Mudbuddy App Review

Noah loves to read. He also loves technology.  So when I can find books that combine both things, he really enjoys it. When I was around his age, I remember going to the library and listening to books on tape. I also had some, the kind that would beep or chime when you are supposed to turn the page.  It was always a treat when there was an opening on for the books on tape. That was also like 25 years ago.  Technology has really made many advances since then. Now children can read books on iPads.  The books interact with them too.  Noah also loves animals and the environment. We recently planted flowers at his school. He had an amazing time. He always talks about how it is bad to liter and really cares about the planet.  I wanted to share with you an app called Mudbuddy.  Mudbuddy is an outdoor adventure on your iPad.  You don’t have to worry about if you live in an apartment or if you just gave your child a bath.  I think teaching your child about the environment is so important. If the environment isn’t taken care of, everyone including people, animals and plants suffer.  We live in a beautiful area, it would be a shame for the world to lose its beauty. 

Here is some information from the developer:                                  

New to iTunes in May 2013 and the first in a series, Mudbuddy is a delightful, interactive storybook app for families who would like to learn more about the organic world around them and help their children make a positive impact on nature and our environment.  Through simple stories, humor, and touch-screen interaction, readers can help Mudbuddy, the very adorable and slightly confused glob-of-mud-main-character, and his friends learn more about each other and their special abilities.  Readers can manipulate the screens, drag and click, open up new scenes and bring the characters to life! 

Hailing from Lightborne Studios, a world-class production house and design factory in Cincinnati, Ohio,Mudbuddy author, Ben Nicholson, and illustrator, Kurt Koch, have created a new children’s book app which parents are sure to love and is sure to even have reluctant outdoor enthusiasts – and their parents – running outdoors to find their very own Mudbuddy and hopefully plant some seeds of their own.

“It can be socially disconnecting to use a wireless device.  I’m guilty myself.  But tablets such as iPads are interactive tools and should be used for engagement, and not just for escape,” says Nicholson. “We hope the Mudbuddy app encourages parents, together with their children, investigate and interact with the world around them—and make a positive impact too.”

It’s an app that reads like a book.  With charming illustrations accenting the story’s vibrant and often hilarious verse, Mudbuddy takes children of all ages to a never-seen underground world of environmental adventure where rocks talk and mud morphs. Clever situations and colorful imagery bring this new app book to life with wit and adventure.  Written in language that is fun and silly, parents, caregivers and teachers can have fun reading this book to children, or they can have the built-in narrator read the pages aloud.  There are laugh-out-loud sound effects and images too.  Mudbuddy also includes the following themes: 

The size of the globe, versus a state, city and neighborhood 
 The endless activities that occur under our feet 
What is the purpose of dirt? 
Ways to understand what is silly and why 
Discovering how fun the outdoors can be 
Uncovering your own special abilities or purpose 
 

The story lends itself to discussion and engaging your imagination!  How would you feel if you were Mudbuddy?  What purpose would you like to have, that of the seeds, the water, the mud, etc?  What colors are your favorites?  Why?  Does your belly grumble like Mudbuddy’s when you eat too much or too little? Did you know that grubs, worms, bones and moles were under the very ground you walk on?  What else is under there? 

“Backyard Environmentalism means that we can teach our kids about nature by giving them an appreciation of the things right outside their door,” adds Nicholson.  “We can’t begin to change the world unless we start at home. Mudbuddy is a vehicle for this message.” 

Noah loves Mudbuddy. He smiles and laughs the whole time he plays it.  I love educational apps, so I know that he is really learning something when he plays Mudbuddy. We even play it as a family. It sparks conversations for what we can do to help the planet in real life. He has become really interested in bugs too. We have made plans to go on a dig and see what kinds of different bugs we can find.  We love to explore together and learn. He will be so excited to see that the plant we planted last week already has already sprouted. This app is a must have for all children. It is so educational and fun. It is not like a typical educational app that is boring.  I don’t know if Noah even knows that it is actually educational.  I would love for them to have another app to come out about different sea and water creatures to expand the series.

Mudbuddy is available for iPad in the iTunes store for $1.99 You can download it HERE.

Do your children like the environment?  If so check out Mudbuddy.

How to Make Homemade Butter

Almost everyone loves butter.  I know that I do! I didn’t realize how easy it is to make.  You don’t need to bust out your butter churn. You don’t need to spend hours for this delicious treasure.  It is easy peasy.  This would be great for those who are very picky about what is added to their food.  It is also extremely fresh, which really makes a huge difference in my opinion. If you are organic, you can use organic ingredients. You don’t have to buy butter anymore. Butter is expensive. It is actually more cost efficient to make it yourself.  You can make it with three ingredients.  It’s one of those things you are like why didn’t I think of that?  I know I do that all the time on Pinterest.  This is a great activity to do with your kids.

Homemade Butter:

Heavy Cream

Salt

Sugar

Pour some cream in a good seal-able container. Add a pinch of sugar and some salt. Cover it and shake shake shake your butter.

You will have to shake it for about five minutes roughly.  First it turns to whipped cream, and then you will hear the whey separate. My mom says the whey is good, but I didn’t try it.  Keep shaking and shaking.  Soon you will hear a really wet shaking noise.  The butter should be in a ball.  Drain off the whey and Voila! You just made butter!

It’s so delicious and fresh. I would recommend doing this before a meal, as the freshness is part of it.

Have you ever made butter? If you try this, let me know what you think.

Dating Single Mom Style

Being a single mom can be very hard. It of course has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are way more important than the disadvantages of course. When you are divorced with a child or a single mom you have the urge to want to date. I am only thirty one and I would love to have a bunch more children. Some moms decide not to date or have no desire to be in a relationship again, but I am not in that group. I am however not really in any rush to do so. I know my biological clock is ticking and for someone who wants many more children, it is a little unnerving. I am however a mom. That doesn't mean that my needs aren't important. It means my son's needs are most important.  I am actually pretty nervous about dating anyone. I have set two important rules however.

The first rule is I have to be very serious with a guy before they meet Noah. We will have to be together a long time. He is my life and I don't want him getting attached unless it is the real deal. I don't want to be someone who brings a lot of relationships around my son. I don't want to be like this is my friend so and so, unless they are just a friend. I don't want him to bond with some random person who he may or may not see again. It's too confusing and hard for him.

My second rule is and I won't tell Noah he has this power, but if Noah doesn't like the guy, I won't per sue things further. I don't ever want to be with someone my son doesn't like. I don't want to be under the impression that things will get better and he will eventually like the guy. Kids are great judge of character, in my opinion. I am really  good at reading Noah and I know the difference between when he is genuine and when he is just being a grump.

I am nervous about dating someone because you never know who they are. I will totally Google the heck out of you, search court records, and find out whatever I can about the guy, before the first date. I  am not paranoid or crazy, but I don't live in some fairy tale world that thinks that bad people don't exist. I know that they do unfortunately. I will be well informed about who this person is. I will also trust my gut and know that if I feels like something isn't right, then it probably isn't. Women's intuition is important.

I am not really in any hurry. I definitely don't want to rush anything. I am fine with meeting someone and just talking for a long time before anything happens. I am more in to taking the time to making the right decision and going slow.  I want to make sure it is worth it vs. just jumping in and taking the risk and seeing what happens.  It's funny how when you are a parent, you change your thinking about everything.

When you are ready to meet a guy you should dress up nicely and don't forget to accessorize.