I’ve never really purchased any unit study kits. Usually I hodge podge them together with items around the house. And I’ve never really lapbooked in the traditional sense. Usually we journal and color and cut and paste into a spiral notebook, but when I was given the opportunity to review Download N Go unit lapbook kit, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

Upon opening the PDF file on Whales, I was immediately impressed with the colors and graphics. Definitely eye pleasing, but not having experience with download unit studies I started to wonder if I was suppose to print out the entire 80 page unit. That would mean a lot of ink. Probably more than I’d spend if I just bought a paper copy of the unit study.

As I read through the well thought out curriculum, I loved the video links included and the suggested reading to enhance the study. There were even handy links for lapbook beginners. So the definite plus of a downloadable are all the links to enhance the study on the computer.

The unit study is probably for younger aged kids, 3rd grade and lower and it’s put together nicely with daily to dos and suggestions, plus questions for your children to answer on the printable pages. There are also activities that will eventually go in the lap books, but I’m still figuring out what I should print out and what I can save ink on. I guess for me, I might have preferred more coloring pages then full blown color graphics.

One neat feature is that occasionally the unit study will tell you click over to the lapbook for an activity. Maybe that’s when I should print out the page. And then on the activity page it will have a link where you can click back to where you were in your study.

Like I said, I’m knew to online lapbooking, but to me this seems like an individual project the child sits down at the computer to do by himself. At least, that’s the best way to take advantage of all the links. But I’m going to attempt to tackle it with two children at at time!

Here’s more information:

Each day for 5 days, your students will meet and learn about a different whale and enjoy creative lapbooking fun. There are science discoveries, such as learning about whale and human anatomy, and history investigations, learning about Creation and the Bible story of Jonah. Geography lessons will introduce the oceans making the study of whales quite interesting! Plus there are writing prompts, crafts, games, a wonderful choice of books to complement this study, and many coloring/activity pages.

DNG has decided to offer a coupon code for 20% off multiple packs of the DNG units! Wow – 20%.

Though I do love a good bowl of Captain Crunch cereal, preferably peanut butter or crunch berry, as of the last couple of years, my expanding self does not. It’s just not easy to get the weight off (when was it ever?)

So I’m having to snack smart. That’s why when I was given the opportunity to taste and review a free sample of Breyers’ YoCrunch Yogurt, I didn’t have to think twice.

The main thing that caught my attention was they use Truvia (rebiana – a natural, zero-calorie sweetener derived from the stevia leaf. ) in their yogurt. Since I stopped adding sugar to my coffee and I try to avoid Splenda and other artificial sweetners which are prevalent in low fat yogurts, I thought I’d give YoCrunch a try.

I was expecting a coupon in the mail, but instead I got an ice-packed package of a four pack yogurt! How cool is that! I immediately went to the nutrition facts. 100 calories, .5 fat. Not a bad start. Plus it had Truvia, the best tasting stevia I found. But I was a little surprised to find when I dug deeper that the yogurt still contained sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Needless to say I was concerned so I emailed the publicist who did some extra research for me.

She said, “Some of the flavors do not contain any high fructose corn syrup, but the product you received has less than 1% and Breyers is currently working to remove it from the formula completely.  Breyers YoCrunch 100 Calorie Packs are portion controlled and have less sugars when compared to other full sized yogurts. Additionally, the product is a healthy indulgent snack that is nutrient rich and designed to replace other dessert items such as cake and ice cream which are not.”

Well, I felt better after that! But what about the taste test? It was smooth and creamy, though not as flavorful as I’d have liked, but the granola added a yummy, crunchy addition, yet the “snack” wasn’t as filling as a regular size yogurt. Upon further inspection, I did discover that it was just under 4 oz but still contained 100 calories. Maybe the granola added the extra calories. While the Truvia ingredient is a plus, I think YoCrunch could stand some improvements on the size and taste. Though in all fairness, I did only taste one of the flavors, and I’ve heard there several varieties including cheesecake, cookies and cream, etc.

But don’t just take my word for it, go and try it for yourself!

Before I had a little girl of my own, I vowed to keep her from those barely clothed Barbie Dolls. I had grown up playing with Barbie, the perfectly sculpted woman. In a society that idolizes perfect women with perfect figures, I didn’t want to subject my daughter to that mentality and to subconsciously compare herself to Barbie’s impossible proportions. But as she got older it became more obvious that Barbie was a force to be reckoned with, so I relented to the Princess Barbies. After all, they were clad in long flowing gowns instead of those skimpy clothes so many of the other Barbies were wearing.

Then I fell in love with Barbie videos and all vows were off. After ten years of Barnie, Psalty the singing song book, Disney Sing-a-long, and Wee Sing, I was ready for a change and delighted when my daughter skipped all the PBS toddler shows and went straight for Barbie: The Princess and the Pauper. I think it was her older cousin’s influence, but it’s one influence I didn’t grit my teeth at.

I was pleasantly surprised by Barbie who portrayed both classic and new characters and was not your typical damsel in distress princess. She was strong, independent, her own hero! And it didn’t hurt that she sang! I was definitely hooked on Barbie DVDs after that first video and as excited as my daughter when new Barbie adventures came out. Needless to say, themed Barbie dolls filled her wish list, and I didn’t hesitate to indulge her in these fun Barbie character adventures.

So when Mom Central invited me to try out the new “Sing Along with Barbie” DVD I was excited!

12 Barbie songs comprise this DVD which is basically 12 scenes ripped from some of our favorite Barbie movies like “The Island Princess,” “Barbie and the Three Musketeers,” “Barbie and the Diamond Castle,” “The Princess and the Pauper” and a few more. My seven year old daughter was able to follow along with the purple highlighted words, like you’d do in karaoke, though we did notice when there was a duet, it was harder to follow. We did figure out that the second singer’s lyrics were on the bottom, but my son pointed out it would have been better if the words were highlighted a different color. One negative is that since the songs are scenes from the movie, there is talking involved and that talking is also highlighted across the screen as if the tv text was just turned on, but that is easily overlooked.

I’m not sure who enjoyed the dvd more, me or my daughter, but I’m sure we’ll have plenty more opportunities to find out!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Mattel. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

When I had the opportunity to review this product, I was really excited. An audio bible for kids voiced by stars from Disney like Corbin Bleu, Cody Linley and Alyson Stoner. My first question was could all these kids be Christians and if so, how cool is that? (Keep reading to the end for the answer!)

I got the cds almost a year ago, popped it into my cd player in the car, and was disappointed to learn they were in MP3 format which my cd player couldn’t read. Neither could the other players in my house. Thus began the problem of actually listening to the audio bible. The next thing I did was download it to my ZUNE which wasn’t an easy task since I’m somewhat ZUNE challenged. But I managed to listen to the audio enough to get a feel for the cd.

At first it was hard to get used to hearing such young bible characters, but after all it was aimed at pre-teens and teens. The voices of the characters, especially Jesus, often lulled me into a tranquil state, which I would be great to listen to before bed. Other reviewers on Amazon mentioned that some of the emotions were mismatched. I agree. When Jesus should have been angry, he had the same tone and that some word usage such as “sexual relations” (talking about Mary and Joseph) seemed inappropriate if the product was geared toward the younger crowd ages 8-12, though recommended age was not mentioned on this cd.

I wish I could have listened to the entire cd and given a more precise opinion and review, but a quarter of the ways through the cd my ZUNE battery died and as fate would have it, I lost the cable needed to charge it. I thought I needed to get a review up before it got off my radar all together, and I did listen to enough of the cd to offer my thoughts.

I had hoped this would be a great cd for my kids to listen to but the MP3 format was a problem, and they didn’t seem interested or captivated after listening to it once. Though it is supposed to be a dramatization, I think it’s more accurately described as an audio book of the Bible with some sound affects, music backgrounds, and famous actors reading the text.

By far, my favorite part of this audio collection was the “Behind the Scenes” DVD. The director shared his vision for the audio Bible and the actors shared their feelings in being asked to join this project and their experiences as it was being recorded. I was very impressed to learn that those interviewed had some real faith experiences and commitments and while no one came out and said “I’m a Christian” you could tell some of them grew up in faith, had grown closer to God during this project, and were excited to participate in a project so close to their hearts.

I loved this aspect of the collection so much, our family used it for our devotions. Since my children are into theatre and some of them have aspirations of working with Disney some day, it was a great lesson in teaching the kids that you can still have faith and be in Hollywood and that there were other kids who were living their dream and serving God. It opened the doors for more discussions on Hollywood and faith and the difficulties that Christians face.

So overall, I’d give this product a positive rating with the cast being the biggest draw to kids.

When my seven year old grows up she wants to be a writer, a mom and fashion designer. Obviously the mom gig will have to wait, but she doesn’t have to wait for the rest to fulfill her dreams. She’s already written a couple dozen books and now FashionPlaytes.com can make the rest of her dream come true.

When I first logged on I thought it was just another website where your little girl can go and design clothes but adding color and cuts to a template. Boy, was I wrong! The difference between Fashion Playtes and the other sites is that your little fashion designer can design and then WEAR her own clothes! How cool is that and what a great unique gift idea!

Here’s what some other mom’s are saying:

The Fashion Playtes dress that I ordered on-line arrived and it is superb! We are both absolutely “wowed” by the quality and the fun. — Jessic

Catherine received her first Fashion Playtes creation. She LOVES it & wrote a little piece about it for school. Thank you folks for including the tote bag. She proudly carries it on her back!– Annie

And the best news yet is my readers get $15 off their first purchase by using the code TwitterMom15 at checkout.
http://www.fashionplaytes.com/lp1?f=twittermom15

You can even give Fashion Playtes as a gift certificate and they never expire. So what are you waiting for? Only seven more days of Christmas shopping?

Yes, I know, I’m on a no sugar kick mostly to tame my sweet tooth during the holidays, and I confess, I have slipped a bit, but I’m back on track and sure glad I’m not pregnant. Why? Aside from the obvious, one of my favorites chocolates, dark chocolate, is said to be beneficial to pregnant women and if I was pregnant that just might give me a license to eat it!!!

Dr. Triche and researchers from Yale studied 2,291 pregnant women who gave birth between 1996 and 2000 and asked the moms-to-be how much chocolate they ate in their first and second trimesters. Their studies included testing blood from their umbilical cords for theobromine, a telltale component of chocolate. Women who ate the most chocolate were about 70 percent less likely to develop preeclampsia than those who eat the least, the researchers report in this month’s issue of the journal Epidemiology.

Great news for pregnant women, though I’d like to see the study on how much weight these women gained during their pregnancy.

Dark chocolate is not only beneficial for pregnant women but Intentional Chocolateâ„¢ is said to decrease stress, increase energy, greater calmness, and enhanced focus. Maybe that’s why many women reach for chocolate when they’re stressed out! Intentional Chocolate believes in their chocolate and providing the best product for health, well-being and satisfaction.  “Whoever consumes this chocolate will manifest optimal health and functioning at physical, emotional and mental levels, and in particular will enjoy an increased sense of energy, vigor and well-being for the benefit of all beings.” That’s enough to make me break my sugar fast for a while!

Intentional chocolate received the following benefits:

• Decreased stress
• Increased energy
• Less fatigue
• Greater calmness
• Enhanced focus
• Improved general well-being

So indulge in dark chocolate for pregnancy and lose the guilt! But with chocolate this yummy, you better be prepared to lose the weight as well!

Intentional Chocolate has some wonderful news about the benefits of dark chocolate! Did you know it is incredibly beneficial for pregnant women? The fantastic news about chocolate comes from Elizabeth Triche of Yale University and her colleagues. The researchers studied 2,291 pregnant women who …

When I decided to teach at my kids’ school, I knew I  wasn’t going to order the fast food lunches every time. I needed to get into the habit of packing my lunch. I barely have the time to pack my kids lunches but every since I got the CitizenPip lunch system (thanks to Qlubb.com) I’ve been excited to pack lunch!

The funky insulated lunch box wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. What really made me “have to have it” was the Eco-friendl, Muck-free (Lead-free, BPA-free, PVC-free and phthalate-free) containers and the great water bottles and hot soup container. I’ve already used it twice and it’s not even soup weather. I just heated my soup up in the morning and it was still warm by lunch. I’m hoping this new lunch kit will cut down on the fast food and I feel good using something that is Muck-free!

They have lunch boxes and several kits to choose from or you can pick the pieces you want. I’ve found myself wanting to pack more salads at lunch time just so I can use the cute and easy open containers!

CitizenPip not only has great products for healthy lunch containers, but they care enough to help give back to your school by offering fundraiser opportunities.

It’s that time of year again, when Disney on Ice comes to our state fair. Fair time is always a fun and busy time of year and I always tell myself “this year I’m taking the kids to Disney on Ice.” Over the years we only made it twice. Once as a family to see the Incredibles, which was pretty incredible and once my hubby took our daughter to see the Princesses on Ice. I had planned to take her myself and was pretty bummed when an out of town trip interfered, but what a special time they had together!

And this year, Disney on Ice has an array of shows touring across America. I’m not sure which one will be in my town, but I’m positive it will be a fabulous time! And one of the best parts is there’s a MOM coupon code available for saving money! Keep reading to find it!

Here’s some more info on shows and locations:

“Your kids will be wowed by the opportunity to locally experience their favorite Disney characters live, right in front of their eyes.  With spectacular ice shows featuring the magical Disney characters: such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Cinderella and Tinker Bell to favorites from Disney’s Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, and the new film, The Princess and The Frog; there is a performance to delight everyone—big and small alike.  These action-packed shows will certainly be a family treat, and will create childhood memories of special times together.”

Thanks to Mom Central for extending the following special family offers; look for the box marked “MC Promotion” when purchasing tickets:

• *Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code “MOM” at select ticketing channels. Offer good on all weekday performances, which includes all weekday evening and Friday matinee performances; minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each.
• *Offer #2: All weekend performance tickets will be $4 off the original price
• Offer #3: Get the best Front Row and VIP seats available – We have reserved seats in the Front Row and VIP sections just for you! No discounts available on these seats. Use the code MOM.

*Not valid on Front Row or VIP seats or combinable with other offers including opening night offers. Other fees may apply.
The above offers are good in the following cities:

• St. Louis: September 3-6, 2009
• Chicago: September 8-13, 2009
• Sunrise: September 17-20, 2009
• Dayton/Cincinnati: September 17-27, 2009
• Miami: September 23-27, 2009
• Auburn Hills: September 30 – October 4, 2009
• Charlotte: October 8-11, 2009
• Philadelphia: October 14-18, 2009
• Atlanta: October 14-18, 2009
• Oakland/San Jose: October 14-25, 2009
• Fairfax: October 21-25, 2009
• Sacramento: October 28 – November 1, 2009
• Baltimore: October 28 – November 1, 2009
• Uniondale: November 10-15, 2009
• Houston: November 11-15, 2009
• NYC: November 17-22, 2009
• East Rutherford: November 24-29, 2009
• Denver/Broomfield: December 3-13, 2009 *available for purchase on 9/12/09
• St. Paul: December 9-13, 2009
• Los Angeles: December 17-20, 2009
• Toronto: December 18-27, 2009
• Anaheim: December 22-27, 2009
• Philadelphia: December 23 – January 3, 2010 *available for purchase on 10/12/09
• Boston: December 26-29, 2009 *available for purchase on 9/3/09
• Ontario: December 30 – January 3, 2010
• Cleveland: January 8 -18, 2009 *available for presale on 10/2/09

Shows coming this fall & winter:

Disney On Ice presents Celebrations! It’s one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends!  Enjoy a winter wonderland with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains, a Very Merry Unbirthday Party, a Royal Ball with the Disney Princesses and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe. Come join the party when this spectacular ice show visits your hometown!

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy: Rev up for non-stop fun with four of your favorite Disney stories at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy.  Thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar’s race across the ice.  Dive into The Little Mermaid’s enchanting undersea kingdom and experience the ‘Circle of Life’ with The Lion King.  Then enter the mystical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies as they reveal the magic that lies within! From wheels to waves, Pride Lands to pixie dust, your family’s favorite Disney moments come to life at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy with dazzling skating, special effects and beloved characters certain to create a lifetime of memories.

Special Bonus!  Come see a Disney princess and a dazzling display of gorgeous gowns at the Disney Princess Pre-Show starting one hour before show time!  Complimentary to all ticket holders.

Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic: Join the celebration as 65 of Disney’s unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic!  You’ll be captivated by the one and only Mickey Mouse, the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and all the Disney Princesses. Be thrilled by exciting moments from The Lion King; Mulan; and Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story films; in a skating spectacular filled with magical Disney moments you’ll remember forever as Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic!

Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics: Disney On Ice is proud to bring you a dazzling tale of hope, heart, heroism and hilarity as Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics. This stunning spectacle is an awe-inspiring and fun-filled journey to the magical lands of Disney’s classic fairy tales. Travel to a kingdom under the sea, an enchanted palace in France, an Arabian castle and more! Enter the fantasy worlds of your favorite Disney princesses – Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and Snow White – as they bring magic to your city in this royal skating extravaganza. 

To learn more about Disney On Ice shows touring the country this year and to find shows in your area, visit the Disney On Ice site.  And don’t forget to use the special discount code when purchasing tickets online!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Feld Entertainment. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Lori Walter, a Licensed Massage Therapist and Stretch Instructor, developed the Stretch for Life routine over a thirteen years period. The DVD is designed to help the average person or athlete “heal and repair their structural integrity.”

I found this DVD very simple to use and liked the fact they used average people and not super models to demonstrate the stretches. Each stretch was explained and demonstrated before performed. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was if there was a section to let each stretch flow into the other instead of having to choose the stretches you want to do one by one. It got a bit laborious changing to each stretch, and I’m an impatient person by nature.

Though the description of the DVD seems to target individuals in need of muscular repair or better range of motion, I found it helpful for promoting rest. Even though I was tired when I tried the stretches, afterward I felt rested and a bit rejuvenated. This video would be perfect before bed or after a long day at work.

I also see this as a great tool for physicians to give to their patients. “You can begin with the stretches necessary to begin the healing process. Later, as client’s range of motion and strength improve, you can increase their individual plan by simply assigning additional stretches.”

In the past, I’ve been given copies of exercises and stretches on paper and later had to decipher the moves. Having a video where the stretches are demonstrated and where you can stretch along takes the guess work and trouble out of doing your exercises.

I recommend this video for those who are looking for a simple way to relax through stretching and find yoga took hard or desire muscular repair. I can even see this video a great tool after your regular workout. I know I’m guilty of not stretching enough after I exercise.

Frequently asked questions about stretching.

This month has been crazy, and in another post I’ll go into a little more detail about all the exciting stuff that happened this summer, but for starters my daughter and I just returned from an overnight trip to Charlotte to tape a show for the Raggs PBS children’s show. It was fun and furious and we’re both exhausted, but school started yesterday and there’s no more time for vacations. Luckily, we got to sleep in this morning!

My perfect vacation right now would be a beach house retreat!  We’ve toyed with the idea of timeshares over the years, but could never get over the high maintenance fees which alone could pay for a fun vacation! Plus, as nice as the resort atmosphere sounds, truth is, we’re too much of a siteseeting family to really enjoy the resort. But I recently came across a website that lists a whole bunch of vacation rental homes across the us and abroad. It seems perfect!

I browsed some of the homes and I started to drool. The homes were gorgeous, and honestly not much more than a night in a fancy hotel. Plus, if you went in with a family and rented for the week, it’s a very affordable vacation.

Check out this 3 bedroom beach home rental in Oregon. If only I lived closer! How about this Texas beach condo!

What’s neat about this website is you pick a state and a map pops up like in google and you just click on the marker to where you’d like to go. Then all the information you need to make your decisions is a click away. Of course, not all the rentals are by the beach and the next time the family needs to take a trip somewhere this site will be our first stop to finding a great place to call home away from home.

I never got to take my 40th birthday trip with friends this year because no one could go! I know, pathetic. I either need more friends or friends with more money! Maybe both;) But I’d still love to get away with some girl friends to a beach home one of these years! Are you game?

Maybe if I start planning now, all chip in for my 45! But I sure home I don’t have to wait that long!

Just found this interesting site for people with back pain. I admit, I suffer on occasion from upper neck and shoulder pain and most often rest and good posture is the cure. But I know many writers and friends who have continuous back trouble that even a chiropractor can’t help. These Back Exercises claim to eliminate back pain by strengthening your muscles and improving body mechanics. They have a free trial, online videos, professional support, progress tracking tools. What have you got to lose, except your pain?

Back Exercises

How did I ever manage raising my kids without the internet? I guess I relied on friends’ advice, books, and magazine articles, but the internet is so much more convenient and available. I’m so glad my children are old enough to travel well, except for an occasional tummy ache and need to stretch their legs, but if yours aren’t check out BabySafeTravel.com.

Not only is the site filled with great tips, travel accessories, and a baby travel blog, it’s a one stop place to book your vacation. Looking for kid friendly hotels? Just type in your destination and dates and in a matter of seconds you have pages of hotel choices. Price, amenities, and 5 star reviews on baby friendliness are available at the click of a button. This really could have saved our family so much stress years ago!

Ready for vacation, but not sure what to pack? Check out the baby boutique  filled with useful, unique travel products. And I just love the baby travel blogs. Beach Baby, Adventure Baby, Snow Baby and Wild Baby blogs that give real families a chance to share their adventures and tips. Traveling is an adventure in itself, thankfully Baby Safe Travel makes it that much more enjoyable!

My best friend from college suprised me this week for a visit and told me about her travels through China. She said Shanghai is a must see! Though she stayed at hostels, I’d prefer a resort like this!

The Sofitel Huanghe Sheshan Resort in Shanghai is a 5 star luxury hotel and has a unique mediterranean decor and everything to make the family happy. There’s swimming, a spa, tennis, and even golf! But the best is it’s affordable. But usually when we vacation, we hardly spend time at the hotel because we’re out seeing the sites. If we went to Shanghai, that would probably be the case and the Accor Hotels City Super Sale has even more affordable hotels to choose from. I only wish I could go between July 10 and September 30, 2009 because I’d be able to save 60% but I’d need to book on-line this week from 23 – 29 June. Hey, if you haven’t made travel plans this summer, you could take advantage of this great deal! Just remember to send me a postcard!

My friend said Shanghai blends modern technology with the ancient world. The Bund strip is a must see. Early in the morning you can see all the older people doing Tai Chi, sword and fan dances, and aerobics everywhere! That would be so cool to see! We could also catch a Chinese acrobat show, and if we timed it right and went during the New Moon festival she said it would be worth it just to taste the special festival cookies!

Other stops on her must see list include The Pearl tower, and the famous tea house in the heart of the old city. You can sit by the window in this Pagoda surrounded by a moat canal and watch the people. She said presidents or heads of state always go there. But she liked it because it was a respite from the busy city and you can only get there on foot. It’s famous for its Jasmine tea where the Jasmine blossom opens when hot water is poured on it. She says the aroma is amazing.

I love to travel, and Asia wasn’t really on my list until I talked with my friend, and I’m so glad she told me about it. I’m already dreaming about the day when my last child is in college and me and hubby can travel the world. I only hope we have the money and the world is travelable!!!

Since our new yard hasn’t been kept up in several years we’ve had a little problem with brown recluse, moles, and mosquitoes. I remember as a kid getting eat up by mosquitoes, especially at night. That was before the West Nile Virus issue, and the only “danger” mosquitos posed was the annoying sting and itch.

Seems like my little girl has inherited my sweet blood because she’s always covered in those itchy bites. She loves to help her daddy in the yard, and we’ve started swimming at night. And every night we have to put on mosquito bite medicine to stop the itch. I keep thinking we need to put on bug spray, but I’d rather not put pesticides on my child every single day. We just put up the tiki torches in the back yard, hoping that might help, but these mosquito traps seem like the best idea yet.

It’s a device that mimics what attracts insects to humans. It seems like the CO2 we exhale, along with our human scent attracts mosquitoes. What this machine does is attract the insects and then traps them. No harmful chemical are released or need to be sprayed on you or in your yard. All you have to do it put it in a location away from your living area, and it can run 24/7. I can also see this being used while camping!

Think of the what this can do for outdoor living! No more pesky mosquitoes to annoy us while swimming or cooking out and no more annoying bites to itch! What a great idea!

How cool is that?

In my last house, I had a ceramic sink for about 8 years, until it started to chip. While I liked the look of the ceramic, it took a beating with the chips and the rim was hard to clean. My hubby bought me a stainless steel sink to replace it one Christmas. You’d think most women would have been excited, but I hate the look of stainless steel. It looks too industrial to me. But I had to admit, after I started using it, I didn’t have to worry about chipping, though I did notice it scratched easier.

Now I’m back to the ceramic sink in our new/old home. It was built in the 80s and though the kitchen was overhauled five years ago, they forgot to replace the sink and stove. So the sink is chipped, and I’m cooking on those old coil type ranges. Does ANYONE still cook on those anymore?

A ceramic sink and a coil range might be okay if we planned on living in this home forever, but our intentions are to sell in a few years and upgrading the sink and stove is on the list. Well, my list, anyway!

So when I discovered that they had Granite Sinks I thought that would be worth checking into. This company claims their granite sinks are natural and environmentally friendly, but what really caught my attention is that it kills 99.9% of bacteria on contact. Plus it’s stain proof and resists scratches and comes with a lifetime warranty. Seems like the perfect sink to me!

If I was to get one, this would be the one! My mom in law put in a new sink like this (minus the granite) and I just loved the fact that it didn’t have the divider.  Who actually uses that other side? I’d prefer one giant sink instead of that annoying divider where no pans or big pots seems to fit. Can anyone relate?

I’m definitely forwarding this website to my hubby so when it comes to upgrading the kitchen, we’ll know where to go!

No, I’m not writing a sci-fi and trying to create my own extra-terrestrial language. I’m trying to figure out the internet alphabet…

SEO, URL, FTP…it’s enough to make a girl think she needs to go back to kindergarten…technogarten to be exact.

While I don’t understand all the letters in the internet alphabet, I do know that you need a SEO (I’m guessing that it stands for Search Engine something or other)  to maximize your online visibility. And let’s face it, if you blog, twitter, Facebook, and have a product to sell, chances on you want to be seen. And this International SEO Company seems like a great place to start. It makes sense that if you want to increase your visibility in the world market, you should use an international company.

I know I’m trying to make my self more visible, but I also know sometimes I only use techno tools in their basic forms. In fact, I think I’m using little bits and pieces of a lot of different things to maximize my web presence. I’m probably not going about it the right way, but like I said, I’m still in kindergarten. I’m still trying to figure all this out, and frankly, learning an extra-terrestrial language MIGHT be easier! But if you’ve advanced to techno gradeschool and understand the internet alphabet well enough, you might want to read more about this company and what it can do for your online presence!

Where was this site a year and a half ago when my mom moved to town and we were looking for affordable Self Storage Units ? Instead of searching the yellow pages and calling up a bunch of storage units, all you do is enter a zip code and the search radius. Then, wallah, up pops a bunch of choices. Don’t know the zip code, just type in the city and state.

Each storage option has a link to more information, promotions, facility description, and hours. Plus there’s a phone number so you can call the storage place direct. There’s even a photo of the storage unit. How much easier can it be?

In addition to the self storage directory, the site has storage tips and a storage estimator so you don’t rent a too big or too small unit. One of the best suggestions is to make an inventory of your items and boxes. When we moved six months ago and used a storage unit for about a month, I started to inventory our boxes, but you know how it is when you move and get down to the last dozen boxes. You just throw things in. Well, I’m still looking for things, like my most favorite family photo that I pray is safe and undamaged in the garage where many of our boxes ended up after the move.

Other features of this site include a moving center to assist with all storage and moving needs like receiving quotes from moving company’s. We really could have used this six months ago when we thought we got a great deal on movers, only learning too late that they charged for drive time to and from the site which added an extra hour to our bill!

But the site isn’t only for customers, it’s for storage owners as well! As a member, storage unit owners, can log in and update information for potential customers.

The next time we move, we plan on selling our home before we buy another one, which means we might end up renting a place for a while and storing our stuff. Thankfully, I’ll know where to go for a storage unit when the time comes!

A computer Geek, that is!

IPs, URLs, PHP. Who can keep them all straight! A Geek can and I sure could use a Geek now as I delve into buying a theme for my new Writer…Interrupted blog. I’m nervous and clueless. But when I first started with blobspot a while back, I learned a little code by trial and error. Then I decided a real domain was my next step and with the help of a techno savvy friend. She got my .com up and running, but not before I realized I had to choose a host. I didn’t shop around much, just went to a couple of friends’ sites and saw what they were using. I settled on Bluehost, because it seemed like a good deal. But if I had known abou this webhosting rating site, I would have had more choices. Thankfully, Blue Host is up there with the bes, but this site is excellent for comparing web hosts side by side and comparing for price and features.

If you’re thinking about upgrading from a blog to your own domain, then you need to check it out. Or if you’re not happy with your old web host, then you can find the one to meet your needs. This site even have a blog for techno illiterates and wannabe Geeks to learn the latest information. Though most of it is still Greek to me, I’m glad I know where to go when I need a web hosting Geek.

 My husband isn’t materialistic. In fact, the only thing he’s ever wanted besides power tools was a grandfather clock. I have to admit, when we first got married they weren’t my first choice of decor and quite frankly, we couldn’t afford one anyway. But as the years went by, they started to grow on me and now that we have a house that a grandfather clock would fit in perfectly, it’s got me thinking I’d really like one as well. Come to think of it, since we moved into our new home, we only have one clock on the wall. And as a multi-tasker who doesn’t like to waste time, we really need more clocks, especially since my watch battery died, and I haven’t replaced it yet.

Grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantle clocks. They all have personality and add to the decor of a home. I remember my husband buying a mantle clock for his parents. And nowadays, they come in so many different styles, and well, my new mantle is kind of empty. But I have to admit, an Ant Farm Clock is not what I’m looking for! Though it would make for interesting conversations with company! While I’m on the subject, what would make an interesting mantle clock, or wall clock for that matter? Maybe my child’s art work somehow decoupaged into the face. What are your thoughts?

This site has many cool looking clocks. In fact, this one caught my eye and would look great in my kitchen. And this one for the family room. And maybe this one for my mantle. So many clocks, so little…money. What did you think I was going to say, time?

The first time I experienced remote access was on a trip when my husband asked me to access his office computer. Huh? From the road, while driving with this cool internet hook up gadget. Yes! And I did. I just logged into this site and typed in a password and I was in! Soooo cool!

I started to think of the possibilities for writers. Imagine you’re at a conference and you find out the editor you’re meeting with wants to see your chapters and NOT the proposal you brought! That happened to me. Luckily, I brought my computer and was able to print out the requested pages, but what if I had left my computer at home! I would have missed that opportunity.

But if I had remote access then I could have accessed what I needed from my home computer while at the conference. Of course, when choosing a remote access provider I’d want secure, fast and easy, oh and affordable! And online support, or course. RemotePC has all that and more! Starting at $4.95/month for one host, it would be ideal for people like me, but they have affordable pricing for up to 100 hosts, perfect for a small business.

RemotePC offers a 30 day free trial with no restrictions and has great features such as getting emote access when the computer is logged off and is one of the fastest remote access services out there. And when time is money, fast is important. If you think this is something for your family or home, check out the demo and don’t forget the 30 day free trial!