 | ||
| Gwyn showing off her tail on the beach. She was quite the attraction. |
Not only are Sun Tail Mermaids dreams coming true, but my daughters is as well. What child (or adult for that matter) hasn't fantasized about being a mermaid.
A moms review:
Christmas arrived a little early for my daughter and just in time for our trip to FL. Let me give a quick little back story so you understand just how special this early Christmas gift was for my daughter.
As you may have noticed I haven't been blogging much this past year. If you follow me elsewhere on social media then you know that I have been struggling with some very horrible health issues. Last November I had major foot surgery and well this November I had major cervical and skull surgery. The only surgeon I could find that would do the much needed surgery on my neck to rid me of my chronic migraines and neck pain was in FL however and he didn't take insurance. So we spent a year fundraising and selling lots of stuff (including pets) to get the funds we needed. This meant that we had no family vacation this year, no frivolous spending, and it meant that the kids most likely wouldn't be getting many (if any) Christmas gifts. Well surgery did happen and we are still in FL, so I guess our vacation did happen after all (at least for the kids) since we got to spend 3 weeks in a condo with a pool and bay beach out our back door. And Christmas came a little early for one of the kids thanks to Sun Tail Mermaid and US Family Guide blogger offers.
It took me a good 1/2 hour to choose the perfect tail for Gwyn. There were so many beautiful options. I ended up choosing the Seven Seas Mermaid Tail + Monofin Set which is rainbow. I had just dyed her hair rainbow so it matched perfectly. Since we were heading down to FL within the week of me ordering I emailed the company and explained our situation to see if they thought it would arrive in time before we left or if I needed to change the shipping to the FL condo. They assured me it would arrived very quickly and before we left...and it did. Talk about great customer service. The tail arrived in a large brown box with no markings so the kids had no idea what was inside. I opened the box in secrecy to check out the tail, and well couldn't resist trying it on. I was unsure about the size, but thanks to several reviews I decided on the JS so it would fit her next summer too. She is 11 yrs old but just about my size in the weight department (107 lbs) and just a little shorter (5 ft roughly). She already wears my clothes...not sure how that happened! Because the material is 4 way stretch a Kids XL would have probably fit her as well. The tail fit me perfectly as well and I am closer to 6 ft and 130 lbs. I immediately wrapped the box and placed it by the door to be loaded into the car. The wrapped package drove the kids crazy especially since they weren't expecting anything this year and it was killing them as to why it was going with us to FL when Christmas was still a month away.
We didn't give her the gift right away since they were going to a friends while I had my surgery and we didn't want her bummed out that she couldn't use the tail right away so we waited until the kids got home. We gave Gwyn the present and explained it was an early gift and that we were giving it to her now because it was something she would be able to use while we were in FL. She unwrapped the present and I am pretty sure everyone within a 1 mile radius heard the squeal.
As recommended on the Sun Tail Mermaid paperwork she first practiced with just the monofin. I couldn't believe how well she did and how natural she was with the monofin. She said the monofin is very comfortable, easy to get on and easy to use. The unique thing about these monofins is that they are made with neoprene and one size fits all (2 sizes available Keiki for kids and Nunui for adults/teens), thanks to adjustable velcro straps. Many of the other monofins on the market are plastic, breakable, difficult to adjust and uncomfortable. They also come in a wide selection of colors so that you can match your mermaid tail. The monofin will be something she will have for years to come.
After she mastered swimming with the monofin she added the tail. The tail has an opening in the bottom making it easy to just slide the monofin into the tail. The set also came with monofin protector tips (removable when not using the tail) and mer-shield tape to help protect and repair the tail as needed. The tail is made of high quality swimsuit fabric which is 80/20% nylon/spandex material with 4 way stretch. They do quality control testing on all batches of fabric to ensure the best color fastness and durability for your tails. The laser printed scales on the tails make them look 3d and very realistic. Sun Tail Mermaid indicates the tails are made to last a season however with proper care (which may be easier for older kids and adults) I think these tails could withstand a couple seasons. Gwyn as taken great care of her tail so far making sure to not drag it on the ground and hanging it up properly to dry. The tail could also be used for swimming without a monofin and since the bottom is open making it easy to walk in, you could also use it for dress-up or a costume.
As we imagined she has had a great time with her tail and monofin and has become quite the mermaid. She is definitely going to be bummed when we leave FL, since she will have to wait until the Spring to use it again. The condo we are staying in has a lot of "older" folks visiting and they all been quite impressed and enamored. One evening we walked down to the beach for a mermaid photo shoot and she became quite the attraction...it isn't everyday that a mermaid washes up on Boca Ciega Bay after all. Several people ended up asking to take photos of her with her tail to show their grand-kids.
Links to follow:
-Sun Tail Mermaid Facebook
-Sun Tail Mermaid Twitter
Where to buy:
-Sun Tail Mermaid Twitter
Where to buy:
Want a mermaid tail or a shark fin of your own? My readers can save this holiday season. Take 10% off your order at Sun Tail Mermaid by using code BestGiftEver at checkout!
