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Eggy Spelling Grade 1 App Review

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The final installment of the Eggy apps is the Eggy Spelling Grade 1 app.  The app is available in your itunes store for an ipad with an iOS of 4.0 or higher.

Spelling 2Look at all the options available for your speller!  Each game you can choose has 5 levels. A is the easiest and E is the hardest level.

#1 – Beat the Bomb!

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Your pirate ship is in the water.  You have 15 tries to fill in the blank letter to spell the word.  If you can’t spell the word in 15 tires, the bomb goes off and your pirate ship sinks!

 

 

 

#2 – Check Mate

You need to help edit the “Backwater News” sentences.  Your given a sentence with a word spelled incorrectly.  If you correct the spelling you move to the next sentence.  Incorrect answers lead to a “wrong” sound, you get 2 tries before you move to the next sentence.

#3 – Compound Word Snaps

Aboard “Gallicus 1″ you snap words together to make compound words.

Your given 10 words at the bottom of the screen.  You then must drag each word to make 5 word that will “snap” together or make compound words.  When you finish making your 5 word you click check.  It will them check your work and let you know if you missed any words, then tell you how they should have been.

#4 – Helping Hands

You’ve arrived at “Wendy’s Wonderful Word Factory”, time to start working.  Your given a sentence with a highlighted word, to which you must choose a “helper word” to complete the sentence.  For example – The sentence is ….

“May all your wish come true!”  With the word wish highlighted.  Your then given “s” or “es”.  Then you type “wishes” – so then wish becomes wishes.  Making your sentence “May all your wishes come true!”

#5 – Hit and Miss

Let’s play balloon pop!

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#6 – Quiz Master

Ready to play everyone’s favorite quiz show?!  Do you have what it takes?

“What is the first month of the year?”

J _ _ _ _ _ _

“What do you sleep in at night?”

B _ _

After you type the answer, click check to find out if you spelled the correct answer!

#7 – Stop the Clock

Are you ready?  Think fast.

You are given 5 sentences.  Each sentence has a missing word and each missing  word starts with the same letter.

Once you fill in the spaces, let’s hit the check button and see how many you got correct!

#8 – Two Minute Dash

Here we are back at “Wendy’s Wonderful Word Factory” and the workers need help building a new word wall.  Wanna help?

Each brick shows part of a word.  You have 2 minutes to to make proper words.

#9 – Word Factory

Let’s go back at the factory.  You need to help the workers!  They forgot to add some important letters!

Most of the missing letter are vowel letter.  example “T_ KE”  Then you would choose from the available choices, to make the word TAKE.

#10 Word Works

Some of the words are broken at Wendy’s Factory and need they your help fixing them!

“I like to do jigsaw Puzzl _ _.” you need to type in the correct letters to finish the sentence.

Once all the levels are finished your child will receive a Certificate of Achievement that can be emailed!  Really cute and your child will love to hang up their achieve award!

 

 

 

 


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Roses Have Thorns

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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Yes, I found some time in the April rains to get a few more books read for review features. This book, Roses Have Thorns, written by Sandra Byrd is a new book about Queen Elizabeth I. Sandra Byrd is also a new author to me. I actually enjoyed both story and author.

This novel was more than a historical romance, it was a story of the life of the lady of the Queen and her relationship to the Monarch. Lady Helena served Queen Elizabeth I through her single, married, widowed, remarried life, life with and without children.

The life of a lady of the queen was a privileged one, yet it was extremely demanding as well. Trust, devotion and true love for Monarch lead to the path of success for those who chose it. However, for those who didn’t…..they quickly discovered the consequences.

Roses Have Thorns was and is an intriguing story set in 1565 about the loving devotion between a queen and her lady. I loved seeing the story play out through threats on Queen Elizabeth I’s life, acts of treason and plots by Mary Queen of Scots; detailing the sacrifices each one made on behalf of England and her Queen.

This book kept me captivated as I lived through Lady Helena and felt her love and pain. It was extremely interesting to live the life of a lady through her eyes. I give the book two thumbs up because I’ll probably read it again. I’d also like to read the other books in the Tudor series, all written by Sandra Byrd.

To order Roses Have Thorns visit http://amzn.to/XHX5LJ


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Home Depot – Free Kids Workshops

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Looking for a fun and free activity for your kids!?  Check out Home Depot’s FREE kids Workshops!  The next workshop is focused on the upcoming movie “EPIC” and your child will be building an herb planter!  It’s on May 4th!  Home Depot also has 2 more upcoming workshop’s in June & July!

So far, my daughter built a bird feeder, here she is painting it.

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She received her very own Home Depot apron, pin for her build, and a certificate!  She is very proud of her accomplishments!

Head here or go to Home Depot’s site for more information!

 


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Tap the Cat – Reading Eggs Review

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Continuing with the Eggy apps, here is Tap the Cat – Reading Eggs Review.  Available for iPad (ISO 4.0 or later)

Reading 1

 

 

 

When you begin and tap the play button the balloons pops.

 

 

 

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Then you are brought to this screen,to choose which of the 9 activities you’d like to do.  There’s writing, letters, smart quiz, speak and listen, making words, draw and paint, time to rhyme, vocabulary, and sight words.

 

 

 

 

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Writing – A piece of lined paper and a word are on the page, your child will then trace the word and asked if they like their writing.

 

 

 

 

Letters – You find the matching letter (only 4 are given at a time).  They tell you the letter as well as the sound that letter makes.  Great for beginners!

Smart Quiz – listen to the question and find the matching picture.  Example “Carrot begins with c.  Which on begins like carrot” the pictures would be a lion, rabbit and cat.  Once you choose cat you get a little tune.  The questions do change to keep you child involved.  The next example question is Ï look like a mouse, but I am bigger.  Who am I?” The pictures are a chicken, rat and frog.

reading 3

 

Speak & Listen – This is a recording one.  Your given a written word and asked to tap to record yourself saying the word.  Then you can play it back and are asked if you said the correct word.

 

 

 

 

Making Words – A picture of a word is shown (Example – Pan), the app will then sound out the word Pan and you are given blank tiles to fill in the word out of 4 letters.

Draw and Paint – Is just that, you pick a picture and color it.

Time to Rhyme – A figure of a house is given with this phrase “On the house I see a _____”, above the house are 3 pictures a mouse, hat, and ear of corn.  Then you move the mouse to the house and get a congratulations.

Vocabulary – Tap the word to hear it and then match it to the picture.

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Sight Word – Help the bunny get home.  In this repetition app, the bunny jumps on about 6 carrots all the same word to get home.  Another great one for the beginners.

 

 

 

I really like this series of apps, lots of learning and not realizing it.  There’s one more!  Look for my last Eggy app – Spelling!

 

 

 

 

 


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Wraptastic Review

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 Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

 

Wraptastic food wrap dispenser is revolutionary. It can hold and cut wax paper, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and more. Any kind of wrap pops easily in or out and smoothly cuts the necessary size of wrap for the job. Besides being extremely convenient for every user, Wraptastic is safe and durable. The compact design stores easily. Concealed blade safely and easily cuts. Holds up to 200 ft roll. Includes three reusable labels. Acrylic. Dishwasher safe.

See it in action!

Our Review:

This is an interesting product. When I received the product I thought well… isn’t this neat! I must say that the dispenser is very easy to use. Just pop in the spring loaded end caps into the roll and then load the roll into the dispenser and you are done. Simple! As for cutting … the Wraptastic lives up to its claims of nice even cutting. My foil was cut perfect each time I used it…no uneven edges. One could ask… why do you need this when you can simply rip it out of the box. I guess that could be done… but the Wraptastic neatly stores your wrap and neatly cuts your wrap and foil. Such a nice way to cut and store your foil and wrap why use the ugly old box!

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I have heard some reviewers say that the spring loaded end caps do not fit all rolls… well let me tell you a little secret… they do! I had a smaller inner roll on my aluminum foil and if you just squeeze the spring added end cap where you insert it into the tube it will easily load into the roll tube. It did take some squeezing but it went in just fine!

The only thing I was thinking of while I was using the product is how nice it would be if it automatically advanced the wrap/foil then cut…I know l am lazy right? But wouldn’t that be neat?

*** Just a reminder *** The interior blade is super sharp, although concealed and harmless to the average user…but there is not a locking closure on the product so I would suggest keeping this out of the reach of small curious children who might grab the product and investigate!

 

As for storage …my storage situation is tight (no room for bulky items). I found that the Wraptastic stacked well on top of each other (I have 2) just as I would store my regular boxes. I like that they have the ability to stack. The stickers provided for the products telling what they are (aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or waxed paper) a nice addendum…although they really are not stickers but cling on decals…so they are easily removable. But in my case they are too removable so I had to place some tape on them to get them to adhere properly without sliding off.

This is a very simple idea that really comes in handy! What a great invention!

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The product retails at $10.99 and the website offers buy one get one for $10.99…so you get two for the price of one…what a deal.

To find more out about this product or to purchase please visit www.buywraptastic.com

 

 


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Lowe’s Build & Grow – Free Activity for Kids!

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I’m always on the hunt for free and fun activities for my family.  Lowe’s has a fantastic program called Build and Grow. On my daughter’s first visit she received a Lowe’s apron, a hammer & protective goggles to borrow and her project.  When she/we finished the project we returned the hammer and protective goggle and she was given a certificate and a patch for her apron!  She loves the iron on patches that she earned and loves to show them off on her apron.

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So, far we’ve built 2 monster trucks and a “Croods” the movie planter.  Our next build is a sweetheart frame on May 11th.

77f64811ddClick here or head over to Lowes.com and search for Build & Grow to sign up at your nearest Lowe’s for the next free activity for kids!


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RIDEMAKERZ ~ BUILD YOUR RIDE

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New from RIDEMARKERZ, it’s XTREME CUSTOMZ! Have a great time building and customizing XTREME Customz rides!

Watch them in ACTION!

Get ready to build and customize the toy car or “RIDE” of your dreams. Choose from a wide range of body styles (about the size of a cell phone) and interchangeable, snap-on parts to transform your RIDE from mild to wild. With so many choices, it’s easy to Mix. Match. Make it Your Own.

XTREME CUSTOMZ RIDEZ comes in two sizes:

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  1. 1:48 scale ~ about the size of a cell phone
  2. XL 1:18 scale ~ about the size of a football

All parts are interchangeable across 1:48 scale RIDE bodies. All XL 1:18 parts are interchangeable across 1:18 scale RIDE bodies, including RIDEMAKERZ Disney-Pixar Cars RIDEZ.

1:48 scale XTREME CUSTOMZ RIDEZ even have a 4-mode adjustable chassis so you can customize the way you cruise. Choose from Race, Lifted, Jacked, and Off-Road…all with the push of a button! 1:4

Our Party and Review:

We had a fabulous time at our XTREME CUSTOMZ RIDEZ party. All the boys had a blast! We received 10 BATMAN starter kits.

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The boys had an exciting time outing the cars together and playing with them. We had races and even a style show where the boys showed their tricked out cars and what they could do! What fun!

Here are some of the boys just receiving their XTREME CUSTOMZ RIDEZ!

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They could not wait to open them and enjoy building. Each child built the BATMAN car…some needed more help than others, but overall the build was not difficult. The instructions were very detailed and outlined exactly what to do.

Here is the PDF file of the instructions…Batman PDF… to see how easy and detailed the instructions were to follow.

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I had plans to show a Batman cartoon to compliment our RIDEZ but the boys were too wrapped up in playing with the cars to even think of a cartoon! This was great to see them interacting rather than watching television!

Each boy got to go home with his own custom ride and wish list! ~ Our group of boys are partiers and the moms loved the wish list provided by RIDEMAKERZ … this will make birthday party gift giving easier among our group!

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Overall, EVERYONE had a blast…boys and mom’s included! Thanks RIDEMAKERZ for making our party a HUGE hit!

You can learn more about XTREME CUSTOMZ by RISEMAKERS by visiting www.xtremecustomz.com

 

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product from Mommy Parties/ Mom Select in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.


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Veggie Tales ~ The Little House That Stood

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I am sure you know by now that everyone in our house is an avid Veggie Tales fans! Both children and adults will delight in this new DVD! This DVD features the parable of the wise and foolish builders and boasts a lesson in making good choices!

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DVD synopsis: When the Three Little Pigs roll into Cabbageville looking to build some new houses, they meet one builder with a plan and two without a clue! Larry builds with hay, Mr. Lunt with bricks, but only Bob builds his house on a firm foundation ~ following the wise plans from the “Master Builders Handbook!” Will the Three Little Piggies make the right choices when it comes to building their houses ~ and their lives ~ on solid ground? Find out in this parable that shows children that when they follow God’s blueprints, they can stand strong when the storms come!

Additional Material: THE GOOD EGG OF GOOSEVILLE! Ever wonder what happened BEFORE Humpty cracked? Find out in this very Veggie retelling of the classic Humpty Dumpty story.

Our Review:

As we say time again and again…YEAH Veggie Tales! We love the life lessons that only the Big Idea group can bring to our family through Veggie Tales! This DVD delights both children and adults. We loved the twist on the familiar fairytale story. This episode is a great allegory about building your life on a firm foundation. We especially liked that the parable presented in the DVD opened up conversation with our older children about building a life founded in faith while entertaining the young one with valuable lessons through song and story.

I cannot say enough about the Veggie Tales series of DVD’s we LOVE them! The Bonus features on the DVD are an added plus! The children love the silly songs and back-stories…while adults love the discussion guide!

Do not miss out on this new feature from Big Idea and Veggie Tales!

You can find the Veggie Tales DVD wherever DVD’s are sold or purchase online HERE at Amazon.com

For more information about the Big Idea or Veggie Tales brand please visit www.veggietales.com

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Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

 


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Sandgrens Sandal Review

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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The warmer weather is coming, although it’s taking a little longer here in the Northeast than I’d like.  My toes need to see the sun and start wearing sandals. The first pair of sandals I put on this year was from Sandgrens. Sandgrens is located in Sweden and has been making shoes since 1846.

sandgrens 3I was delighted slipping on Sandgrens Panama style sandals from their 2013 Spring & Summer Collection.

Sandgrens Sandal Review

sandgrens 4When you first look at them, you would think the wood would make the shoes heavy. Not even close. They are super light and the molded rubber soles gives them a great grip so, you won’t be slipping around.  The heal is a little over 2 1/2 inches high.  The vibrant pink is perfect for any occasion, they can be easily dressed up or dressed down.  These are they type of sandals you pick out first, then coordinate your outfit around them.

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I’m amazed how comfortable these sandals are, I’m going to be wearing these all summer.

Being a Swedish shoe they are also in Swedish sizes, you’ll need to use Sandgrens size and fitting guide to find your size. For example, I order size 37 which is a US size 6 1/2 to 7.

I’d start dropping hints for Mother’s Day, if I were you! ;)  Great and comfortable shoes are not always easy to find. Sandgrens gives you both of these fantastic qualities.


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A Smoker and a Non-Smoker’s Ecigarettes Review

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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As you know, my mom was here for three weeks in March and she’s a smoker. Her first week here right on her birthday she received ecigarettes in the mail. She was anxious to try them. Not because she’s interested in quitting, but because she could smoke inside at the airport or wherever smoking is prohibitive instead of standing out in the cold. It’s my desire she’ll want to quit and slowly reduce the amount of nicotine she inhales, since the ecigarettes do have strong, full, medium, light and no nicotine.

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In the ecigarettes kit she received 10 samples of two different flavors of refills, the ecigarette and the adapter. Her samples were the full and medium strengths. The first time, she only took a few drags with the full strength and she said she could have gone out and had a cigarette after using the ecigarettes. We initially thought she could have benefited from having the strong to start out with. Then she tried smoking an ecigarette and took ten drags and said she felt satisfied.

She said it was different smoking with the ecigarette. To be honest, she coughed on her first drag! Mom said that they left an after taste like cigarettes, but old cigarettes. I forgot to ask her if that gradually went away. It’s hard writing a review from another person’s perspective.

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For me, it was weird to be near mom while she smoked with the ecigarette because I still had the same reaction as if she was smoking. The vapor I saw reminded me of smoke and my gut reaction was to not want to breath it in or want my children near it. The rare skeptic in me reared it’s head. I was skeptical because when mom smoked she still had to blow out the vapor. I wondered what was in it, was it harmful? Yeah I needed to do more research because I didn’t want to have a false sense of protection from harmful odors and what I was breathing in. Nevertheless, when I did get a whiff of the vapor it smelled like vanilla, the flavor she tried while she was here. It also did not make us cough as cigarette smoke would.

The FDA has not approved ecigarettes nor have there been any clinical studies done. So there is no evidence to prove or disprove any claims about the ecigarettes being better or “healthier”. However, smokers seem to really benefit from them. Even my little sister wanted to try them because she wants to quit smoking. Forgot to ask mom today if she shared any with little sis. Overall, my mom had a fairly positive experience and enjoyed trying something new. She ended up using the ecigarettes when she woke up in the middle of the night so she wouldn’t have to get up and go outside to have a smoke.

I’d recommend you to encourage your smoking relatives to give them a try, especially if they are looking quit smoking.


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