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Bluetooth Technology for Health and Home

October 22, 2016 by Emilee Evans

Bluetooth technology has made a lot of things easier! Connecting no longer requires wires and opens up the door to many possibilities. I am a big fan of convenience and definitely appreciate what Bluetooth technology offers!

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate my review. Regardless, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. Please refer to my Disclosure Policy for more information.
Beets BLU offers a variety of electronics with Bluetooth Smart support. Their products use a modern communication protocol Bluetooth Smart (Bluetooth 4.0) and work directly with most smartphones (iPhone 4S and later, iPad 3 and later, Android 4.3 and later with Bluetooth 4.0).
For my review I received the Wireless Heart Rate Monitor and Wireless Key Finder.

Bluetooth Technology – Wireless Heart Rate Monitor Review

The Beets BLU Wireless Heart Rate Monitor includes the Pod and Strap. It is used simply by snapping the Pod onto the Strap. The adjustable Strap is made of an elastic material. I adjust it to a comfortable length ensuring the electrodes are against my skin. As with many heart rate monitors, it is recommended to wet the electrodes before putting it on. It is definitely helpful.
What I found most unique about this wireless heart rate monitor is that it doesn’t require its own app. I have tried a few heart rate monitors and most of them required their own app and only worked with that app. This wireless heart rate monitor is compatible with many different health and fitness apps (over 35!). The device is paired within the application.

I have my wireless heart rate monitor paired with the MapMyFitness App. It was extremely easy to pair. The strap is easy to adjust and comfortable. The snaps are a little tough for me, though. It usually takes multiple attempts for me to get it snapped completely. It works well, and I never need to turn it on and off as it automatically goes into sleep mode after it loses contact with the skin. I continue using it regularly with no issues and love that I have a quick and easy option to monitor my heart rate.

Bluetooth Technology – Wireless Key Finder

I don’t know about you, but I’m always losing stuff. The Beets BLU Wireless Key Finder is helpful for more than just keys! You can track any valuables within 33 feet. You can also attach it to wallets, bags, cameras, etc. It uses the sonar function of the PagerTag app to send an alarm.
After installing the PagerTag App (which I found easily in the iOS App Store) I paired it with the wireless key finder. Pairing it actually sets up an encrypted channel between the phone and device. So only your phone will have access to it. This also makes it impossible to pair it with another smart phone, though it can be reset when needed. The app is easy to find and install, but it took me a bit of time playing around with it to figure out exactly how to use it.

Once I got the hang of how to use it, though, it surely does come in handy! The alarm is loud and clear. If you happen to be out of range, you can set up an out of range alarm. It has a variety of features and options. Again, it took me quite a bit of time navigating the app to get the settings I thought were best. I love that is has so many options! This is definitely a gadget that makes things much easier!

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Improve Joint Health with NeoCell Joint Bursts

October 16, 2016 by Emilee Evans

We have really enjoyed NeoCell products. The NeoCell Corporation is a leader in the natural supplement, skin care and health and wellness industries. They are actually the largest collagen company in the world! NeoCell products are designed to promote youth, beauty and wellness, and I’ve had the opportunity to try a variety of their products. When they asked if my husband would like to try and share a Joint Bursts review, I thought it was a great idea!
Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this review. Regardless, all opinions are my own and those of my family.
For our review he received the new Joint Bursts as well as their Super Collagen Powder.

Joint Bursts Review

The idea of the Joint Bursts really reminded me of the Beauty Bursts, which continues to be one of my favorite NeoCell products. The Joint Bursts combine Collagen Type 2, Turmeric, and Hyaluronic Acid in a tasty tropical chew. They are designed to help keep joints hydrated and healthy. After learning more about them, I was excited! I love that they combined their amazing collagen supplements with turmeric. I actually take turmeric daily for my own chronic pain. I was definitely hopeful this supplement would help my husband’s chronic pain!
As with the other great NeoCell supplements, the Joint Bursts are all-natural and contain no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, gluten, or GMO ingredients. They are individually wrapped in a chewable form, which can definitely be easier to take than pills and capsules! My husband doesn’t have a great record for taking his supplements regularly, but he could easily remember to take them every day. He did notice an improvement in his joints after the first week or so. He loves that it’s easy to take and tastes great, too.

Super Collagen Powder Review

The NeoCell Super Collagen Powder contains a different type of collagen. It contains Collagen Type 1 and 3. It not only helps support bones but also provides benefits for the skin, nails and even circulation as well. Simply add it to a glass a water! It’s soluble and is basically flavorless. My husband had a harder time remembering to use this one regularly, but he has been using it in conjunction with the Joint Bursts. I do believe it has added to the effects.
I am so glad my husband has found some relief, and that it’s in a form that is easy to take (and remember to take)!

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Freezer Meals Made Easy {MyFreezEasy Review}

October 12, 2016 by Emilee Evans

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Please refer to my Disclosure Policy for more information.
Freezer meals have always been something I know would make things a little easier, but I didn’t know where to start. Despite multiple pins it still just felt like it was something that wasn’t attainable. When I was presented with the opportunity to share a MyFreezEasy review, I was thrilled! I was ready to jump right in with the MyFreezEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership.

What excited me most about MyFreezEasy is not that it offers detailed information and meals plans for freezer meals, but that it was designed to make freezer meals easy. As a busy homeschooler and homemaker, anything that saves time is a huge blessing. Freezer meals have always seemed overwhelming due to the time required to prepare the meals. I knew that it would save time and be better overall, but 2-3 hours of preparation? It didn’t sound too difficult, but it was surprising how hard it was to set aside that time!
Of course, as someone who has never prepared freezer meals, there was a major learning curve as well. With so many different ingredients and meals, it got overwhelming quickly. That’s why I was so encouraged by MyFreezEasy. MyFreezeEasy offers meal plans and instructions for creating 10 meals in less than an hour. That definitely sounded like something I could easily commit to!

MyFreezEasy offers a variety of different meals plans including: Traditional Plan, Gluten-Free Plan, Slow Cooker Plan, Clean Eats Plan, 20 Meals Plan, All Chicken Plan, All Ground Beef Plan and All Pork Chop Plan. I love that there are different options. The Traditional Meal Plan and 20 Meals Plan offers a variety of different meals for both the slow cooker and oven. If you prefer the slow cooker, you’re all set! If you need gluten-free options, the Gluten-Free Plan not only has gluten-free meal plans but also tips for making sure ingredients are gluten-free. If a certain meat is on sale at your local grocery store, you can use one of the plans for that specific type of meat.
Members get access to all 8 of the meal plans each month. They are only available in your account for that month but can be downloaded as a PDF for later use. I love this because we quickly discovered a few favorites that I definitely plan on making again! It’s also great to receive a set of new meals each month! There is even a Build Your Own Meal Plan option! It’s really so flexible!

MyFreezEasy Review

To get started, I chose the Traditional Plan for my first time. I did this for a couple of reasons – I wanted to have a variety and because the Traditional Plan has a step-by-step video for preparing the meals. It’s recommended to start with watching this video even if you do choose another plan. Because I am completely new to (or basically new to) freezer meals, I figured this would be the best place to start. I actually watched the video while preparing the meals and paused as necessary while I went.
Shopping for the Traditional Plan was easy. With each meal plan there is a list of ingredients to print out (or save on your phone). I chose to print out the list that included the sides and listed ingredients by sections in the store. It was so easy, and having a list made my whole shopping trip that much shorter.

Freezer Meal Prep Day

On Prep Day I laid out all ingredients on my table. Unfortunately, we have a tiny kitchen with no counter space, so this is the best way for me to prepare the meals.

The first time, it did take me a little longer, which is expected. Plus, since I was following the video step-by-step, this delayed it as well. I still got it all done under 2 hours, though, which was still exciting for me! As I prepared meals the next time, it definitely went much quicker.
With the Traditional Plan for September, there were a few more pre-prep ingredients. Because I was using my stove for those ingredients, I did have to go back and forth from the kitchen to dining room. I do feel if I had watched the video first rather than during, this time would have been quite a bit faster. I did use some of my fancy kitchen tools to make things easier, though, like a mandolin for slicing onions. Meat scissors would have also been very helpful! Even without fancy tools, though, I do think it’s possible to make the 10 meals in less than an hour.

Building the Meals

There are different ways to build the meals – by ingredient or by recipe. I chose to do so by recipe mostly because that’s what was in the video. I have chosen to stick with this method, though, and it works well for me. With everything laid out and prepped, it was easy to just put the meals together. I love how the ingredients for the recipes work together to make it quick and easy! I actually think it’s kind of fun, too!
I did find I was able to leave out and/or substitute ingredients to better fit my family’s taste. Then I simply printed out the labels (which also includes cooking instructions) and stuck them to the bags or lids. Easy!

Overall, I find MyFreezEasy to be the solution I was looking for. The meals are easy to shop for and prep and it saves me time and money. I’ve had a lot less waste in both my fridge and pantry, and I can continue to make and freeze meals to have a variety of meals for dinners to come! It’s really been a great blessing for our family. I wake up and simply dump a meal into the slow cooker or get ready to bake a meal about an hour or so before dinner. That’s it! Now we have good meals made at home!

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Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting Review

October 7, 2016 by Emilee Evans

We have delayed and/or struggling readers and writers in our home. It definitely can be challenging, but we’re always excited to discover resources that can help. Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting from Everyday Education, LLC is one of those resources. It offers a step-by-step program for teaching children to read well and have beautiful handwriting. This is exactly what our children need, so I was definitely excited for the chance to review it.

Everyday Education, LLC offers a variety of homeschool resources and information. They offer resources that help families streamline necessities for the homeschool to have time for more important things. Additionally, they offer homeschool resources for teaching language arts from preschool to high school.
For our review, we received the digital version of Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting. It can be downloaded to any device and accessed as a PDF. The ebook can be printed multiple times for use within the same family, so I have been using it with both of our boys (ages 10 and 6). It contains 60 phonics-based lessons with italic handwriting that progresses from straight to slant and joined. It can be used both as a primary or supplemental teaching tool. We have been using it as a supplement.
The beginning of the Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting ebook has an extensive Foreword and Introduction. It is a very thorough introduction to the program including tips, suggested schedule, reading time and more as well as how to use this program. Additionally, the 1st Chapter dives further into tips for teaching. By the time I was done reading through all of them, I understood the concepts of the program, how to use it properly for the children with different needs (one is struggling while the other is just beginning), and why this method is recommended. I was definitely impressed with all the information it included.

Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting Review

To teach this program to a beginning reader versus a delayed reader/struggling writer is a little different. With our youngest, we progressed slowly – about 5-10 minutes a day, 5 days per week. This schedule is ideal for him. He does know many of the letter sounds, but it was a great way to introduce the program without overwhelming him. The writing, in particular, overwhelms him as he feels it’s something he just can’t do. Doing a little at a time has been helpful. Although he has still been hesitant about writing, he has continued to progress without fuss or complaint. That alone is encouraging!
Our oldest son is a delayed reader, but he knows his letter sounds. We were able to skip some sections as recommended in the “School age children that are already reading” schedule. If we run into things that are more challenging, I will switch to the “student with learning challenges” schedule, which is the same as the beginning readers. For now, we have been working about 10 minutes each day, 5 days per week. We skip “Introduction,” “Sound Out,” and “Read” and focus on the writing.
Because he struggles with writing, it’s definitely not his favorite thing to do. In fact, if it were up to him, he wouldn’t do it at all. Because Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting teaches handwriting in this “Italic” fashion, though, I have found he’s much more receptive. He finds this style easier on his hands and easier to use in general. 20 of the letters are made in one stroke, which is very helpful for those with fine-motor challenges. The less he has to pick up the pencil, the better! Plus the letters are more oval than circular, which doesn’t seem like a big difference, but I’ve been surprised the difference it does make!

Progressing Through Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting

The Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting book starts in chapter two with the simplest of exercises – simply tracing the letters. What an ideal introduction, though! They introduce the writing style right away. Then as we progress through each lesson, they are already familiar with the writing style. With our youngest, I didn’t have to do a lot of explaining as writing the letters is still fairly new to him. With our oldest, though, I did point out the differences in the letter styles so he would recognize it right away. While tracing the letters I did also make it a point to emphasize the letter sounds particularly for our youngest.
Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting then breaks up into lessons. The lessons include short words focusing on a specific vowel sound followed by writing sentences using these words. Writing independently was a little more challenging for our youngest, so we really focused on tracing the letters, and I just continued to encourage him. Although it seems he may be progressing more slowly, I do definitely feel he is progressing.
We print out the lessons as needed, but you could surely print the entire ebook at once. I simply print out what we need for that week. I, personally, only print out the pages they will be writing on and read the words on the iPad from the PDF. I’m always a big fan of saving paper!
Overall, I do find Perfect Reading, Beautiful Handwriting to be an effective tool for beginning and struggling readers. Although we use it as a supplement, I do think it would also work well as a primary learning tool for beginning readers and writers.

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Members of the Homeschool Review Crew have been using various resources from Everyday Education, LLC with their families. Check out their reviews by clicking on the banner below!

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