Using StumbleUpon?

Have you heard of StumbleUpon? Do you "stumble"?

I admit that I'd seen this little icon in places and heard things here & there, but really didn't have much of an idea what it was. That all changed a couple of weeks ago & I love it!!

How many times have you read about a product, idea, or tutorial on a site and wanted to remember it? I think it happens to me almost daily. Before StumbleUpon (SU) I was bookmarking things, cut & pasting into documents, emailing, etc.  But, now, I have my favorites list on SU that I can access anytime/anywhere! And, the added bonus is that it gives those pages that I like on SU a pageview boost! A win-win situation for all!

If you're not already stumbling, I definitely recommend you sign up. If you're new to Stumble Upon, you should check out TidyMom's article on Crafterminds! It's full of great tips!

If you're interested, you can follow my stumbles here: http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/momendeavors/ Let me know your link & I'll be sure to follow you too! Also, at the bottom of each Mom Endeavors post, I've added a SU share button in addition to the standard facebook/twitter ones. If you like a post, I would LOVE it if you would click that button to stumble it.

And, if you're a fellow blogger and would like to add the SU button to your posts, this tutorial was what I used. It's pretty straight forward, though I did add the code farther down than it said.

Now, get out there and stumble upon something cool! :)

Similac Baby Journal App

Oh how I wish I had my ipod touch and this Similac Baby Journal app when the boys were born! Instead we had "the chart" given to us by the hospital--you know, the one to track feedings and diaper changes. Time started, time stopped, time of diaper change, what was in the diaper, etc. With Big Brother, when we discovered major breastfeeding issues (perhaps it's own post one day), this task became all the more important and challenging--what side nursed, how long, but then also how much bottle supplement too, how long that took, etc. Well now, thanks to Similac, "there's an app for that!" :) Using this app would have been SO much easier and if/when baby #3 comes along this will be FANTASTIC!

You can track feeding--both breast & bottle, which is great! And SO much easier to use in the middle of the night than "the chart" and a pen! 

Not only can you input those entries, but the app tracks trends overtime. So, you can see if/how consumption or length of feedings are changing over time. If you're having issues with feeding, you can even make a call (on your iphone) at the push of a button or read advice and tips. A great feature!

In addition to the great feeding tracking options, you can keep track of diaper changes--including type, color, and consistency!

And, you keep tack of sleeping too!

The app also lets you store growth data and for each journal entry (whether it's feeding, diapers, sleep, etc.), you can store any special notes about it! With all the special features & tracking capabilities...and the fact that you can even add baby's picture, it seems like they really thought of almost everything. The only thing I think that could be added would be a place to list medications/treatments for those whose baby's require that. Even without that though, this app is fantastic! It would be SO handy when talking with the pediatrician!! 

So, to all my pregnant friends and those mommies with new little ones and "idevices", this might be really handy to have! The Similac Baby Journal app has lots of great features and is very easy/intuitive to use! And, it's FREE!!!! How great is that?!  If you'd like to learn more and watch a video about it, head over to Similac's website or download for FREE in the itunes app store!

What do YOU think about this app?

Disclosure: I was compensated for my time by Collective Bias, but all opinions and experiences are my own. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

UPDATED** Disclaimer: This app should not be relied on for breastfeeding support, but merely a tool to help you record data about your baby. If you need breastfeeding help, please see a certified lactation consultant or consult with your doctor.

More Great Apps for Kids from Night & Day Studios

There certainly seems to be a lot of buzz lately about apps & all the "i-devices". And, recently, we got the chance to review some great apps for kids by Night & Day Studios. According to their website, "Night & Day Studios creates iPhone and iPad apps for the arts, education, and entertainment. Our aim is to delight the imaginations of children and adults."

We're all for entertaining yet educational things around here and Night & Day Studios most definitely delivers! 
For the youngest app users, Peekaboo Forest is perfect. 

The app has gorgeous illustrations highlighting various forest scenes in different seasons. Hidden animals make slight movements that appear when you tap on them. The app is slow paced--making it perfect for the littlest of app users!

For older kiddos, Quibble Kids is fantastic. It is a puzzle/matching game, but themed. In picture match, there is a series of 4 cubes with different pictures on each side.

 

You click on the cubes to rotate through the pictures & match up the like objects--all the instruments, fruits, bugs, etc.

This one is a little tough for Big Brother (3.5 years), but he has gotten a little better with it. Definitely some good learning going on! And, the great thing about this app is that it's great for many ages as there are even tougher puzzles--like word match & math match. 

While the first two apps are certainly good, the hands-down family favorite favorite is Kindermusik! It's like our very own kids' radio station--with 5 different stations and over 100 different streaming songs!! Because of this app, I so want to get a car adapter to plug in our ipod touch in the car!

The stations are "Bounces & Rhymes; Animals, Animals; Get Up and Move; Mostly Lullabies; Tell Me a Story". With the variety of stations, there is bound to be something perfect for your child or the mood. And what I LOVE about it is that there are options for more than just listening--you can read the lyrics and even choose instruments to play along with!

The full app retails for just $1.99 and you can even try to lite version for FREE. This is an app though that if they expanded to have more stations & songs, I would even pay a little more for!! We think it really is THAT good!
You should definitely head over to Night & Day Studios website and check out all of their great options!


What are YOUR favorite apps for kids?

Disclosure: This post was written for Family Review Network and Night & Day Studios who provided the complimentary apps in exchange for my honest review. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

Punflay Apps: Educational Games for Kids (Review & GIVEAWAY!!!)

If you're anything like my husband and I, then perhaps your fancy "i" device (an ipod touch in our case) seems to be loaded with more apps for the kids than for the adults. Ever since getting ours this past summer, I have been shocked at how well our preschooler (3.5 years) can navigate the "itouch" all by himself! Consequently, I've been on the look-out for great educational apps that we can use with him and Punflay's apps certainly meet my qualifications! They have a whole division geared specifically to kids! 

Punflay provided me with two apps to review: "Who Will Rule" and  "Measurement". 

This iBook app is based on an Australian aboriginal fable. Having traveled to Australia in 2009 to visit my husband's brother and a dear college friend, we have a soft spot in our hearts for all things Aussie. So, the Australian animals & aboriginal inspired illustrations immediately caught my eye. One neat thing about this app is that there are two options for reading. Your little pre-readers can have the story read to them (and you can choose different voices or record your own!) or there is the "I read" option for the older kiddos. After reading the ibook myself, I gave it to Big Brother to "read" and he made amazing discoveries--you can move the globe, click on animals to hear their sounds, make clouds rain, and a whole bunch of other fun things! The biology teacher in me found it hard to not get nit-picky with the technical biological inaccuracies, but the moral of the story is a good one and Big Brother loves it! 

The really great thing about the measurement app is that it is actually like 5 apps in one! Talk about a great value! Addressing important concepts like time, amounts, and size, I think this is a great app for young learners.  Although it is actually marketed for kindergarteners, Big Brother can still follow most of the activities. So, I definitely think that this could still be worthwhile for your older preschooler.  The "Crazy Clock" is a great way to reinforce his number learning and introduce him to telling time. As a mom who likes introducing Big Brother to helping in the kitchen, I really like that "Fill Me Up" is all related to amounts of food. And, he thinks the monster in "Scale Tale" is great--he gets so excited when he gets the weight correct and the monster eats the food! 

So, if you're looking for some good kid-friendly apps, you should definitely check out Punflay! Quite a few options to choose from with an affordable price tag! And speaking of affordable, how about a free download?! 
Two lucky Mom Endeavors readers will each win a code to download the "Who Will Rule" ibook app! (If aren't yet an official follower-would love for you to become one! Just click on that Google Friend Connect FOLLOW button on the left sidebar! Thank you!)

TO ENTER...

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment telling me what your favorite app for kids is or visit Punflay's site and let me know what app looks most interesting to you!

Additional entries (2 total-leave a separate comment for each entry): 

1. Follow Punflay on twitter and/or facebook

2. Follow Mom Endeavors on twitter and/or facebook (if you already are, thank you!! Just leave a separate comment & let me know)

Giveaway now closed. Congrats to #3 KS & #14 HomemadeBaby! You've been emailed!

This giveaway ends Saturday, February 5th at 10:00pm MST.  Winner will be chosen via random.org and notified via email (Make sure your profile or comment contains an email address so I can notify you!)  Winner must respond within 24 hours or that winner will forfeit the prize & a new winner will be selected.  

Disclosure: This post was written for Family Review Network and Punflay who provided the complimentary apps in exchange for my honest review. For more information, read my disclosure policy.