Category Archives: FRN

FRN, gift worthy, Holidays

My Family Christmas Book and Memories Review

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I love Christmas but not really the commercial side. I feel we need to focus more on Christ and also on family traditions. So I was thrilled to receive a copy of My Family Christmas Book and Memories to review!

This is the ultimate Christmas book to have on hand. It is a 3 ring binder and has convenient tabs for easy access. The sections include Advent, Christmas Reading & Prayers, Kids Craft Ideas and more. They give you the years that carols were written and all the words we can’t always remember;). There are places to help you plan out your Christmas and write in the details of what happened for prosperity!

I love this book because it helps to focus on what is really important about Christmas! Christ! I think this will end up being the book we pull out and read from every year as a family.

(This post was written for Family Review Network & My Family Christmas Book who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest review)

Food, FRN

Barbara’s Bakery Review

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 I recently received a box of goodies from Barbara’s Bakery to review. I got white cheddar cheese puffs, Snackimals, Puffins multigrain cereal and some high fiber cranberry cereal. They called it a NO Box because the food has no hydrogenated oils, no artificial flavors, no artificial preservatives, no refined sugar, no trans fats, no artificial additives and no high fructose corn syrup. So I was prepared for 1 of 2 things to happen. I thought either it would taste completely of cardboard but, I thought the best case I would like it ok but the rest of the family would hate it. Well, I was so wrong!!!

NerdDad actually said that the White Cheddar puffs were better than Cheetos!!! Now, if you know my husband, that is a huge statement.  I found out that there is actually something better than animal cookies. They are Snackimals which are chocolate chip animal cookies. Who can resist that? I think that I need to keep them in the cabinet just for me to snack on, the kids can eat something else;). And the cereals were just sweet enough with out being cardboard like at all!

There is another pleasant surprise! These yummy items from Barbara’s Bakery aren’t at pricey health food stores! They are available at Safeway, Vons, Albertsons and Trader Joe’s. And they even have coupons!!!

(This post was written for Family Review Network & Barbara’s Bakery who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest review)

Food, FRN, giveaway

Ziploc Giveaway!!!

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I love Ziploc products!!!! So I was stoked to pieces when I got some of their great products to try!

For those of you who don’t read NerdFamily Food, I do bulk cooking and Ziploc has saved me! Some people have a lot dishes but then you have to wash them all and who needs that? I love putting loaves of bread, meatballs, ground beef and more into bags and then stashing them in the freezer. Then for things like soups, stocks and other liquid things I use the containers with the Smart Snap seal. I love them because they give everything an air tight seal! I also love the fact I can toss away the bags and don’t have to wash them up!

Win It!

Ziploc is graciously giving one of my readers (you must be in the US) an assortment of great Ziploc Products!

  • Ziploc Brand sandwich bags
  • Ziploc Brand Freezer slider bags with expandable bottom and smart-zip seal (quart)
  • Ziploc Brand Storage slider bags with expandable bottomand smart-zip seal (quart)
  • Ziploc Brand Containers with the Smart Snap™ Seal (medium square)

    • To enter:

    * Just leave a comment telling me about you put in your Ziploc containers!

    * A random winner will be selected and notified on October 8th.

    * The winner will then have 3 days to claim their prize.
    To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.
    * Subscribe to my feed (if you already do, that counts).
    * Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here.
    * Subscribe to my Twitter and then Tweet about this!
    * You can tweet everyday for an additional entry, just make sure to leave a comment for each time!
    If you want to see more giveaways pop over to NerdFamily Money to see more giveaways on Contesting Monday
    “This post was written for Family Review Network & SC Johnson who provided the complimentary product for review and giveaway in exchange for my honest opinions.”

    FRN, software

    Study X Review

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    Helping kids study can always be a challenge and so can finding good software! That is why we are always looking for that perfect mix. So I was excited to try the Study X software for my kids.

    Study X has various games and mazes that are tied into a question and answer program. The games stop at different points and then need you to answer to go on. Study X comes preloaded with lots of vocabulary and concepts but you can always add your own with a spreadsheet. We are planning on adding Latin vocab and Egyptian history to ours because that is what we are specifically studying right now.

    So the analysis. It is ok… You don’t have any kind of accounting. The records count all answers from any person. That isn’t a deal breaker but as a mom, it is hard to track. The games are low level and are not well integrated with the question system. But my favorite feature is that you can set a system quiz. That mean you can set questions that pop up every so often regardless of the game you are playing. You must answer them to go back to whatever you were doing before. The only way to stop it is to enter a password.

    Overall, there is great promise in this program. I would love to see it developed out further! It is ok and does well with my kids. But I think someone who is looking for entertainment in the studying might lose interest. As far as quizzing, it does a great job. It has a full database of vocab and the ability to customize, so its quizzing potential is unlimited!

    This post was written for Family Review Network & StudyX who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review

    FRN, gift worthy, video games

    Nancy Drew Video Games Review

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    We love computer games here in the NerdFamily household! But finding something that is both age appropriate and challenging for the kids has been hard. So we were stoked to get a chance to review Secrets Can Kill and Trail of the Twister! Both my 9 year old boy and my 7 year old girl read both the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries so they were chomping at the bit as soon as I opened the envelope!

    We loved it! These games are mystery and logic based games. Both games have a multi thread take so it takes and immediate action and clue gathering. So they always have to be looking for information that they will need later. That duality enables them to play the games repeatedly because they won’t remember all the logic games and tricks. We know that because first we went through one game as a group and now they are trying to work through it again. And they are still finding it fun and yet challenging.

    Now these aren’t easy games but that is the fun. This isn’t something that you would get a child who was just starting to either read or game but someone who is ready for some complexity. We loved it and think it would be a great give for a young gamer!

    This post was written for Family Review Network & HERinteractive who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review

    bath and beauty, FRN, giveaway

    A Real Fogless Mirror Giveaway

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    Ok, I didn’t realize about the quest for a fogless mirror until I got married. Part of that was because I didn’t have contacts until then and I wouldn’t have been able to use a mirror anyway. The other reason was my husband and the whole shaving in the shower thing. I just didn’t have an appreciation for the whole issue.

    Then I decided to buy one for my hubby. I had no idea what an endeavor that would be. After running through a few relatively cheap mirrors I had completely given up. Then I had the opportunity to review ToiletTree’s Fogless Shower Mirror. I tried it out and I think I am convinced that I finally found a real fogless mirror!

    This mirror is mountable and easy to use. It comes with the tape and silicon to mount the mirror to various shower types. The magic of how it works: it has a reservoir that you fill with hot water, the same water your shower is running. It is that simple. The heat from the water prevents the condensation from building. The mirror is adjustable and it also has a great tray to put your razor or other stuff;). For only $29.95 so it is quite a deal! But better than that…

    Win It!

    ToiletTree is graciously giving one of my readers (you must be in the US or Canada) a free Fogless Shower Mirror!

    To enter:

    * Just leave a comment telling me about your favorite toiletry!
    * A random winner will be selected and notified on September 15th.
    * The winner will then have 3 days to claim their prize.
    To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket but you must leave a separate comment for each one.
    * Subscribe to my feed (if you already do, that counts).
    * Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here.
    * Subscribe to my Twitter and then Tweet about this!
    * You can tweet everyday for an additional entry, just make sure to leave a comment for each time!
    If you want to see more giveaways pop over to NerdFamily Money to see more giveaways on Contesting Monday

    (This post was written for Family Review Network & ToiletTree who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review)

    Clothing, FRN, gift worthy, kids

    Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like Halloween

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    Yes, I know it is August! But when you have 4 kids and you theme the costumes, that can take a little work. And work takes time;). Last year we did a half homemade, half bought Wizard of Oz theme. So I knew I would have to start thinking about it soon!

    I got the opportunity to pick out a costume at Costume Discounters for this year and I was overwhelmed by all the choices. They have just about any theme for adults or kids. I didn’t realize that I would have that many choices so I realized that I had to consult the Nerdlings.

    As a group we decided that we are going to do Star Wars but not just Star Wars, Star Wars Clone Wars. Well, they have 124 costumes/accessories for Star Wars. NerdPie has always wanted to be Asoka so I found this adorable costume.

    I was excited to receive my package from Costume Discounters but not nearly as excited as my daughter! We are so glad that delivery was so quick because I don’t think NerdPie could have waited very much longer.  It is an adorable outfit with a belt and even a super cute headpiece (sorry you can’t see it in the pic but…). The light saber is ours but what kid who wants to dress up as a Star Wars character doesn’t have a light saber? The only other thing we have to provide are shoes but you can’t see them when you are wearing the costume!

    We loved our experience with Costume Discounters was delightful and we recommend them!

    (This post was written for Family Review Network & Costume Discounter who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review)

    baby stuff, FRN, gift worthy

    AppleCheeks Review

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    I admit that I was traumatized as a child by cloth diapers. See when my closest sister was born I was about 8 years old. My mom decided to use cloth diapers with her and even had a diaper service. But there was still a lot to traumatize me. I remember the rubber pants, the diaper pins and rinsing the diapers out in the toilet (which was my job). I remember when these super wet diapers would be taken off the baby they were these huge sopping messes which led to diaper rashes. I also remember my sister getting poked with the diaper pins and there being tears both from the poker and the pokee. But that was 25 years ago.

    I had been hearing for about 8 years that cloth diapers have so much so I was stoked when I got an opportunity to review AppleCheeks. I got the Mini Test that has an envelope cover and 3 bamboo inserts. I decided to use this on my 2 year old during her nap time. Let us start with this cover. Nerdpud really gave these a good test because she had been holding it all morning (because we are potty training). Putting it on her was a snap. Literally. They have adjustable snaps on the front where I tightened up one side more that the other to give her a custom fit. But when I picked her up I wasn’t sure that she had even wet it at first. Not only was there not a drop that got out but also the insert wasn’t clumpy (but soaked). Then I just slipped out the insert and it was ready for another. The microfiber lining seemed perfectly dry. So if we were doing this system exclusively we could have totally put it back on her. Then the insert just got thrown into the washer and dryer.
    My final verdict? Cloth diapers seem pretty awesome. They have come a long way from rubber pants and pins. The AppleCheeks system works beautifully! I would totally recommend it! I love the fact that they sell sets (Mini Tests, Starter Kits and more) so they make great baby shower gifts! It is time we all give cloth diapers another go with the AppleCheeks system!
    (This is a Family Review Network review. AppleCheeks provided the product for my honest review!)

    Foreign Language, FRN

    En Mi Casa by Sing-A-Lingo

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    Who doesn’t want their child to learn a new language? I know that I want my children to develop that part of their brain that is tied to foreign language. And nothing seems to help stuff stick in my children’s heads like music. So I was excited to receive a copy of En Mi Casa from Sing-a-Lingo.

    En Mi Casa is all in Spanish. The cd case has all the words listed in both English and Spanish. The music is super catchy and my kids, who had never heard Spanish and didn’t have the words in front of them, loved it!
    A problem we did have was since I hadn’t made copies of the words (and not all my kids could read) only 1 kid could really work on learning the words. I think that we are going to order the same cd in English so my kids could learn all the words in English first. That was my only problem with the cd. But if we had already been working on Spanish I would just make sure that their vocabulary words matched up with each song.
    I think that Sing-a-Lingo has a great program going here! I enjoyed the music and it helped refresh my Spanish from high school. If you or someone you know is learning Spanish I highly recommend En Mi Casa!
    (This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Sing-A-Lingo,

    who provided the CD for this review)

    FRN, gift worthy

    LilyMe

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    We are in the age of charms and personalization for said charms. I just got the cutest bracelet with an adorable “love” charm from LilyMe. Now I see why these are so popular. I also love that this bracelet is adjustable! It is that perfect bracelet to wear all the time with anything so it is the perfect design for a sentimental piece.

    But this simple bracelet isn’t all that LilyMe does. They have all kinds of necklaces and bracelets with pre-designed charms as well as personalized charms. So you can get a great present with someone’s children, siblings or a memorable verse.
    You can us the coupon code “mother” to get 10% off any product at LilyMe!
    (This review is part of the Family Review Network and I was provided a product by LilyMe to review.)