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The Keyboard that Teaches: Casio’s LK-265 Keyboard

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My kids used to take piano lessons but then they got into acting and we had to put something on hold. I miss hearing them play on the piano and lately have heard those happy keystrokes again thanks to Casio. We received the Casio LK-265 Keyboard and the kids have been loving it so much the only negative sound I’ve been hearing is, “is it my turn yet?”

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This keyboard has keys that light up to help the child learn what the notes are to a song. Also, if you have ever taken piano you learn that each finger has a given number. When you miss a note the keyboard will shout out what number/finger you need to use.  There is a pretty good size song bank too, and I’m impressed with all of the ways you can adjust the sound. I’m also impressed with how light the keyboard is. With all the technology built in this thing is easy for my nine year old son to carry up and down the stairs.

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This is a 61 key touch sensitive keyboard with a power supply. It also comes with a metal piece you can use as a music stand. There are 400 high-quality tones and 150 build in rhythms. And this include the new Dance Music Mode which I love to play with. I turned it on the other day and my son just started bopping where he was. It was adorable. It’s really made practicing the piano fun for the kids. The LK-265 delivers hundreds of Tones and Rhythms to jump-start your creativity. It’s a perfect introduction to music-making, and a great-sounding way to have fun.

 

Practice Playing on the Smart Device Screen

Another fun feature is the ability to take 3-step lessons on the smart device itself using the virtual keyboard that appears on the screen. You can confirm the chords, melody and finger timing visually on the screen, while also using the scoring function to help you master the song. The 50 built-in app songs and your downloaded MIDI file songs are all available for use in your lessons.

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There are apps you can use with the keyboard, all you need is a stereo mini jack and the Chordana App. I was playing with the Choradana app, minus the stereo mini jack. I downloaded the app to my phone and picked a song. The app showed me which chords to play with the song I chose. Playing with my left hand has always been the more difficult hand for me to use. I’ll probably be off to Target or Best Buy to make sure I get an actual stereo mini jack to enhance my playing even more.

How We DO Music In The Shower, In The Pool, In The Water

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We received a Splash Tunes from www.FRESHeTECH.com.

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We have a hard time keeping Splash Tunes charged because we use it non-stop. Thankfully, the battery lasts a good amount of time. We took Splash Tunes, which is a water proof speaker for any bluetooth device, into the tub, shower and swimming pool on our most recent trip to Florida.

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My daughter and I both paired our phones to the device and had fun picking different music out when it was our turn. My son would always use my phone when he took a bath or shower. He said he always picked Disney music if you want the video where he talks about how much he loved Splash Tunes, but, if I remember correctly he also listened to HALO music. I also listened to a TV show while I took a bath one night. I had a bad sun burn and spent some extra time trying to take the heat out with some hot water. It always makes me feel better, and the time went by faster while listening to something. I also rocked out to Moana and my daughter’s Disney playlist. SHE LOVES Disney music.

 

I loved how easy it was to use. Just hold down the on button to pair with a device. Look for the device on your bluetooth settings in your phone and pair. Then enjoy!

 

SPLASH TUNES SPECS:

 

  • Splash Shower Tunes has easy to use buttons for Controlling volume, skipping songs, and play/pause/power buttons. Built-In microphone for hands-free talking on this shower speaker.
  • Splash Shower Tunes is Compatible with all iPhones, Androids, and all other smart devices with Bluetooth capabilities easy pairing equals more shower jamming.
  • Splash Shower Tunes is the Perfect Waterproof shower speaker for indoor or Outdoor use with its Durable suction cup you can stick this Bluetooth shower speaker to almost any surface.
  • Splash Shower Tunes gives you 10 hours of Wireless High Definition Bluetooth 3.0 streaming of Crystal Clear audio giving you a dance party during every shower.
  • Splash Shower Tunes is Rechargeable via micro USB cord, so recharge and keep rocking out with this Water-Resistant Bluetooth shower speaker.

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Preserve Your Memories With PhotoBarn

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Sample provided; this post contains affiliate links.

Now that my wedding is over, one of the many (many!!) projects on my to-do list is getting my favorite wedding portraits printed. We had Portland-based photographer Jason Hill at our wedding, and Jai and I got some wonderful photos both of ourselves and our family during the big day – I’ve picked out 9 different family portraits that I want to hang in our house. I’m a big fan of getting photos put onto canvas; it turns your photo into an art piece and really looks beautiful on the wall. Having a print made allows you to enlarge the picture to bring attention to it and really capture details and photo quality that would not be visible in a small printed photo.

So last week, I got my first wedding photo printed using PhotoBarn. PhotoBarn offer a variety of artistic options for preserving your memories, from canvas and burlap prints to wooden photoboards. After browsing through the options, I decided to order a 11×14 Framed Canvas with a 2″ One Piece Barnwood Frame. Here’s the wedding portrait we chose to put on canvas:

Here’s what I received:

Framed Canvas

Beautiful! The portrait looks so nice on the canvas, and the rustic frame looks great in our home. In fact, it looks like it was made to go with this table:

Canvas on our wedding table

This is a kitchen table that belonged to my parents, which Jai resurfaced before the wedding. We used this table during the ceremony to sign our marriage license, and since we got married during the solar eclipse, Jai used a magnifying glass during the partial phase to burn our wedding date onto the table. He does a lot of woodworking and has built much of our furniture by hand, so I decided to hang this portrait over a mantel-style shelf that he built in the living room.

PhotoBarn print

Ordering this print was super easy – the process of uploading your photo and selecting the style/display options is very simple. The shipping was lightning fast, arriving exactly one week after I ordered it. It turned out beautifully and will be something we enjoy in our home for a lifetime!

Free 5x7 Wooden PhotoBoard (reg. $40)

PhotoBarn also has a lot of deals to help you save some cash. If you click on the banner above, you’ll be able to get a free 5×7 PhotoBoard – all you pay is shipping. I actually took advantage of this deal myself last week and snagged a PhotoBoard with one of my bridal photos that I’ll be using as a Christmas gift! Shipping is a standard rate of $9.99 and is listed clearly on their website, so there are no surprises – many other canvas sites that I’ve been looking at lately don’t even list their shipping prices, and offer “Free” canvas prints with high shipping costs. So recent brides, take note!

Did you have any of your wedding photos put onto canvas?

When All Eyes Are on You, Choose GlassesShop.com!

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Jai's new glasses
Sample provided.

Jai and I got married this summer, and let me tell you, planning a wedding makes you think about so many details! Knowing that you’re going to be the center of attention in front of all of your friends and family, with photographers, videographers, and dozens of cell phones documenting every moment, makes you carefully consider how you want to look. After all, everyone wants to look good on their big day and in the wedding photos!

And, as we know, weddings also cost a lot of money. Hair, makeup, beauty treatments, wedding clothes, shoes – all of this can add up fast, so we did a lot of work to look for the best prices on everything. One accessory we saved big on was new eyewear for Jai, thanks to GlassesShop.com!

If you wear eyeglasses, then you know how incredibly expensive it is to buy specs from an optometrist. Purchasing glasses online can offer huge savings – after browsing through their selection of men’s glasses, Jai chose this stylish “Cancer Rectangle – Black” pair, which retail for only $29.95.

The specs Jai chose from GlassesShop.com look great – they’re fashionable, suit his face perfectly, and looked great on camera. Jai wore them during the “Wedding Trailer” that our videographer put together:

The glasses also looked great in photos:

Beeb and Jai

Photo by William Ensign of Entangled Productions

But lest you think these specs are all style and no substance, I should also point out that they’re well-made and durable – Jai wore them while doing construction projects building custom furniture for the wedding, and they also survived the insanely chaotic wedding week where we were constantly loading and unloading countless truckloads of stuff to make our DIY ceremony happen. Jai can have a hard time keeping track of items at the best of times (ahem) and I have seen these glasses get shoved to the side and even get other items placed on top of them by mistake. The fact that they have not broken or gotten a damaging scratch through all this tells me I can be quite confident about the quality!

Whether you need reading specs, prescription sunglasses, or just a new pair of fashionable lenses for a special occasion, GlassesShop.com is a great source for affordable and attractive eyewear.

Coupon Code – Save 50%

GlassesShop.com already has great prices – and you can get a steep discount on top of that with our special coupon! Use code GSHOT50 to save 50% on eyeglasses and sunglasses with free lenses (sale frames excluded). This is an awesome deal, so be sure to check it out!!

Do you wear glasses? Did you buy special frames for your wedding?

Popcorn Flavors Galore: Pickle Popcorn Taste Test

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We received samples:

Popcorn is my favorite snack to give my kids. It’s such a healthy low calorie snack. When hunger strikes, popcorn is one of the best bites to have on hand (or in your hand!) to satisfy tasty cravings. It’s good whether you’re in the mood for salty, sweet, or even a summertime staple like dill pickle, which happens to be our favorite flavor. But honestly it’s hard to choose a favorite because we love all of them. G.H. Cretors Popped Corn rises above the competition in its commitment to quality ingredients and artisanal craftsmanship, which is why its popped corn is nothing short of incredible.

imageObsessively delicious flavors include:

  • The Mix
  • Just the Cheese Corn
  • Organic White Cheddar
  • Organic Salted Butter Kettle Corn
  • Organic Salted Butter
  • Organic Dill Pickle

You see why it’s so hard to pick, look at all those amazing flavors. And watch as Zoe does a taste test of the Dill Pickle.

We have popcorn for family movie night, midnight snacks and for after school snacks. It’s a fantastic snack. I think we’ll have to even use it to make a popcorn ball.

 

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The ingredients they use today are all natural: basically popcorn, sugar and sunflower oil – free of GMO’s, artificial colors and flavors. Bonus for me and my family is that there are no gluten ingredients either. And made by hand in copper kettles!

Draw Color Save Repeat: Rocketbook Color Notebook

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We received samples.

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The Rocketbook Color is the perfect answer to how do I save my kids art? The Rocketbook Color is the first reusable, cloud-connected sketch book designed especially for kids. It’s so awesome.

 

 

I’m one of those moms that doesn’t have a lot of extra time. I barely have time to bake with my kids. I barely have time to do crafts with my kids and I have no time to myself and small things that I would love to do. I have to be honest, I’ve never been good at saving my kids artwork. It feels like the only moms who are sharing and archiving their kids’ art are the ones who pack artful bento boxes in place of brown-bag lunches and prune their rosebushes in skirts and heels. Those moms that have all their stuff together. Most of us are up to our knees in art. Rocketbook Color makes it easy to create, save and share your childrens’ masterpieces without wasting a single leaf of paper.

Here’s how it works:

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  • Kids draw in the Rocketbook Color notebook with Crayola Dry Erase, Washable or Silly Scents crayons and markers
  • Parents tag finished drawings using icons at the bottom of the page 
  • Parents scan each page using the Rocketbook app, blasting drawings to each icon’s corresponding destination
  • Pages erase like magic with a damp cloth after drawings are sent to the cloud.

Everyone in the family wins with Rocketbook Color!

  • Grandparents and other relatives will receive drawings instantly via our icon tagging system. Each drawing can be tagged to send to more than one destination.
  • Kids won’t have to see their art go into the garbage (check out what happened when their founder’s son, Jacob, learned this the hard way).
  • Parents can stop stressing out over encouraging their kids to create more art they’ll never get around to scanning.

The five-star rated line of reusable notebooks is proven. That’s right–this wasn’t their first rodeo. Their bestselling line of cloud-connected, reusable smart notebooks is tried and true. They’ve been featured on Shark Tank, we’re the #1 crowdfunded office category product of all time, and their line of notebooks are top-sellers on Amazon. They are currently running a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Rocketbook Color, and they will be taking pre-orders even after their Kickstarter ends. They will be available through standard retailers (such as Amazon) well in time for the holiday season.

All Natural Organic Dried Fruits

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We received samples:

 

Zoe and I had so much fun this summer making video reviews. One of the samples we received that we made a video of was an amazing set of all natural organic dried fruits. Some of them were even covered in chocolate, and they came just in time to go on our trip to Florida with us. So after making our taste testing video we packed them in our travel bags and ate them on the plane. Check out our review of Stoneridge Orchards’ organic dried fruits – a wide selection of premium fruits that are carefully picked, hand-selected and dried to all-natural deliciousness.

 

The fruits – blueberries, strawberries, peaches, cranberries, and Montmorency cherry – are available in individual packs or multi-fruit variety packs, and now dipped in ultra-smooth rich dark chocolate or creamy Greek yogurt also.

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In addition to being great for traveling because of their re-sealable packaging. They are great for after school snacks. They are great for taking to work or pretty much any time of day. Stoneridge Orchards is the leading brand of premium dried whole Montmorency Tart Cherries, berries and other whole fruits.  Always delicious, their all-natural and organic dried fruits are available from retailers across North America.  They are the perfect snack for active lifestyles and a yummy addition to trail mixes, yogurt, hot or cold breakfast cereals, baked goods, pasta sauces, and paired with your favorite wine and cheese! If you visit their website you will find some recipes, including this Easy Blueberry Pistachio Protein Balls Recipe.

I’m going to have to see if I can get Zoe to make some muffins using the cherries we have left over.

Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends

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We received a sample book:

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I’m not that good at keeping friends so I want to make sure that I equip my kids with the skills that I don’t seem to have. I mean, I know what I’m going wrong, but I could use some help and this is my way of helping both of us. It’s a great book full of great ideas. It helps kids understand different body language and things that help in understanding what kind of mood you or someone else is in.

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For kids struggling with:

· shyness

· making friends

· what to do when a friend dumps them

· the social challenges of ADHD

· how to resolve conflicts with friends

 

I really got this book for my daughter. She can make friends so easily but she does have issues finding ways to resolve conflicts with her friends. Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends (Simon & Schuster’s Aladdin / Beyond Words; July 2017) by Princeton psychologist and children’s friendships expert Eileen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D. and parenting and health writer Christine McLaughlin, a social development primer that gives kids like her the answers they need. Oh and surprisingly, my son read it too.

What makes some kids popular? Is your child inviting rejection? Can boys and girls be friends?
Dr. Kennedy-Moore and McLaughlin answer all of the above and much more with cute cartoons that squash common friendship problems. A narrator explains what’s happening and offers research-based tips about what to do; the stars of the book, a cat and dog, wander through the text offering goofy suggestions. 
Every child runs into friendship issues: arguments with a friend, getting teased or even trying to find a buddy in a new classroom—these are typical problems, but they can be very painful for girls and boys.
Good friendships are key to a happy childhood, but they’re not always easy to build or maintain. Research shows that first graders keep only about half of their friendships from fall to spring. Fourth-graders maintain about three-quarters of their friendships across the school year.
Growing Friendships offers real help that kids can use immediately with enough humor to make the messages appealing and memorable.

Fuss-Free Fancy Summer with Jojo Maman Bebe

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Fuss free fancy summer!

Samples provided.

Summer is (somewhat surprisingly) still in full swing here in the Pacific Northwest, and we are enjoying some extended warm days. This summer found our family traveling, a LOT. We had family reunions, as well as 4 weddings to get fancied-up for!

We were so excited to try out some absolutely beautiful clothing from Jojo Maman Bebe, which made these events even more fun.

On the run!

Wearing Jojo Maman Bebe's Country Scene Party Dress

Wearing Jojo Maman Bebe’s Country Scene Party Dress

Summer fun

Traveling with a toddler seems to require extra…everything! Extra planning, snacks, clothing, activities. You get the idea.

One of my favorite things about Jojo Maman Bebe clothing is that in addition to their whimsical, classic, and on-trend styles, the quality makes them a breeze to care for, which in turn made them so easy, and “fuss-free” to travel with.

Fuss-free fashion!

The lining and stitching are impeccably detailed and strong, and all pieces (aside from the leather sandals) are machine washable! These pieces are meant to last, and I know that I will be able to pass them along (still looking beautifully) to a sibling or cousin after Juni outgrows them.

These are the pieces we received. Get them while they last, and be sure to check out their new Fall collection too!

Pregnant Mom Gift Idea: Save Baby’s Heartbeat

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We received a sample

Sometimes it feels like finding a unique gift for someone who is pregnant is impossible. You might not yet know what they are having but you want to get them something special. This to me is the perfect gift and I’m going to tell you why. One of my favorite sounds in the world is the sound of my kid’s heartbeat. I love for them to sleep with me. They slept with me from time to time and it is the most peaceful sleep that I get. So I wish I could have bottled it up. You can do that mow with the Heartbeat Bear and we received the Vintage Sloth to review. And it’s the cutest stuffed animal ever. I LOVE it!!!

heartbeat bear

Sloths are some of the slowest moving creatures on earth.  But for some reason, many of us are fascinated by these adorably lethargic creatures!  From My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear, comes the brand new Vintage Sloth heartbeat bear,  an adorable stuffed animal that features a recording device that captures the sound of your baby’s heartbeat in utero during an ultrasound appointment.  

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The Vintage Sloth recordable stuffed animal kit includes a 15″ soft fleece sloth and a heart-shaped recorder to capture your baby’s heartbeat during an ultrasound. This sloth is perfect for snuggling and has a velcro closure on the back so that you can insert the recording. My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear kits make excellent baby shower gifts or pregnancy keepsakes. Also available at many 3D/4D ultrasound studios. You will need to also download the app to keep the heartbeat forever (just in case it gets deleted off the heart).

HOW TO USE:

The My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear kit comes with an adorable stuffed animal and a red “heart” recorder. A second recorder can be ordered to include a voice message from someone special. Simply take the recorder to your ultrasound appointment and easily switch it on to capture 20 seconds of baby’s heartbeat. (If you have already recorded the heartbeat on your phone or on a CD, it can be transferred to the heart recorder.) Then, unfasten the Velcro closure on the back of the stuffed animal, insert the recorder into the interior drawstring pouch, knot the pouch, and finally re-fasten the Velcro. To listen to the heartbeat, simply press on the animal. To stop, press again, or simply wait 20 seconds.

 

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This is an excellent holiday gift idea for someone you know that’s going to have a baby. Zoe even made a video of it.