So here's what I couldn't give the details about earlier:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Marguerite Copel
(214) 721-1273


ALLERGY ALERT ON UNDECLARED DAIRY IN 11-OUNCE SINGLE SERVE SILK SOYMILK CHOCOLATE FLAVOR IN PLASTIC BOTTLES

Mount Crawford, Virginia (April 23, 2008) - WhiteWave Foods Company is voluntarily recalling 11-ounce plastic single serve bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor because it may contain undeclared milk protein. The individual bottles are printed with both a "use by" date of May 7, 2008 (printed as 05 07 08) and a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 2529360028. Consumers can find this information on the back of the individual bottle.

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk protein run the risk of a health problem or illness if they consume this product. Some reactions have been reported.

This affected product was distributed nationwide and reached consumers through retail and foodservice outlets. WhiteWave's sales team is working with distributors to actively recover any affected product remaining on store shelves.


HOW TO IDENTIFY THE RECALLED PRODUCT

This recall includes only 11-ounce single serve plastic bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor with both a "use by" date of May 7, 2008 (printed as 05 07 08) and a UPC code of 2529360028. Consumers should look for this information on the back of the bottle.

The Company apologizes for any inconvenience to its customers. Consumers who purchased the product may return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or exchange. Consumers with questions can contact the Company at 1-800-587-2259.

The Food and Drug Administration has been notified of this recall.

Stay safe!

T.

Gas and groceries have already hit some very high prices and many families are struggling.  Unfortunately, the news isn’t going to get better just yet.  Meat prices are going up.  I had suspected this already but now the WSJ is predicting it as well. Because of the recent droughts and the steep increase in the cost of grains, many farmers have been reducing their livestock ranks through early slaughter.  This of course flooded the market with meat and brought prices down or at least kept them from increasing at the same rate as we’ve seen other food prices rise.  I’ve been able to consistently find meat for less than $2 per pound during the last year.  However, now that the stocks have been reduced, the price restraints are over.

By the end of the year analysts are predicting a rise in meat costs similar to that which has been seen in other foods.  If you’re like me and know how to reduce your dependency on meats but just haven’t bothered, now’s the time to get back into those good money saving habits.  If you don’t know how to stretch those grocery dollars yet, you might want to start researching now as things are going to get worse. 

For those of you who are already struggling, be sure to find out of there is an Angel Food Ministry in your area or consider asking your church to start one.  There are also lots of websites online where you can find tips on frugal living and making the most out of the foods you can purchase.  May each of us be encouraged to do what we can to help one another. 

you might want to check out the Kids With Food Allergies message boards. 

Depending on the number of families who sign up, the cost could be as low as $67 for this online, interactive learning tool.  I've previewed some of the "gizmos" and they are very interesting.  The target grade range is 3rd through college, so I'm not sure I can justify the yearly subscription just yet. I do hope the same deal is offered in a year or two.  (Then again, I have until March to make up my mind.)

Visit the co-op's website for details:

https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/

There are lots of great speakers lined up for both Friday and Saturday. 

Details Here

This is a news release from The Moms Radio Network:

The Creative Side of Motherhood: Short Story Competition Seeks Submissions

Lansing, MI – August 1, 2007 – Mothers of all ages have a lifetime of
stories to tell but the short story market is a tough one to crack
into. Where short novellas were once popular to publish, fewer
publishers make room for them in the pages of magazines and
newspapers.  Free competitions, like the "Mothers Telling Stories:
Short Story Writing Competition" hosted by Mom's Radio Network, are an
excellent opportunity for enthusiasts of all experience levels to hone
skill and share their stories.

"It was just a natural match for us," says Mom's Radio Network owner
Kelly McCausey, "Our listeners are moms and the short story is the
perfect bite-size format for busy moms to enjoy – whether they read it
or listen to an audio version which we'll be providing on the
website."

The Moms Radio Network is hoping for hundreds of submissions over the
next five months from both new and experienced writers. The rules are
straightforward. Short Story Submissions of 2500 to 5000 words are
being accepted by email until December 31st, 2007.

"Our judges are all writers and mothers themselves," adds McCausey of
the three judges Kristie Tamsevicius (WebMomz.com), Cindy Rushton
(Writers-Nook.com) and Tracy Lyn Moland (MomManagement.com), "they've
all been so gracious to volunteer to review the finalist's entries and
choose our Grand Prize winner."

The "Mothers Telling Stories: Short Story Writing Competition"
features a $500 grand prize package from mom owned business sponsors
that include Sparrow's Nest Bath & Body , ListBuildit, Boca Beth,
Cherish Collages and MomWebs Hosting. The package also includes a $100
cash gift from Mom's Radio Network.

All finalists will be included in an audio anthology that will be made
available as a free download to the public.  Finalists also receive a
CD copy of the anthology for their participation as well as prizes
from List Build It and Moms Talk E-Books.

"I hope to see a lot of moms try out for this competition," says
McCausey, "So many have a story to tell, they just need a platform to
share it."

To learn more about the Mother's Telling Stories: Short Story Writing
Competition visit:
http://www.momsradionetwork.com/mothers-writing-competition.htm . To
arrange an interview call Kelly McCausey at 517-977-0311 or email
kelly@momsradionetwork.com.

---------------

Good luck!

Visit Slurping Life at typepad.com for ongoing details of this love offering effort for young Parker.  There are lots of prizes to be won. If you make a very small donation, you will be entered.  But the best reward will be helping this little guy and showing his family that you care. 

Visit Redbud's Lane to find out about the First Ever Carnival of Modesty.

Plus, find out about a great opportunity to make a love offering for Parker and win a prize over at Slurping Life.  You could win a digital camera, printer and accessories package from Hewlett Packard!

Carnival of Homeschooling Top 10 Reasons to Homeschool

There are so many to choose from, selecting a few favorties probably isn't fair to all the others! 

First, let me say that I initially wasn't going to participate in the benefit.  I didn't want to just give to get something in return.  But then I read little Noah's story and wanted to give.  My own Ds had to drink Neocate for a time as a baby/toddler and I can surely relate to the costs of that alone even if the rest of what the Estes family is going through is more than I can imagine.  So I gave.  I even gave a little more so I got a peek at the extra special thank you items as well.  My favorite from the extras are the 11 science experiment e-books.  Hopefully when my DS is a bit older he and his father can go through all 11 together and make some great memories. 

Now from the first set of thank yous- my favorite so far is the set of ancient maps.  I am using the Bible in 90 Days program (though it's going to take more than 90 days!) right now and as I was reading through Genesis last night with DH, I thought how helpful it would be to have some maps of the areas being discussed.  Well, now I have them!  I look forward to using these pages as I continue our readings each night. 

So anyway, those are my favorites.  As I mentioned, there are many other resources and on a wide variety of topics from math to cooking.  If you feel in your heart the desire to give, do so and know that you'll have a nice little pick me up as you select your own favorites from the downloads later.    Remember though, the benefit ends July 13th!

Estes Family (Hands and Hearts) Benefit

Oh, and please remember to say a little prayer for all the family who face special challenges in rearing their blessings.  These parent truly give their all.

In return for your donation you can receive:

• Artists Activity Pack by Amy Pak of Homeschool in the Woods
• Let's Make a Lapbook ebook & audio seminar
  by Cindy Rushton
• Overcoming Obstacles While Homeschooling
  by Tami Fox
• Ancient History Portfolio Map Combo Pack
  from Homeschool Journey.com
• The Activity Bags Sampler
  from Activity Bags.com
• The LBC Guide to Astronomy
  by Living Books Curriculum
• Out-of-the-Box Education E-book
  A Compilation of Creative Learning Hints, Tips
  and Ideas Sure to Make Education More Fun!
• The Bread By Hand Cookbook
  by Kimberly Eddy
• Keyboarding for the Christian School
  by Leanne Beitel
• Yesterday's Classics presents
  Richard of Jamestown by James Otis
• Fast and Healthy Menus for Busy Moms
  by Marilyn Moll
• A Gown of Patience
  by Mrs. Martha Greene
• FUN UNIT with the Tawny Scrawny Lion
  by Miiko Gibson
• Beginner Book for Early Learners Guide
  by Molly Randolph
• What to Do While Waiting for Prince Charming
  MP3 Audio Workshop by Crystal Paine
• See, I Told Me So!:
  Homeschool Veterans Declare You Can Stop Worrying
  by Tammy Cardwell
• Be Not Weary: Encouragement for Mothers
  Audio Seminar by Jennifer M. McBride
• Noble Womanhood: A Collection of Quotes
  Compiled by Jennifer M. McBride
• What Really Happened During the Middle Ages
  compiled by Terri Johnson
• Get Your Own Home State's
  Notebooking Pages!
• Simple Tips for Successful Home Management
  by Crystal Paine
• Knowledge Box Central's
  Automobile Lapbook!
• PIPEline of HisStory
  from Me and My House Ministries
• Short and Sweet
  from Christian Perspective
• Beyond Numbers: A Practical Guide to Teaching Math Biblically
  from Christian Perspective
• Discount Coupons!
• A Homeschool That Handles The Hard Times
  by Tammy Cardwell
• The Cowboy's 10 Commandments Coloring Book
  from Leather Horses.com
• The Soap, Oil & Fragrance Maker's Profit Making Library
  from Homeway Press
• Five Famous Inventors: An Introduction to Five Men Whose
  Inventions Changed the World! Over 2 hours of audio entertainment!

These resources are available as either e-books or audio downloads only.  You can make a donation and get more information by following this link:

Estes Family Benefit

Find out what's going on with the Estes Family here.

Please spread the word. :-)

The July Get it Together calendar dates are posted but the links have not been added yet.  There are a lot of interesting dates in July so you might want to take a quick look and do some pre-planning and think about your library selections. 

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07212.html#http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07212.html

This does not effect all Thomas items, but be sure to check yours.