Three Products I LOVE (And One I Do NOT) - Product Reviews Ahoy!

Okay, readers, I have not done product reviews in a LONG time, so today is the day! Check out my assessments below of some stuff I have around the house!

Yogi Ginkgo Clarity Tea

Yogi Ginko Clarity Tea is delicious!

I am not a big herbal person, but I'd heard about the alleged properties of ginkgo (read more at WebMd here). What attracted me to the package of Yogi Ginkgo Clarity Tea, however, was that it allegedly supports memory. Hmmmm....I can always use help in that department. 

This tea has a sweetness that makes it perfect for hot or on ice. Since it's decaffeinated, it's appropriate for drinking all afternoon since it won't interfere with sleep. 

And does it help my memory?

 I think so! I definitely notice a difference when I'm drinking it versus when I'm not.  This is my go-to drink, especially during the Summer.

Jack Links Turkey Jerky

Jack Links Turkey Jerky is great for you and your kids.

When I think of jerky, I think of chewing on rubber tires. Other jerky I've tried was so chewy it actually made my jaw ache. Not so with Jack Links Turkey Jerky!  Okay, so there were a few pieces that were on the tough side, but overall, it has a pleasant texture it is DELICIOUS! At 80 calories per serving (three in the package – of course, I ate the whole package) and 13 grams of protein, it's a great snack to have in the house and is a must-have in your emergency kit. My daughter loved it, too, so I'm keeping some in the car. 

 Fresh Step Kitty Litter

The ONLY kitty litter I'll buy!

A few years back, I cashed in any favors I had with the hubby and asked for a cat (I really wanted a dog, but a canine just doesn't fit in with our lifestyle right now). While Cosy is the family pet, since she's mine, I take full responsibility for the litter box. I tried the cheapie brands of litter and they are a total waste of money (except when you need traction in the snow - keep a bag in your trunk during the Winter).  I've also tried the new pricey crystals which are supposed to be soooo absorbent that they last the whole month. Bullshit! The crystals smelled like the cheap litter and, when the cat treks them on the floor, THEY HURT TO STEP ON (think tiny Lego, parents)!

Fresh Step Litter NEVER SMELLS even though the litter box is in the family room where any odor would be especially apparent.

I'm ashamed to admit that I've forgotten to scoop the poop, but even after four days, there's no odor in our room. Fresh Step is the only brand I'll be using.

Cosy, my kitty litter user.

So those are my favorite brands of late. I'll be reviewing products at least once a week, so stay tuned.

Now, do you agree with my reviews? Feel free to disagree!

Yell With Me, Parents! Schools Need To Cool It On This

It's December and the kids have been in school a mere four months or 16 weeks, to be exact. With school supplies and the holidays coming up, the last quarter of the year is always hectic and expensive. 

Yet, in the midst of all this activity

 we've been hit with 24 school-related fundraisers!  WTF!

I've been pressured to buy Scholastic Books, overpriced wrapping paper, candy, coupon books, gifts for underprivileged kids, and an assortment of school logo clothing. We've been asked to bring in unused clothes, cans of food, new books, school supplies, water bottles, and snacks. And my kids have come home enthusiastically asking us for financial contributions to The American Heart Association and for us to sponsor various “a-thons” like “walk a-thons,” “jump-rope a-thons,” and “cartwheel a-thons.” 

Now I understand that the PTA needs to raise money for equipment that public schools can no longer provide (although I question why they spend an insane amount on incidentals like decorating for the faculty luncheon and top-of-the-line flowers for outdoor plantings). And it's wonderfully altruistic to raise money for those in need. I believe it's vital for children to know it's their duty to give and be thankful for all that they have.  

 BUT THIS CONSTANT ASKING FOR STUFF HAS GOT TO STOP!

The kids feel pressure to give and most of us are getting damn sick of being asked to give, give, give until we have nothing left! 

I was at yet another fundraiser last night. Teachers were reading at our Barnes & Noble. The kids were excited to hear their teachers (whom they've spent all day with) reading a book in the Kids' section. Of course, the PTA had boxes set up asking parents to donate (aka BUY) a book for the classrooms and the organization would get 5% of all sales for the event. Parents around me were grumbling. “It's the middle of Hanukkah, my kids have already gotten presents with more to come, and now they want me to spend a lot of money for books for the classroom,” one mother said. “My kids want me to give, but I just can't anymore,” said another. I empathized.

My family gives to charity.  We write checks to various organizations.  And I love donating used goods and food for those in need.

 But those are causes WE choose to give to, 

not ones my kids are pressured to support!

 

24 fundraisers in 16 weeks? That's sick! If I get one more email starting with “in this season of giving” I'm going to barf. Of course, if I take it up with the PTA, I'm going to look like Scrooge, so gritting my teeth is the only option. That and I'm reminded that it's time to have another talk with my kids about how WE make choices with our money and don't give in to peer pressure, even from the schools, on how we disperse our funds. We're tapped out. 

How do you feel about this?  Comment below, please! 

 

14 Tips For Visiting Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Last week, the family and I vacationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia (click here for tips on visiting this  lovely beach town) and, of course, we had to make a pilgrimage to at least one amusement park. 

Off to Busch Gardens Williamsburg we went!

For those who aren't familiar with it, Busch Gardens Williamsburg is owned by the firm that owns SeaWorld while it promotes Anheuser-Busch products, the latter company having developed the park as a marketing vehicle for their products. The theme is classic Europe, like the Parisian streets of France, towns of England ans Scotland, and the Oktoberfest celebrations of Germany. In all, Busch Gardens Williamsburg contains nine villages centered around six countries for you to explore. It also contains heart-stopping roller coasters, a variety of shows, shops, etc. designed to please attendees of all ages and courage levels. 

The Loch Ness Monster I was not courageous enough to go on.

 Here are my tips if you plan to visit Busch Gardens Williamsburg:

1. Look for discount tickets before you go.  You can sometimes find them at Wendy's and McDonald's, but here's a good site with links you can use to score discounts.  Why pay full price if you don't have to?
   
   
2. Wear good walking shoes. The park is large, but not as daunting as other (i.e. Hersheypark and Disney). It is, however, hilly, so bring comfortable walking shoes and if you're packing a stroller or wheelchair, know that you'll be using your muscles!
   
   

   

   Essential equipment.

3. Be prepared to use data. Busch Gardens Williamsburg has wifi, but it was spotty and unreliable.
   
   
4. Skip the app.  There is an app for Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but it didn't update you on waiting times for rides and didn't say which were closed.  Honestly, it added nothing to our experience.  In fact, most of the reviews in Google's Play Store were terrible and I can see why. Feel free to download the app, but don't rely on it.
   
   
5. Bring snacks. You're really not supposed to, but the guards were not confiscating any, so unless you're hauling in mass quantities of chips, you should be okay.  I packed carrots, granola bars, etc. which saved money on the unhealthy stuff the kids whined for.
   
   
6. Haul in water bottles. You're allowed one per person. I brought a small cooler with ice in Ziploc bags which kept the water cold and gave us additional cold drinking water. 
   
   
7. Purchase the souvenir bottle. It's worth it because refills are $.99 the day you're there and there aren't many water fountains in the park. Do what I do: after the initial drink, ask for refills that are half soda water and half juice or soda to cut down on amount of sugar you're getting. Oh, and you can always ask for a cup of ice water at any place that serves drinks.
   
   
8. Watch where you park either yourself or kiddies in the shade. Smoking is allowed in the park (DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!) and there's a good amount of shade you'll want to take advantage of. Just make sure you're not getting a whiff of cancer while avoiding the sun.
   
   
9. Use the tram as transportation. It goes from Italy to France to England and will save you walking. Plus the views are great!
   
   
10. See all the shows! They were all wonderful, especially Pet Shenanigans which featured rescued, trained dogs, cats, birds, a pig, and a rat. Adorable!
    
    
    
    

    

    LOVED Pet Shenanigans!

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    
    
    

    

    Celtic Fyre was good, too!

     
    
    
11. Skip the boat ride. It's boring and really doesn't add any value to your visit.  Some narration would have made it a less comatose experience.
    
    
12. Stop by and see a Clydesdale. They don't put the ones that pull the sleighs on exhibit, but even the horses they have on display are beautiful!
    
    
    
    
    
    

    

    Breathtaking animals!

     
     
13. Have dinner at the New France Trappers Smokehouse – the food was DIVINE!
    
    
14. Don't worry about the alcohol. I was concerned that they sell beer here (of course), but I honestly didn't see anyone even remotely intoxicated. Whew!
    
    

I found Busch Gardens Williamsburg to be one of, if not THE CLEANEST park, I've ever been to (sorry Hersheypark) with pleasant, efficient staff!

One refreshing aspect is that you're not constantly being hawked by marketers; sure, there are stores, but the number of merchandising kiosks is minimal and no one is blasting over the loudspeaker, “Buy this!” or “Buy that!"  Sure, it's a for-profit place, but they're not trying to snag every penny out of you - at least not openly.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg one of those parks you can do in a day and not feel completely shredded at the end of your visit. I would return in a heartbeat!  Use my tips, go, and have a blast!

For more information, visit the Busch Gardens Willilamsburg website.

For Reading!

Please note that all photos of Busch Gardens Williamsburg copied from their website. 

Pack These 7 Halloween Necessities

Be ready before you go out on Halloween night!

As an experienced mom who's been trick-or-treating with her kids for 11 years now (my oldest is 14), I've had my share of Halloween “whoopsies.” What I mean is, I've forgotten to bring stuff that would have been helpful and had to rely on the kindness of the other moms I was with to help me out. So, allow me, dear reader, to spare you embarrassment and turmoil by reminding you to bring the following as you take your wee one(s) trick-or-treating:

1. Flashlights – Notice it's a plural. YOU will need a flashlight and each child will as well. Those light up wands other parents have may look cute and help you see your kid, but it won't help them as they navigate uneven pavement and dog poo. I bring an extra flashlight because my darling daughter has dropped hers and not realized it until she's several houses away; by that time, she wants to keep up with her friends and will have no part of going back to retrieve it.
   
   
2. An Extra Jacket Or Sweatshirt For Your Kid – Here, in the Northeast, it's dark and cold when we go out. 20 minutes into our journey, I can guarantee that my daughter will announce that she's cold. An extra jacket or sweatshirt comes in mighty handy.
   
   
3. Plastic Bags For Candy Overflow – People give out a lot of candy and those Halloween baskets get heavy. Your little one will be begging you to take some of it, so bring a plastic grocery bag to handle the overflow.
   
   

   

   Sometimes there's too much Halloween candy for kids to hold!

   
   
4. Water – Running from house to house is hard work. My daughter gets fluoridated water which I pretend will mitigate the damage the candy will be doing to her teeth. 
   
   
5. A Snack For You – The website www.savvysource.com lists among their Halloween essentials, “healthy snacks for the kids.” Seriously, do they think kids are going to choose string cheese over a bagful of candy?! Just so YOU'RE not tempted to dip into the till, bring an apple or low-fat granola bar for yourself.
   
   
6. Your Camera – Cellphones take nice pictures, but cameras take better ones. I use both for maximum coverage of Halloween.
   
   
7. Hand Sanitizer – My area's been hit hard by the Enterovirus. I'm not taking any chances with my child getting sick. I'm hauling Purell and making her use it. Alternatively, you could bring baby wipes.  

And don't forget to limit your time while you're out trick-or-treating. Halloween this year is on a Friday and after a full week of school, the kids are going to be TIRED. You don't want to wind up a mile or more from home only to hear a little voice implore, “Carry me!” We're out in the 'hood 90 minutes max. After that, Mommy gets cranky and Halloween-ed out.

Take it from a mom who has been around many blocks. Grab the items above before you head out on Halloween. You won't be sorry!

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Thanks for reading!  Check back in with me in a day or so when I list Halloween Rules to review with your child before they go out.  Without rules, there will be Halloween Anarchy...guaranteed! 

Snackeez! Here's What You Need To Know

Please note: although I was given this product at no-charge in exchange for writing a review, the opinions expressed are purely my own.

My daughter wanted Snackeez! in the worst way, especially when she saw that the product arrived in her favorite pink/blue combination. I'd not gotten her one because the price point ($9.99 and above for one cup) was prohibitive, but how could I deny her this one? Besides, this would be a fine lesson in what a manufacturers and marketers promise versus the truth of the product.

Snackeez! is “your snack and drink in one cup.” It features a flip-top snack lid, a straw, a 4-ounce snack cup which fits snugly into a 16 ounce drink cup, and a non-slip grip. It is supposedly top rack dishwasher safe and designed for kids 3+. One guy on the TV commercial kind of sheepishly says that it's a “party in a cup.” Here's what Lily and I found.

The cup itself is a solid, hard plastic and the item itself is quite attractive. The non-slip grip is a good one, not a flimsy piece that will fall off. The straw slips through the snack cup into the main cup and has a little stopper ring on the bottom that prevents MOST, but not all spillage. When we tipped it over, nothing came out, but if a child holds the cup upside down, liquid will come out through the straw. And although the Snackeez! packaging says it's for kids 3+, the actual product instructions say its for kids 6+. Remember that if you're tempted to purchase this for your toddler.

...IF A CHILD HOLDS THE CUP UPSIDE DOWN, LIQUID WILL COME THROUGH THE STRAW.  

The first problem is the snack cup. While the company's video claims it will hold “a whole bag of chips” and the commercial shows it holding a bunch of chicken nuggets and french fries, the cup, in reality, holds far less. I was able to fit about 2 ounces (or a small packet of Cheerios) in the snack section comfortably. There's no way you're going to be able to fit more than maybe two chicken nuggets and four or five fries in that cup – and it's not designed to keep anything warm or cold since the product does not have any insulation. Still, I can live with that.

The second, and for me, major difficulty, is the snack cup lid. Sure, it flips up easily for kids to access their snacks, but it does so far too easily to keep snacks inside the cup in case of spillage. When we knocked the cup over on the counter, the Cheerios went flying. There is no way the inside of your car is going to stay crumb-free if a kid knocks the Snackeez over.

THE SNACK CUP LID FLIPS UP TOO EASILY TO KEEP THE SNACKS INSIDE THE CUP IN CASE OF SPILLAGE.

Two more, FYIs: the actual drink cup does not hold 16 ounces. If you've got a 16-ounce cup with a two-ounce snack cup sitting in it, you've got 14 ounces of space left for liquid (as indicated by the top of the rubber grip). Also, although the product is supposed to be dishwasher safe, I read at least one review on Amazon claiming that her cup was warped after she washed it that way. I'm not taking any changes – I think hand-washing is the way to go.

STILL, I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!

Still, I do love this product! The idea of an all-in-one snack and drink cup is neat and except for the lid, it's a sturdy item. We're using it to hold Lily's snack and drink on the way back from gymnastics and it's perfectly fine for that. It's also great for TV watching since it minimizes, even if it doesn't eliminate, crumbs. And the spill-free design means I can give the kids a drink while they're working on the computer with the fear that they're going to fry my electronics.

If the price comes down, this will be my go-to birthday party gift. I can fill the inside with some candy and it would definitely make an attractive gift for any kid 6+ and I could even put a gift card in there for the teen's friends.

My daughter is delighted she has a Snackeez! and I'm, overall, very happy with the product.  With realistic expectations, you will be, too.

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Thanks for reading!