Aug 24, 2018 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd It’s that time of year again — back to school! Excitement, with an added touch of apprehension, accompanies children as they meet new teachers and classmates, and learn the “lay of the land” for the new school year. Start the school year...
Jul 24, 2018 | Adults, Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Elementary Age, Teens & Tweens, Toddlers & Preschool
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd I have always considered the month of July as “true summer.” Nestled between the months when school is still on everyone’s mind — either winding down or gearing up — it is the time reserved just for fun. Pool time, beach time, family...
Jun 16, 2018 | Adults, Books, Supplies & Gear, Education
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd Win a book of your choice by commenting on today’ s blog! Father’s Day is a special day designed to recognize and honor the fathers in our lives, and to celebrate them as role models, teachers and guides. As a tribute to fathers, the...
May 14, 2018 | Adult Education, Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Hot Topics, Just for Moms, Moms & Dads
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd Welcome to Ellen’s Book Nook for the month of May. This month we are focusing on books especially for moms. (To view past Book Nook blogs with selections for all ages, click here.) Summertime is the perfect time to indulge in...
Apr 17, 2018 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd From an early age, I remember feeling a connection to poetry. I penned my first poem at the age of six and have written many poems since. I love the layers of story tucked within each line of poetry, and the complexity that exists within a...
Mar 28, 2018 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd The Triad area has one of the most beautiful displays of springtime in the country. The flowers and trees offer an explosion of color against the backdrop of lush, green spaces. All of this added to the beautiful lakes, parks, extensive...
Feb 20, 2018 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd “Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.” – John Boswell Between the new beginnings of January and the anticipation of springtime in...
Jan 24, 2018 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd Happy 2018 — a new year with new beginnings and opportunities! Many people begin the new year by making new year’s resolutions. I first learned about making resolutions when I was eight years old. A friend told me that I would have a year...
Dec 13, 2017 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd Don’t forget – you can win a book of your choice from today’s blog! For as long as I can remember, I have been enchanted by this time of year. I can recall my first memory of driving around town to see all the holiday...
Nov 16, 2017 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd Happy November — the month that reminds us to be thankful for our many blessings in life. Having a grateful heart is key to living a happy and healthy life, not just in November, but throughout each and every year. Each of the suggestions...
Oct 18, 2017 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd The falling leaves and cooler weather beckons me to sit in my favorite chair with a cup of tea and read a good book. When my children were younger, my book time included a sweet child on my lap and a stack of books that would easily take...
Sep 7, 2017 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd Transitioning from lazy summer days by the pool to early mornings, packing school lunches and heading to school can be a little challenging. Children will be engaging their brains more and working to balance homework with extracurricular...
Aug 15, 2017 | Education, Private Schools
By Guest Blogger Valerie Barclay, Director of Communications for Redeemer School One more thing is of vital importance; children must have books, living books; the best are not too good for them. Anything less than the best is not good enough; and if it is needful to...
May 17, 2017 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education
By Guest Blogger Ellen Lloyd Year-end performances, school trips, graduation… all fun events that make for a very full month! Rest assured, summer is around the corner and days of laying around a pool or venturing out to the beach with a good book in your hand is in...
Apr 19, 2017 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Hot Topics, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd Win a book of your choice from today’s blog! Details below! I love springtime and the way the world seems to come back to life after the cold, dark days of winter. Trees show off their new growth, flowers awaken with color and birds...
Feb 20, 2017 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Holidays, Hot Topics, Parenting & Family
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd From the story of a brave young slave who escaped to freedom on the Underground Railroad to the inspirational words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to a talented ballerina’s journey to become the first African-American to become a...
Feb 18, 2017 | Birthday Parties, Local Resources
By Guest Blogger Lisa Doss Imagine the fun when the pages containing imaginary rooms or places pop into your child’s birthday party. How exciting would it be to sit down at a Prince Edward Island tea party, participate in an obstacle course in the jungle of...
Jan 17, 2017 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd Win a book of your choice from today’s blog! Details below! A cozy fire, a cup of tea and a good book are three of my favorite things on cold, winter days. My selections this month include old favorites that warm the soul, and two...
Nov 16, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd Win a book of your choice from today’s blog! Details below! Gratitude: grat·i·tude ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/ noun — the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. During the Thanksgiving...
Oct 21, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd Win a book of your choice from today’s blog! Details below! As a child, I loved Halloween and couldn’t wait to go trick-or-treating. My mom made costumes for my siblings and me, and I vividly recall the excitement I felt when...
Oct 19, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Hot Topics, Just for Moms, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Rachel Hoeing Moms need “friend time.” It is a proven fact! Time with other women makes us better mothers. A few hours with your girlfriends can send you back home rejuvenated and ready to take on any motherly task that comes your way. There are so many...
Sep 7, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd Win a book of your choice from today’s blog! Details below! September marks the the beginning of fall, at least on the calendar. Although outside temperatures may not feel fall-like, cooler weather is definitely around the...
Jul 28, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd I recently heard someone refer to this time of year as the dog days of summer, and I wondered what this phrase really meant. According to dictionary.com, the dog days of summer are defined as “the sultry part of the summer… from...
Jun 27, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd Grilling out, making s’mores by the fire pit, spending time with family and friends, catching fireflies, making homemade ice cream, and relaxing by the pool with a great book are some of the enjoyable things that come to mind when I...
May 27, 2016 | Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Katie Moosbrugger I love a good book, and who doesn’t? Reading is my routine before I go to sleep, although it definitely ebbs and flows. Yet right now my reading is flowing more than ebbing. This typically happens when neither of my two “shows” (yes I only...
May 18, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd North Carolina authors and books with thought-provoking storylines make up my selections this month. I appreciate books that make me dig deep and really think about what I believe and what is important. Ivan the gorilla made me...
Apr 20, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd North Carolina in the springtime has to be one of the most beautiful places in the country. We are so fortunate to live in an area that welcomes spring with open arms. With the gorgeous flowers and blooming trees, it is hard to not...
Mar 15, 2016 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Crafts & Hobbies, Education, Hot Topics, Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies, Recreation
By Guest Blogger Ellen Bryant Lloyd Books have been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. My earliest memories are of my mother reading picture books to me. However, she didn’t just read the books aloud, she read them using the voices she thought the...
Jun 25, 2015 | Moms & Dads, Pop Culture, Books & Movies
By Katie Moosbrugger It’s the season of reading – at least for me! One of my favorite things to do in the summer is get lost in a good book (or many) after getting recommendations from friends and family. I recently polled some avid readers I know to...
Mar 12, 2014 | Books, Supplies & Gear, Education, Pop Culture, Books & Movies, Recreation
By Rachel Hoeing “I know I’m not an ordinary ten-year-old kid. I mean, sure, I do ordinary things. I eat ice cream. I ride my bike. I play ball. I have an XBox. Stuff like that makes me ordinary. I guess. And I feel ordinary. Inside. But I know ordinary...
