Free Top That! Apps & E-Books

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I'm not being paid to write this or given anything in exchange, I just thought you'd be interested to know that Top That! Publishing (who do send me books to review every so often) are very kindly making all their apps and e-books free to download until midnight tonight to help celebrate World Book Night.

I've downloaded most of the apps as The Boy loves the Mixed-Up Monsters/Animals that we were playing with the other day, and I've downloaded all of the picture books into the iBooks app on my new iPad (did I mention I had one of those?).

There's not just pre-schoolers picture books available, there's a whole load of fiction and non-fiction books for children up to about ten years of age, especially engaging for reluctant boys!

To download the apps click here and the ebooks here.

HURRY!

Tuesday 24th April 2012 – 'Garden Craft' (115/366)

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I took The Boy to see a new playgroup (nursery really) today. He only goes one day a week at the moment and only then since January. When we signed up to the one he uses, it was the middle of Winter and I didn't think about the fact that it hasn't got any outdoor space. Now the Summer is (apparently) on its way, I want him to be able to play outside and enjoy himself. Furthermore, I've just discovered him singing "Jesus' love is very wonderful" and as he's not Christened for a reason, I can only assume he's learnt it in one place.

While I was having a look around, he made this with one of the nursery nurses. He starts there next week!

Drip!

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I'm quite a proactive person and don't particularly like burying my head in the sand when it comes to problems. Like the time my oven broke down three days before Christmas when I was due to be entertaining my entire family over the two day period. Oh and it snowed six inches within a day so I had difficulties getting a repairman out. That was fun.

However, occasionally I do a very good impression of an ostrich. Like with the fridge-freezer.

I am actually ignoring the fact that it's leaking. Apart from when I stand in the puddle of water which is creeping its way across the floor from the base of the two metre tall monolith in the corner of the kitchen. Then I put down a sheet of kitchen towel and carry on regardless.

We've had it repaired once. I say 'repaired' but the man took the inside plate off and used my hairdryer to defrost it. Then he screwed it back on and charged me £60. Hece my reluctance to address the tsunami in my kitchen.

My fridge-freezer is supposed to be one of those new-fangled (although it's seven years old) ones that doesn't ice-up and doesn't need defrosting. Therefore when my husband tells me that it is leaking because it needs defrosting, I point him in the direction of the words on the front of it that say 'frost-free'. Only I put my wellies on before attempting to point to it because the evidence proves he is right, which is something that I don't like.

Therefore, sooner or later I am going to have to address the fact that I need a home appliances repair service and warranty, and bite the bullet. I wouldn't be quite so voluntarily ignorant of the entire process, had we not cancelled our warranty two years ago (because we'd never used it) in order to save money.

How much are new fridge-freezers?

Meal Planning Monday #7

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Last week's meal plan by and large was stuck to with the exception of Saturday night's Chinese takeaway. We decided to go into Cardiff during the late afternoon and buy an iPad (as you do) and took our Tesco vouchers with us so we could have a meal at Pizza Express afterwards. Therefore, I moved the Chinese to Sunday because we don't like to miss it!

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  • Sunday: Chinese (home-made deep-fried tofu/takeaway chicken balls, sweet and sour sauce, crispy seaweed, egg fried rice, spring rolls and chips. Because I'm Welsh and that's how we roll around here!)
  • Monday: Dauphinoise potatoes, blue cheese and asparagus tartlets and salad.
  • Tuesday: freezer left-over Pizza Hut pizza and spicy potato wedges
  • Wednesday: Pasta and salad
  • Thursday: slow-cooked vegetable pasta (not tried this before, it will be a cheese/cream based pasta because I dislike tomato sauces on pasta)
  • Friday: Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne (my brother, the chef, was supposed to be coming over last Friday and I cooked this for him, but mid-afternoon he had to cancel. He's coming this Friday instead so I shall cook it again)
  • Saturday: Mango and coconut paneer

Quite a few repetitive meals in this week's plan that make up our staple diet, but after two weeks off work for Easter and working an extra day due to INSET, I know I'm going to be knackered and need easy food. I'll get back on track with my imagination next week!

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I'm linking this up to Meal Planning Monday at Mrs. M's

Top That Apps (Review)

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I am a book reviewer for Top That! Publishers and this means that every so often we receive a few paperback storybooks to review. However, a month or two ago we were sent some download codes for a few apps that they had recently launched.

Mixed-Up Animals

This is a lovely little app which is very fun and engaging for pre-schoolers, with the opportunity for a whole load of discussions about animals and their habitats and how they are suited to where they live. The basic concept is that there are three sliders, one each for animal heads, bodies and legs. Children can slide it across to select their own, or shuffle to come up with a random generator. They can then select the backgrounds from a variety, save and share their work if they want to.

Mixed-Up Monsters

Exactly the same format, but with monsters!

We really like these apps and have had a good giggle about the monsters and animals that we've made up. Both are available on iTunes for iPod Touches, iPads and iPhones and require iOS 3.1 or later.

Top That! have a variety of apps and e-books available for download from iTunes and on GooglePlay for Android and to celebrate World Book Night, all Top That! ebooks and Apps (UK, USA, AUS & Canada only) will be free to download on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th April 2012.

View the Apps on:
  • iTunes: http://topth.at/iosapps
  • Google Play: http://topth.at/play

I was given free download codes for the purpose of this review. My opinion is honest and unbiased. I am choosing to share the information about the downloads because I think they are quality apps and e-books that children will enjoy.

(Disclaimer: Free eBook and app downloads only available for UK, USA, Aus and Canada. Not all Top That! eBooks and apps are available in all countries listed. Free download offer is for two days only. Normal pricing will resume following the two day period. The Publisher reserves the right to withdraw this offer without prior notice and at its discretion.)

366 #16

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Here we are, well into the fourth month of project 366, sixteen weeks have flown by. Most of us have probably found our stride by now, and hopefully taking photographs that document our lives (and loves) is becoming part of our daily routine.

I'm going for a theme with my photography for my forthcoming week. We've just invested in an iPad3, and I want to explore its 5MP camera and the editing capabilities.

The Project 366 Facebook group is a fabulous community who offer support to those taking part in this photography project, and give much blog love. We've made it a closed group so that not every Tom, Dick or Harry can see the content but if you'd like to join just click the 'ask to join group' button in the top right hand corner of the page.

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