Here are some things we own & really like. Yes – they are Amazon affiliate links! So please be aware that, although it costs you NO MORE, we get a little of the sale proceeds rather than the extra coin going to multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos! Thank you!
Nerd Gear
Nerdy toys & gadgets we really like! Yes, especially me (Chip) – the big kid!
Books
Favorite books the kids & us have read.
Toys
Toys that are more than a flash-in-the-pan. Ones that we really like and have staying power! Admittedly, there may be some overlap between this and the nerd gear….
Home
Things we use, in and about the house, to make our lives better! Some technology, tools & appliances.
Apparel & Merchandise
Available in many colors!
Stuff we sell through Merch by Amazon.
Coming Soon!
Nerd Gear
DJI Mavic Air
Gracie bought this with her own money when she was 9. We love this thing! It was a little confusing to get things working in the beginning – because three distinct parts had to communicate with each other: the remote, the phone, and the drone. After we sorted that all out we were really amazed at how stable and easy to fly this drone is. The video quality is up to 4K and truly amazing. Check out some of Gracie’s videos on YouTube HERE. You can see the current price for this on Amazon HERE.
There is a newer version out (the Mavic Air 2) that does NOT REQUIRE using your phone (which we would definitely consider). Gracie bought hers from Amazon Warehouse Deals (~$600) and saved a couple hundred dollars! This is NOT a cheap drone, by any means – but you do really get what you pay for!
DJI RoboMaster S1
This is made by the same company (DJI) as the drone above that we like so much! The RoboMaster is actually considered a “Land Drone”. Just like the drone – this is built very well & is solid! As a kid, this is what I dreamed of having some day – a remote controlled robot – with a camera & audio. I especially like the driving mode where the robot automatically turns to face the direction your phone is pointed. The robot is incredibly responsive – and fast! Most of the time we keep it on the slower speed. Because of the mecanum wheels – this thing can go sideways – without the need to move forward.
This is really a pretty amazing machine – and it does come with a lithium ion battery. We got this as an Amazon Warehouse deal and paid about $330 for it. You can click HERE to check for current pricing.
Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer
With regards to bang for the buck – the entire Creality Ender 3 series really stands out! They are very capable 3D printers for a very modest price, have a large & active community of users, and are open source. They are a great value for beginners – who are cost conscious, don’t mind having to assemble the printer and value the flexibility an open-source 3D printer offers in terms of the ability to make future modifications & improvements. Gracie has really loved this 3D printer and has made some pretty amazing things with it! Check current pricing on Amazon HERE.
Plasma Ball
I’ve always wanted one of these – so I am really happy that Gracie got one for Christmas this past year! Very cool – responds to both touch and/or noise. We like the pink inner ball – and the green on the outer ball (different than what is pictured here). They run about $29 – $39 dollars – and you can check out the most recent price on Amazon HERE.
Speks
Making a sculpture out of tiny magnets? That’s exactly what Speks are for! These rare-earth magnets are amazing to smush and create things with. Make them into a line and build something amazing with them!
Speks are priced from about $15 to $25, depending on where you look. Speks age range is 14 plus, but I am almost 12 and think they are suitable for anyone over 10. Make sure to keep them far out of reach from anyone younger than 8. You can get them in many colors. Your package of Speks contains a metal plate, instructions on how to make some cool sculptures, a small case, and of course, the Speks. See current Amazon pricing HERE & HERE. (Gracie)
Canon EOS Mirrorless Camera
I had been looking for a good mirrorless camera for a while and did a lot of research before settling on this one! So far, I have been very impressed with this camera, and the tripod seems to be both useful and of high quality. Look for our picture quality to be better on the blog as we use this more. Oh – and it also does great 4K video! Expect to spend about $800 for this. Check current pricing on Amazon HERE.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
From Gracie: I have had this watch, the Galaxy Watch 4, since about mid-September and I am pretty pleased with it. It is very customizable for your needs, offering different shortcuts to certain exercises you can track or showing how many steps you have on your home screen. You can change the background to a preset watch face or a picture of you choosing. It is very easy to upload photos onto your watch’s gallery from your phone. Check current pricing on Amazon HERE. To see Gracie’s full review, click HERE.
Books
The Unteachables – Gordon Korman: This is currently Gracie’s favorite book, and I (Chip) read it and enjoyed it too!. Funny & interesting story about a down & out teacher who is just biding his time until retirement and his transformation when he is assigned the worst students in the school! Good read!
Hatchet – Gary Paulsen: This is Dominick’s favorite book. This is about a 13 year old kid on his way to visit his father – that finds himself on a crashed bush plane in the Canadian wilderness near a lake. The only tool the kid has is a hatchet. This chronicles his adventures to try to survive in his own, with only minimal survival skills, for about 2 months before he was finally rescued.
Toys
Lego Technic Sets
Legos never seem to go out of style at our house! We have A LOT of Legos. Some received as gifts, some purchased, and some even inherited by the kids’ older cousins. This EXCAVATOR set is one that we got a while ago – and really enjoyed building! These are not cheap sets – but there are a lot of pieces and really help the kids understand gears. You can see current pricing HERE.
Rubik’s – Magnetic Speed Cube
We have several Rubik’s Cubes in the house. The original Rubik’s cubes were good enough for the kids to learn how to solve the cube – but they soon wanted the speed cubes so they could solve them more quickly! I really like this brand – since it has magnets in each of the individual pieces. The magnets provide valuable feedback – since there is a little resistance when rows are lined up correctly. Very smooth turning and great tactile feel with the magnets! You can see the current prices on Amazon HERE.
Home
Ooma Telo
This is what we have used for YEARS for our home phone line. Originally – there was no monthly cost – but now we do pay $6 and change per month – because of taxes and charges for emergency services by the county. Instead of paying your cable provider for a VOIP solution – you are just buying the box yourself. The Ooma is VERY easy to setup & requires no maintenance. We do like still having a home line – and this is the perfect solution! You can see current pricing at Amazon HERE.
Amazon Fire TV Recast
This is a cord cutters dream! We don’t have cable TV in the house. Rather, we use this to record Over-The-Air (network) TV – and play it at our leisure. I love the simplicity of the set up, and the ability to watch on your phone, Echo Show, or Fire TV Stick. All without wires! It does also have an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) – so it is easy to set it to record shows or TV series.
You can see the current pricing HERE on Amazon. For a more in-depth review I wrote a couple of years ago – please click HERE.
Asus AX6000 WiFi 6 Router
WiFi 6, great streaming & top notch security makes this a great router for home use! Expect to pay about $250 for this router on Amazon. You can see the latest pricing HERE.