludable al mundo por medio de diversas organizaciones religiosas. El Dr. Amen es Miembro Distinguido de la Asociacion Americana de Psiquiatria, y dirige la investigacion que se esta realizando en el estudio mayor del mundo sobre escaneo y rehabilitacion del cerebro en los jugadores profesionales de futbol rugby. Sus investigaciones han demostrado no solo la existencia de altos niveles de dano cerebral en los jugadores, sino que tambien han indicado la posibilidad de una recuperacion significativa para muchos a partir de los principios subyacentes a su estudio. El Dr. Amen es tambien el anfitrion de ocho programas populares acerca del cerebro, que han recolectado mas de cuarenta y cinco millones de dolares para la television publica. Es autor de cincuenta y cinco articulos profesionales, seis capitulos de libros y mas de treinta libros enteros, entre ellos Cambia tu cerebro, cambia tu vida, El sexo esta en el cerebro, Cambia tu cerebro, cambia tu cuerpo, Magnificent Mind At Any Age y Use Your Brain to Change Your Age. En febrero de 2013 se publico el ultimo libro escrito por el Dr. Amen hasta el momento, llamado Unleash the Power of the Female Brain.

Dr. Mark Hyman


Dr. Mark Hyman is a practicing family physician, a six-time No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator and advocate in his field of Functional Medicine. He is also the founder and medical director of The UltraWellness Center, chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine, a medical editor of The Huffington Post and a regular medical contributor on Katie Couric's TV show, 'Katie.' For more information, visit http://www.danielplan.com/. SPANISH BIO: El Dr. Mark Hyman ha dedicado su carrera a identificar y enfrentar las causas de las enfermedades cronicas a traves de un enfoque innovador de sistemas conjuntos conocidos como medicina funcional. Mark, medico de familia y seis veces nominado autor # 1 mas vendido segun el New York Times, es reconocido internacionalmente como lider, orador, educador y defensor en su campo. El Dr. Hyman ha coparticipado juntamente con Rick Warren, el Dr. Oz y el Dr. Amen, en el desarrollo de El Plan de Daniel, una iniciativa basada en la fe que ayudo a la comunidad de una iglesia a perder 250,000 libras. Es fundador y director medico del UltraWellness Center, presidente de la Junta Directiva del Institute for Functional Medicine y un editor medico para el Huffington Post. Es tambien un miembro de la Junta del Center for Mind-Body Medicine and the Environmental Working Group, asesor de HealthCorps del Dr. Mehmet Oz, el Show del Dr. Oz y Cocina LYFE.



My Thoughts

I'm really enjoying the book so far. I needed a reference for foods to avoid that might possibly be the trigger to migraine headaches. I love plant-based recipes and this seems to be a complete list of great nutritional tips. The top five ingredients to this successful plan are:

Faith
Food
Fitness
Focus
Friends

The Friday 56

This is a book meme where I enjoy sharing with my readers what it is I'm reading during the week. Then I quote a sentence or two from the 56th page and share it with everyone at fredasvoice.blogspot.com

"God's love is long enough to last forever."
-- Rick Warren

Hope you'll join in!


I look forward to posting my review in the near future because I have 346 pages to read and enjoy!

Also, you may be interested in:

The Daniel Plan Study Guide: 40 Days to a Healthier Life
Daniel Plan Journal: 40 Days to a Healthier Life (The Daniel Plan)
The Daniel Plan Cookbook: Healthy Eating for Life


*some affiliate links in this post*


Have a wonderful Christmas season!







 “You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewi

Book Review and Interview: In The Hall of the Mountain King

In The Hall of the Mountain King: LadyD Books
Edward Grieg wrote a very popular song that my students love to play around the holidays, In The Hall Of The Mountain King. It has a real cool sound, with a staccato bass and right hand, that is played so quick and lively. (Allegro moderato)

Amazon Snippet


This beautifully illustrated story brings to life Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg's musical masterpiece and Henrik Ibsen's timeless characters. Geared toward children 5-9, the story will delight readers as the action mirrors the movement of the music it's based on. Includes a CD with orchestral performances of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" and four other pieces from the "Peer Gynt Suite." Lesson plans and a puppet-making sheet are available from the author's website. "This is a pitch-perfect book that will capture the attention of an entire classroom. . . . Despite the fact that this is a perfect book for any family, teacher, or caregiver with an appreciation for music, Flannery's retelling stands alone as a wonderful story for all picture book fans."-- The Children's Book Review

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 34 pages
  • Publisher: Samizdat Publishing; 1ST edition (2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 193863313X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1938633133


My Review

This is the perfect book for young musicians and piano teachers. I'm proud to display it in my studio. Grieg's popular and exciting songs promise to entertain the listener's ears, while the author's exciting rendition of Ibsen's play 'Peer Gynt' will capture young children's imagination and facilitate music theory and appreciation for the older ones. The beautiful illustrations add a wonderful touch of adventure to the story of Peer venturing farther off from home by the forest's edge and slipping through the front gate of a castle he discovers. The musical dynamics of Grieg's masterpiece, intertwined with encountering the Mountain King, will provide an enjoyable and lasting memory for the reader. I love this beautiful book and find it to be very stimulating and engaging for all. It's awesome and will make a great addition for home and school library, too.  I highly recommend it.

5/5 stars.

I am so fortunate that Allison agreed to do an interview with LadyD Books!

Author Interview


Tell us a bit about your book and where it’s available.

In the Hall of the Mountain King is a picture book that loosely follows the story line from Norwegian playwright Henrik Isben’s Peer Gynt written in the 1860's.  I modified it into a kid-friendly story of a young boy on an adventure, which ends in the mysterious Mountain King’s castle. The story’s action mirrors the music that Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg wrote for this scene of the play. I include directions in the book on how to make story and music an interactive experience for children that helps them learn about musical dynamics in a fun way. 



It is available through my website www.inthehallofthemountainking.com and through Amazon.com.


What was the inspiration for your book?
I was asked to write this book by one of my Kindergarten students two years ago. Five year olds really believe anything is possible and he was no exception.  I had told this story orally to my classes, and he kept insisting to see the "book that goes with that story."  At that time, there was no book, but because of his persistence, I started the process that led to the book getting published.  It is dedicated to that student!


What was your aim for this book? What did you want readers to think and feel when reading it?  I wanted my students to appreciate and enjoy classical music—to notice its movement and variations—and, for this piece, to visualize the action mirrored by the sounds.  As a teacher it is my aim to make learning fun as well as to impart beauty, truth, and goodness in my teaching.  I hope that readers will enjoy the story and the music and be inspired by its power and beauty. I love engaging young readers with whole body movement and to try to make the music come alive for children physically as well as emotionally. Through it all, I hope they will gain appreciation for the great composers and writers that left of these classic works of art and not overlook them as "boring."  


Do you have any other books currently available?
No, this is my first book.


What will you be working on next?
I would like to write stories based on other scenes from the Peer Gynt play, based on other pieces by Edvard Grieg.  There are several interesting possibilities, so I am not sure where I will go next, but it will likely be a story that accompanies one of the other pieces on the CD included with my current book.


How did you originally get into writing?
I have always been an avid reader, staring in my elementary school years.  Books were my best friends. I think writing is just an extension of reading. I feel privileged to have gotten to write this book.


What do you enjoy most about being a writer?
I really still don't consider myself a writer.  I am more of a discoverer. I discovered this book more than I wrote it.


What do you find hardest about being a writer?
Writing a picture book is challenging because most of my words in the original manuscript ended up on the cutting room floor.  The illustrator did such an amazing job of saying what I wanted with the illustrations that my editor and I deleted much of what I had originally written. But I do miss some of those words!


Who or what would you count as your main influence? 
My mother and my paternal grandmother.  My mother read to me constantly in my early childhood.  My grandmother always sang to me and took me on long walks on the family farm where I grew up.  I think the combination of these two women created a love of the written word and the beauty of adventure in nature.  I am grateful to have had them shape my life in such profound ways.


What do you enjoy reading? 
I love reading biographies and learning about people – how they think, what drives them to be successful, why they make the choices they do, and how that influences them and the world around them. I also love children’s books. They were and still are such a big part of my own children’s lives. Some of our most precious times have been reading and entering in to stories together. There are books that I’ve read over and over to each of my children or whole series that I’ve read to each of my daughters at certain ages that very special to me—and to them to.. 


Who is your favorite author?
Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I read all of her books 13 times by the time I was in the fifth grade. Her books are one of the series I referred to above that I’ve read to each of my daughters as well. They let you experience a different world and a different time, while helping to instill values that are as relevant today as ever.


What would be your ideal writer’s haven for creating your book? Would you have a desk in a quiet cabin somewhere or an iPad on the beach?
Probably a classroom full of kindergarteners.  I would love to have a whole day with them to hear their ideas, listen to great music, and interact with their responses to it.  They are so uninhibited by the world around them and see life so purely.  They would give me great ideas and inspire me to make them happen!


  • The Peer Gynt Suite
The famous Norwegian writer and poet Henrich Ibsen asked Grieg to write music for his play Peer Gynt. This work, first performed in 1876, became so popular that it made Grieg nationally known.

Illustrator Vesper Stamper



The story is about Peer, a foolish and bold young fellow, who sets out from home in search of fame and fortune. The group of pieces (called a suite) tells the story of his adventures. Grieg wrote the pieces for orchestra and later transcribed them for piano.

children's book by author Allison Flannery

"In The Hall of the Mountain King'" Peer goes into a dark cave where the trolls live. The music expresses the excitement and danger of the adventure.

About The Author

Allison Flannery is a Kindergarten music teacher in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is passionate about bringing music to life for children. She sings, dances, marches, and teaches eleven classes of five-to-six-year-olds at two local elementary campuses, and team teaches a music and movement class for four- to-seven-year-olds at the Colorado Springs Conservatory.

Also a long-time piano instructor, Allison loves inspiring youngsters to listen and learn from the great classical composers.

The author offers a variety of lessons plans and a free downloadable coloring page of the characters that can be mounted on craft sticks and turned into puppets to use along with the music.

Books may be ordered online at Allison's website and at Amazon, In the Hall of the Mountain King.

Thanks for the opportunity to review your book and have this wonderful interview, Allison.
Best wishes and much continued success!

Have a wonderful Christmas season everyone!








 “You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Plank Position and the Jacaranda Tree

Grandson Climbing A Tree: LadyD Books

Christmas is coming... the wonder of a child! Our grandson made it to the top of our Jacaranda tree. He was pleased that he made the climb all by himself. Ryan was feeling good about his accomplishment and after a short pause and glimpse of the view, he managed to jump down and off he went to explore again. I just love trees. Here in SoCal we are surrounded by King, Queen, Sago and Fan Palm trees... just to name a few. Plus, we have our native oak trees. What's growing in your neck of the woods?

Photo for Skywatch Friday

Video: Merry Christmas, Darling



So, I grew up listening to Karen Carpenter and I listened to this song quite often that her brother Richard Carpenter wrote. It's a busy time right now as we prepare to host Christmas in our home again this year. I love when friends and family gather together, especially seeing the grandchildren playing around us, laughing and singing. My how they grow!

exercise book for children

This exercise book is just right for kids 6-8. In fact, it was so good that I posted my review last night.

The Friday 56

"Tell the children: Get on your hands and knees, keeping your arms extended straight below your shoulders and your fingers pointing forward. Then straighten your legs behind you and use your back and stomach muscles to lift your stomach off the floor until your whole body forms a straight line from head to toes." -- Kimberly Wechsler
Here's our plank position! :=)


yoga exercise: LadyD Books


Have a wonderful Christmas season!







 “You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Review: 303 kid-approved exercises + active games

303 kid-approved exercises + active games: LadyD Books


  • Product Details


  • Age Range: 6 - 8 years
  • Grade Level: Kindergarten - 3
  • Series: SmartFun Activity Books
  • Paperback: 144 pages
  • Publisher: Hunter House (July 30, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0897936191
  • ISBN-13: 978-0897936194



    • Amazon Snippet
    With game consoles and the Internet, children are playing as much as they always have—but now, they sit still while doing it. Kids spend as much time watching TV, using computers, and playing video games as they spend in school each week. One in every three kids in America is considered overweight or obese, and the number one concern that parents bring up to pediatricians is keeping kids fit. Half of all children are not physically active enough for the development of a healthy cardiovascular system.

    303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games helps 6-8 year old kids get off their chairs with fun and age-appropriate exercises. Exercise for children must be fun. These exercises have been used for personal training sessions, kids fitness classes, kids fitness camps, birthday parties and in schools; they have all been “Kid-Approved!”.

    Kimberley Wechsler, a specialist in Kid’s Fitness, took into account the fundamental attributes of being a child while developing these exercises. Children have specific physiologic differences that make them unique. They grow, mature, and develop skills at different ages, so what may be skill appropriate for one child could be harmful for another child. These exercises reflect the emotional, social, physical level of this age group.

    At this age, children feel confident with the basic skill of fitness and are now ready to be challenged to more complex moves. They are now at the skill level in which physical challenges like balance, muscle building, hand-eye, hand-foot coordination, increasing challenges for their fine and gross motor skills, and functional training can be more added. They are growing in their intellectual and emotional processes as well, which now allows this age group to follow and understand simple rules of a sport. They are also introduced to the concept of friendly competition and sports fitness.

    Children also enjoy using their imagination and fantasy, so exercises require the use of their imagination. There are games and fitness challenges that require kids to take an active role in learning new skills, and there are introductions to new sports. Kids still enjoy outside participation so families, friends, educators and counselors can participate in all of the 303 activities.
    Kids at this age can’t seem to sit still--their minds are always thinking and their bodies are always moving. Children have short attention spans, so most of the activities can be played within a 15 minute period of time and many choices are offered throughout the book. 303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games supports children’s energy and directs it in a positive way; the activities take advantage of a child's natural tendency to be active with unstructured or free play.

    303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games develops intellectual, emotional, and social skills for children, all the while promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.

    • My Review
    This book has such a timely message for today's world. The whole heart of the book is to motivate kids to exercise in a fun way. So many of us see a remnant of children disconnecting from physical activities that are so healthy for you to do and instead, many are choosing to play video games all day. What I especially like about the approach here is being motivated by a physical activity or game that helps kids feel good. As the title suggests, there are tons of sports and games to discover. Plus, in the end notes you'll find an alphabetical list of games. As a piano teacher, I was interested in games that require musical accompaniment, such as move to the beat and bounce to the beat. I was not disappointed. This is a great collection of exercises and activities for families with young children. Children will feel pleasure and satisfaction in the things that they do and accomplish here with balance, coordination and teamwork.

    5/5 stars. 


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    Have a wonderful Christmas season!







    “You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis