Tryazon Hero Grill

We had some friends over to try out this new characoal grill system from Hero. When they arrived, we all went outside to watch Charlie light the grill, and I explained the features. Then the ladies went back in while the guys grilled, and we all enjoyed burgers and an "indoor cookout" (It was cold and dark- November in Wisconsin!)

Here is our review of the grill:

Pros: I love its compact size and how everything can fit into a carrying case. The grill itself is very nonstick and just the right size for four, not six burgers. Maybe our burgers are "too big." It was easy to light and there was very little smoke when lit. There was no weird taste to the burgers. It cleaned up nicely in the dishwasher. I like that it is eco-friendly, though that raises the price considerably compared to other charcoal grills.

Cons: It did not get very hot. It also burned through the bottom of the cardboard.... the lava rock tray did not burn, just got hot enough in a couple places to scorch the cardboard. But it took forever to heat up and didn’t sear the meat very well at all. Will continue to use from time to time but the price point of the charcoal pods is way too high for our use (when we go camping we take a big bag of charcoal and cook for at least 2 meals a day- we can't afford $10 a meal just for the charcoal.)

Tryazon Cozy with Cocoa Kids Party

During CT's birthday week, I hosted a Cozy With Kids Cocoa Party with Tryazon and Meribel Jamco. My kids all love hot cocoa and we tried a new recipe in the crockpot.

Meribel Designs makes novelty mugs and adult slippers. Either would make a great gift. I gave the two slippers they sent as door prizes for my guests and kept the unicorn mug, which my daughter loves.

Jamco Brandz makes Peek a Boo Palz which are cute puppies that play Peek A Boo and sing Do Your Ears Hang Low. I think they are kind of annoying and a little too babyish for my kids (ages 3, 5, and 7) but the kids LOVE them. Would make a nice gift for a baby or young toddler, maybe. Though it would probably annoy their parents.

Jamco Brandz also makes Walkie Talkies which is not what it sounds like... it is a stuffed animal that "walks" and repeats what you say. It is a weird design-- the animal only makes a few steps (our elephant often falls over as it "walks") and you can't set it to record a certain thing by pressing Record and Play, you just turn it on and then talk and it sort of anticipates when you are done talking and repeats it, in a high pitched, fast voice. Then it turns itself off (or I think you can turn it off by pressing the button again) so it won't always repeat everything it hears. Ours did not come with any instructions. The button makes a high pitched BEEP which is annoying. We've noticed that the toy repeats our youngest child the best- probably because of her high pitched voice- and she LOVES the thing. We have to tell her to turn it off sometimes because she would play with it all day. I would NOT give this as a gift.

Both toys have a battery pack which allows it to be turned on and off. Typically I do not purchase toys that make sounds, but when we are given them as a gift, we wait till the battery runs out and then don't replace the batteries, or sometimes, take the battery pack out (if it is a stuffy). These plushes both have "robotic" limbs (plastic or metal skeletons, I'm guessing) so I don't know if they would really be a good toy once you take the battery pack out- you would be able to tell that something is missing.

Overall, I thought the mugs and slippers were better holiday gifts than the toys. Thanks, Tryazon and Meribel for allowing us to test-drive these products with our friends!

Tryazon Blenditup and Norms Farms Smoothie Party

I had done another Tryazon party with a different elderberry brand last month, so when I saw a new product to try from Norm's Farms, I thought this would be a great opportunity to compare! Plus, we make smoothies for the kids almost every day, so I was hoping I could boost their protein with the Blenditup Protein powder.

For the party, we had a meal, and then I made smoothies using a Blenditup recipe (just yogurt, protein powder, milk, and frozen blueberries, with a bit of elderberry syrup added to it). My husband enjoyed it, and had two servings. Everyone else thought it was just ok, and I didn't care for it. I have tried the protein powder in several recipes, and although it says it is "never gritty", I can still taste it in the smoothies and I don't care for it. I was thinking of trying it in pancakes, but one of the party guests says she has made protein powder pancakes before and they didn't turn out great. I think soy protein is just not for us.

Here are my reviews of the Norms Farms products:

Wellness Syrup-
This is tasty! My husband put it in hot water to make a tea, and said it was soothing. My kids and I like to drink it by itself, in the recommended dose. My friend enjoyed the cloves and honey flavors.

Elderberry Extract-
This is a much stronger flavor than the wellness syrup, and is better to add to something, like a smoothie or a recipe, rather than drinking it straight.

If you would like to try either of these products, use the code TRYAZON25 for 25% off at Blenditup,com or TRYAZON15 for 15% off at Normsfarms.com

Tryazon HuePets Party

Tryazon sent us a box from Hue Trition, with cute coloring books, Banangrams (a word game), and little HuePets branded toys. The HuePets app is free, and the way it works is that you pick a colored egg, and then use your phone to scan different fruits and veggies, based on color, to then "feed" your pet whatever you are eating. The more colors they eat, the more they grow, and you can earn coins to spend on different accessories for them. If a parent goes online to manage the account, you can set a reward (movie night, sleepover, new toy from Amazon, etc) to incentivize your kids to eat all their food.

For our party, I decided to do "build your own" veggie pizza and fruit pizza. The kids had fun with the app and the coloring books, and the adults had fun with Bananagrams.

Tryazon Astro Trash Game Night

I was excited to try this game from The Op (Usaopoly) because it was something we could all play together as a family- fun for adults and kids. It is easy enough for my almost-5 and almost-7 year old to play, and my 3 year old to play, with help. It can have as few as 3 players, or as many as 5, which is perfect for our family of 5. The others at the game night seemed to enjoy it, too! It is fast-paced and doesn't take long to learn.

#theOP #AstroTrash #Tryazon 

Tryazon Sambucol Party

#Tryazon #Sambucol #BlackElderberry #Elderberry #immunesystem #Sambucolgummies @sambucol  @sambucolusa

I was excited to try these products because we are getting into the cold/flu season, and I want to make sure my family stays healthy. I know several people who use elderberry syrup, but I hadn't used it yet.

After a week of trying the products, there were my initial impressions:

SAMBUCOL ORIGINAL BLACK ELDERBERRY SYRUP 7.8OZ
Tastes great, seems to work. With any preventative product, it is hard to tell if it really "works"... would I have gotten sick had I not taken it? Who knows. If I can find it for a reasonable price (price online is way too high) I would purchase it again.

SAMBUCOL KIDS BLACK ELDERBERRY SYRUP 7.8OZ
I had tried the regular version before (for ages 4+) and it looked like this has the SAME concentration, same dosage instructions (other than nutritional percentages) and seems to be the same ingredients, except with a slightly different flavor. Why is the other bottle only for ages 4+ and this is for 2+? I am not sure.**  But the kids like the taste, so it is a good supplement. Just too pricey to buy all the time.

SAMBUCOL HOMEOPATHIC COLD & FLU RELIEF REMEDY
It was good timing, because I did feel like I was starting to get a cold, and that is when you are supposed to start taking it. I don't know if it helped with any of the symptoms (runny nose, headache, slightly sore throat) but it did seem to lessen the time I had the cold. Typically when I get a virus it lasts at least a week and gets progressively worse, but while I was taking this, my symptoms never progressed past mild, and I was only sick for a couple days. I don't think it's really a remedy, but more of an immune booster. But I would (and have) recommended it to my friends as a safe way to treat a cold. A cold is not usually something you can "cure"... just wait till the virus runs its course. And this seems to shorten that course.
This was my favorite product- in terms of value. The Syrup and gummies are just too expensive, and the Pastilles were weird. This is what I will be purchasing in the future.

SAMBUCOL BLACK ELDERBERRY GUMMIES 30CT
My family enjoys the taste of these gummies. They have a strong flavor, but no bad aftertaste, and they are easy to chew and swallow for my kids. I wish they didn't stick together so much- it is basically like a big clump in the bottle, and you have to work at it to get the gummies to come apart. They do keep their form, though, so you don't have to worry that you are eating more than 1 serving/dose. So far (we've been taking them for about a week) it is hard to say whether the immunity boosting properties are really working. They are pretty expensive for a preventative treatment, and there are 5 of us in my family, so I don't know if I will be able to continue purchasing them in the future. The picture shows the bottle pretty much filled up with gummies- this is not the case. Like a bag of chips, the bottle is mostly air. So, I wish it came with more gummies and I wish they werent so sticky, but overall I believe this is a good product.

SAMBUCOL BLACK ELDERBERRY PASTILLE THROAT LOZENGE
Of all the Sambucol products I've used, these are the ones I like the LEAST. The flavor is weird (almost meaty-irony, mixed with the berry flavor. didn't taste honey at all) and the texture is hard to know what to do with (you are not supposed to swallow them, but they can't really be chewed, and sucking on them gives you more of the unpleasant flavor) I didn't think they were soothing at all, like a typical losenge. The elderberry properties are there, and the only thing giving these 3 stars is the price-- they seem that they are the most affordable way, with this brand, to get your elderberry benefits. But I would much rather have a gummy or a syrup, if I can afford it.


**A friend pointed out to me at the party that the concentration seems different.

I invited several friends to my party, and due to schedules, two of them (and their 4 kids) couldnt make it. So, our lunch date party was small, but we had fun discussing our opinions and past experiences with this brand. Two of the other friends were excited about the samples and coupons, and one said she does not want to try them. 

Tryazon DynaTrap Focus Group

This Tryazon event was a little different- it was a focus group, not really a party. We still had fun, and it worked out well to do this one as a cookout, since the product we were testing is used indoors and outdoors.

First, the unboxing. You can see my initial reactions to the products and the packaging here:


Then, the set-up. A few days before the party, we set up 2 of our DynaTraps. First, the small indoor flypaper one. It is attractive, doesn't take up too much space, and is easy to setup. (Just peel the backing off the sticky paper and insert it behind the light. Then plug it in) We had it on our porch for a few days and it caught a lot of little bugs (gnats, fruit flies, and mosquitoes) but not houseflies. I noticed some fruit flies in the kitchen, so I moved it in there for a few days. I like how easy it is to move to the room you need it. Although if you had a real problem with indoor bugs it would probably be worth it to invest in  one for each "problem room".

The second part of the setup was figuring out where to install the outdoor one. We chose the 1/4 acre one for our backyard, since we don't really have a big enough front and side yard, and our whole lot is less than a 1/4 acre anyway. I wanted to put it by our bushes at the back of the yard, which is where we see the most bugs (gnats, mosquitoes, and Japanese beetles, which are decimating our raspberry bushes). But it has to be plugged in, and we dont have electrical back there. So, I had to hang it near our patio, which is not ideal placement, due to the proximity of where we gather, and due to the other lights in that area. Also, the extension cord was grounded, and the socket was not, so we had to use an adapter that was not rated for outdoor use, which means we'll have to pick up another part, or a longer and ungrounded extension cord. Definitely things to keep in mind if someone is looking at investing in one of these devices (I looked up the prices, and they are not cheap!)

After a few days of running it 24/7, I will say that we noticed it is catching a LOT of bugs. Unfortunately, they are mostly moths, which is not what bothers us. But there are also a few mosquitoes in there, which is a good thing. I wish it was catching beetles, flies, and hornets. I have not noticed any decrease in their numbers in our yard since setting up the DynaTrap.

The other product we used was the bug zapper wand. It is large and impressive, I like the safety features, and it is fun to use! I killed one crawling bug on our porch, instantly, and the little blue spark when it zapped it was cool. But I hit a fly with it 3 times (making contact each time, as seen by the blue ZAP!) and it still never died! So I don't think it is any more effective than a regular fly swatter, really. Only heavier, so it is harder to swat with. I would not purchase another one.

On the night of my event, we first looked at the packaging for the large, 1/2 acre DynaTrap. Then everyone took the survey. Then we watched the videos and I read the product description. After that, it was about dinnertime, so we went outside, ate, had a fire, and talked about the outdoor trap- the pros and cons I mentioned above. I picked numbers for the people to take home the other products, and we took a group picture.

Seventh Generation Glass Cleaner

I received a full bottle of the new Sparkling Seaside Scent Glass Cleaner from the #GenerationGood community. Here's what I thought of it



I don't really mind having chemicals in my cleaners, so I am happy with my current brand of glass cleaner (Windex). But I don't really like the ammonia smell. The smell of this product was different, and a little better. It was interesting.

I don't feel that this cleaned quite as well as Windex, but it is an adequate substitute- it cleaned well enough. I was worried that being oil-based, with the essential oils, that it would be streaky and leave a residue, but as long as you didn't spray too much on, that didn't really happen. Overall, it is ok, and for people that really care about not having harsh chemicals, this would probably be worth the extra cost.

I received a free product for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Tryazon Little Medical School Party

We had fun having our friends over to "play doctor"! All the kids were kept engaged by the activities for a short time, and then spent the rest of their playdate using their imagination and the pieces of the kits to do their own checkups. The toys kept them all busy for a long time! Here are my reviews, with pictures at the end.

Pediatrician kit:

My kids, age 6, 4, and 2, had fun with this kit. We received it for free from Tryazon, but my opinions are my own. Personally, if I had paid for the kit, I would be a bit disappointed. My daughter loved the stuffed baby, but I wish it had been more anatomically correct- more like a model than just a toy (she could use basically any baby doll for this. However, it is adorable and huggable and now it's her favorite baby. We have a smaller "Baby Stella" doll that looks just like it, and they are "sisters" now.)

Also, the "labcoat" was a disappointment- just a cheap papery material that is clearly disposable. I suppose if your kids were really careful with it you could get a couple uses out of it, but she chose to wear her current Doc McStuffins dress-up coat that we already had. I realize that these corners must be cut to keep the price reasonable, but in that case I wish they had left the labcoat out and given a nice badge or something instead.

The best part of the kit was the working stethoscope. My kids have a toy one, but they are very glad now to have a real one, and have been checking each other's (and our dogs) hearts every day.

The workbook was cute, but lacking. One of the "projects" was changing a diaper and swaddling- both good things but more like a parenting class than a doctor class. And also something we could have easily done ourselves without the kit. The measurement activity was good but I would have rather had activities like immunization (with a toy syringe) and a blood pressure cuff.

Overall, a cute play kit, and I appreciate this company and what they are doing to inspire the next generation of medical professionals. But please keep tweaking the kits to make them more educational.

#LMSInspire #LMSFun #Tryazon

Vet kit:

My kids, age 6, 4, and 2, had fun with this kit. We received it for free from Tryazon, but my opinions are my own. Personally, if I had paid for the kit, I would be a bit disappointed. My daughter loved the stuffed dog, but I wish it had been more anatomically correct- more like a model than just a toy (she could use basically any stuffed toy for this. For example, one of the things she does in the checkup is check the teeth-- this dog has an open mouth and tongue, but no teeth. I understand that this is pretend play, but like I said, this is pretend play we could have easily done ourselves using the stuffies we already own, without this kit) Also, the "labcoat" was a disappointment- just a cheap papery material that is clearly disposable. I suppose if your kids were really careful with it you could get a couple uses out of it, but she chose to wear her current Doc McStuffins dress-up coat that we already had. I realize that these corners must be cut to keep the price reasonable, but in that case I wish they had left the labcoat out and given a nice badge or something instead.

The best part of the kit was the working stethoscope. My kids have a toy one, but they are very glad now to have a real one, and have been checking each other's (and our dogs) hearts every day.

The workbook was cute, but lacking. One of the "projects" was making dog treats- it came with a cookie cutter and some modeling dough, and a recipe to make your own real dog treats, which was cute... but none of these things are real veterinarian actions. I understand that in order to have a healthy pet, you want your dog to eat healthy things, but this is more like an "adopt a dog" activity, not really a vet activity. And also something we could have easily done ourselves without the kit.

The kids really enjoyed the tick activity! And it is a good thing for dog owners and vets to know how to do, so that was a plus. Maybe in the next kit this activity could be expanded with a syringe so they could practice vaccinating their animals. Right after playing with this kit we happened to have a vet appointment the next day so I took the kids along and they watched the vet tech give our dog the Lyme disease shot. Real life vet science learning that was enhanced by this kit!

Overall, a cute play kit, and I appreciate this company and what they are doing to inspire the next generation of medical professionals. But please keep tweaking the kits to make them more educational.

#LMSInspire #LMSFun #Tryazon

Merkury Innovations Tryabox

Smart Plug:

Great little plug for a great price. I am currently using it to plug in a wax warmer where the plug is in a hard-to-reach place. I also plan to use it for my Christmas tree when I put that up. App works great and it is easy to set-up. We will also be purchasing the outdoor one to plug the outdoor lights into next Christmas.

Smart Lightbulb:

It's ok. It works exactly as it should, the app is easy to use and set-up, the dimmer and timer features are handy. I feel like having a smart light rather than a smart bulb would make more sense, but if you are using it to "upgrade" existing lighting fixtures, then it is a good deal.  I don't have much need for smart light, so $10 price tag is hefty for just a lightbulb. But I think if you had a group of these it would be useful, and if you really need the wifi functionality it is actually a great price.

Smart Camera:

It is a great little camera! Audio and Video work great, and excellent quality for the price. Motion detection works well. App is easy to set-up and use. I think it would work well as a baby monitor. You can even talk through it like an intercom. We are using it as a security camera, so the only drawback I see is that it has to be plugged in all the time, and the cord is short and obvious... if we were to put it on our enclosed porch (where we wanted it) the only place to mount it would be easy for intruders to just unplug it. So we mounted it inside, looking out a large window onto the porch. Still gives us a pretty good view of the room- just have to keep my kids from messing with it or unplugging it. I also wish it came with mounting hardware, not just a double-stick sticker. Those are the only reasons to knock it down from 5 stars, otherwise it is an excellent device for a great price.

#Tryazon #MerkuryInnovations