review Archives - MomStart

Baby STEM: Infantino Sit, Spin & Entertainer 360 Seat & Activity Table

May 22, 2018 by Momstart 2 Comments

We receive a sample so we could include the Infantino’s Sit, Spin & Entertainer 360 Seat and Activity Table in our STEM Gift Guide coming out later this year.

Infantino’s Sit, Spin & Entertainer 360 Seat & Activity Table is the perfect example of a toy that will keep your little one busy while also providing sensory stimulation for optimal intellectual growth. With 6 engaging toys, light up buttons and music, it’s a fantastic playtime set for babies all the way to toddlers!

What I loved about the Infantino Sit Spin & Entertainer 360 was there was no assembly needed. We opened up the box and this thing just popped out together. We were also able to easily fold it back down and it fit perfectly back into the box. It’s great for storage. When not in use it’s flat and could go under the bed.

I also really like how light and simple it is. As far as sensory goes I think some baby toys are over the top and just have too much. This activity table has three different activities making it a great choice. It can have up to six different activities though. And the legs are adjustable as your child grows the table will grow.

Age grade 4 months to 5 years
Entertainer transforms into a stand-and-play activity table
Three height positions grow with baby.
Includes 6 engaging toys with lights up buttons and musical effects
For the seat position, children should be under 25 pounds and/or 30 inches tall. Must be able to sit upright unassisted. Once children can walk independently, discontinue using this product as a seat and switch to table mode.

We would use ours to keep the kids where I needed them to be. If I needed to work then I put the activity table so I could work. If I needed to cook or garden then that’s where I would put the kids so I could get what I needed done and they were in a safe spot and able to entertain themselves.

Cookies & Treats Delivered Monthly: Gramma In A Box

May 21, 2018 by Momstart Leave a Comment

We received a sample so we could share with you, Gramma In A Box.

GOT COOKIES?

Check out the website at: www.grammainabox.com

Gramma In A Box is a new subscription box that brings you already made cookies and treats with everything you need to make dessert magic. It’s like having Gramma there with you to bake but you get to do the fun part, decorate. We created two videos for you guys to enjoy. One is the Gramma In A Box unboxing video you can see above. Two Zoe made one video of her decorating some of the treats.

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grammatlc/

If you sign up for the auto debit of $20 each month. No special code required; just select the auto debit option at check out.

Please visit the website at www.grammainabox.com for photos and more information,

For a Discount:

Use discount code 1Ooff To receive $10 off your purchase. If you select the auto debit option then you do not need to put any code in as the first box will only cost $10. You only need to use the discount code if you are purchasing any of the other options on the website.

Treat Mom To Bubble time With Mr. Bubbles

May 1, 2018 by Momstart Leave a Comment

We received samples.

Mother’s day is quickly approaching and I’m not even sure my kids realize my birthday is on Sunday. So I’m wondering what we will be doing this weekend and how we are going to get everything we need to get done done. But one thing I know is that Mr. Bubbles is making it easy for last minute bath time elagance because their products are more than just bubbles. Mr. Bubbles has extended their line to extravagence in the tub with bath bombs and bath melts perfect for any budget and moms like me.

They still have their full line of bath products and fun products for little girls and boys that still play in the tub. For Example, They have Mr. Bubble Magic Bath Crackles and the foam soap and the foam soap smells amazing.

Be sure to also check out our video of Mr. Bubbles Bath Products on youtube:

The Art of Bath Time Fun

Yum! Spa bath and body products debuted last year to cheering little girls everywhere and the fun continues to grow just in time for Easter. The tutti-frutti sensation is perfect for girls, ages 5-11 that love to mimic their mom or older sister’s beauty routine.

The new Yum! Spa Paint-sicle Face Paint Spa Clay Mask comes packaged in a fun two-toned popsicle design to make cleansing fun and colorful. Made with nourishing Vitamin E, the face mask set contains a coconut oil-infused pink mask for epic hydration and a chamomile-enhanced blue mask for deep cleansing. Paint your face with fun designs and watch the colors combine to create a beautiful purple mask that will leave skin feeling fresh and ultra-moisturized. The single-use mask retails for $1.49 and will be available at Walmart and online at Walmart.com starting Feb. 28.

Bath bombs have quickly become everyone’s favorite bath time treat, and Yum! Spa’s newest varieties in Fortune Cookie and Gumball designs are no exception. Both varieties float, bubble, mix amazing colors and contain a VIP Pass inside for special online perks. Retailing each for $1.69, the Yum! Spa bath bombs will be available at Walmart and online at Walmart.com starting Feb. 28.

Yum! Spa also makes haircare a snap with the Yum! Spa 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner, which gently shampoos and conditions in one speedy step. And if brushing through damp or dry locks is a literal pain, the new Yum! Spa Smooth & Shiny Detangler Spray will leave hair manageable, soft and snarl-free. Both products are paraben-free and are available now for $3.39 at Target and on Target.com.

Special Edition Mr. Bubble Foam Soap, Bubble Bath and Bath Crackles

America’s favorite bath-time buddy, Mr. Bubble, is joining the Eastertime fun with special edition single cans of Foam Soap in Peach Sorbet and Birthday Cake. Mr. Bubble Foam Soap has always been a tub-time favorite for kids to spray and play, but just in time for the holiday, it now features a silly spray nozzle making it even easier to write, sculpt and create all while getting clean. Moms love it as it’s safe, gentle and washes thoroughly to leave skin soft and smooth. Perfect for the shower, sink and tub, the Foam Soap cans retail for $3 and are available now at Walmart stores.

For more bath time entertainment, try Mr. Bubble Magic Bath Crackles and Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath Minis in limited-edition Easter Egg holiday designs. Listen to the Bath Crackles POP! and SNAP! when you pour them into the water and feel them tingle and fizz in your hands. For an even bigger show, swirl them around in the water to make them crackle even louder. And who doesn’t love Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath? Kids will enjoy big, long-lasting bubbles in Mr. Bubble’s signature bubble bath scent in a convenient 2.5-ounce travel size, making on-the-go bathing just as fun as getting dirty. The Easter Egg Magic Bath Crackles and Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath Minis are available at Walmart stores now and retail for $1.

Bath Time Fun, Naturally

Fruits and veggies are not only good for our tummies, but also help to nourish and protect children’s skin. Featuring Apples, Blueberries and Carrots – the ABC’s of skin health – the Nourishing Naturals bath time collection is paraben-, phthalate- and sulfate-free.

Nourishing Naturals Foaming 3-in-1 is an easy and fun to use foaming formula that gently combines shampoo, conditioner and body wash to help clean and detangle hair while leaving skin smooth and soft. Made with 98 percent naturally-derived, plant-based ingredients to help repair, hydrate and protect skin, it also contains shea butter and aloe for extra moisturizing benefits. The Nourishing Naturals Foaming 3-in-1 are available now in the kids’ bath section at Target and on Target.com and retail for $5.99.

About The Village Company

The Village Company (TVC) has a long and rich heritage in personal care products. Originally known as Minnetonka, Inc., TVC markets some of the country’s most endearing and enduring heritage brands including Mr. Bubble®, the #1 bubble bath brand in children’s bath; Sesame Street® Bath Products; Nourishing Naturals®; Yum! Spa®; Village Naturals Therapy™ and Village Naturals Aromatherapy bath products; Soft & Dri®deodorant; Dep® hair gels; and La Bella® hair and skincare products. The Village Company’s brands are widely distributed through leading retailers in the food, drug, mass and beauty channels. Visit thevillagecompany.com to learn more.

Subscription Box: Brickloot A Monthly Brick Building Box @Brickloot

April 18, 2018 by Momstart Leave a Comment

We received a sample Brickloot to include in our subscription box round up we have coming up in a few weeks. And we LOVE it. It’s such a cute idea for anyone that loves brick building like we do. And of course even during our Brickloot unboxing video the kids had to start building.

This is the kind of gift that would be perfect for my son, or any brick loving kid. My kid loves to build and I feel like I’m stepping on bricks all the time because that’s how much he loves them. He is always playing with his brick collection, aka his LEGOs.

Steve, Erin and Parker Krex, a family of entrepreneurs. Parker, a 9-year-old toy lover, is the creator behind Brick Loot and with the help of his parents he has been able to make his toy dream come true.

Brick Loot is a new box subscription company geared towards brick and Lego fans. This fun box that can be delivered monthly to customers of all ages and is filled to the brim with the latest and greatest brick compatible products. Each month, the contents of the box are a total surprise to subscribers. The contents will include unique items that cannot be purchased at your average toy store around the corner. Brick Loot’s partners are among some of the biggest names in the toy industry such as: OYO Sports, Nano Blocks and Brick Forge. The box subscription starts as low as $23.00 a month and varies depending on your subscription selection.

We highly recommend this box as a great gift for kids age 7-14 or to 99. I mean my husband might actually like a subscription box like this one.

To Learn more about Brickloot:

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/brickloot

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/brickloot

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrickLoot

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brickloot/

STEM Kit: Makeblock Neuron Review

April 18, 2018 by Momstart Leave a Comment

We received a sample from Makeblock and my daughter opened it up right away. She was super excited to try her hand at building something and programming it herself. The thing about Makeblock Neuron, which is the exact kit we received is that it can be put together and taken apart and used to create quite a few different projects. She’s 11 and she didn’t need any help at all. The blocks go together quite easily and the app she downloaded to her phone made programming a breeze. It’s a great way to get a kid started on their STEM journey.

About the Makeblock Neuron Kit

Makeblock Neuron is a programmable electronic building block platform for STEM education. It contains over 30 kinds of blocks with different functions, so creators can build a variety of innovative gadgets.

Craft a new invention in just 5 minutes: Building blocks are connected in a snap with magnetic Pogo Pins. Users can simply assemble the blocks to make creative gadgets without needing to write any code.
No Coding Experience Required: The graphical programming interface in the Neuron app enables beginners to easily create Neuron applications and add basic or advanced functionality (e.g. IoT) into their inventions.
Continuously Updated Invention Guides: The Neuron app comes with Invention Guides and video tutorials to show you how to get started building with the Inventor Kit. Follow, then lead with your own creative ideas.
mBlock Support: Neuron gadgets can be controlled and programmed using mBlock on desktop and the Neuron app on mobile devices. All blocks can be compatible with the mechanical parts of Makeblock via Neuron board.

Zoe easily made the cat and loved making the cat’s tail wag. She also made a little keyboard and light up connections based on touch.

Makeblock also makes Codey Rocky.

There is no doubt that our kids are growing up with coding and programing as their version of a “universal language.”

With Makeblock’s Codey Rocky – a brand new, entry-level coding robot geared toward children 6+ and the recipient of the CES 2018 Innovation Award, children will not only enjoy toy time but will simultaneously be learning as well.

Carefully crafted by ed tech robotics provider Makeblock, the goal is to make playtime both fun and educational, therefore Codey Rocky introduces children to the basics of programming like Scratch 3.0 and Python at a young age, proven to improve creativity, computational thinking and problem solving skills.

We are huge fans of Makeblock’s products and will include them in our STEM round up that we are currently working on.

Rabbit Roundup: Everything You Need For Your First Bunny

January 29, 2018 by Beeb 1 Comment

Samples provided. This post contains Amazon Associates links.Since November, I have adopted four abandoned domestic rabbits that showed up in my yard. The first arrival was Honey Buns: I opened the back door one morning to discover, much to my surprise, a large rabbit huddled up next to the door. As soon as I opened the door, she turned around and hopped right inside the house, literally inviting herself in! Five days later, we came home to find rabbit #2, Bunsen Burner, shivering under the trash cans by the front door. And just when we thought we were getting the hang of things, a bonded pair of rabbits that I named Buster and Babs Bunny moved into our workshop!

I’ve always loved bunnies but never owned one in my life, so it’s been a learning curve, that’s for sure! A rabbit has very different needs than a dog or a cat, so I’ve been doing tons of research over the past few months as I get a crash course in Rabbit 101. So I thought it would be fun to share my setup with you, go over what I’ve learned about the basics that rabbits need, and give you an idea of what’s involved if you’ve been considering adding a rabbit to your life!

Hutches

Since Honey Buns showed up out of the blue, we had to improvise and temporarily put her in one of Bob’s old dog crates. Jai built four custom hutches for the rabbits using recovered and scrap lumber, parts from two dog crates, and 6-Gauge Galvanized Wire Fence – you can read more about our hutches here. Our situation is unique, because since we are rescuing four rabbits at the same time, they all need to be fixed and (hopefully) bonded before they can safely live together, so separate cages are a necessity at this point. I would advise reading through some sites such as TheRabbitHouse.com to learn more about the different housing options for rabbits, as there is a lot to consider.

Litter & Cleaning

One of the most perplexing things I had to figure out was how to keep the rabbits’ hutches clean. Rabbits can be litter box trained, and while our buns are fairly good about this, they have not been fixed yet and thus will “Mark” their territory and leave more of a mess than they will after we get them spay/neutered. And even with a litter box trained rabbit, droppings are just a fact of life and their cages will get messy pretty quickly!

Since Jai custom built our hutches, he designed them with two levels: The top level is open and provides a nice area for the bunnies to sit, hang out and eat. The bottom level is an enclosed, private “Hidey hole” that also contains their litter boxes and has a bunny-safe mesh floor that allows droppings to fall down onto a removable tray below. Emptying a giant tray of waste without spilling it all over the floor was proving to be pretty tricky, but I’ve figured out a system that makes it a lot more managable!

Ware Rabbit Pan Liner makes cleaning so much easier!!

The Ware Rabbit Pan Liner makes cleaning the trays under the hutches SO MUCH EASIER!! It’s essentially a large trash bag that lays flat in the tray. When you’re ready to empty it, you lift up the four corners that hang over the tray, and it pulls the liner up into what is effectively a trash bag that you can easily pull out and throw away. A 4-pack retails for $3.99 on Chewy.com and is worth every penny to not have rabbit poop rolling all over your floor!

Kaytee Clean and Cozy Small Animal Bedding

When filling your rabbit’s litter box, be aware that you must be careful to use a rabbit-safe litter. We really like Kaytee Clean and Cozy Small Animal Bedding, which retails for $13.86 on Chewy.com. You can also put this litter in the tray to absorb urine and reduce odor.

Cage Basics

Kaytee Chew-Proof Small Animal Water Bottle

You’ll need to outfit your rabbit’s cage with a water bottle or bowl – we have a Kaytee Chew-Proof Small Animal Water Bottle in Bunsen’s cage, which retails for $6.65 on Chewy.com.

Ware Slide-N-Lock Small Animal Bowl

Rabbits love to toss over food bowls, so you’ll need to get one that attaches to the cage to stop them from throwing their food everywhere! The Ware Slide-N-Lock Small Animal Bowl shown here in Bab’s cage retails for $8.42 on Chewy.com. These are also excellent for water – ironically, we are using both our locking food bowls for water at the moment, because every time I get one with the intention of using it for food, another bunny shows up. I’m not even kidding! A few days after Honey Buns arrived, I went to the store to buy a locking food bowl that was in my purse when I arrived home and found Bunsen shivering in front of my door. So it became his water bowl! Then, on the day that my Kaytee water bottle and Ware bowl arrived from Chewy.com, Buster and Babs moved into our workshop – so once again, my planned food bowls became water bowls! So I’m putting their food straight on to the hutch floor for now and will pick up four more locking bowls when we get home from England. 😉

Another tip: Rabbits find drinking out of bottles to be too difficult when they are ill, so be prepared to provide a bowl of fresh water when this happens.

Kaytee Hay Buffet

One fact of life for a rabbit owner is hay…everywhere. To reduce this mess, what I tend to do is load the lower, enclosed part of their hutches with hay – which is necessary, because their potty is in the lower level and they need to have hay when they go to the bathroom – and then use a feeder to keep a contained amount of hay in the top level, so that less of it gets kicked outside the hutch. The Kaytee Hay Buffet is $6.66 on Chewy.com and can hold hay as well as veggies; I also use the Kaytee Rollin’ The Hay Feeder in Honey Buns and Bunsen’s hutches.

Food

Rabbits have much more complex dietary needs than a dog or cat, and their sensitive stomachs are prone to sickness. Therefore, it’s super important to be aware of what a healthy diet looks like – I recommend visiting Rabbit.org as a starting point to learn about rabbit feeding, and consult with your vet. Generally speaking, a rabbit’s diet consists of unlimited hay, veggies, pellets, and a sparing amount of fruit/treats.

Oxbow Essentials Bunny Basics

For pellets, we’ve been using Oxbow Essentials Bunny Basics from Chewy.com, which retails for $10.62 for a 5-lb bag.

Bunsen devours his Timothy Carrot

The Oxbow Timothy Club Carrot Small Animal Treat is a great healthy treat made from 100% Timothy Hay. It also provides a little activity for your rabbit as they figure out how to pull it down and tear off the hay – kind of like an edible toy! You can get one for $3.59 at Chewy.com.

Honey Buns enjoys a treat from Happy Manes Rabbitry

Our bunnies also love the wonderful handmade treats from Happy Manes Rabbitry, a small rabbitry in upstate New York. These treats are made with ingredients like real fruit, rabbit pellets, whole oats and fresh local honey, and come in tasty varieties such as Apple Madness Cookies and Banana-Carrot Crunchies – each bag retails for $4.99.

Bunsen, caught in the act trying to steal an extra Apple Madness Cookie!

Treats don’t last long around here!

For timothy hay, I highly recommend checking with a local farm supply store – we live in a rural area, and are able to get entire bales of hay for $17 or less. If this isn’t possible in your area, you can order hay in bulk on Amazon.

Fun & Games

Kaytee Tropical Fiddle Sticks Small Animal Flexible Hideout

Rabbits are intelligent animals and need mental stimulation. They love little “Hidey holes” and tunnels, so the Kaytee Tropical Fiddle Sticks Small Animal Flexible Hideout, $7.99 on Chewy.com, is a fun little hideout that can flex into different shapes. It’s also safe for bunnies to chew on, which is one of their very favorite pastimes. 😉

Buster the magical unicorn

Not everybunny likes to dress up, but if yours does, Zoo Snoods make an adorable line of knitted hats for pets! Honey Buns wore the Deer Zoo Snood, $16.99, for Christmas, and Buster became a rare bunny indeed with his Unicorn Zoo Snood, $17.99.

Santa’s lil helper

Unicorn bun

So there you have it: These are the products that have been my staples over the last two months of sudden bunny ownership! Fellow rabbit owners, I’d love to hear some of your favorite things!

The Expression Photo HD XP-8500 is a Must-Have For Brides!

January 28, 2018 by Beeb Leave a Comment

Sample provided.

Jai and I got married in August, and I have never needed to print so many photos in my life! We have so many wonderful photos from the day that we want to preserve not just for ourselves, but to share with our loved ones. Years ago, I went to a wedding and received a beautiful photo of Jai and I in a thank you note from the bride. I thought it was a genius idea to include photos and have always planned to do this myself. Now that the dust has settled and I am slowly making my way through my own thank you notes, I’ve been going through all our wedding photos and picking out special ones to send to each person. With this many photos to print, life is so much easier when you can just print them yourself on demand instead of ordering them through the mail. That’s why I’m so happy to have the Expression Photo XP-8500!

This new photo printer from Epson has everything you need to effortlessly print gorgeous photos at home, using 6-color Claria® Photo HD Inks to give you beautiful print quality. I’ve been using the XP-8500 this week to print out favorite wedding photos, and I’m so happy with how the prints are turning out. To show you how it works, let’s compare an original image file with the printed version. This is a portrait of my sweet little flower girl:

Photo by Jason Hill Photography

Here’s that image printed onto glossy 4×6 paper:

The reason I’m using 4×6 is so that the prints can fit into an envelope for mailing, but this also supports larger borderless prints. I tried printing out one of our bridal portraits on glossy 8.5 x 11 paper – here’s the original:

Photo by Jason Hill Photography

Here’s the printed copy:

I’m impressed by how much detail this printer captures – a “Photo of a photo” just doesn’t do it justice, as this large print is suitable for framing. This is going to come in so handy! I’ve been slowly getting my favorite bridal portraits blown up into canvas prints, and those aren’t always cheap; so having a printer that can do justice to large photos is going to be perfect to make copies for family and friends that may want a bigger photo they can frame of their favorites.

Aside from the quality, I’m also impressed at how easy this printer is to use. The setup only took a few minutes and worked right away – no fussing. The printer produces large photos, but the unit itself is compact and space-saving, as well as utilizing wireless printing to further save space and hassle. (I’m still unpacking boxes from our DIY wedding, so trust me, anything that saves space is welcomed!) The printer has two separate paper trays, so I was able to load one with 4 x 6 paper and one with 8.5 x 11, and print from either one – I just selected the desired size on my computer when printing and it automatically pulled from the appropriate tray. This saves a lot of hassles switching paper and settings back and forth!

If you’re planning a wedding, do yourself a favor and pick up this printer! I’ve printed so many photos over the last few months, from the photo projects I did before the wedding to make decorations, to preserving my favorite bridal portraits to display and share with our loved ones. This printer makes it effortless to produce high quality photo prints on demand!

The Expression Photo XP-8500 retails for $249.99 and is available on Epson.com.

Turning my Bridesmaid Portrait Into Art With Canvas Press

January 22, 2018 by Beeb 2 Comments

Sample provided.

Our wedding was such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have loved ones from all around the world together in one spot. Our photographer, Jason Hill, captured so many great portraits with these family and friends that we will always treasure; I have a long list of wedding photos that I want to blow up and display in our home! Personally, I think canvas prints are an ideal way to display a favorite photo because it truly turns it into a work of art. One of the photos I was most anxious to have put on canvas was my bridesmaid portrait:

My bridesmaid portrait! Notice flower girl Zoe in the front? Photo by Jason Hill Photography.

Jason really captured the crisp detail in the dresses, and that would get lost in a small framed photo. I wanted to have this photo put on a big canvas so that I can look at my beautiful bridesmaids every day – I am beyond lucky to have these amazing women in my life, and looking at this photo makes my heart so happy! So when Canvas Press reached out to offer me a print from their collection, I jumped at the opportunity. I decided to have my bridesmaid photo blown up as a 16×20 canvas print with mirror wrapped sides; I thought this would be a nice size to bring out the details on the photo. Uploading my image was simple, and I had the option to tweak it however I liked to make sure it was in the right position and looked just as I wanted. Then, I placed my order and eagerly waited for it to arrive!

The shipping was fast and efficient, and my print turned out absolutely beautiful! It looks amazing. It comes with a hanger already attached, so it’s ready to put up as soon as you receive it.

The mirror wrap on the sides is a really interesting option I hadn’t seen before – it displays a mirror image of the photo’s edges on the canvas wraparound. I chose this over stretching the whole image to wrap around the print, as that would have cut off too much of the picture for a group photo like this. I really like how the mirror image wrap turned out, it’s a fun option!

I love how this turned out! It looks perfect in my purple princess bedroom and warms my heart with girl power every time I look at it. Our wedding was a celebration of love; the love that Jai and I have for each other, and also the love that we have for the people in our lives. This photo represents decades of friendship and family bonds – amazing women that are always there for me. I am very, very lucky to have them in my life!

If you want to get started preserving your own memories, I can definitely recommend CanvasPress.com as a great place to make beautiful canvas art!

Sweet Dreams With Tomorrow Sleep

December 29, 2017 by Beeb 4 Comments

Product provided.

Over the past two months, my husband and I have been testing out the “Smart sleep system” from Tomorrow Sleep. This company’s flagship product is its mattress, but they also offer an entire suite of accessories meant to help you get the most out of your sleep experience. We’ve been having sweet dreams indeed, so I wanted to review each product in detail to illustrate how they work together to give you a great experience at night!

Tomorrow Mattress

The focal point of the smart sleep system is Tomorrow Sleep’s memory foam hybrid mattress. I received a King size Tomorrow Mattress in medium soft, which is my preference, but they also have medium firm available if you prefer a firmer mattress. Let me tell you, this mattress is sooo comfortable! Its soft memory foam conforms to your body and even utilizes temperature regulating technology invented by NASA! It is so cozy – my husband has commented several times on how incredibly comfortable it is, and I completely agree. It was quick and easy to set up – the mattress is compatible with any base, so it works perfectly with the handcrafted bedframe that Jai built, and it can even be put straight on the floor which is perfect for anyone who is moving into a new home and still buying furniture!

Tomorrow Comforter

I was excited to try out the Tomorrow Comforter that came with the bed. This comforter has been designed to be breathable with ThermoBall™ filling, with the aim of keeping you warm without getting overheated. I thought this would be great for us, because our previous comforter would trap heat to the point of making me wake up sweaty – so gross!! – making it difficult to get the right temperature in these winter months. As promised, the Tomorrow Comforter is very breathable in addition to being soft and cozy to snuggle up with. I thought the true test of this came when I got sick for several weeks earlier in the month – my internal temperature was all over the place, and the comforter by itself was able to keep me warm without me getting drenched in sweat later in the night. I have also been able to launder the Tomorrow Comforter in my washer and dryer without issue. Score!

Tomorrow Sleeptracker® Monitor

For me, one of the selling points of this system was the Tomorrow Sleeptracker® Monitor. This is a unique sleep tracker that fits under the bed, rather than being worn, and provides detailed insights on your sleeping habits. I found this absolutely fascinating and knew I had to give it a try!

The Sleeptracker® Monitor can track the sleeping habits of up to two people. Each monitor is a strip that fits underneath the mattress in the spot where you usually sleep. It pairs with the Sleeptracker app to record details about your sleeping habits and will generate an individual report in each person’s separate account, which you can also have emailed to you daily.

There is so much information that you can access with the Sleeptracker® Monitor. It does quite an accurate job of determining automatically when you fall asleep, how long you’ve slept for and how many wakeups you experience; it also tracks light, deep and REM sleep along with breath and heart rate. You can set sleep goals within the app, and it gives you a “Sleep Score” every day based on how close you are to your goal. Its built in “AI Sleep Coach” also gives you daily tips for optimizing sleep based on your Sleep Score. You can input information each day about things that might impact your sleep, such as exercising and stress, and view your sleeping averages over the past week, month and year. You can even play white noise through the app if you’re into that, or set an alarm on the app to wake you up within a specified window of time to try and catch you at the lightest part of your REM cycle.

I absolutely love that I can track my sleeping habits automatically without having to wear or charge anything! It’s so, so convenient and provides such an impressive amount of information, not to mention the sleep cycle alarm feature. I haven’t personally used a sleep tracker that provided such in-depth information before, not to mention the ability to track two people at the same time. I think there can be a lot of value in this, if only to put perspective on why you might feel awful on a certain day – when you live with insomnia for a long time, it becomes so normal that you almost get used to it. Seeing the stark numbers is a good reminder of why you might feel “Off”! It’s also “Proof” if you’re having a hard time getting help – the last time I went to a doctor about my severe insomnia, he actually laughed in my face and just said I’d have to fall asleep “Eventually”. I switched providers, but if it ever happens again, I will show them this…

Tomorrow Sleeptracker® Monitor Screenshot

This is why I’m tired

Tomorrow Sleep: A Smart Sleep System

I am very happy with my entire Smart Sleep System from Tomorrow Sleep! I love the attention to detail they have put into each part of the system, from the mattress to the accessories, to give you the best night of sleep possible. Jai and I have been enjoying it for the past two months and look forward to years of comfort to come! You can also get a 100 night trial when purchasing the mattress, so you can make sure you really love it before committing – which is so nice, right? Buying furniture for the house is always a little nerve-wracking because you don’t want to get stuck with something you don’t like! And as a special bonus, I have a great coupon to share with you:

Coupon Code: Save $150

Would you like to save $150 on the best hybrid mattress? Then use my special coupon code BEEB150 to save $150 off any $500 purchase at Tomorrow Sleep! Coupon expires 12/31/17.

Using The BaxMAX Belt For Back Pain

December 29, 2017 by Beeb 1 Comment

Sample provided. This review is my own personal experience and not intended as medical advice.

Over the summer, I started having issues with awful lower back pain, which I wrote about in a previous post. The pain was a result of spending long hours sitting on my computer for work, and has been effectively managed by taking frequent breaks to stand, stretch or just move around, among other things. Now that I know the preventative measures, I can pre-empt the pain from becoming a problem, but over the summer I went through a few periods where the pain was tremendous and lasted for several days at a time, to the point where there wasn’t much I could do but lay down and grit my teeth waiting for it to be over. So when I heard about the BaxMAX Belt, I was intrigued and thought it would be a good tool to have in my arsenal in the event of flare-up.

The BaxMAX lumbar support belt is designed to prevent spine compression by taking the body weight off the spine. To use, you wrap the belt around and affix with with velcro closures, then tug on a pulley cable to tighten the belt to your desired level of support; the cable then attaches to the front of the belt with velcro to secure. The belt is black and yellow, with a design that kind of reminded me of Batman’s tool belt, which added coolness points in my book! (Maybe I can use it for a DIY Batgirl costume next year! 😉 ) The belt is quite large – I personally have just worn it over my clothes while working around the house, but if I was wearing it elsewhere, I could feasibly wear it under my clothes if I did some layering.

I can definitely feel the support when I tighten the pulley on the BaxMAX belt. I do feel that it provides some pressure relief that helps the minor pain I can still get when I’ve been pulling long hours in front of the computer. I’ve had the belt for roughly a month and a half, and I’ve worn it a few times to test it out and also pulled it out spontaneously when my back was getting sore. Thankfully, due to my taking more breaks and investing in some specialty cushions for my office chair, I have not gotten any severe episodes since the summer, but I could imagine how the support from this belt would have been welcomed when I was in the throes of bad pain. I remember laying on the couch during the worst of it and holding my back with my hands, almost like I was trying to support it, so it’s possible that this could have relieved some of the pressure I was experiencing. I hope it never gets bad enough again for me to be able to test that theory, but I’m glad that I have it on hand as another tool if it ever does; when it comes to managing chronic pain, I find that having a variety of options helps me cope because I don’t feel as powerless. Everyone’s back pain has different sources and treatments – they say right on the BaxMAX FAQ that it won’t work for everyone, which is why you can return it for a full refund within 30 days if it doesn’t work for you, which seems very fair.

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Use promo code SaveMe15 through December 31st to save 15% on the BaxMAX Belt, which retails for $69.95 normally. Click here to automatically apply the coupon!