Looking for a fun place for a birthday party? Full Send Ninja in Norwood is great!

Our kids are pretty active and enjoy running around. They especially love to play on jungle gyms in playgrounds. When it came to pick a place for our kid’s birthday party we were super excited to find out that a new Ninja gym opened up right near us in Norwood, MA. Full Send Ninja is an American Ninja Warrior-style gym that was built specifically for folks who enjoy ninja-style training and workouts and it looks just like the sets of American Ninja Warrior on TV!

They opened in August 2021 and we were fortunate to check them out during their open house. We booked a birthday party and then worked out the details of food. You could go through Full Send Ninja to add pizza and drinks to the party for an additional $100, but we decided to bring our own and they still provided the paper goods and utensils for us to use.

Although we are still going through the pandemic, we were comforted by knowing Full Send Ninja is taking every precaution they can in terms of sanitation and hygiene. There are hand sanitizing stations throughout and they encourage everyone to wash their hands before and after the course so they are nice and clean before you eat anything!

We all had to wear masks because we were inside, but the gym room is very spacious with really high ceilings so that too made us a little more comfortable.

The kids were all led around the course by two instructors, one of whom has been on ANW multiple times and frequently tests the course builds prior to each show taping. They even let the parents and adults try the course as well - I quickly realized that you have to be in top shape to attempt some of the obstacles - even the zip line was a little too much for someone who isn’t used to a lot of physical exertion or being in a position of hanging from your arms.

In the back at the end of the course, they have three sizes of warped walls, an 8 foot one, a 12 foot one with a cutout to hang onto at 10 feet, and the regulation size 14 foot warped wall. Here is a picture of me standing next to it - I can’t believe people actually get up it and the instructor, Mark, made it look so easy but I know it took lots of training.

We strongly recommend this as a great place for a birthday party - so much so that one of our friend’s already booked it for their kid’s party! They also offer classes and open gym times and we hope to have the chance to tell you all about those experiences as well.

NOTE: We were provided a discount off the birthday party package in order to facilitate the review. As always all opinions are our own.

A Mental Health Map of information in your hands from Genomind!

Mental Health is more important than ever these days and you now can order a map of your own mental health based on your genetics from a company called Genomind.

The Mental Health Map by Genomind tests for specific genetic variants that have been shown to influence behavior, mood, stress response and more across the 7 Core Genetic Mental Health Capabilities: Mood, Eating Behavior, Social Behavior, Anxiety, Focus and Memory, Sleep, and Substance Use and Habits.

One of the best benefits of getting the Mental Health Map test is that you also receive access to an app called NeuroFlow which lets you track your feelings and provides activities to complete along with guided breathing. I have found that the most useful and one nice perk is when you complete the activities, you earn stars/points which can be redeemed for gift cards once you accumulate enough points. The best benefit is greater insight into yourself!

They also have a clinical product called PGx which you can test 15 genes for core anxiety and depression or 24 genes for a full mental health report to inform treatment decisions for a range of mental health conditions. The PGx reports have to be ordered by a physician and can help guide medication from data rather than just trial and error. 

The test for the Mental Health Map and the PGx products are the same - you get the kit, swab, ship and then get the results. If you're getting the results for the PGx your clinician will receive the results and then talk to you about them. If you get the Mental Health Map, you would order that yourself and you get a 30 minute phone conversation with a professional consultant who will give you personalized insights and actions to help support you and learn about your mental well-being.

I had the chance to review both options and found it very insightful to get a map of my own mental health and talking about it with a coach from Genomind through the 7 core cababilities. I found the results from the PGx test to be very helpful as I have found it very difficult that there still is a trial and error approach to some medications. With the availability of the PGx clinical test that has been studied it has been helpful to find medications (even ibuprofen and acetaminophen) which may respond better because of certain genes.

NOTE: I received these tests at no cost to me in order to faciliatate this review. The Genomind team was no a part of any of my opinions and analysis and all opinions are our own. No other compensation was provided.

RISE Brewing Nitro Cold Brew Oat Milk Vanilla Latte is a great start to the day!

RISE Brewing has a great product in their Nitro Cold Brew Oat Milk Vanilla Latte. I've been a huge fan of RISE Brewing's Cold Brew cans for the past few years but this Vanilla Latte with Oat Milk is amazing! It is dairy-free, creamy, smooth and slightly sweetened with Vanilla.

It is all organic, dairy free, gluten free, plant powered and nitrogen-infused. I've found that the added nitrogen makes the coffee smoother and less bitter while providing an added kick in addition to the 80 mg of caffeine per can!

I had it as a daily start to the day and strongly recommend it, it's so smooth and delicious! The folks at RISE Brewing have offered you, my readers, a code for 15% off and free shipping on your first order using code FYIRISE15.

NOTE: We were provided with a sample case of RISE Brewing Nitro Cold Brew Oat Milk Vanilla Latte to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided and as always, all opinions are our own.

Kids in Sports is a great local sports education program for your kids!

Kids in Sports in Walpole, MA is a local franchised sports education program that teaches children the fundamentals of sports. We had the opportunity to try this program for our little guy and he had so much fun participating in it with two of his friends from school along with around 10 other kids.

We enrolled him in the juniors program which is a one-hour drop-off class for four and five year olds. Every week or few weeks the kids are exposed to a new sport and how to play the game including baseball, basketball, floor hockey, football, soccer, and volleyball. Kids participate in both individual and group instruction while emphasizing the basic rules as well as movements.

The owner, Coach Mike, energetically teaches the kids about each sport and is sure to give the kids frequent water breaks. In our class there are three instructors, with the ratio being around 1 instructor for every 4 kids. The focus is for the kids to try their hardest and to be a good sport.

During the time of this pandemic, everyone is masked (except when the kids are drinking water) and the kids don't seem to mind. Even though the class is a drop-off class most of the parents seem to wait in the lobby (myself included) all wearing masks and watching the kids play and have fun.

The kids are so excited throughout the class and by the end of it, they are energized but also a little worn out from expending so much energy.

NOTE: We were provided with an enrollment in the class for our little guy in exchange for this review and another one later on in the season. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are our own.

Looking for a gift for a man in your life for the holidays? The Perfect Package from manscaped is great!

Looking for a gift for a man in your life for the holidays? The Perfect Package 4.0 from Manscaped is great! It comes with an updated version of the Lawn Mower (4.0), the Weed Whacker (ear and nose hair trimmer), Crop Preserver (anti-chafing deodorant), Crop Reviver (spray toner), Magic Mat disposable shaving mats, a travel bag and anti-chafing boxers.

You can see our review of the Lawn Mower from last year and the new version is updated with a bunch of new as well as proven features:

• SkinSafe® technology reduces the risk of nicks, snags and tugs
• Powerful 7,000 RPM motor with QuietStroke™ technology
• Rechargeable 600mA li-ion battery
• Waterproof for convenient wet or dry operation

New Features

• Wireless charging system that uses electromagnetic induction
• 4000k LED spotlight with diffuser, so you can see where you’re trimming
• Cutting-edge ceramic blade to help reduce grooming accidents
• Adjustable trimming guard sizes 1 to 4, with 3, 6, 10, or 13mm settings
• Modern two-toned black finish

Weed Whacker 
Ear & Nose Hair Trimmer

We had the chance to use the Weed Whacker ear and nose hair trimmer and it was very smooth. You could also tell that it was made of a high quality and standard to ensure you weren't putting something inside your nose or ear to trim hair that would be problematic. it is a lot better than sticking a pair of scissors carefully inside your nose so you only cut the nose hair and nothing else. The Weed whacker is easy to use and has a comfortable grip.

You can SAVE 20% Automatically - Go to https://www.manscaped.com/gifting and automatically receive 20% off all orders

NOTE: We received a Perfect Package 4.0 to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. As always all opinions are our own.

Raising a spoon to fight cancer with the Scooper Bowl-in-a-box kit at your house! #partner @danafarber @scooperbowl

A sample Scooper Bowl in a box kit. Image courtesy of 

This year, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute is taking the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl® to your house! Enjoy all the sweet scoops of Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl with your own Scooper Bowl in a box kit! Pick up a kit from one of four convenient locations between August 19-22 and receive plenty to share, with nearly 200 ounces of ice cream, toppings, and all the fun that comes with it!

There are two types of kits, a standard kit for $50 and a premium kit for $75. Each kit has plenty of ice cream and frozen desserts for 4-6 people, plus treats from sponsors. If you upgrade to the premium kit, you get a Scooper Bowl hat and sunglasses, plus extra ice cream from Brigham’s, special hot fudge, and a guaranteed prize!

You can also sponsor a kit for a health care hero at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute! Purchase a standard kit for $50 to share some sprinkles, smiles, and thanks with a Dana-Farber first responder.

NOTE: We were provided with some fun Jimmy Fun hats and sprinkles along with a few coupons to share this joy with you!

Check your vision at home with the EyeQue Personal Vision Tracker

During the pandemic, we had the chance to test out a few at-home vision checkers from a company called EyeQue. They make products called the Personal Vision Tracker Plus ($45 at the time of this writing), Insight ($89) and VisionCheck ($69) which work together with your smartphone to help you check your eyesight over time. The Insight and VisionCheck are pretty neat - the Insight will test your visual acuity (20/20 vision), color and contrast sensitivity, while the VisionCheck tests for refraction errors automatically via Bluetooth and the Personal Vision Tracker checking for refraction errors manually.

It was very easy to try the different products using both my iPhone 12 as well as an older iPhone that we had kicking around and it was great for try it out. it was definitely easier to use the automatic VisionCheck since we didn't have to rotate the dial like the Personal Vision Tracker Plus, but it was very easy to use both products.

I took the tests using the different products and brought the results to my eye doctor to ask why they seemed so different than the prescription I had. The eye doctor had said that these systems are good for getting general numbers and trends but for eyeglass prescriptions they like to use their technology-aided instruments to get a ballpark idea, and then use their training and skill to get the numbers closer and perfected.

The VisionCheck and Vision Tracker Plus measures the lens power needed to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. At the end of the test, you will receive a set of EyeGlass Numbers that can be used to order glasses online - single vision, bifocals and progressives. They use either a manual or powered automated lens rotation to capture each meridian of the eye. The benefit of the VisionCheck is that it provides improved optics for faster, simpler test taking and has powered, automatic lens rotation using Bluetooth technology.

Thankfully, the folks at EyeQue have given us a few of the Vision Tracker Plus products to give away to our readers! You can enter the giveaway by filling out the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: We were provided with samples of the product to facilitate this review and host the giveaway. No other compensation was provided, and as always, all opinions are our own.