Family Review Network

Help your child express their creativity with PakNaks!

From the site: “PakNak is a new company founded in Portland, Oregon by two energetic entrepreneurial moms, with a vision for empowering kids to turn plain backpacks into personalized, ever-changing, colorful works of art. Naks make bags come alive in a fun, creative style. The PakNak family of products includes over 20 original designs with plans to expand to seasonal and custom works. The PakNak website hosts products, fun activities for kids and future products targeted at older kids and adults.“

PakNaks attaches to surfaces using a piece of adhesive with velcro on the other side. All your child needs to do is stick on the various designs depending on their mood for the day. They can decorate books, bags, lunchboxes, folders, room decor, presents, headbands, bike helmets, and anything else they’d like personalized.

PakNaks are sold for $3.99 each and comes in a variety of designs and characters. Stop by and check it out!

Rockin’ Mama: My favorite way to use PakNak charms are on gift bags and cards.  I absolutely love wrapping gifts and I think this is a unique and fun way to decorate a gift.

The Clan McLeod: We knew we had to have Grant the Soccer Ball charm for Pink Panther to put on her soccer backpack. Now, her whole team wants one!

Sage and Savvy: DS loved the Earth Nak - he kept pointing to it and asking “wha-dat?” The funny thing—he loves the sound of Velcro so he kept taking the Nak off and putting it back on again, but despite how many times he did that, the Nak stayed in place firmly whenever we used the tote!

Val’s Views: They look exactly like they do on the website. The charms were easy to apply and change. What an affordable and fun way to personalize your stuff!

Lisa Reviews: It took me less than 5 minutes to attach, and I can easily switch the places of the charms.  Now, Madison’s backpack is pretty busy.  Can you imagine the difference these would make on a single colored cooler or backpack?  All I know is that the PakMak charms made my 4 year old a very happy little girl!

A Mom Speaks: The charms were extrememly easy to attach to their backpacks.  All you do is open the package, peel the backing off, stick it to the backpack, and them style the charm the way you want it to look.  My kids loved the charms on their backpacks and my son was showing everyone at school his soccer ball.  The Pak Nak Charms were a big hit!

Ohana Mama: Now that my son is in preschool he’s got his backpack to carry an extra set of clothes and his blanket for nap time.  The backpack is a cute surf backpack, which I thought was cool and so did my little one.  But now it’s even cooler because on his surf backpack he can add the Sk8r PakNak Charm!

An Island Review: PakNak could not be easier to use - just open, peel, stick, & style. It’s so easy that my daughter was able to use them to decorate her items herself. It made her feel like such a big girl. What I really liked about PakNak is the many cute and colorful choices. Each one also comes with a trading card that tells you all about each individual design. It really helps to bring each one to life.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your participation.
The winner is Betty Green.
Congratulations!

Isn’t technology amazing?

Introducing a must-have for all high school students - the Texas Instrument’s TI-Npsire Graphing Calculator.

From the site: TI-Nspire handheld is the latest in learning technology from TI, creating a dynamic dimension for students to visualize concepts and take an engaging, interactive role in their learning. Features include:

• Multiple Representations - you’re able to see multiple views of the same solution, giving you a different perspective on things.
• Linking Representations - multiple representations can be linked together so that if you change one, it will reflect on all screens.
• Data and Statistics - allows teachers to input and organize statistical data for students to explore on their own.
• Grab-and-Move - “grab” a line and move it to see how it affects the overall outcome.
• Save and Review Work - you’re able to save your work and pick up where you left off at a later date.
• Press to Test - stop potential cheating by temporarily disabling all current documents and denying access to programming libraries.

These are just the basics of what this amazing gadget can accomplish. It also comes with an interchangable keyboard which makes this unit compatible with the TI-84 and is accepted when taking the SAT, ACT, PSAT/NMSQT and AP exams PLUS Praxis and IB exams when used with the TI-84 Plus Keypad.

Give your children an educational head-start by introducing them to the Texas Instruments TI-Nspire. Units may be purchased at almost any school supply store or purchased through Amazon.com for $125.00.

Cowgirl Critiques: As a parent, my favorite function of course is being able to check my son’s answers.  I can type in the problem with his answer and it will say true or false.  LOVE IT!  Something that my husband found useful was being able to enter in sizes of boards and such and the size of what he wanted to build and it told him exactly how many boards he needed to build it.

SAHM Reviews: Let me say, the calculator itself is just phenomenal.  As a former accountant, I had to be careful not to short it out with all my drool.  The times of needing two different calculators are gone (IE scientific versus financial) with the TI nspire wrapping it into one - with interchangeable faceplates.

A Mom Speaks:

An Island Review: A while ago, I had the opportunity to review the TI-84 so I was glad to see that the TI-Nspire had an attachable keyboard that allows it to be used on exams that permit TI-83 Plus/TI-84 Plus family graphing calculators, such as SAT, ACT, PSAT and AP exams. I feel that if you’re going to spend a lot of money on something, it should be flexible in it’s usage.

Win it!

We have a Texas Instruments TI-Nspire unit to give away to one lucky person! To enter:

• Stop by Texas Instruments before midnight, Oct 11th and take a look around.
• Then come back and mention in comments what you find most interesting about the TI-Nspire. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified on Oct 12th.
• The winner will then have 3 days to claim their prize.
• Don’t forget to leave a way to contact you in case you win.

To earn more entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra ticket. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry.

• Subscribe to our feed.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog with a link back here and to Texas Instruments.
• Place our button in your sidebar.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

When you were young, did your Mom ever leave little notes in your lunch box? Well, these loving messages have come a long way thanks to Kids Fun Cards.

From the site: “KidsLunchBoxCards are a super-fun alternative to the humdrum lunch-time napkin note. They revolutionize communication between moms and kids at that vulnerable ime during a long school day. A special note that says…I’m thinking of you.”

What a great way to tell your child you much you love them! These cards are colorful, fun, and also contain funny riddles that are sure to bring some smiles to the lunch table. The back of the cards are left blank so you can write your own personal message.

Not only are these cards great for lunch boxes but you could also put them in backpacks, coat pockets, and even under pillows! The uses for these cards are endless!

The Clan McLeod: “Being homeschoolers, we don’t really have a need for lunch boxes, hence, no need for Kids Lunch Box Cards, right? WRONG! They work great beside their plates at lunch and make for great dinner conversation! I also found these to be perfect, not just for the lunch table, but also as a way for my kids to keep in touch with their friends! They come post card ready! What kid doesn’t love getting mail?”

Mamalicious Finds: “You’re going to love these cool lunch box cards…actually your kids will too! Yes, we adore the little “I love you” notes that we stash in our kids lunchboxes, I can’t wait to send some in Duke’s lunch. Nothing can replace the love notes but Kids Fun Cards helps you mix it up a bit!”

Free Birthday Treats Blog: “When I got my samples of Kids Lunch Box Cards, I hid them away and then snuck one into my son’s lunch. It was a huge hit! All he could talk about when he got home from school was his Kids Lunch Box Card.”

Life is Like Champagne: “I know a few of my cousins that will love these cards and I even caught myself giggling when I read and looked at them. The idea is to make it a surprise, a laugh and smiling is good for you. I love that they are made in the USA and are lead free!”

My Trendy Tykes: “Kiddos will definately crack a smile when they discover these awesome “Riddle Cards” in their lunchbox. Following each riddle is a special scratch off box. Simply scratch off for the answer. HOW COOL ARE THESE?”

Just a Mom’s Take on Things: “I like that there’s space to write a personal message as well as the pre-printed drawings and fun content on the card. And I think that it’s a great way for a socially-challenged child like my daughter to help ‘break the ice’ at the lunch table.”

Maria’s Space: “My kids, loved the pictures on the Mystical Little People set and laughed as I read them what each card said. I put them on their car seats every morning so they had something to open on the way to Pre-K. They love getting mail.”

Val’s Views: “There have been times that I’d like to leave a note for my older son TJ but he’s almost thirteen and at that age where he doesn’t want to be treated like a baby anymore. Until now I haven’t had a way to leave him a surprise letting him know I was thinking about him and that I loved him without making him feel uncomfortable in front of the other kids. That’s where KidsFunCards comes in.”

For all you “green” people out there, we are proud to introduce you to VerTerra - a dinnerware collection currently consisting of a variety of plates, bowls, cups, and platters that are thoughtfully designed and friendly for the environment.

Their dinnerware are made from 100% renewable and compostable plant matter and best of all, designed to be practical and attractive. These single-serve products can also be used in the oven, refrigerator, and even the microwave! How cool is that?

From the site: “For a better environment, VerTerra is the best solution for single-use dinnerware. Our mission is to produce the highest quality products using sustainable production methods and fair trade labor for the environmentally and socially conscious consumer. Our products are beautifully designed and perfect for all your entertaining needs.”

This Mama Cooks: “VerTerra dinnerware is attractive. They’re made out of fallen leaves. Steam, heat and pressure to transform the leaves into durable products that will naturally biodegrade in two months. They have an Asian/Polynesian flare and would be great for a luau, Chinese, Thai or sushi party.”

Rockin Mama: “The company states that the dinnerware is durable enough to endure the microwave, the oven and the refrigerator.  I can attest to the fact that it upheld it’s shape in the microwave but I was a little nervous to put the plates in the oven.  It’s also reusable which is a great characteristic since the products are much too pretty to throw away (just don’t put them in the dishwasher!).”

Two Moms in a Blog: “The plates were lightweight, super durable, and to be quite honest….I did NOT throw them away! The plates can be hand washed and used again…Can I hear a WOOHOO?! Talk about a money saver! My guests were really impressed at the look of the plates and how well they held up. They turned out to be a big hit with our family and friends!”

The Women, starring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing, Candice Bergen, Bette Midler, and many other wonderful actresses opened up in theaters nationwide on Friday, September 12th.

Thanks to Dove, the Family Review Network had the opportunity to watch this all-female movie. See what our members are saying so far.

Free Birthday Treats Blog: “My daughter and I truly enjoyed the movie and plan to add it to our chick flick library, but I cherished the time afterwards even more. Although we’ve always communicated well, watching The Women and laughing about certain scenes has led to more in-depth discussions about adulthood and for that I’m extremely grateful.”

Rockin’ Mama: “I laughed and cried and walked away with a broader definition of beauty.  It made me think about how our society dictates the definition of beauty and inspired me to work just as hard on my inner beauty as I do on my outer beauty.”

O Momma Writes: “I loved all the little puns and jokes throughout this movie.  We were chuckling the whole time (well, except when there were teary-eyed emotional moments!) and it was generally light-hearted despite the heavy topic.  But, what I really loved the most about this film was the message that I walked out with: Be who you are and find what you want in life.”

An Island Review: “If you’re looking for a movie to see with your girlfriends or even if you have an afternoon off while the kids are in school, I highly recommend The Women. It will definitely make you re-evaluate and cherish those special women in your life.”

Stay tuned for more reviews from Family Review Network.