Today's Kool Idea: As Seen on TV EuroSealer Bag Sealer

Our wedding ten years ago (yikes!) was a beautiful Victorian affair with rich fabrics, bold colors and flowers in every corner. We even found these beautiful jewel-toned potpourri pillows at a local flea market. Each pillow was an actual picture frame, and we decided to use them for place card holders/party favors. Thank goodness they were all individually wrapped or the scents would have been overwhelming! Anyway, we spent the last night before our wedding carefully cutting open each pouch, putting the place card in the holder and resealing the plastic wrap. It was a long and tedious process, but the results were truly magnificent.

We have the As Seen on TV EuroSealer to thank for making our little wedding project work. Designed to provide an inexpensive and easy way to perfectly reseal unused portions of food in seconds, the EuroSealer was a perfect solution to reseal the plastic bags for our place card holders. Talk about thinking outside of the box (thanks, Mom...for everything). Believe it or not, the EuroSealer was about the same price ($9 or so) ten years ago as it is today, and is just as innovative an idea for creating an airtight seal along the edge of any plastic bag in just seconds.

Our EuroSealer lasted up until just a few months ago. That's right, we got almost a decade of use out of this little guy. We've used it on just about every plastic bag we could think of, including frozen fruit and vegetables, crackers, chips, even frozen waffles. There is a little learning curve to adjust to each type of bag, depending on the flimsiness of the plastic bag, but we've never had a problem getting the right seal. The trick is to find the right balance of pressure and speed. Our wedding project gave us enough practice to become experts with the EuroSealer.

When the little strip that holds the heat finally wore off after literally thousands uses, it was as if it marked the end of an era in our lives...okay, so we're a little sentimental. We were so happy when we saw the As Seen on TV EuroSealer display at our local Bed, Bath and Beyond. Needless to say, now that we have one back on our fridge, the EuroSealer has definitely earned its feature on The Daily Kool. Imagine our surprise at the mixed reviews we came across on Amazon...we just can't understand why anyone would have an issue with the EuroSealer. It's not fancy, but it gets the job done, locking in freshness and flavor quickly and conveniently. Apparently, many complaints have come from people who didn't realize that it takes two AA batteries to work. Once they figured that out, problem solved.

Maybe we're biased because of our history with the EuroSealer, but this is one As Seen on TV investment that has really paid off over the years. Our new one works just as well as the original, and we use it almost every day. The bag cutter works great, and is a nice extra. We love that although it uses heat to seal the bags, it cools off immediately. Overall, the As Seen on TV EuroSealer is a great alternative to plastic clips and twist-ties. Plus, it really cuts down on the need for storage bags. Easy to use, convenient and inexpensive, this is one "kool" idea that is definitely worth trying out.

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Today's Kool Idea: Highlights Educational Magazine for Children

When we were growing up, nothing (and we mean nothing) was more exciting than getting mail. Okay, we realize that many kids get email these days, but quite frankly, it just doesn't have the same appeal as the real thing. Last year, our youngest son was obsessed with the character Iceman from "SpiderMan and His Amazing Friends" (a classic 80's cartoon series). After helping him write and mail a letter asking Iceman to come babysit him sometime, imagine our son's delight when he started receiving mail and gifts personally from him...Iceman might have been swamped fighting crime with Firestar and SpiderMan, but he still took some time every once in a while to write to his biggest fan...what a hero!

Getting mail addressed to them makes kids feel special and grown up. Keeping it consistent and age-appropriate is often the challenge. Thank goodness for the classic Highlights educational magazine for children. Our parents treated us to this wonderful subscription when we were younger, and we were truly blessed to be able to carry on the tradition in our family. Launched in 1946, Highlights is the most widely read children's magazine in the world..and with good reason. Recognizing that kids are the world's most important people, Highlights feeds their natural curiosity and love of learning with stories, brain teasers, riddles, crafts and other activities in this wonderfully wholesome and fun publication.

There are so many things to love about the Highlights educational magazine for children. Our kids' all-time favorite feature is, of course, the ever-popular Hidden Pictures activity. Illustrated by award-winning artists, these puzzles enhance attention to detail and increase word knowledge...plus, they're just darn good fun! Add in some exciting science experiments, creative craft ideas, entertaining stories stories and humorous jokes and riddles in every edition. Highlights is packed with all the good stuff to foster kids curiosity, creativity and confidence. What more could a parent ask for?

Though Highlights educational magazine for children is designed for ages 6-12, The Daily Kool was thrilled with the latest series that caters to younger siblings. Highlights High Five celebrates the earlier years of childhood with developmentally appropriate activity ideas and stories for kids 2-6. Intended to be enjoyed with an adult, this magazine helps stimulate social and emotional growth, reasoning and creative ability and acquisition of language skills. A big hit with our four-year old, this is another offering that the editors of Highlights

Highlights educational magazine for children makes a terrific gift for a nephew or niece, child or grandchild. The $30 price tag does put it out of our birthday gift budget for our kids' friends, unfortunately. Since we are overloaded with birthdays, we honestly tend to stick within more of a $10 range per child. Don't get us wrong...Highlights is definitely worth the price, and is a great consideration for those who may not be quite as thrifty as we are.

Highlights clearly states its mission...to help "kids develop positive self worth by using their creativity and imagination, reading thinking and reasoning skills, and learning how to treat others with respect kindness and sensitivity." Whether you select the new Highlights High Five or the original Highlights classic, this "kool" magazine subscription is a must have for any family with children. Our boys eagerly anticipate receiving their Highlights magazine each month, and are thrilled when it finally arrives. But the most important aspect of this amazing educational children's magazine is how it encourages parents to create and spend quality time with their children. This, our beloved readers, is truly priceless.

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Today's Kool Idea: Black & Decker Pivot Plus Cordless Screwdriver for Father's Day

When we were growing up, our mother was the primary handyman...uh, handyperson of the house. Our father could assemble a computer from parts alone in an instant, but changing a lightbulb would cause him to throw up his hands in horror...yeah, it didn't make much sense to us either. The one tool he held with complete confidence though, was a screwdriver.

We never realized how often we would have to use a screwdriver until we bought our own house. Thank goodness we have our Black & Decker Pivot Plus cordless screwdriver. It is, without a doubt, the most utilized tool in our home...and it's so amazing, we really believe that no Dad (or Mom, for that matter) should be without one on Father's Day. This tool is perfect for those everyday household maintenance jobs, from changing toy batteries to assembling furniture. Black & Decker really did a terrific job with this one!

The Black & Decker Pivot Plus cordless screwdriver has many, many features that (in our opinion) make it the best out there for the money. The dual speed range offers a choice between high speed drilling and low speed driving. The clutch comes with a remarkable 23 different positions to prevent stripping of screws (a common problem in The Daily Kool household), and the forward/reverse rocker makes it easy to back screws out of any surface. We absolutely love the locking, three position tilt option for tight or awkward spots and the small LED light for (albeit slightly) improved visibility. Our Black & Decker Pivot Plus cordless screwdriver included a 5ft. measuring tape...it's not a very necessary feature and one that doesn't seem available anymore. It's not pictured on the company's website or on Amazon, but the Target picture includes it (which is why we link to them)...however, keep in mind that if you order the Black & Decker Pivot Plus cordless screwdriver, it may not come with the measuring tape.

We have very few complaints about the Black & Decker Pivot Plus cordless screwdriver, but they are worth noting. The location of the connection of the charger plug is right in the pivot point and it doesn't allow for use while charging. Therefore, there have been times when we've had to stop in the middle of a project to recharge our cordless screwdriver. Definitely inconvenient, especially since it takes a long time to charge completely. To save the 6V battery, we try to only recharge it when the power is clearly diminishing and we give it a good six hours or so to complete. Now, we always make sure to plan ahead and charge it fully whenever we have more than a 3 hour project to help circumvent this problem.

The Black & Decker Pivot Plus cordless screwdriver is a terrific gift idea for Father's Day. Comfortable to hold and oh so handy, it is an absolute must-have for any household. You really can't beat the value, and it's one powerful tool that even our father can use. When we bought it for Dad a couple of years ago, Mom thanked us as well! Power and convenience at a great price...definitely a "kool" idea.

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Today's Kool Idea: Hercules Hook Wall Hooks

Our children, like most others, are extremely proud when they create beautiful pieces of art. If you have been reading our blog, you are probably aware of our parental obsession with technology-free activities that foster socialization and creative expression. Our kids love them all...sand art, mosaics, string along, latch hook projects, etc. Of course, our children demand that their creations be displayed. Rightfully so, of course, but there's only one problem...where on earth are we going to find room for all of them?

Shelves...we need more shelves (yes, and probably a bigger home). We are constantly taking out the hammer and nails to install shelves and hang artwork in various rooms...at least we were until a friend told us we had to check out the Hercules Hook wall hooks. So, we picked them up at our local Bed Bath and Beyond (gotta love the 20% coupon) and brought them home.

There are a lot of things that we really like about the Hercules Hooks. They can hold a lot of weight (up to 150 lbs), and were relatively easy to use, once we got the hang (yep, pun intended) of it. Installing the Hercules Hooks took a little more muscle than we expected, but once we got them in, they really worked like a charm. We admittedly went a little hanging happy, but these hooks are a lot of fun to use....and they really hold everything beautifully.

This is a much sturdier product than we expected. We really love how small the holes in our wall are. Of course, we must admit that the heavier the item, the larger the hole gets, but it's still much smaller than most nails...just a little touch up paint makes them completely invisible...no spackle necessary! Our biggest problem? Hercules Hooks are completely useless wherever there are studs in the wall. They are so long, there is no way to maneuver them around or in front of the studs. Unfortunately, the studs tend to be placed in the most centered areas on the walls, so we often have to go back to traditional picture hooks in certain spots.

Overall, Hercules Hook wall hooks are really great to have around the house. More convenient than picture hooks for framed art? Perhaps not, but again, only because of the wall studs. They are absolutely worth using for shelving installation or for heavier pieces that require an anchor and screw. Now we have plenty of places to store our kids' masterpieces and no excuse to shop around for a bigger house...darn it!

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