Squeaky Clean Giveaway!

This is Rachael, everyone say, "Hi, Rachael!"

Rachael makes darling soaps and stuff.  The "stuff" is things like face scrubbies, designer oilcloth gloves and dish towels.  Find her here on etsy.

But the coolest part about Rachael is that (not only is she part of my family) but she's doing a giveaway if you hurry!  She is featured on Poppies at Play today so click on that link <--- back there and find out how easy it is to win FREE HANDMADE SOAP PLUS (yes people, a PLUS!) A FREE FACE SCRUBBY (seriously, go check out the colors on the scrubbies, you'll want to buy all of them up just to give as gifts to all your coolest BFF's)!!!

Hurry, winner is chosen March 4th, Good Luck!

Sleepy Time

How sweet is this?  Little R apparently was overly tired and fell asleep in the rocker with Baby R's help.  I found them both like this and had to capture it.

If you are wondering why Baby R is wearing a bib, she's obsessed with them lately and usually is wearing 4 or 5....at the same time. 

*$$$$*

Recognize this place?

Or this?

What about this?

My dream is to take my kids on an amazing Disney World vacation.  We've taken them to Disneyland, but truly, if you've never been to Disney World, you need to go.  It's much much more amazing than Disneyland (albeit fun, just not the same).  So, for fun, I pretended that money was no object and priced out the most amazing villa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (shown above), then moved onto park tickets and "extras".  This is how the mock spreadsheet turned out:

7 nights Villa (3 bedrooms, full kitchen & washer/dryer) with Savannah view (giraffes and elephants roaming outside our window = AWESOME!: $16.023.43

7 day Magic Your Way package (tickets/Dining): $4,690.00

*extra*Nascar Experience: $4,198.00 (adults only-so 2 tickets)

*extra* La Nouba: $510.16

*extra* Souvenirs: $1000.00 (purely a guess as I don't for sure know) 

TOTAL: $26,421.59+ (I say, "plus" only because souvenirs could go well beyond the $1000).

That price is a little scary don't you think?  If I was made of money, no big deal but I guarantee Mr. D would say, "  ".  Yeah, nothing but a concerned eye would flash my way as if to say, "you're dreaming lady".

I've obviously spent many a vacations at Disney World and know how to book a trip like a pro so technically I could get that bill down to a fraction of that price but it's always nice to dream right?

It's a mouthful alright!

Like to eat out with your kids?  A little Cheesecake Factory perhaps?  Guess what you are allowing your innocent, precious child to consume......any guesses?  Take a bite of this and see how you feel about how you are treating the health of your own beautiful child:

The above child's meal (Kid's Pasta w/Alfredo sauce) has:

 1,803 calories

                                                                   86 g saturated fat
                                                                   876 mg sodium
                                                                   70 g carbohydrates
 
There is a "COMMA" in that calorie intake, did you catch that?  Look at the saturated fat content!  That is more saturated fat than an adult should consume in one week!!  Worse yet, the small pasta bowl has more calories than if you were to allow your child to eat over 40 chicken McNuggets!                                                            
 
Did you want your child to become obese, develop heart disease and become diabetic or develop cancer?  Feed your kids like this and your bill will become hundreds of thousands of dollars to care for your ailing child that you made sick.
 
Bottom line, watch what you feed your kids, learn to read ingredients and what constitutes a portion size.  You'll feel better about being the best parent you can be and knowing you've passed along knowledge about how to eat right.
 
Need help knowing how to read a label or how to make your child's favorite dinner in a healthier way?  Ask me, I'm an expert, I feed my kids cleanly and can make anything you can, in a healthier way.

Smack me, I'm in LOVE!

 OHHHH....Baby!  I am so super stoked about my latest find!  I'm a huge fan of LUSH bath products.  I'm lucky enough to have a LUSH counter at my local Macy's department store, but for those of you who aren't so fortunate, the internet is your best friend starting TODAY! 

Let me introduce you to Emotibombs...

"Too Drunk".  This is by far my favorite of the three scents.  Awesome if you need a "pick-me-up" or if you are suffering from a cold.  Made of peppermint and fennel oils.  The colored dot, it's chocolate (I don't know if I'd eat it, although edible if you so desire).

"Up You Gets" (or as I like to call it, "up SHE gets").  Perfect to get you in a happy mood!  Made of lime and grapefruit oils. 

And lastly, "Sex in the Shower".  This just plain smells pretty.  Made of jasmine, rose and ginger oils.

For those of you who aren't "bath" people, you are in luck!  These Emotibombs give you a spa like experience but, IN THE SHOWER!!  That's right, you just have to stand there and let the essence of scent surround you.

How they work:  **For a lighter scent, break your favorite one in half, if you like to go bold, use the whole thing.

1: Drop it at the base of your shower where the warm water will hit it.

2: watch it fizz, then kick it to the side.

3: The Emotibomb will release an amazing aromatherapy that mixes with the steam and creates a zen den in your shower.

I promise, you will not be disappointed!  Log on or find your local LUSH retailer asap!

OvO!

This past Saturday Mr. D and I finally got to see the long awaited, OvO!  We have been hooked on Cirque du Soleil shows ever since we saw La Nouba in Florida on our honeymoon.  If OvO comes to your area, this one is definitely a MUST SEE!  I loved it from the second it started!  If you aren't familiar with Cirque shows, you need to check them out!  All throughout OvO I just kept saying, "insane".  Amazing people put their bodies through amazing feats.  It definitely is a reminder that you can do anything you put your mind to!

I'm not big into seeing music concerts but stick me in the best seats at a theatrical performance and I'm fulfilled.  Art speaks to me.  This song never gets old to me, it's from their show, Alegría.  

Fabulous weekend, thanks Mr. D!  Hopefully we will get to Las Vegas before too long to see, O, The Beatles, Zumanity and the new Criss Angel!  Makes me excited just thinking about it!

Head? Meet Air!!

  Remember last weeks list that was so overwhelming?  Well, due to the weather and 4 days of school cancellations and many things getting moved to this week, I'm happy to say, I CAN BREATHE AGAIN!!!

I finished everything on my list except for a school meeting that has yet to be rescheduled so I'm feeling pretty good, I have space, I have elbow room, I have an inner calm again.

But can I back up for a moment?  As I was sprinting this marathon of a to-do-list, it kept popping into my head, how do working moms manage these types of hectic schedules?  Seriously, how do they do it?  I'm extremely fortunate not having to work but wow, if I had a job, I feel I would never have been able to accomplish everything on that list...on time.

So, are you a working mom (or have been for that matter)? Will you tell me how you organize your life in such a way that everything still gets done?  I think I need to learn something from you ladies.  Please post a comment or write on your own blog so we can all benefit from your knowledge of how to work, run a house and still find time for yourself. 

Thank you!

From Cow to Earth

Well fellow readers, the man I live with did it, he went vegetarian for a full 30 days.  Don't get confused with Vegan, that's a whole other ballgame, baby cakes.  I did officially congratulate him as he sat through many business lunches at famed steak houses or fish markets and didn't order a single animal.  Did he starve you ask?  Nope, he realized that there is quite a lot of options for the vegetable savvy individual.  He realized that ordering the ham/chicken/shrimp fried rice at his favorite Thai restaurant actually didn't taste any different when he ordered the vegetable fried rice, and do I dare say it...he actually liked it better!  So, in case you are wondering how I was able to get him to give up his 14 oz. steak and lobster meal you should know that I had nothing to do with it.  It's true, it was all his idea, I just fully supported him in doing it.

So what happened while being a vegetarian in Mr. D's world:

1: The rot gut and stomach cramps were no longer.

2: Feeling sluggish, yep, gone too.

3: Blaming his mood on work-nope, it was the animals.

4: Never felt like moving (aka exercise)- hey, the blood came back!  In fact, he has been working out with me in the early a.m. 6 days a week for the last two weeks!

4: Mental blocks -the brain is re-connected (I'd get into the whole gut/brain thing here but I'll spare you this one time).

5: A realization that there is a reason why meat should be partaken of sparingly.

Is he staying vegetarian after this experiment?  No.  He says he'll still eat meat, but definitely cut the red meat consumption WAYY back and eat more fish, chicken and turkey (no pork, never eat pork, I'll spare you this lesson too for today).  He says that he'll only consume meat 3 times per week now.

I myself am glad he did this, because now when we go out to eat and I order vegetarian I won't get negative responses out of his pie hole.  I think the peanut gallery is officially closed.

Way to go Mr. D! 

One last note-No, he did not lose weight solely because he became addicted to the wonderful vegan cakes, brownies and ice-cream parfaits at Whole Foods;)  They are mighty tasty!  Cheers to Mother Earth!