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Family Fun Celebrating National Donut Day With Entenmann’s! (Plus $25 Visa Giveaway)

June 5, 2019 by Beeb 22 Comments

The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Entenmann’s so that I could try the product and share my thoughts and information about Entenmann’s. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Entenmann’s.

Did you know that National Donut Day is coming up this Friday, June 7th? Our family loves donuts – in fact, we even had a heart-shaped “Donut wall” at our wedding! I will always have fond memories of watching our flower girls run around eating donuts before the ceremony. Since donuts are synonymous with family fun for us, we naturally had to put together a National Donut Day celebration with a little help from our pals at Entenmann’s!

In honor of National Donut Day, we picked up a few packages of our favorite Entenmann’s donuts and took them over to Grandma’s house. We enjoyed an afternoon of tasty donuts, a game of Rummy-O, and a lot of laughs!

The flavor you’ll go nuts for!

Another favorite activity in our family is entering sweepstakes, as you may already know if you follow my adventures over on Contest Corner. So I’m super pumped about the Entenmann’s Fan Flavor Challenge & Sweepstakes! In honor of National Donut Day, Entenmann’s is looking for the next great donut flavor – and it might be created by you! Through June 14th, Entenmann’s fans can use the “Flavor Maker” on their website to create their own fabulous donut flavor. Choose a base, flavor, glaze, and a topping, then name your creation and submit it along with a little summary about what makes you an Entenmann’s donut fan. Each “Challenge Entry” will be reviewed by a panel of judges based on originality, passion and creativity. There are fab prizes up for grabs, including $5,000, a year’s supply of donuts, and a chance to have your donut creation made during the 2019 holiday season! And if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also have the chance to share the news about your donut creation on Facebook or Twitter to receive one entry into the bonus sweepstakes for a $1,000 prize and a year’s supply of donuts!

Entering the Entenmann’s Fan Flavor Challenge & Sweepstakes

Being the “Sweeper” that I am, I naturally hopped on my computer and got to work creating my own donut masterpiece! The donut I created is chocolate with Irish Creme glaze, topped with pink and rainbow sprinkles, which I named “Mom’s Treat” in honor of this blog. I chose the flavor and glaze because I think chocolate and Irish Creme is the perfect treat for busy moms at the end of a long day! The sprinkles are in tribute to my love of pink and bright colors. I hope this donut gets made someday just so I can eat it myself! 😉

From our family to ours, we wish you a happy National Donut Day and good luck in the Entenmann’s Fan Flavor Challenge & Sweepstakes! Here’s all the links you’ll need to enter:

To get more information, read the official rules, and enter the Entenmann’s Fan Flavor Challenge & Sweepstakes, visit http://www.Entenmanns.com/fanflavorchallenge and follow the instructions to create and share your own donut masterpiece. And for more on everything Entenmann’s, visit their official website and follow along socially on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Bonus: Enter to Win a $25 Visa Digital Gift Card!

And the fun doesn’t stop there: In celebration of National Donut Day, Entenmann’s is also giving away a $25 Visa digital gift card to one lucky MomStart winner!

To Enter:

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. While Entenmann’s is providing the gift card, MomStart is responsible for hosting and administering the giveaway, which ends on June 9th, 2019 at 11:00 PM PST. The winner will be drawn the next day; and please take note of this important detail: For this specific giveaway, the winner will have just 24 hours to respond to our winner notification email, or a new winner will be chosen in their place, as the deadline for this fun National Donut Day promotion is next week. Also note that the $25 Visa virtual gift card can be used for online purchases only. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18+ – sorry, no P.O. boxes. Please see the Rafflecopter widget for full details; and click here to read our giveaway rules.

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Uncovering Lost Family Moments: Converting my Super 8 Home Movie With iMemories

May 3, 2019 by Beeb 16 Comments

iMemories converting a Super 8 movie into digital

Converting a Super 8 movie into digital – photo credit: iMemories

Thank you to iMemories for preserving my family memories and sponsoring this post!

As an “Elder Millennial”, I came of age at a very unique point in technological development. I learned to write on a typewriter, but composed all my articles on a computer just a few years later. When I was 12, I referred to our set of encyclopedias for information; when I was 17, Wikipedia launched. I also remember a time when you could leave the house without anyone being able to call you! And another telltale sign of my Millennial status? There is a lot less photographic documentation of my life. Don’t get me wrong, my parents took lots of photos – you know, on film cameras! – but pictures used to be something you took during a special occasion, not as a daily occurrence. And while our phones are now filled with videos of the most mundane activities, there are no videos of my childhood at all – except one.

When I was a toddler, my Mom knew someone who had a Super 8 camera and asked them to take a home movie of me. As a young family on a tight budget, my parents didn’t have a Super 8 projector at the time, but Mom thought it would be a great thing to have down the line. Super 8 became obsolete not too long afterwards, so we never did get a projector, and the film sat in storage for many years; none of us had ever seen it, but Mom knew it would come in handy one day.

She was absolutely right, but for different reasons than she anticipated. After my Mom passed away unexpectedly when I was 19, I inherited all the family photos and came across the film for the first time. When my Dad explained what was on it, I realized there was a good chance that my mom might would be on the footage, which made it so much more important than just looking at my baby photos.

Ever since I found the film, my husband and I have been keeping an eye out for Super 8 projectors at thrift stores, but they’re hard to come by. And the process of trying to convert and view the film myself made me really nervous: What if I try to play it and the film gets chewed up or burnt? What if I buy the wrong projector? After all, this movie was filmed in England before we immigrated to the US – would it even play on an American Super 8 projector? I wasn’t even sure until recently whether this was a Super 8 film or a regular 8mm film – they may sound like the same thing, but Super 8 and 8mm are two different formats requiring different projectors. Because of this, the home movie has sat in storage for the past 16 years, waiting until I figured out a way to watch it.

When I discovered iMemories, I knew immediately that I had found the solution. iMemories are a full-service digital conversion company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. They pride themselves on digitizing every format, from 8mm movie films and VHS tapes to slides, negatives and more. Here’s how it works: You mail your home movies and photos to their state-of-the-art facility, where they convert it to digital and then mail the originals back to you. Since iMemories handles such a wide range of now-obsolete formats, I thought they would be the best choice for converting my precious family movie.

To start the process, iMemories sent me their SafeShip Kit, which is currently on sale for $14.99. This kit includes a pre-paid shipping label and special packing materials to make sure your memories are protected and waterproof. You can also mail your items in using your own shipping supplies if you prefer not to order a SafeShip Kit, but given that this film is the only one of its kind, I wanted to make sure it was expertly packed and handled!

SafeShip Kit

SafeShip Kit instructions

Assembling my package was simple: First, I dug my Super 8 film out of storage.

My Super 8 home movie

Next, I used the included waterproof bags and shock resistant bubble cushions to carefully secure the film. The waterproof bags ended up being important, because I dropped my package off at the UPS shipping center during a bout of pouring Oregon rain!

Waterproof bag

Carefully packing my home movie

All secured with shock resistant bubble cushions

Next, I filled out the included Customer Card with all of my information.

Filling out my Customer Card

I slid the Customer Card into the enclosed folder and placed it on top of the bubble cushions.

Placing the Customer Card into the SafeShip Kit

Now that all of the contents were securely packaged, I attached the enclosed shipping label, taped the box up, and dropped it in the mail!

Sticking on the shipping label

Ready to ship

Handling this fragile home movie made me nervous, so I really appreciated how simple iMemories made it to protect and pack my film. The instructions that come in the SafeShip Kit are very clearly laid out and easy to follow. Knowing that the iMemories facility has a team of 200 people doing thousands of digital conversions every day made me feel secure that my priceless memories were in the best possible hands. This process is a mystery to most people, and it can make one understandably nervous to hand off such important items. So to help demystify the process for our readers in this post, iMemories actually took photos of the entire process of converting my film from start to finish, in order to show the journey my home movie took after it arrived at iMemories headquarters!

All photos credit: iMemories

Unboxing my SafeShip Kit

Examining my Super 8 movie

Bar coding to track my movie

Converting my Super 8 film to digital, frame-by-frame with advanced equipment

Restoring my home movie with digital editing by hand, including scene-by-scene color correction

Creating a DVD from the digital conversion

My Super 8 film is all done and ready to come home!

Once your memories have been converted, you can opt to just download your digital files, or you can create custom products from your files such as a DVD or thumb drive. I opted for a DVD, so that was included in my package when I received my original film back safe and sound. I was so delighted by the DVD, which features stills from my home movie on the cover. This would make such an awesome gift, and you can add a DVD to your order for just $9.99, so it’s definitely something I would recommend doing.

My iMemories order

iMemories updates you via email in real time as your clips become available to view online through iMemories apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, PC and Mac, so you don’t have to wait until you receive a DVD or your originals back to watch the conversion! As soon as my movie was ready to watch, I received a message letting me know that it could be found in my secure iMemories account. Finally, after all these years, I was going to discover what was on this footage. Would I see my mom on the film? Where was the home movie taken? I had absolutely no idea; this would be the first time anyone had ever seen this family movie.

If you’re an Elder Millennial like me, you will marvel at the contrast of how our childhood home movies have the same film quality as the Zapruder footage, while our current home movies are shot in Ultra HD 4k on an iPhone!

The movie comprised of three short segments: One taken at a local park in Peterborough, England where I used to play; a clip filmed inside our home; and a portion filmed in the back garden. Based on how old I am in the film, I’d say this was taken roughly around 1985. I was completely blown away by the movie: Both my mom and dad are filmed alongside me, and it’s crazy to see these places I remember just as they were – a still image doesn’t really capture the feeling of seeing life in action. I have distinct memories of all the places shown in this film, including the slide shown at the park – I actually have a scar on my forehead from that very slide, which I got on a different occasion where another child pushed me down on its metal steps…

It was powerful enough to watch footage of my mom for the first time after so many years, but even more amazing to me is the moment that was captured. As I swing on the swings with my mom and run through the park with my dad, the joy on our faces is so clear. My mom looks so vibrant and happy – the way I would always like to remember her. Watching this was very profound for me and left a deep impact on me for some time after first watching it.

Losing a parent young is always tough, and the circumstances can make it hard to hang on to those memories of happier times. The 16th anniversary of my mom’s passing is coming up the same week as Mother’s Day, and this year, I feel like I have been given a wonderful gift with this footage. I never really talk about this publicly because I’m a very private person, but it just wouldn’t feel right to write about this service while glossing over its importance to me. This is more than just a cute little family movie or a cool product; this is something that carries deep meaning for me, and will be very special to my Dad and the rest of our family. I’m so grateful that my mom, being smart and resourceful as she always was, thought to have this movie taken; and I’m so grateful that I finally got to see it.

Since I’m anxious to send this film to everyone who loves and remembers my mom, I’m especially appreciative of just how easy iMemories make it to share your finished product. If you want to simply download your files or email them directly to people from you iMemories account, you can absolutely do that; but to make it much quicker and simpler, I would recommend purchasing one month of iMemories Cloud storage for $5.99. This is the easiest way to instantly share with your family, as it allows you to provide your loved ones with a direct link to view the video on the iMemories website and download it to their own computer directly from there. It also has one-click buttons built in to share the video to Facebook and Twitter. This is great for me, because some people in my life will want to watch the movie on Facebook, while others in the family don’t use social media and will need it emailed or text messaged to them in order to view it. Since I can send them straight to the iMemories website, I don’t have to worry about uploading it to a third-party storage website or going over email attachment limits. Click here to view my home movie on the iMemories website and see how easy it makes it to watch and share videos instantly!

The world has changed a lot, so if you’re an Elder Millennial stuck in between technologies and not sure how to even watch your old home movies, iMemories provides the perfect solution. It’s also an ideal service to help our parents and grandparents preserve their special moments – no technical know-how needed. And while I had assumed that video conversion would be expensive, I was shocked to discover what a bargain iMemories offers. You’ll always receive a free quote after mailing your SafeShip Kit to iMemories, so there’s no surprises or unexpected charges; the conversion of my entire Super 8 movie came to a mere $12.99. I was stunned by how inexpensive this was! I couldn’t buy a Super 8 projector for that, never mind the equipment to hook it into the computer and edit it – not to mention the experience needed to do so effectively! iMemories use state-of-the-art equipment that incorporates modern HD camera technology and LED lighting to bring these memories to life, which no one could replicate at home for $12.99. And even if you have a Super 8 projector and know how to use it, film has a limited lifespan, so having these precious films backed up makes sure that they will always be around – because as us Millennials have learned the hard way, the Internet is forever! 😉

I couldn’t think of a better Mother’s Day tribute to my own Mom than this video. Converting your precious family moments with iMemories is a wonderful gift idea for any Mom or Grandma this Mother’s Day, so I highly recommend visiting iMemories.com or following along on the iMemories Facebook and Instagram pages to learn how you can transform life’s precious moments into a gift that will be treasured forever.

Pin it For Later!

I created this handy step-by-step graphic showing how to prepare your family mementos to send to iMemories, so you can Pin this to your gift idea boards and refer back to it when you’re ready to order! No need to be intimidated by the idea of converting your old movies and photos to digital – all it takes is a few simple steps!

Converting a Super 8 Movie to Digital With iMemories

Pin Me!

Buddyphones WAVE: Your Child’s Best Buddy

April 26, 2019 by Shelby Leave a Comment

Sample provided.

The minute I read about BuddyPhones WAVE, I knew it would be a lifesaver with my boys. We do noise really well in our house, and tend to drive each other crazy with it. Even the baby matches the pitch and volume of whatever sound his brothers happen to be making at any given moment so we basically have a human parrot—sometimes adorable, sometimes not so much. With three loud and busy boys I’m always looking for something to either grab their attention or distract and calm them. Well friends, these great headphones do both!

Music, stories, movies, educational games, podcasts—you name it. I’ve especially appreciated that my little wiggle-machines are not bound by a cord (though they do have a plug-in option as well); free to dance, play with Legos, sit buckled in their car seat or shopping cart. The secure fit manages to stay put without causing discomfort like many headphones do. The sturdy, low-profile design is great while out and about, and the ability to fold and store them in the convenient travel bag is handy for throwing them into the diaper bag or center console of the car. It’s nice to not worry about hearing-damage with the volume settings designed for any age. They’re even waterproof, so I’ve got no qualms about sending my boys outside with them on, even in rainy Portland.

Besides the visual appeal (my 5 year old adored the color and cool art), they’re extremely easy to use. I’m one of those Millennials who never quite caught on to the technology wave so I can get overwhelmed when having to figure out new electronics. Unlike my husband, I just don’t have common-sense with gadgets and HATE reading user manuals just to use a new device that’s supposed to add convenience and simplicity to my life! I made an audible sigh of relief when I opened the box to find a single folded piece of paper with ALL necessary info. How complicated can it get when you only have to figure out three buttons! Considering what I just told you about myself, I felt comfortable and well informed on the item within five minutes of opening it. That says a lot. Honestly, I give credit to the simple diagrams!

It just so happened that my kindergartner was having a particularly challenging time transitioning home from school when I had my first opportunity to test them. He was temperamental and needing space from the two year old. Unfortunately I needed to cook dinner and work with the baby, so providing that space while he could still be near me was difficult. I popped the headphones on him, handed him his bucket of Legos, and quickly got his favorite music going on my phone, paired via Bluetooth. As the noisy boys were drowned out, He calmed immediately and slipped into a content, focused state of building colorful creations. Well that was just the beginning of discovering what magical, boy-taming powers these headphones have!

Beyond the product itself, BuddyPhones really impressed me as a company with the excellent customer service they provided when our first pair had an issue. They replaced the product promptly and the second set has worked great. I’ve even found my husband with them on from time to time, as the adjustable sizing allows him to get some use out of them. We’re all a little saner thanks to the Buddyphones Wave, especially now that the toddler’s “wheels on the bus” song is stuck on repeat through headphones rather than through the speakers in our house.

Thanks, BuddyPhones!

Evenflo Gold Everystage Sets a New Standard and Outshines the Competition

April 22, 2019 by Shelby Leave a Comment

Riding in the Evenflo Gold Everystage Car Seat

Sample provided.

We’ve been foster parents for almost three years, and have had 20 kids in and out of our home (and van!) during that time. Needless to say, we’re pretty well versed in car seats, and our car seats have been very well used. When we took the Evenflo Gold Everystage out of the box, we were stunned—no exaggeration. Aside from its newness, and not being encrusted in spit-up and apple sauce, the difference in quality was immediately apparent. It’s not too heavy, but solid and well-built. It may not look like new for long, but we have no doubt it will serve us well for the long haul.

Evenflo Gold SensorSafe EveryStage™ Smart All-in-One Convertible Car Seat

As we got to know the car-seat, we kept finding new and exciting features we never knew we needed, and were also pleased to find those that had been conspicuously missing from our other options. We were especially impressed with the SensorSafe technology. It offers a serious confidence boost through the convenience of an app that can alert you if your child unbuckles, if the temperature in the car gets too high, or if you walk away from the car with your child still buckled.

Our first impression was that it was a very big seat, but once we had it installed, it hardly took up any more room than our others. With all the different inserts and adjustment options, it can comfortably and conveniently fit any of our three boys, ranging from 14 months to 5 and a half years. The installation was easy as well. No wrestling with towels or blankets to try to get the seat level. Simply anchor and ratchet down the base then glide the seat to the appropriate angle. This feature alone spared us from the painstaking task of trying to get the latch belt or seatbelt tight enough while installing. So quick!

From 14 months…

…to to 5 and a half years!

Our one-year old can easily reach his sippy or a binky from the generous cup-holders. Buckling is a breeze, with smooth strap adjustments and quick release buckles. I can unbuckle and remove him with one hand which doesn’t seem necessary unless you’re the kind of parent (like myself) that aims for as few trips as possible between the car and the house while unloading. Plus, it comes with the added confidence of SensorSafe technology; a brilliant way to maximize safety through the convenience of an app on your phone to help you.

Aside from that combination of comfort and safety while awake, we’ve never had a seat that kept our boys so well situated for sleeping. The adjustable headrest keeps them ideally positioned for napping while in the car, keeping their heads upright and well aligned with the side impact cushions. The only downside we’ve found so far is that we have to live with the fact that one of our children will be riding in much more comfort and safety than our other two. It’s definitely making us consider upgrading our other seats as well.

Get FREE Samples From PINCHme!

March 1, 2019 by Beeb 13 Comments

This is a sponsored post.

Anyone who knows me even casually probably knows how much I love freebies and samples. In fact, one of the first things I did when I got dial-up Internet access back in the ’90s was look up free sample websites! Freebie sites are a lot more sophisticated in 2019, and the samples have gotten even better. One of my favorite free sample websites today is PINCHme, which gives its members the chance to sample new products from top brands.

PINCHme is completely free to sign up for and is available to US residents – no credit card or shipping fees are required; all they ask is that you provide feedback on the products you receive. Here’s how it works: Each month, PINCHme releases a new batch of samples on “Sample Tuesday” for its members to claim. This usually happens on the second Tuesday of every month at 12 PM EST, so you’ll want to keep an eye out, because the samples are on offer while supplies last on a first-come, first-serve basis. The samples available to you are matched to your interests based on the preferences in your profile, and run the gamut from personal care and beauty items to food, pet products, baby items, cleaning products and more.

PINCHme recently sent me an example shipment of products to help me give you lovely readers an idea of what their sample boxes are like. Every member will receive different items based on their profile and what is available – sample boxes generally contain an average of 3 to 6 samples. Not everyone is guaranteed a sample box every month, but you’ll always have the chance to sign up for one-off freebies. I’ve been a member for several years, and I’ve been able to sign up for things like hair care and food samples on an individual basis along with receiving sample boxes. In addition, being a member gives you access to PINCHme Perks such as sweepstakes, partner offers and the chance to review products.

A Peek Into My PINCHme Box

Opening my sample box from PINCHme was so much fun – like opening your stocking on Christmas morning! I was so impressed by the selection of samples, which included full-size products as well as trial size. Even better, every single item was something that I will use – it really felt like a curated box of all the things I like!

Let’s take a peek at each item by category:

Health & Personal Care

Sundown Natural Multi+ Daily Immune Support: This is a full-size bottle of vitamins. I’ve been doing research on supplements recently, and this actually looks like a nice one for getting in Vitamin C during cold & flu season, so I’ll definitely be taking this.
Pacha Soap Co. Clarifying Charcoal Soap: I love getting samples of practical things I use every day, like soap!
Native Deodorant & Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Sunscreen: I loved getting sample sizes of these items, because they are 3-1-1 compliant for air travel. I flew to Washington, D.C. in January and actually went out and bought both trial sized sunscreen and deodorant so that I could fit them in my travel bag. So these will save me money next time I fly, plus I get to try new brands.
Compeed Blister Cushions: During that same trip to D.C., I spent a full day walking around Capitol Hill in high heels before boarding my flight home. By the time I got to PDX airport, my feet were in so much pain I could hardly walk. Suffice to say, these blister cushions look like something I definitely need!!

Beauty

Garnier SkinActive Glow Boost 2-in-1 Facial Mask + Scrub: This is the product I was most excited about! I’m a big exfoliant evangelist, so I always jump at the chance to try a new one – a mask and scrub 2-in-1 is genius, and this is a full size jar that I will get much use out of!
L’oréal Pure-Clay Mask: I love face masks, so this is another winner for me.
Sauce Beauty Deep Moisture Hair Mask: Deep conditioning treatments are something I do frequently for my color-treated, bleached hair, so this was yet another perfect-for-me sample.

Food

RX Nut Butter Peanut Butter: I really like the bars that this brand makes, so I’m looking forward to trying this. It’s a nice handy packet I can toss in my purse for snack emergencies, and it will also work for my keto diet. Yay!
Starbucks Plus Coffee With 2x The Caffeine: I love Starbucks, and when I have a long day of deadlines ahead of me, you better believe I’m looking for new and creative ways to get more caffeine. AMAZING!

So if you love free stuff as much as I do, you’ll want to sign up for PINCHme right now! It’s 100% free, and 100% fun!

Giveaway: Celebrate Little Moments With Entenmann’s Little Bites Churro Muffins!

February 15, 2019 by Beeb 92 Comments

The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Entenmann’s® Little Bites® so that I could try the product and share my thoughts and information about Entenmann’s® Little Bites®. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Entenmann’s® Little Bites®.

Life moves so quickly that it can be hard to stop and smell the roses. So sometimes, it’s nice to have a hard stop that forces you to slow down. We had just that last week when snow and ice came to our area – the roads were bad enough for school to be cancelled, and several of my own appointments ended up having to be rescheduled due to the weather. Even now that the snow has melted, it is still far from balmy weather around here. So what better way to spend a chilly day than by staying cozy and warm inside with an impromptu tea party?

Sharing smiles and Little Bites

Of course, no tea party or indoor picnic would be complete without some tasty treats. But you don’t have to spend a bunch of time in the kitchen – you can get that moist, just-baked taste with Little Bites muffins! You already know that we here at the MomStart family have been big fans of Little Bites for ages now, so we were super excited to try their latest taste sensation: Churro!

Limited-Edition Entenmann’s® Little Bites® Churro Muffins are the newest flavor in the Seasonal Favorites® line. They’re so new, that the cashier at Walmart noticed them as I was checking out and asked me what they were like! Featuring real cinnamon and sugar for that classic churro taste, these sweet muffins have a delicious taste that was a big hit with everyone around here. And just like all your other favorite Little Bites flavors, Little Bites Churro Muffins contain absolutely no trans fat or high fructose corn syrup. Their handy pre-portioned pouches contain 180 calories and make an effortless snack to have on hand – giving you more time to focus on those little moments with your little ones!

Little Bites Churro Muffins are only in stores for a limited time, so hurry and pick up a box today before they’re gone! For more information on these and other tasty treats, be sure to visit LittleBites.com.

Enter to Win:

To help you celebrate your own “Little moments”, we’re hosting a special giveaway: One lucky person will win a $25 virtual Visa gift card and (3) coupons for $5.00 off the purchase of Entenmann’s Little Bites!

To Enter:

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. While Entenmann’s is providing the coupons and gift card, MomStart is responsible for hosting and administering the giveaway, which ends on February 20th, 2019 at 11:00 PM PST. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18+ – sorry, no P.O. boxes. Please see the Rafflecopter widget for full details; and click here to read our giveaway rules.

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Cut Through The Noise With Mixcder E7 Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones

February 13, 2019 by Beeb Leave a Comment

A complimentary pair of Mixcder E7 Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones were provided for this review; this post contains our Amazon Associates link.

I’ve been wanting to get Jai a pair of noise cancelling headphones for a few months now, but I’ve been put off by the large price tag on the most popular brands – a pair of high-end noise cancelling headphones can easily go for $350+, which is a big investment. I did note that there are quite a few brands in the $30-50 range, but the reviews seemed spotty on the ones I had looked at, so I’ve been holding off on purchasing any. So when I received an email about the release of the new Mixcder E7 Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones, I was immediately intrigued because of this sentence: “The Mixcder E7 delivers on the company’s mission to create premium noise canceling headphones at an affordable price for everyone – at only $59.99.” I wanted to see what kind of performance these budget-friendly headphones could give and get a taste of what noise cancelling headphones can be like to use, so I took Mixcder up on their offer to mail me a pair.

The arrival of the headphones was perfect timing, as they were delivered a few days before a flight. Noise cancelling headphones are often recommended for air travel, so I thought this was a perfect opportunity to put them to the test. The headphones came with a nice carrying case to keep them protected in luggage, and so the headphones set off on a trip to Washington, D.C. with us!

Wearing Mixcder E7 headphones on the plane

Mixcder E7 Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones can connect to your device via Bluetooth so that you can listen cordlessly, with the additional option of plugging the headphones in as well via a removable cord, making them very flexible in usage. There are several buttons on the back of the headphones which can be used to activate the noise cancelling feature, control volume and skip forward/backwards, and turn Bluetooth on or off; Bluetooth will also turn off automatically when you plug them in.

When the noise cancelling feature on the Mixcder E7 is activated, you can immediately notice a reduction of ambient noise without playing any audio. You can use the Active Noise Canceling by itself, without having to completely power on the headphones. Jai wore the headphones for much of our flight and noted that it cut down the sound of the airplane engine by two thirds. I tried the Mixcder E7 on during the flight, and also observed how they took the loud “Hum” of the plane’s engine down. The headphones do not completely eliminate sound, but reduces it – as Jai put it, “It turns a roar into white noise“. This is very helpful, because I know any time I’m on a flight, I always have to crank the volume on my headphones up and can still barely hear whatever I’m playing; so by reducing the amount of noise, you can better hear your audio without having to blast the volume so high, which is of course bad for your hearing. This has practical applications beyond mere entertainment – for example, I personally use headphones to listen to a sleep podcast while I’m flying, which helps me get more rest while traveling. Plus, reducing the general racket on planes is a nice feature by itself even if you don’t want to listen to anything at all! These headphones will not put you into a silent vacuum, but they will take the noise level down.

Jai loves his Mixcder E7 Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones: The sound quality is very good, so he plans to use these a lot at his music station while playing piano. They are also comfortable to wear, which is nice, since larger headphones like these tend to be bulky to wear. The Active Noise Canceling is a great feature because it reduces din and can cut out lower pitches almost completely; Jai stood next to the fridge with just the noise canceling turned on, and noted that it cuts down the sound by half at least. I’m impressed to find a pair of headphones with noise cancelling features that are in the same price range as standard Bluetooth headphones that have no noise cancelling abilities whatsoever. I think these are a great buy and were a good introduction to the wonderful world of noise cancelling – now I just need to pick up another pair for myself! 🙂

The Mixcder E7 Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones are available on Amazon for $58.99. We loved them so much that we chose them as a top pick for our Valen-Tech Valentine’s Day Gift Guide – click here to check it out!

Make The Holidays Merry & Bright With Wonster Words!

December 21, 2018 by Beeb Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post.

For most kids in our area, today was the last day of school before holiday vacation. We all look forward to having a nice break during Christmas – it’s a great opportunity to spend more quality time together as a family. However, school holidays can also lead to boredom and learning loss. Fortunately, you can keep the kids occupied while you wrap up those last holiday errands, and they’ll be learning priceless skills at the same time – thanks to Wonster Words!

If you’ve heard me talk about Wonster Words before, then you already know that I’m a fan. Wonster Words is an award-winning educational app for Android and iOS that helps build your child’s understanding of ABC phonics and spelling. Taking inspiration from the classic educational TV programming that we all grew up with, Wonster Words is an interactive puzzle game featuring cute characters that lead children through stories and introduce them to concepts such as basic word families and the 44 most common phonemes. The app prompts kids to figure out the spelling of words by dragging and dropping animated letters as they sound out the phonics, consonant blends and gliding vowels. When the letters are arranged correctly, the meaning of the word is visually illustrated by short animations and mini-games. It’s a fantastic way to teach children how to spell, because they get to interact directly with the word structure in a hands-on way to see where the letters should go, while playing with the sounds and watching the story of what each word means.

Learning through stories on the Wonster Words app

Wonster Words contains 12 word stories about fun topics like birthdays, friendship, and space that take children through 12 word families, so as they explore the app, they’ll be exposed to hundreds of different words. Because the format presents the material naturally within a fun game, children are encouraged to explore at their own pace without pressure, for an organic and enjoyable learning experience.

The app is updated frequently with new content, and they have all kinds of fun additions for the 2018 holiday season! Wonster Words has a brand new user experience with the interactive Wonster Island landing screen, which allows users to explore a fun island full of new and different themes. Now, in addition to the great phonics exercises, Wonster Words is loaded with new educational biomes that cover basic math, science, art and music. It’s the perfect way to familiarize students with different topics in the same effective and fun format that we’ve come to love from Wonster Words, using interactive shapes and sounds to introduce new concepts. Alongside the new Wonster Island interface, the 2018 holiday update also includes new mini-games and 5 new original scores; and there will be more great content coming soon to Wonster Words, including vowels.

Try Wonster Words in your family, and you’ll soon see why it’s won awards from Parent’s Choice, National Parenting Product Award, Children’s Technology Review Editor’s Choice and more. I think your family will love it as much as mine does! The app is geared towards children aged 3 to 6, and is free with in-app purchases. Get it today on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon!

Entenmann’s & Bumblebee: A Sweet Pairing! (Special Offer + Giveaway)

December 20, 2018 by Beeb 66 Comments

The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Entenmann’s® so that I could try the product and share my thoughts and information about Entenmann’s® products. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Entenmann’s®.

What’s even better than enjoying a delicious snack? Enjoying a delicious snack AND a movie while saving money! In honor of the upcoming film BUMBLEBEE, Entenmann’s has a great deal for movie fans: Purchase three specially marked boxes of Entenmann’s® Little Bites® muffins, eight count donuts or Entenmann’s®Minis through January 5th, 2019, and you’ll receive $5 off a ticket to see BUMBLEBEE!

You know that I never pass up a great deal, so I hit my local grocery store this morning to snag my three specially marked boxes! All I have to do is submit my receipt, and I’ll be on my way to some great savings at the cinema. I love deals like this that lead to making great memories with our family. Have you heard about BUMBLEBEE yet? It looks super cute – I saw Hailee Steinfeld performing a song from the soundtrack on The Voice last week and it was really fun. Here’s a little peek at the film’s story:

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.

Good deals like this are just one of many reasons to love Entemann’s. Our household has been big fans of their tasty treats for years now – their handy, pre-portioned pouches of Little Bites® muffins are made with real ingredients like bananas, blueberries and strawberries and are the perfect thing to pack in my husband’s lunch and snack on while I write my blog posts. And who could forget the delicious Entenmann’s Rich Chocolate Frosted, Crumb and Powdered cake style donuts? Plus, there’s also the option of grabbing a light snack with Entenmann’s® Minis, which are smaller, individually wrapped versions of your favorite Entenmann’s products. No matter what you’re in the mood for, Entenmann’s has something to please!

For full details on this promotion and more about Entemann’s products, click here. You can also follow Entemann’s on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more on all their delectable goodies. And don’t forget to see BUMBLEBEE in theaters TOMORROW, December 21st!

Enter To Win:

In honor of Entenmann’s and BUMBLEBEE, we’re hosting a special giveaway just for our readers! One lucky person will win a $25 virtual Visa gift card and (3) coupons for $5.00 off the purchase of Entenmann’s Little Bites muffins!

To Enter:

Please use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. While Entenmann’s is providing the coupons and gift card, MomStart is responsible for hosting and administering the giveaway, which ends on January 6th, 2019 at 11:00 PM PST. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, 18+ – sorry, no P.O. boxes. Please see the Rafflecopter widget for full details; and click here to read our giveaway rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Easy Snow Cones in Seconds

August 28, 2018 by Momstart 3 Comments

Little Snowie 2 sent us a sample to review and my family LOVED it. We had a fantastic family night and made a quick little video of using the Little Snowie 2.

The Little Snowie 2 is so easy to use. We took it out of the box, plugged it in, put ice in it and put a bowl down to catch the ice and pushed it down and it made shaved ice in seconds. It was amazing. They also sent us so many samples of syrup the kids had a sugary blast, you can see it on Zoe’s face here.

The Little Snowie 2 produces the closest thing you’ll find to the smooth fluffy shaved ice from your neighborhood snow stand without having to fork out $1000 or more on a commercial shaver. That’s right, it’s commercial grade and portable at the same time. My cousin ended up taking it to her house after we used it in Florida. Yep, she stole my Little Snowie and took it to Texas.

There are over 50 different syrup flavors.

Nobody knows snow cones and flavored shaved ice desserts better than Snowie LLC. Having manufactured commercial ice shavers for the restaurant, outdoor event, and roadside snow stand industries for over 30 years, this small but proud USA Company has now taken their world leading expertise and developed the best home shaver on the planet.

Little Snowie 2(TM) pumps out smooth icy desserts in just seconds. Say no to hand cranking, or weak motors and blades that fill a cup with crunchy ice chips. Little Snowie 2’s™ ice has the texture of freshly fallen snow – fluffy and soft, it melts in your mouth.

We even created a few adult beverages using the Little Snowie 2™.

To USE:

simply use ice cubes from your refrigerator, or any bulk ice cubes from the store; there’s no hassle of having to pre-freeze a large custom shaped ice cylinder

The Snowie motor and power switch has passed commercial use testing by ETL at over 100,000 repetitions, that’s a lot of cups of shaved ice. It is worth the price because it pays for itself after a couple of uses!