Rave & Review

Deuter Fox 30 kid's pack fosters a love of the outdoors from tot to teen {Review}

My daughter likes nothing more than to match hubby and me.  While this is completely adorable, it makes shopping very difficult as I have found that it’s almost impossible to find matching items for us that we both really like.  In her size we find cartoon characters and excess amounts of pink, and adult sizes don’t go small enough to fit her. 

Thank goodness there are companies like Deuter that specialize in both adult and kid’s gear that is the real deal.  No frills, no cartoons.  But, that doesn’t mean they scrimp on features, in fact quite the opposite. 

We got to review the Deuter Fox 30 backpack for our little explorer this month and she was beyond thrilled.  She had been eyeing it at REI for quite a while and talking of all the reasons she needed it, so it wasn’t surprising that she was jumping up and down excited when she realized she got to try one out. 

While our next serious camping trip is still a few weeks away, we’ve already gotten a ton of use out of this amazing bag.  From weekend trips to days out, the Deuter Fox 30 has been a lifesaver carrying the kids gear, their toys, or just the large amount of stuff we seem to require for all-day excursion. 

Whenever we can, we let my daughter pack her own stuff in the bag and then she can help carry any gear we have, any souvenirs {AKA rocks, sticks and other treasures} she picks up, and can access her stuff whenever she wants.  We also went out and got her a Camelbak hydration pack that can fit right into the Deuter Fox 30 so she can drink through the straw secured at her shoulder all along the trail instead of having to stop for each sip.    

Since my daughter is young and we only get a chance to camp a few times a year, one might think it would be silly to buy her such a serious bag.  But that’s where the brilliant design of Deuter backpacks comes in.  Like their adult bags, the Fox 30 features the Vari Quick adjustable shoulder harness system.  While in the adult packs this allows you to fine tune your bag and get the most precise fit for your body, on the children’s pack it has the added bonus of allowing it to grow with your kiddo. 

In fact, the bag grows so much that it can properly fit my 5 year old as well as my 8 and 13 year old nieces with just a quick adjustment of the Vari Quick shoulder harness.  It was mere moments and the bag was the perfect fit for each of them and the straps adjusted so that they hit in all the correct spots. 

Besides the ability to grow with your child throughout adolescence, I love all the features they crammed into this pint-sized bag to make it comfortable, practical, and fun to use.   

With a fully padded hip belt, padded shoulder straps, and Deuter’s Alpine Back System for ventilation, it looks just as comfortable as the adult version that I covet.  Trekking pole and ice axe storage loops, lashing straps on the exterior, top and bottom access points, a valuables pocket on the top of the pack, internal pocket for hydration pack, sternum strap with built in whistle {or wizzle, if you’re talking to my daughter} as well as external pockets and multiple attachment points all add to the functionality.

You’d expect that all these features would weigh down the pack and make it hard for little ones to carry on their own, but the strong hip belt that transfers weight off your shoulders goes a long way towards lightening the load.  Add in the side compression straps for stabilizing the weight into the center of the pack, and it’s surprisingly easy for even our 5 year old to wear with her essentials in it. 

In fact, all three girls were raving about how comfortable the Deuter Fox 30 was, which goes to show how awesome the padded straps and weight distribution really are.  Even my niece that hates backpacks said she was really excited about how the Deuter pack felt and was asking to use it on her next camping/hiking trip.    

Of course, my pocketbook also loves the fact that this one pack can grow with my daughter from beginning hiker to experienced trekker.  Since it can last all the way until my daughter is ready for an adult backpack, it ultimately saves us a ton of money because we won’t have to replace cartoon backpacks each season.    

Because real outdoor gear shouldn’t have Dora on it.

Whether your little explorer is a hiker, an experienced traveler, or going away to sleepaway camp this summer, the Deuter Fox 30 is a great investment at only $99.  Anywhere you’d prefer to carry your load instead of dragging it behind you, the Deuter Fox 30 makes perfect sense.  Check out the Deuter site to see all the specs on the amazing Deuter Fox 30 backpack as well as their full line of kid's packs, adult bags, sleeping bags, and more.

Deuter Fox 30 specs:

Weight: 2 lbs 10 oz 
Volume: 1830 cubic inches 
Size: 24 / 9.1 / 8.7 (H x W x D) Inch 
Material: Deuter-Super-Polytex / Deuter-Ballistic

A big thank you to Deuter for sending their Fox 30 kid's pack to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Welcome to the world of Mike the Knight {Fisher-Price prize pack & DVD giveaway}

by Susan, editor and reviewer

I'm not going to lie; my kids love TV. Sure, we love playing outside together, and building with blocks, but they are also big fans of the TV.  When I was first pregnant, visions of sharing princess movies with my kids danced in my head. So far, I have boys. Boys who are not interested in princesses. Thank goodness for Mike the Knight! 

When we first discovered Mike and his friends in Glendragon, I was very happy. It's a very vibrant show that really teaches kids about problem solving, being a good friend, and doing the right thing! "Be a knight; do it right!" is always the end motto - and the one most repeated by my 3 year old.

As a parent, I really appreciate the positive message the show teaches, including some deeper things like equality, accepting all people (or trolls or Vikings) for who they are.  Mike, his horse Galahad, and his two dragon friends Sparkie and Squirt have many adventures, and work together to help Mike find the knightly way to handle every situation; including getting along with his little sister Evie!

So, naturally, when our package arrived for review full of Mike the Knight goodies, the kids were excited!  "MIKE THE KNIGHT!!!" was the triumphant yell from my oldest as I pulled out each item; the first being the very new Mike the Knight - Knight in Training DVD. The new DVD launch of Mike the Knight also coincides with a majestic array of knightly toys from Fisher-Price, as well as a new line of books from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. 

We got to play with the Fisher-Price Sword and Shield toy, which were excellent companions when watching the show! My three year old attempted to re-enact every scene right along with Mike, and his little brother was playing along right with him!

I was told that knights do not stand still for pictures.

The coloring book was equally fun! Since the show is so bright and colorful, it's easy for kids to remember the colors of their favorite characters and color them in.  My oldest was pretty fascinated by the nearly life-size poster of Mike that came in the "Welcome to Mike's World" coloring book!

Of course we have already watched the 6 adorable episodes on the DVD a few times; my favorite (yes, I have a favorite) is when Mike learns that his little sister might not enjoy the type of birthday party he would like.  The kids love the fun and dynamic characters, and I love the nod to the King Arthur tales I had to read in college! We still haven't yet had time to play the matching game that comes with the DVD, or to watch the music videos, but I'm sure we will soon!

Who needs princesses anyway!?

Mike the Knight: Knight in Training is out on DVD in stores and online now, or you can buy it directly from NCircle Entertainment today.

How would you like to win a Mike the Knight prize pack from Fisher-Price with the following:

•   Mike the Knight: Knight in Training DVD
•   Mike the Knight Sword & Shield
•   "Welcome to Mike's World" book from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

To Enter: comment below with why you'd love to win this prize pack

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome Mike the Knight DVD and Fisher-Price prize pack giveaway {http://www.raveandreview.com/2013/06/welcome-to-the-world-of-mike-the-knight-prize-pack-giveaway.html} with 2x extra credit if you tag Rave & Review and NCircle Entertainment

1 Extra Entry {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, follow on Pinterest, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet  

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @NCircle on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On July 7th at 12:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only, 18+

A big thank you to NCircle Entertainment for providing the Mike the Knight prize pack to facilitate our review as well as an additional pack for our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Tablet prevents "Summer Brain Drain" {review & giveaway}

Do you remember as a kid you would go back to school each fall feeling like you were in shape from staying active all summer only to find your legs and abs burning after one gym class because you were now using muscles you had neglected during the past few month?  Well, that is exactly what happens to your brain, too, and in a phenomenon commonly referred to as Summer Brain Drain. 

What is Summer Brain Drain, you ask?  According to research from the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University, students typically lose one to two months of reading and math skills during the summer break because they are not regularly exercising their brains. 

So, how do you combat Summer Brain Drain?  You find fun ways to infuse learning into everyday activities to keep kids’ brains sharp even during the three long months of no formal schooling. 

But, how can you do that when most of the summer is spent on the go and you don’t want to spend your days cooped up inside reading or in front of screens?  You get a portable learning device that can grow with your child, offers age-appropriate content in a broad library of subjects and that keeps them learning no matter where they are.

Something like the awesome InnoTab 2S, the latest learning app tablet from V-Tech that is perfect for on the go as well as at home.  We got to review the VTech InnoTab 2S for the past few weeks and we absolutely love how much fun it is for various ages and how it keeps the kids begging to keep learning. 


So, what is it that makes the InnoTab 2S so cool?  Not only is it ruggedized and kid-tough, it’s also kid approved with grown up features like an MP3 music player, e-reader, and more that can grow with your child from pre-K to middle school.

My kids’ favorite feature is the 180° rotating camera and video recorder with face detection that both kids could spend hours playing with.  Whether they are taking fun photos and videos with real-time camera special effects or they are bedazzling pics they have already taken in the art studio, the tablet is an all-in-one masterpiece creator.  Since it’s the camera, the storage {you can even connect an SD card for even more photo options}, and the photo viewer as well as the photo editing software it makes it kid-friendly and frustration-free for even the youngest Annie Leibowitz. 


Of course, the InnoTab 2S also has a ton of games, books, and activities you can download or buy in stores to really customize the tablet to your child.  But, these “games” are really so much more than the simple Pong of Pac Man games we had when I was their age, these are really learning devices that are so fun that the kids have no idea that they are really learning the basics of reading, math, social studies, science, creativity, and problem solving.  These games are taken from a wide variety of curriculums developed by experts to help kids learn important concepts at younger ages than ever before.


But, what’s really cool is that the InnoTab 2S goes a step further than most learning tablets with the addition of Wi-Fi capabilities.  This feature allows you to wirelessly connect to VTech’s app store, the Learning Lodge, and more, without having to connect the tablet via cable. 


We unfortunately can’t get the Innotab 2S to connect to Wi-Fi at home, but I’m excited about utilizing the Wi-Fi capabilities down the road so I can get real-time tracking of my kiddos’ progress through their Learning Lodge Progress Log.  I love that I will then know what they are learning and be able to cheer them on when they have reached important milestones.

UPDATE: We were able to connect to Wi-Fi by using a YouTube troubleshooting guide {our problem was the way our Wi-Fi was configured} and we're all in now, which means we can track progress all summer long - woooohoooo!


And, even though our youngest isn’t in school yet, even he was having a blast playing with the tablet, taking pictures, and playing racing games.  On our recent multi-generation family trip we got stuck in a 2 hour mountain pass closure and we were in the car the entire time, so having the InnoTab 2S for him was a lifesaver.  


The VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet comes with 17 ready-to-use apps pre loaded and 2 free downloads that equals hours of educational fun for your kiddo this summer.  And, when school is back in session in the fall, and your child seamlessly transitions back to formal schooling, the InnoTab's wide array of over 350 games and downloads can offer amazing supplemental learning to go along with subjects they are studying in school, things you do together as a family, and math and science for ages 3 through 9.  


Does your child have a favorite popular character?  VTech has a huge variety of characters to choose from such as Mike the Knight, Angelina Ballerina, Team Umizoomi, Dora the Explorer, Thomas & Friends, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jake & the Neverland Pirates, Sesame Street, Monsters University, Turbo, Planes, and more.


The VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet retails for $99.99.  It has a 5” color touch screen with direct brightness control and comes in gray (blue) and purple (pink).  It requires 4 AA batteries and is compatible with the VTech AC adaptor and car adaptor.

Other hardware/software features include :

•     4 user profiles + 1 guest
•     Motion controlled tools in Art Studio
•     Photo frame stand
•     One-touch Help button
•     One touch camera access
•     Protective rubber corners
•     Parental setting - content lock
•     Memory capacity status
•     AR game using camera
•     400 Mhz Processor
•     2GB internal memory, expandable to 32GB with memory card slot (card not included)
•     2 styluses with hole for string

To learn more about the InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet and all the amazing features to combat Summer Brain Drain, visit the VTech website.  You can also follow VTech on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date on all new product releases and more.

How would you like to win an awesome VTech InnoTab 2S Learning App Tablet this summer?

To Enter: comment below with what feature you love most about the InnoTab 2S

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome VTech InnoTab 2S giveaway {http://www.raveandreview.com/2013/06/vtech-innotab-2s-wi-fi-tablet-saves-you-from-summer-brain-drain-review-giveaway.html} with extra credit if you tag Rave & Review

1 Extra Entry {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, follow on Pinterest, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet  

1 Extra Entry - follow VTech on Facebook

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @VTechToys on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On June 23th at 12:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only, 18+ 

A big thank you to VTech for providing a VTech tablet to facilitate this review as well as a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Skimboarding made easy with the D6 Sports SurfSkimmer {Review}

In the Pacific Northwest we are literally surrounded by water and that means we spend a lot of time hanging out at the beach.  And, while the water is still too cold here to do much swimming in the sound, we still like to get in the water as much as we can.  And, now we’ve got even more reason to hit the beach this summer with the arrival of the D6 Sports SurfSkimmer for review. 

For those of you who don’t live at the beach, you probably haven’t heard of skimboarding, but around here it’s all the rage with the teens and 20-somethings who enjoy shredding and doing tricks on large surfboard-like skimboards.  Unlike surfing that is done in the deeper water, skimboarding is done right over the white wash on the beach and you basically skim the shallow surface of the water. 

And, unlike surfing, you don’t need years of practice to be able to get up and ride with the introduction of the new SurfSkimmer to the market.  The SurfSkimmer is just like a regular skimboard, but it also has a padded and removable handle that can move a full 180 degrees so that it can be pulled or ridden like a scooter.  This extra security of the handle allows little riders to confidently balance and control the board, which allows them to take off on their own within minutes. 


As soon as the D6 Sports SurfSkimmer arrived, we headed down to the beach to see how it worked.  But, since my daughter has never tried anything like this before, we wanted to get her used to the idea of skimboarding before we let her loose. 

We started with her sitting on the board and hubby pulling her so she could get the feel of gliding along the water's edge.  As you can imagine, this was a huge hit for our little water-lover. 

Once she got comfortable with the way the SurfSkimmer moves in the water, hubby had her run with him across the beach and get the feel of jumping on the board.

After a few tries, she was hopping onto the board and standing on the gripper bar that runs down the center of the board to ride alongside him.

A few more tries and she was off on her own.  While she wasn't shredding it like the pros, she was enjoying even the little bit of gliding she was able to do, and it was incredibly fun to watch her.

Because, clearly, she was having a blast and feeling quite secure while riding.

I mean, just look at this face.  I would say our day at the beach was a huge hit. 

We've only had the SurfSkimmer for a few days, but I'm really excited about all the different ways we can use it throughout the summer.  The 41in board fits easily in our compact sedan trunk on top of our stroller, which means it's easy to take with us for days out or even on vacation with us.  I know it's going to be a HUGE hit on our annual family vacation this year and it's going to be one of the first things we pack whenever we're headed to the beach.

And, when the kiddos are ready to ride like the pros, I love that the SurfSkimmer handle can be removed and it will turn into a full-fledged skimboard.  My now you know how much I love multi-use and grow-with-you products and the SurfSkimmer is no exception.  I love that I can start them young getting comfortable in the surf and work our way up until they can ride unassisted all day long.

The SurfSkimmer is recommended for ages 5-10, but it can be used by anyone up to the 150lb limit.  It's 2-in-1 design makes it easy for even the little kids to get, but I love that even the teenagers and some adults can use it as well!

Want to see the D6 SurfSkimmer in action?  Visit the D6 Sports site and check out the SurfSkimmer YouTube page, and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.  Ready to buy?  You can purchase a SurfSkimmer for $69.99 here. 

A big thank you to D6 Sports for sending the SurfSkimmer to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Motorworks Customizable Cars and Tri-Level Super Garage {Review & Giveaway}

One night my daughter came to me, head down and forlorn, and she asked, “Why don’t I love cars like Brother does?” 

I started by explaining that people like different things and it’s what makes us all special and unique.  Then I suggested that she not focus on the one thing the two of them didn’t agree on and instead focus on the things they had in common, like dressing up, building with blocks, and playing with babies.

She seemed to like this explanation and she bounded off, happy with the fact that she and Brother had lots of things in common.  But, every once in a while I will catch her watching him play cars and she just looks so… sad. 

So, when the Motorworks Cars from Manhattan Toy arrived, I fully expected them to be a special gift to my son and was really surprised when both kids ran to the cars and played happily for hours.  On one hand, I couldn’t blame them, the wooden mix and match cars do look like a ton of fun.  But, on the other, they still are toy cars, which my daughter has tried everything in her power to try and appreciate as much as her bother does without much luck until now. 

So, what makes these cars so special that even a non-car-loving kiddo would adore them?  To start with, Motorworks vehicles are built upon a beech wood base and come in three different trim levels: Street Series, Speed Series, and Extreme Series.  Each comes with removable parts, decals, and accessories, as well as having extra accessories available for purchase. 

And, while one Motorworks car on its own is fun, two cars is amazing and makes for hours of creative playtime.  Since all of the pieces mix and match, you are truly only limited by your imagination.  You can create new cars quickly and easily by changing cabs, spoliers, wheels, and more, which makes two cars really feel like you have a car lot full of vehicles waiting to play with.

Maybe it’s the universal coolness of a wooden car, or maybe it’s the mix and match aspect, but whatever the reason, they finally have “vrooms” they can play with together.  They love to play repair shop together and change out the tires, switch accessories, and race them across the floor in a police chase. 

And then, when the Motorworks Tri-Level Super Garage arrived, it made the mix and match cars all the more fun for both of them.  It only took hubby and me about 20 minutes to go from labeled wooden parts:

To this, complete with repositionable decals and everything:

And thankfully we were done just in time for the kids to wake up, because I don’t think there would have been any stopping them from playing as soon as they saw the Tri-Level Super Garage.  My son up until this point had been playing vrooms on the top of a Rubbermaid garage bin because it was the perfect height for kneeling beside and setting up his cars, so to say that this was an upgrade is the understatement of the year. 

With three floors of fun, two ramps for vrooming up and down, flat surfaces for displaying and playing with cars, and fun repositionable decals that allow your little one to play gas station, emergency, and lot attendant, the wooden parking garage is pretty amazing. 

Oh, and did I mention the car elevator?  This is by far the favorite feature of the Tri-Level garage and my son likes to crank the elevator up and down letting off cars on various floors over and over again yelling “yay, here’s your floor!”

And, no joke, every single morning my son is so excited to see his Motorworks toys waiting for him that he runs and slides to the Tri-Level Super Garage to play with his Motorworks cars. All. Day. Long.  He sits and plays like that for hours, making car noises and siren sounds, happy as can be.  And, throughout the day, my daughter will join him and they will play together, customizing their vehicles and racing them across the floor and up and down the ramps. 

Here's just a peek of what a typical day looks like at our house in our Motorworks YouTube video.

As you can see, the garage is big enough for more than one child to play comfortably {and you could fit even more than the three of us if we had pulled the garage away from the wall} and it really is universally fun for boys and girls.  Whenever the kiddos have a friend over it's always the first thing the kids run to and they manage to incorporate it into just about every game they dream up.  

Whether you have a car-loving kiddo, a mini city planner, or simply a little one who loves to take things apart and put them back together, the Motorworks cars and accessories are sure to be a big hit.  The Motorworks cars are priced from $13.99 to $29.99 for two-vehicle sets, $4.99 for accessory sets, and even a Tuner Lift Station and Tri-Level Super Garage to add to the playtime fun.

For more information about these awesomely fun cars and accessories, visit drivenbyfun.com and be sure to like Manhattan Toy on Facebook

Want to win a MOTORWORKS vehicle package plus one accessory pack of your choice (ARV of up to $31.98)?  I bet you do!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Manhattan Toy for providing sample to facilitate this review as well as a giveaway to our fabulous readers. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Make your own Custom View-Master reels from Image 3D!

I have found what is quite possibly the coolest personalized product you can buy, anywhere.  Thanks to PTPA, I got a chance to test out the Custom View-Master Style Reel and Viewer set and it is now in my top 10 products for the year.

Remember those View Master reels you used to have as a kid?  Well, I still love them and I have a bunch of them from my own childhood as well as those I’ve been collecting for my kiddos with the newer characters.  With both the 80s reels and the newer ones, we now have a drawer full of viewers and reels we play with.

But, now we’ve got something cooler than Mickey or Disney princesses to look at with the addition of a CUSTOM View Master reel from Image 3D to our collection.  Made with pictures right from my computer, I was able to make a special View Master reel that includes the highlights of my husband’s and my adventures from 1997 – 2008 {up until we had our babies – that’s for additional reels, which I WILL be ordering soon}.

I made the reel as an anniversary surprise for him, and it was seriously the most perfect gift I could have gotten him.  Sentimental and personal without being mushy or girly, the Custom View Master is perfect for just about anyone, but especially for a family that loves vintage and retro gifts as much as we do.

And, it wasn’t nearly as hard to make the reel as I had thought it would be.  Really, the hardest part was finding the perfect 7 pictures for it since we have tons of pictures and most of our early days together were 100% real film {yes, kids, we’ve been together that long}.  Scanning in older pictures covertly was a bit difficult, but I managed to hide them until reel arrived, which thankfully was very quick.

Once I had the pictures, I merely logged into the Build-A-Reel site {don’t skip this step or it won’t save your work!}, started uploading pictures, and then I could make the edits I wanted.  I decided to edit them all to black and white since some of our pictures were with black and white film and I didn’t want to switch between color modes.

After they were all converted to black and white, I cropped the pictures as I wanted, and added 3D text and graphics {since I was pulling from different years and places, I put the location and year as reference for the kids}.  I then chose a picture for the center of the reel, made sure the title looked good, and it was set.  All that was left now was previewing the reel, which I thought was really fun because you can see exactly what the finished product would look like, and then I just submitted my order.  

A week or so later and I was holding my special anniversary reel in my hands and I couldn’t be more excited.  It was all I could do to wait a few days to give the reel to hubby, which still was waaaay too early for our anniversary, but I didn’t care.  You can’t hold out on something as cool as a personalized View Master reel.  Am I right?     

And, even though it was a few weeks early, we still loved looking back on our adventures together thus far.  We might have said "Look at us!  We're BABIES!" more than a few times as we looked at our Image 3D reel together. 

It was fun to reminisce with him and enjoy our pictures all over again, thrilled that they now will see the light of day.  I was so happy that gems such as this one from our honeymoon {those are our Cook Island drivers licenses - complete with dust and fuzz all over the pictures} won't forever be trapped in photo albums {ahem *boxes* ahem}. 

Whether you are shopping for a family gathering, a high school reunion, a special birthday, or simply as a birthday present or for your own collection, anyone would be delighted to open up a personalized reel just for them.   Viewers come in 4 colors: red, black, blue, and white, and can even be custom engraved with larger orders {perfect for weddings, family and high school reunions, etc}

Want to find out more about why Image 3D won the PTPA Seal of Approval?  Check out what their testers {AKA meeeeee!} had to say at the Image 3D winning product page.  You can visit image3d.com to start the reel building process and see what you come up with.

A big thank you to PTPA for allowing me to test such a cool item.  I wasn't obligated in any way to write this post, I just really wanted to share it with you.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Traveling Light with the Samsung WB200 Smart Camera

Before I was a mom, I hauled around a SLR with me wherever I went – first the film variety, then a DSLR – and made good use of my photography degree.  In those years I took amazing pictures of our adventures while traveling, around our house with family and friends, and exploring the many sights around the Pacific Northwest. 

But all that changed in 2008 when I exchanged my small purse for a diaper bag and a baby, and suddenly my hands were full.  Ironically, this came at the same time that I wanted to take pictures more than ever before, as I wanted to document all those important firsts of my baby girl.  So, I compromised by taking the camera only on days out as a family when my husband could help haul all our gear, but I always felt like I was missing all the really amazing shots of our everyday life.

Obviously, the solution is to get a smaller compact system camera that can fit in my purse or diaper bag and go everywhere with me.  But, the problem with that is that I have a really hard time going from my DSLR on manual to a standard point and shoot where the camera makes all the decisions and I’m stuck with whatever it decides. 

So, I’ve been sitting here holding out for a compact camera that can be used in manual mode, and I finally found it with the Samsung WB200.  Sure, it’s got all the fancy auto modes and scene selections that make it fun, but it also can be used in all manual mode, shutter priority, and aperature priority that allows me to control the exposure, color balance and depth of field when I feel like it.

{Random Rave: see where the power button is in the top of the camera?  IT'S AWAY FROM THE SHUTTER.  It never fails that whenever someone picks up my camera to shoot a picture they press the power button instead of the shutter, which means everyone is sitting and posing in front of a camera that is turned off.  Samsung heard our groans and they have moved the button away from the shutter to avoid all confusion.  THANK YOU!}

And, besides giving me a huge amount of options to get the picture just how I'd like it every time, this camera is also super cool in its own right.  Starting with the fact that it has a touch screen control right on the back.  No more digging through menus and pressing up/down and right/left arrows to select your option because now you can merely tap your selection and be done.  Seriously, why did this option take so long?

Secondly, the Samsung WB200 has Wi-Fi capabilities, which makes it easy to share, back up, or email the pictures right from your camera.  Awesome, right? No wonder they call it a smart camera!  I'm horrible about downloading my pictures and even worse about sharing them, so this camera is absolutely perfect for me.  I can't even tell you how many times I'm snapping pictures of the kids and their friends and everyone begs me to email them my pics when I download them.  Now I can simply connect to a Wi-Fi network and email them or share them on the go, which means it might actually happen. 

Want to know something else super cool?  You can actually use your smartphone as a remote to control the camera from a distance.  I can throw away my long cable release and give up setting up the camera and running into the shot, because now I can actually see what my camera sees directly on my phone.  I haven't played with this much as of yet, but you can bet I will be come Christmas picture time!

I had so much faith in the Samsung WB200 that I actually left my DSLR home on a trip to Idaho this past weekend.  Knowing that we would have plenty to carry without adding the bulk and weight of my full-size camera, I happily ditched the weight and went with the Samsung WB200 that could fit in my purse. 

But, with four days of extended family fun, a day at Silverwood, and four generation pictures planned, going point and shoot to capture it all was a very big step for me.  Thank goodness the pictures turned out really well, even with the action shots and unpredictable lighting of an amusement park day. 

The photographer in me is very, very happy that I could take fun shots like this with my Samsung point and shoot without blowing out the exposure. 

Or this backlit photo at sunset that still shows all the sand and dirt on my little guy's cheeks.  Because, isn't that what childhood is all about?

This isn’t to say that I don’t shoot all auto sometimes, but I really like having the option to override the settings with a simple spin of a dial to create beautiful images like this one of our gorgeous blue Seattle sky. 

But, when I am shooting in auto, I love that there are so many options available to play with.  For instance, retro, vignetting, miniature effect, etc. that allow me to simply select the look I’m going for and have the camera do all the rest. 

I love macro shots, so being able to get shallow depth of field with the press of a button is pretty awesome.

There's also fun effects like the retro filter that I really love to play around with.

I also played around with the miniature effect and the zooming shot effect while we were testing the camera and took some funny shots of the kids.  Although it's not something I would use a lot, I had to admit it was really fun.

All this and the camera can fit on a tripod the size of a small flashlight!  I picked up the Gorilla Pod at Walmart when I realized the camera was $20 cheaper than I had budgeted for and I was so excited.  With how small and light the camera is, I love that it can now attach to trees, perch upon just about any surface, and store right in my pocket! 

Speaking of tripods, my photography background makes me very flash-adverse on point and shoots so I love that the flash doesn’t automatically pop up.  To use the flash, you simply press the lightning bolt button on the top and the cool-looking flash pops up, ready for low light photography.  I only used it a few times because it was simply too powerful for what I was looking for, but if I had been doing larger shots, I think it would have been nice to have. 

Really, the only time I wasn’t that impressed with my pictures was when I was shooting in dark places that were too low light for the camera to handle without the flash.  Most people would have turned on the flash and dealt with the blown out faces, which I probably should have when I was meeting the lovely Jessica from And Then There Were More for the first time.  While my pics turned out okay even in a dark bar, they would have turned out a lot better with more light or with flash. 

But, this picture below was taken after the sun had set and the sky was growing dark quick.  It was also in low light and it turned out beautiful. Go figure.

But, the daylight is when the Samsung excels.  It consistently produced clear and crisp images, even up close or with moving subjects in all the auto modes and in manual mode.  I was able to capture these images of my children with their great grandparents over the weekend to help us always remember how much fun we had exploring Coeur d’Alene together. 

When it was time to head home from our vacation, I even snapped some pictures in the car while going freeway speeds to document the many sights we saw along our scenic route.  They turned out surprisingly well, and are some of my favorite shots.  
But, as great as the Samsung WB200 is for trips and more, I really like that it's perfect for days out with the kiddos when I've already got my hands full.  Normally I would just leave the camera at home and head out with the kids, but then I risk missing shots like this that show how much they adore each other.  

It may not take up much space, but it can capture the moment *almost* as good as my DSLR can.  Seriously.

Samsung WB200 14.2 MP 18x Optical Zoom WiFi Digital Camera specs:

• 14.2 megapixel resolution with high-quality still images and video recordings
  Featuring SMART Mode, 720p HD Movie Recording and SMART Camera 2.0 functionality
• Samsung 4.0-72.0mm zoom lens with 18x optical zoom
  Equivalent to a 24-432mm lens on an analog camera with Normal AF, Macro, Auto Macro, Manual Focus
• 3.0" TFT LCD screen with image editing features
  Featuring Hybrid Touch User Interface
• Built-in flash with Red-Eye Reduction, Fill-In Flash and Slow-Sync Flash

You can buy the Samsung WB200 at Walmart right now for $179, which I think we can all agree is a steal.  You can see more camera specs at the Samsung Smart Camera site if you like things like facts and comparisons, or you can check out my Google+ album to see my take. 

Connect with Samsung on Twitter and Facebook to find out more about their products as well as tips and tricks of the pros. 

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client. #SocialCamera

VINCI Tab III M 5” Learning Tablet {Review - Part II}

I’m so proud of my daughter these past few months.  Right before my eyes she has gone from a child who cried every single time I dropped her off at preschool to a kid that bounds in the door of her classroom, excited about what they will be learning that day. 

It all stemmed from when the administrator at her school suggested keeping her another year in preschool because she’s young for her grade level and she was having separation anxiety.  The thought of not going on to elementary school with her peers clearly rattled her and we started that day doing what we call “Kindergarten boot camp”. 

Our days are scheduled now, even on non-school days, and we have specific times of the day that we study certain things, have outdoor time, and quiet time.  Basically, I’m doing supplementary home schooling with her, which is something I swore I never would do because it terrified me.

But, that was before we were introduced to the VINCI Tab III M 5” Learning Tablet that works in conjunction with the VINCI curriculum I was raving about just a few months ago {see our first review here}.  Using their kid-friendly tablet that came pre-loaded with the VINCI curriculum, along with the Kindergarten readiness checklist supplied by the school district, we are making sure that she is on the right track to start elementary school in the fall. 

The VINCI system is separated into three categories: The Curious, The Confident, and The Capable, and is designed to grow with your child as their abilities progress.  Since it can expand all the way up to age 9, it's the perfect supplemental learning all throughout the early learning years and why we turned to it to help with our "Kindergarten boot camp".

I bet you’re thinking this doesn’t sound like a very fun way to spend your summer, and you’d be wrong.  My daughter looks forward to her VINCI time so much that she does crazy things like turn down dessert or offer to clean my floors for more VINCI time each day.  Crazy, I tell you. 

But, I guess it’s not surprising considering every time she’s playing it I find her giggling at something new she discovered, something funny she created or some silly song.  She gets so into the games and activities she does that her VINCI time ends up going really fast each day, but I think it’s perfect because she looks forward to it more that way and when I pull it out in meetings or at the doctor’s she’s really excited to play it.

Whereas we started using the tablet together for the first few weeks so I could give her an overview of how to work it, now I prefer to let her explore on her own and find new things by herself.  This works great because she loves that she can show me what she’s learning and she can articulate what she’s doing in the game/activity so we can talk about it together.

Now that she’s more comfortable with working a tablet and the touchscreen, she’s lightyears better at the activities than she was when she first started.  This has meant that she has been able to go to the next stage of the curriculum so she’s been challenged a bit more, and I’ve loved watching her move ahead and really retain what she’s learning.  There are so many times that she references the VINCI games she’s been playing when we’re out and about or someone mentions a certain topic, and I love seeing her connect the dots between the games and the conversation. 

But, while she’s progressed to the next stage of the curriculum {the Confident}, I love that she still enjoys playing the first games {the Curious} with her brother as well, which I think speaks to how well they resonated with her.  Even though the games may be a bit too easy for her now in the first level of the curriculum, playing them is a way that she relaxes, kind of the way solitaire or Tetris is for some. 

With so many road trips, train and plane trips and long vacations planned this summer, I’m very grateful that she can entertain herself with the VINCI Tab.  I don’t want her parked in front of the TV this summer, so I’m very glad we’ve got the VINCI Tab as an alternative that is interactive, fun, and keeps her learning while having fun.     

To buy: VINCI learning tablets retail between $169-$199 and you can purchase them directly on the VINCIgenius.com site. In addition to offering two different sized tablets, they also have one that can expand to your smartphone for even greater possibilities for learning.

A big thank you to VINCI for sending the Tab III M learning tablet to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Karmin G3 Salon Pro Pure Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron {Review}

As someone who doesn’t go to fancy salons, I’m always a little behind on hair trends.  In fact, I don’t think I even owned a flat iron until 2008 when I got a top-of-the-line model at the time.  Even though that doesn’t seem like that long ago, it really feels like flat irons have come a long way since then.  One look at the heat plates on my old iron and it is obvious an upgrade was needed, so I started shopping at Beyas Professional Beauty Products for a replacement.   

When I got the chance to review the Karmin G3 Salon Pro Tourmaline Flat Iron from Beyas, the difference was immediately clear.  Even with the first use I was happy to retire my old iron and make the switch permanently to the Karmin G3. 

And, throughout the weeks I have been very impressed with not only how easy it is to do my hair all fancy-like right from home, but also all the little details that are definitely an upgrade from my old model.  The first thing I noticed was how smooth the tourmaline plates of the new Karmin iron are.  After just a few months of use, my last iron ended up with rough plates that didn’t slide across my hair as well and “dragged” a bit, which was especially bothersome when used for styling instead of just straightening. 

Perhaps this is because the Karmin takes the benefits of ceramic heat and ionic technology and combines them with mirror-smooth tourmaline plates.  I’m not sure if the new plates are to thank for my new silky and shiny hair, or if it’s something with the Ion field technology that is said to seal in natural oils or maybe it’s the micro-pourous technology that locks in moisture.

Whatever the reason, my hair just looks so much healthier when using the new iron.  Although the technology might be a bit lost on me, the way it styles my hair effortlessly and, most importantly, consistently, was not.

With thin hair I often get flyaways with cheap styling products, so I love that the Karmin doesn’t build up all the static that makes my hair look all frizzy.  With the infrared heat technology that helps my baby-fine hair hold a style, all of my issues with past stylers have virtually been eliminated.  Whereas my other flat iron and curling irons required a few passes before they could tame my natural wave, with the Karmin G3 I’m left with smooth and silky hair effortlessly with just one pass of the iron.

Basically, there’s a long list of features of the Karmin G3 Salon Pro flat iron that makes me love it so, starting with how quickly it heats up.  No more turning it on and waiting, waiting, waiting to do your hair; it’s almost instantly hot after flipping it on, which is a great time saver. 

The next thing I love is that you can adjust your desired temperature from 120°C (250°F) to 240°C (460°F) with the twist of a dial.  Designed well so that your fingers don’t accidently hit it while straightening, it’s still easy to adjust when you need to according to what your styling needs are so you aren’t using excess heat that could damage your hair. 

I also love that even though it’s technically a flat iron, the 1” floating plates can also be used for styling, which is how I typically use it.  From beach waves to flip out styles, and even for big curls, you can do all sorts of things with the Karmin flat iron that you wouldn’t expect. 

Another thing I love is how practical it is for travel.  The long length and 360 degree swivel cord is perfect for hotel rooms with only one or two outlets and the fact that it has Worldwide Voltage means you can even use it in different countries, which would have been awesome on any of our Europe trips.  Throw in the handy free little travel case, and it’s perfect for throwing in your bag and taking for a long vacation, or even just a long weekend. 

The fact that it’s foolproof seals the deal, with an automatic sleep mode and auto shutoff after an hour that saves my mommy brain from burning down the house {not that I know anything about turning on a flat iron and completely forgetting about it until the next day or anything}.

If you’re looking to make an upgrade or if you’re buying your first flat iron, you really can’t go wrong with the Karmin G3 Salon Pro Pure Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron from Beyas.ca. You can follow Beyas on Twitter and on Facebook to find out more about their selection of pro beauty tools, and right now you can even get FREE worldwide shipping with any order!

Karmin Salon Pro Features:

• Advanced 100% Pure Tourmaline Ceramic plates.
• Professional grade heating element for flash quick heating.
• Negative ions and infrared heat (removes static) for silky shiny hair.
• Ion field technology (seals in natural oils).
• Variable temperature settings for all hair types. From 120°C (250°F) to 240°C (460°F).
• Tangle-free 3 meter, 360° swivel cord.
• Drop Safe Technology.
• Worldwide Voltage 100-240V - Use your styler in any country.
• Anti-Slip edges.
• Slim Handle Design.
• Automatic sleep mode - Auto shut off after 1 hour.
• Floating plates.
• Won't damage hair like other straighteners.
• Straighten, curl, flip and style your hair.
• 3 Year Warranty.

A big thank you to Beyas for sending the Karmin G3 Salon Pro styler for review.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Indoor and outdoor fun with Toy State trucks and cars

My son is a pretty well rounded boy with interests that range from crafting to digging in the dirt {although usually not at the same time}.  But, while he loves his stuffed animals and playing house just as much as my daughter, there is one thing that he loves even more: anything with wheels. 

So, when I was offered the opportunity to review a few new toys from the Toy State line through Child’s Play PR, I knew he was going to be crazy excited.  And, oh boy, was he.  We generally have a rule that toys can’t make noises, but when we’re talking outdoor and patio toys, we make an exception.  And, as it turns out, every boy needs a few noisy toys.  Yes, really. 

This collection of toys arrived just in time for spring outdoor play, and my little guy couldn’t be more excited.  In fact, he loves them so much that sometimes they even get to come inside to play. 

The first car he was drawn to was the Road Rippers Wheelie Monsters Rammunition truck, which makes all sorts of noises, plays music, lights up, shakes, goes forwards and backwards, and rolls over just about anything with its huge, grippy tires. 

But, since he loves trucks and electronics of all kinds, he of course loves that the Rammunition has buttons that he can control all on his own, one that rocks out, and one that can go over any terrain with its motorized driving – including grass and dirt.  Instead of remote control vehicles, the buttons to control it are in the bed of the truck, which makes it so much easier for my little guy who can’t quite get the hang of remotes.   

The funniest thing about this truck is that it’s also the noisiest of all his toys with its stadium rock sample music and 4x4 driving sounds.  I was really worried I would soon come to hate ever giving him the truck to play with, but I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that my son rarely, if ever, hits the sound buttons and instead only presses the forward and backward arrows that makes motor noises when he’s outside.    

The Road Rippers Wheelie Monsters retail for $ and come in 4 different varieties.

Of course if you’re talking outdoors, you’re most definitely talking CAT vehicles, which is why I love the CAT Rev It Up dump truck my son received.  Instead of a pull-back action, I love that the Rev It Up vehicles are deigned more intuitively and are pushed forward to engage the motorized driving feature.  It doesn’t take off for long, but it’s just enough to have it roll away across the deck or patio so my son chases after it and revs it again.    

The truck bed, of course, is also a big hit and it usually carries other smaller cars, car accessories, dirt, rocks, and other random yard paraphernalia.  The CAT Rev It Up vehicles retail for $9.99 and come in two styles: Dump Truck and Wheel Loader.

We also received a Road Rippers Hatchbacks Mini Countryman WRC that features a hatchback that opens to reveal a rotating speaker with music and lights.  Every time the hatchback is open, the speaker inside rotates and plays a different song, which is really fun for my little dance party enthusiasts.  They each have their favorite tunes, so they will open the hatch over and over to get back to the song they are waiting for, which makes me very grateful that this is an outdoor vehicle.

Road Rippers Hatchbacks retail for $9.99 and come in two styles: Ford Fiesta and Mini Countryman WRC. 

The Toy State vehicles are available at  Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target and Amazon.com.

Find out more at ToyState.com and follow Toy State on Facebook and Twitter.
Check out the Facebook pages for Road Rippers and Cat Licensed Toy Vehicles.

A big thank you to Toy State and Team Mom Child's Play PR for sending the vehicles to facilitate our review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.