review — MomStart

Educational Software for Kids: A Great 3-D Learning System from Cypher

May 6, 2012 By Momstart 15 Comments

The former teacher in me came out when I started playing with Cypher 3-D Learning System – Wild Animal Adventures. When Louise first showed me the box, I thought it was just some ordinary flash card set with some minor computer add on. Boy was I wrong! These flashcards are like nothing else I’ve seen.

At some point, we have all had some kind of experience with flash cards. You hold up a card, say the fact that goes along with it, then move on to the next card. Imagine this: the information on your card comes to life… in 3-D! That is exactly what Cypher Kids has created with their 3-D Learning System.

How does it work? After starting the software, you hold the card up and let your webcam read the 3-D marker on the back. Once the camera has caught the marker, a whole 3-D world comes to life. I had the Wild Animal Adventures set to test out, so each card brought with it a different animal start complete with habitat, wildlife sounds, and amazingly realistic animation. You can move the card around to see different angles of the image on the screen, and even use different key commands to control the actions of the animals.

As a teacher (and after asking some elementary teacher friends of mine), I think that this would be GREAT for school age kids. It really gives them an interactive tool to learn. It is a little tricky to figure out exactly how to hold the cards and maneuver things to get the best images on the screen, but after a little practice, kids will be working with the cards like pros. The facts that the program shares while the images are on screen are simple enough for younger kids to understand, but interesting enough to keep the attention of 2 graders and kids even older! I also LOVE that each card is made of sturdy cardboard to help them stand up to the wear and tear that kids always bring.

I was lucky enough to test out the Wild Animal Adventures set, but they have a whole line of 3-D learning cards.

· Wild Animal Adventures

· Colors and Shapes

· Things That Go

· Number

· Letters

There are definitely enough options to keep your kids (whether at home or in your classroom)busy and LEARNING for a long time!

About Ashley: Ashley is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and former teacher working to navigate through the mysterious world of Mommyia. Read more about her adventures at www.Momicles.com and follow her@Momicles2010 .

A product was provided for this review. No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: Ashley, review Tagged With: 3D flash cards, cyber cards, cypher 3-d learning system, review

Sun-Maid Raisins Inspiring Recipes

May 5, 2012 By Momstart 25 Comments

By Summer:

Did you know it’s NATIONAL RAISIN WEEK?!?! What? That’s right! What fruit do kids love more than a box of sweet plump raisins? My children love raisins! I have a 2YO and 5YO, and I usually have to purchase raisins in large qualities from Costco, which offers 2 bags of organic Sun-Maids.

I personally love Sun-Maid. My mom gave me Sun-Maid as a child and I now give it to my children. I didn’t know for how many generations my family has been enjoying Sun-Maid, but their company is 100 years old this year, founded in 1912! Sun-Maid offers the quality that fits my high expectations. Whether you purchase finger size boxes or large bags, raisins make a great add-in to lunchboxes or a section of your bento container.

Raisins are a perfectly sweet way to get your children fiber-filled fruit. FRUIT! Don’t forget, raisins are grapes. Sometimes I neglect to educate my children on some of the simple knowledge I have stored in my mommy-database.

In that mommy-database are also my sneaky thoughts as I have been known to sneak fruit into baked goods. Raisins are great add-ins for oatmeal cookies, carrot cake, homemade granola, fruit breads or muffins, bread pudding, and even chocolate chip cookies. You can find some Tasty Treat Thursday recipes with raisins. Sun-Maid also has their own bank of tried and true raisin recipes, as well as their catalog of vintage raisin recipes in PDF form. I’ve had an obsession lately with finding old cookbooks; it’s difficult as not many are not around anymore, let alone preserved electronically. Sun-Maid has a gem to offer here! These recipes date back to 1915.

Like Sun-Maid? Then don’t forget to Like them on Facebook too.

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: raisins, recipes, review, sun-maid raisins

Janet and Greta Podleski: The Looneyspoons Collections Cookbook review

May 5, 2012 By Momstart 15 Comments

By Orshi:

I love to cook and I don’t like to run out of creative ideas, but it happens once in a while and then I have to be rescued from the black hole of blankness when it comes to dinner ideas. Two sisters, Janet and Greta Podleski’s cookbook, the Looneyspoons Collection, is a perfectly funny, absolutely beautiful, and satisfyingly informational piece of literature that should never leave your kitchen counter because it just simply inspires to cook. Okay, I think there is no point of me circling around the fact that I love this book. These two women’s writing style, cooking taste, health consciousness and funniness is right up my alley. I received this book months ago and it is still sitting on my counter not only as a source of creative cooking ideas but as a casual read as well.

Greta and Janet have been cooking it up for a while and the Looneyspoons Collection contains better than ever mouthwatering dishes from them. These two ladies’ passion is to inspire people to cook, to actually purchase amazing ingredients and spend time in their kitchen and make delicious dishes that are wholesome and healthy. Now, this book does not only nourish your body, but it is so good for the soul too. Each page looks like this: with a silly title, funny cartoon, a delicious receipt with nutritional values, a ‘please-make-because-I-look-so-scrumptious’ picture, an inspiring or enlightening quote from someone random, and some tidbits of other information that will truly encourage you to think twice about what you put front of your family. For me, visual aspects are everything in a cookbook: I have to see a dish to want to make it, seeing just words are not inspiring. The Looneyspoons Collection is a joy to open with all the beautiful pictures and colors, funny cartoons and simple directions. If you are a person planning to make changes in your cooking style, or you want to learn new skill, this book will definitely not scare you off.

I want to think of myself as a health conscious cook and baker and I often find myself substituting, mixing, replacing and generally not following receipts to make each dish just a bit healthier. The Looneyspoons Collection does this for me. You mean I don’t need to calculate how much of the flour should I replace with wheat germ? To use white rice instead of brown, to cook whole-wheat pasta? Oh, I like that. Conventional dishes – the way your mother and grandmother made them – are still here, with a major healthy makeover that your waistline will be oh-so-grateful for. The ingredients are not fancy or expensive (I personally don’t even bother making a dish if I need more than two special ingredients that I don’t usually have at home) and the book will encourage you to really start reading labels to avoid harmful items that may have been a staple in your kitchen. I have cooked several dishes out of this book like the ‘Not Humdrumsticks’ ‘Pasta Point of No Return’ ‘Worth Every Penne’, FULLafel Patties’, ‘Better-Be-Good-To-Me Pancakes’, ‘Morning Glorious Muffins’ and the list goes on (and I think you get the humor from these titles too). Every one of them were super easy to make and even easier to eat. Seeing my family devour these new and delicious dishes is a simple joy to a Mom.

Check out the Looneyspoons website at www.janetandgreta.com to get a taste of the Podleski sisters cooking and humor, watch them in action and enjoy their blog. The Looneyspoons Collection is available on Amazon and Costco for $35 – great deal for about 2 ½ pounds worth of amazing receipts.

Filed Under: orshi, review Tagged With: Cookbook, janet and greta, Looneyspoons, review, taste of podleski sisters

Stress Awareness Month – DE-Stress with Carex

April 29, 2012 By Momstart 17 Comments

By: Ashley

Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month? If you’re like me, you might not have even known there was such a thing! Well there is! And here I am telling you to be aware of your stress. This month has been FULL of stress for me. In in the process of moving cross country, helping my sister with her wedding, an doing all of the other million things that any moms do. That has left me more than a little aware of my stress… and the aches and pains that go along with it? UGH! That’s where Carex comes in. They have a complete line of products to help you ease the aches and pains that come with too much stress.

I have a pretty decent history with muscle tension and headaches, so when the stress level goes up, the muscle tension and headaches go up too. I was lucky enough to have my Carex stress care package ready and waiting. In the midst of the boxes, trash, piled up stuff, and utter chaos, I took a little break with my Bed Buddy®: Plush ThermaTherapy® All-Over Comfort Pack. I’ve had a similar product in the past and love them both! It was just what I needed. Taking a minute to just breathe was perfect at such a crazy time.

I also have a Bed Buddy®: Hot/Cold Pack and a Thera-Med®: Sinus Headache Cold Pack. The Hot/Cold Pack is super easy to use. I love the size, shape, and handles on the ends. It makes placing the pack super easy, something I’ve had trouble with using other ice packs. I honestly have to say that I haven’t used the Sinus Cold Pack yet, but can imagine it will come in handy soon. Even if only for the puffy bags building up under my eyes!

I’ve heard that too much stress can be extremely harmful to the body. I know that April is almost over, but really take some time to examine your life and become aware of how much stress you’re dealing with on a regular basis. Breathe…. slowly… and deeply. Just take a minute… and breathe.

A product was provided for this review. No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: Bed Buddy®: Plush ThermaTherapy® All-Over Comfort Pack, carex, stress care package

ThinkFun Roll & Play Toddler Learning and Parent Fun

April 29, 2012 By Momstart 17 Comments

Roll & Play, the first game ever designed for toddlers by ThinkFun. Have you heard of ThinkFun? I used to sell some of their products when I worked at a boutique. That was ages ago now that I think of it but I’m familiar with their games like Rush Hour, Zingo and a host of other games that are "addictively fun and sharpen your mind." They thought it was time toddlers got in on the action!

Meet Roll & Play

Roll & Play launched at the Toy Fair, where it was ranked one of the "Top 10" out of 100,000+ games and toys, and hand-selected as evidence of the "Little Learners" trend in toys this year. It was also the only toddler product featured on The View’s "Best of Toy Fair" segment. It’s a loving and joyful first-game experience, Roll & Play bonds child and parent amid laughter and hugs. It offers endless learning opportunities – building confidence, language skills and image/word recognition through creative exploration.

How do you play:

Roll the cube and pick a matching card.

Then together you’ll act out activities

such as “Play pat-a-cake” (Actions),
“Bark like a dog” (Animal sounds) or
“Give 1 hug” (Counting).

It’s a fun way to teach your toddler new concepts and get them thinking outside of the box.

With a range of activities carefully selected to support different phases of toddler development, Roll & Play provides hours of entertainment, building language skills and image/word recognition through creative exploration. Roll & Play gently introduces the basics of game play – taking turns and following rules – without the pressure of competition. Roll & Play draws out natural behaviors that toddlers already want to express, and the game can be easily adapted to fit a child’s abilities and interests.

We received samples that we are going to donate for this review.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: review, roll & play, thinkfun

Soft Gear: Soft, Safe and Fun for Your Little One!

April 28, 2012 By Momstart 14 Comments

Review by Christine:

Soft Gear is headquartered and manufactured in North Carolina, where they pride themselves on producing American-made children’s products. Soft Gear offers innovative products that are proven to be safe, comfortable and fun. Their wide-range of anti-microbial products have non-slip surfaces to ensure every child’s health and safety.

Every Soft Gear product is:

Germ and mold-resistant
Non-slip surface
Non-absorbent
Non-allergenic
Patent-pending suction cups
Hand holds on each side
Cushioned with 3-D molded thermoplastic elastomer foam
Lightweight and transportable
Chip and fade-resistant
Easy to clean and dishwasher-safe
Carrying case included

Soft Gear sent me a My Booster seat to try and review. My three and a half year-old hasn’t used a booster year for at least a year, and she was willing to try this out even though it is blue. After a few meals on the booster she hasn’t gone back, and it stays permanently on her seat at the table now. It took a few tries for her to figure out how to get into the booster on her own since it does suction onto the chair and she was accustomed to sitting on her knees. The suction is a nice feature since it doesn’t slip around, even with wiggly preschoolers who require many reminders to sit still.

Soft Gear My Booster is made with exclusive closed-cell foam technology and is mold-resistant and latex-free. Plus, it’s anti-microbial so microorganisms won’t degrade your booster or affect your child’s health. It’s easy to wipe down, and remove with one hand to clean. My Booster is lightweight and transportable. Retail price is $34.99 – 39.99.

In addition to My Booster, Soft Gear offers other innovative products as well. A Place Mat, Changing Mat, Deluxe Changing Mat and Deluxe Nap Mat are all durable and transportable children’s products that are practical for the parent on-the-go and at home.

About Christine:

Christine is our in house baby product reviewer. She has two children that are quite adorable, one is 3 1/2 months old and the other is three and in my son’s preschool class. When she’s not taking maternity leave she works at the local children’s hospital

Filed Under: christine, review Tagged With: anti-microbial, booster seat, Soft gear

Pancake Night At Global Resort Homes

April 27, 2012 By Momstart 17 Comments

When you’re away from home for a week and cramped in a hotel you probably eat out a lot. If you have a fridge in your room you might also have a microwave then you’re still probably eating unhealthy and that kind of eating can be a burden on your wallet. You also miss out on the fun times you could be having cooking and eating at the dinner table as a family.

My most recent stay with Global Resort Homes was with 20 others most of them were woman for Disneynature’s Chimpanzee Red Carpet Premiere. You know when you get that many girls together, you have drama, and arguments, and absolute fun! Nothing takes away the fun factor!

We had a pancake night one night. We made pancakes, eggs and bacon for 22 people and you can’t do that in a hotel. As we were cooking we got a little silly in the kitchen as you can tell from the photo above. It was so much fun hanging out with so many of my blogging friends. On another night we had a pizza night and did Jell-o shots. And the very first night we had a fabulous dinner made for us by Chef Linda. These are all things you just cant do staying at a resort or hotel. I mean, yeah I supposed you could have a pizza night but can you cram 22 people into your hotel room? Nope, you would have to rent a conference room to have group fun. Plus at the end of every night we were able to sleep in our own rooms.

Global Resort Homes is not a time share. You don’t have to sit through any meetings, or listen to any talk about the homes. You just pick one out to stay in, pay for your stay and you’re left alone. The only thing you get is if you have a problem someone will come fix it.

Houses are different sizes and you have a fridge, washing machine and dryer and a kitchen to save money while you’re in Kissimmee. It’s so much cheaper to be able to cook your own food and drink a pot of coffee rather than going out for every drink and meal. Also, the kitchen facilities in these homes are worth bragging about. They come stocked with plates and cooking necessities. Some even have basic spices salt and pepper. And if you don’t want to cook, just remember the in home chef option.

To learn more about Global Resort Homes:

Visit the Global Resort Homes
Follow them on Twitter
“Like” them on Facebook

Filed Under: review Tagged With: Florida, Florida Vacation homes, Global Resort Homes, house, Kissimmee, vacation home

Find Star Wars Costumes At BuyStarWarsCostumes.com

April 25, 2012 By Momstart 17 Comments

BuyStarWarsCostumes.com has a very large collection of guess what? If you guess Star Wars costumes you guessed right. You all know George Lucas is working on getting all of his movies back in the big screen in 3D. The first one already came out and the next ones will follow suit soon and what’s the best way to celebrate a Star Wars movie release? In costume!!!

They gave us the choice of which costume to pick out, so I picked out a Princess Leia costume. My daughter makes an adorable Princess Leia don’t you think?

It came with a wig a hair net and she didn’t like it very much because it was black but I know she’s going to want to wear it when Halloween comes. She’s been telling everyone what she’s going to be. She’s going to look cute with her storm trooper brother.

Buy Star Wars Costumes.com has more officially licensed Star Wars costumes for sale than any other site on the web. They love to provide customers with the largest range of adult and children star wars costumes and accessories because you need the accessories to go all out. I’ll all about going all out when it comes to Star Wars. They also have over ninety different adult and kids costumes in a variety of sizes. Their adult sizes range from small to plus, and their child costumes range from newborn to teen; so a size for everyone

You can join the Rebel Alliance as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, C-3PO, or the roguish Han Solo and Chewbacca. Become adept in the Force with licensed Jedi costumes, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Yoda. Or you can choose to be a part of the Clone Wars with Padme Amidala, Ahsoka Tano, and Clone Troopers, like Captain Rex and Commander Cody.

We received samples from StarWarsCostumes.com

Filed Under: review Tagged With: Star Wars, star wars costumes, Star Wars costumes.com

How to Properly Store & Serve Your Red and White Wine

April 23, 2012 By Momstart 23 Comments

I haven’t been sharing my wine diary as often as I had intended. April has been quite the crazy month for me. But I do have two different kinds of wine I want to share with you but first I have to share what I learned last month about storing and serving my wine. We have been receiving wine from The California Wine Club every month and I always just put it right in my fridge. I thought you served all wine cold. Turns out I had no idea what I was doing when it came to wine.

First Rule:

Store corked wine bottles on their sides in the dark. If you store wine upright for a long amount of time, the corks will dry out, and air will eventually get to the wine, spoiling it. If you store it label side up, it’ll be easier to spot any sediments that may have formed in the wine over time when you do eventually pick it up. I’m actually not good at keeping wine for very long, I like to drink it.

White wines should be consumed after 2-3 years of storage (though select White Burgundies (Chardonnays) can be aged and stored for over 20 years.

Red wines can be stored and aged for anywhere between 2-10 years to mature, depending on the quality of the wine. This, however, depends on the type of red wine and the balance of its sugar, acid and tannins. Not all wines will improve with age.

I was told by a friend that red wine should be stored in a cool dark place but not a refrigerator and white wine should be stored in the fridge.

When you are ready to serve white wine you get it out of the fridge 30 minutes before your company arrives.

When you are ready to serve red wine you put it in the fridge 30 minutes before your company arrives. I was drinking red wine so cold that I wasn’t able to taste all the flavors.

Here is a temperature gauge to serve wine at:

Blush, rose and dry white wines: 46-57F (8-14C)
Sparkling wines and champagne: 43-47F (6-8C)
Light red wine: 55F (13C)
Deep red wines: 59-66F (15-19C)

I receive wine from California Wine club in exchange for a post about wine.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: California Wine Club, how to store red wine, how to store white wine, wine, wine diary

I See Me: A Custom Book For Every Child

April 22, 2012 By Momstart 15 Comments

Review by Christine:

I See Me.com provides the highest quality, most personalized children’s books available. I See Me! opened for business in May of 2000, after Maia Haag, author and CEO of I See Me! Inc. received a personalized book as a gift for her son but thought that the illustrations could have been much better and the story more customized to the child.

The first book titled My Very Own Name was developed a to provide an educational book that would teach young children how to recognize letters and spell their names. The I See Me! mission is to increase self esteem in children through personalized books that celebrate the uniqueness of each child. The goal of each book is to show each child how absolutely unique and special he or she is, to teach the child how to spell his or her name, and to build vocabulary skills.

I See Me! books have become popular among celebrities including Courteney Cox, Brooke Shields and Jessica Alba.
The book I selected for my three and a half year-old daughter is My Very Own Fairy Tale. This enchanting storybook is a powerful way to show a child how absolutely unique and special she is. My Very Own Fairy Tale is a hardcover, professionally bound book that transports little girls into a magical garden where flower and berry fairies crown her as their fairy princess.

Beautifully illustrated fairies bring letters one by one to spell out the child’s name, while describing character traits that make the recipient alone the perfect princess. I particularly appreciate that most of these traits are related to positive, empowering character traits such as being smart, creative, brave, a good friend and energetic. This award-winning storybook retails for $32.95 and makes a keepsake for new baby girls through age 12!

As an added touch, this educational book included Avery’s birth date, a printed dedication to the sender, and an illustrated Fairy Patch featuring 62 fairies with interesting facts about their flowers and berries. The book was written by Maia Haag, illustrated by Joyce Patti, and made in the USA.

In addition to My Own Fairy Tale there are numerous other titles; including pirates, birthdays, big sister/brother and religious themes. There is sure to be a story that will surprise and delight every child.

When My Own Fairy Tale arrived Avery thought it was another normal book after she opened the package. When I convinced her to open the cover she was SO surprised to see her name on the very first page. She wanted to stop what she was doing and sit down to read the whole book cover-to-cover. My Own Fairy Tale was the bedtime book of choice for several days and now has earned it’s own special place in her book collection.

About Christine:

Filed Under: book review, review Tagged With: book review, custom book, i see me, my very own fairy tail