I'm a full-time mummy

A cool new learning app from Smithsonian! I think it is great to be able to review this app as I get to introduce ABCs to our 2.5 years old girl and reinforce this for our 5 years old boy who is already learning this in his preK.

* Title: Alphabet of Space - Smithsonian Alphabet Books
* Price: $1.99
* Category: Books
* Released: June 19, 2014
* Version: 2.6.1
* Size: 51.5 MB
* Language: English
* Seller: Oceanhouse Media, Inc.
* Rated: 4+ Made for Ages 6–8
* Requirements: Requires iOS 5.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Description from the product page:

"Get ready… blast off! Explore outer space with fun rhymes and colorful illustrations in this one of a kind Alphabet of Space storybook app from Smithsonian! From Astronaut to Zenith, and everything in between, there is so much for kids to learn about the universe." 

* This app is engaging and interactive and I love that we can also touch the objects in each page on the screen and the words pop out to tell you what it is!

* There are some new words that I myself get to learn too! Now who says this app is just for kiddos?!

* This particular page reminded me of a short presentation that our 5 years old boy did when we celebrated his birthday in his preK few months ago. All his classmates sat on the floor in a big circle with a yellow printed sun in the center and our boy, holding a plastic globe ball circled the sun slowly, 5 times, each time to signify a year passed. So, 5 times, 5 years, his birthday this year. Nice!

* There are options to go to other alphabets instead of going through one by one.

* I like that there is an option to use new narrator's voice (aka me!)

* Overall an educational and fun app for the kiddos while learning about space!

You can purchase the "Alphabet of Space - Smithsonian Alphabet Books" app from the iTunes App Store.

I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with the promo code to redeem the application for free from iTunes Store in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine. And if you'd like to read my previous iPad Apps reviews, you can do so by reading this post of mine called "My iPad App Reviews"

I received this in my email, one of the many inspirational articles I get and totally agree with it!

One of the major tasks of a mother is to give her children support. Here’s how:

• Program your children for success. What you want them to be, tell them they are.

• Expose your children to people you admire. If you surround your children with those you admire—youth group leaders, teachers, baby-sitters, relatives—you can provide a “stereo” version of value-training.

• Tell, tell, tell your children what they are doing right. Lavish sincere words of praise on your children, whatever their age.

• Teach your children to become pillars to others. Encourage them to invest praise and encouragement in the lives of their friends.

It’s not hard to be a pillar of support for our children. Like most of us, they are waiting to be encouraged.

Further reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV), Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)

** Note: I have disabled the commenting feature on my blog engine thanks to all the spammers who happily spam my blog every day. If you wish to ask me any questions, you can find me at my Facebook page (I'm there almost everyday) or just drop me an email if you wish to maintain some anonymity.

I would like to share another website I like, Fiverr!

What is it you wonder? Fiverr is the world’s largest marketplace for Gigs starting at USD5! Everything you can think of, to buy or to sell, each for USD5! Kinda like the Daiso shop in Malaysia!

I first used Fiverr few years back when I hired a web designer to design my blog header. I had previously paid RM30 (about USD10) to a local Malaysian designer to design a blog header for me when I switched from Blogspot to my own self-domain website. I found out later that some of the objects in my blog header was duplicated and found elsewhere. I was angry and pissed and immediately looked for another designer, vowing that my blog header must not be replicated or copied elsewhere.

I am so happy I found Fiverr and after browsing through many many gigs (tasks) available, I settled on this particular designer! I totally love the results and communication with the designer was done via Fiverr website. I like it so much that I hired the same designer again 2 years later when I have our 3rd kiddo, requesting for the designer to add in another kiddo into my blog header to represent our 3 kiddos now.

Other than designing my blog header, I also paid another USD5 to hire a web specialist to analyse and go through my website and provide his recommendations to me on how best I can improve my website from there on. I was also given tips on how to monetize my website. I love the results and tips given and can see remarkable improvements after implementing the suggestions given.

Some tips I would like to share if you are planning to purchase a gig:

• Do browse for other similar options, compare first before settling on the one you like.
  

• If possible, check out the portfolios or works done by the seller (so you can have a feel of the results)

• Read the gig's specifications, make sure your requirements are as detail as possible. Some additional changes requires time and money, so do take note of that.

• Maintain close communication with the seller throughout the process so that any changes / feedback can be immediately acted on.
  

Do check out the website, who knows you might end up hiring someone there to help you out!

** Note: I have disabled the commenting feature on my blog engine thanks to all the spammers who happily spam my blog every day. If you wish to ask me any questions, you can find me at my Facebook page (I'm there almost everyday) or just drop me an email if you wish to maintain some anonymity.