I was recently sent a copy of Grove Kid Nation's newest CD, Music in Motion. Groove Kid Nation is a children's music label founded by Rodney Lee. The idea behind the label is to introduce young children to various musical instruments by listening to fun kids songs. Music in Motion features the Kool Catz, who preform the music and guide children in dances and learning. I was interested in listening to the music, but didn't know what to expect. Most of the kids stuff I've heard before are either goofy and weird, or like that Kidz Bop crap (half of the songs on Kidz Bop aren't even appropriate for kids...not matter how much they water down the lyrics). However, the CD far exceeded my expectations. Surprisingly, all of the songs are mostly original jazz and funk compositions. I found myself swaying with the beat of the music from the moment it started. Even Hannah got into it and was dancing around the kitchen. The songs feature a variety of instruments, including drums, ...
product reviews
Product Review – Burt’s Bees Natural Skin Solutions
For the past few weeks, I've been testing out the Burt's Bees Natural Skin Solution for Sensitive Skin line. Burt's Bees is all natural, sopa free, and hypo-allergenic. I received both face wash and moisturizing lotion, plus several giveaway testers of the lotion. My skin is super sensitive, so I was a little leery about using it. However, I was very surprised at how well it worked. The first think that I noticed about both products was the lack of overpowering scent. I'm not exactly sure what the smell is, but it very light and pleasant. I think it's the cotton extract. The face wash left my skin feeling clean and super soft. It didn't cause any redness or make my skin break out. The lotion didn't leave any oily residue and lasted all day. It also left my skin feeling very soft. Plus, neither product caused my skin to break out...with is great. Overall, I'll definitely keep using these products. They are a bit more expensive that other products, but it's worth the few ...
Product Review – Mixbook Custom 5×7 Flat Holiday Cards
Recently I was asked to create a set of 30 holiday cards on Mixbook.com Mixbook offers several customizable items, including calenders and photo books. You can create your own unique items or use one of their templates. I decided to make some Christmas cards with a photo of Hannah. After browsing their holiday photo card page, I picked out the perfect template. From there, I went into their creator applet and uploaded my photo. After uploading, I was able to resize the photo and make other adjustments. I was also able to edit the text on both the front and back of the card. It took me about 10 minutes total to create the perfect Christmas card. After the order when through, the cards took about a week or so to arrive in the mail. They looked absolutely adorable. Overall, I really loved the cards. It was quick and easy, and the prices are pretty good too. The prices will vary depending on the type, size, and number of cards you want. You also have several methods of ...
Book Review – Lot’s Return to Sodom
Lot's Return to Sodom is the second book by Sandra Brannan, who absolutely floored me with her first book, In the Belly of Jonah. Picking up about a month after the end of the previous book, Liv is back in her home town of Sturgis, South Dakota to recover from her ordeal with the de Milo killer. However, she quickly plunges head-first into all sorts of trouble. She jumps into a murder investigation with the intent of clearing her brother's name, but while doing so, she incurs the wrath of a biker gang after witnessing a second murder. Plus, she finally gets to meet Streeter Pierce, who is investigating the first murder.Like the first book, this one is very fast paced and full of action. I loved that she used the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as a backdrop. The descriptions really made it come alive. I also found the discussion about what all the patches on biker vests mean very interesting as well. A bit scary, but interesting none-the-less. However, I got a little lost in a few ...
Book Review – In the Belly of Jonah
I was recently sent a copy of In the Belly of Jonah, a mystery novel by first-time author Sandra Brannan. The main character, Liv "Boots' Bergen finds herself involved in the case of a grotesque serial killer after he murders one of her employees. As she gets closer to the truth, she and everyone she knows becomes targets.The story is fast-paced and hooks you from the very first page. The characters are likeable, especially Liv. Mrs. Brannan was able to create a strong female character who is believable, and not some sort of superwoman. Liv is smart and strong, but she is also a bit reckless...which is what gets her into trouble. Mrs. Brannan is also able to explain out the finer details of the mining industry and make it completely interesting. Now, I will warn you, the murders and descriptions of the murder scenes are very graphic and not for the faint of heart. However, I think that is one of the things I like most about the book. Your able to get a clear picture of what's ...
Product Review – Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security
For the past few weeks, I've been trying out Trend Micro Titanium, an all-in-one security solution for your computer. It not only provides virus protection, but also has file and networking security, parental control, can also speed up your PC as well, and much more. Now, before I began using Titanium, I was using Microsoft Security Essentials. I also ran Spybot Seach and Destroy from time to time as well to make sure there wasn't anything nasty lurking around. Overall, everything worked great and I had no problems. As far as virus protection goes, Titanium is great. It catches everything and blocks malicious sites. The only thing it has over my old program was that it won't open suspect websites unless you tell it to. MSE just opened them like normal and would block anything that came up. However, I ran into program issues almost immediately after install. For those of you who participate in various Alex blog hops, like I do, you will more than likely have the Alexa Toolbar ...