Cypher Kids i3D Interactive Cards

My kids both love the iPad. At 8 and 5, they are both way better at using it than I am and can kick my butt at most games. They love interactive books and learning apps. They love YouTube and making their own videos, although I am pretty thankful that they have not yet figured out how to upload anything. Jasper has actually broken my iPad twice, something that makes me a bit of a zealot about buying the Apple Care insurance. It's worth it for the peace of mind if you have kids. 

I'm especially impressed with how Jasper navigates the iPad because he does not read yet. It's amazing how much he absorbs intuitively. It's a great tool for early childhood literacy, aside from being a lot of fun.

Cypher Kids Club makes apps and integrated flashcards that use augmented reality to engage and excite young learners. Their apps are downloadable for free on the App Store and the flashcards are available at selected Target stores, just in time for the holiday season. Black Friday, anyone?

There are three sets available thus far: Letters, Numbers and Wild Animal Adventures. They can all be found in the iPad accessories section at Target. They retail for $29.99 each. 

I am massively indecisive, so I got all three sets. They contain between 18 and 26 sturdy 4" x 6" flashcards with the subject matter on one side and a QR code on the flipside. You use your iPhone or iPad to scan the code and unlock the augmented reality content. 

The Letters and Numbers sets feature two robot characters, Digi and Beebot, who cheerfully banter about proper pronunciation, differences between upper and lower case, counting, etc. If the voices on kids' shows annoy you, these probably will too, although it's super cool to see them fluttering around in three dimensions against your house. I also liked that the camera "snapshot" function is embedded into the app itself, unlike on the Wild Animal Adventures set, where you have to switch between explore and snapshot mode when you scan your QR code. That makes it a little harder for younger kids to be able to play with themselves.

The animation on the Cypher Wild Animal Adventure set is pretty awesome. The animals really come to life and it's a lot of fun to play with moving your device to scale the critters against things in your home. For example, the octopus floating alongside Fonzie the cat above and the frog leaping out of Jasper's mouth below.

Jasper thought mom should have a tiger coming out of her mouth. Not sure why.

We tried all the apps on both the iPhone and the iPad. The latter was MUCH more impressive because the larger format gave you the opportunity to really see the graphics and play with the augmented reality scaling and 3D aspect. One note- if you use a folio-style case on your iPad, you will probably want to remove it so you don't have to deal with a dangling flap while you move the device around.

Overall, Cypher Kids Club i3D Interactive Cards are a fun way to incorporate learning into gameplay. I'm interested to see what they'll come up with next. To keep up on company news, follow Cypher Kids Club on Twitter and like Cypher Kids Club on Facebook. 

To see my whole shopping expedition, check out my Google+ photo album.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Cypher Kids Club. #CypherKidsClub #CBias #SocialFabric. As usual, all opinions are my own.

Dinner and a Movie with Marvel Avengers and MarketSide Pizza

I didn't get to see Marvel's The Avengers in theaters (grandma and grandpa took the kids without me!) so I was anxious for it to be released on DVD. When I was asked to treat my family to dinner and a movie featuring the Walmart Exclusive Marvel Avengers Blu-Ray/DVD and Graphic Novel combo pack and MarketSide Pizza, I didn't hesitate. Pizza and comic books are kind of a no-brainer for me.

We love comic books in this household. And superheroes. Just between you and me, I've always been more partial to the Marvel universe than that other realm. The Marvel superheroes always have more humanistic flaws that I can relate to. They sort of teeter on the brink between superhero and supervillain. Well, you can see how I'd like that…

Anyway, back to shopping. I decided to go to Walmart while the kids were in school because it's Halloween season and I don't like arguing over candy and costumes. Especially while I'm trying to concentrate on serious business. Like, for example, using the augmented reality Avengers app Super Hero AR to enhance my shopping with Avenger-y goodness– another Walmart exclusive.

Using the app on your mobile device, you can scan special Avengers displays throughout Walmart and unlock a "Which Avenger are You?" quiz as well as interactive animations and sounds. Kind of cool! This big display lets YOU interact with the Avengers. 

Point your mobile device at it, using the Super Hero AR app, and be surrounded by the Avengers!

You'll also want to pick up a MarketSide pizza or two, emblazoned with your favorite Avengers. I tried to use the app on the signage above the pizza display but it wouldn't work for me, sadly. Captain America = Pepperoni, Iron Man = Five Cheese, Hulk = Everything. I got cheesy breadsticks, too. Nom nom.

When I got home, I was impressed with how nice the Walmart exclusive Avengers graphic novel is. It's full-sized and full-color, with glossy, thick pages. I was expecting something smaller and more perfunctory but this is the real deal for Avengers fans. Jasper ran off with it, immediately.

We also used the app to check out the AR features on the DVD packaging and pizza box. So cool- you get a whole little Marvel universe to interact with. This is way more impressive in person, I have to tell you. It looks very 3D and you can see it in 360º! Squint at my screen shot and you can see all the Avengers hanging out on top of skyscrapers, as superheroes are wont to do.

The kids love eating in front of the TV, especially all together. The movie is a bit long for younger kids and Roo said there were too many bad words.

Roo also says that Captain America is cute and that daddy likes Black Widow. I concur.

Jasper was ready for bed before the movie was over but he has added the Avengers graphic novel to his bedtime reading queue.

To see my whole shopping/Marvel Avengers Superhero AR app experience, check out my Google + album.

Keep up with all things Avengers by liking Marvel on Facebook and following @Marvel on Twitter.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Marvel. #MarvelAvengersWMT #CBias #SocialFabric. As usual, all opinions are my own.

#SearsRealCheer Holiday Shopping

I am a bit of a "Bah, Humbug!" girl. Not because I'm cheap or mean, necessarily, but because the holiday season is not my favorite time of year. If I didn't have kids, I would probably blow off the whole thing and hole up at home to watch all four seasons of Sons of Anarchy. In deference to Roo and Jasper, however, I am trying to get into the holiday spirit.

Our sole tradition, started when we moved into the house six years ago, was to buy a potted dwarf pine tree to decorate and then plant it in our yard once the ground thaws in springtime. This past summer was so hot and dry, though, that it killed all of our previous trees. I think we're going to go with a faux pine this year, borrowed from my mom who has somehow gone Christmas decor crazy. I was raised Jewish and my mother has never been remotely interested in home decor, so her obsession with nutcrackers and angels and anything that lights up kind of freaks me out. They have a 15' faux tree that the kids helped grandpa decorate a couple of weeks back but my mom has amassed several others, so one won't be missed.

This is my idea of holiday decorating:

It's not easy to change my ways, especially when all of our family holiday decorations fit into a couple of hatboxes in the pantry. Luckily, I was asked to check out the holiday decor selection at Sears to scope out ideas. They're open extra early in the morning and late at night for your shopping convenience this time of year, so I went right after dropping the kids off at school. The trademark red Craftsman color always reminds me of Christmas and walking in through the tool department is like entering a winter wonderland.

I had to remind myself that I was looking for holiday decor, not gifts. Hard to do in a place littered with bright red temptation on every aisle. Like this saucy Kenmore front-loader set. Please, Santa?

I finally found the holiday nook, a corner of the store dedicated to seasonal finery. I thought this was the cutest backyard shed, ever, with a greeting line of favorite characters in Christmas gear.

A lot of people are into collectible ornaments and buy special ones every year. These special ones are Christopher Radko for Sears Platinum Shoppe and they're pretty fancy. I'm not sure Jasper's ready for that quite yet.

There are plenty of ornament options, obviously, but I didn't expect such well-stocked, color-coordinated collections. It makes having a decorator-inspired tree a cinch. I like the wintery blue and silver although it's a bit too elegant for our house.

This is probably more our speed:

After I plundered the ornament selection, I wandered over to housewares to see if there was any holiday gear there. Of course! Everything from welcoming doormats to hostess aprons. If you collect snowglobes or nutcrackers, here's your display!

I ended up buying way more stuff than I expected to. Here it is all spread out on our dining table:

I have to say my shopping trip was really pleasant, quick and convenient. Now I just have to work on getting everything put together. I am sure my little helpers will love that!

To see exactly how my shopping trip went, check out the play-by-play in my voluminous Google+ album.

If you're mall-phobic, you can avoid the crowds and shop from the comfort of your own home any time, day or night at sears.com/holidayshop. If you need extra-added help stoking your holiday spirit, the Sears Cheer Tree can help with hints and stories from their Holiday Cheer Squad and a Cheer Tree mosaic that you can add your own holiday decorating photos to and search for special offers and deals. You can even order fresh live Christmas trees, wreaths and greenery online!

For more info:

• Follow Sears on Twitter
• Like Sears on Facebook

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that this shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions (especially the Grinchy ones!) are my own, as usual. #CBias

Motorola Xoom Mission #MotoCalyp

When I was little, cellphones were huge and had really horrible battery life and coverage. Now it seems like even the most basic smart phone has more memory and a faster processor than my beloved first computer, a Quadra 605, did. It's especially amazing to me how much oomph they can pack into tablets these days. They truly are a portable computer and not just a stylish accessory– although the new mini-tablets are so cute, they could go either way.

Most of my computing is done in the fruity camp but I've been really curious to see how the Android Honeycomb OS worked, having plenty of friends who are firm devotees, so I went to my local Sprint store to check out some options. If I was in the market for a device on looks alone, the Motorola Xoom would certainly be an attractive choice. At the risk of sounding shallow, I will say that the size and slimness of the Motorola Xoom makes it imminently purse-ready. It weighs just a little over a pound and has a bright 10" touchscreen that is very responsive. The dimensional scrolling through images and videos is pretty cool:

The Android platform is easy to navigate and I really like the dynamic tiles. It's very sci-fi. One thing that I found very compelling while researching the Xoom online was the MotoPack for Motorola Xoom, which contains a smorgasboard of pre-selected apps. It's pre-loaded on the Motorola XOOM Family Edition. Having apps suggested really helps when you're new to the world of smart devices, especially if you're not particularly computer-savvy, either.

This makes me think it could be a great gift option for someone you'd like to enter the digital age… especially when you consider the dual cameras that enable face-to-face video chatting with Google Talk. Perfect for keeping in touch with distant (literally) relatives. If your giftee is more of a bookworm than a cybernaut, the gorgeous Google eBooks reader might bring them around. I am a total print snob but I think the interface is really elegant and tactile:

I can't say that I was impressed with the service at the Sprint store I visited. Once they realized I was window-shopping and not likely to purchase anything, they totally ignored me. The Xoom floor model wouldn't turn on and I had to get a sales associate to plug it in because the battery had run out. The in-store retail price also started at $599– quite a bit higher than the current online “Buy Now; Get Free 2-day Shipping” deal which starts at $499 for the same model I looked at. Unsurprisingly, I would highly recommend the priceless you-don't-have-to-deal-with-surly-Sprint-clerks option.

Learn more about the Motorola Xoom:

• Twitter 
• Facebook
• My shopping trip on Google+

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that this shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  All opinions are, as usual, strictly my own.

Last Pool Day of Summer with Neutrogena Wet Skin

School started this week, so we decided to spend our last summer afternoon at grandma and grandpa's pool. We've been there a lot this season but the last month or so has been ridiculously hot, with temperatures well over 100º so we've been waiting until late in the day to go swimming. Thankfully, it's eased up a little bit and we wanted to make the most of it. I was asked to try a new sunscreen, Neutrogena Wet Skin, so this seemed like a great time to test it out.

I've been a Neutrogena user since I was a little kid. My grandmother was a big fan of their Norwegian Formula Hand Cream and Rainbath and I remember going through an awful lot of the Facial Cleansing Bars during my teen years. I liked the simplicity and clean feeling of their products and the "dermatologist recommended" tagline always seemed reassuring. I hadn't tried Neutrogena Wet Skin yet but it sounded good: sunscreen specially developed to be used on wet skin without losing potency or causing a white residue or dripping into your eyes. Neutrogena Wet Skin also features Helioplex technology, meaning it has been specifically engineered to deliver superior UV protection that is broad spectrum and photostable– both important considerations when you're planning to be out in the sun. Where was this when I was a kid?! (See my story on Intersect for more on my shopping experience.)

We live a block away from my parents. Some may say it's too close but I think it's awfully convenient, especially when it's summertime and we can use their pool… it's really nice to be able to walk over with the kids. Jasper has been wanting to ride his bike over lately. He's quite the speed demon. Roo prefers terra firma.

Just so you know, our yard looks nothing like this. But neither does our water bill, since we don't have a sprinkler system…

The kids LOVE using the spray sunscreen and actually do a pretty thorough job. It's really great to be able to use this on dry skin and on wet skin… like when the kids go into the pool immediately before you realize that they don't have sunscreen on and you need to douse them!

Can your sunscreen go in and out of the water? 

Neutrogena is currently offering a $2-off coupon for Wet Skin, just for registering on their website! You can find more coupons and special offers on the Neutrogena Facebook page.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that this project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias, however all opinions are, as usual, strictly my own.

Kmart Backyard Makeover Sweepstakes

Have you seen Kmart Outdoor Living? The mini-site compiles some great summer backyard makeovers that Social Fabric community members have been working on over the past few month. They run the gamut from simple additions (a grill, some new cushions) to patio conversions worthy of a spread in your favorite home magazine. I've been surprised and impressed with the selection and design that seems to be pumping out of the new Kmart: great brand names, super values, and newfangled style.

Another reason to get excited is the Kmart Backyard Makeover Sweepstakes: like the Kmart Fan page through July 20, 2011 and fill out the entry form to be eligible to win amazing prizes. One grand prize winner will receive a backyard makeover valued at $4,000 from Kmart with a design consultation from lifestyle blogger and DIY style expert Courtney Milton from French Country Cottage. Three randomly-selected weekly winners will each receive a $250 Kmart gift card. Enter now!

If you have young kids, you might also want to visit Kmart's Playdate Place for articles and toy reviews that can help you plan the best get-togethers for your family.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I have been compensated as a campaign leader for Collective Bias but I wasn't asked to post this information– I just thought you might want to enter. All opinions are, as usual, strictly my own.

Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

I've been reading The Pioneer Woman for years, so I was excited when I was asked to review her new book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: A Love Story. I'd already read much of it as it was posted on the blog but it was a treat to have everything neatly printed and bound in a format I don't have to scroll down to read.

This book underscores my deep-seated need to be invited to stay at The Lodge. Seriously, it's only an hour or two down the highway from Wichita. I'll even bring our basset hound, Stella, since I know Ree's partial to her kind…

I hadn't picked up The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl when it came out last summer, so I decided to splurge and get a two-fer and try my hand at some of her vittles while I read the novel.

I decided to make the Perfect Enchiladas and I must admit, they were pretty much perfect. Bob is an avowed enchilada-hater and he couldn't stop eating the things. Seriously, we had them for days until they were completely gone. And they might even be more delicious as leftovers! Here's a Whrrl story about shopping for the ingredients and making the enchiladas:

More check-ins at Walmart Supercenter #1507

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Comfort food at it's finest, with plenty of great photos and backstories. The story of Ree's courtship with Marlboro Man is enough to make even the most hard-hearted cynic swoon– even if you don't like reading romances, her playful sense of humor and her brother Mike's antics will keep you amused. A must-have for ardent fans of The Pioneer Woman and a treat for newcomers.

Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I was compensated for my time and shopping expenses but all opinions here are decidedly my own.