OG Instant Read Thermometer Review

I received the OnlineGadgetz meat thermometer and decided to let my dad try it out. He's the grill master in our house (or so he wants to believe...so we let him!) and wanted steaks the other night. It's fairly simple to use. It's come with the batter which is a major plus - I hate when products don't include batteries. Let's be real...when do you ever remember to purchase a battery for a new product?!

We just took off the cover (it has a cover with a clip, like a pen, so it can clip to your shirt), turned it on, and stuck it in the center of the meat. After a few seconds we had our reading of 148.1 level out. We wanted our meat medium well so we took it off the grill and into the house to cut into. After cutting into we determined our steak was in fact medium well so the thermometer did its job!

I am interested to try this out with chicken since that is a meat you want fully cooked before eating. I want to see how well it works for that.

*I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Flavfusion Water Bottle Review

I received this Flavfusion water bottle to review. It is with deep regret that I give this product 3 stars because I seriously wanted to give it five stars. However, my favorite feature (the drink spout) does not work on my bottle. It will not open unless I use a knife to pry it open. 

I reached out to the company twice trying to resolve this with no response. If they see my review and perhaps missed my messages then I have no issue updating my review if another is sent that works properly. 

I really did love this bottle and wanted nothing more than to give it five stars because I thought everything else about it was awesome. However due to the drinking spout not working I am not even using the bottle at this time.

Everyone else seems to love their bottle. I even have friends who reviewed this exact bottle and had no issues and love it...unfortunately, I received a defective product so I cannot love it as much as they do. I hate leaving a less than stellar review but I have to be honest. 

**UPDATE** After speaking with the manufacturer this was not a defective bottle but instead user error (HAHAHA) The lid has a locking mechanism I was unaware of and now I know how to unlock it! Woo hoo! So in the event you purchase this bottle, make sure you twist the cap to lock and unlock...otherwise the spout will not open for you!!

*I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.All opinions above are my own.*

Bugaby Nursing Cover

I received this nursing cover by Bugaby which is available for purchase on Amazon. I am planning to give it to a new mother who wants to breastfeed and also wants to use a nursing cover as a baby shower gift but I am impressed with it thus far. 

It came with a pouch to keep it in which is super handy. Once your done you can just roll it up, put it in the pouch, and toss in the diaper bag. How simple is that?!

It also has an adjustable strap on the back that keeps the cover from blowing off in the wind if you're nursing outside. Some babies like to play with the covers also so it should keep them from accidentally pulling it off as well.

Another huge plus for me is the pocket. I have never seen a pocket on a nursing cover before but this is perfect to keep a small snack, burp cloth, or cell phone in.

*I received this product for free or discounted in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*

MASlife Grill and Baking Mat Review

I received this MASlife Grill Mat to review. It comes with two in the package and also works in the oven for cookies. I haven't tried it out for cookies just yet but plan to shortly.

We decided to use this to grill steaks on one night after I got off from work. Overall, I like the grill mats. Our steaks cooked evenly and there was no issues with burning. However, the grease and fat do build up on the mats and it is really gross looking. I understand it has to go somewhere but it's seriously gross. I'm already grossed out by grease and fat anyway so this just intensified my disgust for fatty grease.

I also noticed the mat has some fraying after being washed. It's not terrible but I did have to pull off a piece so I would be careful with that in case your mat is the same way. You don't want to accidentally eat that material. I imagine it wouldn't be very good for you!

*I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.*

Dog Leash Review

I received this leash from Primal Pet Care to review. I highly recommend it if you are in the market for a sturdy and affordable leash. It's advertised on Amazon for $14.99 and that's a great price considering how comfortable it is (I know..that's strange, comfort in a dog leash??). But seriously, the handles (Yes, that's plural because there are TWO!) are amazing. The material they are lined with almost feels like memory foam so it's beyond soft.

The leash itself is red and the material is thick. If you have a puller you should not need to worry about the leash snapping (unless your dog is like the hulk, in that case I would worry!). The leash is 8 ft long and then there is a second handle which is to be used in situations where you may be in high traffic areas (with cars or people!) and need to keep your dog close by.

*I received this product for a discounted price in exchange for my honest review. All opinions above are my own and my readers can trust the product they will be receiving should they choose to order.*

OZ Naturals Age Defying Tinted Sunscreen Review

I received the OZ Naturals Tinted Moisturizer with 30 SPF to review. Thanks to our Charleston weather (where it rains when it shouldn't and is sunny while I'm at work!) I was only able to use this product once.

I LOVE the fact that it is tinted. It allows me to even out my skin tone and provide some concealer type coverage while not covering my face to the point that sun cannot get through AT ALL. Let's be real, we all like a little bit of that sun kissed look on our cheeks but we can't achieve that if we go to the beach with full make up face! The tint may cause this to be my favorite sunscreen for my face. I'm lazy and will still likely use the spray on my arms and legs (I know, I know, they say it's bad for me. But that's a-whole-nother issue and not for this blog post!)

This has SPF 30 so it provides enough protection for my Italian-Greek skin from the harsh rays of the sun. I enjoy the smell and the fact that it doesn't have a chemical smell like so many other sunscreens out there. If you are looking for a nice sunscreen, specifically one with a tint, then I would recommend OZ Naturals.

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I will never lie to my readers so all opinions you read will be my own.

Can a toddler have anxiety?

This is a question I hear often. Is it possible? Isn't that something that only adults have? Can a child so young experience anxiety?

Why? Why do we assume that anxiety is only for the grown minds? Would it not make sense for a child's mind to also experience anxiety? Maybe even more so than an adult? After all, they don't have the coping mechanisms we have as adults. It is much more difficult to reason with and explain what is going on to a toddler. It's not that they aren't smart. They are, they are so very smart but they just don't have that psychological development yet. They have not hit that part of life just yet.

I am having a hard time with friends while I deal with this. Either being talked down and treated like I'm overreacting (I offer you to try this for one day and let me know if you think it's an overreaction - I assure you when my best friend experienced it today she did not think my feelings were anything near an overreaction) or being told that they understand and get it. While I appreciate the sentiment it's just not accurate. They don't get it anymore than I get what it's like to have a husband leave for deployment, move around the country in the military, lose a child, go through a divorce, or live in a shelter with my child. I don't get that because I've never experienced it so I'm not going to pretend to get it. I will understand your right to your feelings but I cannot understand your feelings at all because, at the end of the day, I just haven't felt them.

Why am I posting about this? I'm not 100% sure to be honest. I feel like I'm doing it for a variety of reasons. I'm doing it because I'm hurting and I don't know what to do to help my daughter while I wait for our referral to see a specialist but I just need to get this off my chest, I'm doing it to help those around me fully understand what I am experiencing, and finally...I think I'm doing it so that the next parent struggling with a child with anxiety knows they are not alone. Because honestly, I feel alone. I work full-time and then I come home to my daughter. Like any mother does, I don't deserve a metal for that. But I see my friends getting together and enjoying time with each other and their kids and that hurts my heart. Because due to this anxiety it's hard for me to have friends around. They upset her. And in turn, it's hard for her to have friends. And my baby girl deserves friends. She doesn't deserve this life of us sitting at home in our bedroom because that keeps her anxiety at bay.

For two years I have put her needs before my own (well three really, if you include pregnancy) and I will continue to do so. However, I fear that I will be alone and never find someone. How can I when I know how she reacts with people..even when those people have been around her since she was born. What if I found someone and then she had anxiety every time she was around them? I feel selfish even thinking of putting her in a situation like that. If I were to find someone and that was her reaction to them then that would be it. I am her caregiver and could never knowingly put her in a situation where she is suffering from constant anxiety and crying.

So often we read and hear about dealing with a spouse who has anxiety issues. How to cope with that and how to survive it but we do not hear much about the life of a parent who has a child that suffers with anxiety. I hope that a fellow parent finds this and realizes they are not alone in this journey. There are others who experience it even though it's not talked about often.