My Summer Reading List & Giveaway

Summer is coming and I am so looking forward to relaxing moments of just sitting and doing nothing but reading (in between chasing kids, anyway).

I have three books on my list of must-reads. I'm not even sure in what order I'll start, but I'm excited about all three of them! I thought I would share them with you, and then, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, offer a giveaway of one of them.

What will you be reading?

This post contains affiliate links.

Becoming

by Michelle Obama

The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty 

by Susan Page

Rita Moreno: A Memoir

by Rita Moreno

Okay, I know I said 3 books, but IF I make it through all three this summer, and still have time, this one is next:

My Beloved World

by Sonia Sotomayor

I'm excited for me, aren't you?!? 

Okay, that said, let's move on to the giveaway!

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, I'm giving away three hardback copies of Rita Moreno's autobiography. To enter to win, just use the Rafflecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mothers Who Teach: 10 Gift Ideas for You

Teacher's Appreciation Day and Mother's Day are next week! Some of us are just that - Moms who teach! What a coincidence that the two hardest, but most rewarding jobs are celebrated on the same week. Hmmm. I would have preferred the two were a little further apart so that I could look forward to the next batch of chocolates and flowers at another time of year.

I'm not sure why the two special days are so close, but I do know that most of us will not be creating our own festive crafts. We hope that someone will help our little ones pick out a nice card and bring us a simple breakfast in bed. What we can do is to make time (even if it's just taking a little time) for ourselves. A little treat is always needed, yet we are probably the worst at doing this. Making so many other people a priority is the norm in our lives, but we are better mothers and teachers when we are good to ourselves, too.

Here are 10 gift ideas for all mothers who teach. Pick one, two, or all and enjoy!

Take yourself out to a movie. If Frozen is the only movie you have seen in the past few months, it's time to check out another inspiring film. Even if you go on your own, it's a great form of relaxation and a two-hour break from reality.

Eat lunch out on your own. Before I started teaching and way before having children, I never went out to eat on my own. Now, I crave a quiet lunch or dinner often. There are days I can't remember if I fed myself! Sadly, many moms and teachers don't get to enjoy the simplest of all pleasures...because of lack of time.

Buy flowers. My students and children know I love fresh flowers. The delicate bouquets fill my heart with joy and I have always bought them for myself. When someone else gets them for me...they get extra credit points!

Eat chocolate. And cake and wine too! Little bits of indulgence makes life sweeter. Treat yourself and toast to a job well done.

Splurge on a spa treatment. All it takes is one hour. Have someone pamper you next week. Even a simple manicure or pedicure feels so good. How about an hour-long massage? Yes, please!

Spend a quiet day or night in. I must confess, as much as I love my Hubby and three boys, I need a little break from them once in a while. They are loud! Sometimes the best gift is when my husband takes them all out for an hour or two. It is rare for homeschooling moms and stay-at-home moms to ever have the house to themselves. Enjoy it!

Get Spiritual. Whether it is going to church or a yoga class, try these activities alone as well. I haven't experienced a more spiritual and mind-clearing hour than when I attend mass or yoga on my own.

Retail therapy. Even the smallest of purchases does a mind good. Consider it a well-deserved present you bought yourself.

Spend a day with your own mom. Our own mothers and other experienced women we look up to can be considered our first teachers. These are wise, kind, brilliant women who nourish our minds and souls. Your biggest confidants would appreciate a special dinner or whole day with just you. Go ahead and plan this for you both.

Don't do a thing.  You know how hard you work? Enough said.

P.S. If you are looking to buy gifts for someone, take a look at Appreciating Those Who Teach and Bilingual Books Celebrating Mothers.

Betty Galvan, is writing "for smart and stylish moms" over

at My Friend Betty Says... 
She is the mother of three beautiful boys.

Feliz Navidad from Best Buy

Sponsored content

Today's post is all about some of the great products you can find at Best Buy plus two coupons for up to an additional 15% off already discounted tech "toys."

I have to tell you that I've already been shopping this year. A few weeks ago, I headed to Best Buy with a gift card in one hand and a very specific list in the other. (I like to do my research ahead of time, and go through the stores once without buying to see what products they carry and get prices. I had already done this, so I knew exactly what I wanted when I entered the store. In fact, I had even discussed with my children what were some of the gifts they really wanted this year, and we looked them over at several stores.)

So when I entered the store, I went straight to the tech toys section shown above. My kids and I had gone back and forth for a long time over whether or not it was time to "graduate" from the old Leapster handheld gaming system, to the newer LeapsterGS or LeapPad or something altogether different like the Nabi 2 or Ninetendo's 3DS. I rejected the 3DS immediately because very few of the games are actually educational (Boo!), so no deal for me. I really liked the Nabi 2 because of all the parental controls I read about and the educational content, but ultimately the kids said no because they really wanted the LeapFrog toys. I'll talk more about these in a later post.

Right. So here is what I bought...

Both the LeapsterGS and the LeapPad2. I decided not to go with the LeapPad Ultra because I wasn't ready for them to have that WiFi connection just quite yet. They can get on their computer in our library at home where we do school and I'm better able to monitor their activities online. My daughter chose the Super Animal Genius Explorer game shown at the bottom, and my son chose Disney's Brave Explorer game.

I also bought a ton of batteries to run these and more. It seems like we go through a LOT of batteries at my house and the price just keeps going up and up! What's with that?

I mentioned that their school computer has Internet access, but actually, their receiver had broken, so I also picked up a new WiFi USB Adapter for their school computer. My kids have a hand-me-down computer from a friend, who had gotten a new one. Their computer is a Dell and really like new and probably even better than this one I'm typing on, but it needs an adapter to pick up the WiFi signal. So I'm pretty happy with this purchase, too, as it gives them protected online access. (I'm the protection.)

And I got the kids the movie Epic simply because we loved it so much when we saw it this summer. You know my kids are nature lovers and this movie sparked their imagination and inspired them to dream up stories just like it in our own backyard.

But I admit, I didn't just shop for the kids...

I cheated and bought myself an early Christmas present. Already this Hamilton Beach - Set & Forget 6-Quart Slow Cooker is saving my sanity. I bought it because the my old crockpot was overheating and burning the food. I had to cook everything on low and it still ran too hot. But I didn't realize how bad things had gotten until I set this new one up and made a perfectly cooked roast last week. Seriously, I thought I would cry it was so beautiful! This week we ran out of propane gas and have decided to change gas companies. But they can't deliver until Monday or Tuesday. So guess what? I have three nights in a row of slow cooker meals planned. :) Do you use a slow cooker like this one? I've never had a programmable one and am SO loving it! (Really, I know it's pathetic to get so worked up over a crockpot, but anything that makes my schedule easier is a blessing.)

But I may be most excited about my new Dyson Digital Slim. It's supposed to be the most powerful cordless vacuum. Seriously. TWENTY minutes of constant high suction. No more tripping over cords. And no more cobwebs on the ceiling! AND I can take it to church to clean (do you have any idea how hard it is to vacuum between pews and the pew seats themselves?). It's craziness. Again, it makes my life a little less insane and therefore I ♥ it!

At any rate, there were tons of other products that I could have purchased, and many are still on my watch list, such as these from Fisher-Price that are oh-so awesome, but a little too young for my kids:

• The Imaginext Apptivity Fortress & The Little People Apptivity Barnyard •

The Coupons

But good news! If your children are the right age for these great toys, here's a coupon for you that's good online or in the store. It's good for 15% off Health & Fitness and Fisher Price & Mattel Toys. (Psst! It's also good for the Shine Elegant Wearable Tracker that I talked about here.)

And if you have older children, here's another coupon for 10% off Headphones and Portable Speakers.

Disclosure: I am a Best Buy Brand Ambassador which allows me to share great deals and information with you on a regular basis. I was compensated for this post, however, all thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.