Actual Size Science or Social Studies Deal

I've told you all about Educents a couple of times, right?
Of course I have!
I know I also told you that I am a proud Educents affiliate. I mean, why wouldn't I be? Have you seen their deals? They are AWESOME!
I wanted to share with you an exciting new offers they have!
Actual. Size. Chalk. Drawings.
That's right- blueprints to help you and your child draw actual size drawings and diagrams with sidewalk chalk!
You can get both the Science and Social Studies ebooks!

CLICK HERE to go to Educents, then scroll down to view.
Select "Tell Me More" for more info on these incredible ebooks!
If you order within 9 days, you can get one of these ebooks for 32% off!
Pay only $22.99, download your book, and start your exciting Actual Size adventure! 

I haven't had a chance to make it to the park yet, I look forward to taking the kids and creating a few actual size masterpieces! I know my kids are looking forward to drawing and learning about the giant squid!

Product Review: Ivory 2-IN-1

I want to share a product with you that I received complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster. The opinions I am sharing are 100% mine.

I received a bottle of Ivory 2-IN-1 to test and review.
My first reaction was that the bottle is pretty. I know... Kind of simple, huh? It has a nice clean look and, quite honestly, I like the color. It's one of my favorites.
Upon testing the hair and body wash, I wasn't in love with the bottle as much as I was when I first saw it. Don't get me wrong, it is still a pretty color and a clean look, but the bottle could use a little something grippy on the sides. It could also use an option to store it upside down, so that it is easier to get that last little bit. Hey, it's all about frugality, right? Ok, maybe not. Maybe that is just a minor detail. I mean, it certainly won't stop me from buying it. It would just be nice.

Bottle design aside, let's get down to the nitty gritty of the product itself. 

Pouring the Ivory 2-IN-1 out of the bottle, I noticed the creaminess of it. It sudded (is that even a word? we will pretend it is...) up well. It worked great as a body wash. It went on smooth and rinsed off clean, without leaving that icky film that some soaps do. I used it as a facial wash, too. It did leave my face feeling a little... tight?... but it washed my makeup off thoroughly and my skin was fine after I used my moisturizer of choice. 

Next, I noticed the scent. It has a mild, yet pleasant scent. My husband says that it is not too girlie, and he will use it too.

How about that shampoo... For the kids, it worked well. For me, it cleaned my hair well, but I found that I do need an additional conditioner. My hair is long, straight, very fine, and... ok... color treated. When I tried the Ivory 2-IN-1 as a shampoo, my hair was difficult to comb through.

I liked that I could use the Ivory 2-IN-1 on the kids for a quick and clean bath time. I'm not sure if it is tear free, but it sure got them clean. My 2 year old has sensitive skin, and the Ivory didn't irritate it at all. That's a huge plus in my book.

One additional perk of the Ivory 2-IN-1... it is great for shaving! It allows the razor to glide smoothly and it leaves your skin silky and clean.

Now to the big question... ok questions....
Would I buy this product? Yes. I like using it for the kids and I love it as a body wash. I will also use it as a shampoo, if I add a conditioner.

Would I recommend it to others? Yes. I would recommend it most to families with children.

You can purchase Ivory 2-IN-1 in stores such as Walmart or Target for about $3.50 for 24oz.
Check out this video from Ivory... it made me laugh! Be sure to give Ivory a like on their Facebook Page, to keep up with their latest products.

EDIT: After using this product for a week, I have come to the conclusion that it would be better recommended for those with oily hair and skin. I find that it is a bit drying on normal skin and hair. Following up with a conditioner for hair and a body lotion for skin is recommended for those with normal to dry skin.

Click here to see which super parties I link up to!

Wonder Box: Review, Discount Code, & Giveaway!

Have you ever visited Education.com?
I have.
A LOT!
It's been one of my favorite go-to educational sites since I first discovered it a few years ago. I love everything from the printable worksheets to the fun kids' activities!
You can imagine how excited I was when I got an email asking if I would like to try out and review one of their new products, the Wonder Box.  In fact, I may or may not have (mostly may) used the word "giddy" in my email response. Education.com's representative, Kat, is super cool and she sent me one right away!
Pretty Awesome, right?

It gets better!
Kat is offering all of my readers a $10 discount on any Wonder Box purchase! Just use the code: CAPE10 at checkout for the discount! (Code expires 10/01/12)
She is also providing a FREE Wonder Box to one lucky winner! Make sure you enter my Rafflecopter Giveaway for your chance to win!
Before we go any further, I want to disclose to you now, that I can sit here and tell you good things about education.com all day long. It is a wonderful resource for parents and homeschoolers, so make sure you bookmark it.
I'll wait....
I want to assure you that I will not let my love for my opinion of the site affect my honest review of the Wonder Box.

Wonder Box. 
The name says it all! From the moment we got it, my youngest kids were curious to see what was in it. As I opened it, we first noticed the cute packaging and the fun, and (I am assuming) friendly little Otter. As we explored further, we uncovered an array of neat little packages with tags and instructions. I have to admit, I was just as excited to see what all was in there as the kids were! After further investigation, I learned that we got the Once Upon a Time box!
The Once Upon a Time Wonder Box included 4 fun activities: a Story Cape, Build Your Own Puppet, Story Cards, and a Stone Soup book!

We decided to start with the Story Cards.
As I laid them out on the table, the kids were already getting ideas for their story. Once we began, they took turns choosing a card and making up their story. There was a nice variety of cards with many possibilities of how they can relate together for story, after story, after story! My kids have been playing with them every day since we got them. They use them on their own as well as using them to tell stories to each other. The more practice they have with the cards, the more elaborate and creative their stories are. I am impressed!

 

Next up was the Story Cape.
I spread the cape out onto the craft table and asked my girls for design ideas. They decided that it should be a Shape Cape, and they would decorate it with colorful shapes. They also wanted to write Up, up, and away! on it. My 5 and 7 year olds worked on it, and my toddler was able to get her hand in there to add her artistic touches to it as well. When they were finished, I ironed on the design to set it, then they took turns trying it on and "flying" across the room! It seems like someone is always wearing that cape! My 5 year old even tried to wear it to bed.
My girls wanted to make the Puppet next.
They sorted the shapes and colors on the craft table, then worked together to decide how to make their puppet. Okay, it wasn't that easy. They both started with different ideas. I used that opportunity to reinforce the concept of cooperation and to work on their negotiation skills. It ended up going smoothly and they soon had the puppet the way they wanted it. The only problem was that they were too impatient to let the glue dry completely and some of the shapes ended up falling off. I solved that issue with my glue gun. A few minutes later, they were playing with their puppet, now known as Mr. Funny- the Joke Telling Dragon.
We saved the book, Stone Soup, for last.
We read it and had a nice little discussion afterward. We talked about making our own stone soup and the kids shared which foods they would donate to the pot. They even decided that Mr. Funny would bring the beef, salt, and pepper! After that, they got to color the pages of the book!
We really enjoyed all of the activities. We had fun creating the cape and Mr. Funny. We explored many skills, including storytelling, imagination, shapes and colors. The kids had a blast with everything in the Wonder Box. Aside from the obvious educational benefits the Wonder Box offers for kids, it is a great value to parents. This isn't one of those things that the kids do, then it gets put aside. After initially spending a few hours working on the projects, my kids have been playing with everything since!

Here's what my kids have to say about it:
My 5 year old- "My favorite was making Mr. Funny"
My 7 year old-"I liked the Wonder Box so much that I just want to play with everything in it all day long! My favorite thing was making Mr. Funny!"
My 12 year old- "Okay, I admit it, I used the story cards too."
My almost 2 year old enjoys wearing the cape, looking at the story cards, and listening to the Stone Soup story.

Enter to win your own Wonder Box Below!

*For shipping purposes, the giveaway is open to residents of the contiguous US states only.*
Don't forget to use the code CAPE10 to receive $10 off of any Wonder Box Purchase!
(Code expires 10/01/12)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click here to see which super parties I link up to!