I declare it Grouchy Day

My great friend Tammy and I are suckers for having a twice yearly garage sale. She has an awesome setup on the highway coming into town with a huge carport. We planned last month to make it official once again and I have been gathering boxes of stuff like crazy, because I can't stand for my house to be overly cluttered, and of course the girls constantly grow out of things. For me it is usually a great day to make a some money to have for back-to-school shopping, and of course getting ready for Tax Free weekend here in Texas.

Here is what I did not count on.
1. The 100+ humid weather with no breeze to be in full effect.
2. That when a garage sale opens at 4:00 pm people will misread the paper all day long starting at 9:30 am
3. That my allergies, lack of sleep, and general cheerful nature would reach it's tolerance in said heat and weather.
4. I can be quite snippy and short with people when I am in a bad mood....case in point:

"What size is this shirt"?
"I don't know lady what does the tag say"?

Yup I said it....and then I was a little stunned with myself, because that is not in my nature.

5.I have learned that so far two aleve does not work to get rid of my headache....not sure if I should go for a third.
6.People will ask take off price tags in hopes that you will not remember the price you put, and will quote them lower.
7. People will steal stuff.....even at a garage sale! Seriously? That is insane people....what does that say about you if something is pretty much dirt cheap and you still steal it?

I am in fact so grouchy that Tammy suggested very nicely that I come in and cool off a bit in the AC, and blog from her computer, but I think she is really afraid I will scare the customers if I stay out there any longer.

Do you eat the Luckies?

A commercial came on the other afternoon for the popular cereal "Lucky Charms", and Rebecca turned to me and said:

"I just don't care for the luckies that much."

Well of course I honestly had no clue what she was talking about. "What are the luckies"?

"You know in that cereal there are the luckies and the charms. I think that luckies taste gross."

****On the verge of hysterical laughter*********

"You mean the cereal part"?

"Yes (in exasperated voice of 11 year old), I just like the charms, and I don't like the luckies at all. Why can't they just have charms cereal?"

I guess they are never to old to be completely cute with their language

The Boyfriend Rules at our House

The curse of having boycrazy girls is that I have actually had to come up with guidelines to address this situation for my 13 and 11 year old. My girls have never not liked boys.....even in kindergarten they were both mooning over someone, that is just part of their character and something I would rather manage then deny completely. In my mind if you deny or ignore the existence of those kinds of feelings than in my experience it happens behind your back and you end up with sneaky children.

Why do I know that....because I was a sneaky girl, and I know how much I hid from my parents and got away with. I don't want my girls to feel like everything they do or feel must be kept in secret or that they should be ashamed of how they feel. So to keep the drama to a minimum we have come up with a few guidelines that we can all agree with until High School when we will reevaluate.

1. The first rule is you may not have a boyfriend that attends your school. this is actually really easy for us because my girls go to a rural country school and all the boys they know there are like brothers to them. This also allows for full and total concentration on school work as the number one priority.

2. To have a social life with boyfriend (like go to football/baseball games or junior high dances) You must have an "A" average on schoolwork. This makes Rebecca have to maintain her grades, and forces Regan to focus on her work and not get distracted.

3. The boy must meet specific standards
-good family
-intelligent
-believes in God and attends church
-kind to others
-good sense of humor
(Rebecca says it helps if they are hot too)

4. If there are plans to meet at the movies with a group then mom gets to go too.

Those are the official Junior High dating rules at my house, and I am so glad we were able to sit down together and come up with rules we can abide by and everyone can live with. It is already looking like my social calendar is about to be filled with Thursday and Friday Night football games and Saturday night movies.....maybe I can change answers on the girls homework and put them into a "B" average.

There I go being sneaky again.

Hippie Rehab Review

This review has actually been a long time coming, but for a very good reason. I wanted to be sure to test the product to the fullest,and check all the claims personally to give you my real opinion, and not a review just based upon a website and hearsay. That being said let me introduce you to Hippie Rehab a kit containing body detox capsules and cellulite cream.
Th creator of Hippie Rehab, Stacy Sparks is just like most of us who have tried diets, exercise, and tried maintaining a healthy lifestyle to no avail. She (just like me) had those wonderful cottage cheese areas that I affectionately call mom skin, but medically the term is cellulite. Here is what Stacy has to say from her site:

The theory behind Hippie Rehabs Lypo-Pallooza Cellulite Treatment is that the body detox (OPENING ACT) will remove harmful toxins from the body, especially the one trapped in the hips, thighs and buttocks. While relieving the fat pockets of toxins and excess fluid from the inside, the all natural cellulite cream (HEADLINER) will go to work on the outside: toning, tightening, and combating the unwanted cellulite.

Not only is Opening Act the only one of its kind on the market, it is full of natural herbs and extracts that have numerous health benefits. The cellulite fighting ingredients in my capsules are the most effective herbs and extracts known to man, but not made by man. They are Mother Nature’s secret to a smooth, sexy and cellulite free body.

As for Headliner Cellulite Cream, only the most powerful, all natural and organic cellulite fighters are present in my treatment.

So for my personal experience. I decided to hold off on this treatment until my girls were both off at summer camp and I had time to see it's effects. the capsules are a little big, but not a big deal and I take two every day. I am a big water drinker anyway, so I have definitely flushed a lot of toxins out of my system. The cream I have been using in the evenings after my shower and targeting my thighs, rear, and in general upper leg regions. After a solid month using this treatment I have to say I really do notice a difference, and honestly I am surprised.

But let me also say, that I have been eating better all summer, and walking in the evenings. Added to that i have swam quite a bit too. There are all kinds of external reasons that my body is in really great condition for the first time in a long time, but i do think that added to all that Hippie Rehab has helped make that difference. I don't want to come off saying that these results would be the same for everyone, but coupled with the fact that I have taken the time this Summer to work on it, and pay attention the cellulite has started to disappear a bit, and my husband says I look hot....who could ask for anything better?

Everbody's Nuts Review and Giveaway

I am a snacker.

Not just now and then between meals, but I mean I would rather snack all day long than sit down and eat three big meals. Luckily I also am not a junk food fiend, and prefer to live a healthy and somewhat junk-free lifestyle. So when I can find filling snacks that meat my requirements of great taste, and good for you too, then I am really one happy camper. My personal favorites are nuts....especially pistachios.

My newest addiction though is to the South of the Border flavor by the people at Everybody's Nuts. They sent me a package to try, and they tasted just like those cheesy triangular corn chips. with just a hint of chili and lime. I didn't find them too spicy at all, and even when I shared them with the kids at day camp, everyone thought they were a tasty treat. the great thing about eating pistachios is that not only are they a great snack, they are also unbelievably good for you. Here are a few of the nutrition facts associated with them.

Pistachios are a good source of fiber and protein which aid in digestion. They are the lowest in calorie of the nut family at only three calories per nut. So you can eat more of them and be healthy, and feel full at the same time.

There is evidence that eating pistachios keeps your heart healthy, because they are rich in antioxidants, amino acids, phytosterols, and heart healthy fats. If you are going to snack and you are in a heart disease rich family like mine, then this is definitely the snack to choose. Each package proudly displays the heart healthy seal of approval.

Want to learn more about the nutrition found in a pistachio? Then read all the research found at pistachiohealth.com

Want to try them for yourselves? Ten winners can receive one bag of their choice of Salt and Pepper flavored pistachios or South of the Border flavored. This giveaway open to United States residents only. it will close at 12:00 pm on August 2nd, 2009. If you enter Anonymously please leave your email address to get in touch with you.

Enter Now
1. mandatory entry: Visit pistachiohealth.com and share with me a healthy fact you learned.
2. Become a follower of my blog or leave me a separate comment letting me know if you already are.
3. Place my button in the sidebar of your blog and leave me a separate comment letting me know
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An Important Lesson I Needed to Learn

This week Regan is at Texas Elks Camp in Gonzales, TX. It is the last of her disability camps that she will attend this summer, and also her own personal favorite. The reason is that this is as close to a "real camp" in her eyes as it can be. That is because there is teen angst and drama, there are cute boys and dances, and no one cares a bit about what your disability is.

This particular camp is unique because it takes in kids of all kinds of disabilities, from ADD and ADHD, to Down Syndrome, and pretty much everything else in between. It will not take any child who can not get around on their own (Regan uses her walker the entire week) or who needs intensive medical care.

Last year Regan came home filled with tales of two boys that liked her, and how one asked her to the dance....then ditched her...then another guy asked her to the dance, but her friend got mad because she liked him. In Regan's world she was living the kind of life she sees on TV, or in her sister's very social world. In my mind.....I just kept obsessing over what disabilities those boys might have, and if she brought home a disabled boyfriend one day....would we be expected to help care for him too?

I know that is insane to think that way, but I just couldn't help it. I let my mind drift into all kinds of scenarios where I would be taking care of not only Regan but her entire family one day and my anxiety reached a whole new level. Finally, after my eyes had finished glazing over after all the dance details had been hashed out for the tenth time or so, I finally got brave enough to ask her.

"Honey, just what kind of disabilities to J and C have"?

"I don't know mom, it never came up".

Well that stopped me in my tracks. I don't know why I assumed that when a camp full of kids of all sorts of disabilities gets together that all they talk about is what is going on with them. I guess because that is what I would discuss with their parents....things like medications, school systems, treatment plans, other summer camps. For the kids though, it is just about camp and enjoying life. They are kids and for a week that is exactly how they are treated.

It was a good lesson for me to learn, and I needed that reminder.

Thanks Regan

Travel with Me a Jet Heads Review

Well it seems like lately we have been traveling like crazy. This past weekend we had a wonderful night out with friends and then traveled to the lake for the weekend. After a fun-filled lake adventure we traveled to take Regan to her third and final camp of the summer. If only I had the time and energy for a real vacation this summer, LOL.

Anyway on Friday evening I was sipping cocktails with my friend Luann who is a flight attendant with a very large company. She is often on international flights and traveling to all sorts of distant locations. Recently she has been to Africa, Ireland, and Germany. I had told her how very much I wished to fly with her and spend some time in all those exotic places that she gets to go to, when she offered me a seat on her flight to Tokyo for a very reduced rate. It sounds like heaven! Also the prefect time for me to take my new travel pillowcases by Travel-With-Me.com.

Did you know how disturbing it is that most airlines do not change those pillowcases on those in flight pillows. Just the thought of all those sick germs and possible (dare I say it?)...lice, just makes my skin crawl. That is just disgusting. An easy way to protect you and your family when you travel this year is just to pack along your very own set of disposable pillowcases. These would be especially nice on those overseas trips. I need to let Luann know I am ready to start saving for a nice week away with her in some exotic location, and luckily I can be assured of being germ free from the airline pillows with these handy little disposable pillowcases.

It is not an Assembly Line Disability

Ever since the article came out about Regan in the local paper, I am hearing all kinds of stories of people who know people with cerebral palsy or are parenting/related to a CP child. The only common thread I can seem to find is that nobody has anything in common. You can imagine how frustrating it is to have a disability that runs the gamut of the spectrum with no cure. This is no cookie cutter CP factory that runs all the kids through it with the same exact problems to the same degree.

Each story is as unique and different as the child it is about. Some children have seizures (we never did), some children have speaking issues, can walk, some drool...you get the picture. It isn't a store where you pick up your CP child and checkout through the POS systems and have your child ready to be treated just like every one else's because just like no two cases of CP are alike....the treatment is different for every child too. As much as I have loved hearing every story and talking with every parent it has made me honestly a little more frustrated that we don't have more in common than having a child with CP.

This week we finally had to deal with Regan and her puberty coming to fruition which I had posted about months ago begging for pleas of advice and help. I combed the Internet looking for solutions for bad fine motor skills and approaching womanhood (to put it delicately). There was nothing to be found, and it was a little depressing. Surely someone else had researched or studied solutions or had ideas. Once again we end up carving our own way, and hope that we can serve as a beacon of light for someone else going through a similar situation looking for answers too.

If you can't tell it has been one of "those" weeks...and we just smile and persevere.

Our Night Under the Big Top

We had the wonderful opportunity yesterday to go see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in one of their new featured productions Over the Top. Coming with me for the evening were of course my girls Regan and Rebecca, and then we brought along one of Rebecca's best friends Kayla. This was the first time any of the girls had ever been to the circus so they were genuinely excited and of course curious to see if it was truly "The greatest show on earth".While we were waiting for the gates to open for the Animal Open House, Kayla and Rebecca decided to entertain the crowd with their own rendition of the "Macarena". It is so funny to have fearless kids who do not get embarrassed

When we went to the animal open house we got to see not only the elephants, but also tigers, horses, llamas, pigs and goats. We had the opportunity to talk to the elephant trainers, and learn a bit about their care. Kayla asked why the elephants had sawdust on their backs, and the trainer told her it was an instinct for the elephants to want to put something on their backs. In the wild it would have been dirt or dust.

One of the other cool things about this part of the evening was that I got to meet up with a fellow mom blogger Crystal and her family. What a great treat to get to swap blog stories and product reviews with someone in person. I wish I would have gotten to hang out with her longer but we were moved on to the next part of the show.
Next we moved on to the All Access Pre-Show. This was the amazing opportunity to get to try on costumes, interact with the performers. It was also my favorite part. We each got to get clown noses and watch several performances up close. The girls sat on motorcycles, watched several mini-shows, and were completely enthralled by the guy walking around on stilts.
After the pre show we found our seats, and enjoyed our night at "The Greatest Show on Earth". Everyone had their favorite performances. Regan really loved anything that involved animals, and Rebecca and Kayla were really excited by daredevil antics. Their favorite was the motorcycle riders in the round cage.
I highly recommend the show to all families for good wholesome entertainment, and remember when to use the special Mom Select discount from my previous post Send in the Clowns

My New Favorite Punishment

All summer I have been working at the gym in the mornings to run day camp. It is a place where older kids who are too old for Daycare, and too young to stay home by themselves can come spend their days. We do all sorts of activities, arts and crafts, movies, and Fridays is a swim day. This is my third year to help with the day camp program and I enjoy it a lot. The same kids have come back year after year and love to spend the days with us. Of course a major plus is that the day contains natural fat burners with all the exercise and constant activity.

On the down side there are the discipline problems. There are your competitive kids, your entitled kids, your daredevils,and you plain monsters who just can't leave anyone alone. For a few of them time-out is not effective so I came up with a new strategy, hand holding. So if a particular child can not behave then he.she earns a spot as my new best friend, and gets to hold my hand for several minutes while I coach. It has turned into the ultimate embarrassment for the boys who are mortified that they might have to hold my hand for a few minutes, and it has helped change many of the problems to non-existent. Who knew I could be such a deterrent?

The first step to Rehab is admitting there is a problem

Okay confession time,
I, Christine, am a reality TV junkie. It is a serious problem that I cannot foresee a cure as long as my curiosity is piqued, and I fall in love with completely moronic characters. Here is my typical TIVO list at any given time:

1. The Amazing Race: If this is on I am watching....I would absolutely love to travel around the world and experience local cultures...especially compliments of ABC.

2. The Bachelor/Bachelorette- I love the idea of people falling inlove and allowing you to watch unfold in front of my eyes....and yes I do know editing makes a huge difference inhow the charcters comea across. On a side note, Jillian how could you get rid of Reid last night....he was the best and so funny and quirky.

3. Tori and Dean: I think Tori Spelling is hysterical, she completely cracks me up and is so refreshingly human to watch with all of her foibles. She is completely my kind of personality.

4. Big Brother: It is a disaster waitingto happen lock 13 people in a house together and watch them disintegerate. It is like watching a car wreck....and if I am truly bored while I work during the day, I will watch Big Bother after dark

5. Anything On BRAVO: This is a staple of my late night television....if it is the Housewives of wherever, NYC Prep (very interesting and disturbing look at teens who feel entitled to everything in life), The Fashion Show, Top Chef Masters, Millionaire Matchmaker, okay to be honest pretty much every evening this channel has something delectable to my senses.

So Yes, I admit I have a problem....anyone else want to join my support group?

Ode to Buccees

All Hail the Beaver on Interstate-10

Our favorite stop on the way to Austin

It is the mecca of rest stops nothing can compare

cleaner restrooms can't be found anywhere

From Beaver Nuggets to Dippin' Dots

Homemade Fudge and coffee that's Hot

Tasty Jerky in Exotic Meats

Fresh Bakery filled with local Texas Treats

Clothing with Beavers of all shape and size

Candles, College stuff even cat supplies

Buccees , Oh Buccees Maker of all things good

The best place on earth for my white trash Food!

OFF! Power Pad Lamp: Review and Giveaway

While it is often nice to know I am loved, I can do without it being from mosquitoes! These pesky critters adore me, and yes I do know it is because I am so sweet, lol. But, I also found out it is really because mosquitoes are attracted to me for several other different reasons according to to the MosquitoMeter Quiz. In the meantime to keep my skin from smelling like pine, and also having welts the size of quarters I am using the OFF! Power Pad Lamp on my back patio. Does it work...Heck Yes, and my skin is proof. We entertained the other night, and I had no bites and wasn't coated in offensive sticky spray to boot. I am a happy camper!

The OFF! Power Pad Lamp can Protect an area up to 15x further than citronella candles or buckets – The heat from the candle activates the repellent pad, releasing proven protection from mosquitoes. In fact, there’s more repelling power in one little pad than 15 citronella buckets combined! Which is approximately the size of my back patio, so perfect.

Refillable – Each candle + pad combo in the OFF! Power Pad Lamp provides up to 4 full hours of protection. Each refill pack contains three pads and three candles, providing up to 12 total hours of repellent per pack. It worked the full length of time that we had friends over for barbecue

Relightable! – The candle and repellent pad of the OFF! Power Pad Lampare designed to work together. So if the candle is extinguished, simply relight the candle to reactivate the repellent pad. When not in use, please follow the proper storage instructions. Prolonged storage of repellent pads in outdoor conditions may decrease effectiveness. Easy to use, and easy to re-use.

Would you like to win your very own OFF! Power Pad Lamp? Thanks to my sponsors at Off and Family Review Network, I have one to give away. This contest is open to United States Residents only, and will close on July 20, 2009 at midnight CST. If you are entering anonymously please attach an email address where you can be reached. The winners are randomly chosen using Random.org.

1. Let me know how you would incorporate the Lamp in your summer outdoors
2. Become a follower of my blog or leave me a separate comment letting me know if you already are.
3. Place my button in the sidebar of your blog and leave me a separate comment letting me know
4. Twitter this post and leave me a copy of your tweet in a separate comment.
5. Add me to your Technorati Favorites
6. Post about this giveaway on website or Facebook and leave me a link to the URL in a separate comment

Send in the Clowns

I have always wanted to take the girls to the circus, and the one thing that has really held me back is Regan's fear of clowns. When she is scared of something she goes into complete freak-out mode and becomes hysterical. Two years ago though she overcame her fear of costumed characters at Disney, and this summer she said "I think I am ready to deal with clowns now, Mom. I know they are just grownups trying to make kids smile". Well this pronouncement brought joy to my heart because Ringling Brothers is coming to Houston next week and I have procured four tickets in the handicapped seating section for us to enjoy. The girls and I will be there on Thursday the 16th, and I can't wait to tell you all about our experiences.

Want to meet us there? Because that would be the coolest!!!!!!!

Mom Central has also shared with us the awesome deal they have FOUR tickets for 44 dollars!

The details on the discounts are as follows:

Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the discount code “MOM” at select ticketing channels. Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Circus Celebrity Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or can be combined with other offers. Other Restrictions May Apply.

Offer #2: A select amount of Front Row and VIP seats have been reserved for you to buy before they go on sale to the public - just enter the code “MOM” when purchasing those seats. Dates and cities where families can use the national MOM discount code this spring are as follows:

Houston
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
July 15-July 26

Anaheim/LA/Ontario
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
July 8-August 2

San Francisco
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
August 12-August 23

Dallas/Ft Worth
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
July 29-August 16

Sacramento
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
August 27-August 30

Kansas City
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
September 16-September 20

Don’t see your city listed? Visit the Ringling Bros. site to find it. You can also visit Ticketmaster to use the 4 tickets for $44 code, MOM.

Camp For All

This Morning we are heading to Burton, Texas to pick up Regan from her 2nd of three summer camps. Camp For All is really special to us because it is the only one of Regan's camps that is especially geared to Cerebral Palsy. In fact they have a different sponsored week every week, but Regan is at Camp Smiles which is sponsored by United Cerebral Palsy.

Camp for all features camps every week that are geared to very specific disabilities. We have a friend who goes for Epilepsy camp, and another friend who volunteers during the cancer camp. It is nice to have a whole week with kids that are just like you, and Regan feels very much at home there. Another thing that is really special for her is that each camper is assigned a special buddy who usually returns every year to be with their camper. Regan has been with Hillary for two years now and they have a very special relationship that continues through emails throughout the year. We just love Hilary and all the love that she gives to Regan for that one week.

Some of the activities that Regan is getting to participate in are swimming, sports, Zip Line, Rock Wall, Camp dance/karaoke, campfire night, photography, and many more. I have missed her a lot this week, but I am happy knowing she is in a safe loving environment.

Anyway, Rebecca and I are about to get on the road, but first I need to slather us with suntan lotion because a lot of packing and traveling takes place out doors there and I do not want to add wrinkle cream to my list of groceries due to all my sun exposure this summer.

By the way....Regan must have had an incredible time this week because we have not heard from her once. No letters to say she missed me. I know it is the sign of a really good time...but really? not one?

Book Review/; The Shack

I have been hearing about "The Shack" for months and have been in on several discussions with friends about how moving and life-changing this book is. Then two weeks ago it was a door prize at my husbands business conference in Houston, and I didn't exactly claw anyone to get to this book.....but it was pretty darn close.

See, I want to feel life changed. I want my earth to be shattered, and every once in a while I need a wake up call. I am happy to say this did all of that. The thing is though, that my friends Cheryl and Christie were both right...everyone who reads it will find their own personal validation and answers to questions they have. It is amazing to me to read something that I want to go back and re-read along with my highlighter to go over passages that were to put it bluntly, incredible.

In the mean time I have loaned it out, and have told several others about it, because when you read something that good it is meant to be shared with others. Did any of you read it? What are your thoughts? ....and, yes, I do know it is a work of fiction but powerful nonetheless.

The mother of a Capri-Sun Thief

Today Rebecca and I were swimming at our good friends up the street. They are very sweet to allow us to use the pool when they are at work during the day. Now a month or so ago Rebecca was also told to feel free to help herself to a drink from the garage fridge if she desired (I was not a part of that particular conversation).

Anyway, today Rebecca and I had a pleasant swim and I was working through my water aerobics (staying fit and avoiding lipofuze, yeah me) when Rebecca excused herself from the water. I automatically assumed she was going to use the pool house bathroom. Not a minute later this ear piercing alarm goes off, and Rebecca comes running from the garage holding a Capri-sun.

Well they had set the alarm system because an expensive motorcycle was sitting in the garage....and my child being the little thief that she is had set it off. So while I awaited the imminent arrival of the police, and called our friends to find out how to turn it off. I was ranting to my teary eyed eleven yr old about stealing drinks from people's fridge was still stealing no matter what!

It was not a fun afternoon.....

Say No to Vacation and Yes to Staycation

With Rebecca and I going earlier this year to Disney, and John Mark having had treks to California and St Louis in the past few months, we have decided not to do a big family vaction this year. So I am in fact doing what millions of others are doing this summer and celebrating with my family by having a Staycation.

To have a succesful Summer Staycation it is important to have a safe and healthy environment. According to a Clorox survey, over 60 percent of the Moms surveyed reported an increase in cleaning around the house as their families now spend more time at home. And, not surprisingly, Moms reported wanting to save time and money for all of this extra cleaning. Mom Central got together with the MommyDocs and came up with a list of Five Tips for Summer Staycations to keep your family safe and your house cleaner during the summer months this year.

Five Tips for Summer Staycations:

Staying Safe at BBQs. According to a recent survey, 70 percent of Moms are cooking more at home and many are likely switching up their meal routine with an outdoor BBQ. Make sure your kids have a safe BBQ experience by keeping them away from the flames and any sharp knives. Also, don't forget to check that your child's hamburger is fully cooked. Always keep a thermometer on hand to be sure all food has reached the appropriate inside temperature.

Keep the Pool Cool and Clean. If your kids love to spend hot afternoons in kiddie pools, you know the importance of cleaning the pool area. Dump out water after each session, and keep the pool clean by disinfecting it with a solution of ¾ cup bleach* to one gallon of water. Don't forget to rinse well and dry thoroughly after each cleaning (never leave any water in the pool). Be sure to always supervise children when they are in or around any water. (* Always remember to read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products)

Staying Healthy and Hydrated. Spending time in the heat means kids will be more prone to becoming dehydrated. Remind kids to take frequent rest/drink breaks in the shade when playing outside and try to avoid activity during peak sun hours. Encourage fluids before, during, and after outside activities.

Having Peace of Mind at Playgrounds. Sometimes just getting out of the house is the best way to keep it clean, but before letting kids loose at the playground, ensure the safety of the equipment. Swing seats and slides can really heat up in the sun – test them out before your kids hop on to avoid burns. Be sure the playground surface is composed of a soft material to help prevent injury. All playground equipment should be routinely checked for any broken or loose parts. As always, adult supervision is a must at all times!

Saving on Spills. Spending extra time around the house, especially with kids, often means more spills to clean up. Synthetic sponges and kitchen cloths can start to smell and carry bacteria, but you don't have to toss them out after a few uses. One option to reduce bacteria is to sanitize sponges and dishrags by soaking them in a bleach solution (¾ cup of bleach* to a gallon of water) for 5 minutes in the sink. Don't forget to rinse and dry when done. A wet sponge can also be microwaved to get rid of bacteria. (* Always remember to read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products)

Anyone else have good tips to make my summer staycation successful? I would love to hear them.

The sight that greeted us when we came home

Well living in a small town has many advantages such as knowing everyone, feeling safe, and a slower lifestyle. The main drawback to my particular small town....

The sucky zoning laws!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, as I have been getting ready to put my house on the market and working for months to fix, clear, and prepare it is all for naught, because as I pulled in the driveway Sunday afternoon the lovely field that is across the street from me now contains this:

What was a lovely view across from my average brick home is now a gutted and re salvaged trailer that I am pretty sure will be a tornado magnet. In one weekend my house and property values just plummeted! So I will no longer be tiling the bathroom, investing in copper sinks, or adding crown molding to two rooms; you know all those little things that ad value to your interior to up the price.....

Nobody will care what is inside my house with what looks like a crack house across the street. Needless to say John Mark is livid, and looking for recourse. UGH!
Any suggestions

A Camp Waldemar Weekend

This weekend we spent a lot of time in Hunt, Texas picking up Rebecca from camp. She had a wonderful month with all of her friends from Camp Waldemar where she has attended for the last three years. We had fun cheering for her tribe the Comanches and were proud to wear orange in support. I had missed Rebecca a lot but no more than Regan did. As soon as my girls saw each other they both were in tears of joy and hugging. It really touched my heart how much my girls genuinely love each other. All weekend Rebecca introduced her friends to Regan , and made sure she felt included in watching field day activities, and hanging out with all the girls. The picture above is Rebecca playing for the Comanche softball team (they won the game against the Aztec). One of my favorite things to see was at the end of the game watching both tribes sing to each other in a show of good sportsmanship and camaraderie. At the end of the session the three tribes gathered (Aztec, Tejas, and Comanche) to see who won the final plaque for overall points for the month. We are thrilled that Comanches are the winning tribe!

It is good to be back from a busy weekend, and really good to have my Becca back with us once again.

Cure for Insomnia

John Mark has been in St. Louis all week, and what that means for me is many sleepless nights. Yes, we have an alarm system so I feel perfectly safe, but the fact that the house just is empty makes me a nervous wreck until i am too tired to care. So for this week I have gone to sleep any where from 12:30-2:30 a.m. and still waking up everyday for daycamp and all my other commitments.

I think my problem is I know I can take something to help me sleep, but sleep medications just make me nervous somehow. In fact almost all medications make me nervous, I think that I have a fear of becoming addicted to things, so I take them in extreme moderation. I know they will do me good, and help heal but I just hesitate. If I have the flu, I wait it out, drink lots of fluids, and sit in steam. If I had something specific or obscure like mesothelioma than I know that a specific Mesothelioma treatment would be recommended. For some reason lack of sleep is one of those things that just doesn't qualify in my mind as medication worthy.

Once again I sit here at 1:00 in the morning and dreading another lack of sleep night. Sunday my sweetheart will be back home with me again and I will be able to sleep again. Let's hope I can function through then.