Educational Fun With Osmo

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osmo genius kit review

My girls love technology. What kid doesn’t these days? But I was really getting tired of them just wanting to play mindless games on their cellphones. If I let them, they’d play on their cellphones all day. That’s why I set up our Summer Electronics Rules. They have to earn electronics time by doing chores but to cash in their earned electronics time they have to do various tasks such as reading for 30 minutes and playing 15 minutes on an educational website or with an educational game. When were were offered an Osmo to review my girls couldn’t wait to test it out. I’ll admit that when I first heard of Osmo I worried that my girls (10 and 12 years old) would be too old for it but boy was I wrong. The product says it is for ages 5-12 but it each game has so many levels and grows with your child’s skills so it is challenging even for my 12 year old. I played with Osmo and some of the levels of games like Osmo Tangram were even challenging for me. And any age can learn to draw with Osmo Masterpiece. But I’ll get into all that in a bit. Let’s talk about what Osmo is.

So what is Osmo?

Osmo, created by young parents, encourages creative thinking and social interaction by expanding gameplay beyond the screen, turning any physical object into a digitally connected game piece.

Osmo is a game system that is integrates with your iPad for a unique gaming experience. There are five games can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App store. Search for Osmo and you’ll find Newton, Tangram, Masterpiece, Words, Numbers and the newest game Coding. All 5 games require use of the Osmo reflector and base which come in all 3 of the Osmo Kits. Tangram, Coding, Words and Numbers use physical objects that come with the set, whereas Newton and Masterpiece only require use of the Osmo reflector and base. We received the Genius Kit to review which comes with the physical objects needed to play all the current games except Osmo Coding and my girls have already asked if I would begged me to buy them the coding set.

What Comes With Osmo?

  • Genius Kit comes with reflector, base, and Words, Masterpiece, Tangram, Newton and Numbers Games
  • Coding Kit comes with reflector, base, Newton, Masterpiece, and Coding.
  • Wonder Kit comes with reflector, base, Newton, Masterpiece, Tangram, Words, Numbers, and Coding Games.

Important Details

  • Groundbreaking system encourages creative thinking and social interaction by expanding gameplay beyond the screen.
  • Games can be played and even created by the whole family, anywhere, and on any surface.
  • Works with latest iPads: iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4 iPad Mini, iPad Mini Retina, iPad Air.
  • Recommended Ages: 5-12
  • Suggested MSRP $99.99
Get an Osmo on Best Buy. Learn more about Osmo on the official Osmo site.

playing with osmo

The Osmo is very easy to set up and can be used almost anywhere with a flat surface. Right out of the box you just  have to adjust the base for your model iPad by following the direction. Once the base is set up for your model iPad simply place the iPad in the base, slide the Osmo reflector over the iPad’s camera and you’re ready to play. Osmo works by “reading” the playing area in front of the iPad. We found that it works best (especially playing Tangrams) when you play on a light surface so we put a big piece of white paper in front of the iPad when we play. It just makes it easier for the iPad camera to properly see what is in the playing area. Playing in a well lit area helps, too.

Osmo Tangram ­

Arrange wooden puzzle pieces into matching on­screen shapes. Play with your child or challenge yourself to more advanced levels with Osmo acting as your mentor by lighting up with each victory

osmo tangram

Tangram can be played individually or with more than one player cooperating together to solve a puzzle. There are 7 Tangram tiles in various shapes and colors. On the screen the game shows the players an image formed with the various tiles and they have to figure out how to place the tiles to form that image. In easier levels the picture on the screen shows each individual tile that is used to form the image and in harder levels players just see an outline of the image and have to figure out how the tiles get arranged to form the image. Tangrams is a great game for spacial and visual problem solving. Players have to look on the screen of the iPad to see the image and move the pieces in the right position in front of the iPad on the table. As the correct tiles are placed in the correct place the image changes color on the screen to let players know it’s in the right spot. Make sure to move your hands out of the way after you place a tile so the camera can see the pieced you put down. As you complete the puzzles, the harder levels become unlocked.

The game Tangram has been around for almost a thousand years, but Osmo reinvents this classic using a fully interactive video experience. With visual and audio feedback, multiple levels of difficulty, achievements and more.

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Osmo Newton ­

Use your creativity with inventive objects such as a hand ­drawn basket, grandma’s glasses, dad’s keys or anything around you to guide falling on­screen balls into targeted zones.

newton

Newton is one of the games that can be played without any special pieces. Balls drop from the top of the screen and players direct the balls to bounce off of various targets by drawing shapes to direct the balls where they want them to go. Players can also put random objects, even Tangram pieces on the playing surface and the iPad camera will turn those objects into lines that will also direct the onscreen balls to bounce off the target. Players have to plan how to get the balls to bounce off of the targets and adjust their technique as the balls come down so there is lots of problem solving and strategizing involved.

TIPS- Use a dry erase board to draw shapes to direct the balls into the targets. Grab items around the house and see what works best to direct the balls. We tried various markers, pencils, our hands, and even some dolls and toys.

60 levels of fun! The more you succeed, the harder it gets! You can use simple strategies in the beginning, but as you progress Newton will challenge you with bouncing balls, accelerating platforms and fans that force you to think in new ways!

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Osmo Words ­

Be the first to guess and spell out the on­ screen hidden word by tossing down real ­life letters faster than your friends. A related picture gives the clue

osmo words

Words is similar to a game of hangman. There are 2 sets of letters and you can play by yourself or with several players. In Verse Mode players compete and in Zen Mode players work together. An image appears on the screen and players have to figure out what is depicted in the image. There are circles on the bottom of the screen that represent how many letters are in the word. Players put letters on the playing surface that they think are part of the word that is being represented. If the letter is correct they get a point and the letter shows up in the word. If they get the letter wrong the letter goes up on the top of the screen so players can keep track of letters that have been tried. But you have to be fast or your opponent will put the letters down before you!

As the levels get harder the images get harder, too. For example one round there was a picture of a horse jumping. We thought that the word was HORSE but when my girls put down an S it was wrong. It turned out that the word was RIDER. So they had to think outside of the box a little and not pick the obvious word. It’s all trial and error but you only get a certain amount of guesses per round so be careful! For younger children this is a great game to learn to spell various words and while older children might already know how to spell the words, the harder levels make them think about what the words might be and act fast to get the letters down quickly.

Words comes with over 150 default puzzle images, but if you guess your way through those it’s easy to log on to myOsmo and download new albums created by the community. This added content can extend your playtime endlessly! Do you have a great idea for a Words album? If so, you can create and share it with the community at myOsmo! The platform allows you to easily build and download your own custom albums. For teachers, this is a great way to translate class material in an engaging way.

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Osmo Numbers ­

With a counting, addition, concatenation and multiplication mode, there is a challenge for everybody. As kids get more confident in one mode, they can move on the the next one, allowing them to learn at their own pace.

osmo numbers

Numbers is a fun math game that players play with the Osmo number tiles. The goal is to fill up the tank with water and collect all the fish. There are 4 different modes that range from simple counting using dot tiles to more complex multiplication problems using numbered tiles. Again this just shows how the system will grow with a child through various math levels.

Kids arrange physical tiles, including dots and digits, to make numbers and complete levels. Add by putting more tiles, subtract by removing tiles and multiply by connecting tiles together. Experimenting becomes fast and intuitive. Kids play math without the pressure of time or the fear that they’ll get the wrong answer. Osmo’s real-time feedback lets kids learn through experimentation in a stress-free environment.

osmo numbers shot

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Osmo Masterpiece ­

Supercharge your drawing skills with Masterpiece. Pick any image from the camera, curated gallery or integrated web search and Masterpiece will transform it into easy­ to ­follow lines and help you draw it to perfection. You can then share a magical time ­lapse video of your creation with your friends and family

hello kitty osmo masterpiece

Masterpiece is a great tool to learn how to draw everything from objects around the house to pets and people. My girls love art and love to draw but they sometimes get intimidated by drawing things from their own minds. That’s why the both love Masterpiece. Simply use your iPad to take a picture of what you want to draw and Osmo will turn it into a lined drawing that you can draw. You can even adjust how simple or complex the drawing will be.

TIP- We found that the less shadow in the picture the easier it was to draw because Osmo will turn shadows into random lines in your drawing. We use a light to get rid of shadows when we’re taking pictures for Masterpiece.

drawing hello kitty

Once you take a picture in Masterpiece it turns it into a lined image. Then simply look at the screen and use your pencil on your paper to follow the lines and draw the picture. It is great for eye hand coordination. As you draw the lines you can see what you’re doing on the screen.

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

Photo Credit Margot Herrman

There is no limit to the images you can create with Masterpiece! There are also lots of templates in various categories that you can learn to draw such as animals, food, nature, and lots more plus you can search for images, too. My daughter has problems with handwriting and there is even a set of block letters and a set of cursive letters for children to practice with.

hello kitty final

When you are finished with your picture you can save the time-lapsed video of you drawing the image and even email it to someone. It’s fun to watch the video to see how the drawing was made.

Take a picture of anything you want, be it a friend, a toy or anything online. Masterpiece will transform it into simple outlines so you can draw it to perfection. Kids love to draw, but with the rise of smartphones and iPads, they increasingly dismiss pen and paper. With Masterpiece kids can combine their love of technology and drawing, while learning useful skills.

Why We Love Osmo

Both my girls are loving using Osmo. They are asking to use it instead of playing on their phones or watching tv. Both said it would be too hard to pick a favorite game because they are all fun. They enjoy the challenge and the variety of the games. It’s nice to have an electronic toy that you want your children to be playing on. I love that as a parent I set up an account and add each child as a user so I can track their progress in each game. I also love that my girls can play the games together, learn to work cooperatively, and they are learning while they are playing. It’s a win win all around! If you have an iPad and children you need this game!

Watch how teachers can use Osmo in the classroom, too:

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Custom T-Shirts and Wall Art From Abrupt Design

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Disclosure- I received a shirt in exchange for my honest review but all opinions are 100% my own.

abrupt designThat’s me in my shirt in front of Captain America himself, Chris Evans!

When I received the invite to the Captain America press event in Los Angeles and was told to pick a side- #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan, I knew right away that I was on Team Iron Man and I wanted a cool shirt to wear to the events. I went searching for the perfect shirt and found on on Abrupt Design’s Etsy shop. It was actually a vinyl wall design but owner told me “Anything is possible.” and they could put any wall design onto a shirt. I was so excited and shared the picture with some of my blogger friends and guess what? Some of them wanted to get a shirt like mine. Abrupt Design’s owner, Shawn, was so easy to work with. He sent over mockups for both teams’ shirts in various colors and made all the changes we asked for since we were adding our event hashtags and twitter handles to the shirt. The shirts all came out great. They are great quality shirts that aren’t too thin and they fit well. Abrupt Design made ordering for a large group so easy and the prices were great, too. I will be using Abrupt Design for all my custom T-shirt needs.

Here are some of the mockups Shawn sent over while we were trying to finalize the designs:

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team iron man shirt

And let’s not forget #TeamCap:
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icm_fullxfull.86787631_2kgzxxzf5f8kcgc0sso8

Here’s the final version of the #TeamIronMan shirts that we went with:
20160419_113713FRONT

20160419_113554Twitter handle on BACK

Grab your own #TeamIronMan Shirt
Grab your own #TeamCap Shirt

Get Social with Abrupt Design:
www.etsy.com/shop/AbruptDesign
www.facebook.com/AbruptDesign
www.instagram.com/abruptdesign
www.twitter.com/abruptdesign

www.abruptdesign.com

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SOUFEEL Jewelry- Beautiful Jewelry For Every Memorable Day

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Disclosure- I received the bracelet and charms mentioned below to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.soufeel jewelry

I love jewelry, as do most women.  I don’t wear just any jewelry though.  I like wearing jewelry that is meaningful to me.  One of my favorite styles of jewelry, silver bead bracelets.  I love these bracelets because they are personalized and unique to the wearer because you can choose charms that have meaning to you, but I don’t like the price.  While I do own an expensive bead bracelet (you know the brand, the one that has the same name as that music playing app) that was given to me as a gift, I haven’t worn it much because I can’t really afford to add beads to it.
I was recently asked to review a SOUFEEL bracelet and I am so excited to share it with my readers.  Since I have the classic style flexible bead bracelet I opted for a bangle style bracelet from SOUFEEL.  I love that Soufeel’s bracelets are 925 sterling silver just like the more expensive brands but with Soufeel they are totally affordable.  These aren’t some cheap knock offs!

DSC_0033 (1024x844)Let’s start with the presentation.  I was so impressed with how nicely they came packages with a gift box and a gift bag.  Then inside the box each bead was individually wrapped in a tiny plastic baggie to keep it protected.  DSC_0013 (1024x681)Each piece feels nice and solid, not cheap at all.  I love that the beads are all 925 sterling silver and can fit Pandora and Chamilia bracelets but at a much more affordable price.  DSC_0035 (1024x681)The selection of beads at SOUFEEL is awesome and they are adding new beads every month.  For my bracelet I choose a dolphin bead because my daughters and I all love dolphins, a round bead with hearts and the December birth stone because both of my girls have December birthdays, and the Love of Swan charm that has pink stones to represent my m husband and me.  I think they look great together and can’t wait to add more beads.  Check out their beautiful new arrivals. Traveling this summer?  Why not get a suitcase bead to remember your trip?  You can even design beads with your personal pictures on them!

personalized charm
SOUFEEL bracelets make great gifts for the special person in your life.  It is such a memorable, unique gift to give someone a bracelet and beads that are meaningful to them.  They have everything from birthstone beads, zodiac signs, animals, religious beads, and so much more.  Give the gift of a Soufeel bracelet and start a tradition of adding beads for every holiday.  The 925 sterling silver bracelets start at just $25 and the beads start at just $3.99.  YES, $3.99 for sterling silver beads!!!  Who wouldn’t want to get one as a gift?
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SOUFEEL has some great offers, too.  When you spend $59, $79 or $99, you will get a pair of free earrings, a free charm and enjoy a free sterling silver bracelet!  They offer free shipping worldwide with orders over $50 and 365-day return and exchange guarantee!

DSC_0037 (884x1024)Look at the beautiful craftsmanship on my SOUFEEL bracelet.

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Plus for my readers you will receive a 5% discount with the coupon code Cori5.   So go ahead and treat yourself or someone you love!
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PackIt Freezable Picnic Bag Review

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I received the below-mentioned products to conduct a review. No other compensation has been received. Any opinions expressed are 100% my own.

pack

 

PackIt freezable bags work just like a refrigerator on the go, chilling food and drinks up to 10 hours. The secret is the cooler’s freezable gel liner. Once the bag is frozen, its walls generate waves of cold air that chill your food and drinks from all sides.

Here’s how it works:

 

My family and I like to take a lot of day trips. We usually throw some snacks and drinks into a plastic cooler and fill it with ice and then hit the road. There have been so many times that our food ends up mushy because of the melted water. Ugh!  Nobody wants mushy food. That’s why I was super thankful we found the PackIt Freezable Picnic Bag.

picnic3

 

I love that it has enough space to pack for a nice family picnic, and the built-in shoulder strap makes it so easy to carry. All you have to do is store the cooler in your freezer for a 12 hour period and it’s ready to go all day long. Throw in your favorite items and enjoy your day. Super easy!

 

picnic

 

We have used it several times now and I just love how convenient it is to use.

 

picnic4

It has so much room and is able to hold food and drinks for my family of four. We have kept our food cold for hours without any issues. The walls of the cooler have always stayed frozen and cold. I’m so in love with it and I will never go back to my old cooler.

You can purchase PackIt freezable coolers directly from the PackIt website or from places like Amazon.  Check out the PackIt website for more details!

picnic2

About the company: PackIt makes a variety of coolers that you store in your freezer until you are ready to pack it with whatever you would like. They feature a patented eco-gel liner which eliminates the need for ice cubes or gel packs. All coolers are FREE of lead, PVC and BPA, as well as non-toxic, earth safe, and reusable. It keeps food cool up to 10 hours making you able to take healthy meals on the go. They offer fashion-forward, trendy designs.

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Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Vacuum Review

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Disclosure:  I received the product mentioned below to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Vacuum ReviewIf you have animals, kids or both you know how messy a house can get.  And how quickly it can get that way.  I have tried several other vacuums before that got us by, but nothing seemed to clean up 100% of the mess or even all of the pet hair.  We have a black lab mix who sheds ALL OVER THE PLACE!  I swear I could make a new dog with the fur that comes off our dog on a daily basis!

I was recently sent a Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Vacuum and I was super excited! They say it’s able to provide uninterrupted floor to ceiling cleaning and it can easily clean under furniture, above the floor, and all those other hard to reach places around your home. I was sold!

Screen Shot 2014-11-28 at 7.27.39 PMOut of the box, the vacuum cleaner needed to be assembled. Thankfully, no tools are required. They are easily latched together into the one of the three switchable modes – upright, lift-away canister and rolling canister. Switching mode only takes a few seconds and again no tools are required. Score!

I was quite impressed with the cleaning power of this Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Vacuum. It rolls so nicely and the suction power was great. I was able to go over a single area just once or twice, instead over going over it a few times to be sure it got everything. I’m in love! I’m so grateful for the large capacity, bagless canister. It holds more dirt which means less frequent emptying. It’s also transparent so you can see when it’s filled. Opens at the top and bottom for easy disposal of dirt and debris.

sharkI have to say that I am loving my Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Vacuum more and more every day.  There are so many ways to use it and no matter what space I am trying to vacuum, the Shark gets in there and gets the job done.  The suction is great even when the canister is filling up.  And bonus for me, my girls both think it is so sleek and cool looking that they want to help me vacuum!

Key features:

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Ozeri 3x Tower Fan (44″) With Passive Noise Reduction Technology Review

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Disclosure:  I received the product mentioned below to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.


ozeri fan

Ozeri 3x Tower Fan (44″) with Passive Noise Reduction Technology
• Upgraded with canted fan blades that utilize the physics of blade curvature to generate opposing sound waves to reduce blade noise and isolate the soothing sounds of the airflow itself.
•Engineered with 3 independently controllable fans and 3 fan speeds, offering up to 9 levels of cooling and customized airflow.
•Defining the latest in stylistic innovation and digital decor, the 3x Tower fan is among the world’s thinnest fans at less than 3 inches thick and boasts a visually arresting design with an elegant reinforced glass base stand.
• Features 3 preprogrammed airflow patterns designed to foster sleep, relaxation and comfort with 90 degree whisper-quiet oscillation for optimal air circulation.
•Extended range remote control and the touch sensitive LED control panel provide easy access to all features, including a 7.5 hour timer that can be programmed in 30 minute increments.

my ozeri fanI absolutely love our Ozeri 3x Tower Fan (44″) with Passive Noise Reduction Technology.  I live in Florida where it is hot 364 days a year.  Yeah, we get one semi-chilly day here.  Ok maybe I am exaggerating a little but I am hot most of the time.  I received the fan from Ozeri to review and I set it up right away next to my desk so I could be cool when I work.  It was easy to set up.  I just had to put the base on and secure it with the enclosed nut.  Easy peasy!  I love that it has so many options.  There are 3 speeds- high, medium, and low.  Plus with 3 different fans you can choose how many of them you want blowing at once.  There are also 3 modes- normal mode (the fan works continuously), nature mode (the fan will cycle through each speed for 5 seconds each simulating a breeze), and sleep mode (the fan will work on high speed in nature mode for 30 minutes, then at medium speed in nature mode for 30 minutes, and then continue working on low speed in nature mode).  This took a little getting used to.  My husband asked if I was messing with the fan on purpose since you can hear blowing a little stronger and then a little softer.  Overall the fan is pretty quiet and even on the highest speed the sound isn’t that loud.  If you want to cool off a larger area there is also a swing mode.  In swing mode the fan will swing from side to side 90 degrees.   As if all these features weren’t enough, it also has a timer function that you can set the fan to run from .5 to 7.5 hours.

I’ve been using the fan mainly on the low setting and it is doing a great job keeping me cool.  If you’re hot under the collar from fans that just don’t work, this is the fan for you!

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Beautiful Curls Easily with Kiss InstaWave Automatic Curler

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kiss instawaveDisclosure:  I received the product mentioned below to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.kiss instawave

As Moms, we don’t have all of the time in the world to get ready. I usually just brush my hair and go on my way. Or of course there is the classic mom pony. Ugh! I must admit, when I first was asked to try out the Kiss InstaWave I was really skeptical. I have a lot of hair that doesn’t like to curl easy. Plus, I’ve tried other curlers that were just so complicated and didn’t actually curl my hair and even worse, they tangled my hair!

kiss instawave 2Thankfully  the Kiss InstaWave super easy to use. And since I have A LOT of hair and it’s pretty long so I was worried it was going to be a tangled mess. To my surprise this didn’t tangle my hair at all. I have tried several other products and without fail, it usually ends in a tangled mess and with huge frustration. No thanks! With one touch of a button, the “Curl Dial” instantly and automatically catches your hair and curls it neatly. It did take me a few tries to master the techniques, but now I think I have it down to a science. To make my curls last longer I sprayed hairspray before and after each curl and that seemed to hold them in place. The Kiss Instawave makes nice, loose, beachy curls. My favorite!

instawaveWhile the directions on the website and the package indicate that you can achieve different size curls with the InstaWave, I’ve yet to figure that little trick out. But I refuse to give up! I will have this bad boy mastered in no time!

This is the perfect gift idea for a teen or even another busy mom. You can score this gem at  Ulta.com or at Target.com

kiss instawave quide

Features
• Patent Pending Curl Dial: Creates Tangle-Free curls in both Left or Right directions
• Diamond-Ceramic Ionic Technology: Healthy, shiny styling results with less frizz and damage
• 420˚F Max Temperature: Professional grade temperature locks in curls
• Auto Shutoff: Automatically shuts off after 90 minutes
• Power Control Switch: High/Low Temperature Settings
• Good for use on all hair lengths and types

  • Number of Pieces: 1

  • Used For: Hair Styling, Curl

  • Hair Type: All Hair Types

  • Barrel Size: 1″

  • Features: One-Button Operation, Multiple Heat Settings, Ceramic heating elements, Swivel Cord, LED Indicator Light, Corded

  • Material: Ceramic, Plastic

  • Heat Maximum: 420 degrees

  • Heating Time: 30.0 Sec.

  • Number of Heat Settings: 2

  • Power Source: Electric

  • Care and Cleaning: Wipe Clean With a Damp Cloth

  • Battery: no battery used


My video

The professional’s video 😉

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Mrs. Fields Cutie Cakes™ Baking Pan

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Disclosure:  I received the product mentioned below to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.Cutie_Cakes_PKG_sized

The holidays are the perfect time for cooking. At least for me. It seems as though I never leave the kitchen. I love to be apart of cookie swapping parties and just whipping up something nice for the neighbors. The holidays are all about spreading cheer and what better way to do it than with baked deliciousness?

Mrs. Fields Cutie Cakes™ Baking Pan3Along with all of those delicious baked goods can come the not so welcomed calories. Eek! Thankfully I found this Mrs. Fields Cutie Cakes™ Baking Pan. This pan creates 48 bite-size cakes, perfect for parties, holidays, school events, or when you just want a small, sweet indulgence. Or for when you are watching your calories.
size

I’ve used this awesome pan a few times now. Everything just slides right out. The best part about this pan is I can use it for other things as well. It’s not just for sweets. You can use it for things like mini corn dogs and potato pancakes!  I can’t wait to try making those!

corn

The Mrs. Fields Cutie Cakes™ Baking Pan is made of carbon Steel with non-stick coating and is super easy to wash. I would totally recommend this pan to anyone who loves making life in the kitchen a little easier. It’s always the small things that matter the most.

Mrs. Fields Cutie Cakes™ Baking PanI used a pancake making squeeze bottle to fill the little compartments but you could even get an empty plastic ketchup/mustard squeeze bottle from the dollar store and use that.  The directions said to bake for about 10 minutes and check it with a toothpick.  I baked them for about 12 minutes and the toothpick came out clean.  In retrospect I think I will bake them even a little longer next time so they get more golden.  Either way they are adorable and so much fun to decorate and of course eat!Mrs. Fields Cutie Cakes™ Baking Pan2

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Be Hair-Free With Silk’n Flash&Go

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Silk'n Flash&GoDisclosure:  I received the product mentioned below to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.flashandgobox

Silk’n Flash&Gois a revolutionary light-based system for permanent results at home. Now you can remove unwanted hair forever on your body and face – all with gentle pulses of light that disable hair growth. It’s the safe way to get smooth, beautiful skin. 

  • Removes unwanted hair with permanent results
  • Easy and safe to use on the body and face
  • Perfect for sensitive areas
  • Saves hundreds of dollars VS. professional treatments
  • No more waxing, shaving or plucking

Silk'n Flash&Go2Say goodbye to unwanted hair at home!

Silk’n Flash&Go is a revolutionary light-based system for permanent results. It’s perfect for sensitive areas like bikini lines but versatile enough for larger areas like legs and arms.

  • Removes unwanted hair on body and face with permanent results
  • Easy, safe and painless
  • Perfect for sensitive areas
  • Saves hundreds of dollars vs. professional treatments
  • Works on areas big and small
  • No more waxing, shaving or plucking

What makes Flash&Go different?

Flash&Go uses gentle pulses of light energy to physically disable hair growth. Light energy is absorbed by the hair follicles while the surrounding tissue remains at normal temperature. The result is a virtually painless process that eliminates hair and provides permanent results.

  • FDA cleared technology
  • Dermatologist recommended
  • Safe and user friendly
  • Can be used on body and face

Is Flash&Go right for you?

Use the chart below to see if Flash&Go is right for your skin color.

Your Flash&Go system comes complete with:
  • One handheld Flash&Go hair removal device
  • One preinstalled narrow lamp cartridge with 5,000 pulses and a spot size of 4cm2
  • Instructional DVD

My review:

I never wanted to wear shorts or tank tops because of the fear of “did I forget to shave?”  Not a good fear to have. Especially when you have darker hair. It’s much easier to see.  Plus, being the busy mom that I am I don’t have time to shave every time I shower. Who does? So I was super excited when I found out I would get to try out the Silk’n Flash&Go™.

I was shocked at how easy this system was to use. My biggest fear was the pain it might cause, but to my surprise it actually didn’t hurt at all. Some of the time there was a slight smell of burnt hair but it only lasted a few seconds.  No big deal. So far I have done my arms which were really hairy before and also my face and underarms.  I’ll be starting my legs and bikini area hopefully soon.

It is a simple “wand” that plugs into an outlet.  Once you turn it makes a quiet fan noise.  You basically put it on your skin and push the trigger button for the light to pulse in the area that is touching the tip.  Easy enough! Then you move the tip to the next spot and “zap” it again.  Each tip has a set number of pulses before you need to replace the tip.  I like that it covers a larger area than another system I previously tried which means I get done much faster since I can cover a larger area at one time.  The only drawback is that with a limited number of pulses per tip, I am limited to the number of different places I can treat right now.  I am treating a few areas now and once I am done treating those areas I’ll start with other areas.  I just didn’t want to only have a few sessions done for each area and run out of pulses.  Of course I can always buy another tip with more pulses but for now I am sticking using it on the most important parts of my body to get hair free!

It’s going to take a few months and multiple cycles to tell if it is working the way it’s fully supposed to though. I will have to keep you posted!

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Rodeo Core Compact Core Exerciser Review

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Disclosure: I received the product mentioned below to facilitate my review. All opinions are 100% my own.

rodeo coreCan you believe this year is almost over? Sheesh! Where did the time go? With the closing of a year comes the beginning of another. And all of those super annoying New Years resolutions. Well this year my resolution is to get some more physical activity with the Rodeo Core Compact Core Exerciser that you can get on the Hammacher Schlemmer website.

Screen Shot 2014-11-20 at 10.12.34 PMRight out of the box the Rodeo Core Compact Core Exerciser was super easy to set up.  It is mostly assembled already.  You just have to attach the foot pedals and a few other parts that took maybe 5 minutes to set up.  It is great because it uses no electricity. Which means I can use it while watching my favorite shows and movies. Exercise is always better when you don’t realize you’re doing it. The compact trainer simulates cantering on a horse to strengthen and tone the core muscles.

As the saddle rotates at a moderate 40 rpm or less, it requires the rider to engage lumbar muscles, abs, glutes, and thighs, building core strength to help prevent back injuries and improve balance and posture. A 10-minute session can burn as many calories as 200 situps or a one-hour walk. Isn’t that nuts?   I find this so easy to use that I could easily go over the suggested maximum time limit of 30 minutes per day BUT I will say that my poor tushy feels it the next day if I stay on too long. 😉

The seat and footrest can be raised or lowered to adjust to anyone’s body size. I have short legs so I was thankful for this feature. My favorite part is that it weighs half as much as most core trainers, allowing it to be moved easily between rooms or stowed away between workouts. Nothing worse than a bulky workout machine in the middle of the floor.  I put mine up against my couch as I do find that it wiggles around my tile floor a bit as I gain momentum so I suggest putting it on a rubber mat or against a couch so you stay put as you use it. Who wants to join me in my quest to get healthy in 2015?

Oh what I do for my readers!  This isn’t a very flattering video of myself but I wanted to show you just how this machine works so here you go:

 

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