Agent Ribbit: Engaging Science Subscription Box for Kiddos! #Spon

**Complimentary products received in exchange for out honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review a fun new subscription box for kiddos, Agent Ribbit:

"Agent Ribbit sends you and your little detectives everything you need for exciting science investigations, every month! No combing through science books, no testing eight different volcano recipes to see which one actually works, no need to order 100 pipet droppers because you need just one. In each box, you'll find at least four science and creative projects and all of your supplies, all ready to go!"

As homeschoolers, we are always searching for fun ways to learn things.  Science is one of our kiddos' favorite lessons since there are so many hands-on ways to teach these important topics.  The benefit of Agent Ribbit is that all of the materials you need are gathered for you and a lesson is included for each experiment.  I love that there is a follow-up lab report for each experiment.  This insures the concept is understood adequately.  These experiments encourage the scientific method which is fantastic!  Our kit helped to get the kiddos even more engaged in the entire process and encourages exploration.  This cool kit is designed for kids ages 4-9 and every experiment was a huge hit with both of our kiddos, ages 5 and 8.

Here are the experiments from our Agent Ribbit kit:

BacteriGrow:

We got to swab for bacteria and watch it grow.  We tracked the growth of our germs for a week. A really interesting experiment!  We found out that between the dog's toes was far germier than than both under the toilet seat and the kitchen sink!  Actually, the sample from under the toilet seat was surprisingly the least germy:)

Germ Detective:

We learned about the importance of good hand washing habits by covering our hands in "germ gel" (kid-safe:) and using a UV light to see how clean our hands were after washing them for certain increments of time.  This was a ton of fun and there was plenty of material for several experiments...this was one they had to show Dad when he came home:)  They are still enjoying the included invisible ink pen/UV light:)

Disease Web:

We followed the story of a sick kid who, by not taking care, spread the illness to lots of her friends, who spread the illness to lots of their friends and so on.  This was a great way to visually show the kids how fast an illness can spread.

Influenza I.D.

We got to build a model of an influenza cell.  So much fun!

We loved our kit from Agent Ribbit!  It is a great, stress-free supplement to our regular science curriculum and would be great for rainy day fun (or as we're much more likely to experience here in Texas, those sweltering summer afternoons:)

Agent Ribbit is a really great value and full of wonderful, hands-on experiments that keep the kiddos engaged, learning and having fun!

ABCD Diaries gives Agent Ribbit an A+!

Buy It:

Subscriptions start at just $24.99 with free shipping.  Sign up today at Agent Ribbit!

Among Friends Baking Mixes #Spon

**Complimentary products received in exchange for out honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review the full line of baking mixes from Among Friends:

Among Friends makes a variety of baking mixes.  Many are certified gluten-free and all of them are made with wholesome ingredients like whole grains and real bits of dried fruit.  

We really enjoyed trying all of these mixes.  They are so easy to whip up in a matter of minutes and require very few extra ingredients.
  
Some of our favorites were the decadent 'Liv it up Chocolate Cupcakes:

the Phil 'em up Cranberry Chocolate Chip cookies:

and the Suzie Q's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and the CJ's Double Chocolate Cookies:

These mixes are so easy to use and are a hit with the whole family.  I feel great knowing I'm giving my family wholesome desserts that they can really enjoy.

ABCD Diaries gives Among Friends Baking Mixes an A+!

Buy It:

To order online or find a retailer near you, visit Among Friends Baking Mixes!

Whole Foods Market to the Rescue! Delicious Frozen Foods for Back-to-School #Spon

**Complimentary products received in exchange for out honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone.  The following information was provided by the sponsor.**

We love cooking with Whole Foods Market ingredients!  Just in time for back-to-school season, we are excited to bring you some of the latest goodies from Whole Foods Market to help time-crunched families get into the swing of things with fun, nutritious frozen foods!

If you want to serve your family fresh, delicious meals, but find yourself short on time-- make the freezer your secret weapon this back-to-school season! With a visit to Whole Foods Market, you can unlock your freezer’s potential—and we’re not talking about making a TV dinner—by planning healthy, flavorful meals in advance.

Breakfast

Start the day off right by getting your fruits and veggies first thing in the morning.  Prepare a great breakfast with the 365 Everyday Value^® line of organic frozen fruits and veggies— all free of artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. Create an easy morning smoothie, or simply defrost some frozen fruit and toss in your yogurt or oatmeal.

·      Strawberry Almond Butter Smoothie

·      Mixed Fruit Smoothie

·      Blueberry-Banana Smoothie

·      Apple-Berry Baked Oatmeal

Lunch and Dinner

When it comes to lunch and dinner planning, high-quality meals can be arranged simply and quickly with the proper preparation.

Whole Foods Market leads the industry in seafood sustainability, and the freezer section is no exception. The retailer’s expanding selection of frozen items conveniently offers shoppers high-quality seafood with exceptional value:

·      Whole Catch^® Fillets are available in Sockeye Salmon, Mahi Mahi, Turbot and Monkfish. The fillets are all wild caught, vacuum-packed and flash frozen, so home cooks can make as much as they need and save the rest for another meal. Try this Easy Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl for dinner in a flash.

·      Whole Catch^® Crunchy & Peppery Popcorn Shrimp is great finger food to make seafood fun for the whole family.

·      365 Everyday Value^® Lightly Breaded Calamari is great on its own with cocktail sauce, or use it to make this Crispy Calamari Lettuce Wraps for lunch or a light dinner.

Another easy go-to freezer staple is Whole Foods Market’s frozen meat, which is not only a great value, but is also in convenient freezer-ready vacuum packs to avoid spoilage. Plus, all meat sold in Whole Foods Market’s meat case has been raised on a vegetarian diet without antibiotics or added hormones. Some specific frozen options include:

·      Nature's Rancher Ready-to-Cook Chicken Burgers are a great weeknight meal option. Serve with seasonal vegetables or add 365 Everyday Value^® Organic Frozen Sweet Yellow Corn atop your burger.

·      Nature’s Rancher Hot Dogs are a favorite for the whole family. If you want to spice it up for the adults, use with this Homemade Fennel Mustard recipe.

·      365 Everyday Value^® Meatless Burgers are the perfect option for the vegan or vegetarian at your dinner table. A good source of fiber and protein, these vegan burgers have no cholesterol or saturated fat—making them a healthy meal option for the whole family.

·      Nature's Rancher USDA Certified Black Angus Beef Burgers are a great option for family meals or even a quick tailgate because they're pre-grilled to perfection and frozen to lock in flavor. Just heat and eat!

And last, but certainly not least, are the grains and vegetables! 365 Everyday Value^® frozen organic vegetables are frozen at the peak of freshness and are a fraction of the cost. Cook veggies with 365 Everyday Value® Organic Brown Rice for a quick and nutritious dinner.

Buy It:

Visit your local Whole Foods Market today to find all of these fantastic goodies and much more!!

Wind Down this Summer with the Bahamas Hammock from Stansport! #Giveaway #Spon

**Complimentary products received in exchange for out honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review the Bahamas Single Hammock from Stansport:

Stansport is an online company that sells camping equipment and more.  You can find everything you need to help you experience The Great Outdoors and at affordable prices to boot:)  

The Bahamas Single Hammock is made of cool, lightweight cotton and comes in  variety of bright Caribbean color schemes.  It features hardwood spreader bars and thick braided rope that makes it super durable and long-lasting.  The hammock comes fully assembled and it took less than 10 min for us to get it attached to our trees.  We used heavy duty braided rope from our local hardware store, looped it through the hammock knot and tied it around the trees and it has held up wonderfully.  This hammock is listed as a single hammock, but is big enough for one adult or two children...we even managed to fit one adult and one child at one point:)

The kiddos love swaying in the late summer breeze in this hammock.  It really is a great way to get us closer to nature right in our very own back yard and for under $30, this is a really fantastic value!

ABCD Diaries gives Stansport and the Bahamas Single Hammock an A+!

Buy It:

Check out this hammock and all of the fantastic camping gear at Stansport!

Win It:
One lucky reader will get their very own Single Hammock from Stansport!

Chicken Soup for the Soul Now Has Pet Food! #Spon

**Complimentary products received in exchange for out honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review the new dog food from Chicken Soup for the Soul:

We were excited to hear that Chicken Soup for the Soul recently launched a new line of pet food.  They carry wet and dry food in several varieties for both cats and dogs.  We tried the Adult Dog Small Bites.  This food is formulated to give your dog "premium nutrition."  It is made with high quality "comfort food" ingredients like protein-packed chicken and turkey and lots of nutrient-filled veggies.  Shiner seemed to really enjoy this food.

We have been pretty impressed with all of the new products from Chicken Soup from the Soul over the last few years and can't wait to see what's next!

ABCD Diaries gives Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food an A!

GREAT Kids Snack Subscription Wrap-Up! #Spon

**Complimentary products received in exchange for out honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review the GREAT Kids Snack Subscription:

This Snack Box monthly delivery service includes 30 individually-wrapped snacks that are kid-tested and nutritionist approved.  All snacks are in convenient on-the-go packages, which makes them great for school lunches or after-school snacks.

GREAT Kids provides new snacks to discover each month with free home delivery and your satisfaction is guaranteed!

If you've been following over the last few weeks, you've seen our reviews of the individual snacks from our box. Overall, we had a pretty good experience with the GREAT Kids subscription box.  There was a lot of variety, so while there were a few snacks the kiddos weren't too fond of, the majority of them were hits.  This is a great way for you to try out lots of different snacks without having to buy a full package of each one.  The convenience and the variety make this subscription box a fairly good value.

ABCD Diaries gives the GREAT Kids Snack Subscription an A+! 

Buy It:

Sign up for your GREAT Kids Snack Subscription!

"How We Got to Now with Steven Johnson" on PBS this Fall! #Spon

**Complimentary products received in exchange for out honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone.  Information in this post was provided to ABCD Diaries**

We recently had the chance to review a screener of the upcoming PBS series, "How We Got to Now with Steven Johnson" 

“How We Got to Now with Steven Johnson” is a six- part series that looks at the incredible unheard-of stories behind major ideas that have made our modern world possible. Through the use of various animations in each episode, kids will be instantly attracted to the show while simultaneously learning and discovering new things in each episode. Kids will leave their television sets with a new found understanding of how ideas came to be!

Steven Johnson, a knowledgeable best-selling science writer and author,  focuses on a particular theme in each episode—clean, cold, sound, glass, light and time—and tells the stories of the unknown heroes who came up with  the ideas that have helped to develop the world as we know it today. The stories themselves are truly remarkable and engaging as the ideas presented affect every aspect of our daily lives. Kids will be drawn to the series because of Steven Johnson’s ability to grab his viewers’ attention through his inviting and down-to-earth personality. His friendly and humorous presence on the show allows kids to better understand him in a simpler way while also encouraging their imagination and curiosity.

Children love discovering new things and “How We Got to Now with Steven Johnson” is the perfect series for kids who love discovery, adventure, and history. All of the stories that are told in this series involve ordinary people doing extraordinary things and as a result it is an inspiring and powerful series that truly stimulates the brain.

Following are descriptions of the six episodes featured in HOW WE GOT TO NOW:

• REFRIGERATION – How our mastery of “cold on demand” helped give birth to at least four million babies, created the golden age of Hollywood and unlocked the secrets of the universe.
• CLEAN – How our battle against dirt created the sidewalk, the swimming pool, the flat screen and the iPhone.
• LIGHT – How our quest to harness light changed our genetic make-up, gave birth to Times Square, Las Vegas, video downloads and an artificial sun.
• SOUND – How the journey to harness sound created the modern world of instant communication, but also helped put thousands of planes in the sky, changed the face of warfare and created a new way for teenagers to rebel.
• TIME – How our journey to calculate time helped create international trade and travel, victory for the North in the Civil War, GPS and understanding of the origins of human life.
• SIGHT – How our quest to see better helped us see the world differently, whether right in front of our noses with the birth of eyeglasses or far beyond our visible universe with the creation of the telescope.

What we thought:
We really enjoyed watching this series!  We could even count them as "school work" because they are educational and informative.  Even still, they are so fun to watch!  Even adults will be enthralled with the amazing information this series brings to light.  Definitely a fun watch for the whole family!

ABCD Diaries gives "How We Got to Now with Steve Johnson" an A+!