Faux Wounds Review

Isaak loved to be the one to try out these faux wounds! 

The set comes with many fake tattoos. It's great there are options!

Isaak also did his own makeup. A bit too much on the red.

Isaak made up an elaborate story to tell Mica, once he got home. He fell off the retaining wall, and he spent a few hours at the hospital. It helped that Isaak had the day off school, and Mica did not.

Mica came home, and he bought Isaak's story. He our gullible child. I go behind corners all the time just to jump out at him. The other day as he walked home from the bus stop, Travis made his emergency horn start to honk as he walked by. Mica walked all around the Subaru to see if someone was around to make the horn go off. When he gave up, Travis quieted the horn, then made it go off again. Mica was looking all around. We sat upstairs, staring out the window laughing. Yep he'll probably need therapy.

Artistically the fake tattoos could have been more realistic. They are fun for Halloween, and more! Do you dress up for Halloween?

Where to Get Them:

You can get these on Amazon Prime for $9.99: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GTH4HJ1

Temporary Tattoos:

I thought they'd be like stickers, but they are just like temporary tattoos. I've always been horrible with putting those things on, but Isaak is a master at it.

They cause no harm to the skin, and are non-toxic.

Disclaimer: I got this product for free or a discounted rate in exchange for an honest review. No one influenced me on what to write.

Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags Review

I try and do my best to recycle, compost, and reuse.

I recycle the paper at work. Travis uses the compost for the garden, and we pretty recently got compost worms. We reuse lunch bags, water bottles, most sandwich bags, and grocery bags. Of course we reuse things to create art. 

I'm a big believer in doing all I can on my end to help our home. Am I perfect, no. I could always do more.

I'm happy to introduce you to Silicone Food Storage Bags!

I know we'll use them a lot! 

Right now I have a 1/2 of a ham in one of them. Typically I'd put ham in a ziplock plastic, throw away bag. Not any more.

I have net produce bags. I like using them, but often they don't hold moisture in the produce. I can see using these bags for produce!

They also hold liquids. In fact there's measurements on it. Berries that I pick would work great in these bags!

Perks and Downfalls:

They are easy to clean!

The red sliding bar is not easy to slip on and off. I think I have it down. One came slightly cracked on the inside. It still works just fine.

Buy It:

You can get this 3 set of bags for $17.95 on Prime: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=me%3DA3QIJRLLPWHGOF&field-keywords=silicone+food+bags.

Sizes:

2 Large Bags that carries 50 ounces or 6 cups.

1 Small Bag that carries 30 ounces or 4 cups.

What would you use in these bags? 

Disclaimer: I got this product for a discounted price, or free in exchange for an honest review. 

Ginger Essential Oil Review

I’m steaming some ginger, and it smells so good!

Why Ginger?

1. Treats an upset stomach
2. Improves liver function
3. Heals infections
4. Helps with Asthma, Croup, and other respiratory illnesses 
5. Is good for the heart
6. Reduces inflammation 
7. Natural aphrodisiac
8. Lots of antioxidants
9. Reduces menstrual pain
10. Great for anxiety

I have high cholesterol on both sides of my family, so I need all the help I can get with my heart. Mica has us walking and running during the weekends after he started Cross Country. I so wish my Asthma loved it. It acts up every time. I don't want to use my inhaler. Yes it's important to breathe, but if I work out I want to lose weight, not add Steroids to my body. Kind of defeats the purpose of working out.

I have Asthma, so ginger is a win with that too. I do try and eat ginger to reduce inflammation as well. It's the best!

I do need to see how it does on infections. I burned my arm on the griddle. Now that it's healing, I should mix up coconut oil with ginger essential oil to rub on the burn.

I feel at peace whenever I steam essential oils, no matter what the scent is. Ginger Essential Oil is great to add into massage oils because of it's relaxing qualities. 

Buy Gya Labs Ginger Essential Oil:

You can get it on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075R31LWW for $17.99 on sale for $9.49.

Do you like the scent of ginger? 

Disclaimer: Gya Labs gave me Ginger Essential Oils for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own.

#gameweek With Sequence

A Brand New Game:

I've never heard of, or played Sequence before. I am a card game lover, and there's lots of cards in this game.

Sequence is my boy's favorite game lately. I've played it five times just today. Once with Mica and Isaak, another time with Isaak, and three times with Travis.

We're making memories for sure.

Game Contents:

• 2 Decks of Cards
• 135 Sequence Playing Chips: Red, Green, and Blue
• Instructions
• A Fold Out Board
• A Storage Box 

How to Play:

This is for two to twelve players. Ages 7 and up.

Remove the Jokers from the playing cards. Shuffle the cards well!

The amount of cards vary with how many people play. We started with 7 cards. Each player can look at their own cards.

Each player gets a different color of tokens.

We had the youngest go first.

You place a card down on the table that you want to played, then place a colored token in that spot on the board. Your objective is to get 5 tokens in a row.

Jacks are special in this game. The 2 eyed Jack is a WILD Card. You can put a token wherever you want, if you have one of those. The 1 eyed Jack allows you to kick off another player's token.

Once the player lays down a card and a token, they draw a card.

Objective:

Like I said the objective is to get 5 tokens in a row. That can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.

Encourages STEM or STEAM:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Art
• Math

Sequence is about pattern recognition, and planning skills.

I like this game because it's similar to playing cards, but they changed things up a bit. It's a favorite at our house.

What's your favorite card game?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free from Goliath Games | Pressman Toy Company in exchange for an honest review. Pressman did not tell me what to say for this review. All opinions are my own. 

Random Tid Bits

1. I got a new assignment ready for my students. Every year I take a photo that I've taken, add things to it, cut it up into pieces, and they have to recreate it. There are times where I use a preexisting photo I've found online. The results are pretty fun. 

This year I went with a few vacation photos, and added old Warner Brother characters to it. I figured they'd be perfect for desert land. My co-worker must not be familiar with the desert. She told me I needed cartoon flowers in there. The desert lacks flowers. I agree it could use a bit more, but with the time I have it will have to do.







2. Our convention center got renamed. It got bought out, so they have to change everything along with it. It's quite the controversy! Who bought it out? CHI Health. Why is it a controversy? This place is about their medical care. They charge an arm and a leg. Then turn around to spend $$$$ on a convention center, and have to have their stupid name on it. Cher is coming to preform at CHI Health Center Omaha. She may get confused, and go to a local hospital instead. LOL  





Source



3. Mica was in class talking to someone about something. He went to grab his books, and noticed his library book was gone. Instead of telling his teacher he came home to tell me. He was pretty pissed. I was pretty pissed that he didn't say something to his teacher. He thought they were too lazy to deal with it. So me, and outsider can really take care of this? Nope! I was getting more mad, but stopped and thought - He's not the asshat that took the book.
   
   I said, "You need to go to the library, explain what happened, and ask the procedure to buy the book. If possible could I buy the book on Amazon? Then you'll have to pay me back. You aren't in trouble for taking anything, but you need to learn how to better deal with situations when they happen."
   
   He went to school, walked to homeroom, and saw his book on the floor by a trash can.  He didn't have to talk to a Librarian after all.
   
   But he was instructed by me to talk with his teacher (he has her every other day). He had to tell her what happened. Part of his problem is time. He feels like there is no time to talk to teachers, which sadly there isn't. In situations like this he needs to make time. He did it. She had a talk with the class. The joy of middle school. 


4. Mica will need some therapy someday. Travis turned on his emergency horn today when Mica was walking home - by the car. He walked around the car to see if one of us was there, nope. Then it started honking again. He kept jumping back, and looked to see if he did something wrong. Isaak was inside laughing so hard. We all were really. Are you a prankster? Travis so gets it from me. I'm the worst. I'd hide behind every wall to jump out at people if I could. 


5. They never introduce new people at work. It annoys the crap out of me. We're so small. Really you can't introduce people that work there? Yet when the group came that comes once every five years to grant us our accreditation we're all the sudden important enough to introduce. Ha! 

#gameweek With Tri-Ominos

Memories:

I have never played Tri-Ominos before. I have great memories of playing board games with my family when I was a kid! I do remember playing a Domino Game called Chicken Scratch. This game seemed similar.

Mica and Isaak have some great friends that love game nights. I was hoping to include them in some reviews, but one of them just had brain surgery. Right now the one kid's eyes are bothering him from surgery. We'll soon have them over to play games soon.

Tri-Ominos is a great game for ages 8 and up! With the boys getting older, it's important to find games that are not too elementary.

Game Contents:

• Four Racks
• 56 Crystalline Deluxe Pieces With Brass Spinners
• Instructions
• A Fun Triangle Hard Cardboard Case

Set Up:

This is for two to four players. Ages 8 and up.

Scramble the fifty six triangle tiles up. Playing with two players: Each player will take nine Tri-Omino tiles and place them in their tray. Playing with tree or four players: Each player will take seven Tri-Omino tiles each.

Pick a scorekeeper to write down each player's name, and points throughout the game.

Start the Game:

The player with the highest number starts by placing it on the table.

If three of the same number can be can be played, that player earns 10 bonus points.

The Scorekeeper keeps track of the points earned throughout the game.

Objective:

The first player to get 400 points wins the game.

Encourages STEM or STEAM:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Art
• Math

The boys liked this game! It was fairly quick. While there is some strategy, some of it's chance - what tiles are picked have to do with their chances of winning.

Have you played Tri Ominos before?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free from  Goliath Games | Pressman Toy Company in exchange for an honest review. Pressman did not tell me what to say for this review. All opinions are my own. 

WW: B is for Buckeye and Bananas {Linky}

We went to Lauritzen Gardens last weekend. I really liked my "B" shots.

A Buckeye Seed that Isaak found:

Bananas in their huge green house:

When was the last time you went to a Botanical Garden?

#gameweek With Rummikub

Memories:

One of my favorite games is Rummikub. I played it a lot growing up at family gatherings. It most certainly brings back memories. My Aunt Becky introduced it to us, and My Grandma that is no longer with us loved to play!

Everyone would sort of get annoyed with me because when I was around 10 (Isaak's age) I'd dismantle the whole game just to try and figure out how to get my tiles played.

I tried to get my kids to enjoy Rummikub like I did. They didn't seem to take to it. Possibly it's because I played so much growing up that I won every single time!

That's until lately! Even though I won most of the time, I taught the kids how to play too. I just played the boys and came in last place! Yep my ego is heartbroken. Ha! I'm just glad they finally learned how to play well enough to kick my butt!

Game Contents:

• Four Wooden Racks
• 106 High Quality, Durable Tiles, Including Two Jokers
• Instructions
• A Wooden Case 

How to Play:

This is for two to four players. Ages 8 and up.

Scramble the tiles up, pick 14 tiles.

Organize the tiles by runs (same color in number order) and three of a kind (same number, different colors). You have to have 3 tiles in both sets and three of a kind to put them on the board. You can have more than three, but not less than three. Don't let your opponent(s) see your tiles.

We play youngest to oldest, but you can draw a tile to see who goes first. Whoever has the highest tile starts the game off.

You can play if your tiles = 30 points. If you have a joker, it can equal any tile, and equals 30 points right away. If not you can not play, draw, and it's the next player's turn. You can not go after you've drawn.

Once you've laid out, and it passes one more round you can lay tiles on other people's runs or three of a kind to equal a four of a kind, You can steel a fourth tile to add to two of your tiles to make another three of a kind, or run. You can split in a run up to play more tiles within it.

Anything goes!

Three or four of a kinds have different colors, and more than three tiles. Runs have to have the same color, and at least three tiles.

Objective:

The objective is to get rid of all your tiles.

Encourages STEM or STEAM:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Art
• Math

Rummikub is about pattern recognition, and planning skills.

I love this game because it makes the players think!

What's your favorite board game that includes numbers?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free from  Goliath Games | Pressman Toy Company in exchange for an honest review. Pressman did not tell me what to say for this review. All opinions are my own. 

#ad Sandals

These sandals come in 3 colors: 

1. khaki
2. brown
3. black

They are super stylish.

They fit Mica really well. He loves the style of them!

They do have great treads, I love how they can be tightened up with their toggle laces.

You can get them on Amazon for $29.90. Cost does vary base on color and style. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C9MS2Z2

Disclaimer: I got this product for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Travel Make-Up Case Review

I love having suitcase and cosmetic bag options when I travel, or go camping!

This one is really compact! There's two velcro bars that come with it, so it can be split up however it works best with the user. I fit a lot in the main part of the bag.

The pocket up at the top has a velcro as well. It splits apart in two different ways, to reveal 3 different compartments.

One: A Big Mesh Pocket

I just put a few make-up brushes in there. I do kind of wish I had velcro or a zipper to help hold those things in place. They slipped out every time I'd try to get to another pocket behind it.

Two: Another Big Mesh Pocket

I put a wooden comb in there. I don't really use a comb, but it's just for this review. I mainly have a comb for combing out hair out of a bigger brush I do use. I think Isaak uses it on his hair as well. This pocket is tighter than the first one featured, so nothing would slip out.

Three: Small Mini Pockets

Lipsticks, lip glosses, chapstick, fingernail polish, or even small pill bottles could go in these. I have lipsticks in them right now.

Uses:

I don't know exactly what I'll use it for to be honest.

• More than likely it will get used for make-up. I don't use a lot of makeup. Certainly some for sure. 

• I could use it for medicine. My nasal wash salt, neti pot, and meds eat up space when I travel. I'd love to have a bag just for that stuff. 

• I go through times where I wear a lot of hair things. 

• A man case. Mica is getting older. They may want a case to carry a razor, soap, shaving cream, and more.

What would you use it for?

You can get this travel make-up case on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FDW35XM for $20.59

Disclaimer: I got this product for a discount in exchange for an honest review. The company didn't tell me what to say. All the words in this post are my opinion.