Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Smead products review

I received several Smead products via Shoplet.com to write another review on office supplies.
The first one is a Step Index Organizer. It has 12 pockets, holds up to 600 pages, and has inserts A-Z, monthly or blank for your convenience when it comes to keeping organized.
Its made from a very durable, waterproof poly material. Love the textured feeling of it. Also has where you can write in an itemized list of what's inside. I do think its a little higher in price than I would pay, but it is thorough.
A Sharpie marker. What can I say? It's permanent and black. Like you'd expect. We use these for writing order numbers on my husbands orders awaiting shipment. I do like the fine point though. Looks neater when I write with it. I'm assuming they sent it to use in reference to another product with an erasable feature. More to come on that though....
FasTab Hanging Erasable Folders are great for the ever-changing needs of your office.
They have an erasable label so you can easily change what's in the folder without the tossing-it-out and getting a new one hassle. They are reinforced and durable for longer lasting use.
You use the white polymer eraser to erase it. They come in a variety of colors.
I'm really liking the Smead Erasable SuperTab File Folders. Write on them with permanent marker, then erase them with the hi-polymer eraser when you need to label that folder differently. There are 24 to the pack with 1/3 cut tabs. It's not compatible with ball point pens so make sure to always use the markers. Works with number two pencils as well. Besides being practical, they are made here in the US. Support home-based economics and also save on the waste of more trees being cut down. Reduce, reuse, recycle, right?
Lastly, I have the Vertical File Folders. There are 6 per pack, they fit in most drawers, are closed on two sides, and even fit in your backpack. What is the difference between these and other types of folders? You can organize your documents the same way you read them. Upright, means that you can find what you are looking for with more ease and comfort than looking for something sideways.
It takes a little effort, but it does come off!
So check out Shoplet,com and see what kind of office supplies you can find. They also offer medical suppliesoffice stationary, and promotional products for getting your business name out there.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Pilot Pen review

I have another great review to share via Shoplet.com. Shoplet provides so many office supplies for your home business as well as your professional needs. They sent me these Pilot Pens and I do believe there is love!
I use pens a lot. I'm always writing. There are shopping lists, stories, daily school plans... the list goes on. I don't really like using your run-of-the-mill cheap pens. Sure, they will get the job done and if they are readily available that is what I will use.

But when it really matters, I choose pens that are durable, smooth, easy to hold. And it comes from a great company - bonus! These Pilot pens offer those things. B2P's (Bottle 2 Pens) are so cool! They are made from recycled bottles. The G2 ink flows smoothly as you write. They come in vibrant colors that are refillable. I love the way to feel in my hands. They might not have the grips, but the design keeps them comfortably in place. And who doesn't like a unique-looking pen?! I received the B2P Colors Multipack.
The other Pilot products I received, included the B2P Ball Point pen as well. This is a slightly slimmer version of the B2P multi colored pens above. They also have a grip on it. But same results and same manufacturing.
Next we come to the Frixion highlighter. I love precise highlighters that are easy to handle. And this one is decorated with amazing pinstripes along the side! (Yep, I like to rock style when I write.) These highlighters are erasable using a thermo-sensitive ink formula that disappears with erasing friction.
I highlighted the top words of "Hello Product Reviewers" and then erased part of it to show you.
Before....
After!
This next one is the Frixion Clicker.
Its smooth, has a grip, and the clicker is actually the part that attaches to your pocket if you were a nerd! But that's not the greatest feature. Its erasable! Just think... gel ink that goes on smooth
and then disappears when you make a mistake.
Forgive the sideways pictures... Google is be stupid.
In the near future, we will all be writing with sleek, white pens. They will be the Pilot Acroball Pen! Okay, so maybe not. But this does give off the futuristic vibe. Smooth, rich, fine point pen that grips well. Write something in comfort. Something with meaning. And think of yourself in a setting years from now....
 
Shoplet.com offers more than office supplies. You can also promote your business with their extensive line of Promotional Products. They also have Medical Supplies and Office Stationary. So check them out and look forward to another review coming very soon!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Avast scurvy dogs!

Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day! In celebration, Krispy Kreme gives away a free donut to those who speak like one. If you dress like one, by wearing 3 items from their list, you get a dozen.
These aren't speciality donuts, but even the regular glazed ones are delicious! 
So set sail before the end of today and enjoy your free donuts! 
And look at what is coming! 
A little update: if you dress like a pirate, you get a free dozen. Take a step further and talk like one while picking those up, you get to choose any of your liking. 

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Our family's trip to the Natural Bridge Caverns!

We managed to get free tickets to the Natural Bridge Caverns via US Family Guide and their partnership with NBC. The caverns are huge and span a large area underground. We had a great time! 
The name comes from a natural bridge that is above ground. 
The entrance is beautiful but a little intimidating to the little ones. 
Because they are underground, they are always cool but the humidity is always high from the moisture that is constant in the air. If you plan on going, I suggest wearing light clothing. Its about a 3/4 mile trek going down then back up. It takes about 75 minutes to get through the whole tour. I almost think we should've slowed down since I felt a little rushed going through it. I suppose they do it that way to fit more tours onto the schedule, but I'd love the chance to enjoy the view more. The ground is slippery but there's a special grip material they put on the steepest parts of the path to help you stay upright as you trudge upwards. I suggest hiking or rubber-soled shoes only. Cowboy boots and heels would be asking for a fall. It would be better if they told people this at the ticket window instead of as the tour was starting, in case someone wanted to change shoes. Fortunately, our shoes were all good. Don't bring a stroller unless you want to carry it up 35 steps or so at the end of the tour. Again, would have been helpful if this was told to us at the ticket window. My husband ended up having to take it to the cafĂ© to sit while the tour was slightly delayed. You are told its best to hold the rails as you go to ensure less of a chance at falling. The ground is wet, steep and can be quite slick. So if you are bringing younger ones, be prepared to hold hands or if its a baby you are bringing, bring a baby carrier of some sort. 
Make sure everyone takes their potty breaks before starting the tour. No bathrooms available in the caves! Just trash cans to make sure you don't litter even though food and drinks (except water bottles) are prohibited. The facilities were old but still cleaned well. 
The grounds above, surrounding the caverns are also lovely. There are benches to rest on under trees and picnic areas. 
Now about what we encountered inside...
At the beginning of the tour our guide, Madison, pointed out crystal formations.
They have lighting every so many feet and highlighting the great things. 
Because of the harshness in the caves' makeup, plants are unable to thrive. However, there has been one plant that has survived the years since falling as a spore off one of the explorers. This fern has proven that life is possible deep below the surface. 
Madison pointed out the various formations and explained how they formed.
She was so patient. Especially with my crazy kids who kept wanting to talk. The one pictured below is called Bomb Burst. They thought it looked like a mushroom cloud after a bomb exploding. 
There were a lot of interesting names to the formations. 
This was Sherwood Forest as the formations looked like tall, slender trees. The tallest pillar is called Totem Pole at 32' high. 
We walked above Purgatory Creek. It's the deepest point on the tour at 211'.
The King's Throne was a massive formation. You can see a canopy hanging above the king sitting on his throne. Or at least that's how it looked to the explorers. It's located in the second largest room. 
The Mount of the Landlord looks like an apartment building of sorts with the landlord sitting atop waiting to swoop in and collect his rent! 
The path the tour takes is very different from the way the original explorers came though. They crawled through Grendels Canyon for starters. 
This one was pretty funny. This formation is referred to as a Fried Egg for obvious reasons. As water falls from the ceiling, once it drops it's leaves the colorized part in the middle while the outer rim turns white. 
Also available is the maze. It's $7.99 to get in though. Towards the end of the tour, they take your picture which is printed and ready by the time you get out. It's $10+ tax. 
A few things I should mention.... 
This tour can be quite strenuous. There is quite a bit of leg work going into the trek. Since you can't touch the rocks or walls, you have only handrails to grasp on some parts of the trip. The oils from your fingers can and will discolor the rocks. Bats might be seen. There is a lot of bat explanation going on but it was really cool. Towards the last leg of the walk, there's a water fountain that channels cave water. Definitely not like your spring water and not very cold. 
Madison gave some fun facts to help you remember the difference between stalagmites and stalactites. Stalagmites MIGHT reach the ceiling one day. Stalactites hang right from the ceiling. 
All the staff we encountered were friendly. 
Oh and we should've stopped off on Bat Cave Loop to check on Batman... But I was already tired. >.<

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Ghirardelli savings! Sweetness ;-)

http://www.ghirardelli.com/commit

Ghirardelli is offering up a $1/1 bar or bag coupon for anyone who decides to "commit" to 21 Quality Moments. So take a moment to join and reap the sweet rewards!

Want a free ride??

St. Augustine residents! 
Time to be a tourist in your own town. September is the month that locals can ride free on the Old Town Trolley's! http://www.trolleytours.com/mobile/st-augustine/index.asp 
This is part of the press release about it. 

"All St. John's County residents can ride the Old Town Trolley's free this month, along with touring the Old Jail, the Oldest Store Museum, Potter's Wax Museum and the St. Augustine History Museum. 
All you need to do is come on over to the Old Jail, sign up for the free Hometown Pass, show your I.D. with St. John's County address, and get ready to ride the Trolleys all month long!
Now it's your turn to be a tourist in your own backyard! What a great way to tour the city and forget about parking!"

Thanks for sharing, Alisa!

Monday, September 1, 2014

Lego KidsFest

Getting there is tricky. Being there is fun!
The location was difficult to reach, especially for us being from San Antonio. It was downtown Dallas, and not much parking that we saw along the way. Parking was $15 a vehicle for under the garage of the building. 
Outside food and drinks are not allowed. And yes, they search bags. We had to leave our snacks outside the doors at the customer service booth. 
Just inside they had the Lost Parents booth. I love this! Fill out a card with your name and number so that if your child gets lost, they can go there to find you. 
There was so much to do!
Unless you time each activity, I don't see how you could fit every single thing into one session. 
If you completed the scavenger hunt within the Lego Club magazine, you scored a free special Duplo brick. We didn't know about this until the end as we were heading out. They also gave away poly bag sets if you completed or participated in certain events. We did the Challenge event of trying to build boats.
Of course, the one I helped my son build looks more like a raft...
As we finished, they gave us Star Wars Lego poly bags. 
In the Mindstorms arena, my oldest got to control technic robots. 
There were lots of building opportunities. Princess, Duplo,
race cars, and even making memories!
You could add a square to the mosaic boards.
Or to the Lego version of the US as told by the fans of Lego who built squares for it. 
Honest Tea provided snacks. There were also dining areas designated though I wouldn't be surprised if the prices were high. We decided to hold out until leaving to get dinner. 
There were a lot of areas for each theme. Duplo, Duplo Disney Princess, Disney Princess, Mindstorms, Star Wars, Hero Factory, Challenge, Master Builder sessions where you could learn about how they do what they do,
Chima and so many others! We also built some stuff in the Friends section and scored a poly bag just for visiting. 
They gave away Lego Club magazines, Super Hero Batman comics, and some Chima themed stuff. 
We had a great time, despite my 3 very tired kids who began begging to go back to the hotel to sleep. Next year I hope to plan a little better. Things like eating before we go, bringing the baby leash to reign in the baby but still allow her to wander around... What things would you enjoy?