New Motto Found at the Health Department

"Power belongs to those who use it, and if parents don't, their kids will."
-Gregory Bodenhamer, Former Probation Officer, Author

Well, well, well. We are making progress.

Today I met with the Child Development Specialist (CDS) and got the results from The Wild Child's developmental assessment from last week. As I suspected, she scored age-appropriate in all areas, and her speech actually measured at beyond a 3 year old level, which is fab since she is only 28 months old.

We worked on a sensory questionnaire today and I'll go back next week for the results of that. I also scheduled a hearing screening to rule out a hearing problem.

Some background for those of you just joining us: The Wild Child is hell on wheels. She's actually a fabulous child with such a great spirit and personality- but she chooses some inappropriate behaviors when she doesn't get her way that include (but aren't limited to) biting, hitting, spitting, ignoring, etc. We also have trouble getting her to follow directions when she doesn't want to do what we are asking. Most scary to me is that she has been running from us in public places and won't respond to us when we tell her to "Stop!".

The Child Development Specialist and I have decided that WC is a "spirited child". We also went over a cool analogy involving The Hundred Acre Woods that put it all in perspective for me (WC is a Tigger, The Politician and I are Piglets, and Mr. Sasha is a Pooh- more on that later when I get a copy of it next week). Basically, parenting WC is just different than parenting P, and the Sashas just need to figure out what to do. As one friend said last week, "You don't want to look up in 2 years and realize that WC is running the house!".

The most fabulous part of all this is that the CDS is going to meet with us weekly until we get a "discipline plan" in place once we figure out what will be most effective. She even offered to visit WC's early childhood development center to observe her in class and discuss with her teachers what discipline plan we decide on.

I feel so good about all this and really feel like I am taking the steps I need to take to keep myself off Super Nanny on national TV.

Passionberri?

Does anybody know what the hell passionberri is? There is a new store going in a strip mall near the Sashas but it's just this sign and a blank empty store right now. Their website is crap- take down that splash page and put up some content!!!! Am I missing something on there? Is there a "click here to continue" somewhere?????

So does anybody know- it is like pinkberry or Tutti frutti? Thanks to Perez and Buford Betty, I am flippin' dreaming about these places, just dying.

Happy Birthday Mamalicious!

Hollyanna, I knew when you came into Hayes in first grade with your Hawaiian shirt on and a comb in your back pocket that you were way cool and we were destined to be good friends.

And I also knew that we were way too hot for 1987 when we randomly dressed up and had Mimilicious take this shot in your driveway. That is a bandanna that you are wearing as a bikini top and yes, I do have on a trash bag and blue lips.

Thanks for being a good friend for all these years- I love ya and can't wait to celebrate your 34th with you.

Now when is that going to be?

Parents Magazine June 2008 Cliff Notes

I know you are as busy as me and don't have time to read magazines, but I had a hair appointment today and actually had 20 uninterrupted minutes while I was under the dryer! So I read the June 2008 Parents magazine for us and tore out some interesting pages so you don't need to read it yourself.

Without further ado, here's the high points:

• Veet In Shower Hair Removal Cream, designed to withstand water, so you put it on before you get in the shower, wait three minutes, then remove the cream with the sponge that comes with it.
• McCormick has come out with Potato Steamers (in your grocer's freezer) the steam in the microwave in no time- Italian Herb and Roasted Garlic & Rosemary varieties.
• KytoStat bandages ($15 for a pack of three at drugstore.com) don't just protect the wound- they actually stop the bleeding. Expensive- but it sounds like they may be worth having on hand.
• Theme park smarts- Safety Tat - Temporary tattoos with your phone number! Very cool.
• Last but not least, Parents is having their Annual Cover Search. As I've told you before, don't you dare go entering your kid and trying to beat mine. Kidding. Sort of.

Wow, I just noticed that was almost all "products" that I tore out and nothing about actual parenting, with the exception of the bandages and safety tats that would make me a safer parent. Interesting.

Damn you, swimsuit season

Oh, how I hate summer. I mean, I LOVE summer, but I HATE putting on a swimsuit. And most of all, I hate shopping for a swimsuit.

I hate it so much that I wore the same top for 8 years, and even when the back clasp broke, I continued to wear the top and kept using the MacGyver-ified grey rope that held the back together. For like 3 years. I'm sure Slim will remember because it all went down at the lake on their pontoon boat.

Anyway, one of my requirements is that the bottoms be shorts, not some skimpy bottom. Mr. Sasha doesn't understand, but the backs of your legs at 34 just don't look like the back of your legs at 18. Even if I was underweight, the yuckiness would still be there.....

Anyway, I am thinking about getting this suit but am not sure which print I like best. Opinions please?

Heat Wave Print

Ebbtide Print (on model above)

Beach Breeze print

2008 School Pics

Holy crap my kids are growing up fast. The Politician will be 5 in August and starting Pre-K. The Wild Child turned two in January and is continuing to turn our house upside down.

But, sweet niblets, isn't that the sweetest face you've ever seen?

This is more like it..... She's hamming in up for the camera, and P is dashing off in the background. I'll have to get this one for sure because it cracks me up.

Ask the Product Junkie: Brown Lipstain

Stephanie asks: Any ideas for lipstains? I tried Lip Envy at Sephora. It was 15 or 16 dollars and the only stain they had that wasn't pink. (I am looking for something brown or at least natural lip color-no pink!) It is not good at all!!!!! It doesn't stain anything! It comes right off and is chunky when it wears off and mixes with the gloss I wear over it. Ahhhh!

Stephanie, I agree that Lip Envy is not a good product- I was not impressed with it at all. Did you know Sephora has a great return policy?

Anyway, I saw a friend from college this weekend (Hi Heather!) and of course I asked her what lipcolor she was wearing. Her coloring just happens to be similar to yours.

Turns out she wears Revlon Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor in True Chocolate. Fabulous brown color. This is a two step product with a stain/longwearing lipcolor on one end and a top coat on the other.

I love love love this product (two of my HG lippies are Overtime Lipcolor Sheer in Sheer Pomegranate and the Overtime Lipcolor in Perpetual Plum) and think you would like it too. You can apply the topcoat as much as you like and it's doesn't ball up the lipcolor.

New Lipgloss Find

Well, my last two posts certainly were downers, weren't they? So in an effort to cheer you (and me) up, let's talk about one of our favorite topics, makeup!

I noticed a new product in my Walgreen's flyer last week, Revlon's ColorStay Mineral Lipglaze. (Note that for some reason, this product is not listed on Revlon's website.)

I love lipgloss, but have a terrible time wearing it because it always runs in the little lines around my lips. So I'm always searching for a lipgloss that has staying power and pigment and doesn't run.

Found!

I purchased the two darkest colors, Overtime Wine and Plum, and they are fabulous. Smell is nice, feels good on your lips, pigment has staying power, wears off evenly, and lasts all morning!

I Hope Supernanny Works at DHS

In a moment of desperation, I just called the girl who set up the biting workshop at DHS, and asked for her help.

Mr. Sasha had just called me and said that after I left for work, The Wild Child did the following:

• took off her shorts and tried to secretly throw them away
• poured out her baggie of cereal on the floor
• tried to get the cereal box to eat out of instead
• spit on him a few times
• hit at him
• yelled "No!" about a million times
• tried to bite Mr. Sasha when he was putting her in her car seat
• cried/screamed all the way to school
• then magically changed her tune when she saw her friend walking in to school, wiped off her tears and said "Yay, school!"
• once she was in her classroom, saw a little boy crying for his mom and she gave him a hug and said "It's OK."

WTH?

So we have a "developmental assessment" scheduled for next Tuesday morning. Maybe she has some developmental delay that is causing her to be frustrated? Maybe she has a sensory integration problem and just can't deal? Maybe we are just bad parents? We will see what DHS has to say.

Night Time Potty Training Hell

I was doing just fine putting a night-time pullup on The Politician every night. It didn't bother me one bit that he didn't wake up to pee. Not one little bit.

But now he's starting to wake up to pee and it is driving Mr. Sasha and I ca-razy.

Most usually we'll wake up in the middle of the night and realize that he's standing by our bed. Who knows how long he's been there and it's kinda creepy. He wants someone to go to the bathroom with him and then take him back to bed and tuck him in. Sometimes I pretend I don't hear him and let Mr. Sasha deal with it all (Hi Mr. Sasha!).

I have told him every night for months about how he can do it on his own, not wake us up, etc. He's not listening.

I need a solution, and I need one now. What's a tired girl to do? Help?

My Mother's Day Present

Amy asks: Did you ever get that garmin thingy for running you mentioned right before mother's day? If so are you happy with it?

I can't believe I forgot to post about this! Mr. Sasha actually got me the model that was one step up from the one I originally told him about- he got the Forerunner 205.

I absolutely love it! It shows your pace, distance, and elapsed time, all figured using a satellite system! It's rechargeable, so no pesky batteries to replace. The band is actually small enough for my pretty tiny wrist. All in all, one of the best presents I've ever gotten. All of you on the C25K bandwagon need one- you'd love it!

There's something to be said for picking out your own gift. Mr. Sasha actually ordered his own Father's Day gift today- some new golf shoes and some golf shirts so he'll be all set for his Amateur Golf Tour this summer.

How about you- what's the best gift you've ever gotten, and did you pick it out yourself, or were you surprised?

Problem getting your cashback from Ebates?

Evil Kate writes: This will probably come as a real shock but I think I screwed something up when I tried to use it. We tried to book our rental car through ebates but I don't see where it shows it worked....HELP!!!!

In the 3-4 years that I've used ebates, there have been about 3 times that something slipped through the cracks at ebates. However, if you click on "help" in the upper right hand part of their screen, you'll get a nifty customer service menu. And, behold, a link that says "Where's my cash back?"

So, Ms. Kate, just log in, click on that, and follow the instructions. I've never had a problem once I've gotten the proper information to them. Heck, there must be 10000000 people who belong to ebates, no less than 75 referred by yours truly. I figure it kind of like the post office, give them that much stuff, they're going to lose a little bit here and there.

Hope this helps!

Oh, and if someone still isn't registered with ebates, now's the time! Follow my link on the right to get your $10 bonus too!

A New 100 Calorie Treat

Made a quick run to SuperTarget at lunch to pick up necessities (milk, Mr. Clean, printer cartridge, Market Pantry Raspberry Blackberry sparkling calorie free water, toothpaste for P) and of course I went down the snack aisle. I'm a big fan of the 100 calorie packs, seeing as how I have no control when it comes to portions and the way I've been eating lately, I'll be needing that wardrobe back that I donated to charity after I finally lost my baby weight last year. So I'm making the 100 calorie packs my afternoon snack.

Anyway, the above York 100 Calorie Peppermint Wafer Bars called my name and ended up in my cart. And they are tasty! The are 7 packages in the box ($2.99) and each package has two long slim chocolate-covered wafers with a peppermint creme in the middle. I'll definitely be buying these again and will also be searching for the Reese's version.

New Beverage Find

Damn, this stuff is good. Mike's Light Hard Cranberry Lemonade- 98 calories or thereabouts.

Super good on an early summer night listening to an Americana band in the park. Makes corralling the kiddos on picnic blanket not as bad as it could be.

Maybe if I had brought a few more we could have stayed longer......

Ebates Rocks!

So I know I mentioned it earlier, but can you believe I am getting a check for over $125 this quarter from ebates?

If you aren't signed up yet, now is the time! Through June 30, anyone who signs up through this link will get $10 (and so will I!).

Let me know if you have questions. Glad to answer them!

My Avon order should be delivered today!!!!

Dude. I love makeup. And I love my new friend Valeri who emailed me a free shipping code to use on her Avon site!

So I've been stalking the UPS website and I see my package in now in Big City Close To Me, My State, so it should be there when I get home today. I actually foresee that I might have to continue to stalk UPS and once it's delivered, I may or may not have to make up an excuse to run home to get it.

I ordered: (and yes, I know I went overboard, but hey, that's what I do, and Mr. Sasha, if you are reading this, I am using my $128 ebates check to pay for this that should be arriving any day since it was mailed to me yesterday)

• Pro To Go lipstick in Cherry Glisten, Berry Juice, and Provocative Plum
• Skin So Soft Bug Guard since we live in Mosquito Land
• Banishing Cream Skin Discoloration Improver (recommended by Valeri for my hyperpigmentation)
• mark Glossblossom Ripening Lip Tint (like O-Gloss or Mood Swing, only affordable!)
• mark Caribbean Shine Lip Gloss in Kiss on The Beach
• Nail Experts Nail Brightener- a must-have per Traci Ann
• mark Self Sanctuary Lemon Sugar Moisture Milk - supposed to smell like my beloved Fresh Sugar Lemon
• mark Shine Tubes Hook Up Lip Gloss in Buttercream Brioche - another Traci Anne recommendation

So hold tight, reviews to come!

My New Favorite Song

I recently found my new theme song (Jason Mraz- I'm Yours), and it's all summery and makes me want a beer or three. That works out great since this is The Summer of Beer.

For some reason I can't explain, I've developed a little crush on Jason Mraz. Yum.

Let me know what you think. Am I nutty?

Edited to add: I figured it out! It's that cute little sideways grin he has when he is singing..... Boy, I'm certainly a pathetic 34 year old working soccer mom of two, huh?

Concealer Answers for Laura

I knew the only person who loves makeup more than me would have some ideas for Laura!

Thanks Traci Anne! Love ya!

Ask the Product Junkie: Concealer

Laura writes: Sasha, I read your blog daily. I’m Laura and you link to mine (Our Crazy Wonderful Life) on yours. Anyway, I’ve got a product question for you. I have dark under-eye circles that I can not get rid of. I use Bare Minerals for my makeup and love it. I also started using the Neutrogena eye makeup remover after you suggested it and I really like it a lot. For under my eyes, I’ve tried the yellow-tinted powders, lighter foundation under my eyes, coverup (which I can’t stand – I’m a powder girl) everything – but nothing works. What’s a girl to do?Help?

Laura, first of all, I've seen a pic of you on your blog, and I see no dark circles! You are gorgeous! But if you insist that this is a problem for you, I may have an idea that you haven't tried.

Have you tried applying your minerals wet? I have heard of ladies using water or, get this, Milk of Magnesia, to make a paste with their minerals and applying that with a concealer brush. Let that dry before you apply your foundation dry with your normal foundation brush. I believe they were just using their regular foundation color for this method.

Let me know what you think. If this isn't a road you want to go down, I have another makeup crazy friend who might know..... Traci Anne, any other ideas?

I Want To Be Like Reese Witherspoon

So I'm gonna use the same lipstick she does. Isn't she gorgeous?
My fab new friend from OBBC, Valeri, directed me to her personal avon page and was kind enough to send me a free shipping code so I could get my hot little hands on some of their new Pro To Go lipstick!
I imagine she may have some more codes to spare- just email her at bucfanri at gmail dot com and tell her Sasha sent you!
I would describe the Pro To Go as a highly pigmented lip balm. It doesn't have a lot of staying power, but it feel absolutely fabulous on your lips and wears off extremely evenly, so I didn't mind reapplying it. My lips were somewhat chapped the morning I started using the lipstick, but by the end of the day, they felt conditioned and weren't chapped at all. Love this stuff.
I tried Cherry Glisten (Reese's shade and my favorite), Provocative Plum, and Berry Juicy- all are beautiful shades. Try 'em and let me know what you think!

Ulcerated Hemangioma Pictures

I get A LOT of google search hits from my hemangioma posts. I thought it might be useful to put my timeline of pics all together. If you are squeamish, I recommend you skip this post.

I did a lot of internet searching out of desperation when WC's H started ulcerating, and I didn't easily find any pics like these, showing in order how an H opened up and then healed.

If you ever need any information about hemangiomas, or just someone to talk to who has been through one, just email me.

5 weeks

8 weeks

9 weeks

13 weeks

14 weeks

17 weeks

18 weeks

19 weeks

20 weeks

22 weeks

almost 7 months

10 1/2 months

1 year

15 months

18 months

2 years

I also want to send you to another post I wrote on this subject that mentions specific doctors and contact information.

Homework!

The Sashas are big slackers.

The Politician had some homework over the weekend- the above pennant was sent home blank and he was supposed to decorate it- concentrating on his hobbies and interests.

Mr. Sasha was all, "Oh, we can have him put a bicycle on there, and soccer, and trains...."

I said, "And are you wanting him to draw these things????? Because he can't even write his name."

Cause we are slacker parents and haven't worked at all with him on writing or drawing. He is just not interested in coloring/drawing and I don't push it.

Anyway, I got out some markers and set them on the table. He grabbed a yellow tadoodle and started scribbling. You can see the results above. I was getting worried and a little sweaty- what was this going to look like next to all the others?

Suddenly I got the bright idea to get a magazine and cut out pictures of things he likes. He loved this and had fun taping the pictures of Dora, Diego, pancakes, drums, and ice cream etc. on the pennant. He did also try to write his name, which I blocked out, but let's just say it would have probably been safe to leave it there because I don't imagine you would have been able to decipher it.

And it was just fabulous that I realized on Mother's Day that I am the worst mom ever. P will be 5 in August and can't write his name. Is he destined to be a non-productive member of society?

Lyrics Quiz

My friend Tina did a Lyrics Quiz on her blog the other day, and I missed it! I would have totally gotten the Marky Mark one if Cassie hadn't beat me to it!

I think I'll do my own, and as Tina said, I have "eclectic" taste, so have fun!

Rules:

Step 1: Put your MP3 player or whatever on random

Step 2: Post the first line from the first 25 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing the song.

Step 3: Here’s the fun part: YOU get to guess what song it is from just the one line; if you’re really good, you’ll know the artist as well!

Step 4: I'll color line when someone gets it right, linking to that someone, cause I’m nice like that.

Step 5: No cheating! And by cheating, I mean no looking them up on Google or any other search engine.

1. Another summer day, has come and gone away in Paris and Rome (Stephanie guessed Home by Michael Buble, although the one on my ipod is actually by Blake Shelton)
2. I could go out tonight, and find some stranger, it wouldn’t be wrong, no it wouldn’t be wrong
3. I've been waiting, pacing along the halls ever since you left here. I've been cleaning, scrubbing the plates and weeding out the garden dear
4. I don’t mind spending some time just hangin here with you
   Cause I don’t find many guys who treat me like you do
5. I don’t remember what day it was, I didn’t notice what time it was
6. Down in the valley, the valley so low, that's where my vegetables, my vegetables grow (CM got it- In the Valley of Vegetables by Laurie Bernker)
7. She got a shack floating down the Pontchartrain (Britni got it- Love is Free by Sheryl Crow)
8. Busted flat in Baton Rouge waiting for a train (Hair Girl got it- Janis Joplin, Me and Bobby McGee)
9. Anyone who's ever had a heart, wouldn't turn around and break it (The Renee got it- Sweet Jane, and I have both versions on my ipod- Cowboy Junkies and Velvet Underground, which I like equally well)
10. I don’t wanna see your face, I don’t wanna hear your name, I don't want a thing, just stay away baby (Hair Girl guessed Rod Stewart, but not that I know of)
11. He’s a movie star, only drives rented cars. met him in a bar, said I know who you are. Took him to my party as they games were starting, bottles on the ground, are you ready now?
12. You say, I only hear what I want to (Slim got it- Lisa Loeb "Stay")
13. She said “It’s cold outside” as she hands me my raincoat (Sandra got it- 3 AM by Matchbox Twenty)
14. So long ago I don’t remember when, that’s when they say I lost my only friend (sweet-seventeen got it- One Headlight by The Wallflowers)
15. I went to a party last Saturday night, I didn’t get laid, I got in a fight (aj got it- Lita Ford- Kiss Me Deadly)
16. Baby I get so scared inside and I don’t really understand, if it's love that’s on my mind or is it fantasy (Anonymous got it- Close My Eyes Forever by Lita Ford and Ozzy)
17. I was sitting in my garden, when I saw a bumblebee (CM got it- Buzz Buzz by Laurie Bernker)
18. Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove (Tech Savvy Mama guessed Led Zeppelin and aj knew that it was Black Dog)
19. You know the day destroys the night, night divides the day (Sandra got it- Break on Through by The Doors)
20. It's getting near dawn, when lights close their tired eyes. I'll soon be with you my love, to give you my dawn surprise.
21. Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone, Susanne the plans they made put an end to you (Smoochiefrog got it- Fire and Rain by James Taylor)
22. If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? For I must be travelling on, now, 'cause there's too many places I've got to see. (Jennifer got it- Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd)
23. Well I never been to heaven, but I been to Oklahoma. Well they tell me I was born there, but I really don't remember (not the first verse) (Hair Girl said Never Been to Spain by Elvis, although my version is by Three Dog Night)
24. There are stars in the Southern sky, southward as you go. There is moonlight and moss in the trees (Joy got it- Seven Bridges Road by The Eagles)
25. Sweet wonderful you, you make me happy with the things you do, oh, can it be so, this feeling follows me wherever I go (sweet-seventeen got it- You Make Lovin Fun by Fleetwood Mac)

I Got Excited For Just A Second

last night when The Politician said, "Momma, your Mother's Day surprise is in Daddy's car!!!!" as I was putting him to bed.

I said, "Hmmm.... what it is?" (Hoping for this Garmin Forerunner 101 GPS watch thingy to help me with my pacing.)

P said, "Six tootsie rolls and four peppermints!"

Super, just what I wanted.

Holy Crap

Yeah, I just figured out that I left my keys in the ignition this AM when I got to work.

So I am missing my arts org meeting.

And can't go to Target.

And have to eat work food.

And must call the local Honda dealership to find out how much $$$ we'll have to shell out to get finally get an extra key. I hear it's $150.

Damn.

Edited to add: Yay for AT&T Wireless Roadside Assistance!!!!
As I was perusing the Yellow Pages for a cheap locksmith, my coworker asked if I had a roadside assistance plan..... All of the sudden I remember I did!!!!!
So my car got unlocked quickly, and for free to boot.
Mr. Sasha wanted me to ask about getting reimbursed for our lock-out a few weeks ago, but I told him there was probably a Stupidity Clause and if I told AT&T we just went through this 3 weeks ago, they'd be less likely to dispatch someone quickly.... plus I hate doing stuff like that over the telephone, a la Ashley. So I told him he can take care of that phone call himself.

Links and Product Junkie

So I loved it that Kate told me about an awesome website that I'd never heard of. I need more!

Anyone have any other sites they need to share with me?

Some of my personal faves:

• Makeup Alley for makeup reviews
• Internet Movie Database for those times when you can't figure out where you've seen that actress before
• Purse Forum especially this thread for authenticating Coach bags on ebay auctions
• Coupon Mom's Newspaper Coupon Database (link in middle of page)
• This site to quickly figure WW points
• Amazon filler item finder when you need to get to $25 for free shipping
• Digital Camera reviews
• Negative/Neutral feedback finder for ebay- quickly find seller's negative and neutrals without wading through all their feedback
• and of course I love Television Without Pity and Perez, but you knew that

So what links do you have for me?

Also taking submissions for Ask the Product Junkie.....

Red Velvet Cupcakes!!!!!!

Kate just directed me to a super-cool website, Hungry Girl, all about yummy good-for-you (or at least better-for-you than Hershey's Bliss) food.

I found a fab recipe for HG's Red Velvet Insanity Cupcakes. Sweet niblets, I can't wait to try them! There's a slight possibility I might make them for a coworker's birthday tomorrow, but there is a bigger possibility that I will just pick up something at the grocery store for the birthday and make these when I have more energy. Who knows when that will be, but damn, I have got to make these.

(photo above from Hungry Girl website)

Another Yummy Snack Food Food

So you guys know that I have this problem grocery shopping- I pretty much just go from aisle to aisle, seeing interesting stuff and tossing it into my cart. Especially new yummy snack food.

I'm a big fan of the 100 Calorie packs that are so popular now. Yes, I know they aren't very economical, but it would be less economical for me to eat a whole regular sized bag at a time and have to buy a whole new wardrobe, now wouldn't it?

My latest find is Chex 100 Calorie Chocolate Caramel. Mercy, it's good. There's two flavors in the bag, (obvs) chocolate and caramel. The caramel rocks my world and the chocolate isn't too bad either- a nice balance for the so very sweet caramel. But I could actually eat a whole bag of the caramel, but then that would probably be more than 100 calories....

Anyway, I've also recently tried the Turtle and Peanut Butter Chex and although they don't come in the 100 Calorie bags, you simply must try them. The kiddos loved them too, although they did leave the pretzels in the bag of course, as they weren't covered in a sugary concoction.

And, hey, if you are getting pissed off at me for suggesting too many red-light foods, just remember I can always email you the C25K plan!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!!!!

Well, I just got an email that made my day (and my week!)!

Turns out I'm a winner in 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic's Clean & Clear Giveaway!!!!!

You know how much I LOVE trying new beauty products, so I can't wait to use these products and post a review for you.

I absolutely love Christine's site- it's been one of my faves for quite some time. Check her out- she always has great reviews of fab products!

Oh Snap

Oh, this is totally something one could blame on one's children, but alas, I am not able to do that.

Cause I did it. Yup, it was me who opened the cabinet above the toilet, only to have a bottle of OPI Candy Cane Cutie come crashing down and shatter on my bathroom floor.

I spent the better part of 30 minutes trying to get up as much as I can off the toilet seat, the toilet bowl, the tile, the door, the shower door, and the threshold. I gave up on the rug and just threw it away.

I am about to google "getting red nail polish out of carpet" because, you see, just on the other side of this rug, where you can't see, is cream carpet. Now with red nail polish on it.

I must admit that the Lexapro allowed me to say, "Hmmmm... wonder what my priorities should be? Toilet? Floor? Shower door?"

It's nice not to freak the F out.

Yay me!

28:50!!!!!!

My best time ever, and that's after 3 beers at girls night last night!


Super awesome thanks to my friend Amanda for coming to cheer me on! So sweet and you made my day!

Damn You, Hershey

You know raspberry is my weakness..... so you just had to go and do it. Damn you.

(And, oh, but they are good. Found 'em at Target, where they just jumped in my cart.)

Meme

maybe i should start to work on that tax return for work that is due May 15

i love the smell of laundry and Fresh Sugar Lemon

people would say that i’m a bit nutty and talk a lot and know a little bit about a lot of things and can find anything on the internet

i don’t understand why The Politician can't go to the bathroom in the middle of the night without coming to wake us up

when i wake up in the morning I turn off my alarm that is going to go off in 3 minutes and I jump out of bed ready for the day (I'm super annoying like that)

i lost my willpower to keep counting WW points

life is crazy and right now I couldn't do it with my Lexapro

my past consists of a few semi-bad choices, but I turned out OK regardless

i get annoyed when things don't go my way, a typical Capricorn behavior

parties are something to look forward to (unless there's no beer)

dogs sometimes scare me, but I'd like to have a Golden some day just like LaVerne

cats make me cry since I miss Phil and Margo desperately

tomorrow is a 5K followed by a Tball meeting

i have low tolerance for wine- just a sip and I'm drunk and have a terrible headache

i’m totally terrified of revolving doors and eating vegetables

i wonder why I thought accounting would be a fun career choice

never in my life have i felt the pride I feel when I see my kiddos

high school was pretty damn fun

when i’m nervous I get a rash and my neck turns red

one time at a family gathering... my crazy grandmother made chili for a holiday dinner and tried to poison everybody

take my advice: figure out what works best for you parenting-wise and don't worry about what anyone else thinks- all kids are different and what worked for your best friend/mom/boss may not work for you

making my bed is a necessary part of the morning- I simply cannot go to sleep in an un-made bed

i'm almost always tucking my hair behind my ears and chewing on the inside of my cheeks

i’m addicted to BBC and full-sugar Coke

i want someone to come blow dry my hair every morning

PTO Fundraising

So I absolutely hate fundraisers. I hate asking people for money. Stupid thin wrapping paper, overpriced cookie dough, magazines I don't have time to read- hate it all.

My view on fundraising is this: School, if you need money, just add $5 to our weekly fees, and we'll hardly notice it. You'll have your money, and we won't have to do any ridiculous fundraising.

But see this fabulous piece of 3X3 art pictured in the middle above? That was painted by my super-talented kiddos, and purchased by the Sashas for the bargain price of $65. It's going to look fab in our playroom!

Our director came up with this idea last year, and we raised a whopping $3500! We are on track to do the same this year.

Here's how it works: parents and staff make the canvases, keeping the cost down. Frames are built with scrap wood and canvas is stretched on the frame and stapled on. Paint is slopped on to give it a base color. Then the kids go to town, creating their masterpieces.

Orders are taken from parents for "commissioned art" at these sizes and prices:

• 1' by 1': $25
• 2' by 2': $45
• 3' by 3': $65

We then have an "art show" where all the pieces are hung up at a local coffee and chocolate shop for a month. Not shown in the picture above are the little cards that will be by each picture with the title and artist of each piece.

On a specific night, parents come to admire the work of their children and there is a silent auction on some group or class pieces. The school even offers childcare for the evening and parents get to enjoy wine, cheese, and chocolate and a little social time, and open up their checkbooks.

How fun is that?

Running Update

So now that I've run my first official 10K, what's my next goal?

Why, a half marathon, of course!

I think I've already told you I'm pretty sure I have undiagnosed ADHD as I have the shortest attention span EVER, so this is a big stretch for me to think that I can do this. Right now, it's hard for me to imagine doing anything for more than 2 hours....

But I'm going to give it a try. I really think my audio book eureka moment was the best idea I ever had and I think it'll the answer. I am really enjoying listening to Shopaholic and Sister and already have Shopaholic and Baby on my itunes ready to go (thank you public library!) once I finish Sister.

So this is the plan I think I am going to follow to train for the half mary. I may shoot for doing one in the fall or early winter, hopefully with some of the girls on my relay team. (Come on girls, we can do it!) I think there's one in November in Texas (is that right Cory?). If not, then definitely next April.

Anyone on board with me? I need a "Training for a Half" blinkie!

I Am a Member of The Brewmaster's Club!

I bet you've been waiting on this post.

I posted a little preview about the fabulous Hospitality House at Sea World a few weeks ago. And really, fabulous doesn't do it justice. I'm all about the free, especially free beer. And especially after I've been chasing my ornery two-year-old around the park for hours on end.

Now, the first cool part is that there is a bar in the front of the Hospitality House that you can get two free beers from and enjoy them in their large comfortable facility that is scattered with beer history and memorabilia. The second cool part is that you can also sign up for their Brewmaster's Club and get to attend an educational tasting of various beers and fruit, cheese, and chocolate.

Mr. Sasha and I signed up, although we did have to sign up separately since the kiddos weren't allowed in the Brewmaster area. He went first and came back refreshed and excited for me to get to go too.

So while I was waiting for the Brewmaster thing to start, I visited the bar up front and chose Shock Top, which is Anheuser-Busch's answer to Blue Moon. If you like Blue Moon, you'll like Shock Top.

Next, they opened up the Brewmaster Club doors and invited us in. They seated us in groups of four. I was seated with a girl who had just turned 21 the week before and a mother and daughter. Could have been totally uncomfortable sitting with 3 random strangers, but they turned out to be nice so it wasn't so bad.

An employee came and handed us a big menu and asked us to select 4 beers to try, which she would bring to us along with a tray of fruit, cheese, crackers and chocolate. Fun!

First, I chose Michelob Ultra Fruit, knowing that there are three different flavors and not knowing which one I would get. I'm just wild and crazy like that.

I had tried the Raspberry Pomegranate before on a trip to Missouri and loved it. So I was pleased that they brought out Lime, a flavor I hadn't tried. It was crisp and refreshing. Fab.

Next, I tried Tilt, which is a malt beverage energy drink. It was quite tasty, although I typically don't drink energy drinks. I figure I'm already medicated enough, no sense in adding additional things in my system. I get enough caffeine in my morning Coke.

I was so excited to try Wild Blue, a fruit infused lager. I was not disappointed- it was wonderful. (And on another note, my wonderful friend Amanda just brought me a six pack because I told her how much I liked it! I don't think they sell it in my state, so I'll be rationing this out and if you come over and I don't offer you one, don't get your feelings hurt, K?)

I also chose LandShark, which I can't actually find any info on on the A-B site. After I ordered it I realized that I had already tried it at Margaritaville in Vegas (it's marketed as Jimmy Buffet's beer). On the plus side, I remembered liking it, so no loss there. It's kinda Corona-ish.

We stopped by a few convenient (convenience?) stores on the way home from Sea World but didn't see any of these for sale. I live in a crazy state with weird beer laws, so I didn't expect to be able to find these for sale at home. To my surprise, I did find LandShark and Shock Top at my local IGA!

I'm quite on a beer kick right now and think I'll christen this The Summer of Beer. Maybe that's my new motto......

What a Weekend!

Sweet Niblets, I am worn out.

After working an all-day music festival yesterday (I got to drink beer while I checked-in/wrote checks to bands!), I headed to bed about 10:30 pm.

After a mere 4-5 hours sleep, I picked up two band members from our headlining band who need to go to the airport (they hadn't been to sleep yet and made the Family Van smell like a tequila factory).

Dropped them off at the airport and headed to a hotel near the marathon site to meet my relay team.

A shuttle took us to the starting line and I ran my 10K at 6:30 am in a cold drizzle, but had a fab time of 1:01.

We decided to forego the marathon bus system and did the transportation from relay point to relay point in a car on our own, which started out stressful, but turned into fun and I had a blast hanging with 5 of my friends from college who I miss so much! We all joined our friend in crossing the finish line during the last leg! The announcer read our shirts, which had a little inside joke printed on them and it was so cool.

Got home and took a much-needed 2 hour nap. I am currently doing laundry (of course) and drinking my 2nd full sugar Coke of the day. Yum!

Articles in the local papers say the fest was a success and estimate 6000 in attendance!!!!!! And it went off without a hitch. Damn we're good. And cool, but you knew that.

Hope you had a good weekend yourself! Smooches!

6 Unimportant Things About Me

I was tagged a million years ago by Tina and Our Crazy Wonderful Life for this meme. And it's been on my To Do List for weeks, but there are quite a few things on there that aren't getting done either, so don't feel slighted too much. It's not you, it's me.

1. I always have to have something on my feet. It can be flip flops or socks, but I simply can't be barefoot.

2. I drink 1 can of Coke every morning. Full sugar version.

3. I love classic rock and am pretty sure I was born 15 years too late. I am dying to meet Pamela Des Barres and have chatted with her numerous times in the late 90s.

4. I bite my nails, although I am always trying to quit. I go through cycles where I do a great job taking care of my nails and keep them painted, and then there are busy times like right now where I bite the dickens out of them because I don't have time to take care of them properly.

5. I am totally in the wrong career. I should not be an accountant, although I must say I am good at it. I should be in product development, marketing, or something with makeup!

6. I am a bargain shopper for househoold goods and food and even clothes, but I make up for that by being a Coach purse girl.

I would tag somebody, but since I have waited so long, I think this one has been around already!

Let's Start a New Phrase on OBBC!

(that's Old BabyCenter)

Forget vajayjay. While watching My Name Is Earl, Mr. Sasha and I heard the best. phrase. ever. (uttered by Joy of course)

Undersmile. As in, "She uncrossed her legs and showed everybody her undersmile."

So let's start the new phrase on OBBC!

This will work great on Magic Cream threads.

Let's start a revolution!

The Sasha Rider

So today I was working at the local non-profit who is putting on the music festival this weekend (!!!) and an issue came up with our headliner's rider.

You know, the list of things bands need when they play. Like here.

We were under the impression that all riders had been X's out and sent back to the artists. However, this didn't happen with this particular band so we were working on what we could come up with off their list without breaking the bank.

30 towels, a bottle of Ketel One Vodka, various kegs of beer, certain food, etc. Crazy stuff.

But really not so crazy.

I mean, these people are away from home, and it's not like they have time or transportation to go to the grocery store before they play their set.

And even I have a rider (for when I go stay with my parents):

• 1 can of cold Coke per day, in fridge
• 1 package of frozen Pepperidge Farm Apple Turnovers
• bottle of Advil that is findable in their kitchen
• funny stories about my childhood
• magazines I don't subscribe to
• some type of alcoholic beverage, possibly a bucket of frozen margaritas
• general snacky food, some chocolate, some salty

Sigh... he's really growing up

Some night when I put The Politician to bed, I like to get under the covers with him and snuggle for a few minutes.

Last night I did just that and after about 90 seconds, he said, "Momma, when are you going to get out of my bed? I'm really tired."

Broke my heart just a little. A preview of what's to come, I'm sure.

Have You Ever

seen this many stains on one tiny little 2 year old girl's shirt? Seriously, what did she do today? Paint a room? Clean the whole school? Do yardwork? Because I've never seen a shirt that dirty before. Off to do laundry......

A Giant Thank You!

to the 3 ladies who used me as a referral for a Gymboree Visa! Each time we each got a $20 giftcard to spend at Gymboree!

It's super easy- just use this link and enter my referral code: 100 035 040

Thanks in advance if you sign up! Email me if you do so I can make sure we both get the referral bonus!

Dude

I am tired. And I have lots to do before I go to bed....

But I thought I'd share this pic. Don't look at my yucky lawn. We were re-creating Easter Sunday since I didn't get a good pic of me with the kiddos. Not sure why I am so squinty, but we are all looking pleasant and towards the camera, so it's a keeper.

Backyard Barber Night

So about 3 years ago we decided to stop fighting the haircut war with The Politician and just buzz it ourselves. It's definitely a backyard job, although we do it in the garage when it's really cold.

So tonight was Haircut Night. He really does like it now because he gets 4 packs of Smarties to cajole him to sit still.

My favorite part is vacuuming him off when we are done. It's my own version of the Flowbee. I desperately wanted a Flowbee, and searched all over (OK, for 5 minutes online) only to find out it doesn't cut a buzz. So we just wheel the vacuum outside, hook up the attachment, and vacuum up all the hair! You're totally not dreaming, that's the brush attachment on the left side of the pic.

Here's the finished product, complete with "Cheese!" face. And we'll do it all again in a few weeks.

Something that I am totally not ready for

happened yesterday!

I was doing my normal Sunday afternoon good deal round-up (Super Target, Walgreens, CVS) and Mr. Sasha was reading the paper while The Politician watched some TV after his nap and The Wild Child finished her nap in her crib.

Mr. Sasha heard WC awake over the monitor, and P jumped up and said "I'll go in there!". Mr. Sasha was just about to stand up to go let her out of her crib, and all of the sudden P and WC came walking down the hall together!

She climbed out of her crib!!!! She's only 2 years and 3.5 months old! P happily stayed in his crib until 3 and I was hoping to do the same with her because I'm just not ready for her to be on the loose unattended.

Both of their cribs are the fab kind that convert to a toddler bed (with a little rail so they don't roll out) and then to a full-sized bed, so we can totally go the toddler bed route if it's time, but I just like her being captive right now. Does that make me a bad mommy? I'm just not sure I'll be able to convince her to stay in bed and go to sleep.......

Sigh.... I think I'll wait and see if she does it again. Maybe it was just a fluke?

It's only 1:00 pm

and it has already been an eventful day.

I ran 6 miles this morning in fab 50 degree weather with no wind- perfect running weather for me.

Went to 10 am soccer game.

Attempted to take the kids to lunch after the game, but got re-routed by a downtown parade.

Finally got to lunch and Mr. Sasha locked the keys in the car.

So we waited quite a while for a locksmith to come.....

And now we are at home- after dropping a $40 dollar locksmith fee.

For those asking, The Wild Child was great this week at school! They said she was a new child! Now, yesterday she did act like she was going to start to bite once, but her teacher caught her and startled her and she stopped. They then started using the tooth-brushing technique from the biting seminar, but since they don't have toothbrushes, they used some kind of long teething object that would reach her back teeth. She loved it and periodically asked for it by saying, "I need to chew my thing." So we see real promise in the new technique and the teacher is working on getting teether toothbrushes donated for 3 of the classrooms! Yay!

Still to come today: a birthday party at a local farm for P to go to, and some friends coming over for burgers/beers with their kids. And I may just meet a friend for margs at Taco Cabana after the kids go to bed. Cause I'm probably going to need it. I think we'll get a pitcher. Definitely, actually.

Just another crazy Saturday. Hope you have a good weekend!

Ask the Product Junkie: Self-Tanners, Take 2

Well, ladies, I've found two HG self-tanners! (and they are still on the market!!!!)

First is Neutrogena's Sun Fresh in Fair/Medium ($10 for 4 oz). Oh, what a find!

Scent: Billed as "grapefruit/nectarine", which I'm not so sure about, but I will tell you it's not at all like some of the other tanners I've used. Leaves a very faint tanner smell, so faint you'll be the only one to notice, and that's only if you sniff your own arm.

Color: Fab!!! Perfect for me- I'm very yellow and this looks so natural on me.

Texture and drying time: No complaints here- in fact, it dries very fast and is very smooth-able. I loved putting it on.

Con: The fact that you only get 4 oz for $10 bucks is definitely a draw back. I could see myself going through this tube very fast.

My most recent find is probably the best deal, bargain-wise. It's Loreal's Sublime Glow in Medium ($10 for 8 0z).

Scent: Just as good as the Sun Fresh above.

Color: A bit more brown than the Sun Fresh, but still a great color for me. As a bonus, there's a slight shimmery to this lotion. Now, it's not a "I'm going to the Prom in 1992" kind of shimmer, it's very pretty and really, you'll probably be only one who notices. But I like it.

Texture and drying time: Doesn't dry as fast as the Sun Fresh, but still dries nicely and isn't sticky once it's dried.

Verdict: I'll be using both- probably alternating.

Application tips: I start by applying a plain, unscented lotion (I use Cetaphil Lotion in the pump)to my elbows, knees, ankles, and tops of my feet. This keeps the color from grabbing too much in those areas. Then I slop the tanner on, starting with my arms and chest. I move down and do my lower legs and feet next, and then my thighs. I don't worry too much about my back and stomach. Who sees that anyway?

Two other tips: After I've done my arms, I get another squirt of Cetaphil lotion and rub it on the undersides of my arm and in the crook of my elbows- kind of to dilute the tanning lotion and blend it in there.

I also wash my hands when I'm done, and use a round cosmetic sponge to apply a drop of the lotion to the top of each hand.

Let me know if you try these and what you think!

Eureka!

I attended a Biting Workshop at Health Department last night, and it was beyond fabulous!!!!!!

In a nutshell, what they've found is that kids who bite are having trouble with sensory integration.

To help with that, they have discovered that if they pass out toothbrushes and have the children brush their teeth after breakfast, snacks, and lunch, they can reduce the biting by 85%!!!!! And for the children who are in that other 15%, if they are encouraged to brush every hour, they have a 98% success rate!!!!!

I talked to The Wild Child's teacher after my seminar (she was on her way into the provider version of the class) and this is definitely something we can try in her classroom. From what I understand, WC is not the only biter in the room.

Other suggestions from the seminar are to discontinue spill-proof cups and give more crunchy food to encourage the use of the back teeth. Basically, children who bite will benefit further development of their oral skills.

I am sure I said some of this wrong, cause I'm just an accountant, you know, and not a child development professional.

But I am so excited to have something to try and also to have confirmation that it's nothing that we've done (or haven't done) that is causing WC to have this behavior. Yay for me being a good mom after all!!!!!

Ebates Double Bonus Offer Again!!!!

Yay! Ebates is offering their Double Bonus Offer again, through May 31. If you sign up through my link, and make a purchase by May 31, we'll each get $10!

If you don't know about ebates, they offer rebates for doing your regular internet shopping through their site. They have Gap, Old Navy, Children's Place, Sephora, Snapfish, etc. I've gotten check from them totaling almost $400 over the past few years!

Click here if you would like to sign up. My referral email address is sasha2599[at]yahoo[dot]com.

Ask the Product Junkie: Eye Makeup Remover

Slim asked me the other day about eye makeup remover- she said she wasn't sure that she liked the Too Faced Lash Injection mascara because she was having trouble getting it off at the end of the day.

Turns out, she was using a different remover than me. I have been using the oil-free shake-up removers and they work great. Now, note that I also use a cotton round rather than a ball. Never had good luck with cotton balls.

Laurie (a Mary Kay consultant) left a comment a few weeks ago about her favorite remover, and I agree that it's a great product. I especially like that their bottle has a small opening that allows you to squeeze out just the amount you need rather than the wide opening that most of these type of removers have.

Now, the bargain shopper in me also needs to tell you about a cheaper version that I also like. You can typically find Neutrogena's version packed with two bottles together and sometimes you can even pair this find with a ECB deal at CVS- in fact, this week if you spend $15 on Neutrogena skin care, you get $5 ECB. Although it has the wider opening, I still like this product, especially at the price.

Anyway, using this type of remover will remove the fiber mascaras very well. Now, remember they come off differently. Your cotton round won't have black smeary stuff all over it, and you won't get black smear under your eyes. Instead, these mascaras come off in clumps- little balls of product. It's a much cleaner removal process that I just love.

More Notes From School

Notes sent home yesterday:


The Politician had to talk to the director in her office for calling his teacher stupid.


We are so happy to have The Wild Child back. She was so sweet to all her friends. She kept hugging her teacher Ms. Q and telling her she missed her.


Well, that's a reversal, now isn't it?

Maybe This Should Be My Motto

So you guys have heard about Randy Pausch, right? He's the Carnegie Mellon professor and father of three small children who was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and only given a short time to live. He was asked to give a "last lecture", which you can watch at the above link, and I guarantee you there is no way you won't shed a tear and be touched.

Something he said really spoke to me, and I hope that I can raise my children like this:

As a professor, I’ve seen how disruptive it can be for parents to have specific dreams for their children. My job is to help my kids foster a joy for life and develop the tools to fulfill their own wishes. My wishes for them are very exact and, given that I won’t be there, I want to be clear: Kids, don’t try to figure out what I wanted you to become. I want you to become what you want to become. And I want you to feel as if I am there with you, whatever path you choose.

Parade Magazine, April 6 2008, page 7