Protect Your Family This Summer With Thermacell Mosquito Repeller Bristol Lantern @usfg @ThermaCELL

June 12, 2016 By Marijean

Mosquitoes. Ugh I can’t stand them! I really think they see my children and I as yummy treats because we are always bit up like crazy! I have tried the sprays (they stink and are greasy), I have tried the repellant bracelets (either don’t work or fall off and get lost) and I have tried the clip ons (they aren’t terrible but for me still didn’t work great). What else is there to try I am always thinking? FINALLY, I heard about Thermacell and their mosquito protection products. I was excited to review one of their Lanterns for my back lanai and I was hoping (more like praying) that it would work for my family.

The Thermacell Mosquito Repeller Bristol Lantern effectively repels mosquitoes, black flies, and other biting insects by creating a 15 x 15-foot zone of protection for bug-free comfort. Its ambient light and decorative design perfectly adorn your deck or patio. Ideal for use while you are gardening, observing outdoor sporting events, and hanging around the backyard, Thermacell Lanterns have been evaluated by the EPA for safety and effectiveness.

Works with all Thermacell repellent mats and refills
Includes: Thermacell Bristol Lantern, 3 Original repeller mats, 1 butane cartridge
Requires 3 AAA-batteries (not included)

Thermacell products are effective in warding off biting insects. The repellent creates a 15 x 15-foot zone of protection against mosquitoes, black flies and other flying insects. Thermacell products have been recognized by leading entomologists and outdoor writers as the solution to making outdoor activities enjoyable.

What I especially like about the Patio Shield Lantern is that it doesn’t have a flame. I don’t have to worry about the kids touching the flame, or it knocking over and causing a fire. It has no odor either which is great, to me the on going smell of citronella just makes me nauseous sometimes! I have a 7×15 Lanai and I had the lantern on when I was sitting outside and didn’t get bit at all by any mosquitoes. It lights up nice and bright for a small lantern.

This is definitely a great lantern to have handy when you are outside with your family. It has really worked for us, we have been outside every night with it for a week now and haven’t had any bites at all. I highly recommend this!

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My readers get to save! 20% off Thermacell Products! – Use code “FamilyGuide2016” at checkout on Thermacell.com for 20% off your order of $40 or more!

**I was given a product in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based on my experience with the product. I am not affiliated with the company and everything in this review is my opinion.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Experience Delicious Coffee with the iCoffee Opus Single Serve Brewer @iCoffee

June 10, 2016 By Marijean

Coffee is a must in my house. I drink at least 2-3 cups a day and my husband drinks much more since he works an off shift. We need a good home coffee maker that makes exceptionally tasty coffee. I have had a Keurig brewer in the past and loved it at the time, but we prefer the just brewed taste so we sold it and went back to a traditional coffee maker. I have missed the 1 cup machine though, I always loved the convenience of just popping a K-cup in and that is it.

I had the chance to review the iCoffee Opus Single Serve Brewer. I heard that the coffee brewed from this machine is a lot better tasting than coffee brewed from the new Keurig 2.0, so I was excited to give it a try!

The SpinBrew™ Technology in every iCoffee^® single serve brewer spins, steams and stirs right inside any K-compatible cup to brew coffee that always tastes Impossibly Smooth™.

All iCoffee^® single serve brewers are compatible with every K-Cup®, OneCup™, RealCup™ capsule, and all private label cups**.

Exclusive SafetyLock™ locks the single-serve brew head during the brewing process, protecting consumers.

FEATURES

SpinBrew™ Technology
- – Spins, steams & stirs inside the cup
Dial-a-Brew™
- – From 4 to 12 ounces in ½ ounce increments
Large 75 ounce water reservoir
Energy Saver mode and automatic shut-off
Removable drip tray allows for larger mugs, including most travel mugs

BREWER SIZE & WEIGHT

Size: 13 1/8″ (H) x 10″ (W) x 13 1/8″ (D)
Weight: 10.75 lbs

This brewer comes with a 6 pack of Fulton St. brand K-cups in flavors Breakfast Blend, Colombian and Dark Roast (Breakfast Blend is my favorite, such great taste!). It also comes with a reusable iCup which will work with any of your favorite ground coffee. I was excited for this because I love Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks ground coffee.

I must say that this brewer is sharp looking. I love the blue lights that come on when I turn on the machine, gives it a very techy look. When I start the machine it doesn’t take long for the water to heat up. Something I love about this machine versus the Keurig I had is that this machine has very little noise when it is brewing. The Keurig always seemed so loud, so this is a nice change. It only take under a minute to brew which is awesome!

The Dial-A-Brew function takes the select-a-size feature to a new level, allowing users to choose their size from 4-12 ounces in 1/2-ounce increments. While other machines allowed a small-medium-large assortment of choices, the iCoffee Opus is a little more precise, allowing for easy filling of a regular coffee mug cup or a tall travel sized cup. My husband is a big fan of this function!! It also includes a magnetic removable drip tray to allow space for taller travel mugs. I like this because majority of the time I drink iced coffee, so I need the taller mug option.

I really wanted to test the iCoffee Opus Single Serve Brewer out against Keurig’s latest brewer, the 2.0. Luckily, a friend of mine has one so I was able to do a taste test comparison. I brewed the Colombian K-cup in the iCoffee and another in the Keurig 2.0. Hands down the iCoffee won. The flavor was so much better and much smoother.

All in all I do believe the iCoffee Opus Single Serve Brewer is much better than the Keurig machines. I can absolutely tell a difference in the taste of the coffee. I believe this is due to the SpinBrew Technology it has. My kids are even excited to now have Hot Chocolate K-cups and have hot chocolate whenever they please (even if it is 90 degrees out here in Florida).

Bed Bath and Beyond has the iCoffee Opus for $139.99 right now, and if you order online you will receive free shipping.

Give the iCoffee Opus brewer a try, you won’t regret it!!

Connect with iCoffee: Twitter | Facebook | Website

*I received a complimentary brewer in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based on my experience with the product. I am not affiliated with the company and everything in this review is my opinion.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Loose Tooth Trouble Book Review and Giveaway #review #giveaway @MKowalcyk

June 9, 2016 By Mariella

Loose Tooth Trouble

We can all remember the anticipation of the Tooth Fairy when having a loose tooth. Melissa Bixby’s adorable book, Loose Tooth Trouble reminds us what it’s like to wait for a bothersome loose tooth to finally fall out so the Tooth Fairy can visit. This book with it’s unique storyline finds creative ways to help the main character, Bobby, loose a tooth and comedic predictability that children love. After reading the book to my boys, my five year old seemed to love the illustrations and thought they were hilarious. My seven year old said he “loved all the different ideas, they were super-weird! They’re funny.” Loose Tooth Trouble is now a staple read whenever one of my boys have a loose tooth. Synopsis: Every time Bobby wiggles his loose tooth, it hurts. Journey through this imaginative character’s day, as he receives some hilarious, outrageous, and comical suggestions, on how to remove his troubling tooth. This quirky, fun story, coupled with creative and hilarious illustrations, tackles a universal dilemma that all children are faced with during their childhood, and guides the reader to appreciate that sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. “My young son once spent an entire dinner discussing new and off-the-wall ways to remove his loose teeth,” explains the author. “As a writer at heart, my head got spinning with ideas, and the book was born. But there’s a serious side; I wanted to create something that added some light relief for children who are anxious and scared about their teeth becoming loose and falling out. I was terrified of the idea as a kid – I wish someone had written me a story to make the whole ordeal somewhat funny!”

‘Loose Tooth Trouble’, from Books by Bixby, is available now.

For more information or to order, visit the author’s official website: http://www.booksbybixby.com.

Copies are also available from Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NvepLo.

Beautifully illustrated by Adam Barney

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About the Author: Melissa Bixby was born in Park Ridge, Illinois, and grew up in Glenview, IL. For fifteen years, she taught in Schaumburg, IL schools. She taught students with special needs, language arts and social studies, and also served as the library media teacher. Loose Tooth Trouble is her first children’s book.

GIVEAWAY

Would your children love this book? One lucky reader will win a copy! U.S. Only, Ends 6/23.

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**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based on my opinion of this book. I am not affiliated with the company and everything in this review is my opinion.

Mariella

I'm a stay at home mom of three beautiful boys. I'm a former teacher and a recent Florida transplant. I enjoy reading, traveling, and living the salt life.

Help your Child Easily Learn to Ride a Bike without Training Wheels with Balance Belt Review and Giveaway @balancebelt

June 6, 2016 By Marijean

It is that time already, time to teach my almost 5 year old son how to ride a bike without training wheels. My daughter learned very quickly, my son however has been struggling. He gets scared very easily and then either ends up crying or just getting off the bike and refusing to get back on it. He would rather ride his scooter then get on a bike. I knew it would be challenging, so when I heard about Balance Belt, I was hoping this would be a great way to teach him quickly.

What is the Balance Belt?

A revolutionary device that will quickly teach your child how to ride a bike without training wheels and without many of those painful falls often sustained while learning (Ages 3 and up). Children LOVE this product because it takes away that fear of falling! It makes learning to ride without training wheels super easy and super fast. We guarantee the Balance Belt works or your money back pursuant to our satisfaction guarantee!

How Does it Work?

The Balance Belt works by teaching your child to balance a bicycle on his/her own. If used properly, it can work SUPER-FAST and WITHOUT those painful falls which can occur when a child attempts to ride without assistance! Simply follow the recommended instructions that accompany your Balance Belt and have your child riding without training wheels in as little as just one short 10 minute session!

Balance Belt with Instructions

The Balance Belt is a really great idea. I remember my husband trying to teach my daughter how to ride last year, and his back constantly hurting for leaning over holding the handle bar. With using Balance Belt, he can walk or run with my son without hurting his back. Now I must say, my son is VERY timid and gets scared easily. I didn’t know how this would work out, however it was great! My son felt supported on the bike the whole time and didn’t complain. The Balance Belt did not hurt him, and is made very heavy duty and won’t snap or break. The rubber grips are comfortable on your hands.

My husband using the Balance Belt with our son

My son still isn’t 100% ready to ride without training wheels, however this belt is helping to give him more confidence and knows that my husband isn’t going to let him fall. This is a much easier way for you to help your child to learn how to ride without training wheels. I will be using this each day with him and I am positive he will be riding alone in no time!

To purchase your own Balance Belt, please click here. The cost is $14.99 and includes free shipping.

Connect with Balance Belt: Website Facebook Twitter

GIVEAWAY

Would you like to win a Balance Belt? One lucky reader will! US Only, ends 6/22.

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Disclosure: I received a Balance Belt in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Get Your Skin Summer Ready with Skin Care Products from Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery @PVPSnews

June 5, 2016 By Marijean

Summer is here! Lots of outdoor time with family, which means lots of time in the sun. The sun can be very damaging to your skin, so you need to take certain measures to protect it.

Anne and I recently had the opportunity to tour Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery (PVPS), the very beautiful new Nocatee location here in Ponte Vedra. When I heard of PVPS I assumed they perform surgical procedures only. I was wrong! In addition to surgical procedures, they also perform skin treatments and skin procedures, and they also have a whole line of skin care products and makeup!

The outside of the Nocatee location

The beautiful waiting area

Skincare/Makeup product showcase

More skincare products

When I went to the Nocatee location, I met with the Aesthetician named Alison Kuzoian. She explained in detail about the numerous skin care products they carry and gave me a few samples to take home. I am not much of a makeup person, I usually throw on some foundation and mascara and that is it. Meeting with Alison was great and she really opened my eyes to how I should be taking care of my skin to protect it from damage, and what products would be the best for me. I only use an over the counter moisturizer at home, so finding about what I should be using to protect my skin, and have my skin look its best, has really been a learning experience for me! She provided me with some sample sized skin care products that would be great for my skin.

Sample sized Skin Care products that Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery provided me with.

Here are the sample sized products I received:

Colorscience Loose Mineral Sunscreen

This broad spectrum sunscreen makes protecting your skin easy, 365 days a year. Perfectly portable and easy to reapply, it offers powerful SPF 50 UVA/UVB protection with sheer, natural-looking coverage. You can choose what shade matches with your skin and this is water resistant.

SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator

A deeply moisturizing facial serum that provides 8 continuous hours of hydration.

Oclipse Smart Tone SPF 50 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen

A highly advanced, broad-spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen that offers a sheer tinted primer, designed to match any skin tone. Exclusive 12-hour time-release antioxidant complex guards against photo damage.

Offects Exfoliating Cleanser

Gently exfoliates and cleanses normal to oily skin. Removes surface oils, impurities and dead skin cells to help unclog pores. Helps calm and soothe irritated skin.

Ossential Daily Power Defense Anti Aging Formula

A lightweight lotion designed to help protect and repair all skin types. A must for everyone.

I have been using these products for about 5 days now and I can really tell a difference with my skin. My skin was always so dry and flaky. Now my skin really does stay soft and hydrated all day. I do love all of the products, however my favorite is the Smart Tone Sunscreen. I am at the pool every day with my kids and never wore sun screen on my face. Such a mistake, I know. The sunscreen keeps my face protected and also offers a slight tone of color (depending on how much you put on and rub in, your results may vary). It is super important to invest in skin care products, especially for your face. I am so glad I got to meet with Alison to learn all about these wonderful products. She is super sweet and really took time with me and answered all of my questions. I really love my new skin care regimen!

If you are interested in having your own skin care regimen, call today to schedule your complimentary consultation with Aesthetician Alison Kuzoian at the Nocatee location.

Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery has many offices, please click here to find the one closest to you!

Connect with Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery: Website Facebook Twitter

*I was given samples of these products in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based on my experience with the products. I am not affiliated with the company and everything in this review is my opinion.