Getting Organized Tips with Barbara Reich

There's a definite theme going on around these days.   I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to get my life in shape and get more productive in 2013.  I'm talking in all areas of my life too.  So I was super excited to receive a copy of "Secrets of an Organized Mom" by Barbara Reich in the mail today.  I really could use the help!

I'll let you know my thoughts once I've had a chance to dive in but in the meantime, here are some tips from the organizational lady herself, Barbara Reich. 

Getting Healthy with Supplements–femMED

Part of getting healthy in 2013 for me isn’t all about losing weight although that’s a big part of it.  There are many aspects of our health that all need to come together and basically become more balanced.  Where there is no balance, things start to fall apart.  That’s true about any aspect of our lives, not just our health.

Of course, being busy with children, work and all the cares that falls on our shoulders it is so difficult for us to find the time and the ways to care for ourselves.  How often do we put the needs of our families first before our own.  How many times do you put back a treat for yourself (like a new set of art pens) because you know the kids need new boots and the pens would be an splurge even though it might feed some creative outlet in you.  (Yes, I really did put the pens back and regret it although their boots look great).

 

Having Fun With Valentines

So all the bloggy experts tell me that if I want to get a Valentine post submitted to search engines in time to actually show up in Valentine searches, it needed to be done like two weeks ago.  Nice thought and while I wrote it down on my “blog calendar”, as you can see reality has set in and I am now rushing through Valentine card production like my kids are on a chain gang. 

Thank goodness a trip a few weeks ago to the big City (to watch the Hobbit) meant a long awaited trip to Michael’s where they had all their Valentine kits 40% off. Of course, it was tough to decided on which kit to purchase since with three kids I needed to get the most decorations out of the least amount of boxes.

I chose these ones because each kit contains 32 butterflies that you can insert a lollipop into.  A far easier chore than last years hand cut heart butterflies with pixie sticks.  While they were cute, they were a lot of work.. for me.  So I’m glad I found these kits.  Not to mention the extra decorating sparkly form hearts and flowers are so plentiful that I’m saving one whole package to use on different crafts.

Treebobs and the Runaway Cauldron - Audio Book Review

What are #Treebobs?  Treebobs are little elves full of mischief and fun.  The latest release is titled THE TREEBOBS AND THE RUNAWAY CAULDRON.  

With their best friends, the fairies, the Treebobs enjoy nothing more than foiling the dastardly plans of the forest’s two resident witches, Badlot Barbara and Rotten Rena. Join in the madcap antics with the Treebobs newest concoction, as the fairies and wicked witches go banana bonkers when Rotton Rena's mother enters Rena into the great egg and cauldron race.  Poor old Rotten Rena just has to win or mother will not be pleased!

I recently had the opportunity to download and play this unique series for my children.  This series couldn't have come at a more opportune time as I had been wanting to find an audio series that we could play in the van on our road trips.  Not just any children's audio books would do.  The story can't be too long and it has to engage children of three different ages.

The stories in this series each run approximately 16 to 17 minutes, just long enough to play two stories on the way to Nana's.  As well, the silence that reigned in the van for the entire time the stories played speaks for it self.  I did find my oldest, who is 9, was the most interested in the stories as she was the first to beg for another story to be played.

Getting Fit in 2013

Every year I resolve to get more fit and #lose weight and it seems every year I fail.  This year; however, I am determined will be different.  I am approaching 42 this year and am tired of settling for second best when it comes to my health and fashion. 

I had to go back and re-write that sentence as I put fashion first originally.  Am I really that shallow?  I don’t think so, it just goes to show how much we take our health for granted. (and how tired I am of the selection of affordable clothes for weight challenged women)  Until a crisis strikes. You would think being diagnosed with diabetes two years ago would have a significant reason for getting my butt in gear.  Same goes for the high blood pressure I’ve been dealing with since the birth of my youngest.  Apparently regular exercise can help lower your blood pressure.  I kept it up for three weeks and now almost 6 years later, I’m still dealing with side effects from the medication that I am still taking.

Boogie Wipes - A Review

If you haven’t guessed from the name, Boogie Wipes are for wiping boogies.  But not just your average every-day wipes, Boogie Wipes are moist, saline nose wipes that instead of chafing your sensitive nose helps relieve and soothe that irritated organ.

My son gets frequent colds and when he does, the snot just seems to flow endlessly for the poor kid.  To his credit, he tries to wipe his nose and hates it when it feels wet and stuffy but inevitably he ends up with a red rash between his lip and nostrils and just about raw on the edges. All I could do for him was apply a little bit of vaseline as soon as I saw the redness start to develop. 

So I shouldn’t be surprised that this product was developed by two mom’s whose children suffered the same.  They had an idea and took it a step further by developing the first ever saline nose wipes.  Little Busy Bodies Inc was formed in 2007 and after a lot of research and development – Boogie Wipes was born. 

I think this is a great product.  It helped my son so much.  Gone was the irritated nostrils and gone was the vaseline smear on his lip.  I did have to keep on top of him or he would have gone through the package in half an hour since my son is a wipe once and toss kinda kid.  Still at $3.99 a package or $9.99 for a family size, I think these wipes are affordable and worth the expense for saving their tender skin. 

Boogie Wipes come in an easy to dispense package, much like baby wipes or hand wipes and comes in scents like Great Grape and Menthol.  The menthol is particularly great since it’s gentle scent helps unclog stuffed up nasal passages.  Much more pleasant than Vicks I can tell you.

Not just for wiping boogies, they are also great for wiping little faces in a pinch.  My kids hate it when we’re out and all I have on hand to wipe their dirty faces is those sanitizing wipes.  Yuck.  Toss Boogie Wipes in your bag and you’re covered.

For more information visit www.boogiewipes.com

Have you tried Boogie Wipes?  What is your go to comfort for treating a cold?

Zeemaid

*disclosure – I received a package of Boogie Wipes in order to conduct this review but was not compensated in any other way. The opinions herein are my own and reflect my true experiences with the product*

Technorati Tags: product review,Boogie Wipes,product,reviews,children,colds,sneezes,dry skin,nose,saline wipes

52 Weeks of Pinterest - Week One

Who has not heard of Pinterest these days.  It’s huge in the blogging world for promoting all sorts of blogs from DIY to cooking to parenting to home schooling.  You name it, it’s on there.  However, when every day non bloggers start mentioning things they saw on Pinterest, you realize just how big of a sensation Pinterest really is.

I’ve even heard it referred to as “porn” for women.  I could easily kill an hour just browsing and re-pinning whatever strikes my fancy and with a mobile app on my Android phone, it’s right at my fingertips whenever I have a few minutes to kill. 

Still, what do we do with all those pins?  Do we actually get around to trying any of the crafts or recipes on there?  So easy to “pin” for later that never really happens.  So that’s why I came up with



I am going to attempt to try one Pinterest thing on my boards a week.  (I figured 365 days of Pinterest was just way too much of a commitment). 

Enter Week One

I like to crochet but am not a great pattern follower, which I am told by a knitter is typical of people who crochet.  Go figure.  So when I saw these pretty flower coasters, I figured I would give it a try since the pattern seemed simple enough.



Pretty aren’t they?   Originally posted on Mollie Makes.com and you can find the complete pattern details there.  Of course, I never have the right type of materials on hand and so while I had crochet cotton on hand mine was a 70.9g weight while the pattern suggests 50.

The brand I used was Lily Sugar’n Cream crochet cotton.



My first attempt at re-creating the pattern.  I used a 3.5 hook and so you can see it’s a larger pattern and the lacey detail is not quite as defined.  Still the colours are pretty and it crocheted up quickly.  I have to admit, I did struggle with a couple parts of the pattern and it wasn’t until about the 10th one I made that I finally got the instructions. LOL



By switching to a smaller hook (2.5) I was able to make a tighter pattern and thus you can see the lace detail more.  Still, I think I’d like to get the crochet cotton used in the original photos because they are just so Springy and cheerful.

These coasters make great gifts too.  My mother-in-law loves the colour yellow and I found a really pretty yellow and white striped crochet cotton and whipped up a set of 6 coasters for her.  When I say these whip up quickly, they do indeed.  I actually crocheted about 4 coasters once on a 1 and a half drive.  Yes, I crocheted in the car.  Frequent scenery checks keeps you from getting motion sickness.

Well that’s my first week of 52 Weeks of Pinterest.  What will I try next week?

Zeemaid

Technorati Tags: 52 Weeks of Pinterest,zeemaid,in the mommy trenches,diy,crafts,crochet,flower coasters,easy,crochet cotton,Pinterest

George’s Special Dry Cream

The harsh winter season can be especially tough on our skin.  I, for one, am struggling with chapped lips and dry hands from the cold.  While there are many skin care products out there, I am always looking for something that is not only fragrance free with no additives or irritants but is also non greasy.  Being Canadian made is an added plus.


George Doherty, a pharmacist, was looking to create a cream for local Albertans to help combat their severe dry skin from the harsh winters.  He never dreamt that when he created George’s Special Dry Cream in his kitchen with his wife’s cake mixer that it would become one of the top selling therapeutic skin moisturizers in Canada.  George’s Special Dry Cream is said to work on a variety of skin conditions such as Eczema, Psoriasis, sunburn, windburn, cradle cap, Winter itch, flaky skin, tough elbow skin, radiation therapy, sport chafing, swimmer’s itch, dry hands, foot problems including those associated with Diabetes.

Now neither I nor my family suffer with any more severe skin issues other than dry skin so I cannot attest to it’s healing powers.  What I can say after having tried the cream is that it did work to relieve my dry skin and I found it to be long lasting making my hands and heels much softer to the touch.  It is a creamy cream if that makes any sense.  Lots of skin care cream is more like hair conditioner, almost watery.  The texture of this reminds me a little of Noxzema face cream. It rubs in very quickly and absorbed speedily.  I didn’t have the urge to wipe it off, like I do with heavier skin care cream. 

While the information provided says this product is fragrance free, I assume it means fragrance free from perfume like additives because it certainly has a scent to me.  It is a light scent, almost minty maybe spearmint, which I assume comes from the ingredients used in making this product. It is a pleasant smell though and doesn’t linger long.

What I like most about this cream is that it does not include harmful ingredients like Parabens and Urea which both products have been shown to cause cancer with prolonged use.  Did you know Parabens have been banned in Europe? 

I also had an opportunity to try George’s Light Special Moisturizing Lotion which is gentle enough to use everyday and can be used by those with sensitive skin.

With a suggested retail pricing from $2.99 to $14.99 and three different sizes to choose from, it is a very affordable skincare choice.  For more information and tips using George’s Cream visit his website at www.georgescream.com

Zeemaid

Technorati Tags: Product Review,skincare,George's Cream,moisturizing lotion,eczema,dry hands,itchy,windburn

Confessions of a Housewife

Now I love my family and most of the time I’m happy to take pride in our home and do my part in taking care of the family.  However, housework can be a bit of a drudge and sometimes it can really push you over the edge.  Here is a confession of a few weird things I’ve done to “get back” at my family.

* After spending half an hour folding my daughter’s laundry, matching socks and pajama sets etc, I went to put it all away only to find her drawers a complete mess.  Frustrated I dumped her clothes in the drawer and reached my hand in and gave it a big swirl.  After all, it’s what they do after I put everything so neatly away.

*  My husband has 50 million different shades of black socks with different patterns.  It drives me crazy to sort them all the time.  Especially when you’re always missing at least one or two to match up.  When I’m really annoyed, I’ll just dump the whole lot in his drawer.  He really hates that (although he’s smart enough not to comment) and yet I’ve noticed that when he folds the darks, what’s always left in the bottom of the basket…. his socks.

*  The weirdest thing I had to adjust to when we got married was that my husband likes his t-shirts hung up on hangers in the closet.  It’s such a pain to have to hang all his shirts up especially when I have to make them all right side out.  Seriously he cannot take off a shirt without it ending up inside out and I’m just uptight enough to want to hang them up the right way.  When I’m really annoyed, they get hung up inside out.  He doesn’t like that either.  Oh well. :)

*  Sometimes, I just huck the toys into their rooms rather than put them away.  

*  I definitely have no qualms over sneaking into their candy stash and lying about it later. 

*  Wal-mart is closed whenever I will it to be so and conveniently open when I need it to be. 

*  Strawberry milk comes from pink cows and Chocolate milk from brown cows.  After all Google has proof that there are such things as pink cows and green cows, and purple cows and yellow cows.  Seriously people, what’s with the painted cows?

What about you?  Have you done anything weird like this?

Zeemaid

Technorati Tags: humour,housewife,in the mommy trenches,children,housework,laundry,family,famillies

Happy New Year

#Happy New Year!

Out with the old and in with the new.  I for one am extremely happy to see my Christmas decorations get packed up and my family photos and knickknacks reinstated to their rightful places.

I don't know why I feel this way at the end of every holiday season.  After all I am so excited to see it all go up on December 1st.  So much so that we're tempted to decorate early every year.  Yet, by New Years I'm tired of the clutter and can't wait for it to all to just get back to normal.

We took it easy this year for the holidays, improving on the lessons for a peaceful Christmas that I began last year. I didn't bake a ton of goodies that would only have to be eaten, I kept the crafts to a minimum and tried to go homemade wherever I could.  Within reason.  An afternoon's baking was quite enough to provide a few goodies and treats for friend's and family.  The children weren't done their school until the Friday before Christmas so I didn't have have to work extra hard to keep them busy and distracted prior to Santa's arrival.

We even managed to have a white Christmas.  We haven't had one of those in years.  Thank goodness my parents decided to bless us with new snow tires for our vehicle.  It made traveling to see them so much easier and less scarier.  When I saw it begin to snow, I was like "bring it on".

The only thing I would have wished different is that we didn't all end up with the flu over the holidays.   One by one we fell victim.  My 9 year old daughter was such a blessing on the day I got it.  She fed her little brother and kept him busy while her sister and I laid on the couch and moaned.  She fetched, she carried and tried to soothe us.  What a sweetheart!  It's times like these when you're forced to give them some independence that you see just how much they are growing up.

Did you make any New Year's resolutions?  I generally don't make any as resolutions always seem meant to be broken.  Still, I couldn't help feel a positive surge enter me as the clock struck 12:00.  Every year we hope that this one is going to be a better one than last year and every year it seems like we are wrong.  This year though, feels different and I can only pray that I am right.  So far the scratch tickets Hubs and I bought for each other for Christmas has only garnered us $8.00 but we're not done scratching yet. ;0)

Not that I am looking for success from a scratch and lose ticket.  Far be it.  This year just has to be the year that we get our selves in a better financial position.  That we get caught up with our debt and can begin to make and keep plans for having fun with the kids.  That it won't always be "we can't afford to do that".

So I really hope that I can keep a hold of this feeling of productivity I have, a drive to finish projects and spruce up our lives, business and home in all ways possible.

I have a ton of great ideas to rework my blog which will hopefully see me posting more frequently than last year.  I admit that I really lost some of my drive last year but basically things were going to badly at one point that I just didn't know how I was going to keep on going.  When strangers begin to make the odd comment about a post or two that I've made about me maybe needing some help well, that makes you stop and realize just how tough things are really getting.

So I want to stay more positive this year.  Learn to do more for myself in a meaningful way, not waste my time and learn to parent my oldest daughter without frustration and anger.  I want to push my blog farther and interact with my community more.

So stay tuned.  Great things are coming.  It make take me a week or so to get going but like I said, I've got a ton of ideas, including a  possible blog name change.  I don't think "In the Mommy Trenches" really reflects where I'm at now.  Not that I won't always be in the trenches in some form but now that my kids are growing and going to school, it's not quite the same as when I had all three at home under 4. Yii.

Did I really do that?

Reminds me of a song I made up for the kids... we had ourselves a real musical Mary Poppins moment...

Children for sale
Children for sale
I've got too many
One would have been plenty

Children for Sale
Chilrdren for Sale
What were we thinking
When we were procreating

Children for sale
Children for sale
please won't you buy one
C'mon and try one

I've got Children for sale

Needless to say my children didn't like the song.  (the procreating part went over their heads lol)  There were more verses about a tall one, short one and one in the middle but I can't remember how that part goes  anymore.  That's what happens when I watch too much British t.v. and/or musicals.  I begin to talk with an accent and sing a'la My Faire Lady.

But I digress.  (as usual)

How was your New Year's?  Are you feeling hopeful for 2013?

Zeemaid

Merry Christmas

#Merry Christmas to you all!

Zeemaid

Unicef Great Gift Giving

At this time of year, more than any other, we become so much more aware of how little so many have.  It serves as a reminder to us that we are so very blessed to be living in this Country and to have shelter over our heads a food in our stomaches. 

At this time of year, when my children are showered lavishly with gifts from aunts, uncles and grandparents, it makes it even more important for me to teach my children how to give back to those in need.  It's important for them to realize that we are living the exception, not the norm here.  

Which is why programs like Unicef's Ethical Giving is growing more and more in popularity among Canadians. 

Christmas with Hallmark

Well, I’m a little late with this post because it seems like Christmas is just around the corner.  On the other hand, maybe you are weary of battling the crowds and need to take some time out to pause and enjoy some of the simpler and prettier things in life.


Which is why I present to you … Things That Make Me Smile from Hallmark’s latest holiday seasonal offerings.

Hallmark Swooshin Duo.

I have to admit I am a sucker for these types of holiday decorations.  In fact, I get just about as excited to press that button as my nine year old.  Check out the video below.



Adorable, right?   Just $15.95 with the purchase of three Hallmark Cards. 

Bell, Interactive Story Buddy.

She’s too sweet for words.  Bell responds as you read key words or phrases from her book.  My girls love this little puppy and enjoyed reading “Bell’s Big Move.  Also included is a read-along cd.  My 7 year old loves for me to put the cd on when she goes to bed.  She snuggles up with Bell and listens to the story before falling asleep.  Also available is online story time at Hallmark.com/Bell and Bell’s Big Move app available on the App Store.  Priced at $34.95

Wireless Children’s Angel Choir

Quite possibly my favourite Hallmark item this year.  Each of the four angels in the choir moves in time to the two songs that each sings individually.  When put together with other members of the choir, they sync up wirelessly with each other and move in time and sing or play along with each other.  Each angel sings two.  Just $14.95 with any purchase at a Hallmark store.  I have Faith and Michael and definitely would like to get the other two to complete the set.  Adorable.




My two other favourite items that I received in my Hallmark package were 

Glad to Greet You Snowball Door Decor

This little guy is motion activated singing a parody of "Deck the Halls" and says seven phrases.  It looks like  it is supposed to hang on your window with window cling, but I'm not really trusting it as the snowball itself is fairly heavy. It could be that I've misunderstood the instructions though but I used a hook to hang it up anyways.  It is a little bit loud so I am thankful there is an off switch for when it gets to be too much.  A great crowd pleaser though and lots of fun. 

Talking Mistletoe

Another motion activated item, this Mistletoe turns up the laughs with a funny French accent and silly sayings.  Like "On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... two French kisses.  What can I say, I'm allergic to Hens." 

Recordable Storybooks 

It doesn't matter how many times I see these books, they are always so special.  My children really enjoy listening to me record a story for them and then playing it back later.  A great gift for those moms or dads that have to work away or maybe just can't make it back at bedtime.  Nothing like helping a child feel loved or secure than by hearing their parent's voices.  And now since my daughter is now 9, she loves the idea of recording her own voice as she reads the story. 

Of course, Hallmark has wonderful other gift ideas such as keepsake ornaments, beautiful Christmas cards, Christmas Albums and more.  

To check out these items and for more information or to find a store near you, visit www.Hallmark.ca.

Well, any of these items bring smile to your face?  Let me know in a comment below.

Happy shopping, 

Zeemaid
*disclosure, I received the above items in order to conduct my review.  As always the opinions and experiences stated herein are my own and truly reflect my views on the products reviewed.*

Getting Your Teeth Clean Arm & Hammer

Part of being a mom to three children means that I don’t always take care of myself the way I should.  Sure I would like to visit the dentist every 6 months but my busy schedule and health plan means I’m lucky to squeeze a cleaning in once every 9 months.  So I do worry about plaque and plaque build up especially since I’m not a great flosser.

When I heard that the ARM & HAMMER^® Spinbrush™ Pro Clean™ Battery Toothbrush can remove up to 70% more plaque in those hard to reach places, I was eager to try it.

Playing for Keeps - Giveaway

Well my favourite sexy, Scottish actor, Gerard Butler, is back in Film District's holiday must see romantic comedy 

PLAYING FOR KEEPS. 

Gerard Butler plays a down-on-his luck former soccer star who returns home to put his life back together.  When he tries to rebuild his relationship with his son, he gets roped into coaching a boy's soccer team but his efforts to finally become an "adult" are met with hilarious challenges from the attractive "soccer moms" who pursue him relentlessly.  Also starring is Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Dennis Quaid and is directed by Gabriele Muccino, the director of the Pursuit of Happyness.

Holiday Gift Guide & Ice Age 4 Blu-ray Giveaway

 Holiday Gift Guide

"Ahoy, matey! Blue Sky Studios unveils a brand new chapter in one of the most successful film franchises of all time. Bringing together the visually epic and the emotionally powerful, ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT sets sail on Blu-ray™ 3D, Blu-ray™, and DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on December 11, just in time for the holidays."

While Ice Age 4 tops the list of holiday must haves, here are a few other items that your kids just may be asking for. 

Black Friday - Great Deals or Huge Nightmare

I'm from Canada and since our Thanksgiving is held in October, we don't do the whole "Black Friday" hype here.  On some level, a part of me felt like we Canadians were missing out especially when so many of our American channels hype up all the supposedly great deals to be had the day after Thanksgiving.

Having said that, however, it has been creeping up on me that more and more of our Canadian advertising has been directed to "Black Friday" deals, especially in my community.  Every where I look I see "Black Friday" sales being advertised and can't help but feel like the higher ups are trying to jump on the whole "Black Friday" gravy train.

Of course, the deals are no where as good as they are in the U.S. considering how much more expensive everything here in Canada is.  Still, I can't help but wonder if there is a subtle campaign going on to bring this marketing phenomenon to Canada.

Up until I saw this video, I might not have thought that was such a bad idea.

Help Make a Wish and Gravol

It seems like more and more children are being diagnosed with serious illnesses and it breaks my heart.  I believe every child should have an opportunity to enjoy  life to the fullest and to laugh and share memories with their loved ones and to just be a kid.  

Since 1984,The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada has granted over 17,000 wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Children’s Wish is proud of its tradition of never refusing a wish to an eligible child.

Ice Age: Continental Drift – Activity Sheet

We are not big movie goers.  Quite frankly, the cost of taking a family of 5 to the theatres these days is outrageous!  Having said that, I have to admit there are just some films you just have to see on the big screen.  The Ice Age series falls into that category. Each film has brought us something (or someone) new to fall in love with and we love that the voices of our favourite actors have remained the same with each film. 

We, of course, loved the latest Ice Age: Continental Drift and are excited that we will get to watch it again soon as it’s coming to Blu-ray and DVD December 11th.

We or I should say.. I have a tendency to be a little too honest with my kids. I didn't sugar coat it when they asked where hamburgers came from or do people really eat cats and bunnies etc. I've even been known to drop little known facts into their ears like "men typically die before women" but don't worry mommy married a younger man so we should be good.  

So when O had a field trip to the Airport recently and shared how he saw the "interrogation room", you just know my kids want to know why they had an interrogation room at the airport.  Well, you should have seen my husband's eye start twitching as I told them that it's for the bad guys.  Of course, he thought I was going to get into the whole terrorist thing which I had no intention of going there.  As we later discussed, we do plan on taking our kids on an airplane at one point in the next year we do not want to freak them out with true stories of terrorists.  

In fact, we could only imagine our kids comments would be as we sat waiting for our flight.  

"mommy, do you think that man is a terrorist?"

"Dad, do you think someone has a bomb on them?"

Not that we'd be the first family to be hustled off an airplane due to suspected terrorist activities.  It seems lately all we hear is about extreme airport policies and with the Christmas season coming up, you know it's just going to get worse.

Oh and no I haven't gotten into the whole where do babies come from thing other than to say from mommie's tummy.  I'm just waiting for the "how does it get in mummy's tummy" question.  Oh boy.

How about you?  How honest are you with your kids?

Zeemaid