Tech Savvy Mama

5 Organizational Products to Streamline Your Life from OpenSky

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Some days itseems like organization is my nemesis but with the little hints of springcoming, I’m on a purging binge and ready to reclaim an organizedhousehold. Don’t get me wrong- we’re nota show home. Our house is well lived inbut having the right place for everything really helps keep our home tidy andhere are some of the products available through OpenSky that I have my eye onto help with this never-ending task.

Lay-n-Go Storage is perfect for containing little Legos

Prevent the ouchthat comes when stepping on tiny Lego pieces with Lay-n-Go Storage($25-$65) that functions as a play space you can easily clean up in seconds bypulling the drawstring.

Homework Caddy creates an at-home command center
for all things school related

Create a schoolcommand center with the Homework Caddy($25). The magnetic dry-erase calendaris great for writing in playdates, birthday parties, PTA meetings, teacherconferences, school picture day, fundraiser deadlines, etc. while the four deepcolor coded pockets serve as a repository for the endless papers that arebrought home. Whether hung on the wall or on a door, the Homework Caddy cancertainly help eliminate school clutter.

Teach organization and days of the week with the My Week Calendar

Start teachingorganization along with calendar skills thanks to the My Week Magnetic Wipe-Off Calendar ($20). This colorful child-friendlycalendar lets kids get a glimpse of what’s coming up during their week andempowers them to take charge of their own schedule thanks to a variety of activitymagnets.

Rotate seasonal clothes and house off season ones in the Double Rod Closet

A clutter freecloset makes it easier to see the clothes that you have and need in order tobuild a functional wardrobe. At the endof each season, make piles of clothes to keep, donate, mend, or throwaway. House the seasonal clothes you’rekeeping in the Double Rod Closet ($75) and repeat each season.

No Extreme Couponing necessary to appreciate the organization of
the Qubie Coupon Organizing System

Even if ExtremeCouponing is not your thing, occasional couponers can appreciate how mucheasier it is to hold on to valuable coupons with the Qubie Coupon Organizing System ($50). Thisfour part system includes includes the Qubie Pro, a coupon binder complete withpocket pages and dividers (pre-printed and customizable); the Qubie Plus, asmaller binder for organizing your specialty store coupons or store loyaltycards, and the Qubie Pal, a small softcover book for organizing your gift cardsand restaurant coupons that fits easily into your purse. All products aredesigned to help you keep your coupons organized so you can save as much moneyas possible.

This post was written as part of a new relationship with OpenSky where I am compensated for curating my favorite products to share with you but all opinions are my own. Membership affiliate link included in this post.

TODAY! AMD #STEMChat TweetChat

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Like moth to flame, kids are naturally drawn to video games.When though concerns about screen time, social interactions, and violence maybe nagging away at our parental conscience, there are important skills thatvideo games can teach. And that desireto be a video game designer? Don’tscoff. What a great way to integrate science,technology, engineering, and math (STEM) into a profession.

Join AMD, U.S. News and World Report, PBS Kids, ELine Media,and GetGameSmart.com for #STEMChat where we’ll be discussing game design andgame-based learning as part of the 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge.

What: U.S. News &World Report and AMD STEM Challenge TweetChat

When: TODAY, Wednesday, February 22 from 4:15-5:15 pm EST

Where: #STEMChat

Tweetchatlink: http://tweetchat.com/room/STEMChat

Who:

AMDPublic Affairs @ChangingtheGame
U.S.News and World Report @Jason_Koebler
@STEMChallenge
@CooneyCenter
@PBSKids
@ELineMedia
@GetGameSmart
@ErikatESA

Why: For fun conversation about games, learning, the 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge, and theopportunity to win prizes every 10 minutes including an XBox Kinect!

RSVP: Toregister, please email Danielle.Meister@Edelman.com your name and Twitterhandle, and follow @changingthegame and @jason_koebler.

I am an AMD Tech Mombut was not required to share this information. All opinions are my own and do not reflect AMD’s.

LeapFrog Partners with DonorsChoose.org and Offers Great Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Besides making incredible educational products, one of the main reasons why I love working with LeapFrog is their commitment to teachers and education. Since 2009, LeapFrog has donated more than $1.5 million in Tag Reading Systems and books to the classrooms of more than 20,000 students. Our local elementary school has benefitted from donations of Tags and I’m pleased to say that very soon, the fifth remaining kindergarten classroom will receive a set of Tags and books for their beginning readers!

A commitment that began two years ago continues. LeapFrog is paving the way for others to help thousands more children to learn to read with Tag™ by bringing $100,000 total in Tag Readers and books to classrooms in need. LeapFrog has donated $50,000 and will match donations dollar for dollar up to $50,000.

For their first program of 2012, LeapFrog is partnering with DonorsChoose.org, a classroom charity organization where teachers submit project ideas that they hope will be funded by your donations, to help teachers who want Tag Readers and books for their classroom.

As a former teacher and parent, I love DonorsChoose.org because it is incredibly easy to use and by donating to a project, I can select the project that I feel is worthwhile and give with confidence knowing that my tax deductible donation is doing directly to the teacher requesting funds. There’s no middleman and no administrative fees being skimmed off the top. Instead, every penny of my donation goes directly into the grateful hands of a teacher who uses the money to fund an educational project.

If you aren’t familiar with DonorsChoose.org, here’s how to get started:

Use the search fields on the left to search by state or keyword to find a project that interests you;
Find proposals from classroom teachers that list the exact materials that are needed to fund their project;
Select a project and donate to help bring resources to students in struggling classrooms;
Donate!

GIVEAWAY: In honor of their new partnership with DonorsChoose.org, LeapFrog is giving one very lucky reader a Tag Reader, set of 6 Tag books, and a $25 gift card to support a teacher through DonorsChoose.org!

TO ENTER: Visit DonorsChoose.org and see if there is a teacher in your child’s school who is requesting funding for a project. Leave a link to the project you would help fund if you won! It doesn't have to be for a teacher in your school! (1 entry)

For extra entries, complete the above and do any of the following:

Share one way a favorite LeapFrog product helps your child learn. Include the name of the product and your email address or Twitter handle with your entry. (1 entry)

Tweet this daily and come back to leave a comment that includes the link to your Tweet: Win a @LeapFrog Tag Reader, set of Tag books & $25 GC to @DonorsChoose 2 support a teacher from @TechSavvyMama: www.techsavvymama.com (1 entry/day)

Fine print: Winner will be selected on Friday, March 1 from all eligible entries and has 24 hours to respond with full name, U.S. mailing address, and phone number for shipping purposes or another winner will be selected. Visit the official sweepstakes rules for the full list of terms and conditions.

I was provided with a Tag Reader and a set of books for our school’s kindergarten classroom and was given a DonorsChoose.org gift card to help fund a classroom project in exchange for this post. No additional compensation was received and all opinions are my own. Amazon affiliate links are contained in this post.

Bizarre Foods' Andrew Zimmern Road Trips for Good in Appetite for Life Series (+FB Chat tomorrow!)

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

One of the reasons I love to travel is to sample local fare. One year when my college classes ended, I road tripped it from Massachusetts home to California and made a point to sample the best of what area had to offer. I'm a big believer that food is always best when it's local whether it's barbecue in Austin, just grilled fish on a stick on the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, or fresh from the field berries in Watsonville, California.

If you’re a fan of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and haven’t yet checked out his Appetite for Life series, it’s a great show for those who love food and enjoy road trips. The videos showcase Andrew's road trip around the country as he samples the best food America has to offer, listens to their stories, and lends a hand to those in need by doing charitable work to benefit the communities he visits including collecting money and canned goods at a University of Georgia tailgate, lending a hand at a Meals on Wheels in Atlanta, and restocking shelves of a food bank in Chattanooga following the 2011 tornados.

If you have questions about the series, want to talk to Andrew about the most bizarre foods he’s ever encountered, or want tips on how to get your kids to eat better, join him on the Food and Wine Facebook page Wednesday, February 22 (tomorrow!) at 2 pm EST for a live StarChefs Kitchen Insider chat!

Appetite for Life is sponsored by Toyota and I am sharing this as part of my work with them as a member of the Toyota Women’s Influencer Network (TWIN). No compensation was received in exchange for this post and all opinions are my own.

Unplugging to Grow Our Own Produce

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:30:00 +0000

I always used to say that my dad never planted a tree unless it was the fruit bearing kind. In our Northern California yard we had apricots, pears, plums, lemons, guavas, kumquats, kiwis, and Chinese apple pears. During the summer months lemon cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and strawberries also flourished along with the experimental produce that my brother and I urged them to plant.

While it may sound like I grew up on a farm, I assure you I didn’t. My parents found a way to maximize our yard’s growing space by incorporating seasonal home grown fruits and vegetables wherever possible. We supplemented what we grew with local produce from weekly visits to the farmers’ market where fruits and vegetables of all kinds were hard to resist and my parents were always willing to purchase in order to let us have a taste.

My philosophy about food was shaped by my parents and while I don’t have my dad’s amazing fruit trees as part of our landscape in my DC Metro yard, I’m incredibly proud unplugging when the weather gets warm in favor of spending afternoons outside gardening with our kids to eat locally and organically as often as possible.

Red raspberries

Last year during a visit, my dad gave our home garden a new fence and a real swinging gate (hooray!) to keep our energetic Labrador outside and away from tender seedlings. It was the first year that the deer didn’t crane their necks over the fence to nibble off the tops of our tomato plants.

Thanks to newly designed plots, we enjoyed a huge crop of snap peas, sugar peas (pictured below left), yellow and green patty pan squash, cucumbers, red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes of all colors, broccoli, string beans, butternut squash, lettuce, spinach, carrots, strawberries, and red and black raspberries. Captain Computer also chose leeks, popping corn, and asparagus to plant and we’ve heard asparagus can take up to three years to mature so we’re waiting to see what year 2 brings!

Even though the weather has fluctuated between winter and spring, we’re getting head start on this year's garden. We've already talked about what we'll be planting and are amassing yogurt containers to house seedlings. Our garden will be expanding thanks to a Raised Bed Garden Kit and Grow Pot Portable Vegetable Growing Containers that arrived this past week. And I’m pretty excited to have finally found the right type of rosemary that seems to have weathered our mid-Atlantic winter after years of trying.

Why is growing my own food and the trial and error gardening so important? It’s all about the lessons that I’m teaching my kids. Gardening is a bonding experience.

Together we prep our garden for the season, plant, and then reap the rewards of our hard work. There’s nothing like popping a ripe cherry tomato warmed by the sun into my mouth, watching my kids shell peas as they are picked from the vines, cooking with seasonally grown produce, and teaching my kids that not only it isn’t hard to grow the things that we love but they always taste better when they come our backyard or somewhere not so far away.

Captain Computer harvests his first spinach of the season

Do we grow everything we eat? Not exactly but we’ve definitely reduced our exposure to harmful chemicals and genetically modified foods by growing our own fruits and vegetables, visiting organic pick-your-own farms, and through our CSA. I've also gotten good at knowing what to do with the excess and finding ways to hang on to it for a bit of deliciousness throughout the year.

Garden tomatoes and basil simmering away to become a frozen a pasta base

I’ve learned to make jam out of berries we pick from local pick-your-own farms so we can have a taste of summer during the colder months, simmer a base for tomato sauce out of our home grown ones and freeze it to use whenever we want, and roast and freeze peppers from our CSA in freezer bags for my next vegetable tart.

And those wild and crazy basil plants that were growing through my new garden fence? Those were chopped down, leaves were stripped off, washed, and thrown in the food processor with oil and blended to death before being put in a mason jar where I spoon out a hint of summer regularly.

It’s not a perfect system but we’ve definitely come a long way since we started and I am so incredibly proud of us making growing our own produce such a priority!

Are you interested in gardening with your family but unsure of where to start?

Growums make it easy to start your own container garden

Start with container gardening. All you need is a pot, soil, and some seeds. Start with something like Growums, easy kits that contain a variety of seeds that center around a particular theme. For example, there’s a pizza kit that contains basil, tomato, oregano, and bell pepper seeds, taco garden (jalapeno, iceberg lettuce, tomato, and cilantro seeds), stir fry kit (broccoli, bok choy, carrots, and sugar snap peas), and others! Happy gardening!
Could you live an entire year eating locally or the food from your garden? Barbara Kingsolver transplanted her family from the deserts of Arizona to the mountains of Virginia for their endeavor. Join From Left to Write on February 21 as we discuss Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a copy of the book. Plow & Hearth sent me the Raised Garden Bed kit and Grow Pots for review purposes which I will be sharing more about in a future post. All opinions are my own.

Car Dealerships Start Paying Attention to the Female Consumer

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

When we bought our hybrid almost 2 summers ago, I knew what I was looking for but none of the car dealership employees really paid attention to me. As a woman, I was constantly overlooked in favor of conversations with my husband or viewed as the one to make the kids stop stress testing the buttons inside the vehicle. No one ever looked me in the eye and talk to me about the options that were part of the tech package or safety features. Instead they pointed me in the direction of the paint finishes and fabric samples.

Certain auto dealerships are being lauded for earning the respect of women. Forbes.com recently reported that WomenCertified “identified a list of dealerships that performed well with female respondents,” citing data from customer satisfaction surveys that included whether they would recommend the dealership to others. What Women Want at the Car Dealerships: R-E-S-P-E-C-T, says WomenCertified is a fascinating article that shows that some dealerships get it while others clearly don’t.

Just because certain dealerships understand the influence of women, doesn’t mean this is something that carries through to all levels of the company or industry as a whole. The auto industry is learning about the influence of women as main stakeholders in the decision making process.

As I walked Detroit's North American International Auto Show in 2011 as a guest of Ford during press days, few people from the other car companies came up to talk to me. A couple months later traveled to the New York Auto Show to meet with Volvo, Mazda, and Ford but had the same experience when on my own wandering the floor.

Having been on press trips with Nissan and Mercedes, worked with Acura, and as a member of the Toyota Women Influencer Network, I’ve amassed quite a lot of knowledge about cars but I’m still willing to learn more. So don't ignore me just because I'm a woman. Chances are, I know more than some of the guys who are out there shopping for cars.

This post was inspired by Jim Henry, an auto industry analyst I met while at Mercedes, who authored What Women Want at the Car Dealerships: R-E-S-P-E-C-T, says WomenCertified.

I was selected for participation in the TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I was not compensated for writing this post, nor did I receive payment in exchange for participating. All opinions are my own and do not reflect the views of Toyota.

eBay Green: Resource for Living a Greener Life

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

If living a greener lifestyle was a New Year’s resolution,the new eBay Green site is designed to inspire “the world to buy, sell andthink green everyday.” The easy tonavigate site contains content from membersof the eBay Green community (yes, that means you!) as well as seller resources, guest bloggers as greenvoices, and an inside look at howeBay works to be a green company. With lots of practical advice for anyone who aims to live a greenerlifestyle, eBay Green is a fantastic resource.

Buy Green

The eBay green site will always open to the Buy Greentab. Across the top are static verticalssuch as Fashion & Beauty, Electronics, Home & Garden, Kids & Baby,and Transportation, each with their own pull down menu that leads to a GreenBuying Guide displaying green products or ways you can be green in that area ofyour life.

The easy to navigate site is easy to browse to pick up green tips

On the left side of the screen are 4 different topics. It’s no surprise that Tech on the Go caughtmy eye and clicking on it led me to a collage of different portable devicesthat I could purchase on eBay that not only would save me money by buying themused. After all, as the eBay Green Teamsays, “The greenest product is one that already exists. A pre-owned find has history. By bringing it home, you extend it’s usefullife, keep it out of the landfill, and prevent the environmental impact ofproducing something new.”

What are some of the portable devices that I can findpre-owned on eBay? Items such as solarcharges, Nook Color, iPhones, iPads, and iPod speakers are pictured above butnetbooks, Kindles, digital cameras, and more are all easy to find on eBay.

Sell Green

Everything about eBay is green since by selling gently useditems, you’re offering “new life to the items collecting dust in yourcloset. It’s recycling at its best andmoney in the bank.”

This section of the site guides you through the 3 steps ofselling on eBay by providing a link to helpful sellerbasics.

Wondering what an item is worth and worried that you’llprice yourself too low or too high? Enter in the name of your item and press the “look it up” button. The calculator will tell you the going rateof the item on eBay!

Lacking the patience for an auction? Wanting to declutterwhile the mood strikes? In need of quick cash? Try eBay Instant Sale. For electronics, this is a fast and easy wayto cash in or recycle your old electronics on eBay.

Track the journey of your eBay Box thanks to a unique tracking number
that shows you how often its been recycled.

Sell green, ship green. One of the things that I love is the eBay Green Boxprogram. The eBay Box features eBayGreen styling and is an environmentally friendly shipping container that notonly makes shipping easier, but is kind to the environment. The cardboard eBay Box is designed to be usedover and over again. You can also trackthe journey of your box as it is reused and the impact of recycling it byentering its unique ID that is printed right on the box. It’s very cool and a neat thing to show kids!

Green Team

Who are the people behind eBay Green? eBay Green consists of 2,500+ employeesworldwide and over 300,000 members of the eBay community. Together this group is a fantastic resourcethat provides advice in the Askthe Community forums, the inside scoop on all things green at eBay through Green Team Talks, and sharesthe ways that eBay is weaving green themes of sustainability and recycling intocompany culture on the Green ateBay Inc. section of the site.

Summary

Whether you are wanting to live a greener lifestyle and areseeking tips or want to step up your selling game on eBay, the recentlyredesigned eBay Green site has a lot to offer everyone through an easy to usesite that is packed with information.

I am part of the eBay Parent Panel and am compensated for my participation in the program. All opinions about my eBay experience are my own. Images courtesy of eBay.

Celebrate Black History Month with Romare Bearden at Macy's

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

If I couldrewind back to my college days, I would want to dive into a study of the lifeand art of Romare Bearden as part of my art history major. I fell into a doublemajor (psychology and art history) in college just because I loved learningabout art and the people behind the works.

"The Lamp" by Romare Bearden

Bearden wasan individual whose art I got to know through a friend but whose work Iimmediately gravitated towards. Littledid I know he was a Renaissance man whose interests included music, history,literature, performing arts, and art from around the world but also served as amentor for young artists. He led afascinating life and is considered one of the most influential American artistsof African-American heritage.

ThisFebruary Macy’s is celebrating the 100^th birthday of Romare Beardenat stores nationwide as part of Black History Month. Select Macy's locations around the country are hosting in-store celebrations and family friendly events designed for you to get to know this incredible individual through his art.

Here’s someinformation about upcoming events in honor of Romare Bearden:

Preview a satellite exhibit of Romare Bearden’sartwork. View watercolors, prints, oil on paper and dramatic black andwhite Photostats that date from 1964 to 1984 when Romare Bearden was at thepeak of his artistic power. In addition to works on loan from theFoundation are new works by artists inspired and influenced by Bearden’s lifeand legacy.

During the reception a new generation of jazzmusicians will perform Bearden’s music which has been previously recorded byBranford Marsalis, Tito Puente and Billy Eckstine.

Additional in-store celebrations will includechildren’s collage-making events, special readings of Bearden’s children’sbook, “Li’l Dan, The Drummer Boy: A Civil War Story,” as well as cookingdemonstrations from local chefs featuring Bearden’s favorite recipes andCaribbean dishes from the out-of-print cookbook, “Ma Chance’s French CaribbeanCreole Cooking,” which he illustrated.

What: Macy's Celebrates100th Birthday of Romare Bearden

Where and When:

Philadelphia— Macy’s Center City, February 15 @ 6PM
Washington, D.C.— Macy's Metro Center,February 16 @ 5:30 PM
Houston— Macy’s Houston Galleria atHidalgo, February 16 @ 6:30 PM
Miami— Macy’s Adventura Mal, February 16 @ 6:30 PM
San Francisco— Macy’s Union Square, February 16 @ 6 PM
Charlotte— Macy’s Northlake Mall Drive, February 25@ 2:00 PM

RSVP: macys.com/events

For more info: http://bit.ly/MacysRomareBearden

If you can’t attend the above events,the exhibits will be up in-store for 2-3 days following the celebration orvisit the Romare Bearden Foundationfor more information about this amazing artist.

I received a gift from Everywherein exchange for sharing this information but all opinions are my own.

Hearts from Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day! As a San Francisco Bay Area girl, part of my heart is always in San Francisco but I've also become smitten with Haiti. There's true beauty everywhere as you can see from these hearts, all of which were made in Haiti.

The metal ones are made out of recycled oil drums, the beaded one is from Jean Baptiste's atélier, and the wrapped root shaped hearts were made in Jacmel and smell divine. Aren't they beautiful?

Wishing you and your family a very Happy Valentine's Day full of all the love in the world!

A Little Book About Feelings App Teaches Emotional Literacy on the Go

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

With tomorrow being Valentine’s Day, there’s a special emphasis on showing that you care but emotional literacy is something that needs to be fostered throughout the year in as many ways as possible.

This weekend I had the pleasure of joining The Mother Company founders, Abbie Schiller and Samantha Kurtzman-Counter, in New York where we got to talk to moms, dads, bloggers, friends, and fans- both young and old- about our kids and the challenges that we face in getting our kids to be in touch with their feelings and express them. One thing that we heard over and over again was the gratitude for the slower pace of the DVD (Ruby’s Studio: The Feelings Show) and the beautiful styling of The Mother Company books (A Little Book About Feelings and My Feelings). Abbie and Sam put so much thought into every little detail and it shows!

Abbie, Ruby, Sam, and me at Books of Wonder in NYC

Our newest endeavor blends high tech with their desire to foster emotional literacy even on the go through the brand new A Little Book About Feelings eBook app for iPhone and iPad. The talented team at PicPocket Books, who is so skilled at transforming books into apps, did a phenomenal job on A Little Book About Feelings.

Our new app!

The app is as gorgeous as the hardcover book and continues to teach about feelings while also developing reading skills in a fun, interactive way. Kids can read along with the text as it is highlighted and the illustrations are just as stunning on the app as in the book. Take a look!

Since The Mother Company loves their fans, we’re going to be sending out a special code to download the brand new A Little Book About Feelings app for free in tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day newsletter. To sign up, visit our website and enter your information in the box on the right sidebar. Keep up to date about special promotions throughout the year by liking them on Facebook.

And just remember….“You are the only you in the world and you are loved.”

I love The Mother Company and truly believe in Abbie and Sam’s mission of fostering social and emotional literacy in our children. Yes, I work for them but this post was written outside my scope of work and their message and products are something I’d share even if I didn’t because being able to express yourself and your feelings is a skill that is necessary for kids and adults.

All About Pod Racing- Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Fans know that one of the most exciting parts of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace is the pod races and the new generation of Star Wars fanatics in our group wanted to know all about them! As part of our visit to LucasArts in San Francisco's Presidio, we were treated to a question and answer session at LucasArts with John Goodson- Digital Artist for Industrial Light and Magic, Skywalker Sound Supervising Editor, Matthew Wood, and LucasArts Lead Producer, Craig Derrick.

From models made by Goodson and his team to the sounds used by Wood for all of the different pods and even the Star Wars Kinect game that Derrick worked on that is due out in April, here’s the inside scoop on all things pod!

Sounds for the Pod Races

Wood said the pod race sequence is one of his favorites as far as achievements. Where did all those different sounds come from?

Soundboard at Skywalker Sound

“It was just so many different engines and so many different cars, or so many different pods. We had to record a bunch of engine passbys and gear shifts from all these different vehicles. So, I got to go on this big recording excursion to record things like that. I got to record a turbo truck and a cigarette boat and a jet engine and a Ferrari and these crazy custom Porsches at this race track that's a little north of Skywalker Ranch and just being in the field and recording all those cars was completely exciting.”

Models of the Pods

One of the questions posed to Goodsoon was “Did you have to make all those pod racers in the pod racing team?” Indeed models of the pods were made. “Big models,” he said.

John Goodson, Little Miss Techie, Anakin and his pod

As a kid, Goodson loved to build models. He talked about using computer generated digital models rather than physical model building.

“The only thing I miss is that in the practical world, you could grab parts from a model kit, and you could stick them on and dress up an area really, really quickly. But, the beauty of the computer is, you can make one of those parts, and you can replicate it as many times as you want.”

Drive Your Own Pod in Kinect Star Wars

Kids got to try out the pod racing during a preview of the Kinect Star Wars 3D game, due out on April 3. In addition to pod racing, Derrick provided an inside look at the other challenges that will be part of the game, including lots of other flying that will occur around 6 tracks in 6 different locations that blend “locatios from the prequels and the classic trilogy.” 2 tracks are in Tatooine, one includes a giant Sarlacc pit, and another is Cloud City.

Little Miss Techie is all smiles after
pod racing on Kinect Star Wars!

“Cloud City looks like your favorite city getting converted over to a grand prix for the [There] are all these locations that you are familiar from the movies, but now there's a race track that's carving through it….There are odd jumps and ton of weird things that you have to do. If you're side-by-side, say if Matthew's next to me, and we're racing, I can just do that kind of move, and it'll bump right into him. If I lift up my arms, again I can jump. If I duck down, I can go underneath stuff. If I lift up my arms like this, I get power-ups that go off.Or if something jumps on the engines, I can do this kind of gesture or that, so that it throws a wrench and knocks a Mynock off of an engine or something--.”

For more information regarding Kinect Star Wars, Joystiq has a comprehensive review including lots of images or take a look at this sneak peek from CES 2012.

Having grown up with the original Star Wars trilogy, it felt like a dream come true to be invited by Fox to get a behind the scenes look at the creation of Star Wars. The epic saga has captivated millions with exotic worlds, iconic characters and unforgettable action, and I love sharing the joy of Star Wars with our children.

John Goodson, Matthew Wood, and Craig Derrick
with our crew of interrogative reporters

Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace is out in theaters tomorrow- Friday, February 10! If you're going just to see the pod racing in 3D you won't be disappointed!

Little Miss Techie and I were guests of 20^th Century Fox and all opinions are our own and based on our incredible experiences throughout the weekend. Huge thanks to 20th Century Fox for this once in a lifetime opportunity!

Protecting Passwords from Identity Theft

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:00:00 +0000

How long ago did you change yourpassword for online banking, email, blog, favorite online shopping sites, orany of your social networking tools? If you can't remember, change your passwords as soon as you are done reading this!

Whyit’s important to change your password

Your password is like a secret knockinto a world of your personal security. A unique password makes it more difficult for a hacker to enter your sacred space to steal your information. A single password for all accounts is not good enough. Hackers are smart. They can easily figure out that ONE password and use it to break into all of your other accounts, making you avictim of identity theft. There are many ways howidentity theft happens but you can protect yourself by creating strong, unique passwords for all of your accounts.

Whatmakes a strong password?

There’s a difference between a goodpassword, a strong one, and one that will be hacked. Here’s what you don’t wantyour login credentials to be:
Afamily member’s name
Thelast 4 digits of your social security number
Password. Yes, really. According to PCWorld.com, p-a-s-s-w-o-r-d is the second most popular password in thelist. And using “passw0rd” andsubstituting the zero for the “o” is just as easy to guess. And don't use pa$$word either. Too easy!
Yourdate of birth or the birthday of anyone in your immediate family
123456
Admin

Now that you know what thieves look for,here’s how you thwart them:

Gobeyond the required password length. Ifthe password field says that you need to have 6 characters, make yours 8 or even 10. The more characters, the harder it is to guess. l
When in doubt of your password, use the retrieve password button on the site you visit to access your account. A unique link will be sent via email for you to access your accountand change it.
Don’t store your many logins andpasswords as a Word doc on your computer, in Evernote on your tablet, or somewhere on your phone. If your devices arestolen, think of what a treasure trove of information that device is!
Make an appointment with yourself to change your passwords each month, or at the very least, every other month. Set a reminder on your calendar if you're likely to forget.
Usea combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. For example create one with your pet's name (Spot) and your anniversary (October 17). Instead of it readingSpot1017, change it to: $p0tT3nL7 A combination of capital letters combinedwith symbols, letters, and numbers is much harder to guess!

Do your identity a favor. Change your passwords and then get IDENTITY GUARD’s 3 freeebooks about howto protect yourself from identity theft.

I am a kIDsure Ambassador and received IdentityGuard service to review at no charge. I also receive monetary compensation formy involvement in the program however, all opinions are my own and knowledge comes from past experience working for internet security companies.

#Bloggers4Haiti Snapfish Photo Book Party

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Sometimes it’s just nice to spend an afternoon catching up with friends. That’s what I got to do this weekend during our First Class Travel themed Snapfish party that Elena and I hosted to share our #Bloggers4Haiti travels with friends and fellow bloggers.

We shared gorgeous photo books full of memories that truly made an impact on our guests thanks to the vivid pictures and ease of creation. We spent a good deal of time talking about photo challenges- like feeling that there’s never enough time to create a book- and our guests were so surprised at how little time it actually took to make our photo books, the many page layout options, and ease of use.

Elena's photo book in her gorgeous home

My photo book along with travel themed decorations

Our photo books helped tell the story of how beadwork, papier máche, paper bead jewelry, metal work, and horn jewelry pieces we had brought home from our trip were made.

Rolled paper beads and beadwork coin purses

Papier máché vase and metal work heart pendants

Describing the work and having our guests see the intricate detail both in photos and from the pieces we brought home was wonderful. We loved talking about the process and the fact that the art creates a sustainable way for the artists to earn money and along with a sense of pride.

While on our trip, I also loved documenting the food I ate through my pictures. Most of my meals were photographed before I dug in. Because so much of the joy I get from traveling is sampling traditional dishes of the country I’m visiting, Elena and I wanted to share a taste of Haiti with our guests.

Griote, mushroom rice, and plantains—
one of my favorite meals while in Haiti!

While we weren’t able to replicate Griote (fried pork with peppers and onions pictured above), we were able to share Djon Djon, a delicious mushroom rice made out of black Haitian mushrooms, rum cake, and Haitian coffee. We also ate a lot of mangos and habaneros so some mango habanero salsa was in order- hence the chips!

Rum cake! For the recipe, see the link above.

We had a wonderful afternoon and our guests took home fun glasses, props for their own at-home photo sessions, and reusable bags filled with gift cards good for prints and photo books courtesy of HP.

Goodies courtesy of Snapfish

For tips on creating your own photo book, Tweet @SnapfishbyHP.

For information on products sold through the Heart of Haiti line, visit the Macy’s websiteto see brief videos about the metal, papier máché, and painted wood artisans.

The majority of my trip was personally funded but I did receive a scholarship from Everywhere to help defray some of my travel costs. Snapfish provided me with product/credit to create my own photo book and to host this party.

Come Talk About Social Media Community

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:00 +0000

It’s been called into question in the past, this thing that is the Social Media Community. It’s been called fake, superficial, and everything under the sun. What it hasn’t gotten enough of is accolades.

The Social Media Community pulls together in times of great joy, great stress, and great fear. It’s an amazing thing we’ve witnessed again and again.

So, because we feel that aspect of the Social Media Community doesn’t get enough press, my Splash Creative Media colleagues (@GraceDuffy, @KikaRose, @JustPrecious, @CentsibleLife) and I would like to dedicate a Twitter chat to the community. Come share your stories and enjoy ours!

Chat details:

Date: Thursday, February 9
Time: 1-2pm EST
Hashtag: #SMcomm

No RSVPs necessary! See you there!

Susan

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:32:00 +0000

"All that survives after our death are publications and people. So look carefully after the words you write, the thoughts and publications you create, and how you love others. For these are the only things that will remain."

~ Susan Niebur

Character Voicing: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D Behind the Scenes

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

What does it take to make a Star Wars film? Models, computer graphics, live action, incredible sound effects, and a talented team to put everything together into what we see on the big screen in movies such as Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 3D, out in theaters this Friday.

Last weekend’s trip to Skywalker Ranch and LucasArts in San Francisco’s Presidio allowed Little Miss Techie to a first hand look at the magic of making the Star Wars films that involves live action, computer graphics, models, and sophisticated sound equipment that can draw on a database of clips from any film ever made by George Lucas.

Matthew Wood, Skywalker Sound Supervising Sound Editor

To say that sitting in the very same sound room (and chair!) where George Lucas sits and makes decisions about the sounds that go in his movies was awe inspiring is an understatement.

George Lucas sits here!

To have the opportunity to hear your voice being used for a character in a movie? Seriously cool!

Little Miss Techie hopped up in a chair next to Academy Award nominee and Skywalker Sound’s Supervising Sound Editor, Matthew Wood, for her chance to record the only “girl battle droid” voice for our entire group.

How did she do? Take a look!

Huge thanks to Matthew Wood for being so fantastic with the kids. He’s a mega star in the world of sound and was completely approachable, kind, and patient during our time with him. The kids clearly felt comfortable asking him anything and everything as they did the next day during our Q&A session at LucasArts and he always had a great answer!

And an interesting tidbit about Matthew Wood? He’s also the voice of General Grievous in Revenge of the Sith, a role he also plays in the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Other roles Matthew plays in the Star Wars series include:

Episode 1: Bib Fortuna and Ody Mandrell
Episodes 2 Magaloop and Seboca
Episode 3: Magaloop, Seboca, and General Grievous

Little Miss Techie and I were guests of 20^th Century Fox. We were not compensated or required to create a video and all opinions are our own. Images without a watermark are courtesy 20th Century Fox.

Digital Delights for Valentine’s Day: A Gift Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0000

If gadgets are the way to your beloved’s heart or you rely on technology to keep those you love close, then these swoon-worthy items are sure to put a smile on someone’s face this Valentine’s Day.

We always want our kids to know they are loved but Talkatoos ($14.95) lets them know just how much whenever they want. Created by Sheila Wright, a mom who was looking for a way to share some love with her little ones, Talkatoos allow parents to record messages that kids can talk with them. The whimsical clip-on on charms are easy to use— just press the small button to record a message and play it back when depressing the large button. Talkatoos can be used for sweet nothings, recorded messages to your child’s teacher, or to help a child feel closer to a frequent traveling parent.

InCase Nylon Tech Backpack ($99.99)

Any device lover needs a great way to protect and transport them while on the go and the Incase Nylon Tech Backpack ($99.99) can do just that. This sleek backpack features a faux-fur lined notebook compartment that is designed to fit a 17” MacBook Pro, slip pocket for an iPad, another furry lined dedicated zippered compartment for a phone. It’s an ergonomic choice thanks to padded back panels, shoulder straps and an easy-to grab handle at the top. Available in fuschia, red, or green from OutfitYours.com who is sure to get your Apple devotee their accessories well before Valentine’s Day when ordered this week. I once ordered a laptop case from OutfitYours on Friday and it arrived by Monday with regular shipping!

I Love You Through and Through iPad app ($4.99)

Nothing is better than a child's love or a moment when your child demonstrates compassion towards others. This Valentine's Day give the gift of helping your child realize the different things one person can love about another. Based on the Scholastic book by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak and illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church, I Love You Through and Through ($4.99) is a touch and tilt storybook iPad app that centers on emotional play. Touching and tilting the iPad encourages children to understand moods, sentiments, and emotions. Simple animated interactions, initiated by touching the screen (to hear laughing, crying and more), or tilting it (to move the characters and hear giggles), make it easy for the youngest of readers to engage with the story.

USB Heart Necklace ($75)

Wear your heart on your sleeve but keep data close to your heart with a USB Heart necklace encrusted with Swarovski crystals ($75). This sparkly necklace comes features a pull out USB key with 4 GB of storage. With that much storage, there’s plenty of room to house a video message to your sweetie, cherished pictures, must-have files, and more.

Insignia LCD Digital Photo Key Chain

Grandparents love showing off photos of their beloved grandchildren and there’s no easier way to do it than with a digital photo key chain. This compact Insignia version ($18.95) comes in red, features a 1.8” screen, stores 40 photos, and is a budget friendly. While it is easy to operate, give the gift of technology by pre-loading the key chain with favorite photos of the kids the grandparents are sure to love.

Greensleeve Case by Gone Studio

If being green is the way to your iPad lover’s heart than give the gift of a Greensleeve Case ($29.90 from Amazon) by Gone Studio. Available for iPad and iPad2, in charcoal gray or kiwi green, this envelope-style case is as natural as your love. It’s made of 100% pure wool, free of PVC and plastics, 100% biodegradable, naturally stain and moisture resistant, and made right here in the good ‘ole U.S. of A.

Samples received for review purposes but all opinions are my own. Amazon Affiliate links included in this post.

Saving for College: 5 Practical Tips to Help You Start Now

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

My grandfather always said that education is something that could never be taken away from a person and despite the importance of education, the rising cost of college tuition is something that is always on my mind.

A recent story on NPR stated that during the last 20 years, the cost of college tuition has increased faster than the rate of inflation. I worry that while we started earmarking funds to help pay for our kids’ college costs and add a little bit each month, we won’t be able to help them as much as we like in 10 more years.

Rather than settling on not sending them, there are ways that we are working to save our pennies for the future. We do as much as we can to ensure that we keep as much of our hard earned money as possible. Sinking money into our IRAs and depositing money into our childrens’ 529 accounts for college helps to shelter our hard earned cash from being taxed by Uncle Sam.

But what if you aren’t saving money for the future and would like to?

Start small. If it seems like you might not have any room in your budget to invest in the future, think about any luxury item you might be able to give up. Maybe it’s a cup of coffee once a month, switching to a generic brand rather than purchasing name ones, exchanging babysitting services with another family rather than hiring your fave high school student, or dinner out as a family. Designate any savings for your investment.

Shop around. These days it seem that savings accounts yield very little interest and if you’re saving money, you not only want it to serve as a tax shelter but also earn the highest interest possible. You owe it to yourself to shop around. Banks offer varying interest rates on savings and other accounts. Since banks and other financial institutions want your money, they’re happy to consult with you for free. And while it may seem like a half of a percentage isn’t very much, over time that small amount could end up being fairly substantial.

Direct deposit. Sending your funds directly to a designated account ensures that they won’t be spent on other items and makes it easier to save.

Become knowledgeable. The more you know, the less intimidating tax sheltering your money becomes. Ask friends for recommendations of financial planners, talk to your local bank, and read up on tax sheltering your income through things like 529 college savings accounts, Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs), prepaid tuition plans, and Roth IRAs, or UPromise accounts.

Model savings. Be open and honest with your kids when it comes to money. Perhaps they don’t need all the details of your family finances but tell them why it is they can’t have that toy that they are lusting after in the toy aisle. Encourage them to save and help them learn to budget for their futures.

Continue to Never Settle for Less by Filing online at http://www.hrblock.com/index.html or in person at an H&R Block Office.

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with H&R Block and Technorati. All opinions are my own.

AboutOne: Manage Your Life, Earn AcornPoints

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

If there are days that you feel like you could use a personal assistant, intern, or an army to help you stay organized, AboutOne can help through its new and improved online family organizer that is like having a scheduling assistant, certified public accountant, and family historian all rolled into one thanks to a new version— AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints. AboutOne has partnered with Microsoft and Suze Orman (IDSafe) to launch a brand new version of its online organizer that includes the AcornPoints rewards program that pays you to get organized.

AboutOne 2.0 with AcornPoints is a system to help you keep your family running smoothly. It provides instant access for everything you need at your fingertips so you can quickly and easily find your contacts, manage your household budget, and store favorite family memories through a single system that provides sharable reports that are accessible anywhere.

Some of the new features I love in the AboutOne 2.0 include:

Email photos and videos to my account and use them to create an email newsletter to family members or make a hardcover photo book that I can order and have sent to me;

Scan and use my phone’s camera to input receipts;

Incorporate photo sharing services like Flickr and Picasa;

Link social media accounts such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

It will also:

Save time by syncing with customers' existing Google, iCal, or Outlook calendar/contact tools to make them more useful;

Pay users in gift cards from their favorite sites for achieving their organization goals;
Give customers peace of mind with third party privacy audits and bank-level security;
Serve as a calendar-based, online organizer and filing cabinet;
Be completely private with bank-level security;
Provide Full mobile access;
Format your information, when and how you need it, either online or through printable reports, newsletters, or photo memory books.

Just like the previous version of AboutOne, it is a robust system with a lot of information that may seem daunting at first but adding information as you need it, makes using it manageable.

Interested in trying AboutOne? As part of the launch celebration of the new version of the service, AboutOne is hosting a $10,000 tell a friend giveaway.

Just enter your email address request an invite for a free account with the new service, confirm your subscription, and then refer at least three friends. Each friend who signs up and confirms their subscription will enter you both in the giveaway. Together, you and one of your friends could share the $10,000 prize.

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with AboutOne but all opinions are my own.

Tide Coldwater vs Dog Laundry in a SheSpeaks Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Running your washing machine on a cold water cycle is not only is good for the environment and your utility bill, but did you know it can be just as effective in cleaning clothes as hot water?
I recently received a sample of the new Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent and put it to the test against a load of dog laundry with lots of muddy pawprints!

How did it do? Take a look!

I received a sample of Tide Coldwater Liquid Laundry Detergent to help facilitate this review and compensation for my time in creating the video. All opinions are my own from my experiences with the product. Amazon Affiliate links are included in this post.

Children's Book Authors and Illustrators Create Valentine's Cards for OpenSky

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

“Wouldn't it be wonderful, if you're going to buy Valentines anyway, that it's for a great cause?”- Julianne Moore

Thanks to actress, author, activist and mother, Julianne Moore, limited edition Valentine’s Day cards created by some of the world’s most beloved children’s book authors benefitting Save the Children are available on OpenSky, my new favorite shopping site where celebs and experts share their favorite things directly with fans.

Julianne Moore, a children’s book author herself who also happens to be passionate about literacy and reading, invited her friends— children’s book authors and illustrators: Mo Willems (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!), Kevin Henkes (Chrysanthemum), Ian Falconer (Olivia), Leuyen Pham (Freckleface Strawberry) and Brian Selznick (Wonderstruck)— to design a set of 30 limited-edition cards that are perfect for giving to an entire class at school.

The full $25 purchase price of each box benefits children living in poverty through Save the Children's U.S. Programs.

In addition to the cards, shoppers can also buy an exclusive bundle of all three books in Moore’s children’s book series Freckleface Strawberry, signed by the actress, on OpenSky to benefit Save the Children.

If you aren’t familiar with Freckleface Strawberry, we had the pleasure of hearing Julianne Moore read it at this year’s National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic at DC’s Verizon Center Feb 15-20 (giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0000

Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years ofMagic is coming to the Verizon CenterPresident's Day weekend. Classic and new Disney stars are taking to theice from February 15-20 to share memories, laughs and excitement throughunforgettable stories and enthralling characters.

Theshow includes Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Pinocchio andJiminy Cricket to Stitch, Nemo and the Incredibles. Enjoy exciting moments from Disney’s Mulan and TheLion King and will feature choreographed figure skating to AcademyAward®-winning songs like “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,”“Beauty and the Beast,” “Under the Sea,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”.

Hereare the dates and times for Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic at theVerizon Center:

Wednesday,February 15th @ 7:30 p.m.
Thursday,February 16th @ 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Friday,February 17th @ 7:30 p.m.
Saturday,February 18th @ 11:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday,February 19th @ 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Monday,February 20th @ 12:30 p.m. (President’s Day)

Ticketscan be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets via charge, by phone at800-551-SEAT, via www.ticketmaster.com and in person at theVerizon Center box office.

Win a set of4 tickets for your family to the opening night performance on Wednesday,Feburary 15^th at 7:30 pm!

To enter,leave the name of your favorite Disney song along with your email address orTwitter handle anytime before Sunday at 5 pm.

For an extraentry you must complete the above and, Tweet this daily and leave a link toyour Tweet in your comment: I entered to win @TechSavvyMama #giveaway for a 4pack of tickets to #DC Disney on Ice! (1 entry/day)

Fine print: Winner willbe selected from eligible entries on Sunday and must provide their full name byMonday at 9 am EST. Tickets are non-transferrable and only valid for the Wednesday, February 15 7:30 pm show. ID is required to claim your tickets at the Verizon Center Box Office Will Call. Failure to respond by the deadline forfeits your prize.

I received aset of 4 tickets for my family to attend the show in exchange for thispost. All opinions are my own andthose of my little Disney on Ice fans. Images courtesy of Disney on Ice.

Snapfish Photo Book Preserves #Blogger4Haiti Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

“Thankgoodness for digital,” I kept saying during my recent trip to Haiti as Iclicked away, snapping photos of everything from the trees, food, streetscenes, and anything that looked remotely interesting even from the window ofour moving van as it bumped along dusty dirt roads.

I lovetaking pictures but I fail at turning the digital images into hard copies thatI can look at and enjoy on a regular basis. Averaging about 425 photos a day for the 5 days I was inHaiti amounted to a lot of photos— photos that were visually stunning on myscreen and screamed to be shared.

Would youbelieve that I’ve already created a photo book of my trip?!?

A preview of the front and back covers featuring
Jean Baptiste's stunning bead work.

My 52 page 12x 12 album of photos arrived yesterday and I’ll be using it to share my travelsduring a Snapfish at-home party co-hosted with Elena from Ciao Mom for local friends and fellowbloggers from The DC Moms.

I just lovehow quick and easy it was to preservemy memories from #Bloggers4Haiti through a photo book that I can share! The photo uploader grabs multiplephotos at a time and can either automatically place them on the pages (great ifyou’re short on time!) or customize the placement. Customizing placement may sound daunting but it’s as easy asdragging and dropping. Once thephoto has been added to the book, Snapfish puts a green checkmark by it so youknow it’s been used! It was justas easy to rearrange photos, pages, and create a cover for my masterpiece!

Photos are checked as they are placed
in your photo book to prevent duplicates

And if youhappen to change your mind about the cover or size of a book (like I did!),Snapfish makes it easy to switch! The service will automatically apply the changes to the book and no rearrangingis necessary. I originally startedwith an 8x8” book and decided that I needed the 12x12” size to showcase thebeautiful images that I captured while in Haiti!

I’m veryexcited about treating friends to a fun travel-themed afternoon full of photosand stories as we catch up while enjoying some Haitian inspired food in a spacethat will be filled with travel-themed decorations courtesy of Snapfish!

I already have a book in the works for this past weekend's #StarWars3D trip with Little Miss Techie!

Snapfish provided me with product/credit to create your own photo bookand to host this party.

The Dog Strikes Back: 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Speaking of Star Wars, remember the kid dressed up as Vader in last year's Volkwagen ad? Take a look at this newly released extended Super Bowl ad for the Beetle and be sure to watch until the end!

Skywalker Ranch Jedi Training with a Side of R2, Yoda, and Stormtroopers

noreply@blogger.com (Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Little Miss Techie and I were in SanFrancisco for the weekend for a visit to Skywalker Ranch, home of Skywalker Sound, and LucasFilm offices that include LucasArts andIndustrial Light and Magic. We were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of theStar Wars films before Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace comes out in 3D on February 10.

It was an incrediblevisit full of many favorite experiences, including time with Obi-Shawn learningthe Jedi arts!

My young Padawan in training!

One part of the trip she didn't love so much? Stormtroopers at breakfast!

Making a call to Captain Computer to alert him about
"Stormtroopers at breakfast!"

After being schooled as a young Jedi, she felt woefully unprepared for the following morning's meetup with Stormtroopers since she was without her trusty lightsaber but time with RD-D2 and Yoda was most welcome!

Seeing eye to eye with R2

Yoda rocking the glasses and ready for a preview of
Star Wars 1: The Phantom Menace 3D

With Little Miss Techie's help, we'll share more about the things we did and saw during our trip in more posts next week.

Little Miss Techie and I were guests of 20^th Century Fox and all opinionsare our own. Additional lightsaber for Captain Computer was personally purchased as was other fan gear to commemorate our trip.