Flambeau Tackle 2 Tray Tackle Box (Black/Green, 13.5x8.5x7.5-Inch) Review

We are sort of weird when it comes to buying presents. We both prefer to just tell each other a few things we want and let the other person pick. It just makes sure we actually get what we want instead of having to return something or pretend we like it.


So for my husband's birthday he asked for this Flambeau tackle box along with a few other outdoor things.

So I bought it. Not a bad price. We had been using backpacks because of the ease of just throwing them on our backs, but for additional storage, and for the kids he wanted an actual box.

I was actually surprised by how nice it was. Usually on cheaper boxes the buckle in the front works awkwardly or cheaply. This one closes smoothly.

The shelves inside of it are just like any other tackle box. There is plenty of space under them. I have pushed these shelves to the limit a couple time by over filling the bottom and forcing the lid closed. They did not break or bend.

As you can see by the photo it will hold just about everything you will need for the average day of fishing. On top of what you see there is also usually 2 containers of worms in the bottom when we go out fishing.

Even filled this box is lightweight. When looking at the pics of it before buying it I thought it looked heavy. Considering we already carry in 2 chairs, 4 rods, and a backpack with lunch in it I didn't want to add too much weight. I was happily surprised when I realized the Flambeau Tackle box was actually pretty light weight even when we had it stuffed with our stuff.

So our view of this box, It is a great buy for the money. Of course there are higher end boxes out there, but they don't really offer much more than this box. The Flambeau Tackle Box is a good buy for the money.

Ogrow Deluxe Walk-In 6 Tier 12 Shelf Portable Greenhouse Review

I was really excited about getting a greenhouse. We purchased 2 Ogrow Deluxe Walk-In 6 Tier 12 Shelf Portable Greenhouses  with high hopes. I was really wanting to get my plants in the ground with a nice head start. I didn't want to have to buy store bought plants. Over the years we have spent a good bit on getting our veggies growing. I thought this one time purchase could save us some money over the years. WOW was I wrong! 

We installed both of them at the same time. One was anchored over some plants that were growing in the garden. We put it up to warm the soil so we could plant our corn a month early. This actually worked After a week of having the greenhouse over the soil we planted some corn under it. It germinated quickly and we had cute little baby corns growing. 

The other was anchored for plants to germinate in it. This one had about 100 pounds of weight on the bottom as a way to weigh it down. We had stacked about 40 water jugs hoping this would prevent our greenhouse from blowing away in Spring storms.We couldn't have been more wrong. 

About 3 weeks after installing these, with cute little plants of all kinds growing in them we had our first big storm. It was a huge disaster! Not only did the one over the corn blow all the way into a neighbors yard, but the one with lots of different plants in it actually crumbled. All the pots in it fell off the shelves. I lost everything in it. I assumed this was my fault and we of course tried other methods of securing them. 

Well nothing worked! No matter how much we weighed it down or anchored it, it still blew off every time we had a storm. I lost countless plants and seeds in it and each time it blew off it ended up with a hole in it or the seams around the zipper tearing.We ended up with tape all over them and it simply looked like a giant mess! 

It really was a waste of money other than helping me give my corn a bit of a head start. However several of the corn ended up dead when the greenhouse smashed into it. I guess it is about what is important to you. If you want a quick fix it may work, but if you are looking for long term don't waste your time or money!

Shakespeare Reverb Fishing Pole and Reel Combo

2nd one down is my Shakespeare Reverb Combo

So I bought this Shakespeare Reverb Fishing combo 2 years ago thinking it would be a temporary rod. Surely for $20 it wasn't going to be worth using on a long term basis.

Well it has gone above and beyond that of rods and reels 3 times it's price! I have used this rod and reel combo for catching crappie, catfish, large mouth bass, striped bass, and bream. Not once have I ever had an issue with it!

Reasons Why I Love my Shakespeare Reverb Combo

• The reel works smoothly every time
• The bail drops like it should every cast
• The drag adjusts perfectly no matter if I am reeling in a bait fish or if I am reeling in a 5 pound catfish
• The line always stays nicely in the line guide, and the handle has never given me any issues

I have owned many rod and reels in my life. The handles often spin off too easy or the line flops out of the line guide too much. These problems I have experienced with much more expensive reels have never been an issue with this reel.

The pole itself is good also. It breaks down easily turning into 2 sections. However it doesn't come apart so easily that I have to deal with it breaking down when I don't want it to. The pole also can handle some weight! I have caught a 12 pound catfish on this pole and the only thing I had to worry about was my line which was only 8lb test.

So if you are looking for a good, cheap, rod, and reel the Shakespeare Reverb Fishing combo is a good choice.

Compost Boxes, Garden boxes, BOXES Everywhere!

So my husband's job not only throws out pallets, but they also throw out these wooden boxes that can be used for thousands of things. I think I am falling in love! :)

They are awesome right??? Expect more posts about all the things they will be getting used for!

Just Moved into our new property!

 Just Moved!

So, I've moved in to my new place. Just over an acre of property, but I am excited even if it isn't much.

The goal here is to have a big garden, chickens or quail, and maybe eventually a goat. I really just wanted the space to be big enough for us to be able to grow the majority of our food, AND we wanted to have enough leftovers to be able to actually can them for the winter.

Sadly this place needs LOTS of work! The home is in rough shape. All of the carpet will need to be ripped out. The subflooring will need to dry for at least a few months before sealed and covered again. The doors need re framed. The list is long, but we can do it.

Thankfully the kids bedrooms are the best out of them. So it shouldn't take much to get them in their rooms. We already ripped their carpet out and began painting.

I just can't wait to start being more self sufficient. I am getting some cool greenhouses for free this week. That will help speed up the process!