As a mom of two in little league (and various other sports), we have our share of unwanted smells. Stinky soccer shoes? We had them. Stinky baseball hats? Had them too. And that locker room smell? It followed us into the car.
Then I found Febreeze. I love that stuff. It makes the shoes, hats, and car smell a whole lot better. It really does work just the minivan commercial says it does!
Remember to check out Rocks In My Dryer for more Works For Me Wednesday tips.
QI am having a problem with getting my deodorant to WORK all day - I dont feel so fresh halfway thru the day and then I think I smell. Any suggestions?
Not all antiperspirant brands are created the same and your body chemistry may not work with the one you are using. You may have to try different brands before you find the one that works right for you. I searched on Amazon for different types that are available.
Another product I have heard about is the The Body Mint.
Remember too that your body perspires as a way to cool itself off. Another idea is to wear layered clothing so you can remove your sweater, jacket, or overshirt when you start to get hot.
Let us know how this goes and if you find something that works for you!
Q What special traditions do you do for memorial day - the official start of summer?
Usually my kids have baseball games - so we attend those and if it's nice in between we try to hit a beach and have some fun in the sun.
We usually have a quiet day at home with a BBQ dinner and then go to the local fireworks festivities. We have so much going on in the summer time that it's nice to have a long weekend with no plans!
It's Memorial Day weekend and I get a 3 day weekend!!!
Now tell us why you feel good
In anticipation of summer vacations and car trips, here are 13 fun travel activities to keep little ones (and big ones?) busy and avoid the dreaded "Are we there yet?"
Got more? Share your ideas with us!
Little P needed a new pair of sneakers this spring, so off to the store we went. I usually go to Stride Rite, but I was pressed for time that day and didn't want to go through the Mall Crawl. So we went to another store, and ended up buying New Balance sneakers. They fit and he was happy and so was I. Until two weeks later, when I noticed the white part of the sneakers had turned an ugly brownish-yellow. Boys will be boys, so I knew it was from the dirt and dust at the playground. But what was I going to do? They really were a fright.
This week I discovered a solution. A stranger Mom heard me talking about it and suggested that I throw them in the washing machine with a little bleach or stain spray. Who knew? Leather in the laundry? I had nothing to lose, so I tried it.
Wowie zowie! What a difference. Make sure the sneakers are super dry afterwards so they don't get smelly -- and this is a keeper!
Remember to check out Rocks In My Dryer for more Works For Me Wednesday tips.
Q I've been reading a lot about Internet and online safety for kids. What are some sites that are safe for my kids to go to?
Parents need to make it a point to talk with their children about Internet safety the way you talk to them about strangers. After all, their safety is involved so it's important. NetSmartz has a lot of good information for parents and games for children to learn about Internet safety.
Here are some other safe surf sites:
I like www.funbrain.com, www.nickjr.com and www.disney.com
for the kids. Let's face it the smartest thing you can do is go online with your kids to see what they are doing!
Q I met this guy I really like. We went out a few times, and both had a lot of fun. I thought he was really into me, but he hasn't called or texted (e-mailed). What should I do?
How was it left with him? did he say he would call or did you say you would call. You can call - if he doesnt answer or return your call then you have your answer that he doesnt want to go out anymore. Try - what's the worse that can happen?
Why are you wasting your time on this guy? If he doesn't want to put in the time up front to make you feel special, ask yourself what's he going to do in 1 year? 2 years? Girl ... kick him to the curb and look for someone who appreciates you. You're worth it!
Welcome to this week's Feel Good Friday!
Last week I watched a compelling segment on Oprah where they asked women across the US what was missing in their lives. They answered overwhelmingly "love for myself." So many women use work, family, and other excuses to put themselves on the back burner. Letting themselves go, or worse, doing harm to themselves in different ways. Take some time today to reflect on something you did well this week and take pride in it and honor yourself for your accomplishment! You deserve it.
Now tell us why you feel good
If you have been reading the news, you'll know that our part of the country (New England) has been hit with a series of rain storms causing extreme flooding, evacuations, and several governor's declaring "states of emergency." The rain continues through this weekend, which prompts this week's Thursday Thirteen:
Q My Mother makes me feel like Debra Barone from "Everyone Loves Raymond." She comes over to my house, and clean things that I just haven't had the time to get to, and says "Oh ... I cleaned the dishes for you." or "I watered your plants. I could see they needed it." It drives me crazy! She makes me feel so guilty for not getting to things. What should I do?
My mother does the same but not to the extreme on the show Raymond. It is just her way of helping me and at this point I will take any help I can get. Sometimes the comments get on my nerves - I usually go with the flow. Sometimes I will say something to her. Just remember your mom just wants to help - and sometimes this is the only way they know how.
I agree with Belle. I think Moms from an older generation tend to have their own style of "helping" their daughters and daughters-in-law. It seems like help to them but the comments can curdle the kindness. Instead of reacting to the comments, why not turn it into a joke and say something like "Thanks Mom -- I could swear that the laundry likes to play hide and seek with me. The problem is that I'm not always in the mood for finding it." It might make you both smile.
Happy Mother's Day!
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who don't.
For those who show up at work with milk stains on their dress and diapers in their handbags.
For those mothers who cannot restrain tears from trickling down their cheeks when they hold their babies for the first time in their arms; and for the mothers who give birth to babies they'll never see.
For the mothers who gave homes to babies and gifted them a family.
For the mothers who yell at their kids who clamour for ice cream before dinner.
For the mothers who defy all odds just to watch her kid perform and repeat to themselves
"That's my child!!"
For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year, and then read it again. "Just one more time."
For the mothers who taught their children to tie the shoelaces even before they started going to school.
For the mothers who incontinently turn their heads when they hear the word "Mom",
even though they know that their kids are nowhere around.
For the mothers who silently shed tears for their children who have gone astray.
For all those mothers whose heart aches to watch her son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time.
For all the mothers of the victims of all these school shootings, and the mothers of those who were involved in the shooting.
For the mothers of the Survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, clinging to their child who just arrived from school safely.
So, this is meant for all the young and aged mothers, working mothers and housewives, married mothers and the single mothers, those with money and without and for those without whom life would have been insufferable. Wish you a very Happy Mother's Day!!
This was sent to us in e-mail, and it can be found many places on the Internet. The author as far as we know is anonymous. If you know of the author's name, please contact us and we will gladly post their name.
We're always telling our kids how proud we are of them, and focusing on their strengths. Why don't we do the same for ourselves? Here's your chance each week to say something nice about yourself.
What have you done this week that you can be proud of? Did you lose weight? Get a promotion at work? Finish off a project at home? Help out a friend that needed an extra hand?
We'll be hosting the "Feel Good Fridays" each week. Post your thoughts on your blog, then come back here and drop a comment to let us know you're participating. Read the other messages and while you're here to see how other people are doing.
We'll select a featured "Feel Good" blog for the week and a small picture (capture) of that blog in our blog roll section for a week.
I'm feeling good because
My personal success this week gets filed under "creative cooking." In an attempt to clean out our freezer, we literally did not not do much of an grocery shopping this week at all. How many ways can you cook chicken? Sheesh. But the good news is that things are getting cleared out ... just in time for fresh batches of ice cream this summer - woo hoo!
I'm feeling good this Friday because I actually got my Mother's Day shopping done ahead of time!! Life is good - I can enjoy the kid's baseball games and soccer games this weekend!!
Now tell us why you feel good
When it's raining ... and raining ... what can you do to entertain your kids? Here are some ideas:
Giving flowers to Mom is always a great idea. A classic, classy gift, flowers brighten up a room and bring the warmth of the outdoors inside (without the bugs!). Bouquets from Flowers for Good are even more special because you can choose to have $5 or $10 from your purchase donated to a charity like Women for Women International, CARE, or the Red Cross when you order.
For more information, visit Flowers for Good
Q Have you ever been fired from a job?
Not fired, but "sold," as in to another company as part of a sale of technology. Not quite as bad as losing a paycheck, but I have to admit it didn't have a great feeling to it ... it kind of felt like we were a bunch of cattle being moved along to a new farm.
I can say that I have never been fired from a job. I am very proud of that fact.
QI'm a mom, and to be honest, I have mixed feelings about Mother's Day. The preparation, entertaining family, etc always wears me out and by the end of the day I'm just glad it's over. What can I do differently to make this year special and fun?
Why not suggest going out to brunch or breakfast - just the Mom's that way you can visit with each other and no one has to bear the brunt of all the work... after all it is Mother's day - a day of rest and relaxation for ALL moms!! If they want to see the grandkid(s) they could certainly come over another day and have a visit.
I just read that one of the things that this generation of Moms has not mastered yet is the art of delegation. What better time to start practicing than on Mother's Day? Plan a simple menu, and let everyone in your family share in the preparation. Let someone who is good with the grill make the main course, and the kids can help with side dishes like salad. Your workload will be cut down a lot and you'll have more time to enjoy the day. Be sure to let someone else do the dishes!
We're always telling our kids how proud we are of them, and focusing on their strengths. Why don't we do the same for ourselves? Here's your chance each week to say something nice about yourself.
What have you done this week that you can be proud of? Did you lose weight? Get a promotion at work? Finish off a project at home? Help out a friend that needed an extra hand?
We'll be hosting the "Feel Good Fridays" each week. Post your thoughts on your blog, then come back here and drop a comment to let us know you're participating. Read the other messages and while you're here to see how other people are doing.
We'll select a featured "Feel Good" blog for the week and a small picture (capture) of that blog in our blog roll section for a week.
Isn't the pink Motorola RAZR what every stylin' Mom wants this Mother's Day?
Better yet - it's available for a new special price from Cingular. At just $79.99 - it's an offer that's hard to resist!
Some of the country's biggest beverage companies have agreed to stop selling sugary soft drinks and other high calorie beverages in the nation's schools.
This is really great news for kids across the country! You may remember me writing about this and Stir it Up America's work last year. Here is the link to the full article about today's announcement in the NY Times.
The next steps are to get them to :
Q What is the best Mother's Day gifts you've received?
Anything that my kids have handmade for me and wrapped themselves - there is no better feeling in the world.
I have to agree with Belle that handmade gifts top the list. But before Little P got his crafty thing goin' on, one of the best things I got was a Build-A-Bear with a recording of him saying "mama." So sweet and cuddly. We still have it.