News & Reviews Archives - Page 19 of 31

Air Angel mobile germ-fighting air sanitizer and purifier

You think about dust, allergens, and pollutants outside, but do you have any idea what quality your indoor air is? Chances are that you don't, because everyone thought I was crazy when I was testing ours. Using a simple Petri dish that we could watch bacteria grow on and multiply, we got to see just how bad indoor air can be. Then we got to see how good indoor air could be with the Air Angel™ from Air Oasis.

Truthfully, I never thought much about indoor air quality, but after seeing the results from the PTPA award-winning Air Angel™ in the before and after Petri Dish Test, I am definitely a believer. The Air Angel was only here a week and our air quality was not only noticeably better, but it was also apparent on the Petri dish. Air Oasis’s Air Angel is a small mobile germ-fighting air sanitizer and purifier. With proprietary technology developed by NASA and enhanced by Air Oasis that is used by hospitals, resorts, and professional sports teams, it’s a name that is trusted in air quality. The Air Angel was specifically created for families with children to protect from germs, viruses, aeroallergens and harmful pollutants in the air and on surfaces, which are big concerns when it comes to little ones.

Proudly made in the U.S.A., the go-anywhere Air Angel Air Sanitizer® has revolutionary, energy-efficient technology that purifies and sanitizes the air and surfaces. It can be used in rooms up to 250 square feet, including nurseries, bedrooms, playrooms, hotel rooms, cars, planes, and more.

When less isn’t more

By Leanne, editor and founder

We have all heard the adage that less is more. But what if less is sometimes just… Less. I've recently been pondering the idea that limiting certain things isn't the best method, and that has certainly rang true in the past few weeks.

As most of you know, we’ve been doing some big lifestyle changes these past few weeks in an effort to lose this baby weight and just get healthier. Even through multiple blog events, trips, and vacations, we’ve managed to lose weight each week and get closer to our goal, which is really exciting. So exciting that we were actually happy to return home and get back to our new healthy eating after our 10 day international trip where we were at the mercy of whatever foods we could find in airports, at resorts, and in brand new towns.

Don’t get me wrong, we had a great time eating new foods and indulging a bit, but we both breathed a sigh of relief when we were home and could resume our Jenny Craig foods. Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true. The foods we’ve been eating don’t feel like “diet foods”, they taste like real foods in the right portion sizes that help you have more energy and lose weight.

Seattle: Teatro ZinZanni’s new family show Lighter Than Air rocks

Have you passed by the Teatro ZinZanni historical spiegeltent on Mercer Street in Seattle and wondered what on earth went on beyond those brightly colored walls? Now is the perfect chance to check it out with the whole family with Teatro ZinZanni’s new family show, Lighter Than Air. Featuring Seattle’s own kiddie rock band, Recess Monkey, this new show has something for everyone. As soon as you enter the lobby, you know you are in for a treat. The lush lobby of Teatro ZinZanni is full of color and excitement, just begging kids to dress up, relax, play pretend, and even grab a snack from the old fashioned snack bar before the show. And, then you step inside the gorgeous theater – a lofted tent filled with booths, chairs, and for this show, a “mosh pit” where kids can enjoy the show while they dance.

Looking to go chemical-free with your household cleaners? Look no further than H2O at Home for a chemical-free whole house clean

Think Portrait Innovations for family pictures this fall

Did you read my post last month about our awesome photo sitting at Portrait Innovations and have been meaning to make an appointment? Do it now, seriously. Trust me when I say that the holidays will sneak up on you and before you know it you will be ordering holiday cards wondering why you don't have one single picture of your family with everyone smiling {nicely} at the camera with their eyes open. I know this because that was me last year, and the year before, and the year before…

But not this year, because I thought ahead and scheduled a fall sitting at Portrait Innovations that gave me lots of pictures to choose from when it comes time to order holiday gifts, prints to frame, and finally, holiday cards. The family photo shoot was easy, it was professional, but most of all it was actually fun. Yeah, I said fun. With three kids under 7 you rarely hear the words "fun" and "photo shoot" in the same sentence, but it was surprisingly enjoyable and the pictures really speak for themselves about what kind of shoot it was.

One whole hand big – happy 5th birthday to my sweet boy!

5 years. FIVE YEARS. How on earth is my baby boy FIVE? I remember announcing his birth on this site like it was last week, and I remember thinking that the baby stage would last forever. Two in diapers will do that to you. But, now I know better. I know that even the most stubborn kids are potty trained eventually, and the diaper stage is over quicker than you know it. Even the "I do it myself" stage doesn't last forever and soon you find yourself needing to use Google for all their questions because even you don't know all the answers to the things they think up. And, just like that, five years goes by in a blur. Even though I'm very much back in the baby stage with my youngest, I know better now than to wish time would pass quickly.

Gearing up for fall with the Lumix G7

I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Influence Central for Panasonic. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
Like all good things, summer must come to an end sometime. While it’s only officially fall as of today, it’s easy to get in the mindset that summer is over as soon as school starts. I get it, trust me. As much as I love fall, I really don’t look forward to the back to school season. At all.

So, how was the first two weeks of school? It actually hasn’t been so bad because we still say it’s summer until the weather gets cold and the days get short. Even after school is back in session, we make a point to keep up with our summer activities as much as possible so we can enjoy the beautiful fall weather.

Happy harvesting – Pay It Forward

By Leanne, editor and founder

This girl should have been born on a farm. She’s never more at home than when we’re planting, sowing, and harvesting. But, unfortunately for her, our small urban lot means that the bulk of our fall bounty can’t be planted in our backyard. Thank goodness for the kindness of neighbors and family as well as local u-pick farms that allow us all to get our farm life fill, without all the work of actually owning a farm. Because can you imagine me owning a farm? It would basically become one big honey-do list for hubby who is decidedly much more handy than I am, and a whole lot less squeamish.

But, I love that in our glimpses of farm life we are teaching our children the simple goodness of harvesting fruits and vegetables. There is something so beautiful about preparing foods you picked earlier that day and canning and freezing for later. And, there is something even more beautiful about watching your kids devour healthy foods they previously wouldn’t touch.

5 fall activities for families

By Tyler, editor and reviewer

This week we say goodbye to summer and the freedom that comes from not having school to wake up for. From now until late spring we will be on an earlier schedule, packing lunches, and spending evenings doing homework and getting ready for the next day. There won’t be as much time for late evening walks once the sun starts setting earlier, and it's going to start getting too cold for shorts and t-shirts soon.

But, it’s not all bad because it’s also the week we officially say hello to fall. Oh fall, how we’ve missed you. As much as I enjoy spring and summer and all the adventures we go on during the warmer months, there is something really special about fall. Boots, falling leaves, scarves, sweaters, coffee, pumpkin everything, and crisp, cool nights are coming and I cannot wait. Another bonus? Being able to get outside and stay active without overheating. No more worrying about slathering on sunscreen numerous times for even tiny walks to the park, and no more staying in shade most of the day to avoid direct sun. Fall is the time when we can finally bring the kids outside and just a daily sunscreen does the trick.

Here are just a few ways we like to stay active on a beautiful fall day:

Back to School ROCKS with AT&T – LG Tone wireless stereo headset

It’s back to school time, and you’re probably busy checking off lists consisting of pencils, glue sticks, backpacks and rulers. All of which are necessary for back to school, but I think we can all agree they really aren’t fun, are they?

So, what if you want to get them something they will be excited about for back to school? For all that fun stuff, look no further than AT&T. By now you know that the AT&T store carries everything you need to make the most of your mobile devices, and back to school time means everyone is going to be a whole lot more mobile with school schedules, sports, and extracurricular activities. Whether you are looking for a new smartphone so you can keep in touch, speakers for a dorm room, a tablet so they can do homework when they can’t be at a computer, or an activity tracker to keep up with all those extra steps they will be racking up on campus, AT&T has you covered.