Network Know-How (book review): Learn how to network!!

My husband grabbed this book as soon as it arrived in the mail for review. He took it to work with him and read it any chance he got. My husband is not a book reader, so I was surprised that he read it...over and over. We want to network our home computers, and he said this book was such a helpful guide. He said there was so much he didn't know, and often times he would come home telling me bits and information he found in the Network Know-How book from No Starch Press.
With the Network Know-How book you will be able to design, map, and maintain a trouble-free network: explaining how to run cables, set up Wi-Fi access points, configure file sharing and printing, and implement security.
Network Know-How book is going to be our guide when we set up our networking between our computers, televisions, and gaming equipment. I am glad to have this helpful guide available to us, because there is so much to know!
Readers learn how to:
Configure network adapters, hubs, switches, and routers
Connect computers running any operating system, whether Mac OS X, Linux, or Windows
Assign IP addresses automatically
Share music, photos, documents, and printers
Automate household appliances and distribute digital audio and video to a home entertainment center
Troubleshoot network slowdowns and failed connections
Network Know-How covers both wired and wireless networks and even includes advanced topics like DHCP, creating simple intranets, and stringing Ethernet cables. With his reading of this book, my husband now wants us to have wireless, and set it all up himself. We found this book to be so helpful, and I think anyone who reads it and uses the information to set up their own networking, will get the help they need. I think many like the idea of doing things themselves, and the Network Know-How book provides the opportunity to do just that.
You can order your copy for $29.95 from Oreilly.com.

Aroma Houseware's Rice Cooker

I love the Aroma Rice Cooker that I got to review! I made great tasting brown rice yesterday! I couldn't believe how easy it was to use this rice cooker! I rinsed out the brown rice, then drained it. I poured it into the bottom of the inner pot and added the correct amount of water. I used the special spoon that came with the rice cooker, and leveled the rice out. I then shut the lid, it latched, and I pushed the brown rice button. No hassle, no sticky mess, and delicious rice! My kids loved the rice and I was very impressed at how easy, convenient and worry-free Aroma made my rice making! I love that the Aroma Rice maker, model ARC-998 8-cup, has a brown rice, white rice, steam, and warm/off button. Not everyone likes white rice, so it is nice to have the two different rice settings. I also made steamed broccoli in my Aroma Rice Cooker! The broccoli came out perfect, and it only took 5 minutes! I really like that the rice cooker is multi-functional! I am really looking forward to trying some of the recipes found on the Aroma Housewares website! I know that the fall/winter season is coming up quickly, and it will be great making stews and soups in the rice cooker from Aroma Housewares!
I think that the Rice cooker is easy to clean and assemble. There is an inner pot and steaming tray. After each use, you have to take off the steam vent, wash in warm, soapy water and wipe it clean. The Aroma Rice Cooker came with an instruction guide, and inside you will find a cook & steam chart to help you with your food preparation. I found the guide to be very helpful! The Aroma 8-Cup Cool-Touch Rice Cooker prepares up to 16 cups of rice and keeps it warm and for up to 12 hours! I think that is impressive! But, the best part of the rice cooker, in my opinion, is that you can assemble and prepare a full meal in it! I recommend this great product to everyone who loves rice, steamed vegetables, or stews/soups. I think the price to value is great, too!($59.99)
You can get more information and check out all the other Aroma products on their website.

Blue Like Play Dough (Review & Giveaway)

In the everyday stretch and squeeze of motherhood, Tricia Goyer often feels smooshed by the demands of life. In Blue Like Play Dough, she shares her unlikely journey from rebellious, pregnant teen to busy wife and mom with big dreams of her own. As her story unfolds, Tricia realizes that God has more in store for her than she has ever imagined possible. Sure, life is messy and beset by doubts. But God keeps showing up in the most unlikely places–in a bowl of carrot soup, the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon, a woe-is me teen drama, or play dough in the hands of a child. In Tricia’s transparent account, you’ll find understanding, laughter, and strength for your own story. And in the daily push and pull, you’ll learn to recognizes the loving hands of God at work in your life… and know He has something beautiful in mind.

Author Bio:
Tricia Goyer is the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including Generation NeXt Parenting and the Gold Medallion finalist Life Interrupted. Goyer writes for publications such as Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family, speaks to women’s groups nationwide and has been a presenter at the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) national convention. She and her husband, John, live with their family in Montana.

You can purchase this book online: click here.

Want to win a copy of Tricia Goyer's Book: Blue Like Play Dough? This contest is open to those in the United States, non-bloggers, and bloggers. Comment here about how motherhood has shaped you, or what things you endure as a mom. Contest will end on August 11th, 2009. For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!

Hasbro introduces SpongeBob (review and GIVEAWAY)

Growing up, Operation and Connect 4 were on my "favorites" list for games to play. Well, Hasbro just came out with a fun line of the traditional Connect 4, Sorry!, Operation, Memory and Cranium games only they are SpongeBob Square Pants styles. We got the Operation game and the Connect 4 game to review from Hasbro. I thought both games were easy to assemble. The Operation game had little white "parts" that easily snapped out of the plastic sheet. Then, I just added some batteries to get the buzzing sound when I operated on SpongeBob. I thought the new parts were comical (Barnacle brain, Clammy hands). My younger kids, Caleb (age 4) and Madelyn (2) weren't all that impressed with the buzzing, but they did enjoy watching me operate on Bob.
(Approximate Retail Price: $19.99; Recommended Age: 6 & up)

Connect 4: SpongeBob Squarepants edition was very easy to assemble. There were pink checkers and yellow checkers. I had a few sheets of Pink Patrick stickers, and Yellow SpongeBob stickers. My kids enjoyed separating the pink and yellow checkers. This Connect 4 game is just like the original, however you get a new twist...your opponent can put SpongeBob in his place. The opponent has the opportunity to block holes or columns by placing the SpongeBob face on the board. It was fun playing Connect Four with a new twist.
(Approximate Retail Price: $12.99; Recommended Age: 6 & up; Players: 2 or more)

YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF THESE GAMES FROM HASBRO!
This contest is open to those in the United States, non-bloggers, and bloggers. Go to the Hasbro website, and take a look around. Find out what sparks your interest and comment here about to enter for this contest. There will be two winners! One will win the Connect 4 and one will win the Operation game. Please specify which one you would like to win!
Contest will end on August 11th, 2009.
For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!

Kellogg's Cinnabon snack bars

I love Cinnamon rolls, even though they aren't that good for watching my calorie intake. Mom Central offered the opportunity to review the new Kellogg's Cinnabon bars and I was right on board. I was so thankful that I was able to try these delicioussnacks~ and so were my kids! We got a whole box (6 bars) in the mail. We couldn't wait to try them out. We took one out of the wrapper, put it on a plate, and heated in the microwave for about 10 seconds. (we have an older microwave so it takes a little longer). The smell was wonderful! The taste was delicious and was very similar to cinnabon rolls. The cookie outside was filled with brown sugar and cinnamon, and it was glazed with a cream cheese frosting. MMMmmmm~ good, and only 150 calories per bar.
I like that these bars taste good heated up, and just right out of the package. I preferred to heat them up, though. I love the warm taste of the Cinnabon! I am sure that we will have to get Kellogg's™ Cinnabon™ Snack Bars in a upcoming trip to the grocery store. Thank you, Mom Central for sending our family a box to try. We give this yummy new snack a double thumbs up!

Jacquard products (Tie Dying kit review & Giveaway)

I have always wanted to try making a Tie Dye shirt, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to review a Tie Dye kit with my kids from Jacquard Products. I know that Tie Dye shirts were really popular when I was a kid, and we even had the hyper-color shirts that changed color patterns with temperature changes...that was cool! Anyway, it was so much fun trying the Funky Groovy Tie Dye Kit (enough product to die 5 adult shirts). The kit came with 3 colors, (blue, yellow and fuchsia) rubber gloves (one pair), rubber bands, and the soda ash. I love that the kit was well put together with directions/hints included. I just needed to add water to the dies, because they were pre-measured in bottles, and the soda ash I just added to water for the shirts to soak in. I thought that the directions were easy to understand, and I love that they offered different ways to wrap your shirt to make different designs. It was a great project to do with my kids. We bought white shirts, got them damp with water, wrapped them into a certain mold, wrapped rubber bands around them,
soaked them in soda ash/water mixture, (looks like a sad face...but looks can be deceiving....)

added dyes,
and let them sit on plastic, and covered with plastic for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, I cut the rubber bands, rinsed out the shirts, and washed/dried them. See~~ now, it is a happy face that created happy faces on my kids, too!

My kids love their new shirts, and I love to have the three of them wear them together. I should have made a onesie for Cole, too.
This is a super product to do this project with your kids! What a great home school experiment, too. You can teach about mixing colors to create new colors, art....and science. I think this would make a great gift for a birthday, too. You could get a kit and do the project with your kids, and they can give the finished project to a friend or family member for a gift. Nothing like a homemade gift!

I highly recommend Jacquard products to you! The Funky Groovy Tie Dye kit is only $11.95, and geared toward ages 5 and up. I didn't have Caleb (age 4) or Madelyn (age 2) use the dyes, but they did help get their shirt wet, hand me rubber bands, and get the enjoyment of wearing their shirt. Nathaniel had a great time doing the whole shirt by himself. I think he did a fantastic job, too!
Thank you Jacquard Products for the opportunity to review your Tie Dye kit! We love it, and are happy to let others know about them!

About the company: Jacquard Products has been producing professional-quality textile paint and dyes at the best value for surface designers, textile artists, fine artists, hobbyists, and crafters. It has almost 20 color lines, available in standard and bulk sizes, sets, and in easy-to-use kits. Offering the highest quality of dyes and inks that hold fast and color deeply, do-it-yourself people can bring professional creativity to their home, school, patio or anywhere they wish to create wearable art.

Want a chance to win a Tie Dye kit and enjoy this fun project kit to use with your family and/or friends? This contest is open to those in the United States, non-bloggers, and bloggers. Go to the Jacquard website, and take a look around. Find out something interesting and comment here about to enter for this contest. Contest will end on August 4th, 2009.

For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!

MMMMMMMM.....MILK~ Why Milk?

I have always loved milk, and the many forms of milk: milk in the glass, milk in cheese, milk in shakes, milk in smoothies, milk in ice cream...MMMM....milk! It really does a body good! Milk is loaded with good nutrition, vitamins, and great for bones! I have recently been introduced to a great milk website called whymilk.com. Whymilk.com has so many great suggestions for ways to incorporate milk into your daily intake. Personally, I don't mind drinking the recommended 3-4 glasses a day; however, I know there are many ways that everyone can get the dairy our body needs~ even if you don't like milk by itself. I have made several smoothies for my family, and my kids (and husband) love drinking them. Not only are they getting a serving or two of milk, they are getting fruits, too. I use ice cubes, milk, frozen (thawed) fruit, banana, vanilla yogurt and some sweetener. Unfortunately I have recently laid our blender to rest, so once my new one comes, I can try the delicious recipes found on whymilk.com! I found a few recipes of different smoothies on the Whymilk website, like the Blueberry Blast, Mom's Mocha Indulgent, and the Peanut Butter Split Smoothie. I do have to say that the Avocado Mango smoothie sparks my interest...I wonder how that tastes?

Whymilk.com offers a great selection of meal ideas for breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner. I would like to try the different soup recipes. The Tomato Basil sounds really good! I think my husband would like to try the At-home Cappuccino recipe. There are so many recipes that make a recipe great, and you are getting what your body needs when you consume them! I am so glad that Mom Central introduced me to Whymilk.com. It will be fun to introduce new recipes to my family with this great website. I usually don't have too much difficulty having my kids drink milk, smoothies, or eat any other dairy product.

Whymilk.com has great tips and tools to help figure out how you can get your servings of milk in different forms, check your BMI and how many calories you burn, how your beverage choices impact you, how to recover from workouts with milk and more! I found the website to be very helpful and filled with great information. Whymilk.com also offers fun contests, so checking out the site can be even more beneficial when finding great recipes to use milk in. I know this is a site I will be adding to my favorites!

Thank you Whymilk.com and Mom Central for letting me learn more about milk, the benefits, and for sharing this with my readers!

Natural Dentist Products (and a giveaway)!!

I am so happy that I keep getting introduced to new products that are more natural, good and real ingredients, that are not harmful for us to use. I think companies are realizing it really does matter what we put into our bodies. I love learning more about the better products. The Natural Dentist asked me to review some products from their line, and I was more than happy to review them. They have oral products: toothpaste and mouth wash, in different flavors. I was sent the Special Gel Formula for Kids, Healthy Teeth & Gums original (peppermint twist) toothpaste and the Healthy Gums mouth rinse in Orange Zest. I think that my teeth are just as clean with the Natural Dentist products, but are taken care of with healthier products.
The peppermint twist toothpaste tastes fine, and isn't as "potent" as other toothpastes that I have used over the years. My kids weren't very interested in the taste of the Special Gel Formula (berry blast) toothpaste, but I think that is because they are used to what I have bought them in the past. I feel better about my children using the Natural Dentist products over other name brand products that may contain harmful ingredients.
Here is some information of The Natural Dentist toothpastes from the site:
Natural toothpaste without compromise:
Superior performance - cleaning, whitening, cavity prevention and breath freshening
Fluoride for cavity prevention and protection from acid erosion (fluoride-free option too!)
No Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or artificial ingredients (SLS is a foaming detergent that can irritate your mouth and has been linked to canker sores) That is interesting to hear about! I haven't hear that before...good information!
Contains Xylitol (10%), a natural cleansing agent and sweetener
I think that The Natural Dentist products are great products, and I would recommend them to you! They are offering to sponsor a giveaway for my readers, so you can try them out, too!! This contest is open to those in the United States, and one winner will get to chose a toothpaste and mouthwash they would want. To enter, go to The Natural Dentist website, and pick out the two items you would like to win. This contest is open until July 28th.
For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!