mamasaysmine

If you’re a parent and you don’t use some form of OxiClean (or another oxygen bleach powder) then you’re probably my sister in law, who returned all of my baby clothes full of stains.  (ah, family drama, you rear your head at such inopportune times) (but really. if you’re getting FREE BABY CLOTHES, freaking take care of them.) (or at least apologize and ACKNOWLEDGE that they’re stained.) (methinks a wee “Come to Jesus” meeting is in order with a certain family member.)

ANYWAY.

I picked up a new bucket of OxiClean (after getting a recent shipment of stained baby clothes, IN CASE YOU HADN’T GUESSED THAT) and noticed on the side that it says you can use it to clean your carpet.

Really?

Because I have two stains that keep going away and coming back.

The stains were originally dog related (use your imagination, if you dare) but are now just strange grey stains on my awful beige carpet. (note: beige carpet is a terrible choice if you have pets or children. terrible.)

In my dreams, I would simply use this as an excuse to put in hardwood floors.

In reality, I was down on my hands and knees scrubbing these stains with OxiClean.

Did it work? Pretty much. Which is not to say that the stains won’t come back, because they do that (disturbingly). But right now, they’re gone.

Additional bonus: no awful carpet-cleaner smell.

I am so very tired.Here’s the thing.  I actually BROUGHT my Wii to spend a week in Nebraska seeing family so I could do my EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge.  (I did NOT have the internet all week, which was both a bummer and totally refreshing) (and not because the internet doesn’t exist in Nebraska.  it does.) And I did it.  Every day.  Faithfully.But I skipped Sunday because we were traveling and I was exhausted.  And I think I’m going to skip today for the same reason.  I’m teaching a summer class at my church with teens and I’ve had to rework my lesson plans every day because the students refuse to talk.  (never in my life have I encountered such a resistant group.  they are very hard to love, especially as I try and entertain them by reworking my lesson plans.  that really irritates me.)So, tomorrow, I’ll try to get back on the wagon.It may require me getting up at 5:00 am.  That makes me sad.But I really want to finish this 30 day challenge.More from the trenches tomorrow. 

I am so sore that it will be difficult to write this post without profanity.

Lucky mama that I am, I got a copy of EA Sports Active for the Wii to test out.  (haven’t heard of it?  the rock you’re living under must be lovely.  but you can read all about it here.) 

Because I am too sore to go into details of the game right now, let me just say that this beats the Wii Fit out of the water. It’s a solid workout, I really enjoy it, and (thankfully) you workout for two days, then take a day off. Even through my pain, I’ve been motivated enough to do extra drills after my workouts (I KNOW! INSANE!).

And I hate hate hate going to the gym, so this is perfect for me. Perfect.

Now I am going to dissolve into a puddle in the floor. I promise a more in-depth review soon, but if you were already thinking about getting this game, do it. Now.

I confess to being brand loyal.

Not always, but there are some things I just don’t mess around with (laundry, anyone? you’ll have to rip the Tide out of my cold dead hands).

I’ve ventured into greener pastures with 7th Generation Dishwashing Detergent, with disastrous results. I’m not even going to link to that particular item, because you really should just light your money on fire instead of buying it.

Plus, I’m not really saving money if I try something and it just ends up being terrible.

Still, the price of Cascade was really getting to me. So, I ponied up the $3 and change (a full dollar cheaper than Cascade!) for Target brand dishwashing detergent.

And you know what? It’s just as good.

Maybe better, because it’s a dollar cheaper. (and no, those pathetic 35 cent coupons Cascade occasionally offers don’t do it for me)

The only downside is a slight Elmer’s glue-ish scent that I only notice when the dishwasher is actually running and that I try to forget because it’s really strange.

So, the family decided to head to KFC for our free chicken the other night.

And wow, I have never felt so disappointed by Oprah. Does she really want all of America to eat this stuff?

First of all, my KFC was woefully unprepared - short staffed and taking forever to get food out. I am generally pretty patient with this, having spent way too many years in foodservice. HOWEVER, the cashier was so surly, I was astounded. First, she acted as if she’d never seen the coupon before (although several people before us had used it) and had to go check with the manager to see what chicken they could “offer us” (dark meat, which was fine). Amazing.

Next, she complained IN FRONT OF US about the promotion to her co-workers and discussed how they were going to write a letter to Oprah complaining about the free chicken.

Internet, I cannot make this stuff up. A KFC employee was upset because so many people wanted to try the newest KFC product that has been promoted so heavily it was even on OPRAH. I can’t imagine how many businesses vie for Oprah’s seal of approval every day, much less how many would give their eyeteeth to have customers LINED UP OUT THE DOOR, but I digress.

Once we finally got our chicken, I was so unimpressed that I struggle to find the words. Flavorless? Blah? Underwhelming? Eeh?

Basically, the chicken is ok. Nothing great. Not crave-able and not something I’ll ever desire to eat again. Definitely not what I expect from my girl Oprah. And definitely not good enough to make up for the terrible attitudes of the employee.

I haven’t been to KFC for years, and that isn’t going to change.

I hope you all have had better luck - if you did, please let me know! (I still have two more coupons, and I’d love for them to go to a happy home)

ps. turns out lots of KFC stores were unprepared, although this article makes no mention of awful customer service. KFC could have learned a lot from bookstores, who were initially slammed by Oprah’s book club selections (selling out in minutes after one was announced) until they worked WITH her and started stocking mass quantities. The woman is powerful. I’m just saying.

On my dark days as a stay-at-home mom, I sometimes feel like all the brilliant ideas and dreams that I keep in my (yellow sparkly) idea folder are destined to just sit there until they one day become compost. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone here, and that this feeling of inertia isn’t exclusive to stay at home parents.

Enter John C. Maxwell’s Put Your Dream to the Test: 10 Questions to Help You See It and Seize It.

This book would be a quick read if you didn’t actually think about the lessons in each chapter, which kind of defeats the purpose. It IS easy to pick up and put down, which is a must if you’re short on time.

Here are the 10 questions addressed in the book:

1. The Ownership Question: Is my dream really my dream?
2. The Clarity Question: Do I clearly see my dream?
3. The Reality Question: Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my dream?
4. The Passion Question: Does my dream compel me to follow it?
5. The Pathway Question: Do I have a strategy to reach my dream?
6. The People Question: Have I included the people I need to realize my dream?
7. The Cost Question: Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?
8. The Tenacity Question: Am I moving closer to my dream?
9. The Fulfillment Question: Does working toward my dream bring satisfaction?
10. The Significance Question: Does my dream benefit others?

I definitely recommend this book if you’re feeling scattered and like your dreams aren’t achievable. It’s a great pick-me-up and has absolutely helped me organize my plan.

Enjoy!

Alternate post title:  You had me at “restores normal bowel function.”

It is no secret that my daughter, affectionately known as Hurricane Eva, struggles with constipation, especially when we travel. And we travel A LOT.

This last time, it was so bad that I was planning to get off the plane and consult with her doctor prior to unpacking. Luckily, I checked the mail first. Waiting for me was a 10-day supply of Florastor Kids, a probiotic supplement designed for babies and kids.

While I have no qualms about using “alternative” remedies on myself (and probiotics are found naturally anyway), I checked with Eva’s pediatrician before giving her any. I’ve used probiotics to combat nasty side effects from taking antibiotics, so I wasn’t surprised to get the green light from the pediatrician.

To use Florastor Kids, you just mix a packet into a noncarbonated beverage. You’re supposed to use two a day, but I started with one and haven’t needed to increase the dose. I added it to Eva’s milk and she drank it every time without any problems. You can give it to babies in formula or in soft baby food.

Here’s what Florastor Kids is supposed to do:
- Maintains the balance of intestinal flora (essentially, the good bacteria in your intestines)
- Keeps intestines functioning wel
l- Promotes intestinal health
- Strengthens the intestinal immune system
- Restores normal bowel function (my personal favorite, in my daughter’s case)

How did it work? Well, whether it’s being home, her reconnection with her princess potty seat or the Florastor, Eva’s been pooping every day without needing a laxative. Success! (and more poop talk than I ever intended for this blog!)

The good people at Florastor Kids have provided me with a 10-day sample to share with you, along with a goofy book to help kids learn more about probiotics and a plush Florastor doll. Ha!

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment (make sure to include your email address) by midnight on Sunday, May 3. If you want to include a story about your child’s intestinal health, just make it funny.

For extra entries, blog this giveaway or subscribe to my feed (make sure and let me know you did!).

Good luck!

Internet, here’s a little secret.  I love the Real Housewives of New York City and I love Bethenny Frankel most of all.

Here’s another secret. When I got a copy of Bethenny’s new book Naturally Thin, I expected that I’d read it, enjoy it and give it away. But mamas, this one, for me, is a keeper.

Bethenny, a natural foods chef, offers 10 simple rules for developing a healthy relationship with food, plus over 30 recipes which are actually good. She tells you to satisfy your cravings with “real food” instead of processed crapola and doesn’t promise that you’ll lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks or anything crazy. This isn’t rocket science, but I could hear Bethenny’s voice in this book, and she is both funny and a gal you’d like to be friends with. Um, and her recipe for a “Skinnygirl Margarita” is to die for.

I’m happy to say that since I’ve read Bethenny’s book, I’ve heard her voice in my head repeating her 10 tips as I’ve been out and about. It’s a pretty empowering feeling to be staring at a plate of french fries and be mindful enough to ask if I’m really enjoying them or if we’ve approached the point of diminishing returns.

Because I love this book so much, I actually bought another copy to give away to a lucky reader! To enter, just leave me a comment with your favorite guilty pleasure (because I would never have read this book if I didn’t treat myself to the Real Housewives every week. Want extra entries? Blog this giveaway and leave me a link! Want another entry? Subscribe to my feed and let me know you did.

The giveaway will end Monday, April 20 and is only open to my US readers (sorry, Canada!).

Sorry for no posts last week - I’m hoping to be back on track this week!

I have a secret.

I hate stainless steel appliances.

Let me rephrase that. I love YOUR stainless steel appliances. I am ambivalent towards my own. However, I HATE cleaning my stainless steel appliances.

(I know, this is a total first-world problem. Bear with me here.)

Someone told me that instead of using some chemical-based stainless steel cleaner, you can just use water.

NOT TRUE. This resulted in strange streaks, which is actually WORSE than not cleaning the appliances at all.

What does work?

Olive oil.

No joke.

A little olive oil on a clean rag (no paper towels - rags are a green alternative and generally fuzz-free) and a very minimal amount of elbow grease.

I am in green heaven.

My allergies have been raging, right along with the weather here in the Midwest. (This week has seen spring temps, par-worthy weather and, today, snow.  This is not unusual, sadly.)

 Turns out that not only is the Midwest the breadbasket of the nation, it is also the allergen-basket of the nation.  

My first spring & summer back in the Midwest wasn’t bad (similar to my first winter in Florida where I didn’t wear socks the whole time, because it was so darn warm).  Last spring & summer involved heavy drug use.  ALLERGY DRUGS, people.

Here’s allergy medication’s dirty little secret:  there’s no way to just figure out the right one for you.   If you don’t get lucky right out of the gate, you just have to keep buying and trying them.

Here’s my embarrassing little secret:  I spent half of last summer forgetting that Claritin didn’t work for me and stocked up on it every time it was on sale.  Then I’d get home and say bad words.

Finally, I discovered Zyrtec and life was worth living again.  (and I removed all Claritin from the house.)(it DOES work for my brother-in-law, and I think he’s stocked for months)

But, Zyrtec is $20 and change for 30 pills.   So, when Walgreens had an Easy Saver Rebate for something like $2.99 off a $4.99 pack of 5 Wal-Zyr (really? who thinks of these names?) I happily poinied up the cash.

Want to know what? It was awful.

It worked for a few hours, then left me with only side effects (muddled thinking, dry mouth) and no actual alleviation of symptoms.

How is this possible? My stupid insurance company believes so strongly in generics that they refuse to pay for brand-name prescription drugs, even when medically necessary. Not that my insurance company is the standard I hold all others to when it comes to my health care, but seriously.

And, what to do with 4 extra Wal-Zyr pills??