Presto Photo Book

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. If I could do one thing to create lasting memories, it would be to create my own personal books of cherished family memories. Sometimes memories are all we have of people and places that meant the most to us.

Printed photos are a treasure of the past since they are not easy to store and tend to take up a lot of room if placed in a photo book. Besides, not many people will pull out their old photo books to look through them.


Presto Photo is like many other sites. You can upload your photos and create your own compilation in a soft or hard cover book in several different styles. But, there is one place they stood out for me. I was able to upload a .pdf file to their site for printing and the timing was perfect.

To give you a short version.... about 15 years ago, my sister and I got together and compiled family photos and recipes and put together a family cookbook. The technology was very different then, so all of the cookbooks were color photocopies and held together with brass brads. After 20 years, the books are showing a lot of wear and tear and we felt it was time to upgrade. The catch is, I did not want to lose the original cookbook in the process.

I uploaded a scanned copy of my original photo book to Presto photo and voila! Cookbook is now saved in hardback form with all of the wear and tear showing just like my 20 year old paper copy. I love it. I was worried that I would not like the way it turned out, but it is so much fun to have and I cannot wait to print the newest version of our family cookbook when it is ready.

I ordered a hard copy book to ensure it would last for the next 20 years. I was very impressed with the quality of the pages. They are thick and have a nice sheen to them to help avoid my dirty finger smudges as I use the recipes inside. Because of the high quality, my family cookbook now has a nice weight and durability to it that I could not have had in my original version.

Now I just need a little more time to organize some old photos so I can create memory books out of them instead of keeping old shoe boxes filled. I would love to have a coffee table book printed next with some fun old family photos.
 


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Reading Kingdom Review

As a parent, I know that early learning is essential. Now that I have first hand experience with a special needs child, I know that early learning requires repetition and ease.  I am always on the hunt for a program that will fit into my families schedule and requirements. Sometimes I feel that I am a little strict on my requirements since I need to educate a special needs child. But, I know that I am not the only parent out there that requires a modified educational program.

















Reading Kingdom is a program that is designed to teach children to read and write by using items that are familiar to children and easy to follow. The program determines your child's level based on a skills survey. The skills survey can take a while, so be prepared. But once your childs level is determined, the program will adapt to your child's learning.

The special needs child that I have been using online program with has been asking to sit down at the computer to "play his game."  He loves to sit down, listen, and interact with the program. The best part is that he is not aware that he is learning while playing.

As your child reaches their goals they are awarded points and a certain number of points would open a Reading Kingdom Passport. Once the Passport opened there was an interactive reward waiting for the child.  These rewards were not very exciting to me, but my young child really liked them.

Some information about Reading Kingdom:

• Most kids can use the program on their own after just a few lessons.
  
• It's fun so children think they're playing a game and want to practice.
  
• It was created by Dr. Marion Blank, Director of the Light on Learning Program at Columbia University and one of the world's top experts in reading.
  
• It works with any other curriculum a child may be using.
  
• It's the only program to offer customized online reading instruction for each child.
  
• And, it's the only system that teaches all 6 skills needed for reading & writing success!   

 Is Reading Kingdom right for your child? Find out here. Are you ready to help your child become a better reader? Check out Reading Kingdom and give it a whirl! Sign up for the FREE 30 Day Trial.  After trying the program, should you decide that you can't financially fund it - you have the option of signing up for the scholarship program. If you have any questions about Reading Kingdom, please contact the company. Don't forget to read through the company's FAQ section to read about frequently asked questions you may also have about the program.  I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Uglee Pens Review

I have a small confession to make to those that may not know me personally. I have a pen obsession! I love to write with a smooth pen and prefer a pen with blue or colored ink, never black. I am also the first person to throw a pen away if it is difficult to write with. Fortunately, I don’t care what the pen looks like if it glides on the paper the way it should.

This is where the Uglee pen comes in. Okay, as the name implies, this is not an attractive pen. It in fact is truly ugly. But the way it writes and the grip in my hand make it worthwhile. The rubber grip is designed for an easy grip even for those with arthritis or those learning to write for the first time. The first time I pulled one of my Uglee pens out to use it, I played with the silicone grip for hours. These pens are ergonomically designed. They are light weight and the grip is designed to help keep the pen in your hand and off the floor. I initially thought that taking one of my ugly pens to work would be a great way to test is out and determine how well I liked it. Then it was taken off my desk to never be seen again. Who steals ugly pens? Sheesh!


I have been very happy writing with my Uglee pens for the last couple of weeks. These are definitely a pen I look forward to using for a long time.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.