Dorm Shopping
Remember the easy days of grade school supplies and those awesome packs you could order that had everything you needed? Guess what—the same thing is available for college/dorm room shopping! OCM has more than 900 college checklists of items needed and has put together value packs that contain essentials to outfit the dorm room! No more hitting several different stores and wandering aimlessly. It’s a dream come true! They offer so many bedding options, and all the items I’ve seen are high quality. In addition, they offer care packages, personal care items and so much more! Check them out at OCM.com.
Bug Bite Thing
I love to spend time outside, especially during the summer. But what I don’t love are the bugs. I am one of those people who get bitten a lot, so when I read about the Bug Bite Thing, I was intrigued. It’s a device that suctions out insect gunk from the bite to help alleviate itching and swelling. It needs to be used on a fresh bite, and it didn’t take long for that to happen for my product trial. Once bitten, I ran inside, grabbed my Bug Bite Thing, placed it over the bite and pulled up on the suction. It’s a funny sensation, but I’m here to tell you it works! No itchy bite and no need for creams to stop the itch! BugBiteThing.com
Pool Float
You’ll notice that I’m vacillating between summer and back to school in this month’s column. I still have one foot firmly in summer but also realize the calendar dictates I send the kids to school. In light of keeping summer alive for at least one more month, do yourself a favor and get the Aqua Monterey Hammock. It’s perfect for both a visit to the pool and a trip to the beach. I’ve tried it in both situations, and it’s the perfect way to relax in water. It’s very versatile—you can sit, straddle or lie on it. Because it’s lightweight and small, packing it is a breeze! Amazon.com
Ticonderoga Pencils
Contrary to what many retailers told us in July, the true time for back-to-school shopping has arrived, and I know pencils are on every list. Through many years of trial and error, I have found the Ticonderoga black pencils (not yellow) are the perfect pencil. They write smoothly, and the lead isn’t too light. In fact, I hide them in my office so they don’t mysteriously walk away. If you like to write with a pencil, give them a whirl! Be sure to stock up during back-to-school sales! https://www.amazon.com/Ticonderoga-Wood-Cased-Graphite-Pencils-13926/dp/B004X4KRPM
Aztec Theater
The Aztec Theater, located in downtown Shawnee, recently reopened after three-and-a-half years of construction working to refurbish the space. As I’ve mentioned before, my husband and I really enjoy live music performances. We found out a local band we like was performing at the newly rehabbed venue, so we were anxious to check it out. The updated theater looks great and is the perfect spot to take in live music! They have a robust calendar of upcoming acts every Friday and Saturday evening. It’s the perfect spot for a date night, and I highly recommend! Check out the schedule at AztecShawnee.com.