Letters to the editor: Spotlight on education 6:23 A.M. — The struggle to keep arts education in our schools is facing the perfect storm through the potential budget cuts due to reduced tax revenues, the continued emphasis on math and reading skills as measured by standardized tests, and the possibility that the class-size reduction amendment scheduled to take effect in August 2010. All of which may threaten to further reduce or eliminate … Read more on The News-Press

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If you have a friend of family member that is expecting, there is no better gift than a pair of maternity and nursing pajamas. This is a gift that your expectant mom is sure to wear both before and after she has her baby. Often moms get overlooked in baby showers and find the baby has 20 adorable sleepers and outfits while the moms are stuck with their husbands tee shirts and baggy sweatpants for lounge and sleepwear. You can be sure that once she has her baby she will have next to no time or inspiration to go shopping for something cute to sleep in and wear about the house. Do her a favor and find something comfortable and flattering she can wear to welcome her newcomer into the family and enjoy for some time to come.

Japanese Weekend makes some of the most comfortable lounge maternity pajamas on the market today. Their cross over style pajama comes in both 3/4 and cap sleeves with matching under the belly elastic pajama pants that are sure to fit comfortably throughout pregnancy and postpartum. If maternity nighties are more her style, then check out their nursing nightgown that is also cross over style for easy nursing access and the same soft cotton spandex blend which will stretch comfortably throughout pregnancy without stretching out of shape. All of these styles come in soft pink, sky, black, periwinkle and sometimes hot pink and cute patterns.

Another great maternity sleepwear gift idea is to pair a robe with a maternity nightgown or pajama set. Majamas’ Lace Sleep Set has a beautiful ensemble with an empire waist accented with stretchy lace and a sleeveless cross over design on the maternity nightie coupled with a coordinating front tie robe with lace trim. It is super flattering, feminine and tasteful. Any new mom would feel like a million bucks in this stylish duo which can be worn during pregnancy and postpartum for nursing. The cross over top also gives a good amount of comfortable bust support which is great for nursing moms lounging about the house.

Bellabumbum Maternity is known for their sexy and feminine maternity loungewear and sleepwear sets. They have an adorable nursing chemise with adjustable straps that comes in baby pink and blue dots with a matching robe set. They also have this same chemise style in a soft organic baby ribbed bamboo in both pool and blush colors. Check out their yummy kimono robe with lace accents that comes in cream/lilac, black/pearl and soft pink/pearl colors. This maternity wrap robe is a great adjustable style for pregnancy and provides easy nursing access.

If you are looking for a gift set for both the new mom and baby, then check out one of Olian’s sure fire maternity sleepwear sets. All of the Olian Maternity 3, 4 and 5 piece sleepwear sets come with a matching baby sleeper. They have a variety of maternity nightie and maternity pajama sets to choose from. This season they have a new beautiful print 4 piece nursing pajama set in soft lemon with a matching baby sleeper as well as a 5 piece set in striped silver with pink accents. The baby matching baby sleeper and hat is soft stripes as well. Both of these sets include a corresponding print robe and the baby sleeper in a unisex color and design. The matching robe sleepwear sets are an excellent selection for the expectant mom to take to the hospital. All Olian Maternity Sleepwear sets are made for both pregnancy and postpartum wear after the baby with nursing access in the tops.

So surprise the mom-to-be with a gift that she can wear and enjoy while caring for her baby. She will remember you for it and gets lots of use out of a maternity and nursing sleepwear set that is easy to fit and wonderful to wear!

Technorati Tags: gifts, great, Nursing, Pajamas, Seasons

I just got a job at abercrombie kids, but my associate’s card is Abercrombie and Fitch, so I assume the discounts are the same. I vaguely remember my manager saying something about getting discounts on gift cards at orientation, but I’m not quite remembering. Is this true? And if so, how much of a discount?
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Technorati Tags: Abercrombie, Cards, cover, Discounts, employee, Fitch, Gift

I am trying to come up with a few decent Christmas git ideas for some of my harder to buy for relatives. Possibly a joint gift for my sister-in-law and her husband (they’re middle aged with one grade school child) and something for my brother-in law (also middle aged with no children). I’m thinking less than $50 for each gift – hopefully significantly less, in fact. I know it’s tough to suggest ideas without knowing their personalities, but some generic ideas would be great.
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Technorati Tags: Christmas, Gift, Suggestions

Natural spa body lotion gift baskets make an excellent choice in gift-giving for anyone! We all run across that “ONE” person that is just absolutely difficult to buy for. While there are a number of excellent choices on the market today, many times we may find that none of these products tailor to the individuality of a person in our lives. Many people are now leaning towards designing unique gift baskets for presents. If you are in the market for something unique that can be really useful to the recipient, creating one from these emollients is the way to go!

What Emollients Are Appropriate For a Spa Basket?

There are many different types of creams that are beneficial when placed in this type of present for someone. Emollients that produce an aromatherapy effect are the best types of emollients for this type of present. You should select only those products that can enhance the beauty and the health of the individual that you are purchasing for. For example, products that assist in anti-aging, stress relief, and elimination of pain are all excellent choices to include in the unique gift that you are creating for that special person in your life.

Natural Aromatherapy Creams for Gifts

If you are buying, or creating a gift for someone, it is important to know a little bit about them. If the person that you know is always busy with one thing or another, you will want to select a skin cream that promotes relaxation. An example would be lavender cream. If you know someone who struggles from high levels of stress and anxiety, you may consider creams that contain the ingredients of jasmine and vanilla. Are you looking for a great product for someone who has problems sleeping? If so, you may place a bottle of patchouli emollient in it. Know someone looking to increase their energy levels? Green tea body cream is an excellent choice to implement.

Supplemental Accessories for Natural Spa Gifts

While body creams and emollients make the perfect gift for anyone and everyone in your life, if you are creating a natural spa body lotion gift basket, you may want to accessorize just a little bit. You may choose to place a couple of relaxation CD’s and/or DVD’s into the basket. Many individuals integrate aromatherapy candles into it so that the individual may receive the added benefits associated with scented oils. In addition to these ideas, body soaps make a wonderful component to this special present.

Technorati Tags: Baskets, Body, Gift, great, Lotion, Natural

THE following letter addressed to Santa Claus is typical of many written by young children and given to parents and teachers on the promise that the letters will be duly mailed to the North Pole:
“Dear Santa Claus:
“How are you? I am fine. I hope you will have a nice Christmas. I hope you have a lot of nice toys because there are a lot of nice things I want. First, I would like to have a baby brother. My daddy says you don’t have babies at the North Pole, so you can bring me a puppy instead. I want a shotgun, a machine gun, a ten-speed bike and a tape recorder. Oh, by the way, Santa, this will be the last letter I will write you as I will not believe in Santa Claus next year. But I believe in Santa Claus this year.”
Do you recognize this letter? Does it have a familiar ring? Does it perhaps sound like one you wrote when you were a child? Millions of such letters are received each year at post offices in many countries from hope-filled children and addressed to that mythical purveyor of gifts they so fondly know as “Santa Claus.”
Few write the word “please” and even fewer write “thank you.” Some tug at the heartstrings, others smack of greed. The younger the child, the less he asks for. The older the child, the greater the number of gifts it takes to satisfy him, thus raising his expectations for greater and more lavish gifts the following year.
There are toys designed for every period of a child’s life. There are toys that teach, that test skills, that direct thoughts toward violence. There are toys that stand up to hard play and those that fall apart after a few days of use. There are safe toys and toys so dangerous that officials fight to have them removed from the market. There are toys that appear to be demon-inspired in design—balls with grotesque faces so dreadful they could cause nightmares, yet they were last year’s best-sellers, notwithstanding parental objection. For over two months before the event, children are tuned in to Christmas. Supposedly, the joy of giving and receiving pervades the air.
Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus’ birth its just commercial business and a Pagan festival which is not Christian
Funny how Santa Claus has a name, but know one has seen him and you tell a lie to your children. But God has a Name and know one has seen God but he exists in the creation around us
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Hello. My name is Rebecca and I am 16 years old. This is my christmas conflict. This year money for chritmas will be limited. And most of my family just gives money and gift cards, my mom and I have come up with great ideads. This year, to make the gift more meaning full and less costly, we will be making our own gifts.
But I am STUMPED! What are some home made gifts that are neat and arent very costly.

Hopefully to hear from yall soon!
Well We kinda all came to a conclusion that it would be like a keep sake.

Oh.. I cant really make jelly.. I tried
:/
And by keepsake, I meant something other than the ordinary card or foods.
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IF… I were to wish everybody a happy holiday, I would say, “I wish everybody here a happy holiday and a great time with your family. I’d also hope you receive all the gifts you’ve hoped for this Christmas (within reason, lol) and that you will have a great holiday break… I’d also remind everybody to remember how blessed you are to be able to receive such wonderful gifts and that they should remember to share some of those gifts with the less fortunate this holiday season… I’d also thank all my great contacts who have answered all my weird questions since I’ve been here, and I’d like to give them a special happy holiday wish, that great tidings may fall unto them… have a great Christmas, all!!!!!!”

this is IF i were to do such a thing as wishing people to have a Merry Christmas, which i didn’t… it was all theoretical…what about you… how would you do it, if you were to, that is?
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Technorati Tags: Answers, Everybody, Happy, Holiday, We're, Wish, WOULD, Yahoo

I have a great boss. The BEST one. I am a part-time, and i get to choose my schedule. I get Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. I get paid Holidays. I have been working here less than 1 year, and i have received a laptop, multiple gift cards, and a birthday gift from her. I want to get her something nice. I know her favorite brand in COACH, because i have a purse, umbrella, shoes, and wallet and loves them all. She is a Doctor.

Please Give me ideas of what i can get her.

Thanks
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Charles Myrick the President of American Consultants Rx announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project. ACRX donated over 20 million ACRX discount prescription cards throughout the country. One of the main locations in the Pontiac,IL area that received an initial donation of ACIRX free prescription cards, is the Livingston County Health Department. The ACRX cards are to be given free to anyone in need of help curbing the high cost of prescription drugs. Please contact the Livingston County Health Department for additional information and a free card .

Due to the rising costs, unstable economics, and the mounting cost of prescriptions, American Consultants Rx Inc. (ACRX) a.k.a (ACIRX) an Atlanta based company was born in 2004. The ACRX discount prescription card program was created and over 3 million discount prescription cards were donated to the community across the country free of charge between 2004-2005.

The ACRX cards will offer discounts of name brand drugs of up to 40% off and up to 60% off of generic drugs. They also possess no eligibility requirements, no forms to fill out, or expiration date as well .One card will take care of a whole family. Also note that the ACRX cards will come to your organization already pre-activated .The cards are good at over 50k stores from Walgreen, Wal mart, Eckerd’s, Kmart, Kroger, Publix, and many more. Any one can use these cards but we are focusing on those who are uninsured, underinsured, or on Medicare.

ACRX made arrangements online for the ACRX card to be available at acirx com site where it can be downloaded as well. This arrangement has been made to allow organizations an avenue to continue assisting their clients in the community until they receive their orders of the ACRX cards. ACRX made it possible for future request to be made from online as well. ACRX also developed a unique marketplace at 2Spendless com site where you can also click on the ACIRX blue banner and download your free discount prescription card as well as find other key discounts.

With a backorder of over 40 million cards ACRX is working diligently to assist as many people and organizations as possible. ACRX will be working over the next few months to fulfill as many backorders as possible. It should be noted that while many other organizations and companies place a cost on their money saving cards, ACRX does not believe a cost should be applied, just to assist our fellow Americans. ACRX states that it will continue to strive to assist those in need.

Technorati Tags: Cards, County, Department, Discount, Donated, Health, Livingston