Tom Bihn Bags

Candle givaway has been extended for one more week!  Ends next Monday, December 12th at 11:59 p.m. Click here for more info.

Our husbands are pretty picky about the bags they use, ie. laptop bags, brief cases, etc.  The bag must look manly, but with the travel they both do for work, they must be functional.  We think that we have found the perfect brand of bags for men.  Tom Bihn makes fantastic bags of all types: messenger bags, travel bags, laptop cases, brief cases, etc. Here are a few examples:

Ristretto 13" for Macbook/Air

Empire Builder

Brain Backpack

These bags are all manufactured at their plant in Seattle, WA.  They say they are dedicated to quality products and quality jobs...we love that.  One of their customers stated on their website: "Their products are tough as nails, with not so much as a thread pulling out despite daily use."  AND, they offer a lifetime guarantee.  If anything is wrong with the quality of the product they will fix it for free.  Now that is quality control.

Don't tell our husbands, but these just might be under our tree this year!

To shop Tom Bihn bags online, click here.

Nalgene

Portable water is big business and all the rage!  The environmentally-friendly notion of being able to re-use one container for sipping water during the day instead of purchasing and disposing of multiple plastic bottles each day is an idea we think is great...

That is why we love Nalgene bottles.  We use them, our spouses use them and our kids use them.  They are great to throw in the car so you can sip as you run errands, great to send with your kids to sports practices or school and great to pack with your lunch for work.  Best part is they are Made in the USA (you can read about the history of the company here)!  We also appreciate that they are made with FDA compliant colors and BPA free materials.

  They come in tons of fun colors and styles and we think they would make a great gift this holiday season.  They are affordable and there is something for everyone in their product collections.  Here are some of our favorites:

Please note, there are a few items that Nalgene imports from China: the tops on the on-the-go, on-the-fly and multidrink bottles as well as the stainless steel bottles.

You can find Nalgene bottles at many common retail stores (I bought mine at Target) or shop Nalgene's online store here.  Happy sipping!

Zipfy

Zipfy pronounced zip' fee

Now this looks like FUN!  "This is the easiest, safest, most exhilarating downhill sport ever!" (Zipfy's website) We have had an abundance of holiday toy magazines clogging up our mail lately and the Zipfy sleds keep showing up on the pages.  Clearly they are the hottest luge/sled right now!  And the coolest part is that they are manufactured in New York.  They are lightweight and they claim to be very safe since they are easy to stop and steer.  The Zipfy Classic comes in many incredibly vibrant colors that stand out in the snow.  It is recommended for ages 5 and up, and can hold an adult up to 250 lbs.  Wow, the whole family can enjoy!  Now the question is, who will have more fun: the kids or the adults?

Here are a few examples of the fabulous color choices:

To get your cool Zipfly, click here!  Have an exhilarating time!

Lunchskins

Over the years, we have found ourselves using a ton of plastic baggies for snacks on-the-go and started to feel bad about contributing to the landfill problem in America.  Wouldn't it be great if there were a super cute, easy to clean, reusable baggie?  Well, there are: Lunchskins.  The patterns are adorable and they are dishwasher safe.  That's right, throw them right on the top rack of your dishwasher!  And best of all, they are manufactured in America!

It doesn't get easier than this to help Mother Earth, support American jobs and keep your family chic.  Here are a few adorable Lunchskins:

To find a store near you that carries Lunchskins, click here. Or to shop online, click here. 

Snack away and feel good about it!

Burt's Bees

This time of year the weather is becoming crisp and dry, leaving our skin and lips to suffer.  For a long time, we have both loved Burt's Bees lip balm and always carry a tube in our purses.  We also love that it is an all natural product and made in Durham, NC.  Burt's Bees has many, many more products than just lip balm and I can tell you the ones we have tried, we have loved! Here are a few of our favorites:

Honey Lip Balm

Lip Shimmer in Raisin

Baby Bee Diaper Ointment

Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash (smells sooo good!)

Another super cool thing about the Burt's Bees company is that they have implemented a "zero waste to landfill" program.  They don't throw anything out; they reuse everything.  Click here to read more about it!!! To shop Burt's Bees products, click here.

Enjoy some soft skin this season!

Tailgating

College football season is upon us and we love it!  Of course we are partial to one particularly awesome team- The Wisconsin Badgers!

We grew up going to games with our family and tailgating in the parking lot ahead of time.  There is something special about the feeling of fall, brats on a grill, a nice cold beverage and a good football game. One of the essential tailgating items is a cooler!  One of the best coolers on the market are Igloo coolers!  These coolers are top quality and come in every size and color.  We have old ones and new ones- they seem to last forever!  And the best part about Igloo is that they are made in TX- that's right all of their products are American made!  Here are a few coolers we love.

If you would like to find a local retailer that carries Igloo coolers, click here. 

Enjoy a little college football this fall!  We hope your team does well, maybe not as well as the Badgers...

tavern puzzles

Who doesn't love a good puzzle?  A few Christmases ago our mom gave us all Tavern Puzzles and family members of all ages had the best time figuring them all out.  To give you an idea of what a Tavern Puzzle is see below:

Object: To get the ring off

Object: To get the ring off

Object: To remove the shuttle

As you can see, some of them are trickier then others!  Believe me they can keep your attention for hours.  Tavern Puzzles have been around for ages...to read about the fascinating story of how they began click here.  They are all made in the USA by Tucker Jones House, Inc.   They make excellent gifts for any adult or super talented child!  To shop the Tavern Puzzles, click here.

Solve Away!

The Perfect Chair

There's nothing like the perfect, comfy outdoor chair to lounge in and enjoy a good book...or to snuggle up in with your little ones and just watch the time go by.  Well, an interior decorator friend of ours turned us on to these awesome Adirondack chairs made in the USA.  They are made by Manchester Wood and come in an adult size and a kids size (not to mention a fun array of colors).   All of Manchester Wood's furniture is made in the USA in upstate New York from eco-friendly timber...click here to read more about their story.  

 View their outdoor chair collection here...in the meantime here's a sneak peak of some of our favorite colors:

A New Balance

Whether we're running after our kids or trying to lose post-baby weight, a good pair of athletic shoes is a must!  One of our favorites is New Balance's 993.  They are simple, not too flashy and by far one of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn...the cushioning and support is awesome.  

And, one of the best parts is New Balance still manufactures a portion of their shoes in the USA.  Not all of New Balance's shoes are Made in The USA, but they have made a commitment to American Workers (you can read their statement here) and according to their website they employ 1,300 workers in New England who manufacture approximately 7 million pairs of shoes each year.   Click here to find which New Balance shoes are produced in the USA (the 993's are!)

Here is the pair I own:

They also come in pink, which is a cute option:

Get out there and get moving!

Sip Away

We LOVE Tervis tumblers!  They are pleasing to the eye, yet so incredibly functional...you can drink your hot coffee and iced lemonade from the same cup (at different times of course).  These tumblers keep the hot hot and the cold cold and they are double-walled so they won't sweat and leave a ring on your new wood coffee table.  We've loved bringing them to the pool (no glass) this summer with a cool drink.  They come in a huge variety of colors and patterns, from your favorite NFL team logo to fun prints.  And the best part is that all of their products (tumblers, tops, etc.) are made in the USA.  Oh yeah, they are also BPA free and dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe.  There are many stores that carry Tervis products- click here to find one near you. Or if you would like to order them online click here.  Here are a few of our favorites.

Tervis Tumbler- Fiesta Sunny Dots

Tervis Tumbler- Green Bay Packers

Tervis Tumbler- Jewel Ruby

Sip Away!!!