Having a child with super sensitive skin can be a real struggle.  They itch constantly and often have dry flaky skin.  It is hard as a mom to see them uncomfortable and their skin so irritated.  In our house it is Xander my middle child that has it the worst.  His skin is almost always dry and bumpy.  I see him scratching more than I would like to.  It has been this way since he was a baby.  We did find that he is allergic to eggs so we avoid them but he is also very sensitive to all sunscreen and we can't avoid that.  Recently we tried exederm baby lotion and cleansing baby bath.  Both products are designed with people like Xan in mind. 

Product information:

About exederm:
exederm's ultra sensitive skincare line was created based on a simple philosophy: avoid irritants that trigger eczema and always use the mildest ingredients possible. exederm has been specially formulated to avoid harsh chemicals, unnecessary additives and unproven herbal ingredients that may irritate and cause a rash on sensitive skin or trigger an eczema flare-up on children's skin.  exederm is available from their website, as well as leading online national retailers Drugstore.com and Amazon.com.

• No Fragrance
• No Parabens
• No Lanolin
• No Propylene Glycol
• No Colors or Dyes
• No Sodium Laureth Sulfate 
• No Cocamidopropylene Betaine
• No Phthalates

My Thoughts:

The two products we tried in our home were the hydrating baby lotion and cleansing baby bath.  Xander exclaimed that the lotion coated his irritated skin well.  We both noticed that it looked hydrated right away and he didn't experience any irritation at all from it.  This product was a big hit for him and he has put it in his personal product stash!  I have been using the cleansing bath on Jace and his skin is beautiful.  I get concerned around this time of year because we are outside more and that means more sunscreen, bug bites and dryness.  This was has kept him looking great even with him spending way more time in the tub. 


MANDATORY ENTRY:
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Visit exederm.com and come back here and tell me which product you would most like to try.


EXTRA ENTRIES:
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• "Like" Exederm on Facebook

• Share this contest on your Facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

• Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily) 

• Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

• Add As They Grow Up Button to your blog and leave a link so that I can find it

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• Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

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• Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on  June 19, 2012. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Contest open to U.S.   residents only.


~ Lisa

I love having my kids home in the summer.  This is my time to 'play' teacher.  I tend to give them a week of slack then I start on the activities.  The main thing we've focused on is reading.  They are required to read each summer.  We go to the library at least once a week to get new books and I even made them do book reports last year.  (Surprise kids that is totally happening again!!)  This year I was trying to think of some new projects to add.  My bigger boys  are almost 10 and almost 12.  So they are not babies anymore.  We do have Jace but I have different things planned for him learning-wise.  When I saw Kay Wills Wyma's book Cleaning House: A Mom's 12-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement.  I had no idea how much of an impact this book would have on me. 

The book is broken up into 12 task that Wyma sets up for her kids to master.  The first one is going to be our first project and we are starting on this Friday.  It was tackling clutter and making beds.  We always struggle with cleaning!  It takes a lot of time if Mom is left to do it all alone and I've really incorporated the kids recently.  I loved how Wyma put jars filled with money in the room for each kid.  Then if they did the task (kept their rooms tidy/beds made) they got to keep their dollar.  If not she took one away.  My husband is totally on board with this one so it should be a fun 'experiment' for the whole family. 

Additional Information about the book:
Raising five kids in the “self-esteem generation,” Kay Wyma caught a disturbing trend in her home: as the workload of a big family increased with growing children, it seemed she was bearing the load . . . and her kids weren’t learning vital skills needed to successfully leave the nest. And so began her 12-month experiment to build real self-esteem based on building their competence and confidence. The Cleaning House experiment taught the Wyma kids practical skills for home life (doing laundry!), and vital skills for all of life (the value of work, working well with others). A perfect success? Of course not, but a journey you’ll want to take with the Wymas, full of Kay’s trademark wit and wisdom. As Kay says, “Here’s to seeing what can happen when we tell our kids, ‘I believe in you, and I’m going to prove it by putting you to work.’”


ENTITLEMENT FACTS   

Research and reporting point to the trends of parental over-involvement and kids’ under-preparedness. A few examples.

• Almost 83 percent of adults say young people feel more entitled than in years past.
• 
  31 percent of parents send potential employers resumes on behalf of their children.
• 
  The Wall Street Journal said, “Contemporary children have very little experience with the kinds of tasks that they'll have to perform as grown-ups.”

ABOUT KAY     
Author,entrepreneur, wife and mom, Kay Wills Wyma brings a wealth of life experience to writing Cleaning House. As a White House staff member for Vice President and Mrs. Dan Quayle, Kay landed in every state except Alaska. A graduate of the prestigious Thunderbird international MBA program, Kay worked in international finance at Bank of America, in real estate with The Staubach Company and as an entrepreneur nationally marketing her own line of gourmet cookies in top retailers such as Neiman-Marcus. In addition to writing Cleaning House, Kay writes for her own popular blog, The Moat, where she creates a community for parents committed to equipping their kids for successful transition to adulthood.

My thoughts:

This book was life changing for me.  It changed the way I looked at my kids and their personal potential.  I hadn't realized that I wasn't building their self-esteem by allowing them to do task I thought were too old for them.  A personal example was just the other day with my son Xander.  Our oldest Austin usually vacumms for me.  He always does a great job and I can count on him to do it.  Xander tends to suck things up and jam the vacuum.  Well the other day Xan was here and I needed the room vacummed.  I asked him to do it and his response was "I can't do it I'm not good at it".  He had answered that way because even though it wasn't said that is the message he got when I never asked him to do it.  I told him, " your not bad at it you just don't know how to do it." So on my list this week is to take the time to show him how to properly do the job.  Then next time He will be able to do and will know how to do it correctly.  I know this is going to boost his self-esteem and it is a task he should know how to do.

There are many other ideas I plan on incorporating  from this book.  I love that Wyma taught her kids to cook a meal, do laundry and even handle some errands.  While I will only be taking on 3 task this summer as projects I plan on incorporating the learning throughout the whole year.  I honestly can't recommend this book enough.  Especially if you have children 8 or older because this younger generation needs to learn these basic skills.  I know when I was my kid's age I could cook, clean, do laundry, walk to the store, and babysat for several families.  My kid's are capable but we just never let them do any of it.

I've read some amazing books this year so far but this one is in my top 2!  It is written well and has tons of humor mixed in.  The personal stories and author's summaries at the end make each chapter stand out.   You might not want to do each activity in the book I think the general theme overall is to help our kids learn to navigate in this big world so they can be productive citizens on their own.  That is a lesson every child should be taught.

Cleaning House: A Mom's 12-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement is available at most major book retailers including Amazon.com.  You can also find Kay Wills Wyma on Facebook. 

When it comes to grocery shopping I prefer to do it alone. I find that I normally stick to my list and can concentrate much better as opposed to being pulled in a hundred different directions. Unfortunately, there are times that I have to take the kids or even my husband with me. I am by no means a stickler when it comes to only getting healthy food. I will buy the occasional box of cookies or potato chips but I do not overdo it. The kids love fruit snacks but it seems those that have the most enticing boxes are the worst for them. Caroline is also getting to the point where when she sees characters she recognizes from television on such boxes she points, says their name and begs the best an eighteen month old can. There is no doubt in my mind that companies plan it this way!

We buy a lot of Welch's products but have never tried their fruit snacks until this review. We got several varieties to try and they were all super yummy! The mixed fruit flavored snacks won the general consensus in our home.  Welch's Fruit Snacks come in a number of varieties including mixed fruit, berries 'n cherries, tangy fruits, island fruit and white grape peach just to name a few.  Not only did I personally think they were tasty but as a mom I feel comfortable giving them to my kids to eat. Here are some facts you may or may not have previously known about Welch's Fruit Snacks:

• Each pack is made with REAL fruit and REAL fruit juices
• Fat Free
• Gluten Free
• No Preservatives
• Contains 100% of recommended daily value of Vitamin C and 25% of Vitamins A and E

Welch's Fruit Snacks come in a few different sizes such as the standard .9oz packets, 2.25 oz and 5 oz pouches.  They are sold nationwide in club stores, mass merchandisers, grocery stores, convenience stores and places you may not have thought of such as vending machines, movie theaters and theme parks. If you are looking for a tasty snack for your children or even yourself  I recommend checking out all that Welch's Fruit Snacks have to offer!

As we enter into Hurricane season it is important to be prepared.  I remember last year we had a hurricane hit in NJ.  We were very fortunate to not loose power and really escaped all damage, but others local to us were not as lucky.  Our family prepared by filling our tub with water and purchasing some canned foods and bottled water.  We stocked flashlights and camped in our living room.  Now that we are entering 2012's Hurricane Season we are better prepared after learning so much last year.

New York City's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) wants you to prepare now before there is a problem.  One way for you to prepare is to check out the New York Office of Emergency Management’s (OEM)’s guide, Ready New York: Hurricanes and New York City.  Hurricane's can impact the city and it is best to have a plan.  According to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) 2012 hurricane season outlook, we can expect 9 to 15 named storms, 4 to 8 hurricanes, and 1 to 3 major hurricanes.


MANDATORY ENTRY:
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Check out the Ready New York Hurricane guide and leave a comment telling us something you learned. 


EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry:

• "Like" NYC OEM on Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/NYCemergencymanagement

• Share this contest on your Facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

• Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily) 

• Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

• Add As They Grow Up Button to your blog and leave a link so that I can find it

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• Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

• Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

• Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on  June 13, 2012. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Contest open to U.S.   residents only.


~ Lisa

Have you noticed how fast your child loses all the information they learned in school as soon as summer hits?  If you didn't ask their teachers because they will tell you that once September comes they have to re-learn many of the things they learned the previous year.  One way to combat that learning loss is to have your child do some sort of school work activity each day.  Leap Frog has created a summer camp (online) for ages 4-7.  This camp will help keep writing, geography, art and more fun for children all summer long.  Camp runs for 8 weeks beginning June 4 through July 28.  I know my kids love computer time, what a great way to incorporate computer time while encouraging learning!

Additional Program information:
LeapFrog Summer Camp is a free 8-week online program designed to keep learning fun all summer long through engaging weekly themes and exciting free learning activities that explore geography, writing, science, art and more. 

• Free
• New themes featured each week
• Daily Printable Activity Pages
• Keeps Kids engaged and Learning during Summer months
• Prize opportunities

Printable Example

Printable Example

Printable Example

LeapFrog has partnered with Shutterfly to help turn your Summer Camp memories into a lasting keepsake through the LeapFrog Summer Camp Photo Book Sweepstakes!  Simply create a Shutterfly photo book with pictures of your child completing a Summer Camp activity and enter to win one of three $500 LeapFrog prize packs!  Parents can start creating their photo book as early as the first day of camp.  Photo book submission period is from July 27-August 10. 


There are more ways to win prizes and that’s through the Summer Camp Weekly Contest.  Each week, parents can submit up to three photos of their child completing a summer camp activity for a chance to win a LeapFrog prize pack worth $50 through the Facebook Summer Camp page. 


~ Lisa

I have been trying to become more aware of my impact on the environment.  I've switched to cleaning cloths instead paper towels (we still use them occasionally but now one roll last a long time).  I also have purchased some of those shopping bags that are cloth to bring along while shopping.  One area I've struggled with is school lunches.  I did purchase bottles to pack water from our house rather than using bottled water (but at the end of the year we need to get new ones again).  One way I recently tried was ReUsies. They are little cloth bags that are lined with nylon.  You can put sandwiches or snacks in them and the best part is they are washable and easily reused each day.

Additional information:
ReUsies™ are a re-usable alternative to sandwich/snack bags, each one has the potential to eliminate hundreds of plastic bags. ReUsies™ are 100% cotton lined with leak-resistant nylon and are secured with Velcro® closures.

ReUsies in action: Sandwich, snack and fruit!

My Thoughts:

I thought this product was super smart.  We picked the Camo Two Pack to review.  First off the selection of prints is perfect for every taste.  My boys LOVE camo.  That is their bedroom theme and they have camo print for every article of clothing.  (True little boys!)  So the Camo set was perfect.  This set comes in two sizes: large and small.  I found both sizes to be quite big (which was nice).  The larger size is great for a sandwich and smaller for your snack.  They washed up very nice.  We opted to just hand wash since it was so easy.   I love that we are not wasting plastic bags each day so this is a great alternative.


MANDATORY ENTRY:
(Please Leave A Valid Email Address)
Visit ReUsies and come back here and tell me which print you like the best!


EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry:

• "Like" ReUsies on Facebook

• Follow ReUsies on Twitter

• Share this contest on your Facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

• Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily) 

• Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

• Add As They Grow Up Button to your blog and leave a link so that I can find it

• Add As They Grow Up to your Blogroll (2 entries)

• Follow My Blog (See sidebar)

• Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

• Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

• Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on  June 12, 2012. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Contest open to U.S.   residents only.


~ Lisa

Most toothbrushes can be found in a bathroom. They are designed to brush teeth, freshen breath and promote good oral hygiene. Dentists recommend using a new toothbrush every couple of months and replacing them after being sick. However, do you know what is lingering in even the cleanest of bathrooms? Germs such as H1N1, Listeria, E. Coli, Staph and Salmonella hover in bathrooms and inevitably around toothbrushes. It could be in my bathroom and it could be in yours. Of course we can't see them but the side effects can be very serious, even deadly if not properly taken care of.

If you are totally grossed out at this point, I have good news for you! Violight is an amazing company that manufactures ultraviolet sanitizers that sanitizes those vary things we rely on to clean our teeth. Violight sanitizers eliminate 99.9% of germs that simple rinsing leaves behind. Violight uses the same ultraviolet technology that hospitals and high-end water purification systems use to eliminate germs after each use.

Violight has several different types of toothbrush sanitizers such as the Personal/travel UV, Ya-Ya Zapi and Countertop UV.  They also have a variety of toothbrushes and toothbrush holders including the Slim Sonic Toothbrush and the Bobble Brush. For this review I received a Zapi UV Toothbrush Sanitizer in blue.  The Zapi is Violight's most popular sanitizer.  It has a modern design that reminds me of Weebles.  Zapi comes in several different colors and characters.  Each have a modern design that will wobble but will never fall down!

Here are some fun facts about this product:

• Winner of the International Housewares Design Awards 2009
• Sanitizes in just 6 minutes
• Use with any toothbrush or electric head
• Battery operated with auto-shutoff
• Featured on Rachel Ray
• Ten bright colors and designs to choose from
• 2 year warranty

My Thoughts:
When I first took the Zapi out of the box I could tell right away that it was made to be durable.  It was in no way cheap and flimsy but at the same time it wasn't big and bulky.  I chose blue which fit in nicely with the colors in my bathroom and it takes up little room atop the bathroom vanity.  Although I can't physically see all the germs the Zapi is removing from our toothbrushes I have full faith in it and get the sense of clean each and every time I use it.  I also love the fact that it is very user friendly.  A couple of batteries was all it took to get it running and from there all you do is put your toothbrush inside whenever you would like to sanitize it.  We all use it daily and after watching us a few times, my eighteen month old has even tried her hand at putting her toothbrush in the Zapi!

For a limited time, Zapi is on sale and can be purchased online at violight.com for as little as $29.95.  The Zapi would make a fun yet practical gift for just about any occasion and for almost any age group. If cups, spoons, forks and other items that go into your mouth can be washed and sanitized daily why shouldn't your toothbrush? 

I had never really thought about the mouth impacting the whole body before reading this book.  However once I started reading Whole-Body Dentistry by Mark A. Breiner, DDS I started to see how much that makes sense.  I'm a big fan of chiropractic care so this seems to just go hand and hand.  The idea is the instead of just focusing on oral care, fillings, and other dental work you need to look at you total health and see if you mouth might be the cause. 

There is a whole chapter devoted to children.  It talks about fillings, loosing teeth and even Fluoride. I found this to be super informative on how to care for a young person's teeth.

The Following Q & A with Mark A. Breiner, DDS is  provided by KSB Promotions:


My child's first teeth are coming in decayed...why?
 When a baby falls asleep at the mother's breast or with a bottle still in his or her mouth, the emerging baby teeth are being continuously bathed in the milk sugar and are thus susceptible to decay. It has also been my observation that decay occurs more frequently in babies whose mother is a vegetarian and is breastfeeding. Last but not least, some children are just more susceptible to tooth decay. Homeopathic treatments--which address the child's whole system--can be of significant benefit.
Since my child's baby teeth are going to fall out, do I even have to be concerned about treating decay?
 Yes, the decay can progress to the point of producing a toothache and an abscess, conditions that may necessitate the extraction of a tooth. Under ideal circumstances, your child's front teeth will be in place until six or seven years of age. These teeth are very important for proper speech development.  The baby molars are normally retained until ten to thirteen years of age. If these are lost prematurely, the permanent molars will come in and move forward, blocking the space needed for the permanent teeth. This situation will necessitate orthodontics.

My child's permanent front teeth are coming in with white spots. Why is this happening?
 White spots on permanent teeth are almost always the result of ingesting too much fluoride. Studies have shown that 30-40% of children today have this problem. These spots form because fluoride interferes with collagen production. This interference is not just confined to the teeth, and thus fluoride can have additional negative systemic ramifications.

At what age should I start bringing my child to the dentist?
 A good time to bring your child to a dentist's office is at three years of age. Your child can see the hygienist for tooth polishing: he or she may also ride in the chair and squirt the water, to make it a fun experience. Of course, if you suspect any problems prior to that time, you should immediately bring your child to the dentist.

How do I care for my toddler's teeth?
 When the teeth first come in (usually at 6 to 9 months of age) wiping the teeth with a washcloth or gauze pad is sufficient. As the child gets older and permits it, use a small toothbrush with soft bristles and dental floss.

A dentist said my child will need braces. Should I wait until all the permanent teeth are in place? 
No. Often there is not enough room for permanent teeth or there is a structural problem in the way the lower jaw meets the upper jaw. It is best to begin to address these situations at an early age, when the first permanent molars have erupted. Consult with an orthodontist and let the orthodontist determine the ideal time to start treatment; that time is almost always before all the permanent teeth are in.

My child is highly allergic. Do I have to be concerned about the materials used in orthodontics?
Yes. Often the orthodontic metals are nickel-based. Ten percent of the population is reactive to nickel. Today there are alternatives to using nickel. If your child has experienced more colds or a decline in health while wearing braces, he or she may be reactive to the dental materials used.
 
My child has a cavity, should I be concerned about materials being used to restore the teeth?
Yes. NEVER let a dentist place a "silver" filling in your child's teeth. These fillings are half mercury, and we all know now that mercury is dangerous. Ask your dentist to use a tooth-colored composite filling.
 
My dentist wants to take X-rays of my child's teeth, is this a good idea?
No one likes to have X-rays taken. As with everything in dentistry, one must evaluate the benefits and risks. The main reason for X-rays in young children is to check for decay between the teeth. Often transillumination with a bright light will reveal decay between the baby teeth and X-rays can be avoided. If you or your dentist suspects decay, it is better to take an X-ray than to end up with a toothache. When all the permanent teeth are in, transillumination does not work well on the back teeth; for those, X-rays are a good idea. In trying to limit radiation exposure in adults and youngsters, I base the frequency of taking X-rays on the child's previous history of decay. Digital X-rays keep radiation to a minimum.
My dentist wants to apply sealants to my child's teeth, is this necessary?
Because deep grooves in the molar teeth very often become decayed, filling these grooves will prevent this from happening. A dental sealant is a liquid composite that flows into the grooves and is then hardened with a high intensity light. Prior to applying a sealant, it is important to check for decay in the grooves. There are electronic dental instruments that detect decay and should be used prior to using the sealant. I think it is unnecessary to seal teeth that do not have deep grooves. I prefer placing tiny composite fillings in deep grooves, as sealants are often lost and begin to leak with time. These problems rarely occur when tiny composite restorations are used.

Why seek a holistic approach for your child's dental care?
I believe that Whole-Body Dentistry promotes both a healthy mouth and a healthy body.

When alternative holistic dental approaches are combined  with solid traditional dentistry, the outcome is one that optimizes each  patient's health and well-being. It is a win-win formula!

My Thoughts:
I found this book to be extremely informative.  I have an amalgam filling and I've often wondered about the safety of it.  Now I will be looking into having it removed by a dentist who knows what he is doing in this area.  I also found the information on homeopathy to be very interesting and I will be looking more into that field in general for my family's health.

You can purchase your copy of Whole-Body Dentistry at your local book retailer or find it online at Amazon.  For additional information visit wholebodydentistry.com.

MANDATORY ENTRY:
(Please Leave A Valid Email Address)
How often do you visit the dentist?

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry:

• Share this contest on your facebook page and post the link here. This can be done once daily.

• Tweet about the giveaway (can be done daily)

• Follow As They Grow Up on Twitter

• Add As They Grow Up Button to your blog and leave a link so that I can find it

• Add As They Grow Up to your Blogroll (2 entries)

• Follow My Blog (See sidebar)

• Become a fan of As They Grow Up on Facebook

• Subscribe to As They Grow Up Via Email (Be sure to VERIFY your subscription)

• Comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which one(s)

One winner will be chosen! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on  June 12 , 2012. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Contest open to U.S.  residents only.



~ Lisa

Krispy Kreme® adds some zest to its Fruit Stand Flavor summer treats  with a new lemon and lime duo of doughnuts, including new Key Lime KREME pie,  and three new fruity blended beverages.  The new Glazed Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing and Key Lime KREME™ Pie doughnuts are available through July 8 at participating Krispy Kreme US and Canada shops.  Krispy Kreme also puts a new twist on its iced beverages with the introduction of Frozen Cherry, Frozen Lemonade and Frozen Cherry Lemonade Krispy Kreme Chillers®.  Available through the end of summer at participating Krispy Kreme locations.
 
“Sweet, tart and delicious, we’ve added the great taste of key lime to the signature KREME filling in our new Key Lime Kreme Pie doughnut and sweetened the citrus taste of the new Glazed Lemon Cake with our Original Glaze® and a tasty cream cheese icing,” says Ron Rupocinski, Krispy Kreme Corporate Chef.


New Lemon and Lime doughnuts are fresh for the pick’n at participating locations:
·        Key Lime KREME™ Pie- Filled with a tangy blend of key lime and signature KREME filling, and topped with white icing and graham cracker crumble.
·        Glazed Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing- A glazed lemon cake doughnut, topped with cream cheese icing and lemon cake crumbles.
 
Treat your tastebuds to the icy-sweet fruit flavors of two new Krispy Kreme Chillers:
 
·        Frozen Cherry- The perfect balance of sweet and tart with an icy burst of berry flavor. 
 
·        Frozen Lemonade- A refreshing thirst-quencher made with real lemons, sweetened with only cane sugar, and prepared icy cold.  
 
·        Frozen Cherry Lemonade- Get the best of both worlds in one delicious beverage with this sweet and tangy blend of Frozen Cherry and Frozen Lemonade.
 
You can also find the new Glazed Lemon Cake doughnut at your nearest participating mass merchant, grocery and convenience stores. Doughnuts sold individually. Products may vary by market. Visit www.krispykreme.com/grocery for more on Krispy Kreme wholesale products. 
 
In celebration of 75 years of love for its one-of-a-kind doughnuts, including the world-famous Original Glazed® doughnut- Krispy Kreme is inviting its fans around the globe to join the celebration.  Post your Happy 75^th Birthday message on a virtual Birthday Card, interact with the Time Machine of Joy, and share your sweetest Krispy Kreme memories at www.CelebrateKrispyKreme.com.
Connect with Krispy Kreme at KrispyKreme.com, KrispyKreme.com/HotLightApp, Facebook, foursquare and Twitter, and KrispyKremeDoughnuts on YouTube.     
          
About Krispy Kreme:
 Krispy Kreme is an international retailer of premium-quality sweet treats, including its signature Original Glazed(R) doughnut. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Company has offered the highest-quality doughnuts and great-tasting coffee since it was founded in 1937. Krispy Kreme is proud of its Fundraising program, which for decades has helped non-profit organizations raise millions of dollars in needed funds. Today, Krispy Kreme can be found in approximately 690 locations around the world and approximately 10,000 grocery, convenience and mass merchant stores in the U.S. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE: KKD) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Visit us at www.KrispyKreme.com.

My kitchen is in need of a makeover. There are several areas that I would like to have redone but one area in particular that always stands out to me is the cabinets. There are two reason that I want to redo our cabinets. 

The first reason is that our cabinets are really starting to look warn and well honestly falling apart. Currently in my kitchen I have three drawers that refuse to stay together no matter how many times we have fixed them. It gets old after a while since I don't have an abundance of kitchen drawers in the first place. The second reason is that I would really like to change the layout of our kitchen making it more family friendly. I love cooking and baking and our layout just isn't made for that type of thing which makes it take longer and a little more difficult.

We have been looking around at different kitchen layouts, cabinets and all that jazz for awhile now and one thing we toss back in forth is if we want to go pick up all the material that is needed or is it really worth it to pay to have a professional home delivery company like White Glove Delivery actually deliver the item to our home.  My husband is the type that would rather do it himself but I personally would prefer to have a delivery company do the work since they are more familiar with how products need to be transported and they will make sure that it arrives safely.

Another topic we toss around when it comes to the kitchen cabinets is whether or not we want to install them ourselves or have a professional.  I love DIY projects and have to say that my dad was always one to do his own projects when it came to remodeling but when it comes to my kitchen (one of the most used rooms in our house) I am actually afraid to even attempt to do it myself.  I'm sure between my husband and I, we could get the job done but I would be on pins and needles through the entire process.  Things like this put a little dent in the household budget and it is one that I prefer not to mess up and have to start all over again.  If we ever reach the point of agreeing on all the things that come in to play with a remodel I will be sure to update you all!

So to all my readers out there. Are you a DIY type person and when it comes to purchasing bigger items are you one to use a professional home delivery company or do you bite the bullet and do it yourself? Also, would you attempt to remodel a kitchen yourself?

Ever worry about your child’s financial well-being in the future?  Well now’s your chance to get them started on smart spending habits!  PNC Bank has created the‘S’ is for Savings℠ Account,a fun and interactive online banking game designed especially for children.  Not only will this allow you to spend some fun quality time with your child, this game will teach them the basics of making important choices like saving, sharing and spending.

Help alleviate some of that parental anxiety and introduce your children to the wonderful world of money management with this exciting new game from PNC! You can also start a PNC “Growing Savers” account for your children to help get them on their way to financial freedom!Share this with your readers and provide some of your own fun tips on how to encourage little ones to practice good habits that will last a lifetime.

I took a few minutes to play while the kids were doing homework and it is an adorable interactive game.  I loved how it featured Saving, Sharing and Spending.  Great tool for teaching!

~ Lisa

Last year I remember seeing bloggers showing their swimsuit confidence by posting a picture of themselves on their blog for the Lands' End National Swimsuit Confidence Week. I thought that this was an awesome campaign and when I was approached this year I just couldn't say no. I am far from having the perfect body but have worked very hard to get where I am for several months now and I am feeling great about myself. As I started going through the great selection of swimsuits Lands' End has to offer I decided that I would give a 2-piece suit I try. I have ran in the other direction from those since my oldest son was born 5 years ago. I just didn't have the nerve to put one on but finally decided that it was time I accept myself for who I am and go for what I want. My five year old had to help me pick out the print and color and I have to say that he did an awesome job! Now let's fast forward to yesterday when we returned back from vacation and I checked my email. There I had an email reminding me of my promise and also letting me know that the photos would also appear on Land's End facebook page for millions to see. After I read that I was ready to go hide back into my shell but thought this was a great opportunity for me to quickly get over my fear of being seen in public in a 2-piece swimsuit. So here it goes! Time for the big reveal and my first time in a 2-piece in over 5 years. eek!

Today before we headed out to the pool

This weekend at the water park while watching my mom enjoy her grandbabies

Lands’ End will be hosting giveaways all week on Twitter in the #LandsEnd tag and there is also a Swimsuit Sweeps running right now on the Lands’ End Facebook. This is definitely something worth checking out! 

Also, join Lands’ End and SELF Magazine each day May 21 – 25,  from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. CDST and participate in a series of National Swimsuit Confidence Week events on Twitter. The weeklong movement was created to celebrate women of all shapes and sizes as well as educate and inspire them to embrace their swimsuit beauty and have fun this summer. Each day Lands’ End will give away 6 - $50 Lands’ End gift cards!

 I have Swimsuit Confidence! - Get the Badge – Go to http://on.fb.me/MhaQwh and display the “I have swimsuit confidence!” Badge on your Twitter profile photo. Send a tweet to @LandsEndPR proclaiming “I have swimsuit confidence!” #confidence for a chance to be entered to win a $500 Lands’ End gift card. Send now through May 25 – winner announced at 5:00 p.m. CDST May 25, 2012.

My Husband and I recently started reading The Love and Respect Experience together.  This couples devotional promotes itself as a devotional Husbands will read.  Well I suppose that is true since we are doing it together.  It is a book based on Bible principles on how if The Husband Loves his wife and she Respects him that they will have a good marriage.  It breaks down the ways He should show his love and how she should show her respect.  While these concepts are not foreign ideas sometimes it helps to read them from a book for them to settle into your thoughts. 


Additional Information:
Have you ever been excited about having a regular devotional time with your spouse, only to end up feeling distracted, frustrated, or misunderstood after your time together?
While most women are energized by the idea of going through a couples' devotional, best-selling author and marriage expert Dr. Emerson Eggerichs has observed that many men feel the opposite. "The typical husband just doesn't find the standard devotional book for couples that interesting-or that friendly. After trying it a few times, he just sort of finds other things to do," says Emerson.

That is why The Love & Respect Experience is different. After surveying thousands of couples about their top concerns and struggles, Emerson has crafted a fifty-two week devotional that will appeal to both wives and husbands as they seek to listen to what God has to say to them.
Each brief devotional, designed to fit into busy lifestyles, review the core principles of Love & Respect while inviting you to discover what God's Word has to say to you individually, then to you has a couple. Because each couple is different, Emerson gives practical, helpful advice and direction for making this devotional work for your marriage.

The Love & Respect Experience is an effective tool to help you and your spouse invigorate your experience with God and rejuvenate your marriage with love and respect.

My Thoughts:
I liked how this book breaks our thinking up into Pink & Blue.  It makes you realize that men and women really are two different creatures and we have completely different ways of thinking about things.  I also like that each devotion is only a page or two so you are not spending a lot of time reading. 

His Thoughts:
It is nice and short.  It makes me open my eyes  that men and women are different and see things from different points of view.  It is simple yet informative, basic stuff that every couple should know. 


You  can purchase your copy on Amazon or where ever books are sold.  For additional information visit Loveandrespect.com.