Faith and Family Reviews: Product Reviews You Can Trust

Novica Black Giraffe Wood Ornaments

Posted by Brande on December 23, 2012
in Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Handmade Items, Holidays, Home, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Reviews, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping

Need a last minute Christmas idea? But, it has to be unique! Head over to Novica.com. Novica is associated with National Geographic and has beautiful items for any occasion. Need help with a special gift? No problem! Novica has a “Gift Finder” section!

When I received my Novica package, I opened the shipping box and this is the box inside! Wrapped with beautiful paper adorned with a crafted bow.

In my package I received 4 individually wrapped Giraffe Wood Ornaments.

These giraffes are hand crafted and hand painted by Made Sarna. Each giraffe is unique in it’s own way. They have a small hanger on the back and ready for the Christmas Tree.

Head to Novia.com for your last minute gifts!

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review/feature. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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5 Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

Posted by html404 on December 22, 2012
in Eco Friendly Products, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Kids Toys, Organic, Reviews, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping, Techie Stuff, Technology/Electronics

If you are heading out shopping this weekend and still need a few stocking stuffers, we have some ideas for you! Below are some products we have recently tried and reviewed or have used in the past. From techie stuff to kids toys, there are last minute stocking stuffers for nearly everyone in the family!

1. Shredz. We got our first snow the other day and our boys have been outside playing with their new Shredz action figures and accessories. The boys really like them! The photos speak for themselves.

2. Eco.Ditty. Eco.Ditty is a company that offers eco-friendly, organic cotton, reusable sandwich and snack bags.

3. Fruit. My mom use to always put a huge apple and orange in our stockings. We never saw that size of fruit any other time of the year.

4. Love’s Christmas Journey DVD. We won this movie in a drawing or something and received it this week. Planning on watching it this weekend or sometime over Christmas.

5. PlayMG. PlayMG is a portable mobile gaming device. It is very cool. So cool that my husband and I have enjoyed playing NBA Jam. 😉 If you knew us, you’d know that we both love basketball both watching and playing, but don’t do much of either anymore. Though PlayMG is a pricier item for a stocking stuffer, it is the size of a perfect last minute stocking stuffer, especially if you are stuck in what to get a special someone. No need to buy extra equipment, as it uses a standard cell phone charger to charge. Accessories can be purchased separately, like a case, charger etc.

We have really been enjoying learning to us our PlayMG, but I wouldn’t say it hasn’t been as user friendly as I would like. It took me an email and a couple calls to support and I still cannot get the internet to work even though my WiFi says it is connected. I have to call them again after Christmas. The game has frozen on us a couple of times causing us to reset it by pressing the brightness and volume down buttons, which I need to ask about. Support has been great though.

There were a couple of cards like this and that was the extent of instructions. 🙁 It came beautifully packaged though in a nice box that slide out like a drawer. Too bad my children sort of wrecked ours already or I could show you how nice it was.

I will say that so far the PlayMG has been a motivator for my boys (9 and nearly 11) to do their chores, so it is working in the sense that I want it too. I like that it is portable and needs no other service other than WiFi and it will work with our NetZero device. I also like that we can use the Bill My Parents card. I added $20 to it and Bill My Parents added another $10, so I can use that as an extra incentive for chores. OR if certain individuals are not complying then I can say I get to spend the money instead. Hoping I don’t have to resort to that but if I have to play hard ball I will!

The Bill My Parents card works like a debit card but teens cannot overspend if there is no money on the card. Parents can be notified via email of purchases etc., but they will not be able to get a report of websites visited or what their kids watched. That’s a downfall, if you ask me. I like that it’s a debit card. Now that my girls are getting older, it will be a useful tool to use to educate them about responsible credit card use.

Overall, we like PlayMG, I just wish more instructions came with the device on how to get everything set up -email, internet etc. This is a great device that gets my children OFF my iPhone and onto THEIR games without expensive cell phone charges or contracts.

Have fun with any last minute shopping, visiting or preparing you have to do this weekend!

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Reverse Charades Holiday Edition Review

Posted by Brande on December 22, 2012
in Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Humor, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Reviews, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping

Reverse Charades Holiday Edition Review

So, I think I still have pains in my side from laughing so much! My husband, myself, and 2 other friends played this one evening when the kids went to bed. I’ve never had so much fun with a game and it got very competitive! I’m laughing as I write this remembering my husband trying to act out “Cindy Lou Who”. Start laughing now… imaging trying to act out “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, “Nutcracker”, or “Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen”. Bring some tissues because your going to laugh until you cry! Reverse Charades Holiday Edition is a must have for a Christmas Party! Great stocking stuffer also it a small box (it’s about the size of an iPhone).

Reverse Charades also come in Girls Night In Edition and Sports Edition. To purchase Reverse Charades online click here, Amazon.com, or 2000 other store locations.

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops Review

Posted by Brande on December 21, 2012
in Food and Treats, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Reviews

‘Tis the season! Time to start stocking up on your throat and cough drops. Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops are come in 2 flavors – Wild Cherry and Natural Honey. They also have Licorice, which is limited for the Holidays. And look for Lemon Citrus on the selves next year. Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops are Gluten Free and only 5 calories per drop. Softish Throat Drops are available in bags or pucks.

The drops are “softish” and it’s hard not to bite into them. We received both Wild Cherry and Natural Honey. Both had a pleasant flavor, but when it came to our favorite – Natural Honey won in our house.

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Prevent Getting Lost With Navigation Apps

Posted by html404 on December 20, 2012
in Reviews, Techie Stuff, Technology/Electronics, Travel, Uncategorized

When traveling do you use GPS or do you prevent getting lost with any navigation apps? Leave me a comment if you do!

Last Saturday I started an early morning paper route – paid opps and business has been rather slow this month so I needed a back up plan that still allowed me to be at home with my children. The glories of being self-employed…work isn’t always steady or consistent. A paper route allows me to work while my family sleeps. In the spring, if not before, I plan to invite my older girls to help me so we can spend extra time together. If that goes well, then maybe the little ones can join me, but I’d really hate to get them up that early!

An early morning paper route means I have been getting up at 2:22am and am usually out the door by 2:40-2:45am to head to the warehouse to bag the Chicago Tribune, Sun Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and New York Times. Grab my route papers and be on my way. It’s very easy work. It’s finding the houses and maneuvering my town’s streets in the dark that is taking longer to get use to! I’ll admit I am not much of a navigator and while I have improved, you all know that I have used my human GPS – my travel savvy husband – many times in the past for help getting around town.

Multiple times I have got turned around or taken the wrong way as I drive my route. I have even called Mr. D, the man who’s in charge of routes, for help finding what I call “mystery” houses, the ones with no numbers, yet we are suppose to know where they are! Thankfully, Mr. D trains new drivers with half their route first so I have had the same half all week, however, there are a few new/different houses every day. This weekend he’ll probably introduce the second half, which will be interesting as the weekend routes are bigger and longer.

The past couple of days I have been using Verizon’s Navigator App to help me drive my paper route more efficiently. It has really helped, especially the voice directions on VZ Navigator. The Verizon Navigator voice guidance feature uses traffic lights and number of streets instead of feet or meters, to provide a safer driving experience.

About VZ Navigator

As I stated, VZ Navigator is an GPS or navigation app you can download to your cell phone. Verizon is offering a FREE 30-day trial, after the 30-day trial it costs $2/month or you can pay as you use for a fee of 99 cents per day (Yikes!). According to your data package you may be billed for data usage per megabyte basis.

The app also offers roadside assistance service, show traffic, a follow me option, plan a trip view, a place to store favorites, contacts, recent searches, find a place, movie or events and you can even input your preferences.

This app offers 2D, 3D, Dashboard and List view, plus so much more. From detours to weather, so far it appears to be a full service app from my initial use of it.

VZ Navigator Review

For the most part I am very hesitant to use location services and rarely have that feature turned on, but for the purpose of this post and review I turned it on. The thing I like the most is the voice guidance, which saves me from having to look down so much at the list of directions or the moving pin on the map (that’s what Google Maps provides).

Another thing I like is the convenience of it being on my phone without having to buy another device.

The thing I don’t like is the monthly charge at the end of the 30-day trial. I could buy a GPS system, you know? Time will tell on how much I use it and how attached I get to it. Ha! It’ll probably save me time on my paper route though!

Visit iTunes learn more about the VZ Navigator App.

This is a sponsored post.

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5 Christmas Toy Dangers for Older Children

Posted by html404 on December 20, 2012
in Guest Post, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Parenting, Safety, Uncategorized

5 Christmas Toy Dangers for Older Children

When the topic of toy hazards is brought up, most minds jump to infants and toddlers: small toy parts, plastic bags, too-long cords and drawstrings are just a few items on the “list of things to be aware of.” But, risks to children don’t suddenly stop at age three or six, and toys can pose a threat to older children too; they just do so in different ways. To help you keep your kids safe and teach them good habits, here’s our list of the top five Christmas toy hazards to be aware of for older children:

1. Loud noise – Nowadays, it seems like every kid has a pair of earphones permanently attached to their head, but these toys can end up causing some serious harm in the form of hearing loss. When a child, or anyone for that matter, is continually exposed to high levels of sound, the pressure from the sound waves can damage tiny hairs in the ear. These hairs are responsible for transmitting the sound to the brain, and if they cannot do so effectively, then the person will experience hearing loss. In fact, a study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) showed that 14.9% of kids in the U.S. have low- or high-frequency hearing loss of “at least 16-dB hearing level in one or both ears.” Teach your children to set the volume on their music players and phones only up to a certain level. You can also set a maximum volume limit on many music players like the iPod and iPhone to make sure they don’t exceed a set point.

2. Laceration dangers – Big kids usually get bigger toys, but metal ones like pogo sticks and scooters have parts which can become dangerous during rowdy play. If a part breaks off, or a child falls onto the toy, it can cause a laceration, so always make sure they wear safety equipment, and avoid toys with sharp edges or points whenever possible.

3. Age or size inappropriate toys – Always look for and heed the manufacturer’s recommended age limits, and consider your child’s size as well when purchasing toys. A toy that is too big or too small can be dangerous because it is more difficult for the child to operate. In any case, make sure they are always wearing the appropriate safety equipment.

4. Defective toys – Toy recalls are not uncommon, and unfortunately, many defective toys make it to the market every year. However, SaferProducts.gov offers a searchable online database of harm reports for products that are still available on the market, as well as those that have been recalled. Check this before making any Christmas toy purchases to ensure there aren’t prior instances of injury with the product.

5. Riding toys – Bicycles and scooters may be fun to ride, but they also mean your child may be playing on or near the street, and the vehicles traveling on it. Teach your child to ride only on the sidewalk or in the driveway, and if you live on a busy street, you may simply want to restrict play to a park or other space designated for children. Furthermore, always make sure they are wearing a helmet and protective pads.

As you can see, these Christmas toy hazards are serious concerns, but it only takes a little effort to protect yourself and your children against them. By keeping up to date with recalls, ensuring proper equipment is worn while playing, and encouraging healthy habits in your children, you can make this Christmas fun and worry-free for all.

Kara Alcamo is a concerned mother, freelance writer and contributor to the Ross Feller Casey blog. Visit the website to learn more about these Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers.

This is a paid guest post.

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Mailpix Review Update AND Twitter Party

Posted by Professor on December 19, 2012
in Family Stuff, Holidays, Home, Photography, Reviews

A few weeks ago I posted a review of a new online photo company called Mailpix. I wrote about the ease of ordering and the wonderful system they have to upload and order photos and photo memory gifts. Well, I am back to share with you the items I actually ordered and received.

We ordered a number of items from Mailpix. And although I do not have a photo of everything I will share what I have.

I must say that the orders came faster than I expected. I did expect them to come slowly because of the Christmas holiday but they were right on track with what they noted as their standard shipping times. I was very pleased! The packaging for the photo gifts was very nice as well. They came packaged in Styrofoam containers to ensure safety of the porcelain items. The only item packaging I had an issue with was the 8×10’s … they came in your standard cardboard mailer… and we received them on a rainy day so the edges o the photos were a “Tiny” bit warped because of moisture…but we just put the photos under a big book and they flattened out and were just fine! I cannot blame Mailpix for the weather… but I do wish they were double wrapped or something to hinder the weather issue.

The Above picture is how the mug and ornaments came packaged.

The first thing we ordered was our annual Christmas Card. Yes I did say Christmas card, not Holiday card… my husband was very adamant in finding a layout that said Christmas instead of Holiday…and Mailpix had a great assortment of both layout…of course we opted for the Merry Christmas layout. The cards turned out AWESOME. Although I forgot to remove the red eye on my son in the picture, I must say that the quality was as good as any photo card I have ever gotten. Had I remembered to remove the red eye and press the “enhance” button they would have been the best cards ever… but that is user error!

The second thing we ordered were a few 8×10’s of some pictures we took of sprint cars we took over the summer. My husband usually gets his 8×10’s printed at Walgreens and let me tell you … these were BETTER! With the cropping and enhancing I was able to do with the picture they look like professional photos! We are very pleased!

The third thing we ordered was the photo mug. This turned out very nice as well. Not as awesome as the printed photos but VERY nice. The quality of the picture seemed a bit off. Now, I am not sure if this is because the item is on a porcelain mug and I should not be expecting the same quality as a printed photos…or if because these were scanned photos as opposed to digital images. I really do not know. But overall I am pleased with the outcome.

The fourth item ordered was out yearly photo calendars. These turned out PERFECT! The quality was s much nicer than the company we have used before. The pictures are crisp and clear and our layout looks great! Sorry I do not have a picture…I forgot and wrapped them 🙁

Lastly, we ordered a few of their snowflake ornaments. Overall the ornaments were fine. The one I have pictures below was the best of the bunch. It is not very “photoastic” because the white does not photograph well but it turned out okay! However, with that said we did order two more and one I had a problem with the photo being off centered on the snowflake. I would have liked a perfectly centered picture but it looks okay. The picture itself is centered in the circle but the “stamp” of the picture on the porcelain is off centered. There was one ornament we ordered as a gift for my mother-in law that will not be sent… because the picture is NOT centered in the frame of the ornament… it is not that it is not stamped correctly it is that the photo is actually skewed to the side of the photo layout. I KNOW it was not like this when I designed the ornament so I ma not sure what happened between my ordering the ornament and the processing and shipping …but the end product did not look as I expected from my layout in the Mailpix software. This was disappointing. The good thing is that Mailpix offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so I have emailed the company about the issue. The bad? I will probably NOT get a replacement in time to give as a Christmas gift 🙁 ***Update talked to customer service this AM and they are sending me one Next Day so hopefully I will get it in time to mail it out to my mother-in-law…keep your fingers crossed! ***

Overall we were VERY pleased with the company and have since placed another order for some more items! So even though one of the items we were not pleased with the overall quality of the other items as a whole have made us loyal customers.

DO NOT FORGET:

We are co-hosting a twitter party TODAY with Sasha from Mailpix…the information is below:

When: Wednesday, December 19

Time: Noon-1pm CST, 1pm-2pm EST, 10am-11pm Pacific
Where: Your Twitter account, TweetGrid, Hootsuite
Topic: Photo Memories
Prizes: 5 photo memory related prizes from Mailpix!
Hashtag: #photomemories

RSVP here.

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Quick and Easy Cake Recipe

Posted by html404 on December 19, 2012
in Food and Treats, Recipes

A family friend a couple of years ago shared an original, quick and easy cake recipe called made in a mug in the microwave. We haven’t asked for permission to share the actual recipe but we thought we’d at least share a photo of it. The children really like it because they can all make their own treat without using the microwave oven. Yes we do try to limit our use of the microwave, but this recipe is a keeper because not only did a friend create it, it’s safe for the children to make on their own.

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3 Last Minute Gift Ideas

Posted by html404 on December 18, 2012
in Books, DVDs & CDs, Ebooks, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Movies, Shopping, Uncategorized

I saw on Facebook today that someone still had to start their Christmas shopping! So for all of you out there that are still scrambling for last minute gift ideas…here you go!

1. DVDs.

DVDs are easy and for people who watch a lot of movies and who don’t like to rent them, but love to own them for their home DVD collection, this is a no brainer last minute gift idea.

Last week Ice Age Continental Drift became available on DVD Blue Ray (Dec. 11 to be exact). If you are looking for great last minute gift ideas for movie lovers, this could be one to consider.

Make it educational for your children by visiting this website here. For creationists, I cannot verify that it is evolution free.

Our children have enjoyed all of the Ice Age movies. They are funny, with a little bit of rude humor but they make us laugh and laughter is a good thing! 😉

Crooked Arrow also came out on DVD not too long ago. It is for the sports enthusiast, especially lacrosse. It’s a touching story of how a young Native American man was drawn back to his culture through a game he loved and excelled at when he was younger, but not before making a few mistakes.

I enjoyed this movie very much but I’ve always been drawn to sports movies and especially ones that teach valuable life lessons.

2. Personalized Gifts.

From quilts to photos personalized gifts are always a winner. We have received personalized throws and quilts in the past and have appreciated them very much. Recently I was able to review an item that I got personalized with our names and anniversary on it. We have plenty of blankets but to be honest many of them are falling apart and just not pretty anymore. Nothing brightens a room more than a pretty throw or quilt.

I was very pleased with the quality of this quilt and the personalization was solid.

3. Books. Book lovers can never get enough books. Nowadays there are paperback or hardcover traditional books or digital formats to choose from. Make sure you know what your book lover prefers. At our house we all still prefer traditional books in our hands. Our girls talk about loving the smell of the books, which is missing from digital books.

No matter where you are in your Christmas shopping, choose a gift that is meaningful to the person receiving it. Sometimes in our haste we forget to put our hearts into gift giving.

Hope one of these 3 last minute gift ideas thrills one person on your list!

Happy Shopping!

Faith and Family Reviews received many of the above products in exchange for writing a review or feature about the product. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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Instagram to Sell Our Photos???

Posted by html404 on December 18, 2012
in Blog Stuff

How many of you use Instagram? I have only used it a little bit so far and after reading this article about Instagram to sell our photos commercially without paying us, I am seriously considering deleting my account. However, for the sake of any upcoming campaigns that may require posting to Instagram, I am only going to delete my photos that mean something to me.

Facebook actually bought Instagram and as the article suggests, is this their way of recouping the cost of buying this business?

What’s your take and what do you intend to do, if anything?