I Must

have these. Hungry Girl told me about them yesterday and I can't quit thinking about them. How good do these Cinnabon Snack Bars look? I think they'd be worth the 3 WW points.

GDA: John Frieda Root Awakening

Last month I posted about the new John Frieda Root Awakening collection that BzzAgent introduced me to and how much I was loving the Nourishing Moisture shampoo and conditioner. Well, I still do! I did try the Strength Restoring shampoo and conditioner, and I didn't like that formula nearly as much. I have also been using the Health Boosting Detangling Spray on both my daughter and myself and absolutely love it.

And this week there are two pretty fabulous deals on these products that will give you a low-costs opportunity to try them too!

First, CVS is offering the products for $4.99 when you use your ExtraCare card. Add to that deal the $3 coupon from today's Smart Source insert, and you've can try the products for only $1.99 each!

Walgreens has an even better deal if you can get your hands on three of the $3 off coupons. You can basically try the shampoo, conditioner, and detangling spray for $1! Walgreens is offering them 3/$15, and then they give you $5 in Register Rewards for your next visit. Net price is then 3/$10 and if you use three $3 coupons, your end price will be $1 for three products. Fabulous.

If you try these products, let me know what you think.

Vocab Lesson: Wow Wear

Are we all watching Little Miss Perfect? If you're not, you should be. There's all kind of things to be learned.

First of all, when thinking of my daily wardrobe, it'll now be all about "Wow Wear", which is some type of creative outfit or sportswear that the girls in the pageant wear to "Wow" the judges. That can certainly apply to our lives I think- don't we all need to have that "Wow" factor when we get dressed? I'll be putting on my black pants and work shirts and thinking to myself, "Will I wow anyone today in this outfit? If not, I probably need to change."

Also, I have a new favorite song, and it's called Little Miss Perfect Pageant. Did you know there are citrus colored rainbows on the other side? I do now....

Contest Reminder

Let's chat a bit about the giveaway on my other blog. Right now there are only 25 people entered! And since there are two prizes, well, the odds are pretty good that you'll win an amazing prize. So head on over and enter!

Shred It or Dread It: Update 1

Hmmm... I think my scale lied to my face like it did to Mamalicious a few weeks ago.

My mother-scratcher scale told me I've only lost 4 pounds since I first started Shred It or Dread It about 9 days ago.

I'll admit that I haven't gotten my planned 6 days per week of exercise in, and I certainly haven't managed to keep track of my WW points like I should, although I'm betting most of you figured I'd fall off the wagon in some way. I always shoot big so I if I fail on some of my tasks, some of them still get done and there's some positive-ness to pat myself on the back for.

I've totally succeeded on limiting my alcohol intake to Saturdays (well, there's just been one Saturday, but you bet I drank on it) and so I figured I'd lose a few more than that...... maybe I sabotaged myself on my Saturday off with Slim and Mamalicious? Oh wait, I did have a few beers last Friday on accident.

At any rate, I suppose that's a good start and I still have 6 weeks or so to go to lose the remaining 11 pounds. I'm not sure when I'm going on my trip because I have a terrible memory for things like dates. The hubs asked me last night what day I leave and I told him I'd have to pull out the calendar to check, and damn, it was all the way in the kitchen. Hopefully the girls I'm going with will remind me when it gets close. Surely they'll pick me up on their way to the airport.

Terrible News for Shred It or Dread It

I just found out that Braum's has 9 new flavors, including Light Pomegranate Cheesecake and Pomegranate Sherbet. And I have been told they are fabulous.

This is a problem.

We will be going there after tball tonight I am sure (my car will just veer off the road into the parking lot against my will, definitely) so I will report back on their tastiness tomorrow.

Nutritionally, they are not that bad- 120 and 140 calories respectively for a half-cup, but I'm afraid it will be the re-occurrence of my purchasing that will do me and my desired hot body in.

Notes from School

Note on daily sheet after The Politician's field trip to fire station:

Discuss and practice escape plan for your home. Have a meeting place outside. Remind children not to hide inside. [Stop Drop (cover face) Roll: If you are on fire]

Ah ha. So don't stop drop and roll if you are *not* on fire.....

I don't know why, but that cracked me up!

I'm a Big 'Ole Hick

This morning the kids and I were at an appointment and the doc said something I didn't quite hear.

I said, "Do what now?" and she died laughing.

I guess they don't say that back East.

Giveaway!

I'm hosting an unbelievable giveaway at my review and giveaway site, Sasha Says Giveaway!

First prize is a 16 GB iPod Touch and the runner-up will receive a $50 gift card to Amazon.com!

Check it out......

Hemangioma Revision Update

The Wild Child had her second hemangioma revision surgery in March 2009 and we couldn't be more pleased with the results.

This was before the second surgery

And this is now

We keep it covered with Mepiform Sheeting 24/7 and also go overboard and make her wear a thick white athletic wristband any time she goes outside- so you can see a bit of a tan line- although I promise we use sunscreen! We are supposed to be using the Mepiform for at least 3 months, but I have read about fabulous results for people who have used it for around a year, so we're going to continue using it for now since we have quite a bit left.



Here's an extreme close-up.

If you are new to our story and want to see the progression in pictures, click here.

GDA: Girls Crocs Mary Jane

I just got two pair of Crocs Mary Janes for WC for $9.98 shipped!

They are BOGO free, and you can use code SPRINGCUSTOMER09 for free shipping! Sizes are a little spotty, but hey, it's worth spending some time on since they are so cheap! Happy shopping!

I Am More and More Famous By the Minute

I was invited to guest blog at Ebates, my most favorite site ever, and my post is up today!

You've got to check it out- I posted about a great skincare deal at one of my favorite makeup and beauty sites, Avon.

My Avon rep, Valeri Fournier, is rockin' awesome and always takes good care of me, and I know she'd take good care of you too! Make sure and make her your default rep if you don't already have one. The thing I love about the blogging community is we are so good about taking care of each other. So don't order without a rep- someone should get credit for it! Let's do that for Valeri!

Of course, you also want to make sure you start at Ebates, so you can get 10% back- how great is that? If you aren't already utilizing Ebates, be sure and sign up under me so we can both get $5 when you make your first purchase.

There's a new Avon product I really like- it's so new it wasn't on their site when I created my Ebates post. It's called SpectraColor Lipstick and you use a dial at the bottom to chose your intensity from 1-7. Very cool.


I tried The Berries and it is a great color for me. It's a highly pigmented liquid lipcolor. I didn't notice any running into the lines around my mouth, and as it wore off, it left behind great color, almost like a stain.

What Avon products do you love?

Oh No! Max Factor Kisses America Goodbye per WSJ

I'm getting ready to stockpile my HG mascara, Max Factor's Lash Perfection Volume Couture, because I just read in today's WSJ that P&G is removing Max Factor from US shelves in order to concentrate on CoverGirl. (Do you read WSJ? I absolutely love the Marketplace and Personal Journal sections and scour them for product and marketing news first thing at work every day.)

Wah! This is the absolute best mascara ever... It's currently only available in my area at Wal-Mart. I'm heading there this weekend and buying all the have. I'm gonna look like a crazy lady buying 10 mascaras.

I Am Just Waiting on My Heart Attack

because The Wild Child is sure to give me one some day.

Last night we had been swimming at my ILs house. The kids got out and we got them all dressed and ready for dinner. Of course, at 3.5, WC can't yet swim on her own, so we use a floatation swimsuit and arm floaties as an added measure.

So we're sitting by the pool chatting, and I see WC take off her canvas Crocs and dunk them in the pool. Fab- they'll take 2 days to dry...

Then she walks down to the first step in the pool and sits down. In her clothes. Super.

Then my brother-in-law says, "Can she swim?" just as WC is walking down the steps and completely lets herself go under water.

"Nope." I say as I step towards the pool, prepared to jump in (fully clothed) when I see a little hand emerge out of the water just in time for me to grab it and yank her out.

And she's laughing. Hysterically. She thinks it's a riot and isn't scared at all.

Holy crap. It's a good thing she's such a sweetie so I can forget about being worn slick when she gives me a big hug and a kiss!

Dear Jillian,

Tanner P. is ucky.

Seriously, he has an admitted foot fetish? And that's all he talks about.

I am totally skeeved out. Remember, he's probably toned down since this is national television.

Imagine what he'd be like After the Final Rose. Your toes would never have any peace or privacy.

My advice, no rose for Tanner P. next week. Please. Don't make me listen to the toe licking pantomime anymore.

Lylas,

GDA: Pottery Barn Kids Lunch Totes $5.99 shipped

These cute lunch totes are on sale for $5.99 with free shipping from Pottery Barn Kids. They have boy colors too!

Edit: To get it for $5.99, you have to go to www.potterybarnkids.com and search for item 68-5864715.

A Day at the Farm

Saturday the whole fam damily headed out to the county for a mini college reunion with three of my sorority sisters and their families. We had 8 adults and 9 kids between us. My friend Jodie even had a little boy that is just a few days older than P, and they really hit it off.

We had a ultra fabulous time complete with good food, good beer, and good company!

When we left Sunday morning, P got sad and said, "I'm really going to miss them!"

A little fishin'- P caught this fish by himself

The kids spent most of them time riding in these

pulled by this.

I love love love that we were able to let them pretty much have the run of the place and no was one telling them "No, don't do that!" That's one thing I think we miss living in the city- that freedom that we had as kids in the 70s. I guess there's just too many damn crazy people these days.

The four of us girls all grew up in small towns and we talked a lot about how we all used to ride around in the back of the pickup truck (in town of course). We had a farm outside of town and I have a memory of my dad stopping at the convenience store on the way there and getting a single tall boy beer in a skinny brown paper sack. When he'd get in the car, he'd peel of the pop-tab and drop in down in the beer before he took his first drink. No car seats back then- we'd either be sitting in our dad's lap helping steer, or sitting on the "hump". I think when we were babies they just laid us down in the back seat. Who knows....

Things are so different now. These days we have to watch the kids like hawks and make sure they don't go in the street and get hit by a car or snatched up by a crazy person.

Out at the farm, the worst that could happen is they might get filthy- and they sure did that!

And they are still talking about how much fun they had.

Love to all my girls- can't wait for Mexico next month!

Motto for Summer 2009

Agree?

Just When I Think Things Are Going Well

Last night the Wild Child smashed Slim's little girl's birthday cake.... before the birthday girl had even seen the cake! I was devastated. I was trying to watch her, but I was busy closing all the pizza boxes so she wouldn't mess with the pizza and didn't see her as she pushed down on the top of the box and smashed it into the cake and it picked up all the icing.

I snatched her up and apologized to Slim, and said I had to take her home as punishment. The hubs stayed at the party with The Politician. Getting home was hard- she went into a giant fit complete with hyperventilate-type breathing and I of course was crying myself.

I am just so sad..... why is this so hard?????? Why can't we go to a birthday party and have fun and not have to spend every second watching her so she doesn't do something destructive???????????????

Thanks for listening.

I Had An Anxiety Attack at Sam's

and it wasn't pretty.

WC and I were going to Sam's to pick up snacks for P's t-ball game Thursday: small bottles of G2 and peanut butter crackers (not poisonous!).

I put it in park and no one was parked next to me, so I opened my door and before I knew what was happening a guy in a big truck came out of nowhere and hit my door as he was pulling in.

I won't bore you with all the details, but after he insinuated that it was my fault and starting whipping out his camera phone to take pictures of the damage to his front bumper and acting like I was going to have to pay to fix his truck, I pretty much burst into tears. Of course WC saying "Why'd you hit our car?" alternated with asking the guy "Want a pretzel?" wasn't helping.

Since my anxiety manifests itself with tears and a giant lump in my throat that won't let me speak, I mumbled that I would just have my husband come and handle this. I absolutely suck at confrontation. And the craziest part is I used to be on the debate team- and I was damn good at Lincoln-Douglas!

Of course the fabulous negotiator hubs swooped in and solved the world's problems for me.

I still cried my way through Sam's and the hubs is trying to convince me to have a Mike's Hard Pomegranate Lemonade (thanks Missouri!) to relax, although I am desperately trying to lose 14.6 pounds by my Mexico trip in July, and I just started my dietary restrictions at 1 pm today after Girl's Lunch and I hate to spoil that with alcohol.

Should I have one anyway???????