The following review was brought to you by Elizabeth. Before settling in to her current home, Elizabeth lived and traveled overseas. She was a great candidate for this review!
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My kids are constantly trying to get my attention when I am happily engaged reading status updates on my iPhone's Facebook app. Tati even likes to yell: "MOM MOM MOM!" then grab the phone and smack me on the nose if I don't answer her... Oh yes, I forget you were sitting there, darling. Sorry.

I guess the solution is to come up with a way to engage the kids with my beloved technology... and one great way to do that is with educational iPhone apps, just for them.

I tested Lola's Flag Adventures this week, a memory and trivia game for kids 4 and up. It's gives kids the chance to learn flags of the world while honing their memory and fine motor skills. The Memory portion is simple "card turn" game that my 4-year-old twins loved. The Trivia game was also a memory game, but this time it was a multiple choice Q&A. Requires reading skills, or at least Mom and Dad there to read the questions to them.

I wasn't super keen on the sliding-answer tool on the Trivia side-- it was a bit sticky at times. Not a great feature for impatient kids. However, I think this game is a great tool for occupying little hands and minds, for $1.99. Certainly it teaches them more than Bejeweled ever will. I know when I played it, within minutes I learned 10 or so flags that I hadn't known before.

I look forward to more fun games added to it-- perhaps a way to drag your finger over a globe and see the maps interact with the locations of the countries! Probably geography info will be more relevant than just knowledge of the design of the flags.

Overall, worth the 2 bucks, especially if you like to share you iPhone with the kiddos.

For more information on Lola's Flag Adventure, check it out at the App Store or log on to the BeiZ website for this and other educational apps for your iPhone or iTouch.

Disclosure: Elizabeth received a promotional code to download Lola's Adventure. No additional compensation was received.

1 COMMENT

Back in the early 90's, DH and I collaborated with my oldest brother and started a fantasy football league for our friends. It was back when common folks like us accessed the internet via CompuServe, AOL and Prodigy. We even utilized a paid service for statistics and software because at the time, free stats weren't available anywhere.

I'm not sure what prompted us to start the league in the first place, but I have great memories of it. I recall how everyone met in the conference room at our office and we conference called the few friends who were out of town. We sifted through players and put together teams consisting of people from various teams. Until that point, I had pretty much been a Bears fan because they are the closest team to us. But with the advent of fantasy football, DH and I found that every game in the NFL had potential. We would spend each Sunday watching game after game, flipping channels and cheering for a variety of players. We wanted our quarterback to pass, but not to that player because he was on our FFB opponent's team.

What I found myself doing is watching and talking about every game. I was able to hold my own in a conversation about any football game... at a time when women didn't typically show any interest in the game except for one specific team. And men were always shocked when I would throw out stats about how many how many yards someone ran, how long the field goal was or how many sacks or fumbles transpired. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a walking statistical dictionary of all the games... just the games involving my fantasy league team - and my opponent's. I found the whole thing exhilarating.

Since my girls are at an age where we don't want to spend every Sunday in front of the television, we aren't currently participating in a league. However, we do keep up on football and still enjoy rooting for our former players (and the Bears, of course). As for the Super Bowl... well, what football fan would want to miss that? Doubt we'll be able to watch the entire game, but that's okay. It's all about the Super Bowl experience anyhow.

And that experience means something different to everyone. For some, it means hitting the local sports bar to enjoy the game in good (and opposing) company. For others, it means hunkering down on the couch with family and friends. Then there's the group that puts together the full snack spread and invites friends over. If you're one of those people who plans to make it an big event then I hope your shopping is already done. If you're up late planning and doing a morning run for groceries and supplies, then pop over to Walmart's Game Time website. There, you'll find recipes, snack ideas and even printable shopping lists for entertaining from as few as two to as many as 100. And heaven forbid that you haven't picked up the new TV for the game, Walmart has deals on those, too...right on the game time website. Walmart also boasts "Game Time Snacks for Eight for as low as $44".

Live football not enough for you? Counting down the days until the release of Madden NFL 11 so you can get your NFL fix during the off season? Doritos and Madden NFL 11 have teamed up to offer a $20 Walmart eGift Card when you preorder your copy at Walmart.com.

No matter how you look at it, Walmart is a great place to stretch your dollar whether it be for the big game, a holiday or just everyday shopping.

As a frequent shopper of Walmart, I'm excited to be able to spread the word about the great deals that they offer. As part of this promotion, brought to you by Mom Central and Walmart, I have a gift card to give to one of my lucky readers. Want to hear more? Keep reading...

The Prize: $50 Walmart Gift Card

Participants -

...must provide a US shipping address
...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile.

Sometime on February 17, 2010, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all valid comments left. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond. If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the next random selection.

How to enter:

(1) Get your game face ready at Walmart.com.
(2) Leave a comment on this post at SahmReviews.com with which Walmart appetizer, snack or, uh-hmmm, beverage is an absolute must-have at your Super Bowl event. (Edit 2/8: Since the Game-Day website is no longer available, please stop by the Valentine's section and comment on something interesting you found there.)

If you want to increase your chances of winning, here are some options to earn additional entries -
-- Three Entries: If you have a blog or website, add my button to your page. (Here's the code:)
<center><a href="http://www.sahmreviews.com" target="_blank"><img alt="SAHM Reviews" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v737/ia2ca/Sahm/SahmReviews125.jpg"/></a></center>
-- Two Entries: Publish a blog post regarding this contest by February 10th and link back to it.
-- One Entry (Daily): Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this contest by clicking here or copying the following text:
"Giveaway for a $50 Walmart Gift Card http://tinyurl.com/ydyhtue @SahmReviews Please RT #giveaway". Comment with a link to your tweet.
-- One Entry: Become a fan of SAHM Reviews on Facebook. Of course, don't forget to leave a comment.
-- One Entry: Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email.
-- One Entry: Follow me using Google's Friend Connect feature.
-- One Entry (Daily): Read any of my non-giveaway reviews here at SahmReviews.com and leave an appropriate comment on that post. Come back here and leave a comment stating which product/post you left a comment on.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Mom Central and Walmart for providing the prize for this giveaway. As a thank you for participating in this blog tour and sharing Walmart's Game Time website and deals, I received a Walmart gift card as well. No other compensation was received.

116 comments

I have to say that I've been fortunate when it comes to the health of my kids. Once we got past what seemed like never-ending examinations and tests when Miss M was a baby, it's pretty much been smooth sailing. They're beautiful little girls.

But I've always been cautious of products that I use on them. Bath soaps, lotions and even diapers when they were babies. If it caused a rash, it was banned from the grocery list. My friend, Trish, hasn't been so lucky. Her daughter, now in high school, has been forever plagued with health issues such as asthma and eczema.

So when the Family Review Network sent out word that they needed reviewers for Exederm, I thought "I don't have babies in the target range, let alone babies with skin sensitivities." I originally passed on the idea of reviewing the product so that others could test it out. But then Trish told me that she's been spending an arm and a leg to purchase special lotions, bath soaps and shampoos for not only her daughter but also for her kindergarten son. She was a little more vocal about it than normal because she had recently realized her first grade son was also showing symptoms of eczema. She was quite upset about it. It was hard enough having two children with skin issues but now having a third was overwhelming. It meant special care and caution from everything to normal bathing to standard hand washing.

I gave it a lot of thought then asked if she would be interested in trying and reviewing a few products for SAHM Reviews. Trish was skeptical because her options are slim on which products don't cause more issues. While she was at my house, we read about Exederm and how it's safe for babies. "Baby" lotion and "Baby" shampoo aren't just for babies - it just means that it's safe for babies. Trish agreed that it couldn't hurt to try. The worst that could happen is she crossed another brand off the list. The best... that she had a new line of products to add to the approved list for not only her high school daughter but also both her elementary school sons.

And so the challenge began. I provided samples to Trish and she put them to the test. Here's what Trish had to say about the following Exederm products:
Intensive Baby Moisturizer - It was soothing and creamy. It lasted and was non-irritating. Would buy in the future for her children.
Cleansing Baby Bath - It had a good lather, was non-irritating and did not leave a film. Would buy in the future for her children.
Soothing Baby Oil - It was a thin oil and didn't cake onto the skin. Would buy in the future for her children.
Non Irritating Baby Shampoo - Provided a small lather, Non-irritating and left no residue on the hair. Would buy in the future for her children.
Flare Control Cream - This was Trish's favorite product stating that it worked the best out of all the items. Obviously, she would buy it again for her children. She said it lasted about four hours and required very little to rub in and have the soothing start working.
Hydrating Baby Lotion - It was soothing and non-irritating, but flaky. This was the only product that she didn't feel worked well for her children and would not purchase this for her children.

As you can see from the photos, which were taken immediately after using Exederm, it toned down the eczema into just being red splotches instead of flaky. When Trish and I spoke about the various products and her opinions, she said she was overall very happy with the results.

After listening to Trish talk about the many health woes her children experience, I feel even more grateful to be blessed with healthy children. Thanks to Family Review Network for allowing me the opportunity to introduce Trish and her family to Exederm! I'm also excited to be able to introduce my readers to Exederm. One reader will win their choice of a product from the Exederm line. Keep reading to learn how.

The Prize: One Exederm product from baby line

Participants -

...must provide a US shipping address
...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile.

Sometime on February 16, 2010, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all valid comments left. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond. If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the next random selection.

How to enter:
(1) Check out the various products at Exederm.com.
(2) Leave a comment on this post at SahmReviews.com with which product would work best for your family.

If you want to increase your chances of winning, here are some options to earn additional entries -
-- Three Entries: If you have a blog or website, add my button to your page. (Here's the code:)
<center><a href="http://www.sahmreviews.com" target="_blank"><img alt="SAHM Reviews" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v737/ia2ca/Sahm/SahmReviews125.jpg"/></a></center>
-- Two Entries: Publish a blog post regarding this contest by February 11th and link back to it.
-- One Entry (Daily): Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this contest by clicking here or copying the following text:
"Giveaway for Exederm skin care http://tinyurl.com/y9w5wyp @SahmReviews Please RT #giveaway". Comment with a link to your tweet.
-- One Entry: Become a fan of SAHM Reviews on Facebook. Of course, don't forget to leave a comment.
-- One Entry: Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email.
-- One Entry: Follow me using Google's Friend Connect feature.
-- One Entry (Daily): Read any of my non-giveaway reviews here at SahmReviews.com and leave an appropriate comment on that post. Come back here and leave a comment stating which product/post you left a comment on.

Thanks to Exederm and Family Review Network for providing the prize for this giveaway!

Disclosure: In order to provide a review of Exederm products, Family Review Network and Exederm provided the above pictured/mentioned products. Those were given to Trish to utilize as directed on the packaging. No additional compensation was received. Exederm provided an additional product to be sent directly to the winner of the giveaway.

16 comments

Some of my earliest memories involve my dad wearing a tool belt. A carpenter by trade, a contractor by profession, it has always been his life. When we were kids, he had a shop in the basement with a work bench, vise and wall full of hand tools. I remember how he had outlined the spot where each tool went. If anything was missing, it was plain as day what it was.

And now that he's retired, well, he can't seem to NOT work. He has finally started tackling projects for himself - built a garage for his truck and included a new workshop area, too. He volunteers on committees at the church and when we know he has a few spare minutes, my mom, sister-in-law and I add things to his Honey-Do list.

This past September, we finally started converting part of the basement into a play area for the kids. My dad came over and helped DH with as much as they could. As we neared the end, a PR firm representing Dremel offered for me to test out the new Multi-Max. It is targeted at making small projects easier for DIY'ers so this was perfect timing for us. It arrived when we at the painting stage so there wasn't much we could do with it right away. All other family projects were on hold until the play room was done!

Anyway, after we finished painting, DH explained to my dad that I have this new Dremel I'm trying to review. My dad said that the trim would be a good (yet simple) opportunity to see what it does. They applied the trim everywhere but needed to cut away a few sections near the sump pump.

DH grabbed the Multi-Max while my dad looked on. When DH was done, my dad's response... "That's slick." I was amazed at how quick and easy it was. But honestly, it was just cutting off a piece of trim, how hard could it be the way my dad would normally do it. So I asked him. He rifled through his tool box and pulled out a hand tool. He said "This is what I would have used." He went on to explain that the Dremel was 3-4 times quicker, but more important, much cleaner. He said for someone not skilled at using the traditional tool, it made it less likely that the wall would be damaged.

While I was excited about the Dremel Multi-Max and how easy it was, I was even more thrilled that my dad thought it was cool!

Think I'll go draw an outline of it on his new workshop wall.

So what do you think? Do you have a Honey DIY list that's itching for attention? Maybe if you added a Dremel Multi-Max to the toolkit, the project list might get shorter. (Or... it might get longer as you figure out all the things this baby can do!) You can check out their "30 Minute Miracles" brochure for some great information and ideas. Here's your chance to win one!

The Prize: Dremel Multi-Max

Participants -

...must provide a US shipping address
...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile.

Sometime on February 15, 2010, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all valid comments left. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond. If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the next random selection.

How to enter:

150 comments

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I absolutely love receiving products in the mail to review, but every once in a while something arrives that isn't exactly suited to my girls. They'll play with almost anything I give them so it's usually not that big of a deal. But when a package arrived from Team Mom before Christmas and included a K'Nex playset, I knew there were better options. DH immediately recommended our friend, Andrea, who has two children firmly placed in the targeted age range.

When I had some free time, I made a stop at Andrea's house to deliver the package and see if she would be able to provide me with some age-appropriate commentary on the Kid K'Nex Neighborhood Police Station set. As Andrea and I spoke about it, her son, Jack, waited patiently for his mom to tell him about the package sitting on the kitchen counter. Andrea later said:

"My kids were so excited, of course, to see that a new toy was here for them to play with. While Jack being 5 years old was skeptical about the Sesame Street theme of the new blocks, it didn’t stop him one bit from tearing into the box to start building. Abby, my three year old, was just as excited to see some new blocks had arrived as she is very into building too. Even Emma’s attention at age one was sparked by the adorable little Elmo and Ernie figures. They liked having instructions for building something specific, but also enjoyed how they could build whatever their imaginations led them to as well. I loved the fact that the blocks easily fit onto all of the Duplo blocks we already had. No matter which way you put them, they all coordinated with one another. So, it wasn’t a huge crisis when they got mixed into the bin with all of the other blocks we already own. It is nice that the colors are slightly lighter, so the kids could easily pick them back out when they wanted to. Overall, a big hit with the kids. You know you have a good product when a 5, 3, and 1 year old all can get enjoyment out of one toy!"

When I spoke with Andrea and her husband after they had a chance to try it out, they said the kids loved it. Originally, they had concerns about whether the blocks could be mixed with other sets but when they realized they could all be combined, they were delighted. It's hard enough to keep things organized but when you have similar products that don't, well, play nicely together it makes it even harder. Kudos to K'Nex for making these blocks versatile enough to work on their own or be incorporated into a larger design limited only by the child's imagination.

A variety of styles and themes of Kid K'Nex sets are available from Amazon or your local retailer. For more information about K'Nex products, stop by their website, become a fan on Facebook or check them out on YouTube. Thanks to Team Mom for sending this for us to play with and for Andrea (and family) for assisting with this review.
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Disclosure: The K'Nex set featured in this review was provided to SAHM Reviews at no charge by Child's Play Communications. The set was given to Andrea and family for the purpose of providing commentary for this review. No other compensation was received.

1 COMMENT