Hello, phablet! Nokia Lumia 1520 16GB from AT&T

Sponsored postRemember my beloved Nokia Lumia 920 Windows phone? It met its untimely demise after the screen was crushed at Disneyland last April, which is after it was revived after it took a swim in the kids’ bath, and after it had been dropped a bazillion times while juggling kids. I was so distraught about ruining my phone that I simply couldn’t retire it and kept on using it even with the cracked screen and the odd thumping noise it made when it would get shaken. Nokia Lumia in riceBut, then the Nokia Lumia 1520 with Windows Phone 8.1 arrived and I happily ditched the 920 in a pile of paperwork until it could be recycled properly.

Friends, meet my upgrade, the Nokia Lumia 1520. Part phone, part tablet, the Nokia Lumia 1520 is best described as a phablet. With a huge 6” HD 1080p display, this is quite possibly the biggest phone I have ever seen, which I honestly wasn’t sure was for me before now.

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New I SPY Adventure for the VTech InnoTab

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I grew up reading I SPY books and challenging myself and friends to find not only all the items listed on each brightly colored and vivid mini-scene, but also finding hidden gems in each picture. So, of course I was thrilled when my kiddos also fell for the books. We enjoy reading the I SPY books together numerous times a day and I love that I can stump them by choosing objects I’m not sure they will recognize by name or objects that can inspire a learning opportunity.

But sometimes? I wish they were old enough to read to themselves because I SPY books would be a great way to pass time while we’re traveling without having to pass the book back and forth from the front seat to the backseat with each new page.

That’s where our beloved VTech InnoTab 3S comes in. With the new I SPY Adventure game, now the kids can play I SPY wherever we go. Playing with InnoTab 2S

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Power your devices anywhere with the Rayovac Mobile Battery Power Pack

Sponsored postMy electronics are constantly dying just when I need them the most. Whether it’s my phone while I’m at blogging events or traveling, my tablet as I’m finishing a post for a deadline, or my camera at a big life event, I find myself often wishing I had a way to charge things on the go. Take a look at any airport lounge or all day event and you will see people crowded around any outlet they can find – some going as far as camping out in bathrooms or hallways just to get a little more battery life.

That used to be me.

But, now I know I’m covered no matter what with the new Rayovac Mobile Battery Power Pack that I can keep right in my purse and don’t require any outlets of electricity. Rayovac Phone Boost

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Send them back to school on the right note with SOL REPUBLIC {DECK wireless speaker review}

Sponsored post Back to school with SOLAre you in the thick of back to school planning like I am? There are clothes to buy, glue sticks to stock up on, and there are goodbyes to plan for, because back to school is sneaking up on us quickly.

But, what if your baby isn’t quite a baby anymore and those days of construction paper and pencil cases are well behind you? For you, back to school shopping requires some creativity in order to send your child off to school on the right foot. 

Sure, you need the latest sneakers and some updated clothing, but what I think is more important than that is what your child will be listening to. Sending them back to school with a good pair of headphones, earbuds, or even a portable speaker can make those early mornings, bus stop waits, and late nights studying a whole lot more enjoyable if you have your music with you. SOL REPUBLIC DECK speaker at park

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Work on the go made easy with a Free T Mobile 4G Data Plan for Life

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. #CollectiveBias and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

When many people think of work from home, they have images of working from anywhere but an office – whether that’s a park, a beach, the pool, or even while on vacation. The reality is that cords and Wi-Fi don’t reach that far, and some days I feel like I'm tied to my computer since it's so hard to do some tasks over smartphone. Thank goodness I found out about T Mobile free tablet data that solves the problem of working on the go, without requiring a separate Wi-Fi device or easy access to coffee shops. Welcome to my office

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AT&T helps you get fit with the Jawbone UP24 activity tracker

Earlier this month we attended an event hosted by AT&T at David Barton Gym in Bellevue, WA. Along with Seattle area tech, parenting and lifestyle bloggers and reporters, we got to test the newest wearable technology from Jawbone during a workout with one of the gym’s fitness trainers.

As excited as we were for the event, I must admit we spent a crazy amount of time right here in the entrance to the gym with its gorgeous wood detailing. David Barton Gym

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ROCK a mini Jambox from AT&T this Spring

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Unlike most households that keep the TV on during family time, our family bonds over music. And, our dance parties have been pretty epic t
hese past few months thanks to this little bad boy.

The Mini JamBox at AT&T

AT&T sent us the MINI JAMBOX from Jawbone for Valentine's Day and since then it has gotten a ton of use all throughout our house, and even on the road with us. At a mere 6.61in x 1.65in x 5.43in and just over 9oz, the aluminum body Mini Jambox is small enough to fit in your pocket, purse or briefcase, but powerful enough that it can create full and beautiful sound wherever you go.

With spring break vacations happening for many of you this week, I bet you'd love to have one of these little speakers to make anywhere a dance party, right?

Mini Jambox red

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Spend your tax refund wisely with unlimited talk text and data for less

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser. 

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Is it just me who is bothered by all those "how to spend your tax refund" ads that are really just frivolous ways to waste your money as soon as you get it? How about actually putting that money back to work for you by investing it in something that will lower your monthly expenditures and hopefully put even more money back in your pocket? Are you curious yet? I'm talking about the lowest priced unlimited plans anywhere.

Most people wouldn’t see a cellphone service as an investment, but when chosen carefully, the right plan can slash your phone costs in half or even more. By making a switch to Walmart Family Mobile you don’t have to compromise on anything and can get the hottest phones available paired with the lowest priced unlimited plans anywhere to make the most of your tax return.

Though I’m a huge saver, even I can justify a one-time expense that ends up lowering my monthly bills on something I need to buy anyway. But, I’m sure you’re wondering just how low of a price you can get through Walmart Family Mobile, and the answer is that it is even cheaper than you think. At $29.88/month for unlimited talk and text or $39.88/month for unlimited talk and text with internet service, it makes it possible to get a great plan at the lowest price anywhere. Family Mobile from Walmart brochure

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Encourage a love of reading with Kobo Kids

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KoboKids makes it fun to read
If I were to summarize what I’ve learned so far about preparing your child to learn, it would look like this: foster a love of reading in your child. This message has come in many forms, but it’s always the same takeaway. Read with your child, give your child access to great books, and, likely most important, lead by example, and you will prepare your child for success in numerous facets of school and life.

I feel we’ve done fairly well at this in most regards and we are definitely raising little readers, but up until recently we haven’t had much time to model this behavior ourselves. Any parent of young children will tell you that there simply are not enough hours in the day, and one of my main struggles has been finding the time to get back into the kind of reading I did pre-kids.  Siblings in coffee shop

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