Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

Last week I was introduced to an instrument that I have never seen before called a Hammered Dulcimer over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

Source

The artist I'm featuring this week is Jamie Janover. He plays the Hammered Dulcimer by himself and with other bands.

He layers sounds together using the Hamered Dulcimer, mini drum kit, and adds technology. He started as a drummer. Much of his music is approached by thinking of rhythm first. Then he adds different sounds on top of that.

He's played in the US, Africa and Canada.

Source

Read more about Jamie Janover here.
Here is his website.
Here is Jamie Janover on Twitter.
Here is Jamie Janover on Facebook.

Kudo Knife Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

One thing that you don't know about me is that I used to carry a knife on me at all times. When I lived in Atlanta, Georgia I took the bus and subway to and from work. I was out at night. I kept a knife in my bag just in case anything dangerous came up. Nothing did, so I never had to use it.

I did open packages with it. It has also come in handy for camping, and peeling old paint off of paint cans!

The knife I used to carry was big, and cumbersome. It wasn't very practical for keeping in my purse.


I got a different knife to review. It's called a Kudo Knife.

I do like it because it is smaller. It's much easier to store.

It has a very sharp blade. I'll be keeping it far away from my kiddos. I keep all knives away from them anyhow.

• Blade: 41/4"
• Overall: 10"
• Thick: 2mm
• Weight: 2.4 oz.

About:

Cold Steel has a 100% warranty. The product is made in the US; they also sell their knifes around the world.

This style of ring on the knife is sold all over in South Africa. Other knives constructed the same way are inexpensive to make, but are constructed from poor materials. Most companies hike up the price. In general constructed from poor materials.

Still millions of these knives are sold there each year. Cold Steel thought they could design a similar knife, with better quality materials, cutting performance, and a more cost effective price. Their product is only $9.99!

Their version is good quality. It has a Krupp 4116 Stainless steel flat ground blade, heat treated to Rc 56-57 for better edge holding ability and ease of re-sharpening, and a thin razor sharp edge.

Safety:

For safety, they have tested the locking mechanism thoroughly and are well satisfied it will hold the blade rigidly open until you decide to close it by pulling up on the ring attached to the back spring. I found it slightly difficult to close the knife. I have trouble with most of them though.

The handle of the Kudu also reflects our dedication to making an effective and affordable folder. It’s made of 43% glass reinforced Zytel®. This material is extremely strong, and is stiff enough to compliment the blade and spring when locked open. Plus, the gripping surface has a wood grain texture for traction and features an attractive polished steel Kudu horn emblem for a little extra flair! We think the Kudu represents an unbelievable value. It’s ready for anything and makes a wonderful work knife, utility knife, bait knife, or hunting knife.

Disclaimer: The opinions on the post are my personal take on the product. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review.

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.

Random Tid Bits

1. My cousin had a baby girl, another cousin's wife is due anytime (she hasn't found out the sex of her baby) and my sister is due anytime with a boy. It's baby central around here. We have a small family, so cousins count in the scheme of things. I know some people that do not even know how many cousins they have. When you have a small family, cousins are seen during every major holiday.
   
   Do you have a big, or a small family?


2. The boys are busy doing extra things this week.
   
   Isaak is in an after school club for 4 weeks on Tuesdays called Garden Club.
   
   Mica's in an after school club on Wednesdays for 4 weeks called Edible Math. Anything that involves food, Mica is all about.
   
   Mica tried out for the Talent Show. He wanted to box with another kid. I said, "Ummmm...No!" I mentioned that he could do a reading. He's a great reader! When he looked down about that I said, "You could do Jiu-Jitsu. He tried that. He counted to 40 in Japanese, and did blocks, kicking, and punching. When he practiced he counted pretty fast, and wasn't loud enough. I kept prepping him. He's still young, so I can't expect him to be the best presenter. I don't know how he did. If he makes it great, if he doesn't oh well. At least he tried.
   
   Then there is the Science Fair during school on Friday. Mica's did a study on water evaporation. Isaak filled a balloon up with gas using vinegar and baking soda. If you missed that, you can see it here.


3. The boys aren't on our diet, but they do have things that we have. I don't know that it's really a diet. It's more just eating healthier. They never complain about steamed greens. Daddy can't believe they just gobble Kale and Callard Greens down. Did you know that greens are better to eat steamed? I didn't. Now I do. There is an article here.


4. I'm writing this on Thursday. Tomorrow I'll be sleepish. I have to stay at work most of the night. We have a thing every year called Portfolio Review Night. The school gets about 13 pros, and the students take their portfolios around to get reviewed. Some students get jobs out of the night. I have to help schedule the students after 2 reviews, and show them where to go. It sucks when an interviewer doesn't show up! Then I have to reschedule a lot. Plus it sets such a bad example. Then I help gather students to get their pictures taken between their portfolio reviews. The photos are for a graduation slide. Since most of them are dressed up, we get photos of them. I teach the next day, and I'm always sleepy the day after working all day and most of the night.


5. Isaak's getting his pictures taken Friday night. Little man will be 6 on May 19!

Seasonal Allergies

I'm trying to be proactive with allergies by:

• Watching what I eat (no gluten, no milk, and no sugar).
• Taking a body cleanse called Ridset.
• Washing our shirts if we're outside.
• Changing pillow cases out.
• Washing our hair before we go to bed.
• Drinking a lot of water.
• Exercise every day. We've missed a few, but have been pretty good about this.
• Not hanging my clothes on the line outside to dry. I never thought about this when I was growing up, but hanging clothes, or sheets on a line helps with the bill, but it also collects pollen in them.

Since I'm taking the body cleanse I took myself off my allergy meds. I've read that in the long run they are bad anyhow. For me it's either suffer with them, or suffer without them. I was hoping the body cleanse would take away all allergies. I'm not horrible, but I'm not all better either.

The weather has been back and forth here. For many when it rains it washes the allergins away. For me it brings on a horrible migraine and lots of sneezes. I think I got really allergic to mold when I lived in the south. There the humidity is high much of the time. But Grandma (my mom) said that I would have asthma attacks when I was little when it rained. Maybe the rain brings the pollution down to our level. I have no clue.

Daddy hates when I sneeze, and I'm sick. I hate it to. He's like, "Really when are you going to stop?" Seriously I'd love to stop sneezing. I don't enjoy it!

He also hates what I do to be proactive, so I can't win.

You know couples love each other when they fight over dumb things. 

It's true. Daddy and I hardly fight. If and when we do it's something crazy ridiculous. That's ok. It doesn't happen often. If we never fought, than that would be crazy ridiculous to.

Last week I said, "Honey can you wash the boy's hair in the sink, while I get the Neti Pots ready?"

He grumbled big time, "Why do I have to wash their hair?"

I said, "It will seriously take you tops 5 minutes. I want any pollen that is in their hair out. They have been sneezing, and I don't want them to get miserable. I'll change their pillow cases to."

He said, "God you are a nut! Just because you have allergies doesn't mean you have to push off all this stuff on them." He ranted and raved for awhile.

Isaak in particular was a mess with allergies over Easter weekend. He just looked miserable.

The boys do not get as bad as I do, but they do have allergies.

Both Daddy and I wouldn't drop it. We both have hard heads. 

I'm easy going on where to go and what to do. When it comes to being preventative, and not wanting to get sick I am hard headed. 

I finally said, "Sometimes I wish you had allergies to understand."

Then he left the house. What I was thinking is, Goodness! He's mad over a 5 minute hair washing. He's going to walk around, collect pollen on himself, won't shower before bed, and I get to sleep next to him.

That night he worked downstairs. He didn't shower. The next day he was talkative again.


We hardly fight, but when we do it's something silly like this! 

I remember my parents fought over the air and heat. They still might fight over that. Also silly.

What's something silly you have fought with your spouse about?

Science Project

Mica and Isaak have a Science Fair coming right up! I helped Isaak, and Daddy helped Mica.

I kind of wish Isaak picked something easier to do completely on his own. What he picked is easy, it's just that I think he may need a little help on the day of the Science Fair.

First I helped him gather the materials. 

Vinegar, Baking Soda, an Empty water or Soda Bottle, a Balloon, and 2 Funnels.

He poured vinegar 1/3 of the way full.

He prefilled up 4 of them for the day of the Science Fair. Then he can do it 4 times for the judges.

  
Then he used the other funnel for the dry ingredients. He filled a balloon 1/2 way with Baking Soda. 

He did 4 of these ahead of time to. I tied the balloons with twisty ties, so baking soda wouldn't fall all over the box.

  
Then he put the balloon on the bottle.

He will need help holding the bottle, while he puts the balloon on it.

  
He lifted the balloon up, and let the Baking Soda drop into the bottle. The balloon filled up with gas. 

He loved the experiment. I'm just worried about him being able to get the balloon on the bottle, and explaining it. He wrote out the materials he used, and how baking soda + vinegar = gas inside the balloon. You know how 5 year olds are though. He could do great, or panic and forget how to explain his science project.

WW: Yellow Submarine

The Easter Bunny hid a few things in the dishwasher.

Who is your favorite Beatle?

John

 George

 Paul

 Ringo - Mica keeps calling him, "Rango"

A Trip to the Hardware Store

One thing that is true about me is that I'm a big kid at heart. I told my extended family about Mica dancing in front of the cameras at stores. One of them said, "Let me guess you didn't get after him? He should be told store manners. That's not something he should be doing." Blah, Blah, Blah.

Yes I did have a talk with him, but no I didn't think it was a big deal. It's not like he was screaming or crying in a store. I just feel like kids are only young once. We force them to grow up way to fast these days.

This weekend we Saved Big Money at Menards. Daddy and I split up because we both wanted different things.

I went to meet back up with them, and I walked into Isaak with a rain gutter on his arm:

My first thought was, Oh that one family member would not approve. Then when Daddy got a cell phone call I was thinking it was great that Mica and Isaak were keeping each other entertained in a way that really wasn't hurting anyone else. Let them be who they are, which is kids. As long as they weren't hurting anyone, or anything, so be it.

Mica looked like Popeye, and Isaak looked like he had a funky cast on. I'm pretty sure that's not the look Isaak was going for, but that's what he looked like.

Who said hardware stores can't be fun for kids?

Rainbow Loom Bandz REFILL Set Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

One thing that Isaak is getting next month for his birthday is a Rainbow Loom. He of course doesn't know it yet. He's made some bracelets at Aunt Terra's house, and got really into it!

I kindly asked Aunt Terra if she would help me make a bracelet for a review. I even let her keep some of the bands from the Rainbow Loom Bandz REFILL Set. She was super excited to get some orange bands. In the refill kit that she has the orange is a faded orange.

We compared bands, and Rainbow Loom bands rock compared to her Oriental Trading Company bought bands. Her husband works there, so many of their things are from Oriental Trading Company. The ones she has look weak. Rainbow Loom bands look sturdy.

About Rainbow Bandz:

• They are latex free
• They are organic silicone bands
• They are 100% compatible with all looms
• They have low, competitive prices - The refill set I got for review is $49.99 and marked down to $25.01. I think that's a pretty good deal!
• You can find Rainbow Bandz on Amazon.
• Not for children age 3 and under.

They sent me 9 different colors!

The colors are bright and intense.

My sister told me that she uses a lot of black and white.

 Pink and Red

 Purple and Blue

 Green, Yellow and Orange

My sister has an off brand loom. She's actually getting Isaak a Rainbow Loom.

She showed me how to make a ladder bracelet. I wore it home and Isaak said, "Mom is that a ladder pattern? I want it." Isaak now has this bracelet.

Do you have a Rainbow Loom, or something similar?

If you do have a loom, get some Rainbow Bandz to go with it!

Disclaimer: The opinions on the post are my personal take on the product. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review.

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.