Family Review Network

As parents, we know how important reading is for all facets of a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional benefit.  You could probably walk into any one of our homes and find a small library.  One of the best ways to open up discussion about a topic is through a book.  Environmental awareness and preservation are prominent in our country, but these concepts are complex and often difficult to explain to young children.  

Nui, the creators of healthy nutrient-rich hybrid beverages and foods, introduced their first book in a new category entitled eco-fiction.   Curse of the Bone Pirates: Nui Island Eco-logical Adventures, the first of the Nui Island Eco-logical Adventure Series, teaches children about the threats to our environment and serves to educate and encourages them to take action at home, at school and in their neighborhood.  

From the site:  

An evil force is destroying the natural wonders of Nui Island, and it’s up to three new friends to solve the mystery. When Big B is dragged from his comfortable life and close friends in Chicago by his grandfather’s mysterious affliction, he’s sure he’s going to have the worst summer ever. But soon after arriving in the tropical paradise of Nui Island, he is caught in a web of danger and intrigue. The Maemae reef is dying, his grandfather’s brilliant mind has been infected and creepy Island legends are coming to life. Big B and his new friends, Sam and Nalu, rely on wit, courage and strength to unravel Nui’s ancient mysteries. What they uncover will help them save the Island, restore his grandfather’s soul, and break the curse of the Bone Pirates. With a captivating plot, fascinating characters and an important ecological message, Curse of the Bone Pirates: Nui Island Eco-Logical Adventures will haunt and delight young readers.

Several of our members had the opportunity of reviewing this book with their children.  Here is what they had to say:

All Because Two People Fell In Love:  Being a teacher this is just the type of book I like to introduce to my students, a book with meaning and purpose! This book really encourages the reader to use their imagination but at the same time it teaches them about the basic and important issues that are threatening our environment today. It sends out the message that empowered kids can make a better world through their team-work, energy, and grand ideas! 

3 P’s In a Pod:  The entire book is entertaining - start to finish. It is what one might call a real page turner and I say that in the best sense.

Brain Foggles:  This is the type of book that can keep a child’s attention while teaching them important lessons that are needed for a lifetime.  This action packed book serves a dual purpose, to entertain tweens and teens and to teach how to save the environment. 

Busy Mommy Product Review:  It is a really fun children’s book that goes a long way towards teaching kids about the threats to our environment and getting them to take action at home, at school and in their neighborhood.  

Chocolate Fingerprints:  Though it’s inteded for kids, this book was interesting and exciting enough to hold my interest all the way through.  One of the things I liked best about Curse of the Bone Pirates was the lessons it teaches, in a very subtle way. 

Free Birthday Treats Blog:  (from a teen’s perspective)  The story includes true environment facts. Like how not all bacterias are bad! There are some bacteria that are actually really good, and they battle the bad bacteria. Not to mention that bacteria is the oldest living life form on Earth. I did not know that. Radical, right?

From Melissa’s Desk:  We are always looking for a good clean kid-friendly books that we can read aloud. And this book did not disappoint. It’s definitely a great juvenile chapter book that will appeal to both boys and girls.

Loving Heart Mommy:  This book is an adventure from the get go, I couldn’t put it down!  This adventure is not only for boys and girls, I believe there is something in this book for everyone, including adults! Its packed full of eco-logical fun promoting a fun way to get you and your children interested in the environment around them! 

Mama Sparkles:  I loved the important messages about the environment and conservation that made their way into the book and how they were a natural part of the overall story. 

Maria’s Space:  This is a great book that takes a child’s love of adventure and teams it up with the science of going green, and healthy earth. This is a great, story that will keep children reading while educating them. 

Mom Giveaways:  Curse of the Bone Pirates: Nui Island Eco-Logical Adventures is a book any kid, especially boys, between the ages of 9 and 12 will love. 

Mom of 2 Dancers:  The book is full of adventure, heroes and of course villains. What makes this book even better though … Woven into the plot are lessons on conservation, environmentalism and healthy eating. 

Mommy Mandy:  I had one of my friends little boys who is 10 read this book, and tell me his thoughts. He loved it and begged to keep it.

My Trendy Tykes:  …after about the 2nd chapter SHE WAS HOOKED and to be honest SO WAS I!  Not only will they be unfolding a great new adventure but there is also special ecological messages throughout the entire book.

Pajama Mom:  …your child will realize that small things can make a big difference.  Kids also need to feel powerful and take ownership, this book is a great step in that direction.

The Power of Housewife Word of Mouth:  It had such a great combination of intrigue, a little supernatural, throw in a bit of teen angst, and some interesting eco-friendly information, and you have the makings for a great book. If you are looking for a great read for yourself or a way to excite tween/teen readers about mysteries and environmental education then this series will deliver. If you are looking for a fun adventurous read….then it will not disappoint.

Redlady’s Reading Room:  This children’s book takes an adventure story and turns it into a learning experience. It teaches them about the threats to our environment and encourages them to take action at home, at school and in their neighborhoods. 

Red Sox Mommy:  Is your child interested in adventure, fun, excitement, pirate curses and more? If so, he or she is sure to love Curse of the Bone Pirates, a Nui Island Eco-Logical Adventure. This has all the features of a hit movie packed into a book that will keep your child interested and begging to stay up late to keep reading.

Rockin’ Mama:  You and your child will be riveted by the plot, fascinated by the author’s creative character development, and inspired by the ecological lessons intertwined throughout the story.   

She Scribes:  I have to say, even though this is a children’s book, it held my interest from beginning to end. I will even go so far as to say it’s a true “page turner”. My daughter agrees. She read the book in two days because she just had to finish it to see how it ends. 

Sheltered Not Shattered:  This was a very interesting book for me to read. It teaches about eco-friendly living and is also an adventure. The book is well written and would keep any child, especially boys, enthralled. 

Tara’s View of the World:  This is a delightful fantasy filled book. I enjoyed reading it and I’m sure the young readers in your life will love it too. I found the book easy to read and the adventures kept me entertained and engaged throughout. I appreciated how the author wove important ecological lessons into the story without sounding preachy. 

The Way I See It:  I love that the story teaches a bit of the Spanish and Polynesian languages. It’s also chock full of technical terms having to do with ecology and the environment. Without children realizing it, they have role models who are excellent at math, who want to “save the planet”, and who have an incredibly optimistic outlook on life.

Have you ever been frustrated over what to make for dinner?

Are you tired of hearing your family say,

“Not again, we had that last week!”

 I think we all know that planning meals ahead saves time and money. It saves time because we need not think about what to make for dinner or if we have the necessary ingredients. It saves money because we haveaplan which means no last minute trips to the market or the nearest fast food drive thru. Most importantly, planning our meals ahead will help us improve our family’s health. If we’re eating well balanced meals, we’ll feel better and have more energy. 

 This is what Jaime Ussher’s e-Book, A Month of Meals, is all about. 

Jaime’s introduction: Does your family meal time always seem to be in chaos? What about the hassle of planning meals, shopping for the meals and then cooking the meal? Or how about your grocery bill – do you end up spending more than you wanted every month? If you’re at all like me, a working wife and mother, meal time can be a stressful and time consuming endeavor. And, if getting the meal on the table for a descent price isn’t enough, there is the health issue that factors in. Attempting to provide healthy meals that won’t empty the pocketbook can be difficult to find! Beyond that, personally, I felt that I was missing out on time with my family. For those of you with older children, I wonder if the stress of rushing home from work, connecting with kids, running errands or doing schoolwork, getting a quick meal (sometimes at home) and heading off to bed just feels like too much! If you can relate withhow I was feeling, you may feel defeated in the grocery shopping/meal planning area! You’re tired of not having a plan and settling for fast food or order-in pizza. There is hope! There is an alternative! I want to invite you to start eating healthier, as a family, withinexpensivemeals! Is this possible? Yes! I am here to tell you that it is! Keep reading to find helpful information and a breakdown of meals, recipes, and shopping lists to help you save time, money, and health!

In a Month of Meals, Jaime has already done all time consuming planning for us. She’s planned well balanced nutritious meals for a month. She provides all the recipes, the shopping list and even the average prices for all the items on the list. Okay, so take a moment to figure out exactly how much time Jaime has saved you. I loathe going to the market (keep in mind, I loathe any type of shopping) because I’ve spend as many as three hours walking the aisles. I’m not exaggerating!

“A Month of Meals” has it all. Everything I need. I’m saving time and money and I simply cannot ask for anything more! 

A month of Meals  is available for purchase for only $19.95 and it comes with an 8 week money back guarantee.

This is what our members have to say: 

A Mama’s Rant: I was impressed with how A Month of Meals was different from other once a month cooking type meal plans. First, Jaime shows you how eating healthy meals is actually cheaper by analyzing costs and taking into account where you live, and if you can buy local and seasonal produce. Then she goes to cover the weekly meal plan recipes, including sides and dessert, and grocery staples. This is followed by the section on how to shop and analyze what you’re spending on meals. The cost analysis portion was very well done and worth doing on any meal you make from scratch. You’d be amazed how truly inexpensive it is to cook simple, healthful meals.

The Home Schooled Year: Are you looking for a way to get a handle on your grocery budget (who isn’t?), an easy to follow meal plan WITH recipe cards, and a new way to break down what nutrients your family needs on a daily basis? A Month of Meals provides a great jumping off point for all of that! The recipes were easy to follow, easy to prepare, and mixed and matched ingredients so you don’t end up with 100 different items on your shopping list, or going bad in your fridge.  

Mom of 2 Dancers: This ebook, is a huge 71 pages with11 chapters! It is full to the brim with information, tips, meal ideas, recipes, how to shop with price breakdowns, staples to keep in the house, food pyramid, info on feeding the hungry, website resources and recipe cards. This book is amazing. Not only will you save money on your groceries by implementing these ideas, you will also be eating healthy. You can’t go wrong with that combo.

An Island Review: One of our family’s favorite recipes was the Vegetable Chowder. I make a mean Corn Chowder myself but I liked the idea of adding in other vegetables, too. It’s a great way to get my girls to eat healthy without even realizing it. However, for me the best part were the reciepes that I could make ahead of time and freeze. Since I’m not always home and DH does not cook, these came in really handy. All he had to do was defrost and heat. Easy! Plus, this way I know my girls are getting a good home cooked meal in the process.

Loving Heart Mommy: You can save, you can be flexible, and best yet you can have fun. I really enjoyed reading A Month of Meals and applying it to my family. We are actually spending less, making more meals, and just re-heating alot of them later on! It saves us time and money! A Monthof Meals is very informative and fun!

Pink Family Reviews: I really enjoyed this ebook. I am a huge fan of meal planning. I also do not like to feed my family the same thing over and over. As a result, some times the hardest part of cooking is figuring out what to make. “A Month of Meals” takes all the guess work out of that for me. The shopping lists even make grocery shopping easier. I work full time outside the home, so I like recipes that are easy and quick. The recipes in “A Month of Meals” fulfill these requirements and taste good. Some recipes can even be made ahead and frozen.

My Trendy Tykes: I have a few friends that spend an entire day cooking meals for the whole month. I just don’t have the time to devote to an entire month like that right now but I did manage to snag some great new recipes for my family this month and ideas for plenty next month. Most of the recipes only call for a few ingredients and I loved the fact that they didn’t need any fancy “schmancy” ingredients (I tend to skip recipes like that, don’t you??)

Lisa Reviews: If you are a busy mom like me, you tend to struggle come dinner time.  I know I do.  If you don’t plan ahead, you never seem to have the right ingredients and you end up ordering out (which costs so much more!).  The Month of Meals e-book has some awesome advice to get yourself out of that rut.  This book will help you stay home every night and not spend over $200 in groceries on dinner.

To enter this giveaway,

• Visit the A Month of Meals website.
• Come back here and tell us what you would like best about the book.
• Deadline to enter is midnight January 5th.
• The winner will be announced on January 6th.

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Leave a separate comment for each entry.

What on earth is a Bender Ball!?!

It’s a fitness program that was developed by master trainer Leslee Bender. Each of Lesless’s moves puts you in the perfect position for body sculpting results. It cranks up the intensity of exercising and targets the muscles you want from all sides - your upper abs, the sides and those hard to reach lower abs. With a regular crunch on the floor, you’re limited.You can only go forward, you can’t go back. With the Bender Ball, you’re getting extension back and flexion forward, which works your muscles more effectively. What’s unique about the Bender Ball is that it will help you relax the muscles that you’re trying to avoid training and help you activate the muscles that you’re really trying to focus on. This is Leslee’s unique method called Selective Stabilization. The Bender Ball gives you a workout that’s up to 408% more effective than ordinary crunches. This means you can sculpt beautiful abs fast! 

The Power of a Housewife Word of Mouth: With the help of The Bender Balland the Bender Method of Core Training, I am going to be one swimsuit ready babe come Spring. This Core Training Method was developed by master trainer Leslee Bender and it targets your upper and side abdominal muscles and even the lower abs….or right where my “little pooch” is. I am ready and excited to have my 2009 fitness program in place and ready to go. This would also be a great gift for anyone you know who will be looking for a way to lose weight come January. Want To join me in becoming a Bender ball babe?
All because two people fell in love: Since having two kids I have dreamed flatter abs! Bender Ball was designed to help me get back those flatter abs! In just using this video a couple of times I can tell that I have more strength in my abdominal area. I think the Bender program is an amazing program!
Something Snappy: I have a little “junk in my trunk”. I go to the gym regularly but have yet to find something effective for my saddle bags and my “baby pooch” that doesn’t hurt my back until the Family Review Network offered me the chance to review an amazing product! The Bender Method is an amazing program developed by master fitness trainer Leslee Bender who has over 25 years of experience. She has has a complete set of ab sculpting moves for optimal results, which, combined with her Selective Stabilization method, delivers the ultimate ab development routine.
Sage and Savvy: I have done many of these exercises before without the Bender Ball, and I can honestly say the Bender Ball makes a big difference. I have only done the Bender Method of exercises a few times, but I plan to do them at least 4 times a week to help me get fitter, stronger, and give me more energy (to help me keep up with the two little ones!). I know with dedication and a healthy diet I will see spectacular results, and my wish of a flatter tummy will finally be granted!
Chocolate Fingerprints: This workout rocks! I could really feel the muscles of my buns and thighs working during the exercises. Sometimes, after a buns & thighs workout, I’m not completely satisfied; some area just doesn’t get enough of a workout. Not so with the Bender Method Buns & Thighs workout! None of the exercises were difficult, skill-wise, but they sure worked out my muscles!
Homeschooling and loving it: If there is an area I struggle with it’s abs. After having 3 c-sections and of course putting on weight naturally it seems so hard to get something that really makes you feel it is working. I really enjoy doing this video, its easy to follow and you can feel the difference your making. Like any exercise program you need to give it time to see your results but this worth a try for sure. I actually look forward to putting it in the DVD player, now when you can say that about an exercise program you know its good! I love the way Leslie teaches too! She does a great job.
The Dirty Shirt: I was excited to get my Bender Ball in the mail, because let’s face it, after having my last baby I need to find my abs again! This program is the perfect one to head me on the right track. The Bender Ball allows you to work your abs in ways that you couldn’t do otherwise.
Mom Giveaways: While The Bender Ball Method was easy enough to use, just place the ball behind your back at the base of your spine in the small of your back, I had a hard time completing a workout. One thing I did like about the workouts is that you can control how fast or slow you go and decrease or increase the intensity in which you perform the exercises. I had to perform the exercises very slowly. However if I had already had a good exercise regimen in place I’m sure it would have been a lot easier. As it is I was still able to feel, although not see, a difference. My abs muscles, especially my lower abs, could sure feel the workout.
Photo Bug Baby: I was extremely excited to receive my Bender Ball in the mail. After having 5 children (last being a c-section) and two major abdominal surgeries, my abs are non-existent. Now I’m usually skeptical with these work-out methods as I have tried so many in the past and none have ever worked. However, after using the Bender Ball for the past two weeks I have noticed a difference. It isn’t much but it’s still a difference. The only thing that stands in my way is my 3-year old keeps taking the ball.

Getting in shape for the holidays?

Crunchless Abs was developed by fitness expert Linda LaRue. Her unique exercise method targets your upper abs, lower abs, your left and right side obliques, and wraps all the way around to your lower back. The best part is you won’t be doing hundreds of crunches.

Sheltered not Shattered:  With the Crunchless Abs video, the exercises were actually do-able. Really they didn’t kill my back and shoulders like some have. As a matter of fact it stretches your back and some of the exercises mimic the exercises my chiropractor gave me. Their is one disc with all 3 videos on it so you can do a beginner, intermediate or expert exercise. 

A Bookworm(mom)’s Diary: Ten minutes a day is all it takes and I look forward to finally losing that post-pregnancy bump. I know it won’t be easy, but at least the DVD gives me hope!
Ohana Mama: CrunchlessAbs…need I say more?  I was excited to try this DVD, as I am not a work out type of gal.  I do however like yoga, but to find the time (or money) to go to a class is laughable.  So an exercise routine such as Crunchless Abs, that would perhaps bring my post-baby belly back into shape without doing crunches that hurt my neck or back, was highly welcomed. To be honest, I am a tad bit lazy (who me?!).  The problems I always find with working out are: 1) The exercises are just beyond me. They are too intricate, or just too hard!  2) I can never seem to set aside time to workout and  3) If I need extra equipment, well forget about it! With CrunchlessAbs, all of those obstacles are gone!  First of all, the movements are very similar to yoga. They are fluid and use your whole core to get a good belly workout.  Second, the DVD is broken into three 10 minute segments.  Setting aside 10 minutes a day to do the workout, well even I can fit that in!  And lastly, with Crunchless Abs, there’s no need to buy expensive work out gear.  Just three things are used in the DVD - a mat (I used a towel to lay on), a towel to use in the exercises, and a chair. 

Red Sox Mommy: The dvd came a day or so ago and I was able to test it out last night. It’s broken up into 3 different workouts. I did the first one and it was only about 10 minutes long, but they kept me moving from exercise to exercise the whole time. I could really feel my abs working. It was simple and quick and I could easily do this everyday.

What is THE must-have toy this season?  Our mom bloggers are unanimous…TOOBEEZ!  With thousands of toys on the market, it’s nice to find a company that values the importance of open-ended play.  With numerous building projects and activities, your children will spend hours using their creativity and imagination.

From the site:

Often referred to as giant Tinkertoys, TOOBEEZ are a life-sized construction building system that can be used as a toy, educational tool, a teambuilding prop or a therapeutic aid.  Comprised of interlocking tubes and spheres, TOOBEEZ can be linked together to create anything imaginable, from a simple cube shape to a complex structure like an airplane or submarine.  TOOBEEZ were designed to improve problem-solving and reasoning skills as children use their imagination for pretend play. They encourage creative thought, develop speech and language skills, help improve memory, introduce math and pre-reading concepts, help lengthen attention span and improve overall focus.

This amazing toy has won several prestigious awards and our bloggers gave it two thumbs up!  Not only should you check out what these moms had to say about TOOBEEZ, you have to see the pictures of their amazing building projects.  And who knows, you may just have an opportunity to win a starter set.

All Because Two People Fell In Love:  They both really enjoyed building and creating with these great tubes!! Construction is easy, you just insert either end of the tube into one of the connecting balls and twist the tube to lock it in place. Ethan quickly built the hurdles and continued to jump until he was able to jump it cleanly! Ella on the other hand really enjoyed the Puppet Theatre!

Amanda:  When we received our TOOBEEZ I was very excited. I never realized how amazing this toy was. My girls were very excited when our 57 piece kit the girls immediately wanted to try it out. So we sat down and started making things. The girls wanted a tent (of course).

An Island Review:  TOOBEEZ is not only for kids. In fact, I had just as much fun as the girls trying to build a little house.  The large plastic pieces are easy for kids to manipulate and design into a great fort, clubhouse, lemonade stand, or even a spaceship. Just place a rod into a slot on the ball and turn to click into place. That’s it! The pieces are light weight, colorful, and easy to clean.

Busy Mommy Product Review:  How cool are they! It is like life-sized tinkertoys. Sara loves it. Right now we have a big house that we built out of Toobeez in the basement that Sara loves to go in and out of.  I must admit that hubby and I actually had a really fun time building with them as well.

Dinkers and Giggles:  Within 10 minutes with the help of daddy the boys soon has a castle creation that took up the ENTIRE playroom! They absolutely loved it!  About 3 hours later- yes it entertained them for over 3 hours- the sticks soon became swords and the kids had lost interest in building. This toy has the record for holding their attention the longest of any toy in our household.

Lisa Reviews:  If you are on the lookout for a great toy for your kids this Christmas, TOOBEEZ is the one gift you must have in your house.  It is a favorite in my house and will be in yours too.  This is one of the few toys on the market that actually make your kids think which is why I love it!

Loving Heart Mommy:  My son Gabriel (22 months) was thrilled, I was able to make a large variety of items in a matter of minutes and he even at his young age was able to grasp the concept of how easy it is to build with TOOBEEZ. The possibilities are endless, you can use their project guides to guide you on to what to create or use your own imagination!

Mamachow: These are fantastic, life sized, fun, spherical, creative building toys. The colors are bright and the possibilities are endless. We made a puppet theatre, complete with a curtain to hide behind and had a magical time creating together. Not only does this help to develop gross and fine motor skills, it also helps to develop imagination. I live in Los Angeles where the houses are small but expensive and there is always the temptation to sit your kids in front of the “tube” all day. Instead I can put a “toob” in their hands and let them create.

Maria’s Space:  I finally opened to show them what the box held. Inside was the most colorful 57 pieces of plastic I had ever seen. The kids were so excited with loads of “wow’s” and “what is it?” As I said the possibilities are endless. Whether you are a school teacher, gym teacher, Occupational Therapist, Brownie leader, home schooler, you won’t run out of ways to utilize TOOBEEZ.

My Sentiment ExactLee: My son used TOOBEEZ as a jumping off point for imaginative, pretend play. He enjoyed the structures that were shown to us, but he came up with his own game called Toy Store. We followed the directions for a lemonade stand but instead Jason stood behind the store and sold us his toys. This was by far his favorite thing to do. We also stormed the castle on numerous occasions, and saved his baby brother from a scary dinosaur dragon.

My Trendy Tykes:  As soon as my kids arrived home, They saw my creations and became a little jealous of my talents but I told them not to worry because building with TOOBEEZ is not that complicated at all and anyone could do it ….(haha!) Ok, maybe I made that part up. It was more like them making a mad dash for the TOOBEEZ and forgetting about mom. :Sigh:  Needless to say, they like TOOBEEZ just as much as I do.

Ohana Mama:  What I especially love about TOOBEEZ (other than the fact that they offer hours and hours of fun for my kids) is that we put it together as a family.  Then afterwards my son really uses his imagination, whether it’s acting out as a pirate or being a pilot of his helicopter or asking his 14 month old sister for her password to enter his clubhouse that we made out of TOOBEEZ (it’s all too cute!).  Giveaway ends December 11.

Our Seven Qtpies:  They do have a bigger purpose than just play, though. Don’t get me wrong, they are a blast to make forts and houses and tents and more. But they are also educational.  That’s right. The kids are learning!

Pajama Mom:  TOOBEEZ are a wonderful addition to your household this season.  It’s that time of year when we spend more time indoors and ponder how to keep the kids physically and mentally active.  With this set around there won’t be enough hours in the day to make all the things kids will want to make!

Rockin’ Mama:  When I opened the box in front of my son he exclaimed, “Oh wow!” and that’s how I felt too!  My husband and I both were impressed by this open-ended, educational, innovative toy!  I always prefer open-ended toys that foster creativity and encourage learning and skill development.  This is the type of toy that a child can play with for years and still find new ways to play.  Giveaway ends December 17.

SAHM Reviews:  When I received a box of TOOBEEZ to review, I was amazed at all the possibilities.  When we opened the box, Miss M and Miss K sat down with the creation sheets and pointed out all the different things they could make.  Miss M said “We can use it in the water, or make an obstacle course or…or….”  So the girls picked what they wanted to build - a tent - and we constructed it.

Sheltered Not Shattered:  We got to play with the coolest toys today. They are like huge tinker toys. First Youngest made a microphone, then they both made people and then we all made an Anacopter (helicopter in Youngest language). It was awesome!

Tara’s View of the World:  My kids LOVE Toobeez! We have played with them dozens of times since we got them in the mail. And yes, I do mean WE played with them. The whole family got involved, even grandma!  I really liked how building with Toobeez required my sons to use teamwork. My son Aiden has difficulty sharing and working with others so this was the pefect activity for him.

The Way I See It:  We had a wonderful time building things with our 5-year old grandson and 2-year old grand daughter. We built sling chairs, a fort, and a boat to which The Princess added her own architectural genius.