Klikko Vehicles - Educational Building Set With Activities to Learn Math Review

Klikko Vehicles is an Educational Building Toy (137 pieces) with Activities to Learn Math / STEM Concepts.

 

It comes the tray and bag (pictured above) to keep the pieces off the floor, although Mica had the pieces everywhere. He puts his building toys all over. That's no fault of the toy.

The boys were off school on Thursday, and I was off work from Strep Throat. We relaxed a lot. Mica (the well one) said, "I'm bored!" I got our Kilkko Vehicles, and put him in charge of building some vehicles. I told him I just needed a few built, but he was all about it. He built 3, and said afterwards, "Wow that bulldozer looks fun to build to."

The ship was his first construction. He had a little trouble with the tips. The pieces are more wobbly than Legos, snap together, and are harder to come apart. I took them apart. I thought at first I'd possibly break them. No chance of that happening. The pieces are sturdy enough to not break!

He built the rocket second. That one was my favorite!

Mica said, "Look Mom with this one it will help Isaak and I with fractions."

The last one he put together was the subway. I thought it was a submarine. I guess it would be played with either way.

Mica said the little yellow piece in the tip was hard to put in. This was Mica's favorite to build. 

With the Subway it helps the child learn multiplication.

This set would make a great gift. Isaak's getting it for his birthday. Mica (age 10) thinks Isaak (age 7) will need a little assistant with an adult or his brother. 

I love that it helps with early engineering/math + promotes patial and fine motor skills. There are 137 colorful geometric pieces that snap together, and pivot

Colors:

• Red
• Yellow
• Blue
• Green 
• Black

Things that can be learned: 

• Multiplication
• Fractions
• Tangram Logic Puzzles
• Area
• Following Instructions

Things that can be built:

• Jeep
• Car
• Rocket
• Ship 
• Bulldozer
• Subway

 I really like this set. It's something a little different. I love that there is learning involved.

What kind of vehicle would you like see added to this set? I think I'd pick a jet. 

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free in exchange for a review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Random Tid Bits

1. This weekend I get to play single mom. Travis is going to Chicago for a dental conference. 


2. I got Isaak's strep throat. I stayed home on Thursday. The kids do not have school Thursday or Friday. Isaak decided to cuddle with me. I figured why not? he already had strep throat. It's not like he's going to get it from me. He would not stop wiggling around. I got no extra rest. It's a good thing I didn't expect to get extra rest. Somehow I knew that staying home with the boys would be worse for my health. Ha!


3. My Grandpa was feeling well enough to go home from the hospital earlier this week. His stats were A ok. Now he's been having fevers later this week, and actually had wet accidents. This is not like him. I guess he just had a horrible cold, but my mom is thinking he does in fact have a UTI. He's a pretty with it guy. I'm hoping he's not going downhill fast. He's in his 80s, and he's not getting any younger. So many people on that side of the family live into their 90s. 


4. They said a warm up was on the way last week. It lasted a day or two. Now we're back gloom and doom, cold weather, and it snowed just enough to look like confetti on the grass. 


5. Last night I woke up at 3 AM. I heard cats. We have wild cats that roam around. We've even taken baby cats to the Humane Society. I bumped Travis awake and said, "Do you hear that? Is that cats outside, or Mica playing Minecraft?" Right after I said that the noise stopped. The cats sounded like they were coming from a computer game. When we woke up, we asked Mica what he was doing at 3 in the morning? When we told him what we heard he had a smirk on his face. It was either a you caught me smirk, or a you guys are ridiculous smirk. Our boys haven't lied to us for a very long time that we know of. They know that they get in worse trouble when they lie. I wouldn't put it past any kid to lie at times though. No one is perfect. We didn't catch him, so he's innocent until proven guilty.
   
   Does anyone else think Minecraft has the worst effects? I like that kids can build things, but I hate the boxy feel.

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Achoo! Why Pollen Counts - A Book Review

I love children's books! Once upon a time I got in trouble when I was in third or fourth grade because I was trying to check out children's books instead of chapter books. The librarian scolded me. I liked the pictures. Chapter books were limited with illustrations. Still to this day I go to the children's book section first when I enter a bookstore, or library.

I adore the children's book I got called Achoo! Why Pollen Counts By Sheenen Bersani to review. 

An added perk was getting a special card from the author Shennen Bersani!

Plus the author signed it to my nephew Edison. He is going to get this book very soon.

What Achoo! Why Pollen Counts is about:

A baby bear is allergic to pollen. The grass is covered with it. The pollen makes baby bear sneeze, itch, and his eyes get watery.

The story covers what pollen is, how we need it, and what animals eat it to help them survive.

What I like about Achoo! Why Pollen Counts:

I've always been an allergy/asthma sufferer. This book relates to me. I know my nephew Edison is getting the book, but I also know his family is filled with allergy sufferers as well. It takes a complex topic, and makes it understandable to anyone.

I like the writing, and the cute illustrations. One thing that is different about this book compared to others is that it has 4 pages of learning activities in the back for creative minds:

• Ah-Achoo! Understanding Alleriges
• Flower Parts
• The Pollination Process
• Pollinator Matching
• Bees: The Great Pollinators

You can look for more activities online at www.ArbordalePublishing.com

Best for ages 4-7. Isaak who is almost 8 enjoyed it. I think the illustrations are great for younger. Kids love to be read to. They may not be able to do the activities in the back when they are younger than 4, but they still will enjoy this story!

Keywords: adaptations, basic needs, pollen, allergies, plant parts, plant life cycle, pollinators, pollination, bees 

Animals in the book: black bear, bear, honeybee, ladybug, snow owl, spider, vole, zebra butterfly 

Special Thanks:  Dr. Alan Graham, Curator of Paleobotany & Palynology at Missouri Botanical Garden's Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development, for reviewing the accuracy of the information in this book.

Buy Achoo! Why Pollen Counts! It comes in:

• Hardcover: $17.95
• Paperback: $9.95
• Spanish Paperback: $9.95
• EBook $6.95
• Spanish EBook: $6.95

Check out more books from Arbordale Publishing

Get Achoo! Why Pollen Counts on Amazon

Like Achoo! Why Pollen Counts on facebook

Visit Sheenen Bersani - the author's website

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free in exchange for a review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Bad Dreams

Isaak told me when he woke up on Friday that his throat hurt. He sometimes does that, then will go on throughout the day like nothing is wrong. I ask myself: Is it allergies? Is it a cold? Is it something more? Once he gets up and moving he's usually just fine.

Towards the end of the day on Friday Isaak didn't look very good. When I got home he was extra grumpy. Travis said, "Isaak stop milking it. Why do you have to act this way when Mom gets home?" He was acting that way because he was starting to spike a fever.

On Saturday he lost his fever, but slept much of the day. I thought about taking him in Saturday morning, but his fever was gone.

On Sunday he woke up his chipper self.

On Monday he woke up saying, "I'm totally normal. I don't feel sick at all." We sent him to school. Then I got a call saying, "Isaak's in the nurses office. He has a fever of 101.3." I went to pick him up, and put a call into the doctor. It took them an hour to get back to me. That's when I know they are busy. We couldn't get in until 4:50. Their office was buzzing with sickness.

Isaak's favorites when he's sick:

• Drinking JELL-O juice - JELL-O not set up to drink
• I usually add a vitamin C packet to his JELL-O Juice and additional water. 
• Watching movies
• Laying on the couch
• He didn't mind reading

An amazing thing happened when he was sick. Isaak got through his first long book, The 39 Story Treehouse. He's read a lot of books about the thickness of Flat Stanley. This book was 344 pages.

Isaak tested positive at the doctor's office for strep throat. There have been a lot of sicknesses around my work to.

I love the boy's doctor. As soon as he walked in he checked out Mica just to be sure. Then he said, "If Mica shows any signs just call us, and I'll write a script in. There's no need to come all the out here again."

The scary thing was when Isaak would wake up from bad dreams when he had a fever.

Scary Dream 1:

"Oh shit! Oh Shit! Oh shit!" Over and over again. "Mom stop making me climb the walls! I don't want to go on the ceiling!" All while his boiling hot body was trying to slither out of my hands.

I wasn't about to have the, "You shouldn't cuss like that Isaak." conversation.

Scary Dream 2: 

"Oh my God! Oh my God" Over and over again. "They are trying to bite me! Stop the alligators!" I held him, while Travis got his Motrin. Isaak, "Mom can't you see them. The alligators are on the ceiling!"

Are there any bad sicknesses floating around where you live?

WW: The Omaha Children's Museum

On Sunday the boys participated in a commercial for Parent Savvy. It was to showcase a new superhero display at The Omaha Children's Museum. I only wish I knew that our youngest Isaak had Strep Throat. Had I known, I won't have let him participate.

When we were waiting on the sidelines for the commercial takes.

Superman is one of my favorite superheroes. Who is your favorite?

Mica being Mica. Isaak was running around, not holding still.

Some superheroes behind glass.

Mica looking tougher than he is.

 

Essential Oil for Anxiety and Stress Relief Review

Sickness has hit our household. Isaak has a fever, keeps complaining of a sore throat, has been sleeping a lot, and he's cranky. It doesn't look like strep throat just yet, but we keep watching him. With sickness comes stress. Stress on the body.

I do my mom thing like make him eat, push fluids, and rub his back with Essential Oil for Anxiety and Stress Relief.

It's 100% pure & natural therapeutic grade for peace and calming purposes. I've been using it for a few days now. Right after I used it today he decided he needed sleep. That's not normal for him. Before that he was edgy!

What make this oil different from others? 

It's simple to answer, it comes ready to use. Other oils have to be mixed in other carriers like Olive Oil, or Almond Oil to use.

It came all wrapped in plastic to ensure there were no leaks.

Volume: 50m/ 1.7 fl oz

Concentration: 7% Ingredients:

• Vanilla
• Orange Sweet
• Rose Maroc
• Geranium China
• Olive Virgin
• Sunflower oil
• Evening Primrose oil
• Jojoba oil 

It has a screw on lid. You shake it to get the oil out. I do have to say that I like the oils that have the dropper a little better. I find it easier to drop them out into my hand.

 Shelf life:

• 36 months 
• Make sure you keep it in a dry and cool place.

Directions:

Use it 15 minutes before taking a bath to prevent feeling greasy. I didn't do this. I just put Isaak's night shirt over where I applied it. He didn't seem to mind. The other times I've used it it was before bath time.

Apply right amount to skin and massage gently, move toward the direction of the heart. Can be used while taking a bath by adding 3 teaspoons into the bathtub.

Best in relieving stress, nervousness and restlessness. I will certainly encourage my boys to use this before tests, and me before midterm and final times.

For best results, use it regularly (once or twice a day).

Cautions:

For external use only. Consult a doctor first if you are pregnant or have physical trauma. Keep the rim clean and the bottle tightly closed to prevent oil from spoiling.

Cost:

$49.95 and on sale for $28.95.

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free in exchange for a review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Random Tid Bits

1. Last year I went to my mom's cousin's apartment to help clear it out a bit. She had a very small family. We were nominated as the ones to help. It's sad when someone passes away. Going through their things seems odd. It's like getting invited to their home, but no invitation was given out.
   
   She was a collector. I think all my relatives that were there were wishing she wasn't a collector. Me on the other hand loved it. She collected dolls, and made doll clothes. I spotted this doll, and had to have her.
   
   
   
   
   I looked her up when I got home. My mom didn't think she'd be worth a whole lot because she didn't have original clothes on. Well she came naked. Still, she's not worth much.
   
   
   
   
   I was intrigued to see that this doll - Daisy Kingdom one day had patterns for clothes, and kid clothes. Much like American Girl Dolls do today.
   
   
   
   
   I got a few other dolls. Then I found boxed up ones, and told my aunt closest to her, "Put these in a safe place! Do not let just anyone have these." Do you find old dolls fascinating like me, or creepy?


2. I went to a home interior store and spotted Pantone seats. I'd love a set, but don't need a set. I talk about making Pantone colors in my Design and Layout class. I get giggles all the time. The abbreviation is PMS, which stands for Pantone Matching System.
   
   
   
   
   
3. The guy in our wedding that was Travis' Best Man (Sam) lives in Chicago. He's super stoked that Travis is going there for work at a later date.
   
   
   
   
   I'm not all that excited because A) I don't get to see Sam. He's my friend to. B) It also means that I get to play single mom over conference time.
   
   Anyhow Travis is going with the owner's daughter to a dental convention. She's super nervous. Travis is like, "No worries! I've got this!" He does. He's super great with directions. He told our friend Sam when he'll be there. Sam spread the word to someone we don't really like all too much. Travis is happy to see Sam, but not happy about the other guy that used to get drunk, pee himself, copied off a paper of mine, got me in a mess of trouble, and the list goes on. Sam is awesome, but he also is too nice to everybody. I told Travis, "Let's just hope the guy we don't care for grew up some. It's been 12 years since we've seen him." It should be interesting to hear how this Chicago trip pans out. 


4. Sam is from the Philippines. I know a little bit about the Philippines because my step-grandma - the only grandma I knew on that side was from there. She didn't move to the US until she was an adult. There was once upon a time I tried to question Sam about the Philippines. I quickly found out he knows very little about where he's from, and could care less to find out. Sam's favorite food is a cheeseburger. He likes American football. He loves Bon Jovi, Metallica, Dukes of Hazard, and secretly likes Fiddler on the Roof. We joke that he's really not Filipino. He's an American trapped in a filipino's body.


5. We met Sam in art school. He was there because his parents said he had to go to college. Really he wanted to drive big trucks. Since Sam had to go to college, dreamed about trucks, he painted big trucks. When he wasn't painting trucks he'd find things on the ground to put in gutted TV sets to make shadow box art. Certainly an interesting guy!

I Wish I Had a Magic Wand

The week started out with a call from my mom saying, "Your Grandpa is in the hospital. He was driving down Dodge Street the wrong way." We're lucky he didn't get in an accident. Dodge Street is a busy street. He's in his 80's, and totally with it prior to this incident. The doctors found out he has a Urinary Tract Infection. He's been in the hospital with one of these before a few times. He doesn't remember Monday at all. Since then he's been seeing cats in his hospital room.

I picture this:

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My Grandpa is still seeing cats. My aunt moved his bed in hopes that the cats had something to do with the light above his bed.

I wish I could swish a magic wand in the air to make my Grandpa better. 

Yesterday I had a student show up with tears running down her face. She just had a baby a month ago. It's hard enough to go to school full time after having a baby, but she also works.

Her boyfriend is an ass! He has 5 other kids with other women. He had a job, but quit because child support was taken out of his check every week. A real stand up kind of guy! NOT! He's uber controlling.

My student had to remove her guy friends off facebook, she had to change her name to be his on facebook (they are not married), he tells my student that he doesn't want her to go to class because he does everything around their apartment, he complains about making dinner, he has hit her, and he threatened to leave if she left to go to school.

I told my student to number 1, go check on her baby. If her ass of a boyfriend threatened to leave after she left for school then that would leave the baby home alone. Then I told her I'd leave phone numbers for her to call for help, paper, and pens to try and get help in an office no one, but her could use. She left to go check on the baby at 10 AM, and didn't get back until 1 PM. I think she gave up the idea of getting help.

Some women think their emotions are running high due to postpartum issues. You and I know full aware that this dip of a boyfriend is an ass. My student is smart and kind, but not smart with the current situation she's in. She wouldn't make those phone calls. I gave her the sheets of papers with the helpful organizations, and told her to hide them. She needs support.

I stalked checked out my student's ass of a boyfriend on facebook. He said hurtful, awful things in reference to my student. Like, "It would be nice if I was made dinner every once in awhile." Hummm...she was working last night to support them. and "History repeats its self. The women in my life have to just do their own thing." Going to class is doing your own thing!? I wish I could kick his ass. All he does is watch their kid. He lives off my student's Target job, and student loans. Shaking my head!

I wish I could swish a magic wand in the air to make my my student get out of the current state she's in. 

WW: Valentines Day {Linky}

I've always bought my boys just a box of chocolates for Valentines Day. I put it on their spot at the table. It makes them happy. This year I heard from Travis, "I hope you didn't buy anything. I didn't buy you anything." He knows I'm not needy when it comes to gifts. I said, "Well I bought you and the boys a box of chocolates. I'll tell you what...I'll put out something from my review stash and put it on my spot at the table for me." I put out a baking mat. Whatever works. :)

Isaak was super happy when he woke up, and saw chocolates and a note at his spot. He grabbed his note, and wrote me one back.

My 1 year old nephew saw this photo (above) on Facebook. He now says, "Igick", instead of Isaak. It's pretty cute! 

I made the boys a fancy breakfast.

Brotherly Love

Later we went over to my older sister's house to have heart shaped pizzas, a fruit salad, a green leaf salad, and brownie red velvet cake with homemade cream cheese frosting. It was all so good!

Did you do anything for Valentines Day?

Poor Tire

On Super Bowl Sunday we went to go pick up some pizzas to go over to someone's house. Travis parked in the fire lane because he knew he just needed to run in to grab the pizzas quick. I know - bad Travis. I was there in case I needed to move it. That's nothing we normally do.

When he got back he heard a hissing noise. It was karma from Travis parking in the fire lane. It was the tire. He wanted to drive it for 20 minute to where we were going. I said, "No way. We're going back home to switch vehicles." As we were driving the 5 minute drive back home Travis could tell a difference in the way it rode. I'm so glad we went back!

Travis switched the tire to the spare.

Day 1: On Monday he drove it to the nearest dealership. We thought we had coverage. The dealership didn't know. Travis called where we bought it. They said, "Oh they should know! All they have to do is look up the code number in your car. They aren't doing their job! Call us back if you need our service."

They had to order a tire.

Day 2: The wrong tire came in. Travis bitched complained to them. How hard is it to order a tire?

They did give us a vehicle to drive, while it's in the shop. I said, "Well I'm ok with that. Wear and tear on their car, not ours."

They also said they'd give our car a detail. Meaning they'd clean it very well. It was dusty, so great!

Day 3: The tire didn't come in.

Day 4: Travis was finally able to pick up our Subaru. He picked it up and the detail clean job wasn't done at all. Travis bitched complained to them about it. They did run it through the wash, and rinsed off the mats. The whole time they cleaned it he was shaking his head. The mats were put back in wet. The dash was wiped down all sloppy like. It was their idea to "detail" our car.

Geez I never knew it was so hard to order and change a tire!

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Note: Omaha dealerships suck! With us both working full time it's a pain in the you know what to drive way out of the way for good service. I wonder if dealerships get good tax breaks to be out of the city?

Of course they want a great review, or no review at all. I'm all about telling the truth. I'm not going to give a company a bad review if I had one bad experience. But if multiple things go wrong I'll say the truth.