**REVIEW** Ultimate Travel Pillow

Ha! This travel pillow from AirComfy Travel is NICE. I get exactly why they call it "The Ultimate" Travel Pillow.

Since it arrived while I was out of town, I didn't get to test it on my plane trip. No worries, though. I put it to the next best use I could: I took a nap with it while waiting for my sister to get out of clinic. I'll be using it for that more than I will for plane travel anyway. Was it comfy? Um... yeah! I fell asleep, sitting straight up in the passenger seat for about 35 minutes. Woke up to find the cute tech guy smiling at me. (All I could think was, "Please, God, don't let me have been looking haggard!")

Comes in this handy carry bag with clip-hook

Here's what I like about this pillow over the other travel pillows I've seen:

• It's not just for travel. You can use it just about anywhere. It can also be used for back support (think: office chairs for 8+ hours a day) 
• Deflates for storage. No heavy bulkiness. So easily portable for stashing at the office, in your car or for carrying onto the plane or car ride. 
• Comes with a carry case that clips onto your bag, backpack, etc.
• Self inflates (though you can breathe more air via the tube for extra-firmness).
• Easy cleaning (by wiping with a cloth).
• So comfortable and has just enough "squish" to it even when firmly inflated.

Funny "me" note: When it's inflated, it reminds me of an eye mask! 

Out of the case...

expanding... expanding

Beautiful!

The strap to secure to seats if wanted

Little air tube to inflate and adjust firmness

This is probably the easiest review I've ever done. The Ultimate Travel Pillow is not just for "travel" (as in planes), but is great for my car naps (while parked, guys, not driving), and the times when I'm going to be sitting in a clinic for hours. My sister has already agreed to take it to dialysis with her to see if it makes her time in the chair more comfortable. (She's heard my car-napping story, so she probably just wants to have my pillow.)

It's just such a cute, handy little pillow that I fell in love with it during my nap. Since I wanted to test it in every way I could, I sat in different types of chairs (car and waiting room). The waiting room chairs had lower head rests, so I used the pillow's strap to anchor it, then just leaned back and prayed that another cute guy didn't wander by to see me looking like I'd passed out. By the way, I'm not recommending that anyone slack off at work, but... This would be a great "nap time" pillow for the break room. Don't blame me if you get busted sleeping on the job! (Should I even mention that I also tried resting my head on this pillow by leaning it against the bedroom wall while I watched TV? Still comfy...)

Like I said, this is a easy review. If I could, I'd just tell you how comfy, cute and convenient this pillow is in ten languages.  Those are the best three words to describe this: Comfy, Cute, Convenient. 

I don't think you will need to use this, but there is a 100% money-back guarantee. 

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE:

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tales from the (End of) the Vacay

What happens when you take grown siblings and throw them together for a few weeks? And throw in kids and friends and a little bit of holiday time?

• You act like you're teenagers again, not middle-aged 
• You will have so much fun that you kind of forget that you aren't still teenagers
• You don't even want to act like adults because, well, that's no fun
• You will argue a little, fuss a little and gossip a little
• You will laugh and tease and giggle a lot
• You will kid your sis-in-law about the Rock (private joke there!) and she will never get the beauty of your love for Keanu or Kevin Spacey, but you will love her anyway (the poor, sad, deluded woman...)
• Some nights you'll sit up until dawn because you don't want to miss a minute
• Some of you will drink too much, eat too much, say too much
• You will wander a strange city in a borrowed or rented vehicle (Okay, that was just me!)
• Their will be some tears as you remember the loved ones who aren't still here
• Their will be lots of smiles and great memories of those loved ones
• You will marvel over the fact that the kids you saw "not that long ago" are driving, wearing makeup, dating, graduating high school, going to college, falling in love, dealing with heartbreaks, heading into adulthood and not being the "little kids" they were a minute ago.
• In the middle of all the togetherness, there will be some stress, crankiness, pettiness, and love. There will be lots of love.
• Your crops on Farmville will be neglected (Okay, again, that was just me)
• You will hope that your mother and father can see from Heaven what a wonder they have left behind in their kids who are still brothers and sisters.
• You will be thankful for the storms and trials that your hearts and bodies have made it through and you will know that it was love that brought you here.
• You will learn all over again that these people are people you want to smack, slap, yell at and judge - but are the same people you'd die for, kill for, and reach up and pull down stars from the sky for.

I know how lucky I am, how blessed and favored by God. I have people in this big and sometimes cold and frightening world who love me. I am never going to be alone, forgotten, forsaken, unprotected or unattached. Not as long as I have this big, crazy, dysfunctional, beautiful, amazing family of mine. And they are mine forever, God help me!

Peace

--Free

P.S.: Chubby, we love you and we wish you had been here with us. I think that maybe you were.

Tales from the Vacay

Last night was the first night that (almost) all of us were under one roof for the evening. It was madness. And I loved it.

We are almost all together. Repping Alaska, Colorado, Texas, Maryland, California, and our host city of Arizona.

Sisters....
the one on the left wants to be
an astronaut. One of the right is just
spacey! LOL

Repping the AZ

She's going to kill me for this one!

DJ went wandering the halls
when he got bored with adults

He found the laundry room
but couldn't escape!

2 brothers, 1 sister, a sis-in-law and a niece
#Ohana

Nephews and girlfriends
and video games

Hope they aren't talking bizness
#realtors & #brokers

 Tonight is the biggie. I missed the morning's Turkey Bowl games (I mean, 7 in the morning! Really?)

Our last bit of family made it in at noon and midnight. We are now complete (except for the couple of us that couldn't get away from work and school... :-(

Let the Thanksgiving pre-fam events begin.

Peace
--Free

Vacay Stories 1

When my sister and I landed and were still sitting on the plane at Sky Harbor, first thing I saw when I turned my phone back on was a text from my niece: "I'm here! Made it to the airport by myself without getting lost!"  (She is here as a visitor too.)

I texted back that she'd have a little bit of a wait. As a wheelchair passenger, my sister boards ahead of everyone else but has to departs the plane last. When we finally got off the plane and were assisted to the gate, we are both anxiously looking for our niece. I don't see the my niece but I see the bright green shirt of her son - the infamous "baby" D.J.

The "boys" still can't get over how big DJ is

Yes, he getting big, and he is bigger than most about-to-be 3 year olds!

If D.J. is there, my niece must be nearby, but instead, I see one of my big brothers. Then I see another of my big brothers. YAY!!! Finally, I see my niece. We all run and do the hug-hug, love you-love you thing.

I tell my niece what a nice surprise - making us think she had come alone when she brought the boys too. She smiles but kind of rolls her eyes. I get the full story on that later from my other niece:

When my niece, C.C., said she would be picking us up at the airport, the boys told her they were going to the airport instead. (C.C. had just traveled ahead of us a week earlier. The boys haven't seen us in a while.)  C.C. insisted. The boys said nothing else. The day of our pick-up, the boys took off work, went to breakfast together, then showed up at the airport a whole hour early. Just to be the first ones there!

C.C. was outdone, but we all are still laughing at her.

It's been a good time so far.

D.J. has discovered that one auntie has a piano

He knows how to flex his fingers before "playing"

And their dog, who is skittish around him (unless D.J. has food)

Most of us are mid-age adults (who regress about 20 years in maturity when we get together)

Family. I don't always like them, but I love them all to pieces.

Peace
--Free

(I wish I could fix the photo layout, but... I'm on vacation)

**REVIEW** Power Bank Charger (for cellphones)

I'm going on a short trip soon and, as always, I worry about my phone dying while I'm in flight. Last time I travelled, I was using a mobile boarding app and I didn't notice that my battery was going low until I was in line for the boarding call. I ended up trying to hook up to an outlet for a quick five-minute charge before I had to leave the gate. Stressful.

I'm extremely forgetful and anxious, so I keep all kinds of apps on my phone: lists, notes, reminders, alarms, etc. And I have to check on these all the time. My phone battery hates me. I'm sure it does. I have chargers all over my car and the house. Some people walk into places looking for a good seat or the best view. I could walk into a bank in the middle of a robbery and I'd still be looking for the nearest electrical outlet.

So... When I saw this, I could only think of how perfect it is for anyone who is always running down their phone battery. In other words: me.

Instructions could be better (not everyone has used one of these before! lol), but I really like it. Today was my first use. It was showing a partial charge when I got it & did not take very long at all to charge to 100%. REALLY love that I can press the power button to check how much juice is left. When I hooked it up to my phone to charge it, that process was faster even than charging the Power Bank. This is going to come in handy for when I am travelling b/c I hate worrying about my phone dying while I'm in flight or standing in line to board. I got the red color & it's nice-looking, tho somewhat larger in size than what I expected

Still... purse/pocket sized

UPDATE:  Well, I go to really put this to the test on our way here to AZ. The charger worked great! Not only did I use it for my cell phone, I also used it to keep my tablet in use. It didn't fill my tablet's charge, but it still kept it going for a good 20 minutes. It might have gone longer, but I had to disconnect to board another flight.

Also, just because I was curious to know if it's possible, I learned that I can charge the charger by usb to my laptop. This was not recommended by the label, but... Now I know.

Peace
--Free

Why Leave NOW???

I'm getting packed for the sibling reunion in AZ & when I looked outside a couple hours ago, this is what I saw:

That's not ice rain or melting snow. That right there is a summer kind of rain shower...

 When I got up this morning, it was because it was too hot to sleep. I was throwing the window up and angling the fan right at my spot in the bed.... It's NOVEMBER. Seriously, Nature?

I'm not complaining. There are so many things I dislike about winter:

1. Cold weather
2. Snow
3. Ice
4. Crazy, reckless drivers
5. Cold weather
6. Snow...

I put the cold weather and snow twice because they are the two things that make me hate winter AND mornings. If the car is parked outside, I have to go and shovel it out, shovel it off, defrost the windows, and warm the interior. It's a good twenty-minute job sometimes. 

But not this winter (yet)!

This morning, I stepped out to prep the car and almost fell on my butt. Not because it was icy, but because it was so warm my body went into shock. I didn't even bother to warm up the car. No need wasting gas on that, right?

It was 41 degrees when I took this photo. In NOVEMBER. In Alaska.

If you think I'm complaining, I am - but not about the weather. My thing is, we are leaving tonight for the sibling reunion in Arizona. So... we maybe should have planned that for January? When the weather might actually be more Alaska-like?

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Weight Gurus

So excited when this Digital Body Fat Scale by Weight Gurus arrived. Not that I'm excited about my body fat, but... I need to know. Lord knows I need the motivation. This scale looks like it's going to really bring the motivation.

I haven't been 120-anything for about fifteen years!!!

First thing, let me tell you what a beautiful scale this is. It's the first scale I've ever owned that looks like it enhanced the decor of my bathroom! No pushing this one out of sight when I'm not using it. I'm keeping this bad boy on display. And that's okay because it can be customized for up to 8 users. (That's not an invitation though!)

Since my excitement might be contagious (and I hope it is), let me add that there are some folks who should not use this. The product box is clearly marked with some warnings:

• Never to use in combo with medical electronic implants (such as pacemakers)
• Not for use by kids under 10 years of age
• Not for use by pregnant women

Paperwork enclosed with the scale advises further:

• Not for use with medical devices such as artificial heart/lung support systems or portable electronic medical devices such as an electrocardiograph
• Not to apply weight of more than 400 pounds on the scale

Now that I've gotten that bit out of the way...

Remember I mentioned how beautiful the scale is? Well, that photo up above doesn't really show it off. When I was trying to photograph (with my horrible skills) the scale to show you how thin it is, I captured this:

All you can see is the messy room's reflection!

Thing is so shiny, I could use it to do my makeup. 

What I was trying to capture was not the messy man-cave I was in, but how thin the scale is from the side view. Like this:

See the edge of it?

And, yes, it comes with batteries (cue the singing angels) so you don't have to worry about that.

Okay, so I fell in love right away with the design of the scale. My next step was to see how easy (or not) it is to use. Here's how that went:

Set up instructions were good. The scale has Select Mode with up and down arrows for you to choose User Number, Gender, Athlete (or not), Height, Age, Weight Mode and - of course - Weight. I did everything correctly on the first try except I realized I had somehow skipped past the Weight Mode. Also I had not downloaded the Android App (**** or for Apple) which is needed to scan the on-scale barcode and to sync my phone. 

I downloaded the app and then attempted to check my errors with the "Weight Mode" set-up.

Ahhh!!! I found another reason to LOVE this scale. There are 2 ways of checking your weight. You can go "traditional" and get a pound/kg weight reading, or you can go what they call 'weightless' (or what I choose to call 'highly motivational') and get a progress reading. As in + or - changes in your weight.

Setting up the app was not as easy as setting up the scale. The app was probably only confusing to me because I have a problem retaining instructions long enough to apply them. Other people might have no problem. Once I did get the app going, I had no trouble changing the scale to the Weightless Mode. Of course, I won't get any progress readings for a while. 

There's not much I don't love about this scale. Actually, there is not one thing I don't love about this scale. It's a great-looking device with a lot of useful features. One of the most important features is the price. The cost for this one is at or even lower than scales I've seen in local stores. Also, there is a 100% guarantee, a 5 year warranty, and help via the company's local offices, email or phone.

Anyone working toward a goal with their weight is going to benefit from this one. I already talked myself out of eating a donut, and Homer Simpson has nothing on me when it comes to loving a good donut.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE:

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Dead Sea Mud Mask

I know that I said I was taking a break from the skincare products, but... I needed something to pamper my face after testing all of the other items. This mud mask from InstaNatural kind of surprised me. It's their Dead Sea Mud Mask.

100% natural

 I've only regularly used one other mud mask treatment that I liked - because I'm not a huge fan of facial masks. The thing about this one that surprised me (nicely) was that there was absolutely zero smell. Not a nice one, not a funky one, not one that made me want to throw the jar and run away screaming. There is just no odor that I could detect. Good. You know how I am about that.

The ingredients list was the second surprise. For one thing, the Dead Sea mud was (heh heh) dead first. For another thing, the list is nice and short. I counted 11 items. And I can pronounce every one of them.) That makes the whole 'zero scent' thing kind of weird. You'd think I'd be able to smell at least a couple of these ingredients, right?

Unless I'm pronouncing that last ingredient wrong...

The third thing that I didn't expect at all is how much clearer this mask is on the skin. Usually, masks are super thick and chalky. This one went on in a thin coating.

You can see by my forehead that the mask is still damp in spots.

My "You drank all the coffee?" look

At the same time that I was thinking that it was nice not to have such a thick coat of mud on my face, I decided that more must be better, and I had to resist slathering on more product.

Doesn't it look as if it would be really thick?

 I'm glad that I resisted adding more. The amount I used was just fine. As it dried, it still didn't look as chalky and "cracking" as other masks. I worried that it might not be working but, when I rinsed my face, my skin did have that deeply-cleaned feeling. My face wasn't overly dried out (thank goodness) even when I waited ten minutes to moisturize.

Even though this mask is supposed to be good for blemishes and acne, my sensitive and combination skin didn't have a problem with it. As far as evening out my skin tone, I will have to use it more and on a regular basis before I can let you know about that.

This was a good mask treatment for me. I think of it as one that I could use regularly if I wanted and not have to worry about drying out my skin. (Note that the label warns about over-use!) The other mask I use is also a favorite, but I use it about once a month because it seems somehow stronger. Now that I have this one, I will be able to rotate the two.

Here's another plus with this mask. It comes in a huge 16-oz jar. Remember that I mentioned how little I used and got results? This is going to last me for a long while, and I will probably end up sharing it with my niece and sister. It's a good value for my beauty budget - which I have jokingly labelled in Excel as PoorButPretty.

As always, InstaNatural backs their products with wonderful customer service and a 100% money-back guarantee. Win-win, right?

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE:

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**GIVEAWAY** Winner Announcement

We have a winna!

Thanks to all of you who participated. The winner is +Angela Monique Robinson & I'm really excited that she will get to try the Old Factory Candles.

As my first giveaway experience was kind of fun, I think I will be doing more of them in the future.

Peace
--Free