Moms

My husband is having a stressful week. I think he’s over-analyzing a situation and has nothing to worry about, and he thinks I’m glib and annoying. Toe-MAY-toe, toe-MAH-toe. The problem is that when you’ve been with someone for 18 years (our relationship is officially an adult!) their pain becomes your pain; it’s like you’re stressed-out by proxy, but in our case my husband is feeling queasy and I am eating all the guacamole. I have some experience with this anxiety stuff. Just ask my fingernails, my waistline, and my bar bill. What I don’t have experience with is someone I love going through it. I talk to strangers all day long for a living, but I have no idea what to say to my soul-mate other than, “Pass the chips.” What I cling to is knowing that the most horrible, poop-inducing, anxiety-ridden moments of my life resulted in something great. Two premature births, all of my son’s surgeries, and speaking at a keynote in front of roughly 4,000 people stand out in my mind, but they were all necessary and wonderful in the grand scheme of things. Shaking Like a Leaf at the Voices of the Year Community Keynote, BlogHer ’11 These events have taught me one very important lesson; good stuff happens to those who don’t die of dehydration from their nervous poops. So, see? I am not glib. I put forethought into donning my rose-colored glasses. Even if my husband wants nothing more than to rip them off my face and throw them into the street.

I’m trying out a bit of a new thing today, so would be interested to know what you think and if you’d like to see more. I don’t host a lot of video on my site, but when Beauty and the Boutique approached me to see if I wanted to work together, I had a look and really liked the natural, accessible style of their videos. Plus doesn’t Katie have amazing white teeth?? I was hypnotised. So, hands up who wakes up in the morning wishing for a less ‘mother of young children’ type complexion, not to mention a little help with the dark circles? If you’re hand is up, then read on. My first video from Katie, who is a professional make-up artist, stylist and founder of the awesome fashion and beauty online store that is Beauty and the Boutique, is all about improving your complexion. It also demonstrates what happens if you bring a cat to work with you. If you like the look of Katie’s secret weapon for creating a complexion to die for – the 3 Custom Colour concealer palette – you can click here to view it in-store. Katie has searched the globe for those special one off style pieces and amazing beauty solutions that promise to enhance your own unique sense of style and everything you see in store has been personally chosen by Katie. If you’d like to see more from Katie, let me know!  The post Amazing concealer tricks to transform a tired complexion appeared first on Slummy single mummy.

This post has been sponsored by Evolve Media on behalf of Seventh Generation Diapers. All opinions listed are my own. When my kids were little, I only used one name brand of diaper. Honestly, it was the only brand I trusted. I had heard so many horror stories about the other brands and how my friend’s children had suffered severe diaper rashes and more. I did not want my kids to go through that, so I made sure to use something that I knew and trusted. There was no other brand for me at that time. Now — if Seventh Generation Diapers had been around when my kids were little, I would have made the switch without even thinking twice. Seventh Generation’s newest diapers are helping the toxin-free generation go au natural. Incredibly absorbent and naturally kind, they are free from fragrances, chlorine-processing, and conventions. They make childhood an incredibly joyful place to be. Watch this video to learn more about the Au Natural! These diapers are Designed to be Kind™ to baby’s sensitive skin, with everything you need in a diaper and nothing you don’t. Seventh Generation diapers are made with chlorine-free processing and fragrance free material and are incredibly absorbent and naturally kind.  To learn more  about Seventh Generation Diapers, be sure to visit: www.toxinfreegeneration.com So — as a mom — answer this question for me: Have there ever been products in your life that you loved more than any other because of the great benefit they had for your family? We would love to hear your thoughts!

I have received this same prize package to thank me for sharing this information and giveaway with you. All opinions are mine and mine alone. Living in rural Vermont, I love spending time enjoying nature.  We have have two acres of mostly wooded property and I cannot imagine living anywhere that didn’t allow me to enjoy the woods.  A world that isn’t filled with trees is not a place that I’d like to live. One of the reasons that I try to recycle and make eco-friendly choices is to lessen my impact on the world around me. All of the paper, wood and cardboard products that surround us in our homes and businesses come from trees.  We need to give back and protect those trees to make sure future generations can still enjoy them. Image provided by sponsor Help Plant Trees Like the Lorax in that famous Dr. Seuss movie, you need to speak for the trees.  Think about your choices when you make them and consider planting a tree on your property for future generations to enjoy.  That isn’t all you can do to help, though. Since 2008, Odwalla has donated $550,000 worth of trees through its Plant-A-Tree initiative. New for this year, Odwalla has teamed up with The Nature Conservancy’s All Hands on Earth campaign to plant up to 100,000 trees in 2013. To celebrate the Plant-A-Tree initiative, now through the end of May, fans can create their own virtual Odwalla tree at Odwalla.com and be eligible to take home a $10,000 gift card and a year’s worth of Odwalla beverages and bars. Plus, each fan who registers and creates their tree will receive an Odwalla coupon and the opportunity to share one with a friend. I absolutely love Odwalla products and if you do too, you’ll want to enter this giveaway. One of my lucky readers will win an Odwalla Goodness Package, filled with bars, coupons, a t-shirt, tote bag and sunglasses as pictured below. Image provided by sponsor a Rafflecopter giveaway I have received this same prize package to thank me for sharing this information and giveaway with you. All opinions are mine and mine alone. The post Help Plant Trees & Odwalla Goodness Package Giveaway appeared first on Confessions of an Overworked Mom.

When you’ve got a seven year age gap between your kids it can be hard to find something that the whole family want to do. I can say from experience that teenagers absolutely do not see the same attraction in soft play as five years olds. I can’t think why. Who doesn’t enjoy sharing a ball pit with half eaten cheesy puffs and sticky toddlers in a characterless, echoey warehouse? I know I can think of barely a thousand or so things I’d rather do. Bee never really bites my hand off when I ask if she wants to stay with me and Belle in a caravan for the weekend either. Finally though, we have found A Thing! A day out that all four of us are happy to go on – a day out to Thorpe Park. I say all four of us, I will probably be taking more of a strategic role, holding the coats and snacks and taking pictures, as I’m not exactly a rollercoaster fan. It’s not that I’m scared, it’s just that, well, *cough*, they are really high up aren’t they? And they go upside down! That can’t be natural. Boyfriend, Bee and Belle are all big fans though, and I am very happy to watch and bask in the joy of an activity they all enjoy. I’ve never been to Thorpe Park before, but looking at the pictures I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a big hit: Colossus Nemesis Inferno The Swarm We’ve got to wait until the summer for a weekend when we’re all free, but if you fancy a trip to Thorpe Park this half term here are a few facts you may not have known about the theme park now acknowledged as the nation’s Thrill Capital: There are plenty of rides that all the family can enjoy, such as Zodiac and manic carpet ride Quantum as well as the Flying Fish If your kids are after something a little edgier, and if they’re 1m or taller, they can experience the thrill of the newly refurbished X, an illuminated ride through dynamic coloured lighting For extreme thrills, older children over 1.4m can now brave it backwards on the Swarm! Book tickets 7 days or more in advance to save 30% – adults from £30.24, children from £23.52 (under 12). Or even better…buy a bottle of Frijj and you can benefit from 2-for-1 entry at the park! Head over to Frijj on Facebook to find out more. Feel like one day isn’t enough? We now offer over-night stays at the park in our newly opened ‘Crash Pad’ accommodation from £64 per person which includes 2 days at the park and breakfast For more information visit thorpepark.com. The post Planning a visit to Thorpe Park appeared first on Slummy single mummy.

Jennifer here to share with you about a brand new frying pan that I just discovered. We were sent an item to review and one to giveaway, however all opinions listed are totally my own. I love to cook. It is my second passion next to writing. However, my cookware at home is only about 15 years old. Yes, I know I should probably invest in new cookware. I have just been super lazy about it. There are certain pieces I am looking for, and I just don’t want to settle for just any old piece. When we were contacted at the beginning of May about a cast iron skillet that makes cooking a breeze, I was very intrigued. I had to check it out for myself and just see if this pan was as good as they were claiming it to be. My husband LOVES this pan, and frankly, so do I! This pan has been used so far to cook bacon, sausage, fried potatoes, make gravy, and scrambled eggs. I have used every utensil known to man (some of them metal) and it has not left one scratch on. I love how even everything cooks. I guess it is true — when it comes to cooking utensils, you get what you pay for — and this is one of those pieces that will forever be my favorite. About the Technique 3 Quart 11″ Lightweight Cast Iron Open Everyday Pan The Technique 3 Quart 11″ Lightweight Cast Iron Open Everyday Pan is coated with DuPont™ Teflon® Scratchguard Ultra, so it is safe to use with metal utensils. Some additional benefits include even and energy efficient heating; all the benefits of easy cleanup; it’s dishwasher safe; and it’s available in 3 colors (not to mention it has a 5-star rating on QVC J). Did You Know that May is also National Egg Month? Fresh eggs are one of the best sources of protein and healthy nutrients, and one of the most versatile foods available for any cook – from fried eggs and omelets to eggs benedict and frittatas. But no matter which way you choose to cook your eggs, cookware with Teflon® nonstick coatings will ensure even cooking and delivery of eggs — wholly and gracefully — from pan to plate. This pan makes THE best scrambled eggs — and cleanup is a breeze. No scraping or scrubbing. You simply just wipe it out. Nothing sticks. #TeflonEggMonth Facebook Sweepstakes Right now, Teflon has a great Facebook Sweepstakes going on. Fill out the form on their facebook page for the chance to be one of the lucky National Egg Month DAILY PRIZE winners. Enter to win one of the larger weekly prizes, including a kitchen egg kit or an iPad Mini, by referring five or more friends throughout the month of May. Good luck and remember, nothing messes with the Teflon® brand! Enter to win One of our readers are going to get the chance to win one of the Teflon RED cast iron pans. Use the Rafflecopter form to enter this giveaway. New to Rafflecopter? Watch this 45-second video on how to enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway What would you fix if you had this awesome cast iron pan?

Or "Life is Pain, Highness", from one of my favorite movies, but then you might think that I'm equating myself with royalty and I just don't need that heartache today. I updated my personal Facebook page last night with this: I got some really, really good news about two of my kids today. Despite it being a very trying, somewhat stressful day - it was nice stuff to hear. My oldest daughter was one of only 6 (or 8, I can't remember and I want to get this posted while it's fresh in my mind) in her senior class to be called back for her Senior Project Presentation. The entire class presented, and a select few are called back - it's kind of like moving to the second round, and the top people get a "Best of" award. It's a HUGE honor, and the Senior Project has been kicking her butt - so the opportunity to present to be picked as a presenter - well, it's enormous.   My kid who has struggled with school since, well, several years now - the kid who has learning disabilities and self esteem issues and anxiety - we got some testing results that show that the kid is really very, very smart. Like, up there smart. So the school issues aren't because said kid is not smart - but true learning difficulties. Those numbers, well, they blew my mind away. I wish I could share with you - but trust me when I say that they were really UP THERE. And yesterday WAS a trying day. I worked, and dealt with some stressful issues. (And? I am SUPER HAPPY to have a job and I LURVE my job and it's MORE STRESSFUL if I don't work because I'm broke, so I'll go with the stress of working, thank you so very much - and I'm SUPER LUCKY to work from home. LOVE my job.) It's been raining almost every day - and I'm super thankful that we aren't dealing with tornados and damage - but it's still thunderstorms and flooding rain and wet and my kids are beginning to go a little stir crazy. I have two ill extended family members and I was dealing with one issue yesterday for an extended length of time, we needed groceries, my husband had several issues that were the MOST IMPORTANT THING ON MY PLATE, (sarcasm, thy name is mine), and I was still working at 10:30 last night. In fact, I worked until the time my husband came home from work - and past it. Remember - I'm doing the parenting stuff alone at night, guys. I'm doing dinner and homework and medications and prayers and bedtime routines without another adult as back up. And yes, some of my kids are bigger - but bigger doesn't mean that there is any less drama/stress/discussion going on. There's probably more, as a matter of fact. But, by putting that on my Facebook - well, apparently, I was engaging in "The Drama". In fact, the comment was made that my posts on Facebook - and, I guess, by extension, here - are always full OF DRAMA. Just sayin'. A helpful sort, my Facebook commenter. And I didn't really think that comment was all that dramatic, particularly. I could have said - and have - a whole lot worse. This time of year always kicks my butt. Two band concerts, end of golf season party, end of soccer season party, tournaments, major fourth grade project, last minute third grade project, Opera concert with resultant evening practices, graduation practice, grad party to plan, exams, standardized testing. March, April and May were especially brutal for my kids in terms of asthma. Five of them have asthma. FIVE. We had four courses of steroids, 6 doctor visits, and untold nights of coughing. One's eczema went beserk. One of my kids had frickin' CROUP. We had allergy panel testing and food challenges. I've been one of the transporters for the sick family members to doctor appointments - and I'm happy to do it, don't you dare try to make it otherwise - I've made jam and bread and cookies and hello, dinner every night, made sure that the kitchen was stocked, the wash done (and the wash level for 8 people is absurd), the garden taken care of, the homework done, the toilets defunked, the walls wiped down, the fl

This guest post was submitted by Hampshire Attractions. In my mind, I have a kind of idealized version of our family days out – we will be strolling along in glorious sunshine, licking ice cream cones, laughing as the children play merrily and probably all wearing pristine white clothes. That’s what you see in holiday brochures, right? It’s kind of implanted itself in my brain. But the reality is quite a long way away from that. We’ve had meltdowns at the zoo, we’ve had to leave the theater early, there was an incident at a local play zone that I can only now start to think about. Seriously — it involved pre-schooler nudity — that is all you need to know. In other words, we haven’t yet mastered the perfect family day out. But we have learned some tricks along the way which, hopefully, make it easier. Here are 5 of those tricks. 1) Be prepared for anything Think ahead about what the day might involve. Where are you going to eat? Do the kids need snacks? Will they get muddy and need fresh clothes? We’re planning a trip to Peppa Pig World in Hampshire, where they have an exciting looking water play area. I love water play, but it requires another level of packing – wet suits, towels, change of clothes all round. It is definitely worth being prepared for anything and water and snacks are essential if you’re going somewhere that will charge premium prices for those things or not have any amenities available. Don’t forget sunscreen and hats if it’s going to be hot, or extra layers if it’s going to be cold. But — that leads me to my next tip – 2) Don’t take too much stuff On the flipside, here’s a lesson I have yet to learn. I am, by nature, a planner and need to know that I have point #1 covered at all times. But there are exceptions. Take our trip to the Natural History Museum where I realized too late that we were carting a spare pair of shoes around for no good reason. And not tiny baby shoes, no no — these were my husband’s. If it hadn’t been his birthday I might have made him wear them around his neck. Or the zoo trip, where I had seriously overpacked on the extra layers (and inexplicably an extra sling) because it was snowing. It was all fine until, 100 meters from our house, the wheel snapped off our buggy. What I should have done is rationalize the stuff we had with us and take only the bare minimum. But I didn’t – we took it all with us, extra sling and all. By the end of the day, we were exhausted from carrying it all and the tired pre-schooler as well, and let’s not forget the baby — and no, we didn’t use most of it. 3) Plan how you’re going to manage everything Another lesson I could have learned from that day is to find the lockers at the start of the day and use them. Zoos, museums and theme parks all tend to have somewhere you can leave things and it pays to utilize them. Some museums in London have handy buggy parks just outside each exhibit, others make you fold the buggy and leave it in a cloakroom, along with your bags where you have to bother an attendant every time you want something. The best system is where you can rent a huge locker, chuck everything in and go back whenever you want. 4) Lower your expectations It’s not all about stuff, though. Part of the reason family days out can be disappointing is that you have – as I do – a picture of an idyllic day in your head. Forget it. If you can get somewhere and do one thing that one of you enjoys, then you have won. Anything else is a bonus. Remember that when you have to make toilet-related hasty exits. 5) Be guided by the kids Remember that the day out, primarily, is for the children. That’s where we’ve gone wrong before – picking theater shows and movies that we, as adults, might like, and then being surprised when we get a wailed “I wannnnaaa go hoooome” halfway through. When we went to the zoo, we saw all the animals that the pre-schooler wanted (except the elephants. There were no elephants. Cue elephant-related m

I bought a set of Spendvelope Cash Envelopes last week and they worked out better then I thought (Don't you love when that happens?) They are the same size as personal Filofax inserts... Visit my blog for the full crazy suburban fa la la..

Oh! I've wanted one of these since I first saw it. I don't know what it is about these exactly but the new Filofax key chains make me giggle and clap my hands like a five year old... Visit my blog for the full crazy suburban fa la la..