Almost Naked Animals Is Silly!

The 411:

I love cartoons but I am a bit picky. I love cartoons that I can watch with my kids without rolling my eyes or feeling like I've seen this 1000 times before. For me cartoons have to first be funny. second have great lines that appeal to both kids and parents and have odd and interesting characters. Basically, you need to think about the parent before creating a cartoon since we will have to listen to them in the background of the house noise for months or in some cases years. Blue's Clue's anybody?

We were sent a fun gift pack of Almost Naked Animals which my niece kindly took care of with Goddess as I was on the couch recovering from surgery.

The pack was passed out right before she put the movie in for all of us to watch. A T-Shirt for Handsome, Journal for my niece, tote bag for me and the DVD for Goddess! We all sat around the TV to watch our first episode of Almost Naked Animals which Goddess informed us she has seen before. I am not sure if she has seen it in commercials or watched an episode as this was my first time watching and we watch a lot of TV together.

The Animals are Almost Naked because they are all wearing their underwear and while you can see their nipples, they are mostly just funny and very obviously cartoons so other than the name, fear not my friends, your kids will love this!

Some Post Op Stuff

Feeling much better since surgery. This little guy was my friend for 3 days and now the kids are playing with it. I know Sally knows what this is, do you?

Light A Candle, Lose A Pound Courtesy of St. Roz - A Review

The 411 by Maria: 

Imagine being able to light a candle at a church under a statue of a saint and lose a pound while eating whatever you want? Light 5, lose 5. This is actually what happens in St. Roz starring Rachel Wilson who plays Judy.

When a mysterious statue shows up outside a suffering church, the church suddenly finds itself with more money than a loan shark and undergarment decorations.

Judy is the daughter of the weight loss Queen, Minnie Barr who has helped thousands lose weight. Minnie's goal is to get her daughter the only one she can't seem to help lose weight, quickly married. At her comfortable size 12, (I swear that is all she can possibly be) no man will ever love her. Minnie quickly hires a dashing young man to romance Judy just as Judy finds the statue. She places her money in the box, gets home and finds that wah-la, she has lost 5 pounds and as long as she pays the church and prays, her weight continues to fall off.

The cast does a great job with this small movie with a decent premise and Michael Lamport who plays  Father Culkoski looks so much like Robin Williams I had to look up the cast while watching the movie to see if they shared any lineage. Alas, I don't see any. Just a Doppelganger. We all have one you know!

Not a mainstream movie but so worth the view.

See this award winning movie and imagine being able to eat all your cakes and cookies while dropping pounds. Nice!

Milk Unleashed

The kids go back in 9 days and while I am very sad about it, I can't wait to see what they learn this year and how they grow. We are starting to grab some snacks and lunch ideas for the kids lunchboxes and this giveaway couldn't have come at a better time.

Milk Unleashed is the perfect addition to our back-to-school planning.

As this is my first time hearing of Milk Unleashed I am excited to here about the shelf-stable milk for lunches and all the kids’ other activities. We are constantly on the go and I worry about the juice boxes so we constantly bring water. This will be an added addition to the kids lunch and go boxes.

What The Heart Remembers by Debra Ginsberg- A Review

The 411 by Maria:

I read this last week while I was recovering from surgery oddly enough. Although it was nothing like the heart transplant in the book, it was a good read to get through the worst, most painful of my days.

In What the Heart Remembers we meet Eden who has received a heart transplant from a donor. She suddenly changes her life after dealing with feelings that aren't necessarily her own. For most of the book, I was unsure of who the heart belonged to. The writer does a great job of building suspense and crafting a story with great characters. 

 Darcy, Eden, Derek are the main focus of the book with three secondary characters that are quite important to the story.  The story of Eden leads us to wonder, are our organs really just components to allow our body to do what they need for us, or do they make up who we are, storing memories and personality traits that are our personal makeup? 

Great read! Easy to jump in and out of if you can't dedicate constant time to reading.

Medical Update 2012

Well if you don't already know I ended up on surgery again!

As if my already compromised, Franken Belly wasn't already nasty enough, I am hosting 5 additional holes from my surgery on the 16th.

So let's start at the beginning.

My last surgery was December 2010, it was the most horrific year of my adult life and I prayed I would not end up back in surgery for a few years although I felt another would unfortunately be in my future. It was just something I knew. I have also told my friends and family that my stomach issues will ultimately be the death of me because they will never be the same and never good! After speaking with a nurse the other day I know that if my issues of 2010 had happened 20 years ago, I wouldn't have stood a chance. Another reason to be thankful that the medical field is where it is today.

This time the surgery was scheduled for a day that Teach could stay close by. It was wonderful knowing knew he was close by and hat the kids were home with my niece and fine.

Over the past few months, I would stay it started around April of last year, I started noticing a lump on the left side of my belly button. For some reason my angle (looking down) was the only way it could be spotted. Two months later I asked Teach again and he saw it. I went to my family doctor to confirm it was a hernia and she told me that I could repair it when I got insurance but it would be for cosmetic reasons. It would never give me a problem.  Over the next 4 months it got much bigger and right before I went into the hospital, I looked about 6 months pregnant on one side. 

November of 2011 I had a horrific stomach pain that lasted for 6 hours and had me pleading with Joe to kill me. It wasn't pretty. I am not proud but the pain was unbearable. He asked if he should call an ambulance but I couldn't talk and asked him to just hold me and after many antacids, vomiting and crying, the pain went away and I was finally able to get some sleep.

The next episode was around Easter and I blogged it here.

There were a total of 6 other episodes before I went to the gastro doctor who told me that the next time it happened I should go to the ER. I explained that when it happens I can't think or move and if it happens with the kids home I wouldn't know what to do. He said call an ambulance and they can do a cat scan to see if there is an obstruction in your intestin.

He asked me to make an appointment with a surgeon which I did right away. The surgeon had assisted at my surgery and while he didn't recall I hoped once he had my records he may remember. My surgeon retired last year (I wonder if he should have before he cut into my belly).

The surgeon set up surgery telling me that I had a hernia that could potentially become strangulated and cause really big problems. Ugh...

I was told that they would go in laparoscopy but not know if they needed to go further (scar tissue issues) until they were in. If I was on a gurney when I woke that means it was laparoscopic and I was going home. If I was on a bed, they had to open me up and I was in a room. We were of course praying for a same day because the Teach had his first business trip 2 days later and it was a must.

The Pre-Op nurse was nice but my first one was nicer. The anesthesiologist the last time was nice, this person was nicer. He made me laugh. They wheeled me to OR and he ran up alongside of me and said, "drive by drugs" while inserting the meds into my IV. I kissed Teach goodbye and the nurse stopped so he could kiss me again. I told him I love him as the nurse said, there is always time for another kiss. He kissed me and I said bye. I heard them ask "Maria, do you want to get on the bed?" I remember saying yes but don't know if I ever did then I woke in recovery 2.5 hours later and was swiftly wheeled back to the room I was in prior to surgery.

The doctor came in with a piece of paper with pictures that I am dying to see right now. Teach had my glasses and I am blind without. He held it up to me. Told me that I had multiple hernias and that they were eventually going to meet up causing one massive size hernia. Awesome!

Currently, my niece is drained and watching Almost Naked Animals with Goddess.  Teach is on a plane from Illinois back to us. Handsome is playing Wii and I am sitting on the couch trying to find a comfortable position. I haven't found one in 7 days hopefully before it is all over I will know which way to sit that doesn't feel like I have a massive metal plate going through my abdomen.


This has been so much easier than my prior surgery but I am still very nervous. Three small fevers over the 7 days but never above 100 and I am trying not to do too much research on the surgical mesh they used to close my hernias.

There is no alternative and I couldn't eat anything that wasn't low residue. Praying at the end of this I will find some relief.

Thanks for listening and reading

Dinosaur Train - Goddess

Goddess and her DinosaurTrain: Big, BIG Dinosaurs! Giant Coloring Book!

Walmart's Must Have Back To School Products

I cannot believe that school for us in less than 12 days. It has been a crazy, busy summer and it is never long enough. If you are like my family you spend July not thinking about school at all. We like to give the kids a break from their school work and us too. No schedules, homework or rushing to do it all in just a few short nighttime hours. In August we shift gears and try hard to still enjoy the summer while reminding ourselves that our fun is quickly coming to a close.

This year, school wasn't far from our minds as the kids had summer courses to help them be ready for the next grade. We have been preparing for September for two months and have 85% of our back to school shopping done.

Thankfully this year we don't need to purchase any of the big ticket items but if we did, Walmart has us covered in fact my beautiful niece who is starting the new path of her life after college is moving to California and buying all three of these items after I shared this Walmart bargain friendly package idea with her.
 

Norelco Wants To Help You Groom Your Son For College With A Giveaway

While it is obvious Handsome is quite a few years away from being college bound (be still this broken hearted mom's heart), some of you have boys ready to go and for that I am sorry. Well, unless you are one of those moms who cannot wait to make him try his hand at laundry and finally realize how easy he had it when he lived at home with his loving mommy who did everything for him.

The folks over at Philips Norelco have a wonderful item to send your young men off with.

We know that the last few weeks are very bittersweet for most parents as the kids pack up their bedrooms and get ready to set out on a whole new path of fulfillment and new set of milestones.

If you have a son, check out this new product which undoubtedly should be added to the overstuffed sweatshirt, baseball caps and junk food suitcases.

The Phillips Beard Styler and Shaver Pro

Since Handsome is way too young to shave, Teach tried it out for us while on his very first business trip in Chicago.

Here is what he had to report in our ooVoo chat last night:

Him: I like it!

Me: OK, can you give me more?

Him: It is great.

Me: Honey, pretend you are me for one second, writing a review and you, want to do it better than me.

Him: Fine! Shaving is part of my daily routine and anything that is going to make it more streamline and easier for me is key. I don't have time for anything complicated but I do need something that is going to get the job done. My head is shaved and I have a goatee. So there are two different methods I have to use. The styler/shaver can do what I need just by flipping it around.

Me: What do you mean flipping?

Him: Well the shaver is on one end and the styler on the other. There is no longer a need for two razors and it is quicker than using my electric and switching to a razor for the detail. 

The styler/shaver is easy to hold and I like the fact that it is two in one.

It has a travel lock so that it doesn't turn on while in your suitcase which is something I was worried about.

It holds a charge and I haven't had to charge it since leaving.

While I have to re-shave when doing my face and head I really like the styler. I used one of the beard combs and now can just use that to get a clean, uniform look.  It works great in the shower too!

Me: That was really good honey!

Him: But of course! Now, I have to go. I need to work out, take a bath, do some homework and lie in my big, comfortable, Serta Sleeper bed all by myself. Good night!

Me: Good night. Love ya. Hurmpf!

I think he did OK for a first time reviewer on a product he didn't ask for and was thrust upon him by his loving wife who really wanted to be able to do a giveaway for my readers.

Personally, I really like that this is a two in one product. I was looking the box and product before he left and wondered how it would work for him. He shaves often. Completely shaved on his head and face but with a goatee which means he shaves daily. So happy he used it.

For more detail than the Teach or I can possibly give you, check out detailed photos and descriptions on the Phillips site.

Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Prize Pack

Ohhhh I love meals that I can create easily especially ones that my family will eat because getting them to eat is my main goal at the end of the day. About 35% of the discussions I have with other moms are over meal time and mostly how hard it is to get our kids to eat things that aren't dumped frozen onto a cookie sheet and than dipped in ketchup. 

As someone who loves to cook and enjoys feeding people, cooking for yourself is never fun. I have a husband who is on a massive course to health and eats practically nothing unless it is chicken, Wheaties, apples or a protein shake and two very picky kids so I want to make something that at least three of us will eat. 

The kids love pizza and will eat it every meal of the day if I allow them so I was thrilled to be part of this Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust Gift Pack campaign.

Our first creation was a basic pepperoni pizza for the kids. Unfortunately, I was not home to see it because it was on the day I was having surgery. My niece made it for them and I was shocked to hear that although it was rectangle shaped and cut into squares they still ate it. They are picky and I would have tried to make it into triangles. She said they ate it for lunch and dinner leaving nothing behind. 

The next day my husband went on a food shop because we knew I would be on bed rest and he was going on a business trip for 5 days leaving my niece to make all the meals. 

This morning she made a breakfast pie consisting of scrambled egg, cheese and bacon. It was also gobbled up. I was able to eat a bite and I must say, it was delicious. We have used Pillsbury pie crust in the past and the kids didn't notice a difference to the whole grain. I noticed that it was thicker and tastier plus I felt better knowing it was whole grain as it was my first post op meal.

Pillsbury has a gift pack for one of my readers just like the one I received so you can also check out the new Whole Grain Artisan Pizza Crust.

Raggedy Ann Is Still A Classic - Giveaway

As a child I always wanted a Raggedy Ann and never got one. I did have a Raggedy Andy though. When I had kids I always thought I would get them one but some reason, it never happened. Until now, we have been big fans of Aurora as they have become our go to source for gifts especially for our newborn friends. I love Aurora's high quality, yet affordable collection of stuffed friends. Now, they have a handmade collection of Raggedy Friends.

The original doll with a heart is back!

Goddess had never heard of Raggedy Ann (gasp). Crazy! I guess I never mentioned and her friends must not have them either.

She loves Raggedy Ann and wants some of the tiny ones besides Raggedy Andy. At first she wasn't sure about her and found her to be clownish (she is afraid of clowns), I quickly talked about how friendly and kind Raggedy Ann seemed to me with her sweet face and triangle nose. She got over the fear and feel asleep watching TV holding Raggedy Ann that night.

Aurora has once again proved themselves to be superior in our eyes to a lot of stuffies. My kids love their stuffed friends and play with them all the time. The quality is amazing and Aurora has created an heirloom to be passed down for generations. The classic yarn hair, lacy apron and adorable button eyes never go out of style. Raggedy Ann is a classic children's toy that will never get old.

Thank you to Aurora for putting these beloved characters back into the arms of children of all generations.  Perfect for children 18 months and older, I may get one for my grandmother from the kids. The classic Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls are available in 8", 12", 16" and 25".

Handsome's 2nd Grade Birthday Party

One of the best things about the kids being in Elementary School is that you are still invited into the school. I hear that once they get in the higher grades, you are left out of everything.

For Handsome's 9th Birthday party at school, I brought in ice pops because Handsome doesn't do cake. There is no cake or cupcake that he will eat. Ice pops in May go over beautifully to a bunch of 8 year olds. Perfect celebration, plus fruit leather. They were loving me. Sweet.

Right after reading a book that I shared with the class (they are so cute listening intently to me reading), we did the snack. Handsome felt so proud as he handed out snacks.

Handsome and his wonderful teacher.

Fruit Leather is yummy

Handsome and his class. I know these kids forever and love them all. Well, OK not all but 95% of them

We LOVE The New Polly Pockets

The 411 by Maria and Goddess:

Maria: I love whenever my kids play unplugged. Toys, puzzles, crayons, chalk, anything that will keep them off the computer or video games I am happy. 

The new Pollys are awesome. We have a ton of Pollys and whenever Goddess played there were so many little pieces that would get lost and found later and the clothes... I loved them but the clothes were really hard for little hands to put on. This is not an issue with the newest Pollys. They are a little bigger and easier for little hands to manipulate as well as the suctions cups attached to each one of the items in the Stick "n" Play playset. Perfect for taking anywhere. You can even take this in an RV for the kids to play with while on a family road trip! Riding down the road, this is the perfect little girl toy. Nice, compact and easily contained. I love this idea even though we don't vacation. Anytime I can keep all the toys contained, together and un-lost, things are good!!!

Goddess: I am having fun with my Pollys. Sometimes I put water in the tub and the hot tub bed. Mom lets me as long as I take it out before I go to bed. I forgot once and the tub got slimy. After that mom said no more unless clean it after each use.  I like these Pollys but like my old Pollys too because they are so pretty. Sometimes it is hard to get the suctions cups off and sometimes they don't stick but than I lick it and they do. Mommy doesn't like when I do that. Oh it was fun to make the video, I want to do another. Mommy said soon. (Typed by Maria as dictated by Goddess)

Our Video Review

My Niece Receives Her First Holy Communion Surrounded By Family

 While I didn't get to see my niece receiving (family drama that has nothing to do with me, so it is not my story to tell) Teach, the kids and I headed down to my SIL's to see my nieces. We haven't been there in a long time.   Some people don't know how lucky they are to have amazing children or realize what they are throwing away by being selfish and making bad decisions. Every decision you make as a parent has to include how it affects your children. If you don't put them first, in my opinion, you are selfish. Make your decision from your heart and it will always be the right choice. Because of decision that were made, my kids don't get to see their cousins enough. Once a year if we are lucky twice. What is great about cousins is that even though they never see each other, they find a way to come together as if no time has passed. After a short time of getting to know each other again, they act like siblings and when it is time to leave have a hard time letting go because they may not see each other for a long time.

Goddess didn't get to play with her cousins as much as she would have liked this time because their other cousins (from their dad's side) were there and they see each other much more so it took a little more time to get normal. Handsome had a great time.

How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran

The 411 by Maria:

This was compared to Tina Fey's BossyPants so I really wanted to read it because while I loved Tina as a personality, I had expected to really love her book. I only liked it. Oddly enough, I feel the same way about this book. I guess my expectations are too high. My wish is for a belly laugh once in a while but that doesn't happen although I do get a chuckle here and there.

Caitlin is a funny woman. You want to hang out with her and just know you will either roll your eyes at her or end the evening with a pain in your side from laughing which is how I feel whenever I hang with my girls.

I did chuckle on the section where she talks about naming your vagina. Personally, I call it a vagina and have done so since having a girl. She has always called it such but Caitlin's chapter called I Don't Know What To Call My Breasts has her and her husband at one point calling her baby girl's Baby Gap. Hahaha...now that I am writing it instead of reading it, I think it is really funny. Uh huh..OK...yeah the review.

OK...what I can tell you about this book.

The chapters remind me of the headings of my posts. Very basic like I Get Married. I Get Into Fashion. I Am In Love. I Am Fat. I Need A Bra, well you get the idea and with basic titles, we get basic, no nonsense writing which is something I really love. I don't want to have to think about what I am reading (there is a time and place for that) when reading a biography. Give it to me in English and please don't make it abstract.

Whether Cailin is talking about her crush on Chevy Chase in the Paul Simon You Can Call Me Al video or her acceptance of pole dancing and stripping as long as you do it because you love it she is smart, practical and writes like she is talking to a friend. Which I guess if I were a writer, I would want to hear.

Read it if you are not humor impaired because if so, you will find it mildly or wickedly offensive depending on your impairment. 

Never considered myself a feminist until this book. Always felt I was on the fence but eh' yeah...thanks to Caitlin, I'll shout it out. I am a non-radical feminist and proud of it.

Barron SAT 26th Edition - A Review

The 411 by Amanda (my niece):

• My first thought was where was this when I was studying for my SAT?
• Barrons has been a trusted source for all my test resources for years. 
• The book is long and thorough, encompassing every section on the test which is extremely helpful even as a refresher for those who may not find the need to study every section. BTW...you can never study enough!
• There are 3 complete sample tests with easily identifiable page markers for quicker access.
• I found the cut out flash cards to be a thoughtful addition to the study guide to help prep vocabulary for the writing section.
• Detailed SAT format and test dates with advice before and during the test.

Barrons has a test prep Website for the SAT I exams BarronsTestPrep.com

With My Body by Nikki Gemmell

The 411 by Maria:

From page one I am completely drawn in by the writing style.

The middle age, unnamed wife with three kids could be any of us. She is in a rut and bored with life as she knows it. Kids, chores, meals, etc,. She longs for something else, something to make her remember the person she was before all of it. Who can't say they have felt a sense of self loss in the mundane tasks of the everyday? 

While trying to find herself she takes us back to her youth and a relationship she had as a child. While it isn't a relationship, I felt comfortable reading about as it is a sexual one between her teen self and an older man, I am able to realize that there is a reason she needed the relationship.  She lost her mom at a young age and her father remarried a woman who didn't want her. She was disconnected from her family and needed attention; anyone's attention. It is easy to see how this relationship manifested.

When reading other reviews, I disagree with them wholeheartedly. Yes! The relationship was scandalous. Yes! She should be happy with the wonderful life she has. Yes! Yes! and Yes!  But the book is beautifully, eloquently written and while it is not for everyone, as the young girls has a very sexual relationship with a man named Tol who makes her into his little play thing by teaching her how to enjoy sex to the fullest, it is a story worth reading with an open mind.

I was rather surprised by the reviewers who couldn't understand the main characters need for affection and attention. As someone who grew up without a mother (she died when I was 12). Whose father took off to live his own life (selfish man) and being left with my grandparents from the age of 14 (my grandfather had been molesting me since I was 7), I can tell you that sex with an older man would have been the least trouble I could have gotten into.

My final thoughts are:

• The book is not for everyone
• If you don't like reading about sex definitely don't read this one. While I didn't find it graphic. The sex between a grown man and a young teenager could be unsettling. 
• The sexual relationship doesn't over power the book. It is there to enhance the scenes and allow us to understand why the main character (never named) is so drawn to him.
• The feelings of an adolescent girl and all the craziness, madness, uncertainty, neediness, and emotional drama is captured in these pages. 
• Wonderfully written!

Annnnddd We Start May With A Bridging Ceremony

I am so behind with my personal posts. This blog was started to talk about life, my kids and my thoughts on parenting and if I don't write this stuff down, how will I remember? My goal is to create books for the kids, they will not want to read about all the reviews and giveaways, as great as they are but about their early years. So with that said, let's talk about May!

We start May with my Goddess growing from a Daisy to a Brownie as my leader and I bridge our girls. We are so proud of our girl who completed two years of Daisy in one year. Miriam, the leader who took on the task of going to the council and getting permission to allow her to take her new Daisy troop through two years of Daisy work so that they would bridge timely asked me to co-lead on our first meeting. There was so much paperwork for the parents and the girls were running amuck so I went over and tried to get them doing something structured. Eventually everyone was calm, laughing and smiling. I would have totally helped her throughout the year without her asking but was honored to be asked to co-lead with her.  The girls had missed their first year of Daisy badges because their leader had been lax in doing anything with them. Was unmotivated and eventually ended up on the police blotter. Glad I didn't put Goddess in with her. I just knew something wasn't right. Blessing in disguise.

I love being a co-leader and absolutely adore all of our girls.

On the bridging ceremony, Teach took the camera and snapped a few photos for us. A moment in Goddess' life couldn't be ignored just because mom would be on stage with her.

Proof that it isn't the camera that takes a great picture (which is something I have told anyone who has ever told me they need a camera like mine because "you take great pictures"). Teach had my camera and snapped these and I am so thankful he did because Goddess and the rest of the troop made me so proud. I wish he had recorded them speaking. Goddess spoke into the mic which really surprised me. We rehearsed the girls for two weeks, getting on stage and speaking into the mic but didn't think they would actually do it.  They all were wonderful remembering their lines and speaking loud and clear! Hooray to our girls.

Me and my co-leader. I was trying not to cry. So proud of my girls.

Goddess speaking into the mic

Goddess coming over to me so I could remove her Daisy uniform

Teach got up and changed his angle

A friend's Brownie troop helped our girls bridge over. It was very sweet and symbolic of sisters helping each other. We will lead these special girls again this year and I look forward to seeing how much they have grown over the summer in both height and personalities.

Goddess in her Brownie Uniform

Reciting the Girl Scout Promise

Oraline Makes Tooth Care Fun and Easy

Oraline you are certainly timely. A week before I was contacted to review Oraline Kits my 7 year old who loves cleaning asked, "mommy, how do we clean our toothbrushes?" You can not make this stuff up people. She really did ask and like most moms, I quickly scanned my internal Rolodex of information and tossed her a quick fix with warm water and baking soda. I probably should have looked it up but it seemed to be fine and even if it wasn't the right solution, it wasn't going to kill us if I was wrong.

The next thing I know, I receive an email about a product that uses UV light to safely and effectively sanitize your toothbrush and not only that, our toothbrushes no longer have to bump up against each other in the holder, something that has irked me forever. I don't skive as much as I used to but it still kind of grosses me out and I always wash my brush before brushing.

We started our new fight against germs by ordering toothbrushes with Handsome & Goddess names on them! What is it about personalized toothbrushes that make kids want to brush?

The products came to the house and the kids were eager to open the boxes with the toothbrushes inside. Their names with a picture of a puppy. You can even put your child's face on it too if you want. I want to kick myself in the butt for not doing that. Totally ordering them with their pictures the next time.  What a great way to be able to distinguish whose brush is whose and if they take ownership of their brush, they are more likely to brush without me having to tell them.

We plugged in the Sanitizer, gave the kids the toothbrush, the toothpaste and told them to brush, shake of the water and put their brushes in the holder. It took longer than usual because they were both loving the Oraline toothpaste which I must admit is pretty good. It smells and tastes like bubble gum and they don't get much of that so they were loving it!

We shook the water off because the brush should go into the sanitizer fairly dry and pressed the button.  The UV light came on and stays on for 10 minutes. Then the dryer comes on and stays on for an hour and wah la...practically new toothbrush!