Fun Soccer Marathons in FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush

August 30, 2016 by 1 Comment

When I think of soccer video games, I imagine 20 players moving across the field in different directions. I’ve seen the best-selling titles (like FIFA on PC/Playstation/Xbox), and they look downright confusing to me. The most realistic soccer games are for athletes and savvy fans – those who know the ins and outs of play formations, dribbling, and advanced passing. Recently, I discovered FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush. It’s a casual game that welcomes anyone and everyone – whether you player soccer or don’t know a single thing about it.

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FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush is an endless runner. This is a type of game that many children love to play, because there’s ongoing action from start to finish. The gameplay is quite comparable to Subway Surfers, which has been downloaded over a billion times. If that tells you anything, it’s that endless runners are addictive and fun. In my opinion, FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush has more educational value than any of its peers. This is because it features real athletes from Spain’s legendary soccer team. Also, there is a deep skill system that requires basic math to make the best decisions.

The list of available players includes Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Luis Suarez (among others). I did a bit of research, and I was impressed by how much each in-game character looks like their real-life counterpart! Messi has his signature Quiff, Iniesta sports a Mohawk, and Suarez’s face is photorealistic. FCB fans are bound to love playing as their favorite athlete, especially with such authenticity involved.

The skill tree and upgrade system in FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush are simple enough to understand, but deep enough to add great value. There are 10 different types of skills that you can buy and improve at any point during the game. Certain ones reward you with gold just for playing. For example, if you have the Manager skill, you will earn hundreds of coins when you initially load the game each day. Other skills work like traditional power-ups. The Adrenaline Beast skill makes temporary invincibility last longer. Depending on how you like to play, you might choose to max out a single skill for each athlete. Or, you can spread skills evenly across your entire team. You’re the manager, so you get to make every important decision!

There’s also a fun reward component of FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush. Every day, you can collect prizes from the gift box. One of my favorite ways to win prizes is from scratchers. These are scratch cards that make you feel like you’ve won the lottery! If you match three icons (which is very easy to do), you get a special prize, such as coins, energy, or a new skill.

I don’t know much about soccer, but I do know that FC Barcelona Ultimate Rush is an excellent game. After playing it myself, I let my young one try. He loved running down the streets of Barcelona, kicking soccer balls and capturing shiny gold!

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Elena of Avalor Games

August 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Elena of Avalor app

If you have young ones at home, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the Disney Channel. There’s regular Disney, Disney Junior, Disney XD, and probably a new one on the way. With so much programming available, choosing the best TV shows for our children isn’t always easy. Recently, Elena of Avalor debuted on television and the Internet. It’s a promising Disney show featuring characters in—you guessed it—a magical fairy tale.

Elena of Avalor features a bunch of strong, smart characters. It’s based on Princess Elena, who is surrounded by supportive friends and family. There are wondrous flying guardians (Jaquins), helpful spirit animals, and other surprises in the magical kingdom. Instead of just watching the television program, I recommend you share these great Elena of Avalor games with your children.

There are more than a dozen titles in Poki’s collection. Better yet, as the series grows in popularity, more games will be added. The present selection features games in a bunch of different genres, including adventures, baking tasks, cleaning chores, medical challenges, and puzzles. Although these games come from different developers, they have all been chosen due to their broad appeal. Elena of Avalor titles aren’t just for fans of the show; they’re designed with all sorts of players in mind, from preschoolers to teenagers. In case you were wondering, some of these games are just as entertaining for us parents.

The adventure games send players to a magical kingdom. There, we will encounter all sorts of happy folks from the TV show. Avalor is filled with funny friends, silly creatures, and a few spooky villains. In Elena of Avalor Adventure, we’ll meet her sister (Isabel), grandfather (Francisco), and best friend (Naomi). This game provides a really fun way to interact with everyone around the castle.

The baking games are equally entertaining, giving us a chance to cook tasty items in the kitchen. In Elena of Avalor Cooking Cake, we will mix sugar, flour, and cocoa for the batter. Then, the chef will guide us on how to bake the rest of the dessert perfectly.

Real chores aren’t fun. Luckily, Princess Elena has the magical ability to make cleaning a blast! Games like Elena of Avalor Room Cleaning and Princess Elena Clean turn mundane tasks into exciting treasure hunts. These games just might inspire your young ones to tidy up their rooms with pleasure.

Medical challenges are exciting and educational. In these games, players become doctors. The mission is very clear: treat the princess’s wounds and help her feel better. We learn which tools to use and how to take care of ailing patients.

The puzzles in the Elena of Avalor collection are exactly what you’d expect: jigsaw puzzles and memory matching games. The simple, four-piece puzzles are best for young children, while the complicated jigsaws are perfect for older players. Matching games will test how many characters you can remember at once!

Whether or not your young ones watch Princess of Avalor on Disney, they’re bound to enjoy the free games on Poki.

Filed Under: electronics, entertainment Tagged With: ,

Mattel is looking for expecting Moms to join their exclusive online community!

August 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Disclosure- This post is sponsored. All opinions are my own and honest. For more information, see “I Disclose”.

pregnant

Are you currently expecting? Join other expecting Moms in a private online community to discuss the joys and challenges of motherhood, as well as advise Mattel Fisher Price about their toys and games.

Fisher Price cares about what Moms have to say when it comes to expecting a new baby. They rely on their exclusive group of over 300 Moms to help them gain a greater understanding of the lifestyle and needs of their consumers as it relates back to the world of play, and is opening up this invitation to you.

If you want to impact the future products your new coming child will use, sign up to interact with other expecting moms, answer surveys, participate in discussions and more. Your answers will help shape the future of Fisher Price as well as lend a hand to and inspire other pregnant Moms like you going through the same journey. Sharing your opinions will also help earn you rewards each month, as well as fun prizes along the way.

When it comes to rewards, in addition to the opportunity to impact the brand, members will receive a $5 Amazon gift code just for joining and an additional $10 Amazon gift code each month for their participation.

Spots are limited, so be sure to sign up today – the community is currently letting in just over 100 new members! See if you qualify here:  http://bit.ly/2bWQZHw

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3 Reasons You’ll Never Regret Booking Israel Guided Tours

August 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Are you thinking where to go for your next holiday? Consider visiting Israel and when you do, book a guided tour to make your trip more memorable. Here are the reasons:

Israel is a holiday destination that offers something for everyone.

Israel has so much to offer to travelers considering that it is a nation rich in culture and history. For more than 1,500 years influences from the Muslim, Christian and Jew communities have been brewing in the nation and are currently evident across the land. In short, the diverse culture has allowed the country to provide a wide assortment of sights and sounds that any type of tourist can delight in.

So if you’re into the urban lifestyle, Tel Aviv is definitely your home away from home. It’s the cosmopolitan center of Israel where you can enjoy not just the urban vibe but also the quaint cafes and stunning beaches in the area.

If you’re new to Israel, you’ll definitely want to visit the famous sites that the country is known for. A quick research will let you discover so many world-famous places including the Dead Sea, the Old City of Jerusalem, the Ramon Crater, Baha’i Gardens and the Old Jaffa. Simply book Israel guided tours to get from one place to another quickly and conveniently.

Israel guided tours will save you the hassle of travel planning.

Do-it-yourself travel planning may be a common trend these days, but the truth is that you can save even more time, effort and money when you book Israel guided tours. How come? Well, for one, travel agencies are knowledgeable of the various landmarks in Israel, and thus, their guides can take you to the most interesting parts of each site. You won’t even have to worry about determining how to get from one landmark to another in a timely manner because your tour guides have set the itineraries to ensure that you are back to your hotel before evening comes. In most cases, you also won’t have to worry about bringing lots of cash during the trip especially when your guided tour package already includes transportation fees and entrance tickets. Meals, especially lunch, are also included in many guided tour packages. In short, all you have to do is determine the sites you want to visit, know what’s included in the tour package and pay the price.

Guided tours will let you focus on fun, enjoyment and relaxation for your holiday.

The convenience of opting for Israel guided tours extends from the planning stage to the moment you’re on the trip already. Your guides will have the right vehicle with them, and thus, you will be able to relax in between sites. But even if the tour includes commuting in public transport, your guides know the schedules of the trips and the right ferry, bus or train to board. In short, your logistics are taken care of.

In many cases, you can customize your tour wherein the itinerary is focused more on your specific interest and passion, turning your trip an even more memorable one. For example, you can request for a tour that takes you through historical landmarks of Israel or perhaps focus on religious sites. You can even choose to have a food discovery tour where you go through local markets to buy ingredients, sample a variety of cuisines or learn the local cooking style.

Filed Under: traveling Tagged With:

The Iowa State Fair

August 25, 2016 by 9 Comments

The Iowa State Fair was described to me as “our Disneyland. Well, not really- but it is”. It’s something people look forward to every year, and it’s easy to see why.

iowa state fair

I had never been- and if you, like me, don’t live in Iowa, I suggest you make the pilgrimage at least once in your lifetime. You may have a state fair where you live- and I do as well. But this is different. It’s….well, it’s the Disneyland of state fairs, if you would.

iowa state fair

The largest state fair in America, there was more to see, do, and eat then one was able to take in during a single day. It was a feast for the senses, with something new around every corner, and more tucked away in corners and in buildings and down the side over there. An explosion of festival. A few times, I thought we had seen “all the things”, but a local would point out a spot we had missed. We very nearly didn’t see the agricultural showcase, where people showcased their best flowers, centerpieces, small bushes, etc and submitted them for judging. Who would want to miss the blue ribbon gladiola? Not to mention this year’s butter sculptures, such as the Star Trek Enterprise as well as the essential butter cow. Yes, really. These sculptures were made entirely of butter, and people would line up to see them in their refrigerated enclosures through window panes. They never would make it in room temperatures, where it was nearing 100.

blue ribbon winners

Every year, there is a butter cow, dating back to 1911. These butter bovines have a long history- so while I was amused, there is a lot that goes into their creation. There are now companion pieces that are sculpted along with the cow each year, and this year it is Star Trek, which celebrates it’s 50th birthday. Not to be outdone, the butter cow is celebrating her 105th birthday. Good thing we are in corn country- what else would you do with 600 pounds of butter after the fair?

butter cow

The Iowa State Fair is a great place for the whole family- there is face painting, balloons, and many booths have free temporary tattoos for the kids. We saw a few children with very little “real estate” left from their growing collection. There is one area, known as “the concourse”, that was for carnival rides, games of chance, and of course a few food and drink booths. Buy tickets singly, by the bunch, or an all day wristband that lets them on unlimited times.

kiddie rides

More then one person mentioned the “Giant Slide” to us, and that it was something they looked forward to every year, or that they had been doing since they were kids and now do with their own children. It requires it’s own ticket, but seems to be something you “must do” when at the fair.

giant slide

In one building, local art and artists were showcased. You could buy items locally made and handcrafted, and some locally made foods to take home as well.

Outside, kids could make several different kinds of crafts, including decorative mobiles, bracelets, and pottery spun on wheels or sculpted by hand.

Then there was the food.

Fair food.

In a class all on it’s own, the fried, greasy goodness that is fair food was available in an abundance I can’t exaggerate.

state fair food

You could get everything your heart desired- as long as your heart desired fried foods. From classics like funnel cakes and corn dogs, to the more healthy (ish) fried pineapple or pickle dawgs- if it can be fried, it can be found at the Iowa State Fair.

Our fair favorites include cheese curds- nothing fancy, but how do you go wrong with fried cheese? Cheese curds are the solid parts of sour milk, sometimes called “squeaky cheese”, and are quite popular in the midwest. Also, the aforementioned “pickle dawgs” are, in my opinion, a must try. A pickle is wrapped in either pastrami or ham and smothered in cream cheese, then deep fried. Sounds strange? Definitely. But it’s also delicious.

fair food

Food on a stick is king at the fair, and so are pork products. Of the highest nobility, then, are the bacon wrapped ribs and bacon wrapped pork chops.

My son devoured them with gusto, regardless of the fact that we had just been to the petting zoo and the agricultural center, where we learned about the life cycle of pigs and other animals, and saw 10 hour old piglets nursing their mother. Iowans explain this phenomenon as understanding where your food comes from, and how hard it is to get them from farm to table. It’s gaining an appreciation for your meals and the people who bring them to you. It’s learning to be grateful. He declared them his favorite food ever. How much was an Iowa lesson learned, and how much was the meat on a stick, is open to interpretation.

fried snickers

For dessert, there are endless ice cream stands, and with the summer heat being no joke right now, you will want to make use of one or two of those. But if you’ve never had fried oreos or fried candy bars, try them. We are going to recommend the fried Snickers bars, which are (honestly) battered and deep fried, then have powdered sugar dusted on them before they are delivered to you via paper boat. The 9 year old was in sugar Heaven. He wanted another, but even I’m only so indulgent.

fair rides

Any time is a good time to visit Iowa, but if you haven’t made plans yet, you might want to plan around the state fair dates.

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: ,

GE Top-Freezer Refrigerator at @BestBuy @GE_Appliances #mygekitchen #ad

August 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Disclosure- I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Refrigerator

With recent headlines emphasizing the lack of safe drinking water across the country, it is quickly becoming apparent that fresh, clean, safe tap water can not be taken as a given in many homes.  One of the ways to get around this is by filtering your own water at home.  This can be difficult with pitchers that empty quickly and little hands that have a hard time picking up and pouring into cups, let alone full pitchers.  One possible solution is by using the new GE line of stainless steel refrigerators, which include the autofill pitcher feature. These automatically refill the pitcher placed on its dock inside the refrigerator, so you’ll have a pitcher of chilled, filtered water ready anytime, all the time without having to fill it yourself by hand with the tap.

stainless steel appliances

The water is fed directly into the refrigerator through a water filtration unit with an AFPWF replacement filter letting you enjoy fresh and great-tasting water, right from your refrigerator, with a filter that’s NSF-certified to reduce chlorine taste and odor as well as many other harmful contaminants. We  particularly like that this unit is compact in size yet big on interior space.

home appliances

The door of the refrigerator features many different sized compartments for all your different beverage sizes from juices, to sodas, to containers of milk and even salad dressings and mini sauce packets. (My husband collects those like they are going out of style, they are so annoying in the ‘fridge!) The exterior of the refrigerator has a stainless steel finish to is which brightens up the kitchen and adds a modern feel to any decor and fits in with just about any cabinet and appliance decorating scheme.  The new GE stainless steel refrigerator not only has a sleek modern look and feel but it is also efficient and sips electricity and is usually quiet as well.  The GE – 17.5 Cu. Ft. Top-Freezer Refrigerator with autofill pitcher – Stainless Steel is available now from Best Buy and is available for delivery and installation by professionals.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: ,

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on the Wii U

August 25, 2016 by 7 Comments

zelda game

Every so often a gem of a game comes along for a console.  The biggest problem is, that console will eventually be replaced by a newer better one, so how does one share a great game with a younger generation?  With a remake, of course.  Shinier graphics, updated character designs, improved game play, throw in a few extras and you have yourself a fun new-ish game to share with everyone.  This is exactly what The Twilight Princess is.  A great game from the beginning of the Wii now remastered for the Wii U.

Twilight Princess has the familiar Link hero character in an action adventure game where he must fight, solve puzzles, and explore his way through his adventure.  This time, the story line and art is a bit darker, but this doesn’t distract from the same Legend of Zelda formula we all know and love.  Link must find a way to save his world from the Twilight dimension and its evil king, Zant.  In order to do this, we meed some new characters like Midna, who teaches Link to change into his Twilight Wolf form as well as familiar ones like Zelda and Ganondorf.

As this is a remaster, you may be wondering what was added to make this a must buy.  Well, there is added Amiibo support which opens up a new Wii U exclusive dungeon as well as power up abilities with other Legend of Zelda Amiibos.  Your Amiibo also has the ability to carry over data into the next Legend of Zelda release planned for later this year.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is available now for the price of $59.99 and includes an exclusive Wolf Link / Midna Amiibo.  It is also available for download from the eShop for $49.99 but this version obviously will not include the Amiibo.

Filed Under: gaming, technology Tagged With: , ,

Preventing and treating summer skin troubles

August 25, 2016 by 1 Comment

insect repellent

Cover Up

–   More bare skin means more risk for bug bites and stings plus exposure to rash-causing plants such as poison ivy and poison oak. Whenever possible, choose clothes that cover skin like long sleeves and pants. Mosquitoes often target feet and ankles, so wearing socks and closed shoes is a good idea as well.  Using a repellent before you go out is also a good way to protect exposed skin from mosquitos and biting bugs. Dr. Lamb suggests Natrapel bug repellent, with a CDC recommended 20% Picaridin formula which provides up to 12hr of protection for the whole family. When you get home, check clothes for ticks before heading inside.

Be Aware

–   When participating in outdoor activities, make sure everyone in your family knows what plants such as poison ivy, oak, and sumac look like so you can avoid them. If you spend time in areas where these plants grow, cover up and avoid contact. When you get home, be sure to wash skin and clothing that may have been exposed to them.

–   Ensure your yard drains properly during and after rain and empty kiddie pools and other standing water. Proactive steps such as these will prevent mosquitoes from making your yard a breeding ground.

Treat Ailments

–   Always be prepared with a remedy on hand that can offer your family instant healing and relief from itching, burning and discomfort. For bites and stings, Dr. Lamb suggests using a counterirritant such as After Bite, which stops itch and offers a skin protectant, for temporary relief and faster healing is convenient to have on hand. The kids’ formula is a gentle alternative for little ones or anyone with sensitive skin. Both contain soothing baking soda and offer an easy-to-apply, portable remedy for bites from a wide variety of insects.

–   For instant and permanent relief from itching and pain associated with hives, rashes and redness, insect bites, minor scrapes, and allergic reactions from poison ivy, oak and sumac, Dr. Lamb recommends The Itch Eraser, a new steroid free anti itch product for the whole family. It’s offered in maximum strength gel and spray with antihistamine as the active ingredient or a sensitive cream formula with baking soda for those who have sensitive skin. All three treatments contain Vitamin E and Tea Tree Oil to heal and moisturize the skin while reducing redness and inflammation.

These are some tips from Dr. Angela Lamb, New York City-based dermatologist.

 

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