Scrutiny by the Masses

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.”

U by Kotex Tween Ambassador - Phase V

There's a lot to teach your children. Lots of life lessons to impart - how to navigate public transportation, how to deal with unhappy people, how to eat a balanced diet when all you want is french fries.

Um, maybe you don't deal with that. Possibly it's just me.

One thing that it's vital to discuss with your daughter is how her period can and will change her life - and not always for the better. It's more often for a girl to get her information from her friends, and it's not unheard of for girls to make up information when they don't have any idea what the real true answer might be.

One of the nicest things you can do for your daughter is to help her be adequately prepared.

If she's invited to a sleepover, she may very well be concerned with how to manage her products, and how to dispose of them. You might suggest using a personal bathroom bag to hold her toothbrush, soap, shampoo and pads, and even allowing her to put her used products into a plastic bag (sealed, of course!) to dispose of at home if she's really uncomfortable.(Note to self: if you do this, remind your daughter to actually, you know, UNPACK said bag when she gets home. Don't ask me *why* I say this.)

Talk to your daughter about how to handle stained undies, and show her where you keep the stain remover - or introduce her to the wonders of peroxide - my mom is a nurse, she should know.

The two most important items to discuss with your daughter, though: moodiness and preparation.My own daughters struggle with cramps and irritability, and their pediatrician has encouraged them to keep a calendar, so that they know when to anticipate their period. One daughter struggles with cramping, and if we know when to expect her period, she can take the steps to stay on top of it.

The moodiness, the irritability and the mood swings - so far, there's nothing we can do about those.With four girls in this house plus myself, you KNOW my husband eagerly awaits the day that we can.

“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.”

U by Kotex Tween Ambassador - Phase IV - Talkable Moments

When you have a young daughter, you have a lot of information you need to impart on her in order to teach her how to handle herself in certain situations: what to say to a boy, how to dress for an interview, why "booty shorts" are almost never a good idea, the importance of being on time and well groomed.

And how to deal with her period when it arrives. For some girls, this can happen as young as age 8, and often, girls are unprepared. Sure, they may have head a little bit about it from their friends, but quite often, they are absorbing information second and third hand that may or may not be accurate.

But having those critical conversations can be somewhat daunting. In my experience, the best time to have this type of conversation is when your attention is not directly focused on your daughter. That much direct interaction can give your child a "deer in the headlights" type of experience, and it may cause her to be less than forthcoming about her experiences. We have had great luck in our family having the more difficult talks while driving. My attention is focused on the road, and she can ask questions that may be a bit more uncomfortable for her without fear.

Questions like, "Mom, what's a tampoon?"

True story. True pronounciation. :)

Check out the Kotex page to see if someone else has had a similar experience. There's even a special page for your daughter to read that is chock a block full of tween specific information.

What are some of the ways that you've handled those "tough to have" conversations?

“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.”

Sam's Club Makes Going Away to College Less Stressful

Well, except for the whole we need to figure out the funding of said college aspect.

I have one child in college, and he lives at home. Next year, I have a daughter who will be going to college, and I can already tell you - she's going away. There's no way at all that I think she will be here one more day than she needs to be - and college is her ticket out.

Her best friend went away this past year, and I was privy to quite a bit of the "Let's get ready for college!" pack up and drama - and one thing that struck me repeatedly was just exactly how EXPENSIVE this entire matter is. Getting ready to let your child live away from home costs an awful lot of cash - and when they are on their own, you know that it's going to be tough for them to make ends meet. Trying to remember everything, running from store to store to try to get the best deal and the greatest value - it can be tough.

 Sam's Club has come up with a new product that I think is genius - just in time for that back to college crush. It's an enormous bundle of all of the personal products that your college student may need - different packets for men and women - and you can even select to ship it straight to your student's door. Sam's Club takes the stress out of heading back to class with pre-assembled bundles that include all of the necessities your teen needs. From cleaning/laundry to school supplies to room organization, Sam's Club provides all of the items on your list in a single, affordable package.

Now you don't have to wonder if he's using soap in the shower or if she ran out of deodorant again. With just a few clicks, the personal bundle is right there.

What's in it? Glad you asked.

 Women's Personal Bundle:

Included in this bundle:
1 TRESemmé Shampoo & Conditioner Value Pack - Moisture Rich - 44 oz. each
1 Gillette Custom Plus Disposable Razor - 52 ct
1 Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash - 2 / 23.6 oz. plus 1 / 12 oz
1 Degree Women Invisible Solid - Fresh Oxygen - 3/2.5 oz
1 Tampax Tampons - Regular - 100 ct. + 5 ct. Tampax Pearl Trial Pack
1 Crest Complete Whitening + Scope Toothpaste - 4 / 8 oz
1 TRESemmé Extra Hold Hair Spray - 2/14.5 oz
1 Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion

And make no mistake about it - college is ridiculously expensive. With the high cost of tuition, room and board, textbooks and more, college is becoming more and more out of the reach of most students. Sam's Club wants to help families this year by offering college supplies at an affordable price - which doesn't do anything about the tuition prices, but at least you can save money in one area.

Check out the Sam's Club website so that you can learn about the different varieties of Back to Class Bundles. Want to learn more? Become a fan on the  Sam's Club facebook page.

I'm pleased to be able to offer to one lucky reader a fantastic prize - an iHome! This would be a fantastic addition to your student's dorm room, a great gift from Grandma - or something nice for you! To enter to win this fantastic prize, leave me a comment telling me which of the new Sam's Club personal bundles you'd be most interested in purchasing.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Sam's Club and received product samples to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Do Not Get in the Way of My Cup of Coffee

If you know me at all, you know I love me some coffee. I joke about it, certainly, but every night when I go to bed, I think to myself: Well, you get a cup of coffee when you wake up.

Most mornings, I desperately need that cup o'joe.

About, oh, 90% of the time, I make my own coffee. I have a Keurig, and sometimes, I might use the K cups - but, mostly, I use the refillable filter and I make my own. I use packaged coffee, most often a dark blend. Every morning, I have two cups of coffee with 2 spoons of raw sugar and low fat half and half.

Every afternoon, before I leave to get my kids from school, I make another cup of coffee. About half the time, it's over ice - but I must have that cup every day. It's necessary fuel to get me ready to face the onslaught of kids pouring out of the school building, the ones who climb in my car and then ones who simply must all talk.at.the.same.time.

Dunkin Donuts - one of my FAVORITE places to get coffe, yum! -  knows how much people love (and live for!) their daily coffee. They've started a promotion to see the Mugs of America - in more ways than one, this "mug" is both your face AND your favorite cup - and just by uploading a photo on the Mug Up page, you could win one of the weekly prizes of $100 - or the grand prize of a $10,000 grocery card.

That would buy an AWFUL LOT of coffee.

I'm not eligible to enter, but here is a photo of my favorite coffee mug:

Fortunately for you, I'm not showing my face today - I haven't had enough coffee yet.

Take two minutes, grab your phone and your best, most favorite coffee cup - the one you grab out of the clean dishes every day - and take a photo. And when you win the gift card -

You'd better invite me over for coffee. I'll bring my own mug.

 

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Dunkin’ Donuts packaged coffee and received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

U by Kotex Tween Ambassador - Phase III - Back to School with Confidence

Back to school is fraught with lots of drama.  " Will I like my teachers?  Will I be overwhelmed with homework?  Will I have friends?" As your daughter grows, it's a fact of life that she'll have increased responsibilities and more about which to worry.

One thing that your female teenager does not want to worry about is dealing with her period at school. But the reality is that she will need to plan for this. One way that I've handled this for my own daughters is by packing them what we term a " personal pouch". It's a cute, small zipper pouch that is non descript and we pack it full of what she might need during the day.

In her personal pouch we put tampons, panty liners and a pad, band-aids, a comb, 2-3 hair ties and lip balm. These are things that we've found, thought trial and error, that she might need during her school day. I also slipped in a stain wipe - in case she experiences any kind of leakage. Or if she spills her lunch on her shirt.

I've even stuck a small pair of spare panties in the pouch. You can't put a spare shirt in there, though. :)

My little girls aren't worried ( yet)  about their periods happening during school, but they have their own personal pouches already. I think it's important to get them into the habit of carrying the things that they might need during the day and not relying on their mom - even if their idea of what they might  need during the day involve a little pony, a pretend phone and some pretend makeup.

The Kotex teen products are brightly wrapped small packets, perfect to slip into a personal pouch and discreet enough that they aren't embarrassing if they fall out of the pouch. They are created with smaller bodies in mind and are comfortable and perform well.

If you can't figure out how to talk to your daughter about having a "personal pouch", there are some great tips to be found at The Kotex site - such as a calendar with facts about puberty, questions your daughter may ask, ways to start the conversation and more. There's also a teenage specific page that can be a great way to open the lines of communication with your daughter.

Have you packed a personal pouch for your own daughter?  What have you put in it?  What do you think is absolutely necessary to help your daughter be calm and self assured in her daily routine at school?

“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.”

Edy's Slow Churned Ice Cream

I'm not a huge ice cream fan. I'll eat it every once in a while, but it's too high in fat and calories for me to indulge in it every day. (I do, however, frequently want and crave a Root Beer Float.) My family, on the other hand, could live with ice cream as their main source of nutrition. We buy ice cream by the truckloads - and my husband probably doesn't need to eat as much of it as he does. Growing older means that we (the collective *We*) need to be more aware of our food intake and those daily indulgences probably need to be less frequent.

In an effort to satisfy the need for sweet frozen treats and balance it with the ever growing waistlines, we've tried the so called "diet" ice creams, and, frankly, they leave us flat. Most often they are gummy, tasteless gooey concoctions that are ice cream in name only, leaving much to be desired.So when I was sent coupons to try the new Edy's Slow Churned Ice cream offerings - well, we didn't hold out much hope.

We were surprised.

Edy's Slow Churned has somehow managed to bridge the gap. We sampled the vanilla (key for a good ice cream float) and the mint chocolate chip (my husband's favorite traditional flavor) and neither of us thought that the ice cream tasted like a "diet" or "low cal" option. Both were full flavored and satisfying, and the individual cups were great for portion control. With halof of the fat and one-third fewer calories, I think we might be able to enjoy ice cream a little more often.

Like the Facebook page for Edy's Slow Churned - you can upload your "ice cream smile" and help Operation Smile at the same time.

Check out this chart, which illustrates the caloric and fat differences in traditional ice cream and the Slow churned version. Find your favorite flavor and see how much you can save!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Dreyer’s / Edy’s. I received a coupon to purchase product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

U by Kotex Tween Ambassador - Phase II

Having those difficult conversations.

No one really enjoys that.

I try to be as open and honest as many of us, but I'm still slightly squeamish when certain personal topics come up. Thankfully, periods are no longer one of them. I've gone through that talk with a couple of kids now, and it definitely did get easier the more I did it. Some topics will never get easier, though - "Mom, what's the deal with that book that talk about the different shades of a lighter black color?"

Yeah. That one was a little bit awkward. Especially since it was a boy who asked me, in front of his younger sisters. Talk about uncomfortable.

One thing that has helped me quite a bit is the concept of Car Talk. Somehow, the most intimate and personal topics can be discussed with little embarrassment on the part of either of us - as long as we are both looking straight ahead and traveling down the road at 55 mph. If we have to look into each other's eyes, it makes the entire discussion much too intimate and we soon find ourselves discussing the weather.

I also try, as much as possible, to avoid the overshare. Even if she asks, she really doesn't want to know the answers to What did you do when you were my age, Mom? I pinky promise - those mental images just don't need to be there for her. I try to answer the question that's asked with the correct answer, avoiding an overshare, and declining to go into great detail. If she wants it, trust me, she'll ask for clarification and further education.

We've all heard the story of a child asking a simple question, getting a very complicated answer from the parent, and then the parent realizes that a much more simple answer would have sufficed. Don't go overboard.

My own mother was not comfortable discussing these types of personal information with me. I can't fault her, as her own mother didn't emgage in these discussions, and it was also a much different, more closed time. I was so afraid to ask questions that I just didn't, preferring to find my information in books ad from friends. There's a LOT of misinformation to be found this way, and so I decided that, when the time came, I'd force myself to be open if I was uncomfortable.

If you need help broaching those tough conversations, there are some great tips to be found at The Kotex site - such as a calendar with facts about puberty, questions your daughter may ask, ways to start the conversation and more - even if you have already had "the talk", it's a great place to refresh your information. There's also a teenage specific page that can be a great way to open the lines of communication with your daughter.
 
“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.”