Terry Treetop and the Little Bear #Book #Review

     We've lived in our home now for almost 7 years.  In that time, we have had flocks of turkeys cross our yard each morning for months on end, we've had racoons and skunks grace us with their presence each night, we've had deer, bobcats, hawks, and other wildlife.  For the last couple years we have had a flock of pigeons in our yard, among many other birds who stay and come back each year.  We have no lack of wildlife here.  This week we have had a first though, and I wish I were here to see it, as it would have been my first ever sighting outside of a zoo.  A black bear walked across our front yard and into the woods.  A BEAR!!!  In our front yard!    I think it might have had something to do with the can of tuna that was put out for our missing cat.  It kinda makes me want to put out more tuna.

     Of course we told the kids so that they would be very careful and stay together and away from the tree line.  We always make sure that they know about the dangerous animals that we see.  They spend a LOT of time outside playing and we don't ever want to discourage that, but it's very important that they know how to be aware of their surroundings when living so close to the woods.

     This newest book of ours came at just the right time for our little missed encounter.  Terry Treetop and the Little Bear, written by Tali Carmi, is about a little redheaded, freckled, outdoorsy kid named Terry.  Terry is so happy that it's springtime, and as he's looking around and taking it all in, he sees a little bear cub come into his yard.  He wants to play with the cub until he sees that the cub isn't alone.  Mama Bear is close by and doesn't trust humans.  As she gets the young bear to head into the woods, the baby ends up getting trapped and is in need of help.  Terry is just the boy for the job and teaches Mama Bear that maybe little humans aren't so bad after all.

      There are several things I like about this book, besides being a cute children's book.  First is the illustrations, colorful and engaging, my kids are drawn to that style art and so am I.  Second is the storyline.  Terry knows that he needs to help animals and treat them with respect, but he also knows to be cautious when dangerous animals are involved.  It's a wonderful story for my kids and for any family.

     When I first saw this book, I thought it looked familiar, and that's because I already own the e-book Terry Treetop and the Lost Egg, from the same series.  That book is pretty cute as well and also shows Terry helping animals.  I think this whole series looks like one I would be happy to own for my family and at only $1 per book, you really can't go wrong.  I definitely recommend it!

Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Fabness 10x15 #Canvas #Review

 

Streaker finding frogs at the lake, 2015.

     I am so glad that summer vacation is here.  No more waking up at 6am and running around like a headless chicken looking for clean pair of underwear or that missing notebook.  No more struggling to make sure the kids are in bed early enough for ample sleep before said early morning.  No more stressing about missing the bus or worrying about the kids coming home with yet another complaint about the way X, Y, or Z treated them at school or on the bus that day.  No more, just fun.  And this year, we are planning to definitely work on our 365 list from a couple years ago.

Enjoying our season pass to the lake, compliments Girl Scouts of America, 2015.

     For our family, it also means photo time.  Photo shoots are just the start.  The kids do tons of fun things in the summer that I can't wait to capture.  Things like hikes, sports, playground, parks, camps... we fill our summer vacation right up.  I think when my kids move out, they'll each have a whole bookshelf full of photo albums to go with them.  I have so many ideas for what I want to do with these photos.  My latest idea is to print out a canvas of each of the kids, then surround that canvas with smaller prints.  Kinda like this, times 5:

Photo Via: MotherEarthNews.com

     My hallway would look amazing!

Punky during a Girl Scout Photo Shoot after a day of pampering.

     I think I'm definitely going to go with a  quality printer for those canvases.  I've tried out a few canvas printers and I think, although all of them were pretty nice canvases, that I'm gonna have to go with Fabness on this project.  Fabness seems slightly better quality than others that I've tried, and they have constant deals going on.  Just in the month or so since I've become an affiliate, I've seen at least 4 different deals for various days.  I believe there was one for Memorial Day, one for Father's Day, a couple others for various things.  These sales all run anywhere from 60-83% off!  Right now, there is a sale for Father's Day for 70% off  canvas prints with free shipping if you use the code DADSDAY2015.  Make sure you use that code if you want the free shipping!

Baby Bee at the shed for a photo shoot, 2015.

     After the winter finally ended this year, we were so excited to see grass that we decided to do a shoot.  While doing the shoot, we tried some places that we don't normally use and we realized that the old shed out back makes an EXCELLENT prop.  The spring shoot is the set that I am deciding to go with for my hallway canvas project.  I need to take a photo of Boog to match the rest of the set, but for now I will work with what I have.

     When I signed up for the Affiliate Program, I had the chance to receive a canvas for free to test out and tell people about.  I decided to go with a photo of my oldest daughter, The Big One.  It is one of my favorites of her ever taken.

     The very first thing that I noticed, besides how quickly it came in the mail, was the awesome framing and canvas quality.  It feels like the canvas itself is a thicker material than others.  The frame feels more sturdy and less likely to break or weaken.  There are 21 staples in all connecting the canvas to the frame.  The canvas has care instructions printed right onto it so you don't have to hold onto a paper for forever or worry about forgetting how to take care of it.

     The second thing I noticed was the level of detail.  As I held it and looked at it, I noticed a strand of hair across The Big One's face that I didn't notice before, even while editing the photo.  I also noticed one of those gross "sleepy seeds" in the corner of her eye that will forever bug me.  Point is, the detail in a Fabness canvas print is amazing.

     The next thing that I noticed was that the hanger was hanging from a baggie by a staple in the frame.  It went in super easy with slight taps from a hammer.  All you have to do is line up the little dot of the hanger with the middle marker line of the canvas to make sure everything is centered.  As you can see, I didn't realize that and just eyeballed it.  It's slightly off, but I just hang it from a different tooth.

       Overall, I think that the canvas is definitely worth the purchase.  The one I got was 10x15, usually $72.  With the 70% off Father's Day sale, it is knocked down to about $21.60.  I think any photo loving mom should check it out for sure.  I'm so glad that I did!

Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

The Animal Game #Review

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.

     When The Big One was 14 months old, she knew how to talk, could point to pretty much every body part, and could do flashcards like no one's business.  It wasn't long after that she could tell you every shape's name.  I spent all my free time talking with her and teaching her.  Now that I have 5 kids, I just don't have free tome anymore.  Boog is 2 1/2 and doesn't know his colors yet, animal names, only just learned his sister's REAL names.  He's not at all slow to learn, I just never think to teach him.
     When I do get the urge to help my kids learn new things, I like the concept to be fun and simple.  With Baby Bee, we traced invisible letters with our fingers in the air.  With Streaker, we wrote the alphabet every Sunday in the church pamphlet while the pastor did his morning welcome.  I did different things with different kids, depending on what they liked.

     When I was introduced to the Animal Game by Christine Alexandria, I thought the idea behind it was a pretty cute one.  Farmer Johnson needs help finding his animals so that he can put them into the barn for the night.  He asks you to help find an animal based on a couple clues about the animal.  The clues are geared probably for a 3 year old, though the description on Amazon says ages 2-6.  I think most 6 year olds would be too old for this book.  However, my very newly 5 year old did enjoy this, even though it was a bit easy for her.

Baby Bee loves Piggies, so the first animal of the book captured her interest.

     Boog found some animals, and couldn't find others.  This book doesn't come in print that I can tell, but it is printable and can also be read at the computer, so we will go back to it often.  It only takes a few minutes to read, which I love because even on busy days I can help him learn.  Soon he will know his colors and animal names and even what sound they make.
     Boog and Baby Bee both liked the game quite well and Boog even threw a fit when I put the game away to work on some photo edits.  He fussed until I printed a page of the book out for him, which he loved.  I think this game book is kinda cute and definitely exciting for preschoolers.  You can find The Animal Game HERE.  Christine Alexandria also wrote the book A Trip Through Space, which you can find HERE.
     What fun learning games do you play with your kids?


Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Let's Change That! Book #Review

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.

     One thing that makes me super proud as a mom is how accepting my kids are of people's differences.  They make friends with children of all ages, races, and abilities.  We try to discourage stereotypes and appreciate people based on who they are, not who their family or friends are, etc.

     Still, we have known people who are less accepting.  I hope that my children are never influenced in any way to form prejudices.  I find that life is so much less complicated when you just try to be nice to everyone, regardless.

     I recently came across a book that I think does a good job at getting kids to think differently about labels.  The book is called Let's Change That: If Animals Can, We Can Too!  It was written by Dr. Bashar Salame, a chiropractor and married father from Michigan.  It's about a cat, Felix, who wanders outdoors and stumbles upon a baby bird in need of help.  Not to be one defined by harsh stereo-types, the cat decided to try to recruit help to save the bird.  He even decided to try to convince a dog to break free of his own social "shackles" to help him!  As it turns out, not everyone Felix asked to help was willing to jump out of the bystander role and help out.  But as they soon learn, there wasn't really anything to be afraid of.  Doing the right thing should never be scary.

     When I asked Punk what she thought the book was about, she said that it was about friendship and teamwork.  When I asked Streaker, she said that it was about changing the way things are normally done and helping others.  This shows that even young children clearly get the message the book delivers.

     The book is a great story and I'm glad my kids love it.  What I really love about the book is the colorful and fun illustrations.  I'm actually kinda super picky about the imagery in children's books, most just aren't "there" for me, but this book is beautifully done.  I would kill for Rainer Osinger to do the illustrations in my own book.  Okay, not really KILL.  Maybe a mosquito.  I'd kill a mosquito.  Or an earwigs.  I'm not much for killing.  But, moving on...
     The only thing that I had a hard time getting past was that the dog is a girl.  Every time it said "Bonnie", it took me a second to remember who Bonnie was because she just doesn't LOOK like a girl.  But then again, this book is about breaking stereotypes, so I guess it doesn't really matter after all, does it?
     If you;re interested, you can find this book on Amazon HERE.


Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Baby Orajel Naturals Nighttime Teething Gel Review

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free to facilitate this review, all opinions are my own.

      I am super fortunate in that none of my kids have ever really teethed hard.  They've fussed a little, chewed a little, drooled a little... one in particular drooled a LOT.  But there was no uncontrollable crying and sleepless night involved.  Lord knows, I don't need any less sleep.
     I did try teething medication a few times and I tried teething pendants (loved that).  I looked into natural teething tablets, but the thought made me a little leery.  I have a ridiculous paranoid fear of the baby choking on said tablet.  But the idea of a natural medicine was something I liked.

     Recently we tried Baby Orajel Naturals Nighttime Teething Gel.  We were drawn to that natural aspect.  And for the sake of experiment, I tried it myself having some pain of my own.  It was nothing major, but my tooth hurt a bit.  Granted, tooth pain isn't quite the same as gum pain from protruding teeth, but it was pain all the same and teething gel always helped.
     To be honest, I was a bit unimpressed by the lack of pain relief. There was none.  Obviously, it's a baby product and I didn't expect it to work as well as the regular stuff, but I was curious why I felt no change at all.  So I checked the label.  I found that the only active ingredients are there to help the tooth form (which is great for helping that tooth finally cut though), and help with restlessness and irritability.  There was nothing for pain relief that I saw, I even researched the ingredients themselves and saw nowhere that they helped with actual pain.
     I hate to say it, but I think this gel is more to help the parent feel better than the baby.  I think after reading the ingredients that I would actually feel bad using this and knowing that I'm helping my baby be calm and act better, but not helping them FEEL better.  And just in case I'm reading into this wrong or that one of these ingredients actually does help with pain and I'm just unaware, here's the label for you to check out yourself (you may need to click on it to enlarge).  If I'm wrong, please correct me:

     I will say that it didn't taste terrible like most teething gels, so that's a big plus.  And I've read testimonies from parents who love the Naturals line, like these ones, so judge for yourself:

     Baby Orajel Naturals Nighttime Teething Gel uses Chamomile, used since ancient times to fight off insomnia, and Passion Flower, used to help fight off nervousness and soothe the baby and help it fall sleep easier.  I think having this in a teething gel is a great idea and could probably be used for times that the baby isn't even really teething if baby's having a restless night.
      I think that I would possibly use this in addition to a frozen wash cloth or other form of pain management if I were using it for teething and likely not use it by itself.  What about you?  Have you tried it out?  What do you think?  I'm interested to know!


Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Lucid 8: Idle Revolution Music Album Review

DISCLAIMER: I received this product free to facilitate this review, all opinions are my own.

     I don't often stray from my music comfort zone.  When I do, it's usually by chance or someone asks me to listen to something and it's never really spurred on by choice.  What is my comfort zone, you might ask?  I'm super predictable and prefer the Top 100 type artists like  Meghan Trainor, Bruno Mars and the like.  There are some songs and artists that I like despite not fitting into my comfort zone.  Metallica for instance, some of their songs I heard so much growing up that they almost have a nostalgic, calming affect on me now.  Same goes for The Four Seasons - Oh, What a Night.  Love that song.

     I didn't know what to expect when I read that Lucid 8 creates music that can be categorized in all genres.  On another site, I read that they have a high energy rock sound, which I thought could be cool.  I went in with my mind completely open with no expectations, good or bad.
     The first track, Normalcy Bias actually had a bouncy beginning that reminded me a bit of Chocolate Rain by Tay Zonday, but quickly became harder.  It didn't become harder in a way that made it hard to listen, but in a way that wasn't over the top.

     Other tracks had parts reminiscent of Eddy and the Cruisers, Jet, and Creed, among others, though fully original at the same time.  There is definitely a few tracks that I really like, even though it isn't comfort-zone music for me.  I think my favorite track is Pieces, a song about the love of a parent, something that I can definitely relate to.     And do you know what I love the most about the album?  I could be wrong, but I don't think there are any cuss words in it.  In fact, in one song, the f-word was replaced with... "F", as in "F-this, F-that".  It's music that you can be okay with your kids listening to!  That is a HUGE bonus for me, and actually, for most parents that I know.  I can see my nephew listening to it, as well as my husband and brothers.  Over-all, it isn't really my kind of music, but it's something I would listen to, especially certain songs.
     Here's a song from their Lucid 8 Album, called Run just to get an idea of what their sound is like:

     If you're interested in checking out their music, you can find them on Amazon.

Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

#NeuroBeats Sleep Better Review

DISCLAIMER:  I received this product for free in order to facilitate this review, all opinions are my own.

     Every once in a while, I come across something that's so awesome that I just have to tell people about it.  Things like Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool, an entire curriculum for the whole year offered free online.  That was an awesome find.  Or the Cuddle On Inn that holds an insane amount of stuffed animals so that they aren't underfoot, also super cool and share worthy.  Truth be told, I like most of the products I try, I'm not hard to please.  But I'm also not super easy to impress, I don't love them all by any means.  But this one... this one I LOVE.  Love, love, love.  LOVE.
     What is it?  NeuroBeats, sound tracks that help you sleep just be listening to them before bed!  Before I really dig into it, let me first tell you that I am NOT a heavy sleeper.  I wake at every noise.  People can whisper to me and I wake up, it's actually something that I am pretty proud of.  It makes it easy to wake up without an alarm and before trying NeuroBeats, I hadn't been late waking the girls up at 6am with no alarm for weeks.  Although, it also means that I wasn't getting ample rest.  It was irritating to wake 10 times just in a matter of a few hours.  Luckily, I do hit REM sleep almost instantly so I can get a manageable amount of rest even with constantly waking.  But it isn't GOOD rest.  I am left feeling tired by afternoon and with no coffee, I will be back to sleep by mid-morning.

     When I read about NeuroBeats: Sleep Better helping you sleep uninterrupted just by listening to it for a half hour before bed for a couple weeks, I was totally intrigued.  The idea of sleeping an not waking, it was unimaginable.  I haven't seen those days since I was a teenager.  I asked to try it and was pretty excited when I was allowed to test it out.
     The science behind it all has to do with the brain's response to the beats in the audio, the binaural beats.  To be honest, I didn't really find much about the actual science behind it from the NeuroBeats site itself besides some quotes about the studies done with it.  I had been told that it would be easy to find, so that was slightly disappointing.  But have no fear, I researched it a little for you.
     Binaural Beat Therapy is here today thanks to the discovery of binaural tones, discovered in the late 1800's by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove.  In the late 1900's, an alternative medicine community claimed that using these beats could help induce relaxation, meditation, creativity and other mental states, depending on the difference of the frequency in the beats from ear to ear.  Based on the goal of Sleep Better, I'm assuming that the difference is frequency is below 10Hz, where it is most optimal for help in sleep.
     Now let me warn you... when I first downloaded it, I was eager to hear it and had no headphones, so I played it aloud at my computer aaaaaaaand I may have had threats against my life to turn it off.  Okay, not really.  But it did ignite a strong irritation among most members of the house.  The sound kinda makes you want to hurt something, like really hurt something.  Here's a sample so you can see what I mean.  Imagine the background noise, the one that sounds like a low wine glass hum, now imagine that's the only noise.  That's the whole first track, I kinda recommend skipping it.  It wasn't my favorite one, although I think I tolerated it better than everyone else.  The second track was worse in my opinion.  The rest of the tracks are ones that you could mentally tune out eventually.

 

     So why, if the sound makes me homicidal, would I love this album?  Because it works!!!!  In a world full of shady products and false promises, this one works.  The very first night that I tried it, I slept so much better!  I only awoke 3 times and it was a sleepy half-awake type thing.  I didn't wake up 'til 6:45 and the girls barely made the bus.  Since then, I have woken up late for school many times, completely missing my 6 o'clock wake up, I slept that soundly.  I didn't wake for my husband's alarm or when kids moved in the night.  I just slept, real sleep, the kind where you don't wake up every 20 minutes.

     Now, let me tell you that I am such a skeptic when it comes to anything subliminal.  I hate when I can feel being manipulated into feeling a certain way and I don't ever want to depend on drugs for good sleep.  I tried Benadryl once before when I was having side effects to a drug that caused insomnia.  It worked great and served it's purpose, but I woke with a very dizzy feeling and I hated that, I don't like to feel like I'm "on something".  The cool thing about NeuroBeats is that it's just sound.  It's not a drug, it's not hypnosis or some other crazy expensive thing where you feel like you're being controlled, it's just sound.  Sound that works.

     Despite the maddening feeling that you may experience with some of the tracks, I absolutely HIGHLY recommend NeuroBeats for anyone who has trouble staying asleep.  However, please don't use it if you have epilepsy, if you are overly sensitive to outside stimuli (for the love of Pete, please do NOT use this on children with Autism), or if you are driving, etc.  Although it didn't personally make me drowsy, it can have that effect on certain people, so it's best to be safe.

     You can find NeuroBeats on Facebook, Youtube, Amazon, Google Play, and iTunes.

Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.