Fossil Tech Case Review

Anyone that knows me knows that I love Fossil!

Imagine how excited I was to learn that Fossil was going to sponsor me with a free tech case to review!  I selected the Marlow Tablet Easel in bright blue to house my iPad.  Don't worry, it is a very tasteful blue.

I waited anxiously for my tech case's arrival which was dragged out over last weekend; duty charges needed to be paid on arrival.  The case was initially delivered Friday during the half hour time period that I left the house that morning...of course.  I received my tech case Monday afternoon and I tore into the package.

The product was delivered well packaged to prevent any damage and it was easy to slide my iPad into the given enclosure.  The Velcro tab is secure and ensures that my iPad won't slip out.  The overall construction is sturdy and stylish and there are openings provided to easily allow for charging, adjustment to volume, earphones, speaker, etc.  Standing the iPad is made easy by positioning the case at one of two sewn in levels or by standing the case up like an open book and there is a pocket to slide in a few papers.  The exterior material is leather and the interior material is ultra suede and offers a soft surface against my iPad screen and I love the finishing detail of a snap closure which keeps my iPad safe and secure inside the case.  I must mention, I love the feel of the case.  It is substantial but not bulky and I can't say enough.....stylish, stylish, stylish!

I was previously using an Apple Smart Cover to protect my iPad screen.  It was less sturdy than this case (obviously, because it was just a cover) but I do miss the automatic sleep/awake function and the multi positional construction of the cover, strictly for the benefit of a varied typing angle.  I find that, with this case, I only have the option of typing while the case is flat on the table, which doesn't bother me but is just something to adjust to from my Smart Cover.  This case is accurately named as a Tablet Easel and does just as it says.

My personal experience is that this tech case is far more sturdy and definitively an overall better investment for using and protecting my iPad (while also being far more fashionable and stylish) than my previous cover.  I recommend it to anyone who values reliability, quality, and style.

I have easily toted my iPad (in its beautiful and sturdy new case) to watch my kids at gymnastics, to lunch meetings, and everywhere in between.  I could easily imagine anyone from a young and stylish professional to a more seasoned but also very stylish mother of two using this tech case!  I love it!

This tech case is priced at $80 US and is available to order online and purchase in-store and also comes in a few other colours: Chestnut, Flamingo Pink, and Light Orange.  The measurements are: 9.75"Lx1"Wx8"H which makes this case compatible with iPad 2, 3 and 4.  Fossil also has great shipping and return policies.  Check out their website for more information.

Thank you, Fossil, for sponsoring me with this fabulous new tech case to review.  I highly recommend it!

Fossil Marlow Tablet Easel in Bright Blue

BE QUIET!!!

How can two adorable little beings be so unbearable??

The amount of yelling in this household has exceeded any allowance, in my opinion. Mind you, a good part of the yelling is done by yours truly...but I swear I need to do it just to get heard around here.

I wish headaches and yelling didn't love each other so much. My head really hurts.

So today little Ketchup was reciting something that she'll need to do for the Ash Wednesday presentation tomorrow. Unfortunately, she was doing this at the same time that French Fry was thinking out loud about what to write for her language arts mystery project... the yelling began.

FF: "Why are you talking here when I'm trying to work?"
K: "I'm doing work too!"
FF: "Yeah, well I'm doing something important."
K: "No you're not, I am!!"

French Fry sets back to work, meanwhile Ketchup - to further agitate her sister - proceeds to take noisy slurps out of her now empty glass of water.
This seems to infuriate French Fry and now I'm pulled into the whole thing...I had to yell to get their attention. They were totally enraptured with yelling at each other - a common theme lately.

FF: "Mommy, she's being mean!!!"

Well, I don't have to tell you that it spiralled downhill from there in the "No you are!" snarky retorts and ended with me sending both to their rooms.

The last thing I just heard was from Ketchup: "You're the meanest sister EVER!" and (you guessed it) French Fry's response: "No, YOU are!"

Well, the only comfort I have here is that I know by bedtime they'll be hugging each other again and saying how much they love each other. Us women are so complex.

Why can't we all just get along....and be quiet?

I'm going to make dinner now and see how long I can keep them separated - for my own sanity.

Oh me, Oh my!

Wow...it's been awhile! We are in our new house! Yahoo!

It has been a whirlwind time here at the Incredible household...lots of unpacking, organizing, purchasing (my favourite part), and decorating. I think I may have a real knack for the purchasing and decorating components.

Ketchup and French Fry each have their own room again...finally! Funny thing is - they would like nothing more than to have to share a room now & find it hard to sleep apart! Who would have thunk it?!
What's funny is that both have rooms which mirror each other in decor. The only way you can tell them apart is one is messier than the other.

I don't know what's going on but my now 9 year old must have hit some kind of tween pre-puberty stage because she's been sporting some kind of attitude-infested grouchiness lately. Not quite sure how to get her out of that funk but little Ketchup has been doing her best to rub salt into the wound. I swear that kid could start WWIII with her antics. She's so sweet too that no one would ever suspect her either. She's the perfect weapon.

Well, double-trouble are beckoning me now to bake...after all I did promise.

I will be back soon to update you on our crazy lives!

P.S. We saw Fantastic Mr. Fox today....what is up with THAT movie??!!* If you haven't seen it yet - don't bother.
Both kids were staring at me after with big question marks over their heads - only mine was bigger so I won.

Not so thankful...

It's now late on Monday night...we get in the door...happy to have not had to set up camp in the wilderness to be raised by wolves. The kids sprint off to the bathroom while I notice a note on the counter from a member of the hotel staff..."Thanks for the tip. Happy Thanksgiving!"....Tip?! Little One had left her money on the counter amongst some school work and my other paperwork as we ran out the door that day. The money was clearly not a tip. A tip would be left: 1. usually at the end of your stay; 2. in an area separate from all other personal belongings on its own; 3. with a note of thanks....at least, this is how I believe the general public does it.

Of course it was Ketchup's money so when she figures out what's going on she starts wailing..."I want it back...she's a mean lady...I want it back!!!" We tried to explain that we would give her money and to not overreact but she was having none of it...there was only tears and rage from that little body, so I called down to the front desk to explain what had happened and they quickly brought up the money along with a box of Smarties to make up for it. Problem solved, right?! Wrong.

Little One then announces "And where's my Thanksgiving craft???" (The one we were supposed to look at over the weekend but didn't). Well, it was gone. I assumed that they cleaning lady took the artwork (why just Little One's and not Eldest's since they were stacked together with all my other stuff and the money that she took, I don't know). So, the next day I ask for it and they tell us that it must have been tossed out as the lady "only remembers a piece of artwork that was in the recycling bin"....yeah, the picture you knocked over into the recycling bin when you made off with our money!!

Later that day, Little One went downstairs to get something with Mr. Incredible and it's common place that whenever someone returns to the room, they knock and say "Housekeeping!" in a really high voice...well, this last time Little One says, "Housekeeping! I'm here to take all your money!!"

She's too much!

Thanksgiving - Part Two

So, Monday roles around.

We were supposed to head over to my parents' house for a visit but they weren't feeling well so, with Mr. Incredible being home and all, we ended up going to the in-laws.

Not much to report here...eat, eat, eat, play, play, play....head home.

The funny part is what happened on the way home...

We're driving back to our place (if you've been following this blog, you'll know that means our hotel room) on a pretty major road when all traffic comes to a complete stop. We're waiting there for maybe 25 minutes when both kids announce, "I have to go to the bathroom....REALLY bad!!"....Great, now what?!
I suggest hopping out of the car on the side of the road but after what they saw yesterday, they didn't care to be "one of those people" as they put it. I said, "Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go!" Still, no takers.

Mr. Incredible announces that he wants to take an extremely dark side road that we just past and "see where it goes..." Ha! Lovely - now we'll be lost and covered in pee...
Anyway, we take the road which leads to another road, and another, and another... you get the idea... all the while we're in darkness...

All of sudden, out of the quiet of the back seat, a little voice (Ketchup) says..."Daddy... I don't want to be raised by wolves..."

The things they say...we were cracking up.

Turns out Mr. Incredible is pretty good and got us home lickety-split...I think he has sonnar in his butt or something. Kids got to pee and mommy was happy.

We are thankful

Well, as most of you know, this past weekend was Thanksgiving in Canada...
Mr. Incredible had to work on Saturday but only half the day on Sunday and was taking Monday off.
So I, being the primary -- whose kidding who -- the only activity planner in the household, made arrangements to go with the family to a Donkey Sanctuary on Sunday afternoon.
I figured, "Hey, this is right up our alley...we love animals and the outdoors...", and I was right.
We piled into the car for a nice country drive - the kids got to enjoy many wonderful sightings on our way there; hawks flying, people peeing behind their cars, you know - the usual...

When we got there, we listened to a woman talk about the donkeys and how they have been taken in - some good scenarios and some bad, how they are cared for, their daily routine, rules about how to approach them, etc. We then had an opportunity to grab a brush and proceed with making friends with the donkeys while we brushed them. Well, Ketchup & French Fry thought this was the best thing ever and took off running at the donkeys...despite being warned not too. Luckily, Ketchup reigned in just in time.

Eldest (aka French Fry) quickly befriended a jack (the term used for a male donkey) named "Franco" while Ketchup made friends with a jenny (the term for...well, you should be able to figure that out by deduction...) named "Uma" and claimed them as their "horses....I'm mean donkeys". By the end of the day they were still calling them horses - in all fairness, some of them were quite large - and a great time was had by all.

The kids insisted that we roll down the windows as we drove away so that they could yell goodbye to their horses....I mean....donkeys.

We highly recommend a visit. Just remember to say hi to Franco and Uma from us, okay?

Ketchup & French Fry vs. Canada's Wonderland

Each summer we do a few 'fun days'. This year one of the fun days was to Canada's Wonderland - the land of roller coasters, fun rides and fabulous water park (including wave pool).

After getting through the gate, Eldest announces that she might not want to ride the roller coasters....What?!....after paying so much just to get in Mr. Incredible announced, "Oh, yes you ARE!"

After bumper cars and some other requisite fun amusement park rides we moved on to the main event.
Eldest could not necessarily be considered a 'thrill-seeker' but off we all went. We started off mild with the Ghoster Coaster (classified as a High Thrill Ride). We then moved on to the Silver Streak in Zoom Zone (also a High Thrill Ride), then we 'kicked it up a notch' to the Mighty Canadian Minebuster (classified as an Aggressive Thrill Ride), and lastly - The Fly (which is only a High Thrill Ride - but I didn't enjoy it really). The Fly has you weaving this way and that, all the while feeling like you are going to tumble down to your doom.

The wave pool was lots of fun for the girls. Little One (Ketchup) had to have a life-jacket on as a height required precaution but is really an excellent swimmer. Poor thing looked like a duck with her tail sticking out of the water as she tried to copy her sister and dive down into the waves. They loved being 'washed ashore' by the waves and couldn't stop laughing.

The girls liked the Riptide Racer but only went down it once due to the long lines.
I personally always enjoy the Lazy River. I like the idea of floating around on your very own inner tube.

We finished the day, as we started, with bumper cars (aka Krachenwagen) and then headed off for the parking lot and home.

It was a wonderful family day and the kids declared that we were the best parents EVER for taking them there.
Their sleepy smiles as the dozed in the back seat were all the reward I needed.