Loved + Blessed: An Encouraging Christian Faith-Based Subscription Box

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review an awesome subscription box service, Loved + Blessed:

Loved + Blessed is a Christian faith-based subscription box service that delivers a box of encouragement right to your door each month.

Each box revolves around a central theme and comes with a mini poster, a sticker, a purse-sized scripture card and a gift.

The theme for our box was Faith, which is defined in Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

The scripture card featured one of my favorite verses, Matthew 17:20: Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you."

Because I this verse is so dear to me, I fell immediately in love with the gift in the Loved + Blessed box, a beautiful necklace with a see through locket and a packet of mustard seeds to fill the locket.

What a great statement piece!  

I've reviewed quite a few subscription services, but I've never come across one that filled this niche.  I definitely think there is room for Loved + Blessed in the subscription box market and I love that their mission is to deliver encouraging products that support a fantastic message!  

If that wasn't enough, Loved + Blessed gives a portion of the proceeds of each box sold to Union Rescue Mission, a charity that offers hope and healing to the homeless.  What an amazing cause!

At just $10 per month you can get your Loved + Blessed box or gift someone else with this monthly dose of encouragement today!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Make Cute Frozen Treats with Zoku Character Pops!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review Zoku Character Pop Molds:

There are 8 adorable designs to choose from.  The kiddos loved them all, but decided to go with Cadence the Kitty and Oliver the Owl. 

These ice pop molds were so easy to use the kids were able to make them.  

All you have to do is pour juice in the silicone mold which is held up by a hard plastic base.  Then top with the pop stick which features a built in drip tray.  

Put in the freezer for 6-8 hours and voila:

Beautiful, fun, delicious ice pops!  These are going to be so fun this spring and summer!

Zoku Character Pops would make a fun addition to an Easter basket! 

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Celebrate National Children's Dental Health Month with Tom's of Maine! #GoodBedtime #NaturalSmiles

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

February is National Children’s Dental Health month and Tom’s of Maine is teaming up with Oral Health America (OHA) to share healthy brushing habits and oral care prevention information.

Tom’s of Maine is inviting kids and parents to get creative for a good cause and learn about natural oral care with an engaging coloring book called “Brushing Fun” for kids of all ages. Launching in February, each free download of the book will donate 10 tubes of Wicked Cool! natural toothpaste in addition to a one-time donation of $50,000 to Oral Health America to OHA in support of its Smiles Across America program.

So how can you get a good bedtime routine in place?  Have your kiddos get their pjs on, brush their teeth, wash their faces and get ready for some "wind down" time.  A few great ideas for winding down are reading a book, writing or drawing in a journal:

coloring in a coloring book (like the “Brushing Fun” book!) or doing a few yoga moves:

My kiddos love to be creative, so drawing or coloring is one of their favorite things to do for quiet time.  They loved that the “Brushing Fun” coloring book was personalized with their names:)

They also really enjoy brushing with Tom's of Maine Wicked Cool! Natural Toothpaste and rinsing with Tom's of Maine Children's Mouthwash.  Both are safe for kiddos and made with natural ingredients.  Gotta love that!

Get started with a #GoodBedtime routine with your family today!

Connect with Tom's of Maine:
www.facebook.com/TomsofMaine
www.twitter.com/TomsofMaine
http://instagram.com/toms_of_maine

 

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

BuddhiBox: A Subscription Box for Yoga Enthusiasts!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review BuddhiBox:

BuddhiBox sends subscribers a curated box of items to enhance your yoga practice and lifestyle.

Our box was full of fun goodies.

House of Good JuJu Aura Cleansing Tea Light ($2.50)

Soul Sparks Bracelet ($4.00)

Chuao Chocolates ($1 each)

Chakra Love Crystal Talisman ($22.00)

Kiss My Honey Lip Balm ($4.00)

Shiva Prayer Scarf ($20.00)

Our box also included informational cards featuring recipes, discounts, yoga moves and more!

BuddhiBox practices Saucha or pure living which means they only partner with companies who follow ethical and conscious standards of production.  Many of the items they feature are organic and vegetarian and the proceeds of the boxes are donated to a different charity each month.  The featured charity this month is Live + Breathe, which is a non-profit that offers yoga classes to advance the health and wellness of special populations such as those living with disabilities, elderly, youth and children.

Monthly boxes include 4-6 full size products, come in month-to-month, 6 month and 12 month plans and start at just $25.95/month.  BuddhiBox also offers a monthly sample box and a jewelry subscription box service.

BuddhiBox is an amazing subscription box service for those who practice yoga and those looking for natural, healthy living products for every day life!

Our box was valued at over $54, which makes it a really great deal!  
Get your BuddhiBox today!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

PetGiftBox: A Subscription Box for Your Four-Legged Friends!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review PetGiftBox, a subscription box for pets:

PetGiftBox offers boxes for both dogs and cats.  They offer 3 dog boxes that cater to the size of your pup.  Our 2 boxer/pit mixes fall into the Hefty Hound category and they were super excited to receive their fun box of goodies! 

Our box was personalized with our dog's names and contained several treats and toys, along with a cute dog bowl.

First up, the treats!  Our box included full-size bags of It's Purely Natural Jerky ($7.99) and Healthy Bites ($6.99)

Like most dogs, Shiner and Jessie LOVE treats!  It's so great when we can find treats that are natural and healthy and the dogs enjoy the taste of them.  As you can see, both the Healthy Balance Chicken Bites and the It's Purely Natural Beef Jerky were hits with our pups!

There were 3 great toys in our PetGiftBox...Mad Mutts Retriever ($7.99) Dura-Fused Lobster ($9.99) and Plush Barnyard Babbler ($9.99)

Jessie isn't much of a player when it comes to toys, but where she lacks enthusiasm, Shiner more than makes up for it!  He absolutely LOVES toys and quite often destroys them within minutes with his voracious chewing.  He enjoyed each of these three toys and I'm happy to say only the Barnyard Babbler has been destroyed so far:)

The Dura-Fused Lobster is his favorite and is a very well-made and heavy duty toy, great for heavy chewers.

The Mad Mutts Retriever is a typical stuffed toy, but he hasn't mangled it yet.  Being the owner of a dog who is so hard on toys, I love the value of the PetGiftBox!  Toys can get pretty expensive, especially when they last 30 minutes or less!

The Designer Bella Bowl ($13.99) included in our box is so cute and will be a great dish for travel with the pups thanks to it's convenient size.

The total value of this box is over $55 which way surpasses the monthly cost of only $17.99!

Get your PetGiftBox today!  Your furry friends will thank you:)

Use the code abcd-diaries to get 25% off your first box! Expires April 30th.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

DKFindOut.com: Fantastic Educational Resource Children Are Sure to Love! + Giveaway

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We are so excited to tell you about our latest new obsession: DK FindOut (dkfindout.com) This site is the no-cost online encyclopedia for kids created by one of our favorite publishers!

DKfindout! A new online resource for children 

Last month, publishers DK launched an innovative online resource called DKfindout! - a global education website for children, parents and teachers. Supporting the most current curriculum the site is primarily aimed at children aged 7-11, and brings together the very best of DK's unrivalled bank of amazing images and content across a huge breadth of subjects. The site is available at no cost and aims to provide children, teachers and parents with an invaluable learning and reference tool to use both in the classroom and at home.

DK has been at the forefront of inventive illustrated print publishing for over 40 years, providing best-selling and award-winning books for all ages and interests. DKfindout! will provide children and their parents with a wealth of information across core educational topics, from science and mathematics to geography and history. Interactive and immersive, this highly visual resource supports learning both in the home and at school; it also provides teachers with an engaging, educational tool to use when teaching, and a reliable source of information to help with lesson planning.

DKfindout! is a safe, age appropriate online environment for children that brings DK’s inimitable visual approach to the internet. It takes DK’s authority and expertise and expands the printed page to offer online information, enhanced with sound, video animation and quizzes - providing an even richer learning context. Every DKfindout! journey is unique. It allows children to create their own personal experience with every visit, whether that’s completing a homework assignment or playing a quiz, to simply wanting to know more about a subject that fascinates them. Overall the DKfindout! experience helps children learn core facts in a fun and engaging way.

Key features of DKfindout! include:

- Key subject areas in US curriculum are covered
- Content is easily accessible on all devices, including desktop, tablet and mobile
- The website caters for every type of learner, from those who prefer to read information to visual learners
- Accurate and up-to-date facts authenticated by experts
- Content will be constantly updated throughout 2015 and beyond, in line with changes to teaching practice
- Includes animations, sounds, videos and thousands of photographs
- Hundreds of quiz questions supporting every topic
- Teacher area in development throughout 2015 - includes a bespoke tool for teachers to create lesson plans
- Parent information and support
- Powerful search engine allows users to find exactly what they are looking for quickly, easily and visually

The kiddos and I have become addicted to this new site!  It is so much fun it's easy to spend hours at a time playing on it!  This extensive library of information is presented in a super engaging way that is great for elementary aged students.   

Our favorite feature so far is the quiz section.  The multiple choice questions have sparked some great conversations and have led to tons of learning!

We are so glad we found this site!  DKFindOut will be an amazing resource for our homeschooling family for years to come!

Want to win one of these nifty DKFindOut tote bags?  Enter below!

Now Available on DVD from PBS: SciGirls Seasons 1 and 2!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

"This Daytime Emmy-award winning series, produced by Twin Cities Public Television, aims to change the way millions of girls think about science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM.

Meet bright, curious, real tween girls who put science and engineering to work in their everyday lives. In every episode, animated hosts Izzie and Jake face a new challenge. With the help of the “SciGirls’” website, Izzie finds a different team of middle school girls who work with scientist mentors to design their own investigations on a wide variety of topics, from the environment to technology, engineering to nutrition, and beyond.

In Seasons 1 & 2, the SciGirls study dolphins, engineer a giant mechanical puppet, unearth archaeological secrets, create high-tech fashions, and much more. “SciGirls” inspires kids to explore the world around them and discover that science, technology, engineering, and math are everywhere!

“SCIGIRLS SEASONS 1 & 2” is now available on DVD. The DVD has a run time of approximately 660 minutes on 4 discs, and its SRP is $39.99. In addition to featuring the episodes below, this DVD also includes Spanish audio.

Season 1 Episodes:

·      “Turtle Mania”

·      “Puppet Power”

·      “Dolphin Dive”

·      “Digging Archaeology”

·      “Horsing Around”

·      “Blowin’ in the Wind”

·      “High Tech Fashion”

·      “Science Cooks!”

·      “Underwater Eco-Adventure”

·      “Robots to the Rescue!”

·      “Going Green”

·      “Star Power”

Season 2 Episodes:

·      “Aquabots”

·      “Mother Nature’s Shoes”

·      “Habitat Havoc”

·      “The Awesome App Race”

·      “Multitasking Mania”

·      “Insulation Station”

·      “Workin’ It Out”

·      “Bee Haven”

·      “Pedal Power”

·      “Super Sleuths”

As homeschoolers, we are always looking for engaging and educational shows to help our kiddos get a close-up look at science in action.  SciGirls is an amazing show that teaches great STEM lessons that all children can benefit from.  As an added bonus, is shows my daughter that young girls can succeed in careers in the realm of science, technology, engineering and math.  This DVD set has really gotten both kiddos more interested in the "how" and "why" of science and I couldn't be more thrilled!  What a great resource for our curriculum:)

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

My Little Pony- Friendship Is Magic: Adventures of the Cutie Mark Crusaders coming to DVD February 24th from Shout!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Brackitz Building Sets Encourage STEM Learning and Creative Play!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review a Brackitz building set:

 Brackitz, a brand new toy that proudly promotes STEM learning, is an award-winning construction toy system is produced in the USA. 

These newly evolved blocks helps lay the foundation for high-level cognitive thinking, reasoning and problem solving that kids will continue to benefit from long after childhood. Standard sets include interlocking 4-inch wooden planks, and 90° and 120° angle connectors, which can be pieced together to form a wide variety of models and architectural structures. 

Both of my kiddos LOVE our Brackitz set!  These durable pieces can be used to build up AND out.  The creations are endless!  Since the connectors can interlock at several different angles, they can create something new every time.  

They are so durable, you don't have to worry about the masterpiece falling over, especially if you build with a wide base.  

The kiddos started by building on the floor, but it didn't take long before they challenged themselves to build the tallest possible creation using all of the pieces, so up the wall we went:)

I can tell that both A and D will be excited to build with this Brackitz set for years to come!  

Brackitz has proudly won Brain Toy from Academics Choice, Toy Man eChoice, STEM Toy Award, and Creative Child Toy of the Year. Brackitz has been featured on The Meredith Vieira Show, The Toy Book, Fox & Friends, Time to Play Magazine and CBS Chicago. 

There is a Brackitz set for every budget!  Choose from sets including 50, 100 and 200 pieces, with prices ranging from $29.95 - $99.95.