Bestway Airbeds

Long time no see! It has been quite a while since I have written anything here but I am hoping to start up again now that we are settled back in the United States. 

In the past few years, I got married, moved to Germany, was locked down for a couple years due to COVID, and finally moved to a new state. After househunting for six months, we gave up and found a nice house to rent so we are finally starting to feel at home. The most important thing to do now that we are in our new house was to have some family and friends visit for a pre-Holiday get-together. It has been over three years since we have seen any friends or family, besides my sister. 

Enter Bestway Airbeds! I have an office/craft room but it is not quite big enough to have a permanent guest bed and we didn't have time to order and set up furniture in time. I have two airbeds from Bestway. A queen size and a twin. They both have a headboard, which I thought was so cool. They both have built-in A/C pumps to inflate and deflate in a few minutes. This is the most convenient feature. No more searching all over for your separate pump, or the worst-case scenario...leaving it behind!

When the packages arrived we quickly opened them so we could pump them up and let them air out because air mattresses always have that strong plastic smell. It dissipated a ton after a couple days. Yay!

The flocked material on top is so soft. I loved the gray color. They came with storage bags which is a big plus for storage. 

Check out how fast these things inflated! So fun to watch! 

The queen bed pumped up in less than five minutes. 

The twin, in about 3 and a half. It was amazing.

  I have never had a mattress up that quick. Easy Cheesy!

The pumps even have a little spot inside to tuck the cord away, my only complaint is that this cubby is just a little too small. It was tough to smoosh the cord back in.

Unfortunately due to illness, our Holiday Slumber Party was smaller than intended but, one little boy was super excited that now he had his very OWN bed at Auntie's house. He went to bed every night with zero complaints. A book, a blanket, a giant stuffed hampster, and sometimes even a kitty. He slept like a rock! I would say that is a win!

My sister and her husband shared the queen. They said it was pretty awesome for an air mattress. My sister said it was even comfier when my brother-in-law wasn't in the bed!

They also stayed inflated the whole 3 day weekend! Unheard of!

I didn't see a weight rating in the manual, but it held up great for this small family of three, plus a cat! 

The guest room was the place to be that weekend. We had a starry sky nightlight, hot cocoa, and lots of snuggles.

I am still not sure how well these deflate because my cats have claimed both of the beds and basically live on them. It's the holiday season and we are supposed to have more guests so they will probably stay intact until the end of December. They look so nice and are so sturdy, I don't even mind, it is nice to have another room to have cuddle sessions with our fur babies. 

You can check out Bestway products here! My sister has one of their pools. We both love this brand. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Lexicon Go! and Top Trumps Review

Top Trumps was a little too easy for all of my friends. The themes were cool. I played Harry Potter with the J.K. Rowling fans and Star Wars with my Jedi pals, but the concept was just a little blah. You get a hand of cards and pick a stat off of the top one and hope you have the highest one. It's basically all luck. The cards do have fun facts on them, and would be great for kids. Not even much of a filler game for more experienced gamers though. I don't think I will ever play them again. 

If you have kiddos and would be interested in playing Top Trumps, you can check it out here.

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While Top Trumps was a bust I loved Lexicon GO! I have never been a fan of fast paced games, and Lexicon GO requires a bit of speed and dexterity which I am not very skilled in... but I did really well. I liked it more than I expected and have played many times with many people since receiving my copy of it. 

I love that it comes in a little travel case. The tile quality is great. I love the tactile sensation of placing and moving the tiles. Game play is simple. There are two versions to play. Lexicon GO! the fast way, or regular Lexicon which is slower and great for kids to learn spelling and gaming. 

Learn more about Lexicon GO! here.

Both games are great for kids, but it you want something more challenging, I would go with Lexicon GO!

~Crystal Vicious

Blank Slate

Taylor and I had a fun day at King Richard's Faire this past Saturday...and on our way home we stopped in Boston for a Game Night. Before we got into any heavy strategy games I broke out Blank Slate. 

Blank Slate is an easy and fun party game. A great icebreaker to introduce new people to a group. It was so fun to see each person's answers and who they would match up with. 

Of course Eric and I matched quite frequently, while Taylor and Matt were on a similar wavelength. Yehya had amazing answers, they were hilarious. He is much funnier than the rest of us!

Blank Slate is a Party Game for 3-8 players ages 8 and up. 

The game last about 20-35 minutes.

The box comes with everything you need. A Dry-Erase Score Board, 8 Dry-Erase Slates, 250 Double-Sided Word Cue Cards, 8 Dry-Erase Markers with Erasers! No need for paper or pens. Super convenient. 

Blank Slate had such simple rules, with a great score card. It was so easy to keep track of points. It was a quick game to learn and teach as well. Perfect party game, great as a filler game, overall 5 stars. I loved it and can't wait to introduce it to more friends and family. It will definitely be a hit at my sister's birthday party this weekend!!

Snag a copy at Target!

~Crystal Vicious

Telestrations Game Night

I am a huge board game fan. I have a pretty large collection. They take up a large footprint in my living room. While I love role playing and strategy games, I am always on the look out for lighter, simple party games. Telestrations is perfect!

I have the party pack which comes with enough supplies for 12 players! I have another drawing game called Scribblish which I have always loved, but can only support 6 players. Telestrations is the perfect party game and great for a large group! 

 One of my favorite features of Telestrations is that you play on dry erase notepads. This is great for the environment because other sketching games use up lots of paper. These are 100% reusable. Also, because there is no paper, this game is perfect to play outside in the yard. Nothing to blow away, and no trash to pick up. 

 Each page has instructions on what to do during that turn, which is very helpful to those people who don't pay great attention when gaming. I love that I don't have to explain every round. The game is pretty simple. Roll the die and write down that word in your book. Draw a picture, pass, guess the word, pass, until you make a full round. It is hilarious. There is a friendly score and a competitive score. At my house we don't even score, we just pass the books around again and everyone looks through and laughs at what is inside.

I love this game. It's great for larger groups, for lighter gamers, for parties. It's portable, quick setup, easy to learn and really funny. I would recommend to everyone. Young and old, beginners and seasoned gamers too.

~Crystal Vicious

Goddess Garden Pool Party

I was first introduced to Goddess Garden a couple years ago through their essential oils which are awesome! Last year I had head that they were making natural sunscreens but hadn't come across any in my local stores.

When Tryazon launched their Goddess Garden Pool Party I knew I had to get in on the action and try this stuff out! 

They have a whole line of sunscreen products including Everyday tube, Everyday spray Sports Kids spray Facial tube, Kids Sport tube, Sport tube, Kids Sport stick,

Face the Day Daily Moisturizer

& Aloe Spray.

Goddess Garden sunscreens are made from minerals so they are effective immediately and are safe for my sensitive skin. Traditional sunscreens absorb the sun’s rays and take 20 minutes to work and break down quickly. So ditch the cocktail of unpronounceable chemicals in your traditional sunscreen and discover Goddess Garden! 

Mineral sunscreens, like Goddess Garden’s contain zinc and titanium. These are simply tiny rocks that work like mirrors to reflect the sun’s ray. They aren’t absorbed so they won’t irritate your skin or get in your bloodstream. They’re effective immediately and won’t break down in the sun. Best of all, you aren’t coating your body in chemicals! Since they’re natural minerals, they’re just as safe for the earth as they are for you, and they don’t affect the reefs! 

We all tried out a whole variety of goddess garden sunscreen products this weekend and they worked great for everyone, even my nephew approves! 

~Crystal Vicious

Find more Goddess Garden

 Tips for Applying Natural Mineral Sunscreen 

Start with moisturized skin. Goddess Garden’s sunscreen lotions contain nourishing ingredients your skin loves. If your skin is very dry, it can absorb the lotion faster than you can spread the minerals, resulting in a whitening effect.

Cover small areas of your skin at a time. Because the lotion spreads the minerals, apply mineral sunscreen to small areas at a time so the lotion isn’t absorbed before you get it rubbed on. Applying too much in one place can result in the minerals layering up on your skin’s surface. An even application of mineral sunscreen will provide sheer, yet thorough protection.

If it’s white, you’re not finished. Minerals aren’t absorbed into your skin or bloodstream, so if the minerals are not spread evenly and dry white on your skin’s surface, they’ll stay white.

Try the Facial Sunscreen. If you have a darker skin tone, or if you’re still having trouble, you may want to try Goddess Garden’s Facial Sunscreen. It’s made with a unique polished zinc that creates fewer reflection points that contribute to the whitening effect. Minimizing reflections results in a sheerer look, while offering the same protection. While it’s a facial sunscreen, your arms and legs will love the extra benefits.

Pizza Party with Wewalka!

As someone who has only ever used dough out of a can, I was super excited to work with Wewalka and try out their whole line of refrigerated dough. Wewalka’s packaging allows you to feel the dough,so you know it is fresh. The dough is rolled onto parchment paper inside the sleeve. The dough has live baker’s yeast which needs releases carbon dioxide, which is what the little valve on the package is for. Without the can, there are no explosions. For my entire life, I have needed to find someone to open the cans because it scared me so. No more!

Wewalka makes many types of dough for a variety of recipes all available in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, here are a few that I tried. Bistro Dough, that is thin and crispy rolled into traditional round pies. 

Classic Pizza Dough, made with European olive oil, it is slightly thicker than the Bistro dough, it provides a classic crust that is ready to be paired with your favorite toppings.

 Flatbread Dough, made with unbleached, pure wheat flour and is extra thin and crispy. It’s the first flatbread sold refrigerated and ready to use. 

And I can't forget the Puff Pastry Dough, made by layering delicate dough 64 times. It can be used directly from the refrigerator (no thawing required) to bake up exceptionally airy and flaky pastries.

One thing all these products have in common is the use of the highest quality ingredients. No artificial flavors or colors, no high fructose corn syrup, no bleached flour and no hydrogenated oils. It's suitable for vegetarians.

Last weekend I threw a pizza party to try out a few new recipes. For appetizers I made Pretzel Bites. They were easy and delicious. I will likely make them for every party from now on. The whole platter was gone in minutes! Here is the recipe.

Pretzel Bites

1 pkg. Wewalka Classic Pizza Dough

1/2 cup baking soda

Egg wash (1 egg and 2 Tbsp. water, beaten)

Pretzel salt (optional)

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt to taste

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

Cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Unroll refrigerated Classic Pizza Dough onto lightly floured counter. Cut dough into thirds and squeeze each third into a log and then roll out into a rope about 1-in. in thickness. Cut rope into equal size pieces and place on parchment lined baking sheet (using the parchment from the dough package). Repeat with remaining two pieces.

3. Mix baking soda with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil, dissolving baking soda. With a batch of 6-8 at a time, drop the dough pieces into the water and boil for 20 seconds. Remove with a strainer and place pretzel bites back on baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining dough pieces.

4. Place the enclosed parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread out the dough pieces. Brush all pieces with egg wash and top with pretzel salt (salt optional).

5. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until nicely brown in color.

6. Meanwhile, to make the dipping sauce, heat heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When cream starts to boil but before it comes to a full boil, drop to a simmer and lightly salt to taste, whisking constantly. Once cream starts to thicken, add cheese and stir. Once the cheese melts, taste and adjust seasoning. Remove cheese sauce to a bowl and top with a sprinkling of cayenne if desired.

Check out more recipes here.

I was a little nervous after baking the pretzels because the parchment was pretty crispy but don't worry. It is normal that the paper gets brown in the oven, it is oven safe up until 500F.

I made three different pizzas but because I was short on time, I used jarred sauces and precooked meats, but everything tasted amazing anyway...

I made a pepperoni pizza on the Bistro Crust and two flatbread pizzas, one that was Traditional Pizza Sauce with Extra Cheese and one heavenly Chicken Alfredo pizza.

These were so easy, just roll out the dough and parchement paper right onto your cookie sheet. Cook at 425°F. for 15-20 minutes. They were all so good, but that chicken alfredo pizza is going to be a staple in my house from now on and I have never even made a pizza at home.

I made a simple 3 Ingredient Strawberry Tart for dessert. It looked good, but it was definitely missing something. I will have to try a different puff pastry next time.

I love that I can bake recipes right on with the parchment paper on the baking pan, without the need of greasing, buttering or spraying the pan first. There are no food remnants to work around, and nothing sticks to the baking tray. Clean up is a breeze. Simply remove the paper from the pan and toss it. I love when cooking and cleaning are easy.

Find Wewalka near you!

Grab a coupon here!

Thanks Wewalka, for introducing me to the world of refrigerated dough and delicious homemade pizza and desserts. I'll be making lots of goodies.

~Crystal Vicious

STRICTLY BRIKS

Strictly Briks play nice with other toys and are 100% guaranteed to be compatible with all major brands like LEGO, DUPLO, Mega Bloks, and K'NEX brand sets.There are so many options and colors and at a great price. You can let your imagination run wild!

I was able to try out a bunch of different products from Strictly Briks and passed them on to my nephews, except for the small briks. Those are for me. 

The Bag of Small Briks I received were in the basic colors. These are so fun, they have pink and purple. There are many other color options, the clear ones are super cool.

I was also given a pack of Flat Bottom Base Plates. These are way sturdier than I expected. Perfect fit for classic sized bricks a great to build off of.

The Bag of Big Briks are great. Just like Duplo blocks. Great for the little ones. Such an awesome option. These go great with the Big Brik Trap & Gap. Super fun playing with cars and the trap doors. 

A small Trap & Gap 4 Pack to go with the classic sized bricks is so fun. You can build a parking garage and drive your cars up and down. Super study and easy to build.

My favorite product is the AlphaBriks. These tiles are a little tough to pop on an off and they are small, so I didn't pass this on to the 3 and 4 year olds. I like using it as a message board. I think it looks really cool and will probably use it for hashtags. It's so fun.

~Crystal Vicious