Vote for Me

No, I'm not running for President and I'm not asking for you to select me for Parent of the Year. What I am asking is that you please vote for my blog which is included in the Parenting category of this year's Love This Site Awards presented by Divine Caroline.

You do need to register in order to vote, so I understand if submitting your email address to yet another site is not on your list of priorities, but if you are into blogging, whether it's reading them or writing your own, I would greatly appreciate a vote to put my parenting blog on the map.

My site is included amongst many amazing writers - many of whom I have voted for already - but if you enjoy this site, why not practice your voting skills for the upcoming election. I'm not going to ask you to wear an "I Voted," sticker, but if you ask nicely, I may just create one!

Halo SleepSack

The HALO SleepSack wearable blanket is the nation's best-selling wearable blanket for babies. It is intended to lessen the likelihood that a baby can get entangled with clothing and loose bedding during sleep.

The SleepSack wearable blanket is sleeveless and is worn over pajamas or a t-shirt to take the place of loose blankets. It's the only product to carry the First Candle / SIDS Alliance #1 Safe Sleep Product Gold Seal.

Recently, it earned the Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths' (CSID) Gold Seal. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, HALO Innovations has a singular mission: to help create a healthy and safe sleep environment for people of all ages. New this season are the brown tones that have become popular in the infant bedding and apparel marketplace.

To register to win a beautiful Mocha Velboa SleepSack (Small for infants 0 -6 months), please include your baby's date of birth (or due date) in the comments below. Be sure to include your email address so we can notify you if you win.

One winner will be selected at random one week from today.

Toy of the Year Awards

12 toys, and their makers, were honored for innovation and creativity at the Toy Of The Year Awards (TOTY) ceremony hosted during the International Toy Fair in New York City. The winners were:

• Toy of the Year: Air Hogs Havoc Heli Laser Battle from Spin Master.
• Most Innovative Toy of the Year: Smart Cycle from Physical Learning-Fisher Price.
• Infant/Preschool Toy of the Year: Moon Sand Adventure Island from Spin Master.
• Electronic Entertainment Toy of the Year: Power Tour Electric Guitar from Tiger Electronics.
• Educational Toy of the Year: Smart Cycle from Physical Learning-Fisher Price.
• Activity Toy of the Year: LEGO City from LEGO Systems, Inc.
• Game of the Year: Rubik’s Revolution from Techno Source.
• Specialty Toy of the Year: Snap Circuits from Elenco.
• Outdoor Toy of the Year: RipStik Caster Board from RipStik U.S.A.
• Girl Toy of the Year: Little Pet Shop: Display & Troop Groovy Girls from Manhattan Toy.
• Boy Toy of the Year: Transformers Movie Deluxe Figures from Hasbro, Inc.
• Property of the Year: Hannah Montana licensed by Disney Consumer Products.

The Best of the Best of the Best (2007)

Everyone, everywhere is busy accumulating "best of" lists and the "top ten" or twenty, or... You name it, there's a list associated with it. Google "Top Ten of 2007"...I dare you. I've made my own list that I'd like to share.

Here it is, my list of The Top Best Lists of the Year:

1. Time's 50 Top 10 Lists of 2007
2. About.com's Top Searches of 2007
3. The New York Times Ten Best Books of 2007
4. Top Ten Gadgets of the Year
5. PGA's Top Ten Finishes of 2007
6. BookFinder.com's Top Ten Out of Print Books
7. WashingtonPost.com's Most Popular Opinions of the Year
8. 2007's Top 10 Weirdest USB Drives
9. AFI's Top Ten Movies of 2007
10. Top Ten Astronomy Pictures of 2007
11. Bore Me's Top Ten Viral Videos of 2007
12. Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2007
13. National Geographic's Top Ten News Stories of 2007
14. MSNBC's Top 10 Films of 2007
15. BBC News: Top 10 Artists of 2007
16. Foreign Policy: The Top 10 Stories You Missed in 2007
17. NPR Music: Best Children's CDs of 2007
18. New York City Search: Top 10 Restaurants of 2007
19. Fox News: Top Ten Celebrity Meltdowns
20. Top Ten Celebrity Mug Shots of 2007
21. Money Magazine's Best Places to Live in 2007
22. Top Ten Funniest Quotes by Politicians in 2007
    
23. American Institute of Architect's Top Ten Green Projects
24. Top Ten Music Videos of 2007
25. Glamour's Top Ten College Women 2007
26. CNN Money: Best Cars of 2007
27. PC World: The 100 Best Products of 2007
28. US News: Best Children's Hospitals of 2007
29. New York Post: Top 5 Trips
30. People Magazine's Best of 2007
31. Travel & Leisure: 2007 World's Best Awards
32. Business Week: Best Product Design of 2007
33. Rolling Stone's Best of 2007
34. NPR: Best CDs of 2007
35. Esquire Magazine's Best and Brightest of 2007
36. Best of 2007: Surfing the Net with Kids
37. TreeHugger's Best of 2007
38. Library Journal's Best Books of 2007
39. Working Mother's 100 Best Companies of 2007
40. SPIN.com: The 40 Best Albums of 2007
41. Real Estate: The Best and Worst of 2007
42. 2007 America's Best Restrooms
43. Rotten Tomatoes: Top Movies of 2007
44. National Geographic: Best Parks 2007
45. ESPN's Horse Racing's Best of 2007
46. Parents Magazine: Best Toys of 2007
47. Best Books of 2007: Parent & Child's Top Picks
48. AAA: Parents 2007 Best Cars for Families
49. New York Magazine's Best Parent / Kid Activities
50. The New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books 2007

Happy New Year!

Selznick, Frazee & A Big Box of Books

The SCIBA Trade Show and Authors Feast was last night. It took us nearly three hours to get to the Biltmore with an accident, road construction and typical Saturday evening traffic holding us back but we finally arrived!

We had enough time to walk the floor of the Trade Show, visit with many wonderful Sales Representatives and page through several fall books which I had not had a chance to see prior, and we still had time to mingle, enjoy a cocktail and wander through the beautiful hotel to see what other events were taking place that evening.

I was joined by two of my colleagues for dinner: Lynn, who most SCIBA members recall from her previous position as manager of The White Rabbit; and Christina, from The Book Works in Del Mar.

Also at our table was a member of the Harcourt children's division (also located in San Diego), along with four booksellers representing Russo's Books and Newsboy Books & Video.

The highlight of my night was meeting two of the award nominees (the two that I would've asked to meet if I was able to choose). Marla Frazee, whose work I absolutely adore, sat down at Table #12 just before dessert was served (what was that, by the way?). I nearly leaped across the table to shake her hand and gush over her work. She took me by surprise when she mentioned that some of her favorite picture books were Kane/Miller titles and I couldn't even begin to think of what to say to her after that, especially since we had to practically yell at one another to be heard.

Lynn was able to introduce me to Brian Selznick after the event and I was able to congratulate him after he received his much-anticipated award for his children's novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

Other award-winners were: Lisa See (Peony in Love), Wendy Werris (An Alphabetical Life), Denise Hamilton (Los Angeles Noir), and Robin Preiss Glasser (Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy), who admitted on-stage that she had a little too much to drink.

It was a wonderful event and I was so pleased to be able to attend and very grateful for the big box of books that I opened early this morning with my son, who insisted that I read him Bossy Bear and Merry Christmas, Mouse! immediately. (This of course, after he asked me why his babysitter had to leave.) Welcome home, Mom!