Search Results for “tech” – Page 26

Thimble Compass Kit Review

Disclosure: This review was based on a provided sample from Thimble. I was not compensated for this review.

I’m sure many of you reading this will be surprised to know that despite attending a performing arts governor’s school program, and loving all things language, theatre, and drawing oriented, all of my elective classes centered on science. Particularly that of technology and robotics. For which the knowledge I gained on building simple machines using motors, circuit boards, power supplies, and programming grids made up some of my fondest memories during my high school years. Which is why when asked if my family would like to review an upcoming Thimble electronic building kit, I jumped at the chance!

Thimble kits are designed to teach beginners a basic understanding of building electronics by way of a monthly kit. Each kit is curated and includes instruction manuals, instructions for accessing online software modulation videos, programming guides, and the needed materials for the project at hand. Thimble offers kits of all levels of difficulty including wifi-robots, LED cubes, robotic arms, alarm clocks, weather stations, quadcopters, and much more! Each month is designed to be a new project and a new adventure!

Thimble also offers four different subscription prices. The longer the subscriber commitment, the cheaper the pricing will be. With robot kits, some of their more pricey kits, ranging from $12.00 to $300.00 in price. And as you may have assumed, the cost generally reflects the quality of the robot. While this cost may seem steep a lot of Vex and Project Lead the Way Kits can cost upwards of $1,200.00 and more per kit. In comparison, Thimble seems economically focused in comparison.

The Kit:

While excited to review Thimble, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting myself into. As Thimble’s homepage is somewhat vague on the specifics for each kit. The homepage does explain the service is recommended for ages 13 and up, is okay for beginners, and every project involves soldering; soldering kits are not included with the service.

However, the homepage does not provide any photos of the current project, or what the current project even is. While I was able to ascertain that information further into their website, this might be a turn off for shoppers looking for a cursory glance of schematics and logistics while subscribing to their service online.

It wasn’t until my compass kit arrived a week later. Included in the kit were:

A power supply
Circuit Board
Circuit Pins
Mounting Square
Motor Sensor
USB Cable

Not included (but needed for this build):

Batteries
Soldering Iron
Solder
Wire Strippers
Needle-Nosed Pliers

Upon opening the kit, I was surprised to see how involved the kit appeared to be. Not in an intimidating sort of way but I definitely didn’t anticipate just how do-it-yourself this project was going to be. I suppose I was expecting to solder a few external pieces onto a circuit board but wasn’t expecting to be soldering several multi-pin components or stripping wire.

Though these aren’t tasks are not unknown to me, they would seemingly be a bit advanced for most 13-year-olds and for those in-class or homeschooling. I believe this kit to be better geared towards high school aged students as this kit was so involved.

Building the Compass:

Once you’re prepared to build your compass, You’ll need to collect the items not included in your kit. This includes need-nosed pliers, wire strippers, solder, soldering iron, and AA-batteries.

Following this, you will need to go to Thimble’s learning platform and follow the links to video tutorials. The first part of the tutorial provides a detailed list of all the parts included in the kit and a list of suggested tools.

Next, you are given two options for building the compass. You can follow a 25-minute video of the process from start to finish, or you can go through a step-by-step tutorial with accompanying videos and photos. We opted for the step-by-step process.

The first step in the process is to solder several components onto the circuit board. As you can see, there are a lot of pins to solder and not a lot of room for error within the kit itself. Although I have experience soldering, I haven’t had much practice in years. Luckily, my husband was standing by and finished the soldering for our family. As a robotics and project lead the way instructor, this was second nature to him.

Again, there was a lot of soldering that needed to take place and even for someone as used to soldering as my husband mistakes can still easily be made. Do go into making these kits with the understanding that, at times, mistakes may happen. Thimble also offers replacement parts in their online shop.

The next couple of steps involved soldering more components. Some of which were thankfully spaced out a bit further making soldering easier.Once all the components are soldered to the circuit board, the next step is to attach wires to the compass motor.

Theoretically, you would need to strip the ends of the wire and solder the ends to a mechanized motor or componentry. However, the wire in this kit is very thin and care to detail should be maintained as to not accidentally cut completely through your provided wiring.

Attention to detail should also be considered when soldering the wire to the motor, as the provided instructions didn’t indicate which color wire should be soldered to a specific contact. The accompanying video doesn’t specify either. While assuming this doesn’t matter, in terms of the finished compass, I felt it should be stated as this is a review kit.

The next step is to program the compass. This was my biggest issue with the entire build. I found the online instructions somewhat vague and I would image confusing for middle school students and younger, such as children in my family, my husband’s students, and robotics team members.

We did manage to get the compass working after an hour of trial and error, though it was not nearly as fun a family project as I had imaged going into the project.

We were eventually able to utilize the sites LED test for the compass and the magnetometer functions. This was after a 4-hour period of finding the programming software guide unavailable online, which rendered us unable to program our kit. This program was later remedied by Thimble.

We also found the onsite project forum with responses from other users helpful as well. We found that a number of kit owners were having trouble with both the programming and soldering as well. This was somewhat a relief for us throughout the project.

Final Thoughts:

In terms of Thimble for at-home projects for my family, I would have to pass on Thimble. For my husband’s more advanced students, who would have multiple classes to construct, engineer, and program each kit, this might be a worthwhile investment. While I was really looking forward to building this compass, I was somewhat disappointed with the results.

Between the lack of poor instructions, video modulations, vague website descriptions, and the nightmarish programming required to make a 1-hour project come to fruition, I’m not sure Thimble would be ideal for our family game nights at home.

Mind you, if the kits were more affordable, perhaps I’d feel inclined to purchase them for practice kits for my husband. Especially during summer breaks from school. However, starting a price point of $59.00 and a year-long commitment, that’s a great deal of money for kits you may or may not be happy with the results of.

In the future, I’m thinking Thimble will have perfected their product because of it really an awesome in-home subscription box concept. And who knows, in the future, I may just change my mind.

Now friends, if you would still like to learn about this service for yourself, you can check out all that Thimble has to offer here. And now, I have to ask, what are you most interested in learning about Thimble and what parts of our build were you a little skeptical to try at home yourself? I’d love to hear about it below!

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5 Freezer Cooking Clean Up Success Tips

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScrubWithDots #CollectiveBias

Growing up, my grandmother never liked to have anything on her kitchen countertops, so I’m pretty sure that’s where my love of clean countertops originated. Couple this with becoming a minimalist a year ago, my need to maintain spotless countertops at home has become less a hobby and more a life narrative. Especially during all-day freezer cooking sessions!

Why all day freezer cooking sessions? Well, if you’re anything like me, there are no scarier times in your home than the 5 o’clock what’s for dinner debate. The scenario of having to decide what to cook can be a daunting task for even the most prepared home chefs. Which is why Fall freezer meals are my go-to dinnertime prep each Autumn season!

There’s nothing better than being able to provide my family with a hot, nutritious, affordable meal. Now, it goes without saying that I adore freezer cooking meals, with just one exception, the clean-up.

Try as I might, I things start to pile up in my kitchen. You know how it goes. Ingredients come out. Things get messy. Counters get cluttered. Splatters confetti your otherwise serene kitchen landscape. Dishes in the sink pile up. Life happens. Especially in the midst of a kitchen teeming with dirty, baked-on pots, pans, and dishes!

As you can see, the one area in my life I’m less than neat at is cooking. I’m what you could call an all-in, full-contact domestic goddess. A typical afternoon of cooking for me involves grease spatters, crumbs on the floor, and a pile of dishes that far exceeds both sides of my kitchen sink. From the blinds to the baseboards, nothing in my kitchen seems to be exempt from stains and spills.

It’s always a balancing act. Do you cook all the meals your family will enjoy, only to spend the rest of your evening scrubbing saucy, stained lasagna pans? Or cook just enough meals, in hopes of limiting the mess that will inevitably be created.

For me, I go with the creating of meals. Which makes finding better, more practical ways of cleaning-up my kitchen all the more imperative in my home. Now that I’ve gotten my new Freezer Cooking Clean-Up routine down to a science, and I’d like to share some of my favorite 5 tips for Freezer Cooking Session Clean-up Success.

Prep your kitchen for cleaning success: For me, it’s also important to keep effective, affordable cleaning methods by my side during each freezer cooking session. So when I’m heading to the store to purchase any last-minute ingredients I’ll need for my freezer cooking sessions I also plan to pick up all the cleaning products I’ll need as well.

Recently, my go-to cleaning sponges have been the new Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Scrub Dots Sponges and the Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scrub Dots Sponges from my neighborhood Dollar General store.

My minimalist kitchen hosts cooking appliances with specific cleaning needs. Needs tailored to both Non-Scratch cookware and Cast Iron pots and pans, I love that the Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scrub Dots Sponges help keep my non-stick pans and induction burner clean as a whistle while the Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Scrub Dots Sponges work great at breaking down even the toughest stains on my heirloom cast iron pans!

I like to pick up the Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scrub Dots Dishwands and Scotch-Brite® Dishwand Refills 2-Packs. Both products that utilize scrub dot technology to effortless lift off even the grimiest of sauces, spills, and splatters from my cookware, utensils, spoon rests, and even had the power to help tackle stains from the surface of my sink itself!

In fact, all of the new Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty and Scotch-Brite®Non-Scratching Scrub Dots Sponges and Scotch-Brite®Dishwands can clean almost everything in my kitchen. Even items that I previously would have to soak or scrub. such as glasses with milk protein deposits or wine deposit film. Both particular pet peeves of mine.

This awesome cleaning line is also easy on my budget too! The entire line of Scotch-Brite® Scrub Dots Sponges and Scotch-Brite®Dishwands are affordably priced! With both the Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scrub Dots Sponges and the Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Scrub Dots Sponges priced at only $2.75 for Sponge 2-pk and $4.35 for Sponge 4-pk and the Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scrub Dots Dishwand and Scotch-Brite® Dishwand Refill 2-pk. priced at only $3.00 respectfully! And at that price, you just can’t go wrong!

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Isolate spills: Instead of walking over to the trash can or compost bin with handfuls of peelings and scraps, keep a garbage bowl on the counter next to where you will be working. This will not only help you isolate your messes to a single location, which will keep kitchen floors cleaner, but will also save time and prevent slippery floors during freezer cooking sessions too! Especially important when mini chefs are helping you out in the kitchen!

Prep your cutting boards: did you know that wiping down cutting boards with lemon juice can help to naturally sanitize cutting boards at home? And that wiping down clean, dry cutting boards with kosher salt before cooking will help future foods from sticking to wood surfaces? I like to prep my cutting boards with both a lemon and salt treatment the night before freezer cooking sessions. This helps to ensure my prepping surfaces are their cleanest the next day!

Bring in a recycling bin: For cooking projects where I’m using a lot of canned or boxed goods, I’ll take a recycling bin and set it right on the right side of my kitchen counter. This allows me to clean and deposit my recyclables without having to leave my kitchen during freezer cooking sessions where heat sources are actively in use!

Have a sink full of soapy water ready: I love to start each cooking session with a sink full of hot, soapy water full of dishwands and sponges. This sets not only the mood for cleaning success but also helps me to quickly address spills and splatters that will inevitably happen during all-day freezer cooking sessions.leaning up spills immediately will help prevent bigger messes and help prevent kitchen falls and accidents on slippery floors and to tackle stains created on small and major appliances with little to no effort. As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Especially when it comes to cleaning up messes in the kitchen!

Immediately cleaning up spills will not only help prevent bigger messes from forming but can also help you prevent kitchen falls and accidents. As the adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Especially when it comes to cleaning up messes in the kitchen!

This past weekend, with my new Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch sponges and Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Dishwand by my side, I was able to create a month’s worth of creamy, ooey-gooey Italian-style freezer meals this past weekend. I cooked, assembled, and froze Skinny Chicken Alfredo, Fall-Inspired Spaghetti Carbonara, and Meatless Monday Baked Alfredo. All meals that are as delicious as they are super simple to make. The best part? They were all created using one DIY base sauce recipe, my Skinny Béchamel Pasta Sauce!

This sauce is a delicious blend of both rich and modest ingredients. Like in traditional alfredo sauces, I use salt and organic butter. Where this sauce gets its skinny cachet is its use of gluten-free flour base, use of soy milk in lieu of whole milk, almond milk instead of heavy whipping cream, and a special surprise ingredient, tofu!

I cook each batch of sauce separately to prevent curdling and separation. I always start by adding butter to a medium skillet over medium-low induction heat. To this, I add my flour and stir until a smooth roux forms. I continue to cook until the roux turns a light, golden color, in about 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the soy milk, almond milk, and tofu. Break up the tofu into the blend until smooth. Heat blend until almost at a boil. Then add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking with a rubber spatula until smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt, nutmeg, and a dash of fleur de sel. Then your sauce is ready to use!

Now that your sauce is finished, you can turn this base into different pasta meals. Again, I used my Béchamel to make Skinny Chicken Alfredo, Fall-Inspired Spaghetti Carbonara, and Meatless Monday Baked Alfredo. Here’s how I used this sauce to make these three meals:

Skinny Chicken Alfredo:

Ingredients added to Béchamele sauce:

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup grated good organic parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded organic Italian blend cheese
1 8-ounce chicken breast; cut into strips
2 teaspoons organic olive oil

Directions (per tray):

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Now bring 1-gallon pot, boil 8-cups filtered, salted water to a boil.
Cook 8-ounces of good spaghetti pasta in the salted water.
Once al dente, carefully drain and remove from your pot. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast in a teaspoon of organic olive oil; we used a pre-cooked chicken breast we smoked this summer at home.
Once your chicken breast is cooked, remove it from your skillet, cool, and cut into strips. Set aside.
Next, add your drained pasta and Béchamele sauce to your pan and bring to temperature.
Then add your pasta, sauce, and seasonings to your freezable bakeware of choice.
Top with chicken strips and shredded cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until your cheese is bubbly and light brown in color.
Cool for one hour, then top with foil. Label your dish accordingly. Freeze for up to six months; four servings per pan.

Fall-Inspired Spaghetti Carbonara:

Ingredients added to Béchamele sauce:

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground allspice
1 pinch ground cloves
1/2 cup grated good organic parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded organic Italian blend cheese
1 8-ounce chicken breast; cut into strips
1 cup organic mushrooms
1/2 cup cooked turkey bacon; cut into bite-sized pieces
2 beaten organic, free range eggs
2 teaspoons organic olive oil

Directions (per tray):

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Now bring 1-gallon pot, boil 8-cups filtered, salted water to a boil.
Cook 8-ounces of good spaghetti pasta in the salted water.
Once al dente, carefully drain and remove from your pot. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast in a teaspoon of organic olive oil.
Once your chicken breast is cooked, remove it from your skillet, cool, and cut into strips. Set aside.
Using this same pan cook your turkey bacon and mushrooms.
Once finished, cool and cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Turn heat off of the pan.
Next, add your drained pasta and Béchamele sauce. Toss sauce with pasta.
Then add beaten eggs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Toss to combine. The residual heat will cook your eggs through.
Add your pasta and sauce to your freezable bakeware of choice.
Top with chicken strips and shredded cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until your cheese is bubbly and light brown in color.
Cool for one hour, then top with foil. Label your dish accordingly. Freeze for up to six months; four servings per pan.

Meatless Monday’s Baked Alfredo:

Ingredients added to Béchamele sauce:

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1/2 cup grated good organic parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded organic Italian blend cheese
1 cup mushrooms; I used half portabello and half white button mushrooms.
1/2 cup chopped organic spinach
2 teaspoons organic olive oil

Directions (per tray):

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Now bring 1-gallon pot, boil 8-cups filtered, salted water to a boil.
Cook 8-ounces of good spaghetti pasta in the salted water.
Once al dente, carefully drain and remove from your pot. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook your mushrooms a teaspoon of organic olive oil.
Once your mushrooms are cooked, add your spinach and heat through.
Turn heat off of the pan.
Next, add your drained pasta and Béchamele sauce. Toss sauce with pasta.
Add your pasta and sauce to your freezable bakeware of choice.
Top with shredded cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until your cheese is bubbly and light brown in color.
Cool for one hour, then top with foil. Label your dish accordingly. Freeze for up to six months; serves four per pan.

Friends, those are my three favorite Béchamele sauce-based freezer meals for the fall! While it goes without saying that that was a lot of work this past weekend, it was worth it knowing I now have a freezer full of yummy, ready-to-bake meals on hand this season!

And the only thing better than ready-to-go meals is knowing how simple my kitchen clean-up will be! With the Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty and Scotch-Brite®Non-Scratching Scrub Dots Sponges and Scotch-Brite® non-Scratch Dishbrushes cleanup took just minutes. Comparing to the hours spend scrubbing dishes, pans, counters, and floors before finding these products!

Making this new line the true hero of my freezer cooking session this past weekend! I’ve been so inspired by the ease of cleaning this past weekend that I’m already looking for new recipes for my next mega freezer cooking session online! And if you’re looking for additional freezer cooking recipes at home, be sure to check out my other freezer cooking recipes here!

I encourage you all to pick-up the new Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Scrub Dot sponges, Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratching Scrub Dots Sponges, Scotch-Brite®Dishwands, and Scotch-Brite® Dishwand Refill 2-packs while in-store at your local Dollar General. Because with Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty and Scotch-Brite®Non-Scratching Scrub Dots Sponges, you’ll no longer have to choose between a clean kitchen and the convenience of hot, fresh meals at home this Fall!

So now I have to ask, do you have any great tips for keeping your kitchens cleaned and your countertops cleared during freezer cooking sessions at home? I’d love to hear all about them below!

Find more #ScrubWithDots inspiration here!

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Skinny Béchamel Pasta Sauce

2017-10-17 19:52:23

Serves 6

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Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

25 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

25 min

Ingredients

1 cup organic soy milk
1 cup gluten-free flour
1 cup cubed firm tofu
2 cups organic almond milk
5 tablespoons organic butter
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel

Instructions

Start by adding butter to a medium skillet over medium-low induction heat.
Add my flour and stir until a smooth roux forms.
Continue to cook until the roux turns a light, golden color.
Meanwhile, heat the soy milk, almond milk, and tofu.
Break up the tofu into the blend until smooth. Heat blend until almost at a boil.
Then add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking with a rubber spatula until smooth.
Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
Season with salt, nutmeg, and a dash of fleur de sel.
Enjoy!

Notes

This Skinny Béchamel Pasta Sauce is a rich, decadent sauce flavored with organic butter, soy milk,and tofu. Making it a richer, better for you sauce than conventional Alfredo Sauces on the market! Use this Béchamel to make Skinny Chicken Alfredo, Fall-Inspired Spaghetti Carbonara, and Meatless Monday Baked Alfredo too!

By Nicole Roberts

The LadyPrefers2Save https://theladyprefers2save.com/

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Why I Use Jan Marini’s Papaya Line For My Adult Acne

Please note: I received products courtesy of Jan Marini Skin Research and BrandBacker.com to facilitate this post. All opinions and experience are my own. This blog’s full disclosure notice can be seen here. Thank you.

Acne. I’ve been plagued by this skin scourge for as long as I can remember. First as a teenager, with a family history of acne, and then as an adult with adult acne brought about by my hormone-based, PCOS symptoms. Which is why maintaining a proper skincare routine is so important to me.

But in having a great skincare routine one needs to buy the right products for their skin. Which has always been difficult for me as I have oily and combination skin, meaning my skin has been giving me a run for my money for as acne-prone skin pretty much since I can remember? So I’ve been very careful and diligent about taking care of my skin.

When I heard about Jan Marini’s papaya mask and cleanser, I was definitely curious. I’ve heard about the exfoliating and skin-brightening effects of papaya before but wasn’t sure what it could do for my adult acne, so I decided to try it out. Because as anyone with adult acne will tell you, it can be extremely frustrating finding products that actually work. so I was excited to see if the Clean Zyme and Skin Zyme would be my new skin-clearing routine blessing.

Why Papaya-based skin products may be able to help you:

Skincare products rich in non-GMO papaya extracts not only cleanse the skin but can also rejuvenate the skin by way of enzymes that exfoliate your skin while providing your face a glowing complexion.

As papaya is also loaded with vitamin A, more specifically, the enzyme papain, which acts to break down inactive proteins in the skin. This enzyme also helps to eliminate dead skin cells, can help repair cuts and abrasions, smoothing aging skin, and can help plump skin cells. A tall order from a simple fruit!

About the products:

It was no surprise that I was impressed to learn that Jan Marini Skin Research, or JMSR, the makers of the Clean Zyme and Skin Zyme, is one of the most respected brands in modern professional skin care hosts a line of papaya-based skincare products

Utilizing the knowledge of leading physicians and research scientists to develop cutting-edge solutions to today’s most common skin concerns. Including adult acne. JMSR has introduced a host of technological firsts and has been mentioned in numerous independent peer-reviewed studies.

The products I tried, both the Clean Zyme cleanser and Skin Zyme mask, are home care exfoliation products that help to gently remove dead skin cells on your face without irritating sensitive skin. Both products can be used throughout the day as part of your working skincare routine at home to help to even skin tone, minimize pores, and to give you a polished glow!

How I use it:

Each night before I apply the Skin Zyme Papaya Mask, I wash my face with the Clean Zyme Papaya Cleanser. During which, I like to give my face a little bit of a message with the cleanser before washing it off with warm water. Next, I apply the mask. It’s worth noting that the first time I used it there was a slight tingle throughout my face. Totally non-painful, but I could definitely feel a tingle. The instructions say you can leave the mask on for up to 20 minutes, but I like to leave it on for about 10 minutes total.

After 10 minutes I washed the mask off with a small dollop of the Clean Zyme Papaya Cleaner, patted my face dry, and applied my regular DIY moisturizer to my face before heading off to bed. The mask washed off cleanly and I enjoyed using it.

Something else worth noting, the scent. I really enjoyed the scent of this mask. It smells quite sweet and citrusy. I also love that immediately afterward my skin appeared super duper clean and fresh, without feeling dried out or irritated.clean but doesn’t feel dried out at all.

My results:

As you can see from the resulting photos, my skin appears brighter, clearer, and more even in tone. So I’m giving both the Clean Zyme cleanser and Skin Zyme mask a big thumbs up!

If you have acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, or uneven skin texture, then I would highly recommend giving both the Clean Zyme cleanser and Skin Zyme mask a try. After just one use I noticed that my skin felt incredibly smooth and in the morning my skin looked unbelievable even in tone!

I also believe that the Clean Zyme cleanser and Skin Zyme mask helped to make my foundation and makeup apply more evenly as the texture of my skin looks smoother. The more I use these products the better I believe my skin looks! I really feel that these two products together can help me feel more confident about my skin. Even with having adult hormone-induced acne!

Final Thoughts:

I also find that keeping your daily routine consistent and minimal is incredibly important and that a good face mask can make a world of difference. And that the Jan Marini Skin Research Clean Zyme cleanser and Skin Zyme mask have been intricate parts of my skincare routine at home this past month and will continue to be so in the future.

Friends, I encourage you to check out JMSR products for yourself at home this fall season. Now I have to ask, what products do you use at home to handle your own adult acne symptoms? And do you use papaya-based skincare products as part of your daily skincare maintenance routine at home? If so, I’d love to hear about them below!

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Kroger: Save $1.00 on any 2 Scotch-Brite Scrub Dots Sponges!

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PowerOfDots #CollectiveBias

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Why your child’s classroom needs the ClassDojo App

It’s hard to believe that it’s already the back-to-school season! With so much going on to get your little ones ready for the new academic year at hand, from buying supplies to attending open houses, it’s hard to focus on everything you need to know to help your child do their best this coming year. That’s where apps such as ClassDojo come into play.

ClassDojo is a digital classroom management tool designed to help teachers improve student behavior and communicate more effectively with parents. Using the app, teachers can create trackable classroom goals and behaviors to help keep students on track for success, such as turning in homework, participating in class, or staying on task. Using a smartphone, tablet, or computer, teachers can give or take away points throughout the school day in regards to each assigned goal or task.

Each student’s points can then be displayed via a smart board in-class as well as send electronically to parents daily, weekly, or quarterly as well. Giving parents the ability to see the progress of their student wirelessly.

Something fun about ClassDojo? Each student receives an avatar. Which can be personalized by student, class, team, school, or project! These avatars are a great tool to get the kids to buy into the personal responsibility teachers and parents hope to see them develop. ClassDojo also presents teachers and parents with the ability to streamline their communication which helps to help identify and moderate behaviors. By offering an easy way for teachers to note behaviors as they happen digitally, this app reduces time away from in-class instruction.

ClassDojo allows teachers to gather more personalized behavior and grading data about individual student and in return, communicate feedback nearly instantaneously to their child’s parent. Which is why the ClassDojo app now used in 90% of all K-8 schools in the U.S. and 180 countries around the world!

While some may feel that a public points system doesn’t foster community or promote a positive way for children to feel inside the classroom, I believe that by presenting good behavior as a measurable, tangible incentive it gives children a visual reminder of how they are doing, much like a public behavior chart, and also gives children the ability to self-modify their behavior in a real and lasting way. By attaching names to actions, students can digitally learn better ways to communicate and respond. This also pumps much needed time back into the classroom. While some sensitive children may need extra time to respond to the app, it’s a valuable lesson just the same!

ClassDojo also offers many different ways to use its product, including anonymous avatars and not displaying points at all, depending on the teacher’s needs. As well, ClassDojo is an app that is meant to work hand-in-hand with various districts, parishes, co-ops, and homeschooling code of ethics, to work seamlessly with a teacher’s existing classroom management arsenal.

Something else to consider is how effective ClassDojo can be in regards to time restraints. Imagine the time that can be spent monitoring the behavior of students digitally. While some issues will still need to be addressed in a one-on-one capacity, the ability to use a smart board to display behaviors can be self-correcting if used in a real and lasting manner. Then there is the matter of positive behavioral rewards. While, generally speaking, praise should be delivered immediately in a sincere manner to students, the ability to let parents also onto these same awesome behaviors can continue the praise for positive behavior long after students leave the classroom.

ClassDojo is also a great way to promote direct communication with parents. Every parent wants to be able to check in on their child’s behavior and progress. And sometimes waiting for 9-week reports just won’t do. So when utilizing ClassDojo parents can get a heads up on behavior when they need to know. ClassDojo helps ensure the parents, students, and the teachers are on the same side when it comes to academic excellence at home, including the use of the Classdojo in-app messengering feature.

One of the major reasons for ClassDojo’s success is that it utilized mindfulness. Which has been shown that regular mindfulness practice — even just a few minutes per day- improves students’ optimism, reduces stress, and increases students’ ability to feel empathy for others.

ClassDojo also conducted a national survey that found that only 13% of teachers and parents, including homeschooling parents, reported having a mindfulness practice at their school, while a whopping 70% of those surveyed want to find ways of utilizing mindfulness in their classrooms. Which is why mindfulness is such a key reasons for the app’s success. You can see here ClassDojo brings mindful behavior into classrooms.

ClassDojo gives parents teachable moments and up-to-date information about their students, as well as a functional line of communication directly with teachers without decreasing the amount of face-to-face communication needed outside the classroom. Finally, ClassDojo gives students the ability to shine. Not with food or lost-in-the-moment dollar store prizes but with the child’s ability to excel based on their own merits in their own eyes and in those of their classmates. Who doesn’t enjoy being a hero or the victor who overcame the discourse of the day?

As a parent, who wouldn’t want tools that directly connect their parenting to the classroom in an effective and lasting manner? I sure can’t think of anyone who would. Which is why I can see the value of ClassDojo as one of the best tools that can be digitally implemented in classrooms today. Especially as it can be used in a careful, sensitive way that encourages social and emotional learning for students of all learning and behavioral styles.

I have met numerous teachers, including my husband, that have implemented ClassDojo is truly meaningful ways in their classroom, and continue to use the program because of its ability to streamline excellence in real and lasting ways for students. where they have not used the ranking, nor made it public, but rather used it as a way to track behaviors within the classroom.

The ClassDojo app aims to give students a voice, share moments of praise with parents, and progressively and measurably help to promote a positive in-class culture of sound recognition, up-to-the-minute progress visualization, and gamification of basic classroom behavior management techniques. ClassDojo gives teachers the ability to give students digital high-fives, to reward students with points for a job well done, and give parents immediate feedback on the projects their child worked on in class or behavioral needs.

While there is no perfect system for in-class behavioral tracking, ClassDojo can be the bridge parents, students, and teachers need to help students perform at their very best! Which is why I’m glad to be partnering with Classdojo to bring you a fun back-to-school giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a ClassDojo package, including 2 Large Print Posters, including the new Mindfulness poster, 3 skills print posters, and a limited edition Mojo Plushie; a retail price of $150.00. All of which can be seen here.

To enter, please use the rafflecopter giveaway function below. Please note, this giveaway will be open to US residents 18 years of age and older, all entries will be counted and verified, multiple entries, including ISP addresses, that abuse the giveaway option will be deleted, and all giveaway prizes will be provided by ClassDojo directly to this giveaways winner. The LadyPrefers2Save will not be responsible for missed or lost shipments from this giveaway. This giveaway will end at 11:59 pm CST 8/8/17. Good luck, everyone!

So parents, does your child’s teacher use Classdojo or if you homeschool, is this a program you would consider using at home this academic year? Or do you currently use a class dojo? Tell me how it works in your classroom or how you would like to see it used in your child’s classroom in the comments below!

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DIY Bathroom Personal Health Care Basket

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ConquerInco #CollectiveBias

If you’re anything like me, you love to live a healthy active life. But when you have light bladder incontinence, you’re reluctant to leave the safe zones of your home. As it can be exceedingly frustrating if you lead a busy, hectic lifestyle, like me. Even after transitioning to becoming a WAHM, my leakage issues remained. Especially post-pregnancy.

When dealing with incontinence issues, I’ve found that my best tool in equipping myself with an environment of success in your own home to deal with bladder incontinence. For me, this meant creating a bathroom that promoted proper hygiene and health. Here are a few tips to creating a DIY Bathroom Personal Health Care Basket Station at home.

1) Creating personal space: To promote good urinary health and to prevent bladder leakage at home I dedicating an entire bathroom for my particular use. This allows me privacy, dignity, and autonomy over my own bathroom space and health issues.

2) I created an environment of bladder leakage prevention: I planned for bladder leakage prevention and success by cultivating a bathroom space that promotes a calm, neutral vibe. To accomplish this, I painted the walls white and used breathable natural linens to ensure the bathroom would be a quiet, serene space.

3) Create a Daily Bathroom Usage Station: I keep a visible, easy-to-access basket containing the hygiene products I could anticipate I might need for each visit to the bathroom. I place this organizer basket on top of my bathroom toilet, which gives me access to all the tools I might need to have successful bathroom visits at home each and every time.

In my bathroom organizing station I include:

Member’s Mark Total Protection Adult briefs for Men & Women, Large (48 ct.)
Egyptian Cotton Wash Cloths
Mason jar of hand sanitizer
Mason jar of lavender Castile soap
Aloe plan (for irritated skin care)

Of all the products I keep stocked in my Daily Bathroom Usage Station, I have come to consider the Member’s Mark Total Protection Adult briefs for Men & Women, Large (48 ct.) to be one of our ultimate tools in care giving success. These awesome briefs, which can be worn both day and night and help to draw fluids away from my skin keeping me comfortable without chafing or leaking. Each time I use them I am protected by their all-around Breathable Zones: Breathable material helps keep skin cool, dry and comfortable.

Another bonus? Should I need extra time in getting to the bathroom, Member’s Mark Total Protection Adult briefs for Men & Women, Large (48 ct.) provide me with the extra absorbency needed to give to give me the confidence and protection for your Light Bladder Leakage to and from bathroom visits. Member’s Mark Total Protection Adult briefs for Men & Women, Large (48 ct.) features Odor Guard® technology, which helps to keep you feeling your best with Dri-Fit™, hypoallergenic, expandable wings and side panels for a secure fit, as well as a dual core system to provide you with maximum absorbency. Making these briefs your new high-quality standard for bladder leakage at home.

Member’s Mark Total Protection Adult briefs for Men & Women, Large (48 ct.) features Odor Guard® technology help you to feel your most confident self with Dri-Fit™, hypoallergenic, expandable wings and side panels for a secure fit, as well as a dual core system to provide you with maximum absorbency. Making these briefs your new high-quality standard for preventing bladder leakage at home.

These adjustable briefs also come available in newly enhanced comfort and skin wellness featuring white aesthetically pleasing briefs and upgraded packaging. Sam’s will be the first retail customer upgrading to this brief product!

As a savvy saver, I appreciated how convenient is to be able to pick up my Adjustable brief products in club at Sam’s. They are always conveniently located right by the pharmacy counter, making it super simple to pick-up my adjustable briefs and self-care necessities like wipes and sanitizer all at affordable pricing. Making Sam’s Club my one-stop destination for all of my personal care giving needs.

I love that the Member’s Mark Total Protection Adult Briefs works well for me as they lock away wetness and odor, with leak-block sides that provide worry-free protection leaving your loved one happy, healthy, and secure. As any caretaker will tell you, sometimes the confidence in knowing you have just one extra minute in getting a loved one to the bathroom, can make all the difference in the world! This extra protection was a life saver! A true Conquer Inco!

I find my bathroom station a vital tool in equipping myself against incontinence. I choose these adjustable briefs as they give me both complete protection without any unnecessary, unsightly bulk that normal incontinence briefs can cause!

So, savvy savers, if you currently use or plan to purchase the Member’s Mark adjustable briefs, I encourage you to check out Samsclub.com and leave a review online after they try the Member’s Mark Total Protection products. As well, if you or someone you know someone who could use a Daily Bathroom Usage Station including Member’s Mark Total Protection Adult briefs for Men & Women, Large (48 ct.)? Or do you have other tips for caregiving ideas involving bladder leakage at home, I’d love to hear about those as well below!

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2017 Father’s Day Gift Guide

Disclosure: For this post, I teamed up with The Hopping Bloggers for this Father’s Day Gift Guide! I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here. Thank you.

Whether he’s the man who raised you or the father of your children, each dad in your life is a special being. Truly deserving of adoration, appreciation, and a little swag too! So with Father’s Day quickly approaching on Sunday, June 18, it’s currently time to think about getting all those dads in your life something sensational on their special day! Now, since your dad, husband, or significant other has probably given you years of sage advice, I’m here with some sage advice of my own for you: it’s time to trade in that tie you get him every year for some out-of-the-box gift ideas.

Here are a few tips to help you in choosing the right Father’s Day Gift:

Budget: If you’re stumped on what to get your favorite guy for Father’s Day, remember that showing appreciation doesn’t have to have to break the bank. It really is the thought that counts. Be realistic and stay within your means. Especially important should you if you find yourself celebrating several exceptional men Father’s Day.
Type Of Dad: What does your Dad love? This is the type of question you need to be exploring. Is he a music buff? Consider getting him a pair of hip new headphones. Is he an avid runner? He may very well enjoy a fitness tracker. Whatever it is, make sure you take his interests into account while you shop. Think of what he likes, not yourself.
Personalized: Consider a personalized gift to make it extra special. Whether it’s with an engraving or a monogram, personalizing a gift can help make him feel exclusive on Father’s Day.
Last Minute: We get it. Life gets hectic. So consider shopping online to save time over shopping in-store for Father’s Day this year.

Now with these tips in mind, I’d love to share with you a few of my personal favorite Father’s Day gift ideas for the men in your life at home. I’ve put together a list of need-to-buy Father’s Day gift giving ideas to help get you started.

Here’s are just awesome new Father’s Day gift giving ideas:

Homesick Father’s Day Gift Baskets:

Homesick Gift Baskets, featuring city and state scented candles that smell like dad’s hometown, cutting boards shaped like your home state, and a special Father’s Day gift basket. The basket retails for $69.95 and is filled with locally sourced products from small businesses that Dad will love, such as charcoal soap, Thompson Prohibition Popcorn, and NutButter Nation Packets. Each item is made in the USA, naturally derived and uses premium local ingredients. Purchase at: www.homesick.com!

Tasting Room Wine Profile Kit:

Tasting Room offers 6 sample sized bottles all neatly packaged in a kit so Dad can try a few multiple wines without committing to drinking a full sized bottle. Once he’s sampled all the bottles, he’s able to rate each one through Tasting Room, thus creating his own personalized Wine Profile, which will help identify his likes and dislikes. Available as a subscription service or a one-time shipment for Father’s Day, this is the gift that’ll make wine fun and accessible for everyone, whether they have basic wine knowledge or they’re a sommelier at heart. Purchase at The Tasting Room online.

Edifier Powered Bookshelf (R980T):

Incredibly easy to connect and start playing. Built-in amplifier lets you connect to power any source with an RCA or AUX cables that are included in the package. The R980T has a volume and bass knobs located on the back to let you adjust how you want the sound. Purchase at Edifier.com / Coupon Code: 25Off to save 25% off your purchase!

Dollar Shave Club:

This Father’s Day, give Dad a gift he can use: the Dollar Shave Club Father’s Day Shave Set. It includes everything he’ll need for a fresh-from-the-barber shave from start to finish. It’s got the 6-blade Executive Razor, Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter, and Dr. Carver’s Post-Shave Cream. Choose a 3, 6, or 12-month Membership and they’ll keep the fresh blades coming, so Dad can shave with a fresh blade any time he wants. Purchase at DollarShaveClub.com.

Trunk Club:

For the sharp dressing daddio in your life, a Trunk Club gift card will certainly up his style game. The service will set him up with a personal stylist who will take care of packing and shipping for a trunk full of premium clothing to his doorstep. Upon arrival, he’ll get 10 days to try on the goods and send back anything he doesn’t want (shipping is free both ways). Purchase at Trunkclub.com.

Edifier Foldable Puresound Headphones (H850):

The Edifier H850 headphones feature large over the ear style that has a soft faux leather cushion for resting your ears on. The detachable cable also makes these easy to pack and replace if the cord gets cut. Listen to high-quality sound in both comfort and style. Purchase at Edifier.com / Coupon Code: 30Off to save 25% off your purchase!

The BioLite BaseCamp:

If you can think of a cooler marriage between the future and the past, we’d like to see it. The BioLite BaseCamp is a portable cookstove that transforms the heat from its fire into energy you can use to charge your phone. With a 138 square inch grill surface that easily fits 8 burgers. Safe and energy efficient outdoor and off-grid cooking and heating. Uses solid biomass (twigs, firewood, wood chunks, etc.) to fuel all the BaseCamps’ fun! Purchase here on Amazon.com.

Aer Drone:

A man-powered vehicle for his GoPro camera: Dad can throw this lightweight launcher to get aerial images on hikes, at soccer practice, or even while lounging by the pool. The drone comes packaged in it own convenient drawstring bag so it’s easy for Dad to transport it wherever he goes. Purchase at: aervideo.com

Wireless Sports Headphones (W295BT):

For the dad who stays in shape. The W295BT are sweatproof wireless earphones that give you the freedom to workout without getting caught up in wires. Equipped with Bluetooth v4.1 aptX technology for the highest quality Bluetooth playback. Purchase at Amazon.com / Coupon Code: 9JJ7TK48 to save 30% off your purchase!

weber-igrill-thermometer

Weber iGrill 3 Thermometer:

If your father considers himself a grill master, this meat thermometer will modernize his grilling game. When this hi-tech thermometer, Dad can remotely monitor up to four meat probes via a free app. An alert will buzz when his target grilling temp is reached, so the chef won’t have to miss the party while he’s busy manning the grill. Purchase at crateandbarrel.com.

olympia-provisions-salami-bouquet Olympia Provisions Salami Bouquet:

Nothing says I love you like a bouquet on your special day. While flowers may not really be your dad’s thing, this salami bouquet may be more his style. Order an arrangement of three or six pork sausages, all wrapped in butcher paper and tied with a red ribbon. A set of three includes one French, one Spanish, and one Italian salami, so the bouquet doubles as a European tour for Dad’s taste buds this Father’s Day. Purchase at food52.com.

SprezzaBox:

Now, dad can wake up, look good and you can save money. SprezzaBox’s stylists will keep him dapper with a new box each month that is guaranteed to have a retail value around $100. How it works is simple! After you sign up, a stylist will handpick 5-6 different products, all yours to keep. Typical items will include ties, socks, pocket squares, grooming products & more. This is a great way to give dad some fashion sense, without letting him know he needs it. Choose a monthly or yearly plan. Subscribe Here

So, everyone, that’s my 2017 Father’s Day gift guide. I encourage you all to take a look at all these offerings and see if there is something for all those special dads in your life this year. There’s a little something for everyone, and if you’ve got ideas for your fellas at home this Father’s Day weekend, I’d love to hear about them below as well!

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Disclosure: This review was based on a provided sample from Thimble. I was not compensated for this review.

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Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ConquerInco #CollectiveBias

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Disclosure: For this post, I teamed up with The Hopping Bloggers for this Father’s Day Gift Guide! I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here. Thank you.

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