Ultra BRIGHT LED Headlamp Review + #Giveaway

Ultra BRIGHT LED Headlamp is so handy to have. The boys and I play with headlamps, but I also find a lot of practical uses for them.

I like how comfortable this headlamp is. It adjusts on your head easily to. The XE Series Headlamp offers a lightweight headlamp with adjustable elastic strap for a snug and customized fit every time.

Are you looking for an alternative to the bulky, hand-held flashlights we traditionally rely on for spot illumination? 

Are you tired of beams of light that that are either too strong, too weak or just can’t quite reach what you need to see? 

If your answer to either of those questions is yes, then you need the XE Series Headlamp.

It needs 3 AAA batteries. There are 3 Energizer batteries that come with the headlamp.

 

The headlamp has 2 ways of lighting up. Not as many options as another headlamp I have, but certainly enough to get a job done. A dimmer and multiple modes allow you to adjust the light strength to suit your task-at-hand. 

And speaking of hands, both are free for use when you rely on XE Series Headlamp. This automatically results in 50% greater efficiency when compared to performing the same task using a standard flashlight. Made from military-grade materials, this headlamp is guaranteed to work as hard as you do!

The cost for this headlamp was $67.99, and on sale for $27.97. You can afford to have one in your car, in the basement, on the boat, in the RV… everywhere you currently have a bulky handheld flashlight. 

The XE Series Headlamp is great for camping, hiking, biking, running, boating, home improvement, reading… and much, much more. 
 
I know we'll take our headlamps camping. I just can't wait to go camping this year. It sucked before to carry a flashlight, a washcloth, a soap, toothbrush, and toothpaste. Now I can skip caring a flashlight. It will be attached to my head.

This headlamp will make a great gift for Dad, Grad, and even that person who is impossible to shop for.

Giveaway: One US reading gets a chance to win this Ultra BRIGHT LED Headlamp.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Isaak Doodles

A little Irish girl with a pot of gold.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Once upon a time my husband - Dad to the boys had 2 sculptures selected for a jury show in Boston area. He made the trip there because: 

A) It was an honor

B) He loves the place

C) His aunt and uncle lived there, so he could stay with them

D) That area seemed to like his work

After that he became a part of the New England Sculptors Association. They don't care if you don't live there. They just want the work to fit into their association. He's been apart of them for years now.

Fast forward to about 4 months ago: He applied for another Juried Show in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He applied before he lost his job of 12 years.  

He thought, "I'll more than likely not get it. If I do though it would be a super fun vacation."

He just found out that his sculpture was selected. This particular part of the US likes his work a lot. Yep Nebraska sucks for selling his art. They like modern art here that is so out there that it doesn't make much sense.

Orion from the constellation was the sculpture that was selected. (Source of his work, and other sculptures can be found here.)

It sounds like an honor. It is, BUT there are many things to consider: 

A) He just started a job, where he doesn't have vacation time yet

B) It costs a whole lot of money to travel from Omaha, Nebraska to Portsmouth, New Hamphshire

We also don't have family there anymore. We had some friends that said, "You can stay with us!" :) It's still expensive. Especially when he wasn't working for 3 weeks, has been training for 2 weeks, so the time he is working isn't a lot yet. Then he had a pay cut from his last job. To compensate that he has Fridays off, and great benefits.

We have child care to worry about cost wise in the summer. I'm trying to get the boys into camps, many are cheaper than child care, but they are still are expensive. As a Mom I worry about this stuff.

I said, "Congrats!" to my husband. Then he was busy trying to figure out how he could go. People on FB were saying, "Just go. You'll regret it otherwise!" I promise I wasn't trying to be negative. I was just being realistic. I tend to be a worrier by nature. I said, "It doesn't look like it's going to happen." He said, "You are so unsupportive!"

I just don't like to feel like I'm drowning.

Source

He called the head person that sent him the letter. They are going to help him ship his piece down, and they'll have a pedestal there for his work. That was something else he was going to have to have.

I think it's all going to work out. I can breathe now - a little. He still has to fork over some change to ship the expensive sculpture there, but they are helping. 

I told him that maybe we'll have to move to that area some day, so he can sell his work easier. I thought about the snow, cold, and said, "Crap!" There is much more to see there then here. But family is here. There's always ifs, ands, and buts isn't there? 

We Took My Dad - AKA Grandpa Out For a Birthday Breakfast

I don't know how people can skip breakfast. It's my favorite meal of the day. 

Over the weekend my sister's and I took my Dad AKA Grandpa Spiehs for breakfast at First Watch. I love their food because they do have healthier options, or you can splurge and get a traditional breakfast. We're taking our parent's out more and more over getting gifts. Once people hit a certain point in their life they don't need a whole lot. I'm at that point. We did get him a book he wanted.

After our morning out we went back to my parent's house, and asked our Mom to take pictures. We had a good laugh because every shot she jerked the camera, she cut off my Dad's head in a good shot where he was smiling. Then my oldest short sister said, "If she goes too much higher I'll barely be in the picture." :)

My mom sits on one side of the couch only, so the couch is really worn down on that side. Everyone looks taller than my Dad, who is super tall. Look at me, I'm a giant. 

My Dad always takes the photos. I don't think I've ever seen a camera in my Mom's hands.
 
I post these shots on FB per my sister's request. My Mom wrote in a comment, "Why is everyone's faces stretched?" I didn't do anything to anyone's faces. I did not know what she was talking about.
 
I did what any punk of a daughter would do and stretched our faces big time, and tagged my Mom. Then I asked my sister Terra, "What in the heck was she talking about?" Terra didn't know. She was laughing at the on purpose stretched photos. Her high tech Kindle that she sometimes knows how to use must have been stretching our faces.
 

I feel pretty with an egg shaped head. LOL
 
Seriously I love my parents though. They love me - even when I'm goofy. I know I'll have my pay back moments. Mica and Isaak have my crazy sense of humor as well.

WW: Baby Swing {Linky}

My sister just posted about how it's tacky when boys, and men run around with no shirt on outside. We were outside and my husband (Dad) had his shirt off. The next thing I knew the boys had their shirts off to. I said, "Should I take my shirt off as well?" They both laughed and Mica said, "No! You have bras and stuff."

I continued on with my yard work. I looked over, and Mica (a tall 9 year old) is perched in a baby swing reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with his fake glasses on. 

I told Mica he looked both relaxed and ridiculous. Isaak my almost 7 year old said, "What I'm not ridiculous?" Isaak got mad I didn't call him ridiculous, and kept trying to push Mica in the baby swing. Here's Mica saying, "STOP it Isaak!" Isaak wasn't ridiculous, he was a punk.

Playing a Trick on Mica

Mica hates eggs. We make him eat them anyhow. Poor kid!

He's hungry all the time, so at breakfast he either has eggs, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cottage cheese, or plain Greek yogurt. The last two we don't have nearly as much as we used to because it seems the boys and I have some issues with milk. It's not to the point where we're out of commission when we have dairy. We just have stomach issues.

Back on Topic:

Isaak and I went to the store this weekend. I saw these eggs that I've never gotten before - ever.

Nor would I even think of buying them - usually. I looked at the Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Eggs and said, "Hey Isaak do you want to play a trick on Mica?" He was most certainly in. 

We bought the eggs, and decided that I'd offer an egg to Mica. We both knew he'd say, "NO!" Then I'd give everyone else in the family an egg, Mica would see what kind of egg they were getting, and be mad that he didn't get one. 

That folks is how it went down. My scenario was so right. Isaak couldn't stop laughing.

Don't feel too bad for Mica! He did end up getting 3 chocolate covered marshmallow eggs.

Personalized Children's Book Review

KD Novelties sent me another book to review. This one is for my youngest nephew Edison. He'll be getting it for his 2nd birthday. I have gifts for this kid, for the next 3 years I think. ;) Little ones are hard to stop buying, and getting things to review for them. There's so many cute things out there.

 

KD Novelties makes personalized books, CDs and DVDs. They gave me a book of my choice that's a $13.95 value. They have free priority shipping with orders over $50. I picked Train With No Name for Edison. Our family has a history of loving trains. 

 

 

Each grand kid in our family was spoiled with Thomas the Tank Engine. My kids also got into Team GeoTrax, The Little Engine That Could, and Polar Express. It got to the point that when they saw any train, or train set they wanted it. I knew this book would be perfect for my nephew. I also knew my kids would love giving it to him.

 

The reading level is pretty easy. It's a hardbound 7x9 book, with 32 paper pages. My kids started with fabric and plastic bathtub books. My rule for kids is no paper paged books until they hit the age of 2. Then they have to have supervision to read those books until they are 3. They just want to eat the book, or tear pages.

Both Mica and Isaak loved this book. They thought it was cute. Mica did say, "Hey where's our names?" In their personalized books I put their names, and their cousin's names that are the same age as them. In this book I put Edison's name, and all of his siblings. There are 4 kids in their family.

 

The story was super cute!

Everybody needs a name, but the smallest engine in the train yard wasn't deemed important enough to have a name or an engineer. That is, until your child steps in and helps the little train save the incoming circus train, making them both the heroes of the day. This educational personalized book teaches children about compassion, helping others and that you don't have to be big to be important!

© Create A Book

 

There's a lot of fun and colorful pictures. Each train has a personality.

 

Ordering:

The book is easy to order.

• You pick if you are giving it to a boy or a girl

• You add in the child's age

• It asks for their first, middle and last name

• You put in their hometown, and state

• You can add in up to 3 friends, or relatives

• You can write a dedication: Up to 75 characters

I think the book will be a hit! Kids love anything that has their name on it.

 

Follow KD Novelties: 

Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Invivo Essential 4 Ounce Fractionated Coconut Oil Review

I got a smaller Invivo Essential 4 Ounce Fractionated Coconut Oil to Review. It's a perfect size to take to work.

About:

• Fractionated Coconut Oil 4 oz 
• Carrier Oil for Essential Oils 
• Base Oil for Aromatherapy and Soothing Massage Oil 
• Fantastic Skin, Hair, and Face Moisturizer 
• Stays liquid at room temperatures, not just above 76 degrees like raw cold pressed oil 
• Odorless, colorless, completely clear 
• Loaded with antioxidants and MCT triglycerides for healing psoriasis, acne treatment, eczema, rash, etc.
• Comes with a PDF book
• $21.30 and on sale for $10.88

Mix this top rated unscented base with your expensive organic essential oils to keep them from going rancid, giving them a longer shelf life. Blend with strong essentials like peppermint oil to prevent burns. 

One thing to keep in mind about Fractionated Coconut Oil:

Fractionated coconut oil is a fraction of the whole oil: Certain components of the oil are separated or removed from the oil for a particular use. Different uses of fractionated coconut oil include industrial, medical applications and beauty products. However, it is not the complete, virgin coconut oil.

I do like that it's a carrier for essential oils. I wish it had more of the whole oil in it.

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.