Blog Tour - Turtle Feet, Surfer's Beat

Marina Kuperman has been living in Costa Rica for almost 5 years. After visiting
the Playa Grande’s Leatherback Turtle National Marine Park and seeing this critically endangered animal, she became so moved that she not only wrote the book ‘Turtle Feet, Surfer’s Beat’ but also founded the online community for kids,
teens and their parents to take action in a fun way to help marine preservation.



What is ‘Turtle Feet, Surfer’s Beat’ about?

My book revolves around a typical suburban teen girl, Penelope, from the States
that is forced to go to Costa Rica with her parents for her father’s job assignment. Involuntarily, her parents sign up Penelope to spend two weeks at the Leatherback turtle biological station (for ‘her own good’). Penelope, obviously isn’t pleased but forgives the horrid accommodations and the never ending bug brigade as she sees the turtle and instantly pledges to do all she can to help it from extinction. But hang ten, dudes! Penelope is about to get help.

One lonely night, as she’s patrolling the beach for turtle poachers she stumbles and falls directly into the arms of the local surf champ. Together they dive into the world of surfing and marine preservation.

You’re website www.turtlefeetsurfersbeat.com is more directed at a community
setting rather than focusing directly on the book, why is that?

I figure, a good read helps to get us all hyped-up to take action and make a difference, especially if it’s for a good cause. And that’s exactly what my book intends to do. Since, we are all in the know about the conditions of our oceans, and really wanna do something to start making a difference. Plus, we also know that thing is so much more fun to do when you’re having a blast at it with friends. So, that’s exactly what www.turtlefeetsurfersbeat.com is all about. It’s not your typical site of more information thrown at you, but rather a way to get involved and join forces with your favorite surfers, musicians, artists,conservationists, and other cool people already taking action.

Thank you for having me as a guest and I look forward to everyone visiting our community and joining in the fun!

Marina Kuperman
TURTLE FEET, SURFER´S BEAT
Take the ultimate ride!!!
www.Turtlefeetsurfersbeat.com

Because I think marine conservation is a great cause, I purchased one copy of the book to give away to you guys...it doesn't come out until November 15th, but leave a comment and be entered to win. And make sure you check out the rest of the site...have a great weekend!

5 Minutes for Mom Contest

Check out their latest, and something we are going to get regardless of me winning or not...I need to back up all my pictures I have....

They are giving away 3 WD Passport Portable Hard Drives.

Information Blogging

I know I have a few teachers that read this site as well as parents with school aged children, so maybe this contest will be of interest to you all. Be the Change! Share the Story! challenges students in grades 1-12 across the United States and Canada to create and document their social and environmental projects on film. Besides helping to make a difference in the global community, winning schools will receive over $200,000 in cash and educational resources.

Directly from the website:
"The Be the Change! Share the Story! school video contest invites student teams to choose and execute a social or environmental project of their choice and document their progress in a couple of short videos that will be uploaded on Quantum Shift TV between September 2007 and March 2008."

"This is a chance for students to make a difference in their communities while learning valuable lessons in social studies, sciences, and the arts. For teachers & educational professionals, the contest offers a project-based tool that fits into their existing curriculum. Inspired by schools already doing this, we decided to create a contest to connect schools in the United States and Canada and create a global community where students can connect with other students and learn more about the social and environmental work being done by people their own age."

If you are interested, definitely check out the website. Looks like a great project for any school aged child.
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I am just full of information today....next week is Take A Child Outside Week. It is an international program to help children connect with the outdoors. Plus, getting them outdoors gets them out of in front of the tv and burning off some energy. I know in Raleigh the NC Museum of Natural Sciences is hosting some activities, so check in your area for activities as well. One idea I saw on the site that I know Ashley would love to do is to take a piece of masking tape, make a bracelet with the sticky side out, and collect things on a hike to put on it such as leaves and sticks.
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Tonight is Ashley's first soccer game...I only hope that she doesn't feel the need to hold her friend Ayden's hand the whole time like she did last week in practice. And yes, Ayden is a boy. We are in trouble for sure.

I never win, so I really don't know why I am trying....

A few contests I am entering...maybe this time I will get lucky...

The first is at The Disney Blog. We are to post the answer to the following questions to be entered to win fabulous prizes. Plus, you will get an insight into my mania about all things Disney...

1. Have you ever celebrated your birthday at a Disney theme park? If so, tell us about it.
I have celebrated my birthday at Disney World 3 times, and I am missing celebrating it at Disney World this year by ONE DAY. But I am still counting it cause we leave for Disney on my birthday.

My best memory about my birthday at Disney was my 30th birthday almost 2 years ago (gasp!). I was very pregnant with Audrey, and Ray booked me a pregnancy massage at the Grand Floridian Hotel. Fancy Schmancy. And I got to lay on my stomach because that had that great pillow with the huge hole in it. And I love laying on my stomach.

2. What is your favorite or most useful tip for guests of Disney's theme parks?
One of my most useful tips for guests of Magic Kingdom is for getting into Mickey's Toon Town and therefore getting in line for autographs early. We take that little known path by Space Mountain and wait at the rope into Toon Town. Toon Town normally opens an hour after the park does, and houses a tent that has Mickey in it as well as a tent with the Princesses and other Disney characters. One year, Ashley actually got to hold Mickey's hand as the rope dropped and he led her to the tent. Pretty cool.

3. What is your favorite Disney theme park attraction or show and why?
This is HARD. I really like all of it. But if I have to pick just one, I will take the Tower of Terror at MGM Studios (soon to be Hollywood Studios). It has ghosts, scary things, and is a cool ride based on a show I used to watch with my Dad when I was younger.

And for the other contest I am entering? I really, really want this organizer. Please pray that I win!

Contest from 5 Minutes for Mom

For all the scrapbookers out there, check out this cool contest on 5 Minutes for Mom...it's a scanner that is extremely portable and I think would be great to scan in artwork or pictures that you don't have digitally. Plus, we could use it to quickly scan in receipts for tax purposes (cause you know we haven't filed our taxes yet...).

Here is the link.

Go sign up for the contest and good luck!