In The Book; Personlized books for children & adults. My Reivew!

Growing up with a unique name made finding personalized products difficult to find, now with the various personalization sites available you can add your name to almost anything you want. Today I wanted to share a company called In The Book. If you've ever wanted your name in a book, then this is the company you want to visit. They sell a wide range of books (including coloring books) that you can have your name and a dedication added to. The books make fantastic gifts and they arrive in a giftable box. All of their books start at $24.99 and go up from there.

You might think that this website would be just for giving kids a unique gift, but that is far from the case. They have dozens of books that teens and adults would love as well such as football newspaper books, puzzle books, journals and more. 

In The Book recently reached out to me about doing a review, and after seeing the selection they offer I knew my kids would love one of their books so I agreed. I personally don't like posting my children's names on social media, instead I use their nicknames so some of the images below will have a little editing to remove their full name from the shot or have something over it blocking the name. 

For my daughter I selected a personalized coloring book, She loves to color, draw and create so I thought this would be perfect for her. The cover of the book is personalized to say "Creative Coloring for (custom name goes here)" and the inside of the book will also have the same along with a dedication spot. The dedication section has to be kept short and sweet due to character restrictions but you can still put a lovely dedication on it. 

There was a little excess glue on the inside cover of the coloring book, otherwise everything is very well made and put together. The coloring book is thicker and has more pages than I thought there would be, I received the soft cover copy, but it is also available in hard cover. 

Every other page will have the customized name you selected interwoven with the images itself, it is pretty neat seeing my daughters name on a hot air balloon or the back of an animal. She was excited to receive this book, and started coloring in it right away. The front cover says it is art therapy for grown-ups, however a child and teen can use it as well. There are a lot of intricate designs that will be fun to color, I am looking forward to seeing what she does with the pages. A soft cover copy will cost $34.99, or if you'd prefer a hard cover it would be $50.99. This is the type of coloring book that will take quite a bit of time to finish, which gets you the most out of it! There are a lot of small details to fill in, this reminds me of a coloring book that I like to color in, it helps calm you to fill in all the little lines and just take your mind off of everything else.

For my son I selected the Marvels Avengers storybook collection. This book is huge! It measures just under fourteen inches high and ten inches wide, the book is pure black with red and gold writing which really makes it pop and feel like a Marvel book. As you can see Groot and Spiderman wanted to be part of the photography process, and who can say no to them?

This book has all of their stories in the chronological order that the movies go in and it has a few dozen illustrations showing your favorite super heros. On the front cover and at the top of every page you'll see the "Especially for (name goes here)" which is marvelous for any Marvel fan! There are two different price options for this Marvel story book, if you select the standard cover it will run you $59.99 and a deluxe cover will be $79.99. I love how this book turned out and that they are able to personalize the cover and the pages, I would have been over the moon to receive books like these when I was younger. 

What kind of book would you love to have your name on?

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by In The Book  for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Shore Buddies Giveaway + Review.

Did you know that plastic water bottles can be recycled and turned into stuffed animals? No? Neither did I. I recently came across a brand called Shore Buddies that is working towards their goal of reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean and helping education adults and children of the impact plastic has on the Earth. Every stuffed animal they make is made from six water bottles, I've seen a short clip before of how plastic is broken down to create a type of yarn out of it (you should look up a video of it) the whole thing is pretty interesting and crazy to watch. 

Not only are they helping directly keep plastics out of the ocean by turning them into adorable Shore Buddies, they also take a $1 from every sale and use it towards educational campaigns and animal rescue organizations who help animals affected by plastics in their natural habitat. 

I was recently sent one of their Shore Buddies, I received an adorable blue whale named Emma. If you were to hand me this stuffed animal and ask me what it is made out of, I would have never guessed plastic bottles. Emma is just as soft and squishy as a stuffed animal made out of fabric materials, my kids were shocked as well when I told them about the brand. Emma is so round and lovable, the blue dye used in the yarn is quite lovely.

If you push on the belly of Emma it will play a sound recording of a real whale. The sounds were recorded by a professional marine biologist scientist to make it even more authentic. My daughter would like to be a marine biologist when she is older, so she really enjoyed getting this whale and being able to play the whale sounds. You can purchase Emma for $19.95.

Not everyone is a fan of whales so they also sell four other ocean/beach related stuffed animals - Stephen Seagull, Finn the Dolphin, Shelly the Sea Turtle and Sammy the seal plus they have key chain versions of each one for $9.99. 

While looking at stuffed animals for you or your little one, also check out their reusable straws which help keep millions of straws out of the landfills and oceans. They also offer free coloring pages for kids, there should be a pop up when you first enter the site where you can put in your email and have them send you the coloring pages digitally. 

Prize Alert: One lucky winner is going to win their own Emma the whale. 

This is open World Wide! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! 

This giveaway ends on 03/05/2021

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment telling me which of their other Shore Buddies you love!

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Disclaimer-  Shore Buddies has provided the products mentioned above for the review + the prize for a giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase. 

Dankworth Pond - Exploring more of Safford,AZ.

I recently posted about a little getaway spot in Safford,Arizona called Roper Lake that is great for a weekend camping/fishing trip at a lake, but that isn't the only spot to stop for an adventure in the area. Ten minutes down the road from Roper Lake is another small state park called Dankworth Pond. The day use pass is valid for both parks. We arrived early in the morning on a Sunday, so there were only three other cars in the parking lot, otherwise the park was open and free to explore while still social distancing. 

Dankworth Pond used to be a small fish hatchery, however it has turned into a recreational area for fishing, picnicking, hiking and exploring nature. There are several shaded picnic tables, BBQ grills and a fishing dock along with bathrooms. Further back on one of the hiking trails you'll also find a covered amphitheater (there is vault toilet near here for if you need to go on the trail). 

We stopped by Dankworth the morning we arrived in Safford prior to exploring Roper Lake, so we didn't plan on fishing (the poles were buried in the trunk). Our plan for the day was to visit the hiking trail and see the small replica Indian village they have set up.

The hiking trail they have here features a variety of desert landscapes and a gorgeous view of Mt. Graham. Everything is marked properly, most of the path is pretty straight forward and different areas have a rock path on each side showing you where to walk. We also found several different benches along the way where you can sit and rest or enjoy the views. 

One of the trails they have is called the Dos Arroyos trail which leads back to Dankworth Village, which is an area where they have a replica Indian Village that you are able to see and explore. From the small bit of information I read on the state parks website we were pretty excited to see this. Now granted, it wasn't quite what we had pictured, but it was still a lot of fun to see. Reading or hearing the word "village" you picture almost a small North Pole type village like they have at winter attractions, with several buildings, paths and more. 

When we arrived to the back area we found a gated off area of the park that had a gate you could open and walk into this area. They have a grinding stone set up and there are three different types of building structures that were used over the years. The trails in this particular area felt a little all over the place, but we stuck on the paths as much as we could to get to each of the three structures since they are a bit spaced out. I highly suggest visiting this park and the replica village in the fall/winter or spring months when it is cooler as there is no shading. 

The structures are completely open, however they are very dark inside. I didn't see any signs stating you shouldn't enter them, but I found it a little too creepy due to the thoughts of creepy critters lurking in the shadows. The trail in total is a 1.75 mile loop, we found the trail easy to navigate and the terrain was pretty level making this a great trail for even a beginner to go on a hike. 

The views are gorgeous, you'll find a wide variety of plants, birds and wildlife along the trail and off in the distance you can see a perfect view of Mt. Graham. During our trip the mountain was covered in snow, quite breathtaking to see. We saw a number of ducks, a heron and lots of small birds along the way. There is one section of the trail that has a small stream that runs under a bridge and it is surrounded by tress which makes a great photo opportunity spot.

If you are looking for a great spot to fish there are a few benches around the pond, and there is a fishing dock you can fish off of. You are also allowed to kayak, or launch a small non motorized boat to take around the pond. The park is open from 6am until 10pm, you can pack a lunch and have a picnic, bring your dogs for a walk. We thought this was a lovely spot to spend the morning and if we are in the area again we will stop back through. The location of this park is Dankworth Pond, Swift Trail Junction, AZ 85546 which is only a few miles South of Roper Lake State Park.

Fleurtiva CBD drops Reivew.

If you haven't heard of CBD products yet, you may have been hiding under a rock. I've noticed products with CBD popping up more and more, from soaps to lotions and beyond. Depending on how long you've been a visitor to my blog you may have seen that I've worked with the brand Earthly Body on occasion. Earthly body is the umbrella brand for several smaller brands they own, one of which is called Fleurtiva.

Fleurtiva sells Hemp CBD drops in two different flavors and sizes, they are a vegan and cruelty-free brand. CBD has a number of benefits and it can help with a number of things that vary from person to person, Fleurtiva isn't able to make any statements on what it can or can't help due to regulations regarding CBD, however you can look up the variety of benefits it offers to see if this product is right for you.

Why do I choose to use CBD from time to time? Every once in a while the tension in my back starts to build up and cause a bit of a back ache (I need to start doing yoga more!) which can lead to a semi-restless nights sleep. I have found that CBD helps me relax and provides me with a better sleep, I wake up feeling rested and calm. They work quickly, you'll feel calmer within the thirty to sixty minutes after you use this, it can be used any time during the day because it doesn't make you drowsy. 

Their drops come in two different flavors - Marshmallow and Orange and can be purchased in 500mg or 1000mg depending on how strong you'd like your drops. A 500mg bottle can be purchased for $49.99, which may seem a little pricey however the bottle will last quite some time especially if you don't use it that often. To use this you fill the drop half to full and put the liquid under your tongue, holding it there for 30 seconds before swallowing. I personally thought it tasted a bit like sunflower oil, it wasn't the worst flavor in the world though I think I may have preferred a Marshmallow flavor. Each bottle has under .3% THC, If you have more questions on what CBD is you can check out their information page Here.

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Fleurtiva for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Twisted Wares Review & $50 Giveaway!

 

When a package arrives on your door step with this advisory, you know you are going to get a good laugh out of what ever is in the box. If you love puns, cursing like a pirate and naughty humor this post and company is one you are going to love. I personally am a sucker for a good pun, and there are so many products on Twisted Wares that made me laugh out loud while I was looking through what they have to offer. 

Who is Twisted Wares? They are your one stop shop for funny gifts and housewares, it was all started by a woman named Missy who started creating what is known as the Hang Tight Towels. She was sick of picking up hand towels off the floor when her three boys kept knocking it down wiping their hands or simply running by the stove. So she created a towel that holds on and won't fall off until you are ready to take it down, and since then the store has grown into the hilarious beast it is now. 

I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with them on not only a review, but an awesome giveaway as well. For my review I went with more of the mild mannered products, however there are a ton more products on their website that will make you laugh like the "Rock out with your crock out" towel that has a picture of a crock pot or one of my favorites "Ringmaster of the shit show". For my review I provided them with a small list of items I was interested in for my home and was sent two bathroom hang tight towels, a potholder, a oven mitt, a note pad and a car air freshener. 

The two hand towels I picked out say "Please wash your hands, No Seriously!" which I picked out because I feel like I am always having to remind or ask my eight year old son if he remembered to wash his hands. The second says "A fart is a wish your butt makes" this one made not only myself laugh quite a bit, it also made my twelve year old giggle uncontrollably so I picked this one out for her. How do they work? The back side of the hand towel has a black fabric band that you tuck the front half of the towel into, you can move it up to the desired width you'd like the towel to hang. As you can see in the images above one I tightened all the way to be flush with the hand towel holder and the other I let hang a bit loose which I prefer the look of so it isn't touching the top of the counter. They won't fall down, and they are easy to hang up/take back down plus they are quite absorbent and they will make you smile every time you look at them. They can be purchased for $14 each.

Now onto the kitchen! I was in need of a new potholder the other one got a little burned on the grill by accident, so this one came just in time. Looking through their site I found this humorous "This recipe sparks joy" oven mitt which of course reminds me of the Marie Kondo method, and it also made me smile because my husband and I enjoy cooking and are always happy when our dishes turn out delicious. I also received the "Made with love and some other shit" because it perfectly describes how I feel when I cook, I always joke homemade food tastes better because it is made with love.

Both of them are thick and are very helpful with protecting my hands from getting burned! They also seem like they will be easy to wash which is perfect because we all know the kitchen can be a messy place. The oven mitt can be purchased for $14.99 and the potholder is $12.00.

They also sell a variety of other products like candles, aprons, makeup bags and more. When I spotted the "Get thy shit together" list pad, I knew I had to have it because one I like keeping track of what needs to be done, and two it is always nice to keep all of your shit together so the pad will come in handy. The list pad is HUGE, it has 250 sheets and feels like it weighs a pound. I've already started using this pad and I love it, the paper works well with my favorite pens, there is no smudging or running ink and the sheets are easy to tear off. The chunky list pad can be purchased for $12 and unless you are using multiple sheets a day this pad will last a long while. 

Last, but not least I received a set car air fresheners that say "Queen of damn near everything". This air freshener is in the scent "Happy Hour" which is a mixture of pomegranate, zesty grapefruit, fresh mint, tart red currents, sugared blackberry and amber musk. I had planned on giving one of these to my best friend however after smelling how amazing this scent is I am not sure if that is going to happen now! I am also now curious how the rest of their air fresheners smell, and I wish they sold this scent in a room spray. You can purchase a two pack of car air fresheners for $5.

They have a lot to look through so if you like what you see here I would head over and see what else they have to offer you! I personally am eyeing some of their candles, greeting cards and aprons. Speaking of heading over to see what you might want to get for your own home, who wants to enter a fun giveaway?

PRIZE ALERT: One lucky winner will win a $50 digital gift card!!!

This is open World Wide! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! 

This giveaway ends on 03/05/2021

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment telling me a product from their website that you'd buy if you won the gift card. 

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Disclaimer-  Twisted Wares has provided the products mentioned above for the review + the prize for a giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase. 

Skoy Cloth Review & Giveaway!

It is always nice to find a brand that is multifunctional and eco-friendly, which is why I was excited to checked out Skoy when I heard about how great their products are. The original Skoy sponge cloth was founded in 2007 by two forward-thinkin women Michelle Lundqvist and Karen Petersen who wanted to create products that were better than what was out in the market. Now thirteen years later Skoy cloths are still being sold along with several other fantastic products added to their line. 

Let's talk about the original Skoy cloth first, it seems like a fitting product to start off with. The Skoy sponge cloth is a fantastic product that will help you replace the need for paper towels. These cloths feel like paper towels, but they are quite a bit thicker. I wanted to test out its durability, as you know when a normal paper towel gets wet it can easily be pulled apart so I tested it out with this and I am happy to report it was flexible but it didn't rip or tear at all. 

I also tested to see how well these worked when it came to washing the dirty mirror in my kids bathroom, they worked perfectly, no streaks or smears left behind. After washing the mirror I added a little soap and water and cleaned off the counter, it again took care of the mess without any issues. I like that these can easily be washed, they are made to out last 15 rolls of paper towels. Plus they are 100% biodegradable and compostable so they won't stick around for longer than they are needed. You can pick up a four pack of these for $7.99 they come in four different , I will be keeping mine along side my kitchen towels so I always have one near by when I need it for cleaning up a mess.

Next up is the Skoy Scrub which is a scouring pad, instead of being round and a little bit of a pain to hold onto like other scouring pads these are flat and look like small cloths. They are made from cotton and a non-toxic hardener which makes them perfect for scrubbing pots, pans and the counter, however they are also flexible enough you can use them to clean silverware as well. Instead of tossing it out when it gets a bit dirty they can be cleaned in the top rack of the dishwasher. 

I found this easy to store and the cute patterns make it to where you won't need to hide these under the sink when you aren't using them. I think these will be pretty handy cleaning the bathroom as well! You can purchase a two pack for $6.99 and these come in a variety of colors as well. 

 

They also create and sell the Skoy Towel, a 100% recycled polyester cloth that is 18x24 and very absorbent. This towel feels quite soft and it really does absorb a lot of water, I dried off a few dishes with the towel and you could hardly tell I used it at all. It dried quickly afterwards because when I went to go dry my hands off with it while I was cooking it was already dry. I like having a small towel in front of me when doing the dishes so that my shirt doesn't get wet and this is the perfect towel for that. You can pick one up for $12.99, both sides of the towel are printed. Mine is white on one side and gray on the other if you prefer they also come in red,green and blue.

PRIZE ALERT: One lucky winner will win the same set of products that I received for review. This prize package is worth $27.97

This is open to US Residents only! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! 

This giveaway ends on 03/02/2021

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment telling me one which of these products you would be most excited to use. 

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Disclaimer-  Skoy has provided the products mentioned above for the review + the prize for a giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase. 

Visiting Roper Lake State Park in Safford,AZ

One of my favorite things about winter in Arizona is that while it might be a little chilly first thing in the morning, mid-morning until evening it offers perfect weather conditions. It is generally between 50-70 degrees through out the day which is ideal for going on long hikes (or short hikes if you prefer). The lower temperatures also means you have less of a chance  to run into a wild snake since they aren't as active during the winter. We've been getting out more to explore and hike as a family to take advantage of the nice weather, along side visiting various locations on our own, I am currently working along with the AZ State Parks Department to visit some of the state parks and see what they have to offer. Our last trip took us to Benson,Arizona where we visited Kartchner State Park (click to read my review of the park). This time around we went a little more east from where we are and went to Safford,Arizona to visit Roper Lake State Park. 

The two parks are about an hour and a half apart, so if you are looking to extend your vacation it wouldn't be a bad idea to visit both parks and spend a day or two at each. From Phoenix it took us around three to three and a half hours to reach our destination, this was without any stops since we had filled up the car with gas and used the bathroom before leaving. We took the US 60 until it turned into the US 70 and continued on until we reached Highway 191 where Roper Lake is located. The drive was lovely, it took us through some cute small towns, various mountain and desert areas and you'll pass through a few reservations on your way. 

This particular state park isn't one that is far away from civilization, in fact it is only six miles from Safford and there are plenty of houses, and restaurants near by. If you forgot a hair brush, towels, or really anything else there is a Dollar General only a three minute drive from the parks front gates which makes it convenient if you are prone to forgetting one or two things when you pack. Roper lake was originally a ranch that was purchased by the state in 1972 to build a reservoir and it sits on 32 acres of land. This lake isn't connected to a river, so the lake is maintained and stocked with fish by the state department. If you are looking to stay in the park over night, they offer eight cabins to rent along with plenty of RV and camping spots. 

For our trip to Roper Lake we received a two night stay in the Hummingbird cabin. Check in for entering the cabins is 3pm, however you are free to arrive any time of the day to get your park pass, visit the lake, hike, fish or swim before heading to your cabin. We arrived early in the morning on the day we needed to check in, we wanted to get checked into the park system itself so we could get our parking pass. Included with your pass is access to Danksworth State Pond which is several miles south of Roper lake, so we wanted to head there first. If you visit the pond first you'll need to pay the daily fee, I will cover that park in another post within the next week along with a small review of the cabin itself. 

While Roper Lake is significantly smaller than some of the other lakes in the state it has a lot to offer. If you drive around the back side of the park past all of the camping areas you'll find parking for a "Island". The island is a large piece of land that sticks out into the lake, so you'll be surrounded by the lake on both sides. It has picnic areas, a large gazebo, plenty of grass to spread out blankets and relax and it has a designated beach area that is for swimming. No boats or fishers are allowed in this area so you can swim and relax without any worries. During our trip we spotted a few families enjoying the beach area, the water was chilly but nice, you can see half of the beach area above. As mentioned there were two families here so I didn't want to be rude and include them in the photo, the beach is larger than what is shown in the photo above. Pets are allowed in the park, and you can pay a small fee to have them in your cabin as well. If you bring them with they need to stay on their leash, however if they want to run free for a while they have a dog run in the back of the park that is fenced in. 

Through out the year the state parks department stocks this lake with various fish (you can find a calendar on their website). The most recent fish stocked at this lake was a group of Albino rainbow Trout. We did bring all of our gear, however this time around even with hours of fishing we sadly didn't catch any fish and it didn't look like the few other fishers near us had any luck either. My son did however have an unusual catch! While fishing off of the fishing dock my sons line got caught on another line that was in the water, he managed to reel it in enough I was able to lean over and grab both his line and the other. It is preferable that you don't leave behind extra fishing lines, lures, etc in the water so I decided to pull up the line that his caught on. I ended up pulling up some fishing lures, and not one but two entire fishing poles all of which I tossed into the trash bin they provided on the dock. Boating is allowed, however it needs to be a motor free boat so this lake is perfect for anyone who loves to paddle boat, kayak, paddleboard, etc.

We may not have caught anything this time around, but we still had a great time. There were lots of ducks and birds to watch, we had one duck in particular that hung out next to use the entire time we were fishing, letting out a few honks occasionally to let us know he was still there. We also spotted several gorgeous cranes, we counted six in total - four white, and two grey. I also became very excited when I spotted a Cardinal couple when I was walking around by myself exploring some of their picnic areas. They were in an exploring mood as well and kept flying between a few trees, though I did manage to capture a few shots of them. 

During the evening, when the sun starts to set is usually when the bugs become more active which means the birds are as well. In front of our cabin was an area where the water had receded a bit showing a large patch of mud, once the sun had fallen the area had dozens of birds descend upon it for dinner. We all enjoyed seeing and hearing all of the birds, it was neat to watch. 

In the mood for a hike? There is plenty of hiking in and around the park. We decided to check out the Mariah Mesa trail located in the park which is a .75 mile loop. As you can see from the photo we had a gorgeous view of Mount. Graham covered in snow during our hike. The hike has clearly marked trails, along with hand rails and easy to navigate steps leading up the hill. If you feel a bit exhausted when you reach the top, or you just want to take a break and enjoy the views there are two benches at the top facing opposite directions so you can just sit and relax. Once you get down, if you need to use the bathroom there is one located directly across the road from where the trail head starts. 

Over all the park was quite clean, we spotted several different species of birds and small critters. The park looks stunning at sunset, I've always loved Arizona sunsets but with the snow capped mountains and the lake reflecting the sunset colors it was just captivating. Before leaving if you'd like to take a souvenir home they have a gift shop that has shirts, snacks, magnets, gifts for kids and more. 

Disclaimer- The one night cabin rental mentioned above were provided by The Arizona State Parks Department for a review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.