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:
Rain City Box – Seattle {and beyond} delivered right to your door
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the Pacific Northwest here at Rave & Review. Having grown up in the Seattle area, our whole lives are here and it’s the only place we can imagine calling home. We show our Pacific Northwest pride with hashtags, Seahawks gear, and our “we don’t care if it rains, we all have hoods” attitude, but if only there was some other way.
A way to buy local, show our PNW pride, and a way to keep our favorite local companies in business. Even better if all of this was in one place and could be delivered right to your doorstep. 
That’s the mission behind the new Rain City Box. By working with Pacific Northwest vendors and artisans to share the taste, sights, and wares of this city we call home, Rain City Box makes it easy to order up some local pride, or gift it to other PNW fans.
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.
Staying active as a family – 5 dad-approved activities
By Tyler, editor and reviewer
We don’t get to a gym much these days. As much as I would love to blame gym prices or the fact that we don’t have much time for gym workouts, the truth is that we’re not really gym people. We want to be, we really do. But, we like to go new places and explore different areas around us too much to spend our free time in one room or running a specific path. Our gym now happens in backyards, on playgrounds, and at parks, for better or for worse.
Recently we’ve been taking advantage of all this gorgeous sunshine and warm weather to get outside with the kids as much as possible. But, all of this getting out and walking means that we’ve exhausted all the parks near us and our need to explore new places starts creeping in. There are only so many times I can stand on the edge of the neighborhood park or in our backyard and cheer them on while they show me that they can go down the slide… again. These two adults? We want to move and play, too. 
Clearly, our evening routine needed a shake-up if we’re going to get serious about getting healthier, so I took it upon myself to make up a list of games for the family that are fun for everyone and get us all moving.
Two coffemakers in one: BLACK + DECKER Café Select Dual Brew Coffeemaker with Travel Mug
The last time we owned a coffee pot was before we got married. It was a cheap model we got at a discount store specifically for guests that drank coffee because neither of us were big coffee drinkers at the time. That pot got used 3, maybe 4 times, and we ended up getting rid of it in favor of a single brew machine that we could use for making individual coffees.
Fast forward over a decade and we are now big coffee drinkers, but we still don’t own a coffee pot. Since we each get up at different times in the morning, we typically each make our own single serve brew each day so that neither of us get stuck with old coffee. 
This all works out great until we have a house full of people and we're making cup after cup of coffee. Then, single serve k-cups feel very wasteful… and pricey. We thought about buying a new pot for this purpose and in the end it just didn't make sense to store an extra coffeemaker that only got used when we have company.
If only there was a coffeemaker that could brew individual cups as well as carafe brewing…
Well now there is thanks to the BLACK + DECKER Café Select Dual Brew Coffeemaker that brews full 12-cup carafes of coffee as well as single serve portions in 6 different sizes.
Raising kids: beating body issues and focusing on health
By Leanne, editor and founder
Obesity is an epidemic these days. One look around the local park or school yard and it’s clear that it is affecting kids younger and younger these days. Every parent wants their kids to beat the odds and to not deal with weight issues at a young age, but there is a fine line you must walk so your child doesn’t develop body image issues.
So, what’s a parent to do? I first need to be as healthy as possible and maintain a healthy weight to set a good example. I need to model an active lifestyle that will encourage my children to get out and stay moving. And, finally, I need to not let them see me obsess about my weight… and especially not theirs.
There are some things on this list I feel like I’m doing a good job with, like discouraging laziness by limiting TV, tablets, and games that the kids zone out in front of. Instead we do lots of walking, biking, and we play lots of sports together. But, I also know there are some things on this list I do need to work on, and that is taking care of myself. 
Today my baby is already 7 months old {sniff, sniff}, and it’s time for both hubby and I to get back into the shape we were in before baby. We were talking the other day about making healthier food choices and staying active. We came to the decision that we need to do it now while the kids are young, and while we still feel young. But, we were careful not to say things like “diet” or “lose weight” around the kids. The focus is always health, not weight.
Back to school fashion with Lee Jeans
When you think back to school must-haves, you’re probably picturing this, right? 
I’m going to argue that getting ready for back to school is not just about kids. Us moms have to wake up every morning, make breakfasts, pack lunches, get everyone out the door in time, and deliver our little darlings to school safely. We could stand to go back to school shopping for the necessities that will get us through the school year as well.
Our back to school must-haves look a bit more like this: 
Stress-free family photos with Portrait Innovations
Introducing our new family portraits, thanks to Portrait Innovations. We got so many great shots that this is just one of many that we fell in love with. 
Do you have any idea how hard it is to get three young kids to look at the camera at the same time? If you happen to want all of them smiling, you're in for a very intense standoff and someone is bound to leave in tears.
This is the reason we've gotten exactly one photo of all of us looking and smiling in the past 6 months since our new baby arrived. It was taken spur of the moment when hanging out with my cousin when I set up the shot and just handed her the camera, and we just got lucky. After posting it on Facebook everyone had basically the same reaction: Better buy a lottery ticket with that kind of luck. 
The perfect camera for all of our many adventures: 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.
If you know us, you know we’re always on the go as a family. We pack in as much adventure as we can with the kiddos, and we are always down for vacations, day trips, and even just every day exploring. On these adventures, I have certain things that I must have at all times.
Aside from the essentials like water and food, another non-negotiable item is my camera. But, with 3 kids and all of their necessary gear, I can’t be saddled with camera stuff that needs its own luggage. I need a compact camera I can use, and then put away so I can enjoy these adventures without always being stuck with a camera in hand. 
Because I have better things to carry. Like this little bundle of joy.