Book Review: Blucy by Julia Dweck

Book Review: Blucy by Julia Dweck

Who doesn't love a mischievous blue cat? Well, we did. Blucy is a magical story of a little girl, Mandy, who adopts a cat from the shelter. As the pages progress, we are taken through all the blue ways a little cat can get in trouble. But there is one way to Blucy's heart...

Blucy is a charming kids story filled will silly adventures and themed around all things blue. It's a delightful read before bedtime. Julia Dweck captures a rhythm and cadance with her rhymes that makes it fun to read and fun for the kids to follow. Illustrator, Erika Lebarre, captures the brilliant blue tones in each colorful adventure adding appropriately mischief expressions to the silly blue cat.

As I explored Julia's stories, I love how she incorporates additional activities for older children at the end of each book. This makes reading one book to a variety of ages more interesting. My 2 year old understood the story, while my 6 year old was challenged with more advanced activities, like finding the hidden pictures or fun facts about the characters she has created.

Blucy is available on Amazon and worth having on your tablet to read each night for only $3.99!


Until Next Time,


 Learn more about author Julia Dweck and her collection of titles on her website JuleLoves2Write and follow her on Facebook.

Hard Copy Books vs E-books for Kids

I love reading with my kids. It has been an integral part of our bedtime routine since before my oldest could talk. Both of my kiddos love to read - to me, to each other, or by themselves. We have a shelf full of close to 100 books for the kids to choose from, play with, and explore. 

But until recently, I've been a little 'old school' with kids books. I've been hesitant to incorporate e-books in their routine. Perhaps its because I believe there is joy created by physically holding a book and turning the pages. Or my risk-adverse nature to not put my Kindle in the hands of my sticky fingered little ones. Plus, I still enjoy reading a great book and turning the pages is satisfying as you progress through a great read. 

Regardless, when Julia Dweck offered to share her kids books with me, I knew we would love to explore some new stories. The fact that they were electronic made story time more exciting for everyone. My kids, who rarely get to use "Mommy's Tablet", were even more thrilled to sit down with me to read these new stories. It was a revived excitement for reading. Despite a battle who would touch the screen to turn the page and trying to explain to my 2 year old that he couldn't touch the picture because it would move the page, this transition to electronic literature is an interesting journey. Overall, I may be convinced that e-books for kids are a pretty cool treat for them.

This week I will be reviewing each of the stories Julia shared with my family, but I thought I'd ask how other families feel about e-books for kids.

So, I want to know, do your kids get to enjoy books on your tablet? Or do you prefer 'old school' books for the kids?

Stay tuned for my book reviews of Author Julia Dweck's children's books.


Until Next Time,


Mommy Fun Money with Card.com Pre-Paid Visa

As a mom you can never do too much budgeting. I've tried all the methods - cash envelopes, online budgeting services, excel spreadsheet. But sometimes I'd like to just set some money aside for myself. When I found Card.com it seems like a great fit for what I need...a place I can put my "Mommy Fun Money" and not worry about spending on bills or the kids.

So, I signed up for my Card.com account. The process was easy. It required no credit check, so my husband (who handles the big bills and hates it when I run my credit) was happy. The longest part of setting up my account was exploring their 1,000's of card designs! It was crazy. I could hardly decide. But I settled on a design that fit my mood that evening - fun and a little psychedelic.


About 4 days after finishing my account set up my card arrived in the mail. When I said "psychedelic" - I meant it! Look!



Anyway, now I have a fun Visa card that I can load with my Mommy Fun Money and spoil myself with a pedicure or some retail therapy. Plus, this card is good anywhere VISA is accepted. 

So, here are the details of this pre-paid VISA -

  • Free to order, activate and load
  • Free app and check deposits from your smartphone
  • Free direct deposit
  • Free card-to-card transfers, any time, anywhere, in seconds
  • No overdraft fees -- never goes negative!
  • Safer than cash - 24/7 support, Visa fraud protection and 100% FDIC insurance on funds
  • No debt, financially responsible, no interest/credit/APRs
  • No credit check and approval in seconds
  • 22,000 in-network ATMs

This card is not a gift card, so you can’t give or receive the card as a gift - It's better than a gift card because you don't just use it once and toss it, but instead get to replace your boring bank-issued debit card and show it off over and over.



Visa prepaid cards from CARD.com

Free for 30 days - then $5.95 monthly fee, which we waive when you direct deposit over $800 in the previous 30 days.  This fee is the same as the Walmart prepaid card and way less than many of our competitors. It's also much less than overdrafting your bank account, paying for a checking account or using a credit card.

What do you do with your Mommy Fun Money?


Until Next Time,


This post brought to you by Card.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

Kid-Friendly Tablet Accessories Giveaway + Free eBook from KiteReader

Kid-Friendly Tablet Accessories Giveaway + Free eBook from KiteReader

Do your kids love your tablet? Or do they have their own tablet?

Tablets in our house are a privilege that my kiddos will work hard for just 30 minutes on one. However, there is nothing more frustrating than sitting down to enjoy my tablet and finding crumbs and sticky finger prints on the screen. Its always obvious when they've earned their tablet privileges  But, I do worry about what they might do that could damage this expensive toy - especially when my sneaky 5 year old takes it to her room without permission.

Well, I've partnered with KiteReader to offer a fun and easy way to win 1 of over 20 kid-friendly tablet accessories! Whether you want to protect your tablet with a kid-friendly case, use a handy stylus instead of your fingers to touch the screen, or simply accessorize your tablet with some awesome headphones, KiteReader has got you covered!

Plus, every participant who enters the giveaway receives a FREE eBook from one of KiteReader's list of award winning titles.

So, what are you waiting for? Enter this awesome giveaway now! Read about the Giveaway Rules & detailed description of each of the prizes below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway Rules: US Residents, 18 years and up only. 1 entrant per household. The giveaway is open to US residents only. Winners will be picked randomly through the Rafflecopter entry form. Winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. 
All winning entries are verified.  
Prizes Include: 
Gumdrop Kindle Fire Case (Valued at $49.99): 1 Winner
If you’re looking for the most rugged, durable yet ultimately affordable Kindle Fire protection, you found it in the Drop Tech Series Kindle Fire Case. Shock Absorption, drop protection, extreme ruggedness and hard-core readiness for all adventures, the Drop Tech Series Kindle Fire case specifically conforms to the shape of the Kindle Fire and offers multiple layers of protection. This transformer case features a unique, snap-on integrated screen for maximum protection. (http://www.gumdropcases.com/kindle-fire.html)
iPad Smart Cover (Valued at $39.99): 2 Winners
Snap the Smart Cover into place and it wakes up, stands up, and brightens up your iPad. It magnetically aligns for a perfect fit. It wakes and sleeps your iPad on open and close. It’s a handy stand for reading, watching, and typing. And it’s a way to make your iPad as personal on the outside as it is on the inside. (http://www.apple.com/ipad/accessories/)
iGuy iPad Case (Valued at $39.95): 2 Winners
Say hi to iGuy. He’s fun, free-standing and kid-friendly. Designed to fit all full-size iPads – even the new iPad 4! (http://www.speckproducts.com/iguy-for-ipad.html)
Fisher Price Kindle Fire Kid-Tough Apptivity Case (Valued at $29.99): 2 Winners
With a Kid-Tough rubberized casing and a clear film over the screen to protect against drips and sticky fingers, the next time your child asks to play with your Kindle Fire, you’ll be much more likely to say “sure”! (http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/brands/kidtough/products/67522)
Griffin Technology Cinema Seat (Valued at $24.99): 2 Winners
CinemaSeat turns your iPad into the perfect in-car entertainment system. CinemaSeat’s wide, adjustable strap routes around your car seat’s headrest to perfectly position your iPad for backseat riders. Without sacrificing access to Multi-Touch display, controls or headphone jack, CinemaSeat lets them watch video, listen to music, play games and more. CinemaSeat gives your riders the best seats in the house. Or car. (http://store.griffintechnology.com/cinemaseat-2-for-ipad)
KaZoo MyPhones (Valued at $19.99): 2 Winners
KaZoo MyPhones have built-in-volume-limiting circuitry that keeps the sound pressure down to levels recommended as safe for young ears. Exposure to excessive levels of sound is more than a nuisance. It’s a health issue, especially for children. KaZoo MyPhones use a built-in, always-on sound-control circuit to cap peak volume levels at 85 decibels. That’s the maximum level recommended by many auditory health organizations in the U.S. and abroad. And, of course, KaZoo are kid-friendly with fun animal designs and durably constructed. (http://store.griffintechnology.com/kazoo-myphones)
Felix TwoHands Stand (Valued at $19.99): 2 Winners
When you want to use your NOOK hands-free, this ingenious accessory is the perfect solution. Made of sturdy molded plastic, it opens with a gentle squeeze and securely grips the edges of your NOOK, while the base rests on a flat surface to form a sturdy stand. The spring mechanism is both strong and flexible, so the Felix will hold your NOOK in either landscape or portrait mode; when closed, it’s only 7″ long, so it will easily slip into a pocket or bag. Add in the sleek, distinctive look – enhanced by a “felix” logo script printed in silver – and this is truly a must-have item for every NOOK owner. (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home-gift-twohands-stand-in-black/25719436)
Crayola Color Studio iMarker (Valued at $15.99): 2 Winners
iMarker is the key to unlock limitless discovery and play on your iPad. It’s a digital marker, crayon, pencil and paint brush that interacts with the Crayola ColorStudio HD app to create all your favorite Crayola colors on the iPad’s Multi-Touch display. As you color, animated characters, music, sound and visual effects bring scenes to life, and surprises await on every page. (http://www.griffintechnology.com/crayola/colorstudiohd)
Marware UpSurge Speaker (Valued at $9.99): 2 Winners
The Marware UpSurge Mini Speaker delivers crisp, distortion-free sound from virtually any media player device. The UpSurge travels with you wherever you go, providing rechargeable, long-lasting audio enhancement in the palm of your hand. Its compact design twists and extends when in use for enhanced bass and sound quality. The UpSurge Mini Speaker is the perfect solution for your portable audio needs, whether you’re watching a movie, listening to music or playing a video game. (http://www.marware.com/upsurge-mini-speaker)
KiteReaders Stylus (Valued at $5.99): All Winners!
The KiteReaders Stylus is the perfect accessory to use on any of your touch devices! With a pen on one end and a stylus on the other, this stylus is a great tool to have in your pocket or bag at all times! 
More about KiteReaders:
KiteReaders is a multi-award winning digital publisher of children’s books. With over 100 titles and 30 best sellers across Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks, KiteReaders aims to provide quality content for children and their families and increase literacy around the world. Visit KiteReaders at and like them on Facebook!


Until Next Time & Good luck,

Mighty Handle Product Review

Okay, we've all done it...loaded ourselves to the brim with plastic grocery bags hoping to only make one trip in from the car. Strategically placing the bags and equally balancing each side of our bodies, then rushing towards the door hoping none of the bags tear or the kids don't get stuck under our feet as we make our mad dash loaded down with an extra 75 pounds of food products.

Yep, I do this on a weekly basis. Some weeks this type of activity is all the extra strength training I can muster. And darn if my 2 year old doesn't get under my feet or decide to dawdle around instead of following me inside. Ugh!

Well, I was super excited to be asked to review The Mighty Handle. This handy little contraption can't handle my massive amounts of weekly groceries, but it sure makes carrying a few bags a lot easier. Plus, it frees up one of my hands to help my 2 year old stay focused on the mission of heading inside from the heat.




The Mighty Handle is made of durable plastic. It is light weight and fits great in my glove compartment or trunk, so I always have it with me. Simply place the handles of the bags over the hook shaped arms, twist, and you are good to go. They are designed to carry up to 50 pounds each. I've even found them handy in our walks up to the grocery store at the edge of our neighborhood. It has a patent-pending design and retails at $9.99 on Amazon.

Check out this short video to learn more about The Mighty Handle.




What are your best tricks for carrying in large loads of groceries?


Until Next Time,

Dry Nights with GoodNites Underwear

This post brought to you by GoodNites. All opinions are 100% mine.

Okay, I’ll admit it...Potty training is probably my least favorite part of being a mom. But, the satisfaction of watching your little one conquer keeping their pants dry all day is worth it in the end. Once you’ve conquered daytime dry pants, the night time potty training always takes a little longer.  And this night time training doesn’t always come easy for some kids. In my opinion, one of the worst ways to start your day is changing wet bed clothes.

So, how do you overcome the night time potty training without defeating the progress of the day time dryness?

For us, night time potty training took time and required a balance of eliminating wet sheets without losing the confidence of day time dryness. GoodNites was a great compromise. With the confidence of its discreet nature, my daughter can wear them without feeling like she is wearing a diaper (like her baby brother). 

So we took the GoodNites 3-night challenge. Night one was met with resistance, but with a little encouragement she did it. It was a dry night! Night two was a little more exciting because we had a big milestone the night before. Again another dry night! Night three was no discussion. And again it was dry!

Was this success because of GoodNites? It’s hard to say. But the challenge was a fun and confident way to encourage dryness. Plus, the satisfaction on both sides of waking up to dry sheets and dry pants is the perfect way to start my day!

GoodNites Underwear are the most absorbent pants for boys and girls for ages 4+. They are made specially to protect while lying down. They have a discreet design so your child can maintain a sense of privacy and self-esteem while overcoming bedwetting. They are also soft and plush so no irritation while they sleep.

Take the Under Cover Mission and WIN PRIZES!

If you are struggling with bedwetting, check out GoodNites Facebook page (aka “Mission Control”) to engage in conversations with other moms and dads. You can also sign up for the Under Cover Mission online for a chance to win weekly prizes! Use code 8675 (via the Facebook page or website entry).

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