What are you planning on doing with your children to help save our planet? Can’t we all stand to be a little greener? I KNOW we can in my house. Sure I take steps to be kind to the earth but when I get too busy or things get “inconvenient” all the “Green” goes out the door. This Earth Day, I am re-committing to taking some steps (with my children) to be kind to the earth. Are you? (more…)
In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations…The Great Law of Haudenosaunee
These are words to live by, now more than ever. We live in a world where global warming is no longer some far off threat from the future, it is actively happening. The world our children will know is not the world we knew as children.
My girls will never know what it feels like to fix their gaze upon the majestic Javan Tiger or cast a glance to the water and see a Baiji River dolphin frolicking. Our children will not know the bright beauty of the Golden Toad or the grace of a Pyrean Ibex.
If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got.
There is so much beauty and wonder in the world that I want to share with my girls. I want them to see it all firsthand. This can only be done by a shift in the collective conscience. We need to adjust our values to meet our expectations. I want it all to be here to be shared with my children, my children’s children and their children after that.
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. ~The Lorax
I am starting at home. To change the world, we only need to cast a pebble of effort and watch as the ripple takes hold of all those around us.
Simple shifts can lead to huge changes for all of us
I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.~ The Lorax
No one can save the world all by themselves, but together we can change the future.
Seventh Generation and Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax have joined forces to inspire families to conserve the earth’s resources with conscious consumption. If every U.S. household replaced just one bottle of 100 oz. 2X concentrate petroleum-based laundry liquid with Seventh Generation’s 50 oz. 4X concentrate plant-derived product, we could save enough oil to heat and cool 15,700 U.S. homes for a year. Make a difference by choosing high-quality and effective products from Seventh Generation, now offering free shipping for any purchase over $50!
How do you live like the Lorax? Tell Seventh Generation below and be entered to win a Green Your Home prize pack!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Seventh Generation. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules. How will you make the world a better place for the next seven generations?
Bedtime at our house has always been a chore. I have two little girls who are, more often than not, co-sleepers. I won’t lie, I do love the cuddles and snuggles that come with having my children in bed next to me. Of course, now that they are respectively seven and four, the once adorable cuddles and snuggles are escalating into flailing arms and kicking feet, usually to my torso or face. Ouch!
We put the girls in their own room at night but some time between bedtime and dawn, one or both always finds their way into our bedroom. This almost always ends with either us pulling them into our bed with us or one of us walking half-asleep back to their room, snuggling in and staying for the duration. It’s not a bad deal but some times the Kung Fu fighting antics makes it a bit difficult to get any quality sleep for the adults. Apparently, they lose no sleep over the fact that they are sleep Kung Fu Masters.
The girls know that they are at an age now where we would prefer that they stay in bed and fall back to sleep, preferably on their own. After all, waking themselves completely up and then proceeding to wake us up provides for a not so restful sleep for any of us.
One night, my four year old ran from her room and jumped in our bed. Literally, jumped completely over me and landed between the Big Guy and I. It startled me and woke me from a dead sleep. She was crying. I asked what was wrong and her answer was , “Mommy, there were lemurs dancing around my room and jumping on my bed. They came from under my bed. I can’t sleep in there any more!!!!” So much for letting a four year old watch Madagascar.
She was very serious. I cuddled her and reassured her that there were no lemurs dancing around her room. There were no lemurs jumping on her bed. There most certainly were not any lemurs living under her bed. But, I told her just to be sure that I would spray under her bed with “Lemur spray” in the morning. She was sufficiently satisfied,cuddled into me and fell back to sleep.
You know? Lemur spray. It looks like Febreeze but it has a lemur skull and crossbones on the label and reads “Kills Lemurs dead!” No? You don’t have this at your house? We also have Chicken spray, creepy doll spray and boogie man spray. Are you sure you don’t keep some in your laundry room for just such occasions?
The next morning, I sprayed that bedroom down like Father Michael McFlannigan; blessing every nook and cranny while exorcising all rogue dancing lemurs, for good measure. I prayed and blessed and then repeated the entire process until my four year old was sufficiently satisfied that her room was lemur free.
There’s got to be an easier way to get my girls to go to sleep, stay asleep and prevent scary dreams. What do you do to alleviate the stress of scary dreams? How do you soothe your child’s irrational fears in the middle of the night?
Here’s a new tool for your bedtime treasure box, The Pajanimals, available only on 24-hour preschool television channel Sprout, features four fuzzy friends who wind down for bedtime in a cozy and reassuring way. The show helps you tackle common bedtime issues like getting out of bed, bad dreams and scary monsters. Check out Sprout’s bedtime tips! Seriously, they are so simple and very effective. Also, by replying below four of my lucky readers will win a prize package – including a Pajanimals DVD and The Sleepeasy Solution book, proven by Hollywood’s celebrity parents and written by the sleep experts at Sleepy Planet.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sprout. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules. The bedtime drama, all mine.
Perpetual Laundry; the bane of my existenceLaundry anyone? When I was single, I only had to do 3 loads of laundry a week.3!!! Then I got married and that number went up to 4-5 per week, but he helped and actually I was doing less laundry.There was time to do all my errands and chores and a place for everything to be put away. There were no little people to pull things off the shelf, spill drinks or eat with their entire faces versus just their mouths. It was a simpler time, when laundry was just one of my household chores and not the overwhelming task it is today.
If you have little ones, and I am assuming that most of you do, you understand my agony over laundry. I have a 4 and 6 year old and I am perpetually doing laundry. I try as hard as I can but I NEVER seem to be able to catch up. Never! My little girls change their clothes, literally, 7 times a day…at least! If they are not changing their panties because they had a “drip” (which reminds me, do any of your daughter’s have this issue? I don’t know if this is normal or if they are hyper sensitive or if I need to get them to the doctor. Get back to me, will you please?) they are changing from their pants into dresses and back again, changing their shirt in the process. Heaven forbid that my little princesses dribble milk or sauce gets on them, foggedaboutit. No sooner than it happens their tiny little clothes are already falling to the ground. Should I be worried about how easily and seamlessly this happens? I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come. Girls, keep your clothes on! My hamper can’t even keep up.
To be honest, when we moved in earlier this year, I was really impressed with myself at how well I had managed to fold, put away and FIT all the laundry. Oh yeah, I was all cocky, walking around with my holier than though “My laundry is caught up, folded and put away, is yours?” look. Imagine my surprise, when I realized that I had at least one over sized laundry hamper overflowing with laundry…in the back of my SUV. This means, these girls have more clothes than I can actually fit into my house. You’d think they have more clothes than necessary but as evidenced by their 7 costume changes per day, you’d be wrong. Dead wrong.
On an average day, there is one load in the washer; one load in the dryer; two loads sorted on the floor to be washed and usually 2 from earlier in the day piled in a laundry mountain that the girls keep jumping into like the autumn leaves. Sometimes the clothes get folded and make it to a basket, or a couch, or the bed only to be relocated at bed time ( because they still have not walked themselves to their designated drawers) and sometimes the mountain just grows. On particularly busy Mom days, the laundry mountain dangerously high. I just know I should invest in one of those life alert necklaces so that when it finally avalanches upon me and envelopes me in the smell of soft ocean mist I can be found by rescue workers.
Six years after having my first child and I’m in the throes of laundrypalooza. I should honestly buy stock in Tide and Downy because at least that way, I’d be getting something out of all of this besides just carpal tunnel syndrome from all the folding (well, maybe it’s more tennis elbow from all the flinging of laundry because honestly, not so much folding ever really gets done over here.) Which reminds me, today at Kroger, the cart buster deal of the day is $2.50 off of Tide via this digital download coupon only available at https://bit.ly/wxfnIU.
Thank you to Kroger for sponsoring my participation in the “Deal Of The Day” promotion. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Attention Kroger Shoppers! Shop the Kroger Cart Buster event from February 26–March 10 for great values. Find out about all the savings at www.CartBuster.com! And from February 29-March 6, download exclusive, digital coupons for Kroger’s “Deal Of The Day” for even MORE savings at https://bit.ly/wxfnlU. Happy Savings! Why not start a sneak attack on that laundry pile?
#NourishWhatCounts ~ Since starting the Quaker Heart Health Challenge, earlier this month, I have lost 10 pounds by simply changing my diet and being more aware of my portion sizes and of what I am putting into my mouth. It sounds simple but it does take a little thought and preparation.
I have also started riding the recumbent bike several times a week. I can always feel a difference when I workout. I like to do it in the morning. It always helps me to start the day with a clear head and a little extra energy. Plus, when I get up and work out, I go through my day feeling like I accomplished something. It always makes me feel more self-confident to be proactive. Getting up and moving doesn’t have to be getting up anf running a marathon, it just needs to be doing something active, preferably fun.
Unfortunately, I have been really ill with walking pneumonia for the past week and have not been able to work out. I miss the endorphin rush but I know that being this ill, if I tried to ride the recumbent bike I’d probably pass out and most likely need a breathing treatment of some sort afterwards.
I’m human and I need to be able to have these setbacks and then resume my routine when I am healthy enough to do so. I think many of us get so focused on the end goal that we sometimes keep going when what we really need is a break. In the long run, it’s better for me to sit out a few days and get well than to make myself even more ill, resulting in an even greater loss of time.
I’ve learned that to be truly healthy, it is not just about exercising or nourishing your body, you have to exercise your mind and nourish your soul, as well. By simply being aware of this fact, it has made the entire challenge more fulfilling.
If you want to get healthy, why not join me in the MapMyFitness Quaker Challenge. You deserve it.
February is National Heart Health month. Even if it’s only 5 more minutes a day, what extra step will you take to stay fit?
For your chance to win $750 complete these two steps:
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats Company. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.
Photo Credit: Vestman
Healthy is as healthy does ~I am turning 40 in September. Go ahead, gasp in shock. I know you can’t believe that I am that old. I can hardly believe it myself. As many of you know, I have spent most of my life with severe body issues and eating disorders.
This year, I have decided that I need to face my fears and move passed them. I am embracing who I am and really trying to get healthy and learn to live in my skin. I am trying to learn to love my body and I want to live a long time to enjoy my life with my husband and children.
Body used to mean what I looked like physically. That was all it meant. I had a specific idea in mind that I needed to achieve and I would do so at all cost. I did so at great cost but I have daughters now.
Now, my body is what will carry me through their lifetime. My body needs to be healthy and strong so that I can be around to cry at their weddings, share in their accomplishments, be in awe of their miracles. I want to be there for all of it, more than anything else in this world.
I have decided to join the Map My Fitness Quaker Heart Health Challenge, to ensure that I am healthy and happy for many years to come; to enjoy my marriage and my children. I want to be around to enjoy the life we’ve built. The life we planned for. The life we deserve.
The challenge is to simply complete 15 workouts in 30 days. it doesn’t have to be extreme , you only need to commit to getting up and moving. I am eating healthier and committing to riding my recumbent bike for 45 minutes four times a week over the next 30 days.
What can you do to get healthier in the next 30 days? Won’t you join me?
Joining the Map My Fitness Quaker Heart Health Challenge is my first step towards becoming a healthier me. Now I’m curious to know, what motivates you to stay healthy?
For your chance to win $750 complete these two steps:
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats Company. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules. Don’t we all deserve to be healthy?
Fashion Haul Friday ~ Karen Kane This week’s fashion find is a Reversible Faux Fur Vest by Karen Kane. If you’ve never heard of Karen Kane, you are missing out, mamas. Karen Kane is high quality, reasonably priced fashion. Forget the big stores we are used to frequenting, like Target and Kohls (not that I don’t love them but I want some place to shop for JUST me not the whole family), think boutique. Think being the hottest mom in the drop off, think Karen Kane!
I received this in the mail and couldn’t wait to wear it but where to? I was over thinking it. But it was so beautiful that I didn’t want to wear it just anywhere.Then I remembered to live for today. It’s like fine China, you spend an entire lifetime looking at your China through the glass door of your China cabinet but wouldn’t it be more fun to actually use it? I decided that I wanted to wear this beautiful gray faux fur vest today and I did. I put it on with a well-fitted, long sleeved t-shirt, a pair of jeans and my sweater boots. I reported for room mother duties in my daughter’s classroom feeling put together and cute, instead of hiding behind a ponytail, dark sunglasses and yoga pants. That in itself was an awesome feeling. The vest is generously cut and if you are on the smaller built size you may want to actually purchase a size smaller than you usually wear. I happen to be very well endowed upfront and the vest closed perfectly. I also love the fact that it is reversible because you can change your entire demeanor with the switch of your vest. If you are feeling a little more rocker, switch it around so that the fur is on the outside’ pair it with the incredible turtle neck paired with the vest in the photo and a pair of well-fitting skinny jeans and of course a pair of hot 5 inch heels. This is definitely a piece to help rescue you from sweat pants purgatory.
Features:
A fabulous faux fur vest that can top off any outfit. Turn it inside out to completely change the look of the vest. You’ll love how easy it is to create so many outfits using one simple piece!Details include: • Faux Fur • Raw edges and seams • 95% Polyester 5% Spandex • Available in gray and ivory • Imported • Dry clean
I am currently in love with this vest. It is my new favorite piece. It’s warm, fuzzy and chic;perfect for the cold winter ahead. It’s also perfect for sipping wine by the fire with your favorite snuggle bunny. Not only has Karen Kane made my heart skip a beat with this collection, they will make you fall in love with them too because Karen Kane is generously offering a $100 gift certificate to one of my lucky subscribers to use on any piece you want on the Karen Kane website. What would you choose? Buy yourself something sexy to wear for Valentine’s Day. They are also extending a 25% discount for all of The TRUTH about Motherhood readers; good from January 13, 2012 to February 13,2012. Just use the promo code TRUTHFULMOMMY!
There are a few mandatory rules that you must adhere to enter the giveaway:
( you do NOT have to enter the number of entries each one is worth because Rafflecopter will figure that out. I.e. You only have to write one entry comment for writing a blog post about the giveaway).
*Important Mandatory entries
1) MUST RSS or Email SUBSCRIBE TO The TRUTH About Motherhood ( GFC doesn’t count) 2) Must Like the TRUTH about Motherhood FB page 3) Must Like Karen Kane FB page. Fill out the rafflecopter survey below and it will guide you through all the various ways to enter. Good Luck!
*Disclaimer: Karen Kane is providing the gorgeous prize for the giveaway and provided me with the product to review. The opinion expressed in this post about Karen Kane is my own honest review of the product.
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Fashion Haul Friday ~ Tea Collection This week’s fashion find is an amazing Chica cable sweater by Tea Collection for women. I know that we all know and love tea collection for their kids clothes. We mom’s live for tea collection to have a sale for our back to school style and baby clothes. Tea collection is who we look to dress our children. Most of our children are outfitted in their awesome designer children’s clothes, but did you realize they bring the awesome in women’s clothes as well? I never even considered shopping there for myself, until now! I’m a Tea Collection convert.
I received this AWESOME Chica Cable sweater in phantom from Tea’s Modern Mexico collection, which is so appropriate because I just happen to be a little Modern Mexico myself. I ordered a large and it is very roomy. This worked out nicely for me because I am a little over gifted in the chest area and have issue finding clothing that fit appropriately in that area. If you are tiny, I suggest you get a size smaller than you normally wear since it fits so generously. It is made of the softest merino wool that I have ever felt but at the same time has some weight to it. I paired it over a long sleeve jersey shirt and it worked out as a light weight coat. I also added to the outfit a pair of cute jeans and some black UGGs. I took Mommy Chic to a whole new level. If you wanted to be more casual on the go Mom you could swap out jeans for leggings, if you’ve got the ass for it.You’ve been spinning, show off what you’ve done. Or if you want to dress it up a bit more, add some black dress boots or booties and pair the Chica Cable Sweater over something more feminine and flouncy! I may have to swap out my permanent seat in sweat pants purgatory for this Chica Cable Sweater, it is so comfy and soft. It’s like wearing one of those cuddly, warm baby blankets but with style and fashion minus the spit up and judgement.
Features:
Hola chica, have you met your new cardi? Big geo cables, dolman sleeves, an oversize draped collar. A little bit Mexican and a lot modern. Surprise yourself with how chic it looks layered over something a bit more dressy. Imported.
To recap, I LOVE this sweater and it has made me fall deeply in love with Tea Collection for women. Not only have they made me fall in love with them, they will make you fall in love with them too. Tea Collection is offering a $100 gift certificate to one of my lucky subscribers to use on anything you want. You can buy something for yourself ( which I highly recommend) or you can buy something for your little ones. All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter survey below and it will guide you through all the various ways to enter.*MANDATORY: Be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the post for EACH ( every single) entry in the comments section. Good Luck!Happy Holidays to you all.
*Disclaimer: Tea Collection is providing the gorgeous prize for the giveaway and provided me with the product to review. The opinion expressed in this post is my own honest review of the product.
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To show how easy it is for everyday people to take amazing pictures, Olympus gave over 1,000 people a new Olympus PEN® E-PM1.. It’s all part of The PEN Ready Project—more than 1,000 cameras, over 1,000 people, 6 cities. To see what they shot, go to https://penready.com.
I am a self proclaimed mamarazzi to the ten thousandth degree. Currently, I have over 100,000 digital photos on my computer of our life since we had the girls. My girls are 4 and 6,so it’s been a BUSY few years. Ever since they were born the world just seems more beautiful and photo worthy to me. I want to capture every single moment, every smile, every tear, every giggle and every first so that I can look back at them and be back in that moment again. That’s what photos are to me. They are so much more than images on paper ( or my monitor screen as it may be) they tell our stories.
When I heard about the Pen Ready project by Olympus I thought it was awesome. Just imagine, a stranger handing you a free awesome camera and telling you to photograph whatever you want to. There’s something liberating about being able to have a quality camera to play with and capture those important moments in life. If you stop by the Olympus Pen Ready Project page you will see what extraordinary photos ordinary people can take with a great camera. What would you photograph if someone gave you The Olympus Pen?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Olympus
The Winner of the Shabby Apple Lois Lane Dress giveaway is Jodie Walcutt. Congratulations, Jodie!
Fashion Haul Friday Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway and Review ~ This week’s Fashion Haul Friday find is a fabulous Shabby Apple dress. I’m pretty sure every woman with fashion sense knows what Shabby Apple is, so I am positive all of you already know of Shabby Apple boutique. If you are not familiar with Shabby Apple,let me tell you a little about them, they are an awesome company who makes chic vintage inspired clothing for women. The clothing has a very classy, feminine feel and is made to fit a woman’s body…a grown woman. A woman who has lived and had children and still has a lot of vivacious living to do, like you! Their vintage inspired dresses remind me a lot of the dresses women would wear in days gone by when silhouettes were more feminine and softer. The dresses are elegant and make any woman feel a little more beautiful. But the best part, aside from having loads of styles available, the price is affordable. Shabby Apple makes fashionable clothing and accessories affordable for every woman, including us Mommies who seldom get the chance to shop for ourselves and when we do dare shop for ourselves we are frugal and feel guilty if we spend too much on ourselves. Shabby Apple alleviates that guilt.
The dress that I chose to review was the Lois Lane. First of all, what images and ideas the very name Lois Lane invoke? Super savvy and intelligent, but remove the glasses and she is Superman’s super smokin hot leading lady. What more is there to know? There is just something about a fitted, flattering red dress that makes a woman feel sexy in her own skin. I know every girl needs a little black dress but this red dress packs a punch that you can’t pass up. You will certainly get double takes when you walk into the room. It fits generously but is curve flattering. The color is deep and looks beautiful on just about any skin color. I really love the fact that you can wear the collar down for day time or up at night time to give it a little more spunk. I prefer it up! The Lois Lane is shown here with black pumps, it would also look hot paired with those back leather boots or the 5 inch Steve Madden heels from our last Fashion Haul.
Features:
A tulip blossom collar adorned in ruffles tops the innovative and utterly provocative Lois Lane trench dress. Awash with delightful details Lois Lane’s french coat styling, with asymmetrical buttons running from hemline to left shoulder, ruffled tulip sleeves, cinched-and-sashed waist and flouncy hem is a show-stopper you cannot miss. Wear the collar up for greater drama or down for a sweeter look.
Dress fits generously.
I think this dress is gorgeous and I think many of you will too! And bonus, Shabby Apple has given me the chance to offer a Lois Lane dress to one of my readers. You know you want this! To enter to win is simple.
Mandatory Entry to win the Shabby Apple Lois Lane dress: Follow The TRUTH about Motherhood on Facebook and leave me a comment on my wall.
For more entries:
1) Follow Shabby Apple on Facebook (1 entry)
2) Email Subscribe to The TRUTH about Motherhood (+2 entry)
3) Tweet this giveaway by copying and pasting the following; Awesome #giveaway for @ShabbyApple Enter to win a sassy new dress @truthfulmommy https://motherhoodthetruth.com/?p=6783 Please RT {1 entry per daily tweet}
4) Stumble and like this post (+2 entries)
5) Add my blog to your blog roll ( +2 entries)
Leave a separate comment for each entry. The giveaway will be closed December 8,2011 Thursday night 11:59 pm EST and chosen randomly. The winner will be announced in next Friday’s Fashion Haul Friday post. Contest is open to U.S. residents only and you must be over 18 to enter.Winner will have 24 hours to respond, if not a new winner will be chosen. Good luck. I’m sure any of you would look gorgeous in the Lois Lane!I have one request and that is that whomever wins this gorgeous dress will take a photo of themselves and share it on The TRUTH about Motherhood Facebook page.
*Disclaimer: Shabby Apple is providing the gorgeous prize for the giveaway. The opinions expressed in this post are my own. I was in no way compensated for writing about the Shabby Apple company.