Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Review of PicPocket Books

Did you know the average child in the United States watches 3-4 hours of television every day? Time spent watching television can be entertaining but it can also lead to fewer books read and lower grades in school. (Statistics found at American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)

I admit I too am guilty of turning on cartoons when I want my child to be busy for a short while. Thankfully I’ve found a fun and educational alternative!  As stated on the PicPocket Books homepage, this product offers a unique and new experience, combining the beauty of quality picture books with audio recordings and interactive visual text.  Additional PicPocket App features include:
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  • High fidelity, full-color illustrations that stay true to the original print book.

  • High quality audio recording.

  • Play-pause to start and stop the story at any time.

  • Fast-forward and fast-back to replay images and audio.

  • Stories downloadable directly to your device, anytime, anywhere, on-the-go.

  • Buy it once, play it as many times as you want.

  • Patent-pending technology.
It’s really easy to buy these! All you do is download the book you want (it’s an application so look under the apps section) from iTunes and synch your mobile device (iPhone, iPod or iPad) to install the books.  If you’re worried about finding books on iTunes the PicPocket website makes it really easy by including a link next to each book that will take you directly to the store site. Prices start at $1 each. What a great deal!

We really enjoyed reading the books given to us to review.  One of my daughters is an early reader and each day when she gets home from Kindergarten we spend most of our afternoons reading together. The feature that I felt was most helpful for her while using PicPocket Books was the text highlighting included in each story.


I love that this is great fun and educational for my child but as a busy mom on the go I especially like the mobility factor. My toddler is not one to sit quietly for any amount of time but now that I have these books on hand I have a great way to keep her entertained while at doctors’ offices or in the car.

Below is a quick video I made of my two youngest enjoying the book Best Friends Sleep Over by Jacqueline Rogers. By the way, my little one's dancing was completely spontaneous while my older daughter would hardly raise her eyes for fear of missing something.

PicPocket Books are available for purchase here or in the apps section of iTunes.

I did not receive any compensation for my review of PicPocket Books although I was given a book to facilitate this review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

Review and Giveaway of ChicaPC-Fix

As much as I want to avoid being the stereotypical girl, I have to admit that computers intimidate me.  Yes, I need one to feel connected to the world, but it can be a pain to maintain.  Usually I get decent performance out of a laptop for a year or so.  If I'm lucky.  And yes I'm smart enough to know that I need to back up my files and clean up my hard drive but shopping for a portable hard drive or performance enhancing software can be as intimidating as the computers they protect.  Sometimes it just feels easier to buy a new computer although that's certainly not a frugal much less green solution to the problem.  Enter Chicalogic, the makers of ChicaPC-Fix, a software program that enhances your computer's performance and for which you don't need a computer science degree to figure out what its doing to your PC.

Some info about ChicaPC-Fix from the website:
  • Fast, safe and extremely easy to use software
  • Instant downloadable software for Windows
  • Extends the life of your PC
  • Helps avoid a computer crash
  • Fix and cleans computer errors
  • Speeds up a slow computer for improved performance
  • Created with a women’s needs and work flow in mind
  • Compatible with: Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 2000
ChicaLogic let me try out ChicaPC-Fix so that I could review how the software works.  It was easy to use my activation key to download the software to my PC and I immediately ran the program to see how messed up my computer was.  To be fair, I bought this laptop in August but, between my daughters and I, we've driven it pretty hard since then.  When I ran the software, it picked up over 600 computer errors!  ChicaPC-Fix categorizes the problems so you know what they are.  Mine were mostly empty registry keys and its just a matter of clicking "fix" tabs to correct the problems.  The software automatically creates a backup file of how your PC was before the cleanup so you can restore it if you want.  I was a little irritated by the fact that I kept running ChicaPC-Fix and kept getting empy registry key errors although the number of problems dropped with each run.  I went to the ChicaLogic site which has a comprehensive FAQ detailing all of the whys and hows of the software, easily found what I needed, and my question was answered.  (Empty registry keys are common because Windows opens them when you open a software program on your PC.)  ChicaLogic also offers email and phone support if you need it.  As an added bonus, the ChicaLogic website features great articles covering all sorts of computer-related technical topics.  Between the software and the site content, ChicaLogic offers tools to "translate" technology and media so that no one has to struggle with them.

My verdict is that ChicaPC-Fix is a great protection software program--not just for women but for any non-techies out there.  It would make a great Christmas gift for someone like this.  I'm thinking of buying the software for my mom who loves to get online but is wary of technology in general.  ChicaPC-Fix is easy to use and increases the life of your PC. 

To BUY ChicaPC-Fix at a 33% discount, click here .

ChicaLogic has provided FIVE downloads of ChicaPC-Fix ($19.99 value) to give away to Moana Saves readers.  To WIN a ChicaPC-Fix activation key good for one download of the software, follow the mandatory entry requirement below and any optional ones you'd like:

To earn a mandatory entry, tell me who you would get ChicaPC-Fix for (yes, you can get it for yourself!) and become a Google Friend Connect follower of Moana Saves. Mandatory means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
 
1. Follow me on Twitter.

2. Follow ChicaLogic on Twitter.

3. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following (leave the tweet URL in your comment):
#Win a copy of ChicaPC-Fix software from @ChicaLogic and @moanasaves http://bit.ly/gU6iyi #giveaway ends 12/14.

4. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

5. Like the ChicaLogic Facebook page.

6. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader and/or email updates.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Tuesday, December 14th at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  Five winners will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winners via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

Mahalo to ChicaLogic who provided the complimentary software keys for review & giveaway. This is a sponsored post.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Winner of CSNStores $20 GC Giveaway

Congrats to Nape, #53, who wins the CSNStores giveaway!

Friday, November 26, 2010

EverStride Website Discount for Black Friday

EverStride, who recently sponsored a fabulous product giveaway here with three winners, emailed me a Black Friday discount code at their website for Moana Saves readers. Just enter SPOFF40 in the promo/redemption code box upon check out and you'll get 40% off your total order before shipping.  Check out my review again for info on EverStride High Performance SkinCare for Athletes. Happy Shopping!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Aloha Friday #162

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question/statement: What was your favorite part of Thanksgiving Dinner this year?

My answer: The two new recipes I tried this year for sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes.  Also, the Pumpkin Cream Pie which was another new addition.  Yum!

Review and Giveaway of the ErgoMotion™ Laser Mouse

Do you spend so much time on the computer that you develop carpal tunnel syndrome? The ErgoMotion™ Laser Mouse might be what you're looking for. This mouse is built on the concept that movement is the key to healthier computing.  I love this! Smartfish has created a mouse that adapts to the movements of your hand rather than making your hand adapt to the capabilities of mouse.  How cool is that?

The Smartfish website details the features of the ErgoMotion™ Laser Mouse which includes a "patented motion-base that for the first time allows the mouse to move with your natural hand and wrist positions while you mouse. This unique symmetrical design conforms to both right- and left-handed users, and with the power of ErgoMotion™ hands and wrists are never forced to into a fixed position making mousing comfortable for everyone."

Here is a video demonstration of the ErgoMotion™ Laser Mouse:
I enjoy using this mouse and am doing so beyond the purpose of the review.  It was easy to get up and running and I love the portability of the unit (the wireless USB gadget gets stored in the underside of the mouse).  Best of all is how it works.  I'm used to moving my hand in the usual ways to operate a computer mouse.  But lets say that at the end of a long day I still need to do some work on the computer and my hand or wrist hurts from the repetitive movement?  This mouse adjusts to modified movement.  It rotates on its base so that I can lean it left or right, forward or backward according to what brings me relief.  The patented ErgoMotion™ has the potential to relieve chronic pain for many!  And it would make a fabulous Christmas gift for the internets addict in your life.

To BUY the ErgoMotion™ Laser Mouse, click here.

To WIN the ErgoMotion™ Laser Mouse, follow the mandatory entry requirement below and any optional ones you'd like:

To earn a mandatory entry, tell me who you would get the ErgoMotion™ Laser Mouse for (yes, you can get it for yourself!).  Mandatory means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect.
 
2. Follow me on Twitter.

3. Follow GetSmartfish on Twitter.

4. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following (leave the tweet URL in your comment):
#Win the ErgoMotion™ Laser Mouse from @GetSmartfish and @moanasaves http://bit.ly/hugToC #giveaway ends 12/02.

5. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

6. Like the Smartfish Facebook page.

7. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader and/or email updates.

Mahalo to Family Review Network & Smartfish Technologies who provided the complimentary product for review & giveaway. Any and all opinions are my own.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar Prize Package Giveaway Winner

And its lucky #5 who wins the Windex Multi-use Vinegar prize package giveaway!  Congrats to JC who wins one full-sized Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar, a digital photo frame and a reusable shopping bag.

Winners of EverStride High Performance Foot Products

The 3rd place winner is #29, mrsvickik, who wins a full-sized EverStride Pro Therapy Foot Treatment ($19.99 ARV).
The 2nd place winner is #12, Our Little Group, who will receive a full-sized EverStride Pro Therapy Foot Treatment and Anti Chafing Sport Stick ($34.99 ARV).
  And the 1st place winner is #44, /TEAMGAR, who will receive a full-sized EverStride Pro Therapy Foot Treatment, Anti Chafing Sport Stick and Fungus Rx Defense ($52.98 ARV)--everything you need to keep athletic (or otherwise) feet healthy!

Congrats, again, winners and mahalo for visiting Moana Saves~!

Deb-E for SAM-E

To the right of this post, you can see Deb-E's "vote for me" button.  Debbie's a college writing friend from way back in the day when we had nothing better to do than write about toe fetishes and nanny-ing.  Now we're moms and blogging up a storm instead! She would make a great representative for SAM-E.  Debbie is always smiling and happy with just the right amount of healthy cynicism (its great for the colon!).  Plus she met Jack Johnson and spotted pre-presidential President Obama coming out of the bathrom at Turtle Bay.  Check out her blog here and don't forget to vote Deb-E for SAM-E.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Excuse the Construction

Madeline of The Shabby Vanity is making some changes on the blog and my online time is limited this morning so I can't run around and sweep up the dust.  I'm excited about the blog design changes AND soon I'll have two smart, blog-savvy women blogging on Moana Saves with me.  I can't wait!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Review of . . . Featuring Norah Jones

After listening to Norah Jones's newest album, a collection of musical collaborations spanning her career titled  . . . Featuring, I can only think of one word to describe her voice and her talent: ethereal.  It is her voice and the arrangement of these songs that transforms the songs.   In particular, she takes what I call "Patsy Cline country" songs (like "Bullrider" and "Love Me") and inflects them with the same longing Cline did while at the same time steeping them in a contemporary blues-y sound.  Some of the songs are classics made new, some are original collaborations that span an incredible range.  

What artist has collaborated with Willie Nelson and Outkast?  “It's so exciting and flattering and fun when I get asked to sing with somebody that I admire,” says Jones. “It takes you a little bit out of your comfort zone when you're doing something with another artist. You don't know what to expect—it's kind of like being a little kid and having a playdate.”  Several of the songs have appeared on Grammy-winning albums.  This collection is an analog of Jones's own albums spanning her career.  You can see her range and reach as a musician as you listen to this CD. Jones points out that “even though the musicians are so varied, the vibe of the songs makes sense when we put them all together.” 

My favorite songs on the album where the ones with hip-hop artists like "Life Is Better" with Q-Tip and "Soon The New Day" with Talib Kweli but this has more to do with the kind of music I like than with Jones's work.  The reworking of "Blue Bayou" (with M. Ward) and "More Than This" (with Charlie Hunter) feature gorgeously lush vocals.  The range of this collection is broad with the unifying factor being Jones and it all works.  I'm going to enjoy playing this CD while prepping for the upcoming holiday season.  Its kind of like Norah Jones's present to us all this year.

For the latest news, tour dates and more, check out Norah's website, Facebook and YouTube Channel.
The tracks on . . . Featuring are listed below.  You can buy your favorites from the album or the entire collection here.


...Featuring Track Listing:
1. Love Me – The Little Willies
2. Virginia Moon – The Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones
3. Turn Them – Sean Bones featuring Norah Jones
4. Baby It's Cold Outside – Willie Nelson featuring Norah Jones
5. Bull Rider – Norah Jones and Sasha Dobson
6. Ruler Of My Heart – Dirty Dozen Brass Band featuring Norah Jones
7. The Best Part – El Madmo  
8. Take Off Your Cool – OutKast featuring Norah Jones
9. Life Is Better – Q-Tip featuring Norah Jones
10. Soon The New Day – Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones
11. Little Lou, Prophet Jack, Ugly John – Belle & Sebastian featuring Norah Jones
12. Here We Go Again – Ray Charles featuring Norah Jones
13. Loretta – Norah Jones featuring Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
14. Dear John – Ryan Adams featuring Norah Jones
15. Creepin' In – Norah Jones featuring Dolly Parton
16. Court & Spark – Herbie Hancock featuring Norah Jones
17. More Than This – Charlie Hunter featuring Norah Jones
18. Blue Bayou – Norah Jones featuring M. Ward


 
I did not receive any compensation for my review of . . . Featuring Norah Jones although I was given the CD to facilitate this review and I am entered to win a gift card through One2One Network.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Review and Giveaway of Jenulence Mineral Makeup

First Born turned fourteen this past September and that's the age when the hub and I decided she could wear makeup.  She hasn't started wearing too much--a bit of mascara and some gloss is as fancy as she gets.  But she has been worried since she's in her high school's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (as Helena, woot! woot!) and last year when she used makeup for the school's production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, she missed her last performance (as an oompah loompah, lol) because her face swelled in an allergic reaction to the makeup she used.

Enter Jenulence, a line of mineral makeup that uses all-natural minerals and cosmetic pigments.  Some information about the Jenulence philosophy about skincare: "We understand that skin is a living, breathing and detoxifying organ, which absorbs a big portion of what we put on it. It has been calculated that over her lifetime the average woman can absorb as much as five pounds of different chemicals from cosmetic and skin care products. Every 'Natural' or 'Botanical' cream and skin lotion always contains synthetic preservatives, emulsifiers, solvents and artificial fragrances. All these ingredients could be damaging to our immune system and health."  The company's motto is If you can't eat it, don't use it on your skin!  Even if you don't have sensitive skin like First Born, Jenulence offers safe, health-conscious products that are free of synthetic preservatives, talc, nano-particles or micronized minerals.
Jenulence's makeup line includes loose mineral foundation, concealers, eye shadows, eyeliners, blushes, bronzers, body shimmer, finishing and setting powders.  If you're not sure which product to try first, you can purchase a mineral makeup gift set to get you started.  We were lucky to receive the Perfect Skin Mineral Makeup Gift Set to review and the kit came in a lovely organza pouch.

And how did Jenulence work for us?  The first picture on the right is First Born's "before" picture.  The second photo beneath it is her "after" picture.  We used the Natural Olive foundation/concealer for the base, Red Grape mineral blush on her cheeks and Medium Tan Warm mineral bronzer on her eyelids.  Can you see the difference in her forehead?  The mineral makeup does a great job of hiding blemishes without looking too heavy and provides a lovely, glow-y look.  The mineral blush sculpted her cheekbones and the bronzer on her eyelids made her blue eyes pop.  We were both really pleased with her look--me because she still looked natural and she loved it because she was pretty.

Our verdict is that Jenulence is a great all-natural cosmetics line.  While it is imperative for First Born to put products on her skin that are pure so they won't trigger a reaction, Jenulence is great for anyone who wants to achieve a finished, flawless look that also happens to be all-natural and non-toxic.  To shop the Jenulence line of cosmetics and skincare, click here.

To win 1 set of 2 gorgeous Jenulence eyeshadow colors (you pick the shades),  follow the mandatory entry requirement below and any optional ones you'd like.

To earn a mandatory entry, go to the Jenulence website or the Etsy shop and tell me what fabulous product you would love to try in the Jenulence all-natural cosmetic line. Mandatory means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect (on the right side).

2. Subscribe to the Jenulence newsletter.
 
3. Follow me on Twitter.

4. Follow Jenulence on Twitter.

5. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following (leave the tweet URL in your comment):
#Win 1 set of 2 eyeshadows from @Jenulence and @moanasaves http://bit.ly/bOx6TF #giveaway ends 12/04

6. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

7. Like the Jenulence Facebook page.

8. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).

9. Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.

10. Put Moana Saves on your blog list.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Saturday, December 4th at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

Mahalo to Jenulence for providing the samples for this review and a prize for this giveaway.  I did not receive compensation for this post.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Aloha Friday #161

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!


Thanksgiving is a holiday steeped in tradition but once in awhile I like to shake up tradition.  For example, I'm still sick of pumpkin pie from last year so I'm hunting for interesting pumpkin dessert recipes that aren't pies to veer away from our usual fare.  Are you doing anything different this year for your Thanksgiving?

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Winner of the $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway (for the Demographic Survey)

Boy, talk about some excellent odds!  Over the two week period that I had the demographic survey/Amazon GC giveaway up, only 17 people filled out both forms.  Mahalo to all of you who did so.  I plan to use your anonymous information to do some or all of the following:
  • narrow (or enlarge) the scope of the reviews/giveaways on Moana Saves to better serve the blog's readership
  • create a media kit to inform potential sponsors/advertisers about who visits Moana Saves
  • plan future blog posts and/or series of posts to better serve the blog's readership
And the lucky winner of a $25 Amazon gift code is #7, Lois! I have emailed her with the good news.

Mahalo again for completing the demographic survey!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Review of Good Boy Roy T-Shirts

The older I get, the more I want my purchasing power as a consumer to have meaning.  In other words, yes, its great if a product looks good or otherwise has value but what is my purchase doing?  Who does it support and how?  Therefore, I was excited to review the Good Boy Roy brand of t-shirts.  The designs are pretty cool but its the story behind the product that intrigues me.

Zack, the 15 year old who designs the line, is the real Good Boy Roy.  He draws the character Roy as well as the other characters in the line.  Zack has always loved to draw and his work has comforted him through some health challenges.  His mom saw potential in his cartoon creations and had them put on a t-shirt. Thus, Good Boy Roy Fun Shirts for Kids was born and Zack has added several other characters to the original Roy t-shirt.  I love that Zack and his mom work together to share his drawings with the rest of the world.  I love that a 15 year old kid has created Good Boy Roy and his idea sparked a thriving business.  Most of all, I love that a mom found a way to build not only a business but, more importantly, her son's confidence in his talent.

We were lucky to receive a youth sized shirt for Second Born.  Here she is wearing the I Love Ice Cream shirt.  The yellow on the website looks more canary than the shirt we have.  I actually like the paler lemon color pictured here.  The weight of the shirt is medium and Second Born says its really, really soft.  I'm a big fan of the Good Boy Roy logo on the back--what a nice touch! She's worn it to school and told me one of her friends asked her where she got it.  I told her the Good Boy Roy story so she could pass it on.  A great T-shirt with a great back story.

You can purchase Good Boy Roy T-shirts here.  If you're interested in finding out more about Zack and his cast of T-shirt characters, click here.  And don't forget to follow Good Boy Roy on Twitter and like him on Facebook.
I did not receive compensation for this review.  I did receive a sample product to facilitate this review.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Artitexture

Artitexture

Review of MathRider: A Math Game for Kids

Wouldn't it be great if there was something available to help our elementary school age kids master the foundational math operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division? This was the question the co-founders of MathRider started with--they ended with an exceptional game software that propels children toward mastery of  math operations while at the same time building their confidence and letting them have a bit of fun.

MathRider is a quest game.  Your child names her own rider and starts out on the quest, complete with her own map to get a sense of the journey.  MathRider does all of the following:
  • Maintains extensive statistics of each player's performance in the game and uses that to optimise what needs rehearsing and what doesn’t. 
  • Considers a player's individual typing speed. 
  • Adjusts according to player performance and when someone has indeed mastered an operation, the software recognizes this very quickly.
  • Offers support--once you have MathRider running, you can press the question mark in the game to get to the web-based help – it has a lot of explanation on the various aspects of the software.
  • Features an auto-update built into the software, so that we can make improvements available to every existing user.
Check out this video explaining the features of the software:



Second Born and I played MathRider.  Just a bit of context, Second Born is in 3rd grade and her favorite subject is Math.  But that doesn't mean she can't benefit from using MathRider.  As a mom, I worry that she'll do what girls generally do which is, as they get older, retreat from developing their talents/interest in Math and Science because they're told or otherwise shown that those are disciplines for boys.  So even if Second Born likes Math, I'm counting on MathRider to help her take that commitment to the next level where she excels and, hopefully, avoids the Math hole that girls seem to fall through.
Second Born really enjoyed playing the game! Although she loves Math, the speed at which she completes operations can improve.  MathRider offers that kind of practice.  Also, I love the recursive learning aspect of the software.  When she got a problem wrong, the equations got easier for a few of the jumps and then returned to the one she got wrong--its like she isn't getting dinged in the game (or in life) for getting an equation wrong.  Second Born has only been able to play the game a few times so I'm looking forward to further exploring her quest as plotted on the map.  When I played the game, it was a bit addictive to plug in the right answer and watch that horse jump the bars.  I also love that progress bar that parents can access to see how their child is doing in mastering equations and that the software is programmed to allow multiple riders which means multiple kids can play the game and improve their math skills.
I think that MathRider has a lot of potential and I'm grateful to have the software for my daughter to use. I would like to see its software developers enlarge the mission of the program by allowing schools to license the game (similar to something like Kid Biz 3000) and by creating a smartphone version of the game that can either be bundled with the software or sold separately from it.  I would download something like this in a minute so that I can hand the phone to Second Born when we're stuck somewhere to practice equations play a game.  Otherwise, for the price of one tutoring session, parents can purchase a game guaranteed to improve their child's Math skills.  You can purchase MathRider here and download the software from the site.

Mahalo to Family Review Network and Mathrider for allowing me to review the software.  I did not receive compensation for my review although I did receive a software sample to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Deadlines Extended for EverStride and CSN Giveaways

I'm going to extend the deadlines for the EverStride and CSN Giveaways because of a glitch with the comments that I didn't discover until both were well under way.  So the EverStride high performance foot products giveaway will end on Monday, 11/22/10 at 11:59pm Hawaii time and the CSN $20 giveaway will end on Wednesday, 11/24/10 at 11:59pm Hawaii time.

Also, mahalo to EverStride for offering Moana Saves readers a discount when ordering EverStride products on the website--use VIP20 and receive 20% off your order! 

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar Review and Giveaway

As a working mom, I can tell you two things about the way I clean: 1. The simpler my process, the more likely I am to get it done, and 2. The more natural the products I use, the better I feel.  Windex's new Multi-Surface Vinegar fits the bill on both counts!  I was lucky enough to receive a full-sized bottle to try out for this review and I gotta admit that its good stuff. 

I used Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar on my bathroom mirrors, my sliding glass door and my kitchen counters with a micro-fiber cloth.  On glass, it leaves the trademark streak-free shine and on the counters it cleaned up spills easily.  I love that vinegar is the main cleaning ingredient because its natural and its safe.  My dog can lick the windows if he wants after I've used this product with no ill effects. (Ok, my dog doesn't lick the windows.)  I also love that this multi-surface cleaner doesn't smell like vinegar; instead it has a pleasant, light scent.  This is a product I can use almost everywhere in my house--I can walk from room to room with my Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar and my cloth cleaning all kinds of surfaces.

I love that S.C. Johnson is actively committed to developing greener products.  They've created a Greenlist process for making Windex which " involves selecting raw materials that have a reduced environmental impact yet maintain high product performance" and their plastic bottles are made of 50% post-consumer materials and are recyclable.  Perhaps the only suggestion I have for S.C. Johnson is that they list all of the ingredients of Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar to ensure total transparency between the manufacturer and the consumer regarding ingredients in the product.  Otherwise, its safe to say that I'm in love with the stuff.

S. C. Johnson is giving away a Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar prize pack to one lucky Moana Saves reader! The prize pack consists of one full-sized Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar, a digital photo frame and a reusable shopping bag.  Your prize pack will be similar to what's in the picture below:
To earn a mandatory entry, tell me how you would use Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar to clean your home. Mandatory means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect (on the right side).

2. Subscribe to the S.C. Johnson Right@Home email newsletter where you'll recieve cleaning and organizing tips, recipes, special promotions and more--all in your inbox.

3. Follow me on Twitter.

4. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following (leave the tweet URL in your comment):
#Win Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar, reusable shopping bag and digital picture frame from S.C. Johnson and @moanasaves http://bit.ly/dtqLad #giveaway ends 11/22

5. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

6. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).

7. Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.

8. Put Moana Saves on your blog list.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Monday, November 22th at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

Mahalo to Family Review Network and S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. for providing the opportunity to review Windex Multi-Surface Vinegar. I did not receive any form of compensation from S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. to review their products or host this giveaway.  I did receive a full-sized sample to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Review of Disney's Tangled

 There are many moments in my bloggy life when its good to be me.  Watching Disney's Tangled before its general release on November 24th was definitely one of them.  This morning it was a gloriously sunny day in Hawai'i nei and we were in the minivan, racing into town, trying to get to the sneak peek of Tangled on time. (I won't talk about the last PR sneak peek that we missed because I sent us to the wrong theater and then, when we we got to the right one, we were too late--nope, I won't mention that.)

If you know a recent contemporary re-telling of the Rapunzel fairy-tale, then you'll be familiar with the story line of Tangled.  While the main characters of the fairy-tale in this movie are engaging, perhaps the peripheral characters that Disney adds into the mix are even more so.  In particular, I enjoyed the stormy bro-mance between Maximus the Royal Guard horse and Flynn Rider the common thief/Casanova.  Rapunzel as well was captivating as the main character--loved her giddy angst at finally leaving the tower.  The film is rated PG but there was only one part I would worry about with sensitive kids.  The end--as in one character's demise--was not as visually scary as it could have been.

I think the biggest star of Tangled was look of the film (and, by association, that hair!).  When I was poking around for info about the film on IMDB, I noticed that the producers talked about how Jean-Honore Fragonard's "The Swing" inspired the look of Tangled.  It is gorgeous and the 3D technology just makes the palette of the film even more stunning.

In short, Tangled was a great family film that was funny, endearing and beautiful to look at.  As we waited for our lunch after the movie, I interviewed my family about what they thought about the movie.  I asked them the following questions:

1. What did you think of Tangled?

2. What was your favorite part of Tangled?

Second Born, 8 yrs old (SB):
1. It was really good!
2. I have no idea, oh wait! The chameleon (Pascal)!

First Born, 14 yrs old (FB):
1. It was a good movie! I think people of all ages would love it.
2. My favorite part was when the ruffians talked about their dreams (and sang about them as well). Oh, and the boat and lanterns scene!

Visiting Tutu, age undisclosed (VT):
1. It was totally fabulous and cool! Each character had an individual personality and there were lots of laughs.  I've always been a Disney fan but Tangled was the best of the best!
2. I loved every scene with the horse, Maximus.  He had a great attitude!

The Hub, older than me (the hub):
1. Tangled made great use of the 3D effects without being heavy-handed.
2. I enjoyed the song and dance parts.  They really connected the audience to the characters.

The Blogger, 40-ish (me):
1. Loved the look of it.  Tangled is a visual feast and I thought the 3D effects were mobilized well in some scenes.  This was a movie where the special effects helped drive the story for viewers (as opposed to other recently 3D-ified kids movies: nudge, Toy Story 3, nudge).
2. The boats and lanterns scene was gorgeous--a real treat for the eyes! I might just buy this DVD when it comes out so I can watch that part over and over again.  It was my most favorite hair fetish movie ever!

I did not receive compensation for this review from Disney although my family and I did view the film free of charge in order to facilitate this review.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Aloha Friday #160

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question/statement is has to do with Disney films.  We're excited to go see an early showing of Disney's Tangled on Saturday morning.  What is your favorite Disney film?

My answer: Mulan.  I love that she's a strong warrior woman and I love the soundtrack of this movie as well.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Review of (Seed) Healthy Hand Cream


I've discovered one of the ways in my house to tell whether a product is good or not.  When someone steals it.  Okay, not felony theft or anything.  More like a teenager sneaking off with it and then keeping it on her nightstand instead of returning it to me.  That's how I started to review (seed) Healthy Hand Cream, by searching frantically in the place I'd left it and then sneaking into my daughter's room to reclaim it from her. 

First Born does have good taste.  (seed) Healthy Hand Cream is 100% natural and is paraben-, phthalate- and petrochemical- free.  Further it has not been tested on animals, does not include animal ingredients or artificial colors.  What it does have is grape seed oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil and lots of other great ingredients to soothe and condition your hands.  I love that the cream isn't heavy or greasy.  First Born loves the invigorating citrus blend--she says that it smells refreshing!  Also, she compares it to a body lotion she uses that makes her hands oily so that when she touches her face it makes her face feel oily as well. (seed) Healthy Hand Cream doesn't leave her hands or face feeling gross.

The bottom line is that (seed) Healthy Hand Cream is like a vacation for your hands (in a tube!).  It feels great when I put it on and is fast-absorbing. I love that (seed) uses natural ingredients and has a commitment to sustainability.  (seed) Healthy Hand Cream is a product that is easy to love--in more ways than one!

You can buy (seed) Healthy Hand Cream here.

 I did not receive compensation from (seed) for this review.  I did receive a product sample in order to facilitate a review.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Winner of the Shabby Vanity Custom Blog Makeover

Congrats to #56 who is Rachel R! You're going to enjoy working with Madeline and absolutely love your blog makeover!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Wordless Wednesday: Gazebo

Gazebo at Iolani Palace

Monday, November 8, 2010

Review of the Firefly Toothbrush

My 8 year old was excited to try the Firefly toothbrush.  I was perhaps even more excited than her! And here's why: the firefly toothbrush has a light in the handle that flashes for a minute -- the amount of time recommended by dentists for brushing each row of teeth.  The Firefly toothbrush is such a simple concept.  It was invented by a dad who was concerned about his daughter's dental habits and now its very popular with kids (and their parents).

Second Born loves to brush with her Barbie Firefly toothbrush.  In particular, she turns off the light in the bathroom so she can check out the firefly action.  She has told me several times in the couple of weeks she's been using it that she probably won't have any cavities at her next dental check-up. (Ha! Maybe if I throw away her Halloween candy. . . ) I think we'll probably stick with the Firefly toothbrush for awhile.  A product that makes brushing fun for her when it previously felt like a chore is SO worth it. A bonus is that the Firefly makes her brush longer.  Win-win.

My only recommendation is that I would like to see a non toy-branded line of Firefly toothbrushes for when Second Born makes the transition to teenager.  Some cool plaid or paisley design would be great.  Ok, not just for my kid.  I'd be down with a brush like that as well. Just saying . . .
 

I did not receive compensation from Firefly to review their product.  I did receive a sample in order to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Aloha Friday #159


from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question/statement is . . . What is your favorite kind of food?

Thursday, November 4, 2010

CSN Giveaway (to Celebrate the Two Month Anniversary of Moana Saves!)

I can't believe I forgot to celebrate the two month anniversary of the birth of Moana Saves! Yes, this blog was born a little over two months ago on August 27th and its been a wonderful journey since then. Mahalo nui loa for stopping by! I've made friends on the blog, I've made blogger friends, I've dragged my family and friends onto the blog--bloggy happiness for everyone!

To show that this blog has truly arrived (online), I've been able to partner with CSN stores to offer a giveaway to Moana Saves readers! Can you tell I'm excited? I'm getting a little carried away with the exclamation marks! I can't help it! CSN rocks for all of the following reasons:

* They sell tons of products--upholstered headboards, cutlery sets, even fish aquariums! Just to name a few--
* Over 200 shopping sites under the umbrella of CSN Stores
* CSN offers hassle-free returns and free shipping on just about everything
* CSN has rapidly grown to become one of the Top 3 online U.S. retailer of home and office goods with 400+ employees

I told you CSN is cool!  And they've graciously offered a $20 gift code to one lucky Moana Saves reader! (Again with the exclamation marks!)

To earn a mandatory entry, go to the CSN website and tell me one thing you'd put the GC toward if you win.
Mandatory entry means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect (on the right side).

2. Follow me on Twitter.

3. Follow CSN on Twitter.

4. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following:
#Win a $20 CSN GC from @CSNStores and @moanasaves #giveaway http://bit.ly/cCyAiy ends 11/24

5. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).

6. Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.

7. Put Moana Saves on your blog list.

8. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

9. Like the CSN Stores Facebook page.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S. or Canada  This giveaway ends on Thursday, 11/24/10 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from CSN Stores to host this giveaway.  Any and all opinions are my own.
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