When your child is sick, one of the first things you’ll do is take their temperature. If you were my grandmother, living in my grandmother’s time of raising young children, you’d use one of those old-school forehead strips (similar to the strips you see in fish tanks, as my husband pointed out). If you were my mother, living in my mother’s time of raising young children, then you would use one of those oral/rectal thermometers that can be used under the tongue, rectally, or even under the arm.
But if you’re living in this time period, you’ll want to use an Exergen Temporal Scanner instead. This scanner is simply glided across the forehead, just like the sophisticated temperature taking devices that many health centers and hospitals use, and the resulting temperature — accurate within +0.2°F — is displayed in just two seconds. The scanner even beeps and emits a red LED light to indicate that the scan has been done correctly.
Exergen sent us a Temporal Scanner to review, and I love it. No more digging for those slim, oh-so-easily-lost oral thermometers. No more making sure that we have plenty of the one-time-use sanitary covers in stock. No more inconvenience of waking a sick, sleeping child to make sure that they’re not burning up with fever. The Exergen Temporal Scanner is quick, simple to use, without any of the hassle or cleanliness issues that other thermometers so often present. I’m very happy with this form of temperature taking, and I’d definitely recommend the Exergen Temporal Scanner as a convenient, accurate way of checking body temperatures.
Read the full review at In My Bag.
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Disclosure: Exergen provided me with a free product in exchange for my honest opinion.
The combination of washing dishes, cleaning the house, washing my hands multiple times a day, using sanitizer at least 1-2 times a day, and running in and out of doors without the benefit of gloves or mittens leaves my hands prone to dry skin, chafing and general irritation during the cold winter months. Recently I was approached by Elite Therapeutics and offered the opportunity to review their Elite Creme, which is a special hand and body cream that is heavily formulated with Vitamin E, as well as several other hand-selected and carefully-researched ingredients that combine to create incredible, elite products.
A board-certified oncologist, Kevin L. Schewe, is the founder and creator of the entire line of Elite Therapeutics, which includes body cremes, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, even deodorant and lip balm. Dr. Schewe designed these products with one goal in mind: to provide reduction, relief, and prevention of the many types of skin and hair irritations caused by chemotherapy and radiation.
Elite Therapeutic’s Elite Creme is definitely a force to be reckoned with. It is incredibly moisturizing and soothing, with no greasy residue or cloying scent. A little goes a long way – just a dime-sized amount is more than enough to thoroughly moisturize my hands and wrists. I have been using the product for several weeks, and I can’t get enough of it. While it’s a little pricey, you get what you pay for, and this is one product that is well worth paying for.
Read the full review at In My Bag.
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Disclosure: Elite Therapeutics provided me with a free product in exchange for my honest opinion.
Back in December I had the opportunity to review a plush animal from The Animal Place. What makes their plush animals so much more special than the animals you can find in stores is that each one is hand-crafted, using anywhere from 42-240 individual pieces, and each plush animal is created carefully and meticulously, its overall design and every little detail based upon photos of its live counterpart in its natural habitat.
The Animal Place currently offers ten special collections of plush animals, including three truly unique categories: Life-Sized (just what it sounds like – life-size versions of animals, including zebras and dragons!), Endangered Species, and Jurassic Fantastic (dinosaurs!). Each plus animal comes with its own attached book, which is a story of sorts, outlining the basics of that particular animal and its habitat and lifestyle.
We received the monkey from the Jungle Fun collection, whom Alyssa promptly claimed as her own (thankfully Ryan showed little interest in him) and named Monty. Even though Monty is just a stuffed animal, he is the most lifelike stuffed animal I’ve ever come across, with very realistic features and an overall lovely design.
When making a purchase at The Animal Place, use coupon code NewYear2012 to save 15% on your order!
Read the full review at In My Bag.
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Disclosure: The Animal Place provided me with a free product in exchange for my honest opinion.
Accomplish is the word I’ve picked to describe, in just one word, 2012, and my goals/resolutions for the year. Besides my “main” resolutions, I’m doing a few other things, too – namely, keeping up with taking care of my body. I’m giving it the right things (a minimum of 60g of protein per day in protein shake form, so that I know I’m taking in enough; more vegetables and fiber; and of course, all of the right vitamins), reducing the amount of wrong things I’m giving it, doing my best to get a good night’s sleep every night, and I’m taking much better care of my skin. I clean my face every night before bed, and I use moisturizer both right before bed (after I’ve showered and cleaned my face, of course), and first thing in the morning. I’ve also been using a few sample bottles of soothing eye gels, since I know I work my eyes hard between work (computer screens) and makeup galore. I’m also brushing my teeth, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash thrice per day. Ha.
I really feel like I’m having a mid-life crisis. Who has them at 27.5 years of age? Me, apparently. I don’t know. I feel like I wasted my teenage years being morbidly obese and unhappy with myself. My early twenties were a blissful yet crazy rush of pregnancies and babies and breastfeeding and toddlers. The on-again, off-again family drama has taken its toll, I think. Then there are the everyday stressors and annoyances and disappointments of life. Bah. In any case, while I’m “only” 27 years old, I am suddenly feeling old, and like the last 10 years of my life have passed by way too quickly. 30 is looming in a few short years. Save me.














