Noggin, Early Literacy and SVU. Um, yeah.

Did You Know That 61% of Low-Income Families Have No Books at Home for Their Children?

There is a Proven Correlation Between Number of Books in a Child's Home and Their Ability to Read and Achieve Academically. (source: FirstBook.org)

Wow. That sure got my attention! Nora practically devours books ~~ and she isn't even two yet! She is even learning to be gentle to the 'big kid' books, you know, the paper kind, as opposed to board books. Crazy smart, that one....

If you would like to help with the efforts of FirstBook, read more and/or donate here. You can also support literacy efforts with a daily visit to the Literacy Site.

(OK, a quick aside, literacy and hunger are the two causes I think are most important to focus our resources on. First, I believe literacy is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Kids (and adults!) who read well can do better in school, and have the opportunity for a better life on every level.)

Ok, back to my point... Noggin is our favorite cable channel ~~ it's essentially Nick Jr. without the commercials. So we get our Blue's Clues and Dora without the heaping helping of obnoxious toy ads. And this week, Noggin has debuted their new series, Pinky Dinky Doo, which is supposed to be the first series dedicated to the concept of early literacy. And they also premiered a new Story Time feature.

"In addition to Pinky Dinky Doo, NOGGIN supports early literacy through "Story Time," the network's on-air/online interstitial series which uses storytelling formats to help preschoolers develop language and critical thinking skills. Beginning April 10, NOGGIN will debut a brand-new "Story Time" featuring Chris Meloni (Law and Order: SVU) who will read a short story to the viewers at home. Meloni will also appear in an adult-directed PSA which stresses the importance of reading to children and using each day as an opportunity to tell a story."

Ok, I am used to seeing Chris Meloni on "Law and Order: SVU" and "Oz". So he's a good-guy New York cop with 3 daughters who happens to deal with the scum of the earth on a daily basis. BTW, I had to change the channel on that episode last week with Lou Diamond Phillips, as much as I wanted to see what happened to Olivia (Mariska Hargitay). And "Oz" was just too disturbing on too many levels to watch even BEFORE I became a mommy, but I'm willing to bet his character was not someone I want reading bedtime stories to my kid.

SO, I am more than a little creeped out having those worlds collide on my television screen. Maybe Chris Meloni hit that stage where he wanted to do something that his kids or mother could watch for once.

And he's probably a very nice person IRL. But it's still a little weird....

Pirates are sexy!

Ok, no blogging for a long time, but now 2 posts in one DAY! Had to post my new blinkie, created by Christy Sturm over at 2Peas. You may know her better as the designer-babe behind Butternug Squash Designs. Super cool, eh? You can borrow my blinkie, but host it your own self!!

I'm the Digi-Gal of the day!

HOW freaking cool is THIS?

Check out this thread at 2Peas. I guess I get another 15 minutes of digi-fame after being on Jen Strange's blog!

That is the best thing that has happened to me in a really long time. (Well, that and my new Pampered Chef product samples arrived today!! woo hoo! My Santa Claus wears a brown suit!! LOL!, But I digress...)

Makes me kind of embarrassed that I don't have more LO's posted!

I have NOT been scrapping much lately ~~ my MIL is very polite about it, but I know she is secretly crawling the walls when she doesn't get her fix of Nora pics! (I have one over-photographed 20 month old daughter; digi-scrapping really helps me keep the out-of-town grandparents caught up with how much freaking cuter she gets every day!)

And although I am still doing lots of shopping, (thanks, Jen Wilson! You know JUST how to get me!!), I probably won't get more LO's done until after I get my &%^#@! taxes done. (The curse of the self employed!!)

And... I have been feeling so totally crummy I haven't been able to get much work-work done ~~ on the one hand, a bad reaction to some meds and on the other, I am either having the worse PMS ever :o( or maybe we are pregnant again :o)

Poor DH is trying to position himself for a promotion so we can afford a house bigger than a shoe box, and I have to go & cry on his voice mail ~~ poor guy!

Anyhow, THANKS AngeDawn, you are a super-sweet-pea!