Talking FabKids and Memorial Day

Disclosure: I received a sample product from FabKids to help facilitate the review. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

Today is Memorial Day. As always, we'll go to the parade, and when the soldiers come out, I'll start to cry. It doesn't matter that my oldest is now out of the military, I'll still cry. Gets me every time.

After the parade, we'll do the partying. There'll be games, face painting, balloons, bounce houses, and more. And my 7-year-old will love it.

How did I get my son ready for the holiday?

FabKids Denim Rockstar Outfit

First and foremost,

Why We Are Loving BanZ

Disclosure: I received product samples to help facilitate the review. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

Protect your child from loud noises with BanZ earmuffs.
Great for live events!

The first reason I love Banz is that they offer high quality, very useful products like the ear muffs you see above. Recommended for children ages 6 - months and up, these are designed to protect your child's hearing when they are around loud events. I know we've been to concerts, live shows, race car events, and even a Monster Truck show where the noise levels were all very high. Having these along would have been much more convenient that having to put my hands over their little ears (which is what I did). It would have been more effective too.

The earmuffs are adjustable. My son has them on the smallest setting here, but they're easy to adjust too, and my husband put them on to test them out and they fit him too.

They're nice and sturdy and they fold up to fit in the palm of your hand so they're easy to carry too. You can get them in a variety of colors and/or patterns. I like the white because it's gender-neutral and goes with everything.

BabyBanZ has a nice selection of sunglasses, including this
polarized pair my son is wearing.

The second reason I love BanZ is because their high quality products always have a nice design too. These polarized sunglasses remind me of Tom Cruise's 'Risky Business' days, which is fun! Yet they're also designed to fully protect my son's eyes from harmful rays emitting from the sun. They're nice and light to wear and they didn't bother his ears at all (sometimes a challenge with sunnies).

They come with a matching Neoprene band and case. The band is removable and wraps around the back of your head. The case is soft, has a clip for hanging on your purse, diaper bag or child's belt loops, and serves to protect your purchase. These too can be purchased in a variety of colors and/or styles. They are recommended for children ages 4-10.

You can learn more about these great products and others by visiting the BanZ website, where you'll find an array of items meant to protect your child outside or on the go. You can also follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Wordless Wednesday: Looks Who's 2!

National Moving Month with Keyed Cable Lock Trio #Giveaway #MasterLockProtects

Disclosure: I received a product to help facilitate the review. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.

One lucky winner is going to get the Keyed Cable Lock Trio Pictured Above

#MasterLockProtects

Doesn't it seem like so many things have a day or month designated to them these days? I think that's awesome...a great way to give a brand or product recognition, and have a little fun too by rounding up various celebrations and giveaways to help celebrate. Well, moving is no exception, and it's got a month all of of its own...this one (May). ;)

In honor of National Moving Month, and as a part of Master Lock's ongoing commitment to keep consumers safe through all life stages, Master Lock is sharing safety precautions and useful products for moving and settling into a new residence.

A short while back you might remember me writing about my nephew's baby who was in NICU. Baby is home and doing great! My sister-in-law (baby's grandma) just signed a contract on a new home. She's moving closer to baby girl (smart lady), so I'll definitley be sharing these tips with her! My son and his wife just moved from one state to another too (they're unpacking boxes as we 'speak') so I'll be sharing this with them too! If you're moving, or you know someone who is

More than 35 million people move each year* and look forward to turning their new house into a home. But before your new residence becomes home sweet home, ensuring your move is safe and your new house is prepped with basic safety measures is of the utmost importance. In honor of National Moving Month, Master Lock is providing consumers with necessary safety precautions and useful products for moving and settling into a new residence.

“Moving into a new home can undoubtedly be a stressful experience,” said Rebecca Smith, vice president, marketing for Master Lock. “Our goal is to help new homeowners make their move as organized and safe as possible by providing them with the necessary tools to do so.”

Master Lock recommends these five safety measures when moving and adjusting to your new residence:

·         Secure All Valuables: Whether you’re moving your own belongings or have hired movers, it is important to pack all valuables in enclosed, secured containers. For fragile or breakable items, use an added layer of protection, such as bubble wrap or shredded newspaper. In the midst of moving mayhem, remember to lock your trailer with a Master Lock 379DAT Universal Trailer Coupler Lock that resists picking and prying when not in use or in between trips to avoid possible theft.

·         Inventory Personal Belongings: Label your boxes by room, number or color-code, and create a list of the items in each box. This will keep your personal possessions organized for when you begin the unpacking process. When you arrive at your new home, make sure to check each list to ensure all your belongings made it safely and securely. Investing in a Sentry Safe SFW123TTC Extra Large Digital Alarm Fire Safe will assure your most important valuables remain safeguarded and protected as you settle into your home. While you may have heavy foot traffic between movers, cable providers and other vendors setting up your new space, this Sentry Safe Extra Large Digital Alarm Fire Safe’s loud alarm will quickly alert you if there is suspected tampering.       

·         Install New Exterior Locks: Less than half (47 percent) of U.S. and Canadian residents changed or rekeyed the locks on their new home.** As a major safety precaution, you should change all the exterior locks on your new home either before or when you move in. Previous tenants, realtors and other unsuspected people may have keys to the current locks. Replacing these old locks with new ones, such as the Master Lock BCCO0615 Entry Door Lock with Single Cylinder Deadbolt, will provide additional security with peace of mind, and ensure you are the only person who has access to your home.

·         Change of Address: Before officially moving into your new home, make sure to visit your local post office or visit usps.com to fill out a change-of-address form. To avoid unintentionally giving strangers access to personal information, such as billing statements, credit card offers and insurance information, change your address before your move.

·         Explore Your Neighborhood: Once you’ve settled in, make sure to familiarize yourself with your new neighborhood. Take a bike ride to meet your neighbors, locate the police and fire stations and find your local park district. Don’t forget to lock up with the Master Lock 8127TRI Keyed Cable Lock while exploring your new surroundings.

For more moving safety tips and products, visit the Master Lock website or connect with Master Lock on social via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or YouTube.

About Master Lock

The Master Lock Company is recognized around the world as the authentic, enduring name in padlocks and security products. Master Lock Company offers a broad range of innovative security and safety solutions for consumer, commercial, and industrial end-users. Master Lock Company LLC is an operating unit of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc., a leading consumer brands company. Headquartered in Deerfield, Ill., Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information about Master Lock visit www.masterlock.com.

*According to the U.S. Department of Transportation

**According to a March 2015 Safety and Security Survey of more than 1,500 U.S. and Canadian residents conducted by Master Lock via SurveyMonkey.

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