From an early age, children spend more time in front of screens than on any other activity, except sleep. Children learn from what they watch, and while some content is safe and educational, other content that isn’t age-appropriate can be harmful. As you know, parents need to be aware of the type of content their children watch while providing a fun environment where they can use technology to learn and grow.
Kidobi is an online video content provider for children ages 2 – 6 that removes parents’ guesswork by automatically generating customized video playlists, completely personalized to fit children’s learning needs and developmental stage. Since all the videos are pre-screened by educators and child development experts, parents are reassured of the age-appropriate, educational value.
I was recently asked to review Kidobi and given an online code to try using Kidobi. It is super easy to set up for your child and you can create playlists of quality kids programs that you feel comfortable with.
Kidobi is also available as an iPad and Android app and can be found online at www.kidobi.com. You can also like Kidobi on Facebook and follow on Twitter for the latest updates.
The Polaroid Fotobar makes it so easy to order the perfect unique, special, personalized gift for anyone! If you are still searching for Father’s Day, hurry and take a look at the Fotobar. It is simple, easy, and cost-effective to transform your digital photos from your phone, camera or computer into cherished pieces of art for your home, office or to give a treasured gifts to friends and family.
All you need to start is a favorite photo. I used a favorite photo of ours and uploaded it easily, customized it with mats, borders and a frame and it was shipped to me fast. It is absolutely beautiful and the quality is top notch. The whole process was simple and I could play around with diferent frame, mat and border colors until I achieved the look I was going for. My huaband was thrilled with the final product and could not wait to hang it up. This Fotobar from Polaroid makes it simple to create custom art projects. Choose from framed art to canvas, mounted art to Metal prints, your custom art will be treasured piece for years to come.
The pictures do not show the beauty of the piece nor do they show the true color. The mat is a deep, rich purple not brown and the border is a rich gold.
Polaroid Fotobar is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky reader will win a $50 gift code and free shipping to use on a custom product! Thank you Polaroid Fotobar for the review product and for sponsoring this spectacular giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Polaroid Fotobar $50 Plus Free Shipping Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
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If you are still looking and trying to find a good Father’s Day gift idea, you might want to consider 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded on Blu-ray. This is the action packed sequel staring WWE Superstar Randy Orton. This explosive thriller brought a smile to my husband’s face just seeing the case. Watching it was even better. It is an action packed race against time to find a psychotic killer before it is too late and it will have you on the edge of your seat. If your man loves action packed films then this will not disappoint, my husband loved it!
WWE® SUPERSTAR RANDY ORTON® FACES A DEADLY CHALLENGE IN THE EXPLOSIVE THRILLER
A twisted genius and a good man are going head-to-head in the ultimate game of cat and mouse! Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and WWE Studios unveil a brand new chapter in its thrilling action franchise with 12 ROUNDS 2: RELOADED. The second installment, starring WWE Superstar Randy Orton, debuts on Digital HD on May 21 and on Blu-ray and DVD on June 4 – just in time for Father’s Day.
As paramedic Nick Malloy, Orton jumps into overdrive in this pulse-pounding, thrill ride filled with gripping suspense! Malloy receives a terrifying call from a vengeful psychopath connected to his past, and the maniac (Brian Markinson) threatens to unleash a murder spree unless Nick can complete a series of 12 challenges without involving the cops or missing a single deadline. With no time to spare — and his own wife’s life on the line — Nick must piece together cryptic clues and hunt down the killer before it’s too late!
The 12 ROUNDS 2: RELOADED Blu-ray and DVD is loaded with extra features including three making-of featurettes, audio commentary and more.
12 ROUNDS 2: RELOADED Blu-ray/ DVD/Ultraviolet/Digital Copy Combo Pack Special Features
· Randy Orton Reloaded
· The Action of 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded
· Locations: From Heller’s Lair to the Sugar Factory
· Audio Commentary
Randy Orton
“Get a look at greatness!”
WWE superstar Randy Orton isn’t a stranger to WWE Films and this June he’ll be hitting Blu-ray for the sports entertainment company in the action thriller 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded. This is the second installment in the franchise. The first 12 Rounds film was released in 2009 and starred WWE superstar and Heavyweight Champion John Cena. Orton, a former WWE Heavyweight Champion himself, takes over the lead role in the sequel.
Before his big screen career, Randy made his debut in WWE back in 2001. Orton is the youngest wrestler to become “World Heavyweight Champion” at the age of only 24. He has also won World Tag Team Championship teaming up with Edge. This Legend Killer is also winner of 2009 Royal Rumble. Randy was the Ex-Member of group Evolution which consists of Triple H, Ric Flair and Dave Batista.
John Cena
“I haven’t backed down from a fight in my life, and I won’t start tonight.”
He’s part wrestler, part rapper. And he’s successful in both endeavors, cutting rap tracks and winning several titles in the ring, including the WWE Championship. Still wrestling in the WWE and its biggest star, Cena has made modest successes out of his WWE-produced starring roles in The Marine and 12 Rounds, and although his acting prowess has yet to be truly tested, there’s no denying the current popularity of the 113kg Massachusetts native on the big screen.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
“Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?”
By far the most successful actor with a wrestling background, The Rock has firmly cemented his status as a full-fledged action star and a charismatic actor with considerable chops. The Rock made his big-screen debut in The Mummy Returns, which was so well received in the fans-sphere, that it led to spin-off/prequel film centering around his character The Scorpion King. He later starred in the often underrated actioner The Rundown, an update of Walking Tall, and the videogame-based sci-fi flick, Doom. Most recently he featured in Fast and Furious 5 and 6 along with leading the GI Joe sequel – GI Joe Retaliation.
Steve Austin
“That’s the Bottom Line Cause Stone Cold Said So!”
Voted the most popular WWE superstar ever by wrestling fans, Austin is a four-time WWE champion and Hall of Fame inductee. Since leaving the company, he has played the lead in a string of low-budget but popular action movies, such as The Condemned. He also appeared in Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables and has a comedy role in the forthcoming Adam Sandler film Grown Ups 2.
Hulk Hogan
“Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania destroys you?”
Arguably the most famous wrestler ever, Hogan is a star of the 1980s and his name is synonymous with the industry. The inevitable film career brought mixed fortunes: a well-received cameo in Rocky III led to two starring roles in the 1990s comedies Suburban Commando and Mr Nanny, neither of which were loved by audiences or critics.
Jesse Ventura
“Wrestling is ballet with violence”
Jesse “The ‘Governing’ Body” Ventura has enjoyed a long and varied professional life as a wrestler, a Navy diver, and a successful politician. Ventura’s acting career is nothing to turn your nose up at either. First appearing in 1987’s Predator alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, he later went on to star in a number of genre films like Guardian of the Universe, DemolitionMan, Repossessed and teamed with Arnie again in The Running Man and Batman & Robin. Ventura made a memorable cameo as a “Man in Black” in the popular X-Files episode “Jose Chung’s ‘From Outer Space.'” After his stint as the governor of Minnesota, “The Body” returned to acting (kind of) in 2005, lending his voice to an unseen motivational speaker in Johnny Knoxville’s The Ringer.
Learn more about Fox Digital HD at www.Foxdigitalhd.com
Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt
Follow WWE Studios on Twitter at @WWEStudios
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win 12 ROUNDS 2: RELOADED on Blu-ray!!! Thank you 20th Century Fox for the review movie and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
It’s nice to have land around our home, but there’s a lot of maintenance required. We have many trees and that means lots of branches that need trimming and pruning. I was thrilled to see the Ryobi One+ 18 Volt Lithium Pole Saw because it was not intimidating to me. I mean my husband’s huge chainsaw, I would not even attempt to operate, but this gadget looked manageable and not scary to me. My husband liked it as well because it would reach branches without having to maneuver a ladder plus a saw to reach. It was super easy to set up and we were up and running in no time. It easily cut lots of tree branches for us and the battery lasted about an hour before needing a recharge. I would highly recommend this to you if you have tree maintenance and are looking for something that will take care of the job easily and quickly. My husband, myself and my oldest son all used this and we all thought it worked great and was easy to control. Now I won’t have to wait if I want to take a higher branch down and I can from start to finish take care of the job myself. This would make a great Father’s Day gift as well!!!
Ryobi introduces the new One+ 18-Volt Lithium-ion Pole Saw. This cordless pruner extends up to 9.5 ft. with the extension pole, and is ideal for trimming away those dead and unsightly limbs and branches. This trimmer includes the 18-Volt Compact Lithium-ion battery, and completely recharges in just 30 minutes. The battery provides fade free power to keep running strong from the beginning to end of the charge, and the battery powers all of the tools in the Ryobi One+ system; that’s more than 50 tools. All backed by a 3 year warranty, you’ll be sure that the Ryobi 18-Volt Li-ion Pole Pruner won’t let you down.
Ryobi is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own Ryobi One+Pole Saw. Thank you Ryobi for the review saw and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Badger sunscreens are consistently top-rated for safety by the Environmental Working Group, and Badger strives to educate consumers on the best ways to stay safe while having fun in the sun. We can offer tips on what to look for, such as broad spectrum protection and non-toxic active ingredients.
Well, it is getting close to summer here in NY finally and with my kids in the water and running around in bathing suits it is also time to protect them from the harmful rays of the sun. The catch 22 is that many of the sunscreens on the market are full of harmful ingredients and it feels ironic to put something harmful on them to protect them from something harmful. Even many sunscreens marketed for kids contain harmful chemicals that are not safe for kids. I am very picky about what I use for sunscreen so I am pleased to let you know about Badger Sunscreens.
Badger is manufacturer of the #1 selling sunscreen in the US Natural Market. Badger Daily Sunscreens are made from the safest possible, most effective ingredients and always include broad spectrum coverage. Badger never uses synthetic chemicals, “fragrances”, parabens or GMOs. Badger is a brand I can feel comfortable about applying on my kids. My four-year old love the face stick because it is easy for him to apply and as a mom I feel okay when he gets a little more than necessary on because it does not contain nasty chemicals. The sunscreen is easy to apply and provides great protection, my kids have been very active with it on and it has not failed us even in the water. If you are looking for safe sunscreen options for your kids, check out Badger.
Top Ten Things to know about Sunscreen Protection:
1. Sunscreens are over-the-counter drugs regulated by the FDA.
2. Most people only apply ½ to ¼ the recommended amount of sunscreen. Applying half the amount of sunscreen needed only provides the square root of the SPF. So a half application of SPF30 only provides an SPF 5.5.
3. The proper dosage of sunscreen is 1.2 ounces, or about a shot glass of sunscreen, to cover an average-size adult body.
4. The FDA recommends broad spectrum sunscreens which protect against both UVB and UVA rays. Sunscreens are only required to protect you from UVB rays in the United States – look for the words ‘Broad Spectrum’ to ensure UVA protection.
5. UVB rays may cause sunburns and skin cancers. UVA rays may cause tanning, premature aging, wrinkles and skin cancers.
6. The SPF number only tells you how well a sunscreen will protect against UVB.
7. Sunscreens with lots of natural plant oils and vitamin E are rich in antioxidants, which help mitigate free radicals caused by sun damage.
8. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing into your skin (and bloodstream) while mineral sunscreens work by sitting on top of your skin. This is why dermatologists and the Environmental Working Group recommend mineral sunscreens as the safest option.
9. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the only two approved mineral active sunscreen ingredients in the US. Zinc oxide is the only single active sunscreen ingredient that provides full broad spectrum protection (from UVA & UVB rays).
10. Certain sunscreen chemicals have been shown to cause coral bleaching. Mineral sunscreens in a natural base have the least impact on the environment.
Badger is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win a tube of ZINC OXIDE SUNSCREEN LOTION – SPF30 ALOE and a Badger SPORT SUNSCREEN STICK SPF35! Thank you to Badger for the review sunscreen and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Badger Sunscreen Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
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Hurrying to bring you a great idea and giveaway for Father’s Day. Pictures on Gold has stainless steel engravable photo laser keychains that make great gifts for dads. Mommy Rambling’s readers can use Promo Code DAD2013 at checkout for a 10% discount for all orders placed on our website PicturesOnGold.com by June 12, 2013.
I took a favorite picture and uploaded it to Pictures on Gold and received it back in a beautiful stainless steel keychain The quality is wonderful and they even had to re-position the picture to get it to fit and that was done without compromising the quality. PicturesonGold.com has lots of great Father’s Day gifts to use the 10% off code on like Father’s Day Jewelry like Cufflinks, Tag Lockets, Pendants and more. Follow Pictures on Gold on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
PicturesonGold.com is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win a Stainless Steel Photo Laser Engravable Keychain! Thank you to Pictures on Gold for the review keychain and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Hurry giveaway ends soon! Open to US residents.
We are more aware than ever of the damaging effects the sun can have on our skin but let’s be sure not to forget our eyes and most importantly our little one’s eyes. Real Kids Shades provides quality, shatterproof, impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses in their flexible, tough sunglasses. Their sunglasses are doctor recommended sunblock that can be applied directly to your kids eyes via fun, fashionable and safe eyewear. Their Xylex frames are super light and durable while their TPE frames are extremely flexible and bendable. Real Kids Shades wrap-around frames minimize exposure to harmful peripheral light. Opticians can even fit some of their styles with prescription lenses. These are just a few of the reasons why doctors like Real Kids Shades.
Real Kids Shades are specifically constructed to fit kids’ faces and their lifestyles. Their My First Shades line was designed with the help of a pediatric ophthalmologist for optimal fit, comfort and safety. All Real Kids Shades sunglasses are made exclusively for infants and children in kid-approved styles that are shatterproof, impact-resistant and adaptable to sports and active lifestyles.
Kids need to be active, outdoors and in their sunglasses. Made to be worn year-round, our banded frames fit just as well under ski helmets as they do bike helmets. Patented neoprene bands with Velcro® adjustable closures keep them secure and in place on the court or in the yard. And they’re tough. Real Kids Shades are made to be outgrown before worn out.
Comfortable, Durable and Good-Looking
All Real Kids shades are comfortable (so kids will wear them), durable (so they stand up to kid life), and good-looking (so they get used). They’re serious sunglasses fabricated with the same high-quality materials and to the same exacting standards as adult shades.
We recently received the new Flex Duo and the Glide. As a mom I love the protection it offers my kids and the features can’t be beat, they are so comfortable too and I love the band that keeps them around their neck if they take them off and prevents them from being lost. My kids love to wear them and that is key to keeping their eyes protected. If you are looking for quality sunglasses for kids of all ages then you need to check out Real Kids Shades!
Real Kids Shades is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their choice of any kid’s sunglasses on their site (subject to availability). Thank you to Real Kids Shades for the review sunglasses and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Beach Rays had us pick out some suits for review. I chose the Emmet in a size 7 and the Eisley in a size 4T. When we got them they were both huge in the waist on both boys. However the Emmet was able to be cinched in tight with the drawstring waist, the Eisley was not. It really seemed off to me that the Eisley would not have a true drawstring waist, no matter what we did they were falling off my four year old. We had to try some safety pins but they were so huge it really was noticeable.
There was nothing we could do besides have them altered and there was not time to do that, so we just tried our best. I had to reject many pics because the trunks were completely falling down. I am going to contact the company and will update to see if we perhaps got a fluke pair. I mean my kids are slim but this was tremendously huge for a 4T. Anyway what I can say for the Eisley is that I loved the pattern and material. I truly wish they would have it in the bigger size because I like it so much. The Emmet was very large but could be cinched so that they were wearable. The Emmet was a fun pattern too and the material very soft and comfortable made of 100% Poly Micro Fiber.
Update: The company is sending us a new swimsuit as they say that must have been a defect with the Eisley and as soon as we get it I will update the review with the results.
Update #2 We were sent the new trunks in the Ethan pattern in a size 4T and the trunks fit fine, had the fully adjustable drawstring waist and proved the Eisley defective pair we did receive was just a fluke. The trunks stayed on so well you can see they even stayed on when Luke went on the trampoline. Great customer service and I would recommend the suits highly.
About Beach Rays:
Inspired by history and heritage, we seek to bring together long-standing tradition with innovative design. From the classic board shapers to the cutting-edge surf stars, our vision is to spread the good word – and great feeling – of surf lifestyle across the globe and across generations. For us, the beach is a state of mind. Beach Rays’ surf style encompasses everything from seeking a positive outlook in our lives, embracing our natural surroundings, and totally accepting our family, friends, and most importantly, ourselves.
Founded over a decade ago, the Beach Rays family has expanded to encompass all facets of surf style by creating fun and fresh fashions for men and women of all ages. Since our inception, we have been committed to utilizing only the finest materials and encouraging cutting-edge design and technology.
Beach Rays is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will be able to pick a child’s swimsuit of their choice. Thank you Beach Rays for the review suits and for sponsoring this cool giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. Open to US residents.
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I found this beauty scanning Craigslist in late winter or early spring and it was listed under furniture as “student desk.” I was pleasantly surprised to find a vintage school desk in such great shape when I clicked the link. The ad said the owner knew nothing about it and was asking for an offer. I really wanted that desk so I offered him $35 cash, which he accepted immediately and I knew I should have started lower. Oh well, after that I saw listing for very poor condition desks like this going for much more so I was not upset.
We picked it up and were glad to see all the great features it had. The chair slides forward and back and swivels. The desk has two different upright positions and it was in great shape. Now I just wanted to repaint and refinish the seat so I had to decide on colors. I chose a gloss gray Rustoleum paint in a can and a red gloss Rustoleum paint that I used both spray and paint on versions. For the seat, I sanded and then used a Minwax Polyshades all in one stain and varnish. I love the way it turned out. What do you think?
Here is the picture on Craigslist:
Here I am in the middle of painting, I was painting the inside, which I sprayed.
Nice and fresh and clean and pay attention to the quality tools I am using. That is a bonafide stick holding the desk at the proper angle for maximum coverage.
Here is the desk after refinishing the wood in one of the upright positions. It was very sunny so please excuse all the glare.
This is the desk in the other height for the elevated top.
Sun in his eyes.
About the desk:
As I was painting I found the patent in many places and on the portion of the top that holds it in the 2 different upright positions I found this stamped in the metal.
It is from the American Seating Company and is a Model Ten Twenty for which you can see an original ad below. The desk was from the 1950s.
I am sitting here on my porch swing, doing a little work and resting from just doing a photo shoot for some bathing suits, sunglasses and sunscreen we are reviewing. My photo shoot went something like this, “Come on kids, the sun keeps going in and out and I am afraid it might rain. Hurry, get these trunks on. Luke, let me help you. Oh my, how could these 4Ts be so big on you? They are never going to stay on.”
After trying safety pins and a multitude of other things it was just not going to work so we decided to just wing it and get this done in case it does rain. Then the other part when we got down to the dock went something like this, “Okay, we have to make this quick, I still need to review the chainsaw. Yes, you can put your feet in but you can’t go swimming. Don’t throw the rocks, did you hear me? Stop with the rocks, look over here, okay you can put your feet in and splash, don’t lean over that far! Okay take the sunglasses off, okay put them back on. Luke stop with the rocks! Okay, I think I have enough, let’s go. No, we have to go back to the house now, right now!”
So I am sitting here taking a stress break because frankly I have so much on my plate. I mean I have articles to write for my editor, people to train, customer service issues, plus all the reviews I need to finish and get up for this blog and of course being a mom and a wife and trying not to have a nervous breakdown and did I mention we are doing a dual birthday party for both little ones and we invited his entire pre-school and my other son’s kindergarten class. No idea what we will do if the weather turns bad and due to what happened last year when I planned and planned for the party and had everything arranged and we had to change locations at the last-minute because it decided to rain, I am not really planning and that is now stressing me big time.
So back to the present, I am sitting here and on this very warm day, can still feel a cool breeze blowing in from the lake and my little guys are racing around and around the house on a race track (yes, we are the only people who probably have a race track that runs the entire perimeter of their house and garage. So about every 1.5 minutes because it is pretty large my little guys pass in front of me. and I smile and then I get sad. I get sad because I think of all the petty things like I just mentioned above and more. How I could feel there is a lot on my plate when others have the weight of the world on their shoulders? How could I worry about some rocks being thrown in the lake or a birthday party that should only be about kids having fun and in the end won’t notice if a certain decoration is up or if there was something missing. Then I feel guilt because I think of one of the women I work with who has a grandson fighting for his life and I think how much he would love to be riding around on a race track and I think of those friends that are dealing with kids with real challenges who may never walk or live independently and the struggles they have and well…it just makes all those little things feel incredibly small.
So if you know anyone going through some tough stuff, let them know you are thinking of them, if you pray say a prayer for them, if you live close offer some help, maybe a meal, a shoulder, a friend. Also try to look at what is worrying you and put it in perspective so more time can be spent just cherishing the moments as they come. Not building everything up so it has to be some Pinterest worthy event but relishing even in the small, messy, loud, moments that define our lives. We never know what the future holds so don’t take one thing for granted ever!!!
Hello, I’m Carolyn! I am a PR Savvy, WAH Mom to 5! I love Photography, Baking, DIY Projects, Crafts, Cooking and making memories with my family. I love sharing reviews and giveaways too!
