Category: Article

28
Dec
2018

ESAs To The Rescue!

categories: Article

Everyone gets the blues from time to time – it’s a part of being human. When we do, we find things to do and people to be with that help us feel better and bring pleasure into our lives. If you suffer from a mental illness, getting to a good place can be a wee bit tougher. So who has emotional support animals and how do they help?

Emotional support animals, aka ESAs, are sometimes “prescribed” by health professionals as part of an overall treatment plan for people with emotional and psychological conditions. An ESA can help you feel better, and manage your symptoms on a day to day basis.

People who are helped by ESAs

You may qualify for an emotional support animal if you have a mental health condition that impacts on your quality of life. This includes conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) mood and personality disorders, and many more.

The help an ESA gives
If you find the presence of an animal comforting and you enjoy taking care of an animal’s needs, an ESA may help you with your condition. ESAs are considered assistance animals that can provide therapeutic help.

Unlike a service animal, an ESA is not trained to do specific tasks for you. What they do is help alleviate and manage symptoms associated with mental health. Ways that an ESA may do this include:

Unconditional love: Animals have an enormous capacity for unconditional love. Be good to them, and they will be good for you and be there with unlimited companionship and affection with no-strings-attached.

Regular routines: Taking care of an animal involves establishing regular routines. Pets need feeding at regular intervals, and dogs especially have grooming and exercise needs to take care of. Also, consider keeping your home clean with a dog proof trash can.

Stress relief: Just being in the presence of a companion animal can relieve stress, and it gets even better. Patting a pet has a calming effect. Exercising with them even more so. And when an animal makes you smile and laugh, then you’ve hit the jackpot!

Companionship: Feelings of isolation and being alone are common in people living with emotional and psychological conditions. An emotional support animal provides a form of social support to remind you that you are not alone, and there is another being sharing their life with you.
Understanding others: The care involved in looking after an animal can help with understanding that others have needs that have to be met. Animals also help with understanding similarities and difference.

Security: For anyone with anxiety around going outside, or even being in their own home an emotional support animal, especially a dog, can provide a sense of security to help overcome these types of fears to live life a little easier.

Sociability: Once you have an animal in your life, you automatically have some common ground and conversation piece with every other person on the planet who has a pet. As someone with a dog, you will interact with others while you are out walking or be able to talk with others about their pets.

Physical benefits: There are physical benefits to having an animal in your life. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and oxytocin are affected by interacting with a pet, as is blood pressure.

How an ESA helps while you’re traveling
If you have a fear of flying or anxiety around traveling in general, being able to have your emotional support animal can help. So long as they are an animal that is appropriate to take traveling, and you are not adding any stress to the animal or yourself, an ESA can help overcome these fears by providing a distraction and offering comfort.

In the United States, the Air Carrier Access Act protects the rights of people with ESAs to fly with an emotional support animal if they need them on the flight, or at their destination. If you are intending to fly with an ESA, be aware that airlines have their own policies and procedures. The airline is likely to ask for an ESA letter and other documentation. Carriers can refuse animals, so always check in advance.

How an ESA helps where you live
Your home is, of course, going to be the number one place where an emotional support animal is going to help you feel better. This is where their presence, companionship, and support will come to the fore – in your regular day to day living.

If you live in rental housing, including campus accommodation, your property manager must make “reasonable accommodation” for anyone with an ESA under the Fair Housing Act. This legislation helps protect the rights of people with emotional support animals to have their animal live with them. There are a few exceptions though, such as if your animal is a health and safety risk to anyone else. Landlords and property managers can also ask for a copy of your ESA letter to confirm you are eligible for this type of assistance.

Feeling good about how you click and connect
While there are no strict limits on the types of animals that can be ESAs, dogs, and cats are the most common. Why? These are the types of domestic pets that many of us have already “clicked with” or felt a particular affinity with, or connection to, in our lives.

Emotional support animals can also help us as a human being with our need to feel needed. Having an animal in your life comes with responsibilities, and this is a good thing. You are responsible for taking care of their needs in order for them, in turn, to help you with yours. The bond between a person and an animal should be mutually beneficial.

Taking the first step towards an ESA
If you are wondering whether an emotional support animal might help you feel better, talk to your health professional or try a free pre-screen. If you are not sure on whether to get a cat or a dog or a particular breed, do some research on what kind of care each needs. From there, find the companion that will help make your world a better place. Click here for more information.

26
Dec
2018

12 Laundry Mistakes You’re Probably Making

categories: Article

Are you making mistakes with your laundry?

Doing the laundry is easy, right? The truth is that this may seem like a simple task, but a lot of people do not get it right. We all know that a suit or dress should go to a dry cleaner like this Dry Cleaner in Perth, but it’s easy to make mistakes when it comes to other items. Doing so can end up causing problems, and can potentially cost you money.

So, are you really a whizz at doing the laundry, or do you make mistakes? There are some things that you may be doing and some steps that you may not be taking when you should, click here to learn more.

Rubbing hard at stains

You may think that the harder you rub at a stain, the more likely it is to come out. This is not true. Stains do not react well to fierce rubbing. You need to treat a stain as soon as you can and you should always dab gently rather than scrub away at the material.

Using too much detergent in the wash

This is a very common mistake that people make. It’s easy to assume that the more detergent you use when doing the laundry, the better the results will be. This is not the case. Excess detergent can actually become stuck in the fibers of clothing so that it’s not washed away during the rinse cycle. Using small amounts of specially formulated laundry detergent produces the best results.

Leaving zippers unzipped when clothing is washed

If you do not zip up zippers before you put items of clothing in the wash, you can end up causing damage. When open zips come into contact with delicate fabrics they can snag on them. This can lead to tearing; therefore, be sure to zip all zippers prior to washing

Not unfastening buttons when clothing is washed

Many people do not see any problem with leaving buttons fastened when clothing is washed. The truth is that spending just a few minutes unfastening buttons reduces the stress on buttons and buttonholes, and helps keep them intact for longer.

Failing to make sure that the washing machine is level

If your washing machine is shaking and making a loud noise, there is a good chance that it’s not situated on a level surface. This is not just annoying, parts of the machine, such as the shock absorbers can wear out as a result of the vibration. You need to resolve the problem by adjusting the feet of the machine or leveling out the floor with the use of a suitable piece of wood.

Not washing socks in the correct way

If you are washing socks, remember to place them in a mesh bag so that they do not become entangled with the rest of the laundry. This also helps to resolve the problem of socks that go missing, so that you are left with a lot of odd socks and few pairs.

Doing the laundry is not that complicated. However, making any of these mistakes can end up costing you time and money, and can lead to clothing and bedding items not being as clean as they should.

28
Nov
2018

Hot Holiday Toys for Girls and Boys

categories: Article, Gift Guide

Are you trying to find a hot new toy for the kids in your life this holiday season?

Look no further – we found them!

Boys and girls are going nuts for Grumblies and Pomsies!

Grumbles are exciting shakin’, groovin’ and movin’ toys with an attitude! Grumblies live secretly hidden from mankind. Short-tempered and mischievous, bands of grumblies create supernatural chaos, such as earthquakes, Volcanos, and supernatural chaos!

The Legend of Grumblies

Mischievous and short-tempered, Grumblies’ powerful tantrums are the root source of mother nature’s awesome power.

Poke Them

Poke a sleeping Grumbly in the belly and you’ll startle them awake. Keep poking and there may be gassy consequences.

Flip them

Flip Grumblies around and upside down. Warning: May cause dizziness, belching and tossing of cookies.

Shake Them

Not grumpy enough? Time to shake things up. Shake Grumblies back and forth to send them into hysterics.

Meltdown Imminent

You can also try rolling, juggling or smacking Grumblies. The only real rule is don’t follow the rules.

If you are wanting a soft, cute and adorable to then Pomsies are what you need!

Love Them & They Love You Back

Pomsies are lovable, wearable pom-pom pets you can take anywhere. They’re smart as they are cute & cuddly. Pomsies react when you touch and pet them. Up to 50 different reactions! You can even feel it when they purr! Each Pomsies pet includes a brush to keep their fur soft and pretty.

Wear, Where? Anywhere!

Pomsies make purrfect fashion accessories — Wrap their tails around your wrist, backpack or anywhere!

Pet Them

Pomsies react when you cuddle them. Try petting them on the back of their head, forehead or under their nose!

Feed Them

Grumble, grumble. Uh-oh, Pomsies are hungry! Tap them on the mouth to feed them.

Dance With Them

Got moves? The faster you dance and shake, the faster Pomsies sing their happy song!

28
Nov
2018

The Best Things To Buy In November

categories: Article

The most celebrated time of the year – for most people around the world – fast approaches in the months of November and December. Perhaps it’s because the fall and winter seasons bring people and families together for warmth, and lead resolutely into Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Get-togethers and shopping skyrocket in these months (see Black Friday for example), and it can sometimes be difficult to prioritize the things you want.

It is with this in mind that we’ve compiled a list for you of the best things to buy in November. The price mark-downs on most of these can be downright breathtaking, and represent wonderful opportunities to scoop up things that you’ve always planned on getting – but that were a tad bit too expensive during the spring and summer. You can get something for both his and hers, or maybe your family’s Christmas gift exchange, and get ready to start off the New Year right.

1.Television Sets

When it comes to the best time to buy that new television set, the month of November wins hands-down. After all, the two big bonanza sale days belong to this month: Black Friday and Cyber Monday (the latter is obviously recent, given the explosion of mobile devices in the post 2010-era). Just make sure you pay close attention to the specs to ensure you’re actually getting the advertised good deal.

2. For the Cook and Baker

Another door-buster on the holidays are for baking supplies. Even if you don’t consider yourself a seasoned chef, all the essentials and condiments you could want for any delicatessen will be available at slashed prices in November. There are spices, sugar, cake mixes of all varieties – our favorite is carrot cake mix – and the associated kitchen appliances such as wire whisks and electric can openers on sale. Enjoy the hunt!

3. Organize Your Kitchen – Food Storage Containers

At first glance, this might seem a bit…random or maybe even spurious. Why food storage containers? Well if your house is like most homes in the post-Thanksgiving weeks, you’re going to have a lot of leftovers. Christmas brings extra food, too, so you might as well take advantage of the big savings on food storage containers found at the largest retail stores this November. Besides that, you could even snag some great discounts on all home-related items and more, if you can make use of platforms such as Discounts for Teachers. This can, obviously, be availed only if you have worked as or are a teacher at any educational institution. Furthermore, you’ll likely want to have family and friends take away some of the extra food – what better encouragement that providing them with the discount plastic bags and containers you got at rock-bottom prices?

4. Halloween Discounts? Read More…

Since October would have ended not too long ago by the time November is here, you could consider getting hugely discounted Halloween-themed gear for next year now. You won’t find them at lower prices, since November is officially the off-season for the spooky months and suppliers have got to clear their inventory. Candy will keep for years, as well as the decorations and adornments you’ll need next time around.

5. Winter Preparations for the Home

Every November in the Western Hemisphere brings the first markedly cold drafts of the year with it; as such, it’s time to winterize your home through February, until the reticent Sun emerges regularly once again. This is well-known, and so the market reflects the fact by offering discounts on insulation, caulking and more operations meant to help keep you warm and toasty.

6. Perfumes and Colognes

Nothing wows those in proximity to you more than a subtly elegant fragrance. Although you cannot reasonably expect to locate the big name-brand fragrances such as L’Homme on sale, you most certainly can find some quite good ones on Cyber Monday without ever leaving the comfort of your home. Or, join the mad dash on Black Friday and grab the best ones you can!

7. Hardware & Tools

You can also find awesome discounts in the home improvement section of many stores on Black Friday. Everyone else will likely be focused on the electronics, leaving you to roam unimpeded through the tools and hardware for all those DIY projects that pique your interest from time to time. You can find deals as varied as carpeting and flooring, to even landscaping appliances.

For the power tool fanatic in the home, you are bound to get some deals on Cordless Power Tools and energy banks – and it shouldn’t take much shopping around to get to them. All the major brand names are on sale (usually) on Black Friday, because of the competition – the engine that drives robust economies.

8. Bridal Dresses

This is more common than you think, and the discounts on fantastic wedding dresses in November has been going on for a long time – it’s certainly better to get one now for your upcoming wedding than in summer when the prices skyrocket.

This November, make sure you’re not too late checking out the door buster deals that follow Thanksgiving and precede Christmas

28
Nov
2018

The Best Things to Buy in December

categories: Article

In December, shopping is the norm, regardless of whether it’s for you, your kids, spouse or family members. During this month friends, families or loved ones come together to celebrate, share their experiences, wine, and drink as well as show appreciation to one another through gifts. As such, some of the common items in the long shopping lists and bags include groceries and presents. Aside from such things, you can purchase other remarkable items to put a smile on yourself and those you love during the festive season. Check out some of the cool items you may want to buy in December to get the best deals:

Gift Cards

Photo by Joshua Rainey Photography

Free gifts cards make up one of the ideal ways of getting more value for your money, especially in December. You can look up weekly advertisements put up by various stores near you for products that are accompanied by a free gift card. In most cases, electronics and personal cares items come with such cards. What’s more, most restaurants give a bonus when you buy gift cards.

Pajamas

With winter taking over December, pajamas can be an ideal gift. Aside from being cozy, they are easy to shop for since you do not need to know the recipient ‘s size. For this reason, pajamas are mostly cheap during this month. You can also find specially made gift sets to help you give your PJ drawer some new life.

Seasonal Meats

Nothing brings the December holiday cheer better than good food and more importantly seasonal meats like brisket, prime rib, turkey and ham, particularly for meat lovers. Although these meats are available for consumption throughout the year, keep in mind that they will be high on demand in December. As such, take advantage of the December deals on seasonal meats to prepare for post-holiday feasts by stocking up your freezer.

Electronics

If you are looking for an awesome item to buy in December, the electronics section ought to be on your mind. For best offers on these products, visit or contact your favorite retailer only on Mondays in December. The reason is that most people tend to visit electronic or retail stores during the weekends. However, Mondays present a great opportunity to score the best deals on your desired electronic items since retailers are aware that most people are back to work and can only engage in online shopping.

Champagne

December marks the close of the year. As such, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the events of the year, what you did, what you did not do and more importantly celebrate! What better way to enjoy the moment than when sipping some good bottle of champagne? However, this does not mean that ought to limit yourself to this drink only, as it can be expensive compared to various alternatives such as sparkling wine. Furthermore, ensure that you take advantage of the great deals on champagne and sparkling wines on offer by various retailers or stores.

Football Gear

Photo by dean bertoncelj

Although the list of teams playing in the playoffs may have narrowed down in December, the good thing is that you can get your favorite football team’s gear at a discounted price thanks to a losing season. Although during this month the stands may be cold, there may be no better time to get the best discounts on game tickets and team merchandise. If you want to get something that is unique and personalized, you may want to look at buying Custom Hoodies that have their name and favorite team on so it is a stand-alone piece of ‘merch’ that no one else has.

Clothing (December 26)

Clothing items are one of the most common gift items during the holidays. Due to this demand, the prices may not be too favorable for you, especially before December 26 (Boxing Day). Hence, you may need to wait till this day to get some great clothing deals for spicing up your holiday and giving your wardrobe a makeover. Be sure to buy clothes that suit layering so you can add or remove bulk easily as the weather changes.

A Car

If you are looking for your dream car, getting it at the end of December month is a good idea. You might be able to score yourself a good car deal, as most car dealerships usually clear out their inventory during this time to make room for new cars. fYou’ll need to make sure that you are choosing a reputable dealership that can provide you what you need and has motor trade insurance to operate professionally and safely, otherwise, you could be in hot water with a dodgy car that they haven’t properly checked, which they may not care much about if they didn’t bother to get insurance for their dealership. Try approaching a car dealership on 30th or 31st December and sneak in your negotiation talent to increase your chances of getting the best car deal or an additional discount. You could also use an invoice calculator (to know more, check https://invoice-pricing.com/calculator.cfm) to figure out what the best price is for a new car.

Hardware and tools

If you are a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) enthusiast, then you can appreciate the value of a new set of tools around the house. December happens to be the best month for landing affordable tools and deals. They can also make an excellent gift choice, especially for your dad. Hence, do not miss the opportunity to score great deals on general tool sets, drills, wrenches, and more items in December.

28
Nov
2018

How to Have a Greener Christmas

categories: Article

If you’re one of the countless people who feel they have at least an ounce of responsibility to the planet on which we all reside, then reducing your carbon footprint should be a priority in the coming month – and the best time to start is this Christmas season with the holiday gifts you give.

Consider Local Gift-Hunting

Just think: when you ship something across the nation or even to another country, there are a host of greenhouse gas emissions that trail your package. This means climate change – more specifically, global warming – is an indirect consequence of a lot of round the world shipping. To minimize this, consider gifts that are made locally, near the position of the gift-receiver. If your Secret Santa recipient is one of those people that is in love with the “locally made” scene, this could be a very smart choice!

Additionally, local gifts tend to be made from recycled materials – the wrapping, in particular. By skipping battery-powered presents, you don’t contribute to the 40% increase in battery sales that occur during the holidays. Batteries, of course are not always disposed of properly and can represent an environmental hazard.

Christmas Season Activities in Nature

Although giving and receiving to and from family is a magnificent thing that elicits warm feelings that last throughout the year, you can enhance this further by connecting with nature. Take the family out and explore the principles of sustainable living, as well as taking active steps to become more in tune with your surroundings. For example, you could engage in a bird count with your family members, by recording the name and species of every bird – as well as the numbers of them that you see. If you keep this kind of thing up consistently each year, you’ll fully understand migration patterns, endangered statuses and much more.

Take Care With Electronic Devices

Basically, avoid throwing old electronics away. Your old phones and laptops may work well with some maintenance and repair work. Get in touch with an electronic repair shop provider like nz smart services to save some of your old devices. If it still doesn’t work, do not toss the electronics into the landfill. It’s much better to find one of the many specified electronic disposal bins to do your part in recycling. All those old cameras, tv sets, monitors, smartphones, tablets, etc, have internal batteries (oftentimes) that should not be disposed of regularly.

Downsize the Electricity Bill for Christmas Lighting

This doesn’t mean that you necessarily need to reduce the lights you put up; after all, solar LED lights are a big way to save as well as reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. You ultimately contribute to less natural gas and oil being burned with this strategy, as LEDs use just 5% of the energy as the old incandescent.

For example, a string of light with 100 LEDs uses as much as energy as a single 40 watt light bulb – while pouring out many times the amount of light. This of course translates to big cost savings for you; from say $20 for the older, wasteful kind of lighting, to a tenth of a penny for the newer LEDs.

Green Options for Wrapping Paper

Wrapping is big business – especially around the holiday season. Starting in late October and early November, the quantities purchased sky-rocket; you can do your part to reduce the inevitable waste by skipping out on the hard-to-reuse metallic, glossy wrapping paper and going for the recycled brands. They can be nearly as beautiful, and are much more environmentally friendly. Additionally, if you have wrapping paper that isn’t exactly green but you prefer it, then make it a point to reuse it year-after-year as family members open their presents – just impress upon everyone the need to open them carefully!

Shopping on a Christmas budget, and reducing your carbon footprint are excellent holiday goals.With this, we wish you both a Merry Christmas and a very Green Christmas this holiday season!

27
Nov
2018

Behold! Xnspy is Offering a Mammoth 40% Discount on its Cyber Week Sale

categories: Article

I am a strong supporter of smartphone monitoring apps, be it for your kids or family. They help us all in controlling our kids’ smartphone use and to protect them from the harmful effects of their overuse. They are packed with so many features and easily available online. While they usually don’t come cheap, and nothing is expensive when it comes to the safety of your child. Why not buy them at this time of the year when you can save some extra bucks?

Yes! Xnspy, one of the most popular smartphone monitoring apps online, is offering a gigantic 40% discount as part of Cyber Monday promotions. If you were looking to subscribe to kids monitoring app, then this is the right time get one. I will explain in this post how you can avail this discount from their website.

How to Avail Xnspy Cyber Monday Discount?

It is that moment of the year when we all wait to buy our favorite things on hefty discounts. Xnspy has surprised its users with its discount deal for Cyber Monday by offering FLAT 40% on all its packages. Here is all you need to know about how to avail the discount.

Log on to www.xnspy.com. Remember this app is not available on App Store or Google Play Store, so you can only download it through Xnspy’s official website. Beware of using your card on any other website.

On their website, click on the “Buy Now” option anywhere on the home page.

You will be directed to the “Buy Now” page where two packages will be displayed in front of you. You can choose either of them for monthly, quarterly, and yearly durations. The longer the duration of your plan, the greater will be the discount.

Figure 1: Click on this Buy Now option after selecting a plan

Click on a package of your choice and it will direct you to the checkout page.

On the checkout page, there will be a blank space by the name of “Discount Code” right under the “Xnspy Plans” option. Enter the discount code “XCM40” in this blank space and select “Apply” option next to it.

Figure 2: Insert the code XCM40 here

When you apply this code, 40% price of the selected package will be slashed and you will see the updated price on the screen.

Figure 3: The updated price after applying the code.

Now click on the checkbox to agree to the terms and conditions and proceed to the checkout to complete the sale.

How can Xnspy assist you?

The premium package of Xnspy has more than 35 features. These are some of the noteworthy mentions:

It is available for both iPhone and Android. The good thing is that you can use it on the latest Android Oreo 8.0 or iOS 12.1. There is no need to root or jailbreak the smartphones to use it on the older versions.

Xnspy gives you control of the target phone remotely. It offers a variety of remote monitoring functions to see what happening around the person. For example, if your kid is spending hours and hours on YouTube and you can’t do anything about it, then you can simply use its remote function to lock the tab or phone.

Sometimes you are too busy to go through every piece of monitored information. If you want to make monitoring more specific to save your time, then you can set watch lists in Xnspy for different information. You can set separate watch lists for word, locations, emails, and contacts in your Xnspy account. Once a piece of information, which has been added to the watch list, appears on the target phone, you are instantly notified.

Parents often wonder what their kids are up to when they are out with friends or at a party. If you don’t want to appear like a helicopter parent to your kids or his friends then you can use Xnspy surround record feature. This feature can record the surroundings of your kid’s phone without notifying them or putting them on a call. And it can make recording clips up to 30 minutes in a single session.

So if you are interested in buying a smartphone monitoring app then log on to the Xnspy’s page and avail this amazing discount before the promotion ends.

14
Nov
2018

Green Grocery Shopping

categories: Article

Reusable shopping bags are the way to grocery shop these days. They’re so convenient, and a really smart, easy way to cut down on plastic bags.

Disposable plastic bags are a huge problem to the environment and cutting down on any plastic that we can will be helpful. So, let’s do what we can to help save the environment from plastic bag over–usage by getting the Lotus Trolly Bag today!

This bag is seriously such a great product. It makes shopping easy but more importantly, it makes carrying your bags into your home easier.

When you get to the store, hang it on the cart with the short handles and leave it there until you’re ready to check out. Once the groceries are on the line, pull your bag out and place the, on the cart. They easily slide out onto the cart and stay open so you can conveniently place all your groceries in them. When you get to your car, un-Velcro the bags from each other and place them in one at a time. I’m a ‘carry all the bags into the house in one load’ kind of girl; and these bags are perfect for that!

I primarily shop at Costco and Aldi, both of which have large, wide carts. This is a problem with the Trolly Bag because it doesn’t fit in these carts. The bag is only compatible with standard size (in width) shopping carts. For most people, this probably wouldn’t be an issue; but for someone (like me) with more than one child, this holds some challenges. Unless you’re shopping child-free or with just one child, using the shopping bags (attached to the cart) won’t be possible. (One way to allow this to work is grabbing these large carts so your kids have a seat that isn’t in the basket.)

With all that being said though, the bags have a duel feature that really make it great. The poles that connect the Trolly Bag to the cart are removable, making the bags all the more versatile. Just slide the polls right out of the bag, and use them like any other reusable shopping bag. I love this feature. It’s what actually changed my mind about these bags. When I learned that the polls weren’t wide enough to fit in the carts at the stores where I normally shop, I was really disappointed. But now knowing that I can easily remove (and re-enter) the polls with ease, I can and will use the bags more frequently.

The Lotus Trolly Bag comes with four different sized and colored bags, all removable. This means you can use all four at once, or un-velcro the bags and use them individually.

The purple bag is the largest and has pockets where wine bottles fit snuggly in and a carton of eggs fits well. This keeps your eggs safe and your wine bottles secure. The light blue bag is my favorite. It’s very large and it’s insulated, so all your cold items go here. The top of the bag velcro’s shut, keeping the coolness inside the bag; seriously genius. The last two bags are the same sizes; the dark blue and tan bag. These bags are smallest of the bags and are perfect for running into the store and picking up a few items.

All of the bags, except the light blue, insulated one, have mesh bottoms. This is really great because when there are spills from your groceries, the bags will clean easily. This also ensures that there will be pooling of your spills.

The bags are really long/deep, which I love. They hold a lot and don’t take up a lot of space because they’re skinny and tall; as opposed to my previous shopping bags that are wide and short.

I also LOVE the handles on the Trolly Bag. The long, deep handles are my favorite feature. This means I can hold the bag on my shoulder without it ridding up into my armpit. My largest complaint of ‘normal’ shopping bags is that the handles are so short; there isn’t even room for me to put them up onto my shoulder because they are too short. I’m not sure everyone will appreciate the long handles as much as me, but I just had to share my experience and opinion with you!

The reinforced stitching on the handles a huge plus. Seriously, it’s like super stitching. It would really take a lot for these handles to come apart.

The Lotus Trolly Bag is the perfect shopping accessory to take with you to any grocery store. I love to use them without the poles, mostly because it the stores I shop at the most. All that being said, having the option to put the poles back into the bags so I can use them for their [main] intended purpose.

The strong stitching and large, deep feature of the bags really make these bags stand out from other reusable shopping bags. My favorite feature though, the long straps, seriously.

Go get yourself a Lotus Trolly Bag, or give it as a gift. The holidays are just around the corner!

29
Sep
2018

Happy Feet Makes A Body Happy – Therafit

categories: Article

Our feet are extremely important to our overall health.

Therafit is a shoe line that specializes in making shoes that are build for foot pain relief.

Their patented technology gives you customized support with personalized comfort adapters! That is right, you can may around with your pair of Therafit shoes and find the right resistance in the comfort of your own home.

By Inserting or removing Therafit’s Personal Comfort Adapters, found in the heal of the show, you an adjust the impact resistant of each step.

The new Jessica (leather cross strap sandal) – the shoe MamatheFox is showing you – is now available in Blue Gray and Black

Soft leather uppers and fully adjustable straps make the Jessica a new all-time favorite. The stretch elastic bands complete the perfect look for your Spring and Summer outfit. Therafit’s contoured footbed, superior arch support, and deep heel-cups will stabilize and support your foot. Therafit Footwear products are designed for optimal support and cushioning with the goal of providing you with reliable comfort, protection and relief from arch pain, heel pain, plantar fasciitis, pronation and other foot pain symptoms. Fits Medium to Wide Width. – Therafit Website

I love how easy it is to adjust the personal comfort adapters. They are in there tightly – so if you can push them through using your fingers, I would suggest getting pencil and pushing it though using the soft eraser side.

The velcro is at the toe and the ankle – allowing for a more personalized fit. I have a very wide, almost square shaped foot. These sandals are perfect for me, as I often have a hard time finding a sandal to stay put on my foot. They slip around, being too loose at the heel and too tight at the toes. With Therafit I am able to adjust the shoe so that it feels like it was made for my body.

Therafit has been around for a while, and are a very trusted establishment that fully backs their shoes.

With options like Casual Slip On Shoes – like the Selena Lite

The classic Sport Oxford Lace-Up Shoe

Winter is Coming – be prepared with the Dakota Suede Ankle Boot

Head over to their website and follow them on Instagram to keep up to date with the best and most helpful shoes on the market

27
Sep
2018

Constant Motion with Fluid Stance

categories: Article

For me concentrating has always been a struggle. In college I worked to find strategies that helped me focus and study better. I learned that if I was engaging multiple sensory receptors or activating both hemispheres of my brain, my productivity enhanced. My two biggest go-tos were listening to classical music and sitting on a balance ball.

An unmentionable number of years later, not to reveal how old I am, I find myself out of college with a family and house to manage. When we moved, my husband and I set up an “office” for me to blog, design, and edit my photography. I say “office” because it is literally in the middle of my kitchen. I didn’t want to be out of eye sight of the kids’ play space, not to mention we use our Mac for everything including recipes and entertainment. We chose an adjustable desk so that for the time being we can keep all technology out of reach of little hands. I also had the full intention to use it as a standing desk. Standing desks are all the rage right now and I knew with my focusing problems a chair wasn’t going to cut it.

Also can you imagine what two toddlers could destroy or harm with a giant bright colored bouncy ball?! There was no way I could have gone back to my college strategy of a balance ball.

After about a week of standing at my desk I gave up.

Besides my feet and hips killing me, standing gave me all the more reason to be distracted. I’d feel the urge to walk around a bit and suddenly I was knee deep in a completely different task. I also found myself shifting my weight, leaning, swaying, and cracking my toes. All things that I am sure are not only the intention of a standing desk, but not healthy.

I eventually moved to a swivel chair hoping just some slight movement would help. It resulted in my legs falling asleep and a lethargic body from not moving.

To my surprise, one day on Facebook I saw an add for Fluid Stance! I instantly knew it was a solution I wanted to test!

Meet FluidStance

Website Facebook Instagram Pinterest

Motion enables curiosity, giving wings to creativity. Our collective, creative move awaits…

– Joel Heath, FluidStance Founder & CEO

FluidStance was founded in 2015 by father and health enthusiast Joel Heath. He seemed to have experienced some of the same issues I was having with standing and therefore created a solution in his garage.

The Level

All FluidStance decks are designed to bring constant motion to any workspace and promote better physical, emotional, and intellectual health. The precise design allows optimal movement in a work environment that it professional and healthy. With a FluidStand your body can stretch, move, and fluently adjust while still allowing you to accomplish your daily responsibilities.

In addition, FluidStance goes the extra mile to use eco-conscious materials, work with local companies, and choose sustainable manufacturing processes. Their durable boards are built to with-stance the test of time and come with a life time warranty against manufacturing defects.

And if that didn’t sell you, FluidStance has actually had third-party testing by the Mayo Clinic and received a NEAT certificate from Mayo Clinic.

Benefits of FluidStance

The FluidStance Level increases energy expenditure and assists your body in actively burning calories while you work.
Heart rate was proved to increase 15% when using a FluidStance instead of sitting at a desk.
The Level allows your body to move in three dimensions.
With the use of their patented technology, The Level has reasonable limits of motion to keep users safe and comfortable.
Focus and productivity were in mind when designing The Level. FluidStance not only wants to keep you healthy but productive.

Why our Family Loves FluidStance

I put FluidStance to the test with the The Plane Cloud deck.

The first things I noticed was the 100% recyclable foam top! I knew it was already a step up from my hard cold tile floor.

Having cushion with some give significantly reduces the pain I have in my feet. My husband and I have actually both started using it in the kitchen while preparing food or doing dishes. Our backs feel better, our hips aren’t popped, and our cores are stimulated.

I also was so surprised how easy it was to balance. At first I thought it was going to be a hazard, that I might loose balance or the deck would slip out from beneath me. However, FluidStance holds true to their word of creating a design that helps you fluently move without getting you in a position of danger.

I do have great balance but my husband and toddler can both stand, twist, and rock without any problems. My 2 year old can also hold onto a table and rock herself. Even on title floor, I find it next to impossible to quickly scoot the board from the laid location.

The movement is the perfect amount. I feel completely in control and each movement comes naturally. I can casually shift my weight, stand on one foot, lean, and reposition my feet. Its like standing on the ground but rather than your body meeting rock with each movement you find a fluid wave that is gentle and subtle.

With subtlety comes the ability to focus. My body can fidget mindlessly without being a distraction to my work. Just like sitting on a balance ball, my brain is stimulated with the need to balance while I simultaneously working. I feel more alert, productive, and engaged

My kids love it! As an educator I see the need for movement and keeping kids active. My kids use the deck to rock, twist, and spin. They work on balance by walking from one side to the other or laying across the top. My son calls it his skateboard, which is a gift he has been asking for.

I like to think our FluidStance will help him develop the muscles and coordination to eventually take on a real skateboard.

I feel secure in having my Level at my desk without the risk of my kids hurting themselves or breaking something.

Other Goods from FluidStance

Grade for Kids

Base Mat

The UPmat

>ful Bottle

We hope you take the chance to check out FluidStance as your movement solution. The Level supports a healthy solution while bringing productivity and focus to your work!