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Craftsman Drill Review

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A couple of months ago, Craftsman contacted me to find out if I would be willing to review one of their products.
Um, yes please!
It was fabulous timing too because Zak’s drill (manufactured by another company which shall-not-be-named) had completely given up the ghost only days before.
Soon after we moved in, we received the mother of all drills from Craftsman—the C3.
Right away, Zak got started finding excuses to use the new drill.
Of course we had to put together our art/Tot School corner
The bookshelves are from IKEA (they are the STRIPA shelves, though I can’t find them on the website anymore-the RIBBA shelf might work. Check your local store.) These shelves are great for books because they serve the same purpose as gutters, but are more aesthetically pleasing and cheaper. Just in case you are wondering-the books don’t slide off because there is a little lip on the front of the shelf.
But we didn’t stop there.

During our last trip to IKEA, we were hanging out in the as-is section (my favorite part of the store) and discovered a glass cabinet door that had been discarded among the scraps of lumber.
Instantly, Zak put it in our cart (not an easy feat with two squirmy children).
We brought it home.
Drilled some holes.

Added cute children (though not professional photos-they will be replaced soon!).
And hung it on the wall.
$10 for a custom frame!

I have one more home project that we just finished Saturday (with the help of Craftsman), but I’m so proud of it that it deserves its own post.
Tomorrow.

Find it here.
So ladies, if you want to make your husband happy this Christmas, buy him this drill. With 19.2 volts it’ll make him feel so powerful that he’ll be begging for “honey-do” projects!
A win-win situation.

Zak’s testimonial (I asked him to describe the drill in ten words or less):
Easy to handle, powerful, and manly.

Read These Next

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Learn about Botswana for Kids

Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa known for its desert and game reserves. About 70 percent of the country is part of the Kalahari Desert, and it is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world.

Botswana Basics

  • Botswana is borders by South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
  • With an area of 224,610 square miles (581,730 square kilometers) it’s about the size of France, and is home to about 2.4 million people.
  • The country is essentially the nation-state of the Tswana people, and the name means “home of the Tswana.” The Tswana are descendants of Bantu speakers who settled in the area as early as 600 AD.
  • The British colonized the area in 1885, and it gained its freedom in 1966.
  • Evidence shows that the area was inhabited by humans at least 400,000 years ago, and some theorize that it was the birthplace of all modern humans around 200,000 years ago.
  • Gabarone is the nation’s capital and largest city.
  • English is the official language, but Setswana (the language of the Tswana) is recognized as the national language.
  • Botswana is a parliamentary republic that also has a president, but the same political party has ruled there since independence.

Botswana National Symbols

The flag of Botswana is mostly sky blue with a horizontal band of black in the center with narrower white lines on either side. The blue is meant to signify the sky and water, while the black and white bands represent harmony among the diverse people who live there.

The national anthem, “Fatshe leno la rona,” or “Blessed Be the Noble Land,” was adopted in 1966.

The coat of arms shows two zebra holding a shield between them. The shield includes important elements from Botswana including cogwheels to represent industry, a bull for cattle herding, sorghum for agriculture and an ivory tusk to represent the country’s high population of elephants. It also includes the national motto, pula, which means “let there be rain.”

Zebras are a national symbol of the country, both because it is neutral in terms of traditional tribal symbols, and because the combination of black and white on their bodies evokes racial harmony. 

The national tree is the marula, also known as Sclerocarya birrea, which is a medium-sized tree known as the king of trees in Africa. Check out that link for all the different uses for the tree, plus some debunking of the myth that eating the marula fruits can make animals drunk.

The kgori is the national bird, and it is the largest flying bird in Africa. The national flower is Sengaparile or Harpagophytum procumbens, also known as Devil’s claw for its spiny fruits, but it is one of the most common medicinal plants in Southern Africa.

Botswana Activities for Kids

Since zebras are the national animal you can spend some time learning about them. Check out this post at National Geographic Kids, and make some zebra crafts from this list from Artsy Craftsy Mom.

KidsKonnect has a good page and downloadable resources about the Kalahari Desert, while Twinkl has a variety of downloads on deserts in general, desert animals, deserts of the world and a set specific to Botswana. You can also find country studies, mini books and more at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Learn more about the Okavango Delta, a vast inland river delta that is mostly pristine because a lot of it is a nature preserve.

Check out Old Palaypye, a site that has been occupied by humans since the middle Stone Age and is considered the first town established in Botswana.

The national dish of Botswana is seswaa, stewed meet (usually beef) served with pap, which is like polenta. Check out the recipe at G Adventures, or a lazy version from My Burnt Orange.

Looking for a picture book about Botswana? Try The Upside Down Baobab Tree.