It certainly is nice to have an easy time now and then. But if you are going for a college degree should you really expect any of it to be easy? What are the secrets to passing an exam? There are at least three:1. Good Study HabitsThese include:?- Focused study time. Limit distractions and set a time for study. You may need to turn of the iPod or Facebook to get yourself into the zone for study.?- Having clear goals. It can really help if you map out where you want to be in a year. Students achieve more with a good game plan. ?- Adequate rest. ?- Eating well. Watch the sugar and caffeine. Fuel your body for study. 2. Familiarity with the SubjectThis comes from:?- Interest. Find a topic that interests you. With so many CLEP and DSST exams you surely can find one that peaks your interest.?- Crossover. One of our biggest factors for success is finding exams that build on one another. So, Art follows Humanities, Government is followed by US History and English Lit comes after Analyzing Lit. The students on the InstantCert forum are expert on which exams to take in what order. 3. The Best ToolsDo your homework here. Find out:?- Which textbooks and sources other used sucessfully.?- Which textbooks and materials match the specifics of your exam. Don't spend time on Teddy Roosevelt for the US History 1 exam and make sure your course?description is of the most recent version of the test.A little work and effort makes testing much easier.Happy studying!!

We've all heard the statistics- We've all seen the numbers-But are you still drinking from plastic water bottles?If so, here are some shocking numbers for you!Plastic water bottles ARE recyclable, so you may think a reusable bottle is a non-issue. However, very few folks recycle their bottles. 8 out of 10 plastic water bottles end up in landfills according to the Container Recycling Institute (CRI). The Earth Policy Institute notes that it takes about 1.5 million barrels of oil yearly to make plastic water bottles. Lastly, just to manufacture plastic bottles is harmful for the planet. Creating plastics over and over again, releases chemicals into our air, soil, and water supply. Not to mention that these same chemicals can be leached into your child’s beverage from the plastic bottle. Bottled water is no bargain either: It costs 240 to 10,000 times more than tap water. For the price of one bottle of Evian, a San Franciscan can receive 1,000 gallons of tap water. Forty percent of bottled water should be labeled bottled tap water because that is exactly what it is. Read more HERE.So what can you do to help?Buy a Pura Stainless Steel Bottle!Pura Stainless Bottles believe it is not enough to drink from a stainless bottle if it is still sealed with a plastic cap! That's why their caps are also stainless steel! They are durable, and built to last!Pura Stainless Bottles have many perks:Food service grade 18/8 stainless steel 100% BPA-free Lifetime Warranty Stainless Steel Cap Large Mouth Makes Filling & Cleaning a Snap Selected as one of the TOP 50 Small Businesses of 2009 Now, if you're impatient like me, and you don't want to wait for the giveaway to end, simply go to THIS SITE, pick out your water bottles, and use the code VAAGEN when checking out to receive 20% off your order!!If you'd like to enter to win, please do the following:1. Comment below, with your email address2. Visit the PURA site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me which bottle you love the most!3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do.4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3629953775. Comment below that you did.8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HEREThe winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, September 5th at 6pm. Good luck!Remember, if you'd like to order a bottle now, and save 20%, just click here, and enter the code VAAGEN at the checkout.Good luck!Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

I LOVE the Gamewright Company! Do you know them yet? After reading this review, you will certainly want to add them to your gift idea list for Christmas!  From the Gamewright website:  “Gamewright was founded in 1994 by four parents whose kids wanted great games. From the start, our mission has remained clear: Create the highest quality family games with outstanding play-value. Guided by themes and experiences that transcend age and salted with a bit of irreverence, our games are designed to foster laughter, learning, friendship and fun.  Over the years our family has grown to over 50 games, 150 awards, and countless happy players.” Include my family in that “countless happy players” group! The Gamewright company was VERY generous in allowing me to review three of their brand new games!  My children LOVED playing with all of them.  I wish I could post a video review of the kids playing the games, but to anyone outside of my home, it would have just looked like pure chaos.  :) My youngest two children absolutely loved Ring-O Flamingo!  It is their new pastime.  It is perfect for younger children, since they picked up on the rules of the game immediately!  They are 2 and 4, and they weren’t the ONLY ones who loved the game.  My older two children also love playing it… and so do I! The object of the game:  Ring the most flamingos by shooting life preservers from your playing piece!  But be careful, don’t ring a crocodile instead!  Here is a picture of my kiddos having a ball playing it! The next game we reviewed was, “Do You See What I See?”. We had a great time trying to collect all of the items on our Keep Me tiles!  This game is based on the award winning book, “Can You See What I See?” by Walter Wick.  Just to prove to you that children of all ages can play this game, my two year old beat the pants off the entire rest of the family when we played this game!! The next amazing game they sent us was BOOCHIE!!  :) This is just an incredibly fun game!  Think, horseshoes meets croquet, meets lawn darts, meets… well, I guess this game is actually just all-together unique!! Here is a picture of my kiddos having great fun with Boochie-   Watch this great commercial on the Boochie Game! Now, it’s YOUR turn!! The Gamewright Company is offering YOUR FAMILY a 2009 Gamewright game of your OWN!! To enter, please do the following: Mandatory for Entry: Comment below, telling me which game from THIS GROUP you would love to own if you win.  Be sure to leave your email in the comment, in case you win! Become a follower of this blog, and comment that you do For Extra Entries: Retweet this contest (http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3393681764) and comment that you do Gain an extra entry for asking your friends to subscribe to this blog, and commenting with their screen name Post this contest to your Facebook page, and leave the URL in the comments below. Become a follower of this blog on its Facebook page, and comment that you do Favorite this blog on Technorati (link in right hand column of this blog), and comment that you do Place my blog button on your blogsite, and leave the URL below This contest will end on Tuesday, August 25th at 6pm EST.  GOOD LUCK! Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

    Recently, I had the pleasure of reviewing a Munchie Mug, by Witty Works, Inc.  You need a Munchie Mug if… You have a young child You have a house that you like to keep somewhat clean! Your little one enjoys being a bit independent You enjoy your sanity enough to not follow your little one’s every step around the house to ensure there is no spillage!  :) I usually give my little ones dry cereal, chopped veggies, or goldfish crackers in zip-top snack bags, or small cups.  But inevitably the snacks end up all over the floor, or the dogs try to stick their noses in the kids’ snack cups!  Either way, it’s not a favorable situation! My favorite things about the Munchie Mug are: They are the perfect size for little hands! They have a WONDERFUL closure system that allows little hands in, and surrounds them by a super-soft material, while not allowing what’s inside the cup to spill out! They are covered in adorable designs, which my littlest ones loves to look at while snacking! They are VERY simple to clean They have an adorable handle on the top, which allows my little ones to haul it everywhere with them- and they do! As you can see… My little one even NAPS with hers sometimes!  :) In order to win a Munchie Mug of your own… 1. Visit the Munchie Mug site by clicking HERE , and leave a comment telling me what you love the most! Want extra chances to win? 2. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do. 3. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.  Gain another entry for each friend you persuade to follow this blog!  (Leave extra comments with each friend’s name- you will get an extra entry for each friend who is in my “follow” list!) 4. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do. 5. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet the details of this GREAT CONTEST on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/3250714085. Comment below that you did. 6. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HERE The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Tuesday, August 18 at 6pm. Good luck! Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

This contest has ended. Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm in love.Oh, with my husband and children, of course! But there is a new love in my life- by the name of Scentsy.Now, I am a candle kind of girl. I have them in every corner of my house, and I have many of them on display! I love all shapes, colors and scents of candles! But there are some things about Scentsy that are very, very different!First, you don't need to light anything to burn this candle! You are simply burning scented wax over a light bulb! Therefore, there is no smoke, no harmful chemicals, no worries over fires from spills... they are simply low maintenance! They are leadless, wickless, flameless and smokeless!Another thing I really love about Scentsy is the fact that their products quickly fill my entire home with fragrance, yet they are not at all overpowering! They emit a subtle, yet definite scent. The bulb that is included in their warmers can be replaced at an everyday hardware store!Take a look at Kara Egan's (Scentsy Founder and Superstar Director) website! You will fall in love with their burners! The scents are absolutely heavenly. I wish you could smell them through the website!Trust me, readers. You really want to win this giveaway!Kara is offering to one lucky winner an August warmer of the month, entitled "Surfs Up," along with a 3 pack of bars including the new scent of the month, "Tangerine Tango" and two others!To enter this giveaway...To enter, please do any or all of the following (please leave separate comments for each, so you can enter multiple times!):1. Comment below, with your email address, and tell me if you've tried Scentsy before!2. Visit Kara Egan's Scentsy site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment telling me which burner is your fave!3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do.4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do.5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/2765898678. Comment below that you did.8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HEREThe winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, August 1st at 6pm. Good luck! Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Fresh Start God's Invitation to a Great Life By Doug Fields Thomas Nelson Books provided me with a copy of the book “Fresh Start” by Doug Fields for my review. Fresh start by Doug Fields is a wonderful, often funny, book.  By sharing new perspectives on single life, married life, and everything in between, Fresh Start gives clear guidelines to follow.  That, coupled with scripture background to relieve the pressures of today’s world, Doug Fields will help to get us “unstuck.”  Everyone can have a “FRESH START”. The book description is as follows: If you had the chance to change your life for the better, would you? All it takes is a decision. Trapped by harmful habits, behaviors, and attitudes, we struggle to become the person God has created and called us to be. Saddleback Church teaching pastor Doug Fields says it’s never too late to get a fresh start. With personal stories and youthful writing, Doug challenges readers to recognize that they may say they want God in their lives, but they really don’t want to change. They are stuck. He says, "It’s not about trying harder, it’s about plugging into God’s transforming power and submitting your entire life to Christ. Age doesn’t matter; fresh starts are for everyone." Topics include: * Dealing with pride* Defining success* Living with guilt* Struggling with conflicts* Finding true friendships* Overcoming discouragement* Facing rejection* Attacking angerTo purchase “Fresh Start,” click HEREThank you to Thomas Nelson Books for donating the free copy of "Fresh Start" for my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free/donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Ahhhh, Harry. You've done it again. When I'm looking for new music, I will generally enter a genre on my iPhone app, "Pandora Radio," and see what comes up. Lately, I've not been too thrilled with Pandora's choices for me.If you're in the same situation- a little tired of the same old songs in your collection, look no further.Harry Connick Jr's newest album, "Your Songs," is set for release on September 22nd.What will you find in this album?Harry's timeless voiceSoothing musical accompanimentSome jazzWell-preserved classics, with a unique spinA little something for all agesCheck out these amazing Tracks!Album Tracklisting (Originally performed by):All The Way (Frank Sinatra)Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)And I Love Her (The Beatles)(They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)Besame MuchoThe Way You Look Tonight First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)Your Song (Elton John)Some Enchanted EveningAnd I Love You So (Don McLean)Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)Smile (Charlie Chaplin)Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)Here is a fun "behind the scenes" look at the making of this album:http://bit.ly/HCJrVideoThis CD is perfect for so many situations!Romantic evenings, reading-a-book-by-the-fireplace night, calm drives, bath time... the list goes on and on! You'll want to put the release date on your calendar so you can pick up a copy of "Your Songs!" Are you a big Harry Connick, Jr. fan? Check him out on these TV shows:9/25 – Oprah “Live Friday”9/28 – Today Show9/29 – The View9/30 – Imus in the Morning9/30 – Letterman10/1 – Today ShowWeek of 10/5 – Rachael Ray FTC Disclaimer:Thank you to One2One Marketing for donating the free copy of "Your Songs" for my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I recieve a free/donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review.Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

GIVEAWAY!! A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald “Blue Like Jazz” Miller is a thought-provoking look at what our lives could be like if we were to try to turn it into movie material.  As Miller shares his experience with us, the result less than exciting for him.  But his life begins to take shape as he goes through it step by step.  What would a conversation about your life be like… if you were talking with God? This and many other questions will make you think… and just might change your life! A Million Miles In A Thousand Years by Donald Miller '>Excerpt from his book Book Description Full of beautiful, heart-wrenching, and hilarious stories, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years details one man's opportunity to edit his life as if he were a character in a movie. Years after writing a best-selling memoir, Donald Miller went into a funk and spent months sleeping in and avoiding his publisher. One story had ended, and Don was unsure how to start another. But he gets rescued by two movie producers who want to make a movie based on his memoir. When they start fictionalizing Don's life for film--changing a meandering memoir into a structured narrative--the real-life Don starts a journey to edit his actual life into a better story. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years details that journey and challenges readers to reconsider what they strive for in life. It shows how to get a second chance at life the first time around. Click this link to see where Donald will appear on his book tour! To enter, please do any or all of the following: 1. Comment below, with your email address 2. Visit the A Million Miles site on Amazon, and let me know your thoughts! 3. Subscribe to this blog (enter your email address in upper right corner), and comment that you do. 4. Follow this blog (in right hand column), and comment that you do. 5. Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do. 6. Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net 7. Follow me on Twitter (vaagen) and ReTweet this contest on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vaagen/statuses/4694322348. Comment below that you did. 8. Favorite this blog on Technorati by clicking HERE The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Wednesday, October 14th at 6pm. Good luck! Thank you to Thomas Nelson for donating the free copy of "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" for my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free/donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Beautiful Soaps!I am a sucker for natural and handmade soaps.? When I came across Beautiful Soaps on Etsy, I knew I wanted to try some of the soaps!? Heather at Beautiful Soaps ahs some fo the most original and creative combinations I have ever seen!? For example, how about Lavendar Chamomile Cocoa Butter Bars?? Or Lemongrass Poppyseed with French Yellow Clay?? Or Cinnamon Ice Lip Cooler Balm?I received an instant response from Heather, who was so kind to ship me three different soaps to sample!She sent me these soaps:Oatmeal Stout Beer with Oatmeal Honey and Vanilla SoapGuinness Stout Handmade Beer SoapCorona Beer Soap with LimeHer soaps come beautifully packaged, and wrapped in paper with custom labels.? They would make fabulous house warming gifts, pick-me-up presents, spouse gifts, or mother's/father's day presents!? One thing that I am always curious about when sampling natural or handmade soaps is to find out whether or not they lather.? A lot of the soaps I have tried in the past feel almost slimy, but don't actually lather.? I am one of those people that needs to feel a lather in order to feel clean!Great news... Beautiful Soaps LATHER!!? And they lather really well!? The oatmeal soap she sent is amazing- it not only lathers, but the oatmeal acts as a great exfoliator!Her soaps ALL smell incredible.? She has really mastered combining the scents to create the perfect blend!Heather also has some other wonderful products in her store.? Check out her STORE to see what else she offers!Heather at Beautiful Soaps is also willing to offer a $10 gift certificate to my site, and a 10% off savings to all? Mingle Over Mocha? subscribers who mention M.O.M. in their message or order!If you would like to enter to win the $10 gift certificate (which would be wonderful to win, because her items are SO reasonably priced, you could pick two items for this amount!!), please read below!To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.Mandatory:• Visit the CEIVA site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include? your email address in case you win!!? Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most! Optional for Extra Credit:• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Subscribe to Heather's blog feed by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net ? • Follow me on Twitter? HERE and ReTweet THIS.? ? Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on July 24th at 6pm.? Thank you to? Beautiful Soaps? for donating the free soap samples for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

The moment I saw SlothArt's LOST t-shirts, I knew I wanted to review one!? This is a picture of my husband wearing his...I contacted Allan through his Etsy site, and heard back from him instantly!? His communication is impeccable, and he responds personally in email to my inquiries.? I love great customer service!!SlothArt has an amazing collection of vintage cameras, photography and t-shirts!? Browse through the SlothArt site, and take a look at this very cool collection! Here are some other items listed on his site:"Hand of God" 5x7 Fine Art Print:The 1923 Pathex 9.5mm Film Camera:You've got to visit this site!? It is so fun to see what SlothArt has available.? It is definitely not your ordinary Etsy site!The LOST t-shirt SlothArt sent us is VERY comfortable, and the lettering is not the cheap kind that peels off after you wear the shirt a couple of times.? I know, because my husband has worn this shirt multiple times since it arrived- he loves it!He gets comments on it everywhere he goes- people get a real kick out of it.SlothArt is giving away to one lucky reader of Mingle Over Mocha a LOST t-shirt!!To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.Mandatory:• Visit the SlothArt site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include? your email address in case you win!!? Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most! Optional for Extra Credit:• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Follow SlothArt on Twitter by clicking HERE. Fan the SlothArt Facebook page by clicking HERE.• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!• Digg this post by clicking HERE!• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net ? • Follow me on Twitter? HERE and ReTweet THIS.? ? Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, June 19th at 6pm... Just in time for FATHER'S DAY!!? Good luck!Thank you to SlothArt for donating the free LOST t-shirt for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

I was so excited to be chosen to review the One eskimO album "All Balloons!"One eskimO is a critically-acclaimed English band fronted by singer-songwriter Kristian Leontiou and includes musicians Pete Rinaldi (guitar), Jamie Sefton (bass, horns) and Adam Falkner (drums).They currently have the #1 adult alternative song called 'Kandi' which you may have already heard since it's the most played song on all adult rock radio 4 weeks and counting! ? Billboard Magazine calls One eskimO's self-titled debut album "...catchy, ambient pop." and Los Angeles Times Magazine hails the song "Kandi" “a beautiful, aspirational track.” The album is available in stores now.? ? Watch the amazing Kandi video now!The album release comes in tandem with a full length animated film. “Hometime”, one of the tracks that an animated short was first done with proved to be quite a sensation. It received numerous honors at film festivals around the world, as well as a 2008 British Animation Award. My opinion on the album...I LOVE quite a few songs on this CD.? Astronauts, WHICH YOU CAN DOWNLOAD FOR FREE HERE, is amazing.? It is bathtime music for me.? It just takes you away.? Kandi is the funnest, funkiest, jazziest, sassiest song I can think of at the moment.? And I can truely say there are NO SONGS on this CD I don't enjoy!!The listing of tracks on this CD are:HometimeAstronautsKandiSlipSimple DayGivin UpChocolateAll BalloonsChosen OneUFOAmazing? Be sure to visit One eskimO's Facebook page: http://bit.ly/906Gp3, their YouTube Channel:? http://bit.ly/bgZM8P , and subscribe to their newsletter:? http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1410294733! One? eskimO? is on tour May/June/July supporting Michael Franti and in addition to festivals and headlining showsTour Dates-May 14 Miami, FL Fillmore May 15 Jacksonville, FL Free Bird LiveMay 18 Orlando, FL House of BluesMay 19 Tampa, FL The Ritz YborMay 22 Raleigh, NC Lincoln TheatreMay 24 Asheville, NC The Orange PeelMay 25 Charleston, SC The Music FarmJun 01 Toronto, ON The Guvernment Jun 03 New York, NY The Beach at Governor's IslandJun 04 Boston, MA House of Blues Jun 05 Essex Junction, VT Camplain Valley ExpoJun 06 Hunter, NY Mountain Jam FestivalJun 08 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music ThtrJun 09 Grand Rapids, MI Orbit RoomJun 12 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall Jun 13 Kansas City, MO CrossroadsAug 14 Denver, CO Mile High FestivalYou can download the deluxe edition of this album HERE!? You can also enter to WIN a copy from One2One Network and Mingle Over Mocha!? To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.Mandatory:• Visit the One eskimO site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include? your email address in case you win!!? Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most! Optional for Extra Credit:• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!• Digg this post by clicking HERE!• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net ? • Follow me on Twitter? HERE and ReTweet this: "I want to WIN the new One eskimO CD from @vaagen on her site http://www.mingleovermocha.com/!"? ? Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on May 31st at 6pm!? GOOD LUCK!Thank you to? One eskimO and One2One Network? for donating the free CD "All? Balloons"? for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.Thank you for coming to Mingle Over Mocha with Anna!

Over the past year, like you, the Library of Congress has adjusted, recalibrated and learned. We want to continue to learn from you about what more we can do. As a friend of the Library of Congress, your feedback is critical to us as we look to the future. The Library of Congress is your library and we want to build plans based on YOU.Please take a moment to complete the survey and share more about how you’ve engaged with the Library, what we can do better, and what more you want to see from us. No matter where you are in the country (or world!), or how you’ve connected with the Library before – we want your feedback.Take the survey: https://wh.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=162090351735&src=1The survey will close in 10 days, so please take 10 minutes to complete it now. We look forward to sharing the insights we learn and, most importantly, using your feedback to chart the path forward.Thanks for your time!Carla HaydenLibrarian of Congress

The Library of Congress’ Labs team wants to learn more about new segments of users who aren’t yet connected to our digital collections and services.? We are specifically seeking people who use digital resources like history photos, books, documents, newspapers, music, video, maps, data or websites but don't use Library of Congress materials for the following activities.? Formal and informal education -? K-12 teachers, guides or tutors that might use digital resources to build activities, ? lesson plans, or educational games or experiences.? ? Activism and community leadership - People, clergy, organizers or activists who might use digital library-like resources to inform awareness of a community, or cause, its history and relationships.Data journalism, communications or media work -These people might use digital library-like resources and data to produce articles, visualizations, or media for general audience. People who produce data-driven stories are of particular interest.Undergraduate creative / art studies - These people might use digital library-like resources as inspirational material or as content or material that they may re-mix or re-make through their creative work.With the selected participants, we will carry out 1-on-1 interviews (not to exceed an hour). All work will be conducted remotely over video chat. The schedule for the interviews will be based on what works best for the participants.? Can you connect us with anyone in your network who may want to participate? Feel free to forward this message or direct folks to this sign up form: via the online application (https://forms.gle/xiaB8Swp9VR9xL1j8). Any questions can be sent directly to me, Abbey Potter at abpo@loc.gov.? ? Thank you very much for helping us make this connection! We will share the outcomes of this research publicly and it will help shape future directions of our work.?

Some time ago a sweet friend and pastor’s wife asked me if I had any ideas for church hospitality. I’ve thought about it. What is it? Is it wanted? Is it effective? The best church hospitality I ever experienced was about 30 plus years ago. My husband and infant son and I were looking for […]The post Church Hospitality appeared first on Mom's Blog.

Getting a home tutor for your child can be one of the best things that you can do, especially if there are specific areas that your child seems to be having problems with. The choices you make and how you go about hiring the private tutoring services can, however determine how helpful the whole arrangement turns out to be for your child. As a parent, you want to get top quality with the teaching and this means you ought to pay attention to tutoring elements that matter most.

Over the past year, like you, the Library of Congress has adjusted, recalibrated and learned. We want to continue to learn from you about what more we can do. As a friend of the Library of Congress, your feedback is critical to us as we look to the future. The Library of Congress is your library and we want to build plans based on YOU.Please take a moment to complete the survey and share more about how you’ve engaged with the Library, what we can do better, and what more you want to see from us. No matter where you are in the country (or world!), or how you’ve connected with the Library before – we want your feedback.Take the survey: https://wh.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=162090351735&src=1The survey will close in 10 days, so please take 10 minutes to complete it now. We look forward to sharing the insights we learn and, most importantly, using your feedback to chart the path forward.Thanks for your time!Carla HaydenLibrarian of Congress

Ada Limón: 'You Are Here'U.S. Poet Laureate to Publish Anthology, Bring Poetry to National ParksAda Limón’s signature project as the nation’s 24th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry, “You Are Here,” will feature two major new initiatives: an anthology of commissioned nature poems and poetry installed as public art in seven national parks.“I want to champion the ways reading and writing poetry can situate us in the natural world,” Limón said. “Never has it been more urgent to feel a sense of reciprocity with our environment, and poetry’s alchemical mix of attention, silence, and rhythm gives us a reciprocal way of experiencing nature — of communing with the natural world through breath and presence.”Click here for more information. You are subscribed to Latest News or Poetry & Literature News from the Library of Congress.

As we announced last week, Chronicling America is in the process of transitioning from the legacy Chronicling America interface to a new Chronicling America interface and back-end search infrastructure. Read more about it.Through its enhanced search interface, the new Chronicling America offers more options to search the collection than the old Chronicling America.In the old Chronicling America interface, the simple search is on the home page. On the new Chronicling America interface, the simple search is available at the top of every page within this digital collection. Note "This Collection" is automatically populated in the top search bar on the "About this Collection" page. To access the Advanced Search, on the old interface, click on the "Advanced Search" tab. In this tab, you can refine your search by state, title, years or date range, language, and by doing multiple types of keyword searches. To access the new Advanced Search, click on the "Collection Items" tab and click the "plus" button next to "Advanced Search." After the Advanced Search is expanded, you can search by title, issue, or page. Select "Pages" to search within the full text of the collection's newspapers and to filter by language. You can still do multiple types of keyword searches and narrow your search by State/Province, County, City, and Title. For example, if you want to search only Arkansas titles, select "Arkansas" from the "State/Province" drop-down menu and only Arkansas titles will appear in the "Title" field. You can also narrow the new advanced search by ethnicity, such as African American, German, or Polish, and narrow your search by date. Once you hit "Search," you can further narrow your results using the facets on the left sidebar, for example, by title, date, county, or ethnicity. This is a new feature that the old interface was not able to do. Try out a search in the new Chronicling America interface today! The Chronicling America historic newspapers online collection is a product of the National Digital Newspapers Program and jointly sponsored by the Library and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

News from the Library of CongressFriends of the Library of Congress, Materials from the Musical ‘Hadestown' and More Be A Friend + Vote for the 2024 Friends Choice Awards!What does a preservation makeover really look like? How does supporting librarians serving the blind and print disabled worldwide build accessible collections? Where do you begin celebrating Africana food and foodways? Help us find out! Be a friend and Vote for your choice in the 2024 Friends' Choice Awards.    The Friends' Choice Award recognizes the project donors most want to fund. You get to decide! If you're already a Friend of the Library - check your email for the voting link. If you are not a Friend - join today! Memberships begin at $50 annually. Learn more about the proposals and vote for the one you want to see come to life.Be a Friend + Vote today!Materials from the Musical ‘Hadestown' Added to Library of Congress CollectionsThe Library of Congress has added rare materials from the development of the Tony Award-winning musical “Hadestown” to its collections, thanks to a donation from the show's Tony Award-winning creator, singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell.Learn more.Library Announces 2023 Music Commissions from Koussevitzky FoundationThe Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress has awarded commissions for new musical works to six composers. The commissions are granted jointly by the foundation and the performing organizations that will present the world premiere of each work.Learn more. George Chauncey, Historian of LGBTQ+ Life and Kluge Prize Recipient, Releases New Video Series “Through History to Equality”George Chauncey, recipient of the 2022 John W. Kluge Prize for Achievement in the Study of Humanity, released three videos today with the Library of Congress examining the experiences of LGBTQ+ Americans. These are now available to watch on loc.gov and the Library's YouTube channel.Learn more. The Wright Brothers History Takes Wing at the LibraryAt 10:35 on the morning of Dec. 17, 1903, on a remote sand dune in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, mankind flew for the first time. Orville Wright piloted a homemade airplane powered by a homemade engine for a few wobbly seconds while his brother and co-creator Wilbur ran alongside the right wingtip. “Success four flights thursday morning” Orville telegraphed their father back home in Dayton, Ohio. The world would never be the same. Humans flew to the moon 65 years later.Read more in the latest issue of the Library of Congress Magazine.

Do you make a Gingerbread House each year? We do and we have a blast doing it. So much so that the kids typically want to do more of them. SO why not? Let’s do more. Maybe on paper this time. This fun idea from The Printables Fairy is a great way to keep the […]

Learning geography through play is one way to inspire curiosity and help your kids not only learn this vital subject but also enjoy it and remember the things they are learning. While many of us homeschooling parents like to dot our “i’s” and cross our “t’s”, it seems like our children want education to be...

The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take back program. Or you can do it at home. Check the FDA flush list.

I want to homeschool my son in 2015-2016 for 3rd grade for religious reasons. I can't get a clear grasp on the Nevada state laws as to whether or not I

Larry and Susan Kaseman are retiring from their Wisconsin Parents Association staff positions. Below is only part of their letter: Susan and I have had a long and rewarding experience serving WPA, Susan as Senior Program Specialist and I as Executive Director. It's been 32 years, and we find ourselves in our early 70's and wanting to spend more time with our grandchildren, do more gardening, take more photographs, and do more reading and writing. We will undoubtedly become involved in other projects. We will also see many of you at the WPA conference in May. Over the past two years, we have worked with the WPA Board to ensure a successful transfer of the WPA work we have been doing to others. We are pleased to say that this effort has been fruitful. Two very strong, capable, and committed women who are long-time and currently active homeschoolers and WPA supporters, will be doing the work that Susan and I have been doing. Beginning January 1, 2016, Pamela Roland will be WPA's President and Jen Lynch will be WPA's Executive Director. Pamela and Jen have worked very well with Susan and me in making this transition. It's also a good feeling to be leaving when WPA is on solid ground. Over the past two years, WPA membership has grown, the conference has increased to over 800 attendees, donations are up, and more homeschoolers are sharing their time and talents with WPA. We expect these increases to continue as homeschoolers continue to support WPA as the committed Wisconsin homeschoolers that we are.It's a testament to the strength of homeschoolers and WPA that this transition of work has not been done in haste, is working so smoothly, and that WPA work will continue to be done with a level of moral and ethical commitment to the principles WPA has established over the years. This feels very good to Susan and me, and our thanks go to Pamela and Jen.And thank you to all the homeschoolers who have supported WPA and Susan and me over the past 32 years. WPA is a grassroots organization and your commitments to your families, to homeschooling, and to WPA have given us strength, energy, and joy.Sincerely,Larry and Susan Kaseman

My son is behind at public school. We want to pull him out of public school and home school to catch up and then send him back. He is in the fourth grade,