The lovely folks at Mom Central invited me to be part of the Carefree Ultra Protection Liners blog tour, and I was glad to do it because, well, I’m a woman, I wear pantiliners, and I certainly do have an opinion. But first, I wanted to tell you about a cool giveaway being sponsored by Carefree called the Fresh Start Fund.
The Carefree Fresh Start Fund is aimed at helping women make a fresh start in their lives – including starting a new relationship, changing jobs or even losing a few pounds. The top three finalists with the best plans for a fresh start will receive $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 respectively. The winners also will receive a personal consultation from Ariane de Bonvoisin, change expert and founder of First30Days.com, as well as a three-day/two-night trip to New York City, where they will be honored at the Carefree Fresh Start celebration event, hosted in partnership with Step Up Women’s Network. Seven additional finalists will receive $1,000 to help begin making their fresh start. All in all—a pretty sweet collection of prizes, wouldn’t you say? But, you have to act quickly! The deadline for submissions is July 10, 2009 (P.S., that’s today). Go to the Carefree Web site to apply for funding to make your own fresh start. Go now. Go.
Isn’t making a fresh start in life one of the most uplifting feelings? It’s exciting, scary, invigorating, draining, and empowering—all in one little package. I think the fresh starts that stand out most for me were those I made pursuing my education. By my senior year in high school, I knew that I wanted to have the chance to live somewhere else, even if it was just for the time I was in school. I had a taste of living away the previous summer, and I really liked it. I also knew that I was tired of the cliques and nonsense of high school life (with a few very notable exceptions). I chose to leave the comforts of home and head off to the middle of Indiana where I knew NO ONE. Not a soul. Now, at 18, that’s a bit intimidating. But, it is also the makings of a clean slate. I could be the person I wanted to be, not the shy, geeky, awkward girl that I had become in high school. I took that ball and ran with it, and I am so glad I had that chance. People talk about their “coming of age” and I really do think that spending those years out in the middle of corn fields gave me the chance to make a fresh start in how I defined myself, who I would be as an adult, and how I would approach the world. Did I perfect it during my undergrad years? Heck no. In fact, I know I’m still working on it 20 years later. But I was able to lay the foundation for who I have become, and I am quite pleased with the results.
Ok, guys? Men, I mean? I’m going to talk a little about Carefree, so if talking about lady products makes you squeamish, you’re going to want to stop reading about now.
Ok, gals—I have to tell you about the Ultra Protection Liners. First, I have to say that I love the fact that they are individually wrapped. Totally portable. (Although why is it that no matter how far you push them down in your purse they are right at the top when you open it around other people?) Anyway, I have a bit of a messy purse problem, so wrapping is good. I also noticed on the package that they claim to provide the protection of a pad with the comfort and thinness of a liner. Really? That thin? Cool. In the last couple of weeks while I have given the samples a test run, I have been plagued with a tenacious cough. So, I drink a lot to stop coughing, and then my bladder fills, and then I cough and…well…these suckers are really absorbent! They have that type of compound that transforms into a gelatinous form when wet. So, the liner gets thicker as it absorbs, but it really holds its water (so to speak). I was surprised and impressed. In fact, now that I am at the end of my sample I really need to hit the store because, well, that persistent cough is NOT gone. {ahem}
In the interest of full disclosure, I received a sample box of Carefree Ultra Protection Liners on which to base my review as well as a $20 gift donation certificate to GlobalGiving.com, where I can choose a community-based project to support. I have perused the site and can’t quite decide, but when I do, I’ll let you know and perhaps you can help to make the giving a little bigger.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Beach Bums
I mentioned that we went on vacation a month ago but never followed through with a post, so here is my vacation wrap-up. So you can sleep at night. You're welcome.
I have to admit that I am not a person drawn to a beach vacation. Between the extreme risk for repeated melanoma (I'm not getting linky today, but for those new to the blog, I've had it twice already) and my dislike for hot weather, the beach is just really not my cup of tea. So, of course, we went to the beach. Actually, I did have a say in the location, and a lot of my willingness to hit the sand is all of the great memories I have from beach vacations as a kid. It's a good thing in moderation, and I figured that if we went there early in the season, it would at least remove sweltering temps from the equation. And the sun? Well, that's gonna just shine on whether I like it or not, but a good lathering of SPF50, a beach umbrella, and a snazzy mumu make for some great protection.
I'm so glad we went with the beach because the sand was a HUGE hit. The kids spent hours and hours digging and building and smashing and digging and building and...well, you get the idea. And since they are my kids, they also got a liberal dose of SPF50 and a big ol' umbrella of their own. Of course, this pic reveals my poor mothering skills because one of Gabe's legs is {gasp} in the sun.
Now, the ocean was definitely not a hit. In fact, it was close to the bottom of the list of things the kids wanted to experience. Right after brussels sprouts and showers (they love a bath but flip if you make it a shower). I think it was the strength of the current, because we almost got them in a few times. In fact, I had SC standing with me as a very small wave rolled in and covered our feet and ankles. But, as it went back out, it actually pulled her off of her feet--thankfully I had a good grip on one arm, but it scared the poo out of her. No more ocean after that! SC would happily go to the beach ("Walk by MY SELF") and parade around at will, but she gave the big blue a wide berth.
(Side note: One of the great things about having a girl is giving her my hand-me-downs. That beach cover-up was mine. And, yes, it's unisex, but Gabe wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole.)
We also spent a lot of time doing activities with the National Parks Service. I had no idea that there were so many programs available! In fact, I was so blown away that I wrote a piece on my parenting blog about it. And because we were just south of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, we had access to all of their programming but didn't have enough time to partake. So, I think a return trip is in order. Really, the worst part of the whole adventure was the LONG drive to get there and back (14 hours each way), but for the level of relaxation, kid-friendly activities, and generally beautiful surroundings, it was well worth it.
I have to admit that I am not a person drawn to a beach vacation. Between the extreme risk for repeated melanoma (I'm not getting linky today, but for those new to the blog, I've had it twice already) and my dislike for hot weather, the beach is just really not my cup of tea. So, of course, we went to the beach. Actually, I did have a say in the location, and a lot of my willingness to hit the sand is all of the great memories I have from beach vacations as a kid. It's a good thing in moderation, and I figured that if we went there early in the season, it would at least remove sweltering temps from the equation. And the sun? Well, that's gonna just shine on whether I like it or not, but a good lathering of SPF50, a beach umbrella, and a snazzy mumu make for some great protection.
I'm so glad we went with the beach because the sand was a HUGE hit. The kids spent hours and hours digging and building and smashing and digging and building and...well, you get the idea. And since they are my kids, they also got a liberal dose of SPF50 and a big ol' umbrella of their own. Of course, this pic reveals my poor mothering skills because one of Gabe's legs is {gasp} in the sun.
Now, the ocean was definitely not a hit. In fact, it was close to the bottom of the list of things the kids wanted to experience. Right after brussels sprouts and showers (they love a bath but flip if you make it a shower). I think it was the strength of the current, because we almost got them in a few times. In fact, I had SC standing with me as a very small wave rolled in and covered our feet and ankles. But, as it went back out, it actually pulled her off of her feet--thankfully I had a good grip on one arm, but it scared the poo out of her. No more ocean after that! SC would happily go to the beach ("Walk by MY SELF") and parade around at will, but she gave the big blue a wide berth.
(Side note: One of the great things about having a girl is giving her my hand-me-downs. That beach cover-up was mine. And, yes, it's unisex, but Gabe wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole.)We also spent a lot of time doing activities with the National Parks Service. I had no idea that there were so many programs available! In fact, I was so blown away that I wrote a piece on my parenting blog about it. And because we were just south of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, we had access to all of their programming but didn't have enough time to partake. So, I think a return trip is in order. Really, the worst part of the whole adventure was the LONG drive to get there and back (14 hours each way), but for the level of relaxation, kid-friendly activities, and generally beautiful surroundings, it was well worth it.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Back in Service
Wow--it's amazing what a bit of scrambling to finish work before a vacation--followed by said vacation--followed by catching up on work that piled up while you were gone will really eat into blogging time. Sheesh!
But, first things first--NO SURGERY for Mr. Moo. Yay and yay. I guess I should have posted that long ago even if it was just that, huh? Bad blogger. Bad. Now, we will go back for a thorough appointment in a year, but everything we saw this year points to a treatment of leave-it-alone-already.
I promise (no really) to update more soon and tell you about our week at the beach. I loved it, and I am really not a beach person. Really.
But, first things first--NO SURGERY for Mr. Moo. Yay and yay. I guess I should have posted that long ago even if it was just that, huh? Bad blogger. Bad. Now, we will go back for a thorough appointment in a year, but everything we saw this year points to a treatment of leave-it-alone-already.
I promise (no really) to update more soon and tell you about our week at the beach. I loved it, and I am really not a beach person. Really.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Fore!
I am not a golfer—never have been, don’t expect that I ever will be. But for some reason as I was thinking of a way to compose this post, the interjection, “Fore!” jumped into my head as a summary of the holding pattern I find our lives in at the moment.
Golfers will yell “Fore!” because it sounds a lot nicer than, “Hey you! I’m sending a hard round object in your direction so you might want to pay attention in case your head manages to intercept its path,” or some similar sentiment. I guess they could also yell, “Yo!” or “Ho!” or any other attention getting phrase (Except “Fire!” That one would probably only cause confusion on a golf course.).
But I digress.
Right now I feel like the Universe has just yelled, “Fore!” and I’m sitting here waiting to see whether I’m going to get beaned in the noggin or the impending strike will miss me entirely. What the hell am I talking about? Well, tomorrow morning we go for Mr. Moo’s annual cardiology appointment, which is normally not more than a blip on our radar. We go in, the nurse does a little EKG action and praises Mr. Moo for not fidgeting at all, and then the doctor comes in, takes a listen (usually has a few med students take a listen, too) and then we’re on our way. Easy breezy.
For those feeling like you are coming in at mid-story with no idea what the heck I am talking about, you’re not confused. Really. I just never posted about Mr. Moo having a ventral septal defect (VSD) because it was so small and so innocuous that it was hardly worth mentioning. In fact, I thought about it so little that I would forget to tell doctors that had never seen him before and only remember when they got an alarmed look on their face while doing an exam (physics lesson—liquid passing through a small hole causes a LOT of turbulence, so you can both feel the vibrations if you touch his chest as well as hear a loud WHOOSH WHOOSH if you put your ear to his heart—no fancy medical listening devices needed).
Anyway, last year at our easy breezy appointment, the extra test du jour was a chest x-ray (the previous year it had been an hour-long echocardiogram—whee!). No one expected to see anything of note, but as it turns out, Mr. Moo’s heart had become larger. When the doctor told us, I almost choked because only a few weeks earlier, our friends had lost their child unexpectedly, and one of the things found at autopsy was an enlarged heart. I think the doctor saw my panicked look because he calmly told us that what he would like to do is wait until this year’s appointment to make a decision on how to proceed. In explaining further, he said that if his heart gets any larger (and for the life of me I can’t remember if it was also that if it didn’t get smaller, sang the blues, or a number of other idiosyncrasies) they would have to repair the hole. Small hole. Should be simple. But the location combined with the design of the heart means that repair involves open heart surgery and heart-bypass machines. None of which you want to use in reference to your just-turned-four-years-old little boy.
I expect that we will have an answer before we leave the appointment tomorrow, so I’ll know in less than 24-hours whether the Universe has clocked me a good one. But in the meantime, we just sit in our little corner and wait. And I may obsess a bit, so if I seem distracted, you’ll know why.
Golfers will yell “Fore!” because it sounds a lot nicer than, “Hey you! I’m sending a hard round object in your direction so you might want to pay attention in case your head manages to intercept its path,” or some similar sentiment. I guess they could also yell, “Yo!” or “Ho!” or any other attention getting phrase (Except “Fire!” That one would probably only cause confusion on a golf course.).
But I digress.
Right now I feel like the Universe has just yelled, “Fore!” and I’m sitting here waiting to see whether I’m going to get beaned in the noggin or the impending strike will miss me entirely. What the hell am I talking about? Well, tomorrow morning we go for Mr. Moo’s annual cardiology appointment, which is normally not more than a blip on our radar. We go in, the nurse does a little EKG action and praises Mr. Moo for not fidgeting at all, and then the doctor comes in, takes a listen (usually has a few med students take a listen, too) and then we’re on our way. Easy breezy.
For those feeling like you are coming in at mid-story with no idea what the heck I am talking about, you’re not confused. Really. I just never posted about Mr. Moo having a ventral septal defect (VSD) because it was so small and so innocuous that it was hardly worth mentioning. In fact, I thought about it so little that I would forget to tell doctors that had never seen him before and only remember when they got an alarmed look on their face while doing an exam (physics lesson—liquid passing through a small hole causes a LOT of turbulence, so you can both feel the vibrations if you touch his chest as well as hear a loud WHOOSH WHOOSH if you put your ear to his heart—no fancy medical listening devices needed).
Anyway, last year at our easy breezy appointment, the extra test du jour was a chest x-ray (the previous year it had been an hour-long echocardiogram—whee!). No one expected to see anything of note, but as it turns out, Mr. Moo’s heart had become larger. When the doctor told us, I almost choked because only a few weeks earlier, our friends had lost their child unexpectedly, and one of the things found at autopsy was an enlarged heart. I think the doctor saw my panicked look because he calmly told us that what he would like to do is wait until this year’s appointment to make a decision on how to proceed. In explaining further, he said that if his heart gets any larger (and for the life of me I can’t remember if it was also that if it didn’t get smaller, sang the blues, or a number of other idiosyncrasies) they would have to repair the hole. Small hole. Should be simple. But the location combined with the design of the heart means that repair involves open heart surgery and heart-bypass machines. None of which you want to use in reference to your just-turned-four-years-old little boy.
I expect that we will have an answer before we leave the appointment tomorrow, so I’ll know in less than 24-hours whether the Universe has clocked me a good one. But in the meantime, we just sit in our little corner and wait. And I may obsess a bit, so if I seem distracted, you’ll know why.
Friday, May 08, 2009
My new BFF!
This woman, this Alice...she gets me. She really gets me. From her pearls of wisdom circa Monday:
"It's so humiliating, being such an emotional slave to one's hormonal cycles. I woke up this morning and I was all, wait, why is the world a terrible place all of a sudden? Then I looked at the calendar and realized what was up. This is an improvement on my usual routine, which is to cry and rage and have no idea why until I get my period. I am almost 40, people, you would think I would have this figured out by now. And yet, every month, I'm pissy and weepy and my husband has to point out to me what's going on and then I have to kill him."
First, the scary moment where I grab the tinfoil and wonder how she got into my head and stole my thoughts. Then, the realization that she is just that good. Then the origins of my genious plan where she becomes my BFF. For real! It will be Teh Awesome.
Hi Alice! {waving frantically} I have choooooocolate for yoooooou...
"It's so humiliating, being such an emotional slave to one's hormonal cycles. I woke up this morning and I was all, wait, why is the world a terrible place all of a sudden? Then I looked at the calendar and realized what was up. This is an improvement on my usual routine, which is to cry and rage and have no idea why until I get my period. I am almost 40, people, you would think I would have this figured out by now. And yet, every month, I'm pissy and weepy and my husband has to point out to me what's going on and then I have to kill him."
First, the scary moment where I grab the tinfoil and wonder how she got into my head and stole my thoughts. Then, the realization that she is just that good. Then the origins of my genious plan where she becomes my BFF. For real! It will be Teh Awesome.
Hi Alice! {waving frantically} I have choooooocolate for yoooooou...
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