Envision Home Dish Drying Mat Review

I'm all about hygiene in my home. But I also like convenience. Especially in the kitchen. Some things I don't like drying by hand. Takes up too much time that I could be using to do other more important things. And with 3 children, I have to prioritize. So if something gets hand washed I usually leave it to dry on a towel near the sink unless I need it right away. Towels though soak easily and slide sometimes. It can be very frustrating especially for someone who is OCD about things being in their proper place.

Envision Home has some great choices to offer instead of just a towel. The Dish Drying Mat is an excellent choice. While being a colorful addition to your kitchen, it has a strong practical application. It doesn't slide around and is very absorbent without feeling soaked through. It's made of microfiber which feels really soft and sponge-like. I love that it's machine-washable since that makes it easy to clean after a few uses. It is best to let it dry between uses, but it doesn't seem to take as long to dry as my towels did. There is also a nifty hook to hang it up in between uses. I like this since I don't want to have it laying there when guests come over but at the same time, my storage space is limited. However, it does fold easily to fit into your drawer should you want to do it that way. Since it is so beautiful with the simple design and bright color, I also don't mind having it hanging or on the counter everyday as it adds to my homes style.

 

I like how its thicker and has more cushion to it. If a delicate dish falls over on it, its not as likely to break. Its the right size that you could use it under your dish drying rack instead of using a plastic drain board. I personally don't like the plastic boards. Every one that I have tried before has been difficult to clean and gets moldy. Thus I was always using towels...

Another suggested use is to place it under your kitchen appliances such as your mixer, blender, coffee pot - to protect your counters from being scratched and scuffed. This is especially true if you are renting a place like me. Damages to anything in a rented space will mean more money you have to pay when you move out. This can save you from such expenses.

The Care Instructions they have for these dish drying mats are:
Allow the Dish Drying Mat to thoroughly dry between uses. Frequently machine wash with like colors in cold water with a liquid detergent, and before first use. Tumble dry on low. Do not iron. Do not bleach (unless you are looking to tye dye your mat...), use fabric softener or dryer sheets.
I really like their guarantee which is printed on the packaging: This product is guaranteed to provide satisfactory performance. Any item found to be defective in material or workmanship will be replaced free of charge. This shows they are sure of your satisfaction in their products.
You can check out their Facebook Page to keep up with whats new.

***I was not paid or reimbursed in any way. Envision Home provided me with a Dish Drying Mat free of charge in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. My opinions are strictly my own.***

Sonic Alert Sonic-Connect 2 review

Having a deaf husband and being hard of hearing means we don't always hear or notice things going on. So sometimes we turn to companies such as Sonic Alert to help bridge the gaps of things we miss. They sent me another product to review for you all.

In the deaf community, staying connected is a huge thing. Whether its a message, email, text, call or instant message its very much about getting the message quickly and staying in touch with everyone else. The Sonic-connect 2 helps us do just that. It's a USB device that plugs into your computer. You download a simple program, put in your email address and other program information. Then when you receive a call or message, the Sonic-connect 2 device will ring, vibrate, or light up depending on which settings you choose. My husband in particular finds this helpful since he has a business email account that he checks several times an hour most days. With the Sonic-connect 2, he doesn't have to check. He was able to adjust the settings so that it will automatically check his emails every 2 minutes and if there is something new it will begin to alert him. It even allows you to add more than one email address in case you want a signal from all your accounts. At first we had some difficulties with adding the email addresses. I wasn't sure which things to type in some of the areas. The customer care group was extremely helpful. They provided step-by-step instructions that were easy to follow.

Then we tried the Skype setting. Any time someone calls us on Skype now the Sonic-connect 2 will light up. My husband really enjoyed this setting since he often calls his best friends back in Texas with Skype. Now he won't miss their calls.
This is not just good for deaf and hard of hearing folks though. It has a high pitched sound alert, vibrate alert, and flashing light alert. So even hearing people have options for those important emails or calls coming through.
There are some important things to know about the product. Sonic-connect 2 only works with a Windows PC running Windows XP or higher. It does not work on Apple computer products. Its compact, which makes it easy to take on the go when you are travelling. Red lights stay on while there is a message awaiting your attention. It uses a standard USB port on your desktop or laptop. You can find updates for your device at www.sonicalert.com/sec. And it comes with a one year warranty! Can't get much better than that for us.

I wasn't able to get a good video but as soon as I do, I'll post it for you guys to see how well it works.
***I did not purchase this product. It was sent to me in exchange for a review. This review is strictly my opinion on the product and services received and may vary from your opinions.***

Madison at Main Jelly Bean Rug review and giveaway

Lets face it, as moms we are always looking to simplify things. Having three young children means I look to make everything as easy and smooth running as possible.
Also having kids while renting a place, I enjoy having rugs to cover the floors. It not only protects the floors, but adds ways to doll up the living spaces, make a home seem more cozy, and give those little feet running around something soft to run on.

Madison at Main gave me the chance to review a Jelly Bean Rug for you guys. It was so hard picking a style since there are so many to choose from! I settled for the Fiesta Chili's one to put in the kitchen.
It's so fun, washable, and kid friendly. The colors are so vibrant too. It's made from 35% recycled post-consumer PET plastic. While it isn't non-slip, it doesn't slide around too much.
For each type of rug, they have care instructions on their website. The person I was in contact with about receiving my rug was exceptionally friendly. I look forward to possibly getting more rugs from them for our home. In addition to rugs, they have blankets, throws, and afghans.

If you'd like to know more about Madison at Main, keep up with their latest and greatest, or just want to check out what they are currently offering - you can check any of the following links; Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or their website Madison at Main. They also have a blog right here on Blogspot you can subscribe to.
So now for some fun. I get to offer my US resident readers a chance to win their very own rug from Madison at Main! Just submit your entries below and good luck! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

RW Garcia review and giveaway

Time for another great food review! Good thing I'm trying a lot of healthy things or I'd probably spend all my time at the gym... This time I was sent chips from RW Garcia. You can check out their website here. They offer quite a variety of wholesome quality tortilla chips. We like tortilla chips for making nachos, eating with salsa or dip and for when we have parties!
These happen to be great in several ways. First, they are gluten-free. So if you have Celiac disease (which seems to be more common these days) or if you have allergies to wheat products these make a great alternative snack option. They are a healthier alternative to other tortilla chips that are loaded with highly fattening powdered flavoring. The taste is more baked into them than onto them.

They sent me 7 bags to try: MixtBag of Red and Yellow Tortilla chips, MixtBag of Yellow and Blue Corn Tortilla chips, 3 Seed Veggie Dippers, 3 Seed Blue Corn Dippers, 3 Seed English Cheddar Dippers, 3 Seed Curry and Mango Dippers, and 3 Seed Savory Dippers.
The MixtBags are a great hit in my family. My boys and husband especially love tortilla chips. We make nachos and dips or just snack on them out of the bag. The kids really love the different colors. It makes them fun and a great way to jazz up party dishes.
Another favorite of my kids and I in particular (and my siblings/mom) was the 3 Seed Veggie Dippers. They come as a mixed bag that has 3 flavors inside; Spinach and Garlic, Red Beet and Onion, Carrot, Tomato and Sesame.
Spinach and Garlic is of course green. The garlic isn't overpowering and neither is the spinach. They actually blend nicely. It has a taste to it that I find hard to put words for... So I'm just going to say it's not spinach-y. (Yes, I'm making up words!)
Then we come to the Red Beet and Onion Dippers - which I really enjoyed although they have a sort of vegetable after taste. You can taste the beet and onion in harmony together. My kids just liked them being red.
Lastly the Carrot, Tomato, and Sesame Dippers were really nice. You just slightly taste the carrots. The tomato was stronger in a good way.

3 Seed Savory Dippers are Himalayan Pink Salt and Cracked Pepper. Whether standing alone or dipping - the flavor is satisfying! Not overloaded with salt.
The 3 Seed English Cheddar ones are lightly flavored and were highly popular among the kids.
3 Seed Curry and Mango were definitely the strongest flavored chips by far! Word to the wise: If you can't handle some tangy spice, stay away! Eat more, feel the heat take it up a notch. The curry is most decidedly strong with this one. You can barely taste the mango. However, I actually like curry so this one was a pleasant surprise for me. Curry is an acquired taste, in my opinion. You either like it, possibly grow to like after being made to try it more than once, or you will never like it.
So what else can I tell you about these great chips? Let's see... the texture is really awesome and sturdy. They can handle heavier dips like guacamole. You can read the ingredients on the package without a "What the heck is that?!".
They also have recipes on their website. They tell you which stores offer their products or how you can order them online.
You can also connect with them via Facebook to be updated on their news of new products.
So now about the giveaway! They will send one lucky winner 1 bag of each of their Dippers. Just enter below via Rafflecopter and when its over, I'll randomly select the winner. Once I have the name and email of the winner, I'll contact you to get your address so they know where to send the chips.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


***These products were sent me to free strictly for the review purpose. I was not otherwise endorsed or in any way told what to say. My reviews are completely my opinions.***

Some helpful websites

So today I'm not sharing a review. Instead, I have some helpful websites you might be interested in checking out. Recently my mom shared an article with me that came from Family Circle. They were talking about making purchases online. Here are some that you should check out:

https://lish.com/ by Payvment creates a storefront based on feedback for hundreds of thousands of sellers. It uses social medi/a like Facebook to advertise by posting on people's Timeline about items they like and bought. You use PayPal for a secure transaction.

https://www.zaarly.com/ is like an online yard sale for goods, services, and experiences.

https://www.taskrabbit.com/ has a service that allows you to hire trusted folks to run errands, do household chores or perform repairs for a fee. The "taskrabbits" go through background checks and video interviews before being approved.

http://www.swap.com/netcycler.html is a service that you have to sign up and provide a valid payment method in order to use. Once you do that, you can then search for things you want and list things to "swap". Only payment expected in the swap will be shipping. In return, they ask you swap things of equal value.

Remember to look for https in the address bar and certificates such as the Norton Secured Seal!

DaVinci Gourmet review

Everyone may not be gourmet in the kitchen. But with a little help, they can still make a gourmet treat. DaVinci Gourmet provides specialty syrups to add that yummy element to so many things.

Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, deserts and even entrees can be transformed into something to excite your taste buds with just a little something extra. They have tons of recipes you can check out on their website. For those looking to keep on the healthier path they offer the sugar-free syrups.
DaVinci Gourmet sent me several flavors to try. Sugar-free Caramel was so good in my hot chocolate! It adds a rich flavor and I only put about a teaspoon in my cup. My kids and husband were drinking up my hot chocolate as soon as I finished stirring it! The delicious smell that rose with the steam drew them in.

Then for breakfast one morning we decided to make pancakes. As a treat, I added about a tablespoon (or two) into the mix. We had yummy caramel pancakes that my boys wanted seconds and thirds... and fourth and fifth helpings of.
They also sent Vanilla, Hazelnut, Sugar-free Chocolate, Zero calorie Kahlua. They have so many flavors to choose from! I plan to dazzle up my brownies next... So check them out and tell me what you think about the products and recipes.

Sonic Alert review

Being married to a deaf guy, I've spent the past 6 years or so learning about and seeing different products that deaf people use. The technology they have made for deaf and hard of hearing (HoH) devices is getting better all the time. One of the most notable devices is a signaler.
I was given the chance to test the USS360 Universal Sound Signaler from Sonic Alert. It's a small device that you plug into the wall then you plug a lamp into it. Put it in a room you spend a lot of time in and any time there is loud sound - knocking on the door, baby crying, alarms, etc. your lamp will begin flashing. This is so helpful for our family. I have hearing issues as well but I'm able to hear my daughter cry or someone knocking on the door. However, when I'm not home my husband needs to be able to know what's going on too. This USS360 works with all other Sonic Alert receivers. Once plugged in, this device will submit a signal via the power lines in your home to any other Sonic Alert Receivers you have plugged in as well. 

Devices like these are great not only for deaf but also for those who have other degrees of hearing loss. Or maybe for those who tune everything out and drift into their own minds and need a reminder to come back to realty...

There is another awesome thing I should mention about this device; it has various degrees of sensitivity to sound. It catches my son whispering across the room just as easy as my daughters cry depending on the setting we pick.
Now as a warning, you should not use power strips or surge protectors with the Sonic Alert Signalers or Receivers because they block the signal that is transmitted from the signaler to the receiver. They must be plugged directly into a working outlet without any adapters getting in the way.
They have other things as well. Alarm clocks, other types of signalers, amplified clocks and phones as well as listening devices.
Want to learn more about their technology? Check them out on their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonic-Alert/ or at their website http://www.sonicalert.com/.

This technology is called X-10 technology. I found a link where you can get a little more info about what that means.  http://www.smarthome.com/about_x10.html

If you are looking for more specific information about this particular signaler, check out this link: http://sonicalert.com/products-signaling-systems-USS360.html

The other receivers they have available can be viewed here: http://sonicalert.com/signaling-systems-receivers.html

I'd love to hear what you guys think about this. So leave me a comment below!