Go Graham Go! |

If you are interested in purchasing the Powermat, I now have a 20% off coupon code that is good until 9/15/10.  Just enter code: BTS2010 at checkout!  Happy charging!

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I have to admit that I am a very unorganized traveler lately with this "mommy brain."  There's just something about pregnancy that makes me forgetful!  It happened with Graham and it has been happening this time around as well.  Please tell me I am not alone!  If you happen to be traveling this summer, here are a few tips that will hopefully help you better organize!

Make a List
Most of you are probably thinking.. duh!  Well, for me, it took a while to catch on to the concept.  Gone are the days of me just throwing a few things willy-nilly into a bag and heading out the door!  Because I have another person to think about, lists are important.  I make sure to first start with Graham and what he may need (a lot less now that he is bigger).  Then I move onto myself (because that is easier than asking hubby) and then ask my husband.  I cross off the items as they go into the bag and eliminate things that are not necessary as I see our room filling up.  One thing we use to help with room is the Portable Powermat.  It charges just about all of our devices from one pad and can be folded up into a case (saves room and cord tangles)!





Have Kids Make Choices
If you have a young child they will more than likely be tempted to bring about 50 toys and one pair of clothes.  It escapes them that they will need to be well dressed and that's why they have parents!  We ask Graham to choose 3 of his favorite toys (within reason).  If he chooses something big then he may only be able to bring one item.  This not only helps your child begin to make choices, but it also relays the importance of making WISE decisions.



Lay Out Your Bags
I'm really not the expert on this one, but my husband does an excellent job of this!  He makes sure all of our bags are in one place and then strategically places them in the car.  This works out better than putting bags in as you pack them.  Pack all of them first, then place them in the car.  My husband has squeezed items in our car that I never thought would've gone!

Organize Your Days...A little
I do believe in organizing your days if you are going on vacation, but make sure you leave wiggle room.  Our favorite destination is Ocracoke Island where there is nothing to do but relax, enjoy the beach, ride your bike, and check out local shops.  I love going there because I do not have to plan a thing.  However, if you are headed somewhere like Disney World you are going to want to plan your days some.  Make sure you make the most of your money and your time!  I think it depends on your personality, but I try to leave a lot of wiggle room because I know that life happens!

This product was provided free of charge by Powermat. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

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Graham has been having a blast with the V.Reader!  Today he received The Little Engine That Could which absolutely made his day (one of his favorite books).  This games are great for the younger crowd in my opinion.  They are much easier for Graham and it is nice because he is familiar with the story.








I am participating in a blog campaign with VTech and The Motherhood.  I am excited about this campaign because I such a huge advocate for helping kids learn and love to read!  

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I am so thankful to have a child who loves reading.  He loves it so much that it gets him at trouble at night!  We let him sleep with a book or two and he will keep himself up reading all night long.  It is actually quite cute to walk in and see him propped up on his pillows with a book propped on a knee and his Glo-E bear shining!




This summer we have been trying to hang outside and take advantage of the beautiful weather.  We sometimes find ourselves heading out with one of Graham's favorite books... Thomas and the Big, Big, Bridge.  He actually makes a game out of it.  He likes to sit by his "tracks" (our drainage ditch) and read and be read to.  Once we are finished with the book he reenacts it by playing on his imaginary tracks.  I love to see his little imagination at work!  When I was little, I had a favorite place out in the middle of the woods.  There was a tree that had fallen and it made the perfect little bench! Great memories!

VTech has come out with a great new Animated e-Book System called the V.Reader that is a great idea for reading on the go or at home (or in your favorite drainage ditch).  It is great for children ages 3-7 who are learning to read.  Graham has had the V.Reader for about 3 days now and has loved exploring all of the options!  Because it is touch screen, he picked up on how it works right away.  All I've had to do so far is show him where the on/off button was located (my husband had to show me)!  I love that the V.Reader incorporates a few different learning methods (because we all learn differently, but through repetition).  The pictures are animated and have different options for interactivity (which helps to reinforce vocabulary).  The stories can be read along normally (with highlighted words) or your child can read the story to themselves and touch a challenging word for help.  I was impressed when he brought the V.Reader over yesterday and said, "Mommy, the dog is perked!"  I looked at the screen and there was a picture of a dog with his ears perked along with the word and definition.  Of course, there area also fun interactive games that go along with the stories, options for downloading from your computer, as well as ways to monitor your child's progress.  I am impressed that you can choose the skill level which makes it a versatile tool that will grow with your child.

You will find the V.Reader available exclusively at Target for $59.99 right now.  There are a host of different stories that your children will recognize as well (characters, classics, etc). Keep your eye out for more fun information on the V.Reader!  In the mean time, make sure to sign the VTech's Summer Reading Pledge (we found out yesterday that all of the V.Readers have been given away), but it is such a great way to reinforce a commitment to helping your children spend less time in front of the TV and more time reading!  A Summer Smarts Survey conducted in May of this year found that Two thirds of moms are worried about how little children read these days while one third of moms say it's harder to get their kids to read during the summer (67%, 34%, respectively).  I think that the V.Reader could be a huge help in the motivation department for sure!

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Recently, BeFunky introduced a suite of 1-click enhancement tools that make it a breeze to turn your picture into a sophisticated photograph. BeFunky also added smart enhancement tools to fix the "normal" problems that crop up in pictures all the time--issues like over or underexposure, digital noise, etc. can instantly be fixed--how easy is that!?



What I loved:

I am the first to admit that I am not a big promoter of video games for kids, especially young kids.  I am however, a HUGE fan of all things LeapFrog.  I have never owned a LeapFrog product that has not been a hit with Graham.  My niece even owns the LeapFrog DIDJ and has been named number 1 out of all of the 5th graders at her school because of her multiplication skills!



We were sent the Leapster Explorer about a month and a half ago for review and review we have!  Graham has been playing the thing to death!  If you want to know about wear and tear this thing is durable.  It has been to Macon, Ga and back, Cincinnati and back, and has been toted outside, inside, and every where in between.  The Leapster Explorer is meant for children ages 4-8, but Graham is a pro with it at age 3.  I will say, he was pretty prepared for this game system because he plays iPhone games frequently.  So far, we have only had to change the batteries once (4 AA).





The Leapster Explorer works by using a touch screen.  This is such a wonderful touch because it allows younger children greater ease with playing.  Using a touch screen is just so much more intuitive than using buttons and controls.  Besides, with the popularity of the iPhone and other touch screen phones, young kids already have experience.  Of course, with the Leapster Explorer your child is learning while they are having fun.  Some of Graham's favorite games are: Sugar Bugs, Jewel Train, Harmonies, Pet Pad, Mr. Pencil Saves Doodleburg and watching LeapFrog's Letter Factory.  Each game teaches things such as good dental habits, matching, harmonies in music, drawing lines and letters, and much more.  Of course, there are cartridge games that you can purchase as well.  You will be excited to know that Toy Story 3 is one of the games!  I really love the fact that you can download e-Books that work like the Tag Reader.  You swipe the lines of text into the reader and press the book icon for the words to be read out loud and highlighted.  This is great for word recognition!  I also like the fact that there is the option to download LeapFrog videos for your child to watch.  This is an excellent road trip item for kids!

Of course, you can always connect the Leapster Explorer to your computer in order to see your child's "Learning Path" and see what they are excelling in and how you can better help them.  Kids can connect to LeapWorld online in order to expand on what they are learning with the Leapster Explorer.  I see that there will also be a camera/recorder attachment coming out!  We haven't reviewed this of course, but it sounds exciting if it is easy for young kids to use.






Overall, I think that the Leapster Explorer is the best bang for your buck!  It includes everything you could think of.  It is like buying the Scribble and Write, Tag reader, a DVD Player, and educational video games all in one system.  The only complaint I have is that sometimes the touch screen is not quite sensitive enough which could lead to frustration.  It has only happened to Graham on about 2 occasions, but then I showed him how to use the stylus and the frustration soon ended.  I also wish that there were a few more games that were good for 3 year olds (I know that it says specifically for 4 and up, but you know... a mom can dream)!

You can pre-order the Leapster Explorer right now for $69.99.  They will be shipping out on July 1st and hitting store shelves July 15th!  If you have a summer trip or birthday coming up this is worth your money.

This product was provided free of charge by LeapFrog. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.

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Most of you are probably familiar with the popular Webkinz products.  They are very popular among children because they are not only adorable, but they have their own online worlds that you can interact with.  Now Webkinz has a brand new product for the younger crowd (ages 3-6) called Webkinz Jr.!  We were sent the adorable brown monkey and Graham hasn't put it down since!







Webkinz Jr. provides the same online, interactive experience, but it is done in such a way that your younger
children can get the hang of what is going on.  There are 6 different Webkinz Jr.'s to choose from: Tan Puppy, Blue Puppy, Pink Puppy, Brown Monkey, Purple Monkey, or Orange Kitty.  Each animal comes with its very own access code for online fun.








Once you log in with your access code you can create a parent account as well as a kids account.  This is great because you can monitor what it going on online as well as send your child notes and adjust activity levels of games!  Your child will have fun naming their pet and navigating the Webkinz Jr. world while playing educational games that teach topics like math, reading, art, and science.  Your child can also take care of their pet virtually by buying things for their house, taking them to the park, and even buying them food.  New games are being created all the time so you are sure to get the most of your money during the year you have access.  If you would like even more options you can always upgrade to the Deluxe version.

Webkinz Jr. can be purchased from Hallmark, Cracker Barrel, and Books a Million to name a few.  They retail for about $19 which makes this a great gift option under $20 as well!  Make sure to check out the Store Locator to find a store near you.

This product was provided free of charge by GANZ. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.


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I thought I was going to pass out as I rounded the corner to my terminal in the Atlanta airport.  When my flight from Boston was delayed I was a little nervous about making the connecting flight in Atlanta on time.  My worst fears were confirmed when we landed with literally 3 minutes for me to reach a terminal on the opposite side of the airport.  As I ran as fast as I could, my laptop (which was across my shoulder in the laptop bag) kept slapping the side of my hip.  By the time I finally reached my terminal it was almost too late!  I had a sore hip bone, was out of breath, almost fell down the flight of stairs to the runway, and wanted to cry.

You don't need me to tell you how busy and chaotic life can be.  If you are a mother, you are well aware of how much one day can hold.  Moms are not only responsible for their kids, but many mothers have the added responsibility of holding down a job, toting kids from school to after school practice to tutoring, church or other volunteer respnosibilities, not to mention taking care of a household and hopefully getting some sort of nutritious dinner on the table.  If you are a mom blogger, you might as well just throw in another full time job on top of all of that!

The Mom Bloggers Club is asking mom bloggers to step back and take a look at what they can do to Simplify Life and why that might be important.  Organization is definitely key!  Another plus is having the right tools.  If you are like me, you just can't be stuck behind a desk top all day and sometimes your lap top is much to big to just grab and hit the road with.  That's where a netbook comes into play and you can win one from the Mom Bloggers Club just for blogging about how and why you should simplify your life.





I was sent the HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje to review and thoroughly enjoy the versatility and style it provides.  First of all, this netbook is unlike any other you have seen.  Because it was designed by Studio Tord Boontje, it has a one of a kind design that features 3D endangered animals overlaying a gorgeous flower and lace design.  It is actually a brand new process called "HP Imprint 3D."  Even certain visual settings contain the design ("loading bar," screen saver, wallpaper, and more).  You can find Tord Boontje's work from the museums in London to your local Target store, bringing sophisticated art work into the average consumers home.  Green mamas will love the fact that this computer has a 10.1 inch mercury free LED backlit display for increased efficiency.  The packaging and user's guide are created with 100% recycled materials and soy-based ink.  The price tag of this netbook is also nice!  Prices start as low as $399.99 and there are several different corresponding products you can purchase to add on (like the Wireless Mouse that has the matching pattern for $39.99).





I can not tell you how many times in the past this would've come in handy!  It definitely would've saved my sore hip and quickness in the Atlanta airport that Friday evening!  Also, whenever I am out somewhere with my full sized laptop, it is incredibly inconvenient.  I have to carry the laptop bag as well as the power plug and the computer.  My laptop weighs about 7 lbs and the HP Mini weighs only a little over 2lbs making it super easy to pick up and run with!  It is only a little over an inch wide which makes it easy to slip into my purse.  The Studio Tord Boontje also comes with its very own slip cover that boasts some of the elegant design from the computer.  The HP Mini by Studio Tord Boontje is perfect for trips and could easily be toted anywhere!  If you travel by plane frequently, you can eliminate one of your carry on bags by putting this in your purse.  It is also an excellent conversation piece when you are out and about!







The HP Mini has a built in web cam that will come in handy when I want to see my sweet little boy when I am far away from home!  No more lugging around a separate web cam to use Skype when I am away.  There are also two different battery options to choose from.  The 3 cell battery will provide about 2 hours and the 6 cell will provide up to about 5 hours of work time.  Another great piece that helps make life simpler is the HP QuickWeb which allows you to have access to the internet and quick links to your most used social networking sites and email without booting up the Windows Operating System.  It really does make it a lot quicker to hop on the web without waiting for everything to load when you are in a pinch for time.






Keep in mind, the HP Mini by Studio Tord Boontje is a travel computer.  It offers many of the same aspects of a full sized laptop, but is meant more for portability.  Here are a few of the important specs you are going to want to know about:

• Simplified daily PC activities with genuine Windows 7 Starter
• Easy Internet1 access to e-mail, instant messaging, video chat, social networking, shopping, banking, research, and more
• An Intel Atom processor for reliable, energy-efficient performance
• 1GB of system memory and hard drive options of 160GB or 250GB, or 32GB Solid State
• A nearly full size (92%) keyboard for comfortable typing
• Transfer of data to and from other devices via three USB ports
• Integrated HP QuickSync software, which lets you synch files, photos, and videos with your primary PC when connected to the same network

Overall, the HP Mini by Studio Tord Boontje is one of a kind, a great value, portable, simple, and a sanity saver!  This should definitely be on every blogging, working, or traveling mom's Christmas wish list!
This product was provided free of charge by HP in conjunction with the Mom Bloggers Club Simplify My Life Contest. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.



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Pictures are a huge part of my life and I am sure if you have children, they are a huge part of yours too. I always feel a need to preserve as much of our special moments as possible and then I struggle with a way to share the appropriately!




When I heard about ALBUM I was so excited to share with you how easy it now is to store and share your favorite pictures. ALBUM is not your typical digital frame, it has many new technologies that make the process much simpler! It is also completely portable! You just close the leather case, slip it in your purse and hit the road. The battery life is about 3 hours which is much different from digital frames (most have to be plugged in). ALBUM can also store up to 40,000 photos and has an HD screen!

My favorite part about ALBUM is the fact that you can organize your photos and create sets to share with your family. Other digital frames do not have that capability and you normally just have to scroll through your pictures to find the one you are looking for. I can remember just last week someone trying to share a particular photo with me from their digital frame. We stood there for about 10 minutes until she could scroll to it. ALBUM is set up more like a computer in that it has visible file folders to place your pictures in. You can also choose to manually show your pictures like a photo album. There are only 3 buttons to worry about operating as well. By the time I got ALBUM out of the box I had my personal pictures on it within about 2 minutes!




On top of all these features, ALBUM is sleek and stylish. It is skinny and light enough for me to carry in my purse (weighs about as much as an apple and is as thick as a pack of gum) and looks great sitting on my desk. The price is also a bargain when you compare its features to similar devices. You can purchase ALBUM for about $149.99 and choose from 3 different color combinations (Natural Leather/Silver, Leather/Fuchsia, or Leather/Silver). ALBUM can connect to your computer, camera, or memory card.




What's even more impressive is that one of the designers is a mother herself! She has actually worked on projects like iPod, iMac, and OXO Kitchen products. Get to know Dominika:


Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
I am a sculpture turned designer turned entrepreneur .......... I have a 4 year old daughter who is the center of my world. My husband is an economist and spends most of his time in conflict regions of the world, most recently in Russia.

With all of the wonderful innovations you have worked on in the past (iPod, OXO Kitchen Products and now ALBUM just to name a few) how do you go about researching what the consumer is after and delivering a quality product?
After 15 years in the industry I have developed an eye for innovation opportunities. My brain processes my daily experiences and I am constantly thinking, what if “X” was combined with “Y”? Or why have they done it this way ... or even why does it exist at all.

If you could dream up the perfect technological innovation for mothers what would it look like?
It would allow me to cuddle my daughter long distance.

How do you think ALBUM is going to make a mark on the way mother's use technology?
The whole point of ALBUM product is to be dedicated to a specific need and leverage technology in a way to deliver a reliable solution. ALBUM contains a lot of very advanced technologies and contemporary know-how, yet is simple to use out the box – anyone can figure it out. When anybody, not just mothers use our ALBUM, we like them to think about their children, fun times, and sharing those in a respectable quality way. It’s not as much about technology than it is about sharing the moments of your life with those you love.

This product was provided free of charge by ALBUM. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.



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I am a very nostalgic person and I absolutely love to take pictures of even the smallest moments. I am glad to live in a time where I have a camera available to me at all times thanks to my phone! I also love to preserve special memories by scrapbooking or creating photo albums. The only problem with this is that the programs it takes to do this well can be pricey! That's why I am excited to share with you a about a great program that can make your pictures better for only $39.99!

PrintMaster Platinum 2.0 is now available for PC's and Mac's and offers many different options. I was impressed with how easy it was to use. I simply used the pictures that were already stored on my computer and inserted them into some preset scrapbook templates. There are several different styles to choose from and you can even customize what you see. Of course, if you are more creative, you can create your own templates with the easy to use features that are built in.




Honestly, this program is jam packed full of different projects (invitations, business cards, family trees, crafts, labels, puzzles and much more)! You could really save money on invitations or even on party decorations by creating your own. After your holiday parties you could spruce up your pictures and print them out and send them to family members so that everyone has a little piece of the memory to cherish. It is easy to edit photos...easy as one click! How about make a family tree for the matriarch or patriarch of your family?

The part that is the selling point for me is that everything you need is included in the box. You will not have to go to the web to download anything, just install and use PrintMaster Platinum 2.0 as is! It is always nice to not have to worry about downloading one more thing after you have already downloaded a full program.



PrintMaster Platinum 2.0 is a great gift idea for the sentimental and scrapbookers in your life. It can be purchased for $39.99 at Broderbund or local retailers.




This product was provided free of charge by Broderbund. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.



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Life will never be the same for parents now that there is iPhone! Ok.. maybe that is exaggerating a bit, but honestly, it has come in handy so many times for me. We have several different games that will entertain Graham when he starts to get antsy on those long grocery store trips or even long car rides. We were fortunate enough to be able to review the new educational app out for kids by Duck Duck Moose called Itsy Bitsy Spider.














We had already tried the Old MacDonald app and were thoroughly impressed so when the opportunity arrived to try out the new game, I was so more than willing! Duck Duck Moose really put a lot of thought into this new game. Of course, the main theme is the Itsy Bitsy Spider and you even hear the song in the background (if you want to). This game is different from previous Duck Duck Moose games because it gives your child an even greater chance to get involved. What happens in the game is dependent upon how your child operates the different functions. You are taken on a journey with the spider up the water spout, back down, and into the sun in order to do it all over again! While you are on the journey there are several different lessons learned.


Poke the spider to go to different pages in the game while a fly narrates and gives different educational facts throughout the game (ex: what makes a rainbow). There is also a bit of an egg scavenger hunt that happens as your child plays. Make a little girl splash in the puddle, make a cloud rain as well as make the wind blow, count with a friendly squirrel, help a caterpillar become a butterfly, stack hats on the spider's head and so much more!


Honestly, Graham has been playing with this game for about 2 weeks and we still haven't discovered all that it can do! This would keep him entertained all day if I let him. For $.99 you really are getting a bargain! If you haven't checked out the rest of Duck Duck Moose's apps they definitely have quality ones to choose from. They were even nominated for iPhone Application Developer of the Year! Make sure to keep up with them on Twitter!

This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Duck Duck Moose, who provided the application for review.


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My favorite part of Christmas is always the stocking. I loved it so much as a child because you just never knew what you would find in there. My parents really went out of the way to find unique, but inexpensive items to fill it with. Of course, it is always nice to have something other than candy in the mix as well!

HEXBUG has come out with a 12 legged robotic creature called the Nano. It honestly looks like a real bug when you start it up and let it go. We were sent an orange Nano to review (they come in 5 different colors). The batteries are included and it comes in this sleek looking test tube. Your child will definitely be surprised to pull this out of their stocking! The Nano behaves like a real bug once you flip on the switch. Tiny vibrations send the Nano scampering over various surfaces. It even flips over by itself. It uses the physics of vibration to navigate different items in its path (avoiding items, flipping over, etc).

You can also get involved online! Each HEXBUG Nano is assigned it's own unique serial number and point value system. Simply register your Nano online and take quizzes about scientists in history to achieve more points, build your own virtual Nano, and see how other players are doing.



The best part? The HEXBUG Nano retails for only $7.99! You can find them at Toys R Us as well as Radio Shack.

This product was provided free of charge by HEXBUG. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.



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