Stacy Talks & Reviews: Schools in now what?

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Wednesday

Schools in now what?


For thousands of kids across the US school has officially started (or will soon) and that leaves us mom's with that burning question in our brains "now what"? What's next on our mom agendas? For some that means picking up those last minute school supplies. For some that means doing some deep cleaning with those extra bodies out of the house all day. And for many that means adding after school activities to our calendars and getting home late in the evenings. No matter how you look at it we can all use a little extra "help" with all that back to school season brings.

Help from companies like Truce. Truce cleaning products offers a wide variety of items to cover all your cleaning needs, from all-purpose cleaner, wood cleaner and scouring powder, to get your home sparkly clean without the use of any harmful ingredients. To laundry powder, hand sanitizer, and hand soap to get your clothes clean and hands sanitized from all those back to school germs. Truce only uses SIMPLE and NATURAL ingredients, like borax, essential oils, baking soda, distilled white vinegar and aloe vera, and since they have nothing to hide, they share every ingredient on their labels. I love Truce products not only because of how effective they are, but also because I don't have to worry about harsh or harmful chemicals coming in contact with and potentially hurting our pets.


Remember those after school activities that will be keeping us moms out late? That's where this awesome motion activated Smart Security Light from Maximus will be super handy. From a distance it looks like your average front door light. But if you look close you can see the "eye" at the bottom that's always watching. It keeps an eye on the activity outside your front door 24/7 and will send an alert right to your phone anytime motion is sensed. A great way to keep your home safe when you're away, or your kiddos safe if they arrive home when you're out. As for helping out on those late nights you can program the light to either turn on every evening at a certain time, or turn on when it detects you walking up the sidewalk. Either way you'll have a safely lit path to your front door. With several styles to choose from there's sure to be one that will look great with your outdoor decor. They even have multi-packs so you can have matching lights at every door.


Of course the porch isn't the only place you are going to need that extra lighting help. I'm sure you know what I mean if you've ever barely gotten in the front door with your arms loaded only to realize it's pitch black inside. Living in the country there's no street lights so our house is as dark as dark can get. And that's why I was so thankful to have this new lighting option from the SYLVANIA SMART+ line. I now have the option of turning on this handy new light bulb via the Apple HomeKit app or through voice control using Siri. That means I can turn on the fixture this bulb is in when I pull in the drive before I even get out of my car. Heck I can actually turn it on (or off) from anywhere using the app, or even set a schedule for it to come on at a certain time. Or if I happen to forget all of those options ahead of time, all I need to do is ask Siri to turn the light on for me when I step inside of the house. Either way I have the light I need the moment I need it!


Something else I recently received that's come in quite handy are these two Felt Letter Boards from Artistic Atmosphere. From "First Day of School" photos, to a recent baby reveal party, to everyday notes and sayings these have been used so many times recently in our house. Artistic Atmosphere offers a nice selection of felt letter boards in a variety of styles. They aren't all just your basic wood frame with a felt center. They have ones with beautiful wood-burned art around the edges as well ad double-sided ones featuring blue and pink felt. They even have 2" letters available if you're looking to make your message really stand out! Each felt board comes with 340 white 3/4" characters (letters, symbols, punctuation and emojis!), a drawstring bag, and wooden easel stand. The double sided board comes with both white and teal characters as well as a plastic container to sort them in.

I for one love the endless possibilities that a felt letter board provides. And that they can be used over and over again making them a lifelong investment. My daughter is already planning to use one of them for her class presentation alongside her poster board for added effect. I bet no other kid in the class will have one either!


Even if you missed National Underwear Day on August 5 it's not too late to stock up on a must have necessity for back to school (heck back to everyday). Underwear is one of those things that we all have to have, but don't always think about picking up. What better time then back to school season when Fruit of the Loom is having awesome deals like bonus packs and % off savings! I know I'm always game for freebies and savings when I'm stocking up. And Fruit of the Loom just happens to be our go to brand so why not! I'll probably even be picking up an extra pack for the kiddos to wrap up for Christmas too. It's always fun seeing the look on their faces when they unwrap underwear!!

Also, from now until September 1, Fruit of the Loom is running a contest for one lucky parent to win $10,000. To enter for a chance to win, parents can share a post with #ExtraContest, tagging Fruit of the Loom on Instagram, on why they need an extra pair of hands.


Be sure to check out Faber-Castell if you're looking for brightly colored art supplies because they have the hook-up! From jumbo and gel crayons in a handy plastic box for the younger kiddos to Colored EcoPencils for the older kids and even Connector Paint Boxes filled with brightly colored paints that are fit for all ages Faber-Castell has them all (and more). I love their products because they give you true colors when you're coloring. Red gives you red, not pink like some of the knock off brands. Faber-Castell is a brand name you can trust and rely on for your kids (or even yourself) when it comes to quality art supplies that last.

Of course they aren't just a great place for art supplies. They also carry a vast array of pencils and pens too. Did you know Faber-Castell produces over 2.3 billion wood-cased pencils every year? That's a lot of homework writing and test taking when you think about it!


For the kiddos that like to decorate their backpacks this fun Magical Pom Pom Keychains set from Creativity for Kids is perfect. Set includes colorful yarn, pom pom maker, holographic bodies, beads, satin cord, keychains, glue, wiggly eyes, glitter accessories, scissors and more. Everything they need to make their favorite magical animals down to the keychain to hang them from their backpacks. A great after school activity to keep their hands moving and brains thinking!

For the kiddos that might need a "special friend" to help them stay focused let me introduce you to "Norbert the Narwhal". He's just one of the fun "friends" you'll find in the Mini Sequin Pets line. He features a weighted body and flip sequins - ready to cuddle, calm and comfort. My daughter likes to hold him on her lap when she's doing homework and play with his sequins when she starts to get frustrated and needs to relax.


New this year, is the PLAYMOBIL School line, complete with imaginative playsets that bring young kids right into the classroom. Or the classroom right to your living room so to speak! The Chemistry Class is complete with everything you need to experiment with solids, liquids and gases! From Bunsen burners to crystals, this set is a great way to get kids excited for science!

PLAYMOBIL Chemistry Class allows kids to "experiment" with solids, liquids, and gases in Chemistry Class! Use the Bunsen burner to examine different chemical reactions. The chart on the wall will help guide students with their experiments. Set includes one adult figure, two child figures, lab table, desk, backpack, thermos, crystals, books, test tubes, experiment diagram, binders, and tons of other accessories.

These sets are perfect for kiddos just starting school because you can help them continue to learn while they are at home in a fun environment. Perfect for kids that want to explore and learn beyond the classroom, or kids that might need that extra bit of help presented in a fun (but educational) way.
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