Be forewarned, the following product is addictive. You will look at it every single day, morning and night, and sometimes will even stare at it for extended periods. The “it” in question is the Grobag Egg from Keen Distribution. The Grobag Egg is a digital thermometer for your child’s bedroom which changes color based on the temperature, telling you if the room is too hot or too cold.

Why is it addictive? I find myself adapting behaviors according to the egg. When it turned red (too hot) I added a fan to my daughter’s room. During a cool spell last week the egg turned yellow, so I decided it was time for pajama bottom pants. I’ve even carried it around the house to watch it change color! It’s like my own personal Goldilocks, and I always know the temperature in my children’s rooms are just right. This is a must-have for your home!

by Cecelia

When I first heard about the Fit Flop, I was both curious and skeptical. Could a shoe really help improve my fitness and shape my leg muscles? I was willing to give it a try to find out. The Fit Flop is now my favorite pair of shoes. I literally wear them everyday, everywhere I go. They are very comfortable, and offer quiet a bit of support to the foot. And yes, they do give your leg muscles a work out!

On the website they do recommend that you start out wearing them a little bit at a time, and I have to agree that if you were to start out wearing them 8 hours a day, you would feel it a lot. The first day I wore them, I didn’t notice any leg muscle soreness, but my feet did have a bit of soreness in adjusting to the different angle. It’s not a high heel by any means, but if you are used to completely flat sandals or shoes, you will feel a difference in the angle of your foot.

I am already saving up to buy another pair (or two) because I love them so much. They look great (I have the black pair, which goes with everything), they are very comfortable and easy to keep clean. And the fact that they actually do help tone my legs is an added bonus! I don’t know what I will do in the winter months when snow is on the ground and sandals are no longer an option!

by Aimee

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Do your shoes get scuffed fairly easily? The nice ones I wear to work and special places seem to get marked up quite often. It could be that clingy 6 year old who has issues with placing his feet on top of mine. I’ve tried the usual cans of polish before, but they always seemed to create more mess than it was worth. Recently though I came across Shine to Go shoe polish that comes in a unique portable little package.

It is beyond convenient and makes shining your shoes fun. All it requires is for you to open the package and rub the pre-applied conditioning polish that is already in the applicator (which is a cloth) on your shoes. One package will clean one pair of shoes.

The packages of polish are available in black, brown and clear. I am now carrying two packages in my purse so that when I’m at the office or when I look down and see that my shoes need to be polished it’s handy. Best of all the results look like a professional polished my shoes! This is a definite must have for everyone.

by Emily

The Bissell Spot Lifter Carpet Cleaner is a fantastic little cleaner for anyone with pets or kids that are always finding little spots on their carpet, but don’t need to clean the entire thing.

It is handheld, light and comfortable to use with an easily used sprayer to apply a cleaning solution and water mixture, a cleaner brush to get out tough stains and a vacuum head to suck up the dirt and grime. It is cordless and can easily run up to 15 minutes at full power before needing to be recharged, which is more than enough to spot clean. On top of that it is simple to clean, only requiring the removal of the 2 plastic tanks. The one that holds the cleaning solution and the one that is the collection tank for the dirty water come off the machine.

The Bissell Spot Lifter quickly works through tough spots in your carpet. It cleans the stains completely and even removes tough pet odors. With a large dog, two young children and a husband with a tendency to get dirty, the Spot Lifter has made my life easier. I no longer have to lug out the huge shampooer for a few small spots. It is very affordable, easy to use and best of all it works!

by Kim

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All kind of creepy crawly spiders is what we had covering the sides of our house and garage. They were everywhere and it was getting so bad that we didn’t even want to go out at night. We’re not the type that gets all freaked out over spiders either, so you can imagine they were pretty bad.

We no longer live in fear now that we found the amazing Ortho Home Defense insect killer. We do not have a single spider anywhere on our siding after spraying this and it’s been there since May. We’ve even scrubbed the house and everything in sight, yet no creepy crawlies have attempted to come back. What’s even better is they offer an indoor product as well. If you need to keep those scary bugs away this is the way to go!

by Andrea

Our children love cereals, both warm and cold. We’re always on the hunt for natural, organic, low sugar and high fiber options. I recently spotted Chia Goodness in my local grocer and tossed the Apple Almond Cinnamon variety in the cart. I was impressed by the ingredient list (chia, buckwheat, hemp, apples, raisins, almonds, cane sugar, cinnamon and sea salt - all raw) and the images on the packaging looked promising.

We had it for breakfast the next day and it was an instant hit. It’s a “raw food” and doesn’t need to be cooked. You simply add water or milk - hot or cold - and let it thicken for a few minutes to make a delicious cereal. I have also had it sprinkled on vanilla yogurt and it’s fantastic. It has become a permanent fixture in our pantry and we can’t wait to try the other flavours!

by Nicole

Everyone in my house loves Ritz crackers. They’re so crisp and delicious - when they are fresh. I’m not sure if it is the brown paper packaging or what, but no matter how I reseal the opened sleeve of crackers they are always stale by the next use. We almost never eat an entire sleeve. I’ve tried putting them in ziploc bags and even containers with lids, yet they still cannot retain their fresh taste.

Ritz must have had some complaints over the years, because they finally developed Fresh Stacks. These smaller sleeves are easily consumed in one sitting and contain 15 crackers. They would be great for lunch boxes or just on-the-go snacks. This way they are always fresh!

by Emily

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All three of my children loved Fireman Sam from the first moment we caught a glimpse on TV. The adventures in safety and not crying “wolfe” are told to children in settings which are familiar (even if you aren’t from a small English village) such as carnivals, birthday parties etc. The friendly atmosphere of the village engages children and the misadventures of Norman Price are always a cause for quite a laugh.

One of the things that the DVD Fireman Sam: To The Rescue! does a really nice job of is showing how items around the house can be dangerous if used inappropriately - usually through Norman Price’s misbehavior. Fires can start, people can be lost - if we don’t follow the rules of safety.

We love Fireman Sam around here, and it always generates good conversation which I think is the best part. “Why did those kids go by themselves?” “Why did he lie about that?” and then we can talk about why that behavior is dangerous, and what would have happened if Fireman Sam hadn’t been there to save them.

While that might sound a little morbid, the lessons of safety are some of the most important ones we can teach. And neither I, nor Fireman Sam, believe you should skimp on the message.

by Gidge

We’ve reviewed the OFF! Smooth & Dry product on here before, but now they have a new PowerPad Lamp that is a great center piece on our patio. Using a small pad that you place inside the lamp and then lighting the included citronella candle will give you up to 15 feet of protection outdoors. I do like the idea of using a lantern instead of spraying our bodies down.

In the past we’ve had a citronella bucket on our patio, but quite frankly I didn’t find them to work very well. OFF! claims that these scented little repellent pads have more than 15 times the protection than the buckets we previously used. Each candle and pad combo will last about 4 hours which for us is one evening’s of use.

I do detest products that require you to buy refills. Not because I don’t see the reason behind purchasing refills instead of wasting most of what can be reused by starting over. I just can never remember! So if there is one thing I don’t like about the OFF! PowerPad it is that I’ll need to remember to purchase the refill pads, but it was a product that worked. Plus it didn’t look as intrusive as the old bucket candles.

by Emily

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My husband loves a fine cigar. He has very few vices, so indulging him in an occasional cigar is a nice treat, especially on a warm summer evening on the deck. I recently stumbled upon a great website that allows you to create your own cigar samplers. Traditionally, a cigar retailer sells boxes of cigars or offers a small inventory of single cigars for purchase. It is difficult to try a new cigar without investing in an entire box.

Thanks to Cigar Fox it is possible to try just about any of their 2000 different cigars. You can search by brand, size, flavor and strength to custom design a box of single cigars. Cigar Fox offers a trial of their service with one cent shipping and buy 5 get the 6^th cigar free. I just bought my husband a variety of six different new cigars for $26 delivered to our door. Cigar Fox has won my business with the largest on line humidor and excellent prices. It was almost too easy to become my husband’s hero.

by Helene

It’s that time of year when we dread mosquito’s. I swear they all gang up and come at me at once, leaving me with these itchy welts that I can’t keep my hands off of until they’re itched down to nothing, leaving me with an open sore. Yuck!

I don’t have to worry about that anymore after my mom told me about the Benadryl Itch Stick Relief. I am not joking when I say that this really works. You rub the stick on your bite and there is no more itch. It’s amazing! I love that the product is small and you can take it with you anywhere. I’ve never had something this great and I won’t go outdoors without it again.

by Andrea

I am not easily fooled by the as-seen-on-TV ad’s. Recently though I had been contemplating how to keep my inside plants watered while we were gone on vacation for 2 weeks without having people coming and going from our house. It’s too difficult to schedule people, hand out keys and then worry they they’ll lock up properly when finished. So when I saw a commercial for Aqua Globes I was excited but skeptical.

I ordered a set of 4 for under $15 (plus shipping) and was pleasantly surprised to find they are actually beautiful hand-blown glass. They way it works is you fill them up with water and then put the stick end into the plants soil. Oxygen is released into the bulb signaling when the plant is dry and needs water. I’m no scientist so I do not understand how it works exactly, but I can say that after being gone for 2 weeks we came home to plants that were still alive.

by Anne

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I didn’t know that Grippo’s BBQ chips were a local thing until I spoke about them recently to an out-of-town friend who had no idea what I was talking about. After some online searching I discovered this chip company was based out of Cincinnati, Ohio and being in Indiana that is why most grocery stores carry their line of snacks. I must tell you that the BBQ flavor is something almost indescribable. The are soft chips with a sweet, yet hot seasoning that you will crave after the first bite. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t enjoy them.

Grippo’s dubs themselves as the “fun food company,” and judging by the delicious chips I’ve had thus far, I would have to believe it. If they aren’t available in a store near you, then go online and order a box. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Next on my grocery list is to find the Hot Dill Pickle and the Sweet Bermuda Onion chips to try. I was surprised to find that Grippo’s makes pretzels and other snacks such as cheese popcorn.

by Emily

My family was recently in search of a pizza cutter that wouldn’t wobble and come apart when we used it. For the last few years we’ve had several cheap versions that has occupied our utensil drawer. Each time we pulled one out to use, we would pray it would work one more time without falling apart. Imagine how delighted I was to find the OXO Good Grips 4 inch pizza cutter.

Not only was the handle comfortable to hold and easy to manuaver, but it was sturdy. The real test of course was to see if it cut all the way through the crust on the first try and it passed with flying colors. I can honestly say this was the best $12 I’ve spent on a kitchen utensil in a long time. I may have to try some of the other OXO kitchen products, because I was very impressed with this. The OXO Good Grips pizza cutter is a must have item for every kitchen.

by Maria

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Eucalan No Rinse Delicate Wash is a must have for summer travel. I think of it as a liquid washing version of Febreze for hand-washing clothes and laundry. It is powerful enough to get the clothes really clean and gentle enough to be used on baby clothes and lingerie. This alternative to harsh detergents is available in aromatherapy scented fragrances like lavender and grapefruit.

Eucalan is an eco-friendly product that leaves your delicate clothing items clean and refreshed. I packed a small bottle in with my toiletries and was able to hand wash a few items in the hotel room sink to maximize my wardrobe on a recent trip. Eucalan has now replaced both Woolite and Dryel sheets in my household, and I could not be any greener or cleaner in my choice!

by Helene

My son has been talking non-stop about how we need to buy some green bags. It took me several attempts, but I finally understood what in the world he was talking about. I’d made some comments about how our banana’s go bad before they get eaten and he’d seen an infomercial of all things that he remembered. Enter the Debbie Meyer Green Bags.

Maybe you’ve even seen the commercial advertising to keep your fruits and vegetables fresher for longer. If not I am here to tell you that these green plastic bags are a new must have in my household. Green Bags absorb and remove the damaging chemicals that are released while things ripen. The concept is beyond my knowledge, but the reality is they worked for us with banana’s, pears and lettuce. They are definitely worth the low, low price of $9.95.

by Emily

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If you have done more than your fair share of picking up dropped sippy cups, then you will love the No Throw leashes. The design allows you to keep cups or bottles from been tossed and retrieved continually, because babies and toddlers like to throw things. These simple to use, whimsical printed leashes fasten to the drink container and then the stroller, car seat, high chair or shopping cart. The goal is to keep your child from being able to drop them.

You can stash the leashes in the diaper bag for on-the-go usage. These worked great on our recent Disney vacation when the kids needed to have drinks all day and I could not keep track of all the cups, tickets, purchases and snacks. With the No Throw straps I never worried about missing cups.

by Helene

Do you love flip flops as much as me? I can’t seem to live without them. My feet, however, ache after a day of flip flopping around. After years of aching feet, I have finally found a remedy to the whole situation. Croc flip flops are my new best friend and definitely a warm weather must have.

The Crocs come in a huge selection of colors and variations. Best of all, after wearing them all day (even all day at an amusement park recently) my feet don’t hurt! The footbed conforms to your foot for a custom fit and they are odor resistant. I will never wear cheap flip flops again! To check out all of the styles and colors available go to their website now!

by Jaime

You’re all dressed up and looking nice, because for once you finally had time to iron your clothes and look nice for the family outing (too wherever). Then, you hit a bump in the road and spill coffee or juice on your outfit. Of course you don’t have extra clothes for yourself in that huge bag of children’s things. For times like this it is great to have the Tide to Go instant stain remover.

Yes, it works and being so small it fits easily into your purse or car for those quick touch ups. Don’t make one little stain ruin that great moment. Keep this stain remover with you for all the future messes to come. It has certainly become a must have for me!

by Andrea

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Are you and your little one regular swimmer’s? Have a pool, slip n’ slide, or just like to run in the sprinkler? Then you’re probably going through a lot of swim diapers. We love swimming here, that’s why we invested in the swim diaper by Imse Vimse.

This swim diaper is fabulous, fits great, has lots of adorable styles to pick from and prevents you from having to spend endless dollars on those swimmers that after one use have to be thrown out. Oh and what about the way they explode after being in the water for an extended amount of time? They’re great for boys or girls and if you don’t want to do the ‘Speedo’ look for your son, they fit perfectly under swim trunks and they make adorable matching tankini tops for girls. Definitely a must have in this house!

by Andrea

Summer is the time for ice cream cones, popsicles and the dripping messes they make in the heat. At least that is how I once felt. Now our home is stocked up on the best remedy available with dripstiks. I find it odd that I am encouraging our little ones to have fudge bars and sorbet pops, but when you find a novelty that makes sense you embrace the newfound freedom.

Our kids are proudly carrying their cool treats in a dripstik holder. It features a side to insert the popsicle stick and alternatively, another side for cones. These colorful containers are great for toddler hands and even better for managing melting confections without a huge clean-up. Dripstiks are mom invented and handy for assisting the elderly and disabled who would otherwise struggle to control their frozen desserts.

We are planning on using them at our next big triplet birthday bash by serving ice cream cones in the dipstiks, and then letting all the invited guests take home their dipstick as a party favor.

by Helene

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My great uncle was a hairstylist from the 40’s and 50’s, and even though he was retired when I was a child, he still saw his “regular” old lady clients and gave them a weekly “do” as they requested. He religiously used TRESemme products and swore by them, for how gentle they were to your hair. My childhood bathroom was filled with over-sized salon jugs of the stuff.

When I saw it come to the market several years ago in these big old bottles, I pretty much paid it no mind. I assumed this could not be the same quality product now and it hadn’t ever been that good to begin with. After all, how good could some old school shampoo and conditioner be?

Two years ago when someone I worked with started taking classes at a hair design institute I noticed how shiny and beautiful her hair was and I asked what she was using on it. She giggled and said, “TRESemme, can you believe it? My teacher recommended it.”

Son of a gun. I picked up a bottle shortly thereafter and have been using it very happily since. It’s a great bargain because it comes in the great big bottle. It leaves my hair and my boys shiny and smooth. If you are trying to save money, but still look great this might be the hair product for you. TRESemme is still the same wonderful product! My uncle would be so pleased!

by Gidge

I don’t know what I’d do without my Mei Tai baby carrier from Cuddling Baby. With a toddler and baby, I’m not sure how I’d get anything done around the house, make it through the grocery store, be a fun mommy, or keep the little one content without being a baby wearer.

I purchased my Mei Tai when my daughter was about 6 months old and have been using it everyday since. It makes life so much easier when you’re able to tote your baby around on your front, back, hip, nurse semi-discreetly while at it and your baby is as happy as can be. Cuddling Baby, a WAHM eBay store, has great quality products and absolutely fantastic prices!

by Andrea

I’m fairly picky when it comes to lip balm. My biggest criteria was that it must be substantional enough to keep my lips moist and smooth, but after looking at a few labels recently I’m also looking for natural ingredients. If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is products that contain so many chemicals that they end up drying out my lips and it defeats their purpose altogether. It’s actually kind of scary to research what some of the ingredients are in the products we put so close to our mouths.

For My Kids All Natural Vegan Lip Balm is the perfect combination of organic natural oils. They’ve used sweet almond oil, coconut oil and tamanu oil to create the perfect potion that protects lips. The lip balm comes in circular tin containers (in 1 ounce or 1/2 ounce) and you can choose from organic vanilla or peppermint extract. My son preferred the vanilla, but I enjoyed the peppermint flare.

by Emily

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