Top 5 Tips for Raising Money-Smart Kids

October 24, 2012 by 6 Comments

Our economy is in rough shape; no one can dispute that fact. Inflation is affecting our budgets, prices are rising across the board, and it’s becoming more and more difficult for people to find high paying jobs. You want your kids to be prepared for this world, so start teaching them to be smart with money. Educate your kids using these 5 tips for a thrifty education.

  1. Lead by Example
    The most important thing you can do to teach your kids how to be smart savers and thrifty spenders is to be a good role model. Show your kids how to be financially responsible by setting good examples for them. Be smart with your own money and your kids will pick up on these habits. You are your kids’ first and most important teacher, and the lessons they learn from you will last many years. Kids are very impressionable, so take this time to make a [Read more…]
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Pediatric GermFree Cool Mist Humidifier from Vicks Review and Giveaway

October 24, 2012 by 42 Comments

Being the mother of 2 children, and flu season around the corner, I know that I will need a good humidifier. I was so happy to be able to review the Pediatric GermFree Cool Mist Humidifier from Vicks .

Vicks’ new GermFree Cool Mist Humidifier is the first of its kind. The humidifer eliminates up to 99.9% of mold, bacteria, and fungi in the water ensuring fresher, purer moisture through a patented germ-killing UV light chamber.

Key Features:

  • Kills up to 99.9% of bacteria, mold, and fungi in the water
  • Germ-Killing UV light chamber
  • Helps relieve cough and cold symptoms
  • Automatic moisture balance system [Read more…]
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Furby and K-Mart’s Fab 15

October 16, 2012 by 12 Comments

There is a new toy in town, one that looks very familiar to many of us. The Furby, but the newest generation of Furby is more interactive, more digital, and talks quite a bit more. Furby is the original robotic pet, first introduced to us in 1998 and was immediately the must have toy of the holiday season. Furbies were in play rooms, living rooms, and even offices. I personally have 2, the one on the right and a white one that is currently lost in Little’s room. They were to so prevalent in offices that the NSA forbid them from being brought into their own offices for fears of it recording and learning national secrets. This is not really a valid concern as Furby’s do no record anything, but it’s funny! Ah, government….

The early generation Furby’s learned, talked and interacted with the person playing with it. They are learning based directly on the level of interaction and time spent with the Furby. The newest generation of Furbies work in a similar manner, but updated and with newer tech and more attitude. The tech includes an app to feed and play with your Furby, brand new LCD screen eyes which give you a peak into the Furby’s thoughts with a ton of emotion and meaning behind each pixel. These eyes are (to daddy) a welcome change to the original Furby which had big realistic eyes that kind of freaked him out a bit.The newest additions include more emotions and a more attitude driven play experience. Instead of simple action -reaction play there is action-emotion driven reaction. What this means is, if your Furby doesn’t like music and you play music for her, she will become aggravated and be mad at you. If you continue being inattentive to Furby’s needs, the Furby will get angrier. It is amazing how much this little fluffy ball of circuits, [Read more…]

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Rufus the Red Monkey – Monkeez Make a Difference #SockMonkey

October 16, 2012 by 6 Comments

We are always looking for ways for Little Man to be able to express his more sensitive side. The Little guy wants to help everyone possible all the time, and an important part of helping others is getting that feeling of actually helping. This can be in the form of meeting someone new, a smiling face, or even a heartfelt thank you. Yes, I know you can’t do something philanthropic for the reason of getting recognized for doing it- that is just wrong. But it’s nice to hear “thank you”, isn’t it? Especially for a child who is learning to express himself, social awareness, and care for others as he does himself.

We are also huge fans of companies (big or small) who try to make the world a better place then they found it. The creators of Monkeez and Friends are one of those companies. The idea behind their newest line of toys Monkeez Makes a Difference is to teach kids how to help others in different ways while still having fun and enjoying yourself. Getting recognized for helping, being generous and sharing. The [Read more…]

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Children Fighting in the Car: 5 Ways to Cope

October 11, 2012 by 6 Comments

Raising children is an amazing experience; watching kids learn and grow is one of the most enjoyable experiences in life. It is not, however, without its challenges. As kids grow, they go through phases where they can be difficult to deal with. Parents of grown children will all agree that kids in cars get in arguments. Here are five ways to cope with children fighting in the car.

car trip with kids

1) Give them a comfortable environment – One of the leading causes of kids fighting is boredom. On long trips, kids often resort to starting petty arguments with siblings that can spiral out of control. Giving them plenty of room to sit and entertainment options for long trips. A family car, for example, may offer DVD players that you can use to distract your kids while on the road.

2) Be firm – Make sure the rules are clear before leaving. Fighting will not be allowed, and fighting will lead to punishment. Make sure that you catch them fighting early in the process, and remind them of the consequences. Simply being told that fighting will result in punishment may not be enough, but it will eventually lead to results. Make sure you remind your kids why rules are important; when driving, fighting in the back distracts the driver and can lead to dangerous driving situations.
[Read more…]

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SeatPets – Adorable Travel Buddies Review and GIVE it AWAY

October 9, 2012 by 40 Comments

I don’t know about you but my son just adores his seat belt. (Cough….Who doesn’t, right? Hmmm…) He puts it on all the time without fail, never fighting even a little bit. (Cough…) Well, now he does. You see very recently we were able to install his favorite accessory of the car. The fun, new SeatPet. This wonderful invention takes the idea of a a seat belt cover and adds a few upgrades- It is a seat belt cover, a stuffed animal, and a handy storage container for the car (and a very useful nap pillow).

Watching him nap without anything just makes my neck hurt, and leads to the “car shuffle” to find his small pillow. But with the SeatPet he always has a pillow to pass out onto/with. The critter is so soft and cuddly, you can even get away with bringing him inside at your destination as your little ones plush of choice for bed. There are so many possibilities, it is great. The part I am most impressed with are the pockets. Instead of just having a big stuffed animal seatbelt cover, a great idea unto itself, there are pockets! Lots of them, some zippered some open [Read more…]

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Legos- Fun for Fall

October 2, 2012 by 8 Comments

Ahh, it’s a scary LEGO! Yes, the scariest LEGO of them all- the dreaded small brick sitting sideways in the middle of the carpet at night. This evil beast loves to roll around your floors while everyone is sleeping and wait for an unsuspecting bare foot to trample it, thus giving it it’s sustenance- profanities. The choicest cuts being those spewed at 2:00 am on the way to the bathroom. Up until now there was no one to help you fight these beasts, but fret no longer, the Monster Fighters are here! Just kidding. Sort of. 😛

The Monster Fighters are actually here to fight Lord Vampyre in his quest to collect all the moonstones and block out the sun thus letting the monsters spread across the land. This newest line involved eight Lego construction sets ranging form the colossal Vampyre castle to the Werewolf Ambush. As always Lego has the fun of building with the quirky fun of Lego, sly smiles and gnarly monsters make for a very good Lego set. We had the chance to try out the Werewolf set which included two mini-figs, the werewolf and Major Quinton Steele. Both of which include a ton of accessories like claws and weapons. There is also a special werewolf launching ambush tree and the Major’s hot rod which is a really nice addition. A great set to get you a good feel for the new line of Monster Fighters.

Up next is the something for our younger Lego fans, Duplo. Duplo are the prefect size for little hands, and curious little ones who may want to “taste” the small regular [Read more…]

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Dreamworks How To Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular

October 1, 2012 by 10 Comments

When I first heard about the live performance of How to Train Your Dragon it sounded interesting, but boy was I in for a surprise. The show is a spectacular combination of music and sights, for both adults and kids to enjoy. The show is filled with wonders, such as the combination of live action and video. One part of the show was created to look like the actor is running along a path- but in reality it was an actor running through projected and real scenery while hanging perpendicular to the screen, then all about the stage (and wall) area. The dragons were amazing, the robotics involved to make these creatures move, roar, shoot fire or lasers is truly fantastic. Shadow dragons flying above or shooting fire completed the effect, along with pyrotechnics that shot flames and tied it all together.

The pre-show Hero’s Welcome package was a great idea. The package included all of us getting dressed up as vikings for a posed picture, then meeting the main human characters (Astrid and Hiccup) for photos and Dragon Training Certifications. After the show, they had an explanation of how things worked. Pretty in Pink had to take her certificate for show and tell in school, so that she could show everyone that she is now a Dragon Trainer (she was so proud). Little Man was absolutely aglow from the idea that he was a viking and he had a chance to hold a sword and a shield. He also wanted to hug all the dragons- so no worries that they will be too scary for your little ones.
[Read more…]

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