Enjoy Your Summer Travel with Savings From Sam's Club {Teak Roll-up Table Review}

While summer means a variety of things to different people, to approximately 88% of American families (according to research by CNN Money) it means it is time to travel by car for a much-needed vacation. The idea of packing up and driving off to the beach or to visit Grandma for a few days does sound awfully nice, doesn't it?

But as much as traveling by car saves money on not having to buy airplane tickets, what about the cost of filling up your tank over and over? Or needing to replace your tires after using them for miles and miles?

Fortunately, cashing in on gas and tire savings is possible thanks to the one-stop location dedicated to simplifying your life by offering unmatched savings on everything from food to electronics to furniture. After all, it's easy to make the most of your budget when you know to go to Sam's Club.

Offering quality, name-brand merchandise at exceptional prices, the approximately 600 Sam's Club locations are not only terrific places to save money, but also destinations for solutions that can help ease a busy schedule. A Sam's Club membership can offer value all year long but especially during summer travel and entertaining season when it comes to gas and tire savings to gear up for that road trip!

Sam's Club members can save as much as 5¢ per gallon of gas at club fuel stations and, from now until July 7th, Sam's Club members can save $70 on a set of four new Michelin tires (offer available while supplies last on any set of four new Michelin brand passenger or light truck tires. See an associate or SamsClub.com on qualifying tires and more details)!

As well as keeping your car fueled up and in road trip-ready shape, Sam's Club also has a wide variety of must-have and unique items that can really come in handy for your summer vacations both big and small.

Looking for technology that can help keep your favorite gadgets protected, charged and ready for use? Then check out the Griffin Survivor Case for iPad with Stand to protect your iPad wherever life takes you, the Power Tube Portable Charger that is small enough to slip into a pocket or purse, or the Chill Pill Red Portable Speakers that allow you to rock out to your tunes out loud and on the go.

Going camping with your family this summer? Sam's Club can help you prepare with the Mini First Aid Kit - 33 pc., which gives you everything you need and nothing you don't, the Cesar Millan Folding Pet Travel Bed so that your 4-legged family members can be comfortable wherever you go, or the Float-A-Bout Drink Cooler that will provide enough room to float the entire party's favorite drinks as you relax in your inner tube.

Or maybe your vacation plans do involve hopping an airplane to reach your destination? In that case, head over to SamsClub.com and browse the Honey-Can-Do Vacuum Packs to provide the extra room you need in your suitcase, the Samsonite Electronic Luggage Scale to remove any worries about baggage fees before you get to the airport, and the CROC Baby Travel Flat-Iron Bundle that provides double opportunity for these compact, handy, bad hair day-busting tools to come along in your purse, the car and more.

Around here, I'm beyond excited to be prepared for summer travel (as well as trips to the park, picnics and more) thanks to the innovative Teak Roll-Up Table from Sam's Club.

Retailing for $69.98, this table truly is an ultimate and instant beach accessory that can come in handy for any number of occasions. The 100% teak wood pieces conveniently store in their own fabric sling bag, so you simply pull it on over your shoulder (it weighs around 11 pounds), bring it to your location and set it up in a matter of seconds.

No more brushing ants off of your picnic foods, getting sand in your drink at the beach or trying to play a game of cards while they slide around on a blanket — the Teak Roll-Up Table is there instead!

It really is just that easy to turn a bag of pieces into a 30" x 30" x 15" table anywhere, anytime. First, arrive at your destination and remove the pieces from the bag.

Second, unroll the table top and lay the two slats into place so that the holes match up with the table.

Third, screw the four table legs into the slats and table top.

Finally, turn the table over and you are set to enjoy your portable Teak Roll-Up Table!

This really is a fantastic little table and I have no doubt that we will be using it throughout the summer and beyond! It provides plenty of space for eating or playing and, when it is time to leave, it only takes seconds to flip the table back over, remove the legs and roll all of the pieces up to replace them into the bag.

To see all of Sam's Club's great products, summer deals and how you can save money, time and hassle for your next trip, visit SamsClub.com and be sure to connect with them on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Other than the Teak Roll-Up Table that I was provided by Sam's Club in order to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion about this product.

AMDRO PowerFlex Pest & Weed System {Review & $50 AMEX Gift Card Giveaway!}

Post and giveaway sponsored by AMDRO, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.

There are many nuisances in our lives that we just have to learn to live with. Mosquitoes buzzing at the picnic. Dust settling the day after you've cleaned. Taxes.

On the other hand, some annoyances can be effectively eliminated, assuming that we turn to the right method or product. We don't have to get soaked standing in the rain as long as we have a working umbrella. We don't have to suffer through allergy symptoms if we use the right antihistamine.

And we don't have to live with weeds and bugs (indoors and out) if we reach for the innovative, easy-to-use AMDRO PowerFlex Pest & Weed System.


The AMDRO PowerFlex Pest & Weed System moves pest and weed control into the 21st century of technology by creating one innovative solution that fits all of consumers' control needs. The battery-powered sprayer features four specialty formulated cartridges that eliminate a wide range of pests – from ants and cockroaches to dandelion and many other hard-to-control weeds.

Could this really get much easier? The all-in-one system simplifies indoor and outdoor pest and weed control by helping consumers eliminate unwanted pests in three easy steps:

1. Fill the reusable one gallon tank with clean water.
2. Twist in one of four patent-pending cartridges.
3. Spray to treat target pests; quickly switch between projects by removing the cartridge, flushing the applicator for ten seconds with water from the tank and twisting in a new cartridge.

With four different cartridges available for the AMDRO PowerFlex — Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate; Lawn Weed Killer Concentrate; Yard & Perimeter Outdoor Insect Killer Concentrate; and Home Pest Indoor Killer Concentrate — I had no doubt that I would be able to put this revolutionary all-in-one system to use.

Looking over the AMDRO PowerFlex and assortment of concentrated cartridges, I immediately knew which one I was going to try first: the Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate.

While I may be disorganized and a bit of a mess in other areas of my life, I take pride in being in charge of the appearance of our lawn. You know those neighbors that you might think are a bit obsessive about mowing perfectly straight lines?

Yep, I'm that crazy neighbor.

There's just something so satisfying about having a plush green lawn that the idea of it being spoiled by weeds irritates me like nothing else. Therefore, it's not much of an exaggeration to say that when there are random patches of weeds growing up in our rocks or coming through mulch, it is pretty much the bane of my existence.

Yuck, yuck and yuck (especially those horribly annoying prickly ones).

While my husband has tried a variety of things in the past, weeds always seem to continue to grow back. Could the AMDRO PowerFlex be the answer that we've been looking for? It was time to find out.

After filling the AMDRO PowerFlex with water and twisting the cartridge into place, it was time to get spraying!

Here is a short how-to showing just how quick and easy it was to put the AMDRO PowerFlex and the Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate to work!


It really couldn't have been much easier and I love the way that the AMDRO PowerFlex provides all of the muscle and does all of the work for me. Simply point, shoot and spray!

I'll post an updated photo soon showing the condition of our weed patches and hopefully they will look much, much better. Not to mention that I'm going to be looking around my house to find out what other pests that I can eliminate thanks to this great device!

Created to simplify indoor and outdoor pest and weed control unlike any other product on the market, AMDRO PowerFlex products range from $11.99 to $14.99 and are available at The Home Depot, Walmart and select regional retailers.

You can find out much more and see if the AMDRO PowerFlex is right for you by visiting their website and connecting with AMDRO on Facebook and Twitter. Plus, thanks to their generosity, one person will be prepared to head to the store to pick up this high quality pest control product as well, because...

One lucky person will win a $50 AMEX gift card from AMDRO!

Entry-Form

Central Garden & Pet partnered with bloggers such as me to help educate us all about their AMDRO products. As part of this program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the use of the products. Central Garden & Pet believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Central Garden & Pet’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. A winner will be chosen by random and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.

The Vision Council: Eye Protection is Always in Season {#UVproblems}

 

Although it's a subject that I've never thought about before, recently I've noticed that there are some accessories that are clearly designed to be protective and some that are there just for the appearance.

For instance, there's no doubt that putting knee pads on a child when learning to ride a bike or pulling on warm gloves when going outside in the winter are logical, protective choices. On the other hand, adding a decorative scarf to my outfit or a cute headband to my hair are optional add-ons, just there to look nice.

As for sunglasses, I've typically thought of them in the latter category. Sure, they help you to not have to squint on really sunny days, which is annoying, but their purpose is to look cool... right? I mean, isn't that why I had a pair that looked like these back in the 90's?

The answer is no.

I was fortunate to be a part of a webinar recently presented by The Vision Council to learn more about eye safety and the importance of shielding both my and my kids' eyes from harmful sun exposure. And what I found out has had me reaching for sunglasses — for all of us — ever since.

UV radiation is commonly recognized as the culprit for sunburns and skin cancer, but did you know just how much of a damaging impact it can have on eyes as well?

Short-term vision problems include photokeratitis (sunburn of the eye), irritation, redness, swelling, hyper sensitivity to light and more. However, long-term problems may lead you to premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, sunspots, prerygium (abnormal growth on the eye and eyelid), cataracts, macular degeneration, and even cancer of the eye, eyelid and surrounding skin.

Yikes! That is all far beyond just not looking hip if you forget your sunglasses! With that in mind, it's definitely time to find out all that there is to know about UV safety and what we can do to protect our eyes:

How much of the information in this infographic did you know already? Not much? Me, neither!

But did the section on children stand out to you like it did to me as well? UV damage is cumulative; the older someone is and the more exposure they've had to the sun will result in being more at risk for serious and debilitating vision problems.

Combine that with the the research showing that children receive three times the annual sun exposure of adults and that more than 40% of parents don't proactively ensure their children wear UV protective sunglasses... and I'm especially motivated to reach for my kids' sunglasses every time we walk out the door.

Optometrist Dr. Dora Adamopoulos, a member of the Better Vision Institute and the presenter at the webinar I attended, had great advice for selecting sunglasses for each family member and increasing the likelihood of your children wearing them.

When it comes to protecting your eyes, quality doesn't necessarily translate to high cost and it is truly more important to just focus on wearing UV-protective eyewear (UVA & UVB) as often as possible. That can come in form of:

• Non-prescription sunglasses
• Prescription sunglasses
• Clip-ons or fit-overs
• UV-coated contact lenses
• UV-protective goggles

To know if your sunglasses filter out UVA and UVB, look for a sticker or label on the lens or frame that indicates protection. If you don't see a sticker or have an older pair of sunglasses, you can bring them to an eye care professional who can test them using a UV meter. Simple as that!

When it comes to encouraging your children to wear their sunglasses often, first, set a prime example by always wearing your own shades. Next, when it comes to selecting the shades, allow your child to pick their own pair, as letting them decide the style may make them much more prone to wear them. Finally, it is important to make sure that your child's sunglasses fit comfortably. Sunglasses that pinch or are scratched are less likely to be worn!

Whether your family spends a great deal of time outdoors or not, it's time to stop thinking about sunglasses as a fashion maybe, and instead know that they are a safety must. Your eyes are depending on it!

Kids are at a higher risk of UV damage than adults, so be sure to outfit your entire family with eyewear that is going to keep them safe from harm. Researchers actually believe that lighter eyes experience more UV damage (likely due to the fact that they have a lower incidence of melanin, which is a protective pigment) so if you have blue-eyed members of your family, be extra careful!

How often do you wear sunglasses? More importantly, how often do your children?

This post was brought to you by The Vision Council and The Motherhood, however, all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

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