Monthly Archives: March 2009

ItzaBitza Educational Reading Game for kids + giveaway – this game is so much fun!

March 4, 2009Computers & Software, Educational Toys, Gadgets, New postscomputer, development, educational, game, School, softwareAlicia

This is one of the most entertaining games I’ve played in a long time. Yes, I admit I played ItzaBitza. My kids weren’t even around. The concept of ItzaBitza is awesome..I’ve never seen anything like it.

ItzaBitza promotes reading comprehension, artisitic and imaginative creativity and provides an exciting gaming experience for kids ages four and older. I was amazed time and time again by how the game responded to my drawings and made them come to life.

Here are just a few things you can do in the first ItzaBitza scene:

Draw a tree, apples grow on it.
Draw a moon and stars light up the sky and your Sketchie goes inside the house you drew, goes upstairs and goes to sleep.
Draw an envelope and your Sketchie takes it to the mailbox.
Draw a cup and watch your Sketchie drink out of it.

The Sketchie your child chooses at the beginning of the game (a boy or a girl) asks your child to draw things, including a house and a tree, then the drawings become part of the animation and story. An example would be when I drew a tree with leaves, the game added apples to the tree. You can see my award winning drawing (ha!) below. Click on the image to view the larger version. I didn’t draw the flowers. When I drew the sun, the flowers grew! How cool is that?

Through out the game, the Sketchie gives you ideas and little games to play via a little word bubble that pops up when you click on him or her. If your child has trouble reading a word in the bubble, all she has to do is move the mouse over the word and it is sounded out for her. Great reading practice!

There are several scenes that can be unlocked as your child progresses in the game including a camping scene and a naunted house. You’ll have to buy the game to find out what happens in each of the scenes!

Buy a copy of ItzaBitza at Amazon.com for $17.99 (current price) OR buy and download the game here.

Giveaway details are coming soon but until then you can subscribe to our updates and you will be notified with giveaway details as soon as we get them up!

Ready-made Printable Valentine’s Day cards from my friend Mo

March 4, 2009HolidayHoliday, printable, valentinesAlicia

I haven’t bought Valentine’s Day cards for Sebastian’s classmates yet. I stink.
That’s why I was thrilled when I got an email from Mo telling me that he stars in his very own Valentine’s Day cards that I can print right from my computer! Mo, you saved the day!

Children and parents can download and print Mo’s Valentine’s Day cards to give out or keep. Share “Mo” love with family and friends! For extra fun, printable coloring pages are available too.

Valentine’s Day celebrates love, all kinds of love and with Mo, parents can teach their toddlers and little ones love and compassion towards animals while coloring or mailing out Mo’s special Valentine’s Day cards. It’s easy and it’s free!

I just printed my Mo’s Valentine’s Day cards! Click here to print yours!

Clean out your computer and improve performance with Iolo System Mechanic®

March 4, 2009Computers & Softwarecomputer, workAlicia

Don’t you hate it when you get the kids out of the bathtub, you pull the drain stopper out, and the bath water takes forever to drain? I am a visualizer and can’t stand it when that happens because I visualize everything that might be stuck in the drain clogging it. Gross!!
So, what do you do? You grab the drain cleaner.

I never thought about it until recently but computers also slow down because they get clogged. Surfing the internet, working, playing games, storing files, writing reports.. all of these things take a toll on our hard working computers which ultimately leads to a clogged system. System Mechanic and it’s set-and-forget ActiveCare 2.0 features make it easy for me as a work from home mom to get on with my work day and not have to take time out of my busy work and family schedule to perform much needed regular maintenance on my computer.

Top reasons your computer slows down and issues that System Mechanic fixes:

Start up overload
Registry errors
Remnants of Uninstalled Programs

Installing Iolo System Mechanic is simple and watching it do it’s work is so satisfying. It’s the same feeling as when my 2 year old blows her nose and can breath again when she has a bad cold. (like now!)

System Mechanic fixes, speeds up and maintains PC’s so they run like new forever. The software combines more than 40 robust tools enabling novices and experts alike to clean out their computers and keep them in peak condition.

Priced at around $49.95, Iolo System Mechanic 8.0 is a great investment that will improve your PC’s performance and keep your computer running smoothly.

When my computer slows down or starts acting erratically, I get stressed. Most likely, I am trying to get as much work done as possible in a very short period of time, and don’t have time to wait on a program to open when it should open instantaneously or to find a file that shouldn’t take more than 2 seconds to find. Since using System Mechanic, I’ve noticed a big difference in my computer’s speed and performance.
How does your computer’s performance affect you?
(tell me below and you’re automatically entered to win a copy!)

I have 5 copies of Iolo System Mechanic 8 to GIVEAWAY!
In celebration of Clean Out Your Computer Day, February 9th, I am giving away 5 copies of Iolo System Mechanic 8! Subscribe to our email or RSS updates (top of right column) and I’ll enter you to win one of 5 copies of System Mechanic!

Pilloroo – a pillow for kids with a surprise inside!

March 4, 2009New postsbaby, Bedtime, pilloroo, pillow, sleep, soothingAlicia

The Pilloroo is a gift givers (and recipients) dream!
Pilloroo is a 14″ pillow with a zippered pocket that opens to reveal a coordinating surprise.

Madelyn got a Pilloroo for Christmas and now has 3 comfort blankets and a Pilloroo. I have to stop the growth of her comfort clan soon or it’s going to get out of control!

Perfect for long car rides, the Pilloroo is an all-in-one comfort item, and toy.. and in our case, a snack carrier too! When we are going to scouts or going to be in the car for a while, I pack a snack bag and stick it in the Pilloroo pouch for Madelyn to find. I love the surprised look on her face when there’s something new or different in the Pilloroo pocket. Now, if I would find a million dollars in there, I would be thrilled.

Each pillow comes with a stuffed animal that lives in the pillow’s secret pouch. Pilloroo pillows make great gifts and with about 20 designs to choose from, you’ll find one for every child you love.

The Shoulder Stroller: the stroller in a purse

March 4, 2009New postsbaby, car seat, shoulder stroller, TravelAlicia

A stroller that fits in your purse. It’s true. This little mommy gadget is a back saver to say the least. The Shoulder Strollers attaches to your baby’s infant seat and then you place the perfect sized shoulder pad on the opposite shoulder which counterbalances the weight freeing you from back, neck and shoulder pain. They key is that the shoulder strap redistributes the weight of the infant seat to use your larger muscles rather than just your arm muscles. Using all of the muscles in just one arm and shoulder causes your entire back to be unbalanced which speaking from experience can case back pain and cramping.