Frogglez Swim Goggles

Ever since I saw the child of a friend of mine wearing Frogglez, I knew I had to get my hands on them for my kids!  

 Frogglez, for those who are unfamiliar, are about the best thing since sliced bread for the swimming pool.  Think goggles only without the flimsy stretchy band that breaks or pulls out of the loops or rips hair out.  Think wetsuit meets goggles.  And man are these things cute and cool!

 Available in a variety of colors, I opted for pink because, lets face it, I'm surrounded by princesses who demand nothing but.  The Frogglez come with a set of goggles and a stretchy headband, all connected.  They are easily switched out for any goggles owned in the house by simply releasing the Velcro tab and feeding it through the attachment loop, putting that loop into your own goggles and then re-attaching the Velcro tab.  Super simple!

 What's even better is that they go on easily!  No more fighting a wet child flopping and squealing like a fish out of water as you try to wrestle the goggles on - not too tight, not too loose, 18 times in a row until they are perfect.  Frogglez can easily adjust with the Velcro bands on the sides.  The headband slips over the child's head with ease and wraps the top and the back, eliminating all of that sliding around those silly elastic bands do. 

 Now the kid can swim and dive and jump and fight water ninjas without having to ask Mom over and over to fix them.  They seal pretty well too.  While I've not had the opportunity to actually put mine in the water, since it's below freezing here, I have to go with dry results for now, but they feel snug and cup around the eyes well.  No gaps or cheap plastic that is mis-formed.

 I love also that I can use these with multiple children.  I put them on my three year old and then switched them to my 8 year old and had no trouble at all!  None of the kids complained, in fact they were eager to continue to wear them around the house like superheroes, and were quite disappointed when they were repossessed by Mom.

I will absolutely be buying several more pairs of these, because let's face it, one pair for 4 kids is not going to cut it!  I can't wait for summer so we can really test these things out, but I am very optimistic bases on what my hands and eyes have seen and held and from the reports of my friend, that these will be my new favorite pool accessory for the kids!

You can check these things out at http://www.madebymydad.com

* Disclaimer: I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Hosezzle Expandable Hose Review

I do a lot of gardening and yard work in the summer, so a reliable garden hose is always necessary for me.  Recently, I had the chance to try this expandable garden hose.

 I had already tried a similar hose from a different manufacturer and was pleased with it - until recently when I tried to use it and found it's inner hose burst despite it being stored empty.  Sad day for me, because I really like the convenience of these hoses.  So, when I got the opportunity to try a new one, I took it.

This hose already starts out better because it comes with a spray nozzle, where others just come with the hose.

 An 8 function sprayer, it is not anything special or fancy, just your basic plastic model, but for general around the house stuff, it works just fine.

 The hose comes with brass ends, which is much better than other hoses with plastic ends.  These feel strong enough to last, not cheap and definitely will not break or crack if dropped.

The hose starts out coiled up.  Once filled with water, it expands to 50 feet in a matter of minutes.  Once the hose is filled, it is ready to use and will continue to fill as it is being used.  Once the work is done, simply let the water out and the hose re-coils for storage. 

This style of hose is really convenient!  No kinks, bends or bulges that interfere with water flow.  They are lightweight and easy to pull around the yard, and durable enough to be drug over rocks, sticks and other obstacles without causing damage.  I love that it stores so neatly and that I don't have to fuss with coiling it back up carefully or needing to find a hook to hang it on.  So far, I am very pleased with this hose and have hopes that it lasts me at least one gardening season.

You can find this product here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review

Rain Chain Review

We love fun yard decor in my house, and I loved the idea of a rain chain when I saw it.  With little ones in love with the idea of fairies, it fit so well, so I got it.

This rain chain comes well packaged and protected.  Each bucket is separated by bubble wrap to prevent scratching.

The six buckets are separated by a stretch of chain that starts with a hook at the top and ends with a jewel at the bottom.

Butterflies adorn the sides of the buckets.

This product works quite simply.  

By hanging it in place of a downspout or in a location where rain is sure to fall off the roof of the home, nature does the rest of the work.  Water falls from one bucket into the next, cascading over the sides and through the holes in the bottom of each bucket to create a fun downspout option as well as some soothing sounds.

You can find this product here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Grill Mat Review

Summer is here, and grilling season is upon us.  I had heard about mats made for grills, and was curious to see if they were worth the chatter, so I ordered some.

These grill mats come in a small cardboard box.  All instructions are printed on the box.

 Inside the box, there are two rolled up thin mats.

 This set of two 16"x 13" mats are made of Teflon, Fiberglass PTFE (Polytetrafluroethylene) (PFOA (Perflurooctanoic Acid) free) coated fabric.  I did research on these letters and terms to learn that Teflon is PTFE.  Teflon creates the non-stick surface we are all familiar with.  PFOA is used to make Teflon and is usually burned off in the process.  While Teflon is not suspected of causing cancer, PFOA has been found to be "possibly carcinogenic to humans" .  The company claims that these are "FDA approved healthy".

 At first, I was under-impressed with how thin they are, and immediately questioned how good they would actually be.  This product claims "extra thick heavy duty" mats, but I definitely would not define them with such words.

These mats can be used in any charcoal, gas or electric grill application for temperatures up to 500 degree, which also makes them great for oven liners to catch drips.

 

I enjoy grill marks on my brats, hot dogs and hamburgers, so I do not see myself using these for such foods.  However, I can see the benefit in using them with fish, vegetables, fruits and kabobs.   These mats are non-stick, reusable, dishwasher safe and easy to wipe clean.

You can find these grilling mats here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Ohuhu 33 ft - 100 ft Expandable Hose

I do a lot of gardening and yard work in the summer, so a reliable garden hose is always necessary for me.  Recently, I had the chance to try this expandable garden hose.

 I had already tried a similar hose from a different manufacturer and was pleased with it - until recently when I tried to use it and found it's inner hose burst despite it being stored empty.  Sad day for me, because I really like the convenience of these hoses.  So, when I got the opportunity to try a new one, I took it.

This hose already comes with an 8 function sprayer.  It is not anything special or fancy, just your basic plastic model, but for general around the house stuff, it works just fine.

 The hose comes with brass ends, which is much better than other hoses with plastic ends.  These feel strong enough to last, not cheap and definitely will not break or crack if dropped.

The hose starts out coiled up, 33 feet long.  It is a snake-like design with ribs that flex to expand instead of the others with the fabric that expands from folded to flat.  Once filled with water, it expands to 100 feet in a matter of minutes.  Once the hose is filled, it is ready to use and will continue to fill as it is being used.  Once the work is done, simply let the water out and the hose re-coils for storage. 

It looks much the same empty and filled, though it definitely feels fuller and does expand.  It makes me feel more hopeful in it's ability to last longer because of this.

This style of hose is really convenient!  No kinks, bends or bulges that interfere with water flow.  They are lightweight and easy to pull around the yard, and durable enough to be drug over rocks, sticks and other obstacles without causing damage.  I love that it stores so neatly and that I don't have to fuss with coiling it back up carefully or needing to find a hook to hang it on.  So far, I am very pleased with this hose and have hopes that it lasts me several gardening seasons.

You can find this product here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review

Fnova Class 2 Reflective Vest and Armband Safety Gear

I have a safety vest I wear for my crossing guard duty, but it is a velcro closure that is quickly fraying and rarely stays secured after only a few months of use.  When I saw this vest, I knew I would like it because of the zipper option instead of velcro.  

This safety vest comes simply packaged, ready to go straight from the package.  ANSI and ISEA approved, it is ready for most jobs.

 It also included two reflective elastic armbands for added visibility.

 The arm bands are stretchy enough to slide onto my arm, even over my winter coat, without the need to un-fasten them. But, if it is desired, they simply velcro together and can be adjusted easily.

 The vests come sized.  I chose a medium.  I was a little nervous to get the small size because I know that most often I wear it over a coat of some type, but other reviews and measurements from the seller led me to believe it would be just fine.  It is.  I have plenty of room in this vest to wear it with my winter coat, but I do not swim in it if I am only wearing a t-shirt.

 The vest zips closed easily and quickly.  All ends are secured and of high quality.  The vest is trimmed in a black mesh to keep the vest material from fraying.  An added bonus is that the vest is washable.

 Stripes on the vest, which go around the torso at two different heights as well as over the shoulders, are very reflective and and visibility in addition to the super bright yellow.

I am very pleased with this vest, much more so than my velcro closure vest.  It fits well, is breathable, highly visible, lightweight and convenient to use.

 I have plenty of room to play around with for varied seasons and am glad I chose to stick with measurement indications instead of playing it safe and going up a size.

You can find this safety gear here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Reflective Running Vest Review

I recently acquired this new reflective running vest and reflective arm band combo in my search for safety gear that will get me noticed.  Though I am not a runner, I am active in the view of traffic regularly as a crossing guard for employment and walking for enjoyment.    The more I stand out, the better!

I was able to choose the size I desired for this set, and I went with a medium planning to wear it over my coat when weather is cold.  It comes packaged in a plastic bag, nothing fancy.

 The arm bands are quite large and have a Velcro strip that makes them adjustable.  They easily fit over my biceps in a fleece shirt, with room to spare, so I have no doubt they will work over a winter coat with some adjustment.  They are a full yellow band with plenty of flex to them, a plastic feel and look that stands up to moisture easily.

 The vest is not a full jacket style vest, but more of an x-shaped vest that covers shoulders, chest and back, and then the waist.

 It is made of a fine mesh, which makes it breathable and lightweight.  There are a few gray reflective panels on the chest, back and shoulder fronts and backs, but otherwise this is mostly yellow.

 The vest slips over the head and fastens at the waist, opening on either side with adjustable Velcro strips.  It is not a full length vest, but more of a short, above the waist type deal.

 The main gray panel in the front sits just above a large mesh zippered pocket that could be used for holding a phone or keys, though I wouldn't think I would want either of those in such a position banging against me constantly for running.  Since the vest is not a full abdomen length vest, the pocket sat right a stomach height for me.

 When the vest is on, it fit me securely, but I had plenty of wiggle room in my fleece jacket and extra room to adjust on either side as I had the Velcro secured as close as I could.

Once worn for my daily use, I did note that the vest tended to ride up with my arm and upper body movements, and I had to keep tugging it down as it tended to hang up on my coat or shirt.  It is OK, but more bulk than I imagine a runner would want.  For walking or hiking visibility, I would imagine it would suit someone just fine.

You can find this product here

* I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.