Beauty Can Be Natural! No Need For Chemically Charged Beauty Products With Good Earth

This is not the first time I am talking about Good Earth Beauty. In fact, Good Earth Beauty is a company I order from a couple of times a year now. They sell my absolute favorite bug spray.

This time around I was sent Pumpkin Chai Shampoo and Lavender, Vanilla Lip Scrub which I can tell you will be another favorite.

The Pumpkin Chai Shampoo smelled so good we didn't even get a photo before we used it so this photo shows it after at least five shampoos.  It is probably the thickest shampoo I have ever used and a little goes a long way. It smells amazing but if you are sensitive to smell it could be overpowering for you. Personally I love it! The whole bathroom smells like it when I am done showering and I can't stop smelling my hair.

The Lavender Vanilla Lip Scrub is like nothing I have ever tried. This exfoliate for your pucker is a sugar scrub that not only smells and tastes amazing but also moisturizes your lips!

You take some on your finger and rub it into your lips. The harder part is not licking it off but if you do....it's completely fine. It is after all natural made up of only sugar, organic sunflower oil, organic coconut oil, organic almond oil, organic shea butter, organic jojoba oil and flavor so lick away but as you know licking doesn't really help your lips especially in this weather. It was 35 degrees this morning when I woke up.

Isn't it pretty?!

Unsolicited Love - Halloween Costume 2007

This is a blog post from one of my blogs back in 2007

God has been shining down on my in the past few days. Today while lying on my son’s floor watching Spykids 2 with him. He came over to where I was lying put his head on my hip wrap his arms around my waist and said, “I love you mom!”

I truly had to stop myself from tearing. This was the first time he said it without me saying it first.
I had to wait 4 years, 5 months, 10 days but it was worth it.

Handsome you made me so happy. I can’t even tell you how hearing those words made me feel. As you grow up into the awesome man I know you will be try to remember how important and powerful those words can be when they truly come from the heart.

If you feel it, say it. I think those words can’t ever be said enough as long as they are true.  I tell you, Daddy and your sister I love you at least 5 times a day. You never know when it will be the last time you say it to someone you love.

My parents must have felt it but I don’t remember ever hearing it. I probably say it a lot, well mostly because when I feel it I want to say it but also because I want you to hear me and be able to pull it into memory whenever you need it.

Always know how in love I am with you and how happy I am that I was chosen to be your Mommy.

The Amazing World of Zhus - A Video By Goddess #TheAmazingZhus

The Amazing Zhus allow kids to astound their friends with fantastical feats of magic and thrilling stunts! This new collection from Cepia, LLC, the master toymakers behind ZhuZhu Pets® and The Happy's™, make magic and performance fun by letting boys and girls learn to act out magic tricks or simply enjoy the delight of astonishing friends and family with stunts.

My kids still love their Zhu Zhu pets. We have posts here,  here and here about our love of them. Now we love the Zhu Zhu brand even more thanks to Cepia's latest creating to the group.

The amazing Zhus is by far one of the coolest toys my kids have played with so far. 

Here is Goddess explaining some of what they do:

Take Echo With You Everywhere App #EchoInsiders

Goddess getting an eye exam - the doc is so sweet he even took a photo of Echo's eyes after the photo of the back of her eye so she could see it

We love our Echo. The kids do take him everywhere. You can take him too by downloading the Earth to Echo app.

 

A Mother's Quest Is To Do Her Best

 
If you are not a Mother you don't understand how hard life can be sometimes. No matter what you are going through you have to keep going. There is no time to stop because there are others who count on you to make their day. Whether it is to make their meals or just to be the smile they see when they wake or that reassuring face they see before bed, you know they NEED and count on you so YOU MOVE.

Maybe to some my day doesn't seem busy, or meaningful. Maybe to some my day seems full of nonsense that doesn't contribute to humanity or to the financial pool of life in a way that they believe it should, but to those I say; I don't judge you! Stop judging me!

Every day moms/dads/caretakers (whatever, I know there are a ton of folks doing this too) wake, smile, start their day with getting others ready to start their day and think about those others all through the day while attending to the things they need to get done.  

Here's a look into my typical day:

• Get up
• Say good morning to my son who is either waking or already awake
• Check my daughter and make sure she is covered because it is only 4:45 and neither kid NEEDS to be up.
• Look at the news for the weather of the day while drinking a half cup of coffee.
• Say good-bye to my husband
• Start breakfast for my son
• Turn on my computer and check email and see if there are blog comments that need to be moderated.
• Go to Facebook and see what is going on with friends.
• Turn on Hootsuite and set up a bunch of stuff to run during the day while I am out
• Start the process of waking my daughter which can take 20 mins to 2 hours
• Post something to my blog
• Get out her clothes and make her lunch
• Wash, get dressed and brush my hair
• Go back to my daughter and see if she is getting up (usually not)
• Make sure my bag and the kids backpacks are packed
• Dress my daughter who at this point usually has only 35 minutes before we walk out the door
• Make my daughter breakfast
• Brush my teeth and remind the kids to brush theirs (my son has always already done it)
• Depending on temp (start car)
• Brush my daughter's hair 
• Head to car
• Drive the kids to school (my son goes in but my daughter waits until the last minute)
• Head to the gym for an hour
• Get on the phone with a friend
• Get back home and jump in shower
• Get dressed for work
• Throw clothes in the wash
• Eat
• Check email
• Throw clothes in the dryer
• Write something for my blog
• Run out the door for work
• Do my 3 hours as a lunch/recess aid
• Wait 1/2 hour for the kids to get out of school
• Arrive home and get snacks
• Homework which can take 1 to 2 hours
• Make dinner
• Check email
• Read with my daughter
• Clean dishes
• Write something for my blog
• Give up my computer for the kids to do a math website while I put clothes away
• Enter giveaways, advertise giveaways, post to Hootsuite
• Edit some photos
• Put kids to bed
• Check email
• Watch something on Netflix or read
• Go to bed and say a prayer for strength, peace, and good wishes for others. Sometimes have a good cry
• Fall asleep wake up when you hear the door open
• Say hello to my husband 
• Go back to sleep until the alarm or kid wakes me before doing it all over again

Now if you are in a great mindset where life is going well, this would just be tiring, overwhelming, monotonous even but throw in some heartbreak, drama, medical issues, life stress (like bills and money), day to day crap and you have a stressed out mom BUT...a mom who will still smile in the morning at their children's tired faces and ask what they want for breakfast just to do it all over again. 

Moms bend but don't break. I hope to always be that mom. Kudos to all the moms who smile regardless of what is going on in their life! Your rock GIRL!

Some Pretty Blue Finds + A My Goddess

This weekend I headed out with Goddess for our weekly get the hell away from Football Sunday drive. 7+ hours of uninterrupted football doesn't sounds fun to us and well, the boys would prefer us gone. 

We go wherever the road leads us and while we mostly did grocery shopping we did spot a place we have passed but never went in. Thankfully yesterday, we finally walked inside. Both of us loved it! We didn't know where to look first because there was just so many places for the eye to go.

We loved all the colors but especially all that red, white and blue

I can't get enough of these mixed media pics. Always loved them!

We loved the soft robin egg blue candle lantern and Goddess really loved the Day of the Dead glasses. They are so pink!

Hello Americana...let us not forget all the stars and stripes! We wish we could have taken pictures all day.

That basket full of handmade ornaments definitely caught our eye as well as the vintage looking sign.

I seriously want this necklace

AND...when there are hats around; TRY THEM ON!

It was a bit cold outside but she will always pose!

Blast From The Past - My Ballerina - Originally written 2008

My Ballerina

Originally Posted August 24, 2008

Be still my heart. This morning I took my daughter to a free introductory ballet class for little 2-4 year old preschoolers. We went last year but she and her brother got bored when the instructors took too long to get things moving. We were the only people to show up and they kept hoping others would come in. We left and when I saw they were doing it again this year, I left my son home.
She was excited and we dressed in her pink tutu, leotard. She was excited and so was I when we walked in 5 minutes before class and saw 5 little ones already sitting on the floor with an instructor.
She was asked if she wanted to come sit with them; to which she said yes without even looking at me. I took my place against the wall with the other smiling parents. I felt bad that we had dressed up because no one else had. Not bad for my daughter, just bad for the other girls because the instructors made a big deal about her outfit. Thankfully the girls are so young I doubt any of them took it personally.

When the class started she took directions well and proceed to really enjoy herself while I (the only parent with a camera, of course), snapped quiet pictures (no flash to disturb) and some video.
She wants to go back tomorrow, but I told class isn’t for a few weeks and that if she liked it we would see.

I really hope we can afford to send her because she did exactly what I would have wished. She walked right in, took direction, smiled, laughed and sparkled all day. She even dance counted a few times 6, 7, 8.

Since losing my mom when I was 12 this was exactly the memory I was hoping to be able to make with my own daughter. I took ballet when I was her age and I hope we can manage it for her.

Just Watched Hollows Grove You Never Get Out! Made Me JUMP Twice

Tag Line:  You Never Get Out

The 411 by Maria:

We love horror movies but especially this new genre of takes on reality ghost shows where investigators head into various locations and give you a history of what happened there as well as their investigation. I am not going to lie; I am a big fan of these types of shows.

In Hollows Grove a bunch a paranormal investigation team explore an abandoned, haunted orphanage.  It takes a while before the "real" ghosts show up (midway through the movie). Before that the team are setting up their shots and scaring each other. 

I definitely jump twice but shook about 5 times and I think that was because of the audio. There was a lot of whispering or low talking and suddenly there would be the loudest sound. 

The effects of the "ghost children" were fair but part of me wishes there was more interaction. 

The coolest scene shows about 5 or 6 children walking toward the investigators but only one of them can see it. 

Bravo Craig. I loved it!
 

Halloween Candy From Your Past

Play A Game, Win Some Chocolate!!!!! Your Favorite Childhood Games Are Now Much Sweeter!!!!

Gamesformotion Adds Sweet Spin To Favorite Childhood Games With Chocolate

Handsome and Goddess where way excited to get these games obviously!

We started with Guess Who which is a game they play more than any other.

They played enough rounds until the chocolate was all gone! We had to split the HUGE gold chocolate coin in the center. No one wanted to not have it!

Next they moved onto Candyland! Who hasn't played this game?

Here are the candy pieces

Look how colorful this is! We love it.

YUMMY!

So much fun! We think that since people like to bring candy when visiting this just adds something a little special.  Great hostess family gift if you are visiting for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Also because of the price, great stocking stuffer item.

Blast From My Past - The Goddess’s 2nd Day Of Pre-School

Originally posted September 14, 2008

Tuesday was the Goddess’ very first day at pre-school and she did fab! Mom on the other hand was a bit of a mess. I can’t say I was worried, just a little melancholy that my baby was going to leave me for 2.5 hours, two days a week.

Her dad and I were sure that she would have fun, we also were sure that she wouldn’t miss us, her brother is in the same place so they would have each other.

From the moment she woke up at 7:00 she was ready for school. She wanted to get dressed right away and we had to keep reminder her that school wasn’t open yet.

She asked about 15 times before 9:00 “can we please go to school now.”

Unfortunately it rained so I was unable to get any good pictures of her going in. I took some but I am not happy with any. My husband was with us and I always feel silly whipping out the camera every second.

Bad Mommy moment – I had promised her that she would be getting a balloon. We had brought one on Monday for her brother’s first day and she asked for one the whole day. I promised her that I would get her one on HER first day. Since it was her first day, I refused to leave town. Honestly, I doubt I will be leaving for the next 2 months).

I walked into the class and both my kids ran over to hug my legs and say hello. My son was first, followed by the Goddess. Her first words….”Hi mommy, where’s my balloon?”

We did go out to get one right after but how awesome would it have been if I had walked in with it???!!!

Here are the few I did manage to get.

Heading to school in the pouring rain.

Dropped off, took pictures and she sat right down to play

Finally, getting a balloon.

Review of Earth To Echo on Blu-ray Combo NOW #echoinsiders #FHInsiders

The 411:

Earth to Echo centers are three very different 13 year old boys who are very good friends.  All come from different backgrounds. Alex is a foster child who has for obvious reasons abandonment issues. Tuck is a camera buff and is mostly ignored at home. He records everything. And Munch well lets just say he is more nervous and anxious.

The boys are all getting prepared to be separated due to moving and decide to follow a weird map message their cell phones are receiving. They eventually stumble on Echo who communicates with them through lights, bleeps and such. Echo wants to go home but the boys need to help him rebuild his ship. Eventually there is government problems due and the boys have to protect Echo while trying to get him home.

I enjoyed the movie. My kids weren't loving it but did watch the whole thing because they loved Echo. They also enjoyed the times that the boys were dealing with him and his cuteness but they made no connection to any of the characters. 

While it is an ET for this generation it wasn't as child friendly probably because it wasn't meant to have the cuteness factor. It is an entertaining movie and the CGI effects were pretty awesome too! 

I appreciated that the movie was about friendship (they even through in a girl to help Echo to balance the mix), standing up for someone, helping others and showed kids being kids. It didn't hurt that it is a family friendly movie too!

Water Play At Stepping Stones Children's Museum in Connecticut #steppingstonesmuseum

I was fortunate enough to be on Goddess' class trip to Stepping Stone Children's Museum last week. While the museum is geared more toward the preschool to 2nd grade these 4th graders had an amazing time. We didn't get to see the entire museum while there due to time constraints (it was a class trip and we had to travel) what we did see, we truly loved and I have been telling all my friends with tiny ones that if they are looking for a day trip, this is the place to go.

If you ask the kids what their favorite part was I am sure they would unanimously say the Energy Lab!  Who doesn't love playing with water?

There were vest to wear but since it is geared toward a younger group, some of our kids couldn't fit in it. But it was all good! Even our teachers had a good time.

There was so many different things to do here. You can even see a green ball inside a water tornado in this pic. Kids tossed balls into this tube overhead hoping to get it down the tube and hence into the tornado. So fun.

Look at all those airborne colorful balls.  Water and kid power made that happen.

 If you have a chance and need a day trip idea, head over to Stepping Stone Children's Museum.

Blasts From The Past - Auntie Em? Toto?

This post was from April 27, 2007 on another of my random blogs. Blogs are great because without them I would have forgotten all about this day and did until I just re-read it.

Where the hell was my Toto the other day? It went down like this….
I was on my deck,  pushing the kids on the swing when my 7 ft high picnic table umbrella took air, went about 8 feet up in the air and landed in my back yard stuck between two trees and lying open in my creek.  I went to turn toward the kids to say “Did you see that?” when SMACK I was struck in the face by this umbrella

It was so fast and hard that felt like Tyson sucker punched me in the face. I wasn’t even sure what had happened at first. I crouched, grabbing my eye and waiting to see if I was OK. I honestly wasn’t sure. I got an instant migraine and my vision was blurry and double. I think the impact moved my contact because after about 40 minutes my vision was back to my normal which pretty much sucks to begin with it. I crouched there for about 5 minutes waiting for the pain and confusion to go away. My son had gotten off the swing and was hugging my legs. I wasn’t sure if there was damage to my eye so my first instinct was to dial my eye doc whose number I know by heart. Letting it ring once, I hung up and decided to first go check my eye in a mirror before I freaked out. The umbrella has a pointy end that sticks in the ground to anchor it and that is what hit my and cut my eye. It cut me just in the very corner right before my eyeball.

I stumbled to the freezer and got our Bob the Builder ice pack and sat down to take care of myself hoping that the kids would just sit for a moment so that I could assess what had happened.  I fortunately only ended up with a migraine, a bruise that is right where I put my eye liner and pain from my eyebrown line, around the outer part of my eye socket, my upper check, a broken blood vessel at the top of my eye over my upper lashes and a migraine that lasted for a couple of hours.

This was one of those things that makes you remember how fast things can happen. You can take all the precautions possible and some crazy, not meant to possibly happen thing could just take you out.
There are so many other scenarios that could have played out that day. The umbrella could have hit one of the kids but it didn’t it sped by them headed straight for me. It could have hit me in the eye ball which would have really sucked. It could have hit me with the point in the back of the head, the temple, the heart…etc.

The freakiest thing…both umbrellas taking air and flying through the air on a relatively beautiful, non windy day. Weird!

It just goes to show you never know how much time you have…live each day as if it were your last! Regret nothing. Love deeply and always tell everyone how you feel about them.

BTW…I wonder what scenario forensics would have come up with if there had been a tragic end.

They would never have been able to figure it out. Uhhhh we think the kids got pissed and together beat/poked her with the 7ft umbrella, tossed it off the deck and then hit her again with the little umbrella.  

Getting To Know You - Just some questions

If you feel like playing along, just leave your answers to these questions in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

1. If you could have any magical power for only one hour, what would it be and why? One hour? Geez that’s not long at all.  I am not going to ask about healing powers or world peace…shit it’s only an hour..I am going to be selfish and wish for something for myself.

I would love the power to see the past. I want to see it as a movie. How my parents met. My mother giving birth to me. My first birthday. Meeting my husband for the first time. Experience my son and daughter’s birth again; the feelings not the surgery. Grab a big popcorn, and just sit and watch it unfold in front of my eyes.

2. You’ve won a pair of round-trip airline tickets to anywhere in the world. Where would you go, with whom, and why? Well being that I am not clambering to jump on a plane anytime soon and this is only a question not a stressed decision. I am dying to take my kids to Disney. I know it’s not far and the question said anywhere in the world but I am a simple girl.

3. You are stranded in a library or bookstore for 24 hours. In what section do you spend the most time? Why? I would head over to the coffee section first and grab the biggest, baddest, “yes, I’ll have cream on that” specialty coffee and then I would head on over to the new releases. Why? Oh because while I can’t afford a nice new book right now but I love seeing what is out there.

4. If you were to be on a reality TV show, which one would it be? Why would you be a good fit for that particular show? I could never do any because that would take me away from my babies but like I said since this is only a question and I am not making a life altering decision..I would be on Big Brother. Why, I don’t know…because I think the idea of going somewhere with no obligations sounds like heaven.

5. What did you most recently dream or daydream about? I don’t have time to dream. I sleep in 2 hour intervals. Daydream…I remember a time when I had time for that. If I did have time…I would daydream about sleeping. Ha…yeah that sounds right.

Goddess And The Grounds Of The Ringwood Manor

 A continuation from our last Blue Monday where Goddess was strolling through Ringwood Manor in Ringwood New Jersey.

She strolled, pranced, danced and spun. It was a beautiful day and I hope to get back soon with her wearing her Halloween costume this time.

Look at that bench. I love how the environment is reclaiming the wood of it.

 This is a favorite although I have a ton of favorites from that day.

My Year So Far - 10+ Months But Still Smiling!!!!