Encourage your kids to be physically active today!

Today’s guest post comes to us from Lisa Griffin from SameDayPapers.com, and she writes on the topic of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active. With today’s ease of access to technology, iPads, Kindles and other tablets, it is easy for us as parents to hand them to our child and let them entertain themselves while we prepare dinner or just while we are relaxing and winding down from the day. However, too much time on those sorts of devices or too much time indoors, for that matter, are not a good thing. In this article, Lisa offers up some great ways to introduce your child to physical activities that they will come to enjoy throughout their lifetimes. In fact, my kids are often on their devices too much right now and this article couldn’t have come at a better time for me and my family.

Thank you for the great guest post article, Lisa.

Enjoy.
– Will

8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active

If you want your child to develop healthily, physical activity is necessary. Like other useful habits, the habit of working out is best formed from early childhood. We offer you eight ideas on how to motivate kids to exercise and spend more time outdoors. These recommendations are suitable for kids from three years-old to adulthood.

1. Limit the use of devices

First in our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is limiting time on devices. Even if your kid really likes to spend time watching the cartoons, playing phone or video games, this pastime should be limited. For example, you can set the time that they are allowed to spend in front of the screen, and the time when they should do something else, for example, take a walk in the fresh air.

2. Take time for active rest

Today, many children are overwhelmed with various tasks: homework, extracurricular activities, English lessons. Because of all these extra-duties, it’s easy to forget how important physical activity is. Therefore, allocate at least one hour a day and devote this time for the child’s stroll, run or play in the fresh air. On weekends, you can spend more time on physical training.

3. Buy toys for outdoor activities

Next in our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is when buying toys, think of outdoor play when selecting your toys to purchase. If your mind is occupied with how to encourage children to exercise, try to buy your child not only toys that can be played at home, but also those that are designed for activity in the fresh air. On the one hand, the child would be interested in trying a new toy, and on the other, it would be an extra reason to spend more time outside. It is important for the kid that the parents spend time with him or her. Walk in the evenings. In the warmer seasons and on weekends, spend more time in the fresh air. Play football or volleyball together. You will show the child a good personal example, and secondly, you’ll spend more time with him or her. By the way, if your kid does not succeed, your support will be useful and encouraging for him or her.

4. Domestic help is also physical exercise

If the kid wants to help you clean the house, let him or her do it. Of course, not all tasks can be assigned to a small assistant. At the same time, cleaning is also one of many physical activities for kids at home. Cleaning the house or helping out in the garden, or even washing dishes is something that little assistants do well. In addition, in this way, from an early age, you can introduce your child to domestic duties that are essential to daily life and is one of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active. Not all activities need to have play at the center of the activity, but cleaning the house can have playful elements as a part of it. For instance, a race to see who can sweep or dust the fastest can always be fun.

5. Praise the child

And, do it not only for the result but for trying. Even if your kid does not do everything how it should be done, praise him or her. Even if, helping around the house, the helper has littered more, than cleaned – praise him or her. If you are willing to get any proactive behavior from the kid (in sports or help in the garden), praise him for any action and their initiative to help as one of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active.

6. Plan an active vacation or weekend

Next among our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is getting outdoors as a family on weekends or during personal time off (PTO) for a family vacation. In Summer and other warm seasons, arrange excursions into nature. And if hiking with an overnight stay in the tent is not suitable for everyone, then travel by the whole family to the river or the forest is not difficult at all. Your child will rejuvenate to a greater degree outdoors than at home in front of the computer or iPad, and he will have more energy to play sports. Further, he or she will come to appreciate the outdoors and find a love for outdoor activities when the entire family takes part in these kinds of activities.

7. Find a fun activity

Next and an important part of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active list is to choose a sport that suits your youngster by age. Such that the kid can enjoy the activity. It can be swimming, team sports,gymnastics or even riding a bike. If necessary, consult a pediatrician – he or shee will help you choose what the child needs at their given age at that time as an age-appropriate activity. Although, it’s important in physical activity that is not be too much and overwhelming or too exerting and demanding on your child’s physical abilities. If your kid is tired and has absolutely no desire to take a walk, let him or her stay at home. If your kid does not participate in a team sport, it may be worthwhile to take a break for a while or choose another type of physical activity. After all, the health and well-being of your child are the most important.

8. Be a role model

Most of all, children take cues and learn from their parents and when developing healthy habits, it is no different. Therefore, if you are willing to motivate your kids to exercise and be physically active, be a personal example. If you do exercises every day, do not doubt that your child will do the same. If you walk a lot in the fresh air and get pleasure from it, keep staying healthy and do not doubt that your child will also love walks.

We hope you find this this list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active inspiring and adopt some of them for your own family. If you could add anything to this list, what would you add to our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active? Leave us a comment below.

About the Guest Post Author

Lisa Griffin is a physical therapist and a freelance writer at SameDayPapers.com. She is entrepreneurial, energetic and enthusiastic, loves and knows the business of physical therapy, and is an avid runner and exerciser.

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Get the scoop on traveling on vacation with kids

Today’s paid guest post comes to us from Kiley Morrow, a content strategy writer from Beaches.com, and she shares the pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation. Kiley writes about some of the great benefits from spending time with your kids and creating treasured memories, but she also sheds light on some of the things that might not be the most fun, like dealing with excess baggage and bored kids. Overall, Kiley covers a wide array of pros and cons you should consider when thinking about vacationing with your children.

What are some of your stories while vacationing with your kids? We’d love to know. Share your comments with us below.

Thanks for the great article, Kiley!

Enjoy.
– Will

Pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation

Traveling with your entire family is incredibly fun, but things can get a bit stressful sometimes. And when you add kids to that equation, some parents will feel dread, while others will be excited about all the activities they can do together.

Yes, it is challenging and you have to multitask throughout the day, but making good memories your kids will fondly remember is more important. Being well prepared and knowing all the difficulties you might face is crucial.

So here is everything you need to know before you pack up your bags and head out for a vacation with your kids.

Pros of taking your kids on vacation

Spending quality time with your kids

First, in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation is spending time with your kids. Being a parent is a full-time position. You have to take a proper care of your kids and you sometimes forget to actually have fun with your youngsters.

If you are a working parent, you might feel even more disconnected from your kids. This can change during a vacation because you will have plenty of time to hang out with them and try different activities that will bring you closer.

You will be away from your work during the vacation so focusing on your family and kids will be easier. Forget about the deadlines or work related stress and live in the moment. Your primary goal should be reconnecting with your kids and making the trip unforgettable for everyone.

A new experience

Taking your kids on family vacations means that they will get to experience plenty of things for the first time. Their enthusiasm when you get to a beach will make you enjoy that place even if you have been there countless times.

Sign them up for interesting mini adventures, such as seeing the local animal world or tours of the local area. Simply sit back and watch their faces light up when they see something new to them. Soak in the excitement and you will get to experience these things from a whole new perspective

Learning opportunities

Kids are very curious and they are eager to learn new things and taking your kids with you on vacation is no exception and is next in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation. Traveling will allow them to absorb information quickly because the environment is completely different from a standard classroom. So if you are traveling to a country that has a lot of historical sights, make sure you take them there.

You can do a bit of preparation and act as a tour guide. Your kids will become better students and probably learn some other practical skills which will be useful later on. So make sure you include some interesting quests during each family vacation.

Treasured memories

Some of our most cherished family memories are closely related to travel and is one of the top positives in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation. Many unforgettable moments happen while you are exploring the world. You can probably recall a couple of them right now. So if you want your kids to experience similar things, do your best to travel as much as possible as a family.

You will often mention the adventures from your vacations even after you come back home and they will stay with you forever. Continue the tradition and your kids will do the same once they have their own families.

Cons of taking your kids on vacation

Unsatisfied kids

Sometimes your kids might not like a certain place and they could feel bored. The chances are they will start complaining and asking to leave even if it is not possible. Different weather conditions might have an influence on their mood and the heat can make them feel agitated.

There are plenty of solutions to this problem such as handing them an iPad and letting them play video games or watch a cartoon. You also have to listen to their needs and make sure to include engaging activities into your daily schedule.

The price

Going on a vacation as a couple is more affordable than traveling with kids and is definitely something we won’t forget to mention among our negatives in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation. Taking your whole family out of the country will definitely cost you more. You can either accept this or try to find a more affordable version which will be more budget-friendly.

For instance, try to find an early bird or last-minute offers on trusted discount websites. There are some great offers that are ideal for families. All-inclusive vacations are a good idea because the price includes unlimited foods and drinks, as well as other activities within a resort which can be something your kids will enjoy.

If you do go all-inclusive, just remember there’s family-friendly resorts and adults-only resorts. Look at the marketing materials and pick one that works for kids and adults. You don’t want to be staying in the honeymoon suite with your kids.

Excess luggage

Traveling with kids often includes additional luggage and you might feel overwhelmed and this is among those in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation.

They do require more space because they would want to pack toys, games, etc. Plus, there are piles of clothes, gadgets, baby equipment, and so on. You need to know what to expect. After all, there is a huge difference between a stay at an all-inclusive resort and a camping trip. The latter will require much more baggage.

The best thing you can do is to try not to over pack. Be smart with your decisions and limit the number of clothes, especially if you are traveling to a warm place. Allow a couple of toys for each kid and bring only the necessary equipment. Your kids will probably forget that they have no toys because there will be so many new things to do on your family vacation.

So, what do you think of this list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation? Do you have something to add? Something that you completely agree with? What is your experience while vacationing with kids? Please share with us by leaving a comment below.

About the Guest Post Author

Kiley Morrow is a content strategy writer from Wilmington, Delaware for Beaches.com who submitted this paid guest post submission.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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Building a small garden in your backyard isn’t as hard as you might think

Today’s guest post comes to us from Ann Katelyn of SumoGardener.com, and she writes about building a small garden in your backyard. She covers everything from soil preparation, seeds, choosing an optimal location and much more.

One of our first posts on Windy Pinwheel was about building a raised garden bed in your backyard, so this one strikes us very near and dear to our hearts.

Thanks for the great post about building a small garden in your backyard, Ann.

Enjoy.
– Will

Tips to Build Beautiful Small Gardens Quickly

Are you thinking of building a small garden in your backyard? Did you know that it is possible? If you are one of the many people considering building a small garden in your backyard, then knowing the tips to building beautiful small gardens quickly is essential, for you to be able to start planting your seeds and growing them immediately.

Having your garden, no matter how small or big it is, is fun because you get to grow the plants that you like. It ‘d be good to look out the window and see how beautiful your backyard is with all the colorful flowers that you have. No matter how small or big your yard is, you will surely be able to get the garden that you want for yourself to build your own personal oasis of relaxation when you look out into your yard.

Here are the tips to build a beautiful small gardens quickly:

1. Think of the type of garden you want
   The first thing that you need when building a small garden in your backyard is to decide about the kind of garden that you want for yourself. You can opt to have a garden that is full of vegetables, or you can also choose to have flowers in your garden. Of course, if you prefer to have both then you should know that it is necessary for you to divide your garden into two parts, for you to be able to have an area to plant your vegetables and flowers.
   

   

2. Choosing an area in your backyard
   The next thing that you need to do is to select an area in your yard where you want to start growing. It is important to choose an area where the soil is rich and one that can easily drain. You need to avoid areas in your backyard where the water is taking too long to drain, as this only means that plants will have a hard time growing since the soil is clay or too soggy.

   Now, if you don’t have good soil in your backyard then creating raised beds will do. Raised beds, like this one on Amazon will also allow you to grow vegetables and flowers and are usually built on the top part of the soil so you can control the quality of your soil that you are using.

3. Start Designing the Small Garden
   Since you only need a small garden, this means that you don’t have to use your entire backyard when building a small garden in your backyard. You need to create your garden depending on the plants that you are going to grow as it will usually dictate the amount of space you need. For instance, if you are growing vegetables, you need to make sure that you will be able to harvest them once they fully ripen.

   For flower gardens, on the other hand, it would be best to choose flower colors that will look great together and fit perfectly. You may also choose to create a pattern out of the flowers that you are planning to grow. Of course, don’t expect them to bloom all at once, especially if you plant different types of flower seeds. So, plan for that when building a small garden in your backyard that focuses on flowers.

   

4. Preparing the grden supplies
   Now you can start preparing the garden supplies that you need when building a small garden in your backyard. Of course, this includes the gardening soil, seeds, topsoil, soil fertilizer, compost, soil tilling stuff, spade, shovel, garden hose, and fencing materials if needed. You will need all these things to prepare the garden for the planting, which is why it is necessary to get them before you even start planting the seeds that you have in mind.
   
5. Preparing the soil in Your garden
   The soil tiller should be used to break the garden soil that you have. It would be best to work the ground to up to 12 inches in depth. You also need to make sure that the ground is loose and don’t have clumps that are large. Any solid objects that you see should be separated from the soil that you want to be prepared for planting and fertilizing. Using soil mix or mulch are quick ways for planting in garden beds.
6. Start planting your chosen seeds
   

   

   Now that you have prepared your small garden, it would be the best start digging holes using the spade. Always make sure that the holes are an inch apart from each other and as deep as possible.

7. Fertilize the soil as needed
   Applying fertilizer will depend on the plants that you have planted in your garden. You can check the packaging of the seeds and learn whether or not it needs to be fertilized more often. The reason behind this is because there are plants that require a lot of fertilizers, while there are some that don’t require too much.
8. Watering your garden well
   

   

   Of course, for your plants to be able to grow well, you need to water your garden generously. Some people prefer watering by a sprinkler since a sprinkler will ensure that you will be watering every part of your garden.

We hope you find these helpful when building a small garden in your backyard beautifully and quickly, so you can instantly start planting the vegetables and flowers that you want when creating the backyard oasis of your dreams.

About the Guest Post Author

Ann Katelyn is the owner of SumoGardener.com. She has dedicated most of her life to a passion for gardening. It is the subject she enjoys the most. Since then, she is committed to developing her website to be the best guidance when it comes to taking care of flowers and plants. She is seeking to become an expert on plants found in desert areas, tropics and even in Mediterranean climates. On her site, you can expect to find information about gardening, the best tools and materials to use and even information about the seasons and weather conditions.

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The way the game is meant to be played, on a Nevada Wolf Pack Cornhole game set, showing off your school spirit

Show off your team spirit with this officially licensed, regulation-sized, tournament grade Nevada Wolf Pack Cornhole game set! Grab your corn-filled bags and toss ’em with Nevada Wolf Pack pride during any tailgate, barbecue (BBQ) or family event at home or at a park or even while camping. If you don’t know about the game of Cornhole, it is a game similar to horseshoes where you take a bag filled with dried corn kernels and toss them at an opposing team’s game board. The game board has a single hole that aim the corn-filled bag at and try to get it to go through the hole. Each bag through the game board hole equals a point. The first team or individual to 21 points wins the game. Learn more about how to play the game of Cornhole at CornholeHowTo.com.

With this game set you get two choice quality wooden Nevada Wolf Pack Cornhole boards with folding legs, a complete best matching colors bag set (8 bags), and a FREE string pack to carry the bags (A $10 value!).

This Nevada Wolf Pack cornhole game set is in a position to play, right out of the box! No assembly required. We ship via ground service and fully insure against loss or damage.

These Nevada Wolf Pack cornhole boards are constructed with quality and use of 1/2″ cabinet grade plywood. Not the cheap stuff many other dealers use. 24″x 48″ with the 6″ hole centered 9 inches from the top and 12 inches from each side. The Nevada Wolf Pack cornhole play surface is framed with sturdy 2×4 boards and folding legs for portability. The back measures 12″ off the ground and the front measures 4″ off the ground.

Our standard bags are made of quality Duck Cloth canvas material measuring 6″x 6″ and weighing between 15-16 ounces filled with whole corn kernels, not sand. This is the regulation that every serious cornhole player uses.

Standard Features

• Quality 1/2″ Plywood Tops – Smooth finish, excellent playability.
• This isn’t like the plywood you buy at the local hardware store!
• Standard plywood tends to warp, may have voids, knots, and so on.
• Top Choice Finish Grade 2x4s – Superior to the basic framing boards others use.
• Finished with clear gloss sealant for protection.
• Strong pocket hole joint construction.
• Perfect 6″ holes. No jigsaws here!
• No visible screw holes or spackle on any painted surface.
• Strong, foldable 2×4 leg construction with carriage bolts and wing nuts
• Our legs may not snap in half when your friend or kids by chance stand on our boards!
• No tripping over our legs! Our legs do not fold back at the back of the board.
• We paint the sides and legs and touch up our boards!
• We touch up the joints, bleed, and so on. to give our boards a quality finished look.

The Details

• Officially Licensed Collegiate Product Nevada Wolf Pack cornhole game set
• ACA Regulation Size 24″ x 48″
• Tournament Grade Construction
• Includes Bag Set & Folding Legs
• Fully Assembled & Made in the United States

2014 PumpkinPalooza in Victorian Square in Sparks, NV, October 26 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Last year we informed you about the PumpkinPalooza in Sparks at Victorian Square. It was a great time and the various carnival games and free walk throughs of the train and readings at the Glendale Schoolhouse (built in 1864) managed through the Sparks Heritage Museum kept our kids busy and we had a lot of fun. Overall, the PumpkinPalooza is a great event to attend each year with friends and family of all ages.

Here’s what you can expect if you decide to attend this year:

Sunday, October 26 – 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• Build and race a pumpkin in the Pumpkin Derby
• Participate in the children’s costume parade
• Enjoy storytelling in the Haunted Schoolhouse
• Play carnival style games
• Compete in the pie-eating, pumpkin seed spitting, and mummy wrapping contests
• Enter their pumpkins in the beauty contest
• Enjoy live music

And so much more!

Last year, more than 5,000 people attended the 2nd annual event and this year the event appears poised to grow exponentially. And it’s all benefiting the Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living. For more information, visit www.pumpkinpalooza.org.

Will you be attending the PumpkinPalooza this year? What are you looking forward to during this year’s PumpkinPalooza event? Please leave us a comment below and let us know.

About Independent Living for People of Disabilities

As a former employee of a large national organization that serves people with disabilities, this event means a lot to me, personally. The disability movement is one of the last movements fighting for civil rights in much the same ways that people of color did back in the 50s and 60s and women did in the 20s. There is push today for people with disabilities to live in an inclusive environment, within their communities and not in an institutional setting. Please notice that I make the choice not to call people with disabilities, “disabled people”, “handicapped” or going to the extreme of using the word “retarded“. People with disabilities are just people, like you and me. They just happen to have a disability and are fully entitled to respect, dignity and equality like any other person. Many people with disabilities can learn life skills that can enable them to live in our communities and give back in ways that are meaningful and benefit the communities we live in. The Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living is “dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with all disabilities by promoting independence through self empowerment, choice and community involvement” and “each person, regardless of the severity of his or her disability, has the potential to grow, develop, and share fully the joys and responsibilities of our society.” That is something that I can stand behind and gladly donate to by attending this event.

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The Summit’s Pink Pumpkin Festival & Sidewalk Sale

Farmers Market, sales and activities support breast cancer awareness

Our friends over at The Summit shared some great information with us here at Windy Pinwheel about a great fall event happening this Saturday to support the effort to find a cure for breast cancer. As October is nationally known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this is a great cause to get behind. Please come out and support this event this weekend and be sure to spread the word to everyone you know.

The Summit and Renown Children’s Hospital invite families to come out for a day full of autumn harvest fun on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM in the center plaza. The Pink Pumpkin Festival and Sidewalk Sale will support breast cancer awareness and will benefit the Renown Health Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund. The event is free and open to the public. Donations for breast cancer patient assistance are encouraged.

Event activities that day will include a sidewalk sale, live entertainment, fall farmers market vendors, pink Porcelain Doll pumpkins for sale, face painting, activities for children, health information booths, contests and recyclable bag/gift card giveaways.

Participants can enjoy food and drinks from various vendors at the market, which will feature fresh, local fall produce including grapes, apples, corn, potatoes, garlic, onions, squash, eggs, local honey and more. Also, all guests can enter to win prizes from The Summit, Renown Health and the farmers market.

The pink pumpkin patch, sponsored by Moana Nursery, will feature decorative gourds and pumpkins, including the popular Porcelain Doll pumpkins. Moana Nursery has partnered with The Pink Pumpkin Patch Foundation, an organization created in 2012, to aid in the fight against breast cancer. A percentage of proceeds from every pink pumpkin sold this year will go towards organizations involved in breast cancer research.

In conjunction with the event, The Summit will also host its first-ever, center-wide Sidewalk Sale. From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., shoppers will enjoy the one-day, one-time only sale where exclusive retailers will display racks with sale items in front of their stores. The sidewalk sale will also feature stores including but not limited to Ann Taylor, Claire’s, GAP, Old Navy, Orvis and Talbots.

“This event and sidewalk sale are designed to kick-off breast cancer awareness month in Reno,” said Dan Davis, marketing manager at The Summit. “Many stores and restaurants will provide special pink products and offers, as well as showcase sale items from the Summer. My hope is those interested in spreading awareness will find that perfect ‘pink’ item to wear or display throughout the entire month.”

Benefitting from much of the event activities, the Renown Health Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund helps to ease the financial and emotional burden on uninsured and under-insured breast cancer patients throughout northern Nevada.

“Our patient assistance funds benefit those in our area who are battling cancer while struggling with financial hardships,” Joel Muller, vice president of the Renown Health Foundation, said. “These dollars help to cover desperately needed prescription, care and travel expenses for our patients. Renown Health is grateful to The Summit for its help and to be a part of this event once again this year.”

October is “Go Pink” month at The Summit.

Go Pink at your favorite stores and restaurants in October! Join The Summit and Renown Health Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund in a month-long celebration of hope, strength and survival. Plus, for every Facebook “Like” for The Summit during the month of October, The Summit will donate $1 to the Renown Health Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund, up to a total of $1,000 and each “Like” must be a new “Like” to be counted.

Garden of Hope in the Pink Plaza throughout the month of October

Write a message of hope, love and healing to honor someone you know touched by breast cancer. Then tie your note to the branches of the plants and trees in the Garden of Hope located in the Plaza between Vans and Tilly’s. Visit the garden throughout October for reflection or encouragement. Sponsored by Moana Nursery.

For more information regarding events happening at The Summit, please visit TheSummitonline.com/Reno

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We have something special in store for The Review Wire Holiday #HoHoHo Hop Giveaway

Last year, we celebrated the holiday season by giving away a Blu-Ray copy of The Polar Express. You can pick up a book copy of The Polar Express or a copy on Blu-Ray (or get the 3D Blu-Ray/Blu-Ray combo instead) in our online store area. We’re delighted to announce that we will be giving away another exciting item this year starting this Friday, November 22 at 9:01PM PST. We are participating in The Review Wire’s Holiday #HoHoHo Hop Giveaway. The Hop will run from November 22 through December 6, 2013. As I write this announcement there are over 61 blogs and websites that will be participating, making it convenient to “hop” from one giveaway to the next right from the giveaway post itself. The minimum requirement is offering an item $25 or more.

Now, you might be wondering what this item could be.#What could this item be, you wonder? You’ll have to wait and find out. It could be “a major award” that is “frah-gee-lay”. You never know. Or it could cause you to put on a Christmas pageant at your school and mock the director as you dance with your friends. It could be something to cause the power of the city to dim as you turn on your Christmas decorations or send your cousin to kidnap your boss because he forgot your Christmas bonus this year when you are already committed to putting in a pool in your backyard this year. Maybe it will make you declare that “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear” or scare some guy on top of your rooftop on Christmas Eve and cause him to slip and you to decide whether or not to put on his appropriately-red suit. Maybe you’ll see three ghosts trying to inspire you to change your life or just an angel who will show you what life would have been like without you in the world. Who knows? You’ll have to stop by again on Friday night to find out.

In the mean time, you can take a look at the other blogs/websites offering to join the giveaway hop starting this Friday below. If you have a site and you would like to join, please sign up right here and join in the fun.

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For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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2013 PumpkinPalooza in Victorian Square in Sparks, NV, October 19-20.

Last year we helped inform you about the PumpkinPalooza in Sparks at Victorian Square. Even though it was a bit windy and chilly (the first cold snap of the fall season), we still had a great time and the various carnival games and free walk throughs of the train and readings at the Glendale Schoolhouse (built in 1864) managed through the Sparks Heritage Museum kept our kids busy and we had a lot of fun. Overall, the PumpkinPalooza is a great event to attend with friends and family of all ages.

Here’s what you can expect if you decide to attend this year:

Saturday, October 19 – 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

• Watch zombie cheerleaders
• Enjoy the official Lighting of the Pumpkins
• Dance the night away at the Zombie Prom (high school students)

Sunday, October 20 – 11:00 – 5:00 p.m.

• Build and race a pumpkin in the Pumpkin Derby



• Participate in the children’s costume parade
• Enjoy storytelling in the Haunted School House
• Visit with fortune-tellers
• Play carnival style games from Circus Circus
• Compete in pie-eating, pumpkin seed spitting, marshmallow shooting and mummy wrapping contests
• Live music

And so much more!

Last year, more than 1,500 people attended the inaugural event and this year the event is expected to grow exponentially. And the event benefits the Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living. For more information, visit www.pumpkinpalooza.org.

Will you be attending the PumpkinPalooza this year? What are you looking forward to during this year’s PumpkinPalooza event? Please leave us a comment below and let us know.

About Independent Living for People of Disabilities

As a former employee of a large national organization that serves people with disabilities, this event means a lot to me, personally. The disability movement is one of the last movements fighting for civil rights in much the same ways that people of color did back in the 50s and 60s and women did in the 20s. There is push today for people with disabilities to live in an inclusive environment, within their communities and not in an institutional setting. Please notice that I make the choice not to call people with disabilities, “disabled people”, “handicapped” or going to the extreme of using the word “retarded“. People with disabilities are just people, like you and me. They just happen to have a disability and are fully entitled to respect, dignity and equality like any other person. Many people with disabilities can learn life skills that can enable them to live in our communities and give back in ways that are meaningful and benefit the communities we live in. The Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living is “dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with all disabilities by promoting independence through self empowerment, choice and community involvement” and “each person, regardless of the severity of his or her disability, has the potential to grow, develop, and share fully the joys and responsibilities of our society.” That is something that I can stand behind and gladly donate to simply by attending this year’s event.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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