Ravensburger Wear Your Party Hat Game Night #RavensburgerMoment #RavensburgerParty #ThatsNotAHat #tryazon

A complimentary copy of That's Not a Hat, Piñata Blast and Level 8 were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

When I learned that there was a chance to host another game night and play some new games from Ravensburger, I jumped on the invite from Tryazon.

I was excited to learn that I was selected to be a host. I love getting the notice that I have a shipment coming. When the game pack arrived, it was fun to check out the contents. We got the three games, some flyers with info about the games and a link on where to buy them, several That's Not a Hat crowns and even a couple of mini versions of the That's Not a Hat game.

That's Not a Hat

Wrap and regift objects in this deceptively simple card game of having the world’s best memory... or convincing everyone you do! Was that gift a hat, a bucket, or a traffic cone?! Play this “unforgettable” bluffing game with friends and family for fun, laughter, and a dash of madcap mayhem. As cards or gifts are flipped facedown and passed around the table, players must memorize the object on each card or bluff their confidence as they pass the unwanted gift to someone else. Avoid getting caught declaring the wrong object or gain penalty points. The player with the least points at the end wins!

Details:
 Recommended Age: 8+ Great for parties!
 Number of Players: 3 - 8
 15 minutes playtime
 Includes: A rulebook and 110 cards with simple illustrations for maximum memorization chaos.
 Available: Now available at TARGET!, Barnes & Noble, Ravensburger Site and Amazon

Piñata Blast

A game of throwing dice and grabbing candy! Experience the joy of racing for piñata candy in this fast and fun family-friendly party game. Drop the dice, snag the dice that match your cards before your opponents, but watch out for rotten candy. Earn the most points to win!
Details:
 Recommended Age: 7+ Great for parties!
 Number of Players: 3 - 6
 15 minutes playtime
 Includes: 72 cards, 7 dice, 1 Piñata Stick token, and instructions
 Available: Ravensburger Site and Amazon

Level 8

Be the first to collect the crazy combinations of colors and numbers to reach Level 8! A simple quick game perfect for families and card game lovers of all ages!
Details:
 Recommended Age: 8+ Great for parties!
 Number of Players: 2 - 6
 45 minutes playtime
 Includes: 110 cards, 6 level indicators, and instructions
 Available: Ravensburger Site and Amazon

We have played these games a few times over the past few weeks and the consensus is that the games were fun to play and are ones that we will go back to often.

That's Not a Hat is a card game. We had checked this game out previously and still find it very enjoyable. On the surface, That's Not a Hat seems like it should be easy, afterall you start with all the cards face up and yet we quickly discovered how hard it really could be. With cards going both left and right, it really mixes things up and makes it really hard to remember the object on the cards. There was lots of laughter as people passed the gifts left and right and struggled to remember which gifts were moving which direction and what exactly was on the card that you were passing or receiving. We all agreed that the more people playing the more challenging the game became. This was an instant crowd favorite and one we will pull out during future game nights and family evenings.

Piñata Blast is a dice game. It was enjoyable with everyone reaching for the same die and trying to get matches for all of their candy. It was fun but we all agreed that it would probably be more fun for the younger group. The game has a recommended age of 7+ but there are rules included 'for younger players' that I think could work for kids below 7 allowing the whole family to play. This is a game that we will likely share with some friends that have younger kids.

Level 8 is another card game. One of the things that I like about card games is how easy they can be to learn and how quickly they can be played. With Level 8, you are trying to get different combinations based on the goals for the level. There is a nice reference card to help remind you what the different combinations on the level card mean - Runs, Pairs/Triples/Four of a Kind, Color set. This game reminded us of Rummy or Phase 10. We enjoyed the game and are likely to pull it out for future game nights and family evenings.

What we like about all of these games is their size - they are very portable. We like to take games with us when we travel. There is always down time and a game is a great way to spend that time. We usually have a deck or two of cards with us but these games will travel well too.

Game night is always a fun evening spent with family and friends. Finding new games and getting to play classic favorites, makes each game night a unique and fun experience. If you are looking for some games to enjoy on your next game night, be sure to check out That's Not a Hat, Piñata Blast and Level 8.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. A complimentary copy of That's Not a Hat, Piñata Blast and Level 8 were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could play the games and inivte my friends to check it out too.

Strike and That's Not a Hat! Game Night : #RavensburgerMoment #RavensburgerParty #ThatsNotAHat #tryazon

A complimentary copy of Strike and That's Not a Hat were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

I have shared many times before that we are a game playing family. We sit down and play as a family or when we have friends over but also plan and host game nights with several couples or families on a regular basis. In fact, our friends shared that their one daughter always looks forward to coming over to our house when we host because we always play games, usually a mix of familiar and new games.

We have been having so much fun checking out several new games these past couple of months. This most recent set of games we tried through Tryazon, Strike and That's Not A Hat, were fun, easy to learn and quick to play. They are enjoyable by players of many ages. The recommended ages are 8+ but a family could easily play them with a younger player.

Strike

Throw your dice into an arena, striking other dice to change their faces, and collect matching sets. Watch out, though – if you roll an X, your die is removed from the game! Play it safe by rolling one die, or push your luck and keep rolling for a chance to make matches. The last player with dice wins!
Details:
 Recommended Age: 8+ Great for parties!
 Number of Players: 2 - 5
 15 minutes playtime
 Includes: 26 Dice, 1 Arena, 1 Foam Arena Mat, Rulebook

That's Not a Hat

Wrap and regift objects in this deceptively simple card game of having the world’s best memory... or convincing everyone you do! Was that gift a hat, a bucket, or a traffic cone?! Play this “unforgettable” bluffing game with friends and family for fun, laughter, and a dash of madcap mayhem. As cards or gifts are flipped facedown and passed around the table, players must memorize the object on each card or bluff their confidence as they pass the unwanted gift to someone else. Avoid getting caught declaring the wrong object or gain penalty points. The player with the least points at the end wins!
Details:
 Recommended Age: 8+ Great for parties!
 Number of Players: 3 - 8
 15 minutes playtime
 Includes: A rulebook and 110 cards with simple illustrations for maximum memorization chaos.

We have played these games a few times over the past few weeks and the consensus is that the games were fun to play and are ones that we will go back to often.

Strike is a dice game that comes with it's own arena. The game is easy to play with a goal of making matches to keep yourself in the game. There is an element of strategy with how many dice you roll on your turn and how you roll them but there is also a lot of luck. We had people get out on their first turn and other games where it seemed to be that the final pair played for several rounds. The game was enjoyable and easy to learn, making it an easy game to play with a small group.

That's Not a Hat is a card game. On the surface, That's Not a Hat seemed like it should be easy, afterall you start with all the cards face up and yet we quickly discovered how hard it really could be. With cards going both left and right, it really mixed things up and made it really hard to remember the object on the cards. There was lots of laughter as people passed the gifts left and right and struggled to remember which gifts were moving which direction and what exactly was on the card that you were passing or receiving. We all agreed that the more people playing the more challenging the game became. This was an instant crowd favorite and one we will pull out during future game nights and family evenings.

Game night is always a fun evening spent with family and friends. Finding new games and getting to play classic favorites, makes each game night a unique and fun experience. If you are looking for some games to enjoy on your next game night, be sure to check out Strike and That's Not a Hat.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. A complimentary copy of Strike and That's Not a Hat were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could play the games and inivte my friends to check it out too.

Friendsgiving Game Night #friendsgiving #gamenight #telestrations #theopgames #tryazon

A complimentary copy of What the Cup!? and Telestrations were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

Over the years, we started hosting a Thanksgiving dinner ahead of Thanksgiving weekend. It has become a favorite activity and friends and family alike enjoy joining us for this 'rehearsal' dinner complete with a turkey and all of the fixings (although we do cake instead of pie). This year, we were able to include as part of it a Friendsgiving Game Night celebration through a Tryazon party. The Friendsgiving Game Night with the Op included a copy of two games that could be enjoyed by our friends and family, a new game and a familiar favorite.

The first game we checked out was What the Cup!?, a new game from the Op.

Description: What The Cup!? is a game of luck and lies where you must do whatever it takes to end up with highest or lowest valued die. Sabotage your opponents by changing the winning target, or follow card directives to spy, swap, re-roll, or reveal dice. Bet your chips to raise the stakes and bluff your way to victory. Does your cup hold the winner? The die don’t lie... but YOU can try!

The game was relatively easy to learn but took a few rounds before people started to catch on to the strategy and how they wanted to handle the action proposed on each card. The game was enjoyable and the group was laughing often during the game. Overall the group liked how easy it was to play, the fun of shaking the miniature red cup (it was a little noisy when all were shaking them), and hearing the one player declare each time he was asked that the value on his die was mid (fully supporting that 'the die don't lie but YOU can try!' on the box). The group did not opt to play a second round right away, instead moving on the other game, a familiar favorite.

The second game was the classic Telestrations game. If you aren't familiar, it is a cross between a drawing game and a telephone game.

Description: The award-winning game Telestrations will keep your family and friends entertained and laughing! Draw what you see then guess what you saw for hilarious and unpredictable outcomes

We first discovered Telestrations several years ago when a friend shared at a game night. Each player starts with a booklet and a clue card, the die is thrown and everyone writes their clue down on the inside cover. Then, they draw it, pass it to the next person who guesses it, they pass it to the next person, who draws that clue, then pass it to the next person who guesses based on tne new drawing, and so on. The book continues its journey until it reaches the original player. Then the fun and laughing begins, as each player shares the progression of their clue through the series of drawings and guesses. Of course, everyone is happy when their clue makes it all the way through but there is a lot of laughing when you see how the clue morphed to the final guess at the end. It is always funny when you realize what you saw vs where the clue started. And some of the guesses, you ask - do you really think that would have been on the card? When the round is done, you clean your booklet and start again.

Game night is always a fun evening spent with family and friends. Finding new games and getting to play classic favorites, makes each game night a unique and fun experience. If you are looking for some games to enjoy on your next game night, be sure to check out What the Cup!? and Telestrations.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. A complimentary copy of What the Cup!? and Telestrations were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could play the games and inivte my friends to check it out too.

Nacho Pile #nachopile #nachopilegame #asmodeeusa #familygame #kidsgame #targetfinds #target #Tryazon

A complimentary copy of Nacho Pile was provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

We love to host game nights and play games as a family. Looking back on our game nights, the group certainly has evolved. When the pictures come up in my memories, it makes me sad sometimes because we don't get to spend as much time with some of the people that we used to. Now, change is natural and we have people that join us now that didn't join in the past and our kids are now part of the evening (vs when we used to schedule to start after bedtime) and their friends/dates join us for game play too.

About Nacho Pile:

From the creator of Happy Salmon and other hit party games, Nacho Pile is a fast-paced, high-energy game that will have chips flying back and forth as players compete for full plates and stomachs. In the game, players must push their luck to pile their nacho plates high, but also cleverly snatch matching chips from other players. Don't get too risky or you will lose them all! Keep an eye out for special chips that really ramp up the heat with spicy effects. Best for ages 7+ and playtimes is 20 minutes

When I received the invite to check out Nacho Pile, the game sounded perfect for a quick family game or a filler as different tables were wrapping up longer games on a group game night. It sounds like there is a bit of luck and strategy involved, which always makes for a good balance. I like that it is playable by 2 - 6 people and that it works for most ages. Plus, it is a very portable game, making it perfect to toss into the bag when we head to friends.

When the game arrived, the first thing that I noticed was the packaging. The packaging looks just like a bag of chips, in fact my son initially set it on the table and moved over some snack bags we had of other chips so that it would 'blend' in. The bag that the game comes in doubles as the grab bag for the chips during game play. The plates serve as your game board for chips that you have collected. The chips are slightly arched, making them easy to pick up from the table and also support them a little when stacking.

The game play is fairly straight-forward and the directions were easy to follow. On your first turn, you start by grabbing chips one at a time from the bag and put them next to your plate. You decide when to stop but if you draw a duplicate, you bust and all of the chips go back to the bag. When you stop, you may gather any chips sitting next to another player's plate of the same values that you have. Then, on subsequent rounds, any chips that are next to your plate at the start of the turn, you can put on your plate.

There are chips with numbers 1-7 on them. There are also some Wild Chips and some Spicy Chips to mix up the game play. The Wild Chips you declare the value on when you draw and drawing another of that value before you stop counts as a match and you bust. The Spicy Chips are Steal, Score and Remove. The Spicy Chips can cause a bust if you draw a second of the same type of chip before you stop. All of the Spicy Chips result in action after you stop drawing. Steal lets you take a chip from someone else's plate and put it on your plate. Score let's you move chips of one value (the one you drew and the ones you stole) onto your plate before your turn ends. Remove allows you to remove one chip from another player's plate and return it to the grab bag. The game ends when there is only one chip in the bag. The score is based on who has the most of a given value chip (wilds can be reassigned to any value before scoring starts) earning a point a chip, or two for the number matching the last chip. The winner is the one with the most points.

Game play observations
- In the beginning, people are either very risky and overdraw or they are risk averse and stop after drawing a couple of chips. With time, we found that people wound up in the middle and those that were paying attention had a feel for the risk of grabbing the same chip (there are 6 of each number, 6 Wild chips and 6 Spicy chips) and that the 'sweet spot' for risk shifts as the game progresses with fewer chips remaining in the grab bag.
- The first few rounds were slow, as people got the hang of things, the game moved quicker. It really was easy to learn and I think it took a while to speed up as people figured out their strategies.
- The name is fun. There were 'nacho' jokes a plenty.

Overall, everyone found the game enjoyable but generally agreed that after a few games, it was time to move on to another game. Game time was a good amount for a quick after dinner game.

Want to check out Nacho Pile? You can learn more about the game and purchase a copy on the company website asmodee. You can also find the game at Target, Walmart and Amazon.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. A complimentary copy of Nacho Pile was provided to me through Tryazon so that I could play the game and inivte my friends to check it out too.

Bestway Airbeds #Tryazon #BestwayToSleepThisSummer #BestwaySummerOfSleep #BestwayUS #BestwayUSA #InflateYourFun #YourSleepIsOurBusiness

A complimentary Bestway Airbed was provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

We have always lived a few hours from friends and family, meaning that it is not uncommon for us to have overnight company. We have plenty of floor space for them but that's not always the most comfortable sleeping arrangement. So, when we had the chance to check out the Bestway Airbeds for free through a Tryazon party, I jumped at the chance.

When we received the bed, of course I wasted no time in opening the box and checking it out. One of the first things that I noticed was the soft top material on the mattress - it is listed as a "soft, flocked material that creates a comortable, luxurious sleeping surface for a peaceful night's rest". Depending on who is sleeping on the bed, we will still likely use sheets or sleeping bags but it is a nice surface and makes it easier to put sheets on the mattress.

The mattress that we got was queen size and is rated for up to 661 lbs. I like that there is a slightly elevated section that can serve as a built-in pillow. I imagine that most guests will use a separate pillow but it makes it easier to prop your head up in the bed to read or watch TV before settling in for the night.

The built in air pump made it easy to inflate the bed. I like that there is a built in storage section to tuck away the cords when not needed, keeps them from laying on the floor or being in the way. The cords are a decent length but I did have to rotate the bed to plug it in. It is also nice that you can use the pump to deflate the bed, or you can also manually deflate by opening the valve and letting the air out, but that is much slower.

The mattress uses what they call an I-Beam Construction. According to the box:

The Tritech Fortified Beams are made of an enhanced 3-layer material reinforced to provide durability and support. It provides stretch resistance and ensures that the airbed keeps its shape no matter how many times it is inflated and deflated. The material has been stress tested against the weight, strain and movement of a good night's sleep.

What I found is that unlike some other air mattresses that we have used before, with this one each person seems to be isolated and you don't feel every move of the other person (I think of that mattress commercial with the wine glass where it doesn't spill when the person moves about). This is important when it comes to a good nights sleep. I haven't inflated/deflated a ton of times yet but so far, it does seem that it holds its shape and provides great support.

The storage bag for the mattress is a nice added touch. It is simple but having the bag with handles to transport, store and travel is helpful. You do have to make sure that it is fully deflated and fold it as recommended to make it fit in the bag. Again, this is where the built-in pump is helpful too - you only need to remember to grab the bag and don't have to worry about whether you have everything.

Originally, we were expecting to get the mattress earlier in the season, which would have been great for some planned visitors and trips. There was a delay in the timing for receiving the mattress and hosting the Tryazon event, so we didn't get the chance to use the mattress for an overnight event or share with a larger group at one time, as hoped. Instead, we inflated and deflated to share and demonstrate the comfort with some smaller groups over the timespan that we had. The guests agreed that it was comfortable during trial and that it would likely be great for sleeping on. Of course, the good news is that we now have it for future visits too.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. A complimentary Bestway Airbed was provided to me through Tryazon so that I could experience the product and inivte my friends to check it out too.

Game Night - featuring Telestrations and Blank Slate #theOPgames #telestrations #blankslate #boardgames #Tryazon

Complimentary copies of Telestrations and Blank Slate games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

At my house, we have enjoyed playing many of the OP games that we have come across. So, when Tryazon sent me an invite to apply for a Game Night featuring two of our favorite games, I was excited to apply and hoped to get the chance to participate and share the games with more friends. This game night party kit came with two games: Telestrations and Blank Slate. We have been playing Telestrations for several years, ever since one of our friends recommendimg we check it out at a game night and we have been playing Blank Slate for a few years, since getting it one Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, it always feels a bit like Christmas to me when the party pack arrives. I enjoy unboxing it and seeing what all we got in the party pack.
The initial reveal:

After unpacking:

Once we had the games, all that remained was having friends over and introducing them to two of our favorite games.

Telestrations

Description: The outrageously fun party game Telestrations will keep your family and friends entertained and laughing! Draw what you see then guess what you saw for hilarious and unpredictable outcomes.

Casual, family, party and strategy gamers alike all agree that Telestrations is one of the top 10 board games to add to their game collection, and game night. It’s an engaging game that can be played over and over with many different ages and types of groups and gatherings – it’s the perfect group game for game night!

The award-winning game Telestrations will keep your family and friends entertained and laughing! Draw what you see then guess what you saw for hilarious and unpredictable outcomes. Over 1,700 words, 8 erasable sketch books, 8 dry erase markers, and 8 clean-up cloths. Perfect for families, small parties, and friends new and old. A great ice breaker! No Drawing Skills Required. Stick figures & sense of humor welcome! Ages 12+. For 4-8 players. Play time: 10-15 minutes per round.

Telestrations combines classic drawing games with the age old game of Telephone. This is one game where laughter ensues with each reveal of the sequence from original clue through a few iterations of drawings and guesses. Sometimes we have clues that make it through 'intact' but most of the time there is a definite evolution to the guesses and drawings. As with the classic Telephone game, the miscommunication of guessing the drawing leads to some wild departures from the original clue. We love how it can be played by any age group. Our kids can play with their friends, we can play with our friends, and we can also all play together. We have found that with an all adult group there are a few more adult themed guesses and drawings (even though everyone knows the initial clues are not adult themed since we don't have the 'after dark' version of the game). The original version is intended for 8 players but they also offer a 6 player and 12 player version of the game. The difference is the number of iterations that your original clues go through before returning to you - the more iterations the broader the departure. There is also an 80s and 90s expansion pack (featuring decades-inspired words and phrases that will have you sketching out the tunes, fads, and fashion from the end of the 20th century) available for more clues. We don't own this one but would be a great game for us to play with our friends (I assume that the kids might not get all of the clues, having not lived through those years). Since we already had a copy of the original game, we shared this gift with a friend so that they could enjoy the fun with their family and friends.

Blank Slate

Description: TPick one of over 250 Word Cue cards (with 500 total cues), write the word you think best completes the phrase - and try to match it exactly to another player's word without giving a single hint.

If you're looking out for something new to introduce to the family, then the Blank Slate Board Game is your best bet. This fun game comes with 8 slates, markers and 250 double-sided cue cards. The objective is to complete phrases with any word, but you score points for matching your word with any one other player. The rules are simple to understand and each match lasts only up to 30 minutes, so you know this game is going to be the new favorite with the family.

Game night is always a hit with Blank Slate - just ask Ryan Seacrest or Bobby Bones! Blank Slate game is featured on AT40 with Ryan Seacrest and The Bobby Bones Show - fans love it!

Blank Slate is a fun game. There is a certain strategy to try to match one and only one other answer. You need a word to fill in the blank that is obvious but not too obvious. I will say that it does help if you have connections with the people you are playing with, as those common experiences are often the source of the best answers. This game is great for all ages and you don't need to have any specific knowledge to play (everyone knows words and phrases). The game plays quickly, allowing you to play multiple rounds in a few hours (and crowning your winner based on best of 5 or 7). Since we already had a copy of Blank Slate, I shared the new one with some party guests.



What are some of your favorite games for family game night? or game night with friends? Have you played Telestrations or Blank Slate before? What did you think?

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. Complimentary copies of the games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog, with enough to share some with my friends too.

Game Night - featuring Venn and Hues and Cues #theOPgames #VENN #HuesAndCues #BringTheFun #Tryazon

Complimentary copies of Venn and Hues and Cues games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

As I have shared before, Game Night has always been a favorite activity at our house. We have been fortunate to have many friends and family members that enjoy not only hanging out but also playing games. Our friends have introduced us to many games and we have introduced them to many games. There always seems to be a new game to play but we still try to make time for favorites. As with any good gathering, we enjoy an assortment of snacks and always have a good time. We compete and we laugh and we genuinely enjoy the time together. When we started hosting, we had little kids and would often start around bedtime so that the kids would be sleeping through most of the time but now that they are teenagers, they often times will join in for the games too, whether with us or at their own game table with their friends.

We have enjoyed playing many of the OP games that we have come across, so when I see that there is a new game out, I am always intersted to learn more. So, when Tryazon sent me a message inviting me to apply for the Venn Game Night, I was excited to check it out. The party kit came with two games, Venn and Hues and Cues. Venn was new to us but we have owned Hues and Cues for a while now.

Venn

Description: Introducing VENN, a clever game where clues and art overlap! Race to find three secret words based on where a Clue Giver arranges unique Art Cards onto color circles. Set a timer or outguess the others to find the similarities, come to the right conclusions, and win! Go head-to-head as teams or work together through cooperative gameplay in this hands-on communication game that mixes friendly competition and fun.

Venn is an interesting game that requires creative thinking, a skill that sometimes I think we don't always get the chance to develop. It can be played competitively or cooperatively. I like this because I find that the cooperative play is an easier way to learn the game and a great way to play as a family, especially with younger kids. The concept of finding art work that applies to one, two or three of the words on your card is a fun way to get your teammates to guess the words. It did take a little while to figure out some people's thought process but with time, being able to guess became a little easier.

Hues and Cues

Description: Test your color knowledge and guessing abilities with Hues and Cues – a vibrant group party game of colorful communication where players are challenged to make connections to colors with words. Using only one and two-word cues, players try to get others to guess a specific hue from the 480 colors squares on the unique game board . The player with the most points after several rounds wins the game!

Hues and Cues is a fun game. It is helpful if you are familiar with context for your clue giver's clues. As an example, when the color card has a shade of blue and the clue giver says Cinderella for their word. If you don't know that Cinderella wears a blue dress or aren't familiar with which princess is which, then you might be guessing a shade of pink or yellow. We also discussed that for those that are color blind, it would also be quite a challenge. They can often differentiate shades but certainly aren't going to be as succesful with the nuances of the colors on the board. Since we already had a copy, I shared the new one with my brother and his family.

You can find more information on The Op or purchase your own copy of the games HERE.

What are some of your favorite games for family game night? or game night with friends? Have you played Venn or Hues and Cues before? What did you think?

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. Complimentary copies of the games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog, with enough to share some with my friends too.

Game Night - featuring Five Crowns and Farkle #playmonsterfun #tryazon

Complimentary copies of Farkle and Five Crowns games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog.

Game Night has always been a favorite activity at our house. We have been fortunate to have many friends and family members that enjoy not only hanging out but also playing games. We always have way too much to eat and always have a good time. We compete and we laugh and we genuinely enjoy the time together. Some nights, we play card games, some nights we play board games, some nights we visit so long that we never get to the games. When the kids were little, we would put them to bed just before game night or shortly after it started. Now that they are older, we invite everyone's kids and we set up multiple game tables, one in the basement and one upstairs, so that everyone can get in on the fun. Durning the past couple of years, those types of nights slowed down but so glad to be back in the swing of things again.

Recently, we had the chance to share Five Crowns and Farkle from PlayMonster with our friends, as a participant in the Tryazon party. Both are games that we had played before but not with our friends.

Five Crowns is a rummy-style card game that featuring 5 suits and rotating wild cards. The box says that you can play with 1-7 players, ages 8 and up (it says 99 but I bet you could play if you were 100). I've not played the solitaire version but always love a game that you can play on your own. The game is easy to learn and with an estimated game time of 45 minutes, is easy to fit in a quick game almost anytime.

Farkle is a dice game that can be played with 2 or more players, ages 8 and up (although, you could actually play by yourself - maybe challenge yourself to reach the target in the fewest turns). Another game that is easy to learn and quick to play at an average game time of 30 minutes. It is also easy to take on the go and play almost anywhere. We have a pocket version that has a scoring pad that you could tuck in your purse or glove box and a small tube that holds the dice (about the size of a 35 mm film cannister for those of you old enough to remember).

Both games are family-friendly and can be enjoyed by young and old alike. The ability to play with only a few people, how easy it is to learn the games and the ability to play a full game in a short-time, makes them appealing game options. We have foudn that card and dice games have always been favorites to play with grandparents when they visit us.

You can learn more about PlayMonster and order your own copies of the games at PlayMoster.com. I recieved a coupon code to share with my guests but I also see that if you join their mailing list, you can get 25% off your first order.

What are some of your favorite games? Have you played Five Crowns or Farkle before?

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. Complimentary copies of the games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog, with enough to share some with my friends too.

Deflecto Room Refresh - a peek into my #Tryazon Party and how I organized with the Stackable Cubes

Complimentary chair mats and organizer cubes were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog.

One of the things that often brings enjoyment are the unexpected things in life. They don't have to be big or monumental to make a difference, sometimes just the smallest unexpected experience can provide fun and humor to your day. A few weeks ago, I received a text from FedEx letting me know that a shipment was on its way. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I was expecting, and from a small town in Ohio nonetheless. My husband were sitting down, relaxing, catching up on some episodes of Aerial (enjoyable and education series if you haven't watched it) when the text came in. We sat there and racked our brains. We checked the websites for typical retailers and shipment e-mails for special items that we had ordered recently. Nothing matched. The small town happens to be near some of our friends, so he reached out to say, we are getting a package from that city, any chance they know what is coming? Of course, they didn't but their curiosity was piqued. Let us know when you get it, they asked. Of course, it didn't arrive the day it was supposed to but when it did - we shared the unboxing with them. We had a good laugh about it and they were the first to see the products that I had received as part of my Deflecto Room Refresh Tryazon Party.

Turns out that first shipment was only a partial shipment and there was a delay with the other part. That didn't stop me from partying but it did lead to me have to break the party up into a couple of different 'parties' instead of what I had planned, since the product wasn't all here in time.

I took advantage of a planned visit from an out of town friend to share with one group of friends about the product, I grabbed the samples I did have and headed out to hang out for the afternoon. Most of our day was focused on catching up but made sure to find time to share with them. I snagged examples and images from the party guide and website to share to show them the organizers in action. We talked about how versatile they would be in the kids room to hold art supplies. Combining the two drawer and four drawer units, clipping them together so they stayed together, was a great way to do just that. The smaller drawers worked perfectly for markers and pens and paint brushes, the larger drawers for paints and small stencils. Also, isn't it nice how the full drawer pulls out making it easy to access the right color too! We also talked about using the chair mat under the art table to help protect the flooring from any paint spills or other art mishaps. My friend with the youngest kiddos wasn't able to join us but I did tell her about the mats and how they work great under a high chair too.

When the rest of the product arrived, I set up for an 'around the house' party. I decided that I wanted to showcase the product in action. Since I had to move the party, I went with an open house style, to allow people to swing by when they could. It wasn't the gathering that I had planned but it was great and I got to spend time with everyone.

The art table:

When I was setting up, even though my art table has long been in storage (they just use their desks when they are doing something creative), I went ahead and filled a bin like I had discussed with my friends to share with others.

The kitchen:

In the Kitchen, I decided that the Deflecto Cubes were the perfect option for storing coffee and tea and associated supplies. I initially toyed with storing k-cups in the drawers but then decided that sweetener packets, drink mix and tea was a better combination. My k-cup caddy was able to easily sit on top of the unit, letting me store more in a small space. I also discovered that I could exchange drawers between sets - giving me two small and one large drawer in the unit.

The home office:

Who doesn't like to keep something sweet at hand. At our house, we do a mix of sweet and minty hard candies and the Deflecto Stackable Cubes gave me the chance to keep them all easily on hand with out them being in one container.

The homework/study desk:

Whether the desk in the bedroom is used for school or work, keeping it stocked and organized is helpful in providing a good environment to learn or complete that project for work. Here we again swapped some drawers around and used it to store pens, highlighters, dry erase, post it notes and more.

The bathroom:

One area that seems to be ever overflowing with small stuff, the bathroom counter was where I put to use a couple more Deflecto Stackable Cubes. Mix and match on the drawers was a great way to store the items of differnt sizes. The top makes a great space for those vitamins and pain releiver bottles too.

The computer desk:

My kids are older, so the floor mat works best in my house for the computer desk in the family room. It provides a pop of color and an easy way for the chair to roll at the desk. As you can see, I had some assistance from the cat in flattening it before placing it at the desk. That's an empty organizer on top of the desk there, perfect location for me to stock some pens and pencils for the desk and some candy too since it is often a place to game.

As I shared with friends about the product and the versatility, I shared some cubes and chair mats with them so that they could try them out for themselves. My friends shared with me how they decided to use their Deflecto Stackable Cubes that they took home. It was great to hear about other uses for the organizers - use in the camper to hold miscellaneious supplies neatly in the cabinet. Children using them to store their Calico Critters accessories. A teacher using one on her desk at school to organize desk supplies. A new at home office being set up with a chair mat to provide a pop of color to the room and an organizer on the desk for desk supplies.

Everyone agreed, the use of the product is varied and diverse. The product is well made and everyone liked how you could clip the units together to stack or have them stay together side by side. If you are looking to check them out, you can find them at Walmart, Office Depot and of course online at Amazon too (where I discovered the so many other organizers that they offer beyond the cubes and the chair mats).


No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. Complimentary chair mats and organizer cubes were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog, with enough to share some with my friends too.

Silk'n Infinity Hair Removal Device

A complimentary Silk'n Infinity was provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog.

When you are a teenager, it is a right of passage to start shaving. I can remember being so excited when I finally was old enough to shave. Little did I know what a pain shaving on a regular basis really could be. When I was a still a teenager, I found a use Epilady (at least that is what I remember it being called), it was a devive with coils that vibrated and essentially yanked your hair out. I used that for a few minute before deciding that was not the way that I wanted to remove hair, shaving was a better option. Then I tried depilatory creams, which were stinky and never seemed to really work for me. Again, I was back to shaving.

So, when I had a chance to apply to be a host for a Tryazon party for a product that I hadn't ever heard of - Silk'n Infinity. "Silk'n Infinity's eHPL™ technology uses pulses of light to permanently remove undesired hair growth without stubble, ingrown hairs, redness or other irritation. It is the most revolutionary method of hair removal at home and is already regarded as the gold standard. Infinitely smooth skin, without any pain or irritation, is finally at your fingertips!" It is an at home Hair Removal tool with Permananet results. From the package - It uses Galvanic Energy to open the skin's pores and enable the Optical Energy to penetrate deeper into the hair folicle. The Optical Energy is selectively absorbed in the hair shaft and ensures hair removal is acheived in the quickest possible way. With the pores open, post treatment application of lotion is better absorbed for silky smooth skin.

I received the Silk'n Infinity a few weeks ago and had a chance to sit in on a webinar to learn more about the operation of the unit and the technology. I started using the Silk'n at that time. The unit fits nicely in the palm of your hand and is very to easy to use. If you are spot treating, you can do it a click at a time or you can use it in a continuous mode by holding down the button. It has built in safety in that it has to be pressed against your skin to activate the galvanic and optical energy. I decided to do one leg for the initial trial so that I could compare legs to see results.

They instruct you to start at level 1 and work your way up to find the right level for your skin tone/hair color combination. Initial treatments are spaced 2 weeks apart. I have finally reached the level at which the unit works best for my combination. Unfortunately, this process took a few cycles, which if you were looking for a quick fix, would not be ideal. Now that I am at that right level, following the first treatment, I am seeing slower hair growth, as expected. Of course, I will need another 3 - 5 weeks to really start to see 'hairless patches' but I am glad to finally be at the right level for me.

Initially, you might react and think the cost of the unit is high at about $400 but if you consider what the cost of laser hair treatments would cost at a local salon, you will realize that the unit is really a good value. Even better, with the number of available pulses in the unit, there are enough that I can share it with my daughter and allow her to benefit from the hair removal as well. So, the price becomes a one time cost for a couple of people to acheive permanent hair loss in the comfort of your own home.

With everything going on in the world, I broke my party up into a couple of different 'parties'. Two of the events were in person and one was part of a virtual Girl's Night In. I enjoyed the opportunity to share about the product with my friends and of course, will keep them and you up to date on the continued progress with the unit.
No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary Silk'n Infinity was provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog.

Game Night - Telestrations Upside Drawn

As a participant in the Tryazon Telestrations Upside Drawn party, I received an Upside Drawn party pack which included two copies of the game and coupons to buy the game to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love to host a good gathering. There is a lot of work that goes into planning and hosting a gathering but I enjoy it. Finding the right food for the event, preparing the house for the arrival and planning the preparation of the food, so that it all comes together at the right time in the right way. I enjoy it and the sense of satisfaction when it all comes together. With Covid those gatherings have all but disappeared from our social calendar. We have had a few bonfires with friends, where we can all sit socially distant and visit, relax and enjoy each other's company. Everyone has brought their own drinks, snacks and chairs. 

This weekend we extended our gathering to include a cookout and plans for a small game night. All planned for outside where we could rely on the benefits of sunlight and the lack of close quarters. We kept the cookout simple with burgers, chicken and hot dogs. For sides, we had garden veggies, fruit, macaroni salad, and salad. We also had chips with homemade onion dip, fresh garden salsa and a jalepeno dip. For dessert, we went Disney inspired options. We made chocolate cupcakes with chocoalte hazelnut buttercream frotsting. Our friends brought their soft serve maker and Dole whip mix so we could all enjoy Dole Whips. And, of course, with a bonfire planned to cap the evening, we had all the makings for S'mores. 

As with most plans, we had to make some adjustments. As we approached the day, we confirmed that some were unable to join. I forgot to buy watermelon, so fruit was scratched from the menu. Then, the day of the event, as we were finishing up the cookout portion, we were concerned briefly about rain as the cloud cover increased and the sky darkened. It didn't rain but we wound up having to relocate to the front of the house to follow the sun and the warmth when the non-rain cold front passed through and the temperatures dropped. 

 It was so nice to have an event to plan. It was so nice to hang out and visit with friends. As sometimes happened, we spent less time than planned playing games because we got caught up in visiting and eating! Fortunately, my daughter had played the games many times with friends and was able to easily explain the game and roles that everyone on the team would play. Telestrations Upside Drawn

is a unique in that the artist is one of the guessers. They don't know what they are drawing but rather are taking instruction from the guide as they move the drawing board under the marker, providing up or down instructions telling the artist to lift or lower the marker back to the board. Needless to say, even more so than other drawing games, the pictures can be pretty interesting as a result and lead to laughter and kidding when the answer is learned. Fortunately, there are hints along the side of the board that you can guide the board to (be sure to have the marker up as you move so you don't cross thorugh the drawing). The game is enjoyable but I will say that I think I still prefer the original Telestrations game - the 'telephone' game of drawing and guessing has been the center piece of many game nights at our house over the years. 

All in all, it was a good night. The group was smaller than expected. The cupcakes were a big hit. The bonfire was enjoyable and I even got to have a couple of toasted marshmallows, even if it was after the guests left. We even had a bonus copy of the game that we got to share with friends to enjoy at their own game nights.

What are some of your favorite games to play with friends?  You can find Upside Drawn at Amazon and Target.

As a participant in the Tryazon Telestrations Upside Drawn party, I received an Upside Drawn party pack which included two copies of the game and coupons to buy the game to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wewalka Baking Party and Review #Tryazon #wewalkaparty

As a participant in the Tryazon Wewalka Party, I received an Wewalka party pack which included a coupons to try the product at the party and to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.

Pizza is a staple at our house. We have it on a variety of crusts. We do open face quesadilla pizzas on tortillas, we use leftover buns and bagels to make pizzas, we use bread dough, dough mixes and homemade dough. We top them with all sorts of toppings - simple to complex, sweet and savory. We enjoy it at any meal and as a snack too. So, when I got the opportunity to try Wewalka European Bakery Style Dough, I was excited.

The party pack included an apron and an oven mitt for me and some insulated bags, magnetic shopping lists, Wewalka pens and measuring spoons and coupons for product to share with guests. (not all pictured)

I spent a couple of evenings studying the website and finding inspiration and recipes to try at our party. I wound printing out a recipe for shrimp flatbread, a buffalo chicken calzone, a chocolate cherry cheesecake pizza, jalapeno popper puffs, bread sticks and a prosciutto pizza. I made up my grocery list and headed off to find my ingredients and the dough. My store carried four varieties of their dough - Puff Pastry, Flatbread, Classic Pizza and Bistro Pizza. I decided to grab a couple of each to try at the party, using the recipes I found or improvising with other pizzas we enjoy.

Before the guests arrived, I started with prep work and even got a couple of the things in the oven. I wanted the guests to see and work with the product, but with basketball on in the background and plans to play poker, I knew attention would be divided and I would have to prepare to ensure we got to also try more product than we prepped during the party. Plus, you can only have so much in the oven at a time and I only have three baking stones.

I love that the dough comes on parchment paper and is refrigerated, so when you are ready to bake you can simply unroll, top and bake. The packaging is great too, as it is a flat sleeve and can easily stack on the side of my refrigerator, making them easy to access. As I opened the packaging to make the first recipe, I noticed this small valve on the inside. I assumed it had something to do with minimizing moisture build-up on the dough, but to be sure I looked it up on the website and learned that the valve is part of their packaging because they "use real, live baker’s yeast which needs to slowly release carbon dioxide, so we’ve added specialized valves to the packaging. Our yeast ensures your pastries and pizzas always rise up and bake to perfection." (I like it, great way to ensure the freshness and deliver performance of the product). Baking on the parchment paper sure made clean-up easy, which was especially good for the party, since we only had three stones and one pan that we were using.

Buffalo Pizza:
Started with a traditional pizza crust, used ranch dressing to cover the dough, added chicken that had been mixed with buffalo sauce, then added onions and shredded colby jack cheese and baked according to the package.

 Margherita Pizza:

Shrimp Flatbread:

Buffalo Chicken Calzone:

Jalepeno Popper Puffs:

Margherita and Cheese Flatbread:
Started by unrolling a flatbread and scoring it to create two halves. Added pizza sauce as a base to each side. Added fresh mozzarella slices on one side and shredded Italian cheese on the other. Baked it according to the package directions. Then, added fresh sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. Returned it to the oven for 5 minutes, then drizzled with balsamic.

The traditional margherita pizza and the half margherita/half cheese flatbread were delicious. I think that margherita pizza is one of my favorites, there is just something about the fresh tomatoes and the drizzle of balsamic that is so tasty. We wound up making a buffalo chicken pizza in addition to the calzone. The jalapeño poppers, which we left the bacon out of, were delicious, but I would make them smaller next time - everyone was cutting them in half to enjoy anyway. The shrimp flatbread was tasty, but compared to the other offerings, just wasn't as popular. Everyone loved the chocolate cheesecake pizza, it was super rich though and so we had a good amount left over (not a bad thing at all - meant we got to enjoy some the next day).

Chocolate Cheesecake Pizza:

I liked the flavor of the product, but found that based on the timing on the directions and/or on the packaging for those that we improvised, that the pizza and flat breads did not bake up as much as I prefer. I don't mind a soft crust and it works fine for a lightly topped flatbread, but it made it difficult to plate up the chocolate cheesecake pizza and the calzone was also difficult to cut and plate for sharing. I found that extending the cooking time helped it cook up a little more. Also, those items that I tucked in the oven to reheat also crisped up nice directly on the stone.

The ease of use of the Wewalka pizza and flatbread products is tremendous. As a busy mom, I could feasibly make and bake a (nearly) homemade pizza for my family in about 20 minutes including prep, which is important on those nights with games and practices that leave little time for dinner. The dough being rolled up with the parchment paper not only makes it easy to use, but makes clean-up a breeze - another time saver on a busy night.

The puff pastry feels like a very versatile product to me, one that can be used for both sweet and savory dishes and the fact that it is fresh and not frozen makes it an easy go to for dinners or dessert. I look forward to trying more of the puff pastry recipes, since we wound up only trying the jalepeno poppers at the party.

There are so many more recipes that I look forward to trying, you can peruse them yourself here. You can find a local store that carries the Wewalka line, using their store locator here.

The guests and my family all enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the Wewalka Baking Party through Tryazon.

As a participant in the Tryazon Wewalka Party, I received an Wewalka party pack which included a coupons to try the product at the party and to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.