The Battle of the Rings

I know I have already suggested Silicone wedding rings as a gift idea for dad, but as we get closer to the holidays I am finding more and more brands rings to try out. There are dozens upon dozens.

I find this interesting as I don't remember seeing much if anything posted about them last year. What I find even more perplexing is the lack of information about  where they come from. (No not the companies that sell them, but more where the idea came from.)

You can find the brands I have previously looked at and analyzed as well as my phobia that spurred me to consider them here.

As a recap up until now, my favorite brand of silicone rings was Stoni.

I liked these rings for their soft flexibility, rounded edges, and durable thickness.  Because all of these features really resonate with me and what I was looking for in a silicone ring, the Stoni has become the benchmark against which I compare all other silicone rings.

Since my last post, I have had the pleasure of trying Status Sport silicone ring. 

Status Sport silicone rings are available in two colors: black and grey and are sold in two packs. Each pack contains two consecutive ring sizes (ie: 9& 10). While the picture above makes the ring look about the same as the Stoni ring, I have found that the Status Sport ring is not quite as thick, which makes it feel slightly less durable than the Stoni. The edges are slightly beveled and the ring is light and comfortable to wear. It is still a great ring and the color variety gives it one over the Stoni ring, however the differences in the thickness and the perceived durability has the Stoni winning out in this round.

The second to go up against the Stoni today is the FitRing by Arthletic.

FitRing had different versions of the ring for men and women. I have only tried the women's version of the ring and will be basing the comparison off that one. Both the men's and women's rings are available in multiple colors. The men's rings are available in blue, red, grey, bright green (like the picture above), and black. The women's rings are available in a light blue, the bright green from the picture above, black, and a lilac purple (which looks like hot pink to me). The men's FitRings are of course available in larger sizes than the womens and look to have a greater width.

The women's FitRings are by far the thinnest width-wise ring that I have yet tried.

Here is how it looks while I am wearing it.

Here is the green women's FitRing side-by-side with the Stoni. You will notice that the Stoni has a thicker width and the FitRing has a lower profile to the finger. The color was spot-on and matched the picture exactly. It is also very flexible, light-weight, and the beveled edges makes it very comfortable to wear. 

It goes toe-to-toe on all the features I like about the Stoni but fits better on my fingers as it is designed specifically for women. The fact that it also comes in a variety of colors has won me over from the Stoni. This little size 7 bright green FitRing how now become my new favorite.

As always, items mentioned in this blog may have been received for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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Travel Tips pt 1

Travel for the Holidays

 Back in 2006, my husband and I welcomed Number1 into our lives. We were young and having a baby was unbelievably scary but everything was worth it to see the smile on his whenever the would walk in the room or hear is baby giggles as we played "Peek-a-boo" with him. He was born in early October and before he had even turned a month old the questions began.

"When are you going to bring the baby by so I can see him?"

This line of questioning is one that is familiar to all new parents. And while normally it is no big deal to just pack up the baby and take a drive to the relatives' to show off the new addition, however, my family is spread out all over the Eastern US coast from New Hampshire all the way down to Alabama, Louisiana and even Florida. I can get in the car and start driving in either direction and by the time I reach the furthest family member I would have driven 20+ hours.

20+ hours as just two young adults is a breeze. Challenge Accepted! Road Warrior badge earned! 20+ hours in the car with a baby (or now with 3 children) is more like a quest to insanity. Needless to say, I have traveled a lot with my kids to visit family.listed below are some of my favorite travel items that have helped to maintain peace in the car and yes, even some of my sanity.

Car:
My top must- have item for the car is the SeMe CarBaby Mirror.

Thsi is a little mirror that clips easily on to a back seat head rest to provide your still-backwards facing toddler a much better of you in the front seat as well as the world passing by around them. I was at my wits end when my state passed a new seat belt regulation  that would require Number 3 to stay in a backwards facing car seat until his second birthday. Facing backwards was very frustrating for him and short trips to even the grocery store would be long enough to spark tantrums from my generally laid back child.

Since I have added the SeMe CarBaby Mirror, every time I glance in the rear view mirror at his reflection in his little mirror all I see are my good-natured baby's smiles. Now this is not a panacea or "magic bullet" for pleasant car rides. Number 3 can still be afflicted with sleepiness or hunger and that can cause a stressful ride, but it does eliminate a good bit of the back seat crying. Now if I can only get the older two to stop crying/whining.



Airplane:
Must have item: CarSeat travel Cover

Once the long drives got to be too much me and my family, we did try using air travel. It was more expensive but promised to be much  faster and quite a bit less stressful. While it was less stressful than traveling by car, it is still very stressful. One of the main sources of stress for me was making sure that I had all the baby gear needed for the trip; mainly the stroller, the pack and play portable crib and the car seat. Let me tell you, bringing a car seat on a flight is a huge pain in the rear end. The item is bulky without any good hand holds on it and there is no telling what will get on it after you check it at the plane itself.

It got to the point where I would just have family members ask around to borrow a car seat during our visit just to avoid having to take one with us on the plane. This car seat cover is an item I wish I'd had from that very first flight. It completely covers the car seat, which is no small feat as I have Britax Boulevard 70-G3 Convertible Car Seat Seat (one of the biggest on the market but definitely my favorite that I have ever used). The car seat travel bag is made out of polyester, this makes it durable as well as water resistant. I am confident that the travel bag will protect the car seat from most mishaps that can happen in transit. The travel bag has a little tag window, where you can put your contact information should it get separated from your flight. I personally have never had any luggage not make it to my destination, but knowing my luck if anything were to not make it, it would be the car seat. The bag does have a handle sewn on to it and it also comes with a shoulder strap to make lugging the car seat around the airport a little easier. For me the best feature that the fact that it can fold in on itself into a little pouch with a zipper! This makes for easy and convenient storage especially while traveling.

I have yet to take the family on a cruise or a train trip. These are things that I would like to do over the next few years. But since I have not tried them yet, I am not sure of what unique challenges they present to traveling as a family.

Now that I have shared with you some of my must have items for traveling, what are yours? Share your advice and suggestions in the comments section below.

As always comments, feedback, and suggestions are always welcome. Please follow the blog and subscribe your email address at the top to receive new posts in your inbox and never miss an update.

Please note that in accordance with FTC regulations, any items mentioned in my blog may have been received for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Gift Ideas for Mommy

I have already made a post for gift ideas for men, so let's handle the other side of the equation in what I will affectionately call:

Mommy's Time Out

After a particularly long day at work and/or a difficult day with my minions, I can find my energy reserves depleted. For me, having a bit of quiet time is essential. I need that time to decompress, and I find that without having my "time outs", I easily become over-stressed, irritable, and even depressed. Once I started taking "me" time more seriously, my emotional and mental well-being improved tremendously. 

Here are some of the items that I use to pamper myself, decompress, and de-stress. 

I try to take mini breaks each day whenever I can fit them in. However, at least once a week, I try to actually take some scheduled time to myself. For me, the best way to spend this time is soaking in a hot bath. But not just any bath, oh no. I like to soak in a bath that smells nice to really add to the relaxation factor.

Bath Salt - for use in the actual bath and nothing else. (I don't want any zombie incidents.)
For the past several years I have really enjoyed Village Natural's Bath Salts for Aches and Pains.

The Aches and Pains Relief is made with Eucalyptus and Menthol and does have a very sharp smell, but it is a smell that I find really relaxing. This scent is also great for if you have a cold; the smell is similar to Vicks VapoRub. Village Natural bath salts dissolve fairly quickly, and I find it takes maybe up to 3-5 minutes, but then it is good to go.

Up until about a week ago, this was the only variety of Village Naturals bath salts I was aware of, but I recently discovered that there are a few other scents.
The bath salts also come in Juniper and Menthol for Stress and Tension Relief, and Lavender, Passion Flower, and Chamomile for Restless Nights. I have not tried these two scents yet, but if they are anything like the Aches and Pains Relief I am sure they are amazing.

Bath Foam

Village Naturals also makes the bath salt in a foaming bath soak. It comes in the same fragrance as the Aches and Pains Relief, but this will foam a little bit like a bubble bath populated of tiny bubbles and it won't color your bath water green like the salts will.

Mini Bluetooth Speaker

These little Bluetooth speakers by Krazilla are convenient for when I want to listen to music to help me unwind. Their small size and ability to wirelessly connect to many different devices makes them extremely portable and versatile. So, whether I want some music to help drown out the whining in the next room while I am cooking dinner (I said it will be ready when it is done!), or while I unwind in my bubble bath, this little speaker is essential to my "me" time.

Travel Pillow (Mommy time out in the car)

Most mommies have been there before. You are out running errands in the morning and you rush to get home before your little one's nap time. You pull into your driveway, glance at the clock, and breath a sign of relief. You have approximately 30 minutes before the little one's usual nap time. You turn off the engine, and instead of being greeted by silence or the shuffling sounds of impatient waiting to be released from the bonds of their car seat, you hear the almost imperceptible sounds of little snores.

During my first child, I would be foolhardy and try to gently remove them from their seat without waking them to get them in the house and bedded down. (Just so you know, that never works.) Instead, minion rouses, and is fully recharged even if their nap were only a few minutes long.

What I do now, if it is not too hot outside, is roll down a window and pull out the travel pillow I leave stored in the car for occasions like this one or for long road trips.

The Daydreamer Neck Pillow is one such pillow that I keep in the car.

This awesome travel pillow is an air pillow with a "90s Reebok Pump-style" button pump built in. This saves me from almost passing out while trying to manually inflate the thing. It comes with a little storage pouch to protect it while it is not in use from spills and getting dirty, and even if it does get dirty, the soft fuzzy covering comes off and can be washed. It is designed to cradle the base of your head making shared car nap time an enjoyable piece of "me" time.



Last, if not least, if you can just make it until your minions lay down for the night there are always adult beverages to aid relaxation, if you are not staunchly opposed.

I find that theKitchn has the perfect citrus beverages to be enjoyed any time of the year.

No matter which poison you pick (Screwdrivers, Greyhound, Rum and Orange) they always taste better with freshly squeezed juice. My essential tool for this task is the Premium Double Squeezer Bundle w/ Zester. It has different size hollows to hold on to any size citrus and the zester that it comes with is perfect for adding citrus zest for flavoring as well as garnish. Both tools are of all-metal construction and can withstand quite a beating in the dishwasher as well as being dropped.

This rounds out my collection of items for Mommy's Time Out for now. Keep an eye out, I will be opening a new page to collect these and future suggested items on the new Mommy's Time Out page.

As always, comments, feedback, and suggestions are always welcome.
Please remember to follow the blog and sign up for posts to be delivered directly to your email inbox at the top of the page so that you never miss an update!

Disclaimer: Any items mentioned in my blog may have been received for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Money Matters

Lets discuss an issue that pertains to the "99%". Money.

In the past my family has unexpectedly found itself financially crippled with income cut in half. The reason for why varied from situation to situation, but the tools that I used to help budget and stretch the remaining income have stayed pretty standard in my book. And the best thing about them all: They are all free!

Folios App

I use the Folios app to help keep a running balance on an account. The app is light weight and very minimalistic in design. When the app is opened you can create the accounts that you want to track in the form of folios. You enter in the starting balance and from there enter in your transactions and the app will calculate a running total.

Another cool feature of the app is that you can add tags to each transaction so that all your transactions become search-able. This is great for when you would like to analyze how much you have been spending on lunch each week.

Here is an example of what the folio looks like once transactions are added.

Everything in the app is manual. It does not have a way to sync up with a bank account and the only way to add transactions is to enter them in yourself. In that way I have come to think of the app as a digital version of the old school check book ledgers.

Since I have a joint checking account with my husband and my bank account sees a lot of activity, I do not find this app practical for keeping a running balance on it. For that I use a different tool. However, I do use this app to keep track of balances on prepaid cards such as gift cards.

As I had mentioned above, keeping tabs on my bank account is a little trickier than what can be managed by a simple ledger. For keeping tabs on my bank account I like to use Mint.

Mint.com

Mint.com is a site that can dynamically monitor your finances. Once you create your free account you can enter in your debt, and assets, as well as link credit cards and bank account. The website fetches live data from the credit cards and bank account and automatically updates the transactions and running balances.  It also generates graphs to show how your money is being spent and which categories are taking up the majority of your income. 

For me. one of the most useful tools on mint.com is the ability to set a budget for each category and then to monitor the spending in that category in real time. This is great for keeping frivolous spending under control. In my budgeting books this website is a necessity.

Mint.com can be accessed both from a computer as well as from a mobile device.

Click on the links to download and try the Mint.com App from your relevant app store.

Iphone

Android

After using mint.com for a few months I found that the food category was extremely high. (FYI: the food category includes groceries as well as fast food) and I realized that I had a lot of wasteful spending in that category that I could work on.  That was when I found PepperPlate.

PepperPlate

PepperPlate is a website with companion apps in all app stores. This amazing website allows you to create and manage recipes as well as import them from other recipe websites. It also has the capability to plan out a menu for your household in a calendar layout.

It even takes the recipes for the meals planned and creates a shopping list for you. Here is where the cross platform functionality really shines. The app on your phone can also access that shopping list! 

Cherry on top moment (for me) is that the shopping list in the app splits everything up into shopping aisles. Here is how the shopping list looks on my app.

Brilliant!!

Now I am not  a financial advisor (I am a long way from it), and even on my good days I am not the best at managing finances. These tools however, make me at least somewhat competent at managing my accounts like an adult. :) And hopefully, if they can help me, they can help you as well!

As always feedback, comments, and suggestions are always welcome. 

Don't forget to follow Reviewing Whirlwind and register your email at the top of the page so you never miss a post.

Disclaimer: Any product mentioned in my blog may have been received for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Some Secrets to Success

Growing a blog from nothing and nurturing it into something of a success is not easy. I am not even going to try to fool anyone into thinking that I have done that here, or that I even particularly know what I am doing. All I know, is that I like to write and share stories of my kids.

Would it be nice if the blog were to take on a life of its own to where it could pull its weight and pay me for my time? Heck, yeah it would. As of right now, though it is still a work in progress.

I have, however found some pointers to kind of help it along. These pointers are included in the short book How to Make Big Bucks from Big Blogs.

This is a very short book with quick pointers and tips on how to make a blog successful. This is coming from Brandon Colker, entrepreneur and blogging expert. He presents the idea of passive income in an easy to understand format as well as dispelling any misconceptions about the term as well as the blogging industry.

You can check out the book on Amazon.com HERE. I definitely recommend it if you ever consider writing your own blog, even if you don't plan on making that blog work for you. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the book as a part of a promotion  through Amazon's Giveaway services, however, I have not received any compensation for reviewing the book.




You can read more about the author at the links below:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-jensen/profile-brandon-colker-re_b_7788434.html
http://www.amazon.com/Brandon-Colkers-Make-Bucks-Blogs/dp/1517756537

Announcement!!

Hi Everyone!

This blog is now an Amazon Associate!


What does this mean? It means that all the products that I mention in the blog will have a link back to Amazon.

All purchases completed through these links will help support the blog.

I plan on keeping the blog ad free until further notice, but if you don't mind showing your support for the blog, just click through on the picture links and complete any Amazon purchase.

I greatly appreciate it.

As always, any comments or suggestions are welcome!

Shared TV Time with the Kiddos

Television time for children has been a hot debate ever since the TV box was produced to be accessible within the home. Several studies over the years have been conducted many of which have had conflicting results. I personally take a viewpoint similar to the Canadian musician Raffie.

Young children need to be able to run around to develop motor skills and they need to be able to interact with real people in order to develop communication and social skills. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages media use by children younger than age 2 and recommends limiting older children's screen time to no more than one or two hours a day. The Mayo Clinic wrote an article regarding the necessity of limiting children's television time, the effects of too much television time on children's health, as well as some tips and strategies on how to limit that time. You can read the full article HERE.

I know that we are supposed to limit TV time for children, and for the most part I feel that I do an alright job at that. My children have limited TV exposure before the age of 2, and like Number 3, most of my kids were always more interested in running around than sitting and watching TV.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe that all television is bad. My mindset falls in line with the philosophy of The Child Development Institute.

It’s Not All Bad!

Since television is definitely here to stay, parents need to look at it as a resource and not necessarily as a menace. A good way to start is to consult the listings of the public television stations which offer magnificent programs on nature, literature, history, current events, the arts, etc. Also, consider:

•  Studies have indicated that television does increase the general vocabulary of children, especially when it involves term referring to outer space.
• Television does provide opportunities for children to learn about all kinds of things, although whether they do so to any great extent depends largely on the specific programs the child actually watches.
• Television can increase a child’s range of interest since it exposes him to a variety of activities and topics he might not otherwise encounter-archeology, science of all kinds, architecture, music, etc.
• Television has probably been the most effective of all the mass media in making people aware of a wide range of human problems ranging from pollution to homelessness. It also has increased awareness and acceptance of various kinds of illness, both physical and mental.

Read more: http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/family-living/kids-media-safety/television/#ixzz3pFrBZLVU

I generally limit the TV time for the older two kiddos. Not because I am concerned about how much they watch, but more because stuff needs to get done first (ei: homework or picking up a little). What TV time they do get, I get involved in. I know what shows they are watching and what type of content is in them. For the most part I like the shows they watch. Sometimes, though, the shows can get to me with how repetitive they get.

Some days I want to pull my hair out if I have to hear the screeching of the children with British accents sing about Thomas and his friends.

Now, my older children are pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. (Not to toot my own horn, or anything.) I will never forget the evening when I was channel surfing for a tolerable show for my oldest and I to watch before bed. As I was flipping through the channels heading to the usual channels he watches, he tells me to wait and stop on a channel well before we get to his usual line up.

My son sat mesmerized as the screen flashed machinery left and right of an assembly line. I asked if he wanted to continue looking for a show and he replied "No, I want to watch this.". That show was How It's Made.

Another show that my kids like to watch with me, I introduced them to it. It is a cooking show that matches science with fun cinematography. That show is Good Eats. Alton Brown the show's star and creative engine finds fun within the scientific explanations of food in a way that my children can relate to. I started watching Good Eats back in 2005/2006 and I will watch it every chance I get. My children have grown to love the show too and if given the choice, will choose it over any cartoon.

In the clip above Alton Brown consults with a relative of the famous Cookie Monster on the intricacies of baking cookies and why cookies can turn out in various ways (chewy, thin and crispy, cake-like and crumbly) even though it is all the same basic recipe.

Sadly though, Good Eats is no longer in production. It did have a very long run and has since (much to my and my children's delight) been released on Netflix. If you have a Nexflix subscription you can watch them HERE. If you have not checked them out before, I would highly recommend you do.

If nothing else, the two shows that I have discussed, created some common ground for me and my kids. It is something that we can all agree on when it comes to our TV time, and that creates one less battle for me to have to fight.


As always, questions, comments, and suggestions are always welcome! And remember to follow Reviewing Whirlwind and sign up for email updates at the top of the page so you never miss a post!

Gift Ideas for Dad pt 1

Over the coming weeks as we all approach the holiday season, I want to share gift ideas with you. I will also keep a running list the pages linked to my blog: Mommy's Time Out and Dad's Man Cave.


Buying for guys in my family can be difficult. They just don't seem to keen on communicating with me things in which they are interested. Number 1 has already started learning these non-communicative habits. (Hello monosyllabic answers. I didn't expect you until the teenage years.)

So as I scour the Internet and local stores, I will share with you some of the items I think would make great gifts, and hopefully they will inspire you and help you find something for them.

Silicone Wedding Band:

These things are really neat. Okay so story time. I used to work in a warehouse setting, and I was constantly terrified that my ring was going to get caught in the machinery. Or smashed onto my finger to where I couldn't get it off, and the blood flow would be restricted and I would have to have my finger amputated.... Sorry about that. Like I said, I was terrified.

Silicone wedding bands are made of a soft, flexible rubber. I have found three different brands so far.

The first brand is North Action. This brand of rings is very light weight and comfortable. I like the variety of colors you can get them in. One of the downsides is that the edges are not beveled and so for the first few days or so (until you get used to it) it will almost feel like the edges are "cutting" into you when you bend your finger.

The second brand that I have found is Stoni. These rings are a little heavier than the North Action brand and they don't flex quite as readily. What I do like about them are the beveled edges. They make for a much more comfortable wear.

 

The third brand that I have tried is the softest and lightest that I have tried yet. It flexes easily and if it were to get caught it would break away before any damage would be done to your digit. This ring is a lot like the North Action in the design and like it, it does not have the beveled edges that the Stoni does. This ring  comes in an attractive box that is suitable for giving as a gift like the Stoni. I would recommend it for any active person where they are not allowed to wear metal rings or any person who works with heavy machinery that might damage traditional metal rings. 


iPhone Armband:

If the man in your life likes to spend his extra time either on the track or at the gym, then this may be the gift for him. I found a nice one from CellProPlus.

The armband straps are made from a soft padded neoprene to ensure a comfortable fit. The clear plastic shield over the screen of the phone is thin enough to where the touch screen can still be used. There are small openings at the top and bottom of the back panel of where the phone fits for unimpeded sound from the microphones and speakers.

The arm band sports a few nifty pockets that come in handy if your workout clothes do not have any pockets. The is a small pocket for a possible gym locker key built into the strap. There are two flat pockets on the back of the phone pocket to hold an ID or a credit/debit card.


As always the items mentioned in my blog may have been received for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review on other websites. 

Keep an eye out for future updates in blog posts.

And as always --  Comments, Feedback, and Suggestions are always welcome!

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