Jumpstart Review/Giveaway

I was really excited to get the opportunity to review Knowledge Adventure's first browser-based virtual world at www.JumpStart.com for kids aged 3-10. Knowledge Adventure has been creating award-winning educational products for use in the home and classroom for more than 15 years. I asked Abby if she wanted to try it out, and she jumped at the opportunity. She was excited right away to make herself an avatar, known as Jumpeez in the game. She loved picking out the various features of her avatar, especially the hair. Right now, she's sporting a cute pink bob. She immediately set off on her adventures, including exploring the worlds and unlocking games, videos, and storybooks. When involved in all of her fun adventures, she is practicing skills like math and reading.

It's been a great success as far as Abby is concerned. She tells me her favorite things are the videos and storybooks, as well as the ability to adopt her own pet. I really love how user-friendly it is. She only needed me to show her how to log-in once. Since that first log-in, she has not asked me for help one time! The instructions are spoken, and if she gets lost or confused, all she has to do is click on the question mark icon.

You can purchase a premium membership for $7.99 per month on the site to get access to all of the features, but you can also make a free account that provides lots of fun as well.

Would you like to win a 3 month premium membership? Please take a look at the Jumpstart website and leave me a comment about something you learned that I didn't mention in my review.

Fore more chances, you may do the following and leave comments for each additional entry.
-Tweet about the giveaway
-Follow my blog
-Post about the giveaway on your blog and link back to this post

The giveaway will end at 12:01am on Monday, June 29th. I will contact you via email and you will have 48 hours to respond before I move on to the next person.

Diane Birch: Bible Belt Review

One2OneNetwork provided me with the opportunity to review the new CD entitles Bible Belt by Diane Birch. I didn't know anything about her, but I love all kinds of music and so was happy to take a listen and provide a review. The first thing I actually noticed was her picture on the CD cover. It's very unique and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I guess you could say that the CD lived up to the picture. I found the music to be different and unique. At times you get a jazzy feel, and at times it's somewhat bluesy.

Bio:

For singer-songwriter Diane Birch, music was a refuge. Although Diane was born in Michigan, her childhood was spent on the move as the daughter of a preacher, living between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia, before her parents finally settled in Portland, Oregon. When she was in her early teens, Diane absorbed a unique and cosmopolitan perspective on life that shines through her music and makes a simple categorization of it impossible.

The result? Diane Birch sounds like an old favorite, with all the sparkle and magic of a breakthrough talent. People says she sounds like a combination of early Carole King, Linda Ronstadt and Stevie Nicks, with a little Joss Stone and Cat Power mixed in. Bible Belt is only her first record, but it’s one of the most accomplished albums you’ll hear all year. From the opening track “Fire Escape” to the closing “Magic View,” Diane’s stunning voice is mesmerizing.

Written entirely by Diane, Bible Belt was recorded in New York City and New Orleans with an impressive team of Grammy-winning producers: S-Curve Records founder Steve Greenberg, soul legend Betty Wright and Mike Mangini, in their first project together since producing Joss Stone’s first albums.

This is an album that you'll go to when in the mood for a low key vibe. I enjoyed listening while working on the laptop. The ultimate question is whether I'll go back to it now that my review is complete. I definitely will be enjoying this album in the future.

Funny kid story

Kids really do say the darndest things. I have to put this down in writing so I can remember it in the future. I work 2nd shift and now that school is out Abby will hang out in our bed with daddy and watch some TV until she falls asleep. Hubby calls me last night at work. He said that he and Abby were chatting and she got mad at him about something. She made a comment and he told her what she said was a lie. Well, she had a mini breakdown and told him to take it back. Of course, he wouldn't and she kept telling him to. He said she got quiet and started watching TV. A few minutes later she let out a big sigh and said, "Well, I guess I have to go get in my bed if we can't work this out". Hubby said she was so serious and it took all he had not to laugh. Coming from a 5 year old, that is such a grownup thing to say. They chatted a little more and worked everything out so she could stay with daddy.

Heidi and Spencer

Can someone please tell me what the fascination is with these two? I find them to be 2 of the most self-absorbed, annoying people I've ever seen on television. What is their talent? Is it just to be annoying? I've been watching "I'm a Celebrity....", and I was once again reminded of why I can't stand those 2. I really just want to punch Spencer right in the face. Why are all these talk shows having them on this week? I don't know anyone who cares about anything they do or are aspiring to do.

Piano Recital

Abby had her first piano recital last weekend. She was so excited. This girl loves to perform. She has always been shy, and it was really bad when she was a toddler and young preschool age. That's the main reason I put her in dance at 3 years old. I used to feel bad for her because she couldn't stand for someone she didn't know to even look at her. I wasn't sure how she would do in that first dance recital. She really surprised me, though. She absolutely loved being on stage and putting on a show for people. We've really worked to not reinforce the shyness but also not to force her into being someone she isn't. Anyway, she was excited for her first piano recital. I asked her why she likes be on stage. Her response was, "When I'm onstage I feel like a star". It was really cute. She's also informed us that she wants to be on American Idol. Here's the video of the recital.