Mudbuddy App Review

Noah loves to read. He also loves technology.  So when I can find books that combine both things, he really enjoys it. When I was around his age, I remember going to the library and listening to books on tape. I also had some, the kind that would beep or chime when you are supposed to turn the page.  It was always a treat when there was an opening on for the books on tape. That was also like 25 years ago.  Technology has really made many advances since then. Now children can read books on iPads.  The books interact with them too.  Noah also loves animals and the environment. We recently planted flowers at his school. He had an amazing time. He always talks about how it is bad to liter and really cares about the planet.  I wanted to share with you an app called Mudbuddy.  Mudbuddy is an outdoor adventure on your iPad.  You don’t have to worry about if you live in an apartment or if you just gave your child a bath.  I think teaching your child about the environment is so important. If the environment isn’t taken care of, everyone including people, animals and plants suffer.  We live in a beautiful area, it would be a shame for the world to lose its beauty. 

Here is some information from the developer:                                  

New to iTunes in May 2013 and the first in a series, Mudbuddy is a delightful, interactive storybook app for families who would like to learn more about the organic world around them and help their children make a positive impact on nature and our environment.  Through simple stories, humor, and touch-screen interaction, readers can help Mudbuddy, the very adorable and slightly confused glob-of-mud-main-character, and his friends learn more about each other and their special abilities.  Readers can manipulate the screens, drag and click, open up new scenes and bring the characters to life! 

Hailing from Lightborne Studios, a world-class production house and design factory in Cincinnati, Ohio,Mudbuddy author, Ben Nicholson, and illustrator, Kurt Koch, have created a new children’s book app which parents are sure to love and is sure to even have reluctant outdoor enthusiasts – and their parents – running outdoors to find their very own Mudbuddy and hopefully plant some seeds of their own.

“It can be socially disconnecting to use a wireless device.  I’m guilty myself.  But tablets such as iPads are interactive tools and should be used for engagement, and not just for escape,” says Nicholson. “We hope the Mudbuddy app encourages parents, together with their children, investigate and interact with the world around them—and make a positive impact too.”

It’s an app that reads like a book.  With charming illustrations accenting the story’s vibrant and often hilarious verse, Mudbuddy takes children of all ages to a never-seen underground world of environmental adventure where rocks talk and mud morphs. Clever situations and colorful imagery bring this new app book to life with wit and adventure.  Written in language that is fun and silly, parents, caregivers and teachers can have fun reading this book to children, or they can have the built-in narrator read the pages aloud.  There are laugh-out-loud sound effects and images too.  Mudbuddy also includes the following themes: 

The size of the globe, versus a state, city and neighborhood 
 The endless activities that occur under our feet 
What is the purpose of dirt? 
Ways to understand what is silly and why 
Discovering how fun the outdoors can be 
Uncovering your own special abilities or purpose 
 

The story lends itself to discussion and engaging your imagination!  How would you feel if you were Mudbuddy?  What purpose would you like to have, that of the seeds, the water, the mud, etc?  What colors are your favorites?  Why?  Does your belly grumble like Mudbuddy’s when you eat too much or too little? Did you know that grubs, worms, bones and moles were under the very ground you walk on?  What else is under there? 

“Backyard Environmentalism means that we can teach our kids about nature by giving them an appreciation of the things right outside their door,” adds Nicholson.  “We can’t begin to change the world unless we start at home. Mudbuddy is a vehicle for this message.” 

Noah loves Mudbuddy. He smiles and laughs the whole time he plays it.  I love educational apps, so I know that he is really learning something when he plays Mudbuddy. We even play it as a family. It sparks conversations for what we can do to help the planet in real life. He has become really interested in bugs too. We have made plans to go on a dig and see what kinds of different bugs we can find.  We love to explore together and learn. He will be so excited to see that the plant we planted last week already has already sprouted. This app is a must have for all children. It is so educational and fun. It is not like a typical educational app that is boring.  I don’t know if Noah even knows that it is actually educational.  I would love for them to have another app to come out about different sea and water creatures to expand the series.

Mudbuddy is available for iPad in the iTunes store for $1.99 You can download it HERE.

Do your children like the environment?  If so check out Mudbuddy.

How to Make Homemade Butter

Almost everyone loves butter.  I know that I do! I didn’t realize how easy it is to make.  You don’t need to bust out your butter churn. You don’t need to spend hours for this delicious treasure.  It is easy peasy.  This would be great for those who are very picky about what is added to their food.  It is also extremely fresh, which really makes a huge difference in my opinion. If you are organic, you can use organic ingredients. You don’t have to buy butter anymore. Butter is expensive. It is actually more cost efficient to make it yourself.  You can make it with three ingredients.  It’s one of those things you are like why didn’t I think of that?  I know I do that all the time on Pinterest.  This is a great activity to do with your kids.

Homemade Butter:

Heavy Cream

Salt

Sugar

Pour some cream in a good seal-able container. Add a pinch of sugar and some salt. Cover it and shake shake shake your butter.

You will have to shake it for about five minutes roughly.  First it turns to whipped cream, and then you will hear the whey separate. My mom says the whey is good, but I didn’t try it.  Keep shaking and shaking.  Soon you will hear a really wet shaking noise.  The butter should be in a ball.  Drain off the whey and Voila! You just made butter!

It’s so delicious and fresh. I would recommend doing this before a meal, as the freshness is part of it.

Have you ever made butter? If you try this, let me know what you think.

Explore Women's Sex App Review

When you are married or in a relationship, intimacy is very important.  I have heard countless friends complain to me about their sex lives with their partners.  Most of those friends are female. For women sex is more of a connection than just the act of intercourse. For some women, it is a physical expression of love.  Honestly, sometimes guys don’t know what to do in the bedroom. Depending on the guy, there may be a short window so they should know what they are doing. Women’s bodies are a lot different than men's bodies.  Women have different zones that turn them on.  It also varies from person to person.  I know that some women get really frustrated and have even tried to tell them what they like.  It can be really hard to explain.  This causes an unfulfilled sex life. Sex can relieve stress and bond adult couples in relationships.  Some people just don’t realize that they need some help to know what to do.  It can lead to women not even wanting to have that physical connection with their husband because it doesn’t feel good, or it can be one sided.  It can be really hard to tell your partner that they aren’t doing it right. It is a huge blow to their ego. Thankfully there’s an app that you can download to help guide him.

The app is called Explore Women’s Sex.  It is an educational app that will teach you all about a woman’s sexual anatomy.  This app was created by Dr. Vivienne Cass, a clinical psychologist.  I think that it is important that Explore Women’s Sex was created by a doctor and not just some random person. I really enjoyed this app. I learned more about my own body. Honestly, I didn’t realize that a woman’s body was so complex. The diagrams are really interesting. You can even zoom in to get a closer look.  I loved the Cliteracy Quiz.  I took both the serious one and the fun one.  Explore Women’s Sex is a great way to become more in tune with your own body as well.  I found it educational, but fun. I really like that it is tasteful. It is important that Explore Women’s Sex is respectful to women. A lot of information about sex is laced with degrading photos and text.  It is a must have app if you are interested in learning more about your body or if you are a guy wanting to brush up on your skills.

Here is more information from the developer:

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Get to know a woman’s sexual anatomy. Find out how women get sexually turned on. An educational program that’s factual and fun.

An interactive app that makes it easy to learn about the different parts of a woman’s clitoral anatomy and how they are involved in her sexual arousal. Find out how this information can improve the way you have sex with a woman.

Ideal for men and women, regardless of age or background, who want to understand women’s sexuality. Learn about a woman’s sexual anatomy in private. Become a better lover without having to embarrass yourself.

Also a much-needed teaching and information resource for sex educators and health professionals (medical, psychology, psychiatric and counseling). Ideal for updating your knowledge on women’s sexuality. Use the app with your patients, clients and students to help them understand the physical side of women’s sexual arousal.

Created and written by Dr Vivienne Cass, an experienced clinical psychologist and sexual therapist, author of ‘The Elusive Orgasm’ and a number of academic publications.

The first high quality sex education app available in the Appstore, offering the best colored illustrations of the clitoral anatomy, based on medical research.

You must be 17 years old to download this app; however I personally recommend being over 18.

You can find Explore Woman’s Sex in the iTunes App store. It’s a great deal at only $2.99.

Dating Single Mom Style

Being a single mom can be very hard. It of course has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are way more important than the disadvantages of course. When you are divorced with a child or a single mom you have the urge to want to date. I am only thirty one and I would love to have a bunch more children. Some moms decide not to date or have no desire to be in a relationship again, but I am not in that group. I am however not really in any rush to do so. I know my biological clock is ticking and for someone who wants many more children, it is a little unnerving. I am however a mom. That doesn't mean that my needs aren't important. It means my son's needs are most important.  I am actually pretty nervous about dating anyone. I have set two important rules however.

The first rule is I have to be very serious with a guy before they meet Noah. We will have to be together a long time. He is my life and I don't want him getting attached unless it is the real deal. I don't want to be someone who brings a lot of relationships around my son. I don't want to be like this is my friend so and so, unless they are just a friend. I don't want him to bond with some random person who he may or may not see again. It's too confusing and hard for him.

My second rule is and I won't tell Noah he has this power, but if Noah doesn't like the guy, I won't per sue things further. I don't ever want to be with someone my son doesn't like. I don't want to be under the impression that things will get better and he will eventually like the guy. Kids are great judge of character, in my opinion. I am really  good at reading Noah and I know the difference between when he is genuine and when he is just being a grump.

I am nervous about dating someone because you never know who they are. I will totally Google the heck out of you, search court records, and find out whatever I can about the guy, before the first date. I  am not paranoid or crazy, but I don't live in some fairy tale world that thinks that bad people don't exist. I know that they do unfortunately. I will be well informed about who this person is. I will also trust my gut and know that if I feels like something isn't right, then it probably isn't. Women's intuition is important.

I am not really in any hurry. I definitely don't want to rush anything. I am fine with meeting someone and just talking for a long time before anything happens. I am more in to taking the time to making the right decision and going slow.  I want to make sure it is worth it vs. just jumping in and taking the risk and seeing what happens.  It's funny how when you are a parent, you change your thinking about everything.

Get Smooth This Summer with Nair

Sheilacakes confession time, I hate shaving. I don’t know why that is. I just have always hated to shave. I do it of course, but it is not my favorite thing to do.  It may be one of the most horrible things about being female in my opinion. I am not too good at doing it either. It’s part of the left handed curse. It occasionally ends in me bleeding.Unfortunately, living in Florida, there is always Summer weather.  So, when I was able to try out a couple new Nair products I was excited.   I was able to try out the Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Total Care Body Trio and Face Trio. With summer around the corner, that means it’s time for bikinis, short shorts and overall, showing off more skin. Nair products provide professional results at home for staying smooth all summer long – at a fraction of what you’d pay at a salon.

Here is some info about the products I tried out:

Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Total Care Body Trio and Face Trio are the new depilatories to join the popular Brazilian Spa Clay Line inspired by the beauty secrets and hair removal expertise of Brazil. Each product is infused with mango butter and açai berry known to moisturize the skin, and mineral-rich clay known to purify the skin.

The Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Total Care™ Face Trio is the first 3-step depilatory for the face with a suggested retail price of $13.99.

Step 1: The first step is the pre-balm, which coats the skin to help minimize irritation and redness
 
Step 2: The second step is the depilatory. There’s no drying time so you can apply the depilatory immediately after using the pre-balm.
 
Step 3: After removing the depilatory product, apply the moisturizer, which is similar to a typical facial moisturizer. This will help neutralize the pH of the skin, bringing it back to the normal level.

Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Shower Total Care™ Body Trio is the only 3-step in-shower depilatory system, including the convenient Nair Shower Power® technology that works while you shower. The suggested retail price is $13.99.

Step 1: The pre-wipe contains mineral oil and chamomile to prepare your skin before removing hair.

Step 2: Apply the depilatory, which is resistant to water through emollients similar to those found in waterproof sunscreens so it will resist runoff while you shower. Keep the area out of the direct stream of water.

Step 3: After the hair is removed, apply soothing post-use gel with Aloe Vera for a perfect finish.

I really liked using the Nair Brazilian Spa Clay Total Care™ Face Trio because it comes with a sponge and a spatula. You can use either of them to apply the cream. I preferred the sponge because I was able to put it on fast and it was easier because it didn’t end up all over my hands. It went on like butter and it was quick and easy. I was a little nervous about getting in the shower with it on. I was able to figure it out though.  It took the cream about 4 minutes before I was able to wipe it clean with a wet wash cloth. I really liked the post-use gel. It made my skin feel soft. I will definitely use these products regularly. Good bye shaving and razors.Hello smooth soft legs.

For more information please check out http://NairLikeNeverBefore.com to learn more about Nair's full line of summer hair removal products.

Thank you to Nair for providing me with the products mentioned in this post as part of compensation in the Nair Campaign. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wilton Treat Pops Review

I love to cook and bake. One of my favorite things to make is cupcakes. It's also one of my favorite things to eat. So, when I had the opportunity to work with Wilton, I was extremely excited. Wilton is the

Crème de la crème of cake decorating and candy making supply companies. I have been buying Wilton products for years. They wanted me to share with you some of their really awesome products. I received the Treat Pops, which is really cool because I love the sherbet treats that these were inspired from.  I love that it is so much easier to eat, especially for my six year old.  We can make whatever cake we would like and any icing flavor. I love that these are reusable. It reminds me of my Grandma Rose, because she would reuse anything she could. It makes the Treat Pops more fun because you can have countless treats in them.  I also received the Mini Whoopie Pie Baking Pan. When I first heard of Treat Pops, I was kind of curious how the cake would fit.  I wasn’t sure if you were supposed to crumble the cake up. I know that would make a messy presentation and possibly a messy treat, I was excited to learn that they have a pan for that. Wilton really thinks of everything.   You could also use the pan to make mini whoopee pies.  I don’t think I have ever had whoopie pies, which will be my next baking venture.  Another product I tried out was the Treat Pops Decorating Set.  I have a love/hate relationship with icing, when it comes to decorating.  I am happy to report that the Treat Pops Decorating Kit was so easy to use. I actually had fun doing the icing and it turned out nicely. I think it is because you get bigger tips.  Bigger tips are easier for me to use. The tops of my treat pops actually looked professionally done.  

Making Treat Pops are really easy. I used boxed cake mix. Now you get a lot of extra cake batter so either have extra Treat Pops available or come up with a dessert for the leftovers. I refuse to throw away cake batter.   My original plan was to make Treat Pops for our weekly play date, but then I realized there are a lot of kids involved.  There are a least twelve kids, not including parents.  I also knew that I would be worried that someone would throw away one of the Treat Pop containers away in the park trash can.  I decided that I would just make six Treat Pops, since that is a lot of Treat Pops for just me and Noah. I ended up using the rest of the cake batter and frosting to make cupcakes for our play date. It ended up making the exact number I needed.

 I filled up the Mini Whoopie Pie Baking Pan per Wilton’s instructions with a Tablespoon of batter in each, and then baked them until they were done. I started with 9 minutes and added more time until done. I didn’t want them to burn.  When they were cool I added coloring to my icing and then filled the pastry bag with the long tip in the Treat Pops Decorating Set.  I put a cake in the bottom and then began layering with icing. The top of the Treat Pop container doubles as a stand which is really helpful when you are filling them.  You have to be careful that you don’t push it up though.  I finally topped with a big swirl of icing and used some sprinkles.   These are so good. They are also portable and really fun to eat. Noah was so excited to try Treat Pops.  They are the perfect blend of cake and icing. I know my best friend who loves icing would love these, especially because you can control how much icing you put in them. You can also use fruit. I think gelatin and cream would even be good in a Treat Pop. 

Have you tried Treat Pops? What flavors would sound good to you?

Thank you to Wilton for providing me the items in this post for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.