Children's Book Week Giveaway

Established in 1919, Children's Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the country. Each year, books for young people and the joy of reading are feted for a full week with author and illustrator appearances, storytelling, parties, and other book-related events at schools, libraries, bookstores, museums, and homes from coast to coast! Visit Book Week Online for more information.

This giveaway hop to celebrate and promote Children's Book Week is hosted by KidLitFrenzy, Mymcbooks and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. I will be giving away an Amazon.com GC of $10 value, and this giveaway is open to US residents only.

To enter, follow this site via Google+ and leave a comment below with your details. Good luck.

The United for Kids Foundation Sparkle Ball – 15th of June 2013

United for Kids Foundation (UKF) is a registered organisation in Nigeria, UK , and US. They aim to alleviate the hardship of less privileged kids in Nigeria through Educational, Healthcare, and Social programs. These include providing libraries, school equipments (desks, toilets, roofs) for state run schools, visiting and presenting gifts to motherless babies' homes, providing alternative private medical care to children in government run hospitals as well as a monthly visit to State-run hospitals.

All activities are funded through donations and sponsorships received in the 3 countries mentioned above. Both trustees and volunteers carry out their responsibilities without receiving a dime from the foundation. This we have done for over 10 years and hope to continue for a foreseeable period. Our mission is to heal Nigeria one child a time.


Once again, United for Kids Foundation (UKF) is pleased to announce the last of its inaugural series of fund raisers towards its 2013 program. The UKF Sparkle Ball is the Queens’ land version of our popular black-tie event which promises to deliver elegance and entertainment at its finest to Nigerians and friends of Nigerians who live in the UK.

Woman Buried For 17 Days in Collapsed Bangladesh Building Rescued

A woman buried  for 17 days in the wreckage of a collapsed building in the Bangladeshi garment factory was rescued last Friday. This is indeed a miracle, knowing that more than 1,000 people had died in the accident and their bodies removed from the scene.

She told the private Somoy TV in Bangladesh;

"I heard voices of the rescue workers for the past several days. I kept hitting the wreckage with sticks and rods just to attract their attention. No one heard me. It was so bad for me. I never dreamed I'd see the daylight again. There was some dried food around me. I ate the dried food for 15 days. The last two days I had nothing but water. I used to drink only a limited quantity of water to save it. I had some bottles of water around me."

According to HuffPo, "She was discovered on the second floor of the eight-story Rana Plaza building, where crews have been focused on recovering bodies, not rescuing survivors, for much of the past two weeks. Once Reshma finally got their attention, the crews ordered the cranes and bulldozers to immediately stop work and used handsaws and welding and drilling equipment to cut through the iron rod and debris still trapping her. They gave her water, oxygen and saline as they worked to free her.

When Reshma was freed after 40 minutes, the crowd erupted in wild cheers. She was rushed to a military hospital in an ambulance, but her rescuers said she was in shockingly good condition, despite her ordeal."

Halle Berry Keeping Fit and Healthy While Pregnant

Halle Berry Showing baby bump on her way to the gym

Halle Berry was photographed yesterday on her way to the gym and her baby bump has definitely popped. It's obvious she's doing all she can to keep fit and healthy for her coming baby, especially as an older mom.

She is 46 years old and said recently of her second pregnancy and first child with fiance, Olivier Martinez, "I feel fantastic. This has been the biggest surprise of my life to tell you the truth. I thought I was kind of past the point where this could be a reality for me. So it's been a big surprise and the most wonderful."

She also said to CNN of her work with the United Nations World Food Programme to fight hunger, "I'm a mom, and that's first and foremost, but it gives me another reason to exist, another purpose. And if I know that I'm helping one person every day in some way, that really makes me feel good, and that's a legacy that I can leave to my children. Especially now, being a pregnant woman and already having a child ... it's so important what happens to the baby while they're in utero. And the first 1,000 days is fundamental."

Odi's Wife - Mercy Johnson on her Marriage and Motherhood

Mercy Johnson got married in August 2011 amid a lot of hubbub because her husband had been previously married, and only completed his divorce after they started dating. The wedding did go off without a hitch and in December 2012, she gave birth to her daughter here in the US. In an interview to Bellanaija, and the first of hers that I've read, she talks about the rumors around her wedding, and her journey as a wife and mother, among other things. Below are some excerpts;

It’s great to see you Mercy. Let me start by saying that you have a beautiful home.
Thank you. It was a surprise from my husband, Odi. He didn’t tell me about it while we were in America and when I returned back to Nigeria, I thought we were going to our former house but he drove me straight here. And then he also gave me a new car with the plate number ‘Odi’s Wife’.

Aww, that’s so sweet. There’s been a lot of media attention surrounding the birth of your daughter and her recent dedication. How does this make you feel?
At a point, I actually felt the whole thing was over dramatized. I really appreciate the fact that some people wish me well and are happy for me which is why I share her picture on Twitter once in a while. On my Twitter page, more than 3000 people ask me about Purity every day. Sometimes I get overwhelmed but I’m grateful for the love and goodwill messages and I can only say thank you.

Purity is quite a unique name. What inspired her name?
When I asked my husband, he said “You. She reminds me so much of you.” He said I have a good heart and he’d really want her to have a good heart and clear conscience like me. And he’d wish for everything about her to be pure.

As a first time Mom, how has the experience been so far?
It’s magical, it’s awesome! I just can’t stop staring at her. When I was pregnant, my sister-in-law came to the house and when her son pooped I said “Oh my God, don’t let it touch my chair!” Then I was about six months gone and she just looked at me and said “In three months time, you will understand”. And really, it is true. Now when Purity poops, I begin to dance. Everything is special. I want to clean her up myself, dress her up myself. I just can’t explain, she makes me complete.

A Happy Marriage Is ...

Mo Eazy's Smile - Music Video Romance

Just found out about Mo Eazy recently through the Smile video, and it was easy to see why he's produced by Darey's Soul Muzik.

Fine Nigerian Men in the Mr Universe Contest

Mr Edo

Just some eye candy men from the on-going Mr Universe Nigeria contest to spice up your weekend. Hope it's going great? Have fun, mwah!

Gas Pump Prank Couple on the Jay Leno Show

Happy couples just make me smile.  The two videos below show a couple who got played by the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" prank, in which a talking head on a gas pump screen interacts with gas buyers for the promise of a free tank of gas. Who doesn't want that?

Will Sims sure does. The guy, pictured above with his wife, Monifa, was already singing and when the presenter asks for a song, he breaks into Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer. The wife was laughing her head off in the car, but when she finally comes out, she also showcases her own singing in Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics. The husband provided back-up with amazing and hilarious vocals.

This couple must be Karoake masters I think, especially the guy, and they're really good singers too. More than that, the sweet happiness and love they exude - after 12 years together - is an inspiration to take joy in the little things in life. I hope the videos brings a smile to your face as it did mine :)

How to Make Love a Decision

This story below is one of those stories that gets about on the interwebs. I received it in my email recently from a friend and tried to find the original writer. It is written by Michael D. Hargrove and titled "Don't Hope, Friend.... Decide!" for the book "A 5th Portion of Chicken Soup for the Soul".

I also found that in their book, How to Make Love Everyday... Guaranteed, Peter Crook and June Crook used the story to illustrate the benefits of public displays of affection in building and sustaining love and romance in a long term relationship, and even it works in building your relationship with your children. I hope it touches you as it did me.

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about — the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me.

Straining to locate my friend among the passengers alighting through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other’s face, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!”