Scrutiny by the Masses

Personal Creations Knows Me

This will come as no surprise to many of you, but I am a touch sarcastic. And less than sentimental.

Which is why holidays, with their flowers and boo hoo cards, kinda leave me out in the cold. It's not that I don't love people, for I clearly do - I'm just not the mushy gushy type of person. I'm far more comfortable with a humorous gift, and if I can find one that is just slightly sarcastic - even better.

Personal Creations came to the rescue for me. Looking through the online catalog for gift ideas for Mothers Day, I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted - but I knew that I was in the right place when I saw a personalized casserole dish labeled "Kate's Kickasserole".

Ahem. Again, I wanted to buy for myself, but this time I resisted. Must.Buy.For.Mom.

I looked through a couple of pages and stopped when I saw the throw.

I smile because you are my mother. I laugh because there's nothing you can do about it.

 I chose to personalize it, adding the words "To Mom Love Carmen". I placed the order on Tuesday, and it arrived at my house Friday night, via FedEx.

It was exactly as I imagined. Heavier than anticipated, this throw is well made and seems as if it will stand up to the reality of real life. (That is, kids all around and we know that kids don't respect ANYTHING.)

If you are looking for a personalized gift for your mom, you should really look at Personalized Creations. Especially if you need a gift that's just a wee bit sarcastic.

Would you like a $50 gift card to help you buy the best gift for your mom? Leave me a comment telling me what you'd buy for your mom from Personal Creations. I'll use random.org to pick one lucky winner. This contest closes on 5/6/12 at 11:59 p.m. and is open to residents of the United States over the age of 18

 

Red Envelope Makes Mother's Day Special

Red Envelope makes some really great gifts. Most of them are unusual, a bit out of the ordinary, or unique. Many of them are special. I always know, though, that if I need a great gift, Red Envelope is the place to start.

With Mother's Day fast approaching, I wanted to see what was on the Red Envelope site - and I was not disappointed. Trying to find a different gift ideas for Mom can be tough - yeah, I know that I can always buy her coffee/books/bubble bath - but I wanted something unique.

And I knew when I saw these pajamas that they'd be just perfect for me.

Yeah, I said me.

What? I'll buy for my mom next time. I'm sure that she'll understand.

Crafted from 100% pure silk, these pajamas came beautifully packaged in a matching silk envelope that may be embroidered with your mom's name up to 20 characters. I chose not to have it embroidered, and my pajamas, which were ordered on Monday afternoon, arrived on Thursday.

They were a teeny bit large, as many of the reviews had indicated, but not overwhelmingly so, and they were both beautiful and well constructed.

If you've got a mom in your life to buy for - and hint to the men, you DO need to buy something for your wife even though she's not YOUR mom - these pajamas, or just about anything else at Red Envelope - will be a success.

Would you like a $75 gift code to order something awesome for the special lady in your life? Leave me a comment telling me your favorite flower and I'll use random.org to pick one lucky winner. This contest closes on 5/6/12 at 11:59 p.m. and is open to residents of the United States over the age of 18.

I was provided with a gift code to facilitate this post. All opinions expressed herein are all my own.

Food Lion - New, Improved, Any Better?

A few years ago, I watched a tv special. One of those smarmy news "fact" shows, it profiled Food Lion grocery stores in a negative light. I stopped doing my "big" shopping there.

With few exceptions, I haven't been back. Sure, if I'm out and need something and a Food Lion is the only nearby grocery, I will run in - but I don't typically buy produce or meat there.I don't go out of my way to avoid the stores, but they aren't my first choice for groceries is what I mean. I do have an MVP card on my key chain, but I'm not a big user of it.

It's also telling to me that the last three times I went to a Food Lion, the employees were disgruntled or flat out annoyed with me. I spend a lot of money on food - feeding 8 people doesn't come cheap. I don't need to feel like I'm the Queen of the World, but a little appreciation would not come amiss is what I'm saying.

So I was interested in participating in this campaign to see if the newly remodeled and redesigned Food Lion stores could win me back. I'm typically a Wal Mart shopper for my can, box, dairy and frozen purchases, and Harris Teeter gets my meats and fresh produce. With that in mind, I crafted a shopping list and visited my closest remodeled Food Lion to see how the prices compared.

I was provided with a wooden recipe box filled with recipes and information on the store updates, a wooden cutting board, spatula and oven mitt, all in this beautifully wrapped box.

I decided to buy the following items:

• Diet coke            
• chips of some kind
• V8 V fusion cans for lunches
• cereal
• crackers
• nutrigrain bars
• oatmeal
• goldfish
• belvita biscuits
• granola bars
• propel zero lemon packets
• ground beef
• steak
• milk
• sweet potato fries
• greek yogurt
• ice cream
• ziploc baggies

Most of the items were items that I'd typically buy at Wal-Mart and I did this so that I could check the prices.

The store was cleaner than I remembered, and well organized. I didn't backtrack much - well, shopping with an 8 and 9 year old will cause you to do a bit of that, anyway. The layout was well planned and things were exactly where I imagined they'd be.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that a few things on my list were labeled as MVP specials - chips and ice cream. I was able to use the MVP card for buy 1, get 1 free on Tostitos and Breyer's Ice Cream. One container of Breyer's was expensive ($6.99) but 2 for that price meant that each one was $3.50. the Wal Mart price was still cheaper, at $3.23, however it felt like a better deal to get one free.

Which is totally crazy, I know. I'd planned to get Sunchips but the MVP on the Tostitos changed my mind - and netted me an extra bag of chips, which is a good deal with a large family.

How did the prices compare to Wal-Mart?

Download Food Lion graphic

Most items were comparable. A few were more expensive, but the ones that had an MVP special - they ended up being quite a bit cheaper. Not only that, but I found a couple of items that I'd been unable to locate at any other stores - which virtually ensured that I'd be back in the Food Lion again. (Gotta have my Lemon Propel Zero and my V8 Tangerine Raspeberry Juice!)

My big concern was the meat. I purchased 2 NY Strip Steaks and 4.5 pounds of ground beef. The flavor on both was exactly as I'd expected. That is, they didn't have an off flavor, everything appeared fresh and tasted great. The ground beef in particular was a good deal - with my MVP card it was just $8.22 for 4.5 pounds. This was a good deal from the regular price of $14.14.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the deals that I obtained when I shopped at the new and remodeled Food Lion. I can certainly say that it's made a believer out of me, and I think I'll have to encorporate the store into my shopping habits!

How would you like to enter to win a $50 Food Lion gift card? Leave me a comment telling me what you'd buy in the new and improved Food Lion grocery store! This contest is open to those readers in the United States over the age of 18 and will close on May 10th at 11:59 p.m.

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central for Food Lion. I received a gift card and product kit to facilitate my review.”

Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health Clinical Test Drive Conclusion

 I have been using the Crest Pro Health Clinical products for a while now. How's it going, you say?

Glad you asked.

I have sensitive teeth, and for a long time now, have had to use special toothpaste. It's a real pain, sometimes literally, to drink cold stuff. I was pleasantly surprised at both the taste and feel of the Pro-Health Clinical Plaque Control toothpaste. My mouth felt super clean, as if I'd just come from the dentist, especially on those days that I remembered to use the mouth rinse. I brushed and rinsed twice a day and flossed every night and I can definitely feel a difference in my mouth. The mouth rinse in particular was nice because it was more minty than medicinal - sometimes if I use a mouth rinse, I feel as if I can't kiss my husband good night.

No one wants that.

As a refresher, here's what the entire line up looks like.

 I highly recommend these products, and suggest that you check out the Pro-Health Clinical Plaque Control website.

“I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Crest and Oral-B and received product samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central Consulting sent me a promotional gift to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Don't Miss This Webinar!

I've had a rough week with one of my kiddos - being the mom of a teenage girl is definitely not for the weak. It's been a loud and frustrating week and I could really use this advice. I'm planning to be on this webinar, and I'd love it if you guys would join me!

Get Kids to Listen Without Nagging, Reminding or Yelling

What does it take to get your kids to listen? Nagging? Reminding? Yelling?

Parenting expert Amy McCready will teach you easy-to-implement strategies to correct misbehavior and reclaim the calm voice you had before kids. Discover proven tools for your most frustrating discipline dilemmas and the secret for consequences that work!

FOR: Parents of school age kids to teens
DATE: Thursday, April 19
TIME: 2 PM Eastern or 9 PM Eastern
COST: FREE! Compliments of Invisalign!

Webinar seating will be limited so learn more and RSVP now!

About Amy McCready

Parenting expert Amy McCready is the Founder of Positive Parenting Solutions and the author of If I Have to Tell You One More Time (Tarcher/Penguin, 2011). She is a frequent guest on The TODAY Show and has also appeared on Rachael Ray, CNN, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, and elsewhere. In her most important role, she plays mom to two teenage boys.

Use this handy Webinar Registration Link and I hope to see you there!

V8 V-Fusion Sparkling Juice

If you know anything about me, you know that I am a HUGE fan of V8 V-Fusion. I was lucky enough to go on a trip to their headquarters and it remains as one of my most fond memories in all of the great stuff I get to do as a blogger.

I buy V8 V-fusion by the truckloads. I think, conservatively, we go through 10 bottles a month. Probably more than that. I buy the little cans for the kids to take to school. One thing my kids have asked for, though, is a sparkling juice - something more like a soda. There are always options available, but I am hesitant to purchase them because they are often not healthy choices. Thankfully, V8 V-Fusion has come to my rescue.

V8 V-Fusion Sparkling is the newest addition to the V8 family. This delicious juice drink is available in three flavors— Black Cherry Pomegranate, Strawberry Lemonade and Tangerine Raspberry. I was able to sample these drinks at Blissdom and fell immediately in love with them. As a bonus, not only do they taste delicious, but an 8-ounce can of V-Fusion Sparkling provides a combined serving of fruit and vegetables – all for 60 calories!

To celebrate the launch of V8 V-Fusion Sparkling, the lovely folks at V8 are going to help make your spring sparkle too with a gift pack for one lucky reader. The gift pack includes:

• V8 V-Fusion Sparkling
• Gaiam Yoga/Gym tote with an easy-reach outside pocket for your refreshments
• A  Philosophy Raspberry bubble bath to add some refreshing bubbles to your bath
• A $25 Sephora gift card to help you sparkle inside and out
• An Essie nail polish to add some sparkle to your nails
• A versatile to-go cup so you can quench your thirst with an iced V8 V-Fusion Sparkling on-the-go

I can personally attest to how cool this bag is. We took it with us as a carry on when we went to Puerto Rico and it performed admirably. We use the cup every morning and, of course, the drinks are long gone. You know you want this kit.

To enter, please leave me a comment telling me your favorite flavor of V8 V-Fusion. If you don't have one, take a look here and tell me which one you'd like to try! This contest is open to residents of the United States age 18 or over and will close on Sunday, April 22 2012 at 11:59 p.m.

Popina Swimwear - Bold, Stylish and Flattering

I am a lover of the retro. The 1940's and 1950's, in my opinion, were very kind to women who have a more generous figure. Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to be able to review a swimsuit from Popina  Retro Swimwear and I receive so many compliments on it that it's not even funny. Truly, I love the suit - the colors remain vivid, the fit is snug and it's not at all worn looking.

This year, I chose a similar style Tankini -the Retro Bridgette top in coral and a high waisted swimwear bottom in black. This suit is cute and fun, and constructed for a grown up woman's body - those with boobs and butts will appreciate the coverage and support of this suit.This is a suit that will help you feel at home at the pool while chasing your kids, with no fear that you look like you are trying to be 16 again. So often, bathing suits are built for twigs - but this tankini is cute and most importantly - stays put when you are swimming.

I'm not a fan of the swimming wedgie, is what I'm trying to say.

I really struck pay dirt when I chose a suit from the Jantzen Swimwear collection. The Vamp was my immediate first choice, but I have to confess that when it first arrived, I was a bit skeptical. It was tight, difficult to get on, the material was very thick, the bra was a complete suction lock and the skirted area came lower than I thought it would. I was so disappointed when I first put it on.

Wait. Hang out here with me a minute.

I took the suit with me on my trip to Puerto Rico, and my husband encouraged me to wear it to the beach. He pulled the skirt up a bit, so that it just hit the top of my thighs - and, whoa, HUGE difference. All of a sudden, it didn't look matronly, didn't look ugly - it was c-u-t-e. The most amazing part for me, though, was when I took the strap off so that I could avoid a tan line. I always do this, but never, ever EVER stand up without the strap refastened - I've done the "grab and yank" one too many times. I know that my girls will pull the top down in a New York minute if the straps aren't fastened.

I'm very full busted. Bathing suits are difficult for me to wear without a great deal of support, which often involve multiple straps and full cup bras. This suit had a full cup bra. And when I took the strap off, the bathing suit

STAYED EXACTLY IN PLACE. As in, I was able to walk around, SWIM, and go in the ocean without fear of the top falling down. I even JOGGED a bit, and the girls stayed where they were supposed to! This was HUGE for me. I've never had a suit so supportive, never been able to feel confident in going strapless, and the thickness of the suit was an added bonus that I've now come to love.

If you have a more endowed figure, this is definitely the swimsuit for you. I'd recommend sizing up, though. I went one full size and wonder if I should have gone two. If you are one of my local readers, you can find Popina suits at Meg's - I've been in several times and can attest to their friendliness and willingness to help you get exactly what you need to look AH-MAZING while at the beach.

If the entire swimming population wore a Popina suit - can you imagine how cute the beach would be?

 

Walgreens

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

Spring. The time when the weather is fickle, the pollen is heavy and my legs are pale.

P-A-L-E.

I've had a few Stage 2 melanomas removed, so I'm pretty much out of the tanning bed/laying out for a tan rotation. I've done the spray tan thing, which, when combined with my "smiley kneecaps" - meant white lines - and spray "run" lines down the back of my legs. Even thorough and exhaustive exfoliation and lotion application left me with dark patches and globs.

It wasn't pretty and didn't look natural, is what I'm trying to say.

I've been known to stand in front of the self tanner selection muttering to myself, "tried that, tried that, hmmm, is that a new one?" I'm a fan of wearing dresses and skirts in the spring, and so, to me, tan legs are a necessity, especially for the many parties, picnics and such that the warmer weather allows - all hail the rising thermometer!

I'm a firm believer in the reality that you can get great products for your beauty routine at drugstores, without the cost incurred at a department store. No matter the cost of your self tanning product, though, there are a few things that can make the process go just a bit smoother.

Here are some self tanning tricks I've learned along the way:

• Make sure you exfoliate well. A salt scrub (equal parts kosher salt and olive oil, with the juice of a lemon works well for me) rubbed THOROUGHLY  into every part of your body gets the dead skin cells off and smoothes the way for the self tanner. image credit necrocake
• Wear gloves if you don't think you can adequately scrub the color from your hands. I've been lax on this before, because the lotion isn't colored, and had orange palms and darker webbing between my fingers. Don't forget the base of your hand!
• Mix the self tanner in with a good lotion if you don't want a drastic color change all at once. Diluting it with lotion helps to ease your color onto your skin.
• Stay naked  and upright for at least 20 minutes - putting your clothes on too fast, or sitting down, causes color stripes.
• Consider self tanning wipes. 

Do you have any tips you can add? Any favorite products?

Food Fights - a Review and a Giveaway

I was compensated for my review of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Recently, I was sent two copies of the new book Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor and a Bottle of Ketchup.

Food, our children, and the relationship between them has been a topic near and dear to me for several years. I worked in a school cafeteria and was able to see, first hand, some of the struggles that go into feeding hundreds of children on a daily basis - and to see what many parents feel is the best choice of foods to feed their kids. Some parents are doing a stellar job - and some parents, not so great. I remember seeing an overwhelming amount of lunchables, candy coated granola bars, florescent yogurts and sodas, not to mention cookies and candy bars, in the vast majority of lunch boxes.

This book does an excellent job, from birth to teenager and beyond, of breaking down the food myths and explaining things in an easy to understand manner. With simple yet powerful information boxes spelling out the high points of each section, this book makes child nutrition easy to understand.

Want a copy? Leave me your best child nutrition tip and I'll draw one lucky winner.

Here's an excerpt from Food Fights, discussing one of the most hotly contended topics - JUICE:

The answer to whether or not young children should be allowed to
drink juice on a regular basis has been a bit of a sticky one for years.
After all, the fight against childhood obesity has most definitely included
a focus on limiting sugary liquids. And juice—whether it is delivered in
a box or carton, sippy cup or straw—most definitely contains sugar. In
fact, when we set out to write the first edition of Food Fights, the latest
research at the time had us all but convinced that fruit juice was almost
as much to blame for childhood obesity (not to mention tooth decay)
as soda pop. Sugar was sugar, after all, and it was hard to look past
the fact that a 12-ounce serving of 100% grape juice had been shown
to have 11/2 times the calories as grape soda. Additionally, a few small
initial studies suggested a worrisome connection between obesity in
young children and their fruit juice consumption. But unlike soda pop
and its utter lack of redeeming nutritional qualities, 100% fruit juice has since proven itself
significantly more worthy of further nutritional consideration. Several
subsequent large national studies have revealed some interesting findings
about kids, juice, nutrition, and obesity, not the least of which has
been the lack of an association between drinking 100% fruit juice andan increased likelihood of children being or becoming overweight.
These new findings have led us to reassess our take on juice, and to
reformulate our own juice-related advice for parents accordingly.

A Convenient Juice Box

If and when you plan on incorporating juice into your child’s diet responsibly,we suggest the following approach:

• Make sure it’s pure fruit juice. Fruit drinks that aren’t 100% juice typically
contain added sugars and/or sweeteners that can up both the cavity and
calorie counts.

• Hold off on introducing your child to juice for at least his first year and
refrain from serving it in a bottle.

• Avoid letting your child sip on juice (or any other sugar-containing liquid,
for that matter) for prolonged periods. Whether by bottle, sippy cup, or
cup, bathing one’s teeth in sugary liquids can cause serious tooth decay.

• Consider diluting it with water.

• Encourage your child to eat fresh, whole fruits whenever available.

• Whenever possible, serve juice that contains pulp for added fiber.

• Make sure juice doesn’t entirely drown out your child’s interest in drinking
milk and water.

• Buy only pasteurized products (shelf-stable juices, frozen concentrates,
or specially marked refrigerated juices) to avoid potential diarrhea-causing
infections.

• While the American Academy of Pediatrics does suggest 100% fruit juice
as an acceptable part of a healthy diet, be aware that it’s wise to offer it in
age-appropriate moderation (none under 6 months of age and no more
than 4 to 6 ounces a day for older infants and children).

• Keep an eye out for warning signs of excessive juice intake, such as tooth
decay and “toddler’s diarrhea.” Not only do young kids tend to suck on
sugary liquids for prolonged periods when allowed, thus putting their newly
acquired teeth at considerable risk., but kids
between the ages of 2 and 3 tend to have the highest juice consumption—
in some instances enough to cause persistent diarrhea.

Bullying

Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more.

Bullying.

It exists everywhere. In every group of people, there are the top and bottom contenders. Often through no work of their own, society - or people - promote on person above another. And for whatever reason -  probably through a fear that we might, one day, be the picked upon one - many of us follow suit.

I really think that's the toughest part of bullying. No one wants to stop it for fear that they will become the next victim. It's better to harden your heart and watch someone else be the victim rather than experience it yourself, or so the thought process goes.

I don't know that you can find one person who hasn't been the victim of bullying. If you think you have, that person is lying. As soon as one person has power, they become a bully.

I'm a bit jaded, I think.

I spoke with my oldest son, who was bullied badly in high school. Just two years later, he says he doesn't care. It didn't stick with him. I know people who have been bullied and they still talk about it, years later. It takes a special kind of person, I think, to never be affected by the bullying we all experience.

No one knows how someone will be affected by your words and your actions. And I don't know the answer, for it seems to me that people in general just can't seem to be nice. No matter the station, no matter the circumstance - everyone seems to be angry and irritable all the time.

The movie Bully is showing in select theaters. Will you go and see it? I think, maybe, I will - and take my oldest kids.

Following five kids and families over the course of a school year, the film confronts bullying’s most tragic outcomes, including the stories of two families who’ve lost children to suicide and a mother who waits to learn the fate of her 14 –year-old daughter, incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With rare access to the Sioux City Community School District, the film also gives an intimate glimpse into school buses, classrooms, cafeterias and even principals offices, offering insight into the often-cruel world of children, as teachers, administrators and parents struggle to find answers.

 

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. Find showings in your area for The Bully Project and buy tickets here.