Home, Mother's Day, Reviews

VIDBOX Video Conversion and Audio Conversion Suite Review

Video Conversion and Audio Conversion Suite

This is so exciting and what a great Mother’s Day gift! This is the VIDBOX Video Conversion and Audio Conversion Suite. This little box takes your old VCR (VHS, Betamax, S-VHS), camcorder (8mm, DV, mini DV, HDV, AVCHD) home movies and converts them to digital files.

I grew up in the 80’s and my younger siblings were into the 90’s so all of our home movies are on VHS and a few on 8mm. Do you even know what I had to go through to find someone who still has a VCR? That’s how long it has been since we saw our tapes and without owning a VCR we don’t get to sit and organize them or share.

The first 4 VHS tapes I played were taped TV shows, which was comical, such as ER, Will and Grace and even some old Fit TV episodes which I assume are my sisters recordings. I could just ignore those and not record.

Then I got to a stash of my youngest sister. Katie’s ballet show from 1996, her Middle School and High School choir and talent shows. Some Christmas family video and even one with my brother’s beloved dog he lost in a car accident (Shaft was in a Christmas video-such tears)! The memories are so fun!

Converting was so easy! You simply use the USB to plug in the VIDBOX to your PC or laptop (mine is the Mac version). Second, you use either RCA (composite) and/or S-Video outputs to connect VIDBOX to your VCR or video player/console. Then you will get a screen asking you length of the video you will record and then you get the actual record screen.

Here is the record screen (a bit blurry but that was my camera taking a moving photo on auto and not a reflection of VIDBOX quality). You simply get the video to the spot to record and hit RECORD. Then hit STOP and the NEXT arrow. At that point you can choose where to download to such as iTunes folder, file on computer, iMovie to edit and more.

The blur was my camera taking a moving video-VIDBOX conversions quality is great!

It’s that easy! TIP*** I recommend as converting these VHS tapes is a hefty file size that you record in 10-20 minute increments. That worked best for me in all formats of converting.

Giveaways, Healthy Living

PureGuardian® Large Room Hi-Performance Tower Console Air Purifier Giveaway

Air Purifier Giveaway

Welcome to the Air Purifier Giveaway

Spring is well on it’s way and I couldn’t be happier to see things warming up a bit! Spring IS my favorite time of year, but with all of those wonderful April showers, comes along moss and mold growth too! (Ickies!) Moss and mold triggers allergy symptoms for the nearly 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies. What’s worse is there’s nowhere to hide either! The fresh air outside is full of pollen and allergens, while the air inside is full of a myriad of indoor pollutions. What can we do?

About Indoor Air Pollution:

Indoor air pollution can pose a problem in many homes. From pollen, mold and dust to animal dander and tobacco smoke, these indoor pollutants can create asthmatic and allergic reactions. To help reduce allergens and improve air quality, an air purifier with the AHAM Verified® seal is recommended. Guardian Technologies tower air purifiers, including the new AC9400, all carry the AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) Room Air Cleaner Certification.

The new AC9400 has the highest Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) rating of all the Guardian Technologies air purifiers. The CADR is used by AHAM to measure a filter’s efficacy. The CADR indicates the volume of filtered air an air cleaner delivers, with separate scores for smoke, pollen and dust. The higher the CADR number for each pollutant, the faster the unit filters the air.

The AC9400 CADR numbers are 259 (smoke), 263 (dust) and 275 (pollen). It circulates room air 4.8 times per hour, and is recommended for large rooms up to 402 square feet. It also carries the Energy Star rating, so although it packs power in improving indoor air quality, it does so efficiently.

The AC9400 has a myriad of other features that make it unparalleled. Common household allergens such as dust mites, pollen, mold and pet dander are known to trigger an allergy or asthma attack. The 360° HEPA filter captures 99.7% of airborne particles .3 microns and larger, reducing the airborne allergens in the home. With the activated carbon layer of the filter, the AC9400 helps reduce common household odors including those from smoke, cooking and pets. The optional ionizer can enhance its ability to remove particles from the air. To keep the filter performance optimized, a filter indicator lights up on the display when it’s time to change the filter.

Because indoor air quality can change during the day depending on the room conditions, an air quality monitor set in auto mode detects the amount of particulate matter (2.5PM) in the air and adjusts the fan speed to keep air fresher throughout the day. The numeric value of particulate matter is displayed while the light on the front of the unit changes color providing a quick, visual status of the air quality in the room.

AC9400 users can choose from three speeds or select the turbo speed control for maximum airflow. No need to turn off the purifier at bed time. Light sleepers can let the purifier run through the night. When selected, the sleep mode feature will turn off the display lights, dim the power and switch to the ultra-quiet low speed.

Visit 7 Ways to Minimize Allergies this Spring
for more ideas on overcoming seasonal allergens.

Also visit Top 3 Allergen and Odor Reducing Air Cleaning Systems to find the right unit for your space.

ENTER TO WIN a PureGuardian® Large Room Hi-Performance Tower Console Air Purifier (AC9400) from Guardian Technologies! The AC9400W contains a unique 360 degree HEPA filter that relieves allergies by capturing 99.97% of dust and allergens as small as .3 microns in size. It’s large activated carbon filter attacks common household odors including those caused by smoke, cooking and pets. AND, it works to reduce the many VOC’s that are emitted by common household products and cleaning . The large room purifier includes an Air Quality Monitor that detects the amount of particles in the air and automatically adjusts the speed to optimize room air quality when in auto mode. An ionizer option is built into the unit and can be turned on to boost allergen control. The ionizer emits negative ions that attract microscopic allergens to form larger particles that can be easily trapped by the HEPA filter.

Specification and additional features: The purifier stands about 27 inches tall, has a timer up to 12 hours and a touch display with child lock. It provides powerful air cleaning and is ideal to use in rooms up to 402 sq. feet.

ENTER TO WIN!

One Lucky Winner Will Receive a

PureGuardian® Large Room Hi-PerformanceTower Console Air Purifier (AC9400) (APV $429.99)

The giveaway is open US Only, 18+

The giveaway ends 4/19 at 1159 pm est

Be sure to come back daily for more chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mommy’s Playbook Giveaway Rules: This giveaway is Sponsored by Guardian Technologies and hosted by Mommy’s Playbook. Victoria and/or Mommy’s Playbook, Participating bloggers, are not responsible for prize fulfillment. By entering this giveaway you are giving the giveaway host and/or event sponsor permission to retain your email address for future communication, you may choose to opt-out of such communications at any time. This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by any social media outlet including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Please contact Victoria (at) MommysPlaybook.com regarding any questions you have pertaining to this giveaway.

Books Reviews, Children's Books, Easter

THE HEART OF A BOY: Celebrating the Strength and Spirit of Boyhood – Book

THE HEART OF A BOYCelebrating the Strength and Spirit of Boyhood Book Review

About 2 years ago I featured the book, Strong is the New Pretty where photographer, Kate T. Parker used her images to feature girls in all the ways they dream to be. This popular book was recognized by media as well as celebrities like Reece Witherspoon and Drew Barrymore. Finally, the book, The Heart of a Boy debuts on April 2nd and I have a copy to share about with you!

Just like her original title for girls, this book takes the phrase ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ and transforms it into Boys who will be strong, kind and more.

With inspiring and joyful quotes from the boys themselves, this book spreads a heartfelt, uplifting message of openness, self-confidence, and warmth.

About the Author

KATE T. PARKER is a mother, wife, former collegiate soccer player, Ironman, and professional photographer who shoots both fine art projects and commercial work for clients across North America. Her Strong Is the New Pretty photo series has led to collaborations with brands like Athleta, Kellogg’s, and Oxygen. The project has also inspired Kate to launch a philanthropic arm of Strong Is the New Pretty, partnering with organizations that invest in girls’ health and education, like Girls on the Run, Glam4Good, and Girls Inc. She lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia. Her website is katetparker.com.

Children's Books, Easter

The Meaning of Easter with The Easter Story Egg

Easter is about eggs and basket gifts. Wrong! Easter is about the story of Jesus and Holy Week. When kids are dying eggs and collecting palms from mass, they are celebrating the the meaning of Easter. We read stories, attend church groups and hope they understand and encompass the real meaning.

Easter is not just a one-day celebration of a single event. Easter is a season. It is a story of Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday and The Easter Story Egg is the family tool you need to teach the meaning of Easter.

Above is a video of The Easter Story Egg and how it can be used in your home as a family activity to celebrate the meaning of Easter season.

The Meaning of Easter

The Story Egg™ book begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday. Each Egg within the set of nesting Eggs has a story that relates to a particular day in Holy Week, leading up to Easter Sunday.

Visit the our Easter Store