Reviews Archives - Page 14 of 24

Disney’s Moana is now playing in theaters everywhere

My daughter has been trying to get me to take her to see Disney's Moana ever since she saw the Moana toys hit stores this summer. She was 100% positive that the movie had to be out if the toys were, and she tried her best to persuade me to take her. So, when the Seattle pre-release rolled around, I knew I had to make it work even with our busy holiday schedules.

In my mind I thought I was doing her a favor, but it was only minutes into the film when I realized that I was really glad I didn’t miss it. It had all the heart I’ve come to know with Disney films, all the laughter, and all the beautiful animation.

In short: you should definitely see it.

The movie is set in the Pacific Islands and the animation of the lush islands surrounded by turquoise water and coral reefs were simply gorgeous. Seeing the beautiful island scenery immediately took me back to the Cook Islands where my husband and I spent our honeymoon, and it was my first real introduction to the Polynesian culture and its mythology.

Circuit Scribe makes learning electronics fun for all ages {plus 15% off discount code}

As the parent of young kids, it's my job to teach them all I can about how the world works. Some of this is fun and involves traveling to exotic locales and experimenting with art, but some things certainly aren't my favorite. For instance, math, technology, or anything that involves me reading a textbook and then following directions step by step.

So, you're probably wondering why I agreed to teach math and technology at my daughter’s school. I could explain that it’s the only time slot that I had access to a sitter for my little one, but the truth is that I wanted a challenge. If I’m challenging the kids to learn new things and not be limited by what they think they can't do, I also need to take my own advice, even if that means studying up on my days off.

It’s no secret that I’m literally the last person you’d ask for help with a project involving circuitry, and that’s mostly my own doing. My husband likes to give me simple ways to remember how circuits and electronics work, and I conveniently forget each time or I doubt myself when I’m actually left on my own. This is the reason I turned to Circuit Scribe. Circuit Scribe fits right in the STEM subjects I’m teaching, but unlike textbooks and worksheets, it makes learning about circuits actually fun for kids as well as their adult helpers.
The secret to the Circuit Scribe system is the special pen with conductive ink that lets you draw out the connections for your circuit instead of using wires or a circuit board. This really allows you to see how the circuit works and gets you involved more deeply than just snapping pieces together, plus it adds a whole art dimension to the project that I love.

Global Girl dolls introduce girls to the wider world around them

I like to think that I’m raising global kids; ones who are excited to learn about different cultures and visit as many places as they can in their lifetimes. Sometimes instilling that love of different cultures is as easy as my daughter seeing a movie or reading a book and deciding she wants to visit France or Japan or Brazil all on her own, but other times it means introducing her to a new culture in a fun and exciting way that really resonates with her. The best way to do that is through play. This is why I love the new Global Girl Dolls that celebrate the differences of girls all over the world while sharing the stories of 6 fictional characters.

Convert any surface to a standing desk with the Lift24 laptop stand from ErgotronHome

At certain times of the year {and especially during the holidays}, I feel like I’m chained to my computer. Whether it is a large amount of wedding pictures, family photo sittings, or it’s an especially busy blog month, my computer use can get out of control. And, since I’m active and on-the-go by nature, the idea of sitting at a desk or in a chair just about kills me. There are many days during the holidays that you will find me hunched over the kitchen island on my computer, so sick of sitting that I would rather stand and stoop down to see my computer.

It’s this reason that I’ve been searching for a standing desk for the past few years to give me options when I must be at the computer but just can’t sit any longer. The problem was that I wasn’t ready to fully commit to the standing desk, and I really needed a sit-to-stand desk that gave me options depending on my needs and my computer usage. Even better would be if the desk fit within my home’s décor so I didn’t end up with a huge eyesore that was only used a few times a year.

And, then I found Ergotron and my search was finally over.

My GoGo squeeZ kids enjoy Goodness On The Go

It was back in 2011 when we became a "squeeZer" family, as the kids called them. Due to a dental issue, my son was unable to eat solid foods unless they were cut up in super tiny bites, and most hard foods were impossible for him to eat without having to deal with bleeding gums. Thank goodness it's also when we found GoGo squeeZ, because otherwise life with a hungry boy who couldn't eat most foods would have been rough for all of us.

That dental issue has since been resolved, but our love of GoGo squeeZ just keeps growing. And growing.

I appreciate that they are 100% fruit and veggies that I can feel good about the kids eating, and they love that they are delicious and easy to eat on the go. It's wholesome goodness I can carry with me, and it's a guaranteed way to get them to eat their fruits and veggies – all while thinking that they are winning the food battle.

Treat yourself to a steak dinner at Applebee’s for under $10

At some point in the past few years, we just stopped going out to eat. Three kids, one income, and busy schedules have us running from event to event so it became hard to do relaxing dinners out. As a result, I became queen of the quick and easy weeknight dinner that could have us out of the house and on the go. So, really, eating out at all is a huge treat.

But, a steak dinner out? It must be my anniversabirthday. Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar doesn’t think that a nice steak dinner at a restaurant should be a once-a-year event and are giving you a chance to enjoy a well-deserved steak at an awesome price – no special occasion required. From now until November 13th, customers can enjoy Applebee’s famed wood-fired USDA Choice Top Sirloin steak and two delectable sides, all for just $9.99.

Visit The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes in Seattle

Remember earlier this year when I was raving about the Seattle Rep production of Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem? Well, I'm back raving about Sherlock Holmes in Seattle, only this time the fun was across the Center, past the fountain, in the shadow of the Space Needle at the Pacific Science Center. The new Pacific Science Center’s The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes brings the legendary Sherlock Holmes to life, showing backstory of his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as the history of those Sherlock was modeled after. You will be transported to the Victorian time of Sherlock Holmes to learn about the science, technology, and methodology of the time while solving a mystery created just for this exhibit.

The new Storks movie was worth the wait

We went to the movie theater with the kiddos this summer and I missed the previews while I was getting my little one set to sit still for 2 hours. Normally, I get excited about missing previews because who wants to sit for an extra 10-15 minutes watching commercials? But, this time my kids were uncharacteristically upset that I hadn’t seen a specific movie preview and insisted on acting it out and reliving it over and over again. That movie was STORKS, and it dominated their thoughts all summer, especially these last few weeks when they would see posters, banners, and commercials for the new movie. They would yell, “That’s it mama! That’s the movie we wanna see – the one with the baby!” If your kids haven’t been harassing you about the movie, here’s what you need to know:

Fall fashion with prAna {plus 15% off discount code}

In my quest for cozy fall clothing that is just as fashionable as it is comfortable, I once again turned to one of my favorite brands, prAna. My goal when selecting fall pieces is that they are versatile enough to go from work to play and that they can go seamlessly into winter. In terms of diverse clothing lines, it really doesn't get any better than prAna.

If you aren’t already familiar with the brand, prAna clothing is different than the standard outdoorsy clothing in that most of their line would be as at home in the mountains as it would be while traveling, exploring a town near you, or simply hanging out on a cozy evening at home. As a Northwest native, I see more than my fair share of outdoorsy clothing each year, but rarely do I find a company like prAna that pulls together mountain retreat attire, travel comfort and sportswear without ever coming across as too casual for everyday wear. Instead of the standard washed out cotton clothing typically marketed to women in outdoor shops, their clothing is truly stylish as well as still being functional and comfortable. In fact, the prAna website and catalogue looks nothing like an outdoorsy catalogue at all, but rather just looks like a popular women’s clothing catalogue that just happens to showcase a wide range of products from a huge variety of styles, one of them being outdoor-friendly designs.

Cruising in luxury with the Mazda CX-9

You zoom zoom? We zoom zoomed this past month in a fancy-schmancy new Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV with seating for 7. After reading about and hearing from friends for so long how fun and engaging Mazdas are to drive, we had high expectations, and the CX-9 didn’t disappoint. It was quiet, big {but not too big}, and powerful enough that it was super fun to cruise in, whether it was around town or on long trips. Here’s what we learned from our week of zoom zooming in luxury: