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Hi Everyone!
Winter has well and truly arrived and we are feeling it even in Auckland!  Jack Frost has been rather busy this past week - much to the delight of Satine and her school friends who have been playing in the 'snow', marveling at the icicles hanging from the playground, and collecting frost-covered leaves.  Believe it or not, I'm lost for words.  I mean it quite literally.  I blinked and the month of May simply disappeared in the busyness of term-time madness and I'm struggling to recall what exactly happened.  It is a phenomenon I liken to those early days of parenting when the list of tasks seem insurmountable and the passing of time is marked by feeds, nappy changes, and sleeps.  Each hour moves at it's own unpredictable pace, days merge, one week rolls into the next and suddenly you find yourself catching up with a friend, unable to recall anything worthy of a mention when they ask what you've been up to. Six years on, the list of tasks still seem insurmountable (I am yet to find a mother who has more 'free time' on their hands with their child at school) and the days continue to fill and slip away with often very little to show for your efforts.

The aim of the Book / Product Reviews section is to share books, products and services available to New Zealand families and to provide our members with the opportunity to add their own ratings and reviews. This month we review a great music CD to help your littlies drift off to sleep and overalls to keep them dry whilst playing outside.  We also review a variety of fantastic books to keep the whole family entertained:

• Time for Dreaming Lullabies CD - Time for Dreaming

• Waterproof Overalls - Kruizey Kidz

• Magic Ballerina Book 2: Delphie and the Magic Spell - Darcey Bussell

• Mudpuddle Farm: Six animal adventures - Michael Morpurgo

• The Bone Tiki - David Hair

• Educating Boys - Michael Irwin

• Backwards in High Heels: The impossible art of being female - Tania Kindersley and Sarah Vine

• Dreams of Origami - Elenor Gill
  

We are also giving you the opportunity to win some of these fabulous books and products - read on to find out how!!

Dyslexia is an alternative way of thinking that affects  an estimated one in ten New Zealanders - including 70,000 school children.  Dyslexia Action Week (15-21 June 2009) aims to raise awareness and champion change.  The theme for Dyslexia Action Week is 'Actions Speak Louder than Words' and the Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand (DFNZ) is encouraging everyone who is in a position to make a difference to do so and we are stepping up to the challenge by sharing the following information with you:

• Dyslexia: An Introduction - Franciska

• Dyslexia: Characteristics - Franciska

• Dyslexia: Diagnosis - Franciska

• Dyslexia: Support and Assistance - Franciska

Winter has officially arrived and boy can we feel it!  The extra blankets have gone on the beds, we're sporting winter jammies, dressing gowns and slippers, and the heaters have come out in full force.  So here is a timely reminder of keeping your family safe at home during the cold winter months:

• Electric Blanket Care - New Zealand Fire Service

• Wheat Bags - New Zealand Fire Service

• Smoke Alarms - New Zealand Fire Service

In our family health section this month we first examine the winter ills and what we can do to help ease the discomforts followed by a reminder that the winter sun can be just as damaging on our littlies eyes delicate skin as the summer sun:

• Child Sickness Danger Signs - Ministry of Health

• Influenza and Colds - Mark Bethune

• Chiropractic and Earache in Children - Janette McCormick

• Your Sick Child - Parents Inc.

• Under the Winter Sun - Andrea Little

Last but not least, we take a look at Influenza A (H1N1) - also referred to as 'Swine Flu' - and share some valuable advice in preparing for an Influenza pandemic:

• Influenza A (H1N1) - Ministry of Health

• General Information About Influenza - Ministry of Health

• Preparing for a Pandemic -Ministry of Health

Why don't you sign in and join a discussion topic - or start a new post about something concerning you? Chances are, you're not alone in your experiences!

Young babies and toddlers need plenty of iron in their diets to ensure healthy mental and physical development.  In fact, babies aged 7-12 months need more iron than a grown man!  Following on from  our April newsletter, here are some more great iron-rich recipes for the whole family to enjoy and help encourage your baby or toddler to eat lean beef and lamb - both being great sources of iron our bodies can use easily:

Meatloaf Meaty Hot Pot Mince and Pasta Bake Mince Baskets Mini Meatballs   Visit the Cook's Corner page for more tempting recipes.

The coffeegroup.org Events / What's On section is devoted to "what's on" throughout New Zealand: from parenting courses and pre-school classes to community, sports and recreation events.

But wait, there's more!! As a member of the coffeegroup.org community, you now have the ability to upload and maintain your own listings so that you can notify the whole of New Zealand about your community-based, family oriented activities completely free of charge!!

. Click here to go in the draw to win two Timefor Dreaming Lullabies CDs valued at $20 each

. Click here to go in the draw to win a pair of Waterproof Overalls valued at $30

. Click here to go in the draw to win a copy of Mudpuddle Farm valued at $23

. Click here to go in the draw to win a copy of The Bone Tiki valued at $20

. a Photography Package valued at $500 went to: Emma Hordyk (Auckland)

. a "Corazon" Baby Sling valued at $69 went to: Adriana Vikich (Carterton)

. a Beauty Therapy Gift Voucher valued at $50 went to: Kerry Armstrong (Auckland)

Congratulations also to Mel Bredsen who won our fabulous hamper valued at over $500 at last month's Child and Parenting Expo in Hamilton.

Last but not least, congratulations to the Winners from our April 2009 Giveaways:

• Two sets of Tiny Tethers from Little Loves went to: Gemma Harrison (Wellington) and Elizabeth Stewart (Christchurch)
  

• A copy of The Great Life Makeover by Daniel A. Monty and Anthony J. Bazzan from HarperCollins Publishers went to: Emma Southee (Palmerston North) and Theresa Te Whaiti (Hastings)
  

• A copy of The Runaway Settlers by Elsie Locke from HarperCollins Publishers went to: Alison Meredith (Hamilton) and Shay Schlaepfer (Auckland)
  

• A copy of Wearing the Poppy by A.J. Toledo from HarperCollins Publishers went to: Diana Barr (Christchurch) and Jacqui Pepper (Hamilton)