For the Fashionable Father:

Put a little personality in his wardrobe with a personally decorated apron, complete with a silly saying and some playful designs. Every king of the ‘cue should have a suitable uniform, so find a white apron and some fabric paint and let the kids decorate it to their heart’s content. Dad can proudly show off his unique gift and stay clean every time he fires up the grill.

For something that’s practical and inventive, raid the back of the closet for an old, forgotten tie.  With some scissors, a little glue and a Velcro tab, you can create a brand new sunglasses case that’s soft and snug enough to protect Dad’s stylish shades. If you need some guidance, a quick online search will lead you to specific instructions. 

For the Gourmet Guy:

If Dad’s a self-proclaimed foodie, feed his need for his favorite treats. Make a homemade menu (laminate it if you’d like for a special touch) with a few tasty choices, and offer to “take a reservation” for an evening in the coming weeks. This is a great way for the kids to cook a gourmet meal for dad, transform the dining room table into a 5-star restaurant and really make him feel like a king!

Does Daddy dig dessert? Bake a batch of his favorite cookies to go, with a cylindrical chip can that’s been cleaned and decorated with a collage of pictures or a colorful painted design. Not only is this a quick and easy craft, the reusable container keeps the snacks intact no matter where they go!

For the Handyman and his Helper:

There’s always something to be fixed around the house, and every Dad has a few tried-and-true tools close at hand. Why not add a touch of color and creativity by painting or monogramming the handle of a hammer, screwdriver or wrench? These sturdy tools are built to last a long time, and you can bet that Dad will smile whenever a picture needs hanging or a screw needs tightening.

Now, if Dad’s handyman skills are rubbing off on the rest of the household, you could find a project that will be fun for kids and Dad to work on together. From a DIY birdhouse to an impressively sophisticated clock radio, there are plenty of gadget building kits that range in difficulty and intricacy for different interests and age groups. If Dad is a hands-on kind of guy, he’s sure to appreciate the challenge and opportunity to learn with his kids.

Old Glory is a beautiful flag, but let’s face it: it’s not the easiest for little hands (or even big ones) to draw! So many stripes, so many stars… it’s easier to remember how it all fits together if you know what it means. Here are the basics:

• There are 7 red and 6 white stripes, adding up to 13 to represent the original 13 colonies.
• These stripes alternate so that the top-most and bottom-most stripes are red.
• There are 50 white stars on a field of blue, representing the 50 states in the Union.
• Start with a row of 6 stars, followed by 5 stars underneath; alternate until you have 9 rows, ending with a row of 6 stars.
• Red stands for hardiness and valor.
• White stands for purity and innocence.
• Blue stances for vigilance, perseverance and justice.

Do you fly a flag at your home or cottage? Will you be decorating with flags for the 4^th of July? Here are some rules of flag etiquette to remember, as set out in the Flag Code:

• The flag should not be used as drapery or decoration. Blue, white and red bunting should be used instead, with the blue stripe on top.
• The flag should not be embroidered or printed on items such as cushions, napkins, boxes or anything intended to be discarded after use.
• The flag should never have any mark, number, word, figure or drawing of any kind upon it.
• No part of the flag should ever touch the ground.
• The flag should be raised briskly and lowered slowly.
• The flag should be displayed only between sunrise and sunset, and it should be illuminated if displayed at night.
• The United States flag should be raised before and flown higher than the flag of any state, community or organization. If the flags are the same height, the U.S. flag should be to its own right.
• When flown with flags of other countries, all national flags must be on separate poles of the same height. All flags should be the same size and raised and lowered at the same time.

The flag should be cleaned and mended as necessary. When it becomes too old to represent our country, it should be burned ceremoniously. Many American Legions Posts and Boy and Girl Scout Troops have annual flag burning ceremonies on Flag Day. If your flag is looking tattered, call your local Legion Hall or Scout Troop to participate.

First things first.

Don’t panic.

Easier to say than to do, I know, but the thought really is what counts.   She’s just as overwhelmed with new baby madness as you are.  A simple but heartfelt card from you and Junior is likely to be enough to inspire tears of joy.

Second, get baby in on the action.  Yes, he or she is undoubtedly far too young to actually pick out cards or sign them, but there’s nothing sweeter to a mom than the bond between the man she loves and her child, so show it off a little.  Just signing shortie’s name to your card along side your own will score you bonus points, but a little creativity goes a long way.  Sneaking off with your little one to add their foot or hand print to a card will be worth the effort – not only will your baby mama swoon a little at the sight, you’ll get some fun one on one baby/daddy time in for yourself.

Thirdly, and most importantly, make sure you take the time to tell her you love her, not just because she had your baby, but because she’s the girl of your dreams.

There are tons of coloring pages out there – Easter eggs, bunnies, religious images even your kids favorite cartoon stars celebrating the holiday – now you just need to find them!

While we don’t have printable coloring pages here, we’ve done our research and found some great links online where you can find printable worksheets and coloring pages for kids! Another great way to find them is to check out Google Images and choose the coloring pages you like best!

ColoringPagesforKids.info – This site has some great coloring pages of easter eggs, baskets and easter bunnies perfect for your kids!

Kidscutecoloringpages.com – A really cute Dora the Explorer coloring page perfect for any little fan!

Coloring-pages-kids.com – Here are some religious coloring pages that can be used as an educational tool or just some fun!

TheStir.Cafemom.com – 8 Easy & Fun Easter crafts for your kids if you want to delve beyond the coloring pages!

Do you have any more you’d like to add? Comment below and let us know!

“I think a lot of laughing,” the first lady told reporters. ”I think in our house we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and laughter is the best form of unity, I think, in a marriage.

“So we still find ways to have fun together, and a lot of it is private and personal. But we keep each other smiling and that’s good,” she added.

The Obama’s have traveled to celebrate Valentine’s Day in years past, but this year a “travel lid” went down on the White House Monday afternoon.  That means the Commander in Chief doesn’t plan to leave the premises again for the day.

“We don’t make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day because my birthday was the 17th (of January),” Mrs. Obama told Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa recently.   Apparently between that and Christmas just a few weeks before that, ”…by Feb. 14, we’re kind of tired.”

It’s always nice to get a glimpse of the fact that the Obama’s are still a normal family, even if they are in an extraordinary circumstance.

Forget the wining and dining and spending a fortune that comes along with most Valentine’s Day surprises, you can show the people you love just how much you care without spending a penny – literally.

There are several sites offering visitors free Ecards for Valentine’s Day. Whether you want a sweet and sappy card for your husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend or a funny one to brighten your child’s Valentine’s Day, there’s no shortage of great cards to choose from online.

Below, we’ve listed our favorite Free Valentines Day Ecards for this year. One is funny, one is romantic, one is a cute one for all of your friends and one is a “missing you” card for those of you who can’t be together on Valentines Day.

If you don’t like the ones we’ve chosen, you can click on the links and browse the sites for ones that strike your fancy.

1. Romantic Ecard for those in Love
2. Cute Ecard for Kids & Another Cute Ecard for Kids
3. Special Ecard for True Friendships
4. Miss You Ecard for those who can’t be together and Another Miss You Ecard for that special someone.

Hope you find the perfect message to send to your Valentine today!

These tough economic times make it incredibly difficult to purchase lavish and extravagant gifts for the special person in your life. Sure, every man would love to buy the lady in his life a piece of jewelry but when the credit cards still haven’t been paid off from Christmas, it’s a little difficult to go all out on Valentine’s Day.

If you’re strapped for cash, don’t worry; we have some very affordable (we’re purposely not using the word cheap) gifts for women that will still wow your loved one this year.

Here are the top 5, truly affordable gifts for women:

1. A coupon book of things you promise to do for her (dishes, vacuuming, massages, groceries etc.)
2. A day away from the kids. Sounds mean but every mom would appreciate a day to herself. Light some candles, draw a bubble bath, buy her a bottle of wine and take the kids out for a couple hours. When you come back and put the kids to bed, treat her to some special one-on-one time. She’ll love it.
3. A mixed CD. Sounds cliché but you can’t go wrong with this one and – if you play your cards right – it won’t cost you a thing.
4. A personalized dinner. Go to the grocery store and buy the items she loves most. Add a bottle of wine (or a bottle of champagne), light a few candles and put on her favorite chick-flick DVDs and you’re golden.
5. A thoughtful scrapbook. Women loves photos, trinkets from past dates and anything that shows them you’ve been paying attention to them. You can buy scrapbooks for less than $10 and print photos off for less than 5.Use movie stubs, photos, magazine pictures of things she loves etc. to create something she will treasure forever.

Have another great idea you’d like to share? Help out men everywhere and leave your ideas in the comment section below!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

Air travel this winter has been a nightmare

Nancy, a frequent reader of Elliot’s blog, had received horrible news the day before she wrote to Elliot.  Her three year old grandson had been murdered by his mother’s live in boyfriend in Denver.  The child was going to be taken off life support the next day, at which point his organs would be donated immediately.  Her husband was in Los Angeles on business, so Nancy and his company went to work to figure out how to get him to Denver in time to be with his daughter when the plug was pulled.

He arrived for his Southwest flight two hours early, but delays at the baggage check and security lines were quickly making it obvious that he wasn’t going to make his flight.  Despite his best efforts to make it through slow moving security lines, it was several minutes after his plane’s scheduled departure time when her husband Mark dashed up to his gate, not having bothered to put his shoes and belt back on after finally clearing security.

But, instead of the closed gate he expected to see, Mark found the pilot of the plane and the ticketing agent were waiting for him at the gate.

“Are you Mark? We held the plane for you and we’re so sorry about the loss of your grandson,” the pilot reportedly said. “They can’t go anywhere without me and I wasn’t going anywhere without you. Now relax. We’ll get you there. And again, I’m so sorry.”

The flight took of thirteen minutes late, a delay that the pilot, and Southwest, could have been heavily fined for by the busy airport.  According to Elliot, most airlines would have punished a pilot for holding up a plane, but when he called Southwest for comment, they told him they were proud of their pilot.  Whether or not another airline might have said the same thing, it’s always nice to see concern for profit be put on hold for the sake of simple human kindness.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

The couple spent the holiday in the African country with their six children at the Naankuse Lodge and Wildlife Sanctuary.  Shiloh, the couple’s first biological child, was born in Namibia in 2006.  Jolie and Pitt have always been quite public in wanting their children, both the three they adopted from Asia and Africa and their three biological children, to be citizens of the world.  That’s why they chose to have Shiloh in Africa and the twins, Vivien and Knox, in Nice, France.

The family made the generous gift to the resort and sanctuary, which is run by Dr Rudie van Vuuren and his wife Marlice, in order to make sure they keep up their ties to the country of Shiloh’s birth.

A statement from Jolie, released to the Associated Press, reads, “We want her (Shiloh) to grow up with an understanding of her country of birth. We have known Rudie and Marlice for many years and continue to be impressed by their hard work and dedication to the people and conservation of the land and wildlife of Namibia.”

Wilderness photographers have always found it challenging to film wild animals in their natural habitat, particularly since the photographer’s presence can influence the behavior of the animals.  That’s why many use disguised “spy cameras” to film animals as they behave without humans present.  Some animals, like these polar bears, aren’t fooled however.  This clip reveals the intense curiosity, and ingenuity, of the endangered animals as they find, investigate and destroy the camera’s sent to film them.

With climbing temperatures and a shrinking habitat these beautiful animals will need every ounce of their native curiosity and intelligence to survive and thrive.  We can only hope that by next New Year’s Eve they will face a friendlier world than the one they face today!

“We have fulfilled a dream in finally becoming parents, and are so happy and excited at this very special time. Zachary is a gorgeous little baby and we are so proud of him,” John tells UsMagazine.com.

The couple also said it didn’t take long to pick out the baby’s name. “A friend gave us a book of baby names, and we started to flick through it, but we have always loved the name Zachary and kept coming back to it. In the end, we looked at each other, and put the book back on shelf, and said, “This is it!’”

The music icon met Furnish, a film director and producer, in 1993 at a dinner party held at his home. “He was very well dressed, very shy,” John tells Us. “The next night we had dinner…We fell in love very quickly.”

John and Furnish were married in a civil ceremony on December 21, 2005, the very first day that civil partnerships could be performed in England.  They wed in the town of Old Windsor.  ”Every Saturday for 16 years, we’ve sent each other a card,” John told Parade earlier this year. “No matter where we are in the world, to say how much we love each other.”

It’s Christmas Eve, a time that should be joyful for little ones and their families everywhere.  Every year, but particularly this one, there are far too many families out there stricken with hunger and poverty.  With letters to Santa Claus focusing more on warm clothes and jobs for parents than toys, it’s clear that the need for sharing and caring this Christmas is greater than ever.

We may not be able to heal everything that’s wrong with the world, but there is one thing that every parent and child can do right now to make the world just a little bit better place.  Find one toy and donate it to a child in need.  As Toy Story 3 reminded us this summer, toys should never be left to gather dust.  They should be out there firing up the imaginations of children who love them.

Help your child find a toy that is being neglected and could use a new home and take them to donate it at a shelter or a toy drive or to a needy neighbor.  Or, if you’re a grown up kid like me, help some of those toys that

are languishing in your childhood room find new homes.  Not only is donating a toy a great way to help spread a little joy and hope in a difficult world, it will help you set your child on the road to becoming a giving, caring adult.  It will also help them understand and appreciate the abundance of their own lives.  You can find Toys for Tots locations here.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

The former child star sat down with “Nightline” to talk about the world premiere of A Christmas Story: The Musical in Seattle. Apparently, no matter how old he gets, Peter is still recognizable as the beloved holiday munchkin.  Peter is still in show business, but now he works behind the camera as a producer and a director.  A Christmas Story: The Musical is his latest project – he’s hoping to take it all the way to Broadway.

Besides, if you’re searching for Christmas cards today, you pretty much have no other choice but eCards – after all, it’s December 24^th and there’s no possible way your actual card will make it through the mail.

Luckily, I’ve scoured the Internet for the best, cutest and funniest Christmas eCards of the season.

Here are the 5 most amazing eCards online (feel free to submit links to your favorites below):

1. Cute Polar Bear Dance – The perfect card for the light-hearted person on your list. This card will make everyone’s Christmas a little brighter.
2. Santa Wardrobe Malfunction – The perfect card for the jokester on your list. This cute and funny card will make your friend/love one smile this holiday season.
3. Cute Snowman – Initially this card is somewhat sad, considering the snowman is upset he’s all alone on Christmas. But, don’t fret, Santa soon delivers a gift that will make his Christmas very merry.
4. Poke the Bear – This one is probably my favorite. Be sure to poke the bear enough times to see what happens. Don’t send this one to children as they might not be happy with the results haha.
5. Missing You – Cute “Missing You” card for the special person in your life that you can’t be with on Christmas. This card is adorable.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Feel free to pass along your favorite Christmas eCards in the comments section below!

Old bags, shopping, grocery or even potato chip, can make great gift wrapping.  Cut paper bags along their seams, turn them inside out and use anything you like to decorate them.  Rubber stamps are always fun, but MarthStewart.com suggests taking an old wine bottle cork, dipping it in ink or dark fruit juice and using it to create patterns.  You can turn holiday wrapping into a family affair if you grab the kids, their favorite coloring gear and set them to work decorating your former shopping bags turned future wrapping paper.  Not only will relatives love the works of art their presents will become, you’ll be happy to have something to keep kids on holiday busy!

If you want to be even cleverer, collect old snack bags, cut them open and clean the insides thoroughly.  The insides of these bags are usually shiny silver or shiny white — perfect colors for holiday wrapping.  If you cut the bags carefully, you can recreate the look of expensive foil wrapping paper and recycle at the same time!

Instead of Styrofoam packing peanuts, try using actual popcorn or real peanuts to pack your gifts.  It’s biodegradable, cheaper to buy and make and easier for your friends and family to get rid of.  Plus, the kids will love snacking on the packaging as they help you with your shipping chores!

Truly Amazing Grace: Before putting the ‘Amazing’ in ‘Amazing Grace,’ Utah resident Richard Holdman admittedly started small with his holiday decorations.  “My wife said, ‘Let’s put up some Christmas lights on the house,’ So I put up some and ever year, it gets more and more and pretty soon it turned into this,” he told CBS news.   Richard has used his awe-inspiring displays to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation for the past four years, taking donations as cars line up along his street just to catch a glimpse of his amazing Christmas lights!

An Oldie but a Goodie: The video below, which shows an Ohio home covered in an astounding 25,000 lights synchronized to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s ‘Wizards in Winter’ was featured in a 2005 beer commercial for Miller Lite with the slogan, ‘Enjoy the Lites,’ after receiving nearly 8 million You Tube views.

Snooki’s House?: For those of you who like to fist pump your way through the holidays, this home in Chino, California and their Christmas lights synchronized to ‘Sandstorm’ by DJ Darude is for you!

Try This At Home: Now, if your neighbor happens to have a Grizwold-esque Christmas lights display, we suggest you keep yours simple, as shown below:

Merry Christmas!

 This video just proves that books may not be the best gifts for younger children (or most children for that matter).

This Twilight fan gets exactly what she wanted.

Even spoiled children get “bad” gifts sometimes.

What kid doesn’t want a puppy?

Sometimes you just know you got the right thing for them.

Last year Disney introduced us to the tiny elves Wayne and Lanny who swoop in before Santa arrives at your house and prepare it for his arrival.  The cartoon special ‘Prep and Landing’ was a big success and Disney is going to re-air the special on Christmas Eve.  To get you all ready for it they have released this all new short featuring our heroes taking a job from none other than Mrs. Claus (voiced by the great Betty White!).  See what she has in store for Wayne and Lanny in this brilliant short  and check out the original ‘Prep and Landing’ on Christmas Eve at 8 pm on the Disney Channel.  Read our review of ‘Prep and Landing’ here.

Every year the United States Postal Service receives thousands of letters to Santa from hopeful girls and boys across America.  Usually, those letters are full of requests for things like toys and video games.  This year, however, the USPS is noticing that many are sharing much more basic wishes.

“The common theme this year seems to be a single mom with young kids, the parent has left — they don’t know who the father is, or the father left — and they can’t pay the bills,” Pete Fontana, head of the United States Postal Service Operation Santa in New York, told ABC News.

Fontana works in the Midtown Manhattan Post Office that handles most of the letters addressed to Santa from around the world.  About two dozen other locations expect the letters, but Fontana is still expecting about 2 million.  He’s noticed that most of the wishes this year are selfless, children, and sometimes their parents, asking for help for their families, rather than toys for themselves.

“We had one little girl write in and say all she wants is a winter coat for her mom. Nothing for herself,” he said. “We had another letter for grandparents and they wanted to put a turkey with the trimmings for the holiday dinner … but they couldn’t even get their medicine.”

If you’d like to help grant some of these wishes and help a few needy kids out there believe in the magic of Santa, you can find instructions for participating in Operation Santa Claus here.  If there isn’t one in your neighborhood, the USPS asks that you do an internet search for local charities that are helping to grant Christmas wishes.

Recipients this year included a police officer with terminal cancer, a homeless man pushing a rickety old shopping cart, an 81-year-old woman who had recently told her 27 grandchildren she wouldn’t be able to afford any Christmas gifts, and Bernadette Turner, a 32-year-old unemployed mother of two.

“It’s hard to come by,” Turner told The AP, reporter who was following Santa on Tuesday, looking in disbelief at the $200 Secret Santa had given her.

Then one of Santa’s “elves” another tall man in a red cap, asked Turner a few questions and handed her another hundred. Turner, whose children are 3 and 8, was overcome.

“I can only afford one gift for each child. But now ….” she said, wiping tears from her cheeks and reaching out for a hug.

Like his predecessor, this Santa won’t discuss his own finances, or where the hundred dollar bills he distributes come from.  He just fills his pockets with money, dons his beard and cape and goes out to spread a little much needed joy.

He will likely hand out about $40,000 this December. He says he’ll go “till the money runs out.”

“The recession, unemployment. This is the time you don’t want to stop. You don’t want to back off,” he said.

XBOX Kinect

For a couple years the Nintendo Wii was the only motion controlled system available.  Not any more.  This XBOX device lets you be the controller and many games are sure to follow.   This is on almost every list for boys and girls.  You really can’t go wrong.

PlayStation Move Starter Bundle

You knew if XBOx was coming out with one then PlayStation would as well and here it is.  You get to be the controller and your motions translate to the game.  Enjoy!

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock Guitar Bundle

If your kid loves Guitar Hero then I”m sure you already know how much more Guitar Hero will mean to them.  Give them this new batch of songs and games to play.

Apple iPad

Apple’s gadgets never fail to win over big with teens and this one will be no different.  Just beware because once you see theirs you’ll probably end up getting one for yourself.

Nintendo Wii 14 Game Bundle

This pack includes 14 Wii games along with 4 new controllers.  A great party pack for the teen with lots of friends and nothing but time on their hands.

Logitech Z-2300 THX Speakers

If you’re looking for peace and quiet then do not get this but your teen will love hooking these speakers up to their computer and really feeling their music and games. 

NERF Stampede ECS

WARNING: Getting this toy for a teen will result in mischief.  Older siblings will love you for this but younger sibilings will wonder just what they did to earn such torture.

Lomography Spinner 360 Camera

This cool digital camera allows for complete 360 degree rotation and would be a great addition for that kid who just can’t get enough of their webcam.

PBteen i-Karaoke

This karaoke machine runs off your child’s iPod and allows them to sing along like their favorite idols.

BLUEiQ Miniature Ecosystem

While this may not get the immediate reaction, it will get a cool reaction over time.  This fully customizable ecosystem will be a cool addition to any room.

Michelle Obama sat down with a group of lucky kids to read The Night Before Christmas and answer some questions from her favorite constituents.  The one question she wouldn’t answer?  What she plans to get the President for Christmas.

She explained that she didn’t want to give away the surprise because it would be in the papers (and clearly, all over the internet) the next day.  Then she opened the floor for suggestions.  One particularly practical youth suggested a watch, while another threw out the idea of a “President bell.”  When asked to explain what exactly a President bell was, he said that it was something you had to put on the roof.  FLOTUS managed to nod seriously at that, telling the child that they’d see if they could work that out.  Another suggestion sent her into a fit of lady like giggles – that she buy the President a new suit, “because he needs a new one!”

The first lady, as always, seemed to be truly enjoying spending time with the little people she has made it her business to stand up for in the White House.  When asked what she wanted for Christmas, she replied that she’d gotten her gift early when her husband signed the child nutrition bill into law.

“That was my big Christmas wish,” Michelle said of the bill. “I got my gift early.”

She also shared that the first daughters are in charge of buying presents for the first dog, Bo.  Bo, apparently, isn’t particularly cautious with his toys, leaving them scattered around the White House.  That’s why she suspects the girls will buy him some new ones.  She said that Sasha and Malia were looking forward to Christmas in Hawaii where they’ll eat shaved ice, go to the zoo and swim in the ocean.

Sounds like a great Christmas to me!

Thanks to her mom and an outpouring of love from other geek girls around the world, hopefully Katie Goldman, a seven year old Star Wars fan in Evanston, Illinois, will grow up to be proud of it too.  Katie’s story started when she was teased by boys at school for having a Star Wars water bottle.  She came home and tried to convince her mother that she really wanted to switch to a pink water bottle instead.  Her mom, Carrie, wasn’t buying it.  Soon she got the truth out of her daughter – Katie was afraid of being bullied for liking a “boy” thing like Star Wars.

Carrie, naturally, encouraged her daughter to stick with the water bottle but Katie, worried that wearing glasses already got her teased enough, wasn’t so sure.  Eventually, after a long conversation about being different with her mother, who believes that, “talking about it is the best defense” Katie decided to keep using the water bottle.

Carrie, seeking support for her daughter, wrote an op ed article for Chicago Now about Katie’s situation and made a plea to other female Star Wars fans to leave comments to let Katie know she wasn’t alone.  Soon the post had over 1,000 comments, and other blogs, like Epbot, a “Girl Geek” blog, had thousands more.  People, male and female, all over the country, were just brimming with support for little Katie and her love of space ships, robots and Princess Leia. Carrie has reported that Katie is thriving under the attention:

“Wow!  Katie is overjoyed by the comments coming in!!!  My sweet first grade daughter has been sitting with me at the computer, reading aloud all the wonderful, supportive notes from readers, and her face is shining.  Each night after dinner, we are going to sit together, and she is going to read several comments to me and her daddy.  We are going to print the comments out and make a book for her to read whenever she feels the need.  Today she wore a Star Wars shirt to school and said to me, “Tell the people about it!!!!”  This is really restoring her self confidence.  She did a jaunty little pirouette in her Star Wars shirt before school.”

Let’s hope that, with the extra attention bullying is getting these days, more parents will follow Carrie’s lead both in talking with their children about how to handle the situation and in reaching out to show them that there is a whole big world out here that thinks they’re wonderful.  Just the way they are.

If you’d like to honor Katie, you can donate a Star Wars toy to a local homeless shelter or children’s charity.

It was supposed to be a serious interview.  Meredith Vieira was talking, via live remote feed, with the family of a U.S. soldier killed in Afghanistan in 2008.  But, as Denise Roberts talked of her husband, Casey, describing him as a “big kid” who loved being with his children, her little boy, Keegan, caught sight of himself in the monitors playing back the interview as it taped.  At first it was just a big smile.  Then a few wiggles.  And then an arm wave.

Fittingly, it was the moment that his mother told Vieira, “I just want to see my kids smile. I think that sometimes we lose ourselves in the grief sometimes and it’s hard to go on,” that Keegan chose to really let loose.  Grinning wildly and boogieing around his mother and older sister Kayla, who tried and failed to keep straight faces.

Then Denise and Vieira told Kayla that they were really on The Today Show not because her mother was going back to school to train to help soldiers with speech therapy but because of a heartfelt letter she had written to to Christmas Decor’s program ‘Decorated Family’ requesting red, white and blue decorations for Christmas to honor her fallen father and help bring holiday cheer to her mother and brother.  And the family wasn’t just getting decorations, they were about to be showered with gifts from Decor and Walmart.

We just hope the Roberts will use their new camcorder to share more of Keegan’s joyful dancing with the world!

Smart Trike 3 in 1

Finally a bike that will grow with your child rather than your child grow out of it.  This toy triples as a tricycle, push cart and a fully supported toddler tricycle.  This toy will easily last a long time and give your child the mobility they always want.

Bounceback RC Racer

This easy to use racer will let them be like their older sibilings and have a car to race.  It’s simple controller and design allow it to flip over and keep going so your child can keep going.  Racing fun for little ones.

LeapFrog Tag JR.

Yet another great educational toy from LeapFrog.  This one reads along with your child while allowing them the read themselves.  Different books use different skills and the encouragement your child receives will help their reading progress.

Melissa and Doug Easel

For the little artist in your house this wonderful easel gives them everything they’ll need.  Chalk, paints, pens, crayons, markers and more to utilize the double sided easel to it’s full extent.

Dance Star Mickey

Mickey comes to life just for your child with this cool toy that walks, talks and dances.  It can sing songs and dance to many different tunes, entertaining your child for hours.

Lil’ Zoomers Spinnin’ Sounds Speedway

Fast cars, bright colors, flashing lights, lots of sounds; what’s not to love with this toy?  Your child will love playing with easy to grab cars and really enjoy this race set.

Stride-to-Ride Dino

A dinosaur that they can ride that adjusts to help them get their footing on their way to walking.  What’s not to love?

EasyScore Basketball Set

Might as well start them dunking early because this Little Tikes set will allow their motor skills to develop and adjusts to keep up with their growth.  Small enough to play indoors as well.

Sing-A-Ma-Jigs

This new dolls, laughs, chats, sings and all sorts of other jibber-jabber.  Get a couple of these together and they become a singing group, singing together in harmony. 

My Pillow Pets

Perhaps the greatest travel companion ever for a kid.  This toy is not only soft and a cute creature but opens up to double as a pillow.  Every kid will want to cuddle up with one of these.