Grab a prize pack perfect for a cozy day indoors!

I lived next door to my grandparents when I was a young girl, and their home was constantly filled with visiting family. It's no wonder that I spent a lot of time with my many cousins because of this, and we spent many wintery afternoons playing or drawing indoors. I remember that one of our favorite activities was coloring. My cousin Tina and my Granny taught me their special way of coloring - dark borders on the outside with a lighter inside - and I would color for hours if no one disturbed me. If someone had asked me what my favorite pastimes were, I certainly would have named coloring as one of them - I thought I would never stop!

Well, we all grow up unfortunately, and I did stop coloring as I grew older. Apparently, however, my fondness for it didn't completely go away. A few weeks ago my son asked me to color a few pages with him, and I was surprised at how quickly I fell back into my 'special' method, and how involved I got in my drawing. It's amazing how childhood pursuits stay so close to our hearts!

Imagine my pleasure when I was asked to do a coloring book review just a few days after that! Sometimes the timing for things like this seems as if the universe is trying to remind us to slow down and remember who we used to be. I was more than happy to accept, and a friend of the artist behind the book's concept sent me a copy of Le Chateau Bidaine. Although this post has been sponsored (meaning I received money, goods, and/or services in exchange for my writing) please know that my thoughts and opinions are always 100% my own.

For more on my disclosure policy, please see the tab marked 'Let me disclose to you'.

Before we go further, let me outline the premise of this very special coloring book. Unlike the typical coloring books you might find, this one is detailed to the point that it could be a collector's item. The home (or chateau) in the book is actually an elaborate miniature house that was created to look like the real Chateau Bidaine in France. The miniature version was created by the artist I spoke of earlier, Suze Perry-Hinkle. 

Suze is famous for her minature art and love of all things French; and this book is meant as a token of recognition to her mentor in French art, Lillian Williams, who owns the home the book and miniature are based on.

Although I had investigated the book a bit before it arrived on my doorstep, I was still a bit taken aback as I leafed through the pages - nothing had prepared me for the detail that was involved in the drawings! I had originally intended to let my son color a page or two in the book and ask him how he liked it, but I couldn't bring myself to allow his childish-scribbles to sully what could only be called a work of art.

It should be noted that this book is recommended for children 8+, since this is really more for children who want to create something special and have a love of drawing or art.

I decided to call my sister-in-law and have her bring my 12-year-old niece over since she is in a good age range for this book, and she absolutely loves to draw and color pictures.

I wasn't disappointed when, as soon as she opened the book, she exclaimed at the pictures and took it over to show her mother. I happened to have a beautiful set of art markers on hand, and she happily spent an hour coloring at the kitchen table.

When she was done, she told me that she liked the book very much, but she had a bit of trouble getting the shading correct since some of the markers were so dark that they covered up a the lighter areas of the drawing. For this reason, I would suggest using lighter markers, or a nice set of colored pencils. Many of the illustrations have delicate features to them, and I recommend gifting this book to a child who likes to take his or her time with their artwork. As a bonus, the pictures have wording in French and English, so this would also make a fun workbook for a child who wants to learn another language.

I have been trying to pull away from the technological gifts that are becoming ever-more popular with children these days, and focus more on the types of gifts that I would have received as a child. Although video games are fun, it is becoming more and more obvious that too much time in front of the TV is a problem for many families. Why not toss in a traditional present such as this one now and again to even things out?

Do you think this would make a great present for someone you know? You can purchase the book on Amazon at this link! Find out more about Suze and her incredible career here, or connect with her on her Facebook page or her Etsy Shop!

Wait, there's more! In remembrance of all the wonderful winter days I had with my much-loved Granny, I'm offering a giveaway to my readers! The winner will be able to cozy up with this prize pack featuring a copy of Le Chateau Bidaine and everything else you need to have a great time indoors! This would be perfect for a 'Mommy & Me' day, whether for yourself or as a gift to someone you know!

(The giveaway for this product has expired, check out our Giveaway page for any that might be available.)

Cartoons of our Childhood

Does anyone else feel like today's cartoons just aren't as good as the ones we watched as a child? Even the Christmas specials of nowadays are generally passed over for classics like Rudolph or the Peanuts' Christmas.

This afternoon as I was thinking back, I decided to look up a couple of my favorites to see if they were available to watch on the internet: A Claymation Christmas Celebration, and the Garfield Christmas special from 1987. When I was younger, we watched these so many times that I could still recite most of either one.

There were two huge differences that I noticed in both of these cartoons from the cartoons of today. First of all, a great deal of effort had been put into both of them - and not just because of the work that had to go into the animation back then. The dialogue was intelligent, and even though it was a cartoon for children, the jokes weren't about farting or dumbed down to the point that every other line was childish. I actually remember as a child that I would have to think about the jokes to get some of them. And some of the jokes with bigger words prompted me to ask my mom what they meant. Sometimes I figured out the meaning by thinking about the way the word was used. The cartoons made me think, and that made me smarter. The creators weren't worried about whether or not their entire audience would get every joke, every time - and that's part of what made them great.

The creators also weren't worried about the other big difference I noticed: being politically correct. The family in Garfield's Christmas prayed, and grandma bopped Doc Boy in the head with a spoon when he started to protest about being picked as the prayer-giver. The Claymation Christmas featured carols that sang of Jesus and His birth, and the Joy to the World carol included imagery of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. Personally, I never noticed the inclusion of God or Jesus in our cartoons when I was younger, but now that I am older and looking back, the exclusion of Him in today's cartoons is starkly felt - and it isn't a good feeling.

I find myself wishing now that I could replicate the way the world was in my childhood for my kids. How am I to do that though when it seems like our government is bent on freeing us from religion rather than giving us the freedom to have it? I don't think that a religion should be shoved down everyone's throat - that would be wrong, and that isn't the point of having a religion or faith. But if we are forced to endure a society where everyone is forcing non-religious beliefs at every turn, isn't that just about the same thing?

I myself have never minded seeing other religious symbols in public, such as the menorah or the Buddha. Those items don't represent my personal faith, but I've never taken offense at them and can't understand why anyone would. That's not to say that there aren't people from every religion who are overbearing and try to force others to believe the same way that they do - I can understand how someone who is Buddhist may take offense from another religious person mocking them, or how an Atheist may take offense from someone who tries to convert them everyday with rude tactics. Those things are inexcusable and aren't a true reflection of the great majority of people within a religion. But generally speaking, I don't see why we can't all get along in this great country.

Was our country in a great turmoil during our childhood? Was there massive animosity between us all due to the inclusion of religion on tv, or on store-posters, or even in school? I think in the end, a handful of noisy people spoke for our country, before our country was allowed to have a voice in the matter, and being 'politically correct' grew out of hand before anyone could stop it. Wouldn't you like to go back to a time where you could say "God Bless You" when someone sneezed without worrying that they would bite your head off afterwards? Is it such a bad thing for a person to wish a blessing upon you? Has anything bad ever come of being blessed, regardless of who is doing the blessing? I would welcome someone of a different faith blessing me from their religion. I would see it as a sign from a beautifully harmonized country, where people from all faiths can live together peacefully rather than being purposefully set at odds with each other by rules and regulations in our government.

For the sake of our children, people - let's go back to that time if we can. Drop your petty squabbles and learn to live peacefully. Don't take offense the next time someone says something to you that isn't your personal belief. Let someone bless you if they want to bless you.  And please, someone bring back the good cartoons!

Stop Worrying: Umbilical Hernias

Have you or someone you know expressed concern over an extremely "outie" bellybutton on a newborn? If so, the infant is probably one of many babies that has an umbilical hernia. About 10 to 20 percent of all babies will have a herniated bellybutton, with increased risk for those who are premature, girls, or African-American. Although the herniation is most common in newborns, they can still appear suddenly up until a few months after birth.

A herniated bellybutton is simply a ring of muscle that has not closed together. Think of your child's abdomen as a sheet of muscle covering their intestines. The umbilical cord goes in through a small opening in this sheet, and a hernia is formed when the umbilical cord detaches prior to the muscles closing back together. The lining and fluid around the intestines (not the actual intestines themselves) are usually what is poking through to cause the skin to 'poof out' where the bellybutton is. Most umbilical hernias are less than an inch across and may become more or less evident when the baby moves.

Many people fear that their child is in pain from the hernia, but in actuality they are rarely even bothersome. As a matter of fact, your doctor may push the hernia back in when checking it, and this also causes no pain. Unless the hernia becomes infected, swollen within the herniated area, or changes color, your doctor will probably tell you that it is nothing to worry about.

This may seem like a tall order for parents who were hoping to view their perfect little bundle of joy with their perfect baby bellybutton. Fortunately, most umbilical hernias go away on their own by the child's first birthday, and the rest of them usually heal before five years of age. If your child is one of them who still has a hernia after the age of five, your doctor may recommend a small surgery to close the gap. The surgery is relatively easy and your child will likely be released home the same day. There are almost no complications following this type of surgery, but many doctors will not do the surgery until at least age 2, and then only if the hernia is causing problems.

Don't be afraid to wash the herniated area gently with soap and water, just as you would with any other newborn. There is no evidence that the hernia will go away quicker if you tape a nickel over their bellybutton (as it used to be suggested), but the tape may give your child a rash. If you think pushing in the hernia will help, a pair of normal-fitting elastic band pants will do the job just as well, but without causing your baby unnecessary discomfort.

Make sure to alert your doctor to the hernia at well-visits so that he can check the area and give you an update on its progress. Herniated bellybuttons in newborns are mostly just a cosmetic issue, and should go away on their own. For now just relax, and be thankful that your child is happy and healthy!

Disclosure: I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV either! I don't claim to know all the facts or have all the answers. Please consult with your doctor or your child's doctor before making any big health decisions. I received no compensation for this post.

Ready to clean out old medicine?

With the beginning of another year coming up, it's the perfect time to go through your medicine cabinet and figure out what to keep, and what you need to replace. Most people are surprised to find that when they go through their cabinets, they find over-the-counter medication that is long past the expiration date. Lots of times bargain hunters (myself included) will go for the big bottle of OTC pain relief because it's the cheapest per pill. However, unless you are a constant pain sufferer, or you have a very large family, the chances are that you won't finish that big bottle before it goes bad.

Many people believe that their medication can still be used after it is "expired", and that the manufacturer puts an expiration date on that shortens the life of the medication for safety reasons. This is only partially true. While some medications can technically still be used with a benefit after their expiration dates, in most cases the date the manufacturer puts on the label is an expiration on the potency of the medication, not a date of use for safety. The FDA requires drug manufacturers to determine how long it takes their medication to reach 95% of their original potency, and that is what becomes the expiration date.

Obviously with some medications, such as a tablet of acetaminophin for instance, it may not matter too greatly to you if you take the medication at 94% of it's original strength. The problem with that though is that drug companies aren't going to needlessly spend money trying to figure out how quickly their medications deteriorate after they've reached the 95% mark. Some medications could reach a third of their original efficacy within weeks, some months, maybe others years. Because that data doesn't exist, taking expired medication becomes a gamble.

Some medications should never be taken after the expiration date. Medications that are controlled, and need to be taken at a constant level should never be taken if expired. For instance, taking a less-than-effective dosage of medication could cause severe damage if the medication is life-saving, and could cause a dangerous chemical imbalance if the medication is taken to control mood swings. Children's medication should also never be taken after expired. Not only do children have under-developed metabolic systems, many of their medicines come in suspension form. Suspensions are another medication that should never be taken after expiration. They can turn rancid, or worse - grow bacteria after expiring due to the decomposition of the medicine. Finally, never take anibiotics after their expiration date. Not only does the decreased efficiency of the medicine allow a reprieve for the bacteria (which can make fighting it take much longer), but tetracycline - which is a very common antibiotic - has actually been proven toxic after it's expiration date.

Once you have made the decision to throw out your expired medication, you have to dispose of it properly. Simply tossing it into the trash can is no longer the best way to do this. Not only are there children and pets to think about (should the trash bag accidentally break), but if you have prescription medications to get rid of, there may be FDA regulations regarding how you dispose of your medication.

A popular myth is that flushing medicines down the toilet is the best way to dispose of them. This is not always true. There are some medications that the FDA has determined should be flushed down the toilet, due to the danger they could cause if someone other than the prescribed individual were to take them. The list of medications that are to be disposed of by flushing can be found here at the bottom of the page. This list is updated as needed and should be checked whenever you think you have a controlled medication to dispose of.

Due to concerns that the environment could be damaged if everyone starts to flush their medications down the toilet, unless your medicine is on the FDA's list, everything else should be thrown out in the trash, but with the following precautions:

First, peel off the label and destroy it. Although the chances of someone going through your trash and stealing your identity through a prescription label are probably not high, it's better to be safe than sorry!

Next, find a plastic bag and place the pills you are disposing of into it. If the trashcan liner does break, this will ensure that the pills don't fall out someplace where someone or some pet could accidentally eat them.

Now find something gross to put in the bag so that even if the bag was found, the contents are unappetizing enough that no one will want to take one. Good things to put into the bag are: used kitty litter, coffee grounds and rotten food (like that mystery item in the fridge that is growing a nice layer of mold).

If you have a small child, dirty diapers are the perfect place to dispose of old pills. Just drop them into the diaper, roll it up and stick them in a plastic bag as usual before dropping it into the trashcan.

Finally, put the empty medicine containers into the recycling bin.

If you had to get rid of a lot of over-the-counter stuff, don't forget to buy more when you next go shopping or you could find yourself making an emergency trip to the pharmacy the next time someone in the house gets a bad headache or runny nose!

My Most Memorable Christmas

When I was around 10, my whole family got the flu over winter break. Now, this doesn't sound like anything extraordinary - and it definitely doesn't sound like fun - but it ended up being my favorite Christmas.

Although no one else in my family may remember that holiday season, I remember it quite clearly for two reasons: First, it was the only time I had ever seen my mother sicker than my dad. Secondly, it was the only Christmas that we spent so closely confined to one another.

My mom had just finished shopping for the last of the presents when my brother started getting sick. Not fearing that an impending Christmas 'disaster' was upon us, my mom tucked him into bed and kept at the holiday preparations. Within a day, we were all feeling so ill that we could barely get up. By Christmas morning we had passed through the worst of it, but we were nowhere near our usual festive mood.

The grandparents didn't come over that day, and I watched in awe as my dad prepared our holiday lunch - soup - as if I was seeing a true Christmas miracle. My mother was sitting back in the large easy chair in the basement as we unwrapped our presents, every single one of us huddled up into blankets to keep the chill off. To this day I can remember the sweet look of love that passed between my parents as my dad handed my mom a hot mug of soup. She wasn't at her best that day, but my dad's face said it all: she was his beautiful sweetheart. I never got that look out of my head, and I spent a good chunk of my adulthood searching for a husband who would look at me that way when I was down and out!

After we had settled into the most quiet Christmas-opening we would ever experience in that house, I realized that we were all snuggled up together. Everything was subdued, cozy, calm. The entire scene spoke of peace and tranquility, entirely the opposite for our usual happily-noisy selves. When we had finished opening the gifts, there wasn't much for us to do but settle into the rest of the afternoon, and we spent it watching Christmas movies together and looking through the 'bonus' gifts in our stockings.

I can remember every moment of that day; from what we watched, to the threadbare look of my mother's childhood Mickey Mouse blanket. The feeling I get when I recall that Christmas is one of pure love from beginning to end and I realize how very blessed I have been to have grown up in the family that I did.

This Christmas, think about what it really means to you, and to your family. The true meaning of Christmas is about love, peace, joy, and happiness. If we let the noise and bustle of the holiday season overtake us, and stress us out, we're losing out on the most wonderful part of Christmas that there can be.

So don't be afraid to take a few minutes for quiet this holiday season, whether you watch a movie or just tell one another that you are thankful to be a family - capture the peace of the moment together, and your Christmas will certainly be filled with love.

And from our family to yours... have a very Merry Christmas this year!

(The giveaway that was associated with this post has expired, please check out our giveaways tab for a list of available contests!)

The Secrets of Toys"R"Us

Did you know that you could be getting a great deal at Toys"R"Us (or Babies"R"Us) and you might be skipping right over it? Although I won't disclose the name of my contact at the popular children's retailer, let's just say that she and I share a love of finding a good deal. Here are a few small tips that she has shared with me about when and how to shop at Toys"R"Us:

1. Look carefully at the price. Did you know that you can spot close-outs at Toys"R"Us just by looking at the price? Anytime a product is going to be discontinued from their stores, the price will end with "98" instead of "99". This can be very helpful if you are trying to get a good deal, and especially helpful if you are trying to decide whether to buy now or later. This is also something to keep an eye out for if you are thinking about buying something that comes in the set. Make sure that the items you want are still going to be carried before you invest a lot of money in them! Examples of things that you don't want to start buying when they are about to be discontinued are bottle sets and re-useable diapers. If you happen to need a new bottle top, or extra liners for your diaper set, you might be out of luck!

2. Not all stores carry the same deals. Although the retailers are commonly thought of as being basically the 'same' company, Babies"R"Us & Toys"R"Us run their deals separately. When I popped into the local Toys"R"Us a few months ago to purchase a booster seat for my son, my inside-friend quickly informed me that I should head over to Babies"R"Us instead because they were running a deal on it! Don't be afraid to ask a store clerk if they happen to know (or have a way to find out) if the closest Babies"R"Us is selling what you want for cheaper!

3. Clerks can check inventory from other stores. Shopping for a necessity item that you need fast? Don't settle for a design or color that you don't want just because you gotta-have-it-now. Head over to the customer service counter and ask if they can search through the inventory. You could be just a few miles away from the item that you really want.

4. The coupons have limitations. Heading to the store with your coupon book in tow can be an exciting prospect, especially when you think you're about to get a great deal. But uh-oh... don't forget to check out the fine print on those "R"Us coupons! Almost all of the time, there will be a laundry list of things you can't buy, which more often than not includes things like toys! Don't get to the check-out station without thoroughly inspecting your fine print. You could be setting yourself up for an embarrassing moment at the check-out register when the coupon you thought was going to land you a big discount ends up not working at all!

5. Don't have any coupons? Ask for a discount. Shhh. You aren't supposed to know this... but the check-out clerks can frequently give you a discount, even if you don't have a coupon. And this isn't just limited to the "R"Us stores. Anyone who has worked in retail can tell you: they have the power to give a discount. The coupons that float out the door on the end of receipts and in flyers never all make it back, but the same discount button is used for all of them. Asking nicely and being polite to your check-out clerk can make a world of difference when it comes to the total on your bill. More often than not, they will be more than happy to give you the same discount that they are giving to those who remembered to bring a coupon from home.

6. Stay in the loop. You can learn a lot just by checking up on the Toys"R"Us website from time to time. Keep their info center book-marked so that you can click through it once a week. See a great deal or sale coming up on something that you want? Put it on your calendar so that you remember to take advantage of the savings.

7. Buy in bulk for the biggest discount of all. Did you know that if you take out a credit card with Toys"R"Us, they give you a discount that isn't subject to the same rules as the usual coupons are? You can get a huge (and immediate) savings by waiting until you are ready to take out a credit card to make all of your purchases. Get your one-time discount to really matter by making your big purchases or buying a year's worth of gifts all at once. Don't want an extra credit card? Make sure to pay off the balance when you get your first statement, or break it up into three equal payments and get rid of the balance in three months' time - just like layaway!

You can connect with Toys"R"Us or Babies"R"Us on their website. Or stay connected with them through social media on their Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post, and as always, my opinions are purely my own.

(The giveaway that was associated with this post has expired, please check out our giveaways tab for a list of available contests!)

Socks for a dollar? Bring it on!

If you've ever been to Target, then you most likely know that they have an entire section at the front of every store that is dedicated to dollar deals. Although they've recently added a few $2 & $3 items to the section, the majority of items can be snagged for just a buck.

The thing that I stock up on the most when I head over to Target? Socks for the kids. The bins are always full of socks that start at newborn-sized and end somewhere around kids 14. And the socks aren't 'lame' either... they're the kind that kids zero in on and beg for. They're also socks that I can get behind because they are sturdy, cute, and cheap. The sock designs change up frequently - we always see new ones whenever we shop. The thing I love most about it though is that they come out with awesome holiday designs. We picked up this adorable pair of black kitty socks for my daughter right around Halloween.

Socks for a dollar, just one of the many reasons I love Target. Check out a Target store near you to see what sort of socks you can grab this holiday season - they make awesome stocking stuffers, shop before the Christmas rush to get the best selection!

You can see more of what Target has to offer on their website, or you can stay in the loop by following them on social medias such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post, and as always, my opinions are purely my own.

(The giveaway that was associated with this post has expired, please check out our giveaways tab for a list of available contests!)

Love Disney Classics? Check Out This Box Set

Recently I was given the opportunity to participate in a blog post campaign from One2One Network and Walt Disney Records. I receive compensation for my sponsored posts, such as this one, in the form of goods, services, or money, but my words are 100% my own! For more information on my disclosure policy, please click here.

I was able to sample a CD from the box set this week, and when I started to play it, I was surprised at how many fond memories it brought up! I knew all of the songs, word for word - even though it had been years since I'd seen some of the movies. The first song, from The Little Mermaid, brought up some especially happy recollections since that was my favorite video when I was younger. I still remember that my grandma got it for my birthday (on VHS of course) and I played that tape until my mom begged me to watch something different!

My son, who hadn't seen all of the movies that correlate to the songs, was equally happy with the CD; although his happiness was mostly due to the fact that I was dancing around like a crazy person with him and singing all the songs in funny voices!

I've really been trying to peel my son off of the lure of technology lately, but at the same time I don't want him to feel like he's being punished or disallowed to do something. I think that if he knows there is a mini-ban on anything (like movies or TV), he's just going to want it more. CD's like this really help, because he knows that they are attached to some of his favorite movies (which appeases his need for TV), but at the same time I can get him interested in doing something else - like building his train set into a mini-city, or even pretending that he IS the Lion King.

CD's make a great gift for kids (and adults too!) not just because they are fun to listen to, but because they call out to us to use our imaginations and unwind for a little while. In today's ever-so-busy world of technology, that's really important!

You can check out the details on this box-set through Amazon at http://bit.ly/DCBoxSet. The box set officially released on November 12th, and is available for purchase wherever music is sold. There are 4 discs in the set with 94 original recordings. As a bonus, some box set purchasers will be able to download a new medley of Disney hits by the a capella YouTube sensations Peter Hollens & Alex G for free. You can check out the amazing way they recreate the Disney sound using only their voices at this link!

For more on Disney and their selection of music, visit their website at www.disneymusic.com, or connect with them on social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Wondershare Review - Save Old DVDs and Upgrade The Quality Your Videos

There comes a point in every person's life when they use a tool and think "How did I ever get by without this?". Whether that tool is a car with remote start for those hot sweaty days or snow-cold mornings, a drill that bends any way you need it to, or an automated baby swing that finally allows you some sleep; convenience is key to less stress, and anything that makes a task less stressful is worth it.

I recently was given a free copy of Wondershare's Video Converter Ultimate in exchange for my review. Over the many years that I've been using computers, I have learned to treat every computer product cautiously until proven safe or relevant. I've concluded that while not every tool in this program will be useful for every single person (some may be too complex for the average user), this software is something everyone can get some good use out of in today's ever-growing digital age.

For those less savvy in the tech world, don't fret just yet. Wondershare does a wonderful job of keeping its software very user-friendly to install and very user-friendly to play with. After following the instructions to install the program on your machine and registering your product, it looks like this:

You can see how user-friendly it is right off the bat. The interfaces are conspicuously shown and its clear what each button is for. You can start converting videos, music, and pictures within minutes of installation.

How this software can save you money:

Now as a parent, and I'm sure many parents have gone through this ordeal before...there is always that one DVD your kids love but never seem to take care of. Before you know it, their favorite movie you paid $20 for is all scratched up and unreadable. (The result being a waste of $20 and what would have been an otherwise occupied and happy child watching their movie.) The situation is mostly inevitable but luckily Wondershare helps us with that.

If you click on the menu options in the top left, then hit "Tutorial and FAQ" button, the program will open up your default browser to their tutorials page. From there you can select the option on how to make backup copies of DVDs you already own into virtually any format. Sounds simple enough, right?

And it can do even more:

Saving DVD movies isn't all this program has to offer though. In this advanced digital age, we capture life through cell phones, video cameras, voice recorders, and a plethora of other devices. Many of them have different ways of saving those precious or funny moments and what ends up happening is that a file made by one device can't be viewed on another. Again, Wondershare to the rescue. For instance, if you recorded a video on your iPhone and it can't play on your computer or Android device, you can just change the type of video it is to a type that can be played on any device.

As if that wasn't cool enough...

Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate can also download a webpage and make an audio or video file from it. For instance, with this function you can copy the address or URL of your favorite YouTube music video and paste it into the "Add URL" of the program. You then have the option of having the program make a file of the music video on your computer or just the music by itself as a mp3. This is all made easier by downloading the Wondershare Video Converter add-on if you use the Firefox Browser.

My favorite part?

You can increase or decrease the quality of a video. Why would you want to decrease it? Well, videos with less quality don't take up as much space on a computer or cellular device, and they are also more easily uploaded to a website like YouTube. By the same token, there are times you want the best quality of a video, such as for making DVDs or making copies of movies you already own on the computer. This program can make a subpar video captured with a cell phone and increase it to DVD-quality. Examples of this are shown in the pictures below.

As you can see from the screenshots above, the pictures on the left are from the original source while the pictures on the right are after they have been increased in quality by the program. It eliminated the blur almost completely and added more detail.

The list of utilities of this product go on and on. Burn DVDs of your videos, burn music CDs, edit videos with special effects, take multiple videos and merge them into one video, 3D conversions, add subtitles, edit music, screen recording function, or convert audio and video files to different sizes and types depending on your needs.

I was pretty impressed with this software and the obvious time & effort that the people at Wondershare have put into their product. I did not encounter any problems or bugs (glitches) while using it.

Bottom line?

Whether you are a new-comer to a product like this or a tech-savvy software junkie, the Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate is a program that I fully recommend.

For a more in-depth look into the technical specs of this software, click here.

Where to purchase?

If you're considering buying this software, we'd love it if you would help us keep our blog running by using one of our affiliate links to make your purchase. You can find this software on Amazon HERE.

Connect:

You can find out more about Wondershare on their website at www.wondershare.com. You can also follow them on social media through Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.

What do you think of this software? What feature do you think you'd use most?

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Wondershare Review - The Technical Details And More

For the computer geeks like myself who are interested in Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate, I wanted to list some of the great technical features here as an addendum to my original review. I was given this software for free in exchange for my opinion and review, but please understand that my words here are 100% my own. (For more information on our disclosure policy, please see the tab marked 'Let me disclose to you' at the top of this page.

First off, let me say that I was genuinely impressed by the different utilities of this program. My only real disappointment was that it lacked transitions in video editing, however, this isn't what the program specifically is for. Though I must add that for what video editing options it does have (cropping, gray-scaling, start/stop timing selection, etc.), it's quite good when you consider that this isn't the prime function of the software.

While the type of CPU and hard drive account for a large percentage of determining the speed when converting videos, the software does make a noticeable difference. When compared to other similar programs I have used in the past, Wondershare comes out on top in terms of reliability, ease of use, and its speed of conversion. My personal desktop, for which I used the program on, is equipped with a i5-3570k CPU, 8GB of DDR3 memory at 1600, x2 GTX 560 ti 1GB on SLI, and a 256GB OCZ Vertex 4 SSD running Windows 7 Ultimate. Having a quad-core or higher CPU will definitely decrease the time of video conversion, especially if it is a CPU with its own video processor (such as any 3rd or 4th generation Intel processor or AMD APU processor). Although such specs aren't necessary, as the system minimum requirements are as follows:

For Windows:
Supported OS: Windows NT4/2000/2003/XP/Vista/7, and Windows 8
Processor: >750MHz Intel or AMD CPU
Free Hard Disk Space: 100 MB or more
Memory: 256 MB or above

For Mac:
Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9
1GHz Intel processor or above;
At least 512M physical RAM

Now to get down to the bit more of detail I mentioned before, this converter program has a lot of options. The following output video formats are available for conversion (And their HD version if available):

.mp4 (HD version available)
.avi (HD version available)
.wmv (HD version available)
.mov (HD version available)
.m4v
.mkv (HD version available)
.xvid
.asf
.dv
.mpeg-1
.mpeg-2
.DVD-Video
.webm
.divx
.3gp
.3gp2
.mpg (HD only)
.ts (HD only)
.trp (HD only)

The picture examples in my original posting of this product were the results of converting a 720x480 video with an audio bit rate of 256kbps (2 channel stereo) to a high quality H.264 container 1920x1080 video with an audio bit rate of 320kbps (6 channel surround). The results, as you saw, were elimination of ghosting and some blurred pixels. The best all-around container you can use at the time of this writing is H.264 mp4.

Additionally, this program offers a way to convert audio files as well as converting video files to audio files. This means turning that favorite movie clip into a soundbite or that iTunes song into a universal mp3 format. The following output audio formats are available for conversion:

.mp3
.m4a
.ac3
.aac
.wma
.wav
.ogg
.ape
.mka
.au
.aiff
.flac
.m4b
.m4r


Before I wrap up the last part of this review, I do want to mention this software has no bloatware and no background processes. Its drain on your computer's resources are minimal until you begin a conversion process. However, as I mentioned before, how well your computer performs during that task depends on the hardware in it.

To see my overall review along with the pictures of the software in action, please click here.

You can take a look at Wondershare and the rest of their products at www.Wondershare.com or connect with them through their social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Elli & Nooli Recordable Pal Review

As some of my readers may know, my husband and I had our sleep schedule severely disrupted after we brought our daughter home from the hospital. Although this isn't uncommon in most families after a new baby enters their lives, our sweet little girl had a bit more trouble than usual when it came to sleeping alone.

Not only was she diagnosed with colic at around two months of age, but she continued to have difficulty being separated from us - especially when it came to me. This began to have a severe impact not only on my life as far as personal time goes, but emotionally and physically - I was drained. More than once a week, I would be so frustrated with the situation that I cried; often pouring my heart out to my husband even though he couldn't fix the situation.

I needed help in a bad way. Anything I did, if it involved setting my daughter down, she cried. We tried just about everything that was suggested to us to solve the problem, but in the end, we just had to ride it out and wait for our daughter to out-grow the colic.

Naps were one of the hardest struggles during this time period. In order for her to take a nap, someone had to be holding her, or she had to think someone was holding her. This was never easy, and we tried all sorts of things to trick her into thinking we were close by when she napped - the longer she slept, the better. This was our sanity time, and it was usually the only time I got during the day to get anything done!

Even after she outgrew the colic, naps remained our greatest struggle. Unfortunately she also outgrew most of our methods to get her to sleep... I couldn't nap with her on the bed and then quietly sneak away after she learned to roll and crawl... I couldn't stick her into the snug little baby swing so that she thought I was holding her after she surpassed the weight rating... I couldn't even put her in the baby sling across my chest anymore because she no longer fit!

Thankfully, sometime around her eighth month I had gotten an email from someone over at Elli & Nooli asking me if I'd heard about their Recordable Pal. I hadn't heard of it before, and I explained to them about our colic situation, and how discouraged we had been lately with our daughter's sleep issues. They were so kind and understanding of our problems, and offered to send us their Recordable Pal in exchange for our review on it. Please know that although they were good enough to send us this item for free, by no means does that have any influence on my opinion of their product. (For more on my disclosure policy, please see the tab at the top of this page marked 'Let me disclose to you'.)

I was so excited when I received the package in the mail. It came much faster than I had expected it to, and my husband and I opened the box on the way home from the post office. We were immediately impressed by the soft, cuddly appearance of the Recordable Pal and the sweet stitching around the eyes and nose reminded me of the homemade toys my great-grandmother used to make. I was pleased at how easy it was to use; the instructions were so simple and the buttons were very straight-forward. Plus it came with the batteries already in it!

On the right, there was a button to record my voice, or a song, or whatever I thought my baby would enjoy hearing. On the left, there was a button to play the sound I'd recorded. At the bottom, two little feet indicated the symbols for volume up or volume down. After pushing play, the directions indicated that the recording would play for half an hour in a loop before automatically shutting off. All I had to do was record my 20 seconds, the Recordable Pal would play that sound track in a loop, and (if all went as planned) the sound of my voice would allow my little sweetie to feel secure while she was sleeping!

It seemed perfect. I planned to record myself singing 'Jesus Loves Me', the same song I had sung to my son when he was younger to soothe him, but there just wasn't enough recording time for me to sing it all the way through. I had to think for a while about lullabies that were short enough to sing in 20 seconds, and finally chose 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'. It was short and sweet, and the melody was calm enough for a sleeping baby to listen to.

The results were amazing. I laid my baby down for her nap as usual after her feeding, and immediately clicked the button to play the song. She stirred for a few moments - getting ready to fuss - and then calmed. I held my breath as she tilted her head and then sighed in sleep.

Then I went into the hall and cried. I was so overjoyed at the thought of having a moment, a minute, maybe even an hour to myself. Unless you have lived through the colic experience, you just can't imagine the relief that accompanies a successful nap.

After using it for a while, I've found that my daughter often wakes up when the 30-minute auto shut-off kicks in, but I usually sneak in to manually restart the recording time before it can turn off, thus giving me another half hour on my 'nap-timer'. I love the fact that I can hang the Recordable Pal wherever I want using the convenient tie-straps, and I adore knowing my daughter will be able to keep this as a loveable stuffy as she gets older. I even wish I had one of these for myself as a child - my mother used to sing the Rubber Duckie song to me when I was little, and a keepsake of her singing it to me would be something I could cherish forever.

My final recommendation? Although I would have liked a longer recording time, there is no end to the amount of gratefulness I have for this product. If you want your child to have a solid nap (especially if you have a colicky baby), this is a wonderful and charming device to let your little one know that you are nearby. I love this item so much that I'm putting it on my 'must-have' list of recommendations - out of everything we've received for the baby so far, this has been used more than anything else. 

This product is a wonderful idea, has been a true sanity-saver for our family, and my extreme thanks goes out to the people at Elli & Nooli for sending us the Recordable Pal.

If you want to find out about the Recordable Pal for yourself, you can check out Elli & Nooli on their website at www.elliandnooli.com. Or, you can connect with them through social media on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Looking to purchase one now? Head over to their Amazon page here and you can buy one today!

Want a demo? Check out the short video below of me getting ready to test the Recordable Pal on YouTube.