I know many of you were wondering what happened to the October issue of emommieNews.  Well, it's a very LONG story.  It started on my birthday when my computer totally crashed on me.  Apparently a computer chip on my mother board took a spark which resulted in a hole.  Not a good thing.  After that, things sort of went all topsy-turvy in my life.  It wasn't until the very end of October, the beginning of November, when the dust started settling.  So, now that things are starting to get back to normal, I find myself a bit behind.  I'll catch up though.  For those of you who are waiting for me to get your classified ad up, thanks for being patient.  They're coming.

In the mean time, enjoy this issue of emommieNews.  It's packed with tons of information for all moms (as usual) and it's totally free!  Can't beat that.  As a matter of fact, you might want to share this issue with a friend!

Real quality reading time should include your child asking questions, pointing at pictures and interacting. As all parents, grandparents, and caregiver's know, our kids tend to pick the same book and want it read over and over and over. Let's face it, reading can get boring for the adults! Here are a few tips on ways that parents can keep reading interesting and help our children build important developmental skills.

USE ANIMATED VOICES Read the story using a different voice for each character. My father read the JRR Tolkien series to us as children and his Golum and Bilbo Baggins voices were the best!

LEAVE OUT WORDS When reading leave out words or parts of sentences for your child to fill in.

READ WITH ACCENTS If you find yourself getting bored with a book, start reading with an English, French or Spanish accent!

SING THE STORY Make up a tune and start singing. If you aren't good at making tunes up pick a familiar classical or folk song.

CHANGE THE WORDS In reading their most favorite books I keep my attention by changing the main characters name constantly throughout the story. My kids find it a fun game to correct me. For older kids try changing the sentence or word at the end of every page to see if my kids can catch the mistake. Start with outrageous words (hippopotamus or pickle work well) that have nothing to do with the story at first but make it harder as they catch on.

READ THE BOOK BACKWARDS This won't work for all books, but it's lots of fun to try!

MAKE UP A NEW STORY A good children's book should tell a story that makes sense without the printed words. Help your child make up a new story that fits the pictures.

WORD SEARCH If the kids know their alphabet, teach them a simple word, then have them find or count how many times the word is used in the story.

Whatever way you read - make it fun!

Author Rachel Webb has four kids, she designs large write-on/wipe-off fridge calendars guaranteed not to slide off when the kids slam the fridge door! Visit her site: http://www.Note-Ables.com

Infant/Child Product Recalls
Little Tikes Swing Recall
Evenflo Recall to Repair Home Décor Swing™ Wooden Baby Gates
Safety 1st Fold-Up Booster Seat Recall
Dorel Juvenile Group Cosco Playpen Recall
Maya Wrap Infant Carriers/Slings Recall

Household Products
Biddeford Textile Corp. Recall of Electric Blankets
Rain-X® Glass Cleaner and Washer Fluid recalled by Blue Coral
Drain Cleaners recalled by National Service Industries Inc.
Window Latches Recalled by Andersen Corp.

Clothing ~ No new recalls for this category.

Sports
Wysco "Runt"™ Mini-Bicycle Recall
Salsa Cycles Bicycle Rim Recall
American Suzuki Youth ATV Recall

Appliances
Wolf Range Co. Inc. and Wolf Appliance Co. LLC Recall Gas Ranges
Norcold Inc. Recall Refrigerators
American Water Heater Co. Recall to Replace Burners in Gas Water Heaters
National Presto Industries Inc. Recall Deep Fryer Basket Handles
Whirlpool Recall Microwave-Hood Combinations

When I first started to think about what good hugging was, I decided to see what good old Webster says a hug is.  You can't go wrong with Webster.  Anyway, our good friend (Webster) says that a hug means the following: 1- to press tightly, especially in the arms; 2a- congratulate, 
b- to hold fast; c-cherish; 3- to stay close to.  A tiny bit of useless trivia, the word hug is probably of Scandinavian decent, akin to Old Norse, hugga, which means to soothe.

So, that seems to support my theory that there are many different types of hugs and therefore many types of techniques for giving them.  But what makes a hug good?  What specific components of a hug make it more meaningful?  I've come up with several tips that I think can be applied with little to no practice (although hug practice is bound to always be fun).  I'll organize them by type of hug.

There are many different varieties of hugs and many of them fall into a larger category of Romantic Hugs.  For example, you have a comforting hug, but that comforting hug will be different for your child or mother than it will be for your husband.  For obvious reasons, because this is a romance topic, we'll discuss the different types of hugs within the context of romance.  Please don't take these tips to mean you should hug you're preacher's wife this way if she needs comfort for some reason.  Just my little disclaimer.  LOL.

So, on to the hugs:

 The "Hi honey I'm home" hug ~ The key to this one is attitude.  Have you ever experienced this one.  I did just yesterday.  It often comes with a bit of humor.  My dh picked up my daughter from school, and when they got home, I noticed them before they got to the door.  I opened the door to my daughter running into the house.  Seeing this, my husband thought he'd be cute and run up to the door too.  Even though I knew he was being a goof, he seemed happy to be home, and happy to see me.  Smiling, he grabbed me up in his arms for a quick tight bear-hug, punctuated with a playful tap on the rear.  Yep, he was happy to be home.

The "I want your body in a big way" hug ~ Since this is a family friendly ezine, I wont go into too much detail here, but important components of this are full body contact (at least from head to knees) and the time quotient.  The hug needs to linger for as long as possible.  There also is often a cop-a-feel component that usually occurs just as the hug is ending, but only after surreptitious glances to see if no one is watching.  There is also an abbreviated variety that works when one of you are busy.  For example, hubby's doing dishes, and you sneak up behind him.  Hugging him from the back, the same rules apply as far as the lingering and cop-a-feel component.

The "I am so glad you're in my life" hug ~ This one has two components that are largely based on mood and attitude.  The first, is usually paired with a carefree attitude.  Tight quick embraces that may include laughter and quick hard kisses.  The second is one of spiritual gladness.  Eye contact is often maintained, the mood is one of profound love and thanksgiving.  The embrace is longer than the carefree variety, and softer.  Any accompanying kiss will be slower and softer too.  Words of love are often exchanged.

The "I wish I could make everything alright" hug ~ This one is of soothing comfort.  The comforter almost always initiates and the length of the hug is determined by the one needing comfort.  The most important component of this hug is that the comforters body needs to surround the one in need of comforting.  No awkward squeezes where one arm goes around a shoulder and taps the other shoulder.  That just wont do.  Enveloping is a better way to describe this one.  Caressing the back of the person you're comforting will bring additional comfort and soothing warmth.  This one is adaptable for the couch.  With the comforter sitting behind and bringing his/her arms around to the front.  This is a great position for talking and solving problems.

                                                         by Sandra Lamb

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This month's Superior Site Award winner is Faith at Home.  This is a remarkable site that has some truly amazing references for parents to aid them in raising their children in a way that will foster a love for God.  This is a truly pleasurable site to navigate.  There is no junk here.  Just good old fashioned content!!  Visit them today.

• Assorted Leaves in fall colors
• Dark paper
• Dried lentils, peas, or popcorn
• Straw
• Old phonebook
• Other heavy books
• Scissors
• Glue

1. Collect leaves in as many shapes, colors and sizes as you can find.  Pick ones that haven't gotten crumbly yet.

2. Press them right away between the pages of an old phone book.  Once the leaves are in place, use other heavy books to add weight. (This is great for pressing spring flowers too!)  Leave them there for two weeks.

3. Once the leaves are dry, arrange them on the dark paper in any shape you fancy.  Make bugs, dragons, people, whatever you can imagine.  Use the lentils for the eyes.

4. Glue it all in place and let dry.

Pumpkin Seeds
1. Wash the seeds you saved from cleaning out your pumpkin.
2. Spread the seeds on a buttered cookie sheet.
3. Toast them at 350°F for 10 minutes or until golden.
4. Sprinkle with salt.
5. Enjoy!

• Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond
• Chickie Stop and Go by Norman Gorbaty
• Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss
• Going to Sleep on the Farm by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
• Oh the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
• If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
• Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
• Waldo, Tell Me About Me by Hans Wilhelm
• Turtle Time: A Bedtime Story by Sandol Stoddard
• The Little Mouse, The Red Rip Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood

All these books are great for reading to your little ones.  Remember too that if they see you enjoying a good book, they'll be more likely to pick one up for themselves.  After all, they want to be just like you.

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