Riders Republic Video Game Review #UbiSoft #PS5 #UbiStars #Gamer

 *We are UbiStars game reviews and sent a digital copy of this game for review* 

Are you looking for a gift for a gamer on your Holiday List? Trying to find fun ways to connect with family and friends online? I highly recommend the new UbiSoft game Riders Republic. We reviewed it on the PS5. It is also available on the XBOX systems.

Join a massive multiplayer community and participate in an avalanche of diverse activities as you shred the snow, mud and dirt in real time with others! Squad up with your friends and take on downhill races, dominate maps in team vs team competitions, or challenge yourself in PvP modes and Events. If you're up for some insane action, throw yourself into mass races and be the first to cross the finish line.

Join more than 50 PLAYERS SIMULTANEOUSLY live on screen and witness other's biggest wins and worst fails in a living, breathing world! Gather in vibrant social hubs and meet with a wild community of fellow riders.

My husband and son both played and reviewed this game. We had 2 copies so we could fully utilize the online game play. It is a big factor for our family to buy a game if it has online multi player. We are able to game with family and friends. A great way to stay connected and have fun!

My husband's review:

-Very good visual graphics

- Fluid gameplay tricks 

- Innovative multi sport races 

- Online multi player races 

- Populated world environment 

- Popular land marks 

- Fun and silly story lines 

- Daily item shop is nice feature but lacking content 

- Able to earn points towards item shop purchases 

- Fun soundtrack music playlists 

- Character customization nice feature but lacking depth and detail, somewhat basic 

 -Ability to compete in one vs one matches online with friends very fun 

- Level up and reward system helps with replay 

- Realistic environment with random animals wildlife and scale recreation of US national landmarks

My son loves Giraffes so he definitely had to buy the Gigi the Bouncer outfit. The item shop had some good options. He is hoping to buy more in the future and maybe even some crossovers.

He loved how you could ride a bike in a grassy area with jumps and then switch to snowboarding down a mountain. So much game play there is no way to be bored! The replay value on this game is well worth the cost of the game. (I have spotted it on sale at many retailers and the UbiSoft website). His favorite is the hang glider with motor mode.

Mass Race is one of my favorite modes in the game. You have 3 parts of a big race that have different game modes. You can be snowboarding down a mountain then hang gliding over cliffs and end with mountain biking on a course, all while seeing and competing with people in real time. We are a competitive family when it comes to gaming so we had a blast trying to come in first place.

I have always been a fan of games with bike riding, skiing, snowboarding and hang gliding. They are relaxing and casual fun to have gaming. Riders Republic has aced that but then added beautiful true to life scenery and an online community to play with. This game gets a A+ from my family!

Immortals Fenyx Rising Video Game Review #Gamer #UbiStars

 *We are UbiStars game reviews and sent a digital copy of this game for review*

Immortals Fenyx Rising is an uplifting and witty take on the open world action-adventure genre and is full of rewarding exploration through dynamic traversal. Sprint across open fields, climb enormous mountains and glide through the skies to discover all the secrets of each region inspired by the Greek gods across the Golden Isle. Immortals Fenyx Rising by Ubisoft is rate T for Teen. 

My son played this game the most out of all of us! He wrote a great review. He has been learning about writing opinion papers in school. A game review was the perfect opportunity to blend school and entertainment. An added bonus was he wanted to learn more about the history behind some of the gods. Games and schooling for a win!!!

Review by my son:

Immortals Fenyx Rising is a very good game! I love how there is a dialogue between parts of the game play story that goes on as you play. I feel like the game could have more Gods like Artemis the Goddess of the hunt or Cerberus the warden of the underworld. If the game had more DLC content like the recently released Chinese Mythology that would be awesome. I like that the game play is a similar in this DLC but has different Chinese legends like NuWa. I feel there is a need to keep adding DLC content to keep the game interesting with replay value.

The game has fantastic features like the wings that allow you to soar through the skies and it lets you double jump. The climbing is great and reminds me of BOTW (Breath of the Wild, Legend of Zelda). The game feels somewhat like a Assassins' Creed for the younger gamers. It even has Gods you can interact with. In the beginning of the story you talk to Hermes where he begs you to help him through the temple of Gods. In the end of the story everybody is turned from good to bad by the final boss. It is similar to Gannon in the BOTW game. 

The combat is AMAZING! I love that there is light and heavy attacks but more weapon options are needed. Also you should be able to breed, groom and customize your own horse but I am not sure how to actually get a horse in the game! I bought the Adventure Time bundle that came with a hat, armor, Phosphor skin and a horse that is a Unicorn. The fact that there is crossover bundles is awesome, I hope more are coming soon.

The customization for Fenyx is wonderful. I can get it to look just like me, but it would be great if they had more hairstyles. 

Last but not least the godly powers are great! For example, Hercules strength allows you to pick up nearly anything in the game and throw it. Apollo's arrow allows you to control the flight path of the arrow therefore you can see from a camera on the arrow. More godly powers would be cool too. Like Mercury's speed or something within Greek mythology. 

I want you guys at Ubisoft to take your time, make it the best game possible because I love Ubisoft as a company. Why? because you guys gave us great titles like Rayman, Trails, Assassins' Creed and the greatest of all Brawlhalla, which I still play to this day! I am sorry for how long it took me to write my review. I have school and well I really had to do a playthrough to learn how great of a game Immortals Fenyx Rising is.

P.S. Thank you for choosing us for UbiStars!

Sincerely, 

GG

(You can download a free demo for the game HERE)

Sea-Band for Mamas and More Review #MomsMeet #ad

 *I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are my own.

When I was pregnant with my son I suffered with severe morning sickness, well all day sickness until I discovered Sea-Band. I did not want to take any medications for the nausea and vomiting but could not figure out a natural way to help me. After some online research my husband went to the store and came back with Sea-Band. I try to look for natural remedies for health ailments and I thought its only a blue bracelet won't cause any harm to try them. Sea-Bands are acupressure bands that fit around your wrist just like a sweat band-with a pressure stud sewn inside. 

At first it felt a little tight like I needed to pull it a bit to make it fit with pressure but not much. After wearing it for a day I did not see too much relief but I think I was so focused on if it felt like they were working that stressing about it was not helping with nausea. The next day I wore them all day and did feel a lot less nauseated. I would put them on as soon as I woke up because I wanted to avoid any feeling of being sick to my stomach. For the remainder of my pregnancy they were my accessory to motherhood, my baby blue bracelets. 

I had significantly fewer headaches while I was using them too. I think it was due to the acupressure benefits of the bracelets. My son is 7 now but I still have those little blue bracelets for road trips and headaches.

Recently I saw a co-worker wearing them and asked her if they were Sea-Bands. She started to rave about how amazing they are for nauseousness just like I do anytime I see another fellow Sea-Band believer!

• Sea-Band is a knitted elasticated wrist band, which operates by applying pressure on the Nei Kuan acupressure point on each wrist by means of a plastic stud. The bands can be worn on each wrist whenever you feel nauseous.
• Recommended by midwives and pregnant women around the world, the Sea-Band Mama! acupressure wrist band provides a natural choice for effective morning sickness relief.
• Scienti c studies have proved that one of the most effective drug-free treatments is Acupressure on the P6 (Nei- Kuan) point between the two central tendons near the wrist.
• For Instructions on positioning the Sea-Band Mama! bands, please see this page: sea-band.com/mama/sea-band.
• Recently, JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) recommended acupressure and Ginger as solutions to relieve morning sickness. An Italian study has also found that morning sickness was reduced in 70% of women who used Sea-Band acupressure bands.

Sea-Band Mama has some products on the market that I would like to try next time I need to cure nausea for pregnancy or may even be worth a try for my headaches. The Essential Oils Rollette contains Lime, Spearmint and Ginger that can be beneficial aromatherapy for nausea. You can buy Sea-Band products at Target, Walgreens, CVS and Walmart.

Since I do suffer from migraine headaches I like to wear my Sea-Bands when I feel like I maybe getting a headache, it can help stop them from becoming too intense. Early in the week I was wearing them as I cleaned up after my son was playing super heroes and reading a book in the living room. They come in many colors but I still love my light baby blue ones.

Handmade Jewelry from Around the World: Novica Review and Giveaway #handmade4life

*I was provided complimentary items to review for this post. The opinions expressed are my own.

I have enjoyed Novica products for a few years now and I always love to support their artist with my purchases. I like that Novica is a company that brings together artist from all over the world to be able to sell their products online. I have many great products from Novica that are from Mexico including jewelry and kitchenware. This time shopping I wanted to try a different region of the world for my jewelry. I found an artist in Thailand that had beautiful jewelry, great reviews and sterling silver. I have sensitive skin and have to purchase silver or gold jewelry. Her pieces are affordable and light weight. I wear jewelry to work everyday and I am constantly needing new pieces to wear.

I had a hard time selecting which pieces to select for my review since Aoy has many beautiful items. I wear my hair down often at work so I decided on a pair of dangle earrings, Handcrafted Sterling Silver Dangle Earrings with Spirals Whirl. I love the movement of the silver balls and the whimsy of the spiral. They are very lightweight, somewhat delicate making them easy to wear for a full work day. They are very cheerful to wear and I enjoying sharing that I found them on Novica.

I have learned over the years necklaces for me have to be versatile. I have a few necklaces I have only wore a few times because they are so very specific in their style and I knew this time I needed to make a more practical choice. I wanted to have another piece of jewelry from Aoy in Thailand so I selected the Sterling Silver Pendant Necklace, Filigree Moon. I have received many compliments from my customers at work on the filigree motifs in my crescent moon necklace. I like that the pendant feels sturdy and well made, the ball chain is a bit fragile but I have other chains I can put the moon on if I need to.



My jewelry was handmade by a woman from Thailand who is lovingly called Aoy. Here is some information on the artist:

"At our workshop, we still work with our hands to craft our jewelry collections, because we believe it is our duty to preserve this ancient art form."

"Sawasdee ka! My name is Rudklow Patanaanunwong, but everyone calls me Aoy. I come from a warm family environment from Bangkok, though I am an only child. I hold Bachelor and Master Degrees in Economy from Northeastern University."

"My intention after graduation was to work for the Bank of Thailand, but I changed my mind when I met my husband. We got married and I moved to Chiang Mai, where my husband has a silversmith workshop. I began to work there to help him."

I am happy to share that we are hosting a giveaway for a $35 Gift Code to Novica.com for one lucky reader. There are so many great items at Novica, more than jewelry there are gifts, housewares, clothing, bags, art and more.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Dec. 22 2016 and ends on January, 6 at 12:01 am PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Fall Field Trips and Keen Footwear #boundlesswonder

* I received a pair of Keen shoes to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Post by-Laura

The Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The cool air, the falling leaves, nature turning colors, it's amazing. It is also a time for pumpkin patches and trips to local farms to see all the Fall foods being harvest. We recently visited a local farm in Auburn CA on a school field trip for my son. I knew when we were getting ready for the day that it would require more than his favorite Keen sandals that I cannot get off his feet, he only wants to wear them. He tried wearing his Keen sandals in the rain the other day, I had to put my foot down on that. He did wear his new Keen Encanto Wesley High Top sneaker on this field trip.

I knew from previous years I did not want him wearing clunky rain boots on this field trip so he could run and play without burden. The Keen kid shoes offer him the flexible support he needs and with a padded collar for comfort. The shoes are okay for light rain but not puddles so I knew they would be perfect for a sunny Fall day on the farm. This is also his first big boy tie shoe that I am excited to be teaching him to tie his shoes on.

We walked all over this amazing big family farm for a few hours. We explored our way through a kiwi maze, we gathered chestnuts and ate them freshly roasted, we visited a "haunted" bathroom and explored a pumpkin patch all without the battle of him complaining boots are too heavy or uncomfortable.

He will definitely let me know if he does not like a shoe I have bought him. He will not wear one and will give a very detailed reason as to way. Over the last few years switching to Keen footwear as a regular shoe for my son he no longer complains of achy feet. I love the quality and durability of Keen footwear. My son always outgrows a Keen before he totally beats it up, to me that is a great shoe!

I loved seeing my son smiling on a beautiful Fall day exploring a family farm. We learned so much from the family farm about harvesting, planting, growing and ways to incorporate farming into our own lives.

Fall in Love with Lakeshore Learning Toys and Homeschooling Resources #homeschool

* I received toys to review for this post from Lakeshore Learning, all opinions expressed are my own.

As a homeschooling mom I am constantly looking for new ideas for teaching my son. Lakeshore Learning has a fabulous Free Resource area on their website for lesson plans, craft ideas, printables, word searches and a create your own section with flash cards, award maker and more. I found so many ideas and printables that we will be using for school.

Check out this fun and festive Lakeshore Learning free October writing prompts to help kids celebrate autumn while sharpening their writing skills http://bit.ly/OctoberWritingPrompts I know I will be using these for my son's daily journal writing this month.

I am a big believer in learning should be fun and interactive. I keep that in mind when selecting toys for my son. Shopping at Lakeshore Learning my needs are met for fun and educational. My son loves it when I will do STEM style learning with him. The science of things fascinates him. With that in mind I selected 3 toys that would encourage his love for science.

Young Scientist Chemistry Lab

My son loved this kit! He wanted to do every experiment in one day. He loved following the directions and measuring out the parts needed. His favorite one was the Rocket Ball experiment and I loved the Glowing Ice Spheres. It was so enjoyable to spend time with my son doing a hands on learning toy that we could make into a memory together. We learned and bonded.

Real Bugs Discovery Kit

This toy has been absolutely great! My son has loved using a magnifying glass to inspect each bug. This has led to conversations about more bugs, googling facts about the bugs and trips to the park to see what other sorts of bugs we could find. I had so much fun learning with him!

Fascinating Facts Human Body Game

As soon as this toy arrived my son declared it must be a 2nd grade toy since it looks a little too scary for him. I laughed a bit to myself but respected his wishes for the toy to be hid in the closet until he is older request. I did check it out for myself, when he was asleep of course and it looks like it will be a very cool and valuable learning resource for when he is ready for it.

You can shop online for Lakeshore Learning and also in store. We have one here in Roseville that you can shop in store off Douglas Blvd. Plus of you are a teacher you can sign up for their Teacher's Club and get 15% off. I will need to find out of they offer discounts to Home Schooling families.

Lakeshore Learning shares ideas for learning and more of their products on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Have you shopped online or in store with Lakeshore Learning? 

Do you have any must check out items that you recommend?

Post by- Laura

BeKOOOL Fever Reducing Soft Gel Pads and Gift Pack Giveaway

* I was sent products to review for this post. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Even though its March we are still in the cold and flu season. My son thankfully does not get sick too often but this year being in kindergarten the germs are everywhere. I do not like to give him too much medication when he gets sick and found a great helper to when he does not feel well, BeKOOOL.

BeKOOOL is a sticky gel sheet that you place on your child's forehead. At first my son was a little weary of this new cold sticky thing I was trying to put on his head but being sick he just gave in. It was nice to not have to constantly replenish his cold wash cloth on his head to keep him cool. I even saw a family at the mall with a child wearing a BeKOOOL Disney gel sheet on their child's head. I spoke with them and they wanted an alternative to medication in the early on set of their child's cold. They were pleased with how the gel sheet was cooling off their little one's head. I agree with them, it is nice to have a product you can use that is easy and external.

A little info on BeKOOOL:

Parents no longer have to watch their kids suffer while they wait for medicine to kick in thanks to BeKOOOL's immediate and long-lasting cooling relief. BeKOOOL's non-medicated soft gel sheets are convenient and fit in your diaper bag or purse. These adhesive and non-messy gel sheets are a wonderful alternative to the traditional messy washcloth or warm bath. Your kids will even think they're 'koool' because they have Disney characters on them.

BeKOOOL's easy-to-use, soft gel sheets:  

• Stick to kids' foreheads, so little ones who are sick can comfortably rest and relax
• Provide up to eight hours of cooling relief 
• Safe to use with fever-reducing medicine (it’s non-medicated)

I was also sent a pack of the Adult BeKOOOL Migraine gel sheets. I LOVED these! I suffer from migraines and they often start with a few warning signs like my forehead swells a little and my face hurts. I put on a BeKOOOL on my forehead and went to lay down in a dark room. Thankfully the cool gel reduced the swelling in my face and held off a full blown migraine. I did not have to do an ice pack like normal, the gel sheets are much less messy and I was able to take a nap with it on.



GIVEAWAY:

One lucky reader will win a BeKOOL Gift Pack

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts March 18, 2016 and ends on March 31, 2016 at 12:01 am PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Frosch Cleaning Supplies Review #MomsMeet #Frosch

 *I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.

Being someone who suffers from migraines I am always aware of the scent of things. There have been many instances in my life that terrible migraines have started by a bad chemical smell in household cleaning supplies. Not only am I aware of the chemical smell I am often concerned about what else the harsh chemicals can be doing to my family.

I have tried several organic and eco friendly cleaning supplies brands over the years searching to find a brand I could use daily and have it work. ( I love having a sparkling clean home!)

I recently learned about the brand Frosch through Moms Meet. They are a German based eco friendly company that makes natural plant based cleaning products that are skin friendly without damaging chemicals. Frosch has been a popular brand in Europe and is now finally available in the USA.

My favorite of the Frosch brand items I reviewed was the All Purpose Cleaner Baking Soda Spray. I love using an all purpose cleaner for counter tops and surfaces. This product worked great and left no smells or residue behind. If it can clean the bathroom my 6 year old son uses it can certainly clean the rest of the house. I have made my own household cleaners with a baking soda base but this was much easier and worked better.

Oh how I loved the lavender scent of this Universal Cleaner! I have hardwood and tile floors with no carpet in my home. We are constantly cleaning floors from spills, foot traffic and more. I need a product that is gentle and smells good, this one is it. I often use the scent of lavender to ease my migraines and love the scent of it. Having a cleaning product smell that way was fabulous.

The Pomegranate dish soap was my favorite of the dish soaps they offer. I use a lot of hand sanitizer in my job outside of blogging and having dry hands I need a dish soap that is ph balanced and will not make my hands even drier. The product works well and makes my hands a tad softer than I started out with, very nice!

The Lemon Toilet Bowl Cleaner did require some scrubbing after letting the product sit for a while. But I figured a little effort with a toilet brush was worth not having the harsh smell of bleach.

Product Info:

-Frosch Diswashing Liquid is a vegan moisturizing hand dishwashing liquid that works efficiently and is gentle on your skin.

-Dermatologically tested to maintain the moisture balance of the skin, Frosch Diswashing Liquid is pH-skin neutral.

-Frosch Pomegranate Dishwashing Liquid contains pomegranate extracts that soothe and moisturize skin and provide an effective clean with its optimal grease and dirt dissolving power.

 -Frosch Aloe Vera Dishwashing Liquid is ideal for people with sensitive skin due to the calming effects of the Aloe Vera extracts, which help to maintain the moisture balance of the skin while cleaning your dishes and leaving a mild and fresh scent.

 -Frosch Bio Spirit Glass Cleaner features powerful, active grease-dissolving alcohol that provides streak-free, sparkling cleanliness in a natural way.

 -Frosch Lemon Toilet Bowl Cleaner has natural lemon extracts and optimally removes stubborn lime deposits, leading to an intense clean.

 -Frosch Lavender Universal Cleaner cleans and sanitizes floors and most washable surfaces in the household. This Powerful formula with lavender removes grease and dirt and offers reliable and residue-free cleaning.

-Frosch Baking Soda All-Purpose Cleaner provides powerful cleaning of most washable household surfaces with a pleasant, fresh scent. The natural active ingredient makes this product ideal and safe for kitchen use.

 -The retail price for Frosch Dishwashing Liquid is $3.99 for a 500mL bottle. Frosch Lavender Universal Cleaner retails for $5.99. Frosch Baking Soda All-Purpose Cleaner and Bio Spirit Glass Cleaner retail for $4.50. The Lemon Toilet Bowl Cleaner retails for $4.99.


Save 15% on Frosch brand items from now until Dec. 31, 2015 with coupon code momsmeet2015


You can follow Frosch on Instagram and Facebook to see all their products and for coupon codes.