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Tumble Leaf, an Amazon Studios Original Series, Entertains & Educates Preschool-Age Children & Older!

Preschool, Television, ,

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Amazon Studios. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and promotional item to thank me for participating.

Amazon Studios has a brand new show for preschool-age children called Tumble Leaf.  I’ve been an Amazon Prime member for years and buy more than 50% of our home goods on Amazon.com through my membership and didn’t realize Amazon Studios existed.  I’m really excited about it!

Here is a snapshot of the show.  Aren’t the characters adorable?

Tumble Leaf Amazon Original Preschool Series

My husband and daughter and I watched Tumble Leaf during breakfast the day after we received the screener DVD and even though Tumble Leaf is geared toward preschool age children, my 8-year-old daughter was fascinated by the colorful, vibrant show.  Within 3 minutes, she was engrossed in the  amazingly smooth stop-motion animation  and after the first episode I realized that she found the suspense of what special object Fig the Fox was going to find in his ‘finding spot’ next, too much to pass up.  I had to go to my office and work while she and my husband continued watching the series downstairs.   Poor me.  Apparently my daughter and husband found the rest of the episodes very funny because they were laughing out loud.

Tumble Leaf Amazon Series

About Tumble Leaf:

Each episode of Tumble Leaf follows a day in the life of “Fig the fox” who lives in a wrecked schooner ship by the sea and his best friend “Stick,” a caterpillar who lives in a tiny basket strapped to Fig’s forearm, as they discover adventure, friendship and love around every bend.  At the start of each day, Fig and Stick are eager to play and discover new things about his world, with his eyes, ears, mind and heart open to inspiration. By playing with an  object that he finds in his “finding place” in each episode, he learns about science, critical thinking and the world around him.

Watch the Tumble Leaf trailer

 

Tumble Leaf encourages critical thinking.  The star of Tumble Leaf, Fig the Fox, has a friend who happens to be a curious crab who places a simple object in Fig the Fox’s finding place every day.  Fig the Fox then brings the object on adventures with his friends and observes how the object works and how it can help solve problems.

Tumble Leaf, like all of Amazon’s children’s programs, is designed to inspire creative thinking through play. To ensure series are created to engage children while supporting educational goals, Tumble Leaf and all other Amazon kids preschool programs are developed with the support of an expert board of advisors led by Dr. Alice Wilder, one of the world’s foremost experts in educational and child psychology. Dr. Wilder is most well-known for her work as the producer and director of research and development for Blue’s Clues and Blue’s Room.

Watch the First Episode of Tumble Leaf FREE!

Watch the first episode of Tumble Leaf free HERE!  The first six episodes are now available for unlimited streaming on Prime Instant Video and an additional seven episodes will become available later this summer.   Prime members can watch Tumble Leaf on their iPad, iPhone, Amazon Fire TV, Kindle Fire, Roku, Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, and other connected devices.   If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you can watch the rest of the Tumble Leaf series.  If you’re not an Amazon Prime member, click here to get a 30-day free trial membership and get access to free two-day shipping on thousands of Amazon.com products, free shows and movies on Prime Instant Video, one free Kindle download every month, and more.

Tumble Leaf Android App ScreenshotGet the Free Android Tumble Leaf App!

Your child can play with the show’s characters in the free Tumble Leaf Android app featuring six games inspired by objects and activities from the show. Get the Tumble Leaf App now and start having fun!

More Amazon Studios Children’s Series Coming

Keep an eye on Amazon Studios for other children’s series coming this summer when Prime Instant Video will debut two more children’s series: Creative Galaxy on June 27, an interactive art adventure for preschoolers created by Angela C. Santomero (Super Why!, Blue’s Clues, Daniel Tigers Neighborhood), and Annedroids on July 25, a live-action adventure series for children ages four through seven about a brilliant scientist who just happens to be an 11-year-old girl created by JJ Johnson (Dino Dan) that stars AddisonHolley (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) and Adrianna Di Liello (Stage Fright).

 

 

HTC One M8 harman/kardon for Sprint

The HTC One M8 harman/kardon for Sprint: Amazing Photographs & Incredible Sound!

Brand Ambassador, Gadgets, Smartphones, Technology, , , ,

Mom Central Consulting

Perhaps the most exciting new Android smartphone on the market right now is the HTC One M8. It is truly something special and is available through all the major wireless carriers in the United States. However, the recently released Sprint edition, the HTC One M8 harman/kardon, offers users an even better overall experience.  It delivers even better audio quality than the regular version making it not just a great smartphone but an awesome media device.  

HTC One M8 harman/kardon for Sprint

If you have kids, you know what  I mean when I suggest that your smartphone is a media device.  You know how your smartphone transforms into a gaming console with the switch from adult to child’s hands?  Or a karaoke machine, a DJ, a mini movie theatre, and in our case, a bedtime story reader when I’m sick and can’t read to my daughter at night.**   

HTC One M8 Size & Sound

The HTC One M8 harman/kardon is slightly taller than last year’s version and slightly larger at 71 millimeters wide.  The screen is a full five inches with an HD display resolution of 1980 by 1080 pixels. Battery life is good with the 2600 mAh battery and should get most parents through a busy day.  Of course, you have access to plenty of apps courtesy of Google Play whether you are looking for entertainment, finance, games, social networking and so much more.  The Harman/Kardon Sprint HTC One M8 includes a special technology called Clari-Fi. It makes all types of digital music compressed to fit on your phone have a more natural sound when you are listening to music through headphones. This is what makes it unique to the general version of the smartphone that are available worldwide.   The sound quality is amazing.  I’m not kidding when I tell you this; I was laying in my daughter’s bed a few nights ago and we were watching and listening to one of the SAG Foundation stories being read by James Earl Jones.  There was a point during the 7 minute video that I looked around my daughter’s room because I heard music coming from the left side of me and swore an iPod or her radio came on and I was going to have to get up to turn it off.   In reality, it was the music from the story we were watching, transcending into a space I didn’t think sound from a phone could go.  It was as if she had surround sound speakers in her room.  It was really wild actually.

I can’t even compare the sound quality of the HTC One M8 harman/kardon and the iPhone 5s.   The sound quality is that different.  Like I said earlier, it’s like you’re holding a mini movie theatre in your hands or you’re at a live concert without the parking hassle and crowd.  The sound is really that good.  So, if you listen to music while you’re working, exercising, cleaning, cooking, putting the kids to bed (Enya is great for bedtime!), or enjoying a romantic dinner with your significant other, the HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon will immerse you in the music like never before.  Really.  I’m not exaggerating.   Go to your Sprint store and check it out for yourself!

Take Professional Looking Photos With UltraPixels

If you are a busy mom or dad you will find that the HTC One M8 harman/kardon is the ultimate smartphone for you.  It is made with a gorgeous all metal build that is highly durable and will be able to withstand a good deal of punishment, even when your kids get their hands on it. Like the original HTC One from last year, the camera of the M8 is 4 megapixels, or rather UltraPixels as HTC has dubbed them. The UltraPixels are meant to capture as much light as possible in your shots when you are in low-light situations.

One of my favorite ways to test a camera is by taking macro or close-up shots.  Here are a few photographs I took with the HTC One M8 harman/kardon.

Close up photo quality with HTC One M8

However, unlike the original HTC One, the One M8 has dual rear-facing cameras. The purpose of this is to offer more depth in your photos, which is great when you are chasing your kids around to snap the best possible pictures. There is also a feature called UFocus that allows you to capture a photo and then go back to it to edit it when you are ready. Blurring the background will make your images look even better as it more effectively emphasizes the object or person of your focus.

Photo taken with HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon

As a parent, I enjoy the Zoe feature, which is the ability to capture video clips that are three seconds long and made up of 20 still shots. The HTC One M8 captures this each time you snap a photo.  Later, you can choose individual frames that you would like to use to make up a quick video for memorizing those special moments.

Keep Up With Your Social Media With BlinkFeed!

One of the biggest features of the phone is BlinkFeed. This appeared on last year’s HTC One and offers a refreshing look to your home screen that stands out in comparison to other Android smartphones.  You can choose among news and social network feeds you want to appear on your home screen so that you do not have to go digging for it. It is a great way to keep up with current events and with family and friends with whom you are connected on Facebook or Twitter.

Is It Easy To Transition From Other Phone and/or OS?

Overall, the HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon has definitely replaced my iPhone.   I have been anxious for a larger iPhone to be released and while it looks like that may happen sometime, I am very happy with the HTC One M8, even being the Apple girl I am.  HTC makes the transition from an iPhone, or any phone for that matter, to an HTC easy with the HTC Sync Manager.  I had my iTunes music on the HTC One M8 in no time and to top it off, I get to listen to the music from the phone OR from the amazing Harman Kardon Onyx Studio which connects to my HTC One M8 via Bluetooth and produces the most amazingly full and crisp sound.  The Harman Kardon Onyz Studio is a definite addition to our vacations this summer as we love to listen to music wherever we are and it is so portable, there’s no reason not to bring it along.

Sprint Sound Sessions / Spotify 20 Million Songs = Super Fun Summer Road Trips!

Spotify Free for 6 months with SprintAs a part of Sprint’s new Sprint Sound Sessions, Sprint is giving customers access to Spotify’s catalogue of more than 20 million songs.  I listen to music while I work, exercise, clean, and in the car.  I have music on 80% of my waking hours.   Sometimes even while I shower and definitely when my daughter bathes.  Talk about belting out a song in the shower!

Spotify on the HTC One M8 allows users to play music on demand, create playlists, discover new music, share tracks with their friends, listen to songs offline, and listen to music without ads across multiple devices.  Access to Spotify allows you to listen to millions of songs on the go.  It has been really nice to be able to listen to songs I didn’t already have in my music library, from my HTC One M8 via Spotify.   Think about how much easier your upcoming summer road trips will be with a service like Spotify on your phone.  Sprint is offering Sprint Framily Members Spotify for FREE for 6 months with the purchase of a HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon, for a limited time. When is a better time to take advantage of a deal like that than right before summer road trips?

 

#SprintMom Sprint Ambassador

I hope this review helps you, especially if you’re wondering if the boost in sound quality and the transition from another smartphone operating system is easy or not.   It is!

Stay tuned (sign up for my daily rss/email updates in the box at the top of the right column) for more reviews of devices offered through Sprint as I enjoy being a #SprintMom Sprint Ambassador during which I will test various Sprint devices and service options over the course of the year.

Enjoy!

Alicia

 

If you haven’t checked out SAG Foundation’s storybook website, bookmark it today and next time you lose your voice and can’t read bedtime stories to your kids, go to the website and choose from one of the many books for your child’s bedtime story.  Actors including Annette Bening, Elijah Wood, and Betty White, read wonderful stories in a video so kids get that sense of being read to and get to see and experience the book as if it were in their hands.   The HTC One M8 harman/kardon sound really helps the books come to life!

 

ALDI Award-Winning Wine Review

Food and Drink, New posts, , ,

ALDI wine review

I didn’t know much about ALDI until recently.  ALDI and Mom Central Consulting offered me the opportunity to shop at a local ALDI to purchase wine from their line-up of award-winning international exclusive wines, and other treats.   While I didn’t find the manager of our local ALDI store very helpful when we asked questions about the wine selection, we have enjoyed the wine very  much.  My husband said that when he asked the manager which wines he would recommend, he said “Well, I’m not actually much of a wine drinker so I can’t help you there” and he walked off.   It seems to me that the manager should have had some training on the wines and could have spoken in a more positive and encouraging tone.  Also, the shelves we all out of whack with wines in the wrong place and manyo f the wines were even turned the wrong way so you couldn’t see the label.  I hate to gripe though, so I’m moving on now.  That situation doesn’t affect my decision to return to ALDI to buy wine again in the future honestly.

ALDI’s wine prices are great with award-winning wines starting at just $5.99 and going up to just about $10.  Great prices, huh?

For a recent get together we enjoyed two award-winning 85 point wines from ALDO’s: Sunshine Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc ($6.99) and Chaza Moscato ($4.99) paired with assorted cheeses, vegetables, onion dip, sausage balls, and fruit.

We’ve already planned a trip back to ALDI to pick up more wine for our Christmas Eve and Day meals.

About ALDI:

Known for its premium exclusive brands, ALDI offers more than 1,400 of the most frequently purchased grocery items for up to 50 percent less than traditional supermarkets. Customers can get all the holiday essentials for less, including everything from wines and appetizers to main courses, side dishes and desserts, making holiday meals and family gatherings warm and memorable. During the holiday season, ALDI stores also carry an additional line-up of more than 100 seasonal items at unbeatable prices.

Connect with ALDI:

ALDI Website

ALDI Smartphone App

Disclosure: “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of ALDI and received a gift certificate to facilitate my review.”

Alicia Hagan, Editor

News: I’m breaking up with my old appliances

Frigidaire, New posts, , ,

Frigidaire Test Drive Mom

The breakup is scheduled for the end of the month. I told them it’s not them.. it’s me. I don’t want to hurt their feelings as we’ve had some good times.

Here’s the story.. Mom Central recently offered an unknown number (to me) of mommy bloggers the opportunity to be a Test Drive Mom for a new line of appliances. The application stated that 40 applicants would receive one appliance and 8 additional applicants would be chosen to receive all 5 appliances.

I am thrilled to announce that I am a Smalllogo Test Drive Mom and was chosen to receive 5 newSmalllogo appliances! Now you see why I’m breaking up with my old appliances.

Over the next couple of months I will post personal reviews, photographs, and videos of my experiences with my new Smalllogo appliances.

Frigidaire Test Drive Mom

About Frigidaire’s new collection and how you can participate:

This month Smalllogo rolls out a brilliant new collection with more than 250 kitchen and laundry appliances, just in time for Mother’s Day! They designed these high-performance products with easy-to-use, time-saving features to give Moms more free time away from the kitchen and laundry room. A dream come true!

I am so excited about the time I will save just by using these new appliances. No more wondering if my 30+ year old washing machine is going to go ka-put mid-wash or running the dryer for 2 cycles just to get the clothes dry. My washing machine was purchased by my parents when I was about 2 years old! It’s been running for over 30 years and for that I am grateful.

Smalllogo recently conducted a survey to get a window into moms’ lives.
The Smalllogo Motherload Index revealed that Moms log more overtime than most Americans. Imagine that! The index found that moms spend most of their waking lives – 200 hours each month, in fact – doing the activities we least enjoy rather than the things we love. And yet the majority of us say we “rarely” or “never” feel caught up on our household tasks. Smalllogo kept all of this in mind when designing their new appliances. With new features such as a six-minute PowerPlus™ preheat time on their ovens, a Quick Clean dish washing cycle that cuts the time it takes in half to clean our dishes, the Fits-More™ Dryer that allows us to dry the whole family’s clothes at once, and TimeWise™ technology to make the dryer and washing cycle equal, we can have enough time to read a few extra bedtime stories, or bake some cookies!Smalllogo has so much confidence in the efficiency of these products that they are offering a “More Me-Time” Guarantee: Moms will reduce the amount of time they typically spend on housework by at least 8 hours a month using a combination of three or more select Smalllogo appliances or they can return the appliances to their place of purchase within 30 days and get their money back!

Frigidaire Test Drive Mom


Get in on the fun!

Smalllogo wants to know what you would do if you had an extra hour of blissful “me-time”. Starting May 8th, moms can go to Frigdaire.com to report the five things they would do with an extra hour each day. All participants will be entered for a chance to win an entire suite of NEW Frigidaire appliances. Plus, check out other prizes you can win – like a gorgeous new Smalllogo Affinity washer/dryer.

Become a Smalllogo Facebook Fan! Say that ten times in a row.

Many thanks to MomCentral.com and Frigidaire for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be a Smalllogo Test Drive Mom!