Latest Recalls

Here are a few of the latest recalls for children’s items.To view the complete list visit
CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

• Big Lots Stores, Inc. Recalls to Repair Bunk Beds Due to Collapse and Fall Hazards
• Clarks® Children’s Shoes Recalled by C & J Clark America Due to Choking Hazard
  

Save Money By Making Your Own Baby Wipes

Diapers and wipes can be so expensive, can’t they? Ideally the most economical and ecological thing to do would be to use cloth diapers and wash cloths.

Sometimes though, due to circumstances such as time constraints, daycare or sitter preferences or even your own preferences, cloth isn’t always the first choice.

Though at times I do use cloth and wash cloths, I also use disposable diapers and wipes. Commercial wipes however, have some major drawbacks, one of them being cost. The other drawback is they really can irritate sensitive bottoms. My little one developed a rash and he would cry when wipes were used because they sting so badly. The poor little guy would cry and run away at the mere mention of a diaper change. Even the wipes without alcohol sting. The next time you get a cut, try one and you’ll see what I mean.
That’s when I decided to make my own.

I take soft paper towels and 2 cups of water with ½ teaspoon of my favorite baby wash mixed in. I tear the paper towels off of the roll, fold each one into thirds and layer them one by one in a re-used wipe tub.

After the tub is half full of towels, I pour in ½ or 1 cup of my baby wash and water mixture. Then I continue to folding and layering the towels. When the tub is full, I add the remaining baby wash and water mixture.

I can get approximately ½ roll of paper towels into a tub. If you need to later on, you can always add more plain water if you want wetter towels. You can use whatever brand of paper towels you like. I recommend the softest ones you can find. I like Viva towels and I like that they are scored in ½ sheets. Other brands are too. You can use ones with whole sheets and just tear them in half yourself, but if time is an issue for you, then get the ones that are all ready to be torn in half sheet sizes.

Make sure you watch out for sales on the brand you like and collect your coupons. Use your coupons then when the brand is on sale and stock up. This will maximize your savings.

I recommend this baby wash because it is very concentrated and lasts a long time. Also, check out these other benefits:
99% natural
76% certified organic ingredients
Pediatrician tested
Organic aloe base with oat extract and olive oil for mild lather
Organic lavender to soothe
Organic chamomile to calm and relax
pH balanced
Sensitivity tested
Hypoallergenic
No parabens or SLS
No artificial colors or fragrance
No 1,4-dioxane or formaldehyde

This combination allows me to make my own wipes at a fraction of the cost of commercial wipes. It also helps prevent diaper rash and doesn’t irritate sensitive bottoms. It doesn’t take that much time either. Make a couple tubs up at once so you won’t run out. Try it, I think you will like it and your little one will too.


I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful. Please let me know how you liked it.

Friday Freebies

• FREE Samples
• FREE Eye Exam for infants See my story on this program here: Infant See article
• FREE Museum Admission Saturday 9/26/09 – Since it will be raining here this Saturday, looking for something to do. Over 1000 museums in the U.S. will be offering free admission tomorrow - Saturday, September 26th. To find a list of participating museums near you, and to print your free admission passes, visit the Smithsonian's website here.
• FREE Goodnites Underpants
• FREE 2 year Lego Club, Jr subscription
• FREE Kotex Sample from AllYou Magazine
• FREE Pumpkin Carving Stencils
• FREE Kitchen Crafts Ebook
• FREE Children’s Song’s Downloads
• FREE music downloads

Thanks to Freebieblooger

Latest Recalls

Here are a few of the latest recalls for children’s items.

To view the complete list vistit CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

• Baby Jogger Recalls Strollers Due to Fall Hazard
• Liquidation Outlet, Inc. Recalls Action Figure Toys Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard; Sold Exclusively at Dollar Stores
• Burley Design Recalls Child Trailers Due to Risk of Injury
• Cloth Books Recalled by Sterling Publishing Co. Inc. Due to Strangulation Hazard
  

Hospital Waiting Rooms

Yesterday, my husband had to have a medical procedure done to help relieve some bad inflammation he had in his back. (Hence, no story yesterday) This was an outpatient procedure done in the hospital. I wanted to go back to the operating room where he was to be there for him and to comfort him, but due the sterile environment, I wasn’t allowed. I would have washed my hands, still they wouldn't let me. I wanted to be there for him of course, but I wanted to watch, too! I would have kept my mouth shut….maybe. Though I probably would have ended up asking too many questions like, “What’s that?” or “Eww, that’s gross!” or “Can I try it?” On second thought, I probably wouldn’t have been much of a comfort to my husband, especially if they had let me try it. He knows how steady of a hand I have.

Most everyone at some point in time has been sitting in a hospital waiting room. Boring, isn’t it? The one I was in had only AARP and other retirement type of magazines. I’m sure they are good magazines if that content is relative to your life. To top it off, the only TV in the room was loudly playing some horrible soap opera that had the worst acting I have seen since, well, since the last time I was stuck in a waiting room that was playing a soap opera. I really hate that, too. I can’t stand soap operas. I know many people like them and that’s fine. I just don’t think the rest of us should be force to listen to them when we are prisoners of doctors and hospitals. I found myself desperately looking for a channel button and volume control on the TV, but there wasn’t any I could reach. Being that it’s mounted 8 feet off of the ground with no accessible buttons was an indication that this was our penance for having a loved one who needed medical attention. I could also feel the old women behind me getting ready to pull out their knitting needles to stab me if I changed the channel anyway. Interrupting their “stories” I’m sure would have ended up with me needing the medical attention.

I managed to find an old beat up magazine from 1992 that was designed for someone under 80, but I couldn’t find a complete article. It seems that on one side you have an article, but on the other side of the page is a recipe. Well, apparently they were good recipes because they had been ripped out of the magazine taking the story on the other side with it! Now I’ll never know what to do with all those leftovers in the refrigerator!

Ever notice, too that most of the other waiting prisoners are never very friendly? Do you think that they really aren’t friendly or are they just kicking themselves for not bringing their own reading material like I was? No one ever talks to anyone either. We just stare at the busy wallpaper designed by one of the mental health patients from the hospital or wonder why the painting on the wall looks just like the one you saw in the other hospital’s waiting room from last year. I wonder if they hire a certain type of artist to do specific type of paintings for waiting rooms? They do look rather similar, don’t you think?

The other thing I’ve noticed that’s the same no matter what hospital you go to is the restrooms. They are always clean, which is nice, but there is a certain smell to them that screams, “This is a medical establishment that has lots of germs!” It must be the hand soap, because every time you use it, it always smells like embalming fluid. Actually it smells like embalming fluid that has had some other weird chemical added to try and cover up the embalming fluid smell. This ends up creating a unique smell all its own that is reserved for only hospital restrooms. The bad part is no matter how many times you wash your hands later with your own soap at home, it seems like that smell stays with you for the whole day. It makes you wonder where they get that soap from. If it is some type of embalming fluid, then wouldn’t my hands look younger?

Of course, it seems that most all, but the most major of surgeries are done on an outpatient basis. I like to think of it as a kind of drive-through window or maybe more of a curbside pickup type of procedures. I used to think that the insurance companies that dictate this were wrong for doing so, but now that so many people are getting infections in the hospital, I agree that recuperating at home with clear directions for care is best. Who wants to stay in a boring hospital environment with a stranger in the next bed that snores, hacks up a lung every five minutes or gets obnoxious visitors everyday when you can stay in the comfort and privacy of your own home? Watching for signs of infection is the biggest drawback. That and a nagging wife that asks you constantly if there is anything you need. Add to it a toddler who constantly climbs up in the bed and jumps on you then maybe staying in a hospital room isn’t so bad after all.

It was nice to read this article below about how volunteering in a lunchroom can really change the life of a nine year old.
It's sad to think that nine year old girls are suffering from low self esteem. Luckily this woman overheard them and decided to do something about it. Her encouraging words could make all the difference in whether a child grows up to be a confident teen or one with a low self esteem and all the problems that come with it.

Copyright Hearts at Home 2008, used with permission.

From My Heart to Yours

Everything I ever needed to know, I learned volunteering in our elementary school lunchroom. Well, maybe I didn't learn everything, but I certainly learned more than I ever expected when I signed up.

There were the easy lessons--not one kid eats cooked carrots served in the hot lunch. However, if you don't watch them close enough, they do use the carrots and their straws to make some pretty big messes.

There were the fun lessons--kids love ketchup smiley faces made on their burgers. And, once you make one smiley face, you will make 300 more. And, a few kids will not be satisfied with smiley faces, but will expect the ketchup equivalent of the Sistine Chapel on their plate.

But, then there were the hard lessons. Who knew that low self-esteem started so early? Early in the year, I was shocked when I heard a group of fourth grade girls discussing what they didn't like about themselves. They were all beautiful nine year olds, who thought they were ugly, overweight, and stupid. I remembered feeling like that as a teenager, but not at nine!

Instead of worrying about the decibel level in the cafeteria, I decided my time was better spent talking to that particular group of girls about what it really means to be beautiful. The rest of the year, I tried to spend time with those girls and others like them while they ate (except when I had to get up to open milk cartons--a skill I sadly never perfected). Maybe it was because they had spent the whole morning quietly learning, but they seemed very willing to chat about things at lunch. I talked to the kids about many topics, and I encouraged them to try new things, to see what they enjoyed and might be good at.

I decided to carry those conversations over at home, too. At home, I had been too focused on regulating the decibel level at the dinner table. When I realized my kids were getting older and weren't immune to those negative feelings, I realized it was important to let them talk. From that group of fourth grade girls, I learned the most valuable lesson about mealtime, whether at home or at school. More important than what kids eat or how much, is the things they talk about while they are eating.

Keeping Hearts at Home,
Patti Welander
Wife to Jim and Mom to James, Sam, Sarah, and Sarina

Golfer Makes A Million Dollar Shot

Wow! Imagine you had a sore wrist, had to borrow your brother's clubs to take a longshot at making a million dollars if you hit a 150 yarder and got a hole in one?
Now imagine you did it! Think you were dreaming? That's probably what Jason Hargett thought when he did it!
Watch this amazing video and his reaction:

Back To School and How Do I Keep My Kids Healthy?

Most students have started back to school and college students will soon be as well. How are we going to keep them healthy this year? Especially with the latest flu scare? The answers most health professionals will give you is prevention and healthy immune systems.

Let’s talk about prevention first.

We all know now the washing your hands often is one of the best ways to prevent getting sick. It’s impossible not to touch contaminated surfaces especially in areas where large people congregate, like schools. So washing your hands with soap and water along with using an alcohol based hand sanitizer when soap and water isn’t available is your first line of defense. Washing before and after using the restroom, before eating and after times of sharing items is key.
Do not use antibacterial soaps. Overuse of these types of soaps along with the overuse and misuse of antibiotics are part of the reason we have some of these superbugs today. Plain old soap and water, washed well enough and long enough is plenty good enough.

Next, we have the responsibility to stay home and keep our children home and away from others when sick. I cannot stress this enough. It used to really irritate me when I would go to work and would have to share a workspace with someone who is sick. They would be feverish, sneeze and cough all over. Having to share papers and air space with them just wanted to make you hurt them. I’m sure you wouldn’t want your healthy children to have to be exposed to a child who is sick, right? Then we need to extend that same courtesy to others and keep our children and ourselves home when sick. Doing so will considerably slow the spread of illnesses.

Now, let’s talk about healthy immune systems.

Unless you and your children live in a bubble till flu season is over, your next line of defense is to make sure you have a healthy immune system. We know eating right and drinking lots of fluids is key. Healthy bodies come from eating healthy food and drinking healthy beverages. But that may not be enough. Food is so over processed and fruits and vegetables are picked before ripening, which does not provide enough of the nutrients we need. This is where supplementing your diet comes in.

Almost everyone has now recognized the importance of adding natural vitamins and minerals to their diet, but there are so many, which ones should you take? Since money is tighter even more nowadays, it’s important that you get the most for you money. Spending wisely and still getting the best is so important. Now more than ever.
Remember, cheap vitamins are cheaply made, do not have hardly any research behind them, do not have any quality control and often do not work. That’s money wasted. Good, quality, natural vitamins cost more, but provide your body what it needs thereby giving you the best value for your money – a healthy body with a healthy immune system that is a barrier between you and illness. Believe me, staying healthy is a lot cheaper than being sick! More fun, too!

Here is what is recommended to stay healthy:

Start with your foundation – the Multi-Vitamin and Multi-Mineral
Age, gender, children and infants all have different needs, make sure you pick the right one for you. You need “Muti’s” to fill in the gaps, basically your foundation for health - then you build from there.
Vita-Lea with Iron – for women of child bearing years and teens
Vita-Lea without Iron – for men and post menopausal women
Vita-Lea Gold with Vitamin K & Vita-Lea Gold without Vitamin K - for men and women over age 50
Shaklee Baby Multivitamin & Multimineral Powder – for infants and toddlers - Shakleebaby Multivitamin & Multimineral Powder delivers 23 essential nutrients that your baby may not be getting from foods.
Incredivites - Shakleekids Incredivites is the first children's chewable multivitamin in the U.S. with lactoferrin, which helps kids' immune systems stay supercharged.*

Antioxidants – having these nutrients in your system before you are exposed to illness is key. Your defense mechanism – your immune system - needs these nutrients in enough quantity to fuel it’s defensive line. They also help your immune system recover faster if an illness got by the first line of defense and you did become ill.

NutriFeron - A Shaklee exclusive, NutriFeron is a patented, clinically proven blend of immune-strengthening plant extracts. When used daily, it increases the production of your body’s natural interferon, a critical activator of the immune system. NutriFeron works at the cellular level, by rapidly activating your immune system’s defenses*

Need extra immune support or are you already sick? Then try these other immune building products:

Defend & Resist Complex - Help your body respond to seasonal challenges by giving your immune system what it needs to stay strong. To supercharge the immune system when you feel that first tickle, take six tablets a day for seven days.*
Immunity Formula I - To keep your immune system strong and in good working order, Immunity Formula I provides the essential nutrients for healthy immune function. Full nutrition potency is guaranteed with ShakleeGuard®, a patented blend of antioxidants and rosemary extract.

So remember, this year is already shaping up to be a rough one when it comes to illness. Protect you and the ones you love with a healthy immune system.

Remember, Shaklee makes a great gift, too! Give the gift of good health this year.




* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Study Shows That Air Quality In Horse Barns Is - Um, Not So Good

I’m shocked.

This study, done with just 13 people over two winters and one summer, shows that those who work in horse barns are exposed to not so good for your lungs kind of stuff. Of course it said it in a twelve page report and more elegantly than I, but basically what this long report said was the same thing I’m saying – the air quality in barns suck.

Wow, I could have told them that and for free, too!

It said the people working in horse barns were exposed to irritants such as, dust, mold and ammonia. I would like to add that you are also exposed to not only horse droppings, but bird, possum, raccoon, cat and mouse droppings as well. Not the cleanest place in the world, but we love our horses and a dusty, dirty environment is part of the deal.

What did they expect to find? A rose garden? The barn where I am at is relatively small. There are only 17 horses housed there and they go out to pasture for half the time during the day. The barn is kept amazingly clean and stalls are cleaned daily. Still, it smells like a barn. No big surprise there. A thousand pound animal eliminating tons of manure and gallons of urine tends to have the ability to cause a bit of odor. Multiply that by 17, well you get the picture. Add to it the dust and mold from hay, grain and shavings. Then add the smells of fly spray, leather cleaner, medicines and plain old sweat – both human and equine, and you have a concoction that says or rather smells, “Welcome to horses.”

I wonder how much money was spent on this study. It makes you wonder, with the world in a financial crisis, where do they get the money to fund studies like this? Why would anyone waste precious time and research money on something that most of us already knew? It’s not like people are going to get rid of their horses now because this study said the air in the barn is dusty. Aren’t there other, more worthwhile subjects that can be studied? I would rather see money and time being spent on research that shows where we can make improvements in our lives not state the obvious.

I feel I have learned about the same amount from this study as if they did one that stated they have now determined that when the sun goes down, it gets dark.

How Does The Universe Know When A Mother Has Sat Down For A Minute?

It never fails. If a mother sits down to take a break for just a moment she is inundated with any and all of the following:

• The phone will ring with a sales call
• Children will show up holding some vital body part covered in blood
• The neighbor you don’t have time to talk to will decide to visit
• Your in-laws will show up without warning
• The mailman has a letter that requires a signature
• The baby will suddenly wake up and start to wail
• The clothes washer will spin off balance
• The hot water hose to the clothes washer will also break at that same moment
• The dog decides to throw up on the carpet at that moment
• The laxative you took last night suddenly decides to kick in

How is it that the Universe can hold everything together until a mother decides to plop down in a chair for just a moment to catch her breath? It’s like some type of warning goes off that sends a signal for things to instantly fall apart at that very same moment.

It just proves the theory that the Universe and everything in it is all connected in some way. If you don’t believe that then try sitting down and relaxing for just a moment.

The phone’s ringing….

What I Miss Now That My Baby Is A Toddler – Series #2

This is a small series of things I miss. There are so many I couldn’t possibly get it all into one article so here’s the second thing that I miss.


There are some things you find that you miss when your little one is no longer a baby. When they are little and learning new things like learning to roll over, sit up on their own, crawling and eventually walking, you encourage them to learn more and more and it’s exciting. You want them to progress in ways that makes them more mobile and independent. But in doing so you are losing things you never thought you would miss.

Another thing I miss is being able to eat a meal I don’t have to share. I don’t mind sharing, but everything, and I do mean everything I eat is open for mooching from my toddler. Even if he has his own plate, if he notices something different on my plate, then he has to have it. Sometimes if he thinks I’m eating something he isn’t he gets angry, even though it’s the same thing. It’s just my piece isn’t as cut up as his is. Still he requests it with a passion unlike no other. I know it isn’t very sanitary sharing utensils, but when you’re tired, you just want a snack and you have a toddler hovering around you like a vulture, sometimes you just don’t have the energy to get back up to get separate dishes and utensils. Besides, what kind of mom would I be? I mean other animals let their little ones eat with them and when their young are real little some mothers will regurgitate the food for them. I’m not that into sharing though. He can just eat off my fork.

Maybe I have spoiled him by always sharing my food with him in the past, but I am not the only one who does it. His father and sister have both succumb to the mooching and end up having to split their food and drinks with him. He’s a big eater who never seems to ever get full so he seems to be always eating. He’s not overweight either so I have no idea where he puts it all. I wish I could eat like him and stay skinny. Now all I have to do is just look at a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I gain 5 pounds.

Feeding him off of my plate isn’t as near as bad as sharing a water bottle though. When we go out somewhere I always bring a water bottle since both he and I drink a lot of water. I know I should bring separate bottles, but it’s all I can do to remember to fill one up and take it with us. The problem with sharing the water bottle is his method of drinking. Little kids tend to “backflush” when they drink. This deposits whatever is still in their mouth, in his case the last three bites of food, back into the drink. So when you take your drink you see little pieces of food floating in the bottle. Not pretty I know. It’s amazing how before my little one came along, I would have been disgusted, poured it out, washed and sterilized it before drinking from it again. I may have even thrown the bottle away. Now, however, I just shrug and drink it down. Sick, isn’t it. I’m certainly not going to go thirsty just because my toddler decided to share back the food I shared with him.

Hey life with kids is messy and it’s all part of the deal. I can’t say that drinking “chunky” water is something you ever get entirely used to, but it’s something I bet you’ll miss years down the road. As time goes by and the image of that little mouth drinking from the same cup you are is a memory you will later treasure and will want back again I’m sure. Or maybe not.

Protecting Your Children’s Hearing At The Track

I love the sport of drag racing and I love the fact that my son, now 18 months old loves the race cars and the track. I hope someday when he’s older he’ll say with pride that both his mommy and daddy drag race and he gets to go with us. I hope we’ll be viewed as the “cool parents” someday. One thing I hope we won’t be called though, are the parents who don’t love their child enough to protect him from the dangers of the loud noise from the sport.

I am shocked everytime I go to the track and see babies and young children there with their parents who have no hearing protection on. Many are right there along the fence next to the starting line! Last week I witnessed an engine explosion on the starting line. There along the fence, was a young baby in his mother’s arms, I’m guessing to be around 9 months old. This cute little baby had no hearing protection on and was right in line of the debris path from this explosion. Luckily, none of it hit them, but I shudder to think what might have happened. I wonder if this mother realizes just how lucky they weren’t hurt or worse. Even still, the noise from the explosion was enough to damage anyone’s hearing, especially a baby’s. No one would argue that the drag strip is a very loud place to be. The noise level isn’t high just in the pro ranks either, even the local bracket racing scene can be very loud.

It is so sad sometimes to watch young children and babies shrieking, crying and cupping their little hands around their ears trying to block out all the loud noise. Many children who aren’t used to this level of noise just cannot handle it. Other children who aren’t crying and seem to be enjoying it are having irreversible damage being done to their hearing. Why is it that these parents seem oblivious to the fact their children are being harmed? Is it because they are ignorant or is it that they just don’t care?

Many adults who have been around racing for years will tell you their hearing has suffered greatly due to the noise level these cars put out and every racer I have met has shown their disgust for parents who refuse to protect their children from this hazard. I have received many compliments from other racers who thank me for protecting my child when they see him wearing his headphones. It’s obvious that I care about his health and safety. When out for a stroll through the pits, I notice the other parents who do protect their children’s hearing and we often times nod to one another in a knowing, appreciating way. We agree that we don’t want our children to grow up partially deaf like we are from a sport we all enjoy. I noticed these same parents along with myself, keep our young children away from the dangers of the starting line as well and we watch the racing from a safer distance. We are alert and cautious when in the staging lanes with our children and we leave the staging lanes promptly when the cars start to pull out.

Our son has been going to the races since he was 8 weeks old and he has always worn good headphones. I have always insisted upon it. I make him wear it whether he wants to or not. He knows it is not an option. I recommend good quality headphones designed for children over ear plugs. Headphones are more comfortable than ear plugs and offer greater protection. Ear plugs can work loose or fall out and aren’t made for the small ears of children.

No one likes to wear the headphones for hours straight so it’s imperative that you get away from the noise periodically. If you are racing, pit your vehicle farther from the line than usual so when you aren’t racing you can sit back, remove the headphones and relax a little. If you are a spectator, find a quiet area where you can sit and relax and remove the headphones for a rest to the head.

You don’t have to stay away from the track just because you have young children. They can be included in the fun if you just use a little common sense. If you have a child who you want to bring with you, but is afraid of the noise then allow him to get use to it gradually. Have the child wear good ear protection and slowly, in increments work your way closer to the cars. Back off if he shows any fear. Leave when he’s had enough. Over time he will adjust. It may take several trips to the track and the willingness to leave when it all gets to be too much for the child. Your goal is to have them enjoy the sport as much as you do, not grow up to hate it or be afraid of it. Just remember though, they’re babies who need your love and protection.

I know some children don’t like to wear hearing protection as it can get uncomfortable, but you must insist upon it and be diligent in making them wear it. Wear hearing protection yourself. Showing your children you wear it too makes more sense to a child rather than just telling them to do so, but not caring enough to protect your own hearing. After a while they will get used to wearing it and will later thank you for it when they still have their hearing and are purchasing hearing aid batteries as Christmas stocking stuffers for you.

Self Defense From Horseback

Many of us like to go out riding the trails alone. The solitude of being alone with your horse can be very relaxing. Sometimes it's just nice to be alone.

Unfortunately though you can be seen as a target for a predator and I don't mean the four footed type.

The number one way to protect yourself is just not to ride alone. Even though it's nice it can be dangerous for many different reasons. I'm talking about both accidents and being attacked.

If you think you are always safe on horseback, think again. It is very easy to unseat someone especially if you are determined. And not everyone is afraid of horses.

Attached is a video I would like for you all to watch that shows some wonderful self defense moves you can do from horseback. Try and think of some other ways you can defend yourself and I highly recommend taking some self defense classes. They not only teach you how to defend yourself, but also how to be more assertive and self confident.

Thanks to Nan at The Ping Chronicles for sharing this video.

Save A Burnt Pot

This Dishwasher Detergent is very good for cleaning a burnt pot.

Put a small amount into a pot of water, boil and the pot gets clean without much
scrubbing.

This saves money and time! Two things moms seem to be always in short supply of!

Are You Too Hard On Yourself?

I am. When I race and when I screw up, which can seem to be pretty often, I am harder on myself than anyone else is. There have been many times I wished I had remembered to put a paper sack in the car to wear over my head when I came back up the return road. One of these days I may do that just to give the guys at the time slip booth something to laugh at.

I must think that everyone including the guy getting popcorn saw my mistake and must be laughing hysterically at me. What do I think they are going to do, boo me or something? I must really think that people care what I did enough to laugh at my mistake. Therein lies the mistake, that most people, one, even notice and two, that they care.

I find myself apologizing to my husband for letting him down. He is always telling me I haven’t let him down and that I should just have fun. I am having fun, just not as much fun as I could be if I wasn’t so hard on myself. I often times hear myself making derogatory remarks about my driving to others in a joke form. Like I’m poking fun at myself, but not in a nice way. That can get old to others. I must sound pathetic like that one round of racing will mean that we won’t eat this week or something. I never thought of myself as a drama queen, but even I get sick of tripping over my bottom lip. One side of my brain is telling me, “You dufus, you have no business being out here.” and the other, more rational side is screaming, “Come on, it’s only racing! Have some fun! Everyone screws up.” You know, things I tell other people.

If I have a bad light or I red light or if I let a guy get around me at the stripe I am always kicking myself and saying I have a great car that has a lousy driver. That is a terrible thing to say and if someone else other than myself had said it to me I’d be fighting mad. So why do I let myself get away with it? Because I have done it for so long I believe it has become a habit. This is a very bad habit that needs to be stopped. Why? Because it is affecting something I love, racing. It’s also affecting the people I love around me like my husband and friends. I’m not sure why I have started to be like this, it may have something to do with my past. I’m not going to waste time however, digging up the past to try and figure out why I feel this way. The past is the past, let’s let it lay there and move on. I can’t change what happened in the past, but there is one thing I do have control over – my thoughts. I must change the way I think which ultimately changes the way I react when things don’t work out at a race.

I know I am always saying encouraging words to other racers who may be having a bad day, so I need to start extending the same kindness to myself. Realizing that everyone has a bad day, that everyone makes mistakes and that my mistake couldn’t possibly be the worst one ever made would be a good first step. Good, seasoned racers have lost every way there is to lose a race. So I must remind myself when I make a mistake that cost me the race I can say with great pride that I am becoming a more seasoned racer - a veteran with more experience than I had when I pulled into the track today.

I also need to remind myself of the times I did really well. I need to tell myself in order to be good, you have to make mistakes. Simple as that. The more mistakes I make then ultimately the better I’ll get. I hope that those of you, who do the same thing, beat up on yourself harder than anyone else does, that you also learn that life is made up of successes and failures. We have to fail so we know when it is we’ve succeeded.

Besides, giving someone else like those in the stands or another racer something to laugh at is a good quality to have. I like to think that when I screw up I bring joy to someone else.

Meier Week of 8/31/09

Below are just some of the deals you can get when grocery shopping at Meier this week. This is just a few of the items on sale or for free. There are plenty more on sale this week.

Be sure to visit the Grocery Game and see what you can get for FREE or on the cheap! They do all the work for you – tell you when the item is at its cheapest and when the coupon you need came out. They are cheap to use and the cost of membership is saved with one trip to the store! Some of the stores they list are Kroger, Meier, Walgreens, CVS, WalMart and more!


Just use imnotasupermom@yahoo.com for your referral and get a 4 week trial for FREE!

For free items, if you can’t use the item – give it away! Helping others is pure joy especially when you can give them items that didn’t break your budget!

Code: SS = Smart Source RP = Red Plum

Be sure to check for online printable coupons on my sidebar > as well before you go!

Reese's singles - B3G3 Free
- Buy (6) and use (3) B1G1 free dark chocolate coupons from the 8/23/09 Smart Source insert or (3) $0.55/1 from the 8/23/09 Smart Source insert
- Final price - 6 for FREE!

Eckrich smoked sausage or grillers - 3/$5
- $1/2 from the 8/16/09 Smart Source insert
- Final price - $1.17 each

Oscar Mayer meat wieners - 4/$5
- $1/2 from the 8/23/09 Smart Source insert
- Final price - $0.75

Kraft Natural shreds, cubes, crumbles, and sticks - 3/$5
- $1/2 from the 8/9/09 Red Plum insert
- Final price - $1.17 each

Dannon Activia or DanActive - 2/$4
- $1/1 from the 7/26/09, 8/0/09, and 8/30/09 Smart Source inserts
- Final price - $.100

Aunt Millie's bread or buns (select varieties) - $0.99
- $0.35/1 from the 5/10/09 and 8/16/09 Red Plum insert
- Final price - $0.29

Pringles super stack - 4/$5
- $1/2 from the 8/30/09 P&G insert
- Final price - $0.75 each


Sales may differ depending on region, so check your flyer. Remember, check out the Grocery Game to make your grocery list of savings this week and use me, imnotasupermom@yahoo.com as your referral to get 4 weeks free!

I make mistakes all the time, so not responsible for errors.

Thanks to Cincinnati Cents!

Kroger Deals Week of 8/31/09

Below are just some of the deals you can get when grocery shopping at Kroger this week. This is just a few of the items on sale or for free. There are plenty more on sale this week.

Be sure to visit the Grocery Game and see what you can get for FREE or on the cheap! They do all the work for you – tell you when the item is at its cheapest and when the coupon you need came out. They are cheap to use and the cost of membership is saved with one trip to the store! Some of the stores they list are Kroger, Meier, Walgreens, CVS, WalMart and more!


Just use imnotasupermom@yahoo.com for your referral and get a 4 week trial for FREE!

For free items, if you can’t use the item – give it away! Helping others is pure joy especially when you can give them items that didn’t break your budget!

Code: SS = Smart Source RP = Red Plum

Be sure to check for online printable coupons on my sidebar > as well before you go!

Reese's singles candy - 2/$1
- $0.55/1 from the 8/23/09 Smart Source insert
- Final price – FREE!

Hefty One Zip storage bags - 10/$10
- $1/1 from the 8/30/09 Red Plum insert
- Final price – FREE!

Bounty paper towels - 10/$10
- $0.25/1 from the 8/30/09 P&G insert
- Final price - $0.50

Tyson fresh chicken breasts - $1.99/lb.
- $1/1 from the 8/2/09 Smart Source insert
- Final price - varies

Ball Park hot dogs - 10/$10
- $1/2 from the 8/30/09 Smart Source insert
- Final price - $0.50 each

Hillshire Farm Deli Select lunch meat - 2/$5
- $0.55/1 from the 8/16/09 Red Plum insert
- Final price - $1.50 each

Dannon yogurt (select varieties) - $1.88
- $1/1 from the 7/26/09, 8/9/09, and 8/30/09 Smart Source inserts
- Final price - $0.88


Sales may differ depending on region, so check your flyer. Remember, check out the Grocery Game to make your grocery list of savings this week and use me, imnotasupermom@yahoo.com as your referral to get 4 weeks free!

I make mistakes all the time, so not responsible for errors.

Thanks to Cincinnati Cents!

Cost Compare Laundry Products

Think going “green” is too expensive or the products won’t work as well? Think again.
Here are some laundry products broken down in cost:

Laundry (powder)

Tide 70 oz – price $7.97

usage per load-provided cup – does 40 medium loads

cost per load – 19.9¢

Seventh Generation Laundry 112 oz – price $14.99

usage per load-provided cup – does 42 medium loads

cost per load – 35.7¢

Fresh Laundry Powder 14 lb – price $40.25

usage per load–1/8 cup – does 224 medium loads

cost per load – 18.0¢

Laundry Brighteners and Stain Removers

Spray ’n Wash Stain Remover - size 30 0z – price $2.38

usage-straight – gallons-15/64 gallon

cost per gallon $10.15

Shout Triple-Acting Stain Remover – size 30 oz – price $2.44

usage-straight –gallons-15/64 gallon

cost per gallon $10.41

Seventh Generation Natural Stain Remover - size 32 oz – price $5.99

usage-straight – gallons-¼ gallon

cost per gallon $23.96

Nature Bright – size 32 oz – price $9.30

usage-2 Tbsp in 16 oz water – gallons-4 gallons

cost per gallon $2.33

Fabric Softener

Seventh Generation Fabric Softener – size 40 oz - $6.49

amount per load-1oz – does 40 medium loads

cost per load 16.2¢

Soft Fabric – size 32 oz - $8.80

amount per load-½ oz – does 64 medium loads

cost per load 13.8¢


These products are not only economical, but WISE!

Cost comparisons do not take into consideration the fact that these products:

Are nontoxic and do not pollute
Use much less packaging materials
Leave no harmful residues
Are safe around children and sensitive adults
Are biodegradable
Outperform many leading national brands

Conventional product prices obtained from Wal-Mart, Athens, GA.
Green product prices obtained from Wal-Mart or Earth Fare Natural Supermarket*, Athens, GA.
Prices may vary depending on region.

All comparisons are based on manufacturer usage directions and/or actual measurements to determine uses per container. All prices are those in effect April 1, 2009.

I make mistakes all the time, so not responsible for errors.