Oh NO my phone died

 The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

How often do you have this happen? I know it happens to me when I need it most almost everytime. With the Samsung - Fast Charge Wireless Charging Convertible Stand I have the option of placing it in the stand or I can place it on the pad which works by wifi so I can still use my phone while it is charging. Just put on pad and talk through Bluetooth or your speaker. This is great for when I am shooting ideas around for blogs, talking with family, or even posting pictures on the internet. I love that when your phone is placed on the unit it has a built in fan to cool to keep your phone cool while it charges. 

Uses Qi Inductive Charging technology that eliminates the need to fumble with charging cables each time you want to charge your device. Offers charging speed up to 1.4x faster for select models.*

For sku: 5806010: Change how you charge – Samsung fast chargers rapidly charge your devices up to 1.4x faster for select models* The wireless charging system eliminates the cables and charges your compatible Galaxy device by simply placing it on the pad.

Save up to 20% on Samsung charging devices at Best Buy through Nov 4th

* Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+ and later models - fast-speed charging; Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, Qi-enabled devices - standard-speed charging. 

 

There is also the Samsung - Fast Charge Portable Battery Pack 5,100 mAh Portable Charger for Most USB-Enabled Devices this fits our family just a bit more because we also have other smart phones and tablets that are not Samsung so we can use this with those products too.This Samsung Fast Charge battery charger comes with both a micro USB cable and a micro USB to USB-C adapter for a complete setup.  I have had several portable chargers before but none that came with all of the cords to make it super easy to charge my devices. 

For sku: 5806008: Change how you charge – Samsung portable battery pack lets you recharge your device quickly, so you can talk, text and surf longer when you're out and about. Save up to 20% on Samsung charging devices at Best Buy through Nov 4th

Change How You Charge - featuring Samsung

• You don’t have to just use the cable and charger that came in the box with your phone, there are so many new ways to charge your phone
• Samsung fast chargers allow you to charge your phone much quicker than a traditional charger, even while you’re using the phone
• Samsung portable batteries allow you the freedom to charge anywhere you are – without being tethered to an outlet
• Large assortment of charging accessories for every phone just check out Change How Your Charge for more information.

Save up to 20% on Samsung charging devices at Best Buy through Nov 4th

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Best Buy and Samsung. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium Discount

Discover SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium! With an amazing 360 degree ocean tunnel and more than 5,000 sea creatures including sharks, rays and seahorses, the aquarium is the perfect stop for family fun. Perfect for educational and group outings, birthday parties and more. Ask about fundraising opportunities!

We are going to be in this very area in the next few weeks so this would be an awesome extra for us to enjoy while in this area. So excited. 

My readers can get a discount with the coupon codes below.

Kids Go Free! to SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium - Redeem this offer online at visitsealife.com/Arizona and click on the Promo tab or present this coupon to the SEA LIFE Arizona admissions counter to receive your Kids Go Free offer. 
Offer not valid with online discounted tickets, combination tickets or any other discount or offer. Valid up to four (4) free child tickets with the purchase of four (4) full price paid adult admission per coupon. 

The right of final interpretation resides with SEA LIFE Arizona. Not for resale. No Cash value. Expires 12/31/2017 Code: FamGuideKGF

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with USFamilyGuide and SeaLife. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Protect your couch

INNX

Protective couch cover

Having moved into a new apartment after being homeless we thought things would go much smoother then they have but alas our couch won't fit through the door much less the hall way so someone gave us a love seat to use which was in great shape.

This cover from INNX was originally for our long couch but we are using it to keep the love seat in tip top shape since it is such a light color.

It doesn't look as good as the product picture above because it is on the loveseat instead of a longer couch. This cover is 69"x74". Great for protecting your furniture from pets, children, and even guests.

When having a party it is always nice to go the extra mile to protect your furniture from spills and crumbs. This is machine washable and does a good job of protecting your furniture. This can also be used to cover up an older couch that still functions well.

The INNX Protective Couch Cover can be found at my affiliate link below.

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and INNX. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Colorful Nails and Piggies everywhere

The Holidays and for us Birthdays are just around the corner so we are always on the lookout for quality, affordable gifts for our girls. SmitCo LLC has several different locked diary sets for girls in Emoji, Diva and Mermaid themes, as well as scrapbook, nail and play dress up sets and party favors that can be used as stocking stuffers to provide hours of fun. One of the items they have available is this scented nail set with 5 nail polishes, press one nails, nail decals, emery boards, and toe spreaders. 

My daughter has been having a blast changing up her look with different colors and decals. She has even let me do her piggies which turned out super cute. I love the emery boards myself but almost too cute to use. Super fun for the little girls wanting to experiment with color. The SmitCo Scented Nail Polish kit can be found at my affiliate link below but don't forget to check out the bottom for a code to get 20% off of your order of SmitCo products. 

SmitCo products also include rose gold, gold or rhodium plated jewelry and sets, as well as very popular stretch sets for little girls - all packed in cute gift boxes. 

You can find their other products here. http://amzn.to/2a3d3v8

But Wait 
My readers get to save!

Get 20% Off Entire Cart Of Gifts! Go to: http://amzn.to/2a3d3v8 and use coupon code N3CQD6AE on checkout

You can find out more about SmitCo LLC. on:

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with USFamily Guide and SmitCo LLC. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

New Diaries

Quality, affordable gifts for girls ages 2 to 12. SmitCo LLC has several different locked diary sets for girls in Emoji, Diva and Mermaid themes, as well as scrapbook, nail and play dress up sets and party favors that can be used as stocking stuffers to provide hours of fun. Like these diaries that come with pen, blue light or stickers depending on which you choose.

 

  

 

SmitCo products also include rose gold, gold or rhodium plated jewelry and sets, as well as very popular stretch sets for little girls - all packed in cute gift boxes. 

You can find their other products here. http://amzn.to/2a3d3v8

But Wait 

My readers get to save!

Get 20% Off Entire Cart Of Gifts! Go to: http://amzn.to/2a3d3v8 and use coupon code N3CQD6AE on checkout

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with USFamily Guide and SmitCo LLC. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Hot Feet

One thing I need all year round are socks to keep my feet warm and cozy. With Hot Feet I can do that in the winter very easily but slipping on a pair of the non-slip socks. This set comes with 3 pair in pink, purple, and teal. These socks are thick so these are great for boots in the winter to keep your feet extra warm. 

Keeping my feet warm is important because my body doesn't' regulate hot and cold well so these are great to have on hand any time of year. They make a great gift for the young or elderly and even for that new mom. 

It is nice to kick up your feet keeping them warm and cozy while enjoying time with your family or even just lounging around watching movies or blogging. This 3 pair set is available at my affiliate link below.

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Hot Feet. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Meal Prep Containers

Having gone from a home with 6 plus children running around to now just having 2 plus around has left us with lots of leftovers. We like to freeze extra servings for meals throughout the month so we don't have as much waste and so there is something on hand when we are pressed for time.

Meal prep containers like this one from Yellow-Bumblebee are great for this purpose. They have three compartments one 16oz and two 8oz sections which make it easy to prepare meals ahead of time for work, school, or home.

These containers are reusable, freezer safe, dishwasher safe, microwave safe as well as being recyclable and BPA free. This set can be found at my affiliate link below.

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and  Yellow-Bumblebee. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

MarksvilleandMe would like to thank my readers

Over four years ago I took the plunge and went from regular blogging to purchasing my own domain. I have grown so much since then and want to thank my many readers for their support. 

As always I write about everyday life and even within my product reviews you can read about things we are going through or have planned for the future. For a little over a year our family was homeless due to circumstances beyond our control, but we are now in an apartment and getting settled. 

During the time of homelessness I did my best to keep my blog up to date. Now that things are getting settled other parts that were neglected will have updates very soon. 

As always I love to hear feedback about what my readers what to see or hear about so please comment below with some ideas of what I can do here for you. I can't promise to do them all but I will listen and try to bring the very best I can to you from MarksvilleandMe. 

British Soccer was a success

Soccer is one of our families favorite all time sports. Everyone of our 6 children have played or are still playing. My now 14 year old had an opportunity to  join in the Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp during the summer of 2015 and she had a great time. You can find out more about Challenger Sports below and what they have to offer. 

British Soccer Camp is the most popular camp in North America - 150,000 campers! With an innovative curriculum that develops skills, speed and confidence in players ages 3-18, British Soccer Camps provide boys and girls with the rare opportunity to receive high-level soccer coaching from a team of international expert's right in the heart of their own community. 

In addition to teaching new skills and improving game performance, each British Soccer Camp provides lessons in character development, cultural education and is the most fun your child can have learning the sport they love!

At the end of the day they would have meetings with all of the children to talk about what they accomplished, what they had to work on the next day and what was yet to come in their training. 

Here the children work in different groups and also mentor younger children who are still learning. This is a great step in showing children how to be a team player as well as a leader. My daughter had a great time and talks about this special time often and would suggest this as an option for any soccer lover.

Find out if there is British Soccer Camp near you here. 

To find out more about Challenger Sports check out their website.
You can also find out more on their Social Media Sites
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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion through Challenger Sports using the US Family Guide. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Squishy mats

Recently I was able to try out Squishy Mats for ourselves and I am glad we did. I gifted one to my husband's cousin for her pet to enjoy while we kept one for ourselves. This mat can be used for more then just babies or pets. This can be used by anyone. 

One of my favorite places to take this is when I know we are going to a place with hard seats that we will be stuck in for a while. Really helps you stay comfortable longer. Great for getting down on the floor with your kids to play. I have Fibromyalgia so this makes a big difference in my comfort when kneeling or interacting with my children on the floor. It also encourages me to do it more often. 

No more hard stadium seats, cement, or grass, now you can enjoy comfort all around. This can even be used in cars, wheel chairs, etc. This is a great item that has versatility to make a world of difference in many ages of life, be it a pet, or a human. 

I have the Squishy mat in 3x3' floor mat - folds and fastens with  a carrying bag. They also have two other sizes 16x32" Changing Mat - folds and fastens with a carrying handle, and 4x4' floor mat - folds and fastens with a carrying handle.

What Squishy Mats have to say about their products.

What is a Squishy Mat?
Squishy Mats contain almost one inch of Memory Foam - also known as the low resistance polyurethane foam developed by NASA in the 1960s. The surface of each mat is covered by a super soft, micro-flannel fabric and is backed with a nonslip rubber grid. Each mat is durable, sturdy and designed for life on the move.

How does it feel?
In a word, SQUISHY! Memory Foam is known for its use in mattresses, pillows and even some shoes; it has incredible give and easily returns to its original shape. You and your child will love the luxurious feel of the minky micro flannel top as it glides under your fingers. With nonslip rubber backing, your child won't get wrapped up as he plays, and it won't slide out from under baby if you (or your pet) step on it!

My Readers Save 15% Off with code "USFAMILY" on all sized Squishy Mats - The world's first baby memory foam mat that folds for quick storage and transport.

https://www.squishymats.com

or with code SQUISHYPETS my readers will receive 20% off , your choice.

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with US Family Guide and Squishy Mats. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Kitty Play

Our family was homeless for a little over 14 months. Before we were homeless we had re homed our Saint Bernard and 5 Kitties. We are now getting settled and in a few short days will be parents to a set of sister kitties. Since re homing our pets we have bought a few items like this cat teaser from Goldween in preparation when we could start our fur family again. 

This set comes with 4 feathers and 6 balls. One ball is missing a turquoise and orange ball that my daughter took for her kitty Gummy to play with. I really love how the pieces can be played with on the teaser wand or independently on the floor. They just clip on and off so you can change up your play with your kitty for optimal fun. 

I can not wait to have fun with our new fur family members. This set can be found at my affiliate link below.

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and Goldween. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com

Affresh to the rescue

Recently I was able to try out some new appliance cleaners through the #Affreshcrowd by being a member of Crowdtap. We use the affresh cleaner for our Coffee Maker first. We live where there is lime and hard water so having a product that can keep our Coffee Makers clean and running is very important to the coffee drinkers in our family. Just add a tablet and water and run through your coffee maker. Yes this works on single serve makers as well. 

Then it was onto the dishwasher tablet cleaner which I gave to my daughter since we don't currently have a dishwasher. To my knowledge it was the first time they cleaned their dishwasher. There dishwasher already looked clean but now it is super clean and they were able to run it through when they did a regular load so they didn't have to waste water, electricity, or time. 

Last but not least was the garbage disposal tablet. We don't have one but we put this in our sink drain because we just moved and one of the first things I like to do is clean the drains. Every time we went into the kitchen you could smell something funky. The smell was coming from the drain. Now that we have put one of these tablets our sink doesn't give off that unpleasant odor.

When you spend good money on an appliance you want to make sure to take good care of your investment by referring to your owners manual for care. Keeping your appliances clean will go a long way into keeping them running for years to come.

What I love about these products most is that they are super easy to use and I can find them at my favorite online store Amazon. 

You can find out more about Affresh on:

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Crowdtap and Affresh. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com. 

Making slime with foam balls

OK so I am sure if you have children you have either been making slime or your child has been watching how to make slime. We have made slime for a long time starting with our now 27 year old son. Then all of his siblings and child care children after him. 

One of our simple recipes are below. For this fall the girls wanted to try some colorful slime with colorful styro foam balls, and since this set also had a package of white I thought we would also make a winter themed crunchy slime too. 

We have just moved so our arts and craft supplies are not all here yet but once they we are going to get back into making crafts on a regular basis again. You can find affiliate links for the foam balls and the ingredients for the below slime towards the bottom of this post. 

You will need a bowl, spoon, 1/4 measuring cup, Elmers Glue (although you could use any white school glue),  Liquid Starch (we buy Sta-Flow because it is the only brand I know of, but if you have another liquid starch available I am sure that would work just fine too), and some tap water. Food Coloring if you want to make different colors.

1. Put a 1/4 cup of glue in the bowl.

2. Then a 1/4 cup of water.

3. Now add your food coloring if using. 

    To make lavender we used 2 drops of red and 3 drops of blue.

4. Then Stir until combined.

5. Next add 1/4 cup of the Liquid Starch.

This is what it looks like hanging from a serving spoon.

Sta Flo

Elmer School Glue

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion with Tomoson and SANC foam balls. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.