My Skin Secret...shhhhh!

Ok Ladies, I'm talking to those of you who have sensitive skin, redness, blemishes (seriously, how unfair!) and are looking for new products to try.  Just FYI, I get nothing from these companies,  this is truly because I have struggled for years to find the perfect "blend" of products, spent thousands and thousands of dollars.  Now, for under $100 I've found my magic formula and I thought you might like to try it!
!

OMG...YOU HAVE WHAT?

What is your worst nightmare?  Ok, maybe not your worst...let me rephrase it, What is your worst nightmare your child can bring home from school?  If you've answered lice then you've hit the nail on the head (sorry, couldn't resist the pun.)

I may be writing this story from experience, and maybe not (can't divulge due to ruining the social lives of my kids, or so they would think!)  But, I wanted to share with you a sure fire way to get RID of these disgusting things once and for all and it's totally easy and you do not have to use chemicals or products made for the removal of all things, lice.

Cetaphil, which is a wonderful product for cleansing and moisturizing is also the solution to rid your kids of lice, one application and treatment and they're gone.  

THE MAGIC SOLUTION? 

 


     All you need is a bottle of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, a medium size plastic bottle with a point, bottles used for eye drop solution is best

1.  Squeeze Cetaphil into the Bottle, fill to the top.
2.  Use the tip of the bottle to make a part in your child's hair, starting from the base of their neck.  Work in a zig zag pattern up the entire head and squeeze the Cetaphil into the part. 
3. USE THE ENTIRE BOTTLE OF CETAPHIL, even if you repeat in the same areas of the head.
4.  Once solution is gone, massage the child's head until the Cetaphil is completely covering every bit of the hair.
5.  Use a hairdryer to completely dry your child's hair. This process seems like it will never end because the Cetaphil is heavy, you need patience but your child's hair WILL DRY.
6. Style your child's hair like normal. 

The Cetaphil suffocates the lice and kills them and the eggs, preventing further outbreaks.    You should do this treatment on the entire family JUST IN CASE. 

You should also wash all your bedding, clothing worn, towels with hot water and dry thoroughly.  I have shared this trick with so many Mom's and they all tell me it worked in one application! 

Good luck friends, I feel your pain.


  

SMALL VICTORY!

One small step for Jack...one big step for Me!  I know this may not seem like a big victory for most, but for those of you (and you know who you are) you will totally understand.

For months I've been trying to get my 9 year old to do things for himself, and yes, I only have myself to blame.  I''ve got that mother martyr syndrome that gives up waiting for my kids to do what I've asked of them, and I end up doing them myself.


 -We could be sitting together on the couch and he asks me to get him ice cream, I get Jack ice cream.
 - I ask him to get dressed, he asks me to pick out his clothes. I pick out his clothes.
 - He wants to play with a friend, I call the friends mother to ask.
 -I wake him up and get him breakfast, regardless if I'm running late.

Today started off like any other day, I woke Jack up, told him I was jumping in the shower and wanted him up by the time I was done...When I got out of the shower, I walked into his room and was ready to begin my ritual of nudging him awake, blaming his sleepiness on getting to bed too late...but instead I was greeted with an empty bed. 

I went downstairs fully ready to find him snuggled under the blanket watching the Disney Channel, waiting for me to make him breakfast, but instead,  there he was, eating the breakfast he had made himself!  VICTORY.

DON'T DO THIS FOR 3 WEEKS!

What can I possibly be talking about?  I'm talking about your credit card(s).  I'm serious.  I want you to try a challenge with me and I know, together we can do this.

I've done it, and I want to share with you how liberating it is and how it can be for you to.  If you don't have credit card debt, then we hate you...I'm just kidding, we actually admire you, and maybe we're kind of jealous.  Being a single mom with 3 children bills rack up.  It's so easy to reach for the credit card and "pay it now" and deal with paying it back later.  But that's where the problems start. 

Whether you have $5000 or $30,000+ in credit card debt it doesn't matter.  

How to Start:  

I'm not asking you to cut up your credit cards, but just put them away, far away, leave them at home, wherever you put them just don't have them on you.  Trust me, it won't work if you carry them around in your wallet, YOU WILL USE THEM.

Once you pay your bills; mortgage, utilities, medical (basically whatever is set each month) calculate what you have left, whether it's $300 for the week or $200 or whatever the amount, use only that in cash.

The Plan:

Ok, so you get your paycheck this week and it's say,  $1500 , you pay what bills are due and you're down to $500 and you aren't getting paid for another 2 weeks!  OMG, panic.  You start asking yourself, can I truly live on $500 until the next pay check?  YES YOU CAN.   Even as a parent with children, you can.  It takes extreme discipline.

It all starts with FOOD.

I'm sure your pantry isn't empty.  You have food so be creative.  As I say to my kids, we're "eating the pantry" this week.  That means whatever is in there it's getting eaten.  Even if it means pasta for 5 nights then 

so what.  Open that freezer and open that bottom drawer, ahhhh!  Well look at that, we have waffles I didn't even know we had!  Or frozen ground beef, a couple of frozen chicken breasts, sausages...you get my point. You've got food, don't waste it.

Live Like a European

In Europe a lot of people buy food daily.  I know this means more trips to the grocery store but this does prevent those Sunday trips to the grocery store where you drop half your mortgage payment and end up with food that you find buried in your freezer months later.  Instead, on Sunday go and buy your milk, orange juice, eggs, whatever perishables you need for the week and dinner for Sunday-Thursday.  Your bill should not be more than $65.    Don't go crazy for dinner.  Whatever I buy for Sunday dinner I make enough for Monday.  If your kids don't like leftovers, tell them to get a job and contribute to the family.  

Take Control

  School lunches are out of control, so as the parent, take control.   I can pretty much guarantee that your pantry is stuffed on Sunday with snacks for the week, and expensive deli items.  While it's nice to make your kids a ham and cheese sandwich it adds up, and DON'T buy pre-made chicken salad, not only is it extremely expensive but it's also loaded with salt and fat.  Buy a whole chicken, cook it on Sunday and then use the meat to make homemade chicken salad and the rest for chicken soup.  I do this every other week and it is so easy!  Now you have enough chicken salad for school lunches AND homemade soup for Monday night dinner, add fresh Italian bread and you're done.

Quick and easy dinners on a credit card free budget

grilled cheese and bacon,  spaghetti and salad, breakfast for dinner (kids love this and it's inexpensive, we do pancakes and eggs) steak sandwich's (a great way to use up veggies that are not fit for a salad) 

Give your Kids an Allowance

Believe it or not I have been saving money by giving my kids an allowance.  Chances are they're not spending it everyday so it adds up.  When they want to go to the movies make them dip into their allowance, if they don't have enough, guess what, say no.

JUST SAY NO

Not just to your kids, but to that stupid voice in your head telling you to buy something you don't need. 

SUCCESS!

After 3 weeks of no credit card use I quickly realized I CAN DO THIS.  I had to literally walk out of stores when I realized I didn't have my credit card.    Even the things I absolutely thought I needed, I didn't.  We were out of bread, so guess what?  In my freezer I had hotdog rolls from the summer.  Kids loved their peanut butter and jelly's on a roll!    I got into line at Starbucks and didn't have cash and drove away.  I got to work and poured a free cup of coffee. My daughter needed money for her dance, she went to her wallet and paid for it herself.  It's not easy, it's humbling in fact.  But when you realize how often we whip out that credit card for things we really don't need, you quickly realize just how much you can live without.

I'M STILL NOT USING MY CREDIT CARD!

MOM ON A ROLL

Most things I let roll off my shoulders...but seriously?  How difficult is it to take the 10 seconds to put the toilet paper on the roll?  Yes, it is 10 seconds, I timed myself to prove it!

So after I replaced the roll, because let's face it, us Mom's are martyrs, I went around my home to find other infractions...oh, there were a lot!


A chore half done.  Yes, you emptied the basket but will it kill you to bring it back upstairs to the bathroom? 

 

This is just yucky.  Dishes left in the sink, again, how difficult is it to follow through?

How many of you find empty boxes in the pantry?  You take the last one you throw away the box.

No trash bag in the basket?  What? You couldn't find one to replace it?  What's that roll behind the basket?

This morning I got out of the shower and there weren't any towels in the linen closet...well that explains where they all went to. I have a towel hoarder.

  As parents we always find ourselves saying, 'pick your battles.'  Trust me, I do.  But at the same time if we don't teach them how to take responsibility for the "little" things, when it comes to more important responsibilities what's the incentive to follow through on those if there's no consequences?

MEGGINGS...WHAAT?

Ladies...would you let your man wear... meggings? 
Although meggings leave little to the imagination, is that necessarily a bad thing?   Men have been wearing skinny jeans for years, so why not step it up a notch?  And that's exactly what the fashion creators of "meggings" are saying. 

"We're glad you found us. Meggings Man Clothing is based in Chicago, USA and manufactures high quality alternative apparel options for men. While our primary focus is currently on meggings, the form-fitted pant that has been functionally and aesthetically tailored to the male physique, we plan to bring you so much more in 2014"   We can't wait Meggings men!

But here's the thing, just like with women, please please please cover up your "stuff."  Nothing is more unattractive than seeing women (and now apparently men) who wear short tops with leggings,  meggings.  We want to imagine what's under there without actually seeing it...just sayin.

CAN SHORT HAIR BE SEXY?

I, like many of you girls, have that burning desire to have long, lucious hair.   But sometimes we're just not blessed with thick hair or a face that can carry it.  This is NOT about age.  I am a firm believer in, if it looks good on you then go for it!

Short bobs are in, but are they sexy?  Let's face it, when you have long hair you feel sexy.   But when you have short hair you kind of feel frumpy and well, less sexy, or at least that's how I felt.  But is it all in your head (or on your head for that matter)?  YES.

Some examples?

  Of course when you're a movie/tv star with money to splurge on hair products and stylists you can make anything look good.  But what about for the rest of us?  Just because we don't have a bank account stock full of cash doesn't mean we can't get a cute, sassy bob that works.  It's all about how you wear it, and I don't mean literally, I mean how you "work" it.    

Two things that I do to make my bob feel more sassy and less frumpy...

Hair Straigtener
Big Barrel Curling Iron....

Two totally different looks:

Hair Straigtener                                                               Big Barrel Curling Iron

WE HAVE LIFT OFF!

The things us girls do to get pretty.  I mean, come on, don't I look like I'm ready to take off into space as opposed to getting highlights?

But let's face it, getting our hair done has to be one of the most relaxing moments us busy moms have!  It's the only time when we have to stop, I mean completely stop and sit in a chair for 2 hours and let someone comb our hair, wash our hair with the best smelling shampoo that I swear doesn't exist except for the salon and then add color to our dull hair, a fresh cut and VIOLA! We had a quick moment into what a supermodel feels like...even if only for 2 hours.

KISSIBLE LIPS

 

Want kissible lips that aren't all glossed up?  If you go to pucker up and it's more painful than sexy or applying lipstick gets all gloppy because your lips are too dry, I have a solution for you, rather, Mina has a solution for you!  Meet Mina, my fabulous and sassy hair stylist!  She has extremely dry lips and can't stand using heavy glosses.  So here's her very easy tip:

 

 

1. Find an empty jar, similar to one that blistex comes in and put in a glob of Vaseline.

        2. Add a little glob of your favorite lipstick color and mix.  You can add a bigger glob of lipstick depending how much color you want.

 

 

 

 

 

LEATHER OVER 40?

 

YOU BET!

I have been wanting a cute leather skirt all season long.  But my 15 year old daughter thought I was out of my mind!  But I do think if you wear it tastefully then, why not!?

I found this cute leather skirt, wait for it...Nordstrom JUNIOR department!  Who says you have to be "20" something to shop in the Junior section of any store!?  Not only that but it cost under $50, need I say more?  

 

The skirt is by Lily White

 

PUCKER UP!

 NO PRESERVATIVES & GLUTEN FREE!

If water is hard for you to swallow because it's just boring, then I have a great remedy to cure you of your water woes.  We all know we should be drinking a lot of water every day, but honestly I just couldn't do it!  That is until I discovered "True Lemon." 

I have tried all kinds of drink mixes to "mix up" my water.  But most have aspertame that gave me horrible headaches.  Others contain way too much sugar and other artificial ingredients.  Desperate to find something that isn't going to give me adverse affects I did my homework and found True Lemon.  It contains STEVIA which is totally natural and derived from the stevia plant.

FYI, I did not get paid by this company to blog about its product, I just wanted to share with you something that I really like and thought you would too!

BOTTOM'S UP!

I LOVE BABY WIPES!  What parent doesn't?  But after you hear what researchers found, may have you thinking twice about using them. 

Granted my "babies" are fully grown, but for those of you still wiping the bums of your children, heads up! Or, Bottoms up!

Researchers at the University of Connecticut, including Dr. Mary Wu Chang, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at UC say there is a preservative in some popular wipes (wet wipes and baby wipes) that can cause an allergic skin reaction in some children.

                                                (Picture Courtesy of: Dr. Mary Wu Chang)


Researchers at the University of Connecticut have pinpointed a preservative called methylisothiazolinone (MI) that is found in half of all the wipes sold in the United States!

Here's the deal:

Between March 2011-January 2013 researchers investigated cases of skin reactions; everything from crusting patches, swelling, blistering and cracks on bottoms, mouths, faces and hands. As most parents, we would pass off our children's skin irritation as "diaper rash" or just a bad case of eczema, and make the assumption that it is indeed, just that.  But now, we have to wonder, was it diaper rash or could it have been caused by this preservative?  In the study researchers say as soon as the parents in this study stopped using wipes on their babies, the skin reactions clearned up!   By the way, none of the children were wearing diapers!

What Baby Wipes?
Huggies and Cottenelle by Kimberly-Clark.   In a statement the company says:

"We have been evaluating alternative preservative options over the past few years and are now ready to confirm that, beginning this month, Kimberly-Clark will start introducing new wet wipes that are MI-free across its entire product range in the U.S., Canada,  Europe and other global markets. At Kimberly-Clark, nothing is more important than the health and safety of the families who use our products and consumers can continue to use our products with confidence."

The company tells me you can expect to see the new MI-Free wipes in stores this month (January), they will be called "HUGGIES® Natural Care baby wipes  “Our Simplest Formula Ever”

 

ATTENTION TARGET SHOPPERS

 

 

 

Target is offering FREE credit monitoring free credit monitoring to ALL customers.  I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this. 

The free credit monitoring is offered through Experian's ProtectMyID and the service provides you a copy of your credit report, daily credit monitoring, identity theft insurance and access to personalized assistance from a fraud resolution agent.

This is free "insurance" to protect yourself.  If you're the type of person who thinks, "this can't happen to me" you've got to change the way you think on this one. 

I'm making it really easy for you to do this, just click on the link and start. 

https://creditmonitoring.target.com/

HIRING A CONTRACTOR

                                                               

 Thinking about making some home improvements?  Sometimes this can be a super exciting time or a super aggrevating one.  It all comes down to hiring a good contractor, but how do you go about doing that?

RECOMMENDATIONS.  This could be a blessing or a curse.  Trust me when I tell you I have heard countless stories about people who tell me they hired their neigbhor's husband, uncle, friend, son (you get where I'm going with this) and things don't go as hoped or planned.  Recommendations are helpful but your homework should NOT stop there. 

LICENSED CONTRACTOR VERSUS REGISTERED CONTRACTOR.

Depending on where you live will determine whether your contractor is licensed or registered, and there is a difference.

A licensed contractor usually must:
-prove they have the skills to do the work, oversite ususally by a State Board
-must have continuing education to keep up with the latest skills
-contribute to a Guaranty Fund where consumers may be eligible for reimbursements through this fund should something go wrong during the construction process

A registered contractor usually must:
-only pay a fee to register with the state board of contractors
-show proof of insurance
and that's about it.  In Rhode Island I could become a registered contractor.  That's scarey, trust me.

Depending on the state you live in you should check on the State Government's website to determine what you should expect from your contractor.  You can also check whether the contractor has any violations.

Massachusetts:  http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/consumer/home-improvement-contract/home-improvement-contractor-frequently-asked.html#A2 

Rhode Island:
http://www.crb.state.ri.us/ 

Connecticut:
http://www.ct.gov/dcp/cwp/view.asp?a=1629&q=446966

ANY CONTRACTOR YOU HIRE MUST BE REGISTERED OR LICENSED AND SHOW YOU PROOF.

BE CAREFUL OF "REVIEW" SITES:

Again, based on MY experience these don't always guarantee you will get a great contractor.  Here's the deal,  these sites will tell you they check out the contractor, making sure he's licensed or registered, but that's not always the case.  I have found contractors with expired registrations/licenses on the list of "recommended" contractors. 

I have also found contractors that have had their registrations revoked still on the list.  In one case I was reporting on a contractor who had an "A" rating on Angies List.  He was hired by several homeowners because of his rave customer reviews.  But homeowners called me after he walked off the jobs and stopped returning calls. We learned he had 10 documented complaints against him with the state's Contractor's Registration and Licensing Board.  Angie's List said they were unaware.

BE AWARE OF LIENS:

In some states a homeowner can have liens put on their home if the contractor they hire doesn't pay his bills.  In one case I reported on a couple whose contractor was paid thousands of dollars upfront to purchase lumber and other materials.  The contractor ordered the lumber, never paid for it, never finished the job and the homeowners months later got a letter saying they had a lien against their home because of an unpaid lumber bill.  Yes, you got it right, the couple had to pay the lumber company (again) to get the lien lifted.

Solution?

Don't pay your contractor directly for materials or other sub contractors.   If you need lumber, cabinets, doors, paint etc..pay the retailer/lumber yard/sub contractor directly.  If this sounds like a total inconvenience then at the very least DEMAND receipts from your contractor.

 

ASK ME:

If you have any questions about your contractor's record or you need further information regarding how to choose a good contractor,  just write a comment and I'll be happy to respond!

BREAST CANCER SUCKS

"...the doctor says it's aggressive."
"...the doctor sees spots on my lungs"
"...oh my God, I don't want to die."

I am stunned.  This isn't my diagnosis, but someone whom I love with all my heart. She is lying in a hospital bed at the Lahey Clinic in Boston.  She lives her life by eating everything organic, doesn't even use chemcials on her skin, her doctor this morning told her plain and simple "breast cancer doesn't discriminate. It could care less if you eat well, live well, exercise or are fit."

EARLY DETECTION

"...I felt a small lump this summer, it was a little itchy"
"...I tried holistic remedies."
"...By the fall it was getting bigger, but then it would go away."
"...I thought it would go away for good."
"...I didn't want to ruin everyones Christmas."
"...I have stage 4 Breast Cancer."

Ladies, please...go get a mammogram, if not for you, but for the ones who love you.

TIL DEBT DO US PART...

Post Holiday Blues....

Ok, so for the past 2 months we've been spending like there's no tomorrow, and in about 1 week from now the postman will be dropping something in our mailbox.  BILLS.

No matter how much we hear (even from me) 'don't spend more than what you have'  ahh, really?  Who really listens anyway?!  So let's face it, most of us did spend more than what we have in our bank and we don't have the funds to pay off our debt.  So now what? 

1.  DON'T ADD TO YOUR DEBT.  Easier said then done, I get it.  However, you just can't keep spending so be strong.  Take control of your finances and prove to yourself you can do this.

2. STOP LOOK AND LISTEN.   STOP, do you really really need that great pair of shoes?  You really don't.  I know they will look great on you but seriously, who really is looking?  I think I need new clothes weekly, for an event, or whatever!  I can find an excuse to buy something new everyday.  So stop it!

LOOK at what you already have in your closet or attic.  I do this a lot.  Sometimes if I find a blouse that I haven't worn for awhile I put it on with a newer skirt or pants and viola! It feels new (ok, somewhat new)

LISTEN to that really annoying voice in your head that is telling you to just walk away.  When I'm at TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Target or Home Goods (my 4 budget busters) I find soooo many things I need.  I will literally put whatever I like in my cart and walk around...I start thinking about college savings, my children and how my spending might hurt them and suddenly that stupid voice in my head speaks loud and clear...(I think it's probably more Mommy Guilt) but WHATEVER! I do listen to it, sometimes I have literally left the full cart in the aisle and walked out...and believe me, that feeling when I get into my car empty handed...is EMPOWERING.  I DID IT!

3. PRIORITIZE.  If you have a few credit cards pay more than the minimum on the card with the highest interest rate, get that card balance down first.  But don't ignore the others, pay at least the minimum.

4. CONSOLIDATE. If you can, apply for a low interest or no interest credit card that is offering a great deal on balance transfers.  But beware, oftentimes these have expiration dates that can suddenly  bump those rates up more than 19-25% on new purchases.  Use that credit card ONLY TO PAY OFF THE DEBT DO NOT USE FOR NEW PURCHASES! EVER!

5.  KEEP CHECKING BACK.  When you check on those credit cards as you pay them down you will feel good.  You will see that your balances are going down and you will see the effects of your willpower.

IS THIS WRONG....

There are days that, well, let's face it, we all wouldn't mind if we lived in Colonial times...I love my twin teenagers, but they're teenagers.  Need I say more?

"WAKE" UP!

2014.  I attended a wake yesterday morning.   I'm about to say something and please don't take it the wrong way, but wake's always leave me feeling...revitalized.  I can't help but think as I say my little prayer at the side of the casket just how short life is, I know that is so cliche but it is so true. In just a blink of an eye everything can end.  I started to think about how I'm living my life.  My typical day yesterday (aside from the wake) is indicative of why I need to make changes....

Monday-Thursday 5:30am, my alarm clock (the internal "mom" alarm clock) wakes me up to make sure my teenage twins are awake.
                            
5:30-6:10am I lay in bed and make lunches in my mind...6:11am realize that imagining making lunches isn't actually making lunches.  I get up, make small talk with very sleepy teens..make sure they have a key to get in the house at the end of the day (I do this because they repeatedly forget)

Get kids off to school, head to work.

After a long day I walk in the door, get frustrated that TV is on, dishes are in the sink, Caty is watching some stupid reality show, Matt is playing x-box and Jack is....somewhere.  I forgo dinner to get Jack upstairs, showered and then he begs me to read a book or snuggle or skype.  But determined to get him into bed so I can have 30 minutes of "me" time...he reluctantly crawls into bed....

9:00pm I grab dinner (which could consist of smartfood, leftovers, cereal, cheese and crackers) Twins are still doing their thing...9:45pm I crawl into bed...chat a little with my twins...and lights out.

UGH.

I'm sure what you just read is pretty much your day to.  Where and more importantly How can we make changes?  There's very little wiggle room!  We have to work!  As Moms, and probably more so as single Mom's, time management is anything but managable.  As I lie in bed trying to fall asleep my mind wanders as I try to invision how I could have made my day better...how I could have made the little time I had with my children, better.  I don't have an answer.  But as I go into 2014 I do know that things need to change...I can't change my work hours, I can't change my children's schedules, or my workouts (those are set in stone since I teach)  What I can change is my mindset.  My life is pretty good.  My children are happy.  I can pay my bills (although not much more is left at the end of the week) My children know they're loved, a lot.    Am I doing my best?  Can I do more? Probably.  But I think we all need to realize one thing, if we can lie in bed at night, knowing our children are tucked in safe and sound, the house is warm, they each got a kiss and a hug goodnight, then maybe, just maybe, we're doing ok...and the only thing we need to change is their sheets.

    

SODA "POP" STAR GOES FLAT

Consumer Science in the Public Interest Rips Rapper Macklemore:
www.cspi.com

It takes a special brand of shamelessness for a rapper to tut-tut against commercialism one day and to shill for Dr Pepper the next.  Endorsing a soda brand doesn't make you one of a kind; it makes you a dime a dozen

                                                         Rapper Macklemore

                                      
 

Deals of the Day!

$900 in Coupons! Sent exclusively to me, now I'm sharing with you! Enjoy.


http://www.mailermailer.com/x?function=view&c=102825806i-be58445c%2a1039165f-7abc4a99

FORGOTTEN LUNCH...

AGAIN.  Ok, what is a Mom to do?  For the (I have no idea, I lost count) at least 12th time this year, my 15 year old daughter Caty forgot her lunch. 

1.  Should I bring it to her like I always do?
2. Leave it in the fridge at home to teach her a lesson?
3.  Well, that's about all the choices I have.

So, if I choose #1 then will she ever learn?  What incentive will she have the next time to remember to grab it before charging out of the house?  But if I choose #2 she'll be hungry!  Maybe she'll pick at her friends lunches at school, a cookie, a chip, but nothing healthy and then she'll starve, and get a headache, she won't be able to concentrate on her Math test in the afternoon...and then she'll get a C and I'll feel horrilble!  OMG.  Mom guilt is the worst.

                                                                 Caty..

So, guess what I did?  I took it to her.  She texted me and said, "thank you Mommy"  I guess sometimes we just do what we feel is best and pick our battles.

A little look into my world...

                                        Me.

                                         

                                                    My Children...Block Island!

                                                         Jack!

                                            Favorite place in the world, the beach.

                                               I love love love to run...major stress reliever!

Blast from the past...

SERIOUSLY SINGLE

Back in 2011, I was newly divorced and clearly looking for an outlet.  I started "Seriously Single" a blog about...well, just that, being single and a Mom...I obviously haven't kept up on that blog considering I started dating and well, wasn't truly "single" anymore. 

I actually forgot about it until I decided to "google" myself the other day (come on, you know you've done this too!)  and low and behold there was my dusty ole' blog.  I thought I would share it with you...btw...my Mom is STILL offering me dating advice. ugh.

MONDAY BLUES...

Feeling a little blue today?

You are not alone.  According to social media websites and various psychologists, the Monday after New Years is the most depressing day...and today, being January 6th, this will be the most depressing day of 2014...great.

 

After being off nearly 2 weeks, waking up today was very difficult!  All day Sunday I had that feeling of dread that, 1. vacation is over 2. I have to go to work 3. kids are miserable they have to go to school 4. no sleeping in 5. I have to put makeup on, blowout my hair, get dressed up...6. vacation is over (did I already say that?)

 

So, what are you doing today to feel better?  For me, it's the small things in life that make me happy,

 

Looking at silly pictures of Jack

                                                   A yummy Starbucks

 

 

 

Baby it's Cold out there!

Right now it's 54 degrees, but in a few hours temperatures will be plummeting!  Be prepared!


FOR YOUR CAR 

 

 

Here's an interesting tidbit I learned today!  I was driving and my SUV was vibrating, of course I immediately thought I was about to face hundreds of dollars of repairs.  I called my mechanic (Cerrone GMC) and I learned I was one of dozens of calls this morning complaining about the same thing!  Guess what!?  Turns out all that snow and ice we had over the weekend was building up around my tires causing my SUV to vibrate.  I was assured that after a few more miles of driving and the mild tempertures the vibrating will stop.  It did.  Thank God no $$$ out of my pocket, love FREE advice.

 

 

TOP 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR CAR:

 

EMERGENCY KIT:

 

Cool photo from "How Stuff Works"

 

Ok, let's get shopping, whether for supplies you already have in your home or what you can find at Target, Ocean State Job Lot...any discount retailer will have these things:

-Washer Fluid
-Ice Scraper
-Flashlights
-Flares
-Kitty Litter (in case you get stuck, sprinkle some behind and in front of your wheel)
-Extra gloves, blankets, hand/foot warmers, Coat, Boots
-Water (for you)
-Train Mix (for you if you get stuck)
-Phone Charger, PLEASE DON'T FORGET THIS!


FOR YOUR SAFETY

Wear Layers. 

If you must go outside, know the right way to bundle up!

1.  The layer closest to your skin should be either wool or synthetic material, NOT COTTON. Cotton may feel good at the beginning, but it does a bad job of keeping moisture off your skin.

2. Next layer, Sweater or Fleece, again NOT COTTON.

3. Lastly, a coat, ideally one that is waterproof and insulated.


Frost Bite:


Depending on the temperature and wind chill, frostbite can happen within minutes.

The First Signs:

Prickly or Itchy sensation on your skin
Red, White, Pale or grayish-yellow that will start looking hard or waxy
Numbness, Blisters (don't pop them!)
Tell your kids the warning signs, many won't want to come in from sledding or skating!

FOR YOUR HOME:


Water Pipes can freeze/break

1.  Leave your tap water on a little bit so it's dripping continuously
2. Open your Kitchen Cabinet doors under the sink (facing an outside wall) to allow more heated air to get to the water pipes.

FOR YOUR PET

 

 

My Friends, Toby and Buddy

 

 

 For small dogs, shovel a path so they have an area to do their business. Short-haired dogs may need to wear a sweater before going outdoors. Salt spread on walkways can dry out your pet's paws. Give their paws a good wipe-down after they come inside!