The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant Based Nutrition

For those of us who have gone through a part of life living as a vegarian.  We know that it can be a bit hard to get all the protien and nutrients that are needed to feel healthy.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant Based Nutrition  is a great resource for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. 

While not as extreme as a raw diet, a plant based diet can be cooked (yaay)

 Macro-nutrients. Learn the differences in these food groups as well as how much you need and what to avoid! I was very impressed to finally learn what the Glycemic Index actually was, and how it effected me.

You'll learn about vitamins and minerals, where to get them and what they do. Find out which foods contain the most and which ones that you need.

Find out about the new four food groups, how you can put them on your plate and how much of a serving you'll need for each one. 

Find out how to live a plant based life without missing out on essential nutrients. You'll find out how to keep healthy with plants while pregnant. As well as keeping your kids, senior citizens and athletes healthy.

The benefits of plants have been proven over and over again, as with all of The Complete Idiot's Guide books this is a wonderful addition to your collection, it answers lots of questions, that I have, and some questions that I didn't even knew I had

I received a free copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant Based Nutrition for this review. The opinions in this review are 100% mine. I did not receive any cash payment for this review. 

Can Common Pain Relievers Do More Harm Than Good?

Can Common Pain Relievers Do More Harm Than Good?

When it comes to relieving the common headache or body aches, it seems as if the cure may be worse for you than the pain it’s supposed to relieve.

Consumption of NSAIDs – common pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Excedrin) – has grown to 70 million prescriptions and 30 billion over-the-counter sales annually. That statistic is disturbing to Michael Sheehan, founder of natural medications company BioResource Inc., because of a study from the Archives of Internal Medicine (AIM) that reveals NSAIDS may play a part in the development of heart disease.

“The risks of NSAIDs are a growing concern,” said Sheehan. “The fact that they may contribute to heart problems is a wake-up call the public needs to take seriously.”

According to the American Heart Association, about 785,000 Americans suffer a first heart attack each year, and another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks experience another episode. The AHA also revealed that in 2010, heart disease cost the United States $316.4 billion. This total includes the cost of healthcare services, medications, and lost productivity.

The AIM study found that heart failure patients who used NSAIDs may be at an increased risk for side effects and other dangers. The article concluded that NSAIDs “are harmful to heart-failure patients,” reporting that individuals who received the medications were subject to “dose-related increases in risk of death and re-hospitalization for heart failure.”

Research also showed that, with prolonged use, NSAIDs can cause potential side effects that include:

·        upset stomach

·        nausea

·        vomiting

·        heartburn

·        headache

·        diarrhea

·        constipation

·        drowsiness

·        unusual fatigue

·        stomach pain

·        swelling of feet or ankles

·        ringing in ears

·        vision changes

·        joint pain

·        muscle pain and weakness

·        easy bruising

·        bleeding

·        persistent sore throat

·        fever

“The nature of these recent revelations, combined with the pervasive use of NSAIDs, should make people stand up and notice,” added Sheehan. “There are good signs, however, that more Americans are seeking natural options to pain pills. A recent National Institutes of Health study revealed that the number of men seeking information on alternatives to traditional pharmaceuticals and treatments rose by 18 percent between 2002 and 2007. This trend indicates Americans are getting smarter about taking responsibility for their personal health. The truth is there are dozens of natural substitutes for NSAIDs, and many of these remedies lack the potentially harmful side effects and risks associated with NSAIDs. With new, safer choices available, perhaps the need to use NSAIDs will diminish in the future.”

About Michael Sheehan

Michael Sheehan is CEO and founder of BioResource Inc. (www.bioresourceinc.com), a natural medications company that distributes German-made energy remedies, including INFLAMYAR ointment for sports injuries. Sheehan graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University. In addition, he received a master’s degree in science journalism from Boston University. He lives in Northern California.

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WINNER

We have a winner for the Rescue Remedy Giveaway!

Congrats Ann!

Rescue Remedy Giveaway

Since nobody entered to win the Rescue Remedy Gift set

First person to respond to this post wins a rescue remedy gift set!

Just be the first leave a comment on this post with your e-mail address and you win!

Cut your cell phone bill in half with Straight Talk

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

Get rid of those pesky cell phone bills by choosing Straight Talk.

Straight talk is a cell phone plan with everything you need included in a prepaid plan. No credit card needed, no bills filled with surprise charges, and no credit check!

You can get unlimited talk, text and web for only $45 a month!

Saving all that money I'll be able to get myself some back to school clothes this year!

With Straight Talk's international plans you can call a friend in another country from your home, cell or office at the low rates that Straight Talk offers!

You can even get unlimited talk, text and web for a whole year for just $499! Its been said before that mom knows best and this is a deal that's hard to say no to especially when the cell phones have everything you need with music players, video recorders, cameras, Bluetooth even instant messaging! 411 is included at no extra charge so you won't have to worry about unexpected 411 charges on a bill.

If you have someone else that you need to convince that the kids need some cell phones this year, they are sure to fall Hook, line and sinker for Straight Talk plans. Reconditioned phones start at just $10.

Listen to what this customer had to say about Straight Talk!

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Don't let your kid be without the hottest phones this year, when they're this affordable there's now reason not to!

Carbonite; back up your files on the internet

This post brought to you by Carbonite. All opinions are 100% mine.

Sometimes we want to be able to access our files from anywhere, whenever we need them. With Carbonite you can backup your documents, pictures, music and e-mail and store it on their website.

I love the idea that I can keep my pictures, as well as the blog posts and school assignments in a place that is easily accessible from any computer, its much nicer then trying to find the small memory device that somehow gets lost everyday in the bottom of my laptop bag.

The cost of the service is just $59 a year, and if you enter the code BLOGAD you can get two months free!!

Founded in 2005, Carbonite is a computer backup system that works when your computer is online, backing up your irreplaceable files and storing them on the internet so that you can look at them anytime!

This online backup system will make visiting family much easier, by allowing ease of access to your photos right from your family's computers.

Carbonite also offers free mobile apps so that you can access and share your files from your phone or iPad!

Another great feature of Carbonite is that if something happens to your computer you won't loose all the pictures that you care about. A friend of mine recently had her computer stolen, and lost years of pictures of her kids, if only she subscribed to Carbonite those pictures would still be around.

So check out Carbonite, and don't loose those irreplaceable files again!

 

 

 

"Drink Water, Not Sugar" I'll give you a HINT how

Vitamin  enhanced water sounds like a great invention.

Kids love it, adults love it, and it has the word vitamin water. Sadly too often these products contain the dreaded vitamin "S" or sugar. Even worse if the product is labeled 'diet' chances are it's sweetener contains cancer causing chemicals.

I have been working very hard to cut unnecessary sugar from our diets, I say unnecessary because there are certain things I'm unwilling to give up (ahem I am a gold member at Starbucks these days) So when I was approached to try HINT Water, a zero calorie, zero sugar, zero artificial flavors and zero preservative water beverage that is sold at ::squeel::  Starbucks. I was more then excited to give it a try.

Hint water was founded in  by Kara Golden, a mother of four from San Francisco, who felt just like most mothers I know who need a healthy, but tasty drink for the whole family.

HINT Water went over great in the house, not only did my Mountain Dew addicted roommates give it a try, but my daughter liked her new 'water' and I found that since it doesn't taste artificial and it has zero calories, I'm able to really enjoy drinking it . Annabella is glad that she is allowed to drink the same thing as mommy. 

HINT Water is like drinking water with fresh fruit, available in BlackBerry, Watermelon, Pomegranate-Tangerine, Mango-Grapefruit, Strawberry-Kiwi, and Raspberry-Lime (my personal favorite)

HINT water isn't just a new favorite of my family, it was named the "Best Flavored Water" by Self Magazine, Men's Health Magazine, Good Housekeeping and Health magazine. 

HINT water retails for about $1.79 per bottle, its also available in a pack of twelve. I love the idea of sending one of these to school with my daughter because she feels like she's getting a fancy drink in a bottle, while I know that its good for her, and that she won't give her teachers a problem at nap-time!

Pick up HINT Water at your favorite Starbucks, Whole Foods, Amazon.com, Sheetz, Stop & Shop, Harris, Teeter, Ralph's , Sprouts and other local hotels and spas. You can also visit their website at drinkhint.com

I was sent a free six pack of HINT water for this review, all opinions are my own. I did not receive any cash payment for this review.


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150 Best Tagine Recipes

Have you ever heard of a Tagine?

I had never heard of one till I saw Nigella Lawson use one on the Food Network, but from the moment I saw her using it I was instantly impressed. They look like genie lamps only they are filled with meat, rice, spices, and veggies, then slow cooked and served together.

In case you need some examples I found some on Amazon.com

This one by Le Souk  would be an exotic addition to any kitchen

How about this enameled faded one from Le Creuset

Anyways, I had never dared buy a Tagine because although Nigella's recipe made my mouth water and wish for a cold day. I couldn't buy such an expensive piece of equipment without at least a handful of recipes to try out and feed to R.

ALAS!!! 150 Tagine Recipes, a collection of recipes for your Tagine by Pat Crocker; that's 150 days of savory, one pot meals. My favorite (how many days of winter are there) Now not only do I have a the bible of Tagine Cookbooks, but I have an excuse to get a Tagine.

If the sheer coolness of a Tagine hasn't sold you on the book how about some of the recipes that fill it up?

Citrus Tagine Chicken, is made with pomegranate molasses (recipe in the book), blanched almonds, and whole dates.

The Lamb and Peaches with Toasted Nuts and Seeds sounds like its off a gourmet menu

Always at a loss for a lamb recipe, I am excited to try the Cinnamon Lamb with Apricots

Vegetarians are easy to please with the Fall Vegetable Tagine or the Coconut Eggplant and Chickpea Tagine

Keep your menu fresh with soup and couscous recipes. There are even beverage and sweet recipes!  

This book has it all, and a big a Tagine is a great conversation starter and a beautiful addition to your kitchen! Get cooking with 150 Tagine Recipes

I received a free copy of 150 Tagine Recipes for this review, I did not receive any cash payment for this review, All opinions are my own

Don't forget to enter to win a bag full of Rescue Remedy Goodies!

http://mommypants13.blogspot.com/2011/08/relax-this-school-year-with-rescue.html

To Be Sung Underwater

Sometimes in our life, we wonder if we choose the right path, if we ended up with the right person, if we choose the right career, if we moved to the correct place. 

In the book "To Be Sung Underwater" Judith is asking herself if the person she married was the right one. She wonders if the person who she married (who she's quite sure is cheating on her) was the person she was supposed to end up with. Or did she make a mistake by not marrying the carpenter that she had fell so hard for back in Nebraska.

After moving to California to attend Stamford, and gaining her all American life. Judith finds herself thinking about her past when her daughter and husband want to throw out her old bed. She starts longing for the life and the love that she left behind. 

This book is hard to put down, it makes you want to live every part of it with Judith. The book helps you to get to know her very well and you will find yourself rooting for her. The characters in the book are very interesting and I enjoyed meeting them all.

Most of the time I get thrown off when men write about women, and our feelings (what the hell do they know) But Tom McNeal does a great job of really showing how Judith feels and does a great job at telling the story about a women falling in love with her first love again, 

Its a story about reliving your past, and choosing your future. Its long and you can really get into the plot. So if you're looking for a book to read with all this nice new school quiet time you'll be having, pick it up!

I received a free copy of  To Be Sung Underwater for this review, I did not receive any cash payment for this review. All opinions are  100% mine

Miss Fox's Class Shapes Up

Miss Fox is a great teacher, she is always teaching her kids life lessons that they will carry with them forever.

The fourth book in the Miss Fox Series by  Eileen Spinelli is no exception. When Miss Fox starts to notice that her students are a bit grumpy and falling asleep. She decides to intervene and get them started in some healthy habits.

Soon the students are feeling great, and even frog is getting sleep. Just in time for Field day, but can they beat the other classes?


I am always a fan of books with animals and books that teach good habits to kids. Miss Fox's Class Shapes Up is recommended for ages 6-8 (grades 1-3) Its full of great tips for everybody on how to stay fit and healthy.

Anne Kennedy's illustrations of Animals are exciting and colorful. Annabella really enjoyed picking out all the animals on each page, and we even did some exercise after reading the book just like the students did!

So share the gift of fitness with your kids, its a great book to start the day!

The book retails for  $16.99 (Hardcover) its  32 pages long, from Albert Whitman and Company

I received a free copy of "Miss Fox's Class Shapes Up" for this review, all opinions are my own. I did not receive any cash payment for this review. 

"Perfect Snow"

Both Annabella and I were equally excited when we received  "Perfect Snow"  by Barbara Reid

The 32 page book is filed with the excitement of the first day of  "perfect" snow. Join Scott and Jim as they wake to the first "perfect"day of winter snow, make it to school and wait for the time Recess hits so they can finally enjoy it! While Scott is focused on a snowmen, Jim is determined to make the "World's Greatest Snow Fort"

Who will succeed in the challenge? Will either boy be able to finish their projects? Be sure to read "Perfect Snow" and join in all the winter fun!

Annabella and I both enjoyed this book, it is full of excitement, and it is written in a way that makes reading it in an exciting and suspenseful way easily done.  The art is adorable, done using Plasticine modeling clay, it gives the pages a 3D feel and Annabella seemed sure that she could pick the characters right out of the book.  I really appreciate when the artwork in a children's book is done so creatively.

The book is recommended for ages 6-9; grades 1-4. Annabella is 2 and she didn't have any problems staying interested for the whole book!

The Book is available through Albert Whitman Publishing, its hardcover 32 pages and is priced at $16.99

I received a free copy of "Perfect Snow" for this review, all opinions are my own. I did not receive any cash payment for this review. 

Compostable Wipes are good for everybody

How many diapers do you use a day?

Okay now how many wipes?

Wouldn't it be nice if those wipes were compostable, as well as natural, free of chemicals, fragrances, and chlorine? What if the ingredients were made from plants?!

Element's Natural is now the first baby wipe company to achieve B-Corporation Status (B is for Benefit) A benefit corporation is a company that takes account society and environment into account.  

According to Wikipedia, (because I had no idea how to explain this to you folks and have it make sense)"A B Corporation is a new kind of company that takes society and the environment into account. Certified B Corporations are unlike traditional businesses because they meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance standards, reach higher legal accountability standards, and build business constituency."

It means that they use the power of business to change the world. And I really REALLY like the idea of a baby wipe company that is trying to make the world better for my baby!


They are the first company to market baby wipes made from ingredients that are listed on the approved personal care lists of the EcoCert and the Natural Products Association .

The wipes are made from a man made plant based fiber called "Ingeo", and the company donates a portion of their proceeds to For The Planet.


Now onto the actual wipes, the first thing that i noticed was how soft they were, I've used quite a few wipes in my time here on this planet and I really enjoyed the texture of these ones.. I really liked them for diaper changes, especially when that  #2 gets a bit umm stuck on the booty if ya know what I mean, if I have to scrub her bum, then I would like it to be with a soft wipe.


I also really liked how they smelled, even though they have no fragrance they still have a pleasant smell to them.  My daughter had no reactions to the ingredients, and there have been a few other testers in the household (not gonna name names here) who have also given them two thumbs up.


For more about Element's Naturals Wipes, and to find out where to get them in your area visit the website at
www.elementsnaturals.com

I received a free pack of Elements Naturals Wipes for this review, all opinions are 100% mine. I did not receive any cash payments for this review.




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A Good Night's Sleep

Bedtime...

For a lot of us that word can make us cringe, the thought of putting some children to bed can be about the equivalent of getting a 200lb black bear to just let the dentist look at his teeth.

In our house, bedtime can be a challenge as well, whether it be Annabella begging to eat some 'banamas' or she needs to "hug babies at the gym" she certainly comes up with a few other things she would rather do then lay down and shut her eyes.

But some parents have it so easy, they just lay that little one down in the crib, read a story, and say "good-night" I had always hated those women until now

Anna Wahlgren is a full time mother of nine, yes that's right nine children. As you can probably imagine, over the last 30 years of having children, she has come up with a valuable system for putting children to bed. The system is simple and it focus' on the things that children need for a quality nights sleep. 

Anna helps parents to understand why their children are waking up a few times a night. She points out ways for us to handle these challenges with our children so that they (and we) can sleep better.

The book's steps are calm, security and pleasure. With terms like 'rocking', 'jingling' and 'buffing' your children to sleep you will find some amazing ways to calm your child down and let them know that you are there, while helping them fall asleep.

Anna talks about what we can do during the day to help our children sleep through the night, such as feeding them good foods.

So before you try the  'cry-it-out' method which is hard for everyone involved,  please give this book a try, if you don't want to take my word for how wonderful it is, read one of the many letters in the book from parent's. 

The book is available on Amazon

I received a free copy of "A Good Night's Sleep" by Anna Wahlgren for this review all opinions are 100% mine. I did not receive any cash for this post.

Sweet Potato Puffs!

I'm always looking for healthy snacks and sides for my daughter. But its easy to fall  back on convenience foods so when I do choose to give my daughter, french fries or chicken I try to be sure that they are nutritional and have something healthy for her.

Neither me nor my roommates have ever been very crazy about tater-tots, personally I never saw the appeal of the things, I'd rather have some crunch fries. Even though I adore Alexia Sweet Potato Fries; I was still a bit weary to try the Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs. (The wonderful thing about living with people is that you can have them test the food before you do)

I was pleasantly surprised when I found that my daughter LOVED them and my roommate felt the same!  So I tried one and guess what, not bad! I really appreciated how crunchy they were on the outside

I like these puffs because they are not only simple to eat for little fingers, but they are made from sweet potatoes which are much healthier then just regular potato tots. Also its harder to burn a sweet potato puff then it is to burn a french fry. 

Another feature I liked was how quick they cooked, just 20 minutes and you have a great snack or side to go with just about any diner. I enjoyed them with some BBQ sauce because we had them with chicken nuggets. I'm quite sure that they would go great with just about any dip that you could come up with.

The puffs; which were released in March of this year; retail for about $3.49. I looked at my local Whole Foods  and found them with the french fries. They are available at grocery, club, gourmet and mass food stores! Check them out as a healthy alternative for your next meal!

For more information about Alexia Foods check out their website. 

www.alexiafoods.com

Or visit them on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/alexiafoods

I received free Alexia Foods Sweet Potato Puffs for this review. All opinions are my own, I did not receive any cash  payment for this review.

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No Contract phone with TraFone

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone. All opinions are 100% mine.

School is almost here, and its time to start thinking about it.

As much as I dislike the idea of my child having a cell phone, I know how important it is.

Not only for convenience reasons "Call Daddy to pick you up"

But for safety "Mom I need a ride home, the driver has been drinking"

Or as simple to bring a smile to your face "I love you mom"

If you're like me you can get a bit weary of a contract for your tween or teen. Enter the prepaid plan, a system to keep you as a parent with low bills and your kids with good credit.

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TracFone, offers one of the least expensive ways to have a phone, you'll receive double minutes for the life of your phone and 800 minutes for just $119! 

Check out what real TracFone customers have to say about no contract TracFones!

Get some of the top designed phones, at an affordable price. Forget contracts, and cancelation fees.

Get a 200 monthly minutes for only $30 or 50 minutes for as low as $9.99

TracFone allows you to pay online or choose to purchase cards with minutes as you need them. You won't need to worry about getting surprise bills, these real TracFone customers were certainly happy about that! How wonderful to not get yet another bill in the mail

TracFone also has great reception throughout the country. They also have international plans!

TracFone is the only service that allows you to call over 60 international destinations at NO EXTRA COST! With the International Neighbors program customers can give friends and family in Mexico or Canada a local phone number for them to call!

With TracFone you don't have to worry that your kids will complain that they won't get the newest fancy phone, TracFone offers phones by LG, Samsung, Nokia and more!  They can even get phones with video cameras and full QWERTY keyboards! The phones have so many features you won't have to be left out of the smart phone era

With TracFone its easy to teach your kids the responsibility of owning a phone, have them pay you so they can avoid messed credit with a forgotten payment!

If you still need a little persuasion listen to why these real TracFone customers chose TracFone

sick today soo

My netipot is about two hours away...

"The End of Molasses Classes"

I recently read an article that said that 75 percent of students in Califonia Community Colleges need to take a remedial English course. Even worse 97 percent need to take remedial math. In an age where our kids seem to be smarter then their parents, why is it that more and more kids aren't meeting the standards? It seems that kids aren't learning enough, early enough... but why?

When I look back to being in school I can say that boredom was my number one reason to go to school. Who wants to sit and listen to a lecture. 80 minute classes which were designed so that students would have multiple activities in one class period, giving teachers more time with students. Most often were an hour of lecture followed by an hour of 'writing'. Kids need to be more excited about schools if they are going to learn. But how can we excite kids, and get parents involved? 

"The End of Molasses Classes" was written by Ron Clark, you may remember him from his appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Ron is an amazing teacher, he started a school in Georgia in an underprivileged neighborhood. Where he trains teachers in techniques to getting communities to get kids educated.

He has dedicated his life to finding ways to help kids get educated and involve the community and families in the proccess. His ways of getting kids educated are amazing, they are tips for parents,teachers and communities. Tips such as "Don't get your kid a video game system unless you want to be a prison guard", "See the potential in every child", "Use a Djembe Drum." and my personal favorite "Realize that kids need to move"

Not all of us can live in Georgia, and not all of us can be lucky enough to have a teacher who has been through the Ron Clark Academy.  But we can put his 101 top tips to good use in our own homes. With Ron's book "The End of Molasses Classes" You will find all the tips that you didn't even know you needed to help your children succeed.

The proceeds from his book help to provide scholarships to his school.

I plan to keep this book and refer back to it probably till my daughter graduates, I am very excited about this book and really hope that all of you will give it a read. Here is a video of Ron talking about his book; its so wonderful to see a teacher so dedicated and excited about his methods and his students.

Give it a read or check out Ron's book Website
Follow Ron Clark Academy on Twitter
Like Ron Clark Academy on Facebook

I received a free copy of Ron Clark's book "The End of Molasses Classes" for this review, all opinions are 100% mine I did not receive any cash payments for this review


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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Greening Your Buisness

"Being Green" comes easier to some of us then others; but I think that we can all agree that its important.

Keeping green in your home is pretty simple; we recycle, compost, turn off lights, save water, and use bikes. 

We use natural cleaners and we try to buy in bulk.

Sometimes, the green area can seem a bit intimidating when it comes to a business, no doubt there are simple things that a business can do like hiring a natural cleaning company to clean their office and put recycle bins out for unused paper. 

But what can companies really do to lower the impact on the earth, and the garbage that comes with owning a business?

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Greening Your Business  Has simple solutions to keeping your business green as well as some suggestions that I hadn't thought of.

Learn how to package your goods in a green way. This is often my biggest complaint about companies that are "green". Often times I will receive a package that is about three times the size of the actual product. It seems a bit excessive and it definitively makes me think twice about ordering from them. In the book you'll learn how to use green or recycled materials to not only save the environment but save your company money!

The book also tells you how to help your employees green their lives with tips on green incentives and carpooling! Have green events and attract customers who care!

Learn about carbon credits and how you're company can use them and purchase them. Embrace the idea of using less paper,  and enhance your reputation with sustainability reporting.

This book will let you know how to green any business, whether it be home based, internet based, or a large company. Most of the ideas in the book will apply to any business. As with most books in this series the end of the book has an irreplaceable "resource" section at the end to help you find whats listed in the book.

Take the green revolution one step further and let your business plant the green seed in your community!

The book retails for $19.95 

I received a free copy of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Greening Your Business" for this review. All opinions are mine, I received no cash for this review.

Repairpal.com

Just discovered an awesome site

RepairPal lets you figure out average costs for the repairs of cars in your area. Check it out!

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RELAX This School Year with Rescue Remedy Giveaway

School is almost here, for some of us it has already started. Is anybody else feeling stressed? It seems as though my entire day is filled with things to do, people to see, places to go. 

Physicals at the doctor, TB tests to check before 11am, parent nights at daycare and school, notebooks, a messy house, two baskets of laundry, grocery shopping, school shopping, everyday things shopping....

Oh and did I mention that there was an explosion of antifreeze in the front of my car after today's marathon trip to Target where I have already counted 3 things I forgot to buy?

::BREATH::

Enter Rescue Remedy...

An all natural flower remedy to help you relax when you are at your most stressful of times.

I used the Rescue Remedy drops when I was pregnant, and when I went into labor as recommended by my birthing instructor, and they seemed to help a lot.

I was overjoyed when Rescue Remedy contacted me to try their newest products. Which come in easy to use spray, gum and pastilles.  I was lucky enough to receive a Rescue Remedy Gift Set to try and it was well... relaxing!

These three products make it easy to use Remedy when you need it most. I was happy to have the gum along in my purse as I sat in the daily  five pm highway 101 traffic. I  Just popped a piece of the citrus liquid filled gum into my mouth and I found that it was a little easier to turn up the radio and just stay in the right lane... 

The Rescue Pastilles are helpful in the same manner,  just pop one into your mount and let the gummy lozenge dissolve, or if you're like me chew it up. I love the taste of the Orange Elderflower, I'm thinking of trying the Black Currant next time I go to the store.  

The spray is by far the easiest form of Rescue Remedy, I find that its great if I have a meeting or  conference and I don't want to be chewing gum or candy in front of the,. I just spray two squirts into a bottle of water and sip it as needed though the meeting, I stay relaxed and don't look like a cow doing it!

Its a great all natural way to keep your bearings when life gets tough.

"Want To Do Sweepstakes"

This year, Rescue Remedy is hosting an amazing sweepstakes called the "Want to do" Sweepstakes. You could win up to $2,500 to do the things that you WANT to do!  To enter visit the Rescue Remedy  facebook page http://www.facebook.com/RescueRemedy, and click on the "Want to do" list on the  left,  fill out the form with your 'wants' then; invite your friends to share theirs! You'll get an extra chance to win for each friend that enters!

Win on Mommypants! 

Rescue Remedy has offered to give one lucky Mommypants reader a Rescue Remedy  Gift Set of their own!

To Win:
Contest ends August 29, 2011 at midnight, all entries must include e-mail address. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

1 (mandatory). Enter the Rescue Remedy "Want To Do Sweepstakes" on facebook, tell me what your number one want is! (1 entry)

2. Follow me on twitter @mommypants11 and retweet this

Enter to WIN! Rescue Remedy Gift Set! http://tinyurl.com/3nreuq2 @mommypants11
leave the link to the tweet in comment (1 entry)
3. "Like" Mommypants on Facebook leave a comment with your facebook name or link to your profile (1 entry)

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I received a free rescue remedy gift set for this review, all opinions are 100% mine I received no cash payments for this review.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Raw Food Detox

There is no doubt that raw food is the best food for you.

Cooking your food, kills vital nutrients and its harder for your body to process cooked food then it is for it to process raw.

The main question in my mind when if first came to raw food is "What do you eat?" I thought, it was a diet of salads and fruit diners, maybe throw in a bit of ceviche here and there, but sushi was out because the rice was cooked.

In The Complete Idiot's Guide to Raw Food Detox the entire process is simplified. enter the world of the raw foodie, learn how to clean the toxins out of your system and start new! 

With 96 pages of recipes, the book takes teaching about raw foods to a whole new level with a number of plans that you can easily follow to make it work for you.

You will not only learn about raw foods in the book but whole foods, live foods, and other healthy choices you can add to your regular or raw food diet to help your body feel great. 

But who can imagine going through life with no brownies? No steak, no slow cooked beef stew? 

In the book you will learn ways to incorporate whole and raw foods and create a diet that allows you cooked foods while still staying as healthy as possible with the 60 percent solution.  A program that allows some cooked flavors with a diet that is primarily raw. 

Learn how to eat raw when you're out or eat raw while you are visiting family. This book makes healthy eating easy for everyone and has some recipes that I have even fed to my daughter with no complaints!

If you have any had interest in a raw food diet, or just want to add some healthy raw recipes to your recipe index, this book is for you.

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Whoop Whoop

So I just enrolled to start massage school this fall.

Am I excited? You bet! 

I knew I'd be getting massages from other students at school.

But imagine my surprise when I got this

in the mail today!

A free massage?!

Going to be taking full advantage of this one! 

I'm so excited I can't wait to get my massage!

Working on a few reviews today and then heading to the Gravenstien Apple Fair tom-marrow!

Back to School with Bealls

This post brought to you by Bealls. All opinions are 100% mine.

Yaay! Back to school shopping?

Who doesn't love to get to a mall over crowded with teenagers.

Overpriced, t-shirts and jeans that already have holes in them.

And don't forget the excitement of loosing your car in the parking lot....

 

Oh.,.. wait you don't like searching for your car with mall security because you're "sure" its been stolen 

"OH they returned it over there by Sears... tee hee"

 

My Back-to school shopping when done at a shopping mall is (almost)  always filled with an empty wallet, a hungry stomach, and an unsatisfied closet.

 

Thankfully there is the internet, where all of us, not so mall-friendly shoppers can sit on our couches, turn on Teen Mom (3), and shop, endlessly. The downfall is that we can't actually 'try' anything on and while that $5 shirt looks like a great deal, when you get it home sometimes the 'small' is for a 12 year old not a 25 year old (How much make-up did the put on that girl?)

 

This time of year its important to also shop for our children, because they will be going back to school, and while its CRUCIAL to look fab at the PTA meeting, your little ones should also be dressed to the nines, especially for those back to school pictures.  (Note: toddlers look adorable in rainbow colors, so can't wait for back to school pictures)

 

Annabella will be staring Junior Pre-school this year. Since I was so fortunate to have an adorable baby doll to dress up everyday. I take full advantage, she'll only let me dress her for so long. And since she'll be going to a Montessori school, and she should be choosing her own clothes, I plan to fill her drawers with adorable skirts and tops, and some leggings and skinny jeans (yes from the mother who would 'never' put her kid in jeans) I love t-shirts or ruffles to go with the skirts, and I love tunics for the leggings.

 

To save money while school shopping, I'm a clearance shopper, this works great for my toddler because she doesn't know the difference but with teenagers it can be hard, at Bealls you can find current clothing with clearance prices. I was very impressed with how many styles they had. Its like a mall in your browser.

 

At Bealls I found lots of skirts in all sizes and they were adorable, from pleated skirts to ruffle skirts (my personal favorite) They have leggings in all colors. At Bealls   you can find all the back to school fashions that you need for your kid, and not brake the bank doing it. 

 

If your kids wear uniforms you can find them at Bealls as well. They have options even if you're kids school requires them!

Good Luck with you're back to school shopping be sure to check out  Bealls

 

Urban Homesteading... even and Idiot can do it

At least with the help of this book

The Complete Idiots Guide to Urban Homesteading

Is exactly what its titled.

This book has everything that a person needs to be able to sustain themselves even if they live in an area where its not possible to have a large farm or group of animals.

Lets start with gardens, this book tells it all. From setting up a garden with limited space, to doing it all in containers. The book will tell you how to mix up some soil, as well as build a frame house so that you can keep your crops warm in the winter.

Keep Bees! We all know how important it is right now that bees are saved. So why not add them to the backyard, in addition to helping save the bees, you have your own pollinators right there in your backyard!

Also in this book learn how to keep animals, get milk from goats and eggs from chickens, even learn how to get permits for these animals in your urban environment!

No surprise that my favorite part was learning how to make CHEESE! Yum! I can't wait to try this out, its always been something that I've wanted to try.

This book is great to have in your house, it has recipes for cleaning supplies and it lets you know that living sustainable is possible even if you live next to a few skyscrapers! 

Teach your kids by example and help them learn to be ecofriendly and grow their own food, this lowers the risk of GMOs and allows you to try heirloom varieties that aren't sold at grocery stores!

I really hope that you'll check out this book its affordable and lots of fun to read!

I'm a Mom Ambassador!

Hooray! 

I'm a mom Ambassador for Kiwi's Green Mom's Meet program!

I'll host meetings locally with moms where we will discuss tips for conscious parenting and green living! If you live in the  Sonoma California area and would like some information about the meetings I'll be hosting, please feel free to contact me! I'll be updating ALL you readers on the great products we get to try and how moms like them!

Searching for Daycare.... Montessori Experiment

Oh the daycare search

It seems endless, where to place your perfect angel?

Pretty sure this isn't a Montessori Friendly Outfit

Annabella LOVES daycare, by the way she leaves me at the door you would think that I mistreat her.

Running into the classroom, without so much as a peck on the cheek she shouts "Bye-Bye Mama" as she takes off her coat and says hello to the nearest toddler.

Today for the first time I went to a Montessori preschool for her. I was so impressed. I have decided that its a must.

Not only was the school neat and tidy, but so were the kids! The director of the program was knowledgeable and seemed to know so much about children, and not just children in general but she knew about all the children who attended the school, from the toddlers to the older children! 

The classrooms were set up neatly so that the kids could do things on their own, from taking off their coats, to washing their dishes!  The kids all seemed so neat and tidy, and I was very impressed with how the classrooms were filled with independent learning for all the kids. 

I liked how the director told me that instead of asking "can you do this" they ask "will you do this" which gives kids a sense that they have the ability to do things. There is so much thought put into the  program, I feel that Annabella will learn so much from being with these other kids.

I'm pretty sure that I've even convinced Daddy to pay for the tuition ($950 a week) Which in my opinion is fair, the other schools that I looked at were $850 for a school that was a bit out of the way and $1200 for a school where I was handed a lesson plan and a very fancy folder. I feel that this school is perfect for my little one.

CONFESSION.....

I'M the one who is nervous.

While we were there I was instantly reminded of how much I didn't know about montessori schooling. 

I saw how neatly arranged all the toys were and though of our own discombobulated house, along with her single basket of jumbled toys, I saw how the children there kept all their toys on a mat while Annabella spread hers out all over the floor. (although I was assured by the director that ALL  the kids start out at the school the same way)

I'm nervous about the parents, I don't know why I feel so strange around other moms. I guess part of me just doesn't feel like a grown up yet! How will I get along with the other mothers? I'd like to forge friendships.

Will Daddy abide? The school suggests no dessert snacks including granola bars, of course when the director told me this I  responded as if I would never feed Annabella sugar filled granola bar (chocolate chip cliff bars dont' count right?) I also worry that he may not so much like the policy of her having to be in school for the FULL time that she is supposed to be there. Rather then just taking her out whenever. As the time constraints might be a problem

I now find myself worrying about Annabella's wardrobe,  is it simple enough? Will she have the correct containers for lunch? (easy open)

I'm sure as usual I'm making a big deal out of this, I'm sure that all will be well and that both Annabella and I will both benefit from it. I have already started employing some of the techniques that I learned and Annabella is responding very positively to them,

Any mamas out there have any  tips for me? Books to read?

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The Day Bella Was Born...WARNING a birth story

To put it lightly, pregnancy for me... sucked

 I hated eating food (everything tasted horrible to me), I hated that I couldn't gain weight (uggh and the terrible protein powder they tried to make me drink), I hated that I could see my feet and that other pregnant women glared at the sight of me, I hated my emotions, and even more then all that I HATED the thought of giving birth.

Then I read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. After reading the stories of so many women doing it naturally and in the care of a midwife, I felt much better about my decision to go with a midwife. My biggest fears were that I would have to be transported from my birth center to a hospital. Or worse, that I would have to get surgery. 

As the end of my pregnancy neared, I felt more relaxed to give birth, I read stories online and more books. Going to birthing classes helped.

The entire time I couldn't shake the feeling that I would be too small, or that something would be wrong with Bella. I guess you could blame that on the hormones, and natural motherly worry.

The last few weeks of me being pregnant was mostly focused on how to get the baby out, I was hot, tired, and most of all OVER the heels, or possibly knees or elbows intruding my personal rib space. I also had a hard time getting along with just about anybody who asked me about my belly. "Baby? Oh yea that I swallowed a watermelon seed in December and its been growing ever since.. weird huh?"

I found out that I was 70% effaced...... and the last week...I walked, I ate labor cookies (which I actually think are pretty tasty), you never saw me sitting, I would be bouncing on an exercise ball, I played music, I talked to her, I had sex, I had a massage, I had acupressure, I had acupuncture, tea, and aromatherapy.. still no baby 

So the day after my due date (August 30th 2009) I headed straight to the herb store to get some Black Cohosh and Cotton Root tinctures (my midwife had suggested this as an option). I can't tell if it was the Cohosh for sure but about an hour later... that's when it all started.

My first contraction, HURT, but I suspected that I was just feeling the pain of a first contraction... it lasted a LONG time to say the least, ten minutes! Yes, ladies. I held onto my daughter's father for that period of time, and the next one followed soon after. We called the midwife, she suggested that because we had only had ONE noticeable contraction that we should take a shower and see what happened in the next half hour. I called my Doula and she told us she was on the way,

I took a shower, while telling my daughter's father that it was fine and that I had a while. I was just being dramatic. (or so I thought)

When I puked, that ended any portion of calm he had, he called our Doula (also a very close friend of ours) and she told him that I should go to the midwife. That was all he needed and we were in the car on the way. Luckily we were VERY close to the birth center.

The midwifes agreed to check me but warned that if I wasn't dilated I would have to wait. I was pretty sure at this point that it was coming soon. When they checked me I was already NINE centimeters dilated! I would be at ten soon and start pushing! Annabella's soon to be godfather came to hang out while I waited to start pushing, but left soon after when we found out I would be having the baby right then (he passes out with needles, none of us thought he would do well with birth)

There would be no time to fill up the large birthing tub, but the midwife let me know that I would be able to fill up the bathtub and try in there. Shortly after I got in the bathtub I began pushing, my water broke. I pushed for what felt like forever, and then my midwife suggested that I stand up so that I could get more space. It  was a great idea, because a few minutes later she was born! 

She was very quiet and just looked around at everyone. She didn't cry till they took her to weigh her and put her diaper on (a trait she has yet to grow out of). 

Daddy went to get pizza but forgot his wallet, however pizza was one of the few foods I could stomach while pregnant and it was so close to the birth center. The owner New York by the end of my pregnancy because we would always reminisce about the east coast. He was glad to give the pizza for free. Daddy Returned with beers and Annabella's godfather brought a beer for daddy.

Annabella breastfed with no problems and she was happy to pose for pictures

Everybody commented on how perfect her head was and I was so proud. She weighed 6.5lb 15oz. 

We all (midwifes, Doula, family) ate pizza together and then at about 8pm we headed back home. 

Labor, in  comparison to pregnancy was easy.

To log your birth story online to share with the world or just to keep forever; check out http://www.thedaybabywasborn.com/
A site that helps you keep all the memories of your little one together and online.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Tommee Tippee blogging contest for a chance to get a gift pack worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.