Scrutiny by the Masses

Almost Finished!

I am a member of the Invisalign MAB. As a member, my daughter is receiving Invisalign treatment.

So, here we are, almost at the end of my daughter's Invisalign treatment. She's worn 15 sets of trays for appriximately 16 months.

Here is where we started:

And here is where we ended up:

Are we pleased? I think her teeth look much better than before, and she's delighted with the improvements to her smile. As a bonus, I can now get her to smile in pictures, which was always somewhat of a challenge for us before.

I really do think that Invisalign has a great product. My oldest son wore traditional braces, and I well remember the breaking wires and the brackets that were forever popping off. There were no foods that she couldn't eat, and we spent much less time in the orthodontists office.

The downside is that she didn't wear them quite as much as she could have - her compliance wasn't as stellar as i would have wanted - so her teeth aren't as perfectly matched as my son's teeth are - but as I told her, that part of the equation is completely up to you.

Now we move into the retainer stage. One thing I didn't realize, although it's totally my fault, is that she'd still need a retainer, just like traditional braces - and I didn't factor that into my budget.

It's always something, isn't it?

Danskos - My Favorite and My Best

This is sponsored content. I was provided with a pair of Dansko sandals of my choice and in return for my honest post - I can give one of you a pair of sandals as well. I LOVE Danskos and think and believe every single word of this post. I was not paid in any way - other than a pair of shoes which I will wear every single day it's above 60 degrees.

I first discovered Dansko shoes several years ago, when I was standing on my feet all day, working in the cafeteria. At the end of the day, my legs and feet ached terribly, and a coworker recommended that I try Dansko. The first day I wore them, I was hooked. Why? Because, quite simply, they are the best shoes around. From the website:

Dansko has been a leader in comfort footwear since we first introduced “Danish” clogs to America over 20 years ago! You can recognize a Dansko clog by its iconic shape, clean construction and the use of the highest quality materials from the cushioned insole to the durable outsole. In January 2008, Dansko introduced state-of-the-art footwear innovations to our classic rocker bottom to enhance the comfort, stability and performance of our clogs. Visually other clogs may try to appear similar, but only genuine Dansko clogs provide:

• Improved lateral stability & more secure heel strike (reduced risk of ankle rolling)
• Better shock absorption  (comparable to athletic footwear)
• Softer and more pronounced heel cavity 
• Improved aesthetics. Visually, other clogs may appear similar but to ensure an even better wearing experience, the new Dansko is wider across the heel and has a more stable heel kicker.

Now, almost every pair of shoes I wear is a Dansko. I have a couple of pair of clogs, one pair of lace up clogs, and I own several pair of sandals. Of course, I do own other shoes, but if I have to be on my feet for any length of time, I reach for the Dansko shoes. I know that when I wear them, my feet and legs will not take at the end of the day, and that's worth an  awful lot to me. The older I get <sigh>, the more I know that I need a supportive shoe and I don't want to wear some ugly orthopedic things - the Danskos bridge the gap of comport, support and style.

If you are in need of a pair of great shoes and wonder about the Danskos, check out this video. From clogs to flats, from sandals to flip-flops, they've got almost every need covered. You can buy a pair, wear them around, and at the end of the day, you'll know you looked good and your legs and feet won't be screaming in agony.

Want to win your own pair of Dansko sandals? Check out the selection, and tell me what you would pick. Which pair would be your favorite, and where would you wear them? One lucky winner will be drawn at random from all the entries received by April 7, 2013 at 11:59 PM.

Invisalign Mom Advisory Board - What is the Refinement Stage?

My daughter called me the other day after her Invisalign appointment. She was really super excited to tell me that she'd finished her braces! Well, no, not really - but she'd turned in her last set of aligners. So, she was done! Now she was moving on to the refinement stage.

The what? What is a refinement stage? How can you be done with your Invisalign aligners - and still need a few sets of additional aligners - with several months ahead?

Let's take a look at the refinement phase. What is it?

The term "refinement" in the context of Invisalign treatment implies just what it is: a small modification to the tooth positions at the conclusion of the initial series of aligner steps. It's done at the conclusion of the primary active therapy time frame, and it does just what it sounds like - it refines the position of the teeth.

My daughter had one tooth that needed to be rotated, and the primary set of aligners hadn't completely straightened it out, so she went into refiners to complete it. The Refinement phase can be done at any time - it doesn't refer to correction of relapse due to non comlinace with a retainer.

I wondered why she'd needed refinements, as she'd had a computer scan done of her teeth - wasn't that pretty accurate? Indeed, it is very accurate in predicting tooth movement but sometimes at the end of a treatment a few more trays are needed to finish the case prior to retainers. The computer simulation can only give an estimate as to how well someone's teeth will move. 

 A refinement is just continued treatment to really "fine tune" the final result.The end is in sight, though - at her next appointment, we will be discussing her retainer!

I am a member of the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board. My daughter will receive complimentary Invisalign treatment, but as always, I'm sharing my own personal thoughts and opinions.

Sheex

Way back when I went to Blogher, way back in August, I went to the expo hall in search of a bed. Now, that sounds like I may have had nefarious purposes, but that really wasn't the case at all.

Every single blog her, Tarrant and I take a picture in a bed. That kind of sounds strange, but it's a tradition that I hold dear. Every year, I find her, find a bed, we jump in and take a picture. Two Bloghers ago, I found a bed, and ended up winning it. So this past Blogher, I wondered if I would have similar luck. Not that I need another bed, but there are other things that you need besides the bed.

I was supremely lucky. I found a vendor that had a bed on display. I jumped in the bed, and immediately realized that the sheets that were on the bed or anything but standard. Further inquiry revealed that these miraculously soft, cooling, and very comfortable sheets were called SHEEX.

Sheex are sheets that are anything but traditional. From the website:

Better Sleep Leads to Better Performance. That's why we have created Sheex, the world's first luxury performance bed sheets. Sheex were inspired by the finest professional-quality athletic fabrics, offering a superior level of comfort and performance to help you sleep better.

I won a pair of sheets, brought them home and put them on my bed. They are my favorite sheets. My husband was a little bit upset that his bed doesn't have them – we have two twin Tempur-pedics that we put together – but that's too bad. I'm in need of sheets that keep me cool, and he definitely is not. They are ridiculously soft, breathable and moisture wicking.

WIN in my book.

Want to win a pair of Sheex for yourself?

One lucky winner will! To enter, click here. You have to click over - you can't enter here - but someone is going to win themselves a set of sheets that will make you want to stay in bed alllll day long.

This year's photo!

Favorites from The Second Talk

I have been spending some time on Poise’s The2ndTalk.com - can't help it, I've got
a birthday coming up soon and having another celebration of a year gone by tends
to make me think of what's up and coming - and I'm trying to focus on the positive.
If you've got any worries at all about what you may experience or feel when you go
through "The Change", it might be helpful to ask your mom or a female relative for
advice.

But what happens if your mom isn't around, or you barely made it through the "first
talk" - you know, the one you had when you were 11 or so - with both of your dignities
intact? You might turn to your girlfriends - but maybe they are the same age as you.
There's often a cloud of secrecy that surrounds what happens to us when we go through
menopause.

Happily, I've found a place to go to hear about what other women are going through -
to know that I'm not alone with hot flashes, night sweats and the other, less pleasant
(although less frequent) aspects of aging. There's a section where other women have
shared their stories - and some of them are really awesome. From the story of the three
business women who all had a hot flash at the same time while in a meeting to notes
on how to address the topic with your children and husband - there's a story here for
everyone.

There are also some really great videos to watch. My favorite was probably "Evileen
Makes her Debut". Checking out these videos and stories on The2ndTalk.com will help
you gain the knowledge and support you need and make you realize that you are not
alone during this life stage.

Visit the2ndtalk.com and check out what real women are talking about; then come back
here and leave a link to your favorite story in the Comments section of today’s post. By
leaving a link to your favorite story or video, you will be entered into a giveaway for
a “Hot Flash Prize Pack” including a $50 gift card and Poise products.

Disclosure: This is a paid post, courtesy of Poise. All views and opinions expressed here
are my own.

Holiday Shopping with Ebay

Sponsored, yes. Big stunner there. But I really do shop on Ebay an AWFUL LOT. And I'm not saying one thing in this post that I really don't believe.

The holidays are upon us! Have you started your holiday shopping yet?

I have to start. I know I do. It's totally apparent to me that I'm going to have to do some super duper shopping - but the fact that I work about 60 hours a week leaves me precious little time to scour the malls and the stores for just the right gift. Not to mention that I'm not a huge fan of hanging out at the mall with a bunch of other people who may or may not be nice to me. 

Enter online shopping. It's my primary means of purchasing lately - the convenience of having it shipped directly to me can't be beat. Plus - I love seeing the mail truck and the UPS truck stop at my house - I keep a little rush. (I know - it's ok - part of having a problem is admitting you actually have one.)

Ebay is one of my favorite websites - any time I want to get something, I check Ebay first. Often, I can find what I am looking for at a fraction of the price. This year, just like last, I'll be looking for gifts for my kids - and I've already started. The fact that, this year, they've partnered with Toys R Us means that I no longer have to stand in line with 50 other irritable, cranky mothers who just want to buy the coveted Lego building set so they can get back to work - intead, I can shop from the comfort of my house, in my pjs (if I want, there's no judging around here!) with a great big cup of coffee - well, this partnership was MADE for me. 

Here are some things that I picked from the Holiday gift guide that I think are great - and the prices are less than those in retail stores, so hmmmm - I may have just completed a significant portion of my shopping just by writing this post.

Even better - download the Mobile App and check prices when you are out shopping - I am ALL about getting the best deal possible.

I SO win at the Internet today.

Lego Friend's Olivia's House - My girls picked this - they love LEGOS, but their brother often doesn't like to share, and this is a PLAYHOUSE. Win on all fronts there. 

Star Wars Limited Edition Hoth Echo Base - My younger boy is a LEGO/Star Wars fanatic, and he's requested a couple of these kits. My only problem? Stepping on the millions of LEGOS that are all over the floor.

Lego Star Wars Millenium Falcon - See above. :)

iHome Clock Radio -  We have a couple of these and they are literally life savers. We can listen to music in the shower, in the kitchen, wherever we are - and they charge the iPhone/iPod while playing.  

iHome Alarm Clock -  This is exactly like the above, but with the addition of an ALARM clock -which means my kids can oversleep in the morning to their favorite bands.

Hot Wheels Walkie-Talkie - My kids have always loved Walkie-Talkies, and the character ones have the added benefit of being just that much more cool, apparently. 

Minnie Mouse Walkie-Talkie -If you get on the right frequency, you can hear Walkie-Talkies over a baby monitor - so make sure you only say nice things about your Mrs. Kravitz neighbor.

Star Wars MP4 Player - For the Star Wars uber fan - there's nothing quite like having each and every item in your room reflect your passion for the movie. This would be a perfect accompaniment to the Darth Vader alarm clock that my son has. "Wake up, wake up - I am your Father!"

AA Batteries - Seriously. I buy batteries in bulk, give them with every gift - and still we never have enough. 

Sony Digital Photo Frame - The perfect gift for the grandparents, or the husband to keep in his office. The gift that they will enjoy, full of photos of your family and a true conversation starter. 

Now. I'm done, but I wonder -

What tricks or tips do you have for shopping during the busiest time of the year? What gifts are the ones that you really MUST HAVE?

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of eBay. I received a product sample to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

U by Kotex Tween Ambassador - The Wrap Up Report

This is my final post as an Amabassador for the U by Kotex Tween program - designed to help moms of tween girls prepare themselves and their daughters for their upcoming periods.

Sticking your head in the sand and ignoring it doesn't work, ladies. It's coming, for some of our daughters sooner rather than later, and it's always better to be prepared. And to help our daughters to be prepared - there's nothing more difficult than watching a girl who has had no education in the matter suddenly struggle with an onslaught of hormones.

As an ambassador of this program, I'm supposed to say that I know it all. I've been through it with my older girls, have two more going through it soon - but there's no possible way to know it all.Instead, I'll say that I'm delighted that there are resources out there to help moms - we might look like we know it all, but the vast majority of us are making it up as we go along. It's comforting to have a place to look for advice, a site you know is safe to share with your daughters, a place just for them. 

It's peace of mind that can't be bought. I feel more comfortable and more prepared with this second set of daughters than I did with my first, that's for sure.

One thing I've decided to try to do is take each of my girls out for special time with them, doing what they want to do - not necessarily what *I* want to do. One of my girls will always, always pick the pet store - and that's probably my least favorite store ever. I might go for coffee with one of them, or lunch.

Or maybe go to get our nails done.

 The days are long, yes, but the years are very, very short.

 

“I wrote this review while participating in a Brand Ambassador Campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of U by Kotex Tween and received products to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Bake Off Face Off

I love to bake. Love to mix sugar and butter, flour, eggs, vanilla and chocolate and come up with different yummy goodies. I've always enjoyed being in the kitchen, but the diagnosis that one of my kids received several years ago of extensive food allergies meant that I really needed to step up my game. Happily, it was a win-win for everyone involved - we all get yummy cookies out of it and I can feel confident knowing that my son can eat all the treats he wants safely.

Well, maybe not ALL the treats he wants.

Food Lion is launching a Holiday Bake Off recipe contest on their Facebook page. You can enter the contest by sharing a recipe in any of the four categories: appetizer, entree, side dish, or dessert. You could be one of twelve grand prize winners who will receive a $500 Food Lion gift card.   

To kick off the contest, I was asked to bake and share a holiday recipe with you - so not a hardship for me! I chose White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread - not my own recipe, but one that is easy AND impressive. I first saw this recipe last year on Pinterest and saved it to  make it for Christmas - and then forgot all about it in the flurry of holiday baking. This year, I'm determined to remember the recipe - and so, now that I'm invited to a Christmas Recipe exchange (it's just a wee bit ahead of schedule) I thought today would be a great day to create them.

Baking is a big holiday tradition for me. I typically create a dozen or more varieties of cookies, several breads, butter spreads, hot cocoa truffle balls, peppermint marshmallows, candy of all types - the list goes on and on. I feel most at home in the kitchen, most like me when I'm blending and sifting. It's the way I show my love to my family.

With a cookie like this, it's not hard.

The Food Lion Facebook contest will end 11/28, so hurry to enter!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Food Lion. I received a promotional item to facilitate my shopping experience and review.”

Walgreens Balance Rewards - Is It Worth It?

 

The Purchased Goods

I went in to Walgreens with no preconceived notions. I've not been a dedicated drugstore shopper for many years - before I had kids, I was convinced that drugstores were the best way to maximize my shopping dollar for health and beauty items, but more than a few kids and a couple of jobs later and I just do not have the spare time that I once had. Now, I'm much more likely to grab the personal products at Wal Mart, knowing that the prices are good and it's an effective use of my time.

When I go to get prescriptions filled, though, I typically shop around and try to pick out some good stuff. That's part of the reason that my husband encouraged me to start using the drive thru to pick up prescriptions - or to go to Target or Wal Mart for those medications - and get it all done at once.

I was asked to participate in the Walgreens Balance Rewards program and I was interested enough to go, with my own money, on a little shopping trip. For the purposes of this trip, I wanted to maximize the amount of points that I would earn, and minimize the outlay of moola. The only thing that I knew that we needed was shampoo and boyd wash, and I didn't plan to purchase them at Walgreens - just because I thought it might be less than cost effective.

It was not until I started walking around the store, though, and really focused on the little "balance rewards" tags - that I truly understood the program. In particular, I was really intrigued by the "Healthy" bonus - spend $20 on any of the Walgreens brand foods that came in the "healthy" category - and get a large point bonus. The first part of the $20 was super easy - I bought a dark chocolate bar for my husband, as well as some trail mix.

The man comes home from work and has a serious case of the muchies every.single.night. Trail mix, with dried fruits and nuts, is at least somewhat of a better choice than a bag of chips.

The remaining amount - $12 - was a bit more dificult to fill, but one can always use flour and sugar - although adding those in the name of "health" was a bit of a stretch for me. Hmmmm. I guess I could say that it's healthier to make your own foods than eat processed junk, and that's where sugar and flour come in.

Still not convinced, but grateful for extra points.

There was a bundle special on Dove/Ax/Suave products - and I'm enough of a product snob that I'm not so much a fan of them for myself - but have you SEEN the amount of product my kids go through? There is absolutely NOTHING more aggravating than walking into the bathroom to see a bottle of body wash on the bottom of the tub, committing body wash suicide one drop at a time, straight down the drain. I really do love the Dove Conditioner for myself, and so one bottle of shampoo + 2 bottles of conditioner + one bottle of body wash = a bunch of extra points.

For stuff I'd buy anyway. Hmmmm.

My daughters begged for Hello Kitty hand soap and the hair clips were buy one, get one free - and we go through hair clips like french fries at a snack bar, so both of those items were added to the basket, along with some bathroom counter cleaning wipes.

The end result, after in store discounts, store coupons and the extra points?

More than half way to a $5 gift card - just for stuff I would ordinarily buy.

I did see something that gave me a chuckle today. When an AARP member uses their membership and spends $25, they earn a 5,000 points (equal to $5 off). I'm not old enough (officially) to qualify for an AARP membership - but my 13 year old son was sent one on his 11th birthday. Maybe I should have taken HIM to the store with me, rather than two little Hello, Kitty soap craving little girls.

I don't think I'm going to cash in my rewards when I make the first or second level - and maybe not even the third. At the fourth level, I could come out of there with $35. That would buy me an awful LOT of makeup - or maybe some super spendy shampoo and body wash.

Walgreens Balance Rewards - helps you treat yourself to something you want while saving on the things you need. It seems like a win-win situation to me!

Walgreens Balance Rewards

We are a fairly prescription heavy family.

Not in pain pills or such - but with five asthmatics, food allergies, intolerances and other fun medical quirks, you can pretty much look for me in the pharmacy section at least twice a week. All of those different medicines run out at different times, doncha know. This unfortunate reality means that I'm in a drugstore a LOT - it's fortunate for the store, however, as I tend to remember that I need one thing or another - and I've spent money almost without thinking.

We try to live a healthy lifestyle. We eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, avoid sodas (for the most part, but I will confess to a Diet Coke addiction), use sunscreen religiously, get our immunizations and try to get plenty of exercise. We aren't freaks about living healthy, but it's a really good idea and the concept of "healthy living" is one that I want my kids to grow up with - as opposed to trying to adopt in their 40's.

Ahem.

Walgreens has introduced a new program designed to reward shoppers for living a healthier lifestyle. "Balance Rewards" is a comprehensive program that supports you in your efforts to live your life in a way that makes you happy and keeps you healthy. You can earn thousands of points on many of the items you buy that can be redeemed on future purchases, either in store or online.

What does this translate to? It's a shopping card that you swipe - either a physical card or a digital one that can be loaded on your phone - yayyyyy for me - if I have to put one more card in my wallet or on my key chain I might lose my mind - and you are rewarded just for doing things to improve your health.

Get a flu shot? Earn points.

Buy vitamins? Fill prescriptions? Get more points.

Go for a walk? Earn even MORE points.

Seriously. You get points for going for a WALK. Walking is one of the best exercises that there is out there - you don't need equipment, it can be done at any fitness level and can be done with your husband while you give him the intimate details of your day - after all, he's a captive audience and can't escape.

Not that my husband EVER tries to do that.

Here's a great explanation:

 

With exclusive sale prices for Balance Reward members, it means that your total shopping cart will cost less - which means more money for chocolate.

Or fruit. I TOTALLY meant fruit.

Your points are totalled up for you, and you can redeem those points for items you love.

I'm going to join the program and shop over the next month. I'll be reporting back here with my thoughts - make sure to check back. And let me know your thoughts!

Disclosure: I was compensated to facilitate my review of the Walgreens Balance Rewards program. This compensation did not affect my opinion, and, as always, my thoughts are my own.