Real Bug Dig Science Kit by Discover with Dr. Cool

Excavating bug specimens buried inside a beetle-shaped digging block?!? Just like a real paleontologist!?! 

When the Discover with Dr. Cool Real Insect Excavation Science Kit arrived in the mail (courtesy of the vendor in exchange for my unbiased review) I was pretty sure this was the perfect gift for my son, age 10. He is very interested in bugs and science in general, and he is a "kinesthetic" hands-on learner, meaning the learning takes place by carrying out physical activities, rather than listening to a lecture or watching demonstrations.

the mom "ick" factor ;)

So this was the perfect way to spend an hour - even could be used for homeschooling. It was just the right amount of challenge, without being frustrating. He did end up using my kitchen scissors because the included digging tool "wasn't sharp enough" - but he's had training in using sharp instruments like boy scout knives and the like so I wasn't worried.


I'm glad the kit includes a magnifying glass to look at what he uncovered - a real scorpion, spiny spider, and fortune beetle specimen. The insects are inside acrylic so that you can examine them from all sides (and mom doesn't have the gross out factor of bugs on her dining room table).
And in my opinion they are positively GROSS which just means he loved it all the more. (Anything with the mom "ick" factor is a plus).

This is perfect for kids ages 6-12 that are interested in bugs, science, entomology, or paleontology.

The 12-page info guide with "cool science facts" about insects (written by teachers) was a nice bonus, as was the activity booklet with it's puzzles and games.

It's not surprising that this kit won awards such as the "Brain Toy Gold Award - Academic's Choice 2013", and "Family Review Center - Best of the Year" among others.

Highly recommended! Great tool for homeschooling.

#DiscoverWithDrCool

Review: Cassani Fogless Shower Mirror

Recently I received a Cassani Fogless Shower Mirror, complete with "anti-fog nanotechnology" in exchange for my unbiased review.

I agree with the Cassani Company that a hot shower is a time to "breathe, refresh, and maybe sing a little before greeting the world outside." Plus, being half Italian, I'm a sucker for anything designed in Italy, which this mirror is.

Wall mount, left, Razor hanger, right.

Once installing the stainless steel wall mount in the shower, and hanging the mirror up, I was initially intrigued by the fact that I could NOT get this mirror to fog up, despite my repeated attempts to "breathe heavy" on it! It was downright creepy in fact -- kind of like one of those dreams where you are trying to run but can't? For a moment I had fleeting thoughts of "am I really awake?" Weird right? Well same thing here. It was SO weird in fact, I found myself actually getting OUT of the shower for the express purpose of fogging up my bathroom medicine cabinet mirror by "breathing heavy" on it, just to make sure I wasn't dreaming/dead/going insane (take your pick!).

So having established this mirror's claim to fame to be initially valid, I proceeded to take a shower with said mirror. And true to it's claims, like magic, despite my long and hot shower which fogged up the bathroom cabinet mirror, the Cassani Fogless Shower Mirror stayed clean and fog-free.

But alas, it was not to last. After using the mirror for several showers, and despite my stern warnings to family members that they were to not under ANY circumstances touch or wipe said mirror, I found it fogging up.

However, I found that by directing the shower stream onto the mirror to "equalize" the temperature, this problem seems to be a fleeting one. Having said that, there is something unsettling about suddenly "seeing someone watching me" taking a shower, until of course, I realize that someone is me.

Nevertheless I rate this a cool product, and found the customer service for the Cassani team to be impeccable - polite, personable and prompt. (The three P's? Maybe I should coin that).

For now, I am happy to just be able to say the Cassani Fogless Shower Mirror does indeed do what it claims, and it seems to be mounted firmly in place, yet I love that I can take the mirror off the hook at any time. Just in case I'm taking a shower sometime alone...at night...after watching an Alfred Hitchcock movie or the like.

Nuff said!

This Christmas Season
What are you thankful for?
I am thankful for my beautiful family and health.