I like the quality of this spatula. Unfortunately, it doesn't do a great job with the main thing I use spatulas for. I do a lot of over easy eggs, and the end simply doesn't get flat enough to slip under the eggs well enough.
It does work quite well for scrambling or sausage or anything like that. It does pretty well with cookies too.
It is a metal spatula that is entirely covered in silicone. The quality is high and it is surprisingly heavy. It should be very heat resistant. I like many parts of it, but I'm really picky when it comes to cooking my eggs, and this one just doesn't cut it (very very few ever do...)
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Silicone Slotted Spatula Turner by DEMYLY
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Ambient Bamboo Baby Washcloths
I cloth diaper, so I am always looking for washcloths and cloth wipes that work well for my son. There are so many baby washcloths and towels that feel like sandpaper they are so rough. Whenever I am in a store, I feel every one that's on the shelf to see if any are soft enough that I would be comfortable using them on my son (I wouldn't use most even on me because of how awful they feel!)
These bamboo washcloths came out of the box incredibly soft (as in so soft I kinda just want to cuddle them!) and are pretty thick, and they have just gotten softer as I've used and washed them. I want a hooded towel made out of the same material for him!
They work incredibly well for cleaning dirty diapers. With one wipe, most of the nastiness is picked up and a second wipe to make sure my son is entirely clean (and these can be diapers where it feels like you're cleaning wet cement off...so anything that cleans that easily is a big YES in my book!). And they feel so good on his bottom as well.
Their size is quite good. They will work great in his bath as well. They hold onto quite a bit of water if you want them to, so I can rinse his hair using them without a big fight (from using a cup).
These washcloths aren't cheap enough to buy a huge stack to use as wet wipes, but they are very reasonably priced for how high quality they are. I expect them to stand up to many many washes and heavy use.
I highly recommend these for anyone who likes to have actually soft washcloths for their kids and not whatever thin, painfully rough washcloths the stores are selling..
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
These bamboo washcloths came out of the box incredibly soft (as in so soft I kinda just want to cuddle them!) and are pretty thick, and they have just gotten softer as I've used and washed them. I want a hooded towel made out of the same material for him!
They work incredibly well for cleaning dirty diapers. With one wipe, most of the nastiness is picked up and a second wipe to make sure my son is entirely clean (and these can be diapers where it feels like you're cleaning wet cement off...so anything that cleans that easily is a big YES in my book!). And they feel so good on his bottom as well.
Their size is quite good. They will work great in his bath as well. They hold onto quite a bit of water if you want them to, so I can rinse his hair using them without a big fight (from using a cup).
These washcloths aren't cheap enough to buy a huge stack to use as wet wipes, but they are very reasonably priced for how high quality they are. I expect them to stand up to many many washes and heavy use.
I highly recommend these for anyone who likes to have actually soft washcloths for their kids and not whatever thin, painfully rough washcloths the stores are selling..
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
4 Channel Digital Timer Clock, White
I subscribe to Fly Lady and her methods for cleaning, decluttering, etc., and she is a big advocate for setting a timer for 15 minutes and working on a project for that long and no longer. After that you walk away and do something else (you can go back after a few mins, but the point is to not burn yourself out and that you can do anything for 15 mins.) I have tried to use my phone as my timer, but it doesn't work well for me. I have to hunt down the app, go to the timer section, set it... It's not difficult, but it keeps me from doing it.
I've been wanting an actual timer for a while and jumped at the chance to review one. This is a really nice timer in most ways.
*There are four timers that can be running simultaneously and have distinct beeps.
*When a timer runs out, a count up clock starts and keeps going until you tell it OK. That way you know how long you spent sheet it went off.
*Once it counts down, you can reset it to the original time you were running.
*The beeping only goes on for 60 seconds and then stops (this is important when you have a baby asleep in your arms...)
*When you are on the clock screen, the timers that are currently counting down flash at the top, so T1 and T4 for example.
*It's very easy to set the clock and the timers.
*The display is large and easy to read.
*If you just want to do a count up timer, clear your timer and hit Stop/Start.
There are two things I dislike about this timer.
1) The battery cover was difficult to get on fully correctly (and we lost the clock setting while messing with it because one of the batteries lost contact). Once it was correctly on, it stays on well, but it took my husband and me 3 or 4 attempts before we finally got it on just right.
2) The recall function for the timer only works once the timer has actually gone off. So if it is set for 15 mins, you work for 10 and decide to move to something else, the only way to put it back to 15 would be to add minutes to the timer again. Whereas if it has counted down and gone off, you hit the Start/Stop button twice and it resets back to that original 15 mins. Not the worst thing in the world, but I found it annoying...
Overall I like this timer. The functional annoyances only drop it by about half a star for me. I look forward to using it a lot as I begin to declutter my life.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
I've been wanting an actual timer for a while and jumped at the chance to review one. This is a really nice timer in most ways.
*There are four timers that can be running simultaneously and have distinct beeps.
*When a timer runs out, a count up clock starts and keeps going until you tell it OK. That way you know how long you spent sheet it went off.
*Once it counts down, you can reset it to the original time you were running.
*The beeping only goes on for 60 seconds and then stops (this is important when you have a baby asleep in your arms...)
*When you are on the clock screen, the timers that are currently counting down flash at the top, so T1 and T4 for example.
*It's very easy to set the clock and the timers.
*The display is large and easy to read.
*If you just want to do a count up timer, clear your timer and hit Stop/Start.
There are two things I dislike about this timer.
1) The battery cover was difficult to get on fully correctly (and we lost the clock setting while messing with it because one of the batteries lost contact). Once it was correctly on, it stays on well, but it took my husband and me 3 or 4 attempts before we finally got it on just right.
2) The recall function for the timer only works once the timer has actually gone off. So if it is set for 15 mins, you work for 10 and decide to move to something else, the only way to put it back to 15 would be to add minutes to the timer again. Whereas if it has counted down and gone off, you hit the Start/Stop button twice and it resets back to that original 15 mins. Not the worst thing in the world, but I found it annoying...
Overall I like this timer. The functional annoyances only drop it by about half a star for me. I look forward to using it a lot as I begin to declutter my life.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Deluxe Cook V-Blade Mandoline Slicer Professional
I have been wanting a mandoline slicer for years but keep not having a chance to get one. It is turning out to be just as handy as I was hoping!
It's easy to set up, use, and clean. All the pieces can go in the dishwasher (which is huge for me cause I have a one year old, and it's hard enough to get stuff put in the dish washer never mind trying to wash by hand!) And they have a holder for the three blades that aren't in the slicer right now.
There are four slicing blades included. Two Julienne and two flat slicers. These are perfect to make slices for french fries, veggies for soup, thin slices of fruit to dehydrate, or my current favorite, thin slices of harder veggies for my son. He only has 8 teeth, but he loves apples, carrots, etc. This will allow me to give him more fresh fruit and veggies without a ton of extra work on my side.
This slicer is incredibly sharp! It will slice almost anything, soft or hard. Because of this, I love the hand guard/food holder. It pierces the produce and holds it securely. You can also raise or lower the prongs so that you can slice up most of the produce with very little waste.
I'm really enjoying this slicer, and I look forward to continuing to use it for a variety of recipes. I've always wanted to try making potatoes au gratin and now I can!
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
It's easy to set up, use, and clean. All the pieces can go in the dishwasher (which is huge for me cause I have a one year old, and it's hard enough to get stuff put in the dish washer never mind trying to wash by hand!) And they have a holder for the three blades that aren't in the slicer right now.
There are four slicing blades included. Two Julienne and two flat slicers. These are perfect to make slices for french fries, veggies for soup, thin slices of fruit to dehydrate, or my current favorite, thin slices of harder veggies for my son. He only has 8 teeth, but he loves apples, carrots, etc. This will allow me to give him more fresh fruit and veggies without a ton of extra work on my side.
This slicer is incredibly sharp! It will slice almost anything, soft or hard. Because of this, I love the hand guard/food holder. It pierces the produce and holds it securely. You can also raise or lower the prongs so that you can slice up most of the produce with very little waste.
I'm really enjoying this slicer, and I look forward to continuing to use it for a variety of recipes. I've always wanted to try making potatoes au gratin and now I can!
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Baby Bandana Drool Bibs
My son has been fighting both thrush and teething for the last week or so (and he just picked up a cold), and he has been drooling a river non-stop recently. His shirts end up soaked all the way down to his bellybutton and if it stays on him too long after that, he can end up getting kinda rashy from it.
Enter the Baby Bandana Drool Bibs. They are fleece lined and incredibly soft. He has soaked them several times, and the top part gets soaked, but the fleece doesn't get more than damp for a long time. I don't leave them on him constantly, but when he's in super drool mode, I will put it on long enough to contain a lot of his drool and then pull it off before it starts holding moisture on his chin.
The bandanna shape and styles are truly adorable. It doesn't feel as much like we're putting a bib on him, more a cute accessory.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Baby Bandana Drool Bibs
Monday, November 30, 2015
Wool Dryer Balls
This was my first chance to try Dryer Balls. I cloth diaper, so I can't use any fabric softener or dryer sheets, and I was hoping that these would work in place of the synthetic choices.
In fact, they do wonderfully. Since we started using them (throwing 1-3 balls into a medium sized load), the diapers are coming out much softer and really nice for my son's bottom. They seem to be speeding up the drying process as well. They warned us, and I found that it was true, that if you over dry using these balls, they do cause some static cling. As long as you reduce your drying time, there's no issue.
These balls are also the perfect size for my 1yo son to play with. He thinks they are the best toy and will play "catch" or "soccer" with them (throwing/hitting it across the room and then chasing it down and repeating). Our dog occasionally grabs one to play with as well. I never expected these to be quite so versatile.
I will be picking up more of these soon, so that I have enough for my baby to play with and be able to use them in both of my dryers!
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
In fact, they do wonderfully. Since we started using them (throwing 1-3 balls into a medium sized load), the diapers are coming out much softer and really nice for my son's bottom. They seem to be speeding up the drying process as well. They warned us, and I found that it was true, that if you over dry using these balls, they do cause some static cling. As long as you reduce your drying time, there's no issue.
These balls are also the perfect size for my 1yo son to play with. He thinks they are the best toy and will play "catch" or "soccer" with them (throwing/hitting it across the room and then chasing it down and repeating). Our dog occasionally grabs one to play with as well. I never expected these to be quite so versatile.
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| As I was wiring this review, he started playing with these balls again. |
I will be picking up more of these soon, so that I have enough for my baby to play with and be able to use them in both of my dryers!
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Forever Flex Exercise Ball
When I first got this ball, my plan was to use it as an office chair. I measured and measured and read different recommendations from several different websites. I finally decided that 65 cm was likely the right choice. Now that I've gotten it, I've decided that was too small. So I'm using it for exercise instead. I'm 5' 10.5" with very long legs and I'm not sure if the 75 cm would even be large enough to comfortably use as a chair. I'm going to try some different balls and see what works best. I'll update once I figure it out.
Otherwise, I have nothing bad to say about this exercise ball. It is made of a nice thick rubber. It inflated easily. They instruct to inflate to 80%, wait 24 hrs, then inflate the rest of the way. I followed those instructions and had no problems. The hand inflator they include works fine but is quite tedious. My family was teasing me that I was doing a ton of work and making zero progress, but air was being added slowly. If you have an electric air pump, that would make short work of it.
The ball itself is very sturdy. I feel very comfortable putting 250+ lbs on it. My son also loves to take it and roll it around the living room. It is not weighted, so it rolls like he expects it to.
I also use an exercise ball when I'm in labor, so I look forward to having this one around (along with a couple of other sizes) next time I'm pregnant.
I'm very happy with this ball, and it's a reasonable price.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Forever Flex Exercise Ball
Otherwise, I have nothing bad to say about this exercise ball. It is made of a nice thick rubber. It inflated easily. They instruct to inflate to 80%, wait 24 hrs, then inflate the rest of the way. I followed those instructions and had no problems. The hand inflator they include works fine but is quite tedious. My family was teasing me that I was doing a ton of work and making zero progress, but air was being added slowly. If you have an electric air pump, that would make short work of it.
The ball itself is very sturdy. I feel very comfortable putting 250+ lbs on it. My son also loves to take it and roll it around the living room. It is not weighted, so it rolls like he expects it to.
I also use an exercise ball when I'm in labor, so I look forward to having this one around (along with a couple of other sizes) next time I'm pregnant.
I'm very happy with this ball, and it's a reasonable price.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Forever Flex Exercise Ball
Monday, November 23, 2015
Muslin Swaddle Blankets
Even though my son is almost a year old now, I am still a big fan of receiving/swaddling blankets. They are so versatile and soft and nice, so I was super excited to get the chance to review these Muslin Swaddle Blankets.
First of all, I think they are super cute. This set of three has three patterns: chevron, arrows, and crosses. I love them all, but the arrows and chevron are my favorites I think. The crosses are pretty small, and you can't see them well unless you're close up.
They are super soft. I always wash any cloth items before I start using them, but these were soft even before I washed them. After they were washed, they got incredibly soft!
They are really really light. This makes them perfect for everyday use. My son gets crazy hot and sweaty whenever he sleeps, so unless it is freezing, I have to use thin sheets just to protect him from drafts.
They are also quite large (48x48 inch), so they cover him and will for many years to come!
I never swaddled, but these would be excellent for that use as well. Your child wouldn't overheat and they are large enough to stay secure.
These are my go-to light blankets, and they will get softer the more we use them. And they are actually cheaper than some of the other brands I've looked at!!! I highly recommend them!
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
First of all, I think they are super cute. This set of three has three patterns: chevron, arrows, and crosses. I love them all, but the arrows and chevron are my favorites I think. The crosses are pretty small, and you can't see them well unless you're close up.
They are super soft. I always wash any cloth items before I start using them, but these were soft even before I washed them. After they were washed, they got incredibly soft!
They are really really light. This makes them perfect for everyday use. My son gets crazy hot and sweaty whenever he sleeps, so unless it is freezing, I have to use thin sheets just to protect him from drafts.
They are also quite large (48x48 inch), so they cover him and will for many years to come!
I never swaddled, but these would be excellent for that use as well. Your child wouldn't overheat and they are large enough to stay secure.
These are my go-to light blankets, and they will get softer the more we use them. And they are actually cheaper than some of the other brands I've looked at!!! I highly recommend them!
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Soft Silicone Bib by Baby Go-Green
My son is still learning how to use his sippy cup (we mostly use the Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup), and he gets rather enthusiastic while drinking. This means that he ends up with milk (water, juice, etc) everywhere! And he tends to soak traditional bibs by the end of a meal. So I thought it would be excellent to try these silicone bibs.
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| Yup, I'm COVERED in milk! |
My baby also just looks adorable wearing it. They will last a long time, and I look forward to continuing to use them.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Alisten PowerPort 6 USB-C/USB Charging Hub
I have a Samsung Galaxy S5, and we have absolutely horrible reception at my work, so my phone is always dying quickly. I can plug it into my computer and charge it like that, but that is so slow that if I use my phone at all while it is charging, it only slows down the discharge. My work computer doesn't play nice with my phone most of the time either, so I desperately needed a good charging block to take to work.
I then received the opportunity to try and review the Alisten PowerPort Charging Hub. I jumped on the chance and am so glad that I did! This hub has a removable power cord and is surprisingly heavy. It is the size of the palm of my hand or a little larger than a deck of cards. When it is plugged in, there is a fairly bright (but small) blue light that stays on. I personally like having it there because it tells me the unit is getting power. I don't like having to guess if my power strip is working or on...
I don't have a type C cord (I have started to do research on it but haven't gotten my hands on a cord yet), so I can't test that port. But I have checked the rest of the type A ports and they all work perfectly. My phone charges quite quickly.
I love only needing to have one plug in my power strip and still be able to charge up to 6 (including the one C Type) devices. It has seriously cleaned up my desk. There are times where I need to have two phones, my kindle, my tablet, and my battery power pack (my transportable phone charger) and this Hub allows me to do that! I will be getting one for my house as well.
I highly recommend this Charging Hub. I'm really happy with it!
I then received the opportunity to try and review the Alisten PowerPort Charging Hub. I jumped on the chance and am so glad that I did! This hub has a removable power cord and is surprisingly heavy. It is the size of the palm of my hand or a little larger than a deck of cards. When it is plugged in, there is a fairly bright (but small) blue light that stays on. I personally like having it there because it tells me the unit is getting power. I don't like having to guess if my power strip is working or on...
I don't have a type C cord (I have started to do research on it but haven't gotten my hands on a cord yet), so I can't test that port. But I have checked the rest of the type A ports and they all work perfectly. My phone charges quite quickly.
I love only needing to have one plug in my power strip and still be able to charge up to 6 (including the one C Type) devices. It has seriously cleaned up my desk. There are times where I need to have two phones, my kindle, my tablet, and my battery power pack (my transportable phone charger) and this Hub allows me to do that! I will be getting one for my house as well.
I highly recommend this Charging Hub. I'm really happy with it!
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
BeliBea Nursing & Hands-Free Pumping Bra
I got the chance to try the new BeliBea Nursing & Hands-Free Pumping Bra. I chose to try the XL as I am a larger busted woman (only to get a bit larger during pregnancy/nursing). It turned out to be a little too small for me, but I am going to make my observations assuming it was the perfect size. (I hope they make larger sizes soon, it is difficult to find any bra large enough, never mind a hands-free pumping bra).
The bra is set up in layers, so you can open the outermost panel (which also has removal pads) and use the second panel to hold your breast pump or you can open both and nurse to your heart's content.
Unfortunately this bra got sent to me just as I stopped pumping, so I was never able to test how well it worked hands-free, but I did try putting the flange through the hole and looked at how it held. It appears that it would work pretty well.
There is no support in this bra, so if you are at all larger, it will really only work as a around the house bra. The clips to open the panels with work well and can easily be manipulated one handed.
Overall, this is an excellent bra for around the house if you are much smaller chested than I am.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
BeliBea Nursing & Hands-Free Pumping Bra
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Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Santamedical Wrist Digital Blood Pressure Monitor
Since I donated my kidney several years ago, I need to be able to check my blood pressure pretty regularly. I thought this would be an excellent monitor to try. Once we figured it out, it works pretty well. Unlike the higher quality Omron I've used, this one needs to be up against your wrist and very tight.
The way it works is it pumps all the way up and then takes the readings as it releases. It is not as reliable as I'd like, but for the price, it's pretty good.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
The way it works is it pumps all the way up and then takes the readings as it releases. It is not as reliable as I'd like, but for the price, it's pretty good.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Reusable Pouches - Planes by Basics Best
This is the second type of reusable food pouches that I have tried. I like them quite a bit. There are no corners for food to get stuck in. They are fairly easy to fill. I saw a review that mentioned using a breast pump shield as a funnel. That is a really good idea, and I hope to try it soon. They are also adorable! I love the planes and the cute saying "Fill & Go". Perfect for my truck loving son!
My son loves food pouches and is thrilled to get to feed himself the more "messy" foods (like apple sauce, yogurt, soup). He has not yet learned how to use a spoon and is just now working on how to use a fork. Even once he masters those utensils, these will still be excellent snacks to keep in a thermal in my diaper bag for him while we are out and about.
I would highly recommend that you be sure to rinse the pouch out as soon as you're done with it. I could imagine them becoming a nightmare to clean if the food dried out or went bad.
Disposable pouches are quite expensive and don't have as interesting of food choices as we can make ourselves, so making our own is an excellent choice. We still use disposable pouches as well (they work well when I don't want to worry about keeping food cold while we're out and about), but I'll be using these reusable pouches regularly.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
My son loves food pouches and is thrilled to get to feed himself the more "messy" foods (like apple sauce, yogurt, soup). He has not yet learned how to use a spoon and is just now working on how to use a fork. Even once he masters those utensils, these will still be excellent snacks to keep in a thermal in my diaper bag for him while we are out and about.
I would highly recommend that you be sure to rinse the pouch out as soon as you're done with it. I could imagine them becoming a nightmare to clean if the food dried out or went bad.
Disposable pouches are quite expensive and don't have as interesting of food choices as we can make ourselves, so making our own is an excellent choice. We still use disposable pouches as well (they work well when I don't want to worry about keeping food cold while we're out and about), but I'll be using these reusable pouches regularly.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Reusable Food Pouch by Baby Go-Green
My son has recently discovered food pouches and loves to use them. Disposable food pouches are expensive and don't use any spices (my son loves "real" food, he thinks that plain veggies with no spice at all is boring), so I was very excited to get the chance to try a reusable pouch.
I washed them out using hot water right away. They open easily and were easy to prep.
The first morning I had them, I filled one with apple sauce and put it in our thermal with his milk to go upstairs. Apparently, when he spotted that pouch, he immediately grabbed it, ate all of it, and was super excited about it! My mom then made baby cereal in it and he gobbled that right up. We are now keeping a supply of reusable pouches upstairs where she can easily get at them during the early part of the day as well as some downstairs where we can use them at night.
These pouches are quite durable and should last for a while. There are no corners to get food stuck in, but I would recommend that you immediately clean or at least rinse out these pouches after you use them. If the food drys out or goes bad, it would be very difficult to get them clean again.
I am very happy with these and for the price, they'll pay for themselves in just a couple of uses (each pouch).
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Reusable Food Pouch by Baby Go-Green
I washed them out using hot water right away. They open easily and were easy to prep.
The first morning I had them, I filled one with apple sauce and put it in our thermal with his milk to go upstairs. Apparently, when he spotted that pouch, he immediately grabbed it, ate all of it, and was super excited about it! My mom then made baby cereal in it and he gobbled that right up. We are now keeping a supply of reusable pouches upstairs where she can easily get at them during the early part of the day as well as some downstairs where we can use them at night.
These pouches are quite durable and should last for a while. There are no corners to get food stuck in, but I would recommend that you immediately clean or at least rinse out these pouches after you use them. If the food drys out or goes bad, it would be very difficult to get them clean again.
I am very happy with these and for the price, they'll pay for themselves in just a couple of uses (each pouch).
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Reusable Food Pouch by Baby Go-Green
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Jola Case for Samsung Galaxy S5
Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to be very rough on my phone. It gets dropped (sometime drop kicked) or thrown, chewed on (by my 10 mo son), thrown in my bag or pocket, I've even fallen off my horse and landed on my phone in my pocket. This means I'm always on the lookout for a good phone case that will keep it in excellent shape.
So far, the Jola case seems to be holding up well to my abuse. It is one piece and snaps easily and securely onto my phone. I had to pull it off today to put on a new screen protector; it was not easy to get off, but it was nowhere near impossible. My phone will certainly not fall out of the case when it gets dropped.
The hole around the earphone plug is large enough that it doesn't impede using a headphone jack (previous cases I've had have made it difficult to use headphones). It is still a bit tricky to pull the cover off of the charge port, but as long as you have some finger nails (not chewed down to the quick) you should be fine. The charge port cover is a problem no matter what case you get.
My one concern with this case is that it is very slick. I have been afraid that it would simply fly out of my hand and onto the ground, but as of right now, that hasn't happened yet. It still feels insecure in my hand though. The one positive about this is that my phone slides easily into my back pocket. This case is fairly light, which is nice. I enjoy not having a lot of extra weight on my phone.
Other than the slickness, I really like this case. I'm going to drop one star (down to 4/5) because I am constantly afraid I'm going to drop it. Otherwise, it is one of the best cases I've dealt with.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Jola Case for Samsung Galaxy S5
So far, the Jola case seems to be holding up well to my abuse. It is one piece and snaps easily and securely onto my phone. I had to pull it off today to put on a new screen protector; it was not easy to get off, but it was nowhere near impossible. My phone will certainly not fall out of the case when it gets dropped.
The hole around the earphone plug is large enough that it doesn't impede using a headphone jack (previous cases I've had have made it difficult to use headphones). It is still a bit tricky to pull the cover off of the charge port, but as long as you have some finger nails (not chewed down to the quick) you should be fine. The charge port cover is a problem no matter what case you get.
My one concern with this case is that it is very slick. I have been afraid that it would simply fly out of my hand and onto the ground, but as of right now, that hasn't happened yet. It still feels insecure in my hand though. The one positive about this is that my phone slides easily into my back pocket. This case is fairly light, which is nice. I enjoy not having a lot of extra weight on my phone.
Other than the slickness, I really like this case. I'm going to drop one star (down to 4/5) because I am constantly afraid I'm going to drop it. Otherwise, it is one of the best cases I've dealt with.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Jola Case for Samsung Galaxy S5
Baby Caboodle Back Seat Baby Mirror
My son HATES being alone in the back seat, and I've tried a cheaper backseat mirror from Walmart. That one was difficult to install correctly and it didn't stay solidly in one spot very well.
The Baby Caboodle back seat mirror didn't come with any instructions, but it was pretty easy to put together. You have to attach the mirror to the back plate, and it takes a little force (be sure it clicks!) Once it was put together, it was simple to attach it to the headrest. There are four straps that attach together to wrap around the headrest. You tighten the straps down and the mirror doesn't move. The mirror has a ball pivot so that you can adjust where it is looking.
Before I installed it, my son would hold it while in his car seat and smile/talk to it. He enjoys having it installed and will talk to himself in it and I think he can see me. I really like being able to see him while we are driving as well. This mirror has saved me from many hours of a screaming child while driving.
I would really recommend you spend the little bit more money here and get this mirror rather than spending only ten dollars at Walmart and getting a mirror that wiggles and is hard to adjust properly.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Baby Caboodle Back Seat Baby Mirror
The Baby Caboodle back seat mirror didn't come with any instructions, but it was pretty easy to put together. You have to attach the mirror to the back plate, and it takes a little force (be sure it clicks!) Once it was put together, it was simple to attach it to the headrest. There are four straps that attach together to wrap around the headrest. You tighten the straps down and the mirror doesn't move. The mirror has a ball pivot so that you can adjust where it is looking.
Before I installed it, my son would hold it while in his car seat and smile/talk to it. He enjoys having it installed and will talk to himself in it and I think he can see me. I really like being able to see him while we are driving as well. This mirror has saved me from many hours of a screaming child while driving.
I would really recommend you spend the little bit more money here and get this mirror rather than spending only ten dollars at Walmart and getting a mirror that wiggles and is hard to adjust properly.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Baby Caboodle Back Seat Baby Mirror
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Cozyna Coffee Grinder
I got the Cozyna Coffee Grinder to be able to grind my coffee while at work. It has turned out to be perfect for this task. I am using the default coarseness (and am happy with it, so I haven't worried about how to change that). For my little 4 cup coffee pot, you only need to fill the top cavern about half full (and grind to the top of the see through part) and that will be for a fairly strong cup of coffee.
The grinding itself is very quiet. If you put it on the desk, that will amplify the noise, but otherwise, it's not noticeable. The grind is very even and brewed nicely. I like being able to keep my coffee fresher by keeping whole beans. I don't tend to drink a lot of coffee at work, so I prefer that it stay unground for as long as possible.
The plastic part that you grind into appears that it will come out of the case so you can really clean it all. The entire unit breaks down fairly well so you can clean it thoroughly.
You do need to be careful not to lose the grinding handle. It is separate and you have to remove it to fill with coffee beans.
All in all, I am very pleased with this grinder and will be keeping it at work to use for a long time.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Cozyna Coffee Grinder
The grinding itself is very quiet. If you put it on the desk, that will amplify the noise, but otherwise, it's not noticeable. The grind is very even and brewed nicely. I like being able to keep my coffee fresher by keeping whole beans. I don't tend to drink a lot of coffee at work, so I prefer that it stay unground for as long as possible.
The plastic part that you grind into appears that it will come out of the case so you can really clean it all. The entire unit breaks down fairly well so you can clean it thoroughly.
You do need to be careful not to lose the grinding handle. It is separate and you have to remove it to fill with coffee beans.
All in all, I am very pleased with this grinder and will be keeping it at work to use for a long time.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Cozyna Coffee Grinder
Monday, September 28, 2015
Athena Cup Menstrual Cup
I received this cup shortly after I had my first period post pregnancy. I have not yet had my second one, so I haven't been able to give it a real test run. I'll update my post after I have.
The quality of the material is very good. It's thick and stiff and holds its shape quite well. It was pretty comfortable to put in and once it was in, I really didn't notice it. I followed the instructions and folded it twice and inserted it like a tampon (after boiling it the first time) It will take some practice to figure out if it popped out correctly or not. I can't say if it will leak until I've tried it under real circumstances. It was easy to remove. It is much more comfortable than any tampon I've ever used. I'm excited to try it for real.
I am 5'11" and not small (and I'm over 25 and obviously been pregnant) but I got size 1 and I believe I chose correctly. I haven't tried a cup before, so I have nothing to compare it with, but it felt right.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Athena Cup Menstrual Cup
The quality of the material is very good. It's thick and stiff and holds its shape quite well. It was pretty comfortable to put in and once it was in, I really didn't notice it. I followed the instructions and folded it twice and inserted it like a tampon (after boiling it the first time) It will take some practice to figure out if it popped out correctly or not. I can't say if it will leak until I've tried it under real circumstances. It was easy to remove. It is much more comfortable than any tampon I've ever used. I'm excited to try it for real.
I am 5'11" and not small (and I'm over 25 and obviously been pregnant) but I got size 1 and I believe I chose correctly. I haven't tried a cup before, so I have nothing to compare it with, but it felt right.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Athena Cup Menstrual Cup
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Mamaway Baby Ring Sling Carrier
I am very picky about the carriers I will put my son in (especially in terms of how it supports him and in what position, so I was interested in trying this Baby Ring Sling Carrier. It turns out that I like it quite a bit.
The first thing I really like is how light and portable it is. It has a pocket it can fold into, and it gets pretty compact, so I can always have it in my diaper bag just in case. It's also easy to pull out and set up. I watched the support videos on http://blog.mamaway.com/support/ before I tried to use it for the first time. That helped a lot and really had me ready to go. It still took a couple of tries before I was really comfortable using it with my 20lb wiggly son, but I think we're pretty good at it now.
Setup is very fast and much quicker than the other carriers I have. Most of the time, I have it in my car already set up (threaded through the rings) and so I just have to slip it on and pick him up and I'm done. Otherwise, it takes less than a minute to unfold it and thread it.
They recommended, and I found it to really be true, that you need to make sure the sling is stretched over your shoulder for maximum comfort. When I don't do this, it feels insecure and pulls on my neck and back. If I am careful to ensure it's stretched out as much as possible, it is much more comfortable.
If I had a calmer baby, I could go no-handed with this carrier quite easily, but my son likes to fling his head and body backwards with a lot of force, so I am nervous that he will pull himself out of the carrier and land on the floor. Because of this, I keep one hand around him at all times. It still makes carrying him sooo much easier since it supports his weight instead of my trying to support him with just my arm. He also tends to calm down more when in a carrier (seems to be how I "trained" him on accident). I have walked for a couple of hours through the store and only had mild shoulder stress from him constantly flying backwards. This is a win in my book!
Overall, I am very happy with this carrier. My son is not the easiest kid to carry, but it's much easier to do with the Mamaway Baby Ring Sling Carrier.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Baby Ring Sling Carrier
The first thing I really like is how light and portable it is. It has a pocket it can fold into, and it gets pretty compact, so I can always have it in my diaper bag just in case. It's also easy to pull out and set up. I watched the support videos on http://blog.mamaway.com/support/ before I tried to use it for the first time. That helped a lot and really had me ready to go. It still took a couple of tries before I was really comfortable using it with my 20lb wiggly son, but I think we're pretty good at it now.
Setup is very fast and much quicker than the other carriers I have. Most of the time, I have it in my car already set up (threaded through the rings) and so I just have to slip it on and pick him up and I'm done. Otherwise, it takes less than a minute to unfold it and thread it.
They recommended, and I found it to really be true, that you need to make sure the sling is stretched over your shoulder for maximum comfort. When I don't do this, it feels insecure and pulls on my neck and back. If I am careful to ensure it's stretched out as much as possible, it is much more comfortable.
If I had a calmer baby, I could go no-handed with this carrier quite easily, but my son likes to fling his head and body backwards with a lot of force, so I am nervous that he will pull himself out of the carrier and land on the floor. Because of this, I keep one hand around him at all times. It still makes carrying him sooo much easier since it supports his weight instead of my trying to support him with just my arm. He also tends to calm down more when in a carrier (seems to be how I "trained" him on accident). I have walked for a couple of hours through the store and only had mild shoulder stress from him constantly flying backwards. This is a win in my book!
Overall, I am very happy with this carrier. My son is not the easiest kid to carry, but it's much easier to do with the Mamaway Baby Ring Sling Carrier.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Baby Ring Sling Carrier
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Sirefly Cell Phone Car Charger
I am very happy with this car charger. It has two 2.1 Amp plugs, so I can charge both my husband and my Samsung Galaxy S5's at the same time. It stays plugged in and alive very well. I use it every day on the way to and from work. It charges quickly.
It is also a slim design and stays out of the way. It is perfect for my car.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Sirefly Cell Phone Car Charger
It is also a slim design and stays out of the way. It is perfect for my car.
I received the product mentioned above for free or greatly discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I like and use personally.
Sirefly Cell Phone Car Charger
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