Monthly Archives: July 2008

WedgEz, a mommy must have

Cleaning & Cleaners, Gadgets

WedgezWedgEZ is a product that I never would have dreamed of but can’t imagine doing without after having used it.

It’s undeniable that children are drawn to electrical outlets.  When I was 6 or 7 years old, even after being warned of the danger of putting something (especially metal) in an electrical outlet, I put a hairpin in an electrical outlet.  It hurt and scared the daylights out of me and needless to say, I never did it again. 

Outlet plugs were invented for a reason which is to keep children safe.   Rightly so, outlet plugs were designed to be difficult, if not impossible for children to remove.  You can’t deny though, that it is very frustrating when you need to remove an outlet plug and the thing won’t budge.  I’ve heard stories of parents using kitchen knives or tweezers to remove outlet plugs.  Yikes!

WedgEZ makes life a little easier for parents.  WedgEZ is a small tool that conveniently attaches to a standard vacuum for quick access.  I keep one in our kitchen drawer because it seems like we are always removing an outlet plug for one reason or another.  WedgEZ fits nicely in your hand for a good grip.  Simply wedge WedgEZ between the plastic outlet cover and the electrical outlet and the outlet plug will come out with ease.  You can buy just one WedgEZ or a multi-pack of three which I highly recommend so you can place a few strategically throughout your house.

Website: WedgEZ

Cluzzle, a sculpting game

Games

CluzzleSebastian, my eight year old son loves
playing Cluzzle because we have to guess and guess and guess what he’s made out of clay.  Life is great for an eight year old when he can (1) play with clay and (2) make mom and dad guess what it is that he made, over and over again.

Cluzzle is a game of clay sculpting and the goal is to have
other players guess what object you created.. not too soon and not too late.  All the while, you are trying to guess what other players have
created as quickly as possible.  The player who identifies a player’s Cluzzle is awarded points and so is the sculptor.  The longer it takes a player to guess what your sculpture is, the more points you are awarded as long as someone guesses your sculpture before the end of the game.  Your sculpture should be difficult to recognize but not too difficult to guess what it is.

Sebastian sculpted a baby monitor, but without asking questions I probably would not have figured it out.   First I asked "Is it alive?", he said no.  "Is it food?", no.  "Is it something we use everyday?", yes.  I was stumped but I kept asking.  Finally when I asked if it was electronic, I realized what is was and guessed correctly so he and I both earned points.  The game gets more tricky when there are more than two players, but I think it’s more fun with more players.  There is no turn order for asking questions so when there are three or more players, the game gets pretty exciting..  Watch out though.. you don’t want to ask questions that are going to give hints to your opponents.

Cluzzle is an award winning game that can be enjoyed by players 3-6 players, ages 8 & up.  As much fun as we’ve had playing this game, I can see why About.com rated Cluzzle the #1 drawing and sculpting game even over Pictionary and Cranium!

Website: Cluzzle

Yummy strawberry lemonade recipe

Food and Drink

StrawberryphotoBefore I had children, when I worked away from home, I would grab
a smoothie almost every day on my way to work.  I always got the same strawberry, blueberry and banana smoothie. It was so good.  I tried to make the same smoothie for my kids, but I just can’t do it. 
I have however, found a drink that I can make for the kids that doesn’t require a lot of time, effort, or ingredients which are three things that I don’t seem to have enough of.   Strawberry Pink Lemonade.   Just saying it makes my mouth water.  I know.. you can buy it already made at the grocery store, but it’s not the same.  Toss one bag of partially thawed frozen strawberries in a blender, add one can of frozen lemonade and blend.  Put in a glass, sit outside on the front porch and enjoy.   You can add ice cubes and soda water for a little pizazz, but I like it just the way it is right out of the blender.

StrawberriesHere are some interesting facts.  Did you know that one serving of strawberries provides more Vitamin C than an orange?  That is good news for me because I don’t like eating oranges.   Nutrients and benefits of strawberries are potassium, folate, fiber, and antioxidants.

The California Strawberry website has dozens of printable strawberry recipes including appetizers, desserts, and soups.  Strawberry lovers, ages 5-12, can go to Strawberryville.com to play online games, print recipes they can make themselves (with parental supervision) and download screensavers.

Go buy some California strawberries and enjoy!

Action Scrubber – Scrubbing Bubbles

Cleaning & Cleaners

ActionscrubberThere are times when I need to clean the bathtub but I don’t want to get the spray out and use it when the kids are nearby.  That is when the new Action Scrubber from Scrubbing Bubbles comes in handy.  The Action Scrubber is small, convenient and easy to use.  One of my biggest complaints about bathroom cleaners is the residue they leave behind.   The Action Scrubber cleans without gritty chemicals and doesn’t leave yucky residuScrubbing_bubbles
e behind. 
The pad can be removed to clean tight spaces like the faucet area and corners so you don’t have to use a different cleaner and paper towels in addition to the Action Scrubber.   I am very pleased with how easily the Action Scrubber gets soap scum off without heavy scrubbing. 

Use this link to print a coupon for $2.75 off your Action Scrubber purchase! I’m not sure how long the coupon is valid so use it soon.

Website: Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber

Logitech Harmony One universal remote control

Electronics, Gadgets

LogitechharmonyremoteI love gadgets!  When Tim and I go to ‘the electronic store’ he looks at movies and televisions while I drool over the latest gadgets. When I received the Logitech Harmony universal remote control for review I think my mouth was wide open for at least a minute.  It’s sleek design, shiny gadgetiness, and knowing that it could replace up to 15 remotes in my home flattered me to no end.   So maybe we don’t have 15 remotes.. at least I don’t think we do, but the thought of consolidating 4 or 5 remotes into one is a dream come true. No more searching for remote control’s!

Set up is a cinch.  You don’t have to be an expert to set up the Logitech Harmony One universal remote control.  My husband could have even set it up if I wanted him to.  🙂 .  The Logitech Harmony One is programmable via the web and is Windows and Macintosh compatible.   The One’s backlit keys, color LCD, and varrying button sizes make for easy recognition and operation in the dark.. you know, those times when you are up with the baby at 2am. The Harmony One has less buttons than previous versions which makes it less intimidating and helps streamline operation of the remote.

The Logitech Harmony One controls TVs, DVD players, VCRs, game consoles, home media center PCs,  and even air conditioning units.  This remote can control just about anything that uses an infrared transmitting remote control.

The Logitech Harmony One may be a bit pricey but is a device that you will use for years and I doubt it will be outdated any time soon.

Check current prices at Amazon.com or click over to the Logitech website to learn more about the Harmony One