American Mensa Academy is a brain training game that will give your mind the ultimate cerebral workout. The game features numerous mind blowing America Mensa-level questions, challenges and min-games that will help work your brain and keep you entertained for hours. Games and puzzles fall into the following categories: literacy, numeracy, logic, memory and visual & spatial skills. America Mensa Academy is not only filled with great games & puzzles, but also features humorous characters and colorful graphics that are visually attractive. America Mensa Academy is available for Nintendo 3DS and Wii, XBox 360, Playstation 3, PC download and for the iPhone and iPad and various other tablets.

I get bored very quickly with the normal action type games that are on the market, so when I had the chance to try out America Mensa Academy I was pretty excited. I love games that include puzzles and require brain power; the mini-games and puzzles had just the right amount of difficultly that they weren’t impossible to figure out but required some thinking time. It’d make a great addition to any child or families game collection!

America Mensa Academy is available for Nintendo 3DS and Wii, XBox 360, Playstation 3, PC download and for the iPhone and iPad and various other tablets.

I will be on vacation in Michigan from January 4th until January 13th. I will answer any incoming emails upon my return. I have many features that will be going up shortly after my return as well, so if you are looking for your product to be featured please shot me an email.

I took my first photography class when I was in junior high school. From that point on, I had a love for photography that could not be explained. I never thought I was great at it, I just thoroughly enjoyed taking photos of anything and everything. The sound of the shutter, the capturing of that perfect image, the post-processing that an image goes through to create something amazing and then…to have that photo printed and displayed in your home or in the home of a loved one; the feeling is indescribable!  It wasn’t until recently that I started to look through my collection of photographs and picking out the ones I wanted to get printed for display in my home and ones that I wanted to give as gifts to family members and friends for the holidays. I searched high and low for a reputable printing service that would provide me with quality products that would be great looking and was lucky to have come in contact with someone at MailPix.

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There is no worse time to get sick than being sick for the holidays, which is why it is important to keep yourself healthy and germ free. Recently, I had the chance to review Granite Gold Disinfecting Wipes, which were a perfect addition to my Thanksgiving clean up duties. I used the wipes to wipe down my granite counter tops after preparing the turkey for roasting, after preparing other items on the counter and just as a precaution to make sure  my kitchen stayed as germ free and clean as possible.

Granite Gold Disinfecting Wipes are suitable for use in kitchens where sealed stone surfaces are present and are an excellent way to clean up counter stops, sinks, faucets and exterior surfaces of the refrigerator, stove and appliances used during holiday cooking. Not only are they suitable for the kitchen, but the bathroom as well and any other surfaces that are often touched in the home such as doorknobs. Also, before reviewing the Granite Gold website, I had used the wipes to clean out Max’s dog kennel because I wanted a quick way to freshen up his space without having to drag the kennel into the bathroom and put it in the bathtub; come to find out, Granite Gold suggests using their disinfecting wipes on animal crates & kennels as well!

Granite Gold Disinfecting Wipes come in a package of 35 wet wipes and is 99.9% effective in killing household bacteria including the Influenza A & B viruses and Salmonella Enterica. Granite Gold features a slew of house hold cleaning products from daily cleaners & wipes, shower & floor cleaners to outdoor cleaners and more. Granite Gold products are available at various retailers nationwide including Bed Bath & Beyond and Target.

Are you looking for a great gift to give to someone who has children or maybe you’re looking for a great gift for your own children? I recently got the chance to review Babiators, Monkeybar Buddies, Snapper Rock, and Li’l Helper products which would make great gifts for a child whether they be your own, in your family or a friend’s!

Babiators

Babiators is a company that provides protective eye wear for children. They are a company that is dedicated to educating parents about the importance of sun protection for children’s eyes and provides a safe, durable and awesome product they want to wear. A portion of their profits are donated to the Children’s Eye Foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to eliminate preventable blindness in children; they offer protection to customers and give back at the same time. Babiators eye glasses offer 100% protection for UVA and UVB rays while looking stylish at the same time. Eye protection is extremely important for children as published scientific research concludes that up to 50% of lifetime UV ray exposure may occur by the age of 18.

Babiators offer protective eye wear in two size categories: Junior Babiators for ages 0-3 years and Classic Babiators for ages 3-7+ years. The eye glasses are offered in a variety of colors so you’re bound to find a pair that fits the needs of your child. I received a pair of princess pink Babiators in the Classic size for my cousins daughter, Zoey. They look like typical sunglasses just sized down for a child’s face. What I found interesting, however, was that they aren’t made of plastic but pliable rubber that can withstand a child throwing them, twisting them or sitting on them. Also inside every Babiator package, you’ll receive a card that will replace your Babiators if they are ever lost or broken; simply visit the URL provided on the card and register your purchase within 30 days to be eligible. Babiators are sold via their website for $19.99 a pair. They would make great stock stuffers for any child!

Monkeybar Buddies

Monkeybar Buddies is a unique company that features shorts, leggings, diaper covers and more for girls that are active by providing a product that will keep them protected when playing. Monkeybar Buddies are worn underneath clothing such as dresses and provide by protection for girls whose dresses will fall down when they are hanging upside down on monkey bars! They do not bunch, stick and there is no bulk so your child can still be comfortable and have enough room to breath and run around. Monkeybar Buddies are also great under athletic shorts or over leotards as an extra layer of protection.

Zoey LOVES wearing dresses. I swear she was born wearing one, that is how much she loves dresses. Monkeybar Buddies is perfect for her because it allows her to wear her favorite dresses without mom having to worry about her underwear showing when she plays. I know that she’ll love the pink Monkeybar Buddies shorts that I received to review. The material is a mixture of 80% nylon and 20% spandex which makes them very flexible and stretchy so they will move with her as she plays without being very bulky. The material feel reminds me of swimsuit material and features an elastic waistband for good fit and two small bows on the sides of the leg opening for a bit of girly flare.

Monkeybar Buddies are available in shorts ($16.00), leggings ($24.00) and capris ($24.00). They also sell shirts and diaper covers for the little ones. Monkeybar Buddies come in sizes 2T up to size 16 girls and are available in a variety of colors. I plan on making a gift bag for Zoey for Christmas that will have the Monkeybar Buddies shorts and Babiator sunglasses in them, so she’ll be ready to play!

Snapper Rock

Snapper Rock is another great company that provides sun protection gear for children. They are the leading UV50+ children’s swimwear company and offer a wide variety of products from baby one piece sunsuits, to cool mix and match swim sets, rash tops, boardies, hats and kaftans. I received the black & red short sleeve rash top for Zachary. Even though, we are currently in the winter months and no trips to the pool or beach will be made, I know Snapper Rock will become part of daily routine come the summer time. The rash top offers 98% protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays with no chemicals. The sun protection is due to the weave and density of the fabric. It is made out of 80% nylon and 20% elastane and has the feel of swimsuit material so it is light weight and won’t drag down the child while playing in the water. The material is also quick drying and can be easily matched to water shorts and flap hats offered by Snapper Rock! The rash top comes in a variety of colors and sizes and is available for $38.00 on their website.


Li’l Helper

Li’l Helper was designed and created by Joe Murillo at the age of 27, soon after the birth of his first daughter. Armed with a blow-dryer, Joe molded plastic rods into a bottle holder that one day would become Li’l Helper. The Li’l Helper bottle holder offers a safe, easy way to keep loved ones entertained and nursing while parents are free to multitask. Its ergonomic design matches your baby’s natural nursing posture and its BPA-free, solid construction holds most bottle sizes. The Li’l Helper is available in pink or blue and features two areas that make noise like a rattle when shook. The Li’l Helper is easy to use: simply place the bottle through the circular opening and place on the baby’s chest for a prefect feeding angle while supporting the baby’s natural grasp reflex.

The Li’l Helper is available on their website for $12.97. Li’l Helper would make a great gift for new moms or those with babies that are still bottle feeding. The Li’l Helper will go away in my stock pile of baby items to be used when it comes time for Alan and I to have a little one of our own!

Disclaimer: I received the products mentioned above in order to write this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are 100% mine.

Over the years the past few years as I’ve tried to establish my own little family – myself, Alan, and the two dogs – I’ve come to realize that the holiday season is more special when you take the time to decor your home into a welcoming and inviting place to entertain your family and friends. It shouldn’t be so much about the gifts and what we do and do not receive as it should be about the spirit of Christmas and just enjoying one another. Normally, I don’t start my holiday shopping and decorating until after Alan’s birthday which is on November 27th, because he doesn’t like his birthday to include all the Christmas decor. However, this year we did get started a bit early when we took a trip to Kmart to check out their holiday shop.

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