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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Book Review - Race the Wild: Great Reef Games

Race the Wild #2: Great Reef Games
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About the Book
Sage is used to being the fastest runner, the quickest climber, and the strongest swimmer around. And she's also used to taking charge. But when the second race course has the red team diving underwater to explore the Great Barrier Reef, it's trusting her teammates that matters most.

It's sink or swim time....

Each chapter in this action-packed adventure series is bursting with totally true facts about wild and wonderful creatures, dangerous habitats, maps, and more!





My Take on the Book
This is book #2 in the adventure series written by Kristin Earhart. In this story, Russell, Sage, Dev, and Mari must answer questions about the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. They must swim , parasail,kayak, and continue to take photos which prove they answered each new clue.

As the four team members take each challenge, they are also learning nonfiction information about the Great Barrier Reef and how to protect it. They learn about the symbiotic relationships between animals and plants, that there are many poisonous animals that use the reef as their source of food and shelter, and that coming in first is important but having fun is important too.

Sage learns how important it is to try harder to become a team member. Her team learns her reasons for needing the prize money in this story too.She learns to trust her team members, that they can make decisions together, and everyone's input is important.

Once again the reader will enjoy the adventures, the challenges, and the problem solving the team receives in each phase of this latest part of the race. I believe the reader will learn some interesting facts from the story too.

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Book Review - Race the Wild: Rain Forest Relay

Race the Wild: Rain Forest Relay
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About the Book
When Russell entered the race, he knew it was going to be a wild ride. Especially the first race course! He'd been studying up on the Amazon's animals and culture forever. But nothing could prepare him or his teammates for what they'd find in the rain forest: raging rapids, poisonous venom, and sneaky competitors who'd do anything to win.

Can the red team work together to make it to the finish line in one piece?

Each chapter in this action-packed adventure series is bursting with totally true facts about wild and wonderful creatures, dangerous habitats, maps, and more!




My Take on the Book
Kristin Earhart has written a delightful fiction chapter book that is infused with nonfiction facts. The nonfiction facts include information about the plants and animals of the Amazon region, specifically the rain forest.

Russell Deen and three team members must answer clues about the rain forest quickly. Russell's team and the other teams want to win the prize of one million dollars.

There are many challenges along the way to the finish line. With the combined knowledge of Russell, Dev, Sage, and Mari, they are able to solve all the clues and win the first leg of the race.

Russell's team is beginning to learn to use team work by the end of the book. The team members have never worked together before so there are challenges sharing information, leadership, and direction in their problem solving. The four children learn to appreciate each person's talent and contributions to the tasks.

I found the story fun to read, even as an adult. There was some new information about the rain forest for me to learn. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series next.


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Get Ready For Some Great After School Snacks With @KettlePOP #KettlePOP



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About the Snacks
KettlePOP is still hand-made in fire-burning kettles once batch at a time. With no preservatives, artificial flavors. Both the Sea Salt and Kettle Corn flavors are made from 4 all natural ingredients and contain no trans-fat.



Kettle Pop is available online at http://www.kettlepop.com and select Whole Foods, Costco Stores, and Grocery locations. MSRP $2.99 to $3.99.



My Take on the KettlePop
I am a BIG fan of kettlecorn and with that in mind when I was asked to try out this new variety. I have been holding back eating a lot of corn lately because of some of the news on the market on GMO's in corn. With that in mind I was excited about KettlePop bringing out two new varieties of non GMO kettlecorn. The flavor of this popcorn was wonderful. I love the sweet and salty taste of kettlecorn and both of these new flavors were great and not only did I get my sweet, but also the salty side came through to. These were the perfect snack for tiding my kids and I over at night or even better as a after school snack.

As a parent, I love that it is healthy and made fresh and I can trust that it is something that I can share with my kids with no worries!

All-in-all I highly recommend these new varieties as they tasted great and simply hit the spot!


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Book Review - The Best Friend Battle

The Best Friend Battle
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About the Book
"Funny and human and clever and wise. I really, really like this sparkling, racing, hilarious little gem." -- Hilary McKay, author of SAFFY'S ANGEL and BINNY IN SECRET

Sylvie Scruggs doesn't like Georgie Diaz. He always calls her Scruggs. He always beats her in baseball. He didn't invite her to his party. Plus, he's a boy.

Now Georgie is trying to steal Sylvie's best friend, Miranda Tan. He's giving Miranda a super-special birthday present, so Sylvie will too -- only her present will be ten times better. With the help of her twin brothers, a ferret, a castle, and some glitter glue, Sylvie sets out to make Miranda remember who her REAL best friend is, and forget about Georgie forever.

"Two words: Sylvie Scruggs. Two more words: LOVE HER! Eyre nails it with this new kid on the block. (And here's a challenge: I dare you not to laugh out loud)." -- Barbara O'Connor, author of HOW TO STEAL A DOG and THE FANTASTIC SECRET OF OWEN JESTER





My Take on the Book
As you can fell from the title of this book, there is some rivalry between the nine year old friends in this story. Sylvie and Georgie seem to be in competition all the time with each other. Competing in baseball, water balloon fights, giving the best birthday present, and being the best friend to Miranda. Miranda likes them both equally, but Sylvie wants Miranda all to herself.

The story deals with the feelings that children experience when there is jealousy. Sylvie is caught in a lie and must apologize.There are humorous situations in this chapter book and problem solving too on the part of the characters. Miranda shows the positive side of friendship in accepting her friends for who they are already.There is also forgiveness.

This book could be used as a read aloud between you and your child or an independent read. I believe your 7-9 year old would probably enjoy the story.

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Friday, February 27, 2015

Tutti Frutti Pencils by @louisefili Make #Art Fun! #DadChat

Tutti Frutti Pencils

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About the Pencils
Inspired by classic Italian packaging and stationery, celebrated designer Louise Fili brings her pencil collection into full color. This fun and stylish Tutti Frutti set, a companion to Fili's Perfetto Pencils, contains twelve double-sided pencils in six tutti Frutti shades, ideal for drawing or writing.


Tutti Frutti Pencils


My Take on the Pencils
My daughters love art. They take art lessons weekly so we go through a ton of art supplies. When I heard about these colored pencils I was excited. Not only because of the art potential, but the fact that they looked like high quality pencils that would last the girls some time. When they arrived I have to say upon having the girls try them that they were impressed. First off, they loved that there were colors that were different on both sides of the pencil. Thus more color varieties in one box. Second, the color that the pencils provide was of high quality. I was impressed with the coloring capacity of the pencils and they really had good color staying power (as not all colored pencils are the same in brightness and overall coloring capability). That being said, I have to say that I am impressed with these pencils and so are my girls. I highly rank these and would definitely say that they are worth the price you pay!


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The BCube Charger Is Small & Gives You Direct Power At Your Fingertips #BCube #DadChat


BCube Charger
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About the BCube Charger
The BCube cell phone portable charger will give you 1 full charge for your Apple iPhone 6 and 1 full charge for your Android Galaxy S4. It charges itself fully in just 3 hours and retains its charge without use!
BCube Charger

The BCube will charge most devices that use USB for power.

BCube Charger

The BCube is small enough to fit perfectly in your pocket or purse to make sure you will always have it when you need it.
BCube Charger

Best sleek and slim design of highest quality material makes it an ideal candidate for a durable partnership.
BCube Charger

The BCube comes in a hard case for greater protection.

Unibody design provides for the best integration of components.
BCube Charger

One of the smallest and lightest portable chargers on Amazon.




My Take on the BCube Charger
I use technology all of the time and because I have to balance both personal and professional accounts, but that takes a lot of power and my cell phone, for one, just will not keep a full charge anymore. With that being said, especially when I am at events that require connectivity, tweets, photos, or other such things, it is SO important that I have a quick way to either power up swiftly and completely, or power up while I work and the BCube Charger does both, and does it well.

I first want to say how much I liked the design of the BCube. It is sleek and stylish and very unassuming. That being said I have to say that it also is very small which makes the charger easy to transport and easy to use. The charger does a complete job at fully charging my devices and I have found that it lasts for quite some time too which is exactly what I need in a pinch. The last time I used this I was close to 0% charge, and I was able to get to almost a full charge in almost 2 hours which was amazingly fast!

All-in-all this is a charger that really works and is something that I definitely will be using for the foreseeable future. If you are looking for a charger that really works, I highly recommend this to all!

BCube Charger



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Ratchet Pruning Shears Make Gardening Easier! #EzyPruners


Ratchet Pruning Shears

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About the Product
Easier Cuts With Less Effort Makes Pruning A Breeze!

A great solution to allow gardeners to enjoy greater cuts with less effort, while getting more pruning done!

This magnificent ratchet mechanism saves you time in the garden, while providing increased leverage with it's 3-stage ratchet system for anything you cut up to an inch in diameter. From branches, flower stems, etc...

The non-stick, teflon coated, Sk-5 blade slices through just about anything in it's way! Many gardeners will be able to benefit from using this and will love it as a gift to use almost anytime of the year. Particularly as spring approaches!

Product Features
  • 1-2-3 STAGE RATCHET ACTION - Makes short work of normally tough cuts, saving you precious time, effort, and energy! In fact, you can leverage the ratcheting mechanism that these pruning shears provide to slice through branches of up to 1-inch thick!
  • SK-5 HIGH CARBON STEEL BLADE - Stays sharper than your ordinary blade and lasts even longer! You're getting the best quality steel available. No more worrying about a pruning shear blade that might become dull after just a few cuts, this will remain sharp for the long haul, meaning... nice clean cuts every time!
  • TEFLON COATING - This helps to prevent things such as sap sticking to your garden shear blades, whenever you cut through branches, prune roses and other plant stems, etc... It also helps reduce the likelihood of rust forming.
  • WHO DOES THIS SUIT? - If you've found yourself to have less hand strength due to arthritis, or have experienced pains when using standard bypass pruners and want to finally get your hands on some hand pruners that will help to do most of the cutting for you, then you'll love these! All you need to do is place your hands in the grip position and follow the easy to understand instructions, then you're away!
  • 100% TEST DRIVE IT GUARANTEE - They're so confident that you'll love these ratchet pruning shears that they want you to give these pruners the 30 day challenge! Use them in the garden for a full 30 days and if you don't find that they've helped to make pruning much easier for you than your ordinary pruners, let them know, and they'll cheerfully refund your money, no questions asked.




My Take on the Book
My wife and I are HUGE gardeners and with that comes a need for pruners that will last and that work well, and I these shears accomplished both! While it is winter now, I found that there were a few trees that had been damaged in a recent winter storm that had branches hanging down. That being said, I quickly decided to take care of it now instead of waiting until later in the spring.

In using these shears I will tell you that the ratcheting action works very well and the grip on them is comfortable, which makes them easy to use. Too often I have had shears in the past that when you put pressure on them you also put undue pressure on your hand which can cause pain, if not chaffing. These shears did neither, and actually were very comfortable instead.

The shears are sharp and with the ratcheting action, they were easily able to get through the branches I was working on. If you have never used ratcheting shears before, they do take a little getting used to, but not too much, and I think you too will find how easy they are, and once you use them you will not want to go back either!

All of this being said I have to say that I am impressed, and both my wife and I are looking forward to using these shears much more often once the winter breaks and we start having some earm weather again!


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DVD Review - Wolfy: The Incredibe Secret

Wolfy: The Incredibe Secret

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About the DVD
A wolf and a rabbit set out to find the wolf’s mother, who is surprisingly still alive, but they arrive in her town in the midst of the world’s most renowned carnivore food fest. Who will survive and who will be the main dish du jour? A big secret about the wolf’s birth is revealed.





My Take on the DVD
Cute movie, with a nice message. The movie also had some unique and well made cartoon artistry throughout too. I loved how the writers kept many of the secrets of the movie throughout and kept the viewer guessing. Too often in movies like this you know from the very beginning what the outcome is going to be, but not in this. Instead, the movie is well-paced and well written, and in the end you get a fun, family friendly movie, that even though it was not a huge blockbuster, it still was enjoyable and a good movie to watch together!



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Book Review - Captain No Beard: Fribbet the Frog and the Tadpoles

Captain No Beard: Fribbet the Frog and the Tadpoles
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About the Book
Fribbet's gone missing! The crew searches for the excitable frog and finally find him troubled and crying in the stern. Fribbet is very upset, and it's up to Captain No Beard and the crew to find out what's wrong. Fribbet the Frog and the Tadpoles is another great voyage into problem solving and friendship, as well as an adventurous trip into the imagination. Join the Captain No Beard and his friends as they learn the value of sharing our troubles with others and that help is always there when we need it.



My Take on the Book
Carole P. Roman has written many stories that children can relate to well in their life's challenges or circumstances. In this story Fribbet the frog's family is becoming larger with the arrival of tadpoles. Fribbet is stressed out at first with the arrival of the little froggies. There are many changes in his life that he is not comfortable with because of the froggies. 

The reader will experience not only Fribbet's emotions but see the little tadpoles grow into frogs.
I think the story is a great opportunity to discuss the changes a family will encounter when a new baby or family member arrives to live with them. It most certainly can be a happy event with the proper planning and discussions with the children who will experience the changes in their lives.
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Book Review - Sleepless Knight

Sleepless Knight

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About the Book
The Knight can't wait for her first camping trip! She and her horse Edward pack everything they need -- including her beloved Teddy - and head out into the woods. But when it's time for bed, Teddy is nowhere to be found!

A helpful racoon thinks this "Teddy" sounds familiar, and sends the Knight off to a cave... but that's no teddy bear in that cave. That's a bear!

In this sweet, simple adventure, basic comics elements combine with the picture book format to create a picture book for the youngest of comics readers, and a fantastic introduction into the world of Adventures in Cartooning.

My Take on the Book
Many children have a special stuffed animal or blanket that they take to bed with them. Often if this object is lost or misplaced, the child becomes upset and may have difficulty sleeping.

Our main character is going camping. He loves his Teddy Bear and needs his bear to sleep. So of course as night approaches , there is a major Teddy Bear hunt when he cannot find his bear. 

The story is set up similar to a comic strip with rectangles of drawings and speech bubbles. The authors have done a great job showing the distress and the eventual relief on the characters' faces.

I think you and your child will be able to relate to the theme of the story and maybe have a discussion if your child has a favorite stuffed animal or blanket that is necessary for their bedtime.



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DVD Review - Yu-Gi-Oh! Collection: Volume 1

Yu-Gi-Oh! Collection: Volume 1

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About the DVD
With his world crumbling into chaos, a masked menace known as Paradox travels into the past to eliminate the source for his world s destruction the Duel Monsters card game! Standing in his way are three legendary duelists who will do whatever it takes to save what s on the line their friends, their family and the game they love. For the first time ever, Yugi, Jaden and Yusei will team together and battle with all their hearts in a duel that will decide the past, present and future!

Also available in this collection sample each of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Seasons, featuring episodes from Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D s and Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL!

My Take on the DVD
This is a great collection of Yu-Gi-Oh episodes from a number of the different Yu-Gi-Oh DVD's that are on the market. They have pulled together what I think of as the best of all of them and put them in one place. If you are a fan of the show, but have not purchased the DVD's in the past, this is a great DVD that will pull some of your favorite episodes together in one place. If you have not kept up with the series you will be impressed with the artistry, plot and action in the series too!


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Book Review - Rhymoceros

Rhymoceros
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About the Book
In Janik Coat’s much-anticipated follow-up to Hippopposites, a blue rhinoceros unabashedly demonstrates 16 pairs of rhyming words. His ability to appear “stinky” and “inky,” or “caring” and “daring,” oftentimes lands him in compromising contexts. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to mind. Surprising novelty features such as gold foil stamping and flocking enhance this unique, gifty, high-design concept board book.



My Take on the Book
This was a very cute book that I would highly recommend to all families to share with their young readers. This was a great rhyming book that had great images that a young child will love. The author took some great liberties and had fun with the rhymes and being that it is a board book, the book definitely was made for small hands!


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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Bulu Box Subscriptions Keep the Surprises Coming #DadChat


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Being healthy takes time and sometimes when you are on the go, it is hard, if not impossible. The monthly Bulu box subscription helps you by sending you some of the things that you can easily use on the go that are healthy and portable.

Over the last month I have been traveling a lot, and because of this I have to say that I was very happy to have received my first and second BULY boxes in the mail. In each of these boxes you get to try a number of items that are there to promote good health on the go. From calcium chews to granola bars, protein drinks to powders to mix nutrients into your coffee, you get it all.



The nice thing, is that the box comes right to your door. While there is not a ton in each box, you get a good sampling of items that I had never heard of or tried before and since then, I can say that I now have some new brands that I am following and engaging with, as well as products I am looking for locally as they were so good.


So if you are looking to get and stay healthy and need a little help, look to BULU to be that helping hand and little encouragement to keep you on the straights and narrow path!


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